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“Leona ~”
The soft singsong voice made Leona’s ears twitch, though it’s not enough to make him bother to look up from the book in his hands. He ignores the sound of soft padded feet approaching his bedroom, instead turning the page to a fresh set of pictures. He’s probably been like this for the last twenty minutes or so, leafing through the pages of the old album since it attempted to take his life.
A pair of milky white arms slowly eased into view, resting against his shoulders as a familiar warm body pressed against his back.
“You’re ignoring me,” Neige pouts, the younger man leaning forward to press their cheeks together. “Vil’s going to be mad that you haven’t started to get ready yet.”
Leona scoffs, turning to the next page of pictures. “I’ve only been sitting for a few minutes now. He’ll be fine.”
The movement catches the others attention, “what are you hiding?”
Neige continues to press himself against Leona’s back, almost as if he’s trying to make Leona bend forward.
“Knock it off,” Leona warns, keeping himself upright despite Neige’s weight – he was surprisingly strong for an herbivore of his size. “I’m not trying to hide anything. I’ll show you, just watch out how much pressure you put on your stomach.”
Neige pouts again, fingers drumming lightly against Leona’s collar, “well show me! I want to see!”
Leona’s thumb brushes on the edge of one of the pictures, the image of a younger Kifaji, a teenage Falena and the cub version of himself staring back at them. “Just an old album.”
Neige gasps loudly in his ear, “Is that-“ He manages to cut himself off with his own excitement. “Is that you as a baby?”
Leona stares back at the grinning cub, “Baby’s a stretch, I’m not that young in this one.” He manages to shrug with Neige’s added weight, “But yeah, that’s me as a cub.”
Neige squeals in delight, continuing to press himself as close as possible against Leona in his attempt to see the photo album. Leona can’t help but roll his eyes fondly at the younger’s antics. “What did I just say about pressing against me too hard with your stomach?”
The dark-haired beauty huffs in annoyance, leaning to the side enough for Leona to turn his head and look at him. His cheeks puff out cutely, glaring as threateningly as a kitten at him. “I’m not hurting it.”
“Vil might say otherwise.”
“Whatever,” Neige turns away to look back down at the album. “You really were adorable as a cub. Look at that toothy grin.”
“I guess so.” Leona’s ear flickers, catching another familiar sound approaching.
“What are you two doing?”
Vil’s annoyed voice is enough to make Neige jump, although not enough to cause to little gremlin to release his hold on Leona. The action draws a snicker from Leona, who looks back to meet the narrowed violet eyes of his other partner.
Vil crosses his arms over his robe-clad chest, seeing he had captured their attention. “You two are supposed to be getting ready. Not draped over each other. We have- “
“Relax,” Leona cuts him off before he can continue his mini rant. “We still have a few hours.”
Neige smiles up at Vil sweetly, “Leona found one of his old childhood photo albums. We were just looking at it.”
That seems to draw Vil’s interest. His expression softens, brow raised curiously as he takes a few more steps towards the pair. “Photo album?”
Leona rolls his eyes, lightly tapping against Neige’s arms to get him to release him. He lets go long enough for Leona to make more room on his bed for Vil, before the dark-haired man is draping himself over Leona’s shoulder once more. He ignores the smirk that pulls at the corner of Vil’s lips as he settles down beside them.
“And what kind of content does this photo album have?” Vil leans in, pressing into Leona’s side to get his own view of the album.
“Baby pictures!” Neige exclaims, pointing to the picture he had been fixated on, “Leona was so adorable as a baby!”
“He was.” Vil hums in agreement, tracing a well-manicured nail over the picture of a young Leona. “A shame really,” Vil’s chimes with a teasing lilt, his eyes shining in amusement. “I can’t imagine what could have happened to him to lose all that adorable charm.”
Neige giggles and Leona mimes Vil’s words under his breath.
“Ha ha, yes very funny.” Leona leers at Vil, leaning in as much as he can with Neige clinging to him, “As if you don’t call me handsome every other day or anything.”
Neige continues his giggling as Vil scoffs, his hand covering Leona’s face and pushing him away. “Get over yourself.”
Smirking, Leona glances back to the album in his hands. The picture of him with Falena and Kifaji continues to stare back at them.
“Falena hasn’t changed in the slightest,” Vil comments.
“Nope,” Leona pops the P.
Neige nuzzles his cheek against him, “how old were you in this picture?”
Leona tries to recall. It’s been so long since he’s thought about his childhood, especially any memories that involve Falena. Looking back, there was a crucial detail missing from the picture. This was a pre-scar moment, one where he was at his happiest.
“I’d say I was about six or seven years old at the time.”
“Cute. You were so small,” Neige reaches out to touch the little Leona.
“Did you expect me to always be this big?”
It’s Vil’s turn to laugh as Neige smacks his chest. “Insufferable.”
“Yet, you two seem to love me.”
Vil shakes his head, catching Neige’s eye “clearly, we’ve made some grave mistake. Are you sure this is the path you want to take?”
Neige reverts to a fit of giggles.
The blonde starts to stand up, “now if we’ve finished here, you two know we have a big afternoon ahead of us and we need to start getting ready. We’ll be late and the album can wait.”
Leona glances at the clock on his nightside table. It was still early, and they’d have plenty of time for the three of them to get dressed and make it to the venue. In fact, they’d be there before anyone else. Leona knows better than pushing against Vil too hard when he’s already made up his mind.
“You’re right.” He tries to close the album, but Neige thrusts a hand between the pages to stop him. He stares at the younger man questioningly. “What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t realize you got your scar so young.”
Leona freezes up, his fingers tightening around the edges of the photo album. “What?”
Neige doesn’t look up at him, his light brown eyes focused on the page. “You said you were about six or seven in that last picture, right?” Neige continues without giving either of them a chance to reply. “But you can’t be that much older in this picture.”
Getting a hold of himself, Leona looks down to see what Neige was talking about. He hadn’t even realized Neige had turned the page. When did he manage that? Instead of the picture of his younger self with Kifaji and Falena, Leona stared at the picture that had gotten Neige’s attention. His younger self was alone in the picture, barely managing to make eye contact with the camera. His head was turned slightly to the side as if he were trying to make himself as small as possible. Or more like he was trying to hide and wasn’t quick enough. The fresh-looking scar over his left eye was certainly an attention grabber. He did such a poor job of trying to hide it from the camera’s eye.
The bed shifts as Vil settles back down. He doesn’t say anything, reaching out a hand to rest on Leona’s knee to provide some sort of silent comfort. Leona doesn’t know what to say. But he can feel the growing undercurrent of what feels like anger strumming beneath his skin. Not that he’s mad at either of the men surrounding him. Instead, he’s mad at himself. Mad about a situation from years ago that just continues to haunt his life.
“You look so sad,” Neige’s voice rings through Leona’s ear. He doesn’t know when the heavy silence had fallen between them, but Neige’s voice cuts through it so loudly that Leona flinches away. “What happened?”
“Neige!” Vil hisses in warning, realizing how much of a taboo topic this was.
Leona shrugs, being careful not to dislodge Neige from his shoulders. He turns to look at the dark-haired man, Neige’s light brown eyes stared back curiously and oh so innocently. Leona looks away to Vil, his partner since the good old NRC days. Vil meets his gaze, violet eyes laced with a magnitude of worry Leona doesn’t often see, but underneath it all is his own curiosity of the story Leona’s managed to avoid.
Better late than never, right?
“I was eight when it happened,” he begins, looking down at the sad looking cub who was forced into taking a picture he didn’t care to take while trying to hide behind his overgrown hair. He turns the page to the next and the new pictures are no better. The little cub staring back at them seemed to have lost whatever happiness he was clinging on to in those early years. At least this time, he was more successful in hiding himself than in the previous pictures. There were no longer pictures with him and Falena unless it was a mandatory family picture and those had always been far and few between.
“Falena and I had gotten into an argument,” Leona scowls, nails digging into the flimsy paper and ripping through. “He didn’t want to listen to what I had to say, he never did. I pushed and pushed, trying to get him to listen.” His eyes closed as he relived the moment. He could still hear Falena yelling over him. Leona saw Kifaji rounding the corner in his mind’s eye, shaking his head at the brothers. He heard Falena’s violent roar and felt Kifaji’s worried gaze. Then everything slowed down. Kifaji tried to reach them quickly the moment things escalated, and he saw Falena’s hand raise. Leona stared back terrified as his brother’s fingers curled inward in the shape of a claw.
But it was too late.
Kifaji didn’t make it in time to stop Falena from striking him. And Leona wasn’t quick enough to raise his arms up to cover his face. Everything had just happened too quickly. Falena stood in front of him, chest heaving with a dark snarl on his lips. It was truly the first and only time Leona had truly been afraid of him. But just as quickly as the expression appeared it was gone.
Falena apologized the second he’d return to his senses. Taking a step away from him as the apologies tumbled out. He couldn’t even be bothered to keep Leona’s gaze, staring down at the bloody mess that had stained his hands and floor.
‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,’ Falena whispered over and over.
Leona was too shocked to say anything, staring at Falena through one eye. The pain hadn’t hit him right away. Far too shocked that Falena had actually hit him to even register it. But eventually that came too. When he finally registered the pain, Leona had bent forward yowling in such anguish that Falena had turned tail and ran away with one last apology. Kifaji swept him up into his arms, rushing him to the palace’s physician.
Their parents had – of course – taken Falena’s side. The incident was swept away as if it were nothing more than the two boys playing, even pretending as if it hadn’t happened at all in most cases. They imagined some farfetched tale to tell the masses. It was then the rumors began. Everyone had something to say about how the second prince had gained his scar, and each story was more ridiculous than the next.
Leona chuckles darkly, “I think my parents even started to believe all those stories people told. They never once believed Falena was the one to do it. Only Kifaji, Falena and I knew the truth.”
A cold hand caresses Leona’s cheek, causing him to flinch away.
“Oh Leona,” Neige whispers, just a breath away.
Sometime during his tale, Leona dropped the photo album. Neige must have taken that as his chance to climb into his lap. Leona’s hand rested limply on his thigh; his other hand trapped between Vil’s. Vil squeezes his hand the moment he turns to look at him. His partner’s eyes shone with tears.
Neige’s hands move to cradle Leona’s face, his thumbs caressing the skin beneath his eyes, taking extra care with his left eye.
“It’s okay to cry,” he hears Vil say, pulling his hand up to his lips and kissing his knuckles.
Neige nods, keeping his touch soft and his movements slow as if he’s afraid any sudden movement might scare the beastman.
Leona leans forward, bumping his forehead against Neige. Light brown eyes fluttering shut as a few more tears fell.
“I’ve shed my tears,” he mutters, “besides from the looks of it the two of you have shed enough tears for me.”
“I’m sorry,” Neige sniffles, “I didn’t mean to dig up such a memory. I didn’t realize.”
“Hey, it’s not your fault.” Leona reaches up with his free hand – Vil was very much refusing to part with his left hand – to wipe at Neige's fallen tears. “What happened in the past happened and nothing can be done about it. And you can’t blame yourself.” He turns to Vil, “neither of you. I would have told you this story eventually.” He pauses rethinking that statement, “maybe.”
The maybe has the desired effect. Neige and Vil both breathe out a little chuckle, Vil even managing to find his voice again.
“Sure, you would have,” he opens Leona’s hand, resting his cheek against the palm of his hand. Leona moves his thumb to gently brush away a stray tear that falls from Vil’s eye. “I’m sure you’d have waited until your deathbed.”
Leona chuckles at the response as Neige frowns at Vil’s words. The younger man glaring at the blond.
“That’s not a nice thing to joke about it.”
“Come now,” Vil smiles, reaching out to poke Neige’s cheek, “this is our grumpy lion we’re talking about.”
Neige hums, his cute little face remaining unamused.
“Your story,” Vil sobers up, “a lot of things make more sense now.”
Leona tries to turn his head properly to face him, but Neige’s hold keeps him in place. He sighs, “what’s that?”
“You and Falena. It makes so much more sense why he clings to you whenever he can.” Vil states, “he’s trying to make up for what he did to you.”
Leona’s never bothered to think about why Falena did anything that he did. That bond had been burnt years ago and even now Leona doesn’t truly care to repair it.
“Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t,” Leona shrugs. “I don’t care.”
Neige frowns, tapping Leona’s nose with a finger, “you should. You should try to make amends with your brother. Right Vil?” he looks to Vil for some reaffirmation, but doesn’t really give him a chance to agree, before returning his attention to Leona. “You can’t hate him forever.”
“I don’t see that as a bad thing.”
“Leona!” Neige frowns, squeezing his cheeks together until Leona’s lips pucker out. “You have to pla-” Neige’s grip loosens as he looks down at his stomach in surprise.
Vil hovers closer, his hold on Leona’s hand tightening at the surprise exclamation. “Are you okay?”
“I think-” Neige cuts himself off. “Yeah, there it is again!” He tries to move back, nearly toppling from Leona’s lap if he hadn’t been quick with placing his hands on Neige’s hip when he started to wiggle.
As if he hadn’t just given both men heart attacks from a near fall, Neige beams up at them, his hands dropping to his growing belly. “I think the little one is also worried about daddy.”
“The baby kicked?” Vil asks, a soft smile gracing his lips as he stares.
Neige nods, scrambling off Leona's lap to stand in front of the pair. He reaches out and grabs each of their hands, pulling them forward to rest on his stomach. It takes a minute for anything to happen. Neige carefully adjusts their hands whenever he thinks he feels the little kick. It becomes a little game to see who’s palm the little one will hit first.
“There it is,” Neige cheers, as the baby kicks Leona’s palm.
It’s a small thump at first, but then the second happens and it feels stronger. Vil pouts beside him.
“That’s not fair,” the blond frowns, trying to shoo Leona’s hand away so he can feel it.
“It’s like they knew you needed some comfort,” Neige smiles.
Leona gives the belly a gentle rub, “yeah, maybe...”
“Seems to me that they know we’re celebrating them today,” The pout on Vil’s lips’ been replaced with another one of those soft smiles as he feels the little thump against his palm.
Neige giggles at the attention, keeping their hands covered with his own and lacing their fingers together. “I think so. They’re lively right now.”
“That’s a good thing,” Vil offers another rub of his own.
Leona hums in agreement, enjoying the warmth and the thump against his palm. The gloomy cloud that had begun to hover overhead during his tale evaporated. Their future baby, making its presence known and brightening the moment was just what they needed. They’ll be making plenty of memories that evening and Leona’s sure as far as Vil and Neige were concerned they’ll be plenty more to come.