#jackalstyle

Entering the botanical garden always gave her a nice, calming feeling. Bahati always enjoyed the sent of flowers, and she liked coming here to relieve stress, either from her group of six female friends or from the over powering sent of males that permeated the whole school. This garden was her only sanctuary from both situations. Choosing to head to the back of the garden, Bahati moved her bag closer to her body and started her treak to the back of the botanical garden.

Upon nearing her desired location, the scent of a certain lion enter her nostrils. With a sigh, she remembered that he enjoyed coming to this garden as well. For him this place was a good way to skip school or just to have a nice nap. When she spotted him, Bahati made sure to not step on his legs or tail, as she didn’t want to deal with an angry Leona. After passing over him, she looked back and notice a few strands of hair hanging down into his face, causing his facial expression to be very annoyed.

Putting her bag down a bit away from him, Bahati moved closer, and crouched down next to him. She gently moved the strands of hair away from his face, tucking it in with the rest of his hair. Leona wiggled a bit, then settled back down, his face returning to a nutural expression after words.

With a smile, Bahati stood back up and turned around as to retrieve her bag and continue to her favorite spot in the Botanical Garden. That is until, she felt something wrap around her leg. Looking down, she noticed that Leona’s tail had wrapped itself around her ankle. With a sigh, she leaned over as far as she could, barely being able to grab the strap of her bag. Turning back to the lion, she crossed her arms and gave a huff, “How long are you going to keep pretending to be alseep, Leona-sama?”

Looking at his face, the jackal could see a smirk. Lazily, Leona opened one eye and looked her, his smirk growing a bit larger. “Your scent woke me up, little jackal.”

Bahati looked at him, unamused, “May I please have my leg back? I came here to do some home work, not skip school and be your napping buddy.”

Leona looked at her, as his tail unwrapped itself from her ankle. With a smile to him, Bahati turned back around to head to her desired location. Until, that is, she felt a tug on her tail, that caused her to tumble backwards into his arms. Bahati’s cheeks grew red, as she turned to glare daggers at him. “Leona-sama wha-”

“Where do you think your going? I need a new pillow.” Bahati’s glare hardened at him as her cheek grew darker.

“Leona. I came here to do my homework, I am not a pillow or a napping buddy, at least not today.” Bahati stayed strong with her conviction even though she true did want to just spend some time with him, time they never got as kids.

As for Leona, he was staring at her. After all at home, she always referred to him by his last name (a mandated rule by her mother), and although she called him by his first name here at NRC, she always used the honorific sama after it. For her to purely just say his name, either means a slip of the tongue or that she was comfortable & relaxed with him at this very moment in time.

“Jackal.... You said my name....” Bahati looked at him straight faced and was about to make a quippy remark until he continued “Without an honorific.”

Bahati thought for a quick second then covered her face as she flushed red. “I’m so sorry Leona-sama! It was a pure slip of the tongue!”

Her response made him chuckle. “It’s fine Jackal.”

“No, it isn’t! I spoke to you in a familiar way that I don’t have your permission for!” Leona looked at her, growling quietly.

“You do have permission, Bahati.” This time it was her turn to look shocked at the other party. He only every called her ‘Jackal’, and nothing else. “Out of everyone in this school I’ve known you the longest, and the same for you about me. If anyone has a right to call me by my name without the us of an honorific, it’s you.”

Bahati stared at him, utterly shocked. Her face was slowly getting even more red, that it was even reaching the tips of her ears. With her in a shocked state, Leona placed her seated down against the tree, then layed his head on her lap, noticing her tail wagging.

“Did you just say that to get me to stop arguing with you Leona?”

“No, was just and added benefit.” Bahati rolled her eyes and got to work on her home work, petting Leona’s ears every once and awhile.

A short time later

Reggie wondered into the garden, wondering where his dorm head, and the resident female Savanaclaw student were. After wandering a bit, he found them.

Leona’s head laying on her lap, his body curled as close as it could to her. As for Bahati, she fell asleep doing her homework. Her back was against the tree, with her a lulled to the side, her hand resting on Leona’s head as she likely fell asleep petting his head and ears.

Ruggie quietly chuckled to himself, and left the two of them to nap in peace.... after of course taking a picture. “Shishishi, Bahati-san is going to murder me when she finds out.”