Winner Takes It All

Chapter 7

The first task of Leo's new job - which by the way he was not getting paid for - was helping Xavier pick out a gift for Liam's birthday.

It was a high request: Liam was almost impossible to please and Leo deserved all the money in the world for attempting what he was about to attempt. Why he had not thought to force Xavier to sign a contractually enforceable agreement with remuneration - he did not know.

Leo mulled over the blatant exploitation of his labour and considered unionising while Xavier unpacked the last of his boxes. Leo found himself quickly getting distracted and looking for something to assuage his boredom Leo started rummaging about in the last of the boxes.

A photo frame with a young Xavier grinning wildly despite a missing tooth. A drama prize from school marked Xavier C. Regazzaci. A ribbon from sports day. A collection of Soap & Glory Shower Puff loofas.

Xavier glared at Leo as though daring him to say something about the loofas. Leo rolled his eyes and moved onto the next box.

"What's this?" Leo asked, pulling out a pink knitted tea cozy with the name 'Clare' carefully stitched on. "Do you have a sister?" Leo frowned, if Xavier did he had never seen her.

Xavier's eyes went comically wide and he went pale. "It's - it's," he floundered, "give me that", he finally snapped snatching it away.

Leo's eyes widened as he realised the treasure he had stumbled upon - and all because of his tendency to be driven to distraction. Ha, take that mother, he thought triumphantly. A slow grin spread across his face. "Xavier, what are you not telling me?"

"Nothing," Xavier insisted, but Leo thought he saw the beginnings of a blush dust Xavier's cheeks.

"That was such a suspicious reaction Xavier C. Regazzaci."

Xavier sent him a dirty look. "Stop grinning like that. You know nothing."

Leo's grin grew even wider. "Say, Xavier - "

"Don't say it," he hissed, scowling.

Leo couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice. "Say, Xavier," he chortled. "What's your middle name?"

"Shut up you horrible little brat," Xavier hissed.

"Could it be - "

"Don't say it," Xavier growled.

"Could it by chance be that your - "

"Leo, I swear to god," he warned.

"Could it - "

"It's Clare!" Xavier exclaimed finally, raising his palms to the sky as though he hoped he might get struck down by lightning. "My middle name is Clare!"

Leo spluttered out in laughter.

"Stop laughing," Xavier grumbled. "It's a boy's name too. It's derived from the latin word for bright."

Leo knew he was wheezing unattractively but he couldn't care less because Xavier's middle name was Clare.

"I can't believe your middle name is Clare!" Leo tried to reconcile Xavier's constant scowling with the pink tea cozy and the name Clare. He doubled down in laughter.

Xavier glared at him, apparently not sharing his amusement. "It's a perfectly acceptable name", Xavier defended with pomp.

It took Leo a while to regain his composure and when he did Xavier's arms were crossed grumpily, his cheeks still stained pink.

Leo grinned widely. "Don't get me wrong, it's cool for boys to be called Clare, I think masculinity has - "

"Out of my room," Xavier hissed.