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“Hey, Silver,” Kalim called out with a smile, “This was the last class of the term. What are you planning on doing for the winter vacation? Going back to Thorn Valley?”
The Scarabia housewarden took a seat beside his slightly drowsy friend. It looked like the silver haired Diasomia second year had nodded off again in History of m\Magic. Kalim could hardly blame him. Kalim had a hard time himself staying awake listening to Professor Trein droll on about various events in the past, but he’d gotten detention more times that he could count since starting at Night Raven College 2 years ago that his parents had told Jamil to keep Kalim on task. He gently shook his friend’s shoulder to wake Silver.
Silver yawned, with a shake of his head as a reply. “No, Malleus has decided that he wishes to stay on campus as he and Lillia will be going on their internships next semester.”
“So that means both of us will be on campus this year?” Kalim grinned, eyes shining in excitement. “Due to me being a Housewarden, my parents said that I should stay behind and make sure that anyone staying behind in Scarabia is taken care of.”
Silver nods to show that he heard what Kalim said.
“SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!” Kalim asked excitedly.
Silver just shook his head, knowing that it was better not to guess because Kalim would eventually tell Silver what he had planned.
“That means that we can spend the break together!” Kalim smiled wider as he hugged his close friend as Sliver stood from his seat in the lecture hall. Kalim had known Silver almost as long as he’d been a student at Night Raven College.
The two left the class room with Kalim still chattering away, and shooting off various questions to Silver as the two walked the halls.
“Say, Silver, how did you celebrate the winter months in Thorn Valley? I bet they have some long traditions. Perhaps as long as some in the Scalding Sands.”
“I don’t know…” Silver paused, to rub the back of his neck, thinking back to how he celebrated the winter months with Lilia back in his home in the forests of Thorn Valley growing up.
“I mean I don’t know if our traditions were our own unique things or if they were celebrated in Thorn Valley as a whole as we somewhat kept to ourselves. I mean Sebek’s family and Master Malleus often also stopped by.”
“Most of the time though, Father and I would just make wreaths together to hang on our bedroom doors. Or burn a log in the fireplace that we carved our wish for the coming year into.”
Silver paused before a slight smile formed on his lips.
“Sebek would be very upset at me for saying this, but there were a few years where he only fell asleep at night holding a sword against himself. Father would tell him very fantastical stories of a large cat that would come to eat naughty children who didn’t get new clothing for the holiday. I won’t ever forget the year my father convinced Sebek’s grandfather to dress up as this goat like man that father told us stuffed naughty kids into a bag. The poor guy wouldn’t speak to his grandfather for nearly six months after he found out that it was just a prank that father had conjured up to try and scare all of us.”
Kalim looked at Silver with wide eyes taking in this new information. Kalim now wondered just what sort of a childhood his best friend had. Though Silver tried to hide the fact, Lilia had shared in a club meeting who he was to both Kalim and Cater. He thought better of speaking on this as he’d never been to Thorn Valley and the customs there may be far different than those Kalim grew up with in the Scalding Sands.
“Well our holidays are much less…lively…than yours. Or at least less about how good or bad you were the past year. This time of year is more seen as one where we spend about a week with our families mostly eating and playing games. Though at night fall, we do light these small clay lamps filled with oil each night in order to bless the house with wealth for the coming year. Jamil’s family made the best food for the gatherings! Maybe he can make some when during the break. Oh you’ll have to come stay in Scarabia one night if you can! I bet Malleus can spare you one night. I already asked Jamil to make a feast like we have back home so the other students don’t feel so homesick.”
Silver smiled, knowing that Kalim was giving the big eyes begging for Silver to say yes. He knew that Malleus could protect himself much better than Silver ever could. He was the crown prince to Thorn Valley after all. Still Silver’s sense of duty outweighed his sense of saying he could do something without asking his charge first.
“I’ll ask when I get back to Diasomina. I have to make sure that we are not having any celebrations of our own.”
“That’s fair.” Kalim said, a slight tone of disappointment and sadness in his voice as he realized that they were at the Mirror Chamber and would have to part ways soon.
Kalim always felt a bit sad whenever Silver wasn’t with him. He often wondered if Silver felt the same. They had never discussed much of anything when it came to the two of them. Silver just sort of agreed to the friendship proposed by Kalim because that was just who Silver was; an easygoing soft spoken, easily prone to nodding off guy. The two happened to meet while both serving detention in their first year, and Kalim found Silver interesting. At the time, Night Raven College was Silver’s first experience interacting with humans his own age. The only other human Silver interacted with before Night Raven College was Sebek’s father, but that hardly counted because it was mostly in the capacity of dental check ups per Silver’s father.
When Silver brought up Kalim to his father, and fellow student, Lilila, the smaller fae’s face lit up. Lilia had hoped her his son would find others his own age to interact with. He’d been so afraid because Silver had been a human raised fae, that he would have trouble making friends. His son always didn’t seem to talk much. Lilia wasn’t sure if that was also because the two didn’t really interact with the others in Thorn Valley. The fae in the valley did not look kindly on those that were not fae. Lilila remembered how much trouble his former colleague, Baur Zigvolt, had when his daughter brought home a human son in law. He also saw how much Sebek seemed to resent being only half fae. Lilia frowned at the apparent hate that he only saw now that he had a human son of his own.
Lilia knew Kalim from his Pop Music Club, and knew that this boy was someone who could help Silver grow. Kalim is as loud as he is kind, and that loudness would hopefully bring Silver more out of his shell and not stick so rigidly to his duty as Malleus’ guard. Lilia gently nudged Silver with words to interact with Kalim, and he also made sure that Kalim knew that Silver could use a friend like him if Kalim so chose to continue to pursue the relationship. Lilia even smiled to himself each time he saw them interacting. He even once commented to Cater how he was certain that Kalim may in fact be his son in law one day. Well, if the two could realize the feelings that each had for the other. Cater simply laughed along with his fellow third year, hoping Lilia’s prediction was true.
Silver had known Kalim long enough now to know the mood Kalim is feeling based on the tone in his voice. He reached out a hand and ran it over the top of Kalim’s white hair with a soft laugh.
“I wasn’t saying no. Just that I’m not sure what time over break works yet. I’ll send you a message when I know for sure.”
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They were a few days into break and Silver was worried. Not for visiting Scarbia. He had already visited numerous times over the two years because it was easier for Silver to visit Kalim than for Kalim to visit him at Diasomnia due to Kalim’s duties as Housewarden. No, this time, Silver was having trouble coming up with a gift for Kalim. How was he supposed to find something worthy of their friendship when Kalim pretty much had everything? This was not an exaggeration on Silver’s part either. Kalim had shown him the storage rooms in Scarbia filled with various items from Kalim’s home in the Scalding Sands.
Silver stood at the door to Lilia’s room and knocked.
“Father? Can I come in?”
Not hearing anything, Silver wondered if his father had been up late gaming with Nekura Samurai. Silver was just about to knock again but the door had opened just as Silver’s hand was about to make contact with it. Silver stood slightly awkwardly with his hand still held up in mid knock stance. Realizing, Silver quickly dropped his hand to his side.
“Come in. Come in.” Lilia looked up at his son with a soft smile as he stood with the door open, gesturing to Silver to enter the room. “What is troubling you, my child?”
Silver chose to sit in Lilia’s gaming chair after gently taking the small pile of clothes off of it.
“Father, what do I get someone who already has something as a gift?”
“Oh!” Lilia’s eyes lit up and his grin grew. “This is for Kalim, isn’t it?”
“Did I make it that obvious?” Silver asked looking down at his feet as he continued to fidget with his fingers that he’d been trying to rest on his knees.
“Child, I have known you all your life. There is very little that can be hidden from me. I’m going to guess that you are asking me since I am in the Pop Music club with him, yes?”
Silver nodded his eyes looking up at his father as he felt his father’s hand rest against his cheek; an action that had helped calm and ground him since birth.
“If I’m being honest, anything you chose for him will be fine. Yes, he is much like Malleus back in the Scalding Sands, where he is almost considered royalty, but he is still your friend too. He will love whatever you decide to give him because it came from you. Just like I kept your homemade gifts from your childhood days with me.”
Silver nodded, stood up, and then walked out, still pondering what to get Kalim. He was running out of time before the date that they had set for Silver to come over to Scarbia. Only a few days remained. While he appreciated his father’s advice, Silver wasn't sure what he could make Kalim that would be worthy of his friend. Kalim could have anything he desired made for him.
Silver’s feet carried him to the woods behind the campus as must have continued walking and transported himself back to campus via the mirror. As soon as he stepped further into the woods, the various woodland animals began to approach him. Some even held out various offerings of flowers, leaves, and nuts to him. He just smiled down at them with a small nod. A little dandelion caught his eye as a bunny hopped up to him carrying it in his mouth. He was unsure of where it had been found as the ground was cold and new snowfall was on the trees. He picked it up and tied the stem as he remembered how he used to make rings out of flowers when he was younger and give them usually to Sebek as he was stuck to him like glue back then. It made Sliver smile a bit more looking at the finished dandelion ring.
He envisioned placing it on Kalim’s finger, but then felt his cheeks blush at the thought wondering why he was thinking such thoughts lately when it came to his best friend. He didn't feel guilty having such thoughts, but he wasn’t sure how Kalim’s culture thought about not marrying within his own culture, let alone another man. He just knew that this flower ring was something that he wanted to give to Kalim. He imbued it with the tiny bit of fae magic he was able to muster in order for the ring to not wilt and hold its shape. He had the animals help him find a nut shell that was big enough to hold the ring and then wrapped it with a bow made out of a long strip of grass the animals had found for him. He thanked the animals and felt that he had at least a decent gift to offer Kalim tomorrow.
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As was usual for Kalim and perhaps the Scalding Sands, the festivities in Scarabia lasted late into the night. Silver, in order not to be rude, kept drinking coffee so that he would not so much as nod let alone nod off. The coffee helped some, but he could definitely feel himself getting drowsy when Kalim finally joined him on a cushion on the floor. Kalim smiled, placing a hand on the Silver haired boy’s shoulder giving it a light squeeze.
“You look like you’ll nod off at any second. Let’s go.” Kalim chuckled, holding his hand out to Silver so they could roam the dorm a bit together.
As they walked, Silver didn’t mind in the slightest that Kalim’s hand was still in his as they walked. He enjoyed feeling the warmth transferring between their two hands. The one observation Silver had that struck him as a bit odd is that Kalim was far more quiet when it was just the two of them than in previous times before this night.
Kalim stopped as he entered an open courtyard with some seating by a pond with water. The housewarden gestured for Silver to join him on the bench. Silver sat waiting for his friend to speak first as Kalim appeared to be struggling with what he wanted to say. As the silence lengthened between the two, Silver decided to take the lead.
“Kalim, I have something for you. I don’t know if in the Scalding Sands you exchanged gifts during this time of year, but in the Thorn Valley we do.” He opened his hand revealing the nutshell with the bow tying it shut, and held it out to Kalim.
Kalim took the small box in his hand and turned it over in his hand inspecting it first. He pulled at the bow, letting the box fall open to reveal the flower ring inside. His eyes widened as his mouth opened in surprise.
“Silver…is this…?” Kalim managed to breath out.
“My animal friends found it in the forest behind the school. I have always been good at making jewelry out of plants since my days in Thorn Valley. My father still has the acorn necklace I made him as a child.”
“It’s beautiful, Silver.”
“Well I did add a bit of fae magic to it. More so it doesn’t wilt or tear.” A soft smile spread across Silver’s lips as he saw in the moonlight how much Kalim enjoyed the gift. He also made a note to thank his father when he saw Lilia next.
“But why exactly?” Kalim asked quietly.
Silver’s smile faded slightly at the question, worried about how he was going to express his feelings to his best friend. He needed to though; he could no longer hide behind the best friends label. He knew he cared for Kalim like he had seen Sebek’s father care for Sebek’s mother. Silver was pretty sure that Kalim felt the same.
“Well, it’s because I like you, Kalim.”
“I like you too, Silver.”
“No, Kalim, I want you to understand. I want to be more than best friends. I want to…well…you know…be like…boyfriends. Go on dates, continue to get to know one another, I can even use a duplicate spell and we can wear matching dandelion rings.”
Silver’s smile spread across his face so wide that his eyes shut a bit and his cheeks pink with the warmth of a blush finally admitting all of this to his friend. Kalim listened to all that Silver said, nodding occasionally to show he was listening and allowing Silver to finish. Once Silver finished he set the ring box still holding the ring in Silver’s lap, so that he could take one of Silver’s hands in both of his. Kalim brought Silver’s palm to rest against his cheek, nuzzling it softly before setting the hand back on Silver’s lap, holding out his right hand to Silver.
“Yes, I was actually quiet tonight because I’ve been having similar thoughts myself. I talked with Cater and Lilia about it in club meetings a lot recently. They both told me I should say something, but definitely when it was just us. Hearing your feelings made it so much easier. I didn’t say anything earlier because I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.”
Silver took hold of the ring box and took the dandelion ring out and slid it on Kalim’s right ring finger. Kalim held up his hand and looked at it, smiling wide back at Silver.
“I got you a little something too.” Kalim said with a smile holding out his own ring box with a gold ring band in it with flowers etched into the metal.
Silver’s eyes widened as he held out his right hand so that Kalim could slide the ring onto Sliver’s right ring finger as well. Kalim then placed both of his hands on the slides of Silver’s face as he pulled Silver in for a soft kiss. Their lips pressed together just as the firework show started to go off. The two broke contact with their lips and watched the fireworks hand in hand with Kalim resting his head on Silver’s shoulder.