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“Lord- I mean, Malleus.”
The draconic fae looked up from his book.
Diasomnia had finally been deemed livable again, and Malleus had no qualms with finding his cosy spot in the pleasantly empty lounge, settling in for the balmy summer night with a good novel and a cold glass of water.
He wasn't expecting to find Silver standing over him, however. The boy had been running himself ragged ever since classes ended, leaving his retainer duties in Sebek's capable hands while he dashed around campus all evening. Malleus had seen neither hide nor hair of him the entire day.
“Yes, Silver?”
“Come with me.”
Malleus raised a brow, but set his book down. He couldn't deny he'd been curious about his young retainer's activities.
His novel could wait.
“What… is this?”
Malleus was aware Silver and Sebek often took to the courtyard near the dorms to practice their swordplay, but the expanse of stone was not set up for that today. The sword racks had been pushed to the far side, the mats and dummies foisted behind them. In their place, was a bike, complete with a holed helmet, as well as a number of miscellaneous items Malleus couldn't begin to try and rationalise. There were some books, some sort of small plastic bricks he'd seen Lilia fiddle with before, Legos, if Malleus recalled correctly, as well as one of Lilia’s consoles, booted up with two controllers, to name a few.
Silver looked so proud of himself. Malleus almost felt bad for his apprehension.
“Well, I realised during Father's dream that, technically, I'm older than you. So I figured I'd ask Kalim what older brothers do, and he said you play games, read books, something about teaching them how to ride a bike, so I got one too.”
Malleus stared at him.
Then, he burst out laughing.
Silver startled. Although his liege was much freer with his emotions now, he still felt a bit of surprise when the prince expressed himself so vividly.
“You?” Malleus managed to get out between cackles, arms clutching his sides. “Older than me?”
“I am.” Silver said, perhaps a bit indignantly. “I was put to sleep before you hatched. I'm four hundred, and you're only one hundred and seventy-eight.”
“Oh, so you're the oldest now?” Malleus chuckled, standing up to his full height. Silver squirmed, trying to stand tall.
“Yes.” He said, firmly. “And you looked after me for a really long time, and that's not fair. So I have to make up for it, starting now.”
Malleus's amusement faltered, brows furrowing.
“But-”
But it was my job to look after you.
He'd never forget the day he arrived at Lilia’s, that ugly little bundle foisted into his arms without any forewarning. Over time, that bundle had become, well, cute. He adored that little button nose, those delighted giggles when Malleus would play with him, those shaky little chicken legs when he was learning to walk. Malleus loved being his big brother. It fulfilled him. Watching that little flicker of light turn into a star bright enough to take up the night sky was the most incredible joy he'd ever been honoured to witness.
He liked looking after Silver.
It made him feel like he was contributing to something bigger than himself.
Silver stared at him expectantly, but Malleus let out a sigh.
“Who taught you how to swim?”
“You did.” The boy replied.
“Who told you vampires were real?”
“…You did.”
(Malleus had enjoyed that little prank. Silver had been seven and more gullible than any other child in Wonderland.)
“And who gave you your first training sword?”
Silver’s expression fell too.
“You can't just manufacture moments, little one.” Malleus tweaked his nose. His little brother scrambled, trying to push him away. “Like it or not, I was walking and talking long before your first tooth had even come in.”
Silver’s shoulders drooped. He stared at the cobbles, brows furrowed miserably. “But…”
The dragon fae crossed his arms. “Stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“That face.” Malleus said sternly. “You don't have to earn your place in our lives. How many times do we have to tell you?”
It had been a slap to the face when Sebek had confided in Malleus and Lilia about some of the things Silver had said during Malleus's overblot, about how he found himself worthless outside of their relationships, about how he felt he had to earn back everything they'd given him. Malleus would have called that little beastie stupid under any other circumstance, because he had been a pleasure for everyone around him his whole life, and Malleus loved him and Sebek in spades without their insistence on servitude.
He knew Lilia felt the same, and he knew their father had been working over time to actually explain his actions and thoughts to Silver. Though, Malleus feared the damage had already been done.
It had been clear for years now Silver was doing whatever he could to ‘repay’ them. This sudden realisation had turned into just another debt he'd decided to shoulder.
Malleus stared at those dulled eyes that wouldn't meet his own, and wondered if there would ever be a day where they would believe him when he told his little beastie his presence was worth more than any gift he would try to foist off onto them.
The prince spotted his opportunity on the floor next to the legos.
He pushed the rest of the miscellaneous items to the corner with a soft spell, before using the same gust to launch a black and white football straight into the back of Silver's head.
The boy folded, before clutching his scalp. “Ow!”
Malleus caught the offending object with one hand.
“Well, unfortunately for you,” The black haired boy said loftily. “I'm rather proficient in being a big brother. Which means I already know all the standard skills, such as mild bullying, dealing with shoeless angsting preteens, birds in the house, the list goes on. You'll not be taking my title from me any time soon, little one.”
“I get it.” Silver groaned.
Malleus dropped the ball, catching it between his feet. He kicked it lightly to Silver. Silver stopped it with the inside of his foot, before passing it back. The two hadn't played these kinds of games in a long time. Malleus wouldn't have minded playing with him, if only to relive things that had been lost over the last decade.
“Stop moping.” Malleus told him with a small smile. “Time doesn't matter. You'll always be my baby brother, no matter when the fates decided to seal you away.”
“I'm eighteen.” Silver complained, as petulant as he could get. “I'm an adult.”
“See?” Malleus said, placing two hands on his hips. “You don't even think you're four hundred.”
Silver blinked.
Malleus passed the ball back to him.
“Try something like this again, and I'll tell Lilia.”
“Don't be a snitch.” Silver scowled, before his shoulders began to loosen. “...We don't have any nets.”
“You think you could score against me?” He demanded incredulously.
Silver smiled genuinely, probably for the first time that night.
“I know I can.”
Well.
It was Malleus's job as the oldest to educate him, wasn't it?