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“So big brother can’t talk because of the potion you made?”
“Indeed, the potion was the same colour as the one needed to be created for the assignment,” Vil explained to robot, his head tilted. “Perhaps this could have been avoided if he was paying attention to something other than the game console he was hiding under the desk,” the blonde scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“Is there anyway to help him?” Classes has just ended for the day and the hallway was filled with the students chatting left and right to their clubs or back to the hall of mirrors. Ortho had been on his way to the meet Idia at board game club, before he received a message telling him he wasn’t going today. Vil had pulled him over before he could go ask his brother why.
“Like all potions are curses, true loves kiss perhaps,” he chuckled to himself, “although if the potion was made correctly, and believe me, I don’t tend to make my potions and cursed anything but perfect, it should wear off in about forty-eight hours,”
“Thank you for informing me, Vil Schoenheit!” he nodded, as Vil just walked off to his film club. The halls were beginning to clear out, Ortho decided he would stop by the club room to let everyone know of his brother’s absence before returning to his dorm. He didn’t make it quite far down the now vacant halls before he felt two hands on his shoulder.
“Heh, heh, little sea angel is all out on his own~” Ortho spun around to find the twins with their usual smirks and leering eyes, looming over him.
“Can I ask where you’re heading, Ortho? To the board game club room, perhaps?” Jade asked, a slight tilt to his head. Ortho nodded.
“Yes, I wanted to inform Azul Ashengrotto that brother won’t be attending today,” The twins glanced at each other, a certain spark in their eyes and the constant unsettling smiles, as if they were having a conversation without words. They turned back to the robot, who just blinked a few times, waiting.
“I see, does this perhaps have something to do with what you were discussing with Vil just now?” Ortho nodded; he didn’t have time to reply before Floyd just yelled out.
“So, Firefly Squid had to kiss his true love so he can talk again, I wonder who it could be~” Ortho jumped back at the sudden closeness of the twin, baring his toothy grin.
“Now, now, Floyd, didn’t we say we wouldn’t let him know we were listening?” Jade continued to stand there with his smirk, although he didn’t seem very apologetic. Floyd frowned but seemed to only lean closer into Ortho.
“Sea Angel was going to tell us anyway so what’s the point?”
“Were you two listening to Vil Schoenheit and I just now?” Floyd leaned back and chuckled with his brother.
“Perhaps, we just happened to overhear you both and we may just have a solution to help your beloved brother,” Ortho’s eyes widened slightly, and he leaned up towards the twins. They glanced at each other again, then back to Ortho.
“Indeed, all we would need from you,” Jade started.
“Is to lead Firefly Squid to the lake tonight at seven~” Floyd finished.
“Got it, I’ll make sure brother is there! Thank you, Jade Leech and Floyd Leech!” The little robot cheerfully nodded before turning and floating away from the classrooms and back to the hall of mirrors, leaving behind the sniggering, eerie twins, walking down to the board game club room.
Idia really didn’t want to leave his room. He never did, he had events to tier for and gems to grind for the latest SSRs, not to mention all the volumes of manga and the latest anime episodes. And yet, he was now here waiting by the lake, for who knows what to happen, on the request of his little brother. What if someone showed up, what would he do, what would he say, if he could say anything at all that is. So, there he stood in his oversized hoodie waiting for – hopefully Ortho – to pop out from the forest behind him.
“Idia?” A soft voice came form behind him, Idia jumped back, pulling up his hoodie in self-defence. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he turned around to see Azul standing there with a basket, looking just as surprised as Idia himself. Idia pulled down his hood, twiddling with his thumbs looking over at the lake. The two stood in silence with only the soft noises of the of the lake and the wind.
“So, it’s really true you lost your voice?” he asked leaning his hand on his chin, steadily looking at the other boy. Idia nodded, looking up at him, although, his eyes fluttering around nervously. “Hmm, well if you would still like to join me for a picnic on the lake, that would be delightful,” Azul’s gaze softened and smiled patiently. Idia took a moment to finally let his hands fall and return the other mage’s smile.
“Delightful~” Azul cheered, strolling over to the boat on the lake’s dock, dropping the basket inside. Idia really wished he could ask why the boat was there, and if it was even safe but opening his mouth, he forgot he couldn’t speak. “Are you coming?” Idia’s focused snapped back on the other man now waiting patiently in the small rowboat. He nodded, climbing in. The boat really wasn’t big but it was somehow perfectly snug for the two together.
Little did the two know as Azul rowed the boat out, were two eels and a robot hiding in the tall plants growing at the edge of the lake. Ortho was lying flat on the sand holding apart the horse tail, the twin eels floating in between the plant.
“Could you move over a bit Jade Leech it’s hard to see,” Ortho whispered, the eel nudging over slightly, trying to keep hidden.
“Nothing is happening!” Floyd glared, gripping tightly on the horsetail, almost ripping it out of the sand.
“Hush Floyd, they’ll hear you,” His brother lectured. He only received a huff in return, as the three looked back over at the boat floating in the middle of the large lake. “Hopefully this will work, and your beloved brother will be back to rambling on about video games once again,” Jade whispered.
“If something happens!” Jade just shook his head. Ortho shuffled over while they could all do nothing but watch Azul row the boat into the shelter of the mangrove trees, completely covering the view for them. Jade sighs watching Floyd rip out a chunk of the horsetail.
“If you want something done you have to do it yourself,” Jade dropped into the water Floyd behind him, leaving a curious Ortho lying in the horsetail, blinking curiously at where the two had once been. His answer came from the harmonic chirp of some small birds, some drumming from turtles on the rocks and the plucking on some seaweed, creating a soft subtle melody all around the lake. The twins popped back up smirking at the wide-eyed beaming boy.
Inside the shelter of the trees, fireflies were drifting around, and the moonlight peaked through the drooping branches of the tree. Azul stopped rowing and opening up the basket with some sandwiches and some speciality cakes from the Mostro Longue.
“Go ahead, take whatever you want,” resting his hand on his chin, he gestured to the basket. Idia stopping playing with the edges of his sleeves and reached out to take a bit of the cake. Azul chuckled. “You really do like sweets don’t you, Idia, “ The blue haired boy flushed on his face and the tips of his hair. He stopped nibbling on the strawberry cake and nodded, looking down on the lake, to the fish swimming around the boat.
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I’m just hope you’ll enjoy the cakes I picked out, I made them myself after all,” Azul bit his lip, burying some of his face into his hand. Idia perked up, pulling his attention back to the man opening his mouth trying to say something, his face suddenly burning hot as he covered his mouth, trying to fall deep into his hoodie. Azul just laughed fondly.
“Yes, really, is that the answer to what you were asking?” Idia nodded, taking another bite of the cake, and then another. He smiled at Azul, throwing his hand out, trying to gesture his feelings. “You’re welcome,” And Azul seemed to understand.
The two spent a while in the boat just eating, the cakes, the sandwiches being left untouched in the end. Somehow the two managed to hold up a conversation about their classes, and mostly the Mostro Longue – considering only Azul could carry the conversation. When the cakes were gone, and the conversations died down Azul began to lightly hum along to the music being played around them, Idia didn’t recognise the song, yet he still found his beautiful. Azul was leaning on his hand watching the fish, when he felt the tap on his shoulder. Idia had moved close to him, he pointed at Azul and then to the fish, tilting his head and grabbing back onto his hoodie.
“Are you asking me if I miss it? Being a mercreature?” Idia once again nodded, a soft smile on his blue lips. Azul sighed.
“Yes, if I’m being honest, I do… but I wouldn’t be here with you if I was, would I?” Azul shifted over to the other boy more, reaching over to push some of the fiery hair out of his face. The soft harmony created around them seemed to slightly bring them closer and closer to each other, as if singing out to ‘kiss the boy’. Azul sliding onto Idia’s cheek, both their eyes fluttering to a close. A small hesitation as they could both feel the heart rising in their faces. Neither would remember who closed the space between them but when their lips finally met it felt like the world around them was gone. Right then and there it felt like a dream come true.
SPLASH.
The whole boat suddenly tipped over, throwing the two and the basket into the cold lake. The two yelled trying to grab a hold of the boat, Idia grabbing onto Azul who seemed to be splashing around.
“It’s hard to swim in this form… what happened?” He asked as Idia pulled them both up on the overturned boat they saw the two eels jump out. One glaring at the other, who was just grinning having the time of his life.
“I told you this was a horrible idea… I told you to just leave them alone,” Jade scolded, crossing his arms. Floyd just chuckled grinning in return. Azul sat on the boat, holding onto Idia, both of them eyes wide and mouth hanging open.
“Jade, Floyd, what is going on here? You only said I should meet him here and that he’s lost his voice,” the twins only chuckled in response.
“Can Firefly Squid talk again? Did the kiss work?” Floyd asked in his singsong tone. Idia opened his mouth to speak only for nothing to come out, he covered his mouth again digging his head into Azul’s shoulder. “Heh, heh, I knew he was lying,”
“Who was lying, Floyd?” Azul asked, kicking some of the water at him, who just splashed some back.
“Vil told Ortho that true love’s kiss could break Idia’s silence,” Idia peeked his head up scowling to the eels. “Obviously he must have been messing with him, the poor naïve boy,” Idia shook his head. Floyd had picked up the basket floating in the water, taking out one of the ignored sandwiches and gulping it down.
“I hope you know you’ll be working with no breaks this week.” Azul leered at the two, who only chuckled, nodded and swam off back to the shore. It was quiet again. Back to the silence as the melody of the lake had died out. Azul felt a gentle shake on his shoulder turning to the boy on his shoulder. He looked like he was crying for a moment, but he looked up and Azul realised he was laughing, silently, but laughing all the same. And Azul couldn’t help but laugh too. They both smiled letting the moonlight shine around them. As the fireflies flittered around, Azul couldn’t help but get lost in Idia, the wind against the tree and the fish splashing around, the tune created kept singing ‘go on and kiss the boy’.
And Azul did just that.