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Everyone got up and bowed as usual, and the only one shrouded in the gray fog was The Fool, Klein Moretti. Time seemed to stop for a moment. Then, there came a troubled sigh from the seat belonging to The Fool.
He just couldn't stop thinking about him.
Leonard Mitchell. That damned name.
After seeing those cocoons, he became more relaxed about his relationships with people. That's only normal. And that's what Miss Justice wanted him to do too, so it's only right to be more open to relationships.
Although he was 100% sure that, what miss Justice meant by relationships was different than what he thought now. Seeing his colleague--ex colleague and just talking to him, knowing he never has to act different in front of him was something that made his heart skip a beat everytime his dear poet reminded him about it. Oh and there was "Klein!!" too, hearing his name, not gehrman or dwayne but his name from Leonard always made him blush, but of course he was able to hide that fact due to the clown potion thankfully.
Of course there was no need to mention his looks, because everyone knew just how beautiful and at the same time handsome he was. Every inch of his body was just a work of art, and it will always be such a shame that he doesn't do modeling. (Although Klein felt a bit grateful for that, he is never gonna admit it.)
"I mean," he thought out loud in the gray fog, "Isn't it just normal for me to feel like that? Of course i would get a...crush, after finding me again and literally digging my grave..."
The palace was silent.
"And his looks, Goddess his looks..."
He wasn't someone to think that much about someone's looks, and if he did that meant this person is a demoness usually... Well, he was sure his dear poet was not a demoness so...
Klein sighed, and rapped the long mottled table.
"But, what does he think of me? it can't be just friends..."
"...Right?"
His question reverbarated in the quiet palace.
"Looking at the things he did for me, it can't just be platonic..."
"Well, at least, i can try to give him some hints..."
Wow, flirting with my friend, Roselle would be proud... Klein smiles and shakes his head at that thought.
He drew a long sigh, and left the grey fog.
Oh, Roselle would definitely be proud.
After Leonard left the palace, he tried really hard to compose himself. He really, really did. But, with how Leonard acted all week, people should have given him a credit that his dear poet was still alive.
"How... Just how..."
His words were echoing through the ancient palace once more, although the only thing welcoming him was silence.
He places his hands at his head, and just laughs at how everything was just so absurd this week.
Did he tried to give hints that he loved him all week?
Goddess if he wanted to be bolder he would need to kiss him and at this point he thinks Leonard would still not get it.
The first time was after Klein left the gray fog and sat to write a letter to his dear poet. Goddess wasn't that embarrassing. He geniunely thought it was so obvious he was into him that he got anxious for a second before sending it through miss messenger. And his dear poet? nothing!
well it wasn't actually nothing but it clearly could have been. Klein didn't know how the poet come to that conclusion but apparently he thought he was checking if Pallez was alright, so the letter was just a few lines about Pallez. Klein geniunely considered if there were any mention of Pallez before giving up.
The second time was at the tarot club, and he himself admits it wasn't that much but it still irritated him.
Gehrmann Sparrow looked at Leonard all time during the tarot club meeting. When Leonard finally asked the reason for it, he said " There is a different air around you. I like it."
Okay, he knew it didn't sound flirty but it is Gehrmann Sparrow. There is no way he could have worded it better.
Needless to say, everyone's eyes were directed at Leonard and Gehrmann in high alert. Especially Alger looked at Leonard like he just saw a pregnant lady.
Leonard was more confused than terrified though, it seemed like he tried the understand why Klein needed to say something like that and what did it actually mean. Klein wanted to scream into the fog and say, can't a man want to just flirt with his friend??
Klein really, really didn't know what conclusion did Leonard get but before he can explain himself, he saw Leonard's eyes shining and say "oh i got it! Thanks a lot K- Mr. World!!"
Leonard... My dear poet... care to share to the class what you understood...?
The third time, the only one that wasn't a disaster, was again on the palace, while they were sitting and chatting, Klein sat up from his seat and made his way to the seat near Leonard's. Klein noted the way the poet's face become an adorable when he sat next to him.
"Klein? What-What are you doing?"
Klein took out a green ribbon from his pocket.
"Leonard, can you please turn your back to me?"
Klein now noted the way how the poet's eyes were on everywhere even though there is nothing other than fog, and how he was still smiling, though anxiously. Cute.
"Uh. What are you gonna do, Klein?"
Leonard turned his back onto Klein. Klein put the ribbon on the long mottled table, caresssed Leonard's hair before starting to tie it into a short braid.
" How can you walk around like that? Doesn't it affect you while you work?"
He could see Leonard's ears becoming redder. My dear poet, please give some of your gorgeousness to other people...You know sharing is caring right...
"Huh? No it doesn't affect me, at least thats what i think... Old Man says i look like a street dog but i wouldn't want to waste my time with my hair, is my hair that bad?"
Klein finished doing the braid and turned Leonard around.
Oh.
Oh shit.
Klein felt his heart running a marathon, he was trying to take deep breaths but it was so hard and now he realized the space-or lack of a space between them. He was fighting demons alright.
" The opposite... You always look so stunning that it's just irritating... You are literally the embodiment of beauty."
Immediately after that Klein felt his face burning. He said too much. He was gonna cut the connection between the palace and Leonard before he heard Leonard's words.
" Thanks Klein but there is no need for such words... I know my hair well... You don't need to act like that..."
Leonard was still red and he was now playing with his short braid, smiling so bright.
"Geniunely thank you so much for the braid Klein!! and the ribbon. Im gonna try to make my hair up more i think, heh."
"...Let's end the meeting for today here."
"Alright!"
Then the poet with a short braid disappeared from the gray fog before he can bow.
There became a lot of instances like those. With each Leonard getting something wrong but Klein didn't even know or why it kept happening.
I...I just literally asked him for a date... And he still...
This day, after his failed attempts all week, he pulled Leonard up into the gray fog.
"My dear poet, are you free this sunday? i want to take a stroll on the streets of Backlund, if you would be interested."
Yes, it had been 3 days since he actually called him his dear poet.
" Well, my dear poet?"
Leonard almost jumped from his seat after hearing Klein's words. Klein could see Leonard's face being redder and redder each second.
he drew a sigh and rested his head on his hand. Surely he got the hint now, right?
"To check out if there is difference in backlund, right? I can definitely make time for it."
...
Oh how klein wants to strangle that man. How can anyone be this dense? It should have been impossible...
In the gray fog, Klein shakes his head and leans on his desk.
well, at least he didn't say no...
"Can we stop at this restaurant?"
It's been 2 hours since their date began. They walked through Backlund's streets, went to the Tussock River and also helped a cat that was stuck on a tree by a request of a person that apperantly gave Leonard a wink and a note that Klein had no idea what was written on it. And no, he wasn't jealous at all. Also no, he didn't hold Leonard's hand after that and they were definitely not holding hands all day because of it.
After those 2 hours, they were finally at the restaurant Klein planned to go for days. Not only their foods were apparently great, he learned from his valet that it was also a place for couples. Not that Leonard would know that though.
Klein looked at Leonard, and saw Leonard looking at the restaurant. For once, does he actually know something?
Leonard looked at Klein.
"This place looks expensive though... are you alright with it?"
...
My dear poet, its so cute that you are thinking about me, but how are you so clueless about everything... Did Pallez actually parasitised your mind...
Klein wanted to sigh so badly but he held himself back.
"It's alright, i wasn't eating in a fancy place these days so i can make an exception today."
Hearing that, Leonard shook his head.
"Oh no no you don't need to make an exception! We can just eat somewhere else im pretty sure there is--"
Before Leonard can finish his sentence, Klein held Leonard's hand again and walked through the door.
" I said i wanted to make an exception, right? so it's alright."
Leonard looked at Klein, eyes wide, and nodded while walking with him. Klein realized he was smiling.
Really, this guy...
After entering their restaurant and taking their seats, Klein ordered a sweet iced tea while Leonard ordered the chef's special for the day. Leonard looked at Klein with a bright smile. Klein could swear his heart skipped a beat by that, but he quickly composed himself and raised his eyebrows.
"Oh its nothing. It's just that... Seeing the fact that your preferences stayed the same, it makes me realize you are still here with me. I mean of course you are but.."
Klein put his hand into Leonard's.
"Leonard, i... love you."
Klein immediately hid his face in his hands after that.
Shit, i actually said it... I said it too early at that!!!
He opened his eyes to look at the poet between his fingers, to see if the poet finally got it right because if he would say something like "Platonic, right?" He would once in his life wouldn't care about anything and would kiss him senseless in this restaurant.
Okay, maybe he wouldn't go that far but he would at least definitely teleport them into an alley and then kiss him.
He saw Leonard between his fingers and...
Oh what a sight it was.
Leonard's eyes locked on klein, the fact that breathing is a necessary forgotten. His face a blushing mess, eyes open wide. after seconds Leonard got up from his seat abruptly, this time eyes everywhere but Klein.
"W-What? What-What do you mean??"
Klein let himself laugh at this adorable sight, it took him a lot to calm himself down.
"What i mean is that i love you, my dear poet. I love you."
Seeing Leonard still in a dumbfounded position, Klein got up from his seat.
"And to make it clear, it is not a platonically love. Please go out with me, my dear poet."
One second, Klein was talking while trying to not die from embarrasment; the other second he was in Leonard's embrace, arms hugging him tightly.
"Klein do you- do you actually mean it? Really? You mean it.?"
Klein laughed once more. Today was really a great day.
" Yes, yes i mean it. I mean everything i say. So your answer?"
Leonard put his hand into Klein's head. Klein melted with touch and leaned into it while waiting for an answer, still smiling.
"I-I love you too. Goddess, you can't imagine how many times i imagined this kind of day to come-Goddess Klein im just so happy right now i could cry..."
Leonard's eyes were watery already. Klein's smile only grew.
"Oh so that's why you always ignored my flirt attempts huh."
"W-What?! What attemps?!!"
"Heh, never mind that for now. Let's finish our first date first."
"DATE? Klein was today a date?!"
"Well yeah, i asked you on a date and you said yes?"
They were sitting on their chairs, eating and drinking the things they ordered while chatting witht each other.
"Oh Goddess... I was actually so dumb... You were actually... Goddess why am i such an idiot..."
"Yeah i was really surprised at how dense you were, like really Leonard? 'To check out if there is any difference in backlund'? i would have clearly say it if that was the case??"
Leonard was clearly embarrased at all of this talk and Klein was clearly enjoying himself.
Their night went like that. Leonard almost dying from embarresment and the culprit smiling all night as if taking revenge.
"Klein, oh goddesss Klein... I still can't believe everything that happened... I feel like everything just now is a dream and i might wake up anytime..."
To that, Klein hold Leonard's hand and in a second they were in an abandoned alley.
"...Klei-"
He wasn't able to finish his words before Leonard felt soft lips on his own. He took some seconds before returning the kiss. It was so sweet, so caring, it was a decleration of love again.
When they pulled back, Klein put his arms around Leonard.
"Well? Does everything seems like a dream now?"
Leonard returned the question with a smile so caring that Klein's heart skipped a beat.
"No, no it doesn't. Goddess i love you Klein."
"I love you too, Leonard."