Page 59 of Rules to Love By

“It’s a lot.”

Tris grinned. “They’re a lot. But it’s because they like you.” He patted Marcus’s leg. “You sure?”

“Positive. You should get back to work.”

“You can call me if you need anything.”

“I know.”

Tris patted him again. “Okay.” He got up. “Anything at all.”

“Tris.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m going.”

He didn’t spare Eli a single spike as he passed, glaring and scowling at him until the door closed on his heels, then firmly latched itself.

At least Mildred seemed to believe Marcus wasn’t worried about being left alone with Eli.

Once they were alone, though, the silence stretched.

“My oatmeal is going to be pretty gross if it gets cold,” Marcus pointed out, since Eli was standing between him and the table.

“Sure.” He fetched the tray and set it down, holding it until Marcus had moved the glass and the vase to the nightstand.

“The flower’s a nice touch.”

“I may have stolen it off an empty table.”

“Nice.” He picked up the bowl, and Eli set the tray aside.

“You told Tris I was scary,” Eli said after he’d watched Marcus eat a few spoonfuls.

“But also not scary.”

Eli narrowed his eyes at him. “How can I be scary and not scary at the same time?”

Marcus took a few more bites of oatmeal while he thought about that.

Eli pulled a chair over to the bedside to sit, but otherwise, waited quietly.

“Maybe… I was scared. But you made it okay to be scared. So less scary,” Marcus said at last.

“Scared of what?”

“I’m not sure?” He ate some more of the food, using it as an excuse to think. Or maybe just as an excuse to not have to talk for a minute.

And still, Eli waited.

“Not you,” Marcus said at last. “And not the situation. As I’m sure you also gathered from that conversation, I’ve been in worse, and with scarier guys. I’m not sure. We may have to—” He looked up at Eli, who kept watching him. “—do some more for me to figure it out.”

Eli didn’t say yes or no to that.

Marcus sighed. “I don’t need to be managed, okay?”

Still Eli didn’t say anything.

“I’m fine.”

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