splitmemory | can you keep a secret

Malleus relaxes slightly, trusting that he has thrown Lilia off the scent, though he is still a bit bothered that he is so reliant on these silly modern games that he would forget their conversation. Ah well; Malleus will just deal with the squirming, and try his very best to focus on the colorful pictures on the screen. Some of the pets are rather cute-

What is that unpleasant liquid noise? Malleus can smell the chemicals in it when Lilia shakes the can, and his nose wrinkles. Are these the things Lilia is ingesting these days? Malleus watches him sip the drink, and then reaches out and plucks it from Lilia's hand. The explanation is, for the meanwhile, forgotten.

"I see these around campus. What is this? It smells foul." He understands the other students consuming such garbage, but Lilia?

The drink is taken from his hand easily. He hadn't expected Malleus to pluck it from his hand like that. Making a face, Lilia looks back up to Malleus, reaching out his hand in an attempt to grab the can back from him.

"It is called an Energy Drink. They are, essentially, filled with caffeine, vitamins, sugar, and other ingredients to help someone stay awake for longer periods of time. This particular one is called 'Creature', in my favorite flavor," There he goes, squirming and shifting again, this time due to the drink being taken from him.

"Give it back, Malleus." It's his turn to scold, to lecture, if Malleus decides to mess with his drink.

Yes, Malleus is being a brat. For Lilia, this likely does not come as a surprise, but these days, he tends to behave at least a bit less childishly than he had growing up. Malleus keeps the can away from Lilia's grip, secretly pleased with the attention he's getting. Is this the way to get Lilia from his silly 'computer games'? Tsk.

"Why do you need this? Do you not think a healthier drink would be a better option?" The squirming is back, but Malleus does his best to ignore it.

Honestly, it is risky to ignore Lilia's demand to give it back, but Malleus does not particularly care.

Seven, what was getting into Malleus, to make him act like this? It wasn't new, of course, but that wouldn't keep Lilia from getting a little annoyed. Not in a serious way, no, he couldn't seriously get annoyed with Malleus over something so silly between them.

"I like them. The taste-- and it keeps me awake. You know, as you get older, staying awake becomes harder and--!! Give it!" Lilia declares, his explanation falling short, reaching up higher. He could easily move, use his magic to float up and snatch the can, and yet... he doesn't want to move. Even as he squirms, shifting their position again into that same one where he faces Malleus, straddling him, he knows Malleus will be able to keep the can up.

That is, unless...
Tugging on his sleeve, he pulls on Malleus' arm, leaning in and sinking his fangs in to the skin he manages to expose, to try and catch him off guard.

The prince of Briar Valley does not curse, because that would be entirely unbecoming. What he does do is hiss, a look of genuine shock on his face when he feels Lilia bite him. It hurts, obviously; Lilia's teeth are quite fierce, if he wants them to be, and it seems like at this moment that is very much the case.

Unfortunately, while it hurts, it's also not bad. The warmth of it, coupled with the way Lilia squirms in his lap, is leading to some... unforseen results. Malleus' whole body is hot, and he pushes at Lilia, intending to get up and- and what? Flee? Absurd; Malleus does not run away from things, but-!

Push and squirm as he might, Lilia's grip is stronger. He isn't pushed off; instead, his grip on Malleus' sleeve tightens, his bite worsens enough that he can feel a few drops of blood pooling in his mouth. Not good, not good at all... but Malleus had angered him. It wasn't the first time he'd been at the mercy of these fangs and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Finally, his jaw releases as Malleus continues to push. Not due to anything Malleus himself did. No, he needed to breathe, and it was so hard to do that when the only thing he could focus on was the hot blood that'd dripped into his mouth. Panting softly, Lilia brings his free hand to his mouth, the back of his hand wiping at some of the few blood droplets on his lips, smearing it.

"My Lord," Lilia huffs the title out, "Can you see just how serious I am now? Give it back." It's only then that he begins to realize there's... definitely something else there, something growing between them both. Was-- did that--?

"Wait. Are you...?" Obviously, grinding down against him to try and see whether his suspicions were true was not the appropriate choice,but the choice he makes nonetheless.

Malleus would truly be angry, were it anyone else. Lilia is one of the very few people who would ever get away with something like this, but get away with it he does, and then some. There's a hitch in his breath when Lilia finally stops, and Malleus' face - normally so composed - is a brilliant shade of red.

Quite unbecoming of him, indeed.

...ah. He'd forgotten about the drink. It remains in his hand, can dented from the grip, as mortification floods him. Malleus is certainly not used to feeling such a thing, and when Lilia grinds down, he finally drops the can - onto the floor- and uses his forearm to push at Lilia's chest.

"Do not." And Malleus does sound angry, though anyone who knows him well will be able to tell the difference between true anger, and bone-deep embarrassment.

The drink is forgotten the moment it all clicks in Lilia's head. The reason Malleus didn't want him squirming around, the reason he'd attempted to scold Lilia in the first place, one of the reasons that bite really caught him off guard.

Lilia's own face takes on a shade of red that might rival the dye job of his hair several years back, or the very shade of his crimson eyes.

Malleus' forearm on his chest manages to push him back against the desk, Lilia's breath catching in the back of his throat. His soft panting doesn't yet stop, and, Seven, he must look a little pathetic himself right now.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed over," Lilia murmurs out, even through his own embarrassment. His hand releases Malleus' sleeve, instead grabbing his shirt, using what strength he has to pull Malleus in towards him, despite the forearm against his chest.

Close, but not close enough to press his lips to Malleus'. Enough to stare directly into his eyes, to be too close. His breath can be felt on Malleus's lips can't it? Can he see the equal embarrassment from the former General?

"What are you going to do about it, My Lord?"

Nothing to be embarrassed over?! It is everything to be embarrassed over. Malleus is not used to feeling utterly ashamed of anything, but that's what swallows him now, because he knows this is- It's strange. Lilia is far too important for him to sully with feelings like this. It's a fluke; it's an accident. He expects Lilia to be disgusted, or to perhaps, mercifully, let him off the hook and never speak of it again, to understand that this was not Malleus' intention at all.

Instead, he pulls Malleus forward. They are even closer than before, and it isn't helping matters in the slightest, because if they were just a little bit closer, he would know what Lilia's lips feel like.

Malleus has never kissed anyone before. Why would he? Ah... but at the very least, Lilia is not ridiculing him. That embarrassment, perhaps there is a way to save this after all.

"I... intend to take a walk." Malleus manages to force the words out, wanting to curl in a ball and die. Is he being a bit dramatic? Perhaps. But Lilia calling him My Lord is not helping.

Disgusted or merciful - neither of those were feelings that Lilia had in store for Malleus. A crimson gaze focuses heavily on Malleus, inspecting his face. Trying to read him, to figure out what the best option here would be. Does he kiss his ward, distract him with something else completely? Or, does he allow Malleus to leave, to never speak of this again?

This was complicated. Not only by Human standards - those don't matter to Lilia. If they did, he wouldn't even be considering what he was considering right now. By their own standards, it was complicated. Malleus was his ward, the one that Lilia had sworn to do everything to protect, to watch over, to make sure he was prepared to take over rule of Briar Valley in place of his mother, once his grandmother was ready to step down. He'd taken care of Malleus, loved him in place of his own parents, did what little he could to make sure this little Prince grew up to be someone as fierce as his mother had been.

It's different, though, with their long lifespans. It wasn't as if he was actually around enough to be considered more than Malleus' retainer, unlike his relationship with Silver, who he felt was his son. This was different.

"Malleus..." Lilia sighs out, "You don't need to run from this. Let me help you." With one tilt of his head, he presses their lips together. Would Malleus shove him away? That was an answer he'd accept, in the very same way he'd accept Malleus returning the kiss.

Lilia is often so playful that Malleus forgets the depth of that stare. It's... unsettling, sometimes, because Malleus is not used to being looked at so intensely, for such a long time. Others hardly want to make eye contact. Sebek makes too much eye contact.

All of this, Malleus would prefer to brush off, to never speak of again. Fae have such long lifespans that it would hardly matter in the grand scheme of things, just a silly, youthful mishap that perhaps Lilia will one day tease him over. But right now, Malleus just wants to leave and come up with a myriad of excuses as to why this happened, and take the necessary steps so that it never happens again.

After all, it would be completely inappropriate. And Lilia... Lilia absolutely would never reciprocate, of that he is certain.

...he is not given the answer he wishes for. Malleus' mouth is half-open in preparation of a reply, a demand that Lilia forget about all of this, when there is a warm sensation against his lips. Ah. So this is a kiss.

Malleus has no idea what to do. He's never been kissed before - obviously - and his first being Lilia is enough to make his thoughts dissolve entirely.

Neither expected reaction happened. He supposes shock is better than being shoved away or rejected in some way, right? Compared to the harsh reaction he could have gotten from Malleus, the stillness was something that he could deal with. Something he could accept.

Without an answer, Lilia is left wondering if he should even push this further. His hand is tangled against the fabric of Malleus' shirt, his lips pressed carefully against his, attempting to lead Malleus in his first kiss. As it isn't returned, and as he isn't shoved away, Lilia slowly pulls back, leaning his back up against the desk behind him.

He's still very much pressed up against Malleus, still straddling him and still very much feeling the obvious arousal against himself, against his own half-aroused state. Hopefully Malleus wouldn't notice-- it's only in response to his, after all. That's what Lilia tells himself.

Taking in a sharp breath, Lilia glances back to Malleus' arm, trying to catch a glimpse of that bite.

"... I didn't bite you too hard, did I...?" It's his turn to try and distract, to try and redirect them.

It's... disappointing when Lilia pulls away, and that realization is yet another shock. Malleus stares - wide-eyed - at the man in his lap, whom he has seen in so many different situations, but never anything like this. Malleus is struggling to process this, but what he does know is that he very much liked the feeling, and he's still hard.

For the moment, as shocked as Malleus is, he does not notice Lilia's own arousal. He is not in the habit of staring at Lilia's crotch.

The bite has honestly been forgotten. Malleus' brain tries to jump-start as he remembers; there's a vague ache in his arm, but it is nothing serious at all. Healing magic would be able to solve it in hardly a moment. More importantly, more distressingly, is everything that came after.

Malleus looks away.

"No." His voice is tight, strained. "This is nothing."

All of it, he means. The bite, the kiss. Lilia squirming around in his lap. Can they simply forget about it all?

Malleus doesn't seem to have noticed yet, thankfully for Lilia. It's impossible, however, to not shift and squirm against Malleus as he reaches out both of his hands, carefully taking Malleus' arm. With careful hands, he pushes his ward's sleeve up again, looking over the wound. Blood still stained his arm, but he'd thankfully stopped bleeding at all.

One thumb brushes over the small wounds, his eyes focused down on them. The other hand moves back, enough for Lilia to lick his thumb before bringing it back down to his arm, wiping away the blood easily using his saliva as a solvent.

"You're right, it really is. I thought I'd bit down a little harder than that." Lilia murmurs. It's without his pen that he focuses his energy on the wound, thumb brushing over it again, this time infusing some of his own magic against Malleus' skin. The wound closes up within seconds. It wasn't like something as small as this would be too dangerous to do without his pen to soak up any of the little consequential blot and exhaustion from casting a spell. It's not as if this was a major spell, after all.

With that done, he releases Malleus' arm, lifting his hand up to tuck a stray hair behind one of Malleus' pointed ears.

"There! All better-- Hm. Maybe not all better, all things considered, but now you won't be dealing with that pain."

Malleus is stuck wanting to pull away, and unable to make himself do so. He has never rejected Lilia before, but he's also never been in a position to need to; right now, he needs to. Instead, Malleus is left watching as Lilia takes care of the bite he himself had inflicted, no indication that he feels bad about it in the slightest.

What the hell was that kiss????

"You had intended to bite harder?" Malleus finally speaks, his voice tight and incredulous.

The process of healing magic feels warm, something that would be simple for Malleus to do himself, but he has always been more than okay with Lilia doing it for him. Sort of like someone else bandaging a wound; it seems to feel better that way. And then the warmth of a hand tucking hair behind his ear.

Now he can leave, yes?

"I would say thank you, but you caused this yourself. I really ought to be more angry." Now, if you'll excuse him... "I'll let you get back to your... game."

And he waits expectantly for Lilia to take the hint and get off his lap, and for them to never discuss any of this again.

Oh, had he really gotten under Malleus' skin that much? Lilia could be really careless, never tending to think of other's feelings when he acted. Was that what this was? Had he been focusing on his own feelings over Malleus', then?

It's hard not to smile at the incredulous question. It doesn't need an answer, yet he still gives one: "But of course. You'd stolen something of mine, refused to give it back. What else was I supposed to do? A crime against another deserves a consequence, no matter what the standing of those who commit the crime may be."

As if that justified his actions in any way. Stupid little fairy, didn't know what Malleus really needed in the moment... and enjoyed teasing him far too much. His smile still falls, his expression becomes more serious, no matter how slight.

Lilia's thumb trails down Malleus' jaw from his ear, falling down away from his face.

"Must you go?" The soft question is followed easily by an added apology: "I'm sorry, Malleus. I shouldn't have teased you so thoroughly. Will you forgive me?" The apology is finally given. Only to him, only ever to him. Malleus was the only one who deserves his regret in any way, the only one who deserved that softer look in his eyes.

No, Malleus, you won't be let go until you either accept the apology or get back at him in some way.

"I know! You can bite me in return, to make up for it!" Lilia laughs, pushing his own shirt sleeve up and holding his arm up.

Stolen? Hardly! He'd been trying to look out for Lilia's health, and had... probably intended to give it back. Probably. It's not as though Malleus was just being difficult for the sake of it; he would never dream of such a thing. No little tantrums from him; he is no longer a child!

But the sudden shift in Lilia's expression makes him pause, and brings him back to the present. And then the softness of his voice, the genuine reluctance to let Malleus leave, makes his chest ache. No, he will never, ever leave Lilia alone, just as he wishes to not be left alone by Lilia. But this... this is different. This is something shameful that Malleus really must get in order, unless. Unless Lilia has completely forgotten about it?

It seems, perhaps, that he has. Then maybe if Lilia were to just agree to sit elsewhere, Malleus could pretend he is not in a state of duress, and stay. He opens his mouth to suggest as much, and the abruptly closes it again at Lilia's solution.

"...Excuse me?" Malleus is, of course, quite capable of biting. His teeth rival Lilia's own, but he hasn't bitten anyone in ages. "I do not want to bite you."

Malleus sounds truly baffled as to how that would solve any of the problems he's currently facing.

Okay, but holding something out of reach of your retainer is essentially stealing from him, especially when he's so much smaller, unable to reach up as high as you-- Lilia was going to see it as thievery, for sure.

The situation wasn't shameful in the slightest to him. Were he to be serious about it, instead of messing around and taunting Malleus, he might have been able to actually comfort him about it, to tell him that it was perfectly normal, especially for someone like him. Someone as repressed as Malleus, unable to really know what to do in a situation like that.

Ah, and, maybe, he wouldn't have kissed him. That seemed to add to Malleus' struggle.

"Why not?" Lilia smiles slightly again. It's small, soft, as if he's actually trying, now, to support him properly. "In this world, it's an eye for an eye, is it not? A bite for a bite is only fair." Lilia lets his arm fall back down, pressing both of his hands down into his own lap as he leans back against the desk, trying to make it look like a casual motion. Something to allow him to hide his own slight arousal.

"I won't make you if you don't think it'll help. What would help, my dear? Tell me, and I'll make it all better."

Malleus still does not notice. He’s not stupid, but the idea of Lilia having similar reactions and vices to every other being is nearly unfathomable to Malleus, who looks up to him so highly and fondly. No, he is certainly the only one here sullying his reputation, humiliating himself by a foolish biological reaction. Well, he will show it. He’ll practice never getting hard during unwanted times, ever.

Lilia calls him my dear, though, and it makes Malleus only that bit warmer, more uncomfortable. His ears are hot.

“I am going to my room.” He announces it, absolutely sure Lilia will get up and let him leave. “It is time to retire.”

Doesn’t Lilia want him to practice having a normal school experience? That means going to bed at the time everyone else does — even if he will probably end up agonizing over this for hours.

It's then that Lilia gasps, the announcement catching him by only a little bit of surprise.

"Already?" After he'd just asked if you must go, Malleus? You'll really leave him here, just like that? Can't you see the way he looks up at you with those big red eyes, practically pouting at the idea.

"First you come into my room without knocking... I offer you some time, you take my drink and spill it.... then, you leave?" Lilia recounts their evening, leaning up again towards him.

"Are you really going to leave it like this, Malleus? Don't go. Not yet." It's far less of a question of whether Malleus was going to stay or not, and whether Lilia would let him. His arms come up, looping around Malleus' neck to hug him, his face moving to press against his own arm as it rests against Malleus' shoulder. This, of course, brings them a little too close again, chest against chest, hips against hips, and... Malleus could easily just stand up as Lilia stays attached, to detach him over the bed if he really wanted to escape.

"Please. Just a few more minutes. Alright?"

Oh, Lilia is laying it on thick. Malleus bites his lip, though even he is not immune to that look. Who gave Lilia the right to have such big eyes? But he's right... Malleus has behaved quite rudely, and the fact that he is... aroused is not a particularly good excuse, nor one he wants to explore trying.

...wait. Why is Lilia hugging him in such a manner?! Oh, he's much too close, and Malleus sits very, very still, both wanting to shove Lilia away and knowing he can't bring himself to. It's true that Lilia cannot keep him in place, even like this - not with how tall Malleus is, and his physical ability is not lacking either.

But he doesn't try to get away, nor get Lilia off of him.

"...Yes. Fine. I have not been very polite to you." Malleus admits it with hesitation, and a tense voice. "I would like to ask to sit on your bed, rather than your chair."

Lilia can have his chair back. Malleus will stay, but he needs space!

It's difficult to get himself to calm down too, now, but Lilia had more experience with it. More ability to force himself to ignore it, to push past the embarrassment. With a small nod against Malleus, he finally relents.

As he pulls back, he gasps slightly at the feeling of their obvious arousals pressing against each other, rubbing against each other in his squirming to pull back, his face heating up a bit now. No, push that feeling down, ignore it. Malleus didn't want anything to do with that and he'd made himself clear.

Pushing the chair back a bit from the desk, Lilia gets up, leaning up against the desk and shifting his arms back down in front of him.

"Yes-- of course. That's perfectly reasonable."

Now, Malleus knew, didn't he? Lilia turns his own gaze away, tilting his head up as he focuses his gaze towards a blank spot on a nearby wall. Seven, if he didn't notice from the way he pulled back, he'd certainly notice from the way his hands rest in front of himself, the flush to his face, wouldn't he?

Bringing one hand up to his face, Lilia breathes out a heavy sigh against the back of his hand, trying to settle his heart, his mind.

"... perhaps that is for the best..."

Malleus has been so utterly focused on his own embarrassment and shame that he hasn’t noticed Lilia in a similar situation. It’s only when he leans back, when Lilia’s hips push against Malleus’ again and he makes that breathy inhale that Malleus properly freezes, an expression on his face that can only be described as shock.

No. It’s certainly not what he thinks it is, because Lilia- Well, he has never thought of Lilia in that capacity, has never considered that he also has the same sort of sensitivities and-

What does he do? Malleus has never even considered- well, there has been the odd dream, but it has always been something he brushed off. It’s a natural part of growing up, but this is not a dream, and he has no idea what to do. Apologize? But there is no reason for Lilia to have a similar problem.

His whole face is hot. Malleus’ eyes dart towards Lilia’s hips and then away.

“…Are you certain I should not leave?” His voice is raspy, unsure. It’s a very different tone than his usual confident, commanding one.

The shock on his face was enough to tell Lilia his little secret was out. When Malleus glances down towards his hips, his own arousal would be obvious to his eyes. How could he hide it, even with pressing his hand in front of himself? The way his pants lay over him, the way the fabric is shifted by the trouble he was dealing with--

If it's obvious now, there's no reason to hide it. Both of his elbows rest against the top of the desk, allowing Lilia to slouch some as he looks up at Malleus. His own face felt hot- less heat than Malleus was dealing with, though his ears do seem to burn brighter than the rest of him.

"I'm certain. We'll both calm down eventually." Lilia tells him, swallowing, "I'd already tried to suggest I help you and you shut that right down - a boundary which I won't push. We'll need to wait it out. I don't find that to be very strange. Our body's reactions to stimulus are things we cannot change or control, after all."

Malleus hasn't even moved to stand up, after asking if he could switch where he's sitting. Was the boy just-- going to sit there? Going to try and process this while staying right where he was?

Pushing a hand through his own hair, Lilia laughs softly, shaking his head, "Had I not attempted to get you to let me help, I doubt this would have become a problem for me as well. This is all my own fault."

...yes. Yes. They will both calm down, and they shall not speak of this again. Malleus nods absently, trying to pull himself back together; he is being foolish. And-

"You suggested helping me?" The revelation is startling, Malleus' eyes drawn right back to Lilia's own, the rest of the words going entirely over his head. They are reassurances that this is natural, that it means nothing, but Malleus is stuck on the thing he'd apparently not noticed Lilia offering.

Why in the world would Lilia offer such a thing? Out of obligation? That cannot be it, right? Lilia has lately been all about Malleus trying things on his own, forming his own experiences, 'growing up', so to speak. There is no need for him to help in such an intimate moment, because as naive as Malleus is to this sort of thing, he knows it is not something shared casually between people.

Malleus feels like a fool. He is a fool.

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