Elijah shrugged and gestured for him to relax, "It's alright. I only drink socially a small bit. I'm not social enough, it would go to waste. At least you will enjoy it. Consider it a celebration for you getting your freedom." He gave an awkward smile towards Simon before he knelt to the floor and pushed the bed several feet. There on the floor was a square in the wooden floor with a notch. He shoved his thumb into the spot and managed to slide up the wood revealing a hole.

"This is where your money is hidden. I want you to know in case you have to get it without me. " He had very little else in the hidden nook, especially anything Simon would take interest in. He pulled out a small box and opened it to show Simon the money he had given Elijah to hide. "You still want it?"

Simon watched. Elijah had hidden the money really well, and suddenly Simon became strongly aware of just how much Elijah had done for him. It was not the first time he stayed over, Elijah had helped him keep the money safe from his father, handed him the liquor without judgement, had even been patient when Simon had vomited over his shoes and done some even less respectable things. And never complained or got angry. "Elijah..." he shook his head. "Thank you. I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll take the money when I'm leaving. I really appreciate you kept it safe... and everything else..."

The constable nodded as he put the money away and pulled the bed back into place and glanced at him over his shoulder. "If you want to thank me, do something with this chance. Live a good life in the city without causing trouble. Otherwise, you don't need to thank me. I believe in you and I want you to be happy. You deserve that." He smiled and when he stood again he patted his shoulder lightly, careful of any hidden injury. "I will feel you've repaid me ten fold if I one day get a letter of you living the life you've wanted."

Simon nodded, pressed his lips together, and nodded again. "Thanks Elijah. I'll... make the best of it." The truth was that he had been holding up this 'leaving for York' thing for ages to keep him going, and he had told himself that he would find a decent job, and meet more people like him who would understand, that there would be a place for him and everything would be great. But now that it was an approaching reality, he was afraid of it for the first time. "I'll leave you to sleep," he said.

Elijah looked at him happily though sleepily "Good to hear." He walked him back to the sofa and grabbed a glass for him so he wouldn't just down the bottle.

"Sure you don't want company for a little while?" It seemed sad to drink alone.

Simon followed him back to the other room and sat down on the sofa. "Only if you want. I don't want to keep you from your sleep." But he was actually eager for the company. "Drink with me," he asked.

Elijah looked uncertain but grabbed another glass. "A little won't hurt. And don't worry about my sleep. I'll be alright. You are more important." He smiled as he poured a little. He dropped onto the sofa beside him and held up his glass for a toast. "What do you want to drink to?"

Simon felt too down for a toast. He should probably toast to his journey and new life and new chances, but he could not feel enthusiastic about it right now. He finally raised his glass. "To our friendship. I wouldn't know where I'd be without you."

In the pub, making a fool of himself, probably.

Elijah nodded and clinked their glasses together carefully. "That sounds good to me." He sipped his drink and was grateful it was a good one his friend in York had purchased. He didn't care much for the taste and had it been terrible he probably wouldn't have put it to his lips again.

"I am grateful for our friendship too. I don't really have friends in town, the few I had before I left turned on me for leaving for cause I'm now part of the law. " He tried not to fall into the gloom of the lonely life of a constable so he shook it off.

"Hopefully it'll change in a matter of time. I haven't been back all that long."

Simon looked at him with pity. "You'll come visit me in York, of course? And for what t' friendship of children is worth... Rose says you didn't deserves all this. She likes you, and she'll do so all the more once you'll channel our letters. She won't let you down. And Anne came to you because she trusted you. And Bram... well, he does what he wants. Though that worries me sometimes..."