Fragments Of You(LAD BL FANFIC)

Rowan froze, his heart racing as he stared at the silver-haired man standing before him. Xavier tilted his head slightly, his neutral face betraying nothing but a hint of curiosity. His calm blue eyes locked onto Rowan, and with an even tone, he asked, "You know me? How did you know my name? Are you a hunter too?"

Rowan's thoughts scrambled for a coherent response. "I, uh, I know you from a friend," he said quickly. "They told me you're a really good hunter."

Xavier blinked, his expression remaining neutral, but he nodded slowly. "I see. Thank you for catching me earlier," he said, his voice as soft and even as before.

Rowan exhaled in relief and smiled. "No worries." Extending his hand, he added, "I'm Rowan, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Xavier stared at the offered hand, unmoving. Rowan waited, his patience thinning, before finally grabbing Xavier's hand himself. "Nice to meet you! Hope we can be friends. You seem really kind."

"Nice to meet you too," Xavier replied, his face as unreadable as ever.

Rowan chuckled awkwardly and decided to change the subject. "So, why were you asleep while standing just now?"

Xavier's eyes flickered with faint recognition of the situation. "I just got back from a mission," he explained. "I was planning to buy ingredients because I wanted to cook something. But there were too many people, so I decided to wait. Then… I accidentally fell asleep."

Rowan nodded in understanding. "Makes sense. Missions can be exhausting. Hey, if you want, I can help you shop for ingredients. I've got nothing else to do right now."

Xavier blinked twice, as though processing Rowan's offer. After a second, he gave a small nod. "Okay."

Rowan's grin widened. "Great! But let's grab a bite to eat first. You look like you could use some food." Without waiting for a response, Rowan guided Xavier to his table and offered him some food.

Xavier accepted the offer, and they began eating together. Rowan couldn't help but examine Xavier's features as they sat. Xavier was a tall young man with silver hair that seemed to glow under the light, piercing blue eyes, and fair skin that looked almost ethereal. He wore a simple white sweater and dark pants, which only added to his otherworldly charm.

Man, even his Evol fits him perfectly. He's glowing. Rowan sighed internally, feeling a twinge of envy. How can someone be this handsome?

Rowan winced as he thought about how easily Xavier had accepted his company. This guy is way too trusting. It's like he doesn't even consider that people might have bad intentions. Not that I do, but still… He's so angelic. It makes me want to protect him. Unlike Rafayel, who's grumpy 24/7.

Rowan chuckled at the thought.

"Why are you laughing?" Xavier asked, his neutral tone as direct as ever.

"Oh, I just remembered my pet—a grumpy fish," Rowan lied smoothly.

Xavier tilted his head slightly. "Speaking of fish, I love fishing. But when it comes to food, I prefer meat."

Rowan smirked. "Then why not cook a dish that has both fish and meat? Like surf and turf or a stew with both?"

Xavier's brows furrowed slightly, the most emotion Rowan had seen so far. "What ingredients would I need?"

Rowan listed the ingredients, and soon they were off to the market. The duo moved through the bustling aisles, Rowan taking the lead as Xavier followed behind, his movements unhurried and his expression still neutral. Rowan couldn't help but notice how Xavier looked a bit lost, like a child wandering through a crowded fair.

"He's too cute," Rowan thought, smiling to himself. Xavier's presence reminded him of his younger brother, who he hadn't seen in months. His thoughts were interrupted when a system notification suddenly popped up:

Congratulations! Achievement unlocked:

Feeling Emotional

Rowan's smile disappeared instantly. "Oh, screw you," he muttered under his breath, flipping off the invisible system.

"Is something wrong?" Xavier asked, his calm voice breaking Rowan's irritation.

"Nothing!" Rowan said quickly, shaking his head. "Let's keep going."

At the checkout counter, Xavier turned to Rowan. "Would you like to come to my apartment? You helped me, so I should repay you."

Rowan grinned. "Sure, why not?"

When they exited the store, Rowan asked, "Do you have a ride?"

"I walked. My apartment is nearby," Xavier replied.

Rowan retrieved his bike and gestured to the back seat. "Hop on. It'll be faster."

Xavier hesitated for a moment before sitting on the bike's back seat. The way he perched awkwardly, holding on lightly, made Rowan chuckle.

---

When they arrived at Xavier's apartment, Rowan glanced around. "Wow, minimalist much?" he said, noting the lack of decorations. "But the ambiance is nice. It's cozy."

Xavier said nothing, instead leading Rowan to the kitchen. They began unpacking the ingredients. Rowan suggested Xavier handle the fish, and Xavier nodded.

Ten minutes later, Rowan smelled something burning. Alarmed, he rushed to check Xavier's progress. The fish was charred beyond recognition.

"I thought you said you could cook?" Rowan asked, half-exasperated, half-amused.

Xavier turned to him slowly, his face as neutral as ever. "I can cook."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Because this fish tells a different story."

Xavier tilted his head, as if considering Rowan's words. "I was distracted."

"By what?" Rowan demanded.

"I don't know," Xavier replied simply.

Rowan groaned. "Fine. Just watch me do it," he said, taking over. He explained the steps, only to look up moments later and find Xavier asleep again, standing upright. Rowan's jaw dropped.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, shaking his head. Yet, despite his exasperation, he couldn't help but smile. There was something endearing about Xavier's odd quirks.

---

By the time they finished cooking, the kitchen smelled delicious. They sat down to eat, and Rowan found himself relaxing in Xavier's quiet company.

As Xavier spoke about random things fishing techniques, his mission, and favorite dishes Rowan thought to himself, "This guy is seriously interesting. I can see why I was curious about him in the game. But why is it Rafayel who has me hooked?"

Shaking off the thought, Rowan focused back on Xavier.

And as the evening wore on, Rowan realized one thing: Xavier might not show emotions, but his presence was more comforting than he'd expected.