Cliché

Chapter Eleven: Bentô

Author's Notes:

This chap wrote itself, it was supposed to be something else.

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The university witnessed two weeks of silence and peace.

There were no races, no people jumping from higher floors, no bicycles, no throwing stuff, no heavier pranks. The students who got used to all the messing around were feeling bored even. It was like free entertainment for them, but lately nothing was happening so people started to notice that... Leon and Nick were giving each other the silent treatment.

For two weeks they ignored each other. They'd pass by, make an annoyed expression and go the other way. They purposely took routes to not meet. In the dance club, they stood on each end of the room, as far as possible.

Some people had seen the fight of course, but they just noticed the screaming and some of the words exchanged, so the rumors and gossip were of all kinds. From absurd things like: Leon accused Nick of being a playboy because Nick stole his partner; to: Nick lost his patience once and for all with the unrespectful first-year; and so on.

As we know, none of that happened of course.

Leon knew he had crossed the line at the end of the fight. But he felt so outraged with the whole thing. The first-year didn't understand what he did so wrong for Nick to be that mad. They had fought before, but it was never something like this, it was always an almost friendly banter, not accusations like that.

Leon missed Nick. He actually wanted to apologize after a while, even as he felt wronged, but first of all: he didn't know how, it felt weird to be that plainspoken out of nowhere, and second: Mark told him he shouldn't be the first to do it because Nick had started the argument. The redhead asked if that didn't sound a bit childish, and Mark confirmed it was, but that Nick deserved it this time. And so, Leon didn't.

Nick, on the other hand, felt very guilty. He didn't recognize himself in that fight, what was he even doing? Why had he felt so angry? He knows that Leon isn't really a flirt. At least not on purpose, he thought, but the boy was certainly annoyingly natural at it. And anyways, what if he was? Why would that make his reaction reasonable? The second-year knew he should say sorry.

He knew he should. But... Every time Nick thought about the whole thing, irritation went up his head. It just did not sit right with him. How come Leon was so handsy and sweetie to his friends but not with him? The black haired thought they had gotten closer, but was it just him? Was he someone the first-year could just mess around and then leave? Leon even went as far as say the same kind of things that the people who wanted to beat him up said.

It was all very irrational you see. But as Nick's and Leon's pride held up, none of them made any effort to say something to each other.

"And so? Are you not gonna talk to him, like, ever again?" That was Henry.

Henry and Nick were walking around the canteen with trays of food at lunch time when Henry noticed that his friend was looking around, wary, clearly searching for someone. To hell if he didn't know who he was looking for.

"Not that it makes any difference to me, y'know" He went on "But you're going a long way to avoid him and honestly? Spare me." And sighed in defeat.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Nick sat down and pretended he never looked anywhere, shaking his head like a dog.

"Oh geez, how convincing, really, thank god you went for the dance and not the drama club" Henry sat in front of him as he said that in complete annoyance.