makovu

[makovu]

my twst muses have moved over to a low-activity and iconless multimuse. there are a lot of other fandoms there and twst is not the priority, but feel free to follow.

[makovu]

unblot​:

Each word from Leona pricks at Malleus’ skin like sharp thorns, their poisonous contents seeping inside him like venom. To say it hurts would be a great understatement. By all accounts a dragon should not feel the sting of the lick of flames. But here & now they feel themself burning. Malleus disintegrates into a pile of ash, & Leona hadn’t so much as lifted a finger to use his magic against him.

Leona has the power to tear through him limb from limb like a great sword. Malleus has known this even before he’d dreamt of the lion doing just that. Yet here & now as his dreams erupt into flames & his heart is run through, he can’t bring himself to cry out. He can’t do anything but watch as Leona tears away from him with sad empty eyes.

“  It is not a matter of what is deserved.  ” Their eyes still don’t leave Leona’s even as the other’s hateful glare begins to fray their delicate heartstrings. That hatred had brought Malleus happiness once. There was once a time when that contemptuous snarl was all he’d ever wanted. But he’s grown greedy hasn’t he? & that greed has ultimately led to his undoing. Now Malleus cannot even find happiness in Leona’s anger, only grief. Grief, the very thing he did this all for, the very thing he is most afraid of. “  It is a matter of what is true or not.  ”

“  If you no longer love me, why are you here at all?  ” In another time this would have been spoken like a challenge, an arrogant man’s last attempt to prove what he believes is true. But Malleus has long surrendered in this fight, leaving Leona to kick them while they’re down to his heart’s content. “  You speak of wanting to do me harm, yet you have barely laid a hand upon me. Even with my own permission you seem hesitant bring about my undoing.  ”

“  If you truly mean to kill me, I will not stop you. If I am to meet my end, I can see no better way to go than within your embrace.  ”  For isn’t that anyone’s greatest wish, to die in the arms of the one the love most? Whether they lie there as Leona’s paramour or Leona’s prey hardly matters to them, so long as they may be held by him one last time. “  I only ask that you answer me this, & answer me truthfully. Before all this, were you happy? Were you happy with me? Because I have found great happiness with you. & that happiness was not a lie, my love for you has never been a lie.  ”

“  Leona,  ”  he utters the other’s given name like it’s a promise, like it’s a prayer. It’s earnest display of the closeness & intimacy they’ve built over these months within the dream realm. It’s a last profession of love before he meets his end. “  I ask you to listen to your heart & not your head for once. If both proclaim that they want nothing to do with me, I will accept my fate at your hands. But if there is even a shred of doubt, I ask that you consider my words & intentions more deeply. That is all I ask of you, my love.  ”

“ i’m here because i want out, malleus. my feelings for you have nothing t’ do with it. ” he wants out. he wants everyone out. whatever he feels for them doesn’t matter in the shadow of what is being done to everyone. malleus doesn’t seem to get that, which feels...

it’s not as surprising as it should be. malleus has always been distant from so many human concepts. it’s no wonder he thinks this is right. it’s no wonder he thinks this is good. an enchantment, he calls the curse.

“ but fine. yeah. i was happy. i was happy with you, and i loved you. i asked you t’ marry me, didn’t i?? ” he’d taken him home, let him meet a dream of his family. 

he doesn’t have any idea how much time’s passed. he doesn’t even know when this all started. his memory’s clouded — no doubt an affect of malleus’ enchantment — and the boundary between dream and reality is muddled. it had to have started before their dreams started pulling them together, but how long before that?? and why?? he can see his breath when he speaks, goosebumps rising on his skin as the warmth is pulled from the air. 

“ but i want out, malleus. ” leona’s feet carry him across the distance between them, one hand rising as though to grab malleus’ collar again. instead, his hand cups the side of their neck; it’s almost tender except for the rigidity in leona’s hand, his fingertips pressing into the back of malleus’ neck. “ and if you’re not gonna let us out, and if killing you will do it... ” for a moment he doesn’t finish the thought as something sorrowful flashes through his eyes. 

( there’s something familiar in malleus’ self-assuredness, and leona suspects the worst in the waking world. )

when he speaks again, his voice is nothing more than a whisper between them: “ i’ll do what i have to. ”

[makovu]

“i thought you weren’t writing on this blog” i’m not don’t look @ me

[makovu]

unblot​:

The confrontation is anticipated. In fact some might argue that it was written in the stars from the very beginning, written the moment Leona laid his head down to sleep that first night. That night began the first chapter of their story, page after page sewn into a sturdy spine until both of their heartstrings were too entangled to separate without tearing the whole thing apart. Even now as Leona threatens to tear away from him, Malleus feels his heart unravelling at the seams. Nothing was ever going to make this encounter easy. No amount of time was ever going to prepare him for what lies ahead. 

In contrast to Leona’s vibrant fury, Malleus remains placid & composed. They’re a faded echo of themself, face completely colorless as they let Leona manhandle them. The prince stays stock still, his expression empty save for pale green eyes. Those eyes stay fixed on Leona, betraying Malleus’ true feelings as they meet the other’s enraged glare with a melancholic gaze. 

“  Because you love me.  ”  The answer comes simply & without any sort of mirth or malice. It would be all too easy to use this fact as a means of taunting Leona. Were they both closer to the beginning of their story Malleus would have used anything as leverage without hesitation. Back when all that lied between them was schoolyard rivalry & an endless chess game. 

But now it’s different. Now this answer is given because it is the only answer to give. This answer is given because it’s true & they both know it. Leona loves him & in turn Malleus loves Leona as well. The unconventional & fantastical terms in which they came together does not make the statement any less true. It does not make their love any less real.

That love is palpable in the intensity of Leona’s grasp, in the hurt & betrayal that fails to be completely concealed from his eyes. It lies in Malleus’ stillness, in their willingness to accept defeat without giving so much of a fight. This encounter is a testament of their love, not a display of the absence of it. 

Malleus takes note of Leona’s shaking hands & moves to gingerly take one in his own. He does this knowing full well the possible consequences of it. With their head high, & their heart unafraid Malleus steps further into the lions den knowing the king of beasts intends to slaughter him. 

“  If putting an end to me will repair your broken heart, I will not discourage you. But you ought to know this fate for us was not premeditated. I did not personally weave your dreams into something that would please me.  ”  Tentatively Malleus squeezes Leona’s hand in his, a wordless affirmation of his continuous & true love.  “  The purpose of the enchantment is to create a reality in which its inhabitants are safe & happy. What brings happiness to each individual is not my choice or control. If this version of time led you to me, that is not my doing. You should know better than most that magic has a mind of its own.  ”

Malleus then decides to take a chance, a leap of faith that sends them hurdling deeper inside the belly of the beast. He raises their intertwined hands, pressing a reverent kiss to Leona’s knuckles. Were it not for the sadness still resting in the fae’s eyes, one could believe nothing had changed between them. Without another word, Malleus releases Leona’s hand, effortlessly stepping out of the prince’s steely grip. 

“  I will not think less of you if you choose not to believe me, dearest. I’ve come to understand that trust is a fickle thing for humans. But my feelings for you have always been true, & I hope that at least at one point you were certain that your love for me was real.  ”  So long as he has that, Malleus will accept whatever happens next. He’ll die peacefully if it’s with the knowledge that for a brief moment he was in love & the one he loved cared for him too.

leona doesn’t react to malleus’s gestures of affection much, if at all — he feels off center and disoriented, his mind clouded and his body heavy. (some quiet part of him wonders if his understanding of the truth is making him more aware of his sleeping body in the waking world.) the anger has quickly cooled, leaving him shocked still. 

“ quit actin’ like you’re doing something good, ” he says, his low voice quiet. he feels condescended to, even if he can tell that isn’t malleus’ intent. malleus just seems so certain that he’s right, that there’s no fault in his actions and leona ———

“ do i look happy, malleus?? does this look like happiness t’ you?? ” he stands with his fists balled at his sides, magic still dancing beneath his fingertips. he still wants to act, but it’s not fueled by that momentarily blinding rage; now he just knows he has to do something. “ because i can tell you: being stuck in a lie that you made has me feelin’ pretty pissed off.

“ so go on. tell me what’s going on in that lizard brain of yours t’ make you think any part of this is okay. tell me what about this makes you think you deserve t’ hear me say i still love you. because right now, standing here, i don’t think i do. i don’t even know you like you made me believe i did. ”

whatever else he might want to say catches in his throat, his jaw tensing as he swallows it down. malleus knew what they were doing the whole time. leona should’ve thought harder — he should’ve had some idea... his arms raise to cross over his chest, his vivid eyes glaring at malleus over the distance between them.

[makovu]

the truth is dark under your eyelids ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— what're you gonna about it?

a kingdom hearts au for leona kingscholar of the game twisted-wonderland, as told by syd. ( sideblog to fortunegambled and waterdanced )

[makovu]

it's not a matter of fate it's just a question of time ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— we all fall down.

THE GAMBLER OF FATE & THE MELODIOUS NOCTURNE of the KINGDOM HEARTS series, as told by syd.

[makovu]

@unblot​ asked: In a surprising turn of events, Leah is quite quiet when she enters the room, making none of her usual ado. Wordlessly she climbs into bed beside Leona, the six year old making a small sniffle as she forcibly tucks herself under her baba's arm.

It's not unusual for her to come here in the middle of the day. Ever since she can remember she's wanted to stay with baba when she feels bad. Being around him always makes her feel better. But this is the first time her sensitive heart has not led her to a wailing tantrum, having little care for Leona's naps. Her hurt is subdued today, a silent stream of tears flowing from her large green eyes.

Leah curls into up into a ball, burying her face in Leona's chest.

"Why can't I be like Nora?" The question is quiet, her broken voice muffled against Leona's chest. "Everyone says she's better than me because she can do magic and I can't. I wanna do magic too. But nothing I do is good enough." Leah sniffles again. "It's not fair. I wanna be good too. Why can't I be good?"

leona can identify his family with his eyes closed — it’s in the sounds of their breaths, in the patterns of their steps, in the differences in their scents. his ears twitch atop his head as the heavy door is pushed open, and he can tell by time she’s only three steps into the room that it’s leah (and he can tell that she’s crying, that truth revealed by a sniffle in her breath).

he lifts his arm slightly as she tucks herself under his arm to curl close to his chest, his arms wrapping around her in a protective embrace. this isn’t one of her usual, childish outbursts brought on by a youthful lack of emotional regulation. this isn’t a tantrum.

this is... leona presses his lips to her hair between her ears, his eyes remaining squeezed shut. he’s not surprised by the words she mumbles into his chest, but that doesn’t make them any easier to hear. one of the girls not developing magic was a fear before they even hatched; it doesn’t run in leona’s family with the same certainty and strength that in runs in malleus’, after all. when lenore’s magic developed, as weak and sloppy as it is in all children, all eyes went to leah to see if she’d follow in her sister’s footsteps.

months passed, and hope turned into upturned noses by the same stagnant court that didn’t want leona here in the first place. it’s another mark against him, and he hoped that was all it would be.

but no. leona knows that some adults don’t care that children are children, and he’s not surprised. angry, yes — it’s something fierce and protective that claws into his chest as he holds leah close to him, and he has to make himself focused on soothing this injury rather than storming off to lash out against those who caused it.

he moves, sitting up to pull the tight ball leah’s become into his lap. “you are good, leah,” he whispers, one arm wrapped securely around her while the hand of the other runs lightly through her hair. “don’t let them make you think otherwise.” her words are familiar. they’re thoughts he had before he was her age and long after; only he had no one he shared them with, and they festered near his heart and hardened him into someone he knows he doesn’t want to see her become.

“i had magic at your age,” he says quietly. “your uncle falena didn’t.” he pauses, trying to make sure his words come out right. comforting doesn’t come naturally to him, and neither does talking about such core emotional experiences. “it didn’t matter. they talked about me the same way they’re talking about you. they made me resent my own brother and feel like nothin’ i did would ever matter.” there’s a distance in his voice alongside the quietness, his green eyes now open to look down at his little girl curled up in his arms. “i think some people just like t’ pit siblings against each other, and the youngest gets the worst of it.”

and it’s clear where it comes from: the oldest child’s the heir, and the youngest is nothing but a backup until the heir produces an heir of their own. it’s simple lineage. leah is the youngest, despite the girls being twins — and despite malleus being deliberate in not naming an heir until the twins decide who will take the responsibility of the crown by choice, birth order aside. to the court it doesn’t matter. to them lenore is the heir apparent and leah’s nothing more than a disappointing, magicless backup in a country based around strong magic.

“it’s not fair. you’re right about that.” he moves his hand from her hair to her chin, gently urging her to look up at him with her tear-filled eyes. “but you’re a bright girl with a bright future ahead of you.” he wipes the tears from one of her cheeks with his thumb. “and lenore loves you and doesn’t think she’s any better than you. i love you. your father loves you.

“mage or not, you’re better than those mean old people will ever be, and you’re gonna do more that matters than they ever have. don’t forget that.”

[makovu]

unblot​:

leona’s words may be difficult to discern, but the uncharacteristic tenseness in his body language is impossible to misconstrue. the nervous energy in the air is palpable. & in it’s wake malleus can only watch silently as leona readies himself to speak his mind. 

the admission brings a raised eyebrow to malleus’ face, followed by a soft smile. they had only intended to tease leona when they’d accused him of being shy. but now the malleus finds themself wondering how much truth was laid in that claim. whatever relationship experience leona has is surely different from the arrangement they’ve settled in. that is if he’s had any relationship experience at all. malleus has never asked of that part of leona’s past, nor does he know if he would wish to.

it’s not as if he hasn’t thought of their future together. malleus wouldn’t have spoken to the former king if he hadn’t thought about it. yet this conversation still manages to take him by surprise. nevertheless, he does not hesitate when answering leona’s questions.

“  on the contrary, my hatching was quite visible at the time.  ”  the statement is true, though it is difficult to conclude whether or not they’re spoken as a joke to lighten the mood.  “  as you’ve concluded, my kind do not reproduce as humans do. our young are birthed from eggs rather than directly from a mother’s womb. it’s all fairly straight forward & certainly not something you’d need to concern yourself with.  ”

malleus’ apparent density where understanding what leona’s getting at is concerned is enough of an irritant to push leona through whatever nerves he’s feeling, and he props himself up on his elbows on malleus’ chest to look down at them. “ i think i do need t’ concern myself with it. the issue of bloodlines and inheritance doesn’t vanish just because i’m human, ” he points out.

the visit home has him thinking of the future, and he doesn’t know what that future might be like. up until now, he’s been stuck in a short - sighted present, doing what he wants and nothing else. but now he finds himself unable to turn off the analytical and political workings of his mind — there’s a lot of variables to consider, and he can’t keep ignoring them. whether he feels the title gives him anything or not, he’s still a prince.

his green eyes avert to something nonspecific in the shadows of the room, something that’s decidedly not malleus for him to look at. “ as much as i hate t’ admit it, falena’s right. we’re not just students like everyone else. and as much as i refuse t’ let either of us be so caught up in what responsibilities we do have that we stop feeling like ourselves, ” he explains, and he’s saying this mostly for malleus’ sake. he’s not against sneaking off - campus again to give malleus even more freedom than allowed here compared to back in the valley. he wants that for malleus — for both of them. “ there are conversations to have so no surprises sneak up on either of us. ”

this is one of the rare moments when it’s clear that leona does listen and always has listened to everything he’s been taught as a prince, even if his application has always been less than impressive.

[makovu]

unblot​:

malleus is not exactly observant when it comes to the hearts & minds of those around him. but even so he senses there’s possibly more to the sudden question than what meets the eye. they can’t say what or why, especially given leona’s innately curious nature. but they do wonder what’s going through that mind of his. it’s not the first time malleus has been left trying to guess leona’s motives, nor will it be the last. 

he moves to take one of leona’s hands in his, sleepily brushing his lips against the other’s knuckles. “  there’s no need to be shy, dearest.  ” it’s a half blind shot in the dark, malleus feigning an understanding more deep than he currently possesses. in his mind there’s little to be lost from venturing forward. if he’s shot correctly, they’ll progress to what leona truly wishes to talk about. & if he has miss fired? well, malleus won’t neglect an opportunity to tease leona.

“  ask what you want of me. i don’t intend to deprive you of any knowledge you seek. not when you’re as dear to me as you are now.  ”  he adds an affectionate quip in hopes of sweetening the deal. perhaps now malleus can lure his cat out of hiding.

normally leona would be purring when cuddled up like this, but instead he’s silent except for when he speaks. his tail’s also pressed close to his own legs rather than curled around malleus, his ears pressed to his head more than usual. he’s anxious, something uncharacteristic of and very uncomfortable to him. “ [ ... ] if things stay this serious, ” he begins, trailing his fingertips lightly across malleus’ bottom lip for a moment in some sort of distraction from his own thoughts, “ ’m just trying to work out what t’ expect. ” he’s still being cagey, but he’s working his way through it.

“ i know there are a few obvious differences between you and humans. ” to emphasize his point, leona’s hand lowers from malleus’ lips to the black scales along their ribs. “ but you hatching’s an even bigger one, and that one’s not visible. ”

[makovu]

@igniida​ asked: "You're like a general out there.” Idia really had no interest in Magical Shift. It was a physical game created for brutes who had no interest in strategizing. Unless you were Leona. Who’d taken a brute’s sport and turned it into an intellects hobby. Just going through his playbook was proof enough of that. Though Idia had doubts that many people got to look into Leona’s playbook. If he truly was like one of the general’s Idia had seen in his games then he probably tried to keep his plans secret, close to the chest and close to his team. So did that mean anything when Leona had first allowed Idia to look through the playbook? No, certainly not. It was simply Leona trying to prove a point to Idia.

But now actively watching Leona work and watching him bring his strategies from page to reality showed the amount of thought he put into his work. Watching the way Leona commanded his teammates to follow his orders like rowdy soldiers falling in line to perfect battle movements right under the expert command of their leading officer. As though Idia’s games had come to life right before him with Leona at the controls. It was impressive to watch almost enough to have Idia appreciating the sport. Almost. He holds out the playbook he’d picked up to read when Leona is close enough to take it back.

“For someone so unmotivated you certainly have a way of motivating others.” He couldn’t think of anyone else who could get the Magift team to listen to them like Leona could. They watch him with a type of admiration that Idia can recognize all the way across the field and in the dug out. Idia was starting to understand where Leona’s surname came from. Leona’s mind worked like a scholar’s while when he wanted he led like a king. It was truly admirable. “Don’t let the teachers see too much of that, they might start expecting more.”

it’s a strange turn of events for both of them. leona never allows himself to let others in on the machinations of his mind, one to hold his innermost thoughts safe behind lock and key. while magift plays aren’t exactly important in the grand scheme of things — especially with leona being a prince — they’re still something to leona, as private as he is. and then there’s idia, who avoids people and avoids the outdoors and avoids everything he’s involved with right now, outdoors and sitting in on magift club instead of holing away indoors playing the same boring games over and over with that octopunk. 

“ yeah. vargas sees too much and won’t get off my ass. ” leona takes the book held out to him back, pulling his shirt up by the bottom hem with his other hand to wipe some sweat from his face before he takes a seat in the shade of the dugout to sip some water. he doesn’t look at idia for a moment, his vibrant green gaze focused on the players in the club as they take their short break across the field. there’s something distracted in his expression despite a guarded edge to it.

after a moment, his attention breaks and shifts to idia as he leans into the bench with his arms stretched out across the backrest to either side of himself. “ i know what that motivation tastes like. i was never so wide - eyed and clumsy, but i know what they want from this. ” from themselves. there’s something hanging from the words, tucked into their letters. it’s an admission of sorts, but leona’s not the kind to admit to anything in any way as easily as stating it plainly. “ ’s not my fault you didn’t watch a single game your first year, radish sprout. ” that would be the year diasomnia crushed savanaclaw like they were nothing but ants in their path under the leadership of malleus — but there was still a light in leona then, when things didn’t feel so futile at first.

[makovu]

@unmachine​ asked: " !? " whoa omg! looks like staying awake for the past 27 hours took a toll on him! Eve wakes up with a start as if suddenly realizing something! "huh... I fell asleep on your thighs-" he proceeds to konk out immediately back onto Leona's lap.

leona’s usually the one using others as a pillow — in theory, at least, because in execution he’s not exactly a fan of getting others involved when it comes to his naps. lucky for eve, leona’s comfy and content reading some old book he got his hands on and so he’s not bothered by his lap being taken over as some sort of pillow.

and he’s apparently a good pillow, if the way eve wakes only to fall back asleep in a way that’s impressive even by leona’s standards is any indication. a quiet amused sort of sound catches in leona’s throat, and he gives a little roll of his eyes. “ you’re lucky ’m comfortable, ” he mutters to no one.

[makovu]

i can’t be fucked to do a proper promo for this blog, but cay - kun’s back ~ ♪ 

[makovu]

@unblot​​​ asked: “Such a fascinating place you’ve taken me to, dearest.” There’s a smile across Malleus’ face, softer & more sincere than his usual impish smirk. Malleus gets the feeling an elephant graveyard is an unconventional date location, but they find this place quite pleasing. It has the air of abandon & mystique that their beloved ruins back home have.

The prince stoops down, tracing his hand over one of the fallen remains on the dust ground. “Does this place have any historical significance? Or is this your choice location to take all your lovers?” A playful gleam sparks in Malleus’ eyes now, smile widening.

leona rolls his eyes where he’s leaning against a railing installed to block off a particularly perilous cliff face, although the expression is much more playful and subtly amused than truly irritated. “ you should know by now i’ve never dated, malleus, ” he quips before taking a mindless bite of the bone - shaped cookie in his hand. he’s not one for sweets, really, but the cookies were sold in pairs, so. it’s something to munch on, at least. “ you’re the only one i’ve done this kinda shit for. ”

he says it dismissively, but there’s something soft in his green eyes that’s at odds with the words he’s saying. this isn’t somewhere leona’d care to go on his own for one reason or another, but he knows malleus likes old, decrepit places like this, even if this one’s not man - made like the abandoned buildings they enjoy so much. “ ’s more of a geological significance than anything, with the active volcano and all. ” he takes another mindless bite of the crunchy cookie, his gaze finally leaving malleus to take in the dreary bone - covered landscape. “ but historically this place existed outside the rule of the kings and queens of the past. outcasts, the exiled, the particularly bold... the list goes on. ”

finally the contained smile reveals itself in earnest as his attention falls on the fae prince once more, teeth flashing in the dim light with something self - satisfied but not unkind. “ it’s nothin’ more than a tourist trap nowadays, and i thought you deserved t’ experience at least one of those. ”

[makovu]

I found you

[makovu]

unblot​:

So Leona does know who he is? – At least to an extent. Malleus doesn’t know what to make of whatever information Leona has on his kingdom. Given Briar Valley’s limited contact with the outside world, Malleus doesn’t know much of what other kingdoms know of him. How much or how little does the outside world of him & his culture? Could the conclusion Leona’s made be based on the differences in their lifespans? For as far as he’s aware, a human that’s lived as long as Malleus has would be considered a fully grown man.

Before he can comment or question on Leona’s thought process, Malleus is stunned into silence as Leona draws nearer. His smug expression is completely wiped from his face now, traded for an incredulous look as Leona grips one of his horns. No one’s ever been so bold as to touch him like this before. Even Lilia chose to keep physical contact to simple squeezes & hugs. It’s surprising, but not unpleasant. 

“  Do you think you’re creative enough to invent someone like me?  ”  The question is meant to be playful, or even antagonizing. However it misses both marks, Malleus only sounding curious now as he watches Leona inspect his horns with wide eyes. “  …& why me? Are you lonely too?  ”  It’s not uncommon for children often create imaginary friends to placate themselves. But how imaginary is this friendship of theirs?

“ yeah, ’m creative enough, ” leona answers, sure of himself but distracted. he’s examining the young fae’s horns, taking in their texture beneath his fingertips. there shouldn’t be this much true - to - life detail in a dream, and yet... they feel like the horns of a kudu. he touched one once, not too long ago. “ i read more than i do anything else. ”

but the next words cause him to pause, hands still on those horns. “ i don’t know, ” he admits, and his touch becomes less curious and more idle, fingers running along the lines present in those growing horns. his voice is quieter too, lips turning into a little frown. “ i don’t know why you, or if i’m lonely. ”

he’s a loner by nature, so the thought of loneliness hasn’t occurred to him.

[makovu]

“ oi, jackass. ”

[makovu]

unblot​:

Malleus has become quite accustomed to spending evenings in this fashion. To the point where the prince wonders if he would find himself able to sleep peacefully were he not resting at Leona’s side. He’s exceptionally comfortable in this place, in this bed. In fact, in this moment one could easily mistake Malleus for being asleep, the dragon’s eyes closed as his chest rises & falls against Leona’s weight. 

However it so happens that Malleus is not in fact asleep. He’d only been deep in thought as his lover nestles closer to him. So when Leona prompts the question, Malleus open their eyes, a sort of bemused smile on their face. “  Metaphorical? Why no. Did you think I was?  ”  

They let out a low chuckle, a mix of mischief & fondness gleaming in their eyes as they run their fingers through Leona’s mane. “  This is rather a delayed response to what I’ve told you. Had sleep dulled your hearing that morning, my pet?  ”

“ mm. maybe. ” it’s a noncommittal response, but he’s unsure why he’s asking this now. or maybe it’s more accurate to say he’s not sure he wants to say why he’s asking this now. it had been a case of one thought leading to another, and the question’d been asked before he could stop himself. he rests his head on malleus’ chest, head turned to the side so he can listen to the beating of their heart.

he doesn’t shut his eyes, eyes locked on his own fingertips as he trails idle patterns across malleus’ pale skin. “ ’m just curious. ’s not important. ” he’s aware of some warmth creeping its way across his face from a tightness in his chest. it’s stupid that something like that annoying trip home has him thinking about things more seriously than he usually does. now the world knows about them and everything feels so much more real.