#vesuvia weekly prompt

[ohkento]

Nightmares and Daydreams

!! SPOILERS FOR ASRA ROUTE !!

A.N. : my first ever writing piece published publically. And ofc it had to be asra <3 the loml. Inspired by @/vesuviaweekly 's weekly prompt 'Nightmares and Daydreams' .Could also be considered a piece inspired from the ongoing prompt 'The things that changed' but I will probably revisit the prompt via another piece. Will be tagging it for both , just to be safe. VERY heavy on headcanons (I can't even distinguish between the canon facts and the facts i headcanon anymore). ← to the point it may be ooc . Anyways , the MC here will share my MC's origin story (this is to make me write faster , motivation go brrr) but will be referred to as MC only and will use they/them pronouns. This post will specifically target dreams of asra . I will (possibly) make another post in future involving dreams of my MC (Riku). Trying different writing styles in the same post. Is that a good idea ? Probably not . Would i still do it? Of course.

C.W. : He/him pronouns for asra (to avoid confusion) ; NOT spoiler free ; death mention ; mc's aunt is mentioned (oc character) ; somewhat angst ; very much self indulgent content ; lovesick asra; english is not my first language so please be kind and make me aware of any mistakes you may spot while reading this.

"By clicking on 'keep reading' , you hereby confirm that you have read A.N. and C.W. as given above and therefore I (the creator of this post) will not be held accountable for your reading experience"

Asra Alnazar

Nightmares :

• (Before meeting MC) His nightmares followed similar themes. Some of these included the glimpses of his childhood , with his parents and suddenly they are leaving. His childhood home crumbling to floor. Him getting in trouble while playing on docks . Sometimes it included Muriel - his new friend. The visions of Muriel , too, disappearing some day or being disappointed in him in some way were a great burden for him. Some others included him not getting any food for a whole day or two ( but were they really nightmares if this was his reality?) and people being mean to him.

• His ways of comforting himself during such times were very limited. He would wake up with a jolt and startle Faust too. They both would later cuddle and squeeze together. To prevent getting bullied , he would act all mean in front of bullies and protect Muriel from them too. To avoid starvation, he would resort to petty stealing via magic. He would visit his 'gate' on especially rough nights seeking comfort from his patron arcana the Magician. He would use magic to create pretty scenarios to calm himself down .Muriel started to comfort him too once he found out about his nightmares.

• (After meeting MC) He started to visit the magic shop the day after his nightmares . MC's aunt was a kind lady . Being in her presence would remind Asra of home and comfort him in an odd way. But he liked it. Once he was good friends with MC , he would randomly crash into their bedroom for comfort and cuddles. He was loved in the magic shop. But to avoid getting attached to them , he would often go on 'trips' , only to return after being haunted by nightmares making him crave for a place to call a 'home'. His nightmares significantly decreased after getting close to MC.

• (Plague Era) In the initial stages of the spread of plague , he would often get nightmares about his friends catching the plague. Mc did a great job in reassuring him initially but as the situation in vesuvia worsened so did his nightmares. He could not be reassured. Which then led to 'the argument' that caused him and MC to separate.

• (After MC's death) After he got to know about MC's demise (and after his short trip (?) to lazaret ), his nightmares would now involve those tall chimneys he saw on the island. In his nightmares, he would wander around the crematory and would hear MC's voice calling him . He would always wake up in cold sweat after such nightmares and cry himself to sleep again .

• (Post U.E. route) After the fight against devil was won , he had MC with him now. Now no matter what nightmares he would experience , he would always wake up to comfort full of love from his love. Now the nightmares were manageable and even if some of them truly terrified him , he knew he could tackle anything and anyone. He could go against the world if required now that he had MC supporting him.

Daydreams :

• (Before meeting MC) Asra is a very creative person. At such a young age his daydreams would involve a safe place , lavish meals , running around with friends. He would also daydream about his parents returning someday and taking him with them. He would often try to create these 'daydream scenarios' play out in front of him via magic. This also helped him get better at magic.

• Once Muriel and him secured a safe place in the woods , he would ask Muriel to join him while he was playing out such scenarios. Muriel would often decline , but on the rare occasions he would join Asra , he would find himself entranced in asra's daydreams. Afterall he has a very creative imagination.

• (After meeting MC) after meeting MC in his stall at one of the bazaars of lucio's annual masquerade ball, his daydreams started to include more of MC as he got to know them more. Scenarios of them practicing magic together, taking classes from MC's aunt together, going on foraging trips to gather resources for the shop together. During masquerade ball season , when he would be making new masks (to keep up the inventory) for his annual stall , he would daydream about the different styles of masks and colours that would suit them . Asking Muriel for help while carving out masks and showing him his ideas via magic (the same way he used while daydreaming). It would all be so they (MC) could have more options to choose from. He would always daydream about them dancing at ball together. When he saw other couples in the ball doing different types of couple activities, it too would feed his daydream fuel.

• While away on trips , he would daydream of bringing MC with him. To explore new places, meet new people, experience new experiences together. When the longing became too much to bear for him alone , he would return to meet them.

• (After MC's death) Daydreams were his only escape from the reality. He had no one he could rely on anymore. He would daydream about MC coming back , of him bringing MC back. He daydreamed about seeing MC again after all this time , about the time spent and what could have been. He would choose moments from his life and daydream about changing the course of how things happened, how things should have happened. He daydreamed about all that mattered to him and still there was nothing he could do to make that happen. Except being patient. Except searching for ways he could bring them back. Except daydreaming about successfully finding a way to bring them back. All because he had a creative imagination.

• (Post U.E. route) Now that everything was right , he finally dared to daydream about a future . A future where MC was present. A future where his parents were there . A future where he had people he could rely on. A future he could not wait to experience. Now his daydreams were filled with plans. Plans he would make to make his loved ones happy. Now his daydreams were not an escape, but just creative thoughts. Of course it did not happen immediately but eventually he leaned to control them. His creative thoughts help bring happiness in his loved ones lives now. His plans are always very detailed making everyone surprised when he finally decides to execute them. Why wouldn't they be surprised? Afterall he does have a very creative imagination.

That was fun to write ! I am so proud of it! Possibly my next post will be a Asra × Riku fic.

© OHKENTO . do not copy, repost, modify, or translate my works in any platforms.

#nightmares and daydreams #asra alnazar #asra the arcana #asra the magician #asra #asra headcanons #the arcana imagines #the arcana scenarios #asra × apprentice #asra × reader #asra × mc #asra fluff #asra angst #the arcana headcanons #things that changed #nightmares & daydreams #vesuvia weekly #vesuviaweekly #vesuvia weekly prompt

[mermaidchan05]

Vesuvia Weekly: How to Hold Your Loved One

Hold Asra by the hand as you run, laughing, towards another adventure. Hold Asra around the waist as you dance, until he twirls you away, barely clinging to the tips of your fingers, the light of mischief sparkling in his eyes. Wrap your arms around Asra-- or let him wrap his arms around you in turn-- as you fly to your sanctuary in Nopal, riding atop a beast that is more family than friend. Let Asra rest in your lap or lean against your chest in the moments when the world is quiet and may as well fade away, since all the two of you truly need is each other. Hold Asra close on the darkest nights, when the memories are too much to bear and the burden is too heavy to carry alone. Let him feel the beat of the heart he risked so much to share with you, let him feel that you are there, that despite all the struggle and desperation and pain, his story might have a happy ending after all.

“My darling,” Julian will say, with a smile like a dashing rogue, “hold me any way you like.” Hold Julian to that: take his hand, take his waist, take the lead. Hold Julian perhaps a bit too tight, showing him exactly how much he means to you. Julian is a man of action, after all. Words are wonderful, but sometimes they simply won’t do. Hold your hand to Julian’s throat, where a mark once shone, to prove to him that he means so much more to you than just the things he has given up. Hold him from behind and let him lean against your chest, close enough to feel the beat of your heart. Hold him like a promise, a whisper, so simple but so vital: I am here. We are safe. You are not alone. Let us carry our burdens together.

Hold Nadia casually, at any given moment. Hold Nadia simply because you want to. Hold Nadia’s hand as you stroll through the gardens, or swoop in to resolve yet another palace disaster. Put a hand on her knee beneath the table as she deals with insufferable noble after insufferable noble, a silent signal that you’re there, that you understand, that yes, this person is entirely unreasonable, but she can handle it. Rest your head on Nadia's shoulder on a long carriage ride, because you trust her, because you want to be nearby. Hook your arm with hers as you stride down the streets of Vesuvia, a two-person parade, your casual clothes an excuse to simply enjoy yourselves. Hold Nadia not as the Countess, not as a Princess, but as the woman you admire and respect and love.

Hold Muriel gently, softly, deliberately. Hold him so he knows it is safe. Hold him when he needs things to be safe. Start with simple touches, a brush of fingers against the arm, helping him with his hair, a kiss on his scarred knuckles. Hold Muriel in the quiet moments, when the world is slowing down and there is finally time and space to breathe. Let Muriel hold you when the world is too fast, and too loud, and everything is too big, and he is too big. Sit by his side, because there is nowhere else you would rather be. Hold him because you chose to, because out of all of the people in the world, you chose him.

Hold Portia like she is the only one you see. Hold Portia's hand as you dance the night away, laughing at the events of the day. Let Portia rest on your lap as you do her hair, showing her the same kindness she has shown others so many times before. Hold Portia tight, letting her pull you along as she runs ahead, racing headlong towards every challenge the world can set in front of her. Hold her and show that you are always by her side, no matter where she goes or what she chooses to do.

Hold both of Lucio’s hands, metal and flesh, accepting him for all that he is, not what he was. Press your back to his as the two of you stand against the world, daring the universe to try to tear you apart. Wrap your arms around Lucio's shoulders when he finally relents and trembles in the fear he has hidden for so long. Hold Lucio’s hand as it curls to a fist, shaking with the fury that isn’t so easily chased away. Hold Lucio close, hold him tight, hold him so he can feel after spending so years longing for contact he could never truly have.  Hold Lucio accountable for his actions, of course, but hold his growth and positivity high into the sky, shouting it out to the world so that maybe, maybe, Lucio can hear that he is not the man he used to be.

#vesuvia weekly #hold the LI #the arcana #the arcana game #my stuff #my writing #writing prompt #please forgive any silly typos i did this in like an hour of creative fervor lol

[star-strand]

juligale in 5 minutes

(ft. a few headcanons)

elaboration on some of this below the cut

first off. ages are very nebulous to me because you couldn’t pay me to try to figure out this game’s timeline

they’re so t4t. there’s going to be a scene in the next chapter of heliocentric where gale sees julian’s top surgery scars and is like “!! you’re like me”

imagine “borrows” in heavy quotation marks. gale is a chronic clothes thief

julian is affectionate through both words and actions. he’s just generally affectionate

there are many benefits to having a chameleon familiar

this is gale’s first relationship post-resurrection. he spent the three years between his resurrection and the start of the game pretty isolated, and he’s been more focused on learning and running his shop

^ due to that he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to relationships

neither of them are particularly jealous!

#this was a fun prompt #i’ll take any opportunity to talk about these two #vesuvia weekly #mc/li dynamics #the arcana #the arcana game #galeposting #juligale #starstrand

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Vesuvia Weekly: Things the M6 don't do anymore

~ my little creative drabble for the prompt "How Things Changed" (pre- vs post- plague) over on @vesuviaweekly! Hope you guys like this little hurt/comfort/fluffy train of thought :3 ~

Julian doesn't shout in his sleep anymore. He still gets nightmares, still tosses and turns and mumbles and wakes up with a start in a cold sweat - but his troubled murmurs don't turn into the terrified cries that they used to. He's still working on eating better and sleeping longer and it's taking time. But from the moment you first lay down next to him for the night, some part of his brain understood that the warm, safe weight of you meant he didn't need to scream to be heard anymore - or helped.

Asra rarely makes tea anymore. They still love to drink it - multiple times a day, if they can - but now you're the one who makes it. He never got over his childhood wariness of tea kettles in general after the mishap that involved his magic appearing. While you were recovering, it was one of many duties they happily shouldered to take care of you. Now that you're equal partners again, it's one of the many small ways he's begun letting you take care of him in turn. Besides, yours tastes better.

Nadia doesn't run away to her tower anymore. She still visits it frequently, to think, or nap, or clear her head, or give her introverted nature a break from the constant social pressures of being Countess. But she doesn't run away to it, to sit in the circular chamber and pretend (or hope) that the rest of the world had simply ... ceased to exist. She doesn't like the thought of losing a world that has you in it. Now, her visits range from serene to tumultuous, but they all carry hope and purpose within them.

Muriel doesn't forget to tend the fire anymore. It used to be an easy thing to go without. After Asra moved out, after his tormentor went up in flames, it was easy to watch the light in his hearth slowly dwindle and die. It was peaceful to sit in the dark quiet of a stone hut and slip into another long, deep, chilly sleep. But now you're here. And you deserve to be warm. You're worthy of a space filled with golden light and soft furs and beautiful tapestries and good food and warmth. And maybe ... he is too.

Portia has stopped hiding in the library. Don't get her wrong, she still sneaks into it all the time. (Seriously, what else was she going to do when she was handed one of the only two sets of keys???) The library was her space, with stories only she had read, where the skills she grew for herself hid among the bookshelves. Her achievements are much, much bigger now. They look back at her in your eyes, in Pepi's little voice, in a flourishing Vesuvia. She doesn't hide in the library anymore. She emerges from it.

Lucio refuses to eat breakfast by himself, ever again. As a soldier, it was a hurried affair around campfires - nothing like the fun of raucous dinners the night before - and as a Count, it was brought to him in his chambers. He'd sit and eat the pile of sugary goods and eye the mess of last night's debauchery and try not to feel cold and small and alone. After three years of hell, he's not alone anymore. Breakfast is campfire food, or inn amenities, and missing most of the sugar he loves - but it's portioned for two.

#vesuvia weekly #how things changed #the arcana #ask arcana brainrot #the arcana game #the arcana fanfic #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #asra the arcana #julian the arcana #nadia the arcana #muriel the arcana #portia the arcana #lucio the arcana #asra alnazar #julian devorak #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson

[blu-raes]

behold, the absolute behemoth of a 5 page comic I thought I could feasibly draw in under 3 days

@nabesthetics has often joked that Malak would send the apprentice Julian's discarded love letters, and in spirit of the Vesuvia Weekly prompt, I decided to take that idea and run with it 三三ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

#vesuvia weekly #familiars screwed up #the arcana game #the arcana #julian devorak #asra alnazar #fan apprentice #fanart #rae draws #this comic made me uncomfortably familiar with the right side of Julian's face

[paperstarwriters]

Billowing Fabrics

ouagh. I wouldn't typically post a fic like this lmao I feel like it's kinda underbaked so to say? but deadline is coming in and I don't have the leisure to leave the fic to just bake in my WIP file like I do with other fics 🥲 Not a bad thing neccicarily but if the fic isn't as perfectly polished that's why lol.

anyways,

Pairing: Muriel x reader (romantic)

Warnings: N/a

Summary: You've accidentally made one of your sweaters a little too big when you were trying to make it bigger and slouchier for yourself. Muriel finds your work and takes it upon himself to fix the worn down sweater. Not for any particular reason no, no... he just found a sweater that seemed to fit him....

Vesuvia Weekly Prompt | Masterlists | The Arcana Masterlist

Word count: 1,426

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The objective is a complicated one, but it was supposed to be simple with the aid of magic.

The spell is a simple one, but the objective you want to achieve has made it overly complicated.

You wanted a longer sweater for the upcoming months something long on the lower end with equally long sleeves to tuck your hands and legs into when it got particularly cold, turning yourself into a ball of soft fabrics—a sponge of soft fabrics when you inevitably leaned against Muriel.

There were a handful of well failed attempts that you've since set aside to mess around with later with the help of some borrowed yarn from Portia , or attempts that near destroyed the sweater you were working on. Thankfully the bunch you've targeted using, were either sweaters that have already been worn to bits and a handful of cheaply bought sweaters for more experimentation.  

From the various failed attempts you have one sweater that ended up with sleeves so long you could use it for a scarf. Another attempt stole fabric from the sleeves to lengthen the torso portion, and one of the attempts had simply made the woolen material far, far, far too thick to work with. Each were an interesting discovery in their own right of course, with the latter one in particular being added as a possible adjustment you would like to make to your end result. Not as thick as the material at hand of course, but something akin to that amount.

Beneath your fingers the well worn fabric of one of your more damaged sweaters stretches and expands. Fabric spills over your lap, as threads twist and turn growing thicker or longer depending on your desires, and as the light finally dims from it's passage through your fingertips and into the very fibers of the sweater you find yourself with a substantially larger and thicker sweater, fluffy and soft, though a little too big around the collar, and the sleeves seemed a pinch too loose. Practically perfect though! You promptly turn your attention to the target sweater you're intent on changing setting aside the successful practice to join the other attempts and work at slowly expanding the sweater. It doesn't take long before your sweater is now larger and comfier and fluffier around you, and very eagerly, you dash out of the hut intent on showing off your new creation.

——————————

Muriel returns, to the pleasantly warm confines of the hut. You're still outside, having gone on a quick trip to the marketplace, to go grab some groceries intent on getting the most important goods before the worst of an upcoming snowstorm hit. Snow wasn't exactly common in Vesuvia but on the odd occasion a wash of cold weather sweeps through, sometimes bringing snow, sometimes only bringing ice. While Muriel felt far more comfortable than most in the cold chilly temperatures, he knew full well he wasn't exactly a good example of an average citizen and though he knew how to manage his way through frost and snow, getting extra groceries was always a good help.

Extra cuddly items like sweaters and blankets couldn't hurt either.

Noticing the pile of thick fabric materials Muriel pokes his way through your failed attempts. You very eagerly showed off your brand new sweater, or well, old-ish sweater with brand new measurements. Made to protect even better against the cold beneath a water and wind proof cape. While you had tried to explain your process to him, bouncing around with glee at your success, Muriel found it difficult to imagine how you had been able to change the fabric to somehow create more of itself.

His hands stop at the sight of one sweater, well worn, and almost tearing at the seams. There's a little hole around the chest, and the sleeves seem to be moth-bitten, and he wonders how long you've had this. It's a much bigger size, clearly a victim of your testing for your sweater, and as he holds it up into the air to inspect it more, he finds it to almost fit his own size.

Tugging the fabric over his head, Muriel is greeted by a wash of scent. You've worn this sweater a lot surely. Perhaps as casual wear at some point of time. He recalls dimly seeing you wear it around the hut on the odd occasion, and though he feels slightly bad, he takes a moment to appreciate the feeling of being wrapped in something that smells so strongly of you.

When he finally pulls the sweater down, he finds the fabric fits him like a glove. No slouchiness or poofiness that you seemed so fond of in your own sweater, but it fits him, and it fits him well, even if there are a few odd holes amidst the seams.

Muriel takes off the sweater, setting it aside atop of your shared bed before he goes digging in the shelves of your stuff. Portia had lent the both of you some yarn at some point, if he recalled, perhaps he could patch a hole in this.

————————

Muriel returns home a little later than you, and though you're curious to see what he's done while you were out helping Asra and hauling groceries, the question escapes you when you actually see him. Patched with little hearts Muriel wears your old and tattered sweater, the one you made a little too large for you, but perfectly fits him.

And when he walks in the door, he stops, stares, and drops the knitting tools he's likely borrowed from Portia.

And in typical fashion, his face grows pink

"Is that my...?" you barely finish your question before Muriel sputters his reply.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't.... There were a bunch of holes in it and...." Though you try to hide it, try to bite your lips and cover your mouth to hide your grin, there's no mistaking the delight and glee that fills your cheeks, as you grin. Just seeing it Muriel seems to grow worse, face growing redder and redder. "I... Uh.... I didn't ........... It was just there.........and I just thought..........."

You don't say anything, no longer finding any need to hide and instead unabashedly grinning from ear to ear, pleased as punch at the sight of Muriel wearing your clothes. It fits him so nicely, you're almost upset you hadn't thought of doing so yourself.

He goes quiet in reply, staring down at the floor as smoke seems to puff from his ears, while Inanna rolls her eyes behind him and starts headbutting him in through the door. He scrambles to pick up his things at the gesture closing the door and keeping the chill from filling your little home.

Still he tries not to look at you. And yet you can't help but poke and prod.

"Is it comfy?"

He almost jumps at the question. "I.... Yeah. It's really soft and....." His mouth snaps shut with a faint click of his teeth, as he returns to busying himself with putting away the tools Portia let him borrow.

It's just a few tools, in any other scenario, he'd just set them on the shelf and sort it out later, there was no need for him to hem or haw over any container to put them into.

He just doesn't want to look at you right now, doesn't want to see the grin you have at seeing him in your clothes or at what he almost—

"and what?"

He doesn't have to reply, but you both know he will anyways.

With a soft and tepid voice, Muriel turns to just glance at you from the corner of his eye. "It..... It smells nice."

He doesn't say "it smells like you," but you both know that's what he means, and though you can't quite manage a pout around your grin you still lift up the sleeves of your sweater, and open your arms up to him.

"Aww, could you help me make mine smell nice as well?"

And though red faced, and still blushing, Muriel finally turns to you with a smile. How could he not? The prospect of a hug far too enticing, though he still tries to look away to hide it.

Curling up into your arms as his own come up to wrap around you, the both of you find the overwhelming warmth... Pleasant.

Outside it's frigid, icy and cold.

Inside, it's toasty and warm beneath your blanket like sweaters, and the feeling of being totally engulfed the presence of each other.

#x reader #reader insert #Muriel x reader #Muriel the arcana #Muriel #the arcana muriel #the arcana muriel x reader #the arcana #Muriel the mountain man #Muriel the hermit #muriel of the kokkhuri #muriel arcana #muriel the hermit #vesuvia weekly #borrowing clothes

[vesuviaweekly]

Vesuvia Weekly: Event details, Submission guidelines, and Masterlists

EVENT DETAILS:

This is a sideblog from my main, @iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia, dedicated to hosting creative events for the Arcana visual novel! (Note: none of these events are competitions. They're simply opportunities to create together and appreciate each other's work!)

Every Wednesday, an Arcana-themed prompt will be posted on this blog with the tag #vesuvia weekly and a tag for the specific prompt. For the next two weeks, any creative work falling under the guidelines and tagged accordingly will be reblogged here and on my main account and added to the prompt's masterlist (see submission guidelines for details)!

On the same post, there will be a poll for the next week's prompt! You are more than welcome to send prompt ideas to the ask box (see submission guidelines for details)!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

PG-13, please! If you've made something spicier and would still like to share it, please tag a PG-13 preview to be reblogged here :)

All creativity is welcome! Here are a few examples of what would count: incorrect quotes, digital and traditional art, WIPs, oneshots, headcanons, sprite edits, scripts, character sheets/analysis, etc

To take part: post your creativity themed for an active prompt and tag it with #vesuvia weekly and the prompt's specific tag. Your post will be reblogged here and on my main account, and linked to the masterlist under that prompt

Please do not pass someone else's work as your own! In that spirit, since this is a space intended to boost and celebrate creativity, hate of any kind will not be welcome

TL;DR if it's your own creativity, PG-13, and tagged appropriately, it's perfect :)

FOR PROMPT IDEAS, please keep it PG-13 and open-ended enough to be engaging to multiple creative formats ^.^

MASTERLISTS: new masterlist for each Wednesday prompt post, for ease of browsing/archival organization Red: Retired Prompts Green: Active Prompts

Jan 10th: Your MC/Their LI's dynamic

Jan 17th: How Things Went Wrong (feat. the Arcana familiars)

Jan 24th: Borrowing Clothes

Jan 31st: Cooking Class

Feb 7th: The Impulsive Thoughts Won

Feb 21: MC explaining our world to the M6

Feb 28: How to Hold Your Loved One

March 6: "That's not how that's supposed to work"

March 20th: "Where Did You Learn to do That?"

March 27th: The First Post-Crisis Date

April 3rd: Nightmares & Daydreams

April 10th: Things That Changed

April 17th: Rare Smiles

April 24th: Inside Jokes

May 1st: How to Cry

#the arcana #vesuvia weekly #the arcana game #the arcana fanart #the arcana fanfic

[arcanarubinaito]

Borrowing Clothes

This is rough, unedited, and kinda rushed! I’ll probably edit it later because there’s a lot of missing content, but I wanted to get the rough parts in before the deadline XD

For this Vesuvia Weekly prompt, I thought I’d indulge in a bit of writing that isn’t necessarily canon to Muriel and Auric’s story, but sweet nevertheless.

This takes place in what I’d call the “Heart Hunters/Tales Universe”, where it’s clear the routes haven’t taken place but there’s still a relationship between any given LI and the MC. Great for writing character dynamics and interactions, in a sort of nebulous adjacent setting without a clear storyline.

Summary:

It’s a cold day, and Auric wants to spend it bundled up with his favorite person.

Tags:

SFW (<18), 1.2k Words, Vesuvia Weekly, Borrowing Clothes, Muriel, Muriel of the Kokhuri, Auric Alnazar, Auric the Apprentice, Apprentice OC, Original Character(s), Romantic Relationship(s), Muriel/Auric, Muriel/OC, Fluff

It was an unusually cold day. Auric shivered as he made his way down the trail, gripping his shawl around him for what little warmth it could offer him. A basket was slung over one arm with a loaf of Selasi’s pumpkin bread wrapped in cheesecloth, a small bottle of black mead, and some smoked eel parcled off to the side. It was a rare treat to visit Muriel’s hut these days, so he figured it called for something special. A little something in exchange for how often Muriel had to come into the city just so they could see each other.

The shop kept him busy, but with any luck Auric would be able to rent the space out to someone else soon. He just needed the chance to discuss it with Asra first.

A gust of wind buffeted against Auric’s side, carrying with it the salty sea air and a few leaves that found purchase in his hair. With a huff, he swatted at the stray vegetation and tried to clear it all away and make himself look at least a little more presentable.

The door opened before Auric had the chance to even knock, Muriel’s massive form lurking in the doorway. He was wearing his cloak, a sign that he had been about to leave. Surprise flitted over Muriel’s features as they stared at one another, before the larger man shuffled awkwardly to the side to let him in. “I didn’t think you were coming today.” Muriel murmured, watching Auric step inside. He glanced out at the overcast sky, and Auric understood what he meant.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Auric replied, bustling over to the table to set the basket down. Inanna was stretched out by the fire, lazily swishing her tail back and forth as she watched both of them. Their eyes met for a moment before Inanna huffed softly and turned to rest her head lazily over her paws, closing her eyes. The apprentice smiled faintly before turning his attention back to unpacking the basket.

“You did…” Muriel pulled his cloak off, hanging it back up on the wall. He made his way over to where Auric stood, hesitating for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around the smaller man from behind. As always, the hug was as loose as possible; and as always, Auric rested one hand over Muriel’s arm and leaned back against him, guiding his arms to hold him a little closer. “It’s also cold.” The hermit murmured against the top of Auric’s head. “You’re cold.” There’s a brief pause before one of Muriel’s hands lifted, picking a stray leaf out of the apprentice’s hair.

Auric’s mouth twitched. He could tell Muriel’s eyes were fixed solely on the food he’d brought, and Auric carefully unwrapped the small packages. The smell of spices and eel wafted through the air, a very odd combination but not entirely unpleasant. “Ah, but I’m warm now.” Auric took one of Muriel’s hands and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles. “I’m already forgetting how chilly it is outside.” Muriel grumbled softly in response before he pulled away to fetch the two plates and cups he owned.

“... are you staying tonight?” Muriel asked quietly, setting the wooden dishes out carefully. Auric cut a couple slices off the loaf, serving it and the eel onto both plates while Muriel uncorked the bottle and poured a bit of mead in both cups. While the question was worded one way, it meant another thing entirely; ‘I don’t want you walking home tonight in this weather.’

“I’d like to.” Auric reached across the table after they both sat down, and Muriel took his hand. Three soft squeezes; I love you. Muriel gave four more in return; I love you too.

-<>-

They slept in. Or well, Muriel slept in. Auric could never sleep too long once the sun was up, but he was more than content to rest in Muriel’s arms until he woke. He gazed out the window, taking in the swirling patterns of frost and light amount of snow that had settled in the clearing just outside. He snuggled in closer to Muriel, pulling the furs a little further over them. The fire had died down during the night, making the morning a bit chilly against his bare skin.

Muriel stirred a little, pulling Auric a little closer with a soft grumble. He pressed his face into the pillow with his mouth resting against the back of the apprentice’s head and his warm breath blew through Auric’s hair in soft huffs. A few minutes more, and Muriel’s eyes finally fluttered open with reluctance.

“Morning.” Auric brushed a soft kiss against Muriel’s cheek, taking quiet delight in the way the hermit’s cheeks reddened. He crossed his arms over Muriel’s chest and rested his head over them, idly tracing a heart over where Muriel’s beat.

The larger of the two men blinked the sleep out of his eyes, not yet sitting up. His hand lifted to brush some of Auric’s hair out of his face, curling the multicolored strands around his fingers loosely in an idle gesture of affection. “Morning.” Muriel’s voice rumbled, deep and croaky with early morning drowsiness. Auric could see the other’s lips curve slightly, a warm and sleepy smile.

It took a while for them to get up and moving, but Auric wasn’t in a rush. The shop was closed today and he didn’t have any errands to run until later that afternoon. There were plenty of little sleepy kisses exchanged between them until finally Muriel was awake enough to get up. They both shivered a little in the chilly morning air, and Muriel was quick to tuck the furs back around Auric until he could get the fire started again.

Breakfast was leftover pumpkin bread warmed by the fire, filling the hut with the scent of warm spices mixed with myrrh. They ate on the floor near the fire this time, Muriel listening as Auric rambled about his dreams.

When it finally came time for Auric to leave, Muriel gently grabbed his arm to stop him before he reached the door. In his other hand, the hermit held the scarf Auric bought him months ago. “Wait,” He murmured, draping it over Auric’s shoulders and fussing with it for a moment. “It’s still cold out.”

Auric was frozen for several seconds before he reached up to take his hands, his eyes shining softly. “Thank you.” He said softly, stretching up as far as he could to brush a kiss against Muriel’s cheek. The man’s face was flushed, his eyes focused on everything else but him for a little bit before he finally dragged his gaze to meet Auric’s.

“Just… bring it back when you visit next time.” Muriel mumbled, dipping down to brush a very brief kiss against Auric’s cheek in return. His hand reached out to open the door, the other pulling out of Auric’s grasp to grab his own cloak. “I’ll um… walk you to the city.” He added quietly.

The apprentice smiled, taking Muriel’s hand. With his other, he gently grasped onto the scarf wound around his neck and pulled it up to partially cover his face against the cold as they set out together.

#the arcana #the arcana game #arcanarubinaito #rubin’s writing #vesuvia weekly #borrowing clothes #the arcana muriel #muriel of the kokhuri #muriel the hermit #the arcana mc #auric the apprentice #auric alnazar #muriel x mc #auric x muriel

[dolceaspidenera]

Vesuvia Weekly: Apprentice and LI Dynamics

Decided to throw my hat in since I came up with so much material in my head about my apprentice, Venere, and then realized I never posted anything, poor girl has been sitting on the bench for so long like “Am I a joke to you?” 

@iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia Thank you for coming up with these prompts, I had fun doing this!

(I also mixed a bit of poetry in these hcs because I love it so much. Unfortunately, I suck at it, so don't mind too much of what I call my wordy farts)

VENERE x JULIAN – In a nutshell? The overly flirty, bisexual disaster that we all know meets a very practical and unimpressed girl (also, tall lanky man x small menace). What could go wrong?

A whirlwind. She’s swept away by it. Masks and play, it’s easier that way.  A feverish dance, a push and pull, like sea waves.  Backtracking, pacing, restlessness. The mind never stops and thinks and thinks and thinks. Where do you see value? You should leave but you are under my skin. Chasing shadows, facing gallows He can only be a martyr, the guilt takes its toll as the bell tolls  The rope is made of faults and the executioner is called love.  Now there are more hurts, and another love turns into flaming anger. How can she make him see? Gentleness, understanding, calm. We are in this together. Always.

Julian enters her life like a hurricane and turns it upside down. She is swept off her feet by his energy, but she is also sharp enough to see through him. 

They have a rocky start. Julian is kind of intimidated, kind of intrigued, obviously his answer is to double down on the flirting.

Venere is… You guessed it: unimpressed. Don’t be fooled though, she is actually quite charmed, she likes Julian, but she needs her time to feel comfortable around new people. In the meantime, she has one of the biggest resting bitch faces ever.

Most of their early interactions involve Julian aggressively flirting and Venere blushing internally while exteriorly maintaining a deadpan expression.

Julian inevitably starts to question everything; does she find him so ugly? Does she find him annoying? Should he hide in the hole and never come up again? The poor man doesn’t know what to do.

Once they clear the air and Venere feels more comfortable, is when her true character starts to shine. She is passionate and has a fiery temper, which is good most of the time, but also means she tends to react with anger to upsetting situations. Julian is much better and practiced at controlling his anger and is a good counterweight to Venere.

This is also when the table turns and Venere starts shamelessly flirting with Julian. The poor doctor is a blushing mess.

She is ready to give him an earful whenever he is acting foolish, and she is not afraid of calling him out on his bullshit, but she also learns to be very patient with him. She is determined to make him understand that he is loved, and she is always there to remind him of what an incredible, beautiful man he is.

He teases her about her magic jargon, calling it her whimsical gibberish, she teases him for his medical fancy terms and most of all his unreadable writing. 

When it comes to their respective work fields, they had to learn to communicate effectively; Julian is more comfortable with tangible and concrete things, while Venere tends to think in more abstract ways. Over time they learned to come together and communicate clearly.

They are actually a very good team. Venere is trying to implement Julian’s extensive knowledge of medicine with her magic, making medicines more effective and trying to come up with spells that can accelerate the healing process.

She is much more introverted than him, so she is always happy to let him handle social situations and let her full glorious resting bitch face shine while he charms his way out.

Their differences in social battery also mean that Venere needs her moments of solitude to recharge. The first few times it happened Julian panicked; was it something he said? After a much-needed conversation, he understands. Now, when she needs time alone, he goes to the Rowdy Raven or stops by to see Portia and Mazelinka.

Venere loves singing and dancing and Julian often accompanies her with his vielle. There's always music in their home.

After a period of travel, they settle down in Vesuvia and adopt a dog. Venere takes over her magic shop and Julian opens his clinic.

Their favourite moment is in the evening when, after a day of work, it’s finally time for a long, relaxing cuddle session. Julian wraps his arms around Venere and gives her one of his all-encompassing hugs and they snuggle on the sofa. They always say they’ll go to bed early but end up falling asleep like this.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS:

ASRA 

Complicated. Abandonment. Hurt. Mistakes. Easier to run, easier to avoid. She doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know how to explain.  The past is a heavy burden of memories forgotten and others that would have been best to let rest.  Only a half of what once was whole, but what has been broken cannot be repaired, you learn to live with what remains. You learn to live again.

Her relationship with Asra is very complicated.

There were a lot of hurt and misunderstandings. He kept disappearing without explanation and she never understood.

But the truth runs way, way deeper.

After everything is out in the open, they have many conversations.

After clearing up everything they share one of those incredibly rare and deep friendships.

They are family. They will always be there for each other and always root for each other happiness.

NADIA 

Loneliness. The princess is trapped at the top of the tower, but the dragon is in her head, the dragon is everywhere around her. Judging eyes, power struggles, impossible expectations, who can you trust? Elegance, perfectionism, strength, intuition. She is many things, but most of all she is Nadia. Most of all, she needs someone to see it.

Nadia is… Well, she is Nadia! She is awesome!

Venere’s first impression was of someone very lonely. Although a bit intimidated, she took a liking to her very quickly.

In time, they cultivate a very profound friendship.

They chat about magic, and Venere always knows who to ask for fashion tips. 

Most of all she knows who to turn to when she needs sound advice.

She has deep admiration for Nadia, she doesn’t know how someone can always look so perfect and in control and make appear so easy everything she does. But she is also there to remind Nadia that it’s okay to slip occasionally, and letting go sometimes feels good!

MURIEL 

Gentle, coy, reserved. Violent scars on a delicate soul. Does a tree make noise when it falls in the forest? It’s easier to forget but if everyone forgets, were you even ever there? Long silences can become deafening in loneliness. And yet, when you start to listen you realize there is so much more life around you. Small details you usually don’t catch. It’s always in the details.

Muriel and Venere have one of those friendships that don’t require many words. They are content to spend time together, enjoying each other company in a relaxed silence.

When Venere needs some reprieve, she knows she can accompany Muriel on his walks around the forest and she loves being immersed in nature.

Venere adores Inanna, she gives the best belly rubs to the best of girls.

They spend time enjoying the quiet of Muriel’s hut and he allows her to feed the chickens! One of Venere’s favourite activities.

If someone bothers Muriel, despite Venere being much, much smaller than him, she is the one to fly into a rage and put the offender in their place. Has anyone never told them not to provoke a magician?

Venere often comes to visit him and brings him lots of baked goods to taste. She is still learning to cook decently, so not everything comes out exactly as intended. He still eats everything without batting an eye, probably to be polite.

PORTIA 

Bubbly energy. Movement, flow, a tidal wave. Hunger for adventure, but she is always left behind. There is worth in the work you do but sometimes the work becomes all you are worth. There is more under the surface, you are allowed to slow down. You always have value.

Portia is Venere’s adopted little sister. She loves her energy and positivity and is always happy to pass the ball when Julian needs a good kick in the shin.

They have a book club now. They take it very seriously and religiously make time each week to sit down together to discuss stories and characters.

To the delight of Julian, Venere teaches her magic. He has a small panic attack when she accidentally sets a tree on fire. Luckily, Portia is an eager student and recovers very quickly without further fiery incidents.

In return, Portia tries to teach Venere to bake, with varying degrees of success. She is trying, okay? Luckily, most of her culinary experiments are still appreciated by Julian, Asra and Muriel.

When Portia feels like going on an adventure, she always knows who to call for. 

LUCIO 

Cold metal spikes all around. Hurt others before they can hurt him. Mistakes, regrets, there’s much to learn. Pride is always the mask shame wears, covering itself with sparkly meaningless. 

Let’s say that she doesn’t take well of Lucio hurting her loved ones. When she discovers what he did to Julian she is furious.

In an alternative universe, she would be more than happy to be his friend. She believes in second chances and respects his willingness to be better.

Lucio ends up relying a lot on her when he makes an “Opsie” and needs someone to help him fix it.

With time, he gets better at handling his mistakes and learns how powerful accountability can be.

She isn’t one for big parties, but the rare times she needs some tips on the subject she can always count on Lucio.

When she needs to let out some steam, she knows he is the guy to go to. He has always a good monster on the list ready to chase, or some other adventure to go, Portia can come too!

#Definitely not my highest writing moment but I had fun and that's the point - no? #vesuvia weekly #MC/LI dynamics #the arcana #the arcana game #julian devorak #ilya devorak #asra alnazar #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson #OC: Venere #the arcana headcanons #my wordy farts #my writing

[theintrovertbean]

I bet you can't tell which one of them is my favorite (sarcastic)

I'll make another post later about Nadia because I love her so much I might need therapy 😭

I'm participating in brainrot's Vesuvia Weekly prompts and I'd like to encourage eveyone to join ^.^

Also, brainrot has a Discord server now, so if you're interested in getting to know others from the fandom and bond over our beloved character, I kindly recommend that you join. It's a safe place for every simp 💜

The Arcana Main 6 x Dara relationship dynamics

Asra: There is some romantic potential between the two, but it's not very much. They were childhood friends and are still very close. Because of that, people often mistake them for lovers. When I say they are close, I really mean it. Asra has no problem hopping into Dara's bed for some cuddles and he's one of the very few people who are allowed to touch them. They pretty much go everywhere together and even though they have separate beds in the shop, they often end up sharing. He's invited to every family gathering and special occasion. Dara can be a little oblivious when it comes to how others feel about them (coughs coughs Nadia coughs choughs), but Asra, being the cheeky person that he is, doesn't shy away from letting them know that a certain Countess might be in love with them. Asra was the first person Dara kissed, btw.

Nadia: Oh I could talk about these two all day. True love. That's it, true love. They met during the plague and quickly fell in love with each other. However, they didn't confess their love until after Nadia woke up from her coma. Dara is introverted but warm and patient, which is something that can be said about Nadia as well. Their relationship is as comfortable as it is passionate, filled with affection and care. They're both givers, which means they spoil each other 24/7 with gifts and all forms of affection. Neither of them trusts easily, but since they're both patient and kind, opening up was not a big issue (except that one incident but that's gonna be explained in Wounds of Magic, Scars of Love.) Nadia is Dara's favorite person in the entire world and they're giving her the special treatment. They seem like an open person, but there's still so much that they hide about themselves. Not from Nadia, tho. Nadia is the only person that Dara tells everything. They have some trauma, and so far, Nadia has been the only one they completely trusted with it. Whenever something happens, Dara's first thought is that they have to go and tell Nadia about it. No one is allowed to touch Dara without asking for first (except Asra and maybe a handful of other people), but Nadia is always an exception. Actually, Dara wishes she would touch them all the time. There is something about the Countess that makes Dara feel things that no one else ever has before. It's a relationship based on lots of love and mutual respect. When it's just them, everything feels so easy. They can be just Nadia and Dara with each other and I think that's beautiful. There's no pressure, no expectations. Just love. If there was a love story about a star and the moon, it would be about them. Hand in marriage when?

Julian: Dara can't really decide how they feel towards Julian. On the one hand, they'd party with him. On the other hand, they're giving him a bombastic side-eye. Julian is not bad and Dara is okay with hanging out with him once in a while, but they can't imagine getting any closer to him. However, sometimes they hang out at the Rowdy Raven and chat over some drinks and they worked together during the plague. When they share a common goal, they're willing to work together towards it.

Muriel: Sweet Muriel is a childhood friend of Dara. They drifted apart but later rekindled their friendship. Or more like, Muriel tolerates Dara more than he would with other people. Dara isn't someone who would force anyone, which is something that Muriel appreciates. However, Dara makes sure that Muriel never feels forgotten. Whenever Dara goes somewhere, they bring him back a little gift or occasionally show up at his hut to say hi, bring some goodies, and pet Inanna. Whenever there's an occasion, Dara invites Muriel and sadly, he often says no, but Dara lets him know that they could hang out later. Just the two of them. They both like chickens. Dara sometimes asks if they could hug Muriel.

Portia: Besties. They bake together and gossip together. When Dara and Portia sit down, they simply can't resist spilling all the latest tea. You know what TikTok trend about whoever brings up xy has to pay first? Yeah, it's them. I swear to gayness, they're like two grandmas. They pet and feed stray cats. Maybe occasionally bring them back to the Palace until Nadia says it's enough. Portia is someone that Dara trusts and considers a true friend. Lots of inside jokes and uncontrollable laughter. They also think that she's cute.

Lucio: Another character with romantic potential. At first, Dara just wanted to punch him. Now they want to punch him and then make out with him and it really confuses them. They're still salty about the way Lucio treated Nadia, but they also understand that Lucio is in some serious need of a therapist. With that being said, Dara is someone that Lucio can talk to about his past. As soon as they begin to understand why Lucio is the way he is, their judgement and hatred for him starts to disappear. When Lucio had the plague, Dara did their best to ease his suffering. If he ever needs a shoulder to cry on or just someone who listens, Dara is always available. They want to get drunk with him.

#nadia satrinava #countess nadia #the arcana nadia #nadia the arcana #arcana nadia #the arcana #nadia arcana #arcana #the arcana lucio #lucio arcana #arcana lucio #count lucio #lucio the arcana #portia arcana #the arcana portia #portia #portia devorak #portia the arcana #the arcana muriel #arcana muriel #muriel of the kokhuri #muriel the arcana #arcana asra #the arcana asra #asra arcana #asra the magician #asra the arcana #arcana julian #the arcana julian #julian devorak

[ohkento]

Things that changed

!! SPOILERS FOR ASRA ROUTE !!

A.N. : Inspired by @/vesuviaweekly 's weekly prompt 'Things that changed'. As I said in 'Nightmares and Daydreams' , I am revisiting this prompt. Again can be kind of ooc for Asra and heavy on headcanons. (Some stuff is canon for me but then I look it up it is in fact NOT canon😭😭😭) . Oh the sufferings of loving a character so deeply that you divert them a bit from their original source <3. Then again as the saying goes 'to be loved is to be changed' . Anyways , this post too will involve a MC who has a similar origin story to my MC (riku) but still will be referred to as MC . MC will use they/them pronouns. I know this prompt is supposed to be a pre vs post plague scenarios but tweaking it a bit just for plot purposes <3.

C.W. : he/him pronouns for Asra ; very heavy on angst (because I am in an angsty mood 🥰) (I am sorry my love I promise to write something fluffy for you soon 😭) ; death mention ; spoilers for asra route (pretty much entirety of his route) ; characters may be ooc ; MC's aunt is mentioned (oc) ; may feel self indulgent at some points (may not) ; long post below the 'keep reading' button ; i just felt like yapping about my spouse and his history so I made this post 🥰 don't mind me ; FORGIVE ME ASRA 😩; English is not my first language so please be kind and make me aware of any mistakes you may find while reading this piece.

This post got out of control and now can be qualified as a chaptered fic 💀 aka LONG POST AHEAD.

"By clicking on 'keep reading' , you hereby confirm that you have read A.N. and C.W. as given above and therefore I (the creator of this post) will not be held accountable for your reading experience"

Change is the only constant . We all must have heard of this saying one way or another. Change is painful, sometimes manageable, most times not. Nobody wants change . We get used to situations and hope that the situation remains same . Hope that we don't have to change. Because we have gotten used to these circumstances and learned to live with them. But sometimes change is necessary. These changes can be seen in Asra's life as well. Did it change him? Let's see how changes happened in Asra's life and how it affected him.

Having a family vs Becoming an orphan :

• Asra has two very loving parents. He is loved in the Alnazar household. He knows what a family is and what it is like to be safe. He likes to spend his mornings getting magic trained from Salim. In the afternoons , his parents go for work in the palace and return late in the evenings. He doesn't mind that. He knows that by the end of the day he will be cuddled beside Aisha who will hold him oh so lovingly. He knows that whatever they do , they will ensure his safety. Afterall a child doesn't worry about his parents. It is the other way around... right?

• The first change occurred when one evening Asra's parents didn't return. The first few hours he did not notice any change. Maybe it was the calm before the storm . After an hour or so passed and Aisha and Salim didn't return at their usual time , Asra started to worry. "Where were they? Why aren't they home yet?" Said the little voice in Asra's head and made him worried. He didn't know what to do. He decided to go in his parents' room and wait the night out there. He waited and waited but his wait bore no fruit. He couldn't sleep that night. The next morning he decided to take matters in his own hands. He himself decided to go out and search for them. He searched his neighbourhood like crazy , he went to search in all familiar alleyways , he asked all familiar faces he could find , but none of this gave him a clue about the whereabouts of his parents. He only knew that they worked at the palace , so he decided to go there. He asked people around to reach the palace ,and finally that he did , he was told by the count that he executed his parents. The count executed his parents. The count executed his parents. His parents.

• Asra had two very loving parents. He was loved in the Alnazar household. He knew what a family was and what it was like to be safe. Asra hated change. He used to be safe and sound without a worry in the world just a few hours earlier. Now he was dangerously aware of the situation. He is just a kid! How is he supposed to live !? How is he supposed to survive?! What about his family?! Will he ever have one? Asra cried that day , he sobbed like a baby. He was just a baby! His parents' baby ! When he decided to return home , another bad news awaited him. The count confiscated his childhood home. He could not return. He was left in the streets of vesuvia all by himself. He had to live by himself now. He had to survive all alone. He had to , what other choice did he have?

Being alone vs Meeting new people :

• He is used to surviving on his own now. He has to be. It has been so long . The other vesuvian orphans were not always kind. You could even say that finding a friend in those orphans was a rare deal. These orphans used to survive by joining 'gangs'. Mafia of sorts , but not really that dangerous. They were dangerous for other orphans though. They were the bullies who used to boss around and dictate other non-member orphans lives. They used to bully other orphans into giving them their food. Asra was initially scared of them . But eventually when he found out that they can't use magic like he can , it was game on for him. Now the 'gangs' were scared of Asra. They avoided him as much as possible and used to scare away new orphans who could possibly become his friend by telling them stories of the great power he held aka throwing things at them without touching it. Asra was used to being alone now.

• The next change in Asra's life was a well needed change. He met Muriel. Or maybe it went a bit differently. He rescued Muriel , from the same gang of bullies mentioned earlier. How could he not ? They were making fun of Muriel and forcing him to do stuff ! Asra hardly tolerated when he came across such scenes. So of course he did what he knew best , magic! A bit of magic and every bully was left terrified. Even Muriel was a bit surprised but he soon recovered when Asra grabbed his hand and ran away with him. Away from the bullies. Soon as they interacted more Asra finds that Muriel is the reserved kind. But Muriel never left his side. Maybe it was gratitude or something entirely different but he appreciated his presence. He liked this change.

• Next change brought in his platonic soulmate in his life. While doing some magic tricks to earn some quick money to feed himself , he came across a wandering magician. He was so intrigued! And as it looked the magician was too by such talent of Asra at such a young age. He conversed with Asra and gifted him and egg. "An egg ?" Asra thought . The confusion must have shown on his face because the magician soon explained that it was gift and he should wait for it to hatch. So he did. It hatched on his birthday and came out as a beautiful purple ball python. He gained a new companion! Oh how happy he was. He named her Faust! Soon after he realized that his and Faust's connection was deeper than that of owner and pet. She was his familiar. Oh how they spent their time together, playing on the ships waiting on the docks. He would let her run away on the beach sand and chase her to catch. Muriel too got known by Faust and she started to trust him. Maybe not all changes are bad , Asra thinks.

• Asra was a teenager now. Him and Muriel have managed to secure a place in the woods. Asra had heard the townfolk talk about an upcoming masquerade ball being organized by the palace. As much as Asra absolutely despised the count , he did have an empty stomach to feed. So they (Muriel and Asra) decided to set up a stall in the bazaar. They both worked on preparing masks and other little trinkets to attract onlookers and sell those to them. On the day of the ball , when the newly wed countess first arrived in the city of vesuvia , a certain someone entered his stall to be safe from the gathering onlookers (the crowd watching the countess arrive). Little did Asra knew that this person is going to change his life forever and ever.

Friends or Something more... ? :

• Ever since that fateful meeting with MC in his stall , he had started to know them more. To the point that he was well acquainted with MC's aunt , the owner of the magic shop. MC's aunt was a kind lady. She would not hesitate to be welcoming and warm to Asra. Once she found out that Asra too was a magic user , she offered to train him. He liked it. He felt safe when he was around them. He remembered what it was like to be 'home'. They soon got pretty close to Asra. Asra gained another friend , another person to rely on. Maybe changes are good , he thought.

• Maybe it was the puberty kicking in or entirely something else but lately Asra has started to feel attracted towards MC. It started as small voices in the corner of his heart that he would dismiss initially , but soon it evolved and became harder to contain within himself. Asra was pretty close to MC and he surely didn't want to ruin their friendship. So he would run. Run away from them. Run away on 'trips'. The trips that didn't help with anything. It only made the attraction stronger. The want grew stronger and he started to crave to be in the shop. But he stopped himself. He really didn't want to lose a friend. He didn't want things to change. He was hesitant to change their relationship.

The Grief :

• He was not ready for the next change. Well, nobody was . MC's aunt died. It was hard for Asra but it was even harder for MC. He was their comfort in such tough times. He ,too, lost a person he could rely on blindly but right now getting MC adjusted was his top priority.

• Once MC was well adjusted and inherited the magic shop , he felt better too. Whatever decision they would make regarding the shop , he would accept it. They decided to continue running the shop and invited Asra to be their business partner. He accepted and together they started their magic business. It was all going well , everything was as it needed to be. But life doesn't stop at perfect moments , does it?

• The city of vesuvia experienced its deadliest plague. The plague that brought destruction. The plague that changed many lives. The plague that changed Asra's life. He tried to reason with MC , to convince them to go with him and seek refuge in a safer city far away from vesuvia . Far away from the clutches of plague. But MC wasn't the one to listen to reason. So they separated and decided to go their own ways. Asra left vesuvia and MC behind. This decision was a crucial one which changed a lot of things.

• When Asra returned and found out about MC's death , he was heartbroken and guilt stricken. If only he was more stubborn . If only he had managed to convince MC. If only he was true with his feelings . If only... he could have prevented this from happening! He could have saved them! He didn't know what to do or where to go. The shop felt emptier without MC around and lost its cozy feel. He didn't like it. Maybe not all changes are good.

Feelings of loneliness :

• Asra had decided to bring MC back. It was risky but he was ready to take this risk if it meant having MC back in the land of living. He had decided that he needs to control his life and not the other way around. He will change his life himself . He decided to work in the palace for their resources. Many warned him of dangers of working in the palace but he was never the one to listen to warnings about the count. He felt lonely, like there was no one he could trust . When initially he couldn't find a breakthrough to bring MC back, he felt hopeless. Like he was doing all this for nothing. He couldn't even ask anyone for help. All he could do was stay patient and hopeful and just try . Try to do what he was here for. Try to find a solution. He wanted things to change.

Taking care of a once independent individual :

• MC's resurrection caused them to have amnesia. The same way someone with a severe brain trauma would have. They had lost both their functional and emotional memories. When Asra realized this he felt guilty . Just how long do they have to suffer because of me? He thought. He then decided to keep his feelings aside and rehabilitate MC back to recovery. He tried a few times to get them to remember their past but when this caused more harm then good , he stopped. He was hurting inside seeing the love of his life suffer so much. Maybe he should just let them go. Afterall he will be more happy to see them happy then in pain. And so he did. He buried his feelings deep inside his heart (or what was left of it) and just focused on their recovery. Focused on reteaching them magic. Focused on reteaching them to live. But occasionally he could feel the love for them grow. So he resorted to his old habits , going away from them. Change is necessary, he would convince himself.

Returning faith (in people) :

• When MC was asked to investigate the case of the count and find Dr. Devorak for his punishment by the countess , Asra was initially hesitant. But it was not his decision to make. He supported them when MC said yes. What he didn't know was that this change of events was the one which he would thank for all eternity.

• As the investigation progressed , so did MC's recovery and that too in leaps. He was surprised to see this. His faith in people started to return too . Faith in the old baker , in the neighbour next door , in the palace guards , and the countess . He found himself gaining a part of him that he lost along with MC. As the events unfurled and MC gained most of their memories, a part in Asra healed. Maybe he had never forgiven himself for leaving them behind but now hearing it from their mouth he finally believed it.

• When he found his parents imprisoned in the magical realms , he was left speechless. He didn't know what to do or say. He didn't know what to feel. Till this day he had thought that he was an orphan but no! There were his parents standing in front of him! He thanked the Arcana for letting him see this day. He couldn't be more happier. He is getting used to changes in his life.

Maturity :

• As soon as the battle with the devil was won , Asra felt light. He felt as if a great burden has been lifted from his shoulders. The source of his lifelong sufferings , the cause of the pain to his loved ones , the devil , is now standing in front of him frozen in time. Almost like a stone statue. He could not believe that he managed to do this. That they managed to defeat the devil. They were stronger than ever. They had changed. Both of them did , in their own ways. For better and for worse.

• When he was on his way on to a new adventure with MC , his life long partner , he couldn't help but feel as if he was living in a dream. Everything was perfect now. Maybe it will not be the same tomorrow, maybe it will not be the same a few years from now , but one thing Asra had learned from his life is that things change , people change , situations change , and that's OK.

Before meeting MC vs After falling in love :

• Asra grew up loved up until his parents disappeared, after which he was left on the streets to survive. He felt alone for the first time. He was just a child when his world turned upside down. His life changed forever . Of course he was quick to gain new friends, but new people do not fully cover for the ones already lost. Soon he found a place he could call home. A place that felt like his home. A place with people welcoming enough to remind him of his family. He started to grow attached to them. It didn't matter how much he tried to brush these feelings off, the feelings resurfaced again. He was young when once again he lost people valuable to him. He didn't like this. So he refused to get used to this change.

• When he finally decided to act on his feelings and bring MC back , he didn't expect them to come back completely wiped off of their memories. But he was a changed person now. Instead of running away he decided to take care of them. Instead of letting his feelings overpower him and making things awkward, he decided to maintain distance from them. Instead of forcing them to remember their past, he accepted them as they were. Afterall, is that not what true family does? As time progressed and made everything what he could only imagine in his dreams - with MC acting on their love , his parents returning , and the devil defeated - he himself healed. He accepted everything as it was and as it would be. He decided to welcome each and every change from this point onwards without a fear. Afterall, isn't change the only constant ?

Can you guys tell that the last part (before meeting MC vs after falling in love) was what was originally planned. You can tell right? Right? 🥰← op thinks everyone knows how their brain works. Does anyone even read this part? The part where I roast myself? Idk , leave a leaf emoji if you do! Hopefully i haven't crossed the yapping limit 😩😩 If only I showed this much enthusiasm while writing school essays 😍 forgive me for such a long post. And can you guys please bully me into completing my Asra × Riku fic ? Please 🥰 /hj. I hope you enjoyed this!

Rebloggers and commenters are being offered biscuits with a warm cup of milk 🥰

© OHKENTO . do not copy, repost, modify, or translate my works in any platforms.

#vesuviaweekly #vesuvia weekly prompt #the arcana headcanons #the arcana scenarios #asra the arcana #asra the magician #the arcana #asra headcanons #asra angst #asra alnazar #asra #things that changed #the things that changed #asra × mc #asra × reader #asra × apprentice #how things changed #asra loml #vesuvia weekly

[mermaidchan05]

Vesuvia Weekly: How it Started, How it's Going

Additional entry for the "things that changed" prompt because I will take any chance to dump OC lore on everyone and that is a threat lol

(Slight content warning for very vague mentions of abuse)

Chimalus and Nadia

How it Started

Chimalus and Nadia actually met briefly when they were children.

Chimalus, though a far cry from royalty, was the firstborn of a small but wealthy noble family.

Their father was the type to always find a way to hobnob with those in higher power. If he wasn’t throwing a party himself, he was attending someone else’s fancy gathering… and dragging his child along with him.

Chimalus and Nadia both decided to escape a fancy event at the Prakran palace at the exact same time.

And so the two of them wound up accidentally enjoying a moment on their own private balcony.

It was awkward at first, but Nadia was eager to have someone listen to her talk about anything other than the endless fancy-party small talk, and Chimalus was only too happy to listen.

The two of them could just be kids, and it was a beautiful moment for them both.

Sadly, both of their lives fell through many, many dark twists and turns after that party.

And yet, somehow, those twisting paths led them both to Vesuvia.

How it's Going

Chimalus’ life was actually better after waking up in the life of a (relatively) ordinary shopkeep instead of the first in line for head of a noble house.

Their father was the picture of corrupt nobility, obsessed with power in any form over all else... including the welfare and wellbeing of his child.

He actively caused a lot of harm.

But now Chimalus has been given the chance to leave all of that behind.

Learning to be a person again with Asra meant that they actually had someone who encouraged them, who helped them find and pursue their own interests, and actually showed physical affection.

This was one of the biggest things that Chimalus was able to share with Nadia when the two of them finally met again.

Without even realizing it, they did exactly the same thing they had done during that party: they treated her like a person instead of a Countess or Princess.

Now Nadia and Chimalus take on everything together, from the biggest problems in the city to the much lower-stakes but equally challenging book club debates.

Perhaps someday one or the other will remember the moment that started it all.

But either way, in each other they found what they had both longed for as long as they could remember: being together as equals.

Meleia and Asra

How it Started

Meleia had always been an outcast. Even before she moved to Vesuvia.

Living and working with her aunt only made things more difficult.

Meleia came from a very distant place, somewhere literally off the map, and she was forbidden from talking about her past.

Between that, and her foreign magic utterly clashing with her aunt’s magical style, and her general lack of knowledge about Vesuvian culture, she felt trapped and alone.

And then she met Asra.

Asra happened to be in the right place at the right time to help her out of a sticky situation in the market just before the whole “stuck in the same spot during Nadia’s procession” thing happened.

They found kinship in each other, a pair of outcasts with magic they weren’t entirely sure what to do with.

But what had really amazed Meleia about Asra at the time was his willingness to actually help her out. To listen to her.

Even though the fleeting moments at the annual Masquerade were the only times they were “allowed” to run into each other, there was such a sense of hope and relief when they were together.

Her life significantly improved when her aunt eventually moved out of the shop, which let Asra visit much more often.

He helped her learn how to control her magic better.

But their relationship, as much as it was built on trust and sharing their mutual curiosities, was always veiled underneath secrets.

Meleia couldn’t talk about her past. Asra didn’t want to burden her with his.

And Meleia couldn’t explain-- not because she wasn’t allowed to, simply because she didn’t know-- why she never quite managed to control her magic.

Still, it was wonderful to have Asra by her side… until the night of that fateful argument.

How it's Going

It was tough at first, after waking up.

Meleia always felt a little guilty that Asra was so often the one taking care of her, and she longed to take care of him in return.

But now things are better in nearly every way.

Finally, finally, the two of them are exactly where they need to be.

Meleia has someone she can truly be herself around.

Asra has someone both to support him and to help him soldier through the more difficult choices and parts of life without slipping away.

The two of them have a deep understanding and trust of each other. Misfits have to stick together, right?

There are no secrets between them anymore, and ever since Meleia discovered the truth behind her resurrection and her new body, Asra has been more determined than ever to help her reclaim her past.

In all honesty, her new body helps a lot with magical control: one thing they did find out was that Meleia’s parents were both incredibly powerful magicians with two very different styles, leaving her with almost too much power for one person to handle alone. Having the borrowed body of an Arcana grants her the strength she needs.

The rest of her life remains a mystery… so far.

But whether they uncover it or not, Meleia and Asra will always, always have each other. And their friends. And Meleia found her familiar. And Asra found his parents.

They both have a family now, both with each other and beyond. And Meleia finally has a place-- and a person-- to call home.

#vesuvia weekly #things that changed #oc lore #oc info dump #arcana fan apprentice #fan apprentice #apprentice chimalus #apprentice meleia

[etherithemagician]

VESUVIA WEEKLY PROMPT: things that changed.

etheri astranova remembers. she’s no longer on the run from place to place, desperately trying to find where she belongs, searching for she came from or why some things seemed so familiar. with all of the memories she retrieved, came the ones she’d lost long before those. with those long lost memories of her childhood, finally came peace. maybe things happened the way they did for a reason; she much prefers how life is now than what it could have been. in the end, she and julian always found their way back to each other, no matter the circumstances, and for that she knew she had destiny on her side.

magne morgasdóttir reconciled. after years in bitterness, yearning for what could have been and mourning a past so distant, she came to terms with it. muriel helped her a lot, just as she helped him; they weren’t so different after all (especially when the source of their problems stemmed from the very same person). things will never be the same, that doesn’t mean they can’t be better. magne can never forgive her brother for what he’s done, but that doesn’t mean she can’t forgive herself.

#the arcana #the arcana headcanons #vesuvia weekly #things that changed

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Since you've done a mini ask with winged Mc how do you think the M6 would react to a winged Mc that doesn't take proper care of their wings?

I.E Mc should be preening them weekly but only does it when they feel as uncomfortable as they look. Having ruffled, bent, and broken feathers

The Arcana HCs: M6 with a Winged MC

~ put a spin on this so I could apply it to the vesuvia weekly prompt, hope you enjoy it anon friend! ^.^ ~

-- to set the scene --

You like having wings. You really do, but sometimes you wouldn't mind forgetting about them for a bit. Just putting them away, where they can't catch on door frames or whip into people's faces or make you wince every time the sensitive feathers snag on something. Folding them out of sight and being able walk around without the stares is so nice, it becomes your new normal.

Until one day, the pain that's been slowly twisting knots into your shoulders and back becomes too much to bear, and you pull your wings out for the first time in months. They're crushed. Ruffled. Just looking at them is the stuff of nightmares.

Thankfully, your beloved seems to think they're the stuff of daydreams.

Julian

He'd known that something was wrong with your back - the only other person he knows with that many knots in their shoulders is himself - but he'd had no idea it was because of this

Why didn't you say anything? Did you think you'd be asking him for too much work?? Don't you know that taking care of you and seeing you depend on him makes him the happiest man alive???

Rummaging through his overstocked medicine cabinet, rambling between self deprecation for not noticing more and nerding out on winged human anatomy

Doesn't think to ask if it's okay to help until he's already seated behind you, reaching for your wings and realizes your closeness

Excellent at wing care once you tell him what he needs to know, his eyes and hands are trained for spotting physical issues and delicately treating them. He touches you like he's cherishing you

Can't stop daydreaming about how romantic it would be if you ever saved him like this, swooping through the air and snatching him from a burning pirate ship where he'd been held hostage ...

Asra

They'd been the one to teach you about how to manage your wings, and they'd been hinting at maybe taking care of them sooner, but they'd also done their best not to interfere

Approaching you quietly with a pained but sympathetic look on his face, bringing you the stuff you need and telling you however bad it is, you'll fix it together

Has the softest touch, running their warm hands over your shoulders and back as they work through your feathers, easing the pain both in your wings and through your muscles

The funny thing about his daydreaming tendencies (and goodness, does he love to spend time doing that -) is that when he's relaxed, he mumbles

Which is how you begin to hear all kinds of muttered whispers about how gloriously soft they are, how much they just want to hold you in their arms while you shroud them in your wings

All wrapped up in a tiny, feathery, world of your own, with nothing in your shared space but each other - MC, why are you blushing??

Nadia

Let it be known that this Countess is the queen of self-care and values it so highly that she sets aside a weekly budget for it

Which is why seeing your state is enough to horrify her

Your wings! Your glorious wings, they're in such poor shape, you must be in so much pain, her darling deserves so much better

She's dragging you to her private bath. She'll put you in a robe that lets your wings loose and set you up for an afternoon of recovery

Her perfectionist tendencies make for a thorough preening. She'll sit with you between her knees, carding through your wings feather by feather, straightening each one

And with the top quality products from her own personal stash, you slowly begin to glimmer in the sunlight through window

It captures your Countess's attention, making her linger over each feather and cover your wings in loving touches

She wants to see you glorious - she wants to cover you in fabrics and adornments so fine you look like you've stepped from a stained glass window, her own angel on earth

Muriel

He knows you have wings and he'd falsely assumed that the reason for never seeing them was because you didn't want to risk him crushing them with his big, clumsy hands and rough touch

(Note: his hands are not clumsy and his touch is actually quite delicate, he just needs help believing that he's not a danger to you)

Thankfully, the painful state of your wings when he sees them causes enough concern to override his anxiety

He'd be lying if he said you didn't remind him of a very tired, gorgeous bird who's been roughed up by a bad storm

Starts by silently bringing you everything you need, and then standing watchfully nearby until you invite him to help you

He's cared for wings before (though never ones this big, or attached to a human) and he doesn't need much help to get started. Feeling your feathers between his fingers is grounding

He keeps seeing visions of you at peace, the sunlight between the leaves dappling your wings as you walk through the trees, his own heart in the forest bringing beauty and wholeness into the world

Portia

Her first reaction (to someone who doesn't know her well) is anger

How could you do this to yourself? You have the most beautiful wings, they're such a big part of you, and you neglected them like this?? How dare you cause yourself this much pain -

All while she bustles around you, pulling out every product you could need and plenty of other comforting items, pulling up a stool behind you and rolling up her sleeves like it's her calling

She'll figure things out as she goes if she needs to, so don't even think about trying to tell her that you'll handle it yourself

With her background in Vesuvia's version of cosmetology, she understands quickly what you need to get done and already has the skill set to do so. Her hands are fast, thorough, and gentle

The longer she works with you, the more excited she gets. How often are you supposed to care for them? How high can you fly? How sensitive are they? Can she keep one of your feathers?

Soon she's telling you snippets from her favorite novels, about flying together through the sky, an angel and their lover

Lucio

He doesn't really notice how bad your wings are at first, because he's busy being briefly jealous. How come you get to have them and not him? He could totally be trusted with wings!

It's only as he pouts a little closer and gets a better look at the pained look on your face (and the frankly terrible state of your feathers) that he shifts from annoyance to concern

You're the best thing in his life, MC, why aren't you treating yourself like it? Why would you neglect such an awesome thing?

He gets your reasons, but he's also asking right away if he can help

(Because he loves you and he doesn't like seeing you in pain, but also because he really, really wants to touch them, please let him touch them they looks so cool and soft and ... safe?)

It's the safety that gets to him. When you nod and let him sit behind you, literally watching your back, showing immense trust and vulnerability by letting him hold your wings

He wants to know what it's like to hold onto that safety, the brief respite from violence, securely hidden behind your wings ...

#vesuvia weekly #nightmares & daydreams #ask arcana brainrot #the arcana #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #the arcana game #asra the arcana #julian the arcana #nadia the arcana #muriel the arcana #portia the arcana #lucio the arcana #asra alnazar #julian devorak #nadia satrinava #muriel of the kokhuri #portia devorak #lucio morgasson

[1bbgms]

Vesuvia Weekly: Cooking Class

Hello! I wrote this oneshot a while ago, and I think it will be alright to submit for this week's prompt!

It's centered around the entire crew, with some Nadia x Portia and Muriel x Asra shipping involved in the background. Fluffy fluff. Enjoy :3

#vesuvia weekly #cooking class #the arcana #the arcana game #the arcana fanfic #asra the arcana #asra alnazar #julian the arcana #julian devorak #portia the arcana #portia devorak #muriel the arcana #muriel of the kokhuri #nadia the arcana #nadia satrinava #lucio the arcana #lucio morgasson

[paperstarwriters]

When Things Go Wrong (Feat. Inanna)

I know the larger trend is to lean comedy, but I couldn't help myself lmao. Also oof, the fic ended up with a lot less focus on things going wrong and a lot more focus on repair. Whoops lmao Pairing: Inanna & Reader (Platonic; familial), Muriel & Reader (Platonic, though could also be viewed as romantic)

Warnings: slight angst, hurt/comfort, Reader deals with feelings of inadequacy, Inanna acts a lot like Muriel.

Summary: Inanna had lost her pack once before, but here, she found a new pack with you and Muriel. It's small, but it's hers, and she will do what she can to protect every member of this little pack. So, when things go wrong, she has to fix it.

Vesuvia Weekly Prompt | Masterlists | The Arcana Masterlist Word Count: 4,085

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"And? When it all goes wrong, what will you do?"

When Inanna was a pup, she would have flashed her teeth in a terrifying snarl, gnash her jaws and howled her answer: "Fight! I would fight, I will fight!" But that is the bark of a child, of a pup, though she knows many grown wolves who would yowl the same sentiment.

Perhaps she shouldn't treat this as if she was somehow wiser. After all, it is wise for a wolf to solve problems with their fellows in a wolfish manner. The predicament occurs when you're dealing with a not-wolf-pack. Two strange magicians with one that too often loves to leave the pack and explore like an overeager puppy, while the other stumbles around occasionally like a newborn. Of course, then there was the snake, mischievous in the same way their wandering puppy magician was, and yet somehow much worse from their small intimidating size, and ability to slip behind and between and into things, without other people knowing. It's terrifying sometimes to see a snake and fear for your life only to realize it's your friend, covered in mud, intent on scaring you to death.

There were others as well, the tall slim bird-man. who sometimes had the face of a bird with cold unblinking eyes which he could somehow remove and leave on a wall, with his own raven friend who freaked out at the slightest inconvenience. There was the soft one, with her tiny little cat, who blinked and "meep!"ed at random intervals and fascinated Inanna to no end, unless she got angry which made her far more terrifying.

There was the wispy one, dressed in spiderwebs with an owl by her side. Inanna liked the owl, for their conversations, but she could never get around the sight of it turning it's head all the way around to stare her down. She's tried it before, it's very very hard to do, and yet the owl can do it without even blinking. Not to mention how irritatingly silent she can be sometimes as she flies around them.

Ah, but in short, they were an eclectic bunch, and though they didn't stay as closely together as a typical pack would, they were close enough, visiting often and being kind to each other. Especially her familiar, and the stumbling magician-ling. Muriel rolled his eyes at the title she gave you. Magician-ling, as if you were a newborn magician. She knew that wasn't true, but she thought it was a fonder title than, the undead. Muriel certainly seemed to prefer it.

Muriel certainly seemed to prefer you.

She remembers the delight in watching the two of you grow close, how you seemed to open the floodgates of connection and re-established his ability to find solace in a pack, to have friends, to have fellows he could rely on. Perhaps not fellow wolves, but someone at least. After he grew close to you, suddenly he was eating with others, suddenly he wasn't so alone anymore. And neither was she. She loves you for that, for giving her a pack to be with again, even if it was more spread out, and even if there were sometimes where they'd end up alone again, it was a little pack she found herself a part of all over again. Her pack. Her home.

And as you spent more and more time sleeping in their den, sharing Muriel's warmth, and cuddling up with her, she found her delight as a member of a pack of three. Muriel was happier with you to, so, so happy as his face grew soft, and his smiles grew wide, and when he did his chores, or wandered through the forest, you would sometimes jump up and delight her in a game, in a chance to chase, and jump and throw and catch, and sometimes, Muriel would join in too, and like a pair of wolves chasing after an agile deer, she would hunt you alongside Muriel peppering your face with kisses instead of bites when they inevitably found and caught you.

It was fun. It was happy. Small as you may be the three of you were a pack, which was why she had to fix this.

She knows why it happened, why you left so suddenly, and she's ashamed to know she had a paw in your sorrow large and clumsy as she was, she had knocked over your inkwell onto your book. You had been working on that so intently, staying up so late... too late in her and Muriel's opinion. It was the source of so many of your disagreements, and when you found it soaked in ink, all you did was cry.

She didn't mean to. She really didn't mean to. Her tail hit the bottle when she saw you finally taking a break and it just spilled all over the pages. And in that moment, you didn't dare to even look at her.

"Don't follow me," you had told Muriel with a frightening look in your eyes. You didn't say the same to her, though Muriel tried to argue for her to follow regardless.

"They don't want to be bothered," he insisted. "I... I think they just need to take a breather."

She could tell, in the way that familiars could, that more than anything, he wanted to defy that request. Instead, with his dexterous hands, he tries to salvage your work, to clean up the mess that she made, that she's helpless to fix, that she would only ever worsen if she even dared lay a paw upon it.

Still, she had to do something.

Muriel doesn't call after her when she slips out the door. The sound of wood creaking open, the sound of it slamming shut after was unmistakable, but he says nothing, despite that deep connection that would have allowed her to hear him despite the distance. He's silent, and though her chest pangs at the thought of leaving him in that state, she knows finding you, and fixing her mistake would surely bring you back, would surely fix his mood. So she tracks you down, the agile deer she's caught many times before, following your familiar scent, the familiar prints you leave in the forest around you, and finds you far far far away, crying, and gasping, panicking in that way she's seen Muriel do so many times before.

And in that way she's done to Muriel so many times before, she curls around you, lets you rest your head against her pelt, and quietly speaks, though she knows you can't hear.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I didn't mean to."

You lean into her touch, sob into her fur, and don't accept her apology, unable to understand a word she speaks. Her distress, is visible, is audible and you try to sniffle and pat her but you're too caught up in your own distress to try and console her. He licks at your tears, wiping them away like she's seen Muriel do with his hands, and you giggle at the feeling. She doesn't intend to make you giggle, but she keeps licking over and over again, if only to hear you laugh instead of cry.

"Inanna!" You bat her away, as gently as you can manage, and it pains her to be unable to tell you the same things Muriel does. You sound so sweet when you laugh, so why must you cry? Why cling to the sorrow she's given you when all she wants is to make you smile?

She wishes you could understand when she says how sorry she is.

Still, she curls around you, tucks her head atop your lap, and tries to keep you warm, to keep you company as you struggle to terms with the mistake she's made in you. At the very least, you sweep the tears from her eyes, and you fix her with a sad and tired look, like a puppy denied her mother. A pup denied her home.

Inanna knows she is giving you the same stare.

"I'm sorry Nana," you mumble perhaps in reply to her own sorrow, and she presses her face further against you, agonized at the idea that she has made you sorry. That you feel the need to apologize at all. Was it not her mistake that made you cry? Was it not her mistake that sent you running?

You lean in, and bask in the feel of her fluffy pelt, rubbing your hands against her fur, in that soothing manner that all you humans so loved to do. She basks in the feeling, the soft and tender feeling, and presses herself further into you, as if it would grant her more. It's greedy perhaps, but it seems to soothe you as much as it does her, as tears slowly dribble, then drip to a halt.

And you look to the forest your soul somewhere far away. And you look the spitting image of Muriel before you came into his life.

And she wonders what happened to you, when you made their life better...had... had they been making your life worse?

She nudges her face into your stomach, hoping and praying that you would get the message. She is curious, she wants to hear your thoughts. She does not want you to be alone in whatever suffering she and Muriel had left you to endure alone.

You look down at her, and as if by some miracle you smile and hear her silent plea.

"Do you ever feel like you're not what you're supposed to be?"

And Inanna curses the fates, the heavens and the moon who guides her. Curses that she was given such a wonderful pack to be a part of an eclectic mix of creatures big and small who all share that connection of affection with each other, who, though not often can sit at the same table and eat their shared catch together, and share whatever meal they've caught in their hunts. She curses that she's been given such a tiny intimate loving pack amidst the larger one, and that she is powerless to protect either when she cannot bear her teeth at the problem.

She wishes, again, begs and pleas to the very moon she just cursed that you could understand her once more.

"I do not understand," she would whisper in sad sorry sound "I am what I am and you are what you are, what is incorrect of our existence?"

And you look down at her, and twist that smile into a pitying thing. With a hand on her jaw you rub at your cheek and chuckle as she allows you this minor cruelty, forcing one eye shut, as she stares with the other.

"You're so tame Inanna, so kind. People say wolves should be fiercer, scarier than this. You seem almost more like a dog sometimes."

It's another cruelty that she must allow. If you could hear her, she would bear her teeth, scold you for thinking such cruel terms, as if others' thoughts could make her any less the wolf she is. But you would not hear her words, and you would not know her anger was not at you. Her jaws remain shut, though she could open them to remind you of her nature. And she leans further into your touch, to inform you of the rest of her.

She can be scarier, she can be fiercer, to her prey and any threat, but only a foolish wolf would bear her fangs at a pack-member in need.

"Inanna, did you know me when I was alive?"

She stares once more, eyes turning up to observe you from where she rests in your lap. She knows you now, and you are alive now. Is that not enough?

Again that sorrow pools in your eyes, sags over your shoulders and brings pains to your fingertips as you clutch at her fur. She wants to whimper to whine in pain but her silence is her gift to you, and an urge to listen to more.

She is here to fix, perhaps this is more than her mistake, but she has caused you pain and she wishes to know how to fix it—if she could fix it. The job seems grander and grander with every word that falls from your lips, every twist of your expression in pain and sorrow, and she is left helpless at her inability to talk to you as she so wishes.

"I knew more magic then, right?"

She tries to nod. It's true, before your death you knew far more than you knew now, but then you had seemed so unhappy as well. Wouldn't you be pleased to let go of such sorrows?

"I wish I still knew all that magic."

It clicks then, and she wants to speak. She begs for the ability to speak.

"Asra mentions it sometimes, how I used to be smarter, stronger, more capable."

"I wish I knew more magic too," she wants to say. "I wish I knew how to tell you that you're enough."

"Does Muriel ever mention it? How it would be nice if he didn't have to cover for my clumsiness all the time?"

"I wish I could tell you how much we love you."

Inanna does what she can. She shakes her head furiously, as she's seen you and Muriel do many times before, and she bears the brunt of dizziness that the movement brings. She wants to tell you that you're wrong, she wants to tell you that you are loved, she wants to tell you that to her, newborn as you are, you are just as powerful as the you of that past, that you had magic that your old self never could have reached. You had the ability to bring people together, to make a pack from a crowd of such different animals.

You had the magic to give her a pack again.

A pack of her, you, and—

"Are you okay?"

Muriel! Inanna leaps up, and she wonders at how she hadn't thought of it before. In a manner reminiscent of the day she first truly got to know you, she rushes behind Muriel, forgoing telling him what he needs to do in favour of telling him all that you were suffering alone. Muriel, she knew was clever. He'd know what to tell you, and he could speak for her too.

And yet when they turn to look at you, when she drags Muriel by his clothes yanked from between her teeth, she catches sight of your eyes growing wide, of your brows drawing down and your own body retreating from the both of them.

"Ah, sorry," Muriel tries to say. "I know you said not to follow you, but Inanna sounded distressed and—"

And you looked at her as if she had betrayed you. Hot tears building up on your face as you look away and try to hide, to hide from the both of them, of course, but to hide from yourself, she thinks as well.

"I'm fine. We're—Inanna and I were fine," you speak, around a mouthful of your own flesh and clothes. She can hear the shudder of your throat the warble in your tone, and she knows it is not merely from her keen ears that the sound carries through.

Muriel fixes her with a look, concern worry and curiosity, but when he whispers to her, in a voice only the two of them can hear, he asks her not to tell him. Not right away at least. She knows. She accepts, she never would have even if he didn't ask.

"Nana... Inanna wasn't fine."

You go still for a moment, back straightening, as if you're about to turn, before you burry your face deeper into your lap an attempt to hide more shame. Still the source of your sorrow, Inanna curls up beside Muriel, intent on doing the same.

"I'm sorry," and you sound so, so small.

Was this what he meant? When Muriel once fussed over his towering size. You sound so small, smaller than a bunny, smaller than a squirrel, you sound as if you could be held between her jaws and locked behind her teeth, and if she held you like she held a pup, she would have to take extra care not to bring you any harm.

It sounded like even before starting, she had already failed.

"It's not you," Muriel clarifies, shuffling close to lean against you. He starts with a hand on your shoulder, gives you ample time to shrug it off before he comes in with the rest of himself, pulling you into his embrace, into his affection and care.

And Inanna watches as you relax, suddenly wishing she was more like you.

She is a member of an eclectic pack of many different animals, but one mostly made of humans. Maybe she could take better care of you all if she traded her fangs for a form like yours. If she traded her fur for your skin.

She curls up beside you, trying to amend her inadequacy, and your hand finds her fur, stroking once more, calming even more.

If she can soothe you like this, then perhaps it isn't so bad.

"Inanna wanted to talk to you, but you can't understand what she says."

You say nothing, but you look away from the both of them, and Inanna understands. You still long for that magic so far out of your reach, you still long for the spells that you once had before your demise. She's sorry that she had stood between you and your goal, sorry that she had ruined your hard work to achieving it.

"She says she's sorry," Muriel says, and you sigh, shoulders sagging, as your hand returns to her fur.

"Its okay Nana, it was an accident I know."

"no, no, not only for that," she whispers.

"Not only for that," Muriel says.

"I'm sorry you think that you are lesser now than you were before"

"She says she's sorry that you think you're lesser now than you were before."

"I'm sorry that you think you are inadequate"

"She's sorry that you think you're inadequate."

"I'm sorry that you think we don't love you so much as you are now."

"She's sorry—" and Muriel falters, words dying on his tongue. "Do... do you not think we love you as you are now? Do you think we'd love the you from before... more?"

"It's not.... I know you didn't even really know me then" you try to argue back, but your voice warbles and cracks and though you try to deny it, it's clear the feeling was there. "But I... I was such a skilled magician before. Asra tries not to mention it but.... but I hear it sometimes. In the way that they speak.... they look so sad, so disappointed, as if they're upset that I'm not like that anymore—and I know that they're probably more upset that I've forgotten them," you're hiccuping now, gasping for air, that your lungs deprive yourself of a self harm that mirrors your words, cruel bitter things, where you pretend as if it's foolish for you not to be so hurt. "It's just that... I... I ... It'd be nicer wouldn't it? If I wasn't so clumsy, and if I knew all those spells. I'm sure I knew a spell to understand familiars once, I could've talked to her—I could have talked to you Inanna. And I just... I thought that maybe if I studied a little more I could do it again. That you know, maybe I could do other things too, and you wouldn't need to help me so often.

"I just feel like there's just so many things I can't do anymore. So many things I don't remember how to do, that would be so, so helpful."

And Muriel speaks exactly what Inanna thinks, without a word of encouragement from her side. "Do you think you aren't really helpful right now? Even if you aren't helpful, it doesn't make you any less...wonderful."

With his dexterous hands, Muriel slips your cheek into his palm, cradling your face, as he shuffles around you to make it easier for you to turn to him, to make it easier for him to wipe away your tears, to make it easier for him to tug you into his chest, let you sob into his shirt as he holds you tight. Inanna nuzzles up beside you, rubs her cheek against your shuddering ribs, and though it's hardly the same as the affection Muriel gives you, she hopes you can feel it too.

"You've done so much for me. For Inanna too. You remember how you told me that my past doesn't define me? The same applies to you, you know. You're amazing now, what does it matter how skilled you were before?"

"I don't know," you sob. "But... gods, it still makes me feel like I've somehow failed. Like I've grown worse over time instead of getting better. I should be getting better, shouldn't I?"

Muriel opens his mouth to say something, but grimaces at the thought. Inanna knows. Inanna knows full well what he's thinking, and she speaks for him, before he chooses silence.

"I... um... oh... Inanna says that.... no pup learns how to walk without stumbling, and.... and that no hunt future hunt will be better if the current one is successful. And.... and she says that even if she fails to catch her food, she is no less a wolf. And... and that applies to the both of us."

Muriel's face turns a little pink at the mention, and you turn to look up at him, your own hand coming up to mirror his own, cradled on his cheek. As you ask with your heart of concern, "You think you're not good enough?"

His brows dip though that pink colour doesn't go away. "I should be saying that to you, you know. You already know so much magic..."

"And you know so much about the forest, about life."

Muriel scoffs, eyes growing dark. "I know a lot about ending it."

"And a lot about healing it. Even without magic, you know how to mend wounds so well."

"And even without as much knowledge as before, you know how to do so much." You scoff at his retort, and Inanna buts her head against you, something Muriel is eager to translate. "Inanna agrees."

You roll your eyes, at their shared agreement, and smile. Muriel smiles in turn seemingly satisfied with this outcome, but Inanna is not convinced.

She speaks through Muriel, wagging her tail as she squirms into the space between the both of you, hoping to curl up around both of you and emphasize her points.

"Nanna!" you yelp

"Pfft." Muriel swats at her tail, likely stuck in his face. She doesn't regret a thing, only that it makes him slower to speak. "Inanna, oof, Nanna says that she loves you by the way."

"Both of you. I love both of you."

Muriel stubbornly refuses to voice the latter part. She swats her tail against his face again. "Hey! Okay, okay, both of us she says."

"You are my pack."

"She says we're her pack," and Muriel further translates. "She says we're her family."

"Inanna..." You open your arms, and let her into her lap, showering her with affection and cuddles, hands scratching and petting and fluffing and rubbing. "I love you too Nanna!"

From the side Muriel watches with a small smile on his lips as Inanna peppers you with slobbery kisses, and before he dares lapse into any feelings of isolation, Inanna twists, intent on pulling him into this pile of affection and play, as for the first time in a long time, she shows her love for her family the way a wolf does best.

So perhaps she cannot fix her pack's problems by bearing her teeth. She can fix them with play and affection with kisses, and with help. She's not alone anymore. And neither are either of you.

#familiars screwed up #but she also fixed it in the end lmao #x reader #reader insert #Muriel x reader #Muriel the arcana #Muriel #the arcana muriel #the arcana muriel x reader #the arcana #Muriel the mountain man #Muriel the hermit #muriel of the kokkhuri #muriel arcana #muriel the hermit #Inanna #Inanna the arcana #the arcana Inanna #Inanna the wolf