He Did Everything Right {mxm} (ON HIATUS)

X.

I couldn't deny it though.

Even as I sat here, laughing and carrying on with Kenzo about how good Crazy Rich Asians was, my heart was longing for the bond that I had with my family: specifically Tatianna. 

As much as I looked up to my brother, I loved being an older brother more. I guess it all had to come from the fact that back in our country in Havana, my brother was always working to help my parents out. It was only natural that Tatianna fell into my care at my grandparents' house. 

I recalled several memories just before we moved here when I was 10. My sister was only two and a half years younger than me, but she still relied on me. "This boy in my class called me ugly, Eli!" The door to my room burst open with a yowl of my cat back then as my arms were full of a crying girl. "Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong, hermanita?" I grabbed onto her, rubbing her back. 

"The guy I have a crush on called me ugly today in class when I gave him one of my gummy bears!" She was really hurt about this, but I knew what to say. "Tati, you are the prettiest girl to ever walk the entire beaches of Cuba. That boy just doesn't know what he likes yet. Don't worry about what he thinks," I pulled her head back from my chest, wiping her eyes and giving her a smile.

"Do you think you're ugly?" She shook her head vehemently and I nodded. "So why would you let that boy tell you that you are?" I hummed in response, knowing that I had my fair share of mean kids in elementary school. Being a smart and advanced intelligent kid garnered my own kind of bullies.

"Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Their words mean nothing to you. You know mom always tells us that opinions are like buttholes and we all have one?" She giggled and nodded, enticing a smile from me. "As long as you know what you are and how beautiful you are, those words would never mean anything to you." I hugged her tightly to let her know that she was just as precious as she was beautiful. 

And the time when she asked something about the future.

"When we get older," She leaned her head on my shoulder, watching me trace the intricate clouds in the sky with my finger. "Will you let me be your maid of honor at your wedding?" She asked and I snorted, raising a brow. "I would have to choose a best man, Tati, which is my best friend that's a boy," She pouted, cutting her eyes at me and I poked her on the forehead.

"But if by then you are my only friend, then I will make you my best man," It was a farfetched promise as that was unusual, but I was nothing but a boy of my own word. 

Or the time where we got caught for trying to paint the entire wall of the kitchen with flour.

"Eli Matteo!" I heard my mother's loud voice as it shook the house from top to bottom. "Tatianna Marlé!" My sister and I turned to each other with wide eyes, fear running through our eyes as we stifled a giggle. I put a finger up to my lips to shush her, but I couldn't stop laughing myself. "WHY IS MY KITCHEN WHITE!??" 

There was no way to describe the fear of the chancla that we had that day. We managed to stay hidden for two hours before our dear mother found us. 

Or the time we shared our last beautiful moment on Varadero Beach.

"Eli, promise me something," I tilted my head as I kicked against the warm sand, watching her hand me a pink shell. "What?" The blue-pink sunset was glowing over us in the horizon as she grabbed onto my hand, looking me fiercely in the eyes. "No matter where life takes us, you'll always be my big brother. You'll always take care of me and be there for me when I need you," With one hand, she squeezed the shell in my palm while her other hand wrapped her pinky around mine. "I'll always do the same for you."