Prompt: “That’s my name, please wear it out.”
Characters: All NRC
Masterlist: (1) (2)
A/N: Freeing this nonsense from my older drafts :p
They learn your name isn’t ‘Yuu’ — which is a mistake made by the dark mirror and nickname Crowley endorsed on the day you arrived. You’ve just been rolling with it since.
Until now.
You’ve applied for citizenship in their home country post-graduation and it hits them that…they don’t know your last name. Trying not to seem like a bad boyfriend, they sneak a peak at your official documents issued by Night Raven’s guardianship.
Only to learn that they apparently didn’t know your first name either. Wow. *low whistle* that is just….yeah. That’s something alright.
—
Riddle is floored. Considering he is a man of details, how on earth could he go four years without knowing your last name? While simultaneously misusing your first? He isn’t sure how to proceed. Should he be angry with himself for overlooking such an important matter, or angry at you for being so flippant? Both. The answer is both. He is going to be thinking about this for years.
“...Four years, and not once did you think to correct me?" He exhales, measured but tense. "That is either a remarkable lapse in judgment, or an astonishing lack of consideration. Do you have any idea how improper that is—on both our parts?!”
Cater makes a joke, insisting that this was your plan all along, huh? To assume a new identity the moment you weren’t tied to the Isle of Sages anymore? When you dock in the Queedom, will you disappear into the night? Good luck with that, sweetie. Under the jokes he is in mourning. He really liked the nickname YuuYuu. Even if you tell him it’s okay to use, he just can’t.
“Aww, babe, that is so shady of you but kind of iconic, not gonna lie." He laughs, then winces. "I cannot believe you really pulled the whole identity swap trope on me. AH! I've been hashtagging the wrong name for years! My brand is about to be in shambles.”
Trey thinks of all the times you’ve called him a pushover (affectionate). As if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black. How could you look him in the eye for four years and tell him to be more open, when you’ve been allowing an entire campus call you by the wrong name? Is he really the laid back one in this relationship here? God it’s ‘the girl with the green ribbon’ story all over again. When was he going to find out, when you’re both senile in a nursing home?
“Your name is … nice?" He adjusts his glasses slightly, if not a bit awkward. "I don’t know how I’m supposed to react in this situation. Just give me a second. Maybe sixty.”
Deuce is stuck remembering all the times he’s doodled your name in the margines of his notebook. He feels a bit slighted, did you not trust him? Did you think he wouldn’t believe you if you told him the truth? What’s he going to tell his mom? It already took a hour to convince her that ‘Yuu’ was your actual name and not some sick joke. You made him a liar! Dylla is not going to let him live this down. It’s 100% being mentioned to every party guest at your wedding and in her speech too.
“I already told my mom your name was Yuu!" He groans loudly, genuinely distressed "Do you know how hard that was to explain? Stop — stop laughing damn it! She is never going to forget this!”
Ace. Who doesn’t care. You’re ‘Yuu’. It’s what he’s called you these past four years and what he’ll keep calling you until the day you die. If you had a problem with it, you should’ve correct him before. Sorry, not sorry (secretly a bit miffed). Jokes aside — he takes absolutely no time getting over it and just mashes the names together into a nickname that sounds new levels of wrong. That becomes your permanent title.
“You just let me look stupid all this time, huh?” He clicks his tongue. “That’s messed up. So…do I get to pick now, or are we pitching names in magnets on the fridge like you’re a newborn? ‘Cause I’m cool with either.”
Leona is drifting through every thought he has ever had about you for the past for years. Your name spoken in his dreams, stuck on his tongue each time he watched you walk away. Etched in his eyelids and written in the red glow when sun blinds him awake in the morning. Spoken from his chest during moments of binding intimacy. All those moments now tainted by that damned Crow. He’s pissed you never once corrected him. Out of spite, you lose name privileges for an entire day. That old title of ‘herbivore’ coming back after a three year drought. In truth, he’s just buying a bit of time to figure himself out. Even though you’re the one who let him, calling you by the wrong name is a disrespect he cannot believe you allowed an entire campus get away with.
“Tch. So all this time, you let everyone get your name wrong and just sat there. If it bothered you, you should’ve said something.” He clicks his tongue, looking away. “You know what? Fine. Don’t make me out as the idiot for taking you at your word, herbivore.”
Ruggie writes your name on a piece of notebook paper and clips it to your collar. Makes sure to do it in the biggest red marker he can find too, so people know exactly what they’re seeing. He’s got secrets, yeah. Sure. Not from you though. Did you seriously expect him to take one look at that file and let it go? Do you have any idea how important it is to have your documents right (or at least convincing forgeries)? Never-mind that you’ve had him write home to his Grandma about you with the wrong name. For four years. She’s actually going to kill him for this. You are aware that hyena households are matriarchal, right?
“You know how hard it is to keep paperwork straight?” He taps the file against your head like it is obvious. “If you were gonna be all mysterious, you could’ve picked a better time. Sheesh. Gran's gonna have my tail for this...”
Jack can’t stop staring. His whole body went stiff and he forgot that it was just supposed to be a subtle glance over your shoulder. Now there’s this hunk of meat breathing down your neck, looming there like the words will change if he stares hard enough — because how. How do you go four years with someone and not tell them your real name? He feels even worse once you tell him the reason why you let everyone call you ‘Yuu’.
“…Oh.” His ears twitch, and his terse expression softens when you explain why you didn’t correct anyone. “So that’s why, huh.” A pause. “I get why you did it, but I wish you’d trusted me enough to tell me sooner. We could've set the record straight together. as a team.”
Azul dumps all your name-tags out on his desk for prime viewing. Mostro Lounge. Sams. Student ID. Newspaper Club ID. He does the same for all your old documentations. Train tickets, movie stubs, class schedules, etc. Don’t ask why he has these. Definitely not because they’re the only proof that you exist. Anyways. What do they all say? Oh, ‘Yuu’? And what is your name? Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Never-mind that you could’ve used this to cheese him out of a contract. He can’t believe you’ve held such an Ace up your sleeve and did not use it once.
“Fascinating. You had the perfect loophole and chose not to exploit it.” He exhales, somewhere between impressed and irritated. “I don’t know whether to applaud your restraint or question your judgment.”
Jade just found out your dirty little secret. He always had an inkling that you were hiding something from him. Yet the sense he got was unlike that of debtors intentionally fabricating stories. To him, a name is but a string of letters. Although this is good to know for when binding matters are concerned.
“I had wondered what you were withholding.” Jade chuckles into his closed fist. “But I must admit, I did not expect it to be something so straightforward.”
Floyd gets your last name and then instantly forgets it. Kidding! Does it really matter, when your last name is going to be ‘Leech’ anyway? For a long time he assumed you didn’t have one and was already content with sharing. Your first name is interesting. He thinks Crowley sucks for making an entire campus call you by somethin’ you’re not…but to Floyd, you’re always going to be ‘Shrimpy’. (He uses your given name often later on. Azul is Azul. Jade is Jade. When the time comes, you will be yourself too.)
“Hehe, that’s so weird. I thought you just didn’t have one, like a stray or somethin’.” Floyd grins, leaning closer. “Your last name’s gonna be Leech soon anyway, so who cares?”
Kalim feels guilty. Like the kind of guilt that gets passed down six generations. Despite his large family, he's made an effort to learn the names of all his siblings and cousins. Yet he's been addressing the literal love of his life as a pronoun?! You might think it's hilarious but this sweet summer child has an existential crisis. Naturally he'll laugh it off if you do, but it's like he's 16 again and there are important things about the people he cares about flying over his head. For the next week, expect him to overuse your name. Although, he is a bit sad. He's called you 'Yuu' for so long and he can't exactly forget how much love was poured into each time he spoke it. He still calls you Yuu sometimes out of habit, catches himself, then laughs it off, switching back and forth without much care.
“Wait—so I’ve just been calling you the wrong name this whole time?!” He laughs, a little too loud to sound natural. “No way — say it again, we can start over! Hi, I'm Kalim 'Al Asim. It's nice to meet you!”
Jamil is wondering how you've managed to survive this long. He knows for a fact that you've been to the doctor. Mainly because it was his butt seated in the waiting room with the same six shoddy pop-songs stuck on loop for two hours. Pure torture but necessary since you apparently had to be forced there. So just...why didn't you correct him when filling out forms back then? Better yet, why didn't you correct him at literally any point in time? It's been four years. Even if you were apprehensive at first for very valid reasons....seriously? This is how he finds out? He's honestly impressed you can keep a secret, considering you text him about eggshells in your cake or when someone sneezed a fart during class. Someone...help him.
“Four years.” He exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’ll tell me every minor detail of your life, but this is what you decide to keep to yourself?”
Epel does a spit take. You’ll need to request a new, laminated copy, alongside a change of shirt. This one’s been drenched in apple juice and crumpled from when he all but snatched the papers from your hands. Subtly be damned — you mean to tell him he’s been simpering and whimpering over the wrong name for four long years? What if he got it tattooed on his blastcycle?! Or carved into a ring box, huh?! Ah. No. He wasn’t going to do that. Forget everything he just said! Hells…if he wasn’t close to graduating too, he’d take the detention just to tell Crowley off. How the heck could you let this sort of thing go!
“What do you mean that ain’t your real name?!” He coughs, then wipes at the mess on his shirt with a horrified look. “Hells, I knew Crowley was negligent, but this is ridiculous. You’re lucky I’m tryin’ not to get detention, else I ought to go have a word with 'im myself."
Rook cannot believe there was something about you that he did not know. He resigned the knowledge of your last name to time and convenience — but to mistake your first? The revelation is both a thrilling miracle and an utter travesty! The mere thought that you haven’t spoken your own name in four years? Oh, you know his heart is shattered when not a word of purple prose escapes him. Yet he cannot sulk. No. The name ‘Yuu’ is still so special. It is the name that dots every love letter, every thought, every passion that has consumed him for four years. He welcomes your birth name as the dawn of a new era, seeing you as a vibrant blossom finally in bloom within Twisted Wonderland.
"Je te vois, mon cher, and yet there was still a part of you I had not known.” He closes his eyes for a moment, almost savoring the revelation. “A secret so intimate, so tenderly kept, and now at last revealed to the one who adores every facet of you.”
Vil loses his decorum for a brief moment. The documents are plucked from your hands, his unoccupied one grasps your bicep so that you don’t just run off on him. He points to the nearest chair and makes you sit while he skims through all of NRC’s paperwork. Your personal details are not his business and Vil is all for privacy…but he honestly has no idea what you were thinking. You do understand that you have the right to stand up for yourself, yes? Even if you wished to keep being called ‘Yuu’ — which based on your story, he assumes is false, did you not think to tell your lover? It seems a discussion about confidence is due…and an aspirin. Maybe two.
“Even if you tolerated it, why would you not correct me?” His eyes narrow slightly. “Confidence is not optional, especially when it concerns your own identity.”
Idia short circuits. His palms are moister than they get after a 24hr code jam. Not even the time crunch of a same-day deadline can get him like this. He really is the worst boyfriend in existence. Not only did it take years for you to receive proper documentation — y’know, proof of your existence so you can’t just go ‘poof’ on him someday? But to be called something like ‘Yuu’ which he is realizing in real time is just ‘You’. Wow. That’s so messed up. Why are you with him? Why didn’t you correct him? Why didn’t he think to check your stats before? Holy shit. Keyboard smash in his chest and everything.
“W-Wait—so ‘Yuu’ is literally just… ‘you’?” He stares at you like his brain just blue-screened. “How did I not catch that? I’ve min-maxed entire RPGs but couldn’t fact-check my own relationship? — god, what is wrong with me?!”
Malleus wanes as if his entire world has been flipped upside down. You were his first friend. His first and last love. Yet he cannot be remiss with you for holding your name close to your heart. He did the same when you first met, after all. Except Malleus’ ruse lasted some months while yours has held strong this entire relationship. Malleus cannot believe he’s been completely in the dark for four years. What bothers him most is that you may have gone forever without sharing this with him. Names are bonding for fae. Did you intend to bind yourself to his one day, but not allow him to do the same? Don’t bother checking the weather forecast. A monsoon is on the way with three days of heavy rain.
“Ah… I see.” He studies you with a look steady, almost aching. “Your name is not a small thing, child of man. It is a part of you, and I wish I had been worthy of cherishing it sooner.. You need not fear giving it to me now. Whether you are called by the name this world gave you or the one you were born with, I will always know exactly who stands before me.”
Lilia plays it in good fun. Anytime someone asks after ‘Yuu’, he plays dumb. Even if you’re right there. One of his little students asks about his partner? Oh, sorry dearie. They’re not around anymore but have you met my new sweetheart? Then he introduces you by your given name, and suddenly you have to explain to a class of five year olds that their teacher is a jerk who will not be getting the lunch you’ve come to drop off. Lilia’s another one who doesn’t hold himself too harshly for not knowing. Names hold power, yes. Although he’s begun to accept that one such as ‘Vanrouge’ can be desired, even though it is stained in unfathomable amounts of blood. He is just waiting for you to accept it.
“If it makes you feel better, I shall pretend to be scandalized for your sake.” He grins, utterly delighted. “But between us, dearie? I rather like that I can get to know you all over again.”
Sebek deems this as a betrayal. You could point out to him that for the first year you both spent together, he hardly used your name at all. You corrected him for calling you ‘human’ countless times back then and yet he never listened until reality slapped him in the face. Even now he still relapses on occasion, to which he apologizes. Except that reminder would only serve to upset him further. Sebek expects you to hold him at the highest regard. Even if the entire world calls you ‘Yuu’ and you were okay with it, as your partner it is his responsibility to ensure you are not just satisfied, but comfortable. Uplifted. Your name is your legacy. Wear it with pride.
“You should have corrected everyone immediately!” He’s already halfway to pacing. “No, do not look at me like that. This is a matter of honor, as your true name is part of your dignity. You will not be forced to wear a name that is not yours if I have anything to say about it."
Silver is overcome with a deep sense of melancholy. For most of his life, he went without a last name. Which is why seeing ‘Vanrougue’ written next to his person is still an adjustment. A fond one, but an adjustment nonetheless. Yet this overwhelming sensation is actually attributed to the fact that with the name ‘Vanrouge,’ it was like the world finally recognized him. He wonders how you must have felt to be given a new name in a new place and thrust into this new life. ‘Yuu’ is just one piece of who you are. He wants to know the person behind your true name. To see all of you.
“I see.” His expression turns thoughtful, a little sad around the edges. “Then you have been carrying a name that was never fully yours while building a life around it. I understand a little of that feeling. Having my name finally given to me is what made the world feel real. I wonder if it feels the same for you now."
in which, while running errands with azul and jamil, you have a fateful encounter and worrying heart-to-heart about your current living conditions with their RSA counterparts - minajael and rielle.
tw - none. borderline shitposting. live dove: tender and sweet.
It’d been three weeks since winter vacation, Meaning, three weeks since Jamil locked you in his dorm and threatened you into helping him resolve a crisis he’d solved. Meaning, three weeks since he lost his temper and tried to kill you the old-fashioned way. Meaning, three weeks since you, Grim, Azul, and he came to the understanding that it would take some serious monetary incentives for you all to simply forget to mention the incident to Crowley.
Was the trauma still fresh? Absolutely.
Would you probably benefit from literally any amount of distance from not one, but two separate men who’d attempted to murder and/or enslave you in the same school year? Undoubtedly.
Was distance as profitable as exploiting Jamil (and, by association, Kalim’s) fear of explosion? Definitely not.
And so, taking advantage of your new wallet on legs, you found yourself browsing fresh fruit at the heart of Sage Island’s marketplace, Jamil perusing to your left and Azul haggling with the vendor to your right. Your mouth had only just started to water at the thought of refilling Ramshakle’s consistently empty pantry when you heard a shrill voice cry out deafeningly behind you. It was calling Azul’s name.
There was a flash of red and teal, and then, a new shape was latched onto Azul’s back – a teenage boy. He must’ve been a student, but his uniform was unfamiliar and Azul looked less than elated by the sudden reunion, visibly fighting to keep his composure as the new boy all-but strangled him in a full body hug. “Azzy,” he cried, burying his face in Azul’s shoulder. If you hadn’t known better, you would’ve thought he was greeting a lover freshly back from some terrible war. “It’s been so, so, so long. You never write anymore, and I was so excited when I found out we’d be going to school on the same island, and—”
Next to you, Jamil snickered. You pursed your lips.
“Is this your fault?”
“This is just karma,” Jamil admitted. “Everyone deserves a visit from home, now and then.”
“Is that right, Viper?”
You turned your attention to yet another new face – a significantly taller boy. He wore a delicately braided headscarf and enough gold jewelry around his neck to pay your bills for the next decade. Hmm. Maybe you’d been summoned to the wrong school after all.
Immediately, Jamil’s grin fell into a grimace, only to be quickly replaced by a strained, sickeningly polite smile. He turned to you, gesturing to the newcomer. “(Y/n), this is—”
“Minajael. And the leech over there is Rielle.” He waved toward his red-headed companion. “I didn’t realize Jamil had such pretty friends.”
Jamil’s smile wavered. “We’re just classmates. (Y/n) is another student at—”
“Half a student,” you corrected. “Since I don’t have any magic.”
Minajael let out a breath of a laugh. “I didn’t know Night Raven was so accepting.”
“Oh, they aren’t. They kinda had to let me in, since I was summoned here from another dimension and don’t know anything about this world and all. I would probably starve to death if they kicked me out. The headmade even made me work as a janitor for a while, too.” You paused to think. “That, or I have a really bad concussion. I did hit my head pretty hard when all the house-wardens attacked me during the opening ceremony.”
That was enough to catch Rielle’s attention, too. He looked away from Azul just long enough to ask, “Wait, so you don’t know anything about life here?Like, anything at all?”
Azul grunted. “We’ve taught them plenty.”
“That’s right,” you said, nodding wisely. “They taught me all about playing magift.”
“Among other things.”
“Oh, yeah. I learned how to cook and clean while working for Azul’s restaurant. That’s why he didn’t have pay to me.”
Again, Azul opened his mouth, but you shot him a look and he closed it just as quickly. It wasn’t as if the real explanation of your as-of-yet uncompensated labor was any less damning.
Minajael’s expression took on a concerned note. “But, they are taking care of you now, right? I didn’t take Kalim for the type to leave a member of his dorm—”
“Oh, no, I’m not in Scrabia.”
Rielle beamed. “Octavinelle, then?”
“Nope.” You took care to pop the ‘p’ appropriately. “I actually sleep in a dilapidated shack on campus. Not all alone, obviously. The ghosts keep me company. And the fire-breathing dire-beast who lives in my kitchen.”
Minajael’s eyes widened and Rielle audibly gasped. You were thankful you’d left Grim with Ace and Deuce, today. Your monster was more horrific in description than he was in reality.
“Not that we aren’t ecstatic to host,” Jamil added. It was almost impressive – how broad he could smile when he was trying to save face. “You just stayed with us over winter break, remember?”
“Ah, right. You guys were so happy to have me, you actually locked me in my room every night. With a bar across the door and everything.” You laughed, shaking your head. “I don’t know how that slipped my mind. Must be the concussion acting up again. Never did see anyone about that.”
Jamil moved to interject, but Minajael was faster – shoving past Jamil and taking your hands in his. When he spoke, his voice was delicate, lowered into a hush. As if anything louder would break you into pieces. “Do you want something to eat, sweetheart? Maybe a place to stay? We could even have a little chat with our headmage. Only if you wanted to, of course.”
Rielle was much more blunt. “Do you want us to call the police?”
You feigned shock. “There are cops in this world? Jamil said that no one would ever, ever come to save—”
You weren’t allowed to finish. Jamil was already grabbing your wrist and spouting off an excuse about an early curfew or festival preparations or some other trivial but urgent matter all of you had to attend to in next five minutes. Before you could protest, you were being dragged out of the marketplace and toward Night Raven, a flustered Azul trailing just a few steps behind.
“You,” he started, malice thick in his tone, “are a hazard to yourself and others.”
“Especially others,” Azul huffed.
You could only grin, satisfied to have reminded them how good it was to have you on their side.
ᦸ grim was an annoyance to everyone, but the ramshackle prefect never made him feel as if he was one.
Grim was the type of creature to act tougher, with more hisses than bites, because that was how the world had taught him to be.
That is until he met you.
He had never known the comfort and safety a pair of arms wrapped around him could bring. It was unfamiliar, to have such a nice feeling when all his life, he’d been seen as nothing but a mere rascal that causes disturbance and annoyance to anyone who has the misfortune of meeting him. It wasn't his fault, dreams are meant to be big and hard to achieve, right? So why was it that others sneered and mocked his dreams of achieving a bright future where people will acknowledge him as something other than a bother? Other students could dream without experiencing any of the things he had gone through.
Grim truly believes that in order for him to be loved, he must go down as one of the greatest. He would fight fangs and claws just to be able to achieve that feat.
But how come you’ve only nodded at him and told him that you believe he could reach his dream—a dream that seemed so unreachable for a creature like him no matter how much he denies it—all while having that stupid smile on your face?
It was weird. You were weird.
In a world where the weak could only dream of dethroning the strong, and the strong overshadowing the weak; Grim was only meant to be a mere speck of dirt in the vast lands of the world, but for reasons unknown to him, you decided that the same speck of dirt is nothing but a gem in the making. A great mage in the making, to be exact.
So, Grim decided that maybe you were worth keeping by his side. If only to have someone who would listen so attentively to his ramblings about being the best, to have someone he could share warmth with when the nights grow too cold, and lastly, to have someone he could finally consider as one of his own—a family. (though you’d never catch him saying something so corny, he’s going to become the greatest afterall!)
“Hench-human! The Great Grim has decided, you can stay by my side even if you’re weaker than me, myahahaha!”
“Is that so?” You dusted off the bed, sparing a glance at the lounging creature near you, “If the Great Grim so desires, then I shall be your ‘hench-human’ forever ‘till you get tired of lil ol’ me.”
“Myah! Ya better be! Or else I’ll cast one of my powerful spells on ya!”
“Yes, yes,” You nodded your head repeatedly, “this pitiful hench-human understands. Now, shall the Great Grim lay down to take his oh-so-precious sleep?” You patted the bed and leaned to the side as Grim leaped on the bed.
“...Are you happy, Grim?”
“Mrah! What kind of question is that? ‘Course I am! I’m getting stronger now!” You smiled, a one so soft and affectionate just like the look in your eyes that made Grim pause. Your hand petting his head slowly made him snap out of it, normally, he’d reprimand you for it, but.. at the moment, Grim can feel himself getting drowsy as his eyes get heavier.
“I’m glad you are, because I am too.”
Grim remembers it so clear, that was the last thing he heard before his eyes shut close and his mind went to dream land. You said you were happy, you told him that you’d be by his side. You promised, you said that promises aren’t meant to be broken—that they’re sacred things between people.
So, why did you leave?
Was he so annoying that you’d up and leave him the moment you got the chance to go back to your world, a world where your real family resides. (but wasn’t he your family too?)
Grim only remembers how chaotic his insides felt. He wanted to lash out to you, to everyone who abused your kindness—your softness. He couldn't, though, your last words to him before you left, he had to engrave it into his stubborn heart.
“You’re a big boy now, Grim…and sometimes, the greatest need to stand on their own.” You slide your hand over his head, “will you do that for me, Great Grim?”
He nodded, the only response he could make. Grim felt as if Floyd had dropped him in the freezing pool that the Octavinelle dorm has.
“Thank you, Grim.”
A kiss to the forehead was your last goodbye to him. He wanted to chase after you, to yell at you that his hench-human can’t abandon him. But, your words echoed through the chaos within. He’ll have to suck it all up, to act brave just like before, and pretend that your departure wasn’t making his eyes teary. Still, a few drops escaped out of his eyes but your back only grew smaller, your hand won’t be wiping away the tears anymore. So, he’ll deal with it.
Picture with me you the player you come from our world. Which means you have the ability to say the most out of pocket shit to mess with the Twst cast. I'm talking like-
"Ah tunnels they remind me of the catacombs in Paris."
"Oh catacombs how interesting! Is there a specific area for them in your world?"
"Nah man they're all beneath the entire city streets."
"........What-"
Or shit like-
"Ya know there's certain areas in America that people avoid."
"Oh? Are they dangerous?"
"Well if by dangerous meaning people just up and disappear into the void because of local legends of creatures and spirits attacking them then yeah."
"Prefect. Prefect where the FUCK do you live?"
There's potential here do you see what I'm putting down?????
SUMMARY: First, Skully kissed your hand and said all those sweet words to you, and now he's kidnapping you?! After they rescue you, they won't let him get near you again!
CHARACTERS: Overblot Students (Riddle Rosehearts / Leona Kingscholar / Azul Ashengrotto / Jamil Viper / Vil Schoenheit / Idia Shroud / Malleus Draconia) x Yuu (Reader)
TAGS: Fluff; GN Reader; Cute jealousy; Hand kisses
WARNING: Spoilers from Twisted Thrills Vs. Classic Chills (Lost in the Book with Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas)
WORD COUNT: An average of 1.260 words per character.
COMMENTS: Since English isn't my first language, it's always a bit more challenging for me to write the dialogue for characters as eloquent as Skully, but I try my best.
Hope you enjoy 🎃
CONTEXT: I wrote this as a supplement to the original story. So here are just the parts that would change if they had a crush on you. 😉
Even knowing that Skully had done the exact same thing to him and everyone else, Riddle couldn't contain his sudden annoyance when he saw Skully kissing your hand.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
“What do you think you're doing?” Riddle says instinctively and positions himself between you and Skully.
“Oh, I was merely extending my deepest gratitude for the occasion of our acquaintance.” Skully explains with a smile. “And, of course, I could not fail to do the same with the lovely personage who was fast asleep in my arms upon their arrival.”
“F-fast asleep...” Riddle repeats before raising his voice, almost outraged. “IN YOUR ARMS?!”
“Well, yes. A wonderful coincidence, wasn't it? And such a fortuitous event deserved my utmost care for this person's well-being.”
“A... coincidence...” Riddle says through gritted teeth, thinking. Then takes a deep breath and continues. “Skully... I ... apologize for my reaction. From what I can understand, you were looking out for (Y/N) and simply exercising your gentlemanship. I may have... overreacted.” He says with a mix of embarrassment and reluctance.
“There is no need to worry. I can see that they are extremely dear to you. May I be so bold as to inquire how close you two are?”
Riddle blushes bright red and stutters slightly.
“In fact...” Jade smiles with that shrewd look. “I've always been curious to ask myself.”
Jamil, Leona and Azul also looked at Riddle with the same smirk.
“We... I... am not sure I understand your question. Shouldn't friends look out for each other?”
“If you'll excuse me...” Trey interferes. “I believe that at this moment we have more important things to worry about.”
“Well, much to my curiosity's chagrin, I can't disagree with that.” Jade admits.
“And that's the gist.” Jamil explains, after returning from checking on Jack's house, because you guys were taking so long to come back. “The mayor's driving around alerting the townsfolk now. This is turning into a real mess.”
“How...” Riddle’s face turned red, his pupils and irises contracted, and his voice grew hoarse with anger. “HOW DARE HE?! The moment I see him, IT WILL BE OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”
“Riddle, please calm down.” Jamil intervenes. “We have to find out where Skully took them, and we need to remain calm to analyze the possible clues to do so.”
“Fu fu. I wonder what Riddle would be capable of doing in this... situation.” Jade comments.
“This is neither the time nor the place to find that out.” Azul reprimands him.
Riddle takes a deep breath and agrees with Jamil, but without apologizing for his reaction. He can't calm down enough for that.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Riddle was the first to reach you.
“(Y/N)! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Skully had removed your and Grim's gags, but you still had your hands and feet tied. Without a second thought, Riddle plunges his arms into the candies to pick you up from the bathtub. He set you down on the ground ans uses his magic to untie the ropes that bound you. Immediately afterwards he bent down beside you to examine your wrists.
“I don't see any redness on your skin. He didn't tie you up too tightly.”
“Aww, were you that worried about me?” You ask.
“Of course I was! You were kidnapped. How was I supposed to feel?”
He was closer to you than he thought, and seeing you looking at him like that, he moved away, flustered. He clears his throat and composes himself, while the others struggle to get Grim out of the middle of the candy and wake Jack.
“Oh, Jack...!” Sally approaches as soon as you arrive at the Halloween Town plaza. “I'm so glad you're all right. I was worried sick!”
“You were worried about me?”
“Of course I was!”
“Wow... Thanks, Sally.” Jack smiles reassuringly. “But you don't need to worry anymore. See this? Not a bone out of place!”
Riddle has never left your side since they rescued you, and he's not oblivious enough not to notice that this exchange between Sally and Jack is very similar to the one you two had. This, plus the fact that he was one of those who noticed that Sally had some kind of crush on Jack, made him wonder if his situation with you might be similar in some way. But he quickly dismissed that thought from his head.
Some time later, Skully approaches you to apologize for what he did to you and Grim. Riddle is still by your side, but not even that stoped Skully from trying to apologize in his own way.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully finishes by saying and extends his hand to take yours, but before he can, Riddle is faster and protectively grabs your hand instead.
“Your words shall suffice!” Riddle retorts in a tone very similar to his Housewarden's assertive one.
“Oh, but-”
“(Y/N) already said they accepted your apology.” Riddle interrupts him and places himself between you and Skully. “Why don't you go check on Grim? He was saying his paws were numb after being in that bathtub for so long. Perhaps he requires your assistance.”
“Very well then.” Skully sighs, but with a smile. “If Grim is feeling to weak, I shall carry him myself.” He bids you both farewell and walks away to look for Grim.
“Is something wrong, Riddle?” You ask.
“Wrong? No. Why do you ask?” He simply replies.
“I think I remember you commenting that you appreciated Skully’s gentlemanly bearing, but... that's not what it seemed like just now.”
“Gh! I... I just...” He blushes slightly. “I just didn't think it would be appropriate, after what he did to you, for him to have the privilege of kissing your hand... Huh, Wait! I mean...”
“It's rare to see you so flustered with words.” You comment with a chuckle.
“I... I'm sorry if I intruded too much.” He apologizes, ashamed of himself. “I just... don't like seeing him so close to you. If he had the nerve to kidnap you, who knows what he might do next.”
“Well, he kisses everyone's hand, including yours.”
“Well, yes, a somewhat... strange habit.”
“And he really seems sorry for what he did.”
Riddle doesn't answer that one, he just looks away.
“Are you sure you're not just a little bit... jealous?”
His gaze abruptly returns to you, and his cheeks flush even more.
“What?! Don't be ridiculous. I'm just concerned about your well-being... I... think...”
You tell him that it’s okay, that you even find this side of him cute, and that makes him even more flustered.
“Well, I saw how flattered you were whenever he kissed your hand.” Riddle says, somewhat sullenly. He looks at you and sees you smiling encouragingly. “Why are you looking at me like...” He blushes when he realizes. “Wait! You want me to do it?!”
“Would you like to do it?”
He thinks for a second until he sighs with a small smile.
“Well, perhaps I should practice my gentlemanly.” He smiles confidently, straightens up, and extends his hand to you. “Allow me to demonstrate my affection for you through actions.”
He waits for you to place your hand in his so he can hold it tenderly, lean in, and kiss it gently but affectionately.
Leona is not one to get jealous easily, or maybe not at all. He saw this Skully guy kissing the backs of everyone's hands, including his own. Kissing yours didn't bother him, or at least not for the reason you might think.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
If you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Leona will give a slight, half-smile, away from the eyes of everyone, including yours, pleased that you’re a clever herbivore.
If you say "What a gentleman.” Leona will know you're saying that to annoy him. And to annoy you back, he'll ignore (or at least pretend to ignore) what you said.
Leona found out that Skully had kidnapped you through the Mayor's advertising car. The fact that he was near Malleus of all people when he heard this did not help his composure.
“I see...” Malleus said. “This is certainly unexpected.”
“Tch, stupid badger. Why'd he have to pull such a boneheaded stunt?” Leona says, not simply annoyed, but angry. “Guess I'll have to find him and get this mess sorted myself.”
“Where are you going, Kingscholar?” Malleus says as he sees Leona starting to walk away from him. “Do you intend to handle this matter alone?”
“Figured that much was obvious. I'm under no obligation to team up with you just 'cuz you happened to be nearby.”
“The child of man's whereabouts are also unknown.”
‘Grrr... That stupid nickname again.’ Leona thinks.
“We cannot risk the worst coming to pass. In the interest of as swift a resolution as possible, I'd prefer to avoid wasting any time.”
“Oh yeah? The only way I'd be wasting time is by sticking with you.” Leona retorts and smiles smugly. “Or does the great and powerful Malleus Draconia have trouble functioning if he's not constantly surrounded by retainers?”
And so they return to their usual bickering.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Leona wasn't among them because he was with Sebek and Jamil taking care of Skully so that the other group could rescue you safely.
Nothing seemed strange about Leona until you arrived at the Halloween Town plaza and Skully approached you and Grim to apologize in his own way.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully says, takes your hand and kisses it.
He did the same with Grim, and while he was trying to offer his help to carry him, you see Leona in the distance, looking at you discreetly in a unbothered pose.
Epel told you about Leona offering his arm to Miss Sally because he thought he looked so mature and cool. You agree, but you can't deny to yourself that you also felt jealous. He was never such a gentleman to you.
“(Y/N)? Is something troubling you, my dear friend?” Skully asks you.
You say it was nothing and try to dismiss it.
“Please, if anything is bringing you down, tell me. A person as lovely and kind as you deserves the best Halloween anyone could possibly provide.” He takes your hand and gently pulls you closer to him. “I know this won't make up for what I've done... But I shall follow you everywhere and do everything in my power to ensure your happiness on this very special day.” He smiles widely.
“What a lovely nightmare that would be.” Leona appears walking towards you with a sarcastic smile on his face. “You would be doing everyone a greater service if you kept an eye on that furball and made sure he didn't eat all the candy instead.” He points to Grim at a table surrounded by sweets, already eating many of them. “Babysit him tonight and give (Y/N) a break. That should be a valuable enough act of apology.”
“Oh dear!” Skully exclaims. “I must hurry and stop him! (Y/N), would you like to follow Leona's suggestion? Would I truly be helping you rest by watching over Grim for you?”
You think about it and you can't deny that it would actually be one less thing to worry about. So you agree and Skully leaves you with Leona, but not before giving you one last kiss on the hand.
“You really get flustered just by that?” Leona questions you, his smirk now replaced by his usual grumpy expression.
“What's your problem with him?” You ask. “He's just being a gentleman.”
“You think Skully’s a gentleman? You must be mistakin’ that for bein’ undisciplined. He just plants a kiss on the back of our hands without askin’… He’s nowhere near proper.”
“What do you think he should do instead? Offer me his arm and escort me through town?”
Leona is silent for a second before looking at you with a smug grin.
“Oh, were you jealous of Miss Sally? How cute.”
You cross your arms and look away.
“Do you want me to escort you through town?” He continues. “Well, too bad you've already seen it all.”
Annoyed, you say you're going to join Skully and Grim. Perhaps also saying that, even so, he is a more pleasant companion than Leona.
You turn to walk away but Leona gently holds your hand, which surprises you, and you turn around to see him lifting your hand to his lips and kissing the back of it in a somewhat sensual, yet respectful way.
“What? I thought you liked havin’ your hand kissed out of nowhere.”
After a moment of stunned silence, you start talking again.
“Are you only doing this to compete with Skully?” You ask. “Like a way to prove that whatever he can do, you can do better?”
“As if I need proof of that.” He crosses his arms and continues smiling. “You always forget, but I'm still a prince, and I was raised as one. That badger doesn't know a tenth of what I already knew at half his age about... let's call it gentlemanly. I just don't like practicin’ it on a daily basis. It's exhausting.”
“I believe that.” You say. “Now I just wonder if when you are truly a gentleman it's out of genuine respect or because you're somehow being forced to be so.”
“Who knows.” He shrugs. “Maybe I just want to sweeten my prey.” He turns to walk away, but not before throwing you a candy he had kept in his jacket.
A heart-shaped candy? How the heck did he get one?
Azul might be able to let the discomfort of having his hand kissed out of nowhere by Skully slide, but seeing him do the same to you is something he cannot ignore.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
If you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Azul will feel less worried. He'll even have less trouble smiling knowing that you're smart enough to see through people's "kindness."
If you say "What a gentleman.” Azul’s jealousy will increase so much that he won't even realize it if you're just saying that to mess with him.
He'll approach the two of you and try, in the most subtle way possible, to position himself between Skully and you with that attentive, albeit fake, smile of his.
“Indeed. Your indulgence is an enviable trait. It only makes me feel even more guilty and ashamed of our lack of manners.” Azul says as he slides closer to Skully, making him move away from you. “As much as I would like to continue converse with you to make better amends, I fear we have more important matters to concern ourselves with at the moment. Namely, where are we?”
“What a real shame.” Jade says with his sharp-toothed grin. “It would have been such a pleasant exchange of thoughts. Especially if we had included (Y/N) in the conversation.”
Azul glances at him sideways with a smile that's unsettling to anyone who knows him. Fortunately for him, Jamil and the others followed his line of thinking and shifted their focus to where you all were and what might be happening.
Whenever you ended up in a group with Skully, Azul would get annoyed about it, but he'd hide it as much as possible. Something similar happened when you went looking for Jack. For some reason Azul had a bad feeling, but that was all, so he didn't say anything. And then, some time after, Jamil and the mayor returned after checking on you to see why you were taking so long to get back from Jack's house. Jamil then tells them that Skully kidnapped Jack, you, and Grim.
“HE KIDNAPPED THEM?!” Azul exclaims before clearing his throat and composing himself. “H-how terrible! Poor (Y/N) and Grim have terrible luck, getting dragged into it.”
“I never would have guessed Skully to be capable of taking such drastic measures.” Jade says. “I'm sure you'll contribute greatly to this rescue, Azul.”
“Me?” Azul adjusts his glasses and looks at Jade with a sly smile. “I'm certain you meant 'we', Jade. After all, they are two of our dearest first-years. Are they not?” Azul's smile remained friendly to someone who didn't know him, but to Jade it was a warning, or even a threat.
“But of course. They must be terrified right now. I will do everything I can to rescue them and solve this problem.” He said it with his usual smile.
“I doubt Skully would treat them too horribly...” Azul continues. “But the sooner we find them, the better.”
“Agreed.” Jamil follows. “Let's search for Skully and rescue the three captives.”
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Azul was the first to reach you.
“(Y/N)!” As soon as Azul sees that you seem fine despite the circumstances, especially seeing Grim enjoying the sweets so much, his usual smile returns. “How are you? I believe that gentleman didn't hurt you, did he?” He emphasizes ironically.
“Well, at least his gentlemanly is honest.” You respond.
“You wound me, (Y/N).” He says it in the same dubious tone he always uses. “You really think my concern is not genuine? We were worried sick.”
“Well yes! You are our dearest friends, of course we were very concerned about your well-being and safety.” Jade says this with a normal smile, until he widens it and it becomes more mocking. “Especially Azul. He almost cracked his voice when he found out you'd been kidnapped. A heartbreaking testimony.”
“That's a clear exaggeration.” Azul replies, smiling at you. “My voice doesn't fail me that easily.”
“Precisely.” Jade points with the same sly smile.
“Instead of chit chatting,” Vil says impatiently. “How about taking (Y/N) and the others out of the bathtub and untying them?”
“Oh, how careless of me. You're absolutely right.” Azul says before glancing sideways at Jade for a second. Then he smiles at you confidently. “If you'll allow me.”
He buries his arms in the candy to hold you and lift you out of the bathtub bridal style. It's easy to forget how strong Azul really is. He puts you down on the ground, while the others deal with Grim and Jack, and unties you with magic. He holds your hand to check your wrist.
“Just as I thought, he didn't treat you badly.” Azul comments. “Skully didn't even tie you up too tightly. I don't know how you didn't escape on your own sooner.” He smirks.
“And take away your joy of rescuing me?” You say with a similar smirk. “That would be so mean of me.”
His smile is warmer and more genuine than any he would let others see. Which makes him a little embarrassed.
“How thoughtful of you indeed. It seems we're even after all.” He finishes by saying, before shifting the focus to the others having difficulty getting Grim out of the bathtub because he wanted to keep eating the candy.
Although discreetly, Azul never left your side again. Not even after returning to the Halloween Town plaza. But that didn't stop Skully from approaching you to apologize in his own way.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully finishes by saying.
He takes your hand and kisses the back of it, but not without feeling Azul's penetrating stare on him. What was most frightening was the fact that it was accompanied by a smile.
Hearing Grim complain that his paws hurt, Skully offered to accompany him wherever he went and would be his new hands and feet. Of course Grim didn't want any of that, he was just hoping Skully would give him more candy or something. However Azul saw an opportunity.
“What a thoughtful suggestion!” He says in a cheerfully approving voice. “That would be a great help, don't you think, Grim? A young man as helpful as Skully as your serva- assistant, would certainly be a very welcome support if I were you. That, and you could give (Y/N) a moment's rest.” He looks at you with that shrewd look. “I'm sure you're exhausted after these past few days too, aren't you, (Y/N)?”
You agree and go along with Azul's plan to get Skully and Grim to go away together.
“Do you really like it when he kisses your hand?” Azul asks as soon as you are away from unwanted ears.
He wasn't smiling, but he didn't seem exactly annoyed either; he was looking at you as if analyzing your response. Flustered or not, you end up admitting that you actually kind of enjoy the gesture. Maybe because no one had ever done that to you before.
“Truly?... So it's more about the gesture than the person doing it?” He adjusts his glasses, with a suspicious look. “Are you sure? Because even after what Skully did to you, you always seemed quite pleased with his company.”
You can't help but look at him with a little smirk. Is he jealous?
“Of course there is a way to prove what you claim.” He says, seeing you more interested in his words and with a certain glimmer of hope in your eyes. But then it's his turn to smile maliciously. “You can give permission to one of this lovely townsfolk to kiss your hand.
You widen your eyes in surprise and with a slightly... unpleasant expression.
“What's wrong?” He looks at you with that triumphant smug smile of his. “Didn't you say it was the gesture that mattered, not the person?” He contemplates your conflicted expression for a moment before continuing. “Or did you expect me to volunteer to do it?”
You get flustered, but try to fight back.
“Okay, maybe the person matters too.” You admit. “And isn't that the part that bothers you?”
“Bothers me?” He says, without losing his confident demeanor. “And why would that bother me? I simply wanted to better understand the effect this kind of gesture has on others.”
“On others or on me? I'm almost certain you didn't ask any of this to all the others whose hands Skully kissed.”
“Well, the others weren't kidnapped by him. Your perspective is much more... interesting.”
Debating with a silver tongue like Azul's is extremely difficult, but perhaps the best way to counter is with the truth. You admit that yes, it also depends on the person, and that despite what Skully did to you, he was always very careful and kind. The more you talk about what you like in Skully, the more annoyed Azul will get.
Suddenly, he takes one of your hands, leans down, and kisses the back of it with a surprising passion that leaves you speechless. He looks up to appreciate the expression on your face before straightening up, without letting go of your hand yet.
“Your praise for Skully suddenly stopped.” He says with a smug grin as he slowly pulls you closer by the hand. “I wonder why.” He lets go of your hand, turns around, and takes a few steps. “We've spent too much time here, don't you think? We should go back to enjoying the party.”
Having his hand kissed out of the blue by someone he just met is unpleasant enough, but Jamil would rather go through that again than see the same thing happen to you. And even worse, if you somehow enjoy it.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
If you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Jamil will feel more reassured knowing you're not so easily fooled, but still upset that Skully had the audacity.
If you say "What a gentleman.” Jamil will be even more upset, and he'll wonder how you could be so naive as to fall for something like that. But thinking that maybe it's not a matter of naiveté only makes things worse.
“Now that I've sanitized my hands...” He says as he approaches you, but speaking to Skully. “Let's review our situation, shall we?” And discreetly, he uses magic to sanitize your hand, just as he did with his own.
“Skully kidnapped Jack, (Y/N), and Grim?!” Jamil inquiries to know if he understood Zero's barking correctly when he arrived at Jack's house and found no one there.
Both he and the Mayor panicked, but Jamil had more self-control and managed to calm the Mayor down enough to start organizing his thoughts. He had to inform the others first so they could start investigating and devise a plan to rescue you all once they found out where you were.
As expected of him, Jamil managed to control his emotions to such an extent that his concern specifically for you is masked by his natural stress in situations of this kind. He didn't need people like Jade or Azul messing with him in the meantime.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Jamil wasn't among them because he was with Sebek and Leona taking care of Skully so that the other group could rescue you safely.
As soon as you and the others met up with Jamil, Sebek, Leona, and an defeated Skully, Jamil promptly approached you.
“Oh, good. Looks like everyone's safely rescued.”
The others commented on how difficult it was to get Grim out of the bathtub because he wanted to eat the rest of the candy. And while Jack was talking to Skuly, Jamil's attention was drawn to you once more.
“From what I understand, Skully managed to tie you up. Can I see your arms?” He asks, offering you his hand so you can place one of yours on top.
You do so, and with his other hand, he pulls up your sleeve to see your forearm. He then does the same with the other, examining it carefully.
“The marks are very subtle.” He says, while adjusting your sleeves for you. “Just as I thought, he wasn't harsh with you. They'll disappear in no time.” He gives you a gentle smile. “How are you feeling? You didn't eat too many candy, did you? Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
You can't help but smile, and probably chuckle.
“What is it? What's so funny?” He says with that annoyed face that with time you started to find cute. “We were worried about you.”
“Yes, I can see it.” You say.
He gets a little embarrassed, realizing his insistence, and begins to blush to the point of trying to hide his face with his hat.
Fortunately for him, it was relatively easy to change the subject to Skully, Jack, and what you guys were going to do next, namely return to Halloween Town and enjoy the party you'd been preparing for so long.
All the way back, Jamil never left your side again. You could also tell that he was always trying to position himself between you and Skully, no matter if he was 5 meters away from you.
And everything got much stranger after you arrived at the plaza, whenever you wanted to eat something, Jamil would try to convince you to let him taste it first.
“Jamil, I'm not Kalim.” You tell him. “We're the ones who made these candy, they're not poisoned or anything.”
“Believe me, I've seen poisoned food that was better protected than this candy.” He says, determined not to change his current stance.
Meanwhile, Skully approaches you two, and Jamil's reflex is to position himself between you two, glaring at Skully.
“Oh, I'm deeply sorry to bother you.” Skully says with great regret. “Well, it seems this is yet another action of mine on the list of ill-mannered deeds I must apologize for."
“Another?” Jamil maintains the same distrustful attitude. “Does that mean you came to apologize for kidnapping (Y/N) again?”
“But of course!” Skully replies, raising both hands to his chest. “(Y/N) is such a kindly personage. Even after all my most impolite behaviors, they always remained so understanding and empathetic. The least I can do is apologize as many times as humanly possible.” He then looks at you, partially behind Jamil. “Please (Y/N), allow me to express my remorse through actions.”
“Oh no, you won't.” Jamil answers bluntly.
“Jamil!” You say, disbelieving of his attitude.
“Okay, just say that you forgive him.” Jamil turns around and tells you. He was acting so much like he acts with Kalim, telling you what to do.
“I decide what I do.” You say determinedly, and move from behind Jamil to in front of Skully. “Very well, how do you want to express your remorse?”
“Ah, just as I said, such a kindly personage.” Skully says, takes your hand and kisses it. “Oh, but I don't see your companion here. I'd like to apologize to him as well.”
You tell him that Grim was probably around the food tables, and Skully asks your permission to step aside and go look for him with one last kiss on your hand. You turn around and see Jamil with his arms crossed, staring at you sullenly.
“See? Nothing bad happened. He just kissed my hand again.”
“Yes, and twice this time. Please give me your hand.”
“Are you going to cleanse it again with magic?”
“Sanitize it, more specifically.” He extends his hand, more insistently.
You sigh and give him your hand so he can do that.
“You're exaggerating.” You say. “I'm fine. And everything is fine now. There's no need for you to act like you're my bodyguard or something. Again, I'm not Kalim.”
“You were kidnapped once, and there's no guarantee it won't happen again.” He then looks at you with a smug smile. “Besides, it's not like you aren't enjoying this. Is it?”
You get flustered being caught.
“Look who's talking, the person who no longer wants to be apart from me.” You manage to reply.
“Indeed... Maybe you’re right.” He whispers, still holding your hand, and places a delicate but loving kiss on the back of it. “Perhaps I no longer have the moral authority to comment on that aspect.” He concludes by saying, looking back into your eyes to appreciate your reaction.
First, Skully had the audacity to kiss Vil Schoenheit's hand without his permission! And now he's kissing yours?!
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
Even if you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Vil won't be reassured at all, especially because he noticed your little smile.
But if you say "What a gentleman.” Vil is going to feel indignant. How can you be satisfied with such behavior? How can you be pleased by such a selfish gesture? To kiss your hand as if he had the right to!
However, he won't comment on that at all. His focus is on what's happening and how you can get back to Twisted Wonderland.
“Did you hear the loudspeaker just now?” Vil asks Epel.
“Yes, sir... This is turning into a real mess.”
They had just heard the announcement that Jack, you, and Grim had been kidnapped by Skully and that your whereabouts were unknown, so they needed everyone's help to rescue you.
“Then let's find Skully and make him realize exactly whose bad side he's gotten himself on.” Vil tells Sebek and Epel. “I believe it's just the four of us here. We'll have to look for Skully ourselves.”
Despite Idia's attempts to hide, he couldn't fool Vil or Sebek and was dragged along with them.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Vil was among them and was the quickest to approach you.
“(Y/N), how could this have happened?!” Vil says, but just when you thought he was being considerate, he quickly frowns and looks at you disappointed, arms crossed. “How could you have let that freshman capture you? That's it! No more deliberation! As soon as we get back to Night Raven College, I'll give you intensive self-defense lessons. Understood? And don't you dare try to make up an excuse. Just because you can't use magic doesn't mean you have to be helpless.”
If you look at Epel while Vil is lecturing you, you'll see him looking at you with pity, like a brother who knows what it's like to be in your position. When Vil finishes scolding you, he sighs.
“Let's get you out of this sugar bath.” He plunges his arms into the sweets and easily lifts you out of the bathtub, holding you bridal-style. He then sits you down on the nearest rock. "Did you eat any of those candy?" He asks disapprovingly as he unties you with magic. "How many did you eat?" And he examines your wrists to see if they had any marks from the ropes.
Depending on your response regarding the candy, you'll hear some more words from him about how too many sweets are bad for your health. But beyond that, you can see that he doesn't seem to want to distance himself from you.
Not even after returning to Halloween Town Plaza.
You didn't notice anything particularly strange apart from his sudden closeness. It was common for Vil to pay attention to your posture and what you ate (especially regarding sweets and whatever strange things the people in that town ate).
But then, Skully approached you and Vil's gaze did not spare him. However, he didn't say anything while Skully was apologizing to you.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully says, takes your hand and kisses it.
Then, he extends his apology to Grim and tries to kiss his paw.
“I, personally, don't know if I would consider those apologies sufficient.” Vil tells you, while Grim tries to dodge Skully. “But considering the way he ask for forgiveness, I would be content with this if I were you. Even though, unlike you, I wouldn't allow just anyone to kiss my hand without permission to begin with.”
“And yet he still did it.” You say.
“He is fortunate that in circumstances such as the present I can be more... forgiving.” Vil says this last word with a somewhat sinister smile. And then, he seems to have an idea. “Skully. Would you mind looking after Grim while (Y/N) and I go check the decorations? I heard there are some children playing with fire and I'd like to make sure nothing's been destroyed... yet...”
“Mrah?! And why do you have to take my hench-human with you?!” Grim inquired.
“Because that way Skully can compensate you both.” Vil explains casually. “He becomes your hench-human for a day and (Y/N) has some time to themselves.”
Grim opens his mouth to protest, but Vil gives him that menacing look of someone who will do whatever it takes to get things his way. So Grim swallows hard and ends up accepting the idea. And so did Skully, but without the swallowing part and much happier than Grim.
“We're not going to check any decorations, are we?” You ask, as if you already know the answer.
Vil simply gives you a smirk that confirms your suspicions.
“Vil... May I ask why you are... acting this way?”
“And may I ask you to elaborate on that question?”
“Well, you didn't seem too concerned about me or Skully before.”
“Exactly, before. Before he kidnapped you. I was already a little concerned that you didn't seem too bothered by his hand kisses, but I didn't think it would come to this, so I didn't express any displeasure or try to interfere in your conviviality. Although I would prefer to simply start teaching you self-defense techniques right away, now is not the time for that. This can wait until these celebrations are over and we return to Twisted Wonderland. Until then, I'll keep an eye on you and Skully. Which is not a bad way to pass the time. I quite enjoy your company.”
“Are you sure that's all there is to it?” You ask.
“Are you trying to insinuate something... dear?” He asks you with a smug smile. Seeing that you are hesitant to answer, he continues. “Perhaps that I feel some kind of jealousy?”
You look at him in a way that kind of confirms that.
“Please, I thought you knew me better than that.” He crosses his arms with a disappointed look. “Unless...” He smirks. “Is it really just something you'd like to witness?”
You look away and he laughs at your display of having been caught.
“I don't need to be jealous of anyone. Ultimately, anyone you liked more than me would either be because I wasn't your type or because you prefer to settle for less.” He takes your hand, leans in, and kisses the back of it. “But I don't believe in either option.” He finishes by saying, while looking at you, proudly beautiful.
First, Idia was dragged into that honking gaggle of extroverts, but at least you were there. He knew you could be his support when he needed it. But then there was this new guy, Skully, who apparently had a habit of greeting people with a kiss on their hand.
It was already a shock when he did that to Idia, but when Idia saw Skully do the same to you, the little voice in his head started spouting nonsense.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
If you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Idia will think: “Yeah, that guy probably seduces anyone who crosses his path. He kissed all our hands like someotome game character flirting with all the players. You deserve better than this, someone who saves all the kisses just for you. If you like players, better get a gamer.” He will smile smugly, even though all of this conversation would have only taken place in his head.
If you say "What a gentleman.” This will worry Idia. “WUT?! What you mean, you like that?! Urgh... That silver tongue smiley extrovert thinks he can charm (Y/N) so easily? Slow burn is the best kind of romance, and I've known them much longer than you have! Especially since you literally only met them today... Love at first sight is so, like, brainlessly pathetic.” And he'll probably keep this conversation going in his head until someone speaks to him and he finally snap out of it.
Idia found out that you, Grim, and Jack had been kidnapped by Skully through the Mayor's car loudspeaker. He was in a group with Vil, Epel, and Sebek when this happened.
“HE KIDNAPPED (Y/N)?!” Idia yelled in his head, while the others discussed the matter amongst themselves. “Oh no no no no no! I don't like this! I’m no hero, I’m an otaku! We are spectators or, at best, a secondary character that fans can relate to. I'm the PC guy with the cool hacking tricks, not some knight who's going to save his beloved from the clutches of a kidnapper. Any one of them can... Wait... but if they do... They will be (Y/N)'s brave hero in shining armor! Oh... wait... I don't think that's (Y/N)'s type anyway. At least not from what I've heard them saying about their favorite anime characters. I think the closest thing to their type would be... AH! ENEMIES TO LOVERS! Could it be? Especially if Skully ends up having a whole redemption arc and feels super guilty about what he did to (Y/N) and wants to redeem himself in any way possible...”
“Come on out, human.” Sebek's voice abruptly brought him out of his trance. “Don't bother trying to hide!”
“Eep! H-h-how'd you know I was there? Did my anxiety make my breathing heavy?”
He tries to come up with an excuse for them to leave him behind. Not only out of cowardice, but also because he knows the others would do a better job than him, and he doesn't want to share the blame if the plan goes wrong. But Vil doesn't care and drags him along with them.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. You almost didn't notice Idia between them because he had fallen so far behind, but it was hard not to see a guy with his hair.
At no point did he get very close to you. It was the others who pulled you out of the bathtub and used magic to untie you, while he stayed a little further away, observing.
It was only after you returned to the Halloween Town plaza, when you were alone with Grim, that he timidly approached you.
“H-hey...” Idia says in his low voice, with his right hand on his left forearm. “So... a-are you okay? Like, as okay as can be?”
You say yes, that you're okay now, and you seem very happy that he showed concern for you, even if it was only now.
“Well, it was to be expected that he wouldn't treat you badly. He liked you instantly. And I don't know who would put someone they don't like in a bathtub full of candy and let them eat whatever they want.” He said, smiling. “Well, unless you can't eat sweets... in that case I think it would be torture.”
You laugh, which makes him feel comfortable enough to laugh with you.
“My deepest apologies for interrupting such a delightful conversation.” Skully says, approaching you. He is there to apologize for everything he did to you and Grim.
You can hear Idia muttering sarcastically under her breath.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully says, takes your hand and kisses it.
He does the same with Grim and offers to keep you company for the rest of the night (or day, it's hard to tell in Halloween town).
“Yeah... And what about nope?” Idia tells Skully with a displeased expression.
This surprised you all. Even Skully had enough time to realize that Idia is the type to avoid talking to people.
“First, we're practically forced to prepare a whole Halloween party for this extroverts fueled town. Then you kidnap their big shot, (Y/N), and Grim. And now you want to monopolize their company after leaving them tied up in a bathtub? I mean, kudos to you on your complete lack of awareness and disregard for other people's feelings, I guess.” He finishes by saying with that sarcastic smile.
“W-What?!” Skully jumps in place and loses his composure, looking even more worried than before.
“Why don't you first ask what (Y/N) wants you to do to redeem yourself? Maybe just leaving them alone would be more than enough?” He still has that creepy smile. “For me, it would be, at least.”
“(Y/N)...” Skully says with some difficulty, as if gathering courage to speak. “I-is it your wish for me to disappear from your sight?”
You say no, that everything is fine, that you've even forgiven him. But, taking advantage of the opportunity, you suggest that Skully could accompany Grim and make sure he doesn't do anything crazy while you take a break from ‘babysitting’ him. This, of course, not in such a blunt way because Grim was listening. Skully thanks you again for your immense kindness and indulgence with another kiss on the hand and accepts your suggestion.
After he and Grim walked away towards the tables laden with food and sweets, you turned to look at Idia, perhaps with a disapproving expression.
“W-what?” He tries to remain assertive despite clearly disliking the way you're looking at him. “I-it's not like I lied. And if you really wanted to spend the rest of the night with that guy, you would have just gone and left me alone.” He puts his right hand on his left forearm and looks sullenly at the ground.
“Well, I chose to stay with you. Now you have to make sure my time with you is better than the time I would spend with Skully.” You smirk.
His eyes widen, startled.
“Wow wow wow wow! When did I ever make a deal like that? You stayed and sent him away because you wanted to. I didn't promise any quality time.”
“So in that case, maybe I should go join them.” You turn around.
“WAIT, wait, wait! Talk about changing your mind at the speed of light.” As soon as you turn back to him, his courage goes back into hiding. “Ah... H-h-hey, listen, I'm here alone, okay? Ortho isn't here and... hum...” He gets a little embarrassed. “Y-you're the only other person I feel... comfortable with.”
“I thought you got along well with Azul and Jamil.”
“That doesn't mean I enjoy being with them. There are three categories of people we introverts can classify someone as... well, technically I have more, but to make it easier I'll summarize it into three main ones. There are the people I avoid at all costs, mainly extroverted party animals, but not only. This category has the highest percentage of people I've met, unfortunately. Then there are the people I can ‘get along with’.” He makes quotation marks with his fingers. “Like, for example, the ones you mentioned. It's quite bearable, but I still prefer the safety of my room. Like, they don't make me want to panic quit from the chat. And finally, the people I... we... um... enjoy being around. Like... a pleasant party member... you know.”
“Funny, you elaborated much more on the first two categories.” You notice and he gets more embarrassed.
“Y-you know very well what I'm talking about.”
“Sooo... you're saying you enjoy being with me?”
He blushes and the tips of his hair turn slightly pink. He stammered a little, flustered, before sighing and letting his shoulders slump in a gesture of defeat.
“Fine... I might enjoy your company. Happy now?”
“Might?” You ask.
He looks away with a cute sulky face.
“Hum... I don't know...” You had an idea to mess with him a little more. “You know, I think Skully likes me more than you do.” You smile mischievously, to make sure he realizes you're not being serious. “After all, he's such a gentleman kissing my hand.” You extend your hand to him, playfully.
You thought he would just sigh or get embarrassed, but to your surprise he actually took your hand and kissed it with a quick, scorching kiss.
“Whee hee hee. See who's flustered now.”
Malleus is not the type to see Skully kissing your hand as anything more than a gesture of politeness. So, despite his surprise at having someone he had just met greet you all in that way, he had no other reaction.
“Likewise, (Y/N) and Grim, it's a delight.” Skully says before kissing Grim's paw and then the back of your hand.
If you say "You do this with everyone, huh." Malleus will probably just agree with you in his thoughts.
But if you say "What a gentleman.” Malleus will notice your small smile and start to wonder if you really enjoy having your hand kissed that much. And if so, perhaps he should start doing the same to you?
Thunder began to rumble and lightning to strike when Malleus found out that Skully had kidnapped Jack, Grim, and, most importantly, you.
“Pipe it down, will ya?” Leona complains. “The most your thunder will do is burst everyone's eardrums.”
“I often wonder if you are truly intelligent enough to know when it is not appropriate to provoke me, Kingscholar.”
“And I wonder if you're smart enough to know when I'm not doing it.” He stares at Malleus annoyed, but not angry. “The more of a spectacle you make, the harder it’ll be for anyone to find out where that badger took them.” He sighs. “Guess I'll have to find him and get his mess sorted myself.”
“Where are you going, Kingscholar?” Malleus asks as he sees Leona starting to walk away from him. “Do you intend to handle this matter alone?”
“Figured that much was obvious. I'm under no obligation to team up with you just 'cuz you happened to be nearby. Especially with the tantrum you're throwing.”
“Tantrum?” He smiles, but the thunder rumbles once more. “Must I remind you that the child of man's whereabouts are also unknown? We cannot risk the worst coming to pass. In the interest of as swift a resolution as possible, I'd prefer to avoid wasting any time.”
“Even if it means hitting everyone in the city with a lightning bolt?” Leona gives him a wry little smile. “Sure, I see your point.”
They continue the bickering, even bringing Trey into it, but eventually they move on with the investigation together... more or less.
You were tied up with Grim and a sleeping Jack in a bathtub full of candy when a group of familiar faces approached to rescue you. Malleus approached you so quickly that you could swear he had teleported.
“(Y/N)! Are you well?” He asks as he gently lifts you out of the candy-filled bathtub, bridal style.
Malleus doesn't even need to put you down to untie you. With a simple glance, he burns the ropes without the flames affecting you or your clothes in the slightest.
“Are you injured? Were the ropes too tight?”
You say no, that you're fine. Skully was kind and polite to you the whole time despite what he did. While you were saying this he walked away, so focused on you that nothing else happening made him look back. Aka Grim fighting the others because he didn't want to get out of the candy bath.
You'll need to tell him that he can put you down now, and even then he'll ask if you're certain.
Malleus never left your side again. Apart from that, he didn't seem to be acting strangely. Until, back at Halloween Town Plaza, Skully approached you to apologize for what he did. Malleus didn't say anything out of the ordinary, but you could feel his gaze piercing Skully like daggers, and his imposing presence right beside you.
“Allow me to express my remorse through actions.” Skully says, takes your hand and kisses it. But the moment his lips touched your skin, a thunder sounded.
You take the initiative to make up an excuse for Skully to distance himself from you again, and then suggest that he could go with Grim to the food tables. Grim protests, but you remind him that he was complaining that his paws hurt and he wanted someone (you, but that part doesn't matter now) to carry him around. Skully is thrilled by the idea of redeeming himself in this way, and eventually Grim reluctantly gives in.
The brief storm dissipates as Skully walks away with Grim.
“Tsunotarou...” You say.
“Yes?” He asks, too casually.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I think everything is fine. Why? Is something bothering you?”
“The thunder. Just now.” You point it out, as if trying to give clues to him to explain.
“Oh. Did that startle you?” He smirks. “My apologies. But shouldn't you be prepared for some frights during this day?”
You cross your arms, look at him, and Malleus makes that cute sulky face.
“It does not please me seeing him kissing your hand. Especially after what he did to you. Even if it is a sign of genuine remorse. But I did not speak of the matter, did I?”
“You didn't need to. Your storm spoke for you.” You say. “But he also kisses your hand.”
“That does not bother me.”
“But when he kisses mine, it does?”
“Yes, it does. Did I not make myself clear on the subject?” He calmly admits it, oblivious to what it actually means. “Why are you chuckling?”
You say it's nothing, and that he doesn't need to worry anymore. Especially if he stays by your side. You even admit that you like having him close to you and seeing him so concerned about you.
“I'm glad to know that my closeness is as pleasant for you as yours is for me.” Malleus says with a gentle smile, politely takes your hand, leans down and kisses the back of it. “I will not leave you unprotected again, (Y/N).”
If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX
