Fenced In Hearts

*XAVIER’ S POV*

We wondered the streets of Adhene a city in Einherjar, my mind played over all that we had learned. We spent a few months in Ragana, learning their language, religions, government, culture, and things of the sort. The kingdom itself was enchanting; the air had magic and song in it putting even the most classic fairytales to shame. Einherjar is nearly the same, it’s a little bit more peaceful though, and it has an ethereal beauty to it.

“Sweets, would you like your fortunes told?” An elderly woman asked stepping out of her caravan.

“Boys, what’s going on?” Simon wondered coming over to us.

“Ah you look like the right candidate.” The woman said, gripping Simons arm and hauling him towards her.

He gave her a small smile, “Last time I came, you told me I would find love soon. That was three years ago,” he trailed off hinting towards the fact that her last prophecy didn’t come true.

“Oh but you have, haven’t you? He’s standing right here.” The woman smirked.

I caught sight of Simon’s eyes widening, we all gasped slightly, and I couldn’t help but to feel a pang of hurt flash through me.

He had a lover? But that made no sense, the only ones present we my brothers and I. Despite however much I’d want to be his lover I’m not, nothing is established between us but friendship, and I know my brothers and his lovers either, so surely this woman is simply crazy. That has to be it, she’s nuts. Utterly nuts.

“Simon, who is it?” Kaspien grinned, asking the question we were all wanting to know.

“Him.” The old woman stated, pointing at….me?

I choked slight, my eyes widening at the statement, me? This woman is most defiantly crazy.

Simon babbled out useless words, as I voiced a shocked ‘what?’.

My brothers all shared grins each with a hint of puzzlement over why we were so shocked.

Simon regained his composure before I did, shaking his head slightly he offered up an awkward chuckle, “Look you don’t have it right, Xavier and I aren’t lovers.”

However much that hurt me to hear him say I knew it was true so I nodded my head slightly in agreement.

“Hmm…no I’m positive he is your lover, now whether either of you have admitted to your feelings,” her gazed fell on me while saying this, a knowing twinkle in her eye. “Is another matter at hand, but if you are not lovers now, you will be in the near future. You might as well come to terms with that now, ne Xavier?”

I could feel a burning blush stain my cheeks, slowly encompassing my whole face and trailing down my neck as my body became heated from embarrassment.

I think I managed out some incoherent babblings, before my feet were carrying me away, pushing through the crowd on the busy market streets.

My feet finally came to a stop in what seemed to be a park, my breathing was slightly ragged but whether it was due to my running or swirling emotions I couldn’t depicter.

I took in my surroundings, the voices from the market could still be heard on the wind, so I must be in the vicinity, the park had scattered trees, a few ponds and trickling streams, A large bridge crossed over a large stream that split the park in half, under a few clumps of trees there was benches, scattering around in the meadows as well, farther off the seemed to be a large playscape where the laughter of children could be heard, the park was somewhat crowded but not enough to feel suffocating.

My ears finally picked up on thundering footsteps behind me, flipping around I see Damien and Sunny sprinting towards me, as they finally come to a stop. Damien gives me a growl, as Sunny leans into him panting softly seeing as he wasn’t nearly as fast as us, it was a long run, and he’s short in stature compared to Damien and he had to keep up with his long legs.

“You mind telling us why you took off like that?” He barked, gripping onto my shoulder.

Shrugging his hand off I walk towards the bridge, slowing a little as they realize I mean for them to follow.

“I-I don’t really know why I took off like that. I do and I don’t. That prophecy, that whole entire situation back there….it….just. Look for a while I’ve been…..having….feelings. For. Simon. I-I’m not used to having feelings; I mean any relationship I’ve had in the past was either purely sexual or false feelings to where the relationship didn’t last more than a year or so. These…..feelings….are new to me. Not to mention that Simon is like our uncle, I mean I don’t really care about his age, he younger than our parents, but he’s by no means our age, b-but I’m ok with that. I probably wouldn’t be able to like him if he was our age, he’d be too immature for my liking. B-but we….we grew up with him, he’s known us since we were born, and I’ve always thought Simon was attractive, I just never got to really know him, and now I’ve spent nearly eight months with him, and I like him past just his looks. So I’ve been coming to terms that I do in fact like Simon and then there’s some old fortune teller who’s telling me that we’re going to be lovers, while all this time I’ve been trying to understand my feelings and at the same time thinking that Simon would never want to be with me. And I think that lady knew all of that, sh-she gave me this look at the end like she knows that I have feeling for Simon. It all just threw me off and creeped me out, not to mention that I must have set a wonderful impression to Simon. I mean I really just embarrassed myself back there! So is that a sufficient enough answer as to why I ran?” I asked, by now exasperated from my rant.

We continued walking in silence, crossing over the bridge and taking a seat in the meadow.

“I think he likes you.” Sunny murmurs eventually.

I arch an eyebrow giving him an incredulous look, “You think so?”

“Of course, I mean even a blind person could tell that you two liked each other, you guys are always together and you two always flirt, plus back then you weren’t the only blushing, he put a tomato to shame.” Sunny giggled, gazing up at the blue sky and watching as the clouds trekked across the sky.

I felt a smile tug at lips, “Really now,” I whisper to myself.

We sat in silence for a while more before Damien rose, pulling Sunny and I up along with him.

“Well with all of that out in the air, I believe you need to go talk to him. You both have to smooth things over you can’t leave things like this. So come on, let’s go.”

I gave a small whine but allowed Damien to drag me away. He guided us back into the market and pulled us into a homey little restaurant, already sitting at a table was Zimmy, Kaspien, and Simon.

Sunny headed towards the table as Damien held me back a little, “Talk,” he gritted out before pushing me toward the table.

I unfortunately had to take a seat next to Simon, the awkward tension filling the air around us.

We ordered soon enough and everyone fell into a conversation but me, I continue gazing down at my plate, trying to figure out how to talk to Simon. Someone kicked me underneath the table, jerking up I glared across from me at Damien who was smiling lightly.

“Are you ok Xavier?” Simon asks me.

“U-uh yeah I…I just need some air I’ll be right back.” I mumble standing up and going out onto the back patio of the restaurant, where there was only a few other couples.

Walking over to the railing I lean against it, looking out at the small nice meadow that was the backyard of the restaurant.

A few minutes go by when Simon makes an appearance settling himself by my side; we continue standing in silence for a few more moments.

“So…um, you doing ok?” He manages, breaking our silence but making it no less awkward.

“Eh, yeah, you?”

“Good, good.”

We lapse back into silence, the majority of the couples back here leave leaving only one or two people out here.

“So we kinda should talk about…everything.”

I only nod, as we move towards a table next to us.

“Ok, so….”

“I like you,” I blurt out, cutting off whatever he was going to say. “I-I know you probably don’t really like me in that way, but I thought I should tell you this, I do like you. I-I don’t know about love or anything but I know for sure that I like you and I’m sorry if I made things worse but it had to be said.”

By the time I’m done my eyes are squished shut for fear of seeing his appalled reaction.

Minutes pass by in silence, and defeat sinks into me, standing up quickly and mumble out an apology before heading for the door. But before I reach my destination arms wrap around me stopping me in my tracks, I feel my eyes widen as Simon nuzzles my neck softly.

“I like you too; I think we’re on the same page here Xavier.” He murmurs against the skin of my neck causing shivers to pass through me, which of course doesn’t go unnoticed by Simon.

He chuckles and releases me, turning me around so I face him.

“S-so you like me?” I question still not able to believe him.

“Yep.” He smiled popping the ‘p’.

“So….what are we then?” I wonder looking up at him seeing as he’s a few inches taller than myself.

“Well, I guess I’m your boyfriend and you’re mine, if that’s ok with you?”

“That’s perfectly fine with me.”

Slowly a large smile takes over my face, putting the Cheshire cat to shame. I lunge at Simon wrapping my arms around his neck, my large smile still in place and growing bigger as Simon wraps his arms around my waist picking me up a few inches before setting me back down, simply content with keeping us in a hug for as long as possible.

Finally we let go both agreeing we should head back inside so the others won’t worry. As we enter hand in hand I try to ignore my brothers’ large grins as we take our seats, our food having been brought out only a few minutes ago.

We all dig in and I can’t help but to catch Damien’s smug smile as he keeps glancing down at our intertwined fingers, which of course brings a rather large smile to my face.

We’re finally together.