justarandomhuman

[bunnis-yanderes]

A vampire apocalypse has come, and you’re one of the last humans alive. The entire population was wiped out within a few months, and while a few high quality humans had been herded into warehouses like cattle, you weren’t sure if there were many people left besides them.

For a while, you weren’t sure why you had been left behind.

You watched as your neighbors were picked off one by one, their wooden or metal barriers torn away like paper before they were dragged from their houses kicking and screaming. They often didn’t make it much further than the driveway before the feeding began, and eventually you couldn’t bear to look anymore.

But even as you ventured out to scavenge for food or met face to face with one of the beasts, you still came home alive and untouched.

“It’s because you’re ugly.”

You froze as an older man hobbled down the street towards you, but relaxed when you remembered it was the middle of the day. Vampires didn’t come out when the sun was up, maybe the legends were true.

When your body relaxed a bit, his words finally hit you. “W-what? Ugly?”

The man looked her up and down, leaning against his walking cane. “I heard ‘em talking about it, in them raspy voices the other nice. They done killed a whole family, bless their souls…”

He murmured the last part, clutching a silver cross hung around his throat. “The bastards can’t eat someone that wasn’t seen as beautiful by another person. Vampires themselves are gorgeous creatures so we cant really compete with them in terms of attractiveness. That’s why they gotta rely on human’s vision of beauty.”

The old man continued down the street, his eyes watching the sun as it began to set. “The last person that thought I was worth a damn thing was my late wife… but she’s been gone for nearly thirty years now.”

You stayed quiet, still trying to comprehend the reason you had been left behind and allowed to live. It wasn’t a kindness or from being special…

You just weren’t pretty.

The truth made something ugly well up in your chest, tears prickling in your eyes as you carried the supplies you acquired home.

“I guess I should be grateful…” you said to yourself, placing the canned goods in your pantry. “I get to live… in a quiet world with no friends or family. Everyone is gone and I’m alone…”

But that wasn’t much different from your life before.

You were distant from your few remaining family members and had just moved to the area, meaning you didn’t have any friends. The people you did know were pretty rude and inconsiderate, knocking over your garbage when they passed your driveway and leaving dog shit on your line.

“Maybe they deserved it…”

You instantly stilled the moment those words left your mouth. You hated getting like this, viewing others as worthy of harm just because they hadn’t been nice to you or you had some damn complex.

“That’s so ugly… that’s why no one thinks I’m beautiful…”

You spent the next few months in relative peace, even if you were going a bit insane from the lack of human contact. Sometimes you’d spot the old man and dashed over to talk to him, but he’d hardly give you the time of day.

“Go away, I ain’t getting close to no one and causing their death. You go on home and try to follow my example.”

He was right. Being around other humans during such a crisis could mean falling in love with the most unlikely people. Maybe if you saved someone or helped them in a dire situation their heart would beat a bit faster. Someone in love wouldn’t care about how you look, they’d find you beautiful because they adored you.

And that, was dangerous.

So you took his advice and stayed away from fellow humans. Though you tried to help when you could, giving food to wandering strangers or telling them the closest town after this, you never got too close and remained distant.

But as humans practically went extinct within a year’s time, the vampires were running out of beautiful people to feed on.

For nearly 11 months you lived on in your small home, stockpiled with food and gasoline for your generator. There was little competition in your small town for supplies since most people had been picked off by now, so you practically lived like a queen.

It was a quiet night of watching another dvd you found in town when you heard it.

Knock knock.

You paused the movie, your heart hammering in your chest. That sound was very familiar, you heard it countless nights when you still had neighbors being dragged out into the moonless nights by beasts you could hardly see.

It always started with a slow knocking, like the vampires enjoyed filling you with anticipation and fear. They knew you KNEW that this was going to be the end of your life… and they were thriving off of it.

“You should make it easier for us both and come out now, it’ll be less violent and painful for you…”

You felt yourself stand, your legs trembling as you approached the door. You didn’t want to go out like your neighbors, dragged through glass windows, bare skin scraping against the pavement while you were torn apart.

Your hand wrapped around the door knock and turned it slowly, the door creaking open to reveal a man behind it.

When the old man told you they were beautiful, you pictured a stereotypical gorgeous person… but a mortal couldn’t truly comprehend a vampire’s appearance until meeting one. While you had seen their beast form several times before, this was your first encounter with… this.

He stood before you, fangs glinting in the moonlight as his blonde hair cascaded down his shoulders, fluttering softly in the faint wind. Red eyes bore into yours, meeting your terrified gaze with intense delight that you could hardly understand.

“Ahh, we’ve been watching over you for a while, human. It was cute, seeing you eat your fatty snacks and stare at your TV screen, thinking you were safe.”

He leaned against the wall, smirking down at you as his cloak shifted. A pair of dark red bat wings twitched beneath it, revealing his true nature.

You knew he was a vampire already, he looked ethereally beautiful and stank of blood, but those wings drove it home. He was not a human, and he was there for you.

“W-what… do you want..?”

Even he was surprised that you were able to speak, his eyebrows lifting delicately before he chuckled.

“I guess you would be confused, wouldn’t you? Usually we drag you creatures out into the night and feast on your blood and flesh with no issue.”

You chanced a swallow, your throat feeling dry and your body stiff. He paused, letting his words sink in and fill you with even more anticipation.

“As you can probably tell,” he said after a moment, stepping past you and into your home. “There aren’t many humans left that we can eat.”

The vampire stood in the middle of your modest living room, glancing around with a frown. “Do you humans just enjoy living in such filth?” he asked as he stepped over a bag of half eaten chips.

You felt strangely humiliated by his question, your cheeks flushing, but you quickly regained your thoughts. Why should you care that this monster found your house a bit dirty? You were surviving an apocalypse!

“I can’t even believe I have to say this.”

He was almost whining as he flipped his hair, glaring down at you like you were more of an annoying insect than a human being.

“You’ve been selected for the human breeding program.”

You blinked, and he continued speaking before you could even process his words.

“I’ll be watching over you to make sure you eat well and are taken care of while my colleagues find a suitable breeding partner for you. The area will be clear of most vampires besides me so your human body won’t be so stressed and your eggs won’t shrivel up or whatever…”

Was he… reading a script? You stood behind him in stunned silence, your mouth agape.

“If you can produce enough human children you’ll be allowed to live as breeding stock for the rest of your mortal life. Once you can no longer breed, you may be turned into a vampire and allowed to join our ranks,” he said in a flat tone, waving his hand around at the end as if becoming a vampire would be appealing to you.

“No thanks.”

“You’ll be given good quality food and allowed to socia-“ he stopped reading, your words finally sinking in. “… excuse me?”

“I said no thanks. I don’t want to be your breeding stock or live on in a world where I have to sacrifice my children to get up in the world.”

He stared at you for a good moment, then spoke in a bored, exhausted tone. “What makes you think you have a choice? Those who don’t participate will be eaten or forced to.”

“Sure, try forcing me. That’ll just stress the women out and they’ll miscarry.”

It was a half-truth, but from what he said about your “eggs shriveling up”, the vampires didn’t seem to know much about human anatomy.

He stiffened, squinting down at you before he moved so quickly you nearly fell over. Faster than you could think, he had you pinned against the wall.

“You’d do well to listen, human woman. You have a year to think about your decision before they gather you all for the breeding program. Before then, you better come to terms with your fate and learn to listen to us.”

He took hold of your face, tilting it up so you’d meet with his scarlet eyes. “Because I’m starving, and would love to have fresh human flesh to sink my fangs into.”

He let you go, his claws leaving indents in your chubby cheeks. “I’ll be back tomorrow night with my things… make sure to clear out a room for me. I expect the high thread count sheets from that store down the street and those feather stuffed pillows.”

With a huff, he turned and walked out of your door, leaving you to stare at the empty space in front of you, still too terrified to move.

Would he have really killed you right then and there if he could?

It was then you realized it. They didn’t know that you were aware of what(or really, who) they could and couldn’t eat.

You were not seen as beautiful, therefore he could not eat you, and could not afford to lose you because you were needed for the breeding program.

Perhaps you could find some way to escape…

While you thought over your next move from your home, the vampire stared down at his hand.

The soft squish or your cheeks and the warmth they brought sunk into his cool skin. He kept thinking about how soft your flesh was, how he almost smirked when you defied the council’s wishes.

“Hey, Valentine.”

The sound of wings flapping behind him caught his attention. Valentine knew that voice, and he almost rolled his eyes before he turned.

“What is it now, Cupid?”

The pink haired boy grinned, showing off his newly formed fangs. He was a young vampire, and had just discovered the joys of hair dye and what the humans called “punk music”.

“I heard what that human said. You’re supposed to be guarding it, right?”

Valentine looked the youngster up and down, his eyebrow lifting just a hair. “What of it? Shouldn’t you be home by now? Your parents are probably tearing through the neighborhood looking for you.”

Howls could be heard from the distance, causing Cupid to jump. “Well, I just wanted to give you an offer.”

He stretched out his wings, then smiled as he glanced at your home. “If she doesn’t agree to the breeding program… why don’t we just eat her?”

Valentine stiffened, something about his words making the elder vampire snarl. Cupid quickly explained himself. “I mean, if she can’t breeding stock, I’m sure we could find some shmuck that’ll find her beautiful if we mess with his head enough. Then we-“

Cupid yelped when Valentine took hold of once of his wings, not enough to tear the delicate skin, but hard enough to quiet the young vamp’s babbling.

“As if I’d share a meal with the likes of you. Don’t dare to presume you can eat at the prince’s table.”

The second Valentine let go, Cupid took off into the air. “Y-yeah, Ex-Prince Valentine, you don’t scare me!”

Valentine sneered, his scarlet eyes rolling before he could stop himself. Feeling too lazy to peruse the tiny runt, he turned and began walking back to the palace.

Even if he was an Ex-Prince, having him work such a low level job was humiliating for a vampire of his status that had lived a life of luxury.

But… at least you might be interesting enough to keep him from dying of boredom.

He looked down at his open palm one more time, clenching his fist as if trying to keep the strange warmth he felt from seeping away… but vampires are creatures that feed off of human blood to live, and their cold flesh can never retain warmth again. In exchange for immortal life, the comfort of warmth alluded them.

But… for just a moment while he held your face, he felt it. With an evil smirk, he wondered if he scared you again, could he feel that same heat beneath his fingers return?

Now, he was looking forward to tomorrow night.

A/N: this is the beginning of a yandere!vampire love story. It will include: violence, somnophilia, gore, dubcon, obsession, mentions of breeding, and kidnapping. I’ll probably post each new part on my patreon before posting it here.

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yan! pomefiore / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. ( <- prev | next -> )

( slight bullying; physical teasing; dubcon touching; groping; stalking; candid pictures; rook and vil give you a pep talk!; still obsessed; possessive behavior; slight drugging; vil kinda treats you like an adorable idiot; reader has self-esteem issues!!! )

Though Scarabia and its residents have been nothing but kind to you, you can never shake the feeling of dread following you through its halls. Dread in the form of a good night’s sleep, waking up in a mattress of silk and linen, a lingering sense of having done something you shouldn’t weighs heavily on you whenever Jamil brushes against you. Dread in the way that your throat tightens and your smile stiffens when you see Kalim bounding over, oblivious to your inner turmoil as he looks at you with untethered obsession.

Alone in the courtyard with Grim munching on your untouched food and anxiety disturbing your brain, you barely notice the shadow casting over you till you’re staring at the polished shoes of another student. Epel looms over you, a scowl on his pretty face.

“What’re ya—” A visible chill prompts him to straighten his back and force a polite smile, a clear signal that he feels Rook’s watchful eye on him. “— ahem. I mean, why do you look so sad, [Y. Name]?”

You smile wryly at him. “Take a wild guess, ‘pel.”

He cocks his head, staring at you with wide blue eyes as if he knows nothing at all. But you know him, the little shit. Enough so to see the hint of mischief playing on those dainty lips as he smiles at you gently.

“I don’t know, but maybe we can talk about it over tea at Pomefiore?”

EPEL FELMIER barks out loud, legs wide spread as he lounges on his bed with the most uncouth grin on his face. “Are ya serious? Four houses down and ain't a single decent fella in any of 'em?” You feel miffed as he laughs at your misfortune, but it’s not like you expected any better. “Well, I ain't surprised. What does surprise me is that you still tried after Heartslabyul. They’re fuckin’ atrocious.”

You roll your eyes and reach out for another slice of apple. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, asshole. Gosh, why did I agree to this?”

He bats his eyes at you, taking on the sweet boy image. “Because you love me?” He laughs it off, mischievous grin back on his face. “C’mon, ain't like you got anywhere better to be. ‘Sides, I ain’t gonna do anything. Or at the very least, nothing too awful.” He laughs again. “Doubt I could top Ace, the maniac.”

You pout at him, not at all convinced. Just when you’re about to say something to him, someone lightly knocks on the door, and then it swings open to reveal the rest of Epel’s roommates. Unlike the others, Epel isn’t exactly in a position to kick people out. He still has to put up that dainty act of his, and even so, Vil would kick his ass for it. They stand still upon seeing you, the infamous prefect, and their eyes dart back and forth between you and Epel. It seems that they’ve concluded that nothing scandalous has happened between the two of you (with the way they’ve been eyeing the state of your clothes) because they soon relax and flash you dazzling smiles. Epel smiles back, clasping his hands together and tilting his head to the side.

“Oh! I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, but my friend here will be staying the night.” Epel’s fake act never fails to amuse you. “You’ve probably heard, but Ramshackle collapsed and the other dorms… well, the other dorms…” He purses his lips, telling the story with a pained look, and the others immediately understand. “Not to worry, though! Dormhead Schoenheit has been informed of this beforehand.” No the fuck he wasn’t.

“What a dazzling display of chivalry, Epel!” The rather flashy-looking one exclaims in delight. “Despite your princess-like stature—” Oof, you can see the veins popping out. “— You serve as an exemplar of courtliness for the rest of us. I hope you enjoy your stay, prefect.” He swoops into a polite bow.

“Although, um,” one of the more normal guys behind the flashy roommate nervously points at Epel’s bed. “Is it, uh, appropriate for the two of you to share a bed…? We have a spare mattress, if you’d like.” You open your mouth, eager to take them up on the offer, when Epel quickly snatches you by the arm and pulls you to his side.

“That’s not—! That’s, that’s not necessary.” Epel smiles again to conceal his sudden outburst. “We’re very good friends and I’d be… really, really lonely if [Y. Name] isn’t by my side.” He flutters his lashes at you, acting like the very paragon of innocence. “You agree, right?”

“Bastard,” you whisper. He suppresses an evil grin.

“My dorm, my rules, idiot.”

“This is too close, ‘pel…!” Hiding under the thick sheets, you nervously glance at Epel, who looks far too comfortable for someone whose legs are tangled with your own. You have a few inches on him, so he’s nestled in the dip of your chest with an expression between disgruntlement and pleased. “‘Pel? You hearing me?”

“Yer makin’ an awful lotta noise for someone who doesn’t wanna get caught,” he huffs. “Why’d ya have to be taller than me… I was hopin that I…” His thoughts trail off into a mumble, and deep in thought, you decide to take the opportunity to inch away– only for his legs to tighten their grip around you. “Tryna run away?”

“What’s it fuckin’ look like, smartass?” You grunt, trying to squirm and failing. Why does such a cute boy have to have such toned legs?

“You don’t want to sleep with me, [Your Name]?” Epel pouts at you, turning on the charm that Vil has taught him to use as a weapon. “Are the sheets not to your liking? The blanket?” The weight of his arm drapes across your side, fingers lightly teasing the small of your back.  “Or is poor ol’ me makin’ ya uneasy?” 

Epel watches you squirm under his teasing touch with an expression too dark for you to make out under the sheets. Who was the cute one again? With the way you shyly tremble under his lightest touch, biting your lips as if trying to tempt him, he thinks you’re way too adorable for your own good. Pushing your boundaries even further, he slips his hand underneath your thin shirt— your tense body is warm under his touch, and the curve of your waist beckons his fingers to run over them to hear your whimpers once more.

“Haaa… what the fuck,” Epel sighs, nestling within the crook of your neck. His breath tickles your sensitive skin, and even more so when he darkly chuckles at your shivering. “Yer so fuckin’ adorable, I could just eat ya up. Yer not even pushin’ me away anymore, ya tease.”

You reply with only a shaky breath, nerves paralyzing you, and he laughs again. “Scared speechless? I’ll help ya jumpstart that dumb brain of yours. How about… this?” He pinches your waist, eliciting a pathetic whine from you but nothing more. Then those hands of his slip just below the waistband of your pajamas, teasingly fluttering just above the mound of your bottom yet still on your thigh. He strokes it gently, almost like petting a scared bunny. You can feel his violet eyes peer up at you, ascertaining your every move. Your shallow breaths are warm on his forehead as you squeeze your eyes shut and grip his shoulder tight.

“Ha. Ha ha. You’re so goddamn adorable,” Epel whispers, playing with the cloth of your delicates. “Jus’ the slightest touch and you’re all shiverin’ and tremblin’. Bet so many of the others did the same thing to you, huh? Sleeping in their beds… all over them… just like we are now… Bet they probably stroked you like perverts, huh. Though I guess I’m not in a position to judge ☆”

Oh, how ROOK HUNT could watch you and Epel play around all day! Every time Epel leans in with a knowing grin, you blush pensively and inch away, probably embarrassed from the night before. And how does Rook know that? Well, how could he call himself a lover of beautiful things if he missed out the chance to see two youthful beauts frolick in the sheets at night! Guaranteed, he could not see anything since you two made a point to stay under the sheets, but Rook had an imagination to make up for it!

“Bonjour, Trickster!” Rook makes a point to appear out of nowhere once Epel has been called to Vil’s chambers. You startle with the smoothie bowl you’re having for breakfast, but settle down once you see that it’s only Rook. Stalkerish as he may be, Rook seemed to have more morals than the rest of the unsavory cast here in Night Raven College. Like Silver and… Kalim… and… Jack. You frown to yourself.

Rook seems to notice the sudden shift in expression, because he quickly massages the wrinkles between your brows with two fingers. “Non, non! I shall not have you ruin your beauty with unpleasant thoughts so early in the morning, and in Pomefiore of all places! What ails you so, my dear junior? Has Epel been too rough with you last night? Delicate-looking as he is, that boy does have a mean streak in him—”

“No, no!” You cut him off with a red squeak, not even bothering to question how he knows. When Vil had agreed to letting you stay here, Rook had already declared his intent on keeping an eye on you at all times. “I…! Epel was… lovely, thank you.” You cough into your fist, knowing that he’s already seen through this lie. “Pomefiore is lovely as always, yeah. Nothing wrong here!”

“And yet there is a panic in your eyes, reminiscent of deer staring down the barrel of my rifle.” Mmm, not questioning that either. “Pray tell, Trickster. If not Epel, what could possibly be the cause of your bereavement? I want to know what sorrows afflict that beautiful face of yours.”

“Well, not sorrows.” You laugh a bit. “But I do have some things I’m stressing over. Like Ramshackle’s still broken down, and I can’t keep depending on the houses like this. And I– well, these past few days I’ve come across with some… someone’s feelings for me.” Rook raises a knowing brow at this ‘someone’ but chooses to stay quiet for your sake. “And I just. Well, I don’t really know what to do! I mean, look at me!” You stretch your arms out, looking at him for validation.

“I am looking at you, cher [Your Name], and you are breathtaking even in your morning stupor.”

You flush at the sudden compliment, hands back to playing around with your smoothie bowl. “I’m– I’m flattered that you say that, Rook, but I’m just saying. I’m plain, unlovable, I get pushed around like a doormat, people are always willing to take advantage of me here… I, I… how could they— I mean he— love me? This level of obsession for someone like… me!” You laugh wryly. “It all feels like a joke!”

Rook does not say anything for a few seconds, green eyes staring pityingly at his self-loathing junior. It is one thing to not be aware of one’s own beauty, but it is another thing entirely for proof of your beauty to be thrust in your face in the form of obsession and still deny it. La pauvre! He takes one strand of your hair and twirls it around his finger, sighing forlornly as he looks at you with kind eyes. 

“Come now, mon cher. I know you must have such a rough past for you to think so little of yourself, but the obsession of these boys— including myself— is proof that your beauty is beyond equal. Not only do you bear the bittersweetness of melancholy so well, but your kindness despite your hardships is most captivating! I know that we students of Night Raven College are difficult to deal with, but everyone sees how hard you try.” He smiles at you sweetly and kisses the strand around his finger. “Is that not beautiful enough?”

You squirm in your seat, unable to deal with such sweet words suddenly piled upon you. Rook finally lets go of the [Hair Color] strand and leans back, satisfied with the effect that his words have upon you. “I– I…” You try to mumble out something, but words fail you. He knows that it will take more than sweet words to give you the same confidence that Vil has, but Rook is nothing but patient. 

“I– Could I…?” You wince. “I heard that third years don’t have roommates. Epel is… well, handsy. Could I…?”

Rook beams for a second before something crosses his expression, and he shakes his head with a despondent expression. “Alas, my dear trickster, did you forget? I, too, share the same obsession with these men. Someone like me cannot possibly resist the temptation if your body is too close to mine.”

“How could I possibly turn them down?!”

Rook’s despairing cry shakes his drawers as he slumps down to his knees and bawls out on the deerskin rug. Those earnest eyes…! So full of shining yet misplaced hope! He was overjoyed to hear that plea from you, so willing to play the prince and swoop you from his junior’s naughty hands. And yet! He knew that he would be unable to contain himself the moment your soft body would set upon his mattress!

And he did not want to scare you away either. He can play the reliable senior all he wants, but in the end, he is just another man you have captivated. Carefully peeling away the wallpaper, Rook casts his reverent gaze on the object of his fantasies. 

Your pictures, candid shots capturing your every expression, have nearly overtaken those of Neige and Vil’s. There is a picture of you cuddling up to Grim, unwilling to get out of bed— clearly photographed by someone hanging out the tree by your window. Then there is you in a frantic dash around Mostro Lounge, taken by someone from the employee’s exit. You enjoying ice cream with your friends, you yawning in a lecture, you giggling at ADeuce’s shenanigans, you teasingly stripping down in front of the mirror, you in the bath, you— 

“Ah… ah…” He leans against a picture— you making a peace sign at his phone— and nuzzles against it. “Oh, if I were a more selfish man, could I have finally have you under my touch as well, mon amour?”

VIL SCHOENHEIT is as strict with other people as he strict with himself. The pursuit of beauty, after all, is not only within the self but also found in your surroundings. And because Vil chooses to waste precious time with you, he is particular about every single thing you do. Now that you’re residing in Pomefiore, you feel as if this fussiness has grown tenfold.

“Uh… Vil.” You warily eye the dozens of creams set before you, looking more science experiment than beauty routine. “Is all this really necessary…?”

He glares at your reflection in the mirror, looking affronted. Right now, he’s carefully applying hair oil to the ends of your hair while both of you are wearing face masks. It seems that he’s deduced what Epel had done to you by how smug he was being and how embarrassed you were that he had you quickly moved to his room. “Do you think me an amateur? Of course, we’re not using all of these! Do you not know of the basic rule ‘simple is better’? Honestly.” He shakes his head. “No, these are all for you to familiarize yourself with, while these—” He singles out a few products and taps them with a long nail. “–are what we’re actually using on you.”

“Then why the other ones…?” He huffs, clearly displeased at having to explain everything to you. “You are to familiarize yourself with the most essential of products and their effects if you are going to be living under my watch. Pomefiore students pursue beauty, and that starts with knowledge.” He lifts your uncut fingernails to the light and frowns at them. “Knowledge that you obviously do not have.”

“It’s not like I’m an actual Pomefiore student,” you mumble meekly, holding up a vial of gly… glyco… glycolic acid? and giving it a frown of your own. “I need to rebuild Ramshackle so I can get back to not depending on you guys.” And have you guys take advantage of me, but you leave that unsaid.

Vil scoffs as he brushes through the tangles in your hair. “And where do you think you will be staying while you wait? Scarabia is a snake’s nest, Octavinelle is full of advantageous creatures, Savanaclaw is just downright abhorrent with that indolent prince, and Heartslabyul has more men in rut than the actual dorm of beastmen.” You smirk at that last sentence before he lightly taps your face scoldingly. “No smirking. It’s ungraceful.”

“I just think all your effort is wasted on me.” Vil peels away the face mask and taps the moisture into your skin, finally taking a good look at your forlorn eyes. He sighs and goes back to brushing your hair.

“Did Rook not give you a pep talk this morning? He told me all about it.”

“Yeah, but he’s… Rook.” You smile wryly. “He can find anything beautiful. But I… I’m not like that. You’re beautiful, that’s why it’s understandable when people want you, but I…”

“Indeed, I am beautiful.” He doesn’t sound haughty about it, just stating facts. “But you know my story. Things don’t always go my way just because I am beautiful. It is why I spend every waking hour putting my utmost effort into everything I do so that I can do things even without needing to rely on this face of mine. But you—” He pinches your cheek. “— my foolish junior, running themselves ragged just to prove that they can be relied on, are the complete opposite. Your hair is full of split ends, your face could be more moisturized, all these things could be avoided if you took better care of yourself, and yet—!” 

He guides your face to the mirror, where a dewy-looking [Your Name] stares dumbfoundedly at the mirror. “I choose to fuss and look after you. Do you know why?”

"Um… why?”

He straightens his back and pats down your hair. “Because you could be more than you are right now. The Fairest Queen had no king to call hers, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t take a consort of my own. I will melt you down till you fit the mold I have for you, then polish you till I can wear you and make everyone around us green with envy— of you or me, it will not matter.” 

“Consort?” You squeak, shrinking in your seat before Vil grabs you by the shoulders and straightens your posture. “I– I don’t think—” “And you don’t need to,” he cuts you off. “All I require for you is to be not a complete idiot, but even I find your naivete irritatingly charming, so I suppose we don’t need to get rid of that.” He bends down until your cheeks press together, and you both look at your reflection. “Look at that. A little bit of polish and we make a dazzling pair, don’t you agree?”

Feeling his nails dig into your skin, you nod without much thought and come back up with a satisfied smile of his. “Exactly. Just follow my orders and you will be the most darling in all the lands, even more than that infuriating Neige LeBlanche.” He spits that name out like venom, but upon seeing the wrinkles creasing around his brow, he relaxes and turns around. “Come along, pup. I will have you drink a vial of my own making, an elixir promoting gut health in your sleep, before it’s lights out.”

You scamper to meet his long strides, fidgeting with the loose threads of your pajamas until Vil shoots you a disapproving look, and your hand falls to your side. He hands you a purple vial. As a show of good grace, he pops the cork of his own vial and gracefully drinks from it. It’s not poisoned, probably, so you clumsily fiddle with the cork in hopes of getting it off.

“You really have no grace in your actions.” Vil shakes his head and grabs the vial from you. In one swift motion, he pops the cork off, but rather than handing it back to you, he raises your chin with one slender finger and tips the contents of the vial into your mouth. Taken aback, you start hacking into your fist and stumble back.

“Oh, relax. There’s no poison in there.” Vil rolls his eyes and guides you to his bed.

“R-Really?” You murmur, dazedly sinking into the plush of his mattress. You don’t know what to trust anymore these days.

“Of course,” he huffs. His beautiful face is still in that perpetual scowl of his as he tucks you in and smoothes your bangs down until you feel your lids growing heavy. “Sleeping potions aren’t considered poison. Ah, ah, you needn’t worry.” He hushes you before you squeak out a protest. “This is necessary. Look at you, poor thing. You haven’t gotten a proper wink of sleep these past few weeks, have you?” You open your mouth again to protest, but ah… everything is just so… comfortable…

He hums, finally allowing himself a small smile as he continues stroking your hair. “Those eyebags are dreadful, but now under my care, you will get a good rest.” He presses a gentle kiss to your temple. “After all, I’m the only one who can properly take care of you.”

tags: @yuu-twisted @horror-lover-69 @lilyalone @myeagleexpert @cupid73 @ryebread0605 @qmabailor @jetxterror @tachibubu @a-soul-punk @panicfox347-blog @s7-evermore @whoreforeverythingspice ummm... did i get everyone...

[pihuart]

How Yuu was transported to Twisted Wonderland :

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yan! scarabia / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. (<- prev | next ->)

TW ! paranoia, one bed trope !, that feeling when you begin to want to avoid a person who's only ever been good to you, obsessiveness, hypnotism and mind control (everyone act surprised !!!), a bit of eroticism, eroticism turned angst ://, use of the word master, insomnia symptoms

You stumble out of Octavinelle feeling faint and weak. Azul’s potion may have lightened the bruises and scars, but the intense atmosphere of all three mermen still suffocate you. After three days stay, you reached the conclusion that there was no decent rest to be found at Octavinelle. You trot off to find a staff member to let you sleep in the infirmary for the night.

That’s when you stumble into Kalim— sweet, sweet Kalim. Not a single thought behind those ruby red eyes except to shower his wealth like it was nothing to him. You’re not quite eager to take up the mantle of a charity case, but you suppose that to the heir of the Asim family, everyone is a charity case.

“Come to Scarabia!” He says as if he’s not already dragging you by the arm towards the Scarabia Mirror. He looks at you with the most earnest expression, and you’d feel like a monster if you said no to him. “There’ll be tons of food and feast and I’ll give you the soooftest bed!”

Well. It’s Kalim. What bad could he possibly do to you?

If there’s anyone in this damn college you should feel comfortable around, it’d be KALIM AL-ASIM. One of the few people in this rotten academy who actively tries to do good and be good and see the good in things. He might be a little dense in the head, but that’s something you can forgive. Better a little stupid than an asshole.

“Is the food good, [Y. Name]?” He’s enthusiastic today as he is every day, but the other dorm members claim that your presence seems to make him ten times sunnier. “Ah, you should dip that khubz into this dip! It’s soooo good ‘cause Jamil made it! Oh, oh! And this one too!”

Amidst the festivities, his exasperated retainer’s face strikes you as the odd one out. “Kalim, keep asking the prefect questions and they’ll never be able to finish their dinner.” He points at your full platter. “Also, Grim’s not around. They can’t finish all that.” Kalim blinks, as if not exactly comprehending what’s going on, but he flashes you an apologetic smile anyway. Bless his heart.

“Sorry, [Y. Name], you’ll have to sleep with me.” Kalim sounds genuinely distraught as he guides you to his room. “I know I said I’d give you the softest bed, and my bed is the softest, alright! But… But I brought you over so suddenly, so no one’s had the time to clean one of the spare rooms. I’m really sorry!” You notice how he sneaks glances at you, gauging your reaction to this (awful?) news. 

You smile at him, amusedly. “It’s fine, Kalim, really. I don’t think anyone would be opposed to sleeping in your room. It’s practically for royalty!” 

He brightens up at your assurance and is practically leaping towards his room with you in hand. “Oh, that’s great then! We’ll have sooo much fun together! We can— What do they do at sleepovers again? Ah, we can girls’ talk or braid hair or— hmmm, my hair can’t really be braided— but we’ll have fun, I swear! Otherwise, I would be a pretty bad host and friend!” You don’t quite think you’re getting much sleep tonight, but you’d take this over being sleepless because of assault.

Kalim had insisted on taking the floor, and you insisted on taking the floor, but he wouldn’t have a guest sleeping there… so now the two of you are lying side-by-side on his grand mattress. You listen to him mindlessly chatter on and on about this and that. It's a nice white noise to fall asleep to, and you feel yourself dozing off beside him until he turns his head to you and smiles at you, “And uh, thanks, [Y. Name].”

Your eyes flutter to stare back at Kalim, taken off guard by the sudden thanks. His smile right now is different from the sunny, devil-may-care usual ones. He looks thoughtful, reflecting on something you’re not yet privy to. You know that Kalim isn’t the simpleton that he portrays himself to be, that he’s only a simpleton because he wants to be that way. You wonder what exactly is weighing on this boy’s mind, and you lazily brush his hair away to take a clear look at him. 

He takes this as a silent sign to continue. “Well, like, it was you who talked some sense into me. You know, during the overblot incident.” He looks regretful as he reminisces back on it. “I thought that everything was my fault, for not noticing Jamil’s suffering… for being stupid and oblivious. I know I am, but I guess you taught me that I should be accountable for my actions and not for others.” He blushes. “Am I… Am I making sense? Sorry, I was just saying what I was thinking. You can go to sleep.”

You smile sleepily. “It’s fine, I get you. I’m happy I could be of some help to you, Kamil.”

“Th– Thanks.” He smiles shyly at you. “But that wasn’t all that I was thanking you for! I was thinking that… my relationship with Jamil’s built on a whole lotta lies, so even if I say we’re friends, we’re not actually friends. But since coming to NRC, I’ve made whole lots of them! Cater, Lilia, Silver… everyone! But I guess, I guess when it comes to you, it’s different somehow? I– I don’t know. But I’m always happier when you’re around?” 

Something in your throat tightens. “That’s… nice, Kalim.”

“Yeah, I am happier when you’re around.” It sounds more like he’s talking to himself, slowly coming to realize something about himself that he’s never quite realized. “And– And I want to make everyone happy, yeah, but to you… to you I want to give you everything. Is that bad?” He asks you, then laughs at himself a bit. “No, how could that be bad? Everyone wants to have everything!” 

“I don’t know…” You try. “Some people are just content with what they have…”

“Yes, and you’ll have everything! Because—” He clasps your hands in his, beaming at you with the brightness of a man who’s realized his true love. “Because I’ll give you everything! I– I love you, [Y. Name]!”

You balk. “Kalim—”

“Everything you could ever possibly want is right here with me,” he says softly. “I love you. So– So if the Headmaster does find that portal back to your home, is it okay? That you forget everything on that other side of the mirror?”

In the dark, Kalim’s red eyes stare at you with a hint of desperation. “So you can stay with me. Since you’re the only real thing I have. … Please.”

You (Kalim Al-Asim): waaah jamil help!!! You (Kalim Al-Asim): theyve stopped replying to my texts !! did i do something wrong?!? my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you scared them off with all your constant professions of love and your incessant following. You (Kalim Al-Asim): and the 24 carat ring ? 🙁 my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): So you DO know how annoying you are. You (Kalim Al-Asim): it’s just !!! i like them so much !!! what else am i supposed to do !!! my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Don’t ask me for love advice. You (Kalim Al-Asim): but i thought you of all people would know!!! You (Kalim Al-Asim): after all, i always see you watching them from afar ever since… my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): :/ my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Relax. They’re probably not replying since they’re in Professor Crewel’s class. You can swing by them after.

You don’t want to call Kalim terrifying. As you spend the nights with Scarabia, you really don’t want to call the sweetest, most precious boy in all of Night Raven’s College terrifying. It’d do him a disservice, and you’ll sound like an ungrateful brat after everything he’s done for you. He’s played the part of a graceful host, walking with you to your classes, joining you for extravagant dinners, checking on you in lunches… always ready to pop out the moment you round the corner.

You lay in your bed in Scarabia— soft and plush, silk pillowcases damp with your cold sweat— unable to sleep as you stare up at the intricately-patterned ceiling. So many red motifs, each one shaped like eyes staring down at you. Those aren’t Kalim’s, you remind yourself, they’re just perfectly normal designs. Kalim’s isn’t as eerie, bone-chilling, unnerving, words-caught-in-your-throat-before-you-tell-him-no—.

You can’t sleep like this. You need a glass of water. Stat.

You wince when the double doors to your room creak loudly, fearing that you woke up the students or worse of all, the housewarden himself. But only moonlight and the distant cawing of some exotic bird accompany you until you stumble upon vice-housewarden JAMIL VIPER alone in the hallway. You freeze upon eye contact, but he only raises a brow as he takes in your disheveled look and nods towards his door.

“You look pathetic,” he says plainly, just stating the facts without any mockery. “Come inside, I’ll fix you some tea.”

There are very few people on campus that you feel safe being alone with, and Jamil Viper is not one of them. Nevertheless, you find yourself dumbly nodding and dragging your feet behind him. The heavy incense of oud and amber overcomes you as soon as you step into the room, and you find a pot of tea already boiling on his table. He magicks the pot to pour into two cups and floats one towards you.

“Drink.” He settles himself on the edge of his bed after pulling out a chair for you. “You look absolutely exhausted.” You croak out a mumbled thanks before taking a sip. Chamomile, you guess, but you’re not exactly an expert. “Let me guess. Anxiety’s been keeping you up.” A half-smile stretches his lips, looking amused and thoughtful at the same time. “Anxiety about a certain white-haired idiot.”

You wince and busy yourself with the tea. “You wouldn’t believe the nonsense he’s been spouting these days. Droning on and on about love and romance… And just when I thought he couldn’t get more insufferable, he started daydreaming about honeymoon getaways and the jewels on your engagement rings.”

“He’s just— He’s just confused.” Pained, you cut him off. “He’s probably never experienced anything like this, so he’s getting carried away. He’ll get over it. Probably. As soon as I’m gone.”

Jamil’s lips press into a thin line, eyes narrowed as he stares at you from his bed. You’re too busy fiddling with the earthenware that you can’t properly examine his expression. “Dead set on leaving, huh? What a shame. And just when I started to warm up to you, too.” You jolt and blink at him, watching as the devious smile settles on his handsome face. “You’re just being overdramatic. You won’t actually, do that, would you? Not to your friends, not to your dearest Kalim…” Charcoal gray eyes droop sultrily as a dazed look washes over your face.

“Not to me.”

“Say it again once more, would you?” Slender fingers trail along your chin, the master stroking his pet between his thighs. “I won’t leave you. I’ll always be by my master’s side.”

“I won’t leave you. I’ll always be by my master’s side.” Your voice comes out softer, free of all worries and anxieties you might have had when you walked in through his doors. While he does find your shaky, sleep-deprived self adorably pathetic, he much prefers it when you look at him as though he’s your entire world. And with your consciousness in the palm of his hand, it might very well be in this moment. 

“Who’s your master?” He prods, combing your strands while you nuzzle comfortably into the inside of his lap.

“You, Master Jamil. You are my master.”

He lets out a shaky exhale, tilting back his head and leaning on his two hands as he suppresses the perverse grin itching to spread on his face. Fuck, does he love hearing that. He’s had that revelation ever since his overblot, when he truly thought he had control over you while you praised his name to the high heavens and touched him all over like you truly wanted him. He’s had many a sleepless night when the memories of your touch intruded on him like phantoms. And now he’s finally gotten another taste of you, this time with your mind finally under his control.

“You really don’t know what you do to me, pet,” he hums, guiding your hand to his torso and reclining on the pillows behind him. You straddle him with that sweet, ditzy expression, and he pulls on the ribbons tying your top together like a collar of his own making. “Pathetic, isn’t it? The servant boy only getting a taste of power by enslaving the mind of a magickless. But I really don’t care. Not when I have a sweet thing like you for a prize.”

He watches you tilt your head. You don’t comprehend half of the things he’s saying, but it makes you all the more endearing. “Look at me, mouthing off to an airhead like you. Do you think I’m pathetic, pet? Answer truthfully.”

You scrunch your brows, mustering whatever consciousness you still have to get an honest answer. He continues to stroke your hair as you try your best to muster up the words. “I… I don’t think you’re pathetic, Jamil.” You sound lucid, like your real self breaking through, but that lasts only for a moment before you slump right back into his touch.

… What an idiot. Should you know what he’s doing to you right now, maybe you’ll find him worse than pathetic. Or knowing you, you’ll shut out whatever terrible thing he or anyone else will do to you, only keeping everything to yourself until the very day that you (supposedly) will leave this universe. His grin is sardonic.

“Fine.” He thinks of another question. “How about this, then: do you love me?”

… The silence shouldn’t pain him this much.

For a moment, he wants to grab the hair in his hands and pull back, see that helpless face contort in pain, but do nothing to fight back. And he should. He would. But it feels like the air has been knocked out of him, or whatever energy this power trip had given him has withered away. He’s no Kalim. He’s not fucking delusional. Not once has he entertained thoughts of marrying you and giving you the domestic life that any ordinary person could be happy with. Not with you being an alien, and not him being a servant. But fuck. Was it so hard to try and…

“Fine,” he repeats, dry and lifeless. “Say that you love me.”

Like the minx that you are, your hands are upon his toned chest, feeling the heat of your palms transfer to his beating chest. They trail softly against the thin cloth of his undershirt, teasing him until you wrap them around his neck. He glances down and feels his heart in his throat as you wear an innocent yet tantalizing smile, looking at him like you want him just as much as he wants you.

“I love you, master.”

He tilts his head back and laughs, hollow and miserable.

taglist: @horror-lover-69 @lilyalone @myeagleexpert @cupid73 @ryebread0605 @qmabailor @jetxterror

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yan! savanaclaw / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. (<- prev | next -> )

TW ! yandere behaviors, inappropriate behavior (ok leona), mentioned violence, subtle n*ncon (still leona), mentioned s*x work (ruggie), suggestive themes

Ramshackle might have been a dusty old mess, but at least it wasn’t as suffocating as Heartslabyul is right now. Sadists, the whole lot of them. And if they weren’t sadists, then lonely children projecting their mommy issues on you. At least Deuce was tolerable. Sort of.

So Jack whisking you away to Savanaclaw was a sort of blessing in itself. Except as soon as you stepped foot in their territory, all beastmen from every direction had their preying eyes pinned on you. Leona, looking kingly as he lounges on his bed, has a knowing smirk as he approves Jack’s plea to let you stay with them.

Maybe you’ve exchanged one prison for another.

You’ve only had five hosts before him, but JACK HOWL easily wins with how thoughtful he is. He’s brought you an extra of his bare necessities— towels, shampoos that are strongly masculine in scent, and a futon spread out on the floor that he’s willingly taken. You had fretted and said that you’d take the floor, but Jack stopped you and insisted that you take his bed. He can’t be a lousy host, after all. And he couldn’t just take his roommate’s bed: territory and all that.

It’s a rare change from the clingy Heartslabyul members, but it makes you feel… less intruded on. Like you were having your boundaries respected, in Night Raven College of all places! Jack’s been respectful, maybe even a bit awkward. Such as when you walked into his dorm room, still damp from the shower, and his shirt (too many sizes, too big for you) clinging to your chest. It’s hard to miss the blush on his tan skin, but rather than shoving a camera in your face, he instead towels your hair for you. It’s nothing, he says. Bunch of younger siblings back home, so this was really no different. Hm. You wonder when you last heard that before someone decided your mouth was theirs to mess with.

Jack shares a room with others, but Ruggie’s shovelled them to some other room so that territorial instincts don’t scare you out of your wits. Looking around… It’s Savanaclaw, alright. Ripe with the scent of testosterone and training equipment scattered across the room. Jack’s shelf is full of cacti, protein powder jugs, textbooks, and a picture of his family. You send him a grin when you catch that.

“Family-oriented, huh?” You coo, picking up the frame as he towels your ends. You let out an aww when you notice that the whole pack shares his fluffy ears and tail, just in varying shades of gray. You tap the face of a handsome mountain man. “Guess I know where you got your looks from.”

Jack splutters behind you, flustered yet refusing to comment. “Don’t know what you want with all this flattery.”

“... The answers to Crewel’s homework.”

He does something halfway between a grunt and a laugh, the rare smile reflected in the mirror as he gives your hair a final pat. Jack must not be aware that a normal human’s follicles aren’t thick enough to stand his rough toweling, with the way your hairs look aired out. “Can’t get anything out of me. I’m still trying to figure out the alchemical compositions.” You pout, but relent.

There’s a certain aura of domesticity as Jack guides you to your— well, his bed. Grim has opted not to sleep with you, something about the stink of multiple beastmen putting him off. You plop on the mattress face-first and make yourself comfortable rolling around. You fail to see Jack’s shoulder stiffen and his tail straighten when you do so. “Smells nice,” you smile as you prop yourself up to look at Jack below. “Did you pull out some fresh sheets? Thank you.”

Jack gives you one of his half-smiles, those charming and boyish ones that you wouldn’t expect from a beastman as gruff as he was. “I brought you here, didn’t I? It’s common sense.”

“Well, I’d hope so.” Your eyes sparkle with that mischievous shine that Jack’s taken an awful liking to. “Pretty sure Ace had sugar on his bed.”

Jack scowls, and you follow his stiff tail thumping slowly on his mattress. “Hmph. Ace could do anything he puts his mind to, but all he wants to do is act sloppy and undisciplined.”

“Yes, yes~” Some Heartslabyul slander was welcome after that hellhole of a week you went through. You reach out to stroke his ears, lowered for you to scratch behind. Both of you were close enough for this to be normal. “Ace and the rest of ‘em are assholes. I’m happy you took me away, Jack.”

An… unexplainable shadow crosses Jack’s eyes, and even the happy waving of his tail had slowed. A cross between two emotions that you could not quite grasp, tugging back and forth before he shakes himself out of it. “It’s no problem. You…” Though you’re affectionate with him, Jack does not make it a habit to initiate contact with you. You know very well how hesitant he is, with how easily you fold under both magic and brawn. So when he lifts his hands to your face, hovering as he considers how to touch you, the warmth of his calloused palm is a nice surprise.

“You just don’t deserve the way they treat you, is all.” His hands cover your eyes, prompting you to close them. Hiding the expression he makes from you. “You’re not supposed to be here. You have to be protected. It’s only right.”

Are you imagining the warmth that hovers just above your nape? Maybe so, because as soon as Jack lifts his hands, he’s turning away from you and switching the lights off.

RUGGIE BUCCHI’s eyes narrow as soon as you and Jack enter the room, sniffing the air as if something about you two has deeply offended his sensitive nostrils. “Ugh, get a load of that. You smell.” You jolt back and try to smell yourself, frowning when you don’t smell anything. He snorts. “Not you. Well, you. But, like, something else.” Ruggie’s discerning eye slowly moves to his junior, who is opting not to make eye contact with anyone in the room. “Or someone.”

Your frown only grows deeper. “What do you mean? Should I wash it off?”

The hyena grins, eyes still on Jack as he busies himself making his morning protein shake. “Oh, you could, but someone might get sad.” He snickers to himself. “Ah, well. If you ain’t planning on washin’ that off, help me whip up some breakfast. Least you could do after sleeping over ours, yeah?” He laughs again when he sees the crestfallen expression you’ve begun sporting. Face barely inches away from each other, his hands pinch both cheeks, and he steps away before it could actually hurt. “C’mon, I was just joking~ You’re welcome anytime in Savanaclaw, if His Majesty upstairs got anything to say about it.”

Well, that was nice to hear. Your spirits now lifted, you follow Ruggie into the kitchen where he’s busy prepping breakfast. “Just an omelette today,” he hums. “But Leona likes his in a specific way. Psh, specific way.” He rolls his eyes. “Better to just eat it anyway and not feel your stomach rumble for the rest of the day, but who are we to disobey princes, right?” He gives you some potatoes and carrots. “Peel these for me?”

You eagerly comply. In these wee hours, you and Ruggie stand side by side chopping and prepping meals. Sometimes one of you makes idle chatter to fill in the silence, but there is still comfort even when no one talks. It was nice, you thought. You and Ruggie hung out often enough to be familiar with each other, and though it wasn’t on the same level as you had with Ace and Deuce, there was no need to keep up any pretenses around Ruggie.

“What’re ya thinkin’ about?” The hyena’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts. He eyes your idle hands and then your spaced-out look. You shake your head and place the diced vegetables into a bowl. 

“Nothing,” you hum. “Just thinking how nice you are to be around.” At that, his tail and ears immediately stiffened up. But you fail to notice that as you affectionately rub the back of his ears like you always do. You do notice how aggressively he starts beating the eggs and give him a curious glance. His face is angled away from you, but his bristled tail flicks now and then.

“What’s gotten into ya?” He huffs, turning over the meat while he beats the eggs. “Getting all sappy and stuff… What, cooking breakfast together got you sentimental?”

Right. NRC students don’t take kindly to affection, do they? Especially the prideful Savanaclaws. “Sorry, was I overstepping? I thought it was just nice that we didn’t have to force conversation… stuff like that.” You snicker when his tail and ears bristle again. “Too much?”

“Get outta here,” he grumbles. He takes the meat out and pours the beaten eggs into the pan. “Saying cheesy stuff like that… You’re gonna make a man get the wrong impression. Not saying that I’m getting the wrong impression, mind you. But—” He jabs the whisk in your direction and gives you a warning glare. “Night Raven’s full of fucked up people. One of these days, you’re gonna be so cheesy that they’ll think you actually like like them!”

Your smile falters a bit when he turns his attention again to the omelette. “Right…” You know that as well, with how Heartslabyul acted around you when you slept over. Before that, you were eager to dismiss their teasing or advances as jokes. After all, they were the very first dorm that you befriended and, therefore somehow more special to you than the others. But now you’re wondering if you gave your affections too easily, to the point that they’d be delusional enough to think of marrying you… “I– I guess I have to think about that, huh. Someone tried to— well, someone’s trying to marry me. They’re planning talks with their parents and— ah, it’s all just so awkward. I didn’t even know they like liked me so…”

“Who.”

“Hm?” You startle at the sudden dip of his voice. His tail is upright as he continues frying the omelette. “Oh, who? I– I don’t wanna give it away… It’s not a nice look, I don’t think.”

“Too kind,” he scoffs, turning to you. You pull out a platter for him to put the omelette on— light and springy, with meat wrapped in the middle. “I don’t get why you’re looking out for this creep. Why you put up with the rest of us, anyway.” The latter part doesn’t seem to quite reach your ears, but he’s all up in your face again before you can even ask. “Sevens know why the Dark Mirror put you here. You’re a wimp and a pushover. Someone like you—” He taps the middle of your forehead. “Should be in Royal Sword Academy, where you brush animals and sing pretty songs with the rest of ‘em. But unlucky you, huh?”

He gives you a sardonic smile. “Buncha creeps following you around, and you still smile at them like they deserve it.”

“It’s better than being… rude,” you frown. “I can’t… I just couldn’t.”

He shrugs. “Pushover, what did I say? In the streets, they’d maim you and sell you ten times over. You’d be like a living money cheat, yanno?”

“But these aren’t the streets.”

His expression is downright gleeful. “Yeah, just worse.” 

He laughs when you reel away, watching you with those predator eyes as you grow more uneasy. “Oh, relax. I’m just kidding again. My point is, ya shouldn’t be putting up with horrendous behavior. That’s not how a real mate should act.” He pulls out another plate and sets another serving of omelette. “They should bow their heads, make ya feel loved, cook ya meals… all that sappy shit.” He places down the omelette before you, still warm, and smiles at you gently… as gently as one can when they look like they’re having the time of their life tormenting you.

“Sit. You’re not gonna turn down poor me’s cooking, are ya?”

You were right. Savanaclaw was just another form of prison. Ruggie seems to be playing coy around you, and you’re quite sure that your missing blazer is all due to him. You’re sure of it, with the way he smiles too innocently when you confront him about it. Jack, you had some hopes for. But then you walked into a bloodbath he was responsible for as he taught a lesson to the men making crass jokes about you. You had run away before he could see you, the image of blood dripping from his knuckles never leaving you.

LEONA KINGSCHOLAR caught you by the scruff as you ran and dragged you into his room to be used as a living body pillow. Now, your prime concern was squirming out of the tight grasp that the lazy lion has on you. At another failed attempt to wiggle out of his grasp, Leona pries one eye open with a low growl. “What the hell are you squirming for, herbivore?” He yawns, tail languidly waving back and forth as he looks at you. “Can’t get a good nap if you keep moving around like that.”

You huff and crane your head to glare at him. “Let–! Ugh, let go! I’ve got places to be!”

He snorts, but loosens his grasp on you. “Places? Like what? Back in that bloodbath?”

“Away!” You exclaim, exasperated. “Away from this den of—!”

“Beasts?” He smirks at you, propping himself on one hand as he eyes you like prey. “Careful of what you say. The leader of these beasts is right in front of you. You should be grateful, you know. Lots of hormones raging out there, and this is the one place that those fools wouldn’t dare intrude on. Ruler’s territory and all that.” You watch him warily as he muses to himself. “They know they’re as  good as sand the moment they walk in here.”

“Nice to know your leadership skills come in handy when protecting your bedroom,” you snort, eyes narrowed at him. “Why don’t you use them to, I don’t know, break up the fight outside?”

He raises a brow at you, as if the suggestion was just downright ridiculous. “You’re odd. You know, the whole reason Jack’s bloodying his knuckles is for you. You should be thanking him.” He shakes his head. “Poor pup. Here he is being all chivalrous only to find out that his crush is being ungrateful.”

Crush?! You shake it off. You shouldn’t be surprised. If you were a tad more narcissistic, you’d be using all these stupid sorcerers as a one-way ticket to richness. “So? Gonna break them up?”

Leona snorts and plops back down between his pillows. “Hell no. Too much effort. Just stay here till the mess dies down.” When he feels you unmoving, he looks at you and the deep frown that has settled on your face, and sighs. “Seriously, I don’t get it. Why the hell do you care so much? It’s Jack’s choice if he wants to do stupid shit, and it’s certainly no concern of yours if someone breaks a nose or a rib ‘cause they were going around calling you a whore. If anything, they probably deserve it.”

“It’s because I don’t like anyone breaking a rib or a nose or whatever over some stupid comment! Maybe if they, like, actually tried to do something to me, but…!” You shake your head, feeling less and less in control of your emotions and thoughts. “I just…! It doesn’t feel right, is what you want to say, not when Jack was smiling as he beat those boys up more than needed to.

“Look at you, thinking too much over nothing.” He is sporting that same lazy grin, the one he wears when he ropes you into schemes that you can’t get out of. “Just be grateful that people are looking out for ya, even if there are too many of them. Just sit here, lie down with me, and don’t move too much. Then we can get a pretty decent nap and erase all those useless thoughts. The moment you step foot out of my territory, you’re either getting mauled by one of those weaklings or pounced on by the pup. Your choice.”

What a…! But he’s right. The crowd outside was too aggravated not to do anything to you, the reason behind their beating. Leona’s smug smile as you crawl into bed next to him is apparent as he tugs your leg closer to him, making you yelp in surprise. “You!” You gasp, trying to put some distance between the two of you. “Don’t you think you’re being too close?!”

“It’s nothing you ain’t used to,” he yawns. “You sleep like this with that idiot duo, don’t you?”

You gawp at him. “How do you–! No, it’s just… different!”

He raises a brow at you. “Different, how?” When you fail and stumble over your words, he laughs snarkily. “Ah, I get it. It’s different when you’re sleeping with foolish boys. But I guess lying with a lion has you all flustered, then?” With a blush that grows redder by the second, you try to refute his words, only to stutter. “I’m flattered, herbivore. One little comment or a little skinship, and you show me that pretty lil blush.”

“Pity you show yourself so easily,” he hums, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Otherwise, I’d have whisked you away already.”

“Not you too…” You whimper. He doesn’t seem surprised, only growing more amused when you squirm uncomfortably under his fingertips.

“Oh, yes, me too. Baffling, isn’t it? One magicless herbivore, and you have men begging for you to look at them. It needs to be studied.” His fingers tickle as they graze down the side of your face. “Personally, I don’t want to work for many things, but look at you messing up my whole work ethic. Audacious of you, really. You’ve got no~o idea how much effort I put into making sure you don’t get marked by one of these horndogs, you know?”

You squeak when he brushes against your nape. The predatory look on his face is not lost on you as he wets his lips. “Not gonna fight back?” His lips curve hungrily. “I’m surprised.”

“What am I gonna do?” You whimper. “Jump out the window? Get mauled?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you, with how easily you throw yourself into danger.” He brings his lips closer to your nape, chuckling lowly when his fangs barely graze over it. “You smell delicious for a herbivore, but I already knew that.”

“Weirdo…!”

“The audacity to call a prince that,” he says, but there’s no real heat behind it as he relishes in your scent. “You don’t have to tremble so much. You might not have a title, but you’ll live like royalty in Sunset Savanna. Doesn’t sound bad, does it? You sit pretty, and I’ll give ya everything you desire. From the physical—” He tugs on the back of your shirt. “—To the more, hm.. physical.” You shiver when his whisper brushes against the shell of your ear, grinning as your eyes widen in embarrassment. “Not a bad deal?”

You glare at him. “As if.”

“Hm.” He scrutinizes you for a bit. Then, with a newfound conviction, his fangs dig into your nape, ready to mark you as his. You squeeze your eyes to prepare yourself for the pain… till his tongue, sandy and rough, drags across the spot.

“A-Ah!” Your response brings on more humiliation than you need, and you try to push Leona who keeps sucking and nibbling and licking. Doing anything but biting. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Playing with my prey,” he mutters against your nape. “C’mon, just keep making those pretty noises till this lion is satisfied, yeah?”

“You—! I thought you were gonna!”

“Mark you?” He pulls back to show you a smug cat’s expression. “Oh, we’ll get to that in the future, herbivore. They say not to play with your food, but… It’s pretty damn hard when dessert’s this fuckin’ cute.”

You (Jack Howl): [image attached] Ruggie Bucchi: hmmm? whyd ya send me a pic of sum blazer You (Jack Howl): Ruggie-senpai. I don’t mean to accuse you but. This isn’t yours, is it? Ruggie Bucchi: whaat! yer accusin me of stealin sum randos blazer! look at me! do i look like the type! Jack Howl reacted with 😑. You (Jack Howl): It’s not some ‘randos’, though. I can smell them on it. Ruggie Bucchi: … Ruggie Bucchi: dont touch it pls plaplspls Ruggie Bucchi: i knowww its bad they dont got alot of clothes to begin with but plsss cmon gimme this one Ruggie Bucchi: you n leona got to sleep with em and i get jack shit?!! ya wiuldnt deny me this wouldya jack!! you spend a lot of time with em anyway! you even marked them in their sleep without them knowing cmoon Ruggie Bucchi: im just a poor hyena… just scraps for me… youd turn the other way for poor lil me right?! Jack Howl (You): Hm. Sometimes I wonder why I respect you. Fine.

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yan! octavinelle / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. (<- prev | next -> )

TW ! choking, bruising, biting, violence, strangling (YES ITS THE EELS) suggestive themes, implied drugging, subtle n*nconsensual somnophilia

You’ve nearly had it. Savanaclaw isn’t a place where you can feel safe— Grim, your only solace of familiarity, won’t sleep with you because of the beastmen and said beastmen keep getting pummeled because they thought it was a good idea to comment on how fuckable you are in front of Jack. Ruggie and Leona don’t even seem to care about keeping their junior in check, maybe even approving of it. 

How can anyone blame you for being normal and wanting not to be the cause of a dozen students’ broken noses? You need to escape, fast. 

You’ve long told Headmaster Crowley about your broken-down Ramshackle, but in headmaster fashion, he seems to be taking his sweet time fixing it. No doubt he’s forgotten about it as he’s frolicking about somewhere. Maybe you can ask the staff to let you sleep in a janitor's closet or the infirmary. Sevens, is this gonna be your life from now on?

“Hmm~? Shrimpie, I heard you’re gettin’ desperate these days~” The last person you want to see regarding your living accommodations is towering over you, mismatched eyes glinting with sick glee as he leers at you. Floyd’s sharp teeth straighten into a mischievous smile, lanky hands grabbing your shoulders. “Why don’t you come to Octavinelle? We ain’t nothin’ but hospitable~”

In Heartslabyul, you were lulled into a sense of comfort because they were your close friends. In Savanaclaw, you were happy at first because Jack is one of the most decent people you know. As soon as you step foot on Octavinelle territory, you know that you were fucked right from the get-go. Scheming businessmen, sadistic twins… You couldn’t get out of this no matter how hard you tried.

FLOYD LEECH seems amused at your darting eyes and frightened look… but also equally displeased at your seemingly resigned state. Clearly, he wanted something more alive to play with. You juggled over whether or not to amuse him by fighting back or to potentially earn a tantrum by staying still and waiting for the right opportunity. Knowing that both types of Floyd were equally as bad, you decided to opt for the one that required less energy.

“C’mon, shrimpy, do something~” He’s poking your cheek as you lay blankly on his bed. He doesn’t share a room with anyone, which checks out because you doubt anyone would want to share a room with this crazy. “You’re boring me here!”

You hold up two fingers in his face. “If I do anything, you’ll either: one, amuse yourself by forcing me to do more through violent means and force.” You put down one finger. “Or two, you’ll squeeze the shit out of me till I lay here dead.” You put down your hand entirely. “Well, tough luck. I don’t like any outcome, so I’m gonna stay still until you get fed and either leave me alone or maul me.”

The lanky eel, kneeling at the side of his bed, pouts as he lays his cheek beside your face. “That’s no fun~ Am I that predictable?”

Predictable in the way that Floyd will always do something disastrous, no matter what happens. Unpredictable in the way that you never know what he’ll end up doing. You flip your head to the side, sulky mismatched eyes and a handsome face just inches away from you… And you sigh. God, these evil suckers just had to be handsome. You pinch his cheek and sit up. “Don’t worry,” you say, drily. “I never know what’s going on in that head of yours. Never did, never will.”

Floyd’s face brightens up, moods as ever-changing as the ocean waters. “Aww, ya flatter me, shrimpy!” He grins as he tackles you to his bed. Ack. You feel like he dug something into your ribs. “Me, I liiike always knowing what’s on your mind. Your face is so cute and expressive! Like when your eyes keep shaking whenever you’re scared, or that stupid-looking smile when you try to lie, or the way your mouth gapes whenever you’re tired! I could stare at you for hours!”

What the… Oh, whatever. “No commentary on the way I smile when happy or something?” You don’t even know why you care anymore.

Floyd stares at you as if you just asked something foreign. “Well, I think your smile’s stupid. Stupid and cute. But—” His mouth slits into a smile of razor-sharp teeth. “I think you’re squishiest when you’re shakin’ in your boots, yeah?”

Staring into a mouth full of teeth that could chomp your flesh off, you gulp down a whimper. Floyd’s grin stretches even more. “Yeah, yeah, like that! I like the way ya try to be a~ll strong and brave when everyone knows how scared ya are. Like how your throat bobs cuz ya got a scream stuck there or something.” His cold, cold hands— gentle at first, then an inescapable pressure as his thumb digs into your throat— clamp themselves around you. His eyes widen as he watches you scramble to pull his hands off you and laughs maniacally. “Yes, like that! Ah~ I don’t get it! How’s someone so pathetic this adorable to look at!”

His expression drops into downright threatening. “It’s fucking annoying.”

Shit, his choke has you seeing stars already. “F–Floyd,” you gasp out, scratching at his arms futilely. “Stop this— I— Kkgh— It isn’t funn—!”

“I’ll tell ya what isn’t funny!” His voice is screeching, eyes looking down at you in… hatred? Glee? Annoyance? Obsession? Fuck, you just want his hands off you. “Who the hell do you think you are, running around in my head like that? Little magicless shrimpy who’s got nothing but a cute face on ‘em! Smilin’ at me like that… makin’ friends with Azul and Jade like it’s sooo easy! You’re makin’ em boring!” He bares his teeth at you. “You’re controlling me!”

How the fuck was that your problem?! You feel your strength failing you. You can’t breathe. Darkness was clouding your vision. You were really gonna fucking die here. You want to go home. You want to go home. You want to go—

He lets go, and you take in a frantic breath as he sits back with an amused expression. “Haha, you’re cute when you’re all gasping like that.”

You glare at him, but you feel that it comes off weakly. Your mind is dazed after being deprived of oxygen, and you feel faint. He laughs even more, a cross between amusement and being… genuine.

“Seven,” he whispers, staring at you like a treasure found on the sea floor. “I really do like starin’ at ya.”

If JADE LEECH had anything to say about the purpling bruises on your neck, he didn’t say it. Rather, he opted to smile at you with his usual slimy grin and poured you a cup of morning coffee, playing the part of the attentive gentleman. His brute of a brother walked right behind you, yawning and sporting a grumpy frown and disheveled hair. 

“Did you have a good night’s rest?” Jade asks, sitting across from you on one of Octavinelle’s dining tables. He’s already dressed in his school uniform despite it being too early in the morning. Ugh. You return his smile, passive-aggressive and barely holding back ire. You’re wearing one of Floyd’s tanks, so you know he can see it. He chuckles, sharp teeth glinting as he lifts his cup of coffee. “Well, apologies for my brother. You know how he is sometimes.”

This isn’t something to just apologize for, you think, but rather a lawsuit and a restraining order. But you doubt any lawyer would be willing to represent you, the magicless alien with not even a single official document on them. You decide to grace his remark with a scoff into your coffee cup. 

“Now, now, let’s not be like this,” Jade pouts. He feigns sadness as he regards your surly demeanor. “We are friends, aren’t we? You know it hurts me to see you be so cold to me.” You level him with an unimpressed stare, and he raises both hands as if to show innocence. “It’s true! Please look back on the times we had together. Saving Azul… breaking you out of Scarabia… defeating Jamil… Why, I thought we were best friends!”

You have to admit, it’s a bit humorous to see Jade act so pitifully, even though you weren’t falling for it. You crack an amused smile, leaning back on your chair as you take another sip. “Mm, yes. Making a deal to release 300 students from slavery… kicking me out of Ramshackle… nearly drowning me on multiple occasions…”

Jade gives up the act, returning to his intimidating smile when he knows you’re not falling for the act. “Why, they say you’re not truly friends if you don’t tease each other.” You snort again.

The two of you fall into a… not-so-comfortable silence. Not-so-comfortable in the way that he’s been staring intensely at the welt around your neck. After a few uneasy minutes, he stands up and walks away. He returns with a salve pot in his hands. “May I?” He asks, fingers already flitting across your neck. His touch is as ice-cold as his brother’s— probably thanks to their cold-blooded biology— and makes you shudder all the same. You offer a meek nod and bare your neck to him.

Jade’s smile stretches as you place yourself in the most vulnerable position possible.

He rubs the salve on your bruises, gentle and tender, all while thinking how you’re still the naive fool you were from the start of the year. By now, you should know not to show too much weakness to them, to him. Yet here you are, offering up your neck like he wasn’t capable of digging into that warm flesh and watching the light leave your eyes without remorse. Two fingers press against the pulse on your neck— one, two, one, two. A sign that you were alive and warm. You crane your neck to frown at him. He chuckles and backs down from the knowing glint in your glare.

“If Floyd bothers you that much, you can always sleep over mine tonight,” he coos. “I imagine it’d be a more comfortable rest. Perhaps more comfortable than that… Heartslabyul vice-leader.” “Trey?” Jade hears the self-mocking in your voice. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Why, didn’t you know? Your sleepovers are the hottest scandals of Night Raven College right now!” He pleasures in the way your ears burn. If he’d nibble on that soft shell, would it be weak enough to break and bleed? “That man… couldn’t stop smiling when I chanced upon him in the greenhouse and pressed him for details. Irritating smile, that one, but I confess it had made me a tad curious as to what exactly transpired.”

He bends his face to grin down at you. “Would you care to reenact the details of that night?”

“W– We did nothing!” You yelp, pushing away that mischievous face. “Just slept in the same bed, that’s all!”

“Hmm, are you sure that’s everything?” Jade hums, circling you to face him. He tidies your hair, untangling the morning knots here and there while observing your face. “He did slip something about your soft, warm tongue… pressed against his fingers… opening up prettily for him…”

Jade’s glee heightens when your blush deepens even further. There was no need for him to use his unique magic to deduce that this was the truth. “He told you that?!”

“Nope!” He laughs a bit when he hears your frustrated groan, tricked and betrayed. “I was merely guessing what that pervert might have done to you. No need to fear, dear. Should you sleep with me tonight, you would not suffer like that?”

You stare at him incredulously. “Really?” Sevens, you really know him, don’t you?

“Of course not.” He twirls a strand of your hair around a finger, kissing it gently and peering down at you. You swear that his one golden eye shines under the fluorescent lighting. “Unlike him, my perversions lie somewhere… bloodier.”

Like hell you were gonna sleep with Jade after that! … Is what you told yourself. Unfortunately, being the target of a Leech sibling’s affection means there is no way to squeeze yourself out of that situation. AZUL ASHENGROTTO seems to know that much, because even with the huge scowl on his face as he observes your bruised neck and the bite marks on your collar, he can’t seem to blame you. He’s cooking up a healing potion that could at least lessen the severity of these ugly marks. You had joked about never being able to pay back that potion, and he sighed and said it would be on the house… after all, it was his members’ fault.

“What a surprise,” you laugh as he offers the potion to you. Azul looks absolutely distraught by your mangled neck. “Didn’t think I’d get something for free from you.”

The octo merman huffs at you. “I’ve given you lots of things over the months, haven’t I?!”

It’s been a while since the two of you were alone together, but you remember how fun it is to tease him. Outside, Azul could be pompous and condescending— he has an image to retain. But now alone in his bedroom, it seems that Azul has decided to forgo the facade and be his normal, pouty self. “Honestly,” he sighs, willing the used cauldron and other supplies to fly out of the room. “I do a lot of things for you that I wouldn’t do for anyone else, don’t I? And for free too!” You squint at him. “Most of the time.” You squint harder, and he throws his hands in the air. “Sometimes! Sometimes is already too much— I’m enterprising here!”

You smirk and chug the potion down. Slightly sweet and bubbly, not unlike a soda. “Thanks so much, dorm leader,” you coo. “To be on the receiving end of the Octavinelle head’s generosity, you truly embody the illustrious Sea Witch’s benevolence.” He takes the bottle away from you, miffed, but you smile at the red coloring on his ear tips. What a cutie.

He sighs. “Jade and Floyd… They’ve always been violent, but something about you makes it worse. Floyd’s strangled a few people here and there, yes… But Jade’s always managed to hold himself back.” He brushes a careful finger over your wounds and sighs when you wince. “Sevens, they outright mangled you. The potion will take effect in a few minutes, don’t worry.”

“I get that it’s in their biology to be violent, but really! Making trouble for me…” He continues to rant. A scheming smile spreads across his face. “Why, if you insist on pressing charges, I’d be happy to write up a contract for you. Nothing too charging, of course! Though the same can’t be said for them once we present our — ahem, your clauses.”

“No one’s pressing anything, Azul,” you laugh, resting your cheek on your hand while Azul paces his room. “It’s, well, it’s not nothing… but I’d rather not get myself into any more trouble. If the rumors are true, then I’d rather not have any conflict with the Leech family.”

“Hmph, too kind!” He turns around and wags a finger in your face. “This is why it’s so easy to take advantage of you. Even things like this, you’re willing to let go! Have you not learned a single thing during your time here in NRC? You’re lucky that you have me to cover up for you!”

“Yes, yes,” you hum. “Ve~ry lucky.”

Azul smiles— less pompous and more satisfied— and straightens his back. Heh. “Exactly! After all, I am benevolent. Worry not, your rest with me will be the most peaceful you’ve had in days!”

He can hardly believe his luck. Wait, no, this isn’t luck. Everything good that has happened to Azul’s life is because he worked hard for it, and Sevens, did he work for this. You, vulnerable in your state of sleep, sprawled across his bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. From the state of your eyebags, he guessed that you haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep with either Floyd or Jade, but with him… Heh, the twins might not view it that way, but this was a win for Azul.

Gently as not to stir you, Azul reaches out and brushes his hand against your cheek. It’s warm, like rays of sun on his cold skin. As soon as he saw you in that fateful entrance ceremony, he thought you really weren’t NRC material. When you sidled up to him in the underwater museum and had a conversation about his past, like he didn’t try to kill you and your friends, he knew you weren’t made for this school. Not when you were too good for him. Not when you stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, gazing at that horrid field trip picture and granting an unjudging ear to his monologue.

“Look at you,” he murmurs. “Aaah… No one deserves you. Not me, not anyone. But aaah…” He cozies up in the crook of your neck, relishing in that soft warmth. “The things I would do to keep you down in the waters with me. I’d do anything for you, buy anything for you… just to be mine and mine alone.”

“Mine, be mine…” His begging comes off in short whines, pleading to your unconscious body. “I couldn’t bear it… to see you frolicking around with some idiot that isn’t me…”

Something slithers around your leg, sticking to it like a parasite on an easy prey. It suckles softly, while its owner cradles you with his many legs as he relishes in his most prized treasure’s body. You shift a bit, eyes furrowing as if your unconscious mind was telling you that something was off. Sleep wasn’t supposed to carry the weight of another person, and rest should not be disturbed by tentacles gently suckling on your skin.

Azul wonders what would happen if you’d wake— not that you would, he made sure of that. He wonders if your eyes would widen, heart stuck in your throat, face frozen in that fearful expression that the twins love to praise. His heart drops. No, he’d rather see you gently smile at him. He’d rather you return his myriad of desperate kisses and stroke his hair, call him pretty despite all the insecurities.

He brushes his lips against yours— not quite a kiss, but enough to make him crave more. You truly make him pathetic.

Floyd Leech changed Azul Ashengrotto’s nickname to ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Heh. Now what could have possibly caused this tantrum now?

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Now, now, Azul. As your closest friends, it’s not nice to play dumb around us. 

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Ugh. It’s weird when you say that. And I don’t like your tone.

You (Floyd Leech): WHAT DID U DO TO MY BRUISES ON SHRIMPY. WHERE ARE THEY.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): It has also occurred to me that my bite marks are gone. What a shame… The mementos of our beautiful night together gone because of a scheming octopus.

You (Floyd Leech): IM GONNA FGUCKING STUFF YOU IN UR OCTO POT U STUPID OCTO AND ILL STUFF U FULL OF UR STUPID POTIONS TILL U TURN BACK ROUND AND NICE TO EAT THEN TURN U INTO TAKOYAKI AND FEED U TO SHRIMPY

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Floyd, please. Let us not feed this stupid octopus to our pitiful prefect.

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): … I don’t appreciate the comments on my body.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Mm. Pity. Floyd and I are looking over octopus recipes. Personally, I’d prefer to place you on a sushi platter.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Perhaps we will start off by cutting those insipid tentacles of yours. For erasing our marks and placing your own.

You (Floyd Leech): it was kinda hot tho

You (Floyd Leech): back of the thigh. erotic doncha think

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Why, then you’ll be pleased to see the marks on their back, Floyd.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Oh my. I don’t think mother and father would be pleased to know that Floyd has broken yet another phone.

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yandere! heartslabyul / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. ( next -> )

TW ! yandere behaviors, obsessive behavior, possessive behavior, mommy projection 💀, harassment, sadism, oral fixation (thanks trey), bullying (thanks ace), s3xualIinnuendos

Ramshackle was always kind of decrepit. Clearly abandoned generations ago when the last tenants moved out and the top brass decided they had no further use for it. Getting a good night’s sleep was always hard to come by in your dorm, not when you feared that the creaking roof might collapse on you and suffocate you and Grim in your sleep.

Tonight, it seems your fears have been realized. After a long day of classes, you’ve come back to your dorm house in a heap of hubris and dust. Grim is screeching your ear off next to you. You don’t even have it in yourself to be surprised, not when you always knew this would come. You’re just happy that it didn't collapse while you slept. But now you’re faced with the next new dilemma, which is where the hell should you sleep—?

Ace and Deuce loop their arms through yours, shooting you twinning grins that they wore whenever they had something (not-so) brilliant cooking in their minds. Ace flicks the stunned look on your face with a playful grin.

“Welp, that’s that, prefect. Off to Heartslabyul you go.”

The first order of business is getting you dressed for sleeping. After a long and arduous struggle (Ace and Deuce nearly killing each other), you have now donned ACE TRAPOLLA's bright red hoodie with only shorts to protect your dignity underneath. Ace swore up and down that he’d rather die than let Deuce dress you in that ugly pink getup he calls his pajamas (“My mom’s pajamas!” Deuce had screeched before tackling him once more). Now he’s taking pictures on his magicam, a smug cat who’s caught the canary.

“Hold that pose, yeah, like that.” You feel yourself blushing as Ace forces you into a pose too… suggestive for your liking. It shows a bit too much of your thigh and, well… cameras don’t exactly make you comfortable. “Whaddya hiding your face for? Stay still for a sec, wouldya?” The flash goes off, and he whistles when he sees the finished product. He holds it up to your face— you straddling a pillow with only his hoodie and a bright-red expression. “Pretty thing, aren’t you?”

Conscious of your getup, you tug down the hoodie. Ace’s grin seems to widen. “You’re a little bit into this, don’t you think?” You grumble. “It’s Cater’s thing to take so many pictures…” “I don’t think anyone can help themselves when they’ve got a sweet thing like you wearing their clothes, huh?” Ace has always been mischievous, buttering you up with nuanced flirts that you could just wave off as a form of playful banter. But this time, feeling trapped in his dorm room and clothes, you feel like his flirting is a bit too… real. “Yeah, you’re thinking too much.” He taps your nose. “Keep it up with that cute expression, and I might just be tempted to take that hoodie off you… Kidding~!”

He dodges the pillow you throw at him, laughing like a maniac. “Ahaha! Shoulda seen the look on your face!” “You’re a jerk!” You cry. You don’t know if this banter or genuine frustration is from you, but you get the feeling that he doesn’t care either way. He takes joy in your suffering, perhaps even pride when he’s the one to cause it. You’ve always known that, the little sadist. He’s propped himself on his elbow now, looking at you in anticipation. An eager cat always ready to play with prey. He laughs again when you glare at him tearfully.

“Relax~ How’re ya gonna get a good night’s sleep when you’re working yourself up this much?” He brings you to his side, gentle yet anticipatory, as if feeling like something good is gonna happen. “Doubt you ever had a decent wink in that rundown dorm of yours.”

Sleeping face-to-face with Ace is not something new for any of you. You’ve had plenty of sleepovers with him and Deuce, sometimes even the other first-years, but the comfort of Ramshackle and its ghosts kept you from overthinking things. You stifle your feelings and pout at him. “Like you didn’t sleep there whenever you and Riddle had a fight.”

He chuckles fondly, tracing your pouting lips with his finger. “Yeah, yeah. I’m grateful, so I’m paying back the favor, see? Got Riddle to say yes despite all his fuckin’ rules. Gave you a neat hoodie to sleep in since all your clothes are under that rubble now.”

The beating in your chest seems ever louder, even as his fingers pull away, the faintest warmth only lingering on your lips. “You just want to see me in your clothes, asshole.”

He grins. “Damn right I do, prefect. Might sell ‘em to Deuce, the poor pervert. Might keep them for myself. Who knows?”

DEUCE SPADE is on you the next day, Grim leaping out of his arms and grumbling about Deuce being too noisy to sleep with. He got the boot from Ace last night, and you’re a bit relieved to have a bit of familiarity back in your arms as he resumes his napping. “[Y. Name]! Oh Seven, are you okay? Did you get some sleep? What did that bastard do to you?” He whips his head to Ace, who’s ambling lazily behind you with a lazy stretch. “What the fuck did you do to them?”

Ace waves him off with a grin, walking off to the kitchen. “Nothing you wouldn’t do, hypocrite.”

The growl that Deuce lets out is outright guttural that you would have thought him a student of Savanaclaw, but he softens when he feels you flinch under him. “Sorry, [Y. Name], it’s just that… well, you know Ace.”

You laugh gently. Whereas Ace was a little sadist, Deuce was overprotective in ways that made you feel suffocated, but grateful nonetheless. It was nice to know that some friends were looking out for you rather than laughing at you. You ruffle his still-messy hair. “I know, I know. Nice to know the ADeuce combo is still chaotic even in the early mornings.” His face crumples a bit when you pull your hand away, but he guides you to the common dining hall for breakfast. 

Being the overeager gentleman that he is, Deuce prompts you to make yourself comfortable while he fetches your breakfast. Grim is still curled up on your lap, trying to catch a few missing Zs, and Ace is across the room fighting with the roommates he kicked out last night. You feel a bit of guilt, but not as much when Ace is in a verbal match with them. They’re probably using Riddle’s absence as an opportunity to scream their heads off at him— you hear them call him an opportunistic man who’s trying to get their crush in his pants. You cringe upon hearing that. He laughs and says ‘At least I’m getting some!’ and a fistfight ensues.

Your breakfast plate, an impressive feast of golden honey pancakes topped with maple syrup and strawberries, is set before you. But Deuce’s eyes are narrowed at the fistfight happening, and he clicks his tongue in annoyance. “What the hell is that idiot doing?” He grumbles, sitting before you. “Spreading these malicious rumors about you… I should knock some sense into all of them!”

“Don’t,” you softly admonish him. “It’s only a matter of time before either Trey or Riddle walks in and they all get beheaded. Might as well let them learn their lesson.” You flash him a grin. “But thanks. Always nice to see my lil delinquent ready to defend my honor.”

He flushes and nervously picks at his own platter. It’s more meat than dessert, and he’s playing with the peas. “It’s nothing. You just don’t deserve to be talked about like that. You’re too…” He trails off, blushing bright red at what he might say, and stops. You don’t push further and let yourself enjoy the comfortable silence between the two of you. In the corner of your eye, you watch Ace and the other roommates get dragged off by the collar by Trey and Cater’s clones.

“Peace and quiet at least,” Deuce sighs. He glances at you before chuckling into his palm. You knit your eyebrows at him. “You’re so… oh well, hold still.” His thumb brushes against the side of your lip (a rather odd recurring event at your stay here) and pulls back to reveal the syrup residue. He eyes it for a bit as if pondering his next course of action. Then, locking eyes with you, his tongue peeks out and licks it off his thumb. 

“Th– Deuce that’s…” Your voice catches in your throat. “That’s… dirty.”

“Dirty? You?” He hums softly, cocking his head to the side. Expression dazed and ditzy, he smiled like a boy partaking in something he's so long desired. “Never. But I… well, haha, sorry. Can’t really play normal around you for too long. But you knew that, right?”

stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): check this out you dumb fuck stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): [image attached] Deuce Spade took a screenshot. You (Deuce Spade): you!! what the fuck have you been doing with the prefect last night?! You (Deuce Spade): i’ll beat u to the fucking ground if i see even one fucking mark stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): haha stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): magichat tells y when you screenshot something u kno. stuupid. stupid hypoocriiite You (Deuce Spade): IT CAN?!?! stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): dun worry your lil brain bout it. stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): we besties rmember??? i aint doing squat without ya. hbu jack off to this as apologies stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): [image attached] Deuce Spade took a screenshot. stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): sooo fuckin easy ✌️✌️

As soon as you go back to Heartslabyul after another day of class, CATER DIAMOND whisks you away before Ace and Deuce can even say anything about it. He’s rambling about something or other, about how he’s so stoked to have you here and how much fun you’d have together. Sleepovers are the highlight of youth, after all! Cater might be in his third year, but he’s not so old as to relinquish all the fun to the freshies!

So he has you sitting still and pretty on his bed, your hair held back by a cloth headband and a nourishing face mask to prep you for the how-many-steps skincare routine that you’ll be doing for tonight. He has his own matching headband as well, and yes, he did take a selfie before posting it to the ‘net with the hashtags #twinning, #sleepover, and #cute. His dorm room is as loud and vibrant as he is, walls covered with posters of his favorite bands and shows, a table full of cosmetics, and the phone and ring light glaring at you.

You shift nervously. It’s like part two of Ace’s incessant photography from last night, but you know that with Cater it will always be twice as bad. Something to do with the desperation in his eyes every time he snaps a picture of only the two of you. Or maybe not. You can’t just assume.

Cater finally turns around, grinning lightheartedly as he brings over a pot of moisturizer. “Hey, hey~ Sorry for the wait. It was, like, reeeal hard to find this pot. I’ve been so messy these days.” He’s always been a bit messy, but taking a look at the desk, you have to agree that this is worse than most days. He sighs when he sees you glance at his table. “IDK… something weighing on my mind and… agh! Lookit me dragging the mood down! Cringe. Let’s take off your mask…”

He takes off the gel mask gingerly. Tonight, you see Cater in his rawest form. No makeup on, not even that little mandatory diamond he always wears, and just him in his pjs. He likes to play rough sometimes, especially if it means getting a reaction out of you, but right now he is gentle. Without the makeup, you can see the eyebags under his eyes that are usually hidden under concealer, and you can’t help but massage them away with your thumb. Green eyes stare back at you wide.

“Have you not been getting enough sleep?” You murmur. It’s glaringly obvious to you and to whoever bothers to look closely that he’s always been hiding underneath a mask, and your suspicions seem to be proven true. You feel him soften under your touch as you continue pressing gentle circles on his eyebags. “We’re in your room, Cater. You don’t have to pretend.”

He makes a face as he pulls away. Disgust, you assume when he laughs drily to himself. “Sometimes I can’t stand you,” he murmurs to himself, but the room is so silent that you can hear it as if he’s saying it into your ear. “You’re too stupidly perceptive, it's creepy. What’s up with that? You don’t even have magic.”

You huff out a laugh. “I don’t think anyone needs magic to have some basic empathy.”

He rolls his eyes at you, but twists the moisturizer cap open and starts to slather the cream on you. “Please. It’s Night Raven College. People don’t have empathy, aside from you and Kalim, anyway. But we know what the deal is with the two of you.” You don’t belong. “You act like some sorta therapist, then boom— you got yourself a horde of hormonal men at your doorstep who could kill you at a moment’s notice.” He pinches your cheek so hard that you yelp at the burn, and he pulls away smugly. “And it’s a~ll your fault.”

You rub your cheek and frown. It hurts. Like, no joking hurts, and Cater looks guiltless as he eyes the red mark. “You’re a doll, aren’t you?” He coos. “Nothing makes you special except for this adorable lil face. Why don’t you just stick with Cay-Cay and let him make you special? I’m sure my sisters would like a sweet thing like you.”

“You’re a dick,” you grumble. He laughs out loud, not even trying to deny the claim, and he throws a peace sign to the camera. “What’s that for? You’re not livestreaming, are you?”

“‘Course not!” Cater laughs, switching back to his usual preppy self. He reaches over and stops the recording, checking the video with small appreciative hums. “Can’t let my peeps know that their Cay-Cay is a sick, sick man who gets off hurting their cute junior! One more selfie, please?”

He tilts the camera towards both of you. Within the frame, Cater’s grinning face and your frowning, bruised one are obviously filtered to hell as he takes the shot.

“Looks like Cater got to you, huh?” TREY CLOVER laughs, handing you an ice pack. It’s later in the night, and Cater’s decided he isn't in the mood to have you in his bed for the night. Shame, Trey had said to him. I know men who’d kill for this. Cater had only stuck out his tongue and waved you off before retreating to his chambers. You hiss when you press the pack against your face. Moonlight silhouetting his figure like an ominous foretelling, Trey leans on the island as he inspects you.

“Poor thing,” he murmurs, brushing the messy strands away from your face. “You got your dorm ruined, forced to move into Heartslabyul of all places, and you get bullied by our members two days in a row. Must be tough for you, huh?”

You want to pout. Maybe complain. Cry a little bit. In the first few weeks that you’d known Trey, maybe you would have. You had always mistaken him for an exasperated elder brother type, exhausted by the dorm members’ antics but laid back enough to go along with it. But you know better than to vent to Trey of all people, not when he doesn’t bother to hide his smirk as he watches you shed tears. 

“Not gonna work on me, devil,” you mutter. He laughs again and holds two hands in surrender, caught red-handed trying to make you rely on him. You eye him warily. “I’m sleeping with you tonight?”

“Oh, don’t word it like that, pet. The walls have ears.” You flush at the innuendo. “But hey, if you’re okay with that, then by all means go ahead.” 

You sigh deeply. First Ace, then Trey. Where the hell was the housewarden when you needed him? Someone needed to keep these crazies in line. Trey, for the most part, was far more responsible than any of the other members. But he hasn’t bothered to be decent around you for a long time now. Always quipping subtle lewd jokes when you least expect it, hovering his hand on your hips as he guides you through a recipe… Riddle’s mentioned it once, calling it a display of indecency. Trey had brushed it off and teased that you liked it that way. You don’t know. Riddle hasn’t brought it up ever again.

Lost in thought, you barely register Trey’s fingers prying your mouth open until he’s peering into the recesses of your mouth. This guy and his mouth fetish. You try to squirm away from him, but his steady hand on your shoulder tightens, and you still. “Steady now,” he murmurs. “Ate chocolate, didn’t you?” You can’t nod like this, but something in your eyes probably gives the answer away. He chuckles. “Yeah, thought so. Cater bought those chocolates for your sleepover. To think he was so excited for this as well. Doesn’t really strike you as the moody type, huh?”

He cocks a grin at you. “C’mon, brush your teeth. I got some extra spare ones.” 

You narrow your eyes at him. “I don’t want you staring.”

“Every man has his interests. You really think you can stop me?”

Being vice housewarden, Trey has the privilege of having his own dorm and bath, and now you’re alone with him in the latter. He’s the only thing blocking you from escaping out the door, leaning on it with arms crossed and the grin of a man who’s gotten what he wants. You make a face at him and turn to the sink. His reflection in the mirror continues to watch.

“Scrub more gently, why’re you rushing? Too eager to get out?” You heard it from Ace and Deuce, but you didn’t think that his being this naggy about brushing was real. “You’re neglecting the upper teeth.” Seriously. You didn’t think anyone was this naggy about brushing. “Scrape off the plaque from your tongue. Don’t wanna wake up with bad breath, do you?” You thought his family runs a patisserie? Not a dentist clinic?

You turn to him, features contorted in annoyance as you bare your mouth to him as proof, then clamp it shut again. “Here. Done. Now, can we sleep?”

“Mm, not yet. Open it again.”

You make a face at him, but sigh and relent. You know he’s gonna pry it open one way or another, magic or not. No use trying to argue against a man with magic and muscles bigger than yours. You open your mouth again— “Mpfh?!”

Trey’s two fingers invite themselves into your mouth, poking and prodding at your teeth as if they ought to be there. They’re gliding across molars, pulling against the inside of your cheek to get a proper see… It’s all uncomfortable. You shake your head and grab onto his wrist to try and pull him away, but his hold on you grows more painful as he levels you with a stern stare. “Always squirming, this dormouse. Stay still and excuse this senior’s… habits. Siblings back home, and all that.” He’s not even bothering to put any effort into his excuses. He presses down on your tongue.

“Mpphf mmh mpf!?”

“Just… a lil bit more. Can’t risk cavities.” He smirks at you, his handsome face taking on that sadistic expression that’s ever so common in this college’s students. “It’s okay if you’re scared. Really. More than okay.”

You’re beyond exhausted. You’ve always thought that Heartslabyul was the most normal of the dorms, but perhaps you’d hand that over to Pomefiore. One crazy (Rook) can’t possibly outcrazy four crazies. Especially not when you’ve had to suffer from them two days in a row.

But you’ve never been so happy to see that gorgeous shade of red hair until now.

RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS sits at his room’s tea table, enjoying himself with some warm lemon tea. His strict expression softens when he sees you enter through the doors, possibly due to your distraught state. Ever since the overblot, he’s loosened up and allowed himself to be vulnerable, especially around you. Riddle’s fond of looking after your quartet of misfits, but even the others admit that he favors you more than them. You’ve always chalked it up to you not getting yourself into trouble like the others do.

“Riddle!” It’s a bit pathetic, how needy you sound. But with the few days of being tossed around like clothes in the dryer, you’re willing to take any sense of order, no matter how extreme it may be. You don’t notice how Riddle’s smile twitches into self-satisfaction before he smooths it down. He gestures to the seat across him, and you take it. He pours you tea, the scent of warm lemon warming your senses.

“Apologies for not being able to properly welcome you these past few days,” he starts, leaning back on his seat. “It’s been quite a busy week for us housewardens, with the new event just around the corner. But things have settled, and I was really hung up on the fact that I couldn’t greet you properly.” He scowls, setting down his teacup as he remembers something. “Or my house members, for that matter. I’ve heard of the upheaval your presence has brought on these past few days.”

You shrink into your seat, shame coloring your face. “I’m sorry… after asking you for shelter as well.”

Riddle waves off your worry. “Oh no, don’t trouble yourself. As far as I know, you haven’t done anything. Goodness, Cater and Ace are throwing out their roommates! And just when we have a spare room as well. Although I do understand their worries, that room hasn’t been cleaned out for a while…” He fails to mention that their opportunistic ways of gaining privacy with you. “Ah. Well. There is always mine and Trey’s room.” He watches you shift uncomfortably and smiles understandingly. “Apologies. Trey hasn’t exactly relayed what happened last night to me, but I can imagine. And well, it wouldn’t be proper for us to be sleeping together.” You breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, some damn common sense in this house. Now you know why Riddle is such an excellent housewarden. You tell yourself never to doubt—

“Not when we aren’t married yet.”

You catch the teacup before it can spill anything. Riddle continues sipping in front of you. He cocks his head when he catches you gaping and you shake yourself out of it. Misheard, misheard… joking?

“I brought you up to mother, of course, she was rather outraged that I harbor feelings for a magickless, but…” He laughs awkwardly, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. “I convinced her that you very much mirrored her, just not in… magical prowess or… um, fierceness. Your softness and ability to care for others are captivating, and she still isn’t convinced, but— well, she does have some sort of intrigue. I was hoping to bring you to her at the next break, and… [Y. Name]? You look unwell.”

Softness? Ability to care for others? Your qualities as a doormat seem to have been exaggerated and worse of all, placed on a narcissistic mother who couldn't care less about anything other than her trophy son succeeding. And worst of all, marriage talks? You put down your teacup, fingers shaking from the tumultuous feelings stirring within you. Dread, maybe. Riddle looks at you from across the table, staring at you worriedly with those adorable grey eyes, as if he hasn’t said anything concerning.

“You… want to get married?” You choke out, laughing like you can’t believe it. You shakily point to yourself. “To me? The one who’s going to leave Twisted Wonderland?”

Riddle furrows his brows. “Who says you’re leaving Twisted Wonderland?”

You laugh again in disbelief. “Me! The headmaster! As soon as he finds a way—”

“I don’t think so, not really,” he hums. “It’s obvious he’s delaying, or that there really isn’t a way out. And even if there was, I doubt the numerous people attached to you would allow that.” He looks out the window, perhaps thinking of the number of mages who are so eager to prey on you and your affections. “I, for one, wouldn’t allow that. Ah, don’t look so down, my family is well-off and I will work; I will provide you with everything you desire.” His hands, smaller and softer than yours, squeeze yours gently. “I promise.”

You feel sick.

“You will be a great partner. I know my mother’s extremities far too well, but I’m sure once I find myself a solid position in the government, she will be far too content to say anything about our marriage. All you have to do is be who you are now.” Riddle shyly smiles to himself. “Sweet, caring, docile… motherly.”

Sevens, you feel so fucking sick.

[yestrday]

: ̗̀➛ NO BEDTIME TONIGHT ! yan! diasomnia / gn! reader

ramshackle's finally turned into a heap of rubble. you saw that one coming a long time ago. what you didn't see is the harem of unsavory magicians trying to keep you confined within their dorms. ( <- prev | intermission | to be continued...? -> )

( not exactly dissociation, but detaching from reality (?), h4rassment [Lilia 😒😒], sexual innuendos [still lilia 🙄], dubcon [yes him], breakdowns, implied mind control, malleus gives bad advice to his brother 👍👍, mentioned violenc3, reader has it bad, lots of crying. )

You’re slowly forgetting the look of your home. There are times when you lie in your bed at Ramshackle, stare up at the rickety ceiling, and marvel at how vastly different it is from your back home. A room that you had lived in since childhood, full of marks from different parts of your childhood, and decorated to make it your own. Living in this grim, run-down shack for months now, you can barely remember what shade of [Color] your walls were, and the view outside your window was a blur to you now.

Now you move from room to room, changing colors and beds and roommates. Your own bedroom was slowly losing its image in your mind.

You also remembered loathing the creaking of the stairs when your family decided to barge into your room to either order you around or just to bother you in general. Now, every time the walls of Ramshackle creaked, you closed your eyes and imagined that it was your sibling on their way to annoy you again. But the other dorms were more maintained, no creaks or drafts to imagine your family to. You only turn your head to see the outline of the men who love to smother you in this suffocation they call love.

“[Y. Name]?”

Very rarely is there someone so gentle-spoken and princely in this mess of a school, so you knew that Silver Vanrouge was there waiting upon you as you peeled your cheek off the school desk. Your short nap has you yawning into your palm, and Silver’s stoic face quirks into a fond smile as he regards your messy look.

“Nice nap, I take it?” He asks, gently taking you by the hand and guiding you onto your feet. He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear and nods approvingly. “Father— er, Lilia— um.” He sighs when he catches your knowing look. “Sorry, force of habit. Everyone is eagerly awaiting your arrival at Diasomnia. Lord Malleus seems to be quite excited, too. He’s looking forward to dinner with you.”

“Dinner, huh?” Walking alongside Silver’s languid pace, you think back to the Master Chef and the food that General Lilia whipped up in his dream. Silver takes note of your darkening expression and shakes his head.

“Father was insistent on cooking, but Sebek tried to convince him that ordering takeout from Mostro Lounge would be better. Lord Malleus was also quick to jump in and sway him.” The two of you share a chuckle as you imagine how chaotic that scene must have been. “Father was on his way to Mostro Lounge when I departed to find you. Where’s Grim, if I may ask?”

“Infirmary,” you say as lightly as possible. Silver smiles wryly.

Outside Diasomnia’s mirror, Silver slowly comes to a stop, and he turns to face you. You are surprised when Silver drops to his one knee, looking every bit as knightly as he prides himself on being. When he lifts his face— fair, gorgeous, and tinged with sympathy— he presses a hand to his chest as he holds your gaze steadfast.

“On my honor as a knight, I promise that no harm will befall you in Diasomnia,” he pledges to you, taking in that weary look in your eye as he takes your hand in his. “After all, I— we adore you so. We owe it to you to give you a sanctuary when you have nowhere to turn. So, please, rest easy. We are Diasomnia, after all.” He takes your hand and presses its back against his lips, turning to you with a reassuring smile, yet something uncertain flashes in his eyes. “Who else would be the most suited to give you a proper sleep?”

Even at such a small dinner party, Diasomnia spares no expense in making sure you’re cared for. As soon as Silver escorts you through the massive doors, Lilia is quick to pop out of nowhere with his youthful grin. “Well, well, if it isn’t the belle of the ball! I trust my son has been a wonderful escort!” He winks at you before hurriedly pushing you. “Come, come, Malleus has been eager to see you since forever! If we leave him alone for any longer, I’m afraid that even Sebek cannot calm his tantrum!”

“T– Tantrum?” You echo, letting yourself be pushed around by the bat fae. Silver quietly follows behind.  “Is Tsuno— uh, Malleus angry?”

Lilia chuckles. “No need to act polite. You know that Malleus is quite fond of your nickname for him. But no, not angry, but he has been sulking about the other dorms having you to themselves.” Stopping at a smaller yet equally impressive door, he steps in front of you and gives you an apologetic smile. “Now, I won’t pretend to be ignorant— we’re all quite aware of the rumors around you.” The expression on your face must be exceedingly bitter, because Lilia reaches up to pinch away the frown and shakes his head. “You know how overprotective our Malleus is, so we have taken extra precautions to keep him away from those nasty whispers.”

“Sebek’s taken too many precautions, I think,” Silver speaks up from beside you. Lilia waves it away.

“They do deserve it, and it’s not like Malleus has heard of Sebek’s actions. Yet.” Lilia puts two steady hands on your shoulders and levels you with a stare. “Us hardworking knights have done our best to protect you and others from Malleus’ wrath, so please don’t let it slip, okay? I am not against Malleus smiting those wicked men, but you…” You shake your head immediately. Lilia steps back with a satisfied smile and pinches your cheek one last time. “Of course. Our [Y. Name] is ever so kind, after all.”

Silver and Lilia push aside the doors to reveal a small table fit for five with Mostro Lounge takeout placed appetizingly around green-flamed candelabras. Malleus is looking out the window, lightning flashing to illuminate the stormy expression on his face, while Sebek is saying something to placate him. When they hear the doors creak, they quickly turn around.

“[Y. Name],” Malleus greets you warmly, approaching you in long strides. He is handsome as ever, the friendly expression sitting so regal on such an otherworldly face that makes you feel small compared to him. You think back to the days when you didn’t know how much of a deal Malleus was, taking late-night walks with him outside of Ramshackle. You’ve always thought him handsome and imposing, but certainly not someone you would be scared of.

The image of his Overblot form overlaps with his current form as he stops in front of you, but you return his smile as sweetly as you could. “Malleus! Thanks again for the invite; the others were driving me crazy.”

He chuckles, smooth as butter, but you catch the darkening of his eyes for a sliver of a second. “Mm, yes, I’ve heard whispers.” Behind him, Sebek starts telling you to stop with a cutthroat motion. He quickly stands still when Malleus follows your eyes to look behind him. He turns back to look at you, smiling the same as ever. “Would you care to join us for dinner? We’ve prepared quite a feast to welcome you.”

You say your thanks as everyone joins Malleus at the table. “I could’ve cooked, you know~!” Lilia sighs. “Is it not rather rude to serve take-out to a guest as dear as our [Y. Name]?”

“N– Not really,” you nervously laugh. “In fact, I’m already getting shy from all this unnecessary welcome. None of the other houses really did this for me…”

“Of course!” Sebek booms with pride across you, thumping his chest with his hand. “It is to be expected that Diasomnia, the dorm that our Lord Malleus leads, will be a step above the rest!”

Lilia, on the other hand, leans forward on the table and perches his sly face on his hands. “Oh, I’m sure the other dorms must have been hospitable in their own way…” He purrs, eyeing you knowingly. “But fae pride themselves on being hospitable. I think serving takeout is somewhat distasteful, but if our guest has no complaints, then who am I to say so!”

The dinner falls into a comfortable conversation, each one playing a role they’ve clearly been playing for many years. Lilia cheerily inquires about you on the general state of things, with Malleus slyly trying to weasel information from you on what (or who) you’ve been up to these past few weeks. Sebek loudly demands that you answer his young lord’s questions while Silver scolds Sebek for being too imposing. 

The scene is… familiar. Sharing takeout around the dinner table, interacting freely with each other— they overlap with people from your world. Your parents, your siblings, your friends… You bow your head and force yourself to take another bite, blinking away the sting welling up in the corner of your eyes.

You don’t quite notice the shared looks around the table, the green candlelights of Diasomnia flickering every so slightly brighter.

SEBEK ZIGVOLT has no duty to you. Nothing is binding him to you, so why does his heart squeeze so painfully when he sees you with that vacant look in your eyes?

You’re standing on one of the dorm’s many balconies, unmindful of the chilly wind blowing throughout the night. Bathed in the serene glow of the moonlight, Sebek would have mistaken you for a nocturnal fae had he not known any better. The indifferent look on your face, as you look upon everything that Diasomnia has to offer, is eerily inhuman.

Sebek swallows down his feelings and knocks on the glass door leading out to the balcony. You turn to him, a little light returning to your eyes, yet your expression still stays somber. “You’re supposed to be in your room,” Sebek says stiffly. “It’s already lights out. Do yourself a favor and get some rest.”

“Hi, Sebek,” you softly greet him, turning back to the dreary view below. You study the twisting vines and branches. “Don’t you get depressed living in a place like this? It’s so… well, depressing.” He frowns, taking the space beside you. He’s never thought of it. Briar Valley was full of similar twisting vines, and they weren’t so scary when the woodland fae were there to light the way. “I don’t think much of it,” he huffs. “I don’t have the luxury of admiring views when I’m busy serving Lord Malleus.”

You laugh shortly, like you expected that answer. “Of course, of course,” you hum, smiling to yourself as you continue looking out. “My mistake. Our dear Sebek is wholly devoted to making his young lord proud.” There is a silence as you ponder to yourself. “... One question.”

“I will permit it.” 

You playfully roll your eyes at such haughtiness but continue anyway, expression taking on a softer note, “Your dream… When you dreamt of celebrating Lilia and Malleus’s internships… Were you happy?”

Sebek’s eyes widened at the unexpected question. “I– Well, yes, I suppose so.” The memories of that dream and the circumstances that came alongside it left a bitter taste on his tongue, but he supposes that he could forgive you since you were caught up in it as well. “The dream was intended to make one happy, and nothing would make me happier than to see Master Lilia and Lord Malleus thriving and healthy.”

“How was it?” You press on. “Did it really feel like the paradise that Malleus intended it to be? Did it feel like you wanted to be there forever?”

Sebek looks at you once more. You’re staring at him, eyes probing him for answers. He bites the inside of his cheek before tearing his gaze away from you. “Of course, I did,” he says hesitantly. “Lord Malleus was happy, Master Lilia won’t leave us permanently, Silver would still have his father, and nothing could make me happier. Before you and Silver barged in, I was as content as I could be.”

“If you didn’t know anything,” you continued to press. “If Silver didn’t tell you that it was a dream, would you have ever woken up?”

Sebek stays silent before he looks at you almost angrily. “What is this about?” He demands. “Why are you so curious about my dream?”

You stare at him, looking a bit shocked at the hint of frustration coming from him, before you press your lips together in a bitter line. “... my dream.” “What?” Sebek raises his voice, brows knit together in exasperation. “How am I supposed to understand you if you keep slurring your words!”

Jaw clenched, your hands bundle into fists as you stare long and hard into the distance. “My dream.” You say louder. “I couldn’t experience it.”

“What could you possibly gain from such an experience?” He practically spits. “Lord Malleus is indeed great enough to spin such a realistic dream from his magic alone, but the fact that it isn’t real should already deter you. It’s already a humiliation for me that you, Silver, and that beast of yours have seen that side of me.”

Tsk. You find yourself growing irate with Sebek’s frank words, though you know that he’s said nothing wrong. “I know that, I’m not stupid. It’s just—! It’s just not fair, okay! I’ve had to jump from dream to dream, see all of you live your best lives, even for just a moment. You had maybe an hour or even more to live out a reality where you were perfectly happy!”

“What part of fake do you not get?”

“It wasn’t fake for you!” You spin to him, angry tears welling in your eyes. Your expression had contorted into one so ugly, so pathetic, so human that he almost reeled back. “Before Silver and I came along, that was your reality! I wanted that! For one hour at least, I could live out a life where I was actually happy! I could be back in my room, I would be hanging out in my usual cafe, I’d be grinding my dailies on my PC, I’d get to see my family again! I don’t—!” You let out an ugly laugh. “Fuck, I don’t even remember the color of my walls anymore! It’s not even been a year! This school is fucking killing me!”

A moment of silence passes after your outburst, your chest heaving from the screaming, and Sebek watching you crumple onto the floor. Human. You’re so human, like the rest of them. Ugly and jealous and inferior and everything he didn’t want to be.

A beat passes. “... Do you hate it here…?”

You avert your eyes. “I don’t even know anymore,” you plainly say.

It stings, but anyone would have seen this coming, especially Sebek. You were always an outlier in every event, unable to familiarize yourself with Twisted Wonderland’s culture and traditions in such a short amount of time. You don’t fit in. You are an alien, no matter how hard you try. Even if people say they accept you, you wouldn’t accept yourself. 

Sebek turns his back to you, unable to properly form his words. “Then– Then how do I…?”

You look at Sebek’s broad, muscled back. In the darkness of the night, you don’t know whether you’re imagining the shaking of his shoulders as he mutters something to himself. “D– Did you say something, Sebek…?” You see him shake his head and rub at his eyes with his sleeves, before turning to you with a scowl.

His eyes are wet, but his glare has real heat behind them. “Of course, you would want to leave,” Sebek plainly says. “You don’t belong here.” 

Now, you glare at him for stating something so painfully obvious. Did he really have to rub the facts in your face? “But how could you leave? There’s been no spell in history opening a portal to another dimension. You are the first of your kind. It is a fool’s hope to even think of devising such an unthinkable spell.”

“You don’t know that—!”

“And you don’t know if a spell like that even exists,” he shot back. “Do you think, in all his greatness and power, Lord Malleus would not have done so already? He has a terrible fondness for you that I cannot fathom, but if Lord Malleus couldn’t do it, then who else can?”

You think back to Malleus overblot, those inky hands clawing at you from dreams as he latches onto your body with enough vice to never let you go. “Would he?” You say sardonically. “Come on, Sebek. We’ve been through so many dreams because of that. Would he really?”

Sebek shoots you an infuriatingly smug smile when you finally come to the conclusion that he’s wanted. “Exactly. If Lord Malleus of all people would not permit you to leave Twisted Wonderland, then—”

You stare back at him in stunned silence as it finally dawns on you. Sebek, with the smallest hint of guilt, relishes in it.

“— Who are you to believe that you could actually leave?”

You (SILVER VANROUGE): Father.

You (SILVER VANROUGE): Father. You must do something about Sebek. His violence is getting out of hand.

You (SILVER VANROUGE): I cannot keep covering up for him. Day by day his outbursts are getting more and more aggressive. It is also unseemly for us to be attacking civilians.

You (SILVER VANROUGE): I know he would agree. He was never the type to lay hands on civilians before. Why now would he…? 

Father (LILIA VANROUGE): ohoho :3 young love, how I love to see it !

You (SILVER VANROUGE): This is no laughing matter, Father. I’ve tried talking to Sebek about it but won’t listen to a word I say. Just this morning we got into a fight over how I don’t care enough for [Y. Name]. 

You (SILVER VANROUGE): I was so upset at the accusation that we almost exchanged blows. But still… am I in the wrong?

Father (LILIA VANROUGE): Of course not! u n sebek care in ur own way!! since ure so easygoing, ure able to be by the prefect’s side whenever to protect them from any harm

Father (LILIA VANROUGE): but sebek can’t be honest with himself, the poor thing (っ´ω`)ﾉ(╥ω╥) u and i know that all he wants is to protect those dear to him,,, so let’s just look the other way, ok ? ♡

Father (LILIA VANROUGE): otherwise, i fear that even the cute prefect won’t be able to handle sebek’s overeagerness (･ω<)☆

“Oh me, oh my!” LILIA VANROUGE sits on the edge of your bed, kicking his legs back and forth as he greets you with youthful cheer. “That’s an awfully glum expression you have there, dear! Did Sebek say something to upset you again? I’m sorry, that boy has such a mouth on him. I fear that he gets it from his grandfather.”

Having just entered the room, your throat feels dry as you watch Lilia pat his side. “Lilia,” you croak out. “I thought…? Is this your room?”

Lilia covers his mouth with both hands as if you’ve suggested something very scandalous. “Oh my, I could never! You sly thing! You look so innocent, but here you are insinuating!” He wags a finger at you. “Bad, bad! Of course, we arranged for you to have your own room. It wouldn’t be very noble of us Diasomnia folks if we had a guest share, now would it?”

Turning to the side, Lilia then mutters to himself, “And Sebek and Silver wouldn’t let me.”

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing!” Lilia leaps up and drags you to the bed with him. “Now, come! It wouldn’t do for you stand there all night long with such a grim look on your face! What’s got you in a twist?”

“N– Nothing…” You say, twiddling with your thumbs as you look despondently down on your lap. You ignore Lilia’s constant moving in the background. “Just came to a realization, that’s all.”

Lilia hums knowingly, having produced a brush from one of the dressers and starting to run its bristle across your strands. “Oh, don’t mind me. I just thought you might do with a little grooming, that’s all. Do carry on. Realization about what?”

“... My current predicament?” You sigh hopelessly. “Lilia… Is there really no hope?”

“For you to return home?” He replies in an upbeat tone, as if the conversation wasn’t heavy at all. “At the beginning, I would have said that there was a chance. Even if our headmage is a lout, the fact that you were summoned here means that there is a way of opening the fabric between worlds— just that it hasn’t been explored yet.” Then he pinches your cheek, grinning at you from the side. “But then you had to go charm Malleus! How could you ever leave after that!”

Sebek said the same thing. Malleus this… Malleus that… If you weren’t ignorant on the night that you met Malleus, would he have ever held any affection for you? Or if he would, would it be to the degree of possessiveness that everyone thinks he has? The fists clenched in your lap relax. What was the point of ruminating over the past?

“You know, Malleus was such a selfish boy growing up,” Lilia sighs, using his fingers to unknot a particularly stubborn one in your hair. “So possessive over me as well! Why, when Silver came along, he could hardly comprehend that he had to share me! I didn’t know whether to be flattered or troubled. Everyone in that family, really... what a bunch of troublemakers!”

You smile to yourself. “I saw.”

You feel Lilia nod behind you. “Oh, you did, alright. My embarrassing past… I’m happy that it was only you, Silver, Sebek, and dear Grim who saw it! I wouldn’t know what to do if my other schoolmates saw such a grumpy side of me… It’s very uncool!”

“I think a lot of people would disagree otherwise,” you say. You think back to when Lilia would glare down at the four of you coldly, every bit of the terrific general as his followers praised him to be. “We were certainly scared… and awestruck.”

“Now were you?” You hear a bit of pleased satisfaction in Lilia’s voice as he finishes brushing your hair. “There you go, smooth as a baby’s bum.” From above, Lilia looked down at you with half-lidded eyes and a smug smile. “Did I hear you correctly? Did our pretty prefect fall in love with General Lilia at first sight?”

“Now you know I said no such thing— w-woah!” You find yourself pinned to the bed, your head in between Lilia’s thighs as he continues to stare at you. “Lilia! What the hell!”

“Now that’s a look,” he hums. His lithe fingers trace your expression— to the crease between your brows to the dip in your cupid’s bow— and cocks his head to the side. “From depressed to angry, you sure are a fickle one. When I first laid eyes on you, you were as meek as a mouse, but I would never have thought that you had such fire in you! I’m sure you were well-adored in your world as well.” At the mention of your world, your eyes dim a little, and Lilia pats your head lovingly as you become lost in thought. “And yet, that fire cannot be stoked in this world. After all, there’s so many bad men who are willing to douse that water out just to have your cinders for themselves… One cannot blame you for losing that spark.”

You continue to be silent, his vague analogies lost on your drifting mind. His rhythmic strokes lull you to a false sense of comfort, the back of your brain nagging at you that something is wrong. “But it’s not so bad, is it? When your future begins to look bleak, it’s okay to depend on us. We all love you so much, surely that means something to you?”

Love… You turn the word around in your brain like a stone to be examined. Does love feel so suffocating and so hopeless? Is love supposed to make you feel fear? Glancing up at Lilia’s red eyes, looking down at you all, fatherly and doting, you wonder if love is supposed to look so sinister and scheming. He tuts at you. 

“Now, now, you’re in no condition to be thinking so hard.” He massages the creases between your brows and cocks his head to the side. Blocking out the ceiling light, it haloes around him and casts a dark shadow on his face. You are unable to decipher the strange expression he has on. “On the chance that you can’t come home, you’re not lacking for anything here. So many possibilities! Royal consort of Sunset Savannah’s second prince, married to the heir of the al Asim wealth, the partner of A-list star Schoenheit… or even live out a cozy life baking treats with your lover, picking apples with dear Epel in the countryside, managing the ever-so-successful Mostro Lounge with Ashengrotto… The possibilities are endless!”

“As for what I’d do with you…” He taps a finger on his porcelain cheek, making a display of thinking. “Sevens, I’m already old, so I’m afraid I can’t compete with the younger ones’ vigor. Still, you’ve enamored me for a long time now, and this old man can’t help but spend the rest of his days with you and the boys. What do you think?” He smiles at you cheerfully, pointy fangs poking out from his upper lip. “We make a pretty cute pair, don’t you think?”

You hum thoughtlessly. “Whatever you say…”

He pouts at you. “Have the other fiends harassed you so much that you don’t react to this anymore? I remember when you’d squeak at the slightest touch. If a face as cute as mine can’t move your heart anymore, then what am I to do?” He sighs. 

“You could let me sleep?” You suggest hopefully. He snickers, and you drop any hope of actually getting in an early rest.

“But I haven’t had my fill of playing with you yet! Silver and Sebek may think that we’ve taken you under our roof under the goodness of our hearts, but I’ve always been a ruffian. Less knightly and more soldier, as you well know.” He lifts himself from where he sits, the mattress pushing upwards as he stands. It’s a rather awkward position as you avert your eyes to avoid seeing any more up his shorts, and you hear him laugh at your politeness. Those slender legs straddle themselves on your chest, and with a squeak, you look back at him to see a rather self-satisfied expression on his face. “Well! There you go! Just a little bit of skinship to have you squeaking like a mouse. Not so cold as I thought.”

“Th– This isn’t a little bit!” You protest, attempting to push him away before your fingers curl in on themselves just inches away from his bare legs. “You’re literally on top of me!”

“Just some innocent roughhousing!” Fully playing the act of an innocent boy, he purposefully squirms to feel the friction between the two of you. He laughs in delight when you cover your mouth to stop any inappropriate noises. “What’s the fuss? Is our innocent prefect actually thinking naughty thoughts right now?”

“You know what you’re doing!” You whine. He chuckles again, toying with the fray of your clothes in silence as you try to settle into the new position. Lilia finds it rather endearing that you haven’t tried to push him away, whether it was out of politeness or simply because you’ve learned your lesson from past houses. The perfect and cutest doormat. He sees you toss your head to the side and squeeze your eyes shut as his fingers tease and graze along the curves of your hips, watching closely every minuscule change in expression as he gently grabs your waist and presses his thumbs into your abdomen.

“If anyone walked in, this would be enough to fuel their fantasies for months,” he muses to himself, enjoying the way your abdomen tenses under his touch. “Two cute things playing with each other, me straddling you in between my legs, your thighs shivering as I touch you all over… What a sight to behold, I’m sure. Being like this together makes me rather happy that we met at my current age. I wouldn’t know what my younger self would do to such an adorable, pathetic thing like you.”

You whimper as his fingers go higher and higher, circling your chest but never fully committing. Your shirt is well above your neckline, exposing your torso to the cold air. “That brute may have ravaged you on the spot in front of all his army, maiming your neck just so every fae in the vicinity will know that you’re the general’s. He may not control himself when another man tries to touch you. I’ve always been messy… Thorn Fairy knows how many times Baur has tried to lecture me on this front.”

“That is why~” He leans down, your bare chest against his clothed one, and he grinds down for good measure. “You’re so lucky to meet cute ol’ me. They say patience comes with age, and I’ve 700 years of it.” He presses a kiss on your forehead, sickly innocent in contrast to his perverted fondling. When he lifts his head, he is grinning down at you like he knows exactly what’s going to happen next.

“So even if you try to resist, I still have plenty of years left to make you see things my way.”

This… might be the longest you’ve slept in any dorm yet. You’re rather surprised, yes, but you’re not going to complain. Although the darkness of Diasomnia may have fucked up your internal clock for a little bit, you find yourself waking up refreshed in the mornings. Really, this is the hospitality that you’ve been needing for a while now.

And yet… why does…?

You shake the minuscule worries gnawing at the back of your mind and start getting ready for bed. You and Grim fucked up another potion-making test today and have to wake up early in the morning to retrieve the ingredients for your retake. Well, it was more so that you fucked it up for both of you. Your mind has been foggy these days that Ace and Deuce have to literally shake you by the shoulders to snap you out of it.

It’s a pleasant daze… something that you wouldn’t mind falling deeper into. But… You shake your head and slap your cheeks in front of the mirror. You gotta take this retake seriously, or Professor Crewel will seriously chew your ass out. Now, where were those notes…

As you rummage through your bag for your papers, you hear a steady rapping on your door. “Coming!” You call out to them, quickly rushing to the door while you make yourself appropriate. You find MALLEUS DRACONIA staring down as soon as you swing open the door.

“Care for a walk?” He asks with the expression of trying not to seem overeager. You hesitate, thinking back on your upcoming test before shaking your head and looping your arm through his.

“I have to retake a test tomorrow,” you tell him as you step outside. “I messed up today’s test.”

Malleus hums. “It’s highly understandable that you don’t excel in Alchemy. You’re no mage, and you have an unruly direbeast to perform magic on your behalf. Does Night Raven College not consider your predicament?”

“Mmm, not really.” You idly kick a pebble. “I mean, Grim and I make up two halves of one student, right? Grim performs the magic, and I have… opposable thumbs.” You shrug and look up at him. “I’m the one who messed up. I accidentally dropped a whole lot more mugwort than the recipe asked for. It didn’t need magic or anything; I was just being stupid. I haven’t been thinking straight these days…”

“Hmm…” Malleus hums again, looking to the side thoughtfully. “There has been a lot of activity going on with you recently…”

“Um, activity?” You cock your head to the side. “I– I don’t think so? I’ve been doing the same as I’ve always have, I think?”

He smiles at you, looking like he knows something that you don’t. “Oh, that was just some off-comment of mine, pardon me. After this walk, perhaps I could educate you on whatever potion it is that you’re struggling with.”

You perk up. “You would?! I mean— ahem.” You sheepishly look to the side. “Sebek would have my head for making you do that. It’s okay, really, I can manage.”

The century-old dragon fae pouts at you, lifting your chin by the finger to make you look at him. “Do you prioritize my retainer’s word over my own?” He grumbles, looking oddly adorable as his mature face creases into a childish sulk. “It is not every day that I offer to tutor someone. You ought to be grateful that I offered my services.”

You can’t help but crack a wry smile, becoming increasingly aware of the faint electricity crackling in the atmosphere. “Well, if the Prince of the Valley of Thorns insists, then who am I to refuse, right?” Malleus pulls away, looking smugly satisfied with your words and with himself.

“Exactly,” he croons. There is a mischievous expression on his face as he looks down on you, lips pursed into a rogueish smile as he draws his face closer to you. “Well, then, shall we start the session?”

There is the cool sensation of his lips pressed against your forehead, before you feel the tender trunk of vines wrapping themselves around your ankle, twisting further up and up to your thigh till they create a cradle around your torso. Malleus’ pale face blurs in and out of focus, looking at you just like he once did when he was covered in ink and going insane. 

“See you in a few, my dear,” is all you hear, faint and soft like a lullaby, until the black thorns block your vision and you finally go to sleep.

You open your eyes to a familiar [F. Color] ceiling, popcorned and patchy with stickers you stuck on throughout different phases of your childhood. There is a loud, obnoxious banging on the door, along with an even more obnoxious voice telling you to wake up. A more muted one, so faint that it’s drowned out by the banging and shouting, says something that you can’t make out. 

You groan and roll over, hugging the pillow to your chest. “Shut uppp, Sebek!” The banging stops for a loud gasp before it resumes with an even louder force. Man, this guy.

Knowing that nothing will stop Sebek from knocking your whole door down, you decide to spare yourself the misery of broken hinges and swing the door wide open. Still in your pajamas and sporting a bedhead, you scowl at the already in-uniform Sebek. “What?!”

He scowls back at you. “What do you mean by ‘what’?! Look at you, underdressed and disheveled at six in the morning. School starts at eight, and here you are wasting precious daylight! Get moving!”

You open your mouth to argue back, before Silver steps in between the two of you. “Okay, that’s enough. [Y. Name]’s already awake, and that’s all that matters.” Silver looks to you and smiles. “You can freshen up after eating breakfast. You pulled an all-nighter again, didn’t you?”

“Malleus had me memorizing formulas the entire night!” You complained, yawning into your hand as you began to walk downstairs. “I’m pooped.”

“Malleus taught you?!” You wince and plug your ears with your fingers as Sebek yells into your ear. The two of you stop just short of the staircase, glaring into each other’s eyes again. “You had Malleus teaching you, and you have the nerve to complain!”

You stick your tongue out at him. “Maybe Malleus could teach you, too, if you lived here—” You fake a gasp, hand covering your mouth like you just realized something. “Oh, but you don’t live here, do you? Blehhh.”

“Why you—!”

As you and Sebek begin duking it out in this cramped hallway, you feel something boring into the side of your skull. When Sebek claims his victory by (lightly) smacking you upside the head and begins to head down himself, you shoot a quizzical look towards Silver, who’s been staring at you with an odd look in his eye. “Silver?” You call out. “You… er, okay? What’s up?”

Silver shakes his head before returning to his stoic yet soft expression. “Nothing. I was just… wondering. Let’s head down and eat breakfast before it gets cold.”

“Ignore him,” Sebek scoffs from the foot of the staircase. He has one hand outstretched to you, blush faintly covering his cheeks as he averts his eyes from you. “He’s always an airhead.” Sending a teasing grin Sebek’s way that he pointedly ignores, you gladly take his hand and let him escort you to the kitchen.

“Well, well, looks like Sleeping Beauty has finally joined us!” Lilia teases as soon as the three of you enter the kitchen. Donning a frilly apron, he sets the table with Malleus taking the head of the table as always. You find your usual positions on the table, grimacing at the odd-looking concoctions. “I could hear the racket you were making from all the way here!” You and Sebek grumble out varying volumes of apologies.

“Are you prepared for your test today, [Y. Name]?” Malleus leans on the table with his arms propped up, watching you with glimmering green eyes. “I take it that you’ve familiarized yourself with the potion’s recipe?”

“P– Potion…?” You furrow your brows. You were taking a… chemistry test today, weren’t you? But… but of course! Potions and chemistry. That much was obvious. Your confusion melts away into sureness, and you nod cheerfully. “Yep. Got the recipe down pat. I think I’ll ace Crewel’s test today, no sweat!”

He reclines with a pleased smile. “Under my tutelage, there is no doubt you will ‘ace’ this test.” Sebek, who’s been piling heaps of rice on his plate, eagerly leans forward.

“If— If it’s no bother to you, Malleus, could I join you for your next session?” He asks hopefully. “I– I’ve been struggling with academics as well…!”

Malleus chuckles, looking beyond amused at Sebek’s attempts. “There’s no need to downplay yourself, Sebek. I know your academics have been far more than satisfactory. You have your own due diligence to thank for that.” Sebek shoots you a haughty look across the table, to which you respond by kicking him by the shin under the table. He glares at you but does not attempt to respond.

Breakfast goes by with Malleus and Lilia conversing about everyday topics while you and Sebek try to stomach the food. Lilia eats some of his own cooking, but Silver and Malleus don’t touch anything. Malleus never had a large appetite, but you nudge Silver with your elbow. “Aren’t you gonna eat?” You gesture at this empty plate. “You can’t go to school on an empty stomach, you know! You’re in a sports club!’’

With an odd look of helplessness, Silver stares at his plate for a second. “I doubt this could fill me up,” he mutters under his breath, before he looks at you. “Pardon my asking, but does this have any taste to you, [Y. Name]?”

Something in the air tenses, Malleus narrowing his eyes at Silver’s direction. “Silver,” he says in a tone so dangerous that it has you and Sebek focusing on your own plates. “Leave it be.”

Silver purses his lips, like he wants to say something, before defeatedly looking away. “Yes, my— I mean, yes, Malleus,” is the only thing he mutters before he heaps himself a serving of rice just to poke at it. The silence is so awkward that even the ever sociable Lilia looks like he’s at a loss as he tries to figure out this mysterious interaction between the men. 

Malleus’s green eyes don’t seem to quite leave Silver before they soften and settle on you. “Let’s pick up where we left off last night on the way to school. I shall be your escort today.” He gestures to Sebek. “Sebek, kindly see to it that Silver goes to school on time. [Y. Name] and I shall make our leave first.”

Although Sebek looks disheartened at the command, he follows through with it and is still nagging Silver when you finally finish freshening up and head out the door with Malleus. Lilia waves the two of you cheerily off, and you both begin the familiar route to school in comfortable silence. Malleus seems to take in his surroundings with curiosity, whatever interest he may find in the same old suburban buildings and sky-high towers in the distance.

“It never ceases to amuse me,” he ruminates. “How a world can be so… ordinary. No magic to be found. It is charmingly mundane, indeed.”

“Hm?” Malleus has always had a habit of rambling about mysterious stuff that’s almost nonsensical to you, so you always brush his meandering off as some sort of personality quirk. “Well, it does grow boring when you’ve been living here for almost all your life,” you absentmindedly agree as you skip over a crack. Or break your mama’s crack, you hum as you continue skipping. You turn around to Malleus, who looks at you with an unreadable expression. “Where do you wanna live instead, Mal?”

“If I said a world full of magic and wonder, where you’d never want for anything, would you follow me there?”

“Of course, I will!” You nod. “I mean, we’re family, aren’t we? We might not be blood, but we’re a package deal! I’m sure Lilia would be too worried about leaving you somewhere on your own, and Silver will follow… then Sebek too… oh, but Sebek’s family…” Listing them all off, you raise five fingers at him. “Lilia, Silver, and me, then Sebek and his family! We’ll all follow you!”

Malleus stares at your outstretched palm, held up to him proudly as you look at him expectantly. Then he begins to chuckle into his palm, and eventually bellowing into full-blown laughter. Even you’re taken aback by this sudden burst of laughter, and you circle him to inspect what could be wrong with him. “Hey, what’s with you? What’s so funny?” You pout at him. “I wasn’t joking, you know!”

His merriment dying down, he continues looking at you with the same fondness as you both resume walking. “Of course, of course. How could a sweet thing like you possibly lie to someone like me?” Rather big ego he has there, but you choose to ignore it. “I guess that’s another wonder of this world. I’ve yet to see you so happy. It’s rather thought-provoking what a change of environment can do to one’s personality.”

“You always say the most confusing things!” You naively remark. You look back at him after skipping another crack. “I’m happy every day! I’ve got everyone with me. Later, my friends and I are gonna go to this ritzy mini-golfing thing.” You make a lousy attempt at swinging your imaginary golf club. “Putt! Or something.” 

You stop your playing around when you finally reach the pedestrian crossing, and Malleus watches as your already carefree expression stretches into a happy smile as you wave at your friends from the other side. They’re unfamiliar to Malleus, clearly memories of people from your world— or what was left of those memories. They mirror the same carefree smiles and waves, but their features are darkened by the shadows of their hair. You are clearly forgetting.

He looks around. The scenery doesn’t seem to be coherent either. Now in the thick of the city, you are surrounded by skyscrapers and bustling shops, yet a closer inspection reveals things that should only exist in Twisted Wonderland. Why else would a magickless world need a store hawking magic pens and brooms? He looks down on his uniform. There are symbols from Night Raven College littered throughout the original design of the uniform of the school you used to come from, a clear mismatch with your relatively unblemished one. He hums.

“[Y. Name],” he calls. He preens when you quickly turn around, foregoing your friends to give him your entire attention. The way you look at him, all starry-eyed and untroubled, is a sight that he could never get used to. Always diminishing yourself for the sake of not getting picked on, jumpy at every show of magic— he would never have guessed that the otherworlder he had met on that fateful night outside Ramshackle would be this lighthearted and blithesome. “[Y. Name],” he calls again.

“Malleus, Malleus,” you playfully echo back to him. He represses an ungraceful snort.

“You always seem to favor this dream,” he muses, walking towards you and gingerly taking a stray strand in between his gloved fingers. “Partaking in breakfast around the table, squabbling with your family, taking leisurely strolls to school… Later, you will doze off in the middle of a lecture, making sure to hide your antics behind a book. Then you will race with your friends to buy whatever special the cafeteria has today. There will be your clubs, then you will make merry with your friends in town, then go back home satisfied and not having finished your homework. This unremarkable routine is what you always come back to.”

He cocks his head to you, taking in your confused expression. “Have you always been this easy to satisfy? If I’m not mistaken, this is what you already do, isn’t it?”

You furrow your brows. “What I already…?”

Malleus throws his head back and laughs. “So many hints, yet you refuse to wake up. I don’t mind. Silver can’t pin the blame on me if you are unwilling to release yourself from these delusions.”

The scenery shifts, the buildings dissolve into the ground and melt into inky shadows until a looming stone-walled castle rises to take their place. You stumble backwards and frantically look back to the images of your friends, who have vanished into the black thorns, gradually blocking the darkening sky. You yelp when you feel Malleus’ hand against the small of your back, and you look up to see his face darkened with…

“You would never respond this brightly when I placed you within the confines of my palace, adorned in fineries fit for royalty. This blinding smile you’ve always shown me in this world… nowhere to be seen even when I seat you on the throne next to me. I tell you— I order you to love me, yet you only nod and fold your hands subserviently. You give me compliance when I wanted your heart!” His taloned nails dig through your uniform and barely pierce your skin. 

His expression is downright livid, glaring down at you as green lightning streaks against the dark sky. He brings his other hand to pointingly dig into your temple. “I could easily manipulate this feeble mind of yours. Humans are so eager to submit to pleasure, and yet—” He looks torn. “— Even I force you to be my betrothed, I cannot be satiated until I know that you wholly return my feelings. It would not be a happy ending if I turned you into a marionette, would it?” He looks off to the side, pondering something, and nods. “Yes, it would do me no good. Sebek adores happy endings. I cannot deny him or Lilia and Silver one.”

Malleus returns his gaze to you, gasping for breath as the thickness of magic begins to slowly fill your lungs. “Do you see the position you have put me in? No other dream will do for you, so here I am diminishing myself to the wiles of your ordinary world. I admit, it has been fun playing family with you and the others. How many times has it been? Walking hand-in-hand with you, playing with strays on the street with Silver, eating out at these ‘family restaurants’ to avoid Lilia’s cooking, stopping at these little shops to gorge on ‘crepes’ that Sebek has taken a liking to… I admit, there is an appeal in the mundane, and yet…” His eyes flick to the looming castle. Its pointed towers and gray-stone walls must feel intimidating to you when you’re so used to charming food stalls and cute models appearing on billboards.

“Alas, that is not the life I live.” With a flick of his wrist, everything melts away into the sunny metropolitan scene, but he is still draped in that inky garb, “So I have to make do for now. I want to know what about this world makes you happy. I want to continue seeing that smile. I—” Malleus’ voice hitches for a second, and despite the menacing ink floating around him, he begins to look like every schoolboy that you know. “I’ve learned my lesson. Delusions cannot make us happy.”

He swallows his tears, yet his glistening green gaze is enough to shake even the coldest hearts. “I don’t want to lose you to this world.” His plea comes out shaky, still giving his best efforts to be composed as he usually is. “I don’t want you to leave me.”

"So for now, I will place you in this world. The only world that will give me this smile." He takes a step back, yet his shadow continues to loom. "Till I know what will make you stay forever. Till you satisfy yourself with mere images and finally them let them go. Then you will come to me and I will show you another happiness."

You can feel still the sting of his claws. On your back. On your temple. You look at his black garb. The pedestrian sign above you chimes a signal for you to cross. You look up. The day is sunny and bright. Today will surely be a good day at school.

You’re fucking crazy.

You continue staring at the sky. The clouds are unmoving. Actually, you don’t feel even the slightest bit of wind. You try to tune in to the passerby’s chatter, but they’re all incoherent. Just buzz imitating human conversation. Your friends’ distant voices continue to repeat the same phrases as they beckon you to the other side of the street. They never stop.

You’re really fucking crazy. I never wanted this. I don’t want this. I want to go back home. I want to sleep and wake up and remember nothing. Why why why why why me why did it have to be me—

“[Y. Name]?”

Like an unused doll creaking its joints, you slowly tilt your neck down and look back at Malleus. When you weren’t looking, that mysterious outfit returned to being another poor imitation of your school’s uniform. The necktie shouldn’t be that color, should it? Malleus is staring at you, slowly watching your every move. 

Every facial muscle feels wrong as your lips soften into a smile, and you stretch your hand out to wipe away the tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “What's wrong, Mal?” you ask softly. You take his hand into your own and begin guiding him into crossing the street. “I told you, didn’t I?”

“Why would I ever want to leave my family?”

“SILVER!” You call out, waving to him from the school gates. In this hazy dreamscape, in a scenery with blue skies marked by towering skyscrapers, SILVER VANROUGE finds you at the same location every time. 

You are always so pretty in that unusual uniform. Like a magnet, he finds himself drawing closer to you in the midst of a faceless crowd. You shoot him a concerned look as you give him a lookover from top to bottom. “You alright?” You ask, poking at the creases in between his brows. “You look even sterner today! Something went wrong during club? You’re awfully early today!”

He shakes his head, but leans into your touch when you press your hand to his forehead to feel for a fever. You could never bring yourself to touch anyone like this so brazenly in the real world, so knowing that you were actually affectionate… gave Silver a few opportunities to be selfish. “I skipped,” he mumbles.

“You skipped?!” You cry out, staring at him with such comical bewilderment that it would have made Silver laugh were it not for the circumstances. You bring out your phone (not the cracked one that the Headmaster gave you, he observes, but (F.Color) and adorned with a personalized phone case) and hurriedly dial something. “I– I have to call Lilia!”

With hurried ease, Silver gently puts his hand on yours and lowers the phone. “It’s okay, really,” he assures you. “I… just wanted to go out early. Aren’t you the one always saying that ‘all work no play makes Silver a dull boy’?” At least, in the other dreams.

Fortunately, this comes to you as something as you would say, because you don’t comment on it. “B– But you’re always saying that discipline—!” He shakes his head and offers you his arm.

“Come,” he beckons you, looking princely in his dashing school uniform and striking silver hair. With a sort of tired fondness, he crooks a smile at you. “If I said that I wanted to spend time with you, would you indulge me at least?”

He watches as a blush blossoms on your cheeks, and you nervously wrap your shaking arm around his. He hides a gentle chuckle to himself. So this is what you looked like as a normal student. He thinks back to whose place he might be taking up in your dreams. Could it be a friend of yours as well? Did you link arms with them as you did now? Did you enjoy living out your youth under such a stunning blue sky with them?

He shakes his head. Whoever he might have replaced, they were long gone to you. There is nothing he could do in that regard but make you happy in their place.

“And so, I got picked on by the teacher again!” You whine to him. “Ugh, I stayed up all night watching anime and doing my dailies, so I didn’t have the chance to read the assigned readings! Waaah, Sebek’s gonna make fun of me again…!”

Another point of interest that stood out to him was how much your attitude towards education differed from that of this world and Night Raven College. He had always assumed that you were naturally diligent, acing high scores in subjects that didn’t need magic to excel. Finding you in the library wasn’t an odd sight, and sometimes he would even find you tutoring some of your fellow first-years and Grim with little success. Yet here you were in your natural habitat, foregoing academics in favor of hanging out with friends after school or binging your animated shows. 

While he mulled over the differences between this version of you and the one that he knew, he is snapped out of his thoughts when you began dragging him to a pop-up gathering of indie stores in the middle of a plaza. “Let’s check it out before we head home!” You urged him, tugging his sleeve when he came to a standstill. “Come on~! It’s such a waste of your good looks if you keep wearing the same thing whenever we go out!”

“I don’t—” Silver starts, but sighs when you’ve successfully pulled him into shopping territory. He lets himself be dragged around by you, placing cute clips in his hair and even snapping pictures of him to send to Lilia and the others. At one point, he holds onto your hand to not get lost in the crowd as you get excited over thrifted clothes. You weren’t this absentminded either, were you? But as you turn to him with a cute hat on, posing for him as you ask whether it was cute or not, he decides that this wasn’t bad either. If you were so at ease that you didn’t feel the need to keep your guard up, then maybe he should let you enjoy yourself for a little bit.

There are things here that exist in Twisted Wonderland— cars, phones, colorful balloons— and then he looks up expecting to see a mage whiz by on their broom only for… nothing. Despite living the majority of his life in a secluded forest cabin in a country that was mostly old stone houses and gothic castles, the unfamiliarity of urban life did not perplex him, but rather what it lacked. Street magicians pulled coins out of kids’ ears rather than waving a wand and arranging a light show, brooms were not used to fly but to sweep, and vehicles emitted unpleasant smoke rather than magic exhaust, just to name a few. Your ordinary was… far more ordinary than anyone was thinking.

And yet it is in these ordinary dreams that Silver finds you happiest. You bound over to him with two cups of ice cream in both hands and sit on the bench next to him. “Here you go~!” You cock your head when Silver continues staring at you. “Um, Silver…?”

With a drowsy yawn, Silver plops his head into your lap. “Please feed me,” he says, closing his eyes as you pout down at him. “I’m tired.”

“You didn’t even attend club activities!” You complain, yet you feed him a spoonful of ice cream. 

With the taste of nothing cooling down on his tongue, he lets the idle buzz of the plaza become white noise as he focuses on the plush of your thighs and the gentle touch of your fingers combing through his hair. In this cityscape that you keep returning to, Silver is always met with new things that he would never have experienced. Holding your hand as you window shop, playing around with filters on your phone, basking in the warm sun after a date… He had too much on his plate as Malleus’ retainer and a student of Night Raven College. 

He pries his eyes open, your silhouette against the sun coming into focus like an angel’s halo as you busy yourself with your ice cream. “[Y. Name],” he breathes out your name, fingers coming up to graze against your cheek. You look down at him and smile. “Are you truly happy?”

“You and Malleus keep asking the same things,” you gripe. “Do I look sad to you?”

“I’m… just asking.” He puts down his hand. “Come, [Y. Name], you’ve had enough. Let’s wake up.”

You stare at him.

“Please, [Y. Name], wake up already.” He hears his voice breaking. He pushes himself up and puts a steady hand on your lap, looking earnestly into your eyes. “Wake up already. This isn’t real!”

The white bird continues to fly around your head. He buries his face into your shoulder and lets out a broken sob.

“I don’t know what to do, [Y. Name],” he whimpered into your clothes. “Please tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

He feels your hand pat his back, comforting, yet the last thing he wants right now. “You’re doing great, Silver.” You tell him the words he wants to hear, like it’s his dream and not yours. “Why are you crying? You’re doing everything correctly.”

“I’m not!” He yells, pushing you back by the shoulders. He stares into your eyes, hoping, praying, that he finds even the faintest flicker of realization inside them. “If I did do anything correctly, then you would want to stay with me!”

How could his voice echo throughout a busy plaza? No one looks at you. You only continue to stare unblinkingly.

“When I found you amidst all those dreams, awake and feeling, I was— I was so happy,” he sobbed. “I couldn’t take on the task of facing all those dreams alone. When you were there when the truth about my origins was revealed, I felt that, despite our brief meeting, there was no one else aside from my family that I would be happier to share my secret with. After all, you… You…!” His face twists as he tries to stop himself from crying, but his emotions continue to spill out like ink on paper. He delicately grasps both of your hands in his, but the way he’s squeezing you is desperate. “When you encouraged me to keep going… All those times when you held me by the hand and guided me forward… When we saw all those absurd dreams… Undergoing trial after trial…”

He presses his forehead against your hands in a silent plea. “Was it not enough to make you want to stay with me?”

The silence that ensues only further breaks Silver’s heart. He doesn’t know if you’re silent because you don’t fully comprehend the words that he’s saying in your dreamlike state or because that is your answer. He doesn’t dare look at you and only grips your hands tighter.

“Ever since I saw you in that dream…”

As according to the fairytales.

“Ever since you stayed by my side to weather the storm…”

As how the perfect princes start their vow.

“Despite our brief knowing…”

Because love does not discriminate.

“You have always been the object of my thoughts and my adoration.”

Because love is all-encompassing.

“Even If I know your kind heart would not say so…”

Because you are love.

“I would draw my sword for you if you so decree it.”

A heartfelt promise.

“I would do anything for you.”

A romantic gesture.

“No matter the cost.”

Even if it goes against whatever morals his breaking heart has left.

“So please,” he whispers, lifting his head to you as he bares his tears and feelings to you, as vulnerable as the day he thought he lost everything. “Please.”

“Just come back to us already.”

I love you.

But your eyes only crease in fondness, patting his silver hair like he isn’t falling apart in front of you. “Okay, Silver,” you murmur, smiling. “Let’s go back home.”

Silver bows his head and sobs, uncaring for the vacant stare the doll in front of him gives him.

“They’re not completely gone, Silver,” Malleus purrs from your bed, stroking your sleeping self as his knight stares at them from the doorway. “Do you not trust my word? I don’t plan on keeping them in this state forever.”

“Lord Malleus, please. Stop these dreams already,” Silver chokes on his words, stumbling into the room with his eyes on you the whole time. “Or at least, put me to sleep with the rest of them. I can’t bear it.”

Malleus tuts pityingly, thumbing the boy’s pale cheeks as he studies his bloodshot expression. “Look at you, barely a wink of sleep. It’s not my fault that your Unique Magic allows you to easily wake during your dreams. It is within my realm of power to put you back to sleep, but…” Malleus has a thoughtful expression as he looks at your peaceful slumber. “You always seem to be having a grand time before you decide to ruin everything for yourself.”

“I’m— I’m not,” Silver protests. To prove a point, Malleus stretches out his palm to portray a glowing pair of figures. Silver, with his hair tied back and in a formal suit, seems to stare at your figure with the most blissful expression as you twirl around the ballroom. Then, behind him in another flicker of green light, you, Silver, and Lilia are playing with cats just outside your home. Then, on his shoulder, Silver kisses your palm as he swears to protect you as your knight forever. Lastly, the green image of you both strolling hand in hand through racks of clothes dances in front of his eyes. “That’s—”

“It’s a dream, Silver,” Malleus says, the green figures flickering out when he closes his palm. “A place where you can momentarily forget about your worries. Is this not what the Child of Man came here for? A good night’s rest? They will wake the following morning feeling energized and refreshed, without knowing what transpired within their subconsciousness.” He cocks his head at Silver. “Are you saying that you would not allow [Y. Name] this slight reprieve?”

Silver shakes his head. “Of– Of course not. But every dream they have of their original world, they fall deeper and deeper. If we do not lose them to the world on the other side of the Mirror, then…” He swallows the anxiety in his voice. “Apologies. I… don’t mean to doubt you, my lord. It just…”

“Speak, Silver,” Malleus urges him. “Do not think for a second that I don’t know what ails you. After all, they occupy my heart as well.”

He bites his lip, feeling pathetically like a child in front of his liege as his eyes sting with tears. “I hate it,” he admits. “I wish they’d stop dreaming about that other world. I just wish—” His breath hitches. “I just wish I had made them happy enough that they’d forget everything and stay with… us.”

His voice trails off, ashamed of his own selfish inhibitions. “This isn’t the sort of thing a knight should think, but I… I’m scared. I don’t want to go hunting people like a mad beast like Sebek does, but…” He buries his face in his hands. “If that would make them happy enough to make them stay…”

“You would do anything,” Malleus finishes for him. Silver, face still hidden, nods. “I can tell. It is nothing to be ashamed of, Silver. I fear that just may be the many mysteries of love.” The prince smiles down at you, thumbing away the creases forming between your brows. “It drives us to do things we wouldn’t do. I thought it was a hindrance, the knot in my chest that forms every time this Child of Man invited me, and yet now I understand. Love is the start of many miracles. That was true for you, for Lilia, for me, for Baur.” He closes his eyes with a pleasant smile.

“That is why, Silver, you must never let go of those that you love.” Opening his eyes, he stares at the young boy with the eyes of a future king, glowing like the devil in the shadows of the room. “Do you understand? To make yourself happy. To make everyone around you happy.”

“Through love and for love, all things are possible.”

All things are possible…

With a renewed purpose, Silver rubs away his tears and stands tall in front of his liege, nodding. “Yes, Lord Malleus, I understand.”

“For love, I must do everything to make sure this love stays.”

a/n ! 🎺🎺🎺 after a full year, we're finally done with the series!! this has been a long ride with +11k word celebrating the finale and hoo boy am i ready to move on to other projects! it has been fun writing my pervy twisted boys, but what turned out to be a self-indulgent project actually turned out to be a full-fleshed plot?! crazy. thanks for sticking with me for a full year everyone~! (also PLEASE PLEASE SILVER AND MALLEUS MAY BE SIMILAR BUT THEY ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT. the brothers are similar but they grieve different) idk why i did that im just a bit insecure that they might be too similar

taglist: @yuu-twisted@horror-lover-69 @lilyalone @myeagleexpert @cupid73 @ryebread0605 @qmabailor @jetxterror@tachibubu @a-soul-punk @panicfox347-blog @s7-evermore @whoreforeverythingspice@dreamlessnight @sweet-archangel @sleepilli @meleeys @the-dumber-scaramouche @tatsuri-zomushiki @littlekennycantplaypoker @cens0r3d @yachiluvstrwbry @whatdoesthesenpai @lil-n3rd @nihhgguikn @00hellohello00 @ekiimori @puritytaintedbyflames @alexa24 @hanaramilu @justatimidcreator @bun3333s @yumuramma @h3apm3ch4n151m @m1lly69 @toxiwaaa @ransackedhouse

[jadeharts]

☆ ──꒰☁️꒱ ❞ ‧₊˚ TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN !

( YANDERE! TWISTED WONDERLAND X ISEKAI'D! READER )

☆ ──꒰summary꒱ ❞ You helped make a wildly successful Twisted Wonderland yandere dating sim as a joke. Now you're trapped inside it, and every bad ending that you admittedly had incomplete knowledge of, the ones that you and your friends wrote, is suddenly trying to become your reality.

inspo. twisted hearts, @wifishifey

tags/warnings: yan! twst boys x f!reader, eventual gore blood and violence, yandere actions, can be crack sometimes

a/n: so i loved "twisted hearts" by wifishifey (pls go read their works, it is SO GOOD if you love twst, and yan chars! which, i assume you do if you're here) it's summer break for me, so there's really nothing else for me to do but write. i hope you enjoy my spin on this concept, which i loveee the og that's why im writing this. send them some love!

TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN !

Every Heart Has an Ending.

[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…] Welcome, Player.

Loading route data… Loading protagonist…

ERROR: “YUU” NOT FOUND

Reassigning narrative anchor…

NEW ROLE: SIDE CHARACTER (UNREGISTERED)

You fucked yourself. Genuinely, completely, totally fucked yourself.

"Welcome to TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN! Build relationships with your favorite students of Night Raven College and discover over 200 unique endings!" 

You had no one to blame but yourself.

What had started as a dumb joke between friends—a ridiculous yandere dating sim based on Twisted Wonderland—had somehow snowballed into a full-fledged indie visual novel. One person handled the coding, another drew the CGs, and someone else composed the soundtrack. You wrote events, dialogue, and a handful of hidden scenes that, in hindsight, probably needed professional supervision.

It was never supposed to become popular. It was supposed to be a niche little project that a few fellow fans downloaded for laughs before forgetting it existed.

Instead, TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN exploded.

Streamers screamed through the bad endings. Theory channels dissected every hidden route. Players argued for months over which character was the most terrifying love interest. Fan art flooded social media. Somehow, your joke project had become the psychological horror romance game everyone was talking about. And people loved it.

They loved uncovering the secret endings.

They loved the obsessive routes.

They loved discovering just how horribly things could go wrong.

You and your friends had celebrated every milestone together.

One hundred thousand downloads.

Half a million.

Interviews.

Merchandise.

Looking back...

Maybe creating over two hundred endings—including dozens where the protagonist was kidnapped, imprisoned, manipulated, or outright killed by increasingly obsessive versions of Night Raven College's students—hadn't been your brightest idea.

So, you can imagine the utmost horror you felt the moment you opened your eyes beneath a black loading screen, encrypting you into the code.

This was not Twisted Wonderland.

You were trapped in TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN.

The game you helped make, and the game where almost every route ended in disaster.

The game, whose first and most important piece of advice every player learned the hard way, was simple:

Do not accidentally make anyone fall in love with you.

[nekoyawn5]

They're going to defeat OB Malleus!

Kinda late for the Twst x Invincible redraw party. But hey, I managed to finish this!

Based on this Viltrumites members panels from the Invincible comic.

[calcifiedunderland]

Promises in Henna

— Jamil and Kalim see your henna/mehendi that Minajael did for you. And Jamil has… thoughts.

(continuation of this)

wc: 1.8k

Minajael squeezed your hand, “it’s getting late.”

You stirred on his shoulder. You squinted at the orange sunset, the earthy scent of the paste wafting in the air. “Guess this is goodbye, huh?” He didn’t answer, still gazing at your hand interlocked with his, idly rubbing the dried henna. 

You’d meant it to be lighthearted, but Minajael’s eyes looked wistful. He seemed reluctant to let go, fingers laced with yours, and refusing to meet your gaze. Finally, he said “No. Bye for now, maybe. But we’ll see each other again.”

✨ Even though NRC and RSA were on opposite ends of Sage’s Isle, Minajael insisted on walking you back at least part of the way. Once NRC was in sight, Minajael squeezed your hand, “Text me when you get back, yeah?” You nodded, and did just that when you got back to Ramshackle. Then, you picked off the remaining henna paste clinging to your skin. You brought your hands up to your nose, smelling the residual scent. Earthy and warm. A reminder of the one who’d made the design for you, you smiled. 

✨You admired the floral design and the pretty mandala, open like a blooming flower on your palm. Minajael told you it would darken overnight. True to his word, your henna had stained even deeper the next morning. It was even more vibrant today, you grinned. Still, maybe Minajael sort of messed it up. It sort of looked like some of the little petals got smudged, because it didn’t match the rest of them…

✨You just shrugged. Honestly, it didn’t really matter. You had your henna done! You practically skipped through the day, all but proudly shoving your decorated hands in everyone’s faces and watching their reactions. Your friends were impressed - even Grim wanted his own henna done too. You just smiled and nodded, eyeing his fur. Maybe instead you could have Minajael decorate a handkerchief and tie it around Grim’s neck…?

✨As you were lost in thought, a loud voice calling your name drew your attention. You looked up. Waving at you from the end of the hall with his drumsticks, was Kalim grinning at you. Behind him, you could spot Jamil shouldering his gym bag. They must’ve just finished up their club activities. Perfect timing!

“Hey guys!” You grinned at Kalim, watching him rush over to you. “Kalim, slow down-!” Jamil tried, but Kalim stopped just in front of you. “So you did get your mehendi done! Cater told us during practice!” You nodded, proudly holding your arms up, “mm-hmm!~”

Kalim’s ruby eyes sparkled, “Oh wow! Can I see?” He took your hand in his, pulling it up to see the henna. “Your mehendi is so pretty! It’s so detailed!” His hands were warm, gently running his fingers over your skin. You chuckled as Kalim twisted your hands around to admire them, ruby eyes sparkling. You must’ve been like this with Minajael too, you mused. 

Jamil finally made it to you both, looking tired. “Hey Jamil,” you said with a small smile, ignoring Kalim scrutinizing your arms, “how was basketball practice?” He huffed, shaking his head with a tired look. “Floyd.” “Ah.” You nodded, deciding not to ask. 

Kalim looked up, “Look! (Name) has their mehendi done!” That’s when Jamil finally noticed it. Silently, he admired the stain. It was nice, he thought. Even at a passing glance, anyone could tell your henna was painstakingly done. Flowering blossoms spiraled on your arms, finally reaching your hands. Even your palms had a design, a mandala stained darker than the rest of your skin. Jamil nodded with a smile, “It’s very nice, (Name).” 

While Kalim gushed, Jamil studied the pattern. The design looked somewhat familiar. Jamil couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but there was something about the flower design. He just shook his head. Perhaps it was just a design you’d gotten inspiration from. Still, how did you even get henna out here in Sage’s Island? It was the off-season for when people typically got their henna done. Even Kalim didn’t have any with him. 

Beside you, Kalim tapped one of the henna flowers thoughtfully. “This looks kind of like royal mehndi designs,” he commented. Your eyes widened, “really?” Kalim nodded, “mm-hmm! That design is usually done by the royal family! The jasmine flowers are pretty unique designs, a lot of people in the Scalding Sands like ‘em. I know my cousin does!”

At that, Jamil eyed the floral design carefully. Hmm, Royal designs? His brow furrowed. Was that where he’d seen those flower motifs? He shook his head, no, you must’ve seen it at the Scalding Sands when he took you to the Yasamina Silk festival. He must be overthinking it. “Did you look the design up online?” Jamil asked, keeping his tone even. You chewed the inside of your mouth, not wanting to say. “Um, kind of?” you said, not noticing Kalim turn your hand over to see your palm. 

“Huh, that’s weird,” Kalim squinted, bringing your palm up close to his face. “Why’s Minajael’s name here?” You flinched as Jamil’s bag cluttered to the ground. Jamil couldn't stop the words coming out of him, “what?”

Minajaels name? Was in? Your HENNA design?! Jamil all but snatched your wrist out of Kalim’s grip. You yelped, but Jamil ignored it as he searched between the narrow mandala petals. “Mm-hmm!” Kalim chirped, leaning to point it out to Jamil. Kalim didn’t seem to notice the look on Jamil’s face, or that your eyes were blown wide, “Right here, on the palm!” Following Kalim’s finger, Jamil scanned through the mandala rows until he finally spotted it. In the looping script of the Scalding Sands language, was Minajael written among the layered petals.

You shook your head, “Oh, no, a part of it got smudged or something on my palm.” Poor Jamil just stared at your palm in shock, almost willing it to be a mere smudge instead of that spoiled prince’s name. Kalim shook his head, answering your question, “nope, that definitely says Minajael. Right, Jamil?”

At first, Jamil didn’t heard Kalim. His eyes were glued to your henna. The vine-like design climbing up your arms, the swirling patterns flicked perfectly outward, the mandala petals intricately and painstakingly drawn in - all of it was done patiently. Fit for a royal. That’s when Jamil realized - Your henna wasn’t just nice. It was done lovingly. 

Something boiled in Jamil’s gut before he finally snapped out of his thoughts. “Yes, that’s certainly the Prince’s name,” he ground out, forcing a neutral smile on his face and letting go of the iron grip on your wrist. Kalim ignored Jamil’s inner turmoil, instead bringing your hand closer to you to point it out.

“See, (Name)? It’s right here.” Your eyes widened. Sure enough, the same area you thought was just a smudge, or maybe where Minajael lost control of the henna, was actually writing. Surprise overtook you as you studied your palm. Suddenly, the looping script didn’t look like random scribbles anymore, but an actual alphabet. So that’s how it’s written. Minajael… you looked at it thoughtfully.

Jamil’s gaze was sharp and narrow as he studied your expression. He didn’t like the soft look on your face one bit. “(Name), you didn’t… ask the henna artist to put his name there,” his grey eyes bore into yours, “did you?” 

You just blinked, “no?” Kalim chimed in, “yeah, why is his name here? Usually having someone else’s name in your henna design means that you’re enga- mmph!” Jamil smacked his hand over Kalim’s mouth. Luckily, you were too caught up squinting at the mandala on your hand to register what happened. 

You shrugged, “I guess… maybe he left his name there as a signature?” At Jamil’s deadpan look, you stammered to explain, “y’know, like how an artist signs their artwork! Yeah!” 

Kalim nodded in understanding, while Jamil frowned. “So, he did this for you?” At your wide-eyed look, Jamil pressed, “you saw him yesterday?” You pursed your lips. Dang, looks like you were caught. You just nodded nonchalantly, playing it off, “yeah, he did my henna.” If you were lucky, you could maybe get out without a lecture. Unfortunately, you weren’t so lucky. You sighed inwardly as Jamil’s eyes grew wider than a Spelldrive disk, already freaking out. “What?!”

You just shrugged, “It’s fine, I just… had some free time, that’s all, and I went to Royal Sword Academy for a bit.” Really, it wasn’t that bad. You’d left NRC with permission before, so why did Jamil look so indignant?

“You can’t just leave campus like that!” Jamil blustered, all exhaustion from the day gone as he scolded you. You tried not to roll your eyes as you began walking towards the Hall of Mirrors. “I’ve left campus before, Jamil. I’m a big Prefect, I can handle myself. And this was worth it!” You wiggled your henna-stained fingers, trying to lighten his mood. Jamil just groaned, “That’s besides the point!”

Kalim just grinned, slipping his hand into yours. “Hey, maybe we should get matching mehendi when this one fades!” You grinned, “definitely! What do you think, Jamil?” 

Jamil just exhaled. Typical of Kalim to make plans on a whim. You looked over, “Jamil?” You prompted. He willed his shoulders to relax, and nodded. “Sure. I’ve done Kalim’s mehendi in the past, and Najma’s too.” Kalim brightened, “we could all have matching mehendi’s!” he cheered. 

You grinned, nudging Jamil as the three of you began walking towards the Hall of Mirrors. “Hey, maybe I could try doing yours!” Kalim chimed in, “Yeah! You never have your mehendi done, Jamil!” Jamil hummed at that. It wasn’t often that he’d had his own henna done. Between handling Kalim and managing his own school and work affairs, it wasn’t something he really had time for. Still… He glared down at your hand with that prince’s name scrawled in your hand. 

As if his name being there wasn’t bad enough, it was also the placement. Something about Minajael’s name being scrawled in your palm made Jamil’s skin on edge. To have his name in your hand… Jamil scowled. As if that prince wasn’t spoiled enough, he even had to go and put his name on you. How presumptuous. Even if your name was in his own hand, the idea still frazzled him. He wouldn’t even want his own name being inside anyone’s hand. The mere idea made scowl. Did that pampered prince even ask you what you wanted? 

After you waved your goodbyes, he and Kalim walked through the Scarabia mirror. While Kalim chattered excitedly about your henna, Jamil was more pensive as he thought about the flowers encircling your arms. If he were to do your henna, what design would he make? Perhaps stars or animals? Maybe he could do arches inspired by the Scalding Sands architecture. You seemed to like it when you visited. What about faux-bracelets encircling your wrists? He shook his head, huffing. This was ridiculous. He’d simply ask you what you wanted, and he’d do it. 

Soon he was back in his dorm room. Even now, he was still stewing over your mehendi design an hour later. It was the sheer intimacy of having Minajael’s name in your palm…  He scowled. And the audacity. Minajael’s name in your palm was still on his mind, no matter how much he tried to push it out of his head. He unwound his hair from its braids, looking back at his reflection in the mirror. 

He wouldn’t dare inscribe his own name in your skin without you knowing. Jamil stared at himself in the mirror, eyes darkening at his reflection as he undid the last of his braids. Although… Some little part of him couldn’t deny the intimacy of having a name on someone’s skin. His thoughts drifted. Where would he put your name on himself? Certainly not in his palm. The implications of having you in his hands made his thoughts turn sour. Idly, he stretched his wrists, still tight from club practice. Then he stopped. 

Jamil looked down at his wrist. Idly, he brushed a thumb over his skin until he could feel his pulse beating underneath - dutiful, strong, and ever-constant. 

The rhythm of his heart, proof of life. 

A smile tugged the corner of his mouth. Maybe he didn’t know what designs he’d create, but he knew one thing he’d like. Your name written in henna stain over the pulse on his wrist. Yes. That would do nicely, ya hayati. 

I hope this was ok!! Personally I’ve always thought getting someone’s name in henna over the wrist pulse was super romantic so. I indulged myself. Also I had no idea what to title this lmao 😭

Anyway this was a lil late bc I didn’t know how to end it but lmk what you guys think :D Thanks for reading!! I’m glad so many people liked the Minajael part!!!!

Until next time, take care shrimpies~ Xoxo Calci!~

Crystal divider and color changing divider by @/cafekitsune. Banner made by me lmao, plus photos i got off pinterest

[gotinstarblog-deactivated201512]

[half-black-phillip]

I’m so mad because this worked

[lazy0kitten]

We’re in zukko prime again rn😭💖💖💖💖

[arandomhumansstuff]

The Zukka fixation lying dormant finally awakening once again

[arandomhumansstuff]

Shout out to the atla movie for bringing back my zukka fixation time to reread all those fics and art.

[yayee-prsp]

Ohhh

[firelilysky]

Zukka nation we are so back

[ryllen]

the housewardens with quick high attack, and vicewardens with well prepared high defense [continuation from this]