fire flower; leopold vermillion x oc [Black Clover]

Chapter 19: Departure

The kiss has intoxicated me; I haven't been able to think straight since then. Leopold and I were smiling at each other when he walked me back to my room and wished me goodnight. But today, I haven't seen him at all; he's probably packing for his long-term mission. I regret saying that I didn't care he was leaving when he told me, because now, I do care. It's not like we're officially together or anything, but I can't stop thinking about him. Calm down, Mari. Yes, the kiss meant something, but don't get ahead of yourself. You still don't know that much about him!

The kiss was more of a declaration of our mutual feelings for each other. But I feel... surprisingly excited for the future. And yet his impending departure is still there, creeping behind me like a shadow. 

I walk back to my room after the sparring session, Leopold's face stuck in my mind. And when I turn the corner... Speak of the devil. He's standing in front of my door, his face pensive and calculating, like he doesn't know whether to knock or walk away or do something else. I can't help but give a smirk. Adorable.

"What are you doing, Leopold?" The smirk has turned into a full-sized smile, and I can't force it down as I walk up to him. It seems he feels the same way, because his lips are struggling to remain still.

"Oh, there you are. I just...uh..." he blushes, then clears his throat. We both know what we're feeling for each other, best to just act normal. "I wanted to say goodbye." The inside of my chest caves a bit, and my smile wavers. Right. The mission.

"Three weeks, right?" I mumble, looking away. I can tell he's sad as well, but we still don't know what this thing is between us. We don't have the luxury to act like we're together.

He nods, and silence falls over both of us. It stretches on, winding through the corridor and out into the courtyard. I can't stand it.

My face furiously red, I manage to choke out, "I'll-I'll miss you." It takes all my willpower to not backtrack and deny my words once they're out. Stupid, stupid, stupid, Mari!

But instead of laughing, or ridiculing me, he looks as flustered as I am when he responds, "I will too." We look away from each other, a tension now writhing in the air. It's worse than the silence.

"Mari," he says, stepping forward. As if on impulse, he takes hold of my hand, and a jolt of electricity rides up my spine. He sees my subtle flinch, and loosens his grip, but I hold his fingers tight.

"We'll figure it out. We'll figure out this thing between us." I stare up at him, giving him a tight-lipped, faint, but sincere smile. "Don't die on your mission. You won't have me there to save your ass." I grin, a faint laugh leaving my chest.

He returns the smile, shooting back, "And I won't be there to rescue you from crazy criminal organizations." We share a hushed, muted, but gleeful laugh. And then he pulls me close, wrapping me in a hug. This time I don't push him way, this time I stay in his arms, my head against his chest.

"Seriously," I murmur, half-delirious, lost in his warmth and his scent. He smells like woodsmoke and pine needles. "Don't get killed or anything."

"I won't," he murmurs back, and I feel a hand tentatively comb through the top of my head.

In those moments, I am filled with serenity. Peacefulness. Contentedness. Fulfillment. It is beautiful, and like all beautiful things, it does not last forever. Numerous footsteps echo from one of the nearby corridors, and we pull away from each other. We can't risk being seen together intimately at this stage, and we definitely can't be seen embracing. He waves goodbye, a half smile on his face, and then he's gone in a few wistful steps. His scent still clings to me, but as I enter my room, he feels so far away.