#but WAH TYYYYYYY sobs

[chernabogs]

Congratulations on 100 followers!!! I'm so glad to see your work getting the love it deserves! If it's alright with you (and please don't feel pressured, I just saw your reblogged prompt list and had a thought) I would like to request Jade and Reader with the "You're about as intimidating as a butterfly" prompt. I'm just curious as to how you would write something with Jade since I enjoy how you phrase things in your works. And again, congratulations!!!!!

WAH THANK YOUUUUU so excited to dig my hands into some Jade stuff

RHODOMEL

Inc: Jade x Reader, some Floyd (naturally), a touch of Azul Warnings: None! WC: 2.3k Summary: It's a quiet night at the Lounge, and his newfound conversation partner has just arrived.

Most people would hate it—'it' being the concept of a routine. A baseline set of tasks to complete at a certain point of time, day in and day out, which serves as both a tether and a guide for how the hours are meant to play. Jade follows somewhat of a routine in his life. Waking up, attending classes, and then in the evening assisting with the operations at Mostro Lounge. 

Sometimes there’s a wrench in his routine. Floyd may shake things up (he, who lives with no routine at all), Azul may request something be looked into, or he may find himself with a few spare hours on the weekend to venture off into the mountains that lay scattered around the island. He doesn’t mind the changes—he’s rather quick at adapting to things on the fly—and he also doesn’t mind the conflicts that arise with them. 

“—and at least twenty pounds of tomatoes.” Azul is next to him at the ‘bar’ area of the lounge, dubbed so despite the fact that no alcohol is permitted to be served on campus. He’s hunched over on a stool, his uniform half complete and his sleeves pushed up as he writes out the stock order that’s meant to be sent tomorrow evening. 

Floyd has that task. Jade wonders if he’ll feel up to it when the time comes, or if he’ll be taking it on instead. Not that he minds. 

“Twenty?” He muses as he picks up another glass to wipe clean. “We often order less than that.” 

“There’s a discount for twenty. We’ll think of new dishes with tomatoes to add. Perhaps we can also get in touch with Lilia to see if he’ll buy some…” Azul hums back as his pen continues to strike across the stock paper with vigour. Jade feels a twinge of amusement at the way the man is already strategizing how to make a profit from their purchase. 

His attention is then drawn back to the patrons currently in the lounge. It’s a quieter night—which makes sense, considering that this is on the brink of midterm season. A few Pomefiore students are in a booth in the corner, and he spots a Diasomnia boy with two Octavinelle ones at another table. One of the lounge’s waiters moves between the tables with practised ease.

Then he hears the door open. He feels that twinge of amusement grow when a familiar face passes through the threshold with a frown—possibly from the way this night seems particularly colder than most. 

“You have an expression I’m not too sure I like.” Azul’s voice draws his gaze once more. His friend, as he supposes that’s the best way to coin it, observes him with narrowed eyes before looking back to the door. His expression then shifts to a brief flash of understanding before he chuckles and closes the order books. 

“Done?” Jade asks innocently as Azul pushes the stool in with a sly look. 

“Do remember to restock the limes.” Is all he says before departing for his office, leaving Jade alone in the bar area, and giving their new customer an ample opportunity to approach. 

He knows that you will. This has become somewhat of a routine for you, although you still try to play it off like you’re not coming in here to speak with him for an hour or so. He finds it quaint that you come up with new excuses each time you sit at that bar and order something for him to make. A part of him wonders where you get the funds to come out nearly twice a week—but then again, why question where the money comes from when he’s the one receiving it in the end? 

“Welcome.” He muses as you sit down in your usual spot, right where Azul was sitting moments earlier. He sets another newly scrubbed glass down before pulling out the lounge’s menu and sliding it your way. “I would imagine you’d be too preoccupied with your midterms to come visit tonight.” 

“I'm considering this a study break,” you counter as you peer at the menu.

Jade feels a slightly genuine, but still mostly polite, smile play at his lips as he looks back out to the lounge. He spots Floyd lurking by the door, and when the two brothers make eye contact, the latter's expression lights up. Jade hums quietly when the other starts to make his way over. 

“This is bullshit!” 

That is, until an explosive voice from the table with the Diasomnia boy stops everyone in their tracks. Even you turn to look back in surprise, as Jade sets yet another glass down to observe the next few moments with interest.

He doesn’t feel the need to step in. Floyd’s attention has already been diverted, and the boredom his twin was feeling hovering by the entrance is now suddenly abated as the grin on his face grows wider. You look back to Jade, who glances at you and flashes yet another polite smile. 

This isn’t unusual to happen in the Mostro Lounge, especially during exam times when students try all that they can to swindle opportunities for higher grades with less of the legwork. Jade has never quite felt any sympathy for those who approach Azul, or anyone else in Octavinelle for that matter, in a bid to gain a higher grade. Perhaps it was his upbringing under his parents guidance or perhaps it’s just the constant exposure to Azul’s strategies, but he’s always been under the impression that one gets what they deserve in the end—regardless of what they do.

“Floyd looks way too happy about this,” you murmur as you turn back slowly to look at the menu. Jade picks up another glass with a soft hum. 

“I have no idea what you mean.” He continues to clean the glass as the volume from that table grows, now drawing more attention towards the conflict. He can see that it’s beginning to disturb the clients—yourself included—and he has half the mind to go silence it himself. Floyd is taking far too long, playing around with the students and goading them on. 

The Diasomnia boy, in his fury at whatever the other students just tried to rip him off of, turns around and in that very moment catches Jade’s eye. It takes very little facial expressions or micro-movements for the students to quickly sober up, and then turn red in a combination of both embarrassment and fear. He grabs at his jacket, slamming his madol down on the table, before storming out of the lounge with Floyd trailing along behind. His twin's laughter is audible even when the doors close. Jade returns back to his duties as you nudge the menu forward. 

“It’s quite interesting how fast that student ran out of here when all you did was look at him.” You muse, resting your chin in your palm as you peer at him. He feels that twinge of amusement again in his gut. If one were to see the two of you right now, they might think that you’re making eyes at him. Perhaps you are, unintentionally or not, and it’s this thought that makes him decide that he’ll humour your conversations once more. 

“Is it?” He replies, cryptic as always as he glances down to the drink menu. This isn’t necessary—he knows every item on display by heart at this point. After all, he’s one of the people who devised it to begin with. “Why do you say so?” 

“From where I’m sitting, you’re about as intimidating as a butterfly,” you counter. He stifles a laugh as he glances back at you. His smile almost reaches his eyes this time. 

“From where you’re sitting? Then perhaps you should move a bit closer—or order a drink that improves your sight.” Another glance at the menu. “Are you ready to order, by chance? The fact that you slid this my way tells me so.” 

“I’d like to move closer…” he hears you grumble under your breath before you shake your head. “I can’t decide. What is it that you’d recommend for tonight?”

For tonight? He recalls vaguely what the weather was like outside before he sequestered himself back into the lounge’s kitchen and storage rooms. The sky had been a mess of gray clouds swirling above, with flecks of white snow gradually descending to kiss the earth. He’s been on land long enough now that the first snowfall of the season has lost its allure—although Floyd still finds amusement in it, when the mood strikes. “It’s rather cold out there right now, isn’t it?” 

More patrons leave until it’s only the two of you left—save for Floyd, who skulks off to Azul’s office with a pleased grin on his face. Jade hums softly again as he sets another glass down. 

They would be closing soon enough. Perhaps something off the menu could be made—as a slight nod to your continuous patronage. 

“Do you like tea?” He asks after a moment, sending a glance your way. He can see your expression perks up slightly. Even if you don’t like it, something tells him that you’ll be apt to accept whatever he sets down in front of you anyway. Perhaps he can use this to his advantage later—he’s beginning to feel bored with only using Silver as a guinea pig for his mushroom dishes. 

“Depends on the kind.” You try to play off your brief excitement with a more relaxed answer as you lean against the bar once more. Jade has to hide the amused little quirk of his lips as he kneels down to put the glasses away. 

“I was taught by Kalim most recently a way to brew tea that I have been itching to try once more.” He looks up from behind the counter, his eyes slightly shadowed in the light, and he can see your curiosity growing. “Would you be so kind as to let me do so?” 

True to his prediction, he sees your lips curl into a smile and you nod, giving him your permission. This time Jade does little to conceal his own pleasure over your comment as he rises back up and brushes his hands on his uniform pants. 

“Wonderful. We may as well go into the kitchen for this. I’m beginning to have doubts that we’ll be seeing anyone else tonight.” 

—------

Truthfully, he doesn’t mind the company. Unlike his brother who often flips between wanting to be around others and wanting to just be alone, Jade finds himself in a consistent state of ambivalence towards company. Your company may rank a bit higher than others, only because you let him do things like this without protest. 

“This is a spin on rhodomel that I’ve been testing out.” he explains, as though giving a lecture as he holds up a tea blend infused with roses. “Traditionally, the drink is a mead made of honey, water, and some syrup—but we aren’t permitted to serve any alcohol, and so I make do with what I can.” 

He recalls Kalim’s instructions for brewing—along with the horrors of just how much sugar the other man dumped into the drink. Jade gestures for you to have a seat as he sets the kettle up. 

The kitchen of Mostro Lounge is large enough to accommodate more than a few people, and yet you situate yourself right next to him at the counter, watching each step he takes with an astute interest. It’s almost flattering just how keen you seem at making sure you don’t miss a single action of his. 

He puts the leaves in the kettle and boils them before preparing a few more herbs of nature that he doesn’t fully disclose. Once the boiling is done, he pours the tea into the herb bowl that he’s prepared, drops a few sugar cubes inside, and then pours the blend into one of two cups he’s set aside. 

“There,” he muses before grabbing a bottle of honey from a nearby counter and adding a dash of that as well. “Perhaps it won’t be as savoury as rhodomel is alleged to be, mainly because we haven’t let it steep for too long, but I do hope it’s somewhat enjoyable.” 

He nudges the cup towards you with his usual coy smile. “Enjoy.”

You take the cup without so much as a second thought, blowing on the hot brew before taking a tentative sip. Truthfully, Jade has never even tried this himself—if it tastes like shit, then he’ll be able to tell by your expression, despite the words of praise you may give. You’re a readable person.

He appreciates that to a degree. 

But then your eyes light up, and you take another sip, and he knows that he’s performed somewhat of a miracle with whatever he’s just made. “This is really good…!” 

A smug look briefly flashes on his face before he leans against the counter once more and finally tries it out. It is quite good, and he gives himself a mental pat on the back for that. Maybe he’ll even pitch this to Azul for a weekend morning special to offer.

Or he'll sell it to Heartslabyul.  

A comfortable silence settles as the two of you enjoy the experimental concoction together. His fingers lightly tap the rim of his cup as he gives you a sly, sidelong glance, studying you a bit more intently than before. Your expression is satisfied and your body language tells him just how relaxed you feel in his presence. Your previous comment of how he’s hardly intimidating to you plays through in his mind once more. 

Perhaps…

“Do you like hiking by chance?” He doesn’t ask subtly—he just outright says it, and he watches as you look at him with a wide-eyed expression. 

“Oh. Sometimes?” You reply.

Not a no, but not a yes. He taps the rim of his cup again. 

“I like to do hikes in the mountains on weekends, when I get the time. You would be surprised at how many fascinating species of flora and fungi exist up there. I collect them for the Lounge, on occasion.” Before Azul shuts that down after a week or so. “You strike me as someone who can be quite adventurous—so, would you like to come along the next time I go?” 

Is this a recruitment? Yes. Is he trying to get you to taste-test his dishes? Yes. Is there maybe a small, selfish reason for asking to steal more of your time without interruptions?

“Sure!” You reply brightly, and this time he does offer a genuine smile. 

Oh, absolutely.

#twst x reader #jade leech #twst jade #me writing a non dia prompt?? unheard of #but WAH TYYYYYYY sobs #jade leech x reader #gn reader #100 followers special