Chapter 41: Chapter 41: The early bird

Jean knew, for a fact, that Leander was the most accepting of him from the Try Hard Party. He had this harmless feel to him that made Jean just want to protect him. Sure, that feeling had made Jean mock him, once, but things had changed.

So, after training, he lingered in the locker room and waited for Leander to get out of the shower.

"Hey, lemon cake, a word?" Leander was already dressed, as he was always after leaving the communal bathroom. Jean knew that the healer was ashamed of his body and didn't want for anyone to see him naked.

"Sure? What is it?" Leander expected to be lectured on his little misstep that he had done during training. When he had aimed an arrow barrage at some animated dummies and had nearly hit Jean, instead. "Sorry about earlier."

"Don't think about that, lemon cake. I have been wondering, for how long have you lived in Huergaz? You don't speak like the natives," Leander blinked.

"Well, I think four months, maybe five?" Jean nodded. He had thought something along the same lines.

"And, most of the time was spent in the training hall or the library, correct? Lemon cake, you need to live a little. How about I show you my favorite haunts?" Jean wanted to show his appreciation to Leander. Take him out to his favorite restaurant and treat him to a meal. Because, if Leander had not given him an out when he had nearly challenged all the spectators of the training hall to an honor duel, maybe Jean would be in either the same state, or worse, than Andors.

"I was going to go to the library to begin looking at the quick heal spells, but ok. If it is not a bother," Jean smiled brightly and picked up his things.

"Have you ever been to the statue of the first duke Klorfiel? The view from the top is something else," Jean offered. Leander smiled bashfully at him.

"Do you think I can climb it? I mean, it is visible in the entire city," Leander finished packing his things and followed Jean out of the locker.

"Sure, there is a lift to the top. It is a fifteen minute ascend. And every minute is worth it," they passed by the guild hall, where Morris and Dorian were looking through some of the free textbooks that the guild master sanctioned after the Samkiel disaster.

"Hey, Leander! They are giving free quick heal spells in here," Morris waved, and then he stopped to stare at Jean. "Where were you guys going?"

"I am abducting lemon cake so that I can ravage him every night. And neither of you can stop me," Jean had said all that with a straight face, and his arm found itself around Leander's middle. Leander chuckled and swatted at him.

"Honestly, the nickname I can handle, but you can't say things like that in public. Think of the party's image," Leander chastised, and Jean put his arm away.

"I was just messing with them, lemon cake. No harm done," but Jean's admission did not put neither Morris nor Dorian at ease. They both looked at Jean with a critical eye. If he wanted to, he could take them both out of the running.

"Jean, a minute," Dorian called, smiling sweetly, but seething inside.

Jean went to him, just as Morris began to talk to Leander about the textbooks on offer.

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"You can't date Leander. Morris, Armaros and I are going to date him," Dorian hissed and Jean's eyebrows rose.

"Wait, what?" Jean sputtered. Had he heard right?

"Don't make me repeat myself, Jean. Back off, or we will have trouble in the party," Jean frowned at Dorian. Now, he was a rebel at heart. So, when someone told him not to do something, he did it anyway.

"You know, I asked him out on a friendly outing, not on a date. But now that you mention it, his hair is quite to my liking. His eyes are like emeralds and his nose is adorable. Not to mention his voice is as soft as velvet," Jean was smirking by the end. He had no intention of dating Leander. But, he had been pushed, so, he pushed back.

"This is not a game," Dorian warned, eyes blazing. "If you play with his feelings, I will exclude you from the party!"

"What? Why should it be just a game? Do you think that I am so petty as to look at his weight and judge him by it?" Jean snapped. Because, he was not. But, he didn't think he was the right person for Leander. He needed simps like Morris and Dorian, not someone who would expect him to make some steps of his own. And, honestly, he only knew Armaros in passing, but the boy was enough of a softie to be good to lemon cake.

"What are you two talking about?" Leander was behind them with a textbook clutched in his hand. He looked to be in good cheer.

"I invited Dorian to come with us. You don't mind, do you?" Jean sent a look at Dorian. Let it not be said that Jean Firebolt egged on a man in love.

"Can I come, too?" Morris chimed in. He, too, had a textbook in his hand. His on mana sensing.

"Oh, then, Armaros has to come too," Leander turned his big, green, eyes at Jean and gave him his best pleading look. "He wants to be a part of our party."

"Sure, is he here?" Jean looked around for the raven-haired mage in training. Leander pointed at the front desk, where Armaros was talking to Baleg.

"I'll go get him," Leander, then turned and left. Morris placed a hand over Jean's shoulder and smiled sweetly at him.

"I am certain that Dorian had told you the entire story, but, let me tell you this: Leander is nice and friendly, but he will never be your lemon cake," the berserker patted his shoulder condescendly and went to the front desk, followed by Dorian.

Oh, he did not.

That rookie had done an honor duel worthy offense. And, he was going to pay. By losing that which he wanted to possess. Jean vowed. 

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