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It was a lovely and sunny day as Klein walked into the Blackthorn Company. Klein had to say, that becoming a Nighthawk was one of the best decisions he could have made.
Not only was the pay great, he also had amazing colleagues, though his dear poet…his dearest poet was something else sometimes.
Honestly! His dear poet just screamed gay every time he walked into the room. That low V neck… Honestly, what was his poet thinking?! That coupled with his mesmerising green eyes and suave smile, what else could he be than utterly gay!
Klein shook his head in exasperation. It really puzzled him how nobody else could see it.
He gave a quick greeting towards Rozanne, before walking towards the community room which lay near the offices.
From afar, Klein heard crystal clear laughter echo through the hallway.
…Leonard…
"That laugh definitely belonged to Leonard. I wonder what he is up to this time? What could possibly make him laugh that hard?" With curiosity running through his veins, he took the last steps towards the community room and opened the door. What greeted him, left him utterly stunned and rooted in place.
On the floor lay Leonard, shaking with laughter, the backside of one hand laying on his forehead, his eyes closed and crinkling and his wings spread out.
Klein furrowed his brows, why was Leonard laughing when there was no one else in the room? It didn't make sense?!
He saw Leonard's eyes opening a slit, his gaze zeroing on Klein. Leonard's eyes opened widely, sparkling both with laughter and something else.
"Klein!" Leonard heaved himself off the floor in one fluid motion, before making quick strides towards Klein, his wings fluttering in excitement.
Leonard leaned in close, so close in fact, that Klein had to take a step back, so that their noses wouldn't bump.
"Hello Leonard? Umm.. may I ask what had you laughing so hard?" He looked Leonard up and down, making sure nothing else was amiss, only to get waved off.
"Nothing, nothing. Don't worry! And no I am not loosing control. I saw that look! In the end, aren't we all a bit mad?!" A wide grin formed on Leonard's face, eyes still twinkling with mirth.
"Isn't that what a person on the verge of loosing control would say?"
A flick to the forehead brought Klein out of those thoughts. He looked up, finding Leonard staring at him with a slight frown, the laughter gone from his face.
"I really am fine Klein. I do mean it. It was just something… um… it was just a thought that came to me that was really funny. I am sorry if that scared you a bit." Leonard's hand hovered over Klein's shoulder, yet not daring to touch it.
After a moment of hesitation, Leonard withdrew his hand and Klein felt bereft, though didn't know why.
"It is good that you are here Klein. The Captain wanted to speak to us. I think it is about a new mission!" Leonard smiled at Klein, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the door and towards Dunn's office.
"Umm Leonard… wait umm…" Klein's cheeks heated and his wings shivered as he was quickly dragged through the hallway. Leonard's hand felt really warm…
Leonard stopped, looking at Klein who he had been pulling along behind him. He cocked his head as he saw Klein's flustered state. " Is something wrong Klein? You look red! Are you coming down with a fever?" He lifted his hand to lay it onto Klein's forehead, which only made the Seer flush even more.
"What is wrong with me? Maybe I am really coming down with a fever…"
"I am fine Leonard. I just…umm… could you.. could you let go of my hand please… I can walk on my own…" Klein looked to the ground, his cheeks burning. He must be embarrassed. Yes. That is it. Embarrassment.
Leonard, only now noticing what he had done, quickly dropped Klein's hand, turning his face towards the empty hallway. "Oh. Sorry…"
"He must feel embarrassed too… I can see a slight blush on him…cu..hmm.. totally embarrassed!" Klein shook his head, a clearing of the throat making him focus back on Leonard in front of him.
"We should not let Captain wait any longer. Let's go!" With that Leonard made long quick strides towards Dunn's office, his feathers ruffling a bit due to the speed, with Klein hastily following him.
~~
The door to the two-story house creaked open eerily. So much so, that it send shivers through Klein's wings. They were here to check out a case of haunting. According to the police reports, many families had moved into the building, only to end up moving out a week later, talking of voices in the walls, screams at midnight, -to which the police were called repeatedly, and other spooky incidents.
At first the police had seen this as a hoax, yet with each repetition they grew more and more weary, until the senior officer decided to hand this case off to the church.
As this building lay in the Evernight Churches territory, the Nighthawks were called to solve the case.
If Klein hadn't known that supernatural entities existed, he would have scoffed too, but not only had he seen weird creatures before, his former professor seemed to be someone who could summon and hold control over the dead, if the skeleton messenger he had met meant anything.
Klein was very glad to have someone in his corner who knew everything. It really loosened the weight on his shoulders. Well… mostly everything.
A hand on his shoulder startled Klein so much, that his wings twitched, wanting to spring open.
"Whoa whoa Klein, it is just me! You don't need to unleash your wings on me again and slam me to the floor!" Leonard grinned at Klein.
Klein sighed and turned back to the entrance hall before them, when he heard some mumblings. "…you..me..on the floor..not..no.." The eyebrows from Klein furrowed, because…that was Leonard's voice… What did he say? Klein turned back to Leonard, who looked at him innocently. "Did you say something?"
"What do you mean Klein? I said nothing! We should focus on our mission." The amusement in Leonard's eyes told Klein that he was NOT speaking the truth, but Klein had to agree, that this was not the time to get distracted.
Though maybe Leonard shouldn't distract him then.
~~
They walked through the sitting room, taking in every detail, when Klein's premonition warned him.
"Leonard! Watch out! Behind you!" Spinning around, Klein could only watch as Leonard was thrown to the wall by a black mass.
He winced. "That must have hurt…I hope he is alright!" Keeping an eye on the black mass that stood in the room, Klein slowly creeped towards where Leonard had fallen.
Just as he got to Leonard, the mass moved, black sludge spearing out from it's body towards Leonard and Klein.
"Oh shit!"
Klein's body moved before he could even register as Leonard slammed into him, moving him out of the range of the attack.
Staring up at Leonard, who was propped up above him, Klein finally noticed that he was laying on the floor, his wings smarting a bit, and a hand on his neck and head, to keep them from being slammed to the floor too.
"Your eyes are so pretty…" The whisper coming from Leonard made Klein's eyes widen, a blush spreading on his face.
Gulping, Klein tried to say something, yet the words were stuck in his throat. To that, Leonard seemed to come to a decision. His eyes fierce in determination and something else.
"Klein there was a poem I wrote for you. One that has been on my mind." Leonard let out a deep breath, strong enough, that it tickled Klein's face. Klein felt paralysed. Because what???!!!
"Alright. Here I go!
My dearest Klein,
You are so fine
My wings they flutter,
And I want to utter
You are the first,
Where my heart feels as if it will burst,
My head tends to fizz,
I want to rizz you,
Please please please,
You are someone I miss,
I always want to kiss you.
You are so fine,
So please be mine!"
Klein didn't know what to feel at that moment. How can one even feel in this moment? This…this was..
He felt as if his brain had stopped working.
Leonard's poetry skill were dubious on a normal day, but this. This was…
Maybe Leonard is coming down with madness… could he be close to loosing control?
A crash brought Klein back to the actual situation at hand, and he quickly pushed Leonard off him.
"Focus!!!"
Heaving himself off the ground and spreading his wings a bit to shake off the ache, Klein looked at the creature in front of him.
His brows scrunched together, as the current situation made no sense. How can what the previous owners talked about equate to this creature? There were neither calls, hallucinations or any kind of stuff that one would consider a haunting. Instead there was just this aggressive attacking black mass of a creature.
From the corner of his eyes Klein noticed Leonard running towards the creature, his wings propelling him forward with massive burst of speed. Leonard's leg was raised for attack, yet when he reached the creature, he flew right through it. Coming to a halt behind it, Leonard turned back around and looked at the creature in puzzlement. "What the hell…"
Today really seemed off. First Leonard and now this? Something wasn't adding up…
From his position in the room Klein could only watch as Leonard tried again and again to hit the creature with various methods.
Even as Klein started to feel sleepy as Leonard started to use his Midnight Poet powers, the creature didn't seem to lag. Leonard must have noticed it too, as he came to a standstill on the table, his wings spread out wide.
Running through possible solutions to the current problem, Klein fumbled a coin in his coats pocket.
What oh what could he divine….
Move!
"Klein! Watch out!" Klein instantly opened his wings and propelled himself backwards, his wings hitting the wall.
A sting at the tip of his left wing, brought Klein's attention to the small wound there. It was just a graze, but it could have been more if not for Leonard and his premonition.
When Klein looked back at the fight happening his eyes bulged.
What in the ever-loving Goddesses name!
Klein brought a hand up to his eyes, rubbing at them harshly.
The scene in front of him could not really be described in words. It was… it was utterly ridiculous!
There on the table stood Leonard, the creature no where in sight. Leonard's wings were spread to the ceiling, shaking rapidly.
"What the hell is Leonard doing? Where has the creature gone?"
Leonard's gaze locked onto Klein, staring deeply into his soul.
Tap
Tap
Tap
Leonard started tapping the tip of his left foot on the table, creating a beat. His arms were spread wide to the side, creating a comical image.
"Klein! Let me rizz you up! Please please please!" Leonard shouted through the room while he started to flap his wings to the beat he created.
"Whaaaa…" Klein couldn't comprehend what was happening. He could only watch in abject horror? embarrassment? awe? as Leonard started dancing on the table, his movements both fluid and utterly ridiculous.
Swirl, bend, jump… Leonard flew from the table, ending up at the center of the room. His wings were now spread out to the side and moving in a wave motion. His arms were lifted toward the ceiling, one hand pointing towards it. His face also tilted upwards.
Klein's knees felt weak as he stared at the nonsensical scene, so much so that he plopped to the floor, -not even noticing, as he stared at Leonard.
Said person was currently leaping through the air, wings elegantly spread behind him, before he landed and started to do a pirouette.
Once the movement stopped, Leonard went into a roll, before heaving himself onto his hands into a handstand, from which he sprung himself into a twist, landing on his feet again.
Mouth hanging open, Klein next watched, as Leonard started to do dance movements, that resembled the Cha Cha Slide from the world the Mingrui part of his soul came from.
Klein could even imagine the song playing over what Leonard was doing.
"To the left
Take it back now y'all
One hop this time
Right foot lets stomp
Left foot lets stomp
Cha cha real smooth"*
Leonard danced through the room full of passion, even Klein could see that, even though he felt like Leonard was in the process of loosing control of his sanity.
Twirl, twist, pounce, bend.
His eyes were glued on the 'dancing' figure. It was both mesmerizing and humiliating. Klein could not decide which was the prominent emotion he felt.
Was it visceral revulsion or something else.
Dear Goddess, if anyone where to see Leonard right now….
And why did this remind the former Mingrui of those bird mating dance videos he had once watched?
Leonard's gaze locked back onto Klein, who felt a shiver run through his back, up to the tips of his folded wings.
This time Leonard's gaze held a determination. One that made Klein sit up straight in attention.
Their gazes locked, Leonard started moving towards Klein, arms spread out and shaking upper body.
"A Shoulder Shimmey" The word of the movement came to Klein in surprising speed.
He felt utterly paralysed under Leonard's stare, his mouth open to say something to make Leonard stop in his tracks, but his mind feeling utterly fried.
As Leonard reached Klein he stopped the movement, bringing a finger under Klein's chin, tilting his head upwards.
"Are you feeling rizzed Klein?" Leonard spoke huskily, before moving his face closer and closer, puckering his lips….
~~
With a sharp intake of breath, Klein sat up in his bed. Sweat was running down his face.
"Oh. Thank the Goddess, it was just a dream." Klein shuddered thinking about all that happened in it.
The case, the poem, the dancing, the…nearly kiss…
Klein's breath hitched as his cheeks flamed.
"No! I am not! I am not crushing on Leonard! I am not gay! Right?" Holding his head in his hands, Klein wanted to scream, but he was scared to wake his siblings up over this crisis he was having.
He can't like Leonard. It just wasn't possible!
As if a small voice whispered in his ear, Klein heard a "But what if you do.." in his mind.
Klein laid down, turning on the bed while grabbing one of his wings and hiding his face in it, letting out a muffled scream.
"Why did I even dream of him doing a bird mating dance in the first place?" He groaned, as memories of one of his information binges flooded his mind.
That was right. He watched a ton of bird documentaries back then… A lot of which showed the mating customs of birds.
"Thank god that this world doesn't have mating dances as one of their customs, and instead holds rituals such as gifting of feathers to their loved ones. A feather from each part of the wing holding a different meaning…maybe one day I will get a primary feather…but that would mean a wedding and.." Klein's thoughts raced to sparkling green eyes.."No! No! We are not going there!!!"
Klein released himself from his emergency cocoon and lay flat on his back, breathing deeply. He looked towards the red moon, shining brightly through his window, before sighing out, "I don't think I will be able to sleep anymore tonight."
~~
Walking into the office the next morning, Klein felt utterly exhausted.
Just as he had expected, he didn't get another wink of sleep after his dream, his mind spiralling.
"Good morning Klein!" The cheerful voice of Leonard startled Klein out of his ponderings.
Looking up, Klein felt his cheeks redden as he saw Leonard. Why oh why did he have to dream about that…
"Are you alright Klein? You look tired?" Leonard tilted his head, and Klein could almost imagine puppy ears forming on Leonard's head.
"Yes yes, I am fine. I just didn't sleep well last night." Klein mentally shook his head, to rid himself of the thought, answering Leonard properly in the mean time.
"Good good! Anyways. I have been working on a new poem, and was wondering if you could give me your opinion on it."
Hairs standing at the back of his neck, Klein could only give a shaky nod.
"Basking in sunlight,
Fur so bright,
Makes me want to cuddle you,
Your meow echoing through the halls,
I hear you calling out at night,
In front of my window,
Your kitten calls,
Make me want to take you home,
But instead I let you freely roam."
As if a weight had been lifted, Klein's shoulder's sagged. This. This was normal. This was right.
Utterly horrible, but totally Leonard.
~~
A few hours earlier, Leonard's residence:
Leonard woke up from the interesting dream he had.
"Hey Pallez, I was wondering, do you think that Klein would enjoy dancing?"
"Don't even think about it boy!"