nyxnightshade1332

[nyxnightshade1332]

Yup, that makes sense.

[nyxnightshade1332]

[nyxnightshade1332]

what about my fan theory. whats wrong with it why dont we discu

[nyxnightshade1332]

Please Reblog is Your Blog is Safe for Non-Binary People.

If my mutuals can’t rb this then we can’t be mutuals

[nyxnightshade1332]

Could you do an aroace userbox :D??

ofc!!! :D

[text: this user is aroace]

feel free to reblog/download and use on your profile but keep my username visible ty! :)

[nyxnightshade1332]

Trey, Riddle's biggest yumejo.

[nyxnightshade1332]

kind of wanna reinforce this here. because i’ve seen ai writing become so popular on tik tok.

ai writing is not okay.

it’s literally theft. just like how ai art steals, ai writing steals. it’s using authors’ very real work to generate whatever you type in. and this also needs to be said as well.

writing is a form of art. fanfiction is a form of literature.

seeing this all over my fyp is REALLY discouraging. fanfic itself is already a labor of love and we love it when you interact. but please do not use ai writing for your fanfic needs when this writing literally steals from fanfic authors.

genuinely don’t know if this post will go around because my interactions outside of hcs are shit, but i hope it does.

[nyxnightshade1332]

[nyxnightshade1332]

RESPECT ALL ASPEC IDENTITIES EVEN IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THEM

Get this message onto everyone’s dash rn

[nyxnightshade1332]

Took it and I'm apparently Diasomnia. Who'd have thought?

[nyxnightshade1332]

[nyxnightshade1332]

Expectations When Expecting (Book 1)

Chapter 16

Chapter 17:

TW: This part is just a bit more angsty with mentions of a panic attack and  fainting. If this triggers you, I'll try to mark the part where it all completely escalates. 

Please enjoy the story!

~~~

"Whoa, hold up! Is that one of your rules too?!" Ace yelled incredulously, eyes burning with rage.

"Yeah! If you want the tart gone, let me eat it!" Grim agreed, hopping off of Yuu's shoulder.

Yuu watched as the taller vice-housewarden pushed through the crowd of students, eyes wide in a desperate attempt to de-escalate the situation. "Housewarden, allow me to apologize. I was the one who suggested making a chestnut tart."

"I was a part of that too." Cater's voice rang over the chaos as he made his way over, standing protectively in front of the first years. "We had no idea there was a rule about it!"

"The making of the tart is not the issue. The issue is bringing it HERE. Today. THAT is the transgression!" Riddle fumed, his voice stern and his face burning crimson.

Yuu couldn't stop herself as a sudden burst of rage shot through her body. "That isn't fair! How can you live by such foolish rules?" She cried before she could consider her own words. She stopped herself when she noticed Riddle freeze

"What did you just call me?"Riddle turned to her, slowly with a terrifying glare, his face deepening from a cherry red to a rose red. "'Foolish'?!"

Yuu glared. "I didn't call you foolish. I called your stupid rules that." She retorted, deducting that it was definitely too late to try for peace.

"Everyone, stop! Don't dig this hole any deeper!" Cater pleaded, lightly pulling on Yuu's sleeve to try ushering her behind him.

When Yuu didn't budge, Cater turned to face his Housewarden. "And Riddle, please try to remember that these are new students who've only been here a few days!"

"Nah, bro. I've got a shovel and I am DIGGING." Ace growled, turning his attention back to Riddle. "Throwing away a tart to obey some insane rule is about as foolish as it gets."

"I agree with Ace. Of course, I understand that rules do need to be followed, but..." Deuce chimed in, tentative as he looked over to his friends. "This is going much too far."

"Are you attempting to debate me? Bold move. But I'll bite." Riddle scoffed, false amusement in his voice. "By breaking even the smallest rule, you are throwing wide the gate to anarchy."

Ace bit his lip, turning to face the students who cowered at their Housewarden's temper. "Everyone, I know you're afraid of getting your magic sealed away, but you know this is insane, right?" Ace seemed to beg for the support of at least one. Yuu watched, noting how many who seemed to agree seemed to shrink back.

"N-no, we, uh..." The bunny boy from earlier attempted, jumping slightly as Riddle's gaze fixed warningly on him.

"Well? Isn't it?" Riddle asked confidently. The bunny boy seemed to shrink back even more.

"Far from it, Housewarden Riddle, sir!"

"We trust in your judgment, sir!"

Grim curled around Yuu's ankles, glaring at the cowardly soldiers. "You little..."

"You spineless, fair-weather cowards..." Ace growled out, refusing to stand down.

"In the year since I became housewarden, not a single student from Heartslabyul House has dropped out or been held back a year." Riddle stood, marching toward Ace. "We are the only house that can boast such a feat. Furthermore, of everyone in this dorm, I have the best academic standing."

Yuu watched as Ace stepped back. She knew that because of that, Riddle saw a weakness.

"Hence, I am the most correct!" Riddle announced, voice sounding more insane. "If you would simply obey me without question, we wouldn't need to contend so." He picked up his staff, eyes hard and sharp like a steel dagger. He gestured to the students.

"Listen, we-!" Deuce began, only to be cut off.

"It's not off with their heads because I want to do that. I do it because rules must never be broken." Riddle explained. Yuu felt a chill run down her spine. There was something odd about the way Riddle had phrased that. As if he'd heard it many times.

She looked at Trey, who appeared to be helpless in this matter. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Trey looked away with a deep melancholy that Yuu could only describe as guilt toward the other party.

"If you will not obey me, then I will have all of your heads!" Riddle warned, preparing his staff.

"Yuu..." A familiar voice echoed in her ears "Run! It's too dangerous here!" The young woman shivered as things began to escalate. She ignored the voice, praying that she'd made the correct choice.

"Okay, let's all say, 'Yes, Housewarden Riddle.'" Cater tried, eyes pleading with the group.

"I... I can't." Deuce said, standing his ground.

"Me neither..." She agreed.

"I don't bow to self-important tyrants!" Ace glared.

Yuu watched Riddle freeze once more, a brief look of hurt and insult flashing across his delicate features before it was replaced with bubbling rage.

"What did you just call me?" His voice shook.

"He called you a tyrant for wantin' to destroy good food just 'cause you're throwin' a tantrum!" Grim snapped, clearly proud of himself.

"Grim!" She warned the cat, terror making her voice tremble slightly, watching Riddle's face match his hair. The magestone on his staff began to glow as Riddle clutched the staff hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Guys, I don't think we need to escalate this-" Deuce tried once more before a thunderous roar echoed in the dorm's courtyard. Yuu took a step back before yelping.

"Off! With! Your! Heads!"

** What the TW mentioned. Skip to the next chapter if you need to **

A sudden cold, heavy brace clasped tightly around Yuu's throat, knocking the wind out of her, leaving her gasping for air as a wave of nausea came rolling over her once more.

"No! Not the collar again!" She heard Grim, unable to see the cat through swirling vision.

"Gah! I can't get it off!" She heard Deuce.

Her thoughts flashed to her unborn child and jumbled with horrible nightmares. No! Nononono! She closed her eyes, trembling.

"Trey! Cater! Eject them from the premises!" Riddle ordered as the edges of her vision began to turn dark and spotted her vision.

She swallowed, trying not to humiliate herself in front of the others.

"Y-you're supposed to be our 'mentors'!" She heard Deuce wail, determining that he was in front of her.

"Sorry, but we can't disobey our housewarden!" Cater responded.

"Sorry, man..." Trey called from where he appeared to be beside Cater.

"Oh, that's how it's gonna be? Then bring it on!"Ace snarled.

"...nchman? Hey! Henchman? Are you okay?" Yuu turned her spotty vision to see the familiar blue glow of Grim's ears.

She gave him a shaky thumbs up as she lay herself onto the grass. I don't feel very well...

She began to close her eyes. Tired... She thought to herself, allowing herself to succumb to the dizzy sensation as the last thing she was able to hear rang out in the darkness.

"Yuu!" Grim cried.

Chapter 18

[nyxnightshade1332]

Expectations When Expecting (Book 1)

Chapter 15

Chapter 16:

Yuu allowed herself to be led away from the group, mind racing with all of the possibilities that could be the conversation that Cater wanted to have with her. Yuu shook away any of the fears that involved her most precious secret, praying that it would be something less terrifying to explain.

She wanted to reveal the secret in her own time. Yuu tried to silence her thoughts when Cater had finally brought them both to a stop behind a secluded bush.

Oh shit oh shit... he knows, doesn't he? Why wouldn't he know? Am I seriously THAT bad at keeping secrets? What if Rook let it slip on accident! Yuu's mind went into a panicked, screaming state that left her frozen before Cater.

"So... What's up?" Yuu asked, forcing her voice to come out normally. Her voice cracked, making her nerves apparent to the ginger, who simply backed up a bit.

"Oh! Sorry!" He scrambled back a bit, noticing this. "I didn't wanna make you uncomfy, hehe." He laughed a bit. Yuu examined his movements.

"No. You're fine. What did you wanna talk about, Cater?" She asked, tugging at the sleeves of her oversized uniform and averting eye contact.

"Yeah. Uh... I didn't wanna bring this up in front of the guys in case this was a touchy subject, but..." Cater began, turning Yuu just a bit more anxious, averting her eyes so she could watch the others struggle with their roses.

"You're... biologically female, right?" Cater asked, awkwardly.

Yuu jumped, turning to him in surprise. "Woah, okay. Where'd that come from?" She stared with her eyes wide.

"I kinda figured it out when I hugged ya, but I really didn't mean it maliciously!" He explained, grabbing two boxes from under a bush. "Anyway! I got you an apology outfit for the unbirthday party. Low-key, hope you like it!" The ginger rambled, forcing Yuu to stop him by placing her hands over his mouth.

Yuu blinked, still tense. "Ok, hold on! Lemme get this straight." She said, allowing Cater to calm down and listen. "You somehow deduced that I am female from a single hug... and you thought to tell me this while the others were distracted so I wouldn't be uncomfortable?"

Cater nodded, not removing her hands from over his mouth.

"Wow... that is perhaps one of the nicest things that's happened to me ever since I got here." She said, removing her hands. Yuu examined the ginger, who was still somewhat in shock from the confirmation of her femininity.

Should I tell him about the second half?... Nah. I'd probably break the poor fella.

Yuu stepped back, allowing Cater a bit of room to breathe. "Thanks, I guess." She said, offering Cater a crooked smile.

"Yeah!" Cater smiled. "No problem!" He smiled back with a laugh before a sudden explosion of screams echoed from the garden, interrupting the two.

"Oh shit! Put it out!" Yuu's eyes widened, turning to the sound of the commotion as she realized that it was exactly as she'd assumed.

"Oh damn-" Cater said, brushing himself off, gesturing for Yuu to follow after him. She did, grateful.

.

.

.

Unsurprisingly, the boys had reacted to Grim setting a good portion of the rose bush on fire rather poorly. Cater arrived, summoning a small shower that was enough to delicately put the roses out without damaging the salvageable ones.

"... Well, this is going better than before." Deuce remarked, sitting down to calm down from the commotion.

It took the group a minute to calm down from the insanity that had just ensued. Yuu had immediately slipped into the maternal mode that would often come and go, inspecting the boys for any injured before dubbing them to be okay.

Cater examined the other roses carefully before smiling slightly. "Y'know... aside from the extra crispy roses, it's looking good!" He pulled out his phone to check the time before cheering slightly. "Ooh, it's almost time! Okay, all you sexy body doubles, that's a wrap!" He recalled all of the other Caters, who disappeared with a happy nod.

"Aye-aye, Cay-Cay!" Before disappearing in a poof, dropping three four of diamond cards.

The group stood for a moment before Cater clapped his hands. "Alrighty! Since today's occasion calls for formal wear..." Cater smiled, twirling his magic pen in his hands. "Your kind upperclassman'll doll you up!"

Yuu closed her eyes, feeling a warmth spread over her before opening her eyes once more. She looked around to see all of the boys dressed in charming, red, black, white, and gold suits. Even Grim's bow seemed to have changed to the Heartslabyul signature color scheme.

Yuu nodded, examining the boys. "You guys look pretty cool, actually." She smiled, allowing herself to praise the boys.

"Ya don't look too bad yourself." Ace smirked, gesturing for her to look down.

Yuu stood, currently in a frilly-ish sky-blue suit, a tailcoat elegantly acting as a sort of dress. She noticed how she was wearing shorts with white stockings, and was pleased with the blue and white combat boots that adorned her feet. She felt the weight atop her head, removing a matching mini-top hat, decorated in hearts with a pretty black bow.

Granted, she assumed that her appearance resembled one of a person who'd fallen into a pool of blue dye, but she quite liked the cutesy style of the clothing.

"Damn, okay! I see you, Cater." She said, surprised at how well the outfit was able to keep her chest hidden (which was impressive, considering that her breasts had begun to grow).

"Ha! I told ya that Cay-Cay's got you." He smirked before gesturing for the first-years to follow. The time for Heartslabyul's unbirthday party to begin was upon them at last.

.

.

.

A horn sounded, signaling for all of the boys to stand along the sides, forming a path from the gate and leading into the party.

"All hail our leader, the red sovereign himself... Housewarden Riddle!" A boy with Rabbit ears announced, joining the ranks.

"We salute you, Housewarden Riddle!" The others recited, Yuu simply standing awkwardly, mouthing along, yet unsure of what she was supposed to do.

She kept her hands over her stomach, nervously watching as the Crimson-haired boy walked in, holding his head high and impressively balancing on heels.

"Hm. The garden roses are red, the tablecloths are white... This seems a proper unbirthday indeed." He announced before turning to face Trey, who stood at attention beside him.

"Is there a dormouse asleep in the teapot, as there should be?" The red-head asked, his regal tone bringing fear into her heart.

"Of course. And should it become necessary, we've also prepared the jam to spread on his nose." Trey informed, earning himself a nod from the housewarden.

For a brief moment, Yuu caught a glimpse of the red-haired boy examining her gifted formal wear, nodding as if accepting her.

"Very good."

"Myah! Those are some fancy duds!" Grim whispered from Yuu's shoulder. Yuu mumbled her agreements, fearing that a single movement may attract the boy's attention.

"These are Heartslabyul dorm clothes. Aren't they fierce? At the forefront of fashion, and they look great on Magicam." Cater whispered back, smirking at the group. "One of the Queen's rules mandates formal dress on party days."

Yuu nodded, "As they say, clothes maketh the man." She stated in a posh tone, making her friend group smile.

"Now, let's tear this party up! And don't forget to give Riddle the tart." Cater reminded before making his way over to Trey.

"Before we begin the croquet tournament, let us make a toast. Does everyone have their teacup?" Riddle asked, raising one out, all others following suit. "On this most significantly unauspicious of days, I bid all in attendance... a very merry unbirthday!"

"To a very merry unbirthday!" Those in attendance called, raising their cups before taking a sip.

Cater gave a nod to Ace. "Now's your chance!" He mouthed as Ace scrambled to pick up the box containing the tart.

"Right... Uh, housewarden, sir..." Ace stood awkwardly, keeping his eyes averted as he offered the box to The red-haired housewarden.

Riddle sat upon a throne, his face unimpressed as he raised an eyebrow at Ace. "Ah, it's you. The tart thief." He said, voice calm.

"Yeah, so, I wanted to apologize for eating that tart. We made you a new tart to replace it." Ace gestured toward the group as Riddle accepted the box.

"Hmm? And what kind of tart is it?" The housewarden asked, beginning to untie the box to examine the gift.

"I'm so glad you asked! It's a chestnut tart, and I swear, we weren't stingy with the chestnuts." Ace chirped, taking the housewarden's acceptance of the gift as an acceptance of the apology.

Instead of praise, however, the people involved jumped at the cry of horror that escaped the shorter housewarden.

"A CHESTNUT tart?!" Riddle placed the box on the table, pushing it away from him as if it had somehow offended him.

"What?!" Ace sputtered, noticing how Riddle's face seemed to be turning a bright, angry red. Yuu pulled Ace's jacket, attempting to pull him away from Riddle.

"The Queen of Hearts's rule 562: 'One must never bring a chestnut tart to an unbirthday tea party.'" Riddle recited. Yuu could have sworn that she'd seen smoke billowing out of his ears. "This is an utterly flagrant rule violation! Do you understand what you've done?! You've ruined an otherwise perfect unbirthday!" He hissed, accusation clear in his tone.

Yuu watched as Trey and Cater seemed to pale at this revelation.

"R-rule 562...?!" Deuce stuttered, nervous.

Yuu felt a strangely cold sensation wash over her, one that she'd felt in the dwarf's mine as she watched the scene escalate.

"You have all of these memorized?!" She yelped, fighting back a whimper.

"There are 810 rules in all, and as a housewarden, I can of course recite each and every one of them." Riddle scoffed, turning his attention back to Ace.

Yuu noticed how Cater leaned over to Trey, both seemingly whispering among themselves, shock clear in their eyes.

"As housewarden of a dorm established to honor the Queen of Hearts's rigor, I cannot ignore this." Riddle said, face turning red with rage. "Destroy the offending tart immediately! Then throw these rulebreakers out of the dorm!" He commanded, making Yuu's heart drop. 

Chapter 17

[nyxnightshade1332]

Pop Music Club Trio! First animation in a while, I'm a bit rusty but I'm still pretty happy with it~

[nyxnightshade1332]

Please, I'm in a library, why is this so funny-

Ace vs the rest of the basketball clubs love life

[nyxnightshade1332]

Expectations When Expecting (Book 1)

Chapter 14

Chapter 15:

"El borracho!" She called, presenting the makeshift card to the boys.

"Hell yeah!" Deuce cheered, placing a small stone over the drawn and replicated four times loteria card. "Loteria!" He called, chest puffing proudly.

It had been about three hours since the group had gotten yuu to draw out the entire game of loteria.

"Congrats Deuce!" Yuu chuckled, pulling the notebook paper cards back into a very thin deck. "Alright boys, let's head to bed before I struggle to wake myself up." She remarked, dismissing the group.

.

.

.

The moment Yuu closed her eyes, she felt something odd pulling at her. It was... familiar, yet terrifying. Some strange force that she could not fight. It became quite evident to her, when the scent of the old Ramshackle room disappeared, a slight aroma of a rose garden replacing the smell of moisture.

Another dream...? Yuu opened her eyes, examining the area of what appeared to be a maze of roses. Her eyes landed on two figures. A tall, intimidating woman, a queen waving around an uprooted rose bush, and a young girl in blue cowering close to the ground. Alice...

"For painting my roses red, someone will lose his head!" She fumed, glaring at three cards that shivered, terrified at her words.

"Y-your majesty..." The three of clubs trembled. "If anyone is to blame, it's him!" He pointed to the Two of clubs.

"Have mercy, you grace!" The two pleaded. "It was the Ace!"

"So it was YOU." The queen demanded with a terrifying glare. The Ace shrunk back, cowering at her presence.

"Gah! No! It was the two!" He blamed. Yuu furrowed her brows, a frown deepening on her face. They're willing to do anything to stay alive, but they cannot protect each other...

"Then he will pay!" The queen growled, prompting the two to jump to his own defense.

"It was the three, I say!" He cried, face dropping in horror as Yuu saw that the Queen had finally seemed to snap.

"Enough of this!" She snarled, glaring at the three cards, taking a deep breath as her face became bright red. "OFF with ALL their heads!" She roared as the card soldiers errupted into cheering.

Yuu watched in stunned horror at the sight of the three cards being dragged away, one leaving behind a trail of red paint turning the scene all the more morbid.

Just before Yuu could avert her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the queen, who giggled as if she had done nothing wrong in sending off three of her people to an unfair execution.

"A fitting end. Color, you can't mend." The two of diamonds praised, the three following suit.

"Everyone knows the roses should be red." He sang, praising the queen.

Yuu felt horrified dread pool into her stomach, beginning to suffocate her. She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to imagine the moments before the execution of the cards. And then, she woke up.

.

.

.

"Yuu, wake up." The young woman felt her body being shaken gently. "The unbirthday party is today. If we're late, well, you know..."

Gasping for breath, Yuu shot up, her head nearly colliding with Deuce's nose.

"Woah!" He yelped, noticing Yuu's confused expression. She paused, processing her surroundings and the information before slowly nodding.

"That's right... The party's today." She muttered before turning to Deuce. "Sorry... I almost broke your nose." She said, sheepishly.

"Nah, it's cool. I'll leave you to get dressed, okay?" Deuce smiled, leaving the room and closing the door.

Yuu quickly got up, getting dressed. She was grateful for the lack of nausea this morning, as she was already anxious. Yuu messed with her hair for a bit before giving up and settling for keeping it down.

Yuu then opted for making her way down the stairs before hearing a knock on her door.

"Look like you have a visitor!" Deuce called from his place on the couch before going back to bicker with the still-collared Ace.

Yuu sighed, attempting to fight the grogginess as she opened the door.

"Good mooorning!" The sunshiny voice chirped, making his way in. "Did you all enjoy your sleepover? Did you bond over pillow fights and card games?" The third-year ginger asked, curious and excited.

"No and yes." Yuu responded as Ace entered the conversation.

"Oh, good morning, Cater. We did play some cards, yeah." Ace yawned. "We played Old Maid, 'cause that was the only one Grim knew how to play."

"And I still got the old maid every time, dang it!" Grim grumbled, pouting.

"Let's just say Grim doesn't have a very good poker face." Deuce chuckled.

"We also played loteria after I drew a board and all of the cards. Deuce won our last game, so I owe him a Coffee. Again." She said, making Deuce smirk.

Cater gave a laugh before speaking."Well, you should get one of the tarts we made yesterday and go apologize to Riddle." His face seemed to strain to keep smiling as he added, "And you should probably hurry, because after the trouble yesterday, we're a little short-handed."

"What does that mean?" Ace questioned uneasily.

"Don't worry. I've totes got it under control. Anyway, off to the party we go!" Cater chirped once more, dodging the question.

Yuu shook her head, trying to get the feeling of dread to subside, sensing that there was something that Cater did not want the group to know. She made a silent prayer that things would go well as she watched Ace grab the box from her fridge before following after Cater.

.

.

.

"All right, so..." Ace said, checking over the tart once again. "I'll hand over the tart and say I'm sorry, then-" He went over the plan before freezing when he looked back up.

Yuu followed his gaze, her mind somewhat blanking as she saw another, differently dressed Cater.

"Hey, it's about time I got back! Good to see me!" Cater number two called, waving cheerily to the first Cater.

"And me! Looking good as always, me!" Cater number one said with a playful finger gun at the other.

Yuu blinked incredulously. "Excuse me, but what the hell-" Yuu remarked, turning to face Cater one.

"Th-there're two Caters?!" Deuce gasped, eyes wide in surprise.

"Are you guys identical twins?!" Ace yelped, eyes flying between the two Caters.

"Nope. Don't have any siblings." Cater one smiled, making Yuu narrow her eyes. Oh, he's definitely not a single child... he doesn't give off that energy.

"What I DO have is my signature spell, Split Card. It lets me make magic duplicates of myself." He informed the group, gesturing for someone to come to join them. Yuu looked around in surprise as she saw two more Cater approach.

"This must be how Cater kept coming after we beat him over and over again yesterday..." Deuce mumbled.

"Welcome home, daaarlings." One said cutely, making a fake bow.

"Good to see you, Yuu!" The other said with a nod of his hair. She returned his greetings with an awkward wave and a crooked smile.

Wow. This place is weird.

"You're late! I was worried sick!" Cater two fussed.

"Bwah! There're more of them?" Ace cried, bewildered by the revelation.

"J-S-Y-K, I'm actually the real Cater." Cater two said, raising his hand. "Making these duplicates is suuuper exhausting, so I can't maintain them for long." He gestured toward his duplicated before checking the time on his phone, eyes widening for a brief moment.

"Anyway, if we're late, heads will roll. And since we're several people short, we'll need your help. But when this is over, I promise I'll take you straight to Riddle."

"What... MORE roses?" Grim groaned loudly, clinging to Yuu, who scratched behind his ears.

Yuu pursed her lips, carefully placing a hand over her stomach as she recalled the dangerous interaction with Cater when they'd painted the roses before. Naturally, the young woman was a bit skeptical.

"And here we go again!" Ace rolled his eyes.

"Get the lead out, peeps! We need to get started!" Cater called, clapping his hands. "Chop chop!"

Yuu noticed as Cater seemed to be watching her, making his way over to her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leading her away from the group.

"And Yuu... I need to talk to you." He said, seriously. Yuu felt her heart sink as she gulped, nodding. 

Chapter 16

[nyxnightshade1332]

Expectations When Expecting (Book 1)

Chapter 13

Chapter 14:

"Okay, now we just sprinkle on a little powdered sugar, and..." Yuu watched in fascination as Trey expertly sifted powdered sugar onto the tart.

The entire room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, when Trey stood back.

"Finished!" Ace and Grim remarked excitedly. Yuu smiled, pleased with the image.

"Fin...ished..." Deuce said halfheartedly.

"Hey." Ace nudged Yuu slightly, leaning in to whisper. "Did something happen to him while you were shopping?"

"Yeah. He's still in shock." She laughed awkwardly. "I think I broke him."

"For sixteen years, I was so sure..." Deuce lamented, returning to muttering.

Ace watched with a raised eyebrow. "... Yeah, whatever." He said dismissively. "I'm pretty beat. Making tarts sure takes it outta you."

Yuu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is the big tough fella tired?" She teased. "Guess you should be lucky we agreed to help~" She grinned, noticing Ace's embarrassed blush.

"Yeah, fine. Thanks for the help." He huffed, looking away.

Yuu chuckled kindly. "You're welcome!" She said, returning her gaze to the table she was wiping down.

"Hey fam!" A voice resounded in the kitchen, making Yuu jump slightly as she looked up to see a familiar ginger.

"Holy shit, this ain't moving!" She grumbled to herself. "Oh yeah! 'Sup Cater!" She called back, attempting to scrub off a bit of solidified paste from the wood.

"LOL, You look wrecked." Cater remarked. "Are the tarts done? Ooh, those look sooo cute! Lemme snap a quick pic for Magicam!" Cater smiled, scampering over to where Trey was, holding a very pretty-looking tart.

"What, NOW you decide to show up?" Ace retorted, annoyed and cranky.

"I just came to see how hard my little newbs were working." Cater said, leaning against the desk nonchalantly.

"It's tough work if you're not used to it. But there's no better cure for the ails of fatigue than something sweet from the oven!" Trey announced, placing a warm tart in front of the group. "Help yourself to some of this tart."

The group celebrated at the thought of getting to try their work.

"Pretty funny how you managed to show right when it was ready to eat, Cater." Ace remarked, scowling slightly when Cater laughed.

"Someone's gotta be the official taster!" The older ginger smiled.

"That smells so good..." Grim purred, sniffing the air as his mouth began to water. "Glossy chestnuts on top, fluffy cream below... I can't wait another second, I'm going in!"

Grim seemed to jump into his tart, completely disregarding the fork and simply taking a large bite. Yuu felt her stomach growl at how hungry she was, making her pick the fork up and take a small piece.

"Yuuum! Liked and subscriiibed!" She heard Cater beside her as she put the fork in her mouth.

"This is like something from a fancy bakery." Deuce praised.

"Rich in flavor, yet not too sweet... It's like chestnuts are dancing across my tongue!" Grim laughed.

"Is that... a good thing?" Trey questioned, seeming to look at Yuu, who had remained silent as she took her first bite.

Yuu had been hit with a sweet flavor, but it didn't have a heavy texture that would overwhelm her. She smiled. "Wow. It's good!"

Trey chuckled at her childish delight. "I'm glad you like it!"

"Oh, Trey! You gotta do the thing." Cater smiled.

"The thing? Oh..." Trey asked before his features lit up at the realization. "That."

"Uh, wanna fill me in here?" Ace suggested, completely lost.

Yuu watched as Trey pulled out his magic pen, confused. "What's that for?" She asked him. The taller boy simply smiled at her.

"You'll see. Now, what's everyone's favorite food?" He gestured toward the first year ginger.

"Me?" Ace questioned, pointing at himself. Trey nodded. "Probably cherry pie. Or hamburgers." Ace said.

"Canned tuna's at the top of my list. Then maybe cheese omelets, roast meat, pudding..." Grim began to list, wracking his brain in a pathetic attempt to decide.

"Dude, just pick one." Deuce muttered before answering. "If I had to pick, I guess I'd say... omelet rice?"

"I like a nice lamb chop with diablo sauce." Cater announced with a smile, turning to Yuu excitedly.

"I'd say..." Yuu thought for a while, eyebrows furrowed while she narrowed down her list. She felt the slight pull of her craving something that she'd been longing for for years. "Maybe my grandmother's tamales. Specifically the ones she called chope." She said, recalling her family's rare visits to Mexico in her youth, and the mouthwatering scent that wafted out of the pot as the tamales cooked. She felt her stomach growl at the thought, making her blush.

Yuu looked over to Trey, who had an amused smirk on his face. He lifted his pen. "All right, you've got it... Let's 'Paint the Roses'!" He called.

Yuu watched the room bathe in rose red light for a brief moment before disappearing. She watched, eyes wide and curious.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Deuce questioned.

"Take another bite of your tart and see." Trey remarked with a cheeky smile, pushing his glasses up.

Ace tentatively took one more bite before his eyes widened. "Huh? How- Now it tastes like cherry pie!" He looked at the tart, as if conforming that he was still eating a chestnut tart.

Grim picked his slice up, taking another bite. "It's just like canned tuna!" He yelped, taking another bite. " Now it tastes like a cheese omelet! And grilled meat!" He swallowed, excited with each bite. "And pudding!"

Yuu took her fork, lifting it up to her nose, smelling it. Its scent seemed to not have changed. He put the forkfull into her mouth.

She froze, recognizing the familiar saltiness of the masa, and the spice of the pork. Her eyes filled with tears, threatening to cascade down her face. She wiped them away.

"Wow." She said, untrusting of her ability to speak without crying. She took another bite, melting at the flavor.

"Neat trick, eh?" Cater shot her a smile. "That's gotta be a hit when Trey's having tea with the ladies."

"It's very impressive." Deuce smiled, eyes bright. "Is changing flavors your signature spell, Trey?"

"Technically, it's 'overwriting characteristics.' I can change taste, color, smell, whatever." Trey informed, eating a bit from his own tart. "It only lasts for a little while, though. But it is kinda like covering up the real thing hence, 'painting.'" He explained, handing Yuu a napkin which she accepted gratefully, wiping away any stray tears.

"If I had magic like that, I could be eatin' canned tuna every meal of every day! That's way better than Riddle's stupid collar magic!" Grim remarked with a gulp.

"Oh, that's in a whole other league. His signature spell is a weapon. Mine's just childish prestidigitation." Trey said, hiding his face a bit. "Speaking of Riddle - it's too late to give him these now. Let's call it a day and do it tomorrow." He suggested, quickly changing the topic with ease. "Don't forget that tomorrow's the unbirthday party. You don't want to be late."

"Yuu, can I crash with you again? It doesn't sound like I'll be allowed back in my own dorm tonight." Ace asked the young woman, who simply nodded, pushing back the empty feeling in her heart.

"Yeah. But you still have to clean if you want to stay in a room." She informed, placing her fork down on the now empty plate, before Grabbing Grim's. She smiled as Ace gave a loud groan.

"Again, seriously?" Cater asked incredulously.

"It isn't right to keep mooching off of Yuu, Ace." Deuce said, a strange look on his face.

"Yeah, it ain't! If you wanna stay tonight, you gotta pay for the privilege! Ten cans of tuna!" Grim demanded, standing upright to glare at Ace.

"Aww, What?! Guess I'm sleeping outside, then." Ace sulked, throwing his best puppy-dog eyes at Yuu. She rolled her eyes.

"Nice try, Trappola. But I have the high ground." She teased.

"Why don't you go and stay at Yuu's dorm too, Deuce, so you can keep an eye on him?" Trey suggested, making Deuce seem to perk up. "As vice housewarden, I can issue you a sleepover pass."

"That's our Trey, always spoiling the newbs. What fun for you." Cater chuckled before looking at her. "Ooh, maybe I'll come too! What do you say, Yuu?" He wrapped his arm over her.

"No pass for you." Trey said, shooting down Cater's idea.

Cater sighed, sulking. "Aww. Sad trumpet... Womp womp wooomp."

Trey shook his head, turning to Yuu apologetically. "Sorry to dump them all on you, Yuu. At least it's just for tonight."

She sighed, looking at the boys. "Nah, it's fine. I could use a bit of help cleaning my rustic, 'dump of a dorm' anyway."

Trey's eyes widened and he blushed in embarrassment, realizing that she'd just quoted him. "Ah- I..." Trey began, making Yuu laugh.

"Relax, I'm just teasing." She assured, turning to leave with Grim hopping into her arms. " I'll see you guys tomorrow, if I can successfully wake Ace, Deuce, and Grim."

.

.

.

Once Yuu opened the door to Ramshackle, she watched Ace throw his bag to the couch. "Tomorrow's the unbirthday party. Finally, I'm gonna get rid of this stupid collar! Just you wait, Riddle!" Ace announced, stretching as he jumped onto the couch, sending a literal cloud of deep seeded dust out into the air.

After a couple of minutes of hacking their lungs out and having no choice but to open all of the windows, Yuu turned to Ace with a glare.

"Really?! Was your goal to kill us all by suffocation?!" She cried.

"Forgot how dusty it was..." Ace said awkwardly, shaking the dust off of a new blanket. With about a half-hour of Yuu's scolding, she managed to get Ace to clean a room while Deuce had agreed to clean his own.

Once the cleaning was done, the group sat around a table, reading cards. Yuu read over her cards awkwardly, barely understanding the game, which had been old maid.

"Hahaha! How're you THIS bad at playing old maid?" Ace snickered as Yuu helplessly looked over her cards.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I've never played!" She huffed, before setting down her cards, noticing Grim's ears flatten and droop when he looked at his cards.

"Darn! I got the old maid again!" He cried, throwing his cards down.

Yuu groaned, as she picked up the cups, walking to the kitchen and placing the cups in the sink. Those are future Yuu's problem. She thought to herself, making her way to the lounge again.

"Bed time, boys!" She announced, making them groan.

"Aww, c'mon! One more game?" Ace suggested, anxiously tugging at his collar. Yuu rolled her eyes, empathy pooling into her heart, swaying her judgment. She sighed.

"...Fine. But we're playing one of my games this time." 

Chapter 15