The sky was dark, clouds congregating over Ramshackle like a halo of shame. Sat in the lounge, was Yuu, alone in misery on the couch with their grey feline peacefully asleep on their lap. They should've felt happy, an overblot hasn't happened in months, yet something clung onto their skin like a leech that kept biting at their mental state.
Were the first years okay?
It was one of the many questions in Yuu's mind, they wanted to feel mad at them all, but they couldn't have the heart to genuinely hate anyone in the school.
As they slowly petted Grim, the sound of sudden thunder shook the prefect, whipping their head upwards and towards the window, narrowing their eyes as they noticed a figure in the yard. It was a welcomed presence, one that Yuu adored. They carefully picked up Grim from their lap and set him on a cushion, placing a blanket on top of the cat. With that, they grabbed the umbrella by the doorway and treaded outside, opening it up and making their way to the fae.
"Tsunotarou, it's been some time." Yuu spoke with clear joy in their voice, walking up to its side, a smile spreading across their face.
"Yes, it has been, child of man. I have heard you haven't been attending school?"
"Oh...yes. That. Well, I just needed some time I guess, it's been tiring."
Yuu always felt comfortable around Malleus.
"If there's something troubling your mind, you can tell me."
He had looked down at Yuu, smiling at the prefect. It's been months since they first met, yet it felt like it's been years with how close the two have grown. Malleus was blind to what the future will be, it was too busy being caught up in the present to even take a guess.
"I just...Malleus I'm gonna be going home."
What?
"Crowley finally got me a portal to get back to my world. I want to go home, really! But...I feel like I haven't done enough, I feel like I still need to apologize to everyone. And..."
They didn't want to leave behind the many people they've come to love and treat like family.
Yuu didn't want to say anything more, fearing that they'd hurt Malleus more than they already have with the news. It looked shocked, befuddled, and broken, like a shattered pot laid upon the ground to be looked at.
"You're...going home?"
He couldn't muster itself to say more, because that's all that needed to be said.
"You're leaving me?"
"Tsuno...this world, it isn't for me, I'm not supposed to be here! I feel like a bug in the system of the world. I stick out like a branch in mud, Tsuno. I don't want to leave you behind but..."
Everything is as silent as it was inside. Neither of them exchanged any words the rest of the night.
The next day, Yuu finally went to their classes, awaiting the end of the day. Once sunset came about, only Yuu's closest friends were invited to the orientation room, left to sit in silence as Yuu bid them all a bland goodbye before stepping through a portal that was a warped picture of their home.
Ace made eye contact with Yuu right before they went through, he looked miserable. Standing all around him were the first years, Ace knew that he and Deuce would be most affected.
He still had so much to tell Yuu, they all still had so many adventures to have as a group.
He hoped it'd be the same without the magicless prefect. But deep inside, he knew nothing would ever be the same.
