I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this story ending so to make it make sense for me this is how I will interpret. Imma use "Duke" to represent the present him and "Theodore" to represent the past him. He went back in time found Alois based on the Duke instructions. He wasn't in love with him while he was a child or while he was growing up. Theodore didnt understand why the Duke was obsessed with Alois and kept him to find out.While Alois was a child and growing up Theodore realized Alois gave him purpose to keep on living after his father killed everyone he cared about. He was a shinning light in the darkness a free spirit someone he wished he was growing up. So Theodore feelings towards Alois wasn't romantic or parental. It was just protective and fascination. When Alois became an legal adult showering the Duke with romantic affection and by him being older it hit different felt more passionate and romantic not like a silly crush & thats when the Duke fell for him. Now I would think the cycle would just constantly continue since he came from the past and the Duke was still standoffish but this is fiction so I will say, you only get 1 wish and after the wish is granted no redos. So once Alois got his cheeks clapped & the duke realized his love for Alois the cycle was broken and no longer to repeat.
This is the only way I can make it make sense to me.
I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this story ending so to make it make sense for me this is how I will interpret. Imma use "Duke" to represent the present him and "Theodore" to represent the past him. He went back in time found Alois based on the Duke instructions. He wasn't in love with him while he was a child or while he was growing up. Theodore didnt understand why the Duke was obsessed with Alois and kept him to find out.While Alois was a child and growing up Theodore realized Alois gave him purpose to keep on living after his father killed everyone he cared about. He was a shinning light in the darkness a free spirit someone he wished he was growing up. So Theodore feelings towards Alois wasn't romantic or parental. It was just protective and fascination. When Alois became an legal adult showering the Duke with romantic affection and by him being older it hit different felt more passionate and romantic not like a silly crush & thats when the Duke fell for him. Now I would think the cycle would just constantly continue since he came from the past and the Duke was still standoffish but this is fiction so I will say, you only get 1 wish and after the wish is granted no redos. So once Alois got his cheeks clapped & the duke realized his love for Alois the cycle was broken and no longer to repeat.
This is the only way I can make it make sense to me.