He fumbled you hard and he treated you like shit while doing so, you were so upset and so angry about it. How dare he?? and then to beg for you to come back like you were EASY?? hell no
Naturally you went to someone who was well versed in drama, well versed in comfort, and well versed in advice
Lillia Vanrouge
You cried and sobbed about the whole ordeal, ranting about how much of an asshole the guy was - and lillia couldn't agree more
He patted your back, commenting and insulting your boyfriend. he never liked him in the first place, so he certainly wasn't holding back
and yet you couldn't help but notice his choice of words while comforting you
"My son would never do something so vile"
"how evil of him to do that to you. You broke up with him? hm..."
"You know, Silver is very loyal and strong. He was raised by me so its natural for him"
And it was also no surprise that by the next day, you were on a date with Silver, Lillia not too far with his own disguise
It wasn't hard to notice just how in love Silver was with you, he just never acted on it due to your previous relationship. Hell, he even rejected Lillia's proposal at first because you had just gotten out of the relationship... but when lillia told him you agreed to the idea?
Malleus: Child of man, I know that you enjoy touching my horns, but they are currently unstable.
Yuu: But- But touch?
Malleus, big sigh: No, child, no touch.
Yuu:
Yuu: Okay. I understand.
Malleus: Thank you, child of ma-
Yuu: You don't want to be my friend anymore.
Malleus: What?- I- No- Child of man, please-
Yuu: It's okay. It's not like I went through trauma and suffering in those dreams, or afterwards. I guess Grim will be the only company I'll have at night.
Malleus: ...
Malleus: You can touch the non-broken one...
Yuu: I wanna touch the broken one.
Malleus: Child, n-
Yuu: We're not friends then.
Malleus: Oh... Hm. I think I have an idea.
Yuu, gently drifting their finger along the broken edges of Malleus's horn: Was that so hard?
Malleus, wearing a collar from Riddle: No, no it wasn't.
Yuu: You're a very good friend.
Malleus: I to you. You're very dear to me as well.
Yuu: If your tail was out, would you be wagging it right now?
Malleus:
Yuu: Horton?
Malleus:
Yuu: Horton, I wanna see.
Malleus: I believe there is somewhere I must be-
Yuu: Malleus Draconia, let out your tail. Right. Now.
Malleus, droopy fae ears: ... Fine.
Might be a little OOC. I am a delulu person. This works platonically and romantically, I hope I didn't tag wrong-
Is what you canāt help but think as you eye the date on your calendar: a tear-away freebie given to you by Sam a few days after breaking a priceless, historical chandelier. You can only assume the sight of you paying for a cup of ramen with loose change was just so pitiful he had to give it to you. Either that or he just didnāt want it anymore. Since then, you have made it your mission to go to the school store with a ton of loose change. See if you can paint an even more miserable sight, so Sam will give you a free car or whatever.
But thatās getting off track, because today is the 25th of December. Itās Christmas, but on the calendar, it just reads as āThursday.ā
It's not like you didn't know this was coming. You've already passed certain events like Thanksgiving and the Fall Equinox without a hitch.
But, for some reason, Christmas just seemed like a given. You had just assumed it would be here. Regardless of the lack of enthusiasm leading up to the winter break, for anything other than going home.
Halloween, almost a perfect copy. But Christmas? Which is arguably in the same branch of thought as Halloween, considering its roots in Pagan tradition? Nope, nothing.
It's not about the holiday itself, if you're being honest. It's about what it stood for. A day to come together. A day for you to see people you've only seen a handful of times each year. A day to remember those no longer present.
It was familiar, warm. And now you're all too aware of how cold you are. How foreign this big, abandoned dorm really is.
The ghosts eventually come to get you, since you've been standing still in your bathroom with your toothbrush in your mouth for who knows how long. You spit, hoping the action will rid you of this stupor like it will the froth on your tongue.
It doesn't, it follows you out the door and into the frigid morning air. Ready to swallow you whole untilā
"Prefect!" Red and blue fill your vision, then you blink, and Ace and Deuce come into focus. "Morning!"
"... Good morning."
"Where's Grim?" Deuce steps up next to Ace, hair hanging low over his brows from the downward push of his beanie.
"... I think I left him upstairs."
"Finally deciding to abandon him?" Ace grins, all cheek.
"Sure," you shrug, then go back inside to fetch him.
The winter holidays are almost over, which you're both grateful and remorseful for. On one hand, the campus will be alive again. On the other hand, the campus will be alive again. A double-edged sword where one side holds a shiny new future of possibility and the other is covered in blot. And your holidays already had enough of the latter, thank you.
"When does everyone come back?" You ask idly while all four of you, Grim newly acquired and balanced half asleep on your shoulders, walk toward the main campus.
"That depends," Ace hums. "Some guys decide to beat the crowd by coming early, and some wait until the last minute."
"Does the Mirror bring them back?" A strong breeze pushes past you, forcing an equally strong shiver to rattle your teeth.
"If they need it, yes." Deuce moves to your other side, a shield against the biting chill of the wind. "But most just find their own way back. Like how we did."
"Oh, so other transportation." You nod, considering. "That must cost a lot each year."
"No, students get waived from travel expenses during this time of year. You just gotta show them an ID, or in our case, our pens, and the tickets are free." Ace explains.
You nod, very much impressed. What you would give to have had this type of societal support while being a student.
"Did your world not do that?" Deuce asks, a rare moment of him catching onto your reaction.
"No, not on a universal level."
"Man, your world just keeps seeming shittier and shittier." Ace tsks, kicking at a snowbank.
You only hum in response, thinking about your world. About the holidays and todayās date. About the warmth you are missing.
Your shivering stops once you start feeding the fairies their daily logs. They ooze heat like little mini radiators, pushing the numbness from your fingertips. One of them flits past your hand, especially close. So close you can feel the promise of a burn should it decide to move even an inch closer. That doesn't happen, of course, but it does look at you with what you can only assume to be the fairy equivalent of gratitude before diving back into the newly roaring fire.
Grim takes that moment to try and subconsciously lean towards the new heat source, forcing you to catch him as he rolls off your shoulders before he too becomes fuel.
"Should've let the little guy fall in. Fire would've lasted until the New Year." Ace comments from over your shoulder.
You reach out blindly behind you to pop him on the side of the head. From the volume of his yelp, you can only assume Deuce had a similar idea.
Grim jolts awake in your arms with a snort, "tuna..?"
"When we get home, bub," you murmur, petting between his flaming ears.
With all the fires restocked and fairies happy, Ace and Deuce start talking about this new card game that they learned from Kalim on the trek back. You're nodding along with them, half listening and half dissociating. But then you're forced to stop as a wall of mass folds over you, threatening to press you into the ground.
"Shrimpy!"
"Whaā Floyd?! When did you get here?!" Ace balks as he whirls around.
"Please get off the Prefect, Floyd.ā Deuce, the poor boy, furrows his brows, concerned for your legs that visibly wobble.
Grim, for once, doesn't say anything. But you feel him press closer to your chest with a distressed sound.
"Morning, Floyd." You greet like normal, straining under his weight. "Did you need something, or are you just trying to turn me into a pancake?"
"Mmm, no, maybe later." He muses, then his weight is suddenly gone. You're about to sigh in relief until you're promptly picked up like a stuffed animal. "Gotta borrow you though."
And you're off, thrown over his shoulder as you watch Ace and Deuce get further and further away, listening to their shouts of protest.
"Hngyah?! What the heck?! Why'd you have ta swipe me too?!" Grim yowls right next to your ear.
"You're the one who didn't want to be put down." You point out with a wince, tugging at his little arms where his nails have dug into the puff of your coat.
ā'Cause itās still morning!ā He whines, tail thumping across your back as it thrashes in dismay.
āThen donāt complain when youāre kidnapped along with me.ā Is the last thing you say before Floyd all but launches through the Mirror.
āSo happy you were free to assist us at this time, Prefect!ā Azul is abuzz with enthusiasm you have no doubt is at least 75% exaggerated. āI mean, considering what a big help we were with Jamil, itād be rude not to aid us with this new line of products for the New Year.ā
āMore like heās holding you captive until you fork over your otherworldly knowledge.ā Ace muttered, pressed against your side in a Mostro Lounge booth as you fiddle with the pen in your hand.
You didnāt outwardly say it, but you agreed with Ace. Turns out the āborrowā that Floyd mentioned was code for āAzul needs you to write down recipes and specialty holiday drinks from your world that he can copy and capitalize on.ā Which, youāre a bit annoyed about, but the three did help you with the Scarabia incident. Enough to warrant a few free ideas. In the name of the Christmas spirit, you suppose.
That no longer existed here.
āHenchman!ā
You jerk in your seat at Grimās call, glancing to your left where heās wrapped himself over your shoulders like a scarf.
āCan you get this over with already? You promised me tuna when we get home.ā
āWorking on it,ā you huff while looking back down at the paper before you.
āWhatās āeggnogā?ā Deuce is on your other side, peering over your shoulder.
You blink, "It's eggnog."
Deuce blinks right back, "So... nog with egg in it?"
"... Maybe?"
"How do you not know what's in it?'' Ace gives you a funny look.
"I don't know," you grumble. "It's just eggnog. A type of milk that's sweet and rich that the grocery stores sell at Christmas time."
"Christmas? What's that?"
You look up and see Floyd leaning heavily across the table to stare you down. You can also see Azul stood beside him, his arms crossed and his expression curious. Jade, done with whatever he was doing behind the bar, is crossing the room towards your group.
"... Well," you croak, then clear your throat. "Christmas is a holiday from home that celebrates gifts."
"Gifts?" Grim perks up, because of course he does.
"Yeah, as in giving gifts. Families come together to give each other presents. It's supposed to be a time for joy and kindness before the New Year."
"Where does eggnog fit into that, though?" Ace asks.
"It's just a drink people make around the holidays that's associated with Christmas." You shrug, unsure of the answer yourself.
"And everyone celebrates this holiday where you're from?" Jade chimes in with a question now that he's within range.
"No, not everyone, but I'd say most people do. There's, like, different variations of the holiday depending on the religion and country."
"And what day does Christmas occur on?" Azul asks.
You pause, momentarily hesitant, before shaking the apprehension off. "Um, today, actually. The 25th of December."
They all look at you for a second in varying degrees of emotion. You make sure not to stare at anyone, taking special interest in writing down the word 'Cranberries' on your mostly blank page.
"It's today." Ace clarifies.
"Yeah, today." You still don't look up.
"We should be giving out gifts today?" Grim questions, nudging the side of your head with his snout.
"Where I'm from, yes. If you celebrate it."
"And do you typically celebrate it, Prefect?" Jade questions.
You make a vague gesture, scribbling down 'Peppermint.'
"Why didn't you say anything this morning?" Deuce, as direct as ever, goes for the jugular and asks.
You wince, mind churning for an excuse. Then Kalim and Jamil burst through the Lounge's doors on a flying carpet, and you're saved from answering.
"Why can't we stay at Scarabia all the time? Why are we going back through the cold when we could just stay in the hot?" Ace whines, arms wrapped tightly around his midsection.
"I spent enough time in that dorm to last me the entire rest of the winter, thank you very much." You sniff, ignoring Grim, who keeps darting between your steps. Probably still annoyed that you've denied him the privilege of being in your arms on the way back to Ramshackle. "No offense, Kalim."
Kalim, the sweet angel, merely laughs and beams. "The heat isn't for everyone!"
"Well, it is for me." Ace groans, feet crunching heavily in the snow. "Why'd we have to leave? I was fine moving shop after Kalim and Jamil came barging into Mostro."
Turns out, Kalim and Jamil came flying into Mostro (literally) because they were looking for you. In your stupor from this morning, you forgot you had agreed to guide Jamil through a recipe you knew from home, which was weirdly similar to a favorite of Kalim's. And for some reason, that meant everyone in the room with you had to come with to try it.
"If this breeze is enough to get you whinin', you wouldn't last a second where we're from, Crabby." Floyd comments.
"That's another thing, why are you guys still here?" Ace pointedly looks at the Octavinelle trio.
"Huh?" Floyd's tone turns lilting in a way that spells trouble. "You telling us to scram, Crabby?"
Ace, ever the empath, quickly shoots out, "No. I just meant I'm surprised you would want to play games with us."
Somehow, during your master chef lesson in Scarabia, the guys had gotten Kalim and Jamil up to speed on Christmas. To which they had insisted there be a party. And you, not knowing what to do with the feeling swirling in your chest, vehemently denied it. Arguing that yeah, ok, maybe there should be a party, but just a little one. Cause Christmas was personal like that.
And now here you were, towing a group of guys to play Go Fish or something in your living room.
What a life you now lived.
"Let's try and keep this evening civil, gentlemen." You cut in before Floyd gets especially offended. "We take card games very seriously in this household, within reason. That means no throwing fists and no cheating."
"We would never," Azul gasps, looking appalled.
You, having survived a deal with him, raise a brow, unimpressed but without further comment.
Azul smiles in response, all good-natured and proper. So does Jade, and Floyd. If you consider flashing sharp teeth in a smile reminiscent of something feral, proper. Jamil looks about as unimpressed as you feel, but maybe with a tad bit more disgust. Kalim is strangely quiet but visibly eager as he bounces on the balls of his feet. Deuce is as well. The quiet part, that is, not so much visibly eager. And refusing to look at you on top of it. Ace, on the other hand, is staring right at you and pointedly not at Floyd.
You sigh, feeling old beyond your years as you open your front door. To which you're immediately greeted by a wave of noise and a half-pile, half-orderly array of shoes.
"... Kalim," your mouth moves ahead of your thoughts. "Did you decide to host a party anyway, but at my house instead?"
"No! Well, kind of." He waves his hands around. "You said it should be personal, right? Christmas."
"What?" Falls incredulous from your lips before you shake your head. "I mean, yeah. Sorta."
"Right, so I told a bunch of our friends to gather at Ramshackle to join us for game night!"
There's too much to consider at the moment. But the smug satisfaction across Ace's face in particular is just begging to be addressed.
"You knew about this," you state more than ask. "All that complaining was an act."
Ace's smirk is answer enough. "Had to play my part, right?"
"I cannot believe you," you say, yet you totally do.
"Got you good, huh?"
"I will throw you out a window."
"What happened to being civil?"
"Unnecessary comment, Jade, hush."
"Come on." Kalim, done waiting, latches onto your arm and starts bodily dragging you toward the noise. "Everyone is waiting!"
Turns out, 'everyone' meant just about everyone you vaguely knew. Cater, Trey, and Riddle were sitting around your coffee table in discussion with Lilia, Silver, and Sebek. Jack, Ruggie, someone you think is the Ignihyde Housewarden's bionic brother, Ortho, and who you knew to be Epel from Spelldrive Club were nearby talking as well. Even the Housewarden and Vice Housewarden of Pomefiore were here. Which was odd considering you've only heard stories about them, really. But not as odd as Leona somehow being here. Granted, he seemed to be asleep across your sofa, but still. Props to whoever convinced him to be conscious enough to get here.
"Shouldn't everyone be at home still?" You ask, reeling.
"We mentioned this morning how most people get back early, right?" Deuce leans into your line of sight with a questioning tilt of his head.
"Well, I don't know all these people."
"That would be my doing!" Cater chimes with a raise of his hand as he approaches. Making everyone in the room stop in varying degrees to look at your group. "I know the ADeuce boys said it was personal, but a friend of a friend still counts, right?"
"... So it wasn't just Kalim putting the word out, was it." You give your two most trusted advisors a critical eye, rethinking your mental title for them entirely. "The nerve."
Deuce looks bashful, and you find the fight leaving your body as quick as it came. Ace, however, you could punt.
Before you can, though, Vil Scheonheit of all people walks up. "Prefect," he acknowledges with an outstretched hand. "I've heard lots about you, it's a pleasure."
More than a little spellbound, you automatically reach to shake it. His hands are far too soft for how cold the weather is.
"There," he smiles, pleased. "Now we're more than just a friend of a friend, hm?"
You have nothing else to say to that. Nor do you ever get a chance to, as you're pulled into the fray of people.
You tried not to hope for anything today after you saw the date on your calendar. It was easier to live here through a lens of uncertainty than one of expectation. Otherwise, you would've died from culture shock long before your first overblot.
But here, in this moment, you eventually forget about it. Your circumstances, your home, your family, the haze from this morning. All that didn't matter right now. Not when you were on a winning streak in Go Fish. Not when Vil had offered to be your hairstylist after you mentioned needing a haircut. Not when Jack showed you pictures from his family's skiing trip. Not when Riddle leaned in close to talk about how things went with his mother. Not when Ignihyde's Housewarden Idia started a conversation with you from his floating iPad that had been hiding behind Ortho for most of the night. Not when Grim was curled up in your lap after a hefty amount of tuna. Not when Leona actually woke up to join in a conversation. And certainly not when, after sneaking out for some fresh air, you followed the green wisps of light towards the shadow of your nightly visitor.
continuing to catch up on things, including Skully officially joining the haunted shed in the back of campus that Crowley forgot about Ramshackle Gang!
some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, āwhatās the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?ā and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is āunofficialā, and we know thatās not the right word, but itās the only word we can come up withā¦until finally itās like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is āartificialā.
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