Chapter Text
“You don’t have to keep looking so hard, you know. I understand that you want to be prepared for anything and everything, but you are already doing way more than necessary as the Guardian! I mean, really - finding potential candidates for every single one of the Miraculouses, even without any present threat? I’d say that’s bordering on paranoia.”
Albedo does not look at his kwami, staring at the currently open Miracle Box as if it holds the secrets to the universe. Which it might, considering that it currently houses fourteen god-like beings whose existences date back to beyond any recorded history.
It should be nineteen. There are five empty spaces in the Miracle Box. They have been there for as long as Albedo has been the Guardian of the Miraculouses.
“The Butterfly and the Turtle are still out there, not to mention the Ox, the Tiger, and the Dragon,” he says, continuing to stare at the empty spaces where those Miraculouses should be. “We don’t know whose hands they have fallen into. We need to be prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Kaalki - the kwami of the Horse Miraculous and the embodiment of the very concept of Migration - sighs. “Kaeya is worried about you. You know that, right? I know you’re a little socially awkward, but you’re not dense. I don’t even talk to him and I know your boyfriend is worried. You, my wonderful, stubborn holder, are running yourself ragged.”
In a rare show of frustration, Albedo slumps in his desk chair and groans. “I am aware. But I would rather prepare for nothing than-”
“Than to be forced to choose a holder on the spot when the time comes, I know, ” Kaalki interrupts impatiently. “But you already have potential holders chosen for every single Miraculous in the box! Why on earth do you feel the sudden need to look for more?! ”
“A lot of them are in junior year. They’re going to graduate soon. You know it’s harder for adults to commit that kind of time to ‘extracurricular’ activities, and if the candidates I have now graduate then I need to find new ones-”
“Which you have two whole years to do!” Kaalki floats down to his desk just so she can stomp on it, loudly, to make her point. “Two years is more than enough time, Albedo. You don’t have to pick new holders immediately, for the stars’ sake! You’re already plenty prepared, and taking the time to observe more potentials will be better in the long run anyways. Don’t. Rush it.”
“...Rather odd, to hear the kwami of Migration say that.”
Kaalki humphs. “Migration isn’t all about the destination, you know. The journey is just as important, and if you push yourself too hard, a great many things could go wrong!”
To that, Albedo can’t help but smile. “You are right, I suppose. I... I guess it wouldn’t hurt to slow down a little.”
“I’m always right, and you know it.”
“Yes, yes.” Albedo sits up, reaching for the Miracle Box. He closes all the open drawers, then pulls down the lid of the Miracle Box. The quiet clacking of wood is soothing to the ears. “I’m going to bed, then. Good night, Kaalki.”
“I hope you actually sleep this time, my dear holder. You have a date tomorrow.”
The boy chuckles. “That I do.”
(The date does not happen the next day. With the appearance of the Butterfly, there are far more important things for Albedo to attend to.)
Hand in hand, Kaeya and Albedo walk out of the cafeteria together. Albedo’s expression is soft in the way it only ever is around his family, and Kaeya is the picture of happiness. Diluc is glad that his brother has someone in his life who can make him smile like that. He really is.
Diluc sighs. Lucky bastard, he thinks, only half-serious. His little brother already has a boyfriend - has been in a committed relationship for nearly a year - and yet here Diluc is, stuck pining for the same guy since freshman year.
Which is honestly his own fault, but can anyone blame him? He can never work up the nerve to talk to the one he’s so infatuated with, and it’s already been a full two years. Still, that doesn’t stop Diluc from dreaming. The boy he loves is kind, he’s great with his younger siblings, athletic - and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very pretty. His eyes are such a beautiful blue, like clear pools of water, and when he laughs-
“Hey there, Diluc!”
Oh no.
He looks up. And of course, there before him stands Ajax, waving at him with a bright grin on his face as if there is absolutely nothing wrong with this situation.
Diluc scowls. “ What do you want.”
“Come on, now, don’t be so cold! It’s been a whole summer since we’ve seen each other!”
“And it’s a shame you weren’t gone from my life for even longer,” Diluc says flatly, looking at Ajax as one would look at a particularly stubborn stain on the windshield of their car. He pulls out his phone, preferring not to give the ginger menace the satisfaction of his undivided attention. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
The answer is the same as always. Diluc really doesn’t know what he expected. “Of course not! What better things could I be doing than saying hi to all of my friends?”
“We are not friends.”
“Sure we aren’t,” Ajax says, in that cheerful, smug voice that makes Diluc want to smack the grin off his face.
Unfortunately, they are in school right now, and Diluc can be civilized for the sake of avoiding disciplinary action. It wasn’t pretty the first (and only) time their disagreements had gotten them into any serious trouble, back in freshman year. The fight was vicious. Ajax had a black eye, both of them broke their noses, and Diluc had bruises for weeks from the other boy’s shockingly strong punches. Ajax wore his hand in a cast for the next month, then a brace for another two weeks afterward. The idiot had slammed his fist into solid concrete when Diluc dodged one of his punches.
Dad wasn’t too happy when Diluc got suspended for a week, which came as a surprise to absolutely no one.
Well, Ajax got suspended for longer, being the clear instigator and showing absolutely no remorse until the principal mentioned calling his parents. He got strangely quiet after that. Diluc would almost say he seemed nervous.
He doesn’t like thinking about that.
Diluc checks his emails. There’s nothing of import. “Well, you’ve said hello. Now leave.”
“Alright, alright. I can see when I’m not wanted.”
“Evidently not, since you’re here in the first place.”
“Oh, that hurts me, you know,” says Ajax, not sounding hurt in the slightest. “I’ll get going. Bye, now!”
And then - blessed silence.
Diluc sighs in relief, putting his phone away. Thank the gods. Now he can go back to thinking about-
“When are you going to confess to Dainsleif?”
Diluc groans, dropping his head onto the cafeteria table. “Jean, I swear- If you keep asking, I’m never going to do it. Just to spite you.”
She sits right across from him, setting her tray down. “It’s junior year,” Jean continues, pointedly ignoring everything Diluc just said. “You have to at least try. If you don’t do it now, you’re never going to do it, and then you’ll graduate without ever having talked to him for longer than five seconds-”
“Shut up, I know! ” Diluc buries his face in his arms. “I just can’t. Every time I try to approach him, I just- I can’t.”
“I should never have told you that you blush every time he looks at you. At least before you could make eye contact with him without freaking out, but now...” She sighs. “You’re overthinking it, Diluc.”
“How the hell am I supposed to talk to him if I turn into a damn tomato every time I try?” Diluc snaps - then winces. “Sorry. I just met Ajax, I’m a little wound-up right now.”
Jean nods in understanding. “Ahhh. That would do it.”
Ajax... isn’t actually a completely horrible person. Logically, Diluc knows this. Ajax is friends with Amber, who shares a club with him, and Amber wouldn’t tolerate him unless he had at least some redeeming qualities. It’s just that Ajax seems to throw all of these supposed redeeming qualities out the window when it comes to Diluc. It’s infuriating.
Diluc suddenly decides that he no longer wants to think about Ajax. Preferably for the rest of his life, but he’s not that fortunate, so he’ll have to settle for just the rest of lunch period. “How are things with Lisa?” he says, instead of going back to the topic of Dainsleif again.
Jean looks at him in a way that tells Diluc his poor attempt to change the subject had not gone unnoticed. For the moment, she lets it slide. “It’s... great, actually. We’ve gone on a few dates, nothing big, but it’s been really nice.” She smiles softly. “I love her.”
“That’s good,” Diluc says genuinely. “I’m happy for you.”
“And now you’re in the ‘pining losers’ club on your own,” she jokes. “Seriously, though. If you want help with Dainsleif, just call me up, okay? It’s the least I can do after you and Kaeya helped me out with Lisa.”
“Mmhm.” Both of them know full well that Diluc will not be taking her up on that offer any time soon. He’s not ready yet. Maybe he never will be.
Anxiously, Albedo smooths a hand over his shirt, tracing the monocle tucked beneath. Kaalki is likely roaming the school right about now, but she won’t go far, and she’ll come back to Albedo at the first sign of trouble. Everything should be fine.
Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.
Kaeya’s hand squeezes his own, gently. Ah, so he’d noticed. Kaalki was right, Albedo really is that obvious. He lets the tension bleed from his shoulders, leaning against his boyfriend and trying to relax.
Everything should be fine. Even if it isn’t, Albedo is prepared for that.
No one notices a little, dark purple butterfly making its way towards the local high school. Flapping its wings silently, faint particles dissipating into the warm summer air. It phases through walls, flying slowly towards its destination.
No one notices as the little creature melts into the practice bow of a girl named Amber, her fists shaking with barely-repressed fury.
Collei watches in horror as her best friend’s face is overlaid by the outline of a purple butterfly.