Archive of Our Own ^beta

The day's weather wasn't hot, nor was it cold. It was in a pleasant inbetween. Wind blew lazily, rustling the foliage of the trees. Animals of all sorts chirped and chattered to each other. A small sum of butterflies and bees moved from one freshly bloomed flower to the next. It was by all means a nice day. A perfect day even. Nice and happy weather to accompany such a happy day, for it was Ragnus' birthday.

However, despite the beautiful day Ragnus' enjoyment of it all was dampened. Had his birthday not fallen on such a holiday, Ragnus was sure he wouldn't be struggling to enjoy it right now. Stupid April Fool's. Who even came up with that holiday anyways?! They deserved a stern talking to.

Not that anything had happened, not yet at least. But if the past was any indicator of the future, something would happen, inevitably. Whether if it was a birthday treat with something unpleasant inside, or being sent around on an endless goose chase for a quest item that didn't exist, it certainly wouldn't be something good.

And that was why Ragnus was wandering the forest near Primp Town, looking for anything to do for the time being. With a lull in urgent quests he had planned to relax and spend the day with Arle and her friends, puyo battling and whatnot. But it wasn't noon, and so pranks and jokes were still permitted.

There was nothing to do.

Not even the monsters here were worth battling! Their exp yield was measly and wouldn't help Ragnus to level up at all. And while he had occupied himself with practicing chains earlier, with no opponent that also grew boring. No quests, no good battles... A fishing rod sat in his inventory, but with no bait to use with it, it was worthless.

Ragnus came to the conclusion that these hours would go by quite slowly.

He watched as a small black bird hopped along on the ground in front of him. It was small and cute, with a yellow beak. He wondered what sort of bird it was.

Ragnus crouched to watch it better, leaning in a little closer.

Wasn't this the time that birds usually got mates? He wondered if this one had found its special other yet. The bird pecked at the ground. It eventually hit gold. With quite a struggle it pulled a worm out from the earth. It was quite long in comparison to the bird's body. Such a thing would definitely be a filling meal.

Another bird, around the same size, fluttered down to the scene. Ragnus inched a little closer, suddenly quite invested in the lives of these two creatures. They were much more interesting than the alternative activity of just walking around. Unlike the deep and dark black of the first, this one was a nice and soft brown. The only similarity the two shared were their tiny stature, and those yellow beaks. The brown one's beak was stained with splotches of red. Perhaps it had eaten some berries earlier?

It chirped at the black one as it wolfed down the worm. Then, the black one chirped back as if they were having a conversation. How cute...maybe they were a couple? Ragnus wondered what sort of lives they led. Maybe they were going to have hatchlings soon, ready to grow up in time with summer.

Ragnus scooted a little closer to get a better look, and–

The dead leaves left on the ground from last autumn crunched under his footstep. The bird duo took off in a panic. They fluttered away in an instant, leaving Ragnus only to dejectedly see them go without even being able to say sorry for scaring them.

Or, at least that's how it would've gone, had Ragnus' gaze following the birds not led him to notice Schezo perched up in a tree.

The two locked eyes. Schezo was frozen tense, like a deer when they hear the slightest sound. For a moment, everything was dead silent.

"...Schezo? What are you‐"

"Quiet!" Schezo quickly hissed back. Ragnus' brows furrowed in confusion as he got up and walked up to the trunk of the tree.

"Eh? Why's that?" Ragnus tilted his head upwards to see Schezo peering down at him with a glare.

"I would like to stay undetected to everyone else, and your loud mouth is not helping."

And when Ragnus simply replied with baffled silence, Schezo tacked another piece of information onto it. "It is April Fool's, and I aim to not be made a fool."

Ragnus' face lit up in recognition. "Ooh, I get it! I shall join you! I too seek to avoid the day's trappings!"

It wasn't hard to climb up the tree. No, not with his strong hero muscles in use! And Schezo's protests just went in one ear, out from the other. Ragnus was pretty sure Schezo understood his desire to stay away from others too. Because of course, if Schezo really, absolutely didn't want him there, he could simply shove Ragnus back down, which he did not despite his complaints. In fact, he even begrudgingly moved up the branch a little to accommodate for the space Ragnus would take up.

Maybe Schezo even enjoyed his presence more than he wanted to let on.

Though, with the feelings Ragnus harboured for Schezo, maybe he was a little biased in his readings of Schezo's actions. Stupid silly meddlesome feelings. A hero shouldn't feel such love towards their greatest enemy!

Well...maybe enemy wasn't the right word. Schezo hadn't done anything evil in‐ How long? A good while now. Despite being a Dark Mage, he didn't even dress in menacing black anymore. Right now, he was wearing his usual dark blue attire, though lacking his cape. Perhaps he was better called a...rival? Yeah, rival.

Ragnus kicked his legs back and forth as they dangled over the thick branch. "Why a tree? I thought you'd have chosen a better hiding place."

"That's exactly why I chose to reside here for the time being. Arle, Satan, Rulue, anyone else that would love to vex me today, they'd think someone like me would come up with somewhere better to hide." Schezo explained, keeping his voice low. "As such, they'll never think to look here. You only discovered me by pure chance."

What a clever tactic. Of course, such tactics were to be expected from Ragnus' most cherished rival!

"I wish that you did not have to go to those lengths to escape today. April Fool's is a terrible holiday!"

"I'm glad to see we are on the same page about things for once. The torment I am subject to usually increases tenfold."

Schezo shifted his head down a little and pointed to a spot on the top of his head. Covered by his wavy hair, Ragnus didn't see anything out of the blue. "One time I was foolishly napping, and Satan gave me a bald spot right there with a fire spell. He said it was payback for the past – I couldn't go out without being laughed at until it all grew back!"

Ragnus couldn't help but let out an offended gasp. That was low. Not even he, with his past grievances and grudges towards certain people and beings, would do such a thing.

"That's an underhanded tactic, even for a day like today! I ought to‐"

The rest of Ragnus' words came out as a muffle, with Schezo's hand so quickly covering his mouth. The fabric of his fingerless gloves smelled...oddly pleasant. Floral, unlike the murky pond water smell Ragnus expected. Did Schezo have cleaning products in his cave?

"Do not speak so loudly, do you want to advertise our location?! I swear, it's as if you only have one volume..." Schezo chided Ragnus and retracted his hand, resting it on his lap. "Quiet down before I make you."

Ragnus tried to not think too hard about what Schezo said. Schezo made mistakes with his words a lot. Ragnus knew this, but...it was still hard, to not take them the way they seemed at face value.

Curse these stupid feelings.

"...With all my quests, I've barely been around for the holiday in recent time. But when I was young, the other children in my village used to conspire against me." Ragnus eventually replied with his own story in turn, voice more levelled. "I wanted to be a great hero from a little boy, and they'd send me on quests to find special items they had lost! But...they just made things up to me, and I'd waste the whole day away searching for nothing."

Annoying as it was, a hero must always look for the light in even the darkest situations! And so Ragnus put on a big smile. "It helped me get better at exploring every nook and cranny though! So in the end, it was a good thing!"

"How mean..."

"And then sometimes they'd tell me that they had a super awesome birthday present for me. And of course, those were all April Fool's lies." Ragnus continued. He'd been wanting to complain about this to someone for ages, and he finally had a willing audience. "The real present was something simple and much more boring than what they said, or it'd be nothing at all. Getting presents was nice, I guess, but all the things they said they had gotten me were too great in comparison."

"Your birthday is today, Ragnus?" Schezo asked, eyebrows raised.

He nodded in return. "I don't really like celebrating it with people anymore. It's too risky, because of what it happens to fall on. Instead I celebrate it in my head! It's more fun that way."

"Does it not get lonely? I don't care for my own anymore, but when my birthday was dear to me I wanted everyone I knew to celebrate it alongside me. They're meant to be celebrations of one's existence, after all."

"As a hero, I am celebrated every day for protecting the people! I think that is celebration enough."

Schezo frowned. And maybe Ragnus was reading into it wrong, but he almost seemed...concerned? Sad, perhaps?

"But do they celebrate you? Not the hero that aids them – you."

Ragnus thought about that. He thought about it some more. Well, he didn't really stick around after completing quests. He was too busy for that. He wasn't even sure that they knew his name. How could you celebrate someone who you didn't even know well enough to know their name?

"No, I guess not..." Now that he had actually thought about everything together, this all was quite saddening, wasn't it?

Schezo was quiet in thought. Then he spoke up, though he didn't quite meet Ragnus' eyes. "I could...uh, bake you a cake, if you'd like."

"Oh, really?" Ragnus' face lit up. Rarely did he have cake, and he couldn't even remember the last time he had a birthday one. That unique waxy smell of candles freshly blown out had been ingrained into his mind, and he was dying to smell it once more. "I'd love to! It'd be-"

Ragnus paused. That act would be kind. Schezo was being kind to him...for no reason.

Dispelling all the too hopeful thoughts from his head he leaned a little closer to Schezo, scrutinising his face for anything that might point to him lying. "Wait. That's too altruistic for you. What are you scheming?"

"I am not "scheming" anything. Is baking a cake suspicious now?"

"It is if you are aiming to bake it for me!"

"Quiet down."

"Ah, sorry. I really am trying not to be so loud, I promise." It seemed both Ragnus and Schezo had their own issues with speaking. "But that is inconsequential to the point I'm trying to make – you making a cake for me is incredibly odd! You are doing something nice for me without wanting anything in return. I cannot see you doing that to me, ever."

"Making you happy on your birthday is the result I get in return, isn't it?"

Whatever counter Ragnus was forming in his head was cast into the void as he was blindsided by what Schezo said, once he registered his words.

Schezo wasn't pure evil. But he wasn't so sweet either. Not towards people at least; Ragnus had witnessed the way Schezo treated the creatures of this forest many times before.

"What?" Was the only response Ragnus could think to say. His cheeks felt a little warm, and Ragnus could only pray that there wasn't a visible blush Schezo could see.

Schezo went to say something, then stopped. Biting his lower lip, he turned away. Instead of looking at Ragnus, he looked up at the very boring, nothing going on canopy above them.

"Perhaps you are not just gullible, but oblivious too."

"I am not‐"

"I- I care about you, Ragnus. Deeply." Schezo said quietly. His voice was soft spoken and tender.

Ragnus felt like his breath had been punched out of him. He was also not one to lie. It felt oddly nice.

"I care about Arle, and Rulue, and Satan too. I would do a lot for them. Anything, maybe. But do not repeat that last part to any of them. I do not need them to think I am getting soft."

"Uh, I-I won't tell them. Promise." Ragnus blurted out. It was still taking his mind some time to catch up with everything. Schezo refused to even face Ragnus as he continued.

"I am sure that they are aware of this. Arle especially. She was losing her memories and magic once, and thought that I wouldn't care about her fate due to her lack of magic. I made sure to tell her in no uncertain terms that I needed her."

Schezo being that emotionally vulnerable was unheard of. Was that situation really so dire?

"But that is not what I am trying to get at. You do irritate me, with the hero talk, the incessant desire to fight, the obnoxious optimism, among other things. But everyone else irritates me one way or another. I am just an irritable person, I believe."

Ragnus hummed a response. He didn't want to break Schezo's flow, after all. Seeing him so open was a sight to behold.

"You- You're endearing. After all you have seen and done I cannot call you innocent. But you tackle the world with such a kindness that can only be born of innocence. You have such an earnest love for life itself that I do not see much anywhere else. It is a nice breath of fresh air. And every time we battle, despite myself always winning, you always ensure that I am left in the best of health. Your healing magic is as comforting as your spirit itself is. The last time someone other than myself healed my wounds was..."

Schezo's voice trailed off only for a moment and Ragnus could see how he tugged at a loose strand on his tunic. "Back when my parents used to heal my scrapes and bumps I got from messing around. It- It is nice, to be taken care of by another rather than myself now and again. You are unconditionally loving, and it is nice to be subject to such a thing for once. Just...Just like with the others, I do enjoy things more when you are around, even if I don't really show it in the ways other people do. I've enjoyed hiding up in this tree more with you to accompany me than I would have without. Furthermore, you are the only person to not call me a pervert whenever I make mistakes. I am very grateful for that."

"I don't think Arle and the others believe you are actually a pervert."

"Yes, I am aware. The slander still angers me to no end however. Perhaps, if I pound them into submission‐"

"Schezo."

A long and tired sigh came from Schezo. "Let us move past that."

Ragnus' face felt even hotter than it did before, after all that Schezo had said. Everything he said made him feel like he was walking on eggshells. One small mistake and Ragnus was sure all his deeper feelings would come spilling out like water from a broken dam. But...if Schezo was brave enough to tell Ragnus how he truly felt to clear up any misunderstandings, didn't Ragnus owe him the same, rejection or not? It was his duty as not just a hero, but as...Schezo's rival? Schezo's friend? He wasn't really sure what they were now. Or what Schezo saw their relationship as, at least. Even after putting his deepest feelings on display the man was still quite the enigma.

"If I may be honest with my feelings too...I care for you too, Schezo. A lot." Ragnus admitted, finally. The cool wind that rustled the leaves on the tree they resided on did nothing to cool him down. "I enjoy my fights with you, for you have been my one of my most formidable and challenging opponents. But it also brings a smile to my face to see you be so tender. Like now, or when you squeal and want to cuddle with whatever little creature you find, or those times I've come upon you curled up under a blanket with a mug of tea and a book, relaxing in your cave; You are more than just your title of Dark Mage, and it is such a treat to see the full you, and not just the parts you want to show others."

Schezo finally turned his head back to look at Ragnus at last. All of a sudden things felt much more daunting and he was made very aware of the reason as to why Schezo didn't look at him at all when admitting how he felt. But Ragnus had many titles, notably Ragnus the Brave; He was brave, courageous, and he wasn't going to let some feelings he had change that. Refusing to look away, Ragnus soldiered on.

"Even when I am away, I think of you. How you're doing, if you're alright, the next time I will finally be able to see you. I enjoy your company greatly, and I-"

Ragnus took Schezo's hands into his. His hands felt sticky with sweat under the gloves he had on, and he was grateful Schezo wouldn't have to feel them. His grip was gentle, and Schezo could pull away at any point. Whether by surprise, curiosity, or something else, he did not. "I love you, Schezo. I want to be with you. I- ...There's so much I want to do with you, Schezo. So much it would take the whole day to tell you even a fragment."

Schezo's eyes had widened, and though his cheeks had tinged pink, he was dead silent.

"I'm not lying, or trying to pull a trick on you – this is really, truly how I feel." Ragnus continued. "And- And don't feel pressured to feel the same. I just...I wanted to be completely honest, and that is the truth of what I feel for you."

Closing his eyes and giving out a shaky breath, Schezo gripped Ragnus' hands tighter. "Ragnus...I feel the same. I planned to keep it to myself under the belief that you would not reciprocate, and I did not want to ruin what we already had."

It all felt much too good to be true. But...Schezo despised April Fool's as well, didn't he? In no way would he participate in its antics. No, this had to be real.

It was real.

Ragnus all of a sudden felt quite lightheaded. Out of all the ways today could've gone, Ragnus was not expecting it to go like this.

"Uh, should we, y'know..."

"I would like to discuss the future of our relationship, in whatever form it might take, later. In my cave over some cake and tea, preferably. Outside is too exposed," Schezo bitterly spat out that last part. He surveyed his surroundings, probably paranoid someone actually had heard what he said. "I have already laid my heart out bare, and I am not risking a third party listening on any more of it. By the by, what sort of cake would you like? I have expertise, but in no way am I perfect just yet. I would love to try something – Hey!"

Schezo abruptly yelled down to the ground below. Ragnus looked down too, and underneath his dangling feet were the unmistakable duo of Arle and Carbuncle. He and Arle were an inseparable pair, after all. Arle gave a big wave to them up above.

"Heya Ragnus! I haven't seen you in a while!" And Ragnus would've said hello back, if not for Schezo butting in with a tirade of questions.

"What in the world are you doing here?! How did you find us?!"

"I came to find and prank you, and Ragnus' loud voice gave you away." Arle explained. Schezo gave Ragnus a very dirty look as Arle held a piece of paper aloft for them to read. Some tape stuck to the top of it, the paper read "I AM A PERVERT" in big bold letters. If Schezo wasn't angered before he definitely was now.

"I was gonna sneakily put this on your back and call it a day, but then you two were talking and I didn't wanna interrupt."

"How much have you heard?!" Schezo growled.

"I've been here since you started talking about baking cakes. You really have changed a lot since we first met. I'm happy for you, Schezo."

Despite her kind words, and how Arle was beaming up at them with a great smile on her face, Schezo's colour drained from his already pale face. And Ragnus thought he couldn't get any more pasty.

"You weren't supposed to hear any of that."

"I don't understand why you don't just say what you mean instead of putting it under ten layers of nonsense."

"You‐"

"Oh! You're like this one nursery rhyme that used to get sung a lot when I was a kid! How'd it go... " Arle cut Schezo off. After some thought she snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah, it went like this! Schezo and Ragnus sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-' "

Surely, Arle must've known what she was doing with her condescending sing-song voice. She had known Schezo for quite the while now and the display felt not quite like her. Whatever her goals, she got a result from her efforts.

Schezo dropped down from the tree, not quite sticking the landing and tumbling as Arle and Carbuncle ran off with a laugh. It didn't take long for Schezo to get to his feet and give chase.

"How dare you mock us! I shall force you to give yourself to me as compensation!" Schezo's poor wording echoed out into the forest for everyone to hear. Ragnus watched as they quickly disappeared into the forestry, faster than he would be able to follow.

The cake.

"Carrot cake!" Ragnus called out, hoping his voice reached Schezo. "I like carrot cake!"

Now, all he was left with was the lingering warmth Schezo had given him. It felt similar to the warmth a hot drink gave on a cold day, and it was better than the warmth of the day. Carefully, Ragnus made his way down the tree.

Out of all the ways he expected the day to go, this was not one of them. Schezo, actually loving him back? It was like a dream come true. Even the thought of it made him giddy. They did still need to properly talk it out, yes, but the reciprocation was good enough for now. Maybe this was the world's way of making up for the poor birthdays of the past with something perfect.

Ragnus was enjoying his birthday just fine, actually.


Schezo cut off a nice thick slice from the carrot cake, putting it on a plate and handing it to Ragnus. It was the most delectable carrot cake he'd seen. Though maybe, just maybe, he was biased towards the baking of his newfound boyfriend. Picking it up, Ragnus bit into it and chewed slowly to savour the taste and texture.

"I did catch Arle in the end. I battled her. She won." Schezo explained as he began to cut himself his own slice. "She told me she was proud of me for finally speaking my feelings. And then she hugged me. Patted me on the back too. It was weird. She has never hugged me before."

"It's not every day you're so open, Schezo. Maybe she just wanted to show you that it's alright to be so open, or something?" Ragnus suggested after swallowing. He didn't wait to take another bite. The moist cream complimented the more dry cake well.

"Perhaps. I suppose we won't know her true motivations unless we ask her." Schezo placed the cake slice on another plate and left it on the flat boulder he had turned into a counter. "This is a lot of cake for the two of us to consume in one sitting. Let me store it away somewhere safe for us to finish later."

Schezo turned around, and when Ragnus saw the paper stuck to his back he almost choked on his cake.