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The hallway was dead silent. Students and staff had already retired for the evening, eager to begin the break that was coming up in a few days. A welcome reprieve after spending so long stressing about final exams. Yet there was one soul still out and about when others were packing and excitedly discussing their plans. He was illuminated by the setting sun and the flickering mage lights that lined the hall. They were growing brighter as the sunlight faded. Ace was sitting alone on the steps of a narrow stairway that led to a long-abandoned tower. His arms were wrapped around his legs with his head resting on his knees. He stared out at the empty hallway, eyes focused on a crooked brick in the wall. There was an unhappy expression on his face.
Ace was upset that he had failed his exams for the second time this year alone. Even though he had studied his ass off with Marco and Sabo. Deuce had been too busy with his own exam anxiety to really help him out, which was more than fine. He knew how his best friend could get. Ace only truly focused on his classes when exams came around twice a year. He had failed them every year since he had started his schooling. The young mage was surprised he could even continue attending the school with how bad his grades had been. It may have allowed him to meet Marco, but the poor familiar was stuck with the worst mage in the history of mages. Ace should not have expected this year to be any different.
Ace was sitting on the stairs just because he did not want to go back to his room where Marco was waiting for him. Because he could take human form, Marco had not been allowed to attend his exams just so they could avoid any sort of cheating. At least Marco had helped him study beforehand, but it was all for nothing. It had been an entire week of encouragement, scolding and cramming information into his skull just for it to not mean anything. Sabo was going to tell him that he should take it more seriously when it was not exam time, but Ace just hated sitting in a classroom and listening to a teacher drone on for hours. He always had.
Ace was afraid of seeing the disappointed look on Marco’s face when he returned to the room. All that effort gone to waste. The young mage was sure that Marco would regret choosing him as his mage, his friend and his partner until the day he passed. He would think that Ace was a failure like so many others would. Ace knew that’s all he was. A failure of a mage that couldn’t get a single spell right or pass even one of his exams. A mage that could not live up to the legacy his parents had left behind.
Maybe Ace would have been better off not presenting as a mage at all. Before he could spiral further down the path of self-loathing and wondering how things would be different, he heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. It must be a teacher looking for students out past curfew. Ace was sure he would be fine where he was. Few students went up the stairs to the tower since most thought it was haunted. He was one of them that believed it, but what ghost would bother him when he was so miserable? Either way, Ace kept his eyes on the hallway to see who it was.
Of all the people he expected to see, Ace should have at least had Marco near the very top of that list. It was not surprising that his familiar would come looking for him after he failed to return to the room. The blond turned to look at him in his moping spot.
“Go away.” Ace said before Marco could say anything else. He did not want to be seen like this. If he was supposed to be anything, then it was the rock for everyone else to rely on. Not some kicked puppy on the stairs.
“No, yoi.” Marco said in return, then joined Ace on the stairs, his shoulder and knee pressing against him in the narrow passageway. It was almost enough to distract Ace from his angst. Ace could feel his heartbeat picking up. “You’re upset.”
Ace scowled at Marco, turning away from him as much as possible in the small space. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” Marco said as he raised his arm to show Ace the bond mark that was curled around his wrist. The feather was filling with orange, yellow and red. “I can sense that you’re not, yoi. If looking at you did not give it away. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really...” Ace answered truthfully. “But... Can I ask a question?”
Marco answered with a nod and expectant eyes to see what was on Ace’s mind.
“Do you ever regret choosing me as your mage?” Ace asked. He could feel his heart clenching with fear as he waited to see what the answer would be.
Marco answered without a moment of hesitation. “No.”
Ace could not help the disbelief at the answer. “Really? Even though I can’t do any of the spells right? I can’t draw runes and put way too much energy into intention spells. I can’t say half of the spoken spells we learn! I barely pay attention in class or I just pass out entirely!” Ace yelled, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes as all his frustrations came pouring out. Turned out that he wanted to talk about what was bothering him after keeping it bottled for most of the year. “I don’t deserve someone like you. You deserve so much better. Someone that isn’t me.”
Ace felt a hand worming into his own. It was the same tactic he used when Marco was digging into his sides after a nightmare. Marco laced his fingers with Aces. The mage allowed his other hand to drop into his lap, staring at where their hands were connected. They were holding hands. Marcos’ hand was cold but not icy. More like a gentle breeze in the early morning in spring. It was incredibly soft with no even a hint of a callus. It felt right. Like Ace was right where he belonged.
“Those exams don’t decide your worth, yoi. You’re a good mage. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You can’t be amazing at everything. All things are imperfect, yoi.” Marco gently squeezed Ace’s hand as he spoke, blue-yellow fire springing up to curl around their hands. Aces eyes wandered to Marcos’ face. “You act on your feet instead of trying to remember textbooks and lectures. I’m the one that doesn’t deserve you, but there is no other Mage I would rather be with. I am happy with you, yoi.”
“But--“ Ace protested, but he was cut off by lips against his own. There was no warning, just the sudden feeling of lips against his. It was the best way to be told to shut up that Ace could think of. Marcos’ lips were chapped but oh so welcome against his. Ace could feel his cheeks warming and his brain trying to think but failing. His heart had already escaped his chest.
Just as suddenly as it happened, it was over. “Nothing you say if going to change the fact that I chose you, yoi. Imperfections and all. I don’t regret it at all.” Marco said as he pressed their foreheads together. Ace ignored the circlet pressing into his forehead in favor of looking for every single gold fleck in Marco’s blue eyes. His familiars cheeks were a nice shade of pink.
Ace glanced at their hands, noting the purple flames that now surrounded them. He wondered if they were a response to the kiss or just a representation of love. Without thinking about it, Ace pressed their lips together in another kiss. A short one, but one that was still appreciated.
“We uh... We should get to our room before a teacher catches us out here. I don’t feel like a week’s worth of detention this close to the end of the year.” Ace commented.
Marco laughed softly, then nodded. Ace got to his feet, tugging Marco up with him. He kept hold of Marcos’ hand as they made their way towards the wing that hosted their room, their flames slowly dying down.
It took a moment, but Ace would break the silence. “Sorry I kept you waiting. I should have just come back to the room.” He had just realized how late it was. Marco must have been worried sick when he did not come back when he said he would. While they could sense each other’s emotions, it was nothing compared to actually making sure the other was okay. Gently comforting each other in person and soothing silly fears that cropped up.
“It’s okay, yoi. You needed time to yourself and there is nothing wrong with that. I’ll wait however long it takes. Unless I feel something through our bond that is worrying.” Marco said.
“I would react the same way, to be honest. Thank you, Marco...” Ace smiled softly, gently squeezing Marco’s hand. “That means a lot.”
“I know, yoi.”