The Star Traveler's Beloved || Xavier x OC

Into that Tender Night

"Just so we're clear - I told you that inviting me to the spring formal was a bad idea. This just proves it."

To be honest, it wasn't really your fault that there was a huge ice pack resting on my ankle, or that there was a good chance this sprain would make going to class difficult for me until it healed up. But you weren't the one who urged me to go out on the dance floor, singing Dancing Queen my heart out while moving my body without a care on the world, and you certainly weren't the one who made it so that I tripped over the sweep of my emerald evening gown, falling hard on my precious ankle.

But you were the one who asked if I wanted to go the event and as such, you accepted responsibility for my predicament.

As sweet as that was, my ankle still hurt like hell.

"The swelling is pretty bad," you said to me, gently inspecting the damage. I tried my hardest to remain calm even though it was quite painful. "Getting back to the dorm will be pretty difficult."

"I'll be fine. I can just hobble to the bus with everyone's help."

It was a bus that took up to the fancy schmancy hotel our spring formal was held in, the plainness of the school bus juxtaposed with the elegant dresses, suits, and ties the passengers were wearing. You were the best dressed in my eyes, in your white dress shirt, blue and black striped tie, and dress pants. I'd never seen you look so elegant before - and though it sounds cliche, you took my breath away.

I thought I'd make due, but my ankle hurt too much and everyone else was too afraid to helping me move for fear that it would just make it worse. That's when you stepped in, intend of cutting down my suffering as much as possible right. "I'm going to see if we can reserve a room for tonight - that way you can relax your ankle for a while, enough so that the swelling goes down."

"Ah..." My blood ran cold. "Xavier, we don't need to do that. Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"If you continue to walk on that ankle, it'll get even worse. It's better for you to stay in one spot for a while and take it easy." Your voice was as soft as it usual once, but there was a firmness there - you were taking decisive action. "The others can tell the bus driver we aren't coming back."

I tried getting you to reconsider, but you'd already made up your mind. And our friends, who had long shipped us together over the course of our time at university, were all too eager to cheer you on. All I could do was sit there with a swollen ankle, praying for the strength to keep it together.

Somehow the Palmer House, the hotel the spring formal in, had available rooms that night. At that moment I truly believed that some higher power was conspiring to give us alone time together and I just had to deal with it. At least they planned it happened in a nice hotel room, decorated with elegant pieces of furniture, all in a big abundant space.

"I'm sorry, but there was only a room with one king size bed left." You carried me on your back and took me to the elevator, much to the shock and delight of the few guests still mingling around the hotel. You really didn't want me on my ankle anymore. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Ah...no, it's fine." But it wasn't fine. We'd taken naps together - usually in my room, but sometimes in yours - but there was something about a hotel room that upped the stakes a little higher. "Besides, it's a king-sized bed right? Plenty of room for sharing."

"If you're uncomfortable, I can sleep on a chair or on the floor," you assured me. "You know me, I can sleep anywhere."

"It's okay...besides, you paid for the room. It's only fair that you should get to sleep in the bed...right?"