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Aston walked into Claude's room, looking about. He was still bright red and seemed to pay no head to the dragons on his shoulders, which were snapping at each other. "Uhhh…", Ashton procrastinated as he took a seat on Claude's bed. "Something, just…. Happened…….". Claude knew full well what Ashton was talking about, but knew he had to play dumb. "Something just happened?" Claude asked inquisitively as he pulled his left leg up to rest on his knee. Ashton let out a deep breath and looked down, kicking the heel of his boot on the floor. "Yeah…. Well…. Something really…..BIG." Claude looked impishly at Ashton, knowing what was coming and dreading it. Ashton looked up at the ceiling and stretched his arms, allowing himself to fall back onto the bed, the dragons making a hissing noise when he hit. "Well… I was just in my room….. minding my own business… and……" "….and…….?" Claude continued. "…and I heard a knock on my door, so I went and found Rena waiting for me……." Ashton looked up and over to Claude, who sat at the foot of the bed. "She sounded really depressed and told me she need some advice……." "What was she depressed about?" Claude asked, knowing full well everything that had gone on in the next room. "Welllllll….." Ashton hesitated, "She told me that she needed advice on her love life, and after I helped her out…." again he paused, the redness glossing over his face again… "she kissed me and told me that she loves me….." Claude's stomach turned as the words left Ashton's mouth. So she did kiss him…. And told him she loved him……. Damnit…………. I kept procrastinating on talking to Ashton myself and now someone else has gone and told him they love him…… and a girl, no less…. How am I supposed to compete with a girl for a guy who's straight? Ashton sat up and looked over to Claude, who still hadn't responded to Ashton's words. "Hey, Claude… you still there…?" Claude nearly jumped as he felt Ashton's hand on his shoulder, and when he met eyes with Ashton, his face was bright red. "Uh.. uh…no, I heard every word you said……!" Ashton got a sarcastic look on his face. "I didn't ask you if you had heard what I said……" Claude blushed even more at that. "I'm sorry, Ashton…… I didn't mean to zone out on you…." "Uh-huh.", Ashton laughed sarcastically… "You know Claude, you sure do blush a lot…." Claude tried, but couldn't prevent blushing more, the warmth spreading to his ears. "Anyway…", his voice cracked, "Do you feel the same way for Rena…..?" Claude sat there, still red, letting his vision slide from Ashton to the floor. Please o lord if you exist do me this one favor and I promi… "I'm very fond of Rena, we are very good friends…. But….. I … I dont feel the same way for her…." Claude almost died in relief and doubled backwards. "Then you should tell her….", he said as he sighed. Ashton looked up and nodded, sighing as well. "I know, but I dont want to brake the poor girls heart…." Claude looked back to him, the red draining from his face. "Rena is a very strong girl. I'm sure she can handle it. Better than letting her believe a lie." Ashton sat up, and looked over to Claude. "Thanks for listening…" Claude smiled and gazed over to him. "Of course, I'm always here for you to talk to, Ashton. If you ever feel the need to talk, Ive got an ear designated for you…" Ashton smiled and nodded as he stood up, and made his way for the door. "Thanks a lot, Claude. Its good to have someone as nice as you to talk to." Claude blushed again and nodded. "Anytime." Ashton opened up Claude's door and started out. But as he was half way out, he put his hand on the door frame and stopped. "Oh, by the way, Claude….." Claude looked over to him in question. "Huh?" Ashton didn't turn back and spoke a little softer than he normally would. "I think you should know that one of the members of our group is also trying to find the will to tell you something along the same lines….. Maybe you should have a talk with Precis……." Claude looked in puzzlement to Ashton. "Precis wants to tell me she loves me….?" His face looked pained. Ashton took another step to exiting. "Please Claude, talk to Precis." And with that he was gone. Claude sighed and fell back on his bed. He sighed in relief to the thought of Ashton's feelings for Rena, and wondered what Precis would have to say to him. The sixteen year old Precis sat on the edge of her bed, kicking her feet back and forth. She giggled as Claude stood in her doorway. She smiled an let her long orange colored ponytail fall over her shoulder as she leaned twords him. "So what's up Claude….?", she teased. "Come to profess your love for me?". She slid off the bed and walked up to Claude, looking up at the taller boy. Will this never stop…….? Did Ashton actually send me here for this….? "Ummm… actually, Ashton told me to come and talk to you……..", Claude responded, making sure his voice sounded disinterested. Precis giggled louder and reached for Claude's hand then starting to draw him further in the room. "I know, I know, come in….." She led him to a chair and pushed him down into it. "Now SIT!" "I feel like an animal!", said Claude as she headed back twords her bed. Precis jumped back to the bed and rolled on her stomach, and turned to face Claude. She had a huge grin on her face. Claude looked at this and sat back. "What are you up to, Precis…? I told you I came her at Ashton's request….." "Of course! I know that, silly!", Precis laughed an continued to glare at him with her grin. Claude loosened his collar a little and tried to grin back. "Well, why exactly did he send me to talk to you…?" Precis laughed curled a pillow underneath her neck. "Welllllllllllllll……." Claude waited, for a second, before prompting her. "Welllllllll…….." Precis laughed and pulled a small white folded piece of paper from one of her pockets. "Well, I got this little letter here….." Claude cocked his right eye and looked between the paper and her. Precis waved it a little in front of her face and smiled at Claude. "I got this waiver for a all paid dinner for two at that fancy restaurant in town…….you know, the one that you…." The one Rena dragged me too… now Precis wants to drag me too…. Sigh….. "The one Rena took me too….", Claude said half heartily. "YYEEEAAHHHH…" Precis said, "But unfortunately, I cant use this waiver…..", she said with a sigh. Claude looked back to her. "Why cant you?" Precis smiled and faked a sigh. "Because both of the boys I like have feelings for someone else….." Claude blushed a little. "Well you shouldn't let that stop you….", he was cut off, however, when the waiver was in front of his face. "So you can have it Claude!" Claude looked at the waiver, "I cant take this, it wouldn't be right!" Precis frowned. "Sure it would. Its my present to you…" She said as she dropped it in his hands. Claude blushed a bit and nodded. "Alright, thanks, Precis." He smiled. Precis giggled and nodded. "But one thing…" "Whats that?" Precis waived her finger in front of his face. " You have to take the person you like out to dinner with you!" Claude beamed red. "Huh?" Precis laughed. "You heard me… Now go on, go ask the person you like out…" She smiled. Claude stood up, and looked down to Precis. For the longest time, all of Precis' time with Claude was trying to get him to go out with her. And now here she was, willing helping him out in a situation she was sure to loose. She was helping him get the nerve to ask someone else out. After all was said and done, Precis was more concerned with Claude's happiness then her own. Claude bent down and hugged the girl tightly. Precis blushed brightly as he did, but hugged back. "Thank you , Precis, thanks for being a good friend." She nodded. "I care for you, and I want you to be happy with whoever you love, even if its not me…" They both stayed there for a second, before he pulled away. "Well, I'm off. Thanks again…" "Of course. Tell me how it turns out!", she waved as he exited her room. "And tell Ashton I said "Hi!"". Claude didn't realize the last part of what she said, he was already at Ashton's door, nervously pacing. Okay, Claude C. Kenni, its do or die. Now or Never. D-Day….. Claude leaned up against the wall to Ashton's room. He had knocked about six times, and now was starting to loose the nerve he had gotten from Precis. Ashton went back to his room…… Were is he now? It wasn't that long ago…….. Claude's eyes followed a young couple as they walked out from there room and down twords the lobby. They seemed so happy together, laughing and joking back and forth. I wonder if one day Ashton and I will be like that…… Sigh. Probably not. The one time I have the nerve to act is the time he's out on the town. Claude pulled away from the wall and walked twords the lobby as well. Many people were gathered there, including one of Claude's teammates, Chisato. Chisato was born from Neede and was a journalist who tagged along with the group. This way, she always had the inside scoop firsthand and had it in print before anyone else could. She donned short but bright red hair and elf like ears, much like Rena's. Claude walked into the lobby, making eye contact with Chisato, and upon this, she started to worm her way twords him. "Hey there, Claude!", she winked as she approached him. "You busy?" Claude rolled his eyes. "Actually, yes. And I was hoping maybe you could help me momentarily. " Chisato smiled and leaned up against him. Claude turned bright red. "Ill be glad to help you with ANYTHING~……." Claude pulled away nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Er…um…great…. All I need is to know If you've seen Ashton, and If so, were he ran off to….." She looked back to the crowd. "Dont know, Its been pretty…. Busy…round ..here, you know?" Claude sighed. "Aw, come on, Chisato, its REALLY important that I find him….. tell me, please…." Chisato looked back to Claude over her shoulder. "Just HOW important?" "Important enough for me to give you money!" "I dont want money….", she said, grinning evilly. Claude sighed and started to walk off. Chisato shrugged and came up behind him. "I think he went to go to library. I heard him talking about needing peace and quite." Claude turned and looked back to her. "Why didn't you just say so earlier?" "Whats the fun in that?", she smiled, giving a peace sign. "See you!" Claude waved as he exited the inn. He stepped into the street, which, while not very busy, had enough people to easily hide Ashton, even with the pair of dragons he had. The Library, huh? I guess Ill have to find it then…. Claude started up the street, looking around for the building. After a while, Claude had covered most of the town. He was starting to get anxious. Only one street left, and Ive never seen a library there…… Claude head up a familiar street, which had a few residential buildings and a few shops. It also was the street that had the restaurant Rena had taken him to, the same one he had the waiver for now. He advanced quickly, heading twords the street's end when he saw the building, it had a carved wooden book on a sign above the doorway, and just to the left of the entrance, Ashton Anchors was leaned up against the wall, letting his dragons fight amongst themselves while he gazed into space. Claude bolted twords him when he caught his glimpse. "Hey! Ashton!" Okay Claude, here you go… you got to get it right and go for it this time… No screw ups, no excuses. This times for real. Ashton glanced up at him and smiled. "Why hello, Claude." Claude nervously put his right hand behind his head and started rubbing it. "what are you up to…?" Ashton shook his head. "Actually, I was thinking that I need something to drink.. Theres that restaurant over there, and I was contemplating going and getting something.." Ashton looked to the restaurant than back to Claude. "Would you like to go get some tea or something, Claude?" Claude tried to hold in a blush. "Sure, I'm thirsty myself…." Ashton smiled and started in that direction. "Well, then, lets get going!" Claude followed Ashton into the restaurant and they sat at the same table Claude and Rena had sat before. Ashton took a seat, and Claude sat in the chair next to him. "Still thinking about what Rena said?", Claude asked, as he watched the waitress come up. Ashton replied. "Not really. But yeah, I dont want to make her depressed or angry. But I cant lie." He waitress handed the boys each a menu. They opened theres up and started glancing through them. "What about you, Claude? You never did tell me the other day who it was that you liked." Claude hid his blush behind the menu. "Ill tell you later. Right now we need to order…." Claude looked questioningly at the names on the menu. "Weird sounding drinks….. Ocean Beach…. Unforgettable Memories… Heartthrob…." Claude rolled his eyes. Ashton handed his menu back to the waitress, then looked to Claude, politely waiting for him to order first. "Well, what will you order, Claude?" Claude got the one that in his own mind was the most accurate. "Ill have one heartthrob, please." The waitress took his menu as well as Ashton's. "Alright." Ashton leaned forward a little and was about to tell her his order, but he noticed she had already walked off. Ashton looked sheepishly to Claude. "She didn't take my order…." Claude looked from Ashton then back to the waitress, who was already processing Claude's order. "that's weird." Claude looked back to his friend, who was still eyeing the waitress. As if in an instant, Ashton turned bright red, and turned his gaze out the window, not looking another direction. "Ive got a weird feeling about this….." "What do you mean?", Claude asked Ashton as he turned to find the waitress. She was already coming with Claude's order. Then Claude saw exactly what it was he had ordered. On her tray was a big pink glass, filled with some kind of red carbonated beverage.. It had a single straw that was shaped like a heart and designed so two "lovers" could drink from the same straw. She placed the drink in front of Claude, took the tray, and walked away. Both Claude and Ashton sat there, red in the face. Ashton looked nervously back to Claude. "Uh-oh…." Claude glanced back to him… "What have we gotten ourselves……" Ashton replied. "I guess we shouldn't let it go to waste…" Both Ashton and Claude nodded and they moved there chairs closer together so they both could drink from it. They both moved in and started to drink. Claude about panicked when he felt that Ashton was leaning against him just a little. Oh my god he's leaning up against me, should I say something , or try to lean against him…? What if he's only doing it to get a better hold of his straw… What if he's doing it because he likes me to? Ashton leaned heavier onto Claude and pulled his mouth away from the straw to whisper in Claude's ear. "You dont have to panic every time I try to flirt with you, you know……..", Ashton whispered. Claude nearly flipped backwards in a explosion as he did a full body blush. Did he just say what I though the said…..? Am I dreaming….? Claude tried to look at Ashton, but found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make eye contact. "I'm not trying to panic… Its just…" Ashton pulled away sharply and hid his face. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry… Claude… I knew I shouldn't have said anything… I knew I…" Claude cut him off, but in a quite voice; "dont be sorry……" He reached for one of Ashton's hands and pulled it away from the boys red face… Ashton didn't even look at Claude, in his own mind sure that he just completely screwed up. He thinks I'm freaked out… He doesn't know…. Claude reached for the side of Ashton's face, and slowly tried to lead Ashton's gaze to his own, half wondering if he'd loose it and bail before he could even make eye contact. He slowly leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against Ashton's. They both stayed in that position for a moment, neither showing any desire to move at all until… "Hey! Look at the dragons on that guys' shoulders!" Ashton and Claude pulled apart as attention suddenly was drawn to them. They both sat quietly as a pair of kids came up to the table wanting to see Ashton's dragons.
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