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Leona Kingscholar was late again. Not an unusual occurrence much to Professor Divus Crewel’s annoyance and exasperation. The boy had somehow managed to score a place in the Advanced Alchemy class yet he rarely (if ever) shows up on time. Looking out at the sea of students before him presently, Professor Crewel had to acknowledge Vil Schoenheit’s dedication. Unlike his lab partner Vil actually gave a damn about punctuality and from the rumours Crewel had heard around school, he applied this same principle in every other aspect of his life. The sound of the classroom door swinging open broke his train of thoughts and he was once again resigned to his daily lecturing of Leona Kingscholar.
Something was wrong. Leona usually kept his gaze lower than Crewel’s. This time, Crewel noticed how his eyes scanned the room as though looking for something that only he knew of. Even as Crewel berated him, Leona’s eyes still wandered around the classroom without a hint of shame. Instead, he seemed tense as though whatever he was looking for was more important than the world ending. Huffing inwardly, Crewel reminded himself to take up Leona’s behaviour with Professor Trein after the lesson. It was only when Leona’s eyes finally settled on someone, when his eyes began to twinkle slightly and his posture begin to slacken once more in visible relief did Crewel make the connection.
Vil couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped him as Leona came sauntering up to the seat next to him. No one else in the class saw the way the Savanaclaw housewarden had searched the room like a child looking for their parents after school. They had seen Leona as they normally would, as an utterly insolent being that wasted their precious lessons away. Vil would have agreed with them once upon a time. Then he fell in love. A love so hopeless yet so powerful that it brought a smile to his lips each time he thought back to the moment he fell for the prince.
There was nothing special about the Magshift tournaments before. Vil had always seen the sport as nothing much after all. It was only when Epel joined the team did he bother to properly learn its rules and terms. In a way, it all started with that decision to support his junior. He saw the way Leona played in a whole new light then. The way his body moved almost rhythmically, dancing to a silent tune only he could hear. A dance he had evidently imparted onto the rest of the team as well judging by their performance. Though they never could properly mimic their captain’s grace and refined movements. Mistake this not for Vil taking an interest in playing the sport. Take it instead as the moment Vil took an interest in the best Magshift player of Savanaclaw, Leona Kingscholar.
A gentle squeeze was all it took to jolt Vil back to reality. Looking down under the table, he smile at the sight of Leona’s hand in his. Leona had always been more prone to PDA whenever possible and this was one of the many ways he’d show off his love. That and showering Vil with gifts worth at least 10000 madol. Vil had insisted before that he had no need for such expensive presents, that he only needed his boyfriend’s hand in his to be complete and (surprisingly) Leona had listened. Sort of. For Vil’s part, he would attempt to make some sort of homemade meal for the pair of them to share during lunch each day and though he admitted that the wasn’t a culinary master, Leona’s words certainly say otherwise.
“Hey, meet at the gardens later? There’s a little surprise in store for you,” Leona kept his voice low as they grabbed the necessary Alchemy equipment from the shelves. Crewel abhorred unnecessary talking and only allowed it while the experiment was in progress. Blinking in surprise, Vil tried to think of reasons why his boyfriend would surprise him this way. Their anniversary was two weeks away and their birthdays had already long passed. Well, I suppose a surprise is no fun if I overthink it. Vil thought before nodding his head subtly just as Crewel started the timer and signalled for his students to begin.
After school, Vil stepped foot into the gardens clad in a grey turtleneck,jeans and sneakers. His hair was pulled into a simple ponytail with his two braids having been tied up as well. On any other occasion, he would have rather died than let anyone see him dressed like that but this was special. This was Leona. He had seen Vil at his worst and hadn’t even batted an eye. He had seen Vil at his ugliest and still he called him beautiful. Hopeless romantic that he is, Vil fell for him every time. There was something about those words coming from Leona that made them even more special than when Rook or any of his other fans compliment him in the same manner. “Glad you could make it. Lovely to see you again My Queen.”
Leona bowed in a silly manner, lightly kissing Vil’s hand. It took everything the latter had to keep from turning into a tomato. He had to remain calm. He had to keep his cool. He had to- Leona smiled up at him softly and all his reservation was gone in an instant. Like him Leona was dressed plainly but by his standards, he might as well have been wearing formal attire. Jeans and a turquoise turtle neck complimented his emerald eyes and once more, Vil fell in love with. They had been dating for about two months now yet still he was as helpless as he had been the first few days. Letting Leona lead him to the picnic blanket previously laid on the ground, Vil allowed himself to keep falling.
“My my, and what pray tell would be the occasion?” Vil smiled on serenely as Leona pulled out a basket of treats for the two of them. “Nothing much. Though I do have a little something to show you,” Leona smirked back at him as he filled two wine glasses with apple cider. “And what would that be my dear?” Vil’s eyes followed Leona as he stood and reached behind the wicket basket. Now holding an ornate violin and bow in his hands, Leona Kingscholar took a breath and played for his lover.
There weren’t many people who knew Leona could play the violin. He picked it up as a child but gave it up when his home recitals were only ever met with forced polite applause from his brother and parents. Farena had advised him to drop it entirely and Leona had listened. For a few days. He kept playing in secret nightly in the gardens behind the servants’ quarters when no one else was about. He’d play for the moon, the stars and the wind all of whom saw his gift and applauded his every performance.
Then his parents passed. The moon and stars seemed cold and distant now. The wind harsh and uninviting. Leona was no stranger to the cold glances and whispers of fear and hate that followed him everywhere. But when even your safest haven began to feel like a foreign land, there is no home left for you. Cheka was born a year later and the people shunned Leona even more. That was when he began attending Night Ravens College. When he first met Vil. Vil who was unafraid to speak his mind. Vil who held his morals close and beliefs closer. Vil who didn’t push him away in fear or hate.
It was a simple tune, a melody Leona himself had composed during all those restless nights playing for the sky. It certainly wasn’t a masterpiece but if you listened closely enough, you could hear a story in the wordless melody. The high notes contrasted with the low and the runs blending with the sudden bursts of tune. This was a tale of an unwanted prince who found love. A prince who found someone who wanted him as much as he did them. A tale as old as time, Leona kept his gaze fixed on his bow, almost afraid to look at Vil. Call him a coward but Leona Kingscholar greatest fear was that one day Vil would see what everyone else had. A prince unworthy of his love, a prince who wouldn’t be able to give him what he deserved. Yet somehow by some strange miracle, Vil still stayed by his side during their past two months of dating and Leona prayed that he would never come to see him the way everyone else has. Not now and not ever.
By the time the song had come to its end, Vil’s eyes had begun to water and his cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much. His boyfriend was always so full of surprises and this was only one of them. Leona’s movements had been graceful and poignant so unlike the brutish persona he displayed around others. Pulling him in for an embrace, Vil was careful not to disturb the violin Leona still held in his hands. The pair of lovers were sat under a willow tree with a picnic blanket beneath them, two glasses of apple cider and a violin by Leona’s side. They got to talking with ample amount time to kill. At that moment the world could have ended for all they cared. They had everything they would ever need right there.
Yes, they had their arguments. Yes, they had their fights. Yet despite all of that, Leona could only see one path ahead of him. A path he would walk alongside Vil. He wanted nothing more than to bare his soul before him and he knew Vil would do the same. Because he loved him. Where everyone else saw a top-model Leona would see the love of his life. And as each dawn brings with it a new day, Leona knew that he would forever be falling in love with Vil Schoenheit.