Hi, my name is Luna and this is where I'll be posting and sharing links to my fics. I recently decided to accept some writing requests so please read the rules before proceeding
wordpress / AO3 / main blog
»»——————— General Blog Info ———————««
Ask Box: CLOSED
Submissions: OPEN
Requests: CLOSED
Fandoms I'm Familiar With:
SINoALICE
Fate/Grand Order and other related franchises
Library of Ruina
Distortion Detective
Limbus Company [NEW]
Jojo's Bizarre Adventures
Houseki no Kuni
Twisted Wonderland
»»——————— Requests Guidelines ———————««
NOTE: Will update periodically whenever needed. As of [6/2/2022], I've updated a bit on the characters I'll be taking request for.
I write:
SFW
NSFW
Fluff
Angst
Hurt/Comfort
AU
Crossover (only fandoms I am familiar with)
Dialogue
Interactions
Headcanons
I don't write:
Incest
R/pe
Pedophilia
Abuse
Pregnancy
Accepting Requests for:
SINoALICE
All Characters
Twisted Wonderland
Most of them except the NRC staff and RSA people
Fate/Grand Order
Most of the Servants from Fuyuki up to LB3 (I haven't read much of LB4 onwards)
[Hallooooo~ this was supposed to be finished last month but some stuff came along and now here we are. Pinocchio's adventures continue and I tried to incorporate a bit of the vignette and story beats in the game but the deviations are beginning to appear here.
Thank you for reading and hope to get Ch3 out before another life moment happens again hahaha]
Fandom: SINoALICE, Twisted Wonderland
Rating: T
Warnings: N/A [for now]
Stripped of a father to lay down his path,
Pinocchio is in search of another
That will set his course straight.
Two strange dolls enter the scene
Telling him of a way to get what he wishes.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
“All Pomefiore students, follow me.”
The Housewarden (the beautiful blonde named Vil Schoenheit) calls for the students behind him, leading the group like a mother hen guiding his fledglings into another room with even more mirrors. Seven large standing mirrors to be exact, all placed in its own alcoves, decorated with its own unique frame, bearing the sigil of their respective dormitories atop.
Pinocchio‘s peers (he’s allowed to call them his peers, right?) stare and gawk at the majesty of the mirror before them, one decorated with gems upon its steps and the image of a peacock cradling the mirror within its fanciful wings. Beside its head is the sigil of the dorm he’ll be staying in.
“Pome… fiore…,” The name comes out effortlessly in the otherwise tense lips of the puppet.
The earlier ordeal comes back to him like a wave, still fresh in his mind, shaking his head the guilt that comes with it.
-----
Grim was not happy.
Not happy at all.
After getting sorted into Pomefiore, Grim had begun to make his presence even louder and annoying for the rest to finally turn their attention towards the little critter. “Mrahh! Lemme go!” He shifts and turns in the Headmage's grip, reaching his paws out towards the Dark Mirror. “Lemme get sorted too!!”
Pinocchio's face contorts once again, lost and confused at Grim's desperate attempts to be accepted into school. The puppet lacked the understanding of its importance, or maybe he had no real way of knowing its value. School had been something Pinocchio was hesitant to approach, what with the many children that vie for attention and adults that are one too happy to whip their rulers on naughty children's hands. The thought makes him shiver.
The headmage, on the other hand, was getting annoyed at Grim's insistence. “Clearly, pets like you are not meant to become students in a prestigious school such as Night Raven College,” he begins his terribly long speech, about ready to approach Pinocchio. He didn‘t bother to notice the puppet’s eyes widen in horror as the Headmage stretched his arm towards him with a grumpy Grim in hand, palms sweating and frozen in place.
“Mroww!! I don’t need some wimpy babysitter looking after me!!” Grim makes another hissy fit, shaking all around just to get out of the Headmage's grip.
It hurt Pinocchio a bit. Grim didn‘t like him, not even a bit of remorse in his voice. He’s used to not getting along with company but to think even a talking cat had as much distaste for the puppet as the others he‘s encountered in the Library. Then again… Pinocchio wasn’t so sure he wanted to follow around Grim if it counted the most. Grim’s finicky and brash, ready to show off, ready to burn, ready to destroy. If not careful, Pinocchio would be at the crossfire, burnt to ash mercilessly and without care. It makes him panic, screaming internally, fighting his bare instincts to give in and take him back from the Headmage.
But he didn‘t want to take him back, he didn’t want to be responsible for another’s life. He wouldn‘t know what to do with himself already, adding another to his plate felt like too much work than he’s capable of. He needed someone strong to tell **him** what to do, not the other way around. He dislikes this.
He dislikes this.
He dislikes this.
He dislikes this.
He hates it.
He—
“I don't want to keep him—!” Pinocchio suddenly blurted out, hands thrown to cover his mouth. He suddenly felt sick, acting out of his own free will so carelessly. Words spoken without thought had its consequences, a responsibility he must carry and the guilt that comes with making a bad decision.
Unfortunately for the poor puppet, he could never pull back what had been said, watching as the Headmage drew his eyebrows close in anger, “Well, why didn't you say so!” He didn't wait for Pinocchio to stutter a response, already bringing Grim out the room and down the long corridor, Grim's rancorous pleas echoing into silence.
No one bothered to think any further, business as usual for the many, Grim all but forgotten the moment the Headmage has made the exit.
-----
Pinocchio still trembles at the memory. Who knows what the Headmage did to Grim. That weirdo bird man must've disposed of the cat but didn't want to make any more messes in that room again. There were already enough scorched marks, ashes and a gaping crater that his companion lovingly made him create sitting around the room. The groups all but ignored it, leaving the clean up to whomever was willing enough to fix everything. No one bothered to tell him to do it, Pinocchio wasn’t even sure if he liked the idea of cleaning up. The idea was left with the ashes once the crowd made their exit.
“Did you not hear me, freshman?” Came the voice of Vil Schoenheit, dragging Pinocchio‘s thoughts back to the present. “Your peers have already stepped through the mirror and yet here you are, head above the clouds, twiddling your fingers like you’re in trouble again.”
Vil‘s arms are crossed, face contorted into a frown unbefitting of someone of his stature. Then again, Pinocchio had seen all manner of beauty being contorted in a face just like his. It reminded him of people like Snow White and Cinderella, whose beauties are always twisted in anger and malice respectively. Pinocchio is no judge, he could never be able to judge for himself, he hated making decisions based on subjectives.
Once again lost in his own head, Vil’s frown deepens, as if proving his earlier point. Grabbing the puppet by the arm, he drags him through the Mirror. The surface ripple as they enter, disturbing the stillness like a droplet on the water’s surface. Underneath its silvery surface reveals to them the interior of the dorm, a fanciful room full of expensive furniture colored in gold, white and purple. Standing out amongst it is the pop of red silken curtains drawn to the side, revealing a beautifully decorated throne, the peacock sitting on top of the large imposing chair, its golden tail stretched out in a circle like the sun.
The students have already begun to converse with one another, exchanging names and congratulations. The sight makes Pinocchio gulp down a lump of nervousness. “Now, be good and wait here with the others while we prepare for the welcoming party.” Vil lets go of his arm, the command ringing strong within his mind that Pinocchio's response came out one second too late as the Housewarden makes his way outside. The students once again gawk and gasp in awe at the sight of their Housewarden, making way just for him as if it was only natural. Now out of sight, all pairs of eyes turn to the puppet.
“That was… Vil Schoenheit.” One student began to speak, eyes still trembling from beholding the sight of Vil.
“Did our humble Housewarden escort you here?” Another student said, closing the distance between him and Pinocchio who has remained where he is, looking as panicked as ever.
“Say, aren’t you the one who caused that awful crater in the Mirror Chamber?” Another one approached, suddenly standing beside him.
“W-wait—,” Pinocchio‘s pleas fall on deaf ears as excited students surround him, asking questions here and there and all around. This was wholly different from how he’s received in the Library. Every interaction with the others were always mixed, met with indifference, force , murderous intent or all three at once. There was no rest in the Library, and this school was no different.
Turning his attention down towards his ear, Pinocchio seeks the aid of his mean companion who has been uncharacteristically silent since after using him in the Mirror Chamber (he now knows that it‘s called the Mirror Chamber). Not a single peep nor degrading comment came out, not even a vulgar complaint from the noise, only silence… and loud snoring. ‘Sleeping at a time like this?!?’
Temptation to run away gnaws his mind but his conscience rejects the very thought, his body paralyzed for attempting to disobey. Even a miniscule, lingering thought was enough to put the puppet down like restraints, chained in place as if punished for committing a sin. Pinocchio was half-tempted to summon his hammer once more, disturb his awful companion’s slumber and make space for him while he patiently waits for Vil to come back. He slowly raises his hand…
… but another voice interjects. “Oh dear, our students seem to be preoccupied with our little late comer.” A new person comes into view, another tall man with blonde hair and brilliant green eyes. His smile widens as the students turn their attention towards him, mesmerizing the crowd, bright and open compared to that of the Housewarden whose presence immediately screams obey. “Ah, it warms my heart to see everyone get along so well on the first day! Trés bien!”
The boy beside him, however, gives him a strained expression, tempted to disagree but bit back the comment. His face looked too soft for someone so restrained from speaking his mind, instead letting the others carry on with their merry conversation.
“Ah, it’s the Vice Housewarden, Rook Hunt!” One exclaimed in excitement, hand now placed in his chest as he bows in respect. “It‘s an honor to be able to speak to you.”
Pinocchio and the soft-faced student beside Rook nearly dropped their jaws. “What?! He’s the Vice Housewarden?” His surprised gasp came out before Pinocchio could utter a single stutter.
Rook turns to the boy beside him, surprise written on his face but the abundantly approachable aura has not dimmed for a second. “Epel, were you not listening to my introduction at the ceremony?” His narrowed eyes betrayed a devious glint, lips drawn back into a knowing smile. “My, how naughty.”
Epel grumbles to himself, something low enough that Pinocchio couldn‘t quite catch but not enough to escape the ears of the Vice Housewarden… but Rook remains as jolly as usual, one confident hand on his hip, “Well, enough of that. Follow me, our beautiful Pomefiore flower buds, let us be seated and feast!”
In the blink of an eye, a beautiful long table stretches far across the room. Plates and dessert trays full of exquisite-looking food lay down on the white tablecloth. Students once again stood in awe (how many more times will they be surprised?) before taking their seats, Pinocchio following suit.
In front of him was a fancy-looking bowl with water inside it. Pinocchio looks left and right, waiting for someone to tell him what exactly to do. No one seemed to pay him any mind, so his hands were left resting on his lap.
Glug. Glug!
The echoing of liquid down one's throat, and a not-so-satisfied pahh!. Attention was once again drawn towards Epel, who's just finished drinking the now emptied bowl in hand. Was... that what you're supposed to do?
It didn't take another second until the others made their thoughts heard.
“Whaaaaaat?”
“Did he just drank from the finger bowl?!”
Clueless, Epel hadn't realized his mistake yet, sharing questioning glances at his peers. “What? Why's everyone staring at me for?!”
“Monsieur Pomette...” Rook begins, an ominous silence following after.
Epel nearly chokes from air. Carefully, he responds, “Yes...?”
The silence goes on for more than a couple of seconds, digging deeper into Epel ( and everyone else's) psyche, a build up of panic that worries everyone in the room. What felt like hours of waiting was met with joyous laughter, “Monsieur Pomette, you are quite the jokester!” Rook seemed to brighten up the more he laughed. “Drinking all that water meant for washing your hands.”
The others seemed to follow in the laughter, all tension having dispelled in an instant. Everyone began thanking Epel, able to enjoy the food on the table.
Meanwhile, Pinocchio's jaw must've gone slack from how quick the mood has shifted that it's giving him a sizable headache. He wonders how far he'll survive this place, how long it'll take for him to find a way back to the Library before he'd end up leaving here with new tableside manners picked up. They were the least bit useful in his original goal but he needed to learn while staying here.
With little to no choice (as if the puppet could make any), he'll just have to fit in as best he could.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
After such a long and awful day, Pinocchio drops dead onto the bed, letting out the groan he could not dare voice in the presence of the Housewarden. With the welcoming dinner and room assignments out of the way, Pinocchio had decided for himself (if being told to retire for the night is considered his own decision) to make a hasty retreat into what was soon to be his temporary living space. Physical and mental exhaustion finally caught up to the puppet, but sleep didn't come to take him just yet.
Questions swirled in his mind, questions that continue to be left unanswered but none could ever give him what he sought for. How did he get here? How can he go back? Is there even a way? It goes on and on like a merry go round eternally stuck in a loop. The ride never ends and he wants to step off now. It all seemed like a confusing mess with no singular and clear path ahead.
He turns the other way, back facing the wall. His room, much like all the other rooms in Pomefiore, is well decorated. It's not as grand as the one in the lobby but it was enough to remind him how he should always carry the elegance and grace it represents. He supposes that blood and viscera isn't the most sparkling depiction of elegance. But what does he know?
All he knew for now was how his vision slowly darkened and sleep soon following behind. There was no more time to think, he had classes tomorrow.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
The next day arrived and no sooner than expected, the poor puppet already ran himself into quite the predicament. Passing through the dorm mirror, he had no way of knowing where the classrooms were. Worse, he had no idea what his classes were about. ‘Did you live in some backwater country with no proper education?’ Vil would ask the poor puppet, anger radiating in his pretty purple eyes. Of course, Pinocchio’s home is anything but a backwater country, but it had its moments.
The poor puppet only knew the path between the dorm mirrors to the Mirror Chamber. Even as he saw students loitering about in both areas, the moment they noticed the time, they began picking themselves up and leaving for their own classes.
Pinocchio should, too. He's been wandering back and forth these two specific rooms without changing course, afraid he'll end up someplace different again. Farther and farther away from the library he'd go, with no way of knowing how to reverse his course.
He shakes away the thought, turning his focus back to the present. He ponders over following the students wearing the same colored vest as him, fellow Pomefiore students casually walking about to who knows where. Clueless to where the classrooms were, Pinocchio made the decision to (he reassured it wasn't a decision he made on his own) trail behind a group of students, hoping they’d end up in the classrooms.
Whispers exchanged between the boys, subtle glances back at the puppet as he awkwardly follows behind them. They took notice… or they willfully ignored the puppet‘s odd behavior. The boys continue on their merry way with a stowaway in tow, taking some turns here and there, through the large double doors and out into the school’s main street. Did the poor puppet end up closer or farther to his intended destination? He couldn‘t say for sure.
The outside was quieter than expected, stone brick road so wide it welcomed all that sets foot in this prestigious school. Along this stone brick road, Seven imposing statues that seemed to mock Pinocchio without even looking his way, stood proudly on both sides. Lost, alone and without a decent guide, Pinocchio lets out a whimpering groan, hanging his head low in defeat...
…
Yaaaaaaaawn!!
The sound suddenly came from his ear, gaining the questioning looks of his peers as he suddenly jumped in surprise. Could it be?
“Oh man, that was a good sleep.” His companion drawled out in its sleep-heavy state, smacking its lips as if chewing out the drowsiness that still plagues itself.
“Y-you're awake!” Pinocchio nearly screams, the already questioning looks becoming more judgmental, turning away from the overjoyed puppet cradled nothing but the ugly earring on his ear within shaking palms. “Thank goodness you're—”
“Quit yer yapping already!”
... and immediately, Pinocchio begins to regret lamenting over his companion the way he did. Despite having such a nice, long slumber, the first thing his companion decided to do was spew insults at the poor puppet, its words still as venomous as ever.
It pauses for a moment, eyeing their surroundings with narrowed eyes, frown deepening as it looks left and right. It almost looked comical to others, but to Pinocchio, it was like watching someone sharpen their knife. Slow but deliberate movements, the back and forth motion like waves on the beach.
After so long of waiting, students thinned out by the time it finished its pondering, finally locked eyes with the puppet. Then… another long and dreadful pause, the tension beginning to kill Pinocchio on the inside. “Please, just... say something—”
“I can't stand these ugly ass statues!” It began to cackle maniacally, “Let‘s break ‘em!”
“W-wait a minute—!!” Pinocchio immediately interjects, his pleading to his companion‘s brash decision-making only met with louder cackles. Although he was desperate to find someone to pull his invisible strings, the last thing he needed at the moment was to get himself into deeper trouble.
“Uh, dude… who are you talking to?”
Someone new enters the scene, a redheaded young boy with a red heart over his right eye.
Pinocchio felt like his joints popped off from every direction, turning around at the stranger in a panic. His wide red eyes stared at the puppet, arm raised defensively across himself. “W-woah there, buddy! I just asked who‘re talking to!” Pinocchio could hear his distinct ‘tsk’ before shaking his head in disappointment.
A string of apologies left the mouth of the puppet, all to the annoyance of the redhead before him. He cuts him off, scratching the back of his neck. “Alright, alright. Sheeeeeesh, if you like talking to yourself that much, then just say so!”
“Eh? N-no! It was th-the staff!” The redhead didn‘t look too convinced with his explanation but Pinocchio continues anyway, pointing at the statues along the road. “I-it told me to break those statues! I-I didn’t want to though!!” He continued to explain, growing more frantic, words melding so close together it becomes indistinguishable to the next.
Regret begins to set in the redhead‘s face, muttering underneath his breath, ‘This guy‘s a total nutcase…’. Whatever plans he had in mind has been thrown out the window that very moment, pinching the bridge of his nose contemplating whether to leave him alone or not. Looking back at the puppet, it seemed that Pinocchio was about ready to burst out crying if he dared take a single step back. He groans, “Alright, alright, apology accepted. Geez, what the hell did I get myself into?”
It was far too late for him to begin questioning his decisions as Pinocchio brightened up at his kind words. It appeased the puppet but it did little to make the other feel any better. Still, it stopped him from spewing out apologies.
“Th-thank you! Um… what‘s your name?” Pinocchio tilts his head to the side.
“It’s Ace… Ace Trappola…,” the young man grumbles his response. “And you‘re that guy that caused a bigger ruckus at the ceremony, yeah?” Ace suddenly had a big grin on his face, watching the shock cross Pinocchio‘s face. His mood shifts, arms on his waist as a smirk slowly crept up his lips.
“I-it wasn’t my idea! It was the staff—”
“Suuuure, that ugly looking staff that you snuck in that time.” Ace snorts, holding back from bursting out laughing. Pinocchio makes it too easy for him to tease, like a lost child he wants to mess around with before he goes back crying to his mother. Unlike that imaginary child, Pinocchio is a fellow freshman.
“Oh man, is that staff actually your imaginary friend or something? Are you in kindergarten or something?” Ace bursts out laughing at that point, tears in his eyes at the displeasure of Pinocchio. Much to the ignorance of Ace, that very staff is within earshot, his insults as expected were not so accepted by it.
“Oi,” Pinocchio‘s companion calls out, a sinking feeling beginning to creep in his mind. “Forget the statues, let’s cave his head in!”
“W-wait a minute—” Pinocchio looked down at his palms, its earring form still cradled in his palms, earning him another wave of laughter from Ace as if the puppet had proven his point. “We’ll get in trouble with Housewarden if we do that?!” He pleaded, his will to follow ebbing into his system, delaying what is inevitably the puppet following the pulling on his strings.
But his companion continues to be relentless. ‘Crush him’, ‘Beat him to a pulp’, ‘Make him regret’. Over and over it continues to spew as easily as breathing if it ever had lungs. Pinocchio’s hands clutch around its tiny form, unsure if he‘s trying to shut it up or call for its powers. Whatever his decision was, it was not a decision the puppet is aware of making, he could never make that himself. He could feel it elongate, like its nose whenever it lies. Ace‘s laughter dies down as he watched the staff form in his hands, taking several steps back as Pinocchio slowly turned towards his direction.
“H-hey now, I was just joking around!” Ace‘s words seem to fall on deaf ears, Pinocchio dragging his feet across the ground. He almost looked manic, a dark shadow casted over the puppet‘s eyes as if his light teasing was enough to push him over the edge. “Dude, I was only joking!”
Another step forward. The massive head of his companion, still spewing death threats behind him, drags across the brick road. Pinocchio looked pained, face contorted in conflict as he continued his mechanical march. “I-I’m sorry…,“ he apologizes, “It‘s not me, it’s the staff…”
“Dude, forget about your imaginary friend!” Ace was quick to scream. Between him and Pinocchio, Ace is taller than the puppet, way stronger most likely and definitely capable of overpowering him no problem. But that staff of his looked heavier, recalling how effortlessly he lifted the hulking mass before letting gravity do the work for him. That thing could definitely squash him into paste!
Before disaster befell upon the unfortunate student, something catches the puppet‘s eyes, something gray and shaped like a pitchfork sneaking behind one of the statues. Relief washes over Ace as Pinocchio halts his approach but curiosity caught his interest, following his gaze behind the statue in question. “What the…?”
It twitches, as if attached to something alive. Both boys walked close to the thing, flanking it on both sides, peeking behind the statue and hearing a loud “MRAHH!!” Another memory clicks in his head, the unforgettable memory of an annoying cat he refused to take care of.
“Grim?!”
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
Class Unlocked: Pinocchio / -School Uniform-
Job Story:
ㅤㅤㅤㅤBiographical Information
**Gender:** Male
**Age:** Unknown
Birthday: Unknown
**Starsign:** Unknown
**Height:** 5'00"
**Eye Color:** Apple Green
**Hair Color:** Pale Green
**Homeland:** The Library
**Family:** Gepetto (father)
Carlo Collodi (author)
[Hello once again! I didn't expect that the fic would get some attention based the kudos, bookmarks and comments I've received on AO3 hahaha
I'm currently working on the second chapter of the fic and hopefully it will be posted soon after some edits. Word count goal is usually around 2k but this one feels a little longer than the first but we'll have to see.
Anyway, below is the preview to the next chapter. Thank you and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it~]
[Hello! Long time no post~ Due to some trouble with tumblr, I couldn't post the fic here first so it got posted over on my AO3. Tumblr has given me mercy and I can post properly again.]
Fandom: SINoALICE, Twisted Wonderland
Rating: T
Warnings: N/A [for now]
Summary:
Without warning, Pinocchio finds himself in a world different from the usual. The towering shelves reaching the impossibly high ceiling of the Library he had grown used to, is replaced with mirrors, portraits and a world larger than his own. With no way back to the comforting familiarity of the Library, Pinocchio struggles to adapt to this new world he's forced to live in for who knows how long.
Thus, his tale begins where all things should be. Orientation.
--- or --
Pinocchio ends up in Twisted Wonderland.
There once was a puppet that was given life.
He is an obedient puppet,
Followed his father's instructions to a T.
One day, he awoke in a Library...
And no one is there to tell him what to do.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
The moment Pinocchio's eyes opened, everything was in utter chaos. Cloaked figures scrambling across the room, ducking and dodging to safety as the other braver souls run around chasing the cause of the mess. A fork-tailed cat spewing fireballs ran around the room, burning curtains and candles and the cloaks of others in an attempt to... what?
Pinocchio isn't so sure what to make of this except look around, lost and confused. The cat, despite it looking like a monster, didn't look like a typical Nightmare. Not only that, the room he's in… floating mirrors that hang high and low surrounds them, with dark draperies and tall candelabras lighting the room with its strange green light.
The puppet's face contorts in panic, ‘Wh... why... is this not the Library?’
“Seize that racoon!” An older man with a strange bird-like mask barked (or screeched?), pointing at the fork-tailed cat breathing fire and throwing fireballs all over the place. More students scramble as the magic makes contact with the draperies, setting it ablaze but was put out in haste before it grew.
Two faces Pinocchio has never met before chases after the cat, one with red hair with a nasty scowl on his face and the other a white haired glasses wearing boy that followed behind the redhead. Both held up in their hand small wands with gems on top, generating sparkles that soon took the shape of a comet sent flying towards the cat. It yelps but retaliated with more fire their way.
Candelabras and candles were tossed and thrown about as they continued their chase, mirrors sent flying off course from where it once floated. The bird man that screeched earlier grew more frantic and demanding the more the cat made a mess of the room.
Pinocchio continued to watch the madness unfurl, further painting his face in deep confusion. Without a single clue what to do, he approached the nearest person beside him for questions. “Um, excuse me...” Pinocchio tugs at the person's sleeve, their head turning towards him. Underneath their hood, the poor Marionette could see the annoyed look in their green eyes.
“What? We're in the middle of something,” the person before him grumbled, arms crossed as they watched the cat cause further damages to the room. The person before him stood several heads taller than the puppet, looked strong enough to catch the cat in no time but his bored yawn told him otherwise, already ignoring him as if he never noticed his presence at all.
“Nyahaha! Take this!” The cat spews another fireball at the two pursuers, blocked instantly by an invisible shield before running off again.
The red headed pursuer, face turning into the same shade as his hair, looked as if he was about to explode. “STOP! OR ELSE IT'S OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!!”
Pinocchio continued to stand awkwardly in place, fidgeting the sleeves of his cloak (he still doesn‘t know where he got it) as he watched the cat continue its reign of fiery destruction. No one exactly knws for sure what to do to help, but no one looked willing to help either way. If only they‘d have told the poor puppet to do something about it, then he might do something about it. But what exactly should he do? Oh, the dilemma the poor puppet is facing.
“Oi, dumbass,” a disembodied voice calls for him, directly into Pinocchio's ear. He tried to find the source of the voice but found no one facing his way. Who—
The voice calls out again, “On your ear, dumbass!” and Pinocchio follows, seeing his staff companion in the form of a small... earring thing. Pinocchio wasn't quite sure what had happened but despite it's smaller size, his companion is still as venomous as ever. “Hey, lets help those little punks. Or else, we'll be burnt to ashes.”
“But—” the Marionette's protest dies down before he could choke out his next word, the ever foul-mouthed head continuing to spew out insults, “Wanna die when this is all over? We‘re screwed if you don’t do something, dumbass!”
Driven to the need to follow his awful companion's directions, Pinocchio merely nods in agreement. After all, the head did make a sound argument, the poor puppet didn't want to be burnt to ashes.
As if drawing out the power of his companion, the ‘earring’ grows into the staff Pinocchio has always known it for, with its face contorted into an ugly condescending look. With the head raised high, he brings it down onto the ground, smashing the floor beneath as debris flew across the room. “MRAHH!” The cat stops mere centimeters away from the hammer and stumbles back, the shock wave caused by the staff nearly putting the two pursuers off balance as well.
Everyone, even the cat that almost had its head smashed into mush, turned to his presence.
The room goes silent.
Then… the bird man screamed.
“W-what is the meaning of this?!” He approached the mess, frantic over the state of the entire room, with the burnt curtains and crater he created. “What have you done?!” The bird man wasn't particularly looking at anyone specific, but he was expecting Pinocchio to confess to the crime he has clearly committed, to the confusion of the marionette who was merely told what to do.
Pinocchio looked down onto his foul mouthed companion, seeking some form of guidance to his conundrum. But alas, all that came up was silence, leaving him alone to fend for himself.
"I– urk... I'm—" he stutters, barely able to come up with an excuse to save himself. It wasn't his fault, after all. He was merely told what to do, he couldn't be fully blamed for the mess that lay before him. “I-It's not my fault—”
The bird man didn't take too kindly to such a blatant lie. “Well, clearly someone is responsible for ruining the room as important and ancient as this one...,” he despaired while Pinocchio continued to stare in confusion.
The cat, who earlier was terrorizing the entire place, attempted to escape from the group. The red-haired student, quick on his feet, raised his wand and shouted, "—Off With Your Head!"
“Ugyaa!!” A heart-shaped collar appeared on the creature's neck, locked tightly like one would do with a pet on a leash. “The hell? Let me outta this thing!”
“Rule number 23 of the Queen of Heart's Law, ” the redhead spoke with authority and conviction in his voice, a fiery rage burning behind those gray eyes. “No cats are allowed in during important festivities.” He had a triumphant smile on his face, only shrugged off by the white haired student beside him.
The white haired student beside him claps, “Good show, Riddle~” He cheers, hand over his chest with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, as if envious of something. “Quite the handy Unique Magic that I must ha— I mean, I must give respect to.” The way he quickly catches his own words hinted something sinister in the puppet‘s mind, making him want to stay away.
The cat groans, tugging and pulling at the collar, the quiet clicking and clacking interrupting the conversation. The bird man ignores this and continues to speak his mind, “No matter, if no one owns this weasel—,” the ‘weasel’ in question makes a noise of protest, calling itself Grim, but his introduction was ignored and attention was turned towards Pinocchio. “You! Young man with that oddly shaped hammer.”
“M-me?!”
“Yes, you shall take care of this weasel.”
Grim immediately protested once again, jumping and fuming at the idea of some kid was going to babysit him. Pinocchio too, would like to protest against the idea but found it difficult to object, even raising his voice just a small bit was a chore, his very core screaming against it.
Seeing Pinocchio‘s hesitance as silent acceptance, the bird man shoves Grim into the puppet's arms. "I'll leave the responsibilities to you, young man." He cawed with authority, the poor puppet doing nothing but look down as he holds the cat tight within his grasps, lips drawn out into a small frown.
With everything sorted out, the bird man’s attitude changed immediately into joyous celebration, the pinpricks of glowing yellow where his eyes should be curves into crescents as his mouth forms into a smile. ”Now, let‘s continue on with the dorm assignments!”
The students scurry about to their positions while the seven imposing-looking figures (including Riddle and white-haired students) stand in front of the grouped up students. Pinocchio stared at the masses, a troubled look on his already troubled face. “Um—”
“Headmage!” Riddle speaks up before Pinocchio could, his narrowed eyes making the poor puppet straighten himself out. “All the first years students have been assigned to their respective dorms. All… except for him.” He points an accusing finger towards Pinocchio, making him flinch for the second time, looking more troubled than he had ever been to.
All this attention but no direction is making the puppet more anxious than before, tempted to just grab the hammer and bonk some answers out of the masses. His hand had already taken hold of the hammer but all that happened was for his only weapon to suddenly shrink and go back into the small dotted earring it was before. “H-hey—” Pinocchio made a pathetic noise, staring at where he felt his companion had retreated back to. He was ignored, as per the usual.
There was no time for him to ask any more questions, the ’Headmage‘ as Riddle had called this strange bird man as, quickly grabbed Pinocchio by the wrist and yanked Grim from his arms. He trips as he’s pushed towards the grand-looking mirror floating on the short platform in the middle of the room, an eerie green glow surrounding the intricate frame.
“Now, stand before the Dark Mirror and be sorted into one of the dorms,” The Headmage decrees, Pinocchio immediately doing as told.
Like the obedient puppet that he is, Pinocchio stands before the Dark Mirror, watching a strange mist swirl behind the mirror, flowing like water until a mask appears from beyond the abyss. “… State your name.” It simply says.
“P-Pinocchio!”
The mirror pauses, its ‘eyes’ fixed on Pinocchio.
Studying.
Analyzing.
Its slow deliberation of the poor puppet went on for too long a time, as if the Mirror had difficulties sifting through how ever many dorms exists, making the audience antsy with anticipation. “Come on, we don‘t got all day!” The Headmage screeched, standing behind Pinocchio, causing him to jump out of the way as The Headmage shakes the mirror for faster answers.
Once the Mirror had been thoroughly shook (as per how the Headmage gauges it), Pinocchio takes his place and…
“The shape of your soul…,” The Mirror begins to speak, taking another long pause that sent the entire room groaning from the wait. “… is…”
Another long pause.
“Huhhh, I’ve never seen the mirror struggle for this long,” one of the students spoke up, the leader of the group. He pulls down his hood, revealing his striking red eyes and the brightest smile Pinocchio had ever come across. It‘s almost blinding, to say the least.
“The Dark Mirror must be struggling with its internal connection,” a voice speaks out from the strange floating device amongst the leading students, blinking with each spoken word. “Crowley probably broke it’s connection with all that shaking.”
“Ohhhh! Maybe if we shake the Dark Mirror, it‘ll fix that problem in no time!” The red-eyed bandana wearing boy cheered, arms crossed as if solving the most complicated problem.
“If it were that simple without risk of breaking such an ancient artifact,” a beautiful man with blonde hair spoke up, his face exasperated from the other boy’s suggested fix.
“… Pomefiore.” The Mirror finally decided, a massive wave of eyes dart towards Pinocchio‘s quivering form. “From henceforth, Pinocchio will be part of Pomefiore.”
Fandom: Fate/Grand Order
Rating: T [in case]
Warnings: N/A
A/N: very self indulgent fic I wrote because I've been thinking about a certain Berserker hehe. Please note that the Master here has a name but is not mentioned.
Today, the Master wore purple lipstick.
The dark shade was reminiscent of amethysts untouched by light. It clashed with her eyes more than complimenting it, the bright yellow hue of her eyes being overshadowed by her own makeup.
Cu Alter didn't knew when she decided to wear such a terrible shade. Then again, he didn't knew exactly what idea floated in that head of hers that drove her to wearing lipstick. It just... happened. On one boring day, she showed up, with lips full of the color of pink roses.
It didn't match her skin at all, too light to even be called make up. Others seem to think otherwise, sending compliments her way. She looked happy though, thanking each one for the kind words, but her eyes kept fluttering his way, as if expecting something from him. The quiver of her lips, pulled back slightly into a tense bite. The kind master, however, was too kind to ask the Berserker and kept her mouth closed instead.
The day after that, it was a bright yellow hue similar to her eyes. Cute but once again, the way the shade awkwardly sits on her lips didn't compliment her that well. She looked his way again, expectation flashing in her eyes before turning her head the other way, her shoulders sagging in disappointment at the lack of reaction.
And the day after that? A new color, the shade of red that reminded him of strawberries. It... fits her. The way her lips move as she speaks, it draws his eyes in, focuses more on the subtle movements. The way they purse or pout, making it look plumper than usual was... sort of adorable. If his Master knew what he'd think, she might feel more inclined to wear it often.
Sadly, with how she read his straight face when her eyes glanced his way, it disappointed her once again, leaving her to change it to the color it is today. It was a downgrade for sure. Or it was a downgrade to him. Most Servants continued to compliment her color choices, some more over the other, but complimented her still. And as usual, her eyes kept fluttering back his way, disappointed at his lack of reaction.
This... was where his last bit of wondering broke.
Approaching his Master once every person had gone off someplace else, the poor girl yelps as she noticed his shadow casting over her. Turning around to greet him, she was instead met with his face already close to hers, glaring at her with an unreadable expression.
She gulps, a blush beginning to color her cheeks. "Yes... Cu—"
"What do you want?" He immediately cut her off. She responded with a weak 'Pardon?', rolling his eyes as he rephrased his question. "Why were you looking my way so much?"
Her blushing cheeks grew brighter, head turning the other way again. "I... it's because...," she fidgets, trying to find the proper words.
It took her a moment.
Two moments.
A glance and then another.
She took all the time in the world to come up with something, anything decent, coherent, or even believable enough to convince him that— "I wanted to know... which color you liked?"
A moment of silence. The Master, too afraid to look his way, remained glued to staring at someplace else while the Berserker before her continued to glare at her. Not out of impatience nor frustration. Far from it.
If she had simply asked him the question before, he'd have answered in kind. Instead of going through this cat and mouse chase of catching which color he'd react to most, he'd have made his choice already so long ago. But knowing her, she didn't want to overstep her boundaries with someone as stern as him, didn't want to inconvenience him with something as trivial as makeup.
"You overthink too much," he said, breaking the silence that lingered longer than she wanted. Opening her mouth as if to apologize, was quickly shut by his lips locking with hers, his tongue already slipping past her open mouth.
She let out a small yelp, throwing her arms around his shoulders as she held onto him tightly, her legs giving way as his arms wrap around her petite form, pulling her closer to his. His hand, the same one that held tightly around his spear, carefully tangled into her hair, making sure she didn't turn and escape from their kiss.
Once he was satisfied, he leans his head back, the string of saliva still connecting their lips. He stared down at her face, that half-lidded look in her eyes and flushed face, paired with her lipstick smudged. He forgot for a moment that she wore that horrendous shade of purple. "You look better with red lipstick."
Her face deepens red, "O-oh... okay."
He didn't bother letting her speak after that, leaning in again for another kiss.
[This is something similar to what happened in the Kakegurui collab but it'll be a little different from that one and would take place from Book 1 to Book 7. Pray for my poor planning that this ends up getting finished—
[Hello hello!! I'm not dead yet but I am working at a snail's pace on an idea that suddenly popped into my head one day. Preview to said story dowb below~]
Also, despite SINoALICE's future EoS this Nov [Global] and Jan 2024 [JP], I still do plan on posting more stories from there, as this game is very near and dear to my heart. So, probably expect some stuff similar in nature to this one soon too.
Anyway, that's it from me~ I still have a few writing request to finish for friends, hopefully before the year ends and I'll be posting them here too. Toodalooo~]
Fandom: Twisted Wonderland
Rating: Gen
Warnings: N/A
A/N: Request fic for @everheartz on discord. No specific prompt, just her OC Alicia with Riddle.
“Happy anniversary, Riddle,” Trey congratulated his former Housewarden, treating the young man with a slice of strawberry tart he had chilling in the fridge. Although not much has changed since their last meeting, one thing is for certain, the smile on the redhead’s face was more relaxed.
“Thank you, Trey,” Riddle nodded, taking the plate from Trey before setting it down on the table, his fork already on hand. The first thing that Riddle took was the large piece of strawberry sitting atop the tart, eating the whole piece in one bite. “Sweet as always.”
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing,” Trey couldn’t help but chuckle, more so when Riddle points at the empty table towards him. Of course, Riddle being Riddle, he wouldn’t let him skirt off the rules so easily. “A queen is not one to have tea parties without guests.”
“You’re certainly rusty on your rules,” Riddle pointed out but the hard edge in his voice when breaking the Red Queen’s rules have softened over the years, but discussing about the rules wasn’t in Riddle’s agenda for today.
His eyes scanned the bakery, on the lookout for the other three to show up in the establishment. Cater had already left Shaftlands a couple of days ago and said he was staying in a nearby hotel. Meanwhile, the other two had a history of arriving fashionably late, Ace in particular.
Speaking of Ace...
“Shouldn’t Ace be here first?” Riddle frowned, “His apartment is the closest here out of all of us.”
Riddle shouldn’t be surprised that his former underclassman was late as per the norm, but as someone who has graduated and is working, shouldn’t he have practiced a little bit of punctuality by now?
“S-sorry, I’m late-!!” Someone suddenly barges in, a young man whose uniform is a mess and so is his hair. Deuce, in a rush to get to the meeting place, disregarded the creases and folds he’ll need to iron out of his uniform but it was an important date today, and he knows how his former Housewarden is about important dates.
“H-Housewarden Riddle-”
“Former Housewarden,” Riddle interrupted, taking a bite out of his strawberry tart.
“O-of course,” Deuce struggles to cough up a reply, catching his breath as he takes a seat beside Trey. He puts down his hat and took in deep, steadying breaths before finally slumping back on the chair. “Man, that was one hell of a workout...”
Riddle was about to scold him for his tardiness until another one walked into the scene, with phone in hand and the familiar sound of the camera clicking was heard. “Cater,” Riddle called, his voice even and unnaturally calm. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Sorry about that Riddle,” Cater assured, taking his seat between him and Trey, smile still wide on his face. “My phone totally messed up and the alarm went off an hour late.”
“... you were up last night talking to Melissa again, weren’t you?”
Cater didn’t have the heart nor the will to deny Riddle, especially when it is a known fact, all he could do was try to laugh it off, fail and admit to the truth with a sigh. “Yeah... we kind of lost track of time...”
“I thought so.”
Now there were four of them on the table, with one seat vacant for their last member to appear. As if by clockwork, “Hey guys, Housewarden Riddle~” Ace makes his daring entrance, casually walking towards the group with a wide grin on his face, ignoring the annoyed face Riddle pointed at him.
“Nice~ the whole gang’s back together,” Cater happily pulls out his camera again, angling it at just the right position before taking a selfie. “Mini reunion with our favorite Housewarden.”
“It’s a bit embarrassing to admit this but I’m happy to see you guys again,” Deuce admitted to the whole group, his cheeks turning a slight shade of red. Even though it had only been a couple of years since they’ve last saw each other, it felt like it had been forever ago since they last had a get together like this.
“Really? Because I sure hadn’t had enough time away from you guys,” Ace was quick to make his comment, with the same snide smirk on his face.
Deuce narrowed his gaze at him, “Very funny, Ace.”
“Awww, don’t be so mean, Acey~,” Cater piped up, standing up from his seat just to wrap an arm around Ace’s shoulder, dragging him down to his seat between him and a slowly annoyed Riddle, making him break into a sweat. “I’m sure that deep down inside that small heart of yours, you missed us very much, yeah?”
“I’m sure that’s what he meant,” Riddle said, eyes narrowed to the point they were almost closed, arms crossed as his pointer finger tapped on his forearm. The more Riddle’s face remained that way the more Ace started to get nervous. His earlier cheerful mood immediately was replaced by his usual demeanor during NRC, strict and by the book, no tolerance for delinquency.
Trey, as he watched the group do their usual business as if not much time had passed, let out another chuckle, shaking his head. “Geez, you guys are still the same as ever.” He couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia earlier, watching the group bantering, taking jabs at each other as if they were still students.
“I know, right?” Cater had a large smile on his face, “It feels like yesterday when Ace got an earful from Riddle.”
“O-oi! That was like...,” Ace had to pause for a moment, trying to recall the last time Riddle had ever scolded him. “... Two? Maybe three years ago? Cut me some slack, I’ve been doing better since Riddle graduated, alright??”
Of course, Ace did mildly better since Riddle had graduated. His grades had improved and he’s finally able to avoid trouble as much as possible. Everything was going swimmingly for him, minus the tardiness, the delayed submission of homework, his barely researched research, and the myriad of other things that could’ve gotten Ace in deep academic waters.
“Yes, and I’m proud that you graduated as a proud member of Heartslabyul,” Riddle’s earlier annoyed frown immediately turned into a cheerful smile, as if his earlier annoyance had been nothing but a scare tactic at Ace. Call it a small revenge on the part of Riddle but he enjoyed seeing Ace rethink of his choice to ever be late in his presence again.
With all that out of the way, “Now, shall we discuss about why we’re all here?”
The group quieted down until only silence remained, as if the action was second nature to them. As former dorm members of Heartslabyul, following the rules of the Red Queen is a must. Riddle gave himself a moment, giving each one a precursory glance before speaking, “As you all know, today is Alicia and I’s 5th anniversary together.”
“Woah~ it’s already that time of year? Congrats, Riddle~” Cater greeted with a wide grin on his face, giving Riddle’s shoulders a good pat. “Tell Alicia-chan that her big bro Cater gives his warmest regards.”
“Thank you Cater, but that’s not all that I have to say.”
Deuce gave Riddle a quizzical look, his hand on his chin. “Oh, is there anything else you have in mind, House- I mean... Riddle-senpai?”
Riddle nods, a wide grin brimming with pride appeared on his face. “Indeed, and this is where my card soldiers come in.”
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
“Thank you for your time, Miss Bellford!” the older woman before her said, cuddling the large brown rabbit in her arms, giving them several kisses on the head. “I was worried that my baby might’ve gotten a disease.”
Alicia Bellford, well known Veterinarian in Queendom of Roses, smiled at the other before her, reaching her hand over the top of the rabbit’s head and petting them. “It’s not a problem, ma’am, your rabbit is as healthy as they can be~”
The older woman nodded and thanked her a couple more times, gushing about her sweet darling Lala before finally leaving the clinic, Alicia letting out a relieved sigh before sitting down on a nearby chair. “What a day...”
With the last of her patient satisfied, the clinic was once again calm, the silence welcoming after all the meowing, the barking, the squawking, and all other animal noises mixed together in a symphony that only the animals could hear. Or maybe they were having a conversation with each other. Who knows? Certainly not Alicia.
She was grateful at the very least, that despite the chaos that ensued since morning, her afternoon slowed until everything stilled.
Peaceful.
Serene.
Her phone’s muffled ringing reaching her ears.
... wait-
“My phone-!” Hopping off the chair, Alicia went behind the reception desk, grabbing her phone in one of the drawers before answering. “Hello?”
“Hello, Strawberry, how’s work?” Riddle’s voice comes through, making Alicia’s cheeks turn into a bright pink.
“R-Riddle-!!” She squeaks out a response, happiness in hearing Riddle’s voice through the phone overwhelming.
“Haha, yes it’s me. May I ask you something?”
There were other voices speaking through the other line, voices that she’s all too familiar with, making the happiness in her chest to grow bigger. She could definitely hear Ace teasing while Deuce tries to shush him, Cater cheering in the background as quietly as possible, and Trey making an attempt to calm them down. These boys were up to something but if Riddle was in on this, then it must be something important.
“Alicia?” Riddle called out, the worry in his voice clear through the phone. “Are you still there?”
“Huh? Oh, yes! I’m still here!” Her cheeks went even redder, spreading to the tips of her ears. Her fingers fiddled with the sides of her phone, hoping that Riddle hadn’t caught on of her trying to listen to what’s behind him. “W-what is it?”
Luckily for her, Riddle didn’t had a clue of her small eavesdropping and continued on with his question, “Could you come over to my house? I have a special tea party setup just for the two of us.” Despite the calm in Riddle’s voice, there was a hint of excitement to it, like a child about to show his most favorite toy to the others.
It also got Alicia beaming with excitement, the smile on her lips growing wider at the thought of that special tea party for them alone. Of course, she didn’t had to ask any further, “I’ll be there in a bit! Oh, if that’s okay...”
“Sounds perfect! I’ll see you in a bit, then.”
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
By the time Alicia had arrived at Riddle’s place, the sun had started to set, the morning blue sky shifting its hues to its bright afternoon colors, the same colors as the autumn leaves surrounding Rosehearts Manor. The gate was already open for Alicia to enter through, the garden table set with a spread of various different desserts, from tarts to shortcakes, even the jams were plentiful. It was dessert heaven.
“Wooooooow~ that’s so many!” Alicia couldn’t help but stare in awe, giving the table a thorough look through as she eyes the slices of mango pie on the table.
Distracted by the food displayed on the table, Riddle silently walks up behind her. Seeing his shadow appearing from behind, she quickly turns around to meet his smiling face, a bouquet of red roses in hand. “Welcome home, Alicia. You didn’t start eating without me, right?”
A smile spreads across Alicia’s face as well, arms wide open as she jumps at him, pulling him into a tight embrace. “Nope~! I missed you, Riddle.”
“I missed you too, Alicia.” Riddle wraps an arm around her waist, leaning his head on her shoulder. He basked in the warmth of the afternoon sun, the warmth that radiated from Alicia in their embrace.
His heart soared, the feeling of peace washing over him. It was these times where he’s assured of his feelings for Alicia, assured that she is the one for him.
Alicia pulls away, Riddle’s arm hesitating to let go of her but does so. He hands her the bouquet, an arrangement of red roses broken up by some baby’s breath and yellow daisies. Adoration shone behind his eyes as he watched Alicia buried her nose in the bouquet, taking in the flowery scent. “I love these...”
“I’m glad you do...” He said softly, leaning in to give Alicia a peck on the cheek, his heart soaring even further the moment he heard Alicia’s giggling, his own quiet laughter mingling with hers. “Come on, let’s take our seats.”
Alicia nodded, taking her seat across Riddle, bouquet still in her embrace. Riddle couldn’t help but laugh a little louder at the sight. “How are you going to eat while holding onto the bouquet?”
She gave it some thought before responding, “It’s fine, I didn’t want to let go of the gift you gave to me.” It was a simple response, something that Riddle would’ve found unimportant if he were who he was those five years ago. Now, he found it heartwarming, letting Alicia continue to hug the bouquet close to her.
“Then please, never let it go for as long as you’d like. Just know that it makes me happy you think of my gift as something precious.”
Alicia giggles, giving the flowers another good embrace for good luck. “It’s your gift, my tomato~” She teased him slightly, to which he found it quite endearing. “I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to your gift.”
“Then...”
Silence fills the air as Riddle takes a moment to close his eyes, a few short seconds to recompose himself. If an opportunity presents itself, it’s best to take action before it goes away, that’s what he’s always done. Riddle Rosehearts does not let anything slip past his hold and yet--
He shakes his head, taking in a deep breath. Riddle Rosehearts does not let anything slip past him.
Once he opened his eyes, the first thing he catches was Alicia sitting before him. There was worry in her eyes, an all too familiar gaze he’s seen so many times before. Now, he wants to change that.
“Alicia,” He stood from his seat, hand proudly placed on his chest, his face hardened with determination. “When we first met at Night Raven College, the moment we began to speak with one another, I was too ignorant, too hellbent on achieving everything that my mother has always wanted me to achieve.”
Riddle took Alicia’s hand in his.
His eyes never leaving hers.
“Because of that, I wasn’t able to see the admiration you held towards me, the love that eventually grew behind those beautiful eyes of yours.”
He kneels down before her, a small gasp escaping her lips.
“It took me time, too much time to realize how you felt towards me. I’m sorry that you ended up loving a fool like me. But right now, in this very moment, I would like to change that.”
Slowly, from inside his coat pocket, he brings out a small red velvet box. He let’s go of the hand he held, for him to open the small box, revealing a silver ring with a ruby in the shape of a rose stuck to the middle.
Another gasp, “Ri... Riddle...”
“Alicia Bellford, in spite of the many faults I have made,” He takes the ring in one hand, and took her hand with the other, slowly putting on the ring on her ring finger. “Would you take my hand in marriage?”
Speechless beyond words, Alicia couldn’t help but let the tears flow down her cheeks, holding onto Riddle’s hand tightly. A second later, she was kneeling down with him too, crying and laughing at the same time, too overjoyed to even say a simple yes. To Riddle, it was enough confirmation, wiping away the tears with his thumb.
Suddenly, the sound of party poppers was heard, streamers and confetti raining down on the two as the rest of the Heartslabyul boys had been standing by in a room just above where the couple were.
“Wooohhh! Congratulations to the newly engaged!” Cater shouted, snapping several photos of the two below them.
“Congratulations, Riddle-sama! Alicia-sama!” Deuce clapped for the both of them, popping another party popper down their way.
“Hey, since we helped, you owe us free lunch at your bachelor’s party, yeah?” Ace wasted no time with his comment, causing Riddle to roll his eyes despite the smile still evident on his face.
“If you two need a wedding cake, you know who to contact,” Trey as well wasted no time to make his offer, happy to see them finally reach this point.
It was five years of their time spent together as a couple, five whole years of happiness and turmoil. Now, they have the rest of their lives ahead of them, as husband and wife.
A/N: a gift fic for my friend @atelier-grace. Supposed tp be a commission but I took way too long to write there so here you gooooo~
When they said that opposites attract, it usually meant that people of opposite sides of the personality spectrum would have a shot at becoming a couple after some romcom levels of flirting and bantering. Hot and cold, sunny and moody, it seemed that the statement was true… for the most part.
There was nothing 'opposite' between you and Azul. In fact, hate for one's own kin seemed appropriate in this situation. The fact that Mr. Ashengrotto, head honcho of Mostro Lounge, and self proclaimed rival of your quaint little secret restaurant, is even someone whom others would be considered as your perfect match. Hell, even Ace and Deuce were inclined to agree.
And speaking of Ace…
"You two haven't hooked up yet?!" Ace screamed in bewilderment, curious eyes turning his way as his hands slammed against the dining table. This guy and his big mouth.
"Look…," you began, carefully picking out the words you need to drill in to his head, and maybe Deuce as well just in case, that… "I am not interested in hooking up with my competitor."
"Yeah but why?" At this point, Ace is just asking for a beating. That smug look he naturally puts up may not be present at this moment, but the aura he radiates sure did scream smug. "I mean, aren't you two basically flirting with each other?"
In what way did he mean by flirting? Is passive aggressively egging each other a form of flirting now? How low have the standards become in this world? Or maybe, this is the norm here. Who knows? You certainly don't.
"Then I guess you and Deuce are flirting with each other?" You mischievously flipped the conversation, Deuce nearly choking on his food. You offered him a glass of water, eyes still locked onto Ace's slightly surprised face, the mischievous glint in your eyes fading the moment Ace laughed.
Is he suddenly admitting to the flirting? You doubt it.
"You don't hear me complain about my supposed competitor on the daily, right?"
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
"Why would you assume I always talk about Gretana everyday?" Azul glowered, voice deepened at the mention of Ms. Raison's name, proprietress of a secret exclusive restaurant that, for some unknown reason, is outside his radar.
These days, Mostro Lounge is seen to be in a slight decline. Not that it was anything significant, but with the appeal of being a part of something as secretive as a members only restaurant, it had piqued the interest of many students already. It started small, like a candle lit aflame, surrounded by oil waiting to combust at any minute now.
It could either go in his or her favor. Either way, he did NOT want it to fall in her favor.
Jade, meanwhile, found Azul worrying about the situation quite amusing, the grin on his face growing wider the moment Azul's eyes crossed with his. "And what…," Azul slowly began, "pray tell, is amusing you, Jade?"
"Oh, it's nothing serious, Azul~" Jade muses, the smile on his face widening into a mischievous grin. "Only that your face tells me that you've been thinking about her again, am I right?"
Azul nearly drops his pen, tints of pink threatening to bloom brighter on his cheeks as he stares at the grinning mer before him. He opened his mouth but no words came out, all stuck in the back of his mind still scrambling to make a single coherent thought. "Y… you can't be serious?"
'Was that all that you could say?!?', Azul screamed internally, tempted to hide away in a pot just from the sheer embarrassment. Still, he stood his ground (or rather, sat in place). Jade, however, grinned his widest grin yet, razor sharp teeth shining underneath the fluorescent lights.
"Oh, I am definitely serious."
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
The conversation died there but the idea kept lingering in the back of your mind. Even as the day draws to a close and your head lay on the pillow, you would linger back to it and scoff. "A bunch of shit," you would've said if only the lingering image of Azul's face kept coming back to her, with that stupidly smug face and those stupidly smug glasses and his stupidly smug lips.
… somehow, that's where your mind fixated most. You wondered, no matter how small the thought may be, if those lips of his radiated the same warmth like a human or be as icy cold as his mer form.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
… and somehow, even as the next day rolls around, he still couldn't get rid of the thought, haunting even in his waking moments. But like lightning breaking through the sky, his thought came to an abrupt stop as Floyd kicked down the door of the VIP room.
Azul jumps off his seat, about ready to shout at the invading homewrecker, but was beaten to the punch. "Hey Azuuuuuul~ what are you still doing here? You have a date to attend."
… what?
"A date?!" Azul screamed, "There's no time for a date!"
"Yeah, there is." Floyd said, bearing his jagged teeth in a grin. "Let's go already, unless you want me to carry you over there~"
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
The thought of Ace carrying you to Mostro Lounge seemed like a fun idea from the start, but the moment he made an off-hand remarks about your weight had you slapping his face with no time for him to react.
What’s worse? This date was taking place in Mostro Lounge. In your rival’s territory of all places. Was this some kind of revenge plan? Were they paid to torture you financially? Who knows?
“So much for being friends,” you mumbled under your breath, finger tapping impatiently on the table.
It didn't even take you too long to seethe as a familiar looking mer comes in from the corner of her eyes, slightly disheveled and red on the face, approaching her table along with one of the tweels. Seriously, if it weren't for the unkept bowtie you wouldn't recognize that as Floyd.
Azul huffs as he takes his seat, Floyd giving him a cordial slap on the back. "Don't have too much fun~" He teased on the way out, leaving the couple in the lounge.
Alone.
With each other.
Awkward tensions rising.
Neither a peep nor a squeak, not even a precursory glance was given. It was just them and the silence.
"… So—"
… so much for silence.
"What brings you here?" Azul tried to play it cool, masking the blush still evident in his cheeks with that smug grin of his. "I do believe that your presence here means that you've admitted defeat?"
Really. So much for silence.
You sighed, putting on your own smug grin and said, "Or maybe, I'm here to see the sorry state of Mostro Lounge after business has been booming on my end."
You see the slight twitch of his lips, your grin growing wider. You were about to drop another quip until someone from across the room suddenly screamed.
"Stop talking about your business for two seconds and talk like normal people!!" The voice sounded exasperated, absolutely done with your and Azul's bullshit.
"… that was definitely Ace." You groaned and Azul nodded. "Seriously, what's his problem?"
"It's the same way with Jade and Floyd. They kept telling me to speak to you like any normal person would." Azul said with a similar exasperated tone as you.
It felt weird and kind of reassuring that Azul was on your side for once… maybe not once but you're not obligated to admit that those were considerable moments at all. Still, "Funny how they're soooo concerned for our well being towards each other."
"You should see them whenever I noticed our usual numbers dipped because of you," He recalled the moment as if it were yesterday, chuckling to himself. "Floyd was more than willing to scare off your customers back to Mostro Lounge."
"Or scare them away for good." You laughed lightly, a blush tinted on your cheeks as Azul had let out a laugh of his own. Somehow, your heart stopped for a moment there.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
Azul was sure he saw a smile appear on your face, that small quirk from the corner of your lips before disappearing back into a flat line. Yes, he was very sure of what he saw. Somehow, that made him hold his breath, even in those few seconds it still did something to him.
Looking back, the signs seemed to be there. Or was it some kind of trick his mind liked to play? Those times of heated arguments and intense standoffs, business transactions that flew between them as they decide how to make a worthwhile compromise. The sudden brush of their fingers as he passes the pen to your hand, that curious look on your face while he reads over the terms and conditions on your own makeshift contract—
Hold on, those aren't important right now! But what is even there to do other than talk? What else is there to talk about??
"S-so—," you suddenly blurted out, brushing off that slight stutter as if he won't be able to catch it. "What have you been up to?"
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———
A less than graceful question to a less than graceful day. You weren't sure if he's in the mood to be entertained this way but lucky for you, he is. He was told by the local eel menace that if he talked anything about the business, he might get the squeezing of a lifetime. You weren't sure if you wanted to laugh or sympathize with him, but you kept it to yourself instead.
Surprisingly, you find yourself interested in listening to him talk about general academic experiences with a side of club stuff. And more than that, you find yourself sharing about your general academic experiences with your own side of club stuff. To onlookers, it would've been the most mundane discussion ever but for some reason, it's caught your attention more than before.
Was it the change in setting or did you just enjoy the sound of his voice? You guessed it was the latter. But you weren't ready to admit that yet.
Not quite yet.
For now, maybe letting loose like this every once in a while has its perks.
[Hiiiiiii~ sorry for the sudden disappearance, life usually gets to me in many many ways so uh... hi, how's everyone?
Anyway, just some few things before I yeet back to RL stuff.
I'll get back to posting my writings again (and maybe post the personal writing stuff I did for friends and sister) and also answer the asks that are left in my inbox. I'm really really sorry for the late responses, I hope yall aren't too impatient with me huhuhu
Also ahhhhHHHHHH thank u for the 50+ follows!! I didn't expect to have that many considering I flip flop between posting TW and SINo content (with the occasional other content from AO3) but thank u so much ; u ;
I wanna plan a special followers event but idk what yet so hopefully it'll be posted soon.
With all that said, thank u again and I'll be back with posting more content hehe]
can i have headcanons with octavinelle trio with s/o who is an exorcist and boys wants to see how their s/o performs an exorcism?
sending love ♡
Exorcist S/O [Azul, Jade and Floyd]
[A/N: heya Polly! Sorry if it took a long while to get to your request, I hope you enjoy it still.]
Azul Ashengrotto
The first time Azul's heard about you being an exorcist, he thought it was quite strange. He's read about exorcism in some book he's read once but it was something more akin to telling ghost to leave the place. After all, ghosts in Twisted Wonderland are mostly friendly. Mostly, at least. Still, he is rather curious how it works.
Of course, there's no better way to learn than to see it in action, right? Despite the warnings you've told him, he reassures you that he'll be fine. After all, no competent mage would leave without preparing himself for the worst, and it takes a lot more preparation on your end to make the whole process go smoothly.
Once he's tagged along with you enough to see how you work, he raises some concerns. Some of which involved needing a second set of hands to assist you in your endeavours. He enjoyed seeing how you work, and enjoyed it more when he spends time with you. And if you needed more money to buy whatever it is you need, he'll gladly help you find people in need of your expertise.
Jade Leech
It would be a lie to say that Jade Leech isn't a bit interested in you and your ability to use exorcism. Faced with monsters and mages that are far stronger than a mere ghost, he'd like to know more of what makes exorcism effective against them.
When you explained it's not just ghosts that's affected but also different spirits, he's interest is piqued a little more than before. He even offers his hand in assisting you with whatever you need. You have nothing to worry about though, he'll be sure to pull his own weight when things turn sour.
He enjoyed watching how you work. From identifying the threat and preparing accordingly to executing the exorcism itself. Despite some hiccups, he enjoyed the entire experience nonetheless. This time, he'd like you to teach him as well. It helps aid you better, he would say with a grin.
Floyd Leech
There's a mixed bag of opinions running through Floyd's head. He didn't know much about exorcism since he didn't have the slightest clue what it's about, so it's always up to whatever mood he's in to find out if it's something he'd take a crack at. Now that he knows that his favorite Shrimpy actually knows what it does, of course he'd jump ship and join you in ghost hunting, even though exorcism is a little more different than that.
Although walking around the place at night looking for trickster ghosts sounded like a romantic way of spending time together, Floyd found the entire process of preparing for the exorcism to be boring. He'd grumble and poke at your side, asking if all this is really necessary. He even asked if it's okay to just punch the ghosts away instead, it's faster and far more effective. But since you're the boss tonight, he'll sit still for you.
By the time something does happen, it blows him away so much that he's staring at you awestruck. It gets him excited to join you again for the next night. Maybe this time, you'd skip the boring preparing part, yeah? If not then fine, but at least let him punch the ghosts next time.
Hello! Im not sure if you still writing character interactions, if it is then could i have a interactions for idia in twst? just some a funny confession. (if not you can ignore this request)
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*kicks the door*
IDIA SHROUD!
*kneels*
Just wanted to say first! you are the most handsome and awesome person i know! and you don't know how much i admired you, second! the way you like anime/manga and your passion of gaming, i think you are the one i been looking for! and third no, im not teasing you and joking or even make fun with you, so idia shroud,
*opens le box i was holding and it shows le controller and mangas*
Will you be my player 1 and my otaku boyfriend?
Proposing to [Idia Shroud]
[A/N: hey anon! To be very honest, I can't pass this up, this is too good to pass up. Also, sorry if it's late, irl stuff happened that needed my attention hehe]
Your intrusion surprised him from another one of his gaming sessions, making him throw his arms up defensively and scream from the top of his lungs. He watched as you pour your heart out in your confession before dropping down to your knee and showing him the box full of mangas and a controller. He stares at you in disbelief.
"W-W-W-W-WHAT?? Wait, back up a second."
He finally drops his arms to the side, shrugging. The surprise that once bursts through his system comes crashing as he's left with a slight feeling that something was amiss here.
"Marriage already? What happened to maxing out our bond first, huh? Skipped several important dialogue choices along the way, too."
Still, looking back at the box in hand, he could see you knew what important bond increasing items would help sweeten the deal here.
"I admire your confidence and taste in manga but how about we begin our route with a date, yeah?"
[A/N: hiiii anon! This is a really cute ask so I hope this is something you'll find to your liking.]
Cater Diamond
Although Cater loves to take important moments of his life in a single frame, he finds you dodging and blocking your face whenever the camera pans your way to be cute. Sometimes he would whip out his phone and start up his camera, pretending to take a picture of you and watch you effortlessly block it with your textbook in hand. Other times, you'll even use Grim as your certified meatshield and he'd still find it cute.
It makes capturing a photo of you all the more worthwhile. Moments where you're too absorbed in studying or taking care of Grim or what have you, he'd quietly snap a quick pic and keeps it to himself. No way is he showing this side of you to anyone else.
So it's mostly been him taking the pics, but when it was you that offered to take a pic with him, he felt like he's unearthed something way to precious to share. Of course, he'd be honored to have this picture with you. Just one? Why not ten more? Don't start running away after one pic.
How would Azul and Trey react upon seeing their respective S/O in a cute maid outfit? Let's gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
S/O wearing a Maid Outfit [Trey and Azul]
[A/N: I know who this is since we just talk about your oshis but I will refrain from tagging you because I love you and I care for you and therefore, I will give you what you want :) hope you like it hahaha]
When you suddenly burst into the kitchen, the last thing Trey thought was seeing you in a maid outfit. Not the short skirted maid outfits he'd seen trending these days, not at all. These were the genuine article, with the white frills and apron and everything. It must've costed you a lot to have it fit you so perfectly.
Calling him master, though... now that's a little too much. Even if it is a joke, this is really just too much. You can see it on his face, the blush he's trying to cover up with a clean hand. He'll let you help him bake, so please stop calling him that, alright?
Trey Clover
He's embarrassed to admit that it took him this long to finish the tarts. If anyone asked, he'd be more embarrassed to tell that it was because a certain someone was definitely trying to help and not distracting him in any way possible. No, not at all. Next time, just wear your uniform.
Azul Ashengrotto
Azul nearly fell off the chair the moment you came inside the VIP room, feather duster in hand and a determined look on your face. He could definitely hear Jade and Floyd snickering from outside the room. He's definitely sure that this was their idea somehow, it has to be. Azul will surely give these two a stern talking later.
Right now, he's asking you what in the Great Sevens are you doing. Of course, he can see you cleaning but does it have to be in... that? The outfit fits, sure. But is this really necessary? He tries to let you be, doing whatever to his office. Sometimes, he'd give you passing glances every so often that he'd lost track of the numbers.
What's worse, he didn't notice how red his face has gotten. It got even worse when you pointed it out, Azul nearly falling off his chair again and screaming that he's absolutely fine. It took him at least a full five minutes to calm himself before speaking again, as if nothing happened. At least, he got his confidence back somehow.
It's no surprise that when he puts his mind into it, Leona is a capable man. Moreso than he truly lets on. If not for the heavy burden put upon him as the second born prince, maybe then he won't hold himself back on proving himself worthy of something.
After you showed up, things have turned upside down. Magicless in a world full of magic, you'd think it wise to give up as well. But time and time again, your determination somehow gave him a small flicker inside him, the will to keep trying. Tiny as it may, it was still there. And there he began to think of you more often than he realizes.
For the first time in his life, he actually wants to make an effort. Push himself to do something worthwhile. Even if deep down, he knew it would all be for nothing, he did it because it might be worth something to someone else. Even if that someone else might see it differently.
Still... it's worth trying. You're worth trying, even if he's not one to admit it.
Could you possibly do an imagine of Idia, Jade, Floyd, and Azul reacting to a crying/hurt S/O? Thank you so much!
Crying/Hurt S/O [Idia, Jade, Floyd and Azul]
[A/N: awawawaaaa thank you for the ask, anon! I don't know if this is what you had in mind but I hope you like it! Sorry if it looks messy too hehe-]
Idia Shroud
If he were to be honest, he's not good at comforting other people. If it were Ortho, he'd know exactly what to do to make him feel better. But for you, he's pulling out everything that he knows that would make you feel better.
He'd drop his game in a heartbeat just to hug you. Even with the initial hesitance on his part, he'd still do it for you. Don't worry about his game, a small smear in his win record doesn't hold a candle to what you're going through right now. He'd lend you his shoulder to cry on, patting your back with slightly shakey hands. Forgive him for being so nervous, he rarely ever has the chance to comfort another person but to you, you wouldn't have it any other way.
If he were a little more vocal, he'd as what's gotten you sobbing this much. Did someone hurt you? Made you feel upset? He'd want to find out who these people are that put you in this state and give them the hell they deserve. But he'll save that for later. Right now, you need him more than he needs to put people in their place.
Jade Leech
Seeing you holding back tears, shoulders tense and fists clenched, he'd assumed already that something happened. Without a second thought, he'd wrap his arms around you, gently holding the back of your head and have you lean against his shoulder. It's okay to cry now, there's no one else in his room but you and him.
While tears started streaming down your face, he's already plotted at least several plans on how to make whoever did this to you in pure misery. Whatever they did, he'll be sure to make their lives miserable.
If it were something like a bad memory or an awful nightmare, he'd be more than happy to stay right beside you. He'd get you something to drink and listen to you talk about it for hours. He'll even hold your hand or pull you in for a hug if needed. Anything, as long as it'll help you.
Floyd Leech
Unlike Jade, Floyd is visibly pissed at the state you're in. A sobbing mess beside him, rubbing your eyes dry from the continuous tears streaming down your face. He could feel anger boiling inside him, more than tempted to stomp his way and beat the shit out of whoever put you through this state.
He definitely will, no doubt about it, but with your hand holding onto his arm so tightly, he felt compelled to stay by your side. He'd give you a light squeezing, considerate of your stuffy nose making it harder for you to breathe. He'd tell you how sad he is seeing you like this, how much he'd want to confront whoever hurt you and teach them a lesson. Even if you protest, he'd still do it. It's their fault anyway.
Cheering you up? He'll do the things he does to cheer himself up with you. Whatever it is, it's never something half-hearted. Floyd always does what he thinks is fun and interesting. Dancing helps get the blues out, or even running around the fields does the trick. If you're not into anything physical, he'd always suggest naps. They're always fun when he has his favorite Shrimpy beside him.
Azul Ashengrotto
He hates the idea of seeing you in pain, let alone be in tears. It reminded him too much of himself, of his childhood, of how he was teased and bullied for how he looks. Of course, he'd hate seeing you like that.
Whatever he was doing, he'll put everything on hold just to put all his attention on you. It's no trouble, really, even if you think you're being a bother. He'll pull you in close, hold onto you tightly, hiding your face on his shoulder, even letting you wipe your nose on his suit. It's okay, you're allowed to let it all out.
Once you've calmed down, it's when he'll ask you calmly what happened. If it was someone that hurt you then he's more than willing to make some arrangements to have the person taken cared of. If it wasn't a person but something personal, something you were afraid of saying, then tell him. He'll listen to you without question, that's how much he cares about you.
Could you possibly do an imagine for Rook Hunt, Floyd Leech, and Idia Shroud finding out their s/o is ftm (transmasc)?
Transmasc S/O [Rook, Floyd and Idia]
[A/N: heya anon! Idk if I'm qualified to write this but I'll do my best either way. I hope you enjoy it!]
Rook Hunt
It comes as no surprise to anyone that Rook would still find you beautiful, shining even, knowing that you are being true to yourself. If this is what you want then who is he to deny what makes someone shine more than ever before, right?
He'll be the first to offer you help with whatever you need. A haircut? No problem, he'd do his best to give you the haircut that suits you. Need clothes that matchs your prefered style? Sure thing, he's already gotten your measurements and is off to get them for you. There's nothing more than he loves than to see how comfortable and confident you are.
About the other boys that are invalidating you for your choices? They'll be on top of his list for sure. After all, there's no denying that some persuasion is needed for these boys. Don't worry though, this is all Vil approved... for the most part.
Floyd Leech
To Floyd, does it really matter whether you're a boy or a girl? Isn't the important question here is if you're still his Shrimpy or not?
It's not that he doesn't care but it's a matter of seeing you happy for being you. After all, your happiness is worth more to him than seeing you miserable over yourself. He loves you, he loves squeezing you until your nearly out of breath, he loves sneaking up behind you and surprising you with his presence. There's nothing stopping him from doing all that with you.
If anyone tries to harm you or demean you in any way, he won't hesitate to throw hands at the person. Even throwing odd looks at you would make him stare back at them menacingly, showing his sharp teeth in a creepy grin as he watches those nobodies shuffle away. No one is allowed to be mean to you in his presence.
Idia Shroud
Idia would initially be surprised but it wouldn't last that long as he'd go back to his usual self, stating that some video games let you change between male and female so freely, why would this be any different? He may treat things as if it were a video game but in reality, he knows how to handle these sort well.
To him, what's important is what makes you the most comfortable. If you play a character you don't even like then what's the point in playing the game at all? It's a matter of choosing which one gives you the maximum enjoyment, so would it be possible for you to come back and play the game with him now?
He's also aware that not everything can be treated like a video game. Not everyone would be accepting of the new you. If ever someone's giving you a hard time, be sure to tell him all about it. Don't worry, he won't do anything too badly. He'll just casually pull up these people's deepest darkest secrets that lurk within cyberspace and expose them to the whole class. Or better yet, the whole campus.
