❝….❞ The laugh wasn’t an expected response. But at the same time, what did he expect? It was Leo. If he wasn’t laughing, smiling, grinning–there was an issue. Then again, even when he was being serious-sometimes it was hard to tell. One had to honestly study the King…and he had yet to fully grasp him. ❛He is unpredictable…Maybe that is why I’m unsure of how I feel around him.❜
❝Sena-san is not being mean. He is fine.❞ He reassures, allowing a hint of a smile. ❝…And that is fair enough.❞ He hadn’t forgotten the event. How could he ever forget it? How could he forget what happened there? ❛…Mmm…Maybe I was over-thinking? And yet, I can’t say…Mmm..perhaps, perhaps this is enough, if he feels I’ve met his standards–if he has any, that is.❜
His breath hitched at the other grasping his chin, lavenders meeting greens. Love? The others, he could understand–but how did he love him when he barely knew his junior? But he doesn’t get to ask–the other bounces back and already has gone back to grinning and his usual gestures. Tsukasa sighed to himself, not entirely certain what to make of his word choice. However, he would be lying if he said it didn’t lift his spirits, even if only somewhat.
❝That is all I can ask for then, Leader.❞ He responds, Bowing to him at the hip. ❝Thank you.❞
It had been a few weeks since that day, and there had been many others like it. Days where Leo-sama was affectionate towards him, and yet distant. Or somehow drove the younger redhead up the wall with his antics. More and more, Tsukasa found he couldn’t hate their leader–no. While there were things he may not agree with, he didn’t dislike him anymore.
But he wasn’t sure what he was feeling, either.
How does one feel for a certain King? Respect? Sure, that’s a given. Contempt? Tsukasa didn’t feel that was right. Admiration? Close–Leo did have a few things that even Tsukasa could admire. And yet, he worked his nerves more often than not.
Didn’t hate him, but couldn’t out right say he liked him either.
Deciding he needed to clear his head, Tsukasa puts on his hakama and heads out to the archery club, despite the rain pouring out. Surprisingly, he finds that Hasumi-senpai isn’t there today at all. The archery field is actually quiet, and not full of students in the club. Perfect for trying to concentrate.
And yet, he felt as though there was eyes on him from somewhere.
None the less, he pulls out one of the bows and a quiver full of arrows. A single arrow is draw, and he takes his aim at the bullseye target several feet in front of him. All the while, he’s humming one of the songs the Knights performed not too long ago.
Leo watched from the shadows, the prince taking aim. One, by one, the arrows are loosed. One by one, they hit their mark. Ears pick up on the song he’s humming, a proud smile now tugging at the lips of the leader.
Why did Leo have to well. . . Be LEO? The answer was in and of itself: He was just that. Himself. Yet in this moment, the king for once finds himself at a LOSS for how to approach the younger.
Despite how forward he had been.
Despite how obvious he had painted his feelings to the other.
Despite knowing the other didn’t push him away.
Despite knowing that no matter what, their red string was always bound to tie itself, again and again and again.
It had, after all, done just that, time and time again.
He had a certain music deity to thank for that.
However, the composer makes a small error, his mind too lost in his thoughts, thus allowing his body weight to shift too far forward, crackling the leaves that were nearby the range. A sigh and a shrug at his own failures, before he fully steps out.
“Tsubaba! Your aim is as impeccable as ever!”
