Closed Fifteenth of February

[Linden Kinnek]

linden had left the dance early not enjoying it after Alexei had left. he had tried to find the boy but after a few minutes with little success, he had returned to his dorm. he changed into his pyjamas and spent time playing with mus and ild and trying to cheer himself up. By the time heh ad heard footsteps and voices of people returning from the dance he was curled up pretending to be asleep. a few gentle tears rolling down his cheek. how had he been so silly? despite his pretending lin didn't sleep well that night. the light of the full moon came in through the window and caused him to toss and turn. and the thoughts spiralling through his head caused the little sleep her did have to be fitful.
He woke up before his alarm, showered and dressed before making his way to breakfast. he tried to push the thought out of his mind of Alexei. why did he send his friend the pink rose? why did he then tell him that he had? he filled his plate, with bacon sausage, scrambled egg and toast. his classic full moon breakfast he didn't feel the moon as strongly as willow and certainly not as strong as his parents but he always fancied meat on the day either side of the full moon. as he chewed on hos breakfast he thought about friends. after freaking out Alexei he would probably have to make some new friends or would Lysander and Wendall still be friends with him. Maybe some of the guys in his dorm or would that also be weird once they heard that he had a crush on Alexei. Maybe things would be less weird if he made some friends who were girls, maybe he could try and be friends with Mary-Lou, Addison or amarantha, or just hang out more with Alison and her friends.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei... didn't know what to think or feel about finding out that Linden had sent him the anonymous rose. A part of him was like over the moon, and felt like jell-o that the boy that he was fond of shared these same feelings. To anyone it would be wonderful, amazing and just about every nice word he could think of. It's just that...he fled before he can confess those same feelings. His heart was pumping insanely and he just felt like he had to run all these overwhelming feelings bursting to come out. Which, turned out to be a stupid idea. He nearly passed out. Alexei pulled out his asthma pump and treated himself twice to the asthmatic medicine. Once calm, he returned late to his dormitory. Linden was up in his room and Alexei didn't want to disturb him from his sleep.

The following day he didn't see the boy in the common room. He asked around and was informed that Linden was already downstairs for breakfast. Alexei hope he wasn't sad or angry with him...Crap, he probably was for running out like that. Alexei sighs, he had to fix this. Someway, somehow he had to fix this. Alexei went to the garden first then the great hall. He made his way over towards the second year. Alexei stops right near him and holds out a sunflower to Linden. A big sunflower, with bright yellow petals and a healthy brown middle. Alexei steps closer, warily smiling at Linden. "I'm sorry, Linden..."

 

[Linden Kinnek]

Linden was absentmindedly chewing some of the bacon trying to decide if he should take some of the rinds to feed boobook or fuzzfeathers of if they would be sitting in his pocket all day. he had just decided to take it when the post arrived. he ended up feeding the owl who was delivering the prophet to the person next to him. at least it had managed to distract him for a couple of minutes. there was just the rest of the day left, the rest of the week. the rest of the semester. the person next to him left he should probably move soon too. but he didn't want to so he just poured himself another pumpkin juice and kept eating. someone else took the spot he didn't look as they sat down. it didn't matter. however, a familiar voice got his attention. he looked around and saw a huge yellow sunflower. he moved slightly to see the boy behind it. he felt his heart rate quicken as he saw Alexei there. "Alexei... I didn't mean to..." he said not sure how to end the sentence, I didn't mean to scare you, I didn't mean to make things awkward, I didn't mean to tell you I sent the pink rose, I didn't mean to have a crush on you. he didn't know. he didn't know if he would do it again or not. "to mess everything up" he said.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Despite him running out on Linden last night, Alexei cautiously moves to sit next to the boy. His fingers loosen up their hold around the stem and he handed the sunflower over to Linden. "Mess everything up? You didn't," Alexei smiles palming his forehead as he did. "Sorry, I just felt like I had to run or something...," Alexei looks down, his ears tingle right then and there. "It was very dumb of me because I don't want you to think... I.. don't like you back. I..had to go and get air in my lungs...and that only cause me to reach for my inhaler," Alexei shook his head, nervously laughing in front of the sweet boy. "So, you didn't do anything wrong and this sunflower is my way of saying sorry...and it reminds me of you for some reason..."

 

[Linden Kinnek]

Linden took the flower that Alexei gave him he held it for a second not sure what to do with it. as he listened to Alexei say that he didn't ruin everything he smiled slightly. "So you still want to be friends" he said. wanting to confirm that he had heard right. the subtleties of the next sentence went well over lindens head. she picked up that Alexei still liked him but not the nuance of how he liked him. he felt a little guilty that alexei had gone to get his meds and he had left. he had looked for him but not hard. as he hadn't been sure alexei had wanted to be found. though the guilt was only minor compared to the overhanging sensation of happiness that he hadn't just lost himself his best friend.
When his friend apologised he bit his lip as if that would stop him from crying with relief. he knew he shouldn't but he put his arms around his friend in a hug his face against alexei's shoulder. he had only just about managed to be convinced that his actions yesterday had not ruined his friendship so he naturally had to keep acting like that as if to prove his worries to be right.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

"Of course! I... actually," Alexei is cut away from the warm, fuzzy embrace. The sweet boy got him where he wanted, but it's unclear if Linden heard him correctly. Alexei debated with idea of telling him or not...He was too content at the moment, and had no desire to break away from Linden. Was this the feeling his grandmothers describe to him when they first started dating? The same emotions his parents display when they were in each other's arms? Because if it is, he's doing something right..."Linden...I'm not sure about myself...but I do like you," Alexei says while slowly breaking away from the other's arms. "I like you a lot," Alexei confesses, the Hufflepuff felt his stomach contract. The muscles tighten surrounding his abdominal. Alexei ignores it, speaking quietly to Linden. "I would like to be more than just friends..."

 

[Linden Kinnek]

Linden didn't want to let go of Alexei. he liked the smell of him, there he smelled lik a mix of fresh air, mint, and butterscotch. but he knew he had to. this wasn't fair for his best friend, this wasnt fair on him. the last hing Alexei had managed to say before he had hugged him was spinning around his head. he actually what? it didnt matter as long as they were friends they could figure out whatever was coming after the actually.
"you had better like yourself. you are awesome" he mumbled part a joke but 100% scensere trying not to let a tear overflow his eye? was this actually happening? or was he still in bed and actually was having a good night sleep.
he felt himself tense as Alexei shuffled closer to him and whisper something he looked back at his friend. was he hearing things right? like seriously there was no way that he could misinterpret the words or make them up. that was the dream theory gone there was no way he would have dreamed that up. "I want to be more than friends too. so should we?" he whispered back. "how do you even start being more than friends?" he asked. he wanted to date alexei. but what made it so they were dating.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei, at first looked perplexed. He's trying to understand what Linden meant and he realizes a minute later that it was a compliment to his character. That earn his fellow Hufflepuff a boyish grin. And the rest made the veela boy chuckle. "We can do more things together? We can go on a date...," Alexei ruffled with his hair when he suggested that. He won't know if this is right if he don't go out with someone of the same sex. But, there was no doubt in his mind about Linden. He likes the boy, Linden likes him back. "We can hold hands too..."

 

[Linden Kinnek]

linden felt his stomach flutter as Alexei grinned at him. it reminded him back in first year when he had met wade and he had said that the veela gene didn't really show up or at least much effect in guys and he hadn't been sure. that smile from Alexei once again aimed to convince him that the veela gene really did work in part veela guys. linden tried to think if he knew any part veela girls did the gene even work in them? the way Alexei was fidgeting and seemed slightly uncomfortable. "yeah he said only managing the monsylabolic response the idea of a date with Alexei as his mind tried to process things. at Alexei's next sugestion he reached out and took his hand in his. it felt weird. "Like this" he asked stepping closer to mahe it feel more natural with their hands hanging by their sides while together. and it made it a little less obvious to anyone wathcing them. he may be related to the bravest people he knew. but it didn't mean that he was . there was a reason his robes were yellow and not red. in fact he felt like this conversation was using an entire months worth of brave.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

His suggestion to go on a date actually sounded kind of fun. Like, he's obviously never been on a date before but he's aware that's what couples do. Every other Saturday for as long as he could remember, him and Ana were dropped off to a sitter. Or, his grandmothers had them for a weekend while his parents had time for themselves. When they came back they'll discover their parents went listening to live music, or, to eat at a fancy restaurant. Stuff like that. "Yes, or...," Alexei smiles nervously. "...when we're ready...let's do something at Brightstone, that can be fun?"

 

[Linden Kinnek]

Linden let go of alexeis hand wondering if he should give alexei a hug or not. they were dating. but was it weird? then he remembered sander had given them both hugs over the holidaty when they had hung out with dogs. and he had hugged alexei before he started to like him and thought it was weird. he gave him a brief hiug before letting go. . "whenever we are ready" he said.
he thought about his letter to aunt meg last semester. did he need to tell the boys in his dorm about this. aunt meg had said it was up to him. would they be weirded out? he was still lin. "yes. we could go to honeydukes and by all the lollies and find somewhere to eat them" he said making the first suggestion of a date that wasn't somewhere that a lot of people would be or be part of a usual brightstone weekend. it would be fun to sit on the swings in the park while eating lollies with Alexei. just rocking back anf forth. not swinging they were to big for that. but swings were good to just sit on.

 

[Alexei Kozlov]

Alexei grins, hugging his...boyfriend back? Boyfriend, partner, or whatever label they were choosing to use. "Lollies...? Okay, yeah, why not?!" Alexei said genuinely excited about his first date. Their first date. Is this something he needs to tell Ana about or his grandmothers? No, not yet. Alexei would like more than anything to tell them. Not this time. Not yet at least. Alexei don't wish to share the news, for the moment he wanted to keep Linden all to himself. "Okay, that's the plan. We can go to the park? Or go for a walk!"