The Glided Cage

The Glided Cage


Chapter Seventy-Two: The Glided Cage

The rain in Paris was a total cliché, but Merrick was living it. Soaked to the bone, his black shirt stuck to his abs but he didn't even feel the cold. 

The only thing he could feel was the frantic beat of his heart, a drum solo against his ribs.

Elliot. Elliot. Elliot.

His name was a prayer, a curse, a mantra on repeat in Merrick's head. He had to find him. 

His sense of smell, a predator's gift, was locked onto a scent that was like a home he'd been kicked out of: old books, ink, and that unique, sweet smell that was just… Elliot.

He followed it, a man possessed, his boots splashing through puddles until he skidded to a halt in front of a cozy-looking bookshop with a lit apartment above it. 

His eyes, dark and desperate, scanned the facade.

And then he saw him. A flash of familiar, messy brown hair, a slender frame darting inside.

"Elliot!" The name was torn from his throat, almost a yell, but it was swallowed by the city's murmur.

He stood there for a full minute, just breathing, trying to remember how to be a person and not a storm of need. 

Then, the light in the upstairs window flicked on.

That was all the invitation he needed.

He was a blur, ignoring everything and everyone, taking the narrow stairs two at a time. And then he was there.

At the door. And suddenly, all his confidence vanished. His heart wasn't just beating; it was trying to break out of his chest.

What if he slams the door in your face? What if he hates you? What if he's moved on?

"Get your shit together, Merrick," he whispered harshly to himself, running a hand through his wet hair. "You didn't cross an ocean for nothing."

He raised a trembling hand to knock.

The door swung open before his fist could connect.

And there he was.

Elliot.

His Elliot. But… different. His eyes, the ones Merrick remembered being so full of light and laughter, were paler, older. 

They held a universe of sadness, but as they landed on Merrick, they widened with a shock that quickly melted into something else. Something raw and aching. Longing.

"Merrick…?" Elliot's voice was a soft, broken whisper. "How… how did you find me?"

"I will always find you," Merrick breathed, his voice rough with emotion. "I had to know if you were okay. I had to see you."

A small, fragile smile touched Elliot's lips, so quick Merrick would have missed it if he wasn't memorizing every micro-expression. "Come in," he said, stepping aside. "You're… you're drenched."

Merrick walked in, his eyes scanning the small apartment. It was so Elliot. 

Books were stacked on every available surface, piled on the floor, filling the air with the scent of paper and dreams. It made his chest tighten.

"You haven't changed," Merrick said, his gaze finally landing back on Elliot, drinking him in. 

He shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from reaching out and pulling him close, from crushing their lips together right then and there.

"I guess not," Elliot murmured, pushing the bridge of his glasses up in that nervous, endearing habit Merrick knew so well.

"The DRS… they gave you a new identity?"

"Yeah. Wiped my record clean. I've been trying to build a new life, but…" He trailed off, hugging himself. "I'm always looking over my shoulder."

"Let me protect you," Merrick said, closing the distance between them in one determined stride. 

His fingers, gentle but firm, came up to cradle the side of Elliot's neck, his thumb stroking the soft skin behind his ear. "Please. Let me."

A single tear escaped, tracing a path down Elliot's cheek. "I was so terrified, Merrick. I wanted to call you, a thousand times. I typed out a thousand texts. 

But I was so scared… scared of putting you in more danger, or… or that you wouldn't want me anymore."

"Never," Merrick's voice was fierce, his own eyes glistening. "I'm so sorry I ever let you go. I don't care about the past. I don't care about any of it. I just care that you're here. That I found you."

He cupped Elliot's face, his touch reverent, and leaned in, gently kissing away the tear on his cheek. It was salty, it was real, it was everything.

Elliot's breath hitched. His hands came up, his fingers tangling in Merrick's wet shirt before sliding up to frame his face, brushing away the rain. "Merrick…"

That was all the permission he needed.

Their lips met in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was a collision of months of loneliness, of fear, of desperate, unspoken love. 

It was slow and deep and aching, a conversation of tongues and shared breath that said everything words couldn't. 

Elliot's glasses dug awkwardly into Merrick's cheek, but neither of them cared. 

Merrick's arms wrapped around Elliot's waist, pulling him flush against his body, erasing every inch of space that had ever been between them.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for air, Elliot rested his forehead against Merrick's. 

"I've dreamed of this," he whispered, his voice shaky. "Over and over. I can't believe you're real."

A slow, smoldering smile spread across Merrick's face. "Do you want me to kiss you again? Just to make sure?"

"Stay," Elliot pleaded, his eyes wide and earnest. "Stay with me tonight. Don't go anywhere. Please, Merrick. Stay."

That was all he needed to hear.

Merrick slowly, carefully, reached up and took off Elliot's glasses, placing them on a nearby stack of books. 

Now he could see his eyes, really see them…all the love and fear and hope shining back at him.

"Always," Merrick vowed.

And then he captured Elliot's lips again, this kiss hotter, more demanding. It was a spark that ignited a long-dormant fire. 

Hands began to roam, pulling at damp clothing, desperate to feel skin. 

Buttons were fumbled, fabric was pushed aside, until they were a tangle of limbs and heated flesh on Elliot's rumpled bed.

It wasn't just sex. It was a reclamation. Every touch was a promise, every sigh a forgiveness. 

Merrick worshipped Elliot's body with his hands and his mouth, relearning every curve, every freckle, every sensitive spot that made Elliot gasp and arch his back. 

He moved over him, into him, with a possessive tenderness that made Elliot's eyes roll back in his head.

"Look at me," Merrick rasped, his body moving in a slow, deep rhythm that was driving them both mad. "I want to see your eyes."

Elliot's gaze, hazy with pleasure, found his. "Merrick…" he moaned, his nails digging into Merrick's shoulders.

"I love you," Merrick breathed against his lips, the words he'd held onto for so long finally set free. "I never stopped. I love you."

It was the final key that unlocked everything. Elliot cried out, his body shattering beneath Merrick's, the waves of his release pulling Merrick over the edge with him. 

Merrick's own groan was a raw, guttural sound as he spilled himself deep inside Elliot, collapsing onto him moments later, spent and breathless.

They lay tangled in the aftermath, limbs intertwined, hearts beating in a synchronized rhythm. The rain had softened to a gentle patter against the window. 

Merrick stroked Elliot's hair, his fingers tracing the lines of his face, still unable to believe he was here, real and warm in his arms.

"What are you staring at?" Elliot mumbled, his voice thick with sleep and satisfaction, nuzzling into Merrick's chest.

"I can't believe how blessed I am," Merrick whispered, his voice full of awe. "I haven't felt this… whole. This happy. In so long."

Elliot just smiled, a true, unguarded smile this time, and pressed a soft kiss to Merrick's collarbone.

Kissing his forehead, filled with a sense of rightness, of home, Merrick whispered the question that had been burning in his soul. 

"Come home with me. I want you back. We want you back. Aldrich, Aiden… the family."

The effect was instantaneous.

The soft, sated warmth in Elliot's eyes shattered. It was like watching a window frost over in a blizzard. He froze, his body going rigid in Merrick's embrace. 

The love and peace were replaced by a gut-wrenching, primal fear.

"I can't, Merrick." The words were a choked whisper.

"What?" Merrick's heart plummeted. "Why? Is it because of what happened? Elliot, I told you, we've moved past that. They all have. Aldrich himself said you'd be welcome."

"It's not that!" Elliot pulled away, scrambling out of bed and grabbing his discarded shirt, holding it to his chest like a shield. 

He began to pace, a caged animal. "It's not about them. It's not even about what I want."

"Then what is it?" Merrick sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist, a cold dread seeping into his bones.

Elliot stopped, his back to Merrick, shoulders trembling. 

"The DRS… they were never truly disbanded. The public closure was a facade." He turned, his face a mask of despair. "They just went deeper underground."

Merrick stared, uncomprehending.

"I work for them, Merrick." The confession was ripped from him, ugly and sharp. "In exchange for my freedom. I'm their asset. 

Their eyes and ears in the human world, monitoring supernatural leaks. I report to them."

The silence in the room was deafening.

"So that's it?" Merrick's voice was a hollow, broken thing. "You're just… their slave forever?"

"If I stop… if I disappear with you…" Elliot's voice cracked.

"They'll lock me away in a hole so deep and dark, no one will ever, ever find me. You'll never even know if I'm alive."

The sheer terror in his voice broke the last of Merrick's shock. 

He was out of the bed in an instant, crossing the room and gathering Elliot into his arms, holding him tight as his body was wracked with silent sobs.

"I'm so sorry," Elliot wept into his shoulder. "I thought… I thought if you knew, you'd hate me. You'd see me as a traitor."

"Shhh," Merrick soothed, his hand rubbing slow circles on Elliot's back, his own mind racing, a cold, hard fury beginning to burn away the fear. He pressed a kiss to Elliot's temple. 

"It's okay. I'm here now. I'm not leaving you. And I will find a way to get you your freedom from those monsters. I promise you."



CRASH!

The sound of shattering glass ripped Aldrich from a deep, contented sleep. 

He was out of the bathroom in a flash, heart in his throat, his powerful body tensed for a threat.

"Aiden?!" he blurted, his voice laced with a terror he only ever felt for one person.

He found him standing barefoot in the kitchen, staring down at the shattered remains of a teacup on the tiles. 

Aiden's face was pale, his hands pressed against his lower stomach.

"My stomach, Aldrich," Aiden whispered, his voice trembling. "Look at it. It's more… circular. It's getting obvious. Someone is going to notice."

Aldrich's panic subsided, replaced by a wave of protective tenderness. 

He took a deep, calming breath and moved forward, carefully navigating the broken glass. 

Without a word, he scooped Aiden into his arms, cradling him against his broad chest.

"Hey, none of that," he murmured, carrying him back to the safety of their bed. 

He laid him down gently and, without a hint of hesitation, leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the gentle swell of Aiden's stomach.

Aiden let out a tiny, involuntary giggle. "It tickles."

"You are the cutest thing in this world or any other," Aldrich said, his voice thick with love as he pinched Aiden's cheek playfully.

"You were asleep," Aiden said, snuggling into the pillows. "I got a call from Merrick. He… he found Elliot."

"Really?" Aldrich beamed, a genuine, happy smile spreading across his face.

"He should bring him home. He needs to bring him home." Aiden's eyes were bright with hope.

"Agreed," Aldrich said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He'd make sure Merrick knew. This family wasn't complete. Not without all its pieces. "I'm gonna tell him that myself."