Malleus x overworked!sick!male!reader
reader isn't Yuu. I alluded to reader being in Heartslabyul, but it’s not rlly relevant and easily changed if you pretend Trey’s name is someone else’s.
This takes place a year after the events of Book 7. I haven’t read book 8 so my facts are probably hella incorrect lol
Also warning for insane mischaracterization. This is genuinely one of my daydreams typed out so its also kinda long. Enjoy!!
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“How has he come to be like this?”
The serious tone in Malleus’ voice sets everyone on edge. Minus you, of course, who is lying peacefully on the infirmary’s bed at his side. Sort of peacefully. You’re much paler than usual and covered in a sheen of sweat. There are also dark bags under your eyes from nights of unrest. The trembling of your body is visible and there is a folded towelette on your forehead. So by peacefully- you’re unconscious and mostly unbothered by the surrounding chaos.
Malleus would find this moment intriguing if he weren’t so worried for your wellbeing. But because you are his beloved, he cannot help but fixate on your poor health.
How have you come to be so ill? It’s not due to having an immune system of a peasant child, that’s for sure. You’ve gone four years at Night Raven together without a serious trip to the Infirmary, yet here you lay here as if suffering from a plague.
“Well… we’ve been wanting to visit all the upperclassmen who were coming back from their internships. Trey warned us that (name) wasn’t feeling well, but we were so excited since he went to such a unique workplace that we… basically…” Deuce’s explanation trails off at Malleus’ stormy expression. While the dragon fae has worked on his socialization, there are plenty of times where he slips up. Who wouldn’t when their beloved is at risk? What fool pokes a bear after a warning? Excited as they may have been, do they not respect (name) to leave him to rest?
“Sebek was the one who was pushing to see him.” Ace coughs after a painfully long and silent moment. The bickering begins immediately.
“OF COURSE I WANTED TO SEE (NAME)-SENPAI. AS THE PARTNER OF MY LEIGE, I HOLD HIM IN VERY HIGH REGARD. AND I DID NOT BELIEVE HIM ABLE TO BE IN SUCH A WEAK STATE!” Sebek defends loudly after crossing his arms. The pink hue in his cheeks and determination to avoid anyone’s eye contact betrays his embarrassment.
“Weak? It’s probably just a cold. I bet ya had multiple before, Sebek.” Epel scoffs.
“NEVER! COLDS ARE FOR THE WEAK AND HUMANE! AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YOU ALSO DID NOT BELIEVE TREY-SENPAI AND BEGGED TO SEE (NAME)-”
“Well, well, this is quite the commotion,” a new, but familiar, voice interjects. At this point Malleus disregards the entire conversation. He’s the only one not caught off guard by Lilia’s inverted appearance or Silver’s joining. His focus is strictly on you.
Malleus’ head tilts, his eyebrows furrowing just slightly as he watches your unrestful sleep. Your expression has pinched since the underclassman’s bickering amplified- yet you don’t awaken. There is magic on you. He can sense it. The entire infirmary smells faintly of disinfectant and magic, but a spell’s scent is stronger on you. One not strong enough to cause suspicion, but enough to catch his attention. Your skin has an odd tingling when he takes your clammy hand. Malleus is so focused on the spell that he doesn’t notice the nurse attempting to quiet down the underclassmen.
“Is there a spell on him?” Malleus asks over the turmoil. All eyes turn to him as he looks over to the nurse. They stiffen under his sharp gaze and avert their eyes.
“Yes. We did an inspection immediately after he was carried here by Mr. Zigvolt,” they admit with a small nod in Sebek’s direction. “Mr. (last name) most likely collapsed due to a small case of malnourishment and exhaustion. It’s unfortunately not an uncommon incident for students, especially those of arcane educations.”
“The spell we use in these circumstances puts the patient in a temporary coma until their body is completely revitalized, then they’ll wake by themselves. Since Mr (last name)’s condition wasn’t too bad, I assume he’ll wake up in the next two or three days.”
Malleus frowns and looks back at you. Your pained expression seems to have lessened since those around you have quieted. But still, he can’t help but feel troubled at your state of being.
“If the spell is supposed to help, why does he look so… in pain?” Epel asks. He’s not wrong. You look as if you’re trapped in a nightmare, tense and trembling.
“That’s common. The body is getting loaded with vitamins and nutrients to get Mr. (last name) back to health. We’re basically accelerating the body’s healing process through the illness. What could possibly take a week or two will take less than five days with this spell. It’s very uncomfortable- hence the unconsciousness. Fits during sleep are common with this.” The nurse explains. They seem to have regained enough confidence to not cower in Malleus’ presence. Still, they do not meet his eyes.
Malleus takes a long moment to speak. He can’t take his eyes off of your pinched face. Your hand is limp in his grasp. It doesn’t feel right to leave you in your discomfort.
“Would it be possible to give him a blessing?” Malleus asks. There’s really no questioning what he means. Everyone’s shares an immediate glance of panic. Although Lilia, who at some point moved to his feet instead of hanging in the air, gives Malleus more of an curious look.
“Uhh… is that really a good idea? Especially after…” Ace doesn’t finish his thought. It’s not his intention to piss off Malleus and recreate last year, but he’s also not known for keeping his mouth shut.
“DO NOT QUESTION MALLEUS-SAMA’S POWERS. MY LEIGE HAS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS OF TIME REMASTERING THE USE OF MAGIC.” Sebek scoffs. The other sophomores still look skeptical. A faint of a smirk flickers on Malleus’ lips, but the only answer he cares for is from the nurse-
Who only purses their lips and looks at their clipboard unsurely. They were there, last year, when the Prince of Briar Valley overblotted. It’s not an experience they really want to go through again.
“I have trained tirelessly to regain what control I have lost over my powers. It’s possible for me to put a condition on the spell, much like the one is (name) under. He will still awaken when he’s ready,” Malleus’ says, his expression softening with a twinge of guilt as he looks at you once more.
The two of you had kept constant communication during your internships. Malleus had even learned how to use social media with the help of those at STYX. But he found himself worried when your communication lessened over the weeks. You said your workload had done nothing but increase and that you would be alright. That, and Lilia insisting that distance is healthy for couples, kept Malleus from traveling straight to you or pushing for more.
“It does not feel right to leave my beloved to be uncomfortable when I can give him comfort,” Malleus says.
“WHAT BENEVOLENCE! MY LEIGE IS A WONDERFUL PARTNER!!!!” Sebek boasts with that proud smile of his. It earns him side eyes from the underclassman and a slightly proud smirk from Malleus. Lilia himself chuckles and turns to the nurse.
Malleus doesn’t listen to the nurse and Lilia speak in hushed voices. He hadn’t intended to pay any mind to the sophomores until their bickering grew and your expression once again twisted. But the nurse interjects before he can tell them to quiet themselves.
“Physical and magical violence is not allowed on campus unless under specific supervision. The consequences to these actions are not limited to suspension, expulsion, or possible lawsuits in extreme cases.” The nurse drones out. They wearily pinch the bridge of their nose before continuing. “I have other duties to attend to and will not be aware of your actions after this. Please try to keep your noise level lowered in respect to our patients.”
In a bit of surprise, the group watches the nurse retreat with their clipboard. A long moment passes before anyone speaks.
“Are we sure-“
“I would not put (name) at risk were I not confident in my abilities.” Malleus interjects. His sharp eyes meet Ace’s. “You are close friends with him, and I offer my thanks that you were able to aid him where I had not. Place your trust in me, Trappola.”
Ace nods stiffly and awkwardly looks away. No one else seems keen on interrupting, and with a confirming smile from Lilia, Malleus turns to you once more.
Malleus brushes a hair from your face. Your fate is not fatal yet he feels as if he’s somehow failed you anyway. Why had you not confided in him? You have consistently supported Malleus in more ways than one since his overblot. You believed he could be better and always encouraged him without falter. Did you not believe him capable of doing the same for you?
Malleus grasps your hand in both of his. The clamminess of your limp hand unsettles him but he doesn’t let go. The guilt of not being there for you gnaws on him.
But that will change. Malleus refuses to be useless to those he loves. The words that leave him are heavy with magic.
“I, the Lord of Malevolence, offer this blessing. Fae Maleficence.”
Exclamations arise as the ground trembles, Malleus and Lilia seemingly not reacting to it. Tiny black brambles just an inch tall tear through the hard flooring around your cot at the same moment a hazy, green bubble settles around you. Then…
Silence.
Your trembling ceases. You no longer look pained by nightmares. Relieved, Malleus presses his lips to the back of your hand. He may have not been there before, but now you can rest peacefully.
Lilia smiles as he watches his ward gaze at you. The longing in Malleus’ stare is recognizable, a tale as old as time.
Oh young love…
~~~
Malleus is by your side the moment he feels his spell waver. It doesn’t matter what he was doing or who he was with. In class? Never mind that. Gargoyle appreciating? There is a better beauty to admire. His retainers will find him eventually. Homework can wait. But he will not, for his beloved.
Your eyes have barely opened before you see him beside you. Haziness and confusion fog your consciousness, but you also feel better than you have in ages. A blissful memory- a dream?- fades away as you awaken to reality.
“My love… I am pleased to see you well again.” Malleus says. He’s practically beaming and unable to keep his hands off of you as soon as you sit up. He by you and just invades you space. Caressing your hair, then your warm cheeks, and finally grasping your hands. Even his scaly tail lays itself across your legs.
You look better. Well… that just means you’re awake. Malleus has been at your side every chance he could get, monitoring your well being. He watched as those dark circles faded and life color your cheeks. Your fits ceased entirely after his spell and it relieved Malleus to see you sleep so peacefully.
But seeing you awake provides a much better satisfaction. No gem shines prettier than your eyes. And honestly, he enjoys seeing your cheeks red and flushed. He picks up on your confusion and explains what happened. It’s a quick retelling; from the sophomore’s story, to his spell, and finally your awakening.
“Do you not trust me?” Malleus murmurs. He’d given you a few minutes to comprehend his words but couldn’t hold himself back.
“What?” You ask in pure confusion. Your thumbs have been brushing against Malleus’ knuckles but pause at his question.
“Not once had you asked for assistance. And while I do admire your resilience… I would hope you hold enough trust to find solace within me.” Malleus says. His tone is stern yet gentle, with what sounds like betrayal underlying it all. His grip on your hands turn slightly needy.
You bite the inside of your lip and look away almost guiltily. It wasn’t your intention of pushing Malleus away or making him feel untrustworthy. You’re just too used to handling everything by yourself.
“I’m… sorry, Malleus. I do trust you. A lot,” You choke out. The words are almost suffocating. And embarrassing. It’s easier to let others be vulnerable with you than the other way around. You’re thankful that Malleus doesn’t push for an answer, only waits patiently.
“I just got carried away. They’re known for overworking their interns, and I felt like admitting I was struggling meant…” You scoff and look away to avoid letting Malleus meet your tearing eyes. It’s embarrassing how quickly you break. But Malleus doesn’t seem to mind that you had pulled away.
“We share an affinity for isolation,” he murmurs, a strange affection in his voice. His green eyes bear into your face and he knows you can feel it. “But there is no need to banish yourself to such state. Doing so myself led me to make foolish decisions.”
Malleus gently cups your cheek. He’s always loved your human warmth and was uneased to feel you so clammy and limp. And he misses having your eyes on him. But the two of you have had lengthy conversations about control and boundaries. So he lovingly admires your side profile.
“I do not wish for you to ever know that pain, (name). I know you are strong. And I admire your independence. But admittance of pain is not an admittance of weakness. It would never make me think lesser of you. Nothing would make me think less of you.” He skims his lips across your cheek and grins at how you heat up. You’ve never been one to openly admit your vulnerable feelings or ask for help. Malleus would love a chance to emotionally pamper you as you’ve done for him.
“We are the future kings of Briar Valley. A monarchy serves best when its rulers are in tune with one another.” Malleus practically purrs as he tilts his head to chase your gaze. You’re too cute. He’s missed seeing his partner so flustered. And he knows that if you truly did not want this, want him, you would push him away instead of simply look away.
“You have cheered me on through my training and tribulations. Not once has your love for me faltered. So allow me to support you as you have supported me, dear beloved. Unless that is not what you wish for?” You cannot help but scoff at the coy tone of your partner. Leave it to Malleus to go from yearning lover to reminding you he’s a prince.
An affectionate sigh leaves your lips as you press a chaste kiss to his pale cheek. Finally you bring yourself to meet the green eyes of your partner. There’s nothing but pure adoration and playfulness in Malleus’ eyes. No disappointment or anger or resentment. Nothing that you feared is there.
Cupping Malleus’ pale cheek, you press a kiss to his lips. He returns your longing with just as much affection.
“Of course I want that,” you respond after pulling away. Your words brush against Malleus’ lips and he can’t help but chuckle.
“Then allow me to start by showing you just how much you mean to me,” Malleus murmurs and presses another sweet kiss to your lips.