Unexpectedly, Leon ended up telling John about his worries as well. Mark pretty much convinced him to get another opinion and it ended up being useful advice.

“I see…” His friend stopped to think for a bit “I understand that it’s hard to get out of the anxiety cycle, but look… I agree with Mark that you are not deluluing entirely here, but even if you are, I don’t think it’s that wrong?” He tried to search for the explanation to give “I mean, if you expect too much it might lead to a heartbreak, yes, but if you expect too little it’ll just hurt you as well, you can’t really stop feelings y’know. What I’m trying to say here is: if senpai does end up getting a girlfriend you… we can deal with that then, it’s no use fretting over it right now, but it hasn’t happened, so give yourself a break and I don’t know… have some hope? Worst case scenario we’ll be here with you. Best case scenario we’ll be here with you as well.”

And hell, if that didn’t make the redhead a little emotional. It was also the first time he had heard John talking so much and so seriously. They didn’t know each other for that long so the fact that his friend offered himself as a constant in his life, just like Mark, gave the taller boy a comfy sense of security. The whole speech worked wonders on uplifting his mood.

That night the three of them snuggled together again on a single bed. They watched a bunch of bad movies and series episodes. They ate ice cream and instant korean noodles. They complained about how awful what they were watching was. They fought about whose leg should be on top so they could be comfortable. They talked about their projects for the next few weeks. They heard Mark talk about his photography club, that he ended up liking a lot more than what he was expecting. It was well over midnight when they finally decided they should sleep because it was still a weekday. And then they slept, cuddled up with each other.

Leon decided that nothing could be that bad with those two to come back to.

—

“Leon?” John said as he yawned.

They were in the campus’ cafeteria to get breakfast before class. Food trays in hand, they were choosing a table to sit. 

“Hm?” A very sleepy Leon answered, his crutch almost slipping.

“Is that a duck following you?”

And there really was a duck waddling around the redhead’s legs.

“Oh yeah, John this is Donald the Duck. Donald the Duck, this is John.” Donald quacked “We’re friends.”

“Me and you or you and Donald?”

“Yes.”

“Right.”

Nevertheless to say that John was utterly unfazed by the bird following his friend. The guy thinks that even if it were a capivara it wouldn’t surprise him. Nothing was too weird anymore, maybe he would achieve nirvana.

Mark was silent the whole time, too sleepy to participate in the conversation.

The three boys sat down and started eating. Donald was on Leon’s lap as they kept chatting more, bodies filling with energy. Sometime after, the duck was on the table and Leon was giving him little pieces of the bread that he actually got just for the bird.

“Oh my god! Is that a duckie?!” A very excited high pitched voice sounded and they looked at the owner.

That was Pearl. Nick’s ex. She had brown long fluffy hair, was petite, had a bright smile on her face and rosy cheeks from excitement. Leon cursed mentally at how adorable she was. Following behind her there were Nick and Henry looking puzzled at the animal.

“Do you think it’ll let me pet it?” The girl fidgeted looking hopefully at Leon.

The first-year smiled despite himself. Crap, why was it so easy to smile to her “Let’s see” He then looked at the duck “What do you say?” The bird looked up from the breadcrumbs, got up and turned his back to them, sitting to eat in the opposite direction. “I don’t think he wants to right now” He turned to Pearl with an apologetic look.

“Awn” She looked dejected but still had a smile on her face “That’s alright, I’ll try again another time. I can just pet this cat instead” The girl turned to him and to Leon’s surprise, she patted his head. He was also surprised at the fact that he did not mind the caress. “You’re looking all soft from waking up” She giggled. His ears grew red, his half bun showing them off.

“All right, that’s enough of fawning over our first year” Nick’s eyebrow twitched as he sat down on the table across from the said boy.

“”Our first year?”” She repeated plainly.

“Mine and Henry’s”

“Last time I checked, I was also a second year” She mocked, her finger brushing Leon’s locks of hair that were down.

“Didn’t you, like, have an appointment with Star and the others or something?” Nick changed the subject, looking all the more annoyed.

“I’ll pretend that you are not shooing me off of here and go out of my own volition” Pearl flipped her hair over her shoulder, giving him a look. Then she turned to look at the other boys and smiled sweetly again “Bye, first-years. Bye little duckie” and left with a little wave.

“Boy” Leon huffed out a sigh “She really is cute”.

Mark and John laughed a little and nodded their heads. Maybe it was just impossible to dislike her, the girl just gave everyone fluffy vibes. Also, seeing Nick’s and her’s interaction, maybe rumors were really just rumors afterall.

“That flirty little woman” The second-year buffed out, fixing his own tray of food in front of him “Don’t get fooled Leon, that’s just how she is” He complained, spooning a bit of cereal.

“What, are you jealous of your ex?” Henry teased him, taking a sip of coffee. He threw some breadcrumbs to the duck as well, which the bird received happily.

“No, you ass. I’m just warning a kouhai out of a good heart” He also flicked a little bread to the duck. The animal was overjoyed. 

Leon couldn’t help laughing. Nick thought Pearl would flirt with him? And what good would that do when the one he liked was this idiotic “good hearted” senpai over here. Not that he knew of it, but still.

“So, what’s with the duck?” Henry asked, still giving him food.

“His name is Donald” John offered.

“And I think he’s in love with Leon” Mark added.

“You seduced a duck?” Nick sneered, scrunching his nose.

“I did nothing” Leon stuck out his tongue to him then scratched the little guy’s head “I’m just charming like that”.

“Are you bragging about enchanting a bird?”

“Ssh” The redhead said to the duck, coming closer “Don’t listen to them, you are adorable” Donald made a happy noise and rubbed his head against the boy’s cheek.

“That’s kind of amazing?” Henry gapped.

“I think I’m speechless.” Nick rested his cheek on his hand.

“He understands you?” John asked, looking amused.

“Animals like him” Mark deadpanned “I think he was a druid on his past life”

As the five boys were fawning over the little creature none of them noticed a nervous guy approaching the table. He hesitated a little, playing with his fingers, but took a deep breath and stepped up.

“E-excuse me” The boy was able to let out. He winced when all the five people looked back at him “ah… hm… I… er…” He stuttered anxiously. His eyes darted all over them “C-can I talk to.. Leon for a second?” He finished, breath hitching.

“Do you know him?” Nick eyed the boy suspiciously.

Leon shook his head and looked back at the boy “What is it?”

“Ah, I… was thinking, maybe.. I could speak alone with you?” The boy’s eyes seemed to be spiralizing. The redhead thought he would combust as he raised his eyebrows inquisitively. “W-we don’t need to, like, go far… I know your foot is h-hurt, but just… at that other table? Maybe?” He asked hopefully pointing to an empty table by his side. Leon saw little tears at the corner of his eyes.

“O...kay?” The first-year said before he could think better. Then he got up and stumbled a little “Ah, my crutches..”

“IF” The boy said out loud, startling both himself and everyone else “I’m so sorry! I mean, if that’s alright with you… I could, maybe, support you??”

Nick almost pitied the guy at this moment. He looked so eager to help and talk to Leon. It was really too bad for him, that the long haired boy hated talking to people he didn’t know… also the first-year only allowed Mark to help him, right? The senpai shook his head lightly. Would the boy cry?

The rejection was on the tip of Leon’s tongue, really. As we already know, he disliked relying on people for stuff like this. But the guy was so, so nervous, and so hopeful, and looking so much like an abandoned puppy… That the long-haired boy felt like he’d be doing the boy a favor by accepting it.

“Donald” Leon turned to face the duck “Be a good duckie and go back to your friends at the lake, ok?” And to everyone's surprise the bird quacked and turned around, waddling away.

“Unbelievable!” Henry and Nick said at the same time.

The boy in front of the table was confused at the interaction. When the redhead turned back to him and extended his arm, he did not move, blinking dumbly.

“Are you helping me or not?” Leon teased, pretending to be impatient.

“Yes!” The boy jumped, grabbed at his elbow “Yes, I will!” And was even able to smile a little bit.

Leaning towards the boy, he let him guide both of them to the far end of the table of choice. Leon did not turn back to see the affront on Nick’s face as he glared at them.