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Romance had never been something Silver actively—or passively thought about.
When he was young, he didn't even know what romance meant. In his small world, only him, his father, Malleus and Sebek existed. And when he grew up, he poured all his focus in becoming a knight who was worthy of being Malleus' knight and making his father proud.
That's why it took him a painfully long time to realize he liked someone. So long that they had already started dating before Silver had the epiphany that no, he was no longer just Lilia's son, Malleus' retainer and Sebek's sparring partner. He was also someone's lover.
"oh."
"Hm?"
"We…are dating?"
"Well does it look like anything else?"
Silver felt the tail wrapped around his thigh tighten, strands of hair ticking his neck. He blinked as he stared at the golden beaded necklace that was in his line of sight.
A hand combed through his hair, lazily and slowly. Silver's gloved hand was on the other man's chest, feeling the steady heart beats.
"…Do the others know too?"
The other man laughed,more of a mocking scoff really. as he closed his eyes.
"Whadda think?"
-
"Father." Silver greeted Lilia as he walked into the common area of Diasomnia. A peculiar look on his face as he sat across from the older fae.
"Ah Silver! I was just wondering where were you! I made Mushroom risotto for lunch!"
Any other day, He would be more concerned about how would survive the day after eating Lilia's cooking. Today, he looked at his father.
"Father, I have something to ask." Silver spoke out, a slight tension in his voice.
"Oh? What's gotten you so worked up? Speak up, I'm all ears!" Lilia pointed at his ears and flashed Silver a grin. Silver nodded and began.
"What do you think of…dating?"
A beat of silence. Before Lilia let out a laugh.
"Dating? Who? Me? I'm too ol-"
"No, me."
An even longer beat of silence.
Suddenly, the fae vanished from in front of Silver for a second and the next, he was practically in his face. Red eyes widened and looking into his aurora ones.
"Who is it? Who is it that moved my son's heart?" Lilia gripped Silver's shoulders with excitement. Before Silver would reply, Lilia spoke again.
"Is it Kalim Al-Asim? Hmm? Or is it his retainer, Jamil?"
Silver shook his head, leaning back on the couch and trying to place some distance between him and his father.
"Then is it Riddle Rosehearts? You two spend ample time with each other for club activities."
Another head shake, Lilia doesn't let him talk.
"No? Is it one of the first years? Ace, Deuce? Jack or Epel? i don't think it's Ortho…oh!" Lilia's eyes sharpened and glimmered. "Is it the Prefect of Ramshackle?"
"No, It's none of them father- I just asked what you thought of me dating."
Silver knew what his father thought of him dating. Lilia has never hidden the fact that he wanted Silver to be independent. He just wanted to hear it up front.
"Why I'll support you! Given that they treat you well but of course, you wouldn't choose someone who didn't, right?"
Silver nodded.
"That's right! Such a good boy. Who could have raised such a wonderful little one as you? oh yes! Me!"
Lilia squished Silver's cheek. A habit that had persisted over the years.
"Now tell me, Who is it? Someone from the third year perhaps? Hmm…Azul? Trey or Crater? or is it Vil or Rook? Or…"
Silver listened blankly as Lilia listed off the names of nearly the whole school. From first years to even fourth years who weren't even on campus for better half of the school year. Half of the name utterly unfamiliar to him. By the seconds, Silver was realizing something very wrong.
"It's not Sebek, is it? Not that I'd mind!"
"Of course not."
"What about Sebek?"
Both Lilia and Silver turned towards the entrance. Malleus had arrived, Sebek in tow. Before Silver could greet them, Lilia beat him to it.
"Silver likes someone!"
Sebek, who looked ready to shout something and Malleus, who was smiling, both froze. Suddenly, the clear sky outside darkened, a crackling thunder echoed. Followed by a thunder inside.
"WHAT?!"
-
Silver poked at his mushroom risotto. Normally he would have already been through half of it already but today, he barely took a bite.
He couldn't help but think back to this morning. Lilia had ended the conversation telling Silver to 'take things at his pace.' and 'talk to him if he needed advice'. Malleus had apparently been too shocked, if the thunder outside was anything to go by and Sebek had gone on an angry rant—and gotten even more angry when Silver fell asleep midway.
"Silver? Why aren't you eating?" Kalim tilted his head, bright red eyes blinking innocently at him. For a moment, Silver wondered if Kalim knew.
"Kalim." Silver called out. Someone should have noticed something. Outside his dorm members, Silver was closest with Kalim. He felt comfortable enough asking the Scarabia housewarden about it.
"Have you ever though about dating?"
"Dating? Hmm, not really? But I love my parents! I'd love to have a similar relationship with someone!" Kalim laughed as he went on about how great his parents relation was. Silver nodded along. Even though that wasn't what he asked, He nonetheless welcomed Kalim's excited rant.
"Jamil! Jamil! What about you?"
"If I don't have to spend rest of my life with you, I don't see why not."
"Really? But I want to be with you forever!" Kalim smiled and although Jamil's expression looked like he had been doomed to purgatory for eternity, no one at the table noticed.
Silver nodded at Kalim's words. Jamil was very reliable and attentive towards Kalim. It made sense why he would want to be with him forever.
"What about you, Silver? Have you ever thought about it?"
Silver had really not thought about it. He just found himself in a relationship before he could 'think' about it but Silver felt like saying 'no' would not help his case. So he opened his mouth, determined to answer.
"SILVER!"
-only to get interrupted.
Sebek slammed his plate on the table, causing both Kalim and Jamil to jolt up, and sat himself beside Silver. A scowl on his face.
"Sebek, Hello! Will you be joining us today?" Kalim greeted the mint haired boy warmly but Sebek didn't pay him any attention, only focused on glaring at Silver.
"Silver! Don't you dare go around sullying Lord Malleus' name!" Sebek whispered—as quietly as possible for him. Silver nodded his head. He did not know what Sebek was talking about.
"Huh, What do you mean, Sebek?" Kalim asked. "How will Silver sully Malleus' name?"
Sebek looked at the two opposite of the table with suspiciousness in his eyes. Then, recalling what Lilia had mentioned yesterday, relaxed slightly. He thought that if Lilia did not know who Silver's…strange fixation was on, then his other friends must! As a human, Silver might have felt more comfortable confiding to them.
(and even though that made Sebek bite the inside of his mouth, he didn't care. Not one bit)
Sebek lowered his voice, looked both sides as if ensuring no one was eavesdropping on them and spoke in a hushed voice that Silver was surprised he even had.
"Si..…a…ush…"
"Huh? Sebek I can't hear you…"
Sebek leaned over the table. Kalim too leaned over.
"Silver has…ush…"
"Still can't hear. Can you say it louder?"
Both of them leaned even closer.
"Silver has a…" Sebek's voice got awfully quite at the last part.
"I still can't hear you!" Kalim said, not a hint of frustration in his voice.
"AHHH! I'M SAYING SILVER HAS A CRUSH ON SOMEONE!!!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Except from Sebek, who looked relived to have gotten his words across, the other three at the table—or even anyone within a ten meter, had become as still as a rock.
Kalim was the first to break the ice, the shock on his face turning into excitement.
"Silver has a crush?! On who?! Silver! This is so exciting!"
Kalim looked back and forth between Sebek and Silver, practically vibrating in his seat.
"Is it someone from our year?"
"No, Master Lilia said it's not someone from second year."
"The who could it be? Someone from first year doesn't seem likely…Is it a third year? Then…"
Silver stared blankly at his cold mushroom risotto. Once, he lifted his head and found Jamil looking at him with a mixture of shock but mostly pity, and turned back towards his lunch.
Vil, Rook, Trey, Carter. Silver is sure he even heard a Shroud into the mix which didn't make any sense to him because he had talked to Idia exactly twice and neither lasted over two minutes.
Silver listened as Sebek and Kalim discuss and try to guess who his crush was. Occasionally, he would catch an unfamiliar name.
The names became more and more obscure by the second. And not once did the name he was looking forward to hearing came out of either of their mouth.
Silver took a spoonful of risotto and shoved it in his mouth. It was good and cold.
-
They had a study session scheduled after class. For the upcoming finals.
When Silver arrived, he found twice the original number of student sitting at their reserved desk. He would have almost went away if Kalim hadn't called out to him.
Silver awkwardly squeezed himself between Ortho Shroud and Riddle Rosehearts. Directly across him were Jamil, Kalim and Lilia, for some unknown reason. Sebek was sitting on Lilia's left side, a scowl on his face.
For some reason, Azul had joined them too, no books in sight, only a pen and paper in hand as he talked intensely about something Ruggie. Ace and Deuce from Heartslabyul and The prefect and Grim of the Ramshackle had joined too.
Except from Azul and Ruggie, all of them were looking at him.
"…We shall start with the last chapter of Potionology in the second year's curriculum. it is on page 1-"
"Ah Riddle, Please hold off for a moment. I'm almost done with negotiating with Mister Ruggie."
It wasn't the first time Silver heard Azul referring to one of their schoolmates so politely. But It was only during business deals and Silver could not for the life of him think of something that'd cause Ruggie to deal with Azul.
"What exactly are you negotiating about?" Silver asked, though something told him he probably won't like the answer.
"It's about your secret crush! Though I'm not sure what they are doing." Kalim kindly informed him. "Everyone here is curious!"
Silver felt…He didn't know how he felt. On one hand, he likely felt happy that so many people were…concerned about his love life (or the lack thereof) and wanted to discuss it (…it was a good thing…wasn't it?) On the other hand…He didn't have a crush.
A boyfriend of a few months, sure, but that's different from a crush.
Silver sat blankly as he watched the other enter a heated debated about his imaginary crush. The other people not actively engaging in the conversation was SIlver himself, Riddle, who looked like he'd turn compleatly red any given second and Ortho, who was staring at him intensely.
"…Hello." Silver greeted the robot. Ortho smiled.
"Analyzing data…we have been through all those familiar with Silver Vanrouge and his heart beat appear to be be normal with minimal fluctuations.Assessment: Excess release of love hormones: Dopamine or Oxytocin, not detected."
…A rather long reply to a hello.
"None? But We have been through everyone Silver could have known! Is it someone we don't know?" Someone mentioned.
Lilia was the one to speak up. "Alright you lot! Why don't we ask Silver about it? He will tell us if he wants-"
Lilia was cut off by Ortho.
"retrieving student data…after removing those who have been eliminated, only one student remains who fits all criteria."
"One? Who is it?!"
Instead of asking Silver, Everyone, except from Lilia, looked expectantly to Ortho instead. Silver stared at his father, hoping he would rescue him from this situation. His father simply laughed.
Ortho spoke up.
"Third Year, Savanaclaw, Housewarden Leona Kingscholar."
"…"
"…
"…"
A stretched out silence, followed by denial.
"No way."
"Nope."
"Nahh"
"Oh man, you got me excited right here!"
The excitement around the table died around instantly. And so did the thread of hope Silver had.
There…was no way. They hadn't been that obvious. How many times had Silver mentioned napping at the Botanical Garden? How many times had Ruggie commented on his scent? How many times had Sebek yelled at him for showing up to training with fur on him?
Silver stared at his potionology notebook as he thought back to the past few months. It was all so obvious, wasn't it? Even though they had ever explicitly stated it, it was still-
"Of all people, it can't be Leona, Isn't that right Silver?" Ace laughed as everyone turned their attention towards him.
Silver's eyes to sharpen, aurora pupils scanning over the table. He opened his lips.
—only to be stopped before he even began.
"And why exactly not?" A lazy but familiar voice came from behind him, causing Silver's head to whip back. He craned his head, eyes meeting a familiar emerald pair. Standing with a confident but lazy look on his face was the person they had just been talking about.
The person whose name Silver took too long to speak.
What was he doing here? At this time, he was usually napping at the Botanical garden. Had something happened?
Leona broke their eye contact and instead looked at the rest like they were the most insignificant thing he had the misfortune of seeing in his entire life combined.
"You lot certainly got a lot of time. Wastin' time in the library of all places. Even roped the red young master in." Leona smirked, no restraint in his voice. "And what is it butting into other's love life? Lacking one much?"
"And What brings you here, Leona? Not to study, I'm sure" Azul pushed up his glasses as Leona chuckled.
He doesn't reply. Instead, Leona returns his gaze to Silver and extends his hand to the man. There is no visible change in expression but his eyes becomes much softer than when addressing everyone else.
"Let's go."
Go where? They had no appointment for today. Silver had already texted Leona that he wouldn't be able to come to the Botanical Garden today. Were they suppose to do something else?
Silver was sure they weren't suppose to.
Still, He doesn't question the man's intent. Just like he didn't when Leona stopped trying to kick him out of the Botanical garden and started napping beside him, wrapping his tail around him.
He accepts the hand reaching to him. Immediately, pulled to his feet, Leona's grasp was gentle but firm. The beastman turned on his heels and started walking away, Silver in tow.
"S-silver?! Where are you going?" Someone called out from behind but he doesn't turn to see who.
He focused on what's in front of him. Long dark brown hair that often ended up on his face during naps, lion ears that are surprisingly soft to touch, a tail that enjoys hindering his ability to walk properly.
Silver opens his mouth as they exist the library. "Did we have an appointment today?"
"Nah."
"Then why did you come?"
Leona turns his head slightly, green eyes side eyeing him. "I don't a reason. Those idiots were bothering you anyway."
True and Untrue.
"They were simply curious."
"And that gave them permission to put bets on your love life?"
Silver's eyes widened slightly. He didn't know about the bets. It suddenly made sense why and what Azul and Ruggie were talking about.
"I wasn't aware."
" 'course you weren't."
"How many placed their bets on you?"
"…"
Silver doesn't need to see it to know there is a scowl on his face.
Eventually, they arrive at their destination. The Botanical garden.
Leona throws himself on a patch of grass, arms cushioning his head. Silver follows him.
"A bunch of dumb fools."
"Hm."
"Idiots."
"Hm..."
"You too. Puttin' up with their nonsense."
"I'm sorry."
"Tsk."
Silver feels something wrap around his thigh. A familiar sensation. he turned towards Leona, eyes already shut.
"…We are dating?"
The grip tightened.
No answer. Maybe not even needed.