deltawrites

[deltawrites]

Ghost don't need to eat y'know! Instead, all 'Mila needs to sustain her physical body are the nutrient-rich potions her mentor makes her. Beware, they have very...questionable flavors...

Art by @bluentear!

[deltawrites]

The skeleton flower is often overlooked due to its transparent petals in humid environments, where they thrive. It is commonly used to treat malignant tumors, but with a high enough dosage it can be used to administer a gentle euthanasia

Art by @nena0me!

[deltawrites]

Would anyone like to hear random facts about her???

Lyudmila, The Spectromancer

Lyudmila has been raised since birth to take on the infamous mantle of “Baba Yaga”, an ancient witch known throughout the annals of history for her prowess and ferocity. Each iteration of Baba Yaga differs from the last in magical speciality, her own being a profound control over the incorporeal.

[deltawrites]

𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖑'𝖘 𝕶𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖓 ৡ

Prompt: How good are they at cooking?

TW: none

A/N: Ty for the love on the last post <3. My askbox is still open for requests!

AIS - ???/10

An absolute wild card when it comes to cooking. One day he is making the most delicious meal you have ever tasted and the next he is serving you the equivalent of sludge.

This is likely due to the hivemind. While he has some dominance due to his direct tie to Ocudeus, there are moments when even he is susceptible and gets drowned out by the dozens of collective voices.

The only definite skill he has is his tea brewing. He’s quite the collection of pots and tea leaves. It’s one of those things that really contrasts his tough exterior.

Dare you say, he looks elegant when he prepares everything. Ais and tea ceremonies anyone?

Favorite things to make: ochazuke, soups/stews, rice balls

VERE - 0/10

The only thing he has going for him is that he looks good in an apron. Consider yourself lucky if he decides to wear nothing but an apron around you.

Genuinely appreciates the art of cooking, but is the type to think taking shortcuts will result in the exact same results as the recipe calls for.

“If I put it in the oven for 10 minutes at 800° F degrees instead of 20 minutes at 400 °F, it’ll cook faster!”

He has a really good nose and taste buds when it comes to spices. If you’re ever cooking for him the best approach is to get his input of the flavoring before since he is a rather picky eater.

Favorite things to cook eat: adobo, meaty dishes (medium rare), seared scallops.

Leander - 8/10

Oh, he can cook alright. It’s a skill he forced himself to pick up after going out on his own. A moment of silence for all the pots and pans he sacrificed.

Mostly cooks for himself, except you of course! If you have a craving for anything, please let him know! He will do anything to get you what you want. Isn’t that so thoughtful of him?

Lots of meal prepping. During his busier days he likes to be able to grab something quick or take it with him on the go.

Cooks up a feast as a reward to his gang if they complete a big assignment or to boost their morale.

Favorite things to cook: arroz con gandules, whole roasted turkey, baked goods.

Mhin - 3/10

They can cook, but just enough for the sake of survival. If they can eat something raw and without any prep, they would.

Their tastes tend to skew sour. They also prefer colder dishes than warm ones since they’re easier to make. Eridia is humid most of the year, so it's also easier on the body to eat colder foods.

That doesn’t mean Mhin doesn’t appreciate a nice warm meal. They actually like something warm and filling every now and then. The best way to their heart is with food since it takes effort to both cook and to procure the ingredients. 

Will eat anything regardless, but appreciates it if you take the time to make something they will enjoy tasting.

Favorite things to cook eat: ukha, roasted fish, pelmeni

Kuras - -100/10

Kuras: making some breakfast for my beautiful soulmate 😘😘  MC: who tf is burning down my kitchen?

He can’t do it. He just…can’t. You can watch him like a hawk the entire time and he will still ruin the dish beyond repair somehow.

Kuras equates liking a particular flavor to putting 10x more than what the recipe calls for. The more the better, right? Your scrunched up expression tells him otherwise.

Because he doesn’t need to eat, even if you aren’t a good cook yourself he will consume whatever it is you made for him. At the very least, he understands the effort it took to make him something and it would be a waste to let it go untouched.

Would he appreciate the sentiment for his own attempts? Yes, but even he understands that if the meal he makes begins to move and radiate an unholy aura then it's best to admit defeat and grab something from the nearest street vendor instead.

Favorite things to cook eat: gulab jamun, sweet puddings, biryani

Request are open!

[deltawrites]

𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖘 ㅤꨄ︎

Prompt: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. These represent different ways people prefer to express and receive love

TW: second-person pronouns (gender neutral)

A/N: First time writing for Touchstarved! Lemme know how I do besties✌️

AIS - acts of service & quality time

Ais is someone who unexpectedly wears his heart on his sleeves. He’s very in tune with his emotions and is not afraid to let them show, even when it comes to matters of love and affection.

If he loves you, he will show you. Whether it’s a more obvious act such as protecting you from the random, heated drunkard or a voracious soulless, he isn’t afraid to put his life on the line in order to keep you safe if you've managed to win his heart. Your safety is now one of his top priorities, if not the top priority of his.

His less bloody acts actually makes him come across as quite the gentleman, and were likely the first signs that Ais may have a thing for you. Holding open doors. Pulling out a seat for you. Brewing you fresh tea during your odd visits to the Seaspring.

His acts of service are intended to lead to quality time together.

Granted, his pets will often appear during your times together with him, but who can say no to spending time with Princess??? She’s a darling!

His pets soon become yours. If he is ever busy or unable to be by your sides, expect them to take his place in the meantime. 

Expect him to outright carry you places later down the line. Doesn't matter your build, he’s strong enough to accommodate any weight!

VERE - gift giving & quality time

Vere isn’t ashamed to like the materialistic things in life. His tastes can run expensive and exotic, but why settle for anything less than the best?

However, if he is truly interested in you, expect to be on the receiving end and not the giver.

His mindset is that of showering the one who captivates him with the finest there is, cementing the idea to the object of his affections that to love him and him alone is to never be without.

Silken cloth, precious metals and gemstones, and the finest of cuisines. He loves you enough that the thought of you having anything but the best causes him worry.

Yes, Vere enjoys the finer things in life, even more so if he can share the joy of all that he has given you, together. 

Don’t expect him to let you be after he gives you a set of curated hair oils and skincare serums. Oh no, he intends to show you how good they truly are and how exactly to use them! 

Better yet, may as well make it a whole evening together! There’s also all those outfits he got you and he simply must make sure they fit you as intended, or he’ll have the tailor's head.

MHIN - acts of service & physical touch

Mhin is actually fond of physical intimacy, but their curse has made them a bit hesitant to pursue it out of fear of harming others, especially you, when it decides to take hold of their body without warning.

When Mhin cares for someone, they may forgo their initial concerns with a bit of reassurance. While cautious as always given the risks, even they can get swept up in the comfort of a warm hug or the comforting grip of your bandaged hand in theirs.

Most definitely, they are the type of person to press their forehead against your own, especially after a more tense situation occurs and they need to ensure that you are still here with them, safe and breathing.

When it's cold, they will scold you for not wearing weather appropriate clothing while also shrugging off their own cloak and bundling you up.

Ran into a steep incline and struggling to climb up? They may not look the strongest, but you’ll be surprised at the strength Mhin can muster in order to help you out.

If you are ever low on funds or worried about securing your next meal, you needn’t anymore. On top of feeding the various street cats in Lowtown, Mhin will take up an extra job or two to ensure you’re taken care of and never without a full belly.

Give them a kiss before their nightly patrols and you most definitely will be rewarded with them blushing profusely. 

LEANDER - physical touch & words of affirmation

Unlike Mhin, Leander is not at all hesitant about showing physical intimacy from the get go. You may even suspect he enjoys putting on a bit of a display in front of others. Especially in front of others.

In a way, his very open and handsy approach have marked you as off limits to nearly everyone in Lowtown. The only ones who would dare to make a move on you are either bold, stupid, or a blatant rival looking to stir up tensions.

From the moment you two met in the Wet Wick, he has always been smooth and purposeful with his words. It’s almost as if he can read your very soul. There are times you needn’t utter a word of complaint to him. Leander knows exactly when to give you comfort and how.

While he enjoys displaying his physical love for you to more watchful eyes, you’ll find that his carefully crafted words are reserved for you and you alone.

Those moments may be the only time where you witness him let down his walls a bit. Leander most certainly puts nothing but his best foot forward with his clients and the other Adderstones. Only someone who has truly gained his trust and stuck by him despite his well hidden shortcomings and secrets will ever witness such vulnerability.

If you have truly cemented yourself into his heart then congratulations, expect a ring and a heartfelt proposal within the next year. You will also gain some authority over his gang after exchanging vows.

He has an entire list of compliments and little nicknames he uses with various people in order to maintain his foothold within the lower districts of Eridia. They're superficial and corny at first, but as your relationship progresses they start to take on a much more impactful tone when he uses them on you. 

His favorites: Beautiful, Sweetheart, Love, My dear, My flower, My rose, My soul. 

KURAS - quality time and physical touch

One of the telltale signs that Kuras had a genuine interest in you beyond that of a patient is when he began to pet you on the head after your, now routinely, checkups at his clinic.

His ministries didn’t stop there. In a way, he was testing to see how far he could go before you would catch on. A simple head rub eventually turned into a bold but chaste kiss to the back of your bandaged hand, which in turn navigated its way to pressing his lips against your temple.

Honestly, it got to a point where the man himself had to stop and consider whether or not he was abusing his authority as your doctor when you seemingly didn’t respond to his signals like he expected you to. This isn’t his first time initiating the chase after all, so why wasn’t it working like before?

Kuras decided it best to take his affections outside of the clinic, which was most likely the cause for confusion given it is his place of business. Although he has no reason to eat, the same cannot be said about you. Expect frequent invites to small bakeries, cafes, and local street vendors some of which you question if you can afford without his generously offered coin.

If he takes you out eating then he will feed you small bites, although it begins to happen too much. It’s cute at first and he assures himself that this will surely win your heart when he sees how happy and fulfilled you look, but then you mentioned how parental his care feels one evening and he almost recoils his hand away out of shock. 

It’ll be a cute little moment to look back upon in the future, but in that moment he was truly at a loss for words and embarrassed for giving the wrong signals. This may be the one time you see him get flustered and trip over his own words. It’s rather cute!

He enjoys leisurely strolls by the river ways and will invite you if you indicate having some free time. Whether you two are engaged in deep conversation the entire time or simply wish to enjoy your walk in a comfortable silence, he can adjust to either. While he prefers to frequent quieter areas he is also not avoidant of more crowded and hectic areas like the Amaryllis district. You will be in safe hands there, as everyone knows not to push their wares or their luck when he quite obviously has a gently placed hand on the low of your back as you two engage with each other in your shared bubble.

requests are open!

[deltawrites]

Finally got around to doing some more templates for my touchstarved OC (art is once again done by @paranoidghosts!)

[deltawrites]

Just got my commission today and immediately raced to make this (more details abt her are in the tags)

art was done by the amazing @paranoidghosts!

[deltawrites]

𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖘 ㅤꨄ︎

Prompt: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. These represent different ways people prefer to express and receive love

TW: second-person pronouns (gender neutral)

A/N: First time writing for Touchstarved! Lemme know how I do besties✌️

AIS - acts of service & quality time

Ais is someone who unexpectedly wears his heart on his sleeves. He’s very in tune with his emotions and is not afraid to let them show, even when it comes to matters of love and affection.

If he loves you, he will show you. Whether it’s a more obvious act such as protecting you from the random, heated drunkard or a voracious soulless, he isn’t afraid to put his life on the line in order to keep you safe if you've managed to win his heart. Your safety is now one of his top priorities, if not the top priority of his.

His less bloody acts actually makes him come across as quite the gentleman, and were likely the first signs that Ais may have a thing for you. Holding open doors. Pulling out a seat for you. Brewing you fresh tea during your odd visits to the Seaspring.

His acts of service are intended to lead to quality time together.

Granted, his pets will often appear during your times together with him, but who can say no to spending time with Princess??? She’s a darling!

His pets soon become yours. If he is ever busy or unable to be by your sides, expect them to take his place in the meantime. 

Expect him to outright carry you places later down the line. Doesn't matter your build, he’s strong enough to accommodate any weight!

VERE - gift giving & quality time

Vere isn’t ashamed to like the materialistic things in life. His tastes can run expensive and exotic, but why settle for anything less than the best?

However, if he is truly interested in you, expect to be on the receiving end and not the giver.

His mindset is that of showering the one who captivates him with the finest there is, cementing the idea to the object of his affections that to love him and him alone is to never be without.

Silken cloth, precious metals and gemstones, and the finest of cuisines. He loves you enough that the thought of you having anything but the best causes him worry.

Yes, Vere enjoys the finer things in life, even more so if he can share the joy of all that he has given you, together. 

Don’t expect him to let you be after he gives you a set of curated hair oils and skincare serums. Oh no, he intends to show you how good they truly are and how exactly to use them! 

Better yet, may as well make it a whole evening together! There’s also all those outfits he got you and he simply must make sure they fit you as intended, or he’ll have the tailor's head.

MHIN - acts of service & physical touch

Mhin is actually fond of physical intimacy, but their curse has made them a bit hesitant to pursue it out of fear of harming others, especially you, when it decides to take hold of their body without warning.

When Mhin cares for someone, they may forgo their initial concerns with a bit of reassurance. While cautious as always given the risks, even they can get swept up in the comfort of a warm hug or the comforting grip of your bandaged hand in theirs.

Most definitely, they are the type of person to press their forehead against your own, especially after a more tense situation occurs and they need to ensure that you are still here with them, safe and breathing.

When it's cold, they will scold you for not wearing weather appropriate clothing while also shrugging off their own cloak and bundling you up.

Ran into a steep incline and struggling to climb up? They may not look the strongest, but you’ll be surprised at the strength Mhin can muster in order to help you out.

If you are ever low on funds or worried about securing your next meal, you needn’t anymore. On top of feeding the various street cats in Lowtown, Mhin will take up an extra job or two to ensure you’re taken care of and never without a full belly.

Give them a kiss before their nightly patrols and you most definitely will be rewarded with them blushing profusely. 

LEANDER - physical touch & words of affirmation

Unlike Mhin, Leander is not at all hesitant about showing physical intimacy from the get go. You may even suspect he enjoys putting on a bit of a display in front of others. Especially in front of others.

In a way, his very open and handsy approach have marked you as off limits to nearly everyone in Lowtown. The only ones who would dare to make a move on you are either bold, stupid, or a blatant rival looking to stir up tensions.

From the moment you two met in the Wet Wick, he has always been smooth and purposeful with his words. It’s almost as if he can read your very soul. There are times you needn’t utter a word of complaint to him. Leander knows exactly when to give you comfort and how.

While he enjoys displaying his physical love for you to more watchful eyes, you’ll find that his carefully crafted words are reserved for you and you alone.

Those moments may be the only time where you witness him let down his walls a bit. Leander most certainly puts nothing but his best foot forward with his clients and the other Adderstones. Only someone who has truly gained his trust and stuck by him despite his well hidden shortcomings and secrets will ever witness such vulnerability.

If you have truly cemented yourself into his heart then congratulations, expect a ring and a heartfelt proposal within the next year. You will also gain some authority over his gang after exchanging vows.

He has an entire list of compliments and little nicknames he uses with various people in order to maintain his foothold within the lower districts of Eridia. They're superficial and corny at first, but as your relationship progresses they start to take on a much more impactful tone when he uses them on you. 

His favorites: Beautiful, Sweetheart, Love, My dear, My flower, My rose, My soul. 

KURAS - quality time and physical touch

One of the telltale signs that Kuras had a genuine interest in you beyond that of a patient is when he began to pet you on the head after your, now routinely, checkups at his clinic.

His ministries didn’t stop there. In a way, he was testing to see how far he could go before you would catch on. A simple head rub eventually turned into a bold but chaste kiss to the back of your bandaged hand, which in turn navigated its way to pressing his lips against your temple.

Honestly, it got to a point where the man himself had to stop and consider whether or not he was abusing his authority as your doctor when you seemingly didn’t respond to his signals like he expected you to. This isn’t his first time initiating the chase after all, so why wasn’t it working like before?

Kuras decided it best to take his affections outside of the clinic, which was most likely the cause for confusion given it is his place of business. Although he has no reason to eat, the same cannot be said about you. Expect frequent invites to small bakeries, cafes, and local street vendors some of which you question if you can afford without his generously offered coin.

If he takes you out eating then he will feed you small bites, although it begins to happen too much. It’s cute at first and he assures himself that this will surely win your heart when he sees how happy and fulfilled you look, but then you mentioned how parental his care feels one evening and he almost recoils his hand away out of shock. 

It’ll be a cute little moment to look back upon in the future, but in that moment he was truly at a loss for words and embarrassed for giving the wrong signals. This may be the one time you see him get flustered and trip over his own words. It’s rather cute!

He enjoys leisurely strolls by the river ways and will invite you if you indicate having some free time. Whether you two are engaged in deep conversation the entire time or simply wish to enjoy your walk in a comfortable silence, he can adjust to either. While he prefers to frequent quieter areas he is also not avoidant of more crowded and hectic areas like the Amaryllis district. You will be in safe hands there, as everyone knows not to push their wares or their luck when he quite obviously has a gently placed hand on the low of your back as you two engage with each other in your shared bubble.

requests are open!

[deltawrites]

Lyudmila, The Spectromancer

Lyudmila has been raised since birth to take on the infamous mantle of “Baba Yaga”, an ancient witch known throughout the annals of history for her prowess and ferocity. Each iteration of Baba Yaga differs from the last in magical speciality, her own being a profound control over the incorporeal.

[deltawrites]

I wonder what she does to keep her ghosts entertained?

[template by @redspringstudio]

[deltawrites]

｡ ₊��༺ 𖤓 SUMMERTIME FUN 𖤓 ༻°₊ ｡

Prompt: Summer is here! What do you and the boys get up to during the season?

TW: none

A/N: Ahhhhh this is my first writing for Love and Deepspace! Only Caleb’s section is strictly platonic in nature (sorry caleb girlies I see you and love you guys 🫶). The rest are more romantically implied!

INDOOR GARDENING

Summers are often the busiest times of the year for the hospitals. More demanding work + an Ice-based Evol is practically a season of torture for poor Zayne.

He has absolutely zero energy when he gets back to your shared home, sometimes needing to retreat into his room for an hour or so to help de-stimulate himself and clean up. This is probably the time of the year he gets a little unhealthy in his lifestyle; drinking a glass or two of wine and ordering from the nearest fast food place he would typically scold you about.

Luckily, you know just the activity to keep his morale up during the season! After perusing and inquiring with the nice florist at the nearest plant nursery, you got a few low maintenance plants the two of you can take care of over the summer: Petra croton, sansevieria, and a hoya plant for a dash of budding florals!

They’re all fairly low maintenance and provide much needed fresh air throughout the house. It’s also nice getting to watch them grow from little sprouts to full plants over time!

Zayne enjoys caring for your plants in between his work weeks, so much that it becomes a near permanent hobby of his outside the season. He has a preference for leafy plants, but you may occasionally find him at a flower shop inquiring about cultivating flowers at home for a certain…someone.

It’s you he’s talking about. 🫵

His office ends up receiving some much needed decorations, only because the house was starting to overrun with them at one point. Many of the nurses seem to enjoy the new foliage in his office, some even striking up conversations with him if they share the same hobby.

At this rate, he could start his own gardening club with his coworkers.

MOVIE MARATHONS

What better way to wait out the summer heat than inside, with the air conditioner and the comfort of one's own bed!

It’s not like there isn’t a valid reason to lounge around the apartment together. You both have been so busy with missions and all the paperwork that goes with it. Now is the best time to catch up on all the latest cinema you guys missed out on because of your jobs! 

Heck, you don't have to do just the new stuff. Why not watch some of the classics you’ve never seen before!

Xavier seems like the kind of guy who would like older movies. He likes seeing all the practical effects being used in place of all the CGI in most modern films. Prosthetics, fake blood, uncanny mannequins. He loves the creativity behind it all!

There’s no specific genre you guys stick too. If it has an interesting premise and can be rented for cheap on one of the millions of streaming services out there, it’s getting put on the TV!

Snacks are essential. I can see Xavier investing in a mini popcorn machine, maybe even a slushie machine just for the sheer theatrics and familiarity of it.

Well…more like he bought the machines and forgot that they don’t come with all the ingredients needed to make their specialty food. That means that you guys will, unfortunately, have to venture out into the heat to the nearest grocery store.

Xavier and heat do not mix. Even if it's a quick 15 minute trip, he is going to take a 5 hour heatstroke nap after getting home. Poor guy.

AMUSEMENT PARKS

Opposite to Xavier, Rafayel loves this time of the year, especially if it’s a humid summer! It's a godsend to his dryness prone skin.

Amusement parks would be right up his alley. He gets to be out and about while enjoying the seasonal fun. If the park is near a beach or on a boardwalk, even better!

All those times he failed miserably at the claw machine was just a fluke, he swears! Put this man in front of a Skee-ball machine and he’s going to be buying you that 10,000 ticket LED dart board AND a rubber bracelet at the prize counter.

Why not get yourself some assorted candies, since you got so many left over tickets? You deserve nothing but the best after all (>ᴗ•) !

All those clearly impossible side attractions end up being bested by him. The one minute pull up bar that spins midway? Yeah, he’s beating it AND doing a few pull ups too just to show off.

He tends to avoid the stall with the fishbowls and goldfish prizes out of lack of interest, but if you push hard enough (which isn't much) he might just win you a pet fish or two. Just don’t you dare shower it with more love and affection than you do him. He’s your number one fish, first and foremost!

“Whatever. You’re going to be the one taking care of them, not me!” - Rafayel, who is currently browsing online for a proper fish tank to install in his studio.

You’re absolutely not leaving that park without a giant stuffed animal. Don’t you dare think of getting the one shaped like a cat! NOT A CHANCE!

The giant cat sits next to the fish tank. He hates how weak he’s become.

BEACH RESORT

Nothing wrong with going to the beach during summer! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Except it's not just any beach Stylus takes you to, it’s a beach connected to an exclusive FIVE STAR HOTEL!!!

He was tempted to buy out the entire hotel for your week-long stay, but you didn’t want to spend the trip in complete isolation. Beach volleyball isn’t fun with just two players (four if you count Luke and Kieran tagging along)

Speaking of guests, Mephisto is legally obligated to come along. You even got him a pair of mini sunglasses and rubber Crocs so his feet don’t get singed! 🥺

Waring matching floral button ups with each other is also a requirement. It’s actually the law, you see.

Sylus: Oh yeah? Show me the law. Y/N: Sure, it’s right here!

( ︶︿︶)_╭∩╮

Sunbathing is definitely on the menu as soon as you guys set up your spot on the white sanded beach. Sylus insists he help you put on your sunscreen on the harder to reach places. Seeing as he paid for the entire trip, you’ll let him have his fun running his fingers down your skin with a languished pace. He might even give you a little cheeky pinch on your ass while no one’s looking. Definitely when no one is looking.

If anyone even thinks about hitting on you while you two are together he is going to shut that show down immediately. Sure, he was very much aware of what he was doing when he picked out your swimsuit, hugging you in all the right places and all, but that suit was for him to gawk at. Not the snobby little rich kids in their beach tents or even the outdoor bartender just trying to get tips for the overpriced drinks.

If you ask nicely, he might be up for a round of beach volleyball, but YOU ARE NOT PLAYING. (See the last bullet point for an explanation).

Okay, you can play. But only on the same team as him. If not he’s going to go absurdly hard on you just to see you get frustrated (he likes it when you pout).

OR you somehow keep pace with him, are now determined to beat him into a bloody pulp in front of all these people, and what was once a casual team vs team setup has now turned into the most brutal, vindictive 1 v 1 everyone has ever seen. 

God forbid your Evols come into the picture. You may get yourselves kicked out at this rate…

At the end of the trip, Sylus is determined to end it with a leisure walk along the shoreline during the sunset. You two end up finding a large conch shell and take it back to Linkon city.

It’s a nice reminder of all the fun you two had and all the volleyballs you two destroyed.

ARCADES

YEAH!!! LET'S SPEND ALL OF OUR DISPOSABLE INCOME ON PLUSHIES!!!!!!!! THIS IS WHAT BEING AN ADULT IS REALLY ABOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I’m not saying you guys have memberships to each of the name brand arcade chains in Linkon city…BUUUUUT you two may or may not have been platinum card members since middle school 💅. Not even death is going to stop Caleb from getting some exclusive prizes.

You guys are probably the reason these establishments aren’t out of business yet.

While you tend to lean towards plushies and claw machines, Caleb likes the machines with the higher stakes prizes, like the latest smartphones or even the 100$ gift cards. Heck, it was thanks to his mastery over Stackers that got you both the latest handheld as kids!

Sometimes, lunch consists of the snacks and candies your brother won at the local arcade shop. Who’s going to mess with the kids that won an entire strawberry whipped cream cake from the city machines? Exactly, no one.

It’s sort of a routine you guys have had down for a while. You’ll enter, load your membership card with a concerning amount of tokens and head off to your preferred areas. After someone wins a prize you’ll catch up with the other and see if they need some help at any of the machines, or even show off your latest wins to each other!

Cue Caleb coming to you with a bag full of snacks and rare collectibles as you cry in pain over a plushie that fell into a dead zone

“You know you can ask the staff to reset it for you, right?” - Caleb @ you for the last decade.

He lost his favorite key chain during the house explosion. It was one of the first prizes you won back home in those miniature claw machines at the corner store. Upon learning this, you were determined to find a new pair to replace the now incomplete set.

You’re not proud of the justifications you made to spend more money on arcade games. You are proud of the new key chains you won, all on your own to boot!

They’re simple; an avocado split in half. One side has the large pit and the other is hollowed out. He has it on his key chain and you have it dangling on your phone. Money well spent!

”Hey Jenna, you got any extra shifts I can pick up next week? Just looking to put in a bit of overtime for the team, that’s all!”

REQUESTS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN

[deltawrites]

✧⋄⋆ ! 𝕆𝕙 𝕞𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ! ⋆⋄✧

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Twisted Wonderland Love and Deepspace Touchstarved (Red Springs Studio)

Ask me about my LADS & TS MCs (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

˚₊‧꒰ა 𝕎𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕒𝕘𝕤 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

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. °•★|∵ 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕋𝕒𝕘𝕤 ∵|☆•° .

#courtship (twst)

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three characters max per ask

No NSFW topics or overly traumatic subject matters (assault, abuse, etc).

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Please specify if you want headcanons (bullet points) or an imagine (short fiction)

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[deltawrites]

Courtship (4): The Gargoyle Graveyard

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland (Malleus x GN!reader)

Author note: Again, thank you all for being patient with me and I apologize for having a very inconsistent writing schedule. I'm going to make it my goal to update on a bi weekly basis instead of leaving you all in silent limbo. Also a reminder I suck at figuring out which warnings to put so if there's something that needs to be forewarned that I failed to disclose please lmk!

Warnings: Mentions of heavy bodily injuries | childhood trauma/neglect | discussions/mentions of discrimination | mentions of virginity/sexual history

Previous chapter | Next Chapter

AO3 version

Clay. Stone. Porcelain. Plaster. Metal. There are even gargoyles carved entirely of wood! Some statues are stand-alone works of art while others are part of a clear collection or series of similar inspiration. They even come in all sorts of shapes and sizes; as small as an apple or a towering height to rival Malleus himself. No matter what, each grotesque has been crafted with the utmost consideration, by well seasoned and knowing hands. Even the ones that have clear defects and cannot serve their intended purpose are free of overabundant ivy, weeds, or dust. There’s a clear degree of love and care the family who makes these statues has for their craft that makes him feel less alone in his interest in an uncherished form of art.

“It should be around here somewhere,” you muse aloud. Ever since he expressed interest in seeing more sculptures made with non-traditional materials, you’ve been keeping your eye out for a particular one that would fulfill his yearning. You eventually find it and eagerly point to it. “There it is!”

Malleus watches as you approach a massive-sized statue covered with a thick and half-wet tarp. He helps you remove the cover, revealing a winged and slightly humanoid canine. There are many more grotesques with a similar design, but what makes this one stand out the most is the material it’s made out of.

“Amazing!” Malleus awes. “I’ve never seen a grotesque of this size made entirely of glass! They’ve even managed to maintain their attention to detail despite such an abnormal material choice.”

“You can even see the inner channel where the water would flow in and redirect out of its mouth,” you notice.

“They even went out of their way to make it functional despite it being unfit for actual installation?” Malleus inquires with disbelief. “Such a shame.”

“If you’re looking to buy anything here, I’m afraid it's a lost cause. One of the first warnings the grandfather gave me is that none of these are for sale.”

“What was his second warning?”

“If we damage anything, even as small as a scratch, he’ll kill us.”

“How charming,” he chuckles. “I cannot blame him. These statues must take weeks to complete. Time is a human’s greatest enemy.”

“For some, sure. But when I went to visit the family and talked to the old man, he was lunging around all this heavy equipment like he was still in his prime,” you recall. “He lives for his craft. If there’s anything humans are at risk of their entire lives, it’s a lack of motivation and reason to live.”

“I suppose that’s true, but the lifespan of humans and the inevitable effects of aging is difficult to live with, especially once it begins to hinder one’s ability to do what one could previously do without issue. ”

“You’re not wrong,” you acknowledge. “But I think I’d rather live a short life with fulfillment than a dull, long-as-shit life.”

To show that he’s entirely on your side, Gunter lets out a guttural bark while his tail rapidly wags and thumps the damp ground, coating the ends of his bushy tail in specs of dirt and dirtied, remnant snow of the north that has managed to stay frozen on the isles warmer south end.

“You’re only agreeing with them because you’ve been promised food,” Malleus chastises. “Don’t think I didn’t pick up on your grumbling stomach.”

“And don't think I didn't pick up on your stomach rumbling either your highness," you quip back at him. "The family has a small cottage nearby we can use. We'll settle down for a bit and eat before sightseeing some more."

Before you turn and walk in the direction towards the aforementioned lodgings, you reach your hand out for Malleus to take and he latches onto you with restrained enthusiasm. He's taller than you, but he takes care not to take his normal strides as to not leave you struggling to keep up with him. Gunter doesn't know the way, so he trots beside you every step of the way up until the destination is in plain view. The cottage is small but well-attended. There’s a rustic flair to its construction that makes it feel familiar and safe despite never stepping foot in it before.

"Those gargoyles were something, huh?" you remark to him while you tap and shake off the gunk wedged into the soles of your heavy boots against the frame of the door.

"Indeed," he nods, taking your cloak off for you and hanging it on the wooden rack nearby. "I don't think I've ever seen that many gargoyles in one day. Just when my eyes land upon an intriguing one, there's several more that catch my attention."

The way he gets all wide-eyed is outright adorable. It makes you grin just as enthusiastically too. "I bet your club is going to have a field day once you tell them about this!"

His child-like smile turns into one of disappointment. "I'm certain they would, if I wasn't the sole member that is."

Your hands halt from pulling out and setting down all the premade food out of your pack. "Seriously? You're the only one?"

When he nods his head, you feel a twinge of hurt in your heart. Poor guy. You can only imagine how disappointing it must be to go through all those lengths to start a club (you would know since you're technically a staff member of the school and have been given a rundown on some of the school's functions and regulations) only for no one to show interest. Of course, you completely understand that gargoyles aren't exactly all the rage within the minds of teenage boys. Still! He goes through so much effort to build relationships with his peers but they always cower away, either due to his status or even because of the way he looks. You won’t deny that he does come off as rather intimidating at first glance, but he's a sweet guy once you give him the chance to speak.

But to expect teenagers going through social pressures and demanding academics to be as understanding and willing to understand someone like Malleus is an impossible demand. Given that everyone in the school can be a bunch of self-centered and easily agitated bunch of pricks, it's understandable that most of the student body isn't keen on trying to take into consideration the proper etiquette one needs to consider in the presence of a young and noble fae. Deuce has met and talked briefly with Malleus on one occasion, but even he visibly shakes whenever his name is mentioned, even in casual passing.

Wait until they found out who you've gone and gotten buddy-buddy with behind their back. They probably think they're slick or that their intentions are well swept under the rug, but it's clear they feel some semblance of responsibility for your well-being, as both a magicless individual as well as a close, albeit older, friend. You dread the day people begin to make the connections between Malleus and you, but you still can’t help but wonder what their reactions might be. You also dread the high probability those two idiots are going to find out and embarrass the living hell out of you, which you know you do not have the patience or tolerance for.

Gunter jumps up and sits himself down in one of the wooden dining chairs, pushing the small ceramic plate towards you with his nose, as if telling you "Alright, I’ve done what I said I'd do, now feed me what I'm owed." You tell him that you'll give him what he's well earned after you get a small fire started in the brick fireplace. Just because it's warmer near the southern half of the island and not as heavily blanketed with snow, doesn't mean the cold has completely vanished, Winter is still winter after all.

"Where did these scars come from?"

Malleus' unexpected question and closeness nearly make you drop the iron rod you've been using to stoke the growing fire. You've since taken off your boots and rolled up the bottoms of your pants just above your knee as the room starts to warm up enough for a thin layer of perspiration to accumulate and roll down your skin. The scars he's referring to are the ones on your right leg, both side by side at an awkward angle and discolored. You have a lot more scars than these, some much more gruesome in appearance than these two. Malleus has never asked about your scars, but sometimes you catch him looking in the general area of some that peak through your clothes. He likely keeps quiet about their existence out of courtesy.

Yet out of all the markings on your body, why did these two stand out enough that he'd finally ask about them?

"It's a long story," you say in an effort to stall the topic. "Sit. I'll feed you two once the fire is stable."

He doesn’t push you for an answer, instead simply doing as you say and lets you poke at the burning logs until they're properly aflame on their own. You made mostly some of your morning favorites; Creamy and thick potato stew with diced carrots and peas and some eggs, ham, and crispy hash browns sandwich between homemade halved croissants. You teased him about having picky taste buds earlier, but Malleus is content to eat anything you serve him so long as it is not comparable to the likes of Lilia's atrocious cooking.

(Seriously, how does a man as old as Lilia not know the basic fundamentals of cooking? And why does everything he makes end up burnt and tasting like something rotten? You will never understand.)

"Don't eat too quickly," you warn Gunter as you pour a bit of light-colored soup onto his designated plate. Your words are ignored, as the equally marred wolf sloppily slurps and munches on the few bits of potatoes and vegetables you generously scraped out of the thermos. His food is gone as quickly as it’s put in front of him and he looks at you expecting more.

"No. The rest is mine," you scold. "And don't beg Malleus for some either! I know you do it behind my back, you little shit!"

He turns to look at Malleus with an accusatory glare, thinking that he ratted him out to you. Malleus’s response towards the silent imputation is to turn and look out the window as if something caught his interest all of a sudden, cup raised to his lips as he politely sips away at his meal without an air of calmness. You have to slap a hand over your mouth to hide the amusement that overtakes your senses.

"Malleus, stop that!"

"Stop what?" he innocently asks.

"Stop making me want to laugh!"

He sets his cup down onto its matching serving dish. "It's not my fault you have an easily satiable sense of humor."

"Wow!" you say incredulously and put your arms up in offense. "And here I was thinking we were friends!"

His distant demeanor breaks and you both devolve into a fit of laughter together. Gunter unfortunately takes advantage of your joint distraction and slips away with a warm sandwich between his jaw, your sandwich in particular.

"That damn wolf!" you curse. "I knew I should have trusted my gut and pack extras.”

Malleus pities your distress before moving over to sit closer. "Worry not. I'll split mine in half with you,” he reassures.

"No, it's fine," you immediately dismiss his offer. "Have it for yourself."

"I'm not taking no for an answer," he firmly states. “Don’t be stubborn. It’s far too early for that.”

"I thought you liked it when I was stubborn?” you pout.

He shakes his head with a smile. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t”

"At least someone likes my attitude,” you say after chewing and swallowing a mouthful of soup. “Sebek certainly doesn’t."

"The boy is stubborn as well. When two equally stubborn individuals cross paths, you will witness nothing but discord between the two."

"Add the fact I'm human into the mix, and we'll be exchanging fists instead of words sooner or later," you scoff. "I get that some faes don't like humans, but what's his deal with acting like he’s got a vendetta against me?"

"Sebek doesn't hate humans for the reasons you might think," Malleus admits. "It’s more like he finds them difficult to think that highly of. Did you know that he is half-human?"

You nearly choke on your own breath over the sudden revelation. "Really?"

"Indeed," Malleus finds amusement at your disbelief. "Have you ever wondered why his ears aren't pointed like Silver, but his eyes are like mine and Lilia’s?"

"Damn,” you scratch the back of your head with embarrassment. “Now I feel stupid.”

"You aren't. Given the way he speaks, not many would assume he had human blood in his veins. His mother was highly regarded within her social circle, but her marriage to a human man tarnished her reputation a great deal. She's happy and does not seem to care what others think of her these days. However, when Sebek set out to be a knight, his mother's marriage and his lineage were often brought up as a way to scrutinize his character and capabilities rather than any of his actual shortcomings as an individual."

"Poor kid," you sigh. "Lilia told me those sorts of things still happen in The Valley, but it sounds so outlandish that I couldn’t take it that seriously."

"Many faes hold old traditions above all else, to a degree that the purity of one's blood stands above all other merits." His eyebrows pressed together in annoyance. "Even my grandmother thinks it's archaic, but as the reigning queen she has to embody a persona of neutrality between the social divide."

"It sounds like you have your work cut out for you in the future," you say, almost apologetically. "What do you plan to do about it once you're the king?"

There's a brief flash of surprise over your question, but Malleus easily answers it as usual. "I think my first course of action as king would be to properly knight Sebek and Silver."

"Bet my rifle that Sebek is going to cry the entire ceremony!" you remark with certainty. "That's all he ever goes on about, being a knight and all."

"He's devoted countless hours and efforts since he was a child. If there's anyone who deserves to join the knighthood, it's him."

"Definitely," you nod to further cement your agreement with him. "He could stand to lower his voice a bit. He'll give you tinnitus before long.”

"At least we won't have to worry about losing him in a crowd," Malleus jests.

"That's to say we'll lose sight of him to begin with," you remark. "He'll gladly lose me in a crowd. You? You'd be lucky to get out of arm's length."

"You underestimate me, dearest," Malleus smirks. "Ever since I've met you, I've perfected the art of avoiding Sebek's insistent searches."

"Have you now?" you razz back. "Don't let him catch onto the fact. He'll have my head."

He reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. Each second his skin touches yours makes you tingle. Time slows down ever so briefly if only to savor the small instance of physical connection for as long as possible. "What of your aunts?" he inquires. "Are they as overprotective of you as Sebek is of myself?"

"They’re a trio of mama bears," you proudly admit. "I'm old enough to drink and well equipped to fend for myself, but in their minds, I'll always be the little tyke that couldn't even eat their meals without looking at them for approval. Especially my aunt Gia."

You have three aunts. There's your aunt Marisol, the mother of most of your cousins and the main caretaker of the household. Your second aunt Lucia was well into her studies at university when you came to live with them, but her stress and long hours of mulling over her course materials paid off in the long run. Your gardening skills wouldn't be what they are now without her expertise in agricultural botany.

Then there's your aunt Gia. Oldest of the three. An absolute tank of a woman. No spouse. No kids of her own. She lived off the land like an absolute titan. The woman raised you as if she was the one that carried you for nine months and not your actual birth mother.

How would you describe your parents? If your parents were told to list out their priorities in life, their careers would be at the top of the list and you would be put at the very bottom. Why they carried you to term is beyond your understanding. You later learned that Gia had even offered to take you under her care well before your birth, knowing that your parents might not be well-suited to take care of you in the way she thinks would be beneficial for you. It was a convenient offer that would have saved everyone the trouble years down the line when you had your accident. They worked in a cutthroat industry and were constantly moving up the executive echelons. They had no time for you, yet their pride as a pair of young, successful business magnates made them incapable of seeing past the reality of the situation. That left you mostly in the care of last-minute caretakers and your aunts, but only if they had time from their own busy and preoccupied lives to come out into the city and visit.

You were eight years old when things started to get better, but it was upstarted in the worst possible way. Your parents had to go away for the upcoming weekend for work and left you in the care of a babysitter as per the norm. The babysitter never showed up however and your parents apparently couldn’t be bothered to check up on you even once the entire trip. Their silence wasn’t surprising. You just went on about your business for the next three days on your own like nothing was wrong. Your aunt Gia had even called at one point to check up on you, but you didn’t bother to tell her that your parents had left you to fend for yourself. She would have exploded if you did, but not as much as she did when you woke up in the hospital after falling down the stairs and lying helplessly on the ground for several hours with a dislocated shoulder and a compound-fractured leg. You were lulling in and out of consciousness due to all the medication pumped into you, but what little you do remember seeing and hearing when you regained consciousness will forever stick with you for the rest of your life.

If people think your level of swearing is bad, they should have heard your aunt that day. She swore so viciously that it could set an innocent bystander's eardrums on fire. What will forever stand out the most to you was the fact that your parents didn’t even look the least bit apologetic or regretful. They didn’t even approach you once your aunt was done giving them a piece of her mind to check up on you. They simply talked with the awaiting social worker and doctors and then left. It was for the better, but the small part of you that continued to hold onto the desperate belief that your parents would come around one day sent you into a thrashing frenzy and you had to be sedated before you could hurt yourself anymore.

The next year was spent recovering from your injuries, meeting regularly with your caseworker, and going through therapists like a pack of cigarettes. By the time you were back on your feet and the legal proceedings of your custody case were concluded, all you wanted was to move on with it all. Nearly a decade of neglect left you this unattentive, uncertain husk of a person who couldn’t take a single step forward without looking for some sort of guidance or assurance. Your family was exhausted by the entire ordeal and over speaking with third parties. Your aunts took it upon themselves to help you regain your sense of self in the comfort of your new home, no matter how difficult or demanding it was going to be.

“It took some time, but eventually it clicked in my mind that I was in a better place and I started to get better. As for my parents, I have no clue what they’re up to these days.” You lean back into your chair and let out a shaking yawn. “I like to think they’re getting on well like I am.”

“I don’t understand.” Malleus looks at you with unbelievable confusion. “Your parents treated you poorly, yet you don’t sound the least bit resentful. Why is that?”

You shrug your shoulders. “What’s the point? I'm in a better place now, so I've let bygones be bygones. 'Doesn't mean I don't harbor any anger against them anymore. I do, but getting upset won't change what's happened to me."

Gunter, having sensed your discomfort over the matter, trots over and rests his head on your lap. You gratefully rub the top of his head, carding your hands through his thick, coarse hair. "I'm just glad they let me go without a fuss. Family court was hell for my family.” Your eyebrows knit together. “Expensive too.”

Crackling wood fills the momentary silence that befalls the small cottage. What you've recollected to Malleus is a lot to take in, and if you're being quite honest you'd prefer if he just dropped the subject and talked about literally anything else right now. You hope he doesn't say he's sorry or any other type of apologetic comment. That's all you were ever told that entire year it all happened, during court proceedings, your rehabilitation, by both strangers and distant family members alike.

"I'm so sorry. What happened to you was unfortunate. You didn't deserve it."

No shit you didn't deserve any of that. You were a kid. You don’t need one pity party after another to realize that what took place then had fucked you forever. But as you said earlier, you're in a better place now, with a loving and supportive family that's moved on alongside you. A family you need to get back to as soon as possible.

"I love you."

Well, if he was hoping to take your mind off the past. that certainly did it. How can it not? It came out of nowhere and as good as you are at holding your composure when need be, you're sure you look no less like a gaping fish when warm and plush softness presses right against the corner of your lips. A kiss. His kiss.

"What's wrong?" Your voice sounds shaky. You’re nervous.

"Nothing," he smiles reassuringly. "I simply said what I felt needed to be said."

"Fair enough" you concede easily. He was going to say it sooner or later. He already has actually, now that you think about it. Yet here you are trying to process his words like it’s rocket science.

"Am I going about this too fast perhaps?" he genuinely asks. His hands that have been busy massaging your calves that have settled across his lap somewhere during your long retelling gradually slow down, but his hands never go completely still. "This is my first time experiencing something like this."

"What?" You sit up a bit straighter. "A relationship?"

"Yes."

Your head tilts to the side. "Really?"

He nods hesitantly "Yes?"

For a moment, you go completely quiet. "I don't believe you,” you doubtfully say, head shaking to further showcase your refusal to believe him.

He must not have liked your remark, frowning with clear offense in his eyes. When he dislikes something, the vertical slits in his eyes contract into a thin line. "I cannot lie, yet you still doubt me?"

"I know you can't lie, but I find it hard to believe you haven't been with anyone else before," you explain. Before you can consider the appropriateness that was your newfound curiosity about Malleus's apparently non-existent love life, you blurt out, "Are you still a virgin?"

You slap your hand over your mouth the moment those words come out of it. He's equally caught off guard and nearly drops his warm cup of coffee. Even Gunter is surprised by your question, olive-colored eyes looking at you as if you've lost your mind. It's an invasive question, inappropriate even. You and Malleus have been dating for a little over two days. A question like that is way too early to bring up just yet.

"You don't have to answer that," you tell him behind your palm. "I shouldn't have even asked it. Forget I ever brought it up-”

"I'm not," he interrupts you, leaving you even more shocked than you already are. You’re practically gaping like a fish by now. "I'm not a virgin,” he further insinuates.

A deafening silence, but it’s eventually broken by yourself. “I still don’t believe you.”

Malleus gets further annoyed at your refusal to accept his truth. "I'm not lying!" he insists.

"Bullshit!"

"Do you want me to recount my history to you?" he asks, exasperated as you are at the shift the conversation is taking. "Will that satisfy your doubts?"

"You know what? It will!" you loudly declare. "Who'd you sleep with?"

"He was a young page at the time,” he reminisced. “It happened before I was a century old.”

Your eyebrows raise with intrigue. "Was he cute?"

"Yes," he hushedly agrees. The disconcerting admittance paints his face a pinkish-red glow. "But that's not why I bedded him."

"But surely his looks are what made you interested in the first place?” you make blatant regard of the fact.

“You’re not wrong,” he acknowledges, expertly avoiding agreeing with you outright. “But his looks aren't the sole reason I was drawn to him. He was bright-eyed and ambitious, to the point you’d think him insane given his position in the court. It was also the first time I ever truly met with a group of humans, and my young mind was eager to get a more accurate perspective of humans that wasn’t through the lens of my tutors.”

“An ‘accurate perspective’?” You make playful air quotes, eyebrows wiggling because you know the fact that he knows what you’re implying. The playful comment is met with a sharp pinch on your leg that makes you jump and shriek out in pain. Did he have to dig his nails into you? Apparently so, and now you have small crescent indents on your skin. “I bet Lilia had a good laugh when he found out.”

“He doesn’t know, actually,” he admits to you with what is obviously a proud smile.

“Now I know you’re lying to me,” you scoff. “Nothing escapes the old man’s radar.”

His hands begin to rub out the marks he’s left on you as a form of apology. “Lilia is sharp, but he had lost most of his vigor by the time I was born.”

You go wide-eyed again. “You mean his hearing and eyesight was better than it is now?”

He nods affirmatively. “From what I’ve been told, terrifyingly so.”

Lilia is already frightening as is. His short stature and boyish looks make him perfectly unassuming to those who don’t know any better. You once watched him beat up a couple of bulky, twice-his-height students from Savanaclaw without breaking a sweat, yet moments before he was jokingly scolding himself for dozing off so easily. You never once thought he was ever out of his elements. A cold chill runs down your spine thinking how much more perceptive the older fae may have been back during his prime years.

“Wonder what Lilia’s gonna think,” you ponder out loud in a quick effort to banish out the skin-prickling mental imagery your mind was invoking. “About us, I mean.”

Malleus seems surprised that you would change the topic to that of all things, but his initial shock goes away as quickly as it came. “As you may have guessed, he’s an open-minded individual, but he’s also very realistic and unafraid to say what’s on his mind.”

“So what does that mean for you and me?” you question with a bit of hesitation.

“Well,” he trails off and ponders for a moment. “He’ll surely like the scandal our relationship would invoke. However, as my caretaker and mentor, he won’t hesitate to put an end to it if he feels it necessary.”

Had it been anyone else sitting beside you, you’d have found that comment way too extreme and outright ridiculous. However, you are not speaking to anyone ordinary. You are not sitting before someone normal. It doesn't matter how well you get along with him. It sure as hell doesn't matter how deeply in love you are with him, and him of you. The moment you have been deemed a shortcoming, the outings, the closeness, it all stops. All of it will come crashing down and both you and him will be left wondering what could have been done differently.

Malleus is truly your best friend, because already he can tell that your mind is beginning to spiral even when you go quiet. He calls for your attention by gripping his hand around your bare ankle and carefully tugging the end of your limb. “Don’t fret over it too much,” he soothes, yet also sounding like he’s scolding you for letting your mind wander off so negatively. “Lilia is an exceptional judge of character. From what I’ve gathered, you’ve well exceeded all his marks. He trusts you, and to gain such a thing from someone as old and wise as him is an extraordinary feat.”

You brew over the attempted compliment he tried to pay to you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t snub out all these festering thoughts in your head. It doesn’t even give you temporary relief. Perhaps it would have brought you a sense of peace a few months ago, but with everything that has happened thus far, you doubt even Malleus can alleviate the storm that rattles inside you, even if what he speaks is without a doubt nothing but the truth.

Surely he can see that you are still having some hangups. When you lift his hand and plant a chaste kiss on the back of his hand, you hope he can decipher the gesture as a pitiful request for his forgiveness for dampening the once energetic mood. He is not at fault for your loss and inability to think optimistically at the moment and you need to make sure he knows it.

Today is about him, not you. Even if it’s just for today, you’ll put on a pleasant facade and worry about the rest at a later date. It’s just you and him, and for now, that’s enough.

You do a mental countdown starting from three, before finally giving him a late response to the three words he uttered in confidence to you earlier. “I love you too, by the way.”

You love him. You love him. You love him. That’s all his mind can think of for the rest of the day. He replays your reciprocation over and over like it’s sacred and all-powerful.

He had planned to return to his dorm before the sun began to set, but he found the mere idea of detaching from you deeply unwanted and made the last-minute decision to spend the evening at the Ramshackle dorm. He already has a few articles of clothing and personal essentials set up in one of the many empty rooms, so neither Lilia nor you had any objections at his sudden request.

“Don’t worry!” You shout across the room so that Lilia can hear you over his phone. “I’ll make sure he gets to bed on time!”

“You have my gratitude!” Lilia’s muffled voice responds gratefully. “Don’t cause too much trouble now, you two.”

“No promises~” you sing in jest before Malleus hangs up. Once the call ends Johnny, Benji, Franky, and you turn their attention back to their ongoing game of poker. Malleus watches and occasionally laughs to himself over the friendly banter shared between the quartet. At the end of every round, the winner is assaulted with colorful profanities whilst they take their newly won gambling chips with ebullience. Yet with each new dealing of cards, the animosity goes away and they’re all back to being friendly. He finds your interactions with your incorporeal roommates more entertaining than the book he’s been reading to pass the time.

“Hey, fairy boy,” Franky informally calls out toward him. “Don’t be a stranger now. Play a few rounds with us.”

“I’m afraid I’m not well versed in card games,” he admits, yet he still finds himself setting his literature aside and moving over to join them.

“Don’t worry,” you give him a reassuring smile. “They’ll go easy on you.”

“For how long?” he knowingly asks.

You give him an impressed smirk at his quick uptake. “I give it three rounds before they start to pull back their sleeves.”

Malleus is well-adjusted to the need to quickly learn a new topic and the expectation for him to fully comprehend it in full. None of them are harsh on him for his minor mistakes like some of the tutors he’s had in the past. Answers that he believes may be obvious or not as complicated as he thinks they are being answered with enthusiastic patience. The smallest achievements he makes are met with a proud response. When he makes a surprise turnabout and wins his first game, he’s rewarded with an encouraging round of applause by everyone.

“Not bad,” Benji praises as he shuffles the deck of cards. “You’re a fast learner.”

“So I’ve been told,” he humbly replies. “Is this the part where you all stop going easy on me now?”

“Don’t provoke them,” you half-heartedly warn. “Otherwise we’ll be up all night duking it out otherwise.”

Franky sets his glass of iced liquor down on the edge of the table. “Don’t you little lovebirds worry. We won’t take up too much of your well-needed time together.”

Annoyed at the clear jab at his relationship with you, you throw one of your chips towards his head. It passes through his body and clatters on the floor behind him. Your fawn Blossom jumps down from their spot on the couch and goes to sniff it, thinking it to be food, but walks away with a disappointed strut when he realizes it isn’t anything edible.

“I didn’t tell them a damn thing,” you defensively clarify. “It was so obvious what was going on between us that they figured it all out before we made it official.”

He lets out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “That’s...I can’t say I’m too pleased to hear about that.”

“We won’t say anything,” Franky reassures. “Just make sure to put a sock on the door whenever you guys want some alone time.”

“Franky!” you hiss at him. “What the hell?!”

“What?” he looks at you, unbothered by your clear embarrassment. “Do you honestly expect us to think you guys went out just to look at a bunch of statues?”

“Oh, I’m sure they were looking at something,” Johnny smirks. “It wasn’t made of stone though.”

“I hate you guys,” you growl out, arms crossing and leaning back into your seat with an angry huff. You don’t mean it. He can see the tremble of your lips as you try to contain the urge to grin. “Even if we did end up rolling around in the sheets, I wouldn’t be yapping about it for all to hear, much less you guys!”

“What happens in the gargoyle graveyard stays in the gargoyle graveyard, eh?” Franky winks at both Malleus and you, nudging you with his elbow.

“Exactly!” you affirm, batting the large ghost away from you for some much-needed distance. “Now stop being so damn nosy.”

They cackle one last time and everyone seamlessly goes back to their ongoing game. Conversations like the one that just concluded are commonplace in your dormitory. Even if he contributed next to nothing to the discussion, he enjoys watching them interact. You come from a world where ghosts are hardly as overt as the ones in this world. Ghosts are said to entertain themselves by picking on the living, to the point that it can be fatal. Your ability to come up with witticisms at a moment's notice is something he enjoys seeing in action. He feels great satisfaction not only knowing that he has secured your love but to also see you in a state of tranquility and within your elements.

As Benji and you have a hushed conversation on the sidelines, he reaches over and places his hand on your knee beneath the table. You quietly reach over and put your hand over his, stroking the back of his hand with your thumb like it’s instinctual. Unfortunately, the heart-fluttering moment is ruined by the sudden buzzing of his phone. He has half a mind to ignore it, but when he gives the screen a glance he realizes ignoring the caller is not an option.

“I’ll be out for a moment,” he excuses himself once he sets his hand down and stands himself upright. “This shouldn’t take that long, hopefully.”

They all stop to look up at him inquisitively for half a second. In unison, they ask, “Sebek?”

“Sebek,” he affirms.

There are simultaneous displays of annoyance, pity, and silent wishes of good luck directed at him. He’s tempted to ask where all this contempt for the boy comes from, but then he remembers the many times Sebek barges his way into their dorm at the worst possible moments. It is either when everyone is beginning to settle down after a long day or in the middle of an important house project, the former more so than the latter now that the dorm is much more stable and in need of less restoration. Malleus learned the hard way how ill you and the ghosts will react when your peace is unwantedly interrupted and your space invaded by an unwanted guest.

Sebek is also quick to scrutinize whatever he sees out loud without a filter. You never seem to mind half of the time, merely rolling your eyes and moving past Sebek’s ill-meaning remarks as if you never heard them. As you are someone Malleus highly regards and holds close to his bosom, he hopes Sebek can one day set aside his strife with humankind and give you the due diligence you deserve.

...Though, he completely understands that reaching that point will take time. While you can endure Sebek to a certain degree, there are times where he, unfortunately, pushes you past that threshold and, without flinching, you will tell him to “Shut the fuck up”. Your words, not his.

“Young master!” Sebek's transmitted voice peaks and he has to half pull it away to give his pained eardrums some relief. “I was informed by Lord Lilia that you will be spending the night over at the Human’s dorm. Have you all your accommodations at their estate? If not, I will swiftly-”

“That won’t be necessary,” he half laughs at his enthusiasm over such a small task. “I have enough to keep me comfortable and well for a few days. Your offer is still very much appreciated.”

“Y-Yes, of course,” he stutters. “If there’s anything you should ever find a need for, please inform me at once! I will fulfill your every wishes no matter the hour!”

He’s enthusiastic and ready to act at a moment’s notice, even during the middle of a cold and dark hour. Malleus doesn’t necessarily dislike this part of Sebek, but he’s starting to understand why someone like you would find such subservience difficult to deal with. At any moment, Malleus could ask Sebek to grab some insignificant item of his and tread through the thick snow to deliver it to him, and the boy would do so with jubilation and utmost timeliness. You on the other hand wouldn’t be caught dead ordering someone to do something on your behalf when you believe you are well and capable of doing it yourself.

You don’t put expectations onto the backs of others, choosing to trust yourself first before anyone else. He knows now that it’s a result of the one instance where you expected something from someone, only to be thoroughly let down and left wondering if it was you who did something wrong.

Malleus cannot make up for the pain you’ve been subjected to, but he hopes that he can become the outlier in your life that surpasses any preconceived notions you may hold onto others. He hopes...No, he absolutely will be the one who brings you your well-earned and deserved joy and repose, just as you have done for him and continue to do so.

You love him, and he will ensure he is worthy of every last drop of your fidelity.

[deltawrites]

Courtship: Together

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland (Malleus x GN!reader)

Author note: Thank you all for your patience and happy reading!

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol and alcohol consumption.

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[deltawrites]

Courtship: Invitation

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland (Malleus x GN!reader)

Warnings: mentions of blood | depictions of firearms/firearm handling | mentions of hunting

Previous chapter | Next Chapter

AO3 version

Slight revisions and full version posted on: 5/4/2021

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[deltawrites]

Courtship: Respect

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland (Malleus x GN!reader)

Warnings:  Mentions and depictions of smoking/tobacco usage

Next chapter | AO3 version

Slight revisions and full version posted on: 5/4/2021

The alarm clock on your phone is loud and annoying, but it’s the only sound that will wake you up without fail so you can get a head start on your more demanding days, like today.

Groggy and neck a bit strained, a sign that you’ve slept on it wrong, you carefully push yourself up and off your bed. You come across your first hurdle of the day. A few wolf cubs had settled on your chest and your sides during the night. You try carefully to move them off of you and to the side of their mother, who has settled near your feet and isn’t afraid to growl or snap her jaw should you even think of shifting or moving away from her. Unfortunately, the pups seem determined to stick by your side despite your efforts. Luckily the pack’s alpha, Gunter, is settled right behind your head and acted as your pillow for the night. He must be why your neck feels stiff as hell.

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[deltawrites]

I know your fic "warmth" is on hiatus, but I just wanted to drop by and say that I just binged it in like 3 days and really really enjoyed what you have posted! I know kuro is a viper, but I'm a huge snake nerd and couldn't help but envision him as a mexican black king snake the whole time, esp cause they are some of the prettiest "wild type" snakes out there! They have iridescent belly scales that look like oil slicks :3-< i am bewitched with that fic and will be thinking about it for a long time, so thank you for writing it, even if you aren't writing it as much anymore. Hope you have a good one, and may you finish whatever wips you're currently working on!

Wow this was a blast to the past to read! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m unfortunately not writing for that fic anymore. I still have my outline for it though so if you’re every interested in what i had planned just dm me lol!