#no loops au

[auncyen]

Jouvente's most awkward lunch is finally underway.

"So you're still traveling around, huh?"

"Mhm."

"Any special reason you're in Jouvente?" you ask, and try not to get your hopes up.

Siffrin doesn't answer for a beat, cutting off another small piece of the croque-madame he ordered after you reassured them that you were going to pay and didn't mind. The poached egg yolk oozes over the ham and cheese sandwich; Sif moves his fork around to sweep the few drops that run down to the plate back up on the bread. "Um. I...wanted to look for jobs."

Oof. Feels like your hopes got up without your permission. It's fine, they've been put back in place. "Oh! That's right, you used to do odd jobs, right? Any luck?"

"It's going alright! So...what about you? With the..." Siffrin trails off, their brow furrowing in a frustration all too familiar to you. You quickly finish chewing through the broccoli and egg in your mouth to bail them out.

"With the tailoring? Well, I could say it's only sew-sew, but actually, I'm really enjoying it!"

Okay, you had to wedge that pun in there, but still, you thought it'd get a smile out of Sif, maybe a chuckle. Instead, Siffrin looks confused before giving you a smile best described as 'polite'. Sure, his mouth turns up and all, but you don't think he got it in the slightest. "That's good!"

...Probably your mistake for going for sewing puns right after they forgot the word for your work. Yep. Move on, Isabeau. "Yeah! I really lucked out--the store was owned by a seamstress who's retiring. Well, still is owned, but we've got a contract for me buying the store from her. She already moved out to live with her bonded partners, but she stops in twice a week to teach me what I still need to learn about making clothes."

Sif...nods, encouraging you to go on.

"She's cool! She pretty much worked as a seamstress all her life, so she really knows her stuff. Tells me right away when I'm making a design way more work than it should be." Sometimes all the fiddling details were necessary, but other times, you could get the right effect a simpler way.

Siffrin nods, still smiling politely.

Huh. You scoop up another bite of your quiche as an excuse not to talk for a minute, noting that Sif goes for another cut piece of croque-madame at the same time. You never thought a lunch with Sif could be awkward, but...

Boy, is this awkward!

Why is it awkward? You and Siffrin were thick as thieves during your adventure. Sure, it's been a while, you couldn't expect things to be the same right off the bat, but...

“M’dame Odile and Mira will be glad to hear you’re doing okay.”

Siffrin nods. Then he looks confused. Then...you're not sure what that expression is.  “Wait, are they here too?  In Jouvente?”

“No, no, but we’ve been writing!  The last letter was a week ago, they were going to see...aha, apparently there's a play about Mirabelle? She said it was embarrassing, but she and Odile were too curious not to go. Hopefully they liked it!" You weren't all that curious yourself. After all, you'd already lived the adventure. You knew the real story, the real Mirabelle! You hoped the play portrayed her and everyone else well, but you were pretty sure there was no way they had all the details.

Also...you had a bad feeling you were probably portrayed as a jock through and through. Since that was how you acted. You could picture the cast: determined Mirabelle, leading the way; clever Odile, strategizing against hordes of Sadnesses and then the King himself; fun-loving Sif, raising everyone's spirits with jokes and protecting them from traps; brave Bonnie, keeping everyone healthy with good food; ...meathead Isabeau, whose good point was being too dumb to fear the danger.

You're jolted out of that extremely unhelpful thought by Siffrin's next question. “They’re traveling…together?”

...That's a weird tone. “Housemaidens usually go on at least one pilgrimage, not sure if you knew that.  Since M’dame was interested in seeing a little of what Vaugarde's like when it's normal, Mira asked her if they could travel together. So they spent a few months in Vaugarde, and right now they're in Poteria. I think they're planning on Lichtland next? Eventually they'll get to Ka Bue, but it sounded like both of them planned on taking their time.“

Sif's brow is furrowed again as he looks down at his plate. Is he jealous? You were jealous too when you found out. But you get it! Of course Mira and M'dame didn't ask you. You were busy being a sad sack about Siffrin. Well, and even without that, why should they have invited you? It was their trip. Not like you had a good reason to tag along, just...

It would have been nice to.

You can't complain--Jouvente's been good to you. You were the guest of honor at a party hosted by the city, your family is so proud of you (though you know Guy is just happy to boast that he's a Savior's sibling to his partner of the week, which keeps making you secondguess how sincere everyone else is when they reach out to you), the neighbors in your new place have been warm and friendly, you got to start on designing clothes so much faster than you thought you would.

You just miss Mira and Odile a whole lot. You miss Bonbon. You miss what you had with Siffrin, because everything about this lunch feels so off, and at this point you have to ask.

"Sif...you are doing okay, right?"

They immediately smile brightly enough that their eye closes. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"

[captainkirkk]

I know time loop stories are often about characters going on an emotional journey and/or learning a lesson but if I was stuck in a time loop I would very quickly stop caring about consequences

Who cares if I spend all my money if the purchase wouldn't have even happened the next day? Who cares if I finally flip someone at work off? If I got angry and wanted to throw my phone at the wall, I could without needing to buy a new one.

Coming out of a time loop must be incredibly difficult. You'd have to relearn small petty consequences the way an astronaut relearns gravity after returning to earth. You have to relearn how to live like the next day actually matters.

[mari-lair]

AU where everyone except Siffrin gets stuck in a time loop.

inspired by this lovely art

[baeshijima]

— stardust

the world is a vast place. in the grand scheme of things, humans are but a speck of dust; much like how you are sure you are nothing but a meagre speck of dust in the world he lives in, forever to be remained unseen. (if only you knew how you are the brightest star he'd ever laid his eyes upon.)

CONTAINS : gn!reader, 1.5k wc, royalty!au, contract marriage/marriage of convenience, fluff, smitten reca bc what would he be other than smitten, a little hint of bittersweet at the end if read between the lines aha...

A/N : ....i have a paper due monday. i havent started it. why do i do this to myself. (reca i love u can u not hear my cries and wails as fic after fic appears in my brain for u...)

Duke Reca of the northern territory; to many he is a well-accomplished noble, a young genius set for greater things, and the owner-slash-founder of the top theatre company. He is an idol — a role model to those who aspire to be more involved in the artistic side of the world.

To you, however, he is an absolute lunatic, the bane of your existence, and your contractual husband.

It's not like you had much choice. It was either: a) remain as a hollow puppet whose strings danced at your family's fingertips, or b) find some way to escape with outside power.

You, of course, chose the second option. Unfortunately, that somehow led to you meeting the young duke when out in the shopping district, trying to escape the suffocating presence of your family's knights accompanying you by running into a secluded alleyway, even if it was for but a momentary breather.

It was a whirlwind of a meeting... quite literally. Bodies flew; clothing tousled; breaths stolen. Well, at least for you it was like this. He, on the other hand, looked right as rain. (Lucky bastard.) You hadn't realised it was him at first, too absorbed in hasty apologies and the numbing bloom spreading across your backside like a wildfire (really, they ought to incorporate more padding in these flimsy clothes!), but when he uttered an apology of his own for not paying attention to his surroundings with an arm outstretched to help you stand, your mind all but blanked. What was someone of his status doing in a dingy alley? Didn't the newspapers report word of his self-confinement, having not stepped foot outside his manor in fervent preparation of his upcoming performance?

No, never mind all that; wasn't this a blatant opportunity being presented to you? An outside power that could help you escape the clutches of your family...

With gritted teeth, all sense of self-dignity was cast aside as you grasped his outstretched hand with both of your own, gazing into his widened eyes with your own narrowed ones.

"Your Grace, I know this is hardly the appropriate time nor place, but please... marry me!" Your words echoed within the enclosed space. Duke Reca blinked slowly down at you, and it was then you realised you never elaborated. "In... in a contractual marriage of convenience, of course."

"Oh?" he grinned, amusement and intrigue twinkling in his eyes. "And what is it you can offer me?"

"I..." Truthfully, there was nothing you could offer which would be beneficial to someone like him who had everything at the tips of his fingers. You were but a speck of dust in his world, merely floating and remaining unseen within his view. But even so, here you kneeled before him, his gaze wholly fixated on a speck of dust such as yourself. If nothing else, you at least had your desperation — a desperation to be your own person. "My lineage may be from that of a baron's, but I am confident I can be of use to you if you would permit it. So long as you accept my offer, I will do anything to aid you, whether that be through practical means or a performance you wish to see."

A beat of silence.

"Ha... haha... ahahaha!!"

And, as if things couldn't get any worse than a sore rear and disgruntled self, you were pulled out of your daze by a pair of gleaming carmine eyes, a maniacal grin, and his body, now kneeled just like you were, so very close to your own.

"That determination... how brilliantly you burn with such an expression!" The sheer glee which bled through his tone sent shivers down your spine, having never realised someone so esteemed had such a side to him. The duke breathed a breathy laugh and slightly backed up, his hands still holding your arms. "Alright, I look forward to seeing how brightly you will shine in your performance, my dear leading actor."

...Was it too late to back out and find an alternative solution?

Admittedly so, for the next thing you knew vows were declared and you were moved into the duke's residence. You could still remember your family's aghast expressions the moment you declared you were marrying Duke Reca and thus cutting ties with them. It was oddly freeing to see their contorted faces reveal their true nature.

Life as the duke's spouse was... something, to say the least. His servants and attendants almost seemed to have shed tears of joy at the revelation of their ever so lonely duke (their words, not yours) finally settling down and getting married, asking you questions such as how you both met, what drew you to their duke, who popped the question first, why you chose him of all people, so on so forth. It was... cosy. Something you admittedly weren't very accustomed to, but found yourself welcoming nonetheless.

One thing you never expected was for the duke to have a little pet of his own; a little toad dressed in a miniature beret and matching suit, at that. Assistant Director is what Reca had called her, and you think for someone so obsessed with the arts he ought to up his naming sense. She was also quite susceptible to compliments, something you discovered when commenting on the little toad's cute attire, with the duke's baffling translation of her bashfulness and her own compliment on your own looks. Apparently. You're not really sure, but you're inclined to believe it ever since she claimed a spot on your shoulder.

As the days-turned-weeks-turned-months bled into each other, you found yourself oddly lost at how well-adapted you have become of your new life and the duke's personality. From impromptu displays of affection both in and outside the manor to sporadic radio silence on his end when wholly consumed by his fervent passion for a project, you sometimes wonder just how you're still alive with the amount of heart attacks the man has given you.

But despite his... eccentricities, to put it lightly, there are times where you can't quite put a finger on certain expressions he would make when he thinks you're not looking. They're unlike his (once again, to put it very lightly) passionate eyes when rambling to you during mealtimes about an upcoming performance the troupe has; unlike the sheer mania he can exude when something truly sparks his inspiration; unlike the playfully smug grin he would give you when swooping down in dramatic flair to press a long kiss to the back of your palm; unlike the rare darkening of his expression that you cannot help but stiffen at when something or someone in the troupe doesn't quite match his expectations.

No. These ones are... soft. A kind of tenderness and unprecedented longing able to be identified if scrutinised close enough. It was evident in the ghost-like touches he would trail along your skin, as though afraid just a little more force would do irreparable damage. It was evident in the attention to even the most minute details, having everything from clothing to food to the decor suited to preferences you yourself never realised you had. It was evident in the way unadulterated fondness leaked through his tone when his unique terms of affection for you slipped through his lips when all was silent and you were supposed to be asleep.

"My dearest star..."

...Much like now, it would seem.

The bed dips by where your knees slightly bend, hidden under the beige covers. A familiar musky scent surrounds you not long after, and you find yourself involuntarily relaxing at the comfort it brings as your head further burrows into the pillow.

You want to stay awake, even if it's just for a second longer, to hear what he has to say to your less than conscious state. But, oh, his fingers threading through your hair and softly massaging your scalp and the gentle touch of his forehead against yours and the subtle comforting warmth that rolls off his body in waves does little to help you fight the sleep which easily takes over.

Oh, whatever! You'll just try and catch what he has to say next time.

Eventually your breathing evens out, only soft snores now heard within the large shared bedroom. Upon noticing this, Reca cannot stop the fond smile which lifts the corners of his lips, nor can he prevent the softening of his eyes as he continues to gaze at your sleeping form.

"My dearest [Name]," he whispers into the dead of night. Even now, several months later, he still cannot believe his luck to have run into you in that alleyway. It must have been fate which made him heed its call, urging him he would discover something sure to escape that terrible slump plaguing him for weeks on end.

Sure enough, it brought him to something irreplaceable; something he has been searching desperately for.

You.

And, with the tenderest of kisses pressed to your forehead that would put even the most sickening romantics to shame, he murmurs words of promise against your skin, an oath he swears to uphold no matter the obstacles which stand before him.

"In this life, I will ensure you have only the best of endings."

if you enjoyed this, reblogs and/or comments are greatly appreciated <33

[pillowspace]

SIF: Sometimes I wonder // MIRA: if there's a world // ISA: where this never // ODILE: had to happen // BON: to me. // LOOP to Sif: Really? ... ...I don't see why it'd be any different.

[chipper-smol]

star abducted :3

[valictini]

Human Loop human Loop human Loop

I love drawing their hair….

[deadlyeyez]

hiiiiii i feel really normal about the special attack. do u believe me.

closeups!

[daily-odile]

@tawnysoup's critters have captivated me... featuring odile the overworked petsmart employee

[tawnysoup]

the fritter (frin critter)

[auncyen]

Say How You Feel

(...tentative title and yeah it's continuing off of this ahfeohef I REALLY WANTED TO FINISH TODAY BUT I GOTTA CALL IT HERE TONIGHT the writing juice is running low)

A...family? Your heart flutters at the thought--and then it drops.

Because Isa's wrong. He's assuming way too much. Bonnie already has their family, and maybe you're friends with Mirabelle but you're so bad at talking with her she can't possibly consider you family, and Odile's... already made it clear how she feels.

"No? You don't agree?" Isa asks. Stars, you want him to be right! You want it to be true! But...

"We're not even all friends," you mutter, and he looks surprised--did he forget?? You're supposed to be the forgetful one! "Don't you remember? Odile said we weren't friends, we're allies at best!"

Odile looks more surprised than you expected when you glance at her--she even looks confused. Did she forget too???

And then, with a flash of surprise, her expression switches to annoyance and aggravation. "Siffrin, I was joking."

"...Oh." This time you want to slide under the table and never emerge.

"No, but this is why it's good to talk about our feelings!" Mirabelle says. "Because, well, sometimes misunderstandings don't get caught right away."

"Gems forbid Siffrin had left thinking I don't even like them." Odile folds her arms and then looks aside, her upset expression slowly softening with regret. "But it's funny, in a sense. I was prepared to do terrible things to protect you all. Still am, should it be necessary." She smiles wryly, but it fades quickly. "But that's unlikely now. Instead, we need to do something I'm not very good at. Discussing feelings."

Isabeau nods. "Sometimes that feels like a terrible thing too."

"The worst," Odile mutters, getting a quiet laugh out of him. You smile, though your eyes are still fixed on the table. "'Family'... I have some issues with that word, but I...suppose it best describes the closeness I feel to you all. And yes, that includes you, Siffrin."

Your cheeks burn, and you glance up to see she's looking at you. You squirm a little in your seat. But she smiles at you with fondness, and the warmth stinging your cheeks isn't so bad.

"It fits!" Bonnie says. "We stay together, we eat together! Like me and Nille!"

"Mm!" Mirabelle nods happily. "I think it's a lovely description for us!"

"I think we're all in agreement, then!" Isabeau says. "Because, Sif, you used your wish to guide us all safely through the House. You really care a lot about us."

You nod, too embarrassed to look up.

"And we care about you."

You grip your elbows tightly below the table. Why is your eye stinging? This is wonderful! It's everything you could ask for!

"But--"

'BUT'?!

Isabeau's hands fly up when you look at him, and his voice squeaks a bit. "We don't know how to help you if you don't tell us there's a problem!"

"There's not--"

Bonnie bangs their small fists on the table. You nearly jump out of your skin. "You were crying, Frin! You NEVER cry! We gotta know what's wrong!"

"Easy, Boniface," Odile chides, gesturing them to sit back down in their chair.

"We need to talk about this calmly," Mira reminds Bonnie before looking at you. "But we really do need to talk about it, Siffrin. Last night, you...you didn't just seem sad, you seemed distraught."

"We'd really like to help, Sif. Even if it's just by listening."

"There's no point in talking about it." You slump back in your seat, hugging your arms. You feel cornered right now. Your friends in front of you, and the aching void inside you, yawning and stretching to swallow up your past. ...If they really want to know, eventually they'd see how empty you are anyway, so you might as well talk. Maybe it's better they find out here and now. (It probably would have been best if they'd found out before calling you family.) "I can't even explain it well."

"Siffrin." Odile's voice is softer than you'd expect. "I...have an idea what the issue might be. Correct me if I'm wrong, but...you can't go back home, can you?"

(Laugh it off. Tell her she's wrong.)

Your eye burns.

(Lie and you might have a little longer before they realize you're broken!)

But they'd figure it out eventually. You shake your head. No, you can't go back home. Mira makes a sad hum.

"Why can't you go back home?" Bonnie asks. "Were they really mad about the boat?"

Bonnie's question is so confusing that you forget about the stinging in your eye for the moment, managing to look up at them. "...What?"

"The boat. When you ran away?" Bonnie huffs when you stay silent. "You still don't remember? You were telling us the story yesterday, and then you just stopped in the middle! ...Frin? Are you okay?"

...Yeah, Isabeau said something about you telling a story about running away yesterday, right? At the time, you'd tried to put it out of mind to focus on getting through the House, but... if you'd ran away in a boat...

Your very first memory is of being in a boat, staring at the stars above, around, below you, the dark ocean mirroring the night sky. It'd taken you long minutes to realize you should get to land and search for the darkness that wasn't broken by pinpricks of light to find the coast. It'd taken you even longer, midway rowing there, to realize that no, it wasn't just the pounding headache making it hard to think: you couldn't remember anything about yourself.

If you ran away in a boat, then...that's when it happened, isn't it? "Did I tell you why I ran away?" you hear yourself ask. Because--it's hurt, for so long, not having a home, not even knowing why you didn't have a home, so if you can at least have an answer--

"You didn't want to eat your veggies," Bonnie says simply. "Even though you should! Veggies are good for you!"

...What? What?

Oh,

that's

funny.

"Frin?"

That's

so

funny

you

can't

even

laugh.

"Sif?"

-

"raaj isn't this the happier au" yes. but also it's still Siffrin here and it's just way too tempting to think about their reaction to the runaway story in the context of 'this is why I don't remember a blinding thing about my life'.

[iknowicanbutwhy]

Universe said we don't have enough wish power for your bullshit. this is your last fucking star

[catdile]

IM SOOOOO SORRRY I JUST THOYGHT IT WAS SO FUNNY.

ITS NOT. BUT IT IS TO ME.

[mari-lair]

Commission for @livesworthlivingau! I was tasked with drawing a scene of their fic, and I am delighted he let me do Isa having a flustered heart attack :D

[awnrii]

more band au - gods edition

[pillowspace]

For someone who wanted them back so badly, you sure do look afraid of them.

+

(Basically, it's an AU where Loop's first wish to stay with their friends merged with their second wish for help. Loop's party got dragged into ISAT's universe unbeknownst to Loop, but very slowly started gaining tangibility after Loop woke up in the middle of nowhere post-canon. During canon? They were the stage's audience! What good is a show without one?)