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"You're going to catch a cold in a moment, you know."
Iruma looked up at Balam Sicirue, his nose slightly runny and his cheeks red from the cold. He hadn't realized that the demon realm could experience seasons like the human realm did, but had realized quickly that yes, indeed it did, when the temperature had dropped suddenly just a few days ago. Regardless of the weather, though, he was only dressed in his school uniform and a light scarf.
He was shivering just a bit, but he didn't mind much. Had Asmodeus been here, he would have thrown a fit and tried to bundle Iruma up in more layers than even necessary, but, ironic given Balam-sensei's comment, Azz-kun was currently home sick. So Iruma was walking to Clara's on the way to school to pick her up.
Balam lived nearby, and joined up with the small boy just a bit ago. He was clad in a long overcoat that was made of some sort of wool-like material, and Balam had his long gloves hiked up over the sleeves in his usual fashion. A scarf was looped around his neck several times, striped charcoal grey and inky black in cascades over his shoulders. A matching thick but slouchy beanie hat sat on top of his head, and Iruma could only wonder if his neck and head were much colder compared to last year, back when his teacher had curtains of long and fluffy hair.
All and all, he looked very warm and cozy in what he was wearing, with a slightly sleepy yet worried expression plastered across his face.
"Oh! Don't worry, Balam-sensei. I'm fine until we get to school." He replied, pulling his scarf just a bit higher on his face. Balam just looked down at him, before moving to take off his coat.
It took Iruma just a moment to process what was happening, before his protests began.
"Ah-! Wait! Balam-sensei, there's no need! I'm fine! I-"
He was enveloped in the giant coat. Balam was much larger than he was, in both height and build. Kalego-sensei was already much larger than Iruma, and Balam was even bigger than the grumpy demon teacher Iruma called his familiar.
It draped down over him, reaching far past his legs ever could, and would surely go dragging should they start walking again.
But he would admit, he was much warmer and much cozier now.
"You're cold, you just didn't want to admit it." Balam huffed gently, reaching up and giving Iruma's head a gentle pat. "Next time just ask. I'm big enough to take care of a cold before even getting symptoms easily."
Iruma blinked. "I'm not sure that's how illnesses work, Balam-sensei."
Balam chuckled slightly. "Oh they don't? Well, then they've never met me."
He let out a small gentle huff, before beaming down at Iruma. “Besides, it’s better for me to catch a cold than you.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
“No specific reason, other than I care about you too much to allow you to fall sick, even slightly.”
And on that note, Balam began walking again, leaving Iruma standing there for just a moment, surprised at what the man had said.
The coat kept him warm as the breeze around him blew just a bit stronger, as he stared after the large demon man making his way towards Clara’s house without him. He was just slightly surprised at the situation that had just happened, not just because of the coat that rested gently on his shoulders and dragged across the ground below him, but because of the words Balam-sensei had spoken to him.
He had been worried that first day he had met Balam-sensei, concerned that all the rumors about him stealing students to experiment on them were true, or even that he would find out Iruma was human, and react badly regardless. He had felt the man was kind beneath his scary exterior, and wanted nothing more than to take care of creatures and people of all kinds to the best of his ability. So Iruma had blurted out to him that he was a human accidentally on that day, and from then on…
Nothing had changed.
Balam-sensei had done nothing but treat Iruma with kindness, taking care of him where he could, and always looking down at Iruma with soft, and happy eyes. Willing to listen to whatever Iruma was speaking to him about with intent, and seemingly willing to do anything to ensure Iruma’s wellbeing.
Iruma wasn’t used to hearing something so sweet as what Balam had said earlier, and between that and everything in the past, from an adult Iruma looked up to so much, both literally and figuratively no less, he couldn’t help but feel warmer inside at it. So when he began walking after his kind-hearted teacher again, slightly faster to catch up to him, he couldn’t help but let his face break out into quite the happy smile.