' No matter how far you push your feelings down... they'll always come back somehow. And what you do with those feelings... That will be your truth.
💫 they/them, agender aroace
art account is @/roguerocketz
Ace will never let you be alone. He shows up uninvited when you need someone most, appearing at your door with some flimsy excuse about needing to borrow your notes or complaining that Deuce is being insufferable, but really he just knows.
He knows when the silence gets too heavy, when your smile does not quite reach your eyes, when you are holding yourself together with sheer willpower and nothing else.
He does not ask if you are okay because that would make it real and uncomfortable and way too serious for someone like him to handle gracefully, so instead he sprawls across your bed and complains about everything under the sun until you find yourself arguing back, and somewhere in the familiar rhythm of bickering the tightness in your chest starts to ease.
He is annoying and intrusive and never knows when to shut up, but he also never makes you carry anything alone, never lets you disappear into your own head for too long, never allows the hard days to swallow you whole because he will drag you back out kicking and screaming if he has to, though usually he does it by shoving his phone in your face with some dumb meme or challenging you to a game he knows you will lose just to get that spark back in your eyes.
Deuce remembers everything you say, even the things you mention in passing without thinking twice about them.
Deuce Spade
You could tell him once, months ago, that you like a specific flavor of juice or that a certain song reminds you of home, and he will file it away in his mind like it matters, like every small piece of you is worth remembering.
He shows up with that juice when you are stressed about exams, records that song when he hears it playing somewhere, asks if you want to go to that restaurant you mentioned liking back during orientation week.
It is never a grand gesture and he gets embarrassed when you point it out, turning red and insisting it is not a big deal, that he just happened to remember or it was on his way anyway, but you know better. You know that he listens when you talk, genuinely listens, and that he cares enough to hold onto the little details that make you who you are.
He takes you seriously in a way that feels rare and precious, never dismissing your problems as too small or your feelings as an overreaction, and when you tell him about your day he does not just wait for his turn to talk, he actually wants to know, asking follow-up questions and getting invested in the drama with people he has never even met because it matters to you so it matters to him.
Jack Howl
Jack notices when you are tired before you say anything.
He sees the way you are holding your shoulders, the heaviness in your movements, the slightly dazed look that means you are running on empty and sheer stubbornness, and he does not make a big deal out of it but suddenly he is taking care of the little things you do not have energy for.
He carries your bag without asking, grabs your lunch for you when he gets his own, steers you away from crowded hallways when he can tell you are too worn down to deal with the noise. He does not hover or fuss because that would just make you feel worse, but his presence becomes this steady, reliable thing you can lean on without worry.
He texts you to make sure you ate, reminds you about assignments you might have forgotten, offers to study together because he knows you will actually take breaks if someone else is there to enforce them.
When you try to thank him he gets gruff and uncomfortable about it, insisting he is not doing anything special and you would do the same for him, and maybe that is true but it does not make it matter less. He looks out for you, making sure you are okay even when you are too tired or overwhelmed to take care of yourself properly.
Epel Felmier
Epel defends you when you are not there to defend yourself.
You do not always hear about it but he does not let people talk badly about you, does not let rumors go unchallenged or let anyone make you the butt of their jokes, and he does it even when it would be easier to stay quiet, even when standing up means drawing attention he does not want.
He has spent his whole life being underestimated and forced into boxes that do not fit, so he knows what it feels like when people make assumptions, and he refuses to let anyone do that to you without pushback. He is fiercely loyal in a way that sometimes surprises people who only see the delicate face and the careful manners Vil has drilled into him, but you know better.
You know that he will go to bat for you without hesitation, that your reputation and your feelings matter to him enough to risk getting into trouble, that he considers you worth fighting for.
He also never makes you feel like you owe him for it, never holds it over your head or demands gratitude, because to him that is just what you do for people you care about.
Ortho Shroud
Ortho celebrates your accomplishments no matter how small they are.
You could tell him you finally finished that assignment you were putting off or managed to get out of bed on a hard day or tried something new that scared you, and he lights up like you just told him you won the lottery.
He does not do it in a condescending way, does not treat you like a child who needs participation trophies, but his enthusiasm is so genuine and bright that you cannot help but feel proud of yourself too.
He wants you to recognize your own progress, wants you to see yourself the way he sees you, and he keeps track of your goals and dreams and mentions them later, asking how that thing you were working on is going or if you are still interested in that topic you were researching.
He sends you articles and videos he thinks you will like, tags you in posts that remind him of you, makes playlists based on your current mood because he has learned to read your emotional patterns better than most people could.
He makes you feel seen and valued, makes you feel like your existence brings something good into the world, and his love is this wholehearted, uncomplicated thing that does not demand anything in return except that you let yourself be cared for.
Sebek Zigvolt
Sebek holds you to a higher standard because he believes you can meet it.
He does not coddle you or pretend your mistakes do not exist, and while that might sound harsh it actually means he takes you seriously as a person, sees your potential and refuses to let you sell yourself short.
He gets frustrated when you talk badly about yourself because he genuinely does not understand why you cannot see what he sees, why you insist on diminishing your own abilities when you are clearly capable of so much more.
He pushes you to try harder, do better, be more, but he also notices when you succeed and acknowledges it in his own loud, over-the-top way that somehow always makes you feel like you actually accomplished something worthwhile.
He does not compare you to anyone else because his standards for you are yours alone, based on what he knows you can do rather than arbitrary measures of what others have done.
When you are struggling he does not tell you to give up or lower your expectations, he tells you to keep going, offers to help you practice or study or train, sits with you through the difficult parts because he has faith that you will get through them.
His belief in you is absolute and unwavering, and on the days when you do not believe in yourself that certainty becomes something you can borrow until you find your own again.
Grim
Grim shares his food with you, and for a cat monster who treats every meal like it might be his last, that means everything.
He will complain about it, will make a big show of how generous he is being and how you better appreciate this, but he always makes sure you eat, pushing portions of his lunch toward you or "accidentally" ordering too much and insisting you help him finish it.
He curls up next to you when you are sad, his warm weight settling against your side or in your lap. He does not ask what is wrong because he does not need to know the details to know that you need comfort, and his presence becomes this grounding thing, something alive and real and dependent on you in a way that makes it harder to spiral into dark thoughts.
He talks about the future like you will obviously be there, makes plans that include you without question, assumes your continued presence in his life as a fundamental fact of reality.
"When we are famous mages" and "after we graduate" and "once we get our own place," always we, always together, his future so tangled up with yours that separation is not even a possibility he considers, and somehow that certainty, that unshakeable assumption that you belong with him, makes you feel more wanted than any flowery declaration ever could.
In which the Overblot Boys find out that their partner, GN!Reader, is actually a really talented singer. GN!Reader, however, hid their talent due to previous criticism.
Fluff. Established relationship. Gender-neutral!Reader. Requested by @magicalrebelchild.
or; what it’s like to date the crown prince of briar valley’s most loudly dedicated retainer
featuring sebek zigvolt and a gender neutral reader
not requested
see my pinned post or my diasomnia masterlist
devoted knight in training, a notoriously over loyal and over eager retainer to his housewarden, and student who may very well take the cake for the loudest freshman to ever enroll at night raven college, sebek zigvolt is not someone who it’s easy to get close with. especially not if you’re not of any fae heritage, and doubly so if you happen to be at all human because of how lowly he views them. that being said, if you’re patient enough and willing to put in the work to break through his superiority mindset and to carve out a place for yourself within his busy schedule, first as a friend and then as something more, you’ll find him to be an unshakeably loyal boyfriend who is very very vocal about how proudly taken he is… though it will take a while to get to that point, so be prepared for thatIntro -> devoted knight, over loyal and over eager retainer, extreme superiority mindset that makes it difficult to court him. but with enough patience, and after establishing a base of friendship and trust, you’ll find him to be a loud, proud, and deeply loyal boyfriend
now it’s no secret that sebek is a very vocal individual, to the point where he seems to devote every spare second where he’s not actively reading or working on something that requires his undivided attention to loudly (very very loudly) either lecturing others or waxing poetic about his liege’s positive attributes. and, lucky you, now that you’re in a relationship with sebek he’s taken to being just as loud and proud about how amazing you are and how very lucky he is to be with you… which means that there isn’t a soul on campus that’s not aware of your relationship, and that there are very few people left that aren’t sick to death of hearing your name coming out of your boyfriend’s mouth… so… that’s something!
and on a somewhat related note, being with sebek means that you’ll never get away with saying anything remotely negative about yourself ever again because he will react with both immense personal offence and remarkable swiftness to try and dispel those thoughts you’re having… usually by following you around for as long as his schedule allows and listing out every positive attribute he knows you have, getting increasingly poetic and earnest with his descriptions until you finally relent and insist he’s helped you so you can get a moment’s peace (and he’s always so very smug about it afterwards too, but he looks cute when he’s all proud of himself so you usually just let him enjoy the moment without interruption)
he is extremely protective over you and will not hesitate to lecture, challenge, or otherwise act the second he becomes aware of anyone making any sort of attempt to harm you — which, to sebek, can mean anything from straight up planning to jump you to something as minor as a group of your classmates talking badly about you behind your back — and this mentality has both made him somehow even less popular amongst the student body and resulted in many of your former bullies giving you a very wide berth and leaving you alone completely (after being either thoroughly outmatched in a duel or thoroughly dressed down in a very loud lecture from your boyfriend). and while his eagerness to keep you safe is undeniably charming, perhaps it’s for the best that you try and rein him in for the time being…
he’d be more than happy to help you study if ever you ask — partially because he likes being able to show off how hard he’s worked and how well he’s doing in the subjects that come easier to him (namely the more ‘logical’ sort like mathematics and the sciences), and partially because he believes it’s his duty as your boyfriend to help you out wherever he can. bonus points if you happen to be more creatively inclined than he is because those are the types of subjects he struggles with so it would greatly benefit him to have a lover who can balance him out like that
much like how he acts around lilia and malleus — two of the people he respects the most, and has admired for pretty much his entire life — sebek is noticeably much more polite and even tempered around you than he is with others. and in fact he started acting like that a little while before you two officially became an item and started courting, which was the biggest and quickest give away to those that knew him that he’d caught feelings for you
that’s not to say that you’re at all except from his lectures about proper form and behaviour and so on… just that he’s a lot more patient with you and doesn’t lecture you quite as often as he does, say, silver or any of his first year classmates. but that’s not saying much as he still does it frequently
he has a very traditional approach to physical affection and as such prefers to keep any and all pda to a minimum — that being offering you his arm to hold onto when you’re walking together, chastely kissing your cheeks or hands as a greeting or farewell, and maybe holding your hand when you ask… — but in the same vein he won’t hesitate for even the briefest of moments before straight up lifting you into his arms and carrying you elsewhere the second you complain about feeling sick or tired or whatever else. it’s a bit contradictory sometimes, but hey at least he’s sweet about it?
sebek’s go-to places to kiss you and be kissed by you in return are on the hands and the lips, with the latter being reserved exclusively for private moments or for farewells preceding a longer period of separation. and on a semi related note, it took him quite some time to work up the courage to initiate your first kiss because he was petrified of messing up and making a fool of himself in front of you due to his own inexperience… and then when you finally did kiss for the first time his entire face was a darling shade of pink for a while afterwards (which, naturally, lilia teased him about relentlessly)
it’s very important to him that the people in his life approve of his relationship with you — especially if you aren’t of any fae heritage. of those in his life the ones whose opinions he values the most are malleus (of course), lilia (naturally), his grandfather, and his mother. his father’s approval holds significantly less weight in his eyes but he’d certainly appreciate it nonetheless, and he’s nowhere near as concerned about what silver or his siblings have to say about your relationship… though in the long-term it is going to be better for both of you if you at least try to remain on good terms with them, just for the sake of not making things awkward going forward if nothing else…
nine times out of ten sebek will just call you by your first name, especially in public and even in private, because that’s how he was raised to talk to others. however every now and again, and only when the two of you are alone, he might slip in the occasional term of endearment — and it’s always something more traditional and old fashioned, mostly in the ancient briaran tongue his grandfather taught him but sometimes in common (e.g. ‘my dear’ is a favourite of his)
sebek would sooner swallow glass that actually admit this outright — no matter how painfully obvious it may be to everyone around him — but he has a very prominent jealous streak, and it’s at its most blatant whenever he perceives you (or malleus, but that’s another point entirely) to be giving too much positive attention to another person instead of him… and sevens forbid that other person is silver because that (mainly one sided) rivalry has been ongoing since they were kids and seeing you show any even minor preference towards him might actually send sebek into an early grave
early on into your courtship he may or may not have gone to lilia for advice on how to be a good boyfriend for you. and while the former general has zero intention of ever letting sebek live the whole thing down, he did at the very least offer some very useful advice that sebek is still making good use of to this day
he is very insistent on training you to fight and will only go somewhat easy on you. after all, the aim is to ensure that you’re able to hold your own and protect yourself should you end up in a fight, and him treating you like you’re made of glass won’t do anything to help you improve. tough love all the way
the more time you spend together and the more familiar he becomes with your own personal tastes when it comes to the novels you prefer to read, the more frequently you’ll find him perusing his expansive collection of books to find some to lend or gift to you. and, rest assured, no matter how niche and specific your preferences may be sebek will find books to give to you — even if he has to go out and buy them for the express purpose of lending them to you. because, yes, he will go that far if he has to
it means the absolute world to him when to take the time to genuinely acknowledge and praise him for the efforts he’s making to improve himself as a knight, as a student, and as a boyfriend. though his appreciation for receiving words of affirmation should come as little surprise given how unsubtle he is about fishing for compliments when he does something particularly extraordinary…
sebek has a notoriously voracious appetite and as your boyfriend he is more than willing to eat your left overs or any part of your meals that you don’t like but couldn’t remove for whatever reason. kind of like a living garbage disposal, but far cuter and more easily flustered. and sevens help him if you actually go out of your way to cook for him — especially if you make his favourite food — because he may actually cry
he prides himself on his ability to take care of you — and that can mean everything from taking over the chores in your dorm every time he stays over, to carrying all of your bags for you as you go between classes or return home from shopping, to rearranging his usual morning routine to ensure he can always wake you up on time and walk you to your first lesson of the day, and much much more. it’s all very sweet, of course, but with sebek being sebek he can get a bit too into it all which is… well… something you’ll maybe have to bring up to him at some point. but, hey, you knew what you were getting into
and that’s not even to mention just how adorably (deafeningly) dramatic he can get whenever you happen to get sick or injured or just have a bad day while happening to already have a chronic condition. he’s very present and very intense about nursing you back to health, which is great, but he also somewhat acts like it’s somehow a moral failing of his as your boyfriend that you got hurt or fell ill on his watch… it’s a a lot to deal with, but it’s all done with the best of intentions so you usually just let him get it all out of his system
not to say that he isn’t always putting his all into every equestrian club get together or competition… but whenever he knows that you’re watching it’s clear to everyone in attendance that he tends to sit that bit straighter and speak that bit more intentionally, like he’s trying to show off for you. because, well, that’s exactly what he’s doing
genderfluid s/o headcanons for floyd leech, malleus draconia, riddle rosehearts, and sebek zigvolt
or; how different night raven college students would act in a relationship with someone with a more complex gender identity than their own
featuring floyd leech, malleus draconia, riddle rosehearts, sebek zigvolt, and a genderfluid reader
requested by ari-shipping-stuff
see my pinned post or my night raven college masterlist
f l o y d l e e c h
the first thing that floyd did after you came out to him was compare you to one of the species of fish that can change their sex and immediately decide that your new nickname was that now. think along the lines of parrotfishie, wrassie, kobudai, lil grouper, sea bass, and so on. that’s your new floyd-assigned pet name; congrats!
for as chaotic and fickle as he can be sometimes, he does always make a point of asking you what you want him to call you at least three times each day: once in the morning when he’s walking you to class, then during lunch around midday to check in and see if anything changed in the past four or so hours, and then when he’s walking you to wherever you need to go after classes end for the day. if anything changes between or after those points it’s gonna be up to you to let him know because otherwise he’s just gonna continue using whatever you told him during the last check-in
depending on his mood when he overhears someone using the wrong terms of address for you he’ll either threaten and intimidate others into addressing you correctly or he’ll just mock them for being wrong until they either shut up or correct themselves out of embarrassment. he does still squeeze people for being malicious about it, but that kinda gets old after a while and he likes to shake things up every now and again
(related to the previous point, but: floyd is someone who has no problems with confrontation so if he notices someone making you uncomfortable or, even accidentally, misgendering you to your face he’s not afraid to get into arguments with them — or just straight up getting into fights. even in the middle of class… more often than not trien’s class who is just so very tired of it at this point)
he’s the type of boyfriend who points out every genderfluid character or individual you two see or learn about and goes ‘that’s you’. every single time without fail. and always with the most shit-eating grin on his face like he’s just said the funniest thing ever
since coming on land he’s gotten super into fashion, especially when it comes to shoes, so if you’re looking for a way to masculinise/feminise/androgynise your look all you need to do is ask and he’ll take you out on a shopping trip. and rest assured you’re in good hands because floyd knows all the best brands to maximise comfort and practicality while also getting the look you want — even if your personal style is very far removed from his own
if you catch him in a more dour mood, however, he’ll instead direct you towards jade or his mother for help since he’s at least self aware enough to know that he’ll be less than helpful when he’s in such a state
aside from that, though, your relationship with floyd is otherwise entirely unaffected by your gender… obviously
he’s still the same annoying floyd who loves you loudly and proudly — all sharp toothy grins and tight crushing hugs and home made food and laughter that’s so contagious that you end each day with aching sides and cheeks. rough around the edges but earnest and trying his best, loving you as only he can and making your life all the brighter and louder and more chaotic in the process
and you’re still his mate… and the only thing standing between night raven college and the full brunt of chaos that a bored floyd can inflict if not stopped in his tracks. but you knew what you were getting into when you started dating him so that’s neither here nor there
m a l l e u s d r a c o n i a
gender fluidity is far from a foreign concept to the fae, though they do use very different terminology to describe it than other species may, so when you come out to malleus he’s both immediate to understand what you mean and quick to ask you how you’d like him to refer to you moving forward — and, yes, he is the type of boyfriend who will check in with you about this every time you meet up as he wants to ensure that he’s using your preferred terminology from moment to moment
common may not be his first language but he has no issues with seamlessly swapping between your preferred terms of address even in the same sentence. in fact he does it all so naturally that the habit gets picked up by his dorm mates as well, so even without malleus standing by your side and adding a factor of intimidation to your introduction you won’t have to worry about being referred to incorrectly when you’re staying in diasomnia
he does politely correct others when they address you with the wrong pronouns — most often by accident — but his naturally frightening aura usually leads to the interaction reading more as a threat than a correction… for better and for worse
money is no object to him as a prince, so if you’re unable to find gender affirming clothing in your size or preferred style then he’s more than happy to have it tailored for you. or even to make it himself if you’ll allow it — and he is remarkably skilled as a spinner, so rest assured that you (and your future wardrobe) are in good hands (or… claws?)
(yeah within a few years of dating malleus you will end up with multiple wardrobes’ worth of clothing, each suited to flatter you, to match your sense of style, and to provide you with whatever silhouette or look you feel the most comfortable with that day — e.g. feminine, masculine, androgynous, and so on)
if you experience dysphoria surrounding one part of your body or another depending on how you identify each day, malleus is more than happy to cast a minor glamour for you in order to obscure that aspect of your body to yourself and others — correcting as needed to provide a more masculine, or more feminine, or more neutral, or more specific silhouette for you in order to soothe and minimise your discomfort. it’s not a permanent or perfect solution by any means, but he hates seeing you uncomfortable and will always try and do whatever he can to make you feel more confident and comfortable in your own skin
other than those points, however, your gender identity has pretty much zero impact on how your relationship with malleus evolves and progresses and settles over the decades of your life together
he’s still going to woo you with methods that feel like they came straight out of an ancient romance novel — complete with cursive love letters, long walks under the starlit sky, bouquets large enough to make your head spin, and a promise of eternity that only someone as long lived as him could ever hope to offer
he’s still going to wed you, defying every council member and even his own grandmother if he has to. taking a page out of his dear late mother’s book to make it clear to all the world that you are the only one who will ever hold his heart and the only one who he intends to marry, tradition and expectation be damned
and he’s still going to spend the rest of your lifetime, surely far shorter than his own, standing proudly and devotedly by your side as you settle into your roles as the two newest monarchs of briar valley — your love growing ever stronger for each day you spend side by side
r i d d l e r o s e h e a r t s
methodical as he is, the second riddle becomes aware of your genderfluid identity he makes a note of it in the notebook he bought for the sole purpose of jotting down the things he learned about you when you two first started to get close, and then adds a small reminder to his daily planner to be sure to check in with you periodically throughout the day to see how you prefer to be referred
and, rest assured, riddle has never once missed one of those check ins. they’re a part of his daily life now, a set part of his schedule, and you know how riddle feels about staying on top of his schedule
which also means that he’s always able to accurately, immediately, and firmly correct anyone he overhears referring to you incorrectly. politely and briefly if he knows they’re on good terms with you and likely just unaware that your pronoun preference has shifted away from what they’re currently using, but much more firmly and insistently if he has even the slightest inclination that the person in question is deliberately misgendering you
he won’t go full red tyrant on anyone anymore, mind you, but he has definitely collared people for making targeted remarks about you before. and he will not apologise for it because he feels completely justified in doing so. in fact he’ll do it as many times as he needs to in order to get the message across
he has absolutely used his monthly allowance to help you buy clothes and accessories that make you feel more like yourself. nothing absurdly expensive, he’s not getting that much money from his parents, but enough to help you express yourself without needing to break the bank or put up with ill-fitting or potentially dysphoria enducing outfits
there are some queen of hearts rules that are gender-specific — not a great many, thankfully, but there are still a few scattered about — and as the housewarden of heartslabyul’s partner you are expected to follow them whether or not you’re a dorm member yourself. though he does check in with you before you enter the mirror to make sure only the applicable rules are being enforced in the moment (he’s strict but not unreasonable, not anymore)
riddle will also help you advocate better for yourself and your needs in relation to your gender identity and expression within the school, memorising and citing the rules of night raven and of sage island as a territory to make sure that you are properly protected and respected by the faculty — e.g. uniform, accommodation, how you’re addressed by tutors, protection against discrimination by classmates, etc.
other than that, though, your relationship with riddle is entirely unaffected by you being genderfluid
i.e. he’s still going to treat you like a good gentleman should, he’s still going to be a hardass about making you study and stay on top of your assignments and homework, he’s still going to be terrified about introducing you to his mother (gender identity notwithstanding she is just not a supportive woman), and he’s still going to follow the queen of heart’s guidelines about proper courtship
he’s just going to be a bit more fluid in how he addresses you from day to day, altering his language and terms of endearment to better suit you. though, really, isn’t that just the bare minimum?
s e b e k z i g v o l t
sebek is a notoriously… passionate… individual when it comes to defending the things and people he values — and as his partner you are very high on that list (second only to malleus himself and that says a lot given how important being a retainer and knight is to him). so when he becomes aware of your identity he makes it something of a personal mission of his to ensure that you never have to deal with being misgendered or mistreated
which translates to him very loudly and firmly and condescendingly correcting anyone he overhears referring to you incorrectly. with all the fervour which he otherwise reserved for announcing his liege’s many achievements. and he does this to everyone, up to and including the teachers and staff members at night raven… though he did learn his lesson after getting punished by crewel and now tones his corrections down to something more polite and reasonable when he’s talking to one of his superiors
he is, thankfully, much quieter and more reserved whenever you meet up and he asks for your preferred terms of address in the moment, though. so there’s that!
gets very offended and angry on your behalf whenever you’re unable to find something to wear that doesn’t make you feel dysphoric or otherwise uncomfortable for whatever reason (e.g. silhouette, style, size). and if you don’t stop him in his tracks he can and will file a formal strongly worded complaint about ‘inadequate stock’ to the highest authority he can find
very rarely messes up, with most of his mix ups happening entirely by accident or because he forgot to ask your preferences in the moment and just continued using whatever pronouns you went by the last time you spoke. and he gets so genuinely disappointed with himself whenever it happens, apologising sincerely and correcting himself immediately but with a noticeable furrow in his brow like he’s actually angry with himself for making a minor mistake
if he finds out that someone else has upset you by refusing to acknowledge your identity he will stand by you wholeheartedly while complaining, loudly and on your behalf, about ‘ignorant closed-minded humans’. and while he is being entirely earnest about his rant, it is admittedly rather comical to witness (even if you’re already used to sebek’s particular brand of dramatic)
other than that, though, there’s very little difference to be noted in your relationship with sebek based on your gender fluidity
he’s still a passionate but terribly inexperienced partner — complimenting you too loudly, holding you too tightly, kissing with too much teeth, and always learning and growing from his errors and missteps the longer you’re together
he’s still protective in that same clumsy kind of way that endlessly endears lilia and reminds him of how his grandfather was as a youth — quick to engage, quick to raise his sword, quick to place himself between you and any potential threat no matter how small, too much passion and strength that gets him in even more trouble than he would find on his own, but that he takes in stride because he’d much rather overreact than underreact and run the risk of you getting hurt on his watch (that would be a disgrace to the teaching he received from both lilia and his grandfather, you know!
and he’s still going to do everything he possibly can to prove — to you and to himself — that he can be a good boyfriend. and a good husband, eventually. even if such a thing seems so very far in the future from where you currently stand… because he fully intends to spend the rest of his life by your side, if you’ll have him of course
Malleus senses your exhaustion before he even sees you.
Like a supernatural sixth sense, but instead of sensing danger or magical anomalies, he senses your dwindling energy bar.
You drag yourself through the courtyard, eyelids drooping, steps slow, soul hovering somewhere above your head.
You look like you’ve been personally victimized by the education system.
Malleus appears beside you in that way he does, silent, regal, mildly terrifying.
“Child of Man,” he says gently.
Then he finally gets a good look at your face.
Oh. His expression shifts. The ancient-dragon-who-has-seen-nations-fall look.
“You are… unwell.” (─ ‿ ─)
You try to wave him off, insisting you “just didn’t get much sleep.”
He blinks, confused.
“Much sleep?” His brows knit. “How much did you rest?” ( ╹ -╹)?
“…None?”
His pupils dilate like you just confessed a mortal sin.
“You pulled an all-nighter,” he says in a tone that belongs in a gothic cathedral, not in a school courtyard. He steps closer, lowering his voice. “That is dangerous for humans.”
You open your mouth. You do not get a chance to defend yourself.
He extends a hand. Not a request.
“Come.”
You take it because, well, it’s Malleus.
And also you’re too tired to resist being whisked away by a fae prince.
He brings you to Diasomnia before you can blink, guiding you inside like you’re some fragile artifact the world has cruelly mishandled.
Lilia pops his head around the corner, sees your zombified state, and goes, “Oh dear,”
But Malleus gives him the “I am handling this” princely glare, so Lilia happily flutters away.
Malleus brings you to one of the lounges, and sits you down on a plush sofa.
Then he kneels. Kneels. A future king kneels in front of you, taking your hands between his cool ones.
“You must not treat your body so harshly,” he murmurs. “I worry, you know.” ( ˘ᴗ˘ )
You blink at him, barely processing anything.
He conjures a blanket and drapes it around your shoulders with the gentleness of someone placing a crown.
Then he summons tea. Not normal tea. The kind that probably has a 500-year brewing technique behind it.
“Drink, Child of Man,” he says softly.
You do. Because if Malleus hands you tea, you drink it.
When you start to slump sideways, he moves instantly, letting your head rest against his shoulder.
His voice softens into something warm, ancient, and deeply fond.
“If your studies trouble you this greatly,” he murmurs near your ear,
“then allow me to help. Or at the very least… allow me to make sure you do not harm yourself trying to do everything alone.” (•́ -•̀)
You mumble something sleepy and incoherent.
Malleus smiles.
He lets you fall asleep against him, brushing a thumb across the back of your hand in slow, soothing circles.
And long after you drift into a deep, desperately needed sleep… he stays right there.
A dragon keeping watch over their most precious treasure.
── ⋆⋅☆ LILIA VANROUGE
Lilia clocks your exhaustion instantly.
He doesn’t need magic, he doesn’t need a scan spell, he doesn’t even need to see your face.
He hears your dragging footsteps down the hallway and goes:
“Ah. A fellow warrior suffering the aftermath of battle.”
Then you turn the corner. He sees your zombie-tier expression.
“Oh dear. You’re not just tired. You’re academically deceased.”
You try to greet him politely. Instead, a strange croaking noise leaves your throat, and Lilia clasps a hand over his mouth, eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Did you… pull an all-nighter, little one?”
You nod, wobbling slightly.
His smile somehow gets softer and more dangerous at the same time.
“Tsk, tsk,” he says, closing the distance with that floaty, silent glide he does. “You should know by now that mortals are terribly fragile.”
He places a cool hand against your cheek and leans in, way too close, way too effortlessly charming.
“You mustn’t push yourself like this.”
You open your mouth to argue, but Lilia just lifts you like you weigh nothing at all.
One second you’re standing, the next you’re cradled in his arms like you’re a tiny, exhausted woodland creature he’s found on the forest floor.
You make a noise of protest. He chuckles.
“Hush, sweetheart. You’ve clearly lost the right to make your own decisions today.” (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)
He carries you into Diasomnia, one of the quieter rooms, humming something ancient and oddly soothing.
He sits you down on a plush chair, then drapes a warm, enchanted blanket over your shoulders.
And that’s when the shift happens. Lilia’s usual teasing fades into something gentler, more fatherly, more heartbreakingly fond.
“I’m proud of your hard work,” he says, brushing a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “But I won’t allow you to burn yourself out for the sake of grades.”
He conjures tea and carefully hands it to you. “Drink this. It will help your energy return… without keeping you awake.”
As you sip, Lilia crouches in front of you, elbows resting on his knees, chin in his hand. He studies your face with an amused, affectionate intensity.
“You’re adorable when you’re tired,” he announces, just to watch you blush helplessly.
When your head starts to droop, Lilia moves instantly.
He guides you to lie down across the sofa, then adjusts your blanket with almost parental thoroughness.
“I’ll stay,” he whispers, sitting beside you. “Someone has to watch over you. You humans are far too delicate to be left unattended after a stunt like that.” ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ
And as you drift off, you feel his fingers brush your forehead..
Before sleep claims you completely, you hear him murmur with gentle, genuine concern, “Next time you struggle, call for me. I’ll come running. I always will, little one.”
And he really means it.
── ⋆⋅☆ SILVER
You know how Silver is usually the one falling asleep randomly? Yeah. Today the universe decided to flip the script, because you are the one who stayed up all night.
Flashcards, assignments, pure academic suffering, you name it, you endured it.
You’re basically a ghost with caffeine.
Silver finds you the next morning and immediately clocks that Something Is Wrong.
Not because you tell him, oh no.
Because you’re standing there, blinking at your locker like it personally offended you, and the soul has fully left your body.
He comes closer, voice soft like he’s approaching a skittish woodland creature.
“You didn’t sleep,” (◡ ‿ ◡ .) he says, all calm and angelic, while you’re internally screaming like a dying microwave.
Cue him instantly shifting into Protective Mode. He steps a little closer, scanning your face with that gentle concern that makes you want to cry and/or pass out on the spot.
And here’s the thing, Silver doesn’t scold. He doesn’t say “You should know better,” or “Why would you stay up all night?”
No. He just looks at you like you’re the most precious, exhausted creature he has ever seen and goes, “You’ve worked hard. Let me take care of you.” (..◜ᴗ◝..)
You are extremely fragile right now. How dare he say something like that.
He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear and suddenly you are acutely aware that you haven’t slept in 30 hours and are on the verge of falling in love and falling unconscious at the same time.
He keeps close to you all day, not hovering, not babying you, just… being there.
Every time your vision starts fading like a bad YouTube buffering screen, he gently taps your shoulder to keep you awake.
“Stay with me,” he murmurs, and you do, mostly out of stubbornness and also because he smells like fresh air and safety.
The moment he catches you wobbling? Oh, it’s over.
He just silently scoops your bag out of your hands and declares, “You need rest.” No arguments, no negotiations.
And of course you try to protest.
You, “Silver, I’m fine, I’m actually super awake right-” Your body, falls sideways like a wilted houseplant.
He catches you with that knightly ease like it’s nothing.
You’re slumped against him, halfway coherent, and he’s just holding you like, 'Yes. Rest.'
He brings you somewhere quiet, his room, a lounge corner, wherever he knows Lilia won’t suddenly appear with glitter.
He settles you down and sits beside you, brushing your hair with these soft, steady movements because he’s trying to soothe you without waking you up more.
And when you finally doze off? Silver watches you with that serene little smile like you’re a sleeping fawn he’s sworn to protect.
He’s so warm, so gentle, and you’re so tired that you end up leaning into him.
He stays awake on purpose, for you, even though his own eyelids are in danger.
If you mumble anything in your sleep? Oh, he blushes. But he never moves. He just lets you rest against him like you’re something sacred.
When you wake up?
Silver greets you softly, brushing his thumb over your knuckles. “Feeling better?” („• ֊ •„)੭ And honestly… yeah. Yeah, you are.
── ⋆⋅☆ SEBEK ZIGVOLT
You show up to class in full burnt-out cryptid mode, dark circles, sluggish blinking, the posture of a gremlin who crawled out of a library stack at 4 a.m.
And Sebek? Oh, he notices. He notices IMMEDIATELY.
The moment he sees you sway slightly in the hallway, man practically short-circuits.
He storms over like a hurricane of concern and volume. “HUMAN- YOU LOOK- YOU APPEAR- YOU ARE-”
He’s trying so hard to find a polite way to say 'you look like death warmed over,' and failing spectacularly.
And then you admit it: You stayed up all night. His soul leaves his body.
“AN ALL-NIGHTER?!” His voice echoes through the entire hallway. Students three buildings over hear it. Malleus probably turns his head like, “Ah. Sebek is distressed.”
He launches into a whole speech, you’re pretty sure he’s lecturing you, praising you, worrying about you, and scolding the concept of homework itself all at the same time.
But the thing is… he’s so dramatically worried it’s adorable.
He keeps glancing at you every two seconds, hands flailing, eyebrows knit like he’s physically restraining himself from wrapping you in a blanket right there.
When you get dizzy? Oh, he’s DONE.
Zero hesitation, he grabs your shoulders like you’re a fragile porcelain artifact. “HUMAN, YOU ARE WOBBLING! YOU MUST SIT. NOW. IMMEDIATELY!”
He escorts you to a chair like you’re royalty. A very sleepy, very floppy royal.
You try to play it off, mumbling, “I’m fine, it’s not that bad.”
Sebek, “NOT THAT BAD? NOT THAT- YOU CAN BARELY KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!” ୧(๑•̀ᗝ•́)૭
He is outraged at your suffering. Personally offended by the concept of sleep deprivation.
Then he goes into overprotective mode, which is… wow.
You blink slowly, and suddenly he’s handing you water, adjusting your posture, hovering like an anxious guard dog.
Every few moments, “DO YOU REQUIRE ANYTHING? WATER? FOOD? A PILLOW? A GUARD?” ( ◡̀_◡́)ᕤ Sir… you’re the guard.
And when your head tips forward because exhaustion finally wins?
He catches you so gently you swear it’s whiplash.
Like he goes from FULL CAPS LOCK to soft, panicked whisper instantly. “Human…? You mustn’t push yourself so far…”
He insists on escorting you somewhere to rest, dorm lounge, infirmary, literally anywhere with a horizontal surface.
He walks beside you like an armored escort, glaring at anyone who breathes near you. “STAY BACK. THEY ARE TIRED.” ( •̀ - •́ ) Okay, King of Volume, we get it. You care.
When you finally settle down to rest, he stands there awkwardly for a second, clearly debating whether he’s allowed to sit with you.
You pat the spot next to you. He goes rigid, blushes, and sits like a soldier receiving orders directly from Malleus.
And the longer you rest, the quieter he gets, which is how you know he’s seriously worried.
He even lowers his voice to a gentle rumble when he checks on you:
“Are you… warmer now? Do you require anything else?” (He’s trying so hard. Someone give him a medal.)
When you finally drift off, he stiffens like you handed him a live bomb.
Lilia passes by at some point and smiles like, “Oh? Babysitting?”
Sebek turns scarlet but does NOT move. “I AM ENSURING THEIR SAFETY!” Yes. Yes you are Sebek.
When you wake up? You can tell he hasn’t relaxed once, but the second your eyes open he lets out this shaky little sigh of relief.
“Human… do not frighten me like that again.” And he’s blushing. Hard.
i got so excited when i saw reqs were open ,,, THOUGH feel free to ignore this if it ain't to yer fancy ! either way, i love readin' yer writing a whole lot, they make windin' down a lot more relaxin' :D
i always see adeuce x reader poly fics (mmmh yum) but i wondered what it'd look like if reader was in a poly rel. with apple juice instead?? (epel and deuce) —epel 'n reader already have history together since they're childhood friends and coincidentally are roommates in pomefiore LMAO , itd be funny imagining deuce pining for the 2 pretty boys in pomefiore and ace is snickering over his shoulder like 'okay, so CLEARLY you have a type. Femboys. Gotcha.' [ace got smacked after this]
MEANWHILE— epel and reader both knew they'd always stick together no matter what so romantic feelings dont make much of a difference, then meet Deuce since they're all first years and Epel and reader collectively go 'yeah he's cute. He's our third now, we gotta make him date us fr' LMAOO
—🍎💫
【❝Apples Of My Eye❞】
【Synopsis: In which you and your childhood-friend-turned-kinda-boyfriend decide to add a third to your relationship — hijinks ensue】
【Featuring: poly! AppleJuice (Epel Felmier and Deuce Spade)】
【Tags: implied male reader (no pronouns or gendered language is used tho), Pomefiore reader, childhood friends to lovers (reader and Epel), pining and yearning (deuce), oblivious loser deuce , poly relationship, possible typos/spelling errors, please let me know if I forgot any tags】
【Word count: 0.8k】
【a/n: hell yeah apple juice :) I remember reading book 5 and clocking Deuce and Epel’s tea when that has their little heart to heart like… I know what you are type shit lol! I wouldn’t say a have a lot of twst ships, but I definitely like this pairing!! I’m super glad you like my writing and I hope you can wind down and relax with this one! I don’t get a lot of requests for Epel, so thanks for sending this in and giving me the chance to write for him! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and ty for all the kind words <333333】
‧₊˚ ┊ For anyone else, starting your magical education at one of Twisted Wonderland's most prestigious magical academies would be incredibly nerve-wracking, but not for you
‧₊˚ ┊ You see, there's nothing for you to worry about with your best friend since childhood is right there by your side
‧₊˚ ┊ You've known Epel since you were both in diapers, and now you're here — shoulder to shoulder at Night Raven College's entrance ceremony waiting to start the first day of the rest of your lives
‧₊˚ ┊ It was already shocking that the pair of you both got accepted to the school, but your surprise was doubled when you both were sorted into the same dorm by the dark mirror
‧₊˚ ┊ Epel wasn't too happy about being placed in Pomefiore — especially after his rather… tense run in with your Housewarden prior to the entrance ceremony — but you were more than content to follow wherever he went
‧₊˚ ┊ With that began your tenure as students at NRC — side by side, just as you've always been
‧₊˚ ┊ There was never a moment when you acknowledged your feelings for Epel
‧₊˚ ┊ Said feeling have been there for as long as you can remember — persistent and ever present despite the many years of knowing each other — yet neither of you ever saw the need to label whatever it is you had going on
‧₊˚ ┊ There was an unspoken agreement between you that whatever life threw at you, you'd always be together in one way or another
‧₊˚ ┊ Of course, adding a third to your little… situationship wasn't the plan, but then came Deuce
‧₊˚ ┊ The first time you saw Deuce, he was making a fool of himself, and somehow you still found yourself interested in him after that (kinda embarrassing ngl lol)
‧₊˚ ┊ As always, Epel was right there with you watching Deuce avoiding being crushed to death by the cauldrons he summoned, and his heart too skipped a beat
‧₊˚ ┊ It was then and there that you shared a look that said, 'we need to date this loser if it's the last thing we do' — and that's how Epel and your shared pursuit of Deuce started
‧₊˚ ┊ Unfortunately, the object of your affections couldn't have been more clueless of your interest in him
‧₊˚ ┊ Deuce is focused entirely on his studies and becoming an honor student, so romance is the absolute last thing on his mind (he'll worry about getting some play after he makes his mama proud)
‧₊˚ ┊ Your attempts to flirt with Deuce — despite how obvious they are — go right over the poor boy's head
‧₊˚ ┊ Epel finds this hilarious, but fares no better himself when it comes to winning Deuce's heart
‧₊˚ ┊ It's incredibly obvious to just about everyone else at NRC that the pair of you are interested in him, which only makes things that much more frustrating
‧₊˚ ┊ Thankfully, good ol' Ace is there to give his buddy a little push in the right direction
‧₊˚ ┊ If it weren't for your fellow first year, Deuce probably never would have realized his own feelings for you and Epel
‧₊˚ ┊ It's quite hilarious to Ace that Deuce has such an obvious type — dainty and pretty — but to each their own and all that (yes, Ace does get smacked upside the head for calling Deuce out on this lol)
‧₊˚ ┊ So, you would think that Deuce coming to realize his own feelings for the two of you would make your pursuit of him a whole lot easier, but that's, unfortunately, not the case
‧₊˚ ┊ Now, Deuce just gets incredibly flustered around the two of you — he can't focus in class, and he can barely eat his lunch with the pair of you sitting right there on either side of him
‧₊˚ ┊ This change in how Deuce acts around the two of you is incredibly obvious, and only makes both you and Epel even more assured in making him your third
‧₊˚ ┊ That eventually came after a lot of pining and obvious flirting, but it was all very much worth it
‧₊˚ ┊ You and Epel propose the arrangement during a very convenient group project (I hate group projects sm, but they are very good plot devises lol)
‧₊˚ ┊ Deuce is shocked, to say the least, and it quite literally took him a minute or two to even comprehend what you both just suggested (bro had to reboot lol)
‧₊˚ ┊ Deuce is honestly surprised that the two of you would be interested in a guy like him, but he's not stupid enough to fumble two baddies because of his own disbelief
‧₊˚ ┊ Finally, after a very tense silence, you get your long-awaited answer — yes
‧₊˚ ┊ In true oblivious Deuce fashion, he somehow didn't know you and Epel had a thing going on, let alone the fact that the two of you have been flirting with him this whole time (he feels absolutely stupid for not noticing sooner lol)
‧₊˚ ┊ Oh well, all's well that ends well — what matters is that you're all together now and very happy in your relationship (the polycule may be small, but yall go crazy fr)
reminder that the books themselves also suck ass actually. there's an entire plotline endorsing slavery. the one character who advocates to end slavery is bullied and made fun of. the one slave who doesnt like being enslaved is bullied and treated as an outcast. the bankers are the picture of racist stereotypes of jewish people. the one asian character is named fckn Cho Chang. the worldbuilding SUCKS. fuck harry potter and fuck rowling. stop giving her your money.
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