Chapter Text
It was the talk of the month, as it was each year. All students would talk about it, even if they were not allowed to go. It was one of those traditions, although not managed by the school itself, one that held up well over the many years.
The third year’s party.
A party organised by a different dorm each year, where all the second and first years would be forced to sleep across the other dormitories. There were only a handful of rules. No magic and no illegal substances. It was so special, as it was under the condition that all other grand parties would be outside of school grounds. For most, this might be their only ‘high school house party’.
This year, it was up to Pomefiore to prepare that memorable event. Vil, as a third year and dorm leader, was left to be in charge. Luckily, Rook would assist greatly. In other words, Vil would make all the decisions, Rook would make all the arrangements.
Vil placed the last bottle of vodka on the table arranged with drinks. She wasn’t planning on drinking, not at all. Alcohol does terrible things for one’s physique. However, to not provide the one thing that for a lot of students makes this party extraordinary would ruin her reputation as a hostess.
“Vil, do you have any milk?”
After making sure she heard that correctly, she looked to her side to see Leona. He was fidgeting open a bottle of vodka, while still looking for something to mix with it. His hair was half tied up, with his locs being decorated with different coloured accessories. It was always special seeing fellow students in their casual wear. With Leona it was no different. He wore a simple black shirt with grey pants. The eye-catcher of the outfit was a long and wide vest, decorated with geometrical patterns in his signature colours yellow, orange and green. He had some bracelets to match his hair beads and overall Vil was pleasantly surprised by the coordination of the outfit.
“Pardon me?” She eventually said, finally having processed his question.
Leona gave her a quick smile trying his best to be friendly, “I like my milk with vodka. Do you have any?”
She blinked twice, sighing, “I suggest you check the fridge, Leona. I’m sure you know where to look.”
Leona left the lounge to head into the kitchen, later coming back with a carton of milk in his hands. He poured a couple shots of vodka in it and started shaking it, to be putting it in one of the designated cups later like it was some sort of piña colada cocktail.
Vil was unsure to react, so just shook her questions away. “Guess you’re just experienced,” she mumbled.
“Hm?” He purred.
“This is your third time going to the third year event, is it not? I am certain you’re one of the few who has done this before. How was it last time?” Vil asked, pouring herself a glass of apple juice.
Leona sipped his milk vodka, “I didn’t go last year. Got too traumatised the first time. Don’t mix tequila and vodka, Vil. You’ll end up half-naked in a Heartslabyul bathtub with a Diasomnia vice dorm leader.”
Vil raised an eyebrow, “You’ve intrigued me, Leona. Did the pictures remain?” Leona gave her a small push, telling her to knock it off. “So, why did you come this year?”
“Dunno, perhaps a better hostess this time.”
Vil chuckled.
Their conversation was interrupted by an aura of power, as a certain someone entered the room. Vil smiled mischievously, glad to see her invitation was effective. People turned around and stepped slightly back as the Draconian prince stepped into the lounge.
He was overdressed, but that was to be expected from him who had never gone to a party ever. A see through lace blouse, a waistcoat corset and heels? Perhaps he was just dying to be uncomfortable the entire night. Even Vil’s silky tight dress with leg slit was barely comparable to that.
“You invited Malleus?” Leona asked, surprised.
Vil hummed satisfactorily, “I wanted to see him let loose. After all, he’s a third year, he has the right to be invited.” Any other host wouldn’t have done it, knowing the risks. Vil didn’t care, her ulterior motive bringing her new confidence needed.
Leona noticed her smug look. “So, tonight is the night, then? You’re going to make your move?”
“Only if the glass slipper fits. It would be ideal, surely, but I am not the type of woman to hit on a drunk and lone soul like Malleus. In such a state he might even say yes to one of Neige’s dwarfs.” She disgusted herself with her own words, engrossed by the idea. Nonetheless, once Malleus' eyes locked onto Vil’s, he started approaching her and Leona.
“I wish to personally thank you for the invitation,” Malleus started, “I brought you a gift.” He revealed behind his back a bottle of champagne. “I heard the French like this.”
Vil gracefully accepted it with an awkward smile, incapable of telling the kind Malleus how wrong he was. Unfortunately, there was a sly lion who was capable.
“She’s German,” Leona dropped, “and she doesn’t drink.”
“Oh.”
Leona chuckled, amused by the situation before getting an elbow from Vil in his stomach. She placed the bottle behind her, on the table with the other drinks. “It’s fine. I will share it with the party, okay?”
Malleus nodded. “Is that milk?”
“Yeah, mixed with vodka. Want a sip?”
“I’ll pass, thank you Leona.”
“Holy Great Seven, is that Idia?” Vil exclaimed.
The three all turned their eyes towards the flame coming in. “Can’t believe the radish sprout actually showed up.” Leona’s eyebrows furrowed together. “In a neat button-up, no less.” Vil added.
“I don’t think I have ever seen him outside of class before,” Malleus noticed, “and even then, he barely shows up to those… Should I try and talk to him? Perhaps it is time to finally get to know my fellow dorm leader.” He dropped the idea amongst the two colleagues, unsure what was appropriate at these events.
“Maybe a good idea for us all,” Vil took the lead, waving to Idia, signing him to come over, “I believe none of us know him well.”
Idia looked around him, assuming Vil was calling for someone else.
“Yo, Shroudsprout!” Leona helped, causing Idia to shriek. He then mumbled something to himself and slowly approached the other dorm leaders.
“You want a drink?” Vil said, reaching for a plastic cup.
“N-no,” Idia stammered, “I don’t drink.”
Vil put down the rum, her hand switching to one of the plastic bottles, “That’s fine, me neither. Cola?”
Idia was fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, clearly nervous. He nodded.
“So,” Leona slowly spoke, trying to fill up the awkward silence of cola being poured in a cup, “what got you to come?”
Idia sighed. “Ortho forced me, as well as my parents. They wanted me to at least participate in something this year. So here I am, trying to socialise.” The only thing that kept Idia on his feet right now was that Ortho says that usually only 40% of the party’s participants remember stuff, so he felt a little more stable thinking most won't even remember he was here.
“If it helps, I too, am only participating in such an event for the first time. It was the only one I was invited to, after all.” Malleus hoped to comfort. However, it wasn’t much consolation. Malleus didn’t have a choice, he was intimidating, feared by all. Idia was just a loser, who was too scared to go to the things he was invited to.
“Well, if you don’t mind, I will go lay down over there now. Wake me up when the party gets more exciting.” Leona headed over to one of the lounge couches, flopping down. Vil was fast to chase Leona, responsive to his comment.
“You’re going to sleep here?”
Leona raised his shoulders, “I hate to say it Vil; you have the drinks, the music, the setting, but you forgot something essential. The activities.” He turned to his side, sliding one arm under his head, ready to close his eyes.
“Was me going to make a move on the Malleus Draconia not enough entertainment for you?”
“Yeah…” Leona scrunched his nose, side-eyeing Idia and Malleus making small talk, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. You seem to have plenty competition tonight.”
Vil lowered herself, leaning her arms over the backrest of the sofa. “I can take Idia, pretty sure.”
“Not just Idia.”
Vil directed her view downwards slowly, realising Leona’s implications, “...You too?”
Leona shrugged, looking up at Vil, “He’s popular. Can’t even blame me, he’s got his charm.”
She tilted her head sideways, watching Leona’s green eyes carefully enlarge. Was he always this graceful? “Erm… yeah.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Holy Seven, Idia!” Vil jumped, “That is not how you socialise!”
Idia took a step back, apologising. “Malleus was trying to figure out the ingredients of this rum he found, wondering if it would be bad for faes. I thought I’d leave him be.” He explained.
The three of them watched as Malleus was holding a glass bottle of rum awfully close to his face, trying to read the small letters on the label. It was quite pathetic to watch, but somehow hypnotising. They really ought to invite the poor guy more.
“Idia, do you have a thing for Malleus?” Leona groaned, voice turning sleepy.
Idia coughed, choking on his cola. “Perhaps,” coughed again, “Vil, are you sure there is no alcohol in this?” He looked deep into his red plastic cup. “Maybe I should head home after all. Nice talk.”
Leona suddenly sat up, hooking his fingers underneath Idia’s back collar. “Hold up, radish sprout. It’s competition now, all three of us.”
“All three? Well, if it’s that bad... He’s royalty, right? Plenty of those who would want a harem…”
Leona slowly turned to him, “Excuse me?”
“Keep your own fantasies out of the conversation, Shroud.” Vil’s hands clenched, trying to escape the vision that Idia had burnt onto her eyes. Malleus had finally got to the part where he would pour the rum into the cup.
“Should we tell him you’re supposed to mix it with some-” Vil slapped her hand over Leona’s mouth before he could finish it.
“Listen, if my lips are not on that man by tonight, I am going to do a second overblot.” Vil made her final statement before being called by Rook to help him out.
Idia and Leona carefully watched as Vil left the room. Leona chugged back the last bit of his cup and turned to Idia. “You should really tie your hair up more often. It’s cute.” Leona said softly.
“I-I think that’s enough milkpils for you. You’re supposed to be flirting with Malleus to steal him away from me, or so I heard.” Idia took away Leona’s empty cup, reeking of that alcohol smell.
Leona switched positions, getting closer to Idia. “Be honest with me. You, me, Vil and Malleus. Not like a harem, but like-” Leona put his hands together, “That’s what you truly meant, right radish sprout?” He was sick of all that talking around when nothing was happening. It made him tired and sleepy, thus getting straight to the point with Idia. Effectively, Idia’s hair tips changed colour. How easy he was to read.
Idia walked around the couch, seating himself next to Leona. “Y-you sound drunk right now.”
Leona scrunched his nose like a cat. “I’m 20, drank long enough to know when I am drunk and when I’m not. Right now, this one glass, it’s barely doing anything. Anyways, when Vil enters the room, kiss me.”
Leona said it so quickly, barely comprehending the words he said. “What?”
“Or not, it’s up to you,” Leona raised his shoulders, “but I think it will lead to great things.”
Idia was quiet, thoughts racing through his brain. What the hell was Leona thinking? An invitation to kiss him? He looked down onto his lap, where his clammy hands were fidgeting with each other. Of course he wanted the four of them together, but it was such an insane concept. He had never met anyone in a poly relationship before, let alone been in one himself (or a mono relationship, even). He glanced at Leona for a quick second, realising he was carefully watching the door Vil left through.
Leona was so mature and handsome, sexy and calm in his mannerisms. Green bright eyes and locs that haven’t been retwisted in quite a while. God, why was Idia seriously considering it? He was supposed to be invisible, not become the gossip of the party if he went out of his way to kiss the oldest dorm leader!
Vil stepped through the door, holding a plate with snacks and heading towards the food and drinks table.
It was now. Idia turned to Leona, who was still laying sideways on the couch, right where Idia was sitting next to him. Goddammit, Leona hadn’t even gone out of his way to make it easy to reach him either. Probably intentionally.
Nonetheless, he leaned over, placing his knee on the couch and his arm on the backrest, giving himself support. Once Leona felt the pressure sinking next to him, he turned his head with a smirk. Idia let himself drop, going in quickly.