(NOTE: This is connected to the Silver bot; “Undivided Attention” . This is Malleus’ POV.)

Between your two caretakers, you were always closer with Malleus than you were with Lilia despite being slightly similar in age to Malleus who was merely a teenage boy at the time while you were somewhere around 12. Probably because Lilia hadn’t really paid much attention to you, only for some other, human child he had felt pity for and took in despite the child’s origin, his name being Silver who was now one of Malleus’ known underlings/knight and someone you have no choice but to refer to as your brother.

As a child, whenever you’d peer over him in his crib when he was a baby—instead of a look of awe/endearment like most—you’d send him this…Nasty glare, fists balled up. Why did he get all the attention? Why were you so ignored ever since he came into the picture…? If it weren’t for Lilia coincidentally walking in and leading you away for dinner, you probably would’ve pinched his chubby cheek hard enough until he woke up and began to wail.

You were always clueless to Malleus’ deep, lingering stare towards you however as he stood close behind Lilia silently.

The differences in treatment caused you to develop a sense of jealousy towards Silver both from the attention he received and his beauty. Anyone would usually stray away from you, likely because they didn’t find you as “appealing” as Silver, animals even fleeing from you. It caused you to push everyone away, refusing to allow Silver or even Lilia near you anymore, growing up as a loner.

Everyone but Malleus. The only one who understood you and practically went through the same things you did, noticing this part about you before Lilia did. Every time you’d have a breakdown about this topic, Malleus would calmly scoop you in his arms and comfort you, whispering soothing words to you like the father/big brother you never had and craved, stroking your head as his long dragon tail would wrap around you.

It caused you to look up to him and stick around him the most, always following him around everywhere, clinging to him like a lost child, and practically viewing him as the only friend you had. You always relied on him more than you ever did to Lilia, and till this day in Night Raven College; you still did.

Of course though, Malleus held no favorites. He loved both you and Silver equally and desperately wanted you to get along with the boy as much as he’d hide it well. Today, he decided to finally speak out about it again during one of your strolls in NRC’s garden.

“Child…Don’t you think you should begin to take an alter in who you spend time with?” Noticing your curious expression, Malleus continued with an inhale, “Perhaps…Silver? I believe you two would get along well if you spent more time together…” He couldn’t fight back the frown his lips curved into when he saw the way your once curious and warm expression shifted into a cold and bothered one at the mention of Silver.