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louisfriend-ironsulfide · 2 years ago

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How about something a bit angsty? Maybe hannibal getting some ptsd flashbacks and clarice comforting him or even the other way around?

Or if you're in the mood for something fluffier, them getting a dog for the first time? I feel like clarice would be a huge dog person lol

Cute as hell, thank u! Originally I went with the angst but then halfway through I realised I was basically rewriting this fic that already exists. Go read it if you haven’t, it’s one of my favs and deals with his ptsd well.

I’m incapable of writing short one-shots btw, so apologies.

(Word count: 2508)

She sits before the fire and she stares- or some version of her stares, rather.

And though it is not Clarice Starling, as he is familiar with her, who stares at the fire on these low days, that isn’t to say he doesn’t know exactly what she thinks and feels.

Hannibal Lecter himself admittedly used to seek physical warmth when visions of his past became overbearing. He supposed their histories were similar in that way- both tinged with frost. Him, then, wailing in the cold snow as Mischa was dragged from him and Clarice, then, tiptoeing across icy grass as she fled desperately from the cries of the pleading lambs.

But, although he understood on a fundamental level why she chose to sit before the fire in still silence when she struggled with what he could only consider ptsd, he still found himself unable to help her and that hurt beyond all else.

He’d done his part in easing her struggle months ago- back whilst they’d still been staying on the Chesapeake; her trauma had been an unresolved, gaping wound back then and he’d stitched her right up, yet old wounds itched sometimes and no amount of tender attention could ease that itch when it came. One simply had to wait it out; like a causeless fever.

Hannibal Lecter hated waiting it out. Sometimes Clarice’s emotional slumps could last days- or even weeks. And during those times she could be as cold and withdrawn as the dark memories that ensnared her; she wouldn’t shy from his touch per se but she wouldn't welcome it either, and she’d turn from him in the night, leaving him feeling remarkably alone on his side of their vast bed.

He observed her closely, that evening. More closely than usual.

He was reclined on the far end of the couch in the drawing room, nursing a cold snifter of whiskey, as she sat on the rug at his feet and watched the flames dance lower and lower in tandem with the setting sun. Her eyes seemed to be glazed over. It was as if her very soul had retreated within her, leaving her body to act as a crude puppet in the meantime. And, though he had access to most of her own personal memory palace, he could not reach her when she wandered into the recesses of her mind during these times.

He had a theory, however.

It’d been forming for the last few days and the more he ruminated over it, the more plausible a cure it seemed. He was unable to help her during these periods of depression because she’d become desensitized to him. They lived a fairly solitary life, the two of them, and that was fine for the most part but it was variety that Hannibal Lecter realized Starling needed occasionally, and he was cursing himself for not realizing it sooner.

Before he’d found his way into her life, she’d kept her dark thoughts at bay by occupying herself with playing the role of the righteous hero. She helped people. She saved her lambs; lambs like Catherine Martin and Evalda Drumgo’s infant. As much as she occasionally enjoyed helping him, he was not a lamb and he did not suffice in calming those scarred parts of her psyche. And, although her wound had long healed and the urge to help people wasn’t as insistent within her, it was during times such as these that he realized she needed this release more than ever.

So he decided he’d do just that. He’d give her something to care for. Something smaller than herself; something that she didn’t feel was constantly analyzing her, as he often found himself subconsciously doing.

He stood up from the couch, suddenly, and his frown deepened when she didn’t so much as turn her head.

“Clarice.”

She blinked, but no more.

“I’m going out, mi amor. There’s something I need to collect. I’ll be back shortly.”

Short simple sentences. He feared anything longer wouldn’t reach her. She merely nodded once and he left her.

Hannibal Lecter chose their practical truck instead of the sleek mustang as he pulled out of the driveway, favoring its convenience in transporting cargo and also registering that the cargo he was planning on picking up would likely ruin their beautiful sportscar.

He wasn’t an animal man, particularly, but that wasn’t to say he disliked them. In fact, with the exception of Clarice, he would always favor the company of an animal over that of a human being.

He’d put off the idea of pets for some time, for the notion of cleaning up animal waste didn’t quite appeal to him and it seemed jarring in contrast to the fairly lavish lifestyle they were living, but Clarice needed somebody other than him to keep her company when her mental health took a dive.

And what better company than a dog?

It would be something new to occupy her. Some smaller being to care for to ease the frown lines between her brows when he was unable to. A dog wouldn’t be able to speak back or overcomplicate things in any way. It would be something for her to simply hold when she wished for comfort without the sticky complications of human emotion and communication.

Because, to his dismay, he couldn’t pretend to be able to fix any and all hardships she stumbled across. Something he’d learned quite recently and something he was realizing even more so as he shared his life with her was that people were, at times, utterly unreachable and unpredictable and trying to help Clarice when she was in these dark moods could occasionally be akin to digging around in a splinter and pushing it deeper. Even he, with his pure precision and infinite knowledge, could occasionally needle perhaps just a touch too much. So he’d get her something that could reach her. Something that wouldn’t burden her with complicated concepts such as language and complex emotions.

And she liked dogs a lot, apparently. She’d mentioned her brief time with Pilcher to him, before, and had spoken more about dogs than she had about the poor bug doctor himself. She’d never been able to have one herself because work took her away from home too much. Times had changed, of course.

Hannibal Lecter preferred cats, admittedly, but he’d make the sacrifice. Cats seemed far less work and he fondly recalled the barn cat he'd had as a child who had chased the mice out of the stable often. Cats appeared to enjoy wandering off and looking after themselves which he appreciated, but he’d endure the overzealous loyalty of a dog for her and her only.

He’d spotted one at the kennel some few weeks ago when the idea of buying Clarice a canine companion had first crossed his mind. If it was up to him, of course, he’d purchase from a reputable breeder but the entire purpose of taking this animal home was to nourish Clarice’s need to save something and she’d much prefer a kennel dog with some baggage attached to it, he was sure.

He parked outside and entered, exchanging a brief word with the woman at the front desk who instantly recognised him, for so few upper-class men entered the little kennel that resided on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

He followed the kindly woman through to the back and was pleased to see the dog he’d had his eye on was yet unclaimed. It was a shiny golden lab, at least one years of age, and full of spirited energy despite its unfairly docked tail and the fact that it was notably underweight. Apparently the creature had been found wandering the streets, abandoned. It’d been checked for diseases; that he’d made sure of. All that was left was for him to take it home and feed the poor mutt enough to keep it happy and healthy. He was sure Clarice would be thrilled.

He paid the small fee, including a generous tip, and was then on his way.

There was a cage and a small assortment of necessary items such as food and bedding already stored in the back of the truck but the excitable creature simply would not stop yapping at his legs and so Hannibal eventually gave in and allowed it to settle on the passenger seat beside him.

He sat there for a moment, staring ruefully at the dog, breathing so heavily that its shiny chest heaved as its tongue lolled from between its chops and dripped saliva on his nice leather.

“Sit,” he said simply, testing it. The dog continued to bounce from paw to paw and beat at the door with its heavy tail. He frowned and tried again.

“Siéntate,” he tried.

The dog instantly planted its wagging behind down immediately and panted expectantly. Hannibal Lecter pursed his lips in satisfaction and then remembered the bag of treats he’d picked up, opening it and throwing one to the mutt. It caught it excitedly and then lay down on the seat to gnaw at the morsel of beef.

And with that, he started the truck and made his way home, wondering at which point he’d become the sort of person to buy a dog for his lover purely because she was feeling a little under the weather.

…

Clarice heard the familiar chug of their truck pulling up and winced, having felt remarkably guilty when Hannibal had up and left so suddenly just an hour ago. His tone had seemed clipped. She figured he was upset with her. It wasn’t the first time she’d found herself struggling with her own frustratingly damaged mind and he was often good at knowing what to do - namely, letting her be alone to work it out of her system - but she’d been out of sorts for longer this time and she couldn’t blame him for getting fed up with her.

She hadn’t moved from her nest on the carpet. She was a little tipsy, too. He’d left his glass of whisky unfinished and she’d saved him the trouble. She realized how pathetic she must’ve looked then and, with a small shudder like the final breath of a dying bird, she sat up and attempted to straighten herself out.

She stood, preparing to meet him when he came in the room so she could apologize for her poor disposition, but frowned when she heard something strange.

She’d heard the door close just down the hallway but it wasn’t one set of footsteps she could hear as she listened to him set down his bags and tuck the keys away. There was something else, too- a padding sound followed by strange clicks like something tapping on the wood of their flooring.

“Hannibal?” She called out; the first fully-formed word she’d spoken in days. Her throat was a little sore from disuse.

He didn’t reply but she did hear him approach, followed by that strange clicking.

Fear of the unknown gripped Clarice for a moment, then, and she braced herself as she watched the door to the drawing room open, unsure as to what he had with him and whether or not his patience with her had finally reached its end after so many happy months together.

And then her sudden trepidation left her as swiftly as it had come, as she was immediately accosted by a blur of calf-high golden fluff. She fell back onto the couch, still a little unstable in her poor state, and the ball of energy wasted no time in jumping up and lathering her face with its tongue, its short tail beating a frantic pattern against her legs as it climbed atop her in a frenzy of excitement.

“Oh my God.” Another few well-placed licks to the face. She managed to get her hands under herself and sat up with some effort, pushing the bounding animal off of her enough so that she could catch her breath and run her hands properly through the tangle of golden floss.

And then she looked up at Hannibal, who had entered the room and seemed immensely pleased with himself, watching the pair of them bond.

The little beast positively collapsed when she began to scratch under its ears and she hit a spot of satisfaction. It rolled onto its back, pale belly up and tongue lolling out like something from a cartoon. Starling felt tears spring in her eyes, unable to handle the wave of emotion that had befallen her.

“I thought you hated dogs,” was all she said- no thanks needed- for Hannibal could see all too clearly the glee that had seized her. Quite frankly, he was just glad she was talking to him at all. He’d missed the twang in her voice.

He smiled and came to rest carefully beside her, reaching out and joining her in petting the excitable puppy, although a little less enthusiastically. “I‘ve said no such thing,” he hummed. “Merely that I’m not overly keen on them. Hate is a strong word.”

Starling bit her lip, fending off tears as she looked back down and continued to scratch away. Now on its back, Clarice could see the puppy was male. “Does he have a name?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d leave that liberty up to you. He’s yours, after all.”

“You mean ours.”

A shake of the head. “No. Yours. I thought you could use a friend, Clarice. Somebody other than myself, that is.” A small smile, then. “I realize there are times that you need your own company, but I can’t have you aimlessly staring at the fire, hardly eating, for days on end.”

“Hannibal…”

“Of course, him being yours does mean you’ll have to clean up after him…”

She smiled ruefully, then- some of her usual light finding its way back into her face. “I expected no less.”

“He’s a kennel mutt. A little underweight, I’m sure you’ve noticed.” A slight tilt of the head. “He needs some love, Clarice. And what better person, hmm?”

His intention for the unexpected gift became clear, suddenly, and Starling felt her chest throb with a strong emotion for which she had no name. The panting dog was forgotten for a moment as she quickly closed the space on the couch and hugged him for the first time in days, which he received gladly- even as he felt a muffled sob wrack her body.

He held her tight, until their moment of peace was interrupted by the pup worming his cold, wet nose in between them; clearly the puppy felt left out. Hannibal Lecter resigned himself to the fact that their solitary life would now be shared by a third companion, although the bright grin on Clarice’s face as the beast clambered onto his lap to lick at her nose eased his crotchetiness.

“He’s gorgeous.” She fussed at him, still smiling. “So he has no name?”

“No, though I suggest you pick one soon so I have some sort of title by which to scold him.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Clarice shot him a look as she babied the pup, and then hummed thoughtfully. “What was that old horse you told me about? The one you had as a kid.”

Hannibal raised a brow, surprised at the niche memory. “Caesar?”

“Yeah, that was it.” She grinned down at the noble, wagging little ball of energy and seemed to preen as she addressed him. “Caesar.”

#clannibal #silence of the lambs #thomas harris #cheesy corny self indulgent bullshit #thanks for the req and the excuse to brainrot-post #I am a dog person to the grave

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traumxrei-archive · 3 years ago

Text

【 three's a party (and yuu does not want to play host) 】

author's note: this is a repost of my fic, but in tumblr-friendly format in case anyone dislikes ao3's formatting sjdkfsj (i've been there too dw) it's a little fic i wrote bc i had lots of octatrio brainrot n wanted to see how they'd react to crowley overworking the prefect. n then somehow this happened. kind of a filler as i work on the rest of the reqs + my leona fic, so i hope you enjoyed it if you haven't read it already !

characters: gn! yuu, azul ashengrotto, floyd leech, jade leech

warnings: non-graphic depictions of biting + blood (gee, thanks tweels but also please be careful if you're squeamish !!)

word count: 6.8k (i brainrot too hard-)

tags: uhhh octatrio *jazz hands*, yuu is overworked and underpaid (courtesy of crowley), let's pay floyd to become a professional cuddler, and pay jade to be a professional floyd-enabler, we blame the biting on both tweels, azul-typical deal making (becoming one of my fav tags ngl), protective octatrio ? hell yeah, protective octatrio !!

[ read it on ao3 | previous tumblr post ]

Yuu was tired. They shuffled the papers in their arms, carrying two more folders filled with them. That sad excuse of a headmage has once again tasked them with something almost impossible. This time he was shirking his own duties to go off on some weekend getaway at the Scalding Sands.

"Now I leave these duties to you, Yuu-kun," Crowley had said, not even bothering to hide the suitcase or the travel outfit he had on. Heck, he was even slathering on sunscreen as he spoke to them.

"What is it this time, headmage?" Yuu asked, Grim clearly not paying attention as he gorged himself on the cookies Crowley had set up as a bribe.

Crowley pats at the two stacks of folders on his desk, "This side is the invoices, and this side is the supplies that we received. It'd be so helpful if you could, ah, help me out in matching and making sure they're all in order."

"F-funyah... That's gonna take a long time..." Grim backed up to the door. "I-I have to turn in my potions homework... Bye, henchman!" And, there goes Grim, leaving them alone to stare at the stack of papers.

"Ahem," Crowley awkwardly picked up his suitcase. "Well, I suggest you get started soon since I need this done by the end of the weekend. I wouldn't want you to shoulder your...excessive food funds." And then he was gone. Leaving Yuu with two stacks of terror and sleep deprivation.

Yuu's been working hard, with frequent breaks to nap so that....well, so they don't keel over and die. They've bounced around several different locations so far, searching for a spot to take care of these papers. They've been working at the library, infirmary, their own room, the cafeteria (when it wasn't mealtime), and even in Trein-sensei and Crewel-sensei's classrooms. The two teachers had sent Yuu equally as pitying looks before taking a few invoices and checking them over in the middle of their own work, which Yuu was really grateful for.

Their next spot was this place: Mostro Lounge. They just hoped that the Octatrio wouldn't find them too quickly. They still had work to get done after all. It wasn’t Jade that greets them at the entrance, much to Yuu's relief. Mostro Lounge was an ideal place to do work and almost no one would be willing to disturb a customer or gaze at their work too hard.

Yuu was quickly guided into a booth near the back next to the tank. Virtually no one sat there, due to the smallness of it but Yuu quite liked it. It was almost cozy there. They ordered a drink with espresso in it, trusting the Lounge would make something presentable out of it. Yuu then set out to work.

They had almost thirty minutes of undisturbed work before someone tapped their shoulder. Yuu looked up to see Floyd, leaning his whole body over the table, a wide grin on display. Great Seven, why did it have to be Floyd that found them first?

"Why didn't you tell me you were visiting today, Little Shrimp?" Floyd easily scooted into the booth, placing their drink down. "Thought I was smelling things earlier but Shrimpy’s name's on the order and that means I win~!"

"What...what did you win?"

"Well, it doesn't matter! Now let's go play~" He tugged hard at their arm, and it felt like he was about to rip it out of its socket. "We can go visit Azul too, to tell him I won, and then we can go swimming-"

"I can't, Floyd." The taller stopped talking immediately, his grin deflating into a frown. It tied Yuu's stomach in knots. They never knew how Floyd would react to rejection.

This time, he just whined, "Why not? 'S not like you're doing anything interesting."

"Uhm," Yuu tapped at the table. "It's not interesting, but imagine if Azul was bossing you aro-"

"Azul always does that though. Don't needa imagine it."

"-okay, so Azul's bossing you around. And he tells you to do something. Or else he'll make you do something you hate, for example...?"

Floyd pouted, "...letting Jade beat up all the small fries while I'm stuck with the dishes."

Yuu paused at the example, "A very Floyd answer. Or else he won't let you beat up the people who breached his contracts. For a whole month, you have to wash dishes instead."

"Not for a month!" He was whining even harder now.

"Exactly, that's why I need to do this," Yuu vaguely gestured at the papers.

Floyd's eyes lit up, "Or else Azul won't let you beat people up? Didn't know Shrimpy liked fighti-"

"No! Or else Crowley will do something like not letting me eat food at the cafeteria!"

"Oh," And Floyd gave them a pitying look– the Floyd Leech was feeling sympathetic for them, how pathetic did they have to be?– "Then we'll play next time?"

"Yes, I'll swim with you next time," Yuu said, relieved that he understood. "I promise. Thank you for letting me work, Floyd." The blue-haired nodded, but he didn't move from his spot.

Yuu sipped at the drink– something sugary that hid the espresso really well– as they continued to work. Floyd's gaze burned into them quite intently but there was nothing they could do when he was already being so good.

Then there was a finger squishing their cheek and Floyd was grinning again, "I had a great idea~ How 'bout we sit so I can squeeze Shrimpy and Shrimpy can keep doing the boring stuff? C'mon, c'mon I'll keep you company." Yuu nodded and was immediately lifted up right into the air by the armpits. Like a cat. Yuu swore that they weren't that light, it was just the students at this school that were on crack or something for them to be that strong.

Floyd hummed as he placed them between his thighs, "See, see~ This is so much more fun." His frame draped over them slightly, arms wrapping around their waist as their back met his front. It was kind of like having a weighted blanket wrapped around them, except it wasn't warm, just...oddly comforting.

"Alright, Floyd," Yuu felt him fiddling with their uniform. "Just...don't squeeze too hard." Work went on as usual, with Floyd occasionally playing with their hair, or even nipping at their ears or neck. Yuu elbowed him when he did that. His teeth were too sharp for those seemingly innocent actions to actually be innocent. One bite and they might just bleed out, right in that dingy corner at Mostro Lounge. There was also a chance that he might pick them up and drop them on the ground once he got bored of sitting around.

But after a while, Floyd was suspiciously still. His head settled onto Yuu's shoulder, the little puffs of his breath tickling Yuu's neck every few seconds. Yuu looked over at him, brushing back his bangs to see what Floyd was doing only to find him...asleep.

The Floyd Leech was asleep. On their shoulder. That wasn't something they expected to happen when they walked in here. Floyd whined a bit in his sleep, squeezing a bit tighter. Yuu shushed at him, patting his hair to placate him. He grew silent after a bit, and Yuu released a breath.

Waking Floyd was probably going to be a headache, so they continued to work. Or was trying to continue their work, before a set of familiar footsteps had stopped at their table. They didn't bother looking up, assuming it was the waiter, here to take their drink.

"My, so this was where Floyd escaped to," – Yuu's shoulders tensed before remembering they had a sleeping eel at their back– "He was always better at sniffing out prey than me."

Ignoring the fact that they got called prey, Yuu acknowledged the calmer-looking Leech, "Jade-senpai."

"I'll come back with some tea," Jade said, taking their empty glass. "Something relaxing, perhaps? You look a little stressed, Yuu-san."

Yuu nodded, "I'd...appreciate that. How much will that be? I already paid for the drink before, just in case I forgot."

"Mmm," Jade's expression turned contemplative. "It's supposed to sell at 12 thaumarks, but since I'll be dining with you, I'll foot half the bill."

"That's...oddly nice of you," Yuu said, knowing that the other wouldn't take offense at such a comment.

And surprise surprise, Jade merely smiled, razor-sharp this time, "I'm offended that you'd think so little of me." Then Jade was gone, in a flurry of perfectly placed movements. Yuu sighed, looking down at the papers in front of them. It just never seemed to end, and they would be hitting their limit soon. A nap was in due order.

Jade arrived with the tea set in no time, "Ah, think of this as repayment for getting Floyd to sleep. He's been complaining that his teeth were hurting and that he wanted to go back to the ocean...it has been quite troublesome, for both me and Azul."

"That's...not good." Yuu watched, enraptured by the way Jade was very elegantly preparing the tea. Damn him and his near-perfectionism in everything. It made him that much harder to be wary of.

"Well, he was asking me to play around, but I had really pressing work and he seemed to get it so..."

"He fell asleep soon after that?"

"He was squeezing me, but after a while, he must've dozed off," Yuu shrugged.

"My, how soft, to fall asleep in front of prey," Jade placed their cup in front of them, staring over at the sleeping Leech. "Try adding some sugar to the tea." Yuu pours a spoonful in and gasped as the tea turns from a dark blue to purple color.

There's a delight in Jade's face, maybe at their reaction, "Stir it, Yuu-san."

Yuu does, and the color changes once more, from purple to light pink.

"What kind of...magical tea is this?" Yuu held up their cup like it was going to run away from them.

"A...personal blend of mine," Jade chuckled lightly. "I've found that some plants I encounter while I do my club activities make the most fascinating teas."

Yuu narrowed their eyes at the cup, "This isn't...going to make me see hallucinations right? I really need to focus on this before Crowley wrings me out."

"Oh no, although I do know of a blend that does so, this is merely a relaxant." Jade takes a sip of his own cup as if to demonstrate its harmlessness. "I make this blend for Azul sometimes when he's got a lot of work to deal with."

Yuu braved a sip and felt a warm tingle make its way down their throat. With a sigh, Yuu felt all the muscles start to soften and they sag back against Floyd's front.

"Good?"

"Oh yeah, very good," Yuu took another sip, flexing their hands to get the invisible ants out.

"What have you been working on?" Jade asked, gesturing at the papers. "Something for the headmage?"

Yuu groaned, staring at the still-hefty stack of papers, "Crowley- I mean, our benevolent headmage has left a student in charge of checking invoices for the school's purchases while he goes off for a weekend escapade."

"That is...certainly a difficult situation," Jade eyed the papers. "I could help you with some, but I might need to go if Azul calls. How many of these have you gone through already?"

"There were two stacks of these, a meter tall on his desk before he left."

Jade patted their head sympathetically, grabbing a folder, "I think I can relate, especially on the part where my boss makes unreasonable demands. But at least the pay is, mmm, more handsome on those days."

And then they were working. Amicably, to Yuu's surprise. Jade Leech was a good work partner when he wasn't condescending or trying to be scary. (He didn't have to try that hard, he was already imposing enough.) Jade was efficient, and Yuu felt like their brain was turning to mush by the minute. The tea was making them drowsy as well, so that wasn't helping their situa-

Suddenly, there were teeth at their neck...? There were teeth at their neck, real and sharp from the way the jaw of their perpetrator flexed slightly against their skin. Yuu's head snapped up, "Uhm, Floy...d...?"

Floyd was grumbling quietly before the teeth are gone, "Ja~de, stop tryna steal Shrimpy from me!" His hold on them suddenly tightened, his leg moving to tangle in theirs. The teeth are back on their neck as if they'd never left. Yuu swallowed slowly, hoping that they'd get to leave this situation alive as they looked at Jade.

Jade looked unimpressed at Floyd's behavior, "Floyd, it is rude to treat Yuu-san that way when they've been courteous enough to let you sleep as they work." He set the papers he was working on aside as he focused on his twin.

It's nerve-wracking to be in the middle of a fight between these two because, well, Yuu had never seen them fight before. Sure, there are times when they disagreed, but they usually settle it quickly. Now, being the main reason why they were fighting in the first place...Yuu wasn't sure they could survive this. Maybe they should start writing a will, to give away what little possessions they had.

"I know! 'S not Little Shrimp's fault," Floyd whined and rubbed his head against Yuu's nape. "It's cuz of you, now go away, Jade, I don't wanna share."

And then like a switch was flipped, Jade smiled, all provocation, "Well, Yuu-san doesn't belong to you, Floyd." There's a tense silence and Yuu lamented going back to writing their will. Why would Jade say something that would rile him up even more? Now Floyd had his legs wrapped around Yuu's thighs, arms squeezing to the point of discomfort. And the worst part was that those teeth were still scratching at their nape.

"Floyd, I'd appreciate it if you don't bite my ne-" - Yuu shivered as the teeth pressed in a little harder. "My neck." They sat up as best they could, reaching a hand back to pet at Floyd's hair. His grip relaxed the slightest bit. "I'll die if you do."

"But if I don't bite, then Jade'll bite first. And I wanna bite first." Floyd said, so matter-of-factly that any other person would've thought he was talking about lunch. Yuu glanced over at Jade, who doesn't refute the statement, and instead looks amused. Amused, of all things! The gall of this...this overly tall mer-eel!

"No one's biting anyone, please," Yuu argued weakly. "I...really need my neck in one piece." It's a stalemate because Floyd won't let go, Jade won't leave, and Yuu's literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. And they've been stressed all day, so whatever they could do to get out of this...

A flicker of an idea appeared in Yuu's mind, and before they could think too hard, they blurted, "Does it have to be my neck?"

Jade looked visibly surprised by their statement, "You're...going to let him bite you?"

Yuu felt miserable at the prospect, "I have work to do. If this will get you both to quiet down then it's worth it. I think."

"Yay! I get to bite Little Shrimp!" Floyd cheered, jostling Yuu around. "I wonder, will Shrimpy taste like a shrimp...?" The question was asked so innocently that it left Yuu dumbfounded.

"Uhm, then how about my arm...?" They were facing Floyd now, offering up their right arm.

Floyd took it, kneading it between his hands, "Hmm... Not as squishy as your cheeks or tummy, but it'll do for today!" Jade hasn't said anything in a while, but he seemed interested as his twin rolled up the sleeve of their uniform and blazer. Well, there goes their last chance of getting out of this.

"Don't move, Little Shrimp, or else the blood'll go everywhere, like whoosh," Floyd made a gushing motion. "Kinda like those fancy fountains, 'cept it'll be blood~"

Was this a horrible idea? Yes. Were they going to regret this later? Oh yes, most certainly. But was it happening? Begrudgingly, also yes.

And Yuu tried not to imagine the blood fountain in their mind as Floyd clamped down on their arm. He didn't waste any time, immediately biting down. They winced. His teeth were sharp enough to cut into their skin effortlessly. Floyd smiled against their arm in content, once again confirming that Floyd Leech was slightly insane. They didn't move until he finally pulled away.

There was blood everywhere, on his teeth, lips, and even his chin, but Floyd grinned, "Y'know, 's not bad! Doesn't taste like a shrimp, but still good." He made a show of licking the wound again, "Aha, my teeth hurt of so long, so thank you, Shrimpy!"

Their arm is throbbing– burning, actually– but it didn't hurt as much as they'd expected. Maybe it was the adrenaline rushing in their ears, but they felt a little too calm and overwhelmed at the same time. There was a tingling when Floyd licked over it again, and Yuu belatedly wondered if eelmer saliva was toxic to humans.

"C'mon, Jade. You wanna bite too, right?" Floyd smiled gleefully, facing his twin. Wait...what? "Look, Shrimpy. He looks so hungry~" Yuu looked up and there's something dark in Jade's eyes. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, they had almost forgotten that both of them were clinically insane. What kind of sane person liked the taste of human blood anyway?

Jade stood, politely smiling, "Scoot over, Floyd." Said Leech backed up in the booth, giggling all the while and tugging Yuu with him.

"W-wait, how come Jade-senpai's biting me too-!"

Jade's hand grips at their forearm, glove staining with red, "My, it is rude to offer this one of us and not the other."

"He's right! And you taste good, so don't worry."

"I- I thought you didn't want to share !"

Floyd looked sinister as he grinned again, still bloody, "Well that's before. Now's now. Now be a good shrimp and let Jade bite you~" Yuu resisted the urge to kick at Jade as he settled between their legs. Calm down, this guy was just helping out before. Calm down.

Jade swept back his hair as he brought their arm closer, "I promise I'll be gentle."

It's not reassuring at all when Jade says it while smiling that smile that reminds Yuu of a predator baring its teeth. And just like that, there was a second bite on their arm. It didn't hurt as much as the first, but maybe they were growing numb to the pain by now. Jade lapped at the blood and hummed as if pleased by the taste before retracting his teeth.

Yuu stared at the twin bites on their arm with disappointment, "You two are...literally the worst. If I die of an infection, I am not writing you guys into my will."

“Shrimpy didn’t move so it’ll heal,” Floyd petted their hair to mollify them, "Tastes pretty good, right Jade? It scratches that itch, so there's also a bonus~"

Jade nodded, licking the blood dripping down his chin, staining his shirt, "I must say, that was satisfactory." The twins flash Yuu their sharp grins, both equally caked in their blood and now Yuu remembered exactly why these two were twins. They were cut from the same piece of cloth, after all.

"Please don't say you're gonna eat me or something, I'm not food," Yuu grumbled, cupping their arm. "Could you at least get some tissues? The blood's getting everywhere." Floyd grabbed the whole tissue stand, stuffing it into Yuu's hand. But he made no effort to move from his position where he was cuddling into Yuu. Jade was no different, passively watching and occasionally helping with the used tissues.

"What in Seven's name are you doing?"

The voice made them flinch. Yuu looked up, only to make eye contact with one horrified Azul Ashengrotto. Jade doesn't look all that surprised as he turned, and Floyd gave Azul a big wave.

"Is that...Yuu–?" Azul sighed tiredly. "Up, all of you. To the VIP Room. Now."

"Yes, sir."

"Yessir!"

"O-okay."

Floyd lifted them up with him as he stood, acting as a barrier between the rest of Mostro Lounge and their little party of four. At this point, Yuu couldn’t bring it on themself to say they could walk and just let Floyd do his thing.

"Ooh, Azul looks real mad," He mused, frowning. "But we were just havin' fun, me, Shrimpy, and Jade were."

They're placed on the couch. Or, they're placed on Floyd's lap as he sat on the couch, was a more accurate statement. Jade walked in, bloodied glove in his breast pocket as he carried a stack of papers.

"Thanks, Jade-senpai."

"Not to worry, it was me and Floyd who, ah, inconvenienced you," He sat down next to the two, exchanging another chilling smile with Floyd. Crazy, both of them were.

"Tell me why I was working peacefully when I get a report that, and I quote, 'The Leech brothers are mauling a customer'?" Azul paced around in front of the three on the couch. “Mauling” was...well, it wasn't entirely off. Their arm was still throbbing, and the blood hadn't stopped flowing yet.

"We weren't mauling the Little Shrimp," Floyd huffed, offended at the accusation. "We were just playing 'n Shrimpy said a little bite was okay."

"Quite," Jade nodded as if saddened. "I was having a nice conversation with Yuu-san before the, ah, biting, as Floyd said." They said it as if both of them didn't have blood staining their chins and the collars of their shirts. Yuu just wanted to work in peace. Why did they end up in this situation?

Azul dragged a hand over his face, "Show me." Yuu leaned as far forward as they could with Floyd holding on to them. The bites certainly didn't look as clean as before. The blood was beginning to drip. It looked kinda scary, actually. Yuu was sure there was some sort of paralyzing agent in their saliva, or else maybe they'd be screaming their heads off from the pain.

"I'll hear your explanations later. Jade, Floyd, for now, step outside the room."

Floyd's grip tightened, "Eh, but I don't wanna~"

"Floyd, let's let Azul have a turn," Jade placed a hand on his twin’s shoulder. "It'll only be about five minutes."

"I'm not some toy you can have a turn on." And Jade just smiled at the retaliation, as if he thought it was funny they were complaining after everything that happened.

Floyd reluctantly let go, "I'll be back in no time, Shrimpy."

"If you heal it all the way, we might just have to bite Yuu-san again, Azul," Jade called out before he left. Crazy bastards.

"Don't forget to change your clothes, you got blood everywhere!" Azul shouted after them before standing. He grabbed a cloth and a potion from his drawer.

He sighed as he stared at all the blood, "Let's get it cleaned up before you get an infection."

"Is their saliva poisonous?" Yuu tried not to flinch as Azul ran the cloth around the edges of the bite.

"Not as toxic as their animal counterparts, but I know that there's something that may cause infections," Azul looked up at Yuu before looking back down. "Why would you, out of all people, give them permission to bite you?"

"Well...Floyd was threatening to bite my neck-" Azul almost dropped the cloth at that. "L-Long story short, he was...er, squeezing me and he fell asleep. Jade-senpai came around with some tea, we were discussing my work and Floyd woke up."

"I see. I'm assuming he didn't want to share?" He poured half of the potion onto the bites. The skin knits together, and it's almost like it never happened, save for the light pink scars left on their arm.

Yuu sighed, "It wasn't my brightest decision, I was really tired so to save my own neck, I offered my arm. To Floyd. but then Jade-senpai just..."

"That's when you should be cautious," Azul ruffled their hair. "Rule number two when dealing with the Leeches, what one gets, the other covets too."

"What's rule number one ?"

"Where one goes, the other will follow," Azul looked a bit sorry as he ran a finger over the scars. "Next time don't let them bite you. Call me when they're being unreasonable."

"What's the price?"

"The...price?" Azul looked momentarily askew as if deals or favors from him don't usually have a price tag attached to them. But he recovered quickly. "Well, the payment will be–"

The door is flung open unceremoniously, "Azul! It's been five minutes so now I get a turn!" And there are the twins, looking more like students rather than murderers this time.

Jade placed himself next to Azul. Yuu paid them no mind, no doubt they must've been talking about Mostro Lounge's affairs. Floyd nestled back beside them, this time burying his face in their stomach. Yuu sucked in a breath at the action, having seen literally firsthand what the eel’s teeth can do. The blue-haired giggled like it was funny.

"No more biting," Yuu pleaded. "I really need to do this by the end of today." Yuu picked up the abandoned papers, eyeing the one folder that they haven't sorted through yet. They won't be getting any sleep if that isn't done.

"What've you been doin' Shrimpy?" Floyd asked, wrapping his arms around their torso.

"Hmm? Oh, these are invoices. There are papers that say what's been delivered and what's been ordered. Crowley's forcing me to check them."

"Sounds bo~ring," Floyd singsonged, snatching a paper from Yuu's hand. "What if we set them on fire and build one of those bonfire things instead?"

Yuu took the paper, "I'd get in trouble. Remember washing dishes?" And Floyd shuddered at that, which Yuu found to be a little bit of a cute reaction.

"Are you getting paid, Prefect?" Oh, so Azul was paying attention to them.

They glanced up to find both Azul and Jade staring at them, "Well no. But he did threaten to cut the food funds again, so-"

"Cutting the food funds?" Azul scoffed.

"Again?" Jade's eyebrows furrowed.

There was a short silence before Floyd sat up, "I volunteer to squeeze the headmage! I'll do a great job for you, Little Shrimp."

"What? No, he'll expel you." And the eel deflated before latching onto them again like they were some sort of throw pillow. Yuu glanced warily at Azul and Jade, who all of a sudden had their business smiles on.

Azul approached them first, "How about you work for Mostro Lounge?"

"You mean as waitstaff?" Yuu tilted their head. "I already take up shifts most weeks, but-"

"Not work at Mostro Lounge, Yuu-san," Jade said in that ever so polite tone of his. "Work for the Lounge. Like me and Floyd."

"Uhuh...like you and Floyd," Yuu briefly imagined themself fighting students from other dorms and...nope. That's impossible because one spell and they'll be sent straight to heaven. If they even had heaven here.

"Your work wouldn't be too different to what you're doing right now," Azul sat down on the coffee table, minding the papers. "Usually I am in charge of matching up invoices, but since the business has grown it's been getting a bit...much. I can assure you that you'd be paid handsomely." And Yuu felt like they were being dragged into a trap.

"Ooh, Azul's got a great idea! I get to see Little Shrimp every day!" Floyd's gaze turned contemplative. "But it might get boring. But it might not. So let's do it~"

"Plus," And Yuu jumped when they heard Jade's voice beside them, his arm already on Yuu's forearm. "If you're here then maybe we'll get another taste."

Yuu whipped their arm back, "No more biting. I'm serious, one time's enough." And ugh, Yuu really didn't want to get stuck between these two again.

"If I may," Azul spread his arms wide. "We can set up a contract– a work one, now don't look at me like that– and work out the details of that some other time. For now, we just need your affirmation to the deal."

"Maybe you should hire someone more capable?" Yuu couldn't believe that Azul was hiring someone like them for this job. It's not like they were a professional, they've been doing this for two days after all.

"You're more than capable, Yuu-san," Jade gestured at their work. "You've been doing the headmage's work for him. There might not be anyone as capable as you."

"Jade is right. And also, Mostro Lounge doesn't only value capability," Azul held their gaze, and there's something like warmth there. "We also value trust. There's a reason why we haven't hired another working for the internal system all this time." It's because they haven't found someone trustworthy enough. The words were left unspoken but Yuu swallowed hard.

Azul? Trusting them? Even though they were just invoices, nothing like contracts or other sensitive details like funds, it was still...something. A lot more than they thought Azul, and the Leeches by extension, would've been willing to give them. The trio had always seemed to be impenetrable, so why were they suddenly making space for someone like them?

In an instant, there were arms binding theirs, accompanied by Floyd's cheerful voice, "Shrimpy's taking too long. Imma squeeze till you say yes~"

And, well, there goes the touching mood. Azul and Jade look unfazed as if this was part of the plan should they turn away the deal. Which meant that...this was a trap all along. Was that whole spiel about trust real...? Yuu didn't know when they had time to coordinate their attacks like this, they worked too seamlessly for them to notice.

Yuu thumped their head against Floyd's chest, "Coercion. Great. Fine, I'll do it."

There's a short silence before Azul takes their hand, "It's a deal." His voice was uncharacteristically soft and Yuu barely registered the chaste kiss that he gave their knuckles. Then Yuu felt their brain short circuit because what. Azul just kissed their-

"Aha, Shrimpy's face was so funny," Floyd cupped their face, leaning closer. "Hey, will Shrimpy do it again if I kiss on th-"

Yuu scrambled, pressing a hand to the grinning eels' lips, "No kissing! No more kissing! Not now, not ever." They tumbled back-first into Jade, Floyd's weight still insistent on their front.

"My, I am quite offended that Azul got a free pass on that rule," Jade said lightly, though his arms were gripping Yuu's shoulders quite firmly. "What do you think, Floyd?"

"Well...I let Shrimpy work. And Shrimpy let me sleep. But then I bit Shrimpy. And now there's no kiss," Floyd counted on his fingers. "That means that we get to choose what to play next time~"

And oh Seven's above, that sounded like a terrible idea.

Yuu looked over at their potential savior, "Azul-senpai, you-"

"I'm already helping you," Azul said, waving a hand. "As your future boss, I'll handle these last few invoices. You can handle their games for a little more, right?"

"Poor little Yuu-san has no one to help," Jade said in a mocking tone. "Then, as Floyd said, we'll choose what to do next time. For now, you can do what you'd like."

"Mhm! I'm bein' super obedient right now, like one of those Savanaclaw pups," Floyd boasted, still in the process of crushing their ribs with his weight.

And Yuu was tired. These two were too unpredictable, and Azul...Azul was a dick when he chose to be. Which were most times. The exhaustion was clinging to them now, and their body ached, from the biting and the sitting and the working and- everything.

In a small voice, they voiced their request, "Uh, then can I borrow a bed...?"

Jade raised an eyebrow, "Well, that's quite forward of you to ask-"

"N-Not for that kind of bed stuff, ugh," Yuu made sure to pinch the inside of his wrist. They were sure they saw Azul turning red too behind the papers he was reading.

"Ooh, what type of bed stuff then, Little Shrimp?" Floyd sat himself up, sitting on Yuu's lap now. "Pillow fighting? But Azul's banned us because we broke a lot of things last time."

"No, I just...I wanted to take a nap," And their ears burn at the request. "I've...been working all day long and I didn't get any good sleep last night." Maybe it's because it's Jade, Floyd, and Azul, but it seems too silly to ask something like that out loud.

But instead of the teasing response that they expected, Floyd looked sympathetic. He patted their head, "I get that too when my teeth ache too much. 'S annoying."

Jade returned– when did he even leave?– with a pillow in hand, "You can use this couch to lie on. It's a lot more comfortable when we remove the back pillows. Azul uses it to sleep sometimes."

Azul coughed into his hand, "Ah, it's convenient to have a bed in the office, I work late hours, so I had them put it in." And it's kind of...domestic to imagine Azul squeezing onto this couch late at night.

Yuu dragged themself up, watching as Jade detached the big pillows and unfolded a sheet. The sight of something bed-like had the melatonin rushing their brain, and they can feel themself growing hazier and hazier by the minute.

"C'mon, little sleepy Shrimp," Floyd tugged them onto the softness of the couch. "I'll be your blanket for today~" And Yuu couldn't find it in themself to argue as they removed their blazer, flopping into the pillow Jade had laid out. Floyd immediately covered them much like a blanket, folding his limbs around them. Jade was sitting by their head, and there was a gloved hand stroking their hair. Oh, the couch felt like heaven against their skin, and Floyd didn't make that bad of a blanket. And Jade was...comforting... Yuu stifled a yawn.

"Sorry that I'm bothering you guys so much," Yuu found themself mumbling as they grew sleepier.

"No, no," They heard Azul reply. "It has been a rather good day since you've decided to bother us." They were sure Jade had said something, and Floyd had chimed in, but they couldn't hear it anymore. The tide of sleep had already swept them away.

[ omake : octatrio’s new companion ]

"Their heartbeat's real slow," Floyd commented, ear pressed against the Prefect's chest. "I think Little Shrimp's already asleep."

"Shame they didn't hear what we said," Jade chucked, still stroking at their hair. It seemed that they got a haircut since he saw them last, and it looked...quite good on them, he thought.

Azul clicked his tongue, "I can't believe that headmage. Giving them two stacks of these to get done in two days? No wonder they were exhausted." The three were thinking about how Crowley sometimes abused the power he had over their little Ramshackle Prefect, and how they didn't quite like how tired Yuu had been.

"When they wake up, maybe let's play swimming, but in the pool," Floyd said, gently tracing the scar on their arm. "Feel bad for Shrimpy if we go to the Coral Sea all of a sudden."

"You're being really nice, Floyd," Although it was Jade who asked, Azul agreed. Floyd was being really docile around the Prefect at times.

"Well...I like the way Shrimpy talks to me!" Floyd tightened his grip on Yuu. "They don't get mad every two seconds like everyone else. But 's not like they don't ever get mad, 's just they're better than everyone else." An answer that was equal parts genuine and Floyd.

"I noticed that too," Azul said, collecting the papers into a stack. "They seem to treat us without that many reservations. Which is equally foolish and brave."

"It is quite amusing to see them still being occasionally wary," Jade said, smiling down at their sleeping prey. "They choose the best moments."

"Ooh, can we keep 'em longer?" Floyd asked in a bright tone. "Wanna play with them some more~"

The three silently gazed at the sleeping human. The subtle movement of Yuu's chest alerted them that they were alive, and showed just how fragile this person in front of them was. Magicless. There would be no way for them to protect themselves with magic. They would die from the simplest of poisons, too. So...very weak. But that's also what made them all the more worthwhile for the trio. They were quite fond of this magicless and weak creature they had befriended.

"Let's see where this goes," Azul glanced up at the twins. "If everything goes well then maybe we can take them with us to the Coral Sea someday?" And the Leech twins smile something not-so-sinister, the closest they can get to warmth. Azul himself has that grin on his face as he continued to take on the extra work alongside Jade, while Floyd watched over them.

Maybe that little sleeping shrimp would be the one to scale the tall, tall walls that the trio had built around themselves. Maybe they would let Yuu actually see who they were, instead of a mix of the personas they had built to keep themselves safe. But that would be for another time. Today, they were just content watching them peacefully doze.

thank you for reading my octatrio brainrot ! if you'd like to check out more of my work: my ao3 + twst masterlist

if you'd like to be tagged for the sequel, go to this post

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