Now you GOTTA do handmaiden!yuu with the house wardens
And for you to drink water
THAT WAS THE IDEA BABE! and thank you :D
Housewardens and Handmaiden! Yuu
THIS CAN BE TAKEN AS EITHER ROMANTIC OR PLATONIC, ALUSIONS OF SA, SLAVERY AND RELIGIOUS THEMES.
• Ugh, definitely the one who feels the most guilt for his disparaging comments before his Overblot. One day he finds Yuu staring at Heartslabyul's bookshelf, and when he asks her what's going on, she confides that Cater had asked her to pass him a specific encyclopedia, but she didn't know which one it was because she couldn't read any of the titles. When Riddle realizes what this means (and that he had called an illiterate woman "uneducated and unsuitable for NRC"), he wants to bury his head in the ground of shame.
• Aside from apologizing in a thousand different ways, Riddle tries to help Yuu by joining her tutoring sessions and helping her with her writing, spelling, reading, etc. He even pairs her up with his in team activities so she doesn't fall behind in class. He's so kind to her that the other members of Heartslabyul are jealous. Well, except for Ace and Deuce, they know that if anyone deserves special treatment from Riddle, it's Yuu.
• Riddle is completely horrified and furious when Yuu tells him the reason why she can't read, what her world is like, and how SHE is perceived there, not as a person, but as an object. Riddle genuinely can't fathom a world where women are treated in such a truly monstrous way, or worse, that Yuu believes it's THE NORM (it's ironic that now it's Riddle who's trying to convince Yuu that the rules of their world are wrong, lol).
• Honestly, Riddle feels a lot of sympathy for Yuu. They're similar in many ways. They both lived with an upbringing (in Yuu's case, an entire system) that forced them to maintain an almost impossible line of obedience and "perfection," when that perfection didn't benefit them at all, but rather those around them. Seeing her get scared by loud noises, by her eyes glowing when she's given something that REALLY belongs to her, or when she wears something other than the red dress (Riddle will never see red the same way) and white hat, is sad.
• Fortunately, Yuu now has her own little red guard dog, who not only teaches her to enjoy reading (and tea parties) but will also chop off the head of anyone who makes fun of her reading or writing. Riddle knows what it's like to feel your world, the one you've known your whole life, crumble, but he's ready to support Yuu in these moments, because after all, he wouldn't be improving and moving forward as a person if it weren't for her, so he'll do the right thing and do the same.
• To be honest, Leona felt something strange about Yuu ever since he met her at the botanical garden, when he tried to threaten to “teach her respect” for stepping on his tail. He hadn't even finished his sentence when Yuu literally curled up, gripped the weird hat she had on her face tightly, and started practically screaming how sorry she was, as if she were afraid of getting beaten up. It threw him off; he even felt bad for her and had to help her back up, only to realize this girl was CRYING WATERFALLS in fear. Leona couldn't tell if it was pathetic or extremely worrying (the latter, definitely the latter).
• When Yuu starts talking more about her life in Gilead with the Savanaclaws, everything starts to fall into place... and at the same time, it doesn't. For the Sunset Savannah residents, women are not only an important part of their society, but they're also stronger than men. The idea that in Yuu's world, most women simply view them as pieces of meat or, at worst, dolls, is disturbing to say the least.
• Leona is offended by everything he hears. What do you mean she didn't even have a name until she arrived in Twisted Wonderland? How can she claim to be someone possesion? And it's worse considering Yuu probably wouldn't mind sharing the most... disturbing details with the older students, so Leona ends up learning things he didn't want to know (e.g., the maids' role/the ceremony) and is livid, sickened, and above all, outraged.
• Surprisingly kind to Yuu after learning all this. He can see how scared she's of seeing the patterns of her world again, so he gives her space and tries not to seem so angry/grumpy around her so she doesn't take it the wrong way. He probably even tells Yuu that she's forbidden from apologizing to him, not just for the Overblot, but for anything (Yuu apologizes too much, it's a hard habit to break).
• Fortunately, no one wants to mess with someone who has the entire Savanaclaw dorm as a protection squad. Yuu ends up constantly being invited to eat with them, almost like an honorary member at this point (Ruggie says she's so thin he's afraid she'll blow away, lol).
• Let's be honest, at first Azul would see the fact that Yuu is clearly uneducated to his advantage in the contract in Book 3 (the whole thing just becoming very realistic), but he definitely starts to take a more sympathetic viewpoint when the events of Book 4 occur. Azul thought Yuu was either too naive or too idealistic, but he didn't expect her educational level to be so poor (even Floyd is doing better academically, which is worrying).
• Since Azul doesn't like being in debt, not even to the person who saved his life, he would try to help Yuu with her education, but more so in the financial realm, either by offering her a job at the Monstre Louge (seeing that she's unusually good at the job) and helping her organize her money (even threatening Crowley to give her more money).
• Azul is genuinely concerned about Yuu's joy over her rather mediocre salary, but it's not even about the money; it's about finally being able to HAVE money that's hers. Let's just say it's from this, and from some conversations with Riddle, that Azul begins to realize the seriousness of the situation. But he's observant; he can see several signs. Yuu's obedience and almost obsessive diligence aren't something you learn the hard way; it's something you do to avoid the worst. Something you learn to avoid punishment, to survive.
• Imagine Yuu telling Azul what happens if someone makes a mistake at work—"ah, they're tortured, or at best, publicly executed." WHAT? Or imagine a situation where Yuu accidentally breaks something in the VIP office and has a panic attack out of pure reflex, because she still has such a deep-rooted instinct to be in constant danger of making ONE SINGLE MISTAKE that could cost her her life. Azul has to spend TWO HOURS comforting her.
• Probably because of this, Azul fires Yuu from the Monster Lounge—not because he wants to or because she's a bad worker! Quite the opposite, but he realizes that Yuu is clearly still traumatized, and that instead of working, she should take advantage of her youth and live it up (and probably pay for some therapy sessions with the money that was supposed to be her allowance).
• Kalim is so oblivious that he probably doesn't realize Yuu comes from a bad background in her world unless she tells him or something similar to the aforementioned panic attack occurs. Not because he doesn't want to see it, but because Kalim honestly can't imagine such a cruel world. He treats Yuu with so much respect and affection, like a real friend, that Yuu probably cries (much to Kalim's surprise and concern).
• Yuu probably doesn't have to say much for Kalim to literally burst into tears for her. She had a life full of pain and injustice! She endured so much from horrible people who treated her horribly! (Jamil feels like he's going to roll his eyes into his brain) He just wants to give her a hug.
• Kalim definitely buys Yuu a lot of things he thinks she might like! Or things she's never seen before. It's thanks to him that Yuu has a smartphone. It's also not uncommon to see Yuu at banquets (I understand the handmaids also had a pretty strict diet?), and Kalim enjoys giving her a taste of various foods (except curry, never curry, anything but curry). Kalim likes to bring her dress fabrics or different types of clothing from the Scalind Sands, as well as offering to stop by Scarabia whenever she wants!
• Jamil is ironically the one Yuu connects with the most—after all, they've both been victims of a system that perpetuates slavery and forced servitude. But Jamil can tell that Yuu has seen things, horrifying things. Jamil is probably the only second-year who knows EVERYTHING Yuu went through, and they have a strange solidarity with each other. Jamil can't really judge Yuu for accepting Kalim's gifts and advances after everything she's been through? She deserves it.
• Jamil and Yuu have more in common than they think, and that's precisely why Jamil respects her, REAL respect, not only for being so much more than her trauma and what the family she served did to her, but for SURVIVING it. Let's just say they support each other quite a bit on their respective healing journeys, and he's willing to listen late into the night if Yuu is having a particularly bad day with memories of her world. Kalim and Jamil will always have a place in Scarabia for her.
• Definitely Kalim's opposite, he can tell something's wrong with Yuu just by looking at her: the way she walks, the way she acts around people (especially people who could be considered "authorities" within NRC), and the way she sometimes seems desperate to avoid conflict—obvious signs of someone always on guard, always scared, always on edge. Let's just say that's why Vil is less rude/demanding toward Yuu than he is in canon.
• Definitely another thing out of place about Yuu was the way she dressed when they went off campus—always wearing that long red dress and white hat. Vil thought it was old-fashioned and uncomfortable (especially doing all the housework she offered to do), but every time he brought a different version of that same dress (sometimes shorter, with thinner fabric, or a different color), Yuu rejected the idea, not really because she wanted to, but because those clothes were the only things she knew (which only set off alarm bells in Vil's head even more).
• Vil expected to learn that Yuu came from an abusive family or something, but when she opened up about why she acted that way, how she'd been indoctrinated and raised her whole life, what things were like in her world, his stomach tightened. It all made sense, but it sickened him to see how they'd tried to destroy the spirit of someone so... gentle. Vil is quite attentive to Yuu's bouts of panic and assures her of multiple options for when there's a collaboration between Pomefiore and Ramshackle, so she dosent feel overwhelmed or pressured.
• Yuu probably has a lot of overly traditional/misogynistic values due to her upbringing, so she and Vil end up having a relationship similar to the one she has with Epel, but much gentler. Vil understands that Yuu doesn't really mean the things she says, but rather it's something that's been drilled into her head, so he's surprisingly patient with her.
• I like imagining Vil and Yuu going clothes shopping together, or Yuu just accompanying Vil on a casual outing, and Yuu notices a pretty summer dress (but one that's more revealing than her normal dress), but can't bring herself to buy it. So Vil ends up surprising her by buying it for her (or telling Rook to get it). Overall, Vil helps Yuu figure out what she likes, what she doesn't like, and to develop her overall personality.
• I'll be brutally honest, by the time the events of book 6 occur and Idia and STYX take Grim (who, to Yuu, is the son she DID raise and has now been ripped from her arms again), Yuu HATED him with all her might. It was one of the few times the characters saw her so distraught, angry, and, above all, determined to find Grim and DESTROY the blue phosphorescent head. Even Idia was scared when she glared at him with such hatred the first time they met.
• However, in later events (and a couple of therapy sessions), Idia is surprised to see Yuu acting completely different than he had known her. She's not a vengeful soul out for blood, but is actually very sweet, and wants to be friends with HIM?! Idia is genuinely alert and thinking it's part of an intricate plan to kill him as revenge for Grimm (imagine Yuu wants to give him homemade cookies, Idia has Ortho check if they're poisoned... they were delicious).
• It's not until Yuu sits him down with her that she explains why she decided to forgive him. She spent much of her life thinking she could be nothing more than an object, a "mobile womb" for the upper class, but being in that world gave her the chance to truly start living, loving and hating, experiencing emotions she's been suppressing her entire life, so she doesn't want to hold on to resentment when, after all, she and Idia are just people in bad circumstances. Yuu just wants to live peacefully with Grimm, nothing more.
• Idia was probably too shaken up to realize until he was alone that Yuu had just spilled all her lore trauma to him. But he shows signs of trying to be there in his own way. Whether it's downloading books on mental health, or researching women in abusive environments and/or dictatorships and how to help, he's probably even made some sort of protocol for Yuu's panic attacks (believe me, he understands) and a study guide so she can catch up on the most important topics and graduate around the same time as Deuce and Ace.
• Idia may be cowardly, socially awkward, and many, many other things, but he respects Yuu not only for her resilience in the face of everything she's been through, but for remaining sweet and gentle despite it all.
Malleus Draconia (+Lilia)
• Malleus had already felt something odd about Yuu from the first time they met, and she was immediately scared beyond belief, not for the reasons Malleus thought, but because she had been "discovered" without her cap or red dress by a man, which was... unusual. Malleus had to assure Yuu that she wasn't being "immodest" or "inappropriate" by wearing her pajamas (which were, in fact, those long, old-fashioned nightgowns because Crowley didn't give her pajamas from this century). Still, Malleus could tell Yuu had a hard time believing him.
• Fortunately, Yuu's discomfort with her nightly visits diminished the more they occurred. They began to talk about various topics. At first, they settled on Malleus's interests, such as gargoyles and abandoned structures, but soon he became curious about his new friend's peculiar customs and habits. Why was she afraid of being seen without her normal hat and attire? Why did she always act as if she'd done something wrong? Why was the idea of being alone with a man so terrifying to her?
• And when Yuu opened up about it? Let's just say... there was a thunderstorm for two days. Malleus was beyond furious; he was filled with emotions he could barely contain: rage, disgust, disbelief, indignation, but above all, empathy for this new, vulnerable side that Yuu decided to show him, since she decided to tell him EVERYTHING that happened to her in her universe, every.detail. Because she trusted him. That, in a strange way, gave Malleus a warm feeling he couldn't quite place, but treasured.
• Malleus probably went to Lilia for advice on how to handle the situation appropriately and be of help to Yuu. He saw how Lilia's smile disappeared when he told him a SMALL fraction of what Yuu had told him, in order to know how to act. Overnight, Yuu was constantly invited to sit with the Diasomnia people, almost always between Lilia and Malleus, who didn't know whether to find it endearing or confusing how Lilia was now hovering over Yuu like a mother hen, commenting on how thin she was and how she needed to eat and rest more, how Crowley shouldn't be giving such a young and sweet girl so much work, etc.
• More than once, Malleus has intervened when Yuu has night terrors, either by accompanying her to sleep, or by using a simple spell to give her a dreamless night, or, better yet, to dream something pleasant for the first time in years. Malleus will make sure that Yuu never sleeps in fear or anguish again, but in the deep happiness and tranquility she deserves.
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