Two days had passed since Klaus had gone out with Rose.

During that time, Klaus mainly stayed at home with his brother and mother. Ace and Rose would occasionally drop by, but generally, it was a relatively quiet, in-home experience. The upcoming meeting with Halo and Horns was just around the corner, scheduled for about three days later.

On this particular day, Klaus was awakened by the persistent ringing of his phone. He had stayed up late the night before, so he had been catching up on sleep. Initially, he considered ignoring the call, but as the ringing continued, he relented and picked up his phone. Seeing the caller's name, Klaus tempered his initial frustration before answering.

"Hey, Avalon," Klaus greeted.

"Oh hey, Klaus," Avalon replied. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"You're fine," Klaus responded, choosing not to admit that she had indeed disturbed his slumber. "So, what's up?"

Avalon hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Well," she began, "I guess I just wanted to call to remind you about our... you know... outing."

"Don't worry, I remember," Klaus assured her as he rose from his bed and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Great," Avalon said with a smile. "So, would it be cool if we could meet up by one in the afternoon?"

"Sure," Klaus replied. "I'm not doing anything today, so anytime works."

"Awesome," Avalon said. "Then I'll be at your place before then."

"My place?" Klaus inquired, pausing with his toothbrush mid-air. "You sure?"

"Yeah, why not?" Avalon replied. "I don't mind."

Klaus wasn't entirely comfortable with Avalon making the effort to come to his house, but since she insisted, he decided to respect her choice despite his concerns.

Later that afternoon, Klaus completed his house chores before hanging out with Shade. Rose also dropped by, and the trio gathered around the kitchen counter for a casual conversation. It was around noon, and Klaus knew it would be a while until Avalon would arrive for their date.

As they chatted, the doorbell suddenly rang. Rose was closest to the door, so she offered to answer it and find out who had arrived. When Rose opened the door, she was met by an unfamiliar girl who seemed to be searching for something in her purse.

It was Avalon.

Avalon's attention shifted from her purse to Rose as she heard the door open, and their eyes met. Avalon was utterly captivated; she had never seen someone so stunning in her life. Rose was easily the most beautiful person she had ever encountered.

"Hey there. How can I help you?" Rose asked with a friendly smile.

Avalon was so overwhelmed that she struggled to form a coherent sentence. She felt tongue-tied, unable to comprehend what was happening as she continued to stare at Rose.

"Uhh," Rose began after a few moments of silence. "Are you okay?"

Realizing she had to say something, Avalon forced herself to speak.

"K-K-Klaus."

Realizing that Avalon was at the right place, Rose decided to grab Klaus's attention by calling his name. After a brief pause, Klaus appeared at the door and discovered that Avalon had arrived.

"Oh, Avalon," Klaus greeted her.

Curious, Rose asked, "You know her?"

"Yeah, she's here for me," Klaus confirmed. "Although you're here a bit early, don't you think?"

"I'm sorry," Avalon quickly apologized.

"It's fine," Klaus reassured her. "I'll just go get ready."

Klaus escorted Avalon into the house and showed her to the living room. He asked her if she could wait there while he went upstairs to prepare for their date.

"Wait, where's he going?" Rose inquired, turning to Shade for answers.

"Oh," Shade said after realizing who the girl in the living room was. "I think they're heading out on a date."

Shade approached Avalon, who was seated in the living room, and extended his hand for a friendly introduction.

"Hey there, nice to meet you," Shade greeted her. "I'm Shade, Klaus' brother."

"N-Nice to meet you," Avalon managed to reply, her voice slightly shaky as she shook his hand. "I'm Avalon."

"Avalon, huh," Shade smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, you're the girl from Wallpaper, correct?"

Avalon nodded in confirmation after a moment of hesitation.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Shade continued. "Klaus has talked a lot about you, so I hope you're treating him well."

Avalon felt a touch of embarrassment at Shade's comment and looked down briefly before nodding in agreement.

The presence of Rose, alongside Shade, sent shivers down Avalon's spine, and adding Klaus into the mix intensified the effect. She had never encountered such an attractive group, and the sight of any of them left her at a loss for words. This was entirely unlike her usual outgoing personality.

Rose eventually recognized from Shade's comment that she had heard about Avalon before. She recalled their conversation on the rooftop a few months back, particularly the discussion about a graffiti artist. After a brief chat, she and Shade decided to give Avalon some space while they awaited Klaus's return.

After a few minutes had passed, Klaus finally descended from the stairs. As Avalon's eyes locked onto him, she couldn't help but think he looked even more amazing than usual. Klaus typically wasn't too concerned about his attire, but this time, it was evident that he had put some thought into what he was going to wear.

"Damn, you look amazing," Shade complimented Klaus as his brother came downstairs.

"I'll say," Rose added. "You even did your hair, didn't you."

"Does it matter?" Klaus replied, not one to dwell on compliments.

Rose and Avalon continued to admire Klaus's appearance for a moment before they snapped out of it. Klaus then approached Avalon, extending his hand toward her.

"Are you ready?" Klaus inquired.

"Yeah," Avalon responded with a smile, reaching out her hand to allow Klaus to assist her up.

Klaus and Avalon headed for the door, and before leaving, Klaus turned to Shade.

"By the way," Klaus began, "I might be out longer than usual."

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"Oh, no worries," Shade said with a smile. "Have fun."

With that, Klaus and Avalon departed together.

Shade shifted his attention to Rose when he noticed her using her phone with a typical expression. This surprised him slightly, as her actions were not what he had expected after meeting Avalon.

"By the way," Shade said to Rose, grabbing her attention. "I don't think it's strange to say that I'm surprised you're not jealous of Avalon."

Rose smiled briefly before responding to Shade.

"Well, I guess I could say that I learned to suppress my feelings for him, so I'm not too bothered anymore about stuff like that."

This statement took Shade by surprise even more than her previous actions. Nevertheless, Shade was genuinely impressed and happy that Rose didn't have to keep hurting herself by trying to sway his brother, who had almost no emotion.

"He wasn't always like that, you know," Shade suddenly said to Rose.

Rose was confused by Shade's statement before he continued.

"He used to be so cheerful when we were kids," Shade elaborated. "It just all suddenly changed one day."

"You mean his personality?" Rose asked.

"Yeah," Shade confirmed. "I always tried to bring him back to his old self, but I never could. That's why I've always tried to be the smile that he lost."

Rose didn't know what to make of what Shade had said. She wondered what had triggered such a dramatic change in Klaus's demeanor and mood, but she felt it was not her place to delve into his reasons. As she contemplated this, Shade continued his train of thought.

"Truthfully, I really hope Avalon can be a catalyst to trigger what I couldn't."

Shade's concern for his brother was clear, and Rose admired his dedication. He maintained a thoughtful and caring expression for a few more moments before moving away from the topic and continuing their conversation.

Klaus and Avalon walked for a while, eventually arriving at Avalon's planned destination: a cinema not far from Klaus' home. Klaus decided to let Avalon take the lead, agreeing to whatever she had in mind. After choosing a movie, they spent the next few hours watching it.

When the movie ended, Avalon suggested they go bowling since she didn't have another place in mind beforehand. She usually had no trouble making decisions on the spot, but this situation felt different to her. Klaus, however, was perfectly content with her choice, and they headed to the bowling alley.

They found themselves at the same bowling alley they had visited during their first outing. As they bowled, Klaus noticed that Avalon was acting somewhat differently from her usual self. Her typically outgoing and lively attitude, which Klaus preferred, had mellowed, and she wasn't as animated as she usually was.

"Are you okay?" Klaus asked Avalon during her turn when she held onto the bowling ball longer than usual.

"I'm fi..." Avalon began before turning her attention to Klaus.

Feeling that she owed him an explanation for her unusual demeanor, she decided to be honest with him.

"It might sound silly," Avalon began. "But I couldn't help but feel somewhat inferior around the girl at your house."

Klaus took a moment to process who she was referring to.

"You mean Rose?" Klaus asked.

"I think so," Avalon replied. "The girl who opened the door for me."

Klaus was genuinely surprised that Avalon felt intimidated by Rose, but he understood why she might feel that way. Nonetheless, he decided to reassure Avalon.

"You don't need to feel inferior or intimidated by her," Klaus said to Avalon.

"You say that," Avalon said. "But how can I be sure of that when even I myself was falling for her at first sight?"

Klaus approached Avalon, softly placing his right hand on her shoulder and looking into her eyes.

"There's a reason it's you who's here and not her, so don't put yourself down."

Hearing Klaus' words and seeing the sincerity in his eyes filled Avalon with warmth. She knew they weren't dating, so she couldn't help but consider Rose a more fitting choice for Klaus in her head. However, Klaus' response helped her dispel any feelings of being second choice.

Avalon beamed, moved closer to the bowling alley, and continued her turn. While not hitting many pins at all, she laughed about it, making Klaus realize that her usual spirited self had returned.

Klaus and Avalon bowled until the sun began to set, and it grew late. They decided to conclude their date and head home. However, Klaus felt it was only fair to walk Avalon back to her place since she had made the effort to come to his home earlier.

As they walked and chatted for a few minutes, they reached Avalon's house. Klaus noticed that she had her house key ready, which puzzled him as the door was locked.

"No one's home?" Klaus inquired, surprised by the locked door.

"Nah," Avalon replied. "My parents are out for the night, and they won't be back for a while."

After sharing this information, Avalon looked directly at Klaus, as if she were trying to provoke a response from him. Realizing her intentions, Klaus decided to succumb after a few seconds.

"Would you like me to come in for a while?" Klaus asked.

"Woah, Klaus," Avalon teased with a smile. "The date wasn't THAT good."

"Do you want me to or not?" Klaus asked, aware of her playful banter.

"Okay, sorry," Avalon replied with a giggle. "You can come in."

Klaus stepped into Avalon's home, taking a moment to observe his surroundings. Family photos adorned the walls, also confirming Avalon's statement that she was an only child. It was evident that her family enjoyed a cozy and homey atmosphere. The house, though spacious for a family of three, exuded warmth, just as one would expect from a loving home.

Klaus proceeded into the living room, appreciating the paintings and artwork displayed throughout the space. It became clear to him why Avalon was passionate about graffiti and why she had adopted her Aura persona.

Avalon fetched a couple of drinks for them as they settled in the living room, engaged in conversation on various topics. Amid their discussion, Avalon decided to address the earlier situation.

"You know," Avalon began, "it's kinda weird how the people you hang out with, as well as your brother, are so freaking hot."

"My bad... I guess," Klaus replied, eliciting a chuckle from Avalon.

Seeing her giggle, he decided to playfully continue the topic.

"Although, your stunned face after you showed up at my house was beyond priceless," Klaus said with a cheeky smile.

"Ohhh," Avalon responded after grasping his comment. "So you're making jokes now?"

Her laughter followed his statement, and for the first time, Klaus joined in. Her surprised expression was unmistakable as she watched Klaus laugh, a sight she hadn't witnessed since they had met.

"Wow," Avalon started, filled with awe and a smile. "I never thought I'd ever see you laugh in my life."

Klaus's realization that he had laughed was plain on his face. It had been so long since genuine laughter had graced his life. But this time, with Avalon, it felt different. Klaus found comfort in the warmth of their shared laughter.

Following this realization, Klaus and Avalon fell into a brief silence, their gazes locked. Klaus couldn't deny the joy he found in Avalon's presence. Her smiles brought out his own, and her concerns affected him likewise. It was a feeling he shared with his brother and mother, but this was also distinctly unique.

Klaus continued to gaze into Avalon's eyes, and she recognized that they were sharing a moment. A faint blush graced her cheeks, but she didn't want to disrupt the enchanting atmosphere.

Klaus delved into his thoughts, contemplating the unfamiliar emotions he was experiencing. He wasn't oblivious to Avalon's feelings for him, as she had openly expressed them. He was also intelligent enough to discern that his own sentiments might be growing in a similar direction, possibly romantically. He acknowledged this much, at least.

Yet, what held him back was the prospect of venturing into something uncharted, something he had never explored before. After a moment of reflection, he realized that he was not averse to the idea. He needed to share his thoughts with Avalon.

"Avalon," Klaus began after the brief silence. "I think I have feelings for you. Feelings that I genuinely want."

Avalon's mind nearly went blank upon hearing this confession. Klaus had just admitted that he shared her feelings. While it might not be to the same extent, his feelings seemed to be on a parallel path to hers. A warm smile graced Avalon's face as she gazed into his eyes.

"Although I've said it before," Avalon said, "I can't help but have feelings for you too."

Following her statement, they moved closer to each other, as if drawn together by an irresistible force.

As they drew closer, Klaus's mind raced, thoughts moving at lightning speed. It was like his battle instincts kicking in, his intellect outpacing the moment. Amid this flurry of thoughts, he couldn't help but ponder Avalon's recent words.

Her confession had filled his heart with warmth, but it also triggered a cascade of thoughts as their lips inched closer. Then it hit him. A revelation.

Just as he was about to lock lips with Avalon, his eyes widened in his sudden realization. Something clicked in his mind, something he couldn't quite explain. Klaus leaned back abruptly, his shock palpable in his wide-open eyes.

"Oh, my Gods," Klaus whispered, the shock radiating through the room.

Avalon, her confusion shifting to concern, couldn't fathom what had just occurred. She initially thought she might have done something wrong, or perhaps Klaus felt they were moving too quickly. But as she gazed at Klaus's expression, her worry deepened.

"What's wrong, Klaus?" Avalon asked.

Before she could receive an answer, Klaus abruptly rose from his seat and headed for the door.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes still wide with shock. "But I have to go."

Avalon was left in utter bewilderment. She didn't grasp the situation at all, watching as Klaus walked toward the door, his behavior entirely unexpected.

"What's going on, Klaus?" Avalon inquired, rising up and following him. "Please, tell me."

"I'm sorry, Avalon," Klaus repeated, and with that, he walked out the front door.

Avalon took a moment to collect her thoughts, but she felt a strong urge to understand what was going on. She rushed out of her front door, searching for Klaus, but he had vanished, leaving her in puzzled desperation.

Klaus found himself on his bed, still in a state of shock, in the blink of an eye after departing from Avalon's home. The night skies provided him the ability to slip away from her place and return home without drawing attention or disturbing the rest of his family upon his entry.

He sat there for a few moments, his breathing rapid. He couldn't determine if it was from the run back or from the revelation that had struck him. After a few seconds of helplessly staring at the floor, Klaus eventually laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. In a voice barely above a whisper, he muttered to himself, his words tinged with denial.

"It can't be. It can't be. It can't be."