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If Cater wasn't here to see it with his own eyes, he would've never believed it: a castle ravaged by war, abandoned to time, lit anew with life and images of the past. He'd heard a little bit about Lilia's Unique Magic before, but his classmate had brushed it off back then as a simple spell that wasn't worth marveling over.
Seeing the scale at which he cast it now, Cater realized in awe that Lilia had severely undersold himself.
Fae sure are something. He would take photos to commemorate the occasion, but it seemed the spellcasted projection wasn't able to be captured on camera. That was a shame. Just like all the photos he took in the dream worlds, these images would simply have to continue living on in his memory.
For once, Cater wasn't in the thick of the crowd that had been invited to this celebration. Instead, he assumed the uncharacteristic role of wallflower, watching with a small smile as his classmates danced together beneath the shimmering lights. Music from seemingly nowhere filled the hall, its gentle yet wistful melody soothing the last of the unrest that had been clinging like cobwebs to everyone's minds the last few weeks.
I know we're awake now, but it feels like a dream all over again.
At the center of it all was a certain quartet from Diasomnia. Silver traded off dances between Sebek, sparkling projections of what Cater could clearly tell were his birth parents, and his adoptive father (and Cater was still processing that Lilia was not only hundreds of years old, but a dad). In time, his hand was joined with that of Malleus Draconia, the two a captivating contrast: Silver in his whites and auroral colors, Malleus in his obsidians, but both equally elegant and striking. They looked like princes that stepped straight out of a fairytale.
Cater's gaze lingered on Malleus in particular. It was hard not to — for the first time, so much of his dragon heritage was on display. The scales of his forehead and spine were exposed, and his magnificent tail curled gracefully around him with each spin and turn of his dance with Silver.
A now familiar ache clawed at Cater's chest as he stared after Malleus. Like so many others in the school and around Sage's Island, his perception of him had grown...complicated after the events of his Overblot.
No, it was already hella complicated, Cater thought, warmth filling his cheeks. But now things were worse because of his dream — his stupid, stupid dream.
He was finally unable to look at Malleus for a moment longer. It hurt too much, like he couldn't breathe. He didn't want to feel this way, or bring the mood down to such a magical gathering, so he glanced around the hall for a way out. It would draw too much attention later if he straight-up left the party, but... Oh, there was a balcony not far from where he stood.
Fresh air. That sounded good. He just needed a moment to compose himself. Luckily, everyone else seemed occupied with socializing or admiring the spectacle of the dancing to notice him disappear outside.
It was well into spring now, and the breeze seemed to carry a fresh earth scent as Cater stepped onto the large balcony. Lilia's magic appeared to have reached here as well, with the stone of the railing so pristine it was as if it had been recently carved. The hall was so vibrant with light that he'd nearly forgotten that it was past midnight.
The moon above was nothing but a silhouette. From his astrology studies, Cater knew that tonight's moon offered a prime time for fresh starts, renewal, and letting go of what no longer served one well.
I can defs think of one or two things I wish I could let go of.
He crossed his arms over the railing and let out a huge sigh.
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
With a gasp, Cater jumped, slammed right back to reality by the sound of that familiar, bewitching voice. He whipped around, shocked to see Malleus himself standing there. He was a noticeable distance away, either trying not to scare Cater (and failing), or hesitating to come closer. But hesitating would be ridiculous, especially in his current getup where he looked every inch a graceful and commanding prince.
"Malleus," he breathed. "You scared me for real!" He pressed a hand to his chest, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart.
A small frown furrowed Malleus' brow. "There's no need to be so formal, Diamond. You can address me as usual." He took a cautious step forward. "And I apologize for startling you."
Cater could only force a small smile of acknowledgement to Malleus' request. Being too comfortable and familiar, calling him "Mally," as he usually did — Cater wanted to distance himself from all that, if just to protect himself after he realized what happened in his dream world.
"You're good. I just wanted a quick breather, but I think I'll get back inside..." Cater took only a few steps back to the hall when something closed around his wrist, keeping him in place. It only took a glance to know that it was Malleus' hand.
His grip wasn't forceful, but it still caused a ripple of dread in Cater. He looked up into widened, pleading green eyes. This close, he realized that those eyes had a ring of tiredness around them, even beneath his makeup.
Cater had never seen Malleus look so…vulnerable before.
"Wait, Diamond. Please, stay here."
Realization crossed both their features at the utterance of those specific words. Malleus immediately caught his mistake and released Cater. He took a second to compose himself before saying, "That is not a command, of course. You're free to leave, if you so choose. But when I noticed you coming out here, I thought... This might finally be an opportune time for us to talk."
A part of Cater told him to walk away, to rejoin the others in the light and laughter and music, and pretend that he could move on from this. He'd moved on from plenty of people before, after all. He'd perfected the art of not looking back.
And yet... And yet...
Cater slowly turned back around. "What didja wanna talk about?"
Malleus walked over to the railing and rested his hands upon the stone. He took a moment to stare up at the new moon that Cater had also been gazing at. Then, without turning around, he murmured, "Your dream."
Cater’s stomach twisted into a knot. Truthfully, he wanted to confront Malleus about the same thing. Sure, pretty much everyone had felt that way after waking up, but Cater had needed more than a simple fight with the Overblotted faery to get rid of this weight in his chest. At the same time, he realized that, for once, he had no idea what to say. He wasn't the best at serious conversation, much less about his own feelings. But out of the tangled yarnball that his heart had been lately, one thread was easier to pull out than the others:
Anger.
"...How much about it do you know?" he asked in a distant voice. He approached the railing again to stand an arm’s length away beside Malleus. "Idia told us as long as you existed somewhere in our dreams, you could peek into them and interact with them." Cater crossed his arms. "You must've seen a lot from the others."
"Not particularly, no," Malleus said. His voice was quiet and tinged with regret over his past actions. "But yours... I visited your dream quite frequently. It was easy for me to, as I was..." He hesitated. "I was a main figure in it."
"Why?" Cater didn't know why he asked. Ortho had explained many times that Malleus had no control over the specifics of their dream; he merely gave them the means to imagine what their "happily ever after" was. He didn't make Cater dream of him.
Still, he wanted to know if Malleus knew why he'd been so important to his happily ever after.
"I don't want to assume anything, so I was hoping that you could tell me,” Malleus said, looking over at him. “That way, I can...properly apologize."
Cater swallowed. As the days passed since they were awakened, more details of his dream had slowly begun to come back to him: past the endless parties, the laughter, the chaotic trials, the position as housewarden...
There was a secret room. A warm embrace. A rainfall of sweet kisses.
("Stay here," Malleus breathed between their lips. "Stay here forever. Vow to me that you will, Cater.")
("I love you.")
("I love you too, Mally. So freaking much.")
A dry laugh left his lips. "For what? Playing around with me?"
Malleus’ eyes widened. “What?”
Cater's words were strained, clawing out from his tight throat. "I know you weren't in your right mind, but... Just to keep me inside a dream, you said a lot of really sweet things to me." His mouth tingled, feeling those kisses all over again. His nails scratched against the railing as he tensed. "You did a lot of sweet things. I didn't know it wasn't real, but you did! You knew I was dreaming about you and you… You used it to play me!"
To his embarrassment, his eyes began to sting with tears. He quickly blinked them away. Even though he was rightfully angry and hurt, he still regretted letting his mask slip. He scrubbed a hand over his face and turned around. "No, we don't gotta do this now. It's supposed to be a special day for you guys, don’t spoil it. Just...go back and celebrate with them, I'm sure they miss you."
"Just a moment, Diamond. I fear there's been a misunderstanding." Malleus moved to stand in front of him. Cater met his eyes, surprised to see that pleading gaze once more. The sight of it pulled at his heartstrings.
After a bracing exhale, Malleus said, "I understand that what I did during my Overblot was...unforgivable, to say the least. And for you in particular, I know my presence in your dream and masquerading as someone that could make you happy was...a great breach of trust." He suddenly dropped to a knee, his midnight robes pooling elegantly around him and his tail curling upon the floor.
Cater's eyes widened. "M-Malleus, get up, you're a prince, why are you on the ground?"
Ignoring this, Malleus only continued. "I'm so truly and deeply sorry that all my actions hurt you like this, Diamond. I never wanted you to cry or to feel used. I just... I wanted you to be happy. I wanted to be happy. And in a world where I alone was awake, your dream was the only place I felt like I belonged. That said, believe me when I say that my motivations weren't to make a plaything of your feelings. They were to..." He placed a hand over his heart. "...indulge my own."
Cater looked away, wiping at his eyes again. Seven curse these stupid tears! He hated this, hated feeling so broken up and out of control of a conversation. Malleus always had an infuriating way of lowering his walls though.
It was probably why Cater had fallen in love with him. Maybe that was why, while he was still so raw and pissed off, he could feel himself being persuaded by Malleus’ earnest words.
"So… What does that mean? Because it still hella sounds like I was just a convenience for you.”
"...You’re right. I should speak plainly. It's only fair to you." Cater thought it might be a trick of the night's shadows, but he realized that Malleus' pale cheeks were actually growing pink.
Hand still pressed against his heart, still on one knee and gazing up at Cater, Malleus said, "I mean that I love you, Diamond. Even before I cast Fae Maleficence, before I stepped foot in your dream, I was in love with you.
“When I saw that you were dreaming of me, I was happy. So, so happy... But I feared what would happen to your feelings if you woke up. I know now that I took advantage of the safety of a dream. I loved you and I didn't want to go back to a reality where you might not feel the same anymore…
“But now everyone has opened their eyes, including myself. Whatever the reality of your feelings may be, especially after what I've done... I shall accept it."
For several long heartbeats, Cater just stared at him. Both of them seemed to hardly breathe. That probably explained why he felt like he couldn’t think properly, much less process what Malleus had just told him. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but... But he hadn't heard all that wrong, right? He wasn’t losing his mind, right? Did he somehow fall asleep and was having another cruelfully sweet dream?
Malleus waited patiently, hope in his eyes. His expression combined with his pose reminded Cater of a marriage proposal. Great Seven, his head really was becoming full of clouds. Maybe that was why he could only focus on one thing.
He parted his lips. "Can you...rewind and play that back for me?"
"Which part?"
"The part where you said how you felt about me."
Malleus' expression softened. "When I said I love you?"
"Don't make it a question."
"I love you."
Cater's breath caught in his throat, his heart aching again. This time though, it was with a sweeter feeling than the bitterness from before.
"I-R-L, right? Not...not just in a dream? It wasn't just some lip service you pulled to keep me asleep?" He knew he had to sound so stupid and insecure, but Cater had to be sure. He couldn’t allow himself to finally be this vulnerable only to have his heart crushed in the end.
But he knew Malleus couldn’t lie. He had nothing to gain from singling Cater out and speaking these words. Who cared about the love of one mere human?
This too was the faery prince exposing his heart and placing it in the palm of Cater’s hand.
"I meant every word, both now and in your dream," Malleus insisted. "I won't dare to presume your feelings now, nor will I demand them. But I do want you to know that my heart belongs to you. You're my dream in the waking world. I love you, Cater Diamond."
Cater let out a breath. He felt lightheaded, like he might be floating, or slowly falling.
“...Say it again,” he whispered.
“I love you,” Malleus said softly. The full sincerity of his words prompted Cater to step closer to him.
“Again.”
“I love you.”
“Again.”
“I love y—mmn!”
Cater's body moved faster than his head. He willingly left thought behind, instead at last following the pull of his heart that reached so longingly for the man in front of him. His hands clutched Malleus as he leaned down and kissed him. It was a little clumsy, the angle a little awkward, but it was better than anything they'd shared within Fae Maleficence. He could finally appreciate just how soft and hot Malleus' lips were, as if he'd burn Cater's mouth.
Cater found he really didn't mind that.
He pulled away, quite pleased when he saw the half-confused, half-blissful expression on Malleus' face. No one would ever think the prince of Briar Valley could have such an uber-adorbs look.
Refusing to be too swayed though, Cater said, albeit lightheartedly, "I'm still mad at you, you know. I never planned to tell you how I felt. But then you went and barged right into my feels! Made me feel totally #exposed! You’re so mean, Mally!”
Malleus continued to look completely bewildered. But to his credit, he sounded earnest when he vowed, "I'll do all in my power to make it up to you." Then, after a moment, said, "You weren't going to tell me?"
Embarrassment heated Cater's cheeks. "So Cay-Cay is bad at feelings, sue me! And anyway…” He looked at the elegant silver circlet Malleus wore. “Didja forget you’re literally a prince? Even if I told you something, I totes expected to be rejected.”
With a sigh, he straightened back up and offered his hand out. He knew Malleus didn't really need the help, but it felt polite anyway. That, and he wouldn't say no to more physical contact with him either.
As if reading his mind, Malleus took his hand and rose to his feet, but he didn't let go of his hand afterward. “I suppose I can’t fault you for considering our differences. Falling in love with a human was something I hadn’t foreseen either.” He squeezed Cater's fingers delicately. “That said, I have no regrets about it.”
Cater smiled, feeling uncharacteristically shy. “You better not. You’re stuck with one whole Cay-Cay from now on. And no givsies-backsies.”
They both chuckled, pressed their foreheads together. Malleus’ scales were rough and warm against his skin, a surprisingly comforting feeling.
Cater returned the squeeze on Malleus' hand, heat rushing to his cheeks. "I... I really, really like you, Mally. I love you."
It had been far easier to express this feeling in a dream. Aloud in the real world, he thought he sounded pretty lame.
But Malleus apparently didn't think so. He drew back to press a kiss to Cater’s forehead. His lips lingered there as he murmured, "I do believe it's far sweeter hearing you say that in real life."
"...You think you're real smooth, huh.” Cater let out a laugh, which eventually led to Malleus laughing a little as well. The sound of it was what finally made Cater's heart start to feel soothed. He'd been trying to keep it together for the last few days, but between helping get the dorm back to normal, recovering from the dreamworld, and worrying about Malleus as he was detained in the Isle of Woe... A weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a relief so great he thought he might cry again.
But he blinked back his tears and embraced Malleus tightly, burying his face right against his chest. The beat of Malleus' heart against his ear was a comforting sensation. His hands brushed over the pointed scales along Malleus' spine, but the feeling of them didn't scare him.
For a moment, Malleus was completely frozen, as if shocked to paralysis. But then, slowly, his arms wrapped around Cater as well — at first uncertain, but then relaxing. He rested his cheek over the top of Cater's head, letting out a soft exhale like he was relieved too.
Feeling like he truly belonged somewhere was a new feeling for Cater. But that was what being in Malleus' arms felt like: a place he belonged. He could definitely get used to it.
Eventually, Malleus pulled back, though his hands slid down to hold both of Cater's arms.
"I recognize that this may be sudden, but... While the effects of Lilia's magic are still at play, I would like to introduce you to my mother. Would you be amenable to that, Diamond?"
"Introduce me to... Uh, wait, isn’t your mom, like, the queen!?”
Malleus smiled in amusement. "She was. But you needn't fret terribly over how to comport yourself. Besides, she's a product of Lilia's spell, she won't strike you down."
"You're not exactly inspiring confidence on whether or not she'd approve of me here."
"Of course she would," Malleus said. "You're the one I chose."
Although feeling super unprepared, Cater caved under the hope and pride in Malleus' words. He gave a nod, following along as Malleus led them back inside. They held hands, which felt nice at first, if not a little foreign to Cater. As soon as they stepped back into the hall, several pairs of eyes landed on them, and embarrassment began to creep up his neck. Still, it'd probably make a bigger scene if he pulled his hand back. For now, he squeezed Malleus' hand for reassurance.
Silver, Sebek, and Lilia still remained in the center of the hall, as were the shimmering figures of the past.
"Oh, there you are!" Lilia said when he noticed Malleus. "I was wondering where you'd wandered off to. So you were with Cater! Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Totes!" Cater exclaimed automatically, smiling brightly. "I only wish I could snap pics of how your magic lit the place up!"
"Fufu, flatterer~" Lilia suddenly seemed to notice something, and his grin fell as he leaned towards Cater. "Oh my, your eyes are a little red. Did something happen?"
"They're red?" He carefully patted around his eye, feeling it was a little tender. Ahh, and I’d tried my damnest not to cry earlier! So embarrassing! He could only be grateful that he tended to use waterproof makeup. But Lilia's observation suddenly made him hyper aware of his appearance, and he began to frantically straighten out his dorm uniform and hair.
"W-Wait, Mally, I should fix myself up better before I introduce myself!”
"Introduce yourself?" Lilia tilted his head in question.
Malleus simply placed his hands on Cater's shoulders and gently moved him so that they were facing each other. He smoothed the lapels of his jacket. Then, he reached up to curl a strand of Cater's hair around his finger before letting it fall against his temple. Finally, he curled that same finger beneath Cater's chin, guiding his head up to look at Malleus. The softness in his eyes could've melted his knees to mush right there.
"You are as beautiful as always. I told you, you need not overly fret. Simply be yourself.”
Cater exhaled, heat blooming on his cheeks once more. "That's...a little easier said than done. But Cay-Cay will trust you."
Lilia glanced back and forth between the two, at first seeming surprised, but then his eyes gleamed mischievously. "Oh-ho... I see, I see."
Beside him, Sebek asked, “See what? What’s going on here? Why is Lord Malleus being so intimate with Cater Diamond of Heartslabyul?”
“You don’t see it? You’re about that age to be experiencing it yourself, Sebek. Really, this is why I keep telling you to make friends and meet people.”
“See what???”
Grinning once more in a manner that showed off his fangs, Lilia said, "If you're looking for Lady Maleanor, I believe she just finished a dance with Silver. Ah, there she is now!"
Cater's heart skipped a beat. Only peripherally did he realize that Lilia (and probably half the ballroom) had seen how Malleus had touched him —but they all seemed to pale in comparison to his internal panic at seeing the graceful figure that had practically floated towards them.
In truth, he'd been admiring her from afar whenever he could catch glimpses of her through the crowd and shimmering lights. She was the spitting image of Malleus: dark hair, dark gown, majestic horns, and draconic tail that she swept aside for no one. Yes, just like her son, Maleanor Draconia was a bewitching beauty, power and elegance evident in every move she made. Even if she wasn't flesh and blood, her presence still held a certain intensity that made Cater subconsciously shrink back.
Malleus gently pulled him close, his gloved hand resting on his shoulder.
"Mother." He turned to the apparition and bowed. Cater quickly followed suit. "I want to introduce you to someone very special to me. This young man is Cater Diamond." Malleus glanced at him and gave a warm smile. "He is my beloved."
Sebek’s incredulous shout was immediately muffled by Lilia slapping a hand over his mouth. Silver, who had just rejoined them, uttered not a word, but the widening of his usually sleepy eyes said everything about his own surprise.
Beloved. The word echoed in Cater's head, resonating in time with the beat of his heart. They hadn’t even officially said they were boyfriends yet and Malleus was busting out beloved. It was such a foreign word to him, the last thing he ever thought he'd be called.
But hearing it fall from Malleus' lips felt so amazing and right that it actually calmed him a little.
Cater straightened up and, for the first time, directly met gazes with the faery before him. Like her son, Maleanor had luminous green eyes, her pupils drawn into draconic slits. They were intense eyes, but not unkind ones as she turned to Cater and scrutinized him. Goosebumps pebbled his skin, feeling like she could peer into the truth of his soul.
How to talk to her? She had passed, but she was still royalty; she wasn't real, but it sure freaking felt like she was.
In the end, he still wanted to impress her, to reassure this piece of Malleus' mother that her son had chosen worthy.
Offering what he hoped was a confident smile, Cater said, "Hi, Lady Maleanor. Your Majesty! Ah, y’know, I gotta say, it's obvious where Malleus got his good looks from, ha-ha..."
Maleanor continued to stare at him, not so much as blinking. Come to think of it, Cater didn't think he'd seen these apparitions speak, save for that brief moment at the start when she sang a lullaby. It seemed Lilia's magic only went so far. Still, her lack of response was unnerving.
Heat crawled up his neck, and he reached his hand out beside him, fingertips searching for something. They were met with a warm shape he was becoming increasingly familiar with: Malleus’ hand. He threaded their hands together once more and squeezed it for reassurance.
This would probably be the closest and only chance Cater would have to speak to Malleus’ mother face to face. It felt too fast, but it’d be pretty lame of him to leave anything important left unsaid.
He cleared his throat politely. "N-G-L, it's a little weird to talk to you like this, but..." He straightened his posture, standing tall. "I have something to say: I really like Malleus, ma'am. I mean, really, really like. It’s like… He’s literally always trending in my head and I'm pretty sure I'm totes #HeadOverHeels, and... He's done a lot for me.”
He felt Malleus return the squeeze on his hand. There was also a slithering sensation of something large and warm against the back of his calves that he was pretty sure was Malleus’ tail hugging his legs.
"I've never promised myself to someone before,” Cater admitted to her. “And I know I'm not royalty or fae, but... I can't give Malleus up, not for anything. I've let a lot of people go before…”
He thought of everything he’d gone through this school year. It had been one close call after the other, and even when Cater should’ve just turned away from the start like he always did, that simply wasn’t who he was anymore.
“...But I don't want to do that anymore. And you're his mom, so I'm sure you get worried about him, especially…after his Overblot.” He looked at Malleus. “It was a scary time. But what was scarier was thinking I might not see him again. So I’ll have his back from here on out, and look out for him. That’s a Cay-Cay promise!”
Malleus smiled, love in his eyes. “And I vow the same,” he murmured, bringing Cater’s hand up and kissing the back of it.
Cater’s heart was hammering at the end of his declaration. He'd never uttered words like that before. He didn't think he could without something tugging at the back of his head to be realistic. Promises weren't forever, after all.
And maybe they weren't. But nothing he said felt like a lie.
If he learned anything this year, it was to choose a path decisively and without regrets.
For several long beats, Maleanor continued to stare at him. At first, she seemed to still be frozen, but Cater noticed how her eyes narrowed minutely, and how her head tilted ever so slightly. He tried to not liken the expression to someone who was considering how best to capture a rabbit.
She stepped forward, never taking her eyes off of him, and challenging him to do the same. Cater tried to not so much as blink as he gave himself over to her scrutiny. She was so close now that he could've reached out and touched her if she was solid. Malleus' tail curled a little tighter around his legs, which honestly wasn't helping how weak in the knees he felt, but at least the grip was strong enough to keep him steady.
Maleanor then looked to her son. Cater wasn't sure what Malleus' expression was or what he somehow communicated to her, as he was still not daring to tear his gaze from her face.
Then, her black-painted lips bloomed a smile, her entire expression softening. It didn't appear to be malicious or insincere. Which meant...
"My, my, she approves!" Lilia interpreted. He seemed relieved, pressing a hand against his heart. He looked at Cater. "You know… The time Lady Maleanor hailed from was...a bloody chapter in the history between fae and humans. I've often wondered what she would think of the world now, or that her son now attends a school alongside humans."
"Well, you taught me to love them," Malleus said. “And it’s as you and Sebek said earlier: as long as there is love, even fae and humans can be family.”
"A lesson you took to heart — in more than one way," Lilia agreed with a grin. “I couldn’t be more proud. And I’m glad Lady Maleanor gives her blessing, even if in an illusion.”
The late faery queen smirked at his last words, as if delighting in a joke he wasn’t privy to.
It felt like Cater was going to pass out from relief. He had no idea if the apparition actually had any independent thought that reflected what the true Maleanor would think, or if this was simply Lilia's playing with his magic. Either way, he thought it wise to give another bow.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Malleus also bowed. "Thank you, Mother."
Maleanor took a step to the side and gestured out. Cater tried to follow her motion but only saw the ballroom.
"Oh, I do believe she's asking you two to dance," Lilia said.
Cater made a surprised noise. "Hold up, right now? I mean, I'm not unsubscribing from the idea! But, uh..." He turned to Malleus, leaning close to whisper in a panic, "I gotta confess something. Cay-Cay has all kinds of dance moves in his back pocket, but I don’t know how to waltz or anything like that!”
"No time like the present to start learning then, hm?" Malleus smiled, clearly not stressed over Cater's lack of skill. "Just follow my lead. You'll get your bearings soon enough."
"I'm gonna embarrass the hell out of you, y'know," Cater continued to warn. "Right in front of your mom. In front of the school. Y’see what I’m saying? Me stepping on your foot caught in 4K."
"I won't be offended. Though I do request that you mind my tail." Said tail had released its coil from Cater's captive calves, but that didn't stop its tip from brushing against his ankles in a manner that Cater could only interpret as affectionate. Almost like a cat rubbing against him.
It worked to calm him a little, at least. He chuckled. "I'll keep an eye on it. It's uber-cute, B-T-W! I haven't seen it since Halloween, I missed it~"
Malleus blinked in surprise. "That's the first time it's been called anything like cute."
Cater's heart melted at the sight of his adorable confusion, as if musing over a novelty. It reminded him of all the times Malleus had worn that same look when Cater complimented him or invited him to hang-outs.
Now that they'd confessed their feelings, he wondered in how many more ways he could make that cute expression appear again and again.
"It doesn't offend you, does it?" Cater teased. He followed as Malleus began to lead them out to the dance floor, hand in hand.
"Normally, I would insist I'm otherwise, but..." Malleus exhaled, looking a little weary afterward. "After everything I did, I'm fine with being seen as something other than frightening."
It would probably take a long time before anyone outside Diasomnia and Cater thought that. The people of Sage's Island might've allowed Malleus to return to school, but he knew that what he'd done in his Overblotted state wouldn't disappear from their minds so easily. When he thought again about he'd had to fight him with all he had in a dream, how Styx had detained him, how one of his majestic horns now stood broken, it made his stomach twist.
He wanted to make sure that Malleus never felt that kind of pain again. Cater wasn’t sure if he actually had that kind of power. Actually, if there was anything Fae Maleficence proved, it was that no one did.
But he made a promise.
Day by day, the most they could do was love each other. Day by day, he and Malleus would learn how to take care of each other.
Malleus faced him, placing his free hand on Cater's waist. His skin tingled where they touched, even over his clothes. He might not know how to dance formally, but he at least knew to place his hand on Malleus' shoulder. The position felt surprisingly natural.
The music around them lulled for but a moment before swelling into a new song. Cater forced himself to focus only on Malleus' face, otherwise he'd be even more aware how the others on the floor paused and stared in bewilderment. Luckily, it was actually pretty easy to shrink his world down to the enchanting faery prince in front of him, especially when he looked at Cater with such warmth.
Malleus led the dance, gently pulling Cater to and fro. Somehow, he was able to keep up with each step, anticipating when Malleus moved forward or back, Cater matching his movements by the edge of his breath. It was actually exhilarating.
Malleus lifted his arm and Cater spun under it on instinct. He smiled in disbelief.
"Wow, dancing with a dashing prince, I totes feel like I’m in a storybook~ My sisters are gonna be super jelly~” He followed along as Malleus twirled them in circles around the ballroom, gliding effortlessly between other groups that stared at them. Cater was suddenly really grateful for his good sense of balance.
“Heyyy, you're not casting some magic on me to suddenly make me good at this, are you?"
"I am not," Malleus said with a pleased smile. "Besides, I could not cast such a spell now even if I had a mind to. You are simply a natural."
Cater let out a small, giddy laugh. He felt like he was definitely blushing from head to toe, but for once, he couldn't be bothered to care what he objectively looked like to others. They made a full round, dancing right by a cheering Lilia and a smiling Maleanor.
“Thank you for coming tonight,” Malleus said tenderly. “I was so happy when you accepted the invitation here.”
“I’m not one to turn down a party,” Cater said. “Besides, I might’ve been angry at you, but I was still hella worried, too. I really am glad you’re coming back to school, Mally.”
“As am I, Diamond. As am I.”
The music continued in a lively manner, and Malleus twirled him around once more.
"Let me spin you, too!" Cater said.
With an amused breath, Malleus switched the positioning of their hands. He was taller, and had horns on top of that, so it made for an amusing sight when he ducked down to spin beneath the arch of Cater's arm. Still, his black clothing twirled gracefully around his legs, and his fanged smile was so enchanting that Cater began to lowkey hope someone was recording this. It wouldn't even be for Magicam; it would be something to look back at later, and remind himself he wasn't still dreaming.
Nah, he thought, giggling as Malleus pressed their foreheads together once more. This is miles better than any dream.
It's real.