Prompt:"Life On Earth" - Reunited! (ft. Silver Vanrouge) :: A direct continuation of my 'Life On Earth' ModernAU! series. In which the search is over, and what's lost is finally found.
Requisitioner: Silvercrumbs!
Warnings: None!
Words: 1793! (Purchase: Custom Fiction)
A/N: Hello everyone! We've got another commission to be shared, requested over on my ko-fi! This one comes to you by the sponsor 'Silvercrumbs!' -- Another fic. coming to y'all at the behest of dear Silvercrumbs! Feeding the Silver nation one day at a time lol. We are putting the precious child of dawn through his paces here. Trust. Lilia is coming for my neck.
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Life On Earth: Reunited! : Silver Vanrouge Edition
It was a miracle by fate that brought you to Twisted Wonderland. To them. Now your return is left in their hands. He joined this expedition into another reality with time as his gatekeeper and a yearning heart as his guiding star. The odds were stacked against them all, and yet…
By grace of it all, he’s found you.
"Since man cannot live without miracles, he will provide himself with miracles of his own making." – The Brothers Karamazov
Silver’s once again locked in his dreams. Each night he lays down to rest and gathers no hope for the cycle to break.
It always begins the same way, in darkness, with your voice calling his name somewhere far off and getting closer by the second. More urgent. More frightened. More desperate, until it feels like you are right there beside him and yet still impossible to reach. His whole body is cold, the kind of cold that settles deep and unpleasant, all the way to his hands, which are the only part of him that still feels real. Even those are trapped in that tight, strange pressure, as if something invisible is holding him still.
He is screaming at himself to answer you, to say anything at all, but his body will not obey and his mind keeps slipping under again, drifting backward into sleep while he is still inside the dream. His heart pounds hard in his chest. It is the only thing keeping him aware long enough to realize what is happening, and even that begins to feel distant by the end.
Then he is above the tide, and that is usually enough to make him gasp awake.
His eyelids snap open, and for just a moment, he sees you.
Not clearly. More like looking through warped glass or the bottom of a fishbowl, all soft distortion and blurred edges, but your eyes are unmistakable. He always knows your eyes.
They’re his favorite part of you and what he remembers most clearly.
You’re speaking, your lips moving too quickly for him to read, your expression urgent enough to make him feel like he should already understand. Like he is missing a vital piece of information.
Silver’s eyes snap open and he waits for the static to clear, giving way to the sun peeking through his curtains. Another early morning. At this point, he forgets the dream in mere moments. A stark improvement to how shaken he’d start his days during his first months into this new life.
There came a time when Silver let go of his attempts to analyze his dreamscape, taking the circumstance as memories bleeding through and deep rooted fears. Such as how dreams function for normal people who aren’t slipping into sleep spontaneously and hopping through others dreams.
Silver took his dreams as a blessing. They are a reminder that you’re real.
Though…If anything, acceptance leaves him confused and craving. Silver never thought he’d miss his ability to sleep anywhere and control his dreams. He just wants to hear your voice a moment longer, to understand what you have to say.
Want is irrelevant.
The morning air is heavy with humidity from last night’s rain, damp and green and still carrying the smell of wet earth. Silver draws in a slow breath as he makes his way through the beginning of his routine until he heads out to the mountains.
That is, until his work is interrupted by a call from the Ranger Outpost.
Silver’s out doing maintenance on one of the trail bridges when the alert reaches him. A hurricane is approaching, and climbing conditions are going to turn dangerous fast. Everyone on duty needs to report to their posts in case an emergency rescue is needed.
Silver doesn't hesitate. He starts making his way back down the trail at once, already shifting his attention to the weather, the terrain, the routes that will become unsafe if the storm closes in too quickly.
That’s when he hears voices arguing off the main trail. It isn’t uncommon for tourists to divert for better views, and he changes course. He thinks to warn them about the hurricane, escort them back down, make sure they are not caught out here when the storm rolls in. The voices belong to a group of backpackers, and when they catch sight of him, relief washes over their faces. Silver can’t help but feel put on guard whenever travellers look happy to see him. Usually that means a problem exists to be solved.
It’s been so long since Silver’s felt the pull of his sleeping curse that he questions if his blood sugar is low or if he didn’t sleep enough. He loses his footing on a patch of soggy peat and fails to catch himself properly. The last thing he sees before sliding down the mountainside and into the trench below are the backpackers’ horrified looks.
He holds onto consciousness long enough to dig his fingers into the slope and slow his descent, yet no longer
When he skids to a stop at the bottom, everything goes dark.
….
……
……..
……….
Silver hears you calling his name in increasing volume. Each time more distressed than the last. His entire body is ice cold up to his hands, which are the only part he can feel and they’re encased by a tight pressure.
He’s screaming at himself to say something. Commanding his body to move on the cusp of consciousness. He knows what this dream does. He knows how it ends and still, every time, he tries anyway because he doesn’t know better as it happens. Still tries to claw his way toward consciousness on instinct alone. His heart begins pounding hard in his chest. His mouth is dry. His stomach turns over on itself.
Then he’s above the tide and it’s enough to gasp. His eyelids rip open and for a moment he sees you.Your eyes are unmistakable. You speak, lips moving at a frantic pace. Too quick to read.
Silver waits to wake up fully, wherever he may be, with that same ringing in his ears.
And he waits
And he waits
And he hears you. For the first time, Silver hears your voice as clear as can be.
His head is pounding, cradled in your lap on a pillow as you’re hovering over him, shielding him from an onslaught of rain that drenches you both. Your visage shakes under mother nature’s pressure both out of fear for his safety and your own.
The memory of falling slowly creeps back in, the cloudy edges of his vision creep in and retract as he tries to focus on you. On all the features he’s missed from this picture. How your lips quiver over his name, the lower bruised with a cut going through the left corner. It paired with the cut across your temple that was starting to heal under dried blood stuck in your hair. Your shirt which stuck to you like second skin and did little to protect from the rain. The pillow under him must be your coat, he realizes with guilt.
Silver hears the wind battle trees and thunder wake in the clouds. The scent of iron and mud cling to you both in a way that the water can’t wash away.
He catches your rambles in segments. Those arguing backpackers were your travel group and you’d fallen shortly before the mass weather alert was sent through radio service. You ask if he’s okay, if he can hear you, how many fingers you’re holding up –
You’re terrified, and all Silver can do is wonder if this is a dream.
Silver needs to reach for his call button.
He knows he should assess the damage, report the injury, and do all the sensible things a ranger is supposed to do when stranded with a civilian. Yet his ability to think clearly is wrecked, likely a concussion if he is being honest with himself, and the dull ache in his skull keeps pulling at the edges of his focus.
Still, he would sooner swallow glass than let himself fall asleep again.
His body may be bruised, but his chest no longer aches in that hollow way it has every morning since coming to Earth.
Because finally, you are with him.
You’re crying, he realizes.
Tears drip down onto his cheeks, mixed with the rainwater that keeps running off your face as you fight to keep him awake. He must look terrible. Mud on his clothes. Rain in his hair. A headache threatening to split him clean in half. And yet all he can think about is how hard you are trying, how careful your hands are, how shaken you look on his behalf.
All he wants at this moment is to kiss you.
He reaches up to wipe mud from your cheeks, fingertips grazing a bruise blooming over your temple.
He tells you not to worry, has a mind to get his call button off of his utility belt and send a signal. When the signal flashes green to show it’s been received by the main post, he presses it into your hands and tells you to hang on just a bit longer.
His mind is screaming for sleep again, a dull ache stretching down the back of his neck and into his spine, but Silver knows it is not the curse. Not this time. He can resist it if he has to. What scares him more is the possibility that this is still a dream, and that waking up alone again would be worse than the pain.
We do not get to choose how life plays out.
So Silver will not waste this moment.
He reaches up and brushes wet strands of hair away from your face, fingers lingering there for just a second too long, like he is memorizing you all over again. Then he pulls you down by the back of your neck and kisses you.
His lips are frigid and stiff, yet unbearably tender as they take you. It’s the kind of kiss that has clashing teeth and one breath shared between two sets of lungs. He trembles against you, a mix of fear, irrevocable longing, and strain to hold himself all in one. Careful with the fact that you are here. Careful with the fragile, impossible relief of finally finding what he thought was doomed to be a dream forever.
At this moment, nothing else matters.
Not the ache in his body or the ringing in his head or even the chance that this might all vanish the second he closes his eyes. He pours every ounce of longing into that kiss, because there is no greater regret than a word left unspoken.
When he pulls back, just enough to breathe, he keeps your glossy eyes in line with his. He doesn’t want to see anything else.
“I love you,” Silver declares with all his breath, “I love you. All I have done is dream of you. Dream of being part of your life. I love you. I’ll say it again once we’re both safe, but I can’t hold it against my heart anymore. I love you.”
mayu in twisted nyanderland, part 2 because i keep thinking abt these cars (part 1)
More headcanons:
Jameow is rather quiet and barely meows, while the other two freeloaders are yappers. He's also a really self-conscious cat who gets embarrassed when anyone catches him purring (purring is not under his conscious control). If another cat walks in while he's purring on Mayu's lap, he immediately jumps off and runs away - you don't understand! He has some kind of, uh, image to maintain ☝️
He's quite the caretaker kitty - although much less capable than human Jamil. He takes it upon himself to wake her up every morning, but he doesn't really have a sense of when it's a weekend or when she doesn't have work/school. So he keeps bapping her awake every morning at the same time regardless of the date 😭 and he escalates from pawing at her -> biting her clothes -> standing on her (& meowing) if she refuses to get up. He takes his self-assigned job very seriously.
It's a mystery how he remembers how she cooks, but he always knows what she's about to grab next. So despite the clear food safety violation, he's allowed to sit on her kitchen counter and help by passing the spice bottles.
Jameow was originally a stray cat that roamed around with Nyalim, a white-haired cat. When Nyalim accidentally ate poisoned cat food, he ran around to find a human to help. That was when someone called animal services, which led to them both being taken into a shelter. Fortunately, Nyalim was saved in time and quickly adopted because he was a bubbly affectionate sweetheart. But Jameow wasn't adopted until he was nearly the last one left, because he "had a personality" and rejected a lot of humans that tried interacting with him. Mayu was charmed by his big grey eyes the moment she laid her eyes on him, though, and was determined to bring him home no matter what the shelter said about him.
He took a long time to warm up to Mayu. For the first few weeks, Mayu'd never know where he slept at night because he hid himself very well. Until one night she woke up to use the bathroom and accidentally kicked something fuzzy, and saw that it was Jameow curled up beside her feet, looking rather offended she did that to him.
The thingy on his collar is from a hair tie Mayu bought. She noticed him taking a liking to it (playing with it), so she refashioned it into an accessory for his collar. The gem is made of plastic.
Mayu nearly didn't recognize him one time after she left the AC on too low and he turned soot black overnight.
Nyace met Mayu in a park, when she was sitting on a bench (lowkey having a bad time) and heard a meow from next to her. She gave him something to eat and he immediately dialed up the charm, following her and repeatedly flopping down by her feet and looking up at her for pets. If she tried to walk away, he just got up and walked in front of her and re-flopped. He spotted a human he wanted to bother and went for it. Good for him, because it worked out in the end - cuteness always wins. (bro rly went hay bbgurl don't be sad look how cute i am)
At home with his new roommates he has to fight for treats & kibbles, but Minya's also kind of a big brother to him sometimes and passes his bowl to Nyace. Except this is because he's a Bengal who gets fresh, high-quality meat at his real home 💀 he's not lost, he just goes between his two homes as he wishes, and often goes back for meals. So he isn't even hungry when he's at Mayu's, meanwhile his poor real owner only sees him when he's hungry (credit to my mutual @/_varietale_ on twitter for the idea)
Mayu brings up her concerns with the vet that her cat barely ever eats, but never seems to lose any weight either?? And then the vet is like "Look, I don't know how to tell you this, but your cat is... incredibly well fed." While Minya continues to keep his secrets.
Things Minya have brought back include:
- A white bird (movie ref - don't worry, it was unharmed)
- A flower
- A leaf
- A rat
- A bug
- A bug
- A bug (he realized these piss off jameow)
- A squirrel
- Someone's wallet
Bengals are incredibly intelligent and athletic, so Minya, unfortunately, knows how to open doors and windows. So picture the door clicking open as Jameow is loafing on the couch, only to see Minya walking in with a grasshopper in his mouth... 💀
The wallet is. Possibly the sultan's wallet, that he went home to fetch. Which is incredibly funny because this implies that he
- Recognizes his new owner is a broke ass mf
- Memorized the sultan's schedule and knows when he's gone or asleep
- Knows the way home from Mayu's place
- Knows how to get past all the security at home, unnoticed
- Knows where the sultan leaves his wallet
- Is able to hold it in his mouth and escape, unnoticed, and get all the way back to Mayu
Poor Mayu is going to be like
Mayu: Oh you're back! What'd you bring me... this... time
Minya: (Drops it on the floor)
Mayu: (Opens it and checks the ID inside with trembling hands)
Mayu: Minya. Where did you get this 😨😨😨
Minya: (Meows proudly)
Minya is genuinely a shoulder cat who jumps onto Mayu's shoulder any chance he gets. He likes to watch whatever human things she's up to from the best vantage point. (Jameow thinks he has no manners)
The three cats debate every night who sleeps where on Mayu's bed, although often it's just Jameow vs. Nyace since Minya frequently leaves. When her allergies get bad though, she has to lock them all out and somehow go to sleep ignoring the meowing and scratching at her door 😔
In terms of vet visits, Jameow dislikes his carrier too, but prides himself on being a good kitty who doesn't cause trouble, so he's well-behaved and handles shots and check-ups like a champ. Nyace freaks out and whines non-stop in his carrier and starts running the moment he's let out, so he needs to be bundled up like a burrito to not claw the vet or Mayu. Minya refuses carriers and wriggles out of harnesses (or just flops down and refuses to move), so he arrives on Mayu's shoulder and hops down to sniff around curiously - he's never been to a peasant vet before, usually the vet comes to him at his real home. Until the vet checks his microchip and realizes he's some powerful politician's missing cat that they've been putting up a $10k reward for, and Mayu's... about to be in trouble... jk he goes home periodically to prevent this from happening, what a clever kitty.
A/n: I decided to give you all a break from my usual sad tormenting/agonizing stories🥰 enjoy!
Words: 1.1k
Pairing: Silver Vanrouge x fem! Reader
Warnings: none just pure fluff and kinda crack fic?
-
Lilia was SICK and I mean SICK and TIRED of the lovesick and utterly helpless look his son always had on his face every time you were near their line of vision.
He knew about his son's huge crush on you. I mean how could he not with the way silver LOOKS at you like you’re the only thing in this world?! Soft eyes staring at you with nothing but admiration and attention.
Can his son not be any more obvious?
Lilia tried to talk to him about it. Get him to make a move so his son can be happy. Totally not because he’s excited for potential grandbabies
Anyways
Silver dismissed his father’s proposal of setting the two of you up for a date. He said that he wasn’t sure if you even liked him back, thinking you probably liked one of your first year friends due to your closeness with them.
Which almost made Lilia laugh
ALMOST
It’s painfully obvious of your relationship with those two heartslabyul guys. He once heard you say how you view them as siblings, which made him cackle from seeing the reactions of your two friends who looked absolutely mortified. Leaving you confused on why the older fae found it funny.
But that was during the first few months of you being here, after that the duo started seeing you as a very close friend/sister.
ANYWAYS ENOUGH OF THAT
Lilia is sick and absolutely TIRED of seeing his son sulk and love you from afar. Trust me he’s seen his son stare at you like a divorced man that fumbled his beautiful ex wife and wants her back. So he’s going to finally take matters into his own hands and start setting up plans and ways to get you and his son together. (And maybe also pray to the great sevens for extra measures)
-
“In the count of three, we all show our results”
“One…”
“Two…”
“Three!!” You all turn your papers around and stare at your scores. You visibly cringe at seeing your barely passing score. The loud noise from Ace made you turn around as you saw him jaw slacked. Staring at his own paper in horror.
“No way”
“This can’t be! I studied for weeks!” You patted deuce back gently. Feeling a bit bad for both of your friends.
“At least crewel is giving us a second chance to get a better score than the one we have!” You tell them. Ace slowly turns his head to face you, you smiled as you ignored his eye twitch.
“Second chance? Yeah no I’m screwed” You hear a loud thud come from your side, you turn to see deuce head on the table.
“We can’t have riddle find out about this…he’ll kill us and make us clean vorpal stables…” He slurs. You sigh and set your paper down.
“I wish I had someone to tutor me…”
And like a genie, Lilia appears out of nowhere.
Seriously, he just spawned out of nowhere.
“I know the perfect person!” The three of you scream.
“What the- Lilia?!” The fae ignores Ace as he beams at you.
“Why don’t you let my son tutor you? Silver is very good at history of magic! In fact, he scored a 100 on the recent test-”
He went on a full 30 minute rant about silver’s academic achievement as you, Ace, and deuce endured it all, much to silver's horror as he quickly came in and dragged Lilia away as he apologized with a red face.
But you did come to him and nervously asked if he could tutor you! (And he obviously said yes)
-
The next attempt happened when you were in Vargas class. You and epel were busy doing your daily stretches when vargas suddenly told everyone to partner up. Since you and epel were already together, the two of you decided to pair up.
Well imagine both of your surprise when you turn to hand Epel a broom only for you to bump straight into silvers chest.
“Oof!”
You look to see a very red faced and embarrassed silver while Epel was straight up confused on how he got to the other side of the field with a giddy Lilia next to him. Epel's eyes narrowed as he looked between you and silver before turning back to look at Lilia who was next to him. Again…how in the great sevens did he end up on the other side of the field?!
“I’m partnered with Epel! You and Silver get toget- uh partner up!” Lila shouts as he clutches onto the broom in his hands.
“But I was alrea-”
“Don’t ruin this for me”
-
The attempts went on for a while. From silver being your history of magic tutor to him showing you how to ride a horse, to then teaching you about the different animals twisted wonderland had, to-
Well, you get it.
Lilia noticed how much more his son started falling for you. The both of you sit together outside for lunch now, you’re busy talking about what went on with your day while silver just sits there quietly admiring you.
Lilia feels like shedding tears and already hears the sounds of wedding bells.
But after two weeks of trying to get his son to make a move, an old man gets tired eventually.
So now here he is, standing in the common room of diasomnia as he paces back and forth.
“I tried everything already! I love to see that the two grew closer BUT! I need silver to make a move already!”
Both sebek and malleus look puzzled. The two of them looked at each other before looking back at a stressed out Lilia who was busy ranting out his thoughts.
“Um, lil-”
“Not now sebek” The poor first year couldn’t do anything but sigh as he watched the older fae mumble.
Mallues clears his throat, Lilia looks over for a second before going back to his rambling, clearly letting the younger fae know he’s listening despite his situation.
“I’m surprised you’re stressing yourself out about young silver happy love life” Lilia pauses. He turns to mallues with a confused expression.
“Happy? I do-“ He gets cut off as the door to the common room bursts open. The three of then turn around to see a very happy and giggling silver and you as the two of you walk hand and hand.
Lilia jaw drop.
“W-when did this happen?”
“A month ago”
A MONTH?!
Mallues greets you both with a welcoming smile as sebek lets out a disappointed sigh.
“I tried to tell you Lilia-sama”
A loud thud echoes through the room as you all gasp.
“Father!”
“Oh no! Lilia are you okay?!”
The old fae has passed out. But the four of you didn’t miss the big ole smile he had on his face as he mumbled about his future quote on quote, “grandbabies”.
a/n: wrote this on a whim sooo if you see any errors, no you didn’t :p
as you entered the room after taking a good shower, you saw rafayel in front of his canvas, doing some finishing touches touch on his piece. he looks beautiful under the sunset, the rays reflecting on his frame. majestic, even.
still in your bathrobe, you thought of making him your own canvas. you went to your vanity and picked the most vibrant color of lipstick you could find in your collection. with a coy smile on your lips, you went towards him, “hey, cutie”.
you giggled. as if sensing your mischief, he placed his palette and brush down on the table. turning to face you, with you in between his legs, his arms naturally wrapping around you. “what are you planning, hm?”.
“nothinggg”
he begins to leave a trail of kisses on your neck and shoulders. smelling your scent as he kisses you. “you should’ve dry your hair first, cutie. you might get sick”
you moved back a bit from his embrace, looking in his eyes. rafayel lifts a brow seeing that look on your face, silently asking, “could you close your eyes for me? please”.
he kissed your cheek before closing his eyes, abiding to your request. you swiftly apply the lipstick and started leaving kiss marks starting on his forehead, cheeks, nose, side of the lips, down to his neck.
“why are you avoiding my lips, cutie?”
“gotta save the best for last” you teased. he whined at your words, desperate on feeling your lips against his. you pulled away to see his state, satisfied with your work, you let out a hum before giving in to his wants
you press your lips against his, letting him take the lead. his arms hugging you closer, his other hand moving around your body. as if he can’t get enough. out of breath, he pulled away, a trail of saliva connecting your lips to his.
you giggled at his flushed appearance. his hair disheveled after running your hands through it, “should see yourself in the mirror”.
his head move to the side to peek at the mirror near him, he could clearly see the marks you left on his face and neck. his eyes darkened as he gaze back at you, “this is how you mark your territory, hm?”.
“how about i give you something…long lasting?”. you let out a shriek as he carry you in his arms, your legs around his waist. he then walked towards the bed, gently dropping you on. he followed with his right arm beside your head, his other hand moving towards your thigh, lifting it to his side.
While it is true that comedy plays a major part in making Rafayel appear disarming to the outside world, I think his emphasis on humor and play in the main story is intentional in more than one sense.
Modern-day Rafayel could have picked a myriad of ways to get close to you. From the glimpses we get of the behind-the-scenes moments before you meet, it’s clear that he’s been watching you. And for some reason or other, has waited quite a while to approach you. Why? What if he isn’t just studying MC or getting his affairs of revenge in order; what if he is studying the circumstances of this life with a mind that is well-versed in all the ways history repeats himself? Because Rafayel watched that knife plunge into your chest. He must’ve seen the hurt on your face as he began to wither away right in front of you, trying to deny destiny with love. How does that change how he sees your potential dynamic in this life? Because he most definitely could have approached you differently. He could’ve courted you seriously, right from the start, romantic and fervent and soul-shattering. He could have lowered your guards with vulnerability, or made your face blister with the heat of his words.
But he doesn’t really do any of those things. He just chooses to make you laugh. He chases after your smile.
Main story Rafayel is conveniently clumsy, calls you names, and comes running when he so much as hears a “mreow.” He embarrasses himself in front of you, pouts whenever you aren’t near, and gives it his all when you sit him down in front a claw machine. He makes you laugh. It’s intentional, but not just because it’s an act.
Because Rafayel knows all too well the burden of duty. He knows the way it sits on both of your shoulders and never lets up. And maybe, even in this life, it won’t matter whether or not he’s a god. Maybe some parts of life will always be so heavy.
But your love shouldn’t be.
In every life, Rafayel sees that you never look as free, or as beautiful, when you can’t help but smile. When you let out a childish giggle, when your cheeks hurt from being held tight for so long, when you swat at him for almost making you pee—it makes him fall in love with you all over again. No painting could ever capture how he feels when you look so weightless; when you laugh.
In love there is joy.
And he’ll do anything to make sure that your life with him is filled to the brim with it.
omg thank you!! honestly until ive learned more perspective and poses, i dont think im fully incredible yet (ᵕˆヮˆ)
also plugging in some art now
twst jp KILLED me, first with lilia and malleus really chill about princess glow, and also with saying minhaj wore a red dress!! (im going to see so many orientalist art works again.....)
in order to stop seeing that red dress, im puting him in iraqi fashion ♡♡
*sprinting after seeing ur last post* ur req are open, lesgooo!!
Anw, if u don't mind can I request twst headcanons of Second year group with a fem!s/o where the characters have cuteness aggression towards her when she does smth that they think it's cute (at least to them)
Pretty pls with cherry on top?🫶🫶🌹🌹
U can ignore this request if u want, no pressure, just take care
Cutie Pie!
How you drive the second years crazy
Floyd
You were trying to grab something on a top shelf in Sam’s shop, your fingers were brushing it, so close to grabbing it! When “ACK!” You were suddenly grabbed and spun in the air and felt enough force to crush an elephant constricting your midsection “Shrimpy’s so cute when they stretchhh” Floyd drawled while spinning you “Just wanna bite ya” and before you had a chance to retaliate in the slightest a large set of teeth came clamping down on your shoulder “FLOYD.” You were going to need to scold him once you got your airflow back.
Jade
He had come in to tell you to go to bed, you were studying for an important test in Crewel’s class but that would be useless if you didn’t get any sleep wouldn’t it? He quietly opened the door and walked towards you, than a chuckle left his lips, you had fallen asleep on your notebook, he gently shook your shoulder “You’ll hurt your neck falling asleep like this” still mostly asleep you simply looked up with tired eyes and let a small sound out of your throat, and Jade simply paused before you felt a shaky hand pinch your cheek “…Adorable.”
Jamil
“Thoroughly coat your hands in flour than begin to gently knead the dough out like this.” He instructed, Jamil’s schedule was too busy for as much time together as you both would like, so completing his cooking duties together seemed like the perfect solution “Alright cover my hands in flour than-“ and suddenly all of said flour on your hands was all over your face as a sneeze caught you by surprise, you slowly turned to look at Jamil who simply looked you up and down and sighed “let’s get you cleaned up.” His exasperated tone didn’t match his gentle hands as he gently scrubbed off the flour with a wet towel, a low chuckle left his mouth “you don’t know how cute you look…” he mumbled softly” “what did you say?” “I said you dont know how to cook.” He deadpanned, voice slightly cracking at the end.
Silver
It was so simple. He had been on the verge of falling asleep and mumbled to you something he can’t even remember. Then you did it. A slight little “hm?” And head tilt, and all of sudden he was wide awake and springing up from your lap, he just stared at you wide eyed and face flushed, a wobbly smile breaking out on his face from ear to ear as his hands suddenly held both your face. Before you could question it he suddenly went rigid and his face turned into a deep scowl “silver..?” “I cannot break out into a silly grin.” He said firmly, you tilted your head again, “hrk!” Red over taking him once more and the scowl quickly disappearing.
Azul
You had stolen his glasses. Well not actually stolen, you politely asked to try them on, and according to his mental contract for dating you, he was required to give in to such demands. “Well? How do I look?” You asked giving him a smile…he thinks, he really wishes he knew the answer to that question, although he’s certain that the answer is gorgeous. “Well id love to tell you my dear but there’s a reason to why I wear them, I can’t see you.” He sighed in response, it totally flew over your head that he was near sighted for a second, good thing there was a simple solution! Azul suddenly looked up to see your face lethally close to his, a hair closer and your lips would touch. “Can you see me now?” He absolutely could, and for mer born under the sea, you’ve somehow left him breathless. Before you know it the glasses are gently lifted off your face and put back onto Azul’s as a contract suddenly appears before you. “You’ve costed me an estimated 15% of profits as i’ll no longer be able to focus with such images of you in my mind” he sighs dramatically “luckily I can think of quite a few ways you can repay me” a coy smile gracing his lips
Riddle
The fact that he hasn’t collared you yet is unbelievable. Here is trying to focus on highly important worksheets for his studies and your sitting next to him doing nothing but scribbling on his paper! Doodles of hearts, cats, stars, your initials together, It infuriates him to no end! After all it’s uncouth, irresponsible, a waste of time, childish, and utterly adorable! He wanted to tell you to stop but the doodles squeezed his heart like the queen of hearts would squeeze necks and he was simply- Snap! He looked down, he had snapped his pencil in half and you had stopped your drawing on his paper. “Sorry…” You said averting eye contact and staring to slouch, you didn’t think he hated your antics enough to break something. You suddenly jolt upwards upon the sound of his fist slamming the table “Now when did I give you permission to stop!?”
Kalim
You sitting on his bed. Thats it. That’s all you were doing. Then out of know where a ball of sunshine running at 103 MPH came barreling towards you and jumping straight onto your chest knocking every last bit of oxygen out of you! “ACK- Kalim!?” In response you only get a squeal into your chest and two arms hugging you in a surprisingly strong grip. “Kalim what in the world?” You ask exasperated, your used to his antics, and you love them of course, but that didn’t stop the confusion that came. He finally lifted his face, a smile so wide it had to hurt and eyes that looked at you like you hung the moon and the stars “Sorry! You were so cute i couldn’t help myself!” He laughed, you only gave him a confused look in response “I wasn’t doing anything?” “I know, and yet you still look adorable!” He beamed.
Ruggie
He was quick. He’s nimble with quick reflexes, real helpful skills you know? But he was frozen in place, there you are, outside his doorstep with a basket of all his favorites, going on about how you ‘wanted to do something nice for him’ but of course, he’s quick, can’t stay still for to long! “Shyeheehee! Well ya should definitely do something nice for me often huh?” He laughed “Well id be a pretty lousy boyfriend if i didn’t give you something back huh?” He scratched the back of his neck when a smirk than slowly appeared on his face “I know, best currency I own!” He suddenly grabbed your waist and pulled you closer about to ‘repay his debts’ when a certain lion yelled from across the hall “Oi Ruggie! Not out in the open.” He suddenly jolted straight in shock than dropped down “damn there goes my kisses…” he sighed.
Synopsis: Years have passed since your homecoming to Earth. Your 'time' concluded and farewell inevitable at the hands of fate. After concluding their years at NRC, Wonderland's finest take it upon themselves to transcend dimensions and find the person who left without so much as a farewell. The catch is, they have no idea where you are, what this universe is like, and have to make a life for themselves in the meantime. How would they adapt to life on earth?
A/N: Hello everyone! This variant is brought to you by commissioner SilverCrumbs! This isn't the first commission I've gotten from them and I'm grateful for their continued support! Whenever I think of a Silver stan from now on, they're going to be who comes to mind hehe.
Part(s): Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Octavinelle, Scarabia, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, and Diasmonia
You are here!: Diasomnia!
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Life On Earth: Diasomnia Edition
Nothing could have prepared the students of NRC for what lied beyond the mirror. A world unlike any of them ever known with magic being virtually non-existent ( or so it appears to the general public). With nothing but the clothes on their backs, falsified basic identification, personal items, and the small bits of knowledge gathered from you; these young adults have one mission - find the dimension hopping prefect, and try to stay out of prison. It was time to split up, cover as much ground as possible, and make a life in this unfamiliar reality.
Let us see how these fresh minds conform to 'Life on Earth' !
Diasomnia Residence :
Japan // Philippines // Romania
Location: N/A, Japan
It is notoriously difficult to find a concrete residence in Japan as a foreigner. Especially one above 6ft with towering horns, little social prowess, and a tail. Malleus also has little interest in settling anywhere…until he does? Will elaborate later on.
Discussion across the round table fiddled out the moment everyone realized they were without their magic. Everyone…except for those of fae lineage. While nowhere near as powerful as he may be in Twisted Wonderland, Malleus is one of the only three still capable of using his magic. Although they are all quick to learn that mana is not as abundant on Earth as it is in Wonderland. The spell used to transport their search party here was no simple task and no one was keen on the idea of being stranded in another dimension. Props to you for coping with that, but if they can’t go home then Malleus might find himself curbing the ire of his ‘friends’.
It was decided unanimously that none of the three fae/half-fae would use their magic unless it was a life or death emergency. The risk of blot was too high to test, as was freaking out locals, and they’d need every drop of mana to get back home.
It was also decided that Malleus in particular would stay somewhere less…stimulating. Riddle and Vil (The self-proclaimed ‘Earth’ experts after combing through all the small factoids you left behind and spending a night reading through a public library) pushed for Japan. A country rich in ‘manners’ - i.e speaking in the spaces between their words, and the least likely place to test Malleus’ patience and spend the group’s main mana supply on a natural disaster.
The secondary reason is proposed by Lilia – Japan’s larger cities are teaming with events and whacky characters doing photography, filmography, etc. It’s not rare at all to see a cosplayer and Malleus can’t glamour his horns or tail. He just can’t blend in. At least on the streets of Tokyo, he looks like a promotional model or a host playing a character.
They paint these reasonings in a much kinder light for Malleus, of course. He’s always wanted to learn more about technology, right? During his internship at STYX, Malleus was constantly bugging the littler Shroud to show him digital games. Well! You’ve no better place to start since many reputable gaming and tech companies are based in Japan. Trust, Mal. It’s for the best.
Plus, it’s a small country compared to most that the boys are staying at! Plenty of niche little spaces for Malleus to go explore. He loves historical sights and temples….c’mon Mal. Y’know you want to.
He does, and he agrees. Although mostly because he is very keen on the idea of scouting on his lonesome. The smaller the land, the quicker he will pick it apart. Then he will not-so-subtly gravitate towards the places unclaimed and get a head start over the others
For Malleus? It’s not an ‘if’ he will find you, rather a ‘when’. No one is getting in his way.
Anyone who tries is an utter fool. So he’ll take it ‘slow’ as recommended…but if time passes and no one’s found you? Well, he’s not so patient. You’ve only so many years and every second lost is more precious to him than their concept of forbearance. He is born to lead after all.
And he means no one. Sebek was insistent to accompany Malleus, and even traveled to Japan with him. Yet Malleus sent him away to find his own path and use this journey as a chance to find himself. A half-truth. Sebek does need to do some inner-reflection but Malleus just doesn’t want to be shadowed.
In Japan, Malleus gives props to the duo who decided he should be sent here. He’s very taken with the clean, polite culture. They were wrong to think that he wouldn’t pick up on the passive aggressive nature of reading between the lines, but correct in that he finds it much more tolerable to interact with people who are mindful of personal space and keep their volume at level.
For the most part. He is a lurker by nature but will not walk the larger cities at night. Not for his safety, but the people’s. He has little patience for drunk salarymen stumbling out of bars or the blaring ad signs. Tourist traps and such are also obscenely obvious.
He also isn’t a huge fan of the work culture either. Respect for the culture’s dedication to the community and their loyalty. Yet he dislikes seeing people out at all hours of the day, even the children who study late nights at cram schools. Night Raven imposed a strict curfew on all its students to prevent blot accumulation from stress, just because these children are magicless does not mean they should endure.
Amazed with the convenience culture though. He loves konbini sandwiches and fruit cups. Frankly, his diet deteriorates while travelling around and picking up random trinkets on whims. The only time he sits to eat anywhere is at a pop-up food stall. He enjoys their quaint, welcoming atmosphere – although he normally only goes right before they close because of the tight squeeze. He hates being rushed through a meal and also he takes up a lot of space…which vendors don’t like.
Pretty privilege is a thing though which curbs people’s annoyance with his stature and ruminating nature. He does get many stares. People assume he’s an actor or a famous cosplayer and ask for photos.
On that note, he does not stick to one spot for long. Not a fan of the street culture of people trying to pull him into stores. Girls handing out samples outside businesses was cute for the first day but then got old quick. Pretty guy == more attention == more sales. Sometimes he’s at a shrine or tourist site just trying to be, and people won’t leave him alone.
Loves being by the seaside. Enjoys sakura viewing. Looks hot in Yukata. Has a crippling addiction to red-bean mochi.
He gets into manga. Thank Lilia for that. Malleus is often visiting old shops looking for vintage novels, not for himself but to ship to both Lilia and the Shroud boys over in Greece.
Occupation: Shopkeeper’s Aid (Waiter/Host)
Remember what I said about him not staying in one place? Yeah, that only applies to Japan. Let’s go a bit south, shall we?
Residence: Arume, Okinawa
This is where all of Malleus’ plans take a breather. He started his journey with a decent amount of money from pawning a few needless jewels. He didn’t expect to need much money since he thought finding you with magic would be a quick ordeal. Until the whole ‘mana reserve’ issue came into play with most of his power drained. Arriving on Earth was like losing a limb and yet…cathartic? He hates it but views it as a trial of devotion.
Thankfully he still has his physical attributes such as high stamina and limited need for sleep. While travelling, he gets away with renting a capsule hotel once every three nights for rest. He spends his first months as a drifter and spends most of his money on treats and gifts.
Although…he once mistook a love hotel for a normal one and yeah. It was rough for that poor employee to explain. He found the entire concept of lust hotel a disappointment…but he wasn’t surprised. Brothels have existed for generations
On a whim, he takes a boat to Okinawa after hearing about Japan's southern neighbor. Quite literally days before he was about to call quits and start migrating through another country.
While exploring, he comes across a small noodle shop in the middle of night/early morning hours. He spots an elderly man carrying in hefty sacks of flour and veggies. Malleus isn’t a cad so he stops to offer aid. That’s when he meets his first friend on Earth, and the noodlemaker is a bit too stubborn for his own good. Though he accepts Malleus’ help in exchange for offering him some cut pears, as being in debt to young folk wasn’t the old man’s style.
Once inside. Malleus asks why the man isn’t scared of his appearance or wary of a traveller so late at night. Most are either in awe or wary of him. The man answers that his cataracts did the judging for him – aka. He’s blind and doesn’t have anything Malleus could steal aside from some sweet potatoes
Malleus finds himself wondering why a human of his age and disability is running a shop all on his own. He sticks around out of curiosity.
The noodlemaker shares his story (after giving Mal a scolding for questioning his capabilities, to which Mal is miffed but respects) – that this is the noodle shop he worked his life to create. It’s part of the community. He and his deceased wife kept it afloat until her last days, and he plans to do the same. Whatever happens to it is up to the people once he’s gone but he isn’t going to sit on his butt and retire.
And this, Malleus discovers the concept of ‘ikigai’ and just how dedicated Okinawans are to their work. The man’s dedication to his livelihood and his love’s memory is inspiring. Malleus becomes quite taken with him and the little shop.
Malleus likes nights and early mornings the most, as there are less people. Japan becomes where he explores, while Okinawa is where he stays. The noodlemaker starts his day at 3am, opens at 9am, and closes at 4pm. Malleus is always his first customer, often showing up to help with heavy lifting. The small shop reminds him of Ramshackle and how visiting you during the late nights became part of his routine too. When he eats his share of soba and a side of sliced daikon at the bar, he imagines you’re with him. Sitting together on Ramshackle’s front porch and chatting over breakfast.
At some point, he becomes the noodlemaker’s extra hands. Oftentimes the elderly man will share stories of his youth, his wife and children. Always prying for a few of Malleus’ – he’s stubborn and unfiltered, just like you. All Malleus asks in return for his help is to sleep in the back room once every few nights. The shopkeep does him one better and gives him the key to his house.
The situation is far too similar to how Malleus met you. Against his better judgement, Malleus makes a new friend. One that will expire in a blink, and he hopes you both will get to meet. The first time Malleus shares his true goal for travelling (excluding the dimension hopping parts), the noodlemaker listens with full attention. All he has to offer is a wish for your reunion, commenting that not a day passes where he does not miss his wife
When Malleus finds you – which the noodlemaker has full confidence – he best bring you for a bowl and show you the fruits of his efforts. He promises to be Malleus’ “good word,” adding that you must be quite the catch to have a fine fellow searching high and low to see you again.
Malleus assures him that you are, with nothing short of reverence in each syllable used to speak your name.
Location: Legazpi City, Philippines
Occupation: Tricycle taxi driver / occasional street performer / part-time dishwasher if you ask the right people
Lilia shows up in the Philippines with nothing to his name and, honestly, that suits him just fine.
He leaves the money and the extra resources with the younger ones because that is simply how he is built. He is used to making do with nothing. Used to stretching a little into a lot. Used to surviving off instinct, charm, and whatever he can put together in the moment. So when he lands in Legazpi City, he does not come in swinging with some grand plan or fancy setup. He comes in light. Loose. Ready to improvise.
And that becomes his strength.
He starts small. Street performances when he needs cash. Doing dishes at a little restaurant that takes him in when they realize he is not helpless, just strange. He works, he chats, he learns the layout of the place, the streets, the routines, the people. He becomes one of those familiar faces that local businesses do not even question after a while. The ‘old man’ who can talk to anybody. The weird little uncle who knows everyone’s cousin. The man who somehow always has a story.
A fun version of Derry Girl’s Uncle Colm
Once he saves enough?
Oh, he splurges.
Second-hand motorized tricycle? Immediately yes, bought straight off a lot. No hesitation. He looks at that thing and sees his future..
He gets it all fixed up, decorated just enough to be unmistakably his, and dubs it his ‘trusty steed’. He straps a second-hand boombox to the front cabin and it's the icing on the metal cake.
Acquired Occupation: Taxi Driver
He becomes exactly the kind of driver people want in a busy city. The kind you get into the back of because he knows every street, every shortcut, every bad idea, and every backroad that gets you where you need to go faster than anyone else. He drives like he’s got no better place to be than doing a line of shots with death himself, which, to be fair, he often doesn’t. Reckless in the way only Lilia can be reckless. Somehow the passengers always get where they need to go, a little shaken, but entertained. He doesn’t accept tip money.
He talks the entire time too if the boombox isn’t blaring his latest mix.He has a story for everything. The weather. The roads. The fruit stand on the corner. The man selling fish over there. The old church up ahead. He knows the locals because he makes it his business to know them. He picks up little bits of life from every ride and every conversation, and before long he becomes a local legend. The foreign driver who is impossible to forget with peony eyes and a voice richer than the Emden Deep. The one with the boombox strapped to the trike playing travel music at all hours. The one who somehow knows the best food, the best shortcuts, the best places to see something beautiful, and where to avoid if you want to keep your money.
On the topic of the boombox, there isn’t a world out there where Lilia won’t attract the local screamo community. People always know when he’s off shift when the attractive romantic bop that lure tourists in switches to death metal.
The Philippines and karaoke are basically a love story, and Lilia steps into that like he was born for it. He loves going to Karaoke and the locals learn very quickly that if they don’t control the set list, that he will always choose the song that shatters glass.
His singing voice is absurdly good when he wants it to be, and even better when he is trying to calm somebody down. One of the buildings he lives near is basically a stacked little community of colorful huts, over a hundred families packed close together, and it is not unusual for some exhausted Nanay to come knocking late at night because a kid will not sleep. Lilia opens the door, hums a few lines, and the child is out like a light. It is borderline magical. He does it so often families start treating him like an emergency service. Not that he minds.
Everyone of all ages loves him, including the local children. What? He might not be teacher certified on earth, but he just got licensed back in Wonderland. He knows what to do.
He often sends pictures to the group chat of his home covered in the community's children doing crafts and playing. For months, they thought he was running an under the table daycare and not working as a taxi driver. Silver, Sebek, and Malleus say a prayer for those poor kids eating Lilia's homemade lunches
He lives in Legazpi City, but he is not the type to stay indoors much.
The Philippines gives him too much to do.
He loves going to festivals. Absolutely loves them. Catch him in Ceno City for Sinulog and he is having the time of his life, shoulders loose, grin wide, acting like some retired grandpa on vacation who has decided he is still young enough to dance.
He thrives in places where people are loud, alive, and gathered together for the sake of being gathered together. It suits him perfectly. Grandpa can GET IT.
Speaking of peepaw, Lilia is not ashamed to pull the ‘respect your elders’ card. He does it on a daily basis. It’s like a reward to watch people think he’s busting their chops. He looks not a day over 16 and he's claiming to be -- *que him flashing his forged ID to get alcohol when out to eat, followed by every person at his table going slack jawed*
Through it all, he never stops looking for you. No. That’s not right. He never stops thinking of you.
In truth, Lilia hasn’t tried to look for you once.
Going into this, Lilia didn’t think he was going to be the one to find you. If anything, he’s stalling. He wants the younger ones to enjoy their time here. Wants them to have an adventure before the inevitable return. Wants you to have a chance to breathe in your own world and really think about whether this is still your home or whether Wonderland is calling you from the back of your mind.
He loves you enough to let you go if he must.
That’s the ugly truth of it. Hope is what’s driving this expedition to your world, yet he is not so self-centered as to assume you are waiting for a rescue.
Sometimes you have to let your heart bleed so another’s can keep beating. He will bleed for you one last time if he must.
Yet he still wants you with him. If only for a moment. There are many whom he lost the chance to say his goodbyes to. He won’t let your memory become a regret.
Lilia just knows the difference between wanting and forcing.
He cannot stay on Earth with you forever because his family is back in Wonderland, and that isn’t something he can simply shrug off. But he can build a life here while he waits.
In his free time, he's out in the wilds. He ignored many 'do not enter' signs (Pulled the 'I cannot read' card ) and climbed the Mayan Volcano. He has a death wish. Don't tell Silver.
As for his clothes, he keeps it light because the heat is no joke, and he lathers on sunscreen like his life depends on it. Which, in the Philippines, sometimes it does. The pink streaks in his hair get dyed yellow, because if he is going to lean into vacation mode then he is going all the way in. His closet consists of boardshorts, tacky button-downs, sliders (with socks), chunky sunglasses, and his favorite wide-brimmed straw hat to block out that sun.
His home is just as much of a disaster as his home in Wonderland. Full of trinkets and bits and bobs he collects from his neighbors and on his travels. Taxi patrons sometimes forget things in his trike or give him presents as thanks for the stories. He sleeps in a hammock, not a bed. He does have a blow-up air mattress for when someone comes to visit or if he has to babysit a kid overnight. It isn't much, but it's home. He does have a computer set-up though courtesy of Shroud. It's how he stays in contact and also...what? did you think he would give up his video game addiction? Hell no. They're all pirated though. He is the king of it.
His fridge is that of a single guy. Mostly water and food leftover from the restaurants he visits, although he is having fun cooking. He's perfected his own special variation of Lumpiang Shanghai...but he won't say what kind of meat is in them. It tastes like beef but he might not be cooking it right. Something that's deep fried shouldn't be dripping when you pick it up.
At last…we have the Wallis Tambo incident to top it all off. Big traditional broom made of dried grass stalks. He saw them being sold and thought 'this thing is neary my height, i must have it' and then he sent it over to Silver in Romania without an explanation. Just a notecard with “ :) “ Silver texts him like "Father, what am I supposed to do with this?" and Lilia sends back "Clean up your act"
Across the globe and still holding strong with the dad puns. He can feel his son’s disappointment through the phone, khehehe~
Location: Transylvania, Romania
Silver adopts a simple approach for picking his destination. He peruses various options while the others are studying away and comes across a travel guide. Romania is one of the most forested countries in Europe with castles and villages galore. The architecture and layout of the land reminds him of Briar Valley. It would be perfect for Malleus and familiar. He’s certain his liege will have a hoot exploring castles near Transylvania. That is until the whole Japan idea.
At first Silver wanted everyone to keep together and was going to tag along with Malleus or his father. Thus he tossed the pamphlet aside. Lilia encourages him to go his own way because there are only so many of them to search and your world is BIG. It is as they expected but nonetheless…
This is how Silver ends up in Romania by himself.
In a world without magic, there are no curses or hexes. At least none cast with Wonderland’s magic. From his first foot on Earth’s soil, Silver feels different. Not just the sensation of missing a piece of himself that the others experience without their magic…but he’s energized. Like a persistent itching against his Hypothalamus finally left him alone.
Six hours in and he hasn’t felt the urge to sleep once. A bit fatigued from the stress of crossing dimensions but not the tug that pulls him under against his own will. There’s only one answer – his curse is cured….no…nullified. It has no hold over him without magic to feed on. For the time he spends on earth, Silver is without handicap. It’s a blessing yet he must show restraint from going beyond his normal capabilities. He must not forget that the curse will most likely return once he is back in Wonderland, and so this is only a temporary fix.
Although both he and his father make note of this phenomenon for future discussion. They’d tried everything available to find out the cause for Silver’s sleeping spells. Perhaps there is an answer to find in your world that can be brought back home.
He wants to help people but being a knight isn’t….well, a thing. He’s physically strong, has good survival skills(good at navigating a forest plus his affinity with animals translates across dimensions), knows first aid, is patient, calm under pressure.
Romania has a mountain rescue called ‘Salbamont’. One day he’s out on a hike through the Carpathian Peaks and crosses a lost/injured backpacker and guides him down the trail. Eventually he earns a position with them after showing up at their posts with lost travellers a dozen times
For now, Silver’s taken the money he was given and settled into a townhome along the outer rings of Transylvania. The entrance is through a narrow back alley and down a set of uneven brick steps. He lives on the basement level but doesn’t mind. For a decent rent with the landlord who lives above, it comes with all Silver needs and even a spare bedroom. Inside is a bit rustic and the air carries moisture that clings to the wooden furniture…yet it’s cozy.
Well, as cozy as it can be with Sebek Zigvolt for a roommate. Silver can’t help but double check his phone for any updates when Sebek shows up not even two weeks into their time on Earth. At first he thought someone already found you and it was time to go back. That hope fizzled out faster than a dud firework.
Silver doesn’t spend much time at home regardless, so he doesn’t mind sharing. He stays at one of the rescue outposts four nights a week as he’s on-call. The commute is a hassle going back-n-forth.
His bedroom walls are covered in maps and notice clippings from work. It’s neat for the most part and he only needs one alarm clock on his nightstand compared to the dozen back home. Silver isn’t much of a shopper either, most of what he owns is second-hand. Given to him by the landlord, donated by neighbors, grateful travellers he’s helped, or picked up on a whim while out getting groceries.
That damned tambo broom hangs on the kitchen wall. It’s great for reaching high cobwebs.
He’s also rather fond of this antique cuckoo clock that Sebek picked up after work. The brushwork gives away hand craftsmanship, with a fresh coat of white paint and red winter berries painted along the trim. Every hour a hummingbird pops out chirping. Silver doesn’t plan on bringing much back to Wonderland with him, but he’d like the clock if Sebek hasn’t already called dibs.
He dresses fairly modestly. Nothing special. He has his forest ranger uniform and then a few select outfits for everyday wear. Darkwash straight-cut jeans, a collection of the same T-shirt but in different colors, low-top sneakers etc. He’s not very particular with his appearance and usually just drags a comb through his hair in the mornings. Although…considering it was Lilia who’d cut his hair and Silver isn’t one to waste money on a barber, he does grow his hair out. It isn’t long before his hair is shoulder length and he’s tying it back every morning with a rubber band. Yes. A rubber band. Not a proper hair tie.
Romania is fairly casual in everyday life, but modest, neat appearances are appreciated in formal places like churches and monasteries (which are abundant). Silver finds himself enjoying these environments during his downtime. He isn’t a particularly religious man but the atmosphere is what he attends for. Sitting at a pew during morning’s early hours, listening to hymns and admiring the way light catches through stained glass. He’ll also take boat tours within the Danube Delta, birdwatching and simply allowing himself to be.
Both Silver and Sebek make friends with horses and do regular horseback riding together. It would be remiss of them to adopt pets when they both intend to leave, so they visit a local farmstead and help the ranchers exercise their steeds by running courses and caring for them. It’s good to keep up their equestrian skills.
Turns out that Romanian is the language of Briaran! No studying for Silver or use of Shroud’s translator. He really did not want to carry one around, in all fairness.
Silver becomes a bit of a heartthrob, just putting it out there. He respects his elders, is a hardworking man, and takes care of the tourists who get lost without complaint (to the point where if there’s an issue the locals usually recommend him even though he isn’t a native). Plus…the rugged look. He looks GOOD in his uniform vest. Which means he has a lot of pining suitors on Dragobete.
He doesn’t pay them much mind. It’s too troublesome to explain his ‘situationship’ (as his father phrases it) with you. While no doubt a story, it isn’t one he wants to tell. Contrary to how it may appear on the outside, Silver isn’t attached to anyone in the country or the people he works with. He makes pleasant acquaintances. He makes himself useful. He is kind because this world is parched for it.
Yet Silver cannot say there is one person other than Sebek who knows anything about him beyond his preferred mid-day snack, and he prefers to keep it that way. Life on Earth is comfortable, but it will never be worth living until he can see you again. He will not invite misfortune to anyone’s life by forming a bond that must be severed when he returns to Wonderland.
It isn’t often that Silver dismisses his father’s advice. Lilia wasn’t happy nor displeased to see the distance Silver placed between himself and those he interacted with. Though no encouragement to ‘live for the moment’ would change Silver’s mind. He would not hurt these people or give them a false hope that he’d be part of their community forever.
Neither would he acknowledge he felt that ache every morning, waking numb from a dream about you. Ever since coming to Earth, he could dream of nothing else. Is this what it was like for normal people? Surely not.
He experiences the same dream every single night. It always starts in darkness. He hears you calling his name in increasing volume. Each time more distressed than the last. His entire body is ice cold up to his hands, which are the only part he can feel and they’re encased by a tight pressure. He’s screaming at himself to say something. Commanding his body to move, but his mind is slipping to sleep within a dream. His heart pounding in his thorax.
Then he’s above the tide and it’s enough to gasp. His eyelids rip open and for a moment he sees you. Through warped vision like looking through a fishbowl. Your eyes are unmistakable. You speak words he can’t hear, lips moving at a frantic pace. Too quick to read.
Silver never hears you. Just his alarm ringing in his ear before it's time to start a new day.
Now…on a lighter note, he takes to wood carving. It helps practice his knife control without drawing in any curious looks and he likes to make little creatures to decorate his home with. Bears, ducks, caterpillars, cats….and a shrimp. He never fully understood Floyd’s nickname for you but thought it was funny all the same. He sends a picture of that one to the group chat.
He’s also a bit of a Romanian Snufkin, if you can imagine. Far from a virtuoso, but Silver does take up playing the nai (pan flute). The birds like it along with the various baths and feeders he’s set up around his house and he enjoys a relaxing tune now and again.
Perhaps when you reunite, he’ll play you a song. That sounds nice.
Begins his journey with Malleus in Japan and just as they step out of the airport, he’s being handed a sum of money and a simple command to ‘go’.
One argument later with a side of begging, and Sebek finds himself in the Philippines where his mentor is bussing tables. Before Sebek can voice his complaint that Master Lilia is ‘far above scraping leftovers off plebs plates’, he’s handed another sum of money and a command to ‘go find yourself’.
Aha. Mmm. One night spent on an air-mattress and willing himself to not accidentally electrocute himself later…
Third time’s a charm. While not his preferred placement, Sebek finds himself docking in Transylvania.
Location: Transylvania, Romania
Sebek struggles to fit in at the start. Not just in Romania, but on Earth. He is irritable. No. Irritable is an understatement. There is a thunder cloud following him around during his first few months. Although he is not overly rude to others, per-say. These locals do not know him neither his story and don’t deserve it . He also pities them for not knowing the joys of magic (He is still struggling to accept that there is no magic on earth. How can he go from casting high-tier spells to making mere sparks? He never does accept it either. Down to his last day.)
Silver bears the brunt of his frustrations the night Sebek barges into his house and makes himself at home. He’s welcome of course. At the time, Silver was just settling in and a rent buddy is always good.
He just wasn’t ready for Sebek’s mood to be -300%. Malleus sent him away. So there was the worry of Briar Valley’s next King wandering the streets of this unknown and dangerous land, unable to use his magic, and all by himself.
Then he went to Lilia and got the same ‘go find yourself’ speech and nearly broke down in tears. Just because Sebek can handle himself does not mean he wants to be alone. He isn’t used to solitude and isn’t in the mood to wander aimlessly like a poet without their soul.
Yeah. Silver couldn’t turn Sebek away even if he wanted to. For all the resentment in Sebek’s tone, it was truthfully melancholy in disguise.
Sebek already felt abandoned when everyone set out on this journey together. To those who do not know him well, he appeared outraged that you left Wonderland without a word. He waxed and waned about loyalty and respect. If it wasn’t for the others suggesting that your return might have been as unwilling as your arrival once was, then he’d have let your name wilt on his tongue like a rare flower that bloomed off season.
The reality within his heart was far less melodramatic. Sebek missed you, and he couldn’t face that attachment while believing you left him of your own free will. As if he offered you his sword and then you plunged it straight into his heart.
Sebek feels his emotions so brazenly. He rarely bites his tongue when there are words to be said. Yet no one – not even Malleus – can make him admit that he misses you. All those promises to lecture you on manners and fealty won’t make it past his lips.They’re empty. Merely looking at your photo is enough to make him bite through his inner cheek.
Sebek misses you, and he cannot handle the hollow ache in his chest.
When Silver is the third who encourages him to ‘find himself,’ although without turning him away, Sebek snaps back that the only missing piece of him to find is you. And that’s the closest admission anyone will ever get.
Silver doesn’t mention “it” again.
Occupation: Bookstore Clerk
In truth, he wanted to work for a local library. Sebek does not have much patience for customers or entitled tourists Yet there are far more bookshops than there are communal hubs and he has to pull his weight somehow. If he relies on Silver to pay their living expenses – Nope. No. Just no. Not going to happen. Sebek would sooner sleep under a bridge than owe Silver a cent. They’re on friendly terms but he isn’t about to be bested.
It was either retail or food service for quick work. He chooses retail for blatantly obvious reasons. Thank god that Sebek is well read and comes with a plethora of skills to market…and that Romania tourism leans into folktales and such. A quick conversation with a patron and he can pull the perfect vacation read for them.
Sebek doesn’t have to study language because he, like Silver, knows briaran and by default romanian. Yet he is a study by nature and begins to learn other languages of the places he plans to visit // romanian neighbors. He’s proficient in Greek, Turkish, and learning Japanese for Malleus’ sake. This makes him desired by most shopkeepers since he can communicate with customers from all over (he also has Shroud’s translation program for this but hush). Neighboring store owners sometimes pop into his work when he’s on shift to ‘borrow’ him for a quick moment if they need a translator. He’s fine with helping so long as his boss is too.
Again. Big reader. Has definitely read Dracula as well as many other folktales. Visits Bran Castle the first week he’s in Romania and goes full on tourist, critiquing the architecture and comparing it to Briar Palace. Then goes to Peleș and Corvin as well (Corvin is his favorite of the three). All alone. With Silver always in the mountains, Sebek gets used to minding their city house and travelling solo. He takes care of their bills, paperwork, and such. Keeps the space clean and cooks the nights Silver is home.
Otherwise he does takeout or goes to the same restaurants he found tasteful during his first week of roaming around.
He isn’t very healthy when left to care for himself. He blames the rotating specials and the exceedingly charismatic waitresses that call him handsome without missing a beat. He indulges in desert nearly every day despite lecturing Silver to eat more than dried nuts and Mămăligă (polenta). Sebek is a sucker for Papanași with a side of plum brandy to enjoy after work with a good book (Romance. He tries to hide the covers when Silver is home but he is reading those chicky beach reads. It’s why he has such good vacation recs. for the girlies)
For someone who dislikes coffee…he is struggling. The bookstore he works at is right next to a cafe and the patrons often come in with their Cafea la Ibric (turkish-style boiled brew) which is strong. The servings are small because one sip is enough to make your nosehairs tingle.
Gets into pigeon training / pigeon racing after studying for his driver’s license and his instructor tells him about how he used to train carrier pigeons back in the day. It isn’t a good idea to keep pets considering their situation but if Sebek doesn’t train them then the art is going to die out! He now has a pigeon named ‘Marley’ that the groupchat gets a picture of once every week. Mondays with Marley
Otherwise he is dead to them. Sebek is a DM guy if anyone needs his input, but otherwise he barely skims through the GC and leaves a thumbs up on any messages that are important.
If Trappola sends one more ‘bleh bleh bleh’ Hotel Transylvania meme, Sebek might book a flight out to the UK just to slap him. If it wasn’t for his brain nagging ‘maybe this time’ each time the GC dinged with a group notification, hoping that someone’s crossed your path, then he’d have muted it from the start.
He is the painter of SIlver’s wooden figure collection. Sebek is an arts man, and therefore he gets into folk art and even studies how to paint the style. It’s productive and therapeutic. Doors, furniture, and the walls of their shared home are covered in Sebek’s work. He’s also the one doing the chalkboard sign outside the bookstore every morning. Sebek is a firm believer that there isn’t a skill you are unable to learn. All you need is practice and sometimes the right mentor.
Speaking of mentors…considering Romania’s age hierarchy, he’s a prime contender for any tradesman to take under their wing. Always asking questions upon questions and seeing insights into the history behind people and their crafts.
Sebek is not one for fast-fashion. All his clothes are tailored by hand. He prefers quality over quantity, and invests in academic wear. One must look put together to feel put together. He has two suits, the better of the two being green tweed that he wears when joining others for a meal or to museums etc. A few pairs of dress slacks with matching button downs and suspenders. Malleus sent him over a pair of silver cufflinks that he wears daily as well. He also has a doctor’s bag, to carry his coin, lunch, paints, and a book or three.
His room at the townhouse is reflective of all his interests, as is the home entirely aside from Silver’s bedroom. What was once an empty slate with nothing more than aged oakwood furniture is now akin to a cottage you’d find back in the valley. Sebek tries to keep the place circulated and invested in a dehumidifier to help with that mildew smell. His paintings are everywhere along with stacks of books he’s bought on discount from his work. Silver’s wooden carvings sit together on the windowsills for passerbys to admire.
Sebek’s bedroom is akin to a prairie woman in her late 60s lol. While the house is covered in color, his room is plain ivory white. White walls, oakwood floors. One white rug under the twin bed. White quilt with floral embroidering. A wood desk with just a lamp, bills in three piles organized by urgency (red clip = pay now, yellow clip = pay soon, green clip = we have time), his favorite fountain pen, and a picture frame with three photos.
The first is of Malleus, of course. That same portrait Sebek’s kept since his school days.
The second is of the Zigvolt family. Taken the day of his graduation from Night Raven which wasn’t too long ago. He looks pleased, little did he know that this future wasn’t going to turn out as he planned.
The third is from that period he’d stayed at Ramshackle for a sleepover with all the other first years. He was much younger at that time and it was the first party of that ilk he’d ever attended. By some odd circumstance it’s one of his fonder memories
…
Yet if someone looked a bit closer and somehow bought enough time in his room to look around, they might discover a fourth picture tucked in the space between his mattress and box spring. A polaroid printed from a magical camera, depicting two people pressed together for a self image. One a human, slap-happy after a night of no sleep and anxious pre-exam jitters. Their smile so wide with dimpled cheeks and blown pupils. The other a half–fae, grumpy with eyebags stealing the show and his cheeks red as roses.
The picture animates, as proof of the camera’s magic, and captures the human’s laughter perfectly in time with their grumpy friend ducking out of sight.
You never did take many photos of yourself. Sebek never understood why you decided to take one the night after cramming for final exams, or why you chose to spend that time with him at all.
There are many things he didn’t understand back then, it seems.
