Chapter Text
A knock on the bedroom door rouses him from his sleep, and so he slowly blinks himself awake as he sits up on the bed. Xavier stares at the door and waits in silence for a few seconds; not that he doubts his ears, but it never hurts to be certain. Sure enough, a couple of seconds later there is another urgent knock at the door, only this time it’s accompanied by a slightly hesitant voice.
‘’Um, Xavier? Are you up?’’
‘’I am now, Melissa. Come in.’’ He calls back with a soft sigh, watching as the door swings open and the blonde peeks through in her nightgown with a small frown on her face.
‘’So like, don’t be alarmed, but I think there’s someone in the house.’’
That.. sounded quite alarming, Xavier mused. ‘’Did you hear something?’’ He asks, and the young woman nods extensively.
‘’Yeah, but I didn’t go downstairs to check. If it’s an actual burglar or something and they see me-‘’ She points to herself from head to toes, to her small stature and innocent appearance, ‘’I’ll probably get charged at, and I really don’t want to deal with blood on the damn carpets. Thought maybe you’d wanna have a look, ya know, if they see you they might get scared and bounce without trouble.’’
Xavier can’t help but chuckle at that, albeit with a light shake of his head. ‘’I’ll go have a look, Melissa, you can head back to your room. I doubt someone broke in, but if they did I’ll let you know.’’
He supposes it might as well be him if someone’s got to fight, though like he told the girl, he highly doubts anyone would be obnoxious enough to break into Fredrinn Vance’s home. Nevertheless he gets off the bed, swiftly locates his discarded pair of pants and puts them on, before sliding his dark blue shirt over his arms and heading outside.
The hallway is dark, illuminated only by a small candlelight around the middle perched peacefully on a cabinet, though otherwise silent. Not long after he reaches the staircase, however, his elfish ears easily begin picking up several sounds. The creak of metal, the slide of wood, and a loud thud. His steps are feather-light as he slowly descends the stairs, keen sapphire eyes quickly scanning the broad room to locate the source. And right there is where he notices it, hidden away behind the sofas deep inside the living room; the window half-open, and a broad, dark figure slipping inside. Shockingly enough Melissa was right, there was indeed an intruder.
Luckily for Xavier, the silhouette of a man seems preoccupied with their clothes getting stuck on a nail as they slipped through the window, giving him enough time to stealthily approach them from behind. The presumed man is of larger stature than Xavier himself, even amidst the near pitch-dark he can tell that much. Not that it intimidates him, it takes much more than just that. He briefly thinks of using his magic then quickly decides against it, at least for now. He doesn’t imagine the house’s owner would be too vivid about a hole blasted through the wall. And so Xavier tiptoes until he is right behind the man’s figure, who has now managed to break loose and is standing upright, and swings an arm around the intruder’s neck, locking him in a chokehold before swinging them both around to knock him on the ground. The man grunts loudly and two hands find their way to try and pry Xavier’s arm off him, though his grip is unrelenting.
‘’And what exactly were you thinking?’’ Xavier glares even though it’s lost in the dark, saddling over the man’s back and effectively pinning him down. Another grunt and this time a small choke, and Xavier’s grip loosens just the tiniest bit, realizing albeit a little late that perhaps he was pressing a little too hard on the man’s airways.
‘’..Get off me Xavier.’’ The man hisses out, and at that instant sapphire eyes go wide before Xavier immediately withdraws his arm.
‘’F-Fredrinn?’’ He lightly stammers, carefully making his way off the other man, helping him sit up as he places a hand underneath his shoulder, pulling him up.
‘’Who else, dammnit. And turn on a fuckin’ light.’’ The Appraiser grumbles, yanking his arm away from the other’s grasp a little too abruptly. Xavier falters for a moment before doing as told, heading for the switch on the nearby wall and turning on the living room’s dim lights. He blinks twice as his eyes adjust to the newfound brightness, though once they do he slightly wishes it was still dark because the sight that greets him is less than welcoming.
Fredrinn looked horrible, to say the least. Dark circles below his eyes, his usually neat stubble longer than Xavier’s ever seen before, and quite unkempt. He reeked of alcohol, which he had noticed earlier but brushed it off while believing it was a potentially drunk intruder. Though now that he knows it’s the Appraiser, it is a rather bad telling sign. Truth was, Xavier had never seen Fredrinn drunk. Tipsy, certainly, though not drunk. It was as if the man could down glass after glass of fine red wine and it would only result in his mood brightening all the more. Though in times like these, when Fredrinn returned after an expedition into the desert reeking like cheap Drylands’ whiskey, Xavier knew better.
‘’Are you-‘’
‘’Yes, I’m fine, no, I’m not hungry, and no, I don’t want a bath. I’m going to bed.’’
And thus Xavier was left quite speechless, watching as the other man shrugged off his signature white jacket with much more aggression than needed, before throwing it over the back of a couch as he made his way upstairs. Xavier remained where he stood for a few more moments, eyes following the broad back that slowly disappeared out of view before beginning to head up the staircase himself.
His fingers wrap around the handle to the teens’ room, opening the door just enough to peer inside. Xavier sees the boys deep in sleep, though as expected Melissa is up, leisurely laying on her bed with her arms behind her head.
‘’It was just Fredrinn. Sleep well.’’ Xavier whispers, and sees her roll her eyes before nodding and turning to her side, presumably to fall back asleep. He shuts the door with a soft click, and with slightly heavy steps walks down the hallway, making sure to blow out the candle on his way to their bedroom. Unsurprisingly, the Appraiser is already in bed, the white sheet fully drawn and covering him from head to toe. Xavier stifles a sigh as he carefully walks over the man’s discarded pants, making his way around the bed to slowly climb up. He lays down, right by the man’s side, before tentatively reaching out a hand, fingers wrapping around the fabric before yanking it down to the man’s waist.
Again, unsurprisingly, Fredrinn is not asleep, not even pretending to be. He is simply lying chest-down, eyes half-lidded and quickly finding their way into his own once the sheet lowers. Xavier makes himself more comfortable, lying on his side as he begins gazing back into that violet pair. None of them says anything, not that there’s a need to do so; Fredrinn’s entire being tells Xavier everything he needs to know. The scent of cheap booze, almost as an act of self-punishment, contrary to the usual fragrant red wine he so much downs with elation. The sight of dark circles underneath his eyes, betraying many sleepless nights in the desert. The haphazardly patched-up wounds he can see scattered across the man’s frame, whose existence Fredrinn would most likely deny if Xavier hadn’t seen with his own eyes. The heavy-lidded gaze interrupted only by a slow blink here and there, those usually blindingly bright violet eyes now dim and riddled with exhaustion.
Fredrinn was tired, Xavier could see that much.
Just not physically.
Xavier’s lips turn into a small, soft smile, and is satisfied to see Fredrinn’s features soften back just the tiniest bit. That’s enough encouragement for him to reach out a hand, and gently cup the Appraiser’s cheek, thumb rubbing tender patterns on the skin beneath the unkempt short beard back and forth. It’s rough, though it doesn’t bother him.
‘’Let me check your wounds.’’ Xavier says quietly.
It wasn’t phrased as a question, although it was meant as one.
Xavier watches as Fredrinn gradually closes his eyes, a gentle exhale escaping through his nose as he snuggles closer to the pillow. It’s a subtle acknowledgment, but one that Xavier recognizes nonetheless. Seizing the opportunity he delicately slips off the bed and, with hushed steps, makes his way into the adjoining bathroom. He’s quick to locate the first-aid kit stored behind the sink, remarkably untouched despite its years of gathering dust down there. Fredrinn after all has quite the lone wolf reputation, outright refusing to have someone play nurse for him unless he’s too incapacitated to even protest. It stings a bit, Xavier admits silently, though he never voices his feelings on the matter. Everyone has certain intricacies about themselves, and Fredrinn has never judged Xavier for his own. So, naturally, he will do the same.
Returning to the bedroom, Xavier notices that Fredrinn remains exactly where he left him, a reassuring sight. Gently kneeling on the mattress beside him, Xavier carefully begins the task of unwrapping the bloodied bandages and plasters that adorn Fredrinn’s body. Having witnessed the Appraiser in far worse conditions, he isn’t overly concerned, though it’s still important that someone takes a proper look at them, just in case. And just as he expected, many of the injuries are poorly covered, some dirty, and some on the brink of infection. With practiced efficiency, Xavier meticulously rinses each and every wound with a towel soaked in clean water, before applying ointment and securely rebandaging them.
‘’Mind if I sit on your lower back? I can’t reach a few near your shoulder blades from here.’’ Xavier asks in a low, calm tone. A subtle shrug of Fredrinn’s shoulder, barely discernible, serves as his only response, yet it’s more than enough. With careful movements he positions himself, climbing over the prone figure and settling just above his buttocks. The new angle allows Xavier to work faster, and within a few minutes, all wounds receive the attention they require. Leaning back, Xavier takes a moment to simply drink in the sight of the man lying beneath him.
Fredrinn’s back is broad, not that he’d never noticed before. Having touched and explored that back on numerous occasions, Xavier could likely create a mental map of all the muscles, contours, and scars that adorn it. His hands glide over the tanned skin, tracing the outlines of well-defined muscles from top to bottom, until they find their place around Fredrinn’s hips. Throughout it all, Xavier’s sapphire eyes remain fixed on the center of Fredrinn’s back, where a prominent and quite unsightly scar rests. It’s a gnarly and elongated wound, a sight Xavier has seen countless times before, though never dared ask about. Everyone has things they’d rather keep to themselves, after all. Which is precisely why he decides to ask tonight, of all times. If Fredrinn chooses to remain silent, he can blame it on the man’s exhaustion, and spare them both from any potential awkwardness that could ensue.
‘’How did you get this scar?’’ Xavier asks, his index finger gently tracing the scar from its beginning to its end.
‘’An ex-lover.’’ Fredrinn surprisingly, replies almost immediately.
‘’..They stabbed you in the back?’’
Fredrinn snorts, and Xavier catches a glimpse of a small smile gracing the other’s slightly chapped lips. ‘’Literally.’’
A few seconds of silence follow, during which Xavier can’t bring himself to look away. Mixed emotions surge within him; a twinge of pain, alongside an unsettling possessiveness as he gazes at this ugly scar. Pain, because Fredrinn had shown him nothing but love and trust over the two years they’d known each other. Fredrinn took Xavier in when he was a fugitive from the world itself, never once judging or accusing him of the sins still burdening his consciousness. He knew Fredrinn was no saint, far from it. However, whoever that ex-lover was, Fredrinn trusted them enough to turn their back on them. And the price for that trust, now laid right before Xavier’s eyes.
Leaning down, Xavier’s curly blue locks brush against Fredrinn’s skin as his lips meet the scar, placing a chaste kiss right into the center of the wound. Glancing up, Fredrinn hasn’t moved an inch, though his eyes are now open, fixed on some distant corner of the room. Xavier however doesn’t stop there, and begins peppering kisses into each and every scar adorning the man’s broad back, each kiss gentler and more reverent than the previous. His hands move carefully, caressing the man’s side with a touch meant to convey nothing but love and care.
Suddenly, he senses Fredrinn stirring underneath him, and takes that as a sign to stop. Xavier maneuvers himself off, kneeling by the Appraiser’s side on the bed. Fredrinn shifts around, and this time lays on his back. Their eyes meet, and for several seconds silence hangs in the air until Fredrinn raises an open arm, silently beckoning Xavier to come closer. Without hesitation, Xavier slots himself between Fredrinn’s muscular legs and moves up, allowing the other to envelop him in a warm, tight hug, pressed closely against that broad chest.
The scent of cheap whiskey fills Xavier’s nose, yet underneath it lingers Fredrinn’s all too familiar natural scent-deep, musky, and always comforting to his senses. Xavier can’t help but sigh in relief, resting his head against the crook of the Appraiser’s neck. Thick fingers soon tangle through his hair, brushing through the blue locks as a warm palm caresses his scalp. In such comfort, Xavier could easily see himself start dozing off, but suddenly, the peaceful silence shatters.
‘’I was so close.’’ Fredrinn mumbles.
Xavier looks up, though their eyes don’t meet. Fredrinn’s gaze is fixed on the ceiling, seemingly focused on nothing at all.
‘’..You should have seen it.’’ The Appraiser continues, his voice smaller than Xavier’s ever heard it before, yet serene all the same. ‘’The way the needle moved in my compass, it was as if he was right next to me. Only to vanish into thin air.. only to disappear from within my grasp.’’
A long sigh escapes Fredrinn’s lips, the warm air tickling Xavier’s skin. He had assumed as much; there wasn’t really much else that could dampen the Appraiser’s mood to this extent. Honestly, in moments like these, Xavier wasn’t sure what to say. He knew better than anyone else that consolation simply did not work on either of them, and he did not wish to make empty promises and false hopes all the same.
‘’Your compass won’t stop moving.’’
He goes with that in the end, the words flowing out of his lips without much thinking. Xavier glances up and through the silence that ensues, only to see Fredrinn gazing down at him with a look full of fondness and adoration.
‘’That’s right.’’ Fredrinn smiles. ‘’And neither will I.’’
Relief washes through Xavier’s body, his muscles easily relaxing into Fredrinn’s grasp. ‘’..That’s my Fredrinn.’’ He sighs with a smile, only realizing afterward that he voiced his thoughts out loud.
‘’Yours, huh?’’ Fredrinn raises an eyebrow.
Too late for embarrassment now, so Xavier might as well own it. ‘’Mm.’’ He hums, reaching up to place a small kiss atop the Appraiser’s jawline. ‘’My idiot.’’
‘’Idiot?’’ Fredrinn now frowns, a comical attempt at being offended crossing his expression.
‘’Why were you coming in through the window anyway?’’ Xavier asks, trying his best to keep amusement out of his voice.
Fredrinn laughs, a hand reaching up to brush through his slicked-back hair. ‘’Was tryin’ to be quiet. Every time I come home late, the door always wakes you up.’’
‘’..And you thought the window wouldn’t?’’ Xavier sighs with a deadpan expression.
‘’Oh, shut up. I got a splitting headache from that wretched whiskey, I wasn’t thinkin’ straight.’’
When do you think straight, Xavier is tempted to ask, but decides not to tease the Appraiser further. For tonight, at least, he deserves a good night’s rest, both physically and mentally. Everything else, can wait till tomorrow.
They end up falling asleep tangled in each other’s arms, the intense warmth slightly uncomfortable, though neither attempts to move away from the other’s grasp. When Xavier wakes up the next morning, he’s not surprised to see the desert sun beaming through his window; he suspected he might’ve slept in today. He woke up quite a few times during the night, after all, just to make sure none of Fredrinn’s wounds reopened, and that he wasn’t developing a fever at any point.
What is surprising, however, is that the other side of the bed is empty.
Xavier doesn’t allow the tinge of worry in his chest to bother him. His movements are slow and calm as he begins his morning, just like any other day; getting dressed, washing up, and heading downstairs. A chorus of different voices greets him the moment he opens the door, seemingly coming from downstairs. He hadn’t checked the time, but for all three teenagers to be awake, he must’ve really slept in today, more than he realized.
‘’..the window?’’
Xavier barely catches the low voice, probably Julian’s, followed immediately by Melissa’s howling laughter.
‘’Now I regret not going down myself, I should’ve seen that!’’
‘’I assure you, you didn’t miss anythin’ groundbreaking.’’ Fredrinn grumbles into his coffee mug, a light frown with no real bite behind it across his eyebrows.
‘’Mhm, sure. I know you’re secretly glad it was Xavier who found you and not me, you know. Ya can’t hide from me.’’ Melissa replies smugly, leaning back comfortably against the kitchen counter.
‘’Uhuh? And why’s that?’’
‘’Because it would ruin your tough guy act! You always hide from us every time you’re injured, I know you’re trying to look all cool and everything but-‘’
Melissa’s words as interrupted as said coffee mug from earlier slams against the counter, thankfully not hard enough to shatter the porcelain.
‘’Who’s tryin’ to look cool for you, brat!? And what do you mean tough guy act, ya think I’m not tough? I’ll throw you out the damn window!’’ Fredrinn growls, though it’s not difficult to discern a certain playfulness in his voice.
‘’Sure you will, big guy.’’ Melissa barks out a laugh yet again, this time accompanied by a lower snicker from her side, where Yin is seated and hiding his face behind his hands.
As Xavier descends from the staircase and steps foot into the kitchen, the first sound that greets him is a piercing screech that’s oddly gleeful, and the sight of Fredrinn grabbing Melissa from her seat and lifting her high in the air.
‘’Ah, there you are.’’ Fredrinn says once he finally notices Xavier, amidst the young woman’s squirming. ‘’Do me a favor, and open the damn window for me.’’
‘’..Why, do you plan on climbing through it again?’’ Xavier ends up chuckling, no matter how much he tries holding back.
The look Fredrinn gives him is ludicrous, especially considering Yin and Melissa burst out in laughter yet again. Even Julian is smiling in the back, though he’s trying his mightiest to control himself.
‘’..You know you’re supposed to be on my side, right?’’ Fredrinn glares half-heartedly, as Melissa breaks free from his grasp and easily lands the jump to the floor, walking back to her seat with a snicker.
But I am, Xavier thinks, walking up to the Appraiser to place a kiss on his freshly-shaven cheek that seems to shut him up for now.
I always am.