Magia: Eli's Awakening (BxB)

Chapter 55- The Snow

"It was really no trouble at all." The head ward, Iraxeor, said as he shook young Javier's hand.

It was quite simple clearing up what had happened to the wards that were to watch over Eli during his stay.

If it had been anyone else, the wards would've probably arrested the perpetrators however with the sole living Rodriguez backing the young men they had no choice but to let them off with a warning.

Javier didn't like abusing the power that came with his name but the circumstances hadn't been in his favor.

He sighed as he walked through the front door of the building, tightening the coat around his body as it snowed lightly.

The streets were still lively for seven in the evening during winter. A little snow wouldn't stop this crowd from going out and enjoying themselves or working.

The Yule celebrations had already begun and as such people were hanging wreaths on their doors and burning yule logs in their homes in celebration. Families already collecting seeds, saplings and crystals to exchange as gifts or to plant and give back to nature.

Two children ran past Javier, giggling as another shot past him as well, snowballs in hand, launching them at her friends that screamed when the ice made contact to their coats.

He smiled lightly to himself at the scene. He loved the snow, it reminded him of his earlier childhood before his parents had passed away.

"Javier!"

The small Javier beamed up at his mother, Cassandra, with his beanie crooked, his raven black hair peaking out from under it and his big blue eyes wide with happiness.

"Don't you dare."

It was too late, he had launched the snowball right at her and it hit her face dead-on. She didn't get angry however, her laugh echoed through the park and young Javier mimicked the action while pointing at her face unware his father had snuck up behind him.

He squealed loudly as his father snatched him up from behind, playfully attacking his sides making the boy squeal and giggle even more.

After having cleaned snow from her face and her raven black hair, Cassandra made her way to the pair. She beamed down at her baby with her brown eyes, kissing him on his little nose and his father, Rafael, kissed Cassandra on the temple of her head.

"We love you little one." Rafael's smile was pained as he looked down at his life in his arms, or atleast the half of it that remained. The family hadn't been the same since the death of their first-born six years ago.

"I love you more!"  The boy screamed and hugged his parents to him, his tiny hands struggling to wrap around both their necks.

"Impossible, our love lives on forever." His parents sang together, they loved their children very much and they tried their best to show their son that as well.

A sudden warmth enveloped him, snapping him from his memories.

"Javier, what's wrong?" Eli wanted to reach out and wipe his tears away but he didn't want to put his cold gloves on his face at the same time.

Javier cleared his throat, wiping at the tears with his sleeves. He hadn't even realized he was crying. His cheeks flushed red and it wasn't due to the temperature, his embarrassment raising with every head he saw turn their direction.

"I'm fine."

Eli wasn't too sure about that but he didn't push for any answers, he knew when Javier wanted a bit of space so he would play along for now.

"Let's go then."

Javier took Eli's outstretched hand, not missing the way he squeezed it gently to show that he was there for him and they set off back to their dorms. It was time they had a certain conversation.

Aurum couldn't wait to come out, as soon as Eli had shut the doors behind him the boy revealed himself and clung to Eli's leg.

Eli sighed and ruffled his hair leading the boy to the couch. Aurum quickly climbed up into his lap, resting his head against his heart, allowing the gently throbbing to lull him to sleep.

"How is he?"

"He's... coping I guess. The anxiety is starting to fade but he's having nightmares." Javier took a seat beside Eli, removing the sleeping Aurum from his chest and holding him to his, running a hand through his hair.

Eli smiled at his boys as Aurum stirred but didn't wake and snuggled closer to Javier, making himself more comfortable on the toned chest.

"How are you?"

Javier's hand stilled a bit before he started stroking the boy's blood red hair again.

"I'm fine Eli."

"Javier..."

"What? I am. I'm okay, seriously you don't have to worry." Eli frowned, they were together and Javier still refused to open up even a little, Eli was beginning to feel inadequate, like Javier didn't deem him worthy to share his burdens.

"Ofcourse I'm going to worry if I see my boyfriend standing in the middle of the street crying."

"Then imagine how I felt when my boyfriend knocked me out, snuck off and nearly got himself killed." The passive-agressive tone that he took really got Eli's blood boiling but he kept his anger under control.

"Javi-"

"No. Don't- don't. You have no idea how much you scared me." Aurum stirred again and Javier calmed himself and resumed stroking his hair.

"I needed to do it. You don't understand, you aren't bonded to-"

"-A dragon no, but I am bonded to you and you left me and I get it, I do, but it hurt Eli."

"I'm sorry." It wasn't time for Eli to justify his actions, not now.

"I'm sorry too." An awkward silence fell over the boys, with Eli shifting ever so often and Javier glaring at the TV infront of them.

Javier really did understand but Eli needed to see that leaving like that did hurt him, but how would he have known of his abandonment issues if Javier wouldn't open up.

He didn't want Eli to see him as weak, he didn't want Eli to see him as anything less than perfect, just like how he had wanted his parents to see him.

As he grew he felt as if the love they had showered him in had begun to fade, which led to him becoming an overachiever, trying to become the perfect son to replace the one they had lost.

Then his parents died, just like his elder brother who he had never met, only heard stories of and idolized, striving every day to follow in his footsteps. They left him too, even after he did all he could to try and be what they needed.

They had left him, just like Eli. Eli would leave him too, he knew it. No one ever stayed, perhaps that was why he hadn't been interested in anyone before. He was scared that when they got too close they'd leave, but Eli was different.

He had no one, no home. Javier could be his home, he could be the one Eli leaned on when he lacked strength, the one Eli ran to and not from. While he knew that Eli hadn't meant to leave him, it sure felt like it and it hurt much more than he could convey.

"I was thinking about my parents." Eli's eyes snapped over to the boy, his heart breaking slightly as he watched the tears run down his cheek. "We used to go to the park this time of year."

"They loved me, they did. They said they would always be here for me and then they died Eli." Eli moved over quickly, wrapping his arms around the bigger boy as he found himself crying as well.

"Why did they lie to me?"