Decided to make this non-yandere :3
Leona Kingscholar wasn't one to show vulnerability. In fact, vulnerability was a weakness in his eyes, something to be hidden away, buried deep beneath layers of pride and arrogance. He had learned long ago that emotions were for the weak, for those who couldn't stand on their own two feet. But everything he had believed about himself—his strength, his power, his self-control—was starting to crumble in the presence of one person.
Y/n.
From the moment Leona had laid eyes on them, something shifted inside him. At first, he chalked it up to the annoying habit they had of getting under his skin without even trying. They always seemed to know exactly when to talk to him, when to make him laugh with their infectious smile, when to gently challenge his words without making it feel like an insult. They were kind, but not in a way that made him feel small. They were kind in a way that made him want to protect them, but also a way that made him feel... exposed.
He hated it.
At first, Leona tried to ignore the feelings growing inside him. His usual tricks didn't work on Y/n. They weren't intimidated by his snarls or harsh words. They simply took him as he was—gruff, abrasive, and a little distant—but they didn't back away. It frustrated him. And the more time he spent with them, the more the irritation started to mix with something else. Something far more irritating.
And that was where the problem began. Leona didn't want to feel *this* way, especially about someone so seemingly oblivious to everything he was going through. Y/n was kind, smart, and always so comfortable around him, and it made Leona's chest tighten every time they smiled.
It all came to a head one sunny afternoon in the school's lush gardens, a place that Leona normally found peace. He had come here to escape the noisy chaos of the day, to be alone with his thoughts. But, as always, his thoughts were dominated by Y/n.
He had tried to keep his distance, tried to maintain the cold, detached persona he had carefully crafted for years. But Y/n... Y/n had a way of making him question everything.
He turned the corner of the garden path and stopped dead in his tracks. There, sitting near the fountain, was Y/n, gazing down at a delicate flower in their hands. It was a rare one that bloomed only once a year, its petals shimmering with a silver glow in the sunlight. Leona couldn't help but notice how beautiful the flower was, but more than that, he noticed how beautiful Y/n looked in this quiet moment. Their face was lit up with an expression of awe and peace, something that almost made him forget how much he was fighting to stay in control.
He cleared his throat, wanting to break the silence, but his voice came out gruff. "What are you doing here?"
Y/n looked up at him, smiling warmly. "I've been waiting for you." They patted the space beside them on the stone bench. "Come sit."
Leona didn't want to. He really didn't. He didn't want to let his guard down around them, didn't want to let himself get too comfortable. But for some reason, he found himself walking toward them anyway. He sat down beside them, his gaze shifting between the flower and the ground.
"You always come here to think, don't you?" Y/n's voice was gentle, almost like they could read him better than anyone else could.
Leona grunted in acknowledgment, not trusting his voice to say anything else. He was too tense, too aware of how close they were. But Y/n didn't seem to mind the silence, as they often didn't. Instead, they held up the flower for him to see, their expression softening.
"I didn't know you liked this flower," Y/n said, their eyes meeting his. "It's beautiful."
Leona, caught off guard, tried to brush it off. "It's just a stupid flower," he muttered, turning away slightly. He wanted to keep his distance, wanted to act like it didn't matter, like Y/n didn't matter.
