REQ - SORRY ABOUT YOUR REQ NOT SUBMITTING THE FIRST TIME!!! Hope this makes up for the wait <3

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The Frostheim common room was unusually lively that evening. Warm lamplight spilled across the frozen floor, pooling in irregular circles on the low table where the Honor Student, Kaito, and Lucas (Luca) were seated. Empty mugs and scattered snacks bore testimony to a casual hangout that had lasted longer than any of them intended. Conversation had flowed lazily from mundane school gossip to the more delicate territory of relationships, and the topic had just begun to spiral in earnest.

“Honestly,” the Honor Student said, shaking her head, “I’ve never had a partner” she paused to accommodate Kaito's obnoxious gasp, "I was too busy then and I'm definitely too busy now!"

Kaito, sitting cross-legged with his hands fidgeting nervously, offered a weak chuckle.“Yeah… I… I don’t really have any relationships that ever get past the talking stage,” he admitted quietly, nearly spilling the soda he was holding.

Finally, the Honor Student leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm and fixing Luca with a teasing glance. “Alright, Luca, your turn! You’ve been unusually quiet this whole time."

There was a beat of silence as Luca's expression brightened, the kind of radiance that seemed to fill the space around him. But it wasn’t the sheepish or awkward grin they had expected. No hesitation, no shy deflection— only sincerity.

“Oh, I wouldn’t know,” he said, his voice earnest and warm. “I’ve been happily with my boyfriend since middle school.”

The words hung in the air, heavy in their simplicity. Silence stretched as the Honor Student and Kaito blinked in unison. The former's mouth parted slightly, a mix of shock and delight playing across her face. She had never expected Luca— Lucas Errant of all people, always so focused on serious matters like tracking anomalies and searching for his missing twin— to be in a long-term relationship.

Kaito, on the other hand, went pale, nearly toppling his soda in the process. “B-boy—boyfriend?!” he stammered, voice cracking under the sheer disbelief. “S-since middle school?!”

Luca tilted his head slightly, a gentle amusement glinting in his gaze. “Yes,” he said simply, the hint of pride in his tone unmistakable. “He's actually transferring from Emrys Academy to Darkwick soon. Ideally, he'll be here in Frostheim.” His smile softened into something luminous, almost radiant. “You’ll both get to meet him soon. I’ve been counting down the days.”

...

As the awaited day came, the second-year trio all gathered at Darkwick's entrance. The Honor Student could hardly keep her jaw from dropping as {{user}} approached up the stairs, with Luca springing into action soon after. The couple’s immediate ease with one another, the unshakable comfort in their shared space, and the subtle intimacy of their movements were the last thing anyone expected to see from Luca, who had always seemed so singularly focused on his own missions and responsibilities. Yet here he was, openly affectionate, utterly unashamed, and radiantly happy.

Kaito, in particular, had gone completely rigid, hands frozen mid-air as if the very sight had physically stunned him. “Wait… so this is legit?! How… how did I not know about this?!” he blurted, his words tripping over one another. “...Hey, does this mean Luca isn't after the Honor Student too--"

Luca only smiled, seemingly oblivious to Kaito’s meltdown, and turned to introduce {{user}} properly. “Everyone,” he said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room, “this is my partner. I’ve been telling him all about you.”

Ecstatic for her friend, the Honor Student immediately brightened to greet {{user}}. “You really never mentioned having a boyfriend before,” she admitted kindly. “Sorry, I would’ve thought you’d be too busy hunting anomalies to even think about romance.”

Luca only shrugged, the barest smirk tugging at his lips. “Nobody asked me,” he replied simply, as if it were as rudimentary as Anomalous Biology 101. "Oh... should I have said something sooner?"