#briefly: azul ashengrotto

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

Yuu's Sentient Teddy Bear: Devotion

Setting: the Courtyard. Classes have been let out for the day and there are many students hanging out on the grass and around the well or chatting in the shade of the halls, away from the gentle sun.

The teddy bear is sitting on a picnic blanket beneath a tree, stacking wooden toy blocks.

It's joined by the Octavinelle trio and they start chatting.

"By the way, we've been hearing that you call yourself Yuu's knight. What's that all about?" Floyd asks.

And so it tells them that it protects Yuu and from nightmares and other bad things, just like how Silver and Sebek protect Gargoyle from bad things.

Gargoyle? Ah, it must be Malleus. Jeez, the teddy bear is so brave.

A Diasomnia student happens to be passing by and is very surprised by its words. "You? A knight like them?" He scrutinizes the teddy bear with what seems to be disdain. "To be a knight, you have to go through extensive, tough training and have a quick mind to go with it. Silver and Sebek have those and probably more. Calling yourself a knight like them is highly disrespectful, maybe even a mockery to what they have done to earn their position."

"But I protect Yuu-Yuu, and knights protect."

"I heard you, but there are going to be things worse than nightmares that'll go after 'Yuu-Yuu' and they'd probably be bigger than anything you've every see. You're a child's toy. You're not going to be able to stop them and there's no guarantee you'll be around when they're older."

The Octavinelle trio are inclined to agree. It's all plush and no fight, not to mention, it's rather innocent. Still, it's rather unkind to call someone useless to their face when they didn't do anything to warrant it. Floyd makes a light protest. "Hey, you don't have to ruin its fun."

"[Teddy's name] know."

"Huh?"

The teddy bear doesn't seem upset by the Diasomnia student's words. It looks up to the sky for a moment before continuing its building block tower. "[Teddy's name] know there are a lot of bad things in the world and [teddy's name] is only a teddy bear, but [teddy's name] will still protect Yuu-Yuu from as many bad things as [teddy's name] can."

"[Teddy's name] know me and Yuu-Yuu will have to say good-bye one day, but that's okay because that means I protected Yuu-Yuu long enough for them to become big and strong enough to fight against all the bad things."

For a moment, it's quiet. Then Azul asks a question. "I've been meaning to ask you this, [teddy's name], but why do you insist on protecting the Ramshackle Prefect?"

The teddy bear, holding a building block with a heart symbol, looks up and smiles. "Because I love them and I know that they love me, and I promised Papa I would bring them home safe and sound because he loves me and Yuu, and we love him."

The sincerity is as clear as the sunny weather, piercing directly to the heart, and it stuns the Octavinelle trio. The Diasomnia student is also at a loss of words; he figured the teddy bear would love its human enough to call itself a knight, but he wasn't expecting it to be so aware of its limits and accepting of them. He also wasn't expecting it to be so optimistic that its human would grow up to be strong, even though that meant it would no longer be their knight.

Suddenly, Rook pops up out of seemingly nowhere. "Tres bien! The dedication to protect despite the sad fate that awaits and the shared love between a child and their toy are beautiful. Truly, your loyalty and care never ceases to warm my heart, Petit Chevalier du Trickster!"

"It does the same for me too." There are multiple cries of surprise when Lilia appears upside down. He gracefully lands and Silver and Sebek walk into the area soon after. "Whenever I feel down, I sometimes seek those two out so I may be cheered up."

"You do?" the Diasomnia student says, a little surprised.

"Yes. Becoming a knight requires more than skill and the proper mindset. It also requires a deep devotion to the person you serve, and the Ramshackle Prefect's teddy bear has proven it multiple times from shooing away nightmares and finding them when they get injured." He gives an enigmatic smile as he adds, "Among other things."

"I-I suppose those are valid ways to protect, but what about actual threats? It won't be able to do much as a stuffed animal."

"Even if it is, that doesn't stop it from being by their side. The bravery that comes from protecting someone you deeply care about is the strongest of its kind," Silver says.

"Teddy bear, I have always assumed your mind was only filled with childish fantasies, but I suppose I have been a little wrong about you," Sebek says. "Only a little! You're still just a stuffed animal, but I will admit, I can respect your self-awareness of what you lack and continued dedication to that human."

"You two. . . aren't bothered by it callling itself a knight?" the Diasomnia student asks.

"Why does it matter what it calls itself? As long as it does not get in the way of our duties, we shouldn't be bothered.

"And besides, it's as Sir Lilia says. It has already proven itself," Silver says.

"If you need more proof, I would be more than willing to offer," Rook volunteers.

"There's no need for that, Rook. I'm sure he is beginning to understand." Lilia looks at the student. "It does not matter what form a knight takes, so long as they or it are willing to put their best effort in their duty to their charge. There is always more to something than what you see on the surface. Do you understand?

"Y-yes. I understand.

"Good. Now run along, and please don't disturb the teddy bear or butt into conversations that have nothing to do with you."

"Yes, sir."

The Octavinelle trio watch as the teddy bear chats happily with the Diasomnia trio and Pomefiore's vice dorm leader. Perhaps they severely overlooked the teddy bear if it had the respect of the vice dorm leader of Diasomnia and the trusted knights of Malleus.

Protecting someone out of love. . . it's certainly cheesy enough to be something out of a fairy tale, but they can agree it's grossly heartwarming.

[violenteconomics]

I am in dire need of more of that AU that The First years get The upperclassmen toxic traits,i realy want more of It,like;

A way to include octavinelle and scarabia,maybe like,3 First years(Ace,deuce,Jack) get some of azul's toxic traits,other Three(epel,ortho and sebek) get Jamil toxic traits and yuu get both

Second thing

More reactings please,i NEED The staff,ALL The dorms and even the relatives seeing The First years developing those toxic traits,the overblots+Trey and cater for deuce getting their toxic traits right back at their face i beg you🙏🙏

anything 4 u, baby.

(but for real, though, this is an AMAZING idea, love you so much for tilling the ground for my brainwormies, mwah mwah 😘)

(also, this might get REALLY long, so hang tight!)

it was just a seed at first — a tiny idea that stuck around despite the first-years not even realizing it was there. but as the poison from their actual housewardens starts to develop into something truly deadly, so does that seed. it shows up later... but it makes itself known nevertheless.

ace, deuce, and jack have all worked for azul at the mostro lounge at one point, and though it was a very brief moment in time, it was just long enough to worm its way into their heads.

it starts with ace trappola, who's already pretty slippery with his words. but working at the mostro lounge, taking subconscious note of all the underhanded deals azul is making, he starts to pick up new... skills, let's say.

it starts small, with ace starting to give out certain favors to his fellow freshmen to earn some money. if you give him ten thaumarks, he'll do one of your everyday chores for you — dusting your room, cleaning your bathroom, making dinner, what have you. if you give him fifteen thaumarks, he'll do your homework if you don't feel like doing it, or take class notes for you if you don't feel like showing up. if you give him forty, he'll help you with something less-than-moral and definitely against the rules (he did it once back at the atlantica memorial museum — he can do it again).

there's an obvious power imbalance in all of these scenarios, but ace effortlessly words in a way that makes it seem like it's a win-win situation, when in reality, it's more like a zero-sum game.

it gets to the point where ace builds a black-market sort of reputation, and all of the freshmen know that if you need something done, ace is the person to go to.

...but then, something shifts.

at some point, ace starts a black-mailing campaign for the people who paid for the forty-thaumark favor. if you don't want your secret — one that might get you expelled, suspended, or worse — getting out, then you can pay for ace's silence with a favor or more money.

the worst part is: there's no way out. if you try attacking ace, it'll seem like you assaulted him for no reason, since if you try to explain he was blackmailing you, you'll have to tell them what he was blackmailing you with, which you obviously can't do — or else what was even the point? the same rule applies if you try tattling on him to one of the teachers or the housewardens or anybody else. and ace is a better liar than most people will ever be in their lifetime, so it's a losing battle even if you do manage to get someone to take your side.

so if you want to cross the bridge, my sweet, you've got to pay the toll.

(it's not even about the money anymore, really. riddle's thirst for control and azul's desire for recognition have clashed inside of ace in the most violent way, and now, it's all about the power it gives him over other people. and after how powerless he's felt this entire school year, being thrown left and right by overblot after overblot with no say at all, this is a power trip he never wants to come back down from.)

but ace realizes he's making quite a few enemies with his little money-making strategy, and he needs someone to help him just in case someone does come up with a plan to wipe him out. i mean, just look at azul — even with all of the loopholes and leverages in the world, even he was taken down eventually without outside help. if he wants this to last as long as possible, he needs... incentive for people to listen to him.

his own jade and floyd.

his own red-and-black collar.

using his riddle rosehearts-born dominance, and taking advantage of deuce's trey-and-cater-born passiveness, ace convinces deuce spade — one of the strongest people he knows — to help him in his economic ventures.

and deuce, seeing this as a way for ace to vent some frustration and unwilling to be on the other end of ace's ire, hesitantly agrees.

he doesn't piece together that ace is acting suspiciously like azul, but he still recognizes his own role in this whole scheme. ace is running a business, right? and deuce has only ever worked in one business before. he remembers what jade and floyd were like back when he worked under them, and so he uses that experience to inform his new position.

deuce becomes known as ace's right-hand man. he'll hunt you down if you don't pay, and he's not afraid to use force to "compel" you to. there have been stories about cat beastmen getting thrown up into trees and being left there for hours. about students getting forks "accidentally" thrown at them in the cafeteria with such precision, it doesn't really feel like an accident. about a student with a spade on his face who can throw back any attack sent his way with just as much force.

and there's nothing you can do about it, because he's in service to someone who has made himself pretty powerful. ace's silver-tongue gets deuce out of any and all trouble he inevitably finds himself in — and is ace is so brutally honest, why wouldn't people believe him? so even if you try to do something to deuce, ace has his back no matter what — and he'll win almost every time.

you mess with deuce, you mess with ace, which is already bad enough. but if you fuck around with ace, you better be prepared to find out with deuce.

they're a pair — that's always been true. but never before has that fact been so threatening.

jack howl comes next. we all know how much jack despises octavinelle's business model. but, begrudgingly, he will admit there are a lot of things he can learn from octavinelle. and more knowledge is never bad. as long as he doesn't actually use it, it should be fine.

(jack is more dangerous than ace and deuce, in a way — his toxicity is insidious in a way it just couldn't ever be with them.)

with excellent hearing, eyesight, and memory, he silently keeps note of every bribe he hears being taken. every lie he knows is being told. every mistake that gets swept under the rug. it's not long before he starts actively looking for it. it's not long before jack's uncovered dirt on almost every freshmen in school. it reminds him a bit of his time working at the mostro lounge. but instead of memorizing orders from customers, he's memorizing all their dirty secrets.

it's to protect himself, jack reasons. after all, it was only his input that put a stop to leona and ruggie's plans back during the spelldrive exhibition. he's just... preparing for another disastrous event, that's all. it's just precaution. insurance.

if it's not, then he'll have to accept that leona's overblot bothered him more than he thought. that he was weak enough to let it.

(and jack can't face that yet.)

and if, once in a while, ace comes to him looking for a little bit of information, then well, that's just lending a friend some advice. nothing wrong with that.

epel, ortho, and sebek don't have any direct ties to jamil, but they are certainly... impressionable, aren't they?

sebek zigvolt is a bit dense, certainly, but even he can see how well jamil takes care of his master. and with a master that's as ditzy and forgetful and all-over-the-place as kalim, that can't be easy. even if they are merely humans, and their experiences can't even begin to compare when it comes to serving a fae prince, sebek reckons that he can learn a thing or two by observing them. so that's exactly what he does.

one day, when kalim spills food on the floor in a hilariously ridiculous move, sebek notices something few others ever would. jamil gives the tiniest twitch of annoyance — the same way silver, in all his stoicism, often does when sebek gets too loud — but then he's back to being perfectly dutiful and polite and says "i'll go get a napkin."

it's... admirable, honestly. sebek doesn't put it into practice right away, but it stays in his mind long after he first sees it.

and then, after malleus's overblot, sebek's emotions feel like they're on fire. after being stuck in a world where it took just the tiniest crack to shatter a perfect illusion, he's wary of nearly everything that disrupts his day. now every single slight against him, no matter how unintentional it may be, feels like a personal attack on his very life. but sebek can't show these ugly emotions so outwardly — that would be dishonorable behavior that could damage malleus's reputation. instead, he resorts to subtle methods that can't be easily traced back to him like putting in frogs in schoolbags and setting brooms on fire or replacing shampoo bottles with tar.

but his repressed feelings of anger start to build to the point where he's now feeling unprecedented resentment towards... well, almost everybody.

when sebek has very first negative thought about malleus in history class — "reckless bastard" — he instantly hates himself for it and throws up then and there because how dare he.

he tries to shut them out, but the more he does, the more these intrusive thoughts start to bombard him with their uncharacteristic cynicism.

he looks at lilia from across the breakfast table, and his first thought is: heartless liar.

he spots leona lying in the botanical garden and he thinks: brainless cretin.

he even sees jamil, walking through the halls, and his mind screams: manipulative bitch.

but sebek shoves it all down because he's in no position to say that. it gets to the point where he's walking around as a silent, unfeeling husk, because to be anything else would be like inviting his inner demons to visit him on the outside. he pushes his emotions down as far as they'll go, and that's just going to have to be enough to get him through the day.

ortho shroud begins to follow a similar principle. his idia-inspired pessimism has led ortho to see others as less like people and more like characters. it's easier to think of every school day as a dungeon in an rpg. it's easier to convince himself that the other students are taunting him because they're programmed to be that way than face the reality that they just don't like him.

but the problem with seeing life as a video game is that you start seeing others as just ways to complete your objectives. like npcs or maps.

and when it comes to using people, jamil viper is king. or, for ortho's purposes, the ultimate survival guide.

ortho shapes himself into a model night raven college student — kind, charming, and sweet for the teachers, but just mischievous and rude enough to still fit in with the students.

he goes to housewarden meetings with idia to "gain leadership experience", taking notes and hearing out of every single little idea he can get his hands on (these are the people who have not just survived, but thrived. they must be doing something right). one time, riddle even pats his head and praises him for his proactiveness.

his classmates adore him for always been willing to help and being so calm about even the worst outcomes.

ortho makes himself as available as possible to the rest of ignihyde, brushing off homework or studying to help them with whatever they need — fixing game consoles, wiring in controllers, checking the internet connection, et cetera.

eventually, everyone believes in him almost as fiercely as scarabia believed in jamil, once upon a time.

ortho doesn't like telling all of these lies, but it's necessary to protect himself. it's like grinding to earn coins until you have enough money to buy that special armor in the shopkeeper's store.

...or maybe it's more like those cheesy dress-up flash games ortho used to play all the time — fleshing out the perfect outfit and hairstyle and makeup that'll earn you the most points.

if people feel like they need him, he'll be able to breeze through school without any more problems. he's put the whole system on easy mode! it feels a bit like cheating, almost.

it is like a game, isn't it? it's fun.

(at some point, ortho forgets how to stop.)

as for epel... well, he knows that his sudden snappish behavior towards the other pomefiore students won't go unnoticed for too long. but this is one of his only ways of venting, so he needs it to go under the radar long enough for him to... to squeeze out all of this sudden venom that's built up in him.

epel's not oblivious. he knows how sebek and ortho have changed over the weeks, and he knows why. but epel can't pull off "repressed" like sebek, and neither can he suddenly turn into the best person ever like ortho. but they do have the right idea about taking inspiration from jamil, so epel can fall back on what there is left: gaslighting.

every time kalim blacked out, jamil blamed it on him being sick. every time someone thought kalim was being awfully uncharacteristic, jamil called it a "mood swing". every time someone asked jamil about why kalim was acting so weird, jamil claimed ignorance.

at least, that's what yuu tells epel.

and it's perfect.

so now, every time someone confronts epel about his overly critical behavior, he lies and says he's doing it for their own good. you need pressure to make a diamond, after all. and besides — vil won't settle for anything less than absolutely perfect.

("i'm just trying to catch your mistakes before he does. and i think you and i can both agree that i'm a lot nicer than he is about it.")

every time vil confronts epel about all of the complaints he's been hearing from the other students about how epel's been tearing down their ideas for outfits and hairstyles with no mercy, and disregarding all of their achievements as "not good enough" to be proud over, epel dons a confused face.

("vil, between studying for tests and the crazy physical regiment you have me do, i barely have time for myself. you honestly think i have the energy to criticize other people?")

epel even starts turning people against each other so they won't focus on him. epel subtly threatens to take away the upperclassmen's position in the hierarchy, which sets up the other underclassmen as a threat, and epel grouses to the underclassmen that the upperclassmen look down on them for not living up to pomefiore standards, under the guise of regular teenage bitching.

but all of this, combined with their self-entitlement, leads to a mini-war in pomefiore. but since this is, well, pomefiore, where being perfect and poised is the standard, the others make sure never make it obvious in front of vil or rook.

epel plays everybody like a fiddle, and ensures that none of it can be traced back to him. it's a good way to get out his frustration. and hey — it seems like everybody's upped their game along the way. vil seems pretty happy that everybody's improving in their efforts so greatly, practically overnight!

epel wakes up with a feeling of accomplishment everyday. for once, it seems he did something right.

now if only rook could stop looking so somber...

then we come to yuu, whose inner darkness has been left to fester all year. if people think they can treat them like a ragdoll, it's only fair they do the same.

there's a lot yuu doesn't have, but one thing they're really lacking is a bit of respect. that's what it means to be magicless in an arcane academy. you're at the bottom of the food chain.

and look at what a bit of self-interest can do for you! yuu studies in the library until late into the night, burning the metaphorical candle at both ends, learning everything they can about magic until they're more well-versed in it than most students in the school. yuu starts making potions that aren't nearly as good as azul's, but they're cheap and work well enough. they start making study guides for others with their new-found knowledge, even if they do bristle with the fact that a damned study guide is what caught them in azul's tentacles in the first place. they start learning anything and everything, clinging to whatever scraps of knowledge they can write down.

with this, they successfully make their case for why they should join ace and deuce's business. eventually, they're just as feared as they are among the other first-years.

but that's not enough for yuu. the power of fear is nice, but the power of controlling other people would be much more cathartic.

so that's what they do. while ace is more focused on monetary gain, yuu uses their mountains of blackmail to convince others to do whatever they want.

if crowley throws another ridiculous task at them, yuu simply hoists it off to somebody else to do. if ramshackle dorm needs a few repairs, it's only a matter of contacting a few people before a whole construction crew paid off by somebody else comes knocking at their door. and they'll do it, if they don't want to get kicked out of the school or have their reputation ruined.

but somehow, even with all of this, yuu sets themself up as the nicest out of their little trio. they're willing to let payments slide from time to time. they listen to their clients' problems. they take constructive criticism and always seem to improve in their potions and study guides based on feedback. and if you do do yuu a favor, they'll give you certain favors right back.

so even when yuu is a covetous, greedy, all-consuming shark, the students still think they're so very, very nice. because compared to ace and deuce, what else is there to think?

but this can only go on for so long. and yuu knows that.

one day, they get called to the headmage's office. yuu is already going through their contact list — a list that's quadrupled ever since they joined forces with ace and deuce — to see who'd be willing to do them a teensy little favor for them, but when they step through the door, they pause.

inside the office are all the housewardens, their vices, the teachers, and everybody else yuu has grown to know over the past year.

yuu narrows their eyes as riddle steps forward.

"yuu," riddle starts sternly, "from one housewarden to another, i believe we need to talk."

^

(i will address everyone's reactions in a reblog, because this is honestly getting really, really long, lol. but don't worry, the reactions are coming! 🥺)

(but i should mention that there is already a good reblog of the original post by @thenumberhuntress which addresses the upperclassmen's reactions that you can find here. go read it. it's peak.)

(once again, thank you for the great ask! this was fun to make!)

[thegoldencontracts]

Hi! I saw you were taking asks for the Alphabet thing and I was wondering if I could request D, I, and L for Azul, please? No pressure! Only if you want and are feeling it. Thank you~ ^^

Of course! For this Alphabet Ask Game.

D | Dream: Who's their dream partner? Their perfect spouse?

Azul, deep down inside, desires someone who'd accept him in his entirety. Someone who would see him cry, and wipe his inky, filthy tears, tell him his perception is skewed - that there's nothing wrong with him for crying, his ink isn't filthy, and he doesn't have to constantly put up a front. He'd also prefer someone relatively intelligent, I feel like. Some form of intelligence, whether it's street-smarts, book-smarts, emotional intelligence, or anything else.

I | I, Myself (Free-Space): What do some headcannons I myself have for this character?

I personally headcannon Azul to be less nice with those he's close to. Hear me out. Azul is an introvert at heart, as mentioned by Idia. He, when not putting up a front, is irritable yet caring in his own ways. For an example, I'd say the way he behaves with the twins would suffice. Another character he's fairly close to is Idia. Similarly, he's also willing to openly insult Idia, to be snappy and roll his eyes at the man. That's just what Azul's true self is, in my opinion, though the business "mask" is definitely a bigger part of him than people care to admit. Not a weak, sensitive "crybaby" (for lack of a better word), but more... pricky - blunt, introverted, yet caring with those he's close with in his own ways. A funny example of this, in my opinion, is how he speaks highly of Floyd and Jade in his dorm voicelines when they're not listening, only for his interactions with them to often involve him being snippy. Meanwhile, when he dislikes someone, he's more saccharine sweet than ever. His barbs are painfully honeyed. An example of this is his behavior with Riddle. In fact, in Book 6, as Azul warms up to Riddle more, we see him being less sickly sweet, a bit blunt, even. Basically, I think that - as he grows closer to a potential friend or love interest, he'll grow more blunt, showing his true affections through non-verbal cues, like gifts or homework help.

L | Love: What's something in a partner they'd secretly love?

I think Azul secretly likes a partner who initiates affection more. I just- think he's the sort who acts as perfect, as in control as he can, but secretly desires to- well, be desired, without constantly having to initiate. He's always been the one to take the reins and change the opinions of others himself. It's a desire of his he's always found foolish, but it's always been there. He wants you to kiss him. To flirt. To tease him, even, leave him as the flustered one for once. I also view this as a source of angst in fics with a more passive reader, or even fics in ships like ridoazu or jamiazu, where Azul tends to initiate affection more. I feel like he's the insecure sort, so effortlessly able to read the cues of others until it comes to reading the affection in between the lines. Even in his relationship with the twins... he claims to himself they're nothing more than business partners. I feel like he wouldn't want to initiate all the time. It's a secret desire of his, and yet, something he almost cannot bring himself to go without.

[callinskiiscalling88]

unreliable narrorator Y/n doing a school project on the Thorn General or whatever they called him

The Amazing Biography of The Valley's Loyal General (With pictures!!) Written by Y/N!

[!!REQUESTS OPEN!! Characters: {Y/N}(Written first person), Grim(Briefly), Mozus Trein, Lilia Vanrouge, Malleus Draconia, Gargoyle, Ortho Shroud, Idia Shroud, Azul Ashengrotto, Jade Leech(Briefly) Word Count:1,342 Warnings/Spoilers: ooc-ness (since the narrator is *unreliable*), A joke about emo stereotypes (Not all emos follow the stereotypes and I don't mean any harm by it. Shoutout to all my emos reading this) Also somehow no spoilers Extra: Y/N stands for Your Name, E/C stands for eye color

It was a gloomy morning in Homeroom, my classmates sluggish, the desks on fire, Grim hungry, demons rising from portals, my air pods dead, oh it was absolutely dreadful! I was about to die!

However...Trein-Sensei's words sparked life in my dull {E/C} eyes. A massive homework assignment!! Now I hate homework, especially big projects, but this one was amazing! A biography on any historical figure from the Valley Of Thorns War back in the day. He wrote down the list of people available on the board, but I already knew who I wanted. The mysterious Right General of Briar Valley (Pretend it's sparkly I lost my glitter pen) Not the Queens, not the Left General, not the legendary Man of Iron (or was it steel?) The Right General! He was so intriguing. How was he so known yet such an enigma? I was going to find out. But I had competition. Lilia also wanted to do his project on the General. I couldn't let him snag this opportunity from me. I played it civil when I first heard of his plans. I humbly asked to take the General for my essay, but he refused! I am an amazing charmer, and I tried working my magic, but he just wouldn't budge! So I had no other choice....I challenged him to A DUEL!! (DUNDUNDUN!!) We met at the courtyard in the afternoon. I came ready to fight. I wouldn't let this weirdo beat me. (Before you come at me, he literally picks his nose, THAT'S WEIRD!!) I had my sword and my legendary gear which I got from my Great Grandfather. He said I was destined for something big, and this was it! Lilia had his own gear he must have gotten from his housewarden or something, but it couldn't top mine. Everyone came out to watch our duel. We both unsheathed our blades and charged at each other. The crowd cheered my name (I'm a famous warrior of course it's expected)! We dueled fought with all our might, but...he had defeated me! I laid on the ground, beaten and bruised. I looked up at my opponent, who roared laughing. It lasted for what felt like eternity. (It was only like a few seconds but for dramatic effect Sensei!!) "This means The General is mine." He eventually spoke. I glared up at him. How could I lose to an old man? (No offense I know you're old too) One who's...Emo? (No offense to emos!!) He must've had his teen angst and rock music powers stored up to trash me. Bested by someone who wears 5 pounds of eyeshadow everyday...blech. I didn't speak... I couldn't... I was embarrassed in front of the whole school.... He laughed again.... No! I couldn't let this twink beat me!! (Don't google what twink means). I kicked him in his balls and rained victorious! He begged for mercy, and I gave it to him. (I can make any man beg, especially the stupid kind)

So, the Right General Of Briar Valley was mine!! And I already knew where I could get my first bit of information...A source no stupid nose picker had... Malleus Draconia! (Or as I like to call him, Tsunotaoru [Hornton]) (Okay yes now I notice Lilia literally is his bestiepoo (or something.) But still!! For dramatic effect!!) According to my math he must've met the General at least once in his life. He's the heir to the thrown throne after all. The General is still alive both had the time to interact. 18 years to! (I think Tsunibuni [Horntonwornton](pronounce it with o) is that age) So it was perfect!! I set up an interview in the library. He was willing to answer my questions.

He answered all of them!! It was perfect!! I told you Tsunibuni [Horntonwornton] would be of use!! Though it did take some persuasion... "Where'd you hide the body?" I queried. "I'm not telling you that." He protested. "Are you sure? What if I.....Hurt your precious gargoyles" I said as I picked up a massive gargoyle and held my legendary sword to it's throat. It looked at Mallypoo with tears in it's eyes. "Y-you wouldn't..." He stuttered. "A-ANYTHING BUT THAT!!" (I told you I can make any man beg) "Oh I would." I smirked and brought the dagger closer. "Poor little gargoy won't make it out of this alive." "NO! FINE, I'LL TELL YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW!! BUT PLEASE, ANYTHING BUT HURTING MY PRECIOUS POOKIEWOOKIEBEAR!! MY SWEETHEART!! THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!" Of course, he didn't have the answer to everything, so I did have to hit the books. I hit them with a stick. It wasn't effective. Don't know why. Maybe I did it wrong? Or did I have to use something other than a stick? Oh well... My last option... GOOGLE!! But I was running short on time and the Wi-Fi was down...so I had to contact a good ol pal of mine. The first real Android...

Ortho Shroud.

I called Ortho up and raced out the door. He answered right away but there was one problem... He was busy getting Idia out of bed. He was sad about some sort of gambling game. So I made my lil broski a deal. I'd wake his brother up and he'd let me use his search engine. So I ran to Ignyhyde!! Once I got there he was waiting outside for me. He quickly thanked me and took me to Idia's room. (It was so messy, and it smelled like unwashed shut in, it was disgusting) But I was determined to help him out!

I tried everything! Shaking him, screaming, promising him ice cream, nothing! He was a stubborn fire boy. So, I had one option left... Water. So, I really didn't think this through, but I guess his fire hair goes out so.... I MADE HIM BALD

That was not what I wanted to do! I swear! He was mortified! I know I'd be too if I lost all my hair... I didn't know what to do! I panicked!! But luckily, I figured out what to do with the help of Ortho. However...It involved Idia leaving his room... Which was hard to do. So, I did the same thing to Idia as I did Malleus. "Come with us or-... Hatsune Miku gets it!" "NO! ANYTNING BUT HATSUNE MIKU!" It was a piece of cake.

One hoodie later and we rushed to the one place where all our problems could be solved. Mostro Lounge. Azul's known to grant people wishes. Once we got inside Jade led us to a table, but we had to order drinks before Azul would see us. Of course we did, they have an awesome Mostro Lounge x Mystery Shack drink. Idia said they needed a ship name. I don't know what he meant, no boats were involved. After getting our drinks eventually we were allowed to see Azul. Ortho reassured his brother as we entered the octopus's office. Now I know what you're thinking... He's a sketchy man and it'll be hard to get his hair back for a fair price. So, how'd we get out of this without anemones on our head? Well, I don't know. I had to finish writing this paper before tomorrow and I didn't have time to sit and do business deals. Therefore, I left them. (Don't judge me!! This was a big assignment!) So how did I get the information I needed? Well... I read the books. That's a way better method then hitting them. Learned that the hard way...And hours later I had all the information I needed to write the essay! The end

"{Y/N}.... The assignment was a 5 paragraph essay on a historical figure. That's not what this is." Trein said as he slid the paper back over to me. "WHAT?! BUT THIS IS QUALITY CONTENT! IT'S ENTERTAINING!" I shouted back. "Half of this stuff didn't even happen." "Well, dramatic effects!!" "Redo this." "Hmph... Fine."

WOW, WILD RIDE!! YOU MADE IT TOO THE END THO!! I LOVE THIS Y/N CREATURE I MIGHT MAKE AN OC OUT OF THEM ONE DAY!! That's for the future tho rn I gotta add tags and post this. Comments appreciated My requests are open Thanks for reading Byebye!!

[artjiayi]

Mr Azul Ashengrotto ft. the Beautiful Queen magazine

When I saw Azul with the new outfit of Luxe Couture event I dropped everything I was working on to focus on him. I had a crush on the vibe that outfit gives him. Those round shapes such as his glasses and haircut make him look softer and less intimidating somehow.

Anyway I decided to draw him as if he would pose for a magazine cover. He wouldn’t go too extravagant for the pose because he has to look professional and also because he’s a bit shy in front of a camera (but that’s part of my interpretation of his character). I like to know that despite this whole show he's giving to seem so confident, his body language sometimes betrays him a bit and let insecure and sensitive Azul come back briefly. But again, that's how I imagine Azul.

Give some love to this man he deserves it with all the effort he makes everyday 💜

Can't wait to see his groovy...

[solxamber]

Can't wait to request Skully boy, but let's do a part 3 of White Rabbit!Reader since the overblot aftermath is usually somewhat of a positive effect on the overblot person, I want it to do the opposite to White Rabbit!Reader since before their overblot, they were always jumpy, timid and anxious.

Now, I kind of want them to be like this half the time whenever someone bothers them:

Aftermath of White Rabbit! Reader's Overblot

Characters: All NRC + Staff + Rollo, Neige, Che'nya

Original White rabbit! reader ask ; White rabbit! reader overblot ask

thanks for the request <3

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle is probably the first to notice the difference. While he usually relied on your obedience to the Queen's rules, your newfound bluntness shocks him. He asks you to organize paperwork, expecting the usual nervous compliance, but instead, you sigh and mutter, “Yeah, yeah, I’m getting to it, don’t have a heart attack.” Riddle is speechless for a moment, his face flushing. Though he won’t admit it, he’s at a loss. “What… happened to you?”

Trey Clover

Trey has always been the calm, stable figure in your life, a grounding presence in Heartslabyul. But even he’s taken aback by your sudden shift. “You’re not the same nervous bunny I’m used to,” he remarks when you snap at someone who’d pushed you too far. You sigh, rubbing your temples. “Guess I finally had enough.” Trey offers a small, understanding smile, knowing all too well the pressures of keeping up appearances. “If you need to blow off steam, my kitchen’s always open. Just don’t burn out.”

Cater Diamond

Cater, who usually plays things off with a lighthearted comment or a perfectly timed selfie, can sense the change in your mood. "Whoa, who flipped the switch on you, bunny?" he jokes, holding up his phone for another pic. You barely glance his way, grumbling, "Put that away before I snap." Cater's smile falters briefly, unused to you being so short with him. "Yikes. Someone's in need of a chill day. Maybe a group selfie will help?" He backs off but keeps an eye on you, curious how long this new attitude will last.

Ace Trappola

Ace is taken aback but more intrigued than anything. He used to enjoy teasing you for fun, always expecting a shy or flustered response. Now, you roll your eyes and say, “Do you ever stop running your mouth?” Ace laughs nervously but is secretly impressed by your sass. “Hey, I liked you better when you were jumpy. You were easier to mess with.”

Deuce Spade

Deuce feels bad. He didn’t realize how much the teasing had affected you until now. He approaches cautiously, noticing your new, weary demeanor. When he tries to help, offering to carry something, you grumble, “I’ve got it, I’m not helpless.” Deuce scratches his head, feeling guilty. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I’m sorry if we pushed you too hard.”

Leona Kingscholar

Leona finds your transformation amusing at first. As one of the few prey beastmen in the school, he always enjoyed calling you "herbivore." But now, when you meet his taunts with a dry “Yeah, real original, Leona,” he raises an eyebrow, both impressed and a little curious. “Finally got some backbone, huh? Good. Don’t expect me to go easy on you just ‘cause you stopped cowering.”

Ruggie Bucchi

Ruggie is caught off guard by how done you seem with everything. He tries to pass off some chores, as usual, but you just give him a deadpan look. “Do I look like your personal assistant?” Ruggie chuckles nervously. “Whoa, you’ve changed. Guess I’ll just… do it myself, then. Heh.”

Jack Howl

Jack, being the most straightforward, notices something is wrong immediately. He never liked the way people teased you, and now your exhaustion worries him. “You don’t look so good. Is there something I can help with?” When you respond with a tired “Just let me get through the day, Jack,” he frowns, unsure how to handle this new side of you.

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul appreciates how compliant you were before, especially when he needed help with contracts or deals. Now, your indifference makes his eye twitch. “Care to assist with a little… business?” he asks. “Do it yourself, Ashengrotto,” you reply without even looking up. Azul’s smile falters. “How… unfortunate.”

Jade Leech

Jade enjoys your shift in attitude. To him, it’s fascinating to see prey become more assertive. “My, my, you’ve grown quite bold, haven’t you?” he muses. You don’t even glance his way, muttering, “Bold? I’m just tired.” Jade chuckles, intrigued. “I do hope that exhaustion won’t stop you from keeping things interesting.”

Floyd Leech

Floyd used to love squishing you just to see you jump. Now, when he wraps an arm around your shoulders and you groan, “Not now, Floyd,” he pouts. “You’re no fun anymore, Little Rabbit. Bring back the scaredy-cat!” He sulks but also seems weirdly fascinated by your new attitude, poking you to see if he can get a reaction.

Kalim Al-Asim

Kalim’s sunny disposition remains unchanged, but even he notices that something’s off. He invites you to join a party, only for you to respond, “I’m not in the mood.” Kalim blinks, genuinely concerned. “Hey, is everything okay? You always used to come… I didn’t mean to bother you.”

Jamil Viper

Jamil is more analytical about your change. He senses something deeper at play and approaches cautiously. “You’re different now,” he observes. “No kidding,” you mutter, pushing past him. Jamil hums thoughtfully, wondering if there’s something he can learn from your overblot experience—or if it’s just another thing he needs to keep an eye on.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil is used to elegance, control, and composure, so your new bluntness strikes him as unbecoming. “You’re really letting yourself go,” he comments sharply. You simply stare at him, unbothered, and say, “And you care because?” Vil frowns, his perfectly crafted facade slipping for a second. “Honestly, how disappointing.”

Rook Hunt

Rook finds the change in you utterly fascinating. “Ah, the hunted has become a hunter in their own right! Magnifique!” You stare at him with exhausted eyes, muttering, “I’m just trying to get through the day, Rook.” He laughs, completely unfazed by your exhaustion. “Every day with you is an adventure, mon lapin!”

Epel Felmier

Epel, who never liked being underestimated, gets where you’re coming from. He nudges you with a grin. “Bet you’re sick of everyone treating you like you’re fragile, huh?” You shrug tiredly, “Sick of a lot of things.” Epel chuckles. “Yeah, I get that. Don’t let ‘em push you around anymore.”

Idia Shroud

Idia is a little freaked out by your change. You used to be predictable, easy to understand—now? Not so much. He glances at you from behind his tablet and mumbles, “Uh… you okay? You seem… different.” When you snap back, “What do you think?” Idia recoils, instantly regretting his question. “Yikes… never mind…”

Ortho Shroud

Ortho, ever the optimist, immediately notices your shift in behavior and tries to cheer you up in his own enthusiastic way. “I can analyze your stress levels! Maybe we can find a way to relax together!” he offers, his eyes lighting up with data scans. You give him a tired look and sigh, “Thanks, but I just want to be left alone.” Ortho frowns, his usual cheerful energy dimming. “Okay… but remember, I’m always here if you need help!” He can’t quite figure out how to help you, but he makes a mental note to keep monitoring your well-being.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus can feel the weight of your exhaustion and frustration. He’s perceptive and doesn’t need to hear you say much to understand how deeply the overblot has affected you. “You carry a heavy burden now,” he says quietly. You sigh, running a hand through your hair. “Yeah, well, it’s not like I have a choice.” Malleus watches you with a somber gaze. “You do. You always have a choice.”

Lilia Vanrouge

Lilia is concerned but also intrigued by your sudden shift. “My, you’ve grown up in such a short time,” he teases, though his tone carries a hint of seriousness. “Not sure if that’s a good thing,” you mutter. Lilia’s eyes narrow. “Be careful not to lose yourself, young one. This world can be… unforgiving.”

Silver

Silver, ever the calm and observant knight, is probably the least surprised by your change in demeanor. He approaches cautiously, noticing your exhaustion even before you speak. “You’ve been through a lot. Don’t push yourself too hard,” he advises softly. When you sigh and mutter, “I’m just tired, Silver,” he nods, understanding in his quiet way. “If you ever need to rest, I’ll stand guard for you.” He’s not one to pry but offers his silent support.

Sebek Zigvolt

Sebek is offended by your change in attitude, especially since you no longer respond as deferentially as you used to. “What happened to your respect for authority?” he barks. You shoot him an irritated glare. “Respect is earned, not given.” Sebek’s jaw drops, his mind struggling to compute your audacity.

Rollo Flamme

Rollo has always had a certain disdain for the chaotic nature of magic, and as someone who seemed so harmless before, you were never a particular blip on his radar.

But after your overblot, when you return to a more cynical, jaded version of yourself, Rollo is... intrigued. “I see you’ve shed your naïveté,” he comments one day when you cross paths, eyeing your newfound sharpness.

You sigh and rub your temples, muttering, “I’m too tired for whatever lecture you’re about to give me, Rollo.” He raises an eyebrow, slightly amused. “Perhaps you’ve come to realize that order, after all, must be maintained by force. Even for someone like you.” His words are clipped, but there’s almost a sense of kinship as he recognizes the exhaustion that comes from living within strict expectations.

Neige LeBlanche

Neige is disheartened by your exhaustion. He approaches you with genuine concern, his wide, innocent eyes full of sympathy. “I’m sorry if anyone’s been making things harder for you,” he says softly. “You don’t deserve that.” You give him a tired smile, “It’s fine. People just… don’t know when to stop.” Neige nods. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

Che’nya

Che’nya finds your new personality endlessly amusing. “My, my! You’ve finally joined the cynical side of Wonderland!” he teases, popping in and out of view. You roll your eyes, unimpressed. “I’m too tired for your games, Che’nya.” He grins, floating above you. “That’s what makes it so fun, friend.”

Crowley

Crowley had always seen you as one of the more manageable students—timid, hardworking, and, most importantly, someone who didn’t cause him headaches. But after your overblot? Let’s just say he’s... mildly concerned. “My dear White Rabbit, surely you don’t mean to talk to your esteemed headmaster in such a disrespectful tone!” he blusters, feathers metaphorically ruffled when you brush past one of his long-winded speeches with an eye roll and, “Please, for the love of Seven, just get to the point.” Crowley is left gaping, unsure whether he should reprimand you or seek out some sympathy for your newly discovered spine.

Divus Crewel

Crewel is quick to notice your shift in attitude and respects your newfound bluntness—though only to a point. “You’ve finally found some grit,” he comments, his voice sharp as usual. “Good. Just don’t let it cloud your judgment.” You nod wearily, “I’m way past judgment.”

Mozus Trein

Trein raises an eyebrow at your attitude shift but doesn’t comment much. He simply sighs, “I hope you’re not letting stress affect your studies.” You shrug. “Stress is part of the deal, Professor.”

Sam

Sam’s sharp eye notices the change immediately when you stroll into his shop, a bit of a scowl replacing your usual fidgety demeanor. “Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite bunny. What’s got you hoppin’ mad today?” he teases lightly, hoping to bring a smile to your face.

But when you shoot him a tired look and say, “Sam, please, just give me the potion before I scream,” he lets out a low whistle. “Whoa now, partner! You’re wound up tighter than a jack-in-the-box! If anyone knows about stress, it’s me—how ‘bout I toss in some tea on the house?” He’s concerned, but he can’t resist a little ribbing, hoping to ease your frustration.

Masterlist

[oepionie]

INTERRUPTED MAKE-OUT SESSION.octatrio

Synopsis: The octotrio don't really take kindly to having their alone time with you interrupted.

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto, Jade Leech , Floyd Leech x GN! Reader

Tags: Suggestive because oh wow that's a lot of kissing, Azul forms a Crowley hate club, Crewel being an overprotective dad in Jade's part, Floyd annoys you (lovingly)

Word Count: 2k+ | 💌Masterlist

A.A | AZUL ASHENGROTTO:

Azul seldom had days off; he was usually dedicated to his office, checking work and finalizing deeds he'd made over the week. Like now, he's busier than ever, especially with the holiday season approaching. You usually would've helped him out if it weren't for Crowley…

The headmaster, ever so generous and kind, was making you run errands for him more than usual. Both of you were so swamped with work that you hadn't seen one other in weeks.

Deciding to take things into their own hands, Jade and Floyd approached you, trying to garner your pity by telling you how 'pathetic' and 'antsy' their boss had gotten during your absence. Floyd amped up the theatrical performance by throwing himself over your shoulder and sobbing crocodile tears over the 'inhumane work conditions' he's been put through. (Azul made him work 10 minutes longer).

To the eel's delight, their terrible acting actually worked and it convinced you to check up on your poor unfortunate little octopus.

You entered Azul's office, carrying a platter of pastries and tea. He was slouched against his chair, reading paperwork in a position that was bound to strain his neck and back.

"Oh, Angelfish?" As you set the tray on a coffee table, Azul stands to greet you. You don't miss how his face lights up when you walk towards him.

"How are you?" You ask, wrapping your arms around his waist while his hands reach up to cup your cheeks. The leather of gloves felt cool against your skin and you sighed happily, closing your eyes.

"Busy, as usual…" Azul muttered and let you guide him to one of the couches in his office. He plopped down onto the chair and groaned in exhaustion, sinking into the velvet plush cushions. "If I have to read another one of those pathetic deals from these Savanaclaw students, I think I'm gonna have a stroke."

Azul's eyes bore into yours, his lips curling into a bitter frown. "It's been nearly a month since we last saw each other…"

"I know. Crowley's been making me work my ass off these days." You smiled apologetically, moving in to press a fleeting kiss against his temple. Azul grumbled, his eyes briefly glancing over the pile of deals atop his desk. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he looked up at you.

"Angelfish. You know I can easily fix that problem for you, no?" Azul spoke lowly, adjusting his gloves with a dark look on his face. Immediately, you shook your head. "No making deals with Crowley."

"Alright, no deals…but say the word and I'll gladly take care of it." Azul muttered, crossing his arms and pushing his glasses up. You chuckled and bent forward to peck his lips in thanks.

However, it seems that Azul missed you more than you thought. You should've known that someone as greedy as Azul wasn't going to be satiated by a small kiss like that. Before you could back away his hand clasped over your waist, pulling you back in. Gasping, you slid into his lap and he immediately fused his lips against yours.

"Stay." He mouths against your lips as both his hands move to grip your waist. Azul kisses you again and again, only giving you a few seconds to recover. Feeling lightheaded, you pulled away trying to catch your breath.

"Azu-" Before you could even get a word out, he kisses you again, this time with more passion. The ferocity of it all causes your head to spin as your hands become entangled in his white hair. It was almost as if he hadn't kissed you in ages, as if it was his first time seeing you in years. His tongue darts across your bottom lip, prompting you to part your lips.

"Knock Knock." Floyd's voice echoed through the closed door, and Azul jolted. He pulled away from you, his gaze moving to the tweels who were most likely standing behind the door.

"Oi Azul, there's some guy out there lookin' for ya. He's calling you 'Mr Ashengrotto'. What a weirdo."

"Floyd. Doesn't saying 'knock knock' defeat the purpose of knocking?" Jade's muffled voice spoke.

"Didn't ask. Don't care."

You watch Azul glare at the door, cursing under his breath, clearly irritated that his private time with you had been disturbed. He considered just directing the client to return another day. However, it seems that you've decided to make that decision for him.

"You heard them." Pulling him up, you fixed the collar to his uniform and combed his hair back into place. Teasingly, you ran your thumb over his lips.

"Don't keep them waiting, Mr Ashengrotto."

J.L | JADE LEECH:

Wiping the table down, you made sure to get every small spec of dust off of the metal surface. It was late at night and you were helping Jade close the lounge up for his shift.

You were concentrated and hard at work, determined to finish the job properly. Jade, on the other hand, found himself marvelling at the unusual sight of you in his dorm's uniform.

Azul had given you an Octavinelle dorm uniform that was tailored and custom-made specifically for you.But of course, nothing ever came for free when it involved the capitalist octopus.

It was intended to be used for promotional purposes. You were Ramshackle's prefect and the magicless human trapped in a mage school, it's no question that you had a lot of attention thrown your way. It was only natural that his boss would exploit such popularity.

Such a stark difference from your normal outfit. You were usually seen wearing the school uniform issued specially for your shabby dorm, paired with the expensive high-end designer fur coat Crewel gifted you.

To put it short, you appeared much more lovely than usual.

So, was it really his fault when he drew you behind the bar and began kissing you silly? Oh darling pearl, of course not.

"Jade-" You gasp against his lips when his weight starts to push on you. Your back collides with one of the stools, leaving you with little choice but to settle down atop the bar counter.

He swiftly hoists you up over the table, allowing you to sit snugly as you wrap your legs around his hips; he does all this without ever pulling his lips away.

“J-Jade we have a job to finish." You panted but Jade had no intention to stop. He steps back to assess your reaction, a sadistic grin spread across his face.

The eel was gentle when he manoeuvred you to lay down against the table, but the look and gleam in his eyes said otherwise.

"Oya, I fear something much more interesting has taken my attention." He nips at your lips, recapturing them with hardly a second to breathe between each one, his hands sliding up your hips to hold you in place.

"How could I not indulge myself when the most exquisite shining pearl is within my grasp?" Jade whispers.

The merman starts pulling his gloves off and loosening his tie. He returned for another open-mouthed kiss. It seemed as though he just couldn't get enough of you. Every breathy kiss he drew from you felt like waves pulling him under, luring him to continue and drown himself in your love again and again.

Sadly, all wonderful things must come to an end.

"Leech. Hands off my pup." You nearly slipped off the counter when you heard a familiar stern voice call out for you. You spun around, gasping, to discover Crewel standing by the door. His face distorted into an unsightly sneer as he peered at Jade.

"Pup. I believe you forgot but we have a shopping appointment today." Embarrassed, you quickly bowed your head and kept your head down. Why. Why on earth couldn't the ground just swallow you whole right now?

All suave and smooth, Jade took a step back and picked you up. Yelping, you held onto his biceps, head spinning from the sudden movement. Jade merely chuckled and lowered you back down onto the ground.

Crewel storms up to you, your fur coat in hand. He drapes the coat over your torso, fussing over your unkempt appearance. The man turns to throw Jade another scathing look, silently cursing the eel under his breath.

Despite your embarrassed and mortified state, Jade crouches down and whispers to you. "I'll get back to you later, my pearl."

F.L | FLOYD LEECH:

Huffing, you stormed out of the classroom with a towering eel hot on your trail. Before you could even round the corner, Floyd threw his arms over your shoulders and leaned his entire body against yours.

"Floyd! Get off! I'm still upset at you after that stunt you performed earlier!" You grumbled, your knees wobbling from trying to withstand his weight.

Floyd doesn't say anything and just slithers his arm around your waist, his teeth affectionately nibbling the exposed flesh of your neck. His annoyingly handsome face was plastered with a smug smile. He knew he was a menace, and he was proud of it.

Professor Trein's lectures were absurdly long, and you can imagine how bored the eel gets during his classes. The issue is that he's decided to turn you into his new source of entertainment. He kept poking you with a pencil, handing you tiny messages on crumpled notebook paper, and kicking you with his foot. The eel had even sneakily placed his hand on your thigh at one point, drawing patterns and words with his fingertips while pretending to listen to the lecture.

You squirmed and tried to shake your way out of his grasp. Your lover snorted at your pitiful escape attempts and tightened his grip on you.

"Neh~ Shrimpy, this hallway isn't my vibe at all. Let's go somewhere else!" Floyd pulls you into an empty classroom, kicking the door shut. He pushed you against a desk, slamming his hands on either side of you.

All of a sudden, his mood changes. The eel leans down to murmur into your ear, his breathy voice sending shivers up and down your spine.

“That class was so boringg. I can't help it that shrimpy's squirming is much more entertaining~” Floyd laughs, nudging his head against your cheek.

That little nudge was all that it took to get you to lower your guard, allowing him to strike and press his lips on yours.

Floyd's hands raked themselves up your back, his thumb rubbing circles onto the nape of your neck. He gave you one final kiss while grinning before stepping back to give you some room to breathe.

“Hm~? I thought you were still mad at me.” Floyd says as you lean in to chase his lips. You clicked your tongue and grabbed his collar, pulling him close to your face. This time, you take the lead and Floyd eagerly follows suit with a giddy smile on his face.

The loving moment between you two lasts for a few minutes before the door to the classroom slams open.

"Floyd! I've been calling your phone for the last hour!" Both Azul and Jade appeared. Azul looked as if he just ran a marathon, his flushed skin having a faint red tint to it. Jade was as composed as ever and stood behind the octoboss, sending you and his brother a knowing look.

“So what?” Floyd blinks, indifferent to Azul's anger. He just truly doesn’t find anything wrong about skipping his job and showering you with some love and affection.

"What do you mean 'so what'!? You promised me you would take the morning shift! We agreed on this!" Azul scolded, banging his fist against the door. But with his face twisted up like he'd just swallowed a lemon, it was hard to take him seriously.

"I don't want to gooo…" Floyd wailed as he sat down with you on the floor. He collapsed on the ground and drew you into his arms, ignoring Azul's shouts. You cuddled against him, sighing, for there was no way out.

This was your fate.

Likes and Reblogs are greatly appreciated and really motivating on my end!

[yuurei20]

Overblot Member Fact Compilation Cont. (Post 1 (Riddle) / Post 2 (Leona))

・In-game Canonical Facts Here -> Azul Ashengrotto

"He looks a little more mature than the other second year characters.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing, he often wears a pleasant albeit forced smile. Get to know him better and there might be times he laughs sincerely

Like Riddle, he’s not good at dealing with the unexpected.

I think he is the champion in the 'hair that is difficult to draw' category. If you don't start with a rough outline of the silhouette and then draw it in, the right side will almost certainly come out too big…"

- Toboso Yana, Twisted Wonderland Magical Archives Game Guide

"Azul doesn’t have glowing suction cups like the live-action Ursula. The glowing element design around live-action Ursula’s neck is so luxurious, like a glamorous marabou…"

- Toboso Yana, Twitter (2023/4/19)

"The way Ursula swims and her glowing suction cups are amazing… Azul and the Leech brothers have glowing elements in mermaid form, but the way you can just briefly glance the glowing of live-action Ursula’s tentacles as she swims is so cool! I want to see the full version soon."

- Toboso Yana, Twitter (2023/5/18)

About Octavinelle's dorm uniform:

"The uniform design is based on the employees of a jazz music lounge. Since Ursula wears a stylish black dress, I made the design simple, respectful and mature. The three mermaids enjoy dressing up, wearing well-tailored clothes and dressy shoes that fit their feet perfectly, now that they finally have feet.

Their hairstyles were designed based on what would look best with a hat."

- Toboso Yana, Twisted Wonderland Magical Archives Game Guide

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Azul Ashengrotto - Platinum Jacket Voice Lines

When Summoned: Priceless artwork like the halls as far as the eye can see... This is a fantastic opportunity to polish up my artistic sense of appreciation.

Summon Line: Basking in the fine arts is a fine way to forge your imagination. We should learn well from this and enjoy this very worthwhile time together.

Groooovy!!: Love is wonderful. There is no end to the troubles that come from it, so it's quite a favorable emotion for those of us who impart counsel.

Home: How splendid this 100th Anniversary is.

Home Idle 1: Floyd's freewheeling behavior doesn't change even at a museum. He may be a moray eel, but he is nothing like either of the two who served the Sea Witch.

Home Idle 2: I saw Vil-san looking at a painting intently, and when I asked what he was doing, he said he was studying the beautiful posture. He truly is a professional.

Home Idle 3: It is an exhilarating feeling when a piece of work you had your eye on increases in value. It confirms my intuition was on the money, as it were.

Home Idle - Login: If any painting catches your interest, please don't hesitate to ask me about it. I do take art as one of my courses. I may be able to briefly explain it to you.

Home Idle - Groovy: Jamil-san seems to have an expert eye for art. I'll make sure to stay friendly with him.

Home Tap 1: I hear the Lord of the Underworld was a shrewd dealbroker. Not only would I love to hear his stories, I would also love to get my hands on documentation with any details!

Home Tap 2: Many entrepreneurs hold some artistic hobby of some kind. Knowledge of art, literature and music can be very useful when it comes to business discussions.

Home Tap 3: If Ortho-san were to use his sensors, I'm sure it would be quick work to identify any forgeries... If given the opportunity, I should inquire him about that.

Home Tap 4: I wonder just how many of the merfolk the Sea Witch helped. She was one of the greats, I would not be surprised if the count was in the hundreds... No, the thousands.

Home Tap 5: This shell is based on the one worn as a necklace by the Sea Witch. Isn't it just grand?

Home Tap - Groovy: Oh my, I see how your eye shines so... If you've taken a liking to that painting, I shall order a reproduction for you. At a discounted price, of course.

Duo: [AZUL]: This is quite the dire predicament, Jamil-san. [JAMIL]: Doesn't seem to me like you're worried one bit, Azul.

Birthday Login Message: Oh, have you come to request something of me? It would be my pleasure! Please, tell me what it is you'd like. No matter how difficult the task, once it is entrusted to me... Eh? You'd like to prepare a birthday card for me? ...Heh, I think you'll find that person a difficult one to please. But very well, may I ask what message you'd like on the card?

Requested by @pianostarinwonderland.

[siren-serenity]

are you taking requests? if yes could you do a sub azul fic? thanks!

SUB! AZUL ASHENGROTTO

"my pretty boy," you whisper, running a light finger down azul's naked chest. the merman flushes a deep purple, looking anywhere but in your direction, making you tut. "what's wrong, love? don't like me saying you're pretty?" you hum, pressing a kiss to his sensitive neck, smirking when azul lets out a low groan. "i just...don't feel like i deserve all this," he mutters under his breath but you hear him all too clearly. you thrust into him again, making him let out a small scream of surprise before it turns into a moan. "my" thrust "beautiful" thrust "boy" thrust

characters: azul ashengrotto, gn!reader (has a cock but can be a strap on) warnings: nsfw, dom/sub relationships, use of the word 'pussy' a/n: - the amount of sub!azul requests i get make me laugh teasingly, we all love a subby azul, don't we ;) - feedback is appreciated!

Seeing Azul Ashengrotto sob his pretty eyes out on your bed makes your heart burn with vigor and anger. His Mostro Lounge suit is wrinkled and frumpled; his hat was thrown onto your floor in what seems like anger. Who dared to mess with what you claimed as yours? By the Sevens, when you find out who did this, they'll have to pray for mercy.

You come close, setting your bags down by the door side before shutting it. Enveloping his fragile frame in your arms and burying your face in his scent never fail to calm your raging thoughts, although they remained in the back of your mind.

Your thumb wipes another tear from his lavender eyes and Azul finally looks you in the eyes - bloodshot teary eyes meeting eyes lit with flames of fury.

"Who did this?" You hissed out. Azul sniffs and the sound alone breaks your heart.

"N-no one," He stutters. "It's just another day at the Lounge...you don't need to get so upset about it."

Azul stifles another sob but you cradle his chin in your hands like he is the greatest treasure in the depths of the sea.

"Love," You croon, pressing a kiss to his lips, swallowing another sob. Your tongue briefly teases him until you part, continuing your sentence. "You know I would do anything for you, hmm?"

He nods shyly. You trace random lines on his chest, making his breath hitch.

"What do you need right now? Comfort or revenge?"

Azul clenches your wrists tightly and bats his wet eyelashes from his eyes. "C-comfort. Can you please...make love to me? Make me feel special?"

Your eyes soften before lifting Azul's body gentling and straddling his waist. With a flick of your pen, his and your clothes disappear and goosebumps raise on your skin.

Two fingers to his mouth and Azul opens it obediently. He sucks them, blushing and not meeting your eyes, before separating his lips with a pop! sound. Saliva coats your fingers and you press them to his entrance.

A low moan escapes Azul's mouth as he feels your fingers entering him and stretching him open. His back arches as your fingers scissor him open, heated gasps leaving his lips. His walls fluttered and squeezed your fingers, making them wander for the right spot...his prostrate.

You feel yourself harden at the dazed look in Azul's eyes before using your other hand to find the lube. Lathering yourself generously, you let the tip of your cock briefly touch his pussy before meeting his eyes. He nods, abliet shyly and you slowly push yourself into him, inch by inch.

Azul gasps and whines, throwing an arm over his red face as he continues to moan lewdly. The red blush on his face makes you want to kiss him so badly - and you do, swallowing his pretty moans and tongues fight for dominance before he surrenders willingly. His hisses and little hitches of pain are swallowed by you and at last, you can feel your cock completely swallowed by his walls. They clench and squeeze you so nice and snug and you bury yourself in Azul's scent to prevent yourself from thrusting wildly into him like he was your fleshtoy.

"Fuck..." You murmur. "You feel too good around me. Perfect."

Azul's legs wrap around your waist and pull you in closer, making you let out a surprise hmph!

"Fuck me," He moans. "I need you!"

Your hands grab onto his waists, leaving bruises behind but neither you nor him care. Your hips begin thrusting in and out of him slowly to get him used to it but a quick "faster!" from Azul made you growl underneath your breath.

"Azul, you can't do this to me," You groaned and begin thrusting into him. "Fuck- your walls are clenching around me so well, you feel so fucking good around me!"

Azul only holds onto your biceps and his legs come up to wrap around your waist, making your cock delve deeper into him. In this position, you're closer to him, face only centimeters away. Like a moth drawn to a flame, you leaned in to kiss him and he obliged with happiness. His hands, which used to be fisting the bedsheets to prevent the whines and moans from slipping, loosely hung around your neck, playing with the edges of your hair as he kissed you.

"I can't- I'm about to-" Azul broke the kiss with a moan, throwing his head back into the sweaty sheets. You panted, feeling the familiar heat in your abdomen.

"Cum for me," You murmured into his ear before nibbling at his earlobe. That seemed to do the trick, making Azul let out a long, drawn-out moan before his walls tighten around you like a vice, making a groan escape your lips as you bury yourself deep in him.

"Perfect," You kiss him on the lips before peppering his dazed face. "Absolutely perfect."

Azul Ashengrotto just gently smiles as you carefully pull out of him to grab towels.

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

"Yuu-Yuu hurt." Part 12

Part 1 | Part 11 | Part 13

The mad scientist is dragged away by magical officers and the boys are brought to the police station, where they give their statements. Now that they're safe and Yuu is being seen by capable adults, the adrenaline tapers off and exhaustion seeps in. Most of them fall asleep as soon as they sit down in the waiting room.

Those who are still awake don't say anything to each other or whoever enters the waiting room. They instead look out the window, noticing the still dark skies, or impatiently glance at the clock, wanting the shuttle bus to arrive already so he could sleep and put the whole damn night behind him. It's still unbelievable what had happened, and the sleep-deprived haze makes it seem like a wild nightmare.

The entrance slides open. In walks Sebek, Ortho, Grim, and the teddy bear. Epel roughly shakes Deuce and Ace awake as the Diasomnia trio quickly approach Sebek. "Has there been any issue?" Malleus asks.

"No. Yuu was brought safely to the mages."

The tension in the room lessens. "That is excellent news. Thank you all for your efforts."

Sebek, despite his exhaustion, beams while Ortho says that it wasn't a problem. They are all ushered to a chair or waved over to an empty spot. Grim plops into a seat beside Ace and the teddy bear sits next to him. Before the First Years can ask Grim and the teddy bear for details, the two suddenly collapse against each other and free fall into sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He and the others are in the warehouse-like room.

Yuu and the ink monster are screaming. It leaps towards some classmates to his left. He moves away, readying a spell and shooting it.

COUGH COUGH

Yuu is doubled over, a hand covering their mouth as the other hand grips their knee. Ink seeps between their fingers, and when they take a trembling breath and raise their head, it leaks from their eyes like tears. Somehow, despite the distance, he hears them exhale. . . and then their eyes roll back and they fall to the floor.

The ink that trickles out of their mouth seems to have a red shine. He doesn't have time to yell for them because in a moment, the ink monster is above them and its body is falling apart, much like a rapidly melting candle. He raises his wand with a spell on his tongue--

An ink stained hand grips his wrist. He turns and his breath leaves his lungs. A familiar face grins back at him. Garbled words echo in his ears that bring with them unbearable discomfort and nausea.

"They must become one of us, or else they don't belong."

He yells something back while wrenching his hand away, either a "No they don't" or "Shut up!" The familiar face only cackles and points behind him.

Half of Yuu's body is inside the broken glass head of the ink monster. Pupiless eyes bore into his own. "No."

The rest of the body is sucked further in. He thinks he hears a raspy groan, but it's overcome by a loud, disgusting slushing sound like worms writhing.

He wants to hurl.

He wants to cry.

He feels so useless.

"YUU!!!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ace's eyes snap open, heart racing like when he and the others had fled from the ink monster in the mines from a long time ago. His eyes land on a mini basketball hoop hanging high against a red and black irregularly striped wall. Right beside his head and slightly obscured by a scarlet cotton curtain, is an armoire so goofily curved it's like it came straight out of a whimsical tale. He's back in his bedroom; he remembers trudging to the Mirror Chamber after getting off the shuttle bus, bumping into someone or a chair or something, and then nothing.

Something moves against his chest. He realizes his arms are crossed and holding onto a soft but firm thing. He looks down and meets the beady black eyes of Yuu's sentient teddy bear. "Ace okay?" it asks.

His mind flashes back to a conversation from last night.

"I've been thinking about this for a while," Ortho said, pulling all attention to him. "I'm sure most of us know this by now, but for those who don't: Yuu's teddy bear has an unusual ability that lets it know when Yuu gets injured and where they are. Yuu has been held captive for three weeks, and during that time, the teddy bear was acutely aware that they were injured and hidden in that forest."

"I can't imagine what it would be like to be it during those weeks, knowing that someone it deeply cares about is so close but out of reach. I'm afraid of trying to run a simulation."

The teddy bear nuzzled closer to Grim, who hugged it tighter. "I must confess, it's impressive it didn't have a breakdown during those weeks," Jade said. "It's made me wonder what it would have done if none of us had tried searching for Yuu ourselves."

"Yeah, I'm okay." Before Ace realizes it, he's petting the teddy bear's head. It accepts the affection and leans into his hand.

He hears some muttering behind him. Holding the teddy bear more securely to his chest, he rolls over. He lets out a scoff; Grim had somehow ended up upside down and his tail was in Deuce's face. He starts to laugh when Grim's tail flicks and hits the Spade student, but quickly stops when Grim mutters almost tearfully, "Yuu, don't die!"

Ace then notices the damp fur around Grim's eyes and how hard Deuce was grinding his teeth (he was actually afraid Deuce was going to chip a tooth this time). He gets out of bed and feels dull soreness in his joints and muscles. Any open wounds had been small and treated at the police station; simple bruises were left alone. He trudges to the other side of the room with the teddy bear in one arm. "Deuce. Deuce! Grim! Wake up!"

As expected, nothing. He suddenly remembers the other roommates and glances over, but finds the beds empty. Come to think of it, what time was it?

Putting the teddy bear on the bed, Ace places a hand on Grim's tummy and reaches over to grab Deuce's shoulder. He yells their names and shakes them, which manages to startle them awake. "Phew. About time."

Deuce blearily looks around as Grim slowly sits up. He sighs, relieved. "It was only a dream."

"Let me guess, dreaming about last night?"

"Yeah. You were too, right?"

"How could I not? It was more stressful than dealing with the other Overblots."

"It was." Deuce sighs again, but then squints at Ace. ". . . Were you crying?"

"Huh?!" He touches his cheek. Tears had dried on his face, mixing with red makeup when they were still fresh. Deuce was the same, having black makeup smudged down his cheek. Grim is touching his own face and seems surprised that he too had cried in his sleep. "Guess I was."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notices were sent to the boys' phones: once the school day had ended, all of them needed to report to the auditorium in person. Ace was dreading the lecture he and the others were sure to be getting, but the dread worsened upon seeing all the homeroom teachers standing beside a seriously stern headmaster. For the next however many minutes--which felt more likes hours--the headmaster scolded the students for being so reckless and other things. With how much anger and exasperation was behind the headmaster's words, it brought Ace back to the time he and Grim got yelled at for scorching the Queen of Hearts statue. The homeroom teachers' disapproving glares, combined with sitting in the front row, made Ace sweat and try to look anywhere but the front.

"I'm especially appalled by the dorm leaders and the vice dorm leaders," Crowley said, and the underclassmen were a little relieved that they weren't targeted anymore. "The fourteen of you--especially the dorm leaders and those with upstanding social positions--should have known better than to partake in such a highly consequential folly! Whatever you or anyone has to say on this matter will not excuse the danger you have allowed yourselves and others under your care to be in."

There was a moment of tense, suffocating silence. Crowley huffed. "That said, I can't say I'm not proud of you all."

"HUH?!"

It was like a switch had flipped: Crowley was smiling at the students now and exuding joy. "You all banded together to search and rescue one of your peers. Not only did you do just that successfully, but you also saved the other kidnap victims and kept them safe while there was an Overblot incident. You all showed such capability during a dangerous situation and so much care for one of your own--it brings tears to my eyes!"

"I know you said there was no excuse for what we just did, but we really couldn't sit around waiting for something to happen," Kalim said.

"And of course, we couldn't turn down the plead of their dear teddy bear to find them, not when they mean so much to it," Azul said, a palm to his chest to express "sincerity".

Glances were cast towards the teddy bear. It was silently staring out the window.

Crowley put his hands on his hips. "Al-Asim, Ashengrotto, I trust you both won't make the same lapse in judgment during your time as students?"

"Ah, well--"

"If you make the same decision as the one you took for rescuing Yuu next time, it could end terribly. It goes the same for all of you. No matter what happens, do not run blindly into danger. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," the students choired.

"Headmaster, could I ask you something?" Ace asks. "Have you made any progress at all in finding Yuu a way back home?"

The headmaster clearly wasn't expecting the question--the lights in his eyes seemed to widen and his mouth parted in surprise. The homeroom teachers turn to look at him; it seems they were curious to hear his answer too. In a moment, he was collected, but there was a sort of shaky undertone that undermined it. "Well, to be quite honest, I've been unable to make as much progress as I wanted given the hectic events this school year. I did offer them some pointers on where to look for possible answers, but their circumstance is unique. It would be an arduous and long process finding anything useful."

"Of course it would be! They don't know a lick about magic," Grim argues. "And you haven't made any progress at all because you were busy goofing off."

The lights in Crowley's mask narrow and grow brighter. "I beg your pardon? Is that any way to speak to your headmaster, who works diligently to ensure this school runs well and maintains its prestigious reputation? This sort of work is no easy feat, especially since there are so many misbehaving and reckless students to watch over."

"When winter break came around, you were ready to go vacationing and forgot all about finding Yuu a way home," Grim says.

"Headmaster Crowley, is that true?" Professor Trein asks, fixing him with a stern glare.

When Crowley started to seem shifty, Professor Trein snapped at him and a low growl came from Lucius. "Did you leave alone two students on campus with no means to get food for themselves and no supervision? I advised you numerous times to have them placed in an inn at the foot of the hill. What if something happened to them?"

"I've also been wondering, what did you find in your research of returning Yuu back to their world?" Professor Crewel asks.

"It's as I said before: not as much progress as I wanted."

"So basically, you found jack shit," Floyd says, which causes many heads to snap his way and Crowley to make an offended sound. The headmaster doesn't manage to get a word in when someone speaks up.

"If you're having trouble with searching, you could always ask for help," Kalim suggests.

"I'm sure finding information about crossing universes is by no means an easy task, but surely you could have been transparent about your progress?" Azul points out.

"Ah, that. . ." For the next hour or two, Crowley was in an uncomfortable position.

[merakiui]

there was a time during this past winter holiday when i returned to my hometown,,,, i ran into the mother of an old childhood friend of mine and she was so sweet. she told me, "oh, you've grown so much! you're so pretty! so beautiful!" and it shocked me because i hadn't seen her since i was a child, yet she was just as i recalled. we got to chatting briefly and she told me her son worked at xx location and was doing well for himself (in studies). i was happy to hear good news. :D

i thought it was a welcome surprise to talk after such a long time, but then she told me she still kept my photo pinned to her fridge and that she thinks it's such a darling picture. i had forgotten about it because it was so long ago, but then i thought: wouldn't azul's mother do a similar thing? keeping photos of azul's friend and doting on them when they meet again and she sees how much they have grown since...

the idea of mama ashengrotto who keeps all of the photos she has of you from the times you were friends with azul!!!! some in her photo album and perhaps even some around her home. >w< doting on you when you eat at the restaurant and she sees you again after so much time. mama ashengrotto sending azul out to be your waiter and he stops short when he sees you!!!!!!! a reunion of childhood friends after time apart... orz

[moonlit-midnight]

One More Happy Ending

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech.

Genre: Remarriage, Romance, Mild angst.

Summary: In which your sick husband asks you to remarry as his final wish.

Warnings:

Character death in the first part. Reader is a female, has a child with Jade and has long hair.

The wedding setup is inspired by one of my fave movies.

—

“If I would die today, my darling, I would die knowing that your life was my life’s best part. I would remember that you were the heart that kept me alive.”

Hanging your head low, you desperately held back the unshed tears from falling.

You couldn’t look at your husband without crying because looking at him in that state shattered your heart into pieces.

His illness took a toll on him, but despite being on the brink of death, Jade Leech never lost his smile. His dazzling smile that rivaled the shine of the sun was still present.

“I have one last wish. Would you hear me out and fulfill it, my love?”

“What is it, sweetheart?” you got up from the chair, taking the empty space beside him on the hospital bed.

“I wish you all the happiness in the world, so after you move on from my death, I want you to marry Azul.” Jade held your hand, his grip was tight as if his life depended on it. “Once you get married, don’t feel guilty about it.”

He paused briefly, bursting into fits of coughing.

“I know that you love Azul as much as you love me, and he loves you too more than anything.”

Another pause ensued, followed by a weak sigh, then eventually his body went limp and still in your hold.

Minutes later, Dr. Riddle Rosehearts, the doctor in charge who was also your longtime friend rushed inside the ward, his expression heartbroken and crestfallen.

“I pronounce Jade Leech dead. Time of death 10:04 A.M.” He announced tearfully as he pulled you into a consoling hug. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

After Riddle left, you stared at your deceased husband, allowing your tears to flow freely.

After weeping for a long time, a faint smile embraced your lips as you recalled what Jade told you a week ago.

My darling wife, when I leave this world, I hope you’re here beside me.

I hope I look peaceful with the sun shining down on me.

Indeed, Jade died while you were by his side, looking serene and at peace, as if he never suffered from an illness.

He died in a sun-lit room, his face glowed beautifully beneath the mellow sunlight of the autumn season.

“Thank you for sharing your love and your life with me. You made my dreams come true, and I am forever grateful.” you smiled, brushing one last kiss on his face.

★ —

As you and Azul placed a bouquet of violets in front of Jade’s gravestone, a painful pang struck you like a bullet.

Seven years flew by since you lost Jade, and the heartache was still there.

When he died, you and Azul couldn’t tuck him in your hearts because he couldn’t fit.

He died young, and before his time, so you couldn’t seal him away like that because sealing meant forgetting.

“I loved Jade from the moment I met him. We were like long lost soulmates who finally found each other.” you said softly, gazing at the wide, blue sky.

“He was really a great friend.” Azul chimed in, smiling afterwards.

Despite not moving on from his death, you and your best friend still managed to find new happiness and new beginnings.

You lived a joyful life with your daughter whom you were expecting when Jade passed away.

She was named Daisy, in loving memory of your late husband who always gifted you bouquet of daisies during your dates.

She was born five months after his death, and she was seven years old at the moment.

Daisy was the female version of Jade.

She had the same glimmering mismatched eyes and gorgeous teal hair except hers was wavy, and the way she smiled was exactly like him.

She was a little prankster and mischievous like her uncle Floyd, and she enjoyed teasing you a lot.

She was your light when all hopes were lost, and that’s what you loved about her the most.

★ —

“Uncle Azul!” Daisy clung onto Azul’s leg.

Although the latter was busy baking, he still acknowledged the girl.

“Yes, my little flower?”

“When will I start going to an elite school like NRC?”

“When you turn sixteen.” Azul glanced down at her.

“Hmph, still a long way.” Daisy pouted.

He lifted her in his arms, and with a grin, he smeared a blob of icing on her tiny nose.

“Gee uncle, why do you always smear icing on my nose every time you bake?”

“Because I love you.” The silver haired man smiled, lightly pinching the child’s cheeks.

“And I love you more than mama.” your daughter giggled, putting her small arms around Azul.

“Daisy Leech, how dare you say that!”

They froze upon hearing your voice. They turned around, only to see you glaring at them in a playful manner.

“Oh, hey dear best friend.” Azul grinned.

“Tsk, you and your stupid grin.”

“Uncle’s grin is not stupid!”

“Just kidding.” you chuckled as you stood beside Azul.

While watching him putting icing on the blueberry cake which he usually baked during Sunday mornings, you felt your daughter tugging on your sleeve.

“Mama and uncle Azul, can we sit down for a few minutes? I have something to tell you.”

Upon hearing that, the man set down the icing nozzle as he sat on the floor, and you followed suit.

“Last night someone visited me in my dreams. I think the man was my late father.” said your daughter. “He asked me if uncle Azul is treating us well. I told him yes, and I told him that he makes mama so happy. Father seemed relieved hearing my answer.”

“Uncle Azul, I know it’s not my place to say this, but will you do the honor to marry my mama, and adopt me?” The girl reached for your best friend’s hand, her eyes glistening. “I always considered you a family, but I want us to be a real family.”

It wasn’t shocking hearing such thing from your child, but you didn’t expect that she would bring this topic in the open one day.

“I would be happy to marry your mother and have you as my daughter, but only if your mama is okay with it.” Azul glanced at you, a gentle smile adorning his face.

“Of course I’m okay with it.” you returned the same smile, feeling a new love blooming in the empty space in your heart.

★ —

(Two years later)

Today was supposed to be your another big day, but it was postponed due to a small incident.

Three days ago, you were hanging out with your daughter in your treehouse, and while heading down, you missed a step and fell down.

The treehouse wasn’t high, but it still left you with one twisted ankle.

You weren’t upset, but you were a little sad that your wedding was postponed until you recovered.

Unbeknown to you, your friends already planned everything.

“Rise and shine. You gotta get ready.” Floyd gently shook your sleeping figure awake.

“Get ready for what?” you mumbled before fluttering your eyes open.

“For your wedding.” Floyd leaned forward, a big grin plastered on his face.

“What wedding are you talking about? It’s postponed for a week.”

Floyd could only giggle, looping an arm around your body to help you get up.

Once Floyd was done with your makeup and your other friends helped you dress up, you headed to the wedding venue.

You could swear that your friends were creative.

With a permission granted from the hospital administrators, a makeover was done to the hospital’s cafeteria, turning it into a wonderful wedding hall.

“You guys really did this?” you marveled at the beauty of the place.

“Yeah, and Azul helped too.”

“W-what? He really did?”

“I know that he’s the groom, but it was honestly your man's idea in the first place.” Floyd winked at you.

Thrilled and giddy with excitement, you clamped a hand over your mouth to muffle your squeals.

“You’re one lucky lady.” Floyd remarked, chuckling softly.

★ —

Once all the invited guests arrived, your chosen wedding soundtrack started to play in the background.

Your right hand was in Floyd’s grasp, fingers interlaced, and your other hand was holding tight onto the crutch.

“Scared?” He asked quietly, his thumb brushing your knuckles to calm your nerves.

“Not at all.” you beamed a smile. “Just make sure I won’t fall.”

“You won’t,” Floyd smiled back. “You have me.”

The two of you began walking down the aisle, heads high, and postures calm and relaxed.

You looked beautiful in your simple yet stunning wedding gown, handpicked by Mrs. Leech, your previous mother-in-law.

Your hair was curled, radiating beneath the lights, and a pretty crown of blue daisies sat atop your head.

You teared up when you neared Azul, and you almost cried when you spotted your beloved nine year old daughter in the front row, cheering for you.

“I’m so happy for you, mama.” she said, smiling brightly.

★ —

“Do you, Azul Ashengrotto take (...) to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her and cherish her to the end of your days?”

Azul looked at you, drowning into your gaze, and your enchanting smile spared him a breath.

“I do.” He exclaimed as he placed the ring on your finger. “From this day forward, I promise you that even when the skies tear apart, even when the sun burns out and the lights go out, I will love you to whatever end awaits us.”

The man who officiated the ceremony turned to you.

“Do you, (...) take Azul Ashengrotto to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him and cherish him to the end of your days?”

“I do.” you responded, eyes glittering like gemstones. “From this day forward, I vow to share my love, my happiness and my sadness with you. As long as we shall live, I will be here for you, for love and death go together.”

The man announced. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

As soon as you and Azul shared a kiss, the room erupted with clapping, gleeful cheers and cheerful squeals.

Some had happy smiles on their faces, and some had tears of joy in their eyes.

It was a heartwarming feeling seeing the guests genuinely happy and excited for you, but what mattered the most at the moment was the two of you.

Under the bright blue skies, you found a home in each other, and you’d never be apart.

For you and Azul, home was never a certain place.

It was anywhere as long as you were together.

[ashimetsu]

Heatstroke 【Reader x Azul Ashengrotto】

: ̗̀➛ The outdoors are far too hot for Azul to focus on flight lessons. Instead, he has a plan to skip out and spend some time with you instead : ̗̀➛ Fluff and smut, sly and snarky Azul, reader is fem : ̗̀➛ 1.2k words : ̗̀➛ [a/n]: hope the guy who watched over my shoulder the whole plane ride liked this one as much as i do. props to him for the beta read :D

Inventory turnover, return on assets and an upcoming history of magic exam lay heavy on Azul’s mind. Although solved with a few hours of solitude, keeping Mostro Lounge afloat while dealing with customer issues and overseeing Octavinelle as housewarden has Azul occupied. To top it off, flight lessons happened to be after potionology. While already a dreadful hour, the late summer heat of September has Azul dreading being soaked in sweat.

You notice Azul's brow furrowed next to you, creasing his otherwise smooth and unblemished skin. A slight nudge from you perks his head up and relieves some of the tension built in his face. You flash a gentle smile his direction and Azul quickly fires back a smirk. It's amazing how quickly a glance can change his face from perturbed to cunning. Before you let that thought fester, you bring your attention back to the front of the class. Whatever Azul has planned, he can wait to tell you after class. The most benevolent student would never distract you from your studies, right?

As you make your way from class to the locker room to prepare for flight lessons, a gloved hand grasps your forearm. The material, size, shape, and force of the hand tells you exactly who it is: the conniving octopus. If it wasn't for a sly smile placed evenly on his lips, you might have thought he was trying to hurt you with the strength of his grip. Perhaps in another context… you quickly banished that thought before things could get out of hand.

You yelped as Azul dragged you to a vacant classroom before you could even protest. Closing the door as swiftly as you both came in, Azul essentially tackled you against the wall. You almost believed there was some kindness left in him as he locked a soft gaze with your eyes for a moment before leaning in and taking your mouth with his own. Placing his hands lightly on your hips as you complacently wrap your arms around his neck, he persistently pressed against you. His soft lips dragged you in further, leaving no room for return. Swallowed by his kindness and warmth, you fall completely for his trap. Azul noticed you give up resistance and promptly seized victory. Gentle kisses turned rough as Azul grinded his thigh between your legs, claiming your moan as his prize.

"If you keep me here, you know we're both going to be late." you say breathlessly after forcing Azul away from your lips. Noticing the clock above the chalkboard, it had already been 10 minutes since class started.

"Did you think I didn't account for that?" he replies, gasping like a fish out of water. "After all, it's 90 degrees out, I might as well be sweating from working you over."

You huff a sigh before Azul goes back to being gentle, apologizing for skipping class with butterfly kisses. Once again, he feigns gentleness briefly before nipping your bottom lip. As he kisses you in apology, you gently moan his name again, eliciting another bite, harder this time. You open your eyes and see a tempest in his eyes, hungry for more of you, your body, your reactions. His hands, formerly resting at your hips, begin to travel up your torso, stimulating you ever so slightly. You move into his touches, craving more and more from the generous housewarden. As he explores your body with his hands, Azul makes no haste to plant kiss on your neck, nipping and biting gently, making sure to leave no marks. Maybe another day, another location. He pauses, hovering his mouth over your ear, his hot breath giving you shivers.

"My, my, I must be spoiling you… it's not too much, is it?" Azul whispers, fabricating innocence as his body stills against you. The loss of stimulation is killing you as you move against his firm body to try and get some feeling out of his cold heart.

"Mmmgh, please Azul… don't stop now…" you moan weakly into his shoulder, begging for something, anything, from the once-kind ruler in front of you.

"Your wish is my command, darling."

Suddenly, your senses become clouded with the stimulation; Azul's assault on your lips, his thigh rubbing slowly back and forth between your legs, and now his gloved hands crawling further under your blouse, rubbing small circles over your waist. You hate how he knows what makes you tick, the constant movement, the texture of leather on skin, his mouth traveling across your body, edging you, then immediately clocking back in on your body. Moans fill the empty classroom as Azul continues to work your body. You barely notice his right hand snaking past your waist, cupping your breast and squeezing slightly. You lean into Azul as he thumbs your nipple, feeling the bud firm. Craving more and more, you move in sync with him, creating a steady rhythm.

You feel Azul's hot breath panting against your neck as you look down and see tight creases in his otherwise neatly pressed pants. Quickly, you snake your hand and cup the noticeable bulge, earning a soft sigh from the other. Keeping up with Azul's rhythm, you rub him firmly, eliciting louder and more frequent moans. You press a kiss to Azul's cheek as you reach for his zipper, freeing his painful erection. Hearing his moans only turns you on more as you lube his cock with his own precum. You start slowly at the base, squeezing as you move up. The moans in the room have been almost completely replaced by Azul's, who's shaking and holding onto you for support. As you recover from his stimulation, you continue to drag your hand up and down his cock at a steady pace. With your free hand, you lift Azul's chin, which had been resting on your shoulder, and imprint his expression into your mind forever. It was one of bliss and pain, like he hasn't felt this much sensation in a very long time. You grinned and sped up while taking his face in your hand and pressing your lips together. This moment, with Azul's hands on your waist and breast, his thigh trembling against your wetness, moaning against your mouth while you stroke his face while jerking him off, is something of pure ecstasy for you both.

"I-I'm close…" he wimpered weakly against your mouth, and with a few quick pumps, he moans loudly as he spills over you both, soiling your school uniforms. You ride him out, pumping him through completely.

"Hah…hah… s-sorry, I didn't mean for this to go this far…" Azul sighs breathily into your shoulder, recovering from his high. He pushes up his glasses and releases you, smoothing out your blouse and fixing your hair from his reign of terror. You both rest for a moment, breathing each other's air and relying on the other for support. Azul moves to lean against the wall next to you, wrapping his arms loosely around your waist.

"I guess we can't go back to class after this, huh."

"Suppose not," Azul huffs. "Care for a shower in Octavinelle?" You hear the smirk in his voice.

"After this? I don't think I can trust you to keep your hands to yourself again." you retort with a playful pout.

"Rest assured, I would never pull a stunt like that in my own dorm, much less with Jade and Floyd around."

You don't believe him. Yet, you still found yourself spending the night in Octavinelle that night…

[obsoleteozymandias]

Pretty sure I saw somewhere you were familiar with Off by Mortis Ghost. May I humbly ask you for some headcanons of the dorm leaders with a reader that's Basically a Zone 1 elsen?

It's ok if you don't want to also

Anon ANON *grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you* I need you to know that this ask specifically is what made me return to my inbox today. 

Here’s what I’m thinking in terms of this: A reader would be a student with magic who is extremely shy, hardworking, and emotionally distant/blank. They don’t have much of a presence at school, and tend to blend in. 

But one day - everything happening to them (whatever it is, I’ll leave up to your imagination) leads to them overblotting, much like an elsen - their mouth spewing blot like smoke until it consumes their head and turns them into a specter/overblot form.

So for the sake of this ask, I’ll divide it into two parts per person: pre-blot and post-blot. I’ll also assume you’d be a member of their dorm. Also warning: this is long. 

== Twisted Wonderland Headcanons ==>

+Elsen!Reader

Riddle Rosehearts: 

Pre-Blot: Riddle notes your very shy personality quickly, picking up that you seem to actually be fond of rules and work. He admires your persistence, and finds a kindred spirit in your dedication to organization. But underneath that all…he gets the feeling there is an immense weight you carry on your shoulders, much as he did. He pays extra attention to you after that. 

Post-Blot: Riddle is the first to your aid after the blot. He’s the one in the infirmary, watching over you like a hawk. Some part of him thinks this is his fault. He’d gone through something similar, so why couldn’t he see the signs? 

As much as he despairs, when you wake and assure him you’d tell him anything and everything in the future, he seems to calm down. 

He’s at your side constantly after that, checking in on you and making not-so-subtle gestures to show he cares with a slight blush dusting his cheeks. 

Leona Kingscholar: 

Pre-Blot: Before you overblot, Leona honestly doesn’t even notice you exist, aside from noting the way you scurry about and wince at his shouts. He’s too busy being in charge, and dreading never being in charge of his own life. 

Post-Blot: Leona seems to take an almost analytical interest in you after you overblot. He was there in the infirmary briefly when you first woke, but after that he was scarce. Despite that, you’d catch him watching you from across the cafeteria tail swishing. 

Eventually, he corners you, and though you don’t grasp the whole talk due to being absolutely terrified of him, you come out of the conversation with a strange sort of mutual understanding. 

He’ll be on the lookout for you after that, and you can feel his eyes follow you wherever you enter a room. 

Azul Ashengrotto: 

Pre-Blot: Of course Azul knows your name, he knows everyone in his dorm (and everything about them he can leverage). You’re also one of the most diligent workers the lounge has seen in a long time, although you tend to fumble when talking to customers. Regardless, he acknowledges your hard work, although you rarely catch his eye. 

Post-Blot: Azul intentionally distances himself from you after your overblot. He suddenly seems to be busy whenever you’d normally speak to him, which, admittedly, wasn’t often. And yet you catch him staring at you more often, and your work shifts have lightened up, and suddenly you have a lot more free time. 

One of those times he invites you into his office, wherein he seems to…check in on you? But in a terribly roundabout and awkward way, like an estranged father. It’s awful, but by the end of it, he seems to be relieved to hear that you’ve recovered. 

Thus, weekly meetings in his office to just chat become a reguar thing. And soon, you even manage to talk about something other than work. 

Kalim Al-Asim: 

Pre-Blot: Kalim picks up on your antisocial and avoidant personality quickly. He won’t push you too much, but whenever he sees you he’s eager to invite you to this part or that party, whichever one! He just wants to see you smile, rather than the near constant grimace you seem to have on your face. Given his empathetic nature, though, and his past with Jamil’s overblot, he does begin to pick up on your exhausted wheezes and the empty look in your eyes just a little too late. 

Post-Blot: Kalim is at your side the instant you wake, and is showering you with attention and care all throughout your recovery. He makes sure you’re always comfortable, fed, and taken care of. He makes sure you want for nothing, and yet the guilt of having yet another person he was supposed to care for overblot weighs on him heavily. 

One night, as he talks to you about his day, he begins crying, unable to stop the guilt he’s been keeping inside. And when you reassure him and smile at him in that strange way you’ve always done, something in his brain clicks. 

You two are near inseparable after that, and even Jamil seems to get a bit of time off from watching Kalim as he hangs out with you. 

Vil Schonheit: 

Pre-Blot: Let’s be honest, no matter how beautiful you are, Vil will see you as an ill fit for Pomefiore at the beginning. Your constant dour mood, the way your shoulders slouch, and the strange way you don’t seem to talk in anything but a rasp not only unnerves him, but agitates him. He focuses on you like he does Epel, and though you follow his every word and command to a T, he can tell that there is something deeper beneath the surface. And one day, he pushes you just a bit too hard - if only to get a glimpse of whatever it is you have hiding under your strange demeanor. Chaos ensues. 

Post-Blot: Vil is in the infirmary when you wake up, but seems to be almost unaffected by what happened. For a few days, it's almost as if it never happened to him. And then one evening, he comes and sits next to you in your bed, and though its clear he had words prepared for this moment, he seems to lose them as he looks at you. And so he speaks from his heart. 

After your conversation, Vil keeps a watchful eye on you, and, much to his chagrin, he finds himself jumping to your defense at even the smallest slights or comments (in a very elegant and almost subtle manner). 

There’s an unspeakable bond between you two, in his mind. You followed in his destructive footsteps, and he’s determined to stop you from being hurt just as he had. He wants you to be better than him: to shine as he knows you were meant to do. 

Idia Shroud: 

Pre-Blot: Idia doesn’t seem to notice you at first, but between him being housewarden and your shared gloomy nature, you almost form a friendship with him, although it’s stunted and awkward. You’re one of the few people who he trusts to enter his room, and you soon have something of a routine of doing work together. You still jump when he laughs too loud, and sometimes his eccentricities freak you out, but he’s pleasant enough company for you. He assumes he’s done something wrong when you don’t show up for your hnag out time one day. Then he hears what’s happening, and his heart drops. 

Post-Blot: Idia is by your side before and after you wake up (well, at least his tablet is). He chatters to you in a way that concerns the other dorm heads, almost as if he’s afraid of what would happen in the silence between you two. He visits you in person when you assure him no one else is around, and you notice the dour look on his face, even more so than usual. 

Idia admits that he feels bad for not noticing the signs despite having overblotted himself, and seems to almost cave into his self-loathing in an instant. And yet you reassure him, and tell him it’s not his fault, and that you care about him, and that you’re glad he cares about you enough to visit. He insists, of course he’d visit you! You’re one of his best friends!

From there, you and him grow infinitely closer. Whether it’s eating breakfast together or playing games together, you two can be seen with each other at almost every hour of the day. 

Side note, but Ortho is delighted to see his brother attend class in person if only to sit next to you and chat face to face. 

Malleus Draconia (assuming pre-overblot for Malleus for the sake of simplicity here):

Pre-Blot: Malleus isn’t the kind to know every member of Diasomnia’s name. He’s busy, and more importantly, he’s important. Even if you wanted to speak to him, he’s got an entourage that would keep you away unless it was absolutely necessary (COUGH COUGH SEBEK COUGH). Lilia mentions your strange demeanour to him one day, and though he brushes it off, he does notice the slouch of your shoulders amongst the crowds of students, and the way you wheeze as you speak, as if life itself tired you out.

Post-Blot: Malleus isn’t much present after you overblot, being very occupied with his duties and studies, but strangely enough, Lilia is there at times. He seems to be watching over you for one reason or another, and though he does to cheer you up and help you recover, you suspect that he may have an ulterior motive. 

Malleus will check in with you shortly after you overblot, asking how you’re doing, genuinely interested in your wellbeing. He may be distant, but Malleus makes sure to listen intently, and even sends you an assortment of items to make you feel better. 

Just let it be known that when Malleus overblots, the Diasomnia dorm would be all the better off to have you in it.

[thehollowwriter]

Summary: Ace, trapped as an anenome, gets a new supervisor- Finn Clearcove. He's weird and awfully quiet, but Ace figures he can get him to lend a hand in this awful anenome situation. Surely nothing will go wrong, right?

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤)

The Quiet Octavinelle Student

Ace Trappola was not good at owning up to his errors. He was stubborn and headstrong, refusing to back down once he had made decision unless it was clear that it would affect him negatively.

Right now, though, was an exception.

Making a contract with Azul Ashengrotto was a mistake.

Ace let out a slow steady breath through his nostrils and closed his eyes. His heart would not steady in his chest, the dread and fear of being called to the VIP room for no specified reason overloading every other emotion.

Ace crossed and uncrossed his legs nervously, leaning against the cool black leather of the couch. It was so soft, so comfortable, and he would be sleepy if he weren't so stressed.

He glanced at the clock, swallowing. Azul should be here by now, dishing out a punishment for whatever stupid rule Ace had broken. Where was he? He had to feed the flamingos soon.

Regret pulled him deeper and deeper into an inky abyss of shame as he thought back on his previous life decisions.

Making a contract with Azul Ashengrotto for study notes was a mistake. His own dorm leader was the top student in the school and Trey-senpai had a miraculous way of helping others understand difficult topics

The help was right there. His salvation was right there.

Now he was stuck doing dishes, dealing with customers, cleaning the lounge or whatever other gruelling tasks had been set up for him and other anenomes.

Ace was just briefly beginning to consider getting up and running away when the door opened and Azul Ashengrotto entered the room with that swift but elegant stride of his. Ace gulped.

"Apologies for my tardiness, the dorm leader meeting took a lot longer than planned." Azul said matter-of-factly, taking a seat across from Ace.

"I suppose you are wondering why I called you here." He said, skipping the pleasantries. "And no you are not in trouble. This time."

Ace let out a sigh of relief and relaxed against his seat before straightening. "Then uh, what am I here for, boss?"

Azul shot him him a look and cleared his throat.

"You have a shift at Mostro Lounge on Sunday and unfortunately neither Jade nor Floyd will be there to supervise you. I am quite busy myself, so I have entrusted your care to another member of staff. My-" He paused, furrowing his brow. "Fourth in command if you will."

Ah. That.

One of the worst parts about being anenome, apart from his loss of free will and time, was the supervision.

Usually either Jade or Floyd, a pair of eyes would be on him at all times, watching him like a hawk and taking delight in punishing him if he messed up.

Ace shuddered at the memory of Floyd's wide toothy smile and tight suffocating grip.

Obviously whoever Azul had in mind to supervise him was going to be almost if not just as scary as those two and Ace was feeling queasy just thinking about it.

"H-Haha... okay. Sounds great..."

Azul's lips twisted into a smirk. "Don't sound so dejected. Finn Clearcove is far more pleasant than Jade and Floyd."

Okay. Ace had no idea who that was.

"Who?"

"Finn Clearcove." Azul pushed his glasses up his nose. "A second year. He's quite evasive so it's no surprise you haven't heard of him. I will introduce the two of you on Sunday and then we will go from there. Dismissed."

Ace scrambled to get up and bid his goodbyes, rushing to the door so he could get to Heartslabyul in time to feed the flamingos.

"Ace?"

Ace stopped and looked at Azul.

"Yeah?"

"Do tell the prefect to wash Grim more often, he's not a very useful sponge anymore."

Ace's heart jumped to his throat and he mumbled a shakey "y-yeah okay" and fled.

Ace arrived at Heartslabyul stressed, fed the flamingos stressed, told Deuce to shut up stressed, had supper stressed, and went to bed stressed.

He couldn't sleep that night. He couldn't sleep any night before a shift, but now it was worse because he... he had no idea who exactly would be watching over him tomorrow.

Azul said that Finn Clearcove was much more pleasant than the twins but... Azul was a strange guy with strange views on things. He couldn't be trusted.

Then again, he had also described Riddle and Trey as "pleasant".

Riddle... and... Trey.

Trey.

Ace's eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright.

Obviously Finn was an Octavinelle student, so he was probably fairly shady, but if Azul lumped him in the same category as Trey of all people than surely there was a chance at mercy? A chance at... freedom, perhaps?

A grin crawled its way onto Ace's face and stayed there, even as he lay back down again.

"Yeah." He said softly. "That'll work."

***

Ace arrived at Mostro Lounge bright and early, partly to avoid punishment and partly to impress his would be saviour.

Azul was waiting for him near the kitchen entrance, his eyes widening in slight surprise at Ace's early arrival.

"Ah you're on time for once, I see." The dorm leader drawled. "Excellent. Ace Trappola, this is Finn Clearcove. Finn, this is the first year you will be watching over."

Azul gestured to his right and Ace's eyes locked onto what was possibly the tiniest seventeen year old Ace had ever seen.

He was smaller than Riddle by a large margin, despite being very chubby, with large amethyst purple eyes and fluffy seaweed green hair.

Ace bit his lip to keep in a short joke, though short probably wasn't good enough to describe this guy.

"Pipsqueak would be more accurate." He thought.

Finn nodded his head in silent understanding, avoiding Ace's eyes and gesturing for him to follow him into the kitchen.

He then waved his pen and the kitchen uniform appeared in his hands and he began to put it on.

Aha so they would be cooking today!

Well, Ace wouldn't be. He wasn't trusted with any cooking equipment or food unless he took the masterchef course and had an additional training and safety course from either Azul or someone else from Mostro Lounge.

"You will be on dishes duty today." Finn said suddenly, pulling Ace from his thoughts.

His voice was soft and gentle like a cloud, but held a firmness that gripped his attention like a vice. The pointed edges of his teeth barely poked from his lips. Ah, so he was like Floyd and Jade.

He gestured to the sink. "Work fast. We have a busy day today, we can't afford filth piling up." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't. Break. Anything."

Ace was sure that, perhaps to like a twelve year old something, Finn was plenty intimidating. However it was incredibly hard to take him seriously when he was craning his neck to look him in the eyes properly.

"H- yeah okay." Ace barely suppressed a laugh and sent a mock salute Finn's way. "On it, sir!"

Finn quirked and eyebrow at him and carefully removed a pair of headphones from his pocket, almost suspicious of his enthusiasm.

Wait were those even allowed?

Finn put them on his head and secured his skullcap over it, careful to keep his bunned up hair fully covered.

"What's that for?" Ace blurted, his tone far more forced and accusatory than intended.

Finn stared at him for a few seconds before muttering "Noise."

He glanced past Ace.

"Sink" he said, and turned to begin prepping without another word.

"Weird." Ace thought, before noticing the overflowing the sink. "OH SHI-"

***

The first half of the shift was long and boring as always, dragging on forever as more and more plates, glasses, bowls and so on piled up next to the sink.

Ace's skin was soggy and wrinkly now, looking awfully prune-like. Honestly he wished he was rather doing homework and getting paper cuts than dealing with this.

Finn was... quiet. Really quiet. He barely uttered a word apart from a command or comment in that soft lulling voice of his.

The rest of the staff didn't seem bothered in the slightest. In fact, they worked like clockwork, unperturbed by Finn's avoidance of their eyes and quiet demeanour as they worked the kitchen for Sunday lunch.

When their breaktime came Ace felt joy like nothing before, slumping against the wall with a sigh of relief.

There was not much time to rest, though, as now was the prime time to get up close and personal with Finn, who was currently disappearing out the door and into the fray of students.

When Ace found Finn again he was leaning over the bar, sipping a brightly coloured mocktail and fiddling with his phone. His headphones were still on, though Ace couldn't hear anything playing.

The card soldier marched up to the bar and leaned across it, grinning at Finn.

"Hey, can I borrow some of your time?"

No answer.

Ace frowned. "Hello? Finn?"

No answer.

Finn looked up and gazed at the fish swimming around outside with distant longing eyes.

Ace rolled his eyes and waved a hand in front of his face.

"Oh for the love of- Hey! Earth to Finn! I'm trying to talk to you!"

There was a sudden blur of movement and Finn grabbed Ace by the wrist and wrenched his hand away with surprising strength, making the ginger let out a cry of surprise.

He turned his head and looked into Ace's eyes, really looked, and the intensity of his gaze was so potent it made a shiver run up Ace's spine.

"Usually when someone is wearing headphones it is a sign that they do not want to talk." Finn said slowly. His voice was still soft, but it danced on the edge of sharpness in a waythat made Ace gulp.

Finn's fingers tapped rhymically against the bar counter and he let out a breath through his nose and smiled a close-lipped smile.

"What can I do for you?"

Ace let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Okay, rocky start, but we can recover. It's fine."

"Look uh- Finn, you seem like a nice guy-"

"Really?"

"Yeah! I was wondering if you'd be willing to do me a favour."

In true Octavinelle fashion, Finn's eyes lit up in sudden interest.

"Is that so?" He asked, tilting his head head to the side. "What is it?"

"Would you be willing to put in a good word to Azul for me?" Ace spoke as carefully as he could manage, trying trying choose the best words possible. "You seem pretty chummy- ah, I mean close with him. Maybe he'll remove my anemone early? I'll do whatever you want if you'd be so kind to your junior. How's that sound, Finn?"

Finn sat back and stared at Ace before chuckling softly.

"Mister Trappola, I am one year your senior. I would advise showing a little respect before trying to garner favours from me."

Ace laughed nervously, sweat beading at his forehead. "Uh, sorry, senpai."

Finn let out a soft hum and nodded.

"Firstly." He said suddenly, peering at Ace. Those glistening amethyst eyes seemed... off somehow. Not quite right. "Before I do a favour for you- and decide what you will repay me with- you must earn mine."

Ace blinked. "Wha-"

"I'm not asking for much." Finn cut him off abruptly with that sweet gentle tone. "I would like you to do a few small jobs for me whenever you have the free time. Cover my waitering shifts, go on grocery runs, fetch me books, that sort of thing. How does that sound?"

That... wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Ace nodded slowly in agreement.

"Okay. You... also gonna take like my basketball skills or something?"

Finn blinked at him, surprised, before shaking his head. "No, I am not Azul. I cannot take skills or magic... at least not like he can. But I can do this. Here."

He took hold of Ace's right hand and linked it with his left in a firm unmoving handshake. Then he removed his pen from his pocket and tapped his wrist once, twice, three times.

A small dark purple pentagram flickered to life around their wrists, glowing faintly in the dim lighting.

Oh. So it was one of those things.

"So this is what you Octavinelle guys do if you don't have Azul's unique magic? Is this a second year spell?" Ace breathed, eyeing the magical symbol wearily.

"Oh no." Finn shook his head. "You will not learn that here. This was taught to me by my father. It is an ancient binding spell."

"Oh-"

"So here's the deal." Finn continued airily. "You do whatever favour I call in for me within the time frame I give you. If I'm satisfied I will consider granting you that favour, and you will pay me in return for questioning my own dorm leader for you. Is that clear?"

Ace paused and took a moment to think.

This was gonna be taxing.

This was gonna be a painful.

This was probably gonna be the second worst decision of his life.

But anything was better than being trapped here as a slave.

Ace nodded and wearily shook Finn's tiny hand, feeling very uneasy. He watched as the symbol glowed purple and dissipated.

"Senpai... what happens if I break my promise?" He asked, stomach churning. "I don't have a lot of free time in the day. I don't know if I'll be able to... to do it in time."

There was a beat of silence.

Finn smiled at him.

Then leaned forward.

And opened his mouth wide.

"I assure you it is worse than any punishment you can possibly imagine."

The words barely registered when the sight of Finn's mouth blurred out every other little thing.

Ace's eyes widened and he nearly threw up. Finn's teeth were... they weren't like Jade and Floyd's at all.

They were like needles qnd there hundreds of them, if needles were jagged,uneven, ong and horrendously sharp that is. If he were honest, it crossed the line of scary and went straight to ugly.

And horrifying.

"C-Cool cool cool." Ace's face had long since drained of colour. "I uh- gotta go to the bathroom. So you after the break-"

He got up and bolted for the bathroom, nearly tripping over himself and other people on the way. He ran into a cubicle and slammed the door shut, locking it behind him.

"Oh god." He whispered. His breakfast threatened to come up his throat. "Oh god oh god oh god what the hell was that? What hell is he? That's- that's not mermaid teeth. It can't be mermaid teeth, there's no way-?"

He was shaking, sweat dripping down his forehead and running down the back of his neck.

Why was he so afraid? Finn was a pipsqueak and had barely done anything apart from flash those creepy teeth.

Something, something about him seemed so... wrong. Unnatural. Was it his voice? Nobody talked like that. So softly. Like he had a sore throat.

"M-Maybe he was just... upset that I interrupted him and was trying not to yell at me.." Ace thought. "And I'm not used to non human students yet. Yeah, that's it. It's fine. It's all fine."

He forced a smile onto his face.

"I'm going to get rid if this anenome. It'll all be fine."

***

Back at the bar, Azul Ashengrotto got up from his seat on the other end of the table and made his way over to Finn with an amused smirk on his face.

"So you can finally perform form your father's spell, then?"

Finn turned to look at him with a grim expression, his face set dead serious. Then he barked a soft, high pitched laugh.

"Hah! No, of course not! It's a spell from the abyss. The midnight zone, as the humans call it. Ancient. Powerful. It's for too advanced for me, Papa is just exceptionally talented."

Azul shook his head, laughing as well.

"I see. Well, now that you've made your 'deal', how long will it take for the poor card soldier to satisfy you?"

"Oh..." Finn flashed another toothy smile at his boss. Azul didn't even flinch. "Most likely never. I am quite excited to see how long he can go before he slips up. Oh. And by the way-"

He raised the hand he used to grab Ace's wrist, smiling even wider

"-I have a new voice now~"

-End

......................................

A/N: I hope you guys and enjoyed learning and reading a bit more about Finn! Ace continues to suffer at my hands :)

Tagging: @krenenbaker @officialdaydreamer00 @jaylleoo14 @whspermy-name @the-banana-0verlord @minteasketches @azulashengrottospiano @distant-velleity @kitwasheree @cynthinesia @elysia-nsimp @theleechyskrunkly @twisted-wonderland-but-gayer @boopshoops @cyanide-latte @ramshacklerumble @jovieinramshackle @casp1an-sea more of the boyyyy