Interrogator Sebek coming down to the castle dungeon everyday to gather intel from the chained prisoner of war by denying orgasm after orgasm until you desperately spill and beg for sweet release. If he’s feeling up to it, he will oh so graciously fuck you and whisper cruel words of how you will never see the light of day.
Perhaps when it’s all over and he got what he wanted, he will keep you as a sex slave, I mean he has already conditioned you 😣 Sebek is too scared to ask you to try this type of roleplay out, in fear of you being disgusted or weirded out...or perhaps you match his freak
Hello Alice. I realize now I've opened the doors to something I shouldn't have been afraid of. Thank god you guys are all normal. Like me!
I feel like... We could really expand on this... Yeah... I think I have something to say... Let's party below the banner.
tags: Sebek Zigvolt x gn!reader, roleplay, cnc with face slapping and gun play! Be warned!
I actually wrote something similar to this but took it down and never finished it because I'm a #crashout and I just started feeling sour over it. But that would be trauma dumping so I'll share a screenshot I'm pretty sure I've shared before? I might share this on Patreon and just re-write it with a slightly different prompt. Alice I might steal this idea from you so please forgive me. Everyone was excited about this when I posted chapter one and then I almost killed myself sorry guys lmao.
Sebek wants to do crazy shit to you all the time. This fic was Sebek wrote up a contract BY HAND because of course he would so you guys could do some sex roleplay with cnc. He asked the kind people on internet forums to help him understand and here we are! If enough people want to see this I wouldn't mind dusting it off.
But the idea of him having to ask you to participate in his filth leaves his timbers very shivered. What if you think less of him? What if you think he's filthy and horrible for being into this kind of thing? You're right- HE SHOULD DIE FOR SUCH TRANSGRESSIONS!!!!! Too dramatic I agree.
When you agree to the idea with a curious tone he’s seconds away from doing backflips across the front lawn. You do love him after all! Oh how he cherishes you so! Make love to him now! Consider tonight’s sexcapade a warmup for what he has planned. Of course he gives you a date and time so you clear your schedule for that day and the next so you have time to recover. In the case of a potential emergency or if the session is that hard on your body, you’ll need time to rest!
And now you get to be the prisoner of Castle Blackscale. In the story Sebek wrote and scripted you are! The cold dungeon is part of the castle and Sebek was gifted time to use it to ‘train’. Of course he didn’t divulge every detail to His Majesty but Malleus wouldn’t bother going down there to watch Sebek getting loud and sweaty… Hahaha~
In Sebek’s wonderfully detailed script, you were previously a valiant knight to the Kingdom of Dawning… A skilled swordsman and well loved by your unit! And now you are in the dungeon dressed in thin rags and chained up. What has become of you… How you’ve fallen from grace… And you’ve fallen hard!
Sebek arrives in uniform. Nice and dolled up in black leather and carrying a riding crop. His usual baton is a little too advanced he’s not trying to beat you to death… But he does have another special tool he plans to use when you’re unruly…
As a loyal knight to your king, you’ll never talk! You’ll never give in! Oh noooooo!~! The most arousing part may be the actual cnc. Sebek is NEVER rough with you even if you do suggest he can take things a little far. It’s always sweet and soft so feeling him hold your throat between leather clad fingers, having him tear away the skimpy garment to reveal everything underneath… It’s pretty exciting~ And he’s into it too!!~!!
“This is a punishment. Not a reward. Look at this hole of yours quivering. Have you no sense of shame? Humans really are the lesser species.” His other hand as already reached down to spread you open so he can get the eyeful he needs. He’s trying to pretend he isn’t hard as fuck. But it’s extremely obvious since it’s poking at your thigh.
He might slap you once or twice if you’re mouthing off but it’s not very hard. You can see his expression change to make sure you’re okay with it afterwards. Maybe you spit on him and that’s what gets him to continue.
Match his freak.
The gun he pulls from his holster has no bullets but it is a little intimidating having it pointed at you. Sebek is sick of your shit. He’s tired of watching you prance around like you have no consequences. You should be put in your place. You should remember your place as a human in Briar Valley. You are less than, you are livestock, you are a pet. And he can tell you’re having fun being talked down to by the way you’re squeezing and gripping his cock.
Even as the chains around your wrists rattle and sing and your moans sound strangled. Even with an empty gun pointed at your temple and the way your heels dig into Sebek’s lower back… You, the once brave knight belonging to the Kingdom of Dawning, are still putting up a fight. Of course your string of ‘no’s and ‘let go of me’s are music to Sebek’s ears. You’ve cum so many times that the dungeon walls no longer cool your burning skin.
You can’t even tell if Sebek has finished. You can hardly feel anything now. And yet, with this rigorous ‘interrogation’ you can’t help but to smile. It’s amazing. Being abused and fucked like property is amazing.
After everything ends of course Sebek checks on you over and over again. There’s a private quarters in the castle to bathe and Sebek attends to you the entire time. Washing your hair, looking over your skin, making sure mentally you’re okay. Was he too mean? Too rough? You’d tell him right?
Of course you had a blast! It was nice acting out a fantasy like that. It’s on the darker side but nothing you disliked. Maybe the dungeon is too rough on your skin… But maybe you could camp out in the forest sometime and Sebek can pretend to ambush you!~!
A/N: These are my personal thoughts and Headcanons. You don’t have to agree with me. The original alphabet is here.
A - Aftercare = (what they’re like after sex)
Are you still breathing?! You should be!! Hark!! On the horizon!! Your knight is to the rescue!! Sebek is aware of his strength and he does care a lot. Usually he brings a washcloth first to wipe away any fluids that may cling to your skin. Forgive his roughness. He gets excited...
B - Body part = (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)
His favorite body part of his would be his teeth. Aren't they fantastic and well taken care of? Praise him! Admire his jaw and fangs! He never bites you hard, in fact he rarely bites you at all.
His favorite body part of yours would be your fingers. He thinks they look lovely when holding something and he enjoys kissing your knuckles. If you paint your nails or you read a book he does watch in admiration...
C - Cum = (anything to do with cum basically)
Sebek does have very thick cum due to being so pent up. It's sticky and a nice milky color but a lot tends to come out when he finishes so he often wears a condom to avoid making a mess. And he's practicing safe sex habits!
Based on his diet it would be pretty salty but not impossible to swallow but he recommends that you don't. Due to how thick it is it may cling to the back of your throat which can be uncomfortable. It's okay to spit it out!
D - Dirty Secret = (a dirty secret of theirs)
Sebek will take this to the grave. He will never share this with anyone. Not even his diary knows this.
Sebek is really into Raceplay. He has a lot of issues he works through in his personal life and experience where he feels insecure about who and what he is. So he often finds himself watching porn on seedy websites where humans' are being treated to rough sex from Fae. Being placed in handcuffs and dragged around like toys. It's not often Fae and Humans' enter romantic or physical relationships so it is hard to find the content he wants to see. So he has his favorites. One being the strong and cool Fae prince breeds the human peasant that wandered into the Briar Valley forest. Ohh noo!~!
E - Experience = (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)
He won't lie to you and say he knows what he's doing. However, you have nothing to fear! He made sure to do ample research and ask questions to prepare!
There is a lot he still doesn't know so the first time with him would be pretty slow and steady. It also makes things more intimate. He wants to learn and enjoy this experience with you. There's no reason to rush.
F - Favorite Position = (exactly what it says)
A human's place is beneath a powerful Fae. Or so he says in his mind where you can't hear him. He loves prone bone and feeling your body underneath his much bigger and stronger one. He can kiss at your shoulders and growl in your ear and the scent of sweat gathering on the back of your neck does turn him on even more. Just the feeling of your ass bouncing back against him is too much... But he loves it!~!
G - Goofy = (are they more serious in the moment? are they more humorous?)
He's dead serious. Sexual intercourse is no laughing matter! Before actually having sex he is a little bashful and he does try to woo you with his eloquent way of speaking even if it does come off as silly. But don't laugh or giggle... It might throw him off...
H - Hair = (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes?)
Sebek takes great care of himself especially being a retainer to the future king of Briar Valley! Even if no one can see his pubes except him and maybe you... He still trims and takes care of them.
The uniform he wears is a thick leather material with lots of belts and metal so he does get hot. And being a knight wearing armor is even worse. He does keep the hair short and it's still that famous minty green color.
I - Intimacy = (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect?)
Sex should only happen between lovers! He does love you very much each time he embraces you in his very strong arms. But sometimes he fucks you like your an object which can be a pleasant change from the usual love making. But it is rare for him to treat you that way...
J - Jack Off = (masturbation headcanon)
It's very rare that Sebek makes time for his personal pleasure. Between protecting Malleus and school he has issues balancing his time. Because it's so rare it is part of why he's often short with others and he seems in a foul mood. He has yet to realize that masturbating really does help. He just assumes all the tension in his body is normal.
K - Kink = (one or more of their kinks)
Sebek LOVES roleplay! Not in anime costume way he does not know what an anime is. He likes being the strong and valiant knight who comes to your rescue and you reward him by giving him a handjob. Which pairs nicely with his love of praise.
Sebek also really likes breeding regardless of if you can get pregnant or not. As a Fae, contraceptives aren't a thing that exist since it's a 'human made' piece of technology. If you don't want to have kids? Don't have sex. Or see if someone knows a magic spell to help prevent pregancy.
L - Location = (favorite place to do the do)
Of course the bedroom is the best go to! It's natural to have a bed and closed doors and curtains to offer privacy. But if he had to choose a more unconventional location he does find it enticing to have sex in the library. Surrounded by books and having to stay quiet in a dark corner... He's far too bashful to ever bring up the idea.
M - Motivation = (what turns them on, gets them going?)
Sebek is more simple than you think. When you cling to him or act like you're in distress it does excite him. If only a strong, handsome knight would come to the rescue! Yes he will open that jar for you. Of course he can get the door. Of course he can lift you up to reach the top library shelf!
N - No = (something they wouldn’t do, turns offs)
Nothing Malleus related can enter the bedroom as shocking as that may sound. The respect and admiration he has for Malleus also means he cannot let His Majesty find out that Sebek likes to have sex. It may taint his image! Even though 'His Majesty' is a framed painting, he must be placed outside of the bedroom before sex may continue.
O - Oral = (preference on giving or receiving, skill, ect.)
There's no need to sink to your knees. Sebek is a gentleman! He prefers to preform! Especially knowing you'll praise him. He does extremely well since he reads books on what to do and what techniques to try. Trust in old books! There's a reason why Fae stay married for so long!
If you do offer him head he won't decline but he often closes his eyes. If he looks down at you he's going to cum. And finishing early is shameful.
P - Pace = (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual?)
Sebek likes going fast. Or at least a pace that keeps you whining. He feels like he can get deeper when he moves fast. He tries to avoid being rough he doesn't want to hurt you but sometimes he can't help but to slam into you. Usually he's into 'love making' and being buried deep inside of you...
Q - Quickie = (their opinions of quickies, how often, etc.)
A quickie is not ample enough time for intercourse... You need foreplay and you need to be stretched and lubricated. Just bending over and having sex isn't a good idea and can be dangerous. You'll really need to convince him to do this.
R - Risk = (are they game to excitement? do they take risks, etc.)
Sebek isn't very experimental with sex. He likes plain vanilla and only ever tries things he may have seen in books. He wouldn't mind if you tried to teach him something new, but based on what the risk may be? It will be a firm no.
S - Stamina = (how many rounds can they go for? how long can they last?)
Sebek has great stamina due to his constant exercise routine. He lasts a long time without cumming. And more often than not you find yourself ready to plead for mercy. Your body is shaking and your hole feels swollen when he finally finishes.
T - Toys = (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themself?)
He's a maiden pure of heart. He hasn't bought a toy for himself and never considered it. He has seen them in porn before but the prices he's seen are enough to cause a heart attack. It's not something people in Briar Valley usually purchase either. You can use magic for that!
U - Unfair = (how much they like to tease)
How childish! He would never tease you. Sex is something that requires clear and honest communication! He plans to be very open and blunt about what he may want from you and how. But he wouldn't mind if you tease him.
V - Volume = (how loud are they? what sounds they make, etc.)
Sebek does a lot of grunting. When he's super into it he rarely speaks. You can tell he feels good from that alone. Sometimes when he's on top of you he does like kissing and pressing his tongue against yours. Maybe you'll get a soft "I love you" from him.
If you're roleplaying something on the darker side; he might call you a "sow", "harlot", or "bitch in heat" depending on what's going on. He doesn't want to talk down to you... It's just the heat of the moment.
W - Wild = (a random headcanon on the character)
The first time Sebek ever got a boner from you was seeing you wet. As in covered in water. It was a stormy morning on the walk to school and you unfortunately didn't have an umbrella. Your uniform was soaked and you were shivering. And for some reason, his body liked the sight of you that way. How your clothes hugged your body. Of course your friends came to the rescue to cast some wind spells to dry you off.
Sebek always feels ashamed over getting aroused at the sight of something so simple. Especially since at this point you had only exchanged a few words.
X - X-ray = (lets see what's going on under those clothes)
Sebek is half-Fae so his body is a little different than a humans! And a Fae's. His cock isn't as smooth or velvety like a human's. It's almost a rubbery texture when he's aroused and it has small ribs and flares near the salmon colored head.
It is bigger than average but he isn't aware of that. It hasn't occurred to him that not everyone is the same size. He just hasn't asked or been in the situation where he needs to compare.
Y - Yearning = (how high is their sex drive?)
Sebek is a very traditional man so he does his best to wait until things between you are serious. Before you came into his life he never thought of that kind of thing. He would never! His Majesty is most important and takes up all of his time. But when you became his friend and eventually started dating the idea of you folded in half takes up the space in his mind that Malleus doesn't.
Sometimes the stress does get to him. He feels like he could fuck you for hours since he's half Fae and he holds back often. No wonder he's so loud and often scowling... He's trying to play the role of a gentleman waiting for your hand that way he can have you underneath him at least three times a week.
Z - Zzz = (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)
Of course after such rigorous exercise it is natural to rest afterwards and replenish your strength! Sebek won't fall asleep immediately after. He wants to shower and he wants to get you clean as well. Maybe have a light snack or decaffeinated tea!
Once you're okay he's settled down beside you in his very, unarousing pajamas. He usually falls asleep after you... And he sleeps like a log...
You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Other headcanons from Twisted Wonderland can be found here.
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Part 1 | Part 2
This part contains: Minajael Tealrajah, Rielle Corallia and Sebek Zigvolt.
Minajael Tealrajah • One falls first, the other falls harder
• It only takes one look at Minajael to develop a crush on him. There's a certain kind of charisma possessed only by people who have a clear purpose in life. His longing for freedom is something that, while invisible at first glance, naturally draws others in. It wasn't difficult for you to fall in love after only a handful of meetings. The two of you met far away from the palace's luxury, and his mysterious nature worked like a magnet. You returned home sighing so often that Grim eventually started asking if you were feeling alright.
• Love didn't come nearly as quickly on the prince's side. He already had more than enough on his plate, and romance had never been one of his priorities — especially when political marriage proposals were constantly being pushed onto him at every opportunity. He also never had enough time to truly get to know you. You never told him you weren't from this world. You didn't think he'd believe you anyway.
• He flirted lightly whenever you met, but he never took it seriously.
Until he did.
• The first time he visited NRC and discovered who you really were, he stared at you for a long moment.
Minajael is exceptionally good at hiding his emotions, but that was the moment he began seeing you differently. The instant he realized that his status would truly never matter to you, he opened his heart completely.
From then on, it was only a matter of time.
He's determined to show you just how deep his feelings run.
And for once, his royal position may actually prove useful.
Rielle Corallia • Love at first sight
• Everyone at RSA knows that Rielle is a hopeless romantic. So when he returned one day announcing that he'd found the love of his life, everyone simply waved him off. He'll get over it in a few days. (Or maybe not... in which case they'd start worrying.)
• Spoiler: he didn't get over it.
Instead, everyone around him became involved in his infatuation. His friends had to stop themselves from groaning every single time he started wondering aloud what you might be doing at that very moment. They could probably provide a police sketch if you ever went missing — he'd described every single detail of your appearance to them countless times.
• Rielle has been collecting little treasures from the sea while waiting for your next meeting. It was impossible not to be charmed as he excitedly showed you every single one of them. On top of that, the idea that you're from another world fascinates him beyond words.
You know another world?
He's spent his whole life waiting to meet someone like you.
Truth be told, there are plenty of things about life on land that confuse him just as much, since it's so different from the sea.
Now the two of you can discover it together.
Isn't that exciting?
• Rielle had absolutely no hesitation in confessing that he was smitten with you almost immediately. He's not the type to play mind games or dance around his feelings. His affection is completely genuine and wonderfully transparent. At times, his enthusiasm can be a little overwhelming, but it's impossible to deny his princely charm as he gently weaves tiny seashells into your hair, softly humming a beautiful melody by the shore.
Sebek Zigvolt • Sharing body heat
• Sebek is always cold. Let's be honest — no matter how hard he tries to hide it, he starts shivering whenever the temperature drops too much. So when snow clouds settled over NRC, he was already thoroughly displeased. Things only got worse when Diasomnia's magical heating system broke down.
• The Headmage, of course, promised to fix everything, but it took far longer than anyone would have liked. Sebek loudly protested as Silver, Lilia, and you wrapped him in layer after layer of blankets, forcing endless cups of hot tea into his hands. He kept insisting that he should deal with the malfunction himself for Lord Malleus's sake, but every declaration was interrupted by another sneeze echoing through Diasomnia's stone corridors.
"Are you cold?"
"Of course not! Do you really think something as trivial as — ACHOO!"
"...I see."
• The moment you climbed on top of the enormous blanket burrito to keep him from getting any colder, he completely froze.
Normally, Sebek never runs out of things to say, but your sheer boldness left him speechless for nearly a full minute.
"W-What do you think you're doing?! Let me out this instant! This is completely improper!"
Lilia was laughing so hard from the ceiling that he could barely breathe, thoroughly entertained by how the proud knight had been subdued in record time.
Despite all his protests, Sebek eventually gave up, pulling the blankets all the way over his face so no one could see just how red he'd turned.
“There you are…” Sebek exhaled, the usual force in his voice softened into a murmur as he found you asleep atop a mountain of unfinished papers.
“… Honestly. Must every victory over your work come at the expense of your well-being?” His brow knit with unmistakable disapproval, though his hands betrayed him immediately—one slipping beneath your knees, the other supporting your back with practiced care. “You have neglected proper rest again. Truly… you humans possess a remarkable talent for alarming those who care for you.”
You stirred as he lifted you with effortless ease, instinctively curling closer in your sleep. “…Sebek…”
“Hm?” His gaze fell to your half-lidded eyes, and the stern lecture waiting behind his teeth dissolved before it could escape. “… You may continue sleeping. I shall deliver my reprimand when you are capable of defending yourself.”
“… Though I suspect you will simply apologize, smile, and proceed to repeat the offence.” He clicked his tongue with theatrical disappointment. “Incorrigible, my dear.”
By the time he reached your bed, his steps had become almost absurdly careful, as though even the floor ought to have the courtesy not to disturb you. He drew the blanket over your shoulders with meticulous precision, smoothing a wrinkle that did not need smoothing.
Slowly, his thumb brushed your temple, lingering for the briefest heartbeat, before he leaned down to press a kiss against your forehead—a gesture so reverent it felt less like affection and more like a vow. “Rest now, my beloved,” he whispered.
When he finally straightened, he looked at you for a long, quiet moment before letting out the smallest, most resigned sigh. “… You truly are extraordinary.” The corners of his lips lifted despite himself. “You have somehow managed to make worrying over a human feel like the greatest honour I have ever been entrusted with.”
“The day's burdens have made far too many demands of you already. Allow them no further audience tonight. I shall remain here… and should sleep itself prove discourteous enough to abandon you, then I shall simply remain awake in its stead.”
a/n🍨: it's 6:10am and i have not slept because apparently my assignment and my inability to close my eyes decided to form an alliance against me. i have to wake up at 8:00am so wish me luck ┐( ʘ̆ ᗜ ʘ̆ )┌💥honestly i think Sebek fics are scientifically proven to spawn when i'm sleep deprived because why else would my brain go "yes, now is the perfect time to make a knightly man aggressively romantic." anyway~ remember to eat, warm, happy and fulfilling meal (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)‧₊˚ ⋅ 𓐐𓎩 ‧₊˚ ⋅
Hello! Glad to see your requests are open(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
May I ask a sebek x f!reader? This happens after the book 7 party, like where sebek dragged the reader for some alone time after all what happened (They're already dating). A fluff of where the two of them dances/waltz the night away—with nobody else around. Just the two of them( ◜‿◝ )♡
P.S
-I'm really in love with your works hehe. Have a merry day/evening (≧▽≦)
Nocturne For Two
pair: sebek zigvolt x fem!reader
[twst masterlist] 🍨 [masterlist]
a/n 🍨: I might have accidentally made this way longer than I originally planned😭 But I genuinely had so much fun writing it that I just couldn't stop. There were multiple moments where I had to put my phone down because I was giggling and kicking my feet over Sebek being such a sweetheart. I hope you all end up smiling (or blushing) as much as I did while writing it!
If some of Sebek's memories felt familiar, that's because a few of them are callbacks to my older Sebek fics. Since they're already dating in this story, I wanted those little moments—the sandwich, the coat, the "emotional support alarm clock" nickname—to feel like shared memories they've built together over time. You don't need to have read those fics to understand this one, but if you have, hopefully those references make their relationship feel a little more lived-in.
As for the progression of the story, I wanted this to feel like Sebek finally allowing himself to breathe after everything that happened in Book 7. The opening is meant to show how everyone in Diasomnia notices he's been carrying the weight of recent events and quietly encourages him to step away from his duties for just one evening. From there, the picnic becomes a space where he can simply be Sebek instead of "Lord Malleus's retainer," and the final dance is his way of expressing everything he struggles to put into words. Sebek has always been someone whose actions speak louder than his feelings, so I thought ending the night with a waltz beneath the moon felt like the most natural confession he could offer without ever needing a grand speech.
Thank you to the you, lovely requester for trusting me with this prompt, and reading my humble and messy writing. I hope this little moonlit evening gave Sebek the happiness he deserves🩵💛🩷
The upheaval that had swallowed Diasomnia a month prior had, at last, settled into something resembling peace.
The jubilant peace of festivals and the triumphant peace sung by victorious knights, but the quieter sort—the kind that drifted over old castles after storms had exhausted themselves. The halls still bore faint reminders of frantic nights; students spoke softer than before, paperwork accumulated in neat towers upon ebony desks, and the lanterns seemed to burn with gentler flames, as though reluctant to disturb the silence they had earned.
Life, as it always insisted upon doing, continued.
Sebek continued with it.
He stood beside Malleus at every meeting. Organized reports before anyone requested them. Corrected mistakes before they reached his liege's attention. Completed errands with such unwavering precision that one might mistake him for a machine wound too tightly to falter.
Nonetheless something was... absent.
Lilia noticed it first.
There were pauses now.
Tiny invisible pauses between Sebek's words, where his beautiful gaze wandered toward some distant thought before snapping dutifully back into place. His declarations no longer shook the rafters. The dorm had grown so accustomed to his booming voice that the absence of it rang louder than any shout.
Silver noticed next.
During daily training and patrols, Sebek no longer filled the air with lectures about proper knightly conduct or enthusiastic praise of Lord Malleus. Instead, he simply worked. Efficiently and quiet enough that the rustle of leaves beneath their boots often became the loudest sound between them.
It was... unsettling.
Malleus, however, reached a different conclusion.
Had he burdened his retainer too greatly?
The thought lingered long enough that, on a quiet Friday evening, he summoned Sebek to his chambers.
Moonlight spilled through the arched windows in long silver ribbons, painting the polished floor with pale reflections. A fire crackled lazily in the hearth, its warmth unable to quite chase away the cool breath of the autumn night.
Sebek greet without hesitation.
"My lord."
Malleus regarded him for a moment before speaking.
"Sebek... you have seemed rather subdued these past weeks." His voice remained calm, though his eyes searched the young retainer’s face with quiet concern.
"Your enthusiasm has lessened. Even your voice no longer competes with thunder…Is something troubling your mind?"
Sebek's back straightened instinctively. "N-No, my lord! There is nothing of concern. As your retainer, I am merely striving to lessen your burdens after everything that has transpired. I failed to contribute as much as I ought to have, therefore I have sought greater efficiency in my duties."
His words were polished as usual.
"Hm." The soft hum belonged to neither agreement nor disbelief as it belonged to Lilia.
The older fae drifted into the room with effortless grace, balancing a steaming bowl whose contents shimmered with an alarming shade of violet. The fragrance was... ambitious.
Across the room, Malleus visibly stiffened.
"...Lilia."
"My, my." Lilia smiled with the innocence of someone who had absolutely not prepared culinary warfare. "You still make that face every time."
"...Experience has taught me caution."
"It builds character."
"I have sufficient character."
"It can always build more."
Before Malleus could formulate a diplomatic refusal, Lilia had already placed the bowl into his hands.
Sebek watched the exchange with disciplined composure. Only the faint twitch near his brow betrayed that he, too, silently prayed for his lord's survival.
"Now then." Lilia turned back toward him.
"Your answer wasn't particularly convincing." His crimson eyes softened as he looked at Sebek.
"My answer...?" Sebek echoed, a quiet crease touching his brow, as though the words themselves had stumbled upon unfamiliar ground.
"Mhm."
Lilia folded his arms with unhurried ease, the sort of patience only centuries could cultivate. His smile lingered—and knowing.
"Those are the words of a dutiful retainer."
His gaze rested gently upon the young knight.
"But they are not the words of Sebek."
The sentence settled between them like the last leaf surrendering to autumn.
No one spoke.
Only the hearth dared to break the silence, each crackle sending amber sparks sighing upward before they vanished into the chimney's dark throat. Beyond the stained-glass windows, the wind wandered through the ancient trees, coaxing their branches into a low, whispering hymn—as if the forest itself waited for the answer Sebek could not bring himself to give.
Malleus let the spoon hover only a breath from his lips before lowering it once more, untouched. Whether it was caution born from experience or the weight of the conversation before him, even he could not have said.
"Lilia is right."
His voice flowed through the room with the gentle certainty of moonlight spilling across still water—never demanding, never accusing, merely illuminating what had long been there.
"You have stood beside me with unwavering loyalty."
There was no distance in Malleus's gaze now, none of the quiet majesty reserved for a prince addressing his retainer. Instead, it softened with the familiar warmth of centuries-old oaks sheltering a weary traveler, steadfast and unspoken.
"As your liege..." He paused, the words settling with measured care. "...and as your friend, I wish to return even a fraction of the kindness and devotion you have so freely given me."
Silence answered first.
The hearth sighed, folding another log into amber and ash. Shadows stretched languidly along the stone walls while, beyond the tall windows, the wind wandered through the ancient dormitory, stirring the night into a hushed murmur that seemed almost reverent.
"Will you tell us?"
Sebek did not answer.
His fingers drew tighter against the fabric draped over his knees until the leather of his gloves creased faintly beneath the strain. It was such a minute movement that another might have missed it entirely.
"...It is nothing."
The words emerged scarcely above a murmur.
"I merely seek to improve my efficiency. Less noise. More work completed. That is a Lilia's smile did not so much widen as deepen, touched by the quiet certainty of someone who had already pieced together the answer long before the question was asked.
"Is that so?" he murmured, tilting his head ever so slightly. "Then perhaps you could explain why Silver keeps catching you staring at the little locket hidden inside your coat."
Before thought could outrun instinct, Sebek's gloved hand rose to his chest, his fingertips finding the familiar outline concealed beneath layers of dark fabric. The gesture lasted scarcely longer than a heartbeat before he caught himself and withdrew, but the damage had already been done.
There are habits the body betrays before pride can command otherwise, and that fleeting touch spoke more honestly than every careful denial he had offered that evening.
Neither Lilia nor Malleus commented on it. They merely watched, allowing the silence to settle over the room with unexpected kindness, until Lilia finally broke it with a voice gentler than before.
"You've been carrying it everywhere lately. More often than not, your thumb finds it whenever you believe no one's paying attention."
Sebek lowered his gaze. The loud confidence that usually shone so fiercely within his eyes dulled beneath the weight of being understood, for there was little use in denying what his own heart had already confessed on his behalf.
"Everything has finally returned to order." Lilia stepped closer, resting a hand upon the younger fae's shoulder. "The dorm isn't crumbling, Malleus is recovering, and the paperwork can survive a single day without you terrifying it into submission."
"So..." Lilia's smile softened into something unmistakably fond, touched by the quiet affection reserved for children who had long since grown yet never ceased being children in one's eyes. "Why don't you take tomorrow off?"
The refusal came almost before the invitation had finished reaching him.
"N—No, Sir Lilia. I do not believe that would be appropriate."
A faint chuckle escaped the older fae, light as the rustling of leaves beneath an evening breeze. "Is that so? I certainly don't recall raising a young man who would keep a lady waiting for this long."
The words struck with far greater accuracy than any reprimand could have. Color rose swiftly across Sebek's ears, creeping toward his cheeks despite every effort to maintain the rigid composure expected of a knight.
"I—I have seen her," he answered, stumbling over the insistence as though it were a shield hastily raised. "We speak every day. She understands my responsibilities and has never once complained. She knows that Lord Malleus and Diasomnia must come first, and she has always respected that."
"Hm."
Lilia regarded him with the thoughtful hum of someone inspecting a particularly transparent excuse.
"That sounds remarkably like the sort of denial young lovers convince themselves is selflessness."
"...Sir."
There was no indignation in the protest—only quiet embarrassment.
"Sebek."
Lilia stepped forward, resting a weathered hand upon the younger knight's shoulder. The gesture was light, almost fatherly, carrying neither authority nor obligation, only the warmth of someone wishing to remind him that devotion need not always be measured in sacrifice.
"Tomorrow," he said with a smile that left little room for argument, "go and spend the day with her."
The following evening arrived draped in velvet.
True to Lilia's insistence—however impossible it had seemed to refuse—Sebek had sent you a handwritten invitation, asking if you would meet him in Diasomnia's secluded garden after sunset. Weekends left the castle grounds unusually tranquil, and after consulting the weather more times than he cared to admit, he had concluded that the night would be far kinder than the morning. Dawn belonged to bustling students and the chatter of birds; the evening, beneath an open sky and the quiet blessing of moonlight, belonged only to the two of you.
He had prepared everything himself.
Several neatly cut sandwiches rested inside a borrowed tupperware so they would not lose their shape on the journey, accompanied by butter cookies still carrying the faint warmth of the oven and bottles of chilled fruit tea nestled carefully within a wicker basket. Every corner of the cloth had been folded with almost ceremonial precision, as though each careful movement could somehow express what words so often failed to.
Lilia had, of course, offered to help.
The offer had been declined with remarkable speed.
Silver, with the weariness of someone preventing an inevitable catastrophe, had gently redirected Lilia elsewhere, while Malleus—whose recovery remained everyone's greatest concern—became the older fae's newest culinary audience instead. It was, Sebek silently admitted, a sacrifice worthy of admiration.
Left alone with the quiet of the kitchen, his thoughts wandered despite every attempt to discipline them.
He remembered the first sandwich he had ever made for you. You had stared at it with such sincere astonishment before asking which café he had purchased it from, utterly convinced no one capable of shouting battle cries with such conviction could possess hands gentle enough to prepare something so delicate. The bewilderment on your face had lingered with him far longer than the recipe itself.
Then there had been that chilly rainy afternoon before either of you had gathered the courage to call the other beloved. Without thinking, he had draped his coat over your shoulders, only to spend the remainder of the walk insisting that he was merely preventing you from catching a cold—that your health was important to Lord Malleus's peace of mind, and nothing more. Looking back now, he almost wished the earth had swallowed him whole before allowing such transparent excuses to escape his lips.
A quiet laugh slipped from him before he realized it.
His gloved hands paused over the basket.
There was also the nickname.
"My emotional support alarm clock," you had once declared with a sleepy grin after the two of you had crossed paths every morning for at the hallway without fail. Somehow, what had begun as coincidence became routine, and routine became the brightest part of his mornings before he ever understood why.
The memory lingered upon his lips in the shape of an unconscious smile.
"So this is where your thoughts have wandered." Your voice, soft as the evening breeze threading through the ivy, drew him gently back to the present.
Sebek looked up.
There you stood at the entrance to the secluded garden, where moonlight pooled between flowering hedges and silver lilies bowed beneath the weight of dew. You wore a smile that seemed almost unfair in its ability to quiet every restless corner of his heart.
For the briefest moment, he simply stared.
"...Beautiful."
The word escaped before he could stop it.
Heat gathered instantly beneath the tips of his ears, but retreat was no longer possible.
"I mean..." His throat tightened with familiar embarrassment before he surrendered with a small cough. "...Hello."
Closing the distance between you, Sebek slowed, as though afraid that even the gentlest movement might disturb the fragile peace the evening had woven around the two of you. Before reaching for your hand, his fingers paused at the fastening of his glove. With practiced care, he tugged at the leather until it slipped free, revealing the warmth of his bare hand beneath the moonlight.
It was a small gesture—one few would have noticed—but to Sebek, it felt strangely significant, gloves belonged to knights and retainers, while bare hands belonged only to those they trusted.
Only then did his fingers find yours.
His touch was warm, calloused from years of swordsmanship, yet astonishingly careful as his hand folded around yours. Their fingers intertwined with effortless familiarity, fitting together as though countless partings and reunions had quietly taught them the shape of one another. Holding your hand both precious and grounding, Sebek raised it before leaning down, as he pressed a lingering, feather-light kiss against your forehead—a gesture so reverent it bordered on a silent vow.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice scarcely louder than the rustling leaves overhead. "For spending your evening with me."
His thumb traced a small, absent circle across the back of your hand.
"I... have been looking forward to this."
Your smile softened into something impossibly warmer.
"So have I."
He exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and, with a shy nod toward the neatly arranged blanket waiting beneath the moonlit arbor, offered, "Come. Please... sit with me."
Conversation came as easily as breathing.
Perhaps it was because there was no audience to perform for, no duties demanding Sebek's unwavering attention, nor any expectations beyond simply existing beside one another. Time, usually so rigid beneath the weight of obligations, unraveled gently between shared stories, quiet laughter, and the comfortable rhythm of voices that had long since memorized each other's cadence.
Sebek listened far more than he spoke.
It was a side of him few ever witnessed. The boisterous knight whose declarations could shake castle walls became remarkably quiet in your company, content to watch your expressions shift as you recounted your week, occasionally nodding, occasionally asking a thoughtful question, but most often listening with the sort of attentiveness that made every word feel cherished.
The moon climbed steadily above the garden, its pale light spilling across the blanket in silvery pools.
You glanced upward before a smile tugged at your lips.
"The moon seems brighter tonight. Did someone make sure Malleus didn't... accidentally do anything?"
A cough escaped Sebek before the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"I believe Lord Malleus is currently occupied ensuring Sir Lilia does not invite himself to our evening."
"So your entire family's conspiring to make sure this date actually happens?"
"You could certainly put it that way, dearest."
"...The tupperware?" Your gaze drifted toward the neatly packed basket before settling on the container resting carefully beside it.
"Lilia insisted I return it afterward. It is, apparently, one of his most treasured possessions." Sebek followed your eyes and gave a small, almost embarrassed nod.
"My, my." You tilted your head, amusement dancing in your eyes. "Borrowing Lilia's precious tupperware? You're going to such lengths for me, sweetheart."
A faint blush crept across Sebek's cheeks, though he cleared his throat as if professionalism alone might banish it.
"It is merely the bare minimum," he replied with practiced dignity. "Your favorite sandwiches and cookies would have suffered considerably during the walk here had I carried them less carefully. Proper storage was simply... the most logical solution."
"Mhm." You leaned just a little closer, your smile softening with unmistakable fondness.
"I like that."
His ears flushed a deeper shade of crimson.
"...You do?"
"I do."
All the discipline Sebek possessed, he had yet to discover any defense against being praised by the person he loved.
The night continued to slip quietly onward, unnoticed by either of you.
The basket gradually emptied between laughter and stories, half-finished conversations wandering into comfortable silences before finding their way back again. Somewhere beyond the hedges, crickets carried the evening upon their tiny wings while the moon climbed higher still, pouring silver over the gardens until every flower seemed dusted with starlight.
Neither of you noticed how close midnight had become.
Sebek gaze drifted toward a pocket watch just as its hands neared twelve. Soon, he would have to escort you back to your dorm before the night surrendered itself to morning.
...Already?
The thought lingered with surprising disappointment.
For a long moment, he simply looked at you.
The moon adored you.
He could think of no other explanation for the way its pale light gathered upon your features so tenderly, softening every curve of your smile until you seemed less like someone standing before him and more like a dream the night itself feared to awaken from.
"...My dear."
His voice came barely above a whisper.
"If..."
He cleared his throat, suddenly discovering that asking this was somehow more frightening than facing an army.
"If you would indulge me..."
Sebek rose to his feet before extending his bare hand toward you, palm open, waiting with the same patience he had always offered whenever the choice belonged to you.
"I haven't practiced in quite some time," he admitted with a sheepish smile that scarcely anyone else was ever privileged to witness. "But... I thought it would be a fitting way to end our evening."
A pause.
"...May I have this dance?"
You looked at his waiting hand before lifting your eyes to meet his.
There, standing beneath the moon, was not Diasomnia's loudest knight, nor Lord Malleus's ever-vigilant retainer.
There was simply Sebek. A young man asking the person he loved to dance.
"I suppose," you murmured, unable to hide the smile tugging at your lips, "but I'll be the judge of that, my sweet."
You stole one last bite of your sandwich.
Sebek laughed—a quiet, startled sound that escaped him before he could stop it.
"My dear..."
Before you could answer, his thumb brushed gently across the corner of your mouth, sweeping away the tiny breadcrumb that had stubbornly remained upon your lips. The touch was featherlight, lingering for only a heartbeat before he withdrew, his ears already blooming crimson as though he'd only just realized what he'd done.
"There."
His eyes darted away for the briefest moment.
"...Much better."
You slipped your hand into his.
His fingers closed instinctively around yours.
Slowly, he stepped closer with his other hand settling with almost reverent care against your waist, afraid that holding you too tightly might shatter the miracle of having you there at all. Your free hand found his shoulder, and for one suspended moment neither of you moved.
The world seemed content to wait.
Then Sebek began to hum.
It was a melody you recognized immediately, one he had absentmindedly hummed during walks across campus or while waiting outside your classes—a simple waltz carried not by perfection but by familiarity.
"I want to lead." You spoke as you starting the foot position to lead the dance.
His expression betrayed the faintest hint of panic before melting into helpless affection.
"...As you wish."
The two of you drifted across the garden.
Paired with flawless elegance with a mix of the easy grace from two people who had long since learned to trust one another more than their own feet. Every gentle turn drew another laugh from you, bright enough to rival the stars overhead, and every time your eyes met his, Sebek forgot the next step entirely.
Your laughter blossomed once more beneath the sleeping garden, bright enough that it seemed to coax the flowers into swaying along with the waltz. It unraveled every careful thought Sebek had tried so desperately to keep in order, until the measured rhythm of the dance dissolved beneath the far louder cadence of his own heart.
He had meant to count each step, to follow your guide with the composure expected of a knight, yet every graceful turn stole another fragment of that resolve. The moon caught upon your smile, silver threading through your hair as you laughed again, and Sebek realized—with no small amount of despair—that he had forgotten where his feet were supposed to go.
"My apologies..."
"You've stepped on me again, dear."
"I... have?"
"You have."
The laugh that escaped you was so warm, so utterly unrestrained, that it robbed him of every defense he possessed.
"I fear," he murmured, the corners of his lips lifting despite his embarrassment, "that my greatest adversary this evening is not the dance..."
His voice trailed away. It was you.
Or rather, the impossible way you looked at him.
The music existed only as a quiet hum upon his lips now. The garden, the moon, the castle beyond the hedges—everything receded into a distant blur until there was only your hand resting in his. Your breath mingling with his own, and the gentle rise and fall of your steps as though the two of you had become part of the same heartbeat.
Almost without thinking, Sebek slowed.
His bare hand remained firm intertwined around yours, but the gloved hand at your waist drifted upward with hesitant reverence, pausing for the briefest instant silently asking permission before his fingertips brushed against your cheek. His thumb traced the soft curve beneath your eye with impossible tenderness, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear before lingering there, warm against your skin.
You leaned ever so slightly into the touch with a smiled, the triumphant smile that followed one of your victories over his stubbornness.
This one was softer and quieter.
It bloomed upon your face with such effortless affection that your eyes curved into crescents, another laugh escaping you like the first note of a song only the night was privileged enough to hear.
Sebek simply... stared.
The world had surely made a mistake.
How could anyone be permitted to look so breathtaking?
His lips parted, but every eloquent sentence he had rehearsed during lonely evenings abandoned him without mercy. The knight who could proclaim his loyalty before an entire assembly now found himself incapable of uttering anything more sophisticated than the truth laid bare before him.
"...You're..."
"Hmm?"
His voice caught.
"...so breathtaking."
The confession escaped in scarcely more than a breath.
"I..." A helpless laugh left him, equal parts wonder and surrender. "Forgive me, my dear... I cannot seem to stop looking at you."
His cheeks had long surrendered to crimson, yet he made no effort to hide it.
"When you smile..." His thumb caressed your cheek once more, almost absentmindedly reassuring himself that this moment truly existed. "...everything else disappears."
At some point, the dance simply ceased, though neither of you could have said who had stopped first. Perhaps it had been you. Perhaps it had been him. Or perhaps the waltz had merely surrendered, finding itself hopelessly outmatched by the quiet gravity that drew the two of you together.
Sebek remained where he was, his hand still cupping your cheek as though it had forgotten any other purpose. His thumb wandered in slow, absent circles against your skin, savoring the warmth beneath his fingertips with the careful reverence of someone committing a miracle to memory.
You answered him with nothing more than another laugh and that unbearably gentle smile—a smile so luminous that the moonlight itself seemed pale beside it—and he could only gaze back in helpless silence, wondering how something so simple could leave his heart so utterly defenseless.
He had devoted his life to becoming a knight worthy of Malleus. He had spent years perfecting his swordsmanship until every strike became instinct, every lesson etched into muscle and bone, every oath carried with unwavering conviction. Now standing before you, with your fingers still laced between his and your face resting so trustingly in his palm, all those triumphs seemed to drift quietly into the distance, like stars fading before the coming dawn.
For no accolade, no honor bestowed upon him had ever compared to this single, fragile moment—the indescribable privilege of being close enough to watch you smile because of him, to hear your laughter carried upon the night air, and to realize with a tenderness so profound it almost frightened him that if happiness possessed a face, it had always looked exactly like yours.
Hello hello! (´ ∀ ` *) I love your works and I was wondering if I could request a reader who has a habit of forgetting about personal space—casually leaning over people’s shoulders, draping her arm over them, resting against them^^ (totally fine if not! Your writing is amazing >ᴗ< )
A Touchy-Feely Way of Love
Epel, Sebek, and Lilia x Reader
Notes: I just picked the characters based off my favs and who I haven’t wrote in a while, or in Lilia’s case, I barely wrote for him at all😭 I need to do him some justice. Idek how I haven’t written anything for Epel in 2 months, and he’s literally in my top ten… Idk if I like the title, but I genuinely couldn’t think of anything else💔 This concept is SUPER cute and thanks for the compliments :3
Epel
Epel kinda took your touchiness with offense at first. The way you would always just wrap your arm him and press your cheek against his, made him think that you were only doing it because you thought he was cute.
Eventually he told you to quit it, so you did, not wanting to loose a friend or upset him even more. This sort of backfired on Epel, as he noticed you lean on and nuzzle cheeks with all your other friends. He realizes you’re just an affectionate person, and that’s how you show you care.
Reluctantly, a few weeks later, Epel mumbles something about ‘not minding your touch’. You tease him, telling him to speak up, and he shouts that he misses you snuggling up against him, his whole face bright red. You giggle, feeling a little bashful yourself as you wrap your arm around Epel and nuzzle his cheek once more, this time, he nuzzles back.
Sebek
Sebek barely likes anyone touching him, besides Malleus, and he makes that pretty clear, so the fact that you keep leaning against him whenever you’re next to each other is pretty bold.
He constantly nudges you off, yammering about how inappropriate your shameless displays of affection are, but you can’t help but notice he doesn’t shove you as he would anyone else. You watch him shove people away from him all the time, though to be fair, most of those times people were actually bothering him.
This made you realize that Sebek doesn’t outright hate physical touch, he’s just shy, so you continue casually leaning up against him. Sebek still complains that you’re being too casual, but slowly, he stops nudging you off, and instead treats your affection as a sign of trust. He’d never admit it, but it makes him feel warm inside. You know this however, he leans against you too when you’re alone.
Lilia
Lilia’s already a physically touchy person, so when you start casually looping your arm around his, he squeezes it and leans his head against your shoulder, increasing the affectionate by tenfold.
Poking, squishing, patting, or just simple hugs become a minutely occurrence between you both, not being able to keep your hands to yourselves. Though you do it more subconsciously, Lilia knows you’re more affectionate towards him more than anyone else, and he thinks it’s just the sweetest thing.
One day, all the playful touches turn into you guys cuddling in bed practically every night. Whether in your dorm or his, it doesn’t matter to either of you, as long as you’re in each other’s arms from the time you fall asleep to the time you’re awake. Lilia also likes to hold your hand in the hallway, and while you don’t notice it, people always snicker give you knowing looks.
( YANDERE! TWISTED WONDERLAND X ISEKAI'D! READER )
☆ ──꒰summary꒱ ❞ You helped make a wildly successful Twisted Wonderland yandere dating sim as a joke. Now you're trapped inside it, and every bad ending that you admittedly had incomplete knowledge of, the ones that you and your friends wrote, is suddenly trying to become your reality.
inspo. twisted hearts, @wifishifey, re:zero, and yandere simulator
tags/warnings: yan! twst boys x f!reader, eventual gore blood and violence, yandere actions, can be crack sometimes
masterlist xoxo
a/n: so i loved "twisted hearts" by wifishifey (pls go read their works, it is SO GOOD if you love twst, and yan chars! which, i assume you do if you're here) it's summer break for me, so there's really nothing else for me to do but write. i hope you enjoy my spin on this concept, which i loveee the og that's why im writing this. send them some love!
TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN !
Every Heart Has an Ending.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…] Welcome, Player.
Loading route data…
Loading protagonist…
ERROR: “YUU” NOT FOUND
Reassigning narrative anchor…
NEW ROLE: SIDE CHARACTER (UNREGISTERED)
You fucked yourself. Genuinely, completely, totally fucked yourself.
"Welcome to TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN! Build relationships with your favorite students of Night Raven College and discover over 200 unique endings!"
You had no one to blame but yourself.
What had started as a dumb joke between friends—a ridiculous yandere dating sim based on Twisted Wonderland—had somehow snowballed into a full-fledged indie visual novel. One person handled the coding, another drew the CGs, and someone else composed the soundtrack. You wrote events, dialogue, and a handful of hidden scenes that, in hindsight, probably needed professional supervision.
It was never supposed to become popular. It was supposed to be a niche little project that a few fellow fans downloaded for laughs before forgetting it existed.
Instead, TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN exploded.
Streamers screamed through the bad endings. Theory channels dissected every hidden route. Players argued for months over which character was the most terrifying love interest. Fan art flooded social media. Somehow, your joke project had become the psychological horror romance game everyone was talking about. And people loved it.
They loved uncovering the secret endings.
They loved the obsessive routes.
They loved discovering just how horribly things could go wrong.
You and your friends had celebrated every milestone together.
One hundred thousand downloads.
Half a million.
Interviews.
Merchandise.
Looking back...
Maybe creating over two hundred endings—including dozens where the protagonist was kidnapped, imprisoned, manipulated, or outright killed by increasingly obsessive versions of Night Raven College's students—hadn't been your brightest idea.
So, you can imagine the utmost horror you felt the moment you opened your eyes beneath a black loading screen, encrypting you into the code.
This was not Twisted Wonderland.
You were trapped in TWISTED LIKE HEAVEN.
The game you helped make, and the game where almost every route ended in disaster.
The game, whose first and most important piece of advice every player learned the hard way, was simple:
Do not accidentally make anyone fall in love with you.
sorry for not adding cater! i finished this in a day and dint really feel like it!
you, a half-protogenos demigod, child of the most powerful primidorial in existence-- a being of destruction, creation, the beginning and the end-- and were transported to twisted wonderland of all places. it was a mess. you just woke up one day, minding your own business in camp half-blood-- with a giant black carriage of undead black horses and woke up in a coffin mid-entrance ceremony of an apparently world-renowned, magical academy called night raven college.
you initially thought this was a test of the gods above, perhaps an olympian way of ridding your existence from earth-- and existence that could genuinely end their reign of power. but, you saved olympus with your friends, multiple times, and were able to withstand trials of your commitment to the olympian gods always. perhaps, you were too much of a liability.
whatever, the gods worked in mysterious and oftentimes cruel ways. you knew that from first-hand experience.
either way, throughout this rather tedious journey in this magical school full of assholes and idiots, you learned quickly that your powers were quieted in this dimension. not quite gone, but not exactly there either. it was as baffling as it was absolutely infuriating. you'd always wished to be normal, though, and maybe this was your chance.
riddle rosehearts, preoverblot--
highly approves of your quiet and calm demeanor, and views it as a personal lifestyle that he does not disapprove of! afterall, and a+ student. however... dislikes you greatly, DISLIKES is an understatement. your lack of care for the rules!! it's treacherous!, how can someone so controlled and academic be such a rule breaker! you simply see it annoying and tedious to learn 810 rules, not to mention useless. how dare you. it's off with your head as soon as you start partaking in any shenanigans and your sarcasm, it's utterly disrespectful, and your lack of care and sharp tongue actively contribute to his overblot.
BUT but you're not as controlled as you make yourself out to be. sleep does not come easily to you. nights are spent in coming-and-going rest, your mind too alert, too used to scanning for danger even when there is none. anxiety hums quietly in the background of everything, not loud enough to stop you from functioning, but constant enough to never fully let you settle. even here, in a school that calls itself safe, your instincts remain half-braced for impact.
you clash with him so violently because to him control is order, and to you control is memory
you aren't afraid of him, not in the slightest, but it turns out to be a nuisance to not have your power when a sixteen-year-old tyrant tries to kill you and your acquaintances.
riddle rosehearts, post-blot--
oh boy, riddle is crushed after his blot. his world view is shattered and he is forced to recognize his mistakes and rid himself of his childhood conditioning. there is an obvious shift here, and you find yourself much more open to the new riddle. you aren't close, not by any means at first, but you are familiar with being lonely and controlled throughout your life. the curse of extraordinary power, after all. you have a talk with riddle right after, he's destroyed and tired and... guilty. well, as he should be, but yk he's been through a lot even his annoyin ahh got problems (learned from trey)
you know what it's like for people to try to shape you into a perfect little weapon, and to mistake it for safety simply because it was consistent. especially in the beginning, you've been on guard. you were used to a life where obedience was survival, where emotional restraint was a necessity, not necessarily a personality.
a while after his overblot, and he realizes he's done everything wrong, you tell him that his feelings aren't graded and all change takes time. he appreciates it, truly, and after that, he tries his hardest to become a better housewarden and friend, its sweet in a way. after finding out a little about your own past, people you have lost and situations you were thrown into, he feels immensely guilty for screaming at a person who had been through so much throughout their life. you reassure him that you've faced bigger assholes than him, and you are able to forgive him.
but you know that freedom is scary, children raised under total control often panic once it's gone, it's just a fact.
"You know," you say quietly, sipping on your tea during a meeting with him. "You're going to miss the rules, Riddle."
"What?" he looks up from his teacup carefully.
"Even after everything," you notice he's gone rigid. "That doesn't mean you should go back to being a tyrant, but you should remember it'll take time."
riddle would remember that forever. and he notices how much responsibility you shoulder and questions whether you ever allow yourself to rest.
he becomes protective, in a reserved way, even if he knows you don't need his protection, he still feels obligated in a sense.
checking if you've eaten, reminding you to sleep, offering tea, asking if you're injured
you don't like the pity, as it's useless to dwell on the past when you cannot control it, but you appreciate his efforts and recognize riddle's true personality as not what he was created to be, and see your place in helping him figure out who he actually is.
ace trappola, pre riddle overblot--
he likes you, despite you being pretty mysterious and calm, he finds you easily sociable and fun to be around! he'll poke at you and try to get you to break. plus, you are very attactive... but that's besides the point! he'll maybe fix his hair around you, or get weirdly competitive or tease you more than others-- and deuce definitely notices. ace would deny it until the day he died!! cuz, that magicless prefect? no way!!!!!!
but ace didn't expect someone like you, not to mention a magicless nobody, to be as mischievous as you are! you naturally have that air of authority to you in a way, which initially made him annoyed but he soon realized you're much more than you lead on. in the first meeting, you see his ignorance and arrogance as a nuisance, but you've faced worse. you don't react to his bullying at first, since after all, you just don't see the point. as a child of chaos, you are naturally hard to rattle. perspective means you do care—but not about every little thing, and that's helpful for you. there's just nooo point.
you become friends, after that a lot to do with your sarcasm, like he likes someone that gives it back and honestly, he's the first person to make you laugh-- he gets collared, trips down stairs, argues with a statue, but ace's biggest strength is that he has a knack for making tense situations feel normal again, and the he's the first to call you out when you're overthinking or acting too serious. like without even trying. you spent a lot of your life fighting and being forced into roles you don't want, so you enjoy his company more than the introspective conversations you have with riddle.
ace trapolla, post riddle overblot--
ohhhh boy, he thinks your powers are sick and he's genuinely shocked to see you use magic. he's in pure shock. you were magic-less, right? even though you power is weakened, you still have your physical capabilities and athleticism, the sword fighting is awesome! you were careful not to injure riddle, attacking only his magical parts since your sword of conjured darkness can cut through most (maybe all kinds) of magic. even if it becomes unstable if you use it for too long, and it drains you to the point of passing out......
but whatever! when you tell him about being a demigod, spawn of the void of all things-- gods, he is kinda insufferable. he's not even scared just totally in disbelief.
"YOU CAN DO THAT?!"
"...Yeah."
"SINCE WHEN?!"
"...Always, dude."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"
"Nobody asked."
"WHO WOULD ASK THAT?!"
plus he just asks stupid questions like if you have grandparents or not since your dad is a primidorial. i mean, he learns you've almost died repeatedly, monsters hunted you, you're the child of a primordial being, you've fought things far stronger than magicians
BUT he would still tease you like normal after, "What, our lowly human magic is stupid, hm, is that what you're saying?" its all fun. besides, he gets over the awestruckness quicker than other people which is a nice change of pace. even people at camp were... frightened by you. it was isolating.
so ace being one of the few people who would keep treating you like the same sarcastic person he met on day one. he makes jokes about the powers, asks a hundred annoying questions, and occasionally brags that his friend is ridiculously strong. still, at the end of the day, he's more interested in hanging out than the mystery.
plus he's emotionally intelligent in a way and always asks you if you're okay. which is nice since other people kinda focus on how extraordinary you are! notices behavioral quirks because he's observant in a casual way rather than an philisophical one.
duece spade, pre-riddle overblot
deuce is a good boy! he is changed! he doesn't like to wreak havoc even if ace and you pulled him into stupid situations. he thinks you're chill and kind and likes being your friend. you appreciate that he actually tries. he gets angry, swears, and jumps into fights way faster than he means to, but he always apologizes afterward. compared to ace's smug attitude, deuce feels earnest, and your personalities mesh well.
you love his company and he loves yours! you do notice he's not as academic as he looks at first glance, can have a foul mouth at times, but you overall don't care that much. you think he's a cool person and he thinks your calm exterior is fine since you still have bite to you.
every time you or ace mouths off to riddle, deuce is internally screaming!!! he agrees riddle's rules are ridiculous—but do you two have to keep making it worse? he's trying so hard to become an honors student, and now he's standing next to the two biggest troublemakers in Heartslabyul! what would his mom think!!!
before the overblot, you guys are friends, he thinks your nice even if you obviously aren't showing everything, but neither is he, so it's fun.
when he crashes out cuz of eggs of all things, you find it really funny more than dangerous. you think it's hilarious that eggs were the final straw. deuce does not though. to him, it wasn't about the eggs—it was everything piling on at once.
he tells you about his past-- about middle school, disappointing his mom, being a delinquent, and how he doesn't wanna be that way ever again. and you actually see yourself a lot in him, and he's thankful to have someone listen and understand.
duece spade, post-riddle overblot
after the overblot, he's startled by your powers. seeing what you could actually do leaves him a little shaken. for a day or two, he catches himself staring when you aren't looking, it's just hard to reconcile the friend he knows with someone capable of warping reality.
he just immediately thinks wow i would've never expected you to be the kid of a super powerful void being.... but then he realizes that it's the same ol' you. you still help grim with homework, argue with ace when he steals your food, and thank sam at the store....
he starts treating you the same a couple days after, he just realizes that you're still who he thinks you are and the only thing that changed was what he knows!
and deuce respects your strength! you told your friends you powers were weakened heavily and the blot seemed to have changed how you can use them. he def becomes more protective after that but not because your weak, just because he knows others would judge you.
if ace blurts out something stupid about your powers in public, deuce elbows him before he can finish.
"Quit talking so loud, idiot!"
"What?"
"It's not everybody else's business, dude!"
trey clover, pre-riddle overblot
trey presents himself to be a dependable baker-upperclassman who's as sweet as candy. he's polite, patient, and willing to lend a hang-- which you appreciate. but he's perceptive, and you notice that about him just like he notices things about you. someone like you, he initially thinks you're unusally quiet (you are in the begininng of everything, just a face). not shy exactly... just reserved. you answer questions, help when asked, and rarely complain, but it's like every word is measured before it leaves your mouth.
trey doesn't try pry. everyone at nrc has something they're hiding, himself included. as long as you aren't causing trouble, he figures you'll talk if and when you're ready. he notices tiny habits you do that make you seem much more aware than you let on, just things other people wouldn't notice.
if anything, he starts making little efforts to include you by offering an extra pastry when he's baking, asking if you want to help in the kitchen, and inviting you to study with heartslabyul when the dorm isn't in chaos. nothing pushy..
he thinks you're a good kid. maybe a little too serious(?) for someone your age, but good nonetheless.
trey clover, post-riddle overblot
he isn't fearful, but he thinks about all the things in hindsight. all those little things he'd noticed over the past few weeks like your constant awareness of your surroundings, the way you look like you rarely slept, how you instinctively put yourself between danger and everyone else, how your expression barely changed even in life-threatening situations—they suddenly click into place.
not because you're the child of an unimaginably powerful primordial being. i mean, not really. he thinks you've clearly been through far more than anyone your age should have.
the revelation itself is... overwhelming. a person capable of tearing apart reality standing beside them this whole time should be terrifying. logically, maybe it is.
but then he remembers you helping clean the kitchen without being asked, quietly handing Grim the last pastry because he'd already eaten, checking on Ace and Deuce after the chaos before checking yourself.
those definitely aren't the actions of someone drunk on power. so trey decides not to judge you by what you could do, he judges you by what you've consistently chosen to do.
for a few days, he's more observant than usual. not because he expects you to snap, but because he wonders how much you've been carrying alone. he catches the exhausted look in your eyes now that he knows to look for it, and he notices how quickly you brush off injuries, how instinctively you downplay your own problems whenever someone asks if you're alright.
he doesn't confront you, but he definitely goes into that role he knows how to play! if you're studying late in heartslabyul with your friends, there's somehow a cup of tea beside you. if you skip breakfast, he "accidentally" baked too much. if ramshackle is running low on groceries, heartslabyul somehow has leftovers.
he doesn't make a big deal out of it but he's kind of like a big brother.
leona kingscholar, pre-overblot
leona judges usefulness long before identity. whether you're a prince, commoner, man, woman, or anything else means very little to him compared to whether you can stand on your own. if he decides you're weak, he'll treat you accordingly. he just sees you as another weak herbivore who can't even do anything to protect themself-- a mouthy one that pisses him off, always with quick quips and insults to counteract his own is infuriating but he doesn't show it.
but he's sharp, very much so, and easily sees your overly calm demeanor as suspicious. you don't seem scared of anyone or anything, including him... just calculating an outcome. what it is, even if he doesn't know what it is, but he doesn't think you're dangerous. he thinks you're wrong. people who aren't afraid of predators usually don't survive long enough to stay that way.
he notices you looking for the nearest exits of a room, your shoulders never completely relax, you unconsciously angle yourself so no one stands behind you, when conversations become hostile, you subtly guide people where you want them without them noticing, kind of like a predator that disguises itself as prey and waits to bite-- lions know camouflage.
he also notices a certain sort of disinterest in you, similar to his own-- like, despite being magicless and from a different world, you aren't impressed or shocked at really anything. he just keeps his distance and does what he does during the magilift. kinda intrigued, but not enough to focus or acknowledge you-- you're still a herbivore, even if you are mysterious.
leona kingscholar, post-overblot
your power has grown in the slightest way now, you still get exhausted after prolonged usage of it. no pocket dimensions, severing powers, or ability to create mass destruction capable of destroying this whole verse-- but it's something. with an increase in strength and control over multiple void-generated weapons, it's something. however, when he was mid-overblot, and your voice sounded through his ears to help pull himself out of it... that was a shock. not to mention, everyone witnessing how the sand simply refuses to settle where the void exists.-- it's kind of a trip. a magicless(?) loser who is actually capable of counteracting his most powerful spell in his most uncontrollable state.
he thinks about your voice during his overblot, in a state so far deep that he had no control or memory of what transpired, but somehow, you were able to get through those layers and find him at his core. it's unsettling that he could potentially be read so deeply. it makes him wonder what else you're capable of. knowing your some kind of demigod doesn't unsettle him, but it does make him wonder what else you're hiding.
leona expects dangerous people to stay dangerous, but with you, he sees the terrifying void-child laughing over lunch, arguing over snacks., napping under a tree, helping Ace cheat on homework. it's...confusingly normal.
he doesn't know enough about you to know if these powers would be a liability or not, but he still doesn't trust you. finding out you were a demigod hero isn't... the most far-fetched thing, he comments "so that's why you're weird" and he just quietly stops lumping you with the rest of the herbivores.
leona tests you after the overblot and he does it in subtle ways-- walking into your space, throwing an insult, watching your reactions-- just to see if the calmness is even real but when he realizes its true, he just decides youre a pain.
ruggie bucchi, pre-leona overblot
ruggie, oh ruggie. he respects the hussle. i mean, you were taking on odd jobs like deliveries and stuff to make ends meet for ramshackle, which he respects since he also was doing that. "Magicless and still making rent? Sheesh… that's rough." but all he cares about is survival, and he sees you as a problem in savanaclaw's plans at the magilift. he would use his signature spell to control your movements, but you just waiting for it to end instead of freaking out is just too eerie to him-- like you just did not fight it. he feels weird around you, even if you are pretty nice and even funny, but that's what adds to the uncanniness.
he notices things about you that others don't, things you dont even recognize. he grew up poor, he knows what its like and he knows these habits you have all too well. he clocks things like never wasting food, fixing broken things instead of replacing them, checking prices instinctively, saving scraps "just in case", sleeping lightly, carrying supplies everywhere.
he'd mention that you're from another world, right? he wonders why you act like you grew up with nothing at all. i mean, heroes improvise, adapt, and survive-- and ruggie understands that.
ruggie bucchi, post-leona overblot
seeing a supposedly magicless human use dark magic to combat against leona's overblot was interesting to see. what the SEVEN was that? is that the full extent of your power or are you holding back? it doesn't really matter much to him, but growing up in the slums, he learned quickly that to survive, you need to understand what you're up against. he doesn't try to get closer to you, but he asks immediately after brazenly what the hell was that? you respond with a half-assed answer, it's not like it really matters if they know, but you tell them that you're world also has some... intricacies and that you're a demigod.
unlike leona, he doesn't really think about strength, but the reveal leaves more questions than answers, but you two actually get along well afterwards. "...Does that mean monsters chase you or somethin'?"
"...Yeah."
"..."
"...Man."
"...Yeah."
"That sucks."
your sarcasm and bluntness is entertaining, and his laid-back personality reminds you of your friend leo valdez in a way; they both joke, they both complain, they both steal food, they both hide stress behind humor.
so you warm up to each other. if and when you get closer, you may disclose more 'secrets' but he is pretty curious. he would ask how many weapons you can make, what satyrs are, how your dad is older than gods themself, which he would definitely remember. but hey, if you're not a threat immediately, he'll continue to try to use you lol. but he's as genuine as he can be and he likes you enough, it's just in his nature.
neither of you expects life to be fair. the big difference is that ruggie adapts because he has to, while you have grown up seeing disorder as a fundamental part of existence. you come to similar conclusions from completely different experiences.
jack howl, pre-leona overblot
jack values fair play, training, and raw honesty. during the Book 2 investigation, he doesn't like what he can't verify through action. you aren't suspicious because you're mysterious, but maybe just because youdon’t react predictably in stress, you don’t show normal exhaustion patterns, your “calm” doesn’t match typical coping mechanisms
wolves have an intense sense of smell, and your scent would confuse him. you smell like old bronze, dust, and a strange numbness that doesn't belong to a normal student. its not because you keep things to yourself that bothers him, i mean, you just smell unfamiliar, “not injured but also not fine”, “too controlled”. it fucks with him because you don't really portray yourself any differently than any normal person would. kinda sassy, humorous, easy-going, and emotionally stable (even tho you def arent)
and to be honest, even the secrecy isn't the biggest problem he has it's the lack of effort-- but he cant even figure that out! he doesn't like laziness, dishonesty in effort, and avoiding responsibility. he just can't tell if you're genuinely just a calm person, or if you actually put in effort to be a good person and hiding behind your exterior.
in pe, he immediately notices you’re physically capable and you don’t waste movement, you conserve energy too efficiently, you react too slowly under pressure, your presence feels… measured.
jack howl, post-leona overblot
when the mask comes off post-Overblot, jack's strict moral code and perspective of you changes a lot. he sees you in a different way... you're a hero? when you explain your powers by revealing you are a half-primidorial who used to fight monsters and serve gods, jack would be utterly lost.
not because he's stupid, nonono, its because “hero”, “half-primordial”, “fought monsters” doesn’t fit neatly into his moral framework. he has to recalibrate his opinion fully.
“…So you’re not just a student.”
its not you being a hero or half-god that reassures him, not really, it's the face that you protected people, you acted during Overblot, and you didn’t hesitate when it really mattered. in his mind, thats what makes an actual hero. and a trustworthy person.
and then he doesn't think you're as emotionally numb as he thought, just don't engage in consequences the same way other people do, but it also bothers him because people who don't fully register consequences are unpredictable.
not morally wrong, necessarily, but unstable in combat logic. if your powers are strengthening the longer you're here, and it turns out to be bad thing, who knows what'll happen. he does have a different perspective now though, still cautious but less hostile. you would need to earn his respect and trust over time.
azul ashengotto, pre-overblot
lol. azul ashengrotto is a greedy, coniving son-of-a-bitch and you recognize that immediately. he reminds you of hermes, in a lot of ways. slippery, untrustworthy, and a good merchant--if only for his own benefit. but you can smell the insecurity from him almost immediately, but not anything magical its just like hey! you're holding yourself together too tightly! you know he's not all that he makes himself out to be.
he kind of disregards you -- magicless, certainly manipulatable to him. he calculates how easy it would be to get you to sign a contract with him, but thinks of your attitude of indifference and strange confidence as bluffing, and all as a sign of weakness to be exploited rather than an actual threat. when he forces you to sign the contract to steal photos for the Leech Twins, he just treats you with his usual professional politeness. he doesn't consider that you may see through him and his plans until it's too late.
azul ashengrotto, post-overblot
after leona destroys the contracts with everyone and azul overblots, he is left emotionally raw, incredibly insecure, and just exhausted. your power increases at this point, not single-handedly taking him down, but largely decreasing the chances of failure, and that unnerves him. for someone who is supposed to be a criminal mastermind, he completely misread you. your stubbornness to your friends and ability to see through him-- not to mention, your magic. fuck. maybe if he had seen that coming, he would've been able to make things easier for himself. he would re-evaluate you instantly-- instead of greed, though, he's more embarrassed, fascinated, and then just very unsettled.
but you've faced primidorials, gods, monsters, and fought in wars against titans and giants and it's almost funny that he tries to threaten you with paperwork. you don't care if he's good or bad, you just know that he controls people because he's afraid of uncertainty and he tries to force order onto a life that isn't orderly
he treats you with caution, you aren't mean to him but you do offer some brazen advice. you know what its like to reach for control out of insecurity, and he's even more unsettled that you knew that much about him from the get-go.
admiting that you're a demigod, and one of the void, it's not a dramatic reveal. plus, azul is smart so he connects the dots. you tell him that he's exhausting himself by trying to become someone impossible, and that it'd be easier just to be himself. he claims it sounds terribly inefficient, but he knows you're right.
with azul specifically, you have a compelling relationship: he excels at reading intentions, bargaining, and exploiting desires, while you see the fractures beneath the polished image he presents. neither of you is universally "better" at reading people—you just perceive different layers of life.
jade leech, pre-azul overblot
jade is super observant and intelligent and he's way more fascinated by you than the others because while azul reads your lack of fear as manipulation, and leona as ignorance, he just catalogues you and sees if youre stronger than you let on or just completely unaware. jade hates unfiled things and that's what he doesnt like about you since he recognizes that your actions dont match up with your classification.
you get dangerous questions that sound casual but arent, and overly polite conversations and just purposely watches your reaction to certain situations. When the Leeches block you, ace, and deuce from entering the museum, jade would smile politely but notice that your breathing, heart rate, and exterior don't match a panicked teenager.
he's intrigued in an intellectual sense, not emotional. calm under pressure, weird way of predicting outcomes, and strange spatial awareness he clocks. you don't really unsettle him you just dont give reliable fear, ego, or ambition responses and he sees it more like a puzzle to solve.
“you are difficult to categorize.”
“that kinda sounds like a you problem, jade.”
“it is.”
and he's still smiling! well, that’s the closest he gets to annoyed by you to be honest.
jade leech, post-azul overblot
now, now this is where you get really get interesting because your power is just another variable to the situation! he doesn't fully understand it, which he kinda hates, but he notices there's a measurable interaction between your energy and blot manifesation which is wayyy more dangerous imo. you dont trust him at ALL. honestly you'd clock him as more dangerous than most of the others.
he's not fearful, maybe slightly impressed, but he stops standing behind you, he doesn’t corner you in conversations anymore, he gives you more “escape space” socially, his tone becomes slightly more precise. he def changes from controlled interest → genuine curiosity.
you represent unstructured existence, and he is like structured observation. literally foils of each other. he wouldnt try to control you like azul, not ignore you like ruggie sometimes, might not dominate you like leona, and not moralize you like riddle.
floyd leech, pre-azul overblot
to be honest floyd really doesn't think you're reactionary at all, but like then he notices → he pokes harder → he gets amused/annoyed → he escalates and that makes you more stimulating to him. if that makes any sense at all. his opinions of people just depend on what moods he's in just physical reactions like he really doesnt care for personality traits beyond how they act when provoked. i think he'd like your personality in a way that your sarcasm can be biting but he gets confused?
like he's used to people with stronger reactions, and you have low anger, low fear, low panic, like... what the fuck is wrong with you? he just thinks wow you're weird.
AND then it lowkey goes into obsession, because you're not reacting so he just keeps trying until he gets something
he likes squeezing people for the look on their face of fear or stress or anger and while you would not be happy if he did that, you know his type from fighting monsters. and he technically is a monster even if he's merfolk (is that racist?). um, anyways, yeah floyd wouldn't like the nonchalantness of you. he would definitely still provoke you tho, like it draws him in that you aren't reactionary, so he'd push and push and push until he gets something from you.
“why don’t you react?”
“…literally to what?”
“me.”
“…you’re not that special...?"
“…”
“heh. that’s fuckin' annoying.”
floyd leech, post-azul overblot
hey! woah, that's a shock. he's... WOW you're way fun. actually, floyd only does things in extremely so wow he's suddenly way moe interested in the magicless human turned child of chaos since he wants to know what you'd really do if he squeezed ya... heh. but yeah if he's in the right mood, he'd provoke you to no end and laugh in your face and just poke you so much you actually get annoyed.
speaking of. floyd is one of the only people insufferable enough to genuinely make you mad. like, not super outright like riddle because you know that'd just egg him on but adeuce have never seen you get so snippy and annoyed around someone... and he loves it!
when you're in the right mood you'll get more playful, snippy, push back, and annoyed when he gives you something really annoying to deal with and he loves it. if you're not, he gets radio silence and he'll lowk just walk away
buttt if he's in a particularly foul mood, he would actually get angry that you don't react or just outright ignore you and walk away from a conversation. he's not enamoured with your power butttt he does get interested as to why that's why you just don't react to him. and it'll get even worse. like he will be even more intrigued to push you until you finally give him a fun reaction
you've opted to outright hide from him now
jamil viper, pre-overblot
jamil jamil jamil. what to do with you indeed! jamil is a manipulator, a masterful one at that. and he spent his whole life hiding who he was, his intentions, and his ingenious mind. he can tell when others do the same. he can act like a stressed and doting servant, but he finds you... curious. he can tell that you are not naturally calm, just trained to be that way.
he will!!! and i repeat this WILL test you-- he needs to figure out what you are and how you function if you could be a threat to his highly secret and delicate coup against Kalim, so he would start shifting responsibilities onto you, observing if you complain, watching if you refuse orders, and casually create minor stress scenarios. but... you respond unpredictably and he hatesssss it! he needs to know if you're controllable, not only for his special magic, but also if you could be an ally or foe.
“you are a variable that refuses to stabilize” this is his jamil mindset, it's his deductive brain, and need for control.
he would notice sleep deprivation, endless training, and fit build, and even psychological pressure on you. he would judge you as a hidden threat because your mental resilience makes you a massive wild card that could ruin his plans. he would watch you, with a cold eye that is cunning and calculating. too much like people of your original verse for you not to notice it subtly.
jamil viper, post-overblot
after jamil overblots and his lifelong resentment is laid bare, he stops playing the humble servant. if your true status as a demigod is revealed, his judgment of you would become very clinical.
your telepathy proves to be a huge asset during this time, as it is starting to strengthen, because even though you don't hear words in someones mind, you can feel emotional pressure points, contradictions in intent, “future branching impulses” (Chaos seeing multiple outcomes), and suppressed emotion leaking through decision structure. mind control versus disruption of control.
you can't overpower the enemy mind but you can disrupt a spell. and your physical manifestation of your sword is less of an omnipotent presence, but it cuts through constructed magic
after the overblot, he is more honest internally, less performative externally, and more strategic in open view. knowing this, you actually are relieved for him. again, you are not someone who puts value on good or evil, just what that may mean for you and the people you care about.
looking at you, jamil would realize the regular magicless prefect persona was just a mask but this makes you even more dangerous. you can recognize manipulation, don’t react normally, and can predict intent shifts. that makes you a COMPETITOR in awareness, not just power.
after learning about chaos and your telepathy, it is the most scary conclusion for him. not power, it's the loss of control routes.
“So even indirect manipulation won’t work consistently.”
he would just be more polite, more careful with phrasing, less overt manipulation and more indirect testing-- you are not friends, and he plans on doing damage control planning. what's really bad for him is someone who can see intent before it becomes action. “I cannot fully control how I am interpreted in real time.”
kalim al-asim, pre-jamil overblot
but... in book four there is a shift in who kalim is. from jamil's hypnosis control that made him a paranoid tyrant! when you, grim, and the freshmen are trapped at the camp, the brainwashed kalim would punish you for any perceived laziness, forcing you into brutal desert training despite being 'magicless'.-- good thing Camp Half-Blood had some pretty intense training anyways. but even a brianwashed kalim is slightly kind-- he just sees it as trying to “help” but expressing it as control/structure, not true cruelty. this is exhausting for you, overwhelming, exhausting positivity turned into forced productivity. at least most gods and demigods were purely decietful for their own liking... he's just delusional.
he wants everyone to be okay and happy, and when he sees your detachment, he sees “they are unmotivated and need encouragement”
when you answer with calm compliance and minimal resistance-- he's unsettled bc why aren't you reacting emotionally??? he tries harder, and not out of cruelty, but panic.
kalim al-asim, post-jamil overblot
kalim is canonically incapable of holding a grudge or judging someone based on their past or appearance. when you are forcibly revealed by grim to use your powers, post-overblot kalim is emotionally wrecked in the oasis. but, he knows what it feels like to be targeted by assassins and violence, having been kidnapped and poisoned multiple times as a child). knowing you were attacked repeatedly since childhood, kalim would immediately conclude that he should show you what normal can feel like now! he would completely bypass any fear, he'd invite you to eat constantly, insists you rest, surrounds you with people, and removes silence without asking-- and for free?
oh yeah, there's definitely something in it that'll fuck you. he is, to someone like you, kinda suffocating. you expect instability, hidden danger, and emotional cost behind kindness. his overwhelming, genuine goodness actually is strange for you, knowing gods and people alike were not that generous. you don't trust him, not really, not at first.
you only accept because it's practical, logically much easier to survive in this strange world when you are being constantly catered to. you don't relax immediately, it genuinely takes a while to get used to and kalim does notice this, he's not stupid- just naive.
to you-- kalim sometimes ignores practical risk, he overextends resources, he trusts too easily, and he assumes safety more than reality supports. at least, when you coincidentally felt recharged enough, you used telepathy and wow! its all genuine.
you know this is going to get him hurt someday.
vil schoenheit, pre-overblot
yeah this is an interesting dynamic for a couple of reasons. vil is a profectionist, an insufferable one, but still perfectionist. and he immediately recognizes your attractiveness, but not because he's interested. he despises that your hair is rarely styled, your clothes are oversized and practical, and half the time you look like you rolled out of Ramshackle after sleeping three hours. dark circles sit under your eyes that no amount of makeup could fully conceal.! why waste such a lovely face. dumb potatoe doesn't even try. to him it screams negligence and a lack of self-respect.
"You have good bone structure."
"...Thanks?"
"That wasn't a compliment."
"..."
"You have every advantage and insist on throwing it away."
you get irritated. he doesn't know anything about you, he doesn't know what you've been through. so why is he so shallow? he concludes that you don't care about yourself. but the reality is you just don't have the energy, and you really just don't see it as important. for you, when you've spent years fighting monsters and wondering whether you'll survive another week, spending forty-five minutes styling your hair feels… absurd. even with the aphrodite kids at camp, you could not understand them.
you guys frustrate each other because you believe survival is top priority, and he believes beauty is effort. neither is entirely wrong! it's just not very compatible.
during dance practice... well, you can dance, but not this kind of. it's more of a free-flowing thing for you, you went to house parties and camp counselor only hang outs. but you have excellent body awareness! he tries to teach you precison but you're simply instinctual with it. he'll count down and you'll start moving on your own!
likewise with singing, you sing well, and vil is even more frustrated. what a mess... because he sees raw talent, but talent without discipline. its almost offensive to him!
he is annoying and abrasive and overly rude-----, well the point is, you can usually handle those things but it is constant. ugh. eventually, you give up and volunteer as manager instead. vil sees it as quitting but you see it as knowing your own limits... so i guess it's sort of a win? a little?
vil schoenheit, post-overblot
well, turns out when vil's entire personality of perfection, fear of being second best, and intense fear of ugliness... oh boy, is there a lot to unpack there. after finding out about you being a demigod, it doesn't change things much-- maybe how he views your need to not stick out. and he crumbles.
he doesn't outright apologize, but he his lecturing lessens, not even, just differently. it's not like he learned to be kind, just more compassionate.
when your identity as a demigod comes out, he's surprised—but not intimidated. he's more interested in what your life has done to you than what your bloodline is. learning you've survived monsters, gods, war, and years of instability suddenly reframes everything. the exhaustion. the oversized clothes. the indifference toward appearances. the constant readiness to leave a room. they weren't really choices, more like survival habits you've learnedover time.
one day, after another rehearsal, he says:
"You know..."
"..."
"I owe you an apology."
"Really?"
"Not for criticizing you, but for criticizing the symptoms instead of asking about the cause."
vil definitely doesn't become soft, not at all, honestly, but he becomes intentional. intentional in a way that makes you feel, idk seen?
instead of saying: "Fix your appearance." he'll say: "Have you slept?"
instead of "Stand up straight." He'll say: "Your shoulders are tense again."
Instead of: "You look terrible."
he'll quietly leave skincare products outside Ramshackle with no note, he'll never say they're gifts, but he expects you to use them.
vil realizes you treat your body as equipment-- replaceable, useful, and something to push until it breaks, like after overblots you extend so much energy. he hates it, truthfully, he really does. even if you explain that you have regeneration abilities and used to be able to recover full limbs in seconds, to him, taking care of yourself isn't vanity, it's self-respect!
by the end of book 5, vil still thinks you should sleep more, eat properly, moisturize, and stop wearing clothes three sizes too big, and he'll probably never stop saying so.
the difference is that now he understands why you became that way. his criticisms stop feeling like judgments and start feeling like concern—though, being vil, they'll still be delivered with enough sharpness to make you roll your eyes. that's probably the closest thing to affection he knows how to show.
rook hunt, pre-vil overblot
rook sees people the way an experienced hunter sees the forest—not as strangers, but as collections of habits, instincts, and tells. he notices things others never would. long before the Overblot, you become one of his greatest curiosities.
at first, he assumes you're simply shy, but as we all know him, he starts watching. you never sit with your back to a door. your eyes unconsciously map every exit the moment you enter a room. you step around loose floorboards without looking. your footsteps vanish whenever you're distracted, as though your natural state is silencee. most curious of all, you never look at the strongest person in the room, you just look at the spaces between them. to rook, that isn't the posture of a predator searching for prey. it's the posture of someone who has survived being hunted. and it absolutely captivates him!
he begins appearing beside you with unsettling regularity, complimenting your "beautiful awareness" and your "elegant instinct for survival." he speaks in riddles, comparing you to mist slipping through the branches or a shadow that refuses to be cornered. every observation is frighteningly accurate, even when he dresses it up in poetry.
unlike jade, who wants to understand you, or floyd, who wants to provoke you, rook just... watches.
not even because he suspects you, he admires the artistry of someone who's second instinct is, and likely always will be, survival. he gives you elaborate nicknames—"L'Ombre Silencieuse," "Le Fantôme du Crépuscule," or "The Wandering Eclipse"—each one describing some quality he's noticed before anyone else.
it puts you constantly on edge. for perhaps the first time since arriving at NRC, you meet someone whose observational skills rival your own. you can sense monsters and rook can read people like a book. yet somehow, despite all your efforts to remain ordinary, he keeps looking at you with the smile of a hunter who's found the rarest creature in the forest.
rook hunt, post-vil overblot
after vil's Overblot, rook gains a deeper appreciation for the burdens people choose to hide behind beautiful facades, and wheen your identity as a child of chaos is finally revealed—plus the years of battles, impossible expectations, and quiet endurance that shaped you—many of the students struggle to like see the prefect they know with the person you've had to become (or always had been).
rook never does. not at all! to him, everything suddenly makes perfect sense. the discipline it takes to carry extraordinary power while deliberately making yourself appear ordinary!
he sees someone who has survived without allowing hardship to erase their humanity. it is just. SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!
"Magnifique..." he murmurs, almost to himself. "What extraordinary discipline... To possess such power, yet choose restraint instead."
unlike others who focus on your lineage or your abilities, rook is fascinated by the choices you've made. a child of chaos could have become reckless, prideful, or consumed by violence. instead, you hide your strength, help your friends, and shoulder far more than anyone realizes.
to rook, that self-control is gorgeous. he never pries into the details of your past unless you willingly offer them. Instead, he becomes attentive.
without mentioning it, he starts leaving practical gifts near ramshackle whenever he notices something you've worn out: whetstones for your blades, durable gloves after seeing yours tear, trail rations after long excursions, sturdy boots if yours are beginning to wear thin. nothing extravagant—just thoughtful items chosen by someone who notices far more than he admits... it's kinda (very) creepy.
he also stops "surprising" you as often. not because he can't. because he realizes that constantly testing someone whose instincts made by constant danger is just unnecessary stress. instead, he becomes one of the few people who appreciates your vigilance without asking you to lower it!
epel felmier, pre-vil overblot
epel is country through and through, no matter how hard Vil tries to polish him into the image of a refined prince. he'd much rather be roughhousing, working with his hands, or cars than worrying about posture, skincare, or perfect etiquette.
during VDC practice, he quickly realizes you're one of the few people who doesn't seem impressed—or intimidated—by vil's relentless standards. you openly complain and even combat vil in his tyranny! but every time vil turns his back, epel catches the tiny sigh, the deadpan expression, or the barely concealed eye roll.
he starts gravitating toward you during breaks, muttering under his breath about calorie-counted meals, endless rehearsals, and Vil's impossible expectations.
you begin to feel closer, surprisingly your calm nature doesn't deter him just because of your attitude towards queen vil the evil. he likes your dry and witty comments and humor that make him laugh more than you expect. but thats not all! epel's country demeanor reminds you of back home, but the good parts of it.
strawberry fields with constant upkeep from the demeter kids, constant fights and spars that are... ahem, aggressive. and the attitudes and fierceness of the demigods living there.
you find solice with each other, which is really nice.
epel felmier, post-vil overblot
after Vil's Overblot, epel feels like he's finally allowed to breathe. he's one of the few that you genuinely grow closer to, but not just because of your displays of power. and not because everything is magically fixed—it isn't—but because vil finally starts listening instead of only correcting.
when your identity as a child of chaos is revealed, Epel's first reaction isn't fear, it's definitely more of a disbelief.
"...Hold on."
"So you've been fightin' monsters since you were a kid?"
"Yeah!"
"...And ya never thought ta mention that?"
You shrug. "It just never came up, i dont know."
He just stares. "...How does that 'never come up?'"
unlike some of the others, epel doesn't get caught up in your lineage or how frightening your abilities could become. what sticks with him is realizing that you've spent your entire life having expectations forced onto you. whether it was gods, monsters, destiny, or simply surviving another day, someone else was always deciding what your life should look like. in that way, he understands you more than he expected.
after that, epel starts treating you much more casually-- he drags you outside to help with training, asks you to spar whenever you have the energy, and constantly pesters you for stories about your world.
but it's not because of the gods or like who your granddaddy is, he just wants to hear about those fights! strategies, dumb mistakes, victories you never brag about. whenever you dismiss something as "nothing special," epel gets visibly annoyed.
like! it's not normal you almost died every week! it's totally messed up and totally badass! you've been to war and fought against titans and giants who ruled the earth-- he wants to learn about your friends too!
mentioning percy and annabeth, piper and jason, leo and hazel and frank. it makes you feel some kind of way. not necessarily sad, just, like a part of you is still out there. your family, your whole life. you begin to wonder if they all think you're dead, if they're freaking out trying to find you, or if the gods had something to do with this.
epel would notice the change in composure and tone it down-- kinda recognizing that you probably don't want to talk about your old world. and people you'll probably never see again. he feels bad and changes the subject.
he's also one of the people that call you out when you're exhausting yourself, but not lecturing! that's vil's job, just the stubbornness he also sees in himself.
the two of you settle into an easy friendship built on honesty, you don't care that he likes farming, apples, or getting his hands dirty-- he doesn't care that you're a half-primordial who can summon weapons from the void. to epel, you're just someone who works hard, keeps your word, and never acts like you're better than anyone else. and that's more than enough!
idia shroud, pre-overblot
idia wants absolutely nothing to do with you. During the S.T.Y.X. arc, he is locked in his control room, viewing the captured students merely as experimental data points. to idia, there are much more high-priority tastes like looking over overblot data. when he notices you don't react normally to the situation, he isnt as much curious as he is mildly uncomfortable. he clicks on your profile, then clicks off, and then again and stares at it for a weirdly long time.
all these stats should mean something. but as he does to things that don't fit, he just avoids it! it's probably just sensor lag, or bad calibration. yeah... thats right...
but unfortunately for him, your tab just keeps seeming to pop up... out of nowheere. he begins to get annoyed! you're technically unaccounted for in a system that should already understand everyone inside it and that's weird.
he never talks to you directly, but not out of contempt, just avoidance and when S.T.Y.X runs medical checks on the prisoners and sees your anomalous physical data, it's just too much!
idia shroud, post-overblot
after his overblot is defeated and he is dragged out to ramshackle dorm by crowley, idia is genuinely visibly distressed-- he is visibly hunched, hoodie pulled low, posture closed off like a system trying to minimize input from the outside world. he refuses eye contact with literally anything that isn’t the floorboards.
and it just gets worse when ortho starts talking about your structural body scars and abnormal vitals, and abnormal powers for a regular magicless human, idia’s gamer brain would instantly short-circuit.
h would look up, see your blank, emotionless stare, and his mind would go straight to “This is a stealth-build late-game encounter character.” or “This is the NPC you are NOT supposed to aggro.” or “Why does this feel like a boss arena with no save point.”
he doesn't really see you as a normal person at all and uses ortho as his humanoid shield. you're like a character that has permanently deleted characters before. he is scared, he is anxious, he is... all sorts of things.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS. AVOID ABSOLUTELY. DO NOT INTERACT.
later on, when you become friends with lilia, you actually start playing video games with idia and oh boy... is that interesting. he never thought a normie like you would be so good! and sociable... and he's scared but once he sees you getting competitive, it all changes. n-normie weirdo demigod secret boss.... is actually kinda cool... your relationship would get better over time but you'd still rarely see himirl.
ortho shroud, pre-idia overblot
ortho is, at his core, a highly advanced search-and-analysis system—but unlike a machine, he doesn’t stop at data. he immediately tries to turn what he observes into understanding. the first time he properly registers you, it isn’t through fear or suspicion, it’s through mismatch.
you don’t behave like other humans, not in the way you move, not in the way you respond to stress, not even in the way your body reacts. you also have super great physique, and are those scars littering your body?
he'd comment on if those scars were painful, and you look at him weirdly. "What?" he then goes on to explain how as a humanoid he automatically picks up on physical characteristics for data center so he remembers. you think it's weird... and off-putting at first. but whatever. "Yeah, they hurt but it's no biggie." then you move on like it’s not worth further processing. ortho stores that response, but not just as data, but as an emotional suppression tendency
his sensors pick up things that don’t fit standard student profiles—micro-stability under pressure, unusually controlled heart rate variance, and movement efficiency that suggests long-term combat conditioning rather than dorm life. but ortho doesn’t label you as “dangerous.”
ortho shroud, post-idia overblot
idia ignores you during most of the S.T.Y.X. incident, ortho does not. but instead of secretly logging you as an anomaly, he becomes curious in real time.
he starts appearing near you more often than coincidence would reasonably explain—but it never feels like stalking, it's more like proximity calibration. if you're in ramshackle, he might be nearby “checking environmental safety metrics.” and if you're training, he might quietly observe “for performance benchmarking.” if you're resting, he might simply sit nearby, processing information he doesn't fully understand yet.
before, ortho saw you as someone with unclassified behavior patterns, phisiological anomly under stress, and an inconsistent emotional response profile. but then... after seeing idia's collapse, that it is not just theoretical, he begins to question what stops you from reaching that point?
ortho notices things more deliberately now, like how you do not escalate emotionally under pressure the way most students do, your body does not spike into panic response patterns even when danger is present, your recovery after stress is unusually structured rather than chaotic, and how your silence is not avoidance—it is control. labelsyou as “high-function stability under unstable conditions”.
ortho no longer follows you out of pure curiosity, not emotionally but functionally. “are you within safe operational limits?” “Have you eaten since your last high-output activity?” “Do you require recovery time after extended stress exposure?”
You are not broken like idia, unstable like overblots, purply optimized like vil, or purely emotional like kalim
a system that adapted without ever being allowed to reset
“Do you experience relief after danger passes?”
You pause. “No, not really.”
A beat. “Is that normal for humans?”
“…No idea. Probably not.”
Ortho processes this for longer than usual.
Then softly says, “That seems inefficient for long-term sustainability, but you are still functioning."
You laugh. "Barely, Ortho."
And now more questions!
malleus draconia, pre-overblot
one, if not, the BEST potentials for a friendship, and honestly one of the best for something more than that. i mean, you guys have soooo much in common.
before, he was a strange upperclassman who you met when he occasionally appeared outside during your nightly stroll, he's polite and curious and a little odd, but weren't we all? some people just choose not to show it. you really don't think much of it, besides, your powers have changed-- longer durations, less kickback after using them-- your shapeshifting worked now (if not for smaller animals) and your void pocket demension! you didn't realize how much you missed these things until after you began to feel like yourself again. the point is-- you could protect yourself if something went wrong.
either way, you enjoyed his company. his insistent questions about your world without treating you as a spectacle, he always seems authentically interested, and you could walk around for hours talking about ruined buildings, gargoyles, weird traditions, or absolutely nothing at all.
he notices things he likes about you long before you learned about him-- you were measured, acceptance when people misunderstood you, habit of watching before you act. i mean, he's lived like that for centuries. he doesn't take your aloofness as coldness, he just thinks your another lonely person. he never pushes you to talk, and the conversations just flow. it's nice.
after vdc was done, you weren't intimidated by him. all of your friends seem scared of him, mysterious hornton is now malleus draconia... the infamous heir of briar valley that everyone and their mother was super scared of. you really don't understand what changes!
sure, he's powerful, obviously. but he's still the same person. malleus would notice how you offer him tea, he remembers it, if you absentmindedly save him a seat, he remembers that too! because literally no one invites to do things so like bro wow ur tuff
everyone at camp was scared of you, if they weren't your friends like percy and the seven-- and you wouldn't even have had those ones if not for prophecies and shared life-threatening circumstances. you weren't a demigod or mortal, because you were too close to being a god, but too human to be a god. being feared before someone ever knew your name was a lonely thing.
romantic or not, you treat him the same, call him your silly nickname, and invite him to hang out whenever you can! knowing he's the "prince of briar valley" doesn't change much since he's still the person you've grown to know.
malleus draconia, post-overblot
while he was mostly focused on lilia leaving-- especially after silver started crying-- his overblot was also losing you, one of the only people anchoring him to the present. the only person who invited him places and to do normal things together without treating him differently than others, and now...
one day, lilia can leave, his classmates will graduate... if time keeps moving the way it does, the way he desperately wishes it would, you were going to go back home too. unlike lilia, or silver and sebek. you don't even come from twisted wonderland, you could just... disappear without a trace one day.
after the overblot, shame settles over him faster than anyone expects. i mean, the memories are perfectly clear-- he remembers trapping the entire school in an endless dream, he remembers fighting all of you, he remembers forcing you to stand against him. when he sees the damage you've taken, his expression falls.
when you defeated him, he feels such intense guilt that he forced you to raise your hand against someone you trusted
you, silver, and idia finished the final blows on him to make him come back to his senses and he feels awful about it. despite fighting a terrifying thorn fairy dragon who trapped everyone at nrc in an endless slumber to resist change... nothing really changes afterward. malleus shows remorse, you forgive him.
in the aftermath, he's also facisnated with your powers you chose to keep underwraps-- he knew you weren't normal, you lived in a world of gods before, he knew that much, but it really just reinforces the fact that you are capable of much more than you lead on.
the conversation you have after is really intriguing when you explain that you don't even really want to go home, you like it here. not even that you hate it here, it's just that twisted wonderland allows you to breathe a little. you're not getting hunted, there's no prophecies of how you'll end the world, or paranoid gods up your ass-- and no expectation that you'll save everyone just because you can. he'llrespond with "...i see" and you'll more on.
you still ask to take walks, he shows up at ramshackle at impossible hours, you go to the mall, he asks you about your old world (more in depth now), and occasionally, he'll say things like "you're still returning tonight... are you not?" or "until tomorrow?"
not even because he doubts you! he doesn't. but sometimes after nearly losing everything just because of his own refusal to let go, he finds comfort in hearing you answer, "Yeah. See you tomorrow, Hornton."
for malleus, ordinary promises become important and valuable.they reassure him that time is moving forward—and that, at least for now, you're choosing to move forward with him rather than away from him
lilia vanrouge, pre-malleus overblot
lilia has lived for a long time, centuries. he's seen kingdoms rise and fall, marched through battlefields where entire armies disappeared by dawn, and watched generations grow old while he remained the same. one thing that never changes is people. they're surprisingly easy to read.
most students at night raven college wear masks. confidence, arrogance, fear, insecurity. but yours is different, more uncommon. it's almost like you're not trying to stand out, which would make sense from your predicament, but it's still kinda odd. not like a normal teenager! you smile when it's expected, you answer questions politely, you rarely raise your voice when you're not around friends, even sassing normally.
on the surface, you are just like you should be. an ordinary, somewhat quiet first-year. lilia isn't convinced from that, but it's not the things you do, oh no no no, it's the things you don't do!
you don't seem bothered with appearances, you react with eerie calm when shit hits the fan instead of panic, you're too easy going talking about certain things, and you carry yourself like a soldier instead of a student. always ready to go, looking where doors are, eyes reacting before your body does!
i mean, those aren't habits someone learns from a rough semester at school. it's all a bit strange to him, he doesn't think of you as much of a threat as someone with a lot of things they leave unsaid.
he knows your mannerisms, and you don't hide them as easily, since of course you haven't have six centuries to adjust to regular life. he knows those are habits were earned through surviving situations where hesitation got people killed. lilia doesn't know what happened, only that something did. and he gets intrigued what might've gone down in your old world to behave like you do-- and the possibilities could be endless.
you really really remind him of the young soldiers he commanded all those centuries ago, not because you're overtly violent, but because you act like you forgot how to stop acting like the next thing is gonna be a battle!
so, naturally, he decided to be an absolute menace toward you and it shows. he's upside down in trees, hanging from ceilings, appearing directly behind you when you least expect it. half the time he's simply trying to see if he can make you react!
unfortunately for him... your expression barely changes, if you're smiling you stay that way, frowning, you don't even show any semblance of shock!
"...Fufu."
"You almost blinked that time."
lilia isn't fooled by your emotional restraint, and you kinda catch that. buttttt he also doesn't mistake it for coldness. if anything, he notices that you can be considerate. you help others before they ask, you pay attention to everyone's moods, you disappear whenever you actually need help and he recognizes it as soon as he gets closer to you-- someone who believes their safest when they're useful, and has learned not to burden other people because it's more secure that way.
he doesn't call you out on it, even though you realize that he realizes, but he starts helping you out with grandfatherly partiality instead of distrust.
he also loves your friendship with malleus and that definitely makes him more happy than anything else about you. you're considerate and funny, and you don't judge people by whispers or who they are! he thinks your prescense in malleus' life is super helpful and he's glad his prince has someone who treats him normally.
lilia vanrouge, post-malleus overblot
watching malleus's overblot unfold forces lilia to confront memories he'd long since tucked away. battlefields and young soldiers and children forced to be warriors before experiencing anything else-- and it's a history he's spent a long time trying to make peace with, or at convincing himself he had.
after sage's Island returns to normal, he finds himself looking at you differently.
but it's not because you've changed, he just finally understands what he's been seeing all along. the way you never hesitate in a crisis. the almost unsettling composure, how you instinctively move to protect others without waiting for instructions, and how exhaustion never seems to stop you from stepping forward first.
lilia has seen that look before, but it's rarely from students but more like veterans and heroes. he still doesn't know the details of your life, and he doesn't need to. whatever world you came from, it expected far too much from someone your age, and learning that you're the child of an ancient primordial doesn't surprise him nearly as much as everyone else. power explains what you can do, and as terrifying as that may be, it doesn't explain who you are or why you do things or what has made you to be the way you are.
what really catches his eye after the blot and you being outted once again is the way you apologize for frightening everyone, how your first instinct after the battle is to check whether everyone else is alright, and the way you treat wielding impossible power as an obligation instead of a privilege.
lilia concludes that this isn't the first time you've been expected to save the day. nor, he suspects, the tenth.
rather than questioning you, he will simply become gentler. his teasing doesn't disappear, and honestly, it gets worse. still appears out of nowhere just to hear you sigh and insists his cooking is perfectly edible despite overwhelming evidence that it is not.
but beneath the mischief is something unmistakably protective. he starts making sure you eat, reminds you to sleep—even if you insist you aren't tired, and finds excuses to pull you into ordinary conversations that have nothing to do with saving anyone.
he also loves how your relationship with mal doesn't change even after everything as sees you as someone who's good to have there for him while lilia's away. it almost brings a tear to his ancient bony eye....
one day, while the two of you are walking across campus, he remarks almost casually,
"You know..." he looks at you with a grin and a weird sparkle in his eye. "The strongest soldiers I ever commanded all had the same terrible habit."
you glance over and sigh quietly, still maintaining your same easy going expression and slight smile.
"They believed that if they carried every burden themselves that the people they loved would never have to."
he smiles again, and as you stare into his red eyes and perfectly young features, you see something much older than his usual playful grin-- it's old and knowing and reminds you weirdly of the gods in your old world.
"They were wrong every single time." he doesn't need to elaborate, and he doesn't ask anything further. you let the silence settle between the two of you, it's quiet despite the noise of the other students.
"It's not like I shoulder everything," you say with casual toothy grin and his dashing smile goes back to normal. he chuckles at your reply and let's the moment pass you, going back to normal.
silver, pre-malleus overblot
silver doesn't think you're difficult to be around. not at all, he actually finds your natural state being unusual calm very peaceful. its not like you're bothered by long silences and he isnt either so the conversations really just tend to come and go naturally. even if he falls asleep or something it's mutually nice to not feel obligated to fill every quiet second. and he never finds it awkward
butttt, heh butt, being a swordsman, he's developed the habit of observing people without realizing it, and he notices the little things like a lot of the others. he doesn't think they're strange, just unusual for a human your age. being raised by fae, he's more used to them being like you. it's like you're heh... not exactly human. he assumes you've experienced things that required them. he doesnt ask since he knows that everyone's carrying something
what earns his respect is your consistency in not complaining when things are difficult, and you never leave people behind, you keep your word. he values those things about you more than other peoples flashy displays of power. by the time the two of you have become friends, he considers you someone he can rely on without question.
silver, post-malleus overblot
when the dream begins collapsing, silver doesn't hesitate-- he reaches you before he consciously thinks about it and the floor gives way beneath you. for one brief moment, all he sees is another companion about to disappear into the ruins. his hand catches yours. a second later, he's pulled you against him to keep the falling debris from striking you. only after you're both safely on solid ground does he realize how tightly he's holding on.
"...Sorry."
after everything is over, Silver learns the truth-- about your heritage, about the impossible power you've been carrying, about the life you'd left behind... his opinion of you barely changes!
if anything, it makes the small habits he'd noticed over the past year make sense.
you could be having a conversation and you offer gentle reassurance about his more than complicated heritage and he finds that especially grounding. he becomes more protective in a way that you guys can protect each other and he respects you deeply.
silver rarely talks about his feelings, but you and he get along since you complement each other naturally. one evening he quietly admits,
"...I used to wonder if I truly belonged among fae."
You shrug. "So?"
He blinks.
"So?"
"You've got people who love you," you say quietly, tracing the ends of the stems under the tree you sat beneath. carefully staring at his relaxed composure in the green grasses below. "Seems like you've already found where you belong."
he really really likes you! also one of the first people to know when you're exhausted-- like that hundred yard stare, and slower reactions-- he would know cuz he's constantly sleepy himself. even if you tell him you're fine, he can tell you barely sleep most nights and he'll ask you to sit down with him for a bit or take a breather. and if you don't sit, he'll move beside you to lay near you.
sebek zigbolt, pre-his waka-samas overblot
sebek sebek sebek what to do with you bro. holy shit is he a trip. he doesn't like you immediately, and not because you're a human... well... not just because you're a human.
he judges basically everyone on how they treat his waka-sama! by that metric you fail spectacularly. you don't stumble over your words or bow or fear him. you actually tease him!! you hand him snacks!!! you ask if he'd like to go exploring rundown, ugly, disgusting abandoned buildings!! like another human does!
to sebek, your behavior borders on sacrilege. to malleus... it's refreshing. and that somehow makes Sebek even louder. and annoying.
why do you treat him like a normal upperclassman!!! he is the dragon prince of briar valley and best believe he tries to make you know that.
when he sees you getting too comfortable with malleus he is furious! you call him that ridiculous nickname "hornton," you invite him to that ramshackle of yours, and you wave to him like a normal person when you see him at school. how dare you tease Lord Malleus! how dare you treat him with such normalcy!!! just so much disrespect!!! and oh my seven, is he loud about it.
but the worst part is how malleus just accepts it! he even tells sebek it's fine! lord malleus accepts every single invitation. sebek cannot comprehend it. every encounter somehow ends the same way.
"HUMAN! SHOW HIS HIGHNESS THE RESPECT HE DESERVES!"
"...Hi, Sebek."
"DON'T 'HI, SEBEK' ME!"
meanwhile, malleus is standing beside you, looking vaguely amused.
"Sebek, I do not mind."
"THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT, WAKA-SAMA!"
you find it funny... then really annoying. he sees you with extreme loudmouthed frustration, and he def sees you as a magicless human who wears too baggy clothes and always looks like they just crawled out of bed as unrefined and disrectful to simply be in his waka-sama's prescence!
what frustrates sebek most is that you never react properly.
he expects outrage, or embarrassment, or just fear. but instead you just stare until he's finished yelling
"...Done?"
"..."
"...Can Hornton and I go now?"
"HUMAN!!"
the complete lack of intimidation is infuriating!!!!!!! but even worse, you're surprisingly disciplined-- you wake up on time, complete assignments, keep promises. never complain when things become difficult, you're polite to professors, reliable during emergencies. by all accounts, you're responsible.
so why, sebek wonders in utter disbelief... can you not show proper decorum around royalty?
sebek zigbolt, post his waka-samas overblot
sebek doesn't completely miss your role in the overblot... it's just like, he's way too busy professing his tearful undying loyalty and servitutude to his master and prince lord malleus! he definitely isn't paying close attention—his entire world is collapsing around malleus—but once the battle starts, it's hard to miss someone fighting an overblot dragon.
sebek notices... he simply can't process it. his attention is split between lord malleus, lord lilia, silver, the collapsing dream, and trying not to completely fall apart himself. so afterward, all he really remembers is:
"...The human was there."
"...Somehow."
"...There was a lot of light."
"...Then Waka-sama returned."
the details just blur together.
then later... someone casually mentions...
"Oh yeah, Yuu helped defeat Malleus."
sebek freezes, stopping mid rant about whatever the fuck, probably something to do with malleus.
"..."
"..."
"...WHAT."
"You... didn't know?"
"THE HUMAN WAS DOING WHAT?!"
"...Bro... you seriously just noticed?" Ace blinks and frowns.
Deuce scratches his head. "I kinda thought everyone knew."
Grim groans. "They were literally right there!"
Sebek whirls toward you in absolute disbelief.
"HUMAN!"
"...Yeah?"
"WHY DID YOU NEVER INFORM ME THAT YOU POSSESSED SUCH TREMENDOUS POWER?!"
You blink.
"...You never asked."
"..."
"..."
"THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE!!"
sebek does not suddenly become soft. he absolutely still yells, and he absolutely still thinks you should address Malleus properly. he absolutely still complains about your posture.
The difference is... now he has to grudgingly acknowledge your strength, and it creates the funniest contradiction imaginable. i mean. sebek isn't stupid or blindly devoted to malleus... he's just extremely proud of his duty as a knight and servant to his liege. in all the chaos, he was just too overwhelmed by everything going on to really comprehend that you were the one to take down malleus' most unstable state and you were the one to help with the aftermath.
he begrudgingly respects you.
"HUMAN! YOU ARE AN EXTRAORDINARILY CAPABLE WARRIOR! SO WHY, IN THE NAME OF THE SEVEN, DO YOU INSIST ON ADDRESSING HIS HIGHNESS AS 'HORTON'?!"
