Better Left Unsaid

18

"I'm not sure if I trust your decision or not on the idea of making me the royal tutor."

"Are you saying I have bad taste?"

"I'm not." Heine took a sip of the wine. "I just have the same mentality as I did back then."

"Heine, I believe you're a man who can save the world."

Heine looked down at the mostly blank page before him. He couldn't remember why it was in front of him. Probably to make assignments for the princes. At least he thought until he read what was on the page.

You're my world.

He sighed. He really had his head in the clouds. Either that or Victor had a secret power to manipulate his thoughts. Not that he would really use it.

Heine was really losing it. Not that he minded why just that it was distracting him so much. He was like a lovestruck teenager. Only one of those two things being embarrassingly true. And it's odd. His mind was clear as day when with Victor earlier. It only started up with ideas and thoughts when he leaped from the window. Worsened when he got back to his room. Near killed him when he was with the princes.

One of these days it'll sink into him that this is his biggest problem. Wasn't even that long ago that the princes chances to the throne were in danger. Now he's more worried about such a trivial thing as being distracted by their affections.

They really are Victor's sons. There was no doubt about it. Only his son's would scatter his brain do much. This family was truly a piece of work. Whether they counted him into the family was another thing even though it's pretty obvious that they wanted to include him. Admittedly, all five of them were his world. The dream he always sought out when he was younger. He knew meeting Victor was the start of something entirely new and great but this was truly something else. He never in his life expected this. Yet, he didn't feel like he deserved it. No way in hell did he deserve all this. He's just a regular commoner who so happens to be 'friends' with the king.

And yet, they see him as someone who could save the world. Maybe that's true. If they're his world then certainly he's already saved the world before. It occurred to him at that thought.

Victor's judgement never seemed to fail.

~

Leo was supposed to be doing math work as usual. He couldn't help being distracted by Heine's staring though. It was distracting at best, terrifying at worst. Heine looked like a creepy doll staring off into nowhere. It wasn't the first time he had done either. It was quite normal but there was something intense about the look on his face. Despite being somewhat expressionless, Heine's emotions still surfaced at times. And it would distract Leo.

He always ended up with unfinished work and a new understanding of Heine. He wasn't at he level where he could read Heine like a book but he could tell the small differences in Heine's expression. It almost made him feel smart being able to detect the trouble in Heine. Made him feel a bit better because even Heine couldn't solve everything.

Today, however, was an odd one.  A mixed bag of emotions that he didn't think Heine could quite handle. He looked troubled yet calm. And it scared the ever living shit out of Leo. Especially when Heine's eyes would flicker towards him. Especially with the fact that when eyes were on him, Heine's lips would twitch into a smile for a second.

"You're distracted, is something troubling you, your highness?" He jumped at that, hitting his knee on the desk. Heine's daze seemed to snap completely once the pain swelled on his knee. It was definitely going to leave a bruise. "Are you alright?"

"Yes! I'm fine!" Leo blurted much too quickly, holding back a bit of a scream. Not only did his knee hurt but Heine's worried expression hit him hard too. Still, he held a croaked smile laced obviously with fear.

"Are you sure?" Heine reached towards him. He backed up in his chair. Losing balance and falling back. It was then that he let go of the scream in his throat. Suddenly, he lay with his back on the floor, two fallen chairs, and Heine at his side. He didn't feel any pain on his back though. Since when did the floor feel like two small hands-wait. "Alright," Heine started as he brought Leo to his feet. "perhaps a break from work is in order."

"Wait," Leo snapped back to reality after a moment. "does that mean I can have a torte?"

"Yes, you can." Heine smiled. Leo's face lit up, the whole situation nearly forgotten for a moment as he cheered like the kid he always would be despite being 15. He ended up a babbling mess about different tortes.

Heine didn't seem like he was listening much though. He wore that soft smile as he did when glancing at Leo from time to time but it looked almost sad.

Leo made a mental note to tell his brothers about this. It was embarrassing but they needed to know. They needed to solve their tutor. 

~

It started raining when he finally got his torte. He couldn't help but stare at his towering windows and see the rain drop on it as he ate. He had told Heine to stay given that his time with him wasn't up quite yet. He thought it was smart to question Heine. Instead, they sat in silence. Both looking at the window though.

Leo glanced at Heine and saw a soft somber look on him. He frowned.

"You know, Heine," He started, looking back to the window. "I've always liked looking at the rain." He smiled and took a forkful of his torte.

"Well, it does look quite nice." Leo swallowed down the sweet.

"It reminds me of this story. I can't remember where I heard or if I read it." He laid back into his couch to get more comfortable. "It was something about the sky and the Earth. That they loved each other but they had no way to hold one another. So the sky created his own temporary arms. That's what the rain is. It's just a way for them to hold each other. I always thought that was real sad though." He looked at Heine who merely shook his head.

"It's not sad. It seems that way but even though its little time, they still get to hold one another."

"Huh. I never looked at it that way."

"Love is an odd thing."

"Is it?"

"I..." Heine paused for a moment. "...need to get going." He stood up from the chair in front of Leo. "If you have anymore questions about the work I gave you, just find me." He walked to the door, briefly looking at the windows, then leaving the room altogether.

Leo sat there dumbfounded at the odd response. Why didn't Heine answer the question?