Didn't Think This Would Ever Happen...

Chapter 14: Cuddle Puddle

  Lilia closed his eyes, going silent.
  Malleus and his mother stared at him, speechless and dumbfounded. They had both barely managed not to cry, doing their best not to interrupt.
  They both knew they would cry about this together later...
  "That's it." Lilia whispered, "that's all of it."
  The queen shook her head, "that isn't fair..."
  "I think it is," Lilia stared down at his knees, "I tried to break her curse."
  "No..." the queen shook her head, "none of that is fair... you were so young... you didn't deserve that..."
  Lilia knew they wouldn't understand. He regretted telling them. He regretted remembering it.
  Malleus stood. He walked over to where Lilia sat and wrapped his arms around him.
  Lilia blinked, "what are you-"
  Malleus squeezed him, "Aubade was stupid not to love you."
  "What? But-"
  The queen stood up as well, her eyes filling, "I agree! Lilia, you're the most amazing person I know! I know you were different back then, but that doesn't make you any less amazing!" She threw her arms around Lilia as well.
  Lilia was thoroughly smothered. "You two..."
  After a long moment Lilia relaxed in their embrace, "I was young... and I was stupid, too... for thinking I even had a chance..."
  "No," Malleus shook his head, "you can't control who someone else loves. You had no way of knowing that he had fallen for some random man he just met."
  "What kind of an idiot falls in love with a guy they just met?!" The queen exclaimed in outrage as her eyes spilled over.
  The queen started crying and because she started crying Malleus began to cry, too. And then that made Lilia cry, as well.
  "Come on, you two..." Lilia tried to hold in his tears, "what are we? S-some sort of-of... cuddle puddle?..."
  "Yes, that's exactly what we are!" The queen held them tighter.
  Malleus nodded, silently agreeing.
  The door opened and a very sleepy Silver staggered in. "What's going on? I heard yelling..."
  The queen began sobbing uncontrollably as she pulled Silver onto the couch with everyone. He wiggled his way under the others to get to his father and laid against him.
  "Don't cry..."
  Lilia held the people he loved most tightly. He still didn't understand what true love really was... but he knew that he loved his family.