#twisted wonderland lillia

[mermaidfanficlibrary]

DADDY ISSUES | Platonic Lilia x Male reader

Characters: Lilia

Summary: Lilia can't help but notice how weird you act around him

Warnings: Truama, Daddy Issues

a/n: This is based on the song Daddy Issues by The Neighborhood

Word count: 1.6K

You always seemed to hang around Lilia. Everyone noticed this and whenever there was Lilia, you were not too far behind following him wherever he went. Lilia didn’t mind it all too much. He adored your company, but a burning concern was evident. Your behavior with him was more that of a child than a friend. 

Lilia would often see you seeking his approval for things, acting elated when he said he was proud of you. And when there was ever a hint of disappointment in his voice, you would try to prove yourself to him. You showed off your grades in class to him and always asked him if it was good enough. But he never needed you to prove anything to him.

Lilia had decided to visit you at your dorm one day, there wasn’t any particular reason for his visit other than the fact that he wanted to see you. He was concerned when he heard Sebek talk about how low you seemed to be acting during class. You were very disappointed and sulking on your bed.

Lilia knocked gently on the door, not wanting to disturb you if you were busy, however, your groaning was signal enough that you weren’t. He could have opened the door, but it’s more fun to teleport inside instead. Once he had teleported inside, he noticed you curled up in your bed and covered by your blankets. What were you so upset about?

You didn’t even notice Lilia was inside your dorm and watching your covered form rise and fall. Soft sobs could be heard from the blanket. You were muttering to yourself, apologizing to no one in particular. Although that’s what it seemed like.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! Please don’t be mad…”

Earlier, during class, you had received your grade on a pretty important assignment. It wasn’t as heavy as a project, but it didn’t matter much to you. You needed a good grade, at least 90%. The reason? To make him happy.

But when you saw something lower, your heart sank. You felt like you died right then and there. It was 81%, a low B. This wasn’t good enough; you felt like you weren’t good enough. Whenever your grades weren't A's you never felt good enough. 

That’s what lead you to being curled up on your bed, covered in your blankets and tears streaming down your face with the assignment held close to your chest. Lilia’s gaze on you was full of concern. His presence was made aware when he sat on your bed, a gentle hand placed on your side.

“What’s wrong, Y/n?”

Your body stiffened when you heard his voice. Why was he here now? No you couldn’t mentally handle facing him. Not with all the worse case scenarios brimming within your mind; it was driving you crazy.

A deep sigh could be heard from beneath the blankets you were covered in, breaking up the onslaught of sobbing. Your head peaked out from the soft fabric draped over your body. Teary, e/c eyes met deep red ones that flooded with concern. You tried to speak but choked up, not being able too when you saw the concern within Lilia.

You had buried your head into the pillow, not wanting to face him. How could you when you knew how he would react. At least how you thought he would. You answered his question, voice mumbled due to the pillow you shoved against your face.

“I…I can’t tell you…”

Lilia placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, entangling the soft blanket within his fingertips. He scooted closer to you, wanting to know what was truly wrong. If it wasn’t the grade, then what had you so upset? Lilia had decided to question you further with a determination to understand why you were so unhappy.

“Why can’t you tell me?”

You sat up, the blankets falling off your body as your h/c hair was disheveled and messy. Lilia wanted to comb it and fix it, but now was not the time for that. You sniffled and tried to dry your tears with one hand as your other one handed him the sheet of paper. Your voice was now weak and dry from crying.

“Because…of this…”

You placed the sheet of paper into his lap, the red marker in the corner burned into your mind. It made you want to sob just as hard again. Lilia took the paper into his hands with great care. He read the red marking in the corner, the percentage. He was quite impressed, considering the topic and knowing it was Trien’s class.

“An 81? That’s pretty good. Professor Trien can be a hard grader. Is the grade why you’re so upset?”

You simply shook your head silently. It wasn’t exactly the grade that had upset you, but you didn’t feel ready to confess to him. Your body shuddered as you struggled to hold back sobs. You tried so hard to keep your composure in front of him. Lilia only held sympathy within his eyes, and his voice was unsettlingly gentle.

“Then why are you so upset?”

You pulled your head out of the pillow, eyes bloodshot and covered in tears. You kept your head low and looking onto your lap that was covered by blankets. Sniffles were the only thing heard in your room for a while until your meek voice could be picked up. Tears still fell as they soaked into your bedsheets.

“It’s not good enough…”

Lilia felt a bit bewildered. He was more than impressed with the grade, and he felt so much pride for you. More questions were raised in his head. However, instead of asking more questions, Lilia decided on comforting you first. He wanted to affirm within your mind that the grade was good enough.

“It is, Y/n.”

You shook your head violently at his words. You tried your best to explain through sniffling and stuttering. Without even realizing you had begun ranting even though the information you were giving was vague. You tried your best to explain through choked sobs.

“No it isn’t! Back home, he would always expect good grades. Nothing below an A. It had to be perfect… It always had to be perfect, I always had to be perfect… And if I wasn’t… Well it always hurt when he reprimanded me… So I thought, if I didn’t show you perfect grades or did something to disappoint you then you would be upset with me too… ”

Your sudden rant had caught him off guard. Confusion and concern flurried within his mind, his eyes lingering on your tear stained face as you continued to cry. Several questions flooded his mind, but one was more repetitive than the rest. Lilia’s hand slipped into yours, squeezing it gently.

“Who are you talking about?”

Your hands were starting to shake. You just had processed what you had shared with him, and you blushed feeling incredibly embarrassed for venting to him. You pulled out your phone with your free hand, opening the photo app and scrolling to pictures that were taken a couple of years back. You turned your phone, so Lilia could see the photos

Lilia took great care to analyze the photos you were sharing. He understood that you were done trying to talk, knowing that you would sob even if you opened your mouth slightly. With his free hand, he swiped through the photos and saw you, but you were younger.

Next to you was an older man. He had gray strands within his h/c hair. The man looked like you but if you were much older. Lilia had assumed that this man that stood next to you was your father, your biological dad.

The pictures only explained who you were talking about. Lilia was still very confused on your ranting. Were you implying your father wasn’t a good father? Lilia only gave you a silent look of uncertainty. 

There was a mix of anger and perplexity within Lilia’s mind. How could someone that was supposed to be your parent treat you so horribly. Suddenly, you silently showed him the text messages you had with your father before. It solidified the anger Lilia was harboring. 

That’s when the pieces started to fall 

You saw him as a father. 

Lilia placed a gentle hand on your shoulder as you put your phone away. You tilted your head to look into those caring red eyes, ones you wished your father saw you with. But here he was, and maybe not as a replacement. Lilia was willing to be the father you never truly had. 

He placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, the graded paper now fully discarded. Lilia was solely focused on making you feel better. He wanted nothing more than to ease your anxiety and show that you were good enough. That he was proud of you, and that’s when he said those magic words.

“If you were my little boy, I would do whatever I could do.”

All of them made you feel so much better. That “bad grade” was solved through small study groups with Silver and Lilia helping you and Malleus joining when he could. Sebek of course tried and you appreciated it. You appreciated all of their efforts for helping you, for making you feel safe.

From that point on, Lilia had invited you to Diasomnia almost every day. Some, Sebek, found your presence slightly odd but warmed up to it. Silver was more than welcoming because he trusted his father’s judgement. And of course Malleus was very excited to have you around more often. 

This was what family felt like. You didn’t have to bear the thought of your father being mad at you anymore. No more fearing disappointment. It was only ever approval from Lilia and encouragement when you felt set back. Diasomnia became your found family; you were finally home.

Do not repost or translate without my explicit permission! Reblogs are welcome!

[sassysnitch]

Father and son bonding activities

(art is mine)

[mashed-potato101]

No cause imagine Diasomnia threw a birthday party for Malleus but forgot to invite the birthday boy...

Lilia: Wow, this party is great!

Sebek: I agree! Waka-sama would be pleased and appreciate!

Silver: Although, I feel like we forgot something...

Lilia:

Sebek:

Silver:

Lilia, Silver, and Sebek: WE FORGOT MALLEUS/WAKA-SAMA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALLEUS!

[sunanthonyz]

[marisashinx]

"Why hasn't Silver woken up yet...?"

[m4ggot5]

I saw the picture and knew I had to redraw it…….

Here’s the original images

I’ll post the full thing hopefully this weekend. Take this crumb please, let it satiate your hunger for the next few days.

[random-twst-things]

Lilia: Silver! Can you go wake up Mc/Y/N/Yuu? Dinner is almost ready!

Silver: Okay!

*Silver walking to the lounge couch, tapping Mc/Y/N/Yuu on the shoulder*

Silver: Mc/Y/N/Yuu, It's almost time for dinner, wake up

Mc/Y/N/Yuu, snaps eyes open: Shhhh! I know! *Goes back to 'sleeping'*

Silver: ...what?

Mc/Y/N/Yuu, snaps eyes open again and whisper yelling: Look, when I came here for dinner I didn't know it was gonna be Lilia's dinner, so let me pretend to be asleep so I don't end up getting sent to the hospital for consumption of poisoned food!!!

Silver: oh....

Silver, looks back at the kitchen to see purple steam coming out of it: ...

Silver, looks back at Mc/Y/N/Yuu: ....that's actually a good idea, scoot over

Dividers by/from @/cafekitsune

[v3lvieraven]

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞

(Riddle, Floyd, Leona, Malleus, Lillia)

Synopsis- reader tends to give really big and tight squeezes similar to Floyd whenever they hug/cuddle/get excited

Warnings- cursing, mood swings (Floyd), accidentally pushing away (riddle)

𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞

•he collared you for the first time

•this didn’t really do shit though considering you have zero magic.

•takes him a second to realize then un-collars you!

•After a few times of him lying through his teeth about not liking it, you figured you should stop.

•But those squeeze times had found their way into his schedule, literally.

•so when you stop squeezing him it messes his schedule up! Which is absolutely unacceptable.

•usually he wouldn’t straight up tell you his feelings but his poor poor organized schedule was falling apart! And all because you stopped the squeezing.

•“Why aren’t you doing the squeeze thing anymore?”

•You opened your mouth to answer but seeing his unusually upset expression you kept it shut

•With a shake of your head you bring him into your arms with a big squeeze.

•”Awww you like my squeezes!”

•”shh… you have three hours to make up to me”

•that meaning he made you squeeze him in bed for three hours (after his already busy schedule)

𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐝

•he fell in love the moment you squeezed him.

•obviously it wasn’t as tight as he does it.

•but he still loves it nonetheless!

•he definitely pouts whenever you arnt squeezing him. Which makes it very inconvenient for Jade and you.

•he’s very clingy though, but if he saw you squeeze someone else, even if it was in a friend way. He gets so jealous!

•when you went to give him a squeeze a few hours after he saw it, he probably would yell at you.

•He has really bad mood swings so it’s not surprising but it didn’t hurt any less.

•depending on your personality this could go two ways-

•first way: you give him space

•he would be more aggressive towards everyone at first.

•Azul and Jade had begged you to calm him down but you stood your ground.

•not wanting to cross his boundaries.

•but after he gets his anger out one way or another, he realizes he royally fucked up.

•Definitely starts crying and finds you, drags you into a bed, and squeezes you. VERY HARD.

•ends in you either passing out or he falls asleep.

•second way: you wait like thirty minutes and give him another squeeze

•after about thirty minutes he should have probably calmed down

•other than his pout and occasional muttering he is actually holding onto you for dear life.

•both ways he bites you tho.

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐚

•HE IS LOVIN IT

•When you found him in the botanical garden asleep you thought this was the perfect time to cuddle with him

•momentarily forgetting about your habit

•it woke him up, he probably hisses at you, even when he realizes it’s you.

•Almost shoved you off until he notices that he really likes this.

•often orders Ruggie to escort you to him whenever he is in a bad mood or a squeeze mood.

•I’m gonna be honest I actually can’t imagine if he were to get mad at you for squeezing him, ironic considering his temper

•like Floyd he can and will bite you to get what he wants.

•he flops on top of you often and demands it with light insults.

•Maybe you should try squeezing him whenever he overblots that might work.

•soon finds out he can’t really sleep without the pressure around him.

•one night when you were on a small trip somewhere he couldn’t sleep, so he tried to squeeze himself with his tail.

𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐬

•craves it more than anything.

•please don’t stop. He will actually cry.

•he’s really touch staved, so whenever you show up and squeeze him, he returns the gesture

•thinks of it as a human way of expressing love

•which it is to you.

•he’s so adorable, you can’t understand why anyone is Afraid of him. Of course he can be scary but not to you

•He also cries when you do squeeze him, but out of happiness. So either way, if you do or don’t, he will still probably cry.

•Sebek scolds you a lot because you started this and now he often gets really mad and causes thunderstorms.

•sneaks into your dorm and kicks grim off the bed and onto the couch

•poor grim :(

•Sometimes when he’s had a particularly bad day and he needs to unwind he will come to you. Which usually ends up with him letting out some of his more dragon features.

•Not fully though, unless you are okay with him destroying a bit of your dorm house.

•overall he loves you dearly, wouldn’t trade this for anything at all.

•please keep going!

𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚

•he teases you all the time for it.

•the first time though he was genuinely surprised but wiped that expression off his face VERY quickly

•he sleeps upside down so sometimes he will ask you if you wanna stay upside down with him and do your thing

•most of the time your squeezing sessions will turn into play fight or tickle session instead

•he gets really giddy when it happens

•don’t be fooled though, he will threaten anyone you squeeze.

•also might curse them or something but you don’t need to know that!

•He’s smitten for you though, and even when it sometimes doesn’t feel like it because of his playful demeanor, he truly appreciates these moments with you

•might sometimes mutter things under his breath before he falls asleep in your arms.

• “don’t let me go..”

• “your squeezes are mine…”

•he means the second one in all seriousness though.

•this is one of the most vulnerable times when he is too sleepy to keep his silly facade

•not saying he isn’t silly naturally, but sometimes he covers up his problems with his cuteness or calm demeanor.

•He’s usually not as silly when he’s not with you, but again, sometimes he uses it to cover that he is hurting

•so please don’t call the things he is saying at the moment ��silly” because he means them with his whole heart.

•just keep squeezing and reassuring him, and he will open up!

Note- totally not based off the fact I squeeze ppl when I hug/cuddle

[seabunnieart]

can you imagine what it's like?

[dibbledoodle]

REAL ANSWER PLOT ARMOR 🤡✨

Unfortunately they got dibs in this universe 😭

[myeagleexpert]

Do you think the Savanaclaw/ Octavielle/ Dianonmia boys look like this when they enter Yuu's room? :3

Maybe Silver will be more discreet with this, but I bet Sebek would pretend like everything is fine and not like he's ogling you.

[another-random-paradise]

Your writing was adorable! I have a headcanon request for TWST. Feel free to ignore if it's not interesting, I won't mind. (￣▽￣)=3

Lilia, Leona, Azul (or whomever as long as Lilia is there)'s reaction to crush!reader sleepily telling them they want to marry them one day.

I'm a sap for mushy things. ˘͈ᵕ˘͈

A sleepy confession

Thank you so much for the request, it's adorable!! and of course, thank you for the compliments too! I'm a sucker for mushy things too, so this was so much fun to write!

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

Crush!Reader sleepily telling him, they want to marry him / Part two

Characters: Lillia, Leona, Azul

Format: Headcanons

Warnings: None that i can think off

Lillia

-you probably found silver asleep somewhere comfortable and instead of waking him up like usual (cause you're a good friend) you decide to also lay down and sleep... You most likely had History with professor Trein before this.

-Lillia just happened to be nearby, or maybe he was keeping an eye on silver, yk, like a good dad :D

- If you're napping under a tree, he might just be sitting on one of the branches

-You'd sleepily look up to him on the branches, as the old fae smiles down at you, and you, probably already half a sleep and maybe even thinking it's a dream, mumble out a soft "I wanna marry you one day.." 

-poor guy almost fell out off the tree

-you can't just do that to his old heart!! You can and you did

-his expression would soften, like he'd still be smiling, but it wouldn't be his typical trickster kinda smile (please tell me you know what i mean)

-Despite his usual attitude, I feel like he was very worried about loving you. I'm a huge believer in the Idea that fae usually only fall in love once, so after Meleanor, he believed that was it, he'd never love again. And then you came into his life, like a shining star, guiding him out of the darkness.  

-While he was grateful that he got a second chance at love, especially with someone as amazing as you, it's also nerve wrecking for him. The last and only time before this, he had his heart broken and ended up raising her son. Just the thought of the same thing happening again terrified him.

-But after what you just said, he won't need to worry about that anymore, right?

-Now he just needs to come up with the best way to confess... maybe he could cook you something! 

Leona

-Due to Leona being a bit of a tsundere, I don't feel like he'd get you to cuddle/sleep with him before officially dating

-BUT, if you two got paired together for a project, especially if it's in the botanical garden, chances are very high, you are doing the project and he's napping

-and doing a project by yourself gets you tired, especially one meant for magic as a magicless student, so you eventually lie down next to him

-due to his sensitive hearing, he lazily opens eyes, and sees you, already half asleep, looking at him, confusing him at first not that he's complaining, till.. "Despite you making me do this project by myself, i somehow i still wanna marry you some day" and just like that you're asleep.

-He, on the other hand, is suddenly very wide awake. 

-what?? you didn't mean that, right?? that's just the tiredness speaking, right?? you couldn't have meant that, right? why, or rather how, could you like him of all people?....He can't imagine being anyone's, let alone your, first choice. He's so used to being second.

-For the first time in forever, he is fully awake and can't go back to sleep, just what are you doing to him, Herbivore? 

-But this means you like him back, right? alright fine, he'll put some work into confessing, just don't expect anything to grand

-He'd still be awake once you wake up again, much to your confusion, but still deliberately refuse to help. Not a word of what you said is spoken, but if you look closely enough you'll see the blush on his cheeks!

Azul

-You wanted to rest after a long day, maybe even after a long shift at the mostro lounge, and Azul was gracious enough to let you rest on one of the couches in the VIP room, while he worked. He actually wanted to appear like a gentleman in front of you and impress you.

-You can't convince me that those couches aren't comfortable. Which is why you almost immediately fall asleep the moment you lay down.

-But before you do, you make one last comment "I already want to marry you one day as is, but if it means I get to rest like this every night, I'll buy the ring tomorrow"

-If a student walked in right now, they might just confuse him with a crashed pc; or maybe with riddle, considering how red he is

-Just completely stops everything he's doing, he's in shock. he doesn't believe he can actually be loved

-It genuinely shocks him so much that you actually like him back, let alone want to marry him, but he can't say he isn't happy! So him being even more of a gentleman to you and giving you countless discounts worked! (You actually already liked him before that! but he was to busy being insecure to notice)

-Immediately starts working on a relationship contract for you two, hell, you said you want to marry him, right?? might as well start working on the marriage certificate!

-He continues to be absolutely flustered as he writes the two contracts, if either of the twins saw him right now, he'd never hear the end of it!

-Prepare to be asked to dinner at the most romantic table in the mostro lounge with Azul, where he will then ask you out and discusses your relationship as if it was a business meeting :)

Ahhhh my first request, thank you so much again for your kind words and the adorable request, I truly hope i lived up to it's greatness <3

I'm still in book 4, so i tried to write Lilia as in-character as possible based on what i saw of him during events and from other writers :)

feedback is welcomed, just be Kind! Hope you all have a lovely day/night!

[jelsah27]

MC: *tries to open dorm door but it's stuck* what the? Grimm, did you break the door again?

Grimm: The great Grimm did nothing of the sort!

MC: *sighs and goes outside the back door.*

*Outside the front door is a stack of iron bricks. Malleus is also there, placing down more with magic with Lillia grinning behind him.*

MC: Malleus... my dear, dear fae... why does my front porch look like a construction site?

Lillia: *chuckles* Why, child of man, our... *tries not to giggle* our dear Malleus has decided to help you with your... problem.

MC: My... problem?

Malleus: Yes. Trappola and Spade made me aware of your iron deficiency. Lillia told me that swords would also be helpful, so I have commissioned two for you, although they will take some time.

MC: Malleus... thank you... for trying to help... but I have anemia... which means I don't have enough iron in my blood. This is very sweet of you though. But... if you don't mind... could I still have the swords?

Crowley: *popping up out of nowhere* My, my. I could provide you with what you need! For I am gracious!

MC: *hides behind Lillia* I'm getting supplements from Crewel, you worse than the American health care system leech!

[smokesandsonatas]

Twisted Wonderland but make it grounded in dark reality. I drafted this around late 2023 and I just finished this now, haha. As always read at your own discretion and enjoy!

Warnings: Implied cannibalism. Dread.

Characters: Floyd and Jade, Leona, Ruggie, Rook, Idia, Lillia, Malleus, Others.

Not beta read.

Food.

- Any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. A means for survival.

You’ve always known most of them are peculiar creatures. Sharp teeth, mismatched eyes, monstrous forms, fins that glint with predatory sharpness, and horns that pierce the sky with arrogant pride. They embody the villains from the old fairy tales back in your world, grotesque and terrifying in equal measure. You suppose they function like civilized beings—they’ve learned to blend into human society, after all—but you can’t help but notice just how different, how unnervingly similar, they are to one thing: food.

The dishes at this college are like nothing you've ever tasted. Perhaps it's because many of them are children of royalty, so even the cafeteria food tastes like something out of a king's banquet. The pickiness of their palates is evident in every bite, in every carefully crafted dish. But there are things you find more intriguing than their refined taste; something almost hypnotic about the way they eat, especially when they don't mind you watching.

The scent of something delicious invaded Ramshackle Dorm in the dead of night. You assumed Grim was cooking, as ridiculous as that sounded, but found the little gremlin snoozing soundly beside you. Maybe it was the ghosts? But as you descended the stairs, you found the kitchen empty, devoid of any culinary activity. One glance at the night sky over Sage’s Island told you it was around 3 AM—far too early for breakfast, and far too late for dinner.

You tried to go back to sleep, but the tantalizing scent of roasted meat kept you awake, gnawing at your resolve until you could no longer ignore the hunger pangs twisting your stomach. Leaving Grim behind, you draped the sheets over his body, muttering a promise to return soon. Your curiosity and hunger led you to the cafeteria, which should have been deserted at this hour, but to your surprise…

They were all there. The ones you’ve grown closest to.

They were gathered around a long, elegant table, the atmosphere eerily reminiscent of Mostro Lounge—dim lights casting soft, ominous shadows across their faces. The table was laden with exquisite, expensive cuts of meat, arranged in a feast fit for monsters. And in the center of it all, a massive stack of roasted meat commanded your attention.

It looked…perfect. The tenderloin, you assumed, was butter-soft, with a thick, moist cut that bled a light pink from the center. The outer layer was roasted to a flawless crisp. But something about the presentation unnerved you, a chill creeping up your spine.

The pile of meat looked too much like the carcass of a person. Or a beast, perhaps. It was hard to tell. But you could almost see the outline of a body, as though someone—someone about five or six feet tall—had been subjected to the furnace’s extreme heat, roasted beyond recognition. Was that hair you saw near what should have been the head? Before you could inspect further, a voice called out to you.

"Ah! You're here! Come and join us, Shrimpy!" Floyd’s voice rang out, cheerful and disturbingly eager. His sharp teeth gleamed in the dim light, rows of jagged edges that could tear through flesh with ease. Beside him, Jade chuckled, slicing into a slab of meat with surgical precision, the knife gliding through like it was cutting butter.

Your eyes scanned the gathering. At the head of the table sat Tsunotaro—Malleus, the prince of fae. You frowned, under the impression that he usually is not invited in gatherings like this. But he nodded at you, a small, regal acknowledgment. “I was invited by Lilia,” he explained, his voice low and melodic. You glanced at his plate—a half-eaten steak submerged in a thick, red sauce. The metallic, almost fishy scent wafted up, assaulting your senses.

Before you could react, Lilia appeared beside you, his small hand guiding you to a seat. His right hand held a wine glass filled with a creamy red liquid that clung to the inside of the chalice. You tried to dismiss the fact that it looked too much like blood—thick, viscous blood. Surely, wine wasn’t supposed to look like that, but who were you to judge?

“Bonjour, Trickster! ~” Rook’s voice whispered in your ear, and when you turned, you were met with a sight that made your stomach turn. The smell hit you first—foul, putrid, like a freshly killed animal left to rot. It was too strong, the copper and iron scent so overpowering you had to fight to keep your expression neutral.

You hope your face does not betray the constriction of your throat.

“Rook,” you managed to say, swallowing down the bile that threatened to rise. “What…uhm, what is that?”

Rook laughed, the sound as sharp as the glint in his eyes. “Liver pâté, my dear,” he said, twirling his fork. “If it’s a strong scent, I apologize. It’s from the raw liver I like to eat with the liver pâté.”

Raw…

You tried to ignore the word. Back in your world, people ate raw food—sushi, for instance. So whatever Rook had on his plate was none of your business. At least, that’s what you tried to tell yourself.

“Shishishi, the food is sure delicious, especially when I’m getting it for free!” A voice cackled, startling you. You almost jumped out of your seat at the sight of Ruggie, devouring his meal with a voracious appetite. His sharp teeth ripped through the flesh with ease, tearing the meat from the bone in one swift motion. Red droplets—blood?—splattered across his chin, and you watched in horror as his tongue darted out to lick it clean.

“Oi, Ruggie, have some manners,” Leona growled from beside him, his voice gruff and annoyed. He wasn’t eating, his plate already littered with bones, but he was sipping from a glass filled with a red liquid. You wanted to believe it was wine, but the scent…The scent was as repugnant as the raw liver on Rook’s plate. It was metallic, nauseating

—blood.

A shiver trickled down your spine.

That same scent wafted from Malleus and Lilia’s glasses, clinging to the air like a dark cloud.

“You’re one to talk!” Ruggie retorted, his mouth full of meat. “You’ve never eaten a rat before, Leona-san.”

You blinked. Did you hear him right?

Your train of thought was interrupted by Malleus’s voice from your left.

“Shroud,” the prince of fae said, his tone commanding yet gentle, “drink this and replenish your energy.” You watched as Malleus offered Idia the same drink he was consuming. And to your shock, Idia accepted, his expression one of reluctance.

“I don’t really mind drinking this stuff, but I just don’t like eating much…” The Ignihyde dorm leader mumbled, his voice trailing off. You glanced at his plate—a barely touched piece of ‘steak’ with a small cut in the corner, oozing something you didn’t want to identify.

You could barely breathe as you watched Idia reluctantly take a sip of the viscous liquid from Malleus's chalice. His face remained as pale as ever, though a faint hint of color touched his cheeks. The sight was unsettling, and you couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of dread tightening around your chest.

"Not a fan of solid food?" Jade's voice slithered into your thoughts, pulling you from the trance. His mismatched eyes glinted in the dim light as he calmly sliced through his portion of meat, each movement precise and almost too graceful. "It's an acquired taste," he continued, offering you a smile that somehow did nothing to ease your growing anxiety.

Your gaze shifted to the plate in front of you, untouched and ominously inviting. The stack of meat in the center of the table loomed like a dark specter, its presence a constant reminder of the unease gnawing at your mind. You felt a pressure to partake, to show your acceptance of their world, but every fiber of your being screamed against it.

"Come now," Lilia's playful voice broke through the tension, "you should try it at least once. After all, it's not every day you get to dine with such esteemed company." He winked, the gesture meant to be comforting, but it only made you more wary.

You glanced around the table, noting the expectant gazes directed your way. Floyd’s sharp grin was still fixed on you, his eyes gleaming with mischief, while Ruggie gnawed contentedly on his bone, seemingly oblivious to the tension. Rook, watched you with a keen interest, his fork poised elegantly in his hand.

Leona’s gaze was the most unsettling, though. His amber eyes were half-lidded, seemingly bored, yet there was an intensity in them that made you feel like prey. His fingers drummed lazily on the table, and you couldn’t help but notice the slight curl of his lips, as if he was waiting for you to make a move.

Your gaze drifted across the table, stomach churning with a mix of disgust and dread. The dim light flickered, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance across their faces—no, across their true forms. You blinked, the image wavering as if your mind was trying to shield you from something it wasn’t ready to comprehend.

Floyd’s laughter echoed, a sound that grated against your nerves. For a split second, you saw something else—an elongated, sinuous form, slick with scales, teeth sharper than any blade, rows upon rows of them, stretching endlessly down a gaping maw that promised nothing but pain. You shuddered, the image vanishing as quickly as it appeared, leaving you staring at the harmless, smiling face of the boy who once called you Shrimpy. Jade is no better. You can see the muscles bulging as his back turns, with sharp rows of fins scattered along his spine. If you were behind him right now, you’re certain he would cut you in half.

Your eyes flicked to Ruggie, who was gnawing on the bone of his meal with unabashed relish. But in the periphery of your vision, his form distorted—muscles rippling beneath fur that was too thick, claws that scraped against the table, and a maw that was too wide, too hungry, filled with jagged fangs meant for tearing, ripping, devouring. He glanced up, catching your gaze, and you quickly looked away, the image of the beast-man fading back into the all-too-familiar figure of a mischievous boy. Leona on the other hand, sit still. The image of a lion assessing it's prey. You dare not look at his eyes burning holes through your skull—you feel it.

Idia, who sits apart from the others, his presence a dark shadow at the table. There’s something about him that feels different, even among these monsters. His connection to the underworld is undeniable, a guardian of the boundary between life and death. The flickering blue flames of his hair and the way his eyes pierce through the darkness suggest something far older and more terrifying than any of the others—a being who has seen what lies beyond the veil, and who has perhaps brought a piece of it back with him.

Rook, you cannot even begin to comprehend how a human—like yourself, is able to blend in with them.

But the worst was Malleus. The prince of the fae was calm, serene even, but there was something wrong—horribly wrong. His eyes glowed too brightly, their green hue pulsating with an otherworldly light. And then, for just a moment, you saw what lay beneath that regal facade—a towering figure, wings that stretched endlessly, blotting out the sky, horns that twisted and curled like a crown of dark thorns. His smile was too sharp, too knowing, as if he could see right through you, into the very depths of your soul.

You closed your eyes, refusing to look at anyone anymore.

You tried to swallow your saliva, but your throat was dry, your mouth parched. The air was thick with the scent of blood, the tang of iron clinging to your tongue. They were all looking at you now, waiting, expecting you to take a bite, to join them in this feast.

Lilia’s voice broke the silence, light and playful as ever. “Come now, dear. Don’t be shy. You wouldn’t want to insult your hosts, would you?”

The pressure was unbearable, the weight of their gazes pressing down on you, suffocating you. Your hand trembled as you reached for the fork, the silver glinting in the low light. You knew, deep down, that whatever you saw—whatever you thought you saw—a no mere trick of the light.

They were not like you. They were never like you.

"I," you hope your voice does not shake, "I am full." You nodded, convincing them. You let out a nervous laugh, quickly standing up as you find the place too suffocating. Chair scraping the floor. "I'm fine! Really, I—ah, I need to go back, I have to catch some sleep and Grim is alone."

Floyd is quick to be by your side. His smile, wide and filled with sharp teeth, is unsettling. "Eh, Shrimpy, do you not like the food?" He asks, worry in his voice. You know it's fake: he's mocking you.

"I am good," you say with a strained smile. Please let me go, please, please—

"I insist," Malleus interjects, his voice smooth but commanding. "This is a feast meant for sharing. It would be rude to leave before sampling a morsel."

As if on cue, the others start to close in. Rook leans in closer, his eyes glinting with an unsettling mix of curiosity and amusement. "The flavors are truly exquisite, you know. Not something one should miss out on."

Leona’s gaze is heavy and piercing, his voice low and rumbling. "I’ve seen your kind turn down more robust fare than this. Surely you can handle a small bite."

Your attempts to excuse yourself only seem to stoke their interest further. The way they move, their unnervingly smooth motions, reminds you of predators circling their prey.

You might just be one tonight.

Floyd’s grin widens as he leans in closer, his breath hot against your neck. "Come on, Shrimpy. Just a taste. I promise it won’t hurt."

The pressure is mounting. They are pushing you to stay, to partake in their feast, and the atmosphere thickens with their silent insistence. Malleus’s eyes bore into you with a knowing gaze, his hand extending with a glass of the viscous red liquid. "Just a sip, if you please."

Every attempt to excuse yourself only seems to make their eyes narrow further, their smiles widen just a little more. The eerie calm of the feast surrounds you.

It is when you see the meat properly that you made up your mind to escape. It is in someone's plate, you do not know who.

It's in the shape of a finger. A charred fingernail dipped in red.

Floyd let out a yelp as you finally push him off of you, your steps quickening as you trace back where you came from: The path to Ramshackle dorm.

You heard Jade reprimand Floyd, the latter angry when you pushed him: How dare you Shrimpy was all you heard before you were out of their sight and you're running back, panting, to your safe space, Ramshackle.

Only to pause as Crowley stands in the steps of your door. His mask drowning the glint of yellow from holes that was supposed to be his eyes.

What... what the fuck.

Crowley approached you slowly, as if he's reaching out to a wounded prey, this is the first time you've ever seen him serious. You take a step back, should you run in the other direction? Where will you escape, Heartslabyul? Will they take you in there?

The headmaster let out a sigh, "My students here at Night Raven should perhaps know kindness from their teacher," he declared dramatically. Then he gave you pouch, full of madol. Thaumarks.

This is a bribe. Crowley is bribing you.

"Our little secret, alright?"

You blinked. What...?

"A little compensation for your troubles, for I am truly kind."

He then disappear, leaving you stunned.

At exactly 3:33 AM, a realization hit you. You are in the company of creatures far more dangerous than you ever imagined, their monstrous forms hidden just beneath the surface. One wrong step, one mistake, it can all come down. Crumbling to pieces.

It is inside when your knees give out, you slide through the door of the Ramshackle, too weak to stand anymore.

This is the truth: you are in the company of creatures mimicking humans, their monstrous forms hidden just beneath the normal exterior. But what terrifies you most is not the thought of what they are—but the thought that, perhaps, they see you as something less than human too.

The truth of what they were—what they really were—lurked just out of reach, like a shadow at the corner of your vision, waiting to pounce the moment you let your guard down.

But you knew better. Something had changed.

And as you sit there, the only protection you have are rotting woods that make up your dorm. You are just within the circle of monstrous beings in their friendly human skins. You are a magic-less, pathetic alien.

For in a world filled with monsters hiding in plain sight, the only question that remained was this:

What would happen when they decided they were tired of pretending?

Perhaps you will find out soon.

[sunanthonyz]

my head with the heat thought that idea is funny

[kashasenpai]

Me still waiting for that Twisted Wonderland Anime: