Elijah's Confession

## Mob Boss Peggy01/17/2019

Sunday afternoon, after training had completed, Andy had found himself fluttering back and forth the house like a busy bee, cleaning and setting things back up, uttering notes into a log on his phone as they popped up into his head. He had just finished making reports about every single hero on his roster on his laptop, sitting on the couch with his reading glasses on, when he finally got up to find some food. His stomach rumbled loudly, he didn't realize how long he'd gone without it.
He got up and for the first time of the day, glanced at the counter that was filled with half-open snacks and drinks. Right there, nestled between some grocery bags was a baking pan filled with big, fluffy cinnamon buns. Andy was surprised, but his expression fell into a grateful one, with a little tinge of regret because he had been making a conscious effort not to speak of the events on Valentine's Day. "Oh, Lilah..." She was the sweetest thing. She must've felt guilty like he did. He made a mental note to find time to speak to her.(edited)

January 18, 2019

## Jax (token white guy)01/18/2019

Eli openes up the cupboard an slid a stack of plates in. Since training had finnished Eli had busied himself completeing small tasks around the house. Re-hanging one of the punching bags out back, Putting all the weights back on the rack, Cooking lunch for the team members that had stayed at andys and finally cleaning the dishes and putting them away. Everytime he finnished one job he found another. Another excuse to hang around and to avoid the conversation that he knew was coming. But as he looked around he didn't see anymore jobs. He only saw andy approaching the kitchen. Now or never.
"Hey Andy. Can we continue our convesation from before. Cause theres somthing you need to know before you choose your team leaders." Eli didn't make eye contact as he spoke to Andy instead he lowered his gaze to the ground infront of him. He took a deep breath and spoke the words that had become all too familiar to him.
"Andy. Im an alcoholic."

## Mob Boss Peggy01/18/2019

Andy was humming the theme song to Once Upon a Time in China while organizing some of the stuff on the counter. He kept eyeing the cinnamon buns and looking away, but they were a *gift*, he couldn't just... *leave* them there. Or let *Rhett* get to them. Shoving some of the grocery bags aside, he was about to open the container with his tongue poking out in thought when Elijah appeared. The man startled him so much that his glasses fell off. He quickly grabbed them and set them down on the counter. After all, he only really needed them to read.
"Mm? What's up? Have you thought about it?"
He took note of Elijah's body language. He didn't seem like himself. Eli was a busybody just like Andy was, so the two had gotten a lot accomplished during the day with great cooperation. Now that it was quiet for once, he was ready to give Eli all of his attention. The leader looked upon his friend with concern and gave a minuscule nod, allowing the man to speak.

*Andy. I'm an alcoholic.*

The pryomancer blinked, his expression locked in its tense state of concern. Elijah seemed ashamed. Andy didn't have *any* experience dealing with this sort of thing. He wanted to think that Elijah was joking with him. After all, how could someone so well put together and so helpful and diligent, be an *alcoholic*? But he knew Elijah wasn't the kind of guy to toy with such a serious confession.
He treaded carefully, not wanting to seem insensitive, but he wanted to know more. Andy's voice was as calm and level as Elijah's was.
"How bad is it?"

## Jax (token white guy)01/18/2019

"Pretty bad. Im what they call a functioning alchaholic. I can be completely drunk but still appear sober." Eli took a deep sigh and wiped his eyes for a moment before continuing. "About three years ago I had a bad breakup. Im talking girl next door to highschool sweetheart kind of thing. Anyway I got pretty low. I started drinking more than usual. I used to drink with friends, then I started drinking alone at bars and clubs, and then I just brought it home. My parents found out when they had to post bail for a drink driving charge."
Eli's eyes started to well up but for the first time he looked up at Andy. "Ive never seen them look so disapointed."
"So I started going to AA meetings, and I moved back in with my parents. I took care of myself and when my grandpa's health declined I took care of him. Mom and Dad never told him but you could tell that he knew. The look in his eyes." The conviction that had slowely been building in his voice disapeered as he looked away from Andy again. "And one day, grandpa was gone. After the funeral I walked back to the house. Needed time to think. Theres this little bar on the way home..." Elis voice gave out completely. He couldn't voice the thoughts in his head. The shame he felt. He had relapsed hard. Lost all the progress he had made. That he had fought for. He wasn't strong enough. And here he was failing someone else.
All he could say was "I'm sorry."

## Mob Boss Peggy01/18/2019

Andy hardly knew what to do except stand there and listen. He watched Eli speak, but couldn't say a word or even move his face. As Elijah spilled his life out to him, he felt guilty for ever doubting the man's story. This was someone the others seemed to look up to. A perfect-seeming guy with a perfect-seeming life. Andy was stunned.
But there Elijah was, trusting Andy enough to spill his soul out to him. A part of him felt like he wasn't deserving of such a priviledge. His hand gripped the pair of glasses on the counter mindlessly.
So this was why Eli was here. Just like Andy had said during his speech just hours ago. He needed purpose and redemption.
Elijah apologized, and the pyromancer was quiet for a moment as he pondered those words. He didn't want to coddle Elijah and give him some kind of bottled response that ordinary people would give that meant nothing, like, 'You're so brave', or 'You're such a fighter!'
"What are you doing now?"

January 19, 2019

## Jax (token white guy)01/19/2019

Eli wiped away the tears that kept forming in his eyes. He was trying to keep himself neutral and to the point but he couldn't escape the feeling that Andy was judging him. "Now... I'm going to the meetings again, and I'm trying to stay sober again. Im only a few weeks dry so far. I wanted to join the group, Be part if this." He gestured to the room around him. "But I knew I couldn't while I was still drinking myself to oblivion. I couldn't control my powers. I came so close to accidently hurting people so many times. So I put down the bottle, and for the last four and a bit weeks I've been fighting the urge to pick it back up. And for a while I kept it to myself. No one else knows."
"And now I'm telling you. Because I can't put others in danger. I can't lead these guys. I'm Compromised. And I understand if you don't want me on the team anymore. I'm not exactly Hero material." Eli stood silently awaiting his judgment. He didn't know what Andy would think of him anymore. He liked being in the team. He liked the idea of being a hero. And most of all he liked the person that everyone here thought he was. An electrician that ran his own business. Not the drunk who lived in a workshop because he couldn't afford a house.
He liked being Reverb a lot more than he liked being Eli.

## Mob Boss Peggy01/19/2019

Andy had a lot to think about to begin with. Every single moment of his day had been occupied with thoughts about the others. He hadn't been able to do anything to relax, or enjoy any of the activities he used to do before this thing started. The only reasons the leader ever left the house was to run errands. Elijah divulging this sensitive information to Andy should have put more weight on him. It should have added a new layer of stressful thoughts and unsure feelings.
After Reverb finished speaking, waiting for the leader to voice his thoughts, Andy stopped squeezing his glasses and put them back on his face. He couldn't relate to Eli's problem. He'd never had one, or known anyone with one like it. Andy wasn't going to pretend he knew what to do, either. All he knew was how he felt. He looked at the taller man with a softened expression.
"Thank you for coming to me with this. I know that it was hard for you to do that." He said, voice low and quiet. Andy paused, looking down pensively, staring through the tray of cinnamon buns. His gaze shifted back to the man.
"I still meant what I said about you. I think you deserve to be here, and I *still* want you to help me lead. The fact that you're actively battling this thing just makes me feel more like I *am* making the right choice. You *are* a hero. And you *do* belong here."
It didn't register to Andy that he could have been being naive about the whole thing. How many horror stories had he seen on TV about addicts and their tendency to destroy? Perhaps it was His inexperience talking, but the thought never occurred to him. He couldn't think that way about Elijah. His faith in the man was unshakable.
"I'll help you out in any way you need. That's what I'm here for. When things get hard, you're always welcome in this house."

## Jax (token white guy)01/19/2019

"Your putting a lot of trust in someone who has been basically lying to you from the start." Andy's words had sounded genuine but Eli still didn't know. Didn't know if he could be trusted with other peoples lives. Didn't know if he could be the person he had been pretending to be. But he was going to try.

"Fine. If you need me then I'm there." He said wiping away the last tears and standing straight again. He looked Andy right in the eyes and tried to look my determined than he felt. "But I think the team needs to have a say. They need the truth, and if they decide after hearing what you just heard that they can still trust me. Then I'll do my best to lead them."

## Mob Boss Peggy01/19/2019

Andy didn't quite know what to make of Eli's remark about being lied to. Honestly, he didn't even care. He had never asked Elijah whether or not he was an alcoholic. Andy didn't tell people lots of things, just because it wasn't relevant at the time.
If anything, he thought that this was a new beginning. He could get to know the real Elijah. Full disclosure. No hiding. Which was the whole point of the operation anyway. He was grateful for Eli's honest answer and so happy that he accepted, for the most part.
"I agree, but the decision isn't theirs. I can tell them, or you can. Whatever happens, it's still going to be my call." With a little smile, trying to diffuse the tension, Andy finally grasped and lifted the cover of the cinnamon bun tray. The aroma caused him to give a satisfied sigh. "Want one?"

## Jax (token white guy)01/19/2019

"Ill tell them. Eventually." Eli wasn't looking forward to it. Especially Leo and Vin. As he was probably going to get jokes from one and a lecture from the other. Most of the others had barely worked with him so telling them this big secret felt weird, but it had to be done. Just not right now.

"Sure." A small smile appeared on his face as he took a cinnamon bun from the tray. As he bit in tasting the wonderous flavours he began to feel a bit better. Andy's trust despite Eli's better judgement made him feel good. He really respected what Andy was doing with this team so it meant a lot that Andy seemed to respect him as well. "So... assuming no major villain incident happens anytime soon, what's next for the team?" He knew they would have to follow up on the necromancer case, and that Dee dee was still out there somewhere, but other than that he wasn't sure what the plane was.

## Mob Boss Peggy01/19/2019

Andy took a moment to step into the kitchen to grab some paper towels for the pair as they dug into the pastries. The cinnamon bun Andy bit into was so heavenly. So sticky and soft, and flavorful, and the icing wasn't too thick or too watery. They were perfect. He felt even more guilty now about not reaching out to Lilah about that night. Funny how food could be magical like that.
He swallowed and wiped the mess off of his mouth before responding. "I need to get another captain, aside from you. Also, Mr. Greene will be sending us some of his work later this week, I'm just waiting for the call. I've been working on a case about a serial killer, and I've been doing a lot of research about that 'zombie' lady. I've also been calling around to see if there are any people interested in helping me with a special tech project." He took a breath. "That... sounds like a lot, doesn't it?"(edited)

## Jax (token white guy)01/19/2019

"Yeah it does, but well get through it eventually." Eli was excited to get his uniform from Greene. While the others had gotten specially made uniforms to accommodate their powers Eli's suit was mainly designed to add dramatic effect. He had asked for the suit to be designed so that when Eli's sonic blasts past through it would become charged with the energy and would Glow green. Apart from turning him into a glowstick it had no tactical advantage but Eli liked the idea of it. Very dramatic.

"What's this special tech project? Anything I can help with?"

## Mob Boss Peggy01/19/2019

Eli asking about one of Andy's projects opened up a floodgate. He could've chosen almost any of those topics and suffered the same fate.
"Well, this might sound silly, but... I want communicators. That we can wear. Yeah, yeah I know they're on the market already, but I need something better! I want them to be discreet, to be virtually indestructible, to be insensitive to heat, water, and electricity, to have a distress signal, and a tracker. I want them to measure vitals and record audio..."
And he wouldn't stop talking until forced to, almost like their heavy, serious conversation never happened.