a/n: !!! i know it wasn't explicitly mentioned tht they have banners/pictures of the great sevens of both rsa and nrc in the competition area but i add it here bc i just FEEL it makes SENSE to have them
c/w: soft yandere
now playing: gwen stefani - serious
It is now evening, and the interscholastic competition between Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy has concluded, with everyone safely returned. All the RSA students, including Rielle, are back in their dorms, where Rielle lies on his bed. The boy, with long flowing hair, cannot contain his excitement as he kicks his bed joyfully, resembling a swimmer desperately paddling to escape a lurking shark. Holding his phone, Rielle gazes at a picture on the screen, sighing as he stares longingly at the image, his cheeks nearly as red as his hair.
“You got me seriously out of my mind,” he smiles softly, utterly captivated by the photo. So absorbed in the excitement of the image, he doesn't notice that his bedroom door is wide open. A Marinafinne student walks by and sees the open door. With that, he decided to congratulate his housewarden after the thrilling game.
“Hey, Rielle—” Despite the student’s loud voice, Rielle remains focused on the picture on his phone. A minute passes before the merfolk finally notices the student’s presence and jumps up into a sitting position.
“Oh! Yes! Is there something I can help you with?”
“I just wanted to say what a fantastic game we had against those rowdy NRC boys,” the student pauses, a hint of concern crossing his face,
“Is everything alright?” While the student was speaking, Rielle briefly lost focus. However, upon realizing a question had been asked, the merfolk swiftly redirected his attention back to the student.
“Alright?” Rielle sighs, his eyes drifting back to his phone, slipping back into a state of adoring admiration,
“Everything's more than alright…” The student stands at the door, puzzled by his housewarden's demeanor. ...What truly happened?
₊˚✩彡
Earlier that day, as soon as the break was announced, the students quickly abandoned their activities and rushed off to find a resting spot. All students, regardless of whether they belong to RSA or NRC, were scattered about, eager for a reprieve after a long day due to the Interscholastic competition.
After finishing his activity, Rielle finds himself wandering through the venue, surrounded by a variety of whimsical architecture, including numerous stairs and windows. He comes across a wall adorned with large, hanging banners depicting the great sevens from both RSA and NRC. Rielle takes in the breathtaking view with a sense of wonder and amazement.
While students stroll around, preoccupied with their own activities, Rielle is not alone in admiring the view. He notices a figure standing near the banner of the mermaid princess, gazing at it intently. Rielle recognizes this person as he has previously seen them conversing with their childhood friend, Azul, since they both attend the same school. Believing that Azul's friends are also his, he approaches the figure with excitement.
He was also flattered to see someone appreciating the banner showcasing the figure representing his dormitory. However, what Rielle doesn't understand is that the emotion stirred in the observer was not just admiration for the banner; it was a profound longing linked to a cherished childhood memory. Coming closer to the person, he overhears a few murmured words laced with a hint of sadness.
"Funny, I want to be part of that world too..." Upon hearing footsteps approaching, the prefect turned around, only to find not a student from Night Raven College as they expected, but a cheerful redhead from the other school.
Though as Rielle gazes intently at the prefect's face, his heart begins to race. A warm flush gradually spreads across his cheeks. He wonders if his feelings are transparent, if they can sense the turmoil within him. Their eyes, clear and bright, seem to hold a universe of understanding, making him feel both exposed and comforted. The prefect's gentle smile reassures him, yet it also ignites a flutter of anticipation in his chest. If only Rielle had been more observant, he would have noticed that their eyes were slightly teary.
"U-umm..." Rielle finds it peculiar; why is this individual causing him to act differently? The lively and chatty person he usually is has suddenly become quite reserved. Observing his abrupt silence, the prefect discreetly yet quickly wiped away a tear from one eye, revealing a look of concern for the other individual.
I think I'm coming down with something
"Hey, are you okay?" Rielle nods enthusiastically in response to the question. Overwhelmed by growing nervousness, he struggles to find the right words as a pink flush spreads across his cheeks, yet he makes a determined effort to continue the conversation.
I know it, gonna need your medicine.
"I-I'm Rielle..." He timidly lifts his hand to the prefect, shyly extending a handshake, which is reciprocated. Rielle jumps at the contact as if a moray eel stung him.
"Ah, you must be Azul's... friend? Am I right?" The prefect understood that labeling them as friends was quite a stretch… far too much. They were aware of the one-sided tension between them, yet they decided to proceed with that description regardless.
"...Yeah!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you are a housewarden too at RSA?"
"...Yeah!"
So help me now, I'm freaking out, lover
The exchange felt peculiar to the prefect. Previously, he had been bright and talkative, so what could have caused this sudden shift in behavior? However, as they observed his expression closely, they speculated that he might simply be shy around newcomers. His flustered demeanor was both entertaining and puzzling, leading them to chuckle at his antics, much to the boy's surprise and confusion.
"Wh-why are you laughing...?"
"I just find you adorable!" The prefect’s laughter caused him to chuckle as well, his cheeks flushing at the compliment.
“Hey,” the wind swept in from the opposite side, creating a cinematic backdrop. “Stay true to your joyful self, Rielle. Before you know it, you’ll have shown your father what you’re capable of.” The boy was so filled with emotion that he didn’t even ponder how the prefect was aware of one of his most cherished dreams. He gazed at them fondly, oblivious to the fact that they saw him as the mermaid princess from their childhood stories. As their laughter faded, the two strolled back to the arena, engaged in a lively conversation.
This love is serious!
₊˚✩彡
The pair made their way to the arena but had to split up because their seats were far apart. As they entered, the prefect noticed several gazes fixed on them, especially coming from a large group of Night Raven College students casting sinister looks. The prefect immediately understood that Rielle needed to leave before anything absurd occurred. Additionally, there was a chilling presence emanating from a particular trio of merfolk who had been observing them alongside their rival. They exchanged goodbyes and went to their respective seats.
The whole time, Rielle's eyes were not on the game but instead on the figure in the distance. He couldn't stop looking at their face, looking at the details from their twinkling eyes, then their blushed cheeks, and down to their... lips. He wonders what stories those lips could tell. As the game continued around him, with cheers and shouts echoing in the air, Rielle felt a strange sense of calm and clarity. It was as though everything else faded into the background, leaving only the two of them in this crowded arena. He smiled to himself, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation.
You got me so delirious, I'm under your control
An idea struck him unexpectedly; he realized he could preserve the view forever. While it might seem odd to take a photo of a stranger from a distance, given that a game was in progress, no one would likely mind if he pulled out his phone for a quick shot. With that thought, Rielle quickly retrieved his phone and opened the camera app. Since he wasn't too far away, there was no need to zoom in, and he managed to capture a candid shot of the prefect. He glanced at the picture briefly before promptly stashing his phone back in his pocket, hoping not to be seen. Then, he returned to enjoying the view from afar.
Point it at me if you must, your arrow's got me poisoned
While the merfolk admire the prefect from a distance, a fellow housewarden approaches and sits beside him. Minajael leans into the seat and exhales softly after the long walk. Although Rielle doesn’t turn to look at the person next to him, he acknowledges their presence.
"I think I'm in love."
Tell me what my treatment is, your love's got me insane
“Huh?” The boy, surprised by Rielle's remark, turns to him sharply. Although he had caught what Rielle said the first time, he felt the need to hear it again to ensure he understood it correctly.
My prescription is your kiss, and you got me wantin' it!
"I think I caught a disease," Rielle remarked, his gaze locked onto the figure from afar. Meanwhile, the other prince merely chuckled at his friend’s predicament. Minajael understood the sentiment well, as he was experiencing something quite similar.
"Well, at least you have a reason to keep going forward." Minajael’s gaze shifted from the game to a certain individual in the distance. The view in question being the prefect who was still working to soothe their friends as they were eager to interrogate further into the events that had unfolded earlier. His eyes reflected a longing similar to the prince beside him.
'As long as it's not them...'
——
Just a note before any confusion, the reader/Yuu in my writings came from another world, but what's different is that disney exists and twst is a game they played back in their world so they somewhat know things despite being an alien.
The Heavens opened and graced me with the possibility of having this prepared for the exact day of the publication of the last chapter of Heartslabyul's part in @shiny-jr 's Empyrean AU. Craaaazy work.😭
The composition, background, and Riddle's design/silhouette have mostly been made by sheer vibe alone with no beforehand planning whatsoever. BUT I did get inspiration from both the game's overblot design and the Empyrean one! To some extent...
The rest of the journey was mostly focused on "How can I make him look royal enough," so the pattern abuse came in; I'm guilty.
You captured the moment so much better than I ever could, holy hell. And your take on Riddle's design eats?? Give me some of your artistic talent, PLEASE.
There's literally so much I can say, and each time I think I've taken it in fully, there appears more that I failed to notice. Where to even begin?
The embers are a tiny detail, but I love attention to detail and it makes it that much cooler? Realistic?? The lighting and colors, with these embers and the fires in general, is insane. The destruction that is displayed that I could not capture in my own concept art, is just wow?? Like, I'm actually at a loss for words. And that's not even talking about RIDDLE.
Like I said, your take on Riddle's design is just perfection. It corporates my really bad concept sketches and aspects of the overblot look so well?? So seamlessly??? I'm gonna try to go over everything I noticed.
Okay, so going from head to toe, I have no idea if you made it on purpose put the colors of the threads looks like the same color of his hair, like a glowing red? I imagine that was done on purpose considering how Riddle has been described and what he is. Imagine seeing that in the middle of all the destruction, oh my god.
The split between the black and red works so well. And it's like, not a very vibrant red either like his hair or threads, and so it makes it visually look good while allowing other things to stand out. Golden accents too? Amazing. It took me extra long to realize that the little golden parts around the waist that flare out not only resemble a part on the overblot design (as you point out), but also resemble petals. At least, that's what it made me think of. Also, I have no idea why, but I really like the longer half that flares out towards the back, reminds me a lot of how royalty is sometimes depicted with velvet capes. Again, could just be me though.
It's insane. I'm hanging this on the walls of my mind, thanks.
Indeed, your take is actually correct! I'm happy that you noticed the things I have implemented in the fanart. I don't want to ramble or push it, but I do want to confirm the things you've deducted.
The colour of the hair and threads matching was done on purpose, just as you thought! The whole figure is kind of shadowed, so the hair glowing would've immediately drawn the eye since it stood out.
Those are petals, yes. My poor attempt at drawing white roses at last minute to try and recall the overblot design more, LOL
And about that longer half: at first, I had added it to the silhouette to make it more interesting like OB!Riddle's torn gown, then it ended up recalling one of those royal capes along the way. So yeah, win point.
On a little extra note... This will be quite ironic, given your already expressed opinion on your drawings, but I actually like them. Maybe it's because I CAN'T touch traditional art to save my life, but I don't think that you're bad at it; and your designs look good to me! Without all of that I would've never even thought of an illustration like that.
The Heavens opened and graced me with the possibility of having this prepared for the exact day of the publication of the last chapter of Heartslabyul's part in @shiny-jr 's Empyrean AU. Craaaazy work.😭
The composition, background, and Riddle's design/silhouette have mostly been made by sheer vibe alone with no beforehand planning whatsoever. BUT I did get inspiration from both the game's overblot design and the Empyrean one! To some extent...
The rest of the journey was mostly focused on "How can I make him look royal enough," so the pattern abuse came in; I'm guilty.
i think rook's implied isolation/loneliness is genuinely such an important part of his character that people NEED to focus on more??
rook is constantly isolated from the people around him, both by circumstances and by choice. his family is always busy and away from him, causing him to regularly be on his own most of the time (rook literally says theyre so busy they can all reunite only once a year, he can't remember the last time he had his birthday celebrated outside of nrc, AND he would spend the entire day of his birthdays at the theatre alone🙁) and he's been shaped by that emptiness. being solitary isn't new to him, it's all he knows.
this isolation is also further exemplified by his own social issues - rook is constantly avoided by others for being too weird, too off putting, too much. as fully confirmed in book 8, rook was completely alone the entire time he was in savanaclaw due to being cast aside by his other dormmates, and we can likely assume this has been the case since way before nrc. before vil, who very well might've been the first person ever to embrace rook in his entirety, eccentricities and all, rook pretty much had no one.
at the same time though, rook feels a need to keep people at an arms length. and this isn't just purely fueled by him wanting to seem unpredictable (although that could be part of it), it's genuine discomfort. some of the ONLY times we see rook beginning to break away slightly from his calm exterior is when he's being pried for details on himself. a great example of this is in spectral soiree, where he tries to find excuses, gives only vague answers, and begins to actually appear stressed?? rook isn't someone who at all, wishes for others to know the truest, rawest parts of himself, despite so adamantly admiring those aspects in others.
in short, i think its so interesting how rook is a person who was grown from isolation, both in his familial environment and just generally socially. but now, even being surrounded by several people who truly love and care for him and his interests, he's still a one way mirror. he'll always still find a sort of comfort in that isolation, in the way that he'll be able to hide the purest aspects of himself in it.
the way I actually committed to this is crazy, guess that's what a good fanfic does to you, @shiny-jr 😭
I was planning on making a clear and more detailed background, but seeing how it long it had already taken, I decided to spare my mental health and not push it past 40+ hours... Anyway! Cater!!! ( ≧∀≦)ノ
Imma put the initial sketch idea along with the drawing without the background because it's funny to see how far that silly sketch actually went
edit: help I just realized I forgot to render the little gold accessories on the white shirt..😭 ops
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...
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