The Last Paragon in the Apocalypse

Ohema sent Klaus ten vials of Mountain Dew, along with a note that read, "You owe me, Klaus, but for now, give these to your girlfriend and mother-in-law; they need it the most." Klaus was stunned. At first, he didn't catch the part about the mother-in-law. But after reading it again, he smiled, realizing Ohema was teasing him.

"She really is something else," Klaus muttered, staring at the note. "I'd better work harder to win her heart before someone else does."

"Whose heart are you trying to steal?" his mother's voice interrupted from behind just as he was lost in thought.

Klaus jumped a little but kept his cool. "You really should knock next time, Mom. You might not be ready to handle this diamond body," he said, handing her the note.

His mother chuckled as she read it. "She cares about you, clearly. Makes me wonder what you have to offer her," she said with a sly smile.

"At the very least, I can offer her my body," Klaus joked, winking.

"Well, there's that," his mother said, winking back.

"Mom, you should really be teaching your son some good values. You're starting to become a bit of a naughty mother," Klaus teased.

"Says the naughty child," she shot back playfully.

Klaus laughed and shook his head. "Touché, Mom. But seriously, I think Ohema's got me all twisted up inside. I can't tell if she's messing with me or if there's something more going on."

His mother raised an eyebrow. "Well, you've always been slow to catch on when it comes to women. Maybe she's just testing the waters. Or maybe she's waiting for you to make a move."

Klaus sighed. "I don't know. She's so hard to read. One minute, she's teasing me, and the next, she's completely out of reach."

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His mother smiled softly. "That's the fun part, isn't it? The chase. But don't wait too long, Klaus. Some chances don't come twice."

Klaus nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're right. I'll have to step up my game. Can't let someone else swoop in and steal her away."

"Good boy," his mother said, patting him on the shoulder. "Now go and figure out what you want to do. Just remember, don't lead her on if you're not sure. Be clear, and be kind."

Klaus smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I'll keep that in mind."

After the mother and son duo finished plotting to capture the heart of the mysterious damsel, they went about their usual business. Klaus gave three vials of Mountain Dew to his mother and saved the rest for Lucy, who was coming over for dinner the next day.

Fast forward to dinner, Lucy arrived, and they had a great time. Klaus even managed to get a shoulder massage from the Moonlight Fairy, earning him a thumbs-up from his mother. He noticed his mother seemed more energetic and lively after using the Mountain Dew, which made him happy.

Later that night, after dinner, Klaus convinced Lucy to take the Mountain Dew. It took some persuading, but she finally agreed. They spent the rest of the evening talking about a lot of things, making memories they could hold onto while she was away at the academy. They both knew once she returned, it would be difficult to stay in touch for a while.

After hours of talking and laughing, Lucy finally asked the question Klaus had been quietly anticipating.

"Klaus, do you like my sister?"

Klaus eventually expected this question, but it caught him off guard. "Of course I do; we're friends, after all," he replied casually.

"No, I mean, do you like her the way you like me? Wait, let me rephrase that. Do you want to kiss my sister?"

Klaus' heart skipped a beat. The rawness of the question stunned him. He did want to kiss her, and if he was honest with himself, he loved her too. But why was Lucy asking this now?

Instead of answering, Klaus asked cautiously, "Why are you asking me that?"

Klaus felt his chest tighten as Lucy spoke. He hadn't anticipated this turn in the conversation, and now he found himself grappling with a reality he hadn't fully acknowledged before.

Lucy took a deep breath and continued, her voice soft but steady. "I think my sister is in love with you. No... I don't just think so; I know she is. And honestly, I'm happy for her. She deserves someone like you.

But..." She paused, glancing down at her hands, her expression shifting into something more serious. "I'm concerned."

Klaus frowned slightly, his brow furrowing. "Why are you concerned?" he asked, his tone gentle but curious.

Lucy hesitated, her eyes still focused on the floor. "I'm concerned that you might not feel the same way about her as she feels about you," she admitted quietly. "And if that's the case, it could really hurt her."

Klaus was silent for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. He has always been cool with Anna. He liked the way she commanded herself and how selfless she could be. It was because of her that he won Lucy's heart. He was grateful for that. But love?

Was it really that?

"Lucy..." Klaus began softly, searching for the right words. "I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to hurt either of you. This whole thing is more complicated than I expected."

Lucy nodded, still not meeting his gaze. "I know, Klaus. That's why I'm telling you this now. I need you to be sure about your feelings. If you're not, it's better to be honest with her sooner rather than later. She's my sister, and I love her, but I also care about you.

I don't want any of us getting hurt in the end."

Klaus felt the weight of responsibility settles on his shoulders. He knew he had to figure out his feelings before things spiraled out of control. He couldn't let this situation turn into something that would break the people he cared about the most.

"Lucy," Klaus said gently, reaching for her hand again. "I'll be honest with you—I'm confused. But I don't hate her and don't want to say I love her -at least not yet. But I will surely tell her if I develop the same feelings for her."

"Thank you, Klaus", Lucy said with slightly teary eyes. Klaus's heart skipped a beat seeing that.

Klaus felt a pang in his chest when he saw the tears welling up in Lucy's eyes. It made his heart skip a beat, and for a moment, he didn't know what to do. He hadn't meant to hurt her, but he could see how much this conversation weighed on her.

"Lucy..." he whispered, squeezing her hand gently. "I never want to make you feel this way. I'm sorry if all of this is making things harder for you."

Lucy blinked back the tears, forcing a small, brave smile. "It's okay, Klaus. I just want everyone to be happy. And I trust you to be honest with her—and with me."

Klaus nodded, trying to steady his own emotions. "I will. I promise. And whatever happens, I want you to know how much you mean to me. I'd never do anything to hurt either of you on purpose."

Lucy gave a weak laugh, wiping her eyes quickly. "I know, Klaus. You're a good guy. Maybe that's why all of this is so difficult. I just hope that, in the end, we can all come out of this without any regrets."

Klaus smiled softly, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. "No regrets. We'll figure it out together."

With that, Lucy nodded, finally seeming a little more at ease. They sat in silence for a moment longer, the air between them filled with unspoken feelings and a quiet understanding. No matter what the future held, they would face it honestly, and that was all they could ask for.

Suddenly, Lucy turned and looked at Klaus, "Can we sleep together tonight? And before you get any funny ideas, know that we won't go beyond kissing" Lucy buried her face in her palm, clearly embarrassed from making such a bold statement.

Klaus blinked in surprise at Lucy's sudden request, his mind racing to catch up with what she had just said. He could see her embarrassment as she buried her face in her hands, clearly flustered by her own boldness.

He chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension. "Lucy, you didn't have to hide your face like that," he said, gently pulling her hands away from her face so he could look at her. "I get it, and I respect your boundaries. No funny ideas, I promise."

Lucy peeked at him through her fingers, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and nervous laughter. "I just... I didn't want things to be awkward between us, and I guess I said it all wrong," she mumbled.

Klaus smiled warmly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You didn't say it wrong. It's fine, really. We can just be together, no pressure, no expectations." He paused for a moment, his voice softening. "I'll be here, no matter what."

Lucy lifted her head slightly, her gaze meeting his. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with relief. She smiled then, though the embarrassment still lingered in her eyes.

Klaus stood up and held out his hand. "Come on, let's get some rest. We've both had enough complicated feelings for one night."

She took his hand and stood up, following him to his room, where they lay side by side, talking quietly until they both drifted off to sleep. As promised, nothing happened beyond a few kisses and shared warmth.

However, when they woke up the next day, Lucy got the shock of her life, the kind of shock that would make her blush every morning when she woke up, even when she was away in the academy.

The next day, Lucy left for the Celestial Mountain Academy. Klaus missed her, but when Monday came, he also left for the Everlasting Zombie Forest to break through to the Master stage.