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It was when Malleus saw you in your ceremonial robes that he was reminded of the orientation ceremony— bitterly at that, in how he had missed it. His own set thus went on being unworn for yet another year…
You were standing outside Ramshackle looking at the stars when he caught you. As always, when you noticed him, it was with a cheerful call of ‘Tsunotaro.’
“Good evening, child of man,” Malleus saluted. “Tell me, why are you wearing these robes?”
“I’m doing laundry,” you replied. “And since they don’t get worn a lot, I wear them in the meantime. Plus, they’re comfortable…”
As you spoke, you fiddled with the hem of the cloak and took a few steps back to give the fabric a sense of motion. Malleus had to admit you wore the black and purple robes well.
“Do yours look the same, Tsunotaro?” you asked with a smile. “I don’t think I saw you at orientation, so I don’t remember.”
“No, I missed it,” Malleus admitted. “You want to see my ceremonial robes?”
“Yeah! I mean, I’m curious about the hood.”
Malleus couldn’t help but smile at your forwardness. He noticed you looking at his horns several times over the few meetings the two of you had had.
“Fufu, how bold. You would like to see it, hm? Well, I don’t see why not… but you have to tell me about what happened at your orientation,” he added with narrowed eyes.
“Sure!” you exclaimed cheerfully.
It seemed you were expecting him to leave to get changed, but it was a simple spell for Malleus to change his outfit to his hardly worn ceremonial robes. When you saw his tall figure suddenly clad in an outfit matching yours, you couldn’t help but walk around him to take it in.
His hood was down, letting Malleus’ long dark hair fall down his back. The purple inner color suited him well, as did the flowing fabric that reached past his knees. Along with the long sleeves, it made your night-time friend look dignified in a way his regular school uniform didn’t.
“Are you pleased?” Malleus asked, hand on his hip. It was hard for you to tell what he could be thinking by his tone.
“You look great!” you complimented earnestly. “I didn’t really get to take a good look at orientation too…”
With this admission, you started recounting to this student you know only as Tsunotaro what happened on orientation day; waking up in the coffin, being chased by Grim, getting back late and the Dark Mirror’s judgement…
“I see,” Malleus gave you a wide eyed look. “I did hear parts of this, but I didn’t know you opened your own gate. Impressive.”
Determined to move on, you pull up your own hood. “Your turn! I want to see.”
Malleus smiled indulgently. “Very well.”
With a single motion, he pulled his hood up and over his horns. Before you could imagine anything weird, you noticed the two custom holes made to accommodate them. In the end, your friend looked even more impressive with his horns framed by the hood this way, you thought.
“I had it custom made,” Malleus informed.
Just as before, he noticed your intent look at his horns. While not unusual behavior for a human— it seemed you children of men were all quite intrigued by them— you were by far the most obvious and shameless about it. But looking at your enthusiastic expression, Malleus found he didn’t mind it as much coming from you.
“Are you looking at my horns?”
You startled a bit at being found out, but didn’t deny it. Malleus smiled, amused as an idea struck him.
“You’re welcome to touch them… thought I can’t guarantee what would happen to you if did. Heh.”
He wanted to see what you would do. Out of all the humans he had met at Night Raven College, you were the only one who hadn’t shown fear around him. Malleus was curious to see how far this ease with which you called him ‘Tsunotaro’ went concerning him.
It wasn’t like you drew a line at physical contact… he was well aware you were more than happy to hold onto him whenever you felt like it.
But maybe his teasing expression was too foreboding, for your interest turned into shock on your face. Glancing away, you nervously digged your foot into the ground and twisted your fingers together.
“ … could I?” you asked gently.
Malleus’ eyes widened at the desire clear in your voice. Even though he had been the one to propose it, he was still taken aback by your ready acceptance. But a prince couldn’t go back on his word.
He smiled again and it reached his eyes this time.
“Aha! You are truly fearless. Yes, you may attempt it. I won’t stop you.”
You were practically bouncing in place as you closed the distance between him and you. But your hands locked around his arm, rather than reaching up towards his head.
“L-let’s sit down,” you proposed, trying to hide your smile.
“Oh?” Malleus said. “Are you tired, child of man?”
“Tsunotaro’s too tall!” you admit, proving it by lifting your hand as high as you could. “It’s not comfortable.”
Malleus couldn’t stop smiling. He supposed you were right; sitting down would be more dignified than bowing his head to you… just thinking about it, he could already imagine the endless scolding he’d get if that happened. He was already way past the line of acceptable behavior by agreeing to let you touch his horns.
“Very well,” he said.
Smiling brightly, you pulled on his arm and dragged your friend inside the Ramshackle front garden. There were no benches nearby, but the night was warm and the grass dry. Picking a nice, flat spot, you both sat down next to each other.
Letting go of his arm, you dropped down your hood and looked up at the night sky for a moment. Your ceremonial robes pooled around you, yours and his mixing together in your physical closeness.
Malleus let you take your moment to gather your motivation. He was happy enough sitting besides you like this. When you finally turned back to him, there was a determined look in your eyes. But something seemed to halt you as you glanced at something that wasn’t his horns.
“What’s wrong?” asked Malleus, wondering if you had learned fear after all.
“Wouldn’t it be better without your hood?” you replied.
Malleus didn’t understand why it mattered. It was just fabric and there was access to his horns, so what was the issue?
But he didn’t particularly think it was a big deal, so without a word he shrugged it off. The breeze brushed through his hair and hit him with a stray thought; what if your fingers touched his hair as well?
He found himself shocked by his own train of thought. Why was that the first thing he thought of? But the reality sank in; the hood had been a barrier. Without it, it would be his hair your fingers, palm or wrist would surely brush against while you were occupied by his horns. Was that what you’d wanted?
Distracted by these spiraling thoughts, Malleus somehow didn’t notice you had acted until he felt your touch. You were brushing his bangs back as the wind had shifted them, a smile on your face.
“I like your hair, it’s so silky,” you said.
Malleus was stronger than he thought, for he found it in himself to reply without hinting at his inner turmoil. “Hmm.”
Shuffling closer, you never broke contact with that spot on his head, it was starting to tingle. Despite expecting it, Malleus couldn’t brace himself enough when you shaped your hand around his horn.
Your touch was warm. Warmer than he’d expected. The night had cooled his horns, and your touch was a strong contrast, that was all. It was what Malleus chose to think, even as an unfamiliar heat rose up in his face as well.
He was not taking the blame for this reaction; it was your fault. Not content with grasping his horn in your fist, you moved up and let the rough ridges bump onto your fingers. Malleus could feel the ghost imprint of your skin against them and found himself shifting, lifting up his leg to rest his elbow. Yet he made sure none of his movement bothered yours.
Your sitting positions allowed you too much range. Before Malleus knew it, your thumb was pressing into the pointed tip with startling pressure. A reflex jerked against your hold, not because of discomfort but a sudden worry you would hurt yourself.
“Tsunotaro?” you said sharply. It took Malleus a moment to realize you had let go the second you felt his resistance; your lingering warmth was already fading. “Am I too much…?”
“No,” he said before his thoughts could speak. “I was— startled. Don’t cut yourself.”
“I wasn’t, don’t worry,” you replied, sounding relieved. “So this is okay? I’m not pulling to hard?”
Malleus thought he wouldn’t mind if you pulled. “You’re fine, child of man,” he answered instead of voicing that out loud. “You couldn’t hurt me if you tried.”
“Tsunotaro’s such a strong mage, hmm,” you said in a tone Malleus couldn’t quite read.
He was distracted from inquiring further when he sensed you move. Once again, your fingers seized the base of his horn— and your wrist rubbed against the tip of his ear.
“I like how they feel,” you said, quietly rubbing the deeper ridges at the roots. “They’re lighter than I thought.”
Malleus’ right hand was gripping the fabric of his robes in a tight fist. His face was burning hot, but not as much as where your skin had brushed against his. When was the last time someone had touched his ears? He wasn’t sure anyone ever had.
How fascinating, that a simple touch could create so much pressure within him. Malleus was suddenly gripped by the fear that something was going to explode and that it wouldn’t be him.
“Tsunotaro?” your voice was like the tide of a calm sea. “You look flustered, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he managed. “Just…”
Despite the boiling deep inside him, Malleus didn’t want to talk in a way that would upset you. This was his doing. He had caused this and he should’ve known his limits. But more than the responsibility, he didn’t want you to think this had been bad. The opposite was the truth, really. He just needed a moment to… calm down.
As Malleus focused on his inner turmoil to avoid turning this peaceful night into a full blown storm, he didn’t notice that you’d returned your hand to your lap. He didn’t see the curious looks you directed at his flushed face and tense body, or when you smiled apologetically. It wasn’t until the night air had fully cooled his horns and the wind vanished the ghost feel of your touch that he finally realized it had indeed happened.
“…” he turned wide eyes towards you, unsure as to what to say.
You were sitting with your arms around your knee, gazing up at the night sky like before. When you saw your friend moving, you shot him a tired smile.
“I—” began Malleus.
You wave him off. “It’s okay, Tsunotaro. You’re not used to it, I already knew that. Just tell me, it was alright, right? I didn’t upset you?”
Malleus sat in his own stunned surprise. To think that even now, you were still worried about having hurt him …
“No,” he replied. You nodded with relief. “I just… wasn’t used to it, that’s true.”
It was an understatement.
“ …thank you, child of man.”
You turned a startled expression towards him. “I should be thanking you!”
“Was it so enjoyable?” Malleus asked, curious himself.
“Of course!” you exclaimed. Jumping to your feet, you stood up proudly. “Tsunotaro let me touch his horns and nothing bad happened. I feel so special, ah!”
Malleus smiled. “You should.”
You extended a hand towards him. Malleus looked at it for a moment, before taking it in his. As before, the warmth of your touch sank into him.
“Alright, I should go to bed now,” you said, hands still intertwined.
“You should,” Malleus repeated. “Good night, child of man.”
“Good night, Tsunotaro!” you echoed. “And, um…”
Malleus raised an eyebrow at you.
“Do you think… we could do it again?” you asked, looking as innocent as possible.
Not surprised by your boldness in the slightest, Malleus vanished in a burst of green fairy lights, leaving you standing in the garden with the echo of his cheerful laughter.