-How was dinner?

Louis sat in his bed and leaned his head against the wall. He knew he had to initiate or the wolf would never tell him anything. He began lightly thumping his head against the wall. It was strange being the one smitten. If that was what this was. He had been thinking about it ever since he snuck out of Legosi's early the other day.

He wondered what dinner with the Beastar would be like. What questions would he ask one of his idols. He remembered watching Yafya on TV when he was younger. He remembered wanting to be like him. Why had he chosen Legosi? Was he feeling a twinge of jealousy? If so, towards whom?

He tossed his phone to the side. It disappeared into the red comforter. He stood up. Realizing he hadn't given himself a reason, he began to roam his room. He had to laugh at himself. Some dumb dog had wandered into his life and reduced him to this? The Great Louis had finally been bested. His prosthetic clicked angrily the more he paced.

Sitting down on the bed, he took off his prosthetic off and put it back on, tighter this time. It didn't help, but the the discomfort was something to concentrate on. He looked around for more things to do. Something to distract himself with. He went to his desk and sat down. There was still unfinished homework, as his mind had prior distractions.

He began taking out his notes from his bag. A paper slipped out and floated to the floor. He looked at his medicated scribbles. He picked it up, wondering why he had kept it. Poorly drawn beetles climbed up and down the side of the page. Imagining Legosi, bored, drawing them while Louis ate his soup made him smile.

He put the page down and forced himself to do homework. His eyes kept glancing up at the page. Frustrated, he grabbed it, crumpled it up, and threw it across the room. He stared at his homework with no motivation to do it. Groaning, he got up and went to go get the page. He tried to flatten it out as much as possible on the desk.

After he hastily finished his homework, he dug his phone out from the blankets. The screen flashed that he had no new messages.

"This is typical." He told himself.

It was typical. Legosi's lack of communication was one of his worst qualities. It was something that annoyed Louis to no end. And something he found endearing?

Louis sat up to turn off his alarm. He opened his messages to make sure it was sending him notifications. Still nothing. He swung his legs out of bed and put on his prosthetic.

-How are you doing?

He started the shower and stood in it, letting the water run over his face. Could Legosi be mad at him? He went through all of the reasons, there were quite a bit, but Legosi wasn't the type to hold grudges. He shut off the water, a little satisfied with narrowing it down.

His hair wasn't fully dry when he walked outside. Even though it was warmer, he still shivered. The breeze seemed to rip deeper into his coat. He hurried to class.

The heaters were still on, to his relief. He sat in the back close to one of the radiators. Why such an expensive university still had radiators was byond him, but he wasn't complaining. With the source of heat at his back, he took out his book and notes. Finance wasn't the most exciting class, but if he wanted to be a successful heir to his father, he was going to have to power through.

The professor started the lesson by talking about ethical business practices. Louis cracked a smile. He couldn't imagine his father's reaction if he went to him talking about ethical business. And what he would have bought him to show him his disappointment. He didn't used to see anything wrong with what his father did. It wasn't until Legosi…

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He secretly slid it out of his pocket and checked it. Zero messages. It had been his imagination. He let out a sigh, putting it back in his pocket. If Legosi wasn't going to think about him, the he wasn't going to waste energy thinking about him.

He felt his phone buzz. He checked it again.

His phone notified him it was Legosi's birthday. He wasn't sure why he had put it in his calendar. He remembered looking at his police file and thinking it would be funny.

With nothing to do with that information. He continued with his day. He kept getting the urge to do something, but he couldn't quite place what that urge was. Instead, he was left with an unsatisfied feeling.

They had reached the final week of rehearsal. Louis watched from backstage as one of the leads stumbled through a monologue, script still in hand. The director had pleaded for him to just call for lines, but he refused. Everyone else was off book, and anytime it was brought up, he would get indignant and complain about how busy he was.

Louis had memorized the lead's part, just in case the director took him up on his offer to switch roles. It was a waste, only giving him one monologue. Rehearsal ended with the lead storming out dramatically. Louis had been hoping college would be more mature than high school.

As he walked to his dorm. He saw the postman through the glass doors, putting letters into the mailbox. He turned around and began walking off campus with a purpose.

He pushed through the revolving doors to the pharmacy and went into the card section. Most didn't feel like Legosi. They were either funny or they were lovey dovey, which was not really their relationship. He pulled a blue one out that simply said: 'It's your birthday.' It had no opinion, just like Legosi.

He bought it and got on the train. On the way there he took out a pen and wrote: 'Happy Birthday -Louis'. He stuck the card in the envelope and licked it shut.

An intense flare of nervousness hit him. He didn't have a reason to be going. Why would he know it was Legosi's birthday?

"Hey, Legosi-"

No

"I was just in the neighborhood-"

No

"I was just reading your police file-"

He kept mumbling under his breath, trying to find something to not make it weird. Nothing came to mind.

He got off and cursed all the way down the steps, his sweaty hand dampening the card. His heart nearly jumped into his throat when he saw the wolf's face across the street. He could feel his blood thumping through his arm as he raised it to flag Legosi down.

He quickly brought it down when he saw a familiar, little, white figure walking beside him. He ducked into an ally and watched them enter the wolf's apartment. His blood went cold.

"Fuck!" He breathed. Had they been dating this entire time? He had made out with Legosi! Multiple times! He put his back against the wall and slid down. His face grew hot and the back of his neck prickled.

He noticed a few looks from passersby, so he got up and tossed the card in the dumpster. The adrenaline left his body, only defeat remained. He began walking back towards the train station but walked past it, following the tracks. As he followed them he came across a little diner. He went inside and sat down at a booth. A cute doe in a pink apron asked him for his order. He ordered a coffee.

The bitter drink scalded his tongue on the first sip. He stared out the window, watching a couple pass by. Their hands intertwined and swinging lightly as they walked. They looked so happy, completely alone in their own little world. Louis folded his hands together and interlocked his fingers. It wasn't the same. He paid and left the diner, continuing on his way.

The sun was about to set by the time he had reached halfway. He passed by a little park. The sign read: Clover Park. Families were leaving as the sky got redder. It would have been nice to take Legosi there.

Deciding it was getting too dark to be out, he took the train the rest of the way. A couple sat across from him, practically on top of eachother. They stared into eachothers eyes, giggling when the other would whisper something to the other. Louis rolled his eyes in disgust, wanting to look anywhere else.

He was halfway down the stairs of his stop when his phone began buzzing. Legosi's name appeared on screen. His heart skipped, seeing it. He tried to answer as casually as possible.

"Hello?" His voice cracked.

"Hey." Legosi's calming voice came through. Louis had not realized how much he had missed hearing it. "I'm sorry I didn't get back to you."

"It's ok." Louis assured, actually quite angry.

"Haru broke up with me."

"I wasn't aware you two were still together. When was the last time you two had talked?" He asked. The lamps on campus began to turn on.

"When I left school." Louis could hear the shame radiating through the phone.

"I don't think she was aware you guys were dating either."

"Yeah…"

They held the silence. Louis stood next to a lamp, not ready to go inside yet. It felt good hear Legosi's breathing on the other end.

"Can we talk in person?" Louis asked.

"Where at?"

"There's a park between us called Clover Park."

"Ok. I'll see you there." Legosi confirmed.

Louis rushed to the train. He stood at the door, counting the stops as he drew nearer. The closer he got to the park, the harder his heart pounded in his ears. He jumped out and descended the stairs as quickly as possible, slowing down to a normal pace at the bottom. Legosi was waiting for him at the entrance of the park, wearing the outfit he had picked out for him. It took all of his will power not to rush over to him.

Louis couldn't help but wrap his arms around him when they got close, squeezing a little harder than he thought he should have. He quickly released. His arms felt dissatisfied. The good feelings were quickly taken over by anger.

"Were you too busy to send a lousy text?" He shoved Legosi's chest.

"Sorry." Legosi mumbled.

Louis began briskly walking into the park. Legosi followed him.

"You can't keep doing things like this! You have to get better at communicating!"

"Ok." Legosi said. He paused for a moment, as if planning out what to say next. "I have dentures now."

Louis stopped. "Like old people dentures?"

Legosi opened his mouth and his teeth slipped forward, sticking out of his lips. Louis' face went to disgust.

"What did you do!?"

"I pulled out my teeth."

Louis stared at Legosi. He was used to the wolf's antics but this was a new low. "Why?"

"I wanted to show Yafya my conviction."

"That's so stupid! There are other ways to do that!" Louis shouted, hitting him again. Nobody got him angry like this wolf.

"I couldn't think of anything else. He was attacking me and-"

"Wait, he attacked you?" Louis asked.

"Yeah."

Louis sat down on a bench. He wasn't sure how to feel. Anger bubbled up while sympathy cooled it down. Confusion over these events kept churning the feelings in his stomach. Legosi sat next to him, head down, and ears down. Louis put his hand on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?"

Legosi looked up.

"I was scared." He whispered. His eyes fell down again ashamedly. Louis' hand slid across Legosi's back as he pulled him into a hug. Legosi pushed his face further into the safety of Louis' chest. He rested his chin on Legosi's head.

Fear snaked its way into his chest as he was reminded of Legosi's own mortality. Fierce protectiveness came with it as he thought about his own idol attacking his friend. The one he had these feelings for. His arms squeezed Legosi tighter. He wished he could have been there. A voice of reason could keep Legosi safe. He could be that voice.

"When were you going to tell me it was your birthday?" he teased.

Legosi sat up and rubbed the back of his head.

"I forgot." He smiled shyly.

"I know you did." Louis smiled back at the dumb wolf. The voice in his head whispered. "Tell him." He put his hand on Legosi's. He felt short of breath.

"Legosi, I-" He needed to say it. Especially after his speech on communication. "I… I think we should celebrate your birthday for real." He was a hypocrite.

Legosi smiled. "I'd like that."

"If you're not doing anything tomorrow, we could get a drink."

The wolf nodded and looked down at their hands. Louis quickly pulled his hand away and got up.

"I should get going. I've got tech rehearsal tomorrow."

Legosi walked him to the stairs and waved as Louis ascended them.

He felt frustrated with himself as the doors closed behind him. He felt frustrated all the way across campus. All the way up to his dorm. In his bed.

His phone buzzed.

-Made it home. Goodnight.

It was just a dumb little text. Why did seeing it fill him with such an immense joy and sadness? The screen blurred. His eyes stung.

-Goodnight.

Why couldn't he be more open with the one he wanted to?