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If there was a well-known secret in Night Raven College was the mutual rivalry going on between Leona Kingscholar and Malleus Draconia. The two housewardens used every possible and petty reason imaginable to butt heads with each other.
It wasn’t a rare occurrence to see them arguing about everything and anything imaginable that came to mind, they would find a way to disagree and argue about it.
If anyone had any doubts about it, one just needed to see how extremely competitive they got against everyone, but specifically each other, during the Magift matches between the Diasomnia and Savanaclaw dorms.
Though, sometimes, if you asked the people closest to them, the ones they spent the most their time around, the ones that helped their dorms run, they would say that it sometimes seemed that Leona and Malleus purposely seeked each other, even if just to annoy the other with their mere presence. Though they’d never voice it around their housewardens, because if they did Lilia would have a pouty Crown Prince to deal with, and Ruggie just valued his life and knew how an annoyed Leona could be.
But, how were Lilia and Ruggie not supposed to have their doubts when they had eyes and the evidence was literally laying there for them to see.
Like the time the housewardens had an official meeting and they were supposed to wear their ceremonial robes, and after it when Leona was already napping somewhere, Ruggie started picking up Leona’s dirty laundry and finding one ceremonial robe, only realizing it wasn’t Leona’s after cleaning it and was about to put it away and saw the holes in the modified hood. Which was definitely what Leona had been wearing when he first left, as he complained all the time about how uncomfortable the hood was with his ears.
But was it that much of a surprise to see the two of them to be somewhat drawn to each other?
The two of them were foils for each other. The two from long standing royal families in their countries, the two extremely powerful, the two extremely intelligent.
Both ostracized even if for different reasons. And the two of them yearned for something the other had that they lacked.
Leona had always yearned for the crown that slipped from his fingers like the sand his Unique Magic turned things into just because he had been born a few years too late. Malleus had always yearned for the freedom Leona seemed to have, since he had always had his future planned to the last millimeter and detail, rarely getting to do anything he wished or wanted, feeling the same crown the other yearned for looming over himself.
So, knowing all that, it did make sense they sought each other out, for whatever reasons they might use for that.
That was what Leona always told himself for the longest time ever he found himself sneaking away and looking for “the damned overgrown lizard”, as he called him.
That was what Malleus told himself everytime he sought Leona and bothered him until he agreed to a chess match against him. Chess matches that had slowly started to become less of a rare thing but a normal occurrence between them, eventually even becoming more of a weekly thing for the two of them.
To the point it wasn’t rare to see Malleus walking into Leona’s room for one of those, or Leona to be lounging on a rather hidden sunny spot around school with a chess board beside him, as he waited for Malleus to come wake him up for their weekly matches.
It’s just mutual understanding, and mutual admiration of the other’s intelligence and resilience.
That’s what the two told to themselves and each other when their lips met for the first time, and the time after that and the many times it happened again, until the day they decided to admit there was something more than just that, that ran deep, and they were both as aware as they had been adept at ignoring it.
But, for several reasons, they couldn’t let their feelings and real relationship be known to others. And, if for the sake of their relationship to continue to be secret they had to act like assholes to each other in public, they would.
It wasn’t as if their bickering ever went away, it just had become a way of flirting and being affectionately annoying to the other, their own personal love language.
****
Their relationship being a secret, though, had driven Leona to be between a rock and a hard place.
Because Valentine's Day was approaching, and while he wasn’t about to pull all those mushy stops one could see in movies, he did want to spend some time alone with his boyfriend and maybe do something the two of them could enjoy.
His idea was to join Malleus in one of his night walks, as he listened to Malleus talk on and on about his gargoyles and grotesque, while he’d get to enjoy looking at Malleus in their element, and how much the fae’s face brightened and his eyes shined when he was deep in one of his rambles, never realizing the fond smile and look on Leona’s own face.
It might not seem like much, but to everyone who knew Leona, they would know how much he despised losing some of his beloved nap and sleeping time, so they’d realize how much of a gesture that actually was.
But every time he tried to invite Malleus out, there was something that stopped him.
First time it happened, he was about to ask him after their weekly chess match but suddenly Jack walked in as Leona had starting to ask and had to suddenly change his wording and tone, now angrily telling Malleus to go fuck off and disappear from his sight, leaving a flaggerbasted and rather thunderstruck and despondent dragon as he existed the lion’s den.
Then, it was after Magift training. Because, usually, Leona wouldn’t do much nor put his 100% into it, they had an upcoming match against RSA, and hell would freeze before he’d let those pompous princelings win against him. It also was the perfect to burn all his current frustrations away as he flew around, throwing spells and being even more harsher than normal than he tended to be during practice.
But he wouldn’t complain when he later got to know Malleus had been somewhere around observing, enjoying seeing Leona move around and be in his element and barking orders and advice to his teammates. According to Malleus, the look suited him so well, and well, if the dragon also enjoyed the lion’s muscles being all on display with every shift of Leona’s body and every spell he threw? Well, could anyone blame himself for finding the beastman he was dating attractive?
Leona sure wouldn’t if that meant Malleus would pull him away after said practice, just after Leona had finished changing, to a dark corner and shut him up with a passionate and possessive kiss before Leona had time to think about a snarky remark to make about his behavior.
Maybe he would apply himself during practice more if this is what he’d get after it.
And once after they had both had their fill of the other and Leona had managed to pry himself free of the dragon and step back into the light, he decided that it was as good a time as any other to tell Malleus about his plans for Valentines.
But as soon as he was, Epel walked in, asking Leona why it was taking him so long because he had been waiting to ask him for some advice about some of his moves during practice. This time Leona had no time to even say anything, because as soon as Epel saw the state Leona was in, his clothes and hair an absolute mess and some definitely suspicious bruises peeking from under his unbuttoned shirt collar, that Epel fell silent and just turned around and bolted and ran fast as possible out of there, pretending he had never had seen anything.
At that Leona groaned, because what was with those pesky first years and walking in on the worst possible times ever. He swore they had to have some kind of radar to know to spoil his opportunities.
And it wasn’t just the first years who seemed hell-bent on making all his plans and opportunities to go down the proverbial drain, to the point he would probably just turn into sand whoever interrupted him next.
Because in between Ruggie always finding Leona when he was about to ask, with a stupid knowing smirk on his face Leona had started to really dislike now. Or Lilia just always “accidentally” finding Leona and Malleus on one of the few times they sneaked away to empty and unused corridors and classes, and just not giving them a second alone, being like a mother hen following their little chicks whenever they dared to step outside.
There was also the Hunter, because Leona swore the next time he’d see Rook’s stupid little feathery hat near one of the spots he hid away he’d sent it back to Vil but with the hunter missing.
Yes, Leona was reaching his breaking point. And that meant he was snappy and moody and annoyed and spent even more time sleeping away to ignore everything bothering him in his life, and would growl at anyone who dared wake him up, no matter who it was.
****
And when Leona had all but given up, deciding to wait for the fateful date to actually ask and surprise Malleus, it was Malleus who surprised Leona instead.
Seeing Leona grow frustrated for some unknown reason and revert to a version of his old self who slept and was always angry and snappy and cared little for others, made Malleus worry for him and so decided it had to be him who’d have to make Leona just forget about whatever it was that was bothering him so much.
So he, for once grateful people evaded him since it gave him the time and opportunity to prepare what he needed to.
And, knowing that no matter what, Leona would not miss their weekly chess match, as it was one of the few times they truly had for themselves and enjoyed each other’s presence and closeness without pretense, Malleus made sure he had it all prepared by then.
And when the day came, instead of waiting for Leona to come to him, it was Malleus who went to look for him, seeing him napping in his favorite spot in the Botanical Garden.
Leona, having heard him approach, told Malleus it was yet quite early and he wasn’t nearly awake for their match. Still, when Malleus told him to come with him either way, Leona did so, something in Malleus' voice and demeanor telling him he wouldn’t regret it.
“You know, Kingscholar,” Malleus started “for someone who prides himself on being so over his emotions, you’re terrible at handling them when they get the best of you.” Malleus mentioned, knowing that’d spark something on Leona.
“The hell you mean? Because if you’re only going to insult me I’m going back.” Leona snapped, just as the dragon had expected, making a smug smile appear on his face as his eyes shone with mischievousness making Leona’s annoyance grow but also be intrigued on what was the dragon’s game.
“I did not say that was a bad thing.” Malleus replied “I just pointed it out. I did not expect a strategist as good as yourself to give up just after a few single moves and plans went wrong.” he explained, looking at Leona as he pieced it all together.
“You knew all along I was planning something?” Leona asked, looking at him, one eyebrow raised in disbelief, to which Malleus simply nodded.
Conversation halted once they arrived at the place Malleus had decided for their match and had already prepared and set the board, as they sat down.
“And you just watched as I embarrassed myself whenever someone interrupted us?” Leona asked
“I have to admit it was quite entertaining to see you lose your composure.” Malleus admitted, chuckling, making the opening move of the game. “And while the first two times it had been an accident, I have to admit that after I did get some help from people with an inkling for mischief to make it last for longer.” he added, his smirk growing as he saw realization dawn on Leona’s face.
“Lilia and Ruggie I can understand,” Leona said “but even freaking Hunt? Was he really necessary?” he asked, baffled at the gall Malleus had, moving his first piece.
“To be truthful, Hunt was not initially in the know, but he had heard me speak about it with Lilia and Ruggie, and so approached me to allow me to let him join in my endeavors on, and I quote, your beautiful conquest de l’amour of one Roi du Léon!” Malleus recalled, his imitation of Rook and his manners so good that made Leona flinch and recoil on instinct.
“Please, for the Great Seven, never do that again.” Leona answered, unable to stop himself.
“But why go through all that?” Leona asked again, moving another piece after Malleus’ movement.
“I wanted to be the one to surprise you, you see.” Malleus simply answered, moving a new piece.
“But why? It’s not like I’m the most romantic guy, nor can I do grand gestures for it since we’re keeping it a secret.” Leona asked again, a bit frustrated with Malleus not giving him clear answers. Because it always had to be roundabouts and mysteries with him.
“I think if you take a closer look at the board today, you’ll get your answer.” Malleus told him, after Leona moved exactly the piece he expected, allowing him to execute his move.
At Malleus words and move, Leona looked at him a questioning look on his face before looking at the board and replayed their current match on his head, replaying the movements done until now time and time again, stopping for a moment as if he almost had it before recalling the match once more and realizing what had happened.
“You sly lizard…” Leona muttered, “The King’s Gambit, huh?” he asked, even if it was more of a confirmation, unbelieving that he had fallen so easily for the dragon’s trap and provocations. “I fucking despise your guts, you know that, right?” he asked, no bite behind his words, his fondness bare for Malleus to see.
“The feeling is mutual, Kingscholar.” Malleus replied with a chuckle, matching Leona’s familiarity.
“I just wanted you to know that I do enjoy our chess dates. That there’s no need for you to go out of your way to show your affections for me, I am very well aware of them as it is.” Malleus said, once they decided to end their game earlier than expected, and opted for a walk around the campus grounds talking about everything that came to their minds, their plans for the future and more for hours.
“And see? In the end, we did have the nightly walk you had wanted to invite me on.” Malleus said, the stars reflecting on his green eyes as he looked at the sky before turning to Leona.
To that, Leona did what any sensible person would do to shut their gorgeous and very annoying and way too much smug lover up. He grabbed Malleus’ face with his hands and pushed him down to kiss him so he could say anything else, not caring about anything else but the dragon currently caught in his embrace.
Because, if there was a well-known secret in Night Raven College was the romantic relationship between Leona Kingscholar and Malleus Draconia. The two housewardens used every possible and petty reason imaginable to spend time around the other.