Work Text:
There was a thing in his room.
“Oh. Quite an interesting selection you have, Flamme. May I take a closer look?”
The thing was Malleus Draconia.
Said Malleus Draconia was currently intensely looking at his book shelf with hands behind his back, and if Rollo wasn’t mistaken, he was looking at his collection of vintage geology encyclopedias.
“No. What are you doing in my room?” Rollo asked from his table, refusing to let go of his pen, still letting it hover above the blank page.
Malleus looked at him like he was stupid, which was enough to make his blood boil a little bit more.
“I am a visitor, currently visiting you.” He turned to the shelf again, now taking a closer look at his vintage botany encyclopedia. “Now, could I take a closer look at this one?”
Frankly, Rollo was more baffled than anything.
“No, you cannot. You are not a visitor, you are an invader and if you don’t give me a good reason for this breach, I will use every ounce of my power to make sure you never step into this room again.”
Malleus finally tore his attention away from the bookshelf, turning to Rollo with a blank stare, and as if he wasn’t just threatened with violence, he put a finger on his chin, expression turning pensitive.
“Perhaps I should have bought a gift.” He shook his head, suddenly bowing. “My deepest apologies, Flamme. I shall not let this lack of manners be repeated.”
Rollo rolled his eyes, almost considering explaining that not getting a gift was the least of his problems here, but he had a feeling it would fall on deaf ears.
“Good. Now leave.”
Malleus nodded.
“Until next week, Flamme. Farewell.”
Malleus suddenly disappeared, leaving Rollo alone with the ominous premise of yet another invasion next week.
Annoying, to say the least, but Rollo decided that for once, he wouldn’t pay too much mind to it. Not because he wasn’t bothered, but simply due to the fact that if he started to think too much about the situation, he knew he would have an aneurysm.
So, he took a very deep breath, deciding that Malleus simply wouldn’t come back next time and this was a one-time oddity that would soon be forgotten.
He returned to his studies, losing himself into the trenches of world history.
This time, Malleus did appear with a gift.
“Please, pay no mind to flower language. I simply thought that red roses would look the best in your room.”
Now, Rollo was studying mathematics, which meant that he absolutely was already on the verge of an aneurysm. He could not afford to lose his mind over Malleus.
“I do not want your flowers.” Rollo said as he massaged his temples, trying to keep a dignified tone.
The roses were gorgeous, filling his room with a pleasant fragrance, but accepting them meant encouraging whatever Malleus Draconia had in mind.
What if they were a trap, even? Perhaps they would explode as soon as Rollo laid his hands upon it.
Frankly, on that particular day, it didn’t sound like such a terrible destiny, but Rollo wouldn’t succumb to his own dramatics. He did not want to explode. He just wanted for everything else to explode, like for example, Malleus Draconia and that particular equation currently lying unsolved in his notebook, but considering his luck, Malleus would probably survive the blast unscattered while Rollo had to deal with a life of paying for the damages.
Annoying. Where did he put his handkerchief, again?
Malleus held the bouquet like it was a newborn child, brows slightly furrowed.
“I see. I thought that you would enjoy the flowers. It was hasty of my part to assume so.”
“I enjoy flowers. I do not enjoy flowers coming from uninvited guests.”
Malleus turned pensitive once more before he nodded.
“I understand. Guests should bring something else for their hosts. I can see how flowers would create yet another problem for their receiver.”
“That’s not the point.”
Rollo could argue about it, the tip of his tongue burning with at least five very colorful reasons why Malleus Draconia deserved a good whack to the head, but he needed to conserve his energy for bigger matters.
“Perhaps that shall be my quest for next week. I will think of a better gift for you, Flamme.” Malleus then stepped closer to his table, Rollo watching carefully as he placed a finger on the middle of the page. “And I recommend you to start over. You got the numbers wrong right here. See?”
Taking a closer look, Rollo did confirm that indeed, right at the start, he had gotten his numbers all mixed up. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t solve it at all.
“Oh. I see.” Rollo grabbed his eraser, feeling a bit awkward all of a sudden. “...Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Until next week, Flamme.”
Malleus disappeared in a flash, leaving a single rose on Rollo’s table.
...Huh.
It took a few minutes before he recollected himself enough to continue.
Rollo opened the door to his room with the explicit purpose of throwing himself on the bed and embracing unconsciousness for at least a couple of hours.
He wasn’t the type to take frequent naps, but the last budget meeting was draining in ways that he didn’t even know were humanly possible. If he hoped to do anything else that night, this little sacrifice would be necessary.
Of course, it was also a Thursday and it meant that when Rollo finally managed to enter his room, Malleus was there, waiting for him, a small and ornate box in his hands.
“Good evening, Flamme.”
He couldn’t have chosen a worse moment.
“Get out of my room.”
Malleus didn’t leave, of course, so after a second of a very intense staredown, Rollo just rolled his eyes, heading to his wardrobe.
“Today, I bought chocolates. Hopefully they will be pleasant to you.”
Rollo didn’t respond, too busy taking off the outer layer of his outfit, being left only with his pants and undershirt.
He usually would strip naked in such cases, but he had visitors. He didn’t have the privilege of being comfortable in his own room anymore, it seemed.
“I will rest. Keep the chocolates to yourself.” Rollo said dismissively as he slowly got under the covers, adjusting his position until he was comfortable enough to close his eyes.
As socially incompetent as Malleus seemed to be, Rollo imagined that he would have the tact to leave once his host/victim went to sleep.
With that assumption, Rollo allowed his body to relax against the soft mattress, trying to empty his mind of earthly problems, focusing only on falling asleep as calmly as possible.
This was working excellently until he felt something light being placed on his chest, one eye cracking open just to see the box of chocolates on top of him.
“I said that I do not want your chocolate.” Rollo said between teeth, seriously starting to wonder if the entirety of fae were this annoying or just Malleus in particular.
Malleus was still standing, looking at Rollo with a neutral expression.
“Perhaps you are lactose intolerant? I was offered the option to bring it, maybe I should have considered the possibility.”
“I tolerate lactose.” Suddenly, Rollo’s last thread of patience snapped, his tongue clicking as he sat up in bed. “Fine. If I eat your chocolate, will you leave?”
“No.”
“Then, if I throw it away, will you leave?”
“Also no.” Malleus said, the hint of playfulness making his face extra punchable for the physically-incompetent Rollo. “But it would be unbecoming for someone in your position to waste food, wouldn’t it?”
Was blackmail the only thing they have taught this idiot? God, nevermind the tiny sliver of goodwill he had accumulated when pointing out his math mistake.
“Fine. If that’s how you want to play, I will eat your chocolate.”
Rollo angrily tore the pretty decorations away, picking up a bonbon at random as shoving it in his mouth.
Unfortunately, it was good. Good to the point where as soon as he managed to register the taste, Rollo's expression turned from angry to surprised, just to have to be forced into angry again when he remembered he should not be giving Malleus any leeway.
“Seems like you enjoyed it.” Malleus said, terribly smug as he put his hands behind his back.
The urge to throw the rest on his head was strong, but if Rollo did that, he would have lost the war instead of just this battle.
“...It’s just fine.” Rollo put the lid back onto the little box, pulling the covers over him and facing away from Malleus. “Now, I actually will sleep. Leave.”
And if he wanted to be a creep and watch, that was his problem. Rollo wouldn’t give him any more attention than necessary.
Instead, Malleus seemed satisfied enough with this victory, his voice suave and calm.
“Goodnight, Flamme. See you next week.”
Just like that, Rollo felt his presence disappearing.
Malleus Draconia was annoying enough to appear in his dreams, resulting in Rollo waking up at least five times more tired.
Rollo needed to go to his room in order to sort out a few important documents, already predicting he would have to stay up far later than he would have liked to, but as soon as he put his hand on the door handle, a shiver went down his spine as he realized it was Thursday.
Damn Malleus Draconia would be in his room.
After allowing himself a second of rage, Rollo took a deep breath, trying to be rational.
Whatever Malleus wanted from this... prank, he must have gotten it at that point. It had been around a month, and he had managed to humiliate Rollo enough for it to consist of a good revenge.
Yes. He wouldn’t be there. Fae were capricious things.
Of course Rollo was wrong, with Malleus standing right in the middle of his room, his usual-
Huh?
“What are you wearing? ” Rollo asked, not hiding any of his disgust.
Malleus merely tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
The only reason Rollo didn’t pull out his handkerchief was the fact he needed both hands to adjust that terrible violation of dress code.
In which universe did Malleus live where a shirt with such a deep cut would be allowed inside a school, much less his school? He was vaguely aware that Malleus wasn’t one to be shy over his own body, but there was no need to do so while in his room.
“Malleus Draconia!” Rollo shouted, putting his very important papers on the table, rushing to lace up Malleus' terribly baggy shirt. “First you invade my room, and then proceed to insult every tradition right in my face? You detestable man!”
Dexterous hands quickly tied up the shirt until nothing could be seen below his neck, with Malleus staying suspiciously put despite the surprise in his face.
“Do you not like the shirt?” He asked, looking as innocent as a child.
“I do not like further violations to my school.” Rollo went through the trouble of giving a double lace, just to make sure he wouldn’t go around running the carefully constructed atmosphere of the school. “If the hole you came from allows you to dress like a common harlot, then go do that there.”
“You did not answer my question.”
Rollo pulled away, taking one last look just to make sure he did a good job.
“My personal opinion on the shirt is irrelevant.”
“Then why not answer me?”
Rollo took a deep, deep, deeeeep breath. Malleus' smug expression did not help matters in the slightest, but again, aneurysms were not an option for him right now.
“The shirt is fine. Just don’t wear it here.” Rollo spatted out before dropping on his chair. “Now leave. This is actually confidential information.”
He wasn’t looking at Malleus, but from tone alone, he could tell he had an absolutely infuriating smile on his lips.
“That is nice to know. I shall leave you be. Also...” Rollo felt something warm and big leaning onto him, the little strands of greenish-black hair in his vision making it clear Malleus was leaning onto him, especially his chest. “Is that the flower I left you?”
It was already dried up and frankly a little gross, but as annoying as Malleus was, Rollo did like the rose enough to at least throw it inside one of his pen-holders.
“Get off me.” He tried to shove him away for a second before realizing it was a fruitless effort. “And yes. Unlike you, I am not an uneducated beast.”
“So you prefer them dried up? Quite interesting. I will keep this in mind. Good luck with your documents, Flamme.”
Malleus disappeared, leaving Flamme to stew in his own rage for a couple of minutes before returning to his activities.
“Why you never try to kick me out?” Malleus asked after an evening of prolonged silence.
Rollo looked up from his book only because he knew that Malleus would keep asking if he kept ignoring him.
“Because you are not worth the work.” Rollo responded quickly, not planning on elaborating any further.
Malleus came closer. “Work?”
Of course his life wouldn’t be so simple.
Rollo rolled his eyes, refusing to give him the satisfaction of closing his book. “I’m not going to be delusional and act like I can go against you with magic alone. The other option would be calling security, but not only they are far weaker than me, much less you, I would have to file quite a few formal reports for that. And to make matters even worse, my room would most likely be a mess and the whole school would be on alert for no reason.” He shook his head, a distant headache already echoing in the depths of his brain. “You are like a stain on the wall that no paint can cover up.”
For some reason, Malleus' eyes seemed to sparkle over that statement.
“How romantic. I didn’t take you for a poet at first.”
“...Romantic? Are you stupid?”
For the first time, Rollo and Malleus had a proper conversation, even if it involved a lot of mental insults coming from Rollo, especially regarding his opinion of what consisted of ‘romantic’.
Rollo committed the cardinal sin of encouraging the beast. At least before, Malleus would more or less be silent through his visits, but now, the man was nothing but a chatterbox.
“Flamme, I have brought the book I mentioned last week. It will completely change your perspective on what a romance consists of.”
“I’m not reading-”
“I’m sure that Giselle will be up to your tastes. She is a deeply devoted woman, and yet, struggles with her own sense of power and control. You seem to be the type to enjoy such characters.”
What was more annoying: Malleus not shutting up, Malleus assuming what Rollo enjoyed or him being right about that assumption?
He took the book off his hands with a sigh.
“This does not guarantee I will read your books, but at least I won’t damage it.”
“Even if you do, it’s fine. I merely recommend you get to the last arc, because I am quite sure you will deeply enjoy the solution to Giselle’s arc. Perhaps you might even learn a thing or two. Ah, this does remind me.”
He then proceeded to shove a bouquet of dried flowers on Rollo’s hands.
“I have considered the dried rose in your room, and realized they are very low maintenance, resulting in the perfect gift. Now, the choice of flowers might seem random at first, but if you start reading the novel, you will see all of them have been carefully chosen based on the general imagery the author gave to each of their characters, Giselle in particular being associated strongly with sunflowers...”
Rollo was so dizzy with the avalanche of information he didn’t even think of interrupting Malleus.
Fine. He read the damn book in his free time. And, fine. Malleus was right. Giselle was by far the best character in the whole book, and yes, she even had a younger brother with a tragic end, so yes of course she was his favorite, but that week, Rollo was determined to not let Malleus discover that.
He would already be extra insufferable just from the fact that Rollo read it. No, he couldn’t give him the satisfaction.
It was one of the rare occasions that Rollo wasn’t drowning in his obligations, so he had ample time to wait for Malleus, preparing his grand speech of how terribly mediocre this book — that consumed every second of his free time for a week — was.
Malleus appeared, a smirk already appearing in Rollo’s lips.
“Welcome, Malleus. I have quite a few things to say about your absolutely horrid taste in entertainment.”
Malleus turned suddenly, his expression uncharacteristically happy for someone who was insulted.
“Did you just welcome me?”
“I-” The question actually took Rollo off guard, his confidence suddenly wavering. “I did not ‘welcome’ you, this was an intimation.”
Malleus seemed to not care one bit about that, instead coming closer to where Rollo was sitting, his baggy shirt giving ample view of his chest.
“Then I shall feel very welcome, Flamme. It seems like you read the book, also. Was I right? Did Giselle strike your fancy?”
It was very hard to maintain his cool persona when Malleus didn’t care to take him seriously.
At least their discussion of the book was productive, he guessed.
Malleus' second book recommendation had to wait because Rollo had to prepare for a minor festival they were holding. Finding time for basic necessities was already more of a struggle than expected, reading something for pleasure was absolutely out of the picture until he was done.
Rollo was working through the details as fast as he could when Malleus came, his very first action being strolling to Rollo’s desk with an expectant smile.
“Hello, Flamme. Did you enjoy the ending?”
Without looking up, Rollo spoke up. “I have not even read the first page.”
That was a mild exaggeration, he had read the first twenty or so pages, but that might as well be nothing considering the book had over four hundred.
Still, a sudden chill went down Rollo’s spine, a cold breeze managing to sneak under his heavy clothes.
“Did you not enjoy it?”
Rollo still didn’t look up, but he could tell that Malleus was most likely pouting.
“I am terribly busy. I do not have time for books right now.”
“What are you doing? I will help you.”
“I am organizing a festival. You cannot have access to this info.”
Mostly due to the financial part, but Rollo didn’t enjoy the thought of an outsider having so much information about the inner workings, either.
“If you don’t let me help, I will make sure it rains during the festival.” And as if that wasn’t enough, Malleus added after a few seconds. “Heavily. Downpours, even. And lighting.”
Now that made Rollo look up from his papers.
“Are you threatening me?” He asked, narrowing his eyes, mildly baffled over such an overreaction.
All this tantrum because Rollo didn’t read a book?
As if to illustrate his point, the loud sound of thunder outside made Rollo jump in his seat.
“Yes.”
Before Rollo could even think about getting mad, Malleus floated to him, shoving himself into the preparations regardless if Rollo wanted it or not.
Malleus was... useful.
If Rollo thought too hard about it, he would most likely vomit blood, so he simply didn’t. In his mind, he decided to cope by pretending this was, in fact, payback for Malleus’ constant torment.
If he was going to make his every Thursday an inconvenience, then Rollo would make him work for it.
Yeah.
At least, Rollo couldn’t complain about his efficiency. Even after being forbidden to use magic, Malleus kept his work top notch, the festival taking shape far faster than Rollo had expected.
It came to the point that when next Thursday came, Rollo found himself agonizing over the question of if he should... thank Malleus.
He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. Malleus was a simple creature. If Rollo awarded him for practically forcing his way into his life, he would never stop.
At the same time, Rollo was raised to be polite, and all those years of hearing ‘you should thank those who help you’ was starting to weigh on his mind.
So, he reached a comfortable middle-ground: he would thank Malleus, but only using the shittiest methods.
He bought two croissants (ate one for breakfast, and made sure the other one would be stale by the time Malleus got there), made a ‘thank you’ note (which simply read ‘you have been sufficient’) and chose a book that would interest Malleus (but also contained tropes he made clear that weren’t his favorites).
See? This was fair.
When Malleus appeared, the very first thing Rollo did was march towards him with clear disinterest, handing him the package with all his gifts.
“This is your reward for the support you have been giving me.”
Rollo rushed to his desk, refusing to look at Malleus’ reaction, because it was a very casual way of showing his thanks, and he had no need to wait with baited breath.
Still, he could feel his hands getting a little sweaty after silence prolonged more than expected.
“What is it?” Rollo said rapidly, refusing to look up from his papers. “I still have a few details to sort out. If you are not up to the task-”
But Rollo didn’t have time to finish his sentence before he felt his entire body being lifted up, the world becoming a blur before he found himself lodged against Malleus’ chest, a pair of strong arms pulling him into a tight hug.
“Oh, Flamme. You shouldn’t have.”
The fact that his voice was gentle only made Rollo’s anger increase.
“U-unhand me right now, you imbecile!” Rollo thrashed around, uselessly flailing against Malleus unmoveable body as he felt his body temperature rise, especially around his face.
Why. Why with him. Why did Rollo keep being punished for trying to do the right thing.
Look at him. No composure, no class, all while being held against Malleus Draconia’s chest and he...
He was also petting Rollo’s head. Like he was some sort of cute animal.
Just great. That’s exactly what he needed to feel calmer.
That night, he had unpleasant nightmares about being gently held by Malleus Draconia, and Rollo refused to call it a dream, even if his dream-self seemed happy with this conclusion.
Malleus, despite his reputation, was actually far more expressive than people gave him credit for.
For example, Rollo was seeing firsthand how he looked when he couldn’t help letting out a childish, pure smile.
“The book you lent me was quite amazing. I couldn’t help but bounce back to the start as soon as I finished. I must have read it all the way through at least once per day.” He held the book in his hands, eyes sparkling. “It’s quite impressive that you managed to pick something that I would never take a second glance at, and yet, now, I can fully appreciate the aspects I didn’t like before.”
Rollo listened. Not because he wanted to, mind you, but because Malleus was very earnest and Rollo was impressed about how hard he failed to keep his gift neutral.
Seemed like trying to make the gift as mediocre as possible was useless. If he gave Malleus a shiny rock, he could probably be entertained for at least a solid five hours.
His only alternative was to, of course, make sure Malleus knew he disagreed with all his opinions.
“I doubt someone of your caliber could grasp the intricacies of this story.”
And of course, as if Rollo had laid out a challenge for him, Malleus spent all evening breaking down the main themes of the story perfectly despite Rollo’s rebuttals.
Did Rollo enjoy the company of Malleus Draconia?
No. Of course not. He hated it. Truly.
But.
He needed to invite Malleus to the festival.
It wasn’t because he enjoyed Malleus' company. It was because he had helped out, and that was the minimum price he had to pay for that exchange.
And inviting him to the festival meant being a good host, because the other possibility was leaving Malleus on his own, and that could cause enough imaginary problems for his already-white hairs to turn even whiter.
What if Malleus tried to bring one of those trouble-makers from Night Raven? What if he got lost and tried to use magic to find his way home? What if he intimidated the students to the point where they couldn’t enjoy the festival, thus making all the efforts go to waste?
He would need to go to the festival with Malleus to ensure a safe experience.
Thursday came, and like clockwork, Malleus was waiting for him, only for this time, for him to take the liberty of sitting on his bed.
“What are you doing?” Rollo asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I have decided we are close enough for me to sit on your bed.”
It wasn’t the point of this conversation at all, but Rollo couldn’t help but at least ask.
“And who are you to decide it? Especially when you are barely sitting on the edge?” But like a mature and respectable adult, Rollo just rolled his eyes, making a hand movement for Malleus to at least sit in a way that didn’t give him second degree agony. “Now, we have far more important matters to discuss.”
Malleus — now properly sitting on the mattress — nodded. “What is it? Is there anything left to prepare for?”
“Not at all. I am here to invite you to the festivities.”
Malleus looked at him. He blinked once, then twice.
Then he launched himself onto Rollo, who had to time to react before Malleus was once more hugging him with the intensity of a thousand suns.
“I will go to the ends of this world with you.”
Somehow, the reaction wasn’t a surprise to Rollo. He couldn’t even be too annoyed at it, even if he did try to free himself like a cat being forced into a cage.
The festival was splendid, the weather being an absolute delight between enough shade to shelter yourself from the sun and warm enough for everyone to feel comfortable regardless of their choice of clothes.
Rollo gave a reassuring nod to every student he passed through, and Malleus, for once not wearing those dreadful showy shirts of his, was glued to his side, with at least five different treats on his hands, and trying to make Rollo try out three different ones at the same time.
Despite that inconvenience, Rollo had to admit they did a good job. Even in his role of more or less a passive observer trying to pick out any problems they would have to fix on the spot, it was hard not to enjoy himself at least a little bit. Of course, that enjoyment would have to be kept for himself, his poker face intact for most of the evening.
Even if it wasn’t a traditional way to experience such a festival, when the sun started to go down and the modest fireworks show started, he was happy to be standing far away from the crowd, his only company being Malleus and the five plushies he had gotten through the evening (surprisingly, without the use of magic).
He was tired, but satisfied.
“Was this everything you hoped for?” Malleus asked, sitting on the grass and taking care for his plushies to not get dirty.
“It is.” Rollo said, sincerely.
As unexplained as Malleus' appearance was, he had to admit, even if only internally, that he had proven himself useful. Maybe... he could reconsider the title of ‘Demonic Pest’. Maybe Malleus only deserved ‘Mild Inconvenience’.
Just as the last firework exploded, Rollo felt something thin poking his hand, and turning to see what it was, he was met with Malleus handing him a white envelope, sealed off with an intricate dragon symbol.
“What is it?”
Malleus didn’t answer, instead putting one of the heftier plushies in his lap, burying his face into it.
Quietly accepting he wouldn’t get a direct answer, Rollo occupied himself with opening the envelope, taking note of the gentle fragrance of perfume that emanated from the paper. Written in intricate and elegant handwriting, Rollo slowly read the message directed to him.
Rollo Flamme,
My past few months with you have been a delight.
As brief as our evenings are, I cannot help but look forward to it every single Thursday.
Lilia’s suggestion might have been unusual, but I have no regrets reaching out to you.
Everyday, I manage to be charmed by your mere existence. Your dedication, your fearless attitude towards me, your boundless love and patience for everything you hold dear.
For now, I would like to have the pleasure to call you my friend, and if you allow me, someday, I would like to deepen our bond.
There is no need to give me an answer now. Again, I am more than happy to just share a small portion of my every week with you.
Thank you for being with me, and thank you for giving me a kind of normalcy I would have never dreamed of.
Yours truly,
Malleus Draconia.
Rollo read it once. Then twice. Then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth time and somehow, the words still didn’t manage to sink in because his brain couldn’t fully connect the sheer sincerity and emotion to the letter being directed to him, from no other than Malleus Draconia.
A deep laugher interrupted his thoughts, and by the looks of it, his expression must have been denouncing his internal confusion.
“I expected as much. It is quite a lot to take in, I admit.” Malleus got up from his seat, his little plushies floating behind him like a marching band as he made his way to Rollo. “But I do mean every word of it. I will leave you alone to digest the situation. See you next week, Rollo.”
And then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, he placed a kiss on Rollo’s forehead before disappearing.
Rollo kept staring at the empty space where Malleus once stood, as if that would suddenly give him the answer he was seeking.
He had just received a love confession from Malleus Draconia.
Oh, he would have to get his feelings sorted out by next week, but for now, Rollo allowed himself the undignified expression of hiding his blush behind the letter, heart beating faster than it ever did.