#enterpainment (Yugo)

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@enterpainment (Nobles Apples, Because We Need More Of Them)

Ever since the day Yugo managed to overload his inhibitor collar by sheer force of will, Rin couldn't stop thinking about it and what it meant for their current situation. All this time, she thought the work of her father and Dr. Faker was perfect, ones with no noticeable flaws to exploit. And yet, through sheer force of will and dragonic instinct, her retainer was able to break through the inhibitor and utilize some of his true powers in a moment when he thought she was in danger. She knew dragons were resilient and unpredictable creatures, but even she was caught off guard by the act.

It meant there was a chance, a chance at freedom at long last from this gilded prison she called home...

The following days were filled with almost nothing but reading, Rin studying every single book in the library she could find that might garner some useful information as to how to make a counter to her bracelet and his newly upgraded collar. She had always been the best student of the four teen Akaba daughters and her ability to absorb and gather information rivaled even that of Ray and Reiji, especially when she was motivated. And never in her life has she been so focused, for she had a true reason to learn.

Though, it didn't mean that such a process was simple. Distractions were plentiful, mainly coming from the pouting and confused dragon who accompanied her as she read. Yugo couldn't read human, meaning he could be of no help in the search of information. The girl could tell that bothered him. He's had a desire since day one to help her out in any way he can. More times than not it was either not needed or caused trouble, but his heart was in the right place and she wanted to give him a chance to do something than just sit and look like her like a kicked puppy.

That's when, after seeing a specific picture of a magical geode in one of her books, Rin gets an idea, one that would allow him a chance to contribute to their escape plan that no one would find suspicious.

"Yugo, I think I know now just what you can help me with." She grabs her book and stands up from her seat, moving instead to sit next to him on the floor. "You know how you're really good at finding things? Well, if we're going to make something to help us reach our goal, then we're going to need to find and gather a lot of special materials. And I don't think there is anyone I know who is better at that than you, Mr. Hoarder."

Rin then opens her book to the page she was on before she points to the picture of a blue geode with a green crystal inside. "Do you think you can find me this and bring it back to your treasure trove in my room? This estate has tons of enchanted nature materials that my father uses for his research, so I'm sure we have this somewhere. Probably near the waterfall pond if I had to guess."

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@enterpainment LMFAO

Permission to be silly once more

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@enterpainment Sent: A Dances and Balls starter (Accepting!)

"I didn't know you could dance!" [Yuya to Yuzu, nobles]

"So you were spying on us all, huh Yuya?"

Honestly, all the Akaba children had noticed the slight creeks in the door to the ballroom throughout the lesson. Considering the dragons had been attached to the hips of their respective charges most times, it does make sense they'd be nearby, even if they were not permitted inside the room. Though, she is sure they must have gotten bored waiting for them. The lesson spanned multiple hours, after all.

"But yes I can. Though, not nearly as well as Serena or Ruri. They're both naturals at it."

That made sense for Serena as she has always enjoyed dance, but the newest addition to their family's talent for the art form was quite something. She was as graceful as a bird, almost as if she was gliding on the dance floor with her practice partner. She was so good that if her emerald-eyed sister cared about couples dancing at all, then she'd probably start to get competitive with Ruri over it.

But Serena was a solo dancer, a lone wolf on the stage just as she was with everything. She was quite the opposite of Yuzu, who enjoyed performing with others. That's what made having someone like Yuya around so perfect. She had someone to perform with at last! Maybe they'd get the chance to perform in front of a crowd someday if Yuzu was given the chance to safely reveal her talent to the world.

"Man, my feet are killing me!" The girl sighs, flopping her back onto her large bed covered in a sprawling flowery pink duvet cover. "I might not be able to walk for the rest of the day!"

Honestly, she could pass out right then and there, but she had other things to ensure before she could rest. "Yuya? Could you please tell the dining staff I want to eat in my room tonight? I'd appreciate it."

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@enterpainment Sent: A Dances and Balls starter (Accepting!)

"Do you think anyone will notice if we slip away?" [Yugo to Rin, nobles]

To say Rin felt uncomfortable would be an understatement. Everything from her overly frilly and tight dress, to her gaudy makeup, to the nobles who reeked of snobiness and alcohol. All of it made her want to be anywhere but at this party. Thankfully, she wasn't alone tonight. Yugo was right there at her side, seeming just as uneasy as she was.

Things only got worse with Lord Akaba's announcement. Rin couldn't help but feel mixed about the whole thing. In one sense, it felt like poetic justice. For years, Ray has been exempt from the rule of their father. She's been given all the special treatment and not been under the same strictness the rest of them have. Her finally being subjected to it felt like a long time coming, yet she can't help but feel bad for her. After all, it was awful to have what was promised to you stripped away at the last minute.

As the young noble stood with her thoughts, eating one of the many appetizers that had been served by the wait staff, her focus shifted to her dragonic companion, stuffing his face with as much food as possible into his mouth. Usually, Rin would correct his horrible manners, but honestly? Tonight, she didn't honestly have the energy to put towards it. Plus, embarrassing her old man in front of all his friends and colleagues was always a bonus.

"Normally I'd say yes, but..." Amber eyes look over to the center of the room, staring at the sight of her sister trying to manage the flopping fish, Shingo Sawatari, on the dance floor. "I think we might be in the clear for a short window. Let's get out of this snob fest and get some fresh air, Yugo. We definitely need it."

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@enterpainment (Yugo)

"Hey Yugo..." Oh he's in for it now when she makes that face. "So, the girls told me about the...free hugs you've been giving out and still giving out...Mind explaining yourself?"

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@enterpainment <3

and i was like “wait there was something besides fruitshipping” so

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@enterpainment​​ Liked For A Starter From One Of My Arc-V Muses (Accepting!)

“Geez...You really are a handful, Yugo...” Her hands were gentle as she wraps the cloth around the wound on his wind she just cleaned, amber eyes diligently focusing on the task as she and he sat inside her chambers. One might think this sort of care was improper considering her and the clear-winged dragon’s positions in the House of Akaba, but Rin didn’t care. She never was the formal type. That’s why she made it clear on the day she met Yugo all those months ago for him to address her by name without titles and treat her as a regular person. 

And thankfully for her, he easily obliged. The two hit it off the most out of all the newly formed pairs of the ladies of the house with the dragonic retainers the family had spared after stopping their rampage across the countryside, both of them seeing to just get one another. Though, that didn’t mean things were always easy, like her sisters and his brothers no doubt thought. The accident that occurred earlier that day that resulted in Yugo fractioning his wing and his true form almost being exposed to important guests from other noble households visiting was a testament to that. 

“I thought we made it clear you’re not supposed to show your true form to anyone outside of the household under any circumstance!” She reminds him, hoping it would sink in. Rin then removes her hand from him, sighing heavily. “I understand you were just trying to defend me from those jerks, and I appreciate that, but...I can handle myself. I have my entire life.”

~

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what’s  your  personality type ?  

INTJ

Congrats, you are an evil mastermind!!! You probably have a 30-year world domination plan or something like that. Your IQ is above average but your EQ is also lower than the EQ of a cockroach. So basically 0. You are cold, egocentric and proud about it. Get over yourself, you're not that mysterious:)

Taken From: @senpujin​ 

Tagging: @fragmentedimensions (Yugo) @enterpainment (Yuri) @lostinvitation (Seto) @forhope (Astral!) @fatedthunder @thuganomxcs @sorenyamashita @chxmpionofjustice @riidcr​ and anyone else who would like to do this! 

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Nobles Of Nature AU Lore: The Noble Houses

(Verse developed with and exclusive to Crix’s blogs, aka @masterofaster​​ / @enterpainment​​ / @kinglanius​​ / @hollowedhatter​​ / @abysstainment / @darkoccultism​ )

Throughout the land, there exists a group of noble houses that are tasked with supporting and governing the people who live there. Each house specializes in a different area, having their own strengths and weaknesses. Some houses get along, some do not. Some appear good and are good, but some might have something darker under the surface. 

Akaba House

The Akaba House is headed by Lord Leo Akaba, and specializing in combining magic and technology together. Research is headed by Lord Akaba himself and by his trusted science partner, Dr. Faker. They’ve developed everything from defense systems, to weapons, to practical things that increase the efficiency of everyday life, all done by harnessing the magic that exists in the powers of nature itself. Out of all of the houses, they are by far the biggest and most advanced. They have allieship with the Sawatari House.

The Akaba family is large and diverse, Leo Akaba having had three different wives throughout his time as a lord (including having relationships with multiple at the same time) and having three different sets of gifted children with each one. With his first wife (who is deceased), he had four daughters: Ray, Rin, Serena, and Yuzu. With his second wife (who died a few months prior to the start of the story of this AU and raised her children apart from the main house until her death), he had two children: Shun and Ruri. Lastly, with his third wife Himika, he had two sons: Reiji and Reira. 

The daughters of Leo Akaba were gifted with unique magical gifts relating to a specific aspect of nature. Yuzu with flowers/plants, Rin with wind, Ruri with animals (she is best with birds, through), and lastly, Serena with the moon. The eldest daughter and true heir to the family Ray, on the other hand, has the capacity for magic manipulation of all these aspects, being able to combine them and harness their full power. 

The sons of the family, on the other hand, were not gifted with magical abilities. Reiji Akaba inherited his father’s intelligence and affinity for science, usually being seen locked in his room doing his research. Reira was also gifted in intelligence and raw instinct, but is very shy and is rarely seen away from Reiji’s side. Shun is gifted in the physical sense, being the strongest physically and quiet adept at at combat with both weapons and physical combat. He developed these skills to protect his younger innocent sister Ruri, who in his eyes is the only remaining family he has since he does not share the familial bond with his half siblings.

Each of the children have a retainer assigned to them to look after and protect them. Shun’s retainer is Dr. Faker’s son Kaito, whose main job consists of keeping the young master from causing havoc with his anger management issues and violent tendencies. Reiji’s retainer is Nakjima, a quiet, strong, and loyal man who will follow Reiji’s orders without question. Reira’s retainer is Haruto, the youngest son of Dr. Faker. Though, Haruto acts more as Reira’s friend than anything else, both children having bonded due to their similarities and quiet natures.

The retainers of the daughters of the house are quiet unique, being a set of five brothers who are dragons hidden by a magical disguise produced by enchanted jewelry worn by each respective lady. Their existence as dragons is kept secret under orders of Lord Akaba for reasons unknown to everyone but the man himself.  They were all given this task when the five brothers were spared by the family after causing a massive rampage across many towns and villages that the daughters of the house stopped. This rampage was started by the eldest brother Zarc, an alpha dragon whose connection runs deep with his little brothers Yuto, Yuri, Yugo, and Yuya. 

Due to being the most destructive of the five dragons, he was assigned to the eldest and most experienced daughter Ray. He was stubborn about accepting his position at first, especially with Ray refusing to give him any orders for the first few months. However, with Ray’s help, he eventually settles in, realizing his own faults regarding how he viewed his brothers like they were still babies, and begins to take a liking to his new mistress.

The second eldest, Yuto, was assigned to Lady Ruri. He has a dark, brooding, and frightening exterior according to his brothers, but he is noble, quiet, and very gentle hearted. His outward appearance did not scare his lady, however. In fact, she treated him and continues to treat him with kindness, the opposite approach to her protective brother Shun who threatened Yuto on his first day. Shun eventually became to respect Yuto when he saved his little sister from harm, and has grown a strong kindship with the young dragon. Yuto can often be found in the house gardens with Lady Ruri, her brother and his retainer, or on occasion one of the heirs of a noble family associated with the Akaba Clan: Lady Sayaka and her retainer Allen.

The third eldest, the playful and poisonous dragon Yuri, was assigned to Lady Serena. Similar to the situation was Zarc, he was chosen to be with Serena due to her being the most combat experienced out of her sisters. He follows orders better than any of his brothers, and is the most formal. However, he is also the one who will mess with his mistress more than any of the others. Serena, not at all happy with this arrangement, usually tells him to leave her be. If he is at her side, it is usually on her father’s orders not her own. If not, he can be found in the house’s gardens creating toxic plant life to use as security. 

The second youngest, Yugo, was assigned to Lady Rin. Aside from the protective aspect of his position, he sucks at his job. He is not formal at all, often doesn’t listen, and gets himself into trouble more often than not. This has caused Rin to be more of a caretaker to him rather than the other way around, but she doesn’t mind it despite the annoyance. Yugo brings her companionship, and is just too darn kind and adorable to get mad at for long. They are a pair who got along relatively quickly.

The youngest, Yuya, was assigned to Lady Yuzu. A dragon with duel-colored eyes, Yuya is a natural born entertainer. Yuzu, who very much had an entertainment related hobby in singing, instantly got along with the young dragon. Out of all the pairs, they got along the fastest. They can be seen having fun together in all sorts of ways, smiles never leaving their faces. Though, Yuzu is not afraid to whip out her fan if Yuya takes a joke too far or does something stupid.

Sawatari House

The Sawatari House is headed by Lord Sawatari, and is the smallest house by far. However, what they lack in size they make up in funds. The Sawatari House is by far the richest of all the houses, and deals with the land’s economy. Because of this, they tend to be the house everyone wants to ally with. Currently, they are only allied with the Akaba House due to an arranged marriage between the Sawatari heir Lord Shingo and the third eldest daughter of the Akaba House, Lady Serena.

Lady Serena is 100% opposed to the marriage, while Lord Shingo is all for it. He’s been in love with her ever since they met, and he’s determined to marry her at any cost. Though, with the recent introduction of Yuri, that might make things more difficult. In fact, he feels jealousy towards the retainer, so much so he would no doubt like to get rid of him to have Serena all to himself...

Eden House

The Eden House is headed by Lady Eve, and is the house most loved by the public due to their charity. They are dedicated to helping the lives of the commoners, opening up several orphanages, soup kitchens, and shelters for those in need. Lady Eve truly believes in helping others, wanting to bring salvation and hope to those who do not have any. Some see her as a goddess and or a savior. However, her direct involvement in such affairs is limited due to an unknown illness she had been inflicted with several years ago, causing horrible wrinkles to appear across the left side of her face. She is often bedridden in a medical ward headed by Issac for large parts of the day. 

Her inner circle consists of herself, Issac, Ren, Sora, and her love Adam. Adam, much like Zarc, is an alpha dragon with extraordinary power. He too hides his dragonic appearance using enchanted jewelry, something Eve had gotten as a gift from her late sister: Leo Akaba’s first wife. He acts as Eve’s retainer, their love being kept a secret to everyone outside the inner circle. Adam, similar to Yuya, is a performer, often performing magic tricks and taking on any role Eve would desire. His devotion to her and her mission to help the world is unmatched.

He also has a past with Zarc that he keeps hidden, being the only person outside of the Akaba House to know of Zarc and his brother’s true identities as dragons...

Rainsworth House

The Rainsworth House is headed by Lady Sheryl Rainsworth and Lord Barma, and is the house specializing in espionage and information gathering. This means they are experts of knowing what is going on with the other houses and the world at large. They have the most extensive library in the land with just about any book you could think of, making them a prime resource for anyone wanting to study anything. However, of the houses, they are the most isolated of the houses, only really leaving their area to gather information or to maintain relations. 

The heir to the house is one Sharon Rainsworth, a strong, kind, and intelligent young lady who is the granddaughter of Lady Sheryl. She lost her mother Shelly due to illness not so long ago, and as a result of that, decided to take on a contract with a creature known as Equus. You see, the Rainsworth House is much like all of the houses in that they contain a secret power. They hold the power to access a realm known as the Abyss, a mysterious prison home to creatures known as Chains who can make contracts with humans to allow use of their powers. 

Sharon, her grandmother, Lord Barma, her retainer Break, Glibert Nightray, Reim Lunnetes, and Oz Vessalius are the only people in the house who have a known contract with a Chain. Unlike the Akaba and Eden houses, the Rainsworth House has made the existence of the Chains known to the other houses. However, the knowledge the other houses have about the Chains and contractors is limited. This is because to keep power balanced between the houses, all the supernatural power one house has is to be made public. Ryou Bakura is also a member of this house, as well.

Dragon Star House

The Dragon Star House is officially headed is headed by Lord Jack Atlas, but internally is managed by the bearer of the mark of the Dragon Head: Lord Yusei Fudo. This house is one focused on maintaining order and justice between the other houses as well as the people. Essentially, they are the central governing body of the houses. This makes them both a desired ally, or hatred enemy for some. 

The heads of the house are a group of individuals known as the Signers, six people born with birthmarks of the legendary beast of legend: The Crimson Dragon. These marks pass on through the generations, and as of now, the current Signers are: Jack Atlas, Yusei Fudo, Crow Hogan, Aki Izayoi, and the twins Rua and Ruka. Their status as Signers allows them to form special bonds with legendary dragons who serve the Crimson Dragon. 

Jack has bonded with Red Dragon Archfiend. Yusei has bonded with Stardust Dragon. Crow has bonded with Black Winged Dragon. Aki has bonded with Black Rose Dragon. Rua has bonded with Life Stream Dragon, and Ruka has bonded with Ancient Fairy Dragon. These dragons are well known throughout the land, some seeing them as guardian deities. They also are the reason most do not want to mess with the Dragon Star house.

The Dragon Star House’s main adversary is the Earthbound House, home of the Dark Signers. They have been in conflict with the Dragon Star house for generations due to the Dark Signer’s deities, the Earthbound Immortals, being the mortal foes of the Crimson Dragon. The Signers will stop at nothing to ensure the safety of the land from the Dark Signers. However, a wrench is thrown into that when a new maid of the Dragon Star House, a girl named Carly, ends up forming a strong connection with Jack Atlas...

Earthbound House

Last but not least, the Earthbound House is lead by the brothers Lord Rudger and Rex Godwin. They are the shadiest of all the noble houses, and do not do anything to benefit society. No, instead they have a secret society full of followers who worship the Earthbound Immortals, dead gods hell bent on destroying the Signers and turning this world into ruin. The Earthbound Immortals envoys are the Dark Signers, who have birthmarks of the immortals etched onto their arm that have been passed down through the generations.

The current Dark Signers are Rudger Godwin, Roman Godwin, Kiryu Kyosuke, Demak, Bomber, Misty Lola, and Carly Nagisa. They bear the marks of the spider, condor, giant, monkey, whale, lizard, and hummingbird respectively. In order to fuel the rebirth of the Earthbound Immortals trapped inside seals in the ground by the Crimson Dragon, they plan to harvest the energy of their followers when the time is right. They also have decided to send in someone to spy and trip up the signers, using their powers to make them lose their memory until the time comes to trigger it back...

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@enterpainment <3

COLOR PALETTE MEME: ➞ @colorfulwatcher​ asked ☆ appleshipping + winter (sunset) colors!

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@enterpainment 

¾

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enterpainment​: (Zarc)

Zarc had stopped in his tracks. She was about to finally give him a damn order! But to his disappointment she approaches him with a gentle air that told him before she took his hand that he wasn’t about to get what he wanted out of her. That was just like Ray. 

But he allows the movement, her touch making his grip weak enough for her fingers to splay across his, molding them into whatever shape she wished. Whatever hope he had to let lose was gone by now, a snuffed match in the wind, so he simply allowed her to puppeteer his movements. May as well see where this took them… Perhaps he was just too quick to let the potential fun die out? Maybe Ray would surprise him with some form of entertainment yet.

❝ I see… ❞ Was this some sort of game humans played? Zarc follows along the path their finger’s drew before him. ❝ …Yuto. He seems to be humoring your siblings. ❞ At the end of the line he finds Yuto along with his weakling of a mistress and her uncouth brother. The two hardly seemed fit to be named nobles when compared to someone like Ray, who he based his entire definition of ‘noble’ on. But there they were, all coexisting without a care in the world… Smiling even… He can’t recall ever seeing Yuto like that before… The Yuto he knew was a terror-inducing dragon capable of mass amounts of destruction with razor-like claws and lightning discharges that could vaporize even mountains! But there his brother was… handling fragile wildlife as if forgetting he could crush it in an instant. He almost seemed…human.

Zarc’s arm suddenly seemed to regain autonomy, and with the slightest movement began to push back against what Ray was showing him.

❝ I don’t see the point in this game of yours. ❞ -

“Humoring them? I think spending meaningful time with my siblings is a more appropriate description of the sight before us.” Ray corrects, lavender hues focused on the trio. It was as happy a sight as it was shocking, especially considering Shun’s previous hostility towards the dark rebellious retainer. However, seeing them all engaging in a fun activity such as feeding the birds of the garden made Ray very happy. And she knew she was not the only one to share that opinion. 

Her grip on the man’s hand tightened slightly, the woman‘s determination to keep his focus where she would direct him on full display. No way in Hell she was going to let him stop her efforts. Ray wasn’t going to stop until Zarc saw what he needed to, and that meant seeing the results of everyone’s time here in the Akaba House. It was her duty.

“This is not a game.” Her voice grew softer yet more firm, the shift showing that he needed to pay attention and take this seriously. Ray then moves the retainer’s hand to another area of the garden. This time, she directs him to a large apple tree that the second eldest daughter Rin and Zarc’s little brother Yugo were appearing to take a nap under. In fact, the dragon was cuddling the green-haired girl so affectionately that it caused a light chuckle to escape Ray’s lips.

“What do you see now? I see something quite adorable, I think. I was not aware your kind were such cuddlebugs, Zarc.”

~

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enterpainment​: (Yuri)

Yuri quite enjoyed this game of theirs. This game of cat and mouse, but in their case this mouse welcomed the hunt. It really didn’t take Serena that long at all to find Yuri this time, but he finds that he wasn’t disappointed. He was glad, really. Now he didn’t have to stay hidden. And so he steps out from the shadows cast along the far wall. His eyes seem to glow faintly in the darkness, reflecting what little light the room offered.

An odd sort of sneer creeped across his lips as he moved forward but a few steps. Clearly keeping his distance at least at arm’s reach in case Serena decided to get feisty with him for invading her quiet night. 

❝ Sorry, Mistress. But the Master’s orders supersede even yours. And he asked me personally to accompany you on this night. In case you were doing something you shouldn’t… Which surely isn’t what I’m seeing, now is it? ❞ -

“Tch...I don’t need a babysitter...” And yet she was essentially Yuri’s own at this point. What a pain. Her father painted her strength as the main reason she was assigned the second most difficult of the dragon brothers the Akaba household had spared, but it didn’t feel like an honor. It felt like a hinderance. And if there was one thing Serena hated, it was hindrances. She had enough of them already from her position being one of the youngest in the family.

Being among the youngest, even if you are the eldest of the young, meant you were painted as weak and in need of coddling. That’s part of why she had taken up her habits as she had, sleeping during most of the day and training her magic, knowledge, and combat abilities at every opportunity in the evenings where she could draw power from the moon’s light. She wanted to prove herself independent so she could do as she pleased with her life, including to get out of her arranged marriage to the heir to the Sawatari household who she hated ever so much... 

“I can only practice my magic at night. Father wishes for me, and all of us in the house, to hone our abilities whenever possible. I am only doing as he asked.” Serena frames her words this way to hopefully cause Yuri to back off, knowing deep down she is doing this for her own sake and not for the family. She cared for them, some more than others, but her motivations were for her sake and her sake alone. Following orders had never been her thing, especially ones from her own father.

She then purposely concentrates to create a crescent moon shape shuriken to appear in her hand, Serena throwing it with the intention of purposely missing the dragon and hitting the nearby wall. “If you’re smart Lizard Breath, you’ll stay out of the way of my training. Or, do you need a reminder of the power that helped stopped your family’s rampage across this country?”

~

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enterpainment​: (Yugo)

❝ O-Ouch! Hey, that hurts– ❞ Yugo’s pout deepens as he takes to rubbing his ear. But the small newfound pain seemed to distract him from the numerous injuries he had subjected himself to in the past twenty-four hours. ❝ But…that means you’d still have to endure… ❞

The young dragon was having a difficult time understanding the ways of humans. Rin in particular. This wasn’t how Zarc would have treated a problem, and up until recently Zarc’s way of things was pretty much all he knew. He suddenly felt… isolated, in a sense. Everything around him now was so new to him and defied every instinct he had.

That was when Rin joined him on the floor, the soft weight of her head on his lap seemed to pull his attention back in. The girl before him with the kind disposition and a will strong enough to weather any force that dared to try and topple her. Humans were weak, in heart and in body… weren’t they…? That’s why he had wished to protect her as if she were a fragile treasure. But now he’s thinking he might have been wrong to do so. Rin was…different. A special case..? Or was Zarc wrong about all humans? 

His thoughts were bringing him down into the depths of his mind, somewhere he still felt his connection with his brothers. There no words were ever said, but he was at least able to sense the others. His strained limiter seemed to make it easier to do so. He could sense each of them in turn, but only one of them ever seemed loud enough to put a name to the emotion they were feeling. Zarc was frustrated… Sometimes Zarc’s frustration bled into Yugo’s own actions, or perhaps Yugo used it as an excuse to lash out at any given chance, now he wasn’t sure. 

If Zarc was mad at humans, shouldn’t he also be..? If humans were so terrible to their own kind as well as dragons alike, why would Rin protect those that would harm her given the chance? As it stood now, Yugo couldn’t understand. Not Rin, and now he’s not even sure if he understood Zarc anymore either.

Rin’s hand on his cheek once again grabbed his attention, this time pulling him out of the dredges of his own confusion. Suddenly their closeness seemed to finally register, a bright red flush instantly adding warmth to his otherwise cold-hued person. 

It was as if Rin had just broken down a wall that had been between them, then and there.

If Rin wasn’t a treasure to hoard and protect, or a harmful human to protect himself from… What was she to him…?

He didn’t know if there was a word for it. But he knew she was important.

❝ There’s a lot I don’t really understand… ❞ Instead of pulling away, Yugo presses his cheek against her palm, finding comfort in the warmth he finds there. ❝ I don’t understand humans at all… Why do you treat someone not of your own kind better than your own kind treats you? ❞

Tentatively, led by curiosity, Yugo mirrors Rin’s gesture of placing a hand on her cheek. And he finds it just as warm, if not warmer than her hand on his own. 

❝ …Is it really enough? ❞ For Rin maybe, but Yugo still wasn’t sure what the purpose of their capture still was. If they were so troublesome why were they spared at all..? The Akaba house shared little to no detail with the dragons themselves. Yugo figured they were kept as a means of protection for the master’s daughters, but Rin was quickly challenging that idea. He had a lot to unpack and figure out, it seems. ❝ It goes against the terms of our families but I can’t– I can’t stop trying. You’re really strong, Rinrin, I know that, you defeated the strongest being I know! But I still want to do all those things for you! And more! ❞

He feels himself growing unstable, his hand now trembling against Rin’s cheek. He’s well aware of the punishments promised to them for disobedience, and while he didn’t care about them in the heat of the moment the gravity of the situation was becoming apparent. Yugo could feel his emotions beginning to line up with that of Zarc’s, deep in his core, he began to resonate with that of the greater dragon. And that scared him more than any promise of punishment.

In a small voice, his concerns begin to surface. ❝ I… I don’t want to end up like Zarcnii– ❞

He didn’t want to hate humans. This girl before him… He never ever wanted to come to hate her or her kind. Even after everything they did to him, his brothers, and Rin herself. But… he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to override his instincts. He knows himself well enough to know though: it was all or nothing. To assure he’d never bring harm to Rin he’d have to forgive humanity. But right now the thought of those noble jerks alone incited a boiling rage into his very core. He wanted to be rid of it before it burned him alive, so those flames would never reach Rin. His other hand twists into the front of his dress shirt, as if he could remove the feeling by clawing it right from his very chest.

❝ How do you do it..? How do you let go of all the hate in your heart? How could you forgive them for hurting you? It can’t be as easy as that… There’s gotta be some sort of secret to it! Please, tell me how– ❞ -

“Yugo...” Rin’s gaze can’t help but grow more somber as he spoke, the young noble girl really able to feel the cold reality of of his touch in that moment. He seemed so...lost, not that she could blame him for feeling that way. Yugo and his brothers entire lives were uprooted because of the actions of her family, her own actions even. The idea to spare their lives and keep them here was her father’s idea yes, but the opportunity to bound them to a prison wouldn’t have possible if Rin and the other Akaba daughters hadn’t stopped them in the first place. 

Would things have been better if they just let them rampage? No, of course they wouldn’t. Rin knows that if their house didn’t intervene another would have, with a much more intense punishment she wagers. After all, it wasn’t a secret how the majority of humans viewed dragons. She never shared in those thoughts, even after hearing stories about them growing up. Rin was the type of person who judged things on an individual level, unless a group of people had proved themselves to all be perceived the same way.

Yugo, and his family by extension, did not seem to share this view. They seemed to judge things as a whole. If some humans treated them bad, then they all were. There wasn’t any middle ground to account for the complexities of life in their worldview. It was no wonder he was so confused. The concept was new to him. All of this just made her feel for him all the more, increasing her desire to help him.

She knows it isn’t in her defined role as a noble mistress to be nice to her servant that was supposed to carry out the will of herself and her father, but since when did she ever follow such things? Rin always forged her own path in life, and she wasn’t going to stop now. Besides, how could she just leave him here to wonder his thoughts like this? When he’s scared of becoming like his older brother whose anger even she could feel from within the walls of this house? 

How cruel would that be?

“I...I think you give me too much credit. I’m not perfect, Yugo. Get that out of your head.” The girl starts firm, still being quite unsure how to exactly explain this. She leaves her hand where it is being pressed by Yugo’s cheek, but has her thumb make small circles into it as a form of comfort to counteract the intensity of the tone of her voice. “Truth is, I still hate those guys. I hate seeing them whenever they decide to show their jerk faces around the house or at one of Father’s parties, and I have good reason to feel that way considering how they treat me. However...”

Rin’s amber hues then look straight up at Yugo, her gaze sharpening in intensity as if to convey how important what she says next really is. “I don’t hate all nobles because of how those guys acted, just like I don’t hate all dragons because of what destruction you and your brothers caused. Life isn’t so black and white. It’s more complicated than that. At the end of the day, it’s up for you to choose what people you love and what people you hate based on your experiences, judging people who are they are as individuals rather than their species. For example...”

Her other hand moves to clasp his other cheek, the girl looking up at him there with a bit of softness as he continues to speak. “I don’t hate you Yugo, even if you are a dragon. I know what happened that day...wasn’t your fault. You’re a handful, but you’re not a monster. You don’t deserve my hatred. Not now, and not ever.”

And she’d fight anyone who dared to try and make her think otherwise. Rin knew Yugo was a good guy, dragon or not. He wanted to go out of his way for her even when she didn’t need it. He showed her kindness and compassion despite their positions. He was more human than some of the jerks she’s met. How could anyone like that be seen as a monster? It frustrated her to no end, and Rin knows she’s doing all she can to help him out, whether it’s giving him wisdom like this or protecting him from the wrath of those who would try to see him for what he is rather than who he is. 

“I..I don’t try to let my hatred control me, either.” Rin continues on, addressing the other part of Yugo’s concerns. “Sure, there are times when I get frustrated and lash out, but...I really just try to focus my energy on the important things that impact my life instead. That’s the secret, I suppose.”

Her focus in her eyes shifts from the dragon to her bracelet, staring at the accessory intently with a look of disdain. That item, the one that she couldn’t take off and gave her control over Yugo, made her more angry than any noble ever could. If she had it her way, she’d get her arm cut off just to remove herself from the gilded shackle around her wrist, the one that was an ever present reminder of her status as one of Leo Akaba’s ‘beloved daughters’. 

“After all, I’d much rather get mad at my father for the horrible things he pulls than at some snobs��who at the end of the day don’t matter...” Her other than then moves to grip at her wrist, as if trying to rip it off from her bones despite knowing it’s futile to try. The air in the room changed to one of tension as the own tension in her grip increased with every passing second. “They aren’t the ones who control my movements, choosing my fate for me instead of letting me decide for myself...They aren’t the ones who constantly compare me to others, saying I’m lesser because I only specialize in one type of magic. They aren't the ones who gave birth to me only to be used as a tool and nothing else!!!”

And before she knows it...Rin notices the tears that now stain her cheeks and the redness that came with them. Her eyes shift to Yugo, widening as she is afraid of what his reaction might be. Tears were a sign of weakness, and she was the one who was supposed to be the strong one for him right now. She...She couldn’t let herself fall to her own problems when she was here trying to help him with his own.

Rin’s position quickly stands up from her comfortable position resting in his lap. She felt so embarrassed and upset at herself that she just had to get away, moving towards her vanity to try and grab a cloth to clean up her face. Despite being one of the toughest of her sisters, she was just as sensitive as the rest when it came to how they felt about their father. His iron rule on their lives affected all of them in a similar way, except of course for Ray who got proper treatment from him. 

All of it made her want to scream, but she knows better what happens when rebellion is seen. She’s seen it first hand with Serena, now locked in an arranged marriage and doomed to be miserable the rest of her life. Rin was choosing to handle this with logic and reason, but...all those bottled up emotions eventually had to come out and it seems like they certainly were right now in front of an injured and emotionally distraught dragon boy. 

She had been dealt a shit hand once again, just like always. Even with the positive change Yugo brought into her life, there always had to be some kind of drawback to it right? Such is the fate of one of the ‘beloved daughters’ of House Akaba...

~

[universestreasures]

enterpainment​: (Yugo)

Yugo’s complaints of stings and aches are buried behind his clenched teeth as he hisses in response to Rin wrapping his wing to keep it in place. The pressure the bandages added were uncomfortable, but Rin did great work as always. He eyes her neat handiwork, eyes sparking as he tests the movement of his recently reset wing. The quick, sharp jolt of pain wasn’t nearly as sharp as Rin’s tongue was though. He’d thought he’d quickly grow used to the young noble’s reprimands, having been raised with the constant scolding of his brothers, but Rin proved to be of a different force entirely.

Yugo, who was currently resting in a sort of partial-draconic form in the comfort of Rin’s chambers seemed to curl a bit in on himself now. But it was clear by his body language he was pouting, rather than sulking.

❝ But those guys…  I really wanted to fight them, ❞ Yugo recalls the feeling of breaking the magic seal keeping his power and form under limitations. And while it wasn’t easy it had been incredibly freeing. Seeing Rin in potential danger threw his instincts into overdrive. He was barely able to hold himself back. The concept of breaking rules or getting in trouble didn’t even occur to him at that time. All that mattered was… 

❝ To protect Rinrin… ❞ 

What Rin was saying was beginning to make something boil dangerously deep inside himself. He bit the insides of his cheek to keep himself in check. 

❝ You don’t have to do everything by yourself anymore, ❞ Yugo suddenly shoots up from his place, sitting on the floor in front of Rin for ease of access to his wounds. He gestures to himself, pain engraved on his face from the swiftness of his movements. ❝ You got me now! ❞ 

His overzealousness catches up to him, and he sways on the spot. Seems breaking his seal and undergoing transformation under a stone arch and causing the entire thing to collapse atop him took quite the toll on his more fragile human form, now that he was back in it for the most part. But the mess he made back there did well enough to hide his true identity as well as cause enough noise to deter the people bothering Rin. So he succeeded in that sense, at least.

❝ In the end I wasn’t discovered, and they left you alone… So it’s fine, right? Next time– Next time I’ll fend them off with my own hands, I won’t turn! Promise! So please, Rinrin… ❞   -

“Oh Yugo...”  All Rin could do is sigh. Yugo’s feelings were always plain to see. His excitement when they first met was as contagious as it was genuine, even if Rin was a bit suspicious by him being so excited about being in her service. The same was true now as he was pouting like a child, still insisting that the actions he took were the right ones because he had a good reason for it.

Rin had taken some time to read some books relating to dragon culture, from what little of it has been studied. Texts on it were rather scarce, and thus she had to journey to the Rainsworth House’s expansive library to find what she needed. It was nice seeing the residents during her visit as well. From her readings, she found that dragons were very protective in nature when they found something precious to them. It’s often why they tended to horde things, something Rin had been seeing as Yugo daily added to the growing pile of random things in the corner of her room. Couldn’t she have gotten an easier creature to have in her care? Like a witch or a mermaid?

But alas, she got stuck with a dragon boy who just loved getting into trouble. At this point, Rin honestly thinks that she might grow grey hairs sooner rather than later due to Yugo’s constant recklessness she would have to nag into submission. What a hand she got dealt, huh?

“It’s not fine! It’s not fine at all! Just because you didn’t get caught this time, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a close call! And you got your wing busted up too! Dragons may heal fast, but that’s still no excuse!” The girl nags, taking one hand to gently tug his ear. Maybe the added physical action would cause him to listen to her at long last. “As for those jerks, fighting them just gives them attention! Which, news flash, is what they want! If you just ignore them, they’ll go away eventually! You just need to be a bit more patient.” 

Though, Rin thinks getting Yugo to be patient in any circumstance is an impossible task. He couldn’t even sit still to let her fully finish her bandage work! Besides, he totally was prone to violence with that short temper of his. He’d rather punch his way through his problems instead of handling them with intellect and strategy. Guess that’s why she was here to help keep him on track. Man, she really felt like his caretaker as opposed to the other way around...

“And...I don’t need to be looked after. Like I’ve said and clearly demonstrated, I can take care of myself. I’m not so defenseless or unprepared that I need you to go out of your way for me, whether that’s collecting random junk or barking at noble snobs.” She then stands from her position on her bed to go and join Yugo on the floor, green apple locks slowly flowing as suddenly moves to rest her head suddenly in his lap. Her cheeks flush pink for a slight moment, but it seems to fade as she relaxes in the comfortable position. 

“Just you being with me here is enough. So stop trying so hard to be my hero, okay?” She smiles, moving to reach a hand to gently cup his check. Despite all the headaches he gave her, the second eldest Akaba daughter found she could never stay too made at Yugo for long. Something about his earnestness and his child-like innocence just melted away any anger or frustration. Staying here like this with him was something she honestly could do all day, even if she knows due to her life that won’t ever be the case...

~