Elijah cracked his eyes open when he heard Asher speak. The sudden ache he felt in his chest made him realise just how fucked he was for this man. Elijah knew himself and he knew what this ache meant.

He flopped to his side, pulling carefully out of Asher before dragging him close to his own chest, wrapping Asher in his arms. His mouth pressed to Asher's forehead, one of his hands drawing idle patterns on his back.

"I can't leave Mike," he said simply. The truth was that he would have considered the offer otherwise. Mike didn't deserve to be parted from his mother and his life like that because his dad wanted to become a fugitive chasing after his criminal lover.

"But come back with me, I'll make sure you will be given your freedom in time and if you wish, a job at the bureau. And if you wish, there's a place for you in my house."