Chapters two and three.
Francis passed by Roderich's classroom more than twice during the following weeks. Both times, the other didn't seem to notice him as he was either talking to Gilbert and Elizabetha or reading his notes. It almost seemed like Francis was ignored on purpose.
Autumn vacations came and went and they didn't meet again during the lunch break.
等等
It wasn't until mid-December before Francis walked into Roderich again. He had decided that he would eat alone again for once. This was why he had gone to his usual place. Roderich had been sitting there as well that day.
Silently, they each ate their lunch. Both were thinking their own thoughts.
“I waited for you,” Roderich said when he was almost finished with eating. There hadn't been much in his lunch box to start with. Francis had noticed that.
“You were?” Francis marveled. He hadn't expected to hear that.
Roderich nodded. “I thought you always ate here,” he said. “But you haven't for the past few days.”
The weather had become cold in the past weeks. The nights were freezingly cold and even the days weren't much warmer. There were no clouds in the empty gray sky.
“You know you could have told me,” Francis said after a while. He was still baffled. Never would he have expected the other to want to see him. They both knew each other's reputation. There was just no reason whatsoever for them to talk.
There wasn't beside their last meeting here, of course.
Roderich looked at him like he was thinking the same. “I-” He sighed. “I wanted to talk about the last time we met … you know … when I was ...” He bit his lip.
“When you were eating here,” Francis completed the sentence. There was no need for the other to admit that he had been crying.
Roderich nodded. “Yes, this,” he sighed. He looked around, again playing with his fingers, like he had the last time.
Francis had enough tact not to ask whether the other needed a shoulder to cry on again. He was sure this was what all was about. He just had no intention to forcing him to hurry. People in situations like this just needed their time. Rushing them just made them tell nothing at all. Francis knew just this much.
“I'll listen,” Francis said when he had waited long enough for Roderich to continue. “I don't mind.”
“Er.” Roderich looked startled. “I- I don't know how to put it.” He sighed. “I have never talked about this before.” Francis had thought so. But of course, he didn't say that out loud.
“I-” He sighed. “I saw them kiss.” His voice had been so small as he said that that Francis had to listen closely to understand it.
It didn't really surprise him. What did surprise him, though, was that it had taken so long. Hadn't Roderich's friends been dating for more than two months now? Maybe they had been carefully around them. But them knowing about his feelings and hiding from him out of consideration was shameful in Francis' opinion.
Francis didn't know what he was doing when he wrapped his arms around the other. It had been an impulse.
He was surprised he didn't get smacked for it. Instead, the other even leaned against him. For a while, they just sat there.
They both stared into the sky. Some dark clouds were now to be seen around the horizon. With them, they brought the promise of snow.
“I'm afraid to be left alone,” Roderich whispered. He didn't look up at Francis.
The breeze that was constantly blowing around this time of the year had become cold. It was good to feel the warmth of somebody else now. There were no birds singing anymore. The last leaves clang desperately on empty branches.
“Nobody wants to be left alone,” Francis finally murmured. “I'm no exception.”
Again, they fell silent. They never knew what to say around each other. Instead, they watched the snow bearing clouds draw nearer. The air smelled of smoke and cold. Their breath turned into little white clouds raising up to the sky while slowly dissolving.
“From time to time,” Roderich started. His voice was shaking with lack of confidence. “If you want to, I mean, we could eat together form time to time. You know, as friends.”
Francis thought for a moment. He simply stared at Roderich. The other returned the glance with his amethyst eyes. When he couldn't stand it anymore, Francis rested his head on Roderich's shoulder.
“I would love to,” he purred. “Eating together with a friend sounds nice.”
