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#twst writing
boopshoops · 2 days
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Yay yay tcoav qna!!!! I still have one more chapter left to read, but I’m super curious about the magic aspect of Yuu Shi’s homeland!! So far we know it’s been banned for like a longggg time, but magic deffo exists. How did it get banned? And regarding that, what does NRC in Yuu Shi’s universe even teach since it’s probs not a prestigious magic school?? I kinda just want to know the similarities and differences between twisted wonderland and Yuu Shi’s world
Also, I didn’t leave any comments on ao3, but ur writing style’s wonderful!! the pov switching is really smooth and not confusing to me at all, and i love how you characterized the staff members given the super limited information about them in game (in contrast to the students’, at least). Can’t wait to see and read more of it and how it differs from the game!! It’s so good so far!!!!
HELLO KRIS!!! kfndjsgjdndk 😭🥺💕💕 im SO glad you're enjoying the fic thus far. I've put a ton of research into the teachers and students alike in order to feel more confident writing them- it was my first time writing characters that i didn't make myself!!!!
As far as Dusk Summit goes, I DO eventually plan on making a post explaining it a bit more... but thats a long ways out as I'd have go learn how tf to draw maps KFNFNDN so there will eventually be a lore and aesthetic dump FJDNDJFJ
Magic in Dusk Summit is a rather tricky subject, some people partially agree that the land claims it as "dangerous," while others think its some weird form at garnering control over the citizens. It is a very... strict place, so to speak.
The main reason that magic has been banned has actually been long forgotten, both by the people themselves and the ones who rule. (Ofc i know the reason but thats entering big spoiler territory ehehe >:))) Therefore, it was simply watered down to "magic=danger!!!" Over time.
Even then they are not particularly wrong- given that in Yuu Shi's world, the outside lands still DO practice magic. She just doesn't know jack shit about it due to being raised inside the Dusk Summit. It's because that magic is still practiced in other countries that the rulers are able to handpick tragedies and push the 'magic?!?! bad!!!' propaganda.
The main differences between the two worlds of Twisted Wonderland is that basically, if you look on a globe, her homeland has poofed out of existence. Everything else is still there.
As for why that seems to be one of the only differences, i'll expand on that in later chapters mwahahaha- everything isnt as it seems, ofc!!
QnA is still open ofc! Come at me yall-
Also old doodle bonus weeee
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Tag list 💛
@thehollowwriter @distant-velleity @lowcallyfruity @cecilebutcher @skriblee-ksk
@kitwasnothere @justm3di0cr3
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twstowo · 24 days
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Would He Catch You If you Jumped At Him? [Twst]
♡︎Help, I have fallen and I can't get up
♡︎Includes: NRC, RSA and Rollo
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He sees you coming towards him, aware that you are plotting something. As soon as you jump in his direction, he catches you, twirls you around, and even kisses you.
⋆⋅☆Malleus, Silver, and Rook
He's probably minding his own business when he sees you running towards him. He catches you and scolds you, but he isn't mad. Just don't do it again; imagine if he can't catch you in time.
⋆⋅☆Sebek, Riddle, Vil, Jack, Jamil and Rollo
Oh, by the Seven, he almost died when he saw you jump towards him. He still manages to catch you at the last minute, but don't do that again to his poor heart!
⋆⋅☆Trey, Deuce, Ruggie, Ortho and Neige
His eyes widen as soon as he sees you jump towards him, but his mind and body seem to disconnect as he is unable to catch you in time. He apologizes millions of times.
⋆⋅☆Idia, Azul, and Kalim
He didn't even move, just stood there the whole time, watching as you fell to the ground.
⋆⋅☆Grim, Epel, Leona, Jade, and Ace
Beatboxing over your fallen body.
⋆⋅☆ Floyd, Che’nya, and Cater
Uses his magic to make you float before you reach the floor and starts talking about how young people are, blablabla....
⋆⋅☆Lilia
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stormgardenscurse · 8 months
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guys don't like me...
Summary: They’re your best friends! But some of the people (NPCs) crushing on you beg to differ, and are starting to hate seeing the guys flaunt their closeness with you.
Characters: Ace, Epel, Deuce, Cater, Leona
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Ace
He’s someone that does this on purpose. It started with dropping in randomly while you were hanging out with other people. Ace picked up on their jealous stares whenever he stood a bit too close to you or laughed at his jokes.
It’s the way you visibly look more comfortable once he’s arrived, because with Ace there you feel less of a need to uphold politeness or conversation-carrying; his personality draws eyes to him instead. And then the one he’s talking to and looking at is you, but despite how that should make you feel put on the spot, it doesn’t. 
Ace dances between aggravating them on purpose and feigning ignorance. He glances at the others when you’re not looking before sporting a smile to ask if you’d go to his basketball match next week. You sigh and say of course you will, ruffling his hair so as to get rid of his smug grin. If Ace doesn’t win, then dinner’s on him. He agrees, happy to leave the room now that he’s left a mark on the conversation. The other students’ moods have dropped, but you don’t know why.
Ace is also the type to be casually touchy, to the point where strangers ask if you’re together - to which he offhandedly says ‘nope!’ only to share your drink (indirect kiss) and receive odd (and some frustrated) looks in the next minute. 
What, is this not normal? Color him flattered that you’re so lenient with him then! (Big faker, horrible horrible)
Epel
Another one that knows exactly what he’s doing, but what else should Epel do when people are eyeing you when he’s also hoping to confess as well? It’s only natural for him to take advantage of his circumstances - he’s already closer to you than they are, and frankly, while he feels bad at the way they deflate when he enters the room and your eyes immediately catch his, Epel feels a sense of pride from how charmed you are by him. It’s like seeing a garden of flowers lean towards the Sun for its attention, only to find that the sunlight has a favorite.
As jealous people sometimes do, his competitors try to subtly mention that Epel is quite cute for a boy, only for him to drop in (he wasn’t eavesdropping, just passing by) and invite you on a magic-wheel joyride. Your evident familiarity with this side of him only throws the others into confusion, and if they challenge Epel to a race, then… he can only accept it and beat them fair and square, no? 
Slightly reckless but also very well-versed (to your worry) with going at high speeds, Epel wipes the floor with them. As to why you’re not a fan of this, it’s because he suggested you sit behind him to ensure he doesn’t cheat! (He’s doing this on purpose of course, but despite your comments of “you’re trying to kill me” you comply, which only strengthens his resolve as you wrap your arms around him to hold on for dear life.)
Deuce
(the NPCs are your friends from outside of school/your hometown! Implied that you and Deuce live fairly close to one-another)
He’s just a nice guy! A guy you think to rely on when you’re in trouble because there’s no one else as genuine and willing to help, in your book. And also the person you dare to open up about your struggles too, if only because Deuce Spade is no stranger to goals that seem unreachable at the moment - like every time you try to climb higher, the earth loosens and slips from beneath your feet and tests your strength.
If he ever hears the other students telling you that he’s a magnet for trouble, Deuce almost slips into self doubt before seeing the look on your face; the obvious disagreement, the hint of offense taken just at the idea. It makes him happy that you have his back even when he’s not around, but a part of Deuce didn’t want to be a wedge between you and your other friends either.
Their complaints soon die however when Deuce’s goodness manifests in a way no one can deny (not anyone with a conscience, at least). When you texted him and mentioned you forgot some ingredients for hotpot when your friends were over at your house, half an hour later there’s a knock on your door because Deuce has run over from his place with said ingredients, saying he had extra at home (“it’s going to expire soon, just take it, don’t worry”), and in a swell of emotion you almost burst into tears at the gesture (Deuce is the only one ever).
Cater
Who’s that guy that always tags you on Magicam? Cater likes being able to see his presence on your profile - it makes him feel more supported on the vast social media sites and quick-moving trends. Whenever you comment on his posts, a smile reaches his face at the sight of a comment that actually knows the context behind the pictures.
So of course, his jealous competitors are quick to ask you about your relationship with Cater. Were you dating? If not, why was he so clingy to you?
You never thought of Cater as clingy per se. Sure, he likes to throw his arm around your shoulder and give you celebratory hugs when something good happens, and texts you a lot - but that’s just how he shows affection in general, you tell them. He’s just a really good friend, and in your head you think that a part of you also relies on his cheeriness to keep your mood up. He always seems to be keeping the energy fun for the sake of others, that you wonder if he gets bored when you both just do nothing at his dorm, flipping through your feeds and doing meaningless quizzes about your personality type.
And then you recall how Cater always asks you for your results, comparing it to his as he leans his shoulder against yours to get a better look at your screen. 
Does he know he treats you different? Maybe. But that’s for him to cling to as long as he can, before Cater has to fess up to his own emotions.
Leona
A mix of intimidation and annoyance is what your admirers tend to feel, whenever you’re with Leona.
You’re one of the only people that can approach him with a smile and ask the randomest things without fear of being shut down, and Leona simply regards you with a sway of his tail and comments here and there. If you’re feeling talkative, you strike a back and forth with him, engrossed in a conversation that onlookers can’t particularly intercept.
More annoying however, is when Leona knows they’re seething inside and just annoys them more by asking you if you could do something for him, like getting him food from the cafeteria. The goal wasn’t to make you run an errand, but have you ask him to go with you instead and buy it together. And with a purposeful act, Leona ‘reluctantly’ leaves his napping spot to be dragged away by you, hand pulling him lightly by the wrist or end of his sleeve.
Sometimes, you’re seen picking up an extra lunch while in the cafeteria line, thinking that you could save Ruggie some trouble by visiting Leona at the greenhouse yourself. Did you realize how much you were spoiling him? Leona says yes, though this awareness might be buried under several layers of him just being ‘a good senpai’ to hang out with. With time, he’ll make his stance clear though. No amount of daftness can ignore Leona when he wants to tell you something, after all.
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Prompt: "I don't care that you're hanging up lights, get off the roof!"
Pairing: Malleus Draconia x Gn!Reader/Prefect/Yuu
Genre: Fluff, Slight hurt/comfort
TW: Reader falls off a roof (but they're okay, don't worry)
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You were a brave human.
Malleus had made this assumption on your second meeting, when you graced him with that silly nickname that he now held so dear. The casual way you interacted with him may have stemmed from your ignorance regarding his true identity, but to see you continue to use it even after learning he was the heir apparent to Briar Valley had left him with a pleasant warmth in his chest and his cheeks.
He adored every part of you, including that bravery of yours that made him fall for you in the first place.
But dear Sevens, that bravery would be the death of him one day.
"Child of man," he called out to you, a mix of puzzlement and concern in his eyes, "what are you doing up on the roof?"
"Hornton!" You visibly brightened as you noticed him, waving your arm so vigorously at him that he feared you would fall from your place on top of Ramshackle's roof. Malleus took a step ahead, worry flashing in his eyes as he looked up at you.
"I'm hanging up some lights for the winter holidays! Ramshackle's gonna look nice and festive this winter," you spoke, showing him the bundle of wires with lights on them that you had next to you.
"Is it truly necessary?" He asked, acutely aware of the pain in his neck from looking up at you. Was this how you felt when you had to look up at him? Now, that would not do; he would have to find a way to make it so that you wouldn't feel any pain in your neck while looking up-
His train of thought was derailed by the sight of you leaning forward almost dangerously. "I'm gonna be fine, don't worry," you told him, a carefree smile on your face.
"Child of man, Ramshackle has no need to be decorated. It is beautiful just the way it is," and so are you, went unsaid. Malleus took a step closer, talking softly and gently, trying to coax you to come down. "Please, come down before you hurt yourself."
"You worry too much Mal-Mal, I'll be fiNE-"
In your attempt to reassure him, you had taken a step ahead on the roof, slipping and getting your leg tangled in the wire.
Malleus' heart nearly stopped as he saw you fall. He casted a spell almost immediately, catching you mid-air with his magic before letting you down onto the ground carefully.
Your legs gave out beneath you from almost falling to your death, and you sat heavily on the ground. Malleus rushed to you, quickly kneeling to check you for any injuries, even though he had saved you with his magic. You rested your hands on his biceps, trembling slightly due to the adrenaline coursing through your veins as you allowed him to look you over.
After making sure you were alright, he pulled you into a hug, his larger frame hiding you from view as he held you close to his chest. You held onto him just as tightly, and for the next few minutes you both just sat in silence, holding onto each other and thinking of what could have happened had he not been there.
"Now I understand what Lilia meant when he used to say that Silver and I would shave years off his lifespan whenever we went off into the forest without letting him know," he said after a few tense moments, voice slightly shaky. Your hands held on tighter at his words, feeling guilty. One of his hands curled protectively over your head, while the other rested on your back.
"I-" your throat felt dry, tight. You couldn't get your words out, even as Malleus waited for you to finish your reply. So you settled on squeezing him tight, trying to make him feel your apology for scaring him when you couldn't put it in words.
"Next time, please allow me to do this sort of thing for you, my dear. Even with how long my life is sure to be, I would rather not deal with such stress ever again," he told you gently, smiling when you nodded, your face hidden against him.
He picked you up, and took you inside Ramshackle, your plans of decorating the roof left for another day.
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Back to Masterlist...
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crow-stars · 6 months
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❝BIG COLD CASTLE, WARM LITTLE HEART❞
❦summary; the experience of warmth is so precious in somewhere always so cold ♪the characters in this story; gn!reader, malleus draconia ✎word count; 784 ❀what do the ghosts say?; romantic, reader and malleus are maried, he wants his cuddles after a long day, more of me pushing my cat malleus agenda, very fluff ☛the author's notes; nothing to note... ☪look at the catalogue?
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The castle that Malleus resided in always seemed to be cold. 
It gave a chill down the spine of anyone who visited for the first time and only continues to do so for many. The ones used to one have learned to ignore the cold, Malleus especially. The feeling of the cold never disappeared either, it was something that residents within the castle got used to. 
For most, people thought it was fitting. The King of Briar Valley with a stare that could send fear down anyone’s body, living somewhere that fit the exact atmosphere that he exuded. He was supposed to strike fear into the hearts of those who dare to cross him. 
Though such things couldn’t be further from the truth, for Malleus yearned for warmth as much as one could. 
He wished he could fill the castle with the warmth and joy that he yearned for when he was younger. But, for now, Malleus was able to get that warmth from you. 
Everyday, without fail, Malleus would leave his duties at the same time every night. It didn’t matter if something else came up, he would always return back to his chambers where you would always await, arms open to the fae.
Tonight was just the same, Malleus’ imposing figure striding through the halls of the castle, his face that same neutral expression on his face. He passed by many servants who bowed to him in respect, yet he didn’t pay much mind to them, one intent in his mind. He finally approaches his chambers, opening the door and closing it behind him with a resounding thunk. 
When Malleus was finally in his room, his safe place, Malleus’ eyes landed on you, sitting on the bed, covered already by the plush blankets. You looked up at him from what you were doing and, already, Malleus could feel his heart swell with affection for you.
He didn’t even bother to change out of his royal attire, instead heading straight to the bed. Malleus all but threw himself onto you, head resting on your lap and curled up against you. It makes gentle laughter slip past you, the type of laugh that Malleus adores hearing from you. 
“Oh, I missed you...” 
“Was your day that bad?” Your hand went to run through his hair, finger toying with the ends of his locks. Your other hand was already in Malleus’ grasp, being held tightly in his left hand. The ring on his ring finger brushed lightly against your skin, the ring Malleus declared he would never take off unless someone ripped it from his cold, dead hands. The declaration made you laugh, at first, though as time went on it was pretty clear he was serious. 
And you weren’t even sure if fae wore rings to show they were wed either. You’re pretty sure that one of the only reasons he insisted on rings was to integrate a bit of your own culture into his life, perhaps to feel more connected to you. It’s an undeniably sweet gesture that Lilia would always coo and tease the king about it.
Malleus let out another heavy sigh and shook his head, nuzzling further into your body. You exuded a heat that Malleus could find in no one else, a familiar warmth that was like sitting next to the hearth of a fire, yet one that seeped further than his skin and into his heart. 
“Everything is well today. Perhaps I just missed more than usual, my treasure.” Your hand ran through Malleus’ hair, earning a pleased rumble from Malleus in return. His head pushed further into your hand, silently asking for more of the affection that only you can give him. 
His response makes you chuckle in response, twirling a lock of hair between two fingers before continuing to run your hand through his hair. “You always miss me.” 
Malleus looked up at you, a light smile spread across his lips. The look in his eyes could only be described as adoring, a softness that was reserved only when he looks at you present. “Indeed I do. That doesn’t stop how I feel.” His left hand squeezed yours and you returned the gesture, smiling back at Malleus. 
Oh, how he loved to see you smile, specifically to see you smile because of him. It made him feel so soft, so warm in his chest he felt like he was going to be engulfed in flames and reduced to nothing, yet he would gladly welcome being burned if it meant it was because of you. 
You were his warmth among the cold castle that Malleus lived in and he couldn’t ask for it to be anyone else.
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kirans-wonderland · 6 months
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Only the Best Incentive
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Trying to get your boyfriend to attend classes didn't go as you had planned.
mdni. cws: dubcon(?), public, light degradation, unprotected sex, fingering, edging, pussy job, creampie
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Why did you suggest this? It worked... but at what consequence?
Leona, your dear, sweet, pain in the ass boyfriend, almost never came to class. You had finally reached a breaking point with his disinterest and demanded he start attending his classes. Of course, all he did was roll over and dismiss your concerns with a lazy swish of his tail. Leona was like a fish who needed a baited hook. In your desperation you said something you thought would be enough of an incentive. His ears perked up and pupils dialated.
Lo and behold, the next day, there he was, seated next to you in the back of the class, during first period. As Trein drained on and on, all you could focus on was Leona's sharp eyes glancing at you and his rough palm on your thigh. There was an entire conversation that happened in these glances. A look of warning was met with a sly smile and a look of false innocence. His hand trailed further up your thigh. His fingers brushed the hem of your skirt. You leaned forward on the desk, lightly biting your finger, regretting the decision to use this as an incentive to get him to attend class. His nimble fingers slipped underneath your skirt, his fingernails lightly scratched the plush skin. You had to bite back a noise as his fingers ran over a still sore hickey from a previous amorous night. Leona let out a quiet chuckle and held a finger up to his lips, telling you to be quiet teasingly.
You tried to keep your composure as you felt his fingers brush the outside of your panties. His fingers ran up and down, massaging the area. He put pressure on your clit under the thin fabric, snickering as he felt the fabric grow damp under his hand. He pushed the fabric to the side and ran his finger through your slit directly. You turned your gaze down to your notes, trying to hide your flustered face best you could. Leona made a soft scoff and tipped your chin up with his other hand. "Oh no no sweetheart, pay attention, you're in class~" He teased you quietly as his fingers stroked your outer lips and teased your dripping slit. "hmm.. already so wet?" He chuckled lowly. "You must be loving this. Doing something so naughty in class, surrounded by your friends. You dirty little bitch~" You stifled back a whimper as his finger sunk into your depths. You looked at him and his stupid shit-eating grin. He turned his gaze back to the professor, pretending like he wasn't knuckles deep in your core under the desk. You tried to pay attention best you could, hand shaking slightly as you took notes.
Just as you started to get comfortable with his finger inside, he added another. Feeling two of his long slender fingers dragging through and caressing your warm, wet insides caused you to let out a small noise. Hearing the noise, Epel turned around in the desk in front of you, raising an eyebrow to check if you were okay. You waved him off with a forced smile, reassuring you were fine; that it was nothing. Epel nodded and turned back around. "Shh~" Leona chastised with his same smirk.
Leona was being a little shit about his 'reward'. He didn't just finger you quickly then be done with it. Oh no. He was drawing it out. His fingers moved slow and deep, teasing you to the edge of bliss before pulling you back by stopping completely. The entire lecture he teased and edged you. You were desperate. Your cunt ached and your thighs quivered as you craved release. Suddenly, his fingers increased in speed and his thumb touched your neglected clit. He was finally going to let you cum. Again, you felt the pressure build inside you, closer and closer to bliss... then the bell rung. He pulled his fingers out, wiped them off and packed up. You were stunned. "Leona... what? He didn't even try to hide his smirk. "What? You said that if i came to class I could finger you. You never said i had to let you cum" That little bitch-
The rest of the day you couldn't get over your frustration and arousal. He had left you high and dry (wet). It was uncomfortable to sit through the rest of the day with this desperation. As soon as the final bell rang you hightailed it towards the Savanaclaw dorm. You were on a critical path, not stopping to even acknowledge Ruggie as you passed. You barged into Leona's room. closing the door hard and locking it. Leona, who was lazing on his bed, his tail swishing out of boredom, barely opened one eye to look at you before grumbling and rolling over so his back faced you. He was napping shirtless, as he often did, making it hard not to get distracted by the toned muscles of his back, flexing and shifting as he rolled over.
He was cute thinking he could ignore you right now. You walked over to his bed and pulled him onto his back, straddling his waist. You looked down at him with a glare. With lazy lids he looked up at you and his hands came to rest on your hips. "Oh? What's gotten into you little herbivore?" Your brows furrowed. "Don't you even start" He didn't stop you as you undid his belt and pants, leaving him only clad in boxers. "Did i get the herbivore all worked up?~" The shit-eating grin was back on his face. You didn't answer as you removed your skirt but left your panties on. You wanted to tease and edge him to madness like he had done to you earlier.
You began to rub your clothed cunt against his boxers. He leaned his head back with a smug smile, letting you. He believed that you were only desperate for your own climax. After seeing how little this clothed grinding affected him, you removed his boxers and your panties. You began grinding on him again. This time, your warm and slick cunt was against his bare cock. His dick slipped between your lower lips as you rocked. This caused Leona to groan in pleasure. You felt his cock stiffen as you rubbed up and down his his shaft. The slick from your weeping core making it easier and easier to grind on him. Your hands were behind you, bracing yourself on his thighs as you rocked over his everhardening cock. His groans became increasingly more frequent. "f-fuck" You could tell he was getting close. Just as he was about to cum, you stopped grinding and got off of him.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing herbivore?" You chuckled, looking for where you had thrown your panties to. "Giving you a taste of your own medicine." A low growl came from his throat. Before you could react he had grabbed your waist and you were pinned under him. His emerald eyes pierced through your soul. "Leona- AH~" His cock had thrusted inside your tight cunt before you could even finish your response. "You think you can deny me huh?" Your jaw hung open as he didn't hesitate to roughly pound you into the mattress. Not even a moan left your lips at the sudden and overwhelming pleasure. "Huh?!" Leona repeated harshly as he gripped your face. "N-no" You finally stuttered out. Leona didn't let up on his relentless, almost feral thrusting as he leaned in and stole a rough kiss. "Good" His tone was firm, almost venomous.
He grunted as he pushed one of your legs up, holding it tightly to get a whole new angle. You were almost seeing stars. Getting him frustrated was not a good idea... or was it? Broken moans spilled from your lips as his dick thrusted deep into your hole at an inhuman speed. Leona loved to see your fucked out expression, arching back and quivering thighs. "You wanted so badly to cum didn't you? Well.. cum. Cum." He ordered. Your body couldn't help but cooperate as you finally burst, adding more liquid to the puddle between your legs. Leona let out an animalistic growl as he felt your slick walls contract around him, milking him for all he is worth. He made one last deep thrust and painted your insides white while firmly holding your hips to his. He wanted to cum as deeply in you as he could.
He thrusts languidly a few more times before pulling out and collapsing on your chest. You grunted under his weight. "Never deny me again" You went to complain that it was unfair he could do it but you couldn't to him. "But-" "I was trying to nap before you came in love" That was the end of the conversation. He was asleep on your chest. His tail was coiled around your thigh. You sighed and put a hand on his bare back. You were stuck under the weight of your boyfriend. His cum was slowly dripping from your messy but finally relived cunt as you drifted off to sleep.
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shiny-jr · 1 year
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damnation (peek V?)
Warning: Yes, this is a yandere thing. Gender-neutral reader.
Characters: Neige LeBlanche, Epel Felmier, Rook Hunt, Vil Schoenheit.
Summary: When you commit a crime, you receive a punishment. This is especially true in your society. No matter the crime, your punishment is the same: banishment. But to where you will be sent in exile and how miserable will it be? No one knows, because no one has ever returned.
Note: Should I be posting this right now? Probably not. Especially since Scarabia isn’t completed, but I haven’t posted anything in a while and I’ve been more motivated and inspired for Pomefiore lately. Maybe seeing comments and opinions on this might boost my energy and make me write more and complete both Scarabia and Pomefiore. Hopefully. Anyways, I wanted to post this anyways because technically it was part of the first sneak-peek before I edited it out so I could make its own and make it longer too. That, and after seeing fanart by a mutual, I wanted to write even more. I’m finally getting the chance now. So I’ll be writing right after I post this. Go check out the most recent fanart I got for this specific part of the project. Oh, and if you have no idea what this is, you might want to check the first sneak-peek post (the “I” below) and my previous posts under the #damnation twst au tag. One last thing. None of this is edited, I just copy and pasted from the draft I have so yeah, just in case y’all see mistakes it’s because I haven’t gone over it yet. I usually go over everything once it’s completed.
I . . . II . . . III . . . IV . . . V . . . VI . . . VII
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THE BEAUTIFUL KING
A dark robe. Wrapped around your shoulders was a black cloak, like wings folded in. Speaking of feathered appendages, there was a single shiny feather tucked behind your ear. You had felt it tickling your earlobe, leading you to pluck it out of your hair to examine it. It was long and black, huge in size, making you imagine it came from a beast of a raven. Slowly you looked up, confused to find yourself at a desk surrounded by books, bottles of odd colorful liquids, and there was even a cauldron in the corner of the stone wall!
Returning your attention back to the feather, you were perplexed but quite liked it so you placed it back behind your ear where you had originally discovered it. Upon standing from the wooden chair, you noticed your change of outfit. A simple white ruffled shirt and black pants, although nearly every inch of you was covered by the black cloak on your back that reached all the way to your ankle and draped around you like a curtain. Lifting up the cloak, you could feel a short sword strapped safely and securely in a hilt on your back hidden away from sight. What was this place…? Why were you dressed like this? Why did you have a sword? What was going on? Was this your punishment?
Just then, your eyes drifted over to a book stand where a heavy leather tome sat open to prying eyes. Your prying eyes, to be exact. Curiously you stepped toward it, your fingers ghosting over the crisp pages of the aged book as you squinted incredulously at the words printed on the surface in a large font, occasionally dotted with red ink. “Poison apple…?” Beside it was the painted image of a ripe red apple, and in its shining reflective skin was the distinct shape of a skull. “One taste of the poisoned apple and the victim’s eyes will close forever in the sleeping death.”
But that… that was from a fairytale! The story of Snow White and the Beautiful Queen! This page about a poisoned apple, the tome, this basement filled with ingredients and suspicious concoctions… So it was true, criminals were often sent to dangerous tales where they would perish. And you... you were a criminal and you were here, but... what role did you play? Lifting your hand up to your ear, you suddenly felt the familiar soft sensation of the black feather accessory and realization dawned on you. Didn’t the queen have a pet raven…? Could that explain why you were here in these strange but fancy clothes? Of all things, why did you have to be the raven?
How did the story go again? The Queen was vain and wicked, she wished to be the most beautiful of all. It was said that she consulted her magic mirror every day and would inquire as to who the fairest of them all was. Should the mirror ever reply with another’s name instead of hers, she would find a way to kill her rival and would only be satisfied once the mirror answered her name. So when her step-daughter, Snow White, grows to become the fairest of them all, the Queen goes mad with jealousy and has a huntsman attempt to kill her. When that fails, the Queen takes matters into her own hands, eventually turning herself ugly as a disguise and even causing her own untimely demise by falling off a cliff and being crushed by a boulder, her remains left as feed for hungry vultures. That was the Queen, but what about the raven? Well, it’s never disclosed as to what happens to the bird, at least to your knowledge. The last the raven is seen, it was being tormented by the wicked Queen as she was creating the poisoned apple. Actually, maybe being the raven wasn’t so bad afterall… At least it didn’t perish or receive some other horrible ending.
Knowing this brought you much relief. At least you didn’t end up as the raven in that other story about a sleeping princess. That raven was turned to stone! You pity any poor sucker that might’ve ended up in that position. This outcome was adequate, for now. Perhaps it was best to venture outside, to attempt to find this beautiful queen. To be honest, it was a little exciting. You had always wondered how beautiful she was, since the novels always claimed they could never do her justice. But that's besides the point. Once meeting her, you then had to decide what your next move would be.
Keeping all that in mind, you climbed the spiraling stone staircases just barely lit by candles. You winced whenever you heard the squeak of a rat or spotted a rotting corpse of a forgotten prisoner still in chains. Quickening your pace until you reached a wooden door, and stepped into the sunlight. It was warm and delightful, the sun’s rays shining on your skin. You felt free. As of now, this was far from punishment. But knowing that you were sent here to be punished or even die, was what kept you from being completely at ease. You could almost just relax here in the calm and beauty of this garden–– key word, almost. Shrieking and many voices shattered your temporary peace, even scaring away the white doves that had flocked in the open courtyard.
Grumbling, you followed the sound of the commotion. It sounded like it was coming from over the high palace walls. There was one portion of the wall that was shorter than the rest, if you climbed onto the smooth edges of the railing by the stone steps, you could successfully scale onto the top of the wall where you decided to lounge about and spectate the action. On the other side of the wall, you could see a young man getting closer and closer, nervously waving at a large group giggling and following him. It was obvious that he was a little uncomfortable, and that he was trying to lose them without hurting their feelings by how he continued to smile even as he picked up the pace.
When his eyes landed on you, he appeared surprised, and as he walked the path he was getting closer and closer. Feeling pity for the lad, you sighed and stretched your arm down, to which he hesitated a moment before finally deciding to place his hand in yours. You heaved him up and slid down to the safe side of the wall, the palace side, just before his apparent fans could catch him. Their whining and complaining was amusing.
“Thank you…! You saved me!”
Oh, right, he was still here. You glanced over at the young man peering happily up at you with the brightest smile on his lips. Your eyebrows furrowed as you slowly began to notice his features. Hair black as ebony, skin white as snow, dressed head-to-toe in rags… No way––
“Ah, I know you!” He exclaimed, delighted as he took a step closer. “You’re my elder brother’s attendant! I’ve seen you around the palace countless times. You are always working so hard that I’ve never gotten a chance to properly meet you! Of course you must already know but my name is Neige, it’s truly so wonderful to finally talk like this with you!” He performed a small but polite bow. Such manners for a prince in rags. “I never knew you were so kind! Is there any way I can repay you?”
“Ah, no, there’s no need for that…” You studied his face, attempting to make sense of it all. If this Neige was Snow White, it did make total sense. His skin was flawless, it looked like a marshmallow, so pristine but soft. He was cherubic. His beauty was more of a one of innocence and cuteness, and it seemed the townsfolk noticed his looks judging by how they focused on his physical features instead of his attire. You force your gaze away. This was the prince who the Queen would try to kill. But there’s a chance it may be King in this version, because you’re fairly certain that Neige had just mentioned something about having an elder brother that you apparently worked for. “It was nothing.”
“Please, don’t be so modest! Your actions were selfless and heroic. Had it not been for you, I’m afraid I would’ve been stuck outside all day with no choice other than to interact with all those that followed me. And I couldn’t have that! I promised my brother that I would do my chores.” A sad frown appeared on his face as his gaze traveled back over to the wall, “Although I do regret having just left them without so much as a goodbye…”
So he was kind… Makes sense. Most princesses, or prince in this case, were kind-hearted souls that were far too naive or trusting and had the strangest ability to communicate with woodland creatures. However that last part worked, you weren’t entirely sure.
“The doves of the courtyard gathered by the well with me this morning! And we all made a wish! I, well… It's a bit embarrassing, but I wished for something truly special. And I believe that my wish may have come true!” A pretty pink blush made his cheeks rosy as he clasped his hands together, looking so truly content as he peered up at you.
“Is that so…?” Well, magical animal talking ability, check that off the list. He really was like the princess from the fairytale. But you didn’t like where this was going. You outgrew fairytales a long time ago, but when you read something so fantastical and magical in your innocent imaginative youth, it sticks with you. Perhaps that was a good thing, because even now you could recall the small details of the story.
In the beginning of the story, Snow White is cleaning the courtyard when she meets the doves at the well where she makes a wish to meet her true love. Not too long after, the prince appears on horseback, hearing the princess’ song that leads him to climb over the palace walls to get to her. When you got older, you quickly realized how creepy that actually was. The prince crept up on her like some sort of stalker, and essentially trespassed on private palace grounds. But that’s besides the point right now. The point is, Snow White made a wish to meet her true love which happened to be the prince. Well, right now, you have yet to see another so-called dashing prince or princess. There was just the courtyard and you were alone with Neige, and he was gazing up at you through his lashes and with a pretty smile that appeared too fondly. The Queen, or King, really needed to stop cooping up Prince Neige within the palace walls. It was dulling his sense towards social cues and common sense.
“Hey! What the hell are you doin’...?!”
Surprised at the sudden presence beside you, you looked to see another stranger. This one you couldn’t automatically connect to a role. It was a short young man with a cuteness that could possibly even rival the prince. He had such wide blue eyes and odd soft lavender curls that framed his face. Unlike you and Prince Neige, his outfit was of much finer detail which consisted of a white tunic and long dark blue sleeves from the shirt he wore underneath. A red cloak was draped over the shoulders of his small frame, the ends brushing against his simple pants and boots. But despite his fine clothing and adorable appearance, he spoke with such brashness, irked for whatever reason.
“Ah, you must be Epel! My brother speaks often about you! He says he sees great potential in you!” Neige interjected, oblivious to this Epel fellow’s irritation. Epel… the name didn’t ring a bell. You could accurately deduce what Neige’s role was based on his appearance and the fact that his name meant snow in French. But you still had no idea who Epel was supposed to be. Again, Neige bowed his head in polite greeting as he exclaimed, “Today must be my lucky day! Not only have I met you now, Epel, but I’ve also met–– Um…” He paused, turning to you and inquiring softly, “I’m sorry, I’m so excited that I’ve forgotten to ask your name.”
The lavender-haired boy quickly snatched your attention away from the prince, grabbing your cloak where your arm would be as he hissed in a whisper so as to not involve Neige. “Are you crazy? Talkin’ to the prince…! Vil is gonna fly off the handle!” Not-so-discreetly gesturing to the window right above them with his eyes darting to it and back to you, but not moving his head, so as to not alert the onlooker behind the glass.
You froze, not moving your head but your eyes moved up to where Epel had been glancing at. Out of the corner of your eyes, you could just barely make out a tall and thin figure in purple standing at the large window, holding the red curtains open with both hands. They were watching, and just as you moved your head the tiniest bit to get a better look, you only caught a glimpse of a deep angered frown before the curtains were abruptly shut, barring you from seeing anymore. That could’ve only been the beautiful royal, the monarch in charge that sees Prince Neige as a rival. When you looked back at Neige, he was still smiling at you with his hands folded in front of him, patiently awaiting an answer. Poor guy doesn’t know what’s coming.
“We gotta go, or Rook is gonna drag us back himself…!” Without even waiting for you to give Neige your name, Epel took your hand and ran like a bat out of hell. Making a beeline straight for an entrance to the palace, you attempted to keep up with him. He was surprisingly strong for someone so small.
Behind you, you heard, “W-Wait, I never got your name…!”
Well, that’s a crying shame. Focusing your attention on where you were heading, you began to lose track of all the twists and turns within these palace walls. Epel led you forward, he certainly knew where he was going. But you? You hadn’t a clue. That is, until after a few minutes, you arrived at a long hall where at the very end there were double doors already opened. The few soldiers standing guard paid no mind to you and the lavender-haired fellow, probably because in their eyes, you belonged here. And yet that couldn’t be further from the truth.
You felt so incredibly out of place as you stood on the lengthy blue carpet that stretched forward toward a small yet intricately designed throne of gold and jewels formed in the shape of a magnificent peacock with its feathered fanned out. But what was more entrancing than the priceless throne, was the person sitting atop it. Oh, how the novels did not lie, they truly could not do the monarch any justice in portraying their beauty. The King, who must’ve been Vil, could’ve been a world-famous model. His face looked like those perfect sculpted marble statues, it was the type of look that would incur the envious wrath of gods and goddesses in mythology. There was not a single blemish or flaw. Not even a single hair of his golden locks fading into lavender was out of place. The long purple robes under the longer black cloak flowing down his body, complimented the color of his amethyst eyes. Those eyes looked even more shiny than the golden crown perched atop his skull. You weren’t a simp but wow.
The King appeared less than pleased, it actually made you incredibly nervous when he bore a frown and silently beckoned you closer with a single curling movement of his index finger.
Walking past Epel who stood by the door, you took a deep breath as you recounted what knowledge you had on etiquette during this time period. Once you were a few feet in front of him, you began to kneel, when he spoke and caused you to freeze.
“Don’t.” Intense gaze glued to your form, he watched you carefully as he instructed, “Come closer.”
You slowly stepped forward, closer to him.
“Closer.”
Hesitating, you took another step so one foot was on the step in front of his throne.
“Closer.”
Pausing, you inched forward, now standing on the same elevation as the throne. Now you were just centimeters away from him, and it was putting you on edge. When he appeared seemingly satisfied, that’s when you finally kneeled in front of him. With a bowed head, a common sign of respect in customs with monarchies, you greeted simply, “Your Majesty.”
The King peered down at you, silent for a moment as you kept your head down and eyes glued to the ends of his purple robes and how his black cloak that matched yours, but his was much longer, pooled around his throne to look like a black void. After a few moments, you felt his hand at your chin, his slim fingers urging you to look up. When you did, he hummed, “Well, my lovely pet, have you had your fun with my little step-brother?” He gave a question, but it became obvious that he didn’t want an answer. At least not yet. This king must not be too fond of the prince. As his thumb stroked your chin and raised it so your head was almost at his knee, he continued slowly while gazing down at you, “You know that I loathe sharing, don’t you? So why would I share you with my step-brother, hm? Have you perhaps… begun to favor him over me?”
It struck you then that the royal must be an extremely envious person. Not only did they want to remain first in standing when it came to beauty, but he also wanted to monopolize people’s attention so that they may focus on him. Replying carefully, you spoke while keeping your eyes glued to his enchanting yet intimidating gaze, “Of course not, Your Majesty. It was merely a coincidence that I encountered him. I cannot be as easily swayed as the masses.” For a moment you hesitated, seeing that he seemed unconvinced as you proceeded, “... My loyalty to you cannot be broken by a prince in rags.”
After a few moments, the tension in the air evaporated as the king graced you with a smile that made your breath hitch. You had said the right thing. Tempted to glance at Epel for a possible clue on what to do next, you refrained and instead remained still as a statue when the king reached forward with his other hand to remove your hood. “Let me see your face, my retainer.” As soon as the hood was removed, he examined your face in the light. It took an incredible amount of calm to keep composed and not squirm in place under his intense scrutinizing gaze. Finally, he frowned and sighed, “I’ve been keeping you confined beneath the castle for far too long. You’re beginning to look ghastly, and I can’t be seen with someone beside me that’s less than appealing to look at.” Removing his hands from your face, he motioned for you to stand, which you did. “You’ve done enough. Getting rid of our guests and covering it up must’ve been challenging, especially for you to do it all on your own. This time, Rook will take over while you will be receiving enough sunlight to revitalize your complexion. Do not overdo it. Rook.”
Guests? Cover up? This wasn’t in the story. There wasn’t any time to fully process what you heard before you detected yet another voice just right beside your ear.
“Good day, petit corbeau!” You felt your soul leave your body for a single second when these words were said beside your ear by a voice, an extremely close and unfamiliar voice. When you jumped, startled, you noticed there was another young man literally only an inch behind you. When did he even get there? You didn’t even notice him until now! When you stepped to the side out of the way, you furrowed your eyebrows at his smile.
The young man was blonde, with hair styled into a ridiculous looking bob-cut but he somehow made it work as he wore a wide-brimmed brown hat with a black feather. Over his shoulders and back he wore a large hunter green cloth that wrapped around his shoulders like a scarf and extended over his back like a small cloak. Underneath, concealed by the cloth, was a dark tunic and black pants with a belt and knife at his hip. However, what unnerved you wasn’t the knife at his hip or the bow and quiver chock full of arrows on his back. It was his eyes.
His forest green eyes were glued to you, and he bore a wide and charming smile. “Ah, to see you without your hood and out of the undercroft, what a rare sight! Marvelous! I must thank you, Your Majesty, for making this possible! It is not everyday we see your dutiful, striking, mysterious little raven. It is truly a spectacle to behold! I will treasure this rare moment where I’ve not only heard you speak, but have seen your visage without being shrouded by shadows and concealed by your hood!”
You did not like this. The way he was looking at you as he spoke so dramatically made a shiver crawl up your spine. Yes, he spoke nothing but praise in such an honest tone and declaration, but there was something in his eyes. Something that placed you on edge as his smile turned slightly ominous and his eyes narrowed at you. There was a twinkle in his green eyes as he tilted his head at you inquisitively, as if sensing your unease without you even saying a word. This had to be the Rook fellow that Epel mentioned offhandedly, and now it made sense as to why he ran back so quickly just to avoid encountering him.
Much to your relief, Vil sighed and interjected without even standing from his throne. Furrowing his eyebrows, he scolded in an irked tone, “I didn’t summon you to pester my little retainer, Rook. Stress from you is not what my retainer needs right now. It causes wrinkles.”
“Apologies, Your Majesty.” Rook chuckled, obediently turning to fully face the royal as you stood stiffly beside him, keeping a safe distance between you two.
Behind you, out of the corner of your eye, you could see Epel quietly closing the doors once Vil gestured for him to do so. It seemed the king wanted privacy, he wished to say something not even the guards outside the thick wooden doors were allowed to hear. The only ones that would be witnesses to his words were you, Epel, and Rook. You had to wonder what was so secretive that he didn’t even want his soldiers stationed outside to hear, and why were you allowed to hear? Was it because you were supposedly in the role of his trusted retainer? Maybe it had something to do with that cover-up he mentioned just a short time ago.
The tension in the room was thick, it disturbed you and you can tell it bothered the short purple-haired young man too if his growing perturbed frown was anything to go by. Despite this, he took up the space beside you. The blonde with the bow, Rook, who you now were assuming to be a huntsman if his attire and weapons were any giveaway, continued to smile without much of a care. Rook was on the left, Epel was on the right, and you were in the center, and still on his throne was King Vil. With luck, you’ll be able to keep up this act. It wouldn’t do for a retainer to fail. It might cost you and be the slip-up that would put an end to this charade of survival.
“I’ve decided. Rook, the duties I normally give to my retainer will be passed onto you today. You’re much more suited for this job. It involves my little step-brother, Neige.” The way he said the prince’s name made it sound like it pained him just to utter it, like it burned his tongue just to mention him. But he continued. “It seems he’s been working hard at completing his chores, hm? He’s been begging for a day out, and he adores flowers so… Rook, you will take him far into the woods, a secluded meadow where he can pick as many wildflowers as his little heart desires.”
Once you processed his words, you froze. It dawned on you that it was happening, this was the moment in the story when the beautiful queen commanded her huntsman to murder the princess in the woods. Vil must’ve already consulted the magic mirror and was told that he was no longer the fairest in all the land. That title now officially belonged to Neige, but it wouldn’t for long if the king had anything to say about it.
The other two loyal and trusted by the king had no idea, as Epel appeared vaguely bored and disinterested while Rook seemed elated. “Of course! I’ll see to it that it is done, Your Majesty––!”
“I’m not finished.” Vil interrupted, frowning tersely as his gaze turned cold. Tapping his well-manicured nails against the armrest of his throne, his eyes narrowed and he leaned an inch forward while instructing, “There, you will kill him.”
The shock was immediately evident on the face of the two beside you. Epel, who had been quiet throughout this entire exchange, finally broke his silence with a small gasp as he moved to cover his mouth with one hand. But it was too late, everyone had already heard him and seen his stunned expression. And yet, no one seemed to really care. Everyone was far too engrossed in what was just said by the king.
Rook appeared just as confounded before disbelief took root, as if he didn’t even wish to believe his own two ears. Removing his hat, he held it to his chest and lowered his head respectfully as he placed a hesitant foot forward. “Your Majesty, our beautiful and lovely Vil, you can’t possibly mean–– our prince Neige…!”
“Silence!” Immediately standing from his seat, he scowled, the prince’s name only making his rage more bitter. And then, he said something unexpected, something off script and never in the story. Gesturing to you, he hissed, “My loyal retainer here could make six souls vanish without a trace, why can’t you do it with one mere prince? Must they do everything? Must I have to dirty my own hands? Hm?”
Lowering his head further, the huntsman replied quietly, somberly, his smile now gone. “Of course not, Your Majesty. Your delicate hands aren’t meant to be soiled…” It’s as you suspected. Rook stayed alive and was one of Vil’s closest servants because he was witty enough to think of something on the spot that was complimentary enough to appease the bitter royal. At least, that’s what it seemed like at the moment. For now, you were grateful you weren’t him. Some people who read the story of Snow White liked to theorize that the huntsman was murdered by the vicious queen for failing to assassinate the princess.
Vil was quiet, not completely calm judging by his sneer but he was composed enough not to say anything more. Standing tall, his gaze honed in on you and Epel, to which he spoke, “My loyal, diligent retainer, escort my successor out. I need to have a word with Rook, privately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
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rayroseu · 2 months
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hm... i wish people dont wrangle and correct different interpretations of malleus too much lol
he is kind, he is evil, he is temperamental, he is eeriely calm, he is insufferable, he is a nice companion, he is forceful, he is also understanding, malleus is the mix of kindness and evil because his parents are the embodiments of those opposite sides (Meleanor being the Evil Princess and Levan being the only Kind fae who aspired peace).
There is no purely Evil Malleus or a Kind Malleus. I think Malleus is just growing up lol
Despite the story depicting him as "monstrous," (in my opinion) no character in the story encapsulates the "true experience" of growing up as well as Malleus' story does.
Of course, growing up means being fearful of aging, losing people, and everything changing without your control. It's not inspiring to know that despite your hard work in making yourself "a proper adult (and a royalty too in his case)", there is no reward such as "everlasting happiness" no matter how much he suffers. That he's damned to lose anything and nothing is forever. Growing up means you only have yourself (alone) in this world.
I also like the fact that Malleus' story growing up says one true thing: that everyone really dislikes suffering lol. Malleus canonical fear is the "unknown." I feel like beyond losing Lilia (and Yuu), he just can't imagine a world without them. For him, a world without Lilia is "an unknown world," a reality with no good outcomes. So he avoids that reality happening because its essentially his unknown, (his fear and suffering).
But idk, I never find any story that gives satisfying argument against "the importance of being hurt and losing anyone", I feel like its just sugarcoating if you say its needed for the "happiness to be worth it." That's why I understand why Malleus also believes he's correct for eliminating pain in the world lol I hope TWST gives a new unique answer to convince Malleus that its okay for him to lose anyone and be back in present time.😭🙏🏻✨
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alastor-simp · 7 months
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Dorm Leaders (minus Vil) reacting to the reader calling them Beautiful
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I may be sick but my head is overflowing with writing ideas so I have to do this. I’m excluding Vil because Vil already knows he is beautiful, so all the Vil simps don't be upset ok. Enjoy :)
Riddle Rosehearts🍓
🍓"!?!?!!?!?!!" Riddle was left stunned at what you had said, and his hair strands jumped up in shock.
🍓Him? Beautiful? That word was never brought up whenever someone would talk about him or mention him. Riddle has been called many things like "smart", "talented", "strict", and cough cough "short" (even though he despises that word), but he has never been called beautiful before.
🍓After Riddle calmed down, he would look at you with judging eyes, most likely thinking you were joking and it was a prank suggested by Ace or Floyd, but as he kept looking into your kind eyes, he realized you meant it truly.
🍓Cue a blushing Riddle, as he looked away from you, embarrassed then looked back at you again: "You are very bold, Y/N. Most people are afraid to say anything to me, yet here you are, casually calling me beautiful."
🍓If you tell Riddle, you will never be afraid of him and will always find him beautiful, yelp good job, you just broke Riddle, as he will turn red all the way up to his ears and neck, and his eyes will become watery, as he will be feeling emotional from your sweet comment.
🍓Everyone in Heartslabyul will notice that Riddle will be in a joyful mood the day after you called him beautiful. He will be smiling more and be less strict with the rules. Heck he even let Ace go with just a warning, instead of collaring him.
Leona Kingscholar🦁
🦁You and Leona were both hanging out near a tree in the botanical gardens, with you reading a book for class and Leona sleeping next to you. As you gazed at Leona's peaceful face, you called him beautiful then went back to reading your book.
🦁Well that woke up Leona from his nap. Leona eyes both opened up in shock and he glanced towards you, not expecting, you the Herbivore, to call him beautiful.
🦁The smirk on Leona's face will be huge, as he reached his hand towards your face, moving your head for you to look at him. "Heh, you expecting to butter me up with compliments, Herbivore? You just calling me that so I can help you with your assignments."
🦁Shaking your head, you told Leona that you were stating a fact and that he really was beautiful. You even said that you found him very beautiful the day you stepped on his tail, yet you didn't say it out loud.
🦁This mans ego was already big to begin with, and you had succeeded in making it even bigger. Leona still had that smirk on his face, but his face was slightly flushed and he was giving you bedroom eyes.
🦁Leona quickly got up off the ground, grabbed you while flinging you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and began speed running back to his dorm. Good job Y/N, you have woken the beast and he was going to take his time with you and expects to hear more compliments about how beautiful he is.
Azul Ashengrotto🐙
🐙"CRACK!" Azul glasses had broke the minute you said that comment to Azul as both him and apparently his glasses were in shock from your comment.
🐙Azul was just on his desk, finishing some documents, and you had just walked into the room to give him some tea and then all of a sudden, said that to him.
🐙Azul immediately didn't believe the word that came out of your mouth. He honestly thought the twins had set you up to this as a way to mess with him. Feelings of insecurity began to rise in Azul as he told you not to lie to him, as he was never called beautiful once in his life, especially to how he was bullied during childhood due to how he looked.
🐙You told Azul that you don't joke about stuff like this, as you walk over towards Azul and place your hand on his cheek. You tell Azul that he is beautiful, including his merman form, and he shouldn't believe the hurtful things that he was called in the past.
🐙Azul started to sob uncontrollably at your kind words, as he moved closer towards you and pulled you into a hug, with his head on your chest. Your words had a big impact on Azul as he slowly started to build confidence and appreciate his merform a bit more instead of hating it.
Kalim Al-Asim☀️
☀️"OH THANK YOU Y/N!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL TOO!"
☀️Kalim wasn't really fazed by your compliment as he always complimented everyone he met, so it didn't come as much of a shock when you called him beautiful.
☀️Still this adorable sunshine boy was very happy and gave you a giant bear hug, and offered to give you a ride on his magic carpet.
☀️You accepted the offer and both you and Kalim flew around Scarabia. After a while, the both of you stayed on the magic carpet and just hovered above while looking up at the starry sky.
☀️Kalim turned towards you and noticed you were staring at him and he asked what was wrong. Feeling shy, you turned your head away and apologized saying you were staring at him cause he was really beautiful
☀️He blushed this time and felt butterflies in his stomach. Kalim was starting to realized that you calling him that made his heart ache. He hugged you again and gave you many smooches on your face.
Idia Shroud🎮
🎮 “CRITICAL HIT!!!!!!!” Idia had literally clutched his chest and collapsed from his bed in utter shock
🎮you were in Idias room, watching him during one of his gaming streams. You liked watching him play in person because you get to see many of his expressions especially his smile which he didn’t always do, and you found his smile very beautiful, but you had accidentally said that out loud in front of him and he had heard you
🎮 “NANI?!? NANI NANI?!?!?!? THEY CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL?!?!?!? OMG THIS IS LIKE THE SCENE FROM AN ANIME WHERE THE UNPOPULAR GUY GETS ASKED OUT BY HIS CRUSH?!?!? THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!!!”
🎮Idia’s mind was racing a thousand thoughts a second, but he eventually snapped out of it when you had tapped one of his legs that was still dangling on the bed, asking him if he was ok
🎮Idia got up slowly like a zombie and sat back down on his bed, cross-crossing his legs while pulling his hoodie up over his head, hiding his face from you. “P-player 2. You can’t be serious. Me? B-b-beautiful? No way.”
🎮Heaving a sigh, you grabbed Idia’s face and told him to look up at you. Shocked, Idia looked up at you, not expecting you to touch him like that. You began complimenting his hair, his face, his smile, his voice and you go on to tell him that he can keep denying he is beautiful but you will continue to call him that no matter what.
🎮His neon blue fire hair started to glow bright pink, as his heart began to skip a beat at your words. You smiled at him and wrapped your arms around him in a hug. Idia stayed still like a statue, but he slowly melted into your hug and gave you a quiet “thank you.”
Malleus Draconia🐲
🐲 “…..” Malleus was left baffled by your words. The both of you were strolling near an abandoned building, observing the structure and admiring the gargoyles. Malleus was going on and on, taking about how beautiful they were and you had agreed with him, while also saying he was too
🐲Malleus was a crowned prince and also one of the strongest mages in the world, so he is often feared by others for his magic and intimidating aura, but then you, a magicless human, who had just arrived to this world out of nowhere, called him beautiful, without any fear or hesitation
🐲Silence filled the air, as both you and Malleus stared at each other, until you broke it and looked away from Malleus, embarrassed at having said that, but you turned back to Malleus in shock as he started laughing
🐲 “Hahaha, Child of Man, you are a strange one indeed. Never has someone called me beautiful before. It is a very odd feeling, but I don’t detest it. Thank you.” Malleus made his way closer towards you and patted your head, smiling kindly at you.
🐲Blushing, you looked back at Malleus with a smile and said your welcome. Malleus continued to gaze at you with loving eyes, as he leaned closer and gave you a kiss on the forehead, and then he disappeared, leaving behind glowing fireflies.
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serenescribe · 1 month
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the once (and many) prince(s) Twisted Wonderland | 3.3k Summary: Silver is, has always been, and will always be, the crown prince of his kingdom. AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54424864 Collaboration with @ohsleepie | Potential spoilers for elements of Chapter 7
Hi everyone! @ohsleepie and I are back at it again with another collaboration based on his wonderful "The Prince and his Physician" AU! This fic is meant to act as a companion story of sorts to the Malleus-focused "the prince's physician," this time focusing on Silver within the AU! Once again, this fic features incredibly beautiful and amazing art drawn by Sleepie; please check him out and follow him, if you haven't already!
I hope you all enjoy!
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The worst part of reincarnation, Silver thinks, is the constant cycle of relearning everything all over again.
Okay, perhaps it would be a bit of a stretch to call it the worst part. There are many negatives, many downsides, far too many to count, to being stuck in a loop of constantly dying and reincarnating. But this particular aspect is, in Silver’s honest opinion, one of the worst out of them all.
There is a bookshelf carved from expensive ebony that sits in his chambers, nestled against one side of the wall. There are several bookshelves in his room, but this is the only one that Silver ever uses, filled from top to bottom with centuries worth of journals — leather-bound books gilded with gold and silver, every detail immaculately painted and carved, the cover opening to expensive parchment made from calves. He tends to absentmindedly run a hand along the spines, eyes glazing over the muted leather colours, before plucking out a book, and reading it through.
Silver only lives a good seventeen years at best, always dying before crossing the pinnacle into adulthood. How much of those seventeen years consist of just… reading? There are, of course, his early years, where he is much too infantile to read and write. But he barely has a few years of reading simple children’s stories before the latest journal is pressed into his hands, and he is briefly explained about the details of his curse.
He pores over the words of those who came before him — the Silvers who came before him, his previous iterations, all dying to form the next one. Their handwriting ghost his own, not just similar but straight up identical, and if he stresses his brain hard enough, he can almost conjure up wispy, fading memories of putting a quill to paper, ink curling across the page in the same, sweeping cursive.
And yet, it is a necessity to read all of it, all over again. Because Silver remembers — but not enough.
His memories are shattered, like an ancient mirror that has been cracked right through the middle, fractured into thousands of tiny, individual pieces. It is akin to a kaleidoscope of lifetimes; when he gazes into this metaphorical mirror, a thousand Silvers stare back, each one reflecting his exact appearance, yet distinct and different in their own ways. And yet each piece is but a shard; Silver remembers only the smallest bits of each past life, the pieces coming together to form a jumbled jigsaw of sharp-edged recollections.
He has lived far too many lifetimes as Silver — the crown prince of his kingdom, the only living heir of their royal family. He has lived far too many lifetimes as a Silver — distinctly different with each rebirth, living a short number of years until the day he inevitably dies.
Silver is immortal, and yet he is not. He lives on as the royal, the prince, a beacon of hope—
But Silver the person changes, with each new looping cycle.
(And so he reads through their journals, no matter how much it exhausts him.)
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Many a time, his gaze wanders to his bedroom window.
As the sole heir to the royal family, Silver resides in the largest chambers of the castle, a sprawling set of multiple rooms, from a drawing room to receive guests, to his private bedroom where he slumbers at night. What this also means is that he is privy to the best views of everything within his kingdom, from the area stretching across the castle grounds, to the rest of the kingdom beyond tall and guarded stone walls.
There are many things for him to peer at, but today, he is gazing at the soldiers’ barracks again. They have their own section of the castle, tucked out of the way, but Silver can view them from the sanctity of his study, a room where he pens his thoughts in his journal and reads through old ones.
The emotion that dwells within him is nigh imperceptible, difficult to describe. It feels as though someone has tied a rope around his ribcage, double-knotting it and pulling it tight before tugging at it, and pulling him forward. There are twinges and pangs that cross his heart, a hollow cavern yawning as his soul collapses into itself.
He feels this as he stares out the window at the soldiers training in their courtyard. His eyes fixate on the swords in their hands, at the way they slash and thwack their weapons against straw-stuffed training dummies. Occasionally, he will spot the soldiers gathering together, jumping and yelling as two of them spar with wooden swords, all of them oblivious to his peeping.
He wants this. He longs for this. He—
“Your majesty?”
Silver blinks. It takes him a split second, pulling himself out of his thoughts, shoving away the deep desires that permeate his heart, but he quickly turns around, eyes fixating on the familiar figure in the doorway.
“Malleus,” Silver greets, shoulders relaxing as a smile slips onto his face. Of course it is Malleus; there are few who have his explicit permission to enter without needing to knock, and his physician is one of them. He waves his hand, ushering him in. “How long have you been standing there? Come on in, take a seat wherever you’d like. And what have I said about the formalities?”
Malleus is here for another check-up, and Silver gladly acquiesces. He can think of no other person he trusts more with his very life and soul than Malleus himself. He allows the man to lead him through familiar routines, magic permeating his body as he searches for something Silver cannot see, before shifting to more physical methods of testing Silver’s health.
Still, as Malleus works in a near-silence, preferring to focus and get his duties done before they can relax and spend some time together, Silver cannot help his thoughts from wandering off again. His desires are not new; he has seen them expressed across multiple journals, scrawled in identical, curling scripts across expensive parchment. The desire to pick up a weapon, to learn to fight and defend, to learn how to wield a blade like a true prince — that is what he so desires.
But he is frail, and the council insists that he stays in, that he can learn to fight once they break the curse. So never, Silver thinks bitterly, eyelids slipping shut as he feels cold claws brush against his forehead. Never in this lifetime, and not while I’m alive.
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Malleus is many things.
To the populace, he has many names, many signifiers, viewed in many different ways. He is a blessing and a curse, for his magic is by far the only thing that can cure their prince, but all of it comes at the cost of his very existence itself: A fae; a deplorable, wicked creature; a monster that is the very scum of the earth itself. The history of their kingdom is written in the blood of their ancestors, shed through grievous wounds inflicted by the sharp claws and gleaming maws of the fae that slaughtered them all.
To the nobles, the members of the council who govern over the kingdom in Silver’s stead, making decisions on his behest, Malleus is something they tolerate. They do not speak of what will happen after the curse is broken and Silver is cured, but Silver knows, from their whispers and sly glances, from the words penned by the others who came before him, that they wish for nothing more than to rid the world of the last of the wicked — not, and never, fair — fae.
Humans gaze upon Malleus with distrust, wariness, abject hatred.
But for Silver, Malleus is one simple thing alone.
To him, Malleus is his friend.
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There are two distinct points in the history of Silver’s incarnations: Before Malleus, and After Malleus.
The difference is like night and day. The journals of before are dismal and depressing, imbued with a bone-deep loneliness that carried all the way through into the parchment pages, stained in the very ink used to scrawl thoughts across the pages. The Silvers of that time tried — truly, they did — to cling to hope, to believe in what their people believed: that one day, their prince would be freed from the shackles of his horrific curse.
But with the passing decades, the many years, the many Silvers that lived and died, they all seemed to suffer from the same truth: there was no cure in sight.
And then there was Malleus.
The guards found a young fae child today, lurking in the borders between what remains of the valley and the kingdom, his own handwriting reads, the parchment yellowed with age, the ink long-since dried. This, Silver knows, is the first point at which Malleus is mentioned, though not yet by name, tucked away in a notebook he recognises by the distinct fern-green colour of its cover. Even now, as I write this, I still cannot believe the abysmal state he was in upon meeting him. No child, whether human or otherwise, should have that many injuries on their body, and though I have had a stern word with those who found him, I fear for his safety.
He shall remain with me for the time being.
Though Silver does not have favourite journals — for such a concept is lost on him when all the journals are such a drag to read, recounting the day-to-day experiences of his past selves, a depressing fog seeming to permeate every page of words — this one is perhaps the closest one to such a concept. Because this journal is different — he clings to every word, phantom feelings of a fierce protectiveness flaring within him, as though this particular incarnation has stirred somewhere deep within him and seized his soul.
It is so painfully obvious how much his past self had cared for Malleus — taking care of him, granting him such patience and endless kindness, spending time with him teaching him the human tongue, of how to read and write. There is a page filled with endless delight upon learning the fae’s name, ink smudged together where the page reads Malleus. Their activities did not end at the crude essentials; there are sweeping recounts of games played together, of crayon drawings and delicious platters of sweet treats — and Silver aches when he reads every word of it, possessed by a longing to return to those simpler times, when Malleus was not his physician, and was merely his friend.
And this care is made so apparent by the last few pages, the cursive made shaky by the cold, approaching winds of Death. To the next Silver, it reads, take care of Malleus. If there is any hope of breaking this curse that ails me, it lies within the powers of the fair folk. And yet, the rest of the page is filled with sentiments, rather than explaining how Malleus is the key to breaking the curse:
I wish this could last forever, these sweet days of playing together. For much of my life, I have been haunted by a bleak loneliness, isolated by my circumstances, and haunted by the weight of all our pasts. I have never had any companions my age, and I know from my readings that all of my predecessors shared the same lonely fate. To indulge in such fleeting luxuries, to have someone to speak to as though we were on the same level, intimately so— it is a happiness unlike anything I have ever felt before.
Blotchy circles stain the pages, the ink smeared in places.
Things may be different from now on. I understand that the council wishes for him to begin his work when the next cycle begins. And it is with that knowledge that I must remind the next Silver: Malleus may be our physician, and he may be tasked with breaking our curse—
But before that, before any of that, he is our friend.
Never forget that, for as long as we may live.
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“Thank you for joining me today.”
Wispy trails of steam rise from two cups of tea, sitting in elegant saucers. Before Silver, and in the middle of the round tea table, is a small spread of sweet delicacies: scones accompanied by small glass jars of jam; finger sandwiches, some filled with goat’s cheese and roasted pepper, others filled with cucumber and salmon; and a small, round cake, tiny enough that it’s perfect for just the two of them.
“Of course,” Malleus replies, his voice smooth as usual. He raises his head slightly, slitted-eyes roaming over the tea-time spread before them, before he dips his head. “I thank you for the invitation, your majesty.”
“We have been over this many times, Malleus,” Silver says, unable to hide the exhaustion that spills into his voice. “You need not refer to me by such formalities.”
He knows why Malleus does so, of course. The answer is written across several different journals — It is difficult for him to reacquaint himself with us in each new cycle, and I truly cannot blame him. How alienating must it be, to witness someone you grow close to, time and time again, look upon you with no familiarity in his eyes? There is another reason too, though one of mere speculation, for Malleus has never confessed the truth by his own tongue — Earlier today, I witnessed a council member chide Malleus for regarding me with such familiarity during our meeting. I do wonder if this may be another factor into those needless formalities.
Thankfully, Malleus always obliges whenever Silver asks this of him — though whether it is because Silver is his prince, or because Silver is his friend, he never knows. “Is there any occasion for this meeting, Prince Silver?” Malleus asks, as Silver beckons for him to help himself, unwilling to dig in first when the fae’s eyes are flickering over the food, glinting with hunger. I wonder if he has forgotten to eat again, Silver thinks. Malleus carries over a scone and a sandwich with his utensils, leaving the cake intact. “Not that I mind it, by any means; it is always a pleasure to spend time with you.”
“There is no special occasion,” Silver answers, finally reaching for the spread as Malleus cuts into his meal. “I… only wished to spend time with my friend.”
Their relationship is a strange, tenuous thing. There is undoubtedly a bond there, from the way that Silver always feels so safe and secure in Malleus’ presence, and the gentle way that Malleus treats him, always appearing whenever Silver calls for him. There are even some rare occasions where the facade of dutiful physician slips, a careful veneer crafted for the sake of survival in the court, and Silver relishes those times, watching as Malleus’ expression sours, the stinging barbs that spit from his mouth more endearing than his usual regal elegance.
But all the same, compared to the earlier journals after Malleus’ appearance, filled with much more warmth and life — even as he learnt his role, Malleus would still happily chat with those Silvers, accept his offers to play games, spend the night with him on many occasions — there is a gap between them now. Driven by age, driven by time, and driven by the eternal, scathing judgement of the many humans of this kingdom, who cycle in and out of life and death, but are all fuelled by the same spiteful hatred and prejudice, taking it out on the only fae they know.
Still, Silver tries his best. He knows Malleus does too.
He sees it in the way the fae’s shoulders relax, expression smoothing out at the edges. “In that case,” Malleus says, after a moment’s pause, “let us indulge. How have you been lately… Silver?”
It is a good day for the two of them, Silver reflects. They drink their cups of tea and drain the pot of its excess drink, and the tray of delicacies are filled with nothing but crumbs by the time they’re done.
Even the cake, a dessert regarded with conflicting feelings by Malleus, is finished by the end of it. For once, Malleus eats his slices with a small smile, both their forks scraping the bottom of the plate as they help themselves to their fill.
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Death no longer scares him, unlike everyone else. Death, in its own way, is a comfort, an inevitability: Silver knows he will reach his demise at the same time, at the same age. Very few people can ever be privy to such knowledge, going through their lives not knowing if they will pass on at age fifteen or fifty.
In that vein, what does it matter if Silver chooses to speed up the process?
He is not allowed proper access to weaponry. The council states that it is because there is no need for him to pick up a blade when he has guardsmen patrolling the halls around his room at all times, but Silver knows better. This is not the first time he has longed to die earlier than he usually does; he can count the other occasions on two of his hands, based on cryptic journal endings dated months earlier than they usually do.
To an extent, a part of him wonders what the point of it is. He will die, inevitably; why inflict such pain and suffering if he knows he’s going to come back? What is the point of it all?
The point, Silver tells himself, is that there isn’t one. He’ll always come back. He’ll always return — and so why should he languish and rot in his bed as his body slowly gives out on him? Why waste those months feeling his muscles weaken and his grasp on reality slip?
Why not do everyone the honour of ending it early, ending it now?
(The silver blade of the dagger, requested from some rookie soldier who knows no better than to deny this particular request from the prince, is cold against the flesh covering his heart.)
Silver is so, so tired. His life is stagnant, unchanging; he lives and he dies the same person, the same name, the same cursed prince of the same bloody kingdom, every childhood filled with days of reading the same handwritten journals signed with the same, stupid name.
When will he be allowed to rest? The weight of a legacy, the weight of his people’s hopes and dreams, drag him down, like impossibly heavy weights that are shackled to his limbs, pulling and pulling until he’s flat against the ground. He never asked for this — and god, it’s so selfish to even think of that, but it’s true.
Nobody ever thinks about him, Silver the person. They are only ever concerned with Silver the prince, Silver their saviour.
Except—
A memory flashes to mind, unbidden — of twisting, dark horns and raven-spun hair, and slitted green eyes that crinkle at the corners as he smiles at him.
(His hands tremble.)
Malleus.
The name fills him with an ache. If there is anything Silver can take comfort in as he straddles the line between life and death, it is simply that Malleus will always be there. Malleus is a constant throughline throughout Silver’s life, and while Silver may ebb and flow, weaving in and out of the many, many years of a fae’s long lifespan, Malleus will always be there.
And though the thought of that face, rendered a child once more in its shock and sadness, causes his chest to knot itself with hesitance and reluctance, Silver steadies himself.
The humans may come and go, live and die, but Malleus will always remain.
(And the blade plunges down.)
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retrograde-tonic · 2 months
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The TWST Dorm Leaders Catch You…
Repost: from Sept. 2022 from my old blog; Anarchy-Archives. The post did well enough that I thought I should put it back up here and reshare it <3
GN reader who’s artistically trained. The boys catch you immersed in your craft, whether that craft is painting, cooking or dancing…
Heartslabyul:
Painting the rose garden on canvas. It was the perfect afternoon. Classes were still in session except for yours; Crewel had let your class out early when someone’s potion exploded. You got off unscathed, so you wandered into Hesrtslabyul’s rose garden with your art supplies, fully intending to paint a portrait of Grim but with the lovely ambiance as background, when a lone rose bush caught your eye. You immediately sat down adjacent to it and set up your canvas, mapping out all of its details. You had completed a couple roses so far and were fully immersed in your craft, not realizing classes had let out, when you heard a voice behind you…
“My, what do we have here?” Riddle stood behind you. You gasped, nearly dropping your brush. Riddle stood over your work, looking impressed. “I had no idea you were so talented. The shade of red translates perfectly from real life to canvas. I might like one of my own, do you take commissions?” You nod, smiling. Riddle explains he would love a painting to capture the unbirthday parties he hosts. “You don’t have to draw all the guests, but the decorations and the rose garden would be lovely. Of course, if you don’t mind.”
Savanaclaw:
Gymnastics. It’s a sport, yes, but it’s also an art in its own right. It’s something you grew up with, so it’s something you go back to when you have a bad day. Tumbling is a fantastic workout, and rhythmic gymnastics with music in the background always fills your soul. You were perfecting some of your favorite tumbling passes in an extra room of the Savanaclaw Magift Stadium. You added in some elegant twists and turns, alongside the back-handsprings and front-flips. You finally landed a pass you liked, and were only interrupted when they said…
“Oi, herbivore. What are you up to?” Leona was leaning against the doorway, looking sleepy. You give a light chuckle and explain that you were tumbling. Leona raises an eyebrow; “I didn’t know you could do that.” You nod, explaining that you put years of practice into it, and that you do it when you’re stressed. It’s better to keep up the craft. Leona smirks and then stifles a bit of a yawn; “You woke me up from my nap, but what you’re doing is vaguely interesting. I wouldn’t mind watching for a bit. Go on, impress me.”
Octavinelle:
Singing. It was past closing time in the Mostro lounge, and you were helping Azul clean up. Azul, Jade and Floyd were locked in Azul’s office, and you had taken to wiping down the tables. You began to hum as you worked. Your humming became slightly louder, your voice echoing off the walls of the empty room. Enjoying the sound of your vibrato in the room, you add lyrics in; now singing at a decent volume. You were exclusively focused on your vowel shapes and your work on the tables until you heard someone clear their throat behind you, making your song come to an abrupt halt…
“Well, this is quite the surprise.” Azul was standing a ways away from you, smiling big. You thank him, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks a bit. “I didn’t know you could sing so well. You’re clearly trained.” Azul steps up closer to you and adjusts his glasses. You nod, explaining that you had had lessons in the past, and that it’s something you’ve practiced for many years. His face lights up so fast and so bright when he hears that, you can practically see the Madol-signs swimming in his eyes. “You know, I would love to have you perform here at the Mostro Lounge. May we make a deal?”
Scarabia:
Cooking. You had helped Jamil bring supplies to the kitchen while he was off tutoring Kalim. While you were there, you noticed the perfect set of ingredients to make your favorite dish. It was a quicker one, but flavorful nonetheless. You get to the prep work, chopping the vegetables with ease using your perfected knife skills. You heat up the pan and toss the veggies in, sautéing them with a plethora of spices. The alluring smell of the aromatics must have drawn someone in, because they startled you when they said…
“It smells soooo good in here!” You whirl around, cooking spoon still in hand, and greet Kalim’s massive smile. You thank him enthusiastically, matching his energy. “What are you making?” He steps up to peer into your pan. You explain what you’re making, and that it’s your favorite; “I could make enough for multiple people, if you’re interested.” Kalim’s eyes light up. “That would be awesome! I can have Jamil poison test it, even though I know you won’t do anything to hurt me. He can have some too!” You chuckle lightly, thinking about Jamil’s distaste for Kalim enjoying cooking other than his own. “I’ll have to go fetch him! And thank you for cooking! I can’t wait to try it!”
Pomefiore:
Dancing. It was early in the morning, and you were alone in Pomefiore’s ballroom. You couldn’t decide what to do for your workout, so you threw in your earbuds and put on some music to dance to. It was a bit early for more energetic dances, so you put on a playlist of any song with 3 beats per measure, and you began waltzing. Well, sort of. It was your own version of a waltz, with a lot of ballet influence. It was very free flowing and it spanned the entire room. Jumps, spins, dips…whatever your heart desired in the moment. You hadn’t performed in years, but your body still knew how to glide over the floor. You danced your heart out for some time, until you saw a figure standing in the doorway from the corner of your eye…
“My my, I didn’t know you could dance like that.” You stop dancing abruptly, dropping your arms to face the man in the doorway. Vil stands there, smiling as he speaks. Facing him entirely, you shut your music off, returning his glowing smile and accept his praises with ease. “If only Epel could move like you do…” he sighs, entering the room. You give a polite chuckle; “I’ve been doing this for years, so…” Vil scoffs lightly and clicks his tongue as you apparently state the obvious. “I can see that. What other styles of dance do you know?” he inquires. As you go through the styles you know, he steps up and takes your hand; “will you dance with me? I’ve been looking for a dance partner, and you seem to be the perfect fit.”
Ignihyde:
Animation. You were huddled in Ignihyde’s lounge, staring daggers at your device. You had worked on this animation for about a month now, but something wasn’t adding up. You gripped your drawing pencil in between your teeth as you stared at the animation, slowing it frame by frame. You flipped the canvas back and forth, and then you caught it. The blinking was uneven and unrealistic. You announced your victory with a little excited screech, which must have tipped them off…
“Animating again? For that new game series?” You look up from your device to see Idia standing above you. “Can I see?” You nod and play the animation. Idia’s eyes instantly light up. “Wow, talk about some S-tier stuff!” You smile and thank him. He asks you to play the animation again and again, seemingly analyzing each frame. “I’ll have to show Ortho! He’ll love it! If…if that’s okay with you?” His excited confidence falters a tad, but he regains it when you smile; “I would love to show him! You’ll have to call him over!” He grins, appreciating your acceptance. “You’re so lucky you’ve been working on that project! I can’t wait to play it when it’s done!”
Diasomnia:
Playing a classical instrument. This was your escape. You love what you do, and every time you find yourself completely lost in the music. The rooms in Diasomnia are lovely in terms of echoing acoustics. Not so great for practicing and being critically aware of your raw sound, but great for an ego boost. Today, you had decided to pull out a piece by Clara Schumann. One you hadn’t played in a while. Midway through, the tempo changed; adagio, it said, and you fluttered your eyes closed. Your fingers remembered the section well, and they took over while your eyes were closed. Your passionate playing echoed off the walls until you heard the door open loudly…
“I haven’t heard that piece in years.” Malleus’s shadow stood in the doorway, a faint smile on his face. He sounded quite nostalgic when he spoke, and he spoke slowly; “Schumann, huh?” You nod, confirming his guess. He enters the room silently, and steps closer to look at the music. “You have good taste,” he eventually says, reading the music silently to himself. You smile, and thank him. “We should play a duet sometime,” you offer. His face lights up at the request, and he accepts graciously; “I would love to hear your music blend with mine.”
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moonlit-midnight · 4 months
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Charmed and fascinated by you
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Characters: Lilia Vanrouge.
Genre: AU, Urban Fantasy, Implied Romance.
Warnings: GN!Reader, self indulgent and inspired by an old fic that I wrote years ago, so excuse the slightly weird writing.
Lilia’s striking red eyes met yours as he leaned back against the balcony railing.
His long hair was unbound and disheveled, blowing wildly in the wind. It was a captivating sight to behold, a mess of raven black, dark blue and amaranth red.
Under the night sky, lit up with thousands of luminous stars he looked more inhuman than the first time you met him a few months ago.
Lilia was stunning, an absolute beauty, like the way a thunderstorm is when it strikes the dark skies.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” He broke the silence, his deep voice snapping you out of your trance. 
“You don’t seem like someone I should take lightly, but I’m not afraid of you.” you paused, shifting your gaze skywards before carrying on in a deliberate tone. “I’ve encountered creatures who’re far more dangerous than the fair folk, so I have no reason to fear you.”
And God knows I’m drawn to what’s strangely fascinating and unworldly.
Lilia stepped towards you, giving you a little bemused look.  “But I’m not a kind soul like you perceive me.”
“Nonsense!” you murmured, cheeks slightly tinted red as you stared at him. “You certainly are a good person.”
“When I trespassed in your realm months ago, you helped me escape when I got caught.” you took Lilia’s right hand in yours. It was cold as frozen iron, but you didn’t flinch at all. “You could’ve just left me there, but you held my hand and took me somewhere safe.”
“Goodness!” Lilia let out a soft chuckle, his eyes still steadily fixed on you, glinting in sheer amusement. “You’re either a brave soul like you claim to be or simply a peculiar human who holds a lifelong fascination with the denizens of the otherworld.”
Then he smiled at you for the first time, truly smiled, a smile as lovely as his name and no doubt the most hauntingly beautiful sight you ever gazed upon.
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twstowo · 3 months
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They End Up In a Universe Where The Two Of You Hate Each Other [Twst]
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗SYNOPSIS: The two of you are happily dating and he couldn’t have asked for anything else, however, one day he finds himself in a strange place only to find that here the two of you are enemies.
♡︎Enemies to lovers????
♡︎Includes: Riddle and Leona
[AU Masterlist]
[Here] ☆[Azul and Jamil] ☆[Vil and Idia] ☆[Malleus]
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⋆⋅☆Riddle
The fate of this Riddle had been written. He would ascend to the position of the King of the Queendom of Roses as his mother passed away, and he would transform into a worse tyrant than her. Eventually, everyone he thought he could trust would turn against him.
──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────
Riddle was dumbfounded when he opened his eyes, only to find himself in front of thousands of people, a crown on top of his head, proclaiming him as the King of this strange land. The people in front of him bowed in fear of his rules, as he was nothing more than a tyrant in this unfamiliar place.
Days passed as he tried to comprehend how he ended up in such a peculiar setting – one where Night Raven College didn't exist, and his mother, once the queen, had just died, making him the King of the Queendom of Roses. Along the way, he encountered some of his friends such as Trey and Che’nya, but none of them seemed to enjoy his company, only interacting with him out of fear, just like anyone else. For Riddle, this didn’t make any sense. He knew that his past actions in his universe had been that of a tyrant, but he had changed with your help and that of his friends who were here by his side. Seeing himself in a similar situation again, he decided to alter the course of history that dictated he be betrayed by his own people.
“Stay still, or I will cut your throat.” Finally, you entered the picture. Riddle had questioned when you would show up since he arrived. At first, he thought that maybe you would be one of the party members seeking his hand in marriage, but he felt that wouldn’t entirely suit you. He knew that when you showed up, you would turn his world upside down because that was the impact you had in his universe. You stood in front of him, a knife dangerously close to his throat, ready to cut it if he made any stupid moves. If this had been someone else, he would have been ready to fight, ready to call the guards and collar you. However, deep down, even with a knife next to his neck, he knew that he could trust you.
You were an assassin, meant to kill the tyrant king, driven with only this purpose. It had been one of your group that had murdered the Queen, and now it only lasted for you to finish the job of ending the tyrant's bloodline. However, strangely after the king’s coronation, you started seeing a strange change in his actions. The once tyrant man who collared everyone in the city came back to uncollar them. He hosted tea parties for the people in the city and abolished some of the laws his mother had created. Did you really have to kill someone like that? Was he as bad as everyone made him seem? You decided to check for yourself, and with that, you found that Riddle was, in fact, someone with a gentle heart.
“I wish to undo what my mother started,” you heard his docile words, a questionable expression on your face. Did he really mean that? He could be trying to lower your guard to call the guards, but within his eyes, you saw no sign of lies. He meant what he had said, he truly wanted to better the Queendom. You decided to give him one chance, for if he failed, you would come back to take his life.
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⋆⋅☆Leona
The fate of this Leona had been written. He would kill his brother out of jealousy for ascending to the throne, and over time, he would be overthrown by his own nephew, left to be alone and mocked.
──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────
A story that Leona deemed fitting for him, as he once again witnessed his brother achieving what he had desired, becoming even here the shadow of his own brother. Most of his days were spent lazing around, knowing that no good would come from trying to follow the predetermined path laid out for him. Unless he did things differently.
The sweet taste of power was intoxicating, and he planned everything with immense detail, confident that everything would turn out perfectly. That was until he saw you. You, hailing from another land, sought to establish a peaceful connection between the realms. Upon seeing him, you strolled towards him with a fiery look, as if commanding him to behave. If it had been anyone else, he might have lost his composure, making sure you would regret ever looking at him disrespectfully. But he could never do that to you. He almost found the expression amusing, almost as if you had turned into his lucky angel, advising him to halt his plans before he could end up as fate had written for him here.
“Why are you always lazing around?” The sweet melody of your voice captured his attention, but there was nothing sweet about it. Your hands rested on your hips as you looked down at his figure. To anyone hearing you speak, it would seem as if you hated him, and to a point, you actually did. The fact that you saw so much potential in Leona, and yet the only thing he seemed to do was sleep, made you furious beyond belief. You had come from a family that demanded perfection, and perfection you had to become. Working day and night to fulfill their expectations, you aimed to continue their bloodline. Seeing someone like Leona, who appeared to have been born with everything you had to work so hard for, made you mad.
“Why not join me for once?” He asked, tapping the grass next to him, a mocking tone present in his voice as he checked if you could lower your guard to fulfill his wish. In truth, he just missed the moments back in his universe where he would lay his head on your lap as you talked about your day. Yet, the you from this universe wasn’t so thrilled with that idea, and he watched as you turned around with a roll of your eyes.
Your encounters were filled with glares, as you didn't seem to enjoy his company and spoke ill of him. However, somehow, even if mean, he found himself enjoying the time spent with you, albeit fleetingly. While he glanced at your departing figure, wishing to spend more time with you, he knew that, just like in his universe, you were meant to be by his side.
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stormgardenscurse · 8 months
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Local sleep deprived mess here, i was wondering if your amazing writer self would grace us with what vil,rook,leona,jamil and floyd would do if they woke up late one night and there s/o is just gone, so when they look for them they find them in the dorm kitchen baking because they had a bad dream? I adore your writing author-chan, keep up the great work! ♡♡♡
Summary: Baking late at night, after a bad dream...
Characters: Vil, Rook, Leona, Jamil, Floyd
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Vil
At first, Vil wonders if he should start placing a curse on your slippers, so that if you tried to get out of bed at night, you'd only be dragged back to his side and let him know if something's wrong. But considering how you're always conscious about how busy he is and as such, try to keep your worries to yourself, Vil can't help feeling his resolve soften at the sight of you humming quietly, pouring ingredients into a bowl with practiced ease.
Baking was like chemistry or potion making, you'd once told him. It's honestly a horrible hour to have something sweet, but what kind of person would he be to leave you alone?
"I didn't think you'd find the energy to make something in the dead of the night." Vil says as a way of greeting. As he approaches you, it's easy to spot the flaws in your actions - shakier than usual, absentminded. It's easy to accidentally topple or drop items when you're like this. That's what Vil tells himself, anyways, as he takes the mixing bowl from you.
Rather than 'wasting' a few minutes of his time, it's worse if Vil ends up worrying about you the entire day if you don't speak up, you know? 
He tells you as much; "You could have just called for me. Now be a dear and tell me what to do - I'd like to get back to bed before dawn."
Despite how he tries not to prod too much about what had shaken you, Vil finds himself glancing over at your expression to make sure you're okay. 
The smile playing on your lips is a good sign, at least - he's glad you found some humor in how you managed to have the Vil Schoenheit baking for you. (For the record, he'd like to think he's quite good at it too compared to the average beginner.)
Rook
Suffice to say, you'd almost jumped out of your skin when Rook finally made his presence known at the entrance of the kitchen, eyes glimmering like a cat's. 
While you tried to put on your usual smile and pretend everything was fine, it's hard to get your expression from earlier out of the hunter's mind. Beautiful as you are no matter what state you're in, he'd like to chase away any monsters that may be haunting you. And what was Rook Hunt if not tenacious in what he set his mind to?
Rook plays along at first by monologing about how he'd awoken to the loss of starlight in the sky… a hearth that held his heart… and when he'd followed the traces of where it had gone, he'd been led to you!
At his last words, Rook places his hands gently over yours, pausing your movements. Despite yourself, you can't tear your gaze away from him when he asks you what's wrong, almost folding on the spot.
Belatedly, you realize that allowing Rook to help also meant that he was starting to add unusual ingredients into the batter. You were surprised that the cookie dough actually tastes pretty good, despite its color from the many toppings he's put in.
God, does he love the sound of your laugh. When you pause and ask Rook what's wrong (he's staring), he simply gives you a radiant smile.
"It seems like my heart had just been returned to me." With the sly hunter resting his chin on his palm, elbow propped against the counter, you start to realize how disarming he looks with dishevelled hair.
Leona
Leona's normally grumpy when awoken from his sleep, but the feeling of an empty space next to him where you were just moments before was unsettling, to say the least. You were always a presence that barged in on his life even when he'd rather curl under the covers and sleep the day away, so to have you sneak out during the night was an odd feeling indeed.
Nevermind the fact he'd been sleeping so well that he didn't notice your absence until a while later (more delayed than he'd like to admit, ever since he got used to napping with you) - Leona was less than amused when he realized you got up to do work out of all things.
But of course, the first thing he does is say he'll steal your food once it's done baking. Rests his chin on your shoulder while he watches you mix and pour ingredients, lazily draping himself over you like a weighted blanket.
While these sweets won't really get rid of your nightmares, Leona decides that he can do that much himself. (With his presence or a a simple spell? Who knows.) When he tells you the food is an advance payment for his labour, you'd played into the topic by questioning what said labour was. 
"To make sure you're well rested, of course." A lilt of confidence in his voice, Leona muses about his kindness for gracing you with his services. (In reality, he's just getting his partner back in his arms so that he can get back to sleep, but he won't linger on the specifics.)
Jamil
Perhaps it was just out of habitual behavior, but in the first seconds of processing you were gone, Jamil’s brain went from ‘they probably went to get water’ to ‘what if something happened to them’ (worst case scenario)
It’s a good thing you thought to leave a note for him though (it’s not often Jamil seems to sleep so peacefully, so you didn’t want to interrupt his much-needed rest), saying you went to the kitchen. After mulling it over Jamil finds himself unable to fall back asleep, and ventures to find you out of curiosity of what you’re doing.
He’d guessed you were making a late night snack or something along those lines - so color Jamil surprised when he sees you frosting the cakes you’d baked together earlier in the afternoon (someone’s birthday was tomorrow). You said something along the lines of saving him some work, since you were now awake anyways.
Rather than chiding you, Jamil instead takes out the box of extra vanilla sponge that was leftover after trimming the cake. Perhaps it was because he knew how doing something while plagued with unwanted thoughts had a calming effect, but he didn’t stop you, instead asking you what drink you wanted.
With two mugs on the table and Jamil scrolling through his phone as you work, you’re surprised when he uses a spoon to take some frosting out of your mixing bowl to dollop on the cake, haphazardly pairing them together.
At your questioning look, Jamil only shrugs with the hint of a smile. “Not everything has to be done to perfection, right?” 
A comfort hidden beneath a subtle jab from your past words. You let Jamil feed you a bite, hands still occupied by the piping bag and frosting on your fingers.
Floyd
Doesn’t really ask what you’re doing in the kitchen, but offers to help you bake! Floyd turns your otherwise solitary session into a fun conversation. It’s a type of comfort that lets you know you don’t have to divulge what’s bothering you, but his presence will be there anyways by your side.
You’re not sure if Floyd is doing this consciously, but you do know that he’s quite in tune with your emotions, even if he might not magically know the reason behind your mood.
Floyd mentions you sound happier now. The topic ranges from random things that distract you to mundane questions classes. While you’re waiting for the pastries to bake in the oven, Floyd walks you around the dorm to stretch your legs.
…The underwater view from Octavinelle’s dorm really is something. How can your surroundings feel so vast when it’s technically just a part of the college? One day you might be curious enough to figure out how far the water goes, but for now you have to reject Floyd’s suggestion of going for a swim. The last thing either of you needed is for Azul to track you down for flooding the hallways with water, even if it sounded like a funny way to start the morning.
Thankfully, you remembered to set a timer on the oven so that it’d stop baking after twenty minutes! Some things taste best when they’re freshly made, and this was no exception; before you realized, between snacking on the pastries while talking to Floyd and waiting for them to cool down enough to put in the fridge… half of it was gone.
You just hope that you’re not too sleep deprived the next day, to the point where you can’t get up in the morning because Floyd is hugging you to himself like a human plush.
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Prompt: "Oh my God, look at that — it’s a mistletoe!” “…Absolutely fucking not. Don’t give me that look! I’m not kiss— ugh, fine, you menace."
Pairing: Leona Kingscholar x GN!Reader/Prefect/Yuu
Genre: Fluff
TW: NA
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"Did you hear about the mistletoe infestation in Octavinelle?"
Leona glanced up at you, attention momentarily diverted from the chessboard where he was currently obliterating you. An eyebrow was raised in silent question, and you continued.
"Apparently Octavinelle has mistletoe on all its doorways, and it won't come down even with magical means. Nobody knows who did it."
"...And?"
"And what?"
Leona looked at you properly, pinning you in place with his gaze. "How is that relevant to our game right now, herbivore?" His eye caught onto movement, and he glared at Grim, picking him up by the scruff of his neck. "Oi furball, don't eat the chess pieces. Unless you want me to eat you." Leona made a show of snapping his teeth at the cat-monster, making him squirm and try to break free from his position in mid-air.
Grim coughed up the knight and pawns he had stuffed into his mouth, pointing at you, "Nyah! They told me to do it! Eat them!"
You gasped in indignation, glaring at your partner in crime for exposing your little scheme strategy. "Grim, you traitor!"
Grim wriggled in mid-air, still in Leona's hold as he demanded to be put down on the ground. Leona looked at you with a smug look on his face.
"Is it frustratin' to lose against someone cleverer than you, little herbivore?" He hummed, eyes glowing under the soft evening light that streamed through his open windows. "Usually I'd appreciate your sneakiness, but you better keep these schemes for the likes of that octopunk," he drawled, voice sweet yet holding that sharpness of a predator as he dropped Grim to the floor.
You let out a nervous chuckle as Grim quickly ran to hide behind you. You focused on the game in front of you, face scrunched slightly as you thought how to make your inevitable loss less devastating.
You missed the way Leona's eyes sparkled with amusement and a rarely seen warmth as he watched you map out your next move on the chessboard.
He watched as you walked right into the sweet little trap he had placed for you, gradually chipping away at your forces. Much in the way a predator may play with his prey before finishing them, he dangled tiny threads of hope in front of you, examining you carefully, noting every time you brightened only to realize that he had you exactly where he wanted you.
After a long, arduous game, he finally uttered the phrase you had wanted to hear for so long. "Checkmate," he said, keeping eye contact with you as he placed his last piece in place.
"Finally," you huffed, leaning back into your chair as you frowned at him. "Did you do that on purpose?"
"That's what you get for tryin' to cheat," Leona smirked, leaning back into his chair. "That's rich, coming from you," you mumbled under your breath. The flicking of his ears in your direction and the narrowing of his eyes let you know that he had heard you, loud and clear.
Stupid beastman hearing.
Leona said nothing of your remark, leaning his chin on the palm of his hand as he turned his head to stare outside the window. The sun had been directly overhead when you had walked into Savanaclaw; now it was sinking down low, pretty orange and pink splashes coloring the sky. Grim had left the two of you a while ago, when both of you were too invested in the game.
You carefully collected the chess pieces, placing them in their special box. The chessboard was set aside with similar care, the table in front of you left bare. Leona didn't move from his position, still looking outside the window.
You smiled, turning your gaze to the setting sun. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Leona glanced at you from the corner of his eyes, letting out a soft hum as acknowledgement.
"Aren't you getting late herbivore?"
"As Prefect of Ramshackle, I decide when curfew is for my dorm," you winked at him, a mischievous glint to your eyes.
"Abusing your authority now, are ya?" Leona huffed in amusement, regarding you carefully as he lounged in his chair. You shrugged, mimicking his relaxed position. "Maybe, haven't got any complaints from the ghosts yet."
The corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly at the cheeky reply.
Most people were either too intimidated by the Savanaclaw housewarden to mouth back at him. But not you. Ever since his overblot, you had taken it upon yourself to try and match his wit with yours, his (mostly empty) threats with a cheeky yet not unkind remark.
Leona was amused by you.
He watched you check the time on your phone, tail swishing languidly as you looked up at him with a small smile on your face.
"Looks like I do need to get going."
Leona stood up from his chair wordlessly, moving towards the door without a backwards glance at you, knowing you'd follow him anyways. He didn't need to escort you out; you knew your way in and out of Savanaclaw dorm like the back of your hand now. But there were always some foolish Savanaclaw students eager to pick a fight with you, wagering whatever they might have on them at that moment to just have a chance to battle against you. You never let an opportunity go wasted, and things would often end with a triumphant you skipping away merrily, while he had to deal with those miscreants coming up and complaining to him about losing a fight they picked.
Leona claimed that he walked you to the mirror connecting the dorm to the Mirror Chamber because he was sick of people crying to him about losing against you. But both of you knew that that was just an excuse.
As you walked side by side, you talked. Well, it was mostly just you speaking, with Leona offering his input every now and then. The setting sun painted the halls of the dorm a glorious golden hue, warm and comforting. Even the shadows casted on the ground seemed to dance in delight.
"And then, Ace-" you stopped in the middle of your sentence, eyes fixing onto something. Leona followed your gaze to find an innocent looking plant hanging from the main doorway of Savanaclaw, white berries shining in the last light of the day.
"Oh my God, look at that — it’s a mistletoe!" You exclaimed, as though seeing the plant for the first time in your life.
"…Absolutely fucking not."
You turned to give Leona your most betrayed look. Leona frowned at you, "Don’t give me that look. I’m not kissing you."
"It doesn't have to be a kiss on the lips, you know," you said, trying to get him to cave in. "Or are you too scared to kiss me? Or-" you gasped theatrically, a gasp that could put Rook to shame as you eyes lit up with a familiar cheeky light, "is it because this would be your first kiss? Oh Great Sevens, are you afraid of losing your first kiss?"
Leona narrowed his eyes at you. He knew what you were trying to do. He also knew that you would back off if he doubled down on his refusal, too mindful of boundaries to actually go against his wishes.
He didn't want that to happen.
"... Fine, you menace," he muttered, his hands wrapping around your waist and pulling you close. You yelped at the sudden movement, finding yourself pressed flush against Leona's body.
One hand left your waist in favour of raising your face, to make you look at him. Eyes darkened with intent peered into yours, before slightly chapped yet soft lips captured your own.
You did not have enough time to register the surprisingly sweet yet heated kiss that you two exchanged. Pulling away from you Leona smirked, his hands dropping back to his side. "Satisfied now, herbivore? And for the record, that wasn't my first kiss."
You looked up at him, cheeks dark and palms sweaty, unmoving even as he walked away and inside the dorm. You stood there in complete silence, a hand coming up to touch your lips in a daze.
"Shishishishi, you look a little red there, Prefect."
You didn't need to turn to know who it was. Ruggie approached you, slinging his arm over your shoulders and effectively breaking you out of your trance. You looked at the hyena beastman, cheeks turning darker at the amusement in his eyes.
"Remember to pay me for the little thing up there, hm?"
You smiled, nodding your head. "Of course, I'll get you your favorite donuts. We had a deal after all."
Your eyes flicked over to the little parasitic plant that worked a lot better than you thought it would.
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crow-stars · 7 months
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❝LITTLE BITS OF GOLD❞
❦summary; how can something so small and practically worthless make him want to protect it with all his heart. how unfair... ♪the characters in this story; gn!reader, azul ashengrotto, jade leech, floyd leech ✎word count; 2,151 ❀what do the ghosts say?; ambiguous, azul and reader are childhood friends, reader is a jellyfish, going to a carnival/fair with the tweels, azul calls reader dumb but not in a bad way ☛the author's notes; went to an event today, so posting this at who knows what am. also i suck ass at darts ☪look at the catalogue?
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Azul doesn’t understand you. In all honesty, ever since the two of you were kids, he didn’t understand you that much. 
You were a pretty merfolk, skin that glowed a soft gold and purple in the dark of the sea, that see through domed hood framing your head in a beautiful manner that Azul still finds pretty even as he’s grown up. Jade and Floyd always liked dragging you around during the night as their own personal flashlight. And, of course, Azul was taken along for the ride, sticking close to you during those stupid night trips. You were always around the three, idly drifting along and going along with whatever adventure or antic the tweels decided to do for the day. 
You always liked Azul though, for whatever reason. In his eyes, you were like a barnacle stuck to his side, following after him for whatever he was doing or silently watching from the side. In all honesty, Azul was sure you were more of an airhead than anything else, not that was a bad thing, always talking about the future and things that Azul knows are a far distance in the future. Despite that, he still listened, sometimes even daring to daydream alongside you on the rare days where he let himself relax. 
A few years before Azul had been accepted into Night Raven College, you had to move away, or do a “migration”, as your parents had told you. You slowly slipped from Azul’s thoughts as studying magic and his enrollment in Night Raven College took priority. He had almost completely forgotten about  you (though not really), until the beginning of his sophomore year, having attained the role of housewarden and having built his reputation, Azul was ready to escort the new batch of freshmen into when someone called out to him with a familiar nickname. 
“Azu! Azu!” Before Azul could even register it, two arms wrapped around his abdomen and a cheery smile greeted him. There was only one person who would ever call him that and it was you. 
Azul’s cool facade was broken as embarrassment struck across his features, cheeks burning a pink hue as he looked at you. You were smiling so brightly at him, giggling in glee and bouncing on your heels. Your eyes had an undertone of gold to them, little gold and purple specks akin to freckles across your cheeks that remind Azul of your underwater form. Azul didn’t know whether to scold you or push you away, but it wasn’t the time for pleasantries. 
That was how his reunion went with you and it brings him back to the present, with you and Floyd stacking plates in a precarious manner. Another game that Floyd’s most likely pulled you into. Ever since you arrived at NRC, Floyd was doing the same thing he did when they were kids, dragging you along after him on whatever whim he pleased and you would always happily follow along, drifting and following whatever came to you. 
“Could you two stop that?” Azul grumbled as he raised his head from his work, eyes narrowing at you and Floyd. 
“Ah, sorry Azu.” Your eyes looked over to Azul, hands folding in your lap and tilting your head, giving Azul that blank look that he identified you with. Floyd, meanwhile, pouted his lips in protest and groaned, rolling his eyes. 
“Hmmm... Azul’s no fun. Hey, Jelly, here.” Floyd places the plate that was in his hands on your head, balancing it on top of you while you sit still. Your eyes glanced up at the plate before a soft laugh slipped past your lips, the little gold freckles on your cheeks pulsing a gentle glow that it seemed to do whenever you laughed or giggled. Floyd clapped and Jade, who just passed by, stopped to watch his brother as Floyd began to grab the plates from the stack to transfer onto your head. 
Azul heaves a heavy sigh and shakes his head. He lets his pen drop from his hands, knowing he’s not getting much work done when Floyd was doing things such as this. Especially when it was a somewhat interesting spectacle. Azul rubs his temple, watching as Floyd stacks plate after plate atop your head while you happily sit there. 
“Oh! Azu, Azu!”
“Hm? What is it?” 
Azul's eyes look over at you with a light smile, Floyd still stacking plates on your head. You were smiling that smile that only you could smile, swaying a bit from side to side and making the plates teeter precariously. It made Azul anxious to watch and he lightly stopped your swaying with a gentle hand. 
You didn't pay much mind to Azul's hand and only continued on with what you were saying. “I read about this thing that land people do sometimes called a carnival.” Floyd stopped stacking plates on your head and looked down at you, a curious look in his eyes. Jade had stopped behind the booth where the other three were, eyebrow quirked in curiosity along with his twin. 
“Do you think we can go to one please? My classmates say that there’s one this weekend!”
Before Azul could get his opinion in, Floyd was already agreeing with you, babbling and clamoring next to you, throwing his arms around you while cheering that it was an awesome idea. 
That was how Azul’s weekend got taken up with going to the carnival. And also how he had to replace at least 10 plates after they came crashing down when Floyd hugged you. 
Azul could see that you and Floyd were looking around with childish glee, the only thing keeping you two around being Azul’s plea to stay within eye line of him and Jade. The sun was only just barely beginning to set, streaking golden lines over the sky and mixing blue with oranges and yellows. 
The carnival wasn’t all that bad, typical in look to what one would expect. There were game and food booths, varying enticing smells that made Azul’s mouth water and prizes that had you pointing them out everytime you passed by. 
“Look, look! It’s an octopus! Can we go get it, please?” 
The octopus plush was relatively small, big black eyes and little details under the tentacles for the suction cups. It was definitely cute at least, though Floyd was also grinning at Azul as he pointed at it. 
“Azul, it looks just like you! We should get it, hehe!” Azul rolled his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose, glasses shifting up a bit. 
“Floyd, please...” 
“You know Floyd... You could try winning it.” Jade’s smile turned into a grin, sharp teeth on display as he looked at the booth with a smile. “I think it’ll be an interesting addition to the Mostro Lounge, don’t you think?” 
Azul groaned as Floyd rushed to the booth to play, eagerly giving the carney enough thaumarks for a turn to play. It was some game where you would have to knock down some milk glasses. The carny stood by the side as they gave Floyd some balls to throw at the stacked glasses. Azul sighed as his eyes roamed away from the tweels to see what you were up to. 
You, however, were not in the spot where you should have been. This made a bolt of anxiety shoot through Azul as his eyes swept across the crowds and booths. He knew he should have invested in one of those weird child leashes that he once saw. It wasn’t much different when he and the tweels would wrap seaweed around your waist to keep you from wandering too far from them. 
With a groan, Azul informed Jade of what he was doing and went into the crowd, weaving through people as his eyes darted from booth to booth, trying to find you among the masses. 
Azul’s eyes catch that purple and gold glow nearby a balloon darts booth, staring up at one of the prizes. The sight of you safe and sound helped alleviate Azul’s anxiety, though it didn’t stop the irritation of you suddenly up and disappearing. 
“What have we told you about wandering off? You know how dangerous it could be after the incident with the current and─” 
“Azu.” Your hand points to one of the carnival prizes, stars in your eyes. You were captivated by a set of match heart charm necklaces, colored gold that looked cheap. The strings of the necklace were only black strings even, one bad stress from fraying and falling apart. “I want them.”  
Azul gave you a scrutinizing look, eyebrows furrowed a bit. “Those are the most flimsy looking things ever.”
“But they say best friends on them! We have to get them!” Another look at them and the necklaces did, indeed, say best friends in small letters that were harder to read from where Azul was standing. 
Another look at you made Azul sigh, grabbing your wrist and walking over to the booth. He took out the required amount of thaumarks, placing it down on the counter. “Five darts please.”
You made a little cheer as the carny provided the darts to Azul, watching him pick up one of the darts and prepare to throw it. It would be easy, surely, it’s just aiming darts and popping balloons. 
His first dart falls short and falls to the floor. The second dart manages to hit a balloon, but not pop it. The third hits a balloon, thankfully. The fourth one hits, but doesn’t pop and the fifth somehow slips in between the balloons. The look of disbelief on Azul’s face is almost laughable, though your look of disappointment made Azul pull out another five thaumarks for another five darts. 
The second’s round’s results were the same as the first, either missing or slipping in between the cracks of the balloons. Another five thaumarks, another five darts, another round of failure. Azul groaned and dragged his hands down his face, feeling frustration begin to bubble under his skin. This damn game was getting annoying. 
Another five, another round, but Azul managed to get two balloons this time. He rubbed his temples. This was going to be more difficult than he thought. Azul took out another five thaumarks and received his five darts. 
This time, Azul takes a few moments to try and aim it, maybe hoping it’ll finally land for once. After what seemed like forever of aiming, steadying his arm, Azul throws the dart. He hears a pop and his heart jumps in excitement. You let out a small exclaim, clinging onto Azul’s arm as you watched him. The second dart, aim, steady, raise his hand just a bit, and throw the dart. Another pop. Pop after pop, the darts fly into the board and hit the balloons 
Finally, finally, the balloons popped, all the darts hitting their target. You cheered so loudly, jumping up and down and shaking Azul’s shoulder. “You did it, you did it, you did it!” 
A sense of relief runs through Azul, from finally popping those damn balloons and keeping his pride intact, but also being able to win those charm necklaces. It was an oddly nice feeling, watching as you excitedly point to those flimsy things, little freckled spots pulsing and glowing golden as the carny hands you the necklaces. You held them up to Azul, grin wide and chest full of laughter. 
“Azu! C’mere!” Despite what you said, you came closer to Azul, putting the necklace on for him and putting your own on. 
“We match, we match!” Azul watches as you point at his necklace and yours bouncing on the heels of your feet, smiling so bright. 
The rest of the trip was relatively fun, meeting back up with Jade and Floyd, who had won that octopus and more. Apparently he had decided he wanted all the plushes the carney had and took them. Whether through legitimate means or by other means, the tweels refused to elaborate. You managed to get the octopus off of Floyd and carried it around with you, Azul looping an arm with yours that helped him keep track of you as you tugged against his hold multiple times whenever you saw something that caught your eye. 
Eventually, you all had to go back to the dorms, though Floyd kept whining about how he wanted to stay longer. It was dark by the time you all returned and Azul sent you and the tweels to bed, heading to his room himself just as tired. 
As he was changing, Azul took off the charm necklace, inspecting it for a bit before taking out a container that he had kept full of coins and allowing the necklace into the container. The fake gold sheen contrasted with the coins of silver and gold, yet it felt just as precious.
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