Twisted Wonderland Moments

It's a Date (Leona/Mara)

In the cafeteria....

Leona barely touched his food. He wasn't even looking at it. His green eyes stared intensely at Mara. The cheetah beastman was at another table, sharing a conversation with Cosette, Grim, and Yuuma. His ears were up, trying to make out their conversation.

"Are you gonna eat that?"

His ears changed direction to Ruggie's voice, who eyed at the egg and ham cheese sandwich hungrily. Jack was seated next to him, though he couldn't care less about the food. Rather, he was more concerned about his housewarden, who seemingly lost his appetite.

Leona rolled his eyes, unimpressed by Ruggie's endless appetite before shoving the tray towards him. Take it. I'm not hungry." He stated. The hyena wagged his tail excitedly and greedily devoured the sandwich like it would be the last meal of the day.

However, that's when a thought quickly sinked in when he actually considered something.

"Wait....you're not hungry?!"

Ruggie nearly choked in surprise with the food in his mouth as he shot a wide eye look at his friend. Jack had the same reaction, looking like he had just witnessed a miracle before him. "Oi. Don't talk with your mouth fall." Leona pointed out, ignoring the jaw-dropping and wide eye expressions they wore.

"You've never said that you're not hungry! What gives? Are you sick? You don't look sick." Ruggie rapidly fired a bunch of questions. Though it seems exaggerated, he just never thought to see the food loving lion suddenly lose any mood to eat. What's more surprising is how he easily gave his lunch to Ruggie.

"I'm just not hungry. Now, can it." Leona affirmed as his ears flattened, turning away from him to dodge his questions.

"Ruggie."

His blue eyes glanced to the freshmen who motioned with his eyes to something. Ruggie looked to his right, and his ears twitched with intrigue when he saw the girls. Glancing back forth between Leona's gaze and the girls, he started to piece the puzzles when he saw his gaze was focused on Mara. An amused grin began to form on his face.

"Not hungry, huh? Hee hee." The hyena chuckled amusingly. Jack shook his head, disappointed at how the second year thought.

"Oi. Watch it."

Ruggie felt a shudder go up his back, and his fur stood up on his ears and tail when Leona warned him. The lion sent a disapproving glare as his green eyes glowed intensely. Regardless if he liked Mara or not, he wasn't gonna tolerate suggestive talking like that. Especially when it's about a female.

"Ok, ok. I didn't mean anything bad. I'm just messing around." Ruggie assured him nervously, holding his hands up. He genuinely didn't mean anything. Jack smiled, satisfied that for once his housewarden put the second year in his place. Leona's shoulders relaxed, still holding his glare firmly at him.

However, his ears caught some laughter from the other side. As his eyes shifted their gaze back to the other table, he spotted Mara pulling back Grim. The cat had been persistently climbing back on the table to try and snatch the hamburger on Mara's plate as she kept laughing.

"Heh." Leona smiled in amusement as he watched from his table. Her laughter became his favorite sound to hear. However, he shook his head, feeling fustrated.

'Is this how Falena felt? I thought he was being dramatic honestly about the whole falling in love thing. Can't believe I'm saying this, but now I'm starting to sense why.' He reluctantly thought back to how his brother acted during his time with his wife.

These feelings were natural to Leona. It made him want to be vulnerable a little, and he hated that. If he didn't do something soon, those usual feelings would naw at him.

"I'm gonna go ask her."

The two snapped their heads to their housewarden when he declared his next move. Without waiting for a response or a second opinion, he got up and made his way to the girls. "Housewarden Leona asking a girl out? How do you think it will go?" Jack asked, slightly curious. With his sarcastic and agitated behavior, the wolf genuinely wondered how he would be in asking a girl.

"Well, considering how extra nice he is to girls, shouldn't be that hard. But he and Mara are enemies so this should be interesting." Ruggie added, watching as he took another bite from his sandwich.

"Excuse me, ladies." Leona announced, getting their attention as he leaned on the table. "Sorry."  Leona offered an apology before his eyes went to Mara. "Wish he talked that way to us." Ruggie mumbled, slightly jealous the girls get special treatment.

"Mara. Are you free for dinner tonight?" Leona inquired casually. She stared back at him, slightly surprised by that question. He saw her ears relaxed and she smiled softly at him.

"Yes."

The corners of his mouth perked in a small smile, pleased to hear a quick answer from her. He had honestly thought she would question it or say no. But a quick yes meant there be less trouble for him.

"Alright. Then, it's a date." He confirmed, gently bumping her shoulder with his hand. He ignored the wide eye stares from his dormmates. "I'll pick you up at 7 PM." He informed her before walking away. Mara couldn't stop smiling at him as he walked past his friends, who stared at him with hanging jaws.

"I'm sorry. What were we saying?" She turned back to resume where they left off. Instead, she was greeted with huge eyes and excited faces from her friends. Even Grim was so surprised that the piece of burger meat he snatched had slipped out of his mouth. The cheetah stared at them, taken back by those expressions.

"What?"