leona kingscholar x reader | fluff and a side of angst
You screamed into your raggedy pillow, kicking against the bed as you experienced yet another crashout over the fine specimen that was Leona Kingscholar. That face should be illegal, you thought as you sighed dreamily and desperately, because you would commit war crimes to have the chance to sit on it.
God, he was just so beautiful. His soft hair that tempted you to tug on it like a ten year old with a crush, his stunning, vibrant green eyes that turned upwards whenever he did his stupidly hot smirk as he ruins someone's day. He made being an asshole look so unfairly hot and you were going through it.
Did that have something to do with the fact that you were ovulating at the moment?
But goddamn you had never seen a man so fine that it was making you reconsider your views on dating and marriage and sex and families. You would happily get pregnant if it meant you could sleep with him just once.
You turned over, hugging your poor pillow as you sighed yet again, lips curling up into a smile at the very thought of his name against your will.
Listen, anyone with a pair of working eyes can see that Leona is hot. Sure, he could be a little mean and snarky at times (okay very), but you would willingly subject yourself to his ministrations if it meant you would get even a second of his attention. You had always considered yourself a feminist with Standards, and a professional man-hater (as all people should be), but Leona was out here challenging all your worldviews and beliefs just by existing.
It was genuinely diabolical how much time you spent giggling over over him - much to the confusion of Grim, who had written off your fits as some weird things humans did. He didn't quite mind it though, because whenever you were feeling excessively smitten, you'd pepper the little monster's gray head with kisses, hugging him in lieu of your pillow as you daydreamed about romancing Leona, or being romanced by him. Though, you at least had enough sense to make sure nobody knew of your big fat crush.
You could practically envision all the teasing and bullying you'd go through if anyone found out (listen you loved Ace, Deuce and Yuu but they were such teenage boys ugh) about your stupid infatuation, so you did what any normal person would do and repressed the hell out of it until you were alone and able to go crazy.
It was at these moments that you missed your girlies with an ache in your chest that hurt. As fun as NRC could be at times, and as…interesting…the people were, nothing could ever beat the friendships formed by being delusional naive middle school children trying to become a mermaid via youtube videos and ingesting shampoo. (Also, mermaids were real here and it took every ounce of control to not be a total freak about it but everyday your control slipped just a bit more.)
You missed the days where you giggled over questionable (usually fictional) men with your best friend, and you felt it in your soul that she'd happily participate in going insane over Leona with you.
The thought of everthing you left behind sobered you up quickly, and the wave of grief for a life so abruptly taken away from you caused you to droop sadly on your bed, droppping your pillow defeatedly, the giddy joy of your crush (and his face) escaping you like air in a balloon.
Sadly, not even the thought of Leona's face and cute tsundere personality could whisk away your sorrows. You laid back down in bed glumly, picking up the poor pillow once more. Grim was out with the gang, and she missed his fluffy, warm and squishy self once more as the feeling of being alone resonated once more. As much as you loved your friends, trouble-making as they were, the age gap between you and them (perhaps the differences in gender and socio-cultural norms as well) made you feel like an outsider leeching off a closely knitted friend group, a puzzle piece that didn't quite belong to the picture.
You closed your eyes and pretended everything was alright. You would just go to sleep! A nap would solve everything, and you could continue pretending everything was alright as you ignored the implications of you disappearing from your world and all that you loved. After all, isekai'd characters were always supposed to be happier when they left everything behind right?
Watching Leona interact with Cheka made something in your chest feel warm and soft, and your throat to clog up. Despite his gruff demeanour and rough words, he handled the young child with a gentleness that made you want to cry. It made you miss something you couldn't quite put in words, from a time when the world was full of hope and magic and adventure.
You sniffled as you blinked away your tears, not wanting to cry in front of these assholes, and a child. Now wasn't the time to be sad, you thought to yourself, not when you all had just defeated yet another Overblot, when everyone was full of relief and hope for a better tomorrow.
A heavy mass jumped onto your bed, causing you to let out a painful groan as a pair of puppy-like brown eyes stared up at you, causing you to let out a surprised hiccup. Cheka reached out a small hand to pat your face, frowning concernedly, tilting his head.
"Why are you sad pretty lady? Did someone bully you? Did you beat them up?" came the voice of a curious child, and you inwardly swore as the whole room turned towards you.
Grim scampered over from Yuu, little brows furrowing as he put his hands on his hips as he barked at you.
"Henchman! You aren't allowed to be sad without my permssion ya know! Stop it now!"
But despite his harsh sounding words, Grim hovered over you worriedly, coming within grabbing distance for you - a silent permission to be held and coddled because he knew it soothed you.
You cleared your throat, avoiding the worried stares of your friends, the cute twitching ears of Ruggie, and the steady gaze of a certain lion that seemed to see more than what you'd like. You ruffled little Cheka's red mop of hair, prompting him to giggle and lean into your touch as you faked a happy smile. "I was just sad I didn't get to see the rest of game because someone," you shot a look at Grim, who looked away innocently, "decided that my head looked like the perfect target."
"Myaa! That was an accident Henchman. You shouldn't hold grudges against the great and powerful Grim," announced the little monster, rubbing his head against your cheek in what you knew was his version of an apology. You patted his cheek gently in response, as Cheka perked up at your answer, sitting up straight as he grasped at you.
"I understand! Unca was so cool! I would be sad if I couldn't see Unca play," he chirped, nodding gravely at your answer before leaping off the bed to land on Leona once more, who let out a pained groan as Cheka landed on his stomach once more, tearing his eyes away from you as he rolled them at his nephew.
Ace, Deuce and Yuu sent you a worried glance, and you gave them a weak grin and a thumbs up to wave away their concern. They all exchanged a Look, causing you to avert your eyes guiltily, before the bantering started up once more.
Ace let out an evil snicker, wiggling his red eyebrows at the uncle and nephew, "Yeah, your "Unca Leona" sure was the best at-," snorting as Yuu elbowed him with a straight face, interrupting what you were pretty sure was about to be jab at Leona's…plans.
You sagged against the infirmary bed, relieved to get everyone's attention off of you and your potential emotional breakdown. Listening to everyone's familiar squabbling, you leaned back against the bed, physically and emotionally drained from today's events.
Amidst the noise, you felt someone staring holes into the side of your throbbing head, and absently turned only to freeze as Leona's eyes bore into yours, seemingly searching for something. Scenes from when you and Yuu saw his memories (and he, yours) blazed across your mind, but you knew that whatever pity or kindness you offered would only be taken as an insult because everyone in this school had a stick up their butts.
Panicking, you grinned awkardly and shot him finger guns, causing his eyebrows to raise ever so slightly in a way you just knew was judgemental and meanly amused, though a glint of something still remained in his eyes. You withered and turned around, facing your back towards him, silently screaming and regretting your inability to talk to pretty people you had a crush on, stewing in your embarrassment as your heart sped up, praying he couldn't hear it over everyone else in the room.
If only you had turned around, you would have seen Ruggie let out a soft "Shyeheehee" as he looked at your back, before grinning at Leona, all teeth and mischief and knowing. Leona let his gaze linger on you a little longer, before rolling his eyes at Ruggie, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
If only you knew what was coming to you.