あ ─── ❝ Twisted Wonderland x reader!
I believe I shall never truly be alone
featuring — 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐔𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐀
You were getting ready for bed when you noticed a flicker of green specks outside your window. You already knew who it was. Grabbing your jacket, you quickly headed outside
As you got closer, you saw the familiar tall silhouette "Tsunotarou! Good evening! How are you?" you greeted with a bright smile as you approached
Yes, the one who always visited Ramshackle during the night. The one and only Malleus Draconia, the future king of Briar Valley.
He turned to you and gave a small smile "Good evening to you as well, Prefect I'm doing well. How about you?"
"I'm good! You're out for another stroll? Did you make sure to tell Sebek and Silver-senpai?" you asked, a small sweat drop appearing as you recalled a certain incident involving the prince and his bodyguards.
"Yes, I informed them. I simply wished to take a stroll" he replied, turning his gaze away for a moment.
You paused and observed him carefully. Then you blinked.
To you, Malleus was surprisingly easy to read almost like an open book, unlike how everyone else perceived him.
The fearsome prince's lips had thinned into a slight frown or rather... he was pouting.
It was such a rare sight that it caught you off guard "Is something wrong, Mal?"
Malleus looked back at you and something in his eyes softened.
He let out a quiet sigh "I was excluded from another Housewarden meeting. Though, admittedly it was my own fault I wasn't informed of the time or the location and now my absence has become an issue. But, in all honesty... I truly wish to take part in those gatherings."
"I've tried thinking of solutions, but none of them seem to work."
You already knew about it. Whenever an important gathering took place, Malleus somehow always ended up being left out. Even during the orientation ceremony, he had been nowhere to be seen.
Still...you never imagined it affected the prince this deeply. Poor guy. He just wanted to be included
"How about messages? I'm sure the others could contact you that way" you suggested
"Those smartphones are incredibly delicate. How can humans value such fragile objects? It's beyond hopeless, It's actually starting to irk me."
A sweat drop formed on your forehead "...Fair point"
"I'm sorry, Prefect. I'm sure I've disturbed your night"
"Not at all. You know... it's actually kind of refreshing to see you like this"
He looked at you with visible confusion "Refreshing?"
"Yep" You let out a small snicker "Malleus Draconia, the strongest mage, the future king of Briar Valley, is standing here at Ramshackle ranting about missing Housewarden meetings"
You laughed softly "But don't take offense to that Mal. I'm just... glad you can tell me these things. It's not wrong to complain every now and then, you know. And you can always come to me whether you want to rant, complain or just talk"
He stared at you for a moment before a smile appeared on his face "Thank you, Prefect. I'm grateful to have a friend like you... and that alone is enough for me"
You smiled back. That was right. Malleus simply wanted friends.
But because of his position, he had never truly been able to have them. People feared him. They avoided him.
That couldn't really be helped.
You still remembered the day Lilia thanked you for becoming Malleus's friend and not once had you regretted it.
"Then... if you're free sometime, can I come to Diasomnia and just hang out?"
Malleus blinked before smiling "I would love to spend time with you. You're welcome to visit anytime"
Your face lit up "Then it's a promise!"
Malleus lingered for a moment, his gaze never leaving you. Then, with a gentle voice, he said "It is rather late. You should head back inside and get some rest. I would not wish for you to tire yourself because of me."
You smiled at his quiet concern "I will. Good night, tsunotarou" With a small wave, you headed back inside. "Good night, my friend. May your dreams be peaceful" he replied. As you glanced back one last time, Malleus remained beneath the moonlight before vanishing into a flurry of green specks.
The next day, only one sentence kept repeating itself in your mind.
"I truly wish to take part in those gatherings."
The disappointment in his voice echoed over and over again. You couldn't help but feel sad.
Someone shook your shoulder, making you flinch. You turned around.
"You've been staring at your food for the past ten minutes. Are you okay?" Deuce asked, concern evident in his eyes.
"Let me guess, you flunked the quiz today, didn't ya?" Ace teased with a smirk while Grim was busy gobbling up his own food.
You rolled your eyes at him.
"Ace!" Deuce hissed "Just kidding." Ace shrugged before taking another bite of his food. "But seriously, what's up with you?"
"Nothing... just thinking" As you answered, your eyes wandered around the cafeteria before stopping on someone who was already leaving
The Housewarden of Heartslabyul.
You blinked before a small smile appeared on your face
Standing up, you completely ignored Grim's confused noises and the Adeuce duo calling after you
You hurried after the red-haired housewarden. "Riddle-senpai!"
Riddle turned around and offered you a polite smile. "Hello, (name)" He stopped walking, waiting for you to catch up "What's the matter?"
"U-Um... I just wanted to ask..." You hesitated for a moment "When will your next Housewarden meeting be... and where?"
Riddle raised an eyebrow "What for?"
"It's a secret! But trust me, I don't mean any trouble. Please, Senpai!" You looked at him with pleading eyes.
Riddle studied your expression for a few seconds before letting out a quiet sigh "This Friday, at 10:30 a.m..in the Mirror Chamber"
"Oh? We don't have classes this Friday"
"Correct. That's precisely why we chose that day"
"So... just to confirm, there won't be any changes, right?"
"Yes. The schedule is final, (name)"
Your face immediately brightened. "Thank you so much, Senpai!" You bowed deeply
"You're welcome. Now, finish your lunch and remember Rule 271, one must leave the table within fifteen minutes of finishing their meal”
You woke up early and quietly got ready for the day. Grim was still fast asleep, curled up on his bed and snoring without a care in the world
Smiling to yourself, you decided to let him sleep and slipped out of Ramshackle alone
After finally arriving at the school, you immediately made your way to the Hall of Mirrors, which housed seven magical entryways before making your way toward Diasomnia.
As soon as you stepped through the entrance, a breeze greeted you and as you looked ahead, the towering black castle stood proudly before you, its gothic architecture as imposing as ever. It sent a shiver down your spine, not out of fear but admiration. Diasomnia always looked like something out of a fairy tale.
You entered the dorm, your footsteps echoing softly through the quiet halls.
Almost immediately, you were greeted by Silver.
The silver-haired knight looked slightly surprised to see you. Oddly enough, for the first time since you met him, he seemed completely awake "Oh, (name) It's nice to see you here" He smiled gently "I presume you're here to see Malleus-sama?"
"Yep, Silver-senpai!" you answered cheerfully. "I wanted to ask where he is."
"I can call for him if you like"
Silver was about to turn around when you quickly stopped him "Oh, no, it's alright senpai! Aren't you busy?"
Your gaze fell to the sword in his hand and the light sheen of sweat on his forehead, making it clear he had been training
"Are you sure?" Silver asked. "I don't mind postponing my training"
You shook your head. "It's okay, Silver-senpai. Don't worry about me."
He studied your face for a moment before giving a small nod. "If that's the case... Malleus-sama should be relaxing in the lounge"
After exchanging goodbyes, you headed deeper into Diasomnia.
Their dorm was quiet today and as you entered the lounge...
The very first person you saw made you audibly sigh "...Sebek"
The green-haired guard, who is a Malleus fanatic, immediately noticed your presence
Without hesitation, you covered both of your ears. "HUMAN (NAME)! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
His voice boomed throughout the room.
A clap of thunder echoed outside almost perfectly in sync with his shouting.
You waited until he finished before uncovering your ears. "Calm down, Sebek. I just need to tell tsu—I mean Mal something"
"THAT IS 'MALLEUS-SAMA' TO YOU!"
"yes, yes" You waved your hand dismissively. "I need to tell Malleus-sama something"
"UNFORTUNATELY, WAKA-SAMA IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE!"
You narrowed your eyes "...You don't actually know where he is, do you?"
Sebek immediately stiffened. "I-I DO KNOW WHERE HE IS!"
"Oh really?" You folded your arms "Then tell me"
Before Sebek could finish,
A calm voice interrupted him.
"Why are you shouting so early in the morning?"
Sebek instantly straightened his posture and turned to face his Waka-sama, inadvertently shielding you from Malleus' view.
"WAKA-SAMA! GOOD MORNING! WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO PREPARE YOUR BREAKFAST?"
"I'm quite alright" Malleus replied as he stepped closer to Sebek before coming to a halt "...But..."
Tilting his head slightly, he peeked around Sebek's shoulder
At the same time, you leaned to the side and gave him a small wave
His eyes widened ever so slightly. "(name)?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to hang out with you, remember?"
Sebek practically choked. "...Hang out?"
Before he could begin another lecture, Malleus spoke. "Ah... that's right"
A gentle smile appeared on his face. "Come this way, Prefect"
"Let us enjoy this... 'hangout' as you humans call it" He gestured for you to follow.
You grinned triumphantly before looking back at Sebek.
You couldn't resist giving him a teasing smile.
Judging from the twitch on his forehead...It worked.
Just as Sebek opened his mouth,
"Please prepare some tea and snacks for the Prefect"
Sebek froze. "...Y-Yes... Waka-sama"
Although his glare practically burned holes into your back, he reluctantly obeyed.
As you went beside Malleus, you smiled warmly "Good morning, Mal."
"Good morning to you as well (name)"
You had every intention of telling him about today's meeting right away... but before you could say a word,
"Would you like to see some of the gargoyles here in Diasomnia?" Malleus asked. He looked... happy
You glanced down at your watch. 9:25 A.M. There was still time. Plenty of it.
Quietly, you set an alarm for 10:15 A.M.
Then you smiled. "Lead the way"
Malleus seemed genuinely pleased by your answer.
As the two of you wandered through Diasomnia together, he enthusiastically pointed out the various gargoyles scattered throughout the dorm
Each one had its own history. Its own craftsmanship. Its own unique charm.
You found yourself smiling more than once, not because of the gargoyles...
But because of how animated Malleus became whenever he spoke about them.
His eyes lit up. His voice carried excitement. It was refreshing to see this side of him.
"Oh, by the way..." you asked "Where's Lilia-senpai?"
"Oh." Malleus answered casually. "He secluded himself earlier. He said he needed to 'grind.'"
You blinked. He completely forgot about the meeting...
Eventually, the two of you ended up inside Malleus's room.
Tea had already been prepared. Along with a variety of snacks.
Sebek, despite his obvious reluctance, had arranged everything perfectly before silently taking his place outside the room.
The peaceful atmosphere was almost surreal.
You both talked about gargoyles... Books... Magic... The people at school... Your world... Even the strange habits of crows, though it didn't take long for the conversation to drift toward Crowley
Time slipped away far more quickly than either of you realized.
The sound of your alarm broke the peaceful atmosphere.
You pulled out your phone and checked the screen. 10:15 A.M
Malleus glanced at you "...Is it already time for you to leave?" There was a faint trace of disappointment in his voice
"...Me?" He looked genuinely confused
You stood up and brushed the dust from your clothes.
"A Housewarden can't be late to their Housewarden meeting, right?"
Malleus blinked. Once. Twice.
It was obvious he hadn't quite processed your words.
"There's a Housewarden meeting today, 10:30, In the Mirror Chamber"
You stepped closer until you were standing in front of him "So let's go"
Silence settled between the two of you.
"...You..." His voice was unusually quiet
"...You came all the way here...
You nodded without hesitation "Yep"
His brows furrowed slightly "...Why?"
You smiled, your expression as warm as ever "Well..."
"You've helped me countless times...
So I wanted to help you, too
You told me before that you couldn't think of a solution... so..."
A grin spread across your face.
"Then let me be your solution,
I'll remind you of everything,
if no one tells you about the Housewarden meetings or important events...
I'll always be there to tell you.."
Malleus simply stared at you.
Not a single word left his lips.
His eyes quietly searched your face, as though he were trying to memorize every expression you made
A smile slowly formed on his lips. It was carrying a tenderness that caught you off guard far more than his usual smile ever could
You rubbed the back of your neck with an embarrassed laugh. "It wasn't a big deal"
"It is to me" he replied without a moment's hesitation.
"You have given me something no one else ever has
I do not believe I shall ever forget that"
Your heart skipped a beat
"N-Now's not really the time to get sentimental"
You let out an awkward laugh and pointed toward the exit.
You reached out, intending to grab his hand and pull him toward the door
Instead, Malleus rose to his feet first
Before you could react, he gently took your hand and his other hand soon came to rest carefully against your waist.
"...Eh? Malleus? Aren't we supposed to be going?"
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
Before you could ask another question,
The world flipped upside down...
A swirl of light enveloped your vision as the scenery around you dissolved into countless green specks.
The air rushed past in an instant.
Then everything became still
When your eyes finally adjusted...
You were already standing directly in front of the Mirror Chamber.
Your knees gave out from the sudden teleportation
"W-Whoa..." You stumbled forward
Before you could lose your balance, Malleus was already there, a steady hand gently supporting your arm
"That...that was terrifying..." you groaned
A quiet laugh escaped him "My apologies Prefect"
"You don't sound sorry at all..."
You let out a defeated sigh before giving his shoulder a light shove "...Fine"
"It was faster, I'll give you that"
You nodded toward the entrance to the Mirror Chamber
"Now go. Everyone's probably waiting"
Instead... he simply looked at you, just like he did earlier, making you flustered
There was something different in his gaze
You tilted your head, looking at him with a shy, puzzled expression
Without saying a word, he slowly reached for your hand
His touch was careful, almost hesitant as though asking for permission despite already holding it
Then with all the grace befitting the future king of Briar Valley, he lifted your hand and pressed a featherlight kiss to the back of it
Your breath caught, your face instantly flushed bright red,
He lowered your hand only slightly, his fingers still loosely wrapped around yours
I once believed that loneliness was simply something I was destined to endure,
I find myself looking forward to tomorrow"
His thumb absentmindedly brushed across the back of your hand before he finally let go.
You make certain I am never left behind"
A small smile curved across his lips
"It is a kindness I shall always treasure"
Your heart wouldn't stop racing and you could feel the heat spreading across your face. All you could do was pray you didn't look like a tomato in front of him.
Unable to meet his eyes any longer, you awkwardly scratched your cheek.
"You're making it sound way more dramatic than it is. I was just reminding a friend"
Malleus only chuckled. "Even so..
So long as you continue to remember me...
...I believe I shall never truly be alone"
You opened your mouth to respond, but the words refused to come
Malleus seemed to notice. His smile continued to grow before he finally took a small step back
"I shall return once the meeting has concluded"
He offered you another warm smile
"If you would permit it...
I would like to walk you back to Ramshackle"
You smiled despite the warmth spreading across your face.
The answer seemed to brighten his expression even more.
For a brief moment, neither of you moved. The quiet between you felt comfortable as though neither of you wished to be the first to end the conversation
At last, Malleus gave a small nod
"Then I shall not keep you waiting"
With one last lingering glance, Malleus turned gracefully and entered the Mirror Chamber
You remained where you were for a few seconds, watching the doors close behind him before finally letting out the breath you hadn't realized you were holding. A small smile lingered on your lips as you turned to wait for his return.
This draft has been sitting in my notes for about a month now, it all started when I groovified Malleus's dorm uniform card. The idea suddenly came to me so I decided to write it. I recently found the draft again and thought it would be fun to rewrite and polish it 😭
I hope you enjoy this one-shot! Some of the requests are also being worked on right now, so I'll be posting them sooner or later. Thank you so much !!
