Free Web NovelChapter 118: Chapter 118
*A/N: i wonder if it feels rushed? that was the whole idea because they’re still side characters after all. the main story will begin in the second volume which is about to happen quite soon.*
-*-
Louis suddenly remembered that he had run out of the Cooking club without so much as putting the ice pops into the freezer, how silly of him.
He had been so overwhelmed that he hadn’t thought things through and simply acted on his emotions. Dio must think he was a little crazy for dashing out like that.
He still even had his apron on, "Fine, I’ll leave... for now." He added ominously, walking out.
He pretended not to hear Henri groaning, taking off his apron in the hallway. He would deal with the ice pops and then go find Dio.
The questions he had posed to Henri should have been for Dio but Louis was too chicken to confront the Alpha. He also knew the answer deep down but he needed someone to spell it out to him.
Louis made his way back to the Cooking club with less running this time, expecting to find Dio. What he found instead, was a clean kitchen, the ice pops already put away but Dio was nowhere to be found.
He frowned, taking out the muffins which were already done from the oven. Maybe Dio had already gone back to their dorm room. He would take the muffins to him so that they could have a talk.
-*-
Henri rose from his bed with a sigh, he had no doubt that Louis would return, he wasn’t looking forward to it. The only reason he had tolerated being made to deal with Louis’ romantic troubles was because he hoped that the clingy Alpha would stay away more if his love life was straightened out.
That clearly wasn’t the case here because he still bothered him regardless.
Now what should he do? A peaceful horse ride all alone at the race course didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. He was certain that there would be no one else at the Field as a matter of fact, he would even give up the chance to take a nap for that.
His door was pushed again and he whipped around in exasperation, "What now, Louis-" The rest of his complaints fell away when he saw who was at the door instead. "Dio?" He raised a brow, "If you’re looking for Louis, he already left."
Dio stepped in and closed the door behind him, "I’m not looking for Louis."
Henri was caught off guard by this, it was odd for Dio to come looking for him. "But this has to do with Louis?"
Dio hesitated long enough for Henri to tell that he had hit the nail on the head. "You could say that." He murmured vaguely, stepping closer.
"Out with it then, you’re interrupting my plans of a leisurely race." He said bluntly, crossing his arms.
"Do you like Louis?" Dio blurted out after hesitating some more.
Henri’s hands dropped to his side in shock, nothing could have possibly prepared him for that line of questioning. "W-What?"
Dio stepped even closer, worry lines on his face. It was one thing if Louis liked Henri but if his feelings were requited then Dio couldn’t do a thing about it. "Oh, I didn’t know."
Henri was frozen for a few seconds, just processing the implications of Dio’s words. For some reason, the two of them kept forcing him into some nonexistent love triangle without him having to lift even a single finger.
Just how did Dio get this idea of his?
"No, slow down," He lifted a finger, feeling the urge to step back with Dio standing so close. "I never said I did."
Dio’s expression fell, "You don’t have to soften the blow."
Henri’s neck was craned back with how close and tall Dio was, "Soften what blow? There’s no blow! Are you that dense?"
Dio placed both hands on Henri’s shoulders in his enthusiasm, "Wait, what-"
"Henri! I can’t find-" The door was flung open at this point, making them both look in that direction to find Louis standing in the doorway, clutching a cloth-covered basket and wearing a shocked look that immediately fell into a broken expression.
Henri shoved Dio away with a roll of his eyes, "Oh for fuck’s sake." He muttered under his breath, beelining for Louis. "Don’t you dare run." He jabbed a finger in Louis’ direction, making him hesitate long enough for Henri to get to him.
He stood up on his tiptoes and caught Louis by his ear to pull him in, ignoring Louis’ yelps of pain. He pulled him in this manner until he got to Dio’s side.
"Bend down," He gestured to Dio who obeyed with a look of confusion, equally wincing when Henri caught his ear in a small hand.
"I don’t like either of you and I hope for your own sakes that you both feel the same way," He started off, making sure to tug on their ears for all the troubles they had put him through. "Stop using me to avoid whatever unresolved issues you both have." He concluded, letting them go. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
"I don’t-" Louis started to say, rubbing his sore ear.
"No, don’t speak, I don’t want to hear it." Henri cut him off, "I’ll take my payment in muffins, leave them on my reading desk."
"But-" Dio tried to butt in.
"I still have my broadsword." Henri threatened calmly, knowing that if he let them say whatever, they would revert back to square one.
Quickly and efficiently, he got rid of them, fighting the urge to laugh at their very confused expressions.
Louis stood outside Henri’s room, blinking in tandem with Dio. "Let’s go to our room." He said carefully, leading the way.
Henri had truly taken the basket of muffins as his payment, it was daylight robbery but Louis didn’t really mind. He had searched everywhere and when he couldn’t find Dio, he went to the only person he could - Henri...
Surely, he couldn’t be blamed for jumping to conclusions, they were standing in very incriminating positions.
Dio stepped forward to open the door for him, also coming to terms with what had just happened. He stepped in after Louis and pulled the door close behind him, not moving an inch.
Louis seemed to have a similar idea because he turned to face Dio. They silently stared at each other for a few awkward minutes - well, more like Dio stared and a red-faced Louis was unable to hold his stare.
"How long did you think I liked Henri?" Louis finally broke the silence, lifting his eyes to Dio.
Dio pushed back his hair, a sheepish expression on his face. "Since resumption?" freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Louis’ eyes rounded, his shock slowly dissolving into laughter. "I wouldn’t say I’m any better."
Louis’ laughter was contagious and soon Dio was also chuckling, "Henri must think we’re rather stupid."
"He always thinks that," Louis said without judgment, still laughing. "Want to bake another batch of muffins?"
"Is that your way of a proposal? Because, yes..." Dio answered wittily, humor dancing in his mismatched eyes.
Louis felt his heart skip but he didn’t back away, "Maybe," He murmured, reaching around Dio to open the door. "We could kiss over the dough." He added, slipping out the open door and hurrying down the hallway.
Dio didn’t hesitate to follow right after him, "Deal!"
-*-
Henri stared at the basket of freshly baked muffins on his reading table, when he had said he would take muffins as payment, he hadn’t really meant it. He gingerly lifted the cloth, there were at least twelve or more muffins, how was he expected to finish them all?
He covered up the basket again and picked it up, he would have to do a bit of door-to-door delivery. He knocked on the door of the room next to his, certain that his neighbors were always up for snacks.
Cedric answered the door, his face brightening when he saw what Henri had brought. "Thank you." He beamed, taking two.
Henri hoped that the bubbly orange-haired Alpha would take more muffins so he would have fewer trips to make but that wasn’t the case.
His next stop was Audie and Valentin’s dorm room, Valentin answered the door and was about to pick up two muffins but Henri stopped him, "Take more," He said menacingly.
Valentin was already concerned about Henri showing up to his dorm room with muffins, "They’re poisoned, aren’t they?" He backed away, refusing to take more.
"No, they’re not..." He cursed and stomped off, wondering how difficult it could be to get people to take muffins.
He still wasn’t done, there were fewer muffins but he couldn’t eat them all himself. He left the Year One dorms and made his way to the Year Two dorms, Errol would be nice to take a lot of the confectioneries off his hands.
A sleepy Errol answered the door when he knocked, a bright smile filling the older Alpha’s face. "You brought us treats?"
Henri’s smile became strained at the coo in Errol’s voice but he still needed to give out more muffins so he nodded. "Would you like some?"
"Of course!" Errol happily agreed and then proceed to take out only two. "Nael? Do you want a muffin?" He asked, walking back in.
Henri just sighed, he should have seen that coming, there was only one person left, the only person that couldn’t protest if he dumped the entire basket of muffins on them.
Tarquin.
"Y-Your Highness?" The mousy Alpha faltered when he saw who it was at his door.
Henri just pushed the entire basket into his hands, already exhausted from walking around so much. He didn’t even want to ride a horse anymore, he just wanted to get some much-needed sleep.
"H-Henri!" Tarquin called to the Omega in confusion, still holding the basket that had been given to him.
Henri didn’t turn around, he had two muffins wrapped in the checkered piece of clothing used to cover the basket, his job was done.
