Curio looked up as Juliet enters the study again. He had been talking with Romeo about sword techniques.
"Hello Juli-"
He stopped short when he sees the expression on her face.
"Wha-"
"What is wrong with you?" She demands.
"I….What are you talking about?" Curio asked, wondering what he did to set her off.
"Was this some kind of sick joke?"
Juliet had opened her mouth to speak again when another voice joined them. She turned, revealing Francisco standing there, his light clothes splashed in red.
Was that- oh god what happened?!
"Francisco, what is going on?" Curio gently asked his best friend. But when Francisco looked at him, all he saw was hurt. He moved towards him slowly.
"Francisco-"
Francisco flinced. Curio takes a step back at this, hurt. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, Francisco finally spoke.
"Why me?" His voice was thick with tears. "What did I do to deserve this? Why do you hate me?"
"Francisco I could never hate you. You're my best friend."
"Then what was that? Do my feelings mean that little to you? I'm sorry I'm in love with you. I'm sorry, okay?" Francisco blurts and sits down, shaking. "But Why-"
"I don't have a clue what you're talking about Francisco. What's going on?" Curio interrupts, trying to process all of this.
Francisco pushes a wadded up piece of paper towards him. Still confused, Curio opens the paper and reads it slowly, feeling his gut drop.
"Francisco…."
Francisco stared at him unblinking and waiting.
"Francisco.." He starts again, looking for the right words. He didn't want to hurt him but he needed to know.
"I didn't write this. I-"
"I know." Francisco says softly. "I know you never love me. Because you're in love with-"
"No I don't think you understand-"
"-Juliet-"
"-You-"
Juliet looks up shocked and Francisco went pale. Curio lets out a breathless laugh.
"I think it's time we talk."
Juliet slowly sits next to Francisco, who is still shaking. Curio looks at Juliet first.
"It is true. I was in love with you Juliet..Or so I thought. From the time we met, during the rebellion. Your passion inspired me and so did your spirit."
Juliet sits, in a stunned silence.
"But," He continues. "I was wrong. I have come to realize that what I thought wasa attraction was admiration and nothing more."
He turns now to Francisco, who had been quiet the entire time.
"Francisco." He reaches for his hand. The smaller man hesitantly lets himself be touched. "Francisco, you have been my partner and best friend for as long as I can remember. I never thought to look at you as anything more."
Francisco nods and opened his mouth to say something.
"I'm not done yet." He smiles softly, unusual for the tough man. "I realized a while back that what I was looking for in Juliet was actually what I saw in you. I have come to realize I was never in love with Juliet-" He stops and looks at her. "No offense."
"None taken." She motions for him to continue.
"It's you I love. It's always been you."
Just as Francisco opens his mouth to respond, the nobleman lurches forward and blacks out.
Juliet cries out and moves to catch him as Curio comes around the table.
"What happened?" He asked, cradling Francisco's body to his chest. He felt skinner than usual.
Juliet stands and helps them over to a couch.
"I assume he hasn't been sleeping and his appetite has been smaller with each day since the night terrors have been happening."
"Night terrors?" Curio looks up at her. "What do you mean?"
"He hasn't told you? No of course he hasn't…." Juliet perched on the edge of the couch. "Francisco keeps having this dream that takes place the night we stormed the castle. He holds you back and is about to tell you but Romeo's father kills you before he could."
Curio fells his heart break for his friend. Is that why he seemed so scared the other night by the window?
Of course it is. Oh Francisco…..This is all my fault….
"Oh….."
"There's more."
"Of course there is."
"The reason that he came in here….Well it's best I just show you."
Curio hesitates, not wanting to leave Francisco. Juliet puts a hand on his arm.
"We'll come right back, I promise."
Curio sighs, nods and followed her. They ended up in the fitting room and it donned on Curio she was running around in her wedding dress that had a faint red stain on the bottom hem.
"Juliet, you're in your wedding gown."
She looks down.
"So I am. I'll change real quick." She enters the room and Curio follows. His sight immediately finds the splash of red on the floor and the smell hits him like a wall.
"Is that…?" He asked, horrified.
"Yes." Juliet's soldem voice comes from behind a screen.
"Who?"
"I don't know." She comes out from behind the screen now, pulling her hair up.
"Do we know why?"
"No. But who ever they are, they attacked Francisco because he is vulnerable right now."
"Do you think it's a surviving Montague supporter?"
"If it is then we need to be on our toes. We will hold a private meeting when Benvolio and Cordelia get here with Conrad." She looks up at him. "I have to tell Romeo. You go check on Francisco."
Curio nods and runs his hands through his hair. "I just wish it didn't take this kind of situation to man up and tell him."
"Curio, you can't dwell on it now. The good thing is that you actually told him."
Curio leaves Juliet and returns to where Francisco is laying. He needed to get the bloody clothes off of him. He carefully picks him up. The man was smaller but longer than Curio, so it was a bit difficult to maneuver around. Finally he gets Francisco to his room and lays him on the bed. He looks around and finds where he keeps his clothes. He approaches it and pulls out a button up and a pair of slacks. He goes back to Francisco and stood, just looking at him for a moment. He needed to strip him and change him but he just felt so awkward. Gritting his teeth, he lean and starts to unbutton the blood splattered coat and shit, pushing them off his shoulders. He carefully pulls them out from under his body. Curio decided to leave his under shirt on and carefully puts the clean shirt on. He hesitant reaches for Francisco's pants. This would be a terrible time for the passed out man to wake up. He carefully pulls the pants off, keeping his eyes on Francisco's face. He carefully puts the other pair on and carefully touches Francisco's face. He was breathing and that was good but he had been passed out for quite a while and it was worrying Curio. He puts a hand on each of Francisco's shoulders and shakes gently.
"Francisco. Wake up."
Nothing.
"Francisco. Please."
Still nothing.
"Francisco!" His voice was desperate now. He shook a little harder. "Come back to me!"
Curio jerks back and nearly fell off the bed as Francisco shoots up into a sitting position with a strangled cry. Curio gently touches his arm.
"Francisco are you okay?" He asked softly, eyes searching the other man's face.
Francisco nods slowly.
"I need words Francisco. Talk to me. What do you feel? What do you remember."
"I'm….Shocked. I think. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I couldn't...At least I didn't think I could. You were always out chasing women and-"
Curio was surprised when Francisco laughs.
"Do you know why I took to chasing women?" When Curio says nothing, he continues. "I did it to make you jealous."
Curio stares at him.
"Curio, I've been dropping you hints for years. You're just really oblivious."
"I resent that statement." Curio pouts.
Francisco just shakes his head with a smile then sobers up.
"We need to figure out who sent that…" Francisco shutters.
Curio nods and cups his face and runs it through his long blonde hair.
"And we will but first I want you to eat something."
"But I'm not hungry."
"Francisco, I know you haven't been eating very much and we won't be doing anything until you eat." He says stubbornly.
Francisco sighed and nods.
"Fine."
He looks around and seemed to spot the bloodied clothes on the floor.
"Curio-"
"Yes I changed you and no I didn't see anything."
Francisco blushes lightly and nods.
"Thank you."
Curio stands with a smile and offers his hand.
"Shall we?"