#vesuvia gets shipped

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Hello I love your headcannons so much they always make my day.

Can I request some headcannons (or mini headcannons I don't mind) for a MC that's been getting their memories back and tells the M6 they want to go home but it's like a year long trip by sea just to go there? So it would be at least two years away from Vesuvia, plus whatever time they need to reconnect)tie up loose ends with family and their hometown.

The Arcana Mini-HCs: MC needs to sail two years to visit home

Julian: for what it's worth, his longest trip ended the day he moved in with you! a couple years doesn't make him bat an eye. he knows his way around a ship, he'll handle travel arrangements while you pack!

Asra: two years at sea? sounds dangerous - and exciting. elated to spend so much time with you in their element, and to help you find your roots again in your element. can't wait to get started

Nadia: ah. this is going to take some ... negotiating. she wants to make this trip with you but it's going to be a while before she'll be able to leave Vesuvia without a Countess. could they come here?

Muriel: two years is a lot longer than two months and he has a preference for dry land. that said, if there's a family out there you need to connect with, he'll be by your side for every minute of it

Portia: that sounds amazing! better yet, she could even arrange her ambassador trips to get you two there! not worried at all about the time commitment, she's your partner for life and she'll support you!

Lucio: well - it's not like there's any specific place he has to be. you're already journeymen, why not spend a couple years voyaging? maybe he'll meet some pirates and get his aggression out for some gold!

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

I was thinking back to the first time I played The Arcana -2018 or something-. I had some cool theories about the whole murder mistery, I wonder whether to write about it or not... anyway, here they are!

My early guesses about The Arcana

-Nadia killed Lucio to help herself and Vesuvia after the plague affair. He was just too bad of a ruler to be left on the throne, and that was the only way.

-MC killed Lucio, not with the body-stealing thing, but a legit magical murder because he did something bad to Asra, Muriel or Julian. It was so funny that MC was, in fact, the detective and narrator as well. Very Roger Acroyd style, aunt Agatha would have loved it.

-Asra and Portia were going to end up together. They really looked like a cute couple, and I still think they make an awesome ship.

- Julian would have been some serious, actual threat. Not the murderer, really, but a sorta antihero, villain-to-lover thing. Not the cutie patootie, drama queen comic relief (still, I love him as he is).

-MC was the one who put marks on people. This, along with the "I killed Lucio" story, would have made the MC a some kind of ex-villain, or puppeteer at least.

- Muriel was someone who had infos about who killed Lucio. A sort of "silent guardian of truth" who followed around the MC to make sure they wouldn’t do any more bad things.

- Lucio was MC's lover. MC dated him only to get close and then kill him.

Still, I loved the game, but I hoped for something less "cuties-wholesome people who lost their memories" and more like "someone here is kinda of an asshole, and maybe nobody is actually innocent".

Did/do you have any early guesses in the game?

[lunastarhawk]

The Memories He Lost - Chapter 2: From Before - A Situation

Part 28 of Tides of Memories

The ritual begins to succeed, awakening Julian's lost memory of, years before they ever worked together, one crimson-coated privateer inviting him aboard her ship from Port Tremaire to Vesuvia, a voyage of only a day... and perhaps a night.

This was supposed to be a little flashback scene, but Julian and Altheia have a story to tell and I can't stop them, so it's becoming a fic within a fic. Sorry not sorry, I'm having a blast :D

Tides of Memories part 28, Chapter 2: From Before - A Situation

Excerpt

But as the merchant captain across the table from him raised an eyebrow and a smirk over her cards, and oh so deliberately lay down a queen of hearts to win the game, the voices of her crew rose up in raucous cheers, and Ilya’s heart sank. He had one card left to play, and it wasn't the one in his hand.  But, even as he dropped the card with a flourish, flashed her what he was certain was his most dashing smile, and said “Very well played, Captain, bravo!” he knew it wouldn't work.  Still, one last valiant effort.  “Let me buy you a celebratory round.  White rum, was it?” He started to get to his feet. The captain simply leaned back in her chair, casually crossed her arms over her chest and one booted leg over the other, and snared his gaze with her piercing sea-green eyes as her mouth curled in a smirk.  She nodded towards his chair. “Sit back down, Doctor.  Time to pay up.” Feeling a heat rise to his cheeks, he did as he was told.  Clearing his throat, his mind racing, he reached for the stacks of coins on the table in front of him, and carefully slid them towards her, hoping that she wouldn’t scrutinise them too closely in the dimly-lit, smokey air of the tavern. He was wrong, and she was far too wily to let him get away with betting a stash of not-entirely-legitimate dubloons.  She leaned forward, and only a cursory glance told her what she needed to know.   “Doctor, doctor, doctor,” she purred.  “Do you really think a merchant of my standing wouldn’t recognise counterfeit dubloons when I see them?  They’re not even good ones.”  She leaned back again, cocking her head to the side as she added, “That’s quite an insult.” Her crew, standing around them or perched on nearby chairs or tables, jokingly hissed and murmured amongst themselves, loud enough so Ilya could hear. “She’s pulled rank,” one of them laughed. “Insulted!” “‘e’s in trouble now.” “Better run, doctor!” Ilya nervously fiddled with his shirt; it hung half-open, but he soon realised that trying that tactic would probably only insult the captain further.  He pulled it closed.  “I’m sorry, I…”  He peered at her.  “I’m sorry, a merchant of your standing?”  With a nervous laugh, he added, “At the risk of continuing to insult you… who have I got myself in trouble with?” An ‘oohh!’ of disbelief went up amongst the crew.  The captain held his gaze, an amused smile tugging at her lips - a smile like a viper might smile before striking. “Would you please enlighten him, Maurice?” The man standing to the left and slightly behind her - who, from the style of his long tunic and coat, Ilya had judged to be her first mate - grinned with barely-contained delight. “Of course, Cap’n.  Doctor, you’re dealing with Privateer Captain Altheia Featherstone.” Ilya blinked at the captain as she raised one eyebrow and tipped her head a little.  He closed his eyes, gave a dramatic groan and dropped his forehead onto the backs of his hands on the table. “Oh god.  I’m done for.”

The rest is on AO3 !

[renadactyl]

“O Shipwreck Sailor”

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

𝕁𝕦𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕩 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕟𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕖 (𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣)

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

(𝟙𝟘𝟜𝟡 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤)

Febuwhump Day 5: “Rope Burns”

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

Not proofread!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Then why do you love me?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[lucio-fem-husband]

meet Misha! Portia route MC!

Misha was kidnapped as a kid and sold to a slave merchants being just a kid, those merchants where also powerful magicians who caused magical wounds on her, when stoping on vesuvia, she managed to set fire to the ship for being able to scape, the other slaves weren't able to scape and they died in the fire, she where living on the docks/flowed district since then, sometimes she searched for food at the trash of the rowdy raven or other taverns, but she wasn't confident enough so every time some adult tryed to help her, she scaped, she get friends with asra at the docks, but Muriel all ways been scary for her, so they didn't developed a good relationship

Sad fact: those aren't bruises on her face, those are marks on the magic used to hurt her as a kid, even asra with his magic was unable to erase them, that's because that was also strong emotional damage as a kid plus the strong magic, makes asra not strong enough to heal Completely

fun fact: living a chill life in Portia cottage seems to make the magic wounds less visible, even when they aren't completely off, seem to be better, or maybe it's only because herself pays more attention to her love than to her appearance

[consul-valerius]

Shipping with Damien💀🦇🗡️

The Darling of Vesuvia with too much to prove—and even more to lose.

Age: 24

Height: 5’3

Favorite Food: Candy—specifically chocolates

Favorite Flower: Roses

Star Sign: Scorpio Sun; Pisces Moon; Aries Rising [October 31st]

Likes/Hobbies etc.

Talking about wine—drinking it is another question 

Parties—to an extent 

Damien is a nerd at heart; art, science, history, local mythology/legends—he gobbles it up like candy and throws it all up on whoever he thinks will listen and not judge him lol

Particularly interested in death, preservation, and anatomy (GEE WHERE DID HE GET THAT FROM?)

Taxidermy—Damien does his own taxidermy and will often try to replicate magical creatures he’s read about

Sports—think horseback riding, shooting (bow and arrow), swimming, etc. This is often surprising to some people, but Damien is very competitive at heart and will use any chance he can to show off his physical prowess lol 

He’s a little pot head but his mama raised him right and he will be surprisingly VERY polite during a smoke sesh lol (he’s a bit of a lightweight though, which is endearing)

Dancing and singing; he often incorporates music into his magical displays at the palace (he’s like a proto-pop star in Renaissance times lol)

Dolls/toys/stuffed animals

Sweets—the best way to initiate a courtship is to get him something sweet, preferably chocolates 

Fiber arts—Damien is very experimental in his art (for Renaissance standards) and often incorporates fibers with traditional 2D mediums. He particularly likes knitting, embroidery, and felt, and he primarily uses oil pants and charcoal  

Dislikes/Potential triggers

Claustrophobic 

Afraid of the dark

Hates feeling like he’s being made fun of/the butt of a joke he isn’t aware of

Cannot stand someone speaking poorly of his parents, especially Donna as typically other nobles are particularly cruel

Anyone bringing up his “disappearance” in any context 

He has a bit of an emetophobia—he hates throwing up (see: ectoplasm boy lol)

Being sick in general and doctors in general 

Has many sensory issues to be mindful of, specifically with regard to touch and sound

Damien has a tendency to disassociate in the middle of a conversation, either for magic reasons, PTSD reasons, or more often some combo of the two 

Hates being touched without his permission—will become violent in response 

While Damien personally compares himself to his father, he hates when others do it to him, especially regarding looks 

Damien is. Complicated. 

Damien is well known throughout Vesuvia, and he has a multitude of suitors and playmates. He is deceptively sweet and charming, which gives people the impression that he is more invested in their relationship than he really is. Truly, Damien is a very shallow person and will sleep with who he needs to in order to rise to the top. Sex and romance are games to him, and he intends on winning (though what that means or looks like, he isn’t quite sure). It is not uncommon for some of his partners to see that he has written nearly identical letters to another person or has sent someone else a nearly identical gift. However, he typically always has an excuse up his sleeve, and if that fails, his crocodile tears are quite convincing to an unsuspecting person. 

With that being said, out of all of my OCs, Damien craves love and genuine connection the most. Someone will be able to tell easily if Damien is genuinely interested in them: he will script less of your conversations, will seek you out first, will open up more easily, etc., etc. He is a bit useless when it comes to people he likes, and it is common for him to withdraw entirely before he ruins things. He needs a long-term partner who is patient but firm with him and won’t just concede to his whining. (And of course, Damien has a laundry list of shit he needs to do before being able to be in a relationship at all lmao)

Damien grew up thinking he was, literally, a monster and still believes this. He doesn't necessarily think he is deserving of genuine love, and in many ways, he is still very much the hurt child he was all those years ago, scared and insecure. These are things that a partner cannot change or make better, which makes romantic ships much harder and more complicated (fun sex is on the table though lmao).

He is prone to very severe breakdowns, and he has a bit of a temper even on a good day. Patience, understanding, and communication are key for him. Once he is calmed down, he is able to self-reflect and apologize properly. He never wants to hurt people he cares about on purpose—he’s truly a big work in progress lmao 

Now let’s talk sex ! :D LMAO

Damien identifies as a dominant and will only take on a dominant role with suitors or new playmates. Sex and kink give him a sense of power and control, and he refuses to give that up to another person he doesn’t trust. However, he’s Donna’s kid at heart, and he deeply understands what it’s like to give up control and the trust that requires at the moment. He is very much inspired by older dominas, and his style and presentation reflect that (I'm still toying with a mentor character for him, but definitely a latex goddess lmao). He loves doling out punishments and just adores humiliating others—especially when he’s given enthusiastic consent to do so. He loves a sub that will lie on their back and beg to be degraded and stepped on lmfao He is not as invested in breaking a sub as much as he is in fulfilling both of their desires willingly. Damien was bullied very severely as a child, so he’s very big on aftercare and reflection after a scene with longer-term partners. He sometimes has a tendency to go overboard, so critique is important to him. 

That being said, if he is with someone he trusts and has feelings for, Damien is actually not that kinky and is much more docile and submissive LOL He can be a bit of a pillow prince with someone he likes, and he can get very whiney and needy. Sometimes he truly just wants to be fucked in the ass until he falls asleep cuddling you, and that’s that lol 110% has a daddy-dom fetish (as a submissive—not as a dominant lol), but it will be like pulling teeth to get him to admit it lmao

The other biggest thing of note with Damien is that he will NEVER do vaginal penetration. You will be bitten, literally, if you try to break this rule, and it won’t be by his mouth either. He is okay with clitoral stimulation once he shows someone how to do it, but more often than not, he will get himself off with his own hands. However, he loves anal and everything about it. Damien also requires that his gloves and stockings stay on during sex, and he will get violent if someone pushes him to take them off lmao

Annnd now here is a full list of his kinks and fetishes; I may be adding more in there as time goes on, but right now these are the core ones lmfao

[naciela]

okay so this is Raafa phase from 4 until now XD so yeah he was old but everyone just said that he still 20 ish (maybe because he can't getting older.) And pshh...he born on Prakra XD.

age 4-7: in this age Raafa get some event of his life like he meet his spirit partner (Haniel) for first time as he experience leaving his own body when he still age 4 (and in the way he meet the fool too.) his mother got cursed and he got some attack from evil spirit, which he didn't remember how he got attack or mostly of what happen on the night he got attack. Alana being born into world! and of course first time meet Nadia at palace ground (she almost step on him with horse because he so small).

age 8-12: this childhood was not part of Raafa liking because well his mom died on age on 8 and he have bit little problem with his father after his mother died, this causing both of their relationship became distant. In this age Nadia and Haniel help him getting through lost, he spent his time with Santrinava family for most of the time and with Alana and his aunt. When he reach his 12 he have a fight with his father because he don't want to leave Prakra, but something happen that make him lose his dad in the way and move to Vesuvia with his aunt and Alana.

age 12-15: He still keep contact with Nadia by using Chandra as their bridge to connect. He live with his aunt in his aunt caravan until they end up buy a building and turn it into magical shop in center city. He always pay visit to Prakra on Holiday and some Prakra event. During this time too both Raafa and Nadia end up dating with each other.

age 15-16: His relationship with Nadia was end because both have disagreement about Raafa moving to Guo Han because it was not part of their plan. And when his ship was sailing on the sea it explode in middle of way not very far from Prakra shore and those explosion was big enough to be saw by Nadia and his aunt. His body not been found and this leading to one conclusion, Raafa already dead. Raafa don't know what happen and when he open his eyes he already in Guo Han. He end up bed rest until he can move his body.

age 16-20: Raafa meet his sister for first time when she comeback to palace after some official work in other place, well of course their relationship was never go well even at first sigh. He end up got challenged by Mei Hua to end up got his infamous left eye scar. And he join military academy meeting his best friends and make brotherhood with them.

Age 21-35: his life when up and down like roller coaster, from Adith born in his life until he died in the war. His dead leading Mei Hua to make a deal with an arcana that lead to his resurrection. He still have all his memory but his mental was unstable due what happen to him prior his death. Haniel take control for his stability and help him to stay as he was.

Age 35-40: His life change drastically, going from doctor to doctor just for his own sake mental health. His ;ive when down to the ground after so many event that happen to him that leading him almost lose himself. he tired, he even can't work properly. He end up got help from the rest of family that was close to him to recover for much better stage.

Age 40-now: he end up getting a long holiday and goes to Vesuvia, his childhood home to search the peace of his life.

[bahrtofane]

quick little intro to Yusra lore !! 

Not exactly 100% the apprentice lore i made some changes hehe 

i love writing misery can u tell

—--

Likes to call herself a merchant of the sea (pirate) 

Originally came to Vesuvia looking for Julian, old business to settle, new ones to make. She was commissioned by a nearby lord to do his bidding and needed an old friends to count on. 

Never intended to stay. It was when her ship was overtaken by a flood she was grounded. It's here she meets Asra. It was Julian who introduced them. A few nights after her home was turned into nothing but splinters for her to shift through. Not much remained. A few keepsakes, a map here or there. The odd bundle of cloth and fabric. She pushes on, until she finds herself breaking just at the sight of Julian, empty sobs shaking through her while he can only hold her tight.

That ship was her home, her everything. It took nearly her whole life to get her hands on it, it was a culmination of her life's work.  It wasn't big or grand, but it was hers. That's what mattered most. 

Asra offers to let her stay in his shop, after much persuasion and begging at some points. Finally after a month of rotting in vesuvius streets she finally gives in. 

Asra is kind to her, never prods about the ship or what brought her, even if he's curious to know. They let her say as much or as little. Instead he gives her space and lets his home turn to hers as well. She promises to repay the kindness but he only laughs, swatting her away and going on about his business. 

Shes keen on learning, anything to make her useful. So she learns magic. Enough to be at least somewhat helpful to Asra. It makes her feel much better about her predicament. Gives her time to think about what to do next, keeps the hands busy. Busy hands is a busy mind.

Asra grows fond of her and her heart. He's handsome, undeniably so. Its hard not to fall for them when they're sweet, words that drip like honey from lips made of petals. Eyes that shine in every gaze. He sees her. More than she sees herself. She doesnt know if its the magic or just his own perception, his nature. 

Burying into ever crevice and crack of her being till she's sure she's been memorized. 

“You're beautiful” he sighs one night, out on the market for a little fun.

She blushing now, saying nothing. Instead linking hands. And he understands her all the same.

Not long after the plague erupts. And she is really stuck. With no ship, money dwindling, and the only truly familiar face off in the palace slaving away for a cure. 

Her options are running out. She either stays, or risks making ground on completely foreign territory outside of the city. To take a gamble on if the next town will have the same red beetles about its walls. 

Asra turns out, intends to leave, and he knows the land far better than her. But she can not leave Julian. She came here for him after all, she cant leave him, not now. So they fight, for the first time. Asra begs for her to go with him. To save herself before it truly becomes unavoidable.

“Then you alone may leave. “ she says 

And so he does. 

The lord severs her contract and she instead takes up in the palace. She learns all she can. There's less sleep as the days go on, as the bodies start to pile. They have no place to put them. So they are sent to be burned away from the city. On an island that holds only misery.

Julian comes to her one night, sobbing as he wipes the sweat from his face.

“There's so much death..” 

It only gets worse.

As the counts’ condition worsens, things turn to chaos. So much happens in a single day and yet she doesn't remember any of it. It all blurs. 

She resents Asra for leaving. How could they ? yet there's no room for anything other than work. 

She notices Julians eye before even he does. But says nothing. Everyone knows they're bound to succumb from the very curse they intend to cure. Everyone is losing hope.

Who knew she would be the first to go. 

[fox-daddy]

Mc's retcons over time

Kyle;

Started with bright blue eyes, then bottle green eyes, then blue, then full heterochromia and finally segmented heterochromia in both eyes.

Had much paler skin which is now darker shade.

Had a pet rock called Rocky which he no longer has. (rip Rocky)

5'1 then 4'9 then finally 4'4 (he just keeps getting smaller and smaller)

Had chestnut brown hair, then black then bright red.

No ASD then ASD

No ADHD then ADHD

Old backstory had him run away from home at around 10 then live on a farm before moving to Vesuvia when he turned 18 now he sneaks away when he's 4 and gets shipwrecked, forced to leave that home at 10 and makes it to Vesuvia when he's 12.

No fear of wasps then massive phobia of bees and wasps.

Was from a 3 segmented island that is now a 7 segmented ground of islands.

The fool was a kea, then maned wolf then back to Kea.

Used to only have an older sister and now has an older sister, even older brother and a younger half-brother he's never met.

Hunter;

used to be edgy for the sake of being edgy now is edgy because this boi is traumatized.

Used to be more similar to Muriel in the fact they thought they were a monster but now thinks their a monster because they were raised being told that by pretty much everyone.

Was mean to the core and is now a big softy turned harsh from years of abuse.

Used to be shipped with M6 now can't be shipped with Nadia.

Main ships used to be Julian and Muriel, then Portia and Muriel and now Portia, Muriel and Julian.

used to be hard to ship with Asra now is a lot easier with added context. (Asra feels more bad for them when their the Mc. Lots of past trauma and yet still finding strength to try and become better. Then the plague hit.)

No fear now has Phobia of blood.

a hatred at the world is now self-hatred.

aggression for aggression's sake is now both coping mechanism and defense strategy.

Anti social because hates people to anti social because they hate people and themselves.

Gained a drinking problem. (Not alcoholic since they CAN stop they just don't WANT to stop. If needed can go with being sober.)

Had a goldfish familiar called 'Goldy' now has a red-tailed black cockatoo named 'Ruby'

Bluebell;

5'4 to 6'4 (I found where Kyle's height went <.<;)

Loving and caring because that's who they are to social anxiety means I play mother role so I'm doing something.

Firm and sharp to firm and sharp but squishy when pushed too much.

was my second most written about Mc to being kind of sidelined by Hunter.

Favourite food used to be Blueberries now it's bread.

Used to be related to Kyle now isn't.

Used to have naturally strong magic now has naturally strong healing magic.

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

This something i thought about just now what about MC taking M6 on a suprise date to relieve them of their pressure that their duties bring them and vice versa

The Arcana HCs: Surprise Getaways with the M6

~ I also had an older anon request for date nights with the M6, so here we go! Enjoy all of my escapist headcanoning - brainrot ~

Julian

How you whisk him away:

Julian gets the most stressed from his medical practice when he's had an unusually high number of patients and a lower success rate of treating them

Which is why the best thing is to take him out of the city, where there's nobody to take on their burdens for

He especially loves getaways to mineral or hot springs - they take him back to Nevivon and generally feel like the opposite of a clinic

Book a long weekend for the two of you and "kidnap" him from the clinic without telling him where you're going. He'll love it

How he whisks you away:

He'll take you out on a gondola for the evening. All his time on ships makes him a decent sailor

And nothing feels more romantic to him than serenading you with his vielle by moonlight

He'll pack a bottle of wine for the two of you as well

Sometimes he forgets that he has to steer the two of you back and has a little much

No harm done, between his half effective rowing and your half effective magic you're usually able to make it back to shore in one piece

Asra

How you whisk them away:

Of everyone you know, he is the chillest person you'll ever meet. He only gets stressed when there's a really big issue to face

Like the world ending ... or someone dying ...

If you see them stressed it's most likely about something that everyone else is stressed about too, including you

Which is why you wait until after it's taken care of to spend several days at a natural sacred site

An introvert at heart, he'll quickly recharge in his element with you by his side and a dearth of ancient magic to play with

How they whisk you away:

He'll take you to his sanctuary for up to a week, or as long as you give him

Will hold you snuggle hostage for at least twelve of every twenty four hours

If there's a festival or gathering happening in the nearby village, they'll go with you and dance with you through the night

Multiple nights on the flat roof, stargazing in the cool air, snuggled up and talking quietly about life and the future

Your sleep schedule is always out of whack by the time you return from all the late nights and mornings

Nadia

How you whisk her away:

She has very good reason to get stressed. She's a Countess who does her job properly. Stress is in the job description

Which is why you have to time it carefully. As much as you want to drag her away, the project bothering her so much could be very important

On the other hand, as someone who loves her very very much, you want to avoid the stress migraines that plague her

So you'll confer with her advisors to give her several days off and take her into the Arcana's realms

Most of the Arcana themselves are quite fond of her, so she's welcome nearly everywhere

And it's a place where she can roam and grow as herself, not a Countess or Princess

How she whisks you away

She understands self-care like nobody's business. She's stealing you away to her seaside palace for a week

Fresh food. Massages. Sun bathing. Playing in the sand and waves. Spa treatments. Evenings on the balcony, listening to the waves crash and tasting salt on the lips

You always come back with a sun kissed glow, every muscle in your body relaxed

Muriel

How you whisk him away:

Being a natural worrier, he exists with low levels of stress almost constantly

Which is why his hut is one of the most stress free environments you've ever been in

His hut stops being stress free when you've had a large influx of visitors

Ever since half of Vesuvia used his front yard as a campground, it's been a common occurrence for someone to drop by with a snack to say hello

Which is why you'll take a nice, long trip to Khamgalai's old cottage together

It surprised you at first how happy he is in such a somber place, but for him it's the least lonely place to be introspective

No outside pressures, nothing telling him to hurry up, just a field of forget me nots and carved family history with his love nearby

How he whisks you away:

He'll taking you camping in the Ancient Forest. It's full of peace and life and it really lets your inner magician blossom

It's also where the two of you did a lot of bonding. He likes being able to slow down and walk through your shared memories together to remind you that he's got your back

He doesn't like the mini heart attack you give him when you wake him up with your best "impatient Morga" impression

Portia

How you whisk her away:

Can we say workaholic? She moves nonstop, all day long, engaging people face to face with terrifying optimism

While it certainly makes her more prone to burnout, it doesn't make her stressed the way feeling helpless does

Which usually happens when her negotiations don't go the way she hopes

You'll take her to the nearest festival and schedule the day after off as well for the recovery

Being surrounded by happy people, with no responsibility for maintaining that happiness, is her cue to let loose

She parties hard. She'll visit every single stall, take a shot at every single game, try a bite of every type of food, and dance until her legs fail her

How she whisks you away:

Nobody knows how to give someone the royal treatment like she does - it was literally her job for three years

She'll organize a staycation for you, either in her cottage or on the outskirts of wherever you're visiting for diplomacy

Breakfast in bed. Footrubs. Long walks through nature. Reading side by side in the evenings. Hair care day. The kind of baking projects that take four hours

Lucio

How you whisk him away:

He's put a lot of work into becoming a better man, but he's got a long way to go and he knows it

He's not naturally prone to stress, which is why he's so bad at handling it when he has it

He also knows that you love him unconditionally, but that doesn't stop the fear of you running out of patience. So he'll stress himself to pieces trying to do every single thing right, all the time

It makes him a little antsy at first, because how is he supposed to prove himself if there's nothing to do?

So you'll find a decently priced B&B near a sleepy town, and take a few slow days

There's nothing to do now except give him the love and attention he craves

He'll be able to settle into the rhythm pretty quickly, but beware, once your couple days of rest are up he'll be bursting with energy

How he whisks you away:

He's still learning to think outside the box, so he'll take a page from your book and do the same for you. Small town, nice B&B

The difference is that he still has his energy, so you often wake up from an afternoon nap in time to hear all about the trouble he got up to while you were asleep

[athirstygoblin]

Katarina “Tari” Hirsch

“The Kind hearted apprentice hopeful to discover her past”

Age: 24 (As of the Prologue)

Gender: Cisgender woman (She/her)

Race: Dutch

Birthday: January 25th

Zodiac: Aquarius Sun, Cancer Moon, Libra Rising

Favourite food: Glazed Sweet Potato

Favourite drink: Ginger Tea

Favourite Flower: Tulips

Backstory

Prior to coming to Vesuvia, Katarina spent her early years as the daughter of a prominent noble family in Vivelan. Her mother works closely as an advisor to king, and her father is a knight. She remembers little of her parents, but knew that they loved her and only wanted what was best for her.

At the age of five a civil war broke out in her nation, and an attack on the palace lead to many dead. She was sent to live with two family friends, Jacobus and Annike, whom she affectionately referred to as “Uncle Jacobus” and “Auntie Anne”. It was then that they travelled and settled in Vesuvia, opening up a shop.

Katarina’s childhood in Vesuvia was relatively fine. Jacobus and Annike raised her like their own, and never tried to hide the truth about her parents, though they did cover up some details until she was older. She didn’t have much friends growing up, but she found that helping out in the shop, especially helping out the people, was rewarding enough interaction. At the age of 9 was when she first met Asra, when Jacobus and Annike took him in to become their apprentice and learn magic along with Katarina. The two became close, with Asra even developing a small crush on her.

When Katarina was 18, her Aunt and Uncle travelled to Vivelan to investigate what had happened, only for them to not return. The plague had also begun, and not wanting to be useless, she became an apprentice to Dr. Devorak. This caused a rift in her relationship with Asra until they both decided him leaving was the best course of action. She caught the plague and eventually passed away, which lead to her resurrection and the events of the Arcana game.

Personality:

Tari is A sweet and kind person who is willing to go out of her way to look out for others, often at her own expense. She has an optimistic worldview, and will often try to see the brighter side of difficult situations. While she is not outwardly shy, she is rather introverted in nature and does have a calm disposition most of the time. She also gets flustered very easily when someone flirts with her or gives her a compliment. She has a tendancy to struggle with depression and anxiety, but tries to hide it with her cheerful and optimistic nature. Is an overthinker and very insecure about herself, especially her body.

Magic:

Because magic does not run her bloodline, Tari does not have an inherit aptitude for magic. Instead, she was taught by her Uncle and Aunt and became the first in her family to learn it. This, unfortunately, means that she draws energy from her body instead of a natural source. This leads to her getting what she calls ‘burnouts’, a period of time where she displays physical symptoms of overexertion of her magical abilities and cannot use her magic until she recovers.

Some symptoms include greying of hair (which only came about post-resurrection), throbbing headaches, nosebleeds and fatigue.

Tari is incredibly skilled in light manipulation, able to create orbs and shapes from light and even able to manifest them into a tangible form (mostly arrows as shown in Muriel’s route). She is also an incredibly skilled healer, although she is more effective at healing injuries than illnesses, and healing can be more draining when it comes to magical exertion.

Sexual orientation: Asexual Panromantic

Canon Love Interests: Muriel (Primary), Nadia, Portia (Au)

OC Pairings:

Mungo (@cinnella

Armallo (@armallo-and-roul)

Open to Shipping: Yes

[luasworkshop]

👫Evander and Marcus Aquila - vesuvian-disaster

Evander doesn't personally see enough of Marcus (though they do interact for various work and occasionally personally related reasons) to correctly remember what age he is and his mental picture and/or descriptions of him range from 'youngish adult' to 'isn't he in his forties by now?' This is despite having literally seen him grow up to a degree. I think it has to do with Marcus' ongoing levels of exhaustion.

Both Marcus and Evander do agree on the need for proper filing, paper trails, and the usual documentation in relation to business and law. Evander runs a clean ship - However, when Evander's more cutthroat business actions go down (there's no escaping it in Vesuvia), he does get some leeway because it's generally all reasonable as per files and information (not falsified - simply occasionally excluding a certain detail or telling the story in a certain way).

While Evander definitely knows better than to trust the Queastor for... literally anything, he still appreciates Marcus' warnings to keep away. Evander does not have the mental time or space to concern himself with whatever house Summanus is up to (he has far too much work to attend to himself), although if he did he wouldn't care for it (obvious, perhaps, but yanno... it's Vesuvia.)

Hortensia and Evander surprisingly haven't jumped each other's bones, but Evander doesn't tend to play as much with other nobility. They do get along though, on rare occasion that they interact.

[claudia-nomusaabara]

Apprenticember Day 2

Part 3

Anele and Julian, aka I Need to Make Up a Good Ship Name For Them

Anele met Julian when the Red Plague was getting worse in Vesuvia and she volunteered to become an apprentice under Julian. The attraction to each other was there from the beginning but with so much going on between treating sick patients, dealing with Lucio, and their own personal lives.

They didn't have enough time or chances to act on it yet.

They'd seek each other out to talk, for a hug, advice, and he'd make hir laugh during such a difficult time (a big badge of honor for Julian).

They finally act on their feelings with a kiss and have sex, a week before Anele gets infected with plague.

During the events of Julian's route, they rekindle their bond but Anele insists and makes Julian keep his word about being honest with hir from now on. In the end, Anele's going on adventures she always dreamed of and the love she was seeking.

[fool-in-his-wedding-gown]

for the mc ask game: 6, 30, and 35!!

6. Do they have a playlist? Share a link! Why did you choose the songs you did?

I'll drop some explanations for the songs after I answer the other questions :3

Putting this under a cut because WOAH this post got long

30. What was their life like before the plague? Their childhood?

Saturn spent the first fourteen years of his life living with his parents & siblings! It was after he realized he was trans that things between them soured & he moved to Vesuvia to live with his aunt. There, he kicked his studies into high gear. He'd always had a fascination with the cosmos, and he'd always been curious, but now he was really taking it seriously. He was fifteen when his aunt died and left the shop to him, which wasn't exactly ideal. She was really the only person he had in Vesuvia (and especially the only person who saw him for who he was), but he couldn't exactly go back to his immediate family, so he stayed. By this point, he was an established researcher and astronomer, so running the shop on his own wasn't really a problem, but he was grieving and he was only fifteen. It took a lot out of him.

At sixteen, he couldn't take it anymore. The pursuit of knowledge (especially in his own field) had always been of the utmost importance to him, and he needed to get away. So when the role of a navigator aboard a merchant ship opened up... I mean, come on. Of course he took that chance. So, using his skills in starmaps and skycharts, he navigated this crew through the seas for a solid year. He was absolutely terrible at everything else (which was to be expected, he was the second-youngest person aboard with no previous nautical experience), but he kept the crew safe and away from dangerous shores and guided it through countless storms. He stepped off that ship at seventeen ready to expand his studies. The time abroad steeled his resolve, and he finally felt ready to combine his skills in his field and pour them into the study of magic. He pursued that for two years on his own. Lots of textbooks and disastrous failures, very little learning by example. His specific area of study was in truth-seeking, revealing, shedding light on dark corners. That's what he'd been doing since he was fifteen. This was just an extension of that with a different, much more efficient tool.

But pursuing it on his own could only take him so far. When he was nineteen, he realized he wanted to learn pyromancy & how to read tarot, and he realized he'd need help. Pyromancy is incredibly finicky and dangerous when wielded by inexperienced hands, and tarot is extremely hard to learn if one isn't being taught by someone already personally familiar with it (besides, it's not like he had his own deck). So he did some poking around and, through the grapevine, he heard about the talents of one Asra Alnazar. As it would happen, Saturn managed to find him on masquerade night.

What started as a business partnership ("you teach me tarot and pyromancy, and I'll show you how I learned my magic near exclusively from textbooks"), became a friendship became a queerplatonic partnership. Asra moved into the shop by the time Saturn was twenty.

Six years passed roughly uneventfully (minus some accidental fires, the both of them developing their skill in magic more, running the shop together, whatever the HELL was going on between Asra and Julian).

And then the plague hit, and everything went to shit. But that's a story for another time.

35. Do they have any material objects that are important to them? What & why?

A cane of orange-brown gnarled wood, given to him by his aunt. Saturn is disabled and this, on top of serving as his mobility aid, has deep sentimental value to him.

A necklace gifted to him by Asra. It's a pendant that looks like a sun, twisting beams radiating outwards from a spherical center. He's unsure if it has any magic tied to it, but if it does, he hasn't found it yet.

Okay songs time :3

I'm not gonna go over all twenty one songs, but I will go over a few of my favorites/most fitting!!

Cicada Days - The way this song expresses & explores grief & the way the narrator speaks to the person who can be presumed to be their partner I thought really reflected Saturn's own guilt & his desperation to be kept close to the people he loves. He may pretend to be a perfectly logical, impartial third party immune to bias, but at the end of the day, he's a man in love and he's afraid of losing that which he loves. Hence "don't let me leave, I'll only take more than I gave"

Battle Cries - A dialogue between two lovers. This one is about as simple as it gets— the two are at a crossroads. Whatever their current situation is, it isn't working. They must change or part ways, and it's clear one wants the former while the other wants the latter.

Curses - Man this one's lyrics just remind me of the plot a lot. "There's a fire in my brain and I'm burning up" & "This house says my name like an elegy" & "Ashes, ashes, dust to dust / The devil's after both of us" all just contain imagery that's very evocative of the plot for me

[consul-valerius]

Apprenticember Day Two: Idiots in Love

Who is their LI? What’s their relationship like?

Not surprising at all, Donna's main love interest is..... Valerius !✨ The snobbiest, prettiest bitch in Vesuvia lmao Donna was always designed to be a Valerius main, and while some other ships take over my brain, they will always be the end result for me lol

I write both Donna and Valerius as being poly, and they have a very open relationship. Diverging a bit from the game in some ways, Donna knew Valerius prior to the game's events and had been in a relationship with him for a few years prior (don't ask me specifics on timelines--I don't know besties LOL). They initially began dating when Valerius (poorly) disguised himself as a commoner and happened on Donna by chance. Sparks erupted during a very intense palm reading, and what was supposed to be a casual fling eventually evolved into a long-term and serious relationship for them.

They both grew A LOT together pre-plague; Donna really helped break down a lot of Valerius's archaic views and motivated him to be more active in his work, and Valerius really pushed Donna to think of themself and their needs first and fight for things they want in their life. While they outwardly seem to be very opposite of one another, they've always been very dedicated to one another and pulling out the best in one another.

Donna brings a sense of spontaneity and excitement to Valerius's life while Valerius brings a calming, reassuring presence to theirs :') They definitely have their moments, and they've had to trial and error their communication skills A LOT, but at the end of the day, they're it for each other lol

A lot of this does wind up getting nuked due to Donna's death; both their memories and Valerius's memories of them are gone when they are resurrected. That means they wind up redoing most of their relationship during the game's events and after. They like to joke that they were ~fated~ due to them repeating their relationship twice essentially lol and they also eventually settle down and have one notorious problem child too ;P

In some continuities, their endgame also involves Nadia! They both care for and adore her as much as she does with them, and their lives are already very intermingled (both pre and post-game events). Donna also is very close (very VERY close hint hint lol) with a few other LIs & courtiers (will expand later) and they are no stranger to smooching another OC lmao

TL;DR: They're queer, they're poly, and they just want to settle down and keep their family together lmao :'))

[bakuliwrites]

Moonlight- Julian x Bakuli x Lucio

Rating: M (MINORS DNI)

Tags (for this excerpt): Slightly suggestive, alcohol

Pairing: Julian Devorak x Lucio Morgasson x Bakuli Björnsdottir

Summary: Julian and Bakuli join Lucio and Nadia on the palace veranda for drinks. Lucio is unsure of how to feel about the doctor's apprentice, vacillating between intrigue and jealousy.

So, I'm editing a version of End Up Here to feature my fan apprentice, Bakuli. I'm not sure that I'll ever release the full thing, but for fun, I might post some of it on Tumblr from time-to-time. So here's a bit of it from the segment Moonlight in Chapter 7. I am having fun editing this version and getting to add a lot of personalization to the role of the Apprentice.

Lucio swirls his crystal snifter, watching the earthy-colored cognac churn gently around the glass before settling as he brings it to his lips. The brandy is sweet, gliding smoothly over his tongue, warmth blooming through his chest as it travels down his throat. His keen eyes watch as Julian and Bakuli both sample the finest beverage he owns.

“Count Spada left me crates and crates of this stuff,” Lucio brags, “I only bring it out for my favorite guests.” 

Julian makes a satisfied hum as he takes his first sip. When he draws the glass away, small, glimmering beads of the mahogany liquid dot his lips. Lucio watches as Julian’s tongue softly passes over them, lapping up the lingering droplets of cognac left behind from his initial sip. As a smile brightens the doctor’s face, Lucio feels his own heart fluttering. He’s not sure if it’s all the wine he’s had (and now cognac) or something else. Either way, he can’t help the heat that creeps slowly to his cheeks. The Count takes this moment to drape his arm along the seatback, close but not too close to Julian. Bakuli sits to the doctor’s other side, pressed near, searching eyes fixated on Lucio’s form. 

“So, what’s new in the life of Julian Devorak?” Lucio begins, waggling his eyebrows at the man, “You finally get to go on all those adventures I inspired you to go on?”

Julian chuckles, “Well- yes, actually.” He looks proudly over to the Count, eyes lighting with joy, clearly itching to share his stories. Just like Montag shared his stories with him.

“Whaddya say, Miss. Bakuli?” Lucio goes on, eyes dragging over Julian’s companion, delighting in the way she blushes as his gaze sweeps to her, “Should Julesy tell us all about his adventures?”

She grins sheepishly at the Count before turning to Julian and excitedly begging him to share his tales. She calls him, “Ilya,” Lucio notes. A bit too cozy for Lucio’s liking. The ugly feeling of envy constricts his heart, until Julian starts talking again and its grip slackens so it can slither back into its cave.

“Alright, alright,” Julian acquiesces, though he doesn’t seem to need all that much encouragement. He launches into the full account of where he went after he and Montag parted. Apparently, Julian has done quite a bit of traveling around the continent, assisting in medical tents during all kinds of battles. He’s gained a great deal of experience since that fateful encounter outside Vesuvia. And has gotten into more than a bit of trouble. Pirate ships, brigands, highwaymen, bar fights, you name it. He even has some strange story about a run-in with some Crabmen on a remote island off the coast.

“Ilya, you’re just making things up now,” Bakuli exclaims with an exasperated eye roll.

“No! I swear it happened! Lucio, you said you’ve seen the Crabmen. Back me up!” Julian chortles. 

“Oh, yeah. They’re everywhere,” Lucio adds with a mischievous wink at Bakuli, who merely dissolves into giggles and returns to diligently sipping at her drink. Lucio finds he can’t settle on how he feels about her. One minute, she’s laughing at one of his jokes, the next she’s got her hand on Julian’s thigh and it’s driving Lucio nuts. Part of him wonders if he’s jealous of Bakuli, or maybe he’s jealous of Julian. Or maybe he’s jealous of both of them.

Gah! he exclaims to himself, This is too confusing.

Putting this thought aside for a moment, Lucio is delighted to hear Julian’s tales, mainly because all of them seem to have been inspired by him. Julian lists all the places he’s been, each destination somewhere Lucio had told him all about when they were alone in the medical tent together. The trajectory of Julian’s travels seems to follow the path Lucio took, back in the day, before he was Count. While most of the doctor’s travels were medical visits in nature, he still had plenty of time to do some sightseeing and get up to all sorts of nonsense.

“Glad I could inspire you to go to all those places,” Lucio praises, pouring himself another glass of cognac, “I mean, who wouldn’t be inspired?”

While he’s excited to be with his old friend again, he feels horribly on edge, antsy. His heart pounds against his ribcage, seems to vibrate the cloth of his blazer. He wonders if Julian can see it, thrumming wildly, threatening to beat straight out of him. 

Cognac, he thinks, Cognac will fix that. Loosen me up. Don’t know why I’m so nervous. No, not nervous. Counts don’t get nervous. Warriors don’t get nervous. 

Lucio listens and absorbs as much as he can. His attention span for other people talking is limited. But he picks up a few other random things; like, Julian said something about not having time to play the vielle anymore. He came to Vesuvia because he’s following the plague (a topic of discussion Lucio hopes to avoid entirely for the remainder of the night). And he and Bakuli have been together for a few months now.

Together? Like together, together? that damned, meek voice whimpers in Lucio’s head.

Just because he said, “together,” doesn’t mean we can’t all have fun together, another voice speaks confidently, Just like Noddy and I. 

As if on cue, the door to the veranda swings open and out comes Nadia and Lady Delphine. Their gowns sweep languidly behind them as they glide across the patio to join the other three. With the presence of the Countess and her companion, Julian’s storytelling becomes even more animated. He even acts out a few duels he had with some swashbuckling pirates on the high seas. 

Maybe later, we can have a duel of our own. Pick up where we left off, all those years ago, Lucio contemplates to himself, watching as Julian flits around the veranda. He’s reminded of the day Julian surprised him with his unexpected mastery of the sword. But it’s not the actual fight that sticks in Lucio’s memory. It’s the aftermath of it. Julian’s back pressed against Montag’s chest, his amber scent filling the mercenary’s nose, pleasant and calming. Julian’s narrow hip in his hand, thrusting it back, hearing the soft grunt the doctor’s attendant makes. Lucio’s gaze trails back to Bakuli, whose smile is as bright as the moon above. She looks at Julian adoringly, like Julian used to look at Lucio. The Count wonders if she’ll ever look at him like that.

What a ridiculous thought, Lucio scolds himself, turning back to his drink, Why would she? And why would I even want that? 

But his grousing doesn’t last for long. Julian has always had this special ability: to bring joy out in everyone. His charisma and charm have a way of cheering up even the grouchiest of individuals. Lucio likes to think he has that ability, too, and that’s why he’s drawn to Julian. And Julian to him. Even Nadia and Lady Delphine seem to be having a great time. The night air is filled with merriment, gentle laughter and chatter floating through the breeze, carried into the heavens like a quiet blessing. 

“Wow, you really did get up to trouble without me!” Lucio exclaims when it seems Julian’s tale is coming to a close, “Imagine what we’d have gotten into if we’d traveled together.” 

Lucio winks at Bakuli once again, who shifts shyly in her seat and snuggles close to Julian after he reclaims his spot on the sofa. Silence. For once in his life, Lucio feels like sitting and observing. He wants to drink Julian’s form in, see what he hasn’t seen for ten years. He worries, and he hates that he worries. But an overpowering need to break the uncomfortable silence wells up in him. Rarely is he lost for words. But there’s something about Julian, something about Bakuli that numbs his tongue.

If I say the wrong thing. If I make the wrong move. Just like everyone else, he’ll leave me. And then I’ll be alone. Just like always, that accursed worry whispers, Just like everyone has, all these years. And I don’t even know this Bakuli, but I know she’ll leave me, too. If I say the wrong thing. Don’t fuck this up. Just this once, don’t fuck this up.  

“Doctor Devorak,” Nadia addresses in her smooth voice, “I hear you and my husband are old friends?”

Thank the Gods, Noddy, Lucio sighs in relief, passing her a glance he hopes she interprets as grateful. She graces him with a subtle, knowing look. She seems to know something he doesn’t. See something he’s unaware of. Noddy always knows. Noddy knows better than he does. Noddy’s good at reading him. Noddy’s good at everything she does.

And I’m good at nothing, worry snivels.

Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up. 

Rotten carpaccio. Rotten brat. Sick with you for nine months. 

“I was, indeed, the one to hack your husband’s arm off,” he distantly hears Julian proclaim, drawing his attention back to the conversation. Lucio absentmindedly reaches for Julian’s empty cognac glass, fills it, and gestures for Bakuli to hand him hers. As their eyes meet, Lucio feels a sudden and intense wave of jealousy once again. Like he can see the life he’s wanted dancing in her eyes, the life that is supposed to be his: Julian at his side. Not hers. Like she’s mocking him with her proximity to Julian.

And then he sees something soft in her gaze. A life yet to come. One with room for all three of them. One where Bakuli and Julian can stand at Count Lucio’s side, a united triumvirate leading Vesuvia to greatness. The Count, the Doctor, and the Magician.

Maybe they’d have room for me in their life, meekness whimpers, interrupting his glorious daydream, Maybe they’d have space in their life for me.

Pathetic. As if you’re some sort of stray dog they’d bring in off the streets, he scolds himself, anger roiling in his core.

“And what about you, Miss. Bakuli?” Lucio blurts as he hands back a full glass of cognac to her, surprising even himself with the question. His tone is blunt, blunter than he meant it to be, and he can feel how piercing his own gaze is. However, Bakuli remains resolute, poised, and ready for whatever comes next.

“You’ve been awfully quiet. How do you know Jules?” Lucio questions, giving way to petty jealousy. He heard it from Julian once this night. For some reason, he feels like he needs to hear the story from her mouth, too. As if somehow, that would give him a complete understanding of their relationship. His gaze flicks to where Bakuli has her hand resting on Julian’s thigh. She smiles amiably at the Count, clearly untroubled by Lucio’s question, and seemingly the least bit intimidated.

“We met when Ilya moved to Vesuvia,” she answers diplomatically, “We were in line at a market stall.” Her wistful smile afterwards is enough to tell Lucio that their relationship is more than just a physical one. It both incenses and excites him. Lucio isn’t sure whether to be terribly hurt or curiously intrigued. Either way, he doesn’t have a chance to respond to her comment.

“I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about you,” Bakuli goes on, turning her tenderness towards the Count, welcoming him softly into her heart. A white flag. A surrender, of sorts. A comment as if to say, I am not your enemy.

“I’m excited that I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet someone that means so much to Ilya,” she finishes, a pleasant smile that extends all the way up to her hazel eyes. Lucio doesn’t remember the last time anyone looked at him that way: with a gentle compassion that leaves no room for animosity. He can’t be upset with her, a feeling that is almost unfamiliar to him. This entire evening, Bakuli has neither insulted nor demeaned him. She’s politely listened to his stories, asked questions when she’s needed clarification, and overall been the perfect guest. Neither she nor Julian have deigned to whisper foul things behind his back. Otherwise, Lucio surely would have heard, given that they’ve been right by his side this whole evening. Just like Julian, there is no pity in Miss. Bakuli’s gaze. Only a shimmering inquisitiveness and quiet benevolence.

So, Count Lucio of Vesuvia decides that perhaps he can grow to like this magician, even if he is a bit jealous.

“Jules is also the one that gave me my name,” Lucio blurts in an attempt to dispel the odd tension. His mouth forms the words before his brain can stop him. Other people weren’t supposed to know that. That was something Lucio wanted credit for. The genius of it. Lucio meaning, “light,” and all. He’s the Light of Vesuvia, clever for coming up with that. But some piece of Lucio couldn’t help announcing this to this tiny, intimate group. Perhaps it’s Julian’s sudden reappearance in his life making him nostalgic. Or Bakuli’s silent thoughtfulness that makes him want to open up, for some gods forsaken reason.

“He is?!” Bakuli beams, eyes lighting with surprise as she perks up in her seat, “You never told me that!” 

Lucio forgets all about his worry when Julian turns a bright crimson, drawing a devilish grin from the Count.

“He sure as hell is!” Lucio teases, delighted by Bakuli’s enthusiasm and Julian’s sheepishness, “Aww, look at him blush! Still the same modest mess you’ve always been, Jules.” 

“Oh, goodness. Tell me about it! He can hardly take a compliment without turning at least twenty different shades of red,” Bakuli twitters teasingly. That’s the most she’s said all night and Lucio is ecstatic.

“Look at him, he’s blushing even more!” Lucio cackles as Julian buries his nose in his glass and pretends not to hear his companions. 

“You should see him when he gets praised for something,” Bakuli goes on, leaning ever so slightly across Julian so she can speak to Lucio more directly.

“Darling!” Julian exclaims, clearly mortified. 

“I bet he’s a disaster!” Lucio guffaws, “You should’ve seen him back in the day. Every time I’d tell him he was doing a good job with my arm, he’d start sputtering!” 

Oh, I like this magician, he realizes, listening to her laughter as he tells her about how flustered Julian used to get. He likes how sassy she is, the glint of mischief in her eyes. She seems to like him, too. Just moments ago, Lucio had been conflicted about her, unsure if he should be wary, jealous, or try to get to know Bakuli. He’s still not quite settled on how he feels about her, but their shared teasing of Julian aids in making Lucio feel less threatened. She has plenty of hysterical stories to share about the doctor (to which Julian laughs, flustered, blushing a thousand shades of red, as predicted). Lucio has plenty of his own to tell. Soon, the night is just one big contest to see who can make Julian blush the most. Lucio feels he’s won, but Bakuli certainly puts in a good effort.