Somewhere Over the Rainbow

XIII

Francesco comes down a few seconds later. He comes into the living room and before anyone can say anything, Francesco explains, "No, I'm not going to say anything because this is Xavier's story and there is also no need to worry because I think I know exactly where he went." 

"No, you have to explain what happened! We don't know where Xavier is!" Rosanna says. 

"I agree," Jésus weakly pitches in. Rosanna snaps her head to look at him. She doesn't give him a glare, nor does she smile. Instead, her hard eyes grow soft and that's enough for Jésus to know that it's her way of telling him that she appreciates the support. 

Francesco bitterly chuckles, shaking his head, "None of you have taken notice for so long, where's this care coming from?" 

This makes Fahad snap, making his loud voice almost boom. "No matter what happened, Cesco, we have always cared! We just weren't there before but we are now!" 

Francesco isn't fazed by his brother's anger at all. "Well sometimes actually being there helps with healing!" He ends with looking at Jésus. 

Romeo, knowing that Francesco's comment was a dig at Jésus, still jumps in. "Calm down!" he yells, glaring at Francesco. "God damn, I shouldn't be the one teaching you to grow up!" Romeo shouts the last part at all of them. 

"Can you at least tell us where he is?" Jésus almost mumbles, not fully sure if it is his place to ask such questions. 

Thankfully, Francesco, after a few moments of contemplating, lets them in on this one detail. "Ely's." 

"Ely?" Romeo asks. Jésus wonders about the same thing. 

Rosanna eyebrows furrow, "Who's that?" 

"Oh, Ely Windsor?" Fahad recognises. 

Francesco nods. Still, Rosanna asks, "Who's he?" 

Francesco begins to reply, "Xavier's  . . " He's lost and doesn't understand what he can say. "Friend." It's broad but true. 

Fahad sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Too much is going on. They're all together under one roof, they're arguing, they're walking out and coming back and then there's his marriage that is under a bad light. It's all too much. "As long as we know where he is." 

-

Ely takes Xavier up to his apartment. It's a struggle because Xavier pulled away from their hug and insisted that he's going to go home and that he knows he shouldn't be here. Ely managed to calm him down with a few kisses to his temple and just holding him. 

On their way up, Xavier is drained. He looked lost, worn to the core. Xavier is searching for a sense of peace to stabilise his mind and diminish his fears. It seems as though Ely had picked up on this. So, as they stood side by side, Ely wrapped his hand in his and gave it a squeeze. 

Xavier takes a seat on the couch, slumping into it. He grips his sweats, trying to release the stress. He begins to mutter incoherent sentences, which vaguely sound like scenarios in regards to what he will say to Francesco later. He's then quietly mumbling to himself about all that is going wrong. 

Ely gets on his knees, before him, and lays a hesitant hand on his thigh. "Xavier?" Ely whispers. His voice is so loving, it forces Xavier to look at him. "I'm here, and I'm going to listen to you, okay?" 

Xavier gives him a tight smile for this, appreciating his boyfriend's comfort. But he can't really say anything to him. . he doesn't want to be a burden to him, as well. 

Ely seems to catch onto this, because he quickly says words Xavier has been longing to hear. "I love you, Xavier." 

Xavier's heart skips a beat .. it skips a beat every time he says it. A grin instantly breaks onto his face and his mind clears all the negativity away and fills with a light. "I love you, too."