#idv novelist headcanons

[corruptedroses]

hi, i saw reqs were open!

nsfw novelist hcs with a fem reader 👀

⌞ask box open⌝ | ⌞commissions open⌝ | ⌞ko-fi?⌝ | ⌞Patreon coming soon⌝

— “A little research goes a long way, darling ❤„

Fandom — Identity V

Featuring — Orpheus / The Novelist

Content Warnings — AFAB reader [no pronouns], mentions of scratching, mentions of biting, temperature play, a suggestion of Nightmare joining in on the fun.

Author's Note — at the time of writing this we still do not know Orpheus' real name [as the name Orpheus has ben confirmed to be his pen name], in the near future I may end up coming back to fix this to include his real name but for now, he shall just be Orpheus.

As the title of this post suggests, Orpheus isn't a stranger when it comes to the concept of intimacy or topics regarding sexual intercourse. While this man may be a bit frigid himself, he certainly wouldn't deprive himself of the chance to learn new things. As a writer, research is a vital role of writing, and thus research means divulging in desires that would make even the devil himself sweat in pure sin.

While he leans on the vanilla side of the spectrum, he isn't afraid to experiment on his beloved or himself; while scenes like this don't usually appear in his books given that he is an author specialising in the detective genre, you have noticed that if he does something like tying you up, it usually ends up in the next book. It's weird but oddly enchanting. His personal favourite of these scenarios has had to be when he had watched your skin pebble as he dragged an ice cube across your exposed bosom. He really did like seeing you tremble

Being a bit of a frigid person, you will have to guide him at first; use him how you see fit, guide his hands, his legs, his arms to hold you tightly, squeeze you, embrace you, allow him to absorb the scent of your skin and the taste of your sweat into his brain to the point that he cannot forget it. He will not forget it. As a fast learner, one that tends to save every little detail to his memory, it wouldn't be too shocking that he ends up finding himself knowing your body like the back of his hand by the fifth time you fuck.

Talking about his fingers, he's got some long ones, he likes to make you sit in his lap, watching your face as he touches you ever so slowly, gentle circles, beautiful melodies, he's a man that likes to watch his pieces come together [and apart] with his fingers. From his years of typewriter and pen, he has callouses that also provide some nice texture. He wants to make you drip all over his thigh whether you like it or not.

He really, really likes to see evidence on each other's bodies that you two have danced the tango only meant for the most desperate of people, scratch his back, bite his skin, and he will return the favour in a way that no other man would do. He wants to leave evidence that he was there, for you to remember how he felt against your skin even long after the bruises and scratch marks have faded, he wants to remember how your heels felt digging into the small of his back as he made you sing broken syllables of his name. His true name.

When he begins to run out of ideas on how to best keep you on your toes, do not be surprised when certain books of a certain genre start appearing in his home; it's all important research to him.

There are certain nights, however, that he tends to forget, ones where his notes have already been done and you lay sound asleep. Those are the nights that make Orpheus think that he must've given into his most basic of instincts, the yearnings of the living man. As long as his notes are presented nicely and well in case of future projects, he best not dwell on them for too long.

[nightwonder7]

"Haha, real funny, you guys."

Had a sudden urge to redraw this

[the-sketches-lair]

That smirk is giving you away.

[heartshapedbubble]

and now, for a request that took me six months to start writing and two months to finish due to personal stuff. jesus christ i should start including financial compensation alongside my fics.

anyways happy spooky szn everyone!! now that my reqs are finally empty i'll be reworking my page soon and opening them again💞

unspoken words, an orpheus x maid reader fanfic📕

tags/heads up: reader is a maid, gender not specified, one sided enemies to lovers kinda????, suggestive only if you squint really hard and get your eyes reaaaally close to the screen (theres only kissing tbh)

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

Being a survivor was never easy. Peer pressure from both your team and people outside it, dealing with all sorts of blows directed right at you - either the physical ones, by the hunter, or the verbal ones from the other survivors.

But being a survivor AND a servant? It made things even worse.

Right after a match, it was only a matter of time when you'd hear groans and whines about how there's no tea and biscuits served in the living room, how there's so much dust on library shelves, how stained the floor in the hall is. And there was no time to catch a break, hell, no time to heal either. You roughly wiped your bloodstained knees, plucked out pieces of wood that dug themselves into your palms, and got back to work. As drops of remaining blood rolled down your leg and you felt your hips crack each time you bent down, you got back to your everyday cleaning service. As you were a maid - the only one that was available at all times, at least, and the only one who was actually living and not just a stitched-up corpse - most if not all of the household manor duties ended up a burden on your back. Strolling between the survivor side and the hunter side, you served warm cups of lemon tea, handed clean towels, even polished shoes. And my god, there was no mercy from either side. Everything was always "not good enough", and most of the time you barely even got a "thank you" handed back. One time, one especially daring hunter dared to spit on you as you scrubbed the tiles beneath him - let's just say that the handle of your broom got to his ankles quite quickly.

The maid life was ugly, but it had its benefits, too. For example, you heard all sorts of juicy gossip dealt from mouth to mouth, from ear to ear, dark secrets from every single person inhabiting the manor. And as most people ignored you unless they needed some unimportant favor from you, in the meantime there was plenty of alone time you could use up until the next bell ring. Curled up in a hidden part of the library, a plate stacked with softened butter cookies by your feet, your free time was spent dozing off on the soft, velvet cushions of the hard sofa by the foggy window, your eyes occasionally skimming through a yellowed book.

~

"Oh, sorry." Helena mumbled as the tip of her cane accidentally scratched your hand as you scrubbed the floor. "I knew you were somewhere in front of me, but I didn't know where exactly."

"It's all good, Hele." Helena was one of the more polite residents, but it was just part of her nature - shy, polite, respectful. Compared to everyone else, she was just a kid after all.

You achingly checked the grandfather clock looming over you, waiting eagerly until it rang for five o'clock and signaled your break for the day. Yesterday you stumbled over a really good book, with a fascinating plot decked into at least five hundred pages. You barely got to skim over the first few when you heard a whine from the living room, demanding a serving of pastries. It kept you up all day long and you could barely contain yourself from running to your little haven straight away.

At last, your deserved break came, and you almost tripped over the carpet folds as you ran towards the rusty trapdoor separating you from your one-hour paradise. Yet, as you lunged right for the piled-up cushions, you noticed a figure.

Someone.

Sitting on your sofa.

Reading a book.

Not just a random book.

The exact same one you picked up and tucked under the pillows yesterday, so no one can get their grubby little hands on it except you.

And, to top it all off, it was no other than the novelist, Orpheus, who was sifting impatiently through the pages, splayed on your sofa like a frog, his leg bouncing nervously.

Ugh, that Orpheus. He was polite and all, one of the exceptions, good-looking even, but god did something about him rub you the wrong way. He always said hello, said goodbye, said thank you and please, smiled back at you, yet...

"Oh, good afternoon, ___!"

The position he was in right now really wasn't helping.

"Hello, sir Orpheus." The "sir" title you had to use out of respect awfully repulsed you, even more so than "lady". Perhaps it was the undertone of uttermost submission unavoidably coming with it. "May I ask you, what are you doing here?"

"Oh. Well, I was on a.... little expedition, will you", he chuckled, nervously playing with the buttons on the cuff of his shirt, "Y'know, messing with the bookshelves and what not, when I stumbled upon this fine little room. Seems like I'm not the first one to discover it, am I?"

"No, you're not." You forced yourself to smile, and sat right by him, the cushions dipping under your weight and slightly pulling you two closer. "I've claimed it as my own, in fact. I believe you don't mind that, do you?"

"I-I don't mind it at all! No no, how could I? Well, I..." He mumbled nonsense, trying to hide his face as he cleaned his monocle. He seemed especially nervous today, and he wasn't the calmest in general, either. "...may I assume you don't mind me staying a bit longer here, do you?"

You sighed. Well, maybe some company instead isn't a bad thing. Even if it was him. "I'll let it slip this time. Want some cookies?" You pulled out a scratched tin box from under one of the big cushions, and messed with the tightly clasped lid. "They're a bit stale, but they taste just fine."

He pressed his lips into a thin line. Hesitatingly, he picked a crumbling cookie and wrapped it in his handkerchief. "Thank you for welcoming me so nicely despite your... condition, y'know. I can only imagine how hard it can be having the role of a maid and a competitor at the same time." There was pity in his voice, a hint of internalized shame, maybe. Willingly or not, his last sentence created an uncomfortable silence between you two, and it was only a matter of time before one of you broke it.

"...You're welcome", you went in head-first into the conversation, "but I really don't need your pity. I didn't get a lot of it in the first place, and I sure don't need it now. My life is what it is, and neither of us can change it."

He sighed. "I suppose you're right", he said as he got up and stretched, "just saying, though.. accepting empathy or help here and there really isn't that humbling as it seems." He calmly walked through the trapdoor, as if he didn't say anything.

God. You decide to be nice for once and you get back a lesson instead? How fun. Especially when it's from someone who you thought you could confide in. But you're not going to allow his words to get to your skull - there's so much better things to think of compared to that....

~

"My apologies, dear." Michiko whispered as she quickly tiptoed away, accidentally bumping into you the second before.

"I'd advise you to be more careful where you tread, doll", Joseph suddenly appeared in the hallway, weaving his words with his usual husky yet elegant voice, "I believe you don't want any accidents to occur while working, hm?"

Out of almost all of the (adult) hunters, Joseph was the most talkative. And you were no exception - he regularly spoke to the other survivors, often scaring them by whispering from behind their back or jumping out of the shadows. He wasn't trying to form strong relationships, obviously, but it seemed like he wasn't the type to withold his comments. After some time spent observing you deduced that Joseph might be a little bit too fascinated with you - or at least a little bit too interested in chatting with you.

"No, Joseph, I, in fact, don't.", you groaned as you threw the broom back in your bucket, "Besides, shouldn't you be more worried about your own wellbeing, old man? Should I bring you some balm for your sore limbs?"

He clicked his tongue. "Tch. You know I have good intentions, dear." One blink later and he already merged with the shadows, looking for someone else to talk to.

"Woah. What was all that about?" You heard a voice behind you, a bit shaky and uncertain. It was - you sighed - Orpheus again, in his hands a ceramic tray stacked with porcelain dishes and silverware, a warm scent of mint emitting from the glossy teapot. He wasn't having a good time trying to balance it in his arms.

"Nothing. Just Joseph being Joseph. Mind me taking this for you?" you grabbed the tray in an instant, now much more stable under your grip.

"I...do, actually." He slowly pulled the tray back towards him, a bit hesitantly now as his hands shook beneath it again. "I thought once you finish we could sit down for tea. Y'know, just the two of us. In the little room in the library. I can bug Norton for some of his tres leches if you want. Or maybe Margaretha for pierogi if you're craving something savory instead... Sorry, I wanted it to be a suprise." He looked away, bashfully, as if he regretted doing all of this in the end. You weren't sure what had gotten into you at that moment, but you suddenly felt that if you don't accept his offer now, you might feel really bad later on. Like looking at a sad little puppy's beady eyes.

"Thinking of it now, it doesn't seem like a bad way to pass the afternoon. I'm in."

~

You puffed at the steam coming from your cup.

"Joseph really gets on your nerves, hm, ____?"

"A bit, yeah. Snooty old man."

"Ah, come on now, he isn't that bad. He's quite pleasant to talk, actually. A little intimidating, very peculiar, but pleasant. Most of the time."

"Wish it was like that when playing against him. I go through hell and back while dressing my wounds because of his damned rapier. How did it even get approved by the owner?

"He's a veteran, so I believe they decided to let it slip back then. Or maybe he just swayed DeRoss off of his feet with his Frenchman charm and the two lasers he has for eyes."

You almost choked on your tea. Orpheus had a suprisingly sharp tongue, unfitting with his unsuspecting face and downturned eyes. He took off his gloves - revealing rough yet nimble fingers - and scooped some pierogi onto his plate.

"Was this a pleasant enough suprise for you?"

"Well, for the first time someone has been nice to me in a while, it's quite delightful, I admit."

"You mean, you wouldn't consider Joseph being polite towards you as "being nice"?"

"Hm?"

"Oh, just wondering, since I overheard bits of your conversation today. He didn't really sound rude, did he?"

"I mean, he wasn't rude or anything, it's just...I don't know how to explain it. Yeah, people are nice to me, actually, quite a lot of them, but they rarely go beyond their words. They don't put them into action."

"I see. I believe it gets annoying with time."

"It does."

"Do you put what you say into action, too?"

"...What are you implying?"

"As in, when you like a person or care for them, do you also try to put into action your love for them?"

"Orpheus, I put everything into action. Every day. That's my job as a maid."

"Yes, I...know that very well, but do you put love in action, too?"

"I don't have time for love. Nor is there anyone to fully love here, I fear. Just tolerate and like, maybe. If they're really nice."

He sat up straight, his thumb trailing his bottom lip back and forth.

"See, I'm no expert, but I do feel that you're denying yourself of something you don't know you need most."

Leaving you puzzled, he got up and left the room.

~

"Orpheus, have you ever kissed somebody before?"

He suddenly jolted, staring back at you from the other edge of the sofa.

"What kind of question is that?" He tilted his head, pouring milk into his tea. One tea break ensued after another, and now it has become an unspoken rule to bring something to sip (or munch) on to the library hideout as the clock struck for afternoon.

"You know how they portray poets and novelists. Romantic, sensual, passionate. I just assumed you already have some experience with dating."

A faint pink flashed his cheeks. "Well, now, what is it that prompted you to ask me? And now, of all times?"

Sip by sip, sentence by sentence, and you got quite close to Orpheus in these few months. You couldn't help but think about his words here and there - to do something with love, not just because you have to. Or out of love. Whatever. The following day after he brought you tea for the first time, you felt the moral obligation to invite him for lunch. And so the cycle continued, an opportunity to chat appeared along with it, and in Orpheus you now saw a friend. Perhaps. There were bits of joy in the moments when you picked out the perfect flavor for the day or played with coffee cream, attempting to make some designs with it.

No, in fact, there was no real reason behind your question. It seemed fitting enough for the moment, and maybe, just maybe, you wanted to catch him off guard again.

"Felt like it."

He cleared his throat. "Well, if you're so curious about it.... not really. Fangirls were common but... I'm simply not very experienced. Some may see me as charismatic but once things get a little bit more serious I don't know what to do. Was that the answer you expected from me?"

It was a bit ironic. A bit cute, even. How his charisma only reached up to actual love, the real thing. The same thing he remarked you needed the most.

"Funny. The Orpheus, the detective novel author, afraid of love? Out of all things?"

It didn't take long for him to pout his lips, looking away in shame. "To be fair, there's quite a bit to be afraid of in love. There's commitment, passion, building trust, insecurity... It takes a lot to love."

"I see."

"May I ask you the same question?"

"Which one - if I've ever kissed someone? Never. Never had the opportunity. Never felt the need, in fact. It wasn't a necessity to have a partner, only a plus. It's not something to be terribly afraid of. I believe it just happens and, well, you go with the flow."

"Well, maybe you never feared it because you never reached its starting point."

"Oh, Orpheus, you're supposed to be a novelist, not a philosopher."

~

The library sofa is quite practical. If you pull the compartment at the bottom of it a little too hard, it can be stretched out, turning it into a large comfortable bed, although a bit rough on the skin.

You and Orpheus laid on the sofa-bed, directly facing the large window, listening to the sound of raindrops hitting the glass.

"It's really calming here. Lulls you right to sleep." He started, his monocle set aside. Now having a better look at his so-to-speak "monocled" eye, you noticed it's more downturned than the other.

"...Mhm." Already half asleep, you turned your head towards his face, soaked up his profile through lidded eyes.

"____ , is everything okay?"

"Everything is just fine. Juuust fine. I'm just a bit sleepy."

You looked at his hand, laying by his hip between you two, fingers twitching here and there nervously. He never took his gloves off in front of you except for when he was eating.

"You can go take a nap if you want. I'll wake you up once it's time to go."

Your hand mindlessly headed towards his and your fingers pinched at the satin gloves, trying to take them off his hands.

"No, I think i'm good."

He sighed sharply. That wasn't a sigh of annoyance, it was a sigh of pain, like trying to breathe deeply while your heart aches.

"God, no. Please, ____ , don't do this to me."

He was scared, and now you were too, but his hand remained still. Torn between pleasure and horror. His fingers cold and nimble, his hand rough and calloused again. For an unknown reason, you wanted to hold it, from the second your gaze switched to it.

"I'm not doing anything bad, am I?"

Your fingers finally fit between his, palm to palm. It was weird. Like holding a pleasantly cold cup and trailing across sandpaper at the same time. But it felt good. It felt safe, secure, like it could last forever.

"You know what you're doing."

You felt his fingers tighten around your hand, gripping it tightly.

"...Please keep on doing it."

~

Seven o'clock.

An envelope in your hands. Your name written on it in the prettiest cursive you've seen, like a treat, baiting you to open it.

But you held back.

You waited.

The door creaked behind you. Not turning back, you spoke softly:

"Orpheus."

"____"

Your name uttered between breaths.

The clack of his shoes, his weight switching from leg to leg, his breathing becoming louder. You could now feel it on your neck. The chilling warmth.

"Why didn't you open the letter?"

"You know why."

"You're cruel."

"But you came anyways."

He sighed. "... for love." It sounded heavy coming from his mouth.

"For love." You smiled, the word now as light as a butterfly. The knife tore through paper and you skimmed through the lines of words, a careful gaze watching you as you did so.

"...What do you think?"

"It's wonderful."

"I know what's on your mind."

You turned towards him now. Face to face. Mere inches separating your eyes. Eyes, wandering everywhere else except towards what laid in front of them.

You tried to lay your hands around his neck. You tried, really. But the look in his eyes already denied you before you even started.

His hands quickly reached for your lowering wrists.

"Give me a moment, I beg of you." He whispered, shaking.

His lips indecisevly hovered above your lips, then your neck, your nose, your cheek. You closed your eyes firmly, only opening them once you felt comforting warmth on your jaw. He pulled back, leaving a translucent string of saliva as he parted.

"I know it wasn't as magical as you expected it to be. I'm sorry, ____ ."

"We barely even started, Orpheus."

He tried to object, to bury himself again, but before the words could slip from his mouth, your lips shut him up. And so, in a mere moment, the unspoken words did not matter anymore.

[vinnsley]

Could you write an Orpheus x reader fic where the two of them are unknowingly pinning over each other? Have a wonderful day/night too!

OMG. yes. tysm.

[----------]

+ Halloween special?? (it dosent have any halloween things. i actually planned to post this yesterday)

Pairing: Orpheus (IDV) x GN! Reader

Warnings: None really, just some oblivious mess of a fic lol. And some grammar mistakes ofc

Word count: Idk man i aint counting this shit... (i only know this is probably my longest work yet...)

[----------]

You arrived at the manor a few weeks prior, and so far, it's been nice. Most of the other survivors were nice, teamwork for matches were there, (even if sometimes it didnt really work out and you and the 3 others had a shameful lose.) it felt better than your old life to be precise.

But there was this one survivor that had peaked your interest. That survivor being none other than Orpheus himself. He was a quiet individual, sure, but whenever he spoke his voice felt like silk, something you could listen to for hours and hours without a stop.

You wanted to get closer to him, to get to know him better. But you didnt want to come off as rude or obnoxious. So you did what any other normal person would do who's afraid of making the first move. You wrote a letter.

The handwriting was 'neat' in youre opinion, the contents... probably okay. You were just waiting for his response.

You werent sure that if he took you up on the offer to be friends, or he would just nit-pick your wording and grammar, but your heart told you it's worth a shot.

And indeed was it worth it.

At first it was obvious he was hesitant to meet, but after a few meetings/'hang outs' as you called it, he realized you werent so bad after all.

You two quickly clicked. You two had similar interests, similar type of 'humor', and it just felt so perfect for you.

And you hoped it would be the same feeling for him too.

"[Y/N]?"

You're head perked up as you heard his beautiful voice. Your name rolling perfectly off his tounge.

"Yes, Orpheus?"

You question.

God, how much he loved your voice.

At first he wasn't that much of a fan of you, but now, he would do anything to just merely be in your presence.

"I have a question for you."

You raise an eyebrow at that. What does he have to know?

"Hit me."

You respond

"What is youre favourite color?"

"Uh... [Favourite color]. Why?"

"Oh nothing. I was just curious."

He responds.

In reality, he just wants to learn about you. Anything in general.

Whatever you say he memorizes. Or writes it down somewhere. It may sound stalker-ish but when you're stuck in a manor where you're being hunted down by monsters and where you might go nuts, it dosen't really matter.

And most of the days just went like this. Orpheus or you popping up in eachothers spaces to ask questions about eachother, or just talk.

The other survivors were practically begging you to get together with Orpheus, appearently you and him are 'All over eachother', which is not true!

You two only hang out. And talk all the time. And team up during matches. And save eachother without a second thought even if it meant one of you'd lose the match. And share food with eachother-

Okay now thats pretty sus in reality...

And that's when you realized for once. (And finally.)

You like... No. You love Orpheus.

After you realized... you... kind of kept a distance between him and you.

You just didnt know what to do with these new feelings. They are foreign. New. Whatever you want to call it, but its not familiar.

And of course, this action did not go unnoticed by Orpheus, see, he is a really attentive person, he 'knows these stuff', as you told him once

Whenever he called your name, or even tried to get in your personal space, you moved away or just simply ignored him.

Which did not sit right with him at all.

You two got along so well, what happend?

Did he do something wrong?

Did he offend you with something he said?

He knows he can be blunt but did he hurt you??

Needless to say he was confused. Very confused.

So one day, he decided to write a letter.

If he wrote you didnt have a chance to runaway... right?

And the letter was... detailed. Way too detailed.

He wrote about his worries that he offended you, he asked why are you ignoring him and if he did something wrong, and he said he misses you.

When you read the letter that got pushed trough the small space under your door, you didnt know how to take it.

Did this mean he likes you too? Or what does this mean..?

Let's say you wrote a letter back. But you were way bolder.

You poured out your heart into that letter, you told him how much your heart aches whenever you cant see him, but you realized these strange feelings that kept bugging you.

That you love his silky voice, whenever he talks it felt like a lullaby to you that you could just sleep on without a care in the world.

And when HE read the letter he was flabbergasted. No better or worse word to describe it.

After thinking deeply and reading your letter over and over again, he realized it too.

What he felt inside his stomach whenever you two were close wasn't only friendship. It was love.

He finally realized, you did too.

So he wrote a letter back, again.

Confessing that he felt the same, and that you two should meet up already because he misses you.

In the end... You two confessed the same way you two's friendship started to bloom.

[mintytealfox]

Any headcanons about Detective Orpheus?

Yeeeeeeeeeeeee~ The creepy gremlin man who doesn't realize how scary he is lol

and sniffing all the gosh dang drugs like Alice, and him taking it a step further and DRINKING THE ONE IIMMMMM???????? Just like he did when he was still the Novelist 10 years prior LOL Alice maybe doing the same (likely and hopefully not pff) since he finds that same BOTTLE on HER DESK in HER ROOM THE FUUUUHHH???

What are these two DOIN LOL

(side note Alice is familiar with the drug cause the forgetting one was replaced with this hydra one and she was able to escape 👀:

the sticker behind the forgetting one has a hint of one of the hooks of the hydra mark but I totally could be in delusion land again loool)

ANYWAY! (gosh DANG I keep getting side tracked lol)

HEADCANONS GOSH LOL

-Bro has a HORRIBLE case of dual personality(or at least he is convinced he has dual personality. Like he is trying to convince himself he is a good person and would never do anything that he did and its just his alter ego). Where one is aware of everything and trying to lead the other who has control. But the naughty one is able to do 'minor' things such as making him see things and potentially carving clues into his skin 😱but most likely just making him see it not actually doing it, but I wouldn't put the carving past him either honestly.

-Bro hasn't slept in ages, I mean look at him lol he barely 35 and looking in his 50s (which reminds me that Norton would be 38 with 40 around the corner lol old jk jk 🤣 I bet he would age well if he has the opportunity to. I mean look at him, after all he has been through, he should be looking ROUGH considering, but here he is and still looks like a baby bean with his 30s are around the corner looool)

-I don't think he ('or his alter ego') know what happened to everyone after that night. I don't think they know if Alice is alive or not. One seeking for answers the other seeking Alice.

-Orpheus seemed to have gone on with his life and just lived as a detective for 10 years until he got a letter again, then he started loosing his marbles again. So all this time he hasn't been looking or searching, just kind of living. (what if he gave himself that letter and he is so messed up he genuinely doesn't realize like. All of his stuff is so messy I would believe that as a possibility lol everything he says is wild and everywhere oh my gosh)

I wish I had more headcanons but this dude baffles me so much, with all of his stuff being confusing and contradictory and unreliable oh my gosh LOL but he puts on the airs that he has two personalities, one trying to be a good person and find his memories while the other is like "NAHHHHH I GOT PLANS"

bro baffles me so bad man orz I want to give him the benefit of the doubt like this detective version of him does for himself, but I don't trust a darn thing cause he is so unreliable as a narrator lol

-But after all of these events and he gets all those memories again and goes back on his mess? I betcha he would hunt down Alice whether she is alive or not. orz I bet he would try to hunt down all of da capo (if they are alive or not) honestly, and try a REDO, sort of thing, to make sure it all goes RIGHT this time orz He either finds them if he can or finds people like them to try and recreate it orz I feel like Da Capo would HAUNT that 'alter ego' and its a wrong that needs to be made right 🙃

but of course these are just some thoughts/ponderings heh

[ithaquass]

hii < 3 you know how much i enjoy your writings !! so i was wondering if i could request some general dating headcanons for orpheus? only if you're comfortable with that. have a nice day sweetie ♡

AHH TSYM ANONN !!💗💗 i tried my best with this work since i’ve been waiting to get a rq to finally write about him HJSJDDJ. Have a great day as well !💕

୨୧ Orpheus (novelist)

ㅤ→ dating headcanons !

cw none, slight nsfw ?)

gender neutral s/o

♡ Orpheus is not exactly the most approachable person. Therefore, it may be a bit hard to get along with him at first, much more becoming close to him…

It is not impossible, though. Once he had taken a liking to you, he himself will eventually come crawling to you..~

♡ He’s always so full of himself, but when it comes to you, somehow you always get to break down his arrogant demeanor. Orpheus is actually a very affectionate lover with you!

♡ I believe he’d always have you in high esteem. You are an inspiration to him, his one and only muse.

♡ He probably holds back a lot with you when it comes to pda. But once you two are finally alone, the only thing he wants is to hold you for the rest of the night and whisper sweet nothings to your ear until you completely melt in his arms~

♡ Orpheus will write the sweetest poems to you! he even might also give you letters. a lot of them.

Like i said before, you are like an inspiration to him, so of course he’d be more than delighted to write for you!

♡ This is a bit nsfw but i am pretty sure he’d get turned on by hearing you calling him “sir” or anything of the sort. He enjoys that feeling of authority over you ?) it truly drives him somewhere else.

♡ Most likely the one who (almost) always initiates the conversations between you two. He loves asking you questions about trivial matters, debates with you about different subjects… he just kind of enjoy it, and he values your opinion a lot too.

♡ The idea of loving someone probably didn’t really cross his mind before. He thought he didn’t need it, but as soon as you walked into his life, he caught feelings. Of course, he was in denial for.. an extended period of time. But remember that if you hide it doesn’t go away..~

[memory-of-deross]

He struts in with his notebook in hand, rewriting our histories with his pen!

dividers by @/cafekitsune.

General.

✦ This is an askblog focusing on musing the Novelist’s various costumes, often all taking place in their own separate verses, however certain ones may (heavily) reference my own AU found at @immortalpheus due to being connected to it. Canon (ToR and or AoM) is yet to be included in such cast at the moment, however it may be added as a portrayal later on. Because of this though, the blog will be heavily headcanon based and may not include aspects or change things around depending how I may want to write them.

✦ It will be more text reply oriented, though doodles may be added for fun here and there.

✦ Activity will very much be on and off due to the Mun’s life. (Sam/Victor, they/them pronouns)

✦ Characters (crossover, OC, etc) are free to interact! General questions will just be answered in the “main verse” unless specified otherwise.

✦ Sensitive topics or themes such as cults, death, murder, manipulation, sacrificing, suicide, and more may be present with certain portrayals or answers in the blog. Should these topic arise graphically, there will be a warning ahead of time. However, under no circumstances will sexual NSFW be present in the blog - flirting or suggestiveness (if not taken too far) is fine, but otherwise, ehh… this isn’t the place.

✦ Racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, etc is not welcome in this blog and especially its asks. Generally, while I will try to entertain asks the best I can, that will only be within reason and anything containing these or otherwise things that I just might not feel comfortable answering will be deleted and or ignored.

✦ Alice DeRoss will be portrayed as Orpheus’s sister in this blog as well as the Little Girl in most costumes as his daughter! Please refrain from sending any asks referring to any ships regarding these two.

✦ Muses that may require further context that doesn’t have any in-game or other information (such as fan-made costumes) will have their respective posts as basics.

Muses.

When sending an ask, please send their accompanying emoji or specify who is being referred to due to how many muses are present on the blog. Asks that remain untapped or unspecified will have a random Orpheus answer. Besides them on this list, their main tags can be found for ease.

❄️ Hollow. ~ ❄️ (borealis of eden. hollow)

♠️ Highroller. ~ ♠️ (the rigged cards of life. highroller)

♾️ The Immortal (may be referred to Immortalpheus or Immorphy; can be found at the corresponding blog as well). ~ ♾️ (venomous cycles of ouroboros. immortalpheus)

📽️ Screenwriter. ~ 📽️ (starlit script gleaming. screenwriter)

🔎 Scholastic. ~ 🔎 (tended pyres of knowledge. scholastic)

🗝️ Homesick. ~ 🗝️ (sea bound folds of the heart. homesick)

🎭 Orfeo (can be portrayed either during the events of Orfeo’s Game or the “aftermath”, in which he has woken up). ~ 🎭 (tragedys gaze. orfeo)

🪶 Omen (fan-made Season 17 Essence 3 / Man in Red based costume). ~ 🪶 (forewarned feathers and quill. omen)

🩸 Evil Thoughts. ~ 🩸 (blood of the naive. evil thoughts)

Tba — may be added in the future, currently unavailable.

🪽Prophet (Fantasy Series & Halloween lore based).

🧧Folk Writer.

🪞 Duke Raven.

🖋️ ToR/AoM or base Orpheus.

✦ Thank you for reading! Enjoy the lives that unfold, another chapter written!

[quoththeowl31]

Orpheus had won a game:

Orpheus had won his very first game and indeed his fortune changed. He became the Novelist and also joined the inner circle behind the goings on at Oletus Manor.

His greatest desire I think was for control.

[boris-surov]

My fav idv headcanons since I feel like it (ik Mike barely changed shhhh)

[idv-sweethearts]

Welcome to IDV Sweethearts 🍬

Requests: CLOSED ☕️

Info below the cut!

General Information 🧁!

♥︎ Call me Noelle. I use he/they/it.

♥︎ I adore Matthias and I want everyone who sees this blog to know that.

♥︎ I'll mostly write headcanons, but I might go for a story format now and then if I feel like it.

♥︎ I will write SFW and NSFW, but if you want NSFW, you'll have to ask specifically for it.

♥︎ I won't write incest, pedophilia, or noncon.

♥︎ As much as I want to because oh my gosh have you seen Philemon's Altar, I will not write for specific essences, since information on them is often very limited.

♥︎ New characters will be added to the list as I get around to assessing whether or not I want to write for them.

♥︎ If you're requesting multiple characters, please either send separate asks for each or specify that you're requesting a polycule.

♥︎ I don't bite, so please feel free to send me random non-request asks now and again. My formal speech has intimidated some in the past and I do not want to intimidate my readers.

Love writing for (And will likely prioritize your request) 🍰:

♥︎♥︎ Acrobat

♥︎♥︎ Fool's Gold

♥︎♥︎ Grave Keeper

♥︎♥︎ Night Watch

♥︎♥︎ Professor/Evil Reptilian

♥︎♥︎ Prospector

♥︎♥︎ Puppeteer

Will write for 🍬:

♥︎ Barmaid

♥︎ Batter

♥︎ Bloody Queen

♥︎ Clerk

♥︎ Composer

♥︎ Coordinator

♥︎ Cowboy

♥︎ Doctor

♥︎ Dream Witch

♥︎ Feaster

♥︎ Female Dancer

♥︎ Fire Investigator

♥︎ Gardener

♥︎ Mechanic

♥︎ Mercenary

♥︎ Opera Singer

♥︎ Patient

♥︎ Sculptor

♥︎ Soul Weaver

♥︎ The Shadow

♥︎ Toy Merchant

♥︎ Wax Artist

Can't Decide (There is hope that I may write for them in the future)🧁:

♡ Aeroplanist

♡ Antiquarian

♡ Embalmer

♡ Enchantress

♡ Forward

♡ Gamekeeper

♡ Goatman

♡ Hell Ember

♡ Journalist

♡ Naiad

♡ Novelist/Nightmare

♡ Priestess

♡ The Knight

♡ The Mind's Eye

♡ Violinist

Won't write for ☕️:

♡♡ Axe Boy

♡♡ Cheerleader

♡♡ Disciple

♡♡ Entomologist

♡♡ Explorer

♡♡ Faro Lady

♡♡ First Officer

♡♡ Geisha

♡♡ Guard 26

♡♡ Hermit

♡♡ Lawyer

♡♡ Little Girl

♡♡ Lucky Guy

♡♡ Mad Eyes

♡♡ Magician

♡♡ Painter

♡♡ Perfumer

♡♡ Photographer

♡♡ Postman

♡♡ Prisoner

♡♡ Psychologist

♡♡ Seer

♡♡ The Breaking Wheel

♡♡ The Ripper

♡♡ Thief

♡♡ Undead

♡♡ Weeping Clown/Smiley Face

♡♡ Wildling

♡♡ Wu Chang

[sakurayumeno]

an orpheus writer?? ur a legend. c, d, m, and r from the smut alphabet 🙏

NSFW Alphabet Hcs.

Character: Orpheus.

Genre: Smut, Headcanon game.

Letters: C, D, M, R.

A/N: Bro I go crazy for Orpheus, I got so excited when he got requested 😭

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

He doesn't enjoy the mess that it makes afterwards, so he either finishes in his hand/ rag or inside of you, if you're comfortable with it.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

When thinking about how he would plan on using his abilities in match, he's briefly thought about how it would feel to switch bodies with others. Could you feel what they did in your body after switching back? Then his mind trailed to you...yeah, you get the picture. He's definitely thought about you leaving him with an erection when you switch bodies again.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Calling him authoritative names, like sir or detective.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Not down for any kind of risk that involves you two getting caught, he wants to keep his dignity, thank you very much. He always plans ahead before doing something intimate with you to insure that absolutely no surprises like that are to occur.

Besides that, he does enjoy experimenting with different positions/ kinks and is quite accepting to what you want to try out as well.

[euryd-ce]

❁ LETTERS FROM NO ONE

PAIRING: Orpheus x GN! Reader

CW: Mentions of Death

NOTE: Written before extra lore on Orpheus was released, may be inaccurate to canon due to how heavily headcanon-reliant it is

Orpheus never thought conversing with you was a problem, even if you chose to rely on a pen and paper to communicate with him most of the time.

He liked keeping what you wrote. Reading through them felt like talking to you all over again, and he liked talking to you, especially when he was feeling under the weather, when no one but you seemed to be able to find the right words to console him.

'Visit me again, tomorrow, will you?' you wrote as you two were about to part ways for the night.

Orpheus smiled at you, "Of course, (Name). Goodnight now." He said before leaving your room.

It was raining the next day. No matches were to be held for the entire duration of the storm, so he thought he'd visit you early. He knocked, once, but there was no response. You were probably asleep, he assumed, before he decided to stay in the library to continue writing a short story he was working on. Mostly because your birthday was coming up, and he thought he'd write a little something for you as a gift.

The clock struck twelve just as he had made a decent amount of progress on his work; it was time for lunch. He once again thought about going to your room - to tell you it was time to eat - so he stood up, dusted himself off and made his way there.

He knocked, twice, but once again, you didn't respond. You were probably in the dining room already, he assumed. By the time he arrived, all his fellow survivors were seated in their respective seats, happily conversing with each other. He looked around a bit - for you - but you weren't anywhere around there either. It made him feel uneasy...

Orpheus adjusted his monocle before taking the empty seat between Andrew and William. It was strange to him that none of the survivors seemed to be troubled at your sudden absence. He thought that maybe, one of them would bring it up, that they'd care enough about you to do so. That they, like him, would worry about you enough to try to look for you.

When Orpheus finished his meal, he immediately turned to the forward seated to his left, "Mr. Ellis, have you perhaps... seen (Name) anywhere?"

The lively smile on William's face quickly turned into a sympathetic frown, "...oh, (Name)..."

William thought for a moment, as if there was a bigger picture that Orpheus didn't know about, before finally responding in a hesitant voice and breaking eye contact with the Novelist, "No... I-" he gulped, "I haven't seen them around, but... I'm sorry, Orpheus."

"Oh... It's alright, really. I'm not sure if something happened between you two, but I hope it gets better soon. Thank you, Mr. Ellis." Orpheus said before leaving the dining room.

He thought it was strange, the way he acted the moment he mentioned your name, the way he saw other survivors who heard him tense up the same way William did. But he didn't dwell on it, yet, and decided to visit your room once more.

He knocked, thrice, but you still didn't respond. It concerned him. Perhaps you were sick, too weak enough to let out a response, and definitely too weak to stand up and open the door for him. So he let himself in with that possibility in mind, but... you weren't there. It was as if, you were never there.

The bed was neatly kept, and the books he'd bring to you from the library were arranged the exact same way they were the day before. The entire room was dusty too, dustier than he remembered it being. There was no trace of your belongings, no notebooks messily kept on your bed, no scattered stationery on the table you'd write on, and no clothing in the cabinet across your bed. You seemed to have... vanished.

He was immediately distraught. Orpheus didn't know what went wrong, or if something went wrong in the first place, but he wanted to know.

He wanted to know why you left so abruptly, why you left with no warning, no traces, or clues about your whereabouts. But moreover, he wanted to know why no one said a thing, why instead of telling him you left, they chose to keep the truth far and away from him, why everyone was so nervous at the mention of your name. Did you do something wrong? Did the survivors not like you?

Orpheus wasn't the same that day. He became progressively worse for every day, and every second that passed in your absence. During your time with him, you had become such an important aspect of his life that he couldn't imagine himself without parts of you lingering about. But he had faith in you, that you'd come back, that all of this was just a terrible nightmare and that one day, he'd wake up and you'd be there, with him in your arms as you let out soothing words to comfort him, telling him that everything was okay, that everything is okay, because it was all just a dream.

But you weren't there, and it wasn't a dream. You never came back, he never woke up, never found himself with you by his side, and he was forced to accept this unfathomable reality.

He wrote about you often, as entries in his diary, letters with no end destination, as a characters in the many stories he never finished - it was his way of coping. Often times he'd want to send his letters to you, crumpling it in the end and tossing it in the bin whenever he remembered that he didn't know where you were. He almost wanted to leave and search for you himself, but chose not to because he wouldn't know where to start in a world so big.

It didn't help that the rest of his companions continued to keep the bigger picture away from him. Surely, they knew what happened. It was evident in all their guilt-ridden faces, when Norton would look more solemn than he normally did, when Helena seemed to be at the verge of tears, when usually optimistic Emma turned depressingly silent...

And it was true, they knew about it, they knew about everything, and it was only a matter of time that Orpheus would escape from his denial once again. The rest of the survivors knew they couldn't keep it from him. They had to tell him everything, something they failed to do the past three years. And he has to be able to face it. Because no amount of pain will be able to take back what had happened to you.

They collectively agreed to have Naib bring him the news. He'd be straightforward, and wouldn't let any of the grief he felt bring his guard down. Additionally, if Orpheus were to react violently, again, he'd be the most capable to subdue him.

The mercenary opened the doors to the library, where he found Orpheus sitting by the windows. He was lost in thought, blankly staring at the falling snowflakes outside the window, just as he had all the days before, just like last year.

He cleared his throat, so as not to startle Orpheus, and took a seat beside him, "Orpheus." He turned to the novelist, "There's something you need to know."

Orpheus mumbled out, "...what is it?"

"(Name)-" Naib was cut off when the man he sat by suddenly slammed the table.

"Did- did you find them?!" He said with eyes wider than saucers. "Where are-"

"NO! Let me finish speaking," Naib shushed him, prompting Orpheus to sit down.

"They're dead."

Orpheus rapidly blinked, looking all around him, "No. This has to be some joke-"

"It's not, Orpheus. (Name)'s been dead for three years. This is the-" Naib tried to continue, but was cut off by Orpheus's outburst.

"(NAME) IS NOT DEAD!" Orpheus angrily stood up from his chair, "I SAW THEM, THE DAY BEFORE THEY- they... ran... ran way..." He said in between breaths.

"Orpheus," another voice called out, it was Ada. "He's right. And I know that it's been really hard, but all of us have moved on, and... you should, too."

'It can't be. It just can't be, right?' Orpheus looked down, his hands on his head, silent. He wanted to scream, scream into the void and call for you. He wanted you to prove them wrong, wanted you to come back to him just like you did all those days before, but you wouldn't, because you couldn't, because you were dead, and you were never coming back.

He was stuck in a continuous cycle of denial, trapped by an imagination strong enough to create a life-like vision of "you". But now, his head was riddled with an everlasting storm of doubt and confusion, he wondered if he ever really knew "you", if "you" ever really knew him. Did anything between you two ever mean anything, or did it seem that way because it's what he thought you'd feel, what he'd thought you'd say, what he thought you'd do. But the real you would never leave him, he'd argue. So why did you?

He was alone in the library again. Ada and Naib had long gone to their respective rooms to give Orpheus space, to give him time for everything to sink in.

Once more, just once more he wished that you'd come back, even if "you" weren't real, even if "you" were all in his head. Anything to save him from the unbearable loneliness he has to endure in a manor full of people, anything to keep someone like you from becoming no one.

The attempt to escape from pain, is what creates more pain, but he continued running, fully aware of this fact.

[heartshapedbubble]

some orphy work for a commissioner of mine! 💓 this is 1/2 of their survivor commission - reminder that my comms are always open and i'm currently seeking out comms for atsushi, architect, mio amakura [prioritized!! i want her lots but im f2p] and some survivors/hunters!

orpheus dating/married life hcs📕

dating hcs

if you are too shy to confess first your pre-dating period is gonna be one HELL of a confusing talking stage lol he's incredibly shy himself and is only going to drop subtle hints and acts of affection in hope that you'd confess first

he's going to give in eventually - he'd probably confess to you by writing you a heartfelt letter, i've written before that every single one of his letters are masterpieces but the more "important" ones such as this one are on a whole other level

orpheus doesn't seem like an approachable person at first nor does he particularily enjoy PDA - he enjoys alone time with you away from everyone, it's simply more intimate and makes him calm enough to function

even though he's a bit cold and shy at the beginning of your relationship it's just the fact that he's so overwhelmed by you in the best way possible JDNWNDN

you're his muse, the beatrice to his alighieri, the most prized person in his life yet he struggles to communicate it clearly verbally - he's simply not the person that's good with words on the spot and prefers writing them on paper

orpheus is actually a huge romantic at heart

like literally straight-from-a-book romantic

this man has a permanent rbf but inside his head he's thinking of kissing you and holding you into his arms and all WOAHH he actually reads romance novels a lot (a guilty pleasure of his) and they fuel his daydreaming

when you two are alone together you simply can't get him off of you lol

likes gently kissing your neck and fingertips, tracing his fingers along your neck and collarbones and whispering sweet nonsense in your ear every now and then maybe even lightly biting your neck if youre into that!?!?!?!?!? literal goosebumps from the way this man loves wow

he's a very gentle and thoughtful partner, asking for permission whenever he wants to kiss you and holding your arm under his whenever you two go for a walk together

a true gentleman ofc!! treats their partner like a royal

the dates you two go on are simple and actually happen pretty frequently - he likes picnics, garden tea parties and anything away from the crowd, making it easier for him to focus on you

would 100% write you cheesy poems that make you melt from the inside (/pos) OR little drabbles and push them under your door for the extra suprise factor HEEHEE he can't help the fact that hes a hopeless romantic

whenever he gets flustered his cheeks get really vibrant red and his monocle FOGS UP and he's still going to act like everything is fine

handsy?? but in an awkward way, like he genuinely doesn't know what to do w them so sometimes he just. pats you¿ hes got very nice hands and fingers tho. long, nimble, with obvious writer's bump(s) on both of his middle fingers. will occassionaly wear a pretty silver ring

he smells SOOOO NICE his cologne isn't very strong and numbing but rather with a flowery tone and it smells like heaven whenever you lay your head on his chest

orders bouquets from andrew and emma with all of your favourite flowers each week... hehe...

also a fan of picking flowers and tucking them into your hair whenever you go for a walk together🥺

this man is so so cute yet so fragile please please PLEASE hold his stoic "😐" ass in a hug and gently smooch him or he might break into pieces like fine china

married life hcs

100% the one proposing. "oh but i-" im absolutely not hearing you out OKAY let him have his moment

he has a whole heart tearing speech ready that he wrote himself and a pretty custom ring made just for you you are NOT taking away his spotlight

god he's the giddiest person ever when he sees you walk towards the altar.. he loves you so much and would kiss you right there and then if it weren't for the ceremony

anyways. malewife orpheus is real

you complained about how you're too tired to do the laundry? oh look it's already done. got no time to cook? 5 star michelin meal is already on the table

would even wear an apron while doing it tbh

it's just you and him and he's so happy about being able to focus on you and your relationship more once you're married

he often stays up late writing instead of going asleep so he appreciates extra blankets and coffee sm <3

also he has a lot of moles on his body. like a lot and he often jokes about them being places where he's supposed to be kissed (/hj on his part he's actually into that)

mostly the big spoon - loves intertwining his fingers and legs with yours as he presses his chin onto the top of your head

would gladly read to you until you fall asleep, he's a phenomenal narrator with a beautiful, slightly raspy voice

regarding kids - orpheus 100% wouldn't force his opinion on you nor pressure you into having them, but i feel like he'd really love to have children and that he'd be a great dad

some days you two just cancel all of your plans and stay at home together, curled up in the bed and simply enjoying each other's presence

likes having his hair played with when he's working

or in general you coming up behind him while he's by his desk and massaging his shoulders or carressing his cheeks... GOD he's in heaven

when he's out for longer or stuck in his office for some time he leaves you one of his white silk gloves or hankerchiefs in your pocket while you're not looking <3 he has a habit of putting essential oils on them so they smell beautifully

not tech savvy but i think he'd learn how to operate a camera just to take cute little pictures of you and keep them :) he would put them in a little locket and carry it around his neck or instead of a pocket watch, keep them as bookmarks in his favourite books or simply tucked in his typewriter so you're always near him

one cute thing about him is that 90% of his body is always cold and that 10% that isn't is his chest. he gets very flustered whenever you joke that it's because his heart can only heat up so much of his body

he's an amazing listener and always by your side - you can tell him everything without fearing he'll get mad or react badly, laugh along with him and confess all your secrets and sins to him

he's a wonderful person and an even more wonderful spouse. milo (MAN I LOVE ORPHEUS!!!!!!!)

[t0bey]

“Nightmare”

THE BIRD MAN,,,

favorite thing about him: the mystery between what his connection to novelist and memory is. like we know he's "the bad orpheus" But we don't really know HOW he got that way. i like how even for hunters, he's like a step above most in terms of knowing what's really going on behind the scenes and i want to look into his brain sm

least favorite thing about him: i wish he was more viable on more maps or at least got a 🤏 buff

favorite line: "See you, Orphy." ICONIC it was so chilling when i heard it the first time

brOTP: I cant explain it but aside from hunter OJL i also like him and keigan...

OTP: i dont really see ship content for nightmare that much aside from nightnovel, and their art can be pretty cute so sure

nOTP: I can't believe i need to say this but the fact people actually ship him with memory deals me psychic damage. also him x Burke or Bane bc they knew orpheus as a child while they were adults so. no

random headcanon: he can see through the eyes of the crows that chill near ciphers in every match. he'd be in his lab watching you when you fuck up a cipher calibration and laugh

unpopular opinion: i don't really consider him to be the *same* person as novelist (as in, he’s what novelist inevitably turns into). if anything, IDV tends to depict them as two sides of a coin, not necessarily the same person, on top of them shown in an essence coexisting seperately (and we still dont know what the dukes' deal are), despite that connection the two have. just my thoughts on the two atm. whether they're supposed to be a clear jekyll and hyde situation or something else, idk.

[mintytealfox]

Any headcanons about Orpheus and Melly?

oooohhh yes ABSOLUTELY LOL

(edit: I wrote it all out, read more of their wiki stuff, then deleted everything and started over PFFFF. I swear, the more info I get, the next letter I read, it all just changes my views over and over again AH)

Melly:

-I think its interesting that if you choose the 'username' choice, when Alice is being called out to, instead of 'Alice' or 'Eurydice', its actually Melly's silhouette that is walking towards little Alice instead of the two versions of Orpheus. I think Melly has that genuine care for Alice and actually means it. Melly is an old acquaintance of Orpheus and would speak highly of him but here at the manor she is described as fearful and weary of him, more so than Norton (which makes me think that the change in Orpheus really started during the time between being good acquaintances with Melly and now at the manor). But I think it is genuine, that compassion and care for Alice and seeking friendship. Makes me think that Melly really does try to find connection and friendships but keeps being proven wrong, that those she chooses are not actually safe after all. -I think if Norton and her met outside of the mansion there would be beef between them lol I think they can see parts of themselves in each other. That doing whatever it takes to survive. They both treat life like insects, in a way, Melly like a female preying mantis and taking the heads of those who aren't useful anymore or mostly in her case, proving a threat. Norton like something that makes itself seem harmless until the time to strike for survival and necessary change's sakes come. Then Norton irritated that she was able to change her life of poverty to a life of serious wealth and 'freedom'. Then him not appreciating that she can still see right through him. Melly seeing him freely parade around as a friend and foe, being so unreadable and, most frustratingly, unpredictable. I think she would get on him about his table manners "If you want to CHANGE your life START with YOURSELF that is what I did. Start acting like where you want to be. Want to be high class? Start by eating correctly no matter how hungry you are" -I think she uses that veil mostly to study people. She can be seeming like she is looking and talking with one person, but in actuality she is watching another across the room. Talking to Alice but actually watching Orpheus. -There was likely awkward silence when it came to taking Alice back to the manor with Orpheus. She is weary of him and likely trying her best not to rock the boat, but I think she is counting down til she can finally make her moves. Likely trying to keep up the appearance that Orpheus and her are still buds. But something has changed, she can see it and she now knows danger is coming.

Orpheus:

-I personally am not sure that Orpheus started the manor games, but I think he took them on after the initial invitation to participate when going against Ada, Emil, Helena, and Galatea. Seeing the potential and wanting to control them and draw the memory of Alice out if she is still out there. -Just a note while I was reading through stuff, Its looking like the Orphanage purposely kept Alice away from Orpheus, especially after her 'to be adopted father' was entering the picture and promising proper treatments for her ongoing illness. and him knowing that with him adding 'LIAR' in angry bold lettering on the rejection letter. -I think Orpheus is the reason Alice was able to escape the horrid place she was adopted into. Earning his way into the trust of the scientist as one of them and tampering, allowing Alice to gain enough consciousness to grab everything she needed to escape and do so. -but after the game he participated in, he lost track of Alice with one too many uses of the drugs. -I think he and Norton keep their guards up with each other but put on airs that they are good drinking buds in an effort to put of airs that they are safe to be around. But for Norton It may actually turn to legit concern for Orpheus when the game is actually going on. Cause that one scene before he gets hella punched and it looks like he is trying to get Orpheus to stop hurting himself and him and talk sense back into Orpheus, but obviously doesn't work. Orpheus's only concern is Alice and saving her. I don't think Orpheus is capable of caring anymore, only for his only good memories of Alice is he capable. -I think Orpheus acts more like a child now than he ever did when he was actually a kid. He had to grow up fast seems like and seemed awfully mature writing stories while Alice dances/plays with her doll. Now Alice is writing and studying and taking things seriously as Orpheus is laughing and pulling strings finding it all ridiculously amusing aka playing 🙃

Now for more random 'not as influenced by canon' headcanons lol -Orpheus likes limburger cheese. (I think limburger cheese is AWFUL so I am biased pff) He seems like someone who would dig it and make everyone just watch him in 'eehhhhhhh'. Enjoying the thrill of making everyone shocked, uncomfortable, and awkward pff

-Melly saves every insect/arachnid everything from being squished and takes them to safety. And whacking anyone who was trying to whack an innocent insect creature.

-For some reason, I think Melly internally thought it was funny when Frederick said 'sorry to say that I am French" I don't know why but I keep thinking that LOL

-Orpheus now has the driest most uncomfortable humor lol "they died -WHEEEEEZZEEEEEE- GET IT??" everyone else: "eh......right...funny joke..."