Unlikely Love

25

Xisuma POV

Keralis had been in the restroom for longer than I expected. At first, I thought it was just him taking his time, but the quiet chatter coming from Xavier’s room caught my attention. I could hear Keralis's soft voice mingling with Xavier’s, though the latter’s tone seemed strained and breathless, almost like he was fighting against something.

Curiosity and concern pulled me toward the door, and I crept closer, straining to hear the words being exchanged. It sounded like Keralis was trying to comfort Xavier, but I could sense an undercurrent of distress in my brother's voice. He was struggling with something, and it felt urgent.

“...You’re allowed to feel scared, to feel overwhelmed,” Keralis said softly, his tone soothing but firm. “It doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you’ll mess everything up. It just means you’re human.”

My heart tightened at the thought of Xavier feeling like this. It wasn’t the first time he’d faced his demons, but hearing him struggle again brought back memories of his past—of everything he’d been through in the void and how he’d fought to overcome it. I didn’t want him to feel alone.

I felt the urge to intervene, to step in and provide my support, but I hesitated. I didn’t want to interrupt what seemed to be a delicate moment between them. Keralis had always had a way of connecting with Xavier, of breaking through those walls he’d built around himself. I knew that it was vital for Xavier to have someone he trusted by his side, especially during moments like this.

As I listened, I heard Keralis reassure him, “You won’t let anyone down. We all care about you, and we want to support you through this. Trust me, it’s okay to ask for help. It doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means you’re learning.”

I held my breath, wishing I could project my calmness through the door, hoping it would reach Xavier. I could imagine the internal battle he was waging, the conflict between his fears and the desire to break free from them. My heart ached for him.

Then came the whispered confession: “I just want to feel safe.”

I stood frozen outside the door, every word from Keralis and Xavier cutting through the silence like a knife. My heart sank as I heard Keralis speak, his voice quiet but carrying the weight of understanding. “He’s trying to make you feel safe and loved here, you know that right? He’s trying to make up for past mistakes... and you both are just pretty stubborn. I can understand, though, why you latched onto the one person you don’t really know all that well… Hels. He wasn’t here when you got banned the first time, and only time.”

The truth of Keralis’s words hung in the air, sharp and undeniable. I could hear Xavier’s shallow breaths, the faint hiccups breaking through the silence. He was crying, and the sound hit me harder than I’d expected. His pain was so raw, so unspoken, that it made my chest ache in a way I couldn’t easily describe.

“Do you want me to go get him, sweet face?” Keralis’s voice softened, offering comfort, though it felt like a futile attempt against the storm of emotions inside that room.

There was no immediate verbal response, but I could almost hear the shake of Xavier’s head. The denial, the refusal to accept help, or maybe just not being ready for it, made my heart twist.

I wanted so badly to open the door, to run to him, to pull him into my arms and just hold him, to erase his pain. But I knew better than that. Pushing too hard, too fast—it would only make things worse. Xavier needed space. He needed time to process, to breathe.

The quiet hiccups continued, each one more heart-wrenching than the last. I pressed my hand to the door, willing him to feel my presence on the other side. I wasn’t sure if he could hear me, but I hoped he knew that I was there, that I would always be there, even if he didn’t want me to be. Even if he wasn’t ready to let me in.