hiii! hope you're doing well and getting the rest and break you need!
i have an angsty request for childsoldier!yuu (another name for battlescar! yuu for convenience's sake) with the OB boys + Grim for in a scenario where childsoldier!yuu's suppressed trauma from the war against monsters in her old world + the overblots finally hits her, and when it hits her, it hits all at once and HARD poor kid's been holding in too much
you dont have to do this right away if you don't want to. just take your time and eat good food and drink water 🍵🥯
Thank you for your patience! You’re very sweet Anon <3 I'm finally back in the kitchen, through it's up to you to see if I'm cooking or not.
This is all platonic, Yuu is gender neutral, and takes place late in the game (Like book sixish). Age wise, I’m thinking Yuu lands just a little bit younger than the first years (14-15 or something). There is a good chunk of angst and panic in this set of drabbles, with mentions of death, battle, ect.
TWST Masterlist
Yuu finally broke. It wasn’t during a crisis, just a calm afternoon that was too cold and silent for their own good. The ghosts were off doing their jobs, leaving Yuu alone in Ramshackle. They were just doing some cleaning when a book fell off a shelf, thudding loudly and sending a shockwave through Yuu from where they were dusting on the opposite side of the room. It felt like a landmine. Like being on a battlefield with nothing to fight or fuel their adrenaline. The adrenaline that kept fear caged deep inside of Yuu. The adrenaline that kept them sane and calm through the most insane and dangerous situations. But the calm of cleaning and silence left them reacting like they hadn’t been a soldier but a civilian. Like they hadn’t been born for a battlefield instead of a cradle. Years of cages held back by duty and trauma broke open, leaving Yuu in a silent panic attack. It swept over them as they sat on the floor, head between knees, rocking as they fought for breath. Luckily for them, their panic was about to be interrupted by a friend coming up the stairs…
Riddle Rosehearts
Riddle reached the top of the stairs and saw the open door. Dread flooded him as he noticed Yuu sitting on the floor, rocking in place. Of course, Riddle recognized a panic attack. He’d seen plenty of them as Housewarden – and admittedly he had some personal experience – but he’d never been good with dealing with them. He’d usually default to Trey, who was more proficient in comforting others. But Trey was doing some duty for his club at the moment. There was no way that he’d get to Ramshackle fast enough. It was up to Riddle. The worst case scenario in his educated opinion.
He didn’t want to scare Yuu, so he tried his best to make a reasonable amount of noise as he entered the same room. He also wanted to make sure you didn’t feel trapped, so he found himself sitting on his knees a few feet from you.
“Hello,” Riddle nearly cringed at his own voice, “It’s- It’s going to be okay.”
Yuu froze. Like they could tell they were being perceived, shame stopping action, but still too lost to actively break free of the anxiety holding them.
“It’s Riddle. I’m not going to hurt you,” He tried to think of what Trey or even Cater would do, “Can- can you open your eyes and tell me five things you can see?”
He waited. It seemed like forever and he worried that he was pushing for too much, but slowly their arms lowered to rest on their knees instead of over their eyes.
Their voice was a murmur in the wind, but Riddle caught the words before they were completely lost, “Knees. Hands. Arms. Wood. Dust. Tears.”
The response was quiet and broken, but still robotic. It reminded Riddle about how he would respond to his mother screaming when rules had been broken.
“And,” Riddle moved the tiniest bit closer, “Four things you can touch.”
Yuu shifted, but still responded in the same broken cadence, “Skin. Wood. Tears. And-” they hesitated moving a hand to an abandoned rag nearby, “cloth.”
“You’re doing great,” Riddle smiled, seeing some of Yuu returning from whatever depth they had fallen into, “Three things you can hear.”
“Riddle’s voice. My voice. And- and-” Deep breath, “Silence.”
“Okay, two things you can smell.”
“Dust and probably mold.”
“We’ve really got to do something about that,” Riddle was now able to look Yuu in the eyes, he couldn’t help but smile at them, "Finally, one thing you can taste.”
“Kinda just my own saliva? But that’s just because I haven’t eaten in a while.”
Riddle stood and held out a hand, “We can go fix that. I can help.”
Leona Kingscholar
Leona was just looking for a place to nap in peace when he stumbled upon the war happening in Ramshackle. He’d snuck off to try and avoid Ruggie’s nagging only to find too much silence inside the nearly abandoned dorm. Something felt seriously wrong. He ventured upstairs to find the prefect cradling themselves on the floor. Leona froze. He recognized the rocking and murmuring as a panic attack. He’d had one when he was younger before he figured out how to push all that down. But that didn’t mean he had any idea on how to help. No one had helped him. He had no example to follow and definitely was never good at all the touchy-feely stuff naturally.
Eventually he sat down somewhat close to Yuu. Far enough to be non-threatening, while being close enough to be ‘supportive’? That was his hope at least. It was odd to Leona that he cared so much about a little kid, but he supposed that it was because Yuu was older and not as annoying as Cheeka. Yeah, that had to be it.
“Breathe,” He commanded in the softest voice he could muster, “In and out. Slowly.”
Yuu didn’t breathe, only stopped like a deer in headlights.
“It’s Leona Kingschoolar. I’m not going to cause you any trouble,” He didn’t look at Yuu, “I just need you to breathe. Nothing is going to hurt you right now. I won’t let it.”
Yuu stopped rocking, slowly separating their knees from their faces. Leona watched their chest rise and fall as the pace of it all slowed.
“Good,” Leona let out a breath he didn’t fully realize he was holding, “Keep it up.”
Yuu finally looked up, “Leona.”
“I’m just over here,” He knew that the best thing he could do was keep himself steady.
“I know,” Yuu’s voice was quiet, “Why? You- You could have just left. I would have been fine eventually. I’m used to handling things alone.”
“I am too,” He leaned back against the wall, “But it’s easier when someone actually shows up for you. You know me. I like for things to get done the easy way. Especially when it’s convenient for me.”
Yuu smiled, “There’s no way that something like this is convenient for you.”
“You don’t know my motivations,” He shrugged, “Maybe I’m just trying to get a favor out of you.”
Yuu laughed, knowing that Leona was joking in his own way, “I guess I owe you one then.”
“Nah,” He finally looked at Yuu, “You’ve done more than enough. You’ve- gone through more than enough.”
“You-” Yuu sighed, “You wanna take a nap? I’m tired.”
“Sounds perfect Kid.”
Azul Ashengrotto
Yuu wasn’t answering the phone. That was enough for Azul to make his way to Ramshackle. Yuu was one of the people that would always answer his calls, they were so eager to please. It was one of the reasons Azul initially found himself growing fond of them. He entered Ramshackle and made his way up the stairs.
He didn’t know what he was expecting, but this wasn’t it. He’d expected blood, blot, some kind of horrific accident, or even that Yuu wasn’t home. However, all that was there was Yuu themselves, rocking in place with a duster and a book on the floor. Pure panic seemed to ebb from them as they murmured and held their hands over their head.
Azul found himself speaking before he could stop himself, “Yuu?”
They froze, head slowly craning up like one would look up at a horror movie villain. Pure terror.
“Hey,” Azul slowly lowered himself, “It’s just me.”
“I’m okay,” Their voice came out rushed and scared, “I’m fine.”
“No,” Azul put on a gentle smile, “But that’s okay. You don’t have to be fine right now. You just need to be here. That- that’s all that matters."
“I’m-” Their breathing was still much too fast.
“Hold my hands,” Azul slowly moved to sit in front of them, holding out his hands, “Remember, you are in Ramshackle. I am Azul, your friend. Nothing here is going to hurt you.”
“I-” Yuu took a large but broken breath, “I know.”
“What happened?” He found himself rubbing his thumbs over the back of Yuu’s hands, “What did this to you?”
“No-” Yuu shook their head, “Nothing really happened. A- a book fell. I just- overreacted.”
“I’m sure you didn’t ‘overreact’,” Azul kept his voice steady, “Sometimes I forget how young you are. You always seem so fearless. It’s like I’m talking to someone much older.”
“I’m-” Yuu wiped a tear from their eye, “I’m mature for my age. I’m not like the others. I’m stronger. I can handle things that civilians can’t. Other kids just aren’t as special.”
“No,” Azul hid his reaction to Yuu’s words, “You don’t have to be all the time. Sometimes, you can just be you. That will be enough. Let yourself feel what you feel.”
“Are you sure that that’s okay?” Yuu gripped Azul's hands, “What if I make things worse?”
“Trust me,” He smiled, “There’s no way that you being yourself would make things worse.”
Yuu finally smiled, “Thanks Azul.”
Jamil Viper
Kalim had borrowed a notebook from Yuu and it had somehow become Jamil’s job to return it. He entered Ramshackle, setting the notebook down and intending to leave immediately. However, something felt wrong. He found himself going against his better judgment and making his way upstairs.
“Yuu?” He called ahead of him, “It’s Jamil. I was just dropping off your notebook.”
“Oh-” Yuu’s voice was distant, broken, defensive, “Okay.”
“Are you-?” Jamil reached the top of the stairs, finding Yuu sitting in a corner.
They were shaking. Breath coming out in slabs. They stared forward, eyes landing on Jamil like he was a dangerous animal that could attack at any moment. The panic in their face was clear as day.
“Hey,” Jamil put his hands up, showing how he had nothing to hurt them with, “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I-” Their breath was still too quick, “I know. I’m okay. I need to be normal. I’m not a civilian. I’m a soldier. Soldiers don’t panic. Only babies.”
“Hey, no,” Jamil sat down, “You’re allowed to be afraid. Just- breathe for me.”
Yuu took in a long shaky breath.
Jamil nodded, “Good, now hold it until I count to 30. Then let it go.”
Jamil started counting as Yuu followed his instruction. Soon, Yuu was pulled back to reality, breathing normally without effort.
“Sorry Jamil,” Yuu looked off to the side, “You work hard enough already. You shouldn’t have to deal with me being silly.”
“That’s not what this is,” Jamil sighed, “Kalim is usually being silly. You were scared. Everyone is allowed to be scared from time to time.”
“But I’m not-”
“You are a person,” Jamil looked Yuu dead in the eye, “Not a weapon. Not a machine. And not something to be ashamed of.”
“Okay,” Yuu fell silent once more.
Jamil then looked around, noticing the fallen book and the broom laying nearby, “Were you cleaning?”
Yuu nodded.
“Okay,” Jamil checked his watch, “Kalim should be hanging out with Cater and Lilia for a few more hours. I’ll help you out.”
Yuu’s eyes blew wide, “I couldn’t-”
“You’re not asking me to,” Jamil stood, “I’m just doing it. I- I owe you one. I’m just paying it back. Maybe get me a glass of water if you really feel bad. Get yourself one too.”
Yuu slowly rose to her feet, “Okay. I can do that.”
“Good.”
Vil Schoenheit
Rook hadn’t reported back in hours. That usually meant that he was on one of his ‘beauty sight-seeing’ trips. So Vil decided to look for him at his usual haunts. That led him to Ramshackle dorm. He looked all around the outside, finding nothing, and decided to look for Leona next. However, something felt wrong. For Vil, it felt like the very air was laced with something unpleasant and tainted. He found himself knocking on Ramshackle's door.
His fist knocked against the wood and the door immediately swung open. Against better judgment, he made his way inside.
“Yuu, Dear?” Vil called out softly, “Is everything alright?”
He soon found Yuu in a corner of the upstairs. Their head was between their knees and they were murmuring between heavy but quick breaths. Vil, of course, knew exactly what a panic attack was. He’d had a few when he was younger, and he had seen plenty of Pomefiore students and costars have their own over the years.
“It’s alright,” Vil gently lowered himself where he stood, leaving plenty of space between him and Yuu, “It’s just me, Vil. I’m not going to hurt you. There is no danger. You are on the top floor of Ramshackle dorm at Night Raven College. It’s just the two of us. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
“I’m sorry,” Yuu’s voice came out quiet and rushed, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be ridiculous," He kept his voice level, “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re just scared. Everyone can be scared. That’s allowed.”
Yuu was still shaking, “I’m-”
“Do you need me to hold you?” Vil opened his arms, “I can keep you safe.”
Yuu just nodded, swiftly placing themselves in Vil’s embrace. It wasn’t often that Vil would give others physical affection, so Yuu found themselves jumping at the chance without even thinking.
Vil slowly began brushing his fingers through Yuu’s hair, “Spend as much time here as you need. Children should get as much affection as they want. I hope I can make up for some of that.”
“I’m not-” Yuu sniffled, but they were breathing normally and that’s all Vil cared about, “I’m not a child.”
“You never got the chance to be,” Vil sighed, “That’s the problem. Besides, you’re not exactly an adult either.”
Yuu let a little smile smile, “I guess.”
Vil finally let himself smile too, “Good. Let’s just- be. For a little while. Then we can get dinner. Okay?”
Yuu nodded before snuggling back into Vil’s chest, “Okay.”
Idia Shroud
Idia should have known that nothing was really that easy. Yuu had told Idia he could come over anytime to play couch co-op games on the console he had given Ramshackle. Idia finally decided to take them up on that offer, using it to somewhat circumvent Ortho’s demand that Idia ‘get out and enjoy himself IRL’. But when Idia entered the half-rebuilt building and heard nothing, he began to worry that Yuu wasn’t there. Would it be weird if he hid out there anyway?
But then he found himself walking up the stairs.
He froze the moment he saw Yuu. A human ball with murmurs and sniffles that vibrated with nervous energy that felt like a second home to Idia. He’d had more than his fair share of panic attacks over the years, but all of them had never been intercepted by other people. He’d always locked himself away before falling apart and he’d never seen someone else have that kinda reaction to anything.
“Hey-” Idia froze as he saw you react to his presence, “So- Sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” Yuu’s voice came out quiet, “I didn’t- I’m not supposed to- I’m strong. I’m not-”
“Don’t-” Idia sat down nearby, “Don’t be sorry. Just- I’ll be here. If you need to talk. Or not. I’ll- I’ll be here either way.”
“I don’t need-” They shook, “I’m a soldier. I’m strong.”
Idia knew that Yuu had been through a lot in their world, but this was more than he had known, “You can’t fix what happened. But you can breathe. Keep breathing. That’s how you- this is so cringe - heal. It’s how you heal. And I’ll be here if you need me. It’s the least I can do.”
“Idia,” Yuu finally looked up, “I- Thanks.”
“It’s nothing,” He looked away, “I’m just- saying what needs to be said. I shouldn’t be the one who needed to tell you that. Someone should have said it a lot earlier.”
Yuu reached out a hand, though they didn’t dare ask for touch out loud.
Idia, slowly, placed his hand on top of theirs, “I’m not good at this sappy, normie stuff.”
“You did good,” Yuu gave a small smile, “Can- we just sit for a little bit?”
“Sure,” He readjusted his legs, “Then maybe we can play a cosy game.”
“No way,” Yuu let out a small laugh, “We both get way too angry at those.”
Idia rolled his eyes, “It’s not my fault the NPCs are too picky with gifts and furniture placement.”
Yuu had definitely calmed down for now.
Malleus Draconia
Something in the air around Ramshackle felt wrong the moment Malleus happened to walk by. Immediately he made his way to check on his child of man. He found them curled into a ball, clearly living through a battle Malleus couldn’t see. He quietly retreated to Yuu’s bedroom, grabbing the softest blankets and pillows he could find. He then returned, sitting down and slowly placing the items around himself and Yuu’s trembling form. He created a little nest of safety for both of you.
“It’s going to be alright,” He spoke barely above a whisper, “Nothing is going to hurt you. Not while I’m here.”
Malleus saw Yuu shiver, so he moved one of the blankets to lay over their back. His eyes followed Yuu’s fingers as they moved to touch the soft blanket, rubbing the fabric while breathing deeply.
“My young friend,” Malleus watched Yuu carefully, “I do not know what caused you such fear, but I need you to know that it is yours to feel. I want to help, not prevent you from feeling what you need to feel. You do not need to be strong for my benefit.”
“I-” Yuu’s voice was shallow, “I shouldn’t be scared. I’m not a civilian. I’m a warrior. I’ve- I’ve been to war. I’ve seen people die. I shouldn’t be scared of a falling book.”
Malleus looked up, seeing a thick tome laying on the ground on the other side of the room.
“You’re not scared of the book,” Malleus stood, putting the book back on the shelf, “You’re scared of the memories the book brought. The war, the death, and the memory of it all. I occasionally see something similar in Lilia. It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Malleus returned to the nest, “Maybe you can speak with Lilia on the matter when you feel better.”
Yuu sniffled, leaning on Malleus’s arm, “Maybe.”
“But let’s just stay here for a while,” Malleus leaned back, “We can talk or read. Just- something calm.”
“Thanks, Hornton,” Yuu smiled, “That’s just what I needed.”
Grim
“Yuu! I’m home!” Grim stormed in the Ramshackle doors like he owned the place. Which if anyone did, it was probably him, “Where did you run off to?”
That’s when Grim made it to the top of the stairs. Grim found his human there, hands over ears, knees to chest, rocking as they mumbled something Grim couldn’t understand.
“Hey,” Grim moved closer, “Hey it’s okay. It’s me. What’s happening?”
Grim was moments away from panicking. Was his human overbloting? Can magicless people overblot? Were they dying?
“Should I get someone?” Grim placed a paw on Yuu’s leg, ignoring the small flinch the moment he made contact, “Yuu, what do I need to do? How do I fix you?”
Yuu slowly removed their hands from their ears and lowered their legs, instead grabbing Grim and pulling him into their lap, “Stay.”
They put their face against Grim, letting tears soak into his fur. Holding onto him gently, but like their lives depended on it. They found themselves listening to Grim’s heartbeat, matching his breaths.
Normally Grim would have complained about his human being all messy and mushy. However, this was different and he knew it. He knew that you needed him right now. Just to be there and be steady. He forced himself to breathe as normally as possible, hoping you would follow his example.
“Don’t worry,” Grim snuggled into Yuu, “The great Grim has got you.”
Note: Seriously though, sorry it's been forever. I've been working over the summer and have been facing serious writers block and general burnout. I'm going to finish the requests currently in my inbox before even attempting to open requests again. I might also try to work on other projects from other fandoms to see if that can get me back on my creative track. Thanks for all your patience.
