1 (your here) 2 (alternative au) 3
(I'm feeling angsty >:]) ((I kept crying while writing this))
Grim is the first one to notice.
They were bickering, as usual. Yuu told him not to wander off. He called them bossy and sauntered ahead. He thought Yuu was right behind him until he heard the rumble.
When Grim turns around, the mine is collapsing. He hears a screamβtheir screamβand then nothing.
At first, Grim is in denial.
βTheyβre probably fine! Just hiding like a scaredy-cat!β he yells, ears flat, tail bristled. He digs at the rocks, paws trembling, not because heβs weak but because heβs scared. His tiny claws scrape until they bleed.
Later, when the truth settles in, Grim doesnβt talk for days.
No bragging. No yelling. He just curls up on the couch in Ramshackle, staring at the door like heβs waiting for Yuu to walk through it.
He starts blaming himself. Quietly.
βI shoulda protected themβ¦ Iβm the Great Grim, right? What good is all this power if I couldnβt save 'emβ¦β
He makes some stupid comment at first. βThey seriously died that easily? Weakβ¦β
But his voice cracks halfway through. He avoids eye contact with Deuce and walks away before anyone can see him clench his fists.
Later, Ace returns to the mine alone. He just stands at the spot where the rocks fell, chewing on the inside of his cheek.
βDumbassβ¦ you werenβt even supposed to be here. What were you thinking, coming down here without magic?β
If anyone tries to talk to him about it, he brushes them off. But sometimes, when no one's looking, he stares at Ramshackleβs gate like he wants to go up and say somethingβbut always turns around.
He was right there. He thought he was being responsible. He was supposed to look out for the magicless student, right?
βI failed themβ¦β
βI shouldβve noticed something was wrongβ¦β
βIf Iβd just reacted fasterβ¦β
He says things like that a lot. Grim wonβt talk. Ace wonβt listen. So Deuce just keeps repeating it to himself.
He visits Ramshackle and helps clean it up. Makes sure the firewood is stacked, the beds are neatβeven though no one lives there anymore.
βI justβ¦ want to keep it ready. In case they come back. Somehow.β
Crowley is... complicated.
Publicly, he spins it as a βtragic accidentβββA rare, unfortunate incident during a school-sanctioned task! We shall honor our lost guest!β He uses big words and flashy speeches, and pretends like this wasnβt his fault.
But when heβs alone in his office, he looks at the file with Yuuβs name and wonders if he ever even really tried to help them.
He sent a magicless teen to mine with unstable students and monsters.
He knew they were different. Vulnerable. And yet, he brushed it off.
Thereβs a note he writes but never sends, addressed to the mirror that summoned Yuu:
βThis realm took what it never should have touched. And now it has blood on its hands.β
He keeps the key to Ramshackle on his desk. Every time he sees it, he flinches.
He was right thereβhe saw the blast coming, and he tried to drag Yuu back, but they slipped from his grip.
βYuu?β he calls out, paw nudging at their arm. βHey. Hey, cβmon, this ainβt funny. Get up.β
He tries to laugh it off at first. Grim doesnβt do death. He doesnβt understand it. Not really.
But when the healers come and shake their heads, when no one responds, something inside Grim shatters.
His magic starts reacting wildly. He growls and sparks with unstable fire, yelling at Riddleβs unconscious body like itβs his fault.
βYou ruined everything! Theyβre gone and itβs because of YOU!β
Afterward, he wonβt eat. Wonβt talk. He curls up in Yuuβs bed with their uniform jacket tucked under his chin, tail limp.
βThey promised weβd figure stuff out together... Now I gotta do it alone?β
Not right away. First, itβs disbelief. βNo, no, theyβre gonna get up. Right? Deuce? Tell me theyβre fine.β
Then, itβs anger. At Riddle. At Cater and Trey for not stopping it. At himself.
He slams his fist into a wall so hard his knuckles bleed.
βI shouldβve pulled them out. I saw the signs. I knew something was gonna happen.β
He gets snappy. Bitter. Starts arguments with anyone who tries to sugarcoat it.
βThey didnβt βpass peacefully.β They got caught up in some overblot crap that wasnβt even their fault!β
He avoids Ramshackle. Too many memories. Too much guilt.
But he keeps Yuuβs student ID in his jacket pocket.
He tries to hold it in, tries to be strongβbecause thatβs what he thinks Yuu wouldβve wantedβbut the tears come anyway. He sobs into his hands when no oneβs looking, shaking with the weight of regret.
βI promised to protect themβ¦β he whispers.
He keeps up their dorm. Keeps bringing food to Grim, even if the little guy wonβt touch it. He visits Crowleyβs office demanding answers, demanding justice, yelling that this shouldnβt have happened.
Deuce becomes the one who remembers the little thingsβhow Yuu liked their tea, the dumb jokes they told, the way they always said "I've got your back" even without magic.
And he makes sure everyone else remembers too.
When he wakes up from the overblot and hears the news, he goes silent.
He doesn't cry. Doesnβt scream. He justβ¦ shuts down.
He asks to see the body. Crowley says no.
So Riddle walks to the rose maze himself, stands in the spot where Yuu fell, and just stares at the blood-stained petals.
βI didnβt mean toβ¦β
He says it to no one. Over and over. A mantra. A curse.
He writes an apology note but tears it up. Who would it even go to?
Trey and Cater notice the shiftβRiddle becomes harsher on himself. More rigid. Less confident. Because deep down, he knows:
Someone died because he lost control.
Caterβs smile doesnβt slip right away.
Heβs used to filtering his emotions. Used to staying βon brand,β even when heβs horrified. So when he sees Yuuβs lifeless form after the magic storm clears, he justβ¦ freezes.
βH-Hahaβ¦ no way, right? This has to be a prank. Right, Riddle?β
No one answers. Grim is howling. Ace is screaming. Deuce is crying.
Caterβs hands start to shake.
Later, heβll post nothing. Not even a filtered picture. He'll ghost Magicam for a while.
He tries to visit Ramshackle once, to drop off a bouquet of marigolds and forget-me-notsβbut the door creaks open and he sees Grim curled up on the couch, and he just canβt do it.
βI didnβt even know them,β he murmurs to himself, βand it still hurts this badβ¦ What about the ones who did?β
Trey stays composed. He always does.
He takes over when everyone else is falling apartβhelping stabilize the overblot aftermath, escorting Riddle away from the scene, offering Deuce a tissue, shielding Cater from seeing too much.
But when he's alone in the kitchen later, making a tart for no one, he lets himself break a little.
His knife pauses mid-slice. A cherry slips and stains the counter red.
βI shouldβve noticed Riddle was this close to snapping,β he mutters. βIf Iβd stopped him soonerβ¦β
Trey doesn't cry. But guilt clings to him like powdered sugar on a fresh cake. Yuu wasnβt his responsibility, but they were in his dorm's garden. Under his vice-leadership. And thatβs not something he forgets easily.
He leaves a note at Ramshackle with a box of treats:
βFor Grim. I know they liked sweet things.
βTreyβ
Crowley is the one who has to βmake it official.β
He stands before the gathered first years, his usual flourish gone. Thereβs no fanfare, no dramatic cloak-swoosh. Just a stiff, solemn tone.
βIt is with deepest regret that I must confirmβ¦ the Prefect of Ramshackle Dorm has passed, following the incident involving an overblot.β
He doesnβt look anyone in the eye.
When the students leave, he stays behind in the hall, staring at the cracked mirror that once brought Yuu here.
βThey were never supposed to be involved in magic,β he mutters. βI was supposed to protect themβ¦β
He writes a formal report. Then another one. Then a third. None of them feel right.
Later, Crowley visits Ramshackle and sets down a key with a tiny raven charm beside their bed.
βI promised you safety.
I failed.
May this place remember you better than I did.β
Itβs live. NRC's Spelldrive match is being broadcast across Twisted Wonderland.
Leonaβs magic erupts like a sandstorm hurricaneβspikes of sand and flame. Yuu is running, dragging an injured Grim, trying to reach Jack.
The sand settles. A figure lies limp in the wreckage.
Thereβs a gasp on the feed. The camera zooms inβ
βand the world watches as the magicless Prefect, the one who stood beside overblots and chaos, lies still on the battlefield.
Grim doesnβt even process what happens at first.
He sees the sandstorm. The explosion of magic. He hears Yuu screamβand then nothing. Just silence.
He claws at their body.
βGet up! Hey! I said get UP!β
He tries to use his magic. Tries to warm them up with a fireball. Nothing works.
He sobs until his voice is hoarse. He doesnβt leave their sideβnot when the teachers show up, not when the sun sets, not even when Crowley tries to move him.
βYou said we were gonna leave this place together, remember? You promisedβ¦β
After that, he never says their name again. But he whispers it in his sleep, tail curled around their favorite pillow.
No questions, no hesitationβhe hauls off and decks him right across the jaw, shouting βYou bastard! You KILLED them!β
It doesnβt matter that Leonaβs still recovering from the overblot. It doesnβt matter that he gets dragged off. Heβs shaking with rage.
Aceβs grief comes out as fire.
Loud. Angry. Messy.
Later, he sneaks into Ramshackle alone. He rifles through Yuuβs drawers, looking for somethingβa hoodie, a note, an old snack wrapper. Anything that still smells like them.
He finds a photo they all took before the Spelldrive match.
He keeps it in his wallet.
Deuce kneels beside Yuuβs body and doesnβt move for a long time.
He holds their hand. Itβs still warm. He begs the healers to try again. Begs the staff to do something.
βThey canβt be goneβ¦ Not them. Not Yuuβ¦β
He starts blaming himself. βIf Iβd been faster. If Iβd trained harder. If Iβd just been strongerββ
He throws himself into becoming stronger after that. Pushing past his limits. Studying harder. Training until he drops.
But he never stops wearing the little Ramshackle pin Yuu made for him, safety-pinned to the inside of his collar.
Cater completely drops the act.
No more filters. No cute captions. No jokes.
He vanishes from Magicam for a full month. When he comes back, itβs quiet. Just a black square and one line:
He tries to keep smiling around others, especially Grim, but itβs clearly forced. His voice cracks sometimes.
βI never even said goodbyeβ¦ How could I not say goodbye?!β
Cater leaves a bracelet at the edge of the Savanaclaw field where they fellβgreen and silver beads, their initials on it.
He comes back every week to make sure it's still there.
Trey becomes the one who takes care of everyone else.
He comforts Grim. Checks on Deuce. Calms Ace. Brings food even when no one eats.
He tries to be steady, reliableβbut even he has his moments.
Sometimes, late at night in the kitchen, when heβs baking and the scent of vanilla fills the room, he sees Yuu laughing by the counter and has to sit down before he breaks.
He brings a box of strawberry tarts to Ramshackle and places it on their bed, whispering,
βYou always liked theseβ¦ right?β
He stares at their body with wide, horrified eyes. His throat closes. He stammers somethingβrules, overblot laws, consequencesβbut the words fall flat.
He visits their grave alone. He brings roses, red and white.
βI should have stopped Leona. I knew something was wrong. I should have said something. Done somethingβ¦β
He reads old messages Yuu sent him. Keeps rereading them, like they'll change.
When Heartslabyul hosts a tea party in their memory, Riddle personally makes sure itβs perfect.
βThey deserve nothing less.β
He says nothing at first. Just watches in silence as the healers pronounce Yuu gone.
But later, he trains. Harder than ever. His knuckles split. His legs ache.
βIf Iβd been there a second earlierβ¦ I couldβve shielded them.β
He doesnβt cry, but he starts carrying himself a little more respectfully. For Yuu.
At Ramshackle, he leaves a desert lily by their bedβa flower that survives in harshness.
βYou were tough. Iβll honor that.β
Crowley looks⦠older afterward.
He gives a dramatic speech at the memorial. Everyone assumes heβs playing it up againβuntil he chokes up mid-sentence.
βThis school was supposed to keep them safeβ¦β
He writes a letter to the Headmageβs council, arguing that overblots are no longer βrare accidents,β but institutional failures.
He also writes one to Yuu.
It sits in his drawer, never sent.
βYou deserved better. From this world. From me.
I only hope the next life is kinder.β
Leona doesnβt say a word when heβs told Yuu didnβt survive.
He just stares. At the scorch mark in the dirt. At the faces of the othersβGrim sobbing, Deuce shaking, Ace screaming at him. He says nothing.
No apology. No excuse. He doesn't even try to defend himself.
Later, alone in his dorm, he leans against the wall with a clenched jaw, grinding his molars. His overblot haze is gone, but the image of Yuuβburned into his memoryβwonβt leave.
βTch... They were a nobody. Just some magicless brat...β
But heβs not saying it to anyone else. Heβs trying to convince himself.
Because deep down, he knows thatβs not true.
Yuu stood their ground. Faced him when even Savanaclaw students ran. And they died because of him.
The next day, Leona doesnβt come out of his room.
The week after that, heβs quieter. Less sharp-tongued. Still dangerous, still smugβbut thereβs a heaviness in his voice now.
He doesnβt go to the memorial. But he sends a small wrapped parcel to Ramshackle with Ruggie.
Inside: a faded Savanaclaw armband and a simple note.
Ruggie wasnβt close to Yuu, but they helped him once.
Shared a snack. Laughed at his dumb jokes. Treated him like a person, not Leonaβs errand boy.
So when he sees their body, something shifts.
ββ¦Theyβre really gone?β
He doesnβt cry. Heβs too used to loss for that. But his stomach churns as he watches Grim howl and Ace get dragged away from Leona.
Ruggie knew this was gonna happen eventually.
He just didnβt think itβd be Yuu.
He feels the tension in the dorm, hears the whispers from other students, and suddenly everything feels too loud.
That night, he lights a candle in the Savanaclaw lounge. Itβs small, cheap, something from the Night Market.
He stares at the flame and murmurs, βRest easy, alright? Sorry we never got to hang out moreβ¦β
Then he turns and gets back to work, because someone has to clean up the mess.
But he steals food from the cafeteria a little more often now.
He canβt even scream this time.
He runs to their body, but the waterβs still seeping away. He tries to drag them out. Shouts for help.
He sobs into their clothes, claws clenched around fabric, whispering over and over,
βNo no noβcome on, come onβdonβt do this, pleaseββ
He tries breathing fire, again and again, like maybe the warmth will bring them back.
Azulβs contracts burn around them. Grim doesnβt care.
He curls around their chest and doesnβt move for hours.
Itβs a broken sound, too sharp to be real.
βNo way. No way theyβreβ They canβt beβ This is stupid. They survived Leona. They survived Riddle. Theyβre Yuu.β
He looks at Azul like he wants to kill him, but then justβ¦ stops. He walks over to Yuuβs body and sits down beside them, knees to his chest, silent.
Hours later, he mutters to no one,
βI didnβt even get to say sorryβ¦ I called them annoying this morningβ¦β
Deuce falls to his knees.
He shakes Azul by the collar, shouting βWHAT DID YOU DO?!β before Jack pulls him back.
Then he kneels by Yuu and clutches their hand like itβs an anchor. He doesnβt move for a long time, even when everyone else starts to leave.
He wears their Ramshackle pin on his blazer after that. Cleans it every morning.
When he does tests, exams, in a track race, he whispers under his breath,
βWatch me. Iβll make you proud.β
Jack stands frozen in place.
His tail bristles. His claws dig into his palms. But he doesnβt lash out. He doesnβt cry.
He walks over and picks up the tattered scarf Yuu always wore, brushes the ink off it gently.
βThey were a good one,β he says quietly.
He trains harder after that. Says less. But anyone who enters the Savannaclaw training field will find a small stone marker in the far corner.
βTo the one who stood tall without claws.β
βDamn it. Damn it all.β
He kicks one of the broken tables. Then another. And then he stopsβbecause he sees Grim, curled and shaking, and his chest aches.
He drops to a squat beside him, puts a hand on Grimβs back.
βThey wereβ¦ They were somethinβ else, huh?β
He steals food from the Lounge that night. Loads of it. Drops it off at Ramshackle with no note.
He doesnβt say it out loud, but he swears to himself:
No one else from their circle dies on his watch.
Leonaβs the first to arrive after the overblot ends.
He sees the ink, the body, the shattered remains of the contractsβand doesnβt speak. Not at first.
ββ¦You actually went and got them killed, huh?β he mutters to Azul.
Leona walks over to Yuu and crouches low. His tail flicks.
βShouldβve told you not to play hero again. Shouldβve made you stay out of this.β
He leaves a desert lily by their side and walks away before anyone sees his hands shaking.
He collapses when the overblot fades. The moment he sees what heβs doneβwho heβs killedβhis voice dies in his throat.
βNoβ¦ No, no, noβ¦ I didnβt meanβ¦β
He sobs behind his hands.
He screams at the sea for days afterward.
He locks himself in his office and doesn't come out. Not for weeks. He canβt even look at his own reflection.
Eventually, he stops using contracts.
He burns every single one.
He kneels beside the body and closes their eyes. Straightens their sleeves. Brushes the ink from their lashes.
Then he looks at Azulβtorn, sobbingβand doesnβt speak.
He doesnβt smile after that. Not in the Lounge. Not in class.
When asked, he only says:
βThey wereβ¦ sincere. And brave. It's a shame. A true shame.β
He visits Ramshackle every now and then, leaving wild mushrooms at the doorstep.
Floyd doesnβt take it well.
βEh? Seriously? Shrimpyβs dead? Just like that?β
Then his smile vanishes. Completely.
He walks into the Loungeβs VIP room and trashes it. Rips through furniture. Breaks the glass. Shatters the chandelier.
After that, he wonβt talk about it. If someone mentions Yuu, he gets quiet.
He goes out swimming in the ocean for hours. Sometimes all night.
When he comes back, heβs always more tired.
Crowley stands at the edge of the scene, looking like a ghost.
This is the third time now. Third overblot. Third time Yuu has nearly died. Except this timeβ¦
He pulls his hat down, voice tight.
βI failed them. Again.β
He doesnβt perform this time. No grand speeches. Just silence and shame.
He drafts a dozen letters to Yuuβs familyβthen throws them all out. What could he say? "Your child died in another world under my care?"
He declares a school-wide mourning period and cancels all contracts indefinitely.
But itβs not enough. Nothing is.
They were too close. Always too close.
In trying to protect Kalim, in trying to talk Jamil down, they stepped into rangeβand one of the snake-like braids struck. Fast. Precise. Poisonous.
No one noticed the bite at first. Not even Yuu.
But as the overblot fades, and the sand settles, they collapseβpale, lips turning blue, their breathing labored untilβ¦
And the music dies with them.
Heβs the first to notice somethingβs wrong.
He shakes Yuuβs arm, pats their cheek.
βOi, this isnβt funnyβcome on, weβve gotta scold Jamil, right?β
But their chest doesnβt rise.
Grim screams. His voice cracks.
He doesnβt leave their side for the rest of the night, paws clutching their arm, growling at anyone who tries to move them.
When Ace and Deuce return, he nearly attacks them just to stop them from seeing.
He sees the bite. He knows exactly what it means.
β...Noβ¦ no no noβ¦β
His voice shakes. His hands tremble. His overblot form may have faded, but its consequences linger like venom in his blood.
No tricks. No schemes. No brainwashing. Just murder.
He doesnβt run. He doesnβt speak.
He just sits in the sand, staring at his hands, unable to move.
When they drag him away, he doesnβt resist.
He doesnβt understand at first.
βYuu? What are they doing? Theyβre just sleeping, right? Right, Jamil?!"
But Jamil wonβt meet his eyes.
And when Grim doesnβt answerβwhen Grim starts sobbingβKalimβs smile falls. Shatters.
βNoβ¦ no, no, this isnβtβ¦β
He grabs Yuuβs hand and holds it like he can warm it back to life.
βPleaseβwake upβwe havenβt even gone swimming yet! You promised!β
He cries hard. For hours. He tries to take the blame, keeps saying:
βIt shouldβve been me. I was the one he hatedβ¦β
When Azul sees the body, he goes eerily quiet.
He slams the lounge door shut, tells Jade and Floyd to cancel operations for a week. When they ask why, he just mutters:
βYuuβs dead. Jamilβs overblot.β
That night, Azul goes down to the sea and throws in a silver penβa token Yuu once gave him when he helped them with a contract.
He doesnβt talk about it afterward.
But he never lets a client leave with a dangerous deal again.
Jade lowers his when he sees the body.
ββ¦How unfortunate.β
Heβs quiet for a long while. He plants a rare desert flower in a terrariumβa tribute. Waters it every morning.
When questioned, he only says,
βThey were brave. It is a shame bravery rarely guarantees survival.β
But his smiles are smaller now. More thoughtful. Especially around Jamil.
He doesnβt laugh. Doesnβt grin. Just tosses a beach ball into the ocean and watches it float away.
When asked, he mutters, βShrimpy was sβposed to come back. I was gonna show βem how to really swimβ¦β
And then, with no warning, he grabs Jamil by the collar and slams him into a wall.
βYou bit them, didnβt you?β
He doesnβt hit him. Just glares, then shoves him down and walks away.
He doesnβt show up to class for three days after that.
He returns in high spirits, sunburned and hummingβuntil he sees the schoolβs flag at half-mast.
Grim hits him with a fireball before he can finish his sentence.
When Crowley sees Yuuβs name etched into the memorial stone, he drops to his knees.
He doesnβt even try to justify himself.
He just whispers, βI left. Again. And they paid for itβ¦β
And for once, Crowley vanishes from public view.
Not even the staff can find him for days.
He bursts through the gate, duffel in hand, bragging to Deuceβuntil Grim tackles him, claws shaking.
βTheyβre gone,β Grim wheezes, βTheyβre gone, Ace!β
Ace laughs. βHuh? Quit messinβ with meβwhat do youββ
Then he sees Deuceβs face pale. And the memorial stone. And the empty Ramshackle doorway.
ββ¦No. No, noβthis is a joke, right?!β
He punches the wall until his knuckles bleed.
He drops his bag the moment Grim tells them.
βNo wayβ¦ Noβthey were fine. They were fine when we leftββ
He clutches his stomach and falls to his knees. βWhy werenβt we here? Why didnβt we come back sooner?!β
He visits the grave every morning for a week. Leaves flowers. Doesnβt say much in class.
His grades improve. His magic sharpens.
He swears it wonβt happen again.
He stares at the nameplate on the stone.
ββ¦They died protecting someone else?β
He places a red rose beneath the inscription.
βThey never followed the rulesβ¦ and still had the nerve to leave before I could thank them.β
After that, he disciplines his dorm a little less harshly.
He gives Grim his leftover tarts in silence.
He sighs deeply, brows furrowed.
ββ¦I shouldβve known something like this would happen.β
He helps Cater plan a quiet tribute in Heartslabyul. A tea party with Yuuβs favorite sweets. No rules. No scolding.
Trey keeps their seat open.
No selfies. No filters. No pretending.
βWhy didnβt I get more pictures with themβ¦?β
He organizes a social feed in their memory. Posts their art. Their dumb selfies. Their best moments.
It goes viral within NRC. Students from all dorms comment:
βThey helped me.β
βThey stood up for me.β
βI miss themβ¦β
He growls low, tail twitching.
He doesnβt yell. Doesnβt threaten. Just walks out of the dorm and stares at the cliffs until sunset.
He was starting to respect them.
Now he never gets the chance.
At Crowley. At Jamil. At himself.
He sneaks into the infirmary late at night and punches the wall onceβjust once.
Then he wipes his eyes and leaves, like nothing happened.
But he leaves offerings at the stone every week. Small things.
Bread. Buttons. A lucky toothpick.
He stands before the memorial with flowers in hand and says nothing.
But he starts training harder.
When he duels, he whispers:
βHope youβre watching.β
The air is thick with smoke and glamour. Vil's overblot form collapses, and the world finally breathes.
Everyone thinks it's over.
Until their lips tremble with blue.
Until they fall with no warning.
Grim reaches them first, and then all hell breaks loose.
Heβs laughing at first. βWe did it, right?! Right, Henchβ?β
He sees the foam on their lips.
He shakes them. βNoβNO! Donβt you dare pull this crapβwake up! You said we were gonna get celebratory tuna!β
He shrieks when they stop breathing.
He claws at his own face, trembling so hard he can barely speak.
When someone touches him, he bites them.
βDONβTβtouch themβdonβt take them away!!β
He rushes to Yuuβs side, shouting their name. Shaking them like thatβll undo it.
He looks to Deuce.
Then to Grim.
Then to Vil.
Heβs cryingβactually cryingβand itβs not cute. Itβs ugly. Angry. Messy.
βI shouldβve noticedβI shouldβveβwhy didnβt Iβ?!β
He tries to do CPR. Tries to cast a healing spell. Anything.
He goes quiet. Stone-faced.
He tries to carry Yuuβs body like theyβre still breathing, like maybe warmth and motion will bring them back.
His voice is hoarse:
βIβll take them to the infirmary. I can fix this. I can fix this.β
He doesn't stop walking until someone physically pulls him back.
When he finally lets go, he drops to his knees and sobs into his hands.
When he sees the foaming poison, the slow purple hue crawling over Yuuβs veinsβ¦
ββ¦Vil used poison,β he mutters, numb. βAnd they were too close.β
He staggers back, staring at his hands like heβs watching it happen all over again.
βNot again,β he whispers. βNot again.β
He turns and walks away. Doesnβt look back.
This time, he cries alone.
He kneels beside them. Touches their cheek.
βYuu? Come on, wake upβitβs over, we won! You said youβd teach me how to bake that cake, remember?β
He keeps babbling. Keeps smiling. Even as tears start to fall.
Even when they donβt wake up.
ββ¦They were always smiling,β he whispers. βEven when things were scaryβ¦β
He was right beside them. Right beside them.
βThey were fineβthey were still standingβthey were smilingββ
He screams into his hands. Then punches the ground until his knuckles bleed.
Epel shouts, βDONβT!β
And turns away, teeth bared in grief.
The first thing he says is quiet. Reverent.
ββ¦They died beautifully.β
Then he kneels down and closes Yuuβs eyes gently.
βThey were a soul full of light. To burn out in such a theatrical, bittersweet wayβ¦ itβs almost poetic.β
βMon Roi. What have you done?β
He knew what was in the poison. How fast it worked. How potent it was.
And stillβstillβhe let it happen.
When Yuu collapses, his voice fails. He runs to them, brushes their hair back.
He presses his forehead to theirs.
ββ¦You idiot,β he chokes. βWhy didnβt you move? You should have stayed behind the curtain!β
He doesnβt say much after that.
But he cancels his return to the stage.
He returns to a somber, shattered NRC.
When he hears what happened, he doesnβt speak.
Doesnβt excuse himself.
He walks into Ramshackle dorm, sits in the dark, and whispers:
βI keep failing you.β
He shuts the dorm down for a week.
He leaves a golden brooch on Yuuβs old pillow.
Trey, Cater, Riddle, Leona, Ruggie, Jack
Trey makes a cake and leaves it at Ramshackle. Says nothing.
Cater posts one last selfie with Yuu and doesnβt log into Magicam again for a month.
Riddle reprimands Vil for daysβthen visits the grave in silence.
Leona grits his teeth, then throws a spell book across his room. Doesnβt talk about it.
Ruggie mutters, βFigures someone like him would mess it up,β then wipes his eyes.
Jack makes a point to place wildflowers near their grave every few days.
Jade whispers, βThey died protecting others. Admirableβ¦ but costly.β
Floyd just says, βShrimpyβs really gone, huhβ¦β and doesnβt smile for a week.
Azul throws himself into managing the lounge, late at night he stares at a framed picture of him and Yuu and cries.
Heβs fixing the stage with his magic. Alone. Quiet. Restoring the ruins left behind after Vilβs rampage.
Then he sees itβYuuβs name on the memorial plaque. A candle burning low.
He vanishes from the stage.
Later, students find the ruins of a blasted tree behind Ramshackle.
And Malleus is there. Silent. Still. Staring at Yuuβs favorite benchβthe one they sat on during night talks.
He places a glowing crystal beside it. It hums softly. Mourning.
βNo one else sat with me in the dark,β he whispers. βNo one else called me βHornton.ββ
Screaming. Thrashing. Clinging to Yuu's unmoving form. There's soot on his fur and tear tracks down his face.
βThey were justβthey were just joking about food! We were gonna go home, we wereβthey PROMISED!!β
He tries to breathe fire in grief, but it sputters out into smoke.
He curls into their chest and wonβt let go.
He walks up. Stares. Backs away.
βNo. Noβno, this isnβtβthatβs not funny, Yuu. Get up.β
He turns to Deuce. His voice is cracking.
βTheyβre gonna sit up. Theyβre just messing with us, right?β
He kneels down and covers his face with both hands.
His entire body locks up.
βI shouldβveβgone in with them. I shouldβveβ¦β
His fists clench so tightly they bleed.
He kneels beside Grim and takes one of Yuuβs hands in his. Quiet.
βThank youβ¦ for everything.β
He has no words. Only a silent, thunderous grief.
He lowers his head respectfully. Closes Yuuβs eyes with trembling fingers.
He doesn't cry. But his voice is hoarse for days.
Later, he trains until he collapses. Trying to make sure no one else dies again.
Thatβs all he says at first. He turns away.
Wipes his eyes before anyone sees.
But he leaves a meat pie at their grave later. Wrapped in a checkered cloth. No note. No message.
Just something Yuu said they always wanted to try.
He scowls. Says they were reckless. That it was bound to happen.
But the minute no oneβs watching, he storms off into the desert garden and roars so loud it shakes the windows.
When he comes back, heβs dragging an ancient herb said to revive the dead.
He finds Grim later in Ramshackle.
And quietly makes enough food for two, even though only Grim eats.
But he starts baking a certain kind of cake more oftenβone that only Yuu ever asked for.
He doesnβt post anything on Magicam for three months.
He tries to smile. He jokes. But his heartβs not in it.
He visits Ramshackle every week and leaves flowersβsunflowers, yellow and bright.
βYou always made things feel warm, yβknow?β he whispers.
He keeps it together at first.
But when heβs alone? He breaks.
He slams his fists into the desk. Screams into the void.
βThey didnβt have magic! They shouldnβt haveβshouldnβt have had to go alone!β
He writes a law in Yuuβs honor: βNo student shall face a magical threat without backup.β
Azulβs hands shake when he sees Yuuβs body.
βThey gave me a second chance,β he whispers.
βAnd I couldnβt evenβ¦β
He shuts down the Lounge for a week.
He orders every contract reviewed. Removes every dangerous clause Yuu once called out.
He leaves an ornate seashell at their grave. Etched with:
βFor the one who believed in me.β
His tone is calm. But his eyes are not.
He takes off his gloves and places them over Yuuβs hands, folding them gently.
βI suppose I must find a new mushroom for mourning,β he murmurs.
He visits often. Leaves nothing but silence and prayers.
Then:
βShrimpyβs really gone, huh?β
But he drags Idia by the collar and nearly kills him.
βYou owe them. FIX IT.β
It takes four people to pull him off.
He doesn't smile after that. Not for a long time.
At first, he thinks itβs a glitch.
Then he sees themβunmoving, burned at the edges, body limp in Grimβs arms.
He just stares. A long time. And says:
He doesn't resist when Floyd attacks. He wants to be punished.
Later, he shuts himself inside the lab. Ignores Ortho. Refuses food.
All he says, over and over, is:
βI didnβt want this. I didnβt want this. I didnβt want this.β
βNo. No, no, noβplease wake up! I can scan youβI can rebuild you, I canββ
βPLEASE DONβT LEAVE NII-SAN BEHIND!!β
When Yuu doesnβt stir, Orthoβs eyes dim.
And no one sees him for three days.
He does not approach at first. He cannot allow the others to see him falter.
When he finally looks at Yuu, his breath stuttersβjust once.
βThey endured poison, curses, gods,β he says softly. βAnd still stood beautiful.β
Vil orders the mirrors in Pomefiore covered in black silk for a full week.
Later, alone, he whispers to the glass, βYou deserved to be protected.β
βAhβ¦ ma pauvre merveille.β
His voice is reverent, broken in a way no one has ever heard.
He kneels, pressing two fingers to his lips, then to Yuuβs forehead in farewell.
βSuch courage, such devotionβsnuffed out before its finale.β
From that day on, Rook never jokes about death again.
He stares. Long. Silent.
Then his hands start shaking, and he hates himself for it.
βThey promised theyβd come back,β he mutters, voice thick with a country drawl he hasnβt used in months.
Epel punches the nearest wall until Vil pulls him back.
He plants apple blossoms near Ramshackle, even though theyβre out of season.
He smiles at firstβautomatic, hopeful.
βCβmon, Yuu, this isnβt funny,β he says, nudging them gently.
When they donβt move, the smile shatters completely.
βI shouldβve been there. I shouldβve brought more guards. More magic. More anything.β
Scarabiaβs halls go quiet for the first time since its founding.
Jamil already knows. He felt it in his chest before he saw the body.
He closes Kalimβs eyes when the sobbing becomes too much.
βThey were smarter than all of us,β he says flatly. βAnd we still let them die.β
That night, he rewrites every evacuation plan at NRC.
Because if Yuu had had one more chanceβone more secondβthey might still be alive.
He was there. Watching from the surface. Powerless to go down with them.
When Yuu doesnβt return, he collapses to his knees.
But every night after, the gate to the Underworld glows dimly. Lit by a single enchanted candle.
Burning for the student who dared cross the River Styx.
MALLEUS'S OVERBLOT (may be inaccurate)
He holds your hand as you fade, clawing at the thorns like they'll move.
βDonβt go. Youβyou always saved everyone!! I was supposed to protect youβ!!β
When itβs over, he curls into your chest and doesnβt speak for two days.
Heβs the first to scream.
βWHATβS THE POINT OF WAKING UP IF THEYβRE DEAD!?β
He runs at the thorns. Punches them until his fists bleed. Until Deuce pulls him back.
He curses Malleus. Then curses himself.
Then, eventually, just sits on the floor. Staring.
He kneels beside your body.
His voice cracks as he says:
βI became a better person because of youβ¦β
ββ¦I donβt know how to be good without you.β
βNoβ¦ not themβ¦ anyone but themβ¦β
He sobs. No filters. No jokes. No posing.
His Magicam goes dark again.
He locks himself in his room and cries into their old photos.
He canβt breathe when he sees you.
He covers his face. Kneels.
βI shouldβve done more. Been there. Helped youβsomething.β
He leaves a tiny tart beside your grave, baked with your favorite flavor.
His voice is a whisper. Unsteady.
βThey were the only one who understood me... even after everything I did...β
He places a roseβred and thornlessβon your chest.
He stares down at you. Quiet.
βI told you not to play hero,β he murmurs.
He sounds tired. Angry. Hollow.
But he watches over your grave when no one else will.
Silent. Guarding. For hours at a time.
He turns his back. Walks away.
But hours later, someone finds a crumpled note by your bed.
He stands still for a long time.
Then salutes you with quiet reverence.
βYou had more heart than anyone Iβve ever met.β
He trains harder than ever after that. To live by your example.
βThis wasnβt part of the dealβ¦β
βI would've traded everything. Justβjust to keep them safeβ¦β
He cancels all contracts for a week. Shuts down the Lounge. Cries behind locked doors.
He gently closes your eyes.
And, for once, doesnβt smile.
βEven rare orchids wither in the frost,β he says.
And places a white lily beside you.
Then he howls.
He tears up a hallway. Slams a wall with a fist that cracks stone.
He doesnβt laugh again for a month.
βNo no noβyou were supposed to live!! You saved me!! Why didnβt I save you!?β
He sobs into Jamilβs shoulder.
He lights candles in your memory every night.
He doesn't speak. Just mutters a single word:
But later, he visits your resting place, presses a charm into the soil.
βI owed you more than I gave.β
He holds you like glass. Like something sacred.
βYour final act was... selfless. Poetic. Tragic.β
He speaks at your memorial.
And always leaves a pristine white rose.
He refuses to speak at the ceremony. But he carves a tiny wooden charm for you.
He carries it in his pocket. Always.
βAh, mon trΓ©sorβ¦ such beauty, such sacrificeβ¦β
He writes a ballad in your honor. He performs it in the forest, alone.
He stares at you with wide eyes. Whispering to himself.
βNo. No. Not again. Not another one. Not like Orthoβ!β
And when he reboots Ortho later, he hugs him like heβll disappear too.
He powers down for a full day.
And when he reactivates, he asks:
βWhy didnβt I detect the danger? Why couldnβt I save them?β
He makes a digital backup of your voice. It plays when heβs alone.
He lowers his head and whispers in old fae tongue.
He sings an ancient lullaby only fae children know.
And your grave is tended by wild roses from then on.
He brushes your hair back.
βI thought weβd all wake upβ¦β
He places a dream charm on your chest.
βSo youβd never be afraid. Not even now.β
First at Malleus. Then at the world. Then at himself.
βThey protected you, my lord! And now theyβre GONE!β
He kneels beside your grave.
βThey wereβ¦ a knight.β
When he sees you fall, his world ends.
The thorns fade. The dreams collapse.
You lay still in his arms.
His voice is a whisper. A plead.
βNo. No no no. This isn't what I wantedβ¦β
He doesnβt overblot again.
Some say he wandered into the thorns. Others say he turned into mist.
But on quiet nights, a low voice murmurs:
βI wanted eternity with you.β
For once⦠he takes responsibility.
He lays a feathered mask at your grave.
βYou were the one good thing I never deserved.β
((They would never be charged for their cries as Yuu are nobody))