Geolias

This obviously takes place a while back in the current Archie storyline, when Geoffrey was attempting to help Elias run the country. Facts may be a tad skewed. ;)

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"So, it's true then?"

Geoffrey looked up from his crossbow, confusion written on his features. "...uh?"

Rolling his eyes, Elias sat down on the floor before his friend, crossing his legs precisely. "Do you ever listen to a word I say?"

"I was just lost in thought," Geoffrey explained, laying the weapon to the side and focusing on the conversation. "What were you saying?"

"Rumor is--you were in love with my sister."

Geoff blushed. Rumor? It was common knowledge. But Elias was new to the village and the citizens approached him with polite caution. Such a subject was still too close to Geoff's heart, however... It had taken him long enough to forget about her... And that--BOY she had left him for. Overt flirtations were common among them, and they paid little attention to whether or not the skunk saw them.

Returning his attention to the bow, he tried to appear nonchalant. "We dated for a while." A shrug. "No big deal."

"Sounds like it was. I heard you and Sonic used to get into fights on a daily basis--over her." He fidgeted.

Geoffrey looked back up at Elias, a snarl curling on his lips. "Violent little brute. He probably threatened her, to get her to leave me."

Eli smiled sweetly, his eyes twinkling. "You're better off anyway."

"You shouldn't say that about your own sister."

Looking away, Elias whispered, "Why not?"

Geoffrey felt his heart sink. Things between he and his family were not going well since his return. King Acorn was growing older and more stubborn by the day, and Sally was not able to deal with having an authority figure suddenly in her life. She was becoming louder and more rebellious, and rebuking her father's decrees and any attempts Elias made to form a bond. To her, the family she had ached for for so long was now nothing more but a suffocating inconvenience. And Elias' fantasies of a loving reunion were all but crushed.

Seeing that a reply did not immediately hit Geoffrey's tongue, Elias got to his feet and walked toward the window. Desperate to escape SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE, he put his arms on the sill and looked out at the horizon. The new Castle Acorn at the center of Knothole was many stories tall, built around the oldest and sturdiest oak in the village. It offered a beautiful view--but to Elias, it was a torturous reminder of the world outside he had forfeit.

"I can't-- be a king, Geoffrey," Elias murmered, barely loud enough for his companion to hear. "She is much better equipped to do this job. Why must she be so selfish?" He heard the skunk approaching behind him, stopping a few feet away.

"Don't worry about any of that, I told you," Geoffrey said quietly. "I'll help you. I swore to you from day one--that I would help you, didn't I?" He put a warm hand on Elias' shoulder. "And Sally-- She has a lot of problems on her own. She needs time to work this all out. Just like you do. Don't blame her."

The sun was setting. Elias watched in wonder as it dipped into the skyline, casting its rays into the polluted clouds that hovered so dangerously close to the forest. When the light hit them just right--they were such beautiful colors of purple and red and gold. Who knew such horrid filth could be such a gorgeous sight?

"You're still in love with her."

His hand falling away, Geoffrey gasped, "Wha?"

Elias put his head on his hands, tangling slim fingertips into the fur on his cheeks. "You still pine for her, don't you?" He shifted his weight a bit, leaning his hips to the right as he pushed back on one leg. "You can be honest with me, Geoffrey. I won't tell anyone."

For a few moments, Geoffrey just looked Elias over. It was almost uncanny how easily Eli could tell what Geoffrey was thinking and feeling at any given time. He was just that type of man; observant, empathetic. Not really a typical man at all... "I... I want her to be happy. And if that means being with... HIM, then... Then that's what I want for her."

Elias nodded thoughtfully. "It must be painful for you to watch them together."

Pursing his lips, Geoffrey simply looked at the back of his prince's head. He didn't have to answer; Elias already knew. Turning, the prince smiled warmly at him. "You're so selfless, Geoffrey... You take it all in stride. She doesn't even notice what it does to you. She doesn't care."

"She has a lot of problems on her own," Geoffrey repeated. "I won't burden her with more."

Elias took one step towards him. Two. "Why waste your time pining for her when she barely knows you exist?"

"Once you get to know her better, Elias, you'll know the answer to that question."

The prince scoffed and took another step. His face was now mere inches away from Geoffrey's... The skunk inhaled sharply. A situation was going to arise from this that he wasn't so sure he wanted to deal with. But Elias' smell was intoxicating... Flowery, but with a musky twang. So like Sally in ways. "I know YOU," Elias whispered. "And I know she's a fool for letting you go."

"Y... Your majesty..." Geoffrey stammered. "I... You... You're not... THAT... way... are you?"

A vicious grin spread across Elias' face. "What if I was? Would that bother you?"

He was emboldened. Unusual for him; he was usually so quiet, so easygoing. Only rarely did he demonstrate any conviction of his own, which is why Geoffrey felt the need to protect him. That might have been a mistake. Really, nobody knew the prince that well! He could be a psychopath. A sexual sadist prowling for his next victim... But... He was the PRINCE. It didn't matter what he was or wasn't. Gritting his teeth resolutely, Geoffrey replied, "No. No... Never, your majesty."

"Call me Elias. Please." His smile didn't falter. "And you're lying. It bothers you quite a bit."

"No... I mean... You... Can do whatever you want, Your Maj--Elias."

Without him even noticing, Elias had backed him against the wall. "What if YOU are what I want to do?" Geoffrey blanched. The Prince continued, "Did you ever sleep with her, Geoffrey? Did you ever make love to my sister?"

"Elias--"

"Did you kiss her? How did you kiss her? How did it feel when she kissed you?"

His patience finally broken, Geoffrey roughly pushed the Prince away from him. "None of your business!" he growled, hands tightening into fists. Elias stumbled backward, falling haphazardly against the bed. He looked at Geoffrey in shock. Never in the short time they had known eachother had the skunk displayed his true temper. They both peered at one another for what could have been ten minutes... Breath quick, pulses racing. Realization spread across both men's faces at the same time. As Geoffrey collapsed against the wall, Elias sank into the mattress, burying his face in his hands.

"I'm... so sorry," Geoffrey said quietly, his voice trembling. "Your Majesty, I would never--"

"No!" Elias cried, his face rising to meet Geoffrey's gaze. "It is I who should apologize to you. I... I was... I... Oh God..." Tears were streaming down his face. "Please... don't tell my father. I..."

"I would never. I would never betray you, Your Majesty," Geoffrey replied, falling to his knees before Elias. "I promised you that I would protect you... And I meant it. No matter what."

Elias' head was in his hands again. He began to sob quietly, murmering regrets to himself. So like Sally... "Elias..." Geoffrey whispered, "I know how it feels. To be out of your element. Alone. So lonely... You can do things... That aren't characteristic of you."

Laughing to himself, the prince shook his head. "Geoffrey," he said quietly, his tears abating, "You assume so much."

"Do I?"

Shining eyes met Geoffrey's. "You are... so wonderful to me. And why? Yes, because I'm your prince... You're sworn to protect me, but... You go above and beyond that. You're a friend. You're my... knight in shining armor." The skunk blinked back at him, unsure where he was going with this statement. "I'm very lonely, yes... But I'm the prince. I have all the friends I want, if I were to just snap my fingers they'd be at my side."

"You're a good man, Elias," Geoffrey reassured him. "Of course, nobody would hesitate to be your friend..."

Leaning back on his hands, Elias continued, "I was attracted to you from day one, Geoffrey. Did you realize? Of course you didn't. I wanted you. So I asked around about you." A sweet smile tugged at his thin lips. "And that's when I found out about... You and her." Before Geoffrey could expound on the thought, Elias leaned forward and continued to speak. "I was so... ANGRY... Yet another thing handed to her on a silver platter that she just threw away. It wasn't fair!"

"Does anyone else know... about your... attraction to me?" Geoffrey asked, a little fear in his voice.

"No..." Elias answered. His eyes were sad. Things were obviously not going his way. "I would never dare to... humiliate you in such a way, Geoffrey. Such a strong and noble man... Everyone respects you, you know."

"Fears me, you mean," Geoffrey replied, eyes cast downward. "Sonic is everyone's favorite around here... They hate me because he does. They think I pick on him."

The Prince laughed. "As well you should! His ego, remaining unchecked, would expand until it destroyed the entire village."

Laughing in return, Geoffrey looked up at his prince again. Such affection shone in his eyes. So like Sally... Or was she so like him? Being the elder of the two, it had to have been his traits that she absorbed. What was so bad about him? Just because he was a male? He had all of the characteristics Geoffrey so loved in Sally... And others that made him possibly even better. He was much less of a firecracker than his sister. He preferred to watch the action from afar rather than take part. He never argued with Geoffrey the way Sally did... He was actually much more effeminate than she. And he loved Geoffrey. Looking back now, it was obvious, the preference Elias had always held for him.

"I'm just like Sally, then..." Geoffrey wondered aloud, barely audible.

Elias was surprised somewhat. "Hmm?"

"I just went about my daily activities, totally unaware of how you felt about me... How the things I did must have made you feel." The Prince's face softened. "It must have killed you to see me so lovesick for her when you were lovesick for ME..."

Tears threatened to spring forth in Elias' eyes again. "I was just... jealous. I'm always so jealous..."

"Another thing we have in common."

Seemingly in slow motion, Geoffrey approached his prince. His mind was made up. They were both lonely, both feeling the same emotions. What would it hurt? Nobody had to know but the two of them. They could share eachother's sorrows, perhaps help heal the pain. Still on his knees, he reached out and gently took Elias' face in his hands. So delicate and soft...

"Don't do this, Geoffrey. Don't do this just because you think it's what I want you to do."

Grinning, coming ever closer, Geoffrey replied, "It's what *I* want to do."

He tilted Elias' head slightly, and then their lips met. The Prince's breath quickened as Geoffrey's eyes closed. There was no stopping this now. HE had done it. Elias was now clinging to him, digging his claws into the sinew of Geoffrey's neck. The skunk's pulse began to ring in his ears. Deepening the kiss, he made his way upward until his knee was on the bed. Almost instinctively, Elias wrapped his legs around him. The squirrel was shaking. Their faces parted temporarily.

"Geoffrey..." He lay back upon the mattress, looking up at the object of his intense affection.

The skunk smiled and pushed Elias' bangs from his eyes. "That wasn't so bad."

"You're going to regret this tomorrow, I bet..."

Without any hint of a reply, Geoffrey bent back down, taking Elias' lips again. The Prince moaned, arching his back as lips parted and Geoffrey slid his tongue deep inside Elias' mouth. As they continued, Elias ran his hands down Geoffrey's chest, gripping his rock hard pecs and traveling down to his abs... He thought back to all the mornings he had watched Geoffrey train, sweating profusely as he dropped to the ground for pushups, wishing he could be underneath...

"So... hot..." Elias growled against his lover's chin. The skunk exhaled semi-quietly, traveling around the side of Elias' face and beginning to nibble on his soft ears.

Forgetting yourself. Don't get too carried away...

The thought crossed both men's minds as Geoffrey's hands became bolder, testing new territory he had previously never even considered. He caressed Elias' sides as he began to nibble his neck. Moaning again, this time sounding almost desperate, Elias grabbed Geoff's hip bones. "Geoffrey!" he whined, grinding his body against that of his closest friend.

Geoffrey suddenly opened his eyes as the illusion was shattered. He felt something odd against his stomach. Something new, something foreign, something that had never come into play when he was with Sally.

Looking at Geoffrey, Elias swallowed hard. Neither had realized, but tears were yet again pouring from Elias' eyes.

"Your... Majesty..."

A sob escaped the Prince's lips. "This was a mistake. A mistake!" He rolled out from beneath Geoffrey and turned away, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and sitting up.

Panic rising in his throat, Geoffrey grabbed the Prince's shoulders. "Elias!" he cried. "Don't get upset, please..."

Shining eyes looked back to him. "You just wanted to pretend I was Sally-- It was so dumb of me, I can't believe I ever thought this would work--"

"No! Elias--"

"I saw your face."

Running his fingers through his hair and pulling a little in frustration, Geoffrey stepped back onto the floor again. "My Prince.... I... was just shocked, that's all. I got carried away, and..."

"Please leave. I'm sorry that... that I put you through that." Elias looked away again.

"No! I..." What was he going to say? That he liked it? Geoffrey couldn't bring himself to voice those words. A strangled noise erupted in his throat. What was that? Pain? Sorrow?

The Prince's face was now a mask of anger as he jumped to his feet. Pointing toward the door, he cried, "I asked you to LEAVE!"

Completely unable to make sense of the tumult in his head, Geoffrey finally, silently, complied.