#glorious fluff

[luxthestrange]

TWST Incorrect quotes#707 Church boy

Idia: Who would you kill out of the four of us, Yuu?

Yuu: Azul, easily.

Idia, laughing: What the fuck, Yuu

Yuu: Well, Rollo would be too easy. He’d probably be into it.

Rollo, now standing in the doorway: What the bloody hell, yuu!?

Yuu & Rollo's song as they dance:

[tiedsuccubus]

Nanami after I gave him that super soaker, sloppy, nasty, toe curling, whimper inducing, quick nutter, ball emptying, baby making, throat bulging, Ngh fuck me, sloppy toppy 3000

[liillyliilly]

I Need A Challenge

ushijima wakatoshi x reader words; 3804 synopsis; she writes a scathing review of ushijima's volleyball skills. how else should he respond if not by inviting her out to dinner?

She was tired of people like him. People who had no reason to be so stereotypically perfect. Everyone knows the type, comically good looking, is a prodigy in their one specific thing, acting so nonchalant that it ends up becoming their token personality trait. It was all so boring to her.

Which is why, as she was taking notes in the most recent Volleyball Nations League game, she wrote down some very harsh words for her analysis of star spiker Ushijima Wakatoshi. It was just the brutally honest truth of the world, she reasoned. Her editor, after reading the article she wrote at the game, almost dropped their jaw in shock at what she had written.

“This is really,” Editor Xhou sucked in some air through his teeth, “This is almost borderline libel material.”

She inspected her nails, shrugging as Xhou kept talking to her.

“I mean, you said that he is, and I quote from your own words, ‘Ushijima is the default setting for a volleyball player, there’s nothing too particularly unique’. You want me to let the paper publish this?” Xhou leans back into his office chair, pushing his glasses up and sighing.

“I write the truth, and the truth is that when Ushijima is on the court, you always know the exact plays he’ll make, the exact moves he’ll execute. The result is consistently the same. The games are too predictable when he plays.” She stands up from the seat opposite to Xhou.

Xhou sets the paper on his desk, checking that she really is okay with the article having her name attached to it.

A thumbs up is the only response she gives to her supervisor.

Xhou stamps the paper with his name, and faxes the documents to the coordinator putting together the sports magazine review for this issue. He wonders if the legal team is going to get involved again, he remembers the last player she reviewed, he was crushed and had to move to Alaska to play in a much smaller league. Xhou fully believes he’s going to get the magazine sued for letting her article fly.

Tendou finishes his squat set, hanging up the weights with a heave. Ushijima finishes his hundredth bicep curl, finally finishing his repetitions of this exercise.

Tendou pokes some fun, “I'm so sad for people without legs, they have to skip leg day.” He muses, trying to see what reaction or comment his best friend will make. Tendou twists and flexes in the full length mirrors lining the gym.

Ushijima only responds with a nod. He checks his phone, only to see that he’s received a little over four hundred notifications and counting. The beeping and noises start to pile up. Tendou peeks over Ushijima’s shoulder and gasps, he steals Ushijima’s phone away and immediately investigates what all the hustle and bustle could be related to.

“You should probably read this article, I think the writer has it out for your throat Wakatoshi.” Tendou grimaces while handing the phone back.

He skims the article, viewing the main talking points and major issues the author brings to light about his play style. His boring, everyday genius playstyle. He’s read criticisms of his volleyball skills before, but this one doesn’t seem too targeted solely about him, just using him as the mechanism to get a broader point across about the lack of challenges in volleyball recently. He chuckles at one of her comments, reading it aloud.

“Monster generation? I need a real challenge from these players, but all they’re giving me is platinum dreams without true passion and anger for the sport. I want them foaming at the mouth with new tricks, but I’m getting the same exact game over and over again.” Tendou cringes as Ushijima reads the words out loud. Ushijima stifles another chuckle.

Ushijima tucks his phone into his pocket, picking up his duffel bag. “I like her. She knows volleyball.”

It wasn’t just her comments, it was also the name of the author that Ushijima liked.

Tendou drops his water bottle in response to Ushijima’s behavior, stunned at the openness of amusement he has for the article and for the investment he has for this particular reporter.

Ushijima’s manager says that she’ll have a cease and desist letter issued to the paper for publishing such a slanderous piece. Ushijima proposes an entirely different solution.

She didn’t expect to be sitting at a restaurant, pencil and paper in hand, waiting for someone she just dragged through the mud to arrive so they could share a meal and an interview.

It was winter, and her reading glasses had fogged up slightly in the difference between the outdoors temperature and the warmth of the restaurant. The main features of the restaurant was the Western Style dining choices and decor, it reminded her almost of a hibachi place, but instead of Japanese food it was just a bunch of American and European dishes.

“It’s nice to see you again.” Ushijima pulls out his chair and settles into it, grabbing his glass of water so he can drink from it.

“High school seemed so long ago, but yes it is nice to see you again Wakatoshi. Sorry for the piece, your name just carries the right amount of importance to get my bigger points across.” She crosses her legs, setting her pencil behind her ear. The waiter comes around and takes their orders. He asks for the salmon, and she gets the house soup.

“No, I totally get it. But the statement about how people just continually eat up the single dish I serve? I thought you would’ve found a better analogy for my consistency on the court.” He just smiles at her, watching her move the pencil from behind her ear to her mouth so she could chew on it a little. One of her tells of when she was deeply thinking about how to respond to something.

Ushijima remembers all the stories she would write back in high school, ranging from sports analysis of Shiratorizawa clubs for her journalism extracurricular to getting paid to write love letters from person to person. She garnered enough money to pay for a new laptop and her entire wishlist of stationery items.

He remembers her lending him a pen once during class, it was a weightier metal pen. The ink was so black he was sure it was made of pure darkness. While he admired the pen she went into a rant talking about the pen itself, the quality of it and how it took forever to be delivered to her. They both got chastised by the teacher for having a side conversation and had to sit outside the classroom. But they ended up talking outside the classroom despite being told not to.

“Like you’d know what a good analogy looks like.” She hides her smirk behind a spoonful of soup. Ushijima appreciates her ability to be unapologetic, her honesty and bluntness matching his own linguistic traits.

They talk for three hours, about volleyball, life after high school, the article she wrote, about friends and the situations they found themselves in. Ushijima talks about Tendou and his chocolatier aspirations, she brings up Semi Eita’s new album that actually sounded truly alternative and unique.

He remembers her having a crush on Semi throughout high school. He didn’t really see why she would sit at their practices sometimes, just sighing wistfully, before freezing and turning flustered when Semi tried to make conversation like a normal person. But when Semi was seen to be a slight habitual complainer, she grew a distaste for him. Ushijima was sure that Semi was her longest crush, clocking in at around two months or so.

Ushijima did enjoy that she came to their practices sometimes, because then he could ask her about her pen collection and she would openly, loudly, and enthusiastically layer on every detail she could fit into her remarks. And she was someone who asked him about his favorite things, primarily volleyball but also about reading the advertisements in the Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine. Or about how good a runner’s high could feel sometimes.

Around her, he could share without fear of being misunderstood. She just accepted what she heard, and then analyzed it, taking her time and asking clarifying questions. He did his best to emulate her mannerisms and tact within their conversations, usually failing, but she didn’t mind.

She did openly declare an aversion for him throughout high school, that genius powerhouses should never be entertained with acknowledgement. What others considered harsh from her was almost like beaming encouragement for him. It was like she was telling him, if he didn’t continually improve and advance then the stagnation would leave him in the dust. A push in the right direction was more accurate of why she would say what she did about him.

He takes the bill from her, puts his gold debit card on the clipboard, and returns it to the waiter before she can even open her purse. Rolling her eyes, she sets some bills on the table and slides it over to him. Glaring at him until he accepts the cash and puts the bills into his wallet.

“Are you dating anyone right now?” Ushijima inquires while they walk down the street to get to the train station. The night air leaves a chill around the two of them. He had his hands tucked into his pockets, and she had her arms folded over her body.

Snow falls from the sky, catching the lights and making streaks of color burst in small flickers like fireflies. The piled up snow in the roads hadn’t yet been plowed thoroughly, and wasn’t sullied with pollution that made it yellow and black. The snow was much more like a blanket.

“Listen, I’m what people consider easy to love but hard to please. Most people say they felt like they were never enough for me when we were dating.” She bites on her bottom lip a little. It’s a confusing feeling to be unnerved by him, and she feels even more uneasy when she realizes that she’s speaking too openly. “I don’t intentionally degrade those I date, I just, I have high expectations. I don’t give many second chances.”

His breath comes out in puffs of white, winter nipping at his nose which makes him feel uncomfortable. He wonders if she’s as cold as him. He knew that she had high expectations, none of the boys at their high school got remotely close to being romantically involved with her. She wanted more than what most people could offer. She wanted someone who was as open as her.

She feels a little guilty about her article now. Maybe she pushed the words a little too much on his bad qualities. Ushijima really wasn’t that bad, he was just dependable and rational, which crafted his playstyle of being an ultimate pillar of strength for a team. Why shouldn’t a team go with the most reliable way of scoring points? Then she shooed the thought. If volleyball wanted to keep being popular, it needed to evolve.

“I liked your article a lot.” He offers, segwaying the conversation, knowing her thoughts better than she knew them. “Power goes far, but even then, there’s ceilings that need to be broken. There’s talents that need to be unearthed, planted, and then allowed to bloom.”

They sit on the bench under the covering for the train station. The screen shows that the train she needs to take will come in around ten minutes.

“Thanks. My editor was worried you were going to sue me for what I wrote.” She laughs a little, rubbing her hands against her thighs to build up some lingering heat in her hands and her body.

He passes her his gloves from his jacket pocket. Making a small hum he waves them in front of her. She accepts and embraces the black fleece covering her fingers.

“Oh, no, there’s no way I’d want you to be sued. But I do want you to add another part to the article.” He blows some air onto his hands, rubbing them together. She raises an eyebrow inquisitively, turning towards him on the bench.

Once he had finished reading her piece on Ushijima’s game, he went through and read all her other articles. He found out her favorite current player was actually Hinata Shouyou, the energetic innovator. She had written about his unique approach, due to natural athleticism. Also about his experience in Brazilian beach volleyball making his defense skills unique in the field of both Japanese volleyball and on a global scale. It was all about Hinata this, Hinata that. But could the ultimate decoy ever compare to the pillar of strength?

“What do you want me to change? I can’t make any promises.”

“Say I’m your number one, because I don’t do last place.” Ushijima lifted her chin up, looking right into her eyes. He inspects her face, the small miniscule motions her features display show that she’s listening, actively listening. “Did I ever mention that you’re the only one that has my attention?”

She really was. The only reporter he cared to give quotes to after big games, the only girl who he ever wondered if there was any possibility to develop a relationship with. He was hooked on every word she wrote, every interview she hosted online. She was in his world, but never overlapped her social circle with his for longer than an hour at best.

She swallows thickly, “I’m sorry to say this, but I really am unimpressed by your playstyle.”

He raises an eyebrow, sliding his hand from her chin to the side of her neck. He can feel the way her pulse is racing under her skin.

“We both know that’s not true.”

Her train arrived. She ducked under his hand and made her way onto the train. Before the sliding door closes, she motions him closer so she doesn't have to yell.

“Then show me your talents. I need a challenger for my first place.”

Tendou lies on his stomach on the floor, Ushijima is reviewing some plays written by his coach. He scans for any play that could show off his left hand spikes, or any play that he could try and improvise a receive if he wasn’t on the front row rotation. The plays are different from what he’s used to. But his coach said that they were all optional, and that Ushijima’s playstyle was perfectly fine as it was. But ‘fine as is’ doesn’t earn him any accolades in her book.

Tendou perks up, “I always felt like fighting had romantic undertones.” He references what Ushijima had told him about how the dinner with his reporter went last week.

“But I don’t want to fight her? I’d hardly call a slight disagreement a fight.” Ushijima sets aside the packet he had been studying.

He opens his phone and refreshes the webpage for the newspaper she worked for. When nothing pops up under her name, he goes to the calendar page to see if she’d be attending an upcoming game he’d be playing in. He sets his phone aside when he realizes she will in fact be in attendance.

“But you do want to fight for her ‘first place’ hottie player ranking.” Tendou kicks his feet in the air, crossing his feet and tapping the top of his head.

Ushijima stands up and goes to check his closet, seeing if he needs to get a tighter jersey for the upcoming game. “She never used the word ‘hottie’ when talking about her favorite player.”

“So you admit that you do want to be her favorite player?”

Ushijima finishes trying on the jersey over his long sleeve compression shirt, the jersey fitted better than he remembered. He tugs on the front of the uniform. Then what Tendou said clicks for him.

Ushijima blinks, “I do want to be her favorite player.” He doesn’t see why he would deny that observation. Being her favorite player would be the ideal situation for him.

Tendou rolls over onto his back and wiggles his pointer fingers in the air, “You want to be more than just her favorite player.” He sings the words in a teasing manner.

“Maybe I do.”

One time, near the end of high school, she was talking during lunch. Her friends were uninterested, wanting to discuss boys or homework instead of her critical worldview analysis. Her table was right next to the table that Ushijima and Tendou were sitting at, their volleyball friends already outside tossing around a ball.

Ushijima listened in, drinking his milk while Tendou ate chicken nuggets. When her voice got quieter, almost to the point of fading out entirely due to her slowly realizing her friends were not as interested in the conversation as she was, Ushijima leaned in subconsciously, trying to catch her words.

Tendou pinched Ushijima, telling him that if he wanted to listen to her, he should ask her to come sit with them. Ushijima froze. So Tendou invited her to come sit with them. Placing her lunch tray down, she ate a carrot, sensing Ushijima’s hesitance and Tendou’s eagerness.

It was Ushijima that spoke first, “Keep going. You remind me of someone. He said almost the same thing, about his worthless pride and not forgetting about it.”

She brightens. Continuing her dissection of the value of pride, she refers to Ushijima as a reference point for pride. Using him in her examples and demonstrations of her illustrative examples. Around the third time she says his family name, he makes another request.

“You can just call me Wakatoshi.”

Tendou drops his chicken nugget, but quickly regains his pace in eating the arms off the dinosaurs.

She says his name, once and then twice. Letting it settle onto her tongue and leave a trace of what a first name basis could mean. Pondering on that instead of her newest philosophy interest is quickly dropped. She only ever calls him by his name from then on.

Needless to say, the next game he plays at, she’s there, with her notepad and pen. Each receive, hit, serve, and toss is carefully recorded on her paper.

He doesn’t do anything too off the typical, but he does try new things his coach had mentioned. Pressuring an opponent’s highest scorer more, trying a few block kills when he’s in the right rotation, scoring some points off the tip of the blockers hands instead of cutting right through their attempts to defend. He’s more tired after this game than his last one. Yet, he had more fun this time around. His teammates seemed thrilled with the results of never having a gap less than five points.

After the game, before he goes to the locker room to debrief with the team and change into regular clothes, he stalks his way over to her. She’s talking to another reporter that had been sitting in the media section, but the other reporter just elbows her lightly when he notices Ushijima making an attempt to approach. The other man slowly walks away, bidding her a farewell.

She’s still sitting on the bench, cheekily covering her notes with her hand, and writing something down. When he takes a place next to her, he spreads his legs a little, expanding his presence and bumping their thighs into each other. She initially retracts from the touch, but relaxes into it.

He’s aware that his body is thinly sheened with sweat. It drips from the hair at his nape down his back and soaks into his player kit. She brings her notepad up to her face, looking at him over the spiral binding of the paper. Trying to hide her comments and analysis of the game, which had been overwhelmingly positive for Ushijima.

“What’s your professional opinion of the game?” He uses a finger to push down her notepad that was covering her nose. A streak of ink and pencil lead was across her cheek and nose. He brought his thumb up and wiped away the markings. At first swipe, nothing moved, so he slid his thumb over again with just a little more pressure.

“It was entertaining in a different sense. Rather than being solely athletic entertainment.” She licks her own thumb and finishes wiping away all the marks that she could feel him trying to get rid of. She misses a sliver on the apple of her cheek but he doesn’t say anything, enjoying the way that it makes her seem less intimidating and more adorable.

“Care to share with the class?”

“Well, when a certain player keeps trying to make eye contact during the game, when he should instead be invested in the game, it does pose some interesting investigative questions.”

At this point, Ushijima slid his hand to her thigh, asking her to explain further, “Such as?”

“When will he get up the nerve to ask her on a date? Will he take her for a ride in that brand new car he got? Does he need glasses from how frequently it seemed he scrutinized the audience in search of her?” She pauses, then continues, “And will he be mad if she writes something about how attentive the setter was during the game?”

“Soon, for the date. Most definitely a long car ride to the mountains. His vision is actually perfectly 20/20, he just wanted to make sure she was having a good time by observing her reactions. No comments for the setter, he’s a rookie, and much less attentive than an older, more experienced player.”

She hums a little in regards to his answers to her inquiries. Soon, she tugs on the back of his hand, the hand that was resting on her thigh. She bites the cap off her pen, waving the pen in the air, close enough to his skin for him to understand the point of what she was communicating.

The pen tickled the skin of his hand, but he liked the way she put one hand under his to make his hand rest flat so she could write her piece on his body. Capping the pen back up, she tucked it behind her ear.

Written on his hand was a series of numbers, along with a small doodle of a volleyball.

Getting up from her spot on the media bench, she leaves him with a short statement.

“I liked your response to my challenge. Keep making the Monster Generation bloom with each game Wakatoshi.” She halts for a moment, then turns back to him, “You can be my number one on those conditions. Blooming the Monsters and responding to my challenges.”

He’d return every challenge she gave him if it meant he could be hers.

[entomolog-t]

Can I squeeze tiny vampire man in a loving way

Did you say loving?

I thought you said emotionally devastating

My bad.

----

A lil sneak peak at a comic/tiktok I've been working on

I think I like the creepy lil blackened hands for Aedes.

[it-happened-one-fic]

Even If The World Itself Should Fall Down - Malleus (Glorious Masquerade)

Author Notes: So, I've been having a lot of fun reading Glorious Masquerade and I saw an opening and received encouragement from friends to just go ahead and write some fics for this event. So this one is Malleus's and it was written to the “As the World Falls Down” cover by Grace Potter. The dance in this fic was inspired by Andrei and Natasha’s waltz scene from Episode 3 of BBC’s “War and Peace” (2016). As per usual, reader is gender-neutral. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Gender-neutral reader/ sfw/ Glorious Masquerade/ romance/ some pining/ fluff/ dancing

Word Count: 1338

It was the part of the trip everyone had been waiting for, but I found myself still lost in my own thoughts about everything that had occurred since coming to Fleur City. 

A plot regarding the supposed evils of magic, the flames, the flowers, the ringing of the bell, and everything else.

 It was almost too much to process, even considering the fact I’d seen overblots. Perhaps the most distracting thing was the fact that I was so relieved. No one had died, lost their magic, or ended up horribly injured, and the matter had been resolved. 

I leaned against the wall, sighing slightly as people swirled past me in the midst of the masquerade. Either classmates and friends or the people who attended this school or one of the other magic academies themselves. 

It was a swirling eddy of rich fabrics and masked faces.

I had never truly pictured myself in such an opulent scene, and it felt only right, in a great many respects, that I remained on the sidelines. Grim had long since slunk off in search of food and left me alone to watch everyone else.

But I didn’t remain alone for long, as a tall figure soon came cutting their way through the crowd.

Malleus approached with unhesitating steps, my view of him occasionally blocked by a couple twirling by even as he walked towards me. A slight smile was on his face as he drew closer until he emerged from the dancers to stand in front of me.

His hand that had been holding his mask this whole time lowered so that I could clearly see his face as he bent slightly at the waist and held out his other gloved hand with a smile that curved easily across his face, “May I?” 

I blinked at him, half-surprised, before a smile slid onto my face. Because, of course, he wouldn’t leave me stranded all on my own. He knew loneliness well and had no doubt felt sympathy for me the very moment he’d seen me standing on my own.

“I don’t really know the steps,” I warned teasingly, even as I slipped my hand into his. His gloved fingers curled carefully over my hand as he pulled me away from the wall and towards him.

“Then I shall guide you; you need only trust me, Child of Man,” And as he spoke there was a certain villainy to his smile. Almost like he was proud that I’d accepted his offer, as if I’d rejected others. 

It was amusingly similar to a dragon that had found itself a new treasure to hoard all to itself, and I shook my head amusedly but let him lead me out onto the floor. Carefully guiding me around and between other dancing duos who slowly began to look our way with either surprised or intrigued expressions. 

Despite the way I glanced around, Malleus’s eyes stayed on me until we reached the center of the floor, directly under the chandler.

I turned to face him, my hand still in his as I looked at his face. And he had, at long last, looked away from me to carefully enter our dancer’s hold. 

One of his hands on my waist as the other arm was bent around so that it was pressed firmly against his own back, while I had one hand resting lightly on his shoulder and the other held out to hold my clothes out of the way of our footsteps.

Bright green eyes slowly shifted to look at me, and I was close enough to even see his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he met my gaze. The slightest of smiles on his face before he stepped forward, and I stepped back to the very first strings of this new song.  

It was an older style of dance; I could tell that much from the fact he had one arm pressed to his back, which wasn’t part of any modern style, and a part of me wondered if it was a form from the Valley of Thorns. 

From what Sebek had told me, the people there were partial to what many might refer to as more vintage aspects of life.

But I wasn’t complaining; there was something especially lovely about this type of waltz. And I found myself smiling as Malleus pivoted us around the room.

We spiraled around, remaining in the center of the room as the other dancers moved back and away from us. Eyeing us and no doubt questioning why exactly I, of all people, was dancing with the famed and typically feared Malleus Draconia.

After all, I was no one special, and he was the heir to the throne of the Valley of Thorns. An odd couple, to say the least.

As we entered a particularly long set of rotations, Malleus extended the arm he’d had behind his back. Humming slightly as I almost instinctively shifted my hand from his shoulder to his now-free hand.

His fingers curled over and enveloped my hand, as he also shifted to the side so that we were joined only by our arms, which crossed over each other’s chests, as we faced each other and we continued to spin. Almost parallel to one another.

I exhaled softly, relaxing the longer the two of us danced, and I realized that I really could trust him to lead me through this entire dance even though I didn’t know the steps.

As the music slowed and quieted, he drew me closer so that he was once more directly in front of me, though his hand still gripped mine with a quiet gentleness.

I swallowed slightly, briefly glancing away from him and the soft smile on his face, before I managed to speak. 

“I never have really thanked you for diving after me when the floor collapsed,” My voice was soft, and his lips twitched slightly. Almost like he was amused by my words.

“But of course,” He spoke softly as well. Matching my tone in a way that made our words feel like a secret between only the two of us.

Our motions continued to slow until we were simply turning a slow circle and looking at each other even as everyone else kept spiraling, and I shook my head slightly, “No, thank you… Really.”

Something in his gaze softened slightly as he continued to stare at me, and I tilted my head, smiling, “It’s nice that this masquerade could still take place with everything that happened…. The firelotuses and our trip almost getting ruined, I mean.”

I felt his grip on my hand tighten slightly as he inclined his head slightly, almost like he wanted to well and truly keep his next words so that they were just between the two of us. A tender secret not to be shared with anyone else. Be they a close friend or a bodyguard.

“It matters not what collapses. Be it the floor beneath us or even if the world itself should fall down, I will be there for you, Child of man.” I blinked up at him, feeling my eyes widen at his soft words.

At odds with my speechlessness, he smiled. Looking perfectly delighted as he slowly began to speed our motions back up, until we were whirling around the room once more. Center stage as his smile stayed ever-present. It wasn’t long until, even with his words still floating around in my mind, we both started to laugh.

At first, just a chuckle and then soft laughter as we waltzed around, drawing everyone’s gazes as they questioned what sort of secret we shared that so amused us. But it wasn’t truly laughter at something amusing. Rather, it was relieved laughter at the realization that even if everything else in the world fell away, we had one another.

Falling together just as we’d fallen together through the burning flowers, and falling towards each other as each step of our dance pulled us closer towards that beautiful dream known as love.

[kirus-grotto]

Dance Of Jealousy

Deuce had never felt this way before. Why would Malleus Draconia be dancing with Yuu?

Just a little ficlet of Deuce and F!Yuu at the Masquerade

Bright cyan eyes watched adoringly from across the way as the Ramshackle prefect danced along to the music with their friends. He’d stepped away to grab himself a quick drink with full intention of bringing one to her as well. After all that had happened it was nice to see everyone, especially her, happy.

Shaking his head a bit to clear it, Deuce began to weave his way through the crowds. Masked people shuffled and danced all around him; the music bringing itself to a slow paced melody. Groups began to break apart and pair up with one another. He couldn’t help but to freeze in place as he watched Yuu immediately turn to dance with Malleus Draconia.

It was as if they were magnetized to find each other with how quickly they seemed to go to each other. The way he had an arm wrapped around her to guide her looked as if it belonged there. The soft smiles they gave each other had Deuce holding back a scowl. He couldn’t help but to squeeze the cups he still carried just a bit tighter. Dancing in a group with the others was one thing, but this…

A thought flashed through his mind of him throwing one of them at the back of Malleus’ head. Had he not known better he just might have. Instead he forced himself to turn back toward the tables to set the glasses back down, and to take a moment to gather himself. Looking back toward the pair he could see Malleus brushing a lock of Yuu’s hair back; could see him saying something that caused her to laugh. His heart began to beat faster just watching them.

’That should be me.’

His legs began to move before he could have a second thought. Keeping his eyes on Yuu he swiftly moved between the rest of the groups between him and her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He was sure Riddle would collar him if he knew what Deuce had wanted to do. Especially since it involved wanting to fight Malleus Draconia himself. In front of the entire Masquerade. Only the thought of disappointing his mom had him begin to calm himself at the last second.

“Ah, Spade.” Malleus greeted as Deuce had grabbed onto his arm. “We were just discussing you.”

“I… uh.. You were..?” The blue haired boy looked between the two.

Yuu nodded quickly. “Your timing is perfect actually!”

Deuce blinked in confusion. “But… huh??”

Malleus simply smiled at him, and gracefully passed Yuu over. “You wished to dance with her as well, yes? I won’t take up all of her time.” After a friendly pat on Deuce’s shoulder and a nod to Yuu Malleus disappeared into the crowd.

Left alone with Yuu, who’s smile alone had his anger and jealousy melting away, he sketched a bow and asked her to dance. He felt lucky that though the current song was ending, another slow song let him continue to dance with her. He felt as if he were floating. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her warm, brown eyes. He’d always loved looking into her eyes; how comforting they were. Brown eyes were always his favorite.

“I think I might love you..” the words came out without him meaning to. He’d never felt more flustered in his life than he did right there. “I mean! Er.. wait I–”

“I think I might love you too.” Yuu laughed lightly. “And I think Ace owes me 50 thaumarks.”

“Wha–huh??” He felt confusion take over as his face deepened in color. “Ace? Why?”

“He maaayyyy have bet that you wouldn’t confess while we were here,” she said.

“...Wait, how did you know?!”

“You can be pretty obvious about things sometimes.” She laughed again. “But Epel also told me that you told him your plan.”

His head whipped over to where he noticed Epel earlier. The other boy having his innocent smile on his face. Rook, Riddle, and even Malleus on either side of him wearing knowing grins of their own. “...Did… did everyone know that?!”

“I mean… I’ve been trying to drop my own hints to you for a while now. You’re just a bit oblivious.”

Deuce groaned in defeat. “I can’t believe I never caught on..”

Yuu rolled her eyes playfully at him before leaning close to place a kiss onto his lips. “How about we split my winnings and get something in town when we get back?”

His eyes widened for a moment before softening. “I still can’t believe you made a bet on me.” His hands took her face to bring it to his own for another kiss.Feeling her smile against him had him smiling too.

“...Floyd was in on it too.” She added after they pulled away.

“WHAT??”

[prefect-of-memes]

Malleus shouting our real name. 👀😍💀

Literally me. 👇🏻😩

[chrissy-dont-talk]

Ain’t celebrating yet till I see his entire body STANDING FIXED AND ALL😭😭😭 cause gege is a BITCH😤

[bun-lapin]

"To Remember You"

Summary: Yuu and Rollo say goodbye and take a picture together

Word Count: 1K CW: fluff, gn!Yuu, can be read romantic or platonic, Rollo is kinda tsundere either way lol <3

Standing in the early morning sunlight, Rollo peers into the old well before carefully dropping a wooden bucket down into the darkness. He listens for the far-off, echoing splash and then methodically pulls up the heavy bucket of water. Putting hand over hand on the well worn rope, he reflects on the whirlwind of recent events. Images of blazing fire and dancing figures race through his memory until his thoughts are interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Stepping into the courtyard, Yuu raises a hand in greeting and smiles pleasantly, “Good morning, Rollo!”

Rollo nods towards Yuu and replies, “Good morning.” Turning his attention back towards his task, he finishes hauling up the water and sets the bucket on the edge of the stone well.

Yuu watches Rollo for a moment and then tilts their head, “What are you doing out here so early in the morning?”

Gesturing towards several plants growing nearby, Rollo answers, “Watering the flowers in the courtyard is one of my duties as Student Council President.” He fills a small watering can from the bucket of water at his feet and then turns to Yuu. Raising a single eyebrow, he asks, “And what are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be departing for that insidious school today?”

Yuu laughs good-naturedly and replies, “That’s why I’m here. I wanted to see you one more time and say goodbye.”

Rollo folds his arms against his chest and taps one finger against his arm. “I am certain I bid my final farewells at the event last night. There was no logical reason for you to seek me out once more before your departure.” Seeing the slightly dejected look on Yuu’s face, his expression softens and he adds in a slightly more gentle tone, “However, I do sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness. Thank you. I will miss your company.”

Yuu breaks out into another cheerful smile and says, “I’ll miss you too, Rollo. We should stay in touch!”

Rollo nods his head in agreement. “Certainly. You can expect a letter from me to arrive at Ramshackle shortly after your return.”

Raising their eyebrows, Yuu asks, “A letter? Like on real paper? Wouldn’t messaging on magicam be easier?” A sudden thought seems to hit Yuu and they exclaim, “Wait, do you even have a phone?”

With an irritated scowl, Rollo scoffs, “Of course I have a phone! As a student living away from his parents, I am required to have a personal phone for emergencies.” Reaching into a hidden pocket within his robes, he pulls out an old and battered looking flip-phone. “See?”

Yuu’s eyes widen with surprise and they yell, “A FLIP-!?” They burst out into laughter and gasp out between giggles, “Seriously?! You have a flip-phone?? It looks ancient! Does that thing even have a camera?”

Rollo glares at Yuu and sighs with frustration, “Why would a phone need a camera?”

Yuu’s wild laughter finally subsides and their face lights up as an idea seems to come to them. Reaching into their pocket, they fish out their smartphone and hand it over to Rollo. “Here. Take a selfie on my phone.”

Rollo knits his brows in confusion and asks, “A selfie?”

“Ah!” Yuu exclaims. “A selfie is-”

“I KNOW WHAT A SELFIE IS!” Rollo shouts, a light blush of embarrassment coloring his pale cheeks. He quickly regains his composure and shakes his head in exasperation. “What I meant was, why do you want me to take a selfie?”

Yuu smiles and simply states, “Because I want your picture. To remember you.”

Rollo blinks in surprise at Yuu’s response. He then quickly turns his attention to the smartphone in his hand and mumbles, “Were you going to forget me so easily? How absurd.” The corners of his mouth twitch up into an awkward, fleeting smile and Yuu laughs quietly to themselves.

After setting up the phone’s camera, Rollo holds the device at arms length and snaps a few pictures. The first photo is out of focus. The second one is too dark and captures him mid-blink. The third one completely cuts his face out of frame and only shows his shoulder. With each each unsuccessful attempt, Rollo becomes more and more visibly irritated.

Trying their very best to hide their amused grin, Yuu reaches out to take the smartphone from Rollo’s hand. “Here, I’ve got a better idea. Let’s take a picture together.”

Yuu stands next to Rollo and leans their upper body closer towards him so that they can both fit in the camera’s frame. With a slight jolt of surprise, Rollo realizes he feels a solid warmth against his shoulder and he looks down to see Yuu’s shoulder pressed gently against his. Noticing Rollo’s gaze is no longer directed at the phone, Yuu turns to him and gives him a friendly, reassuring smile. An indescribable mix of emotions rushes across Rollo’s face and, ignoring the burning heat he feels on his cheeks and ears, he whips his head back to look at Yuu’s phone.

“You ready? 3, 2, 1!” Yuu presses a thumb against the shutter button and snaps a few pictures in quick succession. Bringing the phone closer to them, they swipe across the screen and check the photos. With a grin on their face, Yuu points the device towards Rollo and says, “This one turned out great! What do you think?”

Rollo’s eyes sweep across the image on the small screen. In the picture, the sky above their heads is light blue and the early morning sunlight softens their silhouettes. He notes Yuu’s cheerful grin radiating out from a brave and clever looking face. His own face is next to Yuu’s, pale and solemn as usual, but his lips are turned up at the corners in an uncharacteristically shy smile. Rollo contemplates the photo a little longer before turning to Yuu with a quietly pleased expression on his face, “It’s a wonderful picture.” He hesitates for a moment before adding softly, “I’m glad we took it. It’s important to remember those we hold dear.”

Yuu smiles and nods in agreement, “I’ll figure out a way to print this out when I get back to school and send it to you in a letter.”

Rollo mirrors Yuu’s smile and replies, “Yes, I’d like that very much. I look forward to receiving your letter.”

[luxthestrange]

TWST Incorrect quotes#633 I DO WHAT I WANT

Yuu: This date is boring! Rollo: This isn't a date...I said I was going to the store. Yuu: Then why did you invite me? Rollo: I didnt, I specifically said "don't come with me," then you said, "fuck you Rollo I'll do whatever I want"

[tiedsuccubus]

Pulling geto’s hair while fucking but then his scalp comes off

[letterstoear]

If I may?

Notes: A letter from Rollo! Gn reader, fluff, Rollo x reader, after his stay at NRC he writes this letter to you asking to be his...

Don't forget to check out my shop and the Rollo bear!

Check out my shop here: Shop — Letters to Ear (squarespace.com)

Greetings __,

Over the past few days during my stay here at Night Raven College, I find myself indebted to you. While I prefer to have not set foot here at all, I must thank you for your lovely hospitality during my stay. Throughout the time I spent with you it was beyond anything I had ever experienced. If only you hadn’t approached me, I would have stayed on my righteous path. Instead, I found myself consumed by you only to discover this was only temporary. If only I had played it safe, now that I know how it feels to be with you, I wish you left me as I was.

Then again to say I regret everything we had done together would be unlawful, I grew to enjoy your company. Even your overly familiar greetings brought a slight ring of joy to my ears, I’ll miss those greetings when I leave. For now, I suppose it’s best for me to savor my last remaining moments I have with you.

Before I leave, may I have the opportunity to dance once more with you. Like that dance we shared underneath the dusk of the moon, may I hold your hand again. If you could grant me this, it would be a wonderful memory for me to leave with. The say is up to you.

By any chance would you miss me too? Should I have been clear on my responses to you? Perhaps I could be clear as to my feelings about you.

_________, despite the fact I only stayed here for a short amount of time my curiosity about you has grown exponentially. Everything will be coming to an abrupt stop soon. While I understand in my head the end is inevitable, a small ring of sadness plays. Now that I’ve grown slightly fond of you, I would like to be your acquaintance.

Traveling between both institutions may be tricky to do daily, but I could work around it. I believe crafting a negotiation is presumably easy, so perhaps once a week or even once every two weeks. Exchanging letters would be better for us instead. I’ll be sure to write to you as well.

__________, please be sure to give this letter a timely response or do tell me when we meet later. I promise I’ll be there right on time. I also have a small token of thanks for everything as well. Till then ________.

Sincerely,

Rollo Flamme

[smotherstories]

[it-happened-one-fic]

The Pleasure - Rollo (Glorious Masquerade)

Author Notes: So, I've been having a lot of fun reading Glorious Masquerade and I saw an opening and received encouragement from friends to just go ahead and write some fics for this event. So here's Rollo's and this will possibly be the only Rollo fic I ever write. The dance in this fic was inspired by the Ländler Allemande which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuWq7S6pFvQ. The fic was written to “Tu Vas me Détruire” from Notre Dame de Paris by Daniel Lavoie. As per usual, reader is gender neutral. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Gender-neutral reader/ sfw/ Glorious Masquerade/ pining/ fluff/ dancing

Word Count: 1854

It was almost strange to be at a masquerade ball after everything that had just happened the night before. And everyone was just dancing away without care, as if nothing had occurred.

I glanced around at the smiling faces that made it seem like this social had gone out without a hitch when I knew all too well that it had almost ended in tragedy.

A crimson red had washed across Fleur City yet again, and yet here we were. Seemingly celebrating our survival despite the cause of it all stood right across the room from me. His arms crossed as he eyed the merry-making.

And yet, despite the fact that Rollo had put us in very real danger and was beyond hypocritical, I found that I wasn’t actually that upset with him. In fact, I almost pitied him.

He’d been so misled and driven to such mad acts, and it reminded me painfully of all the overblots I’d already experienced.

It was true. He’d been beyond wrong in what he’d done. But so had they, and I was friends with them now. 

Perhaps that was why I found myself making my way across the room until I was standing quietly next to him. He glanced my way, his grey-green eyes sliding towards where I stood until his gaze at last rested on mine.

His poker face was present as always, but I had no doubt that his careful mask hid the disdain he currently felt at the merriment spread out before him.

“Looks like the social was a success…. Congratulations,” I was almost surprised that he allowed me to see the rueful smile that slipped across his face at my words. But then, I suppose he had little to hide at this point. I already knew everything.

“Yes, you and your friends must be pleased,” His typically soft voice held a distinct tinge of malice, and I frowned slightly. But I knew how he’d interpreted my words, even if that wasn’t how I meant them.

He thought I was mocking him for his failed plan. But, in actuality, my congratulations were genuine.

“I’m not mocking you. Even if your plan failed, you still managed to gather all of these students and hold a successful social.” I glanced his way, noting the bitter frown on his face even as I continued, “Your classmates said you worked really hard on all of this. I realize it was just a ruse, but it’s still impressive.”

He was silent as I finished, eyeing me closely before he let out a soft sigh, “Then you should join them. You’re friends.” 

As he spoke, he gestured to the crowd of people who danced with one another. Their motions were unfamiliar and not among the courtly dances that Trein had taken the time to teach me before we came here.

I smiled slightly before shaking my head, “No… I don’t actually think I could keep up with any of them.” I laughed slightly to myself before looking back his way, fully expecting to see a mocking expression on his face but instead being met with one of quiet thoughtfulness.

“You do not know the same raucous dances?” I snorted at his words before shaking my head.

“No, I can get by fairly well, and Trein taught me some more classic, courtly styles of dancing, but nothing like what they’re doing.” I smiled fondly out at the crowd of young men, dancing intricate but fast-paced dances that I knew I could never keep up with.

“Come then,” My eyes widened at his soft voice before I looked his way, only to find him holding out his hand.

I stared at him for a brief moment in silent surprise before I felt a smile slip onto my face, “I didn’t think you would like dancing. You talked about what ‘nonsense’ it was during the Topsy-turvy festival.”

His lips twitched slightly at my words, but he tilted his head slightly, “Yes, but you are a guest here at the social I put together. It would be poor form for me to let you be left out of the celebrations for the guests.”

I glance at his outstretched hand, murmuring a quiet, “I suppose so,” before meeting his gaze once more.

“Still, I’m not the best at dancing,” I offered as a way of explanation, and his eyebrows rose. His face full of disbelief, that showed exactly how unimpressed he was with my excuse.

“You said your professor taught you some dances. Was the Ländler Allemande among them?” I nodded slowly at his question, already realizing that I was going to be dancing with him for better or worse. 

Perhaps it was his petty means of revenge for me coming over here, but I slowly rested my fingers in his outstretched hand, accepting his invitation since I knew when to give up, “Yes, he did.”

He nodded, leading me out onto the floor that had, not all that long ago, been covered with firelotuses that he’d left as a trap for my friends. 

I saw some of my classmates looking over curiously and almost warily to where I walked with him, hand in hand, until he raised his arm and I obediently twirled under it until we were facing each other once more.

His gaze held mine as he bowed slightly, and I bobbed in a sort of curtsey. And then we began to dance.

We walked forward with a slight swinging motion to our arms, that remained the only thing holding us together. He lifted his arm for me to twirl under once before he reached out with his other hand.  And I accepted, letting him spin me so that my back was to him. 

One of my arms crossed over my waist to continue holding his hand, while the other arched over my head to meet his in a sort of frame around us. 

I briefly met Trein’s gaze from where our teacher sat. A slight smile on his face as I made use of his lessons and danced, not with one of the young men from NRC, but with Rollo. But I supposed this was what the social was, in form, for. 

For the students of one school to get to know those of another.

And despite his entire plot that had put me in danger at the time, I truly did not feel uncomfortable at the moment, save for the stares our motions earned us.

But then, everyone else was doing far more modern dances, and here me and Rollo were, doing a courtly dance.

We circuited back around to the middle of the room and separated before reaching towards one another again, this time with our wrists crossed. Our hands found one another yet again, and our arms raised. With me spinning under the arch our arms provided first, and then him next. 

His gaze held mine with an unreadable stare as we each took a step back and swung our arms apart in a graceful arc while our others, still tied together by our linked hands, lowered to keep us attached by a single hand hold.

And then we repeated the motion again. Our arms crossing elegantly over and under one another as we shifted backwards and forwards across the floor. 

The dance steadily began repeating its motions until he took my hands in his and held them over my head so that I could twirl before stopping.

 We stood parallel to one another, but side by side. Looking at each other as two of our interlocked hands arched in between us. Forming a sort of window that our free hands slid through to find one another again.

Almost like we were keeping a distance between us by forming a sort of wall that could still be passed through just so our hands could remain linked.

It was the part of the dance that had troubled me the most when Trein had been teaching me. I’d gotten tangled up countless times, but this time it was only easy motions.

I swallowed slightly as we spun together, his eyes remaining presently locked with mine as we slowly spiraled. Somehow, having made our way to the center of the ballroom’s floor. 

And then, as easy as breathing, he spun me out, and our eye contact was broken as we made another circuit around the floor with my back to him as we promenaded our way around.

This time I saw that Grim was staring at me wide-eyed from where he’d joined Professor Trein. Like he couldn’t believe that I was dancing with Rollo, of all people.

But, to be fair, I could hardly believe it myself. I hadn’t been joking when I’d said I didn’t think Rollo liked dancing, and I certainly hadn’t expected to find myself dancing with him.

But there was no hesitation in his motions as we made our way back around with him guiding me to spin across the floor in front of him until I was the one behind him. Our hands were still gripping one another as he shifted me from one side to another in the midst of another, smaller circuit.

“For someone who doesn’t enjoy dancing, you seem to know the steps to this dance rather well,” I found my voice when my eyes briefly caught his once again as we shifted positions once more. My back once again to his chest.

He leaned around me, looking at me through our arched arms that framed us once more, “It was once an important part of one’s education to learn such dances.”

His voice matched mine in softness as we each inclined our heads towards each other before he shifted back to my other side.

“So I’m told. But you seem to have taken that quite seriously,” We each inclined our heads once more as I spoke.

We slid apart, but he kept one of my hands in his so that we were in the exact same pose we started in. Side by side, looking towards one another.

“Indeed, despite my distaste for such things, that does not lessen their importance in history,” So saying, he quietly began to walk with me back across the floor. And this time, people parted, making a path for us back to the wall we’d just been standing at earlier.

I nodded slightly as we emerged from the crowd, which continued to stare at us. No doubt a myriad of thoughts circulating through their minds.

“I see. Well, thank you for putting yourself through something you so dislike for me,” I smiled at him slightly as we both turned to look back out at the dancers, who slowly began to spiral across the floor again. 

Why so many had stopped to watch us, I did not know. But I would ask Deuce about it later. Perhaps he would know.

Rollo’s voice was soft as he answered, but I caught his words nonetheless, and they caused me to look towards him in quiet surprise, even though he kept gazing out at the crowd, “The pleasure was all mine.”

[hana-bobo-finch]

I AM SO GLAD THAT EVERYONE COLLECTIVELY DECIDED MY LAST POST WAS BEATBOXING PUPPY. OUR DRAWINGS LIVES RENT FREE IN MY HEAD EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY WATCHED IT. I HAVE TO ACTIVELY RESTRAIN MYSELF FROM QUOTING IT AT ALL TIMES. Here is my personal highlight reel

[link-sans-specs]

Messy hair, don't care. (Omg, @jula483 just look at him! 🥹)

GMM2466

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