It was rare to see Elias like this. Defeated, vulnerable, submitted. Peter enjoyed the view, he was not big on watching but looking at Elias was always somehow enthralling. Especially when a blindfold was snuggly tied around beholder’s eyes. Elias’ breath hitched when Peter tied another knot on his chest. Red rope contrasted sharply with Elias’ white, crumpled shirt. He shivered when Peter placed his hand on beholder’s chest and pressed slowly, observing Elias.

“Are you alright?” Elias only shivered again in response and mumbled something inaudibly. “Use your words Elias. What’s your colour?”

“Y..yellow.” Elias forced out. Peter blinked and froze. He secured the end of the rope, let it go and sat closer to Elias’ head.

“Do you want me to untie you?” Elias shook his head. “Words.”

“N..no. No.”

“What about that blindfold?” Peter touched red material.

“I can’t see.”

“It’s not an answer.” Peter said patiently. He knew Elias tend to get… Lost when he couldn’t use his eyes. Elias explained it to him some time ago, that’s it’s not like he can’t see at all. Thanks to the Beholding he could see even with his eyes covered but the visions were blurred, confusing, dull, lulling him rather to sleep or sending him straight into panic. But they were already past that stage, so clearly something was wrong.

“It’s not an answer for my question.” Peter repeated pressing hand into Elias’ cheek to get his attention again. “Should I take off the blindfold?”

“No. No.” Peter nodded a bit confused.

“You don’t want to stop. So what’s going on?”

“I…” Elias shifted slowly on the bed, struggling against ropes. He breathed out, finally giving up. “Peter…”

“Yes?”

“Lay down with me” Peter raised his eyebrow and smiled amused.

“Of course.” He lay down closely to Elias and pressed his head to beholders shoulder. “Do you remember your safe word Elias?”

“Yes.” Elias hummed “I… I don’t want to stop. Just… Slow down.”

Peter get himself comfortable playing with Elias’ hair. Elias’ body slowly relaxed and he snuggled closer, breathing steadily. Peter smiled and kissed his neck. Elias shivered and Peter smiled. Peter closed his eyes and kept it that way until Elias’ shortness of breath started to concerned him.

“Elias?”

“T.. take it off. Peter. Peter. Take it off.” Peter blinked and sat up quickly. “Take… Take it off.”

“Easy. Easy, you will hurt yourself.” He kept him staidly and slide off the blindfold from Elias’ eyes. Elias blinked and his breath became steady again. Peter cut off the rope and tossed it on the ground looking at Elias.

“Jonah… ”

“I am alright.” He hummed slowly sitting up and rubbing his face. Peter frowned in disbelieve. “I am.” Elias snapped at him. Peter only tilted his head slightly and waited. Elias rolled his eyesand stood up, but his legs gave out under him, and he immediately sat down at the edge of the bed and breathed out.

Peter stood up and bring him water wondering if he should just left Elias to himself.

“Don’t.” Elias said watching the fog clouding the room. Peter passed him a glass of water and sat down next to him. Elias chugged down whole glass and slowly laid down closing his eyes for a moment. “Do you feel The Eye, when we are together?”

Peter hummed.

“You have eyes everywhere here, Elias. It’s as much an altar as Tundra is for the Lonely. I fog them but its impossible to not feel The Eye when I am with you.” Elias stay silent for a moment. He took a deep breath and then Peter realized the obvious. Elias was reeking of loneliness, Peter swallowed nervously trying to resist but it was so sweet and calling and…

“Stop it at once.” Elias hissed looking at him the way that made Peter’s chest spasm in pain. He quickly fled on the armchair, to distance himself from it. Elias lowered his gaze.

“I should go.” Peter stated. His company was not a company at all. He probably just makes it worse. Elias shook his head and sighed.

“No. I can manage, I always managed before.” He thrown on his robe with eye embroidery and stood up, slowly sitting down on Peter and putting his head on Luka’s chest. “I had already an awful day and the blindfold was apparently too much.” Peter thought with fondness that he will miss him terribly on the Tundra.

“Freak.” Elias snorted.

“Voyeur.” Peter bit back.

Elias fell asleep on him and Peter winced looking at his eyes that stayed wide open.

“And I am the freak…?” he mumbles to himself before disappearing into the Lonely.

He had enough decency to make sure that Elias won’t fall from the armchair.