"Wow," Elliott breathed, as he walked out of the ship and onto the landing platform; the heat that drifted in the air hitting him in the face as soon as he stepped out. He was used to Solace's typically fine weather but this was something else entirely. Sprinting across the breezy landscape of Talos in a pair of white shorts and floral shirt to get to their ship was not the most pleasant experience but, he was suddenly becoming very grateful that Octavio had convinced him to dress for the occasion. He'd never been to Psamathe before, and it wasn't exactly high on his list of places he wanted to visit before he'd started dating Octavio. However, as he looked towards the city on the horizon with its high rise buildings, to the smooth surface of the street a few meters away, to the lush palm trees surrounded by brightly coloured flowers, he realized what he'd been missing out on; and what exactly his partner had left behind.
"It's beautiful here," he continued, turning to face the speedster who was only now making his way out of the ship, preoccupied with his phone. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, of course," the younger legend replied, smiling up at him. "Just making sure our car is on the way."
"You can let me help, y'know," Elliott told him, moving to undo the top couple of buttons on his shirt to try combat the heat. "You already planned this trip, without me knowing. You don't need to keep doing everything on your own. We're here now."
"Is that your way of saying you don't trust me to organise everything?" Octavio asked, his tone playful.
"N-no! That's not what I-."
"I know, amor. I'm just teasing you."
"Right," Elliott sighed, relieved. "I was just saying how beautiful it is here."
"Yeah, it's alright I guess," the runner said, taking a quick look around, before becoming distracted with the beeping of his phone. "We should grab our stuff. Our ride will be here soon."
No more than thirty minutes later, they were dropped off at their location, and were following a very chirpy young woman towards a group of spaced out beach houses.
"Now, as I'm sure you already know, we have all the same services as any of the top class hotels around here, but you can experience it all from the comfort and privacy of your own room," she said, reciting what was posted on their website, as far as Octavio could remember.
"This is the home we've chosen for you," she continued, stopping outside one of the houses.
She swiped the keycard in the door, and gestured to the couple to step in first.
"Wow," was all Elliott managed to get out as he looked around, lips parting slightly.
The area was completely open plan, somehow striking the balance between modern and homely perfectly. His eyes drifted between the luxurious looking bathtub and the large bed, adorned with plush, patterned pillows. But what really grabbed his attention, was the view. The back wall was mostly formed of glass windows, with a sliding door that led onto a deck area, and onto the beach. The sight of the golden sand and blue ocean was breathtaking, and Elliott found himself completely lost in it, until he began to tune back into the conversation happening behind him.
"I do hope you gentlemen enjoy your stay. I'll have someone deliver your bags, as soon as possible," the woman continued, offering the keycard to Octavio. "Oh, and please don't hesitate to call the main office for anything you desire. Your welcome pack has everything you need to know."
"Gracias," Octavio replied, following her to the door, toying with the card in his hand.
"Que tenga una buena noche," she beamed at them, as the speedster shut the door behind her.
"Uh...Yeah...bye."
He ran a hand through his hair, and deposited the keycard on the table next to the door before turning to face his partner, who was already sprawled out on the bed, flicking through the welcome pack.
"Ooooh, we can order Mimosas! And...Oh my God, that's an expensive wine."
Octavio sat down beside him, as he continued to peruse the menu, letting out a small excited gasp as he turned the page.
"We can get spa treatments in our room?! That's...Oh, maybe we shouldn't. I don't wanna bother the staff too much."
The speedster let out a small chuckle, and lay back on the bed, tucking his arms underneath his head.
"I'm pretty sure these people are trained specifically to kiss rich people's asses. I don't think they'll mind."
"Yeah…," the trickster trailed off, setting the pack aside and narrowing his eyes at his boyfriend. "How much did it cost for us to stay here?"
"Does it matter?"
"I guess not," Elliott sighed, propping himself up on his elbow, using his free hand to snake under his partner's shirt with a sly smile on his face. "But, you know...I'm always happy to repay."
"I'm...just not really feeling it, right now," Octavio replied, his words causing his partner to immediately retract his hand.
"Are you okay? You've been a little quiet since we got here…".
"I'm fine," the runner assured him with a smile, showing more teeth than he usually did. "It's just...I kind of just want to order dinner and hang out."
"We can do that," Elliott said, brushing the younger legend's hair back so he could place a kiss on his forehead. "Though, I have to admit, I'm feeling a little sticky from the heat so I might take advantage of that bath first."
Octavio let out a small laugh, as he watched his partner step onto the raised bathroom platform.
"When I was looking at this place online, I knew that was the first thing you'd want to use."
"You know me so well," the trickster hummed, sitting on the edge of the tub as he began running the water.
"There is a curtain you can pull across, if you want some privacy," the runner told him, though his tone was playful.
Elliott stood up and shimmied himself out of his shorts, throwing a wink over his shoulder when he began peeling off his shirt.
"Now, why would I ever want that?"
They spent the next couple of days roaming the city and landscape around it. Octavio took the opportunity to show Elliott some of his favourite places to go during his late teens. They mostly consisted of fast food places and various locations that he liked to ride his skateboard. The trickster couldn't help but notice his partner didn't have a lot of stories to share about these places, though his eyes seemed to hold a forlorn glint whenever he mentioned why he liked coming to them. Octavio had tried to avoid going to the high-end district as much as possible, but once Elliott heard about the boutiques it had to offer, all it took was a pout and a bat of his eyelashes and they were on their way. Octavio had let his head roll back against the back of the velvet couch he was waiting on, his leg jittering impatiently, knocking over the collection of shopping bags the trickster had collected. He hated these places. It wasn't necessarily the clothes he hated, though he didn't particularly have a fondness for them; it was the whispering. It was the way everyone was too nice but their smiles never reached their eyes. He hated being offered champagne and fruit while he waited, and called Mr Silva by someone, which only made the other customers whisper more. He hated how they tried to tempt him into purchasing something that would make him look like them. He wasn't like them. He'd made that painfully obvious through the things he'd done, and yet people still knew who he was, but not for the reasons he wanted them to. It was all because of his name, and he hated it.
"Elliott?" he whined, scuffing his heel into the carpet, his eyes drifting towards the dressing room. "Can we go now?"
He waited for an answer but didn't get one. Hauling himself off the couch, he made his way towards the room his partner had disappeared into some time ago; finding him standing in front of a mirror, buttoning up his shirt while a smartly dressed woman stood next to him, holding up some other options.
"The white, of course, is a classic. Very sophisticated. But you could also consider something like a maroon. A much more seductive colour. The deeper tones would bring out your eyes."
The trickster pursed his lips in consideration, fidgeting with his collar.
"Elliott?"
The holo-technician met his boyfriend's eyes in the mirror, before turning around to face him.
"Are you almost done?"
"Uhh...yeah, yeah," Elliott replied, glancing at his reflection once more, directing his attention back to the sales woman. "I think I'll just go with the white, for now."
"Excellent choice, sir."
Octavio gathered the bags he'd previously knocked over, and waited at the door while Elliott made his purchase, bouncing from one foot to the other. He let out a sigh of relief when they stepped back outside into the sun, which didn't go unnoticed by his partner.
"Something wrong, babe?"
"No," the speedster replied with a shake of his head, feeling the tension that had gathered in his shoulders disappear when Elliott slipped in hand into his. "I'm...was just really bored. I feel like we've been shopping all day."
"Sorry," Elliott said, looking at bags they were carrying guiltily. "I think I got a little carried away."
"Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that!" Octavio protested, giving the trickster's hand a small squeeze. "You should totally treat yourself while we're here! I just can't be cooped up in stores all day. I'm sorry."
Elliott opened his mouth to say something else, but the speedster took the opportunity to interject, before his lover could push the matter further.
"How about we grab some ice-cream? My treat."
"You're loving this, aren't you?" Octavio chuckled, as he stepped onto the back deck of their accommodation the next day.
He made his way down the couple of steps that lead to the beach, finding his partner laying on his stomach, on a sun lounger with his arms tucked under his chin.
"This is actually paradise," Elliott murmured, turning his face just slightly towards the runner, as he approached.
Octavio sat down on the lounger next him, looking over the trickster with an appreciative eye. He had pinned his hair back, to keep the shadow from his face, while his skin seemed to glow under the sun's rays.
"I guess you could say that."
"You don't sound too sure," Elliott pointed out, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "What's up?"
"I wanna go in the water," Octavio spoke up, his gaze drifting away from his partner, and towards the soft lapping waves.
"I'll come with you!" the trickster said, following the speedster to the ocean's edge.
He wiggled his toes as the cool water came in and washed over his feet, enjoying the refreshing sensation.
"This won't harm your prosthetics will it?"
"Nah," Octavio replied. "I run in water in the games all the time."
He took a tight hold on his boyfriend's hand as they made their way in, stopping when they were up to their waists.
"This feels so much better," the runner said, threading his fingers through the water.
Elliott hummed in agreement, sliding an arm around the younger legend's shoulders, pulling him into his chest. He could feel Octavio sag against him, as he returned the embrace. He rested his chin on his head, staring into the distance before beginning to speak;
"Tav-"
"Who do you think can hold their breath underwater the longest?"
The trickster blink a few times and looked down at his partner.
"Huh?"
"Me versus you!" Octavio continued, wiggling out of his lover's grasp. "We go underwater and whoever comes up first, loses!"
"What's the prize?"
"The satisfaction of being the best! What could be better than that?"
They spread out, creating some distance between them, staring each other down playfully.
"Ready?" Octavio called out, receiving a nod from his partner in response. "Three...two...one...go!"
Elliott held his nose and clenched his eyes shut as he plunged himself under the water, while Octavio went full force, diving beneath it. He held his breath until his lungs ached, and he was forced to return to the surface. He scowled when his partner popped back up shortly after him, with a smug grin on his face.
"How did you do that?"
"You think I didn't have stupid contests like this, with my brothers all the time?" Elliott chuckled, wading his way towards him. "Because I did."
They returned to the beach, after spending some time splashing around, and settled back onto the lounge chairs again, deciding to allow the heat of the sun to dry them off.
"Are you happy we came here?" Elliott asked, breaking the silence that had lingered between them for the last few minutes.
"Yeah," came the speedster's simple reply. "I think it's cool that you're finally getting to see some of Psamathe."
"Yeah," the trickster nodded slowly, adjusting himself to sit cross-legged. "It's just...I feel like you've been kinda...off, since we got here and-."
"Elliott, I've told you so many times, I'm fine," Octavio sighed, allowing his eyes to fall shut; though he wasn't sure if it was for a defense against the sun or his boyfriend.
"M-maybe you are," Elliott continued, absentmindedly picking some dry sand from his leg. "But...Are we?"
The speedster's eyes shot open, while he sat up slightly.
"What?"
"I just m-mean like are you...starting to have doubts or som-something?"
"Are you having doubts?" Octavio returned the question, sitting up fully now to look at his partner.
"I kind of get it if you are. I heard before th-that sometimes when people go on th-their first vacation together it can...happen."
"Elliott, what are you talking about?"
Octavio watched as the trickster nibbled on his lip, as if unsure of how to continue.
"I know we live together but we're never really...alone at the complex and...now we are, so m-maybe now th-that we're really alone you're realising that this isn't...what you want anymore."
The speedster's heart skipped a beat, as he leaned forward in his chair.
"Is that...what you're thinking?"
"No!" Elliott replied, shaking his head in protest.
"Then...why are you bringing it up?"
"I…," the trickster began, pausing for a moment as he smoothed his hands over his thighs. "You've barely touched me since we got here and it's...I don't know if it's because you've got something on your mind or because you don't wanna be here. And then I th-thought...maybe you were bored because it's...just us now."
"Amor…," Octavio said quietly, coming to kneel before his love, intertwining their fingers. "No...it's not that. It's really not."
"Then...what is it?"
The speedster's gaze fell to the sand below them.
"I don't really...come back here much."
"Does it feel weird to be back?" Elliott asked softly, giving the younger legend's hand a squeeze.
"Yeah...Kind of."
The trickster moved himself over, allowing his boyfriend to sit next to him.
"I've just been...doing a lot of thinking and...getting in my head, I guess," Octavio tried to explain.
"About what?"
The speedster sighed heavily.
"Papá...never called or...even texted on my birthday," he began, receiving another supportive squeeze to his hand, encouraging him to continue. "When I was planning this trip I...wanted to pick up some of my old stuff from my parents' place. I thought we were...kind of, okay? Well, me and papá anyways. But now...I'm not sure. But I still really want to get my stuff."
"We can totally pay your parents a visit, if that's what you want," Elliott told him. "I don't have a problem with that at all."
"I don't want to visit them," Octavio said firmly, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "I just want…".
"Your stuff?"
"Yeah."
Elliott ran a hand over his beard, thinking.
"We could always grab your stuff and leave?" he suggested. "Say, we have to jet home for work. I'll take the blame."
"Or…," the runner sighed, resting his face against his hand. "I could just...forget about it. I don't know if I want to see them."
"Hey, whatever you choose, I'm with you, okay?" Elliott said, rubbing gentle circles into his back. "But, I just don't want you to leave and then regret it. And I...wouldn't really say no to getting to see where you grew up."
Octavio groaned against his palm, knowing his partner had a point.
"I'll...think about it."
It was hard for Elliott to stop his jaw from hitting the floor of their cab, as they turned a corner and began the descent up a small hill and into a high-class neighbourhood. His eyes glistened as he looked out the window, taking it all in. All the houses were fairly modern from what he could tell, most of them being surrounded by private fences or hedges; all of which were immaculately trimmed. He swallowed harshly as they turned into a secluded driveway and a pair of large gates seemed to open on their own, allowing them to enter. The stars seemed to have aligned in Octavio's favor, this time. Once he'd made contact with his father about visiting, he was told both his parents were currently away on business, which made him feel slightly more at ease. Though his stomach began to flip nervously, when he noticed his partner's eyes widen as they passed through the garden which extended from the front gate to the house itself. It was kitted out with a fountain, a large outdoor seating area, and a variety of trees and plants, that were more cared for and colourful than any Elliott had previously seen.
"Elliott?"
The sound of his name being called startled the trickster out of his daze, and he turned to see that his boyfriend was already standing outside and had opened the car door for him.
"Are you coming?"
"Y-yeah! Yeah, of course," Elliott stumbled, smoothing a hand over the front of his shirt as he looked up at the large modern build in front of him.
The long windows and scattered balconies seemed to loom over him, creating a shade against the sun.
"I'm just...this is your house?!"
"I mean...it's not really my house anymore."
"But still it's...huge!"
"Yep, it...sure is," Octavio sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Mira...Elliott...don't let everything you're about to see make you think differently of me."
"What do you mean?" the trickster asked, taking a cautious step towards him. "Tav, I...pretty much always knew you...your family was rich. It never made me look at you different."
"All of this…," Octavio continued, looking around the area. "This isn't my style. And neither is a lot of the stuff in here...or the way things work."
"I know."
"I'm not stupid," the runner shrugged. "I...like money. I like being able to buy what I want. Do what I want. But this isn't…".
"This isn't you," Elliott finished for him, lightly brushing his fingers against his cheek. "I know. Don't worry."
Octavio nodded, before making his way to the steps that led to the front door, with Elliott in tow.
He rang the doorbell, and both men shared a glance when no one answered. Octavio was almost tempted to turn and leave, until the heavy door was pulled open and a man, who seemed to be wearing a shirt and waistcoat that was a little too tight, peered out.
"Oh!" he said, seeming to stand up straighter when he noticed who he was looking at, and opened the door a little wider. "Perdón. We were not sure when to expect you."
He stepped aside and gestured for them both to enter.
"Bienvenido a casa! Excuse me, for a moment."
Without another word, the man trotted off, leaving them alone in the foyer.
"Who is that guy?" Elliott whispered, though his voice still seemed to echo throughout the room.
"Mama's assistant slash butler slash…," the speedster trailed off, with a roll of his eyes. "Guy she's probably banging."
Elliott rocked on his feet awkwardly, not sure what to do with this information, while trying to not make it too obvious that he was admiring the lightly coloured marble under his feet, that also covered the large staircase. It complimented the spiraling handrail, he thought. The high ceilings made him feel incredibly small, and he wasn't sure if he liked that or not. He turned to Octavio, who looked like he was about to say something, until their attention was grabbed by the sound of soft footsteps coming from a hallway behind the stairs. A young woman, who looked no older than Octavio, appeared and didn't seem to notice their presence, while humming loudly to herself. It wasn't until Octavio began to snicker into his hand, did she realise she wasn't alone, and turned to face them with a look of mortification on her face, that quickly turned to horror, while she struggled to keep hold of the linen she was carrying.
"Master Octavio!" she gulped, her face turning bright red when Elliott poked his head out from behind his partner, causing the young woman to gasp.
"And...Mirage?!"
"That's...me. Hi," the trickster replied, offering her a shy wave.
"I...Oh my God!" she squealed, burying her face in her hand as she turned and practically sprinted down the hall, away from them.
"I guess she's a fan?" Octavio giggled, spinning around to look at his boyfriend, who seemed to be eyeing him appraisingly.
"What?"
"Master Octavio?" Elliott teased. "I thought I was the only one allowed to call you that?"
"She, uh...must be new," the runner said, his cheeks flushing slightly. "No one actually calls me that here."
"Tavi!" a warm voice called out, the sound soon followed by an older woman, rushing towards him. "Philip told me you were here! I didn't think you'd arrive so soon!"
Elliott noticed how Octavio's eyes seemed to light up, as she approached and he was wrapped into a tight hug.
"You know me. I'm impatient," the runner laughed, as they parted.
"You look well," she told him, a fond smile on her face. "Te eché de menos."
The trickster shuffled on his feet, as he watched the exchange, feeling somewhat awkward but not wanting to interrupt what seemed to be a special moment, until Octavio turned to him, beaming.
"Maya, this is my boyfriend, Elliott! Elliott, this is Maya. The only one of my nannies who managed to stick around."
"The only one who could handle your antics, you mean," she replied, causing them both to laugh.
She reached out to give Elliott's hand a gentle shake.
"So, this is the boyfriend," Maya continued, smiling coyly at the runner. "Bien hecho. Es muy guapo."
The trickster managed to plaster on a smile, but looked at his partner unsure, due to the language barrier. He assumed she hadn't said something bad, as the runner's body language was relaxed, despite the rosy tint on his cheeks.
"I'm surprised you didn't get your ass out of here already, chica," Octavio said, trying to change the subject. "You don't need to take care of me, anymore. Unless, there's some other kid around here these days."
"I considered it, but your father decided to make me head of the house staff."
"Really?" the speedster mused. "That's...cool."
"It is," Maya replied, her attention drifting to her watch. "But I do have a hundred and one things to do, before dinner. We'll have to catch up later."
"I'm kinda just here for my stuff," Octavio said, feeling guilty when he noticed the sad look in the woman's eyes.
"Oh. I'll leave you then."
"She seems nice," Elliott piped up, after she'd left, following Octavio to the stairs.
"Yeah, she is," the younger legend responded. "I think she's the only one you can actually trust around here."
"Well, here we are," Octavio said, pushing open the door to his old bedroom. "Welcome to Casa de Octane."
Elliott looked around the room, as they entered. However, despite his boyfriend's words, nothing about the place screamed "Octane", or even hinted at it; or Octavio, for that matter.
"Did they change much since you left?"
"No," the speedster replied, taking a look around. "I don't think they really changed anything at all."
"...Cool."
It wasn't an ugly room by any means, in fact it was quite the opposite. The baby blue walls, light grey, almost white, carpet and matching bed linen all tied together nicely. It was no surprise to Elliott that Octavio had enough space to have a couch and entertainment system in his bedroom. It was the only thing he noticed about the place that represented his partner's interests; it held a sizable TV, a previous generation model gaming console, and some very old records. Elliott didn't even know you could still obtain such things, but nothing about this family would surprise him anymore. He took a step towards the desk, and upon noticing the computer wasn't switched on, he diverted his attention to the collection of notebooks. One in particular stood out to him; it was more like a scrapbook, with a bright green cover and a collection of stickers and doodles all over. "Tavi's Lifebook," was spelled out on the front in mismatched lettering that seemed to have been clipped from some magazines.
"Hey! Don't touch that!," Octavio snapped, taking the book from him, and hastily stuffing it behind all the others.
"Sorry!" the trickster cringed, blushing slightly. "I didn't mean to intrude!"
He moved away from the desk, and towards the four poster bed, admiring the designs in the wood; some of which seemed to have been damaged with scuff marks.
"So...this is your old room, huh?"
"It sure is."
Elliott plopped himself down on the end of the bed, and crossed his legs, grinning at his lover coyly.
"You ever had any hunnies in here?"
"Hunnies?" Octavio snorted, as he came to join him. "You're asking if I ever slept with anyone in here? Seriously?"
"I never said that," Elliott teased. "But if you want to give me all the juicy details then…".
The speedster rolled his eyes, causing his partner to nudge him playfully.
"Come on, babe! I tell you all my embarrassing stories! Was it your first time? Second time? Rich people orgy?"
"I wish."
"Come on," the trickster pleaded, nudging his shoulder with his forehead. "Tell me something."
"Fine," the runner sighed, defeated. "I did actually have my first time here."
"With who?"
"My tutor's assistant."
"Oh my God!" Elliott gasped, quickly resolving into a laugh. "This is better than I ever could have imagined! You are such a rich person!"
"Shut up!" Octavio scolded, shoving him lightly. "Anyways, my parents really wanted me to go to college, so after I finished my high school stuff, they hired someone else to continue teaching me to make sure I was smart enough, I guess. I really didn't want to do it. I told them I was eighteen and done with schooling but still they forced me. The tutor complained that I was too uncooperative, so they got an assistant to help. We used to end up flirting a lot when the tutor was out of the room and one day, one thing led to another and…".
"Wow."
"It gets better...or, worse I suppose," Octavio told him, angling his sitting position so he could face his boyfriend more directly. "The tutor came back, and we were gone. Mamá was pissed I was skipping out on my lesson so she came looking for me…".
"Oh no."
"We were just done, when she came barging in. She was so mad. She called the assistant a whore and said she was only bedding me, hoping I'd get her pregnant so she could get money out of us."
"Damn."
"Yeah, it was pretty crazy."
"Did you like her?"
"Nah," Octavio said, shaking his head. "I was just bored and...saw the opportunity and went for it, I guess."
"I'm sorry that happened," Elliott said. "It doesn't sound fun at all."
"Eh, it is what it is," the runner said with a shrug, a mischievous smile spreading to his face as he leaned towards his partner and kissed him. "But...if you're interested, Mamá's not here to interrupt me now."
"This bed is so damn comfortable," Elliott murmured into his pillow, making his partner laugh, as he brushed his sweat tainted curls aside.
"Tired?"
"After that?" the trickster chuckled. "Yes."
Octavio propped himself up on his elbow, looking down at him with a smile.
"We can stay here tonight, if you want. No one's around to bother us."
"I'd like that," Elliott nodded, attempting to stifle a yawn, while the runner combed his fingers through his hair. "I love you, Tav."
"I love you too."
A comfortable silence fell over them, as Octavio turned himself away to detach his prosthetics in preparation to settle down for the night. Elliott gazed over the exposed skin of his back, connecting dots between the freckles and birthmarks, he loved so much, with his eyes, until Octavio settled back down beside him.
"Tav?"
"Yeah?"
"How come...you never really want to tell me too much about your past?"
"Because...it's the past," the young legend replied. "I prefer to focus on what's happening right now. What has already happened, is boring."
"I wanna know more about how you grew up," Elliott continued, snuggling closer.
"I didn't grow up the same as you did," Octavio said quietly. "I didn't have friends or...family traditions or...anything like that. I went to stupid parties and did stupid extra curriculars, and the only person I really talked to outside this house was Ajay, and she lived too far away to visit."
"But that's...was, your life," the trickster spoke up, running a comforting hand over the speedster's chest. "Maybe it wasn't...ideal. But it was yours. And I'd like to know about it. If you'll tell me."
Octavio lay there quietly for some time, twiddling his thumbs under the bed covers. Elliott thought he had pushed too far and was wracking his brain for a topic to change the subject to, until Octavio began to speak.
"That book you picked up earlier," he began, staring at the ceiling. "I went to a counsellor, and they made me make it to help...process all the...complicated stuff that had happened."
Elliott merely nodded, deciding now probably wasn't the best time to interrupt.
"My parents weren't always together and we didn't always live here," Octavio explained, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the ceiling. "My parents got married pretty soon after they both left university, I think. I always thought it was because Mamá actually comes from a pretty...average family. She was probably just in it for the money. I don't know. Anyways, they spent lots of years working on the company, as far as I know. And then they had me. But I still don't know why they bothered."
"Tav…".
"We used to live in this...older house outside the city. I think I liked it better there, than here. I was really young, but I'm pretty sure we moved because Mamá wanted a bigger house, even though I remember the other one being big enough. So, we moved closer to the city and not too long later, they split up. I don't know why, exactly. But it must have a super quick divorce because Papá got married to someone else pretty soon after."
"Gosh, I'm so sorry," Elliott soothed. "I had no idea."
"I never told you," Octavio replied, with a sigh. "It's not really something we talk about. I hated his new wife. I don't even know why, really. I think I was just a stupid kid who thought his parents belonged together. I was so bad. I used to kick her all the time. And yell at her. She told Papá I was a problem child and she couldn't deal with me. Then he started getting nannies to take care of me. I hated all of them too. I was really bad, so they all quit or got fired. Papá and her, only lasted maybe two or three years? They got divorced. And then...he got involved with his assistant…Which for all I know, could have been why they split up in the first place."
"That must have been really hard for you," Elliott said, taking his partner's hand and squeezing it gently. "All those people coming into your life and leaving again."
Octavio simply shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
"The assistant wasn't so bad. She got me Navi. I wanted-."
"Navi?"
The runner stopped at the question, shutting his eyes tightly, the twinge in his chest telling him he'd already said too much.
"She...Navi, was my pet...rabbit."
"Oh," Elliott said, surprised. "I thought...Well, you said your parents never let you have-."
"I know what I said," Octavio interjected. "But, I...lied. Kind of. Mamá never wanted me to get a pet but she wasn't around so, Papá said I could...I wanted a puppy. I asked for one for Christmas. But Papá's assistant messed up and got me a bunny instead. He got so mad. Maybe...madder than I've ever seen him. Which makes no sense because...it was a gift for me. He shouldn't have cared so much. But he did. And he fired her. And then...a couple of months later, he married her. But...she was kinda dumb so, they didn't even last a year."
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Elliott asked. "You wanted us to get a pet together, so bad I...don't understand."
"You always talk about how much you want a dog," Octavio began, solemnly. "Even before we were dating, I knew how much you wanted a pet. I didn't...if I told you about Navi you would've hated me. And then we got Mica and-."
"Wait, babe. Slow down," the trickster stopped him, holding a hand up. "Why would I hate you because you had a rabbit? I love bunnies!"
The speedster dug his nails into the blanket, trying to stop the tremble that was desperately trying to sneak into his hands.
"Navi…died," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "She died...I killed her."
"What?!" Elliott gasped, sitting up. "Tav...what are you saying?"
Octavio shut his eyes tight, his hands balling into fists, as his heart rate sped up, quickening his speech with it.
"I used to take her on stupid stunts. Mostly on my bike. I'd ride us over ramps I made and tried to do cool jumps. We'd do that almost every day, or sometimes I'd climb trees and take her with me. Rabbits aren't supposed to do stunts! I know that now! But I was so stupid and I pushed her too hard and I woke up one morning and I was gonna take her outside again but she was...gone. Dead."
"Oh, Tav…".
"I told everyone she went away on a rocket ship and blew up because I didn't want them to know what I did! That's why...Papá sent me to the counsellor. He must have thought I was going crazy. I loved her so much. I didn't want anyone to know it was me."
"Tav, that wasn't your fault…," Elliott told him, stroking his arm softly, feeling how his lover's skin quivered under his touch. "Sometimes things like that just...happen. Maybe she was older than you thought."
"I'd never hurt Mica like that," the runner said firmly. "Or any pet. Ever again."
"You're amazing with Mica. He loves you."
Octavio let out a loud sigh, running a hand through his hair in thought.
"After that...nothing felt fun anymore. I'd ride my bike on my own, and I tried to do higher jumps to see if that would make it more exciting. I started taking skateboarding more seriously. I wouldn't come home for hours. I barely went to my classes. Then Maya got hired and at first...I hated her the same as all the others, but...after a while...I felt like she actually kinda cared about me. She listened and didn't yell at me all the time. I didn't stop being bad but...I tried a little."
"Can I ask how your parents ended up back together?"
Octavio wrinkled his nose and clicked his tongue piercing against his teeth a few times before answering.
"I don't know for sure. At that point I'd stopped caring about them. Papá and I would fight all the time, so I stayed in my room a lot or went outside. I know that she wouldn't leave the company and something went down. They got remarried and...that was it. They act like nothing ever happened and everyone else does too. I told you it was complicated"
"Damn," Elliott said, running a hand through his hair. "I never understood how rich people can do that. Get married and break up like it's nothing."
Octavio let out a loud snort.
"People around here hand out prenups like they're candy, amor. It's pretty much expected."
"How...romantic," the trickster quipped, the remark sending his partner into a fit of giggles.
"Anyways, hopefully now you get why I hate it here so much."
"Thanks for telling me, baby," Elliott said, running a finger down the side of the runner's cheek. "It couldn't have been easy."
"It's whatever," Octavio shrugged. "We're better than them. All of them."
"I would like to think so," the trickster hummed, pulling his boyfriend into his arms, and hugging him tightly.
Octavio sighed contentedly, absorbing Elliott's warmth. After a while, his eyes began to feel heavy and he drifted into a peaceful slumber; feeling like a huge weight had just been lifted from his shoulders.
"Ugh, I'm so full," Elliott groaned, rubbing at his tummy through his shirt, as they made their way back into the house, from the patio.
"Maya always did know how to do a breakfast spread," Octavio laughed, patting his own stomach. "It's no surprise I always had so much energy, when you think about it."
"She's nice," the trickster continued. "I like her. She's funny."
The runner merely hummed in response, until his partner jumped out in front of him, with an excited spring in his step.
"So, are you finally gonna give me the grand tour of this place?"
"Tour?"
"Yeah!" Elliott practically sang. "Come on, you can't take me to an actual mansion and not show me around!"
"Okay, okay. Chill. I will," Octavio replied, holding up his hands in mock defense. "Vamos."
They spend the next hour or so wandering around the halls of the house. Octavio mostly showed him the places he liked or spent more of his time in, like the garden or the spacious living rooms, with huge TVs. He briefly pointed out his tutoring room, which was meant to double as a home office once he was old enough. Continuing down the same corridor led them to an open landing, where a grand piano sat proudly in the middle, making Elliott's eyes go wide.
"Is this where you used to play?!"
"Yeah," Octavio responded, taking tentative steps towards it like it might attack him if he got too close.
"Would you...play something for me?" the trickster asked, running a hand over the glossy, ebony coloured surface.
"No," the runner groaned. "I haven't touched that thing in...literally forever."
"Oh, come on," Elliott attempted to coax him, by sitting down on the piano bench and lightly tapping one of the keys. "It's just us. I won't laugh."
The speedster emitted an exasperated sound, but squashed himself onto the bench beside his partner, furrowing his brows as he looked down at the keys.
"What was your favourite song to play?" the trickster asked, observing how Octavio positioned his hands and lightly tapped at the keys in a sequence, but not hard enough to actually make a sound.
"I don't think I had a favourite," he admitted. "Playing was just something I did, not really something I enjoyed."
"Try something. For me?"
Octavio rolled his shoulders back, and began putting more weight on the keys he was previously touching. The song he began to play was much slower and relaxed, than Elliott had expected. It wasn't perfect, by any means, but seeing Octavio be so gentle and precise with the piano keys, made the trickster's stomach fill with butterflies, until he abruptly stopped, with a sigh.
"I can't remember how to play this."
"That's okay," Elliott reassured him, brown eyes dilated with admiration. "It still sounded great."
"No, it didn't."
"Hey, maybe I can show you some moves of my own," he continued, using his elbow to nudge the runner over, to make room for himself.
"You can't play."
"I can...A little."
"Since when?" Octavio asked, squinting at this partner suspiciously. "You never mentioned this before."
"Well, it doesn't sound very cool to say "I can play the piano but, I can only play one song," the trickster chuckled, looking over the keys. "My mom taught me a little."
"I didn't know music ran in your family, at all."
"My brother...Kyle. He was big into music," Elliott explained, absentmindedly tapping a random key on the piano. "When we were kids, he found this old guitar in the attic. It might have been my grandpa's, we weren't sure. He decided he was gonna teach himself. We were really young at the time, and I thought this was super cool so I wanted to learn too. I begged and begged for him to let me try but he wouldn't. He said he had to practice as much as possible because he wanted to be a rockstar some day, and make a band. I wanted to be in the band too, but he said I couldn't because I couldn't play an instrument."
Elliott let out a small laugh before continuing, with a mournful look in his eye.
"I was so upset. I ran inside crying and told mom what he said. She said she'd teach me something. So...she taught me this."
He rested his hands comfortably on the keys, as if he had played this one song a thousand times, before clearing his throat to sing;
Inch worm, inch worm,
Measuring the marigolds.
Could it be, you stop and see,
How beautiful-
Elliott jumped in his seat, cutting himself off and accidentally slamming his hands down on the keys, at the sound of clapping coming from the hallway.
"Bravo. Excelente. I haven't heard music coming from here in the longest time."
Octavio jumped up from the piano, somewhat defensively, causing the stool to squeak unpleasantly against the floor as he did so.
"Papá?! What are you doing here?"
His father looked between them both, before answering.
"I do live here, Octavio."
"You said you were going to be away!"
"I was," Bertrán said, stepping into the landing, hands behind his back. "I decided to return early. I knew if I told you, you would have left by the time I got here."
"So, what?" the runner questioned, folding his arms over his chest. "You came back to make sure I wasn't stealing anything, I shouldn't?"
"Maybe I just wanted to see you, mijo," the elder Silva spoke, receiving a scoff from his son.
"See me? You why should I believe that? You couldn't even remember my birthday!"
His father wrinkled his nose, brows furrowing in thought.
"That was recently...Of course, it's...My assistant must have forgotten to remind me."
A tense silence fell between them. Elliott's nails dug involuntarily into the plush cushion underneath him, unsure of what to do. He found himself somewhat grateful when Bertrán spoke up again.
"Let me make it up to you. I'll take you out for breakfast tomorrow. Both of you."
"Breakfast?" Octavio laughed wryly. "Are you sure you can spare the time, Papá?"
"I wouldn't have suggested it, if I couldn't make it," Bertrán replied, running a finger over his moustache, before looking to Elliott as if he was just really noticing him for the first time.
"Elliott, would like that. Wouldn't you?"
The trickster felt his hands become clammy, as he looked between the pair of Silvas.
"I, uh...guess we could, but we kind of-."
"Estupendo!" Mr Silva cut him off, clapping his hands together. "I look forward to it. But for now, if you'll excuse me, I have some guests coming over for drinks."
"I can't believe him!" Octavio grumbled, as he continued to search through his closet, throwing different pieces of clothing into a bag.
Elliott sat on the couch, watching. He'd noticed most of what he could see inside the closet was more Octavio's style than the rest of the room. The back of the door was decorated with different band and video game posters, and there was a shelf inside holding some very detailed looking action figures.
"See me? Kiss my ass."
The trickster chuckled at the remark.
"Is he really that bad? Maybe he really does want to make it up to you."
"Whatever," Octavio sighed, grabbing a cardboard box, and began filling it with games, some of the figurines and various other knick knacks he wanted. He paused when he took a fairly ragged looking stuffed rabbit toy, from the back of the closet, looking at it for a moment before laying it carefully in the box.
"Who is that?" Elliott asked, nodding towards the toy.
It was missing an eye, and one of it's floppy grey ears seemed to be beginning to tear away from it's head. It had seen better days but Elliott could immediately tell, his boyfriend was quite fond of it. Octavio looked towards his partner, a small blush forming on the high points of his cheeks, when he realised what the trickster was referring to.
"His...uh, its name is Rafa. I've had it since I was a baby."
"That's adorable," Elliott said, tempted to take the rabbit from the box for a closer look, but decided against it. "Where did you get it?"
The runner's gaze fell on the box.
"Papá...gave it to me when I was born."
"Oh."
"I told you this family was complicated," Octavio laughed, though it didn't sound very genuine.
He sat on the floor, absentmindedly fiddling with the ring on his middle finger, lost in thought.
"There's...some other stuff I want to get," he eventually spoke up, turning to face his boyfriend. "But they're not in my room."
"What is it?" Elliott questioned, leaning forward in his seat.
"Mostly my birth certificate. I don't really know if I like my parents having...that kind of stuff anymore. I'd rather have it."
"Okay," the trickster nodded. "Do you know where it is?"
"Not exactly," the speedster admitted, nibbling on his lower lip. "I know it has to be in Papá's office. But we might have to look around a little."
Octavio stood and made his way towards the window, peering down into the garden, having to use a hand to shield his eyes from the setting evening sun.
"I think we should look now while he's busy with the rich old guys club," he said. "Once we have everything, we can go back to our house. And then…".
He placed his hands on his hips and sighed.
"I guess we can go to that stupid breakfast tomorrow. At least it's free food. Right?"
The hallways were relatively barren in terms of people, allowing the couple to sneak from Octavio's room, down the stairs and to his father's office, with little trouble. Octavio shoved the door open, and they stepped inside, quietly closing it behind them. The office space was decorated in a much older style, compared to the rest of the house. Dark wood bookcases covered one wall, with a series of matching cabinets covering the other. A sizable, ornate desk sat in the middle, with a large window behind it, complimented by a very comfortable looking chair. Octavio flug open the door of one of the cabinets and began hastily rifling through the contents, but Elliott couldn't help but get distracted by the furniture.
"Damn, I want a desk like this."
"Feel free to search it," the runner told him. "This thing could be anywhere."
"On it!" Elliott called back, quickly remembering to hush his tone and deciding to offer his boyfriend a thumbs up instead. If he was honest, he felt a little weird searching through the drawers of the desk. He shoved the chair back behind him, to give himself more space to kneel down. He barely knew this man, who he hoped, would be his father-in-law someday, and here he was, pawing through his personal belongings. But, it was for Octavio, so he was determined to help any way he can.
"Did you find anything?" Octavio asked him, squinting at the multiple pieces of paper he was now holding.
"No, it's just all pens and junk," the trickster replied, shuffling himself towards the remaining set of drawers, at the other end of the desk. "I'll try these."
Octavio stuffed the files he had pulled out, back into the cabinet and began searching through another. They worked in silence for a few moments until Elliott spoke up again.
"Nothing...except some really fancy gin."
"I think I got it!" the speedster said triumphantly, holding up a large envelope.
"Yeah?" Elliott asked, standing up abruptly.
In his hast, he stepped back and collided with the desk chair, snagging his shoelace on one of the wheels. He reached out for something to steady himself, colliding with the wall as he toppled over, pulling a large painting down with him as he collapsed in a heap on the floor.
"Holy shit!" Octavio exclaimed, rushing towards him, though his attention was more focused on the wall, than it was on his partner. "What the hell?!"
"Please, don't tell me I broke something expensive," Elliott whined, covering his face with his hands so he wouldn't have to look.
"You just pulled some super spy type shit! I didn't know we were a secret safe in the wall, type of family! This is awesome!"
The trickster moved his hands away, to see what his partner was talking about. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when he realised Octavio was right and there was, in fact, a small safe built into the wall, previously hidden by the painting he'd just knocked over. The runner bounced excitedly in front of it, while Elliott picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off.
"Mira! We have to get inside that thing! There could be treasure!"
"Treasure?" Elliott chuckled, rubbing at the sore spot on his elbow. "Any idea what the pin code might be?"
Octavio scratched at the back of his head, as he looked the keypad over. His finger hovered over the numbers, before typing a combination in, and quickly followed the rejected code with another.
"Careful, babe," Elliott warned. "This might be a three strikes and you're out, type deal."
The runner hummed in response, looking up the ceiling, thinking as hard as he could.
"The thing he's most proud of…," he mumbled to himself, and tapped another number combo into the keypad, which lit up green as the door automatically swung open.
"You did it!" the trickster cheered quietly, genuinely impressed.
"I thought the year the business opened was too obvious, so I went for the year he graduated."
"How do you even know that?" Elliott asked, a guilty look coming to rest on his face. "Sometimes I forget what year my mom was born."
"I'm a Silva. I'm expected to know," Octavio muttered bitterly, looking around as he took a step back. "Mierda, where the hell did I drop that envelope? You can look through all that stuff, amor. It seems to be all paper, so it's probably just business stuff. You'll understand it better than me. I need to find this stupid envelope before someone comes."
Elliott took the bundle of papers out of the safe and set them on the desk. He quickly skimmed through them all, finding nothing of interest. They were mostly deeds or contracts, and he was quickly becoming bored searching through them, until he came across a piece of paper that felt a lot heavier than the rest. He unfolded it carefully, his eyes growing wide and his mouth went dry. He read the words on it over and over, to make sure it was real, his eyes drifting towards his partner who was putting away everything he'd searched through.
"Babe?" he said, trying his best to keep the waver in his voice under control. "Did you find your birth certificate?"
"Yup!"
"Can I...see it?"
"Why?" Octavio asked, looking at him suspiciously.
Elliott swallowed harshly.
"I just...want to see if they look different to Solace's ones."
"Fine," Octavio said, handing the paper over. "But before you ask; yes my middle name is Atticus, but no, you're not allowed to laugh!"
Elliott feigned an amused smile, as he looked at the certificate over:
Birth Name: Octavio Atticus Silva.
Place of Birth: Psamathe City, Psamathe.
Birth Mother: Valeria Ana Silva
Birth Father: Bertrán Miguel Silva.
The trickster's hands shook, as he compared the two documents he held, letting out a breath as he ran his fingers over the official stamps; the one he'd found in the safe feeling much more waxy than the one Octavio had handed him. He couldn't believe his eyes, but he had no choice, despite how much he didn't want any of this to be real.
He could feel his eyes beginning to mist over, as he read the words on the second document, one more time.
Birth Name: Octavio Atticus Silva.
Place of Birth: Crúz, Psamathe.
Birth Mother: Emelia Reyna Traid.
Birth Father: Bertrán Miguel Silva.
"Fuck."
"Everything okay, cariño?" Octavio asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Elliott shook his head, biting down on his lip, unsure of how to approach the subject.
"Tav, I...th-think I found something."
"Oooh, something juicy?" the speedster asked, coming to stand beside him. "Tax fraud? Long lost relatives coming back to haunt us?"
"I…," Elliott began, shaking his head again. "I'm so sorry. This is...messed up"
Octavio looked up at him, obvious concern showing on his features.
"Elliott, you're...kind of freaking me out."
The trickster glanced at the almost identical documents one more time to make sure he was certain, before passing them to his boyfriend, with trembling fingers.
"Tav, I...don't th-think your mom is...your mom."