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Summer is here
Well, almost
Spring is slowly saying goodbye, after being thanked for the flowers, the fruits, and the breeze. Serein peppers away as the Sun glances upon the people, and as the moisture slowly evaporates from the atmosphere.
Its a nice day to run errands
Its not very hot out, as spring is almost to a close, yet still making it hotter than the days gone by.
Its not a huge list of things he needs to purchase, this should be quick.
But Rollo genuinely hates the fucking Sun
Not generally
Just when it shines too bright and itches his skin
He hopes he can get this shit wrapped up before noon, that's when the Sun really really likes to burn skin. So he steps out, his expression turning sour the moment his skin is grazed by the golden rays. It feels like a personal attack on his being.
He heads first to the bakery, for bread. Bread is very important. The plethora of dishes that can be prepared using bread is truly amazing...its a chef's foundational requirement, especially in a city that thrives on its breads and cheeses.
The bakery is exuberant, as always. Little children cling to their parents, as their gentle eyes gaze upon the many baked goods decorated on the shelves. People take home breads, croissants, pretzels, and sometimes cakes and dough.
Flamme is just here for plain bread. The kind that's soft and melts in your mouth. The kind he can eat without having to think too much about the texture. Its bothersome to be dwelling on it.
"Welcome again, Flamme" The baker greets him, knowing what he's here for as usual
"Good Morning" He greets, blinking slowly, as a form of bowing in respect
The baker nods and hands him his soft bread.
"The usual?"
"Yes. Thank you" He takes the paper bag and pays for the bread, before walking out.
There
One thing checked off from his list
Now where does he go next...
Huh
Weird
He spots someone he thinks he knows.
But he tells himself he's hallucinating because of the damn Sun.
But when he looks in the same direction again, they're gone.
He squints in an attempt to convince himself he was, in fact, hallucinating.
"Good Morning, Flamme"
Kill him
He spins around to see a very happy horned creature, waving like a kid at a carnival, under the shade of a fancy umbrella.
His expression turns marcid, and he hides his lips as he expresses his disdain through his eyes alone.
"Fleur City is quite hot, isn't it?" Malleus asked, walking towards him, "Even though summer has yet to arrive"
"The weather is terrible" Rollo replied, his voice expressing clear annoyance
"So it is. What are you doing outside in such weather?"
"Running errands" he said, holding up his paper bag, "What brings you here...again?"
The last word was said with special emphasis, because he'd rather not spring into a tantrum in the middle of the marketplace.
"Well, I believe I did tell you" Malleus said, "I wasn't done exploring yet. Though it seems I have chosen a bad time"
"You have" Rollo said, turning around, "Right, well I'll be off. Enjoy"
"Wait"
He stopped despite himself
"What"
"Can you...help me?"
God
"What do you mean?"
"I don't exactly know where to start, you see" Draconia explained, "I've been here only once. And it didn't go so well...as you remember"
He gritted his teeth
Of course it didn't go well
"Where shall I start exploring?"
"I don't know. Start anywhere"
He mumbled
...
Malleus stood like a lost child
The innocence in his snake-like eyes made Rollo do a double take.
He took a deep breath, then calmed down
"Fine. Follow me"
Malleus immediately smiled again
"Show me the way"
...
They roamed the marketplace quite fondly. Mostly Malleus being jovial, and Rollo feeling absolutely itchy and emotionally cornered.
It was somewhat refreshing to not be neck deep in work and cleaning, but still out of place and disturbing.
Everytime he pointed to something and talked about it, the fae's eyes would light up, as if he was experiencing life for the first time. It enraged Rollo.
But it was also a little cute
Here stood one of the most powerful mages in the world, his eyes sparkling at the sight of frozen treats.
"Grape popsicles, you say?" He asked the shopkeeper, "Is this icicle really made of grapes?"
The shopkeeper was a little caught off guard by the man's horns and striking appearance, but nodded.
Then Malleus bought one for himself
Rollo obviously couldn't leave yet.
He had to watch him eat the popsicle like it was caviar.
His arms folded, he watched sedulously, eyes not leaving the mage for even a second.
Eventually, Malleus faced him
"Would you like one too?"
Suddenly he realised he had been staring
He shook his head
"No. I tend to avoid sweets"
"Oh. Is it to maintain a figure?"
"What?"
"Nothing" He said, "Are you absolutely sure you don't want one? It tastes quite nice. Like flavoured ice"
That's because it is flavoured ice you buffoon
"No, thank you" Flamme muttered
Though he couldn't help but notice that Malleus was inexperienced enough to not have a tissue under his popsicle. And now it was melting onto his hand.
And dripping all over his fingers
...
No
This is not the time to be a clean freak
Don't do it
Don't do it
Don't do it
Don't-
"Jesus Christ..."
He swiped a tissue from the store's counter and pulled Malleus's unattended hand towards himself. Then, as is his holy heart, he wiped the melted syrup from his fingers.
All while not realising that Malleus was entranced, and too stunned to enjoy his popsicle anymore.
"There. You're a child, Malleus" Rollo scolded, though it came out more as a worried comment than anything else.
Malleus still didn't say anything as Rollo disposed of the tissue. He slowly took his hand back to himself, and stared at it, before returning his gaze to the man who stood grumpily by the counter.
"Finish that thing quickly"
"Ah, yes"
☆
Flamme also showed Malleus the rest of the marketplace.
He had already seen the souvenir shops, but he was just as excited to revisit them.
One of these souvenir shops was bigger than most shops in the area. It shelved a wide variety of items.
Obviously this wasn't anything of interest for Flamme, so he stood by the door, so that he leaves first, and doesn't have to linger inside for very long. So he stood, and he watched, as he had been doing all this time.
He didn't give the friendliest of vibes, but it was hardly his own fault. It's better to live with a constant resting bitch face than to continuously juggle emotions. It's much harder to find a balance between what he wishes to express and what he feels.
...
Malleus wasn't very interested in buying anything either.
He found himself looking at a little girl, standing on her toes, trying to reach a pretty wooden doll kept a few shelves above her head.
She gave up, stood back on her feet and sighed in defeat.
It was a little sad
She tried again, jumping on her toes, and trying to touch the doll's shoes. To no avail.
It was when she had almost completely given up and decided to drag her shoes back to her mother, that someone picked up the same doll from the shelf from behind her.
Her eyes lit up
He didn't say anything to her, simply took the doll in his pale hands, and handed it to her.
She smiled, her face glowing with joy
"Thank you sir!"
"...you're welcome" Flamme said, with no specific warmth, as the girl rushed to her mother, hopping with excitement.
...
They left the shop after
Malleus didn't buy anything
Strange
After they stepped out, Rollo decided to inquire
"You didn't purchase anything"
"Ah, yes, see that's because it would be suspicious"
"Suspicious?"
Malleus sighed
"I haven't told anyone I'm in Fleur City"
...
"What"
"They wouldn't let me go, I assumed. They said they wouldn't, since it poses me a great danger"
When he said great danger, he looked Rollo directly in the eyes. It impacted him in a way he didn't like.
"I see" Flamme tapped his fingers against his arm, "And did you perhaps realise, they were right?"
"They might be"
"You say that assuming I won't hurt you"
"You won't"
Rollo stepped back
His eyes widening in a toxic fashion
Because damn it, he was right
Usually the first thing that would pop into his head when he saw Malleus would be something related to his destruction, or just pure hatred pouring out from his heart.
But not anymore
Now when he looks at him, he feels a slight annoyance. But nothing violent. And if someone ever said the words 'Malleus Draconia', he'd end up remembering a stupid smile instead of...whatever it was he used to think of.
...
"Is everything alright?"
Rollo took a deep breath, and calmed his brain, "Yes. I'm fine"
"Good" Malleus smiled again, "Then let us head elsewhere"
☆
Eventually, sunset settled and Rollo had to head back to his dorm.
He decided, after staring at Malleus' lost-child face for a while, that it wouldn't suck to let him stay for longer.
The central area, surrounded by the ground floor hallways, was a nice patch of green. It was well maintained, all the grass was cut to the same height, the flowers were in an order of colour, and the roses bordered the area, leaving two spots that acted as gates.
It was delightful
Even stepping inside felt like stepping into something too perfect to be part of a college.
Ah
The amount of maintenance required could only be held up to standards by a President like Rollo.
Speaking of Rollo, he had told Malleus he was heading upstairs to finish some work before sundown.
What work, is something he didn't specify.
...
Technically, he shouldn't sit on the grass
But he did
He took support of one of the walls that made up the hallway
The sun was gone now
The moon hung in its absence
He had left his phone back home, so the only way anyone would ever know he was here...would be via divine intervention.
He should've atleast left a note
But he didn't think that far
...
Sounds of footsteps far from him, coming closer
They stopped right behind his back
A lantern in hand, and much more exhuasted than before, stood Rollo Flamme.
"I thought you'd be gone by now"
"I said I would wait"
"So you did" He said, doubtfully tightening his grip around the lantern's handle
Malleus smiled
And Rollo did not smile back
"Are you done with your chores?"
"As per the school order, yes"
"Are there chores you must do other than the ones mentioned in the school orders?"
"Yes" Rollo said, "I have personal cleaning chores I assign myself"
"Why?"
"Maintenance is important. Just because it isn't in the official list doesn't make it any less important"
Malleus hummed
"I see. So you are still busy"
...
"When will you be done?"
"Late at night" Flamme replied
"How late?"
"Very"
Malleus made a sudden face of realisation
Rollo sighed
"What?"
"I think I understand why your face is the way it always is, Flamme"
He frowned
"What do you mean?"
"Your face is always pale due to lack of sleep..."
He said it solemnly
"And also- " Malleus jerked him a bit closer to his face, which gave Rollo zero reaction time
" -the skin below your eyes is black, like ash. Now that I think about it...I don't think I've ever looked at you properly"
The paleness of his cheeks was being slowly flushed into a slight pink, but he said nothing as the other's eyes roamed his entire face. He didn't have a hankerchief to hide behind at the moment.
"Your eyes seem a little strained as well"
"I had trouble with the fireplace" Rollo said
Which wasn't even a tiny bit convincing
The fae stared for a bit longer, and there was a gap of silence where the only sound was of the lantern humming, and the insects in the grass.
"Your irises are aquamarine" Malleus finally said, smiling, "They are quite beautiful"
The hue of pink was more obvious now
Though eventually, Rollo slipped his wrist out from Malleus' grasp and stepped back, clearing his throat
"I will suggest you leave before the night elapses into early dawn. I am sure you are worrying many"
Though a bit disappointed, he tried not to show it
"I suppose that would be for the best"
"Then shall I assume this is the last time we meet?"
"For today, yes"
Rollo paused
"You...will be visiting again?"
"Yes, of course" He said, "I rather like being in Fleur City, and I believe I have yet to see everything the city has to offer"
"I see" Rollo muttered, Turning around to leave, "Very well, goodbye for now, Malleus"
"Wait"
Once again, he stopped in his tracks and turned around
"Now what?"
"Allow me to say my goodbyes properly" Malleus said, standing up and walking towards the other
In both anticipation, and dread, Flamme stood still, expression slightly deterring from its usual fashion.
Despite the look of horror on Rollo's face, ignored blissfully by the fae, Malleus took his free hand, and held it safely in his own. It was warmer than his.
After he decided Rollo was already traumatised enough to lose his capacity to blink, he raised his hand to his lips and left a kiss to the back of his palm.
And it was all over for Flamme's limited mental stability
He glitched. Frozen in place, unable to withdraw his hand.
What is he even supposed to do after this?
"Thank you for guiding me today, and for keeping me company as you did at the masquerade. I shall never forget such kindness"
Truthfully, hearing that was much worse than being kissed on the hand. Because it was genuine, and it was said with care.
"I'll be leaving now. Please, do take care of your health"
"I...will" Rollo replied, halfway in reality
And with that, the fae left
...
And guess who still has chores before bed?
Rollo Flamme
Godammit