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[aruchemihq]

OK SO LIKE

platonic headcannons for zhongli with a reader who has social anxiety and he takes on a kind of older brother role for them?

(thank you in advance if you decide to write it ily ((platonic))

Ohhh that sounds like it'd be a joy to write! I'm currently not home and on a short vacation at the moment, so it may take longer then usual to complete this request.. But I will definitely get started on it when I get back to my home!

Thank you for your request, ilyt /p! ^^

[aruchemihq]

I HAVE ANOTHER REQUEST FOR U

OH? WELL GO AHEAD!

[aruchemihq]

So relatable... I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOW A PERMANENT HOLE IN MY HEART;;

brb calling my therapist this show broke me

[aruchemihq]

Stranger Things season four volume two was a rollercoaster.

!! SPOILER FOR EPISODE NINE BELOW THE CUT !!

Justice for Eddie Munson. :(

Genuinely so upsetting how he died with everyone thinking he was a murderer, when in reality he sacrificed himself for everyone. 

Why do you do this to us Duffer Brothers...

AND HIM TALKING WITH DUSTIN MADE IT TEN TIMES WORSE! Feel bad that Dustin lost someone he looked up to. :(

[aruchemihq]

⭒ Ayato Reassuring you When you Come out as Asexual/Bi ⭒

⭒ Request:

⭒ Genre: Comfort.

⭒ Word Count: 951.

You breathed out another distressed sigh as you swirled your fingers in the otherwise still crystal water. Creating ripples with each sway of your hand that ventured off to the side, only to be extinguished seconds later. Meanwhile, your mind was all over the place. You’d arrived at the Yashiro Commission five minutes earlier then you planned to attempt to calm your nerves. Keyword, attempt. 

By now it’s been four minutes and your mind still runs in a frenzied mess. One half of your mind told you Ayato would love and accept you no matter what. But the other half had a small doubt that he would find you weird and distance himself. Placing your hands on either side of your head you clenched your eyes shut to silence your thoughts. 

Huffing out your millionth sigh in the past five minutes your hands returned to their previous positions as you stared down at the water. Well, more at the ground before the water began because if you’d been staring at the reflective water, you would’ve seen the figure standing beside you beforehand. 

“My, you must truly be out of it today.” Came Ayato’s smooth sultry voice from beside you.

Feeling rather startled you instantly looked up at him, locking eyes with those ever pleasant periwinkle hues. You coughed out a greeting of surprise before standing up and quickly brushing yourself off. Opening your mouth you looked down at the ground as you spoke. “Ah.. Ayato, can we maybe go inside to talk?” 

You heard the male hum for a second before leaning in close to you. His breath fanning over your ear as he spoke. “Why, is there someone following you?” 

“Oh no no, nothing like that!” You waved your hands in front of you before speaking once more. “I would just much rather talk about... this... inside.”

“As you wish.” He responded as he grabbed your hand and calmly lead you inside. 

At the moment you were thankful for his unusually compliant nature. Usually your response would have warranted at least a few teases before he complied. But it would seem Ayato has a way of reading your emotions like an open book. 

Upon entering the doors of the Yashiro Comission, you suddenly felt the same feeling of doubt and worry swarm your thoughts. As he led you to his usual sitting place, he took a seat as you hesitated. As soon as he’d released your hand you began nervously toying with your fingers in an attempt to calm yourself. When you seated yourself you were surprised to near instantly feel a hand grab one of yours again. 

“You’re very nervous today,” Ayato commented. “Please do share what’s troubling you.” 

You simply nodded as you attempted to say something but nothing came out. You began to feel the faint welling of tears surfacing in your eyes as your entire world seemed to come crashing down at this very moment. “I.. well.. It’s sort of.. I mean..” 

“Hey,” Ayato said in response to your nervous jumble of words. “Calm down. Relax, my love. Take a deep breath and you can tell me what’s the matter. We have all day as I usually block out my schedule when you come to meet me.” 

Your eyes would’ve widened in surprise at his last sentence, but you were much too worried about your current situation to comment right now. Taking in a deep breath you squeezed Ayato’s hand before speaking. “I need you to promise me something, Ayato.” 

“Hmm?” Ayato tilted his head to the side, urging you to go on.

“Can you promise me that you will love me no matter what I’m about to tell you.” You responded, searching his eyes. 

His expression turned into one of surprise as he slowly began to smile, eyes turning into small crescents. “What kind of question is that, love? Of course I promise to love you always.” 

Upon hearing his response your nerves eased a little. Deciding that it was now or never, you took this chance. “Ayato, I identity as Asexual and Bisexual.” 

Ayato seemed to pause for a second before speaking once more. “Okay.. You’ll have to tell me what that means as I’m not very well versed in those terms.” 

Your eyes widen at his calm response. You suck in another breath to calm yourself before speaking again. “Well, being asexual means that you experience little to no sexual attraction to other people. And being Bisexual means that I’m attracted to both.. male and female.” 

A moment of silence was all you heard after. Your nerves beginning to take over again, but quickly being extinguished by a soft chuckle from Ayato. “This was what you were so worried about?” 

Your eyes widen at his comment, “W.. what?” 

He squeezed your hand again before smiling. “That doesn’t change anything. I loved you before, and I still love you now. I love you to the moon and back. Something like that could never turn me away because I will love and support you no matter what.” 

That was all you needed. 

Tears that had been welling up in your eyes overtime began to fall in a stream down your cheeks. Standing up from your side of the table, you near instantly ran over to Ayato and tackled him onto the floor. Hugging him as hard as you possibly could, you cried tears of pure bliss. All the while, he lovingly returned your embrace and softly stroked your hair. Offering small words of praise and reassurance. 

“Please, never hesitate to tell me things like that. Because no matter what, I will still see you as my one and only love in this world.”

⭒ Tags:  @goth-juiceee​

⭒ Note: Thank you so much for your request! I actually really enjoyed writing this and found it to be quite nice! :D

© Aruchemihq - 2022  

[aruchemihq]

i see your requests are open? i’ve got a bit of a request for you! if you’re willing to write it that is-

ayato (genshin) comforting reader when they come out to him as asexual/bi (comfort for me lol)

Wait I'd actually love to write that- I may not be the best at capturing Ayato's personality, but I can certainly try! I'll probably start working on it by tomorrow, thanks for the request :D

[aruchemihq]

HAVE FUN :D

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

WOOO ALL NIGHTER!

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

SEASON THREE IS WORTH IT I PROMISE

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

I BELIEVE IN YOU

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

DEFINITELY AND GOODLUCK SPEEDRUNNING STRANGER THINGS

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

i know we don’t talk like at all but i love your theme :)

WWW Thank youuu! You seem suuuper cool by the way, we should talk more! >:D

[aruchemihq]

⭒ Just a Nickname; Plus More ⭒

⭒ The one-braincell duo is completely stunned at how carelessly fearless you act with Malleus. Calling the big bad dragon heir a nickname and inviting him out for friendly outings? You must be out of your little human mind...

⭒ Genre: Platonic Fluff! 

⭒ Word Count: 1644.

“Tsunotaro!”

“Let’s go out again today, alright?” 

“I had so much fun, didn’t you Tsunotaro?” 

“See you again soon!” 

These, all normal things you said to the person you knew as ‘Tsunotaro’. Even after spending so much time with the mysterious man, you hadn’t worked out his true identity. Not even batting an eye at the way people recoiled from the both of you when you walked on school grounds or in shopping strips. Sure the horns were something you’d questioned before, but you didn’t know if it was a sensitive topic for him, so you never really asked. 

Moving to the present time, you sat on a dark wooden bench near the fence of the Ramshackle dorm, swinging your feet carelessly. Your gaze directed toward the sky glossing over different shapes of fluffy white clouds. The color of the sky was a vibrant pink mixed with warm undertones of orange and red, creating a rather breathtaking sunset. Your hands resided in your lap, folded in waiting. 

Your eyes suddenly caught on a light green flash from the left side of your peripherals. Turning your head to gaze at the scattering fireflies a small smile made its way onto your lips. There Malleus Draconia stood, his gaze locked on yours, eyes riddled with surprise. 

“You’re early, Y/N.” He remarked, slowly starting to walk over to you. 

You nodded as curiosity filled your senses. “I finally found out how you get here so easily..” 

As Malleus reached the bench his eyes trained on you as he waited for your next move. Would this finally be the moment you realized who he truly was? How much power he really held? But no such moment came as he suddenly heard the footsteps of two others, carried along the wind. 

You, of course, heard nothing yet as you didn’t posses anywhere near the abilities he did. So you still sat in wonder before letting out a long drawn out sigh. “I still can’t figure out who you are, Tsunotaro.” 

The male smiled as his eyes narrowed into a smug expression. He crossed his arms before turning his head towards the beaten path that lead to Ramshackle. In the distance, he could easily recognize two figures from Heartslabyul. 

“Well, I believe those two you spend your time with most are coming over, perhaps you could ask them.” Malleus responded, the wording coming out seemingly as if he was jealous. 

Your head turned towards the path and your gaze directed towards the both of their faces. Ace and Deuce, turned to each other making jokes and laughing. Ace teasing poor Deuce, who was normally always subjected to the playful remarks. Their uniforms worn in the usual fashion, Ace’s seeming to be more undone and disheveled then usual. 

“Hey you two!” You called from your seat on the bench as they began to near closer. 

They turned their attention to where you were seated, Malleus stood directly beside you. Suddenly stopping in their tracks, gazes trained on the man beside you. You tilted your head in confusion before standing up and looking over at Malleus. 

His eyes seemed to be narrowed and giving off a faint glow of green light. He was, quite literally, the text book definition of intimidating. Shaking your head, you reached up waving a hand in front of his face to break his gaze from the two completely stunned males. His eyes loosing the faint flow of iridescent green as he directed his gaze down to you. 

“What’s the matter?” You asked. 

The horned-male simply shook his head as a smirk made its way to his features. “Nothing, nothing at all.” He then slowly reached out and placed a gloved hand on your head, offering a few small pats. “You worry too much.”

You simply shook your head and sported a now bashful smile. Looking down to avoid the males gaze you quickly turned around to go greet your friends instead. Once you’d arrived in front of them, they looked as if they’d just seen a ghost. 

“Are you guys alright..?” You asked slowly, gaze darting back and forth between the two.

“Do.. Do you even know who that is!?” Ace whisper-yelled as he leveled his face with yours to properly look you in the eyes. “You have to be out of your mind!” 

You looked over to Deuce who seemed to be thinking the same thing as he was hurriedly nodding after every word Ace said. You sighed before speaking, “No, I don’t know his real name so I just call him Tsunotaro. Why..? Should I know who he is?” 

Now the both of them looked at you like you had two heads or maybe even three. Ace leaned in closer to you before placing both of his hands on your shoulder blades. “That’s Malleus Draconia.” 

Your eyes widened for a split second before drawing in a breath. You shrugged him off before nodding and placing a hand on your chin. “That actually makes a lot of sense.” 

“How can you be so calm about this!?” Ace responds with an appalled expression. 

“Well he hasn’t hurt me at all yet or even tried to.” You paused as you turned to the side, eyes gazing at the dark-haired male who was now seated on the bench you previously were. “I see no reason to treat him any differently.” 

The two males shook their heads before Ace began to speak again. “I’m assuming Grim is inside, yeah? Well then I’ll let myself in.” 

With no second thought, he walked past you leaving you with Deuce. Deuce looked like he wanted to follow after the red-haired boy, but he turned to you first. “Make sure to let me.. us.. know if he tries anything odd okay?” 

You give Deuce a look before waving your hand in front of your face. “I’ll be fine Deuce, thank you though.” 

He nodded once more before starting after Ace. You turned and watched the two males walk through the gate before slowly closing it behind them. Walking back over to Malleus you let out a rather large sigh before sitting down beside him. 

“I finally figured out who you really are, Tsunotaro.” 

The horned-male beside you tilted his head before letting out a chuckle under his breath. “Yet you still continue to call me by that silly nickname you came up with.” 

“Would you like me to call you by your real name?” You asked after a short moment of silence. “Malleus Draconia.” The name felt odd on your tongue in comparison to Tsunotaro. 

A smirk tugged at his lips before he responded. “You know no fear, child of man. You still continue to speak to me without a care in the world, despite knowing my identity. You’re either oblivious to what I’m truly capable of, or plain foolish.” 

You stifled a laugh at his last comment. “No no, don’t get me wrong it’s surprising that you’re that Malleus Draconia. But I just don’t feel the need to shy away from you simply because I know who you are now.” You shifted around on the bench so you were facing the male slightly. “I guess I’m just saying that I trust you by now.” 

Malleus’s eyes widened at your words, he nearly look perplexed at them even. “Trust me?” 

“Well yeah, if you wanted to do anything I feel like you already would have. Besides, why risk me actually finding out who you really are if you wanted to hurt me.” You responded with a lazy shrug.

“Hm. I suppose you have a point there.” He responded before looking up at the now darkened sky. “But I certainly would’ve thought you would be more apprehensive when around me after finding out.” 

“Again, you being all mighty and powerful doesn’t matter to me.” You said, probably a little too relaxed. “I know you could easily kick my ass in a fight, even without being Malleus Draconia. I have no magic after all. You’ve also helped me a good bit thus far, so thanks for that too.” 

He stared at you in thought for a moment before standing up. “Well I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow then. Maybe we could venture out to the shopping district, I found a rather quaint café out there I believe you’d like.” 

“Are you inviting me out now, Malleus?” You responded, feigning surprise. 

“Consider it my treat for not running away screaming, Y/N.” He responded with a smirk. 

You let a pleased smile lay itself upon your lips before raising your hand to wave goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow Tsunotaro!” 

Malleus let out one final chuckle before vanishing in a flurry of green fireflies once more. 

“Yes, tomorrow is sure to hold something wonderful for the two of us.”

© Aruchemihq - 2022

[aruchemihq]

hiii!! i just recently discovered ur blog and absolutely love your writing style :D can i request octatrio unexpectedly breaking out of their usual public image to be an extra soft and loving bf + reactions of people around them cause they don't see them being that type of bf <3333 gn reader !!

is everything alright? ↬ Summary: Maintaining a certain image of oneself in public requires sacrificing some things, including the comfort of love.

↬ Tags: hurt/comfort (except for floyd’s part), fluff

↬ Characters: Azul Ashengrotto, Jade Leech, Floyd Leech

↬ Note: i’m so sorry it took so long, and i’m so sorry it ended up being kind of angsty. *pained smile* i’ll start writing shorter stuff based on how many characters there are instead! the jade favoritism is strong in this one, though.

Azul Ashengrotto

↬ Azul likes to keep his image impeccable. He's meticulous and thorough to a fault, and that apparently affects the way he treats you as well. In private, you can expect to be lavished with high-quality food, or multiple praises. The most valuable of all would be his time, attention, and trust. He would agree to a cuddling session if you asked for it despite being flustered for the first few minutes or so. He would humor your attempts at conversation despite having to split his focus between you and paperwork.

↬ All in all, he's attentive, loving, and respectful. Except he's not like this in public, where every move he makes is calculated. The feeling of being scrutinized has stuck with him throughout childhood until now, and you're one of the people who have to pay the price. You're understanding, of course. You can only dream of returning the love he's shown you a hundredfold, but you still find yourself craving for his touch every now and then. Given his importance to you, it's only natural.

↬ When you bring it up with him, he apologizes and says it's… unbecoming of him to participate in such acts where others can see. He follows it up with reassurances of spending more time with you to make up for it, and you understand. Reading between the lines tells you of his discomfort just as much. Still, you can't help but feel a little hollow after his explanation, but you don't act on it. You could never bring yourself to put your needs above his.

↬ There are other, more pressing matters to attend to as well, like the pop quiz in Alchemy, the homework deadline that you apparently forgot about, and the difficult exercises Coach Vargas made your class do. They pile up on you as your mood sours further into the day. At this point, not even Azul can help you while you pointedly ignore him. You just want a hug, damn it! You can't force him into one, though, and all you can do is give him a tense smile before getting ready for your next class.

↬ It continues until the next day, and that's when you feel a hand on your arm just as you're about to leave. You can see the worry on Azul's face through the cracks in his composure, but he stays quiet until he finally clears his throat. You’ve always known him as smooth, but his cheeks redden as he moves close to you.

↬ “Good afternoon, my dear,” he murmurs the last part low enough only for you to hear, but your eyes widen nonetheless. He pauses for another while before asking, “Is there anything you may need? Or have I done something to offend you?”

↬ “Oh, Azul,” you sigh immediately when you hear his concern. In your attempt to take care of your tasks, you’ve forgotten to give him some attention, too. Maybe this could be your chance at letting him hug you? “A hug would sound nice right now… but that could wait until later, when we’re in private.”

↬ You don’t tease him for too long, quickly following your request with reassurance, but what you don’t expect is for him to comply. The hug is awkward and stiff, and people are starting to whisper, but he lets it last for as long as you want. It’s a far cry from how comfortable and clingy he is with you when you’re alone. Still, you hug him back, giggling from how fuzzy you feel. 

↬ You have some mercy on him, though, and you let go of him when you’re sure you have the energy to get through the day. The other students look at you with their mouths agape, but Azul only has his eyes trained on you. He looks so cute and you want to kiss him so bad, but you know he’s not ready for that yet. Instead, you take his hands in yours and squeeze them.

↬ “Thank you for that,” you whisper, and everything’s okay.

Jade Leech

↬ Everyone knows of the Leech twins. Jade is the more rational one of the two, as most would say, and is generally more pleasant yet still more unnerving than his brother. If you play your cards right, then you would never have to deal with him. The general consensus is that he’s intimidating, and you should avoid Jade as much as possible.

↬ But you’ve gotten over all of that, and now you’re one of the people who have earned beyond his tolerance. You’re clingy like Floyd when you’re in private together—hugging and surprising him from behind like a koala, or staying close to him when he’s busy. He never quite reciprocates, but his quiet chuckles and watchful, protective eyes are more than enough for you.

↬ It has never been a problem, or at least, you think it hasn’t. All it takes for you is to see a couple holding hands, happily walking side by side while on an obvious date. Yet here you are, on a supply run for Mostro Lounge that Jade sent you on. When he issued you the task, he hadn’t even offered to come with you! It plants the seeds of doubt in your heart, and you turn your head away from the couple before you start to feel bitter.

↬ Your mind wanders back to what everyone has said about Jade. It’s no secret that he harbors a dangerous side to him, one that toys with people’s emotions until he gets what they need from him. It’s a slippery slope, but you can’t help wondering if you’ve fallen prey to his whims. Are you there to entertain him, or just as an extra hand around the Lounge? Is he going to discard you when he thinks you’ve exhausted your worth?

↬ The downward spiral consumes you faster than you’d like to admit, and you find yourself straying away from him for the time being. Maintaining your composure around him is hard when you’re still unsure of what your relationship means to him, what you mean to him. What has made you giddy before is starting to feel hazy and suffocating and cold now, as though you’re submerged underwater without any chance to breathe.

↬ Your behavior doesn’t escape Jade’s attention. Nothing ever does, but you think that he doesn’t care enough to do anything to remedy it. After all, your constant avoidance must have started to bore him. You think that this is the end, and though the very thought of breaking up with him twists your heart with pain, you will yourself to concede. That’s what you get for ignoring everyone’s words, for staying blind to the warning signs when—

↬ “There you are, my dear,” Jade’s voice breaks you out of your trance. You turn your head so fast that it might’ve given you whiplash, but nothing else seems to matter as he cradles your cheek in his palm. “I thought that maybe you'd forgotten about your promise to create a new blend of tea for the Lounge with me.”

↬  At this moment, you truly lose your composure. Tears bead at the corners of your eyes instead of any anger. Loud, shameful sobs wrack your body, drawing the other students’ attention to the two of you. Some are starting to murmur, and a few of them shake their heads in pity, but the rest are unsurprised. Nothing good can ever come from a Leech twin looking for someone.

↬ Jade, however, is completely taken by surprise. Yes, he has suspected you of avoiding him due to an unseen yet sudden reason, but this? He schools his features into something more placid before approaching you, gently as if you’re a wounded animal. It fails, but when you try to squirm away from him, you find yourself cornered between him and a wall.

↬ “My dear,” he reiterates. When you don’t respond, he takes it upon himself to shelter you from the uninvited audience. Though he looks calm on the outside, he’s already trying to find answers. He wants to send the others a glare, but his focus is solely on you for now. With a tentative hand hovering above your waist, he speaks again. “Oh my, has someone made the mistake of hurting you?”

↬ You choose to concede, muffling your cries into his clothes as he presses his hand against the small of your back. The two of you are hidden from everyone else, but it doesn’t take too much to know what you’re doing. You wrap your arms around him, blinking away your tears as he whispers reassuring words to you. There’s still a lot to unpack between the two of you, but for now, you’re content with this.

Floyd Leech

↬ Floyd, whether you’re close to him or not, will get physical with you. It only makes sense for his behavior to amplify tenfold whenever he’s around you, but his touches are laced with something else. You accept them wholeheartedly, returning his hugs and squeezes whenever you can. 

↬ It’s a common sight to see the two of you attached at the hip around the campus. No matter who’s around, or what’s happening, you always gravitate towards each other. Sometimes, you make the first move and surprise him with a hug, and he’d always accept. Your receptiveness to him matches his energy, and it only makes him want to hug you tighter and never let you go.

↬ His brother tells you about the tenderness Floyd displays only scarcely, seen in the way he visits you or him in your classrooms to chat. Or in the way he shields you from the sharp edges of doors and tables with his hand. Or in the way he pulls you closer to him when the hallways get a little crowded (not that he needs it; the students always give you a wide berth whenever he’s passing by). 

↬ They’re all the subtle things, the ones no one would really notice unless they were looking for them. But you do, and you love them all. It’d be selfish to ask for more, especially when you know how fickle your boyfriend can get. You make sure to respect his boundaries and mood swings when they do happen, but he always goes back to you in the end. However, another side of you wants to tease his loyalty to you for a bit.

↬ At first, you ask him to accompany you to places. Sam’s shop, the cafeteria, the botanical garden—everywhere. He calls it an adventure with you, but you know the gears are already turning in his head with each place you go to. Though all of his remarks are playful and teasing, you can hear the suspicion in them. You try to assuage them with words of affirmation, but you know he still thinks something is up.

↬ The next thing you make him do is show him things you want to do, whether it be through private messages on Magicam or hinting at him in person. You send him pictures of cute cafes on the app, telling him “how wonderful it would be to have a date here.” You’re also starting to feel bad for him at this point, and though you want to tell him the truth behind your actions, you don’t need to.

↬ The charade doesn’t last too long, with him pouting when you arrive at the Octavinelle dorm. The dorm’s lounge isn’t too full with people, but the others scamper to somewhere else when you and Floyd arrive. The only ones left are the ones who don’t care enough to run, making brief eye contact with you before looking away. Your boyfriend drags you to one of the couches and effectively pins you down to them.

↬ “Angelfish, I’m starting to wonder if you’re trying to tell me something,” Floyd says with a dangerous glint to his eyes. You’re certain that he could never hurt you, but you still throw your hands up in defeat and sigh. 

↬ “I just wanted to tease you for a bit, Floyd,” you tell him. Your hands itch to hug him, but you peer at the couches behind him and see some students glaring at your brazen position. Instead, you keep your arms to yourself and attempt to gently guide him off you. As expected, he doesn’t budge until you explain better. “... or maybe I just wanted you to be more, uh, lovey-dovey with me.”

↬ You quickly mutter the last part, but your boyfriend hears you loud and clear. The doubt on his face clears up, replaced by enthusiasm, as he tackles you onto the couch. Instead of moving back to his room, you seem to have exacerbated the situation. Azul would surely scold the two of you later for being so bold in a public space, but you can’t defend yourself against the onslaught of kisses Floyd peppers on you. 

↬ “You should have just told me, Angelfish!” he says, cradling your cheek in his palm before slotting his lips against yours. A student from the lounge makes a choked sound, reminding you once again that you aren’t the only people here, but Floyd continues with his ministrations. “Were my squeezes not enough? Did you want me to mark you up for all the world to see, too?”

↬ “W-Wait, Floyd, not here!”

[aruchemihq]

It is so unbelievably difficult for me to just stay in a single fandom;;

[aruchemihq]

⭒ Sympathetic Solace ⭒

⭒ The tweels comfort you after you’ve come seeking a place to get away as a result of a recent fight with your significant other. ⭒

⭒ Pairing: Floyd Leech x GN!Reader x Jade Leech ⭒

⭒ Genre: Comfort ⭒

⭒ Word Count: 2247 ⭒

⭒ Apologies if either of them are out of character. It’s been a while since I written for TWST, so I may need to brush up a little. Anyhow, enjoy! ⭒

Knock..

Knock knock..

Knock..

The door swung open with a soft creak as the man looked down at whoever it was knocking on his room door. Heterochromatic eyes caught onto their figure with surprise, worry interlaced in his expression. Cold rain water dripped from their hair and onto the carpeted floor, staining the neutral color with a darker variant. 

“Oya?” Jade spoke with curiosity. “What are you doing here?” 

Jade stood in the doorway, a loose white shirt hanging from his figure. Dark grey sweatpants adored his bottom half followed by a pair of black socks. His unique hair seeming messier then usual. The singular black strand that hung down having a few strays branching off of it and towards the side.

You hesitantly looked up at him before speaking. “I uhm.. had another fight with them.”

Jade’s eyebrows raised in concealed anger for just a split second before a usual sly smile overtook his lips. “Come in then, I will get you a towel.” 

You gave a small smile and a nod, stepping past the tall male. Once you were inside, your eyes fell on an almost identical one sitting on his bed with his legs swinging, his phone in hand. His own set of heterochromatic eyes looked up and upon locking with yours a large smile became present on his lips. A cyan shirt adorned his figure with a pair of black sweatpants and socks that all relatively hung off him loosely. You were however, used to seeing him in disorderly and loose clothing, so this didn’t come as a surprise. 

“Ahh, Koebi-chan~ What brings you to our room?” He called out before standing up and throwing his phone to his covers. “Are you here to dance? Play games?”

You shook your head, bringing a hand up to your eyes and wiping them. Your scleras red from tears and rain water as the crystalline water dripped down your cheeks. 

“Aww what’s wrong Koebi-chan?” He asked as he knelt down in front of you to better lock eyes with your concealed face. 

“I.. had a fight.” 

“Again?” Floyd said with an upset look on his face. “Maaaaan I hate them! They always ruin the fun, eh Koebi-chan~?” 

You simply nodded before forcing a small smile onto your face. “Yeah.. they, they really do.” 

“You really should leave them behind, y’know.” He recommended, raising his left hand up slowly. You felt him lightly brush his pointer under your left eye before bringing his hand back to its previous spot. “We should dance to help you feel better~!”

Suddenly Floyd shot up from his position in front of you, interlacing his hands with yours and dragging you along with him. He hummed a light tune as he swung you around at a moderate pace with him. You reluctantly followed at first, but quickly found yourself feeling more up to dancing with Floyd as time progressed. Your wet hair flung droplets of water around the room, staining the floor and the furniture. His vibrant eyes ran all over your figure, seemingly checking for something with an almost distant expression on his face. However, in a split second his expression returned to that of one he normally held when the two of you danced like this.

You heard Floyd let out a content laugh as he saw a genuine smile cross your lips. Hoisting you up with his strong arms, he threw you onto his bed, causing you to bounce upon impact with the mattress. He fell onto the covers beside you with a happy smile spreading across his face, showing off his many serrated teeth. 

“See Koebi-chan, dancing always makes you feel better!” Floyd said.

“Yes, but it certainly doesn’t make the floor and covers less wet.” Jade called out from the doorway. 

You instantly sat up upon hearing his voice. He certainly was quiet, after all you’d been so caught up with dancing that you hadn’t even heard him come in. He was holding two towels and a dainty cup that had a tea bag in it, ever the clever one he was. He’d anticipated Floyd would end up dragging you around the room for a song and dance to try and cheer you up, so he brought another towel to clean up the mess. 

You stood up and walked over to Jade, gratefully taking both towels from him. “Thank you, Jade.” 

“Ah, ah, one second.” He tutted. “This tea is for you, the towels are for us.” 

You tilted your head in confusion as you heard Floyd let out an annoyed groan. “Do I haaave to clean?”

Suddenly it hit you as you smiled up at him graciously, placing the towels back around his arm and taking the tea instead. Floyd begrudgingly bounded over before taking a towel from his brother. You turned your head to watch Floyd splay out the towel, but were quickly interrupted by Jade lightly pushing you towards his side of the room. 

Walking over slowly and unsure of what he had planned, he lightly grabbed you by the shoulders before turning you around and seating you on the edge of his bed. Unwrapping the towel from his arm, he reached up with it covering your hair entirely. 

Your grip on the cup within your grasp tightened exponentially upon realizing the close confines you were in with the man. However, he didn’t seem to notice. Or at least, he was playing it off extremely well. 

“Ah, yes, I assume you’re going to be staying the night?” He asked. 

A faint smell of mint wafted through the air before you responded. “Oh, if it’s okay I would like that very much.” 

“Koebi-chan is staying over?” Floyd called out from the other side of the room, seemingly sprawled out and wrapped in his towel. 

“Splendid. I will be sure to grab some extra sheets and pillows on my way back then.” Jade responded as he finished drying your hair with a satisfied look on his face. 

He stood up and made his way over to his brother as you watched him. The cup in your hands shaking due to your own actions. Your eyes directed themselves down to the light brown liquid, seeing through it and to the bottom of the cup. The liquid rippled with the movements of your shivering hands. Events that happened moments before arriving here replayed in your head. You felt your heart pang and eyes sting with worry and unhappiness. Narrowly escaping what could have been a much worse situation, you continued to blame yourself for it. 

However your thoughts were cut short as you felt a pair of hands wrap around yours, steadying the shaking of the liquid in the cup. A lone black strand of hair swayed in the top of your vision before you looked up. 

“Please do relax.” Jade spoke simply. “I hate seeing you like this as a result of that damned person.” 

You let a smile peak its way out from behind your upset display. Upon seeing this, you saw just the edges of Jade’s lips curl up into a content looking expression. 

“Alright, I will return again before long. Ask Floyd for something to wear or just take something from the closet, whichever you prefer.” He said as he stood up and turned his back once more. 

You nodded even though you knew he couldn’t see it. With the two towels draped over his arm, he once more left the room, leaving both you and Floyd to yourselves. 

“Oh oh that’s right, let me get you something to wear Koebi-chan~!” Floyd called out from the other side of the room. 

You stood up from the edge of the bed and slowly walked over to him, eyes observing the extremely neat looking stacks of clothing. However, the neatness slowly turned into clutter as Floyd haphazardly shifted around piles of clothes to find the specific thing he wanted. Your eyes scanned over the things he threw around with curiosity and slight pity, for Jade of course, since he was probably the one who was going to have to clean everything up. 

Floyd spun around as he held out two things for you. A pair of black basketball shorts with light blue accents on the sides, and plain black t-shirt with a small sea anemone on it. If you had to guess, you’d place bets on the shorts being Jade’s and the shirt being Floyd’s. Totally not because you watched Floyd pull the items from different sides of the closet though..

You took the clothing from Floyd before turning around so your back was facing him. “No looking.” 

“Waah~?” Floyd simply responded with a sound before sighing. “Alriiiight, fine Koebi-chan, I’ll go cover my eyes...”

You turned your head as you watched him walk over to his bed. He simply flopped down on top of it and wrapped himself up in the scattered covers. He didn’t stop until he was a full burrito, however it covered his vision so you didn’t really care how he did it. 

Turning around, you stripped out of your damp attire and put on the new outfit. The shorts were very loose, even still when you had pulled the drawstring tighter and tied it together. The shirt hung loose off of you as well, nearly meeting the end of the shorts. You opted to keep on your own pair of socks before turning around again. 

Upon seeing that Floyd hadn’t yet moved at all from his burrito-like state, you let out a small chuckle that you quickly covered with your arm. Walking over to him, you leaned down and placed your hand on the end of the covers. Peeling it down a little you saw his eyes light up with surprise. 

“Aah, Koebi-chan, you’re done! I promise I didn’t peak at all~” He said, as he rolled himself out of the blanket causing you to take a step back to avoid being hit by his actions. 

Watching him unroll himself and nearly fall off the edge of the bed, due to his large frame, you smiled. The door then opened again with a soft click as you turned around, meeting Jade’s sly grin and upturned eyes. 

“I see Floyd actually did what I asked him to do.” Jade spoke as he walked into the room further. “He hardly ever does that, you must be special.” 

Your eyes lit up slightly as you looked over to the lazy eel that was now sitting with his arms crossed, head nodding up and down. 

“Of course, Koebi-chan’s special~” Floyd spoke, a sudden change in demeanor. He now had a rather sly smirk on his lips as he spoke again. “After all, you said so yourself, Jade.”

Your eyes flickered over to Jade, seeing a temporary slip in his usually calm collected demeanor. His eyes seemed to slightly widen, and his lower lip dropped slightly seemingly in awe that Floyd would dare expose him like that. However, the momentary slip was covered again as he cleared his throat and spread the covers out on the floor. 

“I did in fact say that.” Jade spoke. “I wasn’t lying, you are special to us, you know.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Almost as if on cue, Floyd draped himself over your shoulders before letting out a short giggle. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to say anything right now.” 

Turning your head to him slightly, you nodded. He gave you a smirk before lifting himself from your shoulders and walking back over to his side of the room. You turned your gaze to Jade as he finished laying out the covers and flickered his gaze over to you. 

He’d laid down two blankets on the ground, setting a pillow at the crown of them both. Another blanket was laid on top of it, you’d assumed the two blankets on the bottom were because the floor was rather hard, and it was to soften having to sleep there. Two more pillows then flew past you in your peripherals, causing you to whip around. 

Floyd was walking over, his blankets in his arms. You tilted you head in curiosity. Floyd seemed to notice this as he set his blankets on the ground. 

“Neh~ You’re so silly Koebi-chan~” He commented. “You really think we’d let you sleep on the ground by yourself?” 

“Yes, that’s true, you’re our guest after all.” Jade spoke from the other side of the room, you assumed he was also gathering his blankets and pillows. 

“A guest that needs to be cheered up no less!” Floyd finished for the both of them as he smoothed the blankets out. 

As you watched the two, you felt tears well up in your eyes. Your heart ached with admiration and the feeling of being wanted. You didn’t often get this feeling with your current partner and it made you wonder just how good for you they were. Wiping your eyes with your hands you smiled and ran over to the pile of blankets on the floor. 

Making a jump for it, you landed on the soft comforters, lightly skidding on top of them. Floyd clapped from beside you as he to jump down on them with a laugh. Jade simply smiled, shaking his head at the scene going on in front of him.

The two of them made you feel like you truly mattered. Like you meant something. Truth be told, you couldn’t feel more overjoyed. 

© Aruchemihq - 2022

[aruchemihq]

【 a day i can't forget 】

author's note: BACK WITH AN OCTATRIYUU FIC !! long time no them <33 this'll be kinda weird to explain, but in the octatriyuu universe, this comes after my two previous octatriyuu fics + the unwritten sequel to "three's a crowd". so if they seem closer, that's why ! it's bc they spent a lotta time around each other. nonetheless, i hope you enjoy !!

characters: gn! yuu, azul ashengrotto, floyd leech, jade leech, jamil viper, kalim al asim, grim

warning: book 4 ending spoilers + vague descriptions of being dragged into water

word count: 4.8k words (we love ~5k of octatriyuu content)

tags: octatriyuu woo, oasis retreat !!, octa gets yuu to swim without manipulation (NOT CLICKBAIT), a pinch of jealousy, jamil knows, lifeguard azul >:D, eelform tweels aka pool noodle bois, pranks (affectionate), it's literally them messing around jsdkjs

[ or read it on ao3 ]

This was not where Yuu was expecting to be after that grueling fight. After Jamil's overblot was over and done with, Kalim had the sudden idea to host a party, which— thinking about it now— was a very Kalim-like decision.

He had Oasis Maker-ed the small oasis into a full-blown lake and now, everyone was enjoying a little bit of time out in the sun. It was a welcome change from their strict schedule under the hypnotized Kalim's tyranny. Jamil had calmed down from his, ahem, outburst and he was now cooking various meats on a grill. And Grim had seated himself in the vicinity of where the food was placed.

With that, Yuu thought that this would be the time for them to relax too. Keyword thought in the past tense. Because as soon as they tried to sit down in one of the lounge chairs Kalim had so nicely pulled out, they were being picked up by the arms.

"Wh–"

"Shrimpy! Don't tell me you're gonna be boring like Azul and just sit~" Floyd was grinning brightly, his hands wrapped around their right arm. "Let's take a swim!"

Shit. They had almost forgotten that the trouble trio was here. That meant that to their left was...

"Floyd is correct, Yuu-san," Jade, who gave them his most innocent eye smile— one that no one should ever trust— "It would be wise to take advantage of this situation. Besides, when else will we have the opportunity to indulge in swimming in an oasis?"

"You really are horrible senpais," Yuu grumbled as they swung their legs in vain. Damn the both of them for being so tall. "I want to rest. My legs feel like they'll fall off any second, and- Wait a second, why are you carrying me closer to the edge of the oasis-!"

Yuu started to struggle as soon as the Leeches were calf-deep in water, "Pause! Wait!! I don't- I didn't bring a change of clothes with me-"

There was a chorus of laughter from the both of them before Jade spoke, "My, it's amusing to think that wet clothes would stop us."

"He's right, he's right~" Floyd giggled. "We learned to dry clothes off in land boot camp, so why'd it be a problem?"

They screeched when they felt the water licking at their ankles, "Stop, wait, okay, I'll swim with you guys! Just get me a swimming suit, please!" They desperately wrapped their legs around Jade's waist, narrowly missing the water by a hairsbreadth.

"It's a deal," They said in unison before smiling at them.

"Honestly, you three," They felt a surge of magic envelop them before they were floating through the air; back over to the shore where Azul was standing. "I told you two to wait while I fetch a swimming suit for them. And don't tell me you fell for their tricks again."

"Try getting picked up like a cat by them, senpai," Yuu sighed deeply, grabbing the swimsuit. "I'm not tall enough, nor do I have the magic to get away."

"Maybe if you didn't show them such an, mm, amusing reaction, let's say, they wouldn't tease you so openly," Azul was definitely hiding a smirk behind his carefully placed hand. The bastard. "Now go ahead and change. Or would you like me to give you some more incentive?"

"Seven's above, you three are annoying," Yuu muttered to themself.

They looked down at the swimsuit before looking up at the trio's expectant gazes. They wanted them to swim? Okay. Fine. As long as no one made them do laps, they could still laze around in the water. (Or so they hoped.)

As they were walking to the changing tent, they spotted Jamil watching them from where he was still manning the grill. There was this bluntly amused look on his face as they came over.

"Jamil-senpai, were you watching me the whole time?"

"I mean after you yelled out like that?" Jamil shrugged. "Who wasn't watching?"

"And you did nothing to save me?" Yuu gasped; mock-scanadalized. "Seriously though, I could've used the help."

"Look," Jamil said as he expertly flipped the patties into their buns. "Why would I help the very person who single-handedly ruined all my plans?" He held out a burger for them to take– and they had to admit, it looked better than any restaurant burger that they had ever had.

Yuu paused for a moment before accepting the burger, "Y'know I said this before, but you really are evil on the inside."

"Shrim~py!"

The taller eel suddenly draped himself over them, knocking them right into the table, "You're takin' too long!"

"Floyd," Yuu said after straightening themself out. Thank the Seven the burger didn't fly out of their hands. It would've been trouble if any of it hit Jamil.

Jamil hissed, "Floyd. I want you nowhere near the grill."

"I know, I know," Floyd's tone was light but there was something in his eyes that made Yuu think twice about pushing him off. "What were you talking 'bout to Sea Snake, Shrimpy? Somethin' fun?"

"Nothing much," Yuu brandished the burger half-heartedly. "He was just giving me one of these."

"Eh? Was it specially made for Shrimpy?" The pressure Floyd put on their shoulders increased slightly, to their annoyance.

"Well, no, he was making them for everyone, but–"

"Just to clarify," Jamil interrupted, holding up his spatula. "I have no intention on being friends with you from now on, Prefect. In fact, I find you annoying."

"Gee, thanks, no one asked," They said sarcastically at the out-of-nowhere comment. Yet there was no returning jab from either party. Instead, when they glanced up, Floyd seemed to be having an intense stare-off with Jamil.

He must've seen something that he agreed with because he beamed after breaking the eye contact, "Alright~ I believe you, Sea Snake."

Floyd then bent down, grabbing their wrist and taking the biggest bite Yuu had seen a human— or, well, an eelmer, in Floyd's case— ever take. Nonetheless, almost all of it was gone; fallen victim to the sharpness of Floyd's teeth.

"Just...just have the rest," Yuu said dejectedly, holding the burger up to Floyd's awaiting mouth. "Yeah, I wasn't hungry at all."

They felt a few stares being directed at them so they looked over to see Jade and Azul looking in their direction too. There was something steely in their gaze but as soon as they caught them, they both smiled brightly, having the audacity to even wave at them.

"Great Seven, I almost feel sorry for you," Jamil muttered, before turning back to prepare more food.

"What's that supposed to mean?" As soon as the question was out of their mouth, Floyd seized them by the shoulders. "I was still talking to him, Floy-"

"Nah, nah," Floyd's laughter echoed closely in their ears. "Sea Snake's just bein' funny. Don't worry your pretty little head over it, Shrimpy!" They were very eagerly led towards the changing tents, which Floyd kicked open before they stepped in. "C'mon~ I'll be waiting for you right outside."

"You better not peek," Yuu stared warily at him as they secured the tent flap.

"Mmm, I won't," Floyd's tone shifted to a serious one. "Respecting people's privacy's something Azul told me to do. Unless, they don't respect ours, ehe~"

Yuu sighed before changing into the suit. It looked more like a wet suit, which was probably for the best considering how much...sand there was. They were still deep within a desert after all.

"I'm done," Yuu announced before opening the tent flap. What surprised them was the absence of Floyd— and the presence of Jade, instead.

"My, that was very prompt," Jade held out a shirt in his hands. "I prepared this for you."

"A shirt?" Yuu took the shirt. It was a simple black shirt a few sizes too big for them.

"Mm, yes," Jade held a hand to his chest. "I noticed your, ah, preference for looser clothing. So I took the liberty to prepare this shirt for you. It's plain black because Floyd often disagrees with my fashion choices, so I thought the simpler the better."

Yuu blinked for a moment, clutching the shirt closer to their chest, "Thanks Jade-senpai. That's...really thoughtful of you." It was. They meant it.

They almost forgot that throughout the few months that they've been acquainted, they did take care of them when it mattered. Despite the dubious methods that they employed, there was still a modicum of attentiveness they held towards them. Like they knew that they couldn't treat them quite as roughly as they treated each other. As they slipped on the shirt over their wetsuit, they made a mental note to make a gift to thank them when they got back to Ramshackle.

Jade's eyes widened slightly, before those mismatched eyes curved once more, "With pleasure. Now let's not keep them waiting for too long, lest Floyd decides on a more explosive entrance into the water."

"Right," Yuu walked alongside him to the edge of the water. Floyd waved from inside the lake, already comfortably milling around in his eel form.

"Then excuse me for a moment," Jade said before walking off towards the bushes; no doubt getting ready to slip into the water.

A sharp whistling sound managed to make them flinch. They looked up to see Azul sitting on what looked like a lifeguard's chair. He had certainly dressed the part, with the hat and sunglasses perched on his head.

"No diving by the shallow end of the pool– er, lakeside!" Azul shouted into a megaphone, his voice carrying over the sound of Kalim's lively music.

"Are you supposed to be the lifeguard?" Yuu asked as they made their way over to the chair.

"Ahem," Azul cleared his throat, dropping the megaphone beside him. "Actually, it was–"

"I asked him to do it!" Kalim appeared out of nowhere, wrapping an arm around their shoulder. "I asked Azul 'cause, y'know, he's the best mage here. So I figured he could save anyone from drowning in a jiffy." They shuffled a bit in Kalim's hold, still not accustomed to his overly-friendly behavior.

"Are you going for a swim too?" Kalim said, finally taking note of their appearance. "That's great! I hope you have a great time."

"Kalim-san," Azul called out, pushing up his glasses. "I'm sure the Prefect would appreciate it if you'd take a step back." Always the perceptive one, Azul was. They shot him a quick glance before sending a tentative smile toward Kalim.

"Oh. Whoops! My bad," Kalim wheeled himself backward. "I'm still...working on that part, haha..."

"It's okay," They gave the Scarabia Housewarden a pat on the arm. "As you said, you're working on it. I'm gonna take a dip now."

"If you're drowning give a shout," Azul let slip a soft laugh. "Maybe saving your life will let me bind you into a more...lasting contract, fufufu~"

"Senpai, that is the worst thing I've heard come out of your mouth in a while," They sighed. "As long as you don't purposefully cause an accident, then do your worst."

Yuu stepped into the water then. The water was cool, lapping at their ankles from the furious movements of the other Scarabia student's activities. They saw everything, from beach— or should it be called desert— volleyball, to people outright just splashing each other with water.

Then they felt something yank at their ankle. Yuu slipped, dragged through the water to who-knows-where, all while sputtering in an attempt to breathe.

Fear flared inside their chest for a moment before clarity hit them. There were only two people that would do this. Surely this was the work of one of the tweels. They clamped their mouth shut, blinking their eyes to adjust their vision to being underwater.

Yuu was met with Floyd's saccharine grin, his claw-like hand firmly wrapped around their ankle. Of course it was him. A well-placed kick to his shoulder and Floyd finally relented, bringing them back to the surface.

"Ahaha~!" They could barely hear the ringing of Floyd's laughter through their water-clogged ears. "You shoulda seen the look on your face, Shrimpy! You looked real scared!"

They felt another set of hands grasp their shoulders, half-turning to see Jade there, "Floyd, that was dangerous." Yuu would've seconded the statement if they weren't so busy hacking up leftover water from their lungs.

"Eh~" Floyd scratched at his earfins. "But I made sure the Little Shrimp didn't drown, right?"

"Still," Yuu said when they finally managed to catch their breath. "That was a zero out of ten experience. Please don't do it again." They tried to calm down their heart as they searched Floyd's expression for any signs of remorse. There was a slight frown on his face. Clearly, he was thinking about his actions; or so they hoped.

There was a clawed hand on their cheek, patting lightly to soothe them, "Since Shrimpy asked so nicely, I won't. And 'm sorry. Besides, scaring's only fun one time anyway. Imma go over there now, be right back!" And with a twist of his tail, Floyd speeded off towards where some Scarabia students were tussling in the water.

A sigh tickled their ear and, oh yeah. Jade was still there. "I apologize for his behavior," Jade said, letting their back meet his slippery chest. "Here, why don't I assist you in relaxing?"

Yuu snorted, "No offense, Jade-senpai, but it's not like you can brew me tea out here."

There was a slight chuckle before Jade slowly drifted further to the middle of the lake, "Don't worry. I will be right here next to you, so please do not be so tense." They nodded slightly, leaning back against his front.

It was nice. They could hear Jade's faint humming, and the sound of what they assumed was his teeth or vocal cords clicking lightly. They noticed that their voices sounded slightly distorted, their vocal cords different in their eel forms. The water, and the way Jade gently guided them around...it was all a nice reprieve from all the noise and excitement Scarabia brought about.

One that came to an abrupt end as soon as Yuu heard an all-too-familiar scream, "HENCHMAAAAN!!" Their head snapped up immediately, following Grim's shouting to where he was struggling inside of a net. How he got there was a mystery but they couldn’t help but gape at the sight.

"He is fine," Jade said before adding. "In fact, it seems Azul has saved him." They looked closely at the scene and found that, yes that was Azul Ashengrotto holding on to the net's pole.

"Sevens, I can never catch a break, can I?" Yuu muttered before patting Jade's shoulders. "Could you take me there, senpai?"

"I can't refuse such a polite request from my suffering kouhai," Jade said with an edge of teasing in his voice. They held on tight to Jade's shoulders as they felt his tail flexing, pushing them closer to where Grim was causing a scene.

They arrived just in time to see Azul dumping Grim unceremoniously onto a beach towel. Azul unsuccessfully shielded himself from the water as Grim shook himself off. They murmured a small thanks to Jade before walking over to their troublesome little monster.

"Henchman!" Grim wailed, launching himself at them. "They told me I couldn't eat anymore! They were chasing me out of the food table." His little ears drooped, the fire in them out because he was so thoroughly drenched. He really did look like a wet cat.

"Well...how much did you eat?" Yuu asked, stroking the top of his head.

"Kalim said I could have as much as I wanted so..." Grim pouted. "I had five ribs, three burgers, two chicken breasts, six chicken wings, and-"

"And?" Yuu interrupted, raising a brow. "There's more?"

Grim's ears seemed to droop even more, "The Great Grim wants to grow, y'know!"

"But I told you to eat in moderation," Yuu reminded, ruffling the monster's head. "Now what did we agree on?"

"...After I finish one dish I wait for five minutes before getting another dish to eat," Grim said miserably. He was dry enough now that his ears were able to fire up again, but it still didn't make him any less hilarious to look at.

As Grim meandered back to the food tables, Yuu turned to the other person that was patiently waiting for them with an amicable smile on his face.

"I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me," He said, fluttering his lashes and putting on a show. "And after I worked so hard to save Grim-san."

"I assume you want compensation?" Yuu glanced over at the unabashed gleam in his eyes. "Okay. Follow me." For once, they had a plan. They saw the tweels watching them curiously from the corner of their eye; looking like a pair of crocodiles stalking their prey.

They got as close to the water as they dared, and seeing the relaxed way Azul held himself, they knew he wasn't expecting anything. Yuu positioned him so his back was to the water.

"So?" Azul placed a hand on his chest. "What kind of compensation are you going to–"

Yuu chose that moment to tackle him, sending both of them tumbling right into the shallows. They made sure to roll slightly, to lessen the impact on Azul. But he still struggled under them, and they had to grab at his lapels to make sure he wasn't drowning.

Blinking the water out of their eyes, they were met with Azul's face centimeters away from theirs. His mouth was agape, silvery hair hanging in drenched strands. They could vaguely hear the sound of Jade and Floyd's laughter mingling and mixing with the sound of Azul's harsh breaths.

"I...hate you." And his glasses chose that moment to fully slip off his nose, landing in the water with a soft splash. They threw their head back then, a loud cackle leaving their lips. Azul was still mumbling complaints as they felt something wrap around their ankle and tug.

"Shrimpy~ Man, that was great!" Floyd appeared, giggles still leaving his lips. "Azul's always so on guard, how'd you do it? Teach me, teach me!"

"I think you've been spending a little too much time with Floyd," Azul muttered venomously. "He's starting to rub off on you."

Yuu just patted his shoulder, "If they got me to swim it's only fair that I get you to join me too."

"Fufufu~ It was an equal exchange of sorts," Jade said slyly. "Those are the kind of deals you claim favor, right Azul?"

"Sevens, that is not what this is and— would you get off me already?" Azul said, his voice strung high from the...stress? Or was it the fact that he realized they were practically sprawled on his torso? Azul always reacted unpredictably to physical contact, so they took that as their cue to roll over.

"Don't be too angry," Yuu said, feeling Floyd's tail tugging them yet again. "You're an exemplary mage, right? You know exactly what spell to use to dry yourself off."

"...Just because you compliment me and your words have some merit to them doesn't mean I'll forgive you so easily," Azul tilted his glasses, finding no dry surfaces to wipe them on before giving up and folding them.

"Let's just enjoy it before you do go and dry off," Yuu suggested, wading deeper into the water. "How about a race? Two against two?"

"Oooh! I wanna be with Little Shrimp this time!" Floyd cheered, raising his hand. "Since, y'know, you got to play with them before, Jade."

"Don't go thinking me and Azul will go easy on you both, fufufu~" There was a predatory glint in Jade's eyes; begetting a flash of sharp teeth.

"I still have plenty of magic in me," Azul said, fake saccharine dripping from his mouth. "I hope that your ducking skills are as good as your tackling skills, Prefect."

Yuu shot him a small smile at that, patting Floyd's shoulders, "Let's go kick their asses, my trusty steed."

And when Floyd responded with a little "yeehaw" Yuu thought that maybe this wasn't so bad. Being dragged into relaxing this way wasn't the most horrible thing they've experienced. Sure, future-Yuu was going to have to deal with the added muscle pain of trying to avoid Azul's well-aimed water spells, but hey. That was for future them to worry about.

For now, their priorities were to enjoy the day to the fullest. For now, it was enough to wash away their worries with petty jabs and the sound of laughter. After all, this day was shaping up into a day they would never forget.

[ omake : a prolonged fascination ]

It was a slow day at Mostro Lounge. And a slow day at the lounge meant that there were three usually-busy people idling around. Azul has resigned himself to his desk, a stack of documents that need his signature to the side as he rhythmically tapped his pen on the table. It wasn't the most exciting work since it had nothing to do with amassing wealth, but it was necessary for the lounge.

Meanwhile, Jade had a stack of nature magazines next to him. They were no doubt filled to the brim with knowledge of land plants that he could potentially stuff into their dinners for the next few weeks. He was boasting about a trip to the mountains again in a couple of days.

And Floyd? Floyd was in a bad mood. Usually that would entail chaos for the other two, but he wasn't in an irritated bad mood, he was just...in a lethargic bad mood. Bored without any idea of what could potentially cheer him up. Thus there he laid, looking like a puddle of melted eel on the couch.

So the three looked up almost immediately when the door to the VIP room opened sans knocking. The head of one Ramshackle Prefect popped into the room, "Hey. Can I come in, or is this a bad time?"

Floyd was the first to react, groaning and melding even further with the couch, "Go away, Shrimpy. 'M not feeling like eating shrimp right now." Then Floyd threw one of the pillows in Azul's general direction, "'N the pen tapping's gotta stop before I bite you, Azul."

"I didn't- I wasn't offering in the first place," Yuu walked into the room, and already the lackadaisical mood was beginning to shift. "Anyway, I can't stay for long so let's make this quick." They sat down next to Jade, pulling out a paper bag, and consequently piquing Azul's interest. And he was kind of distracted after dodging that pillow Floyd threw, so he made his way over to the couch.

"What may that be?" Jade asked, putting down his magazine.

"Oh, it's just something," They shook the bag, letting the insides clink around. "C'mon, Floyd. Sit up for a second." Floyd let out a long whine before shifting so his face was turned towards where they were, cheek squished against the leather.

"I...wanted to thank you for saving me from the...incident over winter break," Yuu said carefully, and the three merpeople couldn't help but note the slight fidget of their fingers as they spoke. "You really didn't have to care, but, well you did, and you guys put yourself in danger too back there so..."

"Well if you'd like to compensate," Azul's silky tone made them flinch slightly. "I can think of numerous different contracts that could have your name on them."

There was an instant shift in their demeanor, and Azul noted the way their shoulders relaxed slightly when they spoke again, "Sevens, I knew this was a bad idea." Jade looked knowingly over at Azul, who was smiling lightly at his successful effort to relax them.

"Hey. Just get on with it already," Floyd griped, making grabby hands at the bag. "Wanna see what's in the bag." And that was the Schodinger's cat wasn't it? The little unassuming paper bag that supposedly held something inside that was for the three of them.

"Okay, geez, here," Yuu relinquished their grip on the bag, handing it to Floyd. "I made it myself, so don't you dare laugh."

Jade and Azul, though curious, simply kept watch over Floyd's reactions. And when Floyd's eyes widened, a smile suffusing his previously unsatisfied expression, it only enticed their fascination with what was in the bag.

"Little Shrimp this is like, hella dope," Floyd cheered, rummaging in the bag and pulling out a mug that had an eel painted on it. "Lookit. It's handsome like me."

The Prefect groaned as Floyd held it up towards the light, "Don't do that, ugh- Okay, I'm leaving."

They tried to stand up, but Jade had a firm grasp on their shoulder, "And where will you be running off to?"

"Jade's right, wouldn't you like to see our reactions to such a heartfelt gift?" Azul challenged and the frown that they pulled only served to make Jade chuckle.

"It's none of your business where I have to go," Yuu stood— successfully this time. "You guys...have fun with that. No refunds, no compensations, okay?" They were out of the door in seconds, with a "see you later" on the tip of their tongue.

"What else is there in the bag?" Jade asked, as Floyd was very thoroughly inspecting the painted eel with a wide grin on his face. He pulled out two more identical mugs, one with another eel and the other an octopus.

"Look, look~" Floyd cheered, falling onto the couch next to Jade. "Mine has a lil basketball and it has my sick shoes too!"

"It appears that mine has a terrarium accompanying the eel," Jade noted, gloved fingers gliding over the ceramic. "Oh, and of course there are some fungi."

"How quaint," Azul couldn't resist the soft smile that tugged on his lips. "It seems my octopus is holding on to a golden contract. And there seems to be coins all around them."

"Mmm?" Floyd tilted his head, hand still stuck into the bag. "Oh, there's sumn else."

It was a note, hastily scribbled in now-familiar handwriting that read:

To the three it may concern,

You guys aren't half bad to have on my side, and it's been nice working with you minus all the teasing and pranks. I'm looking forward to what trouble and fun you will bring along with you for the rest of the year.

So thank you. I mean it.

Yuu

The three looked amongst themselves, a feeling of acute warmth settling over them like a blanket. Floyd immediately stood up— but not before gently settling his mug onto the table.

"Where are you going, Floyd?" Jade called out as Floyd swung open the door.

"Gotta go squeeze Shrimpy now~" Floyd said resolutely. "You comin' with?"

Jade made an affirmative noise, "Sure, I'll accompany you to see Yuu-san. I have a few choice words I'd like to say to them."

"Let's make a field trip out of it. After all, the Lounge seems to be having a slow day," Azul said, his smile slipping from soft to sly in a matter of seconds. "It would be best if we brought a housewarming gift if we were to visit the Ramshackle dorms."

"Then," Jade brought a hand to his chest. "I shall go grab-"

"No," Floyd and Azul said simultaneously.

"No way 'm letting you poison Shrimpy with mushrooms," Floyd stuck out his tongue. "Imma get them some of that seaweed jerky we made."

"Oh, and do grab the tester desserts we made a few days ago," Azul called out after the taller. "Now then, let me lock up the vaults and put away the papers."

"I shall inform the staff that we will be leaving," Jade said before picking up the bag. "What should we do with the mugs..?"

Azul paused as he was straightening his papers, "Well...get those to our kitchens. Put them in the hidden shelves I had installed. It would be troublesome if our staff got their hands on it."

"Right away."

As they set off on their own devices they all couldn't help but smile slightly. It would always be amusing how they never seemed to stop surprising them. Well now it was their turn to show them how much they meant to them. A show of gratitude for a show of gratitude. That was definitely a good enough excuse to go bother them, right? 

A lull in the day may just turn as eventful as this one did. And they had one little Prefect to thank for that.

helloooo thank you for enjoying the oasis swimming mischief-making :D !!

if you'd like to see more octatriyuu, check out his own brand of comfort or three's a crowd ! and check out my masterlists for more writing <33