Ace didn’t know why he was back here. It had seemed like forever since he was last on this campus, where his entire life had changed.

He’d completed his internship and graduated. He had a life now and lived on his own. He was still in contact with all of the friends he’d made here at NRC. Heck, he was even next-door neighbors with Deuce due to some bizarre twist of fate.

There was only one person from those whirlwind days known as his NRC career that he could no longer talk to. You.

The day you’d left and returned home had haunted him the way shattered dreams always do. He’d shunned the very thought of you and hadn’t allowed himself to reminisce about those days. The time of his life.

Ace had never expected himself to become one of those washed-up people who couldn’t forget their former glory days. He’d never been one to live in the past, and yet here he was. Suddenly drowning in memories of you all over again. 

Epel’s words on that day had proven true. Ace could still remember those last moments, standing with you in front of that mirror, so clearly. 

The purple-haired boy had spoken in the silence that had followed your disappearance from their world, forever gone and out of reach, “We’re never going to get over them, are we?”

What a condemning statement that had proved to be.

Everyone had continued on with life, of course. They had to. It wasn’t like time had stopped with your disappearance. But there was a difference in their interactions. Like something, or rather someone, was missing. 

Ace knew he wasn’t the only one who missed you. Deuce still wore that tangled, now faded, friendship bracelet you’d given him. Ace kept his hidden away in his room, and he was positive that Jack, Epel, and Sebek still had theirs.

But Ace was certain that his feelings on the matter did differ from those of his friends in several notable areas.

Because when you’d left, you’d carried his heart with you through that mirror and back to wherever it was you were from. A small part of Ace wished he’d stopped you, but he knew there was no going back.

So why was he here, walking that old path back to the still dilapidated Ramshackle dorm?

The redhead scoffed at himself, kicking at the worn stones on the pathway even as he continued to walk. He was back because he was a fool who could never move on from a romance that had never truly begun.

He had tried. Numerous dates, both those that he had selected for himself and those that his mom had set him up on out of worry. But there was no one anywhere who held even the slightest bit of attraction for him.

It was as if you’d decided to haunt him with the very memories that he’d tried so hard to run from.

Long nights spent staying up and laughing at each other that were always followed by flushed mornings where you'd wake up together in a tangled mass of limbs in the common room.

Heart-pounding overblots where you’d take charge of the situation and steal the breath from his lungs with the sheer strength of character that you possessed and the raw fear he felt for you.

And then there were those most condemning moments, where you were both silent but still communicating with only your eyes. And sometimes, there would be those moments where the two of you would just exist in the same space with no need for words. No sarcasm or joking. Just comfortable silence that spoke far more about your relationship than any words ever could.

Those were the moments that tangled around him every night, filling his dreams with you before they chased him throughout his day.

He came to a halt, staring up at the shattered windows of the building that held so many memories for him. Only one thing was odd. The light that was on in your room.

A wry smile came to his lips, and he found himself stepping up on the porch and shoving open the door as if nothing had changed. In all likelihood, one of the ghosts had been messing around and had left the light on. You’d always complained of how they left the lights on despite not needing them to see.

The stairs still creaked just as they had during those days when you’d lived here. But now there was a thick coating of dust on the bannister.

Ace almost wanted to laugh at himself when he hesitated in front of your door, but then he heard it. The sound of quiet humming, a lilting tune he hadn’t heard since you’d left.

His hand trembled, at odds with his usual confidence, as he twisted the knob and opened the door to reveal what would become a memory that would last him forever as you cast your spell over him yet again.

There you stood, older than when he’d last seen you, but unforgettably familiar. 

Twisting, your eyes were wide when they landed on his shocked form.

“Y/n….” Your name was hardly more than a breath that he expelled in dazed shock.

And you, ever the charmer you were, simply stared at him before quietly responding in kind with his name with a wobbly smile that spoke of a tumult of emotions you were somehow keeping off your face, “Ace.”

But his name, on your lips, was all it took for him to dive through the door and all but bowl you over as he slammed into you. In later moments, he would look back and wish he’d held back some instead of all but body slamming you to the ground.

You stumbled backwards, a slight gasp leaving your mouth as your arms wrapped instinctively around him. As if you had any choice when he’d pressed you as close to himself as physically possible and buried his face in your shoulder. Genuinely terrified that you would somehow disappear again before he could reach you.

“You’re… I thought…..” He pulled back, his eyes searching your face as he fumbled for words. There was so much to say and not enough words in the world.

You scanned his face, eyes alight with wonder like you couldn’t believe that you were actually looking up at the redhead, before a blessed smile spread across your face, “I decided I couldn’t stay away, so I’m joining your world. For good.”

Your words brought back memories of his first night here… as if he would ever forget that or the words he had said: “I can't go back to the Heartslabyul dorm. I'm joining your dorm. For good.”

Idia shifted slightly as you leaned against his back, reading some book as he farmed one of his games. And in easy, quiet moments like this, with the weight of your body resting gently against his, feeling like a silent but ever-present promise, it was easy to forget the truth of his situation. Of his life.

But Idia was cursed. It was a weighty, but simple truth that had hung over his head for his entire life. Because he’d never known a life where he wasn’t cursed.

Idia was cursed to remain chained to the Island of Woe, to S.T.Y.X., and to guard the remains of those who’d fallen prey to their own magic and dark thoughts, just like he almost had back when you’d come all the way to S.T.Y.X.’s headquarters after Grim and your friends.

Idia was also cursed to never be able to feel darkness’s embrace, which could hide even the greatest of shames, until the light inevitably came. Because his hair always shone that cold blue light on him. Never letting him hide away from the gaze of all those who looked upon him in horror or disgust and saw all of his many flaws.

Idia was even cursed by his own personality. Unable to tolerate being around others without shutting down and drowning in their silent gazes. Judgmental, fearful, and sometimes pitying, no matter how he felt about it.

It was disgusting, infuriating, and so many other things that left him filled with ire towards anyone and everyone who didn’t understand him or his life. If they were going to gawk at him, then he would mock them for their naive, stupid views, and avoid them. There was no use in bothering with people who would never care.

After all, his life had been decided for him from the very moment he’d been born.

And all of those reasons, as well as so many others, were why he’d pushed you away initially. A laughable thought now, considering you were sitting on his bed, with your back pressed to his in a gentle reminder of your presence that, rather than causing him to tense like so many did, made him relax into the silence that rested easily between the two of you.

But when he’d first met you, he never would have imagined this. Not with how you’d seemed so strange. 

A weirdo, to be sure, with the way your gaze had never held that crushing weight that threatened to smother him that so many others had.

Some person from another world who apparently had far greater concerns than a flame-haired freak that lived in some other dorm. And, to an extent, Idia had been able to respect that.

It had quickly become obvious that you were more than just a weirdo, though. If nothing else, you were capable of handling and surviving numerous overblots. And even as he was getting to know you, it had already been clear to Idia that you were capable of so much more than him.

And that was still clear to him even today. Because if he was a curse, then you were more akin to a blessing.

A blessing who stepped in and stopped overblots from destroying their victims rather than studying the remains of those who were already done for.

A blessing who could see people at their very worst, and still accept them.

And finally, you were a blessing in that you had a personality that was like a balm to introverts. A person he could just be himself around without having to be surrounded by the multitude of people who’d already noticed your calming demeanor.

In reality, Idia knew you weren’t a blessing. Something so good could never survive in a school like this one. And he’d experienced firsthand exactly how much of a pest you could be.

But even with that knowledge, there were still moments when you were like a protagonist with the way you stood out so glaringly from the crowd.

Of course, Idia stood out from the crowd as well, but never in a remotely good way. 

At odds with this, your only supposedly negative quality was that you lacked magic. And while it did make your life a pain sometimes, you never let it bother you. Not like how Idia let his negative qualities and anything he lacked burden him.

And it was a heavy burden. A heavy burden that Idia knew made him equally heavy and unpleasant to be around. Because Idia was no fool. He knew his presence, his friendship, and even his very existence was a weighty one. He could easily drag a person down to their doom with the curses that trailed after him, like an entourage that couldn’t and wouldn’t go unnoticed.

And all of those reasons, plus a myriad of others, were why your presence here, with him, right now ought to be strange. But it wasn’t. In fact, it was perfectly normal for you to hang out with him in the solace of his room. Sometimes gaming with him, and sometimes just doing your own thing in silent companionship.

The selfish part of him clung to both you and your presence even as he continued to face his game in silence. 

Were he just a bit bolder, it would be easy to imagine himself turning to face you and wrapping his arms around your neck, with his fingers curling around your temple as if they could crown you as he cradled you to him.

But what could he ever crown you with other than the knowledge that you deserved far better?

It was his way of betraying you, and he knew that. His betrayal was one of the reasons he never tried to cross the dotted line that strained to keep you and him from growing any closer. Similarly, it was the reason the silence remained between the two of you as Idia pondered all of the oddities that were your relationship with him.

Because you supported him. Embracing him in your arms like he was weightless, rather than the way he knew he had to be a chain tangling itself around your ankles, threatening to trip you up and drag you down.

But you didn’t let him sink, and you didn't get pulled down by him. 

It was like you were a hero in some tropey anime. Willing to plunge into the very deepest of sorrows and pull him out. Never fearing the chances of drowning in the deep darkness of his curses, but also not shunning the light that revealed all. Good and bad.

Or if you did fear it, you didn’t let that fear hold you back. And perhaps that thought was even more alarming. Because that meant you cared about him enough to not let fear hold you back.

Either way, you seemed to just accept both his good and bad traits. Taking it all on with a smile not unlike the one you’d worn when you’d first forced your way into his life.

You’d shrugged off his moody words and met his gaze with your smiling one, “Nobody’s perfect, and it’s not like you’re the only guy at NRC who has overblotted or has caused me problems.”

You were definitely still a strange one, but Idia could no longer view that strangeness as bad. How could he when you could somehow look at the chains that surrounded him, binding him to his curses and doing their best to condemn him and those he chose to tie himself to, and smile in the face of it all? 

But as frustrating as your strange but oddly charming weirdness was, it made him want to do better.

To support you just like how you supported him. To let you know that even in this world that was not your own, you weren’t alone.

If you could willingly walk into that never-ending light that constantly showed his every weakness to the entire, unforgiving, and uncaring world, then he would hide you in the darkness and carry you when it hurt too much.

Because he knew it hurt, even if you hid it well with that smile that only seemed to truly fail you when you were facing an overblot or when the mention of your home came up.

Even if you were strong enough to carry him and all his curses, Idia knew it hurt and that the nights were long for you. 

In fact, it was obvious to him.

Because that weight you carried was why, even after having made friends and forged yourself a family, you still sought your own world. And he recognized that weight’s presence. How could he not when he was all too familiar with carrying a burden all his own?

But you would never be too heavy for him. Not when he was used to carrying the weight of his own curses.

Silver’s voice was always quiet and low as he went about the cottage, humming that little tune you’d always hummed during that fleeting time when you’d been by his side. It now served as a sort of lullaby for the knight. And at this point, it was the only thing that could truly bring him any real peace in your absence.

Because now, even rest was seldom as peaceful as it once had been. Especially since when Silver closed his eyes, the first thing he usually saw now was your face.

 Your face and that saddened expression you’d worn when you’d bid him farewell for the final time before the magic mirror had pulled you away from him and back to your home.

Silver had never blamed you for your return, especially since no one really knew if you could have stayed in this world that was not your own. 

As soon as you’d been told that this world of Twisted Wonderland might very well reject you one day, Silver and you had both known what your choice would be.

 Which was why all that was left of you now were the memories Silver carried with him and the tune that would forever be ringing in his ears.

He couldn’t hum that tune the same way you could. And the voice that always lulled him to sleep with your little lullaby was endlessly and hauntingly yours. Soft and ever out of reach, dancing on the fringes of his memory in the same way that you were achingly unreachable. A mere ghost of a presence.

And each time he did find rest, his mind always took him back to you. And maybe that was why he seldom used his signature spell anymore. He far preferred to see you rather than anything else. Even if those dreams of you weren’t always solely sweet in nature and often held an aching tint of bitterness and heartbreak.

Sometimes he was taken back to your farewell that day, when he’d held you so tightly but had not kissed you since that would have meant truly bidding you farewell, a thought that neither of you could bear.

Instead, Silver himself had preferred even then to believe that he would meet you again someday. Either in this world or the next. And it was a belief that he still held close to his heart. Because a world without you meant a world without a piece of himself.

But he had not found you in this world since that day. The only place he had ever found you, despite all his searching, was in those dreams where you reunited under a sky that was impossibly blue and a breeze that was ever balmy as he returned to your side. The place that he’d always been meant to be.

And you would always greet him with that same smile of yours just before your hand found his. Where it fit so perfectly that it was as if his hand had been made to hold yours. Just like it always had been.

And then, inevitably, Silver would awaken. With the spot where your hand had been in his still warm. Almost like his dream had truly happened and your hand really had been right there, resting gently in his.

And a part of him always wondered, perhaps cruelly, if he’d managed to connect with you across the borders of your worlds to meet you in a dream.

 It was one of the only things that could still bring tears to the knight's eyes as his fingers curled over that barren but warm spot. A haunting vestige of your presence that had never truly been with him in person, but only in spirit.

And then Silver would get up and go about his daily life, humming that lilting little song of yours. As if he could ever forget it when he continued to bear that same, impossible wish in his heart.

Azul templed his hands as he listened to Jade report his findings with an annoyingly amused smile on his face, “The prefect remains a mystery. There is no trace of them anywhere. In fact they do not seem to exist when one just looks at records. They have no social security number, hospital visits, memberships, or even  any email accounts. All told, they have no digital footprint or records.The only information to be gained is that which they share themselves.”

Azul nodded, at this point he wasn’t even surprised. He’d had Jade looking into the prefect since they’d first become an object of interest. First surviving and defeating the Riddle overblot and then Leona’s. They were definitely something special. That had only become more obvious when they’d beaten his contract and handled his overblot too.

From there his curiosity had spiraled, especially when they’d shown an interest in his past. If they were going to dig for his secrets he could do the same. It had seemed like a fair trade. 

Thus far it had been anything but fair though. While they could get information on him there was nothing on them. The only things he knew were, as Jade had said, what they had told him.

“Why don’t you just try to befriend Shrimpy and find out about them that way?” Floyd’s bored-sounding voice interrupted his thoughts and shined a light on the situation. Azul looked at Floyd with wide-eyes. 

How had he not thought of that? People were always more open with those they deemed close and the prefect was open to friendship anyway. They’d made that obvious when they’d asked about how he was doing post-overblot. “That’s… That’s actually a good idea Floyd.” 

Floyd only rolled his eyes in response and Jade chuckled as if that solution had been obvious. Ignoring their amused but blessedly silent mocking, he stood. 

Snatching his hat and coat from the hooks in the office, Azul glanced towards them, “I’ll be back shortly. Jade. Floyd. You two take care of the lounge till I get back.” 

They both nodded, differing smiles on their identical faces as they chorused their matching answer, “Yes sir.”

It didn’t take him long to get to Ramshackle. It wasn’t that far from the school, but then it was far enough that Azul couldn’t imagine walking the distance every day was pleasant. That said, walking the same distance for lunch at a Monstro Lounge offshoot would have been acceptable had his business venture worked out.

Azul rolled his shoulders as he stepped up on the porch that had seen better days and calmly knocked on the door. The answer was prompt as the door swung open to reveal the infamous prefect peeking out at him, Grim winding his way through their legs to look as well. 

Azul found he was struck, once again, by how average they were. There was nothing particularly outstanding about them. They were attractive enough, but nothing stunning. Their grades were as good as one could expect for magicless person attending a magic school, but certainly not top scores. They were friendly but not overly so and though they had a decent number of friends the number wasn’t unusual. Yet despite their overwhelming mundaneness they were always found at the center of anything of interest that happened at NRC. 

Unaware of his less than glamorous review, their eyes widened in a comical fashion as they opened the door a bit wider, “Azul?” 

Azul feigned a warm smile at them, “Hello prefect. I was wondering if you could help with something.” 

Their eyes narrowed almost immediately at his words and they started to shut the door, “No.”

Azul caught the door with a single hand, his other palm pressing to his chest, “You wound me prefect. I only come bearing the offer of a job.” 

They did not look impressed with his make-believe hurt but he didn’t let that stop him, “I heard you were in need of excess funds for your continued refurbishing of Ramshackle dorm. If you would be willing to help out at Monsto Lounge I will pay you handsomely.”

Their eyebrows arched and, ignoring Grim’s comments about how shady Azul was, they released their pressure on the door, “And what do you get out of my working for you?”

Azul released the door, no longer concerned about it slamming in his face, “I remember how quickly you and Jack cleared out that crowd at Monstro Lounge when you first visited my establishment. Having someone of such skill working for me would doubtless ease the press of serving all of our many, many customers.”

They frowned but glanced back at the house, most likely looking at something Jade and Floyd hadn’t worked on during those three days of repairs. When they looked back  at him their unimpressed defiance was slipping, “I can’t work often, Crowley keeps me pretty busy.”

Azul immediately nodded, a picture of compassionate understanding, “Of course, I can work out a schedule that takes your prior appointments into account.” 

He watched as they shifted, knowing he already had them hooked. Their uncertain expression gave everything away, “That could work… But Crowley doesn’t really tell me when I’ll be busy with his…” They waved their hand in the air for slight emphasis, “Jobs.” 

Well, he had them baited, hooking apparently was going to take longer. Unconcerned, he rested his hands on his walking stick in a relaxed manner, “That won’t be a problem, you can just be a part-time employee. Someone we call when things get to be too much for our usual workers.”

In an unexpected turn, they narrowed their eyes at him, “That sounds nice, but you're going awfully far to hire me.” 

Well, they weren’t a person of interest for nothing. When dealing with Ramshackle’s prefect there were bound to be surprises. Azul had never been one to back down from a challenge though, and he certainly wasn’t going to start now.

So he sighed, shaking his head slightly, “Things are just that difficult for us prefect.” He met their gaze in a pleading manner, “The usual crowd is bad enough but the lunch rush is pure chaos.”

They sighed, a sound of long suffering, but nodded, “Alright. I’ll do it. When will I need to show up?” 

Azul had to bite back a smug smile, instead settling for a polite one that better fit the image he currently needed, “How can I ever thank you? We’ll call when your assistance is needed.”

Azul’s return to the Lounge was marked by Jade and Floyd looking towards him with curious gazes that he replied to with only a smug smile and a nod of his head.

 He had gotten the prefect. Now it was just a matter of patience. It wouldn’t be long before he cracked their code and learned exactly what made them such a force of nature despite their mundane personality.

It was about a week before he called them though. True to his word he waited till there was an influx of customers. When he finally told them their assistance would be needed, he allowed himself a smug smile. After all, everything was going perfectly according to plan. He would likely know what made them special by the end of the night.

Or at least that’s what he thought. 

They worked all evening, putting out exemplary effort that would impress even the Great Seven. They left no opening for him to step in and assist. In fact they merely met him with a smile at the end of the evening.

“I must say… I’m impressed Prefect.” 

They shook their head, smiling all the while, “Call me Y/n. Prefect sounds too… lofty.” Well, not a total loss if they were requesting he use their name. Azul allowed himself a smile as he handed them their check. Perhaps this venture would pay off then.

He waited only a short while before he called them in again. This time he fully intended to have a nice chat with them since there weren’t quite as many customers.

Instead, they worked closely with Jade that evening but his vice-housewarden didn’t learn anything of interest. Or at least that’s what he said. Azul knew they’d had conversations. The only question was why was Jade not telling him what they’d said?

Had they somehow won his loyalty? It seemed unlikely and the thought of them two becoming close was rather annoying for some reason.

So he called them in again. This time they worked with Floyd who only reported they quite liked his cooking. Nothing truly important there, everyone liked Floyd’s cooking. That’s why he was the preferred chef. 

It was strange though. Azul couldn’t help but find himself questioning if they would like his cooking.

So he called them in for a fourth time and asked them to help him in his office. He wasn’t going to let them slip away with one of the twins this time. Especially since those two refused to tell him their findings for frustratingly vague reasons.

 “If you could, sort those in the order of importance so I could go through them more quickly.” They nodded, a surprised look flashing across their face. But then they probably weren’t expecting him to request they help with a job that was so seemingly important.

Despite their initial surprise they met him with a follow-up question “Do you want the least important first or…?” 

He was rather delighted, a good worker who ensured they did their job correctly. His smile wasn’t fake this time when he answered, “Most important first please.” 

They nodded and dutifully started their work, scanning each sheet carefully before stacking them accordingly. And he watched them as he worked, carefully observing how they went about their duties. 

Nothing really stood out about how they completed their task. But something about having them in his office with him was pleasant despite the fact there was no conversation occuring.

“Do you need something?” They looked up from their work, casually meeting his gaze and startling him. 

He faltered only briefly though, hurriedly coming up with a response to their nonchalant question, “I… No. I was just thinking that you're quite the hard-worker.”

They tilted their head, a common gesture from them, “Is it that odd? That is why you hired me after all.” 

Azul nodded, his ability to spin webs of half-truths as flawless as ever. Especially since he couldn’t deny their work was impressive, “That is true. But I suppose I’m just impressed. Few people can keep up with Jade and Floyd.”

It was strange that they were so relaxed with him even though it was just the two of them. Few people were. Yet another mystery to add to the mass of the curiosities that made up the Prefect.

“They aren’t so bad. Once you get to know them they can be kind of nice at times.” Azul’s eyebrows rose at their words. So they didn’t mind Jade and Floyd. Perhaps his suspicions were correct and they were becoming close to the twins. 

He fought against the urge to frown at the thought. There was nothing truly wrong with them getting along with coworkers. 

“Well, yes. I tend to surround myself with loyal people,” He almost missed their amused grin.

“Is that so?” He frowned immediately, confused by their playfully lilted question. Confused enough that he only responded with a slow nod which only seemed to amuse them further.

“Is that you asked me to work with you specifically?” As soon they spoke he understood. He’d inadvertently implied that since he’d been calling them in frequently they too were loyal.

Azul floundered at that amused, too-observant glance that they cast his way, “I… Well, you seemed like the best choice for the job.” They hummed in response, opting to go back to their job and the conversation fell flat.

Though it had been brief, their exchange trailed innumerable questions behind it. Why were they so comfortable with both him and the twins? Why were they working so hard at a job that didn’t really do anything for them? Why were they here? Why did they occupy his mind so often? Why did he enjoy them being here? The list went on and on.

Azul shook his head and decided to follow their lead and go back to working. Such questions treaded too close to a dangerous area of his thoughts that he didn’t want to approach yet.

Vil felt his hands digging into the dirt, his manicured and perfectly polished nails becoming covered in grime and filth as he waged against the senselessness of this situation.

Because of you, he’d been reduced to this state. Because of you, Epel screamed and beat on the magical shields that surrounded NRC. Because of you, he was absorbed by a sense of helplessness, even though he’d already experienced a darkness so deep that it had almost consumed him. And because of you, that darkness hadn’t devoured him, and he was still here.

Vil shoved himself up, rising to his feet so that he could gaze through the green-tinged shield and into the school. He could clearly see the school’s towers, rising up towards the sky in a determined retaliation against the thorny vines that threatened to consume the entire building.

You were in there, somewhere. Alone with one of the world’s most powerful magicians, who was currently being consumed by the very darkest parts of his person.

You’d dealt overblots before. You’d defeated and thereby saved not just Vil, but also Riddle, Leona, Azul, Jamil, and even Idia. All formidable opponents who, through your leadership, a ragtag group of students had defeated.

You’d gone from a magicless nobody who’d stumbled into a world that was not your own to becoming a hero of the school. You were one of the most famous students among the student body. But you still remained humble and had only one wish. To return to your home.

“Vil! Vil what do we do?!” Epel turned, facing his housewarden in desperate search of guidance. Vil found himself looking toward the first year who was one of your close friends and steeling himself for what was to come.

Vil was almost impressed that he was able to keep his voice level when responded, “We’ll do what we have to. We’re going to break through this shield and go in there and help Y/n.” 

Epel stared wide-eyed as his housewarden pulled out his magical pen and the gem began to glow a deep purple. “But what if we overuse our magic… What if-?”

“We don’t have time for ‘What if’s’ Epel. And I can assure you that everyone else will be doing the same.” Vil had no doubts that he wouldn’t be alone. You’d single-handedly won over the force that was your friends.

All the housewardens, vice housewardens, and numerous other students cared for your well-being or felt indebted to you. None of them would leave you to face that draconian man that you were no doubt up against.

Rook joined Vil’s side and soon Epel was there too, each with their pens out and ready to lash out to shatter the shield before them.

Vil was not trapped under any belief that he was a hero coming to save a helpless victim. Vil had never been a hero. He was a villain that tormented the heroes and was never on stage for the curtain to fall.

It was something that he’d loathed his entire life. Why him and not someone else? Why was he always given such a hated role?

But Vil found that he no longer cared. If he were to be a villain, then so be it. He would be a villain that Malleus Draconia wouldn’t soon forget, and he would be the villain that stole the draconic fae’s precious friend.

Because of you, he would become the very thing he abhorred… Just so he could see you take to the stage yet again. Just so he could see you safe once more.

The shield shuddered and Vil knew it wasn’t just the students of Pomefiore attacking. No, all those whose lives you'd touched were rallying to aid you. 

And Vil was one of them. Because he’d never been afraid of a little bit of hard work, and because of you.

Because of you, who’d stolen his heart with your giddy smiles. Because of you, who didn’t turn away when he was at his most hideous. Because of you, who accepted everything about him, no matter how unsightly or disgusting.

I smiled quietly to myself as I set out into the dark trees that surrounded Ramshackle dorm. I’d seen the faint green lights that resembled fireflies and now led me down an old path through the window.

Truthfully, it probably looked like a scene out of a horror movie. A lone person traipsing through dead trees and a decrepit graveyard, following some strange lime green lights into the darkness that held…. Well, in a horror movie it would hold unimaginable horrors, but for me it just held a close friend. 

Despite my surroundings I was perfectly comfortable, happy even, as I let the lights guide me down the unfamiliar path because I knew what these lights meant. They always signaled Malleus’s arrival. 

Well, technically they signaled my friend, Hornton’s, arrival. But I had learned that ‘Hornton’ was, in fact, Malleus quite some time ago. 

It had been months ago when I’d been walking to class with Ace and Deuce. Ace had pulled me to a halt and pointed out Hornton just before whispering in my ear, “That’s Malleus. He’s one of the top mages and the Prince of Thorn Valley.” 

My eyes had widened at Ace’s hissed words but not for the reason he thought. Ace had only nodded, with Deuce mirroring the motion, “Scary looking guy ain’t he?”

 I’d opted to ignore my companion's comment, instead thinking about how at long last I knew why my night-time visitor always seemed kind of lonely.

I hadn’t told Malleus that I knew his identity though. He seemed happy thinking that I didn't have a clue who he was. Judging from the rumors abounding in the school he probably thought I’d be terrified if I knew he was the one and only Malleus Draconia.

Even if he had told me his name when we’d first met I wouldn’t have been afraid of him though. After all, I hadn’t the foggiest an idea of just who Malleus Draconia was up until recently.

 Sebek had been quite generous with his education of the great and powerful Lord Malleus while my other classmates had been quite generous with their warnings regarding Malleus. Had I not known better I would’ve thought they were talking about two entirely different people.

Luckily for Malleus, I’d received another education regarding his personality. I’d gotten to know the man himself and found him to be quite charming. Malleus was dorky, elegant, unimaginably powerful, and unimaginably petty. He was so far behind the times I feared there was no hope for him and he was a constant tease.

In short, he was a perfectly normal but perfectly marvelous young man that had a penchant for presenting himself as terrifying when he was, in fact, just lonely and rather awkward.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand why others viewed him as terrifying. He was beyond powerful and that, paired with his pettiness, could be quite scary if one didn’t realize how affectionate and ridiculous he could be. 

As I progressed through the woods the number of green lights only seemed to grow alongside my confusion. Usually Malleus would simply show up on the porch or in the front yard, perusing the gargoyles and grotesques around Ramshackle. 

I didn’t know if I had ever spoken to him anywhere other than my front, side, or back yard. We certainly never left the view of the house. In fact, we usually never left the shadow of the Ramshackle.

The fact he had me traipsing through the woods was both confusing and a little exciting since it probably meant he had something to show me.

And sure enough I found the man himself, standing in the middle of a clearing alone. The only light was that of the moon and his strange dancing lights that so resembled fireflies. 

He twisted, a fond smile gracing his features as those glowing green eyes found my form in the darkness. “Child of man,” He reached out, beckoning me closer with a single twitch of his long fingers.

I smiled and walked towards him, abandoning the shadows of the trees to meet him in the surprisingly bright clearing. I’d never seen so many of his little lights in one place before. It made me wonder what they were.

I reached out, poking one slightly which only caused to flit away and him to chuckle. I glanced, looking at the swirling lights, “What are these things anyway?”

He let out a quiet hum as he looked around the small lights that surrounded us, mirroring my actions, “I suppose your people would think of them as ‘faerie lights’ or perhaps ‘will-o-the-wisps.’” He met my eyes and smiled, a wicked sort of grin, “I believe your people also think they lead people astray. Were you not concerned, following their lead?”

I snorted at his not so subtle amusement, “Hardly. They were just going to lead me directly to you.” 

His grin turned almost smug as he looked down at me and I felt myself starting to grin back up at him. I glanced around the clearing, spreading my arms to gesture to the odd little area, “So is this what you wanted to show me?” 

His eyes went comically wide at my question and he looked around in an almost childlike manner before looking back at me, “What I wanted to show you…?” 

I only smiled at his curious sounding tone before I started to explain, “Well, you didn’t show up in the front yard like you usually would and instead used your lights to lead me all the way out here. I just figured you wanted to show this place to me.” 

He blinked silently at me before chuckling slightly and shaking his head, “I see…. No, this is just a place I like to go to… get away. 

He tilted his head in an oddly catlike manner before continuing, “I suppose a small part of me might have wanted you to know its location so that you could use it should you wish.”

I nodded, turning in place as I looked around. It was sort of odd. A random clearing in the middle of the woods that had a tiny old dirt path leading to it. 

It made me wonder what this place was supposed to be. There was nothing really here and it was quite obvious that it hadn’t been used for anything for a long time. Malleus had probably been the only person who’d been coming here at all.

“It would be a nice place to go when you’re lonely,” I mused aloud, thinking about how quiet it was here. Peaceful really.

“Do you get lonely often?” Malleus’s quiet question drew me out of my thoughts, causing me to turn and look at him. Before I could respond he continued, “You are often with our friends so I’d always thought….”

He trailed off, a strange expression on his face that made me sigh slightly, “You can be lonely even when you’re surrounded sometimes, Hornton.”

His gaze met mine mine, understanding flickering deep within his almost fluorescent lime green eyes, “Do you feel lonely when you are with me?”

His question caught me off guard. At first my eyes widened and then I frowned as I actually had to think about his question. 

Truthfully speaking, I‘d never been lonely when I’d been with Malleus. But it was always just the two of us. The loneliness I’d been speaking of was that which occurs when you are in a group or crowd but somehow feel all alone. 

To be fair, I didn’t know that I would feel lonely even if I were in such a crowd alongside Malleus though. He always seemed to place most, if not all of his attention on me. Even when he was talking about how fascinating a specific gargoyle was he still focused on me. After all, he always seemed to know when my mind wandered. Although that could just be him pouting because he didn’t think I was paying attention….

“No… I don’t think I have ever been lonely around you Hornton,” I smiled as I met his gaze. 

A smug grin crossed his face and he leaned forward, sweeping into a sort of bow till his eyes were at almost the same level as mine, “Then you could always come to me when you are feeling lonely. I will be certain to comfort you.”

I found myself grinning at his words, but I shook my head, “I’m not going to waste your time like that Hornton. There is no way you have enough time to always keep me company when I’m feeling down. I mean really, do you realize how long that would take?”