you and your lover live in a shared space, and oftentimes, you hear and experience things that you aren’t supposed to, however annoying, entertaining, and distressing it can be; so basically, dealing with annoying neighbours, couple break-ups, or unusual occurrences.
CONTENT TAGS — established relationship, you're both adults, fluff, you either live in a house or an apartment, cursing, scenarios, possibly ooc, kind of crack | wc: 3.1k
DIRECTOR NOTES — have this random silly idea i had while i was waiting for the train anyways i dont know how this got so long i swear i was just fucking around and writing and im also running out of titles ARGGGSHHHSH
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CAELUS
Your neighbours were arguing. Again. It’s something that you have already grown used to. So what do you and Caelus do? Of course, listen to it. It has become part of your nightly ritual, after all. You have both of your ears pressed against the wall, hushing one another, scolding for even breathing too loud because you cannot hear shit clearly. Tonight’s episode seems to be titled, “WHOSE LASHES IS THIS IN YOUR CAR?”, purely based on what you’ve been hearing behind the wall.
The pieces of information that you got from yesterday’s together connect to each other like missing dots—that girl you’ve seen enter the apartment last time when the girlfriend had already left for work, which is the same girl you’ve seen in the highlights of the girlfriend’s account with the name, ‘4lyf’. You are wide-eyed staring at one another, sending telepathic messages, hoping that the both of you are on the same wavelength. You had your hopes up when he repeatedly nodded to your hushed question of “Do you know what this means?”
However, when your debriefing came later on, hours after the bickering of the couple next door had ended, the both of you had come to different conclusions, making you wonder how did he even get there.
“He’s clearly cheating on her with her best friend." You say.
He then replies: “Or maybe homeboy just likes collecting lashes. You know those people who keep their fingernails clippings?”
“What, Caelus, that’s disgusting. Don’t tell me you do that?”
“What kind of image do you even have of me in your head?”
DAN HENG
Dan Heng sees you camping by the hallway like the nosy person you are as soon as he gets home, hiding behind the slightly open door, eavesdropping on the couple, ex-lovers, or a pair with a romantic history (a gut-wrenching situationship) bickering.
You immediately beckon him over, placing a finger against your lips to silence any of his questions, and by the time he arrives by your side you pull him aside: “They’ve been at it for hours.” You say, completely focused on a pair of a couple of strangers, eyes gleaming with the fervor as if you’re watching your favorite show on TV.
“And you’ve been here for hours?” He replies, which you immediately hush him. It’s rather painful to admit, but there’s this feeling that boils in his chest, and he can’t help but be upset. Something sharp and unwelcome twists in his chest at how utterly captivated you are by this strangers' mess when he's standing right here, when he could be giving you his full attention. Why are you paying so much attention to someone that isn’t him?
“I don’t really know what’s going on but it looks so interesting, so I can’t help it.” You utter, still not sparing a glance at him. Clearly, you weren’t the only one as the others are doing the same thing—even the ones from a different floor are lingering by the stairs.
With a long-suffering sigh that doesn't quite mask his irritation, he hooks a finger in your collar and bodily drags you away from your makeshift opera show, ignoring your indignant squawks as he herds you back inside, effectively distracting you with something else.
PHAINON
There are some pretty loud sounds and creaking that has been going on in the apartment next door.
At first, Phainon and you dismissed it. I mean, it’s not like those kinds of things are not normal and both of you weren’t the purest beings out there in this world. Besides, that was just the only time it’s going to happen, right?
Wrong.
You are completely and utterly wrong because for DAYS you have been enduring those damn sounds and for days you are losing sleep over it. It haunts you every single night for hours as soon as the clock strikes nine as if it was a damn routine of theirs. You tried knocking back against the wall, a signal, but they didn't stop. Matter of fact, they get louder.
By the time a week has passed by, or banged by, both you and Phainon have reached a level of zen-like resignation that would concern even the most seasoned monks.
Night comes once more, his eyes are glazed over as the headboard next door pounds rhythmically against the wall in what can only be described as architectural assault. He’s long since given up on subtlety, muttering, “Good for them,” with the hollow cheer of a man who has accepted his fate. You, on the other hand, are biting your lip to keep from laughing at the way his eye twitches every time a particularly enthusiastic moan pierces the air.
He suddenly rolls over, pulls you in his arms, and squeezes you tightly like you were a life-sized stress ball, “You’re laughing, we’re both miserable, and you’re laughing.” Perhaps it was better to bang at your neighbor's door tomorrow to give them a change of pace, or a new definition of pounding.
ANAXAGORAS
Anaxa is not one to be able to tolerate such things. I mean, how many times has this been already? Every single time there is a damn delivery addressed to your door, it’s not really addressed to you nor him, but to the person who lives next to you. You wouldn’t mind it if it was just a one-time occurrence, but no, because nearly every single day you’ll always have someone knocking and yelling: “Delivery for (insert name of your neighbour who is pissing you off and inconveniencing you with this thing)!”
From food, to jewelry, to clothes, to shoes, to flowers, you name it all. It feels like you had the entire mall fall into your entire doorstep already. It gets annoying especially when it overlaps with some of your expected deliveries. Imagine being so excited for your parcel to arrive that you’d run to your door, abandoning whatever you are doing, only to discover that it wasn’t even yours?!?
“This is getting annoying.” You grumble, invading Anaxa’s personal space as he reads from his book, resting your head against his shoulder.
“I agree.”
So what does Anaxa propose to do instead? Accepting the deliveries before his neighbour could open the door and tell the guy that it’s theirs. From then on, you are enjoying the luxuries of free food and items. Though it only lasted for five days because your lovely neighbor didn’t put your address as the delivery place anymore after your small squabble with them. Bummer.
Why were they even putting your address for deliveries anyway? Turns out your neighbour was scamming people left and right online and putting your address as to not get in trouble in case authorities get involved. Well, they did get involved and they also did end up at your door but you simply redirected them to the right place.
MYDEIMOS
As a great philosopher has once said, for one to arrange their furniture, one must do it in the morning. Not during the ass fucking crack of dawn when you’re already wandering and skipping in your dreamland, talking to a purple dinosaur. As soon as he hears that loud banging, screeching, and scraping of something coming from the place above, Mydei does not waste a single second.
“What the fuck.” You say, groggy and having just woken up from your sleep when a loud sound of something crashing is heard from above. You would have thought someone broke into your place until you saw Mydei right beside you, leaning against the headboard, arms crossed across his chest.
“What was that? Did you hear that?” You’re already bombarding him with questions, trying to make sense of what’s happening until you hear another sound of something scraping just above your ceiling and it doesn’t stop for a minute. If you were in a cartoon, your whole place would already be shaking just for the effect of it.
“I’m going to talk to them.”
“Huh?” You say, confused, watching as your lover gets out of bed. “Who?” Your eyes follow him as he randomly picks a shirt from his closet.
Before he completely leaves, he crosses the room until he’s leaning over you, one hand cradling your cheek as if you’re something sacred. His thumb brushes beneath your eye and before you realize it, he’s already tilting your face up, pressing a lingering kiss on your forehead.
When he finally pulls back, he murmurs, “Stay here.” And then you never see him again.
Just kidding, you do. Just a few minutes later when he slips back into bed and tells you to go back to sleep, while he embraces you. You don’t question him or what he did, and surely enough, your sleep was peaceful and quiet.
BOOTHILL
ASSERT DOMINANCE, Boothill claims as he’s already rolling his sleeves and preparing to take out the speaker system.
He was already not having it. Months of having to deal with his so-called neighbours, also so-called ‘friends’, and their never-ending parties that disturb your sleep to which they’ll compensate with a half-assed apology the next morning only to do the same thing again during the night. In addition to that nuisance too is how some of these dumbasses would occasionally stumble into your door, mistaking it for the party venue. Clearly, they don’t see the loud ass house with disco lights just behind them.
After another intoxicated fool ends up at your doorstep again, his already-broken composure falters as he swings the door open with a rather pissed off grin, gaze burning with so much intensity. "Lost, darling?" he purrs, voice dripping saccharine venom as the stranger blinks blearily at him. One glance at you who bore a tired look on your face and back to Boothill who's still hovering by the doorway, glaring, and the poor soul suddenly remembers they have somewhere else to be. That was it, that was the last straw.
So here you are, trying to stop him as he drags the speakers to the porch, firing up a playlist exclusively consisting of a guy imitating how Hugh Jackman would sing certain songs (please get the reference) and Mariah Carey’s entire discography.
Not long after, the neighbour’s party stops dead. Although a verbal argument did break out, with your lover’s amazing vocabulary and machine-gun like mouth, he won.
"See, darlin’? Sometimes the best way to shut a party down is to throw a better one."
In the end, both you and the neighbours got a noise complaint.
JING YUAN
There’s a couple breaking up across the street and they were yelling loud enough to wake up even the neighbourhood’s deepest sleeper. So like the chad Jing Yuan and you are, of course, you sit by your porch on the pretense that you are… simply sightseeing. Yes, sightseeing.
That’s why you have your chairs out with glasses of juice along with some leftover popcorn that you made last night. Oh, and also, your binoculars. If only you could read lips to complete your experience, but it’s alright, because this couple (or not to be) is screaming and hollering loudly, as the lady throws into the streets what you assume to be his belongings.
The spectacle escalates to something like you would see from a telenovela, shame there are no grand reveals and slapping involved. But the girl did fling a ceramic vase at him, to which the man dodges, unfortunately.
“I wonder what the guy did.” You mumble, taking a mouthful of popcorn. Your bucket was nearly empty now and at the same time, it seems like your show is coming to an end as the woman stomps back inside and leaves the guy behind. With that, Jing Yuan rises from his chair, stretching languidly before offering you his arm.
"Shall we retire for intermission, my dear? I believe Act Two will involve either tearful reconciliation or a round two of their fight. Either way, we'll want fresh snacks." It’s no lie that your lover is positively radiant with amusement despite the disruption it created for your usually peaceful, warm afternoon.
SUNDAY
Sunday deals with the neighbours’ drunken chaos the way a saint tolerates blasphemy. Despite the nuisance it has brought with the loud bass that seem to shake the whole place awake, he’s still formal and proper in handling the situation.
The door opens after a few minutes of knocking and waiting and a lady greets him.
“My apologies for interrupting your revelry, but I’m afraid you’re disturbing everyone with your enthusiastic celebration.” Specifically you. The thought of you being weary and troubled as you lose sleep over this terrible disturbance is making his chest tighten. He doesn’t wish to see you suffer, so he ignores your insistence of just leaving the neighbours alone. “Some of us have work in the morning.”
The woman blinks slowly and cries, “I’M NOT READY TO DIE YET!”
Hell is quieter than their playlist, that’s for sure.
He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Please, it is clear that you are not of sober mind,” he forces a smile, “so allow me to make this simple for you. We would appreciate it if you were to immediately comply with local noise ordinance, lest we escalate this to the authorities. You wouldn’t like that, would you?”
That seemed to have sobered her up, and though annoyed, the lady apologized and went back inside. Soon, the music comes to a halt and everything is embraced by silence. Relieved, he returns to your side after accomplishing what he was here for, bringing you a warm cup of tea to drink as he tells you of how his conversation went down, saying something about how some people wouldn't recognize peace if it bit them.
BLADE
You’ve just moved into the neighborhood, hoping to have a fresh, warm start together with your beloved. But life seems to have different plans for you.
There’s this group of teenagers making a commotion every day by the front of your house, coinciding at the same time that he’s away. From lighting up fireworks which resulted in burning off a few of your plants as it flew off the wrong direction, to laughing and playing loudly that you often find your afternoon nap being disturbed, and to even throwing eggs at your window as they compete with one another on who’ll get to hit the highest. It’s annoying, especially when you have already told them off many times before but they never listen. These brats.
Eventually, you’ve resorted to telling Blade about it, nearly breaking down in the process. I mean, it was stressing you out so much and although it could just be a small thing for others—reasoning it with how they’re just children and having fun—, it was making you frustrated.
Blade makes an effort to comfort you, even reassuring you that he’ll deal with the problem. You just nod and accept it, knowing that he won’t be able to do anything against these young, wild, and free teenagers.
You didn’t know that doubting Blade was a big mistake because somehow, when the next day comes, he had managed to bring them over to you and had them apologize, swearing that they’ll never bother you again.
“We’re so sorry!”
“We’re never going to do it again!”
“Please forgive us!”
You did scold them, kindly, before forgiving them and oddly enough, it was satisfying. It feels like a heavy weight was lifted off your shoulders.
“What did you do?” You ask him as soon as the kids leave.
“Stared at them.”
AVENTURINE
In all honesty, it’s rare for you to hear anything scandalous or experience something frustrating, so things can get a little boring. But when drama does strike, you and Aventurine are front-row spectators, dissecting every juicy detail.
This time, however, the gossip seems to involve you. There is a girl, a stranger, standing in front of you, yelling and accusing you of things that you don’t even remember doing. Your confusion and silence, however, prompts the stranger to hesitate and stop.
“Wait, you’re not [Name]?”
“I am…?”
"You bitch! Are you trying to confuse me or what?!" Furious, her hand flies up—only for Aventurine to catch her wrist with ease, letting go of it soon after.
“Perhaps there is a small misunderstanding. If I remember correctly, there are two [Name]’s in here.” he shields you behind him, holding your hand as if to reassure you, “I believe that the person you are looking for is them.” He says, directing her attention to somewhere else.
And funnily enough, there is another girl a few steps away, attempting to cover their face with their purse, trying to run away before they get caught. But it’s too late as the girl finally realizes who her target truly is.
“YOU!” She storms over, heels clanking loudly against the floor. “I knew it was you!” You beg to differ.
The scene immediately escalated into a catfight accompanied with yelling and spilling the most atrocious things like how this paramour was also sleeping with the man’s sister. Wow, messy.
“Should we call the security?”
“I already did.” Aventurine casually says, squeezing your hand as he tugs you away from the spectacle. Walking back to your home and away from the mess, he takes this moment to tease you:
“Babe, you should have told me you had another man.”
“I do not!”
GALLAGHER
“And what’s troubling my beloved?” Gallagher asks as soon as he sees your rather stressed state—bags heavy under your eyes, hair disheveled, and the demeanor of someone who’s been pushed to their limit. You groan, flopping face-first onto the couch with a muffled scream into the cushion.
Gallagher hums, already pouring you a glass of water before settling beside you. His calloused fingers card through your hair, listening patiently, as you rant about the latest neighborhood nuisance: there is this constant thump-thump-thump noise that happens at exactly 3 AM.
You’ll find yourself waking up to it often, cursing at that repeated sound that’s making your head explode. It lasts for an hour, sometimes less than it, but it occurs at the same time of dawn. You’ve adapted to it now by covering your ears with some plugs you bought from the store after days of having it happen to you.
“It’s just so annoying! Does it not bother you?” You say, rolling over to your back and staring at the ceiling.
“I don’t recall ever waking up to anything with that sound.” Right, you forgot how this man can be such a heavy sleeper at times.
“Lucky you.” You groan. “It sounded like someone's bouncing a basketball? Or maybe hammering nails? I don't even know anymore."
He brushes a strand of hair away from your face, gazing at you affectionately as he caresses your cheek. “Maybe we can talk to them tomorrow.”
“Yeah, we could, they’re just next door anyway.” You mutter, sitting up slightly to rub your tired eyes.
Gallagher’s hand stills against your skin. “What do you mean next door?”
“You know, unit 305. The one right next to us.”
“My love.”
“What? You’re scaring me, Gallagher.” You whisper, pulse quickening as his gaze flicks toward the wall.
“Nobody lives there.”
i procrastinated on this for days then as soon as i finished i got informed i have a 150-page reading due
i NEEEDD somebody to write about mydei being able to js pick somebody up w 1 hand?? (like cipher in that one scene) like bro hello me next?!!?
me, next! — mydei x reader
sypnosis. [ 1.1k words ] established friendship. fluff.
usagi's note: HI HELLO !! i'm so sorry it took SO long, i'm inherently bad at checking my notifs and inboxes >< but here's your request! i hope it's to your liking ^^ oh also, 120 lbs is 54kgs, 135 lbs is 61kgs, and 350 lbs is 159 kgs! AND LAST ALSO, YES I CROPPED THAT IMAGE TO ONLY FEATURE HIS BICEPS, OKAY ENJOY!
it started as a joke.
you and mydei had been friends for a few months now. you knew him from a lecture for an elective class, but was surprised to see that he went to the same gym.
it was quiet for the first two weeks, you knew he saw you and he knew you saw him, but you guys never interacted while in the gym, you'd just pass by each other, almost even avoiding the other.
that is, until he came to you while you were doing lateral pull-downs.
"your form is wrong."
your arms freeze in the air, eyes staring back into his, your headphones slippin off of your head, and all you could say was "huh?"
safe to say, you earned yourself a friend and a gym coach that day.
you'd established a little routine between the two of you a few months after that. after classes, mydei would drive the two of you to the gym, work out, go to either the library or a cafe to "lock in" for a few hours, then you'd get dinner together.
one day, while at the gym, as he was doing single-arm dumbbell rows, one knee and hand on the bench as he lifted 120lbs, and you were doing 350lbs on the leg press, a shout tore through your headphones' music.
"hey blond guy! yeah you! lift me next!"
mydei stared, hand frozen mid-lift, as he just has a blank look on his face, "no, thank you," he says bluntly, "please go find someone else to ask."
you, who also paused mid-push, just pursed your lips and looked away to keep yourself from laughing in his face.
too bad for you, he saw it. the next thing you know, he's already adding two more plates to your load.
"a-ah! mydei, too heavy! enough weight, please, i'm sorry!" but you were still trying not to laugh and he only narrowed his eyes at you and locked the plates in.
oh, but you never did let that incident go.
now, everytime mydei does his single-arm dumbbell rows, you whisper-shout the same line. every. single. time.
it's gone to the point that it's been incorporated into your routine now, before mydei does those rows, he looks to you smiling stupid and trying not to laugh as you whisper shout the same words to him.
"hey blond guy! yes you! lift me next!" you hush down your giggles as you deliver the line and he only looks at you amused, rolls his eyes, and carries on with his rows.
never would you expect that he'd actually be serious about it.
this time, right after you deliver the line, instead of just continuing on with his set, he puts the dumbbell down and places his hands on his hips.
"you wanna try?"
you stare at him for a few seconds in shock before bursting into laughter, "pfft, oh my god, you're actually gonna lift me?"
he shrugs, "why not?"
"i bet you can't," you tease and he just smiles down at you.
"wanna test that theory out?"
before you knew it, you were already laying down on the ground, hands curled underneath your thighs as mydei hooks his arm underneath yours.
"ready?" he asks, hair falling down his face as he looks at you from beneath him.
you only nod and laugh, expecting him to struggle when he starts, but oh, girl, we're you proven wrong.
mydei lifts you like you weighed nothing, pulling you up and lowering you down without even panting or huffing. he makes it look like it he was lifting a ten-pound dumbbell instead.
"keep your head up, you might hit it on the floor," he even says in the middle of the third set.
by the end, he makes a comment that you're not sure how to take:
"you're good weight, we should do this again."
and as he puts you down, you're trying to will the blush you just know is on your cheeks, not meeting mydei's eyes as he puts his hands on his hips and smirks at you.
"so? i can't lift you, huh?" he says in that self-assured tone of his, the one where he knows he's absolutely right and wants to rub it into your face.
you wave him away, "yeah, yeah, whatever, blondielocks."
mydei raises an eyebrow at the nickname but gets his usual dumbbell (now 135 lbs) and continues on with his workout.
you'd think that he wasn't serious with his post-set comment, but again, you were talking to the guy who made it his goal to deadlift the 350 lbs barbell his friend said he couldn't do.
from that day on, it was as if mydei had made it his personal mission to lift you as much as he could.
in the gym, when you stayed on the floor after a particularly long planking session, he swept an arm underneath you and carried you in one arm, scolding you all the while.
"don't lay there, it's dirty, other people's sweat and grime are probably embedded into those mats, we don't know how well they clean those."
he wouldn't listen to you even as you told him to put you down.
eventually, you got used to it, to the point that after you do pull-ups at the bar, you'd hang and drop down into his waiting arm (he spots you, okay?? ><).
but what surprised you, was that he started doing it even outside the gym. you two are on a grocery run for pasta night and you want something on a high shelf? he won't reach it himself, no. he'd drop down on a knee, arm out, waiting for you to sit on it, so he could lift you up.
(who are you to say no to that??)
you're both going to be late for a lecture and the professor is a terror who's a stickler for being on-time? best believe he's already scooping you up into his arms and running towards that lecture room.
and don't even get me started when you fall asleep in his car on the way home.
he won't think twice before pulling off your keys from your ID lace and using one arm to carry you up into your dorm room, unlocking the door with his other as your bag hangs off of it, and tucking you into bed.
and if someday you ask how he's even able to lift you so easily and he answers: "remember when i asked you for your weight?"
"like three weeks into our friendship?" he nods, "i used it as practice weight."
oh, you're screwed.
usagi's note: moral of the story, don't underestimate a gym rat (who's also lowk (not rlly) into you)'s ability to lift you. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK GUYS MWA BYE!
@usagiarchive 2025. do not repost, translate, or use for AI. reblogs, likes, and comments are very appreciated!!
Summary: Your guitarist boyfriend helps you play his electric guitar. He's just a tiny bit of a tease, but he's a sweetheart. <3
Pairing: Suna Rintaro x gn reader ┊ Word count: 355 words.
Div creds: @strangergraphics ┊ Art creds: @garfbarf on tiktok.
Suna's pale hands fixed yours on his guitar, helping you reach out for the correct notes in the song you're trying to learn. The soft coldness on his fingers was familiar for you already, brushing your skin with such gentleness that it made your heart flutter.
"Wait, c'mere," he said, with almost an unperceivable furrow on his brows, searching for a better way to teach you how to play the guitar.
His arms snaked on your waist, pulling you closer to him as he positioned your back on his chest, hugging you from behind to show you what he meant just some seconds ago. His body temperature fused with yours as his warm breath brushed your neck in a whisper.
"See now?"
Of course you didn't. You completely forgot for a moment what you were even holding, and your boyfriend's keen eyes noticed immediately, making the edge of his lips curve into a discreet smirk.
"Is someone getting a little distracted?"
The soft gasp that escaped your lips betrayed whatever you could've said in an attempt to negate his statement, which made him chuckle before leaving a sweet peck on your cheek.
"Let's try together this time, 'kay?" He invited, tapping his feet on the ground thrice to guide your hands once again when you nodded.
Hours passed and, by the moment that stars adorned the dimming sky, you already felt way more confident on your skills with the electric guitar. You could almost hear Suna's smile in the way he spoke, giving you even the tiniest advice and praising your hard work with short but sincere words.
It was pretty late already, and cuddling up with him sounded about perfect to sleep until next morning. Your head rested on his chest, long fingers sliding through your hair and massaging your scalp to help you relax, his lips reaching for your forehead softly. You were half asleep when you noticed a little sound coming from his phone; a short clip he filmed while you were practicing with his guitar. What a shame your heavy eyelids wouldn't let you see the gentle grin on his face.
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initially, you refuse to admit it, though your fascination slips past the aisle of your thoughts and starts to form in the rhythmic way you tread your fingers through his golden hair, eventually conceding as you comment. “your hair is so soft.”
tsukishima kei hums, eyes shut as he lay on your chest, feeling his scalp being massaged gently as you untangle the tensions.
“you sleepy?”
“yeah. sorry.”
“don’t be, get some rest.” you say, eliciting a yawn from him.
“is it normal to feel sleepy around your partner?”
“i guess so, heard they can regulate your nervous system or something.”
“you stress me out sometimes.”
you raise a brow, pausing your ministrations, eager to tease and be teased. “okay, and?"
“you love to ragebait me.”
“so do you?”
you see the wrinkling of his brow first before the purse of his lips, almost as if he's pouting. "it's not my fault, you're too easy anyway. and who said you could stop?"
you hum this time, fingers stayed put. "stop what?"
with his eyes closed and a scoff, his expression twists even more into something close to hesitation, "i see you, wipe that grin off your face."
"dunno what you're talking about, darling."
you like to think he's refusing to admit to the fact that he likes being teased by you—no, you're certain. you know him just as much.
long and sluggish arms snuggle your figure, he kicks off the blanket from his waist to reveal the expanse of his broad chest and exposing his calf down, only wearing boxers while the rain pours with intermittent strength. he mumbles against your chest, lips kissing the midline of your torso where the sternum protrudes, you feel his body sharing warmth, engulfing you whole.
then, he mutters, "please."
"please, what?"
he lifts his head to look at you, glasses left aside on your nightstand. his eyes are mellowed out so much you can't take his annoying expression seriously, holding your stare for a short minute, before succumbing to his fate, a subject to your whims. "please massage my hair like that."
"wasn't so hard now, was it?"
he can only dignify with a low groan. sighing when you finally continue to stroke his hair. "thank you."
"don't mention it."
you know you could stay like this forever, even when your blanket is strewn on the floor, or his weight on top of you, or how he becomes softer against the steady pulse of the rain. you wouldn't trade it for the world.
and in the way he sinks heavier against you, you know he wouldn't either.
pairing: k. bakugo x reader /(gn) | wc: 700 | fluff ; drabble
a/n: im so tired bye and i have such a things for bl**des. blonde men save me
4 am thoughts, but imagining retouching Bakugo’s roots.
It’s not rare, actually, that people whose hair is a naturally light color slowly darken over the year and lose their brightness. With his light brown roots slowly growing out, he starts looking similar to his father, and you can’t help but smile.
“Has anyone ever told you that you look like your father?” you hum as you meticulously wrap another strand of his hair into the strip of metal foil and fold it together.
Bakugo’s face contorts into an expression of confusion, as if to disagree. “HUH, what are you saying?” if it weren’t for you keeping his head in place, he would’ve turned his head around to face and bark at you. “Well, you know I’m just saying.” your eyes dart upwards from the strand you’re currently painting the dye on and meet his gaze in the mirror.
Admittedly, your handiwork isn’t the best. Someone like Yaomomo would probably be better suited for this job; she’s always very careful when doing crafts, or maybe even Mina, after all, whenever Kirishima’s black roots start to show again, she’s always the one taking care of it
Because you’re pretty sure that some strands of his hair are going to be lighter than the others in the end.
Oh well, that’s a worry for later then.
The only reason why you’re doing this is because he doesn’t trust anyone else to touch his hair, and who are you to deny your lovely boyfriend?
He just grumbles, and you can’t help but let your smile widen. “Nah, just always been told that I look like the old hag.” all you can do is let out an airy laugh, and Bakugo just wishes to bask in this moment forever.
It’s domestic and just the right amount of intimacy. Nothing too fancy, but definitely something he could indulge in forever.
From the way you’re softly handling his hair to you just mumbling about your entire day, and going from one topic to another.
“Aaaand done!” Once again, your gazes meet in the mirror, and you watch him with mirthful eyes as you witness Katsuki’s dumbfounded expression as he looks at himself with his entire head wrapped in thin strips of aluminum foil. To your surprise, he doesn’t complain, just mumbles something along the lines of “this better be good.”
You remove the towel that’s been hanging on his neck the entire session and replace it with your arms that hug him from behind. They’re around his neck and hang down loosely as you decide to rest your head against his shoulder and press a soft kiss to the side of his neck.
“‘Course it’ll be good. Are you doubting my abilities?” you smile against his neck and hug him tighter.
“Nah. Never.” You don’t see it, but even so, you can literally feel him grinning from ear to ear. Teasing but genuine.
You nuzzle your face deeper into the crook of his neck. It’s barely audible, but what can he say? Bakugo’s eyes and ears have always been pointed towards you to never miss a single thing you do or say.
“Now, instead of 'Dynamight, ' you can yourself 'Aluminumber' or something like that.” You giggle into his neck.
Although sometimes he wishes that weren’t the case.
“SHUT UP. I take back everything I said.” he growls, but even that doesn’t stop you from laughing. “I love you as blonde, you know that. So pretty on you.” you chuckle before taking off the rubber gloves that went through hair dye hell and forth.
After that, time seems to pass in a blink. You help Bakugo wash out the dye and apply some conditioner that was in the hair dye box before it also washed out along with the previously applied shampoo.
Throughout the whole process—dyeing, washing his hair, and, despite his refusal, blow-drying his hair—your fingers have never once left his hair, whether it was carefully folding it into the metal strips, shampooing his hair, or combing through it after drying his hair—Bakugo never felt more at ease.
He’ll never admit it, but he loves it when you play with his hair. So maybe just maybe, he’ll let his roots grow out again, so that your fingers can brush and card through his hair again for several hours.
࣪ ִֶָ☾.Thinking about Dan heng who always sighs and puts his palm to his forehead whenever you do something irrationally stupid. The most classic experience being when you and Caelus decided to put a fork with a grape stuck on it in a microwave (it was NOT a good idea, courtesy of Caelus, of course) and almost blew up the entire astral express, or the time you blindly charged at a deadly monster in order to 'protect' Dan heng—regardless of the fact that he can perfectly well dragon-blast the monster's ass without help. It makes him both tired and amused at the same time—seeing you jumping around happily after 'succeding in protecting him'. But now, after his transformation, your...enthusiasm has arrived to another level of unhinged. It has gotten to the point where his entire routine consists of:
Wake up
Evade y/n and try not to get tail/horns grabbed at
Eat breakfast while evading y/n and touches
Go on about his day while evading y/n's touch
Sleep and be on guard while doing so in order to not get his ears or golden tail played with.
Yep. His No .1 fear and mission is to not get his horns and tail played with in public—especially when March and Caelus are watching. Thise two jackals would take photos of you clinging onto him and tease him till death about it later. Lord knows that he could get a break from those two—believe me, he's prayed for that to happen before. But no, the gods are not merciful upon him.
Don't get him wrong though—while he may not be open to physical affection any time at any day, he absolutely adores you with the entirety of his heart! It's just that the smirks and snickers the other members of the express send his way makes him want to jump into his bed and curl his dragon body into a ball—a scalely one, with a pillow fort surrounding him. Everyone needs a pillow fort after all, right?
But this doesn't mean that he won't let you touch his tail at all. In late nights when it's the two of you—the only observers being the shining stars illuminating the night sky and the whispers of the wind echoing through the air—he'd curl the lump of scales and gold around your waist and whisper the softest nothings into your ear—each word laced with love, each breath mixed with intimacy.
He'd run his slender fingers through your hair and pepper soft kisses all over your cheek. He'd hug you gently—soothingly—like the only thing that matters in the world is you and you alone.
Dan heng adores you—in every way, in any way. And as for your occasionally idiocy? Well, he has enough brains to cover up for the both of you, so yay! :)
A/n: first post after exams woohoo! I did well (I hope) and now I am officially out of hiatus! Stay tuned for a longfic to be posted (spoilers on my blog if you scroll far enough...tee hee) and I reallllyyy hope that you have a wonderful day filled with brightness and smiles! ^^
Taglist!: @millucid @winteryreads @usagiarchive @sonderveiled @lyra-angel-81194 (Send me an ask or comment if you want to be added/removed from the taglist! Also, sorry if you haven't been added yet. I haven't been in my right mind recently, so it's highly likely I forgot TT)
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
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.
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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.
how to babysit a shrunken non-magical human (a guide written by the students at night raven college)
in which a first-year potion's lesson goes horribly, horribly wrong when grim (unsurprisingly) does not listen to crewel's instructions. upon assessing the aftermath during the following emergency housewarden meeting, crowley decides that there's no better opportunity for his students.
—TABLE OF CONTENTS.
i. grim and crowley are on top of the list (but what's new these days?)
—tba...
ii. follow the rules, follow the maze (but don't let the housewarden ask his mother for parenting advice)
—tba...
iii. throw them into the lion’s den (but none of them know what to do, nor do they want any part in this)
—tba...
iv. mostro lounge’s new promotional strategy (and an adventure under the sea)
—tba...
v. wonders up in the skies and treasures down below (no, you cannot take them home, there’s far too many for you)
—tba...
vi. playing dress-up and making potions (mr rook, why are we following leona?)
—tba...
vii. you don’t have any games on your ipad?! (me and ortho are gonna play together without you)
—tba...
viii. dragons and fairies are real?! (but the green man is very, very scary)
—tba...
ix. cats and princes and oh my, so many new faces (they’re just as bad at this as we are)
—tba...
x. more experience comes with age (so watch and learn from your elders)
—tba...
xi. henchman this, henchman that (when did you get so bossy?!)
—tba...
xii. wait, what do you mean you don’t remember anything? (but you’re back and that’s all that matters)
—tba...
—AUTHOR'S NOTES.
hello everyone!! this'll be my first series ever (wow exciting) and to be honest i've had this idea for a Very Long Time but i never got around to writing it.. until now !
some more important stuff underneath:
there will not be a romantic relationship between [reader] and any of the twst characters!! this is all purely platonic and/or familial (depending on how you see it). this is NOT ship content!!
there won't be many content or trigger warnings in general aside from canon-typical violence and a few nightmares and anxiety attacks.
i will try to write each character as accurately as possible, but please note that these are only my interpretations of the characters and how they would react to [reader]'s situation.
[reader] will be gender-neutral and they will be referred to with they/them and you/yours pronouns. it is implied that reader is yuu/mc in this series, however alternative interpretations are welcome, and they will only be referred to as [reader] or some variant of that, or their canon names (e.g. herbivore by leona, etc.).
updates will be VERY sporadic!! as i said before, i do have a life and other things to write but i will try to make this my main project for the next while or so.
please do not steal this! inspirations and fanart are welcome, but please be sure to credit me and this work :))
i may cross-post this to other platforms in the near future but until then, please do not post this to other platforms such as quotev, wattpad, ao3, etc.
all chapter banners were made in canva.
i'll be referring to this fic as "nrc babysitting" (because the whole thing is too long) and it'll be referred to as such in the tags (i.e. #mysaseries:nrcbabysitting).
