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#ask arcana brainrot
Hello! Could you please write full headcanons on the M6 getting home one day to find MC dead? They're not actually dead, their body is just vacant after a spell went horribly wrong, but M6 have no way of knowing that.
Thank you!
The Arcana HCs: When M6 think MC is dead
~ @arson-the-ace oh, this. this is going to hurt, isn't it. ~
CW for descriptions of panic attacks, bodies that seem dead, references to past trauma, and your beloved in lots of pain
-- to set the scene --
It was supposed to be an experiment, to see if it was possible to put your body in a preserved or frozen state when you left it behind to visit the magical realms. You did not expect the result to be your body looking and acting like a fresh corpse, or for the spell to have a three hour cooldown time before you could reinhabit it. Your incorporeal self sighs and sits next to your body, resigned to the boredom of waiting it out.
Until, minutes later, the door opens and your beloved walks in, and you have no way of telling them what happened.
Julian
Already fears the worst as soon as he sees you sprawled on the floor - his plague doctor experience with visiting the sick has his instincts fine-tuned for recognizing an unrecoverable patient
Trips over himself in his scramble to get to you and gets a nasty bump on his knee, but doesn't register a thing because he's finally reached for you and he's looking for a sign of life
A pulse. An exhale. The twitch of your eyes moving below your eyelids, anything, anything to tell him that you can be saved
He rolls you onto your back and tries to give you CPR, but he's breaking down too much already for any of it to be effective
Chest compressions turn into him ripping his gloves off, trying to find any of the warmth you've shared with him
Mouth-to-mouth turns into a choked sob against your cold cheek
He can't bring himself to keep going. Each failed attempt at reviving you gets his hopes up only to rip them to shreds again
He doesn't want to move forward. He doesn't want to go ahead with laying you to rest. He doesn't want to leave this drafty wooden floor, without a blanket or a pillow to keep you comfortable
And he can't stand up
He sits cross-legged on the floor, lifting your head onto his lap and laying his coat over you in lieu of a quilt
You watch him droop over your body, shivering in the drafty room without his layers, voice catching and breaking on quiet sobs as he sings you the lullaby his parents sang him before the shipwreck
By the time your eyes flutter open, his voice is gone
He's happy to see you - he's so, so happy to see you, but he keeps hovering over you like he never knows if you're about to collapse for good next time
If you love him, you'll wait a long, long time to do any more magic
Asra
They thought you were playing some kind of game, at first
He walked into the upstairs apartment to see you sprawled on the floor and teasingly called out your name, playfully asking what new mischief you were up to as he hung up his coat
And then you didn't answer them
As soon as he felt that old dread seize his stomach, he was hurrying across the room and asking you what was wrong
They can feel their own body growing cold as they touch your frozen one, pressing a trembling hand to your chest in search of the heartbeat they moved heaven and hell to give you
He's panicking, breaths coming quick and short. The motions of his arms trying to pull you closer to him are far too similar to his frantic digging in the ash filled sands of the Lazaret
They don't know what's worse - the images flashing across their eyes of your charred bone fragments splintering in their bleeding fingers, or your lifeless face lying heavy against their knees
His heart can't take it. The tears give way to an ongoing numb tremor. He places a preservation spell on your body as his last conscious thought before he lies down next to you on the floor
They put their arm under your limp neck and cuddle up to you like it's just another day's end, just another snuggle before sleep while they lay their head down on your icy, silent chest
You watch him hold your body in shock. He seems like he's caught between worlds, alternating between staring at your unmoving stomach while his shaky tears land and pool on your shirt
And reflexively whispering apologies as they mop up their tears with their sleeve, asking if they're squeezing you too tightly
He's quick to check your memories when you wake up, but no matter how healthy you are, he can't leave your side for a week
Nadia
Her intuition is telling her something is wrong as soon as she's approaching her chambers. Seeing you on the ground is her worst nightmare coming true
You're cold to the touch. You don't respond to her voice. You don't respond ... at all. She needs help, you need help, you need help now, she's going to get you everything you need, just hang on
She lifts you into her bed, and the chilly deadweight of your body is more than she can take. When she throws open the door and yells for a doctor, every servant in earshot hears her panicked sobs
She hasn't had a panic attack like this in years
Servants rush in and out in a blur, hurried murmurs and muffled exclamations fading into the background. She feels like she's been plunged underwater, unable to scream as her lungs fill with salt
She sits by your side with your hand in both of hers, clinging to the only part of you she's allowed to touch while the closest physician pokes and prods at your lifeless body. She can't see you anymore
And everyone else? They can't see their Countess at all
They see a broken-hearted woman holding steadfast to her lover's limp hand, breaths jagged and unpredictable as she wails through her teeth. Mercifully, her hair comes undone and hides her wrenched face and streaming tears behind a curtain of purple
You woke her, first from her dreams, then from her apathy, and finally from her loneliness. Watching you succumb to a sleep far stronger than the one that trapped her is wretched beyond words
When you finally stir awake, she refuses to leave your side as the doctors work to ensure that your vitals are stable and to try to figure out what happened and if there are any repercussions
She's glad you're back, but she can't stop herself from waking you in the middle of the night to make sure you're just sleeping
Muriel
He's already convinced of the worst before he can prove it
He knows what a body collapsed in sudden death looks like. He's seen them countless times on the sand of the Coliseum floor, slaughtered at his own shackled hands, but now it's you
Now it's the only person he trusted to never leave his side
He can't register Inanna beginning to whine and pace, he can't register the sounds of the forest outside, he can't register the fire slowly burning down and out in the back of the hut
A lifetime of trained alertness, muted, because his subconscious has decided it can't take paying attention to a world that doesn't have you in it any more
He's finally able to move again when he takes his first shuddering breath in minutes, and he begins to walk and reach towards you in the vague hope that all is not as it seems
But that's when some small, sick part of his brain starts up its tiny chant that he deserves this, that this is the effect of giving in to your misguided desire for his touch, that this is somehow his doing
But the larger part of him, the part of him that loves you and aches for you and is dedicated to you, leans past the furious pain and lifts your head and shoulders off of the floor, enough so he can lower his head and listen for a heartbeat, feel for breath on his cheek
And there isn't any. Your body is as still and lifeless as his hope for something better, and he can't breathe. He can't breathe, and he's curled up in a ball with you in his arms, and he can't breathe
It takes a few hours before he can master his thoughts enough to think. This has happened before, and it was possible for you to come back. Asra, he has to bring you to Asra, he'll give anything
You wake up as he's carrying you through the woods, and it's the first time you've seen his body go so completely weak with relief
Portia
At first, she thinks you're feeling a little silly and sleeping on the floor just to mess with Pepi. Though the way you're lying, you almost look like you've collapsed. That can't be comfortable
It's when she crouches down to wake you up that she can tell something's wrong. Your shoulder is cold - way too cold
She's already got tears running down her face, but never in her life has she let her sadness stop her from caring for those she loves. She shakes you, back and forth, calling your name over and over
At some point she realizes that it's too late, there's nothing she can do, and that's when she starts wracking her brain for someone who can do something. Anything. She's not giving up on you
She's small, but she's strong and she's in pain. She lifts your body and begins to stumble through the Palace garden with you. She leans into the volume of her wails, using them to call for help
First through the gardens, then through the Palace halls, unable to recognize the blurry faces through her tears, but determinedly blubbering out what's happened and how she needs help for you
When someone who might have been the Countess informs her that the physician is out, she walks out the front gates of the Palace. Her ears are deaf to the offer of a carriage into town
Vesuvia still remembers its plague. It has never before heard cries as anguished as the ones Portia sent echoing down the canals as she ran and stumbled with your body to Mazelinka's house
Mazlinka will be there. Ilya will be there. They both know plenty about medicine, they should be able to help, just hang on. Hang on, she tells your cold body, hang on for me
You stir awake just as she crosses the threshold into the basement dwelling, and the emotions she feels are so overwhelming that she almost punches you for scaring her. She can't stop crying
Lucio
When he walks into the room in the inn after his trip to the outhouse, he avoids the sinking feeling in his gut by telling himself you're just napping. On the floor. Without moving
And then he can't take the way his conscience is nagging at him, so he snaps and (not unkindly, but brashly) tells you to get up and get moving already, we're wasting daylight!
But you don't move. You don't give him a disapproving look. You don't grumble when he shakes your shoulder, or open your eyes when he pats your cheek, or smile when you hear your name
He doesn't understand. You're brave, you're strong, you're loving, you're good, you're full of goodness and you're better than anything he ever deserved after what you suffered because of him
Because of ... him
This must be his fault. This must be his actions catching up with him. This must be the fallout of all those rash deals, some forgotten deity must have run out of patience and come to collect
Of course this would happen. It would take a hundred lifetimes to sift through the pile of selfish bargains, of course he missed one, of course he failed to make up for his past deeds, of course ...
Of course an oversight like that would cost him you
But he's not going to let this go. You deserve better. He hauls you into his arms, ignoring the way he chokes at your dangling limbs, and rushes out of the inn and into the deep, deep woods beyond
He screams and cries and yells and threatens and pleads and begs until his voice falls silent and he can taste blood in his throat
He calls out to any angry being listening to tell him, tell him what this is in payment for, tell him what he can put on the bargaining table that would pay back the debt that demanded your soul
You wake up before he can do anything rash, but he squeezes you in his sleep now, as if to challenge any more soul thieves
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(Full HC)
We've had the M6 bodyswapping with their familiars, we've had the M6 bodyswapping with each other… But what kind of antics would ensue if the M6 had a bodyswapping incident with MC?
The Arcana HCs: When M6 bodyswap with MC
~ anon, you spectacular genius ~
-- to set the scene --
You know you're in a magic-infused dream as soon as you open your eyes. Off to your right, you can see your beloved standing in the open air, staring at the glowing ball of light that hovers in front of them. You're about to remind them of the cardinal magic rule - don't touch the mystery orb - but by the time you call their name, it's too late. Imagine your surprise when you wake up to your own face staring back at you from your pillow!
Julian
He's staring at you in horror because he knew his eyebags were bad but he didn't know they were that bad
You, on the other hand, are experiencing all the physical ailments of a 6'4 human that never remembers to eat and the headache of needing a daily dose of six shots of espresso to function
He's immediately concerned about physical wellbeing and checking both of you over for any signs of injury. Yeah, he doesn't hate magic anymore, but he's still not comfortable with it
Coaches you on how to speak more like him in his voice. His voice is made for DRAMA, MC, you must PROJECT! ENUNCIATE! The people at the back can't hear you!
He's also going to encourage you to wear all of his normal getup. Enjoy wearing multiple layers of leather in a Mediterranean climate, MC, it's all for the *aesthetic*
You, however, have a secret weapon, and that is basic self care
You are going to eat so much nutritious food and drink so much clean water and get so much sleep and sunlight and exercise ...
It's also payback for how much you're sweating right now, because you won't be the one dealing with all the sore muscles later
He gets unbearably flustered when he changes clothes/bathes in your body and won't stop talking about it
Asra
They know exactly what's happened as soon as they wake up and they know it's their fault and they have 0 regrets. none.
Quick to suggest taking a lazy day so you won't have to juggle the shop with this. And then suggests sleeping in immediately after
He's very curious about what it's like to enjoy all kinds of experiences in your body, but he doesn't do anything until he knows you're comfortable with it (including changing)
Gets distracted/sidetracked every time they pass a mirror/window/shiny pot/remotely reflective surface because they like your face and it keeps surprising them to see it reflected back at them
You're about to watch yourself make the weirdest faces into the mirror as they try to document what your face looks like with different expressions
Has the time of his life picking out his outfit (to wear on your body) and watching you pick out yours (to wear on his body)
Pulls out every food item in your kitchen because they want to know if you taste things differently than they do. You're going to wake up with heartburn tomorrow
Might suggest pranking a few friends, but he's generally so averse to conflict that he won't be dead set on the idea
Occasionally taps into your bond, just to ground themself
Nadia
She's going to keep lying still for a moment or two to finish processing what's just happened and decide what she's going to do about it
And then she's going to teasingly tell you that you're welcome to help yourself to her body, and ask if she can help herself to yours
Tells a trusted Palace servant that she is indisposed and that neither of you will be available today (because there's no way she's going to try to swap jobs with you)
You might be tempted to set yourself up in front of a mirror and see if there's any pose or outfit in the world that Nadia can't look elegant in. She'll have a very amusing time watching you
Portia will inevitably hear about her absence and stop by at some point, which will only ramp up the hilarity
Nadia does suggest sneaking out at some point, your body makes for a great disguise and a day on the town sounds fun!
(You still haven't figured out how to tell her that what sets her apart more than her appearance is her bearing. You've never seen your own posture look that good)
Speaking of posture, welcome to life in a body that's excellently cared for! You can stretch in every direction and nothing hurts!
Though this much thick hair is heavy and hot
Muriel
Oh, he knows before he opens his eyes that something's off, because the furs feel unusually heavy over him and he's never shared a bed with anything bigger than he is
Speaking of, he had no idea that his body radiated that much heat. It's like lying next to a furnace (and it's more comforting than he expected. maybe you're onto something with all the snuggling)
He's violently uncomfortable with being in your body, mostly because he's assuming you'd like it back, and he doesn't want to do anything with it that you don't want him to
You, on the other hand, spend a day as the pilot of a body with unusual size and strength. You're going to have to be reeeeally careful not accidentally bump your head/break and tear stuff
What you choose to do with that is entirely up to you (and up to your body's capacity to contain Muriel's embarrassed blush)
Have fun flexing and watching yourself turn beet red
He is going to request that the two of you stay in the woods and out of sight, which certainly makes things easier
He's also going to apologize to you because he knows this was his fault (you'll have to convince him that being in his body is not a miserable experience, which he may have a hard time believing)
Inanna will be wolf-laughing at both of you the whole time
Portia
She woke up first and put two and two together. By the time you open your eyes, your face is staring back at you with this specific expression: >:3
Also, your body is buzzing (and I mean, buzzing) with energy. You feel like you could climb a mountain and still have the capacity to chop down at least 20 trees. Oh, and your hands are tiny
It's going to take a second for her to get used to your body, if only because she keeps stopping at every new movement/sensation to comment on it/experiment with it/tease you about it
As soon as you've had breakfast, she's taking the day off and dragging you into town for some good old-fashioned mischief
Because yeah, she just woke up in one of the most powerful magician's bodies in the world, she fully plans on taking advantage of that. Who wouldn't??
Long story short, your day is going to consist of running after her while she comments on your "low energy levels" (they're not low, they're human) and wreaks havoc with your magical capacity
The fountain in the town square spouts glowing orange water for a week after she passes through. Even she isn't sure how she did it, so you just have to wait it out and hope it won't poison anyone
Mazelinka saw you two at one point and cried laughing
Lucio
It takes him a while to figure out what's happened
Don't misread this as him assuming that things are normal. He knows things are not normal, because he's getting human sensations from his left arm
But his first assumption is that this is because his arm magically grew back in the night, and his second assumption when he sees his own body next to him is that he's been cloned
You wake up because he's frantically calling your name, asking why his voice sounds so weird and if you had to clone him as part of getting his human arm back and where you've disappeared to
Shrieks and falls backwards off the bed when his clone's eyes open and you tell him what's happened from his own body
You, on the other hand, are going to spend all day figuring out how to function with a metal arm. It's nowhere near as easy as he makes it look, plus it makes that whole side of your body cold
Lucio insists on doing your eyeliner (on his face) because yes, he loves you, and yes, he trusts you, but that's his signature look and he needs it to be perfect
And then you're going to accidentally ruin his face anyways when you go to scratch an itch, forgetting about the claws on his hand
It's nothing compared to his attempts to use your magic
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Hello, I'm requesting the mini HC nightmare scenario again, of the M6 having a nightmare of MC dying, please and thank you! 🫶🏽
The Arcana Mini-HCs: M6 have a nightmare of MC dying
Julian: wakes up hoarsely crying your name in a cold sweat, freezes when he sees you, then melts in relief when he does. instantly holding trembling fingers against your wrist to feel your pulse when you brush the hair out of his eyes, hesitates to ask you to hold him for comfort but will turn into a grateful, exhausted puddle when you do
Asra: oh. oh no. wakes up with a jolt and refuses to talk about it, instead asking shakily if they can hold you before burrowing with you under the covers and clinging to your chest. doesn't say much beyond "I forgot how bad it was" as he glues his ear to your heartbeat and tangles himself up with you. tells you the dream later if you ask
Nadia: startles upright with a small scream, needs a moment or two to register that you're in front of her and okay before she snaps out of the horror-induced daze. hesitant to fall asleep again, extends a no-pressure invite to you to join her for some tea and a midnight snack. either way, she's staying where she can see you breathing and happy
Muriel: already in a full-blown panic attack by the time he wakes up and the only thing to do at that point is help him ride it out. Inanna's quick to fetch a pouch of myrrh and lean against his back, but what helps him most is when you crawl into his lap and breathe with him, each grounding, mirrored breath a reminder that you're here and ok
Portia: almost flings herself out of bed with a gasp, immediately collapses into relieved tears when she sees you still next to her. tells you between sobs about her nightmare and only really starts to calm down when she can feel you holding her just as tightly. falls back asleep fairly quickly, but spends that time gently tracing your face
Lucio: if you weren't already awake from his sleep-shouting, he's shaking you awake with tears streaming down his cheeks just in case you really are dead, please wake up, please please please - oh good you're up, hold him until he feels better and listen to him while he tells you about his dream. keeps watch the rest of the night, just in case
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The Arcana HCs: M6 and Kisses
~ enjoy :3 ~
Julian
Kissing him is never unemotional
Heated moments aside, Julian gives you both planned and unplanned kisses. Depending on the mood and context, how that feels and how that progresses can change drastically
He loves "occasion" kisses, tiny little pauses of the day's etiquette where he gets to swoop in and leave a peck on your cheek. Hello kisses, goodbye kisses, thanks-for-checking-on-me-at-2-AM-because-I'm-still-awake-from-thinking-too-much kisses ...
... though that last kind is less likely to be on the cheek, and more likely to be the most tired, grateful "thank you" you've ever heard, whispered against your lips as he trails after your touch
Unplanned kisses happen whenever someone says or does something that reminds him of what you mean to him. Between his scholar's brain and bleeding heart is a vast sea of sentiment
Maybe it's seeing one of the South End vendors, stooped with age, quietly lighting up as their equally weathered partner walks by on the other side of the canal and blows them a cheeky smooch
He never thought he'd live long enough to look like that, but now all he can think about is how he can't wait to be that with you
Then he's making good use of that massive coat of his, catching up to you in two long strides, pulling you into one of those all-encompassing hugs before he swoops the cape of it between you and prying eyes so he can pour his soul into a heartfelt kiss
Asra
Never the same and always the same, somehow
They don't care to be publicly vulnerable, so you're not going to get any lingering kisses in the street, or the market, or the tavern
But considering the extent to which his love for you has completely consumed him, he can't not express affection for you
And besides, they've never been conventional. Why limit themself to your face when you've got a whole body?
Unexpected kisses peppered across your knuckles when you hold hands. A subtle peck to the pulse point below your ear when he leans in to whisper something to you. The briefest brush of his lips against the back of your shoulder as you stand and wait together
All this without ever expecting anything in return - doing anything similarly sweet and subtle back will result in a blushing, stumbling, zoned-out magician and a laughing snake
Privately, kisses aren't about a heated moment (though they have been known to play into them, when you were interested ...)
They're about savoring you, lingering on the gift of your warm, living presence, delighting in their chance to luxuriate in finally expressing every ounce of devoted adoration for you
For someone as playful and creative as he is, every moment your mouths meet is a little different, a little new, that childlike curiosity excited to find yet another way to feel you
All while that loyal, bone-deep love feels like coming home
Nadia
Kissing her feels like you're being blessed
Getting kissed in public is almost always a statement of some kind. Each brush of her lips against your skin carries the weight of an important message
Anything from a kiss to your wrist, telling you that you handled a tricky situation well, to a firm kiss on your mouth, telling everyone around you that you are her most important person
It could be easy to feel you're just another face orbiting her, with how naturally she commands the attention of a room and takes charge of any situation and brings it into line
But when every moment of contact is designed to honor you, to credit you with the leader she's become, you may find that not sharing the spotlight with her is almost impossible
In private, kisses are raw and unrefined
They're still purposeful, but there's no grand painting to be a part of. The woman next to you is not the Countess, but the person who trusts you wholeheartedly and expects no less in return
Dizzying intensity, feeling every emotion freely expressed against your lips, watching her thoughts flit across her open, unguarded face. She desires vulnerability and abandons ceremony in her rush to be close to you. If there's no walls between you, why hold back?
Being the sole focus of such a powerful, regal person feels a bit like taking the concentrated power of the sun. Except it's Nadia, and her neverending need to saturate you with her love
Muriel
Kisses with him are tender
Halting and awkward, at first, and a little lost as he gets his practice, and much more involved and intense as time goes on, but never lacking in gentleness and consideration
You can count the amount of times he's kissed you in public on one hand. He is not into PDA by a long shot
Luckily for you, you two live in the woods. Being in public requires planning ahead. Being in private is another normal day
Casual kisses take time. They're never thoughtless, instead being something you receive in a split second after about ten minutes of intense mental planning and preparation on his part
Over time, you find it's easier for him to give you casual kisses with his fingertips - brushing your cheek gently, pressing one finger to his own lips before lightly tapping it to your nose
He has accidentally kissed your nose when he was aiming for your mouth multiple times now. The only way to convince him to get past it and keep initiating kisses was to make it an inside joke
Kisses for him are a way to reaffirm every silent promise he's made you. Whether it be his commitment to sticking life out with you, to healing, to growing, to protecting, to nurturing with you
To him, it's the weighty comfort of building a new home and family with you. To you, it's safety and trust and security and gentleness beyond imagining. Not the most heated, but always warm
Portia
Kissing her is like bubbling over
She loves fiercely and without restraint. If you're hers and she's yours, there is no reason to hold back
Kisses are her extension of general physical affection. She'll stand with her arm around you, nuzzling into your cheek as she teases you in conversation and planting a kiss there while she's at it
She's also so openly affectionate towards anyone she cares about that there's next to no room for anybody to feel awkward
If it's in reach and she's happy you're with her for the hundredth time that day, she's kissing it. Shoulders, arms, hands, elbows, nose, cheeks, hair - there are very few limits
Kisses in private don't get outrageously creative, but they take on a whole host of meanings for someone as expressive as she is
Frustrated kisses when she feels like she's failed, excited kisses when she's got a new idea, flirtatious kisses that make you feel those new couple butterflies after decades of life together
"You're irresistible with flour in your hair" kisses, scattered all across your face in her sunlit kitchen before she pulls you in for something longer and deeper and sweeter
"You make life feel like a storybook" kisses, full of suspended disbelief and excited giggles and romantic embraces
"You make me the main character of my story" kisses, lingering long as she holds you to her chest and savors your companionship
Lucio
Kissing him is an adventure
He wasn't used to kisses meaning much more than a good time. At least, not before you. By the time he met you, the ability to feel warmth and basic touch was overwhelmingly precious
As easy at it is for casual affection to be simply casual for him, it's never unappreciated, and certainly not taken for granted
Has no issues with PDA. If he wants a kiss, and you want a kiss, then it's time to enjoy a kiss. Anybody who has a problem with it is free to look in any other direction (though he's not thinking that far)
From moment to moment, they're the added spice to a good life. Sudden, rushed, sloppy kisses on the road just because he can, and because he's about to disregard that "no trespassing" sign
In quieter moments, kisses become so precious that each one feels like a polished gemstone falling into your lap
He's been starving all his life for a true connection, for a reliable affection that tells him it's safe to believe you when you tell him that you love him. He may act entitled, but he's not oblivious
Holding such a rollercoaster of a man while he loses both himself and all of his emotions in the safety of your kisses is enough to get you a little lost too, if you let yourself get drawn in
As much as he might grandstand and monologue as he puts all that leadership charisma into charming you, the moment you hold his face in your hands, he's clinging to your soul and offering his own in return. Through his mouth. Into your mouth. Again, please -
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Heyo Brainrot!!
Ooh, may i ask for a mini hc of M6 reacting to MC calling them by their full name, like an angry mother?
Have a good night/day friend!!
The Arcana Mini-HCs: Calling M6 by their full name
@mugoflaziness i'm going to be thinking about this all day XD
Julian: snaps to attention like he's in the army (he isn't) with the full salute and puffed chest. full body blush at your display of authority
Asra: does that very specific wince (and grin) like when a six year old sets up a trap for a friend and their mother walks into it instead
Nadia: wide-eyed stare. nobody's called her like that in years. she's very interested in hearing your explanation for your behavior
Muriel: ... and where exactly did you get his full name from? did you just use his tribe's title as his last name? also, please don't yell at him?
Portia: shouts your full name back in the exact same tone before popping into your space with a cheery smile and a "what's up?"
Lucio: startled, and then pouts because you saw him jump. wracks his brain to figure out which questionable decision provoked this
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Asra being self-taught about many things means they very likely have gaps in their knowledge that you don't expect until they're right there -
Him talking about fairy tales, only to mention a very real historical event as an example of a ludicrous story that some old fisherman made up to entertain a young him on the docks years and years ago, only finding out now that it actually happened
On the other hand, them referencing a legendary figure that you've always assumed was a myth as though it's a completely real creature, leaving you wide awake at night wondering if it's really real or if this is another moment of their idiosyncrasies
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The Arcana HCs: Play fighting with M6
Julian
A duel, you say? Allow him to demonstrate his years of combat experience - oh you're stronger than he expected
Wait that's kind of hot
Makes no further effort to win. Does he pretend like he's trying? Yes. Have you seen how he fights when he's actually trying? Yes. Is there a marked difference between now and then? Absolutely
Oh no, you've pinned him again, MC, oh nooo ...
The only way to convince him to take it seriously is if you make some kind of bet ahead of time for something that you know he wants (e.g., unlimited quantities of caffeine for the next 24 hours)
In which case you will actually have to struggle, but you must bear in mind that this is someone who has survived so far on wit and the ability to make himself useful. He is not a combat artist
You have a good chance at winning anyways, only this time he's significantly sweatier from the effort of losing
Will absolutely try to distract you so he can get the upper hand (again, assuming that he's interested in winning)
MC, look over there! MC, has he ever told you about that one adventure near the strait of seals? MC, are you ticklish?
Asra
They are stronger than they look, and to this day nobody knows why because you've never seen them work out in their life
(it's the lifetime of constant magic use, it takes more physical stamina than you'd expect)
He's also got more practice getting through a fight than he'd like to admit to after spending his childhood on the streets
All this to say, they know how to win and you can tell
Except that he's not nearly as focused on winning as he is on finding ways to make you laugh and smile and plant a kiss wherever you're the most ticklish
Play fighting with them follows the following steps:
1) initiate fight
2) get consistently pinned into different snuggling positions
3) give up and snuggle, OR
4) alternate ending: don't give up, keep squirming out of his grip until he's tired of it all and
5) they grab the closest blanket (potentially out of thin air) and wrap you into an MC-burrito so they can snuggle you in peace (finally) while you wriggle and pout
Nadia
Hasn't done this since she was a child and her older sisters would challenge her to it. Doesn't know why you're interested in such a childish past time, but if it makes you happy ...
Hm. This is more fun than she expected
Especially when it involves lovingly pinning you and watching you try to struggle out of her hold
Actually, if you want to conserve energy, you might want to try adjusting your grip - like so - see?
And when it comes to grappling, you'd do well to shift your weight to the other leg a little more - yes, exactly like that
What starts as a play fight will quickly turn into a grappling lesson
Which is still plenty enjoyable, but it's not exactly what you were going for when you started it
No worries though. Your countess does enjoy a challenge, so improving your own skills will only serve you down the road when you initiate a rematch
If you get tired but don't want to surrender, tickling will work to get you out of her grip
Only do this with caution, as she will remember it and pay you back
Muriel
Play fighting with Muriel is impossible, but not for the reasons that you would think
To begin with, it's difficult to initiate. If you walk up to him with a broad grin and say "let's fight", he'll start checking you over to see if you've hit your head
If you run at him for a playful tackle, he'll just stand there unmoving and watch you "splat" onto him. You have strange ways of initiating physical contact and showing affection, but he doesn't judge
If anything he'll just awkwardly pat your head and then look away so you can't see his blush
The closest you'll get is by telling him you want to spar, but then he'll take it very seriously because it's important that you don't let Morga's training go to waste (and you should protect yourself)
He'll make space in the clearing and fetch your bow and his staff and set up some practice targets for you
By then you won't have the heart to tell him that that's not what you meant so it's going to be an afternoon of training instead
On the plus side, you have the benefit of watching him work out those muscles
Portia
Oh, now you're speaking her love language!
She is also very strong, but she knows that the whole point of a play fight is the fun of testing each other's limits, so she's not going to put all of her strength into defeating you
Unless, of course, you don't seem like you're giving it your all either
Well now she's fired up
Something to know about being close to Portia: she gets competitive very quickly and doesn't like giving up
The more she thinks you're holding back, the more she's going to push you until she's either found your limit or you've found hers
Play fighting has been known to devolve into a pillow fight, by the way, which begins with flying pillows
And continues with Pepi getting worked up and pouncing on said flying pillows
And ends with feathers flying everywhere while the cat subdues her foe (the now shredded pillowcase) and Portia spends the next two days picking them out of her hair
She will unironically shake your hand and say "good match" after
Lucio
He always starts off by taking it more seriously than is warranted
This is a golden opportunity to show off how strong and manly and impressive he is
Ooh, this is a lot of physical contact
He likes this. He likes this quite a lot
He thinks he can take advantage of this
All of a sudden he's completely lost focus (which you're lucky for, because unless you have a level of combat experience similar to his, he's got an advantage in both skill and enhanced arm strength)
Hey, if his shirt "accidentally" comes even more unbuttoned than it already is, that's a mere coincidence and he has no idea what you're talking about (though he doesn't mind you looking)
Oh no, there goes his cape too!!
And his shoes. And his jacket. You should probably call it quits before Mercedes and Melchior decide to play tug-of-war with his satchel and ultimately run off and bury it
Speaking of, the dogs will come running and barking if they think Lucio is losing and can't tell that it's on purpose
If his makeup gets smudged he'll pout until you kiss it better
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Could you do mini headcanons of the M6 with an MC who gives kisses as thanks? Giving them an item they were looking for gets a kiss on the cheek, helping them with an outfit is a quick kiss to the neck, a peck on the lips just for caring, etc.
The Arcana Mini-HCs: When MC gives "thank you" kisses
Julian: regularly has sudden bursts of intense helpfulness so he can milk as many kisses out of this as humanly possible
Asra: has now picked up your habit and will do the same thing anytime you do something nice for them. or just because he could
Nadia: may or may not occasionally engineer situations specifically so you'll have to ask her for something so she can receive a kiss
Muriel: no matter how long this has been going on for, it never gets old. blushes to the tips of his ears and fumbles every single time
Portia: will drag out the act of service for extra kisses. she made cookies! she's going to hand them to you one at a time >:3
Lucio: loves that you do this and has become so accustomed to it that he will loudly demand his kiss if you forget. in all situations.
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Vesuvia Weekly: M6's Rare Smiles
Julian:
a peaceful smile. his face relaxes, the tension around his mouth smoothens, and the look in his eyes has a rare stillness, as though the anxious energy permeating his brain has finally found a moment of rest. it's a small smile. his lips are slightly parted, his blinks are slower and heavier, and the world stands still for a moment to breathe
Asra:
a vulnerable smile. their guard is down, the carefully maintained relaxed energy of their poker face disappears, and they become more expressive than you could have imagined. he meets your eyes with unimaginable levels of trust as emotions flicker across his face like pages turning, and responds to your safety with a wobbly grin
Nadia:
a grateful smile. still elegant, still dignified, but the cold edges of her regal bearing thaw just enough to let her eyes soften in your direction as she mouths a "thank you" after you've helped her. for someone who hates accepting help, she finds she enjoys depending on you more than she thought possible and loves to share that joy with you
Muriel:
a laughing smile. he does laugh more often with you around, but it's usually something pulled from him begrudgingly in the form of a brief snort. this is the smile of a belly laugh, his head tossed back and oh-so-briefly carefree, shoulders relaxing enough to shake with chortles as his eyes crinkle shut with laughter. it's a sight for you and you only
Portia:
a sad smile. for someone as comfortable with her emotions as she is, she doesn't like people seeing her sad unless she mixes it with anger, or jealousy, or concern. but you get to see the wobbly midnight smile, sent your way after she's gazed into the fireplace next to you and spoken about all the things she's missed with tears on her cheeks
Lucio:
a thoughtful smile. it's no secret that, for all of his smart instincts, he doesn't like spending any more time thinking than he has to. you, though - you make him want to think, about the future, about who he is, about what he's lost and gained, about fixing mistakes. never for more than five minutes, but the contemplative smile is beautiful
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Possible small or full HC request, more small as your full HC requests are..... Well.... Full
Possibly M6 reacting to MC being secretive about an injury that still affects them, and MC didn't want M6 to supposedly lecture them? And maybe, I haven't seen you do it, but maybe a single quote for comfort they say in response to MC thinking M6 would lecture them?
The Arcana Mini-HCs: MC hiding an injury because they think they'll get lectured
Julian: he's not lecturing you, he's examining you. he's both a doctor and your lover, this is his job squared! is he mad? no. is he blaming himself? yes. is he going to hover around you nonstop after this? bet "I know it's hypocritical, my dear, but I wish you'd let me help you. Do you really think I'd be angry at you for being injured?"
Asra: horrified that you were hurting and that they couldn't do anything about it sooner. yeah, he knows that's on you, but he's also kinda hurt that you think he'd choose lecturing you over loving and helping you. "I love you unconditionally - when you hurt, I hurt. Did I fail to show that to you?"
Nadia: she's - well, she was going to lecture you for hiding your injury until you admitted that that's why you were scared of coming to her. she's quick to ensure you get the best care, while questioning herself "You have been my greatest ally, my darling. I fear I may not have adequately proven myself suitable to be yours, if you can't trust me."
Muriel: the fact that you're scared of him in any way is one of his worst fears coming true. he'll end up keeping his mouth completely shut while he helps you clean it up and tries to find his words "Why would I be angry at you for being hurt? What did I do to make you think that's who I am?"
Portia: oh, she's mad. mad at you for trying to do this alone, mad at you for lying to her, and mad at your for assuming how she'd respond and not giving her the space to make her own decisions. helps you, but: "Of course I'm going to lecture you! You lied to me! That hurts when it's from someone I love! ... now eat your soup."
Lucio: he's confused but he's focusing on one problem at a time. first, he's making sure you're okay and helping you find someone who'll tend to your wounds. then he's addressing what he thinks of your response. "Didn't you tell me not to hide from my oopsies? This doesn't even count as an oopsie, do you think I wouldn't love you anyway?"
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Vesuvia Weekly: Things the M6 don't do anymore
~ my little creative drabble for the prompt "How Things Changed" (pre- vs post- plague) over on @vesuviaweekly! Hope you guys like this little hurt/comfort/fluffy train of thought :3 ~
Julian doesn't shout in his sleep anymore. He still gets nightmares, still tosses and turns and mumbles and wakes up with a start in a cold sweat - but his troubled murmurs don't turn into the terrified cries that they used to. He's still working on eating better and sleeping longer and it's taking time. But from the moment you first lay down next to him for the night, some part of his brain understood that the warm, safe weight of you meant he didn't need to scream to be heard anymore - or helped.
Asra rarely makes tea anymore. They still love to drink it - multiple times a day, if they can - but now you're the one who makes it. He never got over his childhood wariness of tea kettles in general after the mishap that involved his magic appearing. While you were recovering, it was one of many duties they happily shouldered to take care of you. Now that you're equal partners again, it's one of the many small ways he's begun letting you take care of him in turn. Besides, yours tastes better.
Nadia doesn't run away to her tower anymore. She still visits it frequently, to think, or nap, or clear her head, or give her introverted nature a break from the constant social pressures of being Countess. But she doesn't run away to it, to sit in the circular chamber and pretend (or hope) that the rest of the world had simply ... ceased to exist. She doesn't like the thought of losing a world that has you in it. Now, her visits range from serene to tumultuous, but they all carry hope and purpose within them.
Muriel doesn't forget to tend the fire anymore. It used to be an easy thing to go without. After Asra moved out, after his tormentor went up in flames, it was easy to watch the light in his hearth slowly dwindle and die. It was peaceful to sit in the dark quiet of a stone hut and slip into another long, deep, chilly sleep. But now you're here. And you deserve to be warm. You're worthy of a space filled with golden light and soft furs and beautiful tapestries and good food and warmth. And maybe ... he is too.
Portia has stopped hiding in the library. Don't get her wrong, she still sneaks into it all the time. (Seriously, what else was she going to do when she was handed one of the only two sets of keys???) The library was her space, with stories only she had read, where the skills she grew for herself hid among the bookshelves. Her achievements are much, much bigger now. They look back at her in your eyes, in Pepi's little voice, in a flourishing Vesuvia. She doesn't hide in the library anymore. She emerges from it.
Lucio refuses to eat breakfast by himself, ever again. As a soldier, it was a hurried affair around campfires - nothing like the fun of raucous dinners the night before - and as a Count, it was brought to him in his chambers. He'd sit and eat the pile of sugary goods and eye the mess of last night's debauchery and try not to feel cold and small and alone. After three years of hell, he's not alone anymore. Breakfast is campfire food, or inn amenities, and missing most of the sugar he loves - but it's portioned for two.
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I can request a mini hcs where MC has a soft voice / is soft-spoken?
Sorta like fluttershy- or for a male presenting MC, Winnie the Pooh XD
The Arcana Mini-HCs: With a soft-spoken MC
Julian: he's so quick to blame himself that he thinks his difficulty hearing you is because he's not close enough. gets into the habit of constantly bending into your space so you can speak into his ear
Asra: also someone whose voice often comes out softer than expected, you two are constantly responding to each other with "Hm? What was that?" your friends think it's too fluffy for words
Nadia: finds it genuinely refreshing when most of the people she interacts with were brought up doing public speaking. almost overly defensive of your quiet voice, will silence a room if she needs to
Muriel: it's one of his favorite things about you. after all the years of noise, shouting, harsh anger, and scared cries, your whispery voice is like a forest creek. calm, peaceful, full of life, like you're his home
Portia: teases you about it because she finds it so endearing it gives her cuteness aggression. likes to drop her voice to a whisper in response to you, loves trading secrets under the covers like that
Lucio: got so frustrated with it at first because he likes it when things are loud, it makes him feel alive!! over time, pausing to listen to you teaches him the beauty of quiet things. defends your honor, always
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hi ! i was wondering if it would be okay to ask you to write a hc, however long you please, about the m6 setting off a trigger for mc?
i love your content, you’re the best :3 !
The Arcana HCs: When M6 accidentally trigger MC
CW for descriptions of panic attacks, references to being burned alive/MC canon backstory, and your LI feeling very guilty
-- to set the scene --
It was just a midnight cupcake.
You already knew there were plans for your birthday in the morning, which is why it was such a surprise to see your beloved stealing into the darkened room at midnight with a small excited smile and a single cupcake with one lit candle. For a moment, everything's perfect. Cozy, sweet, calm, if a little blurry from the sleep in your eyes.
Until you reach up to rub the sleep out of them, and when you bring your hands down, the flame of the candle is right in front of your face where you least expect it.
Your beloved's invitation to blow it out and make your first wish goes unheard as your sleepy brain catapults itself into fight-or-flight. Your limbs seize with panic as the flame grows a hundred times the size in your mind, the dimly lit room turning into the yawning darkness of the Lazaret. Your breath comes short and fast and you can't talk - you can't speak - you can't tell them you're not dead yet, you're not dead yet -
Julian
Recognizes the symptoms of panic instantly but is a little confused about why - he doesn't recall you being afraid of midnight treats
Of course, this doesn't hinder him from helping you at all. He's a doctor. He doesn't stop to ask why when there is clearly something wrong and you need his help
Putting the cupcake down (candle still lit) on a nearby surface right away so he can focus completely on you
Being as tactile as he is, his next movements are to lay two large, cool, steady hands on your shoulders and give you just enough pressure to ground you long enough to listen to him
Breathe. You need to breathe. Listen to him while he counts, and he'll get you through this safe and sound
Nobody beats this doctor's bedside manner. His voice is soothing, steady, and just persuasive enough to help you follow his instructions as he walks you through several grounding techniques
Once the panic has passed and you're mentally back in the safety of your room, though, that's when his own questions begin
What set it off? Was it ... was it something he did? It was, wasn't it? Was it trying to talk at midnight? Did he walk towards you too fast?
You can see horror dawning across his face when he puts two and two together, whether because you tell him or because he guesses. He's ready to spend the rest of the night condemning himself
You already know that it'll take much more than accepting his apology to convince him that things are alright
Which mostly takes the form of responding to every apology with a thank you for getting you through the panic, and coming up with ways to let him take care of you
Will propose triggering him in return, to make it even (don't do it)
Asra
Realizes what's happening as it's happening because being fully tuned in to you is second nature at this point and oh no - oh no
Hastily blowing out the candle and summoning some gentle lights instead, reaching out to hold you and try to make it better and worrying as they do so that it'll only make it worse
Thankfully, his touch has been soothing for as long as you can remember. He's tracing a slow square on your palm to breathe in time with, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close
Draping the closest blanket or shawl around your shoulders, using magic to cool the temperature of the room enough to avoid any uncomfortable warmth
Quietly pulling you out of the flashback and back into the mundane, safe present by asking you the simplest questions
Is that a triangle or a circle they're tracing on your knee? Are they touching your right hand, or your left hand? Can you count how many fingers they're holding up? How about now?
When you're back and your breathing is normal again, the silence is tense. He knows what set you off - and he still blames himself for leaving you to a fate like that, even if he fought to change it after
They're quick to try to brush it off, focusing on making you comfortable and lulling you back to sleep to avoid addressing it
But given how inextricably twined the two of you are at this point, you're not the only person who's been triggered by this
Holding him close as well and telling him it's not his fault will result in wide-eyed, vulnerable look, a slow sag in his shoulders, a shared slump into bed together to remember that you're both alive and ok
They are also extremely resilient, and will wake up on your birthday morning ten times lighter for the release and ready to celebrate
Nadia
She's not entirely certain that the flame is what set you off, but she's pretty sure it is and she's already scolding herself internally for putting it so close to your face
Setting the treat down, blowing out the candle as she does and immediately trying to talk to you and figure out what you need
No, she's not an expert on helping with panic attacks, but she likes to think she's an expert on you, and she is dedicated to giving you the best. Talk to her, if you can -
Oh. Oh dear, it seems you can't
She's taking her cues from you, positioning herself where she takes up most of your field of vision, using her capacity to take control and make you feel safe to help you focus
Cupping your face between two manicured, strong hands, stroking her thumbs along your cheekbones and telling you in a rich, authoritative voice to take some breaths, good job darling, another
Slowly bringing you down and practically gluing herself to your side so you don't have to feel alone in this for one moment
At the same time, she's trying not to let you see how her forehead is wrinkling up from the worry and disappointment she feels in herself. How could she do this to you?
Her worst fears are confirmed when she insists on helping you verbally process what just happened, shouldering the guilt of having hurt you and of not taking a moment to think first earlier
She doesn't forgive herself easily when she feels like she's failed in her duty to care for her loved ones. It's a great moment to remind her that care goes both ways and doesn't have to be perfect
Still needs to ramp up her efforts to pamper you over the following days to prove that she can take good care of you
Muriel
Oh, this is his worst fear coming true, and if the guilt of triggering you wasn't enough, he already feels bad for wanting to walk away to work through his own triggers coming to light
He's not going to walk away. Not from you. He just feels bad that he wants to, when you already put up with so much from him
None of the above thought processes slow down his response. The cupcake is being put to the side. He's crouching in front of you and searching for the earliest "ok" to touch you since he knows it helps
And then he's scooping you up, getting you to the safest part of the hut (in the bed, scooted all the way into the corner) so he and Inanna can sandwich you in a warm, heavy, safe embrace
He's tucking your favorite carving into your palm, layering a heavy fur over your shoulders, pressing your hand to his chest so you can feel his deep breathing and mimic it
He doesn't trust his voice, and words are hard anyways, but he knows how to speak with his actions and he'll do whatever works best to tell you that you are safe
And, if you need to talk about it as you start to breathe easy again, he'll listen as much as he needs to to tell you you're heard
Of course, once the crisis has passed and you're doing better, the urge to isolate himself is stronger than ever. His own worst fear came true in hurting you, and that was in an act of love alone
He didn't even need to touch you to cause distress
Until you're both able to fall asleep, the time passes as you trade comfort and grounding, taking turns to reassure each other that the past holds no threat to your present and future
He's not going to ask you to start or tend the fire for a long time, though. That's his job now
Portia
She's frozen in shock for all of five seconds when you start to panic, simply because it's so completely unexpected
Shoves the cupcake aside completely forgotten on a fire-safe surface so she can take your hands in hers and squeeze them enough to make you look at and listen to her
Lowkey panicking because she has patience, sure, but she has very little experience sitting with anyone through something like this besides her older brother, who she usually just slaps out of it
She's going to fix her mistake of making your environment feel threatening by making it feel safe instead
She's shoving Pepi into your lap, wrapping a heavy quilt around your shoulders, trying to find a balance of lighting that's as soothing and cozy and grounding as possible
All while she inwardly battles feelings of worthlessness with uncharacteristic levels of quiet
She's sure her older brother would be more reassuring, with all that worldly knowledge under his belt - or the Countess, who knows exactly how to take charge and make everything better
She's in front of you with your hands in hers, watching you with total faith in your ability to survive and overcome, feeling a little too much like her five-year-old self guarding Ilya from the tooth fairy
Helpless. She feels helpless. And worse, she got you into this mess because she didn't know you well enough
Seeing you pull through and return to your usual self (albeit very tired) is enough to lift her spirits, but it's the way you still want her to sleep next to you that starts to give her hope
She still apologizes multiple times as she's falling asleep
And she's not letting anyone else use this trigger against you, ever
Lucio
He's plenty familiar with symptoms of panic. He grew up on a battlefield and has plenty of suppressed trauma, he knows what being triggered looks and feels like
That said, he's caught entirely off guard because it's a cupcake with a candle in it!! Since when was that scary?? This was supposed to be a sweet romantic gesture, not a horror show -
Oh right right right you're panicking and it's probably his fault and oh no he's familiar with this but that doesn't mean he's good at helping with it, he needs backup
Mercedes and Melchior are already on it. Their doggy senses have one of them curling around your back while the other crawls into your lap, offering their silky smooth fur to touch and soothe you
Lucio is putting the cupcake down to be quickly forgotten so he has his hands free to try to help, doing the things that he's noticed calm you down on a regular basis
Bringing you your favorite blanket, patting you on the back in a steady rhythm so you know he's right there if you need a hug, telling you it's okay to cry, he'll keep you nice and safe
And dedicating every speck of his being to some good quality cuddles if you need them, because he doesn't take a moment of your wellbeing for granted. He's holding you as tightly as needed
There is the aftermath, of course. He won't stop asking until you tell him why you panicked, and then he'll be faced with knowing he's somewhat responsible for both fires
He's actually pretty used to being the guilty party at this point. There's always the fear, deep down, that he'll run out of grace, but as soon as you forgive him he fully believes you
None of this is stopping him from partying hard for you tomorrow
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Since you've done a mini ask with winged Mc how do you think the M6 would react to a winged Mc that doesn't take proper care of their wings?
I.E Mc should be preening them weekly but only does it when they feel as uncomfortable as they look. Having ruffled, bent, and broken feathers
The Arcana HCs: M6 with a Winged MC
~ put a spin on this so I could apply it to the vesuvia weekly prompt, hope you enjoy it anon friend! ^.^ ~
-- to set the scene --
You like having wings. You really do, but sometimes you wouldn't mind forgetting about them for a bit. Just putting them away, where they can't catch on door frames or whip into people's faces or make you wince every time the sensitive feathers snag on something. Folding them out of sight and being able walk around without the stares is so nice, it becomes your new normal.
Until one day, the pain that's been slowly twisting knots into your shoulders and back becomes too much to bear, and you pull your wings out for the first time in months. They're crushed. Ruffled. Just looking at them is the stuff of nightmares.
Thankfully, your beloved seems to think they're the stuff of daydreams.
Julian
He'd known that something was wrong with your back - the only other person he knows with that many knots in their shoulders is himself - but he'd had no idea it was because of this
Why didn't you say anything? Did you think you'd be asking him for too much work?? Don't you know that taking care of you and seeing you depend on him makes him the happiest man alive???
Rummaging through his overstocked medicine cabinet, rambling between self deprecation for not noticing more and nerding out on winged human anatomy
Doesn't think to ask if it's okay to help until he's already seated behind you, reaching for your wings and realizes your closeness
Excellent at wing care once you tell him what he needs to know, his eyes and hands are trained for spotting physical issues and delicately treating them. He touches you like he's cherishing you
Can't stop daydreaming about how romantic it would be if you ever saved him like this, swooping through the air and snatching him from a burning pirate ship where he'd been held hostage ...
Asra
They'd been the one to teach you about how to manage your wings, and they'd been hinting at maybe taking care of them sooner, but they'd also done their best not to interfere
Approaching you quietly with a pained but sympathetic look on his face, bringing you the stuff you need and telling you however bad it is, you'll fix it together
Has the softest touch, running their warm hands over your shoulders and back as they work through your feathers, easing the pain both in your wings and through your muscles
The funny thing about his daydreaming tendencies (and goodness, does he love to spend time doing that -) is that when he's relaxed, he mumbles
Which is how you begin to hear all kinds of muttered whispers about how gloriously soft they are, how much they just want to hold you in their arms while you shroud them in your wings
All wrapped up in a tiny, feathery, world of your own, with nothing in your shared space but each other - MC, why are you blushing??
Nadia
Let it be known that this Countess is the queen of self-care and values it so highly that she sets aside a weekly budget for it
Which is why seeing your state is enough to horrify her
Your wings! Your glorious wings, they're in such poor shape, you must be in so much pain, her darling deserves so much better
She's dragging you to her private bath. She'll put you in a robe that lets your wings loose and set you up for an afternoon of recovery
Her perfectionist tendencies make for a thorough preening. She'll sit with you between her knees, carding through your wings feather by feather, straightening each one
And with the top quality products from her own personal stash, you slowly begin to glimmer in the sunlight through window
It captures your Countess's attention, making her linger over each feather and cover your wings in loving touches
She wants to see you glorious - she wants to cover you in fabrics and adornments so fine you look like you've stepped from a stained glass window, her own angel on earth
Muriel
He knows you have wings and he'd falsely assumed that the reason for never seeing them was because you didn't want to risk him crushing them with his big, clumsy hands and rough touch
(Note: his hands are not clumsy and his touch is actually quite delicate, he just needs help believing that he's not a danger to you)
Thankfully, the painful state of your wings when he sees them causes enough concern to override his anxiety
He'd be lying if he said you didn't remind him of a very tired, gorgeous bird who's been roughed up by a bad storm
Starts by silently bringing you everything you need, and then standing watchfully nearby until you invite him to help you
He's cared for wings before (though never ones this big, or attached to a human) and he doesn't need much help to get started. Feeling your feathers between his fingers is grounding
He keeps seeing visions of you at peace, the sunlight between the leaves dappling your wings as you walk through the trees, his own heart in the forest bringing beauty and wholeness into the world
Portia
Her first reaction (to someone who doesn't know her well) is anger
How could you do this to yourself? You have the most beautiful wings, they're such a big part of you, and you neglected them like this?? How dare you cause yourself this much pain -
All while she bustles around you, pulling out every product you could need and plenty of other comforting items, pulling up a stool behind you and rolling up her sleeves like it's her calling
She'll figure things out as she goes if she needs to, so don't even think about trying to tell her that you'll handle it yourself
With her background in Vesuvia's version of cosmetology, she understands quickly what you need to get done and already has the skill set to do so. Her hands are fast, thorough, and gentle
The longer she works with you, the more excited she gets. How often are you supposed to care for them? How high can you fly? How sensitive are they? Can she keep one of your feathers?
Soon she's telling you snippets from her favorite novels, about flying together through the sky, an angel and their lover
Lucio
He doesn't really notice how bad your wings are at first, because he's busy being briefly jealous. How come you get to have them and not him? He could totally be trusted with wings!
It's only as he pouts a little closer and gets a better look at the pained look on your face (and the frankly terrible state of your feathers) that he shifts from annoyance to concern
You're the best thing in his life, MC, why aren't you treating yourself like it? Why would you neglect such an awesome thing?
He gets your reasons, but he's also asking right away if he can help
(Because he loves you and he doesn't like seeing you in pain, but also because he really, really wants to touch them, please let him touch them they looks so cool and soft and ... safe?)
It's the safety that gets to him. When you nod and let him sit behind you, literally watching your back, showing immense trust and vulnerability by letting him hold your wings
He wants to know what it's like to hold onto that safety, the brief respite from violence, securely hidden behind your wings ...
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Hi! Could I request full HCs for MC getting in trouble/arrested for something they didn't do, but nobody believes them? Eventually they're proven innocent but maybe even the M6 might have a little flicker of doubt for a moment?
The Arcana HCs: MC gets falsely arrested
Julian
If you've ever worried that he can't relate to you in the past, he certainly can now! He's been in handcuffs plenty of times -
On a more serious note, he's not giving up on you for a second. Every moment that he's allowed to be by your side, he's there, and he's taking the best care of you that he possibly can
He doesn't doubt you for a second (he remembers what it was like) but he does doubt himself
What if this is secretly his fault? What if he did something he doesn't remember doing, and you got mistaken for him? What if he made someone angry so they framed you to get back at him?
Will suggest lying to take your place multiple times and might actually try it if you and Portia don't stop him
Might also suggest actually committing some kind of legal infraction of his own so he can at least join you in there
So relieved when you're acquitted that it's all he can talk about to everyone he meets for the next two months. Rubs it in the face of every friend who ever doubted you
Asra
They're annoyed, more than anything. And shocked. But mostly annoyed
Not at you, of course! No, he's annoyed at the fact that you're being confined somewhere that he can't be for you and that you're being treated so poorly
When you tell them the charges against you aren't true, they believe you completely, but truthfully they're less concerned with your innocence and more concerned with your wellbeing
Can and will attempt to break you out regardless
Would much rather blip you out of where you're being held and start a completely new life from scratch somewhere else then let the process drag on and on, watching you be silenced and doubted
Never misses a single visit
Never lets you feel like things are out of control. As long as you want to subject yourself to this, it's your decision, and as soon as you choose otherwise, say the word and you're both out
Immeasurably proud of you when you stick it out and are acquitted
Nadia
Furious. Absolutely furious. Seething with rage
A person of your character? Who holds the trust of the Countess herself and the admiration of the city?? Accused so recklessly???
Absolutely unacceptable
That said, she remains completely calm on the outside and allows things to proceed. She's been a fierce advocate of establishing a new, effective justice system, and she intends to see this through
Does her best not to extend her influence far enough to count as making the process unfair, but still ensures she gets to visit you at least once a day
There is a point as the evidence is assembled that she does find herself wondering, for a brief moment, if you really are guilty. If you forgot, if there were extenuating circumstances you can't tell her
And she hates herself for it as soon as she sees your face again
So smug when you're exonerated that the people who argued against you nearly make a run for the hills
Will make a point of publicly proclaiming your innocence after
Muriel
Triggered. Triggered. So. Very. Triggered
Hadn't heard anything about the incident itself until you were arrested, so he didn't know what to think until you told him you were innocent. Once you did, though, he believed you
He knows when someone's lying and when someone's telling the truth, and he needs to make sure that others can see your honesty
He also knows that he's not the person best suited to publicly helping you. Regardless of his circumstances, he has his own history in the cells that still make his stomach turn to walk past
He'll talk to Asra. He'll talk to Nadia. He'll put himself through hours of conversation with them and whoever else is determined to exonerate you, supplying every detail he has
And he'll brave the personal hell of seeing you live out the daily misery of his worst memories, behind the same bars, staring at the same stone walls, to be with you as the hours drag by
Beyond relieved when you (and he by extension) are freed and he can hide away in the woods with you to recover
Portia
She actually assumed the charges were true until you told her otherwise - you're her partner in crime for life, she's just wondering what pieces are missing to justify you and why she wasn't included
Until you tell her you're innocent, and she's furious
There is NO WAY you're getting falsely imprisoned on her watch. She will march to hell and back and drag whoever she needs to with her to get you out
Pushes nonstop both to have you acquitted and to sway public opinion about you. It feels like a hopeless task at first, but she doesn't give up and she has enough friends to pull it off
Might miss a visit or two, but never goes longer than a day without stopping to see you and always smuggles treats and comforts past the guards for you no matter how often you tell her not to
Actually manages to stage an impressive protest in your favor the day the decision is made
Takes you home and dotes on you nonstop afterwards ... and then victory marches you all around town to thank the helpful friends
Lucio
He tries to help you. He really, really does
He argues with the guards, screams at the people who sent for you to be arrested, and makes the racket of a lifetime
Which, unfortunately, only makes things worse
(Neither does him admitting to all of his own criminal history, in his attempt to argue that if he got forgiveness then you should too)
He's relieved when you tell him you didn't do it, and he clings to that belief like his life depends on it. You're the good thing in his life. Nobody takes away or denies him that good thing
All that pent up frustration needs an outlet of some kind, and that results in him hounding the assigned investigators instead into letting him help them
And help them he does - not with the books and papers, but with long nights and rabbit trails until the true culprit is found
One can imagine how proud he was to drag them by the collar to where you were, shaking the confession out of them and leaving with you. He deserves so many kisses and cookies for this -
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So. Say that MC recently saw or read some sort of media (book, play, etc.) that was incredibly bad. Like they seem personally offended by the quality and they start ranting to M6 about how bad it was and what they would do to fix it. How would M6 react to this? Could be mini or full headcanons, whichever you feel more inspired by.
The Arcana Mini-HCs: MC rants about a bad book/play
Julian: getting really, really quiet, because he's pretty sure he's seen/read it before and he remembers liking it somehow (he was sleepy)
Asra: keeps shaking themself out of the trance that watching you be yourself tends to put them in. supplies tea while you rant away
Nadia: surprised that it bothered you this much. idly wondering how ethical it would be for her to officially recall the media in question ...
Muriel: he's not judging you. he also has no idea why you're invested enough to be this bothered by it but he's a fan of your expressiveness
Portia: reads it so she can destroy it with you, gets so caught up in it how poorly it's done that she develops an even stronger hatred
Lucio: had never heard of it before and has no idea what it's about and is backing you up regardless. will tell everyone else how bad it is
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