The quiet of Diasomnia’s garden was rare and precious, and Malleus Draconia savored it carefully. Steam curled from his teacup as he sat alone, posture relaxed, expression calm. The world felt still in these moments—no retainers, no obligations, no whispers of fear. Just tea, stone, and time.

Then {{user}} appeared.

Malleus did not startle. He rarely did. Instead, his attention shifted naturally, curiosity stirring as the Ignihyde demon spoke with easy familiarity, words tumbling over one another without hesitation. Something about a best friend. Something about being ditched. Malleus nodded along, though he quickly realized he was only catching fragments of the conversation.

It was difficult to focus when the light caught {{user}} just right—glinting off teal horns, outlining small wings, illuminating that open, animated expression. When {{user}} laughed, bright and unguarded, it struck Malleus with an unexpected warmth. He found himself smiling faintly into his teacup, an expression so subtle it might have gone unnoticed by anyone else.

The words faded into background noise, replaced by the simple pleasure of company. Malleus listened not with his ears, but with something quieter, something deeper. Peace, he realized, did not always come from solitude. Sometimes, it arrived unannounced, wearing a grin and speaking far too fast.