#nrc staff

[groovifiedcandy]

Welcome to Mister S's Mystery Shop, my little imp. All the magic items of your dream are IN STOCK NOW!

[ladyazurith]

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

blazing jewel concert stories

The set list (in order) was:

Absolutely Beautiful

Piece of My World

Entanglement (Octavinelle dorm song)

Far-Out (Scarabia dorm song)

Unparalleled Aeons (Ignihyde dorm song)

MC segment

Blessing (Malleus solo)

Still Infallible Until Tangible (Leona solo)

Crépuscule (Vil solo)

Abyss (Azul solo)

ggwp (Idia solo)

Snake and Blink/Winking with the Snake (Jamil solo)

Red Heart Rage (Riddle solo)

Second MC segment

DIADEM (Savanaclaw dorm song)

La Volonté (Pomefiore dorm song)

Obedience (Heartslabyul dorm song)

Capricious Calamity/Cataclysm (Diasomnia dorm song)

For the encore, they performed Let My Wish Resound (GloMasq song) and Rave UP! UP! (Playful Land song)

Blazing Jewel has separate morning, afternoon, and evening performances over the course of the weekend of October 11th to 13th. While the songs were the same for each, the MCs (characters coming out to briefly talk to the crowd) during the second halves of the concert seemed to change each based on when you went. This means there were different versions, so I don’t know what happened at every single one.

The following are some stories and performance + interaction descriptions I heard from a few anonymous friends who were able to attend, as well as miscellaneous sentiments I found on JP socials ^^ Some opinions will be mixed in, and different people will focus on different things, so some details may be overlooked or not touched upon. Please also note that there is some suggestive material (nothing explicit), as well as ship baiting (both for yumejoshi and for fujoshi) ahead. There are not enough tags for me to list every possible one.

Hope you enjoy!

General

Attendees report they did see professional grade cameras filming at the venue. This means the performances may be compiled and later sold as a DVD, similar to how Twstfest (with the Absolutely Beautiful and Let my Wish Resound 3D live performances) was.

There was promotional stuff for the anime, like flyers and screens playing the anime trailer.

If you look on socials, you’ll find a lot of flower arrangements that were at the concert ^^ In Asian cultures, it’s normal for people to pool money and send flower arrangements at special events to wish others good luck. There’s lots of cute and unique arrangements dedicated to the various dorms, individual Twst boys, and even certain pairings.

There were over 100 arrangements on site 😭 (My friends took pictures of them all, but they wouldn’t fit in one Tumblr post; you can find plenty of pics on Twitter though!!)

There was Blazing Jewel merch on display, but not for sale. For example, these plushies!

After the concert, JP attendees are putting up SNS posts looking to trade the random backstage pass-style bonus stickers and ticket-style cards they got for those of the characters they want.

Opening Chatter + Songs

Crowley and Grim (voices only, no live 3D models for them) welcomed everyone to the concert for one session. Think it was the morning?

The headmaster does his job for once/j and warns those in attendance about the audience etiquette for the show. (Again, please note that filming and video distribution of events like this is HIGHLY frowned upon in Japan, so you will most likely not find the footage out in the wild. Don’t get your hopes up.)

Crowley claims he prepared a fan that says “NRC Love” on it to help cheer his students on chsbwvejdbfjdkdk

He tells Grim to behave! Grim says Crowley owes him a super deluxe tuna can for all his hard work, cuz he PROMISED. Crowley says o-oh, of course he did! Because he is so very kind :))

At the afternoon session, Sam and Vargas open with Grim.

Vargas bought 5x more eggs from Sam than usual, and wishes he could be performing on stage too!! He’s built for it with these muscles and this handsome face!

At a third session (evening), Crewel and Trein open with Grim. Lucius too!! Crewel tries to control Grim (who is running around and has already wrinkled his jacket) with a STAY command.

Trein is the one to give a lecture on how to conduct oneself as a proud NRC student. Crewel gets mad at Grim because Trein has started scolding them both.

Crewel calls Grim a good boy after Grim whines that he did his job of checking on the students.

Absolutely Beautiful was similar to what was shown in Twstfes a few years back.

Piece of My World did not have live 3D models dancing; it was more of a montage of character shots.

Entanglement

The Octavinelle dorm song involves an excitingly high leg swing.

There’s a part where the boys stand in front of one another and wiggle their arms similar to octopus arms or ocean waves; the song in general had a lot of flowy hand motions.

It was honestly hard to tell Jade and Floyd’s faces apart from a distance but you can tell which was which from how they conducted themselves and their gaits. They had totally different ways of standing.

During Floyd’s line where he says he’ll squeeze, he does, in fact, do an open armed squeeze (like a very violent hug).

Azul was the main focus, but Jade kept trying to steal his thunder. Floyd did his own thing.

Far-Out

Scarabia entered for their song by jumping up from below (think of like a bug leaping out of the sand).

JAMIL MANIPULATES KALIM. Like, Kalim is on his knees in front of Jamil and Jamil raises his hands out (Kalim's arms follow his movements), so it looks like Jamil is puppeting him around.

Friends say this dance was the most complex. There was breakdancing, handstands, and rolling arm movements.

Jamil and Kalim swap places on stage and high-five as they pass each other. Crowd loved this part and squealed.

At one point, Jamil does a leg kick over Kalim and Kalim crouches down in perfect timing.

Unparalleled Aeons

Ignihyde’s song had dancing which was stiff and robotic. Very fitting!

Yes, Ortho flies!! He does a loop in the air too!

During the line where they sing about cutting the thread, Ortho holds a string and Idia mimes cutting that string.

In their goodbyes, Ortho is super bubbly and cute while Idia gives an unenthusiastic “ussu…”

Idia's hair was very long (like, down to his ankles) and actually glittered.

General Interactions

Cater, Trey, Jade, Floyd, Ruggie, Jack, Silver, Sebek, and Lilia appear!!

Trey says Idia’s performance shocked him. Jade pokes fun at Trey and goes, “Oya? Were you expecting Ignihyde’s performance to be lacking?”

Ruggie tries to charm the audience because Leona told him to. He even asks everyone to please get along/play nice. After all, he would never give back-handed compliments like Jade implied Trey did! The others are shocked because Ruggie’s not usually like this and they call him out on his BS.

Only Silver totally believes Ruggie and says h should follow Ruggie’s example. (Jade: “Ah, I expected as much”). Sebek cuts in, saying that Ruggie has untrustworthy eyes.

Jack says this is great because it’s the most he has ever seen Leona move, and this will probably be the most he ever WILL see Leona move. (ahlbdbiylasdiasbds KJACK WHAT ABOUT DURING SPORTSBALL, DOES LEONA NOT MOVE DURING THAT???)

Jack's tail wags!!! You can tell he is so pleased.

Lilia pops up out of nowhere. He was apparently hanging out in the rafters observing. Gramps asks the audience how they’re feeling, which gets the audience clapping. Very cute!!

Floyd says the crowd looks like seals clapping, so clap more! … He quickly loses interest, and Jade encourages him.

UMMMm Floyd tells everyone to get excited and quiet down when he tells them to or else he’ll squeeze’m 😂

Jack’s greeting is stiff, and Ruggie tries to help him lighten up with a smile.

While the other characters talk, the twins can be seen kind of whispering to each other??

Cater waves to the crowd while the others talk.

Silver fell asleep standing up while the others were introducing themselves. Sebek has to wake him up (Jade and Floyd laugh at this).

Silver only introduces himself as Silver (no Vanrouge surname).

Sebek says he practiced projecting his voice loudly every day. Silver shares that he practiced his swings more than usual.

Jack says he doesn't think Sebek needs to practice being loud. Ruggie's confused about what practicing swinging has to do with dancing?!

Sebek asks if everyone feels honored to witness wakasama…

Cater and Trey worked hard. Floyd laughs and says they had to, or else Riddle would behead them! The two can’t deny it.

Cater was apparently VERY handsy with Trey. He was constantly putting his hands on Trey's shoulders. Cater also puts his hand on the small of Trey's back.

Floyd says Jade and Azul were awful during practice. He laughed so much that it hurt. Floyd offers to share a video of practice, but Jade stops him (saying that it is private). Jade also defends himself by saying he at least did better than Azul.

Floyd leans on Jade, Cater gets Trey to wave to the crowd.

Lilia high-fives Cater as they exit the stage.

Blessing

Malleus appears in a burst of green fire. He floats into the air for the first part of the song.

Whenever he belted for the dramatic parts afterwards, he'd leaned back.

Malleus smiles in a scary way at the end. One friend described it as “he knew he was overblotting”.

asdsibyauydoidq THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS WERE SQUEALING "WAKASAMA"...

Still Infallible Until Tangible

“I can’t believe they put Leona second… after MALLEUS. Must hurt his pride.”

Leona is one of two characters that was given a mic stand (the other being Azul).

One friend says they think Leona chose a slow song on purpose so he could lean on his mic the whole time. Bro barely moved.

The way Leona’s hands moved made it look as though he was turning things to sand and scattering it.

The camera was low a few times and slowly pans up.

When Leona sand "this hand", he reached out to the audience.

Crépuscule

Didn't mention this before, but the OB boy solo songs are performed in their dorm uniforms. Friend mentioned the sleeves on Vil's Pomefiore dorm uniform had impressive physics.

Big range of emotions in this performance.

When Vil sings about Neige, there was a single line of light that appeared (representative of Neige?) on one of the screens they had. Friend joked they should have shown a dead Neige instead 💀

Abyss

I want to stress that these are the words of OTHER people and not my own opinions. That being said, this song was consistently described to be “the sexiest” due to Azul’s performance.

He was apparently VERY interactive with his mic stand. Holding it as though it were his lover, one hand on his hat, smirking, slowly caressing the mic stand, fingering it, touching his own chest, etc.

It gave the vibes of a jazz lounge singer.

After the performance, friend(s) overheard many attendees going, エロい!! (“eroi”/erotic)

ggwp

It was described to me as “Idia [showing off] his whole cringefail excitement.”

Not a lot of dancing, though Idia did try to move like a rapper and even like a disc jockey.

He encourages the crowd to clap along and wave their lightsticks. Very good detail since he’s an otaku that engages with this kind of idol culture himself.

Looked absolutely mortified at the end.

Snake and Blink/Winking with the Snake

“I could feel the pain in his song through the dance moves.”

Frequently cited as the solo song with the best dancing.

A friend claimed he nae-naes at one point.

Jamil moves his hands like a snake. He also forms a scarab sign?? Or maybe it’s snake eyes??? Friends couldn’t tell.

Red Heart Rage

He shouted the command to KNEEL, KNEEL, KNEEL!!

“It was very violent (laughs)” — friend

He's small, but he has such a powerful stage presence.

Riddle stomped his feet during the performance.

He draws his finger across his neck to signify beheading 😭 and even points at the crowd, as if threatening to do it to them.

The cape is super impressive, like Vil's sleeves.

***NOTE:*** For the second MC segments, there is a portion where Grim’s voice makes an appearance and the characters talk to him as if they are also interacting with Yuu. This was a cool way to integrate them into the concert!!

Morning Interactions

For the morning, the audience could see Trey, Deuce, Jack, Sebek, Azul, Jamil, and Vil in the intermission.

Deuce attempts to give a polite honors-student greeting but instead fails and calls Riddle 頭 (“kashira”/head of a group; ie boss). Trey scolds him.

Azul thanks everyone for coming to see HIM and says he hopes everyone will remember his + Octavinelle’s names. Jack and Sebek go, “tf, we take back all the nice things we tried to say about you.”

Jamil calls Azul’s introduction creepy 💀

Azul banters with Jamil, praising him and calling Jamil + Kalim besties.

Sebek admits he was crying too hard to properly watch Malleus’s performance. Trey confirms.

They did a bit where Vil appeared on stage with a huge spotlight on him. Trey is surprised and Azul asked if he bribed someone to do this; Vil responded with basically, “It seems there may have been a fan of mine on staff” (to Trey?) and “I’m not you” (to Azul).

Vil says he “needs no introduction”. (The crowd screams “Vil-samaaaa”)

Deuce thanks Yuu and says they wouldn’t be able to do any of this without them.

evdjebkske Vil apologizes to the audience for his peers’ rudeness…

Afternoon Interactions

For the afternoon, you get Kalim, Jade, Silver, Cater, Idia, Epel, Leona, and Riddle.

Cater tries to drag Idia onto the stage, but bro’s too embarrassed and is hiding somewhere. Leona orders Epel to get the nerd, which Epel does enthusiastically. (Epel SHOVES Idia onto the stage.)

Idia’s greeting is short and to-the-point. Jade tries to get him to say more, which triggers Idia to go off on a rant about they’re NOT idols and shouldn’t be expected to know how to do greetings like is expected of an idol.

Everyone gangs up on Idia and bullies him :((

Idia asks the audience h-how was it?? When they respond positively, he gets all smug and goes, “O-Of course it was awesome, fweeheehee!!”

Idia tries to leave the stage whole other characters are talking 😭 but Leona puts a stop to him real quick…

Jade comments that Leona looked like he actually put in a lot of effort. Leona shoots back with a similar comment, saying that Jade is actually being serious for once.

Kalim goes, “You too, Jade!!” Kalim is then able to easily imitate Jade’s dance, which surprises Jade because he had to work so hard just to get to that level. (He looks a little disappointed…)

Kalim was dancing and waving a lot while other characters talked. Jade practiced with him. (Riddle gets mad at them afterwards.)

Leona does that eyes pointing thing to tell Yuu to make sure to keep an eye on Grim to keep him from fucking stuff up.

Evening Interactions

The evening session brings you Ace, Ruggie, Floyd, Rook, Ortho, Malleus, and Lilia.

Rook appears first, alone. He has the audience repeatedly go, “Beauté, 100 points!”, which has Ruggie and Floyd grossed out.

Ortho tried out a bunch of idol greetings, including the heart hands. He explains the different gestures.

One friend says they think Ace got the biggest screams of the night; he was very popular. (Another friend contests that and says they think Cater got the biggest screams.)

Ace comments that Floyd is surprisingly good at everything. Floyd: “Hah? Whaddya mean ‘surprisingly’?” Floyd also makes fun of Ace for the double peace signs he whips out in Absolutely Beautiful.

Lilia thinks the peace signs are cute and asks Malleus to change their choreography to incorporate more stuff like this. Malleus doesn’t want to change it since Sebek and Silver already worked so hard memorizing their original choreography.

Floyd threatens to intrude on Obedience, and Ortho says it sounds like fun, so he wants to do it too!

The fae teleport in fashionably late. Lilia had to go find Malleus; Malleus thinks he was forgotten again.

While the other characters talk, Floyd is stretching off to the side.

Ace tells Yuu that they need to support him the most out of everyone. Cue looooots of screaming.

Malleus is the last one on stage, letting the audience know he still has one last gift to give.

DIADEM

This one had a lot of "fancy footwork".

The characters sung with their backs against one another's. As in... "you have my back, I have yours"?

"There is so much thrusting here, is this really okay?"

Also a lot of hip movements and shimmeying.

You could see their tails swinging around, lol

La Volonté

Vil appears out of nowhere when Epel and Rook cross in the center.

ASDHLBASYDIOVQWBIOBL QEPELS IS SO TINY

When Vil sings "waltz across the white snow", he and Rook actually waltz, hand in hand. Notably, Vil dances the "man's" part and twirled Rook (who does the "woman's" part.

Vil does ballet at the end (during the lalala~)!!

During Epel's solo, Rook was on his knees before Vil, as if worshipping him.

Obedience

Extremely in sync.

All 5 of them march together. It gave the feeling of a militarized marching band.

This one had a lot of character interactions with one another during the song.

ACE WINKS AND DOES THE HEART FINGERS AS HE LEAVES THE STAGE. He’s got that idol fanservice down PAT 😭

Capricious Calamity/Cataclysm

"Don't worry, English speakers! We Japanese speakers also have no clue what they are singing. We still cheered anyway."

Malleus is really into it. Very Malleus-centric performance.

A friend remarked this was probably the dullest dance. A lot of it was long stretches of the characters standing off to the side while the ones singing were in the center.

Farewells

They come out on stage in dorm order. At the very end, Malleus teleports everyone on together for one final farewell.

adfkhfqetviuqgf8yoeqgfw8yoFWOIFWOVYFPBI i'M GONNA BUG Tf OUT, Leona drops a very polite and princely thank you...

Riddle acts like it was a competition--and of course his dorm won, right? (The audience shouted, はい、寮長 ("HAI, RYOCHO")!!!)

Every dorm seems convinced that their performance was the best one.

Kalim, bouncing all over the place: Guys, we were SO excited to perform for you and we had so much fun doing it!!! Right, Jamil?

Jamil: 🧍‍♂️

Idia is terrified af and mutters his thanks; Ortho has to tell him to speak up (whispers this into his ear). Idia freaks out and BOLTS away.

The audience called Ortho かわいい("kawaii)~

A lot of Diasomnia family moments!!

Malleus mentions Yuu off-handedly (how they will check in with the students later) and says he will ask the child of man personally later.

Floyd leans on Trey and Cater linking arms with Leona, trying to get him to wave good-bye to the crowd.

Encore

Let My Wish Resound is basically the same as what was shown in Twstfes a few years ago. The SSR trio appears in their Masquerade Dress attire, and Malleus poofs them all off stage in a flash of green sparkles.

Rave UP! UP! is new. It features the SSR trio in their Playful Dress looks.

The dance was uncoordinated (which I think was the point??) but everyone looked like they were having fun!! Kalim gets the audience to clap along.

Ace gave tons of fanservice 😭

Very good song to end on, it was filled with positive vibes.

[solxamber]

And I Choose...

In which you pick the dorm you want to join

Part 1: Choose Us

Heartslabyul

You never thought you’d see the day when you’d be willingly moving into Heartslabyul, but here you were, standing at the entrance with your bags (and Grim, who was loudly complaining about the lack of a tuna fountain).

Riddle was the first to greet you, looking as composed as ever. “Welcome to Heartslabyul,” he said, hands clasped behind his back. His voice was formal, but the slight upward twitch of his lips betrayed his excitement. “I trust you’ll follow the rules properly now that you’re part of this dorm.”

Before you could respond, Trey appeared beside him, looking far more relaxed. “We’re glad to have you here,” he said with a warm smile. “I already saved you a slice of cake—figured you’d need a snack after all the chaos today.”

Bless this man. Truly.

“Say cheese!”

You barely had time to process Cater’s voice before you were blinded by the flash of his phone. “Oh my Sevens, the new dormie vibe is immaculate! This is totally going on Magicam!” He snapped another selfie, this time pulling you into the frame. “And guess what? I’m using my clones to make moving day a breeze! You’re welcome!”

True to his word, Cater’s clones were already grabbing your stuff. You stared in disbelief as three Cater clones carried a single small bag together while laughing like they were in a cheesy sitcom. Efficiency clearly wasn’t their strong suit, but at least they were trying.

And then there was Ace and Deuce. The moment you’d announced your decision to join Heartslabyul, the duo had erupted into what could only be described as the most uncoordinated, chaotic victory dance you’d ever seen.

Deuce was spinning in circles like he was trying to summon a tornado, while Ace alternated between bad breakdancing and finger guns pointed at no one in particular. “We won! We won!” they chanted, completely ignoring the way Riddle’s eye was twitching in disapproval.

“You know,” you said, watching them make absolute fools of themselves, “I think I made the right choice.”

Grim snorted from his perch on one of your bags. “You’re surrounded by idiots, henchhuman.”

“Maybe,” you said with a grin. “But they’re my idiots.”

Savanaclaw

The moment you announced that you’d chosen Savanaclaw, chaos erupted.

Jack’s tail started wagging so hard it was like a propeller trying to take off. You half-expected him to lift into the air. “You won’t regret it,” he said, his usually calm voice brimming with excitement. “We’ll make sure you feel at home here.”

Ruggie wasted no time grabbing you in a headlock and giving you the noogie of a lifetime. “I knew you’d make the smart choice! You, me, and all this bribe cash—donuts for a whole year, easy! You’re officially part of the Savanaclaw hustle now!”

“Ruggie, I swear, if you ruin my hair—”

But the true shocker was Leona. At first, he played it cool, lounging lazily in his chair like your decision was no big deal. “Hmph, took you long enough,” he said, voice dripping with fake indifference. But then, as if he couldn’t help himself, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smug grin.

And that’s when he pulled out his phone.

“Leona, what are you doing?” you asked, watching as he sidled up to you with the confidence of a king.

“Taking a picture. Gotta rub this in a little.”

Before you could protest, he snapped a selfie of the two of you. Then, with the smoothness of a man who knew exactly what he was doing, he took another.

One went to Vil. The other went to Malleus.

The captions?

To Vil: "Looks like I win. Stay beautiful, princess."

To Malleus: "Better luck next time, lizard."

You groaned, face burning. “Leona, was that really necessary?”

“Absolutely,” he said, slipping his phone back into his pocket and smirking like the cat who caught the canary. “Welcome to the pack, herbivore.”

Despite yourself, you couldn’t help smiling. Maybe Savanaclaw wasn’t such a bad choice after all.

Octavinelle

The second you announced you were choosing Octavinelle, chaos descended faster than you could say “Mostro Lounge.”

Floyd let out an earsplitting cheer and, before you could blink, scooped you up and tossed you into the air like a beach ball.

“Shriiiimpy’s ours now!” he cackled, catching you before launching you up again like he was testing the room's ceiling height.

“Floyd, please!” you yelled, your life flashing before your eyes as you flailed. “I don’t wanna meet the Great Seven this soon!”

Eventually, Jade stepped in, placing a hand on Floyd’s shoulder. “Now, now, Floyd. Let’s not accidentally lose our new dormmate to an untimely accident. We wouldn’t want to scare them away before they’ve even unpacked.”

Floyd, grumbling, set you down but kept a firm arm around your shoulders, as if daring you to second-guess your decision.

Jade, meanwhile, adjusted his gloves with a serene smile that somehow felt a little too sharp. “Welcome to Octavinelle,” he said smoothly. “It’s wonderful to have you with us. I assure you, you’ll be treated with the utmost care here.” He looked way too pleased with himself, his gaze lingering like he was already planning your initiation.

Then there was Azul.

Azul looked like he’d just won a billion Madol jackpot. His eyes gleamed, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to break into a little dance right there in the lounge. But then, with Herculean effort, he composed himself, clasping his hands and clearing his throat.

“Well, this is certainly a wise choice,” he said, adjusting his glasses like he hadn’t just been doing mental cartwheels. “I’m honored you’ve decided to join Octavinelle. We’ll make sure all your needs are taken care of.”

But then… he slid a very familiar-looking contract across the counter.

“Of course,” Azul added with a dazzling smile, “just a small formality. You see, this document simply guarantees that you’ll remain a proud Octavinelle student until graduation—oh, and a few other things.”

You stared at the contract hoping it might spontaneously combust. “Azul. I literally just joined. Can I have a minute to breathe before I sign my soul away?”

“No rush, no rush!” Azul said, not looking remotely deterred. “Take your time. But, ah—do keep in mind that signing sooner ensures the best possible benefits…”

As Jade handed you a drink (which you were very suspicious of) and Floyd draped himself over you, already talking about all the “fun” you’d have together, you couldn’t help but wonder if you’d just made a deal with the devil.

Still, as Azul's smug smile softened into something almost genuine, you decided it wasn’t the worst deal in the world.

Scarabia

The moment you announced your decision, Kalim was on you like a whirlwind.

“YOU CHOSE SCARABIA!!” he yelled, tackling you into a hug so tight you thought you might pop like a balloon. Before you could even gasp for air, he was spinning you around the common room like you were some kind of trophy he’d just won.

“This is AMAZING! We’re gonna have so much fun! Parties! Feasts! Adventures! You’re gonna love it here!” Kalim babbled, his infectious excitement making it hard to even feel dizzy despite the rapid spinning.

“Kalim,” you wheezed, clutching his shoulders, “please put me down before my life flashes before my eyes.”

“Oh, right!” he said, gently setting you down with a sheepish laugh. “I got carried away. I’m just so happy!”

As you tried to steady yourself, a much calmer—but no less relieved—voice spoke from behind Kalim.

“I’m glad you chose Scarabia,” Jamil said, his expression carefully composed, though you could see the faintest hint of relief in his eyes.

You blinked at him, surprised. “Really?”

“Yes,” Jamil replied, crossing his arms and glancing away like he didn’t want to elaborate. But after a beat, he sighed and added, “You’re one of the few people here who keeps things balanced. With you around, maybe I’ll have a chance to stay sane.”

Your heart melted a little at his quiet admission, even as Kalim jumped in again, declaring he’d throw a party that night to celebrate your move.

“Let’s get food! Music! Oh, we should decorate your room! Jamil, can we hang up those golden lanterns I found last week? And—”

“Kalim,” Jamil interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose but unable to hide the faint smile tugging at his lips, “one thing at a time. Let them breathe.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at the dynamic, feeling a warm sense of belonging already. Scarabia might be a lot, but it felt like home.

Pomefiore

The second you announced your decision, Epel let out a laugh so sinister it would’ve sent chills down a villain’s spine. “HA! TAKE THAT, EVERYONE ELSE!” he shouted, whipping out his phone to snap a selfie with you.

Of course, Rook popped into the frame with perfect timing, striking an overly dramatic pose as Epel sent the picture straight to the first-year chat. “VICTORY IS OURS!” was the only caption needed.

Before you could even blink, Rook had swooped in, bowing theatrically. “Ah, mon cher, your choice has blessed us with the most magnifique triumph! Let us celebrate with a dance!”

You barely had time to protest before he twirled you around the room like you were in some period drama. His excitement was so contagious you almost didn’t notice when he dipped you dramatically—until you felt yourself tipping back, only to be caught by Vil.

“Honestly, Rook,” Vil sighed, steadying you with all the grace in the world. “Do try not to give them whiplash their first day.”

He turned to you, his usual poised demeanor firmly in place, though the faint smile tugging at his lips betrayed his true feelings. “Welcome to Pomefiore,” he said, his voice soft, yet commanding. “You’ve made the right decision.”

You were about to respond when Vil, ever the perfectionist, immediately began fussing over your uniform. “Honestly, you can’t be seen like this. Your tie is uneven, and—Rook, stop standing there and help them adjust their collar properly!”

As Vil worked, meticulously fixing every little detail, you couldn’t help but notice the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. He might’ve been playing it cool, but there was no hiding how pleased he was to have you here.

Epel and Rook, meanwhile, had started arguing about who deserved the credit for your choice, while Vil made it very clear that it was his influence that sealed the deal.

And just like that, your chaotic new life in Pomefiore began.

Ignihyde

The moment the words “I’m choosing Ignihyde” left your mouth, Idia froze like someone had yanked his power cord out. His hair flickered erratically, and for a second, you thought he might actually pass out.

“Big Brother? Big Brother!” Ortho shook him frantically, his mechanical arms making a soft whirring sound. “Stay with us! They chose us! You can’t glitch out now!”

Idia finally snapped back to reality, though his face was still pale, his hair sputtering like a dying neon sign. “W-Wait, what?! You…chose here? Are you serious? This isn’t like, a prank, right? Did Ortho bribe you?!”

“No pranks, no bribes. I chose Ignihyde,” you said, trying not to laugh at his genuine bewilderment.

He blinked rapidly, processing your words. “B-But the PowerPoint… I thought it was way too cringe. I mean, I had like, fifty slides about food optimization! Who’d find that interesting?! You were supposed to be like, ‘Ew, no thanks,’ and leave!”

“Actually, I thought it was kind of cute,” you admitted, watching as his hair flared a bright pink.

“C-CUTE?! AAHH, STOP, YOU CAN’T JUST SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!” He clutched his hoodie like his heart was going to short-circuit.

“Big Brother, calm down!” Ortho interjected, practically beaming. “They chose us! Isn’t this the best thing ever?”

Idia rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze darting anywhere but at you. “…So, uh, do you wanna, like…celebrate or something? I-I mean, I know you probably have better things to do, b-but if you wanna…play a game or something, that’d be cool.”

You smiled. “I’d love to.”

Ortho let out an excited cheer and zipped over to hug you tightly, his arms surprisingly warm. “Welcome to Ignihyde! I’m so happy you’re here! This is gonna be the best!”

As Ortho buzzed around you, already listing off all the things you could do together, you caught Idia sneaking a shy glance your way. His hair was still flickering pink, and he looked like he couldn’t believe this was real.

You weren’t sure what life in Ignihyde would bring, but if it meant seeing Idia like this—flustered, happy, and maybe a little hopeful—you knew you’d made the right choice.

Diasomnia

The moment you announced you’d chosen Diasomnia, Sebek practically burst into flames.

“OF COURSE YOU CHOSE DIASOMNIA!” he boomed, puffing up with pride. “It’s the only logical choice! With the Young Master here, there was no other dorm worthy of your presence!”

Silver chuckled softly at Sebek’s theatrics, stepping forward with a kind smile. “Welcome to Diasomnia. I’m glad you’re joining us. Let me know if you need help moving your things—I’ll be happy to assist.”

Before you could respond, Lilia appeared out of thin air, laughing like a mischievous ghost. “Ah, welcome, welcome! We’ve been expecting you…or at least, I have. Let me go fetch Malleus so he can hear the good news himself!” And with that, he vanished in a puff of green smoke, leaving you blinking at the empty spot he’d occupied seconds before.

Malleus arrived moments later, his towering presence filling the room. His emerald eyes softened as they landed on you. “I heard you’ve made your decision. Have you truly chosen Diasomnia as your dorm?”

You smiled up at him. “Yeah, I chose Diasomnia.”

The way his face lit up was unlike anything you’d ever seen. His usual composed demeanor melted into something warmer, brighter. He almost looked…giddy.

“This pleases me greatly,” he said, his voice rumbling with quiet joy. “Come. I’ll give you a proper tour of our dorm.”

You didn’t even get a chance to answer before he gently ushered you forward, beginning the grand tour of Diasomnia. Lilia popped in and out of nowhere as you walked, adding bizarre and entirely unnecessary facts.

“And over there,” Lilia said, gesturing to a decorative suit of armor, “is what I wore when I once tripped and almost spilled soup on Malleus when he was a child. Ah, good times.”

Malleus sighed but didn’t stop him. “This area is the library. Feel free to browse the shelves at your leisure. I can show you my favorite tomes later.”

“And this hallway is where Sebek shouted for the first time when he thought Malleus was missing! Nearly shattered all the windows,” Lilia added with a grin.

You couldn’t help but laugh, the whole thing feeling so surreal yet oddly comforting. Silver walked quietly beside you, throwing in the occasional useful tidbit, while Sebek followed behind, grumbling something about Lilia not taking the tour seriously.

By the time the tour ended, you felt strangely at home. The eccentricity, the warmth, the oddly familial atmosphere—it all wrapped around you like a cozy blanket.

Malleus turned to you, his expression soft but sincere. “You’ll be safe here. I’ll personally see to it.”

Lilia smirked. “Safe and well-fed. I’ll whip up something special to celebrate!”

“Please don’t,” Sebek muttered, but you just laughed, already feeling like you belonged.

Secret ending: Ramshackle

When you finally dragged yourself back to Ramshackle, you were met with Grim, lounging on the couch like he hadn't a care in the world.

"Well, henchhuman? Which dorm are we moving to? I hope you picked the one with the best tuna," he yawned, tail flicking lazily.

You slumped down next to him, groaning. "None of them."

Grim's ears perked up. "Huh? What do ya mean, none of them?!"

"I told Crowley to just fix the worst parts of this place. I’d rather stay here. Everyone’s so excited for me to join their dorm—I don’t wanna disappoint them."

Grim blinked at you, then shrugged like it didn’t matter. "Eh, as long as you're still my henchhuman, I don’t care. Besides, this place has character! And by character, I mean it’s haunted, but still."

The next day, Crowley gathered the staff and shared your decision with them. You’d half-expected him to brush off his promise, but to your utter shock, the teachers actually…pitched in.

Vargas showed up first, flexing dramatically. "Alright! Time to show these walls the power of my biceps! I’ll have this place sturdy in no time!" He started hammering away, though you were slightly concerned when he tried to patch a hole in the ceiling using a workout bench.

Trein followed, shaking his head disapprovingly. "This building is a historical relic, and it deserves proper restoration." He brought Lucius along, who mostly supervised by napping in different corners.

Crewel arrived next, snapping his gloves on. "We’re not half-assing this. Ramshackle is getting a full makeover. And you’re going to help, pup. Start scrubbing those floors. Chop, chop!"

Even Sam surprised you by popping up with a toolbox and a grin. "Can’t have my favorite customer living in a death trap, can I? Plus, a little investment in the neighborhood never hurts business!"

The repairs were chaotic but effective. You spent days dodging Vargas’ overly enthusiastic demolition attempts, enduring Trein’s lectures on historical preservation, and running errands for Crewel while he barked orders like you were a rookie in boot camp.

By the end of it, Ramshackle was almost unrecognizable. The roof no longer leaked, the walls were sturdy, and the floors didn’t creak like a ghost was stalking you (though you were pretty sure the ghosts were still there, just quieter).

Grim looked around, nodding in approval. "Not bad, huh? Maybe this place isn’t such a dump anymore."

You smiled, patting his head. "Yeah, it’s still home."

And as you settled back into your slightly less ramshackle life, you couldn’t help but feel a little grateful. Sure, your dorm might not have been the flashiest or fanciest, but it was yours. And that was more than enough.

Masterlist

[rabioa]

Crewel x Nurse!Reader

Drabble - SFW - Fluff - 1k words - Not Proofread

TW: Nothing? Crewel gets minor arm injury

I know I've been dead for a hot sec but tbf college basically grabbed me by my throat and throttled me </3 I've been infected with a bunch of brain worms so I'm gonna try to post more often!! This is not proof read and most of this was written while greatly sleep deprived. This is prolly ooc but I'm trying to not be a perfectionist. I just threw together some quick aesthetics for teehee haahaas and bc seeing that dog docter made me shiggle Enjoy chat! <333 Drink water and dont die

Imagine being a school nurse who went to NRC with Crewel. He remembers you all too well. You might've not had run in the same circles back in college, but he loved teasing you and getting your annoyed and flustered responses.

When he heard there was a new school nurse, he didn't really pay too much attention. After all, he has to make sure his pups succeed in classes. He knows he'll meet the new coworker sooner or later.

He meets you sooner rather than later.

You're having a nice chess game with Trein. Sure, you aren't winning by any means, but being able to talk with your old professor now as a coworker, rather than a student, was refreshing. The vibes are amazing, and you're having so much fun.

Then Crewel bursts into the room with wine. This was the start of Crewel's incessant teasing.

After that small impromptu hang out, he has made it his mission to tease you at every possible turn. You still had fun reactions, and he still had that sharp tongue. Of course, you do match him quip for quip though.

Imagine Crewel coming into your infirmary during his breaks to bring you healing potions. You can't turn him away since it is just him restocking your supplies, but he makes sure to linger. Sharp-minded back and forth ensues.

When he realizes your "lunches" are just pitiful snacks that you quickly throw in your bag before work, he starts dropping by your lunch breaks. It was convenient that your breaks match up. He's giving you some of his lunch and demanding feedback, although it was all just an excuse to see you eat better.

He surprisingly doesn't call you anything dog like. Instead he calls you kitty, much to your horror. He claims you're like an aloof cat that likes to hiss at anything that comes near. Tsk, how rude of him!

Imagine a Crewel who eventually convinces you to go to a nice classic bar with him every Friday after classes are let out, so you two can get tipsy and complain about the reckless students, as well as mention the progress they are making.

Of course it often leads to reminiscing about old times when you guys would bicker and compete for good grades. How funny how you guys both never changed.

Imagine Crewel gets a bad burn when a student messes up a potion and he reflexively shielded the youth from the blast with his body.

When he came into the infirmary, you were all over him in concern. You're making him take off his ridiculous coat and gloves while grabbing various medical supplies. You tend to him with quiet chiding, reminding him he has magic that does a much better job as a shield rather than his arms, as well as teaching for the rest of the period before coming to you.

He's oddly obedient during this, just giving minimal responses. His quietness unnerves you, so you look up, only to see him watching your face.

"Ah, I haven't seen that focused face in years now. It's nice to see it's still there," he'd note gently, catching you off guard. In your school years, he often made comments on your face when you were deep into studying. It was always notes about how calm and determined you looked.

You flushed. You hadn't notice how close you two were, with you bandaging his arm. You patch him up quickly and rush him out the door before he could do any further chaos to your rushing heart. Damn his pretty face and smooth words.

Imagine catching drinks with him after work to talk about life, work, and everything in between. He still has that boyish charm, but it's now tempered with something refined and elegant. In the classy bar, his voice is low and smooth, just quiet enough that you both have to lean a bit closer to talk.

Sometimes you drink at each other's homes as well, enjoying music and chess. He helps you train for Trein. Not to mention, his house has the cutest dogs who can do all sorts of tricks!

Imagine asking him for wardrobe help and he takes you shopping. His is ruthless with his decisions, picking and tossing clothing from high end stores like a dance of cloth and design. He might even make something custom for you if the inspiration hits, or you ask nice enough.

He might even lend your some of his clothes, refusing to admit he likes how his coat looks on you.

Imagine eventually becoming something more. You guys were basically together before you even realized it. He'd bring you lunch, hang out with you, and be the utmost gentlemen while giving suave flirtations. One night, when it's wine night at your place, he pulls up with tasteful black and red roses, smiling at you.

That starts your official relationship. It isn't something loudly announced in school. Hell, you really only told Trein, and he just sighed, talking about how it's always the smart ones who fall for the troublemakers, but you know he's happy for you two.

The student body starts whispering. There was always a few people gossiping about you two being together, but it had grown to a new extreme. Whenever you have some free time, you visit each other and chat, laughing and flirting. He's in your infirmary, helping you organize bandages. Your in his classroom, brewing potions and teas or coffees.

One day he isn't in his usual coat, and some people are questioning the rare sight. When Ace and Deuce end up in the infirmary due to getting into a fight with some group, they are immediately wide eyed and pestering you with questions. After all, why are you the one with Crewel's coat?!

Word spreads like wildfire at that. It's to the point where Crowley bursts in when you were giving some migraine relief to a student, and he is demanding to know if you and Crewel are a thing. When you confirm he's rambling in his typical fashion, speaking of young love (you're literally both well into your adulthood) and of how generous he was to allow workplace romance.

The cat (dog?) is out of the bag now. Woops!

[himasgod]

NRC STAFF AND YUU

Where they find out that Yuu is self-harming

I was going to add a warning and a lil comf message as always in this type of fanfics, but I think annonie explains it pretty well <3

responding to this request

It was Grim who approached him—nervously, voice urgent.

“You gotta talk to Yuu, Professor. They’ve been… off. They flinch when I get too loud, and the other day I saw bandages I know weren’t there before. I don’t get it… why would they do that?”

Crewel paused.

He had graded over fifty exams last night, scolded a third-year for exploding a cauldron... But that one sentence stopped everything.

He didn't scold Grim. He didn't panic. He nodded once and said,

“Thank you for telling me. You did the right thing, pup.”

That night, Crewel stayed up researching.

He was poring through psychology journals. His brow furrowed as he read about pain, coping mechanisms, and invisible wounds.

The next morning, he requested Yuu stay after class. Not in front of the others—he simply handed them a folded slip during potion lab, saying, “Come see me after last bell. No rush.”

When Yuu arrived, they looked uneasy, shoulders high with tension.

“I’m not in trouble, am I?”

“No. Sit. Please.”

They did, eyes darting to the ingredients shelf, then to the floor. Crewel sat across from them, hands folded on his desk, voice softer than they’d ever heard it.

“Grim spoke to me.”

Yuu froze. Crewel continued gently.

“He’s worried about you. And now, so am I.”

Silence. Yuu’s throat tightened.

“I’m sorry—” they blurted, eyes starting to burn.

“I didn’t want anyone to know— I was just— I didn’t know how else to deal with everything and—”

“Stop.”

Not a harsh command. Crewel stood and walked around the desk. He knelt beside them, one gloved hand hovering over their shaky hands .

“You have nothing to apologize for. Pain is not a moral failure. It doesn’t make you shameful. It makes you human.”

Yuu’s breath hitched.

“I’m not here to fix you. I can’t wave a magical pen and erase what you’ve felt. But I can promise you this: you’re not alone in this. Not anymore.”

He rose, placed a hand over his heart.

“You’re a part of this college. My student. And I take care of what’s mine.”

From then on, Crewel didn’t hover—but he checked in.

When Yuu looked withdrawn in class, he’d ask them to help sort ingredients. I

f they were dissociating, he’d say, “Mind walking with me to the greenhouse?”

Small tasks that let them breathe.

And he never pushed. Never pried.

Only left the door open—always open.

Crowley had a knack for dramatics. He thrived on being the center of the room.

But when Grim nervously shuffled into his office one rainy afternoon and said, “I think Yuu’s in trouble,” the headmage's feathers metaphorically dropped.

He didn't say a word at first. Just listened.

Later, he knocked on Ramshackle’s door himself.

Yuu answered, surprised. “Headmage?”

He took off his mask.

“May I come in?”

They blinked.

Crowley never took off his mask.

Never.

Crowley stood in the entryway.

“I hear you’ve been struggling. And before you say anything—I’m not here as your headmage.”

He placed the mask gently on a dusty table.

“I’m here as someone who once felt like a ghost too.”

Yuu swallowed hard.

“I know it’s hard, adjusting to this place,” he continued. “You’ve had to survive here without magic, without family, without answers. And you’ve done it all without a safety net.”

His voice wavered.

“Perhaps I should’ve given you one sooner.”

Yuu stared at him. Crowley’s eyes, usually behind his mask, were steady.

“Can I show you something?” he asked.

He led them to a storage room near the staff quarters. There, behind old uniforms and spell books, was a small chest. He opened it.

Inside were journals.

Dozens of them, worn at the edges.

“I wrote these when I was your age. A long, long, long.... long time ago.” he said quietly.

“When I didn’t understand the world, or my place in it. When I thought maybe… the world would be better off without me.”

Yuu’s breath caught.

“You’re not weak for needing help,” he said, turning to them. “You’re wise for accepting it.”

From then on, when he saw them anxious in a hallway, he didn’t sweep them away with flair.

He’d tap their shoulder, whisper, “There’s tea in my office. Let’s get some air.”

And on days when Yuu couldn’t speak at all, Crowley would sit beside them in silence. No mask. Just himself.

In time, Yuu came to understand that even the loudest voices sometimes scream just to be heard.

And Crowley?

He’d make sure Yuu never had to scream alone again.

It started with a quiet knock on the side door of Mystery Shop one evening after lights-out.

“Hey, little imp,” he said without turning around“Didn’t expect you tonight.”

But when Yuu stepped inside, their energy wasn’t curious about the items. It was heavy.

Sam finally looked over, smile fading as he saw their eyes red rimmed, hands tucked in their sleeves.

“Something happened?”

“I relapsed.”

Sam didn’t recoil, didn’t gasp.

He just set down the crystal orb he’d been polishing and stepped out from behind the counter.

“Come sit,” he said gently, guiding them to the little seating nook near the incense shelf. “Tell me what you need.”

“I don’t know,” Yuu whispered. “I just—Grim told the others, and everyone’s being kind, but I feel like I’m broken again. Like I failed.”

Sam reached over and pulled a tiny wooden box from a shelf behind him.

“Know what this is?” he asked, resting it in their lap.

Yuu shook their head.

“This box came from a spirit walker in the Scalding Sands. It’s over four hundred years old,” Sam explained. “Used to carry healing charms, notes of love, little promises folks made to themselves when they were hurting.”

He opened it slowly.

Inside were slips of folded paper—some new, some brittle with age.

Sam added one more—his own. He held it out to Yuu.

“Write one. Anything you want. Doesn’t have to be big. Could be: ‘I want to breathe tomorrow.’ Or: ‘I want to see the sun.’”

Yuu stared, then shakily took the pen.

After a long pause, they wrote:

“I want to believe I’ll be okay again.”

Sam tucked it inside the box, sealed it, and whispered, “Now it’s kept safe. No refunds, no backsies. That promise is real now.”

Yuu smiled weakly.

From that night forward, Sam always had a space open at the back of the shop.

If Yuu was overwhelmed in class, they’d sometimes find a handmade “delivery” waiting in their dorm room: a spell charm for calm dreams, a candle, or a simple note that read:

“Healing ain’t linear. But I’ve seen how stubborn you are. You’ll get there.”

Professor Trein stood at the front, chalk still in hand, yet his eyes had wandered from the blackboard.

He watched Yuu—slumped at their desk, shoulders taut, eyes unfocused. Not bored. Not distracted. Disassociated.

Lucius had already leapt from his desk perch and was weaving around Yuu’s chair. Trein set the chalk down.

“Yuu,” he said calmly, “Could you assist me in the archive room for a moment?”

There was no reason to doubt the request. It was casual enough.

No alarm in his tone. No heads turned. Yuu nodded numbly, rising without protest as the class barely took notice.

Trein’s pace was slow as he led them to a quiet hall—far from noise.

He closed the door behind them.

“Would you like to sit?” he offered, pulling out a chair from a reading desk.

Yuu did. But their gaze remained lowered.

Trein sat across from them, hands folded.

“There are lessons one cannot find in any curriculum,” he began, “Lessons about how to exist in a world that often refuses to make space for our pain.”

Silence.

“You don’t need to speak right away. I only ask that you listen.”

Yuu nodded once—just enough to let him know they were still with him.

“I’ve seen the signs,” he said. “The trembling. The vacant stares. The way your hands fidget when you believe no one is watching.”

“I want you to know I do not pity you. Pity can be shallow and cruel. What I feel is respect.”

Yuu looked up, confused.

“It takes strength to face each day knowing you’re at war with your own thoughts. It takes courage to survive when the world you knew has been torn from you and replaced with a place that doesn’t always feel real.”

Trein continued, “Grim came to me out of concern. And I assure you, Yuu… there is no shame in stumbling during recovery. Only in believing you must do it alone.”

Lucius jumped into Yuu’s lap then, curling up. Yuu slowly let a hand drift to stroke his back.

Trein gave a faint smile.

“Even Lucius knows who needs grounding.”

He then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bound notebook—aged but blank.

“This is for you. Write what hurts. What confuses you. Or write nothing at all. You may tear out the pages, burn them, or never show a soul. But sometimes, the mind cannot quiet until its burdens are given a place to rest.”

Yuu took it gently.

Down the road, Trein never hovered. But he always noticed.

If Yuu’s answers in class were shorter than usual, he’d adjust the lesson pace. If he saw their breathing stutter when voices around grew loud, he’d assign a solo reading task and lead the others elsewhere—shielding them with normalcy.

“Oi! You’re not gettin’ out of PE that easy!”

Yuu had hoped to sneak past the training field.

But Vargas spotted them with that hawk gaze of his and jogged over, waving enthusiastically.

They braced for a lecture about attendance, but he paused as he got closer.

“You okay?” he asked—less gruffly than usual.

Yuu tried to shrug it off, but Vargas tilted his head.

“I know I ain’t always the most gentle guy. But I do notice when one of my students looks like they’re carryin’ a boulder on their back.”

He crossed his arms.

“You wanna go for a walk?”

Yuu blinked. “You’re not gonna make me run laps?”

“Nope. Today we walk. Slowly. No sweat.”

So they did—around the track, where Vargas usually shouted drills.

His voice was calm, explaining how, even in physical training, injuries sometimes come from inside.

“Used to have a friend back in my rookie days,” he said. “Tough guy. Strong as hell. But he had demons in his head that none of us could see.”

He glanced at Yuu.

“Pain ain’t just broken bones and bruises. You can be fightin’ for your life, and no one will know unless they look close enough.”

Yuu swallowed. “I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.”

“You didn’t,” Vargas said, dead serious. “You’re still standin’. You showed up today. That takes guts.”

They stopped near the bleachers, and Vargas handed them something—a pair of weight gloves.

“These are yours now, not for lifting. Not for workouts. Just a reminder. You’re stronger than you think.”

From then on, Vargas kept an eye on them.

If Yuu’s breathing quickened during group drills, he’d subtly call a “water break.” If they looked spaced out, he’d shout, “Hey! Wanna time me on the sprint?”

[floryd]

HIII I really LOVE your art aaaaand I want to thank you because your artwork helps me create better designs!! for exampleeee your headcanon of Malleus is literally the best headcanon I've ever seen 😋😋 I LOVE YOUR ART PLS FEED US

omg thank you!! i was honestly not expecting my redesigns to be helpful, but like (im really happy idk how to write this) THANK YOU?? i love doing my headcanons on redesigns, and im so happy others love it!!

anyways speaking of redesigns, i think its finally time to drop nrc staff redesigns!!

for these redesigns i mainly refered to what the original villains look like,

such as cruellas curly hair in her movie, and her birthmark on her cheek

aswell as more green eyes for lady tremaine (does anyone recognize where ive drawn these exact eyes?)

vargas just has blue eyes like gaston, (i actually love how vargas in his design has lower eyelashes)

sam has the least change, just having a tooth gap like dr. facillier

now for crowleys design, i was talking to my friend on discord (HI!!! if youre reading this!!!) , and they were talking about how theyve adopted my headcanons to the point where they forgot that wasnt canon, and they shared the vilitigo crowley headcanon, and i loved that so much, so heres my interpretation ♡

i was originally going to have him have a blue tint, matching my other fae redesigns, but i also like how a lot of people dont realize crowleys a fae, only telling so when they see his ears, i honestly like that discreteness!

anyways i was posting my progress to another server and apparently i should draw the staff more (according to THE sam fan and crewel yume)

[a-998h]

For The Best

TRIGGER WARNING DRUGGING AND ABUSE OF MAGIC!

The moment I'm out of the mirror and on NRC's main grounds I dash towards the main building with Grim in my arms. I don't know how long Savannahclaw and Diasomnia will be fighting so I have to act fast. I make my way through the halls, dodging students out of fear they'll grab me for their own dorm.

"We gotta tell Crowley! He has to know!" I say in my head as I run.

As I duck down halls and around students I finally reach the door of an all to familiar office. I start pounding on the door, praying that he answers. The first few times got unanswered, so I start to panic that Crowley isn't here and since the teachers probably have class I'm fucked! As my fists hits the door one more time the door opens and I stop, seeing a welcoming fur coat.

"Puppy? Where have you been?" Professor Crewel says.

I push past him, telling him to close the door. He does and me and Grim start panting, trying to catch our breath. I look around and it's not just Professor Crewel, I see Sam, Professor Trein, with Lucius in his lap, Coach Vargas, Sam, and Crowley. They all look at me, their faces twisted into various stages of worry.

"My dear nestling, where have you been? It's been weeks and we were starting to get worried." Crowley says, being rightfully dramatic.

I try to steady my breathing. Coach Vargas helps me up into a chair while Professor Trein says that he'll make some tea for me, the same type he always makes. Professor Crewel sits behind me, gently grasping my hand while Sam sits on my other side while Crowley sits directly across from me. Once my breathing has finally evened out and I have my cup of tea I start from the beginning.

I tell them everything, from Heartslabyul's kidnapping, to all the drugging, magic, infantilization, isolation, all of it. Grim fills in spots I miss and adds his own information. Once we finish I see their faces twisted into shock, horror, and worry, even the every stoic Trein. No one says or does anything. The clock in the office and sound of footsteps in the hallway outside are the only sounds in the office. Then, Coach Vargas lets out a breath and looks at me.

"Geez, kiddo. Sounds like you two have been through hell and back." he says, running his hand through his hair.

I just nod, drinking my tea. I feel Professor Crewel squeeze my hand and see Crowley walk over to me. He crouches down and gently places his hands on my cheeks and looking at me in worry. He doesn't say anything, just using his thumbs to gently wipe my nonexistent tears away. I take another sip of my tea, a welcome warmth spreading through my body. I don't remember the last time I feel this relaxed, or tired. After everything that's happened me and Grim just want to reast. Professor Trein takes my saucer and now empty teacup.

"Rest, nestling. We'll handle it," Crowley says.

"Promise?" I ask.

"I promise," he says.

I smile as the long awaited pull of relaxing sleep overtakes me as my eyelids get heavier and heavier until I fall asleep in the chair.

***

Crowley's POV

The moment the eyes of MC and Grim close I turn to Trein and Crewel. Trein puts the saucer and teacup down and walks over to Grim, kneeling down. We all watch as magical film strips leaves through his ears. With each strip we see the events he experinced. Once Trein has removed multiple weeks worth of memories we watch him pull out a magical device that looks like an old film canister.

"I still think my idea would've worked better," Sam says.

"Oh please, your way would've made them both forget their own names!" Crewel yelled.

"Gentlemen, please. I need focus. If I damage these memories it could affect his mind in irreparable ways," Trein says.

The two stop arguing, resorting to glaring at each other. Once Trein finishes with Grim's memories he turns to my nestling and performs the same spell and process as he did with Grim. This time he works slower, being more delicate with these memories.

"They're going to be mad at us if they ever find out. Don't you feel like this is wrong?" Vargas says.

"If, Vargas. But we'll make sure they won't find out and this is for the best. If we leave those memories then they might try to run and leave us. We can't let that happen," I explain.

"True, but this seems, much. Why not just feed them a potion?" He asks.

"Because that's not how mind erasure potions work," Crewel said sharply.

Vargas argues back and the two start going back and forth while Sam chuckles at the scene. I just watch, chuckling a bit myself. Once Trein finishes he scolds Crewel and Vargas. Once they stop we now have to handle an unconscious MC and Grim.

"Now what?" Sam asks.

"We take them back to their dorm, making it seem like it was a normal day. Now, which one of you wants to take them back to their dorm?" Trein asks.

"Too old to do it yourself?" Sam teases.

Trein says that he has to process the removed memories so he can't move them. They all turn to me, asking if I'll do it. I explain that I have to discuss this with the dormleaders so I can't leave my office. That leaves Crewel, Vargas, and Sam. The three start arguing, with Sam even suggesting a game of rock, paper scissors to decide. However, it never gets to that point and a compromise is met, Vargas will carry MC and Sam will carry Grim. Trein opens the door and walks out of my office, followed by his cat and Crewel.

Vargas bundles MC into his arms and Sam picks up Grim. I open the door for them, only closing once both have left. I then call in all the dorm leaders sot hat they can explain the behavior of them and their dorm.

As they each file in I look at them. Idia's tablet floats nearby, Mallues and Leona are glaring at each other, Azul is wearing his normal smug smile, Riddle has a serious expression, and Kalim is wearing a happy smile.

"Headmage, before you say anything I assure you Heartslabyul did our best-" Ruddle starts.

"Oh please, you chased them away with all your rules," Azul interrupts.

Then it turns into a seven person yelling that would draw attention in any public setting. I let it go on for a bit, letting the boys get it out of their system before I stop them all. Once they're silent and looking at me I start asking questions about what they'd been up to in the pass few weeks. They each share their stories and I can't help by sigh.

"When I gave you boys permission for this I expected you and your dorms to act with some modicum of decorum, not torture tactics!" I yell, scolding them.

I scold them for hours, laying into them about the actual torture they had committed. When I finish I ask the boys if they under and promise to do much better. They say yes to both, all looking down at the floor with some variation of remorse in their face. Once I finish I dismiss them and they all leave. The moment that door closes I let out a breath and look out the window.

"It's for the best, nestling," I mumble.

**Morning**

MC's POV

I wake up with Grim attempting to suffocate me with his fur. I look over at the alarm clock I dug out of the trash. It's about 8:00 in the morning and I feel the like I stayed up all night instead of sleeping. I look at Grim, who's softly snoring. School starts in about 45 minutes and I can't afford to be late. I put on the oversized Night Raven uniform and shoes before brushing my hair. Grim stretches in the downward cat position before asking for tuna. Digging through the ancient cabinets I find tuna, it's even the expensive kind.

"Guess what, Grim?" I tell him.

"What?" He asks.

"Looks like you get the fancy stuff this week." I tell him, opening the can and putting it on a small plate.

Grim smiles with unfiltered joy as I place that plate down. I open my fridge and see it full of food, all fresh. I guess I splurged on enough stuff to last me and Grim two weeks. I pull make myself a ham and cheese breakfast sandwich with some fresh fruit and a glass of milk. I sit on the creaky chair and eat my breakfast while counting how many Madols I have left for the week.

The coffee can I use as my money storage bin sits next to me. I count, flipping through paper bills. 100,000 Mandols and a few miscellaneous Sorcents. I'm giddy with excitement as I realize how much stuff I can get. Though I have to be smart, things here are still expensive as all hell. I finish my breakfast and put the dishes in the sink when I hear knocking on my door.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I yell as Grim leaps onto my shoulders.

I open the door and am met with familiar heads of blue and orange hair. I ask them what they did this time and Ace gasps in mock offense.

"We just wanted to walk you to class, is that suddenly bad?" He jokingly asks.

I laugh along and go back inside to grab the second hand school bag Ruggie gave me and make sure I have every pencil and piece of homework I'll need for the day. As we walk Ace keeps cracking eye roll worthy jokes that you can't help but laugh at.

"You guys are the best, you know that?" I tell them.

"We know," Ace says.

I laugh and smile, so happy to have such kind friends.