It's easy to speak. To open his mouth, call their name, and tell them whatever it is he's trying to say.
Or it should be easy, at least.
The first time was a bust. As soon as he opened his mouth, their name died on their tongue and he stood there looking like a fool who suddenly lost the ability to speak. The Sage turned to look at him curiously but he remained motionlessâsilent.
If he could just say something...
But the Sage's insistence on having Faust call them by their name was a bit too much. Master Sage to their actual name felt like he was crossing a line he was never meant to cross (not that he's unwilling, of course he wants to).
"Hey," was the best he could do at this moment. Sage knows that and gives him grace.
Celebrations are what Western wizards did best and with the moon out, shining down on the manor as a familiar wizard shot through the starry night sky, leaving nothing but fragmented stardust in his trailâMurr laughed merrily as he waved his hands over and over again, igniting sparks from his fingertips.
âHappy birthday!â He shouted from his broom, his eyes twinkling with delight as he spotted you among the wizards out in the courtyard. Giggling and making careless movements, he hoped that you liked the stars he plucked out for you and lined up to spell your name in the sky.
A declaration of his ardent love; as some would like to call it. He called out your name once more, inching closer and closer until his feet met the ground and he could finally run to scoop you into his embrace once more in a fit of laughter. You can try to pry him off, to shove him away in embarrassment or pure disdain but his grip was frighteningly tight for someone who looks as careless as him.
Under the light of the moon, he grabbed your wrist and led you into the forest, separating you from everyone else and leaving you alone with him surrounded by a comforting silence along with a content hum coming from his mouth. He took a strand of your hair in between his fingers, a mischievous grin on his face as he started counting the blessings he wanted to give you.
Although, coming from a wizard like Murr, these blessings felt more like curses that were meant to weigh you down. In the first place, these blessings were all meant to benefit him.
âI hope you shine more brightly than the moon one day!â A heavy responsibility he pushed down onto you but perhaps that was proof enough that he wanted you enough. To shine brighter than the moon, is to declare that you are his love. Although, even if he doesn't say it, the way he looks at you far surpasses that of when he gazes at the moon.
âI hope you live one long life!â A blessing? A curse? Perhaps the edges of his crooked smile was saying that because he wanted you for himself longer than you could ever imagine.
âAnd, of course,â he started, chuckling as he leaned in. His breath tickled your ear, and the stray strands of his hair brushed against your skin. âHere's to hoping that you'll be by my side for more years to come~!â
Perhaps that was more of a curse than it is a blessing. Sentencing you to a lifetime with him could be hardly called a blessing, unless you decided to acknowledge the brewing warmth inside your chest that crept to your face. The next thing you knew, you felt something warm and soft pressed against your lips and it didn't take you long to figure out what happened.
Although, when you did, the culprit already pulled away and narrowed his eyes as he shot you a cheeky smile. Sealing his blessings once and for all with a kiss placed on your lips. That's just one of the many things he'll steal from you tonight.
After all, he's a wizard. He'll do bad things and take away things from you one by one until you're completely bare under his touch. He'll just have to hope that you won't squirm too much underneath the remaining spark on his fingertips.
"You know, Murr, I think I might miss you the most once I leave." Feeling dejected might not be the right word to use in this context, perhaps that's because the words held little meaning even if they were trueâthe words were meant to get a reaction out of him, whatever it might be.
Eager might be the right word. Maybe even dread.
"Hmm? Where are you headed to?" His eyes twinkled with curiosity, his lips curling up as he walked closer. It was hard to tell if he was genuinely curious or if his smile meant something else; the only thing that mattered was the fact that he already found amusement in the situationâan indication that he might already know something.
"Somewhere far away." A chuckle escaped his lips, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly and narrowed his brows. It wasn't much of a difference, but it's something worth taking note ofâespecially if it's Murr. Maybe it was alright to prod further. "Will you miss me?"
Oh, the milliseconds that came after that question was full of nothing but sickening dread. How will he respond? What will he think? Thinking that his response would come after a few seconds of silence was wrong, especially when he blurted out his answer almost immediately without a hint of hesitation.
"Yeah! I like you lots so I'd be super bummed if you left all of a sudden!" His straightforward words left more room for confusion but most of all, it left room for a feeling full of warmth and relief. He could see right through antics; a sly smile appeared on his face. "You're so cute. Didja ask me just to hear that kind of answer?"
Arms wrapped around the waist and lips on the cheekâhe was warm. It felt warm.
"Maybe."
"Aww, don't act cryptic all of a sudden! I like it when you're more forward, yanno?"
In which Faust goes through the process of realizing that he does, in fact, like you.
â Faust x Sage!Reader
i. denial
People often saw Faust as a straightforward wizard; a no-nonsense type of guy. When it came to love, many assumed that he wasn't the type to beat around the bush. It would be a lie to say that their claims were false but there was a little misconceptionâgetting to that point is an entirely different story.
Today, Heath noticed something different with Faust. Perhaps it was a little mean to admit this but he couldnât help but nudge Chloe and whisper to his ear after sparing his mentor a glance. âDoesnât he seem⌠a little different today? Heâs smiling.â
âEh? Really?â Chloe tried to be discreet and turned his head to glance at Faust but Heath was quick to grab his head and turn it back to the way it was facing before.
âToo obvious!â He had a panicked expression on his face, silently exclaiming and hoping that Faust didnât hear or see anything that might prompt him to come closer. Chloe muttered a small apology and tried to get back into his normal demeanour. Heathcliff let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived when all of a suddenâ
âI can hear you two, you know?â
âF-Faust-senseiâŚâ Caught red-handed. Heath averted his gaze quickly and Chloe started fiddling with his fingers nervously. âWe werenât doing anything bad, really!â
âRelax. Iâm not accusing you two of anything.â A warm smile followed by a chuckle. The two young wizards stared at him blankly, trying to comprehend the sight in front of them. They looked at him and then at each otherâtheir expressions were saying: Huh?
Heath decided to bite. His curiosity getting the better of him, he just hoped that the question wouldnât be answered with hostility from his end. âFaust-sensei, youâre smiling a lot today. Did something happen?â
âHuh⌠Do I need a reason to smile?â
âI suppose not but⌠Itâs a little unusual if itâs you.â
âHey, whatâs that supposed to mean?â His tone was annoyed but his expression was anything but that. He still had a grin on his face, a little reminiscent of a friend teasing another. That made Heath and Chloe even more baffledâthat was one rare expression.
Chloe decided to bite next. His curiosity also got the better of him. However, this time, his question was more straightforward than the last and definitely something Faust wasnât expecting. âIs it related to the Sage?â
â... Huh?â His expression immediately fell as he cleared his throat.
Oh, bullseye. The two thought.
âWhat nonsense. I wonder what gave you that idea in the first place.â Truth be told, Chloe only overheard such information when he was hanging around Shylockâs bar. It was the twins who started blabbering about Faustâs love life, saying stuff like: OhâŚ! Faust is so hopelessly smitten with the Sage!
Chloe thought that Faust didnât need to know so he kept his mouth shut and thought of another excuse instead.
âYou seem really close. Plus, you always look happy whenever youâre with them!â Heath nodded along even though it was the first time he had heard of such a thing. He was doing a really good job hiding his surpriseâheâd have to pester Chloe for more details later.
Faust just shook his head, denying the claims with a vexed expression. âYou must be imagining it, thereâs no such thing.â
âReally?â
âYes.â
âReally?â
âHeath. Donât jump in.â
Heath let out a nervous laugh. Faustâs tone was stern but there was something underneath that made him want to prod into the matter more. âAre you sure you arenât just in denial?â
There was a prolonged pause from Faust.
Oh, he definitely isâthe two of them thought.
â... Thereâs no way.â The two of them fought the urge to say something in response after seeing his troubled expression.
ii. anger and bargaining
Anger wasnât the right word. Distraughtâyes, maybe, thatâs a better word to describe the way he was feeling. After that little interaction he had with Heathcliff and Chloe the other day, heâs been thinking about it nonstop.
He never thought of himself as the reckless type (after a certain point) but right now, he was considering doing something as reckless as turning back time. He shook his headâeven if he wanted to, there was no way he could so he was left lingering and pondering over his own feelings.
âIt canât be like thatâthereâs simply no way.â He tried reasoning with himself. If anyone saw himself talking to himself in the courtyard right now, they would think that heâd finally lost it after all those years of solitude.
âHey, hey! Whatcha doinâ out here?â Faust froze. Then a groan escaped his lips. Of all the wizards that couldâve walked in on him while he was having his dilemma, it just had to be one of the most annoying in the bunch.
â... Itâs nothing.â He cleared his throat and tried to iron out his scarf just to seem like he was doing something else rather than talking to himself. âI should be asking you the same question.â
As usual, Murr ignored his question and continued talking much to Faustâs displeasure. âIs it love problems?â
He cursed under his breath, how did this wizard always manage to hit all the sore spots? He looked away, his mind searching for an excuse to throw at him but what came out was a meek and pathetic attempt to deny it.
âNo. Itâs not loveâitâs definitely not love.â Faust insisted. Murr wasnât even talking anymore but he just kept going as if he was going back to the time he was talking to himself. âItâs gratitude. It must be something platonic. Itâs highly unlikely that itâs romantic.â
âNow youâre just trying to convince yourself.â Murr giggled, wrapping an arm around the Eastern wizardâs shoulders. Faust shuddered at the sudden contact but didnât do anything to stop him anyway. He continued, âWhy make things even more complicated than they are?â
âItâs not so simple that I can justââ
âItâs love! Everyone, Faust is in loâ Mmf!?â Faust had never moved so fast before. The panic that overtook him eventually settled after he slapped his hand over Murrâs mouth. He hated the way he could tell that the insufferable wizard was smiling underneath.
âDonât announce that! What if someone hears you!?â Slowly, he inhaled and removed his hand from his face.
âEhh? If it really wasnât true, you wouldnât be as frantic as you are right now. You could just easily clear it up later if someone misunderstands!â That smirk on his face was as infuriating as everyone else described it to be. âIt must be true if you donât want anyone else to know!â
âWhat sort of logic is that?â
âDunno, but it makes sense to me.â He laughed. âCâmon, donât be shy! The sooner you accept it, the sooner youâll feel better about it.â
Faust couldnât believe he was about to take love advice from Murr of all people.
iii. depression
âFaust, itâs been a few days. The Sage is getting worried.â Faust got up from his bed groggily. He could barely recognize that voice with the way his mind was still clouded from his sleep.
â... Cain?â Heâd stop responding if he turned out to be wrong.
âYes, itâs me. Are you alright?â
âArgh⌠Yes. You can tell the Sage Iâm fine.â He pushed back his bangs and let out a sigh before putting his glasses back on. If he was being honest, heâd been sleeping a little bit too much for the past few days.
âYou sure? The Sage wants to see you, you know?â If he was being honest, again, they were the last person Faust wanted to think about. Ever since he had that conversation with Murr, he was so distraught to the point that he shut himself inside his room and started overthinking everything.
After a long pause, he responded to Cain. âTell them Iâll see them soon.â
Of course, that was a lie. He was just going to spend more time wallowing on his own before he could finally reach the final stageâacceptance. He heard footsteps walk away from his doorstep and he breathed out a sigh of relief, thinking that he could finally go back to lying down.
That is until he heard a loud thud outside.
âOw, ow, ow⌠Thatâs one sturdy door you got there.â Faust jumped up and opened the door immediately after hearing Cainâs pained voice. There was no way the reliable Central Knight would try to break down his door by running towards it, right?
Unfortunately, he was met with Cain kneeling down on one knee and clutching his arm. The single thought that went through his head was none other than: What the hell?
âOf course it is. I put a curse on it so that it couldnât be openedâactually, no, thatâs not the point. What possessed you to run into the door!?â
âThe Sage told me to bring you over at all costs. Iâm just following what they said.â There was no way the Sage would issue that command, there was no reason for them to make such a demand. Of course, unlessâ
âUh, Faust? Youâre kinda spacing out.â
He didnât know anything for sure yet. Though the thoughtâthe possibilityâthat itâs the exact same case that he thought of was enough to make him feel warm. He hasnât even answered Cain yet but he was already drifting away with his thoughts.
âFaust?â
â...â
âFaustâŚ?â
â...â
âFaust!â
âH-Huh!?â He snapped out of it. A light hue of pink dusted his cheeks as he pinned his gaze awayâwas he so engrossed in his thoughts to the point that he couldnât hear Cain calling out for him?
Oh, this is bad.
Really, really bad.
There was really no use denying it at this point. The answer was painfully clear.
This isâ
iv. acceptance
âSage, did you want to see me?â They turned their head towards his direction as soon as they heard his voice. Faust felt his heart beat a little faster. From nervousness or anticipationâhe didnât know. He couldnât be bothered to think about the little details right now. He had much more pressing matters to attend to.
Such as how he was going to deal with the Sage.
âI did! Youâve locked yourself away in your room for a few days, I couldnât help but get worried.â It was concerning how happy Faust felt when he heard them say that they were worried for him.
Seriously, I should get a grip on myself. He couldnât afford to get distractedâhe had to let it out before it consumed him whole. He shook his head and tried to put on a normal expression but the corners of his lips kept curling into a small smile.
âSo you sent Cain to break down my door?â
âThat wasnât intentional! In the first place, I wasnât the one who told him to bring you overâit was Murr who gave him the idea.â Inside his head, Faust was groaning. Outside, he couldnât help but grin.
âReally? So you didnât want to see me?â
Ah, was that too forward?
âItâs nothing like that. I do want to see youââ His brain stopped listening from that point on. He really couldnât stop the way his eyes lit up and the familiar pink dusted his cheeks once more.
He took a step closer as he tried to ignore the way his heart was about to leap from his ribcage. Maybe it was reckless, maybe it was too straightforward but nobody ever said he was the type to beat around the bush after he came to terms with the fact that heâs fallen.
âIn that case,â his face was close, âIâll make sure to not stray too far from your sight.â
âYou donât have to go that farâŚâ
âItâs what I want.â He admitted. âDonât think that I decided all of this just for you. Itâs for me, too.â
âHuh?â
âI want you to look at me.â
Maybe heâll regret acting like this later on, or maybe he wonât. Though all he was certain of was the way he wanted them to go through the same cycle as he did before they would end up with the very same conclusion: Iâve fallen.
Someone needs to calm him down. Thankfully, the Sage is there to help the twins.
â super short! wrote this on a whim for a friend
"Mithra, dearest, you must calm down!" The situation doesn't look too goodâthat much, you can tell. Snow and White were too preoccupied trying to calm him down, clinging to his arm and legs as if their lives (although white is dead) depended on it.
So what happened? You thought back to what happened just a few moments ago. It barely provided any sort of coherent explanation. After all, Mithra just suddenly came storming out of his room with an angry expression with the twins closely following behind him.
He wasn't listening. No, not at all. Even the twins were beginning to give up seeing how stubborn he was being or perhaps they were getting prepared to make him stay through other means.
Ah, you shuddered. You didn't want to see such a sight. The northern wizards always said that the twins could be downright terrifying if they wanted to be.
"Let go."
"No, stay here...!" The two were pulling on his coat with all their might. Mithra clicked his tongue, and tried to walk away but oddly enough they were keeping him in place with just that. Were they using magic?
"Sage! Please talk some sense into him!" They pleaded, looking at them for any sort of aid or response. You jumped at the sudden request, snapping yourself out of your daze. Come to think of itâwhat were you even doing just standing around doing nothing?
"W-What do I do!?"
"Anything!" Snow exclaimed, "tell him something unexpected so he'll be caught off guard!"
Mithra summoned his magic tool and suddenly the timer started ticking.
One...
"Ah..."
Two...
"Umâ!"
Three...!
"Mithra! D-Do you wanna go on a date!?
A sigh of relief. Mithra set down his skull as a blank expression took over his face and the twins finally let go of him just to collapse to the ground.
"Huh?" He tilted his head, "right now?"
"I- I mean not right now butâ"
"If it isn't right now then I'll go continue what I was doing. Just tell me when later."
"Come to think of it! Haha, right now would be a good time! Impromptu dates are fun, aren't they!?"
Faced by the question and decision of swearing their devotion and love to you, what do they do? A promise that will bind them to you for eternity... Are they willing to go to such lengths for you?
Characters: Everyone (with the exception of riquet and mitile)
Note: I tried making everyone cute to the best of my abilities but some kind of just... slipped. Happy June Bride!
â Oz!
Oz pauses for a moment. He doesn't know what to say. He almost doesn't want to say anything in the moment after letting the thought sink into his mind. He was the most powerful wizard in the worldâhe already has enough weaknesses as it is with his injury and his love for Arthur but he already knew that you were one of them the moment he realised how helpless he was when it came to you. Asking him to promise you his unwavering loyalty and love was akin to making yourself a target for all his enemies to pounce on just to get a hold over him. He doesn't doubt his feelings for you. He knows that he'll be able to love you till the end of time and beyond but he wanted to make sure: are you certain? You kiss his doubts away gently and that's all he needed.
"Very well. If that is what you wish⌠I am yours for all eternity."
â Arthur!
He doesn't hesitate. Arthur treated you like his whole world; you were the most important thing to him and having him promise you such a thing brought him immense joy that it almost brings him to tears as he grasps your hands lovingly under the moonlight. He ran his thumb across the back of your palm gently and looked at you with a gaze so soft you could hardly believe that someone could love you this much. There was no one else present in this moment but you in his eyes as he lifted your hand and pressed his lips to your fingers.
"You don't need to ask. My heart has always been ready to love you forevermore."
â Cain!
He's surprised but his expression quickly broke into a huge smile. Sometimes, Cain acted as if he was human, forgetting that his wordsâhis promisesâheld so much weight behind them. You thought this was one of those instances but Cain merely shook his head and gave you his reassurance. Human, wizard, unicorn, or whatever entity he might beâit doesn't matter to him. In every universe he's in with you, with every version of himself that might exist out there, he'll always take your hand and vow to you. Like a knight swearing that he's hopelessly devoted to you for life.
"I'll protect you. I promise thisâI will never leave your side."
â Snow!
He didn't think you were serious the first time you asked him. He was sure you were doing it in the spur of the moment and got carried away by shallow desires that brought sadness to him when all he felt was pure unaltered love and desire to be by your side. He loved you, yes, but if you were asking him with even just a little smidge of doubtâhe'll turn you away. He wanted you to be certain. Snow always liked living in certainty; for things to remain constant once he's committed. He doesn't bode well with change and if there's just a small part of you that doubted him, he gets scared. He doesn't want things with you to end terribly. He already experienced far too much grief and pain that change brought to him.
"I'll wait for you. Be it a hundred years or another thousandâI want to see that your feelings for me will not change. But know that I hold you closer to my heart than anyone else⌠That is the reason why I want to be certain. I do not wish for an unhappy ending for both of us."
â White!
He's overjoyed but it was difficult to miss the hint of bitterness in his expression and tone when he replies to you. He wants toâso badly; so desperately to the point that he felt his heart ache despite being dead. He's driven by his emotions but the weight of reality is heavy on his shoulders and he couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He is not the same man he once was. He felt like he's merely a shadow of himself. A fragment of himself that he can't even tell if it's truly him or not. He wants toâHe can. But, are you prepared to accept him for everything he is as he stands? Even if this form of his is fleeting? If you are, then he'll take your hand and never let you go.
"If you're willing to have me for all that I am⌠I will respond to your feelings with much more fervour. Truly, I love you. I promise you nothing but my heart to be yours."
â Mithra!
Promises; Mithra knew not to make them. He thinks it's troublesomeâan unnecessary risk and a waste of time. However, when you asked him, he couldn't help but wonder if this was the equivalent of what marriage was to Tiletta when she was alive. A promise to love someone forevermore⌠His feelings are not one to waver. His feelings aren't fickle. They were stubborn just as he is and he couldn't help but think to himself that maybe promising himself to you wasn't as bad as it sounds. However, he wanted to make sure that you'd do the same for him. He doesn't want to love so passionately and be responded to by a lukewarm romance. He'd take it if he was desperate but he wantsâNorthern wizards when they want are terrifying.
"Your unwavering devotion and love. I want it. It's only fair if you promise me that too."
â Owen!
He wanted to dodge the question and disappear into mist but his body couldn't move and he couldn't bring himself to bark out another insult or a snarky comment to mock you. It was a futile question but you asked him anyway, you knew that he would always turn away and try to deny himself of his feelings to protect himself from such a vulnerability. But seeing him hesitate this much made your breath hitch because that proved that there was a part of him that was considering itâthat there was a part of him that wanted to swear his love to you, even if it's small. He thought for another minute and that's when it hit him. Why not bind you to himself instead? He wouldn't feel as vulnerable and your desire to be together for eternity will be fulfilled.
"What made you think I'd let myself be chained to you? Let's put it like this⌠Why don't I put a chain around your neck and bind you to me instead? Come on, promise me."
â Bradley!
He sputtered out incoherent noises for a moment and tried to make sure his ears weren't betraying him. The thought never occurred to him and thinking about it now was something he never thought he would do. Promising his eternal love for someone was heavyâfar too heavy for someone like him who liked the feeling of being free. Though it wasn't like he wasn't considering it. He loved you. Dearly. Passionately. Desperately. But a promise can be lethal to a wizard and he's recklessâwhat if he messes up? What if they take you to have something to hold over his head? What if he puts you in danger? What if he loses his magic and both of you end up getting killed? He doesn't know. He doesn't wanna know. He gives you a ring wordlessly as he slips it into your finger. He'll do this much.
"This ain't what yer probably expectin' but⌠Take it. I don't want ya to feel like I'm just half-assin' my feelings for ya."
â Faust!
Faust freezes and for a moment he allows himself to hope; to dream of a future with you by his side. He stopped himself and brought himself back to reality and looked at you with a difficult expression. He wanted to but a part of him was afraidâcoming to terms with his feelings for you was already difficult as it is but admitting that he wants to believe in something he feels like is out of his reach is something that makes him take a step back. His love was pure but uncertainty was something that stayed in his heart from years before.
"Please⌠Don't ask me such a difficult question next time. I cannot give you the answer I want to say."
â Nero!
It takes him a moment to process everything but once he did, he covered his face with his hands to try and cover the huge smile that took over his face. He was beyond happyâsomeone wanted to spend the rest of their life with him? The words may not be exact but he took them as words akin to a marriage proposal and all of a sudden he's left fantasising about what could be. A future with you⌠It doesn't sound so bad (he's ecstatic). He manages to face you with a calmer expression and gives you a smile.
"If you'll have me, I'd be glad to stay by your side. I'll stay for as long as you want me toâActually, no, scratch that. You'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life."
â Heathcliff!
His first reaction was his embarrassment telling him to run away but the sincere look in your eyes made him stay in place as he looked at you with an expression just as sincere as yours. He didn't want to respond to your feelings and questions half-heartedlyâhe didn't want to hurt you. Though how could he ever hurt you when his heart was already set on loving you for the rest of his life? It was difficult for him to say his answer but with the way he took your hand and placed it on his chest, just over where his heart was, you already knew his answer without another word from his lips.
"Of course⌠I can no longer see myself not being by your side. I love youâthat's a promise."
â Shino!
It didn't occur to him that it was a question you have to ask him. In his mind, it was already set to default. He didn't think that there was any need to ask. When he fell in love with you and when you accepted his heart, he already knew that he was bound to you for life. His love and devotion is yours for all time; his blade will have another purposeâto protect you. He just looked at you blankly and raised an eyebrow. All of a sudden the serious atmosphere between the two of you broke when he tilted his head.
"I thought that was already a given, though? No? Well, I'll say it for you if you want me to. My love, loyalty, and devotion⌠It's all yours forever."
â Shylock!
Shylock was no stranger to indulging selfish requests from all people but there was always a clear line he wouldn't cross unless it was for certain people. He yearned with all of his heartâdesperately and passionately. Asking him such a question was akin to asking him to walk straight into his doom. He knew that promising himself to you for all eternity will bring him immense happiness; he'll get addicted. It was as if he was tasting the finest wine he's ever had for the first time. How will he bear to let you go if those unspoken promises finally come to fruition? He'll never let you go. Not even after death.
"Fufu⌠After hearing such a passionate declaration of love for me, how could I bring myself to refuse you? Prepare yourselfâI won't hold back any longer."
â Murr!
His expression didn't change in the slightest. Or perhaps it did, a very miniscule one that escaped your eye. Murr was a mystery no one could solve; he was a constant unpredictable variable. Every word he said to you, every touch he left on your skin, and every kiss he gave youâthey were all mysteries. Even his answer to your question was a mystery. Not because he gave you a confusing response as usual but because he was silent. He didn't say anything and just continued smiling at you. For a split moment, you don't know if his eyes were downcast or it was just your eyes playing tricks on you.
"Really, really? You want me? Haha! Maybe that's a love that isn't so fruitless~!"
â Rustica!
Devoted; Rustica was a man full of undying love and devotion. He searched for his missing brides for years without any qualms. There might be a few hiccups here and there but it was undeniable that when Rustica loves, he loves wholeheartedly. Loving you was like a melody he couldn't get enough ofâeverything he does seems to remind him of you and he thinks to himself: so this is what it feels like to be in love with you.
"I can already hear the bells ringing for both of us. It's a precious melody meant for us⌠Love suits us well, doesn't it?"
â Chloe!
Chloe wasn't fully aware of the heavy weight of a promise is to a wizard. But his love is pure and he loved innocently, all he knew is how he wanted to be with you and nothing else. And that was enough reason for him to respond to you with a smile on his face as he nodded enthusiastically. He knew this is what he wantedâwith a wave of his hand, he'll create the perfect attire for the both of you for your ceremony. Oh? Was he being too hasty?
"Oh! I already know what we'd wear. You'd like a traditional white theme, rightâAh, wait! I never properly responded to you⌠Yes, a million times, yes! I love you!"
â Figaro!
He thought it was funny that you asked him, an elusive character, such a question. Tying him down to you with a promise of eternal love and unwavering devotion? He was hoping that your positions were switched where he's the one asking you that instead. He found himself unable to answer you as he ran a finger through his hair and let out a deep sigh. He avoided looking into your gaze but when his eyes finally wandered and saw yours, he felt a little bit of his resolve breakâhe felt like he was going crazy. Maybe he is going crazy. A smile crept up his face.
"Do you want me that much? It feels nice to be wanted⌠by you. Haha, I don't know anymore. Maybe I will. Take responsibility for me, okay?"
â Lennox!
He doesn't speak much but his actions said more than his words ever could. He knelt down on one knee as he took your hand and placed a kiss on your fingers. You know exactly what he meant and no trace of doubt was evident in your expression as your absolute trust and faith was placed on him. In turn, you raised his hand closer to your lips as well and kissed the back of his palm. You wanted him to know that you'd do the same for him.
"I love you, forever and always. You have my promise."
â Rutile!
He thinks of this moment as something that came out of a fairytale or a storybook he used to read to children. There was a time when he wondered if he'll ever have this kind of moment and he felt wonderful knowing it's you he was with when it happened. He let himself smile and broke into a fit of joyful laughter and giggles. The words you wanted to hear left his lips like honey you couldn't get enough ofâone more time, you want to hear his answer once more.
"Nothing would make me happier⌠I treasure you, I really do. I'd make a thousand promises if it meant making you happy."
What was it about him that made him different from all the other wizards? Was it his peculiar love for the moon? The way his soul got shattered by his love? Or the way he acts so familiar with you to the point that you couldn't help but grow to love the familiar warmth that would touch your skin when he's with you. Loving someone like him wasn't ideal, loving someone that already loved another will only end up disastrously â and to a wizard, loving is like a promise they can't break.
Loving him was difficult. He was far too spontaneous, cruel, and heartless. You could never tell what goes on inside his mind when he hums a little tune as he puts a hop in his step, you could only stare at him blankly as you wondered what it would be like to be loved as much as you loved him. Desire and greed â perhaps those two are the epitome of what makes a Western wizard, and he was someone who embodied that perfectly. His desire for the moon, and his greed to stay with the calamity for as long as his heart beats. For a split second, you couldn't help but think if he's grown on you when you caught yourself lacking with the thought of locking him up where he can't see the moon so he would finally look at you and only you.
But you already knew deep down that even if you locked him up in the deepest depths of the ocean with his hands and legs chained down, he would always look up and yearn for the one he cannot reach. It was laughable. In a way you were just the same as him. Chasing something that you can never have. He might look at you, only for a few moments before remembering where his heart lies. You caressed his cheek gently, your eyes full of pity and regret as he stared at you with shining, curious eyes.
"... You're cruel. So cruel to me." You rested your forehead against his, "you're all I've ever wanted."
He wrapped his arms around your figure and patted your back gently. He knew of your feelings, "there, there." He knew it all too well. His breath tickled your neck. "If you want me that badly, why don'tcha take your chance and become one with the moon?"
Owen stared at you, his mismatched eyes filled with curiosity after you managed to build up the courage to confess to him that you liked him. To Owen, love was still a fairly foreign thing to him â although there was no doubt that he didn't quite understand it well, there was a part of him that felt a little amused at the concept of it. After all, what sort of stupidity did it give someone to the point of losing all rationality in the name of love?
A mischievous look took over his expression. If there was one thing Owen was good at, it was getting on people's nerves â or minds, whichever was funnier to him. And unfortunately, your confession was just enough to inject ideas into his head. He tilted his head, making his voice as innocent as he could to fool you into thinking it was a genuine question: "why do you like me?"
It shouldn't be a hard question. In fact, it was far simpler than any of the mind-boggling questions he usually throws at you. Though you couldn't tell if it was his piercing gaze that made the words stick to your throat or if it was the sudden nature of his question. Owen relished in your confusion, he tried pushing you further and further as he took several steps towards you and backed you into a corner.
"You said you wanted me⌠why is that?" It's still not enough. Won't you dance and show him everything you've got for an answer? Let him lead you astray and paint your mind with his color. He smiled deviously as he cupped both of your cheeks with his hand and inched closer. "Hey⌠won't you answer me? I'm dying to know."
You froze underneath his touch as you stared deeply into his eyes. You couldn't move an inch. There was something hidden deep in his eyes that made you unable to move, it was as if you were marching to the beat of his drum. It was as if you were under the influence of some sort of magic â his magic. He taunted and taunted you, mocking your so-called "love" all while not realizing his eagerness to hear your answer to his question. Perhaps there was a part of him that genuinely wanted to know why you came to like someone like him. There's a possibility that he craved validation â that there was someone out there capable of loving someone like him.
But then again, it was Owen. He was a wizard, and wizards tend to be unpredictable. You could never guess the reason behind his actions and could never predict his next ones. You continued staring at him⌠closer and closer until there was no distance left and the only thing you feel is the warmth lingering on your lips.
â Commission for @satillquinart ! A Nero/Faust short fic đ Thank you for commissioning me!
Sleepless nights weren't so uncommon when it came to Faust, especially knowing how his injury from the Calamity was something he wasn't very fond of. He sighed, tracing his fingers along the marble pillars placed inside the mansion in the dead of the night. The moonlight shone down upon him so peacefully that he forgot it was the very being that inflicted this kind of injury on him â what an ethereal yet dangerous piece of rock floating in the sky.
He heard footsteps creep up behind him. Familiar ones that always put him at ease â the scent of smoked barbecue lingering in the air from tonight's dinner. It could only be him, he knew even if he hadn't turned around to face him. Faust sighed when the footsteps came to a stop and the figure started talking, "... Can't sleep again? I figured it would be one of those nights again so I got you some good alcohol to drink the night away."
"Nero," Faust turned to look at the wizard, his blue hair illuminated by the moonlight was a sight that took his breath away. He almost forgot his words for a moment when his eyes landed on the bottle of wine in Nero's hands. "Do you really think drinking is a solution to everything?"
"Oh calm down, Teach, I'm just tryna help you and here you are lecturing me. Don't you know when someone helps you, you usually say 'thank you' or something like that?" Nero chuckled, sitting down on one of the chairs on the balcony as he set down the bottled wine on the table. " 'Sides, Shylock gave this to me as thanks for helping me out the other day. I didn't wanna drink alone so I came to find you â fortunately enough, you're wide awake just as I am."
"Fortunately� You're thankful that I'm awake at this ungodly hour? What a strange thing to be grateful for." Faust replied sarcastically, but being with Nero was slowly easing away from his worries into oblivion. A strange sense of comfort whenever he's around, an unexplainable feeling rising in his chest whenever their banters would end with silly little remarks that could easily be misinterpreted as something different.
"It just means I get to talk to you more like this." Faust doesn't know how to interpret those words that came out of Nero's mouth, and it frustrated him a little â their silly little back and forth banters were something he wanted to label but was not ready to do so. Affection? Admiration? Amore? The bubbling feelings inside his chest were making it hard for him to deny it any longer.
Nero poured wine into the glass, urging Faust to sit down with him. "Come, come. Drinks are better when you have company." Faust sat down across him, taking hold of the glass with translucent wine inside â giving a vague reflection of himself and the moon. Nero gulped down a glass hastily, earning a grimace from Faust.
"You're not supposed to drink wine like that. It's not just some booze you can drink in one gulp, you have to savour it slowly." Faust lectured him as he took a small sip from his own glass. Nero just laughed, propping his elbow on the table and placing his chin on the palm of his hand. Faust raised his brow, "What's so funny?"
"Nothin'... Just thought that maybe if I did something stupid it would get your mind off things."
"Charming," Faust replied curtly, but there was no denying that his heart leapt a little at his words. His hands felt a bit shaky, each second he spent with the eastern cook made his heart fall and fall â enough to the point that maybe this was really what love is. "You were right, though, it did get my mind off things. It seems like you know me a little too well."
"Do I? Maybe you're just a bit predictable, Teach."
"Is that an insult?"
"Nah, it's just me saying that it's easier for me to get closer to you this way. You always have a wall surrounding your heart and shutting everyone out, so I'm glad you decided to let me in."
Faust paused.
"I don't mind letting you stay there forever."
"What? Like in the corner of your heart or something? Gee, thanks."
"No, you can take up as much space as you want. I'll let you stay, and I'll let you take over, even." Faust was embarrassed to say such words. And Nero was even more embarrassed when his cheeks suddenly flushed red at the realization â but maybe that was just the wine talking.
"Hey, hey⌠What possessed you to say that kinda stuff? Damn⌠Caught me off-guard." Nero cursed, burying his face into the palm of his hands. A futile attempt to hide his bashful expression, he was incredibly happy upon hearing those words but he was the type to not let it show so easily.
"What, so now you're the one who's embarrassed?" Faust teased, the smallest smirk gracing his expression â a little tipsy from the wine Shylock gave Nero. "Maybe Shylock infused the wine with some sort of magic, who knows? Western Wizards tend to be pranksters after all."
"Aah, shit. You've got to be kidding me." Nero ruffled his hair, his hair was now dishevelled and his expression was short of nothing but embarrassed. The moonlight did nothing but make him all the more ethereal and didn't bother to cover up his face with the night's darkness. He stood up from his place, stepped closer to Faust and leaned over until their faces were only centimetres apart.
"Hey, Faust, don't make me say it out loud. It's embarrassing enough."
"I'm not asking you to say anything though, that's entirely on youâ!?" Faust was cut off when Nero crashed his lips against Faust's, the kiss was slow and gentle despite the rough way Nero initiated it. Faust could taste the wine on his lips and couldn't help but heat up at the sudden development of events. He melted into the kiss, much to his disappointment. He fell right into love's trap.
Amore. The night is still young. The moon is your only witness. Let your hearts sing and dance to its content.
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If I had to give the long version of my answer I probably would've made a powerpoint presentation instead đ§ I don't know how I can summarize everything in a good way so my actual answer would have to wait until later until I know how to put my thoughts into words more coherently or I finish my Shylock powerpoint.
So for now the answer you're gonna get from me is from someone who just woke up from a nap five minutes ago so... Actually I cannot think right now I love everything about him âŁď¸ from the way he speaks to the way he has so much love wtf i hate this dude hold on đ
If someone had to describe what Mithra was like in 4 words, âa picture-perfect guyâ would probably do him the most justice. Itâs undeniable that the wizard himself is attractive to an extent with such a pretty face. But if someone had to stay with him for a day or two, that person would say that such a perfect looking guy was too good to be true â Mithraâs behaviour was a far cry from being pretty or perfect. Especially when you catch him shoving a live fish into his mouth first thing during lunch.
âMaster Sage,â God, you wished you werenât attracted to his voice after seeing him do that. Mithra tilted his head, his tired eyes gazing at you with a slight air of curiosity as he licked his fingers messily. âYouâve been staring for quite a while, is there something on my face?â
You wanted to point out the mess he made out of himself. With that dark, muddy goo dripping from his fingers and staining the corner of his lips like a toddler playing with its food. You heaved a sigh, grabbing a handkerchief from your pocket after you set down your book. Mithra may be one of the strongest wizards in the world but there were times like these that made you think that he was more like an overgrown baby more than anything else.
Wordlessly, you extended an arm towards him â the pure white handkerchief in hand. Mithra merely tilted his head once more, âSage?â
"You got a little bit of⌠something there." You paused midway, unsure of what to call the substance as you nudged your extended arm towards him again. The confused light in his eyes seemed to go away and was replaced with his usual tired expression, you wondered when was the last time he was able to sleep seeing as how he hadn't whisked you away for himself this week. Usually, he would've dragged you to his room and made you stay with him until he fell into a deep slumber.
But your thoughts were cut off when Mithra opened his mouth and said something that made your eyes widen. He said, "Then, please wipe it for me."
You weren't sure if he was being serious or not but knowing him, he wasn't one to joke around like that. You felt your cheeks flare up at the request, you considered doing it for him judging how he was polite enough to say please but, no â wait! That wasn't the problem here! You stammered out, "W-what? You can do it yourself."
Mithra raised his arms, showing off his dirty hands while directing his gaze at you. Despite him not saying a single thing, you knew exactly what he was saying: 'My hands are dirty. I'll just get the whole handkerchief dirty if I touch it.'
You sighed. Giving in to the reasonable excuse as you lifted the handkerchief towards his lips, trying your best to make your heart stay calm. Your arm trembled slightly as you started wiping the corner of his lips, unconsciously leaning over for a closer look. There wasn't a lot to clean up but it still took a few seconds until you finally finished and looked up. There, you froze up.
Your faces were close â too close. At this proximity, you could start counting his long lashes and feel his breath hover over your skin like a ghost. You didn't know why you didn't pull away immediately, but there was something about his emerald eyes that made you want to close the gap as if it hypnotized you. Countless thoughts consumed you during that split second until you heard the doorknob turn. Panicked, you backed away immediately and threw the handkerchief at his face.
"Huh? What the hell were you guys doin'?" It was Bradley that interrupted the moment, you breathed out a sigh of relief and told him a silent thanks for butting in. If it weren't for him, you might've done something you'd regret.
"Nothing! I should be going now, bye!" You squeaked out in an unnatural tone. Storming out of the room as you left the two Northern wizards to themselves. Bradley only had a confused expression decorating his face.
Mithra let out an irritated sigh. "Bradley, should I kill you right here?"
"The moonlight becomes our guidepost in the darkness."
cw: vampires, mentions of blood and biting
Faust had never been too fond of humans, even as a vampire, especially when they had done something utterly terrible to him all because he was a vampire. Though who could really blame them? Vampires were always said to be merciless creatures of the night constantly on the hunt for humans to prey on.
Not Faust though, he would rather shut himself inside his house and drink an animalâs blood instead of drinking a humanâs bloodâthere was no need to hesitate when it came to that topic with Faust. But, Faust, down to the very core, is someone kind hearted and that aspect of him had never changed throughout all of these years.
Thatâs when you entered the picture, accidentally stumbling upon his home after running from the ferocious creatures of the night, seeking help from anyone in fear of having your life being taken away that night. Faust wasnât heartless, for he knew well that letting an innocent human die in front of his gaze when he couldâve done something was something he didnât desire in the slightest. And because of that, you were saved by him.
Ever since that day, youâve been visiting him almost everyday to show him your thanks but each time you offered he would refuse it no matter whatâsaying that the biggest thanks he could get from you is if you leave him alone though you refused. Your persistence became something constant in his daily life, finding himself opening up to you more as time passed and you came to know the real him underneath those walls you managed to crumble down.
Even if he was fond of you, there was no changing the fact that he wouldnât drink blood from you. Not because he was revolted or anything of the sort but the fact that he didnât want to hurt you, not even when you offered him your blood yourself. But there was one instance he desperately tried to forget.
That one time you pricked your finger, blood trickling down your finger as Faust picked up a sweet scent from the distance, recognizing the faint smell as blood. When he rushed over to you, asking if you were okay, he took your hand and licked away the remaining blood trickling down without another thoughtâhis tongue making contact with your skin, making your cheeks heat up.
He snapped out of it shortly after, apologizing for his actions when he wasnât in the right mind. Yet you only shot him a cheeky grin, refusing to let him forget what happened.
Heath came from a long line of noble vampires respected among their own kind. With beauty that could instantly trap someone within his gaze alone, you wouldâve never expected him to be as shy as he is.
Despite what you expected him to be, he was a vampire who was a gentleman that invited you to his manor after seeing you lost in the woods like a little lamb. You took his hand, expecting him to ask something in return for ensuring your safety but much to your surprise, it was fairly⌠normal. He treated you like an honored guest from afar, letting you feast in his manor and having the butler prepare a room for you inside his manor, and even going as far as to prepare a new set of clothes for you to change into.
Truth be told, he was nervous. He wasnât well-versed when it came to humans having grown up surrounded by other vampires himself, he didnât know if he was doing things right by treating you this way. He always held some sort of fascination towards humans and seeing one in person did nothing but make his heart race, as if he was a child seeing a real life fairy tale unfold in front of him. Despite the many warnings about humans Faust gave him, it wasnât as if he could just shake away that bubbling curiosity.
Once the next evening arrived, you bid him farewell as he told you that you were free to come back any time for he had enjoyed your company. With blue eyes gazing at you with something as tempting as the apple Eve bit, you decided to bite.
Frequently, you would come back to his manor without telling anyone from your villageâstaying night after night, intoxicated in his presence that youâve come to grow fond of. Unfortunately, much to your disbelief, the villagers from your home thought otherwise. Thinking that you were under the influence of a spell, they barged into his manor and tried to take him down.
Heathcliff took a heavy hit from one of the men holding a weapon by protecting you. Panicked, you offered him your blood. Naturally, he refused and tore his gaze away from you with his wound still bleeding mercilessly.
Fed up, you held him close to you, his face buried into the crook of your neck as you pleaded him silently. Defeated by your pleas, he pierced his fangs into your neck as he muttered a silent apology.
A halfling born out of the love between a vampire and a human. Heâs often looked down upon by the vampires just for that very sole reason but that mattered little when he dedicated his life to hunting down vampiresâa vampire hunter, if you will. He didnât harbour any hate towards vampires in particular, it was more of adjusting to what suited him best. Money makes the world go round, and it was just luck that there are a lot of bounties posted up.
That didnât exempt him from his bloodthirst. So when you first went with him for a quest, you were suddenly shocked at the way he knelt over and hacked out coughs in between breathsâas if he was suffering from withdrawal. He tends to forget about such desires of his, it could very well be the cause of his sudden death one day.
You were more than surprised, wondering what to do in this situation as your mind went at a million miles per second. Was the best course of action to give him a bit of your blood? You winced at the idea, rolling up your sleeve as you extended your arm towards him, as if to urge him to bite you and drink your blood. He scrunched up his face, pushing your arm away all while saying: âI donât need it.â
Stubborn as he was, you frowned when he kept on insisting that he didnât need it when he obviously looked like he was about to faint any moment. Having said that, Shino was stubborn until the end of your job with himâcollapsing to the ground with barely enough strength to sit himself up. You wanted to give him blood right then and there but you didnât want to do anything he wouldnât want and keeping on refusing to feed on you mustâve meant something⌠right?
You wrapped his arm around your shoulder and carried him back into town where he was treated, fortunately. You went into his room to check up on him to ask him a few things, curious as to why he refused you until the very endânot expecting his answer at all. If youâd known back then you wouldâve left him there for his answer was none other than:
âYour blood doesnât seem tasty.â
bcs i hate nero stannies
Nero had no qualms drinking blood from humans despite harbouring hatred towards vampires after he got turned into one by someone, a human turned into a vampire⌠that was an ability only reserved for purebloods. He was unlucky enough to stumble upon one, unknowing of its true nature.
Even so, he never liked the idea of baring his fangs at you. Heâd rather find something else to prey on rather than hurting you. Although, with how you constantly offer yourself up to him, it was only a matter of time until he took the bait and lost control over himself. And when the thread holding his patience suddenly snapped, you were more than happy to let him indulge in you.
His fingers traced your neck slowly as they sent shivers down your spine, becoming fond of the electrocuting feeling it gave youâyour heart racing faster and faster once he buried his face into the crook of your neck, taking in your scent. He whispered, âSorry about this.â
And he finally bit down, not sparing another moment after breathing out those words as you felt a piercing pain bite down on your flesh. The wave of pleasure only came shortly after as you wrapped your arms around his neck, urging him to drink his fill with blood trickling down from your neck to your collarbones.
And when he finally pulls away, he stares at the mess youâve become. A sheepish grin took over his face as he leaned closer once again, sticking his tongue out playfully, and asked you: âWant me to clean up the mess for you?â
You like cats? What a coincidence, Owen likes them too.
"Meow," the last syllable dragged on from his lips as he looked at you straight in the eye. The flustered look on your face was enough to put a satisfied smirk on his faceâcurious, he only said one thing and yet, you reacted so violently. He raised an eyebrow. He grew more curious, more mischievous, wanting to see your reactions if he perhaps pushed more.
"W-What would suddenly push you to say something like thatâŚ" You let out an exasperated sigh. Trying to get yourself out of Owen's presence before he tries anything funny. Though he wasn't letting you off easily especially when he wanted to test out something for his own amusement.
"You seem to like cats a lot." He took a step closer to you. You took a step back. You felt your heart quicken as his smirk widened when he recited his spell:
"Cur Memini."
A small cloud of smoke appeared around you, engulfing your senses into a hazy reality and the next thing you knewâsomething soft was wrapping itself around your wrist. You almost let out a shriek had it not been for Owen quickly pressing his palm against your mouth, promptly shushing you. You felt the heat spreading in your face when your vision slowly adjusted as the smoke faded away.
A pair of furry ears appeared on the top of his head, twitching slightly as you realized his tail was wrapped around your wrist loosely. Owen tilted his head at you slightly, his lips forming a thin line. You let out a stuttered gasp, what happened? You barely had time to connect dots together as Owen opened his mouth and let out a small meow.
"Nya~" his tail let go of your wrist and took another step closer to you. This time, you couldn't back away.
"Do you like me better this way? With the cat ears and a tail? HeyâŚ" His breath fanned your neck.
