#i want julian and muriel to be friends

[muriels-brainrot]

Edit: Formatting [so it looks better!]

I feel like there isn't enough platonic julian and muriel headcanons but I thought of a new one:

How Muriel and Julian Can Be Friends

Julian and Muriel can contend with one another for the best wildest/goriest injury story. Maybe even bond over it! (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

This is for post upright Muriel route (beware of spoilers below)

MC and Julian bond over a shared work history under the plague and having lost memories

Then, Muriel goes to therapy! With Nazali. He decided he wants to give connecting with people another shot.

Her challenge is to connect with Julian - since he's his best friend's boyfriend and MC's other good friend next to Asra

For a long time until the present day, he refuses to do that. But on the rare occasion he does, it's always an accident.

After some time Muriel becomes comfortable talking to close friends about the weirdest/goriest stories from his gladiator days.

Julian would walk in sometimes and it absolutely captures his attention. Out of everyone, only Julian actually relates.

Sometimes he even hypes Muriel up, earning a shy smile from Muriel when done right.

Other times, they become competitive. But even then, Muriel will find himself smiling, before quickly covering it with a cough and a nonchalant stare. It still makes the doctor secretly happy - like he's finally unlocked a small key to understanding their most difficult friend

Until Muriel finishes his stories, and he puts back his walls up again.

So, sometimes, Julian might start his own story. Muriel doesn't really notice the doctor's intention and goes along with it

When either person is telling a story, the other person chimes in and validate each other's grievances in dealing with the gory side of fighting by expounding the other person's experience, making the other person feel heard.

Sometimes either of them might throw a joke in or two. And they would be the only two "laughing" (the most Julian got out of Muriel is a chuckle).

MC and Asra are usually the other two people in the room. They'll fall back and give them the floor, giving each other a knowing smile as they watch their significant others slowly become unlikely friends.

(Or look at each other with concern when Julian and Muriel laugh about someone's really gory injury a little too much)

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

I saw one of your requests of the M6 as college students and my cringe self who loves high school/ college AUs got an similar idea 🙌 could I get a mini hc about how the M6 would act if they had the classic high school crush on someone?

The Arcana Mini-HCs: M6 with a highschool crush

Julian: not sure how to approach you, just knows that he wants to. more likely to make friends with your group, wait until he has a chance to be a hero, and then wince when his voice cracks

Asra: the type to make their own space/presence as appealing as possible and then leave it to you to make a move. still makes his affections obvious by passing you little doodles in glitter pen

Nadia: so excited for a potential connection and so unused to connecting that all you get is a firm "I'm tutoring you today. Don't be late" before she flounces off around the corner and turns bright red

Muriel: very, very confused, because his heart did a 180 and is now heading towards a person instead of away from them. you become the only one he doesn't glower at in the hallways between class

Portia: she is going to win you over with the power of love, friendship, and snacks. quickly figures out what all your preferences are and starts keeping your favorite things on hand until you fall for her

Lucio: a jock by parental pressure, a theatre kid at heart, he's going to loudly sing his own praises whenever you're around and then approach you like a kicked puppy when you don't ask him out already

[saintunhinged]

hello! I was hoping to request asra (with faust?) reaction to mc having a ferret as a familiar? you can also do m6 or write it however you want!

ASRA & FAUST

asra’s familiar, faust, the purple serpent, is initially intrigued by the ferret, her slitted eyes narrowing in curious appraisal

your ferret always scampers around, and faust coils lazily, her serpentine body mimicking the agile movements of the smaller creature.

sometimes asra chuckles, “looks like she’s found a new friend. quite the playful duo, aren’t they?” he’ll say as he wraps his arm around your waist and watches your magical companions play around

when your ferret attempts to engage faust in a game of chase, she playfully sways away, matching the lively energy with a surprising amount of enthusiasm

there’s never a dull moment when the four of you are alll together, and of course, your fluffly companion along with faust make it a mission to keep you and asra on your toes

JULIAN & MALAK

malak, julian’s raven, will definitely eye the ferret with a haughty demeanor, as if unimpressed by its presence.

though your ferret, undeterred by his aloofness, constantly attempts to engage in a game of hide-and-seek, which causes the raven to caw disapprovingly

“well, malak, it seems you’ve got some competition for mischief in the house,” julian would tease while watching the dynamic between the two familiars

LUCIO & MERCEDES & MELCHIOR

mercedes and melchior, the two white borzoi girl dogs, initially view your new familiar with curiosity and indifference.

the ferret, with its boundless energy, tries to initiate a game of tag with the elegant borzois, causing them to elegantly dodge its advances.

lucio would grin, “seems like the dogs have a lively new companion. quite the trio we have here!”

as the ferret curls up beside the borzois, lucio pats them all affectionately. “is this okay, my lovely trio?” he asks, receiving a chorus of approving barks.

NADIA & CHANDRA

chandra, the sophisticated and stuck-up owl familiar, regards the ferret with a disdainful hoot, clearly unimpressed by the smaller creature’s antics.

your ferret, undeterred by chandra’s attitude, continues its playful escapades, earning an eye roll from the regal owl.

nadia smirks, “it appears chandra has found a challenger to her elegance. quite the lively addition to the court, don’t you think?”

your familiar, seemingly unfazed by the owl’s haughtiness, curls up next to her. nadia chuckles, “well, it seems they’ve reached a truce, at least for now.”

PORTIA & PEPI

pepi, portia’s cat familiar, eyes the ferret with so much curiosity, yet with mild irritation, unimpressed by its energetic demeanor.

your small companion, seemingly oblivious to pepi’s disapproval, tries to engage the cat in a game of pouncing, earning an annoyed swat in response.

portia gasps, “pepi!” she exclaims, calmly scolding her own familiar as she’s quick to coddle yours.

when your ferret curls up next to pepi, portia grins, ”is this okay?” pepi responds with an aloof purr, a sign of reluctant acceptance.

MURIEL & INNANA

innana, muriel’s gray female wolf familiar, observes the ferret with a stoic gaze, her tail flicking with mild interest.

your ferret, undeterred by her imposing presence, attempts to engage her in a game of tag, earning a patient tolerance from the wolf.

muriel, with a rare smile, simply murmurs, “that’s more her speed.”

as the ferret nuzzles against innana’s fur, muriel ruffles both their heads. “is this okay, innana?” he asks, receiving a quiet but affirmative huff from the wolf.

[mermaidchan05]

Vesuvia Weekly: How to Hold Your Loved One

Hold Asra by the hand as you run, laughing, towards another adventure. Hold Asra around the waist as you dance, until he twirls you away, barely clinging to the tips of your fingers, the light of mischief sparkling in his eyes. Wrap your arms around Asra-- or let him wrap his arms around you in turn-- as you fly to your sanctuary in Nopal, riding atop a beast that is more family than friend. Let Asra rest in your lap or lean against your chest in the moments when the world is quiet and may as well fade away, since all the two of you truly need is each other. Hold Asra close on the darkest nights, when the memories are too much to bear and the burden is too heavy to carry alone. Let him feel the beat of the heart he risked so much to share with you, let him feel that you are there, that despite all the struggle and desperation and pain, his story might have a happy ending after all.

“My darling,” Julian will say, with a smile like a dashing rogue, “hold me any way you like.” Hold Julian to that: take his hand, take his waist, take the lead. Hold Julian perhaps a bit too tight, showing him exactly how much he means to you. Julian is a man of action, after all. Words are wonderful, but sometimes they simply won’t do. Hold your hand to Julian’s throat, where a mark once shone, to prove to him that he means so much more to you than just the things he has given up. Hold him from behind and let him lean against your chest, close enough to feel the beat of your heart. Hold him like a promise, a whisper, so simple but so vital: I am here. We are safe. You are not alone. Let us carry our burdens together.

Hold Nadia casually, at any given moment. Hold Nadia simply because you want to. Hold Nadia’s hand as you stroll through the gardens, or swoop in to resolve yet another palace disaster. Put a hand on her knee beneath the table as she deals with insufferable noble after insufferable noble, a silent signal that you’re there, that you understand, that yes, this person is entirely unreasonable, but she can handle it. Rest your head on Nadia's shoulder on a long carriage ride, because you trust her, because you want to be nearby. Hook your arm with hers as you stride down the streets of Vesuvia, a two-person parade, your casual clothes an excuse to simply enjoy yourselves. Hold Nadia not as the Countess, not as a Princess, but as the woman you admire and respect and love.

Hold Muriel gently, softly, deliberately. Hold him so he knows it is safe. Hold him when he needs things to be safe. Start with simple touches, a brush of fingers against the arm, helping him with his hair, a kiss on his scarred knuckles. Hold Muriel in the quiet moments, when the world is slowing down and there is finally time and space to breathe. Let Muriel hold you when the world is too fast, and too loud, and everything is too big, and he is too big. Sit by his side, because there is nowhere else you would rather be. Hold him because you chose to, because out of all of the people in the world, you chose him.

Hold Portia like she is the only one you see. Hold Portia's hand as you dance the night away, laughing at the events of the day. Let Portia rest on your lap as you do her hair, showing her the same kindness she has shown others so many times before. Hold Portia tight, letting her pull you along as she runs ahead, racing headlong towards every challenge the world can set in front of her. Hold her and show that you are always by her side, no matter where she goes or what she chooses to do.

Hold both of Lucio’s hands, metal and flesh, accepting him for all that he is, not what he was. Press your back to his as the two of you stand against the world, daring the universe to try to tear you apart. Wrap your arms around Lucio's shoulders when he finally relents and trembles in the fear he has hidden for so long. Hold Lucio’s hand as it curls to a fist, shaking with the fury that isn’t so easily chased away. Hold Lucio close, hold him tight, hold him so he can feel after spending so years longing for contact he could never truly have.  Hold Lucio accountable for his actions, of course, but hold his growth and positivity high into the sky, shouting it out to the world so that maybe, maybe, Lucio can hear that he is not the man he used to be.

[arcanarubinaito]

What are your thoughts on how an extroverted, confident, energetic MC would be with Muriel as an LI? (🪶)

Thank you for the ask, Feather Anon! I’ve been itching to do some creative writing outside of my story, so I hope you don’t mind that I’m writing this more like a short story/narrative style post.

Summary:

You command the room when you walk in, and everyone takes notice. He loves that about you; being riddled with constant social anxiety himself, it’s nothing short of a relief for Muriel to see that you don’t have to deal with it yourself. (Besides, it doesn’t hurt that it takes the attention off of him.)

He’s just worried that you’ll feel isolated and alone if you move in with him.

It’s exactly a month after the defeat of Lucio and The Devil, and everyone had gathered to celebrate together in the Rowdy Raven. He tries to stick to a corner in the back, but he is far too large and conspicuous to avoid the attention for long. Some people stare, others are braver and approach him to exchange a few words and express thanks. Muriel wants nothing more than to melt into a puddle. He appreciates not being looked at like he was still the Scourge, thankful that people weren’t afraid of him anymore. But the only reason he was here was to see you. You had been busy helping with repairs in the city while Muriel helped those still lingering in the camp outside his home, and hadn’t had much time to really talk or interact for the past week.

“You all didn’t start without me now, did you?” Your voice rings out as you stride in, and Muriel slumps back against the wall with relief. He watches some of the crowd clamor to get your attention as Julian passes you a beer stein, giving him room to breathe.

You look a little tired, he notices, but your face is practically glowing. Your eyes meet across the room and you light up even further, drawing a slight smile from Muriel’s otherwise stoic expression. He loves your smile. Immediately you chug your drink and begin pushing through the crowd, exchanging short words with a few other people before you finally reach him. He doesn’t even have the time to say ‘hello’ before you throw your arms around him in a tight hug that he quickly returns.

“God, I missed you so much.” You groan, tilting your head back to look up at him. Muriel lifts his hand, cradling your face gently in his large palm as he dips down to kiss your forehead—silently telling you he missed you just as much. “I didn’t have any time to visit this week and it was killing me, actually.” You stretch up on your toes and loop your arms around his neck, filling him in on all the little things he’d missed. Stuffy nobles complaining that they weren’t getting their homes repaired sooner, and Nadia putting them in their place. Helping Portia and the other kitchen staff with preparing food for all the displaced citizens. Julian and Asra, busy with healing and helping reunite separated families and friends.

He listens to you ramble on with a soft smile, and follows as you take his arm and lead him to the bar. “—but now I think I’ll have a lot of down time, which means I can spend more time with you.” Muriel’s smile widens a little more at that, and he can feel his face warm up when you shoot him a wink. Yeah, he knows what that means all too well. “Hey Lavinia, let’s get a round of black mead for everyone!” You call across the bar, knocking your hand against the wood loudly. “And put it on Jules’ tab!”

“Wait what—?”

A short laugh breaks past Muriel’s lips at Julian’s indignant squawk, and he catches a shit-eating grin plastered over your face as you settle onto one of the stools. Two mugs of the dark liquor slide across the bar towards you both, Muriel putting his hand out to gently stop them before they fall off and passing one to you. “What did he do to deserve that?” He asks, amused. You hide your smirk with your mug.

“Nothing.” You rest your chin in one hand. “I’ll pay it off myself, his reaction is just funny.”

“That’s a little mean.”

“It is a little mean, yeah.” You laugh, eyes glittering with mirth. The firelight reflects like spots of amber in your eyes, and he’s reminded of that first night. Your worried face and gentle hands cast in the soft glow of the fireplace, and the begrudging step he had taken to trust you just a little. The best decision he’s ever made, really. Muriel reaches forward to brush some stray hairs out of your eyes without thinking.

A few ‘awww’s scattered from the crowd made him flinch and quickly withdraw, his face hot with embarrassment. Muriel hides his burning face with a quick swig from the wooden mug in his hand and turns his back to the crowd quickly. He had been so swept up in the moment that he forgot you both weren’t alone, and many pairs of eyes were on you at any given moment.

Your hand touches the side of his face lightly, reassuring and gentle. Grounding him for a little longer and soothing that surge of anxiety and embarrassment. His eyes flicker in your direction again briefly before he roots his stare on the mug in his hands again. “You want to head back early?” You suggest softly. Muriel lowers his mug. He wants to say yes; he’s by far had his fill of socializing today and just wants to wind down somewhere quiet and familiar. But he hesitates. You only just got here, and he knows how much you enjoy these gatherings. You thrive off of social interactions, would it be selfish for him to ask you to leave so soon?

“We don’t have to.” Muriel finally says, begrudgingly, forcing himself to look back up at you. He can stick it out a little while longer for your sake, just as you’ve done for him before. It’s loud and crowded and his anxiety is already going haywire, and god his head is starting to hurt too. But he can suck it up.

“I really don’t mind going home if you need to.” You reply. He watches your eyes drift past him, your hand waving off someone behind him quickly before your gaze returns to meet his. “I know this isn’t exactly where you’re most comfortable.” That was an understatement if Muriel had ever heard one.

Wait. Go back. Did you say ‘home?’

Gently, you pull him away from the bar, guiding him through the swirling crowd towards the back door. He reaches out to push it open for you, his fingertips lingering on the wood for only a moment before you whisk him down the alleyway to a more secluded spot, away from prying eyes. His eyes widen a little, and he lifts his hand to curl it over the one you cup his cheek with. “You said ‘home.’” Muriel breathes out. Your face softens a little, a smile creeping up on your lips.

You’ve hidden yourselves among some crates stacked up between the buildings, a nearby street lamp casting your faces into wild shadows. “Yeah, I did.” You confirm, moving your hand so that your fingers are twined together now. You dip your head down, kissing the tops of his knuckles with a sweet brush of your lips that sends a jolt of electricity through Muriel’s body. “I’d like to move in with you—if you want, I mean.” You add on quickly.

Muriel’s heart hammers in his chest. “What about the shop?” He asks, his voice a little more breathless than he would’ve liked.

“The shop is a little bit crowded these days—” Right, Julian had moved in. Muriel tries (and fails) to resist the urge to make a face at the thought of the doctor living with Asra. “—and I’m not exactly selling anything right now either.” You continue, tilting your head to the side just a little. “And it’s so far from your place.”

“My place is also far from everything else.” He points out quietly. Muriel wants nothing more than for you to move in with him, to make that little hut feel more like a little home. But would it be too far from Vesuvia, and all your friends? Would you be happy, or would you start to feel isolated and alone?

“I know.” You guide him out of his thoughts with a soft voice and a gentle squeeze of his hand. “And I’m okay with that.” He searches your gaze, finding only love and warmth, and that gleam of pure conviction he knows so well. His shoulders relax just a little bit and his thumb rubs along the back of your hand idly while he listens. “It isn’t really all that long of a walk to get to the city. It just feels… It just feels too far from you.” You smile up at him and he practically melts, lips twitching up into a faint smile.

“I want you to be happy.” Muriel confesses softly. He brings his other hand up to envelope yours in his large and calloused palm.

“And I’m happy whenever I’m with you.” You stretch up on your toes, and he leans down just a little to meet you halfway, stealing a soft and sweet kiss—thankfully, without anyone around to see. Muriel sneaks a glance around just to double check before he wraps his arms around you and pulls you in closer, one steady hand at your waist and the fingers of his other twined gently through your hair. He can feel your hands rest against his chest for a moment before you reach up to hold his face in your ever-gentle hands.

He pulls away just slightly, your warm breath mingling with his against the cool night air. “I love you.” Muriel murmurs, and the corners of his eyes crinkle with a smile. He moves his hand to brush an errant lock of hair out of your eyes, studying them. Muriel wasn’t one for eye contact, but it was so easy for him to get lost in your eyes. They always reflected the light so beautifully, and tonight was no exception; the light of the street lamp mingled with the moonlight, casting your eyes in a contrast of gold and silver.

“I love you too.” You murmur. Your thumb lightly brushes along his cheek and traces along his scar tenderly, sending a soft shiver down his spine. Muriel shifts, his lips meeting the spot just between your eyebrows before he pulls away, his hands resting on your waist. You tilt your head back a little to look up at him, letting your hands settle back on his shoulders before sliding them down his arms and resting them against his biceps, just above his elbows.

“… yeah. I think I’d like to go home now.” He murmurs, finally answering your question from before. Your smile widens a little and you take hold of his hand as you both finally pull away from where you were hidden and start to walk down the street.

[soullessseraphim]

what does Liam think of the arcana m6? (and courtiers if you want)

HmmmMMMMMM !!!

What Liam thinks of the main 6 + courtiers !

🐦‍⬛Julian : Hell yeah. Really happy to have someone to be a lil funky with ; loves him very much. They both have theatrical personalities, Julian noticed that about Liam back during the Plague : the way he'd stroll around the clinic and hoping from one patient to another, waltzing over to Valdemar to ask them something... It had charmed him back then and even after. Liam is very keen on helping out Julian and spend time with him, doesn't exactly see his life without him.

🐐Lucio : Hell nah. Too prideful, too condescending... Will absolutely adore gossiping about him, talk shit behind his back, in good faith (unless Lucio does something that genuinely pisses him off, then Lucio get spooked a few times).

🐺Muriel : thinks he looks like a gentle giant (is absolutely right). He's pretty hurt at how avoidant he is. With his issues about belonging he takes the initial rejection and avoidance on Muriel’s part to heart a lot.

🐍Asra : Very mixed feelings. On one hand, he is aware that they had a story together before the Plague and everything, but... He doesn't have any feelings towards them anymore, and the way Asra still cares for him makes him uncomfortable. Doesn’t want to talk about it to others to not be labeled as selfish.

🦉Nadia : unironically calls her ma'am, miss, madam. Very impressed by her and her natural authority. Very quiet around her and almost timid. Considered becoming a courtier just so he could display he was working under her orders (totally not because he wants to be besties with the courtiers too nooooo haha).

🐱Portia : EEEEK PLANT FRIEND. Likes to spend time with her once in a while to stay in the cottage and tend to her garden, although she doesn't trust him with bringing in new flower specimens since he told her about that one variety which only grows over dead bodies...

🪱Vlastomil : Would hang around him more if he just... Didn't talk about worms so much. Sure, it’s interesting, but... Once you've gone around the whole of the subject well uh... The problem is Vlastomil won’t talk about anything else.

🐏Valerius : off-brand Lucio? No thank you. Nice hair though. Nice taste in wine. But he CANNOT handle his attitude. Has had to refrain from chaining him somewhere a few times.

🪲Vulgora : Initially scared of them at first, but over time, started quietly laughing at their antics, and would even join in with their banter, making them laugh loudly too. Decline all their offers of sparring ; once they were so insistent he had to show off one of his spells (necrotic touch - he made a couple of flowers wilt in his hands) to convince them not to. The added danger of getting potentially getting seriously hurt in a spar with Liam only fueled their desire to fight more, much to the necromancer’s despair.

🐦Volta : He finds her too clingy, but very sweet. Would hang around her more if she weren’t so touchy, but he loves talking with her, she's a great conversationalist.

🩻Valdemar : FRIEND. FRIEND. FRIIIIEEEENNNND 🗣🗣🗣💥💥💥💥‼️‼️‼️ (need I say more)

[thearcanawearcrocs]

As a poly person myself I find the potential dynamics of an mc who is dating two or more of the main 6 fascinating so I’ve decided to rank them. For simplicity’s sake I’ve decided to only do the dynamic of an mc dating two of the main 6 for now but I’m happy to make more later if people are interested

Asra and Nadia

Interesting but I see them more as friends

I think they would both be eager to provide mc with anything they could possibly want

Nadia clearly values Asra’s opinion and they have a mutual respect and friendship

I think they could pretty easily share mc

4/10

Asra and Julian

These two have a lot of history together

I think it would be fascinating to watch them rekindle their old relationship but this time with more healthy and open communication and under better circumstances

Julian and Asra bonding as two people who have given everything to keep you alive/bring you back

Overall I really enjoy this one

Lots of potential for angst

9/10

Asra and Muriel

Childhood besties who only have each other for so long and now they are both dating the same person? Absolutely

I love the idea of mc dating both of them

It makes a lot of sense for them to become a triad

I think it would be a very positive experience for everyone involved

10/10

Asra and Portia

This would be fun but I personally don’t see a lot of romance coming with it

Asra and Portia would be adventure buddies and drag mc across the earth to show them the world

I think Faust and Pepi would get along

3/10

Asra and Lucio

Now this is fascinating to me

These two do not like each other at all in canon and have had almost no positive interactions

However I find the idea of them strangely compelling

I think it a world where mc chose Lucio it would be neat to watch Asra struggle to put aside his own feelings about Lucio to keep his apprentice close

It would get messy but honestly that’s part of what makes it interesting

7/10

Nadia and Julian

Another one that I think would come fairly easily

Nadia and Julian have chemistry in canon and I don’t think either one of them would object to mc also being in the mix

As countess Nadia can afford to take care of two partners

5/10

Nadia and Muriel

This one’s cute

Nadia who lives to shower her loved ones in gifts and luxury vs Muriel who struggles to believe he deserves basic comfort

You can’t tell me Nadia wouldn’t love to slip away into the woods from time to time to get away from the stress of her work

Also Nadia proving herself to be nothing like Lucio as a leader and taking steps to correct the issues in the city that hurt Muriel most

9/10

Nadia and Portia

I mean yeah absolutely

The two of them already fall in love in routes where mc doesn’t choose either of them so why wouldn’t they also fall in love in a route where mc did?

The trust and affection they already have for one another would be a pretty solid foundation to add mc to

10/10

Nadia and Lucio

I mean they were once married

Nadia would hold Lucio to his word and encourage his efforts to make amends for what he’s done wrong

I think she is one of the main 6 who would be able to forgive him fully with enough time and if she saw him putting in real effort

I also love the idea of her knowing Lucio the way he was before dying and being able to truly see and appreciate the difference

Lucio seems to harbor no real ill will towards Nadia either and I think they could make peace with one another

7/10

Julian and Muriel

The loudest most dramatic man you know breaks down the door of the most introverted quiet guy in existence

This can only end well

I think that they honestly would end up getting along but it would take a while

They would balance each other out in some respects

I think they would also eventually bond over trauma. They both lost their families at a young age, were both hurt by Lucio and have permanent physical marks of that trauma, and both struggle to see themselves as worthy of good things

If they don’t kill each other in the first month I think they could be great together

8/10

Julian and Portia

I mean they’re siblings so

I guess mc could just be dating both separately but that still feels weird to me

0/10

Julian and Lucio

I love these two together a lot

Julian “I only consider others and never myself” devorak meets Lucio “I only consider myself and not others” morgasson

It would be so incredibly messy

They will absolutely hurt one another but I think they may also help one another grow a great deal

They are both very dramatic and passionate and would play off one another well

10/10

Muriel and Portia

This is cute

I think Portia would be incredibly understanding

Her constant optimism and belief in those around her would be very good for Muriel I think

Also they are both animal lovers which is important

7/10

Muriel and Lucio

Oh god no

I don’t think Muriel ever could (or really ever should) forgive Lucio for what he’s done to him

I love Lucio but what he did to Muriel is beyond fucked and I truly could not see the two of them ever being able to be so much a friends

Could be an interesting dynamic to play with in a dark fic though

1/10

Portia and Lucio

Lucio would be like her silly little guy

I think Portia would be fine with having him around

Lucio would think she was a lot of fun

Portia is the character who was hurt by lucio the least and so I believe she would be one of the first to be able to forgive him

6/10

[snobgoblin]

HOLA

can i know how the M6 would react to meeting Reise for the first time? (in your opinion ofc)

ohhhhhh my god good question..... I'm gonna take this ask into account with this

Asra- overall he's happy that Danny's happy. he's not quite sure how he feels about him being Lucio's son, too, though. but he doesnt let it show. after Julian (doctor who delivered him) and Lucio (his other father) Asra would be one of the first to see him. he's Danny's best friend! of course. he would show the baby little magic tricks and oh god no Asra you can't levitate the newborn

Nadia- she really isn't sure how to respond. the ask says she's the worst with children and I'm willing to bet that's because she'd do some shit like ask her servants to give a baby caviar or something 😭 she seems really out of touch sometimes /affectionate. ANYWAY she is handed the baby and formally welcomes him to Vesuvia, and the world for that matter. Nadia did you just give a tiny infant a diamond necklace

Julian- his first time meeting him would've been When He Was Born since he is Danny's doctor. he's the best with kids. he was happy to watch the baby while Danny recovered and Lucio soothed him. it's really a bittersweet experience with him... he's brought life into this world. but... people have also died in his care. during the plague... many children did. funny being a doctor, huh? it reminds him it isn't all bad. anyway this mother hen ass was telling him tall tales the whole night. who needs sleep when there's a baby to entertain

Muriel- absolutely uncomfortable. really really not sure how to respond. he's awkward enough with adults. what are you supposed to do around a tiny baby? it doesn't help that this is Lucio's baby. but he tries not to hold that against him. he would refuse to hold him because he isn't sure how and he's terrified he would drop him. he's also CONVINCED he would start crying the moment he did anyway (I think it would be a different story if it were say, his or Asra's baby. but this is someone he doesn't know all that well that had a baby with Lucio. it's awkward)

Portia- OHHHHHH she is so ready to make a new friend. HER FRIEND MADE A PERSON!!! THATS LIKE... A PRE MADE FRIEND. she's great with kids. the initial meeting is Exciting and maybe they have to tell her to calm down so she can hold him. but after that she'll often have him over and he'll take naps with Pepi in her pillow pile. OH on first meeting she's mad they didn't tell her ahead of time because she would have made him little baby clothes

Lucio- oh this man is PUMPED he MADE A PERSON WITH the person he loves more than anything are you kidding??? that's awesome. with a very heavy heart he takes off his arm's armor so he can hold him, that's definitely a hazard with all the sharp edges. anyway holding him was probably the first time he's ever shut the fuck up in his life, he was just speechless. he does want him to grow up faster though so they can get to the fun stuff that's definitely too rowdy for a baby but. in the moment, it's nice. Mercedes and Melchior are definitely very curious about him and at first he's like WHOA WHOA OKAY because they bite people but they do fine with Reise surprisingly

OH OH ALSO BONUS DANNY: it's really bittersweet for him because he knows Capra will never get to meet him. a lot of his family was lost to the plague and it's a shame he won't get to have that. but. for the moment he's really hopeful for the future. he loves nature and this is a part of that!! he wants to see where this goes. Also Good Lord He Is Glad It Is Out Of Him

[angeledeggs]

Main Six + The Courtiers with a bilingual partner

Main six plus the courtiers with a bilingual significant other! Hope y'all enjoy, and thanks for the surprising amount of support! :)

Asra 💜:

Finds it cool that you know another language, and will probably ask you how you learnt it, why you learned it, etc.

Asra is also bilingual! He speaks Arabic, too, which was his first language. He can also write in it flawlessly and though he speaks English very well, his writing in English can get a bit messy when he's tired

They'll probably want to learn a few things in the other languages you know just for fun, and if you want to have conversations in that language? Even better! Asra will hit the books right away!

If you have just a bit of an accent when you switch to English or the other language you know, Asra will probably blush a bit. He finds it attractive.

Will probably brag to their parents that you're so smart that you know more than one language, and probably to their friends, too.

If you know Arabic, or even better- learned it for Asra, he'll probably fall a bit harder for you and the bragging to his parents will most definitely be nonstop.

Muriel💙:

Finds it impressive, especially since he just knows English. Will ask you a bit about the language you know, how good you are, etc.

He'll probably not want to learn it though, not because he thinks it's weird, just because he's kind of bad at memorizing things (unless it comes to what you like).

If you want him to try though, he definitely will. He'd probably try to read some books and give up, and try flash cards instead. In the end, he can kind of carry a conversation with you in the language.

But if you want to speak in that language to him more often, he'll definitely amp up his studying and a lot of the times in the evening you'll find him quietly making more flashcards. It warms your heart.

He manages to stumble through an "I love you" in the language you know and gets really happy when you can understand him.

Nadia💎:

Finds it refined and elegant that you can speak in another language, even if you can barely do it and stutter through your words.

If you have any accent, she'll also find that extremely graceful of you.

She also knows a few languages herself which includes English and a few dialects of Hindi, but she won't tell you unless you ask, just because she's never thought of it before.

If you know her language or any of the dialects (or teach yourself), no matter how broken it is, she'll melt.

Is probably similar to Asra in the act of bragging to her family about you and your skills. A lot.

Might learn a phrase or two in the language you know, just to say it to you and see your reaction. But then she's suddenly studying it every night and sometimes mumbles it in her sleep when you two cuddle.

Julian🦠:

Thinks it's cool and deems you 'even smarter'

He knows Russian and might say a thing or two to you in it when he's teasing you. If you know Russian, he most definitely will blush whenever you even start to speak it for a second.

He insists that you teach him some together to 'bond', and he'll also most likely watch a few videos to learn it, too. His pronunciation is very bad, but he's so proud, you can't really tell him that.

He'll probably brag to Portia, too, about how awesome you are and how you're bilingual. He may or may not write down every little thing he loves about you in one of his journals. His journals are a mess though, so you'll never find it.

Will call you a nickname in the other language you know like sweetheart or honey. If you allow it, of course.

Portia🧡:

As soon as she hears you speak it, she's fallen in love all over again. Will definitely blush each time you speak it, which she can't help!

She knows just a bit of Russian, but not a lot, and mainly speaks English. Hearing and knowing that your bilingual definitely inspires her to get back to being fluent? And oh, if you speak Russian, she's absolutely floored.

Might study with you if you're not fluent yet, just for the bonding.

Gets all flustered if you have an accent, too.

She actually goes to her brother to get back into her Russian and will affectionately refer to you in terms of endearment of your own language, or her own like "Дорогой" or "Моя любовь"

Lucio👑:

Someone call an ambulance, because he thinks he's about to have a heart attack when he hears you speak in the other language that you know. A good heart attack, of course!

Only knows English himself and is impressed no matter what language you speak. He might even learn some of it just to impress you.

He's so proud of you for knowing another language, no matter what level of fluent you are. Sometimes he just asks you to speak it to him so he can relax.

If he's actually committed to learning your language for you, he'll put some TV shows on with voiceovers in the language you speak, since he heard that's the best way to learn.

Might even get a book, if he wants to feel like he really is trying.

After a long time, he'll be able to stutter through a conversation with you in the other language you know. But only to see you smile.

Valerius🍷:

How... Sophisticated. He's definitely impressed. Which, honestly, is rare for him. He only knows English, so to know that you know another language has him a bit speechless for a moment.

To show how impressed he is with your language abilities, he'll most likely get you a few books in the other language you know so that you can read them.

And if you have an accent? He's blushing already.

Will study the language half heartedly for a bit when one day he suddenly decides he actually wants to know it like you do, and studies much more.

He's able to keep a conversation with you, and to him, he's very proud of both you... And, yes, himself. But he definitely won't say it or brag or anything, he's just happy he can talk to you in the language. Especially gossip.

Vlastomil🐛:

Doesn't realize that you're bilingual at first, but when he does, he'll definitely compliment you on your knowledge.

Thinks that it's very smart for you to know more than one language, and finds himself impressed by the face that you're bilingual.

If you happen to have an accent in either your English or other language, he thinks that it's extremely cute and will probably ask you to speak to him in your other language just to hear it.

Just knows English and a bit of Latin, and that's probably enough for him. But if you want him to learn your language? For you, anything.

He'll definitely commit to it if you want him to learn it too, and will end up buying lots of books about the language. He ends up stuttering through it and half fluent, but very proud.

Valdemar🧠:

If you know a language, Valdemar probably knows it too, but they're still impressed. They probably won't admit it, though.

If you have an accent in either English or the other language, they find it, strangely... adorable. Very adorable, and they insist you speak it more often around them. They had spent years hiding their own accent/s wherever they went, after all.

Will definitely have a few books in the language you know. And they give it to you. They don't lend it to you. They give it to you, insisting that it was yours all along in the end.

If you call them something affectionate in your language, they will respond with a surprisingly enthusiastic kiss.

Volta🍰:

Wow, she's so impressed! She doesn't know many bilingual people and is monolingual herself, which makes your knowledge even more impressive to her.

Will want to watch shows with you that have your language in it, even though she can't understand it, just to bond.

She'll also probably want to try food from the country that speaks your language, just from curiousity.

She gets super blushy if you ever refer to her in your language as something affectionate, and will probably make a little squeaking noise.

Vulgora⚔️:

Only knows English, and is very impressed with your skill. Insists that they learn some, too, just so you two can talk in your other language.

They love it when you speak in the other language you know, and they find it actually calms them down, a lot. It's so calming to them that it's able to put them to sleep, really.

They brag about your skill to other nobles and maybe even the family members they still talk to.

If you ever refer to them as something affectionate in the language you know, they will demand you repeat it over and over for them until they can say it themselves and calm you that

It's surprisingly sweet for such an aggressive warrior.

❀

[rasby]

M6 as teens

Asra

• Very aloof

• Very very curious about EVERYTHING

• The only problem is that he gets distracted super easily

• So he ends up doing 50 things in a day and finishes a total of 0

• They always hated the palace (or just...Lucio) but in his teenhood is when the real rebellious phase started

• Pranks, petty theft, running from the guards...

• Bonus if this was when they met MC and they both got into trouble ALL the time

Nadia

• This is kinda canon but she was a bit of an edge lord

• The "ugh i don't care *eye role*" type

• Avoided her family as much as she could

• Stayed mostly in her room

• When she did leave her room, it was to explore on her own (With a few guards following from the distance)

• She spent a lot of time with horses

• The og horse girl

• Just talking to them...playing...

• Honestly, i doubt she had many friends if any

Julian

• I think out of everyone, he changed the most

• Very judgy, very stubborn

• Tried to act as serious as he could

• REALLY wanted to grow up as fast as possible

• He missed out on a lot of childhood activities (probably one of the reasons he's so careless as an adult)

• He left Nevivon at his early teen years so he spent most of the time in Prakra

• Smartass

• He was kinda annoying tbh

Portia

• Always a hard worker

• I imagine she was one of the oldest kids in Nevivon

• Mostly cause everyone else that was older then her already left

• Now, I've said this before but i think she stayed in Nevivon so long is because she felt too guilty to leave

• Her brother left pretty young, everyone else left pretty young and the grandmas had to do everything on their own

• And then Lilinka died and everyone was in shambles

• So she stayed...to help out...

• She only left once she got that letter from Julian but otherwise, she might've stayed longer

• Never really saw her worth

• Always thought she didn't deserve to leave, that she wasn't smart enough

• And she had friends but again, they probably all left at one point

Muriel

• He wasn't as broody as he is now

• In fact, he was willing to get into fights if it meant getting Asra out of trouble

• Which was...often

• I mean, Lucio picked him for a reason

• Overall he was just silent, following Asra around

• And when he wasn't, he was making stuff or exploring the forest

• Once he got old enough he did little jobs, whatever he could find that didn't involve talking to people

• He didn't really care about money, he was just doing enough to survive

Lucio

• TRYHARDDD

• Literally tried everything he could in order to prove himself

• No one really liked him so he wanted to fit in everywhere

• Everyone saw him as a spoiled, privileged brat who just ran to his mom when things didn't go his way

• In the end he just stuck to what he was good at (fighting)

• And even then, he wasn't the best and it was eating him alive

• We basically got him in his teen years in the game so idk what else i could add lol

[xaharadesert]

MC’s Familiar Having a Crush on LI’s Familiar - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6 + Familiars)

A/N: another poll winner! The request for this one specifically asked for the reactions of the LIs and their familiars, so it doesn’t really fall into “x MC” territory :) also, I’m leaving the species of MC’s familiar purposefully vague, but with the assumption that it’s not the same species as LI’s! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes!

TW: swearing in Lucio’s section

❤️Julian❤️

As a man of science, he has many questions

Are relationships between different species common in the magical world? Does a “crush” indicate that familiars have a similar level of sentience to humans? Is this an innate trait, or something that manifests as a result of magic?

The temptation to launch a scientific investigation is strong in this situation, but he restrains himself

It feels immoral to toy around with love, even if he doesn’t really understand it

However, that means that he’ll be supporting this crush from both the standpoint of a friend and a scientist

🌑Malak🌑

He had never really thought about romance before

Most of his time was spent bothering people and collecting shiny things, and he was content with that life

So finding out that another creature had a crush on him was an odd experience, to say the least

Not to mention that it was someone he already knew, and shared a strong connection with

He thinks he might give it a try. He won’t be sharing his collection of shiny things, though

🧡Portia🧡

Immediately thinks it’s the cutest thing to ever happen

100% supportive, no matter the species difference

Gives your familiar the shovel talk (Pepi is her baby, after all)

Makes all the classic parent jokes about keeping the door open

After making that joke, she sits in silence and contemplates the reality of the relationship, and now also has many questions

Will not be asking them though; might ask Julian about it later

🐈Pepi🐈

Embarrassed by her mother, which is difficult to achieve, given that she is a cat and feels no shame

When she finds out about the crush, she just kind of shrugs it off

It makes sense, after all; she is a cat, and cats are perfect

If the crush seems serious, then she’s willing to reciprocate

Probably would not be the best partner— she prefers to spend her time napping in the sun, so if your familiar is high energy then it might not work out

💛Lucio💛

What the fuck

Like, genuinely, what the fuck

I mean, he’s not really one to judge, given his own weird tastes

But, like, really? How the fuck does that happen?

Thinks his dog(s) can do better than your familiar, and makes this well-known

🐾Mercedes OR Melchior🐾

Makes perfect sense to him— he would fall in love with himself too

Not really interested in reciprocating though: he is a very busy boy

Many squirrels to chase and bones to chew

May pursue a more dedicated friendship, though

And if he’s feeling generous, then he may share one of his toys with your familiar

💚Muriel💚

A bit hesitant at first

He’s a very reserved kind of man, and he really only has Inanna by his side all the time

So he doesn’t know how he feels about losing her to any degree

But if it makes her happy, then he’ll support it

After all, it’s your familiar, and he trusts you

🐺Inanna🐺

Really did not expect that

Immediately rejects the crush, partly out of panic, because she really doesn’t want anything to change

But over time, she realizes she might like something more with your familiar

Eventually, the crush is returned

Mostly, she truly feels comfortable with it when she realizes she will always have Muriel’s support

💙Asra💙

Makes perfect sense to him; he’s loved you for years, so it’s only natural that Faust would form a bond with your familiar as well

He thinks it’s really cute, and encourages them to spend time together

Sometimes jokes with Faust about her “snake charm”

As a bonus, your familiars spending time together means that the two of you can spend more time together as well

Most definitely plans double dates (platonic or romantic)

🐍Faust🐍

Faust had a crush on your familiar before they had a crush on her

So she’s delighted to see it’s returned!

Very enthusiastic about having a partner

If your familiar is larger, then she’s hitching a ride whenever they hang out

Very cuddly for a snake, especially if your familiar gives off body heat

💜Nadia💜

Keeps her thoughts to herself while she tries to understand how exactly your familiar can have a crush on hers

She doesn’t want to judge what she doesn’t understand, so she asks you a few questions about it

Once she gets the gist of it, she’s very supportive, and finds it rather cute

Keeps an eye on Chandra though, since she knows her familiar likes her personal space, and helps to enforce boundaries

Overall thinks it’s harmless fun

🦉Chandra🦉

Eh

She’s not into romance, and let’s your familiar down as easily as she can

Still wants to be friends, but needs her own space

She’s a very solitary creature, and she has no desire to change

Will still occasionally be more affectionate to your familiar when she sees that they’re feeling down

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Hi! Could I request full HCs for MC getting in trouble/arrested for something they didn't do, but nobody believes them? Eventually they're proven innocent but maybe even the M6 might have a little flicker of doubt for a moment?

The Arcana HCs: MC gets falsely arrested

Julian

If you've ever worried that he can't relate to you in the past, he certainly can now! He's been in handcuffs plenty of times -

On a more serious note, he's not giving up on you for a second. Every moment that he's allowed to be by your side, he's there, and he's taking the best care of you that he possibly can

He doesn't doubt you for a second (he remembers what it was like) but he does doubt himself

What if this is secretly his fault? What if he did something he doesn't remember doing, and you got mistaken for him? What if he made someone angry so they framed you to get back at him?

Will suggest lying to take your place multiple times and might actually try it if you and Portia don't stop him

Might also suggest actually committing some kind of legal infraction of his own so he can at least join you in there

So relieved when you're acquitted that it's all he can talk about to everyone he meets for the next two months. Rubs it in the face of every friend who ever doubted you

Asra

They're annoyed, more than anything. And shocked. But mostly annoyed

Not at you, of course! No, he's annoyed at the fact that you're being confined somewhere that he can't be for you and that you're being treated so poorly

When you tell them the charges against you aren't true, they believe you completely, but truthfully they're less concerned with your innocence and more concerned with your wellbeing

Can and will attempt to break you out regardless

Would much rather blip you out of where you're being held and start a completely new life from scratch somewhere else then let the process drag on and on, watching you be silenced and doubted

Never misses a single visit

Never lets you feel like things are out of control. As long as you want to subject yourself to this, it's your decision, and as soon as you choose otherwise, say the word and you're both out

Immeasurably proud of you when you stick it out and are acquitted

Nadia

Furious. Absolutely furious. Seething with rage

A person of your character? Who holds the trust of the Countess herself and the admiration of the city?? Accused so recklessly???

Absolutely unacceptable

That said, she remains completely calm on the outside and allows things to proceed. She's been a fierce advocate of establishing a new, effective justice system, and she intends to see this through

Does her best not to extend her influence far enough to count as making the process unfair, but still ensures she gets to visit you at least once a day

There is a point as the evidence is assembled that she does find herself wondering, for a brief moment, if you really are guilty. If you forgot, if there were extenuating circumstances you can't tell her

And she hates herself for it as soon as she sees your face again

So smug when you're exonerated that the people who argued against you nearly make a run for the hills

Will make a point of publicly proclaiming your innocence after

Muriel

Triggered. Triggered. So. Very. Triggered

Hadn't heard anything about the incident itself until you were arrested, so he didn't know what to think until you told him you were innocent. Once you did, though, he believed you

He knows when someone's lying and when someone's telling the truth, and he needs to make sure that others can see your honesty

He also knows that he's not the person best suited to publicly helping you. Regardless of his circumstances, he has his own history in the cells that still make his stomach turn to walk past

He'll talk to Asra. He'll talk to Nadia. He'll put himself through hours of conversation with them and whoever else is determined to exonerate you, supplying every detail he has

And he'll brave the personal hell of seeing you live out the daily misery of his worst memories, behind the same bars, staring at the same stone walls, to be with you as the hours drag by

Beyond relieved when you (and he by extension) are freed and he can hide away in the woods with you to recover

Portia

She actually assumed the charges were true until you told her otherwise - you're her partner in crime for life, she's just wondering what pieces are missing to justify you and why she wasn't included

Until you tell her you're innocent, and she's furious

There is NO WAY you're getting falsely imprisoned on her watch. She will march to hell and back and drag whoever she needs to with her to get you out

Pushes nonstop both to have you acquitted and to sway public opinion about you. It feels like a hopeless task at first, but she doesn't give up and she has enough friends to pull it off

Might miss a visit or two, but never goes longer than a day without stopping to see you and always smuggles treats and comforts past the guards for you no matter how often you tell her not to

Actually manages to stage an impressive protest in your favor the day the decision is made

Takes you home and dotes on you nonstop afterwards ... and then victory marches you all around town to thank the helpful friends

Lucio

He tries to help you. He really, really does

He argues with the guards, screams at the people who sent for you to be arrested, and makes the racket of a lifetime

Which, unfortunately, only makes things worse

(Neither does him admitting to all of his own criminal history, in his attempt to argue that if he got forgiveness then you should too)

He's relieved when you tell him you didn't do it, and he clings to that belief like his life depends on it. You're the good thing in his life. Nobody takes away or denies him that good thing

All that pent up frustration needs an outlet of some kind, and that results in him hounding the assigned investigators instead into letting him help them

And help them he does - not with the books and papers, but with long nights and rabbit trails until the true culprit is found

One can imagine how proud he was to drag them by the collar to where you were, shaking the confession out of them and leaving with you. He deserves so many kisses and cookies for this -

[hellothereiplaygames]

Some thoughts on Asra's route...

Replaying Asra's route after having played Muriel's really hits different...

In one of the other routes Asra and Muriel appear to start a romantic relationship, and in Asra's route it's very clear that Muriel cares very deeply for Asra and dislikes the Apprentice. He mentions in one of the paid? dream scenes that he's worried about Asra and the Apprentice fading into their own world and leaving everyone else behind (again, apparently), and that he's determined to stop this from happening. His concern for Asra and initial hostility toward the Apprentice may be rooted in jealousy, not only because his oldest (and only) friend was more or less taken from him, but perhaps with romantic connotations as well.

In Book XI: Justice, Asra and Julian stage a mock trial by combat against Muriel. Though he apparently agreed to participate and is implied to have returned to the Coliseum of his own volition, presumably out of concern for Asra, who has been accused of being Julian's accomplice... he is still more or less backed into a corner and forced to play along with Asra and Julian's plan to stage a fight.

Now, to be fair to Asra, he states after everything goes wrong that it wasn't supposed to end this way, and it appeared that he was attempting to not only exonerate himself and Julian from their charges but somehow help Muriel overcome his past (he does disintegrate Muriel's chains during the fight no matter what choices you make). There was a point during this that I thought I could guess what Asra's plan was regarding Muriel's past, but being refreshed on how it actually pans out, I can't remember it now. Something about making the people of Vesuvia realize how barbaric the Coliseum was under Lucio.

The thing that stands out to me throughout this whole ordeal is that Asra knows about Muriel's trauma. He knows he was enslaved to Lucio and forced to fight and execute people in the Coliseum. He knows that Muriel is terrified of hurting other people, especially those he cares about. In Asra's route, the only person Muriel cares about is Asra, so hurting him is triggering for him. He literally is in a stupor after the board he was using as a weapon splinters off and hits Asra in the mouth, making him bleed. This is clearly meant to make the reader worried about Asra, but Muriel reacts as well, and appears hypnotized by the blood. I remember the first time I read this I thought he was going to have some crazy berserker-Hulk sort of reaction, but having read his route, it's way more tragic.

Though Muriel did seem to return to the Coliseum of his own volition, it does seem that Asra took this as a sign that he was coming to terms with his trauma. He was willing to exploit Muriel's care for him in order to save his own skin so he can be with the Apprentice. Though I recognize Asra's other toxic traits to some degree, I also have similar ones myself so they don't really stand out to me. This, however, where he more or less disregards Muriel's feelings on the matter, is actually really crushing. In Muriel's route, his whole thing is that he DOES NOT want to fight, he DOES NOT want to even spar with the Apprentice with blunt sticks out of fear of hurting them, so why would he willingly go along with this unless he was more or less in the same position Lucio put him in? Fight in the arena, or something bad will happen to Asra.

Asra knows this, and puts him through it regardless. During the whole fight, Julian's actions are written so as to make it seem like he's the one messing things up--he takes the "finishing blow" that Muriel was going to deal to Asra and gets knocked unconscious. Asra spends most of the entire time doing flashy, dramatic magic tricks that get the crowd cheering for him. After he "wins", he and the Apprentice are carried out of the Coliseum like heroes. Though Asra will try to soothe Muriel if the Apprentice so chooses right before the end, and he does look for Muriel in the crowd, he seems otherwise unbothered or unaware of the impact this may be having on his oldest friend. Which is pretty shitty.

Of course, Asra, Julian, and Muriel are all playing characters during their fight--Asra is the flashy magician, Julian is the rogueish BDSM dagger guy, and Muriel is the Scourge. Asra obviously can't show his concern even if he wanted to because he's supposed to be fighting Muriel. But putting his bro into this situation in the first place says a lot about his character. Though Julian is the one whose route is based around self-loathing because he believes he hurts everyone around him, Asra is the only one who gets what he wants out of this ordeal, and he even says so right before the chapter ends. Muriel was forced to relive his trauma and didn't get the resolution that was intended, and Julian gets KOed by a punch that literally sent him flying across the arena (though he probably enjoyed it tbh, he's a nasty little man like that lmao).

I wonder if this dynamic between Asra and Muriel was intentionally written this way in order to further amplify his tunnel vision when it comes to the Apprentice. Is this is how he acted in the past, causing Muriel to hate the Apprentice as he does and remark that he won't allow it to happen again? Maybe (probably) I'm reading too much into it, but as a survivor of abuse and trauma it rubs me the wrong way much more than Asra's obsessive, clingy nature. Of all of the reversed ends, Asra's is the one that actually scared me and kind of haunted me, because it hits a little too close to home.

These are all just thoughts that I wanted to spill out because I thought it was interesting and I wasn't sure if anyone else has talked about it before.

[fox-daddy]

The arcana as stolen memes again, again

Julian; the desire to disappear vs the desire to be held and wanted

~~~

Mc: what is the most complicated way to cook an egg?

Nadia without missing a beat: Atmospheric re-entry

Mc holding an egg:...well shit

~~~

Muriel: What if instead of stepping out of my comfort zone I step into an even comfier zone?

~~~

Lucio: huge fan of when my speech patterns rub off on people enjoy when that happens

Lucio: NEVERMIND, my mum just said skill issue to me

~~~

Mc: I wish I had the ability

Muriel:...to do what?

Mc:yeah

Muriel:...

Mc:...

~~~

Asra: I think we should have glowstick juice injected in our bones when we're born so if we break em there's a fun little surprise

Mc: whats the surpise?

Julian cutting in: blood poisoning

~~~

Lucio: if you step on a person's foot they open their mouths, just like trash cans.

Mc: trying not to encourage him by laughing*

~~~

Mc: one time Asra put a glass of milk on the table in front of me and I meant to ask them 'who's milk is this?' because I wasn't sure if it was for me or if they were putting it down on the table to go grab something else and I just stared down at the milk and said 'who's this?' and they turned around and without missing a beat said 'that's your new friend mr.milk' then we stared at each other for a solid twenty seconds before they asked if I was high.

~~~///~~~

(modern day arcana *not the au faking it*)

Nadia: the worst part about parallel parking is the witnesses

Mc: you know their are no witnesses if you're bad enough at parallel parking

~~~

Mc; those moments when straight people assume you're one of them and you feel like a gay secret agent

Nadia: lebionage

Portia:bi spy

Julian: it's an ace case

Asra: secret gaygent

~~~

Nadia: 'kobe' is for accuracy and precision while 'yeet' is for power and distance

Mc: I can turn this into dnd stats

Nadia:???

Mc:Kobe is dexterity, yeet is strength, oof is constitution, tea is intelligence, yolo is wisdom, and wig is charisma

~~~

Mc; You want to know one of my favorite facts? If you leave a hamster wheel out in the forest wild mice will come and run on it. That is one of my favourite facts.

Muriel:... bobcats and lynx's will sit in cardboard boxes abandoned in the forest. I asked Asra about it and they said 'cat's' while shrugging.

~~~

Mc; George Washington died in 1799, 15 years before the first dinosaur was classified. So therefore, Gorge Washington never knew about dinosaurs

Portia: Why does this make me so sad?

~~~

Nadia: if you add two pounds of sugar to literally one ton of concrete it will ruin the concrete and make it unable to set properly. Which is good to know if you want to resist something being built, French anarchists used this to resist prison construction in the 80's.

Portia: I'm just going to go ahead and take a note about this for purely educational purposes.

~~~

Julian: you got to be dunkin my doughnuts

Asra: you gotta be hutting my pizza

Portia: you gotta be mackin my donalds

Nadia: you're really innin my outs here, buddy. You're fivein my guys.

Lucio: ya whiting my castle. Ya darying my queen. Ya steaking my shake.

Mc: but are you belling my taco?

~~~///~~~

(ones with my oc's because why not)

Hunter: stuck in an elevator because Portia decided to jump?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: fucken mint

Hunter: Julian's had three panic attacks in ten minutes?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

Hunter:Muriel hasn't said a thing since we got stuck?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

Hunter: Lucio being immature and yelling the whole time?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

Hunter: Asra has just been listening to music and trying to call Nadia to come get us?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

Hunter: Kyle has to pee so bad he might get a bladder infection?

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

Hunter: Lucio's going to be the one we blame because we all hate his fucking guts

Everyone minus Muriel and Julian: Fucken mint

~~~

Hunter: I've got some kind of allergic reaction going on and my face is breaking out in a bad rash and Julian is freaking out and wants to take me to the hospital. Portia was like 'let's not make any rash decisions' and we high-fived and now Julian is yelling at both of us.

~~~

Hunter: someone will be like 'coca cola can remove rust from metal imagine what it's doing to your body' like psssh removing the rust obviously

Nadia: that's not how that works

Hunter: Yeah? while I don't have rust in my body so check mate

Nadia:

[arcanarubinaito]

MC & M6 Dynamics

Each section contains a mini-playlist with six songs. It’s followed by a general analysis of what I aimed for each playlist to convey when listened to.

A song they’ll sing to/with each other. (In Lucio’s case, specifically him to Auric.)

A song that summarizes the start of their relationship, post-death.

The dynamic from Auric’s POV.

The dynamic from the character’s POV.

An instrumental song that fits their current dynamic.

Bonus song.

Muriel’s playlist will have nine songs, in an attempt to encompass both where their dynamic is currently and where I aim to take it. I’ll show the pattern below using the numbers from above to show what each song is meant to represent.

(Present, first four songs)—2,3,4,5

(Future, last five songs)—1,3,4,5,6

Brothers.

It’s a term that both use without even needing to think about it. Family, siblings, so incredibly close that sometimes it takes Asra a moment to remember they weren’t always in each other’s lives.

Long before they lost half their heart, it already felt like it was missing. The experience forced a lot of their trauma and unresolved issues back into the forefront. They began retreating frequently once Auric was able to take care of himself, taking lengthy trips to get away from it all before it consumed them entirely.

Even without his memories, Auric still loved him. He looked up to him, depended on him. Frequently, Auric wondered if that was why Asra kept leaving—if Auric loved him too much and scared him away.

He stayed. Even when it was painful, sleeping all alone in the loft they shared. Auric stayed right where Asra left him, waiting for them to come back.

Can one still love when they feel so angry? Auric couldn’t figure it out. As time went on, the resentment would build up and all Auric would feel was guilt for it.

Love and care, soured by resentment and loneliness. Auric is finally pulling away, keeping things from Asra that he never did before. Asra wants to fix it, and they’re hoping to god it isn’t too late to do something.

Best friends; confidantes, even.

They knew each other before Auric died. They met at the wedding, and quickly figured out they had a bit in common. While they weren’t particularly close—they led very different lives and rarely had the chance to interact—they were still fond of one another.

When they met again, Nadia had been expected someone brighter and happier. That was who she met in her dreams after all. Instead, she was faced with an anxious, slightly irritable apprentice. And it felt horribly, horribly wrong.

She took extreme amounts of care to make sure Auric was comfortable at the palace. One of the smaller guest rooms, (mostly) practical outfits made from comfortable fabrics, she even incorporated foods into the menu that Portia recommended the average citizen of Vesuvia would enjoy.

Nadia found a unique confidante in Auric. It wasn't long before she confessed her memory loss, and now the two know they have something they share.

In many ways, they leaned on one another. For two people that felt lonely throughout the lives they remembered, there was nothing better than to encounter someone who knew how they felt.

Nadia wants to foster more trust between them. If ever Auric should need anything, Nadia will be right there for him to assist in whatever ways she can.

What else can they call themselves but family? Their relationship fluctuates, depending on their situation.

Meeting Julian for the first time was an… experience. But glimpses past Julian’s façade quickly revealed that he was desperate, not dangerous. Didn’t save him from getting smacked with a broom though.

Honestly the song dedicated to the start of their relationship is more or less just the vibes Julian gave off to Auric at first. Yes, it’s a Will Wood song. You can’t make a playlist without one, I don’t make the rules I just follow ‘em.

It would be a lie to say Julian didn’t have a healthy fear of Auric at first. That wasn’t what Auric intended, but he got a little intense and Julian didn’t know Auric well enough to realize that’s not how he is normally.

There’s a lot of running into each other because there’s a lot of following each other around. Auric tracked Julian down for the purposes of his investigation; Julian started following Auric around to make sure he didn’t run into trouble.

One thing they both could relate to is a longing for adventure and exploring. On top of that, the feeling that they had to stay behind for one reason or another, and in Julian’s case, the guilt that came from finally leaving and pursuing his interests.

These two keep each other in check. Both are impulsive and self-sacrificing; which means they’re perfect to keep each other from diving headfirst into something without thinking, or otherwise doing things they might regret. (Cough, cough, Julian nearly giving himself up to the guards so Auric could escape despite them both being in a very secure hiding place.)

Auric is yet another person Julian hopes can forgive him, for his past and for what he’s planning to do.

Best friends in that do everything together, giggling school girls talking about their crushes, going to the ends of the earth for each other kind of way.

They clicked faster than Auric did with Asra. Like the platonic version of falling in love at first sight. Auric found it incredibly easy to talk to Portia, and vice-versa.

See the thing is, they both love with their entire beings, absorb the stress of everyone and everything around them, and deal with it through borderline overworking themselves. It cancels out with each other. There’s no feeling like they have to prove themselves, and they can feel relaxed.

Auric hadn’t smiled like that in months. His cheeks hurt, his feet ached, but it was worth it to dance and let go of his stress for a couple hours with Portia.

It really just felt natural to talk to her. She was warm, sweet, and caring. Auric felt the most like himself, the most relaxed he had been in ages. That’s not to say he isn’t comfortable around the other M6, but they all carry stress or stressful situations with them that make it hard for him to really let go and unwind.

Boundless energy and curiosity. When Portia and Auric had the time, it was pursuing books in the library or exploring the secret passages. If their schedules didn’t line up, sometimes they’d use their time off to help each other out with whatever they were working on.

There is trust, but also secrets. And that is perfectly fine; they’ll tell each other in good time.

Once upon a time you could describe their relationship as friendly rivals. As a child, Auric often engaged in prank wars with the new Count.

Now they’ve become mortal enemies, their laughter and antics lost in the past. A small part of Lucio missed it, which spurred his actions a little; but whatever kindness and affection he might’ve had was swallowed up in anger and resentment during those three years.

Death was not kind. Or in Lucio’s case, the lack thereof. Three years allowed his anger and desperation to fester and rot, lashing out at anything that wandered into his abandoned wing.

Originally there was a sort of cat and mouse dynamic. It started when Auric first stepped foot into Lucio’s wing; taunting, chasing, even outright hurting Auric in his limited capacity. Auric didn’t remember him, which made it all the more frustrating for Lucio. Although slowly it became a point of interest.

Once he had his own body, his attention shifted away from Auric for a while. It returned swiftly once he completed his deals and he began to realize the little apprentice actually posed a threat. It’s at this point as well that Auric’s fear of Lucio transformed to full-fledged hatred. (Morga’s death was the catalyst.)

It didn’t help that The Devil and The Fool had their own issues going on, and that was beginning to influence things.

Blood will be shed because of their mutual hatred. But while Auric tries to keep it contained between them, Lucio frankly doesn’t give a fuck who gets caught in the crossfire.

They may have begun as strangers but they end up as partners.

Of course, the road to that point is long and slow when one can’t remember the other, and the other doesn’t like the first one.

Muriel barely knew Auric before he died. His opinion only really started forming after Auric’s resurrection; ‘The dead should stay dead.’ is what he told Asra. And he stood by it; he saw firsthand what trying to resurrect Auric did to them. And he saw the aftermath of it too, and how it changed his best friend.

The first time he properly met Auric post-resurrection, it was only because Asra needed someone to keep an eye on him the first time Asra took one of his trips. There wasn’t anything Auric did wrong in particular, but Muriel left with a sour taste in his mouth anyways.

Auric was afraid of him at first. The first several visits were like that; reactions of fear that never quite ebbed away. Muriel could deal with that, he was used to it. What really started to disturb him was when Auric began to slowly become more comfortable around him, despite the curse.

It’s not fear but it slowly developed into wariness. Muriel long discovered that his fear was not absent entirely; it remained attributed to whoever remembered him. And while Auric didn’t remember him entirely, something still did—something small, just under the surface. So whatever fear and anxiety Muriel was developing about the situation mimicked that.

Though to someone who lived a few years now with very limited fears, that was more than enough to trigger some avoidance and general distrust. Especially because he couldn’t control this; he had no say in whether or not Auric remembered him. And in that tiny, under-the-surface way, that was terrifying.

After this, he watched Auric only from a distance and very, very rarely would he interact with him. Warning him about the palace the morning Auric set out to see Nadia was the first time he had spoken to Auric in a good year.

… which was then subsequently followed by multiple interactions over the span of a week, and Auric’s slight recognition began to turn into vague familiarity.

To be honest, Auric was starting to freak out. He was insanely attuned to his own memory out of paranoia that he would lose it all over again; so it was very easy for him to notice all the missing ones. And it really didn’t help that they were cropping up more frequently.

Thankfully Asra returned and Muriel wasn’t needed anymore. And by the looks of things, Asra wasn’t going to leave for a while yet; good. Muriel wanted to put as much distance between himself, and Auric, and these weird feelings of slight fondness and concern as possible.

Asra asked him to stick around longer anyways. Auric was accepting only so much help from them, and they didn’t trust Julian to keep Auric safe and out of trouble either. Great, now he was stuck watching TWO people he didn’t like.

Muriel had to wonder just how much fortune hated him, for Auric to stumble across him that fateful evening in the forest. Sure, he was bleeding out from a gaping wound in his side and sure Auric unthinkingly healed him up and spent his magic reserves…

… and then they were traveling together…

… and getting to know each other…

… fuck.

Now he understood exactly what ‘butterflies’ meant. Now he knew a different kind of fear. Now he knew a different intensity to the fears he used to have.

His knee jerk instinct is to run away from it all when it gets too intense. But Auric didn’t really let him… which was surprising. And nice. Everything Auric did was surprising, mostly in good ways.

Whatever happens, they’re prepared to weather the storm together.

[samtheplatypus]

✨Julem in a Nutshell ✨

*randomly starts infodumping*

I don't know why that meme was my first idea but it tracks XD

I've never done sketches this way before, it was fun :D

Two self sacrificing fools, as Julian himself said, they are way better taking care of each other than of themselves (and man they take so much care of each other), Demien didn't really liked Julian at first but grew fond of him very fast. Also two drama queens but Demien is nothing compared to Julian. Very much in love. Dem actually is about to give Julian a lot of heart attacks because he is clumsy, is the kind of person to say they'd get better with some sleep when sick, and yes, he will try to pet every animal that crosses his way (again, sorry Julian). But don't worry, Dem is getting as much heart attacks with Julian's absolute lack of selfcare (Dem cooks 3 meals for him everyday so he doesn't forget to eat, makes his best to get him to sleep every night, absolutely everything in his power to take good care of that man)

I'm adding the dynamics between Dem and the other main bc I just think is fun XD

Asra: besties, this two will always be up for mischief, Dem will encourage Asra to do insane stuff, always.

Portia: besties again, they saw each other and immediately went "yes, you are it", so as soon as they are able to "relax" they are getting in trouble (also with Julian, Dem really is a troublemaker damn) Dem teaches her magic.

Nadia: honestly terrified of her, she is THE COUNTESS, and please, is Nadia, have you seen Nadia??? He's just really intimidated by her, he likes her but doesn't know how to talk to her at first, as soon as that wears off he gets pretty chill (constantly tries to imitate the way she walks and fails)

Muriel: Dem likes him, he really does, he wants to be his friend, Muriel doesn't, he thinks Dem is annoying, there's no saving, Julian and Demien try to befriend him and fail every time, they are just too much by themselves, together they are overwhelming for the guy (this doesn't happen so often cause they don't interact that much)

Lucio: Julian may not be one to hold grudges, but Demien is, he doesn't mind he basically died bc of Lucio, not at all, he's mad about what Lucio did to Julian, and Asra, and to everyone else, he wants to unalive him. If it were an AU were Lucio just had his personality and hadn't done all the stuff he did, they'd actually get along really well, Dem would make fun of him, he just would think Lucio is funny, the kind of friends that be bullying each other to show affection

I'm talking about Dem in third person as if he wasn't literally me (it's easier for me to explain that way)