Chapter 226

Andre hurriedly entered his room and almost tripped as he bumped into Cross.

"Damn, I'm sorry," He held Cross's bare shoulder to steady him and prevent him from falling. 

Without speaking, Cross moved away and headed to shut the balcony door that was swinging due to the heavy wind. 

"Hey, are you okay? You left without telling me. I almost searched the whole beach for you," Andre said, staring at Cross with confusion, aware of how shirtless he was. 

Cross still ignored Andre, shutting the window blinds.

Andre sighed, walking closer to Cross, "Hey..." he paused his hand midair as he saw Cross glaring at him, "Okay, I'll keep my hands to myself, but can you at least say something to me? At least, a thank you for helping you out with Leon back there." He put his hand in his pocket.

However, it seemed that his reference to Leon only worsened Cross's mood. He moved again, going to sit on the bed and gently swinging his legs. 

"Alright, I'm being ignored. Awesome," Andre said and walked over to the wardrobe.

Cross couldn't hear Andre's voice anymore. He turned to look at him, only to find Andre's athletic shirtless back as he fastened a pyjama pants around his waist; Cross quietly scoffed and looked away.

Andre was fully dressed and decided to try one last time with Cross.

He walked over to Cross and stood in front of him. At the same time, thunder roared outside. He raised his brow as he saw Cross's hand gripping the sheets and knew that the guy was irritated by his presence. But he wasn't going to leave, he needed to say a few things to him.

"You know? You're not nice. All we've done -"

"Stay away then!" Cross suddenly stood and shoved Andre on the chest, but Andre barely budged, he grabbed Cross's wrists and locked them on his chest, holding him steady.

He looked into Cross's silver eyes, sensing a storm that was heavier than the one brewing outside in them.

"Let go," Cross gritted out.

Andre tightened his hold on Cross's wrist, "Listen, Cross, we all have things we've been through. All those guys you put down because you see us as nothing but a call dog, or a watchdog, however you put it. We all come from homes, we have families, and trust me, we've all faced our demons every once in a while." He said, slightly releasing his tight hold on Cross. 

"We've been through things that should have made us beome an ass to people, but we chose to be nice because trust me, we always have a choice. Everyone has a choice, Cross; having a rough past is not a reason to be... stupid. I know you can also choose to be good, Cross. Just try and see me as a friend, I really mean no harm to you," Andre spoke softly.

Cross smirked, "You think you can change me?" He asked haughtily.

Andre oberved Cross's face, he still looked pissed as fuck, and he kept wondering why on earth he was that way. They weren't entirely close, yet, but he believed that Cross was starting to at least become a buddy.

"No one can change anyone, Cross, but I can help you overcome those demons by showing you the right paths, that's the power of friendship... It heals," Andre gently poked Cross's chest, smiling.

Cross frowned, "I hate people like you. Fuck off my face." He muttered.

Andre released Cross's hands, disappointed.

"So that's it? Everything I've said went down the drain?" Andre asked.

"Fuck -"

"Can you communicate for once?!" Andre snapped, grabbing Cross's hand and forcing him to face him as he was about to turn away.

"Leave me -"

"No, you fucking answer me! What did I do?!" Andre asked angrily, tugging Cross closer. 

"You let Leon kiss you!" Cross blurted out, heaving in anger, fists clenched and eyes glaring in accusation.

"Huh?" Andre asked, head tilted, brows furrowed, and confusion taking over.

He was finding it hard to understand what Cross had said, he tried hard to connect Leon's kiss(Which he almost forgot)  to Cross's anger but he couldn't find a match.

"What do you mean?" Andre's voice dropped lower this time. 

Cross's eyes darted all over the place before finally resting on Andre's face, "You... you just kissed my sister earlier, and you already let someone else kiss you, have you no shame?" He stated.

Andre was baffled. He released Cross's hand and chuckled quietly, placing his hand on his forehead "Wait, so, you're angry on your sister's behalf." He asked, pinning Cross with a look of disbelief.

"I hate cheaters," Cross replied, walking to sit back on the bed.

Andre was super confused, "Look, you already know that Florence and I aren't even dating," He raked his hair with his fingers, getting frustrated. 

"Fuck off," Cross said, dusting unseen particles from his pants.

Andre narrowed his eyes at Cross, "You know what? I think your sister wouldn't even mind if I fucked Leon in front of -"

"Fuck off!" Cross suddenly picked up an alarm clock from the drawer beside him and threw it at Andre.

Andre wasn't expecting it so his dodging wasn't perfect. He got hit on the forehead before the alarm fell and shattered on the floor.

"What the heck..." Andre touched the side of his forehead and hissed as his wound stung; his angry eyes immediately found Cross.

"Really?" He asked Cross, sighing before he turned away and walked into the bathroom.

After a few minutes, Cross saw Andre come out with a little plaster on his forehead; he opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it, clenching his fists beside him.

He watched as Andre quietly picked up the broken alarm pieces from the floor and carefully discarded them.

Guilt overwhelmed him but he still couldn't say a thing. 

He looked away as Andre paused to stare at him.

"Okay, fine. I get it now. All I've ever done is try to be your friend, Cross. But I guess I have to let you be. Like I said to Leon: one should really learn when to back down, and, this is me backing down from trying. I'm human, too. I can't have you physically hurting me because you feel you can. You're impossible," Andre said and switched off the lights. 

"Turn it on," Cross's desperate voice called from the bed.

"Yes, boss," Andre replied.

He didn't like sleeping with lights on, but if Cross wanted it on, then it stayed on.

As Andre walked over to the bed, Cross stared at him, noticing how cold his face had turned; he looked so unapproachable unlike the usual warm and friendly Andre he used to know. 

Maybe he shouldn't have thrown that alarm at him, he really went out of script with that action.

It was stupid indeed.

Andre lay in bed facing the ceiling, eyes open. His hands were behind his head, supporting him as there were no pillows left for him. Cross had used his pillows to create a wall between them. 

He wasn't in the mood for another fight so he let it be.

On the other side of the bed, Cross faced away from Andre and hugged a pillow to himself as he heard the thunder continue to roar above the building. He didn't like thunder, but he wasn't going to let Andre discover that, he would mock him forever with it.

As long as the lights stayed on, he could manage to sleep. 

Suddenly, a very bright lightening striked, reflecting into their room and making everywhere seem like a bright summer afternoon, and in the next second, the thunder cracked—loud and violent, vibrating through the walls; a breath later, the lights cut out with a low humph as the room was swallowed by darkness.

Cross flinched in bed, his body stiffening. Silence followed, thick and heavy, broken only by the steady drumming of rain against the windows.

Andre didn't move. Not at first.

Then he heard it.

A small sound—wet, strained.

Cross was choking.

Not crying outright, not yet. But his breath stuttered, and the faint hitch in his throat betrayed him.

Andre's jaw clenched. Even after a flying alarm clock and moments of silence, that sound hit him square in the chest.

He shouldn't care, he shouldn't concern himself with Cross, he was done being nice.

In the next second... He rolled over slowly, the mattress shifting beneath him.

"Cross." His voice was low. Careful.

No response.

But he could hear the tremble in Cross's breathing now, like someone trying—and failing—to hold it together.

Andre removed the pillows between them and reached out in the dark, his hand finding a bare shoulder.

Cross flinched, but Andre didn't pull back. He slid closer, heat and presence steady.

"It's just the storm," he said quietly, almost a whisper.
"You're not alone, alright? I'm here." He assured gently.  

Cross didn't say anything, but the way he leaned—just barely—into Andre's touch said enough.

Andre took that as a sign and gently pulled Cross closer, hugging him tight from behind.

Cross trembled, his hand finding Andre's and holding it tightly.

"Turn around, Cross," Andre whispered.

No response.

He sighed, "Please, turn around." He said, slowly taking his hands up to Cross's shoulder to turn him toward himself. 

Slowly, Cross lay face to face with Andre, and once again, Andre put his arm around him and pulled him close, feeling how hard he tried to breathe. 

"Hey, it's okay, Cross, I'm here," he placed a hand on Cross's face, leaning his forehead on his, "Breathe with me, Papito, you'll be fine," he whispered, his thumb drawing calming circles on Cross's cheek. 

Cross closed his eyes and let Andre's voice and touch soothe him. He could feel Andre's breath on his lips. Slowly, he fell in sync with Andre's breathing, his airways slowly loosened, letting him breathe freely. 

Andre's hand left his face and laced his fingers on Cross's, bringing them up between their chests, "You're still trembling. I need you to calm down, Cross. Focus only on my touch, ignore the storm, for this moment, let me be your essence." Andre's voice was low, smooth.

He placed Cross's hand on his chest, allowing him to hold him so that his heart beat could steady him while he took his hand behind Cross and gently traced his fingers along it.

Cross gasped quietly. 

For the first time in years, he wasn't on the verge of death during a storm. He should have been calm by now, no, he was calm, unbothered by the storm, but something else was starting to cause his body to tremble and his breath to hitch: Andre's touch.

Andre felt Cross calm in his arms, indicating that he was out of harm's way. But he wasn't so sure if he should return to his side of the bed as Cross's breath still felt laboured against his skin. 

He suddenly froze as he started to feel Cross's hot breath getting closer and closer to his lips. He knew it wasn't what he was thinking, so he stayed put, trying to figure out what Cross wanted; after all, he was here to help him calm down.

After a few seconds of tension and unsure moments, Andre felt Cross bury his face in his neck, breathing calmly.

He released a breath he didn't know he was holding; why did he even think for a split second that Cross wanted to kiss him? 

The room was pitch dark, so he might have misunderstood. What even led him to such thoughts? He might just have imagined that Cross's lips were just a breath away from his.

He sighed quietly. 

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Cross simply nodded, not moving.

"I've got you. You can sleep right here, it's just you and I... no one else..." Andre murmured and closed his eyes.

Cross remained calm, the sound of the rain fading out as he let Andre's warm hug and soothing words engulf him in a protective bubble.  

This was the safest he'd felt during a storm.