#SOMEONE PLEASE REMIND ME AGAIN WHY I LIKE SUCH A SLIMY EEL

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

The Raven; Let Loose

Part 2 of the 1000+ follower milestone! A continuation of the Raven lore outlined in part 1. I believe I will have a few more parts coming out shortly, just to solidify the Raven and Jade lore—and, I suppose, to make up for the lack of events for previous milestones (600, 700, etc.).

Today, we have the Raven’s introduction to Night Raven College! It’s a bit longer than my usual works, so it will be censored under a cut. Please enjoy~

The raven stares into a full-length looking glass. Whoever stares back at them is practically a stranger.

Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me?

A short girl with milky skin and long hair as dark as the night, swept over one shoulder, wears a perplexed expression. Their amber eyes appear even sharper than they typically are, no thanks to the smoky shadow that lines the outer corner of their lids. They are dressed in long, black robes edged with an intricate gold pattern--the interior of the robe is violet and dotted with gold.

“You look rather fetching in those coveted ceremonial robes!” chirps a jolly voice. It belongs to a man bearing a crow mask, a top hat, and a dark cape--leaning on a walking stick. He taps a talon under the raven’s chin.

“...Wanna stay home,” they mumble, tugging on their hood. The raven’s words are terse, clumsy, and unpracticed. They are too used to cawing and the sounds of bird speak.

“Excellent orating! Before you know it, you will be speaking human as well as you can write it!” The man in the crow mask declares. 

“But...feels weird, Mister Dire.”

“No, no! I’ve told you before, have I not? Refer to me as your dear old Uncle Crowley!” he insists, waving a hand. “And you are...?”

“Erm...Raven. Raven Crowley,” they mutter, wanting to vanish into their hood. The have practiced the line so many times, but it still does not feel natural rolling off of their tongue. “Uncle’s...niece.”

“Correct!” He gives them a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You’ll do just fine at the ceremony, my little black bird.”

“Scary...” The raven shivers and pulls their robes tighter around themselves. “I...I don’t want to...”

“Nonsense! You cannot keep roosting in the attic forever, toiling over those accursed storybooks of yours. It would do you some good to socialize--and I shan’t have the little bird I have taken under my wing wasting their life away on quill and ink!” Crowley shakes his head. “The time has come to set this raven loose on NRC.”

The raven stares doubtfully at their reflection.

“Let me give you a piece of advice--because I am so very, very kind. Words have power--but so, too, do actions. You must put yourself out there if you wish to change the course of your story, curse be damned.”

“I’ll...I’ll try.” The raven does not believe their own words.

“Very well. I shall see you at the Mirror Chamber, then.” Crowley turns on his heel and makes his way to the door.

“A-Ah...! P-Please wait for me...” The raven cries out, stumbling after the headmaster on unsteady feet, the fabric of their robes billowing out behind them.

“Oh, my apologies--I neglected to mention that you will be making your way to the chambers without my guidance!” Crowley tosses a mischievous grin over his shoulder. “After all, cuckoos must be pushed out of the nest if they should ever wish to fly. Spread your wings, my little raven--and enjoy your new school life!”

He gives a firm tap on the ground with his walking stick--and he vanishes in...a flash of light.

The raven’s stomach sinks, as though they have swallowed stones for breakfast. Vanishing in a flash of light--that would be their own fate if they did not tread carefully.

They sigh, shoving such ominous thoughts into the back of their mind. First thing’s first: make it to the ceremony in one piece, or else they shall never hear the end of it.

The raven throws open a window, then climbs onto the sill, hoisting themselves up and out. (Why did Crowley use the door? Windows are much more efficient for birds.) They tumble into the bushes.

The bird pops their head out and squints into the sunlight. By the Great Seven, the campus is positively teeming with students, all dressed in the same robes as them. The raven shudders at the thought of approaching any of them for directions.

They tuck their head into the bushes and begin to crawl, covered by the foliage. Unfortunately, the raven does not make it long before their path is blocked.

“Ohoh? What do we have here?”

The raven freezes--for young man with a blonde bob cut and emerald eyes has materialized before them.

“Bonjour--a bit early for a game of cache-cache, is it not?” He’s grinning, taking in the sight of a small bird curled up on the ground. “Ah, but more importantly, what is a lovely mademoiselle such as yourself doing in this den of lions?”

“...What?” The raven quirks an eyebrow at him. They have never heard such...strange, flowery phrases before.

“Ah, excuse moi!” His hands go up in the air. “You must be rather lost and confused, mademoiselle. Perhaps I may be of assistance?”

“N-No...I am okay...!” The raven insists, scrambling to their feet--their extensive vocabulary fails to make itself known in its trembling voice. Human language is...so difficult!

“...Mademoiselle.” The stranger’s eyes narrow, but the easygoing smile remains upon his lips. “That cadence with which you speak—it is reminiscent of the language of birds. Are you, perhaps, an animal given human form?”

Her flabbergasted expression confirms his suspicions. The young man breaks out into boisterous laughter and clapping.

“Fascinante~ I have a vested interest in wild life, you see!” he explains, circling the raven like a shark in the water. “I would like to observe more and more of you!”

“U-Um...I...I need to go...!”

But he has grabbed her arms by the elbows, roughly maneuvering them up and down. Her limbs flop around carelessly.

“Where are your wings, mon petit oiseau?” he asks, furrowing his brows. “Surely you must be capable of advanced transformation magic in order to maintain your human form? Are you able to fly as you currently are? Will you not give me a demonstration?”

The barrage of questions, coupled with being grabbed, sets the bird into a panic.

“S-Stay awaaaaay!!” The raven screeches, wildly thrashing.

They manage to land a hit on the young man’s face, sending him stumbling backwards. The raven sprints as fast as her little legs can carry her, not caring who witnesses it.

“Mon petit oiseau!! Please return to me--I must witness it...! The beauty of your flight!” comes his pleading voice behind them, growing ever louder.

The raven dares to sneak a peak over their shoulder--and screams even louder. He’s dashing right after them at a breakneck pace, closing the distance little by little. His hood has flown off in all of the rush, his golden hair whipping across his face. Perhaps he would have been a prince in some fairy tale, if his eyes were not so feral and pulsating with perverted curiosity.

This is it, this is how I will die.

The raven wills itself to run faster--

--crashing straight into another student.

The raven feels themselves falling back, expecting the harshness of the ground, but instead, they are caught and righted at once.

“Oya, oya. Please, do mind where you are going, miss.”

This student, too, is wearing the ceremonial robes. Oh, and how tall he is. Skin like sea glass, wistful lips, and a handsome face framed by teal hair and a black lock--but his standout feature are his heterochromatic eyes, one verdant green and the other a deep gold, edged in violet makeup.

“Pretty...” the raven remarks, their voice trailing off.

“Pardon?” he quirks an eyebrow at the remark.

“Eyes.”

“Ah. I see--”

“Mon petit oiseau!”

Oh no. 

“P-Please help...!” The raven squeaks, ducking behind the tall student. They jab an accusatory finger at the fast-approaching blonde. “H-He is...he is scary!!”

The student regards them with the tilt of the head. “...I understand. Please, leave this to me.”

“Bonjour, Monsieur Mastermind...!” the blonde greets, having finally caught up. “The little bird you are guarding--kindly relinquish her to me, if you please!”

“Bird? Why, I do believe you are mistaken, Rook-san. She is a human through and through--a human that just so happens to be skilled in Animal Languages.”

“What?” The blonde--Rook?--frowns slightly. “Mon dieu, a human?”

“It is quite rude of you to make assumptions. See to it that you do not repeat such a careless mistake,” the tall student suggests. He smiles, but his tone has a bite to it. “You would not want Vil-san to learn of such a blunder, yes?”

“Ohoh. A fair point, Monsieur Mastermind. Cunning as always, I see.” Rook gives a light laugh and throws his hood up again, casting a shadow upon his face. “Very well, very well, I shall relent for today--my queen is expecting me.”

“I will see you at the ceremony, then?”

“Oui. Give Monsieur Kills for Thrills and Roi de Fort my regards~ And apologies for the trouble, mademoiselle!” Rook waves and disappears into a crowd of robed young men.

At last, the raven can breathe a sigh of relief. “Th-Thank you...erm. Mon...sure Mastermind?”

“Rook-san has a penchant for nicknames.” He chuckles into his hand. “I am Jade--Jade Leech. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, miss...?”

He glances at them expectantly, with those pretty eyes of his.

“U-Um...Uncle said...to wait until the ceremony for giving names.”

Jade’s eyes shift slightly as he takes in this new information.

“Ah, you must be the unusual student the headmaster warned us of. I presume you must have been on your way to the Mirror Chamber before Rook-san gave chase.”

“Y-Yes. Erm...but I do not know where to go.”

“Fufufu. It just so happens that I am on my way to the Mirror Chamber now. The opening ceremony is to start shortly.” Jade raises a hand, gesturing to the students around them. “All you need do is follow the others, like a school of fish in the ocean. However, if you are still feeling unsafe after your encounter with...Rook-san, I would be more than happy to escort you.”

“I-Is that...really okay?”

“It is no trouble at all.” He offers his hand and a reassuring smile. “It is only natural to lend aid to those in need, yes?”

And the raven, mesmerized by his eyes, accepts his hand--and they merge with the sea of robed students milling to the Mirror Chamber. Standing at the entrance is the headmaster himself, ushering young men in.

Crowley catches the raven’s gaze and beams--though his expression falls just as quickly once he registers who it is that towers over his niece. Jade notices, and releases the raven’s hand.

“...Jade Leech-kun.”

“Headmaster. Good day to you,” he greets with a small bow.

“Hmm.” Crowley’s beady yellow eyes stare right into Jade. “Thank you for delivering her to me. Now then--shoo. Join the remainder of Octavinelle.”

“As you wish.” Jade gives a small, polite wave before he heads inside.

The raven waves back shyly. Crowley tsks and whisks them away behind his feathered cloak. He mutters something under his breath about being too kind.

Within the Mirror Chamber, a certain octopus scolds Jade.

“Where have you been? It’s not like you to be nearly tardy.” Azul frowns, hands planted on his hips.

“Ehehehe~ Even I made it here before Jade today,” Floyd laughs, gnashing his teeth.

“My apologies. I was preoccupied with...networking,” Jade says with a slight bow.

“Well, it had better have been worth it,” Azul mutters under his breath. “We’ll need to be in the headmaster’s good graces if we wish to expand the Mostro Lou—“

“Ah-HEM! If I may have your attention please, everyone,” Crowley calls from the front of the Mirror Chamber.

Azul immediately snaps in attention—and Jade follows his gaze. Floyd, meanwhile, groans and rolls his eyes. Lame old crow.

“We have a special little guest joining us at Night Raven College starting this year! They are quite far from our usual demographic, so I ask that you be so very, very kind to them.” Crowley nods to the hooded figure hiding behind him. “Go on, then. Introduce yourself, my dear!”

He steps aside, exposing them to thousands of pairs of eyes. The raven shrinks back. Crowley sighs and gives them a slight nudge forward.

“A-Ah...u-um...I am...R-Raven. Raven Crowley. Uncle’s niece. P-Please...take good care of me.”

Murmurs fill the room. Some students are expressing shock that the headmaster even has relatives, others are questioning the enrollment of a female student at an all-boys school.

“Oya?” A chuckle escapes from Jade’s lips. He leans over and whispers to his dorm leader. “Azul, that is the one.”

“Is that so? Mm, this is highly unusual,” Azul notes, tucking a hand under his chin. “But...if she is related to Crowley-sensei, it would behoove us to charm her. She can put in a good word to the headmaster for Octavinelle.”

“Yes, she will be of great use to us in the future,” Jade agrees, his smile twisting into something...demented, jagged teeth on full display. “Then, shall I do the honors?”

“You really do think of everything, Jade. By all means, be my guest. See to it that the little bird is...fond of us, of you. Either works.”

“Fufufu. But of course--I live to serve.”

“Well, I’m bored and hungry” Floyd complains, interrupting the two. He slings his arms around his brother and Azul. “Let’s grab some grub after this booooring ceremony...!”

[sierracolorstheworldofwords]

if ur doing reqs still, could u maybe do one with dark and a gn!reader where they get panicked when people touch them for too long, but only dark knows that and maybe someone touches them for too long and they freak? (definitely not based on me, nope, not at all)

AN: Hey I hope you like this! And like, I tried my best to write for what you asked. And like I googled the fear of being touched and saw haphephobia, which is an anxiety disorder and researched a bit on that. Again, I hope this is okay and that you like it! 

Trigger warning: mentions of panic/ anxiety attacks, please be careful when you read!  You hated the hands on your skin. They burned like dried ice, felt like clammy, waxy palms and fingers, they didn't feel real. They made your skin reel as you froze,  heart pounding in your chest. It was too much. You hated the feeling. The disgust reeled in your throat, and sweat, hot and sticky, started to form on your head. You had to stay calm. Stay calm. It’s just a tape measure. Just fingertips barely touching you.

You wanted to run, no, you wanted to push her away-- no, you wanted to ask politely for her to stop touching you. No-- you wanted to yell and scream at her to stop touching you, but you knew how that would go. You would be called crazy, stupid, be told it was all in your head and you just HAD to get over it! You tried. You let people touch you, even though their caresses felt like slimy invasive eels crawling all over your skin. You hated being touched, not only because of the fear, but because of the way it felt. It felt wrong, it didn’t feel like how people described it. It felt.. Just.. wrong. 

No one except Dark knew. You’d been too afraid to tell anyone else, and when you did try, no one took you seriously. 

You had told him after your first date, when he offered to hold your hand. He was surprised of course, but he understood. He was the first one who didn’t call you crazy. Who didn’t get angry, or try to force you to like being touched by cuddling you. Instead, he showed his love in other ways, compliments and flowers, shopping trips, and other things. 

In fact, it was something he was doing right now, getting you a custom wardrobe, which was something you always wanted. You couldn’t help but feel guilty as he looked at you worriedly. 

Dark felt so stupid-- he didn’t think the tailor. Who had to measure you, would be so touchy. He could see you stiffening underneath the tape measure and her hands, he could see the sweat on your forehead, the shaking of your legs. The way they seemed ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. The tailor pulled away, writing down your measurements on a notepad, oblivious to the panic you were feeling, but he could see it all. Why did he think this was a good idea? He knew it was something you always wanted but..but he should’ve thought this through, should’ve protected you.

You stepped off the stool she put you on, briskly walking towards Dark. “Your outfits should be ready in a few months, I’ll keep you posted and call you when they’re all done.” 

Dark nodded his head, “Thank you, come on darling, let’s go.”

The two of you walked out of the backroom, before walking out of the shop. Your heart beat filled your ears like a roaring ocean. You felt the sweat building up on your palms, underneath your arms. Your throat felt dry. You felt like you were burning, like you could feel every handprint and fingerprint staining you in red blotches that set your skin on fire. Your breathing started to quicken as Dark snapped his fingers, landing the both of you in your cozy apartment. Your safe haven, your homestead, your sanctuary. You were away, everything was okay now. Right? 

You sat on the couch, curling up on the soft fabric, grabbing the throw blanket and wrapping it around yourself. Dark sat on the other end. He hated seeing you like this, it always worried him. But he knew, with you, he could show his love in different ways. Maybe one of those ways could be helping you to calm down? He just wanted to make up for everything.

“Darling..” he whispered, “Are you alright?” You whimpered as the tears started to come, and you started to hyperventilate. Your breath came out in short gasps and you rocked. Your chest felt like it was being stabbed over and over. Terror coursed through your veins as the attack overcame you. You shook, crying, sobbing. You didn’t answer him. Your voice was lost among the fire on your skin and the crackling flames in your head, drowned out by the noise inside you.

“I’m so, so sorry, darling. I wasn’t thinking.” You turned to him, “H-huh?” you whispered, barely able to reply, confusion ringing among anxiety, adding to the chaos in your head. “I didn’t think of the tailor, I-- I am so, so sorry.” 

Another whimper left you as you thought of the hands. The hands, the hands all over your body, touching, burning, spreading like a forest fire. You couldn’t say anything, all the emotions inside you collided, sparked, exploded, left you dazed, confused, disoriented-- if you had just been normal, this wouldn’t have happened. Instead, you were some kind of freak. Humans needed touch, but you couldn’t stand it. It caused you to either lash out, yell, or run-- or just freeze, like a rabbit cornered by a ravenous fox.

Dark looked at you, before asking, “Please breathe through your nose for me, please-- let me help you calm down.. please..”

You did as he said, taking in a breath through your nose. “Good! Now, out your mouth.” 

You did.

“Can you do it over again for me please?” He whispered, “ That’s right, just like that. You’re doing wonderful.” His voice reminded you of a warm blanket wrapping around you, of rooms filled with sunlight, of the candles he bought for you. 

As the fear faded, you felt guilt stabbing you. If you’d just been normal, if you weren’t some..some freak, then everything would be better. Dark wouldn’t have to worry, wouldn’t have to be careful, wouldn’t have to deal.. To deal with this. 

You calmed down, wiping away your tears, “I-I’m sorry, D-darky.. I didn’t mean to..to panic-- I’m sorry--”

“Shh, it’s alright,” he whispered, “It’s alright, I should’ve thought about this more. I’m awfully sorry darling, please forgive me.”

You blinked the tears out of your eyes, “But it’s not your fault! You.. you w-were trying to do something nice..and I ruined it!” 

“No, you didn’t. You didn’t ruin everything.”

“And like, I-I’m just being overdramatic and I’m so sorry--”

He looked you in the eyes, thinking for a moment, before snapping his fingers, making your favorite flowers appear. He reached over to you, setting them next to you. He gave you a smile, his eyes softly glowing as he said, “You’re not, darling, never apologize for being afraid, even if no one else is afraid of what you’re afraid of, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t afraid. You fear what you fear because of your experiences, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” he smiled at you, eyes brimming with love as he did. You sniffed, picking up the bouquet with a smile, sniffing the flowers, happy tears brimming in your eyes.

“Th-thank you, Dark.. I-I love you.”

His smile grew, “I love you too, my dove.” 

Love, you both learned, can be shown in so many ways. In the way you look someone in the eye, or blow them a kiss, or remembering to record someone’s favorite show on a Thursday, and that they loved a certain artist, or danced to the radio, but only when a certain song came on. Love is about learning, growing, and forming a new life together, and it can be shown in so many ways.