Oddly enough, after that incident, you started to notice the changes in Leona’s behavior. Was it just your imagination, or was he being nicer to you? He didn’t make rude remarks or laugh at unfortunate events that happened throughout your day. Leona even listened to your long speeches and stayed awake to talk to you. Not to mention, he invited you to take a nap with him whenever you looked upset. You weren’t sure if he was always like this and you just didn’t notice or if your mind was messing with you again.

Leona also took note of the changes in your behavior towards him. For some reason, you blushed a lot and acted more girly than usual. Did you just giggle at his words? Why does your giggle sound so sweet to him? Why is your smile making his heart race? Did you always look this beautiful? What is going on? Leona felt like he was losing his mind.

Even Ruggie picked up on your unusual interactions, but unlike the two of you, the hyena figured out the reason behind the sudden change. He even made a bet with Jack, saying the two of you are going to end up dating. Jack, on the other hand, thought his senpai was being delusional or must’ve eaten something odd. Though both the Savanaclaw members could agree that when you and Leona were together, the atmosphere was very awkward.  

Not wanting to spend time with Leona, you decided to spend a few hours with Silver and his animal friends in the nearby forest. You watched Silver interacting with a grey-furred squirrel with a wide smile. Out of nowhere, you noticed firefly-like specks floating in the air, and a few seconds later, Malleus appeared without Lilia or Sebek by his side. 

“Hello, Silver. Hello, (y/n).” The tall dragon greeted him politely with a kind smile.

“Hi, Malleus, what brings you here?” You rose to your feet and fixed your dress as you waited for his reply. 

The leader of Diasomnia turned to his dormmate and said, “I would like to speak to her alone.” 

Silver nodded and took a few steps away before turning his back to the two of you. Malleus chuckled and shook his head, “No, Silver, return to the dorm. Also, be sure to keep my location a secret from Sebek.” 

Reluctantly, the silver-haired man excused himself and followed the prince’s order, taking his animal friends. After he left, you turned your attention to the dragon and asked, “How do you manage to sneak away from Sebek?” 

“With Lilia’s help,” he replied, “Would you join me for a stroll?”

“Sure.” 

The two of you quietly walked around the forest, enjoying the occasional chirping of the birds and humming of the insects. The sun shone high in the sky, but the dense vegetation provided sufficient shade. The gentle breeze caused the leaves to rustle every so often. Out of the corner of your eyes, you noticed Malleus looking straight ahead with a serene smile. As if he noticed you staring at him, his smile grew wider. 

”(Y/N), I would like to tell you a secret, but could you make a promise to me?” He asked, breaking the silence. “No matter your answer, promise me we will continue to be as we are now.” 

You found his request strange but nodded, “S-Sure…what would you like to tell me?” 

Malleus stopped under a large tree decorated with tiny blue flowers and turned to face you. “When I first met you, I found you to be intriguing. I always wished to spend time with a human, but most feared and still fear my presence. You, though, are different…” 

He studied your expression briefly before continuing, “I would like to thank you for accepting me as a friend, but if you would consider accepting me as more than a friend, I would be even more grateful.” 

“A-As…more than…a friend?” You tilted your head and stared at him with your lips parted. Not sure what he meant by those words, you waited for him to explain. 

“I feel a strange attraction to you, and I, myself, did not understand what it meant. When I told Lilia of this, he said the strange attraction is called love. Seems like I have developed feelings for you, child of man,” Malleus chuckled. 

For a moment, you gaped at him with your mouth ajar, repeating his words in your mind. Once you realized he was confessing to you, you averted your eyes and covered your burning cheeks with your hands. Never once did you expect the Malleus Draconia to confess his love to you, and here he was, in front of you, admitting his feelings for you. As you reveled in his confession, a face suddenly flashed before your eyes – the face of the same lazy lion you were trying to avoid. 

“I…,” you lowered your gaze in utter confusion. You couldn’t deny that you liked Malleus, but was he really the man you wanted to be with? 

Sensing your hesitation and uncertainty, Malleus rested his hand on the top of your head. “You needn’t reply to me at this moment. Take your time.” 

“Please don’t get me wrong, Malleus, I like you a lot,” you looked at him through your lashes and whispered, “but thank you for giving me time to think over it.” 

Unbeknownst to you, Leona was napping under a tree nearby when he thought he heard your voice. His eyes shot open when he heard Malleus, and he immediately sat up as soon as he heard the dragon confess his feelings to you. Leona growled under his breath as he rose to his feet. He was going to give that pestering dragon a piece of his mind, or so he thought, until he heard you say you like him a lot. The lion squeezed his eyes shut, bared his fangs, and tightly curled his hands into fists. He turned on his heels and stormed away, not wanting to hear anything more. 

“What is his problem?” You sighed and sunk into the bench. For the past few days, you couldn’t find Leona anywhere, not in his usual spots, not in new spots, not even in his dorm. He didn’t even reply to your messages or calls. 

“Is he trying to avoid me?” You mumbled, getting up and heading towards the cafeteria. Your heart felt heavy, but you couldn’t understand why. “Someone take this twisted feeling away…”

Right then, you noticed the familiar golden-yellow uniforms and hurried towards the group of three. Sensing your presence, Leona began to walk away from Ruggie and Jack. 

“Hey!” You latched onto his arm and jumped in front of him, “Why are you avoiding my calls and messages? Where have you been?” 

He looked at you with an icy stare and spoke flatly, “Why do you care?” 

“W-What? Leona, what do you mean?” You asked, taken aback by his crude reply. “ What…what is your problem?”

“You are,” he answered bluntly. 

You winced at his words and lowered your gaze, blinking away the saline liquid filling your eyes. 

“What are you doing here with me? Go to your dear dragon.” He growled and stomped away, not waiting for your reaction. 

“Dear…dragon?” You mumbled under your breath while slowly lifting your head to look at Leona’s back. Then, it hit you. He started to avoid you since the day Malleus confessed to you. Leona heard what Malleus said to you? Is he upset because of that?

Feeling your head spinning, you found a quiet place away from everyone. No matter how many times you tried, you couldn’t calm your racing heart and restless mind. 

“What…do I do?” 

Tears clouded your vision and landed on your lap, leaving stains on your blue dress. Out of your peripheral vision, you noticed Lilia appearing out of thin air and taking a seat next to you. 

“Are you confused?” He asked knowingly while gently stroking your head. 

“I don’t know what to do…”

“Then why not ask your heart?” He chuckled slightly. 

“My…heart?” You gazed at him, baffled. 

“You know, like in the cliché movies,” the Fae laughed and wiped your tears with the back of his fingers. 

“But Lilia-”

He shook his head and interrupted before you could finish your sentence, “Don’t worry, my dear. Regardless of your decision, neither Malleus nor I will stop talking to you.” 

“P-Promise?” You asked, innocently holding out your pinky finger for him. 

“Promise,” Lilia chortled, linking his slim pinky finger with yours, “Now…(y/n), who do you like – Leona or Malleus?” 

You took in a deep breath and hesitantly closed your eyes. Much to your shock, Leona’s face instantly glowed in the darkness. You began to recall certain moments with him. The time the two of you argued over who gets the last sandwich, the lazy day you spent with him in the botanical garden, the time when you napped with him, using his muscular arm as a pillow, and the time when you opened your eyes after a nap to find his face only a few inches away from yours. 

As you slowly opened your eyes and blinked a few times to adjust your vision to the sunlight, Lilia studied your face intensely. 

“So, who did you see?” 

Without thinking once, you replied, “Leona…” 

The Fae let out a hearty laugh and patted your back, “Well, what are you waiting for? Go tell him.” 

“Will…Malleus be okay?” 

“Yeah, he will sulk a bit and lock himself in his room, but then he will realize he doesn’t want to lose you a friend, and in no time, he will be back to his old self.” 

You giggled as you watched him, mimicking Malleus’s expressions. “Thanks, Lilia. You’re the best!”

After hugging him, you ran from one place to another in an attempt to locate Leona. You finally found him in the forest, standing in front of a pond. Running up to him, you threw your arms around him and buried your face in his back. 

“O-Oi, Herbivore, what do you think you’re doing?” He asked, startled. Even though you could tell he didn’t want to talk to you, even though he tried to wiggle out of your grip, even though he may reject you, you decided to tell him how you feel. 

“I choose you.” 

“What?” Leona asked as he turned his head back to glance at you.

“I choose you. I love you, and only you, Leona.” 

Feeling his body stiffen, you tightened your grip around him. The lion stared at a lotus floating in the pond, his eyebrows raised, and eyes widened as if he were a deer caught in the headlights. 

“You w-what?” He asked in a breathless voice, wanting to make sure he heard you correctly. 

“I choose you! You. You. You!” 

Leona parted your arms and turned towards you, still in shock. Seeing his expression, you giggled for a bit but quickly averted your eyes from him. “Actually, Lilia helped me realize that I like you…” 

“Lilia? How exactly did he help you?” Leona asked in a voice much softer than his usual stern tone. 

“He asked me who I liked and told me to close my eyes. The man whose face I see is the one I love…you know, like in the romance movies…,” you bit the corner of your bottom lip and blushed, “I saw your face.” 

Within seconds, Leona’s laughter echoed throughout the forest, “That’s how you decided who you like? Seriously, Herbivore?” 

“Hey!” You pouted and crossed your arms, “My heart showed me the path, okay? If you don’t want me to choose you, then I can always go to Malle-”

Before you could finish the sentence, Leona grabbed your jaw, tilted it up, and smashed his lips against yours. 

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. You are mine and only mine, Herbivore,” he whispered against your lips and deepened his kiss.