Sup, I'm just a simple otaku (24)who loves to create stories and fangirl over my fictional crushes. Be sure to check out my story; The Rabbit of Night Raven and Bizarre Brother. It can also be found in Quotev and AO3.
For those who don't know, I'm crazyyanderefangirlfan, but call Yan since I realized it's kind of a mouthful. This is my oc blog, if your curious on what I created check out my masterlist below, but I mostly reblog other stuff. Since I have horrible writer's block and school keeps me busy. Feel free to ask me anything, from my oc's, story or me. But I won't answer anything toxic or that makes me uncomfortable. Currently into Twisted Wonderland, Genshin Impact, Obey Me and Villain Recruiters might consider posting my other ocs from different fandoms though.
EDIT: Still busy but will now balance
Masterlist.
First updated: 10/14/20
Last updated: 06/30/26
Hi so I made a masterlist cause everything was messy and you guys won’t have a trouble finding what you want. Updates will be at random.
((This is another one that I actually plan to do for the comic series later, but I kinda don't wanna wait. I have no idea how many parts it'll be yet.))
It was a good thing they thought to clear out the Alpha Arachnids first. As a heavy rain began to pour across the Haunted Ridge's bleak landscape, the sky somehow grew darker than it usually was. Silya and her team needed to finish the job they'd been sent out for and bunker down as soon as possible.
They stood at the heart of one of the forest's many abandoned campgrounds. While the nearby cabins looked dilapidated, they had actually been repurposed by the Fusion Fighters for when scouts or independent agents needed a secure place to sleep away from the area's lone base. The walls were more fortified than they appeared on the outside and extra supplies were kept hidden in compartments beneath the floorboards. Silya and her nanos wouldn't need to make camp there for long though—just one night. A satellite had gone down and she'd been sent to repair it.
Ducked under part of her jacket, her Demongo nano, Aoi, peeped out to spy on the ever-increasing rain with a sour expression. Maybe it was because he was basically a fire elemental, but he didn't enjoy getting wet, or at least not having anything poured over the flames on his head. It was only drizzling at the moment, but the occasional flash in the distance hinted at something worse coming soon.
"Let us hurry and get this over with!" he frowned at her, "Sometimes, you pick the worst jobs!"
"I'm sorry I can't control the weather," she snarked back. If she had known that there would be a storm, she would've delayed setting out for at least another day. The Haunted Ridge was one of the worst places to receive any kind of news though. It was isolated, cast in constant darkness with little difference between day and night, and any kind of signal struggled to make it across the nearby mountains.
However, that was also exactly why fixing the satellite was so important to begin with. Fuse and his army had already wrecked a lot of communication networks when he first invaded the planet, so much so that Dexlabs had to make one entirely from scratch. With teams in this region being so scattered throughout the rough wilderness and so many threats lurking within its depths, they needed a fast and reliable way to reach out to each other.
Poppy, who had flown above them for a better look around, finally descended. The Buttercup nano pointed in the direction of the woods ahead. "I think I saw the satellite tower that way, but are you sure you know what you're doing?"
She wasn't confident initially, but the superiors who had asked her to go check it out said they didn't think the issue was anything major. There weren't any fusion monsters in its vicinity capable of damaging it and this storm was the first one that had cropped up in the while. Thanks to her experiences working at Dexlabs, if the problem was something small, she thought she could manage it.
"You could've swapped us out for any of the eggheads," Clutch, her mini Tetramand, said. "They'd have it fixed in a snap!"
And almost none of them were capable of roughing it in the great outdoors for very long. "I need you three to watch my back. There's no telling what we'll run into out here."
They entered the woods on foot, the tightly-packed trees and thick underbrush making it impossible to get to the satellite via hovercar. The tower was around a fifteen-minute walk from the campground. It was an old structure that too had been repurposed when the Fusion Fighters came to the Haunted Ridge, not much taller than the trees themselves. Unfortunately, it also lacked the rope grabs used in modern equipment.
"Spot me." The young woman practically held her breath as she began her careful climb up the tower's ladder. Her teammates stayed close to her side the entire time. Every now and then, she had to pause to brace herself against the wind, which only seemed the worsen the higher she went.
In hindsight, maybe she would've been better off bringing a nano with a rocket or recall power.
Silya spotted the problem immediately and cringed. The satellite dish had snapped off the top of the tower and was now dangling uselessly by a thick cable, swinging in the wind. She hoped by some miracle that the cable was fine. She could snap the satellite back into position, but she wasn't sure about repairing a torn wire.
Clutch flew over to grab the dish and Poppy helped stabilize it. The damage was somehow worse than the young woman had thought. As the pair brought it to her face, while she noted that the dish was intact, it had a large indention in one side, as if something large had smashed into it. She could probably buff it out, but it would take time and she couldn't promise success. While the rain had washed much of it away, she also noticed... scorch marks?
"What...?" Just as Silya was about to point them out to the others, the nearby trees caught her eye as lightning struck in the distance. Something had crashed through them, tearing apart the canopy before landing deep within the forest.
Distracted by the damaged dish and the worrying sight, she wasn't prepared when the wind suddenly picked up. A forceful gush pushed her sideways and her fingers slipped from the wet rungs. Clutch and Poppy had their hands full and Aoi wasn't strong enough to brace her weight by himself. The next thing she knew she was airborne. The wind carried her just far enough from the satellite that she couldn't grab back onto it before she fell.
She snapped her eyes shut. Knowing that she'd open them again at the nearest Resurrect 'Em did not make her feel any better.
There was no deadly landing. Silya winced as she fell into something and it was certainly hard enough to bruise, but whatever it was caught her in a cradling position, nesting her safely against its shape. This moment's good fortune, however, did not keep her nanos from panicking any less as they shouted her name.
It took her a second to get over her shock. As she lifted her gaze to tell them she was fine, she came face-to-face with the true source of their terror. Peridot eyes meet electric purple ones as she found herself trapped in the grasp of a humanoid with bolts in his shoulders, metal pillars protruding from his back, and a mean-mug. He towered over her small frame, a giant by any comparison.
She screamed. What she didn't expect was for the behemoth to scream back, dropping her at almost the same instant she tried to scramble out of his hold. She landed on her feet in a clumsy crouch, hurriedly backing away as she tore the pistol off her built. Her nanos dove down to join her side.
"I don't want a fight!" the stranger hurriedly protested, his hands raised in front of him.
Silya held her ground, unsure. The Haunted Ridge was known not only for its dark atmosphere, but for its paranormal phenomena. She wasn't about to blindly trust someone she'd randomly met in the woods.
There wasn't time to talk things out. A low rumble of a growl dragged their attention toward a group of cedars to Silya's left. The woods seemed to come to life, walls of bark shifting in the darkness until multiple red eyes began to appear. There was the clank of metal and a digger claw of a foot stepped out from the shadows.
Cavern Wolves moved toward them—not just the usual two or three hunters, but an entire pack. The young woman cursed under her breath, wondering if their screams earlier may have attracted them. She tried to keep track of where each of the fusion monsters stood as they attempted to circle their prey.
When the last one crept out, she gave her command, "Stun and Gun!"
Her nanos moved in-sync to the ready strategy. Poppy launched her Miss Fire at the pack while Clutch and Aoi simultaneously used Overpower and Demon's Fire on the nearest monsters. Combined with Silya's own firepower, the first wolf was taken down almost immediately.
One of the wolves that hadn't been in-range of the stun attack lunged at the stranger. Due to his size, he was able to hold the monster off, its claws scraping at his protective gauntlets, raw strength against raw strength. Suddenly, the pillars on his back sparked with a purple energy. It coursed through his body, channeled, through his arms, and electrocuted the monster.
There were too many to beat one by one. Silya yellled at him to follow her, "This way!"
She led the retreat back to the campground. They hadn't even made it to the clearing when they heard howling behind them. Ever the predator, the Cavern Wolves would hunt them down like an easy meal. She ordered Poppy to the back to get ready to stun them again and for the others to keep going.
The Alpha Arachnids still hadn't respawned in the area when they made it to the cabins. Silya raced up the steps of the nearest one and pressed her nanocomm over the lock. She heard a click and bludgeoned the old door open with her shoulder.
Poppy appeared at the edge of the tree line, swerving as she flew to avoid the claws and teeth at her back. Only three Cavern Wolves jumped into the clearing after her. Clutch and Aoi swapped out with her with a ready defense, the latter casting flames in a long trail to cut the monsters off where they stood.
"Inside! Now!"
They obeyed: First, the stranger, his large steps almost rattling the porch and they boomed past her, and then her teammates. Silya entered the cabin last, slamming the door shut and reactivating its locks. That should've been enough, but the stranger shoved cabinet in front of the entrance for good measure.
They stood silent for a long moment, hearing the raking of the Cavern Wolves' feet against the porch. Something broke—maybe a railing—and they waited to see if the fusion monsters would try to break in. A large silhouette passed one of the windows and they shuffled toward the center of the room, keeping watch of each other's backs.
Finally, the sounds faded a little and they relaxed. However, once they were able to catch their breath, a new unease fell over them. At the same time, both sides realized they were locked in the cabin together.
...
They kept the lanternlight low. There was a chance that a fusion monster might see it through the windows, attracting them again, and anything too bright seemed to hurt the stranger's eyes, as if they'd grown used to the dark for a lot longer than hers. They sat in the floor, having taken out some of the stashed supplies to relieve a bit of the awkwardness that hung thick in the air. While Silya's nanos took turns drying themselves off with a towel, she set up ration heaters to warm a few MRE packs. The stranger remained quiet.
By now, the storm was on top them. Even if the Cavern Wolves had completely left the area, it wasn't a good idea to go out.
This would be just her luck: Trapped in the middle of a dark forest; in the rain; with a big, creepy, shirtless guy... If it was any consolation—not really—he looked almost as uneasy about the whole situation as she did. Every time he met her eyes, he'd pull them away again, directing them anywhere else in the room as if he were a scolded puppy facing a stern Dobermann.
Or more like an uncomfortable Dobermann facing a growling Pomeranian...
Her nanos also seemed at a loss for what to do. Whatever he was, he wasn't human. Maybe he could've been once, because he actually looked like an Underworlder, except he had four fingers on each hand instead of the typical five. His steampunk-like outfit actually seemed to be meshed with his body, with and one of two gauntleted arms appearing scarred or stitched together. The other arm was covered in a black, skintight sleeve. Despite his currently mild demeanor, his body was toned as though he were built for combat. It was hard to know what to make of him.
She figured they might as well start by introducing themselves. "I'm Silya. This is my team, Poppy, Aoi, and Clutch. And you are...?"
"Gorben," he said after a second's hesitation, then he became mute and evasive again. A crash of thunder gave him an excuse to stare out the nearest window.
Right... So, she guessed the two of them would just be sitting here in silence all night, listening for the cries of the Cavern Wolves in case they tried to break in again.
Registering her continued, heavy stare, the stranger flinched and at last began to explain, "I'm a Transylian. When word reached the Anur system about Earth's success against the invasion, a few others and I were told to sneak on-world and try to get into contact with the Plumbers. We didn't think about a blockade though. We crash landed and got separated."
There was a limit to what Silya could take at his word. She didn't know what a Transylian was, but the Anur system had come up in discussion on several of her assignments. She knew that it was one of the few systems that had survived Fuse's invasion a long time ago by keeping the fighting to a stalemate. She also knew that its denizens had allied with Fuse, and that one of its rulers—the alien behind Ghostfreak's DNA sample—was a menace in his own right.
"We're on your side, I swear! Not all of us in Anur bow to Zs'Skayr and I can't think of anyone who'd willingly bow to Fuse! There's still places on our worlds left in ruin from when he attacked us." Reading into her leery expression, Gorben was quick to defend himself. His hands curled into fists in his lap. "But you humans can actually hurt him. No one else has managed to do that."
At least hearing that his people had their own vendetta against the alien goop lord made some kind of sense. Most of the help Earth was receiving from off-world wasn't purely out of charity. There were plenty of civilizations that wanted to take out the intergalactic threat.
Aoi floated close to Silya's ear with a giggle, "I think you're scaring him."
"Shut it," she hushed back. Scaring him? He was easily three heads taller than her and could crush her like a soda can!
Nevertheless, whether it was because of her, his missing companions, or the fusion monsters prowling outside, Gorben was clearly nervous. Since he'd saved her from a bad fall and they could cover for each other if more monsters showed up, she decided to give him a benefit of a doubt.
"There's a Fusion Fighter base not too far from here," she told him, "I can take you there, but I've got to fix that satellite you saw first. And that's going to have to wait until after the storm calms down. Maybe you can survive a lightning bolt, but I'm not sure if I can."
He nodded, relieved.
Good thing I rented a hovercar this time... The vehicle only had one seat, but it was capable of handling heavier loads than most other available rentals, so he could probably ride behind her.
Unexpectedly, the Transylian offered, "Maybe I could help you fix it." He paused awkwardly as she gave him a more curious look, then added, "I've done repairs. I should be able to do it."
After thinking it over for a moment, Silya agreed to let him help. The storm wasn't letting up anytime soon though and she would prefer to be out there, weapon ready, in case they got swarmed again.
Thinking about that magic gramophone used in Ramshackle's guest room. And how Crowley says, if I rightly recall, that it plays songs from a person's memories...
Thinking of Yuu, finally able to hear their fav songs again, and able to share them with their friends.
Thinking of one of the boys listening to the songs, maybe figuring out the notes for Yuu (Possibly a pop music club member, but who knows).
Thinking of maybe a Yuu who's from the South, like me, who can only fully recall baptist songs or hymns, cuz those are real easy. Thinking of how it might remind them of home, give them one little thing to hold on to.
Thinking of a Yuu that maybe didn't find the gramophone until way later on in the story, and all the songs it produces have faded so much that it sounds *wrong*.
...And thinking of a Yuu that plays "You are my sunshine" on loop, but they can only recall the first verse.
You remember how we visited Silk City back in Jamil’s hometown event, A Firelit Sky? How Kalim said that this year it’s the Asim family’s turn to host them all?? Remember how we spent a lot of time in the bazaars there???
Remember how, in the film, Princess Jasmine wore a peasant’s disguise to sneak out of the palace???? How that’s where she ends up meeting Aladdin and forming that genuine bond in spite of their class differences????? And how that leads to them forming an even deeper bond when they meet again down the line?
WHAT IF
Yuu actually first met Minajael all the way back during the Fireworks Festival, when the group went on the trip with the Scarabia duo... It wouldn't be completely out of the question, given the set-up. Kalim's family is hosting, so it would make sense for them to invite their relatives. And why wouldn't the royals of the country show up to the event?
Minajael is stated to sneak out of the palace multiple times, causing a stir in the media in the process. What if he just so happened to be in his commoner's disguise at the same time NRC students were visiting with Kalim and Jamil??? You know, this one:
What better time would there be to explore outside of the palace than during a festival, when people from all over Twisted Wonderland are visiting and the local businesses are at their busiest? There would be so much to see and to experience!
And maybe--just maybe--Minajael bumps into Yuu (somehow separated from the NRC group, probably lost?) while he's out and about? Perhaps he's even trying to escape guards that are looking for him, and Yuu helps him out like how Aladdin helped Jasmine escape the angry merchant. Or maybe he plays the role of Aladdin? Yuu could get into some kind of misunderstanding with a merchant and BAM suddenly there’s Minajael, come to rescue them and talk them out of it.
Alternate scenario: Maybe Mina mistakes Yuu for foreign royalty (since they’d be wearing fancy clothes from Kalim) visiting for tourism?? So they could have a “Prince Ali” (Yuu) moment.
Then they could run off together and have fun, reenact a lot of those romantic Aladdin-Jasmine moments from the movie. Minajael tossing Yuu an apple, offering a flower he picked, evading capture hand-in-hand, vaulting across rooftops Yuu accidentally stumbles and falls right into his arms, and more. Maybe they'd even open up to one another about their personal problems. Minajael feels "trapped" (in his princely obligations), and Yuu feels "trapped" too (in a strange new world). When they part ways, he's left feeling like he's made a genuine friend, a real connection.
It kinda fits for Yuu since they’re pushed by the narrative as someone who can connect with others. They feel like an Aladdin too, since they’re impoverished and live in a run-down building for most of the school year, but generally come off as a good person.
And then when Minajael comes to RSA for the interscholastic competition, he recognizes Yuu so he's automatically hitting it off with them www Yuu may not remember him, so he'd play coy and skirt around it, not wanting to outright tell them where they may have met before. Bruh, he invites them on a magic carpet ride and encourages them to hold onto him if they're scared of heights 💀
faibfuayyaeipafeib BUT IMAGINE JAMIL (whom Minajael plays against in Relic Labyrinth) SEEING THIS AND JUST. COMING IN TO BREAK THEM MAPART UNDER THE GUISE OF "it's not proper for a prince to mingle with us common folk"???? He'd even address Minajael as a prince to subtly get under his skin (fully knowing that Minajael dislikes being referred to that way). Maybe Jamil would also scold Yuu as well, either for "befriending the enemy" or "behaving so casually" with royalty.
So Jamil manages to successfully chase of Minajael for now--but right before the prince leaves, he gives a little wave and a wink, asking you to please watch his match veeery carefully. He'll show you how cool he can be!
A fun thought I had was that if your Yuu has horrendous arm strength, they would definitely build up the muscles during their time at nrc by constantly carrying Grim around
HOW TO LOSE ALL YOUR SUITORS IN SEVEN DAYS: PROLOGUE
꒰ CHAPTER ONE ꒱ A trip to Mr. S’s Mystery Shop left your friends in possession of an ancient magical brooch, but thanks to Ace’s impulsiveness, it nearly sparked a scandal between the island’s two schools.
AUTHOR’S NOTES: first chapter is here!!! I’m still HATING this layout and formatting but when I do have the time I will fix it, trust!! I’m a very trustworthy Theo!!!! Also, not proofreading bc my eyes are hurting
Grim was restless, hopping from one side to the other, but the group was already used to that. Ace, as always, was the engine driving his friends toward trouble. This time, however, they weren't all that unhappy to go along with him.
He gestured expansively with an arrogant smirk, convinced that the solution to all their problems was hidden on the dark shelves of Sam’s shop. "We’re going to solve two problems at once! Our friend comes back to us, no boyfriend, no shady suitor, and that jerk will see that he shouldn’t mess with us."
"Are you really going to spend money on something like that?" Jack asked as they walked toward Mr. S's Mystery Shop.
"You didn't disagree when we were at the table, don't start now," Ace said. "Sam has magical trinkets we can't even imagine!"
The group's initial reluctance was quickly dissolved by the urgency of the situation—ahem, jealousy—, and they moved forward, driven by a reckless impulse.
It was the perfect opportunity, since the prefect was momentarily busy, having gone to get cleaning supplies in Foothill Town because Crowley had forgotten to restock the dorm’s cleaning cupboard.
"What if they runs into Azul in town?" Epel asked, the bell on the door chiming as they entered the establishment.
"Even better. When we get out of here, we’ll go straight after them. But he doesn’t really go there that much, so…" the redhead replied with a wicked grin, heading to the counter. "Wait? He’s not—"
"Looking for something, little demon?" Sam threw an arm around Deuce's shoulders, making him jump in fright. "My friends from the other side told me it’s something special…"
"We need something to make someone less attractive," Epel said, stepping forward, "…or something to stop him from flirting. That would be enough, I guess.”
"Ah. Matters of the heart." Sam laughed aloud, his shadow following his lead before it disappeared behind a shelf. "I have the perfect item for that!"
"Is it temporary?" Jack watched the shadow crawl along the floor and up the wall, handing its master what looked like a pendant, a crystal.
"Mhm." He replied, humming while he polished the object.
"Harmless?"
"As much as possible," Sam extended his hand, offering it to whichever boy was brave enough to take it. "Place this on the object of your… disdain, and he shall become exactly what he deserves to be."
"Nhwag! And what is that supposed to mean!?" Grim jumped onto the counter, tilting his head in suspicion.
Sam let out a low laugh, his eyes gleaming with mischievous malice under the dim light of the shop. "That, my little monster, depends entirely on the soul of the one who carries it. Don't think too much about the 'whys,' magic is just a bit dramatic sometimes. Don't you trust your host?"
Ace didn't waste time. With a shrug and a confident smirk, he grabbed the brooch—it was a violet crystal encased in a metal structure that vaguely resembled twisted roots. "Perfect. He deserves something quite ridiculous, doesn't he?"
After a generous payment, they left the shop without much hurry. As they crossed the town gate, the atmosphere of the village seemed normal…until they spotted the prefect standing near a fountain, talking to a young man with refined features and clothes that didn't look cheap at all.
"Who’s the guy she's laughing so much with?" Jack asked, frowning.
"That's the prince from the Scalding Sands!" Grim grumbled. "I've seen him before! When we were hanging out with Jamil!"
"I thought Kalim was the prince…" Deuce scratched his head.
"What is a guy from RSA doing here?" Epel blinked. "As if the idiots from our own school weren't enough…"
They approached discreetly, but Ace’s goal shifted instantly.
He was no longer interested in Azul. The sight of Minajael—so polished, so perfect, and so inconvenient—was the new target of his disdain. "These playboys…"
"Hey! Prefect!" Ace called out, forcing a radiant smile.
She turned, surprised. "Ace? What are you guys doing here?" She blinked, looking down to see Grim rubbing his head against her leg.
"We were just nearby, taking care of some... business," Jack replied, trying to reprimand Ace with a look, but the redhead was already invading the personal space between them and Minajael.
He stopped next to the prince, giving an exaggerated pat on the RSA boy's shoulder, as if they were old friends. "So, the new guy in town, huh?"
"I’ve been here longer than you," Minajael arched an eyebrow but kept a polite posture, as he was an acquaintance of the prefect. "You must be one of the prefect's classmates..."
As Minajael turned to greet him, Ace slid his hand behind the prince's shoulder, the brooch hidden in his palm, ready to attach it. "Classmates? Is that what they said? How modest, we’re best friends, you know?"
It was a quick, practiced movement, but the moment Ace's fingers touched the fabric of Minajael's coat, the brooch gave a metallic click, the pin piercing them both somehow.
Minajael jumped, and the redhead let out a shout of surprise, his finger hurting, trying to pull the brooch off, but it was magnetically stuck to both of them, pulling them closer together.
"What the—?!" Minajael exclaimed, losing his royal composure as a thick, purplish smoke began to emanate from where the brooch was stuck.
"Ace, you idiot, what did you do?!" Deuce screamed, lunging forward, but the flash of light blinded the group. When their vision returned to normal, they were left speechless.
On the ground, where the elegant RSA prince had been, there was now a small Bengal tiger, the size of a large cat. The animal growled, looking up and then down, its paws patting the stone ground in agitation.
Beside him, however, the animal was… less majestic. A small frog, skinny like a toad and reddish in color. He looked at his own little paws, then opened his mouth to squawk.
The animal jumped clumsily toward the Prefect, who recoiled, almost kicking it in fear if not for Deuce stopping them.
Minajael didn't seem confused by his new form; he looked irritated. He fixed his brownish eyes on the reddish frog, and with a spring, pounced on him. Epel tried to hold him back, almost tripping over his own shoes.
Ace kept jumping away, trying to dodge, and emitting sounds that sounded more like screams than croaks. He jumped clumsily onto his friend's legs, and the prefect yelled, "Get off! Get off!" They swatted him away, throwing him back onto the ground.
"I hope he actually eats that idiot for doing something so dumb!" Grim ran in circles, trying to grab the tiger's tail, but Minajael was too fast, ignoring everyone and focusing solely on hunting the amphibian.
After a few minutes of a humiliating chase, they managed to contain the two. Minajael was huffing, trapped inside a reinforced basket that Epel had grabbed from a nearby stall, while Ace was contained inside a glass jar.
"Now what?" Deuce asked, sweating cold. "If the headmaster finds out about this... I can't get expelled because of this idiot..."
"And again, I have to fix your messes," the prefect said, wiping the sweat from their forehead with an expression of pure frustration and anger directed straight at the glass where the frog was.
"I'm really sorry, it was an emergency," the prefect rubbed their temples, taking a deep breath to avoid picking up one of the trays and burying their friend's face in it.
Azul laughed, observing the brooch. "Don't worry, we're good friends, aren't we? It's only natural for me to lend a hand when you need it."
After returning to normal, Ace swore it was just a toy meant for pranks.
"We just wanted to test the toy! Nobody knew it would go wrong!" He had sputtered.
Azul pretended to believe him. He knew exactly that it wasn't a simple store trinket, but he had no intention of telling the prefect. If he could keep the item and still keep the group in his debt for "solving" the problem, it would be the perfect deal.
"I'm glad it didn't turn into a bigger scandal, it's good that you chose to trust me over Headmaster Crowley,” Azul sighed, closing his hand over the brooch and hiding it in his sleeve. "Imagine the disaster: an expulsion and a diplomatic incident on top of it."
The door to Azul's office closed with a metallic click, echoing through the empty hall of the Mostro Lounge.
The group stared at her apprehensively, Deuce being the first to break the silence with his voice choked by anxiety. "So?"
Grim, who was balanced on Jack's shoulder, was visibly trembling. "Did he ask for a lot? That octopus doesn't do anything for free, you know that! Damn, this is what happens when you trust Ace!"
The prefect stopped walking and sighed. "It's all resolved, I talked to Minajael before he left."
"Thank the Seven," Epel exhaled in relief.
"But what about Azul?" Jack insisted, taking a step forward, his expression serious. "Did he accept the brooch as payment? What did he ask for in exchange for solving this whole mess?"
She shrugged, starting to walk toward the exit of the establishment without giving room for more questions. "Azul has his methods, and I have mine. The matter is closed. I don't want to hear another word about what happened; it will be worse if it reaches Crowley."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Ace tried to protest. "We were just playing around! No need to be like that—"
Vil: *pets MC's head, keeping them close* Shh... it's all right, Potato. You know how Rook is—he becomes utterly captivated whenever he stumbles upon something that piques his interest.
MC: Like with his preys?
Vil: ...
Vil: I'll make certain you become nothing of the sort.
Ace: Wow, so the Pomefiore guys already know about this? Talk about being quick.
Deuce: But are you alright?
MC: *nods* Vil comforted me. Epel gave me some apples, and Rook gave me a dragon milk formula.
Ace and Deuce: ...
Ace: Hold up—You still drink milk?
MC: ...
Deuce: So what? Do you have a problem with that, Ace?
Ace: Bruh, I'm just asking. I'd gladly buy them baby stuff if needed.
MC: I'm well past the infant stage...
Ace: Yet you accepted the milk.
Deuce: The heck—You drink milk too!
Ace: "Adult milk"—Wait. That sounds wrong.
Deuce: *covers MC's ears*
Ace: Yo—
Epel: ...
MC: ...
MC: Epel, you've been staring.
Epel: O-Oh! Am I?
MC: *nods*
Epel: ...
Epel: I want to see you as a dragon.
MC: ...
MC: But you saw it in the photo.
Epel: I-In person, I mean! It's just unfair how Rook-senpai, Ace, and Deuce get to witness it. I'm your close friend too, y'know...
MC: ...
MC: I can't always do it. I try not to.
Epel: Why?
MC: We can be dangerous, and really destructive.
Epel: Oh... I see. *smiles reassuringly* That's okay. I'll just carve your dragon form on an apple.
BECAUSE LOVE CAN BURN LIKE A CIGARETTE ft. heartslabyul & savanaclaw
pikachu, quick, summarize their relationship in a few words ; alternatively, relationship tropes and dynamics with twst characters | content tags & warnings: established relationship, fluff, headcanons, use of tropes, probably ooc (i only got to book 3), reader is not yuu, self-indulgent, not proofread | wc: 5.6k (600+ words per character)
DIRECTOR'S NOTES — sorry if there are inaccuracy ! i just started the game and i have only known them for a week… (game keeps on stopping me from progressing the story bcs of my low rank AUGHGHUGHGH). so these are kind of just surface-level hcs based on my little understanding of them and the scraps i’ve been fed with hahahahhaaha anyways enjoy :))
RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS
academic weapon x academic disaster
Ah, the classic trope, but how fitting it is. They say you and him complete each other in ways more than one. You fill the empty spaces that he is missing—mischief, disorder, and rule-breaking—while he completes you in yours—discipline, virtue, and responsibility. Riddle would never find what is lacking in his life and would never admit to this wanting until you came and wrecked his world. Still, he welcomes the catastrophe of your whole being if it means being yours at the same.
It’s safe to say that the way he does relationships is still bound into his rather monochrome belief of following the rules. That’s why when the two of you just started dating, he seemed rather stiff and awkward. Was he doing this right? Was this wrong? What is he supposed to do? Can he hold your hand?
Ah, if only there was a rulebook on romance.
Riddle has everything about you memorized—from the top of your head and to the bottom of your feet. He knows what kind of tea you like or not like, he knows your favorite spots in the academia when you decide to skip class, he knows what subjects you are weak and what study methods work best for you (which is to not study at all, but of course, he wouldn’t have that). He remembers everything that there is to remember about you and sometimes, it makes you feel bad that he puts this much efforts for you while it feels like you’re just there.
“If you truly do feel bad, how about you put in more effort into your education? Here, I have constructed a detailed—” ; “Ah, stop, stop!”
You try too, even if it looks like it doesn’t go on a same level as his. After all, people have different ways of showing their affection towards another and Riddle understands that very well. Where he is attentive to your needs and wants, you make sure to do the same—looking after him, ensuring that he doesn’t overwork himself to the bone, rewarding him with strawberry tarts, pulling him into breaks when you’ve noticed that he’s been studying too much, accompanying him as he does his own thing, and catching troublemakers for him.
He wasn’t particularly the clingy and affectionate type of person, but he appreciates your constant presence. Riddle, really, there is no need for some kind of reasoning just to justify someone staying by your side. You just love him, that’s all, and that’s enough reason to be.
He falls asleep easily around you, too, oftentimes with his head on your shoulder. That’s how much he feels relaxed around you.
Your primary love language is quality time and words of affirmation, particularly on Riddle’s. He’s got that incredible ability of drilling words into your head out of his worry for you and though from another’s perspective, it’s just another mile-long harsh scolding, you know that’s not the case. There are too many occasions wherein you are just beaming a grin at him while he nags you and then he falters in his tone, sighing, as a pretty shade of a blush dusts his cheeks. He just gets flustered easily.
Sure, you can tease him, sure, you can poke fun at him, and sure, you can also shower him with affection, sure, you can bother him anytime you want, and sure, you can play around with his rules. You’ve found that Riddle lets you get away with the things you’re doing, especially when it’s directed to him. Was he perhaps being slanted? Maybe. He likes to say that it’s because he’s going easy on everyone, when in fact, it’s just you.
You do have to be scared for your life when exam results come out, however. Riddle may not force you into the same routine and workload that he does, but he makes sure to be strict enough that you won’t slack off your studies—just enough to get you to that passing mark. You can fool around later when the exams are over, but for now? You have to listen to him.
It’s the truth and only the truth when one would say that the couple of you and Riddle is the most loved and cherished in the Heartslabyul Dorm, or even the whole Night Raven College.
ACE TRAPPOLA
ragebaiter x ragebaited
Ace Trappola had too much cards to play when it comes to annoying the hell out of you.
It’s as if he’s an expert of it as if the very moment he was taken out the womb of his mother, he was already equipped with the right skills and the knowledge it takes to hit your nerve with full accuracy of the world’s best sniper. He’s got the body of a teenage boy and the immature mentality of one too.
It’s amazing how you even managed to deal with him for so long that people always assume that you are simply so benevolent and kind, or maybe you’re dense as stone. They’re wrong. Patience is a trait that has been cultivated within you, not something you were born with. Even if you were born with it, it’s never going to be enough. You must embark on the path of cultivation to reach the highest peaks of forbearance.
Ah, you just can’t begin with the type of stuff your boyfriend does when you’re already overstimulated or irritated.
But Ace knows the limit of his teasing, the line that you put that indicates your boundaries and uses it as a jumping rope. No, just kidding. Despite his immaturity, he still knows when to stop and makes sure to give you something that will make you smile after whatever antics he have pulled.
An apology, wooing you as you sulked and ignored him, then suddenly, he pulls out something that he knows you’ve been craving or wanting to get. Ask him of where he got it and he would never say it; after all, magicians never reveal their secrets.
Beyond that, Ace is surprisingly a good lover. Listen, he’s ashamed of his past and how avoidant he can actually be, and how stupid he is when it comes to relationships, but he’s working on it, okay? He’s ashamed of his past and he only wants the best for you and the best is obviously him.
He remembers all off the important dates—birthday, anniversaries, monthsaries—, and though he doesn’t fuss over it, he ensures that it will still be something special and remarkable. Although he does get shy when you point out his efforts like the bouquet he had meticulously prepared for the day or the dinner date he has planned. He takes incredible care of you and makes sure that you’re in no harm even if he does gets into fights often, making an enemy out of a few people. If people dare to use you as his weakness, just know that they’re never seeing the light of the day.
He knows you can take care of yourself. Bonus points if you’re an independent, do-it-on-your-own type of person, who doesn’t trust others easily. He’s the type of person who would swat your hand away if you try to take more workload and would drag you out of your seat when you’ve been paying too much attention on your books and not him. He’s so… clingy. Physical affection is definitely on the top of his love language—he’s always holding your hand, always putting his arm around you, always peppering you with kisses, always ruffling your hair, and anyone who dares say anything is just envious about what you both have. Bleh.
He’ll always stick to your side, especially during breaks; he would sigh and mumble to himself how he wants to see you already when you have separate classes; he would always look for you while it’s obvious that you wouldn’t be there in that place, then would complain on why you aren’t here. It all boils down to this statement: everyone who knows Ace knows you.
But hey, you signed up for this. You chose him, no backing out now.
DEUCE SPADE
former delinquent turned over a new leaf x honor student
Before the two of you got together, Deuce would constantly pester you about questions, would constantly try to sit beside you during class, would constantly ask you to help him with his studies, begging and even bribing you. After all, you were an honor student, ranking among those at the top of their studies, and he was classmates with you. He was going to take advantage of that to make his mama proud but also, hello, he wants your attention. It’s just as simple as that.
Pestering, because that’s the only way he knows how to get yours without seeming like he’s wasting your time. Asking, because you’re on a different league and he was right there at the bottom with scraps, and this was the only way he knows to get close to you. Attention, because he likes you a lot but doesn’t know how to show it properly without looking like a wuss. There are nights he would stay awake and recount his memories with you earlier that day, worrying that what if he was acting like a bully? What if he was scary and not polite? What if he was showing his delinquent side? What if you were just scared of him that’s why you comply so easily? Everything was just amplified in his mind and it wasn’t helping him at all.
You only got him to confess when you confronted him and told him about how he should take ‘responsibility’ for making you fall for him. It was a jest, really. He took that way too seriously, however, and you’re unsure if it’s a good thing or not.
He goes above and beyond, always exceeding your expectations. He even has it all listed in the notes app of his phone: the things you like and dislike, your favorite food, your favorite color, everything that he would learn about you.
“Deuce, you know I was only joking when I told you to take responsibility.” ; “Are you asking to break up?” He would reply, immediate tears to his eyes, and you can only sigh and reassure him it’s not that.
Deuce tries to be very very careful in not showing his delinquent side of him. We’ve all seen him revert back to that attitude when the situation calls for it, but around you, he desperately hides it, worried that you’ll hate him. He’s a massive overthinker and sometimes, a paranoid, and sometimes, exaggerates things to a new level that you never thought was possible.
However, such fragile secrets are not meant to last, seeping through the cracks until the vase eventually breaks. By misfortune, you just walked in right when he was giving someone the talk along with Ace Trapolla who seems to be his buddy when it comes to making trouble. The fear on his face is immediate and palpable, rushing to you and desperately explaining himself in a rush that his words mingle together and you’re not understanding anything.
He only stopped his rambling when you laughed, a sweet sound he always love to hear and all his panic is replaced with confusion.
“Deuce, what are you saying? I’ve known the whole time.” ; “What?” ; “Yeah.” ; “And you still like me?” He just couldn’t believe it. He’s done terrible things in the past and might have hurt people in the process, how could you like him while still being aware of these things?
“How could I not?” It was so simple, but so devastating at the same time. Relief washed over him, except it’s in the form of a tsunami and he’s being swept away by the depths off your affection. Church bells are already ringing inside his head and he has already talked about you to his mother who is also equally excited as him.
Oh, but you don’t appreciate him hiding things from you, so from then on, he’ll tell you every single thing about himself, and again, you don’t know if it’s a good thing or not.
CATER DIAMOND
influencer / popular guy on magicam x chronically online
Nobody’s getting a proper conversation out of you both. It’s an endless stream of internet slang, pop culture references, and magicam terms in which the both of you giggle with together.
Everything that he knows about others, he tells you. He’s basically a gossip-magnet and you’re there as his collateral, so if someone is unsuccessful with getting information from him, then they will always come to you next. Cater, however, already knows their next move, so when these people would find you, they would also see your beautiful boyfriend lingering behind you with a smile on his face.
You have lots of inside jokes with him and it’s only the two of you who will understand it. Ace and Deuce would often witness you and him dying of laughter just saying out words that doesn’t even make sense. It’s like you entertain each other on a daily and everyone around you are just your viewers—this becomes so obvious whenever he goes on live on his account and you’re also there with him.
“User xX_CrowleyHater_Xx says, ‘you guys are so cute together, you definitely should get married. You guys have a bright future together, I can’t wait to see more of you! Sending loves, hugs, and peace!’ Aww, that is so cute. Thank you for your kind words.” The actual comment is: It’s you two again, ugh.
Though you did once mention the lovely housewarden of Heartslabyul and doing a challenge where you do something and see if it breaks a rule (foolish, I know), and the next day, you’re in trouble with him. Whether you’re from another dorm or is in the same one as him, you also got the taste of Riddle’s signature spell. Never again.
Everyone may think that they know there is to know about you and him, when in truth, all they are aware of is the extent of adoration you have for each other. Cater have long mastered how to reveal everything and nothing at the same time. Also, he doesn't like it when it warrants unwanted attention on you. It makes him #jealous (one time, someone left a creepy comment and he had it reported, and the user blocked).
Cater documents everything, but his favorite collection isn't on Magicam. He takes lots of photos of you; candid shots, sleeping, eating, and anything. His lockscreen wallpaper even cycles on a daily, reasoning that he likes the surprise of seeing a different one each day. You know about this because you caught him once, and instead of being embarrassed, he just shrugged, "What? You're my favorite content." But you also know why he keeps them and doesn’t demand further explanation. So you've started your own archive too—screenshots of his ridiculous texts, voice memos of his laugh, photos of him when he doesn't know you're watching. Occasionally, you'll send him one of those saved moments with no context, simply saying: "I was thinking of you."
Beyond that, you're aware of Cater's struggles even if he never sat you down and gave you some tearful confession. You just pay attention. You notice the way his smile tightens just a fraction when someone says something that hits too close to home, the way his eyes flicker to the exit during group hangouts, the way he spams stories in an hour when he's feeling particularly lonely because the notifications are a temporary bandage.
You never push, never pry, never force him to be vulnerable. Instead, you learn his language: the shorthand of half-finished texts, the emojis that mean different things depending on the time of day, the specific way he says "lol", and you meet him there. You try to cheer him up, distract him; you send him a video of you trying to cook something disastrously, or you show up at his door with snacks and zero expectations, or you simply sit beside him in comfortable silence, knowing that sometimes he just needs someone to witness him without demanding he perform.
You've become his safe harbor, the one person who doesn't need him to be entertaining, who doesn't need a photo op or a clever caption, who loves the quiet, unfiltered version of Cater Diamond that exists in the spaces of his quietude, and he’s grateful to have you by his side.
TREY CLOVER
childhood friends to lovers + you can’t cook
Ever since you were kids, you’ve always stuck together with Trey. Not just because you guys were neighbors or that your parents were friends with each other or that the two of you were playmates, but also because he would look after you on days that you have no one. He was there when your parents couldn’t take care of you while you were sick, he was there when you needed a shoulder to cry on, and he was there when it felt like you had no one in the world but him.
Naturally, the two of you would grow close, closer than everyone else, and of course, such feelings would bloom. From the very start, the two of you are meant to be together—the stars worked hand-in-hand for this fated meeting, or what you would like to say. After all, there had been too many coincidences: the way your families just happened to live next door, the way you both ended up at Night Raven College despite coming from completely different backgrounds, the way he always seemed to have exactly what you needed before you even knew you needed it. It's like the universe kept nudging you two together, weaving your paths so intricately that separating them now would be impossible.
You love telling the story of how the both of you got together. It was the classic date that you thought was too friendly until he brought out the flowers then took you to this secluded spot where the scenery stole your breath alone. Fireflies gently lit up the dim place, highlighting the softness of his features, as he told you of his long-time yearning and affection that transcended the bounds of friendship alone. You were the first one he had ever liked and you will be the only one, a puppy love that was never puppy love at all.
And then, he brought out a cake for the two of you to eat together—your favorite flavor—and you made the mistake of asking him how he knew you were going to say yes.
"You weren’t exactly hiding it.” Cheeky bastard. He was also obvious, you know, he was just waiting for the right chance to bite.
On the matter of your relationship, it feels as if nothing have changed between the two of you. It’s always been the same; you-and-him, you-and-him, you-and-him. The constant you and Trey, childhood friends, schoolmates, and lovers. He just became more attentive towards you and his reasons for always seeking you have become more valid now that you’re also his significant other—back then, it was hard to hide behind the excuses when the two of you were just merely labeled as ‘childhood friends’. After all, what reason can he come up with wanting to see you every minute without him sounding like some dependent, inseparable leech?
Anyways, there’s also the thing of you and him in the kitchen. No, not a rumor or some gossip, but how he’s versed in cooking and baking, and you’re not.
“Trey, you know I can’t cook.” You would say, your tone dejected. If you had ears, they would obviously be drooping low. Trey, however, only laughs softly as he holds your hand in his. “I know, it’s not as if we didn’t grew up together and I wasn’t a witness of your culinary mishaps.” That was true.
“But you won’t make fun of me?” And he would answer: “Why should I? In fact, I’m relieved. I have more reasons to take care of you.”
While everyone tries to keep you out of kitchen in fear of a disaster waiting to happen, Trey would actually encourage you and even teach you. He would even eat whatever you make no matter how suspicious and weird it looks, noting of how it still tastes good because you made it with your whole heart. Cheesy, you would remark as you roll your eyes but you appreciate it, truly. That was the difference between him and the others—he was never one to deny you or stop you from doing what you want.
That’s the best way to summarize your relationship: you were each other’s pillar of support. And you aren’t aware of it, but you’ve also become his guiding light, a warm presence, and a gentle hand to hold.
LEONA KINGSCHOLAR
opposites attract, except he’s scared of you
Leona is arrogant and rough, whereas, you’re known as the kindest and sweetest person ever to be paired with the arrogant man. It’s a wonder to everybody why and how the both of you even got together; theories would even come up consisting of how maybe he had threatened you, maybe this was a fake relationship or a bet, or maybe this was the old arranged marriage trope, or whatever ridiculous claim they could come up. After all, one should never underestimate how creative the minds the NRC students are.
Some may even feel pity; why him? I wonder how much [Name] has to go through just to please him. It must be rough having the Leona Kingscholar as your partner. I’m sure he’ll get bored of them quickly.
However, such comments would be shut down quickly as soon as Leona heard of it, ensuring that it doesn't reach your ears.
What they don’t see or even see but refuse to believe is how sweet Leona actually is. He cares for you truly despite how sharp his tongue can be—concerned masked in the only language he knows to speak—, he adores you through his actions and gifts, and he cherishes you even if he doesn’t admit such feelings. He’ll try to be gentle but such gentleness will only met with your reassurance that he doesn’t have to change himself just to make you happy.
After all, you know he loves you and he appreciates that. Still, he tries, not because he has something to prove but because he believes that you deserve the whole world, so he’ll make it roll underneath your feet and give you everything you will ever want and more. He may not be able to give you the glory of a queen, but you will find such titles useless when it comes to his affections.
He’s incredibly possessive and can be bitter at times though, that I can say.
Though most of all, what they definitely don’t see is how Leona is, in fact, scared of you. Not scared scared but a respectful kind of scared and the type of scared that only comes when one doesn’t know what else you are capable of. Only Ruggie is aware of this fact and would use it to his advantage—he would always call for you like you are some kind of superhero back-up when Leona is skipping class, doesn’t want to get up his bed, or when he’s just being unpleasant (and by unpleasant, he means when he’s being treated as his personal maid too much).
“You see, if you keep on acting like this, I’m going to call [Name].” Ruggie would remark casually and it appears he is jolted awake. The hyena would only laugh at himself, blatantly using your name as a shield to make things easier for him and to even get back to his housewarden.
“Leona.” A simple call of his name and he behaves, clicking his tongue and glaring not at you, but to everyone else in the room. He can never get mad at you, never.
There’s just a certain kind of fear that comes when the love of your life is the kindest person you will ever meet, who wouldn't hurt a fly, and is also the calmest person. Yes, he wouldn’t dare mess with you and incur your wrath.
It's not that he's weak—he'd tear apart anyone who threatened you without a second thought. It's that you're the one person whose good opinion he actually needs, and the idea of being the reason your light dims even a little? That's the one battle Leona Kingscholar refuses to lose. Thus he pretends to roll his eyes at your nagging, pretends your concern is annoying, but everyone in Savanaclaw knows: if you're upset with him, the King of Beasts becomes a very, very well-behaved lion.
Remember the theories? Yeah, the most popular and believable one is that you actually were the one doing the threatening.
JACK HOWL
savanaclaw bf x pomefiore significant other
A cute edition of Beauty and the Beast.
Just imagine an all-smiley person walking down the hallway and then imagine a menacing shadow of a man lurking behind them. Yep, that’s you and him—if you weren't already intimidating, then you definitely will be with him right beside you.
He’s rather overbearing and protective. He may not get jealous easily, but he sure as hell does get worried for you easily, and you would be lying if you said that you didn’t like it. Jack pampers you a lot and spoils you, not in gifts but through his actions. He’s big on acts of service, taking away the burden that lies on your shoulders, so that your today is better than yesterday. It’s not that he doesn’t want you to lift a finger or to take on an easy path by making others do it—that goes against his principles of self-betterment—it’s just that he believes the weight you carry is his to help bear.
He doesn’t believe that you’re incapable, in fact, he respects you so much of your capabilities. He just sees your struggles as real and valid. He won't fight your battles for you—that would rob you of growth—but he'll stand right beside you, offering his strength, his patience, and his steady presence to make the climb less steep. To Jack, love wasn’t to give you an easy path; it's about walking the hard one with you, step by step, until you're both stronger for it.
Your peace matters to him just as much as his own integrity and principle does. Whenever you’re stressed out, he’s also stressed out; when you’re happy, he’s also happy; when you’re sad, well, he doesn’t know what to do. He may stumble and fail, but that doesn’t mean he’ll leave you at that state. He’ll bring you somewhere that he thinks will take your mind off such heavy things, he’ll treat you to something sweet, heck, he’ll do anything.
He’s incredibly patient towards you and would give in to your whims, even if he is reluctant at first. Just this once, he would say. He’d rather you do it with him rather than with anyone else—despite the fact that it’s just you wanting to try on your new make-up and skincare products that you got. He’s your willing model and audience to your fashion shows, swooning at the sight of you even if you’re just wearing rags and trash bags. He’s incredibly supportive and offers honest opinions, which helps you a lot, especially when you’re indecisive. He doesn’t mind if what you’re wearing can be a little short or revealing, he can fight, so don’t worry about it.
You can easily tell Jack’s feelings and emotions just from the drooping of his ears and the movement of his tail. It’s endearing, really, how tough he may appear on the surface but how easy it is to read him once you start noticing the small details. He’s nonchalant, they say, he’s tough, they say, he’s stoic, they say. Well, not to you and that is a privilege you would love to show off to others.
Oh, but if anyone dares to mess with him, just know that they’re also messing with you.
As what was written, it’s a cute edition of Beauty and the Beast, except each role applies to the both of you. You’re the beast to his beauty, just as you’re the beauty to his beast—people just fail to realize that and think that you’re all sunshine and rainbows. They always overlook the things on the inside just because the outside is pleasant and fragile—it’s always in the tension of the in-between, the differences of what one sees and what is truly felt. They don’t see the beauty of the inside of your heart, simply because the outside is enough and it irritates you how much they downplay your entire existence into a single word. Beauty, beauty, beauty.
Heels can hurt too, you know.
RUGGIE BUCCHI
partners in crime
If they think Ruggie is already a headache, just wait until you come into the picture, because now it’s a full blown migraine.
It’s a 2 for 1 deal, a buy-1-take-2, a package one should never want to have no matter how tempting. They say two brains work better than one, but the thing about you both is that your brains are so similar to each other it just counts as one. If you were a goody two-shoes from the start of your relationship, you’ll slowly start to sound like him or act like him, and it scares everyone. It doesn’t even matter if you came from a wealthy background, you’ll learn of his ways soon enough.
Wherever he is, you are also there, and vice versa. It’s as if seeing either you or him on your own is an odd sight (even if you’re from different dorms). Where’s [Name]? Where’s Ruggie? Nobody ever asks how is [Name]? Or how is Ruggie? Sad face, sad face.
He nabs something from the pocket of an unsuspecting student and he shows it you with a look of pride. Be it snacks, trinkets, or even secrets, the two of you share it with each other. He’ll even teach you how to be quick with your hands and it’s up to you if you are to follow his example or not. Nothing and I say nothing will ever get through the sheer trust you held for one another.
By extension, too, you also get dragged into Leona’s bread request during bakery day, battling with the others to get that deluxe grilled cheese and returning to him with messed-up uniforms and a tired look on your faces. Ruggie will fix your hair and you’ll fix the wrinkle on his clothes, and Leona is just there, watching with disgust.
Your favorite pastime activity involves being haters towards stuck-up and out-of-touch rich kids. Yeah, gossip, gossip, gossip. The two of you have become infamous for it; they say if one sees you and Ruggie together, whispering to each other and snickering, chances are, you already are talking about someone in the room.
It’s not obvious to anyone else that the two of you are dating. Maybe it’s because you aren’t openly affectionate to each other like other couples are; it’s always been something that you show behind closed doors. However, it’s also not really a wow factor when you would declare the actual nature of your relationship—it makes sense, they just never thought of it. It’s common to get an, “oh, okay,” than a “wow, I never knew!” reaction.
Ruggie, as obvious as it is, is not really one for gift giving and even gift receiving. I don’t think he’s fond to receiving expensive stuff, too, because it would just show the disparity the two of you might have and would also put some pressure on him to give something of the same value back. Sure, he appreciates it, but really, he wouldn’t know what to do with it.
By that same reason, he has his own way of showing that he cares, as shrewd and self-serving he can be. You have to drop those textbook expectations of romance and see that those are not the only ways because Ruggie's love language is not written in the center of grand gestures.
He'll slip an extra portion of his hard-won cafeteria haul onto your tray, muttering something about how you "look like you haven't eaten properly in days.” He'll remember the exact snack you mentioned liking once, months ago, and suddenly it appears in your hands. He'll teach you his tricks with the reason that he never wants you to feel as helpless as he once did—if the world ever turns its back on you, he needs to know you can fend for yourself too. When you're having a rough day, he won't offer empty platitudes; instead, he'll drag you to some overlooked corner of campus, share whatever meager treat he's scrounged up, and sit with you. Although he'll complain loudly about having to share his spoils, the complaint itself is the cover for the care he's too guarded to say outright.
When you catch him in those small moments—when he thinks you're asleep and he gently adjusts the blanket over you, or when he absentmindedly saves the last bite of something for you—you realize that Ruggie Bucchi doesn't love in diamonds and declarations. He loves in the quiet assurance that you'll never be alone, never be left behind, and that, more than any expensive gift, is worth everything.
