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Leona Kingscholar hated plants.
Which was acceptable since he was a lion. A wild man. A carnivore.
His nature was compounded by the primal desire to hunt prey and eat meat, so subconsciously, his nose turned up every time he smelled plants.
The only times Leona used plants was in the case of potions or remedies for some kind of pain, and even the plants used as decorations in the palace and in Savanaclaw's dormitory, were the ones that didn't give off a strong smell. One example was cacti.
Even in the Botanical Gardens, inside the greenhouse, Leona liked to sleep under trees or bushes with dense foliage, far away from the fragrant flowers and the unbearable pollen they contained.
Leona didn't drink tea, with few exceptions.
Generally speaking, anything involving flowers and plants was distasteful to him.
That is, until the day a certain herbivore bought a new perfume...
It all started succinctly. One morning you ran past him, greeting him with a smile as you ran to class along with a grumpy raccoon. Without realizing it, you've left behind a fragrant trail of some specific plant.
At first Leona thought it was the smell of some tea you had that morning. However, the smell was more fragrant than a common herb, a little softer and citric at the same time.
The smell was familiar. He just couldn't remember.
Later, at lunch, you walked past him again, but this time, accompanied by Grim and his two chatty first-year friends. You were laughing at something Ace said, so you didn't notice him.
Once again, the fragrant trail you left behind intrigued him.
It looked like a cleaning product. Leona knew she knew that smell from somewhere.
It was even ridiculous to think that he – leader of the Savanaclaw dorm and the second prince – was racking his brains over this, but upon returning to the dorm, Leona found Ruggie washing the dishes while humming softly. He'd never worried about brands of cleaning products, but suddenly, his eyes fell on the detergent Ruggie was using. It was a pleasant-smelling green detergent, a smell very much like his.
Which reminded him...
– Oh! Leona! You scared me, where did you come from? – The hyena was speechless when he saw the dorm leader snatch the detergent from his hands.
Leona sniffed the lid of the container before looking at the name on the package: lemongrass.
So that was it.
– A plant? Seriously, herbivore? – Growled the lion leaving the kitchen with a sour expression. Ruggie didn't understand anything.
Leona had never noticed lemongrass before.
To him, it was an insignificant plant that had nothing attractive about it, just large, thin leaves that took up a lot of space. It even looked like a weed. Master Crewel used it from time to time for potions tasks, but other than that, it was a completely useless plant to him.
Except now.
As the days passed, her lemongrass scent became more and more ingrained in his mind. Every time you approached or passed him, the fragrant scent seemed to follow him everywhere.
It wasn't cloying or sugary. It wasn't strong and much less unpleasant. It was... like you.
Smooth and citrus like a summer day.
A smell that could bring a sunny day or a heavy rain.
It was perfect for you.
– Leona… Leona! Are you listening to me? – You snapped your fingers in front of his face boldly, but contrary to what you thought, Leona just blinked her cloudy eyes, getting out of her thoughts.
– What are you muttering, herbivore?
You sighed irritably. But when you were about to say something back, you froze when you felt Leona approach you. His face stopped inches from her throat, sniffing a few times as if he was trying to inhale as much of her scent as possible.
You shuddered when his nose brushed against his neck, so close to your skin he could have kissed you.
– What are you doing? – You thanked the Seven for not stuttering. The man walked away, indifferent.
– Your perfume.
You were in doubt whether it was a question or a statement. Leona's face was unreadable, but on top of her head, her ears quivered.
– Oh, I bought a new lemongrass perfume. It's my favorite plant! It smells so good and is very beneficial for health.
– A useless looking plant that has many benefits. Why does this remind me of someone? – Leona's teasing smile infuriated you.
– I'm just not going to curse you now because I need to meet with the director. But you don't lose by waiting.
– How scared, I felt the threat ruffle the hairs on my tail. Maybe I'll stop calling you a herbivore and give you a new nickname: little plant.
Good thing you were away from him, because the kick you would give him in the ass would make him see stars. As you walked away, you again left your scent trail behind, making Leona secretly smile.
He would really use you as a pillow to smell your perfume better. Or maybe he'd drag you into his bed, hoping that way your scent would permeate the sheets.
Leona really hated plants, but maybe he'd make an exception for lemongrass now.
.
.
.
Just like he did with you. The only herbivore he allowed to be beside him.