#◜ ∘ ♡ · ˚ : dialogue. / jade.

[flirticst]

closed starter for JADE , @watatis !

juliette couldn't remember the last time she had found herself in the girl's company , a distant memory of some time likely spent together with mutuals . and as much as the blonde always found her enjoyable to be around , a natural respect and liking for one another , she couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward now in her presence ... given how drastically circumstances had changed . but perhaps some beauty launch that they've both found themselves at could at least offer an ice breaker for them both . " jade " femme offers affectionately and genuinely , tentatively reaching to offer a brief hug , " it's good to see you . "

[fairsweetlonging]

system wardrobe malfunctions and small scenario pushers: exteme edition au

after his qi deviation, shen qingqiu starts working on slowly building up relations with his fellow peak lords and disciples; saving liu qingge in the caves, spoiling luo binghe rotten, freely praising his students, inviting the sect leader over for tea, he's a whole new person!

and yet... his friendliness levels aren't going up.

he knows it's a bit icky to judge his relations with other people based on numbers an alien entity is giving him, but he needs them to survive, and he swears that once he's above a certain threshold (somewhere between "civil" and "friendly", he figures), he will mute every and all notifications regarding it.

but they're just not going up. since his deviation he's at least managed to claw his way from "hostile" to "tolerant" with most of them, but some are somehow still stuck in the "aloof" section! they wouldn't even care if he died!

he just doesn't know what he's doing wrong; he understands these things take time, but it feels so bad when people refuse to sit next to him or sigh when they're assigned a mission with him, especially since it's not his fault.

now, it so happens that, one day, the system hears his woes and takes pity on him.

【 user seems to experience difficulty increasing character favor levels 】

you could say that

【 would host like to utilize our special deluxe package to activate 'The Path of Blossoming Hearts and Unspoken Affections' free of charge? ₊˚⊹♡ 】

though shen qingqiu isn't trustful of the system's antics, he can't deny that so far they have helped him well enough, and since it's free of charge with no penalties, wouldn't it be a waste not to use it? the title is a bit dubious, but was the original shen qingqiu not known for his frozen heart? for never sparing a single nice word to anyone? this could be his chance to let it blossom without the system nagging on his characterization.

【 accept optional mission? [yes]/[no] 】

he picks [yes].

two weeks later, he wishes he hadn't.

the package is devided into small scenarios that mostly appear at random, ranging from small dialogue challenges where he has to pick the right option (he really doesn't like those, the dehumanization of it makes his skin crawl), to the equivalent of two rivals getting locked in a room together.

the first few scenarios are minor and not very impactful, to the point where he's finished three of them and his favor count with qi qingqi has increased a whopping +2 (still "aloof") and that of wei qingwei +5 (still "tolerant").

his fourth scenario, however, reminds him of exactly why he should never accept gifts from strange screens floating in the sky.

he's on a nighthunt with liu qingge to slay a mirebeast that's been terrorizing travelers—an amphibious creature with thick, slimy skin, a crocodile tail and a leech-like mouth that shoots mucus when threatened... and shooting mucus it did.

while his clothes can easily be cleaned with a cleaning talisman, he never feels truly clean himself unless he actually bathes. luckily, there's a beautiful, glass-like pond nearby that's surrounded by natural demonic-repellent vegetation, a win! he's just draped his clothes over a nearby branch and submerged himself in the water, when the system rings out.

【 heads up! small scenario "Stolen Silks and Sunlit Waters" is about to begin! penalty: none. wishing user good luck (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) 】

hold up—stolen what.

stolen silks. his silks. stolen by a mossy-jade stag that happens to scratch its huge antles on the exact tree he hung his clothes on, which rattles the branch and causes his robes to fall exactly onto its head, spooking it into a gallop as it disappears into the forest.

how. how does that even happen.

shen qingqiu is just about to get out of the water when of course liu qingge chooses that exact moment to stomp into the glade looking for him, even though he should have been miles away to the village to ensure the people the beast is dead.

for anyone looking in from the outside, it's not a bad picture: shen qingqiu, with his hair pulled up and away from his slender neck, submerged to his (very bare!) pale shoulders in golden sunlit waters, surrounded by lotus flowers and lily pads. to liu qingge, this must be a terrible view, apparently—shen qingqiu can think of no other reason that would cause his face to flush so bright red.

liu qingge tosses his outer robe on the grass between them and turns resolutely around. it's only a bit insulting—is shen qingqiu not pretty enough to try and sneak a look at? even just a glimpse? meanwhile liu qingge is trying really hard to mentally recite the ethics sutra to not fixate on the sound of shen qingqiu getting out of the water (naked!!) or the rustle of fabrics as he wraps liu qingge's robe around his (naked!!!!) body. when liu qingge turns around he flushes an even darker shade as he sees shen qingqiu's bare legs and feet sticking out from under the robes.

"thanking shidi," says shen qingqiu, who notices none of this, as he pulls the robe a little closer around him, "for coming to this one's untimely rescue."

liu qingge grunts, turns, and walks away.

【 congratulations! liu qingge's favor increased. character satisfaction points +50. please continue to work hard! 】

shut up

【 ૮(˶╥︿╥)ა 】

they return to the sect victorious, but very embarrassed. the mirebeast gets all the blame. where his clothes are? well—uh, gone. the mucus dissolved them. yes he knows that's not how mucus works but it did this time okay?!!

yue qingyuan acts a bit strange seeing shen qingqiu wearing liu qingge's outer robes. he almost qi deviates when he finds out his shidi is wearing absolutely nothing under it. it's all very dramatic. apparently the sect is made up of people who shower with their clothes on or something.

【 ⁺‧₊˚bonus scenario!!˚₊‧⁺˖ interactive dialog quest: pick the best suited options to win additional favor points! 】

i don't like where this is going

"shidi?" yue qingyuan asks, looking at him with those big worried puppy eyes.

【 choice A: (demure) this shidi is cold. will you not invite me in at least?

choice B: what are you looking at?! mind your own business stupid old man!

choice C: i'm in love with liu qingge 】

WHAT

if he was drinking tea he would have spat it out, and then coughed himself to death. what the hell kind of options are these!!

【 system has based these options on what will earn (or lose!) user the most points. please pick one. 】

[ admin notes: option A will earn +60 points. option B will neither increase nor decrease points. option C will decrease -100 satisfaction points and increase +200 heartbreak points ]

shen qingqiu silently curses the system. option B is way out of line, even for the original shen qingqiu, who probably would insult yue qingyuan, but not with so little class. he doesn't even consider option C an actual option. and, well, he is cold. and wet. and almost naked. he would like a warm bath and some clothes. A it is then.

he doesn't like the way yue qingyuan's face light up when he grits out the dialog.

【 congratulations! yue qingyuan's favor increased. character satisfaction points +60! keep up the good work! 】

he can't keep doing this much longer.

unfortunately, he does have to keep doing this for much longer.

he's just about to go to bed when someone knocks on the door. luo binghe is already sleeping so he goes himself. just as he's about to open the door the system rings out—but it's too late.

shen yuan is used to wearing old tshirts to bed and no pants (he hates the feeling of his legs being restricted while he sleeps), so he doesn't really care when the only equivalent of this in pidw is a silk nightgown. his mother wore them, his sister wore them. hell, one of his brothers once bought one for fun and ended up using it for months. it's florally embroidered with puffy sleeves and reaches to his knees, that's decent enough, right?

【 heads up! small scenario "Dreamy Encounters at Dusk" is about to begin! good luck! 】

he has no idea what that's supposed to mean and he doesn't care. he opens the door, and it's mu qingfang. not... that unusual, but still.

"can this master help you?"

it takes mu qingfang a moment to remember what he's here for, it seems, because he stares at shen qingqiu for a good few seconds before raising an eyebrow like he's caught him doing something wrong.

"does shen-shixiong always answer the door like this?"

shen qingqiu glares back. "only when unsolicited guests come stumbling around my porch in the middle of the night."

"fair enough."

apparently he's here on behalf of yue qingyuan, who had asked him to do a post mission check up as soon as he was available, which is now. which yue qingyuan had apparently forgotten to relay to shen qingqiu himself. awesome.

he invites mu qingfang in (he can hardly close the door on him, it's late for him too!), and sits through the usual poking and prodding.

the system is prodding, too.

【 would user like some advice on how to maximize point earning? 】

no

【 ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀) system is only trying to help!! 】

i really don't need your help with this, thanks. i can keep a conversation on my own.

【 optional system booster: not mandatory. user may choose to decline this quest.

option 1: this one appreciates your care. the hardship is... unexpected. (look away shyly). i find it difficult to accept help sometimes, even when i need it.

option 2: i'm in love with you.

option 3: stand up and pretend to faint into his arms 】

shen qingqiu is about to spit blood—what the HELL is this!!! why do all your options make you look bipolar HUH??? and what's this about professing my love to people?!! why is that always an option??! this isn't a dating simulator, stupid system, they'll think i'm crazy!

【 all these options result in an increase of character satisfaction points (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) 】

HOW

【 (ó﹏ò｡) user seems misinformed about character preferences. [mu qingfang] likes to take care of people! 】

... i decline the quest. booster. whatever. i'll figure it out myself. and stop talking about him like he's some one dimensional character!

they hear stumbling coming from the little side room, then the creaking of floorboards. binghe peeks through the door, hair sleep-ruffled and his robes pulled on over his sleeping clothes.

"shizun?" he asks, worried, "what's wrong? why is mu-shishu here?"

【 ⁺‧₊˚bonus scenario!!˚₊‧⁺˖ interactive dialog quest: pick the best suited options to win additional favor points! 】

oh god, not again.

【 option A: (gently) nothing is wrong, binghe. this master is alright. go back to sleep.

option B: (gently) nothing is wrong, binghe. this master is alright. (invite him to sit next to you during the examination)

option C: (gently) nothing is wrong, binghe. this master is alright. mu-shidi is just keeping me company tonight. 】

huh. so you can give meaningful options that i would actually consider picking?

【 ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜ 】

[admin notes: option A will decrease -100 points for luo binghe. option B will increase +20 points for luo binghe. option C will decrease -300 points for luo binghe, and increase +20 points for mu qingfang. option A & C increase luo binghe jealousy levels with 400 points].

[yuurei20]

hello! i was kinda curious- wich pronouns do each character usually address other people? exp: kimi, omae, anata, teme, etc. I haven't paid attention to that but ive been curious for some time now!

Hello hello! Thank you for this question!

This account is hoarding many language-related things about the game, with personal pronouns and the different forms of "you" included!

Each character's preferences when saying "you" have been compiled above, with explanations here: ・Kimi (君 / キミ) : a casual form of “you” that isn’t overtly rude, but can sound condescending in certain contexts and isn’t appropriate to use in formal settings or when talking to superiors.

・Anata (貴方 / あなた): more polite than 君 / キミ (kimi) but still not as polite as using a person’s name with an honorific.

・Anta (あんた / アンタ): a casual form of “you” that is less polite than あなた (anata).

・Omae (お前 / おまえ): very casual and blunt, less polite than both 君 (kimi) and 貴方 (anata), and can often be seen as rude or confrontational.

・Teme ( テメェ / てめえ): an informal and rather aggressive-sounding version of “you,” generally used in confrontational situations in order to intimidate or insult, though it can be used between close friends, too.

・Kisama (貴様): very rude, confrontational, and rarely used outside of fiction.

・Ome (おめー) / Kiden (貴殿) / Onushi (お主): three other forms of "you" that appear in Twst

Each character's personal pronouns have been compiled above, with explanations here:

・Ore: Used by Trey, Cater, Floyd, Ace, Kalim, Deuce (sometimes), Jamil, General Lilia, Leona, Silver, Ruggie, Jack, Epel (sometimes).

・Boku: Used by Riddle, Azul (sometimes), Idia (sometimes), Jade, Ortho, Malleus, Deuce (sometimes), Sebek (usually but not always) and Epel (sometimes).

・Sessha, Watashi, Atashi, Washi, Wa

Each characters use of honorifics ("-chan," "-kun," "-sama," etc.) have been compiled above.

And some bonus information!

Honorifics as they are used in the official Twst novels -> compiled here.

Jade repeats the word "oya" at least 114 times throughout the main story/vignettes/events -> King of Oya ranking, here

A compilation of the French-language words that Rook uses in the original game -> compiled here.

A ranking of who uses what inappropriate language most often -> compiled here, with additional details here: Twisted Wonderland Curse Word Compilation: Main Story

Plus:

・Who uses ♡ in their dialogue, how often

・Friends List: Who has canonically referred to whom as a friend?

(The posts above are being kept up-to-date as new information is revealed in the game! I do not always repost so as not to bother everyone's dashboards with little language notes, but they are being kept updated both here and on twstnote.com! ^^)

[milksnake-tea]

helloo ! congratulations on ur 1k followers - ur writing is absolutely amazing ! may i request for ur event..dan feng + angst prompt 1 + angst dialogue 2 ? (please go easy…)

ty !! ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡

❀ ˎˊ- prompts: When they had to choose between you and the city, they chose the city. + "Please, stay. Just… stay." ❀ ˎˊ- 1k followers event ❀ ˎˊ- character: dan feng ❀ ˎˊ- warnings: u get abandoned for approx 10 minutes LMAOAO also maybe ooc... altho can u really be ooc about a character who had like 5 minutes of screentime and it was through villainizing lenses ❀ ˎˊ- a/n: THE WAY I GIGGLED AT THIS ASK... TBH IM NOT TOO SATISIFIED W HOW THIS CAME OUT BUT ITS OKAY I STILL LIKEY

Dan Feng was a man bound by his duty.

The title of Imbibitor Lunae did not come without mandates - on the contrary, it came with chains and shackles. Trapped with an obligation to his planet, it was a wonder how he even managed to secure a lover, with all the eyes on him.

He can never be selfish in the eyes of public, devoting everything he has to his people, from the scales on his tail to the tips of his horns. Only when he is with you can he be greedy, pressed against your body as he holds you like his most precious treasure.

But even so, you've always known that in the end, you were nothing compared to the Luofu. You've always known, but you always shoved it in the corner of your heart in favor for a sweet embrace with your lover.

So when Dan Feng turns his back on you, you aren't shocked like you expect. Your heart doesn't sting with betrayal, and the tears that trickle down your face are from your body being crushed rather than your heart.

The only thing you can feel is a dull ache in your chest, the light fading from your eyes as you realize that he isn't coming back.

Your vision is blurry as his silhouette fades into the sunset, the glint of his jade spear all the more familiar to you. And still, you reach for him, despite knowing that he won't look back - he never does, in times of crisis.

Ah.

You should really get out of here.

A mocking laugh bubbles in your chest, burning against your raw throat as you laugh hollowly. What a fool you were, and a selfish one too, to really expect him to save you when the entirety of the Luofu was in danger. You were just one of millions in the Alliance, a single drop in the boundless sea.

It hurts.

You click your tongue, letting out a frustrated sigh as you pull yourself up from the debris. Your legs scrape against the rubble as you drag them out, one after the other. Closing your eyes, you lean against a slab of concrete, and wait.

You don't have to wait long.

The sound of flowing water and silk sleeves alerts you of the return of your lover. Your fingers twitch, but you're too exhausted to open your eyes. You hear Dan Feng let out a strangled gasp before the familiar cloth of his embrace pulls you into him.

The terrified whimper of your name strikes deep into your heart as Dan Feng's cloudhymm magic swirls around your wounds.

"No," he grits out. You can imagine his expression right now, eyebrows furrowed and tears glistening in his cerulean eyes - tears that will never break and flow. "Great Long, please, not them too..."

"Calm down, Dan Feng," you chuckle wearily, managing to open your eyes just a bit. The image of your lover is still blurry, but you can make out the teal of his horns, glowing with power as he strives to save you. "From the way you're talking, I might as well be on my death bed."

Relief washes over Dan Feng as you speak, his hand cradling your face as he meets your gaze.

"You almost were," he whispers. "If I hadn't left you, you wouldn't-"

"I'm stopping you right there," you quiet him, pressing a finger to his lips. "You had a battle to win. If you'd abandoned the Luofu for me, neither of us would be able to live with it."

But Dan Feng isn't a fool. He sees the hurt in your eyes, and he saw the way you reached out to him back then. It had killed him, having to leave you like that.

"I'm sorry for leaving you," he says. A smile slips onto your face.

You wanted to console him, and say it was okay - that everything was fine. But you couldn't bring yourself to lie like that. Instead, you opted for leaning your head on his shoulder, nuzzling into him as you once again closed your eyes.

"Just... stay," you murmured, feeling as the shock of the impact left you, leaving only exhaustion. Dan Feng's cloudhymm is soothing against your aching body, lulling you to rest.

Dan Feng nods, standing up as you doze off against his shoulder. You rock slightly as he carries you to shelter, but you couldn't care less. All you cared about was his temporary embrace, even if you would wake up to him gone once again.

After all, the battle still wasn't over. Dan Feng's shackles had yet to be broken. And until they were, he would have to leave you, over and over again.

reblogs w comments are appreciated !!

[merakiui]

MERAAA AHH YOUR WINTER WOES !!! And I thought I was devout to Azul.. 🛐

Okay; Let me start thinking how I can articulate and express my feelings about this fic.

#1 The dialogue. You HAVE to understand, I was kicking my feet up, giggling so much. The way you incorporated Jade's down bad behavior into his thoughts which slightly differs from his dialogue- AH ┻⁠┻⁠︵⁠ヽ⁠(⁠`⁠Д⁠´⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠︵⁠┻⁠┻ I LOVE IT !!!!

#2 Deception. YOU REALLY CAPTURED JADE'S PERSONA HERE. His mildly hidden deception > < ) Oh the chokehold he has on me rn cause of ur fic!!! Bro was lying straight from his gaping serrated maw 🫶 And it was perfect! I was jumping up and down every time I saw the contrast in his thoughts and words, I can not STRESS the fact that I ended up laughing so heartily on that scene where he straight up lied to MC about the possible pregnancy; You're way of story telling and build up is so 👌✨ *chef's kiss*

#3 The interaction. Between Y/N and Jade is so 😩👉👈💗💓💘 Surprisingly, this is one of your most gentlest Jade in the Jade multiverse and it was certainly a treat. I feel like I was just fed a full course meal for free. Definitely an unforgettable experience (⁠๑⁠♡⁠⌓⁠♡⁠๑⁠) I mean, as IF Jade would ever let you forget about what happened. THE BANTER ?!?! The banter. Golden. MC's genuine concern vs Jade's hornybrained desperation (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Yummy !

#4 Jade. Of course. GOSH, I wanna sit here and yap to you all about how startling soft and sappy this made me. Which really shows how amazing your writing issss!!! Who else can spread Jade propaganda like this but you 😔 Azul Nation stay strong ! ୧⁠(⁠ ⁠˵⁠ ⁠°⁠ ⁠~⁠ ⁠°⁠ ⁠˵⁠ ⁠)⁠୨

Anws I'm scared of absolutely bombing ur inbox so I'll stop it here > < ) Like Jade, I also still have some self control. Take care of urself <333 Ty for the fic !

- I can't choose an emoji; A garden flower.

( ≧ᗜ≦) AAAAAA THANK YOU SO SO MUCH, GARDEN FLOWER!!!!! Please never be scared of bombing my inbox!!! You can yap as much as you want!! I'll always be grateful to read your words!!!!! <3

I'm so happy all of those aspects of the fic were enjoyable!! I wanted to try my hand at writing another version of Jade who is soft and sweet. Writing from his pov is so fun, especially when he's in his mating season and is so very desperate and down bad. >:D as someone who is also very dedicated to Azul Nation, I fear Jade is trying to creep his way into my heart...... more than Azul!!!! >_< truly, we must all remain strong for tako!!!!!!

I really can't thank you enough for your kind words!!! I loved writing this type of Jade, and I think his relationship with the reader is very cute. Reader who is genuinely concerned for him contrasted with Jade's own one-track horny brain. I had fun writing all of his moray behaviors!! The gaping maw and the need to hunt an absurd amount of food for you in order to provide for mate. orz aaaaa his rizz is questionable, but his heart is in the right place (mostly ;;;; he's still lying about a few things, but that won't matter once you're knocked up).

I think a Jade who is vulnerable like this is very wonderful. He plays submissive just to better manipulate you, but it's difficult to tell where the line between act and truth is. <3 what a menace...... orz

[meowdei]

RIVER WRIOKITTY EUTHYMIYA MEOWDEI (did i get everything) your phainon fic……holy FRICKIN moly (𖦹o𖦹) i adored it so much ! the dialogue, the concept, the buildup, the pacing — everything was phenomenally written WOWIEE !!!!! i can’t believe you wrote SUCH A MASTERPIECE in one day that is genuinely so crazy i hope you treat yourself to a sweet treat and expensive matcha (if i knew you irl it’d be ON ME) anyways. WAHHHH I LOVED YOUR CHARACTERIZATION OF PHAINON (idk but it is nice to know that we have the same characterization of him in our heads heh 😼) like he’s cute and charming (stupidly, so) and he IS !!!!! just so good :( that it makes me want to break his heart a little bit T T but that’s just because he’s so cute n it is just cuteness aggression i swear ok yippee the nice guy won ♡ i got SIDETRACKED. but. i really like how you sectioned it off into ‘lessons’ and i loved watching phainon and reader’s relationship evolve and the angst in the middle of it like “…a good guy who is just good and nothing else. Still, you kill his heart anyway with a harsh blow to his chest.” hello ???? ow :( and ik it wasn’t intentional but it was SO EASY for me to insert into reader because she is so relatable to meeee sobsob like genuinely i cried real tears at the part where they’re confronting each and i wish i could show you which line specifically but i’d just end up copy/pasting that whole entire section T T ++ the way he comforts reader… “I’m going to let that dig slide because you are emotional right now, and we all say things we don’t mean when we’re emotional” ueueue i hope you know it Did indeed make me giggle so 😕(hate him sm i hope reader breaks his heart again /hj) btw every time you mention how they casually have sex i feel like i’m being edged because i read the tags n know The Smut will come 🫣😼 no pun intended LOL but it ! did not ! disappoint !!! like the dialogue build up was so sweet even though he is so lame (/aff) “but I’ll make it hard to walk away this time just for safe measures.” HELLO DOUBLE MEANJNG ?!?!?!!! SHDKSLDLF hate him sm and when he makes you say you care about him…. pls he’s so annoying 😭 it reminds me of that one part in the TB mission where he narrates that imaginary gladiator battle 😞 BUT WHEN. BUT WHEN HE SAYS “ATTA GIRL” ?!??!?! WHEN HE SAYS THAT EHY WOULD U MAKE HIM SAY THAT FHRJKSLSKFA [tires screeching car crash sirens sounding heart flatlining.mp3] UNFORTUNATE FOR US THAT WE ARE BOTH IN THE AMERIXAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM SO I’M SENDING MY HOSPITAL BILL TO YOU (੭;´ -`;)੭ (੭;´ -`;)੭ (੭;´ -`;)੭ jdjdkak the way he’s being kinda mean so you don’t take him for granted T T OK LESSON FREAKING LEARNED !!!!! THAT IS ENOUGH !!!!! <- and THAT. is also a double meaning because i’m sorry but i hope you never write phainon again because i will DIE (/pos) and then bill you from the afterlife and not to be That person but like $10million dollars or dinner with riv? i’d pick dinner with riv because i wanna pick her brain ☝️🤓 truly Theeeee phainon fic ever thank you for the food 💋 —jade

JADEEEEE I HOPE U SEE THIS FORGIVE ME FOR GETTING TO THIS SO LATE I WANTED TO SIT DOWN AND GIVE YOU A PROPER RESPONSE WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE. first of all i miss seeing u on the dashhhh and seeing ur phainon posts BC NOW I ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THEM!!!!! I KNOW WHO THE GUY IS LOLLLL. but i hope that you are having a very wonderful time off from tumblr if thats what ur doing or if ur quietly lurking WTV IT IS I HOPE YOU ARE WELL!!! I HOPE U ARE GETTING MANY WISHES TO SAVE UP FOR FUTURE PHAINON BANNER!!!

and like also wow. tysm FOR GIVING THE FIC A READ i genuinely mean it when i say that while i was writing it i was like omg aw this guy reminds me of jade i hope she is doing well. i hopeeee i am writing a guy in this doc that lives up to jade's phainon in her head. OMG WHEN I REALIZED IT WAS YOU WHO LEFT THIS ASK I SCREAMED I WAS LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF FACETIMING MY SISTER and she was like what??? and i was like ohhh nothing i just got a message from a friend i havent seen in a bit LOLLLL. also, help my URL changes are killing me i need to pick one identity. I AM SO HAPPY YOU ENJOYED THE FIC THOUGH I WAS A BIT NERVOUS IT WOULD BE KINDA CORNY (i havent written college au's in a really long time and i typically dont anymore but i felt it would fit for a bit of an inexperienced reader in regards to just . life LOL) BUT ANYWAY LITERALLY THANK YOUUUU FOR READING IT ILY SO DEARLY. idk really how i even knocked that out in a day but i thinkkk a part of my old college heartbreak was peeking through and i was projecting HAHAHA so that must be why i had so much to say. GOING OUT FOR MATCHA WITH U SOUNDS LIKE SUCH A DREAM THO I MUST SAY sometimes i sigh wishfully when u guys are just in my phone and not with MEEEEE. i was nervous he wasnt in character BUT IF RESIDENT MRS PHAINON SAYS IT IS THEN I LISTEN TO MRS PHAINON. I LISTEN TO HER VERY CLOSELY SO TYYY. also ngl when u said u related to reader i was like LOL we are allll just TRAUMATIZED by these men huh? all of us 😭 I CONSIDERED ADDING SOME MORE SMUT BC I WAS LIKE LOLLL I think some ppl are gonna read this and assume that the smut is gonna be early on where they casually fuck HAHAHA i was GONNA but i got lazy to be quite honest vsdjshdgf so im gonna pretend like it was purposeful choice and that i wanted the smut to be indicative of their relationship's turning point. LUCKY FOR ME I WORK IN HEALTHCARE BTW SO I WILL CALL UR INSURANCE AND GIVE THEM AN EARFUL TO COVER THAT BILL FOR YOU AKJSHDASGD. i would love to have a dinner with you 🥹💖 i wishhh so much i could take u all out to a cute littol dinner and have a night with my fellow sick gacha girlies KJASHDJHG my sick gacha girlies >>> gacha 2d men. AGAIN JADEEEE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SEND SUCH A LONG ASK WITH UR FAV LINES AND PARTS AND ALL THE REACTIONS U HAD THEY WERE A JOY TO READ i really cannot tell u enough how many times i thought about u while i wrote it i was like aw i wonder what miss jade is up to i never expected to SEE MISS JADE IN MY INBOX AND TELL ME SHE READ THE FIC. but i am so happy u are at least popping in here and there I HOPE I CAN HEAR FROM U SOMETIMES AND KNOW THAT U ARE DOING WELL I AM WISHING U LOTS OF GOOD VIBES AND SENDING U SO MUCH LOVEEEE

[toffee4you]

A “Peaceful” Mountain Hike

Content: Prefect!reader, GN!reader, reader is distrustful of Jade, platonic, tricked into eating the ‘shrooms (someone please arrest Jade), crackfic, ft. Ace/Deuce/Grim at the end

Jade dialogue: cyan

Prefect dialogue: default color

I don't know how to write in-character dialogue, so enjoy ♡♡

Today was a weekend, a quiet one.. and not exactly an ideal one. You had to catch up on your alchemy homework since Grim ended up spilling your potion over during a fight with Ace. It was tedious work, but a rare moment of peace and quiet since no one else was in the cultivating area of the botanical garden. You hummed to yourself as you picked ingredients for the potion, albeit, having a hard time finding the majority of them. In the midst of your searching, you heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Ah, Prefect... Perfect timing!”

You turned around to see Jade smiling his usual slippery smile, still dusting off a bit of dirt from his lab coat. You didn't like his tone, not one bit.

“Jade Leech? What is it now...”

You sighed, deciding to humor him just this once rather than ignoring him. The moment his smile curled wider upon receiving your attention, you began to regret that decision.

“Oh my, why the distasteful tone? I was simply in the midst of tending to my mushrooms when I spotted you. My heart simply ached upon seeing you waste away your weekend on that project you failed...”

Already, you knew he had another angle here. How did he know you failed your project anyways? You weren't even in the same class!

Rolling your eyes, you turned around to leave, not wanting any part in an event that may end with you working for a whole week at Monstro Lounge. That was, until he started following behind you with his hands folded in front of him. You knew that shady pose anywhere.

“Say, Prefect... I am aware that you may have some misunderstandings about us, but I would not mind helping you with this task of yours for a simple, personal, price. That is--”

You raised an eyebrow and turned abruptly on your heels, nearly getting ready to throw hands with him. He could tell, and thus backed up a few steps while flashing a wide-eyed look of fabricated shock.

“...Now whatever is that reaction for? I simply ask of you to join me during my hiking trip!”

“...A hiking trip?”

So, after some hard consideration, you found yourself trailing behind Jade on a grassy mountain. He helped you finish your project beforehand, which you appreciated, but that also meant no going back. It wasn't as if you needed to anyways, at least not initially. He seemed like an unexpectedly fun person to be around outside of Octavinelle; enthusiastically teaching you about the mountain's flora and fauna, fetching safe, wild-grown fruits for you to try... Maybe, you thought, he was actually a genuinely nice person to be around as long as you're off campus. There was still doubt in your mind, but you decide to place at least a bit of trust in him.

Nearly the whole trip was surprisingly safe. Sure, you were exhausted, but at least you were alive and in one piece—plus, you didn't get forced into any unwanted work. At this point, you were quite relaxed between having your stomach full of the delicious, grilled river trout that Jade caught for lunch and the overall healing experience. Your hands were placed lazily behind your head as you walked at your own pace, with Jade slowing his down to match you.

“You know, Jade? You're actually a pretty cool guy! In fact, I wouldn't mind hanging out more often.”

Jade turned his head with his usual smile, which now seemed more friendly to you than before.

“Is that so? I am glad to hear that, Prefect. I'm even so glad that I'd like to end our trip on a special note...”

This brought back a creeping feeling on you again, but once again, you forced yourself to trust him a little more. Maybe he really was misunderstood because of his associations. Thinking about it now, he was the sanest one in his group, right...?

...

Every positive thought went down the drain when you saw him pull out a handful of mushrooms. You staggered back with your hands up, shaking your head nervously.

“Jade...? What is that? What are you trying to do with those? You just want to plant them together... Right...?”

Without a word, he stepped forward, still grinning at you...and it seemed like a shady grin once more.

You were about to turn your back to him and run, but he swiftly caught you and popped a mushroom down your mouth. Good thing it was a small one, or else you would have choked on it.

“Hmm... I heard this mushroom has quite a few special properties to it despite being edible. Could you tell me what you're feeling right now, Prefect?... Prefect? Oh my, it seems to have...”

And the next thing you saw was the heads of your two friends and a pair of familiar ears. It seems you were back in Ramshackle again, with Ace and Deuce bickering while Grim noticed you waking up.

You rubbed your aching head, letting out a huff of exhaustion. Cold sweats, body aches, fatigue... yeah, those effects were “special” alright. Your friends went silent after seeing you in such a condition, slowly turning to look at you. They wanted an explanation, and you'd definitely owe it to them later.

“...Ace, Deuce, Grim... If Jade EVER asks you to hike with him, don't. go.”

[wornkindness]

Can I just say how blessed we are to have Amelia & the amazing universe you crafted for her. She's a beautifully developed character with so much depth. In this day and age in the rpc, soft, kind female muses are really undervalued. There is a certain humanity to them that is just as genuine as it is for badass or jaded female muses. I love seeing that authenticity in Amelia. It really shines through in your writing and dialogue; in simple slice of life threads as well as the deep climactic ones. In fact, Amelia's narrative is really uplifting. And on top of that, I love the interwoven themes that play through her brother's blogs as well. ( Yes I pop in and read them too. But I haven't followed because I was sure if this blog is compatible. 🥲 ) There is a certain intrigue, yet a raw humanity to the stories you tell through your Lockridge muses. I am always thrilled to learn more about the universe & the family. P.s. I've been eagerly eyeing all the Juni posts. ♡

im sorry WHAT IS THIS?! this was such a lovely surprise to receive, i'm going to cry. and wow means so much to me. i have put so much time and love and tears into amelia and her story and her whole family really, they mean so much to me. and the fact you and others are able to see that but also enjoy everything i do with her means more than i could ever say. also ame you are honestly so supportive of me and my little oc universe and im forever grateful for it, i don't know if i have said that and if i have i haven't said it enough. (also if we can write things with amelia, we can for sure write things with all the lockridges, roman and juni included). but again thank you for these kind words, they mean everything and more to me <3

[merakiui]

THIS WAS BRILLIANT OMG!!!!

what an amazing story!! i was at the edge of my seat the entire time,, every word kept me gripped!! the atmosphere, the era-specific way of speaking, dialogue exchanges between jade and reader (truly one of the highlights; i love how feisty and determined this reader is!! when they called jade a rake… LOL absolute perfection), the way azul’s shadow is described….. it’s all magnificent and so well done!

even the little hints of floyd! though he’s more of a background, it doesn’t make his appearance and mention any less valuable. i love the idea of what could’ve been had it been floyd and not jade who married reader in the wake of azul’s death. poor floyd… you’ll get them next time. >_<

i adored the snippets of reader’s relationship with the real azul. the sheer love and dedication both had to each other, the ways azul cared for them so very much, both in the material and emotional. AAAA MY HEART!!! and all of these aspects allow shadow azul to craft a deceitful appearance that almost mirrors that of the original azul! every scene with shadow azul was very delicious. the balance between overwhelming, all-consuming obsession and the anger and fragility of an envious octopus……. so good!!! OTL i’m licking my plate clean!! immensely yum!!!!!!!!

AND JADE LEECH!!!!! I AM SHAKING HIM!!! ooohhhh, he is such a menace!! in typical jade fashion,,, i think it’s ironic how much reader clearly wishes to stay away from him, but the threat of shadow azul unintentionally pushes them closer and closer to jade. their banter was so much fun to read. jade, you clever, witty eel!!!

speaking of him, i love, love, love how you’ve characterized jade here!!! he’s annoying and unsettling and much too smart-mouthed for his own good, but then there are slivers of uncertainty surrounding his character. whether or not he’s truly human, if he knows more than what he’s telling, the intricacies of that contract made with azul… his duplicity makes him just as dangerous as shadow azul. for a moment i thought perhaps he had penned the contract himself and had merely copied azul’s style of handwriting all so he could have you to himself… but somehow it’s even more delicious that azul essentially signed you over to him so that you’d never know loneliness in his absence. AAAA THESE FISH!!!!!╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

it was a thrilling read full of tightly wound suspense!!! i love this so very much!!!!! 💖💖

The Water You Drown

Pairing: Shadow! Azul Ashengrotto x Reader x Jade Leech

Summary: Your beloved husband has died, leaving you to be wedded to his friend due to a suspicious contract. No amount of insults seems to deter Jade from wiggling his affections into your every waking moment. In your grief, you miss Azul, but it seems his shadow misses you even more, doing whatever it takes to make you drown with him. [9k words]

Inspired by : @merakiui Shadow Azul & Morros fic!

Warnings: [ Yandere ], Kissing, Implied imprisonment, Contractual marriages, Regency Era, Tentacles, Harm to reader, Violent threats (To Jade), GN!Reader but there are references to pregnancy, All characters in their mid 20’s, Accusations of cheating, Mentions of nsfw, Desperate Reader, Unhealthy behaviors, Made up monster, Overblot Azul, Suggestive at the end, Some angst

You stand atop your once-alive husband, the pristine stone darkening with each raindrop that lands on its surface. Leaning down, your fingers gently trace over the letters with adoration, a sense of grief washing over you.

The rain is cold, but the feeling of mourning has always been even colder.

When you finish grazing the engravement, you draw a heart with your fingertip.

In loving Memory, Azul Ashengrotto, Beloved husband and friend

You slowly stand to your full height, dusting off dirt from your lap, you let the rain hit you, each droplet increasing in strength. Yet, you don’t have the will in you to cover yourself, deeply believing, or rather… hoping, that this rain is Azuls spirit reaching out to you from beyond the grave.

A gentle smile grazes your lips, yes, this must be him. He always insisted you visit the sea with him. You never did agree though, having duties to tend to day in and day out. But, you close your eyes, imagining each assault on your skin to be sea water splashing you.

This visage is broken when the rain suddenly pauses, a gentle hand finding its place on your shoulder. Gentle, yet you can’t help but find this man's touch akin to a rose’s thorn.

“It’s cold, perhaps you should find solace in our house, Mrs.Leech?” you don’t open your eyes, continuing to bask in the sound of hushed splashes. You allow for Jade's suggestion to go unanswered, your newly found fiance only laughing at the silence.

A fiance you never wished for. You were thrust into his possession due to Azuls will, a letter stating his last wish to be his right hand taking his place as your lover.

Why would he ever wish for such a thing? You thought he loved you, lavishing you in desires so sought over just to make you happy… Why would he ever promise you to such a… Deceitful man?

Yet, you can’t argue. The contract was composed entirely of Azuls writing, his signature only further instilling this truth.

“No, I should like to stay.” you finally peek through your eyelids, glancing at Jade before turning to his gloved limb, firmly swiping him off you, dusting the area off as if a pest had been there. But that’s not too far from the truth, is it?

“Is that so? But, it is cold. You will garner illness.”

“I said no, forgive me my lord but must you stay here? I wish for mourning towards my husband.”

“Dear, he is not your husband, I am. Surely,” he pauses, another one of his gratingly deep chuckles wafting the clean air, “You cannot be promised to a dead man.”

“He is not dead.” He is, but you won’t give him the satisfaction of giving up your beloved husband.

“I assure you, any man buried in the ground Is considered dead.” Jade continues, his smiling seeming ever continuous like his muscles have contracted to forever hold their shape.

“Ah, so you will be dead very soon, how wondrous!” you promised since Azuls death you would never smile for another man, but promises aren’t as binding as curses are they?

“If it is you who puts me under, I believe I’ll die a happy man.”

“… You have sullied this moment.”

“Don’t worry, I shall love you forevermore, even if you may have been ruined by another man.” his smile still doesn’t falter. If you could, you would jump at the chance to cut up his pretty face.

Alas, such wants can never be fulfilled because if it is true Azul wished for you to be with his… Right-hand man (Though you’re not too sure as Azul would complain about his unique persona day in and out) then… you should wish to be with Jade as well.

Because you love Azul. Ever since you were arranged to marry him. Well, at least you think that’s the case.

You reply to his retort with but a sigh, turning back to look solemnly at the words etched into stone, a cruel reminder of the man you once had.

Jade sticks his arm out, signaling you to interlock yours with his own, but this act is met with a huff. Your shoes click against the pavement as you speed away, uncaring for the rain that falls into your eyes, the liquid only further covering the tears you’ve shed.

It has only been a few months, but you can tell it will feel like centuries.

You endlessly toss and turn in the sheets of your bed, the unnerving hand of the slimy man… no eel. He must be one with how slimy he is curling around your waist. He’s pulling you in with a strength so ironclad you can’t pull away.

It’s unfortunate when you get home from the cemetery, the separate bed you had arranged in a room far far away from Jades, had been mysteriously tossed away. Jade claims a peg must’ve been lost, as when he came home the mattress had been tilted.

It’s a lie, you checked your bedding the morning of and no such thing existed.

”Am I some sort of commodity? Why won’t this man unhand me...?!” You’re sure this leech is awake, you haven’t been whispering any of your words.

You stop fighting his grasp, only loosely relaxing in his hold, yet not at all. Your eyes are fixated on one object, and one object alone.

A shell necklace made of pure gold.

Its light glimmers in the dark, a stark contrast to the everlasting black you find yourself in.

Soft snores finally begin to resonate through your room, a signal to Jade's final slumber. But, you’ve lost all will to escape him, you’re too tired and grieved to do such a thing. It’s only when you blink do you realize you still have tears left to cry.

“Azul…” Your words are hushed, so much so not even a mouse could hear your pleas. “Why must you have gone to sea… Was I not equal to the worth of land you bought?” your fingers reach up to wipe your tears, before pausing.

The necklace is no longer there.

The shock must’ve been the reason you needed to break free from Jade, as the sight immediately has you breaking his arms apart with a newfound determination.

It’s improper to bed out of bed with your sleepwear only, but you do not care, at this point, you’d much be naked than without that necklace.

“Are you looking for something? I believe I had all of Azuls stuff moved to a storage building of mine.” What? How would he even know you were looking for…? It doesn’t matter.

“No, I lost… Never mind go back to sleep you rake.”

“I believe I am plenty married.” He leans up from the bed, the blanket falling off and revealing his bare torso.

“Is that so? I feel horrible for your spouse.”

“Self-pity isn’t good for one’s health.” You scoff at his words before lighting a candle, not daring to answer his obvious jabs at your conscience. You leave the room without a sound, wandering the halls of the newfound house you find yourself in.

Each wall looks the same, obnoxiously elegant. At this rate, you’ll never find the whereabouts of that—

A quick shadow passes your peripherals, a gust of wind blowing your nightwear into the air, and in turn, the light of your candle.

“Who’s there? If it’s you, Floyd, I already told you I don’t want to wed you, and neither did I wish to be wedded to Jade!” No answer, only the sound of slimy liquid splashing.

Slimy liquids?

You turn the corner quickly, not even bracing yourself for whatever possible sight could appear. Yet, your lack of awareness is lucked out, all that’s left is a golden coin, one part of Azul's special collection. There was nothing special about it however, if anything, it is one of the few antiques that are essentially worthless.

But he found riches in the sole pence simply because you picked it up, claiming it to be luck.

You lean down with your fingers, picking the coin up with a certain care. It is still as pretty as the day you found it.

“Mine.” The voice immediately makes your shoulders tense, not daring to look back at its owner. The voice is aquatic, a certain echo sounding like the creature is underwater.

Should you run? Do you run? All these suggestions that should be commands run rampant through your mind, but the feeling of a wet tentacle wrapping its suction cups around your waist halts all ideas.

“Mine. You have something that is mine.” The coin, it must be the coin. You don’t turn your head, keeping your eyes pinned on the imaginary target on your floors. You lift your hand, the pence wedged between your fingers.

“Here, it’s…” you realize something. This piece… Your necklace is gone, who knows where it’s gone? This antique, you must keep it. “Not yours.”

“I wasn’t talking about the coin,” The voice that comes out this time is not nearly as echoed, the sound coming out the clearest it’s ever been. “Angelfish.”

It can’t… not it’s not…! But what if it…?

You look down at the dark shadow matter that holds your waist, a second one coming to wrap around your thighs underneath your nightwear. No… your Azul was never a shadow…!

“My husband was… is human, you can not be him.” The tentacles increase their grip on your skin.

“Don’t say such mean things dear, you’ll hurt my feelings.” It’s only when the feeling of hair tickling your face, and a pair of real hands wrap around your waist in tandem with the tentacles, do you smell something so familiar.

Sea salt.

Your head finally turns around, your eyes making contact with the man you’ve missed so much.

“Azul.” He looks different, no… He is different. There are faint traces of purple on his transparent body. Several tentacles flail about behind him, all seeming to have a mind of their own. But the most noticeable thing is his change in size, he’s practically three times bigger than before.

Yet, you think it’s Azul.

“My, is my charm still as captivating as it was when we wedded?” it takes you a while to register the fact you're feet are no longer touching the ground, your bottom half cold and wet as you sit on his thick tendrils. “I hope so, you’re still just as incomparable.”

You feel yourself struggle in balance with the continuous moving of his muscles, your hands finding refuge on his neck as you hug him tightly, the fear of falling being your sole reason.

“Azul, I do not wish to perish so soon…! Please… please put me down…!”

“So you can return to your new half?” there’s a certain firmness in his voice when he replies, a tone that was previously not there. “Have you moved on so quickly? I am still here and alive if you can’t see.” those words… Does this false image of Azul believe you to be baggage?

“Pardon? I know not what you speak. I have never exchanged whispers with that… that…! Conniving eel!”

“Calm down dear, I know that. You would never.”

“Yes, I would never.” you parrot. But, there’s a certain ache that is realized inside you, taking the form of an even bigger pain when you utter the words you say. “But, I must return soon.”

“You said you wouldn’t.”

“I never said that.” It’s the unfortunate truth, to have to tuck yourself back into the bedside of a man you don’t love. It makes you wonder though, why did he jump to marrying you?

You’re not broke, if you were, your marriage to Azul would’ve never come to be. But, you’re not rich either. If rumors you’ve heard hold truth, Jade was meant to marry someone with far greater wealth than you.

So why…?

“I see,” Azul utters with hushed breath. You sigh with relief, ready to thank him with the happiest of smiles.

“Thank you. Do not worry I shall return Azul—“

“No.”

…

Huh?

Transparent tendrils grow behind him, swiftly making their way towards your face. The suction cups gently graze your cheek before pulling away, confusion evident on your face. His face is dark, not from the shadows that shroud him, the expression on his face.

A blissful smile.

The last thing you feel is the hardwood against your head.

The lone duke reaches to his side, his hands groggily searching for the body of his dearly, though you wouldn’t agree, beloved. His eyes peek open when there’s nothing to grasp.

He wakes to an empty bedside, but he’s more so bothered by the lack of a warm body in his arms. Have you not returned from your midnight excursion? How interesting, he recalls a distant (not at all distant, in truth, only yesterday) memory of your preference to sleep as much as possible.

“Why must you wake me so early? I prefer staying in slumber to never see your horribly handsome face.”

“Oh? You think me handsome?”

“Unfortunately, but it’s all the better when I smuggle that pretty accessory with a pillow.”

“My my, please wait till we have an heir in you.”

“… I despise how you turn my acts of violence into such crude subjects.”

He upturns from the bed, groggily blinking with exhaustion only you’ve been present to witness. It’s one of the few moments he’s unguarded and not accompanied by a cunning smile.

He looks out the window and realizes, it’s still night, but the coming of day emerges with the lightening blue sky. He can’t help but wonder, where are you?

You could be downstairs, preparing food for yourself (You never did enjoy tasking his servants despite their willingness to assist you.), or maybe you’ve taken a stroll in his gardens. No, that’s not it… you claim his mushrooms to be a disturbing sight (He knows you’re only saying that to attack his heart. He sees you secretly tending to the fungi when he does not have the chance.).

Or perhaps you’ve run away. He certainly can’t have that.

He throws the covers off, walking to his closet, and allowing his naked torso to be covered with a dress shirt. He opens his door, a vigor in his lighting. This determination extinguishes when he spots you on the floor, your nightwear disheveled with circular bruises imprinted on your skin.

His lithe frame slows him to reach you in a few steps, scooping your unconscious body into his arms effortlessly. A low whisper sounds from behind him, threatening yet the way the voice trails is akin to a corrupt spirit.

“Jade… You…” He turns, his mismatched eyes locking with the vicinity he heard it from. But there’s nothing to be seen, only a pathetically desolate corner of the room.

At least, that’s what he’ll tell you. He knows he won’t ever mention to you the dark shadow that glares at him from a corner before disappearing.

He can’t help but feel that envied voice sounding much too familiar to his late friend.

It’s been a week since you last saw the shadow that calls itself your Azul.

You’re conflicted on whether he’s telling the truth and he is indeed your late husband who’s come from beyond the grave. He has the coin he’s always treasured. It’s the same one, down to the tiny scratches on its surface.

You know it’s not just your thoughts playing tricks on you either, the dark marks on your thighs and arms are proof enough.

You’re not sure when Jade found you, but you’re sure it’s when he found you, that “Azul” had disappeared. Is he perhaps a creature only you can see? No matter how much you ask Jade about what he saw, he refuses to divulge any details to you.

Goodness, you’ve even stooped to bargaining and begging! Entirely unbefit to someone in your position.

“Please. You must. I beg of you.”

“Your pleas are far sweeter than any wine I’ve tasted.” You wince at his words, stressing your face to not show any signs of distaste.

“… I will willingly stroll the town with you.”

“I see. I agree to your terms.” For once, and the only time, you smile at Jade, taking his hands in yours and lifting them to your cheek with the countenance of a true lover rather than an arranged one.

“So what do you know from the night of? Did you witness it? Hear it? You must tell me!”

“I know nothing. There was only a bug.” You roughly throw his hands away from your body, brushing him off like a leech.

“I wish to be married to the man who was courting me before you. Can I? It must not be too late.” Riddle, a bright suitor. He was kind to you. You like him much more than this man.

“Ah, Rosehearts, a fine choice. Unfortunately, you’re not wealthy enough for his mother, and married, twice.” You slouch back in your chair, a form utterly lacking in grace. All the servants will be sure to whisper of your strained relationship with the Duke.

“At this point, the Leech family will have to use that mad twin of his for an heir, the Floyd mister. Those two will never consummate…”

A sudden clatter of plates catches both of your focus, your heads turning in unison to look at the shattered porcelain on the ground. You’re unsure if Jade catches it, but the faint trace of shadow tells you exactly who caused the ruckus.

“You’re unbearable countenance has left me ill. I’m taking my leave.” For once, Jade doesn’t reply to you with a witty comeback. This shift makes you wonder if you should be more worried about that rather than “Azul”, but you refrain from asking.

You sneak away from Jade's grasp in the night, closing the door with a silence that seems impossible. The lights are the only illumination besides the moon's rays.

“Azul? Are you here? I’m… not mad about last time. Please come out to me.”

Silence.

You clasp your hands, sitting on the cold flooring of the house, a shiver going down your spine. A makeshift protest it is, you will sit here for hours until this thing reveals itself to you.

“You never liked it when I slept. So, I shall dream right here” You feel foolish for this display. Not even so much as a tentacle reaches out to you. Are you doing this for nothing? Is there no point—

A sudden tendril emerges from the wall behind you, finding its place on your waist before the rest of them takes hold of other parts of your body. Your weight is once again lifted in the air, cradled in a heap of muscle.

“Shall I help you wake?”

So his words are lies. This is not the Azul you know and love. Even in moments where he struggled to pass into dreams, he always made an effort to lull you to bed.

…

“Azul… It’s okay. The servants are sleeping, we shouldn't disturb them.” You rub your heavy eyes, and despite their weight, they just can’t allow you to sleep peacefully, even in the comfort of your mattress. You lean up, ready to leave the bed.

“Then I’ll serve you tonight.” your husband's voice is soft as if he isn't nearly as tired as you. No… he’s even more exhausted. He can hide it but you’ve engraved his being into your soul. Azul follows in your wake, the blanket falling down his form as he leans on his elbows.

Plus, he tends to snack late at night when he can’t sleep. The several tiny empty plates tell you all you need to know.

“That’s unneeded.” you place your hand on his chest, tenderly laying him back onto the bedding.

“Most needed.” he grabs your hand and sits back up again. “Seeing you well is a comfort. You want me to sleep as well right? I’ll only do so if you fall first.” truly… your husband is much too clingy.

…

Despite the hue of night outside your window, the harsh hail that drops from the sky reminds you of your entrapment. If you could leave this beast, would you even be able to leave this house?

This version of Azul has closed the distance between you two, his glowing cerulean eyes staring deep into yours. You’d confuse the hand that cups your cheek for Azuls if it wasn’t so cold.

“I was kidding angelfish, I could never allow you to harm yourself in such a way.” You’re able to control your face despite the shock. So then is he your Azul or not? It’s too late when you finally look to the side. Grotesque tentacles surround you from all sides, essentially trapping you to the floor.

But the thought of Azul distracts you from the impending danger. You should care, you really should in the scenario this isn’t your husband. But the tiny sliver of hope that emerges feeds into your delusions.

“Don’t cry.” You didn’t know you were. Azul hushes your sniffles, petting your head as he brings you into his chest. “There will be no tears for you to shed when we leave here.” Neither do you know what he speaks of, but you nod, eager to fall into the arms of your husband.

He lifts your head from his body, the lone smile he reserved for you especially, adorning his shadowed lips. The closer you look at it though, it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, neither do they look genuine.

But you don’t mind. This is your Azul, it must be. No false intimidation of him could ever care for you with such adoration.

He leans in without your notice, his freezing lips only inches away from yours.

“We will leave this horrible house together.” His grip is tight, but does that matter? The ink that bleeds into your skin in all but a warm embrace.

…

Ink?

You’re about to turn your head down to look at the liquid, but before you can a strong grip holds onto your cheeks, squishing The fat together. Azul's forehead is rested on yours, the smile held for you no longer on his face, but rather the one for his clients. A smug smile of scheming.

“I promised I'd help you wake up—”

The sound of doors slamming open immediately draws his attention. He looks between you and the source of the sound, his face contorted with annoyance. His face quickly leans into yours, ready to enact the once-tender act of love. The sight of a light distracts him, a silent tut leaving him before disappearing into the shadows.

Your breaths are heavy at the release of pressure on your face. Your hands can barely hold up your body weight, they’re practically about to give up on themselves.

“Shrimpy? Whatcha doin’ on the floor.” it's been so long since you’ve seen Floyd, that you almost confused him for Jade, save for the unique manner of speech he has. It stands out among those in proper society. But it doesn’t matter.

You jump up from your place on the floor, hugging him with a swiftness you shouldn’t be so eager to do. But truthfully, if this was Jade you’re sure you would’ve hugged him just as tight, which is why it’s for the best it was Floyd and not him. Anyone but him.

“What? You excited to see me? What do yah say to ditchin’ Jade and kissin’ me stead’ yeah?” his firm arm wraps around you, picking you up with ease to spin you around. It may be night but with him around it must be the lightest it could possibly be. “Is what he would’ve said had he been here.” Your arms immediately fall at the tone shift.

You’ve been deceived, this is Jade.

You pinch his cheek from the vulnerable state he saw you in, a part of yourself you refused to ever bless him with. Even then… it’s hard to get out of his hold, he’s practically trying to merge with your own body.

“Do you take pride in watching me panicked? A very unfit trait for a husband…” you grit your teeth, but he continues to hold you like an ever-so-fawning husband. Even the way he grazes your face with the back of his hand is tender. He must be mocking you.

“No… Perhaps. But I do take pride in watching you live.”

“Then pretend I’m dead.”

“Then, I shall be the prince in the story who kisses you awake from that deep slumber.” You’re reaching to tug at the annoying asymmetric strand of hair on his head, but pause when the sight of cerulean eyes stare back at you from the shadows. The corner of the hall is desolate from the light of Jade's lamp, entirely untouched and untainted by its purity.

You’re about to point out the existence of the fiend to Jade but stop just shy when a familiar sight invades Azuls fingers.

The golden conch necklace. Its sheen glows despite the shadows.

The piece is just as beautiful as the day it was gifted to you. The face behind the jewelry, however, is much different. Rather than jovial at his present like before, a shadow overcasts his face, everything invisible except for his lone glowing irises.

“Is something the matter?” Jade tilts his head, his face ready to turn before you stop him. It’s a disgustingly affectionate act to hold his face in your hands, but it’s a must. “Oh my…”

“Let's go to sleep.”

“Are you ill? This is the first you’ve ever been willing. My…” Jade feigns worry as he rests his hand on your forehead. “Well, it’s only standard for me to care for you.” You swat your hand at him in response, yet an ironclad hold doesn’t set you free from him.

“Don’t test it.” He smiles, and you’re sure he’s about to open his mouth and annoy you. Seconds go by in silence, his large frame sticking his elbow out, pleasantly proving you wrong.

You take a single glance back, the octopus of shadows no longer sat in the lonely corner, only empty space. You hope when you turn around Jade and his jovial countenance will be gone from sight. You’re unfortunately proven—

… Right?

You slowly turn your head, looking in every direction for where your husband could’ve possibly disappeared. To no avail, there’s only air where he once occupied.

“Jade?” Since when did the manor become so cold? Your arms rub your skin, finding a way to save your body heat. The lack of response is only a further panic, he never does shut up. But even then, you’re starting to miss the grating silky voice he has.

You step forward, the floor is cooler than it was just a few moments ago. And… It’s wet too; it’s covered in a layer of seawater, bits of seaweed, and small fish floating in the body of liquid.

“… Azul?” there’s a faint hiccup that echoes through the hall, a sound you’re unfamiliar with. Well, sorta. This tone sounds familiar but you’ve…

It sounds like Azul, but you’ve never heard him cry before. Was he ever capable of that? He was more suave when courting you. Even during your marriage.

You drag your feet through the water, your nightwear wetting itself with each movement. You allow the weeping to guide your way, getting closer and closer to its source.

You were right.

You turn the corner and are greeted by the giant octopus, hunched over in a corner. His tentacles wave the water around, causing waves to form; all of them hitting you back with every attempt you make to get closer.

“Azul…! Whatever are you…?!” Despite the dark cloak of shadow covering his face, his eyes peak between the fingers enveloping his face.

“Do you love Jade now?” The hollow tone in his voice conflicts with the looks in his pupils. Pure envy. You don’t answer his question. But, this is entirely your fault. You’re not silent because it’s the truth. You’re quiet because how could this creature with your husband's face think such a thing?

“Azul… That’s not—…!” You’re not given the choice to retort when the feeling of cold-soaked fingers covers your mouth. Even with the distance he didn’t use those tentacles. Though you’re relieved he didn’t; the way they thrash around in the water tells you if he did, you wouldn’t have the chance to reply to him.

You’re ready to claw your upper half away from him, but pause when the sounds of wheezed laughs leave him. Another thing you don’t remember Azul ever doing.

Just further proof, this thing only has his face. No part of your true husband resides in him.

Or… maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe Azul was always like this.

“Ahaa… Ahh…haa…!” His pupils dilate at the last exhale, pulling you into him with a force that crashes your head into his chest, “Even here you fall for him.” His arms wrap around you, the hug much more tender than the suction cups that curl around your bottom half. “It’s okay… I still love you, much more than Jade.”

What is he talking…?

You don’t realize the way the air in your lungs dissipates, the water rising with each second, further engulfing you in his overwhelming obsessions. Not affection, obsession.

Your Azul would never drown you like this.

“…You can’t be Jades if you’re mine first.” It’s too late to get out of his hold now. The sea is much too terrifying when it’s around you. You don’t feel air in your lungs, but you don’t suffocate, if anything, you can’t suffocate. “It’s okay angelfish,” His voice is muffled, fingers steadily crawling up your neck until his finger reaches your lips, resting his forehead on yours, “Your husband shall care for you now, not that eel.”

Tears well in your eyes, but not from the pain. It’s from this thing saying such sweet things to you. You have to keep telling yourself… This man isn’t Azul. It’s not… You have to come to terms…!

Azuls mouth connects to yours, bubbles escaping you from the contact. He continues to exchange his affection into your lips, greedily quaffing your air like it’s his, his to breathe in.

It’s not how your husband kissed you, he kissed you with a gentleness akin to a flower. He’s kissing you as if he intends to swallow you whole, not allowing your love to be anyone elses.

Yet, a moment passes and you’re returning each kiss with a fever.

He’s not Azul. It’s not Azul. It’s not your Azul. Azul. Azul…!

In some miracle, you break your arms out of his tentacle hold, wrapping those freed limbs around him. You don’t notice the way you’re not even breathing anymore, too focused on each lipped exchange you have with Azul.

“Now Jade can’t have you. You’ve been ruined.” You were always ruined, ever since he left. Even now as you act so indulgently with the creature with Azuls face, you’ve been ruined.

But you know Jade wouldn’t care.

“You and Azul acted on your wedding night? Oh, dear… Hm? You thought me to be worried? Oh my, it’s quite the opposite… Why…? Well simply put, I’ll show you how much better I am.”

“We will drown together angelfish.”

It doesn’t matter. This thing is the closest to Azul you’ll ever be again, you have to savor it…—!

A tiny ray of light shines through the murky water, hitting Azul right in the eye. He falls back, clutching his eye, hissing through swollen lips. Your falls back into the water, a moment of stupor clouding your judgment before swimming away. What could’ve done that to him?

And what made you wish to stay?

You turn around, curious about the purification that suddenly hit him, and with it, your common sense. You were… indulging a demon. A shadow.

Your eyes glance at the projection, a window, stunningly showcasing the sun-rise that emerges. Azul continues to hiss, his ghostly form fizzing in the water. In a last-ditch effort, he extends his arm to you, his other limbs seemingly unconscious as they lay still.

But before he reaches you, your eyes flutter shut. Oxygen is no longer your savior, but perhaps a cross might be better.

A hand grabs onto your shoulder.

Your body feels dry, warm if anything. It must be the candles Jade has lit around you. Even then, perhaps you never were in the water to begin with. The sight of a soft blue invades your vision. Right, your shared bedroom with the leech.

“Do be careful, it makes no good for your recovery if you continue to act like a fish out of water.” Jade's body emerges from the door, long legs striding over to take his spot next to your bed.

“Jade…” There’s a certain tenderness in your voice that makes him tense, but he resumes as if it never happened.

“Your voice sounds sweet. Perhaps I should keep you bedridden all the time.” He’s back to being coy. But you don’t have the energy to keep up. He stays silent when you do. He knows something’s wrong with the way your eyes stare longingly, even more so when you take his gloved hand like you would a lover.

He knows there’s something wrong, yet he can’t bring himself to do anything. If he did, you wouldn’t return his affections like you are right now, would you? Plus, why ever would he wish to shorten such a sight, you never let him this close.

You never let him look into your eyes for too long. They’re a beautiful enchanting hue, he wishes you’ll let them see them more often.

On your face of course. Though, if things ever become drastic, a jar wouldn’t be a bad option either.

…

You think you wanna run away. Far from here, you know it will follow through, forevermore you’re sure.

That thing, it dared to take advantage of you and implement fond memories, make you believe it was Azul. Monsters are horrific, but liars are much crueler.

“Jade you have other estates to live in, correct?”

“I do.” He rubs his thumb over your skin.

“Allow us to sanction ourselves there then”

“You can’t flee from a shadow dear.”

“… I… What are you speaking about…? Jade?” He doesn’t reply, only allowing his prophecy to implement itself into your veins. You shake his arm, attempting to make him spill more of his nonsense, but he doesn’t. He only smiles at you before gently taking your hand and placing a kiss on your bare skin.

He leaves the room with more questions asked than answered.

“Jade Leech…!” Your voice comes out gurgled, bubbles popping out rather than air. “…?!”

Salt water stings your vision, but in the tiny blear you have, something odd swims in front of the portrait at your feet. A large painting forcibly commissioned by Jade, where you’re sat on a throne adorned with different seashells and coral. That’s the only good thing about the portrait, for that throne was something of Azuls that you pressured Jade into letting you keep.

Your pupils trail down Jade's figure, reaching his hips, where a shadow covers his legs, making his limbs look to be one long tail.

…

The eel swims away the moment you start analyzing it.

You jump up from the bed, your blanket floating aimlessly in the air as you swim toward the painting, taking hold of the golden frame adorning its edges. Your fingers tighten their grip on the intricate detailing at your newfound findings.

There’s a faint reflection of grey hair in the decor of your chair.

You’re about to punch a hole through the canvas, already working to raise your fist at the cloth. When you finally throw your limb, you’re only stopped by knuckle meeting solid gold.

Limbs wrap around the string of the conch necklace, dark purple, accompanied by the feeling of a cheek nuzzling into your own.

“I found where Jade left this.” Any chance of fleeing is already taken from you, as tentacles grab hold of your legs. When you turn you’re met by Azul, a much softer look than what he had when you last saw him. “Mm, I’m sorry, Angelfish. I didn’t mean it, I would never truly hurt you.”

How is he back again?

You continue to only stare at the beastly version of your husband. No… your ex-husband, for Azul, is no longer in the land of the living.

And this pathetic replication of him will never live up to your true Azul.

“Won’t you forgive me?” he trails kisses up your neck when you fail to smile at him, or even touch him. “I found your gift, I hope you still like it.” He rocks you in the water, a familiar action Azul would do in private.

You reply minimally, only nodding along with whatever nonsense he spouts, all for you to understand the only questions in your mind.

What is this fiend? And how does it continue to appear in your home?

These two questions only continue to eat away at you with each twirl in the water. Truthfully, this seems like a scene you could only dream of, it’s so soft and so pretty. But you can’t bring yourself to enjoy the moment.

Your thoughts stop when you feel The mid-water waltz come to a halt. The grasp on your legs tightens once more, as he dips you down, forehead finding refuge on yours.

“Are you ready to leave now?” You choke on water.

No… No…!

“It seems we are, let's go then, Angelfish.” The cruel copy of Azul smiles lovingly at you while you struggle in his hold, air bubbles popping out your throat as you try to scream underwater.

You’d die… You’d rather die than destroy Azul's love for you by eloping with this evil tempter.

How…? How?! How in bloody hell do you rid yourself of him?!

Shadow-made tendrils begin to make their way across your vision, covering any chance of a plan you have. Despite your struggle, he shushes you like one would comfort a child.

You’re starting to feel your conscience fade away into his palms, your defeat inevitable.

Until you feel your curtains graze your fingers. Your hand weakly grabs a handful of the fabric. Will you even be able to pull this giant thing off? You can barely move…!

Despite your reservations, you try. You feel his thumb trace over your lips, a single tap acting like a kiss.

…

You bite his thumb.

He jumps back, still holding you. But, it’s enough force for you to yank the curtain down, light quickly stabbing its way through the water. The rays puncture his purple skin, his eyes widening as he quickly tries to drag you back into him. In his weakened state, the moment he pulls you close enough, you kick your legs into his stomach, pushing yourself away from him.

“No…! No! You didn’t! [Name]! Come back here! COME BACK!”

You swim as quickly as you can to the door, busting through its hinges. You don’t look back to see if he’s gone or not.

…

That only worked because it was day. You didn’t even know if there was sun.

“Jade…?” you stand up on trembling legs, looking around the vast halls of his estate. “Jade?!” You sound pathetic right now, but you need him.

It’s the only way you won’t die by that thing's hands.

“Jade—?!” your desperation finally begins to seep through, each shout of his name dripping with fear. You’re on the verge of tears with your last ask. “Jade, where the bloody hell are you—?!”

“I’m right here.” your head turns towards his voice. ”My, are you a masochist dear? It does seem like you enjoy pain much more than anyone else in society—” You run up to him, willingly letting yourself envelop him in a hug, pulling his neck towards you as your arms wrap around him.

“Jade… Don’t leave again.” You’ve forgotten his last statement before he left, the rage no longer resides in you for that. For a moment, Jade's hand hovers over you, before he finally allows himself to indulge.

“I do hope this is not another attempt at subduing me with your affection.”

“Are you saying if I tried that it might work?”

“Unfortunately, not might, would.” You don’t reply to him, only tightening your wrap around his figure. You wonder why he doesn’t question the fact you are soaked in salt water.

“When you asked me not to leave you again, I do admit, I thought you would be following me around rather than me pursuing you.” your fingers flip through dust pages as Jade sits at your side. He wouldn't dare to annoy you so heavily this time, for it’s the first time you've let him sit only a few inches away from you. So close he can hear each breath you make.

It’s lovely.

“Well, if you have an issue I can always request Floyd to come over. He looks enough like you that I can pretend he is you.” Jade smiles through his pointed teeth, opening his mouth to retort before you cut him off,” Though, I already like him much more, so I don’t believe I have to.” You don’t look at him, but you smile knowing Jade’s once sadistic smile has become much more strained.

“Was it not you who begged me not to go?” It’s your turn to strain a smile. “It was like a sweet delicacy to my ears, much better than any cries from a brothel.”

“Ha, do you wish me to accompany you to such an obscenity? I do regret to inform you that I am not that kind of spouse.”

“Well then, it’s good I don’t wish to act on such desires, for they’re all reserved for you and you exclusively.“ you roll your eyes at your husband, ready to reply to such a tempting statement. You pause when your eyes scan over the words you’ve been looking for.

Ombre: A shadowed figure that resides with those of the recently grieving. They appear to manifest through the belongings of the departed. There have been some cases where all items are gone but the beast remains. These are especially heinous for they can be entirely regular humans. Though, for a majority, your best chance of purification is to rid yourself of such objects.

…

Your fingers snake around the golden conch at your neck, your eyes furrowing at the writing. For a moment, you look down at the surface, the shine glimmering in the light.

For a moment, only a single moment, you can see Azul in its reflection. A cruel reminder of the love who gave you something so near to your heart.

…

You grab Jade's gloved fingers, mismatched eyes staring intently at the way you take hold of him. His face leans in, his forehead pressed on yours… You bring his hand to your chest, wrapping his fingers around Azuls necklace, tightening his grip. You allow him to continue resting his head on yours.

If you close your eyes, you can pretend he’s Azul. So, you close your eyes.

“Please…” you whisper, soft, so soft not even the dust in the air could hear you, but only Jade. “Azul, save me.”

Jade stays silent at the name you say. His free gloved hand finds itself on your cheek, wiping away the tear that trails down your face. You don’t see him take his thumb and lick the salt from your cries.

“Of course I will, Angelfish.”

Your cries increase with the sound of each crack resonating at your chest. Before you, your beloved parting gift from Azul is but golden shards and memories.

You finally open your eyes, ready to collect each piece to melt and send them far away. You’re met by Jade still pressing himself against you, not Azul.

“This is the part where you tell me I’m heinous, to get off you before I sully your clothes with my slimy countenance.” He hopes you’ll tell him to get off, to leave before the sensation of his supposed heart beating in his chest kills him.

“I’ll move when you do, Jade.” his inhale gets caught in his throat. The feeling of consuming you whole embeds itself into him, hands reaching out to wrap themselves around you.

They stop when he sees the way you look at the broken necklace.

…

Jade removes himself from your comfort, grabbing a pot and delicately plucking each one from your skin.

“It seems it’s time to gift Floyd. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed at the knowledge it’s from you.” you look down at the broken conch once more, before nodding.

You turn back and forth in your bed, Jade sleeping peacefully right next to you despite your unrest. You’ve ridden yourself of almost every single gift and belonging you’ve still retained of Azuls.

Except one.

The damned antique coin of Azuls.

You throw the covers off, taking candlelight in hand. Truly… where could it have gone? You glance back at Jade, still slumbering completely fine in your bed.

It’s when you think back to your first meeting with that thing, do you remember where it is.

In the darkest corner of Jade’s estate.

The only good thing is that it’s a mere few feet away from your bedroom. You turn towards your doors, your forehead resting on its wood. The flame from the candle you hold flickers, a symbol of your wavering fear.

If you don’t get that coin, who knows when that ombre will decide to reappear again?

Your hands linger on the doorknob, a moment of hesitation striking you. You push through this fear, turning the handle and swinging the door open, the force blowing your clothes.

The false Azul is at the end of the hallway.

You shut the door swiftly, the slam resonating through your ears as you barricade the door with your body.

“Bloody hell— Jade! Jade wake up—!” you’re no longer met with the sight of your bed, neither Jade. Only a curtainless window allowing the light of the moon in,

And your dead husband's shadow.

“I love you.” its face no longer holds remnants of the love it showed before, completely expressionless as it looks down at you. The light from the moon backdrops it, the only light coming from its body being its eyes.

Its entirely shadow, the only part of Azul left in it being his eyes, and that hoarse voice.

“You…! You’re not Azul… Stop defacing him!”

The shadow moves its tentacles, scooting closer to your form. You can see a glint on its face, tear streaks.

“Do you love Jade now? Is that why you don’t love me anymore, Angelfish?” it slowly inches forward, and you bury yourself even further into the wood. You’re about to reply to such an accusation before spying on a familiar glint buried in the coral on its shoulder.

Azuls antique coin. You need it.

“… I could never love Jade.” you move off the door, “If… If you’re really my Azul, please,” you slowly walk to the shadow, putting on your best face, “proof to me that you're the man I love.”

It sits on the floor, opening its arms like Azul once did when he wanted you to sit with him, “that’s one thing… What else, Azul?” you walk over to it, placating it as you sit in its lap.

You slowly inch your arms up its torso, waiting for its next move.

“Angelfish, tell me if there’s anything you want, I shall get you it with a snap of my finger.” its arms wrap around your waist, pulling you into it. “After all, I'd do anything if it meant your happiness.” You successfully wrap your arms around its neck, plucking the coin from its shoulder.

“I wish for a puppy. Those little things are truly adorable.”

“Ah, they quite are aren’t they?” its fingers playfully trace up your spine, its face adorning the smile it must’ve practiced dozens of times. “Do you know what I wish for my love?“ you prepare yourself to rip from his hold and make a dash for the window.

There’s a river near this window, if you throw this coin there, the current can carry it away.

“What Azul?”

“For you to stop believing me to be so foolish.” Its smile quickly falls, throwing you to the door, far from your current objective. You grip the coin so hard, you fear it will embed itself into your palm, but it's better than losing it. ”Truly, am I that hideous the idea of leaving with me is unfathomable?!” its tentacles wave around the room in a rampage. You stand up, ready to run to the door with whatever it takes.

“No…! You have my Azuls face…!” You run through the swing of each appendage. “You could never be ugly in my eyes because of it!” You’re only a few feet away from the window, mere feet from removing this falsified version of Azul.

You’re met with the feeling of a slimy body blocking your path, a suffocating hug halting your path.

No…! No!

“It doesn’t matter if you hate me, I’ll always love you.” you’re so close… So close! “It doesn’t matter anymore, you’ll find your love for me again when we leave this place.”

Love.

“We’re leaving now, no matter what you convince me with—” You bury your lips into its own, those eyes widening at the feeling. You back it up with each exchange of your lips, caging it between you and the window. It’s too caught up in the way you kiss it, to notice your arm raising the coin.

It looks down at you when you part for air, staring deeply into your eyes, a trail of black ink connecting your lips.

It finally notices when you smile at it, a smile filled with the purest of love, for a man in your past.

“I love you, Azul.” you chuck the coin into the river, the water dragging it far into the ocean.

“No—!”

You watch as its form disperses into a cloud of black dust, the last action it takes is to reach out for you.

The wind drags the ebony sand out the window, leaving you stranded in your room alone.

“Azul…”

…

The light peaks through the tree's leaves, shining on Azul as he checks his books.

“My, it seems my husband is having an affair with money…! How cruel, and you always told me I mattered much more.” you laugh at your words as Azul rolls his eyes at you, opening his mouth as you feed him.

“Yes Angel, it’s because you matter much more to me that I do this, how else will I keep you happy?” He pushes up his glasses as you wrap yourself around his arm, resting your cheek on his shoulder.

“Hmm… Perhaps take me out more often?”

“Oh? Is three outings a sennight not enough for you? Greedy greedy.” he tuts at you as you laugh.

“I’m greedy? Seems quite hypocritical from a businessman, hm?” he smiles at you before planting a kiss on your temple.

“Yes, greedy for you.” he shuts his book as he turns to face you. “When I die, I'm sure I'll be desperate for you even after death.” his hands hold your face in his palms.

“Don’t say such things! You’re going to send yourself to an early grave…!” he doesn't answer, only smiling at you.

…

You look down at Azuls grave, placing a bouquet of irises on his tomb.

“See you soon Azul.”

You turn back to Jade, his arm sticking out to guide you back home. He smiles when you take hold of him, talking about your day.

You knock down the books on the table as Jade places you on his desk, his lips bite marks into your neck.

“I won’t be able to return to society if you keep this up, Leech.” His hands trace up your sides as he removes his teeth from your neck, licking a stripe up your skin before burying his lips into your own. He’s so greedy with each kiss like he’s attempting to consume your love all for himself.

What’s left of it anyway.

“Perhaps that’s what I want, yes? To have you all by yourself in this home…” A string of saliva connects you two at the moment. When he thinks you’ve breathed enough, he traces his canines on your lip, biting the plush skin before reconnecting yourselves. You fall against his desk, his gloved hand wrapping your leg around his.

“Possessive, I don’t like that in men, unfortunately.” he laughs at your words, rubbing circles into your hips.

“Yes, then perhaps I should drop dead—”

“Jaaade.” you both stand up at the call, Floyd wandering the halls aimlessly.

Jade sighs, extending his arm to guide you out of the room and see his brother until he gazes at the current state you’re in. Messied hair, swollen lips, and ruined nightwear, you smile messily at him,

“… I shall see to Floyd, stay in here.” he turns toe and walks toward the doors, your smile falling as you look at him.

He doesn’t think you’ve noticed, but you can see the way his body grows wispy in the light. You’ve seen the way he grows bigger at night.

You’ve noticed that Jade Leech has never been the man he says he is, for he is anything but a man.

You should’ve known when the first moment you met him was through the remnants of Azuls shadow.

—————————————

A/n: I hope everyone enjoyed this!!! So far I think this is my favorite fic i’ve written (≧◡≦) ♡. Honestly, I thought about having Floyd make an appearance, but I thought it would be funnier if Jade stop him from ever seeing you because he gets jealous you like him more LMAO.

It’s not explicitly stated there because I wanted reader to be in the complete dark about the contract, but the reason he had you wed Jade after his death is simply because he loves you so much, the idea of you forever being alone because of him hurts. So, he signed the contract with Jade to ensure someone will love you in his absence 😁😁😁

Plus, He noticed the way he gave you googly eyes whenever you were around and was like “really? In front of me?”

Poor Floyd curses the fact he didn’t make his lovey dovey eyes as strong as Jades ever since your remarriage, should’ve been him 😞.

[xinfinityx]

TWST Discussion

.Names

☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎

Now this is some silly little thought I had in the middle of the night and wanted to share, so enjoy.

Note! No spoilers or actual lore talk.

☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎

Have you ever thought about the names in Twisted wonderland before. Not like how the names represent the character they’re based off or whatever, but like how unique they are.

Cause the names in Twst are not ones that would be used irl, and that’s obvious since it’s some magical Disney game.

The only reason I started thinking about this, is because of what Ace had said to the player when they first meet.

Now I don’t know why they would put that line in the game since that is set dialogue and the name players input is relatively normal/common besides a few cases.

For me, the name I input was “Amber”. Pretty common name. So when Ace said that line with my set name, I was kinda confused.

It got me thinking in about the two worlds in the end. Twisted Wonderland and the world the player come from.

It’s pretty obvious that the player comes from is a normal modern world, basically our world really. And of course there is the concept of common and unique names.

Common names like: James, Amy, David, Sarah, etc.

Unique names like: whatever unique names there are idk.

And looking at the Twst cast’s names with this concept, there are only a few with common names (Jack, Ace, Jade, Sam). The rest being quite unique.

Note! When I’m talking about names here, I’m talking about English names and such because Jamil and Kalim could be common names in another country which I would not be aware of.

Now common names are used more than unique ones. So what if this concept is flipped in Twisted Wonderland and unique names are used more, which would make it a common thing. So common names are unique or something of the sense.

So Ace basically saying that the player has a unique name.

But if we forget about setting our own names and think about this with the default name “Yuu” since not only is it the default name, but also the base name for the protagonists in the manga and novel.

Now Ace could be saying what he said because the set dialogue could be made with the name “Yuu” in mind which would make sense cause “Yuu” when said, sounds like “You”.

But if we still considered what I was talking about before. “Yuu” is a common name used in Japan, which would make it unique in the flipped concept.

Or it’s because the name is Japanese which is a different language, but they be speak Japanese in the game no matter what sever, so I don’t know at this point.

☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎☠︎✴︎

Thanks for checking out my little rant ♡

(*´▽`*)

[brvghts-a]

@malboraslihan​ asked: 💬

“for some god forsaken reason that i can’t get my head around, i’m attracted to you.”

[yuurei20]

Hello! I was wondering if you have a post for the difference of the JP and EN versions of the Fairy Gala IF event? I wasn't able to find it in the master list, thank you!

Hello hello! Thank you for this question! 🧚

I am so sure there was one before but I cannot find it either, oh no 💦 While the Fairy Gala IF event had no significant changes, something fascinating happened in Silver's Fairy Gala IF vignette!

During the event itself we have a line by Ortho that confirms the craft faeries are female: he refers to them as 彼女たち (kanojo-tachi), which is a plural form of she/her.

Ortho could have said something else (just "the fairies", for example) if the game did not want to specify gender, but they intentionally chose the plural form of "she/her," instead.

But then, in Silver's vignette, he repeatedly refers to the same faerie (or an identical sprite) as "he/him," and "he/him" was an addition to the English-language adaptation.

In Silver's original dialogue he never actually specifies any pronoun at all, gendered or otherwise!

The images above include very literal translations which are a bit awkward in English ("Something is being made" etc.) as that is something the Japanese language does that English does not.

The EN adaptation is adding pronouns to dialogue all the time because the English language needs them in order to make sense, and while usually they get it right, sometimes they do not.

More here:

So where did "he/him" come from? Possibly from two factors:

It is possible that the localizations team(s) do not have access to the game's visuals as they work. (This is not uncommon in the translation industry. For things like subtitle translation we will often just receive an excel file or .txt file with time codes from the client, and otherwise no context. If it's a continuation of an ongoing project then we can usually fill in the blanks based on previous experience, but if it's something new then there will often be a lot of late-stage corrections.)

We have received hints before that this might be the case, such as ・The EN game describing the Diasomnia armband as yellow ・The EN game rewriting Kalim's "badge" as "armband" ・The EN game adding to Jade and Floyd's dialogue to make it sound as though they are at Octavinelle when they are actually in the school's courtyard

2. The craftfairy's personal pronoun of choice is 俺 (ore), which can be associated with men, but it is not exclusive to men and actually varies by person, situation and region.

More here:

Technically the faerie could have been of any gender if we were only going off of the dialogue from Silver's vignette where nothing is ever specified, which would make EN's interpretation neither right nor wrong.

But as the game has Ortho specify "female" through his choice of word for "they," I think this was maybe an example of pronoun confusion for EN :>

And that was all for Fairy Gala IF! Thank you again for this question!

[merakiui]

i finally had time to read this wonderful story and omg!!! it did not disappoint! you took such a brilliant concept and made it even better with this story!!!!!!! please don't mind me while i excitedly rave about it in this reblog.

told in four parts, it's a fic that flows so beautifully. i was drawn in from the very first word and enjoyed every single scene!!! >v< the interactions between reader and the trio were so riveting and so cute!! when floyd kept throwing his food at the reader and jade joined in on the teasing, both twins proving to be so mischievous, i couldn't stop smiling. it's such a tweels thing to do... playing with you and splashing you and being such childish nuisances at times!!! aaaa i love them!

and azul!!!!!! oh, cute, shy azuzu... orz he was so adorable when he took his time getting comfortable with reader because he wasn't sure if she was safe or not. but when he eventually warmed up to her, it was very sweet and heartwarming to witness!! the dynamic between him and reader was also so lovely to read about, especially at the end when he still treats her so gently even though she's naturally distraught over what he's done to her. reassuring her that he and the twins were the better option in a situation where she was never going to win because, had she not mated with them, she would have been thrown to some other beast as it's heavily implied.

also, the scenes with crewel and trein were a delight!!!! i loved their dialogue and how they interacted with reader! crewel smoking indoors is so him... and trein wrinkling his nose at him in disapproval... i loved that little detail. and the covert conversations they have with crowley!!! that scheming crow... >:( up to no good as usual. and the grim cameo!!!!!! i loved all of his dialogue as well. it was so fun to picture him as a human! good luck trying to get reader out of the enclosure, grimsley. the trio are not going to like that. >_<

this is a beautifully written story! it was a treat to read. i'll be thinking about it forever! thank you for writing such a masterpiece. i'm so happy and honored to read your words. (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

The Sea's Sacrifice (Part 1)

Characters: AzulAshengrotto / Jade Leech / Floyd Leech x F!Reader

Total Word Count: 14.7k+

Part 1 (You are Here) Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Synopsis: A potential job as a marine biologist’s assistant leaves (Y/N) feeling something fishy going on behind the scene…

Author's Notes: Original Idea came from @merakiui 's annonymous ask with a short story / headcannon -> https://www.tumblr.com/merakiui/684490143936167936/ooohhh-i-love-those-writing-ideas-you-had-for-sea?source=share

and I absolutely love this concept and wanted to take it a step further. I don't write yandere nor fanfiction as much as I did a few years ago. However, I do hope I do this piece justice; I will had links to the next part once it is completed and ready for viewing.

Also, this is a work of fiction. I condone anyone that justifies the following behaviors which are represented in this fic (if I think of more, I will add them as I go):

rape/non-consent/dub-consent, possessive/controlling/dominating behaviors, and manipulation

Cruel and cold like winds on the seas

Will you ever return to me

Hear my voice sing with the tide

My love will never die

Over waves and deep in the blue

I will give up my heart for you

***

If someone were to tell you that you’d eventually be pulled into the wrong end of the sea by, not one but three, unknown sea creatures - you’d probably laugh your head off, thinking they’ve lost their mind.

But how wrong you’d be.

When you had initially applied to work at Twisted Wonders - an emporium of oddities that were collected and studied by the greatest minds in existence - you thought you’d be taking an everyday desk job; answering phone calls, scheduling tours, directing visitors… that sort of thing. 

Never in your right mind would you believe that you would be working alongside the Dire Crowley - director and owner of Twisted Wonders. Mr. Crowley was an acclaimed renowned genius with an air that was both mysterious and alluring. He was approximately 170 cm in height (five feet, seven inches) and wore rich tailored clothing made of silks and leather with gold embroidery and jewels embedded into the vest and belt; of course, he upped his strange allure by consistently wearing a heavy leather overcoat that hung to his frame, decorated in black feathers - real or faux, no one was sure, a top hat that perched on his head, and a mask of black that reminded you of a crow - his arched nose hidden under the long rim of the mask that poked out like a beak. 

“Here’s the deal, (Y/N),” Mr. Crowley spoke, reclining back in his desk chair as a pair of golden eyes peered out from behind the mask, “We’ve recently acquired three creatures that need to be observed. My team, however, has been unsuccessful at getting remotely close to studying them. They seem to think that an outsider might have a higher success rate at being able to approach them more than any of us will due to their knowing who we are.”

“So, what is it exactly that you want me to do?”

“I want you to observe them,” Mr. Crowley spoke, pushing a contract towards you, “You will work with my group of scientists for about three months as well as the three creatures. You are to notate anything and everything you see the trio doing - how they eat, sleep, react with each other, and so forth - and document everything for our records, no matter how insignificant it is. If you prove your worth and competence within those three months, you will be moved to another position within the facility of your choosing.”

“And that’s it? That’s all I need to do?”

“That’s it.”

‘Seems pretty easy for a payment of twenty dollars an hour…’ you thought as you looked down at the contract before, “And this is my… compliance, right?”

“That would be correct, as well as a safety and confidentiality agreement,” Mr. Crowley answered, offering a pen in your direction.

You took the instrument and wrote your name across the bottom of the page on the dotted line.

“Alright,” Dire Crowley took the contract and stood, pressing a buzzer on his desk, “with everything in order, I’ll have Grimsley take you to meet Divus Crewel and Mozus Trein - the overseers of our aquatic project.”

“I’m sorry, did you say aquatic?” your eyes widened in surprise.

“Dear me, did I forget to mention that part?” Mr. Crowley tapped his chin, his glowing eyes looking up toward the ceiling before returning to rest on your features, “Our newest arrivals are of the oceanic nature - I’ve never met or seen them myself, however Professor Crewel and Professor Trein will be able to go over the basics with you and introduce you to the trio in question.”

“As long as they don’ forget the good stuff!” a snarky voice spoke from behind.

You turned in your chair toward the door to see the man who must’ve been Grimsley.

He was about 163 cm in height with pale skin and dark gray hair with tufts of flame blue poking out in random directions. His eyes also were flame blue and held mischief in their depths that matched the smirk on his face as a set of sharp teeth peered out from behind thin lips. He wore a suit of black with a vest that matched his hair, a black and white-striped tie, and a white dress shirt. Leather loafers padded softly against the carpeted flooring of Crowley's office as he held out a black leather gloved hand in greeting.

"Grimsley Overblot," the man smiled like a Cheshire cat, "I'm Mr. Crowley's henchman and errand runner here at Twisted Wonders."

"(Y/N) (L/N)," you answer, taking Grimsley's hand with a shake, "pleasure to meet you."

“Grimsley, go ahead and take (Y/N) to see the good professors,” Dire Crowley spoke, a satisfied smile on his features, “I’m sure the two are more than ecstatic to meet her.”

***

As it turns out, both men were ecstatic to meet you - though Professor Trein was a bit more reserved about it versus his partner.

Trein's appearance matched his personality - his posture indicated a "no nonsense" aura as did his unchanging features. His lips would quirk into a small smile before they would fall to a straight line as his dark eyes settled on your uneasy form, as if he enjoyed watching you squirm like a germ under the microscope. He was dressed as any scientist would; a heavy white lab coat that fell to his knees hung around his frame that covered a white dress shirt and charcoal-colored dress pants and loafers. His hair was gray with streaks of white and wrinkles covered every inch of his face and neck.  He also wore a set of white pristine gloves and had a cravat around his neck with a singular emerald gem that held the cloth together.

As for his partner, Professor Crewel was a bit more… eccentric. Crewel had a sort of energy about him that reminded you of a young dog - not a puppy, but not an adult either. He was always cocking a smile that bore teeth, chuckling when he patted the top of your head as he called you "puppy." His clothing matched his laidback ideals too - a heavy black and white fur coat with a red silk lining covered the charcoal gray dress shirt and pants. His vest was black on one side, white on the other, and wore a red tie that matched the gloves on his hands.

“So,” Crewel spoke after introductions, pulling a cigarette out of his pants pocket and lighting the object, “any questions before we get you set up?”

“I guess my big question is what exactly will I be working with?” you ask.

“We believe the trio to be mers, but they’re not your typical ones,” Trein explained with a sniff as his features twisted at the smell of Crewel’s smoke,  “All three of them have the upper bodies of men, but lower halfs of sea creatures. Two of the three half the lower half of what we believe to be that of a moray eel and the third the lower half of an octopus. The twins are typically more curious of the three, though they can be aggressive. Several of our closest colleagues were attacked by the duo after accidentally disturbing them - their bites have left scars and one of our colleagues actually lost their leg from their attack.”

“... and you don’t think I will?” you had to question, the comment coming out high-pitched.

“Well, moray eels - specifically - will attack only if they have been disturbed,” Crewel answered nonchalantly, “We believe there are similarities between the animals and the mers, which is why we are gathering as much information as we can. We want to know what the similarities and differences are between moray eels and the twins.”

“Okay, but I still don’t see how I won’t get attacked by those two. And what about the third?”

“You won’t be attacked as long as you stay still and don’t make any sudden movements,” Trein answered, “Once they get used to you, you’ll know.”

“As for the third,” Crewel answered, “he’s a cecaelia - half man, half octopus.”

You blink, “Don’t moray eels eat octopi?”

“Typically, yes,” Trein answered, “which is strange, in this case. The trio were originally found off the coast in the Coral Sea - living in harmony with each other. When we brought them here, the moray mers have consistently been surrounding the grotto that is in the enclosure - the cecaelia hiding within and rarely comes out. We think that the cecaelia may have raised the morays, but we’re not completely sure.”

“And it’s been a devil of a time trying to get a glimpse of him too,” Crewel shook his head, eyes rolling to the ceiling.

“You mean you haven’t seen him? Not once?”

“I saw him when he was first brought into the enclosure,” Trein sighed, “however, it was dark and I couldn’t see him very well - the eels could be seen because of the bioluminescence that exists within their bodies, allowing us to see their figures.”

“Speaking of which, come,” Crewel rested a hand to the small of your back, “let’s get you acquainted with our aquatic trio, hm?”

Crewel and Trein led you to the opposite end of their laboratory where a large glass wall stood with a set of double doors that led to what appeared to be the edge of a massive pool. Once inside, the smell of fish and humidity tickled your nose as the sound of lapping of water reverberated in the slightly dimmed room; the only light being illuminated from the pool itself. The gray walls stretched high, the ceiling covered by long triangular beams that permitted the echoes of voices and lapping water in the room. One the far left was a coat rack and a small freezer with a large fan blowing the heated air around the room.

“When you come in - which will be about six-thirty each morning, you’ll hang your coat on the rack and put your lunch in the freezer before feeding your charges,” Crewel explained, walking over to the freezer and lifting the lid, “We always restock the food the night before, so you don’t have to worry about not having anything in here for the day. There will be nine buckets total in the freezer - three for the morning, three for noon, three for dinner - so make sure you dump all three buckets in the water, but don’t toss the actual bucket into the water.”

“What’s in them?” you ask, wrinkling your nose at the mixture within the buckets.

“A collection of shellfish - shrimp, crab, clam, lobster - and assorted fish are what they primarily eat,” Crewel answered as he closed the lid to the freezer, “We’ve tried feeding the moray twins octopi - but they refuse to touch it and often threw it at the feeders when they came in. Also, feel free to wear something comfortable. The water temperature varies from 45℉ to as low as 39℉ so we have to offset that with the atmosphere in our enclosure here at approximately 77℉ to 85℉ - never mind that one of the twins likes to splash newcomers right off the bat.”

“So, shorts are ok?”

“Shorts would be preferred, so yes,” Crewel nodded.

“But not too short - lower thigh length to knee length is acceptable,” Trein chided, “you are also permitted to wear sandals within the enclosure as well as a t-shirt or tank top due to the humidity. However, if you do choose sandals and tank tops - please bring a spare pair of tennis shoes to wear on the way in and on the way out as closed toed and heels are required within the labs and main building as well as something to keep your shoulders covered; this is a place of employment, not enjoyment.”

When you nod, Trein continued.

“After you feed them their breakfast, take a seat and use the notebooks over here to document any findings,” Trein walks to the opposite end of the enclosure, opening a locker filled with office supplies, “Take whatever you think you might need for the day and have a seat at the edge of the pool and begin your observations. It might take a few days before one of the twins actually approaches you, but once they do, you should be able to start the observations with no problems. During your first few days, remember to stay still - morays attack when startled or provoked, which we don’t want to happen. You’ll let them come to you and, hopefully once you get acquainted, you’ll be able to do your observations with no trouble at all.”

“Alright.”

“Your shift will be twelve hours total,” Trein also explained, “you will be expected to eat lunch with the trio and feed them their supper before you leave for the night at six pm and place any of your notes back in the locker here for Crewel or I to collect at the end of the day. When you leave, make sure the door is locked. Typically, we will be here until eight, so we often check the door on our way out - but just so you are aware, the door does get stuck on occasion; you may need to knock on the door a few times and one of us or our staff will get you out.”

You nod again.

“Alright, are there any questions?” Crewel asked.

“No, I think I’ve got it.”

“Very well,” Trein smiles, “We’ll see you tomorrow at six sharp - no later.”

“Thank you very much for this opportunity,” you bow your head to both of them before shaking each of their offered hands as the two escorted you out of the enclosure - none of you aware of the two sets of heterochromia eyes that watched your figure from below the water’s surface.

***

One week passes slowly as you go through the motions as the Twisted Wonders aquatic observer. 

Every morning, you arrive at quarter to six and greet Crewel and Trein at their laboratory doors. After they unlock and head into their own offices, you make your way to the enclosure and place your bag on the coat rack and the brown paper bag that contains your lunch in the freezer before hauling out the three of the nine gallon-sized buckets one at a time and dump the contents into the water, watching a little bit to see if anything will appear to snatch up a meal as the fish disappear into the murky depths of the pool. After watching the last piece of morsel disappear into the depths, you turn toward the locker, grabbing notebooks, pens and anything else you think you need and take a seat at the edge of the pool. 

As the hours pass by, you jot notes down about anything you see - which is nothing.

7:30am: Ripples of water, no sign of the creatures

10:30am: Still no sign of the creatures

12:30pm: Fed mers, no sign of breaking the surface yet - maybe they know I am waiting for them and want nothing to do with me?

2:30pm: Still no sign

4:30pm: I heard a splash, but saw nothing. Maybe they’re nervous?

6:00pm: Fed the mers their supper - Hoping to get a sign of them before I leave today.

Day after day after day, the notes were the same: No sign. No sign. No sign.

By the end of the first week, you were beginning to wonder if you actually would ever see the creatures or if they even existed - or even, heaven forbid, if you were a test subject yourself for believing that there were mers that lived in the enclosure. 

When Saturday morning came, you trudged into the enclosure with a heavy sigh and slowly began to begin the day’s events. Everything you did now seemed slower as the hope of seeing something otherworldly began to diminish like smoke. You pulled the first bucket of food out of the freezer and brought it to the edge of the pool, dumping the contents in before standing to return the bucket to the side of the freezer when something slimy and light hit the back of your head. Your hand instinctively reached up and brushed the hair behind your head, feeling traces of water and slime. You looked down to see what hit you, finding the bottom half of an unidentifiable colored fish laying behind you. 

Your eyes shifted to look out into the pool - but no movement or any indication that something had thrown the half of the fish at you could be seen.

‘Maybe I’m just imagining things,’ you thought as a sigh escaped your lips, picking up the fish and dropping it into the second bucket before it was dumped over the edge of the pool as well.

As you turned your back to grab the last bucket, again something smacked against the back of your head, a clicking sound following shortly afterwards.

‘Ok,’ you thought, a slight smirk appearing on your features as you picked up the large hunk of lobster from the ground, ‘whoever or whatever you are, I’m assuming you want to play. Well, let’s play.’

You grab the last bucket and dump the contents into the water and kneel at the edge - watching like a cat watches a mouse before pouncing. A few moments pass before you feel your back begin to strain, forcing you to stand. As you do, a whole king prawn nearly smacks you in the face as another round of clicking echoes in the enclosure. You whip your face toward the pool, just in time to see two sets of eyes watching you.

Silence defends the enclosure as the three of you stare in silence at one another.

Your heart races as you realize that the creatures staring at you must be the twins.

You can’t see them completely - their entire bodies are hidden under the water while the tops of their heads and their eyes are the only thing being seen from your position at the edge of the pool as they regard you from a few meters away - but you can see that they are nearly mirrors of each other.

They both have skin the color of seaweed with short hair to match - a longer piece the color of deep sea teal arching in the front of their faces. Instead of human ears, they have fins - likely hiding the gills they use to breathe underwater behind them. The one on your left appears to be more cautious than their twin on the right - their eyes are sharp, their right colored brown and left colored gold, and watching every movement you make as if calculating whether to attack you or not. The one on your right appeared to have more of a droopy expression on their face, their lower eyelids dropping into a bored expression, but their gaze is still sharp. Like their twin, their eyes are different colors - the left colored brown and the right colored gold instead.

You swallow thickly, unsure of what to do exactly. 

Moray eels attack if provoked, you recalled Crewel saying, so you didn’t want to make any sudden movements in case they read it wrong and attempt anything. However, it seems that the decision is quickly made when the one on your right slowly approaches the edge of the pool. You stay as still as possible as they approach, their eyes locked on yours as if in a trance. 

When they reach the edge, you can see the length of his body in the murky depths. His skin is a darker seaweed teal with little stripe patterns on his cheekbones and arms - with likely more on his lower body hidden deeper in the depths. Large fins poke out from his lower arms, giving him and his brother the ability to glide through the water quickly. You couldn’t see his tail, but if you had to guess - you thought he could be approximately six feet in length or longer.

Then, salted sea water covers your entire body, causing you to sputter at the surprise at getting splashed as the moray mer peeled in laughter. His brother follows up with three sharp clicks before the duo disappear under the water, leaving you to wonder what in the world just happened.

[purple-plum-petals]

Howdy do~! I’d like to request a fluffy drabble in which Azul Ashengrotto askes his fem! human s/o what she wants in exchange for her services with the Lounge, to which she simply replies, “Just smile your lovely smile for me. That’s all I want.” Make it super fluffy, please! Thanks a bunch!

⊱ Your Smile is Worth a Million Madol ⊰ || Azul Ashengrotto X Reader

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮        Character(s): Azul Ashengrotto (Twisted Wonderland), Floyd Leech (Twisted Wonderland), Jade Leech (Twisted Wonderland), Riddle Rosehearts (Twisted Wonderland, mentioned)        Reader Type: Human, Ramshackle Prefect (Gender-Neutral Pronouns)        Warning(s): Besides Floyd Making One (1) Slightly Suggestive Joke and the Use of Pet Names (The Reader calls Azul “love” and Azul calls the Reader “dear”), Nothing! I also always use the Japanese TWST Terms (Dorm Leader instead of Housewarden, Madols instead of Thaumarks, etc.) in my writing.        Genre: Drabble, Pure Fluff, Pre-established Romantic Relationship        Word Count: ~2,300 words        Request: “Howdy do~! I’d like to request a fluffy drabble in which Azul Ashengrotto askes his fem! human s/o what she wants in exchange for her services with the Lounge, to which she simply replies, “Just smile your lovely smile for me. That’s all I want.” Make it super fluffy, please! Thanks a bunch!”        Author’s Note: This was such a cute request, so thank you for sending it in! I absolutely love writing for my Octavinelle boys. 🥰 I did end up having to reword what the Reader said to Azul just so the dialogue would flow better, but the feeling/vibe you wanted is still there! Also, the Reader is close friends with Floyd and Jade because I said so. 😊 I’m so happy I got an Azul request – I love him so much. It’s kind of weird not writing hurt/comfort for once though haha. Also, can you tell how much I like more “old-fashioned” pet names? Lol The Reader is also gender-neutral here since their gender didn’t play any major role in this scenario (and because I primarily use you/your when writing rather than gendered pronouns); I hope you don’t mind!

→ If you enjoyed my work, please reblog it if you can! Exposure on Tumblr is based on reblogging content rather than liking it, so your support would be much appreciated!  ♡ ╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

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              It was a busy day spent working in the lounge, doing the usual like serving drinks and food while occasionally breaking up two hormonal teenage boys from starting a fistfight in the middle of the dreaded lunch rush. Floyd always seemed really bummed out whenever you broke up the fights, most likely because he wanted more of an excuse to “squeeze” the rule-breakers, but Azul gave you a job and you were going to do it right! As long as you were around, you’d do your absolute best to make sure that no punches were thrown in the establishment – if they want to fight, they can go do it somewhere else.

              Azul had given you the task of preventing fights since it seemed as though you had the ability to get people – even the most stubborn and uncooperative of people – to listen to you (most likely because of your seemingly innate skill of beast-taming). Though, if that didn’t work, and sometimes it hadn’t, most people tried to stay in your good graces since you were currently dating the Octavinelle dorm leader. Plus, as if you needed to give people any more reasons not to mess with you, you were also nearly always accompanied by either Jade or Floyd whenever Azul wasn’t around for “safety reasons”. You’d even come to notice that Floyd started calling you by your name more often recently rather than by the nickname that he had given you when you first met.

              It was… nice. You’d certainly gotten off to a rocky start with the trio (which was kind of an understatement if you were being honest), but everything seemed to have worked out well for you in the end! You had an adorable boyfriend who you loved dearly and pretty much two very intimidating bodyguards who were also your friends but you weren’t going to tell them that out loud – they’d just make fun of you or something!

              “Uuuggghhh – today felt like an eternity.” You groaned, sitting down with a huff in one of the many comfortable booths that littered the lounge. Leaning back in your seat with a sigh, you said aloud as your eyes closed from exhaustion, crossing one leg over your knee so you could rub your swollen ankle, “My feet are so sore… I need to buy better shoes.”

              “Oh? Perhaps Azul may be able to fix that for you – you could always sign another contract. I’m sure he’d be happy to lend you the funds needed to buy new shoes.” Jade said with a smirk, walking over and standing next to where you were currently sitting.

              You didn’t need to open your eyes to know what expression was currently on his face (it was most definitely a smirk of some kind), so all you did was say with a small smile of your own, “Haha, very funny Jade – you should be a stand-up comedian.” You paused for a moment, thinking aloud as you muttered, “Hmm, maybe I can take Floyd out shopping with me? He knows a lot about shoes…”

              “I’m sure Floyd would like that quite a bit… you’d have to catch him on a good day, though.” Jade told you, taking a seat across the table from you as he watched his brother terrorizing having fun with some of their underclassmen like the absolute menace friendly upperclassman he was. You watched as well, feeling pity for the poor students Floyd was finding amusement in for the time being. You weren’t complaining, though – at least it wasn’t you he was tormenting.

              “Yeah, I know. I think I’ve got Floyd’s moods down to a science at this point.” You said with a grin, looking over at Jade to see the expression on his face. He was still smiling ever so slightly but was now raising one eyebrow in a questioning manner at your statement.  

              “Really, now? Why don’t you share your findings with me then? I’d love to know how you managed to figure out the pattern of my brother’s moods before myself.” The eelmer said, smirking at you while knowing full well you hadn’t figured out the reason behind Floyd’s behavioral problems – you weren’t a psychologist! Jade just enjoyed picking on you, something that hadn’t changed throughout the development of your friendship with one another; your expressions were always such a treat to both him and his brother alike.

              “It was a joke, Jade! You know I was kidding!” You exclaimed, smiling as you placed your hands in front of you on the table to lean towards the seemingly more stable of the twins (something which was debatable).

              “Maybe you should be the stand-up comedian, then. We could set up a show for you here at the lounge; I’m sure the students would love seeing you flounder about up on stage.” He said, smiling at you in a sickeningly sweet way as he gestured to the large stage in the lounge. You’d only seen it used a few times during the monthly karaoke nights Azul decided to start hosting as per your request. While you did think a comedy show would be nice, you certainly wouldn’t be participating in something like that anytime soon.

              “…You’re cruel, you know that?” You said with a pout, sitting back down and ignoring Jade’s smirk widening at your reaction. Oh, why did the twins enjoy tormenting you so? You noticed as you took a seat, however, that Floyd had seemingly lost interest in the other Octavinelle students he had been toying with. He now had his mismatched pair of eyes set solely on his new prey – you.

              While it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to be the person who caught Floyd’s attention, it also wasn’t the best being it either. You turned and watched, a look of pure shock on your face as Floyd sprinted over to where you were sitting. He made his way over to you and his brother fairly quickly (curse his long legs) before flopping down next to you and pushing you toward the wall with his larger frame. He flopped across your lap, upper body resting on your legs as his own hung limply off the side of the booth’s seats. He looked up at you, saying with a whine, “___, I’m booored – how about we play a game? Ooh, how about tag~? It’s been a while since I’ve chased you around.”

              Floyd sat up slightly, pressing one of his fingers against your nose in what could be described as a boop of sorts with his characteristic grin on his face. You just smiled at him gently, booping him in return as you asked, “Can I have a raincheck, Floyd? I don’t think I can walk very well right now, let alone run. I promise you can chase me the next time you’re in the mood, okay?”

              Floyd pouted at your words, muttering out a “boo…” before quickly changing his tune. He quickly wrapped his arms around your body, pulling you into a back-breaking embrace as he exclaimed, “Eh, squeezes it is then!”

              “No, please! Spare meeee!” You said with a smile, pretend-trying to break free from Floyd’s grasp. He always found it funny whenever you pretended to not like his squeezes, so a mixture of yours and Floyd’s giggling filled the empty lounge as Jade watched the both of you in what could be described as endearment.

              Suddenly, the familiar scolding tone of your boyfriend rang through the room, causing you to perk up slightly as he exclaimed, “Ugh – Floyd! Leave ___ alone – it’s been a long day for everyone… I have no clue how you still have so much energy after classes and your shift.”

              “Eh, I was in a good mood today. ___’s always such a fun playmate… maybe you two should play sometime, too – it might make you less of a stiff~!” Floyd said, looking at Azul as he wiggled his eyebrows slightly, the action and words only causing Azul’s face to deepen in color. This was apparently the reaction Floyd wanted from his childhood friend, as he couldn’t stop the laughs spilling from his lips. You found your partner’s pink face endearing, giggling at the sight. You watched as Jade stood up, dusting off his pants as he looked at his brother who still had himself draped across your lap.

               “Come now, Floyd. Let’s go so they can have some alone time.” Jade said, giving his brother a look before smirking at Azul. The twins then left the lounge in tandem as Floyd continued to make teasing remarks as they left you two alone together. You looked up at Azul who watched the troublemaking twins leave with a grimace on his face.

              When he looked down at where you were still sitting, he simply sighed out as he pinched the bridge of his nose, telling you softly, “…I sincerely apologize for their behavior.”

              “Ehehehe… It’s alright, love – I know that’s just how they are.” You said with a smile, gently grabbing his hand and lightly tugging on his arm so he would sit next to you. You propped your head up with your hand, asking him, “So, how was your day? Do anything exciting?”

       ��      Azul simply chuckled lightly, telling you, “I’m not sure how exciting sitting in an office could be, but I did just make a deal with…”

              Both of you continued to talk as minutes turned into hours with him asking you about your day and somehow managing to get you to tell him your shoe size without you even realizing it (he overheard you talking about how your feet were hurting, so prepare for a new pair of shoes in the future) while you inquired about his new business ideas and contracts with new clients. You two had a small dinner together and, before you knew it, it was late into the night. You both still had class tomorrow and Azul even had a test, so you decided to say your goodbyes for the evening. You had made a joke about spending the night in his room, something of which nearly caused him to choke on the water he had taken a sip of; looks like Floyd’s joke was affecting your boyfriend more than he would like to admit.

              You had helped him gather up the plates and clean up the remnants of your dinner, having a small bubble fight in the kitchen when you realized you had put a bit too much soap into the sink. It was fun, being able to be playful with your boyfriend which was something that only occurred when he was 100% positive no one would be around to see it. After tidying up the kitchen you had managed to nearly fill with bubbles, Azul held your hand in his as he walked you to the entrance of the dorm.

              As you two walked, however, he eventually released your hand, reaching into his coat pocket as he told you, “Oh, I almost forgot your payment for today. Ah, here you are–…”

              “I already got my payment for today, though?” You cut in, tilting your head in confusion.

              “What? I haven’t seen you at all today until a few hours ago, so how did you–?” Azul started, questioning as to who paid you before you placed a hand on his cheek and leaned forward, cutting his question off with a gentle kiss. Azul squeezed his eyes shut, taking in the sweetness from the desert that still lingered on your tongue as you two shared a moment in the entryway.

              Eventually, you pulled away from him, telling him sincerely, “That adorable smile of yours is payment enough for me, Azul – that’s all I need.”  

              After a moment or two, Azul was eventually able to cough out as he forced the money into your grasp, “…Just take the madol, please.”

              “You’re toooo cute, love – I just adore seeing your face that beautiful shade of pink~.” You cooed at him, holding his face with both of your hands as you rubbed your nose gently on his.

              “_-___....” Was all your boyfriend was able to wheeze out, his face such a deep shade of red it could have rivaled Riddle’s.

              After a moment of truly taking in Azul’s expression and taking a mental picture to save forever in your mind, you pulled away from him after giving him a light pat on his cheeks, telling him, “Okay, okay – I’ll show you some mercy this time around. Well, goodnight Azul – I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, good luck on your history test; I know you’ll ace it!”

              “Goodnight, dear – I’ll see you tomorrow.” Azul told you with a wave, the color on his face not fading even as he watched you disappear into the distance. After a moment or two, his expression hardened as he turned around and said in a stern tone, “…Jade, Floyd – you can stop hiding now.”

              Unsurprisingly, the twins emerged from where they were hiding, Floyd laughing as he exclaimed, “Ehehehe – you’re sooo red Azuuul~! It’s been like, what, five minutes now since your little make-out session and you still look like a boiled octopus?”

              “Ugh – enough! Don’t you have dishes to clean or floors to mop?” Azul exclaimed, clearly both frustrated and embarrassed by the twins being, well… themselves.

              Jade just smiled, his sharp teeth shining in the light as he said, “Everything has been taken care of by both Floyd and myself, Azul, so we’re free for the rest of the night. Fufufu…”

[merakiui]

Incoming spoilers for tmdg!

OMG I JUST FINISHED TMDG AND IT'S SO SO SO GOOD!!!!!!!!! WAS GONNA COMMENT BUT I HAVE TOO MANY THOUGHTS, SO HERE WE ARE!

First, I love a Yan fic where if some of the details are slightly different it could be another fluff fic. And this gave me that! Like, wholesome Jade moments, where both of us are in a love circle/triangle thing, and eventually fall in love on our own is good, but the added darkness? Delicious!

Also, we love Jade and Azul plotting in the background while Floyd literally has no idea. The only truly innocent one in this fic, and if he did have a normal person crush (which I hc he did) he in some ways was the coolest guy.

Also!!!! I thought I was strong, but I got caught up in the delusion as well, sometimes forgetting that Floyd wasn't Floyd, oh lordy the writing.

And then there's the genuine nausea I had when we were about to seriously confess, knowing exactly what was about to happen. OMG got a little light headed 😭

Anyways, beautiful masterpiece, and out of all the iterations of Jade, I think this one probably has the best chance for a genuine happily ever after.

AAAAAAA THANK YOUUUUU!!!!! (´▽`ʃƪ)♡ I'm so very happy you enjoyed it!!!

I love writing yandere fics in which they're mostly soft, so you're left waiting for the kick to the stomach or the part in which the atmosphere changes drastically from soft and sweet to scary and sinister!!! I had so much fun writing all of the wholesome moments with Jade and all of the times where he's trying so hard (and sadly failing). T^T it gave me great satisfaction to write his desperate pining from afar. He is but a silly (definitely not menacing) eel in love. <3

Jade and Azul scheming…… aaaa they're so sly!!! >:( perhaps, on some level, Floyd suspects it because if anyone's going to know Jade the best it's his own blood. But then maybe he just chooses not to address it because he can't be bothered or doesn't want to get wrapped up in it. And the reader doesn't know the lengths Jade went to in order to orchestrate the perfect opportunity to have you truly alone (and what better place for that than the sea? >:D). I really love it when characters are scheming in the background while the others remain oblivious, and Jade and Azul make for such a scummy duo when it comes to covert plans.

I'm glad my writing could allow you to get immersed in the parts where Jade was playing Floyd. >:) those parts were very exciting to write because I got to write Floyd dialogue and actions while also mixing it with some of Jade's mannerisms and way of speaking. His little convenient slips where he speaks or acts as himself while being Floyd..... aaaaaa it's so fun!! And Reader's confession!!!!! Doomed from the beginning,,, (๑﹏๑//) I wanted to hug her while I was writing it, but that's what Jade is for hehe. :D he will give her lots of hugs and continue to slowly slide his way into her heart.

Thank you again for reading!!!! o(≧∀≦)o soft yan!Jade has a very good chance at procuring a happy end where it's mutual and willing. I cannot say the same for my other variations of Jade..... ^^;;;;;

[indouloureux]

hi!! i wanted to come in here a sing your praises a sec

'"you'll be here forever, right?" [...] "forever, baby," you furrow your eyebrows, smiling at him. "till i'm all dust."'

i thought this was really SO pretty! it was all beautiful but especially that part ♡ love jade!! [luveline]

OMG JADE CODNDODJDK THANK YOU!! i'm so glad you liked the fic!! i honestly had no idea where that line came from bc i've never been good with dialogue but i'm happy you liked it. thank u so much for reading i love u <3