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“I don’t like eating full cakes. They give me heartburn.” Malleus said, frowning slightly as he eyed the cake on the table inside.
Yuu walked up to the railing Malleus was standing at. “Er, Tsunotarou… You’re not supposed to eat full cakes on your own. They’re meant to be shared.” They said with an awkward, lopsided smile. They scratched the side of their face sheepishly.
“Oh, yes, I am aware. I’ve just never had someone to share one with before.” Malleus replied. He glanced away, down at the ground far below. Yuu frowned, feeling a bit bad for the prince. Malleus looked over, noticing the frown on the other boy’s face. “... But I have you now, and I know you’ll share the cake with me.”
His voice was soft as he uttered those words, like a breath being carried away by the wind. Despite that, Yuu had caught every word. He had a calm expression, despite the pounding of his heart. Drawing in a deep breath, he spoke. “Don’t forget Grim. I’m sure he’ll wolf down the cake long before you get heartburn.” They smiled, leaning their elbow against the railing.
“Yes… I suppose you’re right.” Malleus replied, that usual mysterious smile gracing his dark lips. Green eyes were glued to the Prefect, unblinking. His gaze was soft, fond. Yuu swallowed nervously as he held eye contact with the fae. The chilly night breeze blew past the two, whipping through Malleus’s hair. He looked away as he fixed his bangs, but Yuu’s eyes stayed on the tall boy. He would surely be popular if it weren’t for his intimidating aura. It was a bit funny to think of, actually.
Malleus noticed Yuu’s gaze, glancing back over with parted lips. He didn’t say anything for a long time, simply gazing at the human in front of him. If seconds or minutes had passed, neither knew. Malleus pressed his lips together tightly in a line, his brow twitching. He drew his hand out slowly, reaching for the Prefect.
“Well, now! Let’s get back inside, shall we? It’s getting chilly. And I’m sure the others are wondering where we went…” Yuu was quick to say, trotting over to the open door that led inside. Malleus retracted his hand, blinking a few times. A few moments passed before he schooled his expression and smiled again.
“Alright then.” He hummed, following after Yuu as the two walked back inside to join the others.
“WAKA-SAMAAAAA!” The familiar voice of Sebek boomed from across the Diasomnia Dorm common room. He bolted over to the two, standing in front of them with both hands on his hips. Yuu was taken by surprise, his eyebrows raising up. “Waka-sama! I humbly wish you the best birthday of your life! No, surely every birthday has been extraordinary for the great Malleus Draconia! I, Sebek Zigvolt, wish you a year of prosperity and everlasting greatness!”
“Sebek, you are… too loud.” Malleus muttered, squinting his eyes. Yuu nodded to themselves in agreement.
“Apologies, Waka-sama!-- I mean… Apologies, Waka-sama.” Sebek replied, trying his best to lower his volume. He was just such an… eccentric character.
“Happy Birthday, Malleus.” Lilia grinned as he came over. “I just lit the candle. You’d do best to blow it out soon.” Yuu glanced over at the cake at the table. It was huge, definitely. But who’d ever have to worry about something like that when Grim was around? Atop the cake was a singular green candle, a flickering flame lit on the wick.
“... Thank you, Lilia.” Malleus said earnestly. Lilia’s grin furthered. He let out a chuckle and walked off to go to talk to Silver.
After a while, Malleus eventually decided that he wanted to blow out the candle on his cake. The few people there gathered at the table and sang Malleus Happy Birthday; And even though there was a good handful of people there(who had perfectly fine singing capabilities), Malleus chose to stare at Yuu for the whole duration of the song. The longer he sang and the longer Malleus stared at him, the more Yuu felt embarrassment pang in his chest. After the song finished, Grim let out his usual grin.
“Henchman, yer not very good at singing, are ‘ya?” Grim cackled, obviously very amused at Yuu’s less than desirable singing voice.
“You don’t exactly have the voice of an angel either.” Yuu retorted, crossing their arms over their chest with a sour frown on their face. Malleus chuckled softly to himself, glancing away from Yuu. The latter felt another pang of embarrassment squeeze at their heart. They groaned inwardly, letting out a quiet sigh and dropping their arms to their sides.
“Make a wish.” Lilia said in a sing-song tone.
“I HOPE YOUR WISH COMES TRUE TEN-THOUSAND FOLD, WAKA-SAMA!”
“Too loud, Sebek…” Silver grumbled.
Malleus's lips curled up in a small smile, and he leaned forward to blow out the candle atop his cake. The small group applauded Malleus, wishing him a happy birthday. Lilia cut Malleus the first slice of cake, handing the plate to him with a grin. Malleus took the plate with his usual deadpan expression, narrowing his eyes at the confection.
“Ahh, I’m dying to get me some of this cake!” Grim exclaimed with excitement. “Heh, heh! 'Ya know, henchman, I’m great at eating.”
“Yes, I’m very aware.” Yuu replied sarcastically, cutting two large slices of cake and piling them onto a plate for Grim. Grim cackled in excitement, chowing down on the cake almost immediately. Seriously, this weasel needed to learn some manners... Yuu sighed fondly, cutting himself a slice of cake and putting it on his own plate. His eyes unconsciously drifted over to Malleus, who was eating his cake by himself at another table. His mind thought back to how Malleus mentioned he had always eaten by himself on his birthday, and Yuu frowned.
Leaving Grim to chow on his cake by himself, Yuu went over to where Malleus was sitting. “Eating alone, I see. Mind if I sit with you?” He hummed. Malleus looked up, his green eyes softening at Yuu’s words.
“I don’t mind at all…” He mumbled, glancing away. Maybe it was the lighting, but Yuu almost could've sworn he saw a small hint of pink on the fae’s cheeks. Oh, well. The Prefect, satisfied, sat down in the chair next to Malleus and stabbed their fork into the slice of cake they had. Malleus watched intensely as Yuu lifted the fork to their mouth and popped the piece into their mouth. “Is it… to your liking?”
“Yeah, it’s good!” Yuu smiled. “The frosting isn’t too sweet, and it tastes kinda fruity. I like it.” Malleus’s gaze softened, his eyes looking on at the human with fondness.
“You’re the first to ever sit and eat cake with me on my birthday.” Malleus commented, looking away and taking a bite of his own slice. “... Before today, I always thought the cake tasted the same every year. But eating it with you, it tastes good. I’m… happy that you’re here with me, child of man.”
For the first time in what felt like years, warmth sprung to Yuu’s face. He felt his cheeks go hot as his brain processed Malleus’s words. His mouth opened and closed as he thought of what to say. When was the last time he’d ever gotten so flustered? Malleus only watched him calmly, a slightly amused smile on his lips. This was totally unfair! “... I-Is that… so?” Yuu mumbled sheepishly, tripping over his words. He fought the urge to grimace, and internally cringed at himself for giving Malleus such a stupid response. The fae let out a low chuckle, sharp fangs coming into view. Yuu looked down, eyes glued to his plate.
Trying not to focus on the fae, Yuu continued eating his cake. After a bit, he calmed down and the two sat together in a comfortable silence. The cake tasted good, so Yuu was quite satisfied. After all, the food Crowley usually brought him and Grim at Ramshackle was… interesting, let’s say.
After finishing the slice of cake, Yuu let out a satisfied hum. He turned to Malleus, only to see that he was already being stared at by the tall boy. His plate was empty, so had he just been watching Yuu eat?... Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yuu glanced around before resting his eyes back on Malleus.
“Child of man, I didn’t know you were such a messy eater.” Malleus chuckled softly, reaching out a hand. Yuu’s shoulders tensed up as they felt a cold hand brush against his cheek, wiping away a small dollop of pink frosting. Warmth subtly sprang to their cheeks again. Malleus grinned at the Prefect, bringing his thumb to his mouth and licking the frosting off of it. Yuu’s lips pressed together in a tight line, the blush on their face intensifying and spreading to their ears. They were sure that they were a bright red, judging by the way their skin burned with embarrassment. Malleus seemed satisfied with the reaction he got, his expression softening as he admired Yuu’s rosy red complexion.
“What do you say we go for a walk? I’m in the mood to admire some gargoyles. I’d like it if you could join me.” Malleus suggested.
“Now? It’s super cold outside, though.”
“Then I’ll lend you my coat. Would that suffice?”
“Oh, it’s fine, I have my own…”
“I insist. You could take it if the weather is too much for you.”
“No, it’s really fine.”
“WAKA-SAMA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THAT HUMAN?!”
“Too loud, Sebek…” Silver grumbled.
– – –
Yuu and Malleus were walking along Main Street together, the cold breeze brushing past them. It was a bit weird to not see Main Street crowded with students, but it was somewhat of a calming sight, Yuu thought. Malleus seemed to think the same, since he had a pleasant expression on his face.
“I used to always walk alone at this time of night, but I quite enjoy taking walks with you nowadays.” Malleus said, his voice breaking through the comfortable silence they had before. Yuu hummed in agreement, looking up at the winter night sky. The stars here were much more visible than they had been back in his own world. It was such a small difference, but so beautiful.
“The night sky here is so beautiful. I’ve never seen so many stars before.” Yuu breathed, halting their walk to a stop. Their eyes were trained to the many constellations in the sky, to the bright stars that looked like specks of paint on a black canvas. Malleus halted to a stop as well, turning around to look back at Yuu.
“Yes, it really is beautiful.” Malleus said quietly. But his eyes weren’t on the stars of the night sky.
“A shooting star!” Yuu suddenly exclaimed. Malleus paused, turning around and looking up. Sure enough, a few bright streaks of light shot across the sky. “How lucky. You get to make another wish.” Malleus turned back around, his eyes meeting Yuu’s.
“Then… I wish for us to stay like this forever.” Malleus mumbled quietly. Yuu’s eyebrows raised up, his lips parting slightly. A few moments passed before the Prefect responded.
“Wishes don’t come true if you say them out loud, Tsunotarou.” Yuu smiled, looking up to admire the sky again.
“Perhaps. But I simply wanted to share my desires with you.” Malleus replied.
“Is that so…?” He looked back at Malleus for a brief second, warmth spreading on his cold skin. His numb fingertips twitched at his sides. Malleus had such an earnest look on his face that it made Yuu’s heart ache with fondness too much to even look at him. The two were silent for a while, feeling tense; Awkward. Maybe both?
Malleus’s slow footsteps sounded out against the pavement as he walked closer to Yuu. “Are we going to look at gargoyles together or not? I am the birthday boy, after all…” Malleus smiled, letting out a soft chuckle before taking Yuu’s hand in his own. It was surprisingly warm, considering his pale skin and the current weather.
“Well then, birthday boy,” The Prefect smiled. “Let’s get going. We can look at all the gargoyles you like.” Malleus’s lips curled up further, his teeth showing as he let out a heartfelt smile.
He pulled Yuu along gently as they walked around the campus together, admiring gargoyles and architecture. Somewhere along the way, Yuu’s fingers had intertwined with Malleus’s. Their hands fit together like puzzle pieces, as if they had been made for each other. The feeling sent warmth pooling in Yuu’s heart. Deep down, he found himself wishing for the world to stop at this moment, so it could last for all of eternity.
Eventually, their walking route had taken them to Ramshackle Dorm. Malleus quite liked the gargoyles there anyway. He had taken quite a liking to them, and often came to admire the architecture of the building. But, perhaps the gargoyles weren’t the only thing he had taken a liking to at Ramshackle Dorm.
“Tsunotarou,” Yuu called. Malleus turned, tilting his head in curiosity.
“What is it, child of man?”
Yuu began dragging the fae along. “Let me show you something cool.” They said with a playful tone. Malleus didn’t object, letting himself be dragged along by the Prefect.
Yuu took Malleus inside Ramshackle Dorm, all the way up the stairs, then to a secret door near the attic. Past the secret door was another staircase, which led up to the roof. Yuu led Malleus out, trotting over to the edge and taking a seat. Malleus took a seat next to the human, looking ahead at the view. “Isn’t it cool? To see the whole campus from here.” Yuu said breathlessly. His hand was still intertwined with the prince’s, holding it tightly.
“The view certainly is nice.” Malleus replied, amused at Yuu’s actions. He could see just about everything on campus from up here. But he was more preoccupied with looking at Yuu’s satisfied expression. It made the fae happy to know that someone liked him enough to show him their secret spot. He suppressed a chuckle, but he couldn’t hide the smile that made its way to his lips.
“Achoo!”
Malleus frowned. “Are you feeling sick?”
“Nah. Cold air just makes my nose run, is all. Or maybe someone’s thinking of me?”
“Perhaps it’s me.”
“Well, you’re sitting next to me. So it doesn’t count…”
“Does it not? Well, anyhow, I am thinking of you, so I’ll let that be known.”
“...”
Yuu looked away, their face slightly red. From the cold air or from something else, Malleus wasn’t entirely sure. His lips curled up into a slight smile, his hand squeezing Yuu’s. A snowflake then fluttered down from the sky, landing on the Prefect’s lap. Promptly after, more snow began to fall from the sky in a gentle sprinkle, enough to litter their heads and shoulders with white specks.
“It’s snowing…” Yuu mumbled, their eyes glittering as they watched piles of white form on the ground down below.
“Indeed it is.” Malleus replied, his eyes on the other boy. A smile met his lips, and he leaned a bit closer to the Prefect. “Back in Briar Valley, we have a saying.”
“Which is?”
“Couples who watch the first snow of the year together will be together forever.”
“I see… I had something like that back in my world too.” Yuu mumbled, his face warming again. “But… we’re not a couple.”
“... Are you oblivious, or simply ignoring the hints I’ve been dropping?” Malleus asked with a hum, an amused smile on his face.
“Huh?” Yuu blurted out, his face flushing red hot. All of a sudden, he felt like his winter coat was suffocating him.
“I love you, child of man.” Malleus said softly, his voice the level of a whisper. Yuu blinked in shock, silent. There were times when they thought Malleus was being overly friendly, or flirty, even… But love?
“You love… me?” He asked quietly, struggling to get words out. He looked away, but he couldn’t help stealing multiple glances at the fae next to him.
“Who else?” Malleus smiled. He brought up his free hand, turning the Prefect’s face towards him. Before Yuu knew it, the two’s lips were pressed together. Malleus’s lips were warm, and the way he kissed them was full of affection and gentleness; It was almost overwhelming. After a few moments, Yuu leaned forward and returned the kiss. Malleus smiled against their lips, pulling back. He had a satisfied look on his face, his smile slightly smug.
“Tsunotarou… I love you too.” Yuu muttered sheepishly. Malleus let out a chuckle.
“This is the best birthday gift I could’ve received today.” Malleus said with a loving look in his eyes. He pressed one final kiss to Yuu’s forehead, running a hand through his dark hair as he let out a low hum.
“Yeah, yeah… Happy birthday.” They grumbled, leaning their head onto Malleus’s shoulder.
"..."
"Tsunotarou?"
"Yes, child of man?"
"... What was the wish you made when you blew out the candle?"
"It was you."