#twistedchatterbox

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Well it might sort itself out later but I’m going on record that I love Rook with my entire heart and everyone who hates him and says he’s ugly isn’t welcome here

-Pomefiore Admin

[dark-pink-fantasy]

In process tags

click on the tags to find the works from each blog.

#whateverdontgiveashit

#parade of kings

#goldenamhours

#leonaism

#19807

#orlic1a

#khalixicus

#dreamscapys

#deiformlover

#notmadeinjelly

#piepumpkin

#aliceliddellirll

#cosmiie

#kyobuui chan

#nightshade writes stories

#overly niche twst

#twistedchatterbox

#twisted concubus

#the fishing basket

#yumijjx

#https valentine

#twistwonderlanddevotee

#malleus draconias wife

#shiroiinuuu

#liliasrecipes

#re isms

#beadobea

#mimisquibbles

#vitaecur

[underqualified-human]

Hello?!- I didn't think one of my favorite authors would actually follow me back, but hi! You may or may not have known, but I adore your writing, so I just wanted to say thank you ^^

I-I don't know how to express how excited and happy I am to hear that I'm someone's favorite author

Like I got this message almost an hour ago and I still don't know how to properly respond.

Thank you so much for this message, it really made my day!!!

[cupids-chamber]

you see id barge into your askbox more often but most of the time that just means its me selfshipping myself with jade or rambling about pokemon or some other niche/hyper-specific joke like

photoshopping rook into concerning places

HE LOOKS HIGH 💀

[twistedchatterbox]

"I belong to you, body and soul; so please, allow me to prove myself."

[da-birb-writes-sometimes]

hi hi! i am the 'creator' of TWST spotlight; if youd like to find some blogs, you can check this out! also would appreciate you shouting out your fave fan-content-creators in the reblogs too!! there is always more room for people

THANK YOU! MERCI BEAUCOUP!

Creatives gotta support fellow creatives. We are all just bards telling our stories to the masses; yes, we are bards.

It'll take me a bit since I'm currently writing up a draft, but I will definitely check it out once I have time (and I like leaving chaotic but well-meaning reblogs)!

Thank you again for sharing! I hope your pillow is cold at night!

Side note; please take care of your bone snake (aka spine), I know it must be very crunchy. It is a curse that comes with creating, horrible posture.

[linawritestwst]

wearing matching halloween outfits with your bf! (gn!reader)

(divider link)

this is my entry for @twistedchatterbox 's halloween collab! my prompt was "dress up (together)"!

characters: ace trappola, cater diamond, leona kingscholar, azul ashengrotto, floyd leech, kalim al-asim, vil schoenheit, idia shroud, lilia vanrouge

genre: fluff

warnings: none

ace trappola.

♡ "come on, y/n, hurry up! the dorm leader's gonna be real mad if we-".. o-okay, he didn't expect that you'll choose an outfit that looks just like his, not counting some slight changes. he was pretty sure you're gonna go with something different. a-and why does his face feel so warm?.. ugh, this is embarrassing, he shouldn't feel this way just because you've decided to match with him.

♡ "ace, ace, look! hehe, don't i look cute?~" yes, you do. but obviously, he's not gonna tell you that. no, he's gonna go "halloween's whole thing is that you gotta look scary, not cute!" while his heart is beating so fast and his cheeks are only becoming more red. this shouldn't be a big deal, all of his dormmates are dressed up like this after all, but something about you two wearing the same outfit is.. like, it feels like something couples do, you know? even though you two ARE a couple, but still..

♡ "hmm? is it just me, or are you.. blushing?" okay, he has to get out of here. he quickly reminds you that you two are gonna be late, grabs your arm while trying not to look at you, even though it's so hard, and you two leave. you try so hard not to laugh because you know so well that he IS blushing right now. he's just trying so hard to act cool, but ends up being cute instead.

cater diamond.

♡ he also needs a moment before his brain can process what's going on. and when it actually does process it.. oh boy, he's gonna take SO MANY pictures of you. and he's also gonna take pictures WITH you! he needs everyone to know how adorable his s/o is and how good you two look together. it's just so cute, you two look like an actual couple!

♡ he is so excited, he can't stop smiling and he keeps holding your hand the entire time. every time you do something cute, he immediately takes a picture. come on, y/n, at least smile a little!~ but if you're not comfortable with that, he'll understand. if you don't want him to post those photos, he won't, please trust him. he can just keep them for himself to look at later <3

♡ oh, but now you have to be prepared for wearing matching outfits with him for like.. every single holiday. cater loves matching with you too much, it's just so nice and so fun and.. um.. m-maybe it feels like your relationship is actually serious a-and you actually love him and- n-no, he probably shouldn't talk about it. he doesn't want you to think he's weird, haha..

leona kingscholar.

♡ .. why exactly are you dressed like this? is this the outfit that you were so proud of earlier? why is he finding out about this only now? sure, all savanaclaw students are wearing the same outfit, but.. he just knows that you chose this exact outfit just because you wanted to match with him and nobody else. ugh, why are you like this..

♡ okay, he has to admit that you being so happy and acting all excited is kinda cute. no, he won't admit it out loud, shut up. he will just silently admire you when you don't notice it and if you're very, very lucky, you can see the corner of his mouth turn up a little, forming a smile, but the moment he sees you looking at him, he'll immediately turn away. not so good with being honest about his feelings, is he?

♡ you just keep following him around the entire time and the savanaclaw students try so hard not to tease their dorm leader about it, but they know well what's gonna happen if they do so, so instead they just try to see it as their dorm leader being so cool and having an extremely loyal s/o. eventually leona becomes kinda annoyed with you refusing to leave him alone, so maybe a quick kiss on the lips will shut you up at least for a minute?

azul ashengrotto.

♡ hm.. for some reason you changing is taking a bit more time than azul expected.. he'll wait, of course, but he still asks you if you're having any problems with anything, just in case. "o-oh, uh, it's just a little hard to move with these things.. they really are like bandages, haha." .. bandages? hold on, isn't that octavinelle's theme this year? ".. darling, i am sorry if this sounds rude, but could it be that our costumes are actually more similar than i thought they would be?" ".. yes-"

♡ .. y/n. when he said that your costumes could be similar, he didn't think your costume will be an exact copy of his. what is going on, y/n. and why is his heart beating so fast. why does he actually find it cute. oh no. quick, he can't show it, he doesn't want you to make fun of him even though you most likely wouldn't. he clears his throat and tries to stay calm, but it's hard, because it's like.. you planned this as a surprise for him, didn't you?

♡ you wanted to make him happy and well, congratulations, this mission was a success. he softly kisses your hand and tells you that this outfit suits you well and even if you fall because of the "bandages", he'll be right there to catch you, so you don't have to worry about anything. except he's wrong and it's actually him who trips like five minutes later and you have to catch him.

floyd leech.

♡ "shrimpy!~ ugh, what's taking you so long.. huh." yeah, sorry, floyd is not like azul. he's not gonna wait. you're being too slow? yeah, he's coming in. he has no shame. and well.. he really did not expect you to wear the same costume as him. like, if he remembers correctly, you've said that you will wear something different?.. haha, it's okay, shrimpy, he likes surprises.

♡ i hope you're ready for lots and lots of affection from him. he's gonna hug you, he's gonna squeeze you, he's gonna pick you up (he doesn't care about your height. he WILL pick you up. you have no choice), he's gonna bite you- okay, okay, fine, he'll try to calm down. he can't promise anything though. it's just!! you're so cute!! and so squishy!! and so biteable!!

♡ hey, hey, you two are going to wear matching outfits for other holidays too, right? come on, you gotta do it. and you look so cute in this particular outfit too.. be careful though and watch where you're going, because he might use the bandage-like details of your outfit to make you trip and fall right into his arms. come on, don't be mad at him, it was just a silly little prank~

kalim al-asim.

♡ .. he is SO happy. he's literally jumping and running around and his eyes are so sparkly and his smile is brighter than the sun itself, you actually have to close your eyes. he literally goes :O and points at you and turns to jamil and turns back to you and goes "JAMIL!! THEY'RE- WE'RE- WE'RE MATCHING!!!" jamil has to calm him down and say that's just something everyone in scarabia is wearing, but kalim refuses to listen to him.

♡ i hope you're patient enough because kalim is just. he's just a cute little puppy who will run around and will show you off to everyone he knows. "hey!! hey!! hi, look, this is y/n, my s/o! o-oh, you already know them? ohh, you must be very happy to see them again then!" he's literally acting like spongebob in that one episode where he made squidward wear a salmon costume and introduced him to everyone.

♡ but again, kalim is actually very happy because the concept of you two doing something together, even if it's just wearing the same outfit, is just so.. like, it warms his heart. it makes him feel like you two really are together, you know? like you two really are a part of each other's lives and maybe there's a chance that you'll be able to spend the rest of your lives together.

vil schoenheit.

♡ you're taking a little more time than he expected. but before vil can say or do anything, he suddenly hears your voice and turns to you. "haha, s-sorry, this outfit was a little hard to put on.. man, it's so detailed." hm? what does that mean- oh. oh. you're wearing the same outfit as him. oh. his head goes empty for a second, but only for a second, even though that second means a lot to someone like him, before he can react properly.

♡ but before he can say anything about your outfit, he notices that your hair is a little messy. and what about your makeup? dear, you know that you would look so much better with different colors.. no, no, this won't do. he has to help you out. he immediately drops everything he was doing before this just so that he can fix your hair and makeup. yes, he doesn't want to be late, but also, it'd be a shame to just let his s/o look like this while he's serving as always..

♡ while he's working on your makeup, he can feel that you're a little worried, most likely about him "not paying attention to your outfit". he smiles softly and kisses your forehead before telling you that you shouldn't think so low of him. of course, he noticed it. and of course, he loves how you look in it. it's an honor for him to wear matching outfits with someone like you. he just thinks that if you two are going to match, you both deserve to look like the most beautiful couple of this school (even if you two already are one)~

idia shroud.

♡ "guess who?~" you ask playfully, covering idia's eyes with your hands. he screams and starts shaking, but he still recognizes your voice. "u-uh.. y-y/n?.." "aaaaand you're right!" you let idia look at you and finally see what you're wearing. wait. wait hold on. hold on, let him just. n-never mind, his brain totally stopped working. girl help he's about to lose consciousness. not because you're so scary, but because you're so cute.

♡ oh. oh his s/o is matching with him. oh sevens. okay, let him just. let him just take a deep breath, in and out. look, what did you expect from him, it's not something that happens every day! okay, you really are wearing pretty much the same outfit as him. but.. why? "oh, i just thought it'd be fun", you shrug your shoulders. idia is shocked to hear just how chill your answer is, but you know that he'd be more shocked to hear the real reason why you did this.

♡ hm? so what's the real reason? uhh.. honestly, you just wanted to see his reaction. you thought it'd be cute and you were right. your boyfriend is going insane in a good way, his face is red, his hair is pink and his little brother is trying to calm him down. ortho is a little confused at first, but then he looks at you and. ohhhh, okay, he gets it. "ah, are you just so happy that you'll be able to match with y/n?" "ORTHO PLEASE-"

lilia vanrouge.

♡ you aren't sure if this is a good idea. you aren't prepared for all the teasing from lilia that's most definitely going to happen. but also the idea of matching with him sounded so cute.. so here you are. lilia was actually in the middle of talking to other diasomnia students, but he could still feel that you're here, so as soon as he was done, he looked at you and. u-uh.. are you going crazy or did his face just become slightly more red than usual?

♡ his face really did go red, but only for a minute, and right after that lilia basically runs to hug you and that hug is so sudden, you both fall on the ground. he laughs and apologizes to you, he was just so happy to see you and you look sooooo cute! here, let him help you get up. to be honest, he actually was kinda hoping to match with you.. and you look even better than he imagined!

♡ you can just see how proud he is of you being his s/o and he doesn't leave you alone for the entirety of the event. that's it, he's holding your hand and going "ah, have you already met my lovely partner?" and looking at you like you're the best thing that has ever happened to him and you have no choice. and yes, prepare yourself for a huge amount of teasing and flirting and hope that your heart can handle it.

[cloudcountry]

attention twisted wonderland fans! ortho has tasked you with an important mission—give his brother the best summer imaginable!

welcome to the introduction post for my new event! i am your host, auburn! you probably know me as azulashengrottospiano, but i've changed urls ^^;

this time, i'm attempting to bring people together instead of doing an event all by myself. you'll have to forgive me if it's confusing, i've never hosted something like this before but i'll do my best and i hope you guys will have fun!

both writers and artists are encouraged to participate!

RUN TIME: this event will run from may 27th to june 10th! but you are more than welcome to post your pieces before then if you are finished or after if something came up! we understand <3

TO SIGN UP: please comment or reblog this post with your name and what you're going to be making! you don't need to have a specific idea yet, you can just whether you're an author or an artist!

when finished, please tag your works with sweet shroud summer 2024 so people can have an overview of the event's wonderful talent!

the event rules . . .

no nsfw content, i want minors to be able to participate as well if they want to.

any content is welcome aside from that! it can be romantic, familial, platonic, it can include yuu or not!

just as long as idia is getting out of his room and having a good time C: make sure you treat him well or ortho will get upset!

the company policy is open to be modified if a customer brings up a question!!

contributors and their pieces will be listed under the cut.

OUR LOVELY CONTRIBUTORS!

auburn / cloudcountry - writer.

if you let me.

dove / da-birb-writes-sometimes - writer.

mess in chat >w^. mess at con.

edie / edith-is-a-cat - artist (mainly.)

art piece. written work. kitty. platinum jacket. idia & tsum. rainbow idia.

cookie / cookiesandbiscuits - artist.

at the beach art piece. hot day.

irene / officialdaydreamer00 - writer & artist.

flowers of a summer day. part 1.5. aimless outing. marionette on a string. board game club shenanigans.

cyath / cyath - artist.

identity / identity-theft-101 - artist.

he dropped his ice cream :( art piece.

mochimus / thatsadguymochi - artist.

at the lake art piece.

phrog / phrowog - artist.

gamer touches the ocean art piece.

sapphy / shinysparklesapphires - artist.

gamer touches grass art piece.

em / musicalhistorical - writer.

zell / z3llous - artist.

getting milkshakes. catching pokemon.

silver / rxttenbxnes - artist.

sosa / miraculous-pacer55 - artist.

monimich / monimichbeingsilly - artist.

pop up cafe.

kei / keii-starz - writer.

garden.

fruity / fruity-arts - artist.

moon / moon-mage - artist.

rubia / twistedchatterbox - writer & artist.

emily / walkingoneliner37 - artist.

idia and ortho at disneyworld!

ryker / ryker-writes - writer.

firefly.

mayuu / justyoureverydaytwstsimp - writer.

dani / xol-io - writer & artist.

arius / ariusthething - writer & artist.

a short visit!

daffodil / chocodaffodil - artist.

idia at the beach.

loser / loser-jpg - artist.

getting boba.

manoo / pop-sparkle - artist.

tropical idia!

yourfbiagen1 - artist.

idia meets hatsune miku

octahyde - artist.

she just got to the prince mush boss...

comingyourlugubriousness / artist.

fireflies.

[bunnwich]

Sorted into Savanaclaw

This is my new account as my other one was shadowbanned. If you are looking for my old art traveler, you can find it here.

°𓏲⋆🌿. 𖦹⋆💚🍵˚⋆🐇˚⋆୨୧˚☁️♡₊˚⋆✨️˚₊⸜🍃˚

My art tagged with

#bunnwich art🐇

My writing tagged with

#bunnwich writes📝

My queue tag

#days in the sun queue🌴

My posts tagged with

#ren speaks🌱

SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI

MY ETSY STORE

MY PAYPAL

My original story masterlist

Bound

Found Family

@/comingyourlugubriousness @/ice-cweam-sod4 @/anevilbunnyinthehat  @/artistfaery @/tinyfantasminha  @/nicoliharu @/evilcokito @/oseathepebble @/ceruleancattail @/forgwater @/just-patchy @/twst-the-night-away @/oreoskys @/twstinginthewind @/robo-milky @/vaporvipermedia @/tunabesimpin @/candiedchiliarch @/twstchaos @/cynthinesia @/the-trinket-witch @/honey-milk-depresso @/deeva-arud @/starry-night-rose @/ruggiethethuggie  @/bloodiegawz @/ashipiko  @/spadecentral  @/siphoklansan @/kimikitti @/twistedchatterbox @/k-looking-glass-house @/the-v-lociraptor @/nuitthegoddess @/cyn-write @/br3adtoasty @/reinbouxsworld @/leichor @/aranciangelo @/nammanarin @/boopshoops @/revivemyreverie @/darling-in-wonderland @/lmnlad @/drdepper @/dibbledoodle

Blog under construction.

°𓏲⋆🌿. 𖦹⋆💚🍵˚⋆🐇˚⋆୨୧˚☁️♡₊˚⋆✨️˚₊⸜🍃˚

[twst-stupid-ocs]

“Guess whose birthday it is!! Party at my dorm tonight! Woo-hoo!!”

Scroll to the end for a qna

!!Likes do nothing, Reblog instead!!

Set home: you wanna hang out with moi? Sure! I have cake!

Home idle 1: everybody was so nice today! I had so much fun.

Home idle 2: I got sooo many gifts! Most of them from the leeches and Kalim. This is why you gotta have rich friends!

Home idle 3: the most unreal part of this? Probably that Crowley actually got me a gift, biggest surprise of the century.

Home login: yooo!! Dude! Come over here man, let’s dance the night away!

Home tap 1: Floyd got me this really pretty necklace with my name on it. It’s really sweet of him.

Home tap 2: you know, back home my mom would make me banana bread with homemade chocolate spread on every birthday of mine, I miss that.

Home tap 3: being trapped in another world on my birthday is probably my second craziest birthday, not the first though. Nothing beats that Tokyo trip.

Home tap 4: last year, my baby sister Mira gave me an apple she found at the store that she said looked pretty. We made apple pie with it.

Groovification: locked

Tap home groovy: locked

Home transition groovy: locked

Duo magic:-

Vesper: You got me a gift? Aww babe, you got a crush on me?

Floyd: mmmaybe~ happy birthday shrimpy!!

Wooo!!

August 19th baby! Aka Vespers B-Day!

This drawing took years off my life I swear😭

Anywaayyss~ since it’s my baby boys birthday I decided to open a qna for this month.

It’ll start from, well, today. And end of the 30th of September . So you guys have a whole week to send in any questions you guys want from the ones down below!!

Rules for this: pick one (or more) questions from these prompts I found and send them in my inbox! I’ll answer each of them as Vesper and that’s that!!

You can send as much questions as you want (and even questions that aren’t on the lists ^^)

★ first list ☼ second list

۵ third list ♚ fourth list

comments are more than appreciated. but reblogs help the content reach more people so please reblog if you want to like<3 likes do nothing. Seriously, don’t like, reblog.

Tag list 🔖: @dibbledoodle @catboiie16 @siphoklansan @twistedchatterbox @midnightmah07 @drdepper

If you wanna be added to my tag list just tell me^^

[hisui-dreamer]

our twisted threads of fate

Pairing: Jamil Viper x gn!reader

Synopsis: When you finally meet your soulmate in Twisted Wonderland, you realise the bond is only one sided. He's your soulmate, but to him, you're just someone from another world.

Tags: soulmate au, pining, crushes, friends to lovers, canon divergence, spoilers for Ch2 and up, reader has a soulmate mark and cooks, bot proofread

Word count: 3.3k+

Notes: Wrote this fic in one night and it's basically my love letter to Jamil's character oop. This is Day 20 of the 30-day April event held by @twistedchatterboxed. So glad to be taking part in this event <3 Make sure to check out everyone's work too!

Masterlist

"So? Why are you asking about my accident?"

The moment the words left his lips, you could feel a strange feeling course through your veins. A warm, tingly sensation could be felt on your collarbone, as no doubt the words written there were reacting to the presence of the man sitting before you.

It had been terribly exhausting adapting to Twisted Wonderland, given how chaotic your new friends were and how incredibly run-down Ramshackle Dorm was. Not only were you now expected, to keep up with the curriculum of NRC, but also be the headmaster's errand-runner. Which brings you back to the current conversation.

After the numerous accidents that had befallen several promising players for the upcoming Spelldrive tournament, the headmaster requested, no, ordered you to investigate the suspicious circumstances. So here you are, after having investigated several students who had gotten injured, standing in the cafeteria with your friends, asking the second-year student what exactly happened during the incident in the kitchen.

What you didn't expect, however, was to find out that Jamil Viper, the person who got injured in said incident, was your soulmate.

Another joke fate played on you, was that soulmates didn't exist in Twisted Wonderland. They were nothing more than a trope in fiction, poetic devices used to dramatise romances. But for you and your world, finding your soulmate is something so tremendously precious, it's considered the best thing that could happen to someone. Most people had "hello" or "hey" written as their mark, you were fortunate that your mark was something so identifiable.

'So? Why are you asking about my accident?'

You had always hoped to find your soulmate, the one who would be your other half, only you didn't expect the bond to be one-sided.

You took a deep breath and try to compose yourself before meeting his charcoal eyes. "We're here at the headmage's behest."

Jamil hummed, crossing his arms and contemplating. "The headmage?" he mumbled quietly. "Huh... Well okay."

He continued recounting the events of the previous night, while Kalim interjected occasionally, eager to join the conversation. But you found yourself lost in Jamil's voice, smooth like honey, flowing with a baritone richness that sent shivers down your spine. His eyes, sharp and glinting with intensity when he was deep in thought, held your attention like a mesmerizing spell. The way his dark hair fell neatly, framing the right side of his face, added to his undeniable allure.

The thrumming sensation on your collarbone persisted, as if your soulmate mark was screaming at you to take action. And you wanted to. You wanted to tell him, tell him how much he means to you, but you knew that he wouldn't be able to understand or reciprocate.

"Because we're not talking about me here!" You're broken out of your trance as Jamil exclaimed, flustered by Kalim's words. From there, your focus is back on the new clue Jamil has given you, and with an inkling of who the culprit might be, you left the cafeteria with the group in search of a certain hyena.

Days turned into weeks as you got wrapped up in the shenanigans of one dorm after another. It was frustrating and draining, and it didn't help that you were also trying to balance everything while getting used to the strange land.

Having found yourself growing increasingly conscious of your spending habits, given Crowley’s tight budget for Ramshackle, you decided to start cooking dinner for yourself and Grim in the cafeteria kitchen. Crowley had graciously given you permission to use the school kitchen after you made very valid points about how unusable the Ramshackle kitchen was, while making you promise to keep your gremlin cat out of the kitchen for safety. And with Sam generously giving you discounts on groceries knowing your situation, you found yourself frequenting the kitchen. It was rather calming and helped you unwind after a stressful day.

It also helps that your soulmate also frequented the kitchen.

It all came as a shock when you discovered that he was personally in charge of preparing each meal for Kalim and testing for poison. It seemed so bizarre, so different from what you were used to. You had known that he was Kalim’s caretaker since they were children, but you couldn't fathom how he managed to handle everything as a student, let alone when he was younger. But like everything else in Twisted Wonderland, you learned to accept it. This wasn’t a fantasy novel where characters had tragic backstories for the sake of character development; this was their real life, and you couldn’t just impose your values on them.

Still, you can’t deny that Jamil working in the kitchen is a delightful sight. He moves with precision and grace, like it’s a dance he’s practised a thousand times before. You can see the passion in his eyes as he creates his culinary masterpieces. He takes pride in every dish he makes, and it shows in the way he carefully plates each one. You can tell that he's been doing this for a long time, and he's become quite skilled at it.

As he finishes up his dish, he offers you a taste, and it's impossible to not be impressed by the explosion of flavours in your mouth. You compliment him on his cooking skills, and he smiles, seeming genuinely pleased by your words. In return, you often let him taste your creations as well, and as you started exchanging compliments and criticisms with each other, a gentle friendship between the two of you started to form.

You’re not sure if it’s from the soulmate bond or your personal interest in him, but undeniably, you find yourself eagerly soaking up every piece of information you could find on Jamil like a parched sponge absorbing water after a long drought.

Every little bit of him makes your heart soar, like how despite his reserved demeanour, there's a quiet confidence about him that's hard to miss, how he handles unexpected situations with ease, or the glimpses of a mischievous glint in his eye when he thinks no one is looking, but you notice it easily because your attention is on him invariably. You adore how naturally he shows his care for others, including you: the tender hand he places on shelves or tables to prevent you from hitting your head when you get up, the kind cautionary warnings he gives you when you’re using a knife or cooking, his soothing touch full of patience as he takes care of your injuries when you’ve gotten too distracted by him.

Your heart yearns to see more of him, to learn every single thing about him.

You are deeply in love with him.

But the gravity of your soulmate bond wasn’t something you could tell him. You don't want to pressure him into feeling a certain way or risk changing the dynamic of your relationship, especially with his already long list of worries. So, you decide to simply keep it to yourself, content with the friendship the two of you currently have.

Jamil Viper found that fate was incredibly unfair.

Being born into a family of servitude, it was a necessary skill to be able to blend in with the crowd. While there had been many times when Jamil wished he could break free from the mould and show his true potential, it was ingrained in him to never outdo Kalim and to constantly keep his family's position in mind. He was used to living in the shadows, never drawing attention to himself.

So, when someone from another world began to show an overwhelming amount of interest in him, Jamil was taken aback.

Things started to change when he started cooking in the cafeteria kitchen with you. He had enjoyed taking his time and working without interruptions in the kitchen; it was a rare moment when he could be alone with his thoughts. And while that changed when you started showing up in the cafeteria kitchen more often, Jamil also found himself enjoying the small talk and banter that would occasionally happen between the two of you while cooking. He had been startled when you started talking to him and asking him questions about his life, but you seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him. It was a new feeling for him, and he didn't quite know how to respond.

He notices how you would watch him intently as he cooked, pleasantly surprised by your apparent admiration for his culinary skills. Your praises gave him the feeling that his efforts were truly acknowledged. He even found himself looking forward to the times when you would show up, excited to see what new recipes he could whip up with your assistance.

But what surprises him the most was that your attention is always on him. Even when other people are around, you seem to be looking at him, and it makes him feel seen in a way he never had before. He doesn't know why you were so interested in him, why you seem to support him no matter what, there to offer a kind word or a helping hand reassuringly. Without a doubt, he is grateful for your presence, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to your kindness than met the eye.

You are different from anyone else he has ever met. Coming from a different world, you don't care about his family's position or his connection to the Asim heir. You see him for who he is, and that makes him feel seen and appreciated.

Your attention had made him uncomfortable in the beginning, but now he can't deny that he likes it. He likes being noticed by you, being acknowledged, and appreciated for who he is.

It's not until one day that the truth hits him like a basketball to the face.

He's in love with you.

He yearns to spend the rest of his days making you happy, to create a future with you that was filled with love and warmth. He envisions days spent cooking together, the aroma of spices and flavours melding in the air as you laugh and savour each other's company. He finds himself craving your presence like a parched wanderer in a desert that craves water. He wants to hold your hand, to wrap his arms around you, to claim you as his own in a way that was both tender and possessive. His love for you has bloomed into a magnificent wildflower, bursting with vibrant colours and life, but also carrying a touch of greed. Like a protective vine, he curls around you, unwilling to let anyone come too close, fearing you'd wither in their presence.

He wants you to be his, desperately so.

But as much as he wants to express his feelings, he knew that it wasn’t the right time. The friendship that had blossomed between you two was something too precious; he didn't dare jeopardise his bond with the one person who made him feel like he mattered.

And so he keeps his feelings to himself and continued to come to the kitchen every day, cooking and chatting with you, content to just be near you, helping and caring for you in whatever way he could. Helping you wash the dishes, learning your favourite foods so he could make them for you, getting extra ingredients for you, he puts his mindfulness to full use when it comes to you. He cherishes the precious and fleeting moments you spend together, fearing the day you leave and go back to your original world.

One night, you walked into the kitchen looking troubled and lost in thought. Jamil couldn't help but notice something was amiss. You didn't even acknowledge his presence as you went straight to the fridge to grab some ingredients for cooking. Concerned, he speaks up. "Is everything okay?" he asks, "You look a bit troubled, is something bothering you today?"

You let out a heavy sigh and turned to face him. "Not really. I just couldn't fall asleep last night, so I'm a bit sleep deprived," you replied.

Jamil nodded in understanding. "I see. Hmm… I can brew tea that can help improve sleep quality. Would you like to try some?" he offered.

"Are you sure? I know you're very busy," you said, not wanting to be another burden on him.

A wry smile appeared on his face as he walked closer to you. "You're too considerate," he said as he playfully poked your forehead. "I have plenty of time to brew tea, so don't worry about it." He smiled as he started boiling water. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, what’s on your mind? It’s unlike you to lose sleep unless something's bothering you."

You hesitated, knowing full well that he was what had kept you awake last night. While you wanted to be content with your current friendship, you suppose it was in your nature, given the soulmate bond, to be incredibly greedy. It was selfish of you to hope, but you yearned to be bonded to him like lovers were. "Well, it's a long story," you eventually answered.

"I don't mind listening. You can tell the story while I'm making the tea," he replied nonchalantly. "Just tell me whatever you’re comfortable with sharing."

Well, here goes nothing.

"Uhm... To start, have you ever heard of soulmates?"

Jamil thought for a bit before nodding. "I've heard of them, yes," he answered as he poured hot water into a teapot. "It's where two people are 'destined to be with' each other, right? I've heard of them before. Why do you ask?" he turned to face you with a curious expression.

You fidgeted with your hands, unsure of how to approach the subject. "It's just, in my world, they’re a very real thing." You took a deep breath and began to explain to Jamil about soulmates in your world—how it's believed that every person has a special bond with someone else, their soulmate, and that when they meet, they just know that they were meant to be together.

Jamil listened intently as you spoke, noticing the wistful look in your eyes as you talk about soulmates.

"At first, I wasn't sure about it either," you admitted. "But then... I met him."

Jamil's expression changed, a bitter wave crashing over him as he realized that you've found someone who had captured your heart. He had been content with being just friends, never daring to hope for more, but now it seemed that you had found someone else who made your heart sing.

"I see," he said, his movements a bit stiff as he poured hot water over the tea leaves. "It sounds like a beautiful thing, to be so connected to someone else," he commented, albeit a bit stiffly.

This stiffness goes unnoticed by you though, as you nodded, feeling a little embarrassed for bringing the conversation up. "Well, the thing is, I had hoped to find my soulmate. And... to have found him here in Twisted Wonderland, yet my connection to him is one-sided... I'm sorry; I know it sounds silly... It's just been on my mind a lot lately," you admitted.

Jamil shook his head. "Don't apologise. I'm glad you told me, it must be really important to you." He said, distracting himself by pouring the tea into a mug. "Here you go," he said, handing it to you. "It’s chamomile tea. I hope it helps you sleep better tonight."

"Thank you," you replied, taking a sip of the warm liquid. It's fragrant and soothing, and you felt a sense of calm wash over you.

Despite the sharp pang in Jamil's chest as he came to terms with the fact that you belonged to someone else, he couldn't help but be captivated by the image you paint of your soulmate. His heart clenched with bittersweet emotions as he pushed aside his own longing, resigned to the reality of unrequited feelings, as he had always done. He looked at you and asked, "So, what is your soulmate like?" His voice trembled slightly, betraying the turmoil of emotions within him.

You hesitated, torn between revealing the truth and keeping your feelings hidden. But as you met his intense gaze, you felt a surge of courage well up within you. Taking a deep breath, you described the person who holds the other half of your soul.

"He's incredibly responsible and resourceful," you said, your words tinged with a shy vulnerability. "He's always looking out for others, taking great care of the people around him. He's thoughtful, kind, and selfless."

As you spoke, Jamil's mind raced with a mix of emotions. He couldn't help but see himself reflected in the description you gave, recognizing the qualities that you admired in your soulmate. Could it be possible that you're describing him? His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he tried to keep his excitement in check. He cleared his throat and asked, "And... what about their hobbies?"

Okay, this is it. "He enjoys basketball and dancing quite a lot."

You watched as the gears turned in his head, his eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as he realised what you had said. "Me?" he asked, his voice barely audible as a flush settled across his face, his emotions swirling like a tempest within him.

You nodded shyly, confirming his suspicions. Jamil's heart skips a beat, and he could hardly believe his luck. "I... I'm your soulmate...?" he stammered, his voice barely audible, but the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.

You nodded again, hesitating for a moment before speaking, "I... I’ll show you," you said as you start to unbutton the top buttons of your uniform. He raised his eyebrows in alarm, his gaze flitting between your face and the wall, seemingly flustered by your words. You could barely hold back a laugh at his adorable reaction, but you composed yourself and pulled down the collar of your shirt, revealing the words written neatly on your collarbone in a familiar handwriting—his handwriting.

Jamil stared at the mark, his expression unreadable. The words written there are in his own handwriting, unmistakably so. He reaches out tentatively, his fingertips grazing the letters as if trying to confirm that what he's seeing is real. He feels as your body thrums at his touch, and a wave of possessiveness washes over him, seeing his mark on you as if you belonged to him. For the first time in his life, something, no, someone, finally belonged to him completely.

"This is what I meant," you said quietly. "It's my soulmate mark. The first words you ever said to me."

He looked up at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and tenderness. "I... I can't believe it," he stammered, his voice thick with emotion. "This is... this is incredible."

You smiled, feeling a rush of warmth spread through your chest. "It's real, Jamil," you murmur, cupping his hand on your collarbone. "We're soulmates."

He nodded slowly, still unable to take his eyes off the mark on your skin. "I never imagined... I never thought it would be like this." He looked at you with a newfound sense of possessiveness, as if he was realizing for the first time that you were truly meant for each other. "You're mine," he said in a low, husky voice. "My soulmate."

Your breath hitched at his words, and a shiver ran down your spine. You could feel the depth of his emotions, the intensity of his love, and it left you feeling weightless. "Yes, Jamil," you said airily. "I'm yours, and... you're mine."

He smiled tenderly before leaning in, his lips brushing against yours in a gentle, yet possessive, kiss. It feels like fireworks going off in your head as you realise that the bond you had been searching for your whole life has finally solidified. You deepen the kiss, your arms wrapping around his neck as you pull him closer, lost in the moment of pure connection. When you finally pull away, both of you are left breathless, smiling widely at each other.

Jamil had always thought fate had pulled a cruel joke on him. But if fate had brought him a soulmate from another world, maybe it wasn’t such a bad joke after all.

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

[underqualified-human]

Hi hi! thanks for the chance, and I'll get the low-hanging fruit; can I ask how Riddle would spend valentines days with his S/O? S/O is not Yuu/MC + Riddle and S/O have preferably known each other ever since they were kids, and they are a Heartslabyul student too Maybe they have a King & Queen of hearts dynamic? That's up to you, though! Again, thanks for the chance, I look forward to seeing what you make of this! ^^

ajkshjsda I love Riddle so much

thank you for this request! and I hope it's to your liking

[cecilebutcher]

The TWST boys give you a piggyback ride

Deuce, Jack, Floyd, Vil, Idia

day 13 of the collab with @twistedchatterboxed. go check everyone else out<3

D.Spade

you’ve seen him throw a punch before so you know he can lift you no problem 

Doesn’t even ask why you want a piggyback ride

Just tells you to hop on

Takes a few minutes to realise he just let you get on his back no questions asked

But since you’re there and barely weigh anything to him might as well let you be

You fell asleep on his back like thrice from how (shockingly) calm he was

“Hmm? Oh sure hop on”

You ask him for some more every now and then and he agrees with no question

J.Howl

Did not question it

Though he does get a tiny bit cocky before letting you on

Like Deuce you weigh nothing to him

You know that one meme?

“Do I even weigh anything to you?” “no, it’s like holding a couple of grapes”

Yeah that’s you two

Will just

Walk around with you on his back

Hell he’ll exercise with you on his back 

Don’t ask why he just does

“Where to M/C?” 

Best ride honestly

Very gentle

F.Leech

Awww

Little shrimpy wants a piggyback ride?

Depends on his mood is weather he’ll say yes

But when he does prepare for the most chaotic day

He’s running around with you on his back like your a backpack

Jumping off of high places

Working in the monstro lounge

Basketball practice

You’re still on his back

You know how Jack and Deuce are gentle and treat you like you could break while you’re on their back?

Yeah no throw that out the window

It’s like floyd WANTS you to break

“Shrimpy what's wrong? Tired? I’m the one carrying you! Now come on”

Good luck soldier o7

V.Schoenheit

hmm?

No

Go find someone else to do it he’s busy

….. nevermind come back he’ll indulge you

Vil is surprisingly strong 

Like no, SURPRISINGLY strong

People often forget that he does weight lifting. And so did you

Do when he gives you one and just walks around with you on his back for sevens know how long with HEELS on

You are flabbergasted 

But in a good way

“Very well, I’ll indulge you. But don’t get too used to this ok dearest?”

If you’re feet ever hurt again he has zero problem giving you a piggyback ride

I.Shroud

huh?

You want a piggyback ride from him? Why?

It takes a few minutes but he agrees to give you one

It’s very short though

Poor thing is freaking out about it like there’s no tomorrow 

He seriously doesn’t understand why you’d ask for it

Even if you give him a million and three reasons 

Face goes red and just shuts down afterwards(probably before he give you one too)

“H-HUH? Me? Um, I-I guess I am free right now?”

No, really. He’s dying over here

Comment if you want to be tagged in any and all future Twst content <3

[cupids-chamber]

you and your anons are giving me "he don't bite-" "YES HE DO" vibes rn

You weren't here for the other arcs were you

Those were..

One time the entire cast went yandere

so

as you can see

[snappit-the-snek]

Hello! If the spot is still open I would love to do #19 Hunting. It leaves a lot of ideas in my head, but if that isn't open I will gladly pick another one :>

Can't wait to see how this turns out !

@twistedchatterbox

Halloween Collab 2023 - 16/30 ; open !

Why hello there, loyal customer; Today I'm here to announce a collab for everyone's favorite holiday which starts on august and lasts 'till the end of October; spooky season!

Accepting collaborators 22nd-30th of September; This Halloween collab will be an advent that focuses on canon x reader/viewer content; you can join as an author/artist, with a minimum of 300~ words and no upper limit. -if you're interested, take a seat.

Here is how it'll work;

Everyone who participates in this collab will pick a prompt, and post their work on the day corresponding to the prompts number; it is mainly centered around writing, though artwork can be included !

Here are a few other things you should keep in mind v

To join the collab you have to reblog this post + choose a prompt! + You can ask to pick your prompt through replies instead, if you'd like that; as long as you reblog the post afterwards!

Remember to tag me on the post so that I can see it ; All the entries for the advent will be reblogged on @/jade-s-nymph and added to the masterlist !

One prompt per person; each person can only claim one prompt *

No Dead Dove: Don't Eat content !

All entries have a minimum of 300 words but no upper limit ; + Artwork can be entered as long as it is accompanied by writing ! + Your writing can be formatted however you'd like as long as it meets the minimum word count, just have fun with it !

Tag your works properly ! including but not limited to; if there are references to how the reader looks or is described, content warnings, phobia-specific warnings (ex. blood, cramped spaces)

Even though event mainly centers around canon x reader content Original Characters are very welcome to join in; whether it be Fanon x reader / Fanon & reader or just to make a cameo! Take the wheel and see where it leads you. ^^

Prompts that are taken/claimed by someone will be crossed out in text (like this) ; followed by the @ of the author/artist(s) who will post their work(s) on the prompt's day !

First Halloween - @magicluckystars

Sweetness

Tricked (or is it a treat..?)

Pumpkin(s)

Makeup

Secret invitation - @savanaclaw1996

Decor

Love at first fright

Undead(?)

Fangs - @rendy-a

Bewitched - @cecilebutcher

(Love) potion - @bunnwich

Phantom Thief

Opera - @fungifanart

Knight

Sleeping Beauty - @siren-serenity

Haunted House - @leonistic

Graveyard

Hunting

Full Moon

Siren's Song - @/twistedchatterbox ie.@/Jade-s-nymph

Yokai

Bandages

Angelic

Detective

Dress-up (together) - @linawritestwst

Possessed - @darling-in-wonderland

Devilish - @da-birb-writes-sometimes

Cerberus

Red Hood - @juno-of-wonderland

"Once upon a time.." - @whatevermywpis

Ps. if you'd like to collab with someone on a prompt, you can! * ex. Two authors writing a 2-part fic together or writing 2 separate fics that reference each other / An author writing a fic and an artist making an illustration to go along with it. -Just remember to post the entries on the correct day, yeah?

Everyone who joins can tag their work with the tag #Spooky Chattering 2023 .

-Once again, before i finish this post; please Reblog this post so that more people can see and join, even if you don't intend to join in yourself- a collab this size needs a lot of people, after all ^^'' ...

[azurevi]

anchor

pairing: leona x gn!reader

summary: promise rings, some backstory i sprinkled on a whim, a few stuff from the tamashina-mina event. 3k

note: diversity loses! tormented writer posts more leona fluff despite being consumed by angst ideas. @twistedchatterbox gave me the idea of promise rings a while back then so here’s something i made! it’s a bit messy cz i wrote most of this on bus rides lol

This day couldn’t get any better, Leona thought, putting aside the fact that he was at a festival he really didn’t want to attend, and that he had been surrounded by his curious schoolmates the whole day, forcing him into the role of a tour guide. At least he got to show you around the place he’d grown up in, shower you with cuisine after cuisine that you couldn’t find anywhere else, and bring you to a hot spring that made him feel that his bones had been broken down and resembled again, all of which you responded with the utmost enthusiasm and amazement. Despite the love-hate sentiments he held for this place, knowing that you enjoyed the tour put him in quite the good mood.

Also, he was definitely putting ‘roadtrip’ on his non-existent bucket list now.

A content sigh slipped out as he sat sprawled out in his seat, head resting on his fist, a single strand of hair falling over his attentive gaze. Everyone had had their fill at dinner and was enjoying the dance show. Melodies swirled and clashed in the air, accompanied by the soft fluttering of the dancers’ outfits. His focus was, however, not on their flawless performance, but rather on the giggling group in front of the stage.

You were linking arms with Kalim, following his ecstatic steps with a touch of clumsiness. Lilia was linked to your left, even though he was just doing his weird moves that somehow resembled a bird. Grim was somewhere else, struggling to mirror the dancers and trying his absolute hardest not to get kicked at by accident. Once in a while the music would speed up, and you would all scramble to match the tempo, laughing when your legs bumped into each other.

The unbridled bliss on your face was as bright as the afternoon sun. Amidst the collision of songs, he made out your laughs as though they were a melody written especially for him. If the hotel was vacant but for the both of you, he would’ve jumped out of his seat and danced with you just so he could see how much you were enjoying yourself up close. Ideally he would have the song changed to something much gentler for him to soak in the moment under the glorious starry night. 

“…Leona, are you listening?” Vil’s voice dragged him out of the little fantasy he was conjuring in his head.

“I stopped listening the moment you brought up your something-something products.” He said, which was only half a lie. Even when he was distracted, he picked up a few lines, like how the climate here could've very well ruined Vil’s skin without the lotions he’d brought and how all the sweating could’ve melted his makeup had they not been waterproof. Basically just different words to show that he’d come prepared.

“Of course you did,” Vil rolled his eyes. Following Leona’s gaze, he glanced back and forth between the trio and the man beside him. “Lilia is quite good at dancing, isn’t he?”

“Yea.” The answer came mindlessly. By the time Leona realized himself, Vil already had that annoying smirk on his face. 

Darn you for distracting him. 

Vil took a sip out of his glass, letting the fresh juice swirl in his grip. “Even to this day, I still can’t believe that they are into you of all people.”

“Is that jealousy I hear?” 

“Not in a thousand years.” He put down the drink. “It’s just that they’re bright and easy-going and all, and you’re… well, you’re you. You act like you don’t want anyone breathing near you most of the time.”

That’s true, to some extent. Leona had found your presence a handful at first, but you managed to sneak into his life anyways.

“But there are times when your feelings become painfully obvious,” as if remembering something, Vil’s assumed an accusatory tone. “Like today, when you made all of us feel like third wheelers while you went on this lovey-dovey date with them. But really, that just proves my point. Whatever doubts that I initially had about you two… they’re wrong.”

“Do you have a point?” Leona frowned. As much as he would like to call him out for sticking his nose into his business, he knew that he was just looking out for you. Ever since VDC, you two had got on friendly terms, and that meant he was going to care for you anytime he saw fit. It was his way of showing his love.

“If you’re really serious about them, you should put a ring on it.”

He’d never turned his head this sharply. “What?”

“Well, not to straight up propose, just get promise rings or something. A lot of my co-stars wear them to show loyalty and devotion. It’s a good way of telling someone that you’re committed.”

“I am committed.” He shifted in his seat. “And they know that.”

“It’s just a suggestion. Take it or leave it.” That was the last thing Vil had to say before Lilia proposed having a karaoke session, forcing him to intervene. 

…Of course you knew that he was committed. He’d made it abundantly clear, from remembering every little thing you’d mentioned in passing to showering you with gifts. He showed up to most school events for you, and he stood up for you whenever someone was dumb enough to pick fights. The list went on— surely he’d made it apparent enough how much you meant to him.

So why were you knocking on his door at 2 in the morning, with a hesitation that reminded him of when Cheka would stick his head into his room in the morning to see if he was awake? 

“Hey. I know you’d rather sleep by yourself, but I can’t really fall asleep, so I was wondering if you’d have space for one more?”

He rubbed his eyes, brain still a bit fuzzy, and moved to one side of the bed. You scampered inside with the blanket wrapped around you like a cocoon and dipped your weight into the mattress.

“Was the bed uncomfortable?” He asked, spreading his arm so you could roll right next to him. 

“No, I just can’t get used to new ones.” 

And with that, you were off to dreamland in a few minutes. 

The patterned ceiling stared right back at Leona. Where he’d just fallen asleep effortlessly, there was now a recurring thought romping in his mind. 

It wasn’t the first time he’d shared a bed with you. As a matter of fact, Ruggie often found him hogging you while he’s napping in the botanical garden, clinging to you like you were a life-sized plush. But most of the time, he was the one initiating it. He’d thought that it was enough of a demonstration of how he wanted you around, but in reality—

“I know you’d rather sleep by yourself.” 

Just how did you come to that conclusion? It wasn’t even the first time you’d said something similar. You’d always been on the cautious side, tip-toeing around the topic of intimacy like you were afraid that you’d be ‘too much’. 

Perhaps worse still was the fact that he’d never been straightforward about his feelings. They had always been wrapped in other gestures, hidden under layers of seemingly ordinary words. Who was to say that they couldn’t have been lost on you? 

“Put a ring on it.” 

At the end of the day, it was Vil’s fault for planting the idea in his head.

—

Sneaking around the palace was child’s play to Leona. He’d mastered the art of hiding in dark shadows and unseen corners since a tender age, when the guards and chamberlains would talk behind his back. Plus, nothing much had changed inside the palace. They were really driving home the idea of preserving the past.

Minor changes had been done to his room from the weekly cleaning, but otherwise everything was as he remembered. He made light steps to his empty desk and pulled open the drawer, searching for a jewelry box. Within were dozens of trinkets that would make Ruggie’s eyes twinkle like stars, from pendants to bracelets, all of which Leona had no interest in wearing. 

All except this. He fished out a brown pouch and flipped it upside down. Two identical rings fell right into his palm. Each was a bit chunky, with an untainted emerald embedded in the golden shank. He pulled out his hair tie next, checked the mark he’d made in the middle, and compared the circle it formed with the size of the rings. It was a perfect match, as he’d suspected.

Leona recalled the day he’d gotten them. He was sitting at his mother’s bedside, hands balled into fists on his lap. He recalled her fragile, glass-like smile, recalled the shake in her hand as she removed the rings from her fingers. He was still too young and naive to know what was going on, but he had a hunch.

She had placed them in his parched, dry hand then. His knuckles had been cracked and bruised from earlier that day, when he’d lost control of his unique magic during training. With a wistful sigh, she ran feathery touches on the cuts, as if she was trying to heal them. But no dice; she would’ve healed herself had she possessed that sort of power.

“What are these for?” He clenched the golden rings in his chubby fingers. They looked ordinary, just like any other accessories the chamberlains like to throw on him before grand ceremonies. The only thing that stood out were the stones, which seemingly matched his eyes.

“When you find someone who feels like home, and they feel the same about you, give them the rings to show your feelings.”

“Do you mean I have to marry them?” 

She laughed at his uneasy grimace— a sound that had yet to be lost in the currents of time. “Of course, or else they’ll go away forever.”

Young Leona immediately stuffed one of the rings back into her hand, “Then you must keep one! This way you’ll never go away from me, right?”

It would take a few more years down the road for him to understand why her eyes welled up at his words, or why one day Kifaji lifted him up in his arms and rushed him to her bedside, why that was the only time he would ever see her again. It was then that he realized that those rings were not charged with magic or blessings. They were just gold imbued with grief. 

“What are you doing here, Prince Leona?”

Kifaji was standing at the doorway, hands hidden behind his back. God knew how long he’d been watching. Leona must’ve been so absorbed in his little treasure hunt to have not picked up his footsteps.

“You sound awfully accusatory. This is my room, isn’t it?” He slid the rings back into the pouch and pulled at the string to seal it.

Kifaji watched him pocket it. “Those are your mother’s rings, aren’t they?”

It seemed like his keen observation hadn’t been lost in time. “So what if they are?”

“Well. I can’t and won’t say anything since they’re your possessions. But curiosity beats me, so I must ask: what do you intend to do with them?”

“I intend to wear them, cause that’s how rings are supposed to be used,” Leona nudged the drawer shut with his knee, feeling a bit irritated by the questions.

“Yes, but it’s certainly been a while. Why your mothers’ rings in particular, and why now?”

He sighed. Nothing ever went past Kifaji’s eyes. “Fine. It’s because I’m gonna give one of ‘em to someone else, okay? End of story.” 

He strode past the chamberlain out of the door, but the latter persisted, catching up rapidly. There was a moment when he was side by side with Kifaji, and was a bit astounded by the height difference between them. He never really noticed it before. To think that there was once a time when Kifaji could pick him up like he was nothing but a sack of rice.

“It’s that friend of yours that’s been tagging along, isn’t it?” 

Leona decided to focus his efforts on walking.

“I was skeptical at first when you showed up with a bunch of guys that claimed to be your friends. Except for that kid. They seemed different.”

He scoffed. “Why, because they were hugging a cat the whole time?”

“No. Because of the way you treated them.”

“Oh yea? Enlighten me.”

“Remember the mangoes at the Raintree Market?”

And then Leona was strolling through the lively bazaar again, watching his schoolmates try out local fruits. The vendor had planned to give you one half of a mango as he’d done so for the others, but Leona asked for the whole fruit and a knife instead.

“The right way to eat a mango,” he sliced the mango in half, and began cutting squares on the one without the seed. Then he held the fruit on its two ends and pushed the pieces out. “Is to cut it into bite-sized chunks.”

“Don’t you remember? I used to do that for you when you were young. You’d cry and thrash because you despised fruits, so I decided to cut them into tiny pieces and have you eat them while we played chess. You cleared the plate in no time.”

There was a certain tone to Kifaji’s voice that Leona couldn’t quite recognize. All he knew was that he was suddenly aware of the aged hunch of his back. Where he used to race him through the palace with ease, he was now panting with the efforts to keep up with his long strides.

Leona slowed down a little to let him catch his breath. 

“As the chief chamberlain, I do have the duty to ensure the integrity of anyone affiliated with the royal family. But I’m guessing you’ll do anything to get me off your back, so there’s no point anyways. Plus, if you’re taking out your mother’s rings for them, I suppose there’s no point in doubting your decisions.”

“Good.” Leona’s voice came out quieter than he expected. “I didn’t need you meddling in my business anyways.”

Some guards shot him confused glances when he passed by, but he ignored them. The two of them walked in silence until they arrived at the entrance. The sun had just emerged from the horizon, and was marking the land with a warm tint. 

“I’m glad you found someone, Prince Leona.”

“Yea, yea. I got it,” he waved him back into the palace, but stopped just before he could turn around. “Thank you for escorting me.”

Kifaji froze, then let out a light laugh. 

“That’s what I do.”

—

Securing the rings turned out to be the easy part. The challenge was in how to present them. Whatever plans Leona had been brewing in his head vanished thanks to the mishaps during the festival. By the time he remembered the rings in his pocket, you were already on your way back to the school campus.

Fine. He just had to adapt. He could book an expensive restaurant and do it with a band playing in the background. He could do it unexpectedly, in a totally unsuspecting occasion. He could recruit help from his dorm members to build a fitting venue.

But somehow, he just couldn’t do it. He’d had everything planned out in said restaurant, but he just couldn’t pull out the rings. He’d brought you to the beachside to watch the sun set, but he couldn’t make out the words. He’d prepared time after time what to say, but they never managed to untangle the feelings inside him.

The longer he held it off, the more he felt that it was a bad idea. What if you didn’t like rings, or what if you didn’t like him enough to dedicate yourself to that kind of promise? Even though they weren’t engagement rings, they still had a certain weight to them. Not to mention they were not any rings, but the ones his very mother used and left in his care.

He should really stop ruminating about this whole thing before he brought the rings back to the palace.

A crunch prompted him to look in your direction. You were lazing on his bed, back turned to him as you binge-watched one of those boring reality shows. There was another crunch.

“Are you eating chips?”

You froze in place. The video on your laptop went on, the audience’s laugh piercing the silence. “No?”

“Show me your hands.”

You shifted, and slowly raised them where he could see. There was salt on your thumb and index finger. He moved forward instantly, nevermind the chessboard next to him. After a bit of wrestling, he snatched the packet of chips from your hold.

“I said no eating on the bed!”

“Oh, so now you can eat on your bed but I can’t?” You argued.

“Yea, that’s the point.” He read the favor on the packet before reaching in to grab one for himself. 

“Hypocrite.” You rolled your eyes and held your hand out. As he gave it back, you caught a glimpse of something red on his finger. “Hey, what’s that?”

It was a cut, shallow but precise. It must've happened when he was pulling at the packet. He hadn't even realized it at the moment, but now it was starting to sting a little, with a bit of pink smeared on the flesh around it.

“A papercut,” he shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

“Don’t papercuts sting?” You paused the show and leaned in to check its depth. 

“A bit. I’ll just avoid wetting it.”

“Nah, you should put a bandaid on it.”

“It’s a teeny cut.”

“My point stands.” Seeing as he wasn’t planning to do it himself, you sighed and threw your torso off the bed. "This is why you should never steal my chips, you know."

His steely eyes followed as you reached for the desk, or specifically, the drawer on the bottom, where he’d been keeping the rings. You didn’t seem to notice the addition of the porch to the miscellaneous mess inside, as you soon pulled out an unopened box of bandaids.

“May I have your hand, your majesty?” You gave him the best smolder you could muster, which just looked absurdly humorous. He complied regardless, letting you have your fun. 

“Mm. I’ve never seen a cut this deep in my years of being a healer, your majesty,” you nodded meaningfully and ripped the box open. “I must subject you to the most effective medicine I have here: a magical band-aid.”

“You’re ridiculous.” He said despite stifling a smirk at the name you'd been using on him. 

“And you’re in a life and death situation here, so I prefer that you don’t take this lightly.” You peeled off the seal and lined up the cotton with the wound, acting with a meticulousness that mismatched the insignificance of such a small injury. Strands of hair cascaded down your face, and he pushed them out of your face.

Well, wasn’t it just wonderful to have your attention solely on him. He wouldn’t even have batted an eye at something as trivial as this, but you took it upon yourself to care for him anyways, like you always did.

His gaze fell from your face to the band-aid around his finger. Had he been more distracted, he wouldn’t even have noticed that you’d been working around his ring finger, on his left hand no less. And he knew it wasn’t supposed to mean anything, but as you smiled proudly at your flawless work, he couldn’t help but feel warmth crawl towards his heart. 

It dawned on him then: the only thing more wonderful than having you pamper him over a tiny papercut, was to have you do it for the rest of his life. Even on days when he couldn't care less about himself, to have you look after him all the same. The knowledgedidn't come as a spike of adrenaline or in the form of an epiphany. It felt like a moment of clarity, like the wind's kisses against a wind chime.

“Y’know what this looks like?” He asked as you threw the band-aids back into the drawer. 

“What?”

“A ring.”

You shot him an incredulous look. “It looks like anything but a ring.”

“Touché. It did feel like you were putting one on me though,” he stopped you just before you could shut the drawer, and rummaged through the mess blindly. Finally, his hand grasped something velvety. “To prove my point…”

The light-hearted smile fell from your face as you watched him take the content out. It was a bit ludicrous now, to think that after all the time spent creating the perfect atmosphere, he was just going to basically-propose-to-you on a whim, but there was no moment better than this. The gold weighed like rocks in his hands, but heavier were the words brewing in his chest.

“My mother left me these rings and told me to give one to someone I want to spend my life with,” he gauged your surprised reaction, “And I know it’s still early for us to even think about stuff like this, but I haven’t been this sure of anything for a while, so I gotta say it now. You’re the person I want to grow old with, and this will not change no matter if it's a good day or a bad day. I want to go to sleep and wake up to you every day, and I want you to know that there’s nothing that I want more than to be with you if you'd let me.”

He took your left hand in his, his thumb instinctively running over your skin. “So, would you let me take care of you for the rest of time?”

Your bewildered expression slowly shifted, and your mouth curled into a bright beam. “I say, that sounds like a wonderful future.”

The band fitted around your finger so flawlessly, it could’ve been made with you in mind. You planted a kiss on the ring on his hand, and the gold seemed to glimmer, now coated with not just his mother’s, but also your love. 

As you pulled him close, a gush of warmth seeped into his heart, claiming its spot in the depths of his feelings. Perhaps this was exactly where home was— with your arms wrapped tightly around him. Maybe one day, he could even build a home of his own, rooted in nothing but the certainty you'd given him.