Dec 24, 2025
Happy Almost Christmas, everybody!
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Happy Almost Christmas, everybody!
The NRC boys, ranked by skill in hugging :)
1. Surprisingly, it’s Azul! He’ll never do it for free, but if you manage to get him to agree, you’ll have the best hug of your life. The man’s got mad skillz- they’re essentially perfect hugs- perfect duration, perfect strength, perfect positioning, warm but not too warm and surprisingly authentic feeling? Just good luck ever getting him to give you one ;) 10/10
2. Kalim! Excellent hugs, very warm, very pleasant. Only downside is that he subconsciously orients his body so that his vital organs are protected, so it can make the position awkward. Unlike Azul, he’s very generous with his hugs 9/10
3. In third, we have… Lilia? Huh. Gives a wonderful Dad hug, only downside is that sometimes the timing is awkward. 9/10
4. Next up is Trey! Also a dad hug giver, but much more hesitant to give them out than Lilia. Still, he gives a solid hug- the kind that makes you feel really safe. 9/10
5. Silver. Solid hug giver, only two downsides- A) timing is also awkward (similar to Lilia) and B) he’s prone to falling asleep during them. 8/10
6. In sixth place is Jack! Strong, safe feeling, overall excellent hug. Points deducted for being a tsundere about it and occasional awkwardness due to said being a tsundere. 8/10
7. Epel. Great hug giver, he has lots and lots of practice. Downside is that he squeezes people during his hugs, and sometimes he gets competitive about it? So it feels more like he’s trying to break your spine. Generally more pleasant than painful though. 7/10
8. Vil is a picture perfect hugger (if you can convince him to do it). The problem is that it’s a little bit too perfect- unless you catch him in a very emotional state, it’ll probably feel kinda inauthentic and stiff :/ 7/10
9. Cater! His hugs are nice, but he doesn’t always ask before giving them and they’re very fleeting. 7/10, could be longer.
10. Leona is a good hugger, but much like Vil and Azul, good luck ever getting him to give you one. Solid hug, but he’ll insult you :( and they’re kinda stiff + his form is bad 6/10
11. Ace gives a good side hug, but don’t expect more. 6/10, nice, but underwhelming and refuses to give a proper hug (too sappy for him)
12. Deuce gives solid hug… once he’s out of the awkward stage. See, he can give a good hug, but he gets too nervous about it and screws up. 6/10, unless you’re his mom, then 10/10
13. Ortho has objectively perfect hug form, but alas, he is mostly sharp edges and hard material. 6/10, he’s doing his best
14. Ruggie gives a slightly above average hug. 5/10, points deducted because he’ll pickpocket you while he does it :/
15. Jamil can hug you, but unless you’re Kalim (feels obligated + general mix of positive and negative feelings towards Kalim) or his sister, he will half-ass it. 5/10
16. Riddle… doesn’t know how to hug. It’s too stiff and too long and he doesn’t know where to put his arms- it’s a disaster. By god, he’s doing his best, though. He wishes desperately that there was a textbook on it. 4/10
17. Jade. His hug is kinda stiff, and yet still too invasive. Hugs for too long and puts his face right next to the person’s ear and you can hear him breathing and it’s just really creepy, actually. 3/10, pretty sure that was a threat
18. Sebek. Yells In Your Ear. Also hugs too tight 3/10
19. Malleus. Also doesn’t know how to hug, but unlike Riddle, manages to make it creepy a la Jade. Also minimum one member of Diasomnia is watching the hug the entire time. 3/10
20. Rook. Generally not super touchy, but when he does hug people he somehow manages to screw up every aspect. Too tight, too intense, too long, also he’s waxing poetic the entire time. Like Jade but somehow worse even though he’s genuinely trying his best. 2/10
21. Idia! In dead last! Doesn’t hug back, and when he does it’s wayyy too tight. Like, somewhat painful. Also he’s 90% bone, you are getting accidental stabbed everywhere. Somehow both too cold and too hot and he’s really clammy and just generally unpleasant when he hugs people. Also super awkward. 1/10 -unless ☝️ you’re Ortho, who actually enjoys Idia’s “hugs you like you’re dying” hugs or you just don’t get him to hug you back. He’s pretty good at standing there and being used as a stress toy.
Unranked: Floyd. This man is all over the place- sometimes his hugs are the best in the world, sometimes he’s kinda trying to strangle you, most of the time it’s just a little bit too tight
Malleo Propaganda; Spoilers for books 3 and 7
- Malleus’ whole deal is about how he’s dehumanized by people- an idol, a devil, a force of nature, etc. People don’t talk about hum like he’s a person and they don’t treat him like one either. Leona, for all that he hates Malleus, has always viewed him as a person. He doesn’t hate Malleus because he’s a dragon fae or because he’s a Draconia or any of those things- he hates Malleus because he’s a childish dick. He chooses to not have Malleus be put in the hall of fame. He chooses to treat him like a person- like someone who can be hurt. I mean, is it for nefarious purposes? Yes. But still!
- Rivals to Rivals who kiss to Lovers(?)
- If they get married, then Leona can finally be king. I mean, it’s not Sunset Savanah, but he’s still a king
- Malleus has never cared about Leona being second born- it doesn’t even register to him (aloof and oblivioussss). Everything he feels for Leona is based on his merit as a person
- Yeah, i think the fact that by hating each other they humanize each other is cool 👍
- Have You Heard Them Banter
- One sided obsession is cool. It just is.
- Both of them desperately need a punch to the face and both of them are the only people who can provide that for each other
- Thematic parallels: Princes, viewed in terms of natural disasters, potential for danger, people placing expectations on them from a young age, good at sports and magic, on the aloof side, retainers/retainer like figures who look up to them, need I say more?
Some health/disability headcanons for the NRC boys ^_^
- Deuce has a nicotine addiction due to smoking as a delinquent. He tried to quit cold turkey (it didn’t work) so he’s using nicotine patches. It’s part of why he moodwings so badly; it’s cause he’s going thru withdrawal + part of the reason he does so poorly in school is because he has an undiagnosed learning disorder
- I am a cane user Azul truther- he has a les ornate/more practical one he uses with his school uniform as opposed to the fancy one he uses with his dorm uniform. He has pretty bad balance issues + leg and knee weakness, so that’s why he uses it
- Leona has chronic migraines, it’s part of why he’s grumpy all the time.
- Idia has psychosis in the form of hallucinations and delusions- he’s gotten better since coming to NRC, but it’s still pretty bad sometimes
- Cater is constantly on the edge of having a drinking problem.
- Lilia has chronic pain and a bad back. He should probably be using a back brace, but he just straight up refuses and it drives his family nuts
- Vil experiences paranoia fits, but he’s been to a psychologist for them and has had them basically his entire life, so he’s pretty good at coping with them
- Trey, Jack and Riddle all have OCD
- Jamil pulled a leg muscle as a kid and it still hurts from time to time (chronic pain) + his feet are always sore
- Kalim has asthma; he’s surprisingly good at managing it on his own, and it’s one of the few things he’s always tried to do independently, even prior to book 4
- Sebek and Silver are both HoH; Silver’s deaf in one ear and Sebek being half fae has a very strange sense of hearing because there are some frequencies he can hear perfectly fine but others he can’t hear at all. Sebek doesn’t yell because he can’t hear himself- he yells because as kids, no one knew Silver was HoH in one ear, but Sebek did notice that Silver couldn’t hear him all the time, so he yelled to get his attention and it stuck. Not the most elegant solution, but it worked.
- Ruggie has a bum leg and walks with a slight limp. The accident that gave him the limp happened when he was really young, so he’s pretty good at moving around. He should probably have a leg brace or a cane, but he doesn’t have the money (Leona eventually gives him one)
Austim Gang: Riddle, Jack, Jade, Floyd, Azul, Rook, Idia, Malleus, Silver and Sebek
Depression Gang: Cater, Leona, Jamil, Idia
ADHD Gang: Floyd, Kalim, Lilia
ADD Gang: Leona, Silver, Epel
Ace is the only character in the cast without either a physical or mental disability of some kind, and it absolutely hilarious to me. There is exactly one textbook ‘healthy’ person in this fucking school and it’s this asshole (affectionate).
Happy Pride y’all, here’s the TWST cast ranked by how likely they are to attend a pride parade.
1) Kalim. He heard parade and said yes. Super into it, having a great time. Does the face paint and gives out free hugs. Jamil is having a heart attack. Doesn’t always get it, but is always supportive.
2) Vil. Honestly he probably helped set up at least one float. Wearing his cuntiest outfit and will tell you all about Queer history if you ask. Very much views it as an important cultural event and not just a party. Roasts every homophobe he sees.
3) Cater. Live-streaming the whole thing. Also has face paint on. Taking selfies with everyone and everything. Gets along with with everyone. A little bit superficial and performative about it but he’s genuinely happy to be there.
4) Floyd. Having a great time. Covered in glitter, also giving out free hugs (though his are of dubious quality) and is squeezing every homophobe he meets. Comes home covered in paint, glitter and what might be blood. Says they should go again next year.
5) Rook. He brought his camera and is taking so many photos, won’t stop waxing poetic about the beauty of the event. Walks up to random strangers and tells them they’re beautiful. People either burst into tears or say he’s a creep.
6) Lilia. Didn’t initially know what it was, but once he heard of it, he was in. Can’t stay as long as he wants to due to his age, but he enjoys every second there. Gives out free dad hugs.
7) Jack. Enjoys the sense of community and will punch the lights out of any homophobe. Walks people to the bus stop and train stations after the event is over so they feel safe.
8) Malleus. Just happy to be invited tbh. Gives a speech to everyone he meets about resilience and pride. Has a good time but has to leave early because he got overwhelmed. Smites a homophobe.
9) Ortho. Volunteered as security for the parade and takes his job Extremely Seriously. Covered in glitter. Overall having a good time. Will rattle off facts about the history of Pride. Knows every microlable ever.
10) Trey. Mostly here to make sure people don’t pass out from heat stroke. Hands out water bottles, sunscreen and granola bars. Has a good time over all.
11) Azul. Mostly here for appearances at the start but gets really into it. Was not originally wearing glitter but he definitely was by the time the parade ended. Hangs out with a bunch of drag queens and has a great time. Feels genuinely happy and comfortable.
12) Jade. Appears to be having a good time at least. Very calm and quiet despite how rowdy everything gets.
13) Jamil. Mostly came cause someone has to keep an eye on Kalim. He feels kinda upset being surrounded by these people who are out and proud and in control of their lives while he has no choice and no escape. Feels envious and sad. Probably cries at some point. Very classic “closeted at pride” feelings. Probably ends up having a crisis
14) Deuce. Starts off relatively subdued but is riled up by the end. Gets in a brawl with some assholes by the end of the parade and comes home covered in glitter with a black eye. Also walks people home.
15) Silver. Does he totally get what’s going on? No. But he’s having a pretty good time at least.
16) Riddle. Crying by the end of it. Someone who does those free mom hugs hugs him and he cries his eyes out. Emotionally kinda overwhelmed. Ends up telling his life story to a group of random strangers. Comes home with new character development.
17) Leona. Got dragged here by someone else, but is having a pretty good time, not that he’d ever admit it.
18) Ruggie. Enjoys it but also thinks it’s kind of frivolous? Dislikes how its caters to the public and thinks that Pride should be less corporate. The opinions of a guy who dislikes how “mainstream” it is. Sometimes goes.
19) Sebek. Also doesn’t get what’s going on. Probably wouldn’t go on his own- it just wouldn’t occur to him. Claps a lot. Cheers whenever something happens. Has no clue what he’s supposed to be doing, but by god is he going to do it well.
20) Ace. Doesn’t get what’s so important about it. Probably gets drunk and his friends have to drag him home. Cishet guy who’s mostly there cause his friends are.
21) Idia. It’s a parade. With people. Who are loud. Will not go, and if Ortho does manage to drag him there, Idia has a panic attack five minutes in and has to leave. Cannot deal with the crowd.
22) Epel. Self explanatory I feel. Vil might drag him there anyways, but Epel would be uncomfortable and leave.
The Twst cast ranked by how good they would be at driving + what do they play on the radio?
1) First place goes tooooo… Ortho! Literally perfect in every way at driving, follows all the rules and never gets into any accidents 10/10 + Radio: plays music that fits the interest of his passengers. If he’s alone, it’s usually anime openings or audiobooks related to his current interests.
2) Riddle. Immaculate driver, perfect form but points deducted for the sheer road rage he has. 9/10 + Radio: doesn’t allow music, says it’s a distraction. Might allow the news on long drives.
3) Trey. Great driver all around, cautious but not too, extremely calm. 9/10 + Radio: plays classic rock or whatever comes on first. Doesn’t mind driving in silence.
4) In fourth, we have Deuce! Probably the most driving experience out of them all, so you’re definitely safe with him. Tries to follow the rules, but can’t resist a little speeding now and then, but he’s also experienced enough to not mess up. 8/10 + Radio: tries to look professional and play classical music, but if he’s by himself he plays rap or rock music. Doesn’t like driving in silence, it makes him nervous.
5) Jamil. Very used to driving other people around, prone to doing tricks to make the drive go faster that aren’t totally legal, but he’s fineeee, he’s got this. Great at navigating but prone to road rage. 8/10 + Radio: plays his music and only his. Has the “driver gets to control the aux” perspective. If people complain, he turns it off and they drive in silence. (Very mom core)
6) Azul. New to driving, nervous but doesn’t let it show, good form but he’s very anxious. His ability to multitask is very helpful here. 8/10 + Radio: plays either swing, jazz, blues or the news depending on his mood. Lots of Frank Sinatra here.
7) Jack is in seventh place! He’s good at driving, a little nervous but overall good. Nothing much to say about him other than he could stand to relax a little. 8/10. + Radio: doesn’t turn on the radio unless asked. Usually plays whatever his passengers want, but keeps the volume down.
8) Sebek. Has a slight road rage problem and gets a little too stressed, but he’s pretty good at driving so long as he doesn’t get too angry. His turns are pretty sharp though… 7/10 + Radio: drives in silence. Might allow classical music if he’s in a good mood- the only people who can control the aux are Lilia and Malleus.
9) Vil is good at driving, but he also gets distracted easily. Talks a lot, usually talking about pedestrians and stuff. Gets impatient sometimes and has bad road rage when he’s in a bad mood. Does best when he has a designated passenger who does stuff like answering texts or navigating. 7/10, could be better + Radio: picky about music, critiques songs he doesn’t like but refuses to turn them off. Will judge you for your preferences.
10) Idia. Really, really nervous, but actually pretty good at driving. Hands have a death grip on the wheel. 7/10 + Radio: anime opening and game osts exclusively.
11) Rook. Very good at observing things and has great peripheral vision, so you’d assume he’s at least decent and he is, but he also always takes the scenic route. You’ll get there and you’ll get there safely, but it’s going to take a while… great at navigating though. Works best at a passenger assisting the driver. 6/10 + Radio: plays whatever comes on first or whatever the passenger requests.
12) Ruggie. Experienced bus driver/taxi drivercore. Speeds the whole time, chats the whole time, you’re wondering how you haven’t hit someone get, uses all the shortcuts. You get there 10 minutes early and have lost 10 years of your life. 5/10, good but at what cost? + Radio: has curated playlists for each type of passenger in hopes of getting a good tip. Playlists are incredibly accurate.
13) Similar to Ruggie, it’s Jade. Perfect form, always speeds, might try to run someone off the road. You’ll get to your destination, but it’s going to be a wild ride. Somehow never gets in an accident. 5/10 + Radio: Jazz, swing, blues, big band or utter silence. Utter silence is the creepiest.
14) Epel. “It can’t be too different from driving a tractor?” Are his famous last words. He’s fine on streets with low traffic, but in rush hour traffic? He’s dying man. 5/10 + Radio: Hope you like country and classic rock, because that’s all he plays.
15) Ace is teenage boy learning to drivecore. Does his best, car has a few dings to show from it, doesn’t always follow the rules. 4/10 + Radio: plays his playlists and nothing else. Passengers get no input.
16) Cater is a distracted driver all the way. Good at driving, but someone needs to get him off his phone. Wine mom vibes and not in a good way. 3/10, you might crash. + Radio: pop, pop and more pop.
17) Kalim. He tries. He… he tries. Very easily distracted, head in the clouds. Jamil will have a heart attack. 3/10. + Radio: whatever his passengers want! Plays club or dance music when on his own.
18) Lilia should not be allowed to drive. Drives like the old man he is and speeds all the time. He can’t navigate worth a damn. You will probably vomit. 2/10. + Radio: Metal. Death metal, thrash metal, all the metal. Sings along at the top of his lungs
19) Do Not Get In the Car With Floyd. You’ll get there (maybe) but that car will be totalled and you will have whiplash. Active hazard to anything on the road. Just. Just don’t. 1/10, at least you end up at your destination… somehow… + Radio: literally anything depending on the day.
20) Malleus cannot get the car to start and that is a good thing. Has no idea how to drive or how a car works. 1/10, he’ll just fly there instead. + Radio: cannot work a radio.
Not legally allowed to drive: Silver and Leona. Silver’s narcoleptic fits are extremely dangerous in the road and Leona is blind in one eye, but that’s suits him just fine since he’s too lazy to drive himself anyways.
Idia “I have no clue what normal boundaries are between friends and at this point I’m too scared to ask” Shroud X Azul “Terrified of being hurt so I’ll just slowly get closer to him and he can either accept or reject my advances without either of us having to confess anything” Ashengrotto
Idia, who is so anxious that he thinks going to visit his friend’s dorm is weird and creepy and Ortho keeps telling him it’s literally normal, so he kinda just gives up and lets Azul decide the boundaries. Azul spends a lot of time with him? Probably normal. Azul’s really touchy whenever they’re in person and does stuff like putting his hand on his shoulder and it’s- it’s new, but it’s not like he dislikes it. So he starts doing little gestures in return- leaning on Azul’s shoulder, walking a little closer, grabbing his sleeve when it’s too crowded, etc.
So Azul obviously thinks he’s flirting back, so they escalate. Azul puts a hand around Idia’s waist at time, spends even more time with him, even works up the courage to hold his hand and Idia presumes “Okay, we’re just really good friends, right? This is something you do with like, your best friends, so it’s normal.”
NRC boys ranked by how much I think they’d enjoy a metal show + would they go into the pit
1. Lilia! Our resident canon metalhead! He’d have such a good time at a show, you know he’s screaming along with the lyrics and headbanging like it’s the end of the world. 10/10 + The Pit: his family have to hold him back from going into the mosh pit (“no, Lilia, you aren’t young anymore, your bones can’t handle it anymore-“ “Lilia yessss-!”)
2. Floyd. He Is Having The Time Of His Life. Totally matches his energy, he’s going wild out there 10/10 + The Pit: He immediately goes for the pit and moshes the entire time. Going absolutely ham.
3. Epel. He would be having so much fun, screaming the lyrics and getting really into the atmosphere. 9/10 + The Pit: Really good at moshing for someone so small? But yeah, has a great time in the Pit
4. Jack. I don’t think he’d go on his own, but if he did, he’d really enjoy it. Lots of shows have this kind of “team” feeling, where there’s a great sense of camaraderie, and I feel like Jack would like that. Also depending on which subgenre of metal it is, sometimes there’s howling in the songs, which he would also enjoy. 8/10, point deduction for having to leave early because he needs to get up for his morning run tomorrow :/ + The Pit: would go into the mosh pit only briefly/sporadically, but he’d enjoy it :)
5. Rounding out the delinquent trio, it’s Deuce! Again, similar reasons for Jack and Epel but I think he’d like it a lot :) 8/10, point deduction for Riddle yelling at him when he gets home cause he was out past curfew + The Pit: Def a hardcore mosher. Biggest concern is accidentally punching someone
6. Cater! He’s having a good time, def is not getting up on time tomorrow. Really into both the vibe and the music. 7/10 +The Pit: would not go in the pit. Maybe sends a clone?
7. Leona. I see him having a pretty good time? Might get bored and leave early tho. Says he won’t get into it, but he ends up singling along with the crowd. Doesn’t headbang tho :/// 7/10 + The Pit: maybe goes into the pit? Probably not for the whole time, just briefly. Gets annoyed and leaves after a few minutes
8. …Idia? I don’t think he’d go willingly, but once he gets into it, he gets into it. Headbanging, fire hair going crazy, screaming till his lungs give out, etc. He just has to acclimate to the vibe and then he’s all in (process is speeded up if intoxicated). 7/10 + The Pit: Nope, nope, nope, he will die. He’s a twig, he’s gonna get crushed
9. Ruggie. Having a pretty good time, but probably won’t go unless someone is offering tickets or something. 6/10, he doesn’t dislike it, but he’s not super into it. + The Pit. Nah, not his thing.
10. Ortho. Having a good if only because he likes being around people, and it’s very high energy. Not really his scene though… 6/10, he’s just happy to be here + The Pit: Doesn’t go into the pit… unless he makes himself/has Idia make him a moshing gear
11. Ace. Didn’t really anticipate how exhausting it would be, really tired by the end of the night. 5/10, had a great first half and feels like shit by the end. + The Pit: Tried moshing, ended up way too bruised for his liking
12. Riddle. Would Not enjoy it initially, probably got dragged here by Ace and Cater, scandalized. Gets really into the atmosphere by the end and has screamed himself hoarse. Regrets it the next day, but has fun in the moment 5/10 + The Pit: Doesn’t want to go in the pit, ends up in there by accident, actually has fun. Probably wouldn’t do it again tho
13. Silver! Asleep in his chair lol- I kid, but he’s actually very relaxed. Probably tagged along with Lilia and is just following him around. Slightly overwhelmed, just floating about. 5/10 + The Pit: Does not go into the pit.
14. Jamil. Much like Riddle, he doesn’t enjoy it at first, but he’s headbanging and dancing by the end. 5/10, ranked lower because he’s worrying about Kalim the entire time. + The Pit: Does not go into the pit
15. Kalim. Having fun, but it’s too high energy for him- he likes partying, but this is a bit much :/ 4/10 + The Pit: Jamil does not let him anywhere near the mosh pit
16. Rook. Enjoys the music and vibe, but he’s not a touchy person, and there is a lot of physical contact in a lot of metal shows. 4/10, trying to enjoy it but he keeps coming int physical contact with strangers :( + The Pit: Admires the pit, but would never mosh
17. Vil. He can’t appreciate the theatrics of it, but he also isn’t a fan of being touched by strangers and he’s worried for his ears. 3/10, probably doesn’t stay the entire time. + The Pit: Stays as far away from it as he possibly can
18. Trey. Very uncomfortable, not a fan of the music genre or the vibe. Would rather be a home. Makes sure all his friends have enough water. Probably can’t hear the next day :/ 3/10 + The Pit: Not his cup of tea
19. Malleus. Initially just excited to be around people, either A) quickly gets overstimulated and leaves, B) gets really into it and ends up having to leave so he doesn’t wreck the venue or C) Gets annoyed by everyone touching him and has to leave so he doesn’t blow people up. No matter what happens, he has to leave early. 2/10, he at least enjoys the parts he does experience + The Pit: Malleus + Moshing = Kaboom. Not happening
20. Sebek. Lost the rest of Diasomnia in the crowd and spends the entire night trying to find them again. At least his shouting isn’t out of place here? 2/10 + The Pit: does not intentionally mosh, but does accidentally wander into the pit. Very good mosher, at least
21. Azul. Having the worst time of his life; he’s overstimulated, thirsty, lost Floyd less than a minute in, he has a headache, he can’t see or hear, it smells like smoke and weed, he’d rather be at his dorm room, studying. 1/10, he is suffering :( + The Pit: No. just… no.
Unranked: Jade. Nobody has seen him the entire show. When they all meet up the next day, he says he has a great time…? Genuine enigma