#just another day in vesuvia

[totally-not-here-for-the-smut]

@fox-daddies here 🦊🦊

Could I get Hc for the M6 walking into their room to find Mc laying completely naked in bed because their way too hot to do anything.

For a moment I thought by hot you meant "Too sexy to do anything", but I realized you meant it's a hot day, or at least I hope so? ANYWAY

Vesuvia's summers can be hard to tolerate by the ones who aren't used to it. Today the wind seems too tired to blow, and the sun is so bright that the sea is as blinding as the sun. You took a refreshing bath, but couldn't force yourself into your clothes again, so you just threw youself on your bed, directly under the open window, hoping for the faintest breeze to slip into your room when...

[Spicy♧•••♧ahead!]

... Muriel enters the hut. He's drenched in sweat too, and first thing first, he gets out of his clothes and tosses them aside before slumping on the bed next to you, eyes closed. You hear his heart pounding in his chest, tired by the heatwave just like him, as his hands reaches yours, brushing it with the tip of his fingers. You stay like this for hours, until the merciless sun finally gives in to the sunset.

Then his hand reaches for your waist, pulling you on top of him.

... the door slightly opens, and Portia's witty face peaks trough the crack. Her smile widens as she sees you, and after a quick glance behind her she slips inside closing the door behind her back. "I guess milady's flowers can wait..." she whispers as her lips brushes your hand. "Or maybe she'll come looking for me. But would you be sorry if she were to find us like this?", she winks.

... Lucio enters the room, looks at you from behind his sweat drenched hair covering his forhead, and announces: "great idea". In a matter of seconds he joins you, his cold metal hand sending the best kind of chills up your spine. He looks at the sky-colored canopy over the bed, looks at you with that familiar child-like light in his eyes and whispers "Make it cloudy". Points up. "The canopy. Make it cloudy! Make it rain! Can you???".

You wonder how this man can be so silly and so genius. With a snap of your fingers, a single drop falls on the bed. Then another, and another, and another one. Lucio starts giggling, then laughing, taking you into his arms and kissing you through his laugh. "Oooh, you're the best!"

... Julian comes back home. "What a day!" he huffs, before starting to ramble about what happened at the clinic. You smile silently. Keeping the bed on the right of the door has its perks with Julian. "... and then a kid reached for the leeches -why do they do that, do leeches looks like candies?- and almost knoched it over when..." he abruptly stops.

"Oh dear" -his tone changes- "it looks like you got hit by a heatstroke... yes, the temperature of your skin shows it, and your lips too". You feel his dramatic sigh on your neck. "I must proceed with a deeper check..."

... Asra climbs the stairs of the bedroom. He smiles. "Here you are! What a weather today, uh? I really can't think of a way to refresh myself". You don't think he's messing with you: Asra and you are so used to such level of intimacy. He sits on the bed. A mischievous smile crosses his lips. "Unless..."

You let out a scream in surprise as you feel the bed dissolving into cool water under your back, before the water covers your mouth. You hear Asra laughing from the other side of the surface, right before diving in next to you.

... Nadia enters your bedchamber. She is followed by a couple of servants and has a big list of things to do into her hands, and she's instructing her helpers about the heatstrokes prevention program. They stop in front of the bed. "O... Oh. I, hem, I thought you were at the shop...", she mutters, before realizing there are people there with her. She turns towards them, and manages to put together a crumble of dignity. "You're dismissed. I'll send for you when I'll be done with some... ehm... urgent matters".

The servants bow and run out, embarassed. Nadia turns "Oh I'm sorry, so sorry my dear, I didn't mean to embarass you...". Her flushed face is so funny that washes away any embarrassment from you. "I will make up for it", she continues, "Just ask, may I go to get you something to... I don't know, to eat? Another bath, or maybe you want to go on vacation somewhere? A poem! I can apologize with that, for sure, or sing...?" She stops when she notice the look into your eyes. There's no need for clarvoyance to understand what kind of apology you'd like right now!

[xaharadesert]

Super Chatty MC - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6) x MC

A/N: For another lovely anon! I wasn’t planning on writing 2 days in a row, but this was a super cute and simple one, so I had a lot of fun with it! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes (it’s 4am as I finish this, so I’m sure there’s plenty of errors) requests are open!

❤️Julian❤️

He’s undeniably verbose himself, so he’s in no position to judge

There may be moments where you’ll be in the middle of a rant and he’ll accidentally cut you off because you’ve reminded him of one of his own adventures

He will apologize of course, and encourage you to continue what you were saying, but he hopes he’ll get the chance to tell you the story later

Unfortunately he is prone to getting distracted while you’re talking, so while he would love to actively engage with all of your ideas, his mind is too busy making connections to other topics

But even if he struggles to pay attention, he’ll never grow tired of your boundless energy

🧡Portia🧡

As long as the topic is interesting, she doesn’t mind at all

She’s a big fan of gossip, so she’s always listening in to your latest rambles, even if they’re not directed at her

She has a way of needling her own thoughts into your rants and turning it into a proper conversation

You’ll hardly even notice since she matches your energy so well

It might be a bit of a pain for the people around you if you’re in public, but you two seem so happy in your own little world that no one has the heart to bother you

💛Lucio💛

This man has never been an active listener in his life, and as much as he loves you he is not about to start

He won’t stop you from rambling, but he’s definitely not paying attention to what you’re saying unless it’s directly related to him in some way

He’s mostly just thinking about all the things he’s gonna say when it’s his turn to talk again

It’s almost like a competition over who gets to speak; every time one of you pauses for too long, the other gets started on a topic that might not even be related

That being said, when you two are mutually interested in a topic (particularly drama), the conversation can last hours with full investment from both sides

💚Muriel💚

He’s really not a talker, so you’ll never be in competition with him for talking time

That being said, he’s not much of a listener either; he tries his best to pay attention to what you’re saying because he wants to show that he cares for you and your thoughts, but he gets tired quickly

He’s not really used to the constant noise, and it can stress him out sometimes, so he’ll not so subtly shoo you outside to go chat to the chickens

That does make him feel a little bad, and he hopes you understand that he doesn’t have any ill intentions

He just needs a bit of alone time to recharge so he can be the best version of himself for you

💙Asra💙

He loves to listen to the sound of your voice even if the topic isn’t interesting

After knowing you for years, he seems to have some sort of sixth sense that tells him when he actually needs to be paying attention to what you’re saying

You’ll never be able to tell if he’s actually listening though, because he always looks like he’s in dream land (whether he’s gazing at you with a dreamy look in his eyes, or staring off into the distance like he sees an entirely different world, Asra always looks like he’s got more going on in his head than he lets on)

Occasionally he’ll mention some obscure detail that you spoke of maybe once like a month ago just to throw you off track when you think you’ve got his listening patterns figured out

It’s really not something to stress over; he makes it clear that he loves you, and loves your chatty nature even if he seems distracted day to day

💜Nadia💜

She is perhaps the only person in Vesuvia with enough mental power to always pay active attention to what you’re saying

Being a politician has given her plenty of practice at effectively dividing her attention, so she can listen to you while still completing other tasks and even holding other conversations

Just when you think you’ve lost her, she’ll ask a relevant question to assure you that she’s invested in whatever you’ve been ranting about

It’s not always an easy task for her, and she does need a bit of quiet at the end of the day to recharge, but she understands that you have no ill will

In fact, she occasionally takes advantage of your chatty demeanour and sends you out to distract various important individuals who she doesn’t really want to talk to herself (with your knowledge and consent, of course)

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

hi! could you maybe do full hcs of an MC who still exhibits symptoms of the red plague? :3

The Arcana HCs: MC with Red Plague symptoms

-- for headcanon purposes, MC has the red scleras and veins in their limbs, as well as higher body temperature, fatigue levels, and sore throat. however, their day-to-day life isn't impacted much past their appearance --

Julian

It was a genuine trauma trigger for him at first

One look at you, and all he sees are the countless bloodshot eyes of the patients he couldn't save staring back at him. Hours of horrific "research" led by Valdemar on bodies just like yours

It makes him feel especially responsible for you, but it also causes quite a bit of inner emotional conflict when he starts to associate your appearance with things like love and hope as well

This is ultimately one of the things that helps him figure out how he wants to move forward after you help him confront his past

Every night, he watches your eyes slip shut and checks your temperature and pulse through the night out of habit

And every morning, he feels like he's witnessing a miracle when your eyes open again. You've lived through another night, and you fully intend to keep on living with no holds barred

It's actually a little healing to see someone with the Red Plague survive and smile

He's still extremely conscientious of your physical state, though. It was weeks before he let you carry your own shopping basket

He keeps track of your temperature in his notes in case it goes higher than your average and insists that you keep a healthy diet and stick to gentler exercises (it doesn't change his own habits)

Asra

As painful as it was for them to bring you back and be immediately faced with the condition they left you to face on your own, they had other things to worry about once it was clear you would live

Like your memories, for example, or his own feelings of inadequacy when it came to giving you a life worth bringing you back into

By the time life had reached a rhythm that left them space to breathe and think again, they'd already adjusted

He's naturally quick to adapt - and physical appearance never mattered much to him anyway. Finding out you couldn't walk as far as you used to was better than when you couldn't walk at all

Unfortunately, them not noticing your appearance (beyond thinking it's cute) makes it harder for them to recognize how other people react to your appearance. They're fairly oblivious to outside opinions (just look at that big hat they consider "subtle")

So when you express any kind of distaste with the way you look, he's a little surprised, if not blindsided. He's quick to teach you glamor and temperature spells when you do, though

They only really see the Red Plague on you when the lighting hits your face at an odd angle or when they're watching your hands

And when he does notice, all he feels now is admiration. He brought you back, but your resilience goes beyond his imagination

Nadia

She doesn't have any memories of the Red Plague - not when she first meets you, at least, at that point everything from her arrival in Vesuvia to waking up three months prior is missing

But it drives the point home to her that you're someone who has suffered and survived in ways she can't comprehend

She's initially a little overcautious. Once she knows for certain that you're somebody she wants to work closely with, she's not sure how best to broach the subject beyond asking if you're cold or tired

Very interested in what your life is like once you do start talking about it - it tells her about you as a person, but it also gives her insight about how the people of Vesuvia remember the Red Plague

Can relate more than a little bit to the loneliness

Goes above and beyond when it comes to providing for your needs

Your permanent fever is making you chilly? She's got blankets and scarves and cloaks and slippers to wrap you up in

Your throat hurts? She's got plenty of tea

You'd prefer to cover your eyes and hands? She can commission a pair of gloves that fit like a second skin and don't inhibit your functioning in any way. Also, sunglasses are trendy now

You're tired? She'll work somewhere you can snooze nearby

Won't stand for anyone treating you poorly because of it

Muriel

He sees your symptoms the same way he sees his own scars

He didn't ask for them, they're a permanent marker of his pain, and the sight of them is enough to drastically affect how people treat him (his imposing size and RBF not taken into account)

And you're the same way, when it comes to your appearance

Of course, you're also the opposite from him in many ways. You get tired easily, and he's sturdily built. You're always getting cold, and he's always too warm. You belong somewhere and he doesn't

Until you two travel together and become Morga's students. Then you have a similar problem on your hands:

She won't stop commenting on both of your appearances!

Between her tying Muriel's hair up where it can't cover his face, and telling you to use your looks to scare enemies in battle, you're both a little lost for words

That's it, that's how you bond, you're both feeling a little too seen and a little underappreciated

Plus, with you constantly feeling cold from the permanent fever, you really need his body heat as you travel further south and his heart is too soft to deny you (you're like a shivering, red chick)

In the end, he doesn't care about your appearance beyond appreciating it as a marker of how you got this far

Portia

Yeah, so she wasn't around for the Red Plague

She doesn't have any frame of reference for what it was like beyond the nightmarish descriptions she hears from other Palace staff, about walking corpses and blood soaked hands

So when she first sees you, someone who acts and appears perfectly healthy beyond having a slightly hoarse voice and wearing more layers than normal, she assumes it's a magic thing

Is it because you use your magic so constantly, it leaves trails where it courses through your hands or assists your sight? Is your skin extra warm because you breathe fire??

Do your scleras turn other colors too???

She's a little surprised to find out that you're the only known survivor of the Red Plague (besides her brother) and that that's why you have those symptoms

Come to think of it, that's kind of badass. You have her respect

She intuitively understands how that must change your life socially, though, and she goes out of her way to help you make connections and smooth over any public fear

She's also got a strong nurturing instinct and loves to fuss over you, keeping you cozy and well rested and fed

Pepi loves your high body temperature

Lucio

Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

That's it, it's bad enough for him to look at you as a ghost and be confronted with what he knows for a fact is his fault

But it's even worse when he realizes that this is what the body he was supposed to revive himself with ended up becoming: permanently marked by the plague he spent decades outrunning

And it makes him afraid that he'll look like this too, if he makes it back from his horrific goat form in one piece

His fears change as he gets to know you, of course. It goes from not wanting to end up like you to not wanting you to know that how you ended up was his fault

But it also makes it even more real to him how important it is to address the past, even though he doesn't want to

He's not able to look at you without wincing until you leave Vesuvia, after putting things right. It feels too much like the past

Once you do, though, and begin life as journeymen, Lucio gets to find a world that the Plague hasn't touched yet, and that also means getting to see you in a context of your own choosing

He's always been partial to the color red, anyways

And with how much he hates the cold, sleeping next to you is fantastic with your elevated body temp

[greyspirehollow]

Vesuvia Weekly ; Preening Feathers

Pairings : Liam (my mc) x Julian Devorak

Fandom : The Arcana visual novel

Warnings : uuuuuh idk; kinda angsty fluffy? ; reversed ending Liam and Julian (so birblian)

Summary : Life is different now... But there are still means to find warmth and comfort in each other.

Julian’s eyes lazily fluttered open. He felt the small branches of his makeshift bed-nest poke his face through the fabrics he'd gathered to try and make it more comfortable. He slowly came back to his senses, feeling his feathers, his longer, stronger limbs, his talons and-

Ouch

His wings. They were both still sore, but the left one hurt. Not as bad as when these arrows flew through it, but it was certainly bothersome. Maybe he shouldn’t have struggled against Liam and Valdemar so much. After all, they'd just wanted to help him...

He sighed and let his eyes wander around the Hanged Raven. The cursed tavern was quiet tonight, the air eerily still. Tables and chairs were knocked over, and empty Salty Bitters scattered on the floor. He felt his heart tighten with inexplicable sadness, which was something that had happened a lot in this tavern already. He curled up on himself, taking a deep breath, seeking comfort in his own embrace. He was about to try and close his eyes again when the front door opened, making him perk up. Boots thudded against the creaking floorboards, a large sword was put on one of the tables and Death sighed heavily, pulling the hood of his bloody cape back. Julian felt his heart flutter as he saw Liam’s familiar face. He sat up in the nest, despite the way the pain in his wing made him wince.

The necromancer took off his armor as quickly as he could, smiling softly as he approached the bird man. He was quick to sit in the makeshift nest and wrap his arms tightly around him, inhaling the soft, discreet scent of his feathers. Julian blushed as he also felt Liam squeeze him tighter. Hesitantly, he wrapped his own arms around the smaller man, trying not to make it too comfortable. He didn’t want to accidentally scratch him with his talons...

"Camp’s pretty boring without you around."

Liam suddenly commented, his voice tired and hoarse form yet another battle today.

"Really?" Julian replied, with a dry chuckle.

"Mh... You brighten the mood, you know?"

"..Looking like this?" He replied, skeptical.

"Yeah."

Liam looked up at the bird man’s face, a warm, tender smile stretching his lips and an adoring look in his eyes. Julian almost felt like crying again. He shook his head and chuckled.

"You're too good for me."

"Nonsense."

Liam protested, running his finger through the dark feathers of the man’s head. Julian felt a soft shiver run over his skin.

"How’s your wing?"

"It’s... Capricious, if I can say that. But it certainly isn’t as bad as yesterday." Julian replied, glancing at his still bandaged wing. Liam nodded.

"That’s good... We'll just have to check it tomorrow to make sure it’s not infected. Now hold on, I know you're not looking forward to Valdemar being near you but... They’re our only surgeon. Besides, I told you, I would never leave you alone with them, even if they’re more trustwhorthy than they were before."

Julian sighed. "You know how I feel about you two's... Arrangement, if I can call it that. Just because you 'saved' them from the Devil and his anger doesn’t mean they'll necessarily spare you... Or us."

Liam’s smile faltered a little, as his hands continued to card through the feathers. He looked aside briefly, his train of thoughts going over the events of the day. His fingers mindlessly fiddled with the feathers, gently scratching around their base, running over their length and feeling them. If Julian was honest with himself, it caused... Pleasant sensations. He felt soft shivers run down his neck, like a tingle that soothed him. He let out a hum of approval and nestles his face against Liam’s neck. The necromancer raised a curious eyebrow, but then smiled.

"You like it?"

"Mhm..."

Julian felt slightly sheepish. He tried to hide his blushing face by nuzzling further into Liam’s neck. The necromancer only smiled, and adjusted his sitting position.

"Lay back." He softly demanded. Julian’s brows furrowed in slight confusion as he sat in his nest a little straighter, careful to not press on his injured wing. He looked down at Liam, trying to guess what he had in mind...

The necromancer rolled up his sleeves znd started running the fingers of both his hands through the feathers on Julian’s head. The bird man’s eyes widened, and he felt his cheeks heat up. He cleared his throat, trying to keep himself together... But it was obvious Liam did not want him to stay composed. He gently scratched the base of the feathers, from the top of the head to the base of the nape of the neck, separating and caressing single feathers at times, as if he was cleaning them. He scooted closer, almost on his lap, making Julian almost flinch back. But a part of him wanted to give in to these gentle caresses, to...

Wait.

"Are you... Preening my feathers ?"

He suddenly asked, incredulous.

"It seems I am." Liam replied softly, with a hint of mischief. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No-" Julian paused, trying to gather his wits. "No.. I-it’s alright, I like it..." He said quietly, raising his own hand to gently caress Liam’s cheek with the back of his talon. "How do I..."

Liam quickly cut him off. "No no. I want to spoil you." He said, still smiling, as he pressed himself even closer. Julian swallowed thickly, nodding sheepishly and agreeing.

The both got comfortable in the bed-nest and enjoyed each other’s proximity. Julian slowly allowed himself to be lulled by Liam’s gentle caressing, scratching and preening of his feathers, his wild train of thoughts progressively slowing down. For the first time in a while, he found himself relaxed, not caring about what kind of monster he'd possibly turned into, while Liam’s thoughts didn’t linger on the harsh battlefields out there, as he too found himself soothed by the way his fingers felt his man’s skin and feathers. The only thing that mattered was this moment. Despite the branches of the nest, it was soft... Despite Liam’s cold hands, it was warm... Despite the hate and despair, this was love.

After what felt like hours - as if time had meaning in the realms -, they both started to drift off, and eventually, they fell asleep, wrapped up in each other’s arms.

feather dividers by @sister-lucifer

[junoiscringe]

Vesuvia Weekly: "What Nobody Else Knows"

I usually don't post any fanworks on here, but!!! I came across an abandoned asra oneshot that I was writing a while ago that fit this prompt quite well! It's quite a short drabble, but I hope it's well received :3

I let out a satisfied hum and stretched my arms into the air above me. I revelled in the feeling of the warm sunlight on my closed eyelids, before willing myself into an upright position. I had been lying across the width of the bed with my legs hanging off the edge. Asra was leaning against the bed with their head resting between my thighs, surprisingly still awake despite the lack of conversation in the last fifteen minutes. He’d usually have nodded off in a situation like this. 

A hot, slow summer afternoon. Not many people had been milling around outside and we didn’t have any readings scheduled, so Asra and I closed the shop because, according to him, ‘It’s just too hot to sit behind a counter all day!’ So we dragged our bodies up the stairs to our room and sat on our bed instead. Or at least, I did. Asra decided they preferred the floor.

“Oh, you’re awake?” He tilted his head back to look at me, a soft smile on his face.

“I wasn’t sleeping.” I replied, reaching over to brush some hair away from his forehead.

His smile shifted into his tell-tale mischievous grin. “Are you sure? You seemed pretty asleep when I called your name five minutes ago.”

“I was ignoring you.” 

They let out a short laugh before returning to whatever they were doing on the floor. “Whatever you say, my love. I promise I believe you.”

I leaned forward to look over the edge of the bed and figure out what had kept him awake longer than me (okay, so I might have dozed off a little, so what?). He was hard at work knitting yet another sweater for Faust, while she curled up in his lap watching him.

Friend! Awake!

What an absolute angel. I love her. I should-

“Sorry, but no. She’s already had treats today. Way too many, actually.” 

Meanie!

“Yeah! What she said!”

Another short, airy laugh, but no reply. It seemed he was steadfast this time.

“How did you even know what I was thinking?”

They tilted their head to the side, knocking it against my right knee before answering the way they always did. “I’ve known you for a long time.”

But this time it hits a little harder. I don’t know, finding out you died and that your best friend and mentor literally gave half his heart to bring you back to life is a pretty world altering revelation. It made me feel a little guilty for not knowing him as well as he knows me. I mean, it made perfect sense when I thought about it. He knew me for years before I died and then had to teach me how to operate like a normal human being after being brought back to life, so of course he knew me inside and out. It made perfect sense. But…

“I’m sorry I don’t remember.”

They let out a dramatic sigh in response, shoulders heaving up and down. I could practically hear the pout in his voice when he replied, “It’s not your fault. If anything, it’s-”

I placed my hand over their mouth to hold back the rest of that sentence.

“Nope!” I stuck out my pinky finger towards him before continuing. “I won’t blame myself, if you won’t blame yourself, got it?”

He smiled before linking our pinkies together in a silent promise. “Seems like you know me quite well, too.”

[local-critter]

Angst alphabet for Asra please.

Which latters? D! And anything else you'd like to do for Asra.

Aside from D for Death, I want them all as Asra, but also know that's way too many. So D.

I'm a little overachiever at times so I did the whole alphabet LMAO

Asra Alnazar Angst Alphabet

A - Austere (what makes them feel uncomfortable and unwanted?)

Being ignored or straight up ghosted; Asra doesn’t like being perceived too much but you’re his whole world, he wants to savor every moment with you to make up for lost time and he feels so shitty when you don’t return the sentiment

B - Bad Habits

Ironically, ghosting. They’ll forget to tell you about a trip until the last minute, or maybe forget to tell you altogether, leading to them just up and disappearing for sometimes days at a time. It’s common when they’re upset or really stressed

C - Crying (do they cry easily? What causes them to crack? How do they cry?)

Asra kinda hates acknowledging most emotions he perceives as negative, so it takes a lot for him to cry. If it’s just because maybe things have been building up for too long but not one specific thing that set him off, just silent tears running down his face. If it is one specific thing he can’t run from, like your death, he just breaks down; it’s messy, there are tears and snot everywhere, his shoulders are shaking violently from the force of his sobs, his breathing is fast and shallow and when he’s done he has a headache from hell and he feels completely hollowed out; he’ll be walking around in a numb daze for a few days afterward, because he just released all the emotions that have been building up for months, maybe years. The first type of cry is a little stream and the second is a raging river; there is no in-between

D - Death (how do they handle the topic? What would they do if their s/o died?)

They don’t handle death well; Asra, post (upright) route holds their loved ones as close to their heart as they can; the thought of any of their loved ones dying can send them straight into a downward spiral of anxiety and dread. Conformation of death sends them straight into either dissociation and denial or a week-long breakdown and then dissociation and denial for a little before they start looking into necromancy with a frantic look in their eyes and terrifying determination. If their significant other died though? Oh boy

They were bad enough the first time but the second, it kills them. Their grief would actually kill them if they lost you again; they would not survive knowing you’re gone and there’s nothing they can do about it because they know they can’t make another deal.

E - Emotion (an emotion they try to suppress)

Anger; he tries so hard to never get angry. He allows himself annoyance, irritation, but never ever anger. Asra is not an angry person in general, there are few times he’s been truly angry at someone, most often Lucio, so he’s come to associate his anger to the former count

F - fights (how do they argue? How quickly do they start an argument? Are they patient with their s/o’s feelings?)

Asra has seemingly endless patience; especially when it comes to you. They were your caretaker for at least a year, probably more, so they’re familiar with your moods and act accordingly. Typically, they let you yell for as long as you need to then when they see you’re done they’ll try and soothe you or give you space, depending on what you need. But when they actually fight back, shit gets real ugly real fast.

You know Asra better than most people in their life; you know Asra better than their parents, you’re second only to Muriel. But Asra knows you too, knows you better than you know yourself sometimes, which means that when you’re both aiming to hurt, it’s all too easy to hit where it hurts for the both of you

G - Guilt (do they feel guilty over something? How do they handle that feeling?)

He’s still guilty for leaving you behind when he left Vesuvia during the plague; he will carry the guilt of your death with him for the rest of his life

H - heartbroken (have they had their heart broken before? Does their S/O have the power to break them?)

Absolutely yes to both. The first time they were heartbroken was the ‘deaths’ of his parents, then when Muriel was in the coliseum, then when you died. And yes, you absolutely have the power to break them; again, you know them better than practically everyone because they’ve never allowed anyone else to truly know them. They’ve given you so much power over them and they’re aware of it, but they gave it to you in the first place because they trust you won’t hurt them.

I - Insecurities

I honestly don’t think Asra is very insecure to be honest; I think he has his moments, like anyone else, but those are few and far between. I think he’d be insecure of leaving you behind and what happened, and afraid you’d leave him for his need to travel. He left you behind and you died; he’s terrified you think he’d leave you to suffer a similar fate again.

J - Jaded (how easily do they become jaded? How do they attempt to get out of that?)

Asra has been jaded for almost their whole life; orphaned and growing up with Vesuvia’s forgotten doesn’t lead to having the happiest outlook on life. Especially since they’ve seen firsthand how cruel the world can be with the Coliseum fights and how Muriel has been treated his entire life

K - killed (what have they killed? Figuratively or literally)

I don’t think Asra has ever killed someone literally. Hurt people before? Absolutely, a gang was after them as a child, so they were forced to be well-versed in self-defense, but never took a life. They definitely killed their morals when you were dead though; they crossed several lines they never wanted to cross before nor again to bring you back

L - lies (what lies do they tell their s/o? Are they a good liar?)

Asra is the best liar you’ll ever meet, but he absolutely hates lying to you. The lies he’d tell you were during your recovery, whenever you’d ask about your past or your memories; he lied only to protect you. After you prove you can finally handle your memories and your past, Asra stops the lies; if there's ever something he doesn’t want to tell you he either tells you he doesn't want to talk about it or deflects and changes the subject

M - mono (do they ever feel alone?)

Not post upright route, not anymore; they know by then that they have a lot of people in their corner, a lot of people in their life; more than they ever thought they’d have. They’re only alone when they want to be because they know they have plenty of people they can seek out if they feel lonely; you’re at the top of that list, of course

N - nightmare (what’s their worst fear?)

Death of a loved one

O - Obstacles (what things have they overcome? How much does it still affect them?)

He’s overcome a lot in his life. The loss of his parents, growing up a homeless orphan, teaching himself and Muriel magic, Count Lucio, the plague, losing you, beating the Devil; Asra has always been a survivor through and through. Of course some of that affects him still; he has nightmares, he has trust issues, he has issues expressing some emotions, but he has people wish shared experiences there and it helps

P - panic (do they panic easily? What instincts do they have? (fight flight, freeze, or fawn))

Asra is typically calm and collected damn near all times, so no, they don't panic very easily but when they do, their first instinct is flight. They avoid conflict whenever possible

Q - quiet (secrets they have)

I don't think Asra would like keeping secrets from his partner, especially after knowing you for almost a decade. I think Asra has things he hasn't told you yet, most likely pertaining to his childhood as one of Vesuvia’s orphaned children, but most likely it's because he doesn't want to acknowledge just how rough his childhood actually was or maybe the right moment to bring it up just hasn't happened

R - rejection (how do they handle rejection of any sort? Have they had a big moment of rejection?)

Asra handles rejection pretty well; they travel a lot so they meet plenty of new people but that also means that if they get rejected they can just leave lmao. If the rejection happens in Vesuvia, they’ll be a good sport about it and won’t make anything awkward, they know they’re not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea and they’re cool with it. They appreciate the honesty too

S - separation (how would they react to a S/O breaking up with them? What would it take for them to break up with their s/o?

If you broke up with him, Asra would be absolutely crushed; he'd respect your decision, maybe try to ask if he'd done something to warrant the breakup, but if you tell him it's because you fell out of love or something he'd never recover; you would deadass never hear from Asra again. He loves you so much still that he can't be part of your life anymore, he can't just be a friend or someone you see every once in a while, it would destroy him; he'd leave Vesuvia all together and probably take Muriel.

I can't really see Asra breaking up with you; he loves you so much, it would take a lot to get him to consider ending it, but I can't think of anything specific

T - trust (how do they break their s/o’s trust? How easily is their trust earned/broken? How would they react to being betrayed?)

Asra's trust takes a long time to earn, so I think it's pretty hard to break. But once it's broken, Asra would never be able to trust you fully again. After the first time there's always going to be lingering doubt about you, I think. They may not even be entirely conscious of their wariness, but it's there all the same.

If you betrayed them, it would destroy them; just crush them completely. It depends on the betrayal itself, of course, but Asra would definitely run. Depending on what you did, they might come back, but it's entirely possible they won't.

Asra would treat your trust like it's fucking frost; the most delicate thing ever. They'd never ever willingly break it, not if they could help it; you mean too much to them for them to ever willingly hurt you

U - urges (what’s something they want but cannot have? Or something they lost and can’t get back)

Asra will always miss the person you used to be; the version of you he left behind. He loves the version of you he has now, he loves you more than he will ever be able to say, but some small part of him will always miss who you used to be, and some part of him will always grieve the love you had/could have had back then

V - volatile (how quickly do they anger? What do they act like when they’re angry?)

Asra doesn’t often get angry; it takes a lot to push them to that point, typically. If you want to them angry fast, bring them to Lucio; he’s practically the only one who can piss them off by merely being near them. Otherwise, it’s incredibly difficult, especially if it’s you that’s angering them. You, Murial, Nadia, and maybe Salim and Aisha are the ones they find it the hardest to get mad at; they love you too much.

But because it takes so much to anger them, when they finally let it out it’s very…explosive, but it’s their magic mainly that’s lashing out. Asra will shout a little, pace around aggressively, but will never really do more than that, and especially won’t get close to you when they’re mad.

W - weak (what makes them feel weak?)

Lucio, typically. He lied to him about his parents so easily, he blackmailed both Asra and Muriel without batting an eye, he killed thousands, you included, without even trying. And Asra couldn’t really do anything about it because, powerful magician he may be, he had no political power while Lucio was the Count. Lucio has hurt almost all of the people Asra cares about and he feels like he wasn’t able to do anything about it

X - X-ray (how readable are their emotions? How good are they at reading their s/o?)

Asra reads you like you’re a picture book tbh because to them, you might as well be. They knew you for several years before you lost your memories, you had to relearn practically everything and Asra was there for every single mood, they saw your new tells and expressions develop, so they know you practically better than you know yourself, meanwhile Asra themself is very difficult to read unless they’ve actively trying to display their emotions. They learned a lot on the streets and few of those lessons were kind.

Y - youth (what kind of childhood did they have? At home and at school)

At home, before the ‘deaths’ of his parents, Asra had a happy life; two loving parents and a home. Afterwards, he had no one and almost nothing, until he met Muriel. Safe to say the majority of his childhood and teenage years were really rough

Z - zero (what would they do if they lost everything)

I truly do not think Asra would survive that; losing everything, they could probably come back from, but losing their loved ones, all of them, would actually kill them.

[saintunhinged]

Hi I hope your doing ok and your day has been great!❤️

I was wondering if you could write a Muriel x florist reader where when Muriel is making his once in awhile trip into vesuvia he goes past the readers shop and she gives him tulips because he looks sad and he takes them but after he's gone they forget him obv but the next time he comes into town it happens again and again until he finally gives the reader myrrh and then they remember all those times and get really embarrassed

Muriel was a solitary man who rarely ventured into the bustling city of Vesuvia. He preferred the quiet solitude of the forest, where he could be alone with his thoughts. But every once in a while, he would make the journey into the city, where he would inevitably pass by the small florist shop on the corner.

You were kind and gentle soul and noticed when Muriel walked by. He had a somber look on his face, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

As the robust man walked past the shop, you stepped out and handed him a bright red tulip — one that you intended to decorate the shop with, but you felt much happier giving it away to the man who looked like his spirit could be lifted.

“For you.” You simply said, a soft and gentle smile painting your face.

Muriel was surprised, looking between you and the flower as he came to a stop in front of you. “..Why?” He hesitantly asked, confused as to why you were giving him a flower. It wasn’t like he asked for it.

His question didn’t change your mind, and you contined to hold the flower out for him to take. “I just wanted to.”

Muriel huffed, cautiously accepting the gift with a quiet mumble of thanks. He continued on his way, but he couldn’t help but feel a little lighter with the flower in his hand.

The next time Muriel came into town, you were messing around with another bouquet of flowers. Not that you were looking to give them away so soon, but the towering man looked like he could use something to lift his spirits. “You look like you could use these.” You cheerfully say to the man. This time, it was a colorful mix of daffodils and sunflowers. Muriel accepted the gift with a small smile, and he walked away feeling a little less lonely.

This pattern continued every time Muriel made his way into Vesuvia. You would always have another flower to give him, and Muriel would always accept them, everyday more gratefully — even if you forgot about your interaction with him as soon as he pareted ways.

He even began wondering if his appearances in the town were filled with hope of receiving another flower from you.

One day, Muriel returned to your shop with a small pouch of myrrh in his hand. He avoided making eye contact with you, his cheeks burning red. “Here.” He bashfully offered you the pouch.

Curiosity got the best of you as reached for it. It was strange for someone to give you something, especially a person whose body language hinted at him not wanting to interact with you too much.

Holding the pouch of myrrh in your hand, you slowly came to remember how the man wasn’t as unfamiliar to you as you thought. Memories that you were buried in the dark were now coming to light.

You feel your face heat up, embarrassed that you had forgotten him each time he came into town, and each time you had given him a new flower.

Muriel cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on the floor. “It’s myrrh. Helps you remember things,” he mumbled, the words barely audible.

You carefully opened the pouch, revealing the delicate myrrh blooms within. “Remember things? Like what?” you asked, oblivious to the fact that the answer was already unfolding in your mind.

Muriel shifted uncomfortably, his green eyes avoiding contact with yours. “Memories. Stuff that you forgot,” he replied, his voice a low rumble.

As the scent of myrrh filled the air, a flood of forgotten encounters with Muriel rushed back into your consciousness. Your eyes widened in realization, and you felt your face heat up.

“Oh,” you mumbled, a mix of embarrassment and apology in your voice. “I... I gave you flowers before, didn’t I?”

Muriel nodded, sparing a quick glance in your direction. “Yeah. Every time I came to town."

Your cheeks burned hotter. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to forget. I just... didn’t remember.”

“Don’t worry,” Muriel reassured, though his discomfort was palpable. “You weren’t supposed to.” his deep voice was low, barely able to be heard. “The myrrh is supposed to help with that.”

You fidgeted with the pouch in your hands, feeling a mix of gratitude and sheepishness. “Thank you for helping me remember. I feel... really embarrassed."

Muriel scratched the back of his head, a gesture that betrayed his own unease. “Don’t be. I just thought... maybe it’d be better if you remembered.”

You nodded, appreciating his sincerity. “I just wish I hadn’t forgotten all those times I gave you flowers."

Muriel’s lips faintly turned into a smile, practically invisible, but he said notthing more.

“Why didn't you stop me before?” you curiously asked the tall man, your eyes reflecting genuine curiosity and a touch of embarrassment.

He simply shrugged, his dark hair falling in front of his scarred face. “Didn’t think it was worth it. It’s easier this way,” he replied, his tone etched with uncertainty, and a hint of awkwardness. “It’s fine. Flowers helped, myrrh just... sealed the deal, I guess.”

You nodded, understanding dawning on you. "I appreciate it, Muriel. Next time, if there’s a next time, just give me a nudge or something."

He chuckled, a rare sound that warmed the conversation. “I’ll keep that in mind. You seem to like flowers, so...”

You laughed, breaking any lingering tension. “Yeah, I do. And now I won’t forget you, or the flowers I gave you.”

“...That’s a start.”

You were relieved and decided to lighten the mood. “I hope to see you around more now that I know who you are. Flowers or not, it’d be nice.”

Muriel’s eyes softened and his cheeks flushed red, a hint of something akin to happiness flickering in them. But, he found it challenging to express himself verbally. Instead, he nodded, the acknowledgment of your words etched in his quiet demeanor.

You smiled warmly, appreciating the unspoken understanding. “Take care, Muriel. See you around, hopefully.”

And with that, Muriel nodded again, his gaze lingering for a moment before he quickly turned to leave. As you watched him walk away, there was a subtle shift in the air. The cycle of forgotten encounters had been broken, and the prospect of future interactions brought a quiet contentment to your heart.

[ravenloop]

Hello hope your day is ok!

I was wondering if you could write a Muriel x florist reader where when Muriel is making his once in awhile trip into vesuvia he goes past the readers shop and she gives him tulips because he looks sad and he takes them but after he's gone they forget him obv but the next time he comes into town it happens again and again until he finally gives the reader myrrh and then they remember all those times and get really embarrassed

[Your face... I know it!]

Pairing: Muriel x Florist!Reader

AN: I did this so late I'm so sorry—but here's your request! I hope you enjoy it <333 also sorry of there's any mistakes, Tumblr is being weird lately.

—————————————

It was never easy being Muriel.

Living, knowing he was a burden to his own family. Knowing he has to live with the guilt of who he killed for the rest of his life. Those memories haunted him, especially in moments like these. When everyone purposely stood far from him as he walked through the busy streets of Vesuvia.

Even in the crowded place, people still found a way to avoid him. His appearance alone struck fear in the hearts of people. And it made him... Sad? Annoyed? Want to scream out? He wasn't sure himself.

"Sir? Excuse me... Sir!" A soft voice pulled him out of the dark space in his mind. He looked to the side, a woman was calling him. How long was she doing that?

You smiled as the man finally looked at you. He didn't seem annoyed that you stopped him, thankfully. Just confused.

"Here..." Reaching into the basket you held, you pulled out a stunning orange tulip. You looked at him and then put your hand out, offering the flower.

Muriel was shocked at this. So shocked he didn't even do anything, he just stared down at the flower. Why were you being so kind and caring towards him—warily he narrowed his eyes.

"Flowers often brighten moods. Especially ones with colours like these." You glanced down at the flower in your hand before looking back into the man's eyes, "You seemed a little down... Maybe it could help."

"...Oh." His face goes pink, and he hoped the shadows casted by his cape made it hard to see.

Slowly, he reached out and took the tulip from you. Then quickly, he muttered "Thank you..." before walking faster than ever and leaving the area. It confused you, but you quickly went back to nurturing your flowers.

A week passes.

Muriel is back in Vesuvia.

Once again he roams through the busy streets and markets. It's what he's always done for the past couple years. Nothing is new.

As always, people avoid him. They're terrified of what he is, of what he can do. And many make it clear by hugging their bags and items close to them as he walks past, even though no one even knows him.

Then he reaches a familiar place. Your flower stall. He remembers it because you gave him a flower out of kindness. No one has ever done that for him. That small act never left his mind.

And when he passes by, thinking you'd simply ignore him, he's surprised when you do the exact opposite.

"Um... Sorry, sir? Sir!" He heard your voice for the second time and freezes before turning.

Again you smile at him, and again you pull out a tulip—this time a yellow one—and again you offer it to him.

"Flowers often brighten moods, you... Seemed a little down, maybe it could help?..." You hoped you didn't offend him. His intense gaze kept flickering between you and the tulip. He had almost a shocked expression on his face, but you couldn't exactly tell.

Gently, he grabbed it and uttered, "...Thank you." Before anything else could be said between you two, he left. But you failed to see the tiny traces of a smile on his lips.

Then Muriel notices the pattern.

This goes on for another two weeks. He'd take his usual route past your stall, you'd stop him and offer a tulip, and that would be the end until his next trip into Vesuvia.

It takes time, but he finally concludes and accepts that you're a person not wanting to hurt him.

"Um... Excuse me, sir?" He turns almost immediately this time, a neutral look on his face.

As expected, you smile at him and reach into your woven basket for a tulip. You really liked tulips, didn't you?

"Here... Flowers often—" "—brighten moods," Muriel unconsciously finishes the famous line for you. His eyes widen when he realises what he did and he looks to the side when your eyes go wide.

"You've um... Given me flowers before."

"I... Have?" You don't remember seeing this man before, let alone giving him your flowers. Did you forget one of your customers? A friend? Oh, now you felt bad.

"I... I'm sorry, I don't—"

You cut yourself off when the man sighs and almost hesitantly reaches into a pouch, pulling out a bundle of something. You recognise it as myrrh.

He gives it to you, and you slowly take it from him. The smell of myrrh fills your nostrils and your brain, it's delightful, but then it brings back memories.

You have seen this man before. And you gave him tulips! How could you forget?!

Your face flushes almost instantly at the embarassing fact that you didn't recognise the man you gave flowers to every week. You don't even think about how myrrh is what helped you remember him.

"I'm... Sorry." The man just nods, he himself looks flushed, "It's fine. I... liked... the flowers."

Then he actually smiles at you. It's small, but It's the first time you've seen him do so.

That makes you smile. "What's your name?"

"Muriel...".

"Well, Muriel." You offer the same tulip from earlier again, "Flowers often brighten moods, care to take one?"

At least your flowers finally brightened his mood.

[arcanarubinaito]

Borrowing Clothes

This is rough, unedited, and kinda rushed! I’ll probably edit it later because there’s a lot of missing content, but I wanted to get the rough parts in before the deadline XD

For this Vesuvia Weekly prompt, I thought I’d indulge in a bit of writing that isn’t necessarily canon to Muriel and Auric’s story, but sweet nevertheless.

This takes place in what I’d call the “Heart Hunters/Tales Universe”, where it’s clear the routes haven’t taken place but there’s still a relationship between any given LI and the MC. Great for writing character dynamics and interactions, in a sort of nebulous adjacent setting without a clear storyline.

Summary:

It’s a cold day, and Auric wants to spend it bundled up with his favorite person.

Tags:

SFW (<18), 1.2k Words, Vesuvia Weekly, Borrowing Clothes, Muriel, Muriel of the Kokhuri, Auric Alnazar, Auric the Apprentice, Apprentice OC, Original Character(s), Romantic Relationship(s), Muriel/Auric, Muriel/OC, Fluff

It was an unusually cold day. Auric shivered as he made his way down the trail, gripping his shawl around him for what little warmth it could offer him. A basket was slung over one arm with a loaf of Selasi’s pumpkin bread wrapped in cheesecloth, a small bottle of black mead, and some smoked eel parcled off to the side. It was a rare treat to visit Muriel’s hut these days, so he figured it called for something special. A little something in exchange for how often Muriel had to come into the city just so they could see each other.

The shop kept him busy, but with any luck Auric would be able to rent the space out to someone else soon. He just needed the chance to discuss it with Asra first.

A gust of wind buffeted against Auric’s side, carrying with it the salty sea air and a few leaves that found purchase in his hair. With a huff, he swatted at the stray vegetation and tried to clear it all away and make himself look at least a little more presentable.

The door opened before Auric had the chance to even knock, Muriel’s massive form lurking in the doorway. He was wearing his cloak, a sign that he had been about to leave. Surprise flitted over Muriel’s features as they stared at one another, before the larger man shuffled awkwardly to the side to let him in. “I didn’t think you were coming today.” Muriel murmured, watching Auric step inside. He glanced out at the overcast sky, and Auric understood what he meant.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Auric replied, bustling over to the table to set the basket down. Inanna was stretched out by the fire, lazily swishing her tail back and forth as she watched both of them. Their eyes met for a moment before Inanna huffed softly and turned to rest her head lazily over her paws, closing her eyes. The apprentice smiled faintly before turning his attention back to unpacking the basket.

“You did…” Muriel pulled his cloak off, hanging it back up on the wall. He made his way over to where Auric stood, hesitating for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around the smaller man from behind. As always, the hug was as loose as possible; and as always, Auric rested one hand over Muriel’s arm and leaned back against him, guiding his arms to hold him a little closer. “It’s also cold.” The hermit murmured against the top of Auric’s head. “You’re cold.” There’s a brief pause before one of Muriel’s hands lifted, picking a stray leaf out of the apprentice’s hair.

Auric’s mouth twitched. He could tell Muriel’s eyes were fixed solely on the food he’d brought, and Auric carefully unwrapped the small packages. The smell of spices and eel wafted through the air, a very odd combination but not entirely unpleasant. “Ah, but I’m warm now.” Auric took one of Muriel’s hands and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles. “I’m already forgetting how chilly it is outside.” Muriel grumbled softly in response before he pulled away to fetch the two plates and cups he owned.

“... are you staying tonight?” Muriel asked quietly, setting the wooden dishes out carefully. Auric cut a couple slices off the loaf, serving it and the eel onto both plates while Muriel uncorked the bottle and poured a bit of mead in both cups. While the question was worded one way, it meant another thing entirely; ‘I don’t want you walking home tonight in this weather.’

“I’d like to.” Auric reached across the table after they both sat down, and Muriel took his hand. Three soft squeezes; I love you. Muriel gave four more in return; I love you too.

-<>-

They slept in. Or well, Muriel slept in. Auric could never sleep too long once the sun was up, but he was more than content to rest in Muriel’s arms until he woke. He gazed out the window, taking in the swirling patterns of frost and light amount of snow that had settled in the clearing just outside. He snuggled in closer to Muriel, pulling the furs a little further over them. The fire had died down during the night, making the morning a bit chilly against his bare skin.

Muriel stirred a little, pulling Auric a little closer with a soft grumble. He pressed his face into the pillow with his mouth resting against the back of the apprentice’s head and his warm breath blew through Auric’s hair in soft huffs. A few minutes more, and Muriel’s eyes finally fluttered open with reluctance.

“Morning.” Auric brushed a soft kiss against Muriel’s cheek, taking quiet delight in the way the hermit’s cheeks reddened. He crossed his arms over Muriel’s chest and rested his head over them, idly tracing a heart over where Muriel’s beat.

The larger of the two men blinked the sleep out of his eyes, not yet sitting up. His hand lifted to brush some of Auric’s hair out of his face, curling the multicolored strands around his fingers loosely in an idle gesture of affection. “Morning.” Muriel’s voice rumbled, deep and croaky with early morning drowsiness. Auric could see the other’s lips curve slightly, a warm and sleepy smile.

It took a while for them to get up and moving, but Auric wasn’t in a rush. The shop was closed today and he didn’t have any errands to run until later that afternoon. There were plenty of little sleepy kisses exchanged between them until finally Muriel was awake enough to get up. They both shivered a little in the chilly morning air, and Muriel was quick to tuck the furs back around Auric until he could get the fire started again.

Breakfast was leftover pumpkin bread warmed by the fire, filling the hut with the scent of warm spices mixed with myrrh. They ate on the floor near the fire this time, Muriel listening as Auric rambled about his dreams.

When it finally came time for Auric to leave, Muriel gently grabbed his arm to stop him before he reached the door. In his other hand, the hermit held the scarf Auric bought him months ago. “Wait,” He murmured, draping it over Auric’s shoulders and fussing with it for a moment. “It’s still cold out.”

Auric was frozen for several seconds before he reached up to take his hands, his eyes shining softly. “Thank you.” He said softly, stretching up as far as he could to brush a kiss against Muriel’s cheek. The man’s face was flushed, his eyes focused on everything else but him for a little bit before he finally dragged his gaze to meet Auric’s.

“Just… bring it back when you visit next time.” Muriel mumbled, dipping down to brush a very brief kiss against Auric’s cheek in return. His hand reached out to open the door, the other pulling out of Auric’s grasp to grab his own cloak. “I’ll um… walk you to the city.” He added quietly.

The apprentice smiled, taking Muriel’s hand. With his other, he gently grasped onto the scarf wound around his neck and pulled it up to partially cover his face against the cold as they set out together.

[renadactyl]

“O Shipwreck Sailor”

𝕎𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕟𝕒𝕕𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕪𝕝 (ℝ𝕖𝕟/𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕞) (𝕙𝕖/𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪/𝕚𝕥)

𝕁𝕦𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕩 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕖 (𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣)

𝕋𝕎: 𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕤, 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕕𝕠𝕦𝕓𝕥, 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤

(𝟙𝟘𝟜𝟡 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤)

Febuwhump Day 5: “Rope Burns”

You catch Julian being careless with his health again and try to teach him how to take care of himself a bit more (follows his upright ending)

Not proofread!!

Julian was certainly a chaotic person. You couldn’t look away for one second or else he’d be getting himself into some trouble. Sometimes, you’d even be supervising him closely and he’d still get into trouble.

You’d find him trying to impress you with the amount of salty bitters he could hold down, only to end up having to throw up overboard all night while you sat there and patted his back. Other times, he’d claim he could do some fantastic acrobatic trick only to end up doing an impressive cartwheel and right into the water, leaving you shaking your head and having to walk after him to go save him from himself.

Despite his spontaneity, there were moments when your heart burst with love because of him. He certainly had a flirtatious wild spirit at the same time that he had a desire to live a more peaceful life not burdened by the guilt of his failures as a plague doctor in the past.

He’d cuddle you all night, whisper sweet nothings in your ear, kiss your forehead, ponder aloud how he ever got so lucky to meet you and have you in his arms. Despite it all, he was just another fool in love.

Of course, this love showed up in dangerous ways as well. He was incredibly overprotective to the point where he’d risk himself for your sake. Thankfully, he hadn’t gotten himself killed during the battle with the Devil. But now? You feared everyday he’d do something drastic in the name of love and injure himself.

You enjoyed the sights of the sea stretching out all around you, taking in the salty air with a sense of peace in your mind. Your eyes were closed as Julian approached you and wrapped his warm arm around your waist.

“Having a relaxing day, I trust?” He asked, leaning against you whilst also pulling you against him.

You leaned your head against his shoulder and responded, “of course I am. Apparently it’s smooth sailing for the rest of the day to Nevivon. I can’t wait to see what your home looks like.”

Julian smiled. He never trailed his gaze away from you to look out at the sea. He had always appreciated the sight of the water, but he couldn’t dare look away from the most beautiful treasure he had beside him. “I’m sure you’ll love it. There’s a lot fewer goatmen-ghosts.”

With a smile on your lips from his joke, you nodded. “It’ll definitely be more peaceful than Vesuvia, I’m sure.”

But Julian frowned and shrugged a bit. “Actually… I wouldn’t say ‘peaceful’ is the word. It just can’t compare to saving the world, of course.”

“I’d hope so,” you responded. “So do you have a hole to sleep in in Nevivon? Or is that solely Mazelinka’s thing?”

Julian sighed, “it’s a ‘Mazelinka thing’, as you put it.”

You chuckled and reached to hold his hand for some light romantic skinship but frowned when he retracted his hand from you. “Julian, what’s wrong?” You were quick to ask him, worry streaming through your voice.

He waved his hand and shrugged it off. “Oh, pffft, it’s nothing. Don’t worry, darling, I-”

In one quick movement, you grabbed his hand and turned it over to see his palm. You knew better than to believe Julian when he said he was fine. You could see rope burns around his palm and between his fingers, as if he had been pulling hard on some rope. It likely happened while he was doing business about the ship and he didn’t want to bother you with asking for help.

“Alright, you’re lucky I brought some herbs from the shop before we left. Asra told me I’d be needing them if we were going on a journey.”

Before he could argue, you led him gingerly across the deck to the stairs leading down to the storage room. “Wait right here, Julian.”

“Where would I go? We’re at sea,” he retorted, pointing matter-of-factly at the expanse of water surrounding you both.

With a sigh, you waved your hand and started searching for aloe vera, a piece of cloth, and some drinking water. “You know what I mean.”

Julian chuckled to himself and nodded, sitting against a crate as he waited for you.

It only took you a few minutes before you were able to walk back to him with the supplies and begin to clean the wound. As you took care of him, you couldn’t help but notice him frowning. “I’m sorry for bothering you,” he apologized, “you were relaxing. I liked how calm you looked, as if there were no worries in the world. And now you’re worrying yourself over me again.”

With a soft smile, you finished cleaning up his wound and began to apply the ointment. “I only worry because I love you.”

“Then why do you love me?”

The question took you by surprise. You stopped what you were doing momentarily, a frown coming across your face. You were used to helping Julian through periods of guilt and self-doubt, but questions like these were always the hardest.

“I love you because you’re you. There’s no complex answer. I just love you. And every time you get hurt, I can’t help but worry because of the pain you must be feeling. I just wish you’d stop and realize just how loved you are and how much I can’t handle seeing you get yourself into danger,” you answered to the best of your ability.

Julian nodded, trying to hide the boyish smile on his face. He loved you and despite the fact that you loved him back amazed him to no end, he knew he wouldn’t dare give up this miracle for the world. “I’ll try better for you.”

“Don’t try better,” you responded while you bandaged his hand. “That doesn’t solve the problem. Just try to start thinking about yourself more. Learn a bit of self-preservation, love.”

He couldn’t hold back his bashful smile anymore. He always was so easy to fluster when it came to you. Since words failed him, all he did was nod, bringing about a smile on your face.

“Want to go see what Portia has for lunch, love?”

“Sure, if it means I’ll get to eat with you.”

[snobgoblin]

How would the court react to Reise?

GOOD QUESTIONNNNNUHHH THE COURTIERS MY BELOVED ok let's see uhhhhh

Valerius: he does notttt care to be honest. "the detective I hate had a baby with my ex boyfriend who I find annoying" does not necessarily make him excited to be meeting this baby LMAO he would probably find some way to gossip about this. he would find a way. anyway he's kind of like "what do you want me to do with this I can't gossip with him and I can't drink wine with him why did you even tell me this" /lighthearted

Valdemar: they did not willingly introduce Reise to them. they heard about the child and had to see for themselves- it's been so very long since they've seen a baby in Vesuvia after all, since the plague claimed them first. their curiosity is getting the better of them. anyway they just kind of show up at the magic shop and ask to see him and Lucio invites them in because what are you gonna tell them NO? he wants to keep his organs firmly intact thank you very much. anyway both parents are very very reluctant to let Valdemar anywhere near him but all they do is look, and take notes, and take measurements. they do intend to keep tabs on him... how curious, a child born from TWO people who have risen from the dead... they wonder what complications that might have

Vlastomil: oh how dreadful. they made another NASTY human to poison the earth with. ah well, eventually he will be food for the worms. in the meantime he has no interest in the child so kindly get it away from him before it starts that INFERNAL racket

Volta: she's relatively normal about the child and is excited over him, except she keeps referring to him as if he is a small portion of food and not an infant, which raises some eyebrows but no, she doesn't mean to eat the baby, those are just terms of affection from her. like when your aunt says she wants to eat you. he looks so big in her arms it's kind of adorable

Vulgora: NO YOU CANT HOLD THE BABY YOU HAVE SHARP GAUNTLETS!!! and even if you didn't we can't guarantee you won't hurt him, you're always yelling about crushed skulls and spilled blood... if they see Volta holding him that might activate their competitiveness like with the corn so Danny is very careful not to let that happen. anyway Vulgora isn't too interested in a wimpy baby anyway but the fact that he's related to Morga gives them hope that one day he'll be a worthy opponent

[theintrovertbean]

I bet you can't tell which one of them is my favorite (sarcastic)

I'll make another post later about Nadia because I love her so much I might need therapy 😭

I'm participating in brainrot's Vesuvia Weekly prompts and I'd like to encourage eveyone to join ^.^

Also, brainrot has a Discord server now, so if you're interested in getting to know others from the fandom and bond over our beloved character, I kindly recommend that you join. It's a safe place for every simp 💜

The Arcana Main 6 x Dara relationship dynamics

Asra: There is some romantic potential between the two, but it's not very much. They were childhood friends and are still very close. Because of that, people often mistake them for lovers. When I say they are close, I really mean it. Asra has no problem hopping into Dara's bed for some cuddles and he's one of the very few people who are allowed to touch them. They pretty much go everywhere together and even though they have separate beds in the shop, they often end up sharing. He's invited to every family gathering and special occasion. Dara can be a little oblivious when it comes to how others feel about them (coughs coughs Nadia coughs choughs), but Asra, being the cheeky person that he is, doesn't shy away from letting them know that a certain Countess might be in love with them. Asra was the first person Dara kissed, btw.

Nadia: Oh I could talk about these two all day. True love. That's it, true love. They met during the plague and quickly fell in love with each other. However, they didn't confess their love until after Nadia woke up from her coma. Dara is introverted but warm and patient, which is something that can be said about Nadia as well. Their relationship is as comfortable as it is passionate, filled with affection and care. They're both givers, which means they spoil each other 24/7 with gifts and all forms of affection. Neither of them trusts easily, but since they're both patient and kind, opening up was not a big issue (except that one incident but that's gonna be explained in Wounds of Magic, Scars of Love.) Nadia is Dara's favorite person in the entire world and they're giving her the special treatment. They seem like an open person, but there's still so much that they hide about themselves. Not from Nadia, tho. Nadia is the only person that Dara tells everything. They have some trauma, and so far, Nadia has been the only one they completely trusted with it. Whenever something happens, Dara's first thought is that they have to go and tell Nadia about it. No one is allowed to touch Dara without asking for first (except Asra and maybe a handful of other people), but Nadia is always an exception. Actually, Dara wishes she would touch them all the time. There is something about the Countess that makes Dara feel things that no one else ever has before. It's a relationship based on lots of love and mutual respect. When it's just them, everything feels so easy. They can be just Nadia and Dara with each other and I think that's beautiful. There's no pressure, no expectations. Just love. If there was a love story about a star and the moon, it would be about them. Hand in marriage when?

Julian: Dara can't really decide how they feel towards Julian. On the one hand, they'd party with him. On the other hand, they're giving him a bombastic side-eye. Julian is not bad and Dara is okay with hanging out with him once in a while, but they can't imagine getting any closer to him. However, sometimes they hang out at the Rowdy Raven and chat over some drinks and they worked together during the plague. When they share a common goal, they're willing to work together towards it.

Muriel: Sweet Muriel is a childhood friend of Dara. They drifted apart but later rekindled their friendship. Or more like, Muriel tolerates Dara more than he would with other people. Dara isn't someone who would force anyone, which is something that Muriel appreciates. However, Dara makes sure that Muriel never feels forgotten. Whenever Dara goes somewhere, they bring him back a little gift or occasionally show up at his hut to say hi, bring some goodies, and pet Inanna. Whenever there's an occasion, Dara invites Muriel and sadly, he often says no, but Dara lets him know that they could hang out later. Just the two of them. They both like chickens. Dara sometimes asks if they could hug Muriel.

Portia: Besties. They bake together and gossip together. When Dara and Portia sit down, they simply can't resist spilling all the latest tea. You know what TikTok trend about whoever brings up xy has to pay first? Yeah, it's them. I swear to gayness, they're like two grandmas. They pet and feed stray cats. Maybe occasionally bring them back to the Palace until Nadia says it's enough. Portia is someone that Dara trusts and considers a true friend. Lots of inside jokes and uncontrollable laughter. They also think that she's cute.

Lucio: Another character with romantic potential. At first, Dara just wanted to punch him. Now they want to punch him and then make out with him and it really confuses them. They're still salty about the way Lucio treated Nadia, but they also understand that Lucio is in some serious need of a therapist. With that being said, Dara is someone that Lucio can talk to about his past. As soon as they begin to understand why Lucio is the way he is, their judgement and hatred for him starts to disappear. When Lucio had the plague, Dara did their best to ease his suffering. If he ever needs a shoulder to cry on or just someone who listens, Dara is always available. They want to get drunk with him.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Vesuvia Weekly Drabbles: "Why are we hiding?"

~ in honor of Asra's birthday, a little late ^.^ ~

You don't know if there's a time of day when the Palace gardens don't look beautiful. There's always the scent of seasonal flowers blooming, the soft grass against your ankles, the hushed snickering in the maze bushes - wait -

"Friend!"

"Fau - augh - !"

You don't get to say much more, partly due to your surprise at the solid warm hand whisking you into the greenery, and partly because the other one is hovering over your mouth in a 'be quiet' gesture. Asra's laughing purple eyes gleam at you with mischief as they slowly let you go, raising one finger to their lips as you settle into the little nook. You whisper into the tiny space between you as you try to recover your breath.

"What's going on?"

"What does it look like? We're hiding."

"Okay but - why are we hiding?"

He muffles a snort of laughter into his sleeve, dimples flashing before he composes himself enough to whisper back.

"You know the palace guards, Ludovico and Bludmilla?"

"Yes?"

"I might have left them a little surprise in their guard's booth."

You watch them swallow another giggle, and then latch onto your arm and chortle in delight when you hear a faint screech from the direction of the Palace gates.

"What kind of surprise?!"

"Nothing harmful, just startling."

"Why?"

His expression tinges with sadness, briefly dropping into something more complex. "Back when Muriel and I lived under the docks ... well, they were there too. They weren't very interested in letting us live in peace."

You open your mouth to say something comforting, but snap it shut again as footsteps rapidly approach through the grass. Asra's expression bounces back into gleeful mischief as they wave their hands at you to stay quiet. Outside the bushes, you can hear their latest victims grumbling angrily through the garden.

"I swear, when I get my hands on that brat I'm gonna -"

"Easy now, you don't know if the big one's still involved."

"They can't have gone far. They're probably hiding around here somewhere, those shameless, sneaky, slimy -"

The growls and curses continue as the guards come closer to the maze. You can hear one of them shaking every bush they pass. Asra takes you gently by the shoulders and shuffles you closer, turning to wedge you in the deepest part of the nook so you'll be hidden behind him if your spot is discovered. There's very, very little space between the two of you now, and he takes full advantage of it by leaning in a little further to whisper into your ear, your nose filling with his smoky, spicy scent.

"Don't worry about getting caught. I'll distract them while you run. I'm sure Nadia will understand."

"What about you?"

They don't reply, taking your hands to slip a mysterious crystal into them instead, and then freezing with your fingers intertwined when a new voice cuts into the chaos outside.

"Guards!"

"C-Countess!"

"I expect a detailed and satisfying explanation for your current state. Not only has the gate been left unmanned, I have been informed that the stairs to the Palace have been covered in ... 'slimy goo' ... and are obstructing our guests' arrival, on your watch."

"Y-yes, Countess, you see milady -"

"We didn't do any of this! There was a box - and a bang, and a -"

You hear the guards' voices falter, and a moment of heavy silence before Nadia speaks again.

"Your uniforms are hideously stained and in pitiful disarray. Clean yourselves up and figure out your story before you enter my sight again."

There's a chorus of mumbled "yes, milady"s and the sound of hurried shuffling before you can both breathe easy again. Asra slumps forward onto your shoulder with a relieved giggle.

"I should invite you along next time."

"Next time?!"

[greyspirehollow]

Prepare for trouble - Make it double

Pairing : Quaestor Valdemar x (demon) Reader Fandom : The Arcana visual novel Warnings : science (I'm not good with warnings) ; discussion of experiments ; probably inaccurate depiction of said science (like it's probably not how it works, I ain't no scientist, I'm an artist)

Summary : To make sure you live as long as your beloved, you went our of your way to make a deal with the Devil. The downsides? You have the same morbid curiosities and fascinations as your dearest, though you specialize in another field...

It had been a few months since you made your deal. Things had changed, of course, but you felt as if the sacrifices you made were little in comparison to spending eternity by Valdemar's side. And you couldn't have possibly done that without giving up your humanity... But you knew you had done the right thing. Everything had become more tender with the Quaestor, it seemed they'd finally allowed themselves to feel for you, to love you ; They were spending more time by your side, they held you more often, at times you could swear you could see a spark of love and adoration in their eyes when they looked at you... And honestly? It's all you could've asked for. Everything else was a bonus.

Spending more time together undeniably meant you picked up on some quirks from each other's behavior. Even though you had a much more theatrical side to you (which seemed to be easier to indulge into, since you weren't so afraid anymore since your deal ; although you do know how to control it. People often perceive you as rather calm and composed, actually), you had caught yourself standing like them a few times. Once, you two had tilted your heads at the same time during a conversation, drawing a few laughs out of both of you. It seemed like Valdemar had picked up on some of your behaviors as well, which... You hadn't expected. You remember loosing your shit at one of the few jokes they cracked around you from time to time. Sure, they were still very much themselves, but you feel like their time with you warmed them up somewhat. A few days after you came back from your deal, they'd offered to wrap your horns in bandages, just like they did with their own, and you couldn't refuse (it was just so cute). Your horn shape was more vertical, with a slight angle to them, but in the end, you had matching bandaged horns, and it just made you giddy every time you thought about it. You would tease each other at times, even though when other people were around, the Quaestor was much more reserved, a bit contrary to you. But you caught a smile behind their mask once or twice.

And of course, all those soft moments were worth everything you'd given up. Your humanity, and your moral compass. Regarding science, anyway...

You hadn't told them anything. When those strange thoughts came to you, it made you curious. Not only because you'd never thought of this before, but also because it was... Interesting, actually. You knew you probably shouldn't indulge in them. After all, you weren't human anymore, your thoughts weren't the same... And yet, you gave in. You had noticed how when Valdemar was really invested in an experiment, it seemed you could go anywhere you wanted and they wouldn't notice... Or they perhaps didn't mind. Of course you loved watching them work, and they didn't seem to mind your presence... But seeing them so fascinated by the corpses they were fiddling with inevitably awakened those thoughts in you again. So you'd taken advantage of those moments to wander the streets of Vesuvia, looking for a perfect hideout. You had found what looked like an abandoned tavern at the end of a narrow, dark alleyway. It took you a while to manage to pick the lock of the thick wooden door, but once you did, you couldn't help a wicked grin from spreading onto your face. This. Was. Perfect.

You entered what looked like an old cave, finding stacks of dusty wine bottles, a table or two and cobwebs. You couldn't help your heart from picking up in pace as you mentally drew a picture of your soon-to-be laboratory. This was exciting. You dedicated the following weeks to cleaning up the place. You'd deconstructed the wine stacks, gotten rid of the bottles (which you were sure weren't good for consumption anyway, and the idea of risking Valerius' life to make sure of that simply hadn't come to you) and moved the wooden tables. If you wanted this place to be as spotless as you could make it to be, you'd have to do a deep clean... And that's what you did. Back when you were human, you could've never thought of doing that, ever. But now? The excitement at the prospect of upcoming experiments gave you the energy to basically do anything.

Eventually, after two week and a half of deep cleaning (mainly because you couldn't give it a 24/7 attention), the cave looked empty enough for you to start furnishing it. This only took you three days. You would sneak out the Palace at night into various physicians' offices and alchemist's shops to borrow equipment. Vials, petri dishes, syringes, candles, the strongest magnifying glasses you could find, more petri dishes, sample tubes, test tubes, goggles (though you doubted you would need them), gloves, tweezers, spatula, scoopula, glass bottles, erlenmeyer flasks, flasks, tongs, corks, beakers, pipets, petri dishes again YOU NAME IT- ahem.

This was thrilling. The more you brought equipment to your makeshift laboratory, the more excited you become. This would be fantastic. Phenomenal. Breakthrough after breakthrough, things scientists could only dream of achieving...

Then began your experiments. In the following months, your laboratory filled with them, test subjects and wet specimens, files thick as an encyclopedia as you wrote down report after report and protocol after protocol....

However, eventually, you knew you wouldn't be able to keep this to yourself. And you probably shouldn't. It didn't feel right to hide it all from your beloved... And so, after nearly ten months of your secret escapades to your lab, you decided to expose your discoveries and experiments to Valdemar. It was late, somewhere at the end of winter. As if time meant anything anyway. You found the surgeon in their dungeons, as usual. You stood afar for a moment, your heart thumping violently in your ribs out of both nervousness and excitement. You took a deep breath, and walked towards them, gently wrapping your arms around their waist from behind and resting your head on their shoulder. "Good evening" they said sweetly, briefly glancing at you. They could feel your tough heartbeat against their back, and wondered what could be the source of supposed distress. "Is something wrong?" they asked, their hands swiftly stitching up the corpse they had been working on. "...Can I show you something?" you inquired, though with a slight uncertainty. It seemed they sensed it. "Of course." Valdemar replied "I'm always happy to see what you've been up to." they said, putting their instruments aside and wiping their gloves hands on their apron. You couldn't help your grin and a spark of mischievous excitement from lighting up your eyes. The Quaestor knew that spark : they shared the same when they talked about their experiments. This only made them more intrigued. You took their hand and excitedly walked out of the dungeons into the streets of Vesuvia, guiding them to your hideout.

You found the key to the heavy wooden door and opened it, eagerly inviting them inside (even if you tried your best to keep your excitement level-headed). Their eyes widened as they slowly made their way inside : it really looked like a laboratory... only less professional. More made from scratch, though the equipment was there. Shelves lined the walls, on which laid all sorts of things : mainly jars, mostly wet rat and mice specimens, floating ominously in the liquid. but there were also tinier flasks, sealed shut, with a biohazard* symbol onto some. no, onto all of them. You didn't speak just yet, letting them take a look around while fidgeting with your hands. They approached one of the tables you worked on, seemingly analyzing the equipment. "So that's where all my petri dishes went" they teased, making you chuckle. Their gaze went back to the table "...Is this all your doing?" They asked, their eyes landing on the specimens again. You nodded, unable to stop a little proud and (morbidly) excited smile as you mentally prepared to ramble about your experiments. Valdemar's eyes scanned the equipment again, and finally asked "What did you do with all this?"

You grinned from ear to ear as you went to fetch the boxes where you kept all your reports, bringing them to the table while pushing aside some instruments (which thankfully you weren't currently using for an experiment - imagine the catastrophe if anything fell on the floor) "Alright, so-" you started, pulling out a file "I'll start with my simplest experiment : BH-012. It was my first successful one, actually uhm- are you familiar with pathology ?" your words seemed to tumble out of your mouth with uncontrollable enthusiasm, and Valdemar found themselves highly intrigued. "The science and study of diseases, yes, I've heard about it. Though as you know, it isn't my field of practice" you nodded frantically "Yes ! yes. Well... I got interested in that, suddenly, I don't exactly know why -maybe has to do with my deal- and well... I thought it would be a good idea to uhm... to try things out !" You had the Quaestor's absolute and undivided attention. Which was hard to do, let's be honest. You couldn't be more excited "I've played with dangerous things.." you admitted, flipping through the files. "So ! BH-012...."

And so your rambling started. You began with this first bacteria, which you had managed to successfully mutate, altering its initial effects. This is what you had done with all your experiments. You mutated and fiddled with everything : Bacteria. Viruses. Prions. Parasites... These held nearly no secrets to you anymore. You've nearly experimented on all. You had pushed the limits of the ethical and created biohazardous biological weapons, all contained in these tiny sealed-shut flasks and vials lined up on your shelves, which you had frozen* for safety. You explained to them in details some protocols of certain highly successful experiments, like the prion PA-003, or the virus VY-045... You explained how you studied how your diseases spread, contaminated, and destroyed their hosts on populations of rat and mice ; you showed them the second room, in which there was a tank similar to a terrarium full of plants, and another one full of fungi and mushrooms. You explained how you had managed to make a mutation of the BH-012 bacteria, BH-014, thanks to these fungi, allowing the bacteria to develop spores to spread, whereas before it was only transmitted by being consumed. You went on to explain how you used the tank of plants to develop cures for each of your diseases, making copies of the formula and protocols to follow in case one slippery little virus or fungi managed to make its way out of your laboratory.

The Quaestor was smitten. They loved your humanity, they always did (even if they'd denied it for a while), this part of you that had allowed them to be a little more themselves each day... And now this ? This was the cherry on top. This non-human side of you, devoted to science, willing to experiment, going beyond the biologically reasonable and push past what would be ethical until there were no cell to modify left in the world... And the last specimen you presented to them, with that wickedly excited grin and mad glint in your eyes just was the death of them. You proudly held up the wet specimen of an orange worm, with two long thin tendrils that spewed out of its mouth. "Just a lil' guy, huh? This is a type of brain tapeworm" you started "it's called a neuro-parasite. Some already exist in nature, but I've uhm... made it worse" you chuckled "It acts very progressively : they lodge themselves atop of the brain, slowly but surely planting their tendrils further and further until they reach the motor controls, basically... turning the host into a puppet. It's not actually hard to remove, a basic acidic solution does the job and dissolves it, but uhm... the delicate part is not damaging the brain while dissolving the worm." you were about to go on, but something suddenly popped in your mind, and you excitedly went back to your shelf. Valdemar's jaw hung slightly slack at everything. But they'd share their thoughts once you would be done. "Something funny happened to one of my worms, actually-" You retrieved another wet specimen of an orange worm, though this time, it had some sort of exoskeleton, and two little fangs "It mutated" you said, feeling all giddy. The Quaestor couldn't help but share your excitement, even if pathology wasn't their field of specialty "It mutated? This particular worm mutated, creating this unique structure and its small little fangs?" you nodded eagerly. You continued : "Not that it can resist the cure, no no- it's become practically cousins with a millipede. It still had the tendrils to lodge in the brain though. I have to admit, I ran out of inspiration and called it Fortis Vermis… but I secretly call it skitters" Valdemar chuckled "skitters?" you laughed as well and nodded. "yes, skitters... I like him a lot... It's my most beautiful specimen." You said, looking dreamily at your wet specimen before putting it back on the shelf with the others

After this very eventful night, you couldn't help but be a little apprehensive of Valdemar's reaction. What would they think...? They had not uttered a word since you both had left your makeshift laboratory. You suddenly felt very nervous. You looked at them and was about to say something, but you blinked in surprise. There was a new spark in their eyes : amazement and wonder... a certain lightness. You were... Confused. They seemed to notice your stare and looked at you, their red eyes meeting your golden own. They smiled. "Thank you for showing me all this" their tone was... surprisingly affectionate, and you couldn't help your cheeks from reddening slightly "ah- w-well... that's only natural, no?" you chuckled "You have no problem showing me your experiments, and it felt very... It just felt wrong not to show you." The smile didn't leave their face as they continued to walk with you. It seemed your earlier excitement had rubbed off on them, they looked to be in a particularly good mood. They looked ahead again and inhaled before speaking : "You and I will make a fine duo in scientific history" Your eyes widened slightly, your anxiousness suddenly evaporated. You felt warm. "really?" they nodded "absolutely. Say, do you want me to give you... Human specimens from time to time?" you gasped "you- you wouldn't !!" they chuckled at your excited reply "oh yes I would. I'd be delighted to see just what your diseases could do on a human corpse" You had to stifle a screech of excitement. It would help you make significant progress, even if you had one body every few months. You gripped their arm and brought them in an embrace, pampering their face with affectionate kisses. They chuckled and protested that it was nothing, but you thanked them nonetheless. That night, you spent your time discussing all sorts of experiments you could be conducting in the future...

*This may be inaccurate considering the time period The Arcana visual novel seems to take place in

Small Bonus !

It was two days later. You had just come back from dining with the countess and the other courtiers, closing the door of your quarters with a sigh, appreciating the calm. You spotted something on your bed, and raising an eyebrow, you went over it. It looked like a folded piece of clothing. You unwrapped it curiously, and your eyes widened as a lab-coat and apron unfolded before you. It was flawless, though you could tell it was sewn by hand. It matched your size perfectly. A note fluttered to the ground, which you picked up. It read :

"A mad scientist and an unhinged surgeon ; we're going to make quite the pair. I thought you might need this in the future - Val"

This time, you were unable to contain your screech of excitement.

[tasrasimp]

The scene plaguing my mind recently:

Finding a new spot to break open a bottle with Julian has become a challenge at this point: who can find the most obscure place for a good kick back?

Middle of the forest? Been there. The steps to the palace? Done that. The dungeons? Air's stale, but no one bothers you guys down there. The docks? A classic. A forgotten courtyard with overgrown vines and a dry fountain? Kinda creepy but it doesn’t matter after a few cups.

Tonight, you’ve chosen the roof of a random building down a random street. Originally, you planned on walking Julian all the way to the middle of the fields outside of Vesuvia, but once you saw the perfect path up the side of the building, your whole plan changed.

So, here you are… Atop a random building on a random street, looking at the most beautiful view of Vesuvia you’ve seen. You sigh and lean back. You're on top of the world. Up here, it almost feels like just you and Julian exist.

Just you and your lovely doctor lounged against a few forgotten barrels, legs tangled and hanging off the four-story building, soaking up the moonlight. You draw lazy circles over his chest and nuzzle closer to him.

This many drinks in, you'd usually push away from the ledge, but with Julian there, you felt safe to stay put.

"Do I win?" You quietly ask, and you hear Julian start.

"Win what, darling?" He takes another drink and brings his gray eyes to yours. They sparkle in the moonlight.

"I've found the best view to drink to." He hums, runs his hand up and down your side while considering with a bob in his head. But he clicks his tongue and shakes his head.

"If our bet was on who could find the best view, I'd have won by default." Your eyebrows pinch and you push yourself up slightly, just enough to be level with his eye. You forget the offence you've taken when you piece together his expression.

Slanted, relaxed brows, eyes swimming with devotion, staring as deep into your soul as he could go. Just from his eyes alone, you were warmed from head to toe with his adoration. A lazy smile curving his lips, a drunken blush on his sharp cheeks.

"What do you mean, doctor?" You try and challenge, but your words are almost slurred as you are bewitched by his gaze, giving away that he could win any fight right now. His hand reaches up and cups your cheek, running his thumb over your cheekbone.

"I've found you."

Julian just being so head-over-heels in love with you. Julian living every second with you. Julian Devorack waking up and realizing that he's excited for another day since he has you. Playful, yet sentimental Julian.

Jules who knows that a lifetime with you wouldn't be enough.

Anyways thanks for letting me plague y'all with what's been on my mind.

[taduki]

The M6 w/ an MC who gives them books to read

This headcanon post includes books for each character !! I’ve only read a couple of these books so sorry if they’re not good or fitting……… Please enjoy !! I put lots of time into it, and I STILL want to write more on these entries !!! Alas, I will save my energy for another headcanon perhaps. :)

Asra

They were open to reading long before you met them, and you found they were HUGE on comedy books.

Their favorite one you've given them is "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell. When they finished it, they lent/bought a copy to give to Aisha and Salim, and it was a fantastic decision because they fell in love with it too. Now when they come over to visit, their conversations are full of inside jokes and laugh attacks.

When you give them a good, new book, the next few reading sessions are filled with Asra’s cackling and giggles. They are so excited to read bits and pieces to you, but if it's really bad, they'll be trying to explain it to you for like ten minutes between laughs and gasps for air.

Sometimes, they’ll stray from their usual genre and try something new like thriller, but they find those are too serious for them. They’re looking for fun!! Laughs !! Sillies !! Eventually, they find one or two books they like with serious undertones and those are the ones that they hold so dear to them.

Asra struggles to find good enough books for themself, as adventurous as they are. That’s why they hold your recommendations to such high opinion. You know where to find the best ones for them.

Julian

Julian’s choice of fiction books either range from, “Who makes this stuff?”, to, “What kind of genius wrote this?!”

Definitely likes to read fun and weird screenplays like “Some Like it Hot (1959)” by Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond so you two can act out the scenes.

For the most part, he does prefer nonfiction books, particularly encyclopedias.

He never wants to go anywhere near a textbook about biology ever again!! He says as he picks up books about flora… He was referring to animals, of course. He’ll pull you over to the side of a road just to inspect a seemingly normal weed, and that is in fact what it will turn out to be.

It’s becoming a scavenger hunt for him, so if you indulge him, you’ll draw little stars or check marks on the ones he’s seen already. It may save you time if he’s not that interested in those particular ones. Otherwise, be prepared for a full day trip around Vesuvia.

He’s bought so many different encyclopedias about the same things, you’re not sure about specific favorites, but they tend to be of the thicker variety with many pictures.

You have to give it to him though. Sometimes he comes across the most amazing things. Besides flaming flowers and clouds that chase each other, you’ve seen trees with branches in such formations that they sing when the wind blows. He wants to show you the world…

Portia

Her favorite from your recommendations is still “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd, as mentioned before.

Gossip. Gossip and DRAMA.

If the Palace drama wasn't enough, you've opened up a whole new world to her. Fictional drama is so juicy and unbelievable, she is so entertained. When she gets really into it, she likes to rant about the crazy stuff like, "I can't believe she picked him over the emperor! He's so much nicer to her, but no00000! Now she has to deal with this new guy and his jealous ex."

Sometimes you're not completely sure what goes on in those books... But you're happy for her nonetheless.

There are occasional sob sessions while you two popcorn read. She requires time to recover before she starts another book because some of the books she reads have emotionally taxing endings.

But for the most part, your popcorn reads consist of comically dramatic acting, courtesy of Julian’s influence. You’re pretty sure she’s just making fun of him…

Pepi likes to block Portia's field of vision when she reads. She sniffs each page turn and if Portia's not careful enough, she will pounce on the book like it's a toy and rip a page.

Nadia

It would be surprising to recommend a book she HASN'T read yet.

She is used to high literature, so you thought about bringing her books from the shop, but it turns out she's fairly knowledgeable and politely uninterested about the contents of the ones you suggested. She was looking for more fiction than magic journals. (She is afraid of looking at a spell the wrong way, lest it activate).

You go back and forth with her on which ones she’s read and what types she’s interested in, and you just about run out of ideas until you dig up a book Asra had tucked away called “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. Asra found it hard to read but didn’t feel like returning it that day, so they just shelved it and hadn’t touched it since.

She gets started on it during her free time and finds it very easy to read, but she didn’t like it. It had some nice quotes here and there, but most of the book was just preaching and buzzwords to her. It felt like waiting through a really long and unnecessary speech at wedding ceremony. And don’t even get her started on the contents!! The material is unrealistic, insensitive, and — oh dear, she’s ranting.

The experience ends with Nadia slowly growing a penchant for trash novels she isn’t actually interested in…

To curb her junk fiction fix, she opts to reread books you recommended previously. Whenever you have a reading session in the library or just a moment together, she likes to ask for your thoughts on specific parts and what she thought of them as well. Her thoughts are rarely anything bad with your taste though, so much so she can’t decide which suggestions are her favorites! She likes seeing into a little part of your brain that makes you who you are.

Muriel

Picture books of animals doing human things… He has no favorite either! It could literally be from “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” to “Peter Rabbit”.

It’s not that he doesn’t like reading novels! He just prefers things he can see in front of him, like you like drawings and his carvings. He finds it hard to visualize certain things, especially if they’re things he’s never seen nor imagined before.

If you can draw, you could read him stories like that, but whether you can or can’t, Muriel might still be confused…

So, you tried another alternative. You learned to create figures with your magic! You already knew some basic knowledge on it, but you couldn’t have a handle on the image for too long, much less while reading something.

After months of work and patience (and Muriel’s DELECTABLE food), you managed to read one page straight while visualizing it in front of you like a movie. When you finally tell him, he’s still confused but also incredibly flustered that you spent so much time and energy on this. You tried keeping it a surprise, going into the forest to practice, but he definitely went looking for you a couple of times. The first time was because he was worried. The next few times were just to see how you were coming along. He never told you though. He wanted to see you happy for when you showed him the final product.

When the time came to finally watch your “movie”, he prepared some snacks and the comfiest furs in the hut, and waited for you to feel comfortable enough. You had been working on this for a while. It was only natural that you’d feel nervous. When you opened the book and began to read, Inanna definitely tried to bark the apparition away, but once she calmed down, you read the book to him, making the room a real life movie. He was positively enchanted…

When you feel too tired to read on, Muriel gently holds your hand to reassure you this is more than enough and lets you rest on him. He already feels like the luckiest guy in the world. Now, he must be the luckiest guy in the universe.

Lucio

It’s apparent to you that he is not much of a literary scholar. He claims it’s because he’d probably rip the pages with his arm.

Reading still wasn’t much of his thing even after you guys got together, so as a joke, you bought him a children’s book, one of the big, flat ones with pictures of mice in cute human clothes, and he was unamused.

He didn’t want anything to do with it. In fact, he didn’t even want to go near it. Until one fateful day when you’re away, Lucio gets curious and opens the book up to the first page (after mentally arguing with it for a while), and MELTS upon seeing the cute little mice waiting for the mama mouse to finish cooking supper. He got so invested and was oh so disappointed in how short it was. He wanted more, but was way too embarrassed to admit it.

Every time you took him to a bookstore to look for your own thing, he’d let his guard slip and eye the children’s section for a second.

You didn’t notice for a while, but when you did, you bought another one for him in secret and placed it right next to the first book. Eventually, he snuck over to reread the first one and was absolutely delighted to find a new one.

It becomes a cycle until he is reassured enough that he can buy his own books and read them next to you, regardless of contents. Every week, he’s upgrading to a slightly longer children’s book, or even a new series. He finds them fun and sometimes healing. His favorite book(s)? “Dork Diaries” by Rachel Renée Russell, and nobody can tell me otherwise.