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Malleus straightened his clothes one last time, making sure he didn’t have a single wrinkle on his shirt before ringing Ramshackle’s doorbell, heart skipping a beat as he heard the familiar rhythm of Yuu’s footsteps coming to get him, a smile appearing on his face before Yuu had the time to open the door, receiving him with the same familiar, delightful warmth he still hadn’t gotten used to.
“Malleus! Come in, come in, I was just getting the kitchen ready,” Yuu smiled, giving plenty of space for Malleus to enter. “Never seen you in such casual clothes. Looks good on you!”
It seemed like Lilia’s advice had paid off, Malleus unable to hold back a proud smile of his own as he entered, head held high and with newfound confidence.
Looks good on you. The hopeless romantic inside him would remember that for a while.
The moment he entered the kitchen, Malleus was welcomed by the aroma of freshly baked cookies, a still-warm tray laying on the countertop, Yuu running to his side as he tied his own apron.
“Feel free to take some! I personally prefer to cook while snacking, hehe,” Yuu giggled as he then grabbed another apron, offering it to Malleus. “Ace and Deuce said they might be a little late, so let’s get started. Already decided what you are going to make?”
Ignoring the little voice telling him to make Yuu tie his apron, Malleus went over his personal list of gift-receivers, trying to make mental calculations on how much he would need to cook.
“Considering my fairly modest group of close relationships, I have decided to bake a small cake for each one. Cupcakes, I think they are called.”
Yuu's face lit up, Malleus’ heart fluttering in equal measure.
“That’s so cute, actually. If I didn't have my own plans, I would be stealing yours,” Yuu then frowned, clicking his tongue. “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”
Perhaps Malleus was more sadistic than even himself knew, a teasing smile forming on his lips as he walked to the counter where the ingredients were, making sure his voice was nothing but teasing, even if he adored the indirect praise he was given.
“If you truly enjoy my idea so much, I will allow you to take it. Just don’t feel too bad when mine turn out better.”
Quickly shedding his faux annoyance, Yuu squinted at Malleus, any malice in the act undercut by the smile on his face.
“You are so lucky I am shit at baking, or else I would be taking the challenge.”
Their conversation continued without a hitch, neither of them needing much effort to keep it going on as they made their respective sweets, and even if Yuu was making a truly gargantuan amount of cookies — according to him, he had to feed at least twenty one students — it never felt like his attention was anywhere but in Malleus’ words.
Just as Malleus was about to start coloring the frosting for each cupcake, a loud notification noise pulled them both out of their pleasant reverie, Yuu letting out a frustrated sigh as he checked his phone.
“Ace and Deuce can’t make it. They fumbled some test and now need to re-do it,” Yuu then proceeded to weakly laugh, walking closer to Malleus and showing his screen. “The photo is pretty funny though.”
The photo showed Ace and Deuce both with animal ears, which by itself wouldn’t be so bad, even if it was an amateur mistake, but instead of it being on the top of their heads, they were localized at random locations of their face, with Deuce is particular sporting some sort of cat-ear-goatee.
A little disgusting? Perhaps, but amusing nonetheless.
Even if Malleus was curious to see how the duo would get out of it, instead, he couldn’t help but notice that it meant Yuu and him would be alone together for the entire evening. It was a silly, childish, foolish thing to get excited over, but he couldn’t help the gentle wave of happiness that spread through his body, his only hope being that his face managed to stay stoic.
“It is a shame they cannot make it. I shall keep you company, then.”
Happiness made way for surprise as Yuu suddenly pitched his cheek, stoicism thrown out of the window as Malleus blushed slightly, searching in Yuu’s face for any sort of explanation.
“My cute little Malleus... such a good kid, keeping this lonely old man company. I’m proud,” Yuu said in a teasing, but kind tone, quickly heading back to the oven. “I guess we can bake something extra then! I don’t want these ingredients to go to waste. Oh, what about making something for your dorm? I bet they would love some cake made by you.”
Yuu went on and on about what else they could use the ingredients for, but Malleus had already tuned his voice out, placing a hand over his own cheek, the warmth he felt through his body so intense he wondered for a moment if he would catch on fire.
There was also the passing thought that even if he did, he would die a happy man.
Still, he tried to snap out of it, not wanting to waste the rare time alone he had with Yuu with shallow delusions, accepting his suggestion of baking more cupcakes only to make sure he would make the most out of it.
As always, Yuu managed to keep the conversation going effortlessly, the few moments they stayed in silence not awkward in the least, and by the time the sun was going down, Malleus found himself pleasantly exhausted, Yuu plopping himself by his side on one of the chairs with a loud sigh.
“My back is killing me, but we did it. We baked for literally everyone in the entire universe.”
They didn’t.
“Indeed, everyone from the entire universe. I propose a toast,” Malleus said, nodding along.
Yuu clicked his tongue. “I knew I should have bought some wine. At least you and I would have drunk it, even if the boys didn’t want any.”
Before Malleus could offer to get some wine himself, a beep coming from the oven made them both pause, Yuu getting up from his seat with such velocity nobody would believe he was complaining of tiredness mere moments ago.
It was something about the way his face lit up when he saw the results, the way he smiled to himself in a way he didn’t through the entire evening, in the slight tension he showed as he grabbed the icing for the first time in the evening that made Malleus’ stomach drop, every pleasant moment from that evening forgotten in favor of facing the fact that he knew exactly who the person Yuu was baking those cookies for was.
May his more mature self forgive him for such thoughts, but at that moment, if Jade Leech died, Malleus would be the happiest man in the world.
“Geez, where is this cold breeze coming from? Winter should be less of a pain this time of the year.”
Yuu’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and even if the sentiment remained heavy upon his shoulders, Malleus tried to control himself enough for the temperature to go back to normal.
“A single window left open can give us an unpleasant surprise,” Malleus said, walking slowly to Yuu’s side, leaning onto the counter with his elbows. “What are you working on?”
As an initial answer, his usual confident Yuu turned bashful, clearly ashamed of what he was about to say, something rather sweet in the fact he trusted Malleus with this information anyway.
“You know, on Valentine’s Day, you gotta put in some extra work for the person you like and all...”
Malleus nodded without really meaning it, far more interested in watching Yuu work his delicate craft, the patterns he laid on the cookies simple, yes, but every single movement had the beauty of a man in love behind it, something ugly growing inside Malleus’ throat every time it became apparent how unrequited his own love was.
Unfair, plain and simple.
Regardless of his desires, Yuu finished his cookies with a gentle smile, leaving them on the counter and turning to Malleus.
“And now, I’m totally done. Need my help for anything else? I’m yours for the rest of the evening.”
The smile Yuu gave did not match the knife he put straight into Malleus’ heart.
“I believe it’s time for me to go. Sebek cannot sleep well until I arrive in the dormitories, after all.”
Above Sebek’s wellbeing, Malleus knew himself well enough to know he wouldn’t be able to keep up a pleasant façade for much longer, even if his heart warmed up seeing Yuu’s pout over his departure.
“I get it. Let me help you pack your things.”
It was a rather quick ordeal with the help of both Yuu and his own magic, and soon enough, Malleus found himself at the doorstep of Ramshackle, the warm lights from inside making a halo out of the hair that managed to escape Yuu’s ponytail.
“Thanks for coming, Malleus. I did not expect in a million years for cooking together to be this much fun. Please, please, please, let’s do it again,” Yuu said, putting a lock of hair behind his ear, so charming it was a shame he couldn’t take a photo of it.
“It was my pleasure, Yuu. Invite me again, and I will come as soon as I can.”
Despite everything, Malleus’ smile was genuine.
It seemed like in the blink of an eye, the atmosphere shifted into something more... tender, if Malleus had to describe it, Yuu looking down at the ground as he grabbed onto something behind his back, a small plastic bag on his hands that he soon offered to Malleus.
“That’s for being here with me today. I tried to give it little horns like yours, but, uh, making curved things is hard, so please just imagine it like yours, alright?”
As if he was handling the most delicate thing in the world, Malleus accepted his gift, taking a peek behind the plastic to find a brownie with two little white chocolate triangles on top of it, alongside another two on the sides, which he assumed was supposed to represent his ears.
“And it’s quite good with ice cream, just don’t forget to heat it up beforehand,” Yuu added, his nervousness as clear as day.
It was stronger than him, and when Malleus came to his senses, he was already hugging Yuu, the smell of his soap hidden behind the chocolate they used that evening, the difference in their heights usually rather minimal, but at that exact moment, he never felt smaller, sweeter nor so much like his.
Even so, it just took a couple of seconds after the initial shock for Yuu to hug him back, his laugh a wonderful melody against Malleus’ neck.
One day, I will make you mine, Yuu.
Against his will and in favor of rationality, Malleus broke the embrace as soon as he felt ready enough to put on a brave face, smiling as his creations floated by his side, heart fluttering over the slight blush he managed to cause on Yuu.
“I will make sure my own gift shall be as thoughtful as yours,” Malleus said, delighting in seeing Yuu clearly hold back some nonsense about it not being needed, instead just nodding in response.
With one last goodbye, Malleus stood on the entrance until he could no longer hear Yuu’s footsteps inside the house, his walk back to Diamsonia wonderfully slow.