Chapter Text
It was taking longer than expected for Crewel to get the potion done. Fairy magic is complex and the Diurnal fairies are even more secluded than nocturnal fae. So ingredient after ingredient got delayed.
Silver had mostly adjusted to the new normal. Lilia was a great help with everything.
Most of the school ignored him. Treating him as they normally did.
Then one day while in the dining hall, something happened.
A group of Savannah-claw students passing some sporty water bottles around. Grinning widely as they snicker.
Silver barely noticed them, He and Riddle were helping Kalim with his math homework. He understands the assignment but gets tripped up with the problems.
His wings twitch as someone walks up from behind.
Riddle glares at someone over his head. Opens his mouth to say something and gets cut off by streams of water pouring all across the table. Soaking all three students.
Riddle's face goes bright red as he collars the students. Yelling at them, telling them off.
Confused and spluttering Silver pulls himself out of the puddle. Shuddering he looks around for his bell. After a moment he gives up. Fluttering his wings to get back onto the table.
Nothing happens.
They don’t even twitch. “KALLIM!” He yells desperately trying to catch his attention. The housewarden doesn’t even glance his way.
Something in the air shifts. Rippling through the crowded cafeteria. All students in the cafeteria freeze as Malleus walks in.
“Malleus!” Silver calls hoping the fae's far superior hearing would catch his voice.
It seems to work. Malleus locks eyes with the students being chewed out by Riddle. Then he flickers, disappearing, reappearing right behind Riddle.
Within moments the culprits are running tails between their legs.
“Are you alright?” Malleus asks, eyes fixed on Silver.
Riddle nods stiffly. “Yes.”
Malleus crouches and extends a hand. Silver climbs on. Shaking from the cold.
Then they disappear. Silver curls into his hand, tucking himself practically into his sleeve.
“Come now Silver.” Malleus hums, “We are going to Father.”
He makes a somewhat happy sounding chime.
“Are you alright?”
He shakes his head no.
“No one will harm you now.”
“Malleus.” Lilia nods, “What was so urgent?”
He holds Silver out.
“Oh.” He takes him into his hands, gently inspecting his wings. “You’ll be ok, love.”
He carries him over to the fireplace. The dull green flames sharing just enough heat to start drying his wings.
Lilia hands him a translator bell.
“Thanks.”
“What happened?” He asks deadly seriously.
“It was nothing,” Silver shrugs, gingerly stretching his wings out.
Lilia narrows his eyes, “What happened?”
“Some guys were teasing Riddle, I just got caught up in the crossfire. I’m fine.”
“Malleus.” Lilia says, turning to him.
“They were dealt with.”
Silver yawns, blinking away his fatigue he shakes his head.
Sighing, Lilia stands up, “I’m worried Silver.”
“It was a prank, it’s not like I was in danger,” Silver murmurs.
“No no, not that.” Lilia sighs, “it’s just, you’re not meant to be inside like this. The last few days… you’ve been stressed.”
Silver nods softly, “I’m scared. I don’t want to stay like this.”
“I know sweetheart.”
“I am not surprised that Crewel is having so much trouble getting the potion to work,” Malleus says.
Sighing Silver glances back into the fire, “I expected it to just wear off…”
Lilia winces as Silver settles into his hands, “Let’s get you some sun. That should help.”
“But that’ll hurt your eyes,” Silver protests, not that he could do anything about Lilia heading towards the doors.
“Sunglasses exist for a reason,” Lilia laughs, “I’ll be fine but you need the sun.”
Sebek pushes the door open, face lighting up as he spots Lilia and Maleus.
“Sebek could take me,” Silver says.
“Where would I take you?”
“You go to a study session on Thursdays, I could just hang out outside.” He pauses, “Or I could just go myself.”
“No.” Malleus says.
Silver’s wings flick back surprised, “why?” He asks, voice smaller than intended.
Backing away slightly from the clearly tense conversation Sebek, places his bag on a plush armchair.
Malleus hums slightly, “You may be more affected by the spell than we think.”
Glancing between Lilia and Maleus, Silver shudders, “What do you mean?”
Glancing over to Malleus, Lilia narrows his eyes before sighing, “Crewel’s taking too long… I’d noticed before but it was supposed to be fixed.”
Sebek picks his bag up and silently leaves the room leaving the others to their conversation.
“What?”
After a moment of hesitation Lilia gently places him on the coffee table, “I want you to run a lap.”
Confused Silver presses his still damp wings to his back and sets off across the table. Just as he falls into a rhythm he’s sprawled on the ground.
“Oh dear,” Lilia says.
“What?” He repeats picking himself up.
“You aren't walking, or running,” Malleus says, “Of course this would be fine if you weren’t going to turn back… but as a human you wouldn't be able to sustain the magic needed.”
“You’re concerned about training?”
“No,” Lilia says, “We’re worried about you. Silver, I've known you your whole life you are so dedicated… but you're falling deeper into Fae behaviors,” He grins propping his chin on the table next to Silver, “And while it’s adorable and I love it, I just can’t imagine you doing such things. You float off the ground when I know you’d be walking. You can’t eat meat, you know more then you should in Animal communications. So I need to know what’s different?”
“oh,” he whispers, face flushing slightly, “I’m less tired than normal, but I still fall asleep at seemingly random times. it’shardtobeawayfromyou-”
It’s Lillia’s turn to ask, “What?”
“It’s hard to be away from you, all of you,” Silver mutters, “I know we talked about it already but I can’t help it.”
Lilia’s grin flickers as Malleus chuckles, “A bold claim little one.”
“I want you to be safe.” He offers.
“I know,” Silver sways slightly as he yawns, “I’m just going to go to bed.” He flutters his wings but only manages to lift off the table for a moment.
“I’ll bring you up…”
Lilia walks in silence up the stairs, “We’ll fix this.”
“What if you can't?"
Breath hitching Lilia freezes. He’d finally verbalized the possibility, “i dont know.”
“Just. put me on my desk.”
__________
The next morning Silver awakes to Sebek tripping over his discarded bookbag. Dawn barely peaks into their window.
As quickly as possible he reddies for the day, grabs a tiny handful of pixy dust and leaves the dorm. Thoughts racing though his mind as he lands in the barn, Philip pokes his head out of his stall as he lands on the horse’s back.
He knows they just want to keep him safe, how small fae can be vulnerable to raptors, water, and just about a million other things. He knows they don’t mean anything.
So why does he feel so trapped?
“There you are Silver,” a calm voice says.
“Riddle, good morning, checking on Vorpal?”
“I was… but I also wanted to apologize for yesterday. You should have been my first concern. As a housewarden I should be looking after everything in my care.”
“It’s alright,” Silver lies smoothly, “I’m fine.”
“Very well,” he pauses, “Trey is working on shrinking food down to your scale. Expect some food at your dorm this evening.”
“thank you,” he whispers.
“Think nothing of it.”
Flitting his way though the halls Silver does everything he can to stay out of sight. Students are starting to wander onto campus and all he wants to do is hide away. Passing though the courtyard he pauses, that might work…
Dropping down into the wishing well he glances up at a cross bar. At the perfect height for him to hide out and sort through his thoughts.
With no one checking on him, hovering over his shoulder, and tracking his every move he relaxes. Eventually dozing off. As something in his chest aches for comfort…
————
Floating a few inches off the ground Lilia hums to himself.
Kalim runs down the hall, tossing his arm over Lilia’s shoulder, “Hey, what are you doing tonight?”
“Hoping for a jam sesh?” He giggles.
“Obvi,” Cater says walking up to the two, “It’s been ages.”
Lilia shrugs, “Briar valley’s being a stickler for trade rules. Even Malleus is having trouble sourcing some of the ingredients we need for Silver.”
“Oh yeah, how is he? He wasn’t in class today,” Kalim says.
Lilia drops to the floor, “He wasn’t there?”
“Didn’t see him all day.”
A pit of dread forms in his stomach. “He was gone this morning.”
“Crap,” Cater says, “Want us to help look for him?”
Lilia nods, then vanishes.
————
Silver startles awake. Blinking the sleep from his eyes he locks eyes with one of Lilia’s bats. Still unsettled by being smaller than the creature.
The bat nudges him softly then drops down out of sight.
A flash of green fills his vision.
“Silver.” Lilia says flatly, “Come here.”
Dropping down into the extended hand Silver braces for a lecture. Instead he’s pulled close to Lilia’s chest as he falls to his knees, “I was so worried.”
“I’m sorry Father…”
“I thought you got stuck or lost, or- Silver I,” He sighs, “What were you thinking.”
“I fell asleep…” He starts, “I didn’t mean to… I needed to be alone.”
“Oh, was there a reason for that?”
“It’s silly.”
“Nothing is silly if you have to hide.”
“I’m scared that I won't turn back, but the real reasons… I feel like I'm losing myself, I try to train what I can, then you point out how I’ve been flying for everything when I could have sworn I was running…”
“It’s scary." Lilia says quietly, “Having everything you know be flipped on its head.”
“Yeah.”
“If you have to hide again, please leave me a note.” Lilia asks, “Nothing big just so I don't worry.”
“With your eyesight?” Silver grins, “I don't think I could write something big enough for you to read.”
Rolling his eyes Lilia laughs, “I love you so much.”
“I love you."