Chapter Text
Christmas day. Andre didn’t return home until 3am. It’d been absolutely wonderful but afterward, the Hare had lived up to his persona and scarpered. Andre had had to do the walk of shame home. Alone. He could only hope that no one had noticed his absence.
He hoped in vain.
“So, Andre…” his aunt began. Sat down to a light croissant breakfast, everyone else started to giggle and give each other looks. Andre was beginning to hate looks.
“You were out rather late last night. Have a good time?”
Andre flushed. “Oh yah, just ‘ad to ask the caterer about the beetroots. You know me.”
“We do,” his sister chimed in. Andre aimed a kick at her shins.
“Is that you Jimmy?!” His grandma eagerly bent her head below the table.
Andre had terrible aim.
Later that afternoon was the annual street dinner, to be held at the Beetroot house. Fortunately for Andre, that meant plenty of chances to get out of the house and dodge any more questions about last night. And a chance to get out and find the Hare- no. Andre stopped himself there. Clearly, it had been one night only. Clearly, the Hare just didn’t want anything more and that was fine.
That. Was. Fine.
***
“Oh- ‘i” Xavier started. And there he was. Andre. Xavier had been wandering around the town. Not looking for anyone or anything. He was genuinely surprised to see Andre. Unlike some of their other chance encounters, where Xavier may have tipped the scales in his favour a little. Just a little.
But he had decided that night when he had been interrupted by Officer Exposition. That night when he had almost done something brave. When he had almost done something stupid.
When he had almost ruined their lives.
Xavier wasn’t made for love. He knew this. Anyone he got close to got hurt. Like Francois.
So, he’d told himself to stop being silly. Leave Andre alone. Get over him.
And everyone knows what they say about the best way to get over someone old…
Last night was incredible. He’d met a large Cock and had a whirlwind flirtation. And then he’d left. Because he couldn’t put this lovely stranger in danger.
He still couldn’t help regretting it. Just a little. So, he may have left his house to shop for another scarf that he really didn’t need, and to do some people watching. Not anyone in particular, he told himself. Just looking at people. Wondering what they may look like in a chicken costume.
Normal stuff.
When he bumped into Andre, he couldn’t suppress the flutter in his chest. “Salut to you too.”
“’Aight then.” Andre didn’t meet his eyes. He looked resolutely away. “I ‘ave to go…”
And he was gone.
And Xavier was left alone. Again.
***
Andre didn’t quite understand just how his dad had managed to fit the entire street in their dining room. It was magic. It was as if he was somehow using magic harnessed through his incredible cooking, except that that would be ridiculous. His mum had devised the seating plan, obviously putting her characteristic no thought into the layout. Which was how Andre found himself in what was possibly the worst situation possible. Directly opposite Xavier, sandwiched between his aunt and his grandma. Able to see the face of the man that he was supposed to have moved on from by now. Between his confused old grandma and too-curious aunt.
He survived through the starter. Marginally. His grandma had launched into a long retelling of the time she interned in an American agriculture company, forcing his aunt to talk in hushed giggles with his sister, presumably about her new book. He could almost swear he saw Xavier shooting him sympathetic looks from across the table. And when his long, lean legs had stretched forward to press, calf against calf, with Andre’s, Andre didn’t mind. He was tall, after all. Needed to stretch. Nothing more to it.
But the main course had been pulled out, the rabbit soup enough to distract his grandma with nostalgia and the roast chicken to spark his aunt’s memory.
“So. Andre. You never told us where you were last night.”
He felt Xavier’s legs shift under the table, muscles tensing, though the man himself gave no outward sign of change, appearing to be listening intently to the local milkman.
“Did you have fun?”
Xavier’s calves pressed more insistently against his own.
“Meet someone?”
Andre couldn’t take it. It was none of her business.[8] The most incredible evening of his life, and it was over. And he was gone. He didn’t owe the story to anyone.
“Excuse-ah me. I-uhh need a cigarette”. Andre stood up from the table and left, leaving Xavier to stand in his wake.
“Excuse-moi aussi.”
***
Andre stood outside in the frosty air, inhaling deeply. He loved his family, but sometimes they drove him insane. It was nice to just breathe. Alone.
He heard the back door creak behind him.
Maybe not so alone.
“Andre?”
Xavier. His heart responded but he forced himself to remain impassive, leaning against the wall smoking. All things considered, he should really quit, but he needed it more than ever right now.
Xavier coughed. “Andre… I’ve been a chicken. But I don’t want to rabbit on…”
Andre turned sharply, scrutinising his face. Did he just say…
“And there’s no-bunny like you, truly”
Andre gave him a small smile, pressing a finger against his lips to stop the terrible puns.
“It was you?”
Xavier nodded silently, eyes looking apologetically into Andre’s. He couldn’t believe it. He slid his finger down slowly, tracing the bumps of his lips, slowly pulling them down before…
“OW!”
“Vhy did you leave?”
Xavier rubbed the small nick where Andre had used his nail to pull at his bottom lip.
“I am sorry. I vas just… afraid. That you would be hurt. By my… love” Xavier blushed and stuttered on. “I had a friend- during the war. He did not make it. It vas my fault. I hurt people. And you – so beautiful and full of life. So precious. I couldn’t lose you.” A spherical tear started to form in Xavier’s eye. Andre’s heart swelled with love.
“Then vhy did you follow me?”
“I couldn’t stay away.”
Xavier wore a look Andre recognised. He’d seen it last night.
“It felt like fate, us finding each other last night. Like ve vhere always meant to be. I love you truly. I love you fully. I figured you should know.”
“Oh Xavier”.
Andre put one hand around Xavier’s waist, the other gently cupping his cheek.
“You could never hurt me.”
Xavier smiled, leaning his head down to meet Andre’s. Hand in hand. Face to face. Mouth to mouth.
Ten minutes elapsed[9] , before they were interrupted by a shriek from behind.
“JIMMY!”
Andre could have strangled his grandma, if he hadn’t treasured her dearly as one of his favourite relatives. Sighing apologetically, but not letting go of Xavier’s hand, he turned to explain to her that neither of them were Jimmy, and no one knew who she was talking about, when he realised she wasn’t looking at them at all.
Old hand pointing and eyes full of rapturous tears, his grandma sank to her knees.
“Jimmy.”
Xavier and Andre looked at each other, confused. No one else was in the back garden. Except for a lone hare.
Shrugging, they left her in her ecstasy, to rejoin the party inside.
Later, they would go on the first date of many, to a beetroot farm. Later, they would have their first argument when Andre’s producers offered him another show back in England. Later, Andre would hold Xavier as he sobbed at the memorial to an old friend. So many first times, so many lasts. They would experience them together.
Later. For now, all they knew was the joy of dancing together in the Beetroot living room, the feeling of their fingers intertwined, and the beautiful realisation that they had each other. And that that was enough.