Because I Like You, Duh

Fandom: Seven Knights

Rating: Pg-15/T

Genre: Humor/Romance

Pairing: Kris/Rudy

Summary: Following the 'Light Chaser' webtoon spectacle after the academy tournament which was won by Kris, Rudy is confused when the Luxtov heir is suddenly often around him, talking to him and asking him for multiple friendly rematches. It's not like he doesn't like being around Kris, but the other noble teens that follow Kris around are sending Rudy resentful, jealous glares which never fail to give him Goosebumps.

Or, day to day life of Rudy and Kris in Luxtov Academy of Knights

Disclaimer: Seven Knights and its characters © NetMarble, the pics on the cover aren't mine either (I only put them in collage and edited them a bit using pixlr, the head part belonged to Kip, and the bottom parts belong to the official webtoon: Light Chaser)

Warning: None, actually, because it's a piece of life with hints of shounen ai. Maybe some inappropriate language, because 'teenagers'—varying from 16 to 18 (but it's in a round-about way, because they are mostly noble born), violence… because knights' material? But not that much. Some made-up names for other noble teens except the ones already mentioned in the webtoon

A/N: Finally I got time to write this down. Do you know how long I waited after I read the official webtoon? There're literally so many ideas popping up in my head after I read it and it's absolutely overwhelming! I couldn't even sleep and work properly because of them. Anyway, I hope you can enjoy it. Here you go!

Because I Like You, Duh—A Seven Knights Fan Fiction

© lunaryu~

Scene 1: Budding Friendship

There he is again.

Rudy ate his food slowly, a bit self-conscious. It was only the second time he ate in the cafeteria since he got a generous amount of scholarship this month. He didn't know why the sum was increased along with addition of free coupons for lunch that he couldn't usually afford from the luxurious cafeteria. But whatever the reason was, he was grateful.

Between new uniform and new material for weapon and armor in his third year in the academy, Rudy needed quite a lot of money to fill ends meet. It was a blessing that he could borrow books from the library, or he would have to add his part time work outside during the holiday and break period to buy them, or borrow some from the alumni, which he preferred to avoid at all cost because he really wasn't popular with any noble-born, especially since he was admitted into Luxtov Academy for Knights. It wouldn't end well, plus he didn't want to add ammunition for them to look down on him more. Also, he couldn't possibly asked his orphanage director to send more money because his sisters and brothers at the orphanage needed it more.

Rudy looked upward when that person stopped walking at his lone table near the window. He smiled at him softly, putting down his spoon. "What have I done for you to grace me with your regal presence, Sir Kris?"

Kris, the dark haired young noble heir of Luxtov Family, scowled at him, put down his own tray of food on the table and took a seat across of him. "I told you to stop with the sarcasm. Do you want me to make good of my warning and wipe the floor with your behind?"

Rudy couldn't help chuckling at that. "I am sorry, Milord. It is just so very fun teasing you."

"Seriously, stop with the 'Sir' and the title." Kris' glare intensified and Rudy just chuckled harder in mirth, his shoulder shaking with intense effort to hold down his laughter. He even covered his mouth at the end and coughed to disguise his laugh.

A few attempts later (since Kris was still glowering at him), Rudy calmed down, but kept smiling as he resumed eating. Seemingly satisfied that Rudy stopped laughing at his expense, Kris also started his lunch, and the silence between them as they ate together was comfortable instead of awkward.

~ # ~

It was bewilderingly confusing at first, when Kris started to approach him more often for no reason other than to talk to him.

It began a few weeks back, just before the second semester ended in their second year. Rudy was surprised when Kris showed up on class B, three days after the Luxtov Academy of Knights tournament final round.

"Kris?" Rudy widened his eyes.

"Hey," Kris nodded at him from the class doorstep, completely ignoring the other noble teens that gawked and sang praises around to his presence.

Rudy immediately stood up and approached him, rather unsure. "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"

Kris raised one of his eyebrows at him. "I can't visit you if there's nothing wrong?"

"Oh." Rudy blinked once, heat rising slightly on his cheek. "W-well," suddenly he felt rather embarrassed, scratching behind his neck sheepishly. However, when he was about to say 'thank you', a sudden chill ran down his spine as he felt the stares.

Just behind Kris, some of the black haired young man's noble followers sent Rudy a unified disgusted glares. Rudy didn't exactly flinch, but it was a close one, and as he glanced clandestinely behind him, his noble classmates were also glaring at him, grumbling and murmuring about how ill-mannered Rudy was for talking to Kris so informally.

Uh-oh. Some people do not like Kris fraternizing with the commoner...

"Uh... um, I thank you for your consideration in visiting me, uh, Sir Kris. What can I possibly do to help you today?" Rudy smiled awkwardly and tried to act more politely which only earned him a dubious look from Kris.

"What are you doing? What did I tell you about calling me like that?" Kris frowned.

"Eh, but..." Rudy sweated slightly, still smiling but even more awkwardly as he could feel the chill intensified from the resentful glares around him.

Kris seemed to notice Rudy's discomfort and sent a warning, narrowed gaze back to everyone else sans Rudy. Those people immediately cringed and looked the other way, still murmuring demeaning things about Rudy, but at least they stopped with the evil staring.

Those talks, Rudy was used to, but those spiteful stares were very eerie and disturbing, especially when he realized they were directed at him. He sighed in slight relief before he looked upward, smiling gratefully at Kris and mouthing 'thank you' at him.

Kris huffed lightly, his expression back to neutral. "May I speak with you more privately?" He jerked his head slightly aside, gesturing outside the door.

"Of course," Rudy nodded and followed him out of the class.

"Ah, wait, Kris!" Kris' noble fan groups also moved, apparently trying to follow him.

"Are you people having a problem with your hearing? I said I needed to speak to Rudy privately," Kris stressed his word at the end, not even giving them a glance as he grabbed Rudy's arm to follow him faster.

"Oh, t-then we'll wait for you at the cafeteria!" One of the noble teens said rather loudly yet nervously, since Kris and Rudy already walked a bit farther.

"Whatever," Kris huffed again and Rudy couldn't help staring at the hand on his lower arm, still feeling rather surreal that Kris chose to be with him instead of his noble friends.

"Um, Kris..." Rudy called slowly and Kris seemed to realize that he was still holding Rudy's arm. He immediately released him before he stopped walking.

"I'm sorry about them. They are not bad people. They just get too overwhelming sometimes," Kris made excuse for his noble friends' disrespectful behavior toward Rudy and even apologized on their behalf.

Rudy smiled at Kris' kindness softly. "I understand."

Kris nodded and started walking again. Rudy gladly followed him, beaming happily.

~ # ~

"So, what do you want to talk about, Kris?" Rudy asked when they arrived at a seclude place behind the school building. There was an alcove that jutted out from the side-building that provided them with a shade from the sun, comfortable and private enough to talk.

"Hey, Rudy, about the other day match..." Kris started, but then paused, prompting Rudy to urge him to continue.

"Yes?" Rudy tilted his head.

"Do you understand what I did at the end of the final round?" Kris looked at Rudy seriously.

"You mean, after you defeated Sir Landon?" Rudy confirmed.

"So his name was Landon..." Kris muttered darkly under his breath, looking aside austerely.

"Um, what's wrong?" Rudy was curious with Kris' change of expression.

"Nothing. There's an official investigation about those thugs that attacked us the other day. Apparently it was a set-up in order to injure me, so I wouldn't be able to compete in the final round." Kris explained and Rudy caught the meaning immediately.

"Do you think they were ordered by the Landon Family?" Rudy frowned, rather perturbed about the idea of cheating. That wasn't really a knight's material at all.

Kris shrugged. "I don't really care about that anymore, and that's not what I want to talk about with you."

"That's not it?" Rudy blinked again, getting confused.

Kris shook his head. "No. It was about my gesture just after my victory. I pointed out my sword at you. Do you remember?"

"Ah," Rudy put the side of his fist on his palm. "Yes, I do. What about it?" He smiled again at Kris, a little bit inquisitive.

"As I thought," Kris huffed. "You don't understand the meaning, do you?"

"Um." A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. "There was a meaning in that gesture?" Rudy thought Kris just wanted to show off to him at the time.

"It means, I want a rematch with you." Kris looked straightly into Rudy's eyes, pools of deep dark sapphire drilling into his amber ones, his body moving closer as well.

"Uh... eh?" Suddenly, Rudy got an urge to step back.

"A rematch," Kris repeated, getting another step forward as Rudy finally stepped back in reaction. "That Landon guy's skill and power don't hold a candle to yours. You are far superior in every aspect."

"Oh," Rudy felt his cheeks warm up again. "T-thank you, for your praise..." Rudy felt rather flattered then, but since Kris was still moving closer, he kept stepping back to put some appropriate distance between them.

"It was unfair that the representative from our year could only be one. That final round should be you and me instead of that cheat." Kris sounded really dissatisfied.

"What are you saying? You won the representative seat fair and square," Rudy chuckled, scratching behind his neck again, still feeling embarrassed that Kris thought so highly of his skill.

"We both know that that isn't true," Kris pouted... well, 'sulked'. Kris would kill him if the noble knew that Rudy thought his pout adorable, so Rudy didn't say anything about it. "Our unofficial match before was influenced by my family and associates. Doing something so unworthy behind my back like that... It was as if they didn't trust my ability to win fairly. It irritates me to no end," he growled ominously.

"But, you did win in the final round spectacularly. That's definitely proof enough that you have the capacity and right as our year' representative." Rudy smiled gently, putting his palm on Kris' shoulder and the gesture seemed to surprise Kris. It also surprised Rudy how warm Kris' shoulder was.

Also, Rudy didn't know since when, but when he realized, his back already hit one of the pillars that supported the alcove above them and he had nowhere to step back anymore as Kris also stopped moving closer to him. He was already very close though— so close that if Rudy slumped forward slightly, his face would be a hair-breath away from Kris'— and still looked at Rudy's eyes with an undecipherable gleam in his dark colored eyes.

"You... you're too nice for your own good, Rudy," Kris said, his look conflicted.

"T-thank you?" That was a compliment, right?

"People are going to take advantage of you at this rate," Kris warned, yet his expression softened for some reason.

Rudy smiled gently at the hint of concern in Kris' tone. "A knight ought to always be ready to help people in need," he repeated his conviction, the same reason of why he wouldn't leave Kris and chose to help him when Kris was attacked the other day.

Kris huffed again, a touch of amusement in his eyes. "It doesn't mean a knight can't be cautious about people's motive." He poked at Rudy's chest. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't gentle either. It was strong and packed with Kris' own principle.

"Ah, you're so nice for worrying about me." Rudy put his other hand on Kris' poking hand and there was a strange feeling that stirred in his heart when he noticed that Kris didn't pull his hand away from Rudy's.

Oh. Looking closer, Kris' eyes were so blue and deep. Instead of sapphire, they looked more like a pair of ocean. They were captivating, beautiful.

"I'm not worried about you," Kris grunted, scowl back on his face, but there was a tinge of pink on his cheeks. He looked so sweet like that. "You just irritate me for acting like a good boy all the time, Mr. Honor student." He pulled back slightly and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Ah, but you are also an honor student, Kris. That won't be a proper tease," Rudy chuckled again, feeling content and happy for catching Kris' embarrassment.

"Stop laughing. I'm serious about that rematch, Rudy," Kris challenged with a huff. "It doesn't have to be official. I just want a fair fight with you."

"Alright then. How about a spar after school?" Rudy finally relented. Besides, he also wanted to test his skill against Kris again. No one on their year could make Rudy fight as seriously as Kris could. The sparring would be amazingly fun and challenging.

"It's a promise then." Kris smiled, his eyes shining with glint of excitement that possibly mirrored in Rudy's own eyes.

Goddess, he can make such expression as well—Rudy widened his eyes, rather astonished that he actually witnessed Kris' genuine smile instead of his smirk. His heartbeat suddenly picked up paces after skipping a beat. Huh? W-what?

Now Rudy got bewilderingly alarmed. Why did his heart suddenly act up like that? He was definitely thrilled at the prospect of fighting Kris seriously without having to worry about the orphanage financial situation, but... somehow...

Why am I more interested in making Kris smile like that again?

End of Scene 1

A/N: Heya, Knights! I'm back again with lighthearted fluffy piece for Seven Knights fandom. It's the official webtoon's fault, obviously. The plot bunny kept popping up and multiplying. Hm? It sounds like it's multi-chapter-ed fan fic? Nah, it's a series of one-shots. It can have a continuation or just bunches of unrelated topics put into one big title, not chronologically. But like the summary says, these stories will show day to day life of Kris and Rudy in the last year of their academy days XD. So... care to comment?