#azul ashengrotto x reader oneshot | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

yandere-daydreams · 10 months ago

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Title: Escapism.

Commissioned by the very lovely @twst-ophelia.

Pairing: Yandere!Dorm Leaders x Reader (TWST).

Word Count: 4.0k.

TW: Fem!Reader, Non/Con, Dub/Con, Prolonged Imprisonment, Physical/Psychological Abuse, Slight Marking, Disassociation, and Possessive Behavior.

The mirror would be ready to use, by now.

Really, that’d been your first mistake – forgetting what you’d learned during your first months in this strange new place, having enough faith in the friends you’d made and your own middling abilities to tell anyone and everyone you could find that you were finally going home. You’d been over-eager, blinded by joy, and within a week of Crowly admitting that he’d found a way to return you to your own world using the Magic Mirror, it’d been common knowledge across all of Twisted Wonderland that it’d only be a few more weeks before you were returned to your own world. Ace teased you for being so eager to drop out halfway through your third year and Grim stuck to your side with twice his usual clinginess, and despite the bittersweetness of knowing you’d likely never be able to come back, you were happy. You were alright with leaving them, so long as it meant you could go home.

And you did leave them, in a way. If you looked at it from a certain angle.

You just didn’t get to go home.

There was a wet, slick noise, then a pang of pure agony racing from your cunt to your core. Involuntarily, you jerked away from the painful sensation, but it was an effort made in vain. The heavy arm wrapped around your waist only coiled tighter, your back soon drawn flush against a broad chest. Leona’s tail swatted contentedly at the down-stuffed mattress as he let out a low, airy chuckle. “Not gonna get away that easily,” he muttered, his breath ghosting over the shell of your ear. “Remember what happened last time you tried to act-up? I don’t think the basement’s gotten any warmer.”

Basement. Calling it a basement would be like calling him a housecat. You’d been locked in that dark, frigid dungeon of a cellar for days before Azul – because he was the one you scratched, the one who got to decide how cruel your punishment was going to be – let you out, and even then, it’d taken another week of huddling by barely-smoldering fireplaces and wrapping yourself in any shred of fabric you could find to shake the chill that’d lodged itself underneath your skin. You stopped trying to lash out at them, after that. As much as their so-call ‘affection’ scared you, their anger scared you that much more.

You couldn’t be sure how they’d gotten their hands on a place like this – ancient and only a step above decrepit. Their means weren’t exactly limited, not with a prince and the heir to a fortune that might as well have made him royalty funding their little venture, but it was still hard to imagine the people you’d gone to school with keeping you locked inside of an abandoned castle, surrounded only by more woodland than you could ever hope to walk through. It might’ve been more enjoyable (or, bearable, at least) if your captors had taken a more absentee approach, if they’d given you time to adjust to being in the middle of a never-ending forest with only stone walls and dust-covered furniture for company, but no, at least one of them always seemed to be at no more than arm’s length, there to remind you exactly why you’d been relegated to the role of princess, trapped in her tower. You’d never been able to call any of them your friends, and yet, the betrayal still stung.

“Would you keep your mouth shut?” Vil mumbled, with a particularly sharp movement of his wrist. The heel of his palm ground into your clit, and against your better judgement, you withered into Leona – the sound of your pulse beating in your ears deafening, but still not enough to mask the deep, self-satisfied purr rising from his chest. “You’re frightening the poor thing. Look at her eyes – they’re practically glazed over.”

“Is she scared, or just bored half-to-death by your shitty excuse for a handjob?” He bowed his head, nipping playfully at the corner of your jaw. Of all your captors, he was the most fond of marking what he considered to be his property – even more so if he had a captive audience. “If I was the one between her legs, she’d be feelin’ too good to think about anything else. She’d already be fucked good n’ dumb.”

“That’s not—” The air caught in your throat as Vil spread his fingers apart, but you fought to go one. “I don’t feel anything when you—”

Vil pulled out of you entirely, only for his hand to come down on your pussy with a harsh, slick crack. You couldn’t swallow back your pained cry, couldn’t stop yourself from shrinking further into Leona. “No lying, now, darling. You know how easy it is to hurt his feelings.” He paused, then glanced over his shoulders. Blearily, your attention drifted to the doorway of your bedroom – to Riddle, standing stiffly on the other side other side of the threshold. You stiffened, but Vil didn’t seem surprised. “Going to watch today, Rosehearts?”

Obviously. As complicit as they all seemed with your imprisonment, there were a few – Riddle, Idia, Azul – that withheld from treating your prolonged abuse like a group project. You’d been surprised, at first, that Vil wasn’t a part of that collective, but his tendency towards exhibitionism made sense. He couldn’t love what he couldn’t flaunt, even if his audience was limited to a handful of former classmates.

“O-of course not,” Riddle stuttered out, predictably. His pale face was tinted a nearly violent shade of red. “I just wanted to make sure you two weren’t hurting her.”

You felt Leona’s grin against your throat. “Hear that, pretty girl? He thinks we’d hurt you.” The space Vil left vacant was quickly filled – three of his calloused fingers soon filling your drenched pussy. You clenched your eyes shut, grit your teeth, but that did little to stop him from burrowing his claws into your side and tearing a little, cracked whimper through your sealed lips. “Don’t see him doing much to stop us, though.”

Vil only offered an unimpressed shake of his head, but Riddle straightened. “Are you implying that I couldn’t—”

“I’m saying that you won’t.” Leona cut him off swiftly, the edge in his tone sharped and playful. “Not if you want the next turn.”

For a moment, Riddle didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything.

Then, with a pointed glare, he turned on his heel and abandoned your bedroom altogether, likely dedicating himself to finding another part of this terrible castle to wait Leona out in.

As soon as his footsteps faded out of earshot, Leona’s teeth were buried in the curve of your throat – drawing blood in an instant.

Out of all your captors, it was Kalim who’d disappointed you the most.

You hadn’t expected this from the others, but in hindsight, you wouldn’t put it above them, either. Azul had never been able to draw a line between what he wanted and what he could have, Riddle had never been able to keep his base impulses at bay for very long, and Leona… well, Leona couldn’t be bothered to pretend he was interested in things like your ‘autonomy’ or ‘independence’. Kalim, though – he’d always been nice to you. Not overly kind, but nice, and in a place like NRC, that was something you’d been able to appreciate.

It almost didn’t make sense to see him in a place like this, to connect his presence here with the looming fact of your continual imprisonment. It didn’t make sense that the boy who’d once thrown a parade to celebrate you finally accepting an invitation to one of his banquets would be resting his hands on your shoulders, his eyes fixed on your reflection in a pearl-lined vanity as he pulled what felt like the hundredth gem-studded necklace into place at the base of your throat. You didn’t need jewelry. They rarely gave you anything to wear outside of loose-fitting, sheer dresses and the occasional piece of lingerie, but Kalim would’ve plucked the moon from the sky if it meant he could give it to you in a velvet-lined box. That was what he’d told you, at least, the first time you’d turned him down.

Actually, maybe you didn’t deserve to feign surprise. They’d all tried to do it the right way before their graduations, whether it was Vil beckoning you to sit on his lap during a dorm leader meeting or Riddle turning a dozen shades of pink as he asked if you’d care to attend an Unbirthday Party as his guest, sometime. You’d turned them all down, batting Leona’s hand away before it could settle on your shoulder, telling Azul you wouldn’t trust him as a business partner, let alone a boyfriend. Between school and a new apocalypse-scenario every other week, you never had the time (let alone the energy or desire) to date, as idiotic as it sounded to suggest that any of this could’ve started with a handful of schoolyard crushes. Maybe, if you’d given them a chance to see that it wouldn’t have worked out on their own terms, it wouldn’t have come to this. Maybe, you would’ve gotten to go home.

Or, maybe, you just would’ve been snatched up before that thread of hope could ever be dangled in front of you. Either way, a preferable alternative.

“The sapphires were a better fit,” Azul chimed in as Kalim pulled the next necklace into place – a loose riviere studded with rubies. It was the fifth of as many variants, only differentiated by the color of the jewel. Kalim claimed that he’d only meant to get you one, but ever the glutton, he hadn’t been able to choose. “Red is such a garish color. Our little princess deserves to feel as royal as we treat her, doesn’t she?”

If Kalim noticed the barb, he didn’t seem to mind. “I think you look beautiful in red,” he said, leaning down to push a kiss into your temple. His smile was as bright as it’d ever been, and you hated him that much more for it. “Then again, you look beautiful in everything. Why don’t you keep them all?”

You opened your mouth, ready to tell him where he could shove his jewelry, but you were cut off by the shutter of a camera, the hint of a flash in your peripheral. You glanced towards Azul, who only shrugged in response., sinking further into his armchair “For Idia. He’s going to be tied up with a research project for another week or so, and for whatever reason, it’s fallen on my shoulders to make sure that he doesn’t completely succumb to his self-pity and throw the gates of Tartarus open.” He thought, for a moment. “For a second time, I mean.”

You couldn’t be sure why you said it. It was an instinct, a knee-jerk reaction to grab the first blade you saw and twist it. Idia was, by far, the most distant of your captors, and when he did show his face, he barely spoke and never touched you. Even in a castle of rapists and kidnappers, he’d found a way to make himself an outsider.

“Azul?” You made a point of keeping your eyes on your reflection as you went on. “Could you tell Idia I want to see him again? When he has time, I mean.”

There was a beat of silence, then another.

Finally, Kalim forced out an only partially strained laugh, squeezing your shoulders with just a little too much force. “Is something wrong? If you want to ask for something, you don’t have to wait for Idia.”

You didn’t bother trying to respond to him. “Please, Azul?”

From the corner of your eye, you watched him glance between you and Kalim. Eventually, he let out an airy sigh and nodded. “Of course, sweetheart. Although, I do have to wonder what you’re getting up to.”

Your only answer came in the form of a tight smile, a slight shrug. Kalim didn’t waste time taking up the next necklace: a choker of braided strands of pure, glittering gold. This time, he fastened it tightly enough to bruise.

You almost felt bad for Idia, when you let yourself think about what you were doing.

Almost.

The bare skin of his chest was warm under your palm, the flames of his hair tinted a deep pink - a color you might’ve found charming, in any other situation. He was beneath you, currently, his face half-buried in a pillow while you rolled your hips idly against his, your pace slow and careless. He wasn’t as authoritative as Leona, as demanding as Riddle, and you liked that about him. But, his submissiveness meant you had to do most of the work, which you liked less.

At least he tried to pretend that he didn’t like it. Bias caused conflict, and his occasional encounters with the others wilted before shriveling into complete nonexistence shortly after you declared him your unlikely favorite. Even now, he kept his eyes clenched shut, his bottom lip caught between his pointed teeth as your pussy clenched around him. You’d gone numb to pleasure in the first weeks of your captivity, but any amount of physical contact seemed to overwhelm him. It might’ve been refreshing, if you hadn’t been so, so exhausted.

Gradually, your movements slowed, your body stilling on top of his. A second passed before he opened one of his eyes, his kiss-swollen lips quirking downward in mixed disappointment and frustration. “W-Why did you stop?”

With an exaggerated sigh, you collapsed onto him, slotting your chest against his and propping your chin on his collarbone. “I never made it to graduate,” you said, absentmindedly, relying on the haze of lust to hide just how flat your voice was. “Never got to say goodbye to anyone, either, but that was never going to happen. The other are too mean to me for that.”

His expression took on a somber lull. It might’ve been more believable if you hadn’t been able to feel his cock twitching inside of you. “I… I’m sorry. I wanted to wait, but Azul said— and Leona—”

“I know, I know.” You kissed his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. “It’s not your fault. I just—”

You cut yourself off with another sigh, just as unbelievable as the first. Thankfully, Idia was eager to take the bait. “Whatever it is, I can do it for you. I’d do anything for you.” His shaking hands found their way to your waist. “I love you.”

“I want to see Ramshackle again,” you said, without hesitation. Immediately, you felt him stiffen against you, and let your tone drag into something desperate, something pleading. “Just this once. I won’t even go inside, and Night Raven’s on break, right now. No one’s going to be on campus.” You paused, pecked the corner of his lips. “Please, Idia. Nobody else has to know.”

He still looked skeptical, but he was going to break your heart, he wasn’t going to do it while his cock was still pulsing inside of you. After only a moment of hesitation, he let out a shallow breath and nodded hastily. “One trip. And the other never find out.”

Instantly, you brightened, beaming as you pulled him into a deep, lasting kiss – a proper kiss, this time, something you’d never willingly imitated with any of your captors. He would know that. He wasn’t the most domineering, but if the hidden cameras dotted across your bedroom were anything to go by, he had his own kind of competitive streak.

A hitched moan reverberated against your mouth. With your arms still wrapped around his neck, your chest still pressed into his, he started to move on his own – his fingers digging into your hips as he thrust into you from below. His pace was unsteady, his rhythm nonexistent, but your clit scraped against the flattened plane of his pubic bone and however meager it might’ve been, there was just enough stimulation to melt into. Vaguely, you were aware of a distant whimpering, of Idia’s face buried in the crook of your neck, but you let it fade into the background – into the constant fog of static that’d been cast over your conscious mind since you woke up in this terrible place.

When you felt his teeth scrape over the curve of your throat, it was all you could do to close your eyes and think of home.

“It’s a pretty basic teleportation scheme,” he’d explained, as he led you through the castle’s entryway after pulling you out of your bed in the middle of the night. The winter air cut through your thin dress without mercy, but you’d fought not to shiver, not to give him a reason to second-guess if he should be doing this. Right now, he was convinced he loved you more than he feared letting you get away, and you couldn’t do anything to break that delusion. “Ortho handled most of the hardware, but he was following my designs. The NRC waypoint was supposed to be a limited-time mechanic, but I never cut it out of the system. It should still work – for a couple trips, at least.”

You’d let him ramble about how many hours it’d taken to put together, nodded enthusiastically as he described all the effort he’d poured into ruining your life. He kept his hand locked around yours as he led you onto a shining, steel platform, only letting go to punch the coordinates into his tablet. There was a flash of light, a slight buzzing in your ears, and then, you were standing in front of the gates to Night Raven College, already open and waiting for your arrival.

You didn’t wait for Idia to move, to say anything. Rather, you let the gem shard (pilfered from one of Kalim’s more recent attempts to win back your attention; the jewel in its entirety had been larger than your balled fist) that you’d stowed away in your sleeve fall into your hand and stabbed the jagged end into his back. You didn’t wait to see if the wound took before breaking into a sprint towards the Hall of Mirrors.

You’d be able to see, later on, that it was far from the best idea you’d ever had. There was a good chance Crowley abandoned any work he might’ve started as soon as you went missing, if he really had found a way to send you hope at all. The injury you’d dealt to Idia was far from fatal, and you’d be in for more than just a few days in the cellar if they caught you, but the desire to get out of here, to go home drowned out your better judgement – leaving your tired mind empty and your body dependent on pure, unadulterated desperation as you ran towards the familiar, pitch-black dome on the outskirts of campus. Your skirt snagged on roots and twigs, your bare feet numb and aching in-turns, but you didn’t dare to slow down, to look behind you. By the time you reached the Hall of Mirrors, your throat was dry, your heart beating in your ears. Thankfully, the door had been left unlocked, and you shouldered your way inside.

The Magic Mirror stood, dark and stoic, in the center of the room. You allowed yourself a single breath of relief, a moment to let the past few months— no, the past three years of your life melt away before moving toward it.

You made it all of two, three steps before something sprung from the darkness and wrapped around your ankle – cutting into your flesh and, with a sudden jerk, dragging you to the floor. You stifled a scream, reflexively moving to tear at your new restraints, but froze when you saw exactly what you were caught in.

A thick braid of vines wrapped around your leg – except they weren’t vines, not really.

They were briars.

Rows upon rows of hooked thorns were embedded into the skin of your calf, drawing blood wherever they made contact. The pain was instant, searing, but you didn’t care – tearing at your bondage even as the thorns bit into your hands, as the rope of briars drew that much tighter. Tears blurred your vision, and so distracted by your own misery and panic, you almost didn’t notice the sound of clipped heels against marble floors, the dark shadow that soon blocked out what little light you had. You didn’t have to look at him. You already knew who it was.

In the end, though, you weren’t given much of a choice.

You really should’ve been more used to that, by now.

A gloved hand caught you by the chin, forcing you to tilt your head back and meet Malleus’ expectant, prying stare. He took a moment to evaluate your ragged dress, the bruising and love-bites painted down your neck before a small smile came to rest over his lips; the barest hint of pointed teeth catching in the moonlight. “And to think, I thought it was only nostalgia drawing me back to this lonely place.” He spared a glance toward the mirror. “And I suppose you plan to use that ancient thing to return to your own world?”

“Malleus,” you gasped his name, hoping that would be enough to communicate the depths of your despair. “I don’t have a lot of time, I— They’re coming for me, and—” You cut yourself off, swallowing harshly. “I want to go home.”

His only response came in the form of a low hum, dull and dismissive. All it took was a snap of his fingers, a certain glint in his narrowed eyes, and the mirror shattered into more pieces than you could ever hope to put back together.

This time, you couldn’t swallow back the ragged sob that tore past your lips, the pathetic noise echoing off the stone walls. You tried to crawl towards the fractured pieces, but Malleus kneeled to your height, letting out a patronizing coo as he wrapped an arm around your midriff, pulling you against his chest and suffocating any possible hope you might’ve had for escape. Distantly, you were aware of a rush of footsteps, of a collar (as heavy as it was useless) snapping shut around your neck, but Malleus didn’t falter. With your limp body in his arms, he pushed himself to his feet, turning to face your captors where they’d clustered in the entryway.

It was Leona who spoke first, predictably. He never could let anyone else be the center of attention. “What do you want, Draconia?”

Malleus, on the other hand, was in no rush, letting his gaze fall back to you. “I was surprised, when I heard of her disappearance. I know how fragile mortal lives could be, but I thought, surely, a human who’d befriended so many powerful mages ought to be a little more enduring.”

After he finished, silence hung heavy in the air. Vil summoned his spell book, and Kalim’s fists clenched at his sides, his jealousy threatening to outweigh his pacifistic nature. None of it would’ve made a difference. If Malleus wanted to, he could reduce them all to ash with little more than a wayward thought. If Malleus wanted to, he wouldn’t need five other conspirators to have you at his mercy.

And yet, he only let out a breath of a laugh, holding you that much closer to his chest. “Then again, if I’d known those powerful mages would struggle to keep watch of such a precious item, I might’ve been less generous.”

“Get to the point.”

This time, he chose to obey. “It seems,” he started, bowing his head and letting his lips brush against your cheek. “As if you’re having trouble keeping this little one in line.”

His grin was wider and more satisfied than you’d ever seen it, before. Looking at him, you could only wonder how you have bothered trying to survive in a world that so clearly wasn’t meant for you.

“Would you consider making use of another pair of hands?”

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dystopyx-blog · 2 months ago

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more yandere octotrio!

Dedicated to @mr-trick <3 ty for your support

"Your grades have been slipping."

When you had been called into Azul's office, you certainly weren't expecting him to scold you like a parent. To add insult to, well, insult, Jade and Floyd were there, too, and the latter couldn't stop themselves from snickering.

"I wasn't aware that was any of your business." You shot back. You didn't bother asking how he knew–you'd had twin eels trailing you since Azul's overblot. It was rare for you to go anywhere these days without the sight of one looming at you from this distance. If their heights didn't make them obvious enough, there was the eyes. Though you had a feeling stealth wasn't the goal.

You'd be right. The tweels found it very important that you knew they were close by. Azul may have preferred for them to be stealthier, but they enjoyed your reactions too much. Plus, their presence kept others away. It's probably why Azul let them continue.

But back to the scene at hand.

Azul's response comes naturally, almost too naturally–as if he was prepared for that response. "Of course it is. The success of Night Raven students has always been my business–"

The look you hit him with was enough to stop him in his tracks.

He chuckled, adjusting his tie and his approach. "Of course, business has changed in recent times. In the past the goal was to attract as many poor unfortunate souls as I could, offering contracts with the goal to better myself, and not them. But now I've mended my ways and made a switch, so to speak. Now I wish to truly help and better those I come into contact with, starting with those I already feel close or indebted to. And what better first than the one who helped me see the light in the first place."

He waited for your response, but you offered none. Not unless you included your suspicion.

"Look, business has been rough lately since the incident, and helping you seems like the best way to restore people's faith in me."

"And thus the truth comes out."

You were so proud of yourself for sussing him out. What you didn't know is that that wasn't the truth–like at all. He didn't give a fuck what the other students thought of him, especially since he was still getting business regardless. This was about you and spending time with you, the strange, magicless student that had caught his attention like a worm on a hook. Buy to you, that would be even harder to believe than an act of true goodwill.

But that didn't matter anyway, because he had you. You agreed to help him out of the goodness of your heart–taking the opportunity to mock him. It was difficult for Azul to keep the smirk from his face as you fell into his hand. He could tell the twins felt the same way. Even if he couldn't see then standing behind him, he could still tell when Jade's gloved hand went to cover his smile, and when Floyd's slight sway stilled just enough to zero in on you.

With that, a deal had been made: you let Azul help you out of the "goodness of his heart," and you spread the word of Azul's redemption arc.

As soon as you're gone, Azul lets an easy smirk spill onto his face like oil in water.

"We got 'em boys."

What would follow is a series of study sessions, every night, either with Floyd, Jade, or Azul himself. Study session with Floyd rarely involve studying. Sometimes you would start with studying, but he’d always end up getting bored at some point, and then declare you two would be doing something else. Other times, you wouldn’t even get a chance to study, as he’d already be dragging you off somewhere before you can even set your stuff down. Floyd, being Floyd, ‘something else’ could include anything depending on his mood. Some examples of activities you’ve done during study sessions with Floyd: karaoke, ping pong, pottery, a treasure hunt all over the school for something Floyd lost a while ago and had suddenly remembered at that moment (it was in his pocket), ballroom dance classes, shopping, video games, baking. You don’t even bring any study materials with you at this point.

Jade and Azul are more what you’d expect from tutors.

Jade’s method of tutoring is hands off. He mostly just has you do your homework while he sits across from you, working on his own stuff. And if you don’t have homework or finish before study time is up, he’ll give you readings and practice assignments to do. He encourages you to ask him questions whenever you have them, but for the most part, you two are silent. What you don’t realize is that he actually spends most of the time just staring at you. Studying you.

Azul is more hands on. Like with Jade, youre expected to either work on a class assignment, or one of Azul’s specially crafted study guides. Unlike Jade, who always sits across from you, Azul sits—or, more often, stands—next to you. Instead of just silently watching you work, Azul works you through each problem. He’ll often end up hovering next to you, sometimes taking your writing hand in his to guide you through whatever problem you’re working on. He also offers coffee/tea/snack breaks, where you two can just talk, not just about schoolwork, but anything else.

You’re spending every night with one of them. You often get back to Ramshackle late (especially if it was a session with Floyd). You don’t see Horns as much, if at all. Study sessions with your freshman friends become almost nonexistent. Even Grim is starting to see less and less of you everyday.

Who you end up spending the most time with is, of course, the Octotrio. Not just for nightly study sessions anymore. Floyd will approach you outside of tutoring for fun activities. Jade often offers you treats for doing so well, including trips to Sam’s and lunch at Mostró Lounge—all on him, of course. And Azul often pops in to check in on you—to make sure you’re holding up your side of the deal. And, even if you don’t realize it, there’s always at least one of them waiting to walk you to class.

It’s no secret that Azul basically always has business on the brain. And this? This was his strategic move to monopolize you, and he got you hook, line, and sinker.

#yandere #yandere rambles #yandere twst #yandere twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #twst #yandere octotrio x reader #yandere octotrio #octavinelle #yandere octavinelle #octotrio #yandere azul ashengrotto #yandere jade leech #yandere floyd leech #yandere x reader #yandere oneshot

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yandere-sins · 4 months ago

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If traumatizing the yans is your thing, let me present: a darling who lovebombs and ghost + an insecure/paranoid yandere! It'll work on yans like Azul, Idia, Malleus, and Scara since man's probably scared of darling leaving on the inside.

I'll pick the first two because they fit it so well, thank you for requesting! ♥

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

Azul

♡ Azul is used to being, well, used. He profits from it more than anyone else, and honestly, it never bothered him before, even when a deal fell through. If the deal was important, he made it so it would succeed. That's why it was even more taunting for him when the deal he wanted to make with you kept being delayed. Why? It wasn't his fault; that much was very clear. You showed early on that you had every intention to seal the deal—become his personal attendant on call whenever he wanted in exchange for all the riches and things you wanted in life. Azul would have made you a star if that had been your goal, rich and famous and adored by everyone—while he was still pulling the strings in the background, making you share his bed at night without any exceptions.

♡ But there's no way he could stay mad at you for long. Sure, you never sign the contract that would make you all his, even though you coax him into expensive dinners and dates constantly that he pays out of his own pocket for you. However, with you feeding him dessert, giggling at his jokes, and complimenting his prowess and intelligence, Azul can't help but boast and blush at everything you say, looking more love-struck than ever when you hug his arm on the way home, telling him how great he is and how much you appreciate all he does for you. He is a great provider, but he loves hearing it from your mouth. You make him feel so good when you feed into his obsession; tell him he's the only one for you. That you can only rely on him and that you want no one else. Azul even promises to provide anything you want as you two stand in front of your home, brushing his thumb over your lips as he waits for you to give him the pleasure of kissing you, almost sealing the deal. He promises to give you all you desire when you come to sign the contract tomorrow—he could even come and pick you up for the appointment! But as he leans forward, you just grin, quickly kissing his cheek before leaving him high and dry in your doorway, offering him a wink as you close the door.

♡ And after that, you never show up. Even the twins are avoiding Azul's office, trying not to get too close to him as he is absolutely fuming, lashing out, and tearing apart anything in his way. It was all fun and games until you kept repeating stunts like that, and Azul's patience is wearing really thin. He plans to take the contract with him next time, place it in front of you the moment the overly expensive bill comes, and tell you how you'll have to pay this time unless you sign the damn contract. He even fantasizes about guiding your hand to sign the document before finally getting his piece of cake right then and there, out in public if he must. You've been putting off your responsibility in this relationship, and he's over it. But damn... he sure as hell wasn't ready for the waterworks to start once he puts you on the spot. And how can he do that to you? You are the loveliest creature he's ever met, and you tell him you love him so much and don't understand what you did wrong. Maybe he can be patient one more time.

♡ You've been playing with the devil for so long that you might not even notice as the weights shift. When Azul starts standing you up for dates, when, suddenly, he's too busy. He's always on his phone when you two are together, not as interested in all your compliments anymore. It makes you antsy. What if he's slipping from your grasp? Once the usual things don't work anymore, what else can you do? You should have known that, in the end, Azul always gets what he wants. Even if you keep trying to get out of this deal, he'll be the one with the last laugh! And when he keeps feeding you the same treatment you gave him, you are slowly falling into his trap. Azul will remind you that he really is so generous, right? He loves you after all that happened between you two, you know that, right? Wouldn't you like to enjoy all you have when you're with him unconditionally? Azul will give you the world because he loves you. He won't kick you to the curb; he'll always be there. It's so easy! You just need to sign here.

Idia

♡ Poor Idia. People kept telling him you were too good for him and that someone like you would never fall for someone like him. But even so... how could he not gaze upon you lovingly, wishing you'd come to his room with him to play games and cuddle all day long, his arms around you while you two slept and a smile on both your faces when you fed each other snacks. Imagine the surprise when you finally acknowledged him—talked with him even! You were so interested in his games and wanted to try them, sitting in his room like he kept dreaming about. But this time, it was real, and your knees were brushing, and everything was so perfect. You two really like each other, and you encourage him to go out with you just as much as you spend time in his safe space, giving him the opportunity to love you.

♡ His heart was always meant to break, but did you have to be so harsh? He simply didn't feel like going out with you that day. Idia doesn't really like your friends, and they don't like him. You keep saying you wished you could stay in with him, but your friends demanded to go out that night. It would be such a shame if you had to go alone, right? Also, why does he always have to pay? You know it is hard to say "no" when you make him seem like the most significant, most generous person in your life in front of everyone, kissing him and boasting about how amazing your boyfriend is. Because yes, he is your boyfriend. The word never loses its intended effect. You make him believe that every boyfriend has a duty to his partner to fulfill their wishes, and Idia follows it religiously. Until one day, he decides that enough is enough and that it is time for you two to do stuff he wants to do.

♡ It's hard to say what is worse: the arguing or the cold shoulder. You usually text him good morning and good night, so it hit him hard when you didn't let anything be heard for days. He caved after only one full day of this, apologizing and promising to make up for it, and immediately, he got the satisfaction of hearing from you again. You knew how to play him like a fiddle, and it worked!... but you underestimated Idia's obsession with you. And you believed him when he told you he had something special planned. You need to wear a blindfold, but you will not be disappointed. Maybe he's proposing, maybe he's gifting you a new car. Maybe there's a house waiting for you to live and decorate. Gosh, the possibilities!

♡ Don't be shocked when you remove the blindfold and find yourself locked in a cell. Look, Idia put up a gaming system and a huge shelf of the newest games to enjoy! Here, you can argue and scream as much as you want—no one will hear you. It's an underground prison, after all. Did you forget that this was his family business? You're such a jokester! As if he'd let you out just because you ask him nicely. Now you are his, and his alone. No one will find you here, and Idia gets to watch over you all day long! These cameras are the newest model, you know. Pretty fancy, eh? Idia does it because he loves you! You are so pretty, even with the despair on your face. He can't wait to spend the rest of his life with you, playing games and ditching responsibilities towards your friends. You only need each other, so just wait for him to come back. There's some more paperwork to declare you exceptionally dangerous, so there won't be anyone stupid enough to come close to what is his.

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dilatorywriting · 2 years ago

Text

Valentine's Day Special: Let Them Fight

GN!Reader x Malleus Draconia vs. Azul Ashengrotto vs. Vil Schoenheit Word Count: 5.3k

Summary: Who knew that in a world of magic, and mayhem, and outright villainy, that it'd be something as stupid as Valentine's Day that would push these idiots over the edge. Or, Malleus, Azul, and Vil go to war over some chocolates

A/N: This MC/Plot takes place in the Heroes vs Villains universe -- specifically Post-Staff's route, rather than any of our other lovely idiot husbands.

There was always some sort of strange overlap of customs from your world to this one. Halloween seemed to have survived more or less intact (even if it was a bit more, uh, extreme than the subtle evening of giving out treats and dressing as ghosts that you remembered). Winter Holidays were still very much a Thing, even if all other connotations had been stripped from them. Moreover, it was like someone had taken your familiar Earthen calendar and just sort of… mirrored it. Distorted it a bit. Just a lil’ bit more chaos than would have been socially acceptable back home.

So when you made a sly little joke about stocking up on discount chocolates after the Valentine’s Day rush and no one laughed—not even a little chortle, or an irritable eyeroll—you initially thought it was maybe to do with the irrationality of Sam’s Shop ever having a sale to begin with. You had not assumed that, you know, there was no Valentine’s Day at all.

“It’s an important holiday, then? Where you’re from?” Azul mused, busy scribbling endless, chicken scratch, notes in the margins of some form that was probably very important.

“I mean, not really,” you frowned, tossing your Mostro-Branded apron onto its hook. “Maybe. Yes? I don’t really know, actually.”

He hummed and moved to push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “Well, whatever it is, I’m always looking for new events to host at the Lounge. What exactly is it?”

“It’s a sort of special day for couples. Romance. Lovey-dovey nonsense,” you shrugged, and watched Azul’s finger slip off the slick metal frame of his glasses and nearly take his eye out. You waved off his obvious disgust with a dramatic sigh (I mean, why else would he be so stiff and red?). “Yeah, yeah. I know. It’s ridiculous.”

“I—I never said that!” he spluttered, and then paused to cough into his fist and clear his throat. “It just—I just wasn’t expecting something like that to…”

“Exist?”

He grinned, wry. His cheeks were still a bit too pink. “Precisely.”

“You would have loved my world,” you said. “Very capitalistic. Lots of cash-grab holidays like that.”

Azul laughed.

“I’m sure I would be fond of any place you came from.” He paused, and his expression puckered up a bit miserably—like he really hadn’t intended to express such a sentiment aloud. But he managed to smooth the sharp line of his frown back into that usual, smarmy, smirk of his easily enough. “But either way! Tell me more!” he grinned, reaching forward to grab a stack of blank paper and a fresh pen. “I’d love to hear all about it.”

The next day you were supposed to help the Drama Club start building some stage scenery for their newest play. It was proper grunt work, which was perhaps the only sort of work you were actually qualified for. And Vil always made sure that there were plenty of disgustingly healthy but still quite tasty snacks available for the help to munch on. The food spread alone would have been worth the trip, but on top of that, Vil had made you promise. Practically a blood oath, binding you and your meager free time to the shitty supply closet in the corner of the Auditorium. And as sour as he could be sometimes, you really could never say no to him when he always looked so heart meltingly fond whenever you did agree to while away the hours at his side. That lovely face and even lovelier smile of his were fucking lethal. A war crime, surely, to use it against someone as plain and susceptible to bribery as you were.

But today you were now an idiot on a mission—an idiot determined to spread the joy of a trashy holiday that really probably shouldn’t exist in the first place, let alone in a world where people worshipped storybook villains as veritable deities. And you’d already bought all the molds, and the trays, and you really didn’t have a lot of spare pocket money to begin with, so letting this investment go to waste would not only be a shame, but a terrible business investment.

“What do you mean you’re not coming,” Vil sneered, glaring down his perfectly straight nose at you.

“I really am sorry,” you said, mostly genuine. “But I have something I need to do this afternoon.”

“You’ve made other plans?” he frowned, something a little too unsettled to fit with his usual regality twisting across his expression.

“I have to get ready for Valentine’s Day,” you explained, and his brow tugged down further. Though that earlier twinge of panic seemed to have vanished at least. You pointedly shook your grocery bag full of goodies. “I’m going to make chocolates for everyone.”

“Chocolates?” Vil echoed, confused.

You nodded. “It’s a tradition back home. You give stuff like candy and flowers to the people you care about. Normally it’s a holiday for couples, or whatever. But. Well…”

The ‘I Am Fully Aware That I’m Single as a Pringle, Please Just Let Me Have This One Thing’ was left unsaid, but it hung in the air around your head like a very persistent storm cloud nonetheless. Vil, magnanimously, seemed perfectly happy to ignore the Woe Is Me implications spewing from your mouth. Instead, he leaned forward until he was dipping precariously close into your personal space. His amethyst eyes had lit with blatant interest at your ramblings, and he hummed low in his throat.

“Is that so?” he mused, gaze lidded and warm. “That sounds… intriguing.”

You nodded past the heady scent of his cologne fogging your head. What was it with attractive people, huh? It was so unfair. You don’t get to look and smell good. Pick a lane. Save some dignity for the rest of us.

“So, I promise I’ll help another day. I just have a feeling making chocolates is going to wind up being a lot harder than I think it will.”

Because that’s how it always went in your stupid slice-of-life shows. The poor, harried, protagonist thinking they’re doing a good deed—painstakingly constructing their own, special, homemade goodies for all their important people. Making them with love. And then having it all blow up in their face like a goddamn, cocoa flavored, nuke. Nope. Not you, motherfucker. Your chocolates were going to be divine. You were going to take every, tropey, precaution in the book. And that of course included allotting yourself ample time to make mistakes your masterpiece.

“Of course,” Vil grinned. “How could I possibly begrudge you for wanting to spend your time on something so heartfelt?”

“Thank you,” you blurted, relived. Because at least he got it. Azul had been so ridiculously insistent that you should prepare all your Valentine’s Day wishes as a team. Which was not the point. He’d spent hours last night trying to wheedle his way into your plans—with endless platitudes about ‘business partners always being there for each other,’ and ‘how would he know if he was celebrating to your standards if he wasn’t given a model to work off of first?’ Utter bullshit. He’d probably just wanted free labor.

“Tomorrow, then?” Vil beamed and you nodded.

“Tomorrow,” you confirmed.

“Well, then,” he hummed. “I better get to work as well. I suppose the scenery can wait.”

You nodded in farewell and began the trek back to Ramshackle and its marginally functional kitchens. You hadn’t realized Vil was taking on any new projects, but if it was enough to have him putting off the Club’s activities as well then it must have been pretty important. Maybe he’d get you tickets to it whenever he finished—whatever it was. If there were tickets? How did any of the things he did actually work? Hell if you knew.

Making chocolates was, in fact, a laughably easy endeavor. And you found yourself cursing every goddamn Shoujo Bullshit Manga under the sun for leading you to think otherwise. The hardest part of the entire thing was fighting off Grim and his wandering paws.

You made up some basic truffles which were, again, stupidly simple. Just some messily chopped chocolate, cream, and a little splash of vanilla to make it Special. Once those were shaped into messy blobs, you dipped them into some more melted chocolate and bam. That was it. That was literally it. You felt like a genius—sitting there mushing up balls of cocoa like high-end playdough.

By 6PM, you had all your little darlings tucked into the refrigerator to harden, all the gauzy, red, boxes lined up on your counter and ready to be filled, and Grim had been placated with an offering of all your dirty mixing bowls. The tiny, demonic, beast was passed out at the dingy kitchen table—one of said bowls wedged onto his head like an astronaut’s helmet. Hopefully it was just a food coma and not, like, an actual coma-coma. Real cats couldn’t eat chocolate, but Grim never really seemed real at all. So hopefully he’d be fine.

You wiped down your cooking space once, twice. Paced up and down the narrow hallway until you were wearing away the already threadbare rugs, and spent way too long just standing in front of the fridge—staring in on your chocolates like a psychotic kidnapper scoping out their next victims.

Eventually you realized that you maybe needed to do something with your evening that wasn’t just creeping on your confections, and set out into the frosty, night, air for a stroll.

Which is, of course, where you ran into your familiar, horned, friend—staring up into the starry sky in a wistful manner that darkened his pale complexion into something nearly ominous. He always looked a bit like that, like something unearthly and detached from the rest of the world.

“Tsunotarou!” you chirped happily, and that adrift-at-sea expression of his melted right off his face.

“Child of Man,” he greeted, inclining his head politely. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this evening.” His brow furrowed, almost confused. “Is it not too cold for you?”

Your breath was, in fact, fogging in front of your face. And you couldn’t really feel your toes anymore. But the electric anticipation of tomorrow was keeping you warm enough. Even if only in spirit.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” you waved him off. And then, because you couldn’t help yourself, you leaned forward on your tippytoes and blurted out, “Happy Almost Valentine’s Day!”

“Valentine’s Day?” Malleus repeated back at you, looking like you’d just handed him an unsolvable differential equation.

“It’s a holiday from back home,” you explained for the umpteenth time that day. “And normally I’m not too fussed about it, but this year I’m really excited to give everyone their chocolates!” You grinned. “And you too, of course. I have to make sure I give them to all my important people.”

The furrow between his brows vanished, but the blatant, gaping, confusion remained. He looked like you’d nearly startled him into an early grave.

“I am one of your most important people?” he asked, slow as a tortoise making its way up an incline.

You nodded cheerfully, still bellied by your earlier culinary successes and excellent mood. “Of course you are! We’re friends, aren’t we? And besides. Valentine’s Day is for showing people how much you care about them.”

“What an interesting concept,” he mused, bringing a finger up to tap at his chin. “To think your world had such a heartfelt tradition—it’s quite a lovely surprise.”

You laughed. “If you think the chocolates are special, you should see what some couples do for each other. Rooms full of flowers, fancy date nights—I’m just managing the bare minimum.”

“Couples?” he echoed, and you felt the first teeny, hot, thread of chagrin work its way past your enthusiasm.

“Well, normally Valentine’s Day focuses on, like, romantic things,” you said, averting your gaze just in time to miss the tension lance through his shoulders. “But it can be for all sorts of affection!” you hastily added.

“Is that so…” the Prince hummed. He lifted his pensive gaze once more and stared you down with that weighted intensity that you’d only just recently learned how not to buckle beneath. “And you wish to celebrate this day. With me?”

“…you don’t mind, do you?” you asked, hesitant.

“Of course not, Child of Man,” he beamed, his lips curling up into a smile that put all his too-sharp teeth on display. “But you’ll have to excuse me now, I’m afraid. It seems I have some preparations to undertake this evening.”

“Oh,” you blinked. “Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yes,” Malleus said. “You will.”

It was officially Valentine’s Day, and you were ready to begin your mission of forcing your sweets onto every, single, one of your reluctant friends. Let them be pissy and tsundere. You weren’t afraid to weep and proclaim your undying, shounen-talk-no-jutsu, levels of friendship. Okay. Maybe you were a little. But these grouchy bastards had very easily become your grouchy bastards, and so help you God, they would suffer under your affection and they would like it.

There were plenty of small boxes—all nice, neat, corners with little bows perched on top. But you had also prepared a singular, larger, tray. It was cleaner cut than the rest, with bold, contrasting, colors and a simple elegance. You stared it down with a strange sort of disquiet brewing in your gut. Maybe you were being presumptuous. Goodness knows you’d more than dealt with the searing, emotionally destructive, consequences of that before. But all the same…

You squared your shoulders and spent a moment convincing yourself that your spine was quite sturdy—a proper, titanium, support system—and then popped the Big Box into the bag with the others.

Your first stop was Heartslabyul, and you burst through the ornate, crimson, doors like a manic home invader.

“I come bearing gifts,” you proclaimed, merrily doling out the boxes to your favorite idiot duo. You set three more aside, with little labels for Riddle, Trey, and Cater respectively. Normally you wouldn’t trust a dorm full of teenage boys not to devour any scrap of unattended food in sight, but Riddle had long since struck the fear of God into these poor lads. So you figured it’d be safe.

Deuce’s face lit up and he accepted the chocolate with near starry-eyed enthusiasm.

“Are these your holiday presents? Like the Santa Claus?” he asked, looking very much like a bouncy golden retriever preparing itself for congratulatory head pats.

You leaned forward with an indulgent huff to give him his pats. “No. But close enough.”

You pawned off three boxes on Ruggie when he tried to duck past you in the hallway—one for him, one for Leona, and one extra as payment for making him do your dirty work of playing delivery boy to Mister Grump in the first place. You slipped Jack his on the way into Trein’s morning lecture, and managed to press a box into Jamil’s hands before he slunk off to the library. Kalim cheered so loudly when you handed him one that your ears started to ring.

And then trouble arrived in the form of two, slippery, eels draping themselves across your shoulders. Normally the destructive duo seemed to act on their own prerogative, but on this fortuitous morning their Lord and Master was surprisingly not too far behind.

“Shrimpy!~” Floyd trilled, dragging you into a one-armed hug that was really more of a slightly-less-aggressive headlock than anything else. “Azul says you came up with this stupid holiday! And he made us work all day yesterdayto put together stuff for the Lounge! It’s not fair!”

Your legs shook under the weight of the new tumor that had made its home on your back.

“Now, Floyd,” Jade chirped. All finely manicured cruelty. “If you’re to blame anyone for going overboard with this entire situation, you ought to lay the fault on our fearless leader.” His bi-colored eyes flashed, amused. “Isn’t that right, Azul?”

Said ‘fearless leader’ looked like he was sucking on a lemon. He glared bitterly at his subordinate, seeming to share an entire, silent, argument with him, before turning back on you with a heavy sigh and the barest hint of angry flush in his cheeks.

“Prefect,” he grinned past his obvious discomfort, all sparkling, white, teeth. “I have to thank you for sharing so much information about this ‘Valentine’s Day’ of yours. It’s such a unique event, and it seems like our preparations at the Lounge are already being received incredibly well.”

“That’s good,” you nodded, trying and failing to shrug the Leech off your shoulders. “I’m glad I could help.”

Azul hummed under his breath, his eyes darting away for a moment. His glasses reflected the muted light of the hall in an odd way—making it difficult to read his expression. He cleared his throat and when he looked back up at you, the tips of his ears had gone pink.

“You’re more than welcome to come by, of course,” he beamed, suave as could be.

“I mean,” you blinked. “I would hope so. I work there.”

Floyd let out a bark of laughter and Jade snickered into his glove. The pleasant pink tinting Azul’s skin was heating to a near sunburned red. He looked down and coughed into his fist.

“Yes…” he mumbled. “I—I’m aware. But what I meant is… What I meant—” He frowned. It was a tight, pouty, little thing that scrunched up his entire face. That mottled red had spread to the bridge of his nose.

“I do believe what Azul is trying to say,” Jade stepped in, clearly taking some sort of pity on his tongue-tied friend. Or perhaps pity was the wrong word for it, seeing how smug he looked, “is that he would like to invite you to the event personally. As an honored guest, not an employee.”

“Oh,” you blinked, startled. Then hesitated, cautious on instinct. There was always some sort of catch to the Octomer’s kindness. “I don’t know if I could afford whatever fancy thing you’ve thrown together.”

“You wouldn’t be paying for it,” Azul assured you, some of that sickly flush having finally started to recede from his cheeks. You hoped he was feeling alright. “You’ve contributed more than enough for the day. It would be on the house.”

Jade loudly cleared his throat and Azul huffed, eyes sliding away yet again.

“I would be paying,” he finally mumbled. And then, even quieter, “As I believe is the custom.”

Just as you were about to thank him for his startling bought of generosity (and also ask after his health, because between the weird, pink, tinge to his skin and the aforementioned generosity, clearly somethingwas out of sorts with him), you noticed a sneaky hand working its way into your bag of goodies, and you immediately were on the defensive.

“Hey!” you snapped, spinning out of Floyd’s stranglehold. “You only get one!”

“Then I want the really big one!” he demanded, making grabby motions at it.

“No!” you squeaked, and clutched it protectively to your chest. The trio looked at you with varying degrees of surprise and you cleared your throat awkwardly. “This one—This one is special.”

“Oh?” Jade cooed, eyes flickering back towards Azul, who seemed determined to look absolutely anywhere else. “Is it now?”

“Awww,” Floyd whined. “That’s no fair! Who’s it for, anyways?!”

You gripped the box tighter and now it was your turn to stiffly avert your eyes down to the ugly carpet. “It’s not—I’m not—” you cleared your throat and forced the jitter from your voice. “I’m not ready to give it to him yet.”

The silence that followed was absolutely the worst thing you’d experienced in a long, long, time. Overblots and all. You could practically hear your blood pounding in your ears. You were just about to turn and beat a hasty retreat when a familiar, snappish, voice called your name from the other side of the corridor.

“There you are, potato,” Vil huffed, coming to stand at your side and bodily inserting himself between you and your tormentors. He met Azul’s petulant sneer with a frankly terrifying one of his own. “What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you’d be eating lunch with me today.”

You remembered no such thing, but if it got you out of this verbal minefield of a conversation, you were more than willing to take the claim at face value.

“Apologies,” Azul cut in with all his usual, mafioso, flair. “But the Prefect will be taking their afternoon meal at the Mostro Lounge today.”

“Is that so?” Vil hummed, sounding positively venomous.

“Unless you think you can make an offer good enough to sway them otherwise,” Azul chirped, equally as unpleasant.

Vil laughed—cold and sharp as crystal. It was the most elegant display of blatant irritation you’d ever seen.

“Of course you’d only consider this entire situation on a transactional basis,” he drawled, entirely unimpressed. Azul flinched and his expression screwed up into something near petulant. “I would expect no less. Are you planning to lock them into a contact too, hmm? Sign away everything in formal, sterile, terms?” Vil crossed his arms, and you were reminded sharply once more how very, very lucky you were to not be on his bad side (even if you hadn’t realized before all this that Azul apparently was on said bad side. You had no idea they disliked each other so terribly). “I really hadn’t expected you to have a single, romantic, bone in your body, and yet somehow I’m still disappointed to be proved so entirely correct.”

Azul looked ready to explode, and even though Jade and Floyd and melted back into the shadows at the start of this entire encounter, the pair of them were starting to look a bit murderous too—like sharks lazily circling the dark, ocean, depths.

“Don’t you think you deserve better?” Vil asserted, turning back to face you with a soft cant of the head. You blinked back in shock.

“Uh,” you gaped, absolutely fucking lost.

And then, like a beacon of unrivaled, black-drenched, hope, you spotted Malleus making his way down the hallway. He was flanked by his trio of housemates-cum-pseudo-bodyguards. Normally you tried to leave him alone when his rabid, green-haired, guard dog was yipping at his heels, and on top of that, the idea of using your classmates’ ingrained fear of the Fae Prince to your own advantage upset your rather staunch sensibilities. But this was an emergency.

“Tsunotarou!” you called, and it absolutely sounded like the cry for help it was.

He perked up immediately and you watched him nearly crash to a standstill. And then his sharp, neon, gaze locked on the dueling Housewardens circling you like a pair of snapping wolves, and his merry expression shuttered into something positively glacial. Which was—Fuck. I mean. Come on. What the fuck was going on today—

“Child of Man,” he droned, crossing the short distance with all the grace of the near-mythical, arcane, master that he was. His posture was more collected and regal than you’d ever seen it, and he loomed all the taller for it.

Azul and Vil had gone tense at your side, one certainly more so than other. The Octomer looked incredibly unsettled at Malleus’s sudden arrival, but Vil just looked angrier. It was the sort of unpleasantness that bloomed whenever someone challenged him or his competencies over and over—inevitably pushing the normally composed beauty into an indignant rage.

“Happy Day of Valentine’s,” Malleus continued, slotting himself firmly into the veritable territory dispute going down. “Are you quite alright?”

No, you wanted to wail. No! I’m so confused! I have no idea what’s going on! I just wanted to give my friends chocolates!

But you never managed to get those words or any others past your lips, because Sebek Zigvolt shot to his master’s side with all the speed of the lightning for which he was so named, and immediately began to scream.

“HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT THE YOUNG MASTER’S AFTERNOON ROUTINE!” he shrieked at the top of his very impressive lungs.

You weren’t sure if he was howling at you (very likely) or just anyone who wasn’t Malleus, but Jade took the opportunity to slink forward from the shadows with a sharp tut-tut.

“Perhaps none of you deserve the Prefect’s special attentions,” he piped in, sounding very much like someone intentionally throwing a cannister of gasoline onto an already roaring fire. “Or any chocolates at all—let alone the ones set aside for someone special.”

At this, silence once more rang through the corridor and you wanted to throttle that stupid eel.

“There is a special box?” Malleus asked first, brow shooting up as his expression tugged with… something.

“I—I mean, I made all of yours special!” you defended, holding the wrapped treasure tightly to your chest. “But… I guess. Yes. There’s one that’s a little bigger than the others.”

At this, all three Housewardens exchanged pointed looks.

Jade smiled serenely once more, and then continued his absolute massacre upon your person.

“Yes, indeed,” he nodded. “And our dearest Prefect only just mentioned that—hmm. How did you word it? Ah. That’s right. ‘I’m not ready to give it to him yet.’”

The trio tensed. All looking absolutely ready to pounce. At—at what, you had no idea.

“Perhaps,” the wretch mused, “it would be best for you all to temper your rage until the victor is decided, hmm?” He paused to tap at his chin for a moment, and then his lips split into a mean, jagged, grin. “Afterwards? Well, I suppose that whole cheery sentiment about ‘love and war’ still holds true.”

You gulped, feeling startlingly like Jade had just tried to serve you up on a silver platter.

But when neither Azul, Vil, or Malleus made any further moves to murder each other… well. As sacrificial as it all felt, at least it must have worked.

The rest of the day passed in a tense sort of fugue. You certainly hadn’t expected your attempts at bringing some holiday cheer to Night Raven to go so… Uh…

But either way, you managed to survive through the rest of the afternoon, and before you knew it, all that remained of all your tireless efforts and good will was the Special Box. The big one. The one that you’d put together with extra care and hopes for better things. You glared down at it for a moment, feeling sweat starting to bead over your palms. But you couldn’t chicken out now. Not after you’d come so far! Everyone was acting so strange, and it was all so weird. And as much as that unfamiliarity had your teeth on edge and your hackles raised, you didn’t want to regret not giving out the last of your well-made sweets.

Well, here goes nothing, you frowned. You took a deep breath, willed yourself to be brave, and smiled your biggest smile.

“Here,” you beamed, more than a little shy and still a bit horrified by whatever pissing match had been going down earlier in the day, and finally offered the grandest of your chocolate boxes to the man standing opposite you.

Divus Crewel accepted your offering daintily, plucking at the crisp, sharp, wrapping with his crimson gloves. He arched one of his thin brows at you and you fought the nervous heat rising in your cheeks.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” you blurted. “I know it’s not a thing here, but I thought it’d be nice.”

The second eyebrow joined the first—practically jumping all the way up into his fringe.

“I appreciate the gesture. Though from what I understand of all the garish advertising I’ve seen for Mostro Lounge’s new event, I assumed this was a holiday for romantic overtures,” he intoned, wry.

You spluttered and waved your hands furiously. “I mean! Normally! Yes! But also…” You trailed off, fighting the urge to fidget. “If you don’t have a—a, well, someone, then Valentine’s is just a nice excuse to give something to people you care about.” You averted your gaze and lost the battle to twist your fingers into your jacket sleeves. “My family used to give me chocolates every year. So. I thought I could… Well…” you trailed off on a grumble, embarrassed.

Crewel sighed and popped the lid off the box. He plucked two truffles from their casing—keeping one for himself and handing you the other.

“Well, then. A very happy Valentine’s to you, Prefect,” he droned and popped the chocolate into his mouth with a thoughtful hum.

You lit up like a Christmas tree and happily gobbled up your own treat. So distracted were you by the one-two-punch combo of the delicious sugar and even sweeter taste of your Professor’s approval that you almost entirely missed the pointed glare he shot over your shoulder.

“I appreciate your regard,” he said, loud. Sharp. And like he wasn’t talking to you at all. “And while I’m certain that if you do pick a ‘someone’ for yourself to celebrate with in the following years, they’ll have to work very hard to be worthy of such a gift, hmm?” His lip curled unpleasantly, in direct contrast to the indulgent warmth that had been tugging at his expression only a moment before. “I could hardly allow you to waste such a thoughtful gesture on someone unworthy.”

The Octavinelle Housewarden had the decency to look at least a little panicked—his face going pale and gaunt from where he was shrinking into his high collar. There was a frantic look about him, like he was trying to weigh the cost-benefit ratio of going up against his professor in his head, and realizing that he was stupidly, willfully, walking right into a lose-lose situation. And that, sadly—miserably—he was going to keep doing just that. The other two, however, looked entirely undeterred. Schoenheit curled his lip right back at him, more than ready to duke it out here and now, and Crewel fought the urge to remind the blonde that he was the adult in this situation, thank you very much. The adult who could very well revoke the Warden’s access to his Alchemy Labs as it suited him. The very alchemy labs that he knew Vil had been using to concoct all kinds of new, personalized, gifts for you. Draconia simply looked on with that unnervingly ancient, green, leer of his. Like he was staring down a particularly fascinating game. The Fae Prince was the most unsettling of the trio, if only because that while Crewel was more than confident enough in his abilities to subdue his other wayward students, fighting off an Immortal, All Powerful, Dragon was going to require at least a little bit of prep work.

Divus Crewel sighed, and it rattled all the way out from the marrow of his bones.

“Come, then,” he rumbled, directing you to follow him back into his office. “It’s not chocolates, but I probably have some of those ridiculous cookies of yours lying around somewhere.” Which he did. Boxes upon boxes of them. Tucked away special for whenever you came to visit. Not that he’d ever willingly admit that, even under the pain of death.

Your eyes went wide and warm as you positively beamed.

It was rotten work, certainly. He shot one, last, warning glare down the hall at the trio of infatuated interlopers as he firmly shut his office door behind you and your absolute oblivious idiocy. He’d do it. Of course he would. But, Christ alive. He was going to need a stronger drink.

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lynnie-ee · 1 month ago

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Day 5; Gloves.

╰┈➤"Holding hands comes naturally in a relationship, is what you'd expect. Until you realise, Azul has never removed his gloves, hasn't he?"

╰►Gender neutral reader, oneshot, 1k words.

╰► Character: Azul Ashengrotto, pre-established relationship.

╰►Note: The prompts are based on words I found interesting and then I put them on a roulette to decide when I would write about them, lol. English is not my first language, so please let me know if there are any grammatical mistakes <3. Not proof read, I haven't written in a long time, so I apologise if anything is out of character.

╰►Masterlist / Inktober Masterlist.

⤿

“Azul?”

“Yes, angelfish?”

“How come I’ve never held your hand?”

“We’ve held hands dear, multiple time already.”

“Of course, but I mean, without your gloves on.”

“Oh…”

(Y/n) laid on one of the sofas of Mostro Lounge’s VIP room, a book on their hands that they were supposed to read for their History of Magic, which was now left behind as they were more interested in Azul’s answer. As usual, the housewarden was on his desk, working on some contracts, promptly leaving his pen down to focus his attention on the magicless student.

The couple had been together for a few weeks now; enough time for Azul to get used to sharing his time, but not enough to openly speak his mind without filter.

“Well…I guess we’ve never had the opportunity to do so.” He replied after thinking about it for about seconds.

“How about now?” The Prefect asked, leaving their book on a table nearby, resting their elbows on the armrest of the sofa to look at housewarden more properly, being able to observe the delicate reddish tone that made its way to adorn his cheeks.

“Aren’t you supposed to be studying?”

“And you’re supposed to be working, yet you’re indulging me, so don’t make excuses.” They chuckled softly, observing Azul for a moment, before frowning slightly. “Perhaps I didn’t consider that you may be uncomfortable by the sensation of someone touching your skin. Do you have hands, when you’re on your octopus form?” The Prefect asked genuinely.

“Of course, I do! Why are you even asking that?” Azul answered immediately, his voice an octave higher due to how absurd their question seemed to be.

“Because I’ve never seen your octopus form and I’m not even from this world, there’s no way for me to know.” They explained nonchalantly. “The Coral Sea culture is as unknown for me as the land culture was for you at first.”

“I’ll let you know that I’m very knowledgeable in land culture, dear.” The Octavinelle second-year defended himself, a slight frown on his face.

“Last time we went into town we saw a bunny and you asked me if it was a dog. You may be smart, but you don’t know everything.” They laughed, this time a bit louder, offending Azul even more. “But we weren’t talking about that. So, if you have hands in your merman form, is it because mermen don’t usually hold hands directly? Or is it that you aren’t used to the sensation of something touching your skin?”

“No, they do hold hands in the same way humans do.” The second year explained. “And I’ve been on land for a while, now, so I’m very accustomed to the sensation of touching things directly without gloves.” He answered their second question.

“Then why don’t you want to hold hands now?”

“Well, that’s….” Azul mumbled, fixing his glasses as a way to partially cover his face to prevent the Prefect from being able to see the embarrassment on his expression. This only increased (Y/n)’s curiosity, making them wonder of the reasons, until something popped up on their mean.

“You…you’ve never had someone hold your hand before, haven’t you?”

“Nonsense! I…”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The Ramshackle student declared, Azul’s face being enough evidence for them. They got up from the sofa to take a seat on the chair in front of Azul’s desk, finding the merman avoiding eye contact with them. “It’s okay if you haven’t, you know?”

“As far as I’m concerned, people around my age should be expected to have more experience at this, so forgive me for my lack of it.”

“I don’t care about that; I hope you know it.” (Y/n) answered tenderly, extending their arm to softly angle Azul’s face so they could look at them. “Besides, it would be nice to do it for the first time, wouldn’t it?”

“I guess you’re right…”

“Can I?” They questioned, this time signalizing his hand, as he nodded. Then, the Prefect gently took his hand, one of their own delicately holding his wrist as the other removed the glove carefully with a slow pace, occasionally glancing at him.

If there was anything (Y/n) had learned about Azul in the past weeks, it was that he was far more delicate than he let others see, his vulnerable side being more difficult for him to expose, even in front of them, as it was too early. Perhaps, in a year or two, they would talk casually about more intimate matters, but for now, this was enough, one step at a time.

“Well, this is rather nice.” Azul mumbled, and the Prefect could only chuckle softly, lightly squeezing his hand as an answer.

“Your hands seemed to be very soft-Oh!” (Y/n) started calmly, trying not to rush Azul, getting surprised when he was the one who actually took their hand as soon as they removed the glove. His fingers laced their own fingers gently but quickly, as he was expectant to experience the sensation.

“Is it like you expected?”

“I’d say it’s better than I thought.” He answered. “Now I understand why so many couples seemed to have their hands glued to each other when they walked together, back in the town…”

“Yeah, maybe we could try that.” They suggested, promptly raising both of their hands a bit higher, so they could place a kiss upon the back of his hand, watching the housewarden blushing immediately. “Too much?”

“No…But I’m considering that perhaps, I should wear my gloves less when you’re around.”

“You have such nice ideas sometimes.”

They stayed in the same position for a few moments, changing the topic of conversation, as (Y/n) occasionally caressed the side of his hand with their thumb, Azul eventually relaxing at the contact, his paperwork next to him being left on the past, his attention solely focused on his loving partner.

“The next step maybe could be you showing me your octopus form?”

“Absolutely no.”

⤿

#twst #twisted wonderland x reader #disney twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland oneshot #disney twst #twst x you #twisted wonderland azul #twst oneshot #twst azul #azul ashengrotto x reader #lynnie's post

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k0ppyi · 5 months ago

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TWISTED WONDERLAND X SAWAKO KURONUMA! READER

characters: housewardens (minus Idia)

NOTE: the only reason I didn’t do Idia is bc I literally have no clue how to write him 🧍‍♀️. Also the writings a tad bit rushed

RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS

Riddle has heard about you a few times amongst many students. He heard the most perplexing things like how you could sense spirits, how you were nicknamed “Sadako” from The Ring due to your creepiness, and that you were pure bad luck. He personally thought such rumors were ridiculous.

When he met you, he was quite startled when you popped out of nowhere to ask him directions to one of the supply rooms. He had willingly lead you there.

“Housewarden Riddle…you’re such a good person…!” You said shyly as he opened the supply closets room.

“What…?” He asked. He was quite shocked.

“W-well, you were kind enough to give me directions…and not just that, you were kind enough to walk me here too….! So I really do thank you!” You said. Riddles heartbeat fastened as he watched you smile. Many people have said that you were scary, that you were bad luck, that your smile could curse someone. But all he saw was an entirely sweet person in front of him.

“I-it’s no worry, really…” he muttered, his face incredibly red. When he went back to his dorm, he found out your actual name was not Sadako.

‘I’ll have to give them a proper greeting with their name tomorrow…’

LEONA KINGSCHOLAR

He was uninterested in you. Sure, he heard about your nickname and your reputation, but really, those were all just rumors everyone talked about. Nothing interesting about you. Until you had wondered into the botanical gardens during passing period.

He saw you trying to tend to an injured bird.

“It’s okay, little birdie…I won’t hurt you…” you said quietly. The bird kept chirping and pecking at your hand.

“Hey you, what are you doing? That thing so clearly doesn’t like you.” Leona says. You turned to him in surprise.

“Well…I can’t just leave the poor bird here without any help..” you said as you stood up, the bird cupped in your hand. You looked as if you were hesitating to say something. “Could you help me..? I’m sure it’ll like you better than me..” you said. You moved up to the branch and offered the small bird to Leona. He looked at you, your pleading eyes were almost too much for him. He sighed and took the bird from you, carefully wrapping the bandage around its wing.

“Thank you, thank you a lot! You’re a very nice person!” You said with a smile. He froze as he looked at you, his tail wagged back on forth.

AZUL ASHENGROTTO

Upon hearing about you, Azul’s first thought was ‘a new client perhaps?’ Hearing about the rumors surrounding you would lead to him trying to get you to come to his office so he could persuade you into a contract with him. You sat in front of him.

“You needed me, Azul?” You asked. Your bangs dripped over your eyes and created a shadow over your face. Azul was quite scared, but it was too late to back down now.

“I’ve heard from quite a few people about your troubles now.” He smiled. Your face became a tinted pink out of embarrassment.

“Oh…oh, yes, I’m aware of it…” you muttered, feeling shy all of a sudden. He smiled.

“Well, what would you say to an offer?”

“An offer..?” Your eyes sparkled.

“Yes, an offer so that you can stop seeing these dark spirits!” He said, rather proudly. Your eyes widened.

“Oh! Azul, I really don’t see spirits!” You said hastily. You thought that he was talking about the fact you can’t communicate very well.

“What.” Azul said, dumbfounded. Embarrassment crept up in himself.

“Yes…I’m sorry for disappointing you…you probably had such high hopes…” you said, fiddling with your fingers.

“No! It’s just fine…! Not a worry!” He said, standing up. His face was red in embarrassment. “You may leave now…” he said, sitting down and covering his face.

“Tho…thank you for trying to help me…if I were to be seeing spirits, I would definitely come to you for help!” You said. You bowed and left. He looked up at the door as it closed, his face was red.

KALIM AL-ASIM

Kalim was quite interested in you. When he first heard the rumors about you, tho never seeing you, you were all he thought and talked about. He had called you Sadako for quite some time, but he got so curious to the point he learned your real name.

“Good morning! Your [Name] right?” Kalim asks, popping up in front of your desk. Your eyes lit up.

“Y-yes! Good morning!” You said. Your face was clearly ecstatic. That day Kalim had decided he would sit next to you during class. Kalim grew fond of you quite quickly, and he noticed how your smile and your happy face was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. How come no one had ever realized it?

“[Name]…your smiles really pretty…” he said in a daze.

“Huh? Really…?” You said. You blushed a bit as he nodded. “Then…thank you, you’re a really nice and cheerful person, Kalim, I hope to be like you one day..” you muttered. Kalim only smiled and turned away with a scramble of thoughts.

VIL SCHOENHEIT

Vil had seen you looking at one of the photos of him placed around the town. How did he know it was you? Well, you were infamous for scaring people off, and everyone who you looked at ran away. He would often witness your interactions with classmates, but he never did anything.

“Excuse me….But if you need, I can play the role as the ghost…” You said as you stood at the door way of the club room. The Film Research Club was making a horror film, unfortunately, they were running low on cast members. Vil turned to you, relieved from his previous stress.

“You? I suppose it could be fitting. Alright then, I’ll put your name down. That is?”

“[Name]” he nodded and put the clip board down. The other members were whispering about you, Vil only glared at them and they went silent.

“Come, I’ll do your special effects make up.” Vil said, gesturing for you to follow over. As he did your make up, he noticed that you had many beauties to your face. It was quite a pity for him that he’d had to make you look horrifying.

After the film recording was over, you went up to Vil. “Vil, I just wanted to thank you for letting me take part in your film. I think that I was able to become more closer with my classmates thanks to it…” you said with a shy smile. Vil’s eyes softened at your smile. It was quite cute.

“No need to thank me, you were the one who volunteered after all.” He said.

“Tho, I do think I need a model for my make up brand, I think you would fit well on a poster. Do come meet me at my dorm if you’re interested” He whispered in your ears. You stepped back and nodded. You were very flustered. You bowed and left the room.

MALLEUS DRACONIA

He met you when you were walking around in the rain. He had no clue who you were, and neither did you. He had no umbrella, but you did. So what did you do? Help him! After all, your motto is “one good deed a day”

“Excuse me..! I couldn’t help but notice that you had no umbrella…I can walk you back to your dorm if you’d like.” You said, standing behind him. He turned around. He was quite shocked that someone had come and talked to him.

“Yes…that would be nice…” he said. You smiled and hovered the umbrella over both you and him. He was much taller than you. Your arm was slowly straining. “Allow me to hold it.” He said, taking the umbrella from your hand.

“Thank you…” you said. “Oh…Im [Name], what’s yours?” You asked. He tilted his head. Did you not know him? He smiled.

“You can call me whatever you may like.” He said. Perhaps you just didn’t know what Malleus Draconia looked like. He wouldn’t want to lose someone who wasn’t afraid of him. “I couldn’t possibly call you whatever…! It would really be nice if we could be friends…I don’t have much myself” you said.

“Oh? Why’s that?” He asked.

“I think everyone’s scared of me…I would be too, after all, I do look like Sadako from The Ring, right?” You asked. He gazed at you. He was unaware of who “Sadako” was or what “The Ring” was.

“I can…relate to that.” He said.

“Yes! See? We already have one thing in common. So please tell me your name.” He smiled softly.

“Malleus”

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universaln0b0dy · 7 months ago

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Monster [Twisted wonderland x reader]

[Summary]: What if there was someone that could Overblot at will and control it? Well you as a magicless student can. You absorb the Overblot around you and use it. Lucky for you it has nothing to feast on, so you also won't loose your mind, because once it's used up, it's used up. You kept that hidden from everyone, but now your lover is in danger and you will protect him.

[Note]: Not grammar checked- (Leona, Floyd and Rook)

Leona:

Azul overblotted, that was clear. His giant octopus form being the biggest proof. Your eyes wander around as you try to find a way to stop him, you had done this two times already, it shouldn't be so hard to do it a third time after all.

Everyone around you was fighting and you wanted to fight too, but they would consider you a monster once they saw what you could turn into. You watched Leona, he was someone you would consider "more than best friends", though you didn't have the guts to ask him if he felt the same.

He was struggling, after all it seemd like Azul used all his pent up anger against him. You wouldn't blame him, Leona was the one who destroyed the contracts after all, that didn't mean you liked it.

Ace threw an attack which Azul dodged with great elegance, causing it to hit Leona. Such a simple mistake caused him to be smashed against a wall.

You suck in your breath and Azul takes this chance to overkill. You see him move in slow mo towards Leona, you would never reach him in time, not in this form.

You don't even notice you have transformed, you don't notice the heavy steps behind you, you only focus on Leona in hopes of making sure he wouldn't be damaged more than he was at the moment.

Your fist collides with Azuls face. You still couldn't use magic, but your physical abilities were higher when average.

Azul staggers, but no one looks at him, everyone looks at you, you the magicless student that just over blotted. "WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING? CONTINUE FIGHTING!" You screech. Everyone starts to continue fighting and you look at Leona.

He stares at you in horror and you feel your heart throb. You probably had ruined all your chances with him you ever had..........

Floyd:

No one knew how you two got together, but one thing was for sure he would run into the flames for you, you of course would do the same. As soon as he heard that you were stuck in Scarabia he came running and at this very moment, Jamil's Overblot he stood next to you willing to fight. You both made a good team, but even the best of teams had a hard time against Jamil.

"FLOYD WATCH OUT!" You yell as you see one of the magical attacks charge towards him. He dodged it, but he wouldn't be able to dodge the second one, you knew that.

You had tried to keep your Overblot form hidden to the best of your abilities, but you threw all of that out of the window as soon as you realised that Floyd could get hurt. You transformed mid jump, taking the hit in Floyd's stet. It didn't hurt as much as you thought if would, though that was probably because you weren't a normal human at the moment.

Jamil looked at you in horror as you stand in front of him. "How about with someone your own size?" You mutter out, charging forward. Everyone who saw you both fight would call this a fight between giants, but you didn't care about that. You had revealed your biggest strength to Jamil and because of that made yourself vulnerable. You had to make sure you wouldn't get controlled by him.

You bit your lip, if he managed to get you your friends wouldn't have to fight one, but two Overblots. Why hadn't you thought this through?

Jamil caught himself pretty quickly, the others still stared. They looked at you as if you were a monster. Okay, you were. You sigh heavily, before charging towards Jamil, your thoughts only focusing on Floyd.

Hopefully he would only be angry at the fact that you didn't tell him and not consider you a horrible monster....

Rook:

He was an eccentric bastard. Maybe that is the reason you liked him so much and it surprised you hs hadn't picked up on your crush on him for now. Maybe he was too focused on Vil to care about your itty bitty crush on you.

You look up at the gigantic monster, before focusing on the smaller figure. Just a few minutes ago everyone had been enjoying the festival and then someone over blotted. Vil the most composed person you had ever met had over blotted and not even Rooks endless love for him were able to stop him.

You tried your best to dodge the attacks and if you hadn't loved him you would have probably slapped Rook across the face, because he had nothing but compliments for Vil.

You didn't worry about the attacks that were send Rooks way, after all he had no problem dodging all of them. You look at the others, would one ov them need your help? Ace was pretty damaged the same went for the rest of your friends.

You were seriously contemplating about whether to turn into your Overblot form or not, Vil was horrible to fight after all, even worse than Jamil. Your legs already hurt from all the running you did.

Maybe that's why you weren't fast enough to dodge the next attack. You were kinda waiting for the magic to hit you and something did hit you, but it wasn't magic.

"Mon dieu, Trickster are you alright?" Someone coughed out. You open your eyes and look into Rooks, he seemed to have pushed you out of the dangers way, taking most of the damage.

"Why did you do that?" You stammer out, your cheecks flushing red as he was still on top of you. "Isn't that what you're supposed to do when you like someone?" He joked, laughing brightly. You couldn't help but admire him, if you had been hit you probably would have passed out.

"Oh Rook, you shouldn't have done that. Now I have to protect you." You try to playfully mumble, but it sounded more like: "oh, ... shouldn't done.... protect you..." But the blonde smiled with a knowing grin. He rolled away from you leaving you to do your business.

You didn't know why you expected him to not know about your Overblot, but it made you happy to know that he still seemed to like you despite that.....

#twisted wonderland #unistwistedwonderland #x reader #floyd leech #floyd leech x reader #overblot #leona kingscholar #leona kingscholar x reader #rook hunt #rook hunt x reader #twist oneshot #ace trappola #jamil viper #azul ashengrotto #vil schoenheit

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olivyh · 2 years ago

Note

Fluff/crack hc

Dorm leaders get Kabedon by an S/O who didn't know they kabedon'd the Dorm leaders cus Yuu wanted to get their attention and say something they deemed important

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Studying in another country is taking a lot more out of me than I thought it would, and I've been pretty drained of motivation ;;;;. Hopefully it gets better once I get more used to living here and used to being so far from my friends and family, but I'll see where it takes me! I do see all the requests and I'm very grateful for all your support and kind comments- they're all getting be through these times <<3333 I couldn't thank you all enough for your support and I'll get back into my groove soon I hope!

Riddle:

"-and as of right now, there are currently fifteen students who have told me that they will be unable to complete their tasks necessary for the upcoming unbirthday party which, unfortunately, means-" He rambled, shuffling the impressive amount of papers he was currently holding in his arms- all annotated and marked appropriately and according by date and subject. He was walking through the main hallway with the prefect after classes and was currently incredibly stressed about the events that had unfolded since he woke up.

First, he had gotten several messages about things that had gone wrong yesterday due to a brutal storm that had run its way through his dorm overnight; consisting of ripped-up bushes, frightened animals, and overturned tables (not to mention the countless roses that had been plucked from their homes and thrown about the area). That was followed by multiple complaints about food being stolen from the kitchen (he was confident that the culprit was a certain red-headed card soldier who had been getting on his nerves day in and day out since his arrival at NRC). Following that, many students had told him that they were sick and unable to perform their duties for the day.

Riddle felt as though his head was going to explode from stress, and he found himself rambling to the one person on campus who he felt was sane enough to understand his inner turmoil.

"Riddle!" He gasped when his back met the cold stone wall and a hand was placed beside his head. All his worries seemed to be ripped away from him as his brain as the only thing he could focus on was the rapid thrumming of his heart beneath his uniform and how close his friend was. His mouth opened and closed for a moment as he felt his face heat up. He felt as though he couldn't breathe from the close proximity.

"Finally," They sigh, leaning back and giving him some room to catch some much-needed air. "I was telling you that we passed the cafeteria. You mentioned that you didn't eat lunch."

"Right..." He mumbles, his voice much too small for his liking. They back away and, for a moment, Riddle wishes that those few moments of suffocation would last just a little bit longer. The more he reflects on it, the quicker his heart beats. His hands begin to tremble and he barely notices when more and a few papers slip from his grasp and fall to the floor. His face heats up once more and his breathing becomes erratic the more he looks at the prefect, the sensation becoming too intense before he finds himself stammering something about a text from Trey and running off, leaving the poor prefect in a confused daze behind him with only the echo of his heels clicking behind him.

Leona:

He was currently trying to nap beneath the large canopy of a tree nestled deep within the botanical garden. The warmth of the sun seeped in through the vast windows that were cut in a way that decorated small patches of the ground around in the shades of the rainbow, highlighting the bright hues of the tropical flowers that he was surrounded by. He was skipping class again, as per usual, after having been victim to a three-hour-long call from his family. All he wanted to do was to rest in the small patch of grass that he'd claimed as his own and sleep until it was dinner- which wouldn't be for another five hours from then.

He had found the most perfect spot- just hidden away from any prying eyes and surrounded by the scent of the nearby flowers, but not close enough to get sprayed by the water that would rain down when the sprinklers went off. He had just closed his eyes when he caught a familiar smell lurking in the bushes.

"What do you want, herbivore?" He groans, peeking an eye open and squinting against the bright light. The human stands over him, hands on their hips as they cast a shadow over his form.

"Ruggie sent me!" The beastman rolls his eyes and allows the opened one to slip closed once more. "Come on, Leona! You can't miss another class..."

"Why not?" He scoffs, rolling onto his side so he was facing away from them. He feels their hand land on his shoulder and tug lightly in an attempt to get him to look at them once more which, of course, fails. He can admire their determination in most situations, but in this kind of scenario, he can't help but feel annoyed at their insistence.

"You have to graduate at some point!" Leona sighs and rolls over, making the human slip with a yelp that makes his eyes shoot wide open as he finds himself directly under the prefect. He smirks and tries to ignore the way his stomach flutters at their proximity.

"Is this how you want to wake me up?" Leona chuckles. "You're awfully brave, stomping into the lion's den." He basks in their flustered expression before flipping the roles, successfully pushing them onto the dirt and laughing loudly at the way their face morphs into something much more intense than it was previously.

"Leona..." Their quiet, flustered voice reaches his ears and he tilts his head, sitting back on his heels and allowing them to sit up, barely catching their embarrassed stammers and excuses before they run back into the gardens, disappearing between the bushes.

He chuckles and leans back into the grass, finally able to take the nap he so desperately wished for.

Azul:

He was currently hunched over his desk, well past the hours when he should have been showered and in bed. The rest of the Mostro Lounge was dead silent aside from the soft sounds of bubbles that emanated from the hallway and the occasional clink as he bumped into his glass of water, which bumped into the inkwell of his bonefish pen. The only other sounds that echoed throughout the room was the scratching of his pen and the occasional drawn-out sigh from the merman as he slaved away at his desk.

His entire body ached and his eyes felt as though they were being weighed down with lead, but he had to finish the final budgeting for the lounge before dawn. If not, then he would be behind on all the other work that he had to get done- such as ordering supplies and creating menus for the next month and a half, as well as filing any reports for damages caused by rowdy guests or the notorious eel that would throw things when he had gotten into one of his moods or would draw on plates when he felt like it.

He didn't even feel when he had dozed off, only knowing that he had blinked for a little too long before he was spun around and roughly jostled out of his dazed state. He blinks widely up at the person who currently had their hands on either side of his desk, effectively trapping him between them and the piece of furniture. Their proximity alone was enough to wake him up, leaving the mer feeling as though he'd just been plunged into the water of the Coral Sea.

For a moment his mind was racing with thoughts about how he currently looked- he was sure that his glasses were askew (and likely smudged due to his slow, sleepy movements), his hair was probably a mess; sticking up out of his head in each and every direction, and his uniform was comprised of nothing more than his loosely buttoned white shirt and his untied bowtie that hung loosely over his shoulders.

On the other hand, he couldn't focus on anything more than the little details he could never really see of the prefect- the way their lip juts out when they're nervous, the little lines in the corners of their eyes from when they smiled, and even the way their hair framed the face that he would watch day in and day out.

Once his brain clicked, he scrambled for some sort of purchase, effectively tipping his chair back and making his head hit the desk with a thud as pain shot down his spine from the impact. He hit the ground with a groan before the prefect helped him up, walking with him back to his room to nurse his injury. He couldn't tell if his face was burning and his heart was constricting from embarrassment or affection, but he decided that he couldn't care either way.

Kalim:

"But then we could find some new animals to add to the dorm! It would be fun, right?" The heir was currently trying to brainstorm ideas on how to make his dormmates seem less... drained. For the past couple of weeks, due to finals, he noticed how exhausted many of them were. His concern arose when some of them even turned down dinner in favor of studying or sleep. He wasn't exactly sure how he could help them, considering that the most he's been able to offer thus far was a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, as well as festivals and parties (that many of the students also declined). He was at a loss for what to do until he decided to do some research, which lead him on a tangent in his room, late into the hours of the night. The windows were wide open, which allowed some moonlight to creep in and join the warm light of the magically-lit lanterns and the quiet music that played off his phone- now cast onto his bed and long forgotten in his whirlwind of planning.

"I really don't think that animals would help much," The prefect sighed. That makes him stand still for a moment, sighing and casting a sad glance over to the former. He continues to pace, mumbling different ideas out loud and hoping that they would pick up on at least a little bit of what he was saying. Before he knows it, he's yelling excitedly and practically skipping around his spacious room, hands flailing as he jabbers about possible plans to improve his dormmates' wellbeing. He doesn't even notice when the prefect begins to call his name.

"But if it doesn't work, then what?" He finishes, taking a deep breath to look over at them. He takes notice of the concerned look on their face, his energy instantly dissipating as he rushes to their side. "What's wrong? You look sad..."

"I'm not sad, Kali. I'm just a little worried. You're not responsible for everyone's happiness," They explain and Kalim feels his heart shatter as confusion clouds his brain.

"I'm..." He pauses and smiles, letting out a short, silent laugh. "I'm a dorm leader! I have to!"

He gasps when he feels himself trapped suddenly against his wardrobe, cutting off his train of thought roughly as he sucks in a deep breath.

"What are you...?"

"So you'll finally listen to what I'm saying!"

He nods and tries to ignore the feeling in the back of his mind that begs him to squirm. He has been close to the prefect before, yes, but never for a long enough period of time. He'd only done it to help them learn how to do the dances of his hometown, or when he would clean up with them (or attempt to, at least). But this felt completely different from all those times before...

"I'm... listening," He breathes softly after a long pause, making his friend back away for a moment. In that split second, he desperately wishes that he could be as smooth as the princes in all the fairytales he'd grown up reading and pull them back, fighting back the urge to get closer to them once more.

Vil:

"In just a moment," Vil murmured, leaning in closer to the mirror that sat at his desk. The lights would have been blinding if thy hadn't reflected off his light violet eyes so brightly and highlighted each and every product that he layered on his perfect skin. He had a meeting in just an hour, and he was already running behind schedule. His dearest friend, the prefect, was currently lounging on his bed, sprawled out and scrolling on their phone while he focused on perfecting his makeup for the undoubtedly long and boring few hours he had ahead of him.

"Vil-" They whined loudly and, in the corner of his eye, he could watch them dramatically throw their arms in the air and flopping them beside their head as they look into his eyes from the background.

"It won't be long, I promise!"

"Nonsense," He sighs. He couldn't deny that he was hungry and, normally, he was practical about his eating schedule. He ate three square meals, and carried around a healthy snack for if he felt as though he needed something extra to get him through the day. Today, however, he had skipped lunch due to rehearsal, and he was certainly feeling the effects now. He could always ignore this and opt to eat at a later time, perhaps once the meeting was over and he could grab something quick from a nearby restaurant.

He turned to face them, only to notice that they were hovering over him and had slammed their hands on his desk loudly, startling him slightly as he jolted. He was surprised, if he was being honest- he wasn't expecting this type of reaction to come from the sweet, sweet prefect.

He sighs, looking up at them with an eyebrow quirked and a small smile on his face as he observes their annoyed expression, before watching as that expression shifts from annoyance to realization to embarrassment.

"Are these the lengths you're truly willing to go to?" He chuckles, determined to turn the tables. He leans in, enjoying the way the prefect seems caught like a deer in headlights. He leans back and goes back to his makeup, making eye contact with them in the mirror and smiling once more. "Nevertheless, you'll have to wait."

He can barely catch their groan filled with disbelief and annoyance before he continues on his work.

Idia:

"But if I log in for the rest of the week, I should still be at the top of the charts, right? But then, my next problem would be that I hadn't grinded for enough lucky stars yet!" Idia was currently pacing in his room, ranting to his newfound friend as they sat on his bed, listening to his problems eagerly as he carried on. "If I log in, I'll be caught up, but not caught up enough to get the new SSR+ that everyone else probably already has!" He throws his hands up in the air, noticing how, out of the corner of his eye, his firey hair lit up the room in shades of amber as he got more and more worked up. "I mean, how unfair is that? I have to go to school! They prob don't even have to do that or dorm leader stuff, so that's exactly how they got ahead of me! Which sucks!"

"Idia..."

"I mean, I've been playing this game since the release and suddenly all these Magicam normies suddenly get the sneak on me because they just joined? I'm glad the fanbase is growing but I mean come on!"

"Idia!"

"And then they're completely mischaracterizing them! Like, absolutely butchering the characters! Shadow isn't all gloomy all the time- he actually has a soft spot for his teammates which is so cool and also such a big thing for them to ignore!"

"Idia Shroud!"

"And I saw on Magicam that they were completely ignoring the plot and the character development- like, in Blade's SSR+ that was released last year, she clearly mentions the main plot and how much it changed her as a person! And people still have the audacity to ignore her!" He was pacing more quickly now, rambling so quickly that he already felt his mouth going dry. The headphones around his neck blasted the ambient music from the paused game on his PC, but he could care less after seeing one particular post that got him worked up.

He felt himself getting pushed to the wall as he stared down at the prefect in shock, his hair turning a bright crimson as his face went a similar shade. He stammered for a moment before biting his lip to shut himself up, feeling the way his heart hammered in his chest and made his head dizzy as the world around him spun.

He was being kabedon-ed.

Just like in all his shows.

"Th-this-"

"I asked if you wanted something to eat," He could only muster a nod before he gulps, biting his lip once more as he gasps for air and his knees go weak. "Idia."

"How did I-," He murmurs, suddenly feeling faint. "-get this route?" Idia whispered the last word as he felt his entire body go limp as he passed out.

Malleus:

He had been more than fortunate to have made such a close friend- one he can call his first in his very long life thus far. As of recently, however, he'd noticed that his affections had become more than simple friendship- the seeds have been planted within the cold thorn walls of his heart and had begun to blossom into fragrant roses that constricted his chest and dominated his every waking thought. More often than not, he had been able to surpass this feeling that had consumed him, placing on his mask of contentedness whenever they would look his way wearing the smile that would make his heart melt and the fireflies that would often surround him fly a little faster in bright yellow streaks against his pale skin and ivory hair that framed his narrow face.

Now had been one of those moments. They were currently exploring the forest around campus, and Malleus finally had the opportunity to show the prefect a small meadow hidden just outside of the sports field- a bustling meadow, filled with wildflowers that sprouted out of the ground and painted the scenery in all the colors of the rainbow and insects buzzing from flower to flower contentedly. He cast a longing glance over to the human, smiling softly at their awed expression- mouth hanging open as their eyes were so wide he could practically see the entire meadow reflected against their irises.

He had wished so desperately to capture this moment in a little bubble, to place it upon a pedestal in his treasure room and gaze at it whenever the nights seem to be too long. Oh, how he wished he could hold their face in his own hands and that the chill of his skin wouldn't give them a shock. He longed to live with them in this meadow- perhaps run far away from his life of nobility to do just that.

He could practically feel it- the warmth of the sun against his face and the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders as they forage for berries- perhaps they would even take a small nap among the flower fae living in the area, only to wake at sunset and move to make a warm meal together in the small kitchen of their cottage.

Suddenly, he's trapped between a small tree with the human in question practically pinning him against it. His eyes widen for a moment as his mind freezes, struggling to understand the sudden proximity.

"Mal-" Before they could finish their sentence, he had vanished in a cloud of fireflies, leaving the concerned human dazed and alone in the middle of the field.

From that point onwards, Malleus was forced to endure Lilia's incessant teasing about his reaction.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #riddle rosehearts x reader #riddle x reader #leona kingscholar x reader #leona x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #azul x reader #kalim al asim x reader #kalim x reader #vil schoenheit x reader #vil x reader #idia shroud x reader #idia x reader #malleus draconia x reader #malleus x reader #twst oneshots

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throughthetwistedmirror · 5 months ago

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The Thing With First Kisses ~ *Azul Ashengrotto*

Summary: Azul cannot stop thinking about how he's never had his first kiss before. He also can't stop thinking about how he wants to share that moment with you. What an interesting predicament...

Pairing: Azul Ashengrotto X Fem!Reader

Genre: Fluffy Oneshot

Word Count: 1191

Warning: N/A

Masterlist

The thing with first kisses is there's so much to consider. You need to think of the setting and make sure it sets the proper tone for the kiss. Then you need to consider the set up leading into the kiss. Is it going to be staged or are you going to be spontaneous with it? Then you need to consider what kind of kiss you're going to give the other person. Would they be okay with a heavy make out session for the first kiss or is a quick peck the way to go? And finally, the part that was usually forgotten, what came after. If they like it, do you go in for another one? If they hated it, do you play it off as an accident?

All of these thoughts and questions were currently swirling through Azul's head, as he sat in his office with the lights off. He was getting a migraine from the constant stress of trying to understand the best way to give his first kiss. The worst part was this wasn't just his first kiss in this relationship. This was his first kiss period. It had to be special! It had to be one he remembered for the rest of his life! It had to be perfect! So for the better part of two weeks he had been practicing and studying and perfecting how he was going to give his first kiss.

But the deadline to figure this all out was drawing near. You'd be here in mere hours to watch a movie with him. Azul had already gotten the setting figured out. The two of you would be cuddled up on the couch in his office, watching a romantic comedy. He wanted to keep the mood light and sweet, making it look like he wasn't trying hard. He hoped you wouldn't notice all the thought and care he put into it and would think it was totally spontaneous.

But Azul still hadn't figured out the best way to kiss you yet. Did you want something short, sweet, and to the point? A quick peck before he turned his attention back to the movie? It could work. That way if you thought it was too soon or thought he wasn't a good kisser, he could play it off like he didn't mean to. But this was his first kiss! It couldn't just be something so simple. Perhaps something longer, mouth still closed, but enough to not mistake it as anything other than a kiss? But what if you didn't like it and got uncomfortable? How could he play it off? It was much harder for something less subtle.

A knock at his door had Azul scrambling out of his office chair and rushing to get it. He didn't want to leave you waiting. As soon as he saw your smile, his heart melted into a puddle at his feet. You were so beautiful. How could he not want to kiss you?

"You're right on time. Wonderful. Come in, come in." He sounded so formal. So far, the light and sweet atmosphere he was hoping for was beginning to waver. He needed a good save.

"Thank you for inviting me." You replied. "When you told me what movie we'd be watching, I just had to come over! It's one of my favorites!"

That made him let out a sigh of relief internally. So he picked one of your favorites? That was a point in his favor. This little date could be salvaged after all.

After exchanging some pleasantries, he set up the movie and sat on the couch. He couldn't help but stiffen a little when you leaned against him. He knew you both would be cuddled up on the couch, but he thought you would both sit apart and slowly move closer to each other. This made his heart beat erratically and the thoughts and questions regarding the first kiss started to reappear. How was he going to be able to kiss you?

Azul spent more time thinking about kissing you than he did watching the movie. He was completely lost in how to make it as natural and as real as possible. He didn't want the kiss to come off as forced or sleazy. He wanted you to enjoy it and he wanted to like it too. He wanted perfection, but it was so hard to demand it in moments like this. There were too many variables. How could he make this work?

As the movie progressed, they were getting to the big climax where the couple kissed for the first time. He began to pay attention more, in hopes of getting clues on how to do this. He took note of body language and facial expressions. Everything was put into his mental equations on how to properly kiss you for the first time. His mind was working so hard he didn't realize the movie had ended.

"That was such a good movie wasn't it?" You asked as you turned it off while the credits rolled.

He stiffly nodded. The time to kiss you was slipping away. He needed to do it now.

"I love the ending! It's so romantic!" You wistfully sigh. "Sometimes I wish I was kissed like that."

That was quickly added to Azul's mental file about you and the gears in his brain turned faster. Maybe that's what he does. Instead of kissing you right now, he sets up another date like in the movie and kisses you then. That would be way more romantic. And he would know you liked it. The plan seemed completely doable.

"Azul? Are you okay?" Your words snapped him out of his thoughts. Your head was tilted to the side, your brows were furrowed, and your lips were slightly parted.

He had no idea what possessed him to do what he did. He just leaned forward and placed his lips on yours. He felt you slightly jump in surprise before you began to kiss him back. Though his eyes were closed, they widened in surprise. You were kissing him back? You liked it? Really?

When he pulled away, you smiled at him with a pretty blush decorating your cheeks. His own exploded into a bright red. "I... I'm sorry."

You giggled and shook your head. "Don't be sorry. That was awfully romantic."

"You think so?" His jaw dropped.

You nodded. "Absolutely. I'd be lying if I said I haven't been waiting for you to kiss me. I'm glad you did."

"Oh..." Azul's voice trailed off and it took all of his mental power not to cover his blush that was growing.

"Do you want to try again? I'm more prepared this time."

His tongue went heavy in his mouth. But he nodded. He desperately wanted to kiss you again. He melted as you cupped his face so tenderly and brought his lips to yours. He held your waist and the two of you shared a perfect kiss.

See, the thing with first kisses is you never know how they're going to go until after you have it. And Azul's first kiss was perfect!

#Twisted Wonderland #Twisted Wonderland Fanfiction #Twisted Wonderland Oneshot #Anime #Anime Fanfiction #Anime Drabble #Octavinelle #Azul Ashengrotto #Azul Ashengrotto X Reader #Azul Ashengrotto Fanfiction #Azul Ashengrotto Oneshot #Azul Ashengrotto Fluff #Azul #Azul X Reader #Azul Fanfiction #Azul Oneshot #Azul Fluff #Oneshot #Fluff

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yan-lorkai · 8 days ago

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Chapter One: The Deities City

☆ A/N: Finally the first chapter is done, I've been working on this since last halloween but the idea was not developed enough back there so I didn't said anything till I had thought of a good, coherent plot. I said before that this was inspired by movies like Jeepers creepers and Midsommar and it's true. But this take a lot of influence of Setealem too, which is a brazilian legend where sometimes you enter another dimension without knowing through an invisible portal and, if you're lucky you will find your way back home. Otherwise you be trapped there forever (i can talk in more detail later if someone wants to hear).

Also I don't know exactly how many chapter there will be, maybe five to ten because I wrote a lot and I mean A LOT, plus I've created some random names for a few nameless characters (Jade and Floyd's parents, Azul's mom, etc). Anyway I'm rambling now, BUT not everything is what it seems! Have a fun read, y'all! :3

☆ Word account: 10553

☆ Tagging: @harukishiyo @jackalope0 @yuuandtheghost @laythestar @whimsybloom @dandyslibrary @gensou-rakuen @orisaspirin @shironakuronatasa @kiraiyugen

☆ Warnings: Yandere content, gn!reader, lovesick!jade, drugging, this chapter is more slow paced, gotta set the mood first to stole y'all breath later :D

The room was shrouded in dim light, illuminated only by the flickering flames of candles positioned around a dark wooden table. The scent of melted wax mingled with the faint aroma of damp earth, as if it had been brought from a distant place. At the center of the table, among the candles, rested an ancient ceramic bowl, partially filled with grains of black soil, as if it were the pulsing heart of something far greater.

The woman leaned over the table, gazing at the soil with deep, expressionless eyes, the tone of her eyes reflecting against the light. She lightly moved her fingers, tracing circles on the worn wood, as her voice emerged as a whisper, laden with secrets.

“The soil... it's more fertile now,” she said slowly, without raising her eyes. She seemed to be thinking deeply, unaware of the things happening around her. “It's the sign we've been waiting for over the past centuries. The roots have begun to grow more, and they are strong.”

The man, seated on the other side of the table, observed with an attentive expression and eyes trained to recognize such signs, humming in a cheerful tone. His hands rested on his knees, motionless, but his eyes gleamed with a dark curiosity.

“The roots have grown, yes,” he murmured softly. “But it was what we gave them that allowed this. You know that, Meli.”

She nodded slightly, an almost imperceptible movement. “The sacrifices... each one of them, feeding the soil. The earth demands, and we offer.” Her voice echoed in the room, as if carrying an ancient weight, centuries of secrets kept. “But don't you think the soil... has become greedier since our little lost lamb is finally returning home after all this time?”

A heavy silence hung between them, broken only by the faint crackling of the candles. The man leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes fixed on the bowl of soil. “The earth takes what is necessary. No more, no less.” He hesitated before continuing. “But the offerings... They've been brought back home now. Each one... returning to the place they came from. Whoever our little lamb is, we will find them if they've truly come back this time.”

The woman slowly lifted her gaze, locking eyes with the man for the first time. Her expression remained impenetrable, but there was a gleam in the depths of her stare, an unspoken question.

“Could you bear another millennium without them?” Her voice was a barely audible whisper.

He smiled, a brief and enigmatic smile, as if he already knew the answer before the conversation began. “The oracle foretold it, Meli. That’s how the cycle works.” His eyes shone with a mystery she seemed to understand perfectly. “The soil feeds, and so do we. Our child will return, be patient.”

The silence returned, heavier this time. The candle flames flickered again, casting distorted shadows on the walls. Both of them knew they were speaking of more than just offerings. The soil, the blood, the lives that had been given — it was all part of an ancient pact, something neither dared to mention directly.

The knowledge of primordial events, their history, a story marked upon the world, passed from father to son, from son to grandson, never stopping.

She lowered her gaze back to the bowl of soil. “Sometimes I wonder, will the sacrifices be remembered?”

“Not in the way you expect,” the man replied, his voice firm but soft. “They’ll be forgotten, like all the others, but what they gave will live on in the soil. The earth never forgets, and neither do we.”

The woman smiled, a cold but satisfied smile.

“Then so be it,” she said softly. “The soil is ready. Now, it just needs more.”

He joined his hand with hers, their fingers fitting together perfectly as she leaned over the table to seal their lips in a chaste kiss.

“Soon, we will all be together again.”

...

"Hey, Azul, are we there yet?"

Floyd asked in a bored tone, deliberately dragging out the syllables to sound as irritating as possible. His smirk widened, his heterochromatic eyes twinkling with mischief, relishing in the annoyance he was causing - Azul was his chosen target. And Floyd had been tormenting him for a while now with no intention of stopping anytime soon.

It was funny, the way his lips curled and the strict glare he directed to his friend. Floyd was having too much fun to stop, Azul's glasses were slowly slipping down his nose, which he pushed back up and gripping the steering wheel, he turned to look at Floyd exasperated.

There were many things he wanted to shout and say but he remained focused on the silent road, containing a sigh inside his chest as Floyd poked his cheek and made a “bop” sound repeatedly.

For the past thirty minutes, he had been incessantly repeating the same question, fully aware of the answer, or, like he liked to do, poking and pinching Azul's sides. His voice grew louder and more obnoxious each time he asked something, loud enough to rouse you from the deep sleep that had claimed you hours ago and earn a stern glare from his twin brother, Jade. As well as Azul, who elbowed him hard.

"We'll be there in half an hour, if you stop pestering me we'll arrive even earlier," Azul replied, his tone heavy with irritation.

The car trudged along the muddy road, rocking gently with every bump. The warmth of Jade's embrace enveloped you, your eyelids threatening to drop shut once more. You were so comfortable and cozy, and you fought against the tiredness to stay awake, nestled in his arms as if they were made to hold you. It was then that you realized that he had wrapped a blanket around you as you slept. You smiled at that.

A yawn escaped you, drowsiness seeping through your limbs as "Take Me to Church" started to play softly on the radio. The sound was hypnotizing, albeit a little strange and faded. You didn't give it much thought, returning your attention to Azul's explanation.

"We just follow the road and we'll arrive there soon," He said, pointing to the aged map in Floyd's lap. Yellowed and dog-eared, it was evident that they had traveled through this route many times during their childhood.

And, despite having their phones right now, they still decided to rely on the map instead. You could only guess the reason; their hometown was a small city in the middle of the country, not many knew about it. You yourself didn't know much about it.

"But it takes so long..." Floyd complained, rolling up the map and stashing it in the glove compartment impatiently. In a rhythmic pattern he drummed his fingers against the window, humming along with the song. “Can't we take a shortcut?”

Nobody replied.

Though there was no shortcut. Not anymore at least. A few years ago, that road had a number of shortcuts, but eventually nature arranged so that none more could be used. Only the main road was the option now, even then sometimes the fog fell over it, blinding everyone. Even the more reckless motorists had to be careful, otherwise, they'd be put to sleep forever.

Resigned, Floyd retrieved his phone from his pocket, popped in his earphones, and tuned out the world around him.

The travel thus far had been rather lengthy, a solid eight hours of driving at a brisk pace with only a few brief stops for restroom breaks and leg stretches. You hadn't anticipated it dragging on for so long, and your legs were already feeling numb from remaining in the same position for hours.

Despite your discomfort, Jade seemed content to hold you securely in his arms, a soft smile playing on his lips as he looked at you with adoration. He always looked at you like this.

"My face is probably all puffy, huh?" You chuckled.

Jade's mismatched eyes traced over your features, and he chuckled. "Yes, it is, but it only adds to your charm, if I do say so myself. You're so adorable I could bite your cheeks."

"You flatterer," You teased, rolling your eyes but unable to suppress the smile tugging at your lips. Jade may have called you adorable, but in that moment, he was the epitome of adorableness in your eyes.

Turning your attention to the window, you watched as the verdant landscape slowly shifted before your eyes. It was a stark contrast to the bustling city life you were accustomed to, with towering trees reaching towards the orange-tinged sky and birds returning to their nests for the evening. There was a serene beauty to it all and you found yourself captivated by the tranquil scenery. You felt strangely at home, in peace, almost as if it was the first time you were feeling this kind of peace.

On the horizon, a herd of cows and calves caught your eye, and you couldn't help but press your face against the window in excitement.

"Yo, Jade, look at them!" You exclaimed, your voice brimming with childlike wonder as you pointed in their direction. Your boyfriend chuckled beside you, his amusement evident in his tone. "They're so cute."

"How much do you love them?" He asked teasingly.

"A lot!" You turned to face with a playful glare, his hand cupping your face tenderly.

"Then you're going to have a blast when we arrive. There are plenty of cows and hens in Setealem. I'm sure Grandma Marja would let you play and feed them if you ask nicely." Jade chuckled a little as if he knew a secret that you don't. He did this a lot sometimes. “Be careful with the hens though, they can be quite aggressive.”

You nodded, your heart swelling with anticipation as you imagined all the adventures awaiting you in their hometown. The city may have been small, with only about twenty families living there, but Floyd and Jade had told you countless tales and stories, while Azul had explained its unique customs.

They even had their own gods and mythology. You could remember

Setealem sounded like a fascinating place, and you were eager to explore it alongside them. Strange enough searching about it on google didn't work, nor didn't when you searched for their unique gods or history, as if it didn't exist at all - Floyd assured you that it was because many people didn't know the place, as it was just a small district without any nearby state neighbors.

You had been longing to meet Jade's parents for some time now but college was kicking your ass hard and you couldn't afford to travel with them before because of it. Sneaking a glance in his direction as he passed bottles of water to his brother and Azul, you knew you were serious about your future together. One day, you hoped to slip a ring onto Jade's finger and call him yours.

And to do that, you needed to earn his parents' blessing — with a little help from Floyd and Azul to orchestrate the proposal, of course. You had such a clear vision of how you wanted it to be. You and him, traveling through some tranquil and beautiful place like this, and then, boom! A proposal!

There were so many ideas you wanted to explore, so many details to plan and reconsider. Everything had to be perfect. It needed to be perfect. Jade deserved it.

"Do you want some water, love?" Jade offered a bottle, and you accepted it with a small, grateful smile. Love. Oh, how you loved it when he called you that. You loved knowing that you were his love.

Your throat sang with joy at being blessed with that precious liquid, which you sipped slowly, still contemplating the landscape unfolding before you. The serene scenery seemed like the perfect backdrop for the moment you had dreamed of. And as waves of emotion swelled within you, your eyes occasionally drifted to admire Jade's gentle features — the line of his jaw, his neck that you loved to bite gently, his lips so perfectly kissable.

Sometimes, you caught yourself laughing like a little girl with a crush. But it was impossible not to feel that way around him. He was simply perfect in your eyes.

He has been such an attentive love since your relationship started. He took you to a picnic to watch the starry skies, he first kissed you with a gentleness that few had. He treated you as something made of glass, delicate and soft. And you loved it.

"Jadeeeeee, I'm hungry," Floyd interrupted the moment, turning to his brother with pleading eyes. Although they looked so alike in appearance, you found it funny how different they were in personality. "And bored. So bored I might die. I’II die and leave you brotherless," He added as if it were a fact that everyone needed to know.

And honestly, it was.

Floyd had severe mood swings and whenever that happened, he enjoyed annoying everyone, he enjoyed pulling Jade's hair, poking Azul's side and pinching you on the neck, he enjoyed the angry and frustrated looks he received back from each of you. Or the swearing and the failed attempts to hit him. Or, in some cases, he just got really sad and no one and nothing could cheer him up. In this case, it was better to let him be.

Now though, a mischievous smile was spreading onto his lips. He wasn't that bored. He just wanted to annoy someone other than Azul for a few seconds.

As you had known him before Azul or Jade, you had developed your own tricks to deal with his sudden mood swings. Distracting him worked some times, not always though nor did the same trick worked a second time. You knew you had to redirect his attention to somewhere else and you knew just what to do.

"Hey, Flo, here." You grabbed a Rubik's cube from your backpack and handed it to him. “Surely you can solve it, right?” A hint of dare in your voice, a soft, innocent smile from you and he fell into your little trap.

An instant smile formed on his face, and he let out an excited shout, making Azul flinch in the process, taking the cube from your hands and forgetting about his hunger as he promptly tried to solve it.

That would keep him busy for a few minutes. Or hours, if you all were lucky enough. You didn't think poor Azul could handle being Floyd's victim for long; he looked a little tired now, yet he refused to let any of the twins drive his car.

"Besides, should I remind you that there are cereal bars and candy in the glove compartment?" Jade responded with his characteristic smile, pointing to the indicated spot.

But Floyd just grumbled something low, not paying attention, moving his head from one side to another as he enjoyed his song.

You stifled a laugh. Jade would need to repeat that at least two more times.

He playfully rolled his eyes, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his lips, before his gaze lingered on you. His eyes traced the curve of your wet, parted lips, silently pleading for permission as his eyes met yours.

You reciprocated his playful eye roll, trying to imitate even the way he furrowed his eyebrows a little. It always amused you how he sought permission for a kiss, even in the most mundane moments. Despite feeling a twinge of self-consciousness about kissing him in front of his brother and childhood friend, you couldn't resist him. Without thinking twice, you pulled him towards you by the shirt he was wearing until your mouths were pressed together and your tongues intertwined.

The kiss started softly, then became faster and more needy. A groan escaped your throat as Jade bit your lower lip with a little more force. Each kiss shared with Jade left you breathless, craving more, and this time was no exception.

But the need for air eventually pulled you both apart.

"You're adorable," You teased, noticing the faint blush coloring his cheeks, a sight that never failed to make your heart flutter. His usual protest didn't surface this time, a silent acknowledgment of your endearment. "My adorable little guy. What would you do without me?"

"Die," He replied simply, his words carrying a weight of absolute certainty, as if the notion of being without you was inconceivable. "I'II die without you around. My own soul would be reduced to ashes and wait till you were reborn again so we could be together. Again and again."

A choked laugh escaped Azul, followed by Floyd's infectious laughter, punctuated by exaggerated kissing noises. You rolled your eyes at their antics, watching as Jade leaned in to playfully reprimand his brother, his gaze fixed firmly on Azul.

"Focus on the road, please," You chided Azul, feeling your whole face heat up in embarrassment.

"Oops, my bad," Azul chuckled, his tone teasing as he glanced at you both through the rearview mirror. "But seriously, that was way too mushy."

As he redirected his attention to driving and changed to another song, playing "Welcome home" by Radical Face, the car shifted to a comfortable silence, the laughter gradually fading into the background. Floyd's loud munching on snacks became the only source of sound, after he proudly handed you the completed Rubik's Cube.

"Now that we've come back, mom's going to be thrilled to see my terrarium," Jade mused aloud, a mix of pride and happiness evident in his voice.

From the moment you two met, Jade had been dedicated to his terrarium. He even took the time to teach you a few things about its care, ensuring you could look after it if he wasn't around. And it was fun to take care of your little plant friends, seeing them grow strong and beautiful. It filled you with a simple sort of happiness.

"I'll never get how you and mom are into this," Floyd whined, glancing back at his brother. "And it’s not even hard to take care of. Just throw in some soil and a random plant, and it’s done or whatever."

You looked at Jade, a vein almost popping on his forehead, incredulous about such absurdity. He chuckled bitterly, shaking his head at Floyd's dismissive remark. "It's a bit more complex than that, Floyd. Each plant needs the right environment to thrive. It's about balance and harmony."

You smiled, remembering the times Jade patiently explained the intricacies of terrarium care. "It's like having a tiny ecosystem in a jar," You added, nudging Floyd playfully. "There's a lot more to it than just soil and plants. You can't water too muc-"

Floyd rolled his eyes, interrupting you. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I spent my childhood beside him and mom rambling all about it, I know more than enough, Yuu."

You and Jade shared a knowing glance as Floyd turned around once more, Jade placed his hand over your mouth but it was an useless endeavor as you started giggling madly, your laughter echoing through the car.

You couldn't help it.

An annoyed Floyd was simply too funny.

He grumbled something under his breath but otherwise chose to remain quiet. Though you knew that he was plotting something to get back at you for laughing at him.

Well, you wanted to see him try. Back when you were both freshmen in college, he was notorious for his mischievous pranks, a reputation that preceded him, for he pranked everyone, be it student or professor alike. But you, unlike the others, didn't feel intimidated by him - on the contrary, you spent a few days thinking about how to get your revenge, when you turned into his victim.

From harmless jokes to elaborate pranks, you thought about it day in and day out, and when you finally turned the tables on him and left him speechless, unbeknownst to you a prank war was started in Floyd's perspective. No more he made the other students his victim, now his attention was solely on you, thinking how to win this - at first, one-sided - competition. He did it all; hiding your belongings, tying your shoelaces together, annoying stuff like that to make you angry.

But as the days turned into weeks and then months, exhaustion began to set in. The ideas ran dry, and both you and Floyd found yourselves at an impasse. That's why you knew that if Floyd was thinking something dumb, you always had an ace on his sleeve and a second and third plan.

Turning you to be his victim is also how you make friends with him and, later on, how you met Azul and Jade, as they tried to stop your little war a few times, needless to say that their attempts to stop you failed.

Thirty minutes passed calmly, you and Jade were watching some videos on his phone while Floyd was talking about a festival in Ysli's honor to Azul - he seemed really excited and looking forward to it.

Ysli, as far as you understood, was a genderless god, sometimes taking a masculine form and others, a feminine form, when they had to descend to the human world. And sometimes neither.

They were responsible for... You weren't sure. Your head was aching as you tried to remember.

You had no time to recall what you heard because right at that instant Azul's announcement that you had arrived at your destination sparked excitement inside the car. As anticipation filled the air, Floyd leaned out of the window, his laughter mingling with the wind as he soaked in the moment.

Jade's hand found yours, offering a reassuring squeeze as he chuckled at his brother's antics. "Almost there," He said, his eyes lightening with anticipation. "I'm glad you're here with us."

As Azul drove through the quaint town, a surge of excitement filled you. The fresh air and warm sunlight seemed to promise adventure and fun, the soft smell of flowers dancing in the wind. Your legs ache from sitting still for the past two hours, but the anticipation of exploring was enough to soothe any discomfort.

Only a few more minutes, you thought happily.

"Wow, look at all that corn!" You exclaimed as the car passed through the endless corn fields - they were so tall, shiny and beautiful. "Do you have scarecrows too? Are they really as scary as in the movies?"

Jade chuckled at your enthusiasm, his eyes sparkling with warmth. As you approached the charming houses, you noticed a wave of excitement ripple through the town. Everyone seemed to be watching you, waving and smiling.

It was as if you were celebrities.

The kids paused playing and running around, the teenagers stopped working and even the adults paused their conversations. It was a surreal sight. As you drove past them, you saw so many new faces and felt a mix of emotions. A kid with a tiara screaming in glee, a red haired teenager scolding his friends, a well dressed man laughing loudly.

Your heart pounded with excitement and a sense of belonging. It was clear that you were welcome here.

The town's warmth and friendliness made you feel right at home, clearly they were different from the town's folk, always so closed off and rude. You couldn't wait to see more, so excited.

Azul brought the car to a stop in front of Jade and Floyd's childhood home.

"Finally home, thank Lilum!" Floyd leaped out of the car excitedly, opening the door and running inside in a matter of seconds.

“Mooooooom,” You heard him scream, excited to be back.

You watched as Jade's hand hovered over the door handle, his eagerness palpable in the air. But just as he was about to step out, you couldn't help but voice the nagging question that had been weighing on your mind, making him turn to look at you.

"Do you think your parents will like me?" you asked, your voice laced with a hint of uncertainty despite Jade's reassuring smile.

His response was immediate, his confidence unwavering as he turned to face you. "You didn't even have to ask, sugar. I know they'll love you!"

His words were like a warm embrace, dispelling any lingering doubts as he pressed a tender kiss to your forehead. Still you stayed seated there for a few more seconds, gathering your courage and breathing hard.

You were here.

You wanted to be here.

You've been wishing you could come here for months. A growing need to see the unknown, to breathe new airs, to taste new flavors.

Retrieving your backpack, you stepped out of the car with confident steps - they do say that to be confident, first you have to pretend.

As you approached the half open door, a warm feminine voice drifted through the air, a comforting melody that anchored you in the moment. Drawing in a deep breath, you prepared yourself for the impending introduction, for any variable possible.

Floyd was laughing loudly while his mother, you supposed, scolded him for acting foolishly while praising Azul for being a good driver.

What if they don't like me? What if they don't approve of me? Oh heavens… You try not to focus on these negative thoughts for too long. Can I still run to the cornfield and hide there?

A sudden movement caught your attention. Swift and nimble, something darted towards you from the corner of your eye. You turned just in time to see a child hurtling toward you with reckless abandon, a grin stretched wide across his bubbly face.

Though he was still small and very young, the child's smile was warm like the sun breaking through clouds. The boy was wearing a little tiara with cat ears and held another one in his chubby hands, which he extended towards you, his excitement palpable. "Hey Mx, take this!"

You couldn't help but mirror his grin as he held out the second tiara towards you, his chubby fingers trembling with excitement. His energy was palpable, filling the air with a sense of joy and wonder. With a gentle laugh, you reached out and accepted the tiara, marveling at its delicate craftsmanship and the cat ears at its base.

They were soft, akin the real ones.

"Thank you," You said, your voice filled with grace. "This is a lovely gift."

The boy beamed at your words, his eyes sparkling with delight as he giggled to himself. "You're welcome!" He exclaimed. "Now we can be tiara twins! I'm Cheka by the way."

"Oh, what a charming name!" You smiled and ruffled his hair, making him laugh, his eyes enlightening. "I'm Yuu."

"I know," Cheka murmured, his words dripped with a sinister undertone, each syllable carrying a weight that seemed to press down on you like a leaden weight.

You laughed awkwardly, leaning to his height. “And how would you know that?”

For a second his eyes, unnaturally large and filled with innocence, seemed to bore into your very soul with a chilling knowingness. Like he knew a secret that you don't. "Because Jade told me all sorts of things about you in his pho-ne calls.”

You rubbed your eyes, probably still a little tired from the trip and mishearing him. When you looked at him again, Cheka was looking at you with those very beautiful and innocent green eyes again.

Uncertain, you asked him softly. "Only good things, I hope?"

He nodded, smiling. “He said that in the future I'd find myself someone as loveable as you, if I behaved well, that is. Otherwise, Lilum would punish me."

“And who is Lilum by the way?” You asked him, curious to hear more about this God or Goddess of theirs.

For a long second, Cheka looked at you, considering what to tell you - he knew a lot, yet not enough, you could see the screws turning on his head as he squinted his big eyes, trying to remember something specific. Whatever he wanted to tell you though was interrupted by a sharp, angry call.

"Cheka!" A man's voice sliced through the air, tinged with frustration.

It was clear that he was not very pleased that the child had wandered off again. The boy glanced back at you, his expression a mix of feelings. "Be very welcome to Setelarion, Mx Yuu."

After that, Cheka called out to the man - his uncle - and jumped at the man's arms to hug him too, with the same, if not more, excitement than before, almost making both of them fall on the ground.

His uncle begrudgingly held his nephew in his arms, you could tell he was reprimanding the boy for annoying people again for the way he was talking so sternly. You half wanted to go there and explain the situation, that Cheka wasn't annoying you at all.

You didn't need to, though. Cheka had everything under his control as he giggled and smiled at his uncle, changing topics and making jokes.

You giggled, watching the scene with a sense of nostalgia, since you couldn't remember your childhood well. But in your dreams you remember your father, his sun kissed skin and long hair cascading down his shoulders, pushing you in the swing, while your mother's humming song filled the air. It was all you could remember before everything was consumed by darkness.

Car accident, the doctors told you. The car flipped over several times after being hit by a truck, and the driver didn't even stop to offer help.

Years later, you found a newspaper about the accident. The photos… they weren't pretty.

The sun was shining bright and the wind was so gently swaying your hair, like a mother welcoming her child back. You could stay like that for a few more seconds if it wasn't Jade calling you to enter, making you forget all about those bitter memories you held onto, about this Lilum - who must be or not, another deity of theirs -, about everything.

"Mom, I'd like to introduce you to my lover." Jade pulled you from behind him, a gentle smile on his lips as he gazed at you and, by extension, the tiara on your head.

A little blush came to rest upon his cheeks but he brushed it off quite easily, almost giggling to himself because he was too excited.

He turned to face her.

“Oh, heavens, are we finally meeting Jade's lover?” The woman raised her hands to the sky as if giving thanks for something. "Thank Meliantha and Levioron. I've been waiting for this moment for so long."

The voice belonged to a beautiful lady, whose silky, dark hair was tied in a loose bun and had a gentle smile on her lips. The same smile that existed on Jade's face. "His father and I have been asking this stubborn boy so hard to bring you over as soon as we found out about your relationship. It's finally good to meet you, darling!"

The warm intimacy made you feel happy, Jade's mother wrapped you in a big comfortable hug that instantly made you feel calm, even your heart had settled in your chest. At that moment you knew immediately that Jade had acquired the ability to hug warmly from his mother, because you were almost melting in her strong arms.

"Oh my, Floyd, Azul, aren't they a beautiful couple? It reminds me of me and Asher when we were younger." Their mother gestured to the couple, wiping small imaginary tears from the corners of her beautiful blue eyes.

Without realizing it, you released the breath you had been holding all this time, your legs almost turning into jelly as the tension began to slowly dissipate. The woman seemed really happy to meet you and that made you happy too.

Many of your friends had told you about how their in-laws' reactions were sometimes exaggerated and rude, you were glad that didn't seem to be the case here.

Not with Mrs. Leech, at least. Now… You had to wait for Ms Leech's reaction.

"Come, come, I'll serve you a big slice of apple pie. All of you must be so tired." Mrs Leech said gently, holding your hand as she guided you to the kitchen. Jade and the others following right behind you.

“Oh! And I see Cheka already shared his tiara with you, he always gives one to newelcomers.” Mrs Leech praised you, laughing a little at your shy expression. “You're cute like that.”

You thanked her with a smile and a nod.

The house was built with old wood and the floor creaked with every step, yet it was so cozy. You counted the worn boards as you walked towards the kitchen, hoping they wouldn't give way under your feet. Behind you, you could hear Floyd and Azul whispering something about tea and soil.

And Jade was humming, in another room to water his mother plants.

"Ah, what a mind… I was so excited that I didn't even introduce myself properly." She turned to you, a little laugh leaving her glossy lips. Mrs Leech let go of your hand as soon as you arrived at the kitchen, smoothing her apron as she turned to face you. "My name is Amelie, my husband, Asher, should be here soon. And he'll be so happy to meet you too."

“It's a pleasure, Mrs Leech.” You replied, a smile growing on your face as you looked at her.

Then you side-eyed Jade when he returned to the kitchen. “Though I had no idea you were so eager to know me. Jade's been keeping me a little in the dark, I think.”

He let out a laugh, albeit it sounded strange. Almost twisted. Then it was gone just as suddenly.

Mrs Leech wheezed, looking menacingly in her son's direction. Her arms crossed over her chest, her foot hitting the floor in a rhythmic pattern. “Is that so, Jade?” She sounded disgruntled. “And why is that?”

“I presume my motives won't be as good as you want, mom.” He smiled. Then took the tray from her sore hands and placed it on the table, like a dutiful son - a mere tactic. “But Night Raven College was chaotic and had a hectic curriculum and routine. The headmage... Well, he didn't do much. Honestly, I don't know how we graduated from a place like that.”

“Oh please, as if that's a good enough reason.” Mrs Leech rolled her eyes. “Yuu, you have my permission to hit my son now.”

“Oh, goodie.” You smiled.

Without warning, you raise your hand and lightly slap his shoulder. Weak and feather-light, but enough to make everyone laugh as Jade throws himself back, pretending to have been hit by a brutal punch.

“He's not lying, though.” You were quickly to say, intertwining your hand with his. “I was struggling with some classes and he helped me a lot.”

Jade gave her mother a smug look, as if to say “I told you so”. Amelie rolled her eyes.

“Ma,” Floyd pulled her attention to him. “Where 's dad?”

Floyd and Jade's father worked on the plantations while Azul's family and another friend of theirs that you had yet to meet were responsible for making sweets and food with the corn and then selling it to companies. You didn't know much about what the other families did.

Some help, of course, you suppose, maintaining a huge plantation that size was impossible alone.

“He went out to buy some more eggs and flour.”

Amelie then began to skillfully set the table, carefully placing the cutlery and adjusting the napkins. There was a genuine happiness in her eyes as she worked and a peaceful hum left her lips. Little 'ows' were flying everytime Floyd tried to steal a piece of pie and was hitted by his mom's wooden spoon.

The sweet, earthy smell of freshly baked corn filled the air, mingling with the subtle aroma of herbs slowly boiling in a kettle on the stove. The kitchen was full of small details, from wildflower vases on the windowsill to the wooden shelves lined with ceramic bowls, each different from the next, as if they had been collected over the years.

“Mind your manners, Floyd!” She scolded him.

The golden, perfectly baked crust cracked lightly as she cut the first slice, moving the knife with precision and serenity, as if each motion was part of an ancient ritual. Her gestures were slow, almost meditative, and the kitchen seemed to follow this calm rhythm, as if time had a fluidity of its own, unhurried to pass.

The sound of birds chirping, the sunlight slowly fading as the evening approached. Jade, Floyd and Azul sat at the wooden table in the center of the kitchen, and you joined them, your gaze wandering across the walls decorated with old plates and hand-embroidered dish towels.

Floyd, restless as ever, tapped his fingers on the table, but even he seemed affected by the kitchen's serene atmosphere, his eyes drifting to the slices of pie that Amelie was delicately serving.

“I hope you like it,” she said softly, almost like a whisper that floated in the air, as she turned around with a plate in each hand. She placed the first slice in front of you, and the scent of sweet corn and freshly melted butter rose, filling the air with a rich, inviting fragrance.

You were almost salivating. After hours on the road, you hadn’t eaten anything nutritious or that tasted this good. And with the first bite, you smiled, it was so delicious.

“This recipe is one of the favorites here at home. I made it with corn harvested this morning.” Amelie seemed radiant that you liked the pie she had prepared.

You observed the slice of pie in front of you, the thin, crispy crust still warm, with a texture that seemed too perfect to be real. The first bite was soft and sweet, with a touch of salt that balanced the flavor, and as you chewed, you felt like you were tasting something made with more than just ingredients — there was care and attention in every layer.

Jade received his piece with a calm smile, murmuring a “thank you, mother” that was answered with a gentle pat on the shoulder. He cut a small piece and brought it to his mouth, his eyes closing for a brief moment as he savored it.

Next to you, Floyd grabbed the slice even before Amelie could place the plate in front of him, eliciting a laugh from her. He was already chewing eagerly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

“It’s delicious, ma,” he said, his mouth still full, and Amelie just shook her head, laughing softly.

Floyd would always act that way, no matter where.

Azul, more reserved, watched Amelie for a moment before thanking her and accepting his piece with a simple “thank you, aunt.” He cut a small portion, and when he tasted it, his face softened, losing some of the meticulous control he always displayed.

“I’m glad you liked it,” she replied, returning to the stove to finish the tea. The fire seemed very hot, and you could feel it from a considerable distance.

But Amelie seemed used to it.

The kettle began to whistle, a soft, continuous sound that briefly cut through the room's calm. She turned off the heat and picked up the kettle with one hand, pouring the hot liquid into a light blue porcelain teapot that she had prepared with fresh herb leaves.

The tea exuded a herbal and floral aroma, fresh but comforting, with a subtle note of sweetness that matched perfectly with the pie.

“Ready for the tea of the gods?” she asked her children, looking at each face before moving.

She brought the teapot to the table and began to serve them, first filling Jade, Azul, and Floyd's cups, each receiving the drink in different cups, all with delicate designs faded by time.

Amelie did not serve you.

And you were too embarrassed to point it out. She stepped away. Taking from the fridge, Amelie brought you a very beautiful cup, decorated with designs of the sun and moon, with a liquid that had a slightly unfamiliar scent.

“Since it’s your first time drinking our teas, I made a milder, lighter infusion for you,” Amelie smiled. “Experiment this,” She said, her tone soft and melodical.

“It’s a hometown specialty of ours, something special that will ease your mind and allow you to glimpse our gods, if only for a moment.”

There was something in the way she spoke, a lilt to the rhythm of her words that made you accept the cup without hesitation — in every sense, you didn’t doubt the existence of their gods. But you didn’t want to see them either.

“But what is the tea of the gods?” you asked her, watching as Floyd drank from his cup in big gulps, a very strange and disturbing laugh slipping from his lips as the seconds passed. “What it is made of?”

Mrs. Leech tilted her head to the side, her dark eyes glimmering for a moment under the kitchen's fluorescent light, as if she was considering your question. The smile on her lips was soft, almost maternal, but there was something indecipherable there, a shadow of mystery that made each of her words sound like a riddle.

“The tea of the gods is... an ancient, harmless recipe,” she said finally, her voice low and slow, as if she was sharing a secret, even if she wasn’t telling you anything at all. “Something passed down through generations, from mother to child, from grandmother to grandchild. It is a gift from the earth, a way to connect us with what lies beyond what we can see.”

She paused, pouring a little more tea into her own cup, the hot liquid falling smoothly, almost like a continuous stream of honey. When she finished, she set the kettle aside and watched you for a moment, with a gaze that seemed to delve deeper than usual, as if she was trying to see something beyond what you revealed on the surface.

Floyd, still seated next to you, laughed to himself, a light, childlike laugh, but one that carried a disturbing strangeness, like the laughter of someone seeing something no one else could. He tapped his fingers on the table in an erratic rhythm, his nails making a soft, almost hypnotic sound on the wood, while his eyes gleamed in a way you couldn’t decipher.

“It’s magical,” he murmured suddenly, as if speaking to himself. “Everything becomes... different, clearer.”

You raised the cup to your lips and took a sip, feeling the warmth of the tea spread through your mouth and slide down your throat. The taste was smooth, almost sweet, but there was a slight bitterness that lingered at the end, leaving a trace that didn’t fade immediately. It was a curious flavor, making your tongue tingle a little, and for some reason, it made the world around you seem a bit slower.

You weren’t sure if you were imagining it or not.

“What do you mean by different?” you asked Floyd, but it was Azul who responded before his friend could.

“Sometimes, the gods show us what we need to see,” he said, pouring tea for himself this time, bringing the cup to his lips and gently blowing the steam before drinking. “Other times, they show us what we want, even if we don’t realize it. It’s a way of opening our eyes and seeing beyond, just another one of our customs.”

Jade, who had remained silent until then, was watching you over his cup, his eyes fixed and attentive. It was the same way he looked at you when he wanted to share a secret but couldn’t. He didn’t laugh like Floyd, but there was something distant in the way he drank the tea, as if lost in thought.

Azul, on the other hand, seemed more focused, as if analyzing everything, but even he had a slight smile on his lips, as if he was enjoying a joke only he understood.

You took another sip, the strange taste spreading in your mouth, and a peculiar sensation began to infiltrate your body. It was faint and almost imperceptible, so you ignored it for now. Just as you ignored Cheka and his strange words. You were ignoring a lot of things, afraid of being disrespectful to a different culture. So, you took another gulp of tea.

Floyd leaned forward, and his eyes, now as dark as Amelie’s, glistened with a strange joy. “You’ll see,” he said, his voice soft, almost singing. “Everyone sees when they drink the tea.”

In a leap, he was on his feet, spinning and laughing as if he was truly dancing with someone and didn’t want to ever stop. His movements were erratic, like he didn’t know the dance steps, but what he didn’t know, Floyd made up for in improvisation.

Amelie continued to drink her tea calmly, as if nothing unusual was happening, but her eyes met yours, and you realized she was watching you closely, as if waiting for a negative reaction.

“Don’t be afraid,” she whispered, almost tenderly. “The tea is a portal, a key. Let it show you what you need to see.”

You felt your heart race, the warmth of the tea now spreading through your chest, pulsing in your veins, and you weren’t sure if you wanted that.

Floyd’s laughter echoed through the room, distorted and reverberating, while he tapped his fingers on the table, each beat seeming to mark a rhythm for the shadows only he could see. “They like visitors,” he said, his voice hissing in your direction. “The gods always like visitors.”

Amelie leaned forward, still with that enigmatic smile. “And you are a special visitor,” she murmured. “Drink more, and you will see. You will see what they want to show you.”

The cup was still in your hand, heavy and warm. You hesitated, feeling the beats of your heart echo in your ears, each pulse a call to the unknown. It felt as though time was stretching, dragging you to a place you didn’t know if you wanted to go.

But there was a part of you — a part that couldn’t resist the curiosity, the invitation — that brought the cup to your lips again, drinking what was left of the tea. The bitter and sweet taste mingled on your tongue, and as you swallowed, it was like falling into an abyss, where the shadows finally stopped hiding, revealing what was on the other side.

Your worries began to slowly dissipate as the seconds passed, your back fell right into the chair and your body felt heavy and hot all over.

“This is very good,” you confessed.

Like a mother’s embrace. Like a brother’s laugh. Like a father’s kiss.

Like home.

A strange sensation began to emerge, as if the world around you was melting, expanding and stretching, and softening everything at the same time. The room suddenly seemed vaster, the colors on the walls intensified, dancing slightly around you, as if vibrating with a life of their own while Jade laughed, drinking the rest of his tea in big gulps.

He seemed accustomed to it.

Floyd was no longer dancing alone, you couldn’t discern who this invisible person was, but you could see their silhouette. It was translucent and small, with short hair and formally dressed, yet you couldn’t see their face.

Amelie watched from afar, her smile unchanged, her eyes curious and expectant.

You blinked, feeling a weight on your eyes, as if they were being pulled down. When you tried to focus on the table in front of you, the environment seemed to distort, rippling like the surface of a lake under the wind. The shapes around you began to change – the fridge on the left seemed to stretch, growing in height, while the curtains swayed like smooth serpents sliding across the floor.

The sound of Floyd and Jade’s laughter now seemed to come from far away, distorted, echoing like the song of a distant bird in an unknown forest. But soon you stopped hearing anything, because something else caught your attention out of the corner of your eye.

Silhouettes.

You turned around to see three beings, vaguely human in form but grotesquely elongated, emerged from the shadows of the room. Their eyes – if they could be called that – shone a total, lifeless black.

They didn’t walk; they seemed to float, gliding across the floor towards you, the ends of their thin fingers extending as if they wanted to touch your skin, probe your mind, eat your soul.

Your heart began to race, and you tried to stand from the chair you were still sitting in, but your body no longer responded. It was as if you were trapped, sinking into a bed of soft clouds and, at the same time, too heavy to support. The first of them – a tall female figure with a narrow, mouthless head – leaned over you.

Her shadow covered your face, and you felt an inexplicable chill run down your spine. The tea left you with a warm feeling and this figure… This goddess of theirs made you feel a primal fear.

You couldn't even put into words what she made you feel. But it was horrible.

Then, she spoke, but not with words. Her voice echoed in your mind, a cacophony of murmurs and whispers, and screams, everything overwhelming you beyond words. “You crossed over the bridge. Now, you see what others cannot, it's been a while.”

The room dissolved, the walls faded, and all that remained was a dark field, an infinite abyss dotted with those imposing figures from SeteAlem. In the distance, there was something larger – a colossal form that seemed to watch, waiting. You felt that, somehow, you already knew this place, as if your dreams had tried to warn you of its existence, but you never listened.

Time lost its meaning. Maybe it was seconds, maybe hours. And you kept staring at her, watching her floating, hearing her soft grunts.

“Who are you?” You asked her.

A laugh sounded behind you. And you turned around at the same time. Another figure, this one wearing a mask over his face as he leaned over you, as if to see you from a better angle.

“Oh, I like this one, they have a lovely face,” His voice was loud and exaggerated.

The feminine figure swatted the male figure away with a slap on his back. “Do not come near them to taint them with your ugly face, Leyarion.”

You took a step back, unsure, your heart beating faster. You could hear the sounds of bells echoing through the darkness, the same bells you used to hear in the church you were raised in. You hated that sound with a burning passion.

“Look at what both of you did,” A third voice sounded. Yet you could not see anyone, no matter what direction you looked, there was nothing there. “Do not be afraid, child. They are harmless.”

The voice, soft yet commanding, slithered through the air, its echoes reverberating in your bones. It was as if it came from every direction, creeping closer, suffocating.

The feminine figure tilted her head to look at the other entity, her eyes gleaming with a cold, predatory curiosity. "Harmless?" she murmured, her voice dripping with something far from gentle and something like a smile spreading through her face.

“It’s not every day we get a visitor like them, I just got happy, is all." Leyarion, the masked figure, straightened, and you could feel his eyes boring into you from behind that mask.

“Curious indeed. We’ve seen many wanderers, but none like you. The tea always reveals the interesting ones.” His voice was smooth, but there was a sharp edge to it, like a knife scraping metal

“I shall give you my blessing.”

Your heart pounded, each beat drumming louder than the last. You wanted to move, to run, but your feet felt glued to the floor, held in place by an invisible grip. His fingers touched your forehead and a heat seemed to take over your body for several minutes, like fire melting your skin, muscles and tendons, a muffled scream never got the chance to leave your lips.

After a second, everything stopped. The heat, the pain, sweat was clinging to your head as you struggled to breathe correctly.

“What... What do you want from me?” you stammered, barely able to get the words out without choking on them.

The bells rang louder now, shrill and relentless, twisting the air around you. They were deafening, as if mocking your fear of them.

Another voice, one you couldn’t place, rumbled through the darkness, so deep it made your chest tighten. "We want nothing from you, child," it said, slow and deliberate, each word sinking like a weight. "You have stumbled into our domain, and that is... intriguing. We merely wish to see what kind of person you were."

The shadows writhed, twisting and shifting, and you could make out the vague shapes of other figures. They were immense, towering, their forms impossibly tall and blurred, like ancient statues hidden in the mist. They moved slowly, as if savoring each moment, and though their faces were shrouded, you could feel their eyes on you — heavy, ancient, and unforgiving.

“I thought… everyone who drank that tea, came here?” It was what Amelie had told you, after all.

“So much more complex than this,” Leyarion moved closer, his masked face so near you could almost see yourself reflected in it. Behind the mask, you could sense a grin, wide and cruel, sharp teeth showing as his eyes were glistening, finding joy in how he could fright you. "I could show you the truth, if you'd let me."

He whispered, his voice sickly sweet, curling around you like smoke. "All the truths your world hides, all the secrets it keeps buried... even from you."

“No!” The feminine figure snapped, her voice cracking like a whip. She stepped between you and Leyarion, her presence suffocating, as if the air itself was shrinking away from her. "You will not overwhelm this one."

You could barely breathe, the air thick and suffocating. Panic clawed at your throat, and every instinct screamed at you to flee, but your legs refused to move. You were trapped, caught in the middle of a silent battle between these beings. Leyarion’s mask glinted in the dim light as he pulled back, his laughter echoing, low and mocking. “As you wish. But remember, child, the gods only offer their wisdom once.”

Your hands shook as you tried to steady yourself, every nerve in your body on edge. “Who... who are you?” you managed to ask again, your voice trembling. “And... What is this place?”

The feminine figure looked down at you, her gaze piercing, like she was peeling back your skin, layer by layer. “We are the forgotten gods of the In-Between, you don’t know what Setealem means, don’t you?,” she said softly, but there was no kindness in her tone.

“Sete-alem, the beyond seven, seven gods that shaped this world and once walked your world. Now, we dwell in the spaces between what is seen and what is hidden. You stand at the edge of SeteAlem, where our realms meet.”

Her hand hovered near your face, close enough that you could feel the chill radiating from her. It felt like ice seeping into your skin. “You drank our tea and the earth brought you to us. While everyone can see our realm, not all of them can pass through our borders nor talk to us. You’re special.”

From the shadows, that unseen voice rumbled again, its tone dark and amused. "SeteAlem is the reflection of everything that has been lost... and everything yet to come."

The bells tolled louder, each chime resonating in your chest, vibrating through your ribs. Your heart raced, each beat out of sync, struggling against the crushing weight of the sound. The air was heavy, carried with something you couldn’t quite put into words.

Something else was coming. Something far more frightening than them.

“I... I want to leave,” you said, your voice cracking, barely a whisper. “Please, let me go.”

The gods said nothing, but you could feel their eyes on you, their immense forms looming like dark clouds ready to consume you whole. The silence stretched, cold and suffocating, until the feminine figure spoke again, her tone almost pitying, but not quite.

“You will leave, in time. But the tea you drank binds you here, for now. You must witness what you came here to see.”

Leyarion’s mask gleamed as he leaned in again - he, as Azul had said once, didn’t have any notion about personal space. In fact, he was closer than ever, his voice barely more than a breath against your ear. “And perhaps, once you see, you will find you never truly wanted to leave.”

A hand, heavy and cold, brushed against your shoulder. You gasped, spinning around, but there was nothing there — only the dark, endless void. Then, slowly, another figure began to materialize, taller than the rest, cloaked in shadows so thick they seemed to swallow the light. You couldn’t see its face, but you could feel its gaze, as if it was peeling back your very soul.

“Do not fear,” it said, its voice softer than the others, yet far more chilling. “This place is not meant to harm you. It is meant to reveal. Let it show you what you need to see, if you weren’t ready, it would have brought you here.”

The room around you twisted, the shadows curling and stretching, pulling at the edges of your vision. The gods’ forms began to merge with the darkness, their outlines becoming distorted and monstrous. You could no longer tell where they ended and the void began. Everything seemed to pulse and writhe, as if reality itself was unraveling around you without caring about your permission.

And then, in the distance, you saw it — a vast, ancient presence, rising like a black tide. Dark, towering figures moved within it, their silhouettes barely discernible, but you could feel their power, raw and overwhelming, like a storm ready to consume everything in its path. They were older than anything you had ever known, older than the earth itself, and they called to you, their voices a low, haunting chorus that echoed in your head.

You felt a pull, an invisible force dragging you closer to them, closer to whatever lay hidden in that dark abyss. Your body trembled, fear and a twisted sense of curiosity warring within you, but something in the darkness whispered your name, soft and seductive, beckoning you forward.

"See," the unseen god’s voice rumbled, echoing through the void. "See what lies beneath, and know that you were always meant to find it."

And as the shadows parted, revealing the ancient, twisted truths hidden within, a cold, sickening realization washed over you — you were no stranger to their world. You were trapped, bound to it, as if the very darkness had woven itself into your soul. It was familiar, like home.

Why was it familiar like home?

You took a step ahead. You had to be brave to discover it, to see what you were meant to see.

The darkness felt alive, pulsing like a heartbeat beneath your skin. You couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d walked these shadowed paths before, that each twisted root and jagged rock was an old, familiar friend. The unseen god’s words lingered in the back of your mind, an echo that tugged at something buried deep within.

Home. It felt so wrong, yet so right. The shadows around you hummed in recognition, as though they, too, knew your presence, knew the parts of you that you had long tried to ignore. A cold shiver ran down your spine, but instead of backing away, you felt a strange pull, an urge to press forward.

As you took another step, the faintest memories flickered at the edges of your mind: faces you couldn’t quite place, words spoken in a language you thought you had forgotten. Fragments of laughter mingling with cries, love mixed with a deep-rooted fear. It was more than familiarity — it was like a piece of your soul had always belonged to this place, hidden beneath layers of denial. The very air felt like it knew your secrets, your hidden fears, and still it welcomed you.

You inhaled deeply, forcing yourself to steady your shaking hands. “Show me,” you whispered, barely audible. You weren’t sure if you were speaking to the god or to the darkness itself, but it didn’t matter. You have come this far. You couldn’t turn back now.

And as the shadows deepened around you, something ancient stirred, waiting for you to remember.

The shadows seemed to twist, drawing closer, as if listening to your whispered invitation. A chill seeped into your bones but the unease didn’t deter you. Instead, you felt drawn forward, each step awakening more of the strange, haunting familiarity that clung to you like a forgotten dream. Then, suddenly, the shadows pulled back, revealing a stone altar covered in intricate carvings that pulsed with a faint, dark glow. You stared at it, the patterns and symbols tugging at the edges of your mind.

You felt as though you should recognize them — no, you did recognize them.

As your fingers traced one of the symbols, memories, raw and jagged, began to surface: whispers in the dark, soft words promising you secrets, a cold, comforting presence always by your side. You could see glimpses of yourself, younger, reaching toward the darkness like an old friend. You had once sought it out, welcomed it, allowed it to cradle you when no one else would.

Because this darkness was your home. Your safe haven.

The realization hit you like a punch to the gut. *This wasn’t the first time you had come here.*

You’d been part of this ancient place, this dark world, long ago. The shadows were a piece of you, their promises and secrets entwined with your very being. It wasn’t just a memory, far from this, it was the truth.

"You remember," the god’s voice purred, Lilium, low and satisfied, resonating through your chest. "Your spirit was woven with ours from the beginning. You were lost, child, but you have found your way home."

A hollow ache settled in you, both frightening and strangely comforting. This darkness, this forgotten past, had always been part of you, waiting for you to come back. You weren’t just a visitor here; you were Ysli.

Lilium’s voice softened, almost gentle. "You are ready to see it all, to accept what you truly are. To walk in the shadows and find the power that has always waited for you here, when you would come home."

And in that moment, as you gazed at the ancient carvings and let the memories wash over you, you understood. There was no going back. You were as much a part of this darkness as it was of you, and whatever lay ahead, you would face it — not as a stranger, but as someone finally coming home.

Yet, you couldn’t help but wonder… Why did you escape this place before?

You wanted to question them, you wanted your answers.

Still, when you blinked again, everything started to dissolve like smoke, and the room around you slowly returned to reality. The abyss of SeteAlem was closing, but you knew it was still there, waiting, on the other side of a thin veil.

You finally turned to Amelie, your eyes misty, your breath heavy. She watched calmly, as if she knew exactly what had happened.

“You saw it, didn’t you?” she murmured, bowing her head slightly, as if in respect to your experience. “Now you understand. Sometimes, the gods of SeteAlem show us more than we are ready to see.”

The cup was still in your hands, empty. The drink was gone, but what it had revealed remained deeply etched in your mind. You didn’t even know how to explain to her, to them, what you were. Who you were.

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