0o0o0o0o0

We should find happiness together.

Again with those words loaded with meaning. Charlotte felt herself at a loss for words. Find happiness, together? Was he implying they should be together? "Are you saying...?"

Her words were cut short by a loud rustle among the foliage, making Charlotte and Leo alert and turn to look at what it was.

It was Xander's retainer, Laslow, looking nervous, as if he'd just been caught red handed of a crime. "Uhh... hello?" he said. "My apologies, I was just about to leave-"

Leo sighed and clucked his tongue irritably, as he pulled his hand away from Charlotte's. "No, it's quite alright," he said, to Laslow, but there was an iciness in his voice that Laslow was sure was anything but alright. "What brings you here, Laslow? It's getting late. Headed for town at this hour?"

"Well, you see, milord... It is quite late indeed, and your retainers are quite in a panic wondering where you are. Odin is quite close to declaring you kidnapped by the enemies, and Lord Xander is trying to get him to calm down, so we were ordered to look..."

Again, Leo sighed. "See what I told you? Absolutely grating at times," he said, to Charlotte. She chuckled. "I guess I didn't notice the time. Ugh, I best get back to camp then. Before Odin spews myths about my supposed capture. Charlotte, I'll walk you back to your tent."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The walk back to camp was filled with awkward silence. Leo turned his head away from Charlotte for most of the time, trying to hide his flushed cheeks. His earlier declaration-we should find happiness together-It'd been said without thought. And now that time has passed, the confidence from earlier had turned into sheer embarrassment.

Charlotte felt just as awkward. She was itching to ask him-to ask him to say it again, to ask him what it meant. To find happiness together… It was surely a declaration of his intentions, wasn't it? That he intended to be together with her? Or was it actually only some form of polite response? Charlotte felt like she was being driven mad from thinking.

"So, uhm…" Leo began, an attempt to clear out the air between them. "How fare your parents? I've heard there's this great town in Nohr… quiet, fairly secure. Perhaps they would enjoy living there."

"Oh…" Charlotte was a little disappointed at his choice of topic, at him not clearing up his statement from earlier. But she decided to converse with him anyway. "Thanks for the suggestion, milord. Hmm, I'll have to ask what they think about it first. With the war, perhaps staying in the capital is the safest for them right now."

On occasion, Leo would often ask about her parents like this. Charlotte's parents, too, would write her letters, telling her to express their regards to Lord Leo. It felt incredibly intimate, for Leo to ask about her parents like this, as if he were invested in her family. But Charlotte knew why he was acting this way anyway.

He likes me, Charlotte thought. She didn't want to get ahead of herself and say it out loud, but deep down, she knew he was definitely interested in her.

"They're fortunate to have a daughter like you," Leo told her.

"Oh, if only you knew!" Charlotte said, chuckling. "I'm not a saint. I'm sure I gave them quite the headache. Especially when I signed up for the army-my father was fuming! I thought he'd whack me with a hammer if he was only able."

Leo laughed with her. The reason he asked often about her parents was because he enjoyed seeing her like this-her eyes would light up, and her smile would be soft, but genuine. He could tell it wasn't an act. "So, I take it you inherit that violent temper from someone?"

"Hah! Well, I guess I do."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They stopped by her tent in their campsite. Charlotte stared at it, not sure she wanted to go in just yet. She almost wanted to reach out to Leo, to hold his hand again, just a little longer...

"Well... goodnight, then," Leo said, unfortunately.

Charlotte felt her hopes dashed, but she managed to control her expression, and put on a shy little smile. Seeing her back to her tent... this was nice, in its own way, right? "Goodnight, Lord Leo."

She pulled up the tent flap and was about to walk in, but Leo interrupted. "Charlotte, wait."

She turned around right back at him, and found his face flushed scarlet.

"Is it too much to ask for a goodnight kiss?" The question was bold and brazen, but Charlotte heard his anxiousness as well, and saw it on his face.

She found it utterly adorable. "Come over here and get it, then," she said, with a smile.

Leo smiled back, and closed the distance between them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Lord Leo..."

Leo simply nodded, staring at the cup of coffee in his hand. He thought he heard one of his retainers calling out to him, at the back of his mind.

"Uh... milord? Lord Leo?"

Leo chuckled to himself, and brushed a finger across his lower lip.

"Lord Leo, the grin on your face today is ridiculously huge."

"H-Huh?" Leo said, snapping from his senses, finding Niles and Odin in his tent, looking a cross between concerned and amused. "W-What grin?"

"That one. On your face," Odin said. "It's not everyday milord wakes up in such good spirits..."

"You were out pretty late, milord. I bet something really good happened, hmm?" Niles asked, teasing.

"O-Oh, I just lost track of the time, is all," Leo said, trying not to stutter. "It was a busy night."

Leo saw Niles break into a wide grin, and he knew by that that he'd said something regrettable. "...A busy night, hm, milord?" Niles asked, voice dripping with innuendo.

"N-Not in that way, Niles!" Leo immediately said, face turning scarlet. Niles ans Odin chuckled. Their lord was so easy to tease.

"I don't mean to be prudish or anything, milord, but I'm dying to know how it went!" Odin spoke with an enthusiasm that scared Leo.

"Well, it seems pretty clear that you at least got a kiss, milord," Niles guessed, and when Leo looked surprised, he explains. "You kept touching your lip. It was so obvious."

Leo groaned, but his cheeks were still tinged with pink. He'd learned a thing or two about trying to cover up his tells, being raised in the Nohrian court. But he still slipped up now and then. He found Niles and Odin still had ridiculous grins on their faces, and he knew he they were only going to keep grilling him.

"W-Well! I guess I'd better head for the war council then!" Leo said, quickly getting up as if trying to escape.

Leo had been gone from the tent for a few seconds when Niles and Odin remembered something. "Milord!" Odin made a mad dash out, chasing after Leo. "You forgot to put on your trousers...!"