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"From where you think you'll end up to the state that you're in
Elijah reads much like he does everything else in life: enthusiastically, intensely, leaving an indelible mark that he was there. Sean sometimes teases him about the state of his reading material. His books have been enjoyed; the spines are bent into a curve, cracked from the way Elijah bends the front cover to meet the back cover as he reads. His books don't sit flat when he puts them down, either. They fall open, as if of their own accord, to whichever page Elijah is on. There's no need for him to dog-ear the pages, but he does anyway. Sean's books are the complete opposite. They're immaculate, so much so that they look brand new no matter how many times he's read them. The spines are smooth, the pages pristine, and the covers are never marred with so much as a smudged fingerprint, like they don't dare to be the least bit unsightly. Some days when they're in the trailer for makeup, Sean notices things. Like the way Elijah hardly ever has his eyes on the pages; instead, he stares a little off to the right, over the top of his book, while his feet are put on. Sean knows what's there. A mirror. He also knows that Elijah's not staring at his own reflection to see his transformation from Elijah to Frodo. No, that particular mirror is angled just so, and the person reflected there is Billy. Sean notices Elijah's inattention to the book in his hands, but he doesn't say anything. He also notices that at times, when Billy glances up and catches or nearly catches Elijah watching him, Elijah's suddenly engrossed in the book that, seconds ago, held no interest whatsoever. But now it's riveting-- an absolute page-turner, it seems. Sean doesn't point out that unless Elijah's taken speed-reading classes, he can't possibly be reading as quickly as he turns the pages. Other days, when Billy leaves the trailer with Dom, their hands locked together, Elijah can't seem to take his eyes off his book, can't even be bothered to say good-bye to his friends. So Sean does it for him those days, doesn't comment on the violent way Elijah flips the pages. Doesn't ask if he's trying to tear out each leaf of paper. Another morning, and Billy comes in sick. Dom's not there, because he's filming at another location. Even though Billy's face is ashen and he can hardly stand up to get his feet on, he's got that determined look that says he's going to work today. Less than half an hour in, Sean sees Elijah's reaction when Billy curses and sits down abruptly. Makeup people back away, go to talk to Peter about it, and Elijah's across the room in no time, voice and features concerned and caring. Billy grips Elijah's hand tightly, and Elijah smooths a hand up Billy's arm, back down, in a soothing, repetitive motion. Sean looks away because the moment seems too personal, too intimate for him to intrude upon. He looks away, but then they're reflected in the mirror, so Sean closes his eyes. He can still feel and see them, though, can't block out Elijah's soft murmurs. Shuffling, and Sean looks back up. He watches Elijah help Billy out of the trailer, arm curved firmly around his back. Elijah tells Sean he'll be back in a little while, and Sean notes that one of Elijah's feet is flapping loosely in the back. After a minute, Sean glances over at Elijah's chair, where his book lies abandoned, spine arching, pages splayed open. Sean turns back to his own book, perfect and smooth, and he tries to find his place. When he finally does, he flips through absently, eyes skimming the pages. He's surprised when he reaches the end of the chapter and has no idea what he just read. Flipping back through roughly, determined to catch what he missed, a page rips. Sean sighs, drops the book down on the makeup counter. It stays closed. END
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