Hi there! We're the indie game developer group, Heart & Quill!! Started by two girls, we are striving to create a groundbreaking otome! Along with a couple of fan projects; we're hoping to produce the new hot otome! We hope you enjoy your stay.
In development at the moment:
??? - Twisted Wonderland Demo (Complete First Year Routes) - Take your favourite first-year boys' hand as you experience a special holiday in the Twisted Wonderland universe.
Expected when school stops killing us!
Hey chat sorry for the radio silence, turns out making an otome when your trying to get into uni is a lot harder than you would think (we got in tho yay). Lilith and I are still working on the first years otome but expect it to come out much later in the year. Thanks for sticking around and enjoy this Ace chibi as piece offering for our tardiness.
As of late you’ve had this unusual dread looming around you. It’s been obvious something was bothering you. Whenever someone asked what was wrong, you’d just brush it off. Saying it wasn’t worth worrying over. But, truthfully you were dreading every moment thinking about the task Crowely gave you recently. He asked you if you could assist the teachers after school hours for the next couple days, cause apparently there have been complaints about not being able to get things done in time. And of course, like always he black mailed you into doing the task.
It has been two days and you just want to melt into the floor and disappear. On top of assisting some of the teachers, you had your own things to do. Like homework and taking care of Grim. Both are already an annoying task. You let out a groan of annoyance as your head hits the table. Ace and Deuce looked at you with a bit of concern.
“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” Deuce looked at you while he gently put his hand on your shoulder. Though the only thing he gets in response is another groan.
“Also, what’s with you and assisting the teacher recently? Is that what's causing your unusual amount of dread?” Ace chimed in.
You lift up your head and stare at the two of them. Annoyance along with the dark circles under your eyes said you were just done with everything. Your head once again hits the table before you speak.
“Crowely made me,” were the only words to leave your mouth.
Then everything clicked. Crowely was known to make you do such outlandish tasks, while threatening you about living expenses. The fact is that he thinks that you can do everything, but in reality, you can’t and wish he would stop. He was the bane of your existence.
“Why does he even go to you for everything?” Deuce asks curiously with a tad of annoyance.
“Because he is essentially dumping his tasks or work onto me, and blackmails me so I can't say no.”
“So, he's just using you so he doesn’t have to do work?” Ace clarifies what you said.
“Yep.”
“The headmage is a jerk. He shouldn’t be taking advantage of you like this.”
“If only he didn’t.” You said with a groan. “And today I have to help Crewel..”
“Ooo..” The both of them winced at that. “Well I wish you luck.” Ace says.
You just groan. If only you could disappear.
—--------------------------------------
It was finally over. After helping Crewel clean up the lab from all the class today, you were basically dragging yourself back to Ramshackle. Once you made it to the doorway you collapsed to the floor and let out a loud groan. And before you could even relax, Grim came running to you.
“Finally! You're back. I've been starving over here! Make me some grub.”
You got up off the floor and made Grim food to shut him up, then told him to leave you alone. You went into your room and flopped onto the bed and sighed. Even though the bed wasn’t the greatest it felt like the softest thing in the world. You turned over and looked at the ceiling.
“If only I could get some payback at Crowely….”
But as soon those words left your mouth, you smirked to yourself. You had an idea forming in your head already and were ready to give Crowely what he deserves.
—--------------------------------------
Instead of dread, your mood has improved since that great idea came into your head.You just had to get the supplies and wait for the right time. After school you ran straight to Sam’s shop. Even though you have been saving for awhile, this would totally be worth it in the end. You went up the counter and Sam approached.
“Hello my little imp! What can I do for you?”
You hand him a list. He reads it over and nods his head.
“I will be right back with those items.” Sam then went to that back to get you items.
You were getting excited. You couldn’t wait to see the look on Crowely’s face.
Sam came back with a bag for items. He sets it on the counter.
“That will be 47 thaunmarks.”
You give him the amount and thank him before skipping off back to Ramshackle. You smiled as you looked at the bag.
“You’ll be getting what's coming to you, Crowely.”
—------------------------------
A few days have gone by since then. Ace, Deuce, and Grim were slightly weirded out by your happiness. Instead of the looming dread, you were just all sparkles. Honestly, it scares them. But today was the day you put your plan in motion. You just had to wait.
—-----
It was finally lunch time. Instead of heading to the lunchroom you headed for Crowely’s office. Checking if he was in there before entering. You then pulled out the lighter fluid from your bag with a grin. Then you soon began to dowse everything your eye could see in lighter fluid. Once you were finished covering as much as you could with the fluid, you pulled the small box of matches from your bag. You grinned. You lit the match and stared at it.
“This is what you get, Crowely.”
Then you threw the match onto the desk. It immediately burst into flames. The fire began to spread throughout his office. You stood in the doorway watching everything burn. Smiling to yourself.
Meanwhile Crowely was enjoying his lunch, until one of the staff approached him.
“What is it? Has anything bad happened?”
“Actually, yes there is. Your office is in flames.”
Crowely didn’t waste any time and he rushed to his office.The first thing he saw was you in the doorway staring at the flames. You then looked back at him with a smile.
This is a bit different than what I usually write as I'm more fitted for x reader's but I hope you like it either way @herethereagain ! As I'm writing this just now I thought what if you meant Leona or Malleus rather than Leona/Malleus but I'm just crossing my fingers and praying at this point. Enjoy!
Malleus never felt a warm embrace. In a world full of soulmates, he never met his own. Being trapped away in a valley for 175 years of your life isn’t exactly a prime way to interact with people. To top off being a prince and the senate being absolute fools didn’t help the cause either. However, his acceptance to Night Raven College would hopefully change that. He spent many hours meticulously editing his essays to gain acceptance to the college. He wanted to ensure he was getting accepted since he would fit in rather than just because he was a prince.
Stepping through the mirror from Briar Valley to NRC the cold wind left his body behind. The mild air of NRC was something he hadn’t felt. The Mirror room had thousands of students packed into the area, however, it was clear to Malleus that he was the tallest one in the room…
“This is fine,” he thought as his eyes shifted through the crowd. Even though he was a Draconia he still needed to be sorted into a house by NRC’s rules they set out for him to go to this school. He knew he didn’t need to attend this school but he hoped to meet people; perhaps he might meet his soulmate. He didn’t need to be careful of stepping on people's feet as he tried to move to the edge of the crowd. He felt hundreds of eyes on him at a time which wasn’t a strange thing, he was used to being watched over but it was different he felt fear.
In Briar Valley, he never left the castle as per the senate’s request so he was uneasy with these feelings. Once he got to the edge he looked back and every single person who he walked past was staring at him, all with fear.
That’s the moment Malleus felt despair; if everyone was going to treat him like this why should he dream?
The first class Malleus took was with a bunch of second-years. He excelled in magic so it wasn’t a surprise that he was accelerated and skipped a bunch of his first years' courses besides PE since that was the one course which is unskippable. Taking a seat next to a beastman, Malleus began to feel like maybe he could turn this around. If the first years’ don’t like him that much there’s always the second years’ after all; they were the ones he had a majority of classes with--
Focusing from his thoughts to his surroundings once more the beastman had disappeared. Looking around the classroom he noticed a lot of students squished together in an attempt to find a seat so they didn’t have to sit by him. Malleus didn’t even have to think about it, he knew what was the reason was. He already knew they feared him and he wouldn’t be able to change their minds.
The sound of formal shoes rang outside the classroom, a second later Professeur Trein walked into the classroom. “There’s enough room for everyone on the other side of the classroom. This classroom is not made for you all to be on one side.” He responded coldly as he placed Lucius on his desk; beginning to write on the black board.
The screech of chalk against the board filled the room as Professeur Trein meticulously wrote his name in sharp strokes: Professeur Mozus Trein. Beneath it, he added the course title: History of Magic and Magical Laws. His handwriting was as orderly and rigid as the man himself, every letter standing perfectly aligned. Without turning to face the class, he spoke in a searing tone, his words laced with authority.
“You all here to learn, not to lounge. I don’t know what just went down here before I got here but it is unacceptable. In my classroom, there will be no whispering, no daydreaming, and certainly no excuses. Should you find yourself incapable of adhering to these rules, I can tell you, the door is right behind you. Lucius and I value discipline above all else; you are at Night Raven College you must have some of it or at the least find it.” After his lecture a few of the years shifted uncomfortably in their seats under his scrutinizing tone. Malleus however did not feel this as nothing could be more scary than Lilia.
“Do I make myself clear?” Professeur Trein asked as he turned around to face the class his eyes scanning the room. The class murmured a hesitant “Yes, Professeur Trein,” which earned a curt nod.
“Good. Now, open your notebooks. You will copy this syllabus by hand and by word. Failure to do so will result in additional homework. I do not tolerate laziness.”
Malleus noted the tone which Professeur Trein had set out. He expected excellence or nothing at all. As Malleus picked up his quill the door slammed openned, Malleus questioned who would just walk into class like this to a teacher like this. From his knowledge, and murmurs of students trying to figure out where their classes were, the professeur also taught first-year so it shouldn’t be a surprise what kind of teacher he was.
The first thing Malleus noticed about Leona was his unkept puffy, lion-like hair he had and the scowl he held on his face. “Ah, Mr. Kingscholar so glad that you could join us for the beginning of the year” Trein sneered,
Leona however, seemed unfazed. He slouched into the room, hands in his pockets, his emerald eyes having a look of emptiness inside of them. A subtle yawn escaped his lips as he walked past Trein without so much as an acknowledgment.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here," Leona muttered, sauntering to the only open seat left in the classroom, next to Malleus.
The tension in the room thickened. Trein's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more, turning his attention back to the chalkboard. The rest of the class was silent, quills scratching furiously to copy the syllabus, all too aware of the confrontation that could erupt at any moment.
Malleus, however, was intrigued. Leona’s seemingly carefree attitude was a stark contrast to the rigid atmosphere of Night Raven College. Unlike the others who cowered or whispered about him, Leona’s indifference seemed genuine. For someone as used to commanding attention as Malleus, it was an anomaly he couldn’t ignore. Was it that he just didn’t care or did he genuinely not see him as a threat?
When the class ended, most students rushed out, eager to escape Trein’s sharp gaze. Malleus lingered, watching as Leona stretched lazily, clearly unbothered by the stern lecture he had endured earlier by Trein. Before getting up to leave Malleus stood up, his imposing height casting a shadow over the other student.
"Kingscholar," Malleus began, his voice even, yet laced with curiosity. "Your demeanor is... peculiar. Most would not dare to act so casually in front of Professeur Trein. Why is that?"
Leona glanced up, one brow quirking slightly before leaning back in his chair. "Why should I care what a grumpy old man thinks? I don’t need his approval to know what I’m worth. It doesn’t matter anyways."
Malleus blinked, momentarily taken aback by the bluntness. "I see. You hold yourself in high regard. Yet, I sense no arrogance, only... certainty. Is that confidence born of experience, or something more innate?"
Leona scoffed lightly, standing and slinging his bag over one shoulder. "If you’re fishing for deep answers, Draconia, you’re wasting your time. I don’t do heart-to-hearts, and I definitely don’t explain myself to strangers." With that, he brushed past Malleus, his tail flicking dismissively.
Left alone in the now-empty classroom, Malleus stared after Leona, his expression contemplative. The prince of the Briar Valley had encountered many individuals in his lifetime, but none like Leona Kingscholar.
Soulmates were typically tropes which showed others cared about each other. If Leona was the only one to speak to him with out shaking in fear it would still work correct? If this was what he had to deal with, so be it. Whether Leona liked it or not he would find a way to crack his exterior.
@heartandquill secret santa. My gift to @liliths-missing-pen! Hope you enjoy! ^.^
Pairing: Sebek x reader
Word count: 1611 words
Note: Fluff. Date in the woods. Very short fic. Gender neutral reader.
It had been raining and dreary the past few days, so many of the outside clubs had to be postponed until the weather cleared.
This meant you were exempt from your club activities, since your club required you to be outside the majority of the time.
It was rather late in the evening -classes had already ended an hour or so ago- and you were wanting to get a head start on a project for class, so you were heading to the library to spend gods knows how long pouring over books and papers until your vision blurred.
You had a bit of a problem with procrastination and really needed to put your nose to the grindstone.
However, you hadn't even gotten halfway to your destination when you were stopped by Sebek.
Because you had been so focused on getting started on work, it had completely slipped your mind that you were supposed to wait for your boyfriend to get out of his classes.
He really liked walking back to the dorms with you. Although you figured he had an alternative reason for doing so.
(Possibly for some unsupervised hand holding.)
"You." Needless to say, he didn't look or sound happy.
You feel your cheeks flush in embarrassment and glanced at the ground to avoid his intense gaze. "H-hey, Seb."
"Don't you dare "Hey Seb" me!" He crosses his arms, visibly upset. When he got like this, you knew you were in for his ranting. "I had been waiting outside the Alchemy lab for you to come by! I thought you were running late so I went by the sports field to see if your class was delayed somehow, but you weren't there. So I proceed to go to every one of your spots to find you! And when I didn’t see you in any of those places, I just happened upon you walking by yourself!"
'Have I been spacing out?' You thought to yourself. 'Has he really been looking for me for over two hours?? Geez, I need to pay more attention.'
"I'm really sorry I made you run all over campus for me." You apologize hanging your head in shame and embarrassment. "I was just... thinking about the surprise. For you. I mean us."
"A surprise?" Sebek asks skeptically.
You weren't the best liar, but you at least tried.
But would it really be a lie if you had actually thought of it beforehand? Yes, no, maybe so but you didn't want to tell your boyfriend that you were ditching him to study.
Sure, he'll understand that studying is important. But he's pretty clingy and he can be very distracting.
You had thought of doing a little surprise for him once testing was over, but since things had been a little hectic lately, you figured doing the surprise a little earlier wouldn’t be so bad.
"Yes, I have a little surprise for you." Feeling a bit better after rationalizing your thoughts, You reach over to gently take his warm hands in your own. "I was going to get things ready so I can give it to you tomorrow."
Sebek's reaction wasn’t what you were hoping for. He looked disappointed.
"What?" You ask, squeezing his hands as he just pouts at you.
"As your... boyfriend." Sebek was always hesitant to use that word, he admitted to you once that it made him feel all kinds of flustered. If he uses that word then he can't function properly because all he'll be thinking about is you. "I feel that it is my duty to come up with surprises for you."
Looking up at him in exasperation, you stand on your tippy toes to close the gap and wrap your arms around his neck before giving him a small peck on his nose. "Well, as your partner, it's also my duty to spoil you."
He looked surprised for a moment before he turned away, face turning pink. "W-well, then this better be a great surprise then!"
"I promise."
••
The basket weighs quite heavily in your hands, the blanket not making things easier but you were determined.
The ground is soft yet dry, but you still took cautious steps.
The stables are within your sight and a giddiness bubbles up the closer you get. Once you arrive, you mentally calm yourself. The vibrating underneath your skin caused your hands to tremble.
You couldn't help yourself. You were just too excited for this little surprise.
The club was just finishing up. Peering into the stables, you caught a glimpse of Sebek still in his club uniform.
The other members of the Equestrian Club file out, only giving you passing glances as they went off to their own dorms. Once it seemed like there weren't many students left, you made your way into the stables. You didn’t go in there much, usually just waiting outside, but you were too excited to wait any longer.
Sebek had just put his stuff away when you approached, his back towards you but you can see the way his shoulders tense, like he knew someone was behind him.
You giggle softly and his shoulders relax at the sound of your voice.
"Hey, Seb." You stay where you are and just watch your boyfriend put away his things before turning to you. "Ready for that surprise I mentioned yesterday?"
There's a flash of excitement in his eyes as he looks upon you, but his face remains stony. "Hmph. How can I forget when you make a promise?"
You only respond with a smile and a swift kiss to his cheek.
Peaking past him, you took note of the riding gear. It hadn't been put away yet. Perfect.
"I was wondering if we could take your horse." Sebek looked so shy around you, especially if you've given him some sort of physical affection. "It's part of the surprise."
Seemingly snapping out of a love stricken daze, Sebek straightened himself up. "Normally we aren’t allowed to take the horses away from the stables, however..."
He frowns at first, eyes darting between you and the horse before he smiles by just a smidgen. "I suppose I can make an exception, just this once. But you owe me!"
Of course, typical Sebek. But you aren't really bothered by it. "Sure, what do I have to pay?"
Sebek smirks, uh oh. "You must allow me to talk about the feats that Lord Malleus has accomplished this past week! And you better come prepared to take notes, there is plenty to tell!"
If it weren’t for the fact that the other was incredibly cute and you were madly in love with him, you would've said no.
But alas, he is extremely cute and you love him so much that you will sit for hours while he recounts the tales of his lord.
••
The ride was nice, albeit there was a struggle in the beginning. The basket you brought kept slipping no matter how tight either of you strapped it down, so you had to keep it on your lap.
Such a shame that you couldn’t cuddle up to Sebek's back. Perhaps after the little picnic was over and the two of you both headed back, you can spare a moment on the couch.
There was a secluded section within the forest that you discovered once when ditching P.E -not your finest moment, Coach Vargas can be a very scary man-, and you thought it to be a perfect spot for the picnic.
Soon the blanket is laid out on the ground and the basket is set in the middle. While Sebek hitches the horse, you get everything out.
It wasn’t anything fancy. Since you didn't have a lot to spend, you just made simple ham and cheese sandwiches with some fruit salad. But you still arranged everything nicely and placed a litre of water in the center of the picnic.
With Sebek, nothing was ever quiet. So in between bites, he talked about how his week was, how classes were going, what he and Silver argued about, etc.
You didn’t mind in the slightest, you liked when he talked.
At one point, you noticed that there was a bit of mayo on the corner of Sebek's mouth. He wasn't a messy eater in the slightest, but you always took some joy in seeing the stoic Sebek being a little messy.
"What?" Sebek asked, already on his fifth sandwich.
Instead of answering, you picked up a clean napkin and leaned over to wipe the corner of his mouth, lovingly and gently. Your eyes reflect the softness that makes your heart swell whenever you look at him. "Y'know, you really are cute."
Red like the apples you brought, Sebek's face bloomed with such a dark shade that you worried he would pass out.
"C-cute?!" He nearly dropped his sandwich on his lap. "I-I-I am not- I- wh-!"
You could only laugh at his reaction. No matter how many times you compliment him -and no matter how many times he reacts like this-, simple words can never fully encapsulate how much you truly care for him.
With your hand cupping his cheek, Sebek seemed to calm down but his face toned down to a pink. He shifted his face until his mouth was nuzzling your hand.
His eyes slowly close and you feel him pressing kisses into your palm.
Heat rose to your cheeks. His eyes become lidded and you can feel the smirk on his face.
You chuckle softly at this as you remove your hand to wrap around his neck and lean forward to give him a proper kiss, to which he gladly reciprocated.
I drew your lovely Yuzai, I really loved drawing them and their hair btw, next to Ruggie (well, he had to go catch a gig at Sam’s Store). I really hope you had a happy holidays and new year!!
My gift for @crimson-luna-writes for @heartandquill ‘s Secret Santa event! Hope you enjoy :3
(Contains Trey x Riddle fluff)
Housewardens are meant to set an example for their housemates. To uphold the proper image of how to act and present oneself. Heartslabyul is a respectable house, after all—built in the image of the Queen of Hearts herself.
That’s what Riddle works so hard to maintain.
Is it conditioning from his mother? His own pride? Maybe the pressure of his reputation constantly on the line? It’s hard to say. Maybe it’s all of it. Maybe it’s the fear of failing. Maybe—
“Riddle.”
The low, baritone voice snaps him out of his thoughts. Trey’s golden eyes meet his. His vice housewarden has come to check on him. Trey slides into the seat beside him, careful not to disturb any of the papers that Riddle’s been working through for the past few hours. He pushes a steaming cup of tea toward Riddle with an almost practiced ease.
“…You’re aware of the time, right?” Trey’s voice is soft, almost cautious, though there’s a gentle smile at the edge of his words. “It’s almost one in the morning. Shouldn’t you be asleep? You’ll have plenty to do tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’m well aware, Trey…” Riddle murmurs, his voice exhausted. He taps the end of his magical pen against his forehead, as if trying to summon some last bit of energy. His eyes drift shut briefly, the weight of the long day catching up with him. For a moment, he almost gives in to the urge to just lean back and close his eyes. But he can’t. Not yet.
“But I still have a few things to finish. These assignments won’t complete themselves, you know.”
Trey raises an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching up in amusement. “Assignments? I thought you usually get those done right after class?”
Riddle opens his eyes just a little, enough to meet Trey’s gaze. His usual sharpness is gone, replaced by a tired sort of clarity. “Yes, well… My entire schedule was thrown off today.” His voice tightens with frustration. “Unexpected interruptions. It’s frustrating to no end. How hard is it to follow a plan? To stick to a schedule?”
Trey watches him quietly, his concern deepening. It’s not like Riddle to be so visibly affected. Usually, he’s impeccable—always on time, always composed. Tonight, however, his usual air of confidence is crumbling. His posture slouches a little more with each passing minute, the usual rigidity in his spine softened by exhaustion. His eyes look like they could fall shut at any moment, but he’s fighting it—fighting the overwhelming weight of responsibilities.
Trey notices the faint dark circles under Riddle’s eyes, how they seem to deepen with each blink, the tension in his shoulders. The usual crispness of his red hair is slightly disheveled, and the crown he wears—so often a symbol of his authority—is forgotten, resting abandoned on the edge of the desk.
He looks so… tired. So human.
Trey’s heart aches for him. He’s known Riddle since they were children, and he’s never seen him like this—so open, so vulnerable. It makes him want to step in, to take some of that burden off his shoulders.
“Here.” Trey’s voice softens. He slides the tea closer to Riddle. “Drink this… You’ll feel better. Just the way you like it.”
Riddle hesitates, his eyes flicking to the cup before back to Trey. He opens his mouth as if to protest—likely about the Queen of Hearts' rules—but his words are lost before he can speak. His pride is no match for the exhaustion weighing on him.
“I can’t,” he says quietly. “The Queen of Hearts rule—”
“The rules don’t apply when it’s just the two of us,” Trey interrupts, his tone gentle but firm. “Not when you look like you’re about to collapse.”
Riddle gives a small, almost imperceptible sigh, then finally takes the cup in his hands. He lets the warmth of the tea seep into his bones, closing his eyes for just a second, savoring the sweetness. Trey watches him, his fingers idly tapping the edge of his own mug, but his focus is entirely on Riddle.
“…Thank you,” Riddle murmurs after a long pause, voice quieter than usual. His lips curl around the rim of the cup, the slight tremor in his hands betraying just how exhausted he truly is. He’s still trying to hold it together, but it’s clear the cracks are showing.
“You’re welcome,” Trey says simply, but there’s something tender in his voice. He doesn’t need to say more. They both know the unspoken understanding between them.
The silence stretches between them comfortably. Trey watches as Riddle takes slow, measured sips of the tea, the rhythm of his actions almost hypnotic. He notices the faint furrow in Riddle’s brow as he tries to focus on his work, the delicate way he holds the quill, the slight slump in his posture. It’s as if the weight of his housewarden duties is too much, and yet he’s determined not to let it show.
Trey leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest, and just observes for a while. He’s known Riddle for so long, and yet, tonight, something feels different. There’s a quiet intimacy in the way Riddle lets down his guard, in the way he accepts Trey’s support without protest.
“Riddle?”
Riddle’s pen pauses mid-air, and he looks over at Trey, blinking slowly. “Yes?”
“I’m going to stay here until you’re done.” Trey’s tone is gentle, but insistent. “I don’t want you falling asleep at the desk.”
Riddle scoffs lightly, but it’s more out of reflex than conviction. “You know that would never happen. I’d never allow it.”
Trey smiles softly at that, though his expression quickly shifts to a more playful one. “Is that so? You’re looking a bit close to passing out right now, if you ask me.”
Riddle narrows his eyes, but there’s no malice behind the glare, only a softness that makes Trey’s chest tighten with affection. “I’m fine,” Riddle insists, though his voice lacks its usual sharpness. “I’ll finish this. I have to.”
Trey tilts his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “You’re stubborn, you know that?”
“...Says the guy who’s staying up with me,” Riddle mutters, a tired smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Trey laughs and shakes his head, the sound easy and warm. “I don’t mind. You know I’ll always be here, right? No matter what.”
Riddle’s gaze softens, though he doesn’t speak right away. It’s rare for him to open up like this, especially about his vulnerabilities. And it’s even rarer for him to acknowledge the depth of his feelings.
“I know,” Riddle says quietly, almost as if he’s talking to himself. “And… thank you, Trey. I know I don’t always say it, but I’m glad you’re here. You’re my closest companion—my vice housewarden. I fear I would’ve lost my mind a long time ago without you.”
The words hit Trey harder than expected, and for a moment, he doesn’t know how to respond. But then something warm and tender shifts inside him, and before he can stop himself, he’s reaching out to gently brush a strand of Riddle’s hair back from his forehead.
“You know how important you are to me, Riddle,” Trey murmurs softly, his voice thick with emotion. “You always have been. It’s lucky, isn’t it? That I ended up as your second-in-command?”
Riddle’s eyes flutter closed, and he lets out a quiet, almost reluctant laugh. “...Pfft. Don’t get sentimental on me, Trey. I’ll finish this. But, thank you. For everything.”
Trey watches him for a long moment as he returns to his work. There’s something about the way Riddle holds the quill with such determination, even as exhaustion lingers in his movements, that makes Trey’s heart ache with affection.
They sit in the quiet of the night, the soft glow of the moon casting pale light across Riddle’s desk, and Trey wonders, not for the first time, how lucky he truly is to have this boy by his side.
It’s not long before Riddle finishes his work, his cup of tea long emptied. Trey watches him set the quill down and stretch with a small sigh. There’s a sense of finality in the way Riddle looks up at him, and without another word, Trey stands to help him.
“You’ve done enough for tonight,” Trey says with a smile, gently guiding Riddle out of the chair. The housewarden might have the title, but tonight, it’s Trey who’s carrying the weight.
It would be in the best interest of everyone if Leona hung up. Like right now. Like in this moment. But as the clock ticked forward, the more time spent between attempts, Leona finds himself back pressed against the mattress and reaching for his phone lingering on fifty percent. He doesn't need to see the screen anyways. He can do the whole damn thing by muscle memory. Destroy himself without having to look away from the empty ceiling.
Blam. Blam. Blam. His thumb hits every number without thinking twice. The bomb is set.
Ring goes the phone.
Ring.
Ring-
"Oh, my apologies. Were you trying to do something there?"
There is a being sitting on the window when Leona pulls himself up- no, a string running alongside his spine pulls taut and all but yanks him right into a sitting situation. All the better to see the being staring him down like the cat got the cream or the fish out of the bowl.
Forget how the hell he managed to get across the world, Malleus Draconia did not bother to change out of his NRC Uniform. He grins. Picks at the space under his nails.
"Hello?" His nails clip into each other. He waves his hand in front of Leona give or take a few feet. "Anyone there?"
Leona slaps his hand to the side out of absentminded rigor. "What are you even doing here? Aren't there other people you could be talking to at the moment?" The damn bat for one...
The question gently embeds itself under feathers and leaves Malleus frozen on the window sill. The moment passes before Leona could even consider taking advantage of that fact and leaves the other with a feline smile.
The words that do leave his words in a gentle exhale are the furthest from what he'd expected out of the Diasomnia housewarden. "Do you know that cats have whiskers on the back of their front legs?"
"...What?"
Inhale. "Cats find it threatening if you lock eyes with them."
"That sounds like a fact," Leona muses to himself then, "Is this what you've been wasting your time with for the past... three weeks?" Memories come flashing back to him. Piles and piles of books. The baffled look on Silver's face when he came stumbling by, held aloft by the mountain between his arms.
The line in Malleus' spine levels against the beam of wood. "Pretty much yes. You have a problem with that?"
It doesn't make sense, Leona bites himself to not retort. It's not like you and your fucking weirdo obsession with gargoyles. He closes his eyes almost all of the way, always keeping Leona sitting on the edge of his vision. A grotesque encroaching on the comfortable circle of knowledge.
"Nevermind," Malleus spits and the words roll over his shoulders. "Perhaps I should just say it. Happy Winter Break."
It slams into his stomach. All thirty pounds of it, kicking and squealing with laughter.
"Unca, unca! You're late! Papa says that we can't start on breakfast until..."
But Leona's not with the world yet. He glances back over at his phone placed back on the dresser some point during the night without him noticing. Against the searing light of day, he only sees one black black screen and no charge. His phone protests against the way he slams it into the wall and dropped straight back on the dresser.
It can wait until morning, the thought purrs into his ear. He stands and leaves, barely balancing Cheka on the break of his back while the little brat wails about how it's not fair that he can just keep going-
When- if Leona picks up the phone again, it's not to make the same phone call but to force his fingers over to the contact list and nestle the damn thing under the curve of his throat while Cheka rolls over dying grass in the backyard. At least three lionesses standing guard at all times.
This one, Leona does know what he's doing.
"Huh- what- who's there?" is the blearily greeting of a man a day past Winter's Eve and sure as hell ain't pleased or over that fact yet.
"It's me, idiot," Leona does not give him the space to realize otherwise before barging onward. "What did you get for- for Winter's Eve this year? The damn brat keeps shoving stones into my hands because he thinks that they make for a perfect gift but at least Falena had the damn foresight to close court for one day. Sevens, I'll go mad if he'd actually force everyone into that room during the holidays."
On the other side of the phone, Idia barks a surprised laugh. The sound of the tablet moving from one side to the other still on audio only. "There's no way- he actually tried to do that?"
"A few years ago, yeah." Leona takes a considerable amount of time to relish in the silence that follows. A click and-
"More video games. I think... yeah, and a science kit- one of the ones that you'd typically give to kids, you know how it is. From the folks over the pond of course," Idia finishes with a slight hint of bitterness tempered out by general apathy. The scrunch of his sweaters stacked neck to neck and his soft sigh when he leans over says too much about the state of his body. "This might actually be the most thoughtful thing they've given as long as I've known them."
Considering the awkward summer trip? Yes, yes it certainly is but Leona's not going to be the one to point that out. He'd leave it to someone else. Preferably with less of a mouth filter than he should considering how much he runs off it- hint hint.
"But a day off can't be all that Falena did this year."
Leona groaned because yes, this is the moment he's been looking forward to all day. Talking trash about his shit brother. "Oh you absolutely would not believe what he did..."
Deuce was in the Heartsbyul kitchen, ready to bake. Outfit on, cook book open, ingredients gathered. He wanted to bake some cookies to give Trey a break and maybe send some to his mom!
The first challenge is breaking eggs. He opened them with skill since he would often make eggs for himself and his mom are home.
He then poured a cup of sugar and a cup of butter into the stand mixer Trey got for starsending. The butter wasn't going together nicely with the sugar. That will be okay, right?
He added the egg and a tsp of vanilla to the chunky sugar mix before adding the flour and baking soda. He was sure that it was baking soda.
Next, he needed to roll out the dough. He looked around for cookie cutters. But there were only ones of suits. That's when Ace walked in.
"Hey Duce, what are you making?"
"None of your business. You're probably going to take some anyway."
"As long as it tastes good, then yeah"
"Then at least help me and get some Christmas cookie cutters"
"Iceing too?"
"That would be nice"
"Got it, I'll be back in ten" Ace left and Deuce sighed softly before continuing to work on the cookie dough, useing the suit cookie cutters to make sure the dough would be good atleast.
By the time the cookies were done, Ace had returned.
"Let's see what we got!" Ace grinned as Deuce pulled out the sad, sucken in cookies that looked doughy and had holes in it, butter left on the parchment paper.
"But i followed the instructions..." Deuce sulked a bit. Frowning at his sad cookies.
Ace sighed. "Lucky you, I got some more ingredients since we seemed to be running out."
Aduce duo went ahead and finished making the cookies from the already made dough. Good for uceing practice, and they didn't taste bad. It just looked funny.
The two of them proceeded to properly bake cookies, enough for the doorm and to send home to their families.
"Okay, let's call everyone over to ramshake, I'm sure everyone would like to be together before the holidays," Deuce smiled as he pulled out his phone
