thriving in irony.

and then, the world goes silent.

[kinbedo]

Miracles ablaze, dying with hope—

—Surrender your fate into my hands.

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@kinbedo

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Are you hesitating, darling?

[kinbedo]

Draped in Dreams and Nightmares - Malleus Draconia

—  ♡

Major spoilers for Book 7.

Summary: Malleus Draconia overblotted, his tragic past was revealed and he was declared a walking calamity. But the story remained incomplete. This is the fae prince’s story, as witnessed by the eyes of his first friend, and his eventual lover, you.

Tw: childhood trauma, negligence (?), mentions of blood, emotional vulnerability, slightly graphic descriptions of fighting  

wc: 19.1k, angst / reverse comfort, mutual pining, slow burn, gn reader, fae reader 

A/n: The Diasonmia arc made me so emotional, I just had to write something :((

Yours was the first dream he visited.

He stood behind a tree, gazing from afar as you watered the flowers outside a cottage. You’re humming a familiar tune and it makes Malleus’s heart ache with nostalgia. How many years has it been since you both last visited this cottage?

You continue watering the flowers, letting it sprinkle over the petals and settle down like dew in the mornings. 

You don’t turn around, and he doesn’t approach you either.

The presence dies behind you, disappearing as gently as it came and you know that he has left. Your shoulders relax and a bitter smile graces your lips.

You were wide awake, already aware of the situation in the waking world. 

Of course you were. After all…

Silver got to you first.

.

“[name]!” he had rushed over to you, worry and fear etched across his face. “I know you might not believe me and I’m not sure how I would prove it to you but… this is a dream.”

“You mean, this is like a dream?” The back of your hand failed to stop the soft laugh from escaping.

“No. It’s a dream created by Lord Malleus, who has overblotted.”

“I see.” You gaze into the distance, unfocused and dazed, believing Silver fully. After all, that was the only way to explain the distortions you had witnessed, the only way to explain the details that derailed from reality.

The cottage is supposed to be broken, the plants drying and dying, trees much taller, as if trying to make a barrier between the realm of fae and humans, you were supposed to be somewhere else.

“So we’re all asleep in the Diasomnia hall?”

Silver’s eyes widen for a split second and he lets out a sigh of relief. “It’s like you never fell asleep…”

“I did, but my surroundings felt too odd to bear. Like everything I’ve ever wanted has come true, except Malleus isn’t here.” You grit your teeth, trying to smile and prevent the stinging tears from falling. “I did research on dreams for a project, so it didn’t take long for me to connect the dots. Well, what do you plan on doing now?”

“If Malleus comes here, please buy me some time. I will try to wake up some others.”

“But your unique magic only allows you to travel to the dreams of those that you are well-aquainted with.”

“I’ll find a way.” His fingers are trembling, his tone uncertain, but his auroral eyes were determined. Silver was not willing to simply sit around.

“Okay. I’ll handle him if he comes here.” 

Silver nods, his eyes relaxing as he mouths a ‘thank you’ before walking into a space of pastel clouds and golden stairs — the corridor of dreams — leaving you alone in a place that barely exists.

.

Maybe you could take it slow for a while, imprint the scenery into your memories, take in the breeze of captivated freedom and just dream.

.

.

.

“I didn’t think someone else would find this place.” 

The little boy didn’t say a word, awkwardly shifting behind the tree. He’s dressed in black. A cape torn at the edges flows behind him, and the hood he has on has two little holes for the horns on his head.

In contrast, you’re dressed in a light green dress that just barely touches your knees, mint green floral pattern running along it. You’re holding a single, white flower in your hand, twirling the stem between the thumb and the index.

A daisy. He recognises seeing an artistic representation of the flower in one of the books at the royal library. He never imagined he would be able to see one so closely in person.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

He falters, his feet feeling like they were chained. His throat croaks and he’s unable to say anything else. He’s used to people bowing to him, obeying his commands, listening to even the silliest of wishes he had. No one has ever dared to stop him, especially not so directly.

Hesitantly, he lifts his gaze to meet yours, eyes of jade staring right into yours. “Woah! Your eyes are like a dragon’s! So pretty…” 

The boy’s eyes widen for a second before he drops his head again, staring at the pebble next to his feet. “No one’s really said it like that before…” he says, barely audible.

“People just don’t have good taste then. How can they resist complimenting such beautiful eyes? What is your name, if you don’t mind?”

“Malleus… Draconia.”

“THE PRINCE?”

He is not surprised that you didn’t recognise him initially — he’s not usually allowed to go outside the castle. On the rare occasions that he does come down to the town, it’s in his chariot with his face barely visible to the neatly gathered crowd on the roadside. He’s internally begging that you don’t start apologising to him and is really glad when you don’t. Instead, you continue gushing over him.

“I never imagined I would meet the prince here! Today must be my lucky day.” You giggle, clapping your hands like any small child your age would do. Malleus thinks it’s a cute gesture filled with freedom. 

He lets out a small smile of his own as he nods shyly, finally stepping away from the tree and standing directly in front of you.

“Well then Your Highness, would you like to take a walk across this humble abode?” You extend your hand. Malleus raises his hand, but his fingers twitch when they’re about to come in contact with yours. So you catch his hand midway and drag him along. “Oh also,” you turn towards him. He’s pretty tall for your age and you have to stand on your toes for your next action.

Delicately, you tuck the daisy in your hand behind his ear, tucking a stray strand of hair alongside it. His fae ears give the little flower more space to stay there, the white of the daisy contrasting perfectly with his jet black hair.

“Do you live here?” he asks, fingertips caressing the daisy in wonder.

“No, but apparently a princess lived here once.”

“Wouldn’t your parents be worried if you stay away from home too long?”

“They’re the ones staying away from home…” You mumble. “Both are part of the royal guards. During the day, I let the squirrels and finches guide me here. There’s also the kind forest fairies.” You smile, skipping ahead.

Malleus had seen the squirrels and finches on his way, but they scurried away the minute he got too close. A few forest fairies also seemed to recognise him, being mindful of every word, every letter that passed through their lips. It makes him wonder just how different your trek was compared to his.

“Whose cottage is this? How did you find it?” He asks, trying to divert his mind from the scared animals and the cautious fairies.

“Curious about the world, dear prince?” You turn around with a smug expression, giggling.

Malleus hates how enthusiastically he nodded. He hates how he was being a bit too honest. He was letting his guard down around you.

“A princess.”

“Hm?”

You gaze into the distance, your eyes tracing the canopy as they follow a few birds jumping from one tree to another. “We’re currently at the border of the Briar Valley and the Land of Dawning. It is said that long ago, a princess was kept here to prevent her from being affected by a certain curse. She lived here with three fairies and was familiar with all the animals.”

You turn towards the cottage and Malleus follows your eyes until it reaches the wrecked front door of the tiny house.

“If we cross this patch of the forest, we’d be in a foreign kingdom…” the fae muses to himself, his jade-coloured eyes twinkling with awe.

You hum. “It’s risky though.”

“And yet you come back here.”

“It’s peaceful.”

“Does it ever get lonely?”

“Sometimes, but the animals keep me company.” And right on queue a squirrel pops up from behind a bush. It sniffs at the ground around itself, before making its way over to you. You lean down, letting it climb into your arms.

Malleus watches as you poke its nose and rub its ears. Noticing his gaze on you, you walk up to him. The squirrel snuggles into your chest, trying to keep its distance from the fae and his unfamiliar presence. You smile in response, gently rubbing the little one’s head to comfort it.

“They’re all shy in the beginning. You should try petting it. Use only your index and be as gentle as you can.”

 Malleus gulps before obliging. He barely touches the brown fur before withdrawing his hand, holding it in his other hand as if to hide the signs of him trying to pet the squirrel. He watches as its head moves in the direction of his hands, chasing the warm feeling of the fae’s fingers.

Hesitantly, Malleus brings his hand back up again. He touches the squirrel for a second before pulling away, his finger hovering above the animal’s temple. Then, he gives in, fully rubbing the little guy’s forehead. In response, the squirrel puts its little paws up, keeping the fae prince’s fingers in place.

You beam at the sight. “See? It likes you.”

“Mhm! I would love to come back here tomorrow…”

“Okay. Let’s come back tomorrow, and maybe bring a few nuts along. It’s getting late.” You lean down, letting the squirrel jump out of your arms. It rubs its head along your ankle, before turning around and disappearing into the bushes.

“Will you head back alone?”

“Will you join me?”

That’s the third thing you’ve invited him to today— the walk across the cottage, petting the squirrel, and now walking back together. He has never felt this sense of belonging before. A warm feeling bubbles in his chest and his cheek muscles hurt with how he beams. He lets out a small, excited gasp before nodding enthusiastically, feeling a bit too happy.

Perhaps this is the 'friendship' feeling he read about in books. Something he couldn’t even imagine before today.

.

.

.

The castle gates stand tall in the distance. You swallow deeply, suddenly intimidated by the thought of going over there. Only the bridge in front of you distances you from the royal palace.

You were sitting atop a tree, eating berries when you noticed the shadowy figures approaching the marketplace. Something about them made you shiver. Trusting your instincts, you leaped off the branch and ran in the opposite direction.

And you were right.

A distant scream breaks you out of your daze. You gulp before sprinting across the bridge. As soon as the guards come into view, you yell as loudly as you can. "BANDITS. IN THE MARKETPLACE. HELP."

The message seems to go across as the guard at the gate immediately sounds a horn, alerting the others around him. As you stop, finally reaching the gate, panting with your hands on your knees, a few fae on horses rush out.

You sigh in relief. Things should be fine now.

"Thank you for informing us promptly." A deep voice makes you stand up straight. The man before you has a stern face, yet the expression he wears is gentle. His long hair flows behind him, a few pink strands coming undone from his ponytail.

"I should head back now." You say, bowing to the man. But when you try to turn around, pain shoots up in your right ankle. You curse under your breath, leaning down to support yourself.

"Seems you've injured yourself. I'll have the medics treat you. Take my hand. Don't be afraid to lean on me if it hurts too much." The man extends his hand and you take it, gripping onto it for support.

He leads you through the courtyard. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, the pain feels sharper than ever. You were barely holding on. 

"Hmm maybe it would be better if the medics came to you. You don't seem to be in any shape to go up all the stairs. Here, why don't you wait by the fountain."

You nod, wincing as you limp behind. Your eyes are fixated on the ground, trying to avoid the stones. A familiar voice makes you look up. “Lilia! And that is…”

Your eyes meet those familiar lizard ones. Those soft, jade eyes that you have seen so many times on your shared expeditions to the cottage at the border. Malleus is leaning against a well with a book in hand. He closes the book as he looks at you, the brown leather firmly holding the pages within it. You just barely manage to notice that the title of the book is written in golden cursive, but the words are difficult to make out from this distance.

And ‘Lilia’? That means the man you’re currently leaning onto is… “General Vanrouge?! Apologies for not recognising you sooner.”

Lilia ruffles your hair with a smile, messing it up. “Malleus, do you mind looking after them while I fetch the medics?” Malleus nods, letting out a soft hum in response.

Lilia pats your back encouragingly, pushing you forward. You were barely halfway there when the pain makes you lose your balance. Malleus catches you midway, anchoring you up by the waist as you sling your arm over his shoulder. He holds onto you for a few seconds longer, making the General huff behind the both of you before heading into the castle.

“What happened?” Malleus asks, helping you settle down on one of the nearby stone benches. He takes a seat beside you and glances at your sprained ankle.

“I was eating berries on a tree when some shady people came to the marketplace. So I jumped off and made my way here.” You try to sound as casual about it as possible, even shrugging your shoulders to emphasise that, but the little wince you let out in between doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Jumped off a tree? I told you that you would get hurt one day if you kept doing that.”

“Did you?”

The fae prince frowns, clearly disappointed. You vaguely remember him saying something like that on one of your treks to the cottage. You would often climb up the trees to scout the area before moving forward and would leap back down as though you were only jumping down a few steps. Malleus tried to reprimand you for being so casual about it but you would shrug it off, too confident in your abilities to worry so much.

Though you would never admit to remembering his words.

Instead you try to divert the topic. “What were you reading?”

“Oh this?” he picks the book up, holding it for you to see. Then he places it on his lap, flipping through the pages. “Just a book on native flora from Ms. Fiore’s class.” He finally stops at a page and traces the dried flower placed between the pages, its white petals now turning light brown at the edges.

“This is where I first read about the various flowers. And then you showed me a real daisy.”

“I can’t believe you kept that silly little flower.”

“Didn’t wanna lose it.”

You look back and forth between the dried flower and the exquisite drawing beside it. Nothing seems to explain why he would keep the flower among the pages, not when the drawing of the same looks so much prettier.

But to Malleus, the dried daisy was more precious than any of the expensive portraits hanging around the royal palace. It’s a token of his first friendship, signifying the first time he was invited. He caresses the dried petals with stars in his eyes.

He breaks out of his daze when the nurse arrives with a medical kit in hand. Lilia follows in behind her.

The nurse crouches on the ground in front of you. “Which leg is it?” You wordlessly put your right leg forward and she gently takes it in her palm, analysing it carefully before reaching for the cotton and disinfectant.

“Maybe we should consider deploying a few guards in the marketplace. Regular patrols might not be enough, not when this is the third incident this month.” Lilia muses to himself, his fingers prodding his chin as he follows the nurse’s movements. “But we also don’t want the townsfolk to be on edge… having guards around at all times might not do well for the atmosphere.”

“I wish I was a knight. I could’ve fended them off myself. Wouldn’t even have had to jump down a tree so quickly and sprained my leg.” You murmur, turning your head away from the nurse just to hiss in pain at the unexpected sting of the disinfectant.

“Oh ho, want to be a knight, [name]?”

“Yes! Maybe if I get really good, I could serve the prince directly,” you giggle, making Lilia chuckle in response. The prince lets out an almost inaudible hum, light pink tinting his cheeks.

“Perhaps, with your parents' permission, I could let you join the official training.” the General says, playing along. He isn’t expecting you to take him up on his offer, at least not yet.

“Yes! Please do!” You kick your legs out excitedly and the nurse sighs at your response. “Oops, sorry.”

“Please stay still for this part, this can hurt more.” She says, shaking her head.

You nod. But the minute the bandage touches the wound, you hiss, dropping your head low and gripping tightly at the stone bench. Seeing your reaction, Malleus grabs your hand, squeezing it tightly. “You would make a good knight,” he smiles.

“I'll get there, just watch me.” You smile, gripping his hand tighter as you feel the rough mesh of the bandage being tightened around your ankle. Malleus stays there with you through the whole process, squeezing a little tighter when he heard you hiss at the pain. He kept your fingers intertwined for a long while, not wanting to let go even as the nurse pushed herself off the ground and bowed to him before leaving.

He never let go.

.

.

.

The morning breeze sends shivers down your spine. "Malleus," you whine, the grip on your wooden sword faltering, "when will we have another chance to go back to that cottage? I bet the squirrels and finches miss us."

It's been months since the two of you had the chance to go back there. Ever since Lilia managed to get you into the official knight's training sessions, your days were more occupied by practicing your sword techniques. Malleus had gotten busier too — since he was now older, his studies had gotten more intense. You would often notice the special tutors assigned to him entering and leaving the courtyard.

Most days you didn’t even see Malleus around. You would spend all your breaks roaming inside the castle walls and wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of the fae prince. Other days, you would be invited to the classes he had to attend because he got ‘too bored’ studying alone. You would sit beside him as he revised his notes, occasionally explaining its intricacies to you.

(This increases eventually until you had to allot a separate 'school time' alongside your training sessions. The teachers only sigh in response, but they didn’t mind having a new student in the awfully empty halls.)

The only times you even had a chance to try going to the cottage were around major events. Since everyone would get too busy preparing for the festivities, you and Malleus would get the chance to sneak off, having just enough time to feed the little animals before having to head back. After the event, while everyone was still resting, would be another chance to visit. But these days were few and far in between.

Malleus sighs, but his movements don’t falter. He braces his sword and aims near your shoulder. You barely manage to block in time, the sudden movement making you stumble.

“You wouldn’t want to get distracted in a real fight, knight,” he smiles gently, finally putting his sword away.

“‘Knight’ and I’m not even half as good as some of the other soldiers,” you pout.

“That’s still a compliment considering you’re the youngest. Come on, let’s take a break under the tree.”

You put your wooden swords to one side as you crouch beneath the canopy. Malleus rests against the bark, kicking his legs out and heaving out a sigh. “Morning sessions feel so brutal.” You follow suit and look upwards. The sunlight filtering through the leaves feels too bright, making you look away while rubbing your eyes.

Your empty hands fidget around for something to grasp at, landing at the grass beneath you. You ruffle the blades of grass, letting out another long sigh. “Why do holidays have to be so far apart?”

Malleus looks around until a small weed catches his eye, the white petals of the flower reminding him of a daisy. Maybe they are daisies, he thinks, or maybe they don’t qualify as daisies because of their smaller size. He plucks it, twirling the stem between his fingers mindlessly. “This could have been so much more peaceful if I didn’t have class in the afternoon.”

“We have class, because you begged them to let me join your tutoring sessions.”

The fae chuckles beside you. “At least I don’t have to be alone with that teacher. I almost always fall asleep in her class.”

“I think I’m going to fall asleep right now,” you mumble, eyelids already feeling heavy. The warm sun rays feel like a blanket, making you awfully comfortable and sleepy.

Malleus laughs. “Go ahead then, I’ll lend you my shoulder.” There’s no way you’re already feeling sleepy, not after how worked up you were during training just a few minutes ago. He thought you were just messing around with him.

But then he stiffens up when he feels your head flop onto his shoulder. Slowly, he turns his head to the side and notices your breaths evening out. His gaze travels downwards until it reaches your hand, your fingers still gripping at the grass, though your grip seems to be loosening.

You really did fall asleep.

He sighs, his hand coming up to rest over yours. His palm engulfs your knuckles and feels as your grip on the grass blades loosen, until it falls limp between his fingers.

Some of the maids walk by and they look horrified by the sight, quickly bowing to the prince before trying to reach for you. But Malleus shakes them away, bringing a finger to his lips and leaning his head onto yours. Hesitantly, the maids step back and exchange glances with each other, unsure of what to make of the situation. They bow again before leaving the two of you alone.

(He probably fell asleep soon after, because when you woke up it was already afternoon and neither of you seemed to have moved an inch, classes long forgotten. Soft snores come from your side, lulling you back to sleep once more.)

.

.

.

“Lilia has adopted a human child.” Malleus states, as though it was the most normal thing in the world.

“I am not even surprised.” You reply, just as casually.

You both had seen how gentle he has been with kids. He was an incredible father-figure to Malleus and Lilia had been mentoring since you entered the palace. Even on occasions when he visited the marketplace, the children would always follow him with glee. The two of you were waiting for him to become a father.

Everyone else, however, was in a frenzy. Especially those who knew the General, the Lilia Vanrouge from before Malleus’s egg hatched, felt like they were in a vague dream. Not only did they find it hard to believe that one of toughest soldiers the kingdom had ever seen would adopt a child, the child was human.

The man who lived through one of the worst fae-human wars adopted a human child.

Though now that you think about it that way, the ‘human’ child part does sound a little weird. A child of man.

It must have taken Lilia years to recover from Maleona’s death, and yet, when you and Malleus visit him, he cradles the little boy like he would never love anyone or anything else.

You and Malleus stand side-by-side at the entrance to his cottage, awkwardly waiting for Lilia to give you the next ‘instructions’. Having spent most of your time at the castle studying and training, neither of you had enough experience with infants. You might be able to hold the baby, lift him into your arms and just hold him for a bit, but Malleus didn’t even know whether he was supposed to enter the room or not.

Lilia chuckles, “You can come in you know. Silver doesn’t bite, not yet at least.” Malleus lets out a quiet, hesitant hum of approval. He wobbles inside, careful with each step he takes, trying not to stir the baby awake. You knew Malleus was getting taller as he grew older, but seeing him bend a little at the doorway hit differently. When did he get that tall?

“Silver huh… just like his hair.” You remark, pushing a finger against his cheek. The soft skin scrunches up, stirring the baby in his sleep. You sheepishly retreat your hand and check your nails to ensure that they weren’t long enough to hurt him.

“The colour of his hair is because of the blessing of the night. It was originally golden, like the rays of the sun.” Lilia finally looks away from Silver, meeting your eyes as he says “I’ll get you both something to eat.”

Lilia smiles as he slowly places the little boy back in his cradle and heads to the kitchen, humming a soft, familiar tune. You look around the living room. It’s not your first time visiting the General’s abode, but the place seems a lot messier today. Random wooden handicrafts and stuffed cloth balls are scattered around the place.

Malleus walks closer to the cradle, towering over Silver’s sleeping form. His eyes soften at the sight, his facial muscles relax and he lets out a quiet sigh. Hesitantly, he picks the boy up, attempting to mimic Lilia’s way of cradling him in his arms.

He seems to struggle with it in the beginning, not knowing where to place his hands or how to balance Silver on his forearm. You chuckle, picking up a star-shaped toy as you make your way over. Malleus seemed to have gotten the basics, but he was still holding Silver awkwardly, a little away from his chest. You gently push his hands inward and smile at him, trying to reassure him. You’ve seen some of the ladies hold their babies like this— close to their heart with a fond smile on their faces.

You bring the toy you picked up close to Silver’s face, letting the tassels grace his features. Silver scrunches his nose before snuggling closer into Malleus’s chest. 

“Stop, you might wake him,” Malleus whispers.

“But if he sneezes cutely because of the ticklish feeling?”

“And if Lilia gets mad?”

“Okay fair.” You sigh, but the mischievous smile never leaves your face.

Slowly, you pinch Silver’s fingers within your own and lean your forehead against his for a few seconds. His skin is still soft, almost worrying you that he would shatter like glass if you grasped his fingers any tighter. Absentmindedly, you push back some of Malleus’s stray strands of hair, letting your fingers glide over his shoulder for a second longer.

Malleus watches silently, his breathing slow and calculated to not disturb this peace. A smile makes its way to his face as he watches your gentle ministrations. He feels fuzzy inside, maybe even a little giddy, at how calming the atmosphere is. A cottage out in the woods, surrounded by the scent of wood and leaves, Silver carefully nestled against him, and you right next to him. 

Lilia is still humming the tune when his eyes meet the sight unfolding before him. The two fae he raised as his own now learning to love a human child he had taken in… he smiles at thought, feeling content. Silver could use some good role models, or well, at least he hopes that the two in front of him would be good role models (and that Malleus’s lack of expression won’t hinder Silver’s own emotions).

.

.

.

You hear the sound of wood clashing against wood long before you and Malleus reach Lilia’s cottage. The sound makes you smile absentmindedly. Silver must be practicing again. He’s determined to become a knight. It reminds you of yourself when you were younger, stumbling into the castle grounds with a sprained ankle and being taken in by Lilia.

Lilia really has a knack for adopting kids huh. 

What you weren’t expecting however, was for Silver to have found a new companion to spar with.

As you get closer, a few flashes of green catch your eyes. Those definitely weren’t leaves. And the gruffs are much deeper. Silver is usually quieter when he’s moving around. Beside you Malleus lets out a curious hum.

“That looks like Zigvolt.”

“It is! Just a smaller version, fufu.” Lilia pops up beside you, his characteristic smirk adorning his face.

(Would it even be considered ‘characteristic’ if he has only developed it in the last few centuries? After all, the General never really smiled in the beginning.)

“Smaller version?” Malleus prods his chin, his ears perking up.

“Baur wanted me to take his grandson in as an apprentice. I wonder… is it because Sebek and Silver are nearly the same age?”

“Huh?” You hum, curious at the implications of his words. “I thought Zigvolt was also a fae. Finding a fae of similar age in Briar Valley would be nothing short of a miracle. And Silver is human.” 

“Sebek is half human.” Lilia states plainly, turning his gaze to where the two children were currently play-fighting with their wooden swords.

You follow his gaze and it takes you back to the days when you had just begun your own training. You remember dreading waking up so early in the mornings. Begrudgingly, you would head over to the training grounds, where Malleus would already have finished warming up. When you still had those early morning sparring sessions, you and Malleus were around the same height. Now however… he could probably climb a tree in two leaps. 

(Or maybe you are just exaggerating there… maybe. Because it suddenly sounds plausible. But the crown prince would never indulge himself in such menial activities, not anymore.)

“Sebek must also want to become a knight then, just like Baur.”

“Well that is a reason, yes, but…” Lilia eyes you with a mischievous glint, smirking, “his dream is the same as [name]’s— to become Malleus’s knight.”

“I-I thought you would’ve forgotten that part by now! That was ages ago!” You feel your face getting warmer, ears turning red at the tips with embarrassment.

“Oh? Are you saying you don’t want to be my knight now?”

“I… Malleus, don’t twist my words!”

“Khee hee.” Lilia’s smirk grows wider. “Let me introduce you two to Sebek. Oh and Malleus, good luck.”

“With what?”

Lilia only giggles in response, skipping away happily. Malleus stood there dumbfounded, (blissfully unaware of what Sebek will bring into his life). You nudge him with your elbow before following behind Lilia, doing your best to avoid eye-contact with the fae prince.

Your grip tightens on your lax sword as you start walking, ears still tinted red while the conversation replays in your mind. “To become Malleus’s knight huh… well, I suppose I never did let go of that dream.”

.

.

.

“Malleus! Malleus!” You rush over to him the minute you notice him. His black tunic camouflaged him almost completely under the dark blanket of the night.

He was walking past a fountain, but stops when he hears your voice. A small smile tugs at his lips when notices you approaching from the thicket. “Good evening [name]. You are more excited tonight than usual. Are you finally developing an intense interest in gargoyles?”

“Uh no, but nevermind that!” You quickly avoid the fae’s proposed route of conversation, knowing that once he started, he wouldn’t stop until dawn. You flick the envelope resting between your fingers, making his eyes dart down to it. “I got an invitation from Night Raven College.”

Malleus smiles at your words, failing to conceal his own excitement. “As did I earlier this evening.” He extends his right hand forward, a green flame emerges from his palm and a letter instantly takes shape between his fingers.

The smile on your face grows wider, your cheeks aching from the grin. “We have to tell Lilia.” 

You grab his wrist, dragging him behind you. With each step as light as dance, you ramble on about the things you had heard about the college for mages. Draconia listens carefully, adding his own points in between, indulging your giddiness with a barely controlled excitement of his own. 

.

“Oh ho? A letter from Night Raven College you say? I might have received one of those as well.” Vanrouge muses, closing his front door behind his two, late night guests and heading into his room to rummage through his belongings.

“Night Raven College…” Silver repeats the words, slurring the syllables with a sleep-laden tone, as if testing the way it sounds. 

It has barely been over a decade since the first time you met him and Sebek, and yet they have grown into fine, young men, their looks resembling yours and Malleus’s in age. Jewel like irises with a fire ignited behind them, determination and strength seeping through each movement, it wouldn’t really surprise you if they were to have a small crowd of people fascinated by them following them around in the marketplace.

On that note, your gaze flicks up to meet Malleus. Sharp, green eyes gently take in his surroundings. Luscious locks of obsidian flow beyond his shoulders, a few stray strands obscuring his gaze. He’s standing tall, his posture composed of poise and grace, back completely straight, chin up, yet shoulders relaxed.

Feeling your eyes on him, he tilts his head towards you. The corners of his lips twitch upwards naturally when he meets your gaze, like a reflex. 

You feel your breath hitch, but you don’t look away. You can’t bring yourself to look away. It’s like he has you in a trance, enamoured. 

He lifts an eyebrow, curious as to what caught your gaze this time, his smile never leaving his face, soft as silk. How were you going to tell him it was his entire existence?

Looks like you didn’t have to— Lilia had returned, holding a half-crumpled envelope between his thumb and index, airing the aged linen.

You feel yourself jump slightly as Lilia approaches, quickly taking two steps away from Malleus and sucking in a long, deep breath to erase signs of your flushness.

Malleus chuckles, light and airy, butterflies fluttering their wings as they come to rest on a petal, delicate. Lilia also seemed to have noticed, his mouth shaping into a small ‘o’ as he leaned against the couch, supporting Silver’s dozing head.

Sebek had been staring outside the window, chin resting in his palm, trying to follow the fireflies as they flit about. He tilts his head, confused, unaware of the million emotions you felt in just a few minutes. He sits straighter when he notices that Lilia has returned, tugging at Silver’s shoulder to wake him up.

Lilia coughs into his fist dramatically and smirks. “Wonder if they’ll let this old man join?”

“They must! Humans must have enough common sense to not turn you down.” Sebek boasts as if it were his own achievement, chest puffed out and chin held high.

“I will also need permission to leave Briar Valley…” The General hums in contemplation.

“I am sure my grandmother would support your decision, Lilia.” 

“This would also be Silver’s first time living alone…”

“I’m sure I’ll manage, father. And if required, I’ll ask the forest fairies for help.”

“And what about Silver and Sebek’s training?” 

“I’m sure Baul could look after them for a while.” You add, turning your attention to Sebek who nodded in approval, arms crossed across his chest. 

“Alright then. I have no more concerns. I’ll reach out to the principal in the morning regarding my admission.” Lilia sighed, content. His eyes glimmered with hope and excitement as he stared out at the night sky. 

Night Raven College… Perhaps he’ll finally be able to let go of his past burdens and experience a different life.

.

.

.

You check yourself twice in the mirror, trying to pat out any creases in your clothes.

It’s nearly been half a year since you came to NRC, yet this will be the first time you will be going outside campus to explore Sage’s Isle.

With classes ending earlier than usual, you and Malleus get the entire afternoon to yourselves.

You’re practically shaking with excitement. It’s just a pity that Lilia won’t be joining your little expedition to the town.

You meet Malleus at Diasomnia’s entrance, where he’s leaning against one of the pillars while talking to the former General. His clothes are casual — just a white, turtleneck shirt, a black cardigan and cargo pants. The palace staff would probably faint if they saw the Fae prince in these common clothes. 

He looks like any ordinary boy his age, well, aside from the fact that he’s a very tall, very majestic, centuries old fae. But right now, he has none of the princely charm he encapsulates back at the castle. Right now, he’s just… Malleus.

The two guys nod in greeting when they see you approaching them. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lilia bids you two farewell.

Doesn’t he look awfully excited for someone who’s not joining you to the town.

.

Sage’s Island is remarkably different from your hometown. 

The structures of the houses feel more modern, but still look cosier than some other establishments you have seen in photos. The placement of the plants and flower bushes feel intentional and well-kept, unlike in the Valley of the Thorns where they feel wild and natural. The colours of the displays and decorations feel warm and bright, and the marketplace (or what they called the 'town centre'), was neatly organised. Flowering shrubs lined the borders of the area, tidily trimmed, with small white, yellow and pink flowers in full bloom. 

Briar Valley has never looked as colourful as this town, especially not on a regular day. The fae living there preferred not to disturb nature too much, and so the local trees were left as they were and settlements were formed revolving around the existing ecosystem. Tree barks in different shades of brown were commonly used to make ornamentation, complimented by the leaves changing their colour based on the season.

The fae were divided into groups based on their characteristics, and their habitats represented those key features. Some areas were awfully dull, like the swamps and the coniferous forests in winters, making you glad to have been raised in more temperate areas. 

The forest fairies had rounded cottages with moss growing on their roofs and luminous mushrooms lighting the way up at night. Their abode was probably the closest to what Sage’s Island looks like. Except, the ‘moss’ are the flowering shrubs and the luminous fungi are probably the lamps that are lit at night. 

There’s a water fountain in the centre that reminds you of the one back at the palace and you feel automatically drawn towards it. You tug at Malleus’s sleeve, before dragging him to sit at the ledge of the fountain. 

“So… what would you like to do?” He asks coyly. Malleus has been looking more nervous than he usually does. Is it because he’s afraid of scaring the townsfolk? No one seems to be paying him much mind though, or maybe they just haven’t recognised him yet (and you hope they don’t recognise him, to keep your day peaceful).

You hum in contemplation. “It’s almost past the lunch hour, so why don’t we grab a quick bite first? All the classes in the morning have me starving.”

“Whatever you wish.” He opens his mouth again, as if he wanted to say something else, but he bites back his own words with a smile, drawing out a confused look from you. Seeing he was resolute in keeping his words to himself, you sigh and start looking around for a place to eat. 

You end up eating at one of the smaller restaurants to avoid the crowds. In the venture to try the local food, Malleus asked for the chef’s recommendation, and ended up with a dish that was too spicy for him to handle. You laughed at the sight of him chugging down a jug of water, trying his best to contain the flames that risked burning the entire place down. Seeing your amusement, the fae gave you an unimpressed, childish pout.

You explore the town a bit more, pointing out areas you’d like to visit the next time. 

The next time.

The thought of being able to hang out like this with Malleus, without a care in the world, and doing it again… you didn’t even dream of such a casual day back in Briar Valley. No amount of disguises would allow him to step out of the castle so freely.

The sun is already touching the horizon when you return to NRC. Everything is coated in warm gold, shimmering in the final rays of the day. 

Somewhere along the way, you and Malleus ended up holding hands while you walked. Was it when you were excitedly pointing something out to him? Or was it when the children had started skittering through the streets when the afternoon sun had gotten more merciful with its heat? 

Neither of you mention it, quietly embracing each other’s company, anchoring one-another to the present.

“You have been much quieter today. Is there something on your mind?”

“Yes, there is something uh… I would like to ask… you.” He sheepishly drags his words out.

“Hm?” You cock your head to the side, stopping in your tracks and turning to look at him. 

For a minute, it’s quiet, just the sound of rustling leaves in the wind. The silence makes you hyper-aware of your intertwined fingers and you look down to see the fae’s hand gently tightening its grip around yours. A blush threatens to creep up onto your face and you gently tug to loosen the hold. But instead, Malleus only holds on tighter and reaches for your other hand too, holding your joint hands between you as the only thing that separates the two of you in this moment.

Then, Malleus takes a deep breath in and sighs heavily, like he’s picking up little pieces of courage to finally reveal a long, deep-held secret.

“[name], I have feelings for you — have had them for a while now.”

“Oh.” 

“And I would like the permission to formally court you.” The sunset rays peep through his hair, giving it a golden glow. He looks like a prince from one of the many fairytales archived in the library. His eyes look directly into yours with both longing and confidence.

The shy boy who had made his way out to a deserted cottage, accidentally meeting you. The boy that would save you a few slices of his birthday cake and share them with you the following day because he simply couldn’t have finished it all alone.

The guy that you grew up with, sparring and studying. The guy who would invite you along for late-night walks, his eyes shining brighter than the light reflecting off the gargoyles.

The prince that everyone fussed over, ensuring that he never so much as scratched himself. The prince that everyone would be afraid of when they saw you casually approaching him, gauging his reaction to your attitude. The prince that people begged you to behave more ‘appropriately’ around.

This was him? This is Malleus Draconia? The ever-confident, ever-strong crown prince of Briar Valley? A pathetic fool in love?

You feel embarrassed when you realise you’ve been staring too long. Gulping, you let out a hum. You hate how the low sound from your throat came with broken intervals, but it was the best you could do as words completely failed you.

Malleus’s shoulders relax and a fond smile graces his features. One of his hands let go of yours to cradle your face, the tips of his fingertips gently brushing against your cheek. You subconsciously lean into the touch, feeling him rub his thumb in circles near your ear.

It almost makes you wonder if he’s done this before. Before you can stop yourself, the question slips past your lips, “Did you already have experience with this?”

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s just… it feels like you know exactly what you are doing.”

“Am I not doing the same things I always do with you?”

And that’s when it strikes you.

The shared embraces on lonely nights where he would sneak out of the palace to meet you in your room. Gently holding each other’s faces during skincare sessions, as you applied whatever herbal formulae you had learned from the forest fairies. His thumb brushing against your lower lip when he noticed a crumb of food left there. The times you injured yourself and he had to carry you. The way he would squeeze your hand underneath the table, away from people’s gazes, just to reassure you.

“So that’s why you said you were ‘formally’ asking…” Because everything so far between the two of you had not been official, but it had always been there.

For all the times you and Lilia teased Malleus for being dense, perhaps, you were the oblivious one for not noticing sooner.

Of course he knows what love is. He may not show it the way most people do today. He may still be following the rulebook from centuries ago. But he still knows what he’s doing. He knows what he wants.

And he won’t stop until he gets it.

.

You return to Diasomnia with Malleus, hands still intertwined, cheerfully talking about something.

Lilia was waiting right outside the dorm gates. Seeing your interlaced fingers, he quirks up an eyebrow and a smirk spreads on his face. Malleus stops walking when he notices Lilia. With a shy, boyish grin, he scratches the back of his neck and nods gently. 

The bat fae makes an ‘o’ with his mouth, before smiling proudly. 

Seeing their gestures, you realise that they had planned this together. No wonder Lilia was ‘too busy’ to accompany you to town today, you think.

“So, you finally confessed, Malleus. That’s good, very good. I was afraid you might chicken out. Now the pudding I made to celebrate this occasion won’t be wasted.” Lilia says proudly.

Hearing about the pudding makes the smile fade from your face. “Oh–... ah– that won’t be necessary,” you say quickly, “we had too much to eat while we were out. Maybe next time!!” You quickly tug Malleus behind you and rush inside.

Lilia calls out behind you, probably disappointed that his pudding will, in fact, go to waste. But you weren’t willing to end today by eating something that tasted poisonous enough to kill your taste-buds for two days.

Behind you, Malleus chuckles, enjoying the vivacious atmosphere.

Diasomnia feels filled with liveliness at this moment. Filled with something that you could never have had back in the uptight castle.

Youth.

.

.

.

It’s been two years since you and Malleus made it official. Silver, who joined the year after that, took the news very happily, like he, too, had seen it coming. Perhaps he and Lilia had already been pointing out the signs you displayed of mutual affection. 

Sebek only joined NRC a little while ago and he was a bit too shocked with the news. But in the end, he approved of it as well, saying that he was glad that “it was you and not anyone else”. (You had expected a more dramatic reaction from him if you were being honest, but he was surprisingly tame during the conversation.)

You casually skip through the woods, humming a tune underneath your breath as you head towards the Ramshackle Dorm. When he’s not in his room, or walking through the courtyard, Malleus could be found near this abandoned dorm at school. 

However, when you get closer, it doesn’t look as abandoned as it did a few days ago. You slow down to gentle hops before stopping completely, observing. 

There’s Malleus and he seems to be talking to… Oh! That must be Yuuken, the boy who caused trouble at the entrance ceremony.

“No wait, the gremlin that followed him was the troublemaker,” you correct yourself, recalling the night of the entrance ceremony.

You search your memory and remember that Malleus (per usual) hadn’t been able to attend the ceremony (because that careless headmaster had forgotten to invite Diasomnia’s dormhead for the 3rd year in a row). So that must mean that he met Yuuken here, which implies that Crowley is making the poor kid live here. And knowing him, he probably thinks that that is all his ‘oh so kind and benevolent and gracious self’ needs to do. 

You sigh at the conclusion. Perhaps you should try befriending the kid and help him out, like a responsible senior. Maybe you could guide him — if he isn’t scared of you fae-kind.

Well, he certainly doesn’t seem afraid of Malleus. Yuuken isn’t from this world, so it makes sense that he doesn’t recognise the prince. But to stand casually after seeing pointed ears and horns probably means that he isn’t really afraid of such features (or maybe his initial shock has already worn off).

You hear Malleus’s low chuckle, before the fae prince snaps his fingers and disappears. Seeing the confused look on the first year’s face, you decide to approach him.

“Hi! You are Enma Yuuken from… uh… Tou…” You wave, awkwardly trying to recall the place he said he was from. Damnit, should’ve first prepared my lines before jumping out.

“Tokyo, yes. And you are?”

You introduce yourself, and continue the conversation by asking him about how he has been settling in and about the people he has met.

“Speaking of weird people,” he starts, as if recalling something, “right before you came here, I spoke to a tall man with pointed ears. When I told him that I didn’t recognise him, he looked amused.” 

“Oh? And did he tell you who he was after?”

“No, he let me choose a name to call him. So I suggested ‘Tsunotarou’ and he seemed pleased with that.”

“‘Tsunotarou’?”

“Yeah, it means ‘a man with horns’ in my language.” 

You try your best not to laugh at that ridiculous name. There’s no way Malleus actually accepted that name. 

Or rather, him being amused with it does sound like him. Sebek better not find out though.

You decide against revealing the fae’s true identity, letting both Yuu and Malleus enjoy this anonymity. After telling Yuu to approach you with anything he might need, you take your leave. Your initial plan was to meet up with Malleus, and he is probably waiting for you.

Seeing that he just left Ramshackle, maybe you should try searching for him in the spots that you previously scanned. 

.

.

.

Meeting up with Yuu becomes a frequent occurrence. While Malleus only visits him at night, you tend to run into him in the corridors as well. 

You learned that he couldn’t use magic, while the gremlin (named ‘Grim’) desperately wanted to be a student at Night Raven, so Crowley allowed the two to join as a two-in-one package. As first years, Yuu and Grim often hang out with other first years, specifically the trouble-duo from Heatslabyul.

When you first learned about the overblot incident at Heatslabyul and went over to Ramshackle to check on Yuu, he politely thanked you and even invited you in to try his cooking.

“He’s a good kid,” you think aloud while talking to Malleus, before immediately changing the way you phrased it. “I mean, he’s cool.” You pick up a cotton cloth, wiping the utensils and placing them back in the cupboards.

“Do those two phrases mean separate things?” Malleus asks, amused at the way you fumbled over your own words.

“No, but the former makes me sound like grandpa Lilia.”

“I’m behind you, you know.” Lilia says, turning around to face you instead of the stove, a playful frown on his features. You glance at the brewing stew Lilia was working on and pray to the Sevens that you don’t have to taste-test it.

Sebek was ill and Lilia had decided to make him a stew to help his dry throat. You and Silver joined out of concern for the kitchen utensils and appliances, while Malleus tagged along because he didn’t have anything else to do.

While the stew Lilia has made is definitely nutritious, the texture looks way… off. The water and salt are clearly in excess. Sebek better be grateful that his illness means that he won’t actually be able to taste the stew.

“I thought you didn’t mind being called either old or young. You usually take both as compliments.” Silver asks while carefully putting the knives back in the drawers.

“That’s because I am wise and mature enough to embrace both. How would youngsters put it… ah right, you could say that I’m rather ‘whimsical’.” 

Silver and Malleus give each other puzzled looks, while you roll your eyes and chuckle at his playfulness.

You pick the mixing bowls up and identify that they need to be placed on the top shelf. It’s a little too high for you, but in a world where magic is very real, who cares about—

Malleus’s scent surrounds you before you are able to bring your magic pen out. He places one hand on your shoulder and reaches for the bowl in your hand with the other, fingers brushing past yours as he takes the porcelain and effortlessly places it in its place.

He doesn’t immediately move away, letting his arms wrap around you in a quick embrace instead. “...Malleus?” He lets his head drop, softly landing in your hair. His nose prods your head, like a butterfly landing on a flower.

“We should head back.” He abruptly turns, donning an innocent look and avoiding your eyes. 

Lilia takes another whiff of the stew before putting a lid on it. “I sure hope Sebek will feel better soon.” 

.

.

.

You stretch your arms, placing your pen down in content at your finished homework. Satisfied, you prepare to head out. You had agreed to meet up with Malleus after you finished your homework.

When you step out of the dorm entrance, dim green lights surround you, like little fireflies in the dark. The tiny lights pass by from in front of your eyes, completely drawing your attention, before aligning together to make an arrow pointing upwards.

Your gaze follows to find Malleus sitting at the edge of the roof, his index twirling around the air as he controlled the lights with a fond smile.

You reach the roof in no time, joining to sit beside him. “Didn’t visit Yuu today?”

“He’s already asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him. Mortals need proper rest, more so than us fae-kind.” 

“Mid semesters really are tiring, huh?” You sigh, leaning your head against his shoulder. Malleus responds by wrapping his arm around your side, relishing in the embrace. “It gets pretty boring around these times.”

“It does.” He agrees in a low, affectionate voice, signalling that he wanted you to continue talking, and that he wanted to continue listening to you.

“You know, we should try something different.”

“Different?”

“Yeah, like jumping off.” You say casually, like it was the most normal statement in the world. If anyone else heard that, they might have been horrified, but Malleus isn’t ‘anyone else’.

“What?” He doesn’t hold back his amused chuckle. “That’s an interesting proposal.”

“Then let’s do it.”

He isn’t really afraid of it. He knows that should anything go wrong, he can steer you both back to safety. At the same time, he trusts you. You’ve been practicing wind magic ever since back in Briar Valley, and this wouldn’t be the first time you have leaped off heights.

You have done that often enough for him to have gotten used to it. He thinks of the times you leapt off trees while scouting ahead during your hikes, or the times you trailed down the castle towers when something suspicious caught your eye. Through practice, you have turned the seemingly indifferent air around you into one of your greatest allies, and Malleus commends you for that.

You stand up and pat your clothes, dusting off specks of dust and easing out a few creases. You glance over at the moon in the sky, like sharing a mischievous look with an old friend, and then stood on the ledge, body facing Malleus and your back facing the starry sky. 

“Take my hand.” You say, and he does without hesitation. 

And suddenly you are pulling him towards you as you push yourself away from the edge. A gentle breeze immediately cuts through the fall, keeping the two of you afloat, defying gravity. Malleus floats above you, a few strands of his hair falling downward and resting against your face. Fireflies dance around you, looking like plucked out stars decorated by your hand. 

For a long moment, Malleus’s world is reduced to you and the silver moonlight lighting up your features.

He breaks out of his daze when he hears his name sounding from somewhere on the ground. 

“Lord Malleus! Where are you?” Sebek calls out. You and Malleus turn your attention to the ground to see the green-haired fae in the distance, a hand behind his back and the other curved around his mouth as he calls out to the prince. 

To not be noticed, you cut off your magic, plunging downward and landing a lot more abruptly than you would have desired. The moment your feet hit the ground, you start running deeper into the woods behind Diasomnia. Malleus takes the lead, his long legs helping him stride faster. 

You take refuge behind a thick trunk, your back against the tree and hands clasping over your mouth to stop the giggles of adrenaline. Malleus traps you there with his frame, leaning over you and checking the surroundings to ensure that no one catches you.

“This is like forbidden, runaway romance.” You whisper with a grin.

“Thankfully it wasn’t Lilia. He would surely have spotted us, and teased us about it later. Looks like Sebek didn’t notice. That would have been rather… unsightly for my status, especially in his eyes.”

“You say that like you are scared of him.”

“His devotion to the Throne does scare me sometimes, yes.”

You can’t tell if he’s serious, but you laugh anyway, trying to muffle the sound by burying your head in his chest. You feel him stiffen, breath hitching and hands rigidly still by his sides. You tilt your head up to look at him, and he’s gazing back at you with adoration swirling behind slit irises. 

“My love? Something on your mind?” The words sound so sweet coming from you, it makes him desire for things he wouldn’t have thought he was capable of wanting. Back at the castle, when he was revered as the prince, he never would have imagined that loving and being loved would be so easy.

Or maybe it’s easy only because it’s you.

So he takes a step back and graciously kneels on the ground before you. His right hand reaches for yours, leading your wrist to elegantly dip downward. Right now, Malleus looks like a picture-perfect prince, straight out of a fairytale.

“Tsuki ga kirei desu ne?” He says, before placing a kiss on your knuckles and disappearing.

‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’ A phrase that the two of you first learned about from Yuu. A phrase that hid the meaning 'I love you' between its seemingly composed syllables in his language.

You never thought that Malleus would find himself an opportunity to actually use that phrase.

A heat creeps up to your cheeks and you feel your heart pounding in your chest.

It’s the first time he said that phrase (albeit indirectly) and kissed you (even if it’s just on the knuckles).

Sebek’s calls getting nearer snaps you out of your thoughts. Quickly, you climb up the tree you were leaning against. After pinpointing Sebek’s location, you use your wind magic to leap away from him and start heading towards your room, face still flushed and heart still racing. 

.

“Did something happen between the two of you?” Lilia leans against the cafeteria table. 

Silver and Malleus were standing in the line to get their trays of food and Sebek had not yet arrived after his classes. You were about to join them, when Lilia interrupted you, asking Silver and Malleus to bring his and your portions with them.

You poked the table with your index, pursing your lips and looking away. “Not really.”

“Then why have you two been so awkward with each other today?” 

“...Is it that obvious?”

“Very.”

You sigh, crossing your arms on the table and sinking your head between them. “Nothing escapes you, does it?”

“Tell me about it. It might make you feel better.”

“It's nothing bad, really. Just… um… it sounds so silly now that I think about it.” You groan and interrupt your own thoughts. Lilia waits for you to continue, but urges you with his eyes because he knows that you might not want to talk about it if any of the three boys were here.

“He told me he loved me. It was a little indirect, but it was more direct than all the other times since he asked me out. And then he… he… he um.” The faint sensation of his lips on your knuckles linger, and the more you thought about it, the more apparent it felt. It makes a red creep up your neck, a soft blush tinting your cheeks.

“Did you kiss?”

“Yes, no, kind of?” you fumble.

“Have you really never kissed before?” Lilia's ears perk up, amused. “I thought you would have kissed each other when we were still in Briar Valley.”

“Huh?” If your cheeks weren’t red earlier, they were definitely a deep crimson now. “He’s the prince, I can’t just do that.”

“He is your boyfriend. A ‘prince’ is the last thing he wants to be known as to you.”

“Yes but—”

“You were his first friend, and he really appreciated that you approached him without fear of his status. Though I can’t pinpoint when his admiration for you changed from mere companionship to that of romantic affection, I can assure you that his feelings for you have been painfully apparent for a while now.”

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with couples indulging themselves in romantic stuff.” He finished with a shrug, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head.

“Thanks Lilia. I really appreciate you trying to comfort me. Though that isn’t what I was worried about. It’s just, it’ll be my first time and…” You trail off, feeling too shy to complete the thought. Instead, you choose to bury your head in your hands.

“Oh, it’s not his status you’re worried about but your inexperience.” Lilia realises, starting to feel a little silly about his monologue earlier. He ruffles your hair, like he always did when you were younger. “There’s nothing wrong with that either. You both will be learning with each other.”

“Mmm…”

“You could even watch a few romance shows to feel more inspired if you want to,” he teases, smirking. 

You mumble into your arms, “I did.”

“You did?? Really? Oh Sevens, I could never have guessed. Which one? How was it?” 

“You’re too curious about this.” You groan. You could feel that Lilia was about to probe further, but stopped upon Sebek’s arrival. 

“Greetings, Lilia. Greetings, [name].” He bows before taking a seat next to the former General. You straighten up, coughing into your palm to compose yourself.

“You’re late. Did class run too long?”

“Yes, but never mind that, what’s happening here? And where are Lord Malleus and Silver?”

“Nothing, I was just comforting [name].” 

“Oh to be comforted by Lilia himself, that sounds like such a blessing.” Sebek says dramatically, clasping his hands together.

“Why does Sebek look like he is about to cry?” Silver’s sleepy voice rings behind you. You turn around to find him and Malleus, each carrying two trays.

Silver sets one in front of Lilia and takes the seat at the edge of the table beside his father. Malleus wordlessly puts down yours in front of you and takes the empty seat beside you, still not really meeting your eyes but each of his actions carry that familiar tenderness that calms your nerves. 

Sebek straightens up immediately and stiffly. “No I am not. I would never exhibit such disgraceful behaviour.” 

“It’s okay to cry if you want to Sebek.”

“Lord Lilia!!” The alligator fae’s expression does a full 180 as he turns to face Lilia with reverence. 

The sight makes you chuckle. It really is lively with these people around. 

The others think that Diasomnia, and especially this group of boys are the sternest people around, stiff, uptight and difficult to get along with. And you feel privileged to know these other, more childish, sides of them.

.

You knock twice on the dormhead’s door, shifting in your feet with an odd nervousness. You don’t usually feel this anxious when approaching the fae prince.

“Come in.”

You open the door slightly, just enough to let you slip in and lock it from the inside. Malleus notices and sends a questioning look your way. “You seem more worked up than usual.” You nod in response, unsure of how to put it into words. 

Malleus puts aside the book he was reading, taking your hand and having you sit on the bed beside him. “Tell me about it.”

“Well… it’s nothing serious, just a little embarrassing. It’s about that night when you— oh is that my pen on your table?” You shift the conversation mid-way, chickening out. 

Truth be told, you don’t even know if it really was your pen or not, since your stationery looks similar to his. You just wanted something distracting enough to buy you more time. Damnit, I thought I came mentally prepared.

Malleus frowns at the sudden change, but decides not to question it. Based on your bashful expressions, he thinks he knows where the conversation was going.

“The one you lent me during class? Apologies, it seems I forgot to return it.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m not that petty over a pen,” you laugh a little more awkwardly than you had intended. Before you can think the action through, your fingers twist the pen cap, removing it with a sudden pop. The tip of the pen marks  your right cheek, a sharp line swiftly inked onto your face, stinging and tickling your skin. 

“Oh, oops.” You wince, bringing your hand up to rub at the mark.

Malleus walks towards you, reaching out to hold your face and gently rubbing circles around the ink. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

That confirmation doesn’t seem to be what he’s looking for though, because he doesn’t move an inch. 

“You’re staring at me like there’s something on my face.”

“Yeah, there’s an ink mark.”

You pout at him simply stating the obvious. Duh, you think, trying to come up with a witty response to lighten the weirdly tense atmosphere.

His hand shifts from your cheek to rest at the nape of your neck, humming in contemplation before leaning in. “Let me know right now if you want me to move away.”

You feel like you are surrounded by thin ice, waiting for it to shatter.

He’s so close.

You respond by wrapping your arms behind him and gazing back, tracing his features. The sharp horns on his head shine in the soft light of his room. His long ears twitch slightly at his side, fluttering softer than a butterfly landing on a flower. Green eyes and slit pupils hold you in their gaze, tender with a desire that he had never exhibited before. 

You gulp when your eyes go further downward and reach his lips, feeling your mind go blank as you finally close the distance. He responds immediately, like he was waiting, syncing his actions with yours.

It’s awkward in the beginning, and you feel unsure of what you are doing, but you don’t pull away. You stay like that until you find a comfortable rhythm, tasting the icy lemonade he was drinking earlier.

His hands find their way to your hips, resting there as he nibbles over the soft flesh of your mouth, his actions becoming firmer, more confident with each second.

You pull away when you feel like your lungs are burning, gasping for air and looking at your lover with starry eyes. He brings a hand up to cup your cheek, rubbing his thumb over your swollen lips. You lean into the touch, relishing it with your guard fully let down.

“Is that what you wanted?” He whispers against your mouth, hot breath tickling your lips.

“You are all I’ve ever wanted.” You press your forehead against his, and lean in for another kiss.

.

.

.

“Oho? It’s quite lively here.” Malleus walks into the main hall and finds you and Silver amid multiple boxes of decorations. 

Sebek, who was carrying crates of different flavoured juices to the kitchen with a few second years, immediately runs up to greet the fae prince. 

“My liege, greetings. We are preparing for the upcoming party.”

“Party?”

“Lord Lilia’s farewell party.”

Malleus’s face stiffens up upon hearing the words. “Farewell party…”

“You must have gotten an invitation too, right? I personally asked [name] to deliver it to you.” Silver added. 

“I did. Allow me to help with the preparations.” 

“Please, my liege, you needn’t trouble yourself with such trivial affairs. We’ll get it done in no time.” Malleus frowns at Sebek’s reluctance and turns to you to gauge your expression. 

You nod gently. “It’s okay, my love. We’ll take care of this part. Why don’t you think of a parting gift for Lilia? I’m sure he would appreciate that.”

“A parting gift…” Malleus contemplates, “I’ll think about it.” He crosses the hall and leaves the dormitory.

His face looked more serious than it usually did, like something was weighing on his mind. You were about to excuse yourself to follow him, to ask him to talk to you about it, when a second year calls out to you for assistance. 

“Sorry dear, I’ll try to be there as soon as I can.” you mumble, watching your lover’s back fade into the distance before heading back to work.

.

.

.

You feel it before it happens.

You had gone to the kitchen to grab more bottles of various drinks– light wine and a variety of fruit juices, to refill the fast-emptying glasses in the halls. 

Celebrations at the Diasomnia dorm were scarce, the halls rarely ever filled with gleeful chatter. 

But things suddenly go quiet. Almost in sync, your body stops moving as well, stiffening at the sudden, deafening silence. Your grip on the bottle in your hand loosens, letting go of it abruptly, causing it to stutter on the kitchen counter before going limp. Even the juice bottles stand straight, as if bracing themselves for what is to come.

“Spinning wheel of fate, spin the thread of calamity,” a low, silky voice echoes through the corridors.

“I, the king of the abyss, shall bestow this.” There’s no going back, is there?… 

“I guess I could do with some sleep.” You sigh and let yourself down on the ground, leaning your back against the wall.

“Fae of maleficence.”

.

.

.

He hasn’t gone insane, not yet.

Malleus desperately clings to the last bits of sanity left, before his overblot finally takes over.

According to the records, a looming shadow appears behind a mage who has overblotted, whispering in their ears tales of destruction. He turns around, eyes scanning the area carefully, but there isn’t anything yet. Although the sizzling green light mixed with drops of a thick, black liquid tell him he doesn’t have long.

He looks around the room, analysing the sleeping bodies, assessing their current state. It doesn’t take the fae prince long to realise that a few attendees are missing and you are one of them — you aren’t in the hall. Malleus vaguely remembers you mentioning getting a re-fill for the drinks before heading towards the kitchen. He follows your trail in a trance, anchoring himself against the wall, the tips of his fingers sliding across, slow, gentle and cautious. 

A few Diasomnia students lie limp just outside the kitchen, presumably struck while trying to escape. Based on the juice spilled on one of their uniforms, they must have been trying to help you with the drinks. 

With a flick of his finger, Malleus re-arranges the fallen bodies so that they’re lying more comfortably beside each other. His steps don’t falter as he continues ahead until he is inside the dorm kitchen.

You are sitting in a corner, back against the wall, head inclined and resting against the wall on your side, knees pulled close to your chest, your arms wrapped around your legs as your face lay in the gap between your knees, snuggling comfortably.

Malleus feels a weight settle in his chest. Seeing you in a foetal position, sleeping comfortably… you saw it coming, didn’t you? Most would say that this reaction of his was unpredictable, but seeing you right now would prove otherwise.

He walks over carefully, as if trying not to wake you (though he wishes that you do wake up, that all of this is just a bad dream, that things never escalated this far). He leans down beside you and brings a finger to your face, gently caressing your cheek.

The action draws blood and he quickly retracts his hand to stare at his growing claws. His eyes widen at the sight, lips parting in shock and fear. He clenches his fist and swallows the lump in his throat.

His head hurts now, needles stinging from all sides. Absentmindedly, he leans closer to your face and licks at the blood, weak healing magic flowing into the wound, repairing the skin painfully slowly. Did he do it because you used to lick wounds when you were younger? Claiming that the gesture was ‘soothing’ and the saliva’s antiseptic properties will help? Or did he do it because he is finally losing his mind? Animalistic tendencies growing stronger by the minute?

His mind starts blurring and he can feel a presence forming behind him. In his daze, he lifts you in his arms, standing up carefully, yet nearly tripping over his own tail. “When did that come out?...” 

He tilts his head towards the fridge and his figure in the metal exterior stares back at him. His horns were a lot larger, a lot sharper at the ends, blinding green light seeping through the cracks. Black webs resembling thorns and petals grew on the side of his face, slowly encroaching his features to highlight the ugly, newly formed scars. His chest also had similar lines growing across the skin, the thorns and vines encompassing his racing heart, throbbing in his ribcage like it was trying to push outward. And despite the translucent reflection not being able to distinguish all colours, he could tell that his skin complexion had also changed to an inhumane shade. 

He wishes he were blind. 

Unable to look at himself any longer, he turns away, making his way to the dormhead’s room. He had heard that human mages go berserk almost instantly, immediately bringing upon the destruction of everything in their sight. Watching you limp in his arms, leaning against his chest and squirming in your sleep, he cannot tell whether being able to maintain bits of his sanity for a few more minutes is a blessing or a curse. 

Especially when he knows that his overblot will take over him soon, regardless of whether he struggles against it, or gives into it willingly. He cannot undo the events of the evening. The curse has been placed and the looming presence grows stronger, slowly guiding him into the depths of insanity.

There is no going back.

He lowers you onto his bed and sits beside you at the edge. His fingers twitch towards your face, but he dare not caress your face the way he wishes he could, not when the cut from earlier has etched itself into his mind.

The darkness gnawed at him, dragging him away, down into the depths of the abyss of his mind. He felt like he was physically fighting against the encroaching vines, each thorn as heavy as iron, trying to pierce him apart from inside-out.

His headache has gotten worse and vision blurrier. He knows he is almost out of time.

With the last bit of his strength, he places his palms on the sides of your head. Eyes unfocused, his vision starts fading around the edges. He can barely see you anymore. A tear falls on your face, black like an ink drop in water.

“Maybe… “ he mutters under his breath, “just maybe…”

His movements are desperate, unsteady, uncouth, and nothing like the sophisticated noble people know him as. But as he closes the gap, his mannerisms and posture are the last thing on his mind. He lets go of all restraints for a moment, begging for even a flicker of hope.

Your lips taste like apples, the tangy flavour sting Malleus’s tongue. He feels more tears glide down his cheeks as he presses his mouth further onto yours, trying to deepen the kiss, desperation and longing painfully evident, like a little child trying to grab at the helium balloon that escaped his grasp, clawing at the string that keeps passing through his tiny fingers, intending to never return.

“With a true love’s kiss, the prince broke the curse.” Lilia’s voice echoes in the back of his mind, as he recounts the fairytales he was told when he was younger.

But you don’t even stir in your sleep.

Who was he kidding, of course you don’t.

A bitter smile stretches across his face, his fangs dipping into his lower lip, drawing blood. More tears flow through his eyes, the eerie black liquid pouring onto your sleeping face.

Malleus takes a deep breath, humming a familiar tune as he surrenders himself to the darkness.

.

.

.

You feel his presence before his arrival becomes obvious. 

There is the slightest change in the air, a little more electrifying than before, but it’s subtle enough for even the animals surrounding you to ignore. But for someone as hyper-aware of the situation as you are right now? This seemed both like an opportunity and your doom. 

The squirrel you had just stopped petting pushes its head against your palm, quietly asking you to continue rubbing its head. You oblige, trying to calm your nerves and look as normal and as lost in a dream as possible.

A soft shuffle of grass draws the attention of the little hare resting near your knee and you follow the direction of its pointed ears to meet a familiar figure.

He’s here. And he’s not a lie woven by the dream. He is the real Malleus Draconia.

“Malleus! You’re finally here!” You say cheerfully, a complete contrast to how you were truly feeling.

He doesn’t notice. Oh thank the Sevens, he isn’t suspicious of you (yet).

“You’re late. I thought you said that the meeting with the delegates wouldn’t take too long.” You quickly think of a scenario, an incident from years ago, a peaceful memory from a distant time.

“My bad, the debate went on for a little longer than I had hoped.”

“At least you’re here now. Come, join me.” You hold your hand out.

He nods as he takes it, and you pull him down to sit beside you. A few finches quickly hop up to him, poking Malleus’s knee before rubbing its head against him. His lips quirk upwards as he softly rubs the finch’s head.

Watching the animals get comfortable with him makes you smile, while also making your chest tighten. You subconsciously grab onto your clothes, twisting them in your fist at the uncomfortable comfort of the scene before you.

It’s just a dream, woven from lies and grief.

Malleus notices that you go quiet, quieter than he would like. “Is something bothering you, dear?”

“Huh? Oh.” A single tear rolls down your cheek, a result of the storm hidden underneath your calm demeanor. “Nothing,” you say, softer than you intended to.

He neither questions you, nor pushes you to speak more and you are thankful for that, because if he did you’re sure you would expose the fact that you’re wide awake in this dream. 

That you are dreaming of this being the reality. 

“Would you like to share a dance, my love?” He asks, standing up and extending his hand out for you.

“Right here?”

“Right now.” He smiles, pulling you up with the same mischief as you did when you pulled him down to sit beside you.

Seamlessly, his one hand finds your hip while the other catches your palm, interlacing your fingers. 

Of course, this is just a dream. The animals don’t welcome Malleus’s presence this openly, let alone hum a melody in tandem as you sway under the canopy, across the long blades of the forest grass and wild flowers. You feel more tears well up. How you wish this was the reality, rather than being just a dream.

In an attempt to hide the surge of emotions, you lean your head against him, resting your head right where his heart is. It’s steady and comforting. If it were any other day, you would have fallen asleep to the sound of it. Still, despite the gravity of your current situation, you let yourself relax in his hold, nuzzling further and embracing the warmth.

He presses a kiss to your forehead and wraps his arms around you. You stay like that for a while. Malleus slows down, opting to gently sway you with the wind so as to not disturb you too much, nearly lulling you to sleep.

But then his soft ministrations suddenly stop.

You feel him form a fist near your hip, bunching up your clothes. 

That’s odd, you think. Given the atmosphere, it’s definitely not an action meant to result in something more than just simple affection. Not like Malleus ever seemed interested in that anyway. Nor did the action seem soft enough for it to be a physical expression of the fae’s giddy admiration. Your eyebrows knit together in confusion. Something doesn’t feel right about this.

“Malleus?”

“Shroud.” He growls under his breath.

“What?” You pull away, the smile fading from your face.

It doesn’t take you long to connect the dots. Silver was trying to wake the others up, and he must have been able to rope Idia in. 

You can only hope that your expression doesn’t give away your realisation.

“You…” Malleus starts, unsure of how to put his next words together as realisation and anger, pain and betrayal, stretch across his face, “You’ve been awake this whole time…”

There’s no way he has realised it, you hope. Maybe his anger is directed towards Idia. And since he hasn’t left, maybe you could buy those guys some more time to—

“...haven’t you, [name]?”

You flinch. A chill runs down your spine and a gasp leaves you before you can hold it back.

“Malleu—” You are cut short when he suddenly grabs your chin, pulling you closer and glaring at you to confirm his suspicions.

“My love,” his tone is vile, “I only wanted you to have sweet dreams. I would have dragged the heavens down from the skies for you.” He raises his voice, a low, rumbling sound from his throat, hoarse at the edges.

The Malleus you know would never address you like that. You know it’s the darkness at work, the overblot. You know that, and yet, it hurts.

“Tch, I would have loved to tuck you back in bed but I cannot waste any more time” He grits his teeth and pushes you back.

You stumble to the ground, eyes still widened in shock. You’re trying to think of something, anything, that could stop Malleus for just a little longer. But before you can move, you feel the little animals surrounding you, trapping you in a cage of blackening fur. 

You try calling out to him again, but you don’t hear your own voice, feeling as though you’re being dragged somewhere distant against your will. Resisting only makes it worse, like being caught in quicksand. 

Your vision goes black.

.

.

.

Your eyes stutter open, like a butterfly landing on a petal. The moonlight filters through the white, webbed curtains. “Guess they succeeded at whatever those guys were planning,” you mutter. You sit up and try to get off the bed, but vines tug around your arms, holding you in place. You don’t resist.

The screams of other students slowly fade into the distance. You look outside the window and notice huge groups of people from various dorms making their way away from Diasomnia, led by their respective vice-dormleaders.

A rough, screechy scream echoes through the halls. “The thorns! They’re digging into me when I move! It hurts!” Ah, that must be Grim. 

You rub your eyes with the back of your hand, still feeling groggy. Did everyone else wake up before you?

Your eyes scan around the room and you instantly recognise it as Malleus’s. “Did he bring me here?...” 

Suddenly, a low rumble arises near the door. You whip your head around and come face-to-face with a dragon. Its large body barely fits in the surroundings, scales glistening under the moon. The large horns on its head look like they could pierce through the ceiling if it lifted its head any further.

“Malleus.”

A faint flicker of recognition flashes in the dragon’s eyes. You dare to believe that he recognises you. A low rumble arises in his chest as he hesitantly makes his way towards you.

Your hand reaches out to stroke its face, rubbing above its large, v-shaped mouth. In response, the vines wrap around your upper arms, adorning it like armcuffs of thorns, digging into your skin, piercing your forearms. Drops of blood stain the sheets and tiles below you. You hold in a hiss, trying not to acknowledge the pain, not to let Malleus’s attention divert towards the metallic scent.

You have seen Malleus in his dragon form before, but this was completely different. His scales felt more gooey, gross, as if it’s been smeared with blot. His pupils are dilated, unfocused, much sharper and much less welcoming than normal.

And the way he folds under your touch isn’t like him at all. It’s more animalistic, wild, like one mistake would be enough for him to rip off the arm petting him, to send you to your death.

“Where is Idia? Don’t tell me he’s taking another nap.” An irritated voice sounds from the grounds, pulling Malleus out of his trance. He pulls away from you, the rage in his features returning after the momentary calm. 

The dragon lets out a snarl, a warning, before plunging towards the window, half-burning half-ripping the curtains apart. The glass shatters around you and you instinctively bring your arm up to shield your eyes. The thorny vines and shattered glass pierce through your skin, leaving behind multiple deep cuts. You open your mouth to scream, maybe you do scream, but you can’t hear yourself. Your lungs feel like they’re breaking apart, collapsing and your throat runs dry. It hurts.

The clash of armour drags you back to reality. You hear the crackle of flame, a sharp sound of thunder and heavy grunts. “Young Master!”

Silver and Sebek.

They’re still fighting.

You can’t stay stuck here, waiting for things to die down.

“Flame magic.” You quickly utter, watching as the fire burns at the edge of the mattress, being put out almost immediately by the fast-regenerating vines. 

If they can’t be burned away, then you’ll just have to squeeze out of them.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath in, bracing yourself for the next wave of thorny agony. “Wind, support me.” A gush of wind pushes you outward, the thorns dragging along your skin, clawing at you to hold you back.

As soon as your leg touches the windowsill, you push yourself outward, your hands aligning to maintain the wind pressure below you to keep you afloat. The ivy laps forward, creeping up alongside the broken window. How persistent.

You glance down, assessing the battlefield. Sebek seems to be holding a shield. The green ornamentation sparkles on the silver, taking on Malleus’s flames head-on. Is that… mystium?

From the corner of your eye, you notice the outgrowth coming at you, the sharp ends aiming for your eye. You just barely manage to get out of its way, cutting off some part of it and bringing it to your eye-level for inspection. 

The ivy wiggles mid-air like it’s alive, trying to grow out from the point where it was cut. It struggles against your magic, grasping and clawing at the invisible cage it finds itself trapped in. You break off a tendril, watching it as it starts growing into a long rope covered with thorns. You could use this.

You dive downwards, ivy in tow, planning to aim straight at the dragon’s legs. The flames from Malleus’s attacks seem to have increased the air pressure in your surroundings, and you let it aid you in your levitation, letting your body feel light above the rising black-green smoke, like resting on fluffy clouds that burn your lungs with each inhale.

Sebek is holding his shield up, barely keeping up with the flame’s force, while Silver stands behind him, sword braced and waiting for an opening. Idia is standing in a corner, his fingers gliding over his digital screen as he monitors the situation.

You press your thumb against your index, creating a make-shift eyepiece as you lock onto your target. Looking through the gap between your fingers, you adjust your aim, shooting the vine you dragged with you at the dragon’s legs. The ivy wraps around its knees, growing alongside it and creating a tangled web underneath the dragon’s large body. It causes him to release a larger puff of flame as it exhales in pain.

Sebek gets blown away in the process, his armour and shield landing with a loud clank. Silver immediately takes Sebek’s place, his sword lighting up with energy. He glances up towards you, acknowledging your assistance with a nod. You nod back, preparing to shoot more vines to cage Malleus. 

Silver brings the hilt of the sword close to his chest, closing his eyes and concentrating all his energy into the weapon, preparing to strike. He cannot miss, because his sword is the only thing on the battle-field capable of even scratching Malleus’s stone-hard horns. Malleus doesn’t take long to recover either, his scales of amethyst and jade reflect his fiery breath, generating another wave of his green beam. 

Green and smoke cloud Silver’s vision, feeling over-whelmed by the dragon’s strength. But he hasn’t lost yet. He steadies his grip, clutching the sword with both hands and analysing for any openings that could get him closer to destroying Malleus’s horn.

Sebek weakly attempts to push himself off the ground, muttering curses under his breath at the pain. He tries reaching for his shield, preparing to defend from the dragon’s attacks once more.

Just as you ready to entrap Malleus further, hoping the sharp thorns can pierce through his scaly wings, a figure runs out of the dorm gates, his over-sized coat flowing madly with the wind. Clutching his abdomen and coughing with every other step, he limps across the field, grunting each time he came too close to tripping over the debris. 

“No wait—” You try calling out, but it’s too late.

He has gotten too close, too deep in the heart of the battlefield that Diasomnia has become.

You quickly hurl a small mass of ivy to wrap around Draconia’s wings. The thorns start digging itself wherever they clutch, anchoring and growing along the scales. Malleus wavers a bit, stumbling back a step, his wings frantically flapping behind him.

Sebek, too, has gotten a grip, as he forces the shield upright and forward — his right leg pushing him forward, his left knee sliding on the ground.

“Stop!” Lilia lunges forward, throwing himself near the tip of Silver’s sword, causing it to slip out of the silver-head’s hands, falling to the ground with a loud clink.

Sebek barely pushes through the last inch, deflecting some of Draconia's flames towards a nearby tree, burning it to a crisp. The mystium armour stands tall between the dragon and the knights. Malleus’s laser crashes against the metal at an angle, reflecting back, directed straight towards his eyes. His own flames blind him as he howls in pain.

“Now!” Shroud’s fingers glide over his screen with quick precision. He gains control of Silver’s limp sword, neatly aiming for Malleus’s horn. Like a gun whistling through the wind, the blade clashes with the dragon’s horn, slicing through it with calculated ease.

The broken obsidian tip explodes, sending sparks of magic flying in all directions. Before you can process it, you’re already plunging towards Malleus, arms extended, as if catching him could soften his fall. Your skin meets burning flesh and icy scales as Malleus’s body collapses over yours. Dust, smoke and debris cloud your vision and seize your throat.

For a minute, everything goes silent.

“Fa–...” A hiccup sounds somewhere not too far from you, followed by a sharp inhale and a broken sob.

“Is Lilia…” Grim’s coarse voice breaks through the curtain of smoke. 

As the dust settles, you bury yourself in Malleus’s torn sleeve, clutching his arms and refusing to look up.

A mental image of Lilia’s limp body in Silver’s arms starts forming in your mind, and you weren’t willing to let that vision manifest entirely, to let it embed itself in your memories.

As if that would change the bitter reality. 

.

.

.

Twenty years ago, if someone asked you, “Is it worth resisting death?”, you would have answered “no.” 

The most you can do is delay the inevitable, but death will reach out with its claws, grasping at you and eventually dragging you down.

As a knight, you had seen others glorify death. In battle, for the winning side, dying was a noble sacrifice, a commendable deed worthy of acknowledgement. For the losing side, it signified that you fought till the bitter end, never backing down, standing your ground. When it came to punishments, execution was a mercy. And if you reach the end as a result of senility, you must have had enough to pass on your legacy to the future, immortalising your name.

Maybe you would have given this same response four years ago as well. After all, your view only changed when you entered Night Raven College.

Heartslabyul, a dorm that prided itself on following the Queen of Heart’s discipline, started off as an unruly mess of disorder and chaos. When the tyrant that rose from among them had his dominion questioned, he lost his authority but gained an amicable love that he had never before received. 

Savannaclaw, in order to win just one last tournament, put their own integrity and loyalty on the line, only to come out with bonds stronger than ever before.

For his little brother, the big brother was willing to burn the world down. When the little one died, the older went as far as to make the world’s most advanced humanoid machine, all so he could continue making memories with the boy he couldn’t protect. 

When the Underworld threatened to bestow devastation upon the world, starting with the Pomefiore members who were closest to the potential outbreak, their leader, the man who cared for his own beauty more than anything else in the world, sacrificed it all to keep his friends safe. He returned, wrinkled and senile, the pain of parting with his youth etched on his face, but with no regret in his tears.

Time and time again, you had the chance to watch humans grow. Due to their short lives, they evolve at a much faster pace, experiencing things at the speed of light. For fae, a decade passes by in the blink of an eye. But in those same ten years, ordinary mortals live ten different lives.

Now, if someone asked you the same question, you would glance around your surroundings, breathing in the flowing youth and unexpected encounters, and say, “Yes, because every second longer that you spend with those you love will be worth it.” There are people waiting for you to return home. Bruised and battered. Betrayed and broken.

But not dead. 

They’ll nurse you back to health. Celebrate your victories with you. Listen to your tales, adding their own in between. They’ll learn and grow from you, with you, alongside you.

They’ll stay.

You hum casually, kicking pebbles near your feet, twirling your magic pen in hand as a few boxes float behind you. You are stiffer than usual, the bandages draped around your arm and chest restricting your movements. Ideally, you should also be in the hospital downtown, resting and recovering, conversing casually with Silver, Sebek, Lilia and the attending nurses.

But you chose to come back early, to be here and help with the reconstruction. You feel partly responsible for Malleus’s overblot. Thoughts like “if I spoke to him earlier, let him talk about his feelings, maybe…” and “if we had discussed it all earlier…” plagued your mind. And you couldn’t just loiter away in the hospital bed in the name of ‘recuperating’, not when you were able to move around just fine.

(Truth be told, the many cuts splayed across your body stung with each flex of muscle. But the longer you stayed, conversations regarding the overblot incident resurfaced more often. And you needed to do something to take your mind away from it, to think of something else, to return to your ordinary life.)

Diasomnia is livelier these days with everyone eagerly helping in the reconstruction process and organising a 'return party' for Lilia. Occasionally, you’d spot a few uniforms of the other dorms as well, scared, hesitant, but wanting to assist. 

Someone offers to take the wooden boxes for you. You decline with a slight shake of your head, easily placing the bundle near the entryway. Someone else offers you a carton of juice they got for refreshments, and you take it with a polite smile. 

“You know, the party won’t just be to celebrate Lilia’s return,” a student says, leaning against the railing, taking a sip from his juice carton, “we also wanted to celebrate the victory.” 

“Yeah,” another one chimes in, his tanned skin coated with sweat, earrings hanging from his long ears, “and you were huge in the battle so we wanted this to be a gift for you too, a surprise.” He ends sheepishly, his right hand scratching the back of his neck.

“Oh? Are you saying you don’t want me here right now?” You tease with a smirk, swirling your juicebox lazily. 

“N-no we don’t mean it that way…”

You hum, cutting the boy off mid-sentence. He doesn’t need to finish it, you know what he means.

The whole school was ecstatic when they heard of Lilia’s return to academics.

You look down at your twitching hands, still trembling with the emotions from that night– fear, sorrow, delight, happiness– everything at once.

You remember Malleus’s loud wails when he realised what had happened, Sebek’s desperate pleas as he watched Lilia’s limp body trembling in Silver’s unsteady grasp. But then, by some miracle, Silver and Malleus had not only managed to drag him back from the dead, but the reaction had caused magic to flow through his veins once more, extending his life for a little longer. 

“I am glad that you were thinking of me too, but I think I’m happier helping you all organise this. After all, Silver, Sebek, and the Ignihyde brothers deserve the most credit. They deserve this more than anyone else.” 

“Yeah, them and definitely not Crowley!” The group surrounding you bursts into laughter at the second year’s comment. You laugh as well, without restraints, without the burdens of that never-ending night. 

You only wish Malleus was here right now with you. Laughing. Unburdened. Free.

And yet he was out there running from place to place, apologising for feelings he couldn’t control, for the pent-up emotions no one knew he held within him, for the neglect no one acknowledged.

He has always wanted to be able to mingle with others freely. Without them having their guard up against him. Without them refusing to look at him due to fear. Without them shuffling their feet, treating him like he was a god from another world.

And yet, his overblot has only made people more scared of him.

There are mixed views about it.

“He’s only human— I-I mean, he’s just another living being, and all living beings make mistakes. This just proves he’s normal, like the rest of us. He’s normal for his emotions, for his reactions, for feeling.”  “Draconia caused a large-scale disaster on a whim. He’s a lethal weapon. A walking death sentence. He’s far too dangerous to be roaming around freely.”

He’s probably going to slip into his room in the dorm once he’s sure everyone is asleep. You noticed him yesterday, treading carefully, quietly, through the blanket of the night, unaware that you had caught him. And you’re sure he’s going to do it again tonight.

Perhaps you could buy a tub of ice-cream and wait for him. The only question is, where are you going to find a flavour that he has never tried before?

.

.

.

You tidied the dormhead’s room in the evening.

Cleaning away the remnants of the vine. Putting the scattered items back in their places. Replacing the torn, white window curtains with a green one made of a thin, feather-light fabric. Changing the burnt, blood-soaked bedsheet to a simple, soft black one with gold linings. 

But that didn’t feel enough. Surely Crowley would allow you to take a quick trip to Briar Valley on such short notice, right?

You donned an innocent expression, heading straight for the Mirror Chamber. And as fate would have it, the Headmaster also happened to be there.

“A-ah [name]! What brings you here?” He said, rubbing his palms over each other, a sheepish smile spread across his face.

“Headmaster! I was looking for you. This just saved me the trip to your office. Won’t you be oh-so generous and let me pass through the mirror for a quick trip back home?” 

“Well…”

“Surely you couldn’t decline this, almost insignificant, request from someone who actually helped during the overblot, right?” The air around you shifted, faint flickers and crackles dancing in the wind as your smile widened, adding pressure on Crowley. 

“Yes of course, for I am so benevolent.” He spread his arms, as if embracing the idea with trembling words and mock confidence. He seemed like an injured crow, desperately flapping its broken wings, watching as his feathers are plucked away one-by-one.

You pulled your hood low over your head, tugging at it twice for good measure. With a deep breath, you passed through the ivory surface. A chill runs across your body as the solid mirror feels like it is softening into a thick liquid.

A fresh breeze welcomes you, calming the nerves. The distant smell of spices and fresh fruit floats in the air. The echo of the crowds are duller, more sombre than you remember. 

It’s a short trip home, and you wish to make it as short as possible.

You walk through the town in steps more confident than you feel, back straight to avoid people from picking up on your insecurity. Hood conveniently hiding your identity but showing just enough of your face to avoid suspicion.

Your legs take you through the alleys with muscle-memory, but your mind feels like you have arrived in a foreign place. The solemn atmosphere, the tension pricking the air makes your hometown feel completely unfamiliar.

Your pace quickens, as you quickly scan through the items in the market. You don’t buy much, just a few essentials lost to the chaos of the overblot, and a few ornaments to decorate the room with.

One particular shop catches your eye. It's one of the few shops in the area that has retained its antique appearance. The signboard has long been worn-out, and the glass windows are cracked and fogged up. Soft honeydew tinged with citrus tones fills up the warm air emitted from the cabin.

There’s no mistaking it — it has to be elf Fiore’s shop. She was Malleus’s herbology instructor. Even when you attended classes with him, Fiore often focused more on Malleus and let you have a break. You already knew a lot more about plants, having spent a lot of time with the Forest Fairies, so you spent this time honing your sword instead.

You vaguely remember picking flowers with her as a child, when she had caught you and Malleus hanging out in your secret cottage long before Malleus was allowed to roam freely. It was Malleus’s first practical session, and seeing his improved learning efficiency, it led to him slowly being allowed to go outside the castle and gain more freedom.

You never really interacted with her much, but you still feel like you owe her an apology for all that has transpired. After all, you were closest to him, you always have been. Maybe you could have stopped him, at least tried to stop him. 

You have to duck low as you enter. A surge of fragrances stimulate your senses. Bottled scents are kept neatly on the shelves, a few decorated with ribbons, a few with jute.

“Welcome!" A croaky sound echoes in a cheerful greeting, as though greeting her first customer in days. And then softer, familiar, “Welcome, [name].”   

“Ms. Fiore.” You pull your hood back, confident that no one could see you from the outside, and that no one would harm you inside this shop. A soft, apologetic smile graces your lips as you place your right hand over your heart, its fast pace like a hammer against your ribs. “I’m sure you have already heard about what… happened. And I would like to apologise, on his behalf and… my own… for not seeing the signs a little earlier. Maybe, I could have tried to not let it escalate.”

“Even if you had seen the signs, you could not have stopped it, child. The roots of this calamity go back to when he was still a young boy at the castle.” The elf says calmly, her nimble fingers working with yarn.

You look around and realise that in place of the natural flowers, there now seems to be artificial, scented ones on display. Sensing your confusion, the old lady speaks up again. “I have gotten too old to go pick out fresh flowers now, and visitors have grown scarce. At least these artificial flowers will last a little longer.”

Artificial flowers will last a little longer. And they look pretty too. And their fragrance would definitely help in further diluting the stench of burnt blood. 

“Ms. Fiore, may I purchase a vase?  And perhaps you can pick out a few flowers that would mean something… for him.” Fiore’s eyes soften as she places her knitting needles away. “It doesn’t even have to look pretty, I just…” 

“I’ll give you a discount. Normally, customised orders cost extra but I’m getting too old to care about the extra money. Besides, I would like to give him something too, to let him know that we are still here for him.”

You smile in thanks.

.

You return to Diasomnia satisfied with the short shopping expedition. Now all that was left was to add the finishing strokes to the renovated room and wait.

You left Ms. Fiore’s vase for the end, slowly admiring it before placing it down on the bedside table. You kneel on the ground and rest your face in your arms, looking up at the fluffy petals and taking in the calming fragrances of the flowers.

White lilies and tulips. Orchids and daffodils.

Resilience, renewal and redemption.

Rebirth and new beginnings.

And beside that is a smaller vase filled with daisies, the flower that began your friendship with the fae prince. 

The daisies are the result of an impromptu decision you made just as you were leaving Fiore’s shop. It was the smallest, least decorated vase placed on the windowsill. While most were artificial, you had gone out of your way to collect a few fresh daisies and laced them with mountain grass to add to the bouquet (and also collected a few herbs and flowers for the old elf before finally returning to NRC).

The familiar, soft scent of mountain soil alongside the daisies’ subtle, grassy smell brings back memories from centuries ago. And the tranquility brings with it the fatigue of the many days and nights you spent unconscious, fighting in a nightmare.

You feel yourself dozing off, eyelids heavy after days of toil, when the doorknob clicks. 

Malleus slips in quietly, locking the door behind him, head held low and exhaustion written all over his face. His eyes widen at the sight of you dozing off against the bedside table, heart dropping as he remembers your limp figure on the night of the overblot.

“Malleus,” You yawn, stretching and pushing yourself off the ground, “you’re finally here.”

“Yes, I am. But no wait, you weren’t supposed to know I would be.” He stutters.

“I caught a glimpse of you sneaking into your room last night, and I was sure you would return.” 

Malleus looks around the renovated room, jade eyes scanning the changed drapes and new ornaments. “Did you… do all of this by yourself?” his voice breaks, a single tear rolling down his cheek. “I’m- I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I didn’t want to, I–” 

This is the second time you’re seeing him cry since you came to NRC.

You let him, simply crossing your hands behind your back and smiling. “It was no trouble at all. I like doing these little things for you.”

“Despite everything that just transpired? The- the -...” The overblot.

You move closer to him, slowly, softly, letting him decide whether he wants to finish that sentence or not. You swipe at a single tear resting on his eyelid, about to roll down.

“The Fae prince, one of the strongest mages in the world, the next ruler of the Valley of Thorns, a descendant of one of the Great Seven, the successor of the Witch of Thorns, a walking calamity, dormhead of Diasomnia…” You drone on, dramatically swaying your finger around with each name he’s known by.

With each one of his titles, Malleus winces a little more, like the words physically hurt him. He lowers his head, ashamed, embarrassed, unsure of who he is and who he wants to be. 

“You are none of that to me. To me, you’re just Malleus, the boy I love.” You cradle his face, fingers softly grazing his jaw before pecking his lips.

He leans in again, but you move away, grabbing the bag of food you had prepared for tonight. “You can have more kisses later, but first you need to get some food in you and rehydrate. You have been working hard. I watched your interview with the media. Facing the world couldn’t have been easy, and you need to rest while you can. Look, I got a couple different flavours of ice-creams for us to try out together~”

Malleus smiles coyly, and right now, he looks like the most ordinary of high schoolers. His boyish grin makes butterflies erupt within you. It’s contagious and you find yourself beaming too (whether out of happiness or to hide the embarrassing red that crept up your neck, you weren’t sure).

He doesn’t speak much. And even with the two of you combined, you barely get through half the food stash you had prepared for tonight. To store the remaining, you head downstairs to the dorm’s kitchen. By the time you return, Malleus is already dozing off, with a blanket loosely draped over him and space left for you to fit into beside him.

He doesn’t sleep as much as most others do, so seeing him so tired and vulnerable makes your heart soften. These last few days really have taken a toll on him, huh…

You tread quietly, closing the windows and darkening the room, before taking your place beside him on the bed. Embracing the warmth, you snuggle closer to his chest. He responds by lazily pulling you even closer and tightening his grip around you. It feels like it’s been forever since you last got to cuddle to sleep. 

“Good night, Malleus.” You whisper, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead before succumbing to slumber.

You hope that he has the sweetest of dreams tonight.

[kinbedo]

Draped in Dreams and Nightmares - Malleus Draconia

—  ♡

Major spoilers for Book 7.

Summary: Malleus Draconia overblotted, his tragic past was revealed and he was declared a walking calamity. But the story remained incomplete. This is the fae prince’s story, as witnessed by the eyes of his first friend, and his eventual lover, you.

Tw: childhood trauma, negligence (?), mentions of blood, emotional vulnerability, slightly graphic descriptions of fighting  

wc: 19.1k, angst / reverse comfort, mutual pining, slow burn, gn reader, fae reader 

A/n: The Diasonmia arc made me so emotional, I just had to write something :((

Yours was the first dream he visited.

He stood behind a tree, gazing from afar as you watered the flowers outside a cottage. You’re humming a familiar tune and it makes Malleus’s heart ache with nostalgia. How many years has it been since you both last visited this cottage?

You continue watering the flowers, letting it sprinkle over the petals and settle down like dew in the mornings. 

You don’t turn around, and he doesn’t approach you either.

The presence dies behind you, disappearing as gently as it came and you know that he has left. Your shoulders relax and a bitter smile graces your lips.

You were wide awake, already aware of the situation in the waking world. 

Of course you were. After all…

Silver got to you first.

.

“[name]!” he had rushed over to you, worry and fear etched across his face. “I know you might not believe me and I’m not sure how I would prove it to you but… this is a dream.”

“You mean, this is like a dream?” The back of your hand failed to stop the soft laugh from escaping.

“No. It’s a dream created by Lord Malleus, who has overblotted.”

“I see.” You gaze into the distance, unfocused and dazed, believing Silver fully. After all, that was the only way to explain the distortions you had witnessed, the only way to explain the details that derailed from reality.

The cottage is supposed to be broken, the plants drying and dying, trees much taller, as if trying to make a barrier between the realm of fae and humans, you were supposed to be somewhere else.

“So we’re all asleep in the Diasomnia hall?”

Silver’s eyes widen for a split second and he lets out a sigh of relief. “It’s like you never fell asleep…”

“I did, but my surroundings felt too odd to bear. Like everything I’ve ever wanted has come true, except Malleus isn’t here.” You grit your teeth, trying to smile and prevent the stinging tears from falling. “I did research on dreams for a project, so it didn’t take long for me to connect the dots. Well, what do you plan on doing now?”

“If Malleus comes here, please buy me some time. I will try to wake up some others.”

“But your unique magic only allows you to travel to the dreams of those that you are well-aquainted with.”

“I’ll find a way.” His fingers are trembling, his tone uncertain, but his auroral eyes were determined. Silver was not willing to simply sit around.

“Okay. I’ll handle him if he comes here.” 

Silver nods, his eyes relaxing as he mouths a ‘thank you’ before walking into a space of pastel clouds and golden stairs — the corridor of dreams — leaving you alone in a place that barely exists.

.

Maybe you could take it slow for a while, imprint the scenery into your memories, take in the breeze of captivated freedom and just dream.

.

.

.

“I didn’t think someone else would find this place.” 

The little boy didn’t say a word, awkwardly shifting behind the tree. He’s dressed in black. A cape torn at the edges flows behind him, and the hood he has on has two little holes for the horns on his head.

In contrast, you’re dressed in a light green dress that just barely touches your knees, mint green floral pattern running along it. You’re holding a single, white flower in your hand, twirling the stem between the thumb and the index.

A daisy. He recognises seeing an artistic representation of the flower in one of the books at the royal library. He never imagined he would be able to see one so closely in person.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

He falters, his feet feeling like they were chained. His throat croaks and he’s unable to say anything else. He’s used to people bowing to him, obeying his commands, listening to even the silliest of wishes he had. No one has ever dared to stop him, especially not so directly.

Hesitantly, he lifts his gaze to meet yours, eyes of jade staring right into yours. “Woah! Your eyes are like a dragon’s! So pretty…” 

The boy’s eyes widen for a second before he drops his head again, staring at the pebble next to his feet. “No one’s really said it like that before…” he says, barely audible.

“People just don’t have good taste then. How can they resist complimenting such beautiful eyes? What is your name, if you don’t mind?”

“Malleus… Draconia.”

“THE PRINCE?”

He is not surprised that you didn’t recognise him initially — he’s not usually allowed to go outside the castle. On the rare occasions that he does come down to the town, it’s in his chariot with his face barely visible to the neatly gathered crowd on the roadside. He’s internally begging that you don’t start apologising to him and is really glad when you don’t. Instead, you continue gushing over him.

“I never imagined I would meet the prince here! Today must be my lucky day.” You giggle, clapping your hands like any small child your age would do. Malleus thinks it’s a cute gesture filled with freedom. 

He lets out a small smile of his own as he nods shyly, finally stepping away from the tree and standing directly in front of you.

“Well then Your Highness, would you like to take a walk across this humble abode?” You extend your hand. Malleus raises his hand, but his fingers twitch when they’re about to come in contact with yours. So you catch his hand midway and drag him along. “Oh also,” you turn towards him. He’s pretty tall for your age and you have to stand on your toes for your next action.

Delicately, you tuck the daisy in your hand behind his ear, tucking a stray strand of hair alongside it. His fae ears give the little flower more space to stay there, the white of the daisy contrasting perfectly with his jet black hair.

“Do you live here?” he asks, fingertips caressing the daisy in wonder.

“No, but apparently a princess lived here once.”

“Wouldn’t your parents be worried if you stay away from home too long?”

“They’re the ones staying away from home…” You mumble. “Both are part of the royal guards. During the day, I let the squirrels and finches guide me here. There’s also the kind forest fairies.” You smile, skipping ahead.

Malleus had seen the squirrels and finches on his way, but they scurried away the minute he got too close. A few forest fairies also seemed to recognise him, being mindful of every word, every letter that passed through their lips. It makes him wonder just how different your trek was compared to his.

“Whose cottage is this? How did you find it?” He asks, trying to divert his mind from the scared animals and the cautious fairies.

“Curious about the world, dear prince?” You turn around with a smug expression, giggling.

Malleus hates how enthusiastically he nodded. He hates how he was being a bit too honest. He was letting his guard down around you.

“A princess.”

“Hm?”

You gaze into the distance, your eyes tracing the canopy as they follow a few birds jumping from one tree to another. “We’re currently at the border of the Briar Valley and the Land of Dawning. It is said that long ago, a princess was kept here to prevent her from being affected by a certain curse. She lived here with three fairies and was familiar with all the animals.”

You turn towards the cottage and Malleus follows your eyes until it reaches the wrecked front door of the tiny house.

“If we cross this patch of the forest, we’d be in a foreign kingdom…” the fae muses to himself, his jade-coloured eyes twinkling with awe.

You hum. “It’s risky though.”

“And yet you come back here.”

“It’s peaceful.”

“Does it ever get lonely?”

“Sometimes, but the animals keep me company.” And right on queue a squirrel pops up from behind a bush. It sniffs at the ground around itself, before making its way over to you. You lean down, letting it climb into your arms.

Malleus watches as you poke its nose and rub its ears. Noticing his gaze on you, you walk up to him. The squirrel snuggles into your chest, trying to keep its distance from the fae and his unfamiliar presence. You smile in response, gently rubbing the little one’s head to comfort it.

“They’re all shy in the beginning. You should try petting it. Use only your index and be as gentle as you can.”

 Malleus gulps before obliging. He barely touches the brown fur before withdrawing his hand, holding it in his other hand as if to hide the signs of him trying to pet the squirrel. He watches as its head moves in the direction of his hands, chasing the warm feeling of the fae’s fingers.

Hesitantly, Malleus brings his hand back up again. He touches the squirrel for a second before pulling away, his finger hovering above the animal’s temple. Then, he gives in, fully rubbing the little guy’s forehead. In response, the squirrel puts its little paws up, keeping the fae prince’s fingers in place.

You beam at the sight. “See? It likes you.”

“Mhm! I would love to come back here tomorrow…”

“Okay. Let’s come back tomorrow, and maybe bring a few nuts along. It’s getting late.” You lean down, letting the squirrel jump out of your arms. It rubs its head along your ankle, before turning around and disappearing into the bushes.

“Will you head back alone?”

“Will you join me?”

That’s the third thing you’ve invited him to today— the walk across the cottage, petting the squirrel, and now walking back together. He has never felt this sense of belonging before. A warm feeling bubbles in his chest and his cheek muscles hurt with how he beams. He lets out a small, excited gasp before nodding enthusiastically, feeling a bit too happy.

Perhaps this is the 'friendship' feeling he read about in books. Something he couldn’t even imagine before today.

.

.

.

The castle gates stand tall in the distance. You swallow deeply, suddenly intimidated by the thought of going over there. Only the bridge in front of you distances you from the royal palace.

You were sitting atop a tree, eating berries when you noticed the shadowy figures approaching the marketplace. Something about them made you shiver. Trusting your instincts, you leaped off the branch and ran in the opposite direction.

And you were right.

A distant scream breaks you out of your daze. You gulp before sprinting across the bridge. As soon as the guards come into view, you yell as loudly as you can. "BANDITS. IN THE MARKETPLACE. HELP."

The message seems to go across as the guard at the gate immediately sounds a horn, alerting the others around him. As you stop, finally reaching the gate, panting with your hands on your knees, a few fae on horses rush out.

You sigh in relief. Things should be fine now.

"Thank you for informing us promptly." A deep voice makes you stand up straight. The man before you has a stern face, yet the expression he wears is gentle. His long hair flows behind him, a few pink strands coming undone from his ponytail.

"I should head back now." You say, bowing to the man. But when you try to turn around, pain shoots up in your right ankle. You curse under your breath, leaning down to support yourself.

"Seems you've injured yourself. I'll have the medics treat you. Take my hand. Don't be afraid to lean on me if it hurts too much." The man extends his hand and you take it, gripping onto it for support.

He leads you through the courtyard. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, the pain feels sharper than ever. You were barely holding on. 

"Hmm maybe it would be better if the medics came to you. You don't seem to be in any shape to go up all the stairs. Here, why don't you wait by the fountain."

You nod, wincing as you limp behind. Your eyes are fixated on the ground, trying to avoid the stones. A familiar voice makes you look up. “Lilia! And that is…”

Your eyes meet those familiar lizard ones. Those soft, jade eyes that you have seen so many times on your shared expeditions to the cottage at the border. Malleus is leaning against a well with a book in hand. He closes the book as he looks at you, the brown leather firmly holding the pages within it. You just barely manage to notice that the title of the book is written in golden cursive, but the words are difficult to make out from this distance.

And ‘Lilia’? That means the man you’re currently leaning onto is… “General Vanrouge?! Apologies for not recognising you sooner.”

Lilia ruffles your hair with a smile, messing it up. “Malleus, do you mind looking after them while I fetch the medics?” Malleus nods, letting out a soft hum in response.

Lilia pats your back encouragingly, pushing you forward. You were barely halfway there when the pain makes you lose your balance. Malleus catches you midway, anchoring you up by the waist as you sling your arm over his shoulder. He holds onto you for a few seconds longer, making the General huff behind the both of you before heading into the castle.

“What happened?” Malleus asks, helping you settle down on one of the nearby stone benches. He takes a seat beside you and glances at your sprained ankle.

“I was eating berries on a tree when some shady people came to the marketplace. So I jumped off and made my way here.” You try to sound as casual about it as possible, even shrugging your shoulders to emphasise that, but the little wince you let out in between doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Jumped off a tree? I told you that you would get hurt one day if you kept doing that.”

“Did you?”

The fae prince frowns, clearly disappointed. You vaguely remember him saying something like that on one of your treks to the cottage. You would often climb up the trees to scout the area before moving forward and would leap back down as though you were only jumping down a few steps. Malleus tried to reprimand you for being so casual about it but you would shrug it off, too confident in your abilities to worry so much.

Though you would never admit to remembering his words.

Instead you try to divert the topic. “What were you reading?”

“Oh this?” he picks the book up, holding it for you to see. Then he places it on his lap, flipping through the pages. “Just a book on native flora from Ms. Fiore’s class.” He finally stops at a page and traces the dried flower placed between the pages, its white petals now turning light brown at the edges.

“This is where I first read about the various flowers. And then you showed me a real daisy.”

“I can’t believe you kept that silly little flower.”

“Didn’t wanna lose it.”

You look back and forth between the dried flower and the exquisite drawing beside it. Nothing seems to explain why he would keep the flower among the pages, not when the drawing of the same looks so much prettier.

But to Malleus, the dried daisy was more precious than any of the expensive portraits hanging around the royal palace. It’s a token of his first friendship, signifying the first time he was invited. He caresses the dried petals with stars in his eyes.

He breaks out of his daze when the nurse arrives with a medical kit in hand. Lilia follows in behind her.

The nurse crouches on the ground in front of you. “Which leg is it?” You wordlessly put your right leg forward and she gently takes it in her palm, analysing it carefully before reaching for the cotton and disinfectant.

“Maybe we should consider deploying a few guards in the marketplace. Regular patrols might not be enough, not when this is the third incident this month.” Lilia muses to himself, his fingers prodding his chin as he follows the nurse’s movements. “But we also don’t want the townsfolk to be on edge… having guards around at all times might not do well for the atmosphere.”

“I wish I was a knight. I could’ve fended them off myself. Wouldn’t even have had to jump down a tree so quickly and sprained my leg.” You murmur, turning your head away from the nurse just to hiss in pain at the unexpected sting of the disinfectant.

“Oh ho, want to be a knight, [name]?”

“Yes! Maybe if I get really good, I could serve the prince directly,” you giggle, making Lilia chuckle in response. The prince lets out an almost inaudible hum, light pink tinting his cheeks.

“Perhaps, with your parents' permission, I could let you join the official training.” the General says, playing along. He isn’t expecting you to take him up on his offer, at least not yet.

“Yes! Please do!” You kick your legs out excitedly and the nurse sighs at your response. “Oops, sorry.”

“Please stay still for this part, this can hurt more.” She says, shaking her head.

You nod. But the minute the bandage touches the wound, you hiss, dropping your head low and gripping tightly at the stone bench. Seeing your reaction, Malleus grabs your hand, squeezing it tightly. “You would make a good knight,” he smiles.

“I'll get there, just watch me.” You smile, gripping his hand tighter as you feel the rough mesh of the bandage being tightened around your ankle. Malleus stays there with you through the whole process, squeezing a little tighter when he heard you hiss at the pain. He kept your fingers intertwined for a long while, not wanting to let go even as the nurse pushed herself off the ground and bowed to him before leaving.

He never let go.

.

.

.

The morning breeze sends shivers down your spine. "Malleus," you whine, the grip on your wooden sword faltering, "when will we have another chance to go back to that cottage? I bet the squirrels and finches miss us."

It's been months since the two of you had the chance to go back there. Ever since Lilia managed to get you into the official knight's training sessions, your days were more occupied by practicing your sword techniques. Malleus had gotten busier too — since he was now older, his studies had gotten more intense. You would often notice the special tutors assigned to him entering and leaving the courtyard.

Most days you didn’t even see Malleus around. You would spend all your breaks roaming inside the castle walls and wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of the fae prince. Other days, you would be invited to the classes he had to attend because he got ‘too bored’ studying alone. You would sit beside him as he revised his notes, occasionally explaining its intricacies to you.

(This increases eventually until you had to allot a separate 'school time' alongside your training sessions. The teachers only sigh in response, but they didn’t mind having a new student in the awfully empty halls.)

The only times you even had a chance to try going to the cottage were around major events. Since everyone would get too busy preparing for the festivities, you and Malleus would get the chance to sneak off, having just enough time to feed the little animals before having to head back. After the event, while everyone was still resting, would be another chance to visit. But these days were few and far in between.

Malleus sighs, but his movements don’t falter. He braces his sword and aims near your shoulder. You barely manage to block in time, the sudden movement making you stumble.

“You wouldn’t want to get distracted in a real fight, knight,” he smiles gently, finally putting his sword away.

“‘Knight’ and I’m not even half as good as some of the other soldiers,” you pout.

“That’s still a compliment considering you’re the youngest. Come on, let’s take a break under the tree.”

You put your wooden swords to one side as you crouch beneath the canopy. Malleus rests against the bark, kicking his legs out and heaving out a sigh. “Morning sessions feel so brutal.” You follow suit and look upwards. The sunlight filtering through the leaves feels too bright, making you look away while rubbing your eyes.

Your empty hands fidget around for something to grasp at, landing at the grass beneath you. You ruffle the blades of grass, letting out another long sigh. “Why do holidays have to be so far apart?”

Malleus looks around until a small weed catches his eye, the white petals of the flower reminding him of a daisy. Maybe they are daisies, he thinks, or maybe they don’t qualify as daisies because of their smaller size. He plucks it, twirling the stem between his fingers mindlessly. “This could have been so much more peaceful if I didn’t have class in the afternoon.”

“We have class, because you begged them to let me join your tutoring sessions.”

The fae chuckles beside you. “At least I don’t have to be alone with that teacher. I almost always fall asleep in her class.”

“I think I’m going to fall asleep right now,” you mumble, eyelids already feeling heavy. The warm sun rays feel like a blanket, making you awfully comfortable and sleepy.

Malleus laughs. “Go ahead then, I’ll lend you my shoulder.” There’s no way you’re already feeling sleepy, not after how worked up you were during training just a few minutes ago. He thought you were just messing around with him.

But then he stiffens up when he feels your head flop onto his shoulder. Slowly, he turns his head to the side and notices your breaths evening out. His gaze travels downwards until it reaches your hand, your fingers still gripping at the grass, though your grip seems to be loosening.

You really did fall asleep.

He sighs, his hand coming up to rest over yours. His palm engulfs your knuckles and feels as your grip on the grass blades loosen, until it falls limp between his fingers.

Some of the maids walk by and they look horrified by the sight, quickly bowing to the prince before trying to reach for you. But Malleus shakes them away, bringing a finger to his lips and leaning his head onto yours. Hesitantly, the maids step back and exchange glances with each other, unsure of what to make of the situation. They bow again before leaving the two of you alone.

(He probably fell asleep soon after, because when you woke up it was already afternoon and neither of you seemed to have moved an inch, classes long forgotten. Soft snores come from your side, lulling you back to sleep once more.)

.

.

.

“Lilia has adopted a human child.” Malleus states, as though it was the most normal thing in the world.

“I am not even surprised.” You reply, just as casually.

You both had seen how gentle he has been with kids. He was an incredible father-figure to Malleus and Lilia had been mentoring since you entered the palace. Even on occasions when he visited the marketplace, the children would always follow him with glee. The two of you were waiting for him to become a father.

Everyone else, however, was in a frenzy. Especially those who knew the General, the Lilia Vanrouge from before Malleus’s egg hatched, felt like they were in a vague dream. Not only did they find it hard to believe that one of toughest soldiers the kingdom had ever seen would adopt a child, the child was human.

The man who lived through one of the worst fae-human wars adopted a human child.

Though now that you think about it that way, the ‘human’ child part does sound a little weird. A child of man.

It must have taken Lilia years to recover from Maleona’s death, and yet, when you and Malleus visit him, he cradles the little boy like he would never love anyone or anything else.

You and Malleus stand side-by-side at the entrance to his cottage, awkwardly waiting for Lilia to give you the next ‘instructions’. Having spent most of your time at the castle studying and training, neither of you had enough experience with infants. You might be able to hold the baby, lift him into your arms and just hold him for a bit, but Malleus didn’t even know whether he was supposed to enter the room or not.

Lilia chuckles, “You can come in you know. Silver doesn’t bite, not yet at least.” Malleus lets out a quiet, hesitant hum of approval. He wobbles inside, careful with each step he takes, trying not to stir the baby awake. You knew Malleus was getting taller as he grew older, but seeing him bend a little at the doorway hit differently. When did he get that tall?

“Silver huh… just like his hair.” You remark, pushing a finger against his cheek. The soft skin scrunches up, stirring the baby in his sleep. You sheepishly retreat your hand and check your nails to ensure that they weren’t long enough to hurt him.

“The colour of his hair is because of the blessing of the night. It was originally golden, like the rays of the sun.” Lilia finally looks away from Silver, meeting your eyes as he says “I’ll get you both something to eat.”

Lilia smiles as he slowly places the little boy back in his cradle and heads to the kitchen, humming a soft, familiar tune. You look around the living room. It’s not your first time visiting the General’s abode, but the place seems a lot messier today. Random wooden handicrafts and stuffed cloth balls are scattered around the place.

Malleus walks closer to the cradle, towering over Silver’s sleeping form. His eyes soften at the sight, his facial muscles relax and he lets out a quiet sigh. Hesitantly, he picks the boy up, attempting to mimic Lilia’s way of cradling him in his arms.

He seems to struggle with it in the beginning, not knowing where to place his hands or how to balance Silver on his forearm. You chuckle, picking up a star-shaped toy as you make your way over. Malleus seemed to have gotten the basics, but he was still holding Silver awkwardly, a little away from his chest. You gently push his hands inward and smile at him, trying to reassure him. You’ve seen some of the ladies hold their babies like this— close to their heart with a fond smile on their faces.

You bring the toy you picked up close to Silver’s face, letting the tassels grace his features. Silver scrunches his nose before snuggling closer into Malleus’s chest. 

“Stop, you might wake him,” Malleus whispers.

“But if he sneezes cutely because of the ticklish feeling?”

“And if Lilia gets mad?”

“Okay fair.” You sigh, but the mischievous smile never leaves your face.

Slowly, you pinch Silver’s fingers within your own and lean your forehead against his for a few seconds. His skin is still soft, almost worrying you that he would shatter like glass if you grasped his fingers any tighter. Absentmindedly, you push back some of Malleus’s stray strands of hair, letting your fingers glide over his shoulder for a second longer.

Malleus watches silently, his breathing slow and calculated to not disturb this peace. A smile makes its way to his face as he watches your gentle ministrations. He feels fuzzy inside, maybe even a little giddy, at how calming the atmosphere is. A cottage out in the woods, surrounded by the scent of wood and leaves, Silver carefully nestled against him, and you right next to him. 

Lilia is still humming the tune when his eyes meet the sight unfolding before him. The two fae he raised as his own now learning to love a human child he had taken in… he smiles at thought, feeling content. Silver could use some good role models, or well, at least he hopes that the two in front of him would be good role models (and that Malleus’s lack of expression won’t hinder Silver’s own emotions).

.

.

.

You hear the sound of wood clashing against wood long before you and Malleus reach Lilia’s cottage. The sound makes you smile absentmindedly. Silver must be practicing again. He’s determined to become a knight. It reminds you of yourself when you were younger, stumbling into the castle grounds with a sprained ankle and being taken in by Lilia.

Lilia really has a knack for adopting kids huh. 

What you weren’t expecting however, was for Silver to have found a new companion to spar with.

As you get closer, a few flashes of green catch your eyes. Those definitely weren’t leaves. And the gruffs are much deeper. Silver is usually quieter when he’s moving around. Beside you Malleus lets out a curious hum.

“That looks like Zigvolt.”

“It is! Just a smaller version, fufu.” Lilia pops up beside you, his characteristic smirk adorning his face.

(Would it even be considered ‘characteristic’ if he has only developed it in the last few centuries? After all, the General never really smiled in the beginning.)

“Smaller version?” Malleus prods his chin, his ears perking up.

“Baur wanted me to take his grandson in as an apprentice. I wonder… is it because Sebek and Silver are nearly the same age?”

“Huh?” You hum, curious at the implications of his words. “I thought Zigvolt was also a fae. Finding a fae of similar age in Briar Valley would be nothing short of a miracle. And Silver is human.” 

“Sebek is half human.” Lilia states plainly, turning his gaze to where the two children were currently play-fighting with their wooden swords.

You follow his gaze and it takes you back to the days when you had just begun your own training. You remember dreading waking up so early in the mornings. Begrudgingly, you would head over to the training grounds, where Malleus would already have finished warming up. When you still had those early morning sparring sessions, you and Malleus were around the same height. Now however… he could probably climb a tree in two leaps. 

(Or maybe you are just exaggerating there… maybe. Because it suddenly sounds plausible. But the crown prince would never indulge himself in such menial activities, not anymore.)

“Sebek must also want to become a knight then, just like Baur.”

“Well that is a reason, yes, but…” Lilia eyes you with a mischievous glint, smirking, “his dream is the same as [name]’s— to become Malleus’s knight.”

“I-I thought you would’ve forgotten that part by now! That was ages ago!” You feel your face getting warmer, ears turning red at the tips with embarrassment.

“Oh? Are you saying you don’t want to be my knight now?”

“I… Malleus, don’t twist my words!”

“Khee hee.” Lilia’s smirk grows wider. “Let me introduce you two to Sebek. Oh and Malleus, good luck.”

“With what?”

Lilia only giggles in response, skipping away happily. Malleus stood there dumbfounded, (blissfully unaware of what Sebek will bring into his life). You nudge him with your elbow before following behind Lilia, doing your best to avoid eye-contact with the fae prince.

Your grip tightens on your lax sword as you start walking, ears still tinted red while the conversation replays in your mind. “To become Malleus’s knight huh… well, I suppose I never did let go of that dream.”

.

.

.

“Malleus! Malleus!” You rush over to him the minute you notice him. His black tunic camouflaged him almost completely under the dark blanket of the night.

He was walking past a fountain, but stops when he hears your voice. A small smile tugs at his lips when notices you approaching from the thicket. “Good evening [name]. You are more excited tonight than usual. Are you finally developing an intense interest in gargoyles?”

“Uh no, but nevermind that!” You quickly avoid the fae’s proposed route of conversation, knowing that once he started, he wouldn’t stop until dawn. You flick the envelope resting between your fingers, making his eyes dart down to it. “I got an invitation from Night Raven College.”

Malleus smiles at your words, failing to conceal his own excitement. “As did I earlier this evening.” He extends his right hand forward, a green flame emerges from his palm and a letter instantly takes shape between his fingers.

The smile on your face grows wider, your cheeks aching from the grin. “We have to tell Lilia.” 

You grab his wrist, dragging him behind you. With each step as light as dance, you ramble on about the things you had heard about the college for mages. Draconia listens carefully, adding his own points in between, indulging your giddiness with a barely controlled excitement of his own. 

.

“Oh ho? A letter from Night Raven College you say? I might have received one of those as well.” Vanrouge muses, closing his front door behind his two, late night guests and heading into his room to rummage through his belongings.

“Night Raven College…” Silver repeats the words, slurring the syllables with a sleep-laden tone, as if testing the way it sounds. 

It has barely been over a decade since the first time you met him and Sebek, and yet they have grown into fine, young men, their looks resembling yours and Malleus’s in age. Jewel like irises with a fire ignited behind them, determination and strength seeping through each movement, it wouldn’t really surprise you if they were to have a small crowd of people fascinated by them following them around in the marketplace.

On that note, your gaze flicks up to meet Malleus. Sharp, green eyes gently take in his surroundings. Luscious locks of obsidian flow beyond his shoulders, a few stray strands obscuring his gaze. He’s standing tall, his posture composed of poise and grace, back completely straight, chin up, yet shoulders relaxed.

Feeling your eyes on him, he tilts his head towards you. The corners of his lips twitch upwards naturally when he meets your gaze, like a reflex. 

You feel your breath hitch, but you don’t look away. You can’t bring yourself to look away. It’s like he has you in a trance, enamoured. 

He lifts an eyebrow, curious as to what caught your gaze this time, his smile never leaving his face, soft as silk. How were you going to tell him it was his entire existence?

Looks like you didn’t have to— Lilia had returned, holding a half-crumpled envelope between his thumb and index, airing the aged linen.

You feel yourself jump slightly as Lilia approaches, quickly taking two steps away from Malleus and sucking in a long, deep breath to erase signs of your flushness.

Malleus chuckles, light and airy, butterflies fluttering their wings as they come to rest on a petal, delicate. Lilia also seemed to have noticed, his mouth shaping into a small ‘o’ as he leaned against the couch, supporting Silver’s dozing head.

Sebek had been staring outside the window, chin resting in his palm, trying to follow the fireflies as they flit about. He tilts his head, confused, unaware of the million emotions you felt in just a few minutes. He sits straighter when he notices that Lilia has returned, tugging at Silver’s shoulder to wake him up.

Lilia coughs into his fist dramatically and smirks. “Wonder if they’ll let this old man join?”

“They must! Humans must have enough common sense to not turn you down.” Sebek boasts as if it were his own achievement, chest puffed out and chin held high.

“I will also need permission to leave Briar Valley…” The General hums in contemplation.

“I am sure my grandmother would support your decision, Lilia.” 

“This would also be Silver’s first time living alone…”

“I’m sure I’ll manage, father. And if required, I’ll ask the forest fairies for help.”

“And what about Silver and Sebek’s training?” 

“I’m sure Baul could look after them for a while.” You add, turning your attention to Sebek who nodded in approval, arms crossed across his chest. 

“Alright then. I have no more concerns. I’ll reach out to the principal in the morning regarding my admission.” Lilia sighed, content. His eyes glimmered with hope and excitement as he stared out at the night sky. 

Night Raven College… Perhaps he’ll finally be able to let go of his past burdens and experience a different life.

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.

.

You check yourself twice in the mirror, trying to pat out any creases in your clothes.

It’s nearly been half a year since you came to NRC, yet this will be the first time you will be going outside campus to explore Sage’s Isle.

With classes ending earlier than usual, you and Malleus get the entire afternoon to yourselves.

You’re practically shaking with excitement. It’s just a pity that Lilia won’t be joining your little expedition to the town.

You meet Malleus at Diasomnia’s entrance, where he’s leaning against one of the pillars while talking to the former General. His clothes are casual — just a white, turtleneck shirt, a black cardigan and cargo pants. The palace staff would probably faint if they saw the Fae prince in these common clothes. 

He looks like any ordinary boy his age, well, aside from the fact that he’s a very tall, very majestic, centuries old fae. But right now, he has none of the princely charm he encapsulates back at the castle. Right now, he’s just… Malleus.

The two guys nod in greeting when they see you approaching them. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lilia bids you two farewell.

Doesn’t he look awfully excited for someone who’s not joining you to the town.

.

Sage’s Island is remarkably different from your hometown. 

The structures of the houses feel more modern, but still look cosier than some other establishments you have seen in photos. The placement of the plants and flower bushes feel intentional and well-kept, unlike in the Valley of the Thorns where they feel wild and natural. The colours of the displays and decorations feel warm and bright, and the marketplace (or what they called the 'town centre'), was neatly organised. Flowering shrubs lined the borders of the area, tidily trimmed, with small white, yellow and pink flowers in full bloom. 

Briar Valley has never looked as colourful as this town, especially not on a regular day. The fae living there preferred not to disturb nature too much, and so the local trees were left as they were and settlements were formed revolving around the existing ecosystem. Tree barks in different shades of brown were commonly used to make ornamentation, complimented by the leaves changing their colour based on the season.

The fae were divided into groups based on their characteristics, and their habitats represented those key features. Some areas were awfully dull, like the swamps and the coniferous forests in winters, making you glad to have been raised in more temperate areas. 

The forest fairies had rounded cottages with moss growing on their roofs and luminous mushrooms lighting the way up at night. Their abode was probably the closest to what Sage’s Island looks like. Except, the ‘moss’ are the flowering shrubs and the luminous fungi are probably the lamps that are lit at night. 

There’s a water fountain in the centre that reminds you of the one back at the palace and you feel automatically drawn towards it. You tug at Malleus’s sleeve, before dragging him to sit at the ledge of the fountain. 

“So… what would you like to do?” He asks coyly. Malleus has been looking more nervous than he usually does. Is it because he’s afraid of scaring the townsfolk? No one seems to be paying him much mind though, or maybe they just haven’t recognised him yet (and you hope they don’t recognise him, to keep your day peaceful).

You hum in contemplation. “It’s almost past the lunch hour, so why don’t we grab a quick bite first? All the classes in the morning have me starving.”

“Whatever you wish.” He opens his mouth again, as if he wanted to say something else, but he bites back his own words with a smile, drawing out a confused look from you. Seeing he was resolute in keeping his words to himself, you sigh and start looking around for a place to eat. 

You end up eating at one of the smaller restaurants to avoid the crowds. In the venture to try the local food, Malleus asked for the chef’s recommendation, and ended up with a dish that was too spicy for him to handle. You laughed at the sight of him chugging down a jug of water, trying his best to contain the flames that risked burning the entire place down. Seeing your amusement, the fae gave you an unimpressed, childish pout.

You explore the town a bit more, pointing out areas you’d like to visit the next time. 

The next time.

The thought of being able to hang out like this with Malleus, without a care in the world, and doing it again… you didn’t even dream of such a casual day back in Briar Valley. No amount of disguises would allow him to step out of the castle so freely.

The sun is already touching the horizon when you return to NRC. Everything is coated in warm gold, shimmering in the final rays of the day. 

Somewhere along the way, you and Malleus ended up holding hands while you walked. Was it when you were excitedly pointing something out to him? Or was it when the children had started skittering through the streets when the afternoon sun had gotten more merciful with its heat? 

Neither of you mention it, quietly embracing each other’s company, anchoring one-another to the present.

“You have been much quieter today. Is there something on your mind?”

“Yes, there is something uh… I would like to ask… you.” He sheepishly drags his words out.

“Hm?” You cock your head to the side, stopping in your tracks and turning to look at him. 

For a minute, it’s quiet, just the sound of rustling leaves in the wind. The silence makes you hyper-aware of your intertwined fingers and you look down to see the fae’s hand gently tightening its grip around yours. A blush threatens to creep up onto your face and you gently tug to loosen the hold. But instead, Malleus only holds on tighter and reaches for your other hand too, holding your joint hands between you as the only thing that separates the two of you in this moment.

Then, Malleus takes a deep breath in and sighs heavily, like he’s picking up little pieces of courage to finally reveal a long, deep-held secret.

“[name], I have feelings for you — have had them for a while now.”

“Oh.” 

“And I would like the permission to formally court you.” The sunset rays peep through his hair, giving it a golden glow. He looks like a prince from one of the many fairytales archived in the library. His eyes look directly into yours with both longing and confidence.

The shy boy who had made his way out to a deserted cottage, accidentally meeting you. The boy that would save you a few slices of his birthday cake and share them with you the following day because he simply couldn’t have finished it all alone.

The guy that you grew up with, sparring and studying. The guy who would invite you along for late-night walks, his eyes shining brighter than the light reflecting off the gargoyles.

The prince that everyone fussed over, ensuring that he never so much as scratched himself. The prince that everyone would be afraid of when they saw you casually approaching him, gauging his reaction to your attitude. The prince that people begged you to behave more ‘appropriately’ around.

This was him? This is Malleus Draconia? The ever-confident, ever-strong crown prince of Briar Valley? A pathetic fool in love?

You feel embarrassed when you realise you’ve been staring too long. Gulping, you let out a hum. You hate how the low sound from your throat came with broken intervals, but it was the best you could do as words completely failed you.

Malleus’s shoulders relax and a fond smile graces his features. One of his hands let go of yours to cradle your face, the tips of his fingertips gently brushing against your cheek. You subconsciously lean into the touch, feeling him rub his thumb in circles near your ear.

It almost makes you wonder if he’s done this before. Before you can stop yourself, the question slips past your lips, “Did you already have experience with this?”

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s just… it feels like you know exactly what you are doing.”

“Am I not doing the same things I always do with you?”

And that’s when it strikes you.

The shared embraces on lonely nights where he would sneak out of the palace to meet you in your room. Gently holding each other’s faces during skincare sessions, as you applied whatever herbal formulae you had learned from the forest fairies. His thumb brushing against your lower lip when he noticed a crumb of food left there. The times you injured yourself and he had to carry you. The way he would squeeze your hand underneath the table, away from people’s gazes, just to reassure you.

“So that’s why you said you were ‘formally’ asking…” Because everything so far between the two of you had not been official, but it had always been there.

For all the times you and Lilia teased Malleus for being dense, perhaps, you were the oblivious one for not noticing sooner.

Of course he knows what love is. He may not show it the way most people do today. He may still be following the rulebook from centuries ago. But he still knows what he’s doing. He knows what he wants.

And he won’t stop until he gets it.

.

You return to Diasomnia with Malleus, hands still intertwined, cheerfully talking about something.

Lilia was waiting right outside the dorm gates. Seeing your interlaced fingers, he quirks up an eyebrow and a smirk spreads on his face. Malleus stops walking when he notices Lilia. With a shy, boyish grin, he scratches the back of his neck and nods gently. 

The bat fae makes an ‘o’ with his mouth, before smiling proudly. 

Seeing their gestures, you realise that they had planned this together. No wonder Lilia was ‘too busy’ to accompany you to town today, you think.

“So, you finally confessed, Malleus. That’s good, very good. I was afraid you might chicken out. Now the pudding I made to celebrate this occasion won’t be wasted.” Lilia says proudly.

Hearing about the pudding makes the smile fade from your face. “Oh–... ah– that won’t be necessary,” you say quickly, “we had too much to eat while we were out. Maybe next time!!” You quickly tug Malleus behind you and rush inside.

Lilia calls out behind you, probably disappointed that his pudding will, in fact, go to waste. But you weren’t willing to end today by eating something that tasted poisonous enough to kill your taste-buds for two days.

Behind you, Malleus chuckles, enjoying the vivacious atmosphere.

Diasomnia feels filled with liveliness at this moment. Filled with something that you could never have had back in the uptight castle.

Youth.

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.

.

It’s been two years since you and Malleus made it official. Silver, who joined the year after that, took the news very happily, like he, too, had seen it coming. Perhaps he and Lilia had already been pointing out the signs you displayed of mutual affection. 

Sebek only joined NRC a little while ago and he was a bit too shocked with the news. But in the end, he approved of it as well, saying that he was glad that “it was you and not anyone else”. (You had expected a more dramatic reaction from him if you were being honest, but he was surprisingly tame during the conversation.)

You casually skip through the woods, humming a tune underneath your breath as you head towards the Ramshackle Dorm. When he’s not in his room, or walking through the courtyard, Malleus could be found near this abandoned dorm at school. 

However, when you get closer, it doesn’t look as abandoned as it did a few days ago. You slow down to gentle hops before stopping completely, observing. 

There’s Malleus and he seems to be talking to… Oh! That must be Yuuken, the boy who caused trouble at the entrance ceremony.

“No wait, the gremlin that followed him was the troublemaker,” you correct yourself, recalling the night of the entrance ceremony.

You search your memory and remember that Malleus (per usual) hadn’t been able to attend the ceremony (because that careless headmaster had forgotten to invite Diasomnia’s dormhead for the 3rd year in a row). So that must mean that he met Yuuken here, which implies that Crowley is making the poor kid live here. And knowing him, he probably thinks that that is all his ‘oh so kind and benevolent and gracious self’ needs to do. 

You sigh at the conclusion. Perhaps you should try befriending the kid and help him out, like a responsible senior. Maybe you could guide him — if he isn’t scared of you fae-kind.

Well, he certainly doesn’t seem afraid of Malleus. Yuuken isn’t from this world, so it makes sense that he doesn’t recognise the prince. But to stand casually after seeing pointed ears and horns probably means that he isn’t really afraid of such features (or maybe his initial shock has already worn off).

You hear Malleus’s low chuckle, before the fae prince snaps his fingers and disappears. Seeing the confused look on the first year’s face, you decide to approach him.

“Hi! You are Enma Yuuken from… uh… Tou…” You wave, awkwardly trying to recall the place he said he was from. Damnit, should’ve first prepared my lines before jumping out.

“Tokyo, yes. And you are?”

You introduce yourself, and continue the conversation by asking him about how he has been settling in and about the people he has met.

“Speaking of weird people,” he starts, as if recalling something, “right before you came here, I spoke to a tall man with pointed ears. When I told him that I didn’t recognise him, he looked amused.” 

“Oh? And did he tell you who he was after?”

“No, he let me choose a name to call him. So I suggested ‘Tsunotarou’ and he seemed pleased with that.”

“‘Tsunotarou’?”

“Yeah, it means ‘a man with horns’ in my language.” 

You try your best not to laugh at that ridiculous name. There’s no way Malleus actually accepted that name. 

Or rather, him being amused with it does sound like him. Sebek better not find out though.

You decide against revealing the fae’s true identity, letting both Yuu and Malleus enjoy this anonymity. After telling Yuu to approach you with anything he might need, you take your leave. Your initial plan was to meet up with Malleus, and he is probably waiting for you.

Seeing that he just left Ramshackle, maybe you should try searching for him in the spots that you previously scanned. 

.

.

.

Meeting up with Yuu becomes a frequent occurrence. While Malleus only visits him at night, you tend to run into him in the corridors as well. 

You learned that he couldn’t use magic, while the gremlin (named ‘Grim’) desperately wanted to be a student at Night Raven, so Crowley allowed the two to join as a two-in-one package. As first years, Yuu and Grim often hang out with other first years, specifically the trouble-duo from Heatslabyul.

When you first learned about the overblot incident at Heatslabyul and went over to Ramshackle to check on Yuu, he politely thanked you and even invited you in to try his cooking.

“He’s a good kid,” you think aloud while talking to Malleus, before immediately changing the way you phrased it. “I mean, he’s cool.” You pick up a cotton cloth, wiping the utensils and placing them back in the cupboards.

“Do those two phrases mean separate things?” Malleus asks, amused at the way you fumbled over your own words.

“No, but the former makes me sound like grandpa Lilia.”

“I’m behind you, you know.” Lilia says, turning around to face you instead of the stove, a playful frown on his features. You glance at the brewing stew Lilia was working on and pray to the Sevens that you don’t have to taste-test it.

Sebek was ill and Lilia had decided to make him a stew to help his dry throat. You and Silver joined out of concern for the kitchen utensils and appliances, while Malleus tagged along because he didn’t have anything else to do.

While the stew Lilia has made is definitely nutritious, the texture looks way… off. The water and salt are clearly in excess. Sebek better be grateful that his illness means that he won’t actually be able to taste the stew.

“I thought you didn’t mind being called either old or young. You usually take both as compliments.” Silver asks while carefully putting the knives back in the drawers.

“That’s because I am wise and mature enough to embrace both. How would youngsters put it… ah right, you could say that I’m rather ‘whimsical’.” 

Silver and Malleus give each other puzzled looks, while you roll your eyes and chuckle at his playfulness.

You pick the mixing bowls up and identify that they need to be placed on the top shelf. It’s a little too high for you, but in a world where magic is very real, who cares about—

Malleus’s scent surrounds you before you are able to bring your magic pen out. He places one hand on your shoulder and reaches for the bowl in your hand with the other, fingers brushing past yours as he takes the porcelain and effortlessly places it in its place.

He doesn’t immediately move away, letting his arms wrap around you in a quick embrace instead. “...Malleus?” He lets his head drop, softly landing in your hair. His nose prods your head, like a butterfly landing on a flower.

“We should head back.” He abruptly turns, donning an innocent look and avoiding your eyes. 

Lilia takes another whiff of the stew before putting a lid on it. “I sure hope Sebek will feel better soon.” 

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.

.

You stretch your arms, placing your pen down in content at your finished homework. Satisfied, you prepare to head out. You had agreed to meet up with Malleus after you finished your homework.

When you step out of the dorm entrance, dim green lights surround you, like little fireflies in the dark. The tiny lights pass by from in front of your eyes, completely drawing your attention, before aligning together to make an arrow pointing upwards.

Your gaze follows to find Malleus sitting at the edge of the roof, his index twirling around the air as he controlled the lights with a fond smile.

You reach the roof in no time, joining to sit beside him. “Didn’t visit Yuu today?”

“He’s already asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him. Mortals need proper rest, more so than us fae-kind.” 

“Mid semesters really are tiring, huh?” You sigh, leaning your head against his shoulder. Malleus responds by wrapping his arm around your side, relishing in the embrace. “It gets pretty boring around these times.”

“It does.” He agrees in a low, affectionate voice, signalling that he wanted you to continue talking, and that he wanted to continue listening to you.

“You know, we should try something different.”

“Different?”

“Yeah, like jumping off.” You say casually, like it was the most normal statement in the world. If anyone else heard that, they might have been horrified, but Malleus isn’t ‘anyone else’.

“What?” He doesn’t hold back his amused chuckle. “That’s an interesting proposal.”

“Then let’s do it.”

He isn’t really afraid of it. He knows that should anything go wrong, he can steer you both back to safety. At the same time, he trusts you. You’ve been practicing wind magic ever since back in Briar Valley, and this wouldn’t be the first time you have leaped off heights.

You have done that often enough for him to have gotten used to it. He thinks of the times you leapt off trees while scouting ahead during your hikes, or the times you trailed down the castle towers when something suspicious caught your eye. Through practice, you have turned the seemingly indifferent air around you into one of your greatest allies, and Malleus commends you for that.

You stand up and pat your clothes, dusting off specks of dust and easing out a few creases. You glance over at the moon in the sky, like sharing a mischievous look with an old friend, and then stood on the ledge, body facing Malleus and your back facing the starry sky. 

“Take my hand.” You say, and he does without hesitation. 

And suddenly you are pulling him towards you as you push yourself away from the edge. A gentle breeze immediately cuts through the fall, keeping the two of you afloat, defying gravity. Malleus floats above you, a few strands of his hair falling downward and resting against your face. Fireflies dance around you, looking like plucked out stars decorated by your hand. 

For a long moment, Malleus’s world is reduced to you and the silver moonlight lighting up your features.

He breaks out of his daze when he hears his name sounding from somewhere on the ground. 

“Lord Malleus! Where are you?” Sebek calls out. You and Malleus turn your attention to the ground to see the green-haired fae in the distance, a hand behind his back and the other curved around his mouth as he calls out to the prince. 

To not be noticed, you cut off your magic, plunging downward and landing a lot more abruptly than you would have desired. The moment your feet hit the ground, you start running deeper into the woods behind Diasomnia. Malleus takes the lead, his long legs helping him stride faster. 

You take refuge behind a thick trunk, your back against the tree and hands clasping over your mouth to stop the giggles of adrenaline. Malleus traps you there with his frame, leaning over you and checking the surroundings to ensure that no one catches you.

“This is like forbidden, runaway romance.” You whisper with a grin.

“Thankfully it wasn’t Lilia. He would surely have spotted us, and teased us about it later. Looks like Sebek didn’t notice. That would have been rather… unsightly for my status, especially in his eyes.”

“You say that like you are scared of him.”

“His devotion to the Throne does scare me sometimes, yes.”

You can’t tell if he’s serious, but you laugh anyway, trying to muffle the sound by burying your head in his chest. You feel him stiffen, breath hitching and hands rigidly still by his sides. You tilt your head up to look at him, and he’s gazing back at you with adoration swirling behind slit irises. 

“My love? Something on your mind?” The words sound so sweet coming from you, it makes him desire for things he wouldn’t have thought he was capable of wanting. Back at the castle, when he was revered as the prince, he never would have imagined that loving and being loved would be so easy.

Or maybe it’s easy only because it’s you.

So he takes a step back and graciously kneels on the ground before you. His right hand reaches for yours, leading your wrist to elegantly dip downward. Right now, Malleus looks like a picture-perfect prince, straight out of a fairytale.

“Tsuki ga kirei desu ne?” He says, before placing a kiss on your knuckles and disappearing.

‘The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?’ A phrase that the two of you first learned about from Yuu. A phrase that hid the meaning 'I love you' between its seemingly composed syllables in his language.

You never thought that Malleus would find himself an opportunity to actually use that phrase.

A heat creeps up to your cheeks and you feel your heart pounding in your chest.

It’s the first time he said that phrase (albeit indirectly) and kissed you (even if it’s just on the knuckles).

Sebek’s calls getting nearer snaps you out of your thoughts. Quickly, you climb up the tree you were leaning against. After pinpointing Sebek’s location, you use your wind magic to leap away from him and start heading towards your room, face still flushed and heart still racing. 

.

“Did something happen between the two of you?” Lilia leans against the cafeteria table. 

Silver and Malleus were standing in the line to get their trays of food and Sebek had not yet arrived after his classes. You were about to join them, when Lilia interrupted you, asking Silver and Malleus to bring his and your portions with them.

You poked the table with your index, pursing your lips and looking away. “Not really.”

“Then why have you two been so awkward with each other today?” 

“...Is it that obvious?”

“Very.”

You sigh, crossing your arms on the table and sinking your head between them. “Nothing escapes you, does it?”

“Tell me about it. It might make you feel better.”

“It's nothing bad, really. Just… um… it sounds so silly now that I think about it.” You groan and interrupt your own thoughts. Lilia waits for you to continue, but urges you with his eyes because he knows that you might not want to talk about it if any of the three boys were here.

“He told me he loved me. It was a little indirect, but it was more direct than all the other times since he asked me out. And then he… he… he um.” The faint sensation of his lips on your knuckles linger, and the more you thought about it, the more apparent it felt. It makes a red creep up your neck, a soft blush tinting your cheeks.

“Did you kiss?”

“Yes, no, kind of?” you fumble.

“Have you really never kissed before?” Lilia's ears perk up, amused. “I thought you would have kissed each other when we were still in Briar Valley.”

“Huh?” If your cheeks weren’t red earlier, they were definitely a deep crimson now. “He’s the prince, I can’t just do that.”

“He is your boyfriend. A ‘prince’ is the last thing he wants to be known as to you.”

“Yes but—”

“You were his first friend, and he really appreciated that you approached him without fear of his status. Though I can’t pinpoint when his admiration for you changed from mere companionship to that of romantic affection, I can assure you that his feelings for you have been painfully apparent for a while now.”

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with couples indulging themselves in romantic stuff.” He finished with a shrug, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head.

“Thanks Lilia. I really appreciate you trying to comfort me. Though that isn’t what I was worried about. It’s just, it’ll be my first time and…” You trail off, feeling too shy to complete the thought. Instead, you choose to bury your head in your hands.

“Oh, it’s not his status you’re worried about but your inexperience.” Lilia realises, starting to feel a little silly about his monologue earlier. He ruffles your hair, like he always did when you were younger. “There’s nothing wrong with that either. You both will be learning with each other.”

“Mmm…”

“You could even watch a few romance shows to feel more inspired if you want to,” he teases, smirking. 

You mumble into your arms, “I did.”

“You did?? Really? Oh Sevens, I could never have guessed. Which one? How was it?” 

“You’re too curious about this.” You groan. You could feel that Lilia was about to probe further, but stopped upon Sebek’s arrival. 

“Greetings, Lilia. Greetings, [name].” He bows before taking a seat next to the former General. You straighten up, coughing into your palm to compose yourself.

“You’re late. Did class run too long?”

“Yes, but never mind that, what’s happening here? And where are Lord Malleus and Silver?”

“Nothing, I was just comforting [name].” 

“Oh to be comforted by Lilia himself, that sounds like such a blessing.” Sebek says dramatically, clasping his hands together.

“Why does Sebek look like he is about to cry?” Silver’s sleepy voice rings behind you. You turn around to find him and Malleus, each carrying two trays.

Silver sets one in front of Lilia and takes the seat at the edge of the table beside his father. Malleus wordlessly puts down yours in front of you and takes the empty seat beside you, still not really meeting your eyes but each of his actions carry that familiar tenderness that calms your nerves. 

Sebek straightens up immediately and stiffly. “No I am not. I would never exhibit such disgraceful behaviour.” 

“It’s okay to cry if you want to Sebek.”

“Lord Lilia!!” The alligator fae’s expression does a full 180 as he turns to face Lilia with reverence. 

The sight makes you chuckle. It really is lively with these people around. 

The others think that Diasomnia, and especially this group of boys are the sternest people around, stiff, uptight and difficult to get along with. And you feel privileged to know these other, more childish, sides of them.

.

You knock twice on the dormhead’s door, shifting in your feet with an odd nervousness. You don’t usually feel this anxious when approaching the fae prince.

“Come in.”

You open the door slightly, just enough to let you slip in and lock it from the inside. Malleus notices and sends a questioning look your way. “You seem more worked up than usual.” You nod in response, unsure of how to put it into words. 

Malleus puts aside the book he was reading, taking your hand and having you sit on the bed beside him. “Tell me about it.”

“Well… it’s nothing serious, just a little embarrassing. It’s about that night when you— oh is that my pen on your table?” You shift the conversation mid-way, chickening out. 

Truth be told, you don’t even know if it really was your pen or not, since your stationery looks similar to his. You just wanted something distracting enough to buy you more time. Damnit, I thought I came mentally prepared.

Malleus frowns at the sudden change, but decides not to question it. Based on your bashful expressions, he thinks he knows where the conversation was going.

“The one you lent me during class? Apologies, it seems I forgot to return it.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m not that petty over a pen,” you laugh a little more awkwardly than you had intended. Before you can think the action through, your fingers twist the pen cap, removing it with a sudden pop. The tip of the pen marks  your right cheek, a sharp line swiftly inked onto your face, stinging and tickling your skin. 

“Oh, oops.” You wince, bringing your hand up to rub at the mark.

Malleus walks towards you, reaching out to hold your face and gently rubbing circles around the ink. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

That confirmation doesn’t seem to be what he’s looking for though, because he doesn’t move an inch. 

“You’re staring at me like there’s something on my face.”

“Yeah, there’s an ink mark.”

You pout at him simply stating the obvious. Duh, you think, trying to come up with a witty response to lighten the weirdly tense atmosphere.

His hand shifts from your cheek to rest at the nape of your neck, humming in contemplation before leaning in. “Let me know right now if you want me to move away.”

You feel like you are surrounded by thin ice, waiting for it to shatter.

He’s so close.

You respond by wrapping your arms behind him and gazing back, tracing his features. The sharp horns on his head shine in the soft light of his room. His long ears twitch slightly at his side, fluttering softer than a butterfly landing on a flower. Green eyes and slit pupils hold you in their gaze, tender with a desire that he had never exhibited before. 

You gulp when your eyes go further downward and reach his lips, feeling your mind go blank as you finally close the distance. He responds immediately, like he was waiting, syncing his actions with yours.

It’s awkward in the beginning, and you feel unsure of what you are doing, but you don’t pull away. You stay like that until you find a comfortable rhythm, tasting the icy lemonade he was drinking earlier.

His hands find their way to your hips, resting there as he nibbles over the soft flesh of your mouth, his actions becoming firmer, more confident with each second.

You pull away when you feel like your lungs are burning, gasping for air and looking at your lover with starry eyes. He brings a hand up to cup your cheek, rubbing his thumb over your swollen lips. You lean into the touch, relishing it with your guard fully let down.

“Is that what you wanted?” He whispers against your mouth, hot breath tickling your lips.

“You are all I’ve ever wanted.” You press your forehead against his, and lean in for another kiss.

.

.

.

“Oho? It’s quite lively here.” Malleus walks into the main hall and finds you and Silver amid multiple boxes of decorations. 

Sebek, who was carrying crates of different flavoured juices to the kitchen with a few second years, immediately runs up to greet the fae prince. 

“My liege, greetings. We are preparing for the upcoming party.”

“Party?”

“Lord Lilia’s farewell party.”

Malleus’s face stiffens up upon hearing the words. “Farewell party…”

“You must have gotten an invitation too, right? I personally asked [name] to deliver it to you.” Silver added. 

“I did. Allow me to help with the preparations.” 

“Please, my liege, you needn’t trouble yourself with such trivial affairs. We’ll get it done in no time.” Malleus frowns at Sebek’s reluctance and turns to you to gauge your expression. 

You nod gently. “It’s okay, my love. We’ll take care of this part. Why don’t you think of a parting gift for Lilia? I’m sure he would appreciate that.”

“A parting gift…” Malleus contemplates, “I’ll think about it.” He crosses the hall and leaves the dormitory.

His face looked more serious than it usually did, like something was weighing on his mind. You were about to excuse yourself to follow him, to ask him to talk to you about it, when a second year calls out to you for assistance. 

“Sorry dear, I’ll try to be there as soon as I can.” you mumble, watching your lover’s back fade into the distance before heading back to work.

.

.

.

You feel it before it happens.

You had gone to the kitchen to grab more bottles of various drinks– light wine and a variety of fruit juices, to refill the fast-emptying glasses in the halls. 

Celebrations at the Diasomnia dorm were scarce, the halls rarely ever filled with gleeful chatter. 

But things suddenly go quiet. Almost in sync, your body stops moving as well, stiffening at the sudden, deafening silence. Your grip on the bottle in your hand loosens, letting go of it abruptly, causing it to stutter on the kitchen counter before going limp. Even the juice bottles stand straight, as if bracing themselves for what is to come.

“Spinning wheel of fate, spin the thread of calamity,” a low, silky voice echoes through the corridors.

“I, the king of the abyss, shall bestow this.” There’s no going back, is there?… 

“I guess I could do with some sleep.” You sigh and let yourself down on the ground, leaning your back against the wall.

“Fae of maleficence.”

.

.

.

He hasn’t gone insane, not yet.

Malleus desperately clings to the last bits of sanity left, before his overblot finally takes over.

According to the records, a looming shadow appears behind a mage who has overblotted, whispering in their ears tales of destruction. He turns around, eyes scanning the area carefully, but there isn’t anything yet. Although the sizzling green light mixed with drops of a thick, black liquid tell him he doesn’t have long.

He looks around the room, analysing the sleeping bodies, assessing their current state. It doesn’t take the fae prince long to realise that a few attendees are missing and you are one of them — you aren’t in the hall. Malleus vaguely remembers you mentioning getting a re-fill for the drinks before heading towards the kitchen. He follows your trail in a trance, anchoring himself against the wall, the tips of his fingers sliding across, slow, gentle and cautious. 

A few Diasomnia students lie limp just outside the kitchen, presumably struck while trying to escape. Based on the juice spilled on one of their uniforms, they must have been trying to help you with the drinks. 

With a flick of his finger, Malleus re-arranges the fallen bodies so that they’re lying more comfortably beside each other. His steps don’t falter as he continues ahead until he is inside the dorm kitchen.

You are sitting in a corner, back against the wall, head inclined and resting against the wall on your side, knees pulled close to your chest, your arms wrapped around your legs as your face lay in the gap between your knees, snuggling comfortably.

Malleus feels a weight settle in his chest. Seeing you in a foetal position, sleeping comfortably… you saw it coming, didn’t you? Most would say that this reaction of his was unpredictable, but seeing you right now would prove otherwise.

He walks over carefully, as if trying not to wake you (though he wishes that you do wake up, that all of this is just a bad dream, that things never escalated this far). He leans down beside you and brings a finger to your face, gently caressing your cheek.

The action draws blood and he quickly retracts his hand to stare at his growing claws. His eyes widen at the sight, lips parting in shock and fear. He clenches his fist and swallows the lump in his throat.

His head hurts now, needles stinging from all sides. Absentmindedly, he leans closer to your face and licks at the blood, weak healing magic flowing into the wound, repairing the skin painfully slowly. Did he do it because you used to lick wounds when you were younger? Claiming that the gesture was ‘soothing’ and the saliva’s antiseptic properties will help? Or did he do it because he is finally losing his mind? Animalistic tendencies growing stronger by the minute?

His mind starts blurring and he can feel a presence forming behind him. In his daze, he lifts you in his arms, standing up carefully, yet nearly tripping over his own tail. “When did that come out?...” 

He tilts his head towards the fridge and his figure in the metal exterior stares back at him. His horns were a lot larger, a lot sharper at the ends, blinding green light seeping through the cracks. Black webs resembling thorns and petals grew on the side of his face, slowly encroaching his features to highlight the ugly, newly formed scars. His chest also had similar lines growing across the skin, the thorns and vines encompassing his racing heart, throbbing in his ribcage like it was trying to push outward. And despite the translucent reflection not being able to distinguish all colours, he could tell that his skin complexion had also changed to an inhumane shade. 

He wishes he were blind. 

Unable to look at himself any longer, he turns away, making his way to the dormhead’s room. He had heard that human mages go berserk almost instantly, immediately bringing upon the destruction of everything in their sight. Watching you limp in his arms, leaning against his chest and squirming in your sleep, he cannot tell whether being able to maintain bits of his sanity for a few more minutes is a blessing or a curse. 

Especially when he knows that his overblot will take over him soon, regardless of whether he struggles against it, or gives into it willingly. He cannot undo the events of the evening. The curse has been placed and the looming presence grows stronger, slowly guiding him into the depths of insanity.

There is no going back.

He lowers you onto his bed and sits beside you at the edge. His fingers twitch towards your face, but he dare not caress your face the way he wishes he could, not when the cut from earlier has etched itself into his mind.

The darkness gnawed at him, dragging him away, down into the depths of the abyss of his mind. He felt like he was physically fighting against the encroaching vines, each thorn as heavy as iron, trying to pierce him apart from inside-out.

His headache has gotten worse and vision blurrier. He knows he is almost out of time.

With the last bit of his strength, he places his palms on the sides of your head. Eyes unfocused, his vision starts fading around the edges. He can barely see you anymore. A tear falls on your face, black like an ink drop in water.

“Maybe… “ he mutters under his breath, “just maybe…”

His movements are desperate, unsteady, uncouth, and nothing like the sophisticated noble people know him as. But as he closes the gap, his mannerisms and posture are the last thing on his mind. He lets go of all restraints for a moment, begging for even a flicker of hope.

Your lips taste like apples, the tangy flavour sting Malleus’s tongue. He feels more tears glide down his cheeks as he presses his mouth further onto yours, trying to deepen the kiss, desperation and longing painfully evident, like a little child trying to grab at the helium balloon that escaped his grasp, clawing at the string that keeps passing through his tiny fingers, intending to never return.

“With a true love’s kiss, the prince broke the curse.” Lilia’s voice echoes in the back of his mind, as he recounts the fairytales he was told when he was younger.

But you don’t even stir in your sleep.

Who was he kidding, of course you don’t.

A bitter smile stretches across his face, his fangs dipping into his lower lip, drawing blood. More tears flow through his eyes, the eerie black liquid pouring onto your sleeping face.

Malleus takes a deep breath, humming a familiar tune as he surrenders himself to the darkness.

.

.

.

You feel his presence before his arrival becomes obvious. 

There is the slightest change in the air, a little more electrifying than before, but it’s subtle enough for even the animals surrounding you to ignore. But for someone as hyper-aware of the situation as you are right now? This seemed both like an opportunity and your doom. 

The squirrel you had just stopped petting pushes its head against your palm, quietly asking you to continue rubbing its head. You oblige, trying to calm your nerves and look as normal and as lost in a dream as possible.

A soft shuffle of grass draws the attention of the little hare resting near your knee and you follow the direction of its pointed ears to meet a familiar figure.

He’s here. And he’s not a lie woven by the dream. He is the real Malleus Draconia.

“Malleus! You’re finally here!” You say cheerfully, a complete contrast to how you were truly feeling.

He doesn’t notice. Oh thank the Sevens, he isn’t suspicious of you (yet).

“You’re late. I thought you said that the meeting with the delegates wouldn’t take too long.” You quickly think of a scenario, an incident from years ago, a peaceful memory from a distant time.

“My bad, the debate went on for a little longer than I had hoped.”

“At least you’re here now. Come, join me.” You hold your hand out.

He nods as he takes it, and you pull him down to sit beside you. A few finches quickly hop up to him, poking Malleus’s knee before rubbing its head against him. His lips quirk upwards as he softly rubs the finch’s head.

Watching the animals get comfortable with him makes you smile, while also making your chest tighten. You subconsciously grab onto your clothes, twisting them in your fist at the uncomfortable comfort of the scene before you.

It’s just a dream, woven from lies and grief.

Malleus notices that you go quiet, quieter than he would like. “Is something bothering you, dear?”

“Huh? Oh.” A single tear rolls down your cheek, a result of the storm hidden underneath your calm demeanor. “Nothing,” you say, softer than you intended to.

He neither questions you, nor pushes you to speak more and you are thankful for that, because if he did you’re sure you would expose the fact that you’re wide awake in this dream. 

That you are dreaming of this being the reality. 

“Would you like to share a dance, my love?” He asks, standing up and extending his hand out for you.

“Right here?”

“Right now.” He smiles, pulling you up with the same mischief as you did when you pulled him down to sit beside you.

Seamlessly, his one hand finds your hip while the other catches your palm, interlacing your fingers. 

Of course, this is just a dream. The animals don’t welcome Malleus’s presence this openly, let alone hum a melody in tandem as you sway under the canopy, across the long blades of the forest grass and wild flowers. You feel more tears well up. How you wish this was the reality, rather than being just a dream.

In an attempt to hide the surge of emotions, you lean your head against him, resting your head right where his heart is. It’s steady and comforting. If it were any other day, you would have fallen asleep to the sound of it. Still, despite the gravity of your current situation, you let yourself relax in his hold, nuzzling further and embracing the warmth.

He presses a kiss to your forehead and wraps his arms around you. You stay like that for a while. Malleus slows down, opting to gently sway you with the wind so as to not disturb you too much, nearly lulling you to sleep.

But then his soft ministrations suddenly stop.

You feel him form a fist near your hip, bunching up your clothes. 

That’s odd, you think. Given the atmosphere, it’s definitely not an action meant to result in something more than just simple affection. Not like Malleus ever seemed interested in that anyway. Nor did the action seem soft enough for it to be a physical expression of the fae’s giddy admiration. Your eyebrows knit together in confusion. Something doesn’t feel right about this.

“Malleus?”

“Shroud.” He growls under his breath.

“What?” You pull away, the smile fading from your face.

It doesn’t take you long to connect the dots. Silver was trying to wake the others up, and he must have been able to rope Idia in. 

You can only hope that your expression doesn’t give away your realisation.

“You…” Malleus starts, unsure of how to put his next words together as realisation and anger, pain and betrayal, stretch across his face, “You’ve been awake this whole time…”

There’s no way he has realised it, you hope. Maybe his anger is directed towards Idia. And since he hasn’t left, maybe you could buy those guys some more time to—

“...haven’t you, [name]?”

You flinch. A chill runs down your spine and a gasp leaves you before you can hold it back.

“Malleu—” You are cut short when he suddenly grabs your chin, pulling you closer and glaring at you to confirm his suspicions.

“My love,” his tone is vile, “I only wanted you to have sweet dreams. I would have dragged the heavens down from the skies for you.” He raises his voice, a low, rumbling sound from his throat, hoarse at the edges.

The Malleus you know would never address you like that. You know it’s the darkness at work, the overblot. You know that, and yet, it hurts.

“Tch, I would have loved to tuck you back in bed but I cannot waste any more time” He grits his teeth and pushes you back.

You stumble to the ground, eyes still widened in shock. You’re trying to think of something, anything, that could stop Malleus for just a little longer. But before you can move, you feel the little animals surrounding you, trapping you in a cage of blackening fur. 

You try calling out to him again, but you don’t hear your own voice, feeling as though you’re being dragged somewhere distant against your will. Resisting only makes it worse, like being caught in quicksand. 

Your vision goes black.

.

.

.

Your eyes stutter open, like a butterfly landing on a petal. The moonlight filters through the white, webbed curtains. “Guess they succeeded at whatever those guys were planning,” you mutter. You sit up and try to get off the bed, but vines tug around your arms, holding you in place. You don’t resist.

The screams of other students slowly fade into the distance. You look outside the window and notice huge groups of people from various dorms making their way away from Diasomnia, led by their respective vice-dormleaders.

A rough, screechy scream echoes through the halls. “The thorns! They’re digging into me when I move! It hurts!” Ah, that must be Grim. 

You rub your eyes with the back of your hand, still feeling groggy. Did everyone else wake up before you?

Your eyes scan around the room and you instantly recognise it as Malleus’s. “Did he bring me here?...” 

Suddenly, a low rumble arises near the door. You whip your head around and come face-to-face with a dragon. Its large body barely fits in the surroundings, scales glistening under the moon. The large horns on its head look like they could pierce through the ceiling if it lifted its head any further.

“Malleus.”

A faint flicker of recognition flashes in the dragon’s eyes. You dare to believe that he recognises you. A low rumble arises in his chest as he hesitantly makes his way towards you.

Your hand reaches out to stroke its face, rubbing above its large, v-shaped mouth. In response, the vines wrap around your upper arms, adorning it like armcuffs of thorns, digging into your skin, piercing your forearms. Drops of blood stain the sheets and tiles below you. You hold in a hiss, trying not to acknowledge the pain, not to let Malleus’s attention divert towards the metallic scent.

You have seen Malleus in his dragon form before, but this was completely different. His scales felt more gooey, gross, as if it’s been smeared with blot. His pupils are dilated, unfocused, much sharper and much less welcoming than normal.

And the way he folds under your touch isn’t like him at all. It’s more animalistic, wild, like one mistake would be enough for him to rip off the arm petting him, to send you to your death.

“Where is Idia? Don’t tell me he’s taking another nap.” An irritated voice sounds from the grounds, pulling Malleus out of his trance. He pulls away from you, the rage in his features returning after the momentary calm. 

The dragon lets out a snarl, a warning, before plunging towards the window, half-burning half-ripping the curtains apart. The glass shatters around you and you instinctively bring your arm up to shield your eyes. The thorny vines and shattered glass pierce through your skin, leaving behind multiple deep cuts. You open your mouth to scream, maybe you do scream, but you can’t hear yourself. Your lungs feel like they’re breaking apart, collapsing and your throat runs dry. It hurts.

The clash of armour drags you back to reality. You hear the crackle of flame, a sharp sound of thunder and heavy grunts. “Young Master!”

Silver and Sebek.

They’re still fighting.

You can’t stay stuck here, waiting for things to die down.

“Flame magic.” You quickly utter, watching as the fire burns at the edge of the mattress, being put out almost immediately by the fast-regenerating vines. 

If they can’t be burned away, then you’ll just have to squeeze out of them.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath in, bracing yourself for the next wave of thorny agony. “Wind, support me.” A gush of wind pushes you outward, the thorns dragging along your skin, clawing at you to hold you back.

As soon as your leg touches the windowsill, you push yourself outward, your hands aligning to maintain the wind pressure below you to keep you afloat. The ivy laps forward, creeping up alongside the broken window. How persistent.

You glance down, assessing the battlefield. Sebek seems to be holding a shield. The green ornamentation sparkles on the silver, taking on Malleus’s flames head-on. Is that… mystium?

From the corner of your eye, you notice the outgrowth coming at you, the sharp ends aiming for your eye. You just barely manage to get out of its way, cutting off some part of it and bringing it to your eye-level for inspection. 

The ivy wiggles mid-air like it’s alive, trying to grow out from the point where it was cut. It struggles against your magic, grasping and clawing at the invisible cage it finds itself trapped in. You break off a tendril, watching it as it starts growing into a long rope covered with thorns. You could use this.

You dive downwards, ivy in tow, planning to aim straight at the dragon’s legs. The flames from Malleus’s attacks seem to have increased the air pressure in your surroundings, and you let it aid you in your levitation, letting your body feel light above the rising black-green smoke, like resting on fluffy clouds that burn your lungs with each inhale.

Sebek is holding his shield up, barely keeping up with the flame’s force, while Silver stands behind him, sword braced and waiting for an opening. Idia is standing in a corner, his fingers gliding over his digital screen as he monitors the situation.

You press your thumb against your index, creating a make-shift eyepiece as you lock onto your target. Looking through the gap between your fingers, you adjust your aim, shooting the vine you dragged with you at the dragon’s legs. The ivy wraps around its knees, growing alongside it and creating a tangled web underneath the dragon’s large body. It causes him to release a larger puff of flame as it exhales in pain.

Sebek gets blown away in the process, his armour and shield landing with a loud clank. Silver immediately takes Sebek’s place, his sword lighting up with energy. He glances up towards you, acknowledging your assistance with a nod. You nod back, preparing to shoot more vines to cage Malleus. 

Silver brings the hilt of the sword close to his chest, closing his eyes and concentrating all his energy into the weapon, preparing to strike. He cannot miss, because his sword is the only thing on the battle-field capable of even scratching Malleus’s stone-hard horns. Malleus doesn’t take long to recover either, his scales of amethyst and jade reflect his fiery breath, generating another wave of his green beam. 

Green and smoke cloud Silver’s vision, feeling over-whelmed by the dragon’s strength. But he hasn’t lost yet. He steadies his grip, clutching the sword with both hands and analysing for any openings that could get him closer to destroying Malleus’s horn.

Sebek weakly attempts to push himself off the ground, muttering curses under his breath at the pain. He tries reaching for his shield, preparing to defend from the dragon’s attacks once more.

Just as you ready to entrap Malleus further, hoping the sharp thorns can pierce through his scaly wings, a figure runs out of the dorm gates, his over-sized coat flowing madly with the wind. Clutching his abdomen and coughing with every other step, he limps across the field, grunting each time he came too close to tripping over the debris. 

“No wait—” You try calling out, but it’s too late.

He has gotten too close, too deep in the heart of the battlefield that Diasomnia has become.

You quickly hurl a small mass of ivy to wrap around Draconia’s wings. The thorns start digging itself wherever they clutch, anchoring and growing along the scales. Malleus wavers a bit, stumbling back a step, his wings frantically flapping behind him.

Sebek, too, has gotten a grip, as he forces the shield upright and forward — his right leg pushing him forward, his left knee sliding on the ground.

“Stop!” Lilia lunges forward, throwing himself near the tip of Silver’s sword, causing it to slip out of the silver-head’s hands, falling to the ground with a loud clink.

Sebek barely pushes through the last inch, deflecting some of Draconia's flames towards a nearby tree, burning it to a crisp. The mystium armour stands tall between the dragon and the knights. Malleus’s laser crashes against the metal at an angle, reflecting back, directed straight towards his eyes. His own flames blind him as he howls in pain.

“Now!” Shroud’s fingers glide over his screen with quick precision. He gains control of Silver’s limp sword, neatly aiming for Malleus’s horn. Like a gun whistling through the wind, the blade clashes with the dragon’s horn, slicing through it with calculated ease.

The broken obsidian tip explodes, sending sparks of magic flying in all directions. Before you can process it, you’re already plunging towards Malleus, arms extended, as if catching him could soften his fall. Your skin meets burning flesh and icy scales as Malleus’s body collapses over yours. Dust, smoke and debris cloud your vision and seize your throat.

For a minute, everything goes silent.

“Fa–...” A hiccup sounds somewhere not too far from you, followed by a sharp inhale and a broken sob.

“Is Lilia…” Grim’s coarse voice breaks through the curtain of smoke. 

As the dust settles, you bury yourself in Malleus’s torn sleeve, clutching his arms and refusing to look up.

A mental image of Lilia’s limp body in Silver’s arms starts forming in your mind, and you weren’t willing to let that vision manifest entirely, to let it embed itself in your memories.

As if that would change the bitter reality. 

.

.

.

Twenty years ago, if someone asked you, “Is it worth resisting death?”, you would have answered “no.” 

The most you can do is delay the inevitable, but death will reach out with its claws, grasping at you and eventually dragging you down.

As a knight, you had seen others glorify death. In battle, for the winning side, dying was a noble sacrifice, a commendable deed worthy of acknowledgement. For the losing side, it signified that you fought till the bitter end, never backing down, standing your ground. When it came to punishments, execution was a mercy. And if you reach the end as a result of senility, you must have had enough to pass on your legacy to the future, immortalising your name.

Maybe you would have given this same response four years ago as well. After all, your view only changed when you entered Night Raven College.

Heartslabyul, a dorm that prided itself on following the Queen of Heart’s discipline, started off as an unruly mess of disorder and chaos. When the tyrant that rose from among them had his dominion questioned, he lost his authority but gained an amicable love that he had never before received. 

Savannaclaw, in order to win just one last tournament, put their own integrity and loyalty on the line, only to come out with bonds stronger than ever before.

For his little brother, the big brother was willing to burn the world down. When the little one died, the older went as far as to make the world’s most advanced humanoid machine, all so he could continue making memories with the boy he couldn’t protect. 

When the Underworld threatened to bestow devastation upon the world, starting with the Pomefiore members who were closest to the potential outbreak, their leader, the man who cared for his own beauty more than anything else in the world, sacrificed it all to keep his friends safe. He returned, wrinkled and senile, the pain of parting with his youth etched on his face, but with no regret in his tears.

Time and time again, you had the chance to watch humans grow. Due to their short lives, they evolve at a much faster pace, experiencing things at the speed of light. For fae, a decade passes by in the blink of an eye. But in those same ten years, ordinary mortals live ten different lives.

Now, if someone asked you the same question, you would glance around your surroundings, breathing in the flowing youth and unexpected encounters, and say, “Yes, because every second longer that you spend with those you love will be worth it.” There are people waiting for you to return home. Bruised and battered. Betrayed and broken.

But not dead. 

They’ll nurse you back to health. Celebrate your victories with you. Listen to your tales, adding their own in between. They’ll learn and grow from you, with you, alongside you.

They’ll stay.

You hum casually, kicking pebbles near your feet, twirling your magic pen in hand as a few boxes float behind you. You are stiffer than usual, the bandages draped around your arm and chest restricting your movements. Ideally, you should also be in the hospital downtown, resting and recovering, conversing casually with Silver, Sebek, Lilia and the attending nurses.

But you chose to come back early, to be here and help with the reconstruction. You feel partly responsible for Malleus’s overblot. Thoughts like “if I spoke to him earlier, let him talk about his feelings, maybe…” and “if we had discussed it all earlier…” plagued your mind. And you couldn’t just loiter away in the hospital bed in the name of ‘recuperating’, not when you were able to move around just fine.

(Truth be told, the many cuts splayed across your body stung with each flex of muscle. But the longer you stayed, conversations regarding the overblot incident resurfaced more often. And you needed to do something to take your mind away from it, to think of something else, to return to your ordinary life.)

Diasomnia is livelier these days with everyone eagerly helping in the reconstruction process and organising a 'return party' for Lilia. Occasionally, you’d spot a few uniforms of the other dorms as well, scared, hesitant, but wanting to assist. 

Someone offers to take the wooden boxes for you. You decline with a slight shake of your head, easily placing the bundle near the entryway. Someone else offers you a carton of juice they got for refreshments, and you take it with a polite smile. 

“You know, the party won’t just be to celebrate Lilia’s return,” a student says, leaning against the railing, taking a sip from his juice carton, “we also wanted to celebrate the victory.” 

“Yeah,” another one chimes in, his tanned skin coated with sweat, earrings hanging from his long ears, “and you were huge in the battle so we wanted this to be a gift for you too, a surprise.” He ends sheepishly, his right hand scratching the back of his neck.

“Oh? Are you saying you don’t want me here right now?” You tease with a smirk, swirling your juicebox lazily. 

“N-no we don’t mean it that way…”

You hum, cutting the boy off mid-sentence. He doesn’t need to finish it, you know what he means.

The whole school was ecstatic when they heard of Lilia’s return to academics.

You look down at your twitching hands, still trembling with the emotions from that night– fear, sorrow, delight, happiness– everything at once.

You remember Malleus’s loud wails when he realised what had happened, Sebek’s desperate pleas as he watched Lilia’s limp body trembling in Silver’s unsteady grasp. But then, by some miracle, Silver and Malleus had not only managed to drag him back from the dead, but the reaction had caused magic to flow through his veins once more, extending his life for a little longer. 

“I am glad that you were thinking of me too, but I think I’m happier helping you all organise this. After all, Silver, Sebek, and the Ignihyde brothers deserve the most credit. They deserve this more than anyone else.” 

“Yeah, them and definitely not Crowley!” The group surrounding you bursts into laughter at the second year’s comment. You laugh as well, without restraints, without the burdens of that never-ending night. 

You only wish Malleus was here right now with you. Laughing. Unburdened. Free.

And yet he was out there running from place to place, apologising for feelings he couldn’t control, for the pent-up emotions no one knew he held within him, for the neglect no one acknowledged.

He has always wanted to be able to mingle with others freely. Without them having their guard up against him. Without them refusing to look at him due to fear. Without them shuffling their feet, treating him like he was a god from another world.

And yet, his overblot has only made people more scared of him.

There are mixed views about it.

“He’s only human— I-I mean, he’s just another living being, and all living beings make mistakes. This just proves he’s normal, like the rest of us. He’s normal for his emotions, for his reactions, for feeling.”  “Draconia caused a large-scale disaster on a whim. He’s a lethal weapon. A walking death sentence. He’s far too dangerous to be roaming around freely.”

He’s probably going to slip into his room in the dorm once he’s sure everyone is asleep. You noticed him yesterday, treading carefully, quietly, through the blanket of the night, unaware that you had caught him. And you’re sure he’s going to do it again tonight.

Perhaps you could buy a tub of ice-cream and wait for him. The only question is, where are you going to find a flavour that he has never tried before?

.

.

.

You tidied the dormhead’s room in the evening.

Cleaning away the remnants of the vine. Putting the scattered items back in their places. Replacing the torn, white window curtains with a green one made of a thin, feather-light fabric. Changing the burnt, blood-soaked bedsheet to a simple, soft black one with gold linings. 

But that didn’t feel enough. Surely Crowley would allow you to take a quick trip to Briar Valley on such short notice, right?

You donned an innocent expression, heading straight for the Mirror Chamber. And as fate would have it, the Headmaster also happened to be there.

“A-ah [name]! What brings you here?” He said, rubbing his palms over each other, a sheepish smile spread across his face.

“Headmaster! I was looking for you. This just saved me the trip to your office. Won’t you be oh-so generous and let me pass through the mirror for a quick trip back home?” 

“Well…”

“Surely you couldn’t decline this, almost insignificant, request from someone who actually helped during the overblot, right?” The air around you shifted, faint flickers and crackles dancing in the wind as your smile widened, adding pressure on Crowley. 

“Yes of course, for I am so benevolent.” He spread his arms, as if embracing the idea with trembling words and mock confidence. He seemed like an injured crow, desperately flapping its broken wings, watching as his feathers are plucked away one-by-one.

You pulled your hood low over your head, tugging at it twice for good measure. With a deep breath, you passed through the ivory surface. A chill runs across your body as the solid mirror feels like it is softening into a thick liquid.

A fresh breeze welcomes you, calming the nerves. The distant smell of spices and fresh fruit floats in the air. The echo of the crowds are duller, more sombre than you remember. 

It’s a short trip home, and you wish to make it as short as possible.

You walk through the town in steps more confident than you feel, back straight to avoid people from picking up on your insecurity. Hood conveniently hiding your identity but showing just enough of your face to avoid suspicion.

Your legs take you through the alleys with muscle-memory, but your mind feels like you have arrived in a foreign place. The solemn atmosphere, the tension pricking the air makes your hometown feel completely unfamiliar.

Your pace quickens, as you quickly scan through the items in the market. You don’t buy much, just a few essentials lost to the chaos of the overblot, and a few ornaments to decorate the room with.

One particular shop catches your eye. It's one of the few shops in the area that has retained its antique appearance. The signboard has long been worn-out, and the glass windows are cracked and fogged up. Soft honeydew tinged with citrus tones fills up the warm air emitted from the cabin.

There’s no mistaking it — it has to be elf Fiore’s shop. She was Malleus’s herbology instructor. Even when you attended classes with him, Fiore often focused more on Malleus and let you have a break. You already knew a lot more about plants, having spent a lot of time with the Forest Fairies, so you spent this time honing your sword instead.

You vaguely remember picking flowers with her as a child, when she had caught you and Malleus hanging out in your secret cottage long before Malleus was allowed to roam freely. It was Malleus’s first practical session, and seeing his improved learning efficiency, it led to him slowly being allowed to go outside the castle and gain more freedom.

You never really interacted with her much, but you still feel like you owe her an apology for all that has transpired. After all, you were closest to him, you always have been. Maybe you could have stopped him, at least tried to stop him. 

You have to duck low as you enter. A surge of fragrances stimulate your senses. Bottled scents are kept neatly on the shelves, a few decorated with ribbons, a few with jute.

“Welcome!" A croaky sound echoes in a cheerful greeting, as though greeting her first customer in days. And then softer, familiar, “Welcome, [name].”   

“Ms. Fiore.” You pull your hood back, confident that no one could see you from the outside, and that no one would harm you inside this shop. A soft, apologetic smile graces your lips as you place your right hand over your heart, its fast pace like a hammer against your ribs. “I’m sure you have already heard about what… happened. And I would like to apologise, on his behalf and… my own… for not seeing the signs a little earlier. Maybe, I could have tried to not let it escalate.”

“Even if you had seen the signs, you could not have stopped it, child. The roots of this calamity go back to when he was still a young boy at the castle.” The elf says calmly, her nimble fingers working with yarn.

You look around and realise that in place of the natural flowers, there now seems to be artificial, scented ones on display. Sensing your confusion, the old lady speaks up again. “I have gotten too old to go pick out fresh flowers now, and visitors have grown scarce. At least these artificial flowers will last a little longer.”

Artificial flowers will last a little longer. And they look pretty too. And their fragrance would definitely help in further diluting the stench of burnt blood. 

“Ms. Fiore, may I purchase a vase?  And perhaps you can pick out a few flowers that would mean something… for him.” Fiore’s eyes soften as she places her knitting needles away. “It doesn’t even have to look pretty, I just…” 

“I’ll give you a discount. Normally, customised orders cost extra but I’m getting too old to care about the extra money. Besides, I would like to give him something too, to let him know that we are still here for him.”

You smile in thanks.

.

You return to Diasomnia satisfied with the short shopping expedition. Now all that was left was to add the finishing strokes to the renovated room and wait.

You left Ms. Fiore’s vase for the end, slowly admiring it before placing it down on the bedside table. You kneel on the ground and rest your face in your arms, looking up at the fluffy petals and taking in the calming fragrances of the flowers.

White lilies and tulips. Orchids and daffodils.

Resilience, renewal and redemption.

Rebirth and new beginnings.

And beside that is a smaller vase filled with daisies, the flower that began your friendship with the fae prince. 

The daisies are the result of an impromptu decision you made just as you were leaving Fiore’s shop. It was the smallest, least decorated vase placed on the windowsill. While most were artificial, you had gone out of your way to collect a few fresh daisies and laced them with mountain grass to add to the bouquet (and also collected a few herbs and flowers for the old elf before finally returning to NRC).

The familiar, soft scent of mountain soil alongside the daisies’ subtle, grassy smell brings back memories from centuries ago. And the tranquility brings with it the fatigue of the many days and nights you spent unconscious, fighting in a nightmare.

You feel yourself dozing off, eyelids heavy after days of toil, when the doorknob clicks. 

Malleus slips in quietly, locking the door behind him, head held low and exhaustion written all over his face. His eyes widen at the sight of you dozing off against the bedside table, heart dropping as he remembers your limp figure on the night of the overblot.

“Malleus,” You yawn, stretching and pushing yourself off the ground, “you’re finally here.”

“Yes, I am. But no wait, you weren’t supposed to know I would be.” He stutters.

“I caught a glimpse of you sneaking into your room last night, and I was sure you would return.” 

Malleus looks around the renovated room, jade eyes scanning the changed drapes and new ornaments. “Did you… do all of this by yourself?” his voice breaks, a single tear rolling down his cheek. “I’m- I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I didn’t want to, I–” 

This is the second time you’re seeing him cry since you came to NRC.

You let him, simply crossing your hands behind your back and smiling. “It was no trouble at all. I like doing these little things for you.”

“Despite everything that just transpired? The- the -...” The overblot.

You move closer to him, slowly, softly, letting him decide whether he wants to finish that sentence or not. You swipe at a single tear resting on his eyelid, about to roll down.

“The Fae prince, one of the strongest mages in the world, the next ruler of the Valley of Thorns, a descendant of one of the Great Seven, the successor of the Witch of Thorns, a walking calamity, dormhead of Diasomnia…” You drone on, dramatically swaying your finger around with each name he’s known by.

With each one of his titles, Malleus winces a little more, like the words physically hurt him. He lowers his head, ashamed, embarrassed, unsure of who he is and who he wants to be. 

“You are none of that to me. To me, you’re just Malleus, the boy I love.” You cradle his face, fingers softly grazing his jaw before pecking his lips.

He leans in again, but you move away, grabbing the bag of food you had prepared for tonight. “You can have more kisses later, but first you need to get some food in you and rehydrate. You have been working hard. I watched your interview with the media. Facing the world couldn’t have been easy, and you need to rest while you can. Look, I got a couple different flavours of ice-creams for us to try out together~”

Malleus smiles coyly, and right now, he looks like the most ordinary of high schoolers. His boyish grin makes butterflies erupt within you. It’s contagious and you find yourself beaming too (whether out of happiness or to hide the embarrassing red that crept up your neck, you weren’t sure).

He doesn’t speak much. And even with the two of you combined, you barely get through half the food stash you had prepared for tonight. To store the remaining, you head downstairs to the dorm’s kitchen. By the time you return, Malleus is already dozing off, with a blanket loosely draped over him and space left for you to fit into beside him.

He doesn’t sleep as much as most others do, so seeing him so tired and vulnerable makes your heart soften. These last few days really have taken a toll on him, huh…

You tread quietly, closing the windows and darkening the room, before taking your place beside him on the bed. Embracing the warmth, you snuggle closer to his chest. He responds by lazily pulling you even closer and tightening his grip around you. It feels like it’s been forever since you last got to cuddle to sleep. 

“Good night, Malleus.” You whisper, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead before succumbing to slumber.

You hope that he has the sweetest of dreams tonight.

[kinbedo]

Chat do y'all promise me that you will read this 19k words fic.

If I don't see someone ranting about this fic in my inbox or comments or whatever when I post it, I will delete this entire website /j

Okay no but seriously, this is literally how I'm feeling after finally finishing proof-reading because I got too busy to do it earlier:

[kinbedo]

Took a bunch of screenshots in genshin because I wanted to redo my masterlists

I missed running around the open-world, listening to the osts and getting random screenshots </3

Some are pictures I took, some others are from the archive. Will edit and update this post when I find something for Nod Krai and when Snezhnaya is out.

[kinbedo]

Their Endearments for their genderqueer darling

wc: ~350-450 each

established relationships, fluff

Ft. Ashveil, Flins

Albedo, Childe, Furina and Chiori version

Ashveil

He sticks with calling you by your name, or calling you “sweetheart” or “dear”

He did try calling you “babe” after hearing a few young couples call each other that, while roaming the streets of Planarcadia, but it always felt off to him. (maybe because he was too old to switch from those classic but lovely endearments).

He called you ‘cupcake’ ironically during one of your dates, where he wiped away some of the cupcake crumbs left on your lips with his thumb. Seeing the way you froze and blushed at that, he decided to try calling you dessert names to see which suited you best (he’s trying to deduce which dessert you like to be called the most, but he doesn’t realise that it’s the tone he uses that makes your brain malfunction). 

“I’ve seen people call others ‘edible’ when they like them. Does that mean I can say that my sweet pudding also looks very edible?” Ashveil asks, genuine amusement in his eyes.  You are stuck between cringing at his words and laughing at the way he sounds like a grandpa trying to learn about the modern generation. “You do know you don’t have to act like Planarcadia’s modern couples, right?”  “They look like they’re having fun, so why not.” He shrugs. “You do you then.”  “Oh does that mean you’re letting me do anything? Great, I’m going to go and sleep some more.” “Ash, it’s 2pm.” “Perfect time for a nap, wouldn’t you agree?” Before you are able to retort, his hands clasp around your wrist, dragging you towards the fridge. He settles in comfortably, lying in his questionable bed with you on top of him. “Ash… I am not going to add “I can sleep in a fridge” in my resume or something.” You joke, trying to hide the way the cold air makes you shiver at its sudden touch.  He notices though —- he always does —- and pulls you closer to his chest, slipping his fedora hat off and letting it fall somewhere outside the fridge as his legs tangle with yours. “If you’re cold, just lean in closer, sweetheart. I’ll warm you up.”

Flins

He tends to call you “my liege” more often than not, often accompanied by a playful bow, his hand extended and waiting for you to place your hand atop his, either so he could press a kiss to your knuckles or so he could intertwine your fingers. 

When he sees you in clearly feminine clothes, he can’t resist calling you “my lady”, with an extra emphasis on ‘my’, as he twirls you around twice, one of his hands laced with yours and the other coming to rest on your lower back, as he gracefully helps you dip downward, his eyes closed as he pictures a ballroom, where he proudly gets to show you off.

There’s something about the way his tone softens, and his dead eyes sparkle that catches you off-guard each time he addresses you. Something so tender about his love, that you know his affection is genuine, unlike the pranks he likes to play on naive passerbys when he’s bored. (He always comes to tell you about it later with a mischievous glint in his eyes, and it makes you wonder how the others would react to the legendary Lantern Fae exhibiting such… child-like amusement). 

He looks like a gentle giant, but the atmosphere around him warns even those that don’t know him to exercise caution. And this effect of his only amplifies when you are in the vicinity. And it more than doubles when you both are around people that have insulted you for your identity before, that eerie smile never leaving his face as he scrutinises their every action, never giving them a chance to even think about commenting about you again.

“Would you care to share a dance, my liege?” Flins gracefully bows, his hand extended as he waits for you to take it.   “That’s a sudden request. What brought this upon?” You ask, but oblige either way, letting him pull you close to his chest, his hand on your waist as he sways you gently. “Nothing really, I was simply reminded of the past.”  “Do you miss that time? When you were still a noble surrounded by others of your kind?” “Not usually, no. But you have a way of making me yearn for those glorious days.”  “How so?” “During events, some attendees seemed partial to dancing with their lovers, like so.” He twirls you, eliciting a giggle from you. “Now I realise that I might have taken those times for granted. Which is probably a reason why I like to collect a variety of items. Each coin, each stone, contains memories of past ages.” “Are you storing memories of us too?” He smiles at your question, halting your little dance to lean his forehead against yours. His palm comes up to caress your cheek, thumbing at the skin. “Every bit of you is engraved in my very being, my love.”

[kinbedo]

proof-reading can be a real pain but it's so worth it when you find errors and correct them

[kinbedo]

Okay I lied. The first thing I'll do when I get a break is sleep because why is this paper-work like a chain-reaction 😭 this feels like an assassination give me a break please 💔

[kinbedo]

proof-reading can be a real pain but it's so worth it when you find errors and correct them

[kinbedo]

I can't stop thinking of this one particular trope and I keep inserting multiple characters into it...

Sitting on their lap / having them sit on your lap while you do / remove their make-up.

[kinbedo]

Their Endearments for their genderqueer darling

A/n: Happy Pride Month!! I’ve always had the urge to be called “princess” and “pretty boy” together, so this is kind of self-indulgent

wc: ~300-400 (except Albedo, who is over 600 because I went a tad-bit overboard for him 😭 :p)

established relationships, fluff

Ft. Albedo, Childe, Furina, Chiori

Ashveil and Flins version

Albedo

He is the kind of guy that has called you ‘dear’ from the beginning of your relationship. He doesn’t really use a lot of pet-names, preferring to call you by your name. But the difference is very obvious in his tone when he calls out to you, compared to the others. 

His voice becomes softer, more tender, the smallest of smiles tugging at his lips regardless of the situation.

When he feels a little flirtier than usual, he might call you ‘my dearest’, his face close to yours as he breathes the words out, flustering you. 

“I’m a little busy, but I’ll be with you soon,” He says, eyes focused on the task, before breaking his attention to look at you for a second, eyes softening as he says your name in that silky tone of his. 

“Dear, could you pass me that book?” He has no qualms about using that endearment, even with a crowd listening. He could have been in the middle of a discussion with the knights, the air filled with tension about their upcoming task, but it all breaks when he calls out to you. Even the most uptight of knights feel themselves relaxing at how gentle he seems when addressing you, suddenly feeling like with you around, Albedo could accomplish anything, no matter how difficult it might be. 

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, my dearest.” He says, falling into your arms the second you’re both home and alone, letting out a deep sigh. You rub circles into his back and he lazily kisses the underside of your face. “But it’s just us now, and you have my full attention. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you would like to do.” His tired eyes look up at you with adoration, like being home with you was enough to slowly rejuvenate him for the next day.

You sit on the bench behind Albedo as he works in Dragonspine. A notebook rests on your lap, a pen in one of your hands while the other picks up and stirs a flask, watching the sediments mix to give a cloudy, purple shade, before settling back into its original, neutral state. “Not very soluble, is it?” You ponder, twirling the flask again only for the process to repeat. “I purposefully chose a poor solvent. And the low temperature of Dragonspine doesn’t help its case. Although, the way it temporarily mixes is an interesting feature.” “Master Albedo, I think the concoction is ready.” Sucrose calls out, taking a step away from the crafting bench she was working on to let you and Albedo see her latest results. “Was it more successful this time?” “More than the last, yes, but the results still aren’t quite what I desired.” “You can have them note down this round’s measurements, procedures and observations.” Albedo tilts his head in your direction, before turning to look at you as he continues with a softer tone, “Could you help Sucrose with that, dear?” “Yes, of course.” You mumble and move to Sucrose’s side quickly, before you lose yourself in your lover’s alluring eyes. Sucrose gives you a knowing, teasing smile and you return it with a playful frown as you take her side. Behind you, you hear Albedo let out an airy huff as he returns to his own experiment. “We’re almost done for the day. Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time to ourselves later, my dearest~” “And I’ll gladly leave you two alone.” Sucrose nudges you with her elbow. “Please don’t. I don’t want to baby him alone with how he can be picky with his food at times.” “Your boyfriend, your responsibility.” That makes the three of you laugh, embracing the warm, brief respite at the cold laboratory.

Childe

He can be very… unpredictable. He has tried calling you all sorts of names, testing each one to see your reaction. When he sees one having a particular affect on you, he notes it mentally, using it a couple of times before stopping for a while. Just when you think he won’t be calling you that particular name again, he pops up beside your ear, whispering it teasingly, catching you off-guard.

You don’t have to tell him what you want to be called, he doesn’t ask either. He makes his best guess by looking at your current mood and appearance, often getting your gender cravings right. When he can’t tell by simply looking at you, he sticks to the more gender-neutral ones, opting to call you “babe” or “baby”. 

And if he gets it wrong, he immediately, yet seamlessly, switches, peppering you with kisses to make up for his mistake (though you wouldn’t blame him for that, and he knows you wouldn't, but he still prefers ensuring that he isn’t making you uncomfortable in the slightest). 

“My pretty little princess~” He teases you when he returns from a mission, making your breath hitch for a second. “Your knight is home!” You cringe at his words, elbowing him playfully, and he dramatically lets out an “ow” before tackling you into a hug.

“How is my sweet boy doing today?” He says when he finds you in more masculine clothes, cooking something, tone silky and mischievous. He hugs you from behind, leaving a light kiss on your neck and watching the food as you stir it.  “Ajax, it’s difficult to cook like this.” “But I want to stay close.” He pouts, but moves away, instead opting to bring out the plates and set the table. “I’ll be back, for two times more, no— ten times more, pretty boy~” 

Furina

Having been the lead star in a wide variety of shows, Furina has picked up on a few habits from the characters she has played, and that included using endearments like ‘darling’ and ‘sweetheart’.

She can’t always tell which endearment you would prefer. Having put on a compelling show herself for 500 years, she knows that your outside demeanor could hide inner desires. So she prefers sticking to standard, classy, gender neutral terms.

Although, more often than not, she likes to call herself yours more often than she calls you hers, her voice melodiously singing “your beloved is back”, hands outstretched and waiting for an embrace. She always puts an extra emphasis on ‘your’, reiterating that she’s proud to be with you.

“Your dearest decided to try baking a cake today. Hope you’ll like it.” Her confident tone hides the shy, almost meek adoration she holds for you. The texture and appearance could definitely do some work, but the first bite is enough to make you melt in the sweetness of it. You take another spoon and hold it towards Furina, inviting her to taste her own work, which she happily obliges.

You open the door to the backrooms to find your girlfriend leaning against the dressing table, as though ensuring that her eyelashes are still perfect, despite the show having ended. Your arrival catches her attention as she immediately beams, inviting you in. You take a seat on the chair and she comes to sit on your lap, snuggling against your chest.  “How did your girl do?” “My girl absolutely killed it on stage.” You press a tender kiss to her forehead. She giggles and you can feel the way her skin relaxes against yours. “Too bad we can’t stay like this for long. We have an after-show party starting in a bit. You’re coming with me, right?” “Can I come?” “Duh, being my biggest supporter and all, you’re always welcome. I’m sure the other crew members would be happy to see you again too, my love.” 

Chiori

Chiori doesn’t use endearments too often. She used to say ‘oh darl’ sarcastically before your relationship, clicking her tongue at the customers that believed they were oh-so-high-and-mighty to order her around.

So when you first started dating, she didn’t like the way it sounded on her tongue. Despite knowing that she was being genuine when she was referring to you, memories of her saying it ironically and the knowledge of her unlikeable personality made her feel like she was lying to you, to herself. 

It wasn’t until you told her that her tone when being genuine was remarkably different from when it was sarcastic, and that you had no trouble telling the difference between the two that she tried to open up more, expressing her love with less restraint. 

(you blushed at her pet names for you, and she felt flustered at how easily you could tell her apart, it’s a win-win, no?)

Another thing she likes calling you is ‘button’, but she ensures that you’re comfortable with the name before she gets used to the feeling of calling you that. If you don’t like it, she sticks with calling you by your name or ‘darl’. 

She might also want to call you ‘my lady’ or 'your grace' every once in a while, specifically when you try on the clothes she designs, helping you twirl to get a good look at how you look in her creations, the outfit outlining your features and looking dangerously distracting.

“My button really is cute as a button, huh?” She pinches your cheek and taps the bridge of your nose, before leaving the measuring tape in your hand and continuing her work. You stood stiffly in front of her in a half-made outfit, as she used you as her mannequin after running out of mannequins to anchor her fabrics up against. 

“Darl, could you pass me that needle box? Oh and the clips too, please. Thank you~” Her low voice calls out to you and you hum, putting away the fabrics you were folding to grab the items for her. Eloffe shuffles in her feet where she stands, not used to listening to the affectionate tone Chiori uses when talking to you and you can’t help but chuckle. Eloffe bows and mumbles, “I’ll be outside to assist any customers. Please call me when you need me.” and leaves.  You sigh, content at the privacy and make your way to your girlfriend, placing the items she requested for by her table before hugging her waist and kissing the back of her head. “Take a break when you can, yeah?” Chiori tilts her head at your touch, allowing your lips to meet for a brief kiss. “I will.”

[kinbedo]

Tell me More. about your Wips. ALL OF THEM :3

Mila in my inbox after 33,550,336 cycles!! Hellooo

As for the wips... how do I even begin hmm

The Malleus fic is me being very normal about him (19k words, save me from proof-reading hell). It's basically Book 7 but written from a different pov.

'On Top!' is inspired by that one part in the 4.0 Planarcadia quest, where Dan Heng was said to be the quiet but popular guy. He is good at a lot of things and you make a bet with March to best him at least once in something :)

'Focus on Me' is the guys being stubborn about something and trying to over-work themselves so you distract them with a kiss, so kind of like reverse-comfort in a sense??

The Diluc fic is... angst :3 ykw, imma drop the ending of that fic

Then there's the Sunday fic, which I'm hoping will just be tooth-rotting, diabetes-inducing fluff, and I'll just leave the summary for that here (it probably still needs sm work)

Can I also just randomly mention the Anaxa fic that I'm working on that doesn't have a title yet but is pure angst with reader uncovering the truth and dying each cycle and the Kinich angst fic where he's your creepy-ish, toxic-ish (???) online friend.

BUT ANYWAYS!! Hihi Mila how are you how have you been are the summers treating you well did you get plenty of rest during your summer break tell me everything that's happened because I've been so dead I feel like it's been ages since we last spoke

[kinbedo]

Thanks for the tag Mila!! @amorsial

I fear I have too many wips and they keep on piling. Send help.

make a new post with the names of all the files in your wip folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous, and tag as many people as you have wips. people send in an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and you post a snippet or tell them something about it!

Draped in Dreams and Nightmares - Malleus x fae! reader

On Top! - Dan Heng x reader

Focus on Me - ft. Dan Heng, Kinich, Albedo

"I love you- ...wish I said it sooner" - Diluc x reader

Melodies of the Heart - Sunday x reader

+ a bunch without titles so I'll leave them out :) these are the ones I'm most likely to finish anyway

Tagging: anyone who wants to join!

Don't worry, my wips are unlimited so unlimited people may hop on haha... 😭✌ + I'm afraid I have more wips than I have moots, gulps

[kinbedo]

helllo.

opinions on sandrones mid design.

I haven't looked at leaks enough to say exactly how much they've changed it, but it looks alright. I wouldn't really call it 'mid', just that some changes might be a little unnecessary. I'm not sure how her story will explain the design change (if it can, at all), but all we can do is wait at this point.

Her back half looks fine, it's really just the front that bothered me. I don't have a problem with short skirts, I just didn't like that they made Sandrone's skirt short because her original dress was iconic.

That's all. I'm not thinking of much until her quest is out or forming too many opinions before seeing the real, official thing in-game.

[kinbedo]

Coming back from the dead to scream.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[kinbedo]

Accidental Indulgement - Ashveil

—  ♡

Summary: You were drinking coffee at a cafe when he randomly comes and sits across from you, and now you’re being dragged into… a crime case???

Cw: Light-hearted banter

Tw: uncomfortable flirting, mentions of trafficking, blood (tbf, if you're an hsr player, this is nothing 💀 adding them just in case)

(yes, I separated the two different kinds of warnings because it was funny to me)

wc: 2.5k, gn reader

Tagging: @amorsial hihi Mila

“Uhh who even are you?” You ask for the fourth time since he sat in the chair opposite yours. 

You’ve gotten three different answers so far.

“Oh, just someone-something, you know?”

“Just a passerby who is very interested in what those two over there have going on.”

“Shh, just watch.”

And now, the fourth answer, “Just treat me like I’m an old friend. Don’t sweat it.”

Like the previous three times, he uses that same, silky tone, his head resting in his palms as he pretends to be looking at you, while his eyes keep darting to the couple that’s whispering loudly and frantically. 

Behind you, a lady dressed in black, with sunglasses and a weirdly fashioned hat keeps sighing every few seconds. She has a newspaper in her hand, but she hasn’t flipped the page since she sat there, so you’re almost certain that she hasn’t even tried reading the news for her to be sighing at that.

Why are there weirdos everywhere around you today… 

“Sir, the problem with that is that I don’t even know your name. I might have to call the police if you try anything funny.” 

“Oh is that the issue? That’s no problem at all! The name’s Ashveil and uh if you need the police, just let me know. I’ll be happy to assist or I could introduce you to someone that came here with me today.”

What?

You squint at him, as if that would help you identify whether he was being serious or not. Slumping back into your seat, you take a few more sips of the coffee you had ordered, not taking your eyes off the man in front of you.

“They are leaving.” He stands up abruptly. “Did they mention they were going to some place for uhm, couples?”

You take the last few sips of your coffee, watching his movements and glaring at him when he starts eyeing you. 

“You look very ordinary.” 

“Excuse me?”

“It’s perfect. Come on, you’re going to be my partner.” 

“Huh?” You don’t bother trying to hide the disdain in your voice as he grabs your wrist and starts running towards the door. You get a few odd looks from the people around you, but no one bothers too much.

And though you are trying to resist, it’s evident that you aren’t actually serious about it. Maybe it’s curiosity — to find out more about this man and the couple he was following. Risky, sure, but what’s life without a little thrill? This ‘Ashveil’ doesn’t seem to be a bad person, in any case.

“Why are you stalking them?”

“I’m not stalking them, I’m trailing them.”

“Those two terms are similar enough.”

“Are not! ‘Stalking’ makes me sound like some creep, while ‘trailing’ makes it clear that I’m undercover.”

“‘Undercover’?”

“I’m a detective and I’m on a case. Do you truly not recognise me? At all?”

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Ashveil. I have, thankfully, never required a detective’s assistance.”

“Looks like you’ll be assisting a detective instead. Fate’s funny, isn’t it?”

“Who said I was going to ‘assist’ you with anything?”

“You just need to stand beside me. You can zone-out and daydream or whatever if you wish to. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything hurt you. Oh, or would you like remuneration to convince you?”

“No need. All I need to do is stand, right? I get to watch a detective solve a case in real life. That’s an exciting offer, much like being in a comic.” 

“Yeahh,” he drags the word out, “you might realise that it’s not as exciting as fiction stories make it appear.”

Ashveil mutters to himself along the way, but it’s difficult to make out what he’s saying. All you understand is something about him wanting to sleep again as soon as possible. And something about a refrigerator, for some reason.

He stops in front of a building. Music echoes from the inside, making the place seem lively even during work hours.

“A bar? Mr. Ashveil I’ll have you know that I have no intention of drinking—”

“Neither of us are drinking anything. Just stay close to me, and if someone tries bothering you, tell them you came here with your boyfriend.” 

“And who is this ‘boyfriend’ that I came here with?” 

“Me, for the time-being at least.”

Your eye twitches in response, attempting to not let your red ears be too obvious. The nerve this guy has.

As if on cue, a girl approaches the two of you, eyes sweetly scanning Ashveil. Judging from the school uniform she is wearing, she was probably skipping school to hang out here.

“Hey there, babes. I couldn’t help but notice that you were looking troubled by this person.” She puckers her lips and places a hand on her waist, angling to one side, trying to look more appealing perhaps.

“Don’t worry about us. We were just discussing which drink we should get first.” 

“If you want a drink, perhaps I could buy you one? Consider it a small ‘offering’ for a taste of something more?” You tense up in discomfort. Is this girl really skipping school just to flirt with guys at the bar? 

“No thanks. I think schoolgirls like you are better off diligently attending your classes than wasting your time here in the middle of the day.” The detective deadpans without hesitation.

“Is that what you are into? Ruining naive-looking nerds?”

“I’m definitely not into you, I can guarantee that.” Ashveil crosses his arms, huffing in annoyance. The girl clicks her tongue and leaves.

“She is clearly underage to be here, especially alone. Shouldn’t we alert someone?” You ask, watching the girl’s back disappear into the crowd.

“Miss Kuchiba has been keeping an eye. She’ll probably take over that part.”

‘Kuchiba’...? That name sounds familiar.

Before you have the time to properly recall where you have heard that name, Ashveil drags you deeper into the bar and towards a door for staff members. He nods at the person standing guard at the door, and the person nods back.

“As per the orders we received, we lured them in here. There’s three of them — a man who came first and then a couple who followed a few minutes later. We couldn’t check if they had weapons though, so be careful.”

“Thank you. Miss Kuchiba is here as well. If there’s any trouble, she can contact me directly.”

As the door closes behind you, the music from the bar fades into the background. The corridors are dark and murky, unlike the lively atmosphere outside. It makes you wonder if the renowned Fool’s Tavern also has a dark side, like this bar?

“Kuchiba really knows how to get the right people on the job, eh? I didn’t expect that she’d find such capable helpers for this case. That includes me, of course.” 

You want to ask who Miss Kuchiba is and why her name was so familiar to you, when a sharp, clattering sound erupts at the end of the corridor.

“That child you brought me last time couldn’t understand a thing.” A gruff, male voice roars. “How do you think our clients would like that? Huh?! HUH?!” Another clattering sound follows, like a ceramic piece or a wine bottle being thrown onto the ground. A shiver runs down your spine.

“Stay calm, breathe. You don’t have to say anything, okay?” Ashveil tries to soothe you. He’s standing taller than earlier, his insouciant persona from moments ago fading into seriousness. “Just don’t let them see that you are scared. I’ll handle the rest.”

You try your best to stand straight and keep your chin up, silently following behind him with the most neutral expression you can muster. Ashveil takes the lead, his body gestures are still pretty airy, not giving away his seriousness and attentiveness to the situation.

“We were told some really nice people were taking care of our kids. Am I finally having the honour to meet these ‘caretakers’?” He says, sounding almost genuine if not for the sarcasm oozing behind each word, each syllable. 

You follow Ashveil as he enters the room. There’s a shattered bottle of wine on the floor, and the couple from the cafe are kneeling down, the woman clutching her feet as the man leans over her protectively. Blood pools on the ground, seeping through her palms, and purpling wounds are evident on the man’s skin. It sends another shiver down your spine.

A man stands in the centre of the room, face flushed with anger and alcohol and fists clenched and raised.

“And who are you?”

“Just someone here to retrieve a few children. They’ve been out wayyy past dinner time, and their parents are worried sick.”

“Is that so? And is that person with you here to join you on your righteous mission?” The brash man spat, his patience clearly reaching the end of its limits.

“That, and to be a witness that will make it even easier to apprehend you.”

“Kid, you’re still a rookie, ain’tcha? Telling me your motives without me even pressing. Let me teach ya a little something, not like you’ll be able to apply it because you’ll be dead after this.”

“You’re welcome to try, if you’d like. I doubt that a person who can’t even take care of kids would be able to ‘take care’ of me.”

Your legs shake, but you don’t dare run. 

You have seen the news. The missing children. The grieving families. The fearful parents.

You realise the weight of the situation, and you sincerely hope that Detective Ashveil completes this task successfully, for the sake of the children. It helps you strengthen your resolve to see this through, even if it’s terrifying to be in this situation. How do law enforcers even handle this tension?

“You…” the woman on the ground spoke, her voice strained, “You saw us at that cafe, didn’t you? You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”

“No I didn’t—” You try to protest, because truthfully, you were trying to ignore them and go about your day until you got dragged here by Ashveil, but the lady wasn’t going to listen.

“I saw you, you were staring at us. Those useless fools couldn’t stop you from following us here, huh?”

You don’t even know what to say. Your lips quiver as the lady’s gaze pierces through you, until broad shoulders block your vision. 

“I am the one doing the talking. If you have an issue, raise it with me.” Ashveil’s voice sounds even deeper than earlier, his tone laced with unsaid warnings.

“I’ve had enough of this circus.” The standing man growls, clearly intending to get aggressive. You take two steps back, standing close to the doorframe but not leaving the room, carefully following the man’s actions.

He picks up the broken leg of a chair, aiming straight for the detective’s head when the loud bang of a gunshot cuts through the heaving and panting of the people in the room, whizzing past the man’s ear and knocking him unconscious from shock and exertion. The couple leaning on the ground scurry into a corner, too shaken up to resist.

“Mr. Ashveil, please do not drag innocent civilians into such cases so casually. If anything dire had occurred, the consequences would have been far too severe.” A gentle, but authoritative voice speaks. At the entrance, a lady dressed in black and holding a gun puts a hand on her hip. It’s the same, eccentric woman from the cafe.

“Miss Kuchiba, you are finally here.” Ashveil breaths out a heavy sigh of relief, a light chuckle gracing his tone.  “Relax, I’m not too shabby in a fight. I wasn’t going to let them get hurt.”

You glance over her until you spot her badge. So that’s why her name was familiar. She’s an Officer from the Department of Aberration Defense, and is said to be one of the most capable of their members. 

“Physical well-being is not the only thing that you need to be concerned about in these cases, Detective.” 

“Oh right, right. I was so focused on catching the criminals in the act that I forgot about that part.” He says it so casually, you’re almost certain that it’s a lie. From just this experience alone, you could tell that he knows and thinks a lot more than he lets on.

“It’s rather unlike you to make such mistakes.” Kuchiba also seems to share your opinion.

“Ehh just couldn’t stop thinking of an old friend who wouldn’t allow kids to be mistreated this way.” He takes his hat off, holding it against his chest, a sad smile of reminiscence playing on his lips. 

“Was that the reason you were so willing to take up this task?”

“The detective pretends to think, as if he wasn't already sure of the answer,” a monkey pops up beside the window, “the main reason was that he was desperate for the pay.”

“Mr. N!! What awful timing. Couldn't you have saved me some face?”

The monkey ignores the detective’s comment and instead assumes a more serious demeanor as it says, “The people who were following you have been dealt with. I led them into a corner and had Miss Kuchiba’s people take care of them.”

“People who were following you?...” Kuchiba questions, eyeing Ashveil. 

“Yes, after I sat down in front of them in the cafe, I noticed a few shady people who wouldn’t stop staring at us. They probably noticed me trailing the couple. And to answer your question about me dragging an ‘innocent civilian’...”

Ashveil looks at you, apologetic, “I feared that by sitting with you at the cafe, I had put you at risk of being attacked if I left you alone. So I brought you along and asked you to put up an act with me so I could personally ensure your safety.”

“I probably was going to alert the local authorities about them,” you admit in a small voice, “they did seem suspicious to me but I never would have expected it to be this serious. Had you not been there, I… I don’t know how it would have gone.”

Ashveil opens his arms, inviting you and you abide, feeling your nerves relax as he gently rubs circles on your arm.

“You are being surprisingly too nice, Ashveil.” Mister N states.

“Not the time, Mr. N.”

“I’ll take my leave for now, there’s still work to be wrapped up.” Kuchiba interrupted, “Detective Ashveil, please ensure they get home safely.”

“I will.”

Kuchiba calls in her team, who help take the criminals away. Ashveil, followed by Mister N, leads you out of the bar. He takes in a deep breath as soon as he is out in the open, relishing another case closed successfully.

You have also completely calmed down now, the adrenaline from earlier wearing off. With the earlier fear gone, you can’t help but feel curious about the detective, wanting to learn more about his work.

You want to hear his stories, want to understand how he works, want to feel that gentle warmth of his that brought you comfort multiple times during today’s endeavour one more time (or maybe a couple more times). 

You want to learn just a little more about him.

So you ask, “What’s next for you?”

“I would like to make it up to you. What would you like in return for today’s, uhm, little ‘adventure’? A cup of coffee that you can enjoy without any interruptions this time?” 

“Would you join me?”

“Only if you want me to.”

When he is saying that so sweetly, how could you possibly decline?

[kinbedo]

Falling asleep while waiting for them to finish their work

ft. Albedo, Chiori, Dan Heng, Herta

Angsty undertones because of slight negligence, but it's mostly just domestic fluff <3

wc: ~500 each

A/n: No one asked but I started writing this with Herta's part. First time writing for hsr and of course it starts with Herta. I love her so much it's not even a joke 😭😭. Then came Dan Heng, then Chiori because I've been dying for Chiori for ages (have 170+ wishes and her best supports waiting for her), and then Albedo because my 2021 Albedo obsession era apparently never ended.

Albedo

You creak open the door to Albedo's office, watching his back as he moves around the room with measured steps.

Despite having returned from Dragonspine for a few days, your lover seemed as busy as ever, practically being glued to his office in the knight's headquarters.

Thankfully, you were able to put Klee to sleep. The little elf had insisted on wanting to stay awake and wait for her brother, but a few bedtime stories were all it took to have her fall asleep in your lap. After tucking her in, you had decided to visit Albedo to check in on him, hoping to be able to take him with you to slumber.

But seeing how invested he looked in whatever he was currently doing, you debated against it.

The door closes with a soft creak. You lean against the wall next to the door and sigh, unsure of how to approach the alchemist and convince him to take a break.

At this point, this has to be called over-working, you worry.

You slowly slide yourself to rest on the ground, head propped against the wall as drowsiness starts clouding your eyes. 

You could try waiting for him. You want to wait for him. 

Surely you won’t fall asleep here, right?

You trace the carvings on the wall with your eyes and listen carefully for the soft footsteps of the knights on night duty. The serene atmosphere of the Favonius Headquarters at night only makes your drowsiness worse, like being in a comfortable cot, being lulled to sleep.

Despite how quiet your actions have been, Albedo hears them loud and clear. He heard the soft creak of the door, and he hears the soft thud of you landing on the ground. A frown makes its way onto his face, curious about what you are doing here so late at night.

He wraps his work up as quickly as he can, settling the books on the side of his table and aligning and tucking the papers under weights.

When he steps outside, he finds you with your back against the wall, sound asleep.

Both fondness and guilt crash over him at once, as he realises that you were waiting for him. He kneels down, a hand over his knee and the other caressing your face.

He uses his index to press your cheek, but you don't even stir. He sighs, realising that he would have to carry you back. He has never been the strongest person, always needing an extra hand to carry his boxes around, but Albedo is always willing to make an extra effort for you.

So he presses a soft kiss to your forehead and then hooks his arms under your body, lifting you up and letting your head rest against his chest.

He smiles fondly at the sight of you in his arms, and then starts heading out and towards your home, determined to wake up in your arms the next morning.

Chiori

You neatly fold the fabrics and pat out the dresses on the mannequins. It’s almost completely dark and quiet outside now, with only the street-lamps illuminating Fontaine’s streets.

Chiori still seems busy working on a dress, and from the looks of it, she won’t be taking a break any time soon.

“Chio…”

“I know what you’re going to say. And yes, I will come sleep. Just after finishing a few more bits. I want to finish this dress by tomorrow afternoon, so that I can make any adjustments and have it ready for the event by the day after.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard, alright? Let me know if I can help in any way.”

She hums, eyes still fixated on the dress she is working on. 

A few minutes turn into multiple. You keep going back and forth between the boutique’s main area and the backrooms, watching your lover engrossed in her work.

With how resolute she looks about finishing the dress tonight, rather than by tomorrow as she earlier mentioned, you doubt that she’s getting any sleep, let alone going back home to rest.

For nights like these, Chiori had already prepared a make-shift bed to sleep in, just so it would be more convenient for her to immediately get back to work in the morning. From what you understand, she often spent her nights in the boutique before you got both together. Having you waiting for her is what helped her control her workaholic nature and return home for respite.

How she maintained her health with the way she over-works herself is beyond you.

The least you could do is support her — by bringing her coffee the way she likes it or by checking in on her and by reaffirming her when she needs it.

 And perhaps by adding a few more layers of clothes to make her make-shift bed more comfortable. Instead of heading home alone, you decide you stay with her in the boutique, even if it means spending the entire night there. 

Chiori reaches out to the bottle of water on her side desk, expecting it to be half-empty only to find it completely filled. That’s what finally breaks her focus, as she settles her needles down and turns the bottle around in her hand. Did you fill it for her…?

She looks out of the shop’s window and is met with the darkness of the night enveloping Fontaine. When did it get this late?

Chiori quickly puts away the needles and threads, leaving them in a spot comfortable enough for her to immediately pick her work up again in the morning. She heads to the door only to realise that it was locked from the inside. 

It could only mean one thing, she thinks to herself, that you haven’t left.

So she heads to the backrooms and finds you there, sleeping comfortably on the make-shift bed, with ample space left for her to fit into. It makes her eyes soften with adoration but chest tighten with the guilt of having ignored you because of work.

Quietly but swiftly, she undoes her hair, letting the intricately made braids fall loosely around her shoulders. Dimming the lights and changing into lighter clothing, she slips onto the mattress, trying not to wake you.

You stir in your sleep, partly aware of your lover’s presence, as you let her crawl into your arms and snuggle against your chest.

“Chio…” you mumble.

“I’m here.”

“Mmm…” 

You’re still here. Despite how her workaholic tendencies keep her away. Despite her often sharp-tongue due to her straight-forward nature. Despite the rumours her competitors try to spread to stir the market.

You are still here, and she couldn't be more grateful for that.

Dan Heng

The archives room is quiet, except for the soft buzz of the monitor and the clicking of the keyboard.

It feels colder tonight too. Normally, you would rely on Dan Heng's body heat to beat the cold, but with him still filing archives, all you can do is tug his hoodie closer and watch the back of his chair as he works.

Dan Heng might not be the warmest person you know (in terms of body heat, at least), but to you, his slightly cold skin mixed with his warm embrace is the heavenliest thing in the cosmos. 

"Are you done yet..."

"Sorry love, I'll be there soon."

"Mmm."

You don't really mind it. He prefers finishing his work before time, hating backlogs. And in turn, that helps him plan more of his time with you.

But sometimes, you really do wish that he would cut himself a little slack and indulge in more temporary pleasures (such as immediately cuddling with you to sleep, because your cravings are making tonight feel extra cold and you need him beside you pronto).

The sound of inconsistent sighs being replaced by steady breathing catches Dan Heng’s attention. “Love?” He looks in your direction to realise that you have fallen asleep, with your body still facing him.

He glances between the digital clock on his system and your limp body, realising that it’s been longer than he realised. 

Oh.

He quickly closes the system, not even bothering to arrange the files neatly as he slips in beside you. “You shouldn’t have let me get away with it…” He mutters, feeling guilty for having left you waiting.

“Mmm…Heng…” you mumble something in your sleep as you snuggle closer to him, subconsciously moving towards his neutral, but comforting scent. 

Dan Heng helps you get into a comfortable position, resting his hand on your waist and watching as you bury your head in his chest. You’re clingier when asleep and he adores that.

“Work can wait, but not these moments with you. I’ll try to be more careful next time. I’m sorry.” He’s sure that you couldn’t hear a word he was saying, that he was just talking to the air. But he still mentally notes to himself to keep a closer eye on the time and to not let you fall asleep waiting for him. 

And to apologise properly in the morning, probably by spending some quality time together. Maybe a date would be nice? It’s been a while since the two of you spent a tranquil day out together. 

He presses a soft kiss to your forehead and rests his head in the crook of your neck. 

Work may be never-ending, but he can handle it — no, he will handle it. Anything, to ensure that he isn’t neglecting your needs, his needs. 

Anything, to ensure that he isn’t neglecting you.

Herta

You're not sure what caught her eye or suddenly piqued her interest this late at night. One moment, you were pulling the blanket over her as she got into bed with you, the next she was rushing towards her pile of blueprints as she quickly scribbled out whatever came to her mind.

You stare at her, confused and amused, a small smile playing at your lips. You push yourself back and rest against the bed's headboard, watching Herta get in the zone.

"Got new ideas?"

"Yes! You're a genius, my love. Well, of course you have to be at least a quarter as good as me since you're my partner. This just might give me my next big break in the development of the Divergent Universe. Haha Screwy better watch out, because I'm taking this one from him!" She quickly rattles out, her hand not stopping once as she pulls out two new pages and dips her quill in the ink bottle again.

You are not sure what you said for her to credit you like this, but this isn't the first time this has happened. You decide against asking her about it though, lest she ends up getting distracted and takes even longer to return to your shared bed.

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"Your wish honestly, I'm not sure how long this will take but I promise you that I'll join you as soon as I'm done."

You hum, deciding to stay awake for as long as you can. You grab a book, opting to read it to keep you engaged while you wait.

By the time Herta has finished her work, you are fast asleep, with the book you were reading lying flat on your chest.

She stretches her arms and sighs contently at the sight, though with a small pang of guilt for having kept you waiting for so long.

Carefully, so as to not awake you, she plucks the book away from your chest and replaces it with her head, snuggling closer. "Sorry to keep you waiting, dear." She whispers, before letting slumber claim her for the night.

To others, she seems apathetic and self-centred. And that isn't entirely wrong but when it comes to you? There's a side to her that she wouldn't dare show anyone else. Not because she's ashamed of it, but because she thinks that you are the only one who deserves to know her more domestic sides. <3

[kinbedo]

Accidental Indulgement - Ashveil

—  ♡

Summary: You were drinking coffee at a cafe when he randomly comes and sits across from you, and now you’re being dragged into… a crime case???

Cw: Light-hearted banter

Tw: uncomfortable flirting, mentions of trafficking, blood (tbf, if you're an hsr player, this is nothing 💀 adding them just in case)

(yes, I separated the two different kinds of warnings because it was funny to me)

wc: 2.5k, gn reader

Tagging: @amorsial hihi Mila

“Uhh who even are you?” You ask for the fourth time since he sat in the chair opposite yours. 

You’ve gotten three different answers so far.

“Oh, just someone-something, you know?”

“Just a passerby who is very interested in what those two over there have going on.”

“Shh, just watch.”

And now, the fourth answer, “Just treat me like I’m an old friend. Don’t sweat it.”

Like the previous three times, he uses that same, silky tone, his head resting in his palms as he pretends to be looking at you, while his eyes keep darting to the couple that’s whispering loudly and frantically. 

Behind you, a lady dressed in black, with sunglasses and a weirdly fashioned hat keeps sighing every few seconds. She has a newspaper in her hand, but she hasn’t flipped the page since she sat there, so you’re almost certain that she hasn’t even tried reading the news for her to be sighing at that.

Why are there weirdos everywhere around you today… 

“Sir, the problem with that is that I don’t even know your name. I might have to call the police if you try anything funny.” 

“Oh is that the issue? That’s no problem at all! The name’s Ashveil and uh if you need the police, just let me know. I’ll be happy to assist or I could introduce you to someone that came here with me today.”

What?

You squint at him, as if that would help you identify whether he was being serious or not. Slumping back into your seat, you take a few more sips of the coffee you had ordered, not taking your eyes off the man in front of you.

“They are leaving.” He stands up abruptly. “Did they mention they were going to some place for uhm, couples?”

You take the last few sips of your coffee, watching his movements and glaring at him when he starts eyeing you. 

“You look very ordinary.” 

“Excuse me?”

“It’s perfect. Come on, you’re going to be my partner.” 

“Huh?” You don’t bother trying to hide the disdain in your voice as he grabs your wrist and starts running towards the door. You get a few odd looks from the people around you, but no one bothers too much.

And though you are trying to resist, it’s evident that you aren’t actually serious about it. Maybe it’s curiosity — to find out more about this man and the couple he was following. Risky, sure, but what’s life without a little thrill? This ‘Ashveil’ doesn’t seem to be a bad person, in any case.

“Why are you stalking them?”

“I’m not stalking them, I’m trailing them.”

“Those two terms are similar enough.”

“Are not! ‘Stalking’ makes me sound like some creep, while ‘trailing’ makes it clear that I’m undercover.”

“‘Undercover’?”

“I’m a detective and I’m on a case. Do you truly not recognise me? At all?”

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Ashveil. I have, thankfully, never required a detective’s assistance.”

“Looks like you’ll be assisting a detective instead. Fate’s funny, isn’t it?”

“Who said I was going to ‘assist’ you with anything?”

“You just need to stand beside me. You can zone-out and daydream or whatever if you wish to. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything hurt you. Oh, or would you like remuneration to convince you?”

“No need. All I need to do is stand, right? I get to watch a detective solve a case in real life. That’s an exciting offer, much like being in a comic.” 

“Yeahh,” he drags the word out, “you might realise that it’s not as exciting as fiction stories make it appear.”

Ashveil mutters to himself along the way, but it’s difficult to make out what he’s saying. All you understand is something about him wanting to sleep again as soon as possible. And something about a refrigerator, for some reason.

He stops in front of a building. Music echoes from the inside, making the place seem lively even during work hours.

“A bar? Mr. Ashveil I’ll have you know that I have no intention of drinking—”

“Neither of us are drinking anything. Just stay close to me, and if someone tries bothering you, tell them you came here with your boyfriend.” 

“And who is this ‘boyfriend’ that I came here with?” 

“Me, for the time-being at least.”

Your eye twitches in response, attempting to not let your red ears be too obvious. The nerve this guy has.

As if on cue, a girl approaches the two of you, eyes sweetly scanning Ashveil. Judging from the school uniform she is wearing, she was probably skipping school to hang out here.

“Hey there, babes. I couldn’t help but notice that you were looking troubled by this person.” She puckers her lips and places a hand on her waist, angling to one side, trying to look more appealing perhaps.

“Don’t worry about us. We were just discussing which drink we should get first.” 

“If you want a drink, perhaps I could buy you one? Consider it a small ‘offering’ for a taste of something more?” You tense up in discomfort. Is this girl really skipping school just to flirt with guys at the bar? 

“No thanks. I think schoolgirls like you are better off diligently attending your classes than wasting your time here in the middle of the day.” The detective deadpans without hesitation.

“Is that what you are into? Ruining naive-looking nerds?”

“I’m definitely not into you, I can guarantee that.” Ashveil crosses his arms, huffing in annoyance. The girl clicks her tongue and leaves.

“She is clearly underage to be here, especially alone. Shouldn’t we alert someone?” You ask, watching the girl’s back disappear into the crowd.

“Miss Kuchiba has been keeping an eye. She’ll probably take over that part.”

‘Kuchiba’...? That name sounds familiar.

Before you have the time to properly recall where you have heard that name, Ashveil drags you deeper into the bar and towards a door for staff members. He nods at the person standing guard at the door, and the person nods back.

“As per the orders we received, we lured them in here. There’s three of them — a man who came first and then a couple who followed a few minutes later. We couldn’t check if they had weapons though, so be careful.”

“Thank you. Miss Kuchiba is here as well. If there’s any trouble, she can contact me directly.”

As the door closes behind you, the music from the bar fades into the background. The corridors are dark and murky, unlike the lively atmosphere outside. It makes you wonder if the renowned Fool’s Tavern also has a dark side, like this bar?

“Kuchiba really knows how to get the right people on the job, eh? I didn’t expect that she’d find such capable helpers for this case. That includes me, of course.” 

You want to ask who Miss Kuchiba is and why her name was so familiar to you, when a sharp, clattering sound erupts at the end of the corridor.

“That child you brought me last time couldn’t understand a thing.” A gruff, male voice roars. “How do you think our clients would like that? Huh?! HUH?!” Another clattering sound follows, like a ceramic piece or a wine bottle being thrown onto the ground. A shiver runs down your spine.

“Stay calm, breathe. You don’t have to say anything, okay?” Ashveil tries to soothe you. He’s standing taller than earlier, his insouciant persona from moments ago fading into seriousness. “Just don’t let them see that you are scared. I’ll handle the rest.”

You try your best to stand straight and keep your chin up, silently following behind him with the most neutral expression you can muster. Ashveil takes the lead, his body gestures are still pretty airy, not giving away his seriousness and attentiveness to the situation.

“We were told some really nice people were taking care of our kids. Am I finally having the honour to meet these ‘caretakers’?” He says, sounding almost genuine if not for the sarcasm oozing behind each word, each syllable. 

You follow Ashveil as he enters the room. There’s a shattered bottle of wine on the floor, and the couple from the cafe are kneeling down, the woman clutching her feet as the man leans over her protectively. Blood pools on the ground, seeping through her palms, and purpling wounds are evident on the man’s skin. It sends another shiver down your spine.

A man stands in the centre of the room, face flushed with anger and alcohol and fists clenched and raised.

“And who are you?”

“Just someone here to retrieve a few children. They’ve been out wayyy past dinner time, and their parents are worried sick.”

“Is that so? And is that person with you here to join you on your righteous mission?” The brash man spat, his patience clearly reaching the end of its limits.

“That, and to be a witness that will make it even easier to apprehend you.”

“Kid, you’re still a rookie, ain’tcha? Telling me your motives without me even pressing. Let me teach ya a little something, not like you’ll be able to apply it because you’ll be dead after this.”

“You’re welcome to try, if you’d like. I doubt that a person who can’t even take care of kids would be able to ‘take care’ of me.”

Your legs shake, but you don’t dare run. 

You have seen the news. The missing children. The grieving families. The fearful parents.

You realise the weight of the situation, and you sincerely hope that Detective Ashveil completes this task successfully, for the sake of the children. It helps you strengthen your resolve to see this through, even if it’s terrifying to be in this situation. How do law enforcers even handle this tension?

“You…” the woman on the ground spoke, her voice strained, “You saw us at that cafe, didn’t you? You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”

“No I didn’t—” You try to protest, because truthfully, you were trying to ignore them and go about your day until you got dragged here by Ashveil, but the lady wasn’t going to listen.

“I saw you, you were staring at us. Those useless fools couldn’t stop you from following us here, huh?”

You don’t even know what to say. Your lips quiver as the lady’s gaze pierces through you, until broad shoulders block your vision. 

“I am the one doing the talking. If you have an issue, raise it with me.” Ashveil’s voice sounds even deeper than earlier, his tone laced with unsaid warnings.

“I’ve had enough of this circus.” The standing man growls, clearly intending to get aggressive. You take two steps back, standing close to the doorframe but not leaving the room, carefully following the man’s actions.

He picks up the broken leg of a chair, aiming straight for the detective’s head when the loud bang of a gunshot cuts through the heaving and panting of the people in the room, whizzing past the man’s ear and knocking him unconscious from shock and exertion. The couple leaning on the ground scurry into a corner, too shaken up to resist.

“Mr. Ashveil, please do not drag innocent civilians into such cases so casually. If anything dire had occurred, the consequences would have been far too severe.” A gentle, but authoritative voice speaks. At the entrance, a lady dressed in black and holding a gun puts a hand on her hip. It’s the same, eccentric woman from the cafe.

“Miss Kuchiba, you are finally here.” Ashveil breaths out a heavy sigh of relief, a light chuckle gracing his tone.  “Relax, I’m not too shabby in a fight. I wasn’t going to let them get hurt.”

You glance over her until you spot her badge. So that’s why her name was familiar. She’s an Officer from the Department of Aberration Defense, and is said to be one of the most capable of their members. 

“Physical well-being is not the only thing that you need to be concerned about in these cases, Detective.” 

“Oh right, right. I was so focused on catching the criminals in the act that I forgot about that part.” He says it so casually, you’re almost certain that it’s a lie. From just this experience alone, you could tell that he knows and thinks a lot more than he lets on.

“It’s rather unlike you to make such mistakes.” Kuchiba also seems to share your opinion.

“Ehh just couldn’t stop thinking of an old friend who wouldn’t allow kids to be mistreated this way.” He takes his hat off, holding it against his chest, a sad smile of reminiscence playing on his lips. 

“Was that the reason you were so willing to take up this task?”

“The detective pretends to think, as if he wasn't already sure of the answer,” a monkey pops up beside the window, “the main reason was that he was desperate for the pay.”

“Mr. N!! What awful timing. Couldn't you have saved me some face?”

The monkey ignores the detective’s comment and instead assumes a more serious demeanor as it says, “The people who were following you have been dealt with. I led them into a corner and had Miss Kuchiba’s people take care of them.”

“People who were following you?...” Kuchiba questions, eyeing Ashveil. 

“Yes, after I sat down in front of them in the cafe, I noticed a few shady people who wouldn’t stop staring at us. They probably noticed me trailing the couple. And to answer your question about me dragging an ‘innocent civilian’...”

Ashveil looks at you, apologetic, “I feared that by sitting with you at the cafe, I had put you at risk of being attacked if I left you alone. So I brought you along and asked you to put up an act with me so I could personally ensure your safety.”

“I probably was going to alert the local authorities about them,” you admit in a small voice, “they did seem suspicious to me but I never would have expected it to be this serious. Had you not been there, I… I don’t know how it would have gone.”

Ashveil opens his arms, inviting you and you abide, feeling your nerves relax as he gently rubs circles on your arm.

“You are being surprisingly too nice, Ashveil.” Mister N states.

“Not the time, Mr. N.”

“I’ll take my leave for now, there’s still work to be wrapped up.” Kuchiba interrupted, “Detective Ashveil, please ensure they get home safely.”

“I will.”

Kuchiba calls in her team, who help take the criminals away. Ashveil, followed by Mister N, leads you out of the bar. He takes in a deep breath as soon as he is out in the open, relishing another case closed successfully.

You have also completely calmed down now, the adrenaline from earlier wearing off. With the earlier fear gone, you can’t help but feel curious about the detective, wanting to learn more about his work.

You want to hear his stories, want to understand how he works, want to feel that gentle warmth of his that brought you comfort multiple times during today’s endeavour one more time (or maybe a couple more times). 

You want to learn just a little more about him.

So you ask, “What’s next for you?”

“I would like to make it up to you. What would you like in return for today’s, uhm, little ‘adventure’? A cup of coffee that you can enjoy without any interruptions this time?” 

“Would you join me?”

“Only if you want me to.”

When he is saying that so sweetly, how could you possibly decline?