Work Text:
"You pat her too!" Silver happily caressed the bunny in his lap.
"If you insist."
The bunny went stiff, ears raised back in blatant fear, but bravely endured Malleus's brief caress. It was truly admirable how much these animals loved Silver, even willing to approach Malleus if it meant pleasing him.
The late morning sun shone down on them, only made bearable by the light breeze. As always, Silver looked resplendent in the bright sunlight, as if hailing from a pleasant dream.
He touched Malleus's gloves. "But you can't feel her fur."
Malleus smiled dryly. "Your little friend will not be happy if I touch her without gloves."
"Why not? Malleus is very gentle!"
He chuckled with a hint of sarcasm. Only Silver would think that. Anyone else would flee from him, let alone dare to touch his gloved hands.
Silver sensed his bad mood and frowned. "Do you know how soft bunny is? You have to touch!" he lectured with all the self-righteousness of a child.
"I can't. Your friend will suffer if I touch her."
"That's not true."
Malleus lost his smile. "Are you willing to risk her life?"
His intimidation did not work on Silver, and instead the child pouted and touched Malleus's gloves again, unrolling them himself. Malleus lifted his hands away from the rabbit but did not stop him.
Silver laid their palms together. "See? I'm not hurt!"
Malleus's hand shivered uncontrollably. He fought to keep a calm expression, still unused to touching skin.
His hand, covered in the black ink of rose stems, eclipsed the brightness of Silver's clear skin. The thorns seemed ready to jump out and prick Silver into eternal sleep—if they had not already done so.
"Not yet, you aren't," he murmured with profound regret.
Why?
Why had he ever touched Silver? Why had Lilia allowed him to touch this innocent and precious child?
Whenever he remembered these early days wherein he cruelly touched this precious little life, he wished he could go back in time and cut off his own hands. Why did he learn to love Silver only after cursing him to a painful death?
He blamed himself, but most of all he blamed Lilia, even years later. Lilia had been with him since his birth, and had been the unlucky one to touch him before and directly after he hatched. They called him General of Death because he was the only one to have touched Malleus's bare skin and survived. Once, they had been closer than anyone, but now…
Now, Malleus wondered if Lilia had lost his mind. Just because he survived didn't mean Silver would too. Why would he risk his son's life just to prove a point?
"Malleus?" Silver noticed his scowl and lowered his voice.
The bunny ran away from the electric atmosphere. Silver sat plastered to his side, holding his hand.
After some hesitation, he guided Malleus's hand to his head. "You don't have to pat bunny if you don't want to. Father said my hair is soft…"
"Yes… Yes, it's very soft," Malleus whispered.
Touched once, touched a thousand times. He hesitated but could not help himself, finally reaching an oasis in the desert. He gathered the child into his arms and leaned his cheek against that soft hair. Would a bunny feel more precious and tender than this child? He doubted it.
Like a spoiled cat, Silver indulged Malleus's touching with bright eyes and a smile. He giggled when his cheeks were pinched and hugged back when Malleus embraced him. What a warm existence he was, so small, so insignificant, so weak, and yet capable of brightening his life with just a smile. Perhaps Malleus was the one weak one to be so easily influenced.
"Malleus, you can breathe fire, but you're so cold!"
"Indeed. I am touched by death."
"Is death cold?" Silver asked with pure curiosity. "I like hugging you when it's warm."
Malleus chuckled. "Only a fool like you would think my curse a good thing."
"Everything can be good," Silver said sagely.
"Even Lilia's cooking?"
"…Everything except that." Silver pouted.
Malleus could not help but laugh. If those back at Black Scale Castle saw him now, they wouldn't believe their eyes and ears. Since when did their dignified and solemn prince laugh so joyfully? When had he ever held someone so lovingly? Could his lips really form this smile?
It was Lilia who had fostered this version of him, and Silver who finally made him bloom. If one sworn to his family name could accept him, it was happenstance. If another, pure and untouched, could grow up to love him without question, was it not that he deserved it?
If his curse had any positive, it was this: helping him find this precious and lovely child.
Malleus sighed and rubbed his cheek against Silver's hair. "What would I have done without you?"
"Mm…" Silver thought seriously. "Patted the bunny?"
"What a one-track mind you have."
Silver sighed with great sorrow. "I want my friends to be friends with Malleus too."
"…Very considerate."
Silver sensed his sarcasm and peeked up at him.
Malleus didn't let him confirm his suspicions and instead picked him up. "Your father will be coming home soon. Let's prepare a meal before he has a chance to."
Silver shivered in dread.
"You'll cook?"
"I have some skill… At least, better you and I than your father."
"Thank you for coming here, Malleus," he said sincerely. "I don't know what Father and I would do without you."
Evidently, he was referencing Lilia's cooking talents, but Malleus's mind wandered and reached for things he could never say aloud. Would Lilia and Silver be happier without him? Undoubtedly. They would not be doomed to a painful death, and they would not have to bear the whispers and avoidance of those who feared contamination. They would never again have to hear someone rejoice a human child being cursed to certain death by the Draconia heir.
It was too late.
Now, he'd doomed them both.
Now, they loved him both.
There was no going back from that curse.