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Neuro would never have thought that he would have a feeling for the master of shadow of all people. Sure he could just be crushing on some idiots, maybe like either Karlof or Griffin or anyone else, but crushing on Shade? Yeah that’s new for him and he didn’t expect this at all. So like a normal person, he just repressed or just was in denial over his own feelings. Not really creative, but he just didn’t want to lower his own pride and ego.
“So you’re telling me, that you have a crush on Shade of all people??” Chamille asked him as the two were in Chamille’s own room as she was doing his nails. “I didn’t say it was a crush. Simply, just a curiosity of the master of shadow” he quickly denied, he could feel his face getting warmer because the thought of having feelings for someone like Shade really caught him off guard. Of all people anyway.
Chamille didn’t take that word at all, she thought of Neuro just being in denial as usual. So she decides to do something, “hmm… seems like i heard from the mistress of amber that he was about to fight the master of earth” she said and that made Neuro suddenly jump from her bed, looking surprised and worried. “WHAT?!” He immediately went out of her room and searched for the news. He searched everywhere and there was nothing in the hallway or the courtroom. Neuro glares at Chamille as she laughs loudly, already holding it pretty long and she couldn’t contain it, “I KNEW IT!! You have a gay crush on Sha— HMMFFPF?!”
Her loud voice was being silenced by the master of mind as he looked around, afraid that Shade could hear them or worse other people or perhaps the traitor. So the right thing was him shutting her up by shoving a handkerchief into her mouth, “can you just shut up??” He panicked and dragged her back into the room. Face already red as Chamille laughed again even if she was being silenced by the stuff on her mouth.
“Oh please, no one would hear that– wait… nevermind, Jacob could hear them…” she said as she removed the handkerchief from her mouth, "at least Shade wouldn’t heard that or saw that on the bright side of it” she told Neuro, who’s being paranoid and also worrying if anyone would saw them or heard them. “Are you forgetting that Shade is practically a master of shadow? He could travel from the shadows if he wants to!!” he exclaimed, practically pissed off by that.
Chamille just sighs while also smiling at her friend, “alright that was my bad… but, seriously. Why are you so afraid if he knew or noticed your infatuation with him? Isn’t that normal enough? We’re humans and there's nothing wrong liking the same gender” she told him, who seems to be more insecure about himself than anyone else. Sure he could be paranoid about it, but he’s also afraid of what anyone would say or think about it.
“Easy for you to say, you never had any problem with yourself dating girls. I'm just… very much disliking how people would think about it. Seeing two people of the same gender dating or more…” he told her about it, sure he knew no one would judge him or anything in this island. But outside the island? He never likes the thought of it a little bit, it's scary for him to handle that.
“Neuro…”
“Sorry. Guess I'm being negative again” he apologised, as Chamille put her hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it's not your fault… I get it how you feel about it. Sometimes, it is scary but at least out there there are people who're more accepting and it might not be so scary.” she said, that made Neuro smile.
Not long after that, they heard an announcement from master Chen to tell them there was a changing plan in the tournament. So both master of mind and mistress of form went down and saw the tournament board. It was changing, and the first thing Neuro saw was from Shade who’s supposed to fight Cole, and was changed to him fighting with Paleman instead.
“Shadow and light… those two are opposite of one another” he noted to himself as he heard a grunt beside him. That made Neuro jump in his place as he saw how close Shade was now that he was beside him afterall, “you’re much of a jumpy type huh? Was my presence scaring you too much?” Shade teased him as it made his cheeks getting warmer and also annoyed at his condescending smirk of an ego.
“You’re the one who’s quite cocky about it… I was surprised” he tried to be cool as he could hear the master of shadow snorted at his image of being this nonchalant guy.
“Scared you mean?” oh he was being too cocky and he knows it. Especially with the challenging look on his face, Shade knew it made Neuro getting more pissed at him and he did aim to see him getting mad at him, Shade thought his angry face was adorable. Not like he didn’t stare at him too much about it. Okay maybe he has a crush on Neuro.
“Flattering. You are really such a egotistic one”
“I sure am, and you’re such… much for a tiny guy in your age” Shade teased again, it sure made Neuro gasped in an offended way. Cute.
Neuro couldn’t help but to get more annoyed and huffed his chest, not wanting to talk more about it to Shade. Oh, Shade is definitely going to make more expressions out of Neuro. He couldn’t just let that man go anytime soon.