Rays of sunlight shined thought the closed window of Curio’s bedroom, waking him from his slumber. He sat up in his bed and looked at the side of his bed to find the blankets and pillow he had laid out for Francisco already put back up. Francisco himself was also gone. Of course, he was gone, that idiot, running away. Curio had spared Francisco an interrogation last night when they had kissed. How was he to ask anything when he could barely utter words himself? Why did he do that? Why did he have to stir up his heart? Curio knew that he lacked when it came to putting words together about his emotions. But he truly did enjoy being around Francisco, He enjoyed that night. It was like all his grief and love for Juliet got swept away in the moments of that night.

Curio sighed and got up from bed and shook his head so he could clear his mind. He thought about going on a walk since today his stall would be closed. Maybe some fresh air would help him clear his mind of the thoughts about Francisco.

He put on new clothes and prepared some breakfast before heading out.

 

 

Cordelia: “I can’t believe you Francisco, you just left!?”

Cordelia loomed over her elder brother looking furious.

Francisco: “I know, I know, but what was I to do when he woke up and insisted on parading me with questions.” Francisco slumped over Cordelia’s kitchen room table.

Cordelia Whacked the back of Francisco’s head with her spoon that she was preparing breakfast with.

Cordelia: “You could have been a man about it and answered his questions, I can’t believe this, the first time you come in see me in a long time and it’s because you’re having love problems.” Cordelia looked exasperated as she went back to preparing breakfast.

Francisco: “They aren’t love problems, we aren’t even lovers.”

Cordelia: “You are close enough, you too bicker like married couple, might as well be one!”

Benvolio was in the next room standing in the door way as he held his child Felia in his arms, making sure not to bump her on anything.

Benvolio: “It would have been alright to just hear his side, you seem to thinking Curio will flat out reject you. I know I haven’t been around you group of people for an extremely long time, and having lived with Curio once, I know he would think about it.” The baby reached up and pinched Benvolio’s nose, making him place his finger within the grasps of the baby’s tiny hands.

Francisco sighed and sat up rubbing his temples, “I know he would, but… he is also hot tempered and can thing rashly and not always think about the words that come out of his mouth. He couldn’t even talk straight last night.”

Cordelia: “Stop over complicating things, after you finish breakfast I want you going straight to him and talking to him, and No is not an acceptable answer.”

Francisco sighed, “I guess you’re right.”

Cordelia stopped cooking for a moment and looked at Francisco with care in her eyes, then went back to cooking.

Cordelia: “You really love him, don’t you?

Francisco: “That appears to be so, man what is with William and hitting the relationships on the head of the nail.”

Cordelia laughed.

Cordelia: “Despite his past record with plays he can be quite the wise old owl, but don’t tell him I said that or he will be plucking his hairs out of his head for weeks.” She laughed again.

Francisco smiled and played with his niece until breakfast was ready.

 

 

The sound of the water streaming down the creek filled the air, along with the occasional chirps of crickets. Curio was in a faraway part of the new land, or as some people called it, the undiscovered islands. He watched as the water flowed along its course, occasionally breaking off small pieces of dirt and pebbles as it flowed. He had spent the whole time as the atmosphere had made his mind clear and tranquil. That was a feeling he hadn’t felt in many years. He had been thinking about Francisco, what to say to him the next time he saw him, how he would yell at him, but also how he felt. It had been long enough of silence on the matter. He also thought about if Francisco would accept his feeling, and what he would do in both scenarios of rejection and acceptance. He, of course, had allot of insecurity that coursed through is brain as well. What if they were not accepted as who they were and were ostracized? He didn’t think any of his friends would do so but, Francisco was also an important member of parliament. Would his reputation be hurt? Would his many ladies hate him and want to hurt him because of their jealousy and possible disgust? What about his future? He would no longer be able to have kids unless we decided to adopt. Were they too old to be even thinking about having children? Would it be wrong for us to be together, to love one another? And what if you didn’t even accept my feelings and felt disgusted by me? I would lose a valuable companion. That had been his reasoning for keeping his silence this whole time, because of the bond they already shared, he couldn’t bare if he lost that.

 

He took a breath, and tried not to become too stressed over it. He laid his head back on the tree he had been leaning against and decided to take a short nap to help calm him down.

 

 

The evening sun shined in the sky. Francisco landed Jules in front of Curio’s stall. He noticed it was closed and looked like it hadn’t been open at all today. He must have a day off from work, well then where could he be?

He decided to fly around and see if he could spot if from a higher point advantage.

After almost 2 hours of flying around he had not been able to spot Curio. Where was he? He didn’t seem to be anywhere in Neo Verona, so where? He wasn’t in the undiscovered islands, was he? He usually didn’t travel there, but after what happened last night he wouldn’t be surprised if Curio need some escapism.

He spotted William down below. From the looks of it William was unsaddling his Dragon stead. Maybe William just got back from the New Islands? Francisco flew down to William and landed gently on the ground. William turned to greet him.

William: “Hello Francisco, a fine day, isn’t it?”

Francisco: “Good evening William, indeed it is. Say have you come back from the New Islands perhaps?”

William: “Indeed I have, it seemed like a good day to conjure of a story or two. Why do you ask, has something happened?”

Francisco: “I can’t seem to locate Curio, and no one else has seen him, I was hoping you had been able to possible catch a glimpse of him being over there.”

William: “Indeed I did, he stopped to greet me in fact and even chatted with me for a while.” William smiled playfully, “I take you did something, did you not? He was asking an awful lot of questions about his insecurities on love.”

Francisco chuckled a bit nervously, “Indeed I did, but I must speak with him, so I bid you adieu.”

William: “Of course, I wish you luck my friends.”

Francisco lifted once more into the sky and headed in the direction of the New Islands.