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“You seem in a good mood today. Did something happen?” Trey was the first to notice, almost as soon as they got up. But it was hardly a surprise to Cater. He felt like skipping around the room without a care in the world already. It wasn’t every day that he had such wonderful plans after all.
“Maybe it did, maybe it’s about to~!” He avoided a direct answer, drawing a small sigh from his roommate. Still, the smile didn’t disappear from Trey’s lips. He clearly didn’t mind it in the slightest. This was one of the things Cater appreciated about the boy. “But I’m sure you could easily figure it out if you wanted to, Mr. Vice leader.”
Trey raised a brow at the unusual nickname before shaking his head with a slight chuckle and putting on his blazer. Though it was the weekend, the unbirthday tea parties were still very much on the table for them and that meant work for him. It was actually more strange for Cater to be so eagerly up and about. As far as Trey remembered, it wasn’t his turn with any of the preparation duties – and he probably wouldn’t be so excited if it was. So it had to be something outside of the dorm.
Cater watched as the cogs turned in Trey’s brain, growing ever giddier. Truth be told, he kind of wanted to just tell his friend right away without making him guess. But he knew that with being patient, he would be allowed to gush all the same except with a few more seconds to build up the tension. And dramatic timing had something to it as well after all.
“Oh, I’ve got it.” Trey finally looked up, buttoning up his blazer before throwing on the jacket. He stepped to the mirror to paint the club suit under his eye. Looking at Cater in the mirror, a slightly exasperated expression crossed his face for a moment. “Does Riddle know you’re skipping?”
“I was hoping you could tell him for me?” Cater gave a goofy grin before grabbing his messenger bag and bolting for the door. He couldn’t risk Trey saying no to him and having to go see Riddle about this on his own. The dorm head would surely not listen to him but canceling wasn’t an option for him. Halfway through the door, he leaned back, waving his roommate goodbye. “Thanks, Trey, I owe you one!”
“Wait-!” Seeing as the redhead dashed down the hallway, Trey rested his head against the cool mirror with a sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand but why did he have to deal with this? The least Cater could do would be trying to explain it to Riddle on his own. Perhaps taking a day off once in a while could help his dormmates to stop relying on him too much? He’d have to consider that.
His phone beeped, a message from Jade popping up. The merman got a day off today of all days? That drew a smile on the third-year’s lips. Might as well excuse himself to Riddle as well since he was already going there for Cater. Maybe his day wouldn’t be so bad after all.
~~~
Cater ran pretty much the whole way to the school gates. He wasn’t late or anything of the sort but knowing Vil, he would be waiting there ten minutes early anyway and the Heartslabyul student couldn’t wait to finally see him again. Days that he could spend fully in the presence of his boyfriend were few and far between so he had to make the most out of them. He internally apologized to both Trey and Riddle but knew that at least his roommate would understand his situation. Understandably, not many students were up and around yet so Cater wasted little time before taking a turn off the main road and to Sam’s shop. There was something he needed to pick up before meeting with Vil.
By the time he reached the door, he was out of breath and had to lean on the wall to rest for a few moments. Who would’ve thought he was this out of shape? He was lucky Vil didn’t see him like this or he would get a scolding about his lack of exercise. Not that it was undeserved but he certainly would rather go through the day without it.
“Hey there, little demon~!” Sam’s cheerful voice broke him out of his thoughts as the shopkeeper leaned casually against the doorframe. There were times when Cater could’ve sworn Sam resembled a cat more so than a human, especially when he sneaked up on people like this, and the smirk on his face was not helping the image. Regardless, he made sure to grin right back.
“Yo! I take it my order’s In Stock Now?”
Having his catchphrase thrown back at him seemed to amuse Sam greatly but without hesitation, he dived back in the shadow of his shop before coming out with a bouquet of amethyst-colored roses, as per Cater’s earlier request. “In Stock Now! And good luck on your little date~!”
“Hey, Sam, say Cheese!” Holding up his smartphone, Cater snapped a quick selfie, the roses just barely peeking in the frame. He couldn’t spoil the surprise if Vil was to check his MagiCam before he arrived but he could tease it a little to make it all the more alluring. Sam only chuckled before waving him off, watching as the third-year trotted back to the main road.
Vil looked at his phone for what must’ve been the tenth time that morning. There were still around five minutes left before their agreed meeting time. A tag from MagiCam popped up almost immediately and as he went to open it, he was welcomed by Cater’s cheery face. He could already feel a gentle warmth spreading through him. The picture was taken just a few seconds ago in front of Sam’s shop, with the shopkeeper in the frame just behind his energetic boyfriend. Something purple-ish laced the bottom edge of the picture but not enough was visible to make out what exactly Cater was holding.
So Cater was feeling playful today.
Quick steps reached his ears and he looked up just in time to watch as Cater tripped over nothing and almost fell face-first to the ground, only to catch his balance and slow down. Now only a few feet away from him, the redhead leaned forward, catching his breath. In the meantime, Vil skimmed over his outfit from the open black coat that revealed the red and white checkered shirt underneath to the black jeans just a little too long and finally the red sneakers. It wasn’t as high-class as Heartslabyul’s uniform but it fit Cater all the better.
“Vil!” He spoke up finally, bouncing up to stand straight again. “You look great, as expected!”
With a light scoff, though a smile remained on his lips, Vil ran a hand through his hair, taking pride in how his lavender cardigan swayed with the movement. “I would thank you not to expect anything less of me. Ready to go?”
“Just a moment.” Fumbling with his bag, Cater slid the zipper down, trying to open it as much as it would go to take out something probably very fragile. Then finally, an arrangement of roses emerged, the mysterious color from the selfie suddenly clear to Vil. Presenting his gift proudly, Cater’s grin fell just a little bit, replaced instead with a slightly awkward expression. “They’re called plum roses, from the Rose Kingdom. They only grow in the Queen of Hearts’ gardens so… I hope that’s a good enough gift?”
For a moment, there was silence between them before Vil snickered a little. “They’re definitely good enough, and they would be even better if you didn’t shove them in my face like that.”
Cater took a moment to realize that he was, indeed, pushing the roses right into Vil’s face. Promptly panicking, he quickly pulled back, unsure of where to put it before Vil reached out, taking them in a leather-clad hand and bringing them back to take a whiff of their scent. He’d heard about plum roses before but this was his first time seeing them. He couldn’t begin to imagine how or where Cater got enough money to afford them. But as nice a gesture as they were, just what was he supposed to do with them here? They had the whole day ahead of them and there would hardly be anywhere to put them in.
Before he could think about it too much, there was Cater scooping him in a hug without even asking and immediately bringing up a hand with his phone. Typical Cater.
“Say cheese, Vil~!” He leaned over, pressing a small kiss to Vil’s cheek and while usually, the Pomefiore dorm leader would be more than happy to entertain him, today he instead raised the roses to hide his face, watching as Cater’s smile faltered just a little.
“It’s my day off, Cater.” He wasn’t angry with his boyfriend but his tone remained stern enough to let the goofball redhead know just how serious he was about this. “No pictures today. Besides, we’ll need to figure out what to do with those roses. If we take them along for the whole day, they’ll just wilt away and lose all their beauty.”
The confusion on the Heartslabyul student’s face slowly melted away and gave way to a small pout but then he simply shrugged. He knew better than to try and argue with Vil after all. “Alright, no pictures then. But you don’t have to worry about the roses. I had Sam put a hex on them so they wouldn’t wither. Until midnight today, they’ll be as good as freshly cut.”
“How thoughtful of you.” It wasn’t sarcasm. Vil just had to admit honest surprise at Cater’s readiness. He must’ve thought about this date a lot to come up with all these precautions. His dedication certainly was charming. Allowing a smile to slip back to his lips, Vil fixed his sunglasses that got crooked when he hid his face behind the roses earlier and turned to the school gates. “In that case, let’s not waste any more time. We wanted to go for a date if I’m not mistaken.”
~~~
If it was up to him, Cater would often not even bother with breakfast for the sake of getting longer sleep. But when he was with Vil and they both got up early that morning, it felt oddly natural that their first stop would be a bakery that served warm meals from morning to sunset. As he held the door open for his date, earning an amused chuckle, the scent of Vil’s wisteria perfume hit his nose, gently coaxing him in behind him. They settled in a booth near the window, the light of the awakening town pouring in on the table between them.
Vil set the roses down in his lap, storing his sunglasses away in his saddlebag. Now that Cater could take a good look at him, he noticed his iconic smokey purple eyeshadow was replaced with a lighter lavender hue, matching his cardigan and complementing his cream turtleneck nicely. Vil looked like a model even on his days off but of course, that was hardly the only thing that drew Cater closer.
He watched as Vil’s eyes skimmed over the menu, no doubt looking for something both filling and healthy. His eyebrows knit ever so slightly together, drawing the smallest of wrinkles on his forehead, his lips pressed in a thin line, and from time to time, he would stop his glance on a particular dish and gulp quietly before moving on. And Cater watched, not sure if he would be able to look away even if he wanted to.
Eventually though, Vil shut the menu, startling the Heartslabyul third-year from his trance. He hurried to offer up a smile as Vil heaved a small sigh. He probably didn’t find anything he would agree with entirely but the fact that he didn’t just get up and leave meant he did figure out an acceptable solution. The waitress arrived soon, taking their orders, and they got their meals just as quickly. A pair of eggs with bacon for Cater, a croissant sandwich and a sliced apple for Vil.
It was cute really. The plates were decorated with little roses and the food arrangement was almost as pretty as it was bound to be tasty. Without thinking, Cater drew his phone to take a picture before stopping himself. Vil watched him in the same way one would watch a cat about to push a glass off a table. But unlike a cat, Cater didn’t take it as a challenge and meekly closed the camera on his phone before setting it down on the table.
“Should I hold onto it for you?” Vil reached out, covering Cater’s hand with his own over the device. There was some slight hesitation before the redhead gave a defeated nod and Vil slid the phone in his purse. He reached out again, this time lacing their fingers together and smiling up at his boyfriend. “Come on, your food will go cold. Today is for us only, it’s not for the world to see.”
Perhaps it was because Vil knew more than anyone the need to be validated, perhaps it was because of how special it made him feel, but either way, those few words were enough to lift Cater’s spirits again. They started chatting idly about everything and nothing at the same time, their hands remaining connected on the table. It was a lovely reminder that they weren’t alone – even if the world wasn’t watching and commenting on their every breath. Right then and there, the world didn’t matter. Only they did.
~~~
Hand in hand, they walked down the street. They stopped by a few shops but were yet to buy anything. Not like it seemed to bother them though. The clack of Vil’s heels provided a nice background noise to the slowly filling town as more and more people ventured out on the sunny morning. On numerous occasions, Cater found himself reaching for his phone to capture a particularly pleasant scenery or catch Vil in the perfect light and angle but when his fingers found an empty pocket, he always had to smile to himself.
Vil stopped in front of a cosmetics shop, feasting his eyes on the colorful display. Cater peeked over from behind him before letting go of his hand and skipping close to the shop window.
“Whoa! Look, Vil, wouldn’t his palette fit Pomefiore’s aesthetics?” He beamed a smile, pointing to a dark blue eyeshadow palette. Vil only chuckled at his enthusiasm, cupping his chin and turning his head towards the red and orange tones instead.
“You’re right but I was actually thinking more about the Heartslabyul colors. Do you have enough for your suit mark?”
Cater heaved a small sigh, letting a tired smile slip on his lips as he scratched the back of his head. “I do. And to be fair it’s kind of annoying to have to get up early just to paint it on every morning. I don’t get why can’t we just keep it up with magic after the entrance ceremony as well.”
“You shouldn’t complain too much.” Vil wasn’t seriously irritated with him but if the light scoff he carried was anything to go by, he was not particularly pleased either. “But then again, someone unused to a proper makeup routine would probably get annoyed by it easily.”
Without another word, Vil reached for the door, prompting Cater to call out after him before following inside once more. After a brief talk with the shop assistant, the Pomefiore dorm leader turned to Cater with a smirk. He hid his purchase in his bag before his date could see it but it mattered little to the Heartslabyul student. Knowing Vil was planning something for him was more than enough. Vil took his hand once more, this time leading the way outside.
As they walked towards the beach, a trio of girls took a note of them and before long they drew closer. Vil sighed a little bit before fixing his smile once more. It seemed as though their peaceful day would not be so peaceful after all, but such was the life when one was dating someone as popular as Vil Schoenheit of all people. Cater understood their excitement, though he would’ve preferred it if they could just give them space.
“Uhm… excuse me,” one of the girls finally stepped up, eyes wide and excited, “aren’t you Vil..?”
“Yes, that would be me. What of it?” Vil seemed rather unphased but to Cater, it came off as unusually cold. Provided, the girl would likely not be able to tell at all given by how nervous she looked in the first place. She shot a quick glance at her friends before holding up her phone.
“Could you please take a picture with me? It would mean so much!”
Cater saw the slight hesitation in Vil’s reaction. He wanted to refuse. After all, this was his day off. But turning a fan down might reflect poorly on his career. Almost hesitantly, he let go of his date’s hand to reach for the phone, giving in to the slightly overbearing stares of the three girls. His discomfort was more than obvious to anyone who was willing to pay attention to it – meaning likely not their three sudden companions.
He wasn’t sure what got into him but before Cater knew what he was doing, he grabbed Vil’s wrist, yanking his hand back down. He grinned at the girl who gave him a glare for disturbing her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Sorry, ladies~!” He grinned over, holding their connected hands up, and gave the group a playful wink. “But Vil’s makeup is a little smudged so he can’t take a picture with you like this. Could you keep this just between us maybe?”
He caught a glare from Vil but before his boyfriend could complain out loud, he pulled on the collar of his cardigan, pressing their lips together in a messy kiss. At least now his makeup claim wasn’t a lie anymore. He side-glanced the girl, seeing her cheeks go red with embarrassment before pulling away from Vil – who immediately scoffed and started fixing his outfit, but he could catch a glimpse of a smile ghosting his lips – and beaming a smile back at the girl.
“We’re having a day off today, so no pics, please. Could I ask for that much?”
She stuttered a little but ultimately gave a sheepish nod, getting her an excited thanks as Cater dragged his partner further down the streets. Crisis avoided! Now they could get back on track with their date. With some playful scolding in regards to Vil’s lipgloss of course.
By the time they reached the beach, the sun was standing directly over them, its warmth weak but comforting still. At the stand by the sand, they rented out a blanket and a picnic basket and settled down in the shade of the trees surrounding the beach. This was what they came for after all – a chance to enjoy lunch together in nature with nobody to disturb them.
Cater spread the blanket for them and started taking the food out while Vil made himself comfortable, taking out the cosmetics he’d bought earlier. Setting them down next to him, he motioned for Cater to scoot closer, then took his face in his hands with a stern look. “Don’t think for a second that I forgive you for ruining my makeup just because you saved the situation.”
“Aw come on, Vil,” Cater whined playfully, not escaping the caring hands, “I may have just wanted to get a kiss, you know?”
That was enough to break Vil’s facade as he let a chuckle slip, shaking his head in amusement. He let go of Cater’s face, though the redhead didn’t pull away. The closeness was pleasant and he just wanted to bask in it at least a little longer. It wasn’t often he got the chance after all.
Vil reached over for the blue palette Cater had pointed out in the shop and held it up against Cater’s skin as if examining which hue would go best with it, prompting the Heartslabyul student to cock a brow. “You didn’t buy that for you?”
“I suppose thought it would be interesting to see what you would look like with Pomefiore’s colors.” A surprisingly soft smile crossed Vil’s lips and that was all Cater needed to practically plop his head down on his lap, closing his eyes with a relaxed grin. Vil didn’t stifle a small laugh as he got to work. His hands were gentle, showing off his impressive skill with the brushes. Before Cater knew it, he was being ushered up so that Vil could take a more proper look at him.
He was handed a pocket mirror as well, so he could admire the art that was currently his face. It wasn’t perfect. After all, Vil didn’t have all of his cosmetics with him. But for what they could get, this was still wildly out of anyone else’s league. Cater whistled in admiration, turning the mirror to catch various angles of his eyes. And Vil beamed with pride by his side. Then the blond leaned closer in, pressing a reddish palette in his boyfriend’s hand.
“Why don’t you give me a Heartslabyul makeover as well?”
Cater’s heart skipped a beat at the prospect but he couldn’t muster a word, only giving a silent nod in response, shuffling to sit on his heels as Vil leaned closer to him and closed his eyes. With the palette he was given, he could give Vil a heart, just as he thought he deserved, but something inside of him felt a little upset about it. A small, selfish part of him that he’d been denying for the longest time, a hidden corner of his soul that wanted to show the world that Vil was his and his alone. Even if said world would never get to see.
Making up his mind, he first gently removed what makeup he could with the cotton pads Vil handed him, then took to applying a red eyeliner and eyeshadow before painting a diamond suit on Vil’s cheek, right under the right eye. His breath hitched in his throat at the sight before he drew away, almost hesitantly announcing to Vil that he was done.
The Pomefiore prefect took his time admiring himself in the mirror as well before turning to Cater with a smile. “It doesn’t look bad at all, does it? Maybe I should visit one of the Heartslabyul’s famous tea parties one of these days.” But before Cater could give an answer, there was a finger on his lips and a mischievous twinkle in Vil’s eyes. “Close your eyes, I’ll give you your reward.”
His heart racing, Cater did as asked, promptly shutting his eyes close. It took a few moments of shuffling next to him but eventually, there was a kiss on his cheek, light and playful, followed by one on the top of his head, and finally a third one on the lips. Only then did a pair of gloved hands cup his face again and Vil’s pleasant voice invited him to gaze at him again.
~~~
“So how was your date?” Trey asked as soon as the door fell closed behind the redhead. It was already dark outside so Cater was a little worried about possibly running into Riddle and getting his head cut off for not only being out late but also coming back with another dorm’s makeup but luckily enough he didn’t run into the prefect on his way to the room.
He threw himself on the bed, only then bothering to take off his shoes, fingers going to the phone Vil had returned to him upon their arrival to the hall of mirrors. A day without pictures wasn’t that bad after all but he had so many notifications to catch up on… “It was great! I heard you went out yourself. Had fun?”
“It was nice.” Trey nodded along, barely looking up from his book. “Jade took me to the Coral Sea museum. It was interesting to see another culture interpret daily things with their own explanations.”
“Sounds fun. Take me along next time.” Cater mumbled absent-mindedly as he scrolled down his MagiCam. Vil had scheduled some posts while they were out so he quickly went and left a like on each of them before closing the app. He was about to get changed when he noticed something in the split second before his phone went black as he locked it. His background..?
He opened the phone up again with a confused frown, only to gasp upon seeing the picture.
From the screen of his phone, his boyfriend was giving him a wink while kissing his cheek, a bouquet of amethyst-colored roses settled between them. The diamond on Vil’s cheek was in perfect sight, as was the peace sign he was giving with his other hand. Cater stayed staring at the picture for a good while, just taking in the whole scene.
He broke out in laughter, startling poor Trey from his book. But glancing back at him, the vice leader could more or less guess what was going on. And he sure wasn’t going to point out the happy tears slowly making their way down Cater’s cheeks. And Cater, though he thought about posting it, only hugged his phone close, deciding to just keep this one for himself. The world didn't have to know. It was enough if the two of them did.