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Description
One day, on the Spring of his seventh year, the Nightray household was abuzz with gossips of a new boy that the Nightray Duke brought home.

Rumor had it that when the Nightray Duke arrived yesterday night from a business excursion he had a boy tagging along with him. Said boy was currently residing in the second floor guest room in the west wing.

He was supposedly the same age as young master Elliot, or at least it appeared so. And he had brought nothing with him except the clothes on his back. The maids exchanged what little information they had with each other in hushed whispers never knowing their conversations fell on curious ears.

Once they were satisfied with their gossips, the maids went on to continue with their duties and a small figure, hidden in the shadows suddenly bolted away to the direction of the west wing.
--

Elliot was feeling fidgety.

He was, of course, excited to meet the new boy. He could imagine it now, he and the new boy would be the best of friends. Finally, Elliot would have a companion on his daily adventures!
In the midst of his excitement, Elliot hoped that this new boy wouldn't be like Gilbert. Not that he hated his new brother; it was just that Gilbert was much too anxious about everything that it was hard to play with him.

And he really wanted a playmate. It was getting kind of lonely slaying all those dragons by himself.

--

He looks younger.

And smaller.

Elliot was currently crouching down, peeking in through the door a maid had left ajar. The youngest Nightray had followed a mumbling servant when he had heard her mention 'guest' and she had led
him to the room the new boy was occupying. Not wanting to get caught snooping, Elliot had hidden until the maid left the room before quietly scurrying to his current position.

For some reason or another, Elliot was content at observing the boy for now. Making random comments in his head as the new boy sat still inside, head bowed down.

His clothes looks shabby.

Father should really buy him new clothes.

His hair needed a good brushing too because it stood up in different directions even worse than Elliot's own unruly hair. But that would come later. After they had played.

And his skin was pale. It was obvious that this 'guest' was not used to playing outside. Elliot was reminded of his first meeting with Gilbert and how pale his new brother was back then, a kind of sickly gray but this new boy wasn't pale like that. He skin looked more like the creamy ivories of the piano keys.

Too concentrated in his scrutiny, Elliot hadn't realized he made a noise until that small head shot up and dark eyes looked around wildly.

Elliot had never seen eyes like that before. Everyone in his family had the same blue eyes—perhaps in varying shades— and the servants and other nobles all had different eye colors but never had Elliot seen such eyes.

A deep, inky black—like an unending abyss, with flecks of gold in them. His eyes looked like it was glimmering. Was it because of the sunlight streaming in from the large window? No. Elliot stood up and pushed the door slowly open, gaze fixed on the new boy's mesmerizing eyes. Those dark, dark eyes looked as if they were glittering on their own, like the night sky with stars scattered all around.

Those same eyes now focused on him.

Elliot felt like he was being pulled closer in a trance, needing to see those pools of black and sparkling gold at a closer distance. He stopped a few feet away. The new boy tensed, eyes slowly narrowing as his lips pressed tight together.

"Elliot." He said in an exhale, not even realizing that he was holding his breath. "I'm Elliot." He repeated, waiting for some sort of reply or acknowledgement.

None came.

The other boy simply moved on the window seat so that he wouldn't be facing Elliot. Wondering if perhaps the boy didn't understand him, Elliot stepped closer.

"I'm Elliot. What's your name?"

Silence.

Was the boy deaf? A mute? Dumb? Why wasn't he answering? Didn't he know he was being rude?

"Hey!" Elliot grabbed at a sleeve and tugged. "What's wrong with you? Why won't you answer me?"

When he still didn't receive any reply, Elliot tugged harder. This earned him a glare and a small, slender hand slapping his away.

"Ow…you're very rude." Elliot grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his hand. "Can't you talk? Why won't you talk? Tell me your name."

When the boy simply turned his head away, Elliot knew he was being deliberately ignored. This irritated him. How dare this boy ignore him?

Determined to make him talk, Elliot crawled up the window seat beside the new boy and began pestering him, tugging at the boy's ratty coat now and then while regaling him with stories about his adventures and his heroic slaying of imaginary dragons.

"…and then, I found this smooth stone. Did you know it's a lost treasure? People have been searching all over for it but this dragon was guarding it. Dragons live very long so years and years passed without anyone getting it. But I did. I defeated the dragon and I got the stone. I—"

"Shut up!"

The new boy was finally facing him, irritation etched on his face as clear as day.

"So you can talk!" Elliot declared smugly, feeling like he had another accomplishment by making the new boy talk. "Why didn't you answer me earlier? That's rude you know. Do you know what rude means? It means you have no manners. Wait, do you even know what manners are?"

It could have been that the new boy was finally warming up to him – or more likely it was the new boy realizing that if he didn't satisfy this little noble's curiosity he would never have any peace ever again.

"I know what manners are. I don't care if I'm rude." The little noirette retorted, glaring at the blonde noble. "You're annoying."
Offended at the insult, Elliot shot back with a mature reply. "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

Elliot pushed his face closer for emphasis.

"You are."

The new boy did the same.

"No!"

And closer.

"Yes!"

Closer.

"No!"

They were nose to nose.

"Yes!"

A pause.

"You're eyes are shiny…"

"Ye—what?"

The noirette pulled back, brows knitted in confusion. Elliot tilted his head to the side.

"Your eyes, they're shiny. Like the sky at night…with all the stars."

The new boy blinked. He opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything. Elliot watched silently as the new boy bit his lip, looking away as he shook his head a bit making his bangs cover his eyes partially.

"Leo."

"What?" Did he mean lion?

"My name, it's Leo."

"Oh." Elliot didn't exactly know what do next. "I'm Elliot."

"I know. You said it already." A small teasing smile appeared on that small face. "You said it over and over earlier. Are you always that annoying?"

Insulted, Elliot huffed. "I am not! It's…it's because you were so rude!"

"I don't care."

"Well you should! Rude people are bad."

"So are annoying people."

"I'm not annoying."

"You were."

"Was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not…hey."

"Yes?"

"Are we friends now?"

Leo pondered for a moment before smiling gently. "No. I don't have annoying friends." And with that Leo jumped off the window seat before dashing away, an unmistakable grin on his face.

Description
One day, on the Spring of his seventh year, the Nightray household was abuzz with gossips of a new boy that the Nightray Duke brought home.

Rumor had it that when the Nightray Duke arrived yesterday night from a business excursion he had a boy tagging along with him. Said boy was currently residing in the second floor guest room in the west wing.

He was supposedly the same age as young master Elliot, or at least it appeared so. And he had brought nothing with him except the clothes on his back. The maids exchanged what little information they had with each other in hushed whispers never knowing their conversations fell on curious ears.

Once they were satisfied with their gossips, the maids went on to continue with their duties and a small figure, hidden in the shadows suddenly bolted away to the direction of the west wing.
--

Elliot was feeling fidgety.

He was, of course, excited to meet the new boy. He could imagine it now, he and the new boy would be the best of friends. Finally, Elliot would have a companion on his daily adventures!
In the midst of his excitement, Elliot hoped that this new boy wouldn't be like Gilbert. Not that he hated his new brother; it was just that Gilbert was much too anxious about everything that it was hard to play with him.

And he really wanted a playmate. It was getting kind of lonely slaying all those dragons by himself.

--

He looks younger.

And smaller.

Elliot was currently crouching down, peeking in through the door a maid had left ajar. The youngest Nightray had followed a mumbling servant when he had heard her mention 'guest' and she had led
him to the room the new boy was occupying. Not wanting to get caught snooping, Elliot had hidden until the maid left the room before quietly scurrying to his current position.

For some reason or another, Elliot was content at observing the boy for now. Making random comments in his head as the new boy sat still inside, head bowed down.

His clothes looks shabby.

Father should really buy him new clothes.

His hair needed a good brushing too because it stood up in different directions even worse than Elliot's own unruly hair. But that would come later. After they had played.

And his skin was pale. It was obvious that this 'guest' was not used to playing outside. Elliot was reminded of his first meeting with Gilbert and how pale his new brother was back then, a kind of sickly gray but this new boy wasn't pale like that. He skin looked more like the creamy ivories of the piano keys.

Too concentrated in his scrutiny, Elliot hadn't realized he made a noise until that small head shot up and dark eyes looked around wildly.

Elliot had never seen eyes like that before. Everyone in his family had the same blue eyes—perhaps in varying shades— and the servants and other nobles all had different eye colors but never had Elliot seen such eyes.

A deep, inky black—like an unending abyss, with flecks of gold in them. His eyes looked like it was glimmering. Was it because of the sunlight streaming in from the large window? No. Elliot stood up and pushed the door slowly open, gaze fixed on the new boy's mesmerizing eyes. Those dark, dark eyes looked as if they were glittering on their own, like the night sky with stars scattered all around.

Those same eyes now focused on him.

Elliot felt like he was being pulled closer in a trance, needing to see those pools of black and sparkling gold at a closer distance. He stopped a few feet away. The new boy tensed, eyes slowly narrowing as his lips pressed tight together.

"Elliot." He said in an exhale, not even realizing that he was holding his breath. "I'm Elliot." He repeated, waiting for some sort of reply or acknowledgement.

None came.

The other boy simply moved on the window seat so that he wouldn't be facing Elliot. Wondering if perhaps the boy didn't understand him, Elliot stepped closer.

"I'm Elliot. What's your name?"

Silence.

Was the boy deaf? A mute? Dumb? Why wasn't he answering? Didn't he know he was being rude?

"Hey!" Elliot grabbed at a sleeve and tugged. "What's wrong with you? Why won't you answer me?"

When he still didn't receive any reply, Elliot tugged harder. This earned him a glare and a small, slender hand slapping his away.

"Ow…you're very rude." Elliot grumbled as he rubbed the sore spot on his hand. "Can't you talk? Why won't you talk? Tell me your name."

When the boy simply turned his head away, Elliot knew he was being deliberately ignored. This irritated him. How dare this boy ignore him?

Determined to make him talk, Elliot crawled up the window seat beside the new boy and began pestering him, tugging at the boy's ratty coat now and then while regaling him with stories about his adventures and his heroic slaying of imaginary dragons.

"…and then, I found this smooth stone. Did you know it's a lost treasure? People have been searching all over for it but this dragon was guarding it. Dragons live very long so years and years passed without anyone getting it. But I did. I defeated the dragon and I got the stone. I—"

"Shut up!"

The new boy was finally facing him, irritation etched on his face as clear as day.

"So you can talk!" Elliot declared smugly, feeling like he had another accomplishment by making the new boy talk. "Why didn't you answer me earlier? That's rude you know. Do you know what rude means? It means you have no manners. Wait, do you even know what manners are?"

It could have been that the new boy was finally warming up to him – or more likely it was the new boy realizing that if he didn't satisfy this little noble's curiosity he would never have any peace ever again.

"I know what manners are. I don't care if I'm rude." The little noirette retorted, glaring at the blonde noble. "You're annoying."
Offended at the insult, Elliot shot back with a mature reply. "Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

Elliot pushed his face closer for emphasis.

"You are."

The new boy did the same.

"No!"

And closer.

"Yes!"

Closer.

"No!"

They were nose to nose.

"Yes!"

A pause.

"You're eyes are shiny…"

"Ye—what?"

The noirette pulled back, brows knitted in confusion. Elliot tilted his head to the side.

"Your eyes, they're shiny. Like the sky at night…with all the stars."

The new boy blinked. He opened his mouth but closed it without saying anything. Elliot watched silently as the new boy bit his lip, looking away as he shook his head a bit making his bangs cover his eyes partially.

"Leo."

"What?" Did he mean lion?

"My name, it's Leo."

"Oh." Elliot didn't exactly know what do next. "I'm Elliot."

"I know. You said it already." A small teasing smile appeared on that small face. "You said it over and over earlier. Are you always that annoying?"

Insulted, Elliot huffed. "I am not! It's…it's because you were so rude!"

"I don't care."

"Well you should! Rude people are bad."

"So are annoying people."

"I'm not annoying."

"You were."

"Was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not…hey."

"Yes?"

"Are we friends now?"

Leo pondered for a moment before smiling gently. "No. I don't have annoying friends." And with that Leo jumped off the window seat before dashing away, an unmistakable grin on his face.