It wasn't as if he had altogether stopped seeing Ansel, but Harvey did try his best to avoid any rare chances.
If they were, in the first place.
The thing with Ansel, which Harvey now realised was, that the schedules of the two never overlapped. Even a bit. And there was absolutely no reason for Harvey to go and meet Ansel.
For the four months that he had been here, Harvey didn't know when exactly Ansel had become such an important part of his life. Wounds still stung, but Harvey had grown familiar with them.
Exactly two weeks had passed since Harvey had come to know of Ansel's past, and he didn't make any folly ever since.
"Did I say you could eat, you foolish peasant!" Faizal Mohammed Karem Yilmaz the Fifth was yapping again, "I made them for my friend Ansel!"
"Since when was Ansel your friend?" Fane yelled in response.
"Quiet you dirty peasant!" Faizal tapped again, his very large coat slipping over his shoulder, which he clumsily put back in place and held his precious lunch box close to his heart, "I made this for Ansel! And he himself said that I was his best friend!"
Harvey couldn't stop a dry smile from breaking.
That, precisely was Ansel. He made everyone feel special, made everyone feel calm⦠made everyone happy. Anyone, who was in despair, or had a foul mood⦠Ansel made them smile.
To Ansel, Harvey was just a junior seeking his affection and companionship.
"Shush you two," Jubilant quipped in, "me get headache from you two."
Fane proceeded to tell at his brother, while Faizal tapped Harvey's shoulder, "Isn't Ansel talking to you?"
Harvey didn't have any energy to snap and say something rude. So, he chose to smile like Ansel and nod, "We aren't friends anymore."
Nosy Faizal decided to be nosy. "Why?"
"Justâ¦" It was at this moment, something dawned on Harvey.
Heartbreak doesn't make a sound.
"Just that I was too rude for my own good," Harvey laughed in his own helplessness and despair.
"Well you are rude, because you know, you are a little peasant after all, you can't help your peasant-ness."
"Yes, Your Highness, I understand." Harvey smiled at the young Prince.
"You look ugly, don't smile." Faizal narrowed his eyes at Harvey, but his attention was snatched away when Fane yelled, "And you are the ugliest, you know."
The two went back to bickering, and Harvey stood up and left to go back to his room. The holidays for Christmas would be coming soon, and Michael was graduating⦠he'd soon marry Drusilla and that would take all his reasons away, reasons to see or ever talk to Ansel.
Anyway, integration of definite polynomials was more important. And he was going to go back home for the holidays very soon.
_________________________________________
Harvey was sitting in the library, keeping his mind all to himself and occupied in his assignments, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Do you mind?" It was that same dewy voice, and inked hands. Harvey didn't have to turn to know that it was Ansel. After all, that voice had never left him in the first place.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Harvey nodded slowly.
The ever so soft screech of the chair being dragged out and the barely audible sigh of Ansel, it felt decibels louder to Harvey's ears.
"How are you doing?" Ansel's voice was clearly strained, but Harvey didn't dare look at his face. Because he knew that if he did, his resolve would crumble.
"Studies keep me busy," Harvey bit his lip, and forced his head down.
"I seeâ¦" there was a long, awkward pause.
Silences were never common with Ansel. But Harvey didn't want his hopes up again.
"You know I talked to Faizal yesterday," Ansel began.
"So you did manage to talk to him. With me, he is simply speaking monologues."
Ansel chuckled, and Gods how much had Harvey missed hearing that beautiful sound-
"You look sad," Harvey couldn't stop himself from looking up at this point, and his heart beat stopped for a moment- those eyes⦠filled with warmth to the brim, those lipsâ¦
Harvey could feel that touch lingering even to this date.
"Do I?" Ansel rubbed the back of his head. "I might," he added softly, "Faizal told me that you were different."
"Faizal?"
"Why?" Ansel looked mildly amused, "he gave me a big box of Turkish delights yesterday. He really cares about you all, doesn't show it, but really does."
"I'm always amazed by you." Harvey whispered, not being able to take his eyes off Ansel's lips.
"Are you⦠stillâ¦" Ansel had never been so unsure before, the way his hand trembled when he tucked a strand of his curly hair behind his ear, "What I mean isâ¦"
"Do I look like I am over you?" Harvey's heart was pounding in his throat, any moment now it would tear itself through. Harvey was not over, very clearly so.
"Harvey I-"
"Don't say anything," Harvey shook his head, as his hand raised up to touch Ansel's cheek. "Please just⦠let me be with you here."
"Harveyâ¦"
How exhilarating it was, to his hear his own name from Ansel's lips.
"Hush," Harvey's thumb grazed Ansel's lower lip delicately, revelling in that soft touch, "I know. I know everything. And I apologize for being like that⦠but you know," Harvey had a small smile on his lips, "I perfectly understand how you feel."
"I am sorry." Ansel's shoulders drooped.
"Please give me a chance. I'll still be waiting for you when the last snow falls." Harvey closed the distance between them, his eyes closing in a blissful ecstasy.