#jamil is barely held together

[twistedchatterbox]

“Even in madness we are meant to be”

Summary: Even in overblot they long for you, please, love them.

ft. Riddle, Leona, [Azul, Jamil in part 2] [Vil, Idia, in part 3] [Malleus in part 4] 

Tags. Romantic, not angst, Reader is NOT Yuu/MC, Lovesick Boys, GN-ish reader, Queen is a gender neutral term, established relationships, overblot, yandere-esq vibes, spoilers for literally everything and every single chapter can be expected here

wordcount: 1600+ | Masterlist & Taglist

A trial, they said, it can’t go too bad, they said. Now this shell of your sweet crush smells like gasoline ink and danger; except he burns everything other than you, including himself if the blot is anything to go by, and you wish you could have intervened but.. oh well. From his eyes, Riddle saw red one second, blot next. And from your eyes, you couldn’t even say whatever you saw was your Riddle; not with such a crazed and sadistic look in his eyes, somewhere between amused and furious by the sight of his prior dormmates attempts to escape. No, not this one. Yet even now you find yourself wavering when he looks back at you. You can’t bring yourself to say looks tend to be deceiving, not now.With trembling hands he reached out to you, deceptively weak only to pull you against his twisted form with all his might and hold you there, his left combed through your hair as he let out a feigned sigh of innocence. “Of course,” Riddle laughed –it sounded so wrong– “I knew you’d never disobey me, my trust~ You’ve always been so sensible” you wondered, was this what he was told? Not that you could keep yourself wondering for too long, as you felt him nudge something against your ear; a thornless rose, unlike himself. “We were meant to be, weren’t we?” He asked with a wicked, playful tone, it sounded poisonous yet sincere, it made your head and heart hurt. “If I am the queen of hearts, then aren’t you my king? Or would you rather be the queen of my heart instead?” Riddle said, knowing neither of the questions were wholly questions, or at all. Yet he demanded answers, silently, tilting your chin up to meet his blot induced gaze, he was so close- Yet it was the way he was whispering against your lips that made your heart stop “Well?” Riddle mumbled, close enough to touch the tips of your lips, close enough to make you feel his words on your skin, fanning his soft breath against your own. You barely held it together enough to nod, trying to ignore the way his amused expression softened all the while his grip on you tightened. Leading you somewhere, deep into the maze where the ‘troublemakers’ will not harm you when he goes back to deal them their punishments. Something about you felt off, guilty when you admired his form, maybe it was the way he securely re-tucked the thornless rose in place every few minutes, or maybe it was the way he smiled into your hair; despite the overflowing blot, or because of it, you couldn’t help the dizziness that clogged up your head- or heart. Shaking off the dizziness upon hearing his voice, you tried to meet his gaze; feeling his hand gentlemanly curl against yours, Riddle led you to the canopy in the middle of the maze where you saw two thrones that did not belong there. “For me, and the queen of my heart” he whispered, and for a moment, had it not been for the withering surroundings, you could mistake it– this blot-driven shell– for your Riddle, not a twisted cognition made out of his mind. As if you could blame him for it all- you felt as though some of it was on you, and so much of it on the woman he had to call mother. You bit your tongue, it wouldn’t do you any good to lose it, or your head. Even if it’s too late for your heart. And when his voice, deceptively soft and convincingly sweet, asked you to “Follow me, my Rose”, you complied. Not even in black roses and cracked marble could you resist the tug on your hand nor heart. Following him, and sitting on the throne next to his; unaware of his lovestruck eyes. Soon, thorns and roses encapsulated the canopy and Riddle took it as his cue to stand, only to lean down to meet your gaze and place a gentlemanly kiss on your wrist followed by one on your ring finger. Ink. it hurt your head and heart, looking at his signature sign of showing affection now covered in an impulsive rush of blot and tears. A trial, they said, it cannot be that bad, they said; yet here you sit on a rose throne, with a kiss on your wrist and ring finger. A trial over red roses is history, but what can the king of hearts, or the queen of his, do when the roses have been painted black instead? You huffed, softly to yourself as if the wilting garden had ears, “I’ll just have to see it through” you whisper to yourself, cradling the kiss-marked wrist and hand on your other. No matter how the tale was spun; the king and queen of hearts stayed together, with a newfound soft smile rising on your face, you decided that you’d take this page out of their book. “And I’ll stay here to see it through with him, through everything” and you knew you could recite this by heart.

Sand. One second it was blue, a clear day where everything the light touched looked so close, now covered by the fury of a storm.  The sand storm’s lashing swings reached far as you can see, the storm reigned over the stadium and possibly beyond; nothing was touched by light at this point, it had gotten intense enough to completely obscure everything. Yet you could never for the life of your own mistake the feeling of the culprit’s eyes burning on the back of your neck, that ever familiar feeling of Leona’s eyes scaling you up in an attempt to calculate or guess how you might react if he simply approached you now. As if you could escape. You weren’t even sure where things began or ended, unable to pinpoint anything, including at what point did this relentless storm start raging in his head. How long had he kept it from you? For too long, if it wasn’t obvious by the circumstances. You found yourself so.. frustrated. In a way, angry. Angry that he kept you in the dark as his irrationality- or more accurately, his desperation- boiled over the limit. But you knew you couldn’t do much, not now at least. You didn’t have the means to pull something reckless, not when he was so.. poorly balanced on this fragile line of danger. Sitting on the shattered pieces of his self control in the way a king would on a throne, one he would never have; a mocking reminder. Instead, what you had was the touch of a coarse hand on the back of your shoulder blades to see your unsurprising company you’d expected, now obscured in a flurry of emotions bursting at the seams with blot as its physical body. Leona. He felt cold to the touch with whatever was encasing him entirely, you wouldn’t be shocked if he was not in his own body; the ink, it smelt like gasoline. And you weren’t sure whether or not you were the flame. Physically, that was the only part of Leona present in this space next to you. You doubted that his mind was with him- Even as his cold, coarse hand rubbed circles on your hand gingerly to kindly request your attention, you couldn’t bring yourself to believe that this was the boy who made a promise to you that you’d marry each other when you two grew up. The boy who promised you he’d be king. Barely hearing the ‘can I’, you decided to flip a coin mentally and nod, aware of how much sand would get in if you even tried to speak. And just like that, you were pressed against the jet black fur painted by the same thing that drove him to extremes, hoisted up for an ideal bridal carry; had it not been for everything else, you swear the hand guarding your eyes from the storm would make your heart throb so much more. Soon, maybe far too soon, you felt him shift his hold so that he could hold you securely and tight as he sat down on what felt like a makeshift throne on the hoops. Though it puzzled you when you felt rumbling in the cage of his ribs, knowing that tune somewhere in the back of your head, yet shocking nonetheless. The lyrics and melody were strumming onto the cage of his heart, his idle hand combing through your hair with ease, getting the sand out slowly and as much as he could. “I’ve always wondered,” Leona murmured, and you listened, finally freed of the sounds of storm whipping, “just why you stayed.”, and you wondered which direction he was going, despite your hunch. “I thought it was foolish at first.” He confessed, the crack of his now-smokey voice revealing a fragment of something so.. genuine. Vulnerable. His clawed hands busied themselves, the tip of his nails traced the side of your face and tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear; leaning down, planting a kiss on the end of your brow. The gentle feeling of his breathing and heartbeat was the opposite of this cage made from blot and you couldn’t help but focus on the way he held onto you in the midst of falling apart. Thoroughly enjoying the way a shiver moved up your spine, Leona’s palm cupped the underside of your chin; face to face and barely apart from your lips as he whispered to emphasise his point- “But I think I’ve changed my mind. I want to keep you here, by my side.” getting closer, now whispering directly against your lips- “Let me prove myself as a king worthy of you.” -and if you happened to be the flame to set this alight- “Me and my heart- bared for your taking.”  -you might just find out that the gasoline feels too fine.

[writingfool001]

I Already Found my Happily Ever After Part 2

Author’s Note: I want to finish the dorm leaders and trade Kalim for Jamil because he was the intended villain and I wanted to. I might write about Kalim, Rook, and Lilia later. I also noticed how long these became and tried to stop myself with details but couldn’t. I rushed a bit on Malleus. 

Pairing: Jamil, Vil, Idia, & Malleus x Female! Reader  

Warning: Female Reader, Spoilers for Chapter 6, this is long... like LONG 

Part 1 (Riddle, Leona, & Azul) Part 3 (Kalim, Rook, & Lilia)

It was a joint school get together or basically what prom would be with several academies together which was an upside for you and your lover. You barely have had the time to see each other since both of you go to different schools and your school would rather affiliate themselves with the Royal Sword Academy than Raven Night College. 

When the event was announced, the headmistress advised everyone to be on their best behavior and if anyone from another school tried to force themselves, you had full permission to take care of the problem or find an instructor. Yeah, your headmistress had zero tolerance for assholes. She also mentioned that it was NRC's turn this year to  

You met up with each other at the event and your lover was dressed handsomely as he stood out in the crowd. You both decided to have a nice night, wanting to enjoy the time with each other. He complimented you on your attire and gave you a kiss on the cheek before escorting you to the main hall where the event was being held. 

At some point, you stepped away to use the restroom and right as you were on the way to return, a figure stepped into the middle of your path which made you stop. 

“My humble apologies, but I couldn’t help ignoring your gorgeous self and was wondering if I could possibly have this dance as your date.” He started bowing and held his hand out. 

“Sorry, but I’m here with someone,” You decline politely, stepping around him to continue on your way and only get a couple feet away before he spoke again.  

“What could be better than dancing with a prince and possibly your future true love?” He said, causing you to freeze as others paused and watched the interaction.  

“What could be better than that, you ask?” You turn your head to look at him over your shoulder, “Dancing with my betrothed.”  

“Who could he possibly be? Possibly from RSA?”  

“Nope, he goes to NRC.”  

“A villain?! Are you mad?”  

“Nope, I’ve always loved the villain more than the hero. Perhaps all the other girls, fawning after you, will take up your proposal.”  

You walk off, leaving many people’s jaws on the floor as you made your way over to your beloved who saw you publicly humiliate some prince. 

Jamil  

He chuckles underneath his breath before coming and escorting you off, wanting to enjoy the night with you. Part of him was somewhat worried about what consequences may follow after tonight, but he could care less.  

He remembered your family would come around every summer, building familiarity between Kalim and his betrothed. Given, he never saw what his betrothed look like, even though he was usually around Kalim. He was going about his usual duties, walking past one of the many gardens, then noticed a girl standing very still. He got closer, hiding behind a pillar and noticed that the girl was staring down at a tiger, slowly stalking towards her before charging. Right as the tiger tackled her, Jamil readied his magic and was about to charge in before hearing laughter.  

The tiger was licking the side of her face as it purred loudly while she scratched the sides of its face. He watched the two interacting before approaching and questioning why she let the tiger tackle her as well as how the tiger was so friendly.  

She just said that the tiger was friendly and wanted to welcome her back. Back? You must have been Kalim's betrothed when he was annoyed that Kalim left you alone. Watching the interaction, he noticed your curiosity and how easily you adjusted to the current situation. He wondered if you had a weird animal taming ability. He then told you he was going to escort you back to Kalim and took you away before letting you speak. Internally, he was grumbling about Kalim being so foolish to let his betrothal wander the palace. He held your hand in his as you two walked back to the main room. Deep down in his gut, the feeling of his hand in yours felt nice. Immediately, he tossed aside that feeling and ignored it since you were to be Kalim's bride and it would be foolish to fall in love with you. 

By the time you both reached where Kalim was, he saw him talking excitingly to another individual before noticing you two and introduced the mysterious person next to him as his future spouse. Ther was one thing that stood out to him about Kailm's newly introduced spouse, the resemblance between you and them.

He looked back and forth at Kalim's betrothed then you. He questioned you and you told him that you were their sister/bodyguard. He asked angrily why didn't you tell him who you were, and he nearly fell over when you told him that he never let you explain who you were. After that day, you would drag him away l, giving Kalim and your sibling space to bond while you two watched from afar. He told you a bit about his family as you did the same to him, without noticing your sibling watching you. He showed you the wonders of the Scalding Sands as you showed him the diamonds hidden within the city and palace. He watched as you curiosity shone during your small excursions. 

Over the many years you spent together, your fondness for each other flourished and many could see it, deciding to leave it to the wind. You both had your own duties or training to do, and he would sometimes pass by where you were training. He would pause and watch you burning determination as you wielded your weapon skillfully, bringing down each of your opponents, before Najma snapped him out of his trance. He would deny he was staring with some blush on his face before leaving as Najma giggled at her brother. She knew he was down bad and was ready to have you as her sister-in-law. She even teased him about marrying you, causing his doubts to plant a seed in his head. 

He tried to tell you that you should marry someone who will make you happy and was of your blood. You should stick around someone who can promise you a bright and safe future.  

You took his face in your hand and asked him what made him think he wasn’t important to you. The multiple times you two would slip away, the meals you two shared, all the time you two spent together, and not to mention, that you stayed by his side while in his two week coma. 

“You know you’re stuck with me, right?” He said as you both walked towards the balcony.  

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  

Vil 

He simply smiled as you both strutted away from him, this wasn't the first time you've publicly rejected someone with great power. 

You both originally met on set for a movie where you both were part of the lead group. You would both work online and do social interactions with fans as well as interviewers. The main reason you both were spending so much time together was due to your chemistry with each other and confidentially, your characters were being shipped together. During that time, you both got closer and could consider each other friends while others would say you were closer. When the movie wrapped up, you both went your separate ways and would run into each other on set at every other film production that you two were brought into. 

You got to hear about Vil's hatred for Neige and noticed how companies or casting would always put them against each other. Yes, Vil played excellent villains, but he has so much potential to play the hero. You would occasionally catch Vil checking Magicam’s trending list, only to see Neige was still above him, and you wished that things would turn in his favor. 

Between the time, you both would keep in contact, checking on the other. You made appearances on each other's social media, only feeding the fire for fans to think you two were together and advertised the other's current projects. 

When you were called to work on a movie, you found out Vil and Neige were going to be in the same cast as you. The two different auras together and you got to experience it all. How lucky you were. 

He remembered that while everyone wanted to be around Neige’s bubbly self, you spent time with him and mainly wanted to stay away since in your words, being around Neige is like being around the sun and you’d rather not go blind from his bright personality. You stuck by his side a majority of the time since it felt comfortable. 

There was a cast party, and you were dressed gorgeously, mingling around and talking to your fellow cast members and production crew, before Neige approached you while he watched from afar with another cast member. Neige tried to woo you, but you just brushed off his hints and told him that you weren’t interested in him. Neige just smiled and left you alone, Vil smiled a bit before returning to his conversation. 

After a while, Vil asked to meet up with you and during your lunch together, he asked you to go out with him. You were surprised as Vil told you that you fascinated him and made him feel comfortable around you, making him forget about the world. You were skeptical about this little proposal of his, not wanting to get your hopes too high, and told him that you weren't going to be a pawn for him to one up Neige You would rather have a relationship with someone who saw you as an equal rather than something to be tossed aside later. 

He understood your skepticism and reassured you that he wanted to have a romantic relationship with you. That little moment of reassurance led to the happiest relationship you ever had. Neither of your fans caught up to it because you both would show up on each other's account until you posted a picture of him with the caption, my pretty boy. The internet broke for a while as both of you got media attention and you simply brushed it off and went about your day. Your boldness was something that he admired about you. 

 A few years later, you both were together for 3 years when he was in his third year of NRC when he asked you why you stuck around. 

“I already found my happily ever after and wanted it to last as long as it can.” You gave him a bright smile.  

“Is that a marriage proposal?” 

“It’s a promise, only if you want.” You slid an open ring box towards him with a simple yet tasteful ring. 

He smiles back on the memory from a couple months back and kissed your matching promise ring on your hand. 

Idia 

Internally, he broke down and was flustered as he tried to mask his flushed cheeks before you came over and kissed him on the cheek. You took his hand in yours and led him away from the small scene you called.  He had a small lovesick grin on his face, thinking about how you would rather stick around with him than run off to some royal normie. 

He remembers when you two were first introduced to each other at a young age since your parents worked for the same company and knew each other personally. You both hid behind your parent’s legs, peeking from behind to get a glance at each other. The reasoning behind your two meetings was to have two strong households come together to come as one, translation meeting your betrothed. 

Once they left you to your own devices, you met Ortho and opened up a bit more to each other. You learned more about Idia and heard about his interests as he learned about yours. He told you about how lucky you were to see the world due to your parent’s work, which caused the two Shroud brothers to be curious about your travels. You told them about some of the places you went to, filling their minds with vivid images. 

After that, your parents would always have dinner with Idia’s parents every month so you would bring back a piece of the world and a story that Idia would appreciate. For a while, you grew close to Idia and became someone, who also had to take up their household mantle, he could confine himself while he became your rock. 

When you heard what happened to Ortho, you visited and sat outside of his room for hours, even days before he let you in. He told you that you were stubborn, and you told him that someone had to be. You helped him the best you could once he told you what he wanted to do and kept him company even after that, even if you two were in separate places. 

You both had gaming nights together, especially when you both went to separate schools, and he would hear you deny your classmates’ offer to go out and meet some boys. You were a bit of a loner, like Idia, yet kept a few friends, even though you would get called away for work. 

He also remembered when you showed up to his school as he was dropping off everyone from S.T.Y.X and hugged, panicking after you got word what happened. You got a call from the STYX laboratory that concerned him and an overblot which caused you immediately left your work sight to get here. He could feel the multiple eyes zeroing in on you two as you worried over him. He tried to keep a straight face and guided you back to the plane, ignoring the questions that were being thrown at him. 

He revealed what happened at STYX and Ortho before showing you the memory card that you both worked on. He started rambling about bringing Ortho back and what scenarios could happen then stopped as you cupped his face.  

You told him that all we could do was try to see what and he was stumped when you referred to the both of you rather than just him. He questioned your statement before you showed the email from the facility for your help to improve the security system. 

You helped him with rebuilding Ortho's body and gave your insight when he was stumped. You watched the two brothers reunite before leaving the room, to give them time to reconnect. 

Idia was glad you stayed with him, knowing about his curse and being his rock, and cherished every fiber of your being. Rubbing his thumb over the back of your hand and leaning a bit on you as you both sat outside, enjoying the stars. 

"Let's stay together forever." he said, staring at the sky. 

"Even in the next life?" 

"Absolutely." 

Malleus  

He smiled while watching you approach him, dazzling him with your presence and your performance. He kissed the back of your hand and offered his right arm for you to take.  

As you both walked away, he turned his head back to the rejected prince and just gave him a small smile before turning his focus back to the front of him.  

He couldn’t blame the poor boy for trying to woo you, but it was quite bold of him.  

Malleus thought back to the first time he met you and how this entire situation looked familiar because he saw the same thing. 

He was at a gathering of nobles and royalties, going about his usual royal duties, while trying to be as social as he can. Even though it was a masquerade, he still felt that he stuck out like a sore thumb even with his mask. He danced a bit with noble women and socialized but wanted to get this over with. Excusing himself from a group, he slipped away and made his escape to the Palace’s Garden without Lilia noticing him slipping away.  

“Are you going to keep watching from afar?” They spoke and looked in his direction, catching him off guard, before he revealed himself. 

“Forgive me, I didn’t expect to see anyone here.” He spoke as the figure relaxed a bit. 

“You missed the couple making out that I came across earlier.” They revealed before looking at him. “So, what’s the crowned prince doing out here, away from his party?” 

“How-” 

“The horns give you away.” 

He explained to have a break from a party among many strangers, which the stranger agreed to doing the same, before asking who they were. 

“I guess I should tell who I am considering I know who you are.” They chuckled before telling him her name. For the rest of the night, they both strolled around the garden and enjoyed a midnight stroll. His parents asked him if he met any possible candidates to marry him. He thought about you and how you two got along but decided to keep it to himself. His parents wanted to try a couple more times to see if they could help with the engagement process before giving up. 

At every single party, you two would either meet on the dance floor or find the other hanging by the wall. There were several occasions that princes from other lands would propose or ask for your hand, as you two were hanging out, before you flat out rejected them. Every time and no matter how dramatic or extravagant they were, you told them that you weren’t interested, and you wouldn’t marry a man you just met. He brought it up, during one of your nightly walks, and asked why you rejected them. You told him that you’d rather marry a villain because they’d be someone who would burn the world for you and treat you as an equal rather than a steppingstone to reach their goal. Your confession left Malleus awestruck, causing his jaw to drop. You simply lifted his jaw back up and continued to walk, confidently away. 

You knew what you wanted and weren’t scared to speak up to all the bullshit you deal with. It was at that moment that he knew that he wanted to marry you or at least ask for your hand. He started showing more of himself to you as you did the same which after a while, his parents noticed and decided to leave it to fate. You taught him more about culture outside of the Thorned Valley and humans.  You kept in contact when you both attended school and it was after his first year that he asked you to marry him. As he waited in anticipation with a hint of fear of rejection, you kissed his forehead and brought out a ring. What a coincidence, you were going to ask him the same. Excitingly, he accepted and showered you in kisses before resting his forehead against yours, cherishing this starting moment of your lives together.  

“I’ll give you more than the moon, my love.” He said while showing you NRC’s botanical garden. 

“A tempting offer, darling. But for now, a night with you is a good start.” 

[the-broken-truth]

Al'akh Al'ashghar - Jamil Viper [Platonic Yandere] [Male Yuu][Part 2 of 3]

Summary: After the accident, you awaken in a room at Scarabia Dorm while recovering from your poisoning. Jamil has taken the responsibility of taking care of you, but there's something mysterious behind those silver eyes of his. You can't shake off the feeling of unease around him. What is he hiding, and what could be the reason behind your discomfort around him?

Notes:

Al'akh Al'ashghar means 'Little Brother' in Arabic; considering Jamil's Name means 'Handsome/Beautiful' in Arabic, I thought this would be fitting to use. (I don't speak Arabic - I used Google Translate)

This story will be told in the Second POV.

Jamil will refer to the reader as 'Yuu' - if you so choose, replace Yuu with your own name.

PARTS: ONE | TWO (YOU ARE HERE) | THREE

Your body was warm - almost as if you were sleeping in the sun or under a large heating lamp for reptiles, but the lack of light hitting your eyelids made it clear to your awakening mind that there was little to no light around you. Your throat was dry and begging for water. Your body was relaxed and laying on something soft, almost like a cloud while something with a decent amount of weight and warmth was pressed against your chest and up to your next. You wanted to wake up but your body wasn't allowing you to - leaving you to stand in the dark void of your mindscape.

You stood in the endless void, thinking about how you ended up here and everything that led up to this moment in...whatever time it was in the waking world.

You remembered the invitation to Scarabia for a Grand Dinner, personally written by Jamil as he stated that you were going to be his personal guest during the party; what he meant by that, you were not entirely certain.

You remembered getting dressed, leaving Ramshackle with Grim, and arriving at Scarabia a few minutes before the scheduled time on the invite before being stopped by Jamil himself, who asked if you had any consideration to his offer of joining Scarabia Dorm as a permanent resident. However, you told him that you were not interested in joining Scarabia and left him standing there when Kalim arrived and pulled both you and Grim from the Vice Prefect of Scarabia.

Dinner soon came after that and everything was going well until the food actually came; Jamil served you and Kalim personally, even gifting you a custom cup made of silver with your name on it as a thank-you for everything you had done for Scarabia and himself.

You talked.

You ate.

You drank.

And that's when everything went to Hades.

You could feel your life slipping through your fingers as the poison started coursing through your veins and stealing your breath away until Jamil took you into his arms and poured the antidote that he happened to have on him down your throat; he held your and caressed your face while cooing you into calming down and slipping into an unconscious state of mind.

You were lying in a comfortable bed, wrapped in warm blankets that were helping to thaw your cold body. Your vision was hazy, and you could barely make out the ceiling of the Scarabian Room. You wanted to move, but your body felt incredibly heavy, and you could barely lift a single finger. Suddenly, you heard the sound of the door opening, and the light from the hallway briefly illuminated the ceiling before the door closed once again. You then heard the sound of glasses gently clinking together, followed by the warm glow of a lamp on the nightstand hitting your face. You summoned all the strength you had left to turn your head towards the source of the light, coming face to face with Jamil Viper, who had a concerned look in his eyes and was holding a serving tray. The tray included a small water pitcher, a glass, and a bowl of soup with a piece of bread sticking out of it. As you tried to speak, Jamil shushed you and placed a warm hand on your cheek.

"Shhh, Al'akh Al'ashghar. Your throat is too dry due to your body being dehydrated from the poison in your system." Jamil grabbed the glass off the tray and filled it with the water from the pitcher before using his other hand to lift your head gently and placed the glass to your lips, "Drink slowly. Can you do that for me?"

With a nod from your weakened head, Jamil slowly fed you the glass of water; the refreshing liquid soothing your cracked throat. Once the glass was empty, your throat was still sore from being dry for so long but you were able to speak softly.

"What...happened?" You asked.

"I have inspected the food and drinks, and everything appeared to be fine. However, upon examining the cups that the drinks were served in, I found traces of a quick-acting poison on the rim of your cup. I am unable to comprehend why someone would poison you and not Kalim. The only assumption I can make is that the intention behind poisoning you was to get you out of the way so that the perpetrator could have an easier chance at getting to Kalim." Jamil exhales before lowering the hood on his head. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you, Al'akh Al'ashghar, I should have been more careful."

"G...Grim?" You asked in a hushed voice.

"Don't worry, I contacted the Adeuce Duo and had them pick Grim up and return him to Ramshackle; they are going to take care of him until you get better. From what I learned, the poison is going to remain in your system for about 2 weeks." Jamil reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill bottle, opened it, and took one pill out before holding it up to your lips, "This medicine is going fight the poison, but it's gonna make you sleepy. Here, take this and I will feed you your dinner and you can go back to sleep."

You look at the pill before opening your mouth and allow Jamil to place the pill in your mouth and follow it with another glass of water before he feeds you the soup, bread, and one last glass of water before he makes sure you are comfortable before leaving the room. You looked at the ceiling for a while before the effects of the pill took hold and you closed your eyes and drifted off into an unconscious state of mind.

Every day, you wake up when the sun rises, and Jamil brings you breakfast. After feeding you, he helps you take a shower in the attached bathroom, dresses you in fresh clothes, and gives you another pill to take. You fall asleep again until your classes are over. Kalim and Jamil then come to visit you, telling you about their day. Jamil later forces Kalim out of the room and stays with you until dinner time, when he brings you food, feeds you, and gives you another pill. You fall asleep once more, and the cycle repeats itself the next day. Despite this routine, you have not gotten stronger, and you know that the time frame of Jamil's estimate of the poison remaining in your system has passed.

While your body has not improved since the night you were poisoned, your mind has become sharper and you know how to count. Since your time in this room, you have counted 14 sunrises - 14 days - 2 weeks.

Even if your count was off, a conversation that you overheard yesterday confirmed your count and made you even more suspicious about what really was going on here:

Your eyes were closed as you attempted to fall asleep without the aid of the pill since Jamil was taking too long to get back in the room when you heard two people talking outside the door; you slowed your breathing and tuned into conversation.

"They came back again, today." A Member of Scarabia said.

"You made sure to send them away, correct? I don't want them around my Al'akh Al'ashghar." The sound of Jamil's Voice came in response.

"Yes, Vice Housewarden. We explained that the Prefect was rested and should not be disturbed... Sir, they get getting angry with the delays; other members of different dorms have been coming to see him and we have been turning them away per your request, however, they are getting annoyed and we even had to stop a possible fight. They are starting to say that we should return to Prefect to Ramshackle and..."

"No." Jamil cut him off, "My Al'akh Al'ashghar will remain here, with me, where he is safe. Soon enough, those annoying insects will forget about him and will stop coming here. Once everything is put into place, I will move on with what I have planned. Now, you are dismissed and let me know if Kalim needs me. I need to tend to my Al'akh Al'ashghar & I do not what to be disturbed if it's not important."

As per your recollection, that particular day kept playing back in your mind, leading you to contemplate other things. It all started with the night you were poisoned. Jamil, the one who invited you, had informed you that the poison was found solely on the rim of your cup, which was different from everyone else's. While others were served drinks in golden cups, yours was silver, and it was easy to distinguish it from the rest. This struck you as odd since it was the first time you were served in a different cup while attending parties and dinners in Scaraba. You couldn't help but wonder why Jamil had given you a silver cup while everyone else drank from golden ones.

The second strange thing was the fact your body was still in the same condition from 2 weeks ago, showing no improvement and still weak as ever; you needed someone to aid you and Jamil refused to allow you to see anyone else who were not him or Kalim, even then, he barely allowed Kalim to see you.

The third issue that concerned you was the disappearance of your cell phone. A week after your poisoning, you asked Jamil if he had seen your phone. He explained that he had kept it in his room because he did not want the constant ringing to disturb your rest. However, when you asked him to return it to you so you could talk to your friends, he dismissed your request. He said he had already informed everyone that you were okay and refused to give it back. After that conversation, every time you asked Jamil to return your phone, he refused to discuss it.

Upon analyzing all the available information, you arrived at the conclusion that Jamil was intentionally keeping you weak to prevent you from leaving Scarabia and maintaining control over you. However, you lacked evidence to support this claim. You had some time to ponder on this when Jamil arrived with your breakfast and a glass of water, with the intention of making you take a pill. Jamil assisted you in sitting up, served you breakfast, and instructed you to open your mouth to take the pill. He placed the pill in your mouth, but before you could drink the water, there was a knock at the door, prompting Jamil to leave the room to attend to it.

This was the moment you were waiting for.

After spitting the pill out of your mouth, it landed on your bed. With the limited strength you had, you managed to hide the pill between the mattress and the headboard under your pillow. Just then, Jamil walked back into the room and made you drink some water and swallow the pill. Fortunately, he didn't notice that you didn't actually swallow the pill. Jamil smiled at you and gently laid you back down before taking the tray and leaving the room again. You closed your eyes and allowed yourself to drift back to sleep.

You woke up after an hour or two to find that Scarabia was still empty of other students. You realized that your body felt lighter than before and you summoned the strength to lift your hand from under the blanket, which worked. This confirmed your suspicion that Jamil was using pills to keep you weak and tired so that you couldn't leave him. It was clear to you that your mission now was to pretend long enough to regain your strength and escape Scarabia when everyone was asleep. However, it was easier said than done. Then again, as the Prefect of Ramshackle, you had to find a way to get back to your life and away from Jamil.

It had been a week since you embarked on your mission, and by some means, you had managed to avoid taking any more pills. This was either because Jamil was constantly distracted or you had tricked him. As your arms grew stronger, you began throwing the pills out the window into the vast sea of sand. However, you held on to the very first pill that you had spat out, as you intended to give it to Progressor Crewel for analysis. Your body was now strong enough to execute your final plan, but for that, you needed to wait until nightfall.

The sun was finally gone.

The Halls of Scarabia were cricket silence empty.

It was time to move.

Removing yourself from the bed, you grabbed the hidden pill and placed it in the pocket of the Scarabia Outfit that Jamil placed you in earlier in the day. Shoeless, you crept over to the door and placed your ear on it it make sure no one was in the hall before you slowly opened the door, slipped through the crack, and closed the door behind you softly before you started looking around to see where you were in Scarabia. The door should not be too far away but you knew if you broke out into a sprint right now, Jamil or someone else was going to find you.

Exhaling, you started silently stalking through the halls of Scarabia like a phantom when you stopped in front of Jamil's Room; you knew that your phone was in there but you knew it was too much of a risk; Jamil was Kalim's Protector and he had better hearing that you. If you tried to enter his room, he was going to catch you and only Sevens know what he would do to you after finding out you caught on to his plan. You needed to get out of Scarabia, you could come back for your phone later.

You kept moving until you were right next to Scarabia's Main Opening, that was when you booked it down the path and through the mirror, ending up in the Hall of Mirrors before you took a sigh of relief. You turned your back on Scarabia's Mirror before you made the long trip back to Ramshackle: Sleeping in your own bed, Seeing Grim and the Ghosts, Talking to your friends again... That is all you want at the moment.

If only you knew the reaction of a certain Vice Dorm Warden when he found that you were gone when the sun rose.

[TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART THREE]

@universallyweaselwobblermuffin - Outro? Please?

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Crowley not so subtly begging Papa Asim for donations :3c

Ah, yes 😌 A tale as old as time… Nobody let Jamil overhear this—

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

“Night Raven College is greatly honored by your presence, Mr. Asim!!” Crowley warbled as he flitted around his desk, wine bottle in hand, and right up to his guest. "Please, allow me to pour you a drink!"

Mr. Asim and Kalim were seated in luxurious chairs (something Crowley had specially procured for this occasion), cushions silken and stuffed with the down of baby birds. The businessman was draped in the finest fabrics with expect stitching, brilliant peacock greens, blues, and golds bright against his white hair and rich skin.

He beamed—his smile so much like that of his son—and held up his glass in a hand heavy with sparkling gems. "Most hospitable of you, headmaster. I'll have just a nip, thank you."

"My pleasure!!" Crowley purred, tipping the bottle over. A stream of deep garnet liquid filled Mr. Asim’s glass halfway. The aroma of finely aged grapes and mulled spices filled the headmaster’s office.

“Smells good! Can I have some fruit juice too?” Kalim asked.

“Errr, when you’re older, Asim-kun! For now, you may have sparkling water.”

“Gahahah! Listen to your teacher, Kalim. The man’s job is to keep you safe while you’re at school.”

“Awww… Alright, dad!”

Crowley tended to the boy, then poured himself his own drink. He made himself comfortable back behind his desk. Swirling the wine in his glass, Crowley eyed the (very wealthy) man across the way.

How much cash was stuffed in the inner lining of his suit? How many credit cards could fit in a single wallet? Was one wallet enough to contain all of his financial assets? Surely not.

Family Day was a means of cultivating good will with students’ relatives and netting donations. If he played his cards just right… Crowley licked his chops—he could practically taste the thaumarks now.

Mr. Asim took a healthy swig. “So! Tell me, my good man. How’s my boy been doing this year?”

The headmaster practically jumped to answer the question. He had prepped himself for this, taking care to prune his feedback of any mention of subpar, just-barely-passing grades.

“Ah, yes! Asim-kun is very cheerful and friendly. He’s one of the few in the student body willing to lend an ear and a helping hand to his peers! Truly, a ray of sunshine in the dark, a cool sip of water in the scorching desert!”

“Hmm, that certainly sounds like him.” Mr. Asim thoughtfully stroked his bushy white beard. “Never has been the type to keep to yourself. Gregarious one, he is. At home, Kalim chats up everyone: the locals, the servants, the animals we keep, his siblings. The ability to communicate across different groups is a valuable thing.”

“I wholeheartedly agree!! And Asim-kun is so good at it,” Crowley gushed. “He reaches out to others regardless of their dormitory—why, I’ve seen him inviting staff members and reclusive Ignihyde and Diasomnia students to his get-togethers!” (The headmaster fondly recalled the delicious foods he had stuffed himself with at a recent Scarabian banquet.)

“He’s beloved by members of his dorm. They couldn’t ask for a better person to lead them. His enrollment alone has done so much good for our school!” Crowley paused dramatically, then slyly added, “And, of course, Night Raven College is most gracious for the generous donation received upon your son's transfer. The newly renovated Scarabia dorm is greatly enjoyed by all.

“Alas!! Our school seems to have fallen on hard times as of late. We experienced big commotions on campus between winter break and the cultural festival…” Crowley lamented, holding his head in his hands. Sorrowful sobs punctuated his sentences.

“If only a kind benefactor would spare us a few million thaumarks for repairing and expanding our facilities! F-For the benefit of the children, of course!”

"Mm?" Kalim cocked his head for a moment—then his face lit up with realization. "Oooh, you’re talking about when Jamil—”

“N-Not now, Asim-kun!!” Crowley hastily silenced him. Sweat beaded on his brow. “The adults are talking!”

Mr. Asim set his wine down and leaned forward. His expression became serious as he laced his bejeweled fingers together, eyes narrowing into ruby slivers. At once, his presence was less like that of a jolly neighbor and more like a powerful sultan, ready to command with the wave of his hand.

Crowley gulped. This man was no pushover.

"How is Jamil doing?"

"Viper-kun? " Crowley scrambled for composure. "Th-This meeting is about your son, so I don't see why... I don't know if I can divulge information on other students...!!"

"He is my son's attendant and closest confidant. I should like to know how he fares.” Mr. Asim turned to his son. “Kalim? Your thoughts?”

If he spills the beans, it’s over for me!! Not just no donation, but my reputation—Night Raven College’s reputation—forever tarnished in the eyes of the public!

“N-No,” Crowley said quickly, “I-I can provide a report if that’s what you want!!”

“I want to hear what Kalim has to say first. Go on, my boy.”

The headmaster’s face fell. One testimony from Kalim, and all of his efforts to flatter Mr. Asim would have all been for naught.

“Dad…” Kalim’s face was uncharacteristically flat. “About Jamil, he…”

It’s over.

“Jamil’s been having a hard time at school! But I didn’t know that until really recently. It turns out, he was really upset and hurting, and he couldn’t tell me about it.” Kalim’s eyes drifted shut. “I feel like… I’ve failed him as his friend.

“I want to be the person he can come to if he wants to be heard. I want to support him. Then I thought, ‘maybe the problem is me’. Maybe I’m not that kind of person in Jamil’s eyes. Maybe I’m not good enough yet.

“So… I made a promise to myself, dad! ‘I’ll get better, so one day Jamil can feel good about coming to me’.” Kalim beamed, the sunshine taking up his entire face. “That’s my goal!”

"Hmmm."

Crowley had entirely deflated into his chair. A prayer to the Great Seven was on his lips, begging for mercifulness.

Mr. Asim suddenly smiled, cutting the tension. "That's good to hear."

Crowley bolted up, talons digging into his seat's arms. "I-It is?!"

“There are some things money can’t buy. I could hire the best tutors in Twisted Wonderland—in fact, I did at one point!!—but there are lessons you can only learn through first-hand experience. I wanted Kalim to have those kinds of opportunities, so I sent him to this institution.

“Birds kept in cages never learn to fly on their own." Mr. Asim nodded firmly, placing a hand over his son's. A belly laugh bubbled out. "The world will open up to you if you open your eyes to it and are willing to change with it.

“I'm happy that you were able to come to understand that during your time here. You’ve matured so much, Kalim. You're well on your way to becoming a dignified successor."

"Wow, you really think so, dad?"

"Yes, I see that the future is in good hands."

Mr. Asim stood and reached into his suit. Crowley's heart stood still when he produced a gold-plated fountain pen topped by enormous diamond and… a rectangular pad of papers.

Jackpot: his checkbook.

“I'd like to invest in that future,” Mr. Asim continued with a laugh, “and in this fine, reputable establishment. Name your number, Crowley, and you shall have it.”

“R-Really?! ANY number?!” There were practically thaumarks dancing in the headmaster’s beady little eyes.

Crowley seized Mr. Asim’s free hand and gave it a vigorous shake. “Thank you so very much, sir!! I can guarantee you that these funds will be put to good use!”

[hathay]

dancing with jamil lil drabble gave me the idea of dancing with sebek, im sick let me indulge, so bare with me🥰

(by the gods kasdan do NOT read this)

just imagine y’all practicing dancing for some reason, each person on their own, but sebek notices how you are so completely off at points. as one of malleus’s highly held retainer he cannot just sit by and let some human continue their pitiful dance without it being corrected. with that he’d go to you and declare he just absolutely has to teach you the correct way to do the dance, you’re simply shamefully bad at it. just,,, don’t point out how beyond whatever his words say, when he takes your hand into his, and he places his other on your waist, how red his cheeks start to grow. i would also advise against pointing out how the tips of his slightly pointed ears are growing red, as well as how he seems to be avoiding your gaze rather diligently. it’s not blush he plainly would state, he’s just embarrassed at how much you lack the ability to dance, he supposes he has no other choice but to help someone in need.

he would correct your footwork, totally NOT stumbling over his words as he gazes down at both of y’all’s feet moving together, his breath hitching as he realizes the situation he put himself in. sebek would be internally scolding himself because how could a fae such as himself become so flustered by simply teaching a human, of all people, to dance!! he only seems to blush more as this goes on, his voice raising to tell you he ISN’T BLUSHING, it’s definitely just cold where he is teaching you how to dance. then it hits him like a train all over again, he is teaching you how to dance. you are barely a foot apart, your hand resting in his, he’s practically stopped breathing due to the feeling of how perfectly your hand fits in his. your hand on his shoulder is just another reminder of the proximity of you both. his stoic attitude falters for a minute as you both lock gazes, his widening a bit at the realization that he wants to be able to be in this situation with you more, this close to you more. asking him aloud if he is alright will just cause for him to attempt to regain his composure, stepping back and claiming you will resume lessons (one’s he literally just made) to better your dancing tomorrow, after all, he doesn’t want you to wear yourself out, you don’t have his stamina he proclaims. in his flurry to leave you can’t help but notice him extend his fingers out, flexing them, then bringing them back into a ball. the feeling of your hand in his still lingering, a showcase of his guarded and up righteous self starting to unravel, and you completely at fault. though, he doesn’t seem to mind. pride and prejudice style fr

[aroseformyself]

jamil viper.

Jamil is usually calm and collected, but his cute little innocent girlfriend makes him so restless.

luluati=my pearl

you woke in jamil's bed, wearing you favorite sleeping shirt, it didn't cover your shoulders but it did cover your arms, hiding your hands from sight and your nether region. under your outfit you wore shorts.

you sat up and rubbed your eyes, unbeknownst to jamil waking up beside you.

jamil woke up and your movement and peeked one eye open, he saw you rubbing your and yawning, he blushed at your fit. he could see part of your chest.

he pushed the thought down and slowly sat up. you saw his legs moving and decided to turn around and hug him, "morning!"

"good morning,  luluati." he pressed a hand to your back, pushing you into him. your chest was smashed up against his.

you felt his hand wander down to your ass, gently groping it, causing you to gasp, abruptly his lips contorted into a smirk, and his eye's darkened with lust.

"jamil?" you looked up at him but his other hand went up and pushed your face back into his upper chest.

"do you mind? i promise to make you feel good," he questioned, rubbing your lower back.

"erm, no..." jamil took that as the green light and flipped you over, trapping you in his arms, one around your stomach and the other wandering down.

you were confused but you trust jamil. his hand was underneath your shorts in seconds, softly rubbing you making you squirm, "no panties, what a bad girl." your face heated up at his comment.

suddenly you grabbed his arm, "what about kalim? shouldn't you wake him up?" 

jamil chuckled at your question, "don't worry about him, babe, just focus on me..." you nodded at his words, "such an obedient baby for me..." he whispered while slipping his pointer and middle finger into you.

"j-jamil...!" you tried to push his arm away but his arm was too strong for your noodle arms. "mmh!" you moaned and gripped his arm as he moved his fingers in a scissor motion.

"come on now, don't be like that, it'll feel good," jamil purred into your ear, prying your arms away from his. he held your hands together with his bigger one, then kept finger-fucking you.

it didn't take long for you too tremble out a mewl and cum on his fingers. he chuckled at your flushed face and teary eyes, "oh poor baby, don't cry, we're just getting started."

he took his fingers out of you and licked them clean of your cum.

"...what...?" you said, wiping your eyes with your sleeves when he let go of your hands. sniffing a little when he turns you back around to face him.

jamil smashed his face onto yours, his left hand holding the back of your head and his right holding your body to keep you in place, the kiss deepened when he bit your lip. you gasped out of instinct and he slid his tongue in, the wet muscle exploring your cavern. you clawed at his shoulders, silently pleading for air, but he didn't let you go. up until now all his kisses were short and sweet, you've never experienced something like this.

when you finally separated a string of saliva connected you to him.

"you didn't think i was done did you?~"

its been hours, why was kalim letting jamil stay in his room so long? you don't know.

the pleasure morphed into pain from the overstimulation, "j-jamil...! can't anymore!"

"yes you can, just one more..."

one turned to two turned to three and so on.

you could barely feel your legs, but you didn't need to he was holding you up. shoving your face into his pillow as you cried out, releasing again onto his cock.

you woke up, face down as you recall what happened. your rubbed your eyes and sat up, jamils jacket falling off your shoulders and down to your waist, you looked down to see yourself butt-naked with a few hickeys.

you grabbed jamils jacket and pulled it back up, covering yourself.

you smelled a delicious plate of food and looked to your right, a plate of pancakes sat there with a little cup of syrup, a note was sitting next to the plate.

you grabbed the note.

'dear luluati,

i apologize that i wasn't able to stay with you, but i saved you some breakfast. i hope your legs don't hurt too bad.

love you, jamil.'

[yuurei20]

Idia Fact Sheet (No Book 6 Spoilers)

Note: This character sheet has no spoilers from the Ignihyde Dorm chapter because spoilers are the worst. There are references to JPN-only things like Idia's dorm uniform card vignette, etc, as usual.

(Ranked 7th in a combination of seven different character-ranking surveys by the jpn server held throughout 2021)

Idia rarely leaves his dorm room, attending classroom lectures via a tablet. He says he “never wanted to be housewarden”, insinuating that he was appointed to the position against his will.

In Book 5 we learn that Riddle has been housewarden of Heartslabyul longer than Idia has been of Ignihyde, so it is safe to assume that he did not become housewarden until his third year.

Illustration notes: "Stronger flames. He makes this expression sometimes when he gets excited. Like when he comes across a strong enemy in a video game, or when things are going according to plan. Most people won’t see this look at first; not until he’s grown close to them. Surprise.”

When provoked Idia becomes extremely upset, much like the character upon which he was based, but he cools down again very quickly. He also slips into outdated internet slang when he speaks with passion.

The name he uses most widely online is “Nekura Samurai”, and his closest online friend is “Muscle Red”. We learn in card vignettes that “Muscle Red” is actually Lilia, but neither student is aware of the online-identity of the other.

Despite his extreme dislike for talking to people face to face, it is surprisingly easy to goad him into becoming talkative, especially about his hobbies and interests. Idia seems to have great disdain for tradition (ref: homescreen and beansfest).

Idia is very protective of Ortho, an android he built himself and programmed to act as a little brother. When Idia was kidnapped by a ghost looking to marry (and subsequently murder) him, Ortho was the only student willing to try and save Idia’s life. Ortho joined Crowley in blackmailing the rest of the characters into helping.

Idia spends the vast majority of the “Wish Upon a Star” event fulfilling his tasks to the bare minimum while constantly, audibly hoping that it will be cancelled. When this ‘wish’ comes close to being fulfilled, he witnesses Ortho’s disappointment and turns around to invent the Stargazer gear for Ortho that saves the entire event, even participating in-person in accordance with a bet he lost to Deuce.

Idia’s desire to not disappoint Ortho is, however, fallible. In his ceremonial robes vignette we see Idia get goaded by Riddle into promising that he will attend the opening ceremonies, much to Ortho's delight. Ortho asks that they take a picture together in their robes, as Ortho had not been allowed to participate in Idia's opening ceremonies upon his enrollment in the school (just like the player and Grim, Idia and Ortho are enrolled as two halves of one student).

Idia gets as far as changing into his robes and reaching the school’s courtyard, but when a confused Malleus comments on his clothing (“I simply cannot understand the meaningless things humans do at times”), Idia panics, insults Malleus and retreats to the safety of his room without ever seeing Ortho at all.

Ortho follows up later to apologize for asking him to attend in the first place, assuring his “brother” that “We don’t need to go somewhere to be together” and “I’ll always be with you”.

There are only a few characters with whom Idia will communicate in person and only under certain circumstances, like Jamil and fellow board games club-member Azul. He is particularly uncomfortable around Kalim, Cater, Trey and Rook.

In his birthday vignette he is asked what dorm, besides Ignihyde, he would like to live in (a question asked of all the students in the second round of birthday cards), he answers “Octavinelle wouldn’t be bad, but I want to stay far away from those disturbing twins", insinuating he has issues with Jade and Floyd as well.

When Ortho requested that Idia design him a pair of legs that can walk on land (instead of levitate) Idia refused on the basis that “floating around is every guy’s dream”, “ walking is total NPC stuff” and “flying is for heroes”.

Floyd and Jade proceed to blackmail Idia into designing the legs for Ortho anyway (via an “interesting piece of information” they have about him), with Floyd underlining their point by gifting Ortho a pair of shoes for his birthday. This incident may have something to do with Idia's discomfort around them.

Idia had originally intended to join the Science Club, but it had more members than he’d anticipated and he switched to the Boardgames Club instead. In the official fan book, it is said that the club is a reference to Disney’s Hercules movie.

Idia dislikes the outdoors and physical activity extremely. (“Humans are the only creatures that do pointless exercise to consume the nutrients they have taken in! It's really stupid!" from homescreen)

In the Beansfest event, we learn he has set up a deal with Sam where he hides out in Sam’s shop until the end of the event. In exchange, Idia (under the alias “Mr. Smith”) designs one-of-a-kind bean-shooting weapons for players to purchase from Sam.

While constantly down-playing his abilities and knowledge, we learn in the Phantom Bride event that, if goaded enough, he will reveal that he actually thinks very highly of himself and his accomplishments (much to the surprise and awkwardness of Riddle and the other students). He can also become quick to insult and belittle others, leading to Ace’s comment of “he’s actually really cool…as long as he keeps his mouth shut.”

Rook refers to him as “King of his own room”, Floyd as “Hotaruika-senpai” (for firefly squid) and Leona calls him カイワレ大根 (kaiware daikon), for being shady, frail and tall. Despite this unflattering name, Leona tells us that “He’s got more power and brains than ordinary students”.

Idia has said he likes cats, will try talking to Lucius during history lessons and accidentally terrified Grim in his lab wear vignette when he mistook Grim for a regular cat. He is also fond of dogs, but has said he does not get along with dog people like Crewel.

Idia seems to have something of a complex with his hair, and his fear of others making fun of it in his ceremonial robes vignette and Book 5 seems to insinuate that it is unusual even for the Twisted Wonderland universe. He also expresses concern that people will recognize him as a member of the Shroud family.

Despite being only eighteen, he seems to be a household name in the field of magical engineering, and we learn that that he “can buy a gymnasium full of canned tuna” with just a single part of the various elements that make up Ortho.

From his voice line of “Tests are like games. The higher you score, the better you feel”, it seems that he might actually be an accomplished student despite his habit of staying up all night, absorbed in his hobbies.

At the very end of Book 5 Ortho reveals that Idia has received a large number of offers from various companies soliciting him for internships, including the VDC event’s sponsor, Olympos Co. Idia orders Ortho to delete them all, saying “I’m not going anywhere regardless…”

Rather than a magical pen, Idia uses a floating, skull-like drone in battles that also stirs the cauldron in alchemy lessons.

He is always wearing headphones in order to listen to music with the best possible sound quality and to shut out the world around him through noise-canceling. His favorite music is by a three-member girl group called “Precipice Moirai” whose members are “older than they look” (although, in Epel’s dorm uniform vignette, he says they look old while having the spirits of 17 year olds. This conflicting information is consistent on both the ENG- and JPN-servers, and may be a continuity error). It is speculated in the fan community that is a reference to the three Fates in Disney’s Hercules.

Idia’s favorite food is dagashi because “it is easy to eat while gaming”. Dagashi are cheap snackfoods that became popular in Japan during the Edo Period when sugar was particularly expensive. 

This site is great if you would like to learn more (bonus: if you have seen Spirited Away and ever wondered about the star-shaped food eaten by the soot sprites? Those are a form of dagashi, introduced to Japan by Portugal).

Potato chips and cheap chocolate are also dagashi.

Idia dislikes raw fish because of the smell, how it is eaten neither hot nor cold, the texture and how troublesome it is to prepare. Idia says that “block snacks” are good enough for him, as he is only interested in consuming the nutrition he needs to function, regardless of the form it comes in.

Dagashi comes in both sweet and savory forms. By “block snacks”, I would assume that twst is referring to something similar to “Calorie Mate”-brand snacks without using the copyrighted name. A common snack food in Japan, it is marketed as being an alternative way to consume enough calories to keep going when you don’t have enough time to prepare and eat a proper meal.

Some great artists for Idia fan-art and more (SFW, no story spoilers) Idia looking amazing

Idia and Ortho

Various Idia

Stargazer Idia and Ortho

Voice Idia is voiced by Uchiyama Kouki (内山 昂輝) whose other work includes Roxas from Kingdom Hearts II, Neku Sakuraba from The World Ends with You, Shigaraki Tomura from My Hero Academia, Soul Eater Evans from Soul Eater, Kamyu from Dragon Quest XI and Kirishima Ikuya from Free! -Dive to the Future-

More information here

Additional Fact Sheets ・Riddle Rosehearts ・Trey Clover・Cater Diamond ・Ace Trappola・Deuce Spade ・Leona Kingscholar ・Ruggie Bucchi ・Jack Howl ・Azul Ashengrotto・Floyd Leech・Jade Leech ・Kalim Al-Asim・Jamil Viper ・Vil Schoenheit・Rook Hunt ・Epel Felmier ・Idia Shroud・Ortho Shroud ・Malleus Draconia ・Silver・Sebek Zigvolt・Lilia Vanrouge ・Sam・Crewel・Trein・Vargas・Crowley

[haru-natsuka]

Confusion part 2 (Kalim Al Asim x Reader x Jamil Viper)

Genre: Romance

Link for part 1

As a claimed-to-be mother, you tried to take responsibility of making your boys happy and content but did you?...

"Mummy here here. You should sleep beside daddy."

"Mama sleep with papa"

Both of your arms ached as you lifelessly stared at the wall due to the pulling from before by your two kids. How could your children have so much strength when they both were barely 7 years old! However, you did not have the heart to stop them as their quarrel somehow, seemed cute to you and let just admitted you did enjoy the fun too with Kalim and Jamil trying to pry them off from you for some space and rest although Jamil was the one who seriously tried to help you. The dorm leader was too busy laughing over his kids' behaviour.

Both of them had so much passion for you to sleep with their own chosen man, leaving you engulfed in the same question as before. Who would Kalim and Jamil be to you in the future? Were the kids even yours? Could it be the traits they had were the same as you were your own proclamation? It was a miracle the two kids finally stopped arguing as Kalim suggest a very splendid idea, according to him.

"Let just everyone have a sleepover! The five of us!" His loud, exciting voice boomed through your eardrums as you digest his words and repeated them inside your head. Before you and Jamil who was flattered too, could even decline, the energetic ones beat you.

"Yeahhh mama will sleep with papa!"

"Yeahhh mummy will sleep with daddy!"

"It's time for a sleepover!" Both of the boys jumped frantically over the news.

"No- I-" Feeling hopeless and speechless, you turned to your last hope, the only candidate that remained silent in this situation, Jamil. He felt your gaze on him, seeking help. His eyes wander to the three who still cheered happily with the decision and he too did not have much power to reject the idea he silently agreed with. Just who did not want to spend more time with their crush when the opportunity appeared in front of you? Really he felt the worse by listening to his inner desire more than helping you.

"I'm sorry, Y/N but it's for the best." His charcoal grey eyes were trailing at his side while he folded his arms, giving the indication he thought about the sleepover seriously. This was when Jade's power was needed so you could know the truth about Jamil's heart.

That was how all of you end up combining two king-size beds on the floor in Kalim's room and the five of you end up sleeping together with the kids beside you while their own father was at the end of both beds. Your body was in an awkward position as you lay still without facing anyone. Although there was space between you, Kalim and Jamil, but you still felt nervous sleeping with them. How could you do this with the two most important members of Scarabia?

As you thought the day would end with just these mishaps, suddenly you felt uneasy and got goosebumps on your skin as you felt a tug on your cloth from both of your sides.

"Mummy"

"Mama"

"A goodnight kiss?"

You were bewildered for a moment when s/n and s/n pointed at their cheek before placing a kiss on that particular place lovingly as how you imagine a mother would kiss her sons. However, they seemed unsatisfied and the uneasiness you got behind the dangerous intention they held inside their eyes made you shudder for the upcoming request from your sons.

"You forget about daddy"

"You forget about papa"

"That's right. I want to get a kiss from you too"

Kalim uttered the words without a second thought as deep inside his heart, he did feel jealous when you always turn to Jamil for help rather than him. He knew he always tend to be a happy-go-lucky guy and yet he rather be possessive to make you his or he could be a badass for once. Could he be that to Jamil? His best friend? Nah, he rather shared you with Jamil as everyone deserved love right?

When Kalim so easily agree with everything the kids said but as you did not want to disappoint the boys, you slowly and nervously leaned towards Kalim's cheek. With mind trying to copy how a mummy and a daddy gave a proper goodnight kiss, you sneaked your hand behind Kalim's neck and brought his cheek towards your lips.

You intentionally lingered on the kiss for a while before you shyly released Kalim from your hold who the latter was also embarrassed by the unexpected handling of yours. His cheek felt warm and his heart was having this funny feeling of wanting more than a kiss from you.

"Hmmm why on the cheek? Papa, I think mama forgot how to kiss you goodnight. Mama is definitely being weird today. Show mama, papa"

"Huh-kiss-" Just what the future you teach your kids really when a kiss on the cheek was not enough. Jamil reluctantly went closer to you excitedly rather in guilt. There was only one place left if it were not for the cheek. He slowly inched towards you and stopped for a while to ponder about his decision before kissing the crown of your head with a blushing face.

You felt the worse thinking it was going somewhere more intimate and Jamil seemed to know about that as he teasingly smirked at you. That night, Kalim and the boys were very much sound asleep while Jamil and you kind of had a hard time with eyebags evidence under the eyes. It was all due to Kalim kept unconsciously trying to hug you in his sleep meanwhile Jamil tried to pry him off you.

You had enough of everything, really. Who did influent your little kids? The very next morning, you asked them and their answer did not shock you a bit.

"Who likes to pay a visit to our home?"

"Uncle Ace!"

No wonder...

[t4tower-of-t4terror]

Silver and Kalim x gn reader poly hcs

Holy shit are you lucky

Kalim and Silver perfectly balance each other out in energy

Silver in his lethargic formality and Kalim in his electrifying energy and friendliness

Both of them are so beautiful and so deeply kind

The three of you often spend evenings together. Often you start off studying but end up collectively napping or having an impromptu picnic

You all snack and share stories and lay close together to feel the warmth and comfort radiating off of each other

They are both so cuddly it's amazing. Silver loves to rest on your or Kalim's lap, which is absolutely a win for you two, because it means you get to run your fingers through his namesake hair and admire how his eyelashes flutter open to reveal his ethereal moonstone eyes

And Kalim just likes holding onto the two of you like you're teddy bears lol. He's physically clingy, but it's really cute

And Jamil takes so much comfort knowing that Silver is a knight. Hoping maybe he can take a break for a moment

Lilia thinks the three of you are so sweet together too! He's so proud of Silver for finding not one, but two people who love him like you do!

You can't help but agree with Lilia. You have no idea how you ended up in this relationship with two of the sweetest, prettiest, most Wonder boys you've ever met.

Kalim loves anniversaries. He uses them as an excuse to give you both presents. He'll make up anniversaries just to give you guys little gifts.

It's always "it's two months since the first time we held hands so I couldn't help but get you this pretty anklet that made me think of you!!!"

And they both get so happy about any affection you give them.

Your first kiss made Kalim's ruby eyes light up like fireworks and made the prettiest petal pink color creep into Silver's cheeks

Kalim will take the two of you on magic carpet rides so that the three of you can watch the stars and sunsets.

The world itself feels dark as night, but you are surrounded by warmth. Lost in the night sky, you can barely look at the beauty of the stars when the lives of your life sit beside you, bathed in moonlight.

Afterwards you all get to sleep in late in the warmth of Kalim's room.

In the chaos of overblots and school life, you always find yourself drifting back to the people who you love and support. The people who bring you true comfort.

This was inspired by a post and some absolutely gorgeous artwork made by @bloodiegawz PLEASEEE check out her work

[my-1heart]

I… I love flowers!

my-1heart Valentine’s Special (2)

Jamil Viper x GN Reader

Notes: it’s kinda a mess!! Reader loves flowers, gets teary eyed because Jamil cares, flowers!!

Jamil’s day, everyday, was practically the same.

- get up and get ready

- prepare breakfast and Kalim’s lunch

- get Kalim up and ready

- have breakfast and head off to school

- drop Kalim off at class and go to his class (repeat until lunch and after lunch)

- have lunch with Kalim

- possible club practice

- head back to the dorm with Kalim and start chores

- start dinner

- have dinner and get Kalim ready for bed

- once Kalim was asleep, start homework

- go to bed

Rinse and repeat as much as necessary.

However, today a new task was added. Finding flowers for his partner.

Valentine’s Day drew near and Jamil wanted to at least see the selection for their gift.

Luckily, Kalim had a sudden club meeting today, which gave Jamil roughly an hour to go and look before heading back to pick him up.

Walking into Sam’s shop, he was surprised to see that Sam had a decent selection of flowers. Perhaps it was because of the holiday that was right around the corner… or perhaps it was because some dorms needed flowers. He wouldn’t ask though, he has too much to do and to little time to mingle.

“Hey, my little imp. Looking for flowers are we??” Sam suddenly spoke, startling Jamil a bit.

He looked over and nodded.

“My friends on the other side tell me it’s possibly for someone special. Have I hit the nail on the head?” He asked, to which Jamil cleared his throat.

“My dorm’s house warden was looking for something to spruce up the dorm a bit for his party. Anything that falls perfectly in with the holiday.” Jamil responded.

“I see, I see.” Sam replied, beginning to ponder just a bit.

Jamil had massive hope that the answer sufficed enough as to not give it away. Sure you guys weren’t dating secretly, but it would be a hassle if almost everyone knew and bothered either of you about it.

“Red Camellias would do nicely with your dorms style.” Sam spoke, grabbing a few for reference.

Jamil looked at the red flowers and immediately felt they had been perfect. He nodded and placed an order for a small bouquet to “test it out”.

Sam placed in the order and waved Jamil off as he left. The flowers were to be ready tomorrow by lunchtime.

Jamil walking back to pick up Kalim, had begun to let his thoughts wander. Why flowers? Someone would ask.

Jamil would never really give them a respective answer because that answer could not and would not put in the emotions he felt when you had first been gifted flowers by him.

The fact had been, he felt guilty for being so busy. Jamil had came across some flowers that had been blooming in the courtyard and well, he plucked a few to give to you.

And when he saw you by the Scarabia mirror, he thought now would be a better time then ever. Handing you the flowers, he could barely get out a small apology before you began to get a little teary eyed.

“Were… these not to your liking? I apologize, I didn’t have the time to go get you an actual bouquet.” He apologized, to which you frantically shook your head.

“I… I love flowers! Any flowers really!” You cried, cradling the flowers with care.

“Then why are you teary eyed?” He asked, gently wiping your eyes.

“It… meant a lot to me that you still held me in your thoughts even when you were so busy..” you mumbled.

“You’re so silly, you know that? I have to apologize for being so busy.” He apologized again, you shook your head again.

“There’s no need for apologies. Any moment I can have with you, means the world” you smiled.

Jamil adverted his gaze from yours before inviting you to Scarabia for a bit. Which, you happily took his hand and walked into his dorm together.

That memory forever stuck to him as he remembered the flowers he plucked for you that day…

Red Camellias

A symbol for passion, and love. A true interpretation of how he felt for you.

February 13, 2023 7:46 AM

[ilovejamilviper]

All I Wanted To Do Was Love You.

Summary: Every time you thought you were getting close, a step closer to his forbidden heart something would intervene. It happened every. single. time. And you were sick of it.

Here are two examples.

Jamil x fem!reader

Author's Note: he's just a lil cutie🤗 no happy ending unless anyone wants one

On multiple occasions, you were either about to confess or he was about to confess feelings

This one time, it was the perfect moment. Jamil had asked you to come on a ride on Kalim's magic carpet and you obliged. The mood, setting, and time was right. As if the moment was placed into your hands. So why wouldn't it be a good time to admit your love for him?

You stared into his beautiful gleaming eyes as he did too. Both of your stares screamed adoration and warmth as your hands started to reach each others. A small smile was on Jamil's face while a cheeky smile was on yours. You two were alone outside with a painted starry night above, pretty romantic right? The stars and moon shined so brightly there was a twinkle in his eyes that made them look hopeful for something. Like it was waiting for something or someone. 

So you attempted to declare your feelings and as you tried to do that something changed in his stare and body.

Jamil's stare and body turned cold and unwelcoming. What had happened in that one second? Was it the way you stuttered and stumbled over your words? Maybe because of how "undressed" you were for the moment? Or was it because you were being too touchy? You didn't know.

Once you realize what was happening you tried to slowly change the subject; "surprisingly" it worked. 

It was awkward as you both removed your hands from each other and looked away. The warmth and adoration left. You felt him slipping away from you. 

You so desperately wanted to be his girlfriend, to be able to call him yours. It's better to make him feel comfortable than not.

"..It's getting late so we should head back. Thank you for coming with me tonight." Jamil said with his usual monotone face and voice. 

"Yeah…we should and no problem" you tried to look at him but struggled to keep eye contact. And he struggled too.

Another time was when he tried to confess to you. It was also a failure. Again.

You were invited to Kalim's birthday party and of course you went! You brought Grim along and a decent present that definitely could not compare to any presents he has ever gotten.

Once you arrived you entered through the big Scarabia doors and were greeted by a resident in Scarabia. 

And to your surprise..it was none other than Jamil! 

You stared with fondness at him and he looked away looking flushed. 

"Hey! Whatchu looking away for huh?! Are you cowering in my presence?" Grim questioned then laughed, "Ahaha! If only you were worthy enough to be in my presence, I'll let it slide today though." 

To which Jamil only rolled his eyes at Grim barely acknowledging him. He only had eyes for you not like Grim really noticed or cared anyways. 

"Follow me, Perfect…" Jamil turned and walked expecting you to follow. You followed dragging Grim along.

Both of your hands brushed against each other's hand leaving you two flustered everytime it happened. 

Before you knew it you guys arrived at the lounge where Kalim's birthday was being held. 

"Thank you, Sir." You winked with a smile as you said that. "No problem, Ma'am." He winked back, returning your smile. You giggled, Jamil always thought that giggle of yours was cute. 

Grim ran off to who knows where. You didn't care at the time. 

Without saying anything it was only with a look of wanna go to the balcony together? His look said follow me. He wasn't gonna lie but he was fairly excited to be alone and spend quality time with you.

A moment that fell into his hands. It was the right mood, setting, but not really the right time but who cares? 

The air was just right. It was slightly cold with a nice warm breeze. It didn't bother either of you. The fairy lights hanging above made the view magical. You two basked in each other's presences as you two stared at faint sandy hills ahead. 

Jamil started talking about love suddenly and you thought he was going to share the same feelings you had. 

Then he was interrupted by someone. 

"Grab him!!" 

"Hahah! Try to catch me if you can!" 

You both turned to the noise that was coming closer to you two. Of course it was Grim who had to butt into a great opportunity. 

Grim wasn't paying attention to where he was running. He collided into your legs making them give out leaving you on the ground with Grim in front of you holding his head. 

Jamil immediately got on his knees to help support you. Then there was a group of students rushing over to Grim.

"Thank you for catching him, Prefect!"

"Ah, yeah..no problem?" 

"Give me that!" A Scarabia student grabbed a gift from Grim. "Hey-y!" Grim said sitting on the floor.

The students started to head back to the lounge when suddenly there were whispers.

"Ugh, I would kick them out if it wasn't the Housewarden's birthday." 

"Mhm, but…why was she with Jamil? All alone? That's kinda weird."

"I mean she is the only girl in an all boys school. She's probably using him or something. It's not our problem." 

You and Grim barely heard the whispers while Jamil heard all of it.

All Jamil wanted to do was to tell her how he really feels. And of course he just had to hear those disgusting words. Now he asked himself the same question every time he thought of confessing his feelings. 

What's stopping me? 

Everything.

He is so selfish thinking only about himself. Being with you strips you of your freedom just like him. You and his life would be at risk of danger. Also you aren't even from here you couldn't make it work. If you got sent back how would you communicate? The words how and why were stopping him. Anyone would be hurt in all of these situations physically and mentally. And he couldn't do that to you! If he truly loved you he would let you go…easier said than done though.

On top of that you are the only girl in an all boys school. Surely you could have any guy in this school. What if you were using him? That's crazy though. Right? 

Ifs were coming at him and he started to stress himself out physically and mentally. He didn't think it was starting to become visible. Jamil hasn't felt this overwhelmed since when he overblotted. 

"Jamil? Are you okay?" You asked with confusion. 

"Yeah..I…gotta go. I'll see you later, Prefect."  

Just like that the conversation ended and he ran off leaving you confusion and worried. 

Once more a perfect moment ruined between the two of you.

[writingfool001]

Can u make f!Yuu that goes to the all princess school but a prince fell in love with her not knowing she was destined to marry a one of the dorm leaders but she is happy because she gets a happy ending so she rejects him infront of every guy and girl as there in shock and she explains why and the dorm leaders react to her saying that she is Destined to marry a villian

I Already Found my Happily Ever After

Author's Note: I am starting out with three and complete the other four later. Please remember the 3-character limit per request. If I ever write about female reader, they will be strong.

Pairing: Riddle, Leona, and Azul x Female Reader

Part 2 (Jamil, Vil, Idia, & Malleus) Part 3 (Kalim, Rook, & Lilia)

It was a joint school get together or basically what prom would be with several academies together which was an upside for you and your lover. You barely have had the time to see each other since both of you go to different schools and your school would rather affiliate themselves with the Royal Sword Academy than Raven Night College. 

When the event was announced, the headmistress advised everyone to be on their best behavior and if anyone from another school tried to force themselves, you had full permission to take care of the problem or find an instructor. Yeah, your headmistress had zero tolerance for assholes. She also mentioned that it was NRC's turn this year to  

You met up with each other at the event and your lover was dressed handsomely as he stood out in the crowd. You both decided to have a nice night, wanting to enjoy the time with each other. He complimented you on your attire and gave you a kiss on the cheek before escorting you to the main hall where the event was being held. 

At some point, you stepped away to use the restroom and right as you were on the way to return, a figure stepped into the middle of your path which made you stop. 

“My humble apologies, but I couldn’t help ignoring your gorgeous self and was wondering if I could possibly have this dance as your date.” He started bowing and held his hand out. 

“Sorry, but I’m here with someone,” You decline politely, stepping around him to continue on your way and only get a couple feet away before he spoke again.  

“What could be better than dancing with a prince and possibly your future true love?” He said, causing you to freeze as others paused and watched the interaction.  

“What could be better than that, you ask?” You turn your head to look at him over your shoulder, “Dancing with my betrothed.”  

“Who could he possibly be? Possibly from RSA?”  

“Nope, he goes to NRC.”  

“A villain?! Are you mad?”  

“Nope, I’ve always loved the villain more than the hero. Perhaps all the other girls, fawning after you, will take up your proposal.”  

You walk off, leaving many people’s jaws on the floor as you made your way over to your beloved who saw you publicly humiliate some prince. 

Riddle 

He was flustered after hearing the entire thing and stuttered a bit because he just saw you publicly reject a student from RSA and chose to stay with him. 

He feels proud and happy that you would rather stay with him than run off with some prince. Gracefully, he bows and takes your hand before kissing your knuckle before escorting you to the dance floor. Internally, he was celebrating and was applauding you for standing up for yourself.  

He was a bit panicked when you talked back to his mother once and stood your ground. It took him a while to get used to it and after a while, you would occasionally do the whole "he asked for no pickles' ' a couple of times. He introduces you to Trey and Che'nya, who coincidentally keeps you company whenever your school and RSA get together for some sort of event. 

Che'nya has kept Riddle informed of all the boys at RSA who have tried to "wow" you and every time, you rejected them, and you tell your classmates that you already found your happy ever after.  

He was worried your opinion would change when he overblotted and the level of worrying got worse when he woke you sleeping in a chair, next to his bed. When you woke up, he was ready for you to break off your engagement and had a whole speech before you kissed him and told him he was stuck with you.  

His heart melted at the compliment and was flushed before telling you that he was going to confront his mother about everything she did while he grew up. Trey and Cater showed up with a small group of new boys and a cat. 

You thanked them for saving him and looking after him before bluenette asked who you were and told them you are Riddle’s fiancé. The three new faces’ eyes widened, and jaws dropped as the calmer one of the four just nodded. After that, you make sure to have a small study call with Riddle and check on him to make sure he’s okay. When winter break came around, you were waiting for him in your hometown and told him that you had your family on speed dial in case his mother became violent. He just smiled brightly and took his hand in yours before walking back to his house, readying to face the beast. 

If there was to be one thing that came out well with his mother’s involvement, it was the betrothal between you two. He hopes you will stay by his side in the future.  

Leona 

Smugish face, he has made ever since you two met, and lets out a hearty chuckle as he approaches before holding his arm out for you to take before you both strutted away from the unknown prince. 

One of the many things he cherished about you was your bite and he remembers the first time you returned his snide remark with your own. The appalled look of his parents when they watched you two interact after meeting each other for the first time while your father chuckled as your mother would light lecture you later. Overtime, it was fun to have you around, especially during the gatherings you both had to attend. 

Even during some of those, some noble's son tried to propose and sweep you off your feet before failing. This even happened to Leona, he either let them make their case or refuse. 

After a while you two would bet who would approach either of you to try to come between you two. 

"They seem to get bolder, but never learn." You spoke under your breath, causing Leona to chuckle. 

"I'll wager you're right, my queen." He kissed the crown of your head before continuing to lead you to the botanical garden for a nightly walk. 

Azul 

Internally, he has stopped working and wants to disappear to his octopi while he hides his small blush by pushing up his glasses. He wishes he had your boldness sometimes, but he remembers he'd rather leave bold moves to you. 

You both met originally when he was somewhat getting bullied while the twins weren't around. They were threatening him before you showed up and showed them you weren't going to put up with their shit. Afterwards, he thought you would want something in return and all you said was his friendship which stunned him. He decided to see how long you would stick around, thinking it would be short time. 

Welp, he was wrong because you became part of the small trio and stuck next to Azul more than the twins. You knew a majority of things about him, yet he knew nothing about you and when asked, you would tell him you had a family and lived down the way from his home. His mother decided to have a business meeting with a local restaurant owner to see if they would be interested in working with her. Azul questioned why she wanted him to come along and was told that they had a daughter around his age.  

To his shock when he saw you, sitting next to the owner of the restaurant and having a light conversation before noticing the shocked octopus. You revealed everything to him, and a majority of the evening was you two talked the night away without noticing the two parents who saw the small spark between you two as you lightly teased Azul. 

It would be a couple of months later before a suggestion of being engaged to one another came up which didn't surprise you since Azul mumbled something about marrying you while you two were studying. Nothing really changed between the two of you other than occasional dinner dates and close family teasing you two. Of course, there were moments where you two would argue and walk away from each other for space before either one of you or both of you would come together to talk it out.  

The same routine would happen when you two were studying at different academies. You both would text and send each other small trinkets or gifts that reminded you of each other. Every now and then, you two would meet up somehow to spend time with each other. 

Azul held his hand out to you before kissing you gently on the cheek, causing you to smile. He led you to the dance floor before dancing the night away with you. 

[youreallyshouldtalkmore]

My Little Hybrid Family_Part 15

Tags: @ sweeneyblue1

Twisted Wonderland Masterlist  

------------------------------------------------------

“Mistress!! Can I stay in your room tonight!!” Kalim cried that evening, latching onto your arm. 

“I would advise against that.” Jade said, glancing at his twin who had been in a particularly bad mood the entire day. 

Floyd snashed his teeth together, his eyes taking a crazed look,  “I’m staying with Shrimpy, tonight.” 

He was not going to entertain any other options. 

Not tonight! 

Kalim pouted, “But it’s been awhile since I was able to stay with our Mistress!” 

Jamil gave a longsuffering sigh, “Kalim, you’ll get your chance again. Perhaps we should be radical and let her pick.” 

Everyone pretended not to hear that. 

Kalim just pouted further, “But it’s been almost a month!” 

Leona yawned, “Oi, I don’t know why ya’ll are arguing! I shall sleep in her room tonight!” 

“NOT A CHANCE!!” several hybrids yelled at once. 

Malleus blinked at this new development. For some reason that evening, most of your hybrids got into an argument about who was going to stay with you that night. 

So, you didn’t mind any of hybrids being in your room? 

He glanced at you who made it a point to keep silent on the matter. He had never witnessed hybrids willingly wanting to stay with their human masters. Even sitting in a dark room for days on end was preferable to staying with whoever was his master at the time. 

But here, there were hybrids fighting over it? 

“Sea Lion, you always, always cuddling the Shrimpy!” Floyd growled, “Day and night just about! You're the reason why the rest of us barely get any time! You get her in the day, dragging her into the den for cuddles. Why should you get an all night cuddle too!” 

“Whatcha gonna do about it, huh? Wanna throw down?!” Leona flexed his claws. 

Floyd cracked his neck, “You lookin’ to get squeezed?” 

“Let’s not fight.” Azul spoke before adding, “I’m sure we can all at least agree it will be either one of you tonight, but only if you promise to let someone else have a turn tomorrow!” 

Although Kalim pouted, the rest agreed that it was coming down to Floyd or Leona. The only problem was that neither was willing to give ground. 

“It’s been getting colder! She keeps me warm and besides, as a coldblooded fish, are you sure you want your Mistress to wake up freezing tomorrow morning?” smirked Leona. 

“And with you smothering all over her, are you sure you don’t want your Mistress to wake up baking tomorrow morning?” Floyd shot back. 

You really hesitated to say anything when they got like this. You learned ages ago that siding with one or the other would only make things worse. They needed to duke it out between themselves, so they would all be satisfied with the results. 

You gave a yelp when Floyd suddenly appeared at your side and picked you up, “I’m taking Shrimpy tonight! You can wait until tomorrow! If you try me, I’ll wreck your den! I’ll destroy that couch you love so much, and then where will you take your precious little naps?”  

“Hey!!” You weren’t sure if that was in reference to him picking you up or the threat of destroying your den. 

“Oh my….” Jade murmured. His twin was worse off than he thought as he watched Floyd march off with you. Everyone had frozen, but then jumped as they heard the door to your room slam. 

Leona growled and held his head before marching off to his room. 

Azul’s eyes widened, “That worked?” 

“Wow…” Kalim murmured. 

“What is wrong with your twin this time?” Jamil snapped at Jade. 

“Fufufu, oh same as usual…” 

— — — —

The next morning at breakfast, you and Floyd were the last ones to wander down. 

“Good morning, you little guppies!!” Floyd cried with a freewheeling laugh. 

Malleus blinked. This eel literally did a 180 in a span of a night. 

“Enjoy yourself?” Jade inquired. 

Floyd nodded, “Yep!! I hugged Mistress Shrimpy allllll night!!” 

“You didn’t get too cold, did you?” Jamil asked you quietly. 

You gave a reassuring smile, “Nah, it was quite pleasant. Just added another blanket and we were good.” 

Kalim wrapped his arms around your shoulders from behind, “But you are a little chilly.” 

“Am I?” 

“Not to worry, I have made tea in preparation for this.” Jade gestured to the table. 

You smiled, “How thoughtful of you!” 

Meanwhile, Leona was glaring at Floyd, who was busy bouncing from the kitchen to the dining room table and wasn’t paying him any mind. 

“Collect your eel, will you?” Leona barked when Floyd rushed by him for the umpteenth time. 

Azul calmly sipped his tea, as he flipped the page in his book, “Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t have any say over them. Those eels do as they like.” 

“I’m sitting by Shrimpy!” Floyd called out from the kitchen. 

Malleus speared a bite of his breakfast into his mouth as he watched quietly. So this was normal behavior for them? You smiled at him as you sat by him. It didn’t take long before Floyd was on your other side. 

“How’s your morning going, Malleus?” you inquired. 

“Very well, thank you.” 

“Any plans for today?” 

“Hm, well, I do have that book to get through. It’s very interesting that I keep rereading the previous chapters. I hope to make a little more progress through the rest of the book. The photos are a delight and the text leaves a vivid impression. The author of this book series really understands the beauty and how to present it.” 

You beamed, “I’m glad that you like it so well!” 

Malleus gave a smile before your attention was taken by another. 

True to his word, Malleus did retreat to the west den that has quickly become his own to bury himself into his book. When next he looked up, it was almost lunchtime. He stood and stretched. Perhaps a quick walk around would do him some good. 

When he exited the room, he didn’t know how it happened, but suddenly, he realized that he bumped into you. You stumbled back, but with his quick reflexes, he reached out and grabbed you around the waist. It took a moment before you could get your bearings. 

“Forgive me, Miss. L/N, I should have been watching where I was going.” He spoke, looking down at you, “Are you alright?” 

You looked up at him, having unconsciously grabbed his shoulders for support as you righted yourself before pulling away with a laugh, “Sorry about that. That’s my line, actually, but I never actually hear you.” 

Malleus dropped his arm from around your waist before holding his chin in thought, “Ahh, fae do not make any sound unless they want to. Perhaps I should start making a little bit of sound. Apparently it's annoying to everyone that I do not make any. Azul once remarked that I should wear a bell when I accidentally scared him quite badly.” 

You rolled your eyes, “A bell is a bit much. But no worries. We are all used to it right about now. First time we literally ran into each other though.” 

“Indeed. Did you need something, Miss L/N.” 

“Well, first, I’ve told you, no need to be so formal and second, lunch time!” 

“Of course, Miss Y/N and I was just about to make my way down there. I shall be there shortly.” 

“Cool, see ya!” you waved before bouncing off. 

Malleus stood for a long moment, his idea for a quick walk gone. He slowly raised his hand to look at his palm. That was the first time, that you had touched him, even if it was accidental. 

So what was this warmth that still flowed though his palm and arm? 

None of his other masters had ever inspired such a feeling. 

So what power did this child of man have? 

Part 16

[aries-online]

Unimaginable

Authors note: I take no responsibility for any emotions you feel when reading this :) /hj . this story does mention the reader dying, it is unspecified how tho. also, send some requests in please, I can only come up with so many ideas lol

“I’m sorry i couldn’t stay longer”

When you first arrived at NRC, you were an outcast. People saw you as lesser until Riddles overblot, what turned out to be the first of many. After the unfortunate events of the unbirthday party, people began to see you as a blessing in disguise, always coming to you for advice or just to talk. The new company was both welcome and uncomfortable. With so many eyes on you, you barely got a chance to wind down. Even in your own dorm. People saw you as a beacon in the dark, someone who would always be there to listen.

There was a small break between Riddles overblot and the next few. About a month and a half after, Leona overblotted. Then Azul, Then Jamil, Then Vil. there was another break before the last two overblots. And in that time, you grew more and more hopeless of returning to your home. At this point, you knew Crowley wasn’t doing anything to help you. You were completely and utterly hopeless. Even though you had plenty of people backing you, people there to help you with your problems, you felt alone. Nobody at this school was like you, nobody else didn’t have magic like you. When Idia and Malleus both overblotted, you were grasping at your final straws. You felt like you were losing your mind trying to find a way back to your world, back to your family and your life. After the final overblot, you hoped that maybe, just maybe, you could finally go home. And you ended up getting your wish.

It was unknown how you passed. Your body was found in your dorm room, lying peacefully in your bed. The first to find you was your roommate and closest friend. When grim couldn’t wake you, he panicked and called Ace and Deuce, who in turn brought Trey, Cater and Riddle. Each tried to wake you to no avail. The headmaster was soon called in, who had been the one to pronounce you dead. The word spread like a wildfire, the friends you had made along the way each making the journey to give their final goodbye. You touched so many hearts during your short time at NRC. All your friends Pitched in towards your funeral, as well as Custom statue to place outside Ramshackle. 

BEcause you passed shortly before summer break, your funeral had been held outside in your favorite field. Almost the entire school attended, and some students' families had joined in to mourn you as well. You would truely be missed by those you encountered.

Your friends from the school would all take the time out of their day to visit your burial site. The heartslabyul boys coming for private tea parties, riddle would sneak away in the middle of the night to just sit with you and talk about how his day had been, what his plans were for the upcoming days. Ace and deuce would bring grim with them whenever they could to study at your grave site, something you would all od in the same field. Trey and Carter would come down when they had the chance, like riddle to just talk with you and to reminisce on how much you helped them.

The Savanaclaw boys would use your gravesite as a place where they could relax and just be themselves. Like riddle, Jack would visit whenever he was free to chat with you and let you know how things had been going with the first year crew. Ruggie would come to share lunch with you on off days and Leona would vist to nap. 

The Octavinelle trio would all visit together when the lounge was closed, mostly to share memories of you and bring little offerings to leave beside your headstone. Azul would visit after the lounge would close for the night just to share how his day had been and vent. Jade would visit only when the tree would all go, something about being alone with you made him feel something he rarely felt, regret. Floyd would always come to your gravesite when he would skip out on work, using this time to chat to you about what he wanted to do with his life, he felt like this was the only place he could really let himself be who he wanted to become.

Kalim and Jamil rarely visited your grave site, mostly because kalim was unable to be near your grave for more then a few minutes without breaking into sobs. Jamil was usually too busy to visit, but when he did, like many others, would bring you small food offerings and would sit with you quietly, letting himself just relax in your presence. 

Vil, rook and epel would all come down to your resting plates for small picnics. Vil almost never visited your grave alone, but when he did, he always seemed to bring a bouquet of your favorite flowers, sitting with you a short while before he had to leave. Rook was a frequent visitor, coming to just sit with you in silence for a while. Epel never visited alone, he couldn’t bear to be alone there without immediately breaking down.

Visiting your gravesite was one of the only times Idia left his room, usually accompanied by ortho. When he visited he would always talk about some new anime or video game he found that he felt you would enjoy. He would also just talk about how things had been with him, he couldnt help but feel a bit guilty. Ortho, despite being a robot, just barely understood what happened with you, only ever visiting with Idia.

Your friends from diasomnia were the most frequent visitors. The four always coming down to share food with you and to tell stories. Malleus would frequently visit, beig you most active visitor. Malleus had left you your own tamagotchim, using a long piece of ribbon to keep it tied to your grave. Lilia and silver almost always visited together, Lilia, when not visiting, would tell other first years who didn’t know you about your bravery and your compassion. Like Leona, silver would go out of his way to take his frequent naps with you. Sebek, although rarely visiting your grave, would proudly tell all who would listen about who you were from a first hand perspective. He was proud to be your friend while he could, human or not. 

You would watch over from the other side, enjoying the time your friends would take to visit you. It made you feel less alone. Only a small piece of your soul stayed behind when you returned to your world, a small piece of you that would always be with you friends, with the people who were always there with you.

[unpredictable-probabilities]

“I Do”: The Long-Term Deal 1 - Familiar Faces

Story Summary: 

Six years after graduating NRC, Jamil is working at a restaurant in order to continue funding his travels. A frame-up incident leads him to reunite with Azul, and they decide that they could be the help that the other needs. In order for both of their problems to be solved, they will have to temporarily work together--on a much more personal scale than they are used to.

Chapter Summary:

Jamil has been working a job to support his travels. After barely escaping some trouble involving an injured Ruggie, Jamil quite literally runs into Azul and finds out that he has troubles of his own too.

Word Count: 7,098

Author’s Note:

(At the end of the chapter)

---

"Morning!" Ruggie said as he got in line behind Jamil at the food truck.

"Oh hey," Jamil greeted back, seeing that Ruggie was also in his work uniform already. "You're having lunch here, too?"

"Yup, I usually go here for Taco Tuesday," Ruggie rolled up his sleeves from his wrists to his elbows.

The line moved and they took a step forward. They had the same afternoon shift today at Queen's Lantern, so Jamil wasn't surprised that they ran into each other here. It was just a short walk from the restaurant and the food was good.

"I heard that you might be Employee of the Month," Ruggie playfully punched his backpack and grinned.

"Me?" Jamil asked in confusion. "I've only been working there for a few weeks."

"Yeah, and they love your cooking! You even personally assist Chef Henry sometimes," Ruggie beamed. "You're really good with the customers too whenever you help wait on tables."

"Then I guess Anton and Ian would hate me even more now?" Jamil said lightly. Those two waiters seemed to dislike him ever since his first day for some reason.

"They're just jealous, don't mind them," Ruggie waved a hand dismissively.

"Well they won't have to be for long. I'll be gone in a month or two," Jamil said as they moved forward in the line again.

"Aww, gonna travel again so soon?" Ruggie adjusted his baseball cap to shield his eyes from the sun. "But you just got back, we barely had time to hang out!"

"That was the point of this job, right?" Jamil reminded him. "So I can keep traveling."

Ruggie clicked his tongue. "I shoulda made you promise to stay longer when I helped you get that job."

Jamil chuckled. "How about I just buy you the tacos today?"

"Deal!" Ruggie said before staggering forward. "Ow," he said in surprise and looked over his shoulder.

"S-Sorry," said the guy who had just bumped into Ruggie. "I stepped forward too far."

Jamil looked over and saw that the two teenagers in line behind the guy were kissing, and the others were uncomfortably giving them a wide berth. The woman behind them hid her face behind a magazine.

Ruggie snickered. "Nothing repels people more than public displays of affection. Wait," he squinted. "Is that Azul on that magazine?"

"What?" Jamil furrowed his eyebrows.

"What will it be?" Another voice caught Jamil's attention.

They had reached the front of the line and the bearded man was waiting for Jamil's order with a kind smile.

"Uh, two of the taco meal, please," Jamil replied. "The one with the fries and iced tea."

"Hi, Bernard!" Ruggie stepped up next to Jamil and patted him on the shoulder. "My friend's buying our lunch."

"Ruggie! I should've known you'd be here today. Give me a minute while I prepare your meals," Bernard poured some fries in the deep fryer.

"We're getting one of these magazines too," Ruggie got one from the rack standing to the side.

"Sure," Bernard nodded.

"It is Azul! Look!" Ruggie held the magazine in front of them, and sure enough, Azul was on the cover.

Jamil had no idea that Azul was famous at all, though it wasn't really surprising that his business had reached this level now.

Azul's smile was just like how Jamil remembered it; the corner of his mouth was turned up, and his eyes were subtly narrowed with a hint of mischievousness behind his glasses. And he still seemed comfortable in a fancy suit.

"How's it feel to see your high school crush like this?" Ruggie wiggled the magazine.

"What?" Jamil frowned. "I never had a crush on Azul."

Ruggie snickered. "So you were ogling him just now as a friend?" He held the magazine up in front of Jamil's face.

Jamil shoved the magazine away, but before he could retort, Bernard was back.

"Here you go!" He handed them a paper bag that was warm to the touch.

Ruggie put some coins on the counter, "For the magazine, Bernard." He turned to Jamil and winked. "My treat."

Jamil chose to ignore that and just paid for their order. "Thank you," he said to Bernard and walked away.

"So this is still going, huh," Ruggie said, he had opened the magazine and was reading it while they were walking down the street.

"I didn't know you read entertainment news," Jamil said.

"'With Azul Ashengrotto's birthday just around the corner, everyone is wondering whether we'll finally see someone by his side who isn't just a business partner. Celebrities such as Abigail Marquez and Nikolai Pennington have expressed their affections for the entrepreneur, but Mr. Ashengrotto is yet to pick anyone from his unsurprisingly long line of suitors'," Ruggie read aloud. "Oh yeah, his birthday's coming up. They're really making a big deal out of it."

"I bet he enjoys the attention," Jamil said. "It's good publicity for whatever business he has now."

"He hates it," Ruggie said, still reading the article. "I told him the same thing, about the publicity, but he said it's more trouble than it's worth."

"You still talk to him?" Jamil asked. He hadn't spoken to Azul since NRC, and he vaguely wondered how much he had changed now. The Azul he knew would grab any opportunity for advertisement.

Ruggie nodded. "Yeah, I run errands for him and the twins sometimes. And they help me out in return. Azul's actually the one who gave me a glowing recommendation letter for Queen's Lantern and helped me get in," he closed the magazine. "Man, even businessmen have become celebrities now. Or maybe it's 'cause Azul's pretty handsome for a business tycoon. Right, Jamil?"

Jamil rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Ruggie stepped behind him and started opening his backpack.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jamil turned around and tried to shake him off.

"I don't have any bag with me," Ruggie said, zipping Jamil's backpack closed again. "You carry the magazine for now. I bought it for you, anyway," he walked beside Jamil again and grinned.

"Why do you think I had a crush on him?" Jamil said irritably. "Where's that even coming from?"

"Dude, you guys obviously liked each other, everyone knew that. You never heard anyone mention it?" Ruggie raised an eyebrow.

Jamil looked away. He did hear people talking about it, but he didn't think any of them were serious. He thought it was just one of those things that bored teenagers liked to do; it was fun for them to pair him up with Azul because they often snapped at each other, Azul in his passive-aggressive manner and Jamil being a lot more direct.

"Those were high school rumors," Jamil said. "Don't you think it's childish to still believe them now?"

"You're the one who's still in-denial six years later," Ruggie replied.

"Let's just get to work," Jamil shook his head, glad that they finally arrived at the restaurant and he didn't have to continue this conversation.

* * *

"Is the soup ready yet?" Chef Henry asked as he walked over.

"Almost, Chef," Jamil used the knife to push the diced leeks from the chopping board into the boiling pot of soup. "Just needs to simmer for two more minutes."

"Chef!" Erica, one of the line cooks, approached them. "We're out of cinnamon; we used up the last jar of it this morning for several orders. Zac still isn't back from his supply run."

"For how many orders do we need it now?" Chef Henry asked.

"Just one, Chef, for the Apple Crumble Pie. But Miss Elizabeth Wilkerson ordered it," Erica said worriedly. "We had no idea she was gonna visit today."

"We can't keep a food critic waiting," Chef Henry muttered with a frown. "Has anyone called Zac to ask if he's on his way back?"

"Jamil has some cinnamon in his bag," Ruggie said, stopping by and carrying a tray of beef stew. "I saw it earlier," he told him.

"Oh, right," Jamil remembered. He had bought a small jar of it last night, but he must have forgotten to take it out when he got home. "I'll go get it."

Chef Henry nodded. "Erica, take over for this soup. That should be about ready to serve."

Jamil quickly went to the back where the lockers were and took out his backpack. He rummaged through it; the jar must have gotten buried under his extra clothes and the other ingredients he had bought last night. He took them out and placed them in the locker to make more space for him to look through, then he decided to just bring the bag with him to the kitchen to save time. After locking the locker door, he ran back to the kitchen.

"Did you find it?" Erica asked.

"Hold on," Jamil slowed to a stop and looked through his backpack again, this time he found the jar almost immediately. "Here," he handed it over.

"Thanks," Erica smiled. "Chef said he'd have this replaced," she said and then ran off to bake the pie.

"Jamil!" Ruggie was carrying a tray of pastries in each hand. "You busy? We need more help waiting tables. Those ones should have already been served like 5 minutes ago," he nodded to the counter where two full trays were waiting.

"Sure," Jamil picked up the tray on the right. After looking at the note to see which table to bring it to, he went out to the dining hall.

The place was packed, and there was the buzz of lunchtime chatter that Jamil had learned to expect during their peak hours. He weaved through the other waiters, saying a quick apology and steadying the tray when he slightly bumped into one of them.

He saw the table and walked over, setting the food down as soon as he reached it.

"Rib-eye steak with buttered vegetables, honey-glazed roast chicken with garlic bread, and two glasses of lemon iced tea," Jamil said politely.

"You really took your time, didn't you?" the guy said. He was around Jamil's age, and he was with a girl who looked a little younger. They could be siblings, based on how they resemble each other.

"Pardon us, sir," Jamil said automatically, he was used to these kinds of customers. "Early afternoon is the busiest time here."

"Wait, Jamil?" the girl said in surprise. "We heard you were off traveling."

Jamil frowned. Their accents and complexion did seem like they were from the Scalding Sands, but he didn't know how they knew him.

"Jamil Viper!" the guy said, recognizing him. "I knew you looked familiar! You'd been absent in all of the Asims' events in the last few years."

Now he remembered, Nadia and Farid Abaza. Their family was closely acquainted with the Asims, often dealing in business partnerships. Jamil had accompanied Kalim in playing games with these two a few times when they were small children. He never enjoyed it.

"So you left your honorable place as their servant just to end up waiting tables at some two-star restaurant?" Nadia sneered. "Once a servant, always a servant, it seems."

"How does your so-called independence feel now? Is it worth being disloyal and abandoning your family?" Farid added with a condescending smile.

"It feels pretty good, actually," Jamil said lightly. "And I'm sure my parents are glad that I'm earning my own money now, instead of still freeloading off of them at my age."

Their sneers turned into glares, which Jamil met with a polite smile before saying, "There are other customers to attend to, so if you'll excuse me," he tipped his head and walked away.

He had only taken a few steps when he heard Nadia gasp, "My hairpin!"

"Jamil!" Farid's angry shout stopped him in his tracks.

He turned around to see that the siblings had gotten up from their table and were walking towards him.

"How dare you?" Nadia said. "Return it at once!"

"Return what?" Jamil furrowed his eyebrows.

"Her pin with the ruby!" Farid glared.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jamil said calmly, aware that the raised voices had attracted the attention of the other customers and staff.

"Empty your pockets," Farid said.

Nadia had her hands on her hips, and she looked like she was about to start yelling any second.

Jamil was getting irritated, this was a waste of his time and he had a lot of work to do in the kitchen. Just to get it over with, he transferred the tray to his left hand and dug around in his pockets. He pulled out a handkerchief and two hair ties, placing them on the tray to show Farid and Nadia. He knew that was all he was carrying, so he put his hand in the left pocket of his pants to turn it inside out and show that it was empty—

Except it wasn't empty.

His stomach dropped when his hand closed around the cold metal. He already knew what it was before he pulled it out to show everyone who was watching.

The hairpin was in his hand, its ruby glinting as it caught the light.

"I knew it," Farid said and harshly took the pin. "You've got some nerve stealing from us."

"You're just a lowly thief now, aren't you?" Nadia said, making a show of placing the pin back in her hair.

"I don't know how it got in there," Jamil tried to keep his voice even, but his thoughts were racing. Someone had planted the pin on him, but he knew that anything he said right now would just implicate himself more.

Farid snapped his fingers, and three men appeared seemingly out of nowhere, standing beside the siblings and looking at Jamil with unfriendly expressions. Those bodyguards must have been waiting quietly by the door, and Jamil hadn't noticed them among all the customers.

"You're not getting away with this," Nadia scowled.

"Whoa, wait," Ruggie was suddenly there, he had stepped in front of Jamil with his arms held out defensively. "Jamil wouldn't do that. Let's just talk this out, I'm sure it's just a mistake."

"Your mistake was hiring this thief," Farid said contemptuously. "But don't worry, we'll deal with him."

The tallest of the bodyguards took a step toward them, but Ruggie didn't budge. "I'm pretty sure that's illegal."

"Out of the way, runt," Farid said.

Nadia looked at the bodyguards and jerked her head towards Jamil, "Take him."

"No, wait," Ruggie raised his hands. "We can talk about—"

The guard punched him hard in the face and he fell sideways.

"Ruggie!" Jamil said in a panic, dropping the tray with a clang and rushing over to kneel beside his friend.

"Go," Ruggie said groggily, blood dripping from his mouth and onto the floor. ­

A shadow loomed over them, and the guard extended a hand to grab Jamil's collar.

"Go!" Ruggie yelled.

Jamil scrambled to his feet. The guard swiped at him and he ducked, but he ended up backing into one of the waiters who was carrying a tray with wine glasses. He turned and instinctively caught them, the wine spilling all over his hands and uniform.

The waiter stammered an apology, but Jamil was already running.

The main doors were behind Nadia and Farid, so he headed to the kitchen, hearing the heavy but quick footsteps of the bodyguards close behind him.

He burst through the kitchen doors, startling the chefs and the line cooks. He grabbed his bag from the counter and sprinted out the back door.

With the bodyguards still at his heels, he was grateful for the stamina he had built up from all the hiking and walking around that he had done for the past few years. The guards were faster than they looked, and Jamil didn't want to know what would happen if they reached him.

He turned a corner, cursing his luck when he saw the wide open space of the park. There would be nowhere to hide for miles.

There was a small café in the next block, but he would just be trapping himself in there. He didn't have many options, though, so he ran to it and hoped that there would be someone of authority that he could ask for help. The bodyguards were likely magicless, and it would be illegal for him to use spells on them.

He was nearing the café now, a few cars were on the small parking lot beside it, and the entrance seemed to be on the far side. He pushed himself to run faster—

And bumped right into something so abruptly that he had to blink a few times to realize it was a person wearing a dark blue suit.

"Jamil?" he said, his eyes wide with surprise behind his glasses.

Jamil couldn't say anything, his brain was still trying to process that the person he just saw on a magazine cover was now standing in front of him.

Hurried footsteps sounded close by, and his panicked mind conjured up what Ruggie had said—

"Nothing repels people more than public displays of affection."

He grabbed the front of Azul's suit and pulled him in, turning so that Azul was blocking him from the view of anyone on the street.

Then he closed his eyes and pressed their lips together.

Jamil vaguely heard the footsteps run past. Then he realized that because of the momentum when he turned them, Azul ended up practically pinning him to the wall.

Azul smelled like a refreshing ocean breeze, and his soft lips against Jamil's felt... admittedly not unpleasant.

He came back to his senses and noticed that he couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, and he slowly opened his eyes and loosened his grip on Azul, though their faces remained just inches away from each other.

Azul was staring at him in confusion, his face a bright red and his left hand on the wall beside Jamil's head.

Jamil felt his own face burning, too. He let go of Azul's suit and tried to speak, but no sound came out.

Azul blinked and stepped back. "W-What..."

There was a clinking sound, and Jamil decided to focus on it instead of whatever it was they just did.

"Get in your car," he told Azul, noticing the keys in his right hand.

"What?" Azul frowned.

"Let's go," Jamil said more urgently, looking around to make sure that the guards hadn't come back.

He grabbed Azul's wrist and pressed the button on the key he was holding. A sleek black car lit up and beeped.

Still holding Azul, Jamil pulled him along to the car and opened the door to the driver's side.

"Get in," he repeated, before running to the passenger's side and climbing in.

"Are you planning on telling me what's going on?" Azul said as he got in and started the car.

"I'm being chased," Jamil strapped himself in with the seatbelt. "By the people who punched Ruggie hard enough to make him bleed."

Azul's eyes widened and he looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but he thought better of it and just wore his seatbelt too.

He backed out of the parking lot and drove to the main highway.

"What happened?" Azul asked again, keeping his eyes on the road.

Jamil exhaled, finally allowing himself to relax as the car took them farther away. "Someone planted jewelry on me at work to frame me up for stealing. The owner, one of the customers, set her thugs after me."

"How's Ruggie?"

The concern in Azul's voice caught Jamil off-guard. "He was conscious when I left, but there was blood from his mouth and he was on the floor."

Azul took a moment before speaking again. "Do you know who the owner of the jewel is?"

"Nadia Abaza, she was with her brother, Farid," Jamil answered. "We know each other from the Scalding Sands."

Azul nodded. "I'll have Jade and Floyd sort it out."

"Wait, you believe that I didn't steal it?" Jamil furrowed his eyebrows. "Just like that?"

A small smile appeared on Azul's lips. "Jamil, if you had really wanted to steal it, you would have it by now without anyone knowing."

"Wow, thanks," Jamil said sarcastically. Azul still had a way of saying things that make it unclear whether he was giving a compliment or an insult.

"Do you think Nadia and Farid would leave you alone after today?" Azul turned serious again.

Jamil thought about it; the Abaza family were known for holding grudges, and the Asims were always careful when dealing with them.

He sighed. "No. They'll probably find out where I live."

"I thought as much," Azul said. "You can stay at my house in the meantime, until the real culprit gets caught and your name is cleared. Only Jade and Floyd know where I live; you'll be safe there."

"Why would you help me to that extent?" Jamil asked skeptically. A businessman like Azul must have better things to do than clean up random people's messes.

Azul fell silent, and for several seconds only the hum of the car's engine could be heard.

"Because I also need your help," he finally said.

Jamil just stared at him. The exchange of favors made sense; it was Azul, after all, but... "Why me? Why not Jade or Floyd or, I don't know, anyone from the probably hundreds of people working for you?"

"Even Jade and Floyd are out of ideas, and I don't trust anyone else in the company," Azul said.

"Ideas for what?" Jamil wondered what the problem could be that even the 'Octavinelle Trio' couldn't handle it among themselves.

"The board of directors are once again bringing up the issue of expanding the business," Azul seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "They want our company to merge with another... through marriage."

Jamil let that sink in. He didn't know what he expected the problem to be, but it definitely wasn't that.

"Your board of directors want you to marry for a merger? Like those arranged marriages between kingdoms in the old days?" Jamil couldn't help the tone of his voice, the idea sounded ridiculous. Even the Asims, with their business empire, didn't resort to such things.

"It's more like they see me as an antique vase that they could auction off to the highest bidder," Azul said, and Jamil noticed that his grip on the steering wheel had tightened. "They have several 'candidates' that they want me to consider. Needless to say, I despise being in the office these days."

Jamil remembered what Ruggie said, about how Azul hated all the recent attention he'd been getting.

"So what do you need my help for?" he asked.

"I need a strategist," Azul explained as he slowed to a stop at a red light and turned to look at Jamil. "To figure out a way for those sharks to leave me alone."

"Look at that, it's the first time we've seen each other again in six years and you're right back to convincing me to work for you," Jamil said lightly.

He had meant it as a joke, but Azul's expression became guarded, and he turned to face the road again.

"Never mind then," Azul said quietly.

"Oh come on, I was joking," Jamil said, surprised by how serious Azul was. He must be more upset about the situation than Jamil thought. "I'll help."

The light turned green and they moved forward.

"With me," Azul mumbled.

"What?" Jamil furrowed his eyebrows.

"With me, not for me," Azul clarified. "Even Jade and Floyd don't work for me."

"Seriously, Azul, it's okay." Jamil said. "If you help me sort things out with my job, I'll help you figure out how to solve your situation with the board."

"If you're sure," Azul said evenly.

"You've changed now. Back then you didn't give up so easily on trying to recruit me for Mostro Lounge," Jamil said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Hm," was all Azul said.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Jamil said, leaning back in his seat. It bothered him how quiet Azul was being, he had never seen him like that before. "I didn't realize how bad it is. I guess the 'long-line of suitors' isn't nearly as glamorous as that magazine made it out to be."

"You read those magazines?" Azul asked.

"Ruggie read part of an article out loud, the one about your birthday coming up," Jamil explained. "He bought a copy of this month's Limelight at lunch earlier when he saw you on the cover."

"Ugh, that horrid thing," Azul grimaced.

"What?" Jamil frowned.

"I hate doing photoshoots," Azul muttered, slowing down to a stop to give way at an intersection.

"Why? You look good on that cover," Jamil said without thinking.

Azul looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "An apology and a compliment? You've changed too, it seems. Since when did you speak to me like that?"

"Don't get used to it," Jamil looked away, a little surprised himself at how easily he had said those things to Azul.

"Are you all right with staying at my house for a while?" Azul asked as he drove the car forward again. "We're nearing it."

"Yeah, that's fine," Jamil nodded. "I can crash on your couch for a day or two."

"Jade and Floyd used to live with me there, so there are actually two extra bedrooms," Azul said. "You can pick one later."

"Oh." Of course Azul would have a big house. "Okay."

They spent the rest of the trip without any more conversation, and after several minutes Azul slowed to a stop in front of a three-story house. To Jamil it looked like an elegant geometric puzzle; the walls were made from polished hardwood in one part, and neatly-stacked sandstone on another.

Azul took out a small remote from the glove compartment of his car and the gate opened.

As Azul drove the car inside, Jamil noticed that there were potted plants surrounding the house, and a pathway that seemed to lead to a garden.

"Who does the gardening if you live alone?" Jamil asked. Azul hadn't expressed much interest in plants back then.

"It was Jade's garden when he and Floyd still lived here," Azul said as he parked the car and the gate closed behind them. "I know the basics of how to keep them alive, but it's mostly Jade that tends to them whenever he visits."

They got out of the car and Azul led the way to the front door.

Azul's living room had tall sliding glass doors on one side, and Jamil saw that it led to a pool somewhere in the garden. Three big couches faced a small glass table in the center, and a big flatscreen TV was on the wall.

"Do you have any spare clothes?" Azul asked.

Jamil almost said that he did, but he remembered that he took them out while he was looking for the cinnamon jar. "No, they're in my locker back at the restaurant."

"I'll lend you some of mine," Azul said, gesturing for Jamil to follow him to the stairs. "I can't imagine it's comfortable to wear a damp shirt."

They climbed to the second floor and walked to the end of the hall.

"You can take a shower here," Azul opened the bathroom door. "Spare towels are on the top shelf, they're unused. I'll get your clothes, hold on." He opened another door in the hall and went in.

Jamil washed his hands in the sink, soaping out the smell of spices and the wine that spilled on him. He saw in his reflection that the front of his uniform had a large red stain from that wine; it shouldn't be too hard to get rid of, and hopefully he could go back to his job in a few days.

"Here," Azul reappeared in the doorway and handed him a set of folded clothes.

Jamil took them. "Thanks."

"I'll call Jade and Floyd for a meeting, so we can start on our plans as soon as possible." Azul said before leaving.

Jamil looked around the bathroom. He needed a certain type of shampoo and conditioner for his hair; he still kept it long and wore it in a ponytail or braids, and he had to make sure it didn't become dry or brittle, especially with how much time he spent under the sun while traveling.

Luckily, Azul seemed to have as much concern for his hair, because Jamil saw three types of shampoo and two bottles of conditioner. He didn't bring any of the oils he usually used to prevent his hair from tangling, but that could wait.

After a quick shower, he put on the light blue sweater and grey sweatpants, then tied his damp hair into a loose ponytail before going back downstairs, bringing his backpack with him.

He found the kitchen and got a pitcher of water from the fridge; he hadn't drunk anything since before he started his shift, and all the running he did had left him feeling dehydrated. He had just finished a second glass when his phone rang from his backpack on the counter.

He took it out and was surprised to see Ruggie's name on the screen.

"What happened? How are you?" he asked immediately.

"I'm fine, man," Ruggie answered. "Those customers left soon after their bodyguards did, just put their money on the table and threatened to come after you. You picked up so I'm guessing they didn't get ya? I hope?"

"Yeah, I lost their guards a while back," Jamil said, relieved that Ruggie was okay. "How are things there?"

"It was pretty much back to normal after they left, Miss Heather just gave everyone else free desserts to apologize for the inconvenience," Ruggie said. "I had to wait for things to settle down, though. We still had a lot of customers to serve, I didn't have time to call you sooner."

"Don't worry about it. What did Miss Heather say about the pin?" Jamil asked. He didn't want their manager to believe that he had stolen it.

"Ah, she knows you well enough to know you didn't steal anything," Ruggie said. "And she said to tell you to lay low for a while, just in case those nasty customers come back here. She'll have the security cameras checked to see what really happened. Where are you, anyway? You didn't go back to your apartment, did you?"

"No, I'm..." Jamil trailed off. With everything that Ruggie said earlier that day about him and Azul, he didn't know how Ruggie would react if he told him where he was planning on staying.

"Oh, it's fine, you don't have to tell me," Ruggie assured him. "I totally get it. I'll keep you updated on the security camera footage and stuff, okay?"

Jamil briefly considered telling Ruggie about Azul's plan for Jade and Floyd to help, but they hadn't discussed it yet and he didn't want to take any steps without a proper strategy in place.

"Okay," he said instead. "Thanks, Ruggie."

"Not a problem. I gotta get back to work now, I'll see you around," Ruggie said before hanging up.

Jamil returned the pitcher in the fridge and began washing the glass he used.

"Sea Snake?" a surprised voice said.

Jamil looked up from the sink and saw a tall figure standing by the doorway, wearing sneakers, jeans, and a dark green jacket that was unzipped over a white shirt with the words 'Over the Sea' printed on it.

"Oh, hey Floyd."

"You're here!" Floyd charged at him and wrapped him in a tight hug, lifting him a few inches from the floor.

"Okay, okay, it's good to see you too," Jamil chuckled as Floyd set him down.

"Wait," Floyd squinted and looked him up and down. "Are those Azul's clothes?" He sniffed at Jamil's hair, "And his shampoo?"

"Uh, yeah," Jamil returned the glass in the cabinet. He was about to explain why he had to borrow them but Floyd suddenly gasped.

His sharp teeth showed as his smile grew wider. "Are you and Azul...?"

Jamil felt his face warm as he realized what Floyd was implying. "No. No, it's not like that," he hurriedly explained, looking Floyd in the eyes to make sure he understood. "Some wine spilled on my uniform at work and I didn't have any extra clothes with me. That's it."

"Eh?" Floyd's smile fell. "Really? That's disappointing."

"What?" Jamil frowned. What was that about? Was Floyd thinking the same thing as Ruggie about him and Azul?

"There you are," Azul came up behind Floyd. "I'd been looking for you two. The meeting's in the living room. Come along."

"Huh?" Floyd looked over his shoulder. "Oh, right. I was just gonna get a snack. And you didn't tell us Sea Snake was here!" He scowled at Azul as he bent down to get an ice cream cup from the fridge.

"That's why we're having the meeting," Azul said patiently. "Now let's go."

"Aight," Floyd took a spoon from a drawer, then he and Jamil followed Azul.

Jade was sitting on the sofa nearest the window when they arrived at the living room; he wasn't dressed as casually as Floyd, and Jamil wondered if they came from the same place. His black shoes were polished to a shine, and he was wearing slacks and a dark red button-up shirt with long sleeves. A steaming cup of tea was on the table in front of him.

"Fortune Illustrated is asking for an interview," Jade said while typing on a tablet.

"No," Azul said immediately, taking a seat on the sofa to Jade's right, across the flatscreen TV. "They're just going to ask again which company we'd merge with next and I am not in the mood to answer."

"Noted," Jade said and looked up, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Jamil?"

"Hey," Jamil sat down on the sofa next to Jade.

"Azul said he would explain," Floyd took the sofa to Azul's right, across Jade and Jamil, and kicked off his shoes before putting his feet up and reclining.

"Oh? Alright, then," Jade smiled and turned to Azul. "Why is Jamil wearing one of your favorite sweaters?"

"Yeah," Floyd said, taking the lid off the ice cream cup. "You really let him borrow 'one of your most comfortable ones'," he made air quotes with his fingers. "You wear it all the time."

Azul glared at them. "I didn't call you here to talk about my clothing."

"Your clothing that is currently on Jamil," Jade maintained his smile.

"Can we focus, please?" Azul said sharply.

Knowing that he was wearing a shirt that Azul apparently wore all the time, Jamil remembered how warm Azul's body felt pressed against him earlier by the café.

Jamil felt his face flush, and he cursed himself for letting his mind wander like that. Azul was right, they had to focus.

"I believe it's time to start coming up with ideas again about our most pressing problem," Azul said.

"Hold on a moment," Jade furrowed his eyebrows at Azul. "Is that wine on your suit? It's unlike you to spill food on yourself."

Azul looked down at his clothes. It wasn't easily noticeable because of the suit's dark blue color, but now that Jade had pointed it out, Jamil could see wine stains down its front.

"Wine?" Floyd frowned at Jamil.

Jamil avoided Floyd's eyes and looked at Azul, holding his breath while waiting for what he might say.

"That doesn't matter," Azul straightened his suit without looking at any of them, and Jamil thought he saw his cheeks turn a shade of pink. "Let's start the meeting."

"Alright," Jade nodded. "I presume you inquired for Jamil's help?"

"I did. He has recently gotten involved in some trouble and I proposed that we could be of assistance to each other," Azul gestured for him to talk.

"Someone at my job framed me for stealing a ruby hairpin," Jamil said. "I ran into Azul while I was trying to escape the owner's thugs."

"Letting others take the fall for a scheme? Lame," Floyd said before eating another spoonful of the ice cream.

"Where was this?" Jade asked curiously.

"Queen's Lantern, the restaurant that Azul helped Ruggie get into," Jamil said.

"You and Floyd would investigate and clear Jamil's name," Azul told Jade. "And he would help us formulate a new plan regarding the board of directors."

"We shake around some people and find the sneaky culprit, right?" Floyd scooped out the last of his ice cream and got up to place the empty cup on the table. "Yeah we can do that."

Azul gave him a pointed look.

"Metaphorically shake around some people," Floyd gave his best attempt at an innocent smile.

Jade turned to Jamil and handed him a calling card. "Email me the names of all your coworkers and the customers present, as far as you can recall. Though if you don't mind, I would like to start the discussion on the matter about Azul first," he looked over to Azul.

"Why?" Azul tensed up. "What happened?"

"Director Stanton asked me this morning why you weren't at the office," Jade began.

"Simple. I hate them," Azul said with a straight face.

Jade chuckled. "Yes, well, I wasn't sure if you wanted me to tell him that, so what I said was you were busy organizing the details of your birthday gala."

"And now they want to hear those details in a meeting soon," Azul guessed.

"And we are all aware that any meeting these days is another excuse for them to talk about who you might consider dating before your birthday arrives," Jade said.

Azul sighed in exasperation. "We need something new to tell them at the next meeting."

"Precisely," Jade nodded and looked at Jamil.

"What were your ideas so far?" Jamil asked them.

"I suggested that Azul could become rude and ugly or something so people would stop tryna marry him," Floyd said, leaning back in his seat. "But he didn't like that."

"Of course I didn't," Azul frowned at him. "We're trying to get me my freedom, not ruin my reputation."

"And I proposed that he could be more of a recluse like Idia, even if it's temporary," Jade took a sip from his tea. "He is happily managing his own tech company now but he is rarely seen by the public. Even when we all meet up to play board games, it is us who go to his house."

"I considered going with that approach, but I have always been hands-on when it comes to my endeavors," Azul said. "Neglecting them could lead to vulnerabilities."

"How did the board react when you said you weren't interested in being married off?" Jamil knew that Azul would have told them that from the very beginning.

"They said that I should think about the business, having a partner with powerful connections of their own would greatly secure the company." Azul lightly massaged his temple, as if just the memory of that interaction was giving him a headache. "I can't openly oppose or fire any of them; they could easily sell company secrets or turn on me. So I merely said that I would handle it on my own."

"We could revisit the idea of you actually dating someone," Jade said slowly. "Just to placate the board for a little while and make you unavailable to those vying for your hand, corporations and celebrities alike. It worked with Miss Coldfire back then."

"Oh yeah," Floyd said. "Maybe you could make a deal with her again or something."

Azul shook his head. "We just allowed the dating rumors about us to happen back then because it was good publicity for both our cafés, but now the board would want me to marry whomever I would date, and I cannot be in a long-term arrangement such as a marriage with Scarlet. It's possible that she would cooperate, but her mischievous guile would have me looking over my shoulder all the time. She's like Jade in a dress, except I can't trust her like I do Jade."

"Oh, I'm touched," Jade said playfully.

Scarlet Coldfire. The name sounded familiar to Jamil, but he couldn't place where he might have heard it.

"Then why not marry Jade?" he suggested. "That seems like the most convenient option."

"And glaringly obvious," Jade pointed out. "Everyone knows that Floyd and I are Azul's closest friends and business associates. If Azul and I suddenly get married during a time when the board is asking him to find a spouse, they would know that Azul is just trying to find an escape."

Azul sighed. "It would be impossible to find a skilled enough actor that we could trust enough. I doubt we'll find someone who wouldn't take advantage of being legally married to me, and there's always the risk of them revealing that it's just for show. We need a different plan."

"Hm," Jade hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps you and Jamil could discuss new potential strategies while Floyd and I head over to Queen's Lantern. That way, we would have progress for both situations that we need to solve."

Azul nodded. "Alright, keep us updated."

"I'll let Ruggie know you're coming," Jamil said. "You could talk to him, he was there the entire time."

"We shall," Jade put his tablet in the small bag he was carrying. "Oh, and Azul, when was the last time you ate?"

Azul frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You told me to make sure you don't get sick again," Jade reminded him.

Azul was quiet for a few seconds before answering. "Breakfast. I ate breakfast."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "And you are aware that it's long past lunch?"

"I'll eat, just go to Queen's Lantern already," Azul said impatiently, and Jamil wondered how he got sick back then.

Jade stood and picked up his teacup and saucer. "I shall wash this in the kitchen and then we'll go."

"I’m just gonna wait for you here," Floyd said, still in his seat. "It'll be neat to see lil' Remora. We haven't hung out in a while."

Jade turned to Jamil and smiled. "Speaking of which, it's good to see you again, Jamil. With you here, I believe things would really change."

---

Thanks to @kunikyuzushi​ for this post~ These tags are what gave me the idea for this whole fic <3 

Reference for the exterior of Azul’s house

Reference for Azul’s living room

- - -

Author’s Note

- I first had the idea for an AzuJami Marriage Contract fic when soybeansproutedrin mentioned it in one of their comments in Granting Favors, my first AzuJami fic. They said that it could be an interesting trope for the ship, and then I later saw kunikyuzushi's tags on Tumblr, and the story idea gradually formed over time.

- I thank them for helping me come up with this idea in the beginning, and I'm really happy that I finally made something out of it now~

- Scarlet Coldfire is the OC I made when I wrote my very first fanfic ever. I wasn’t into fanfics at all until @patchyegg87  got me into TWST. It was before Book 4 was released in JP and I didn’t ship Azul with any character yet, so I made Scarlet. Then I wrote my first TWST fanfic and basically never stopped.  

- Also I can’t draw so I just edited the magazine with Azul on it. 

- July and August had been so busy for me, so I uploaded this a little later than I intended. I’m hoping to upload Chapter 2 by the end of September.

- For readers of Granting Favors, I’m planning to upload Chapter 11 in the first half of September. Thank you for all your patience and I hope you enjoyed the start of this other AzuJami fanfic from me! 

- I’ll keep posting writing updates here and on my Twitter  to let you all know how it’s going. 

- Thank you for reading! <3 

- - -

Chapter 2 -->

(Masterlist)

(Ko-fi)

[merotwst]

THOUGHT OMG

JAMIL’S EATING UH SOMETHING

WHAT IS THAT SOMETHING?

NOT IMPORTANT

JUST SHAHW

“Jamil~ can I try?”

“Fine, come here—“

And then you kiss him and he’s a mess that is being held together with a hoodie ‼️

Or something I ajhssjja was eating ice cream and had the thought <3 very common thought but adorbz ;3

WAHHSSH NO CUZ HE'D EITHER GET HIS WITS TOGETHER (barely, btw) AND GIVE U A BLANK STARE THEN ACT COCKY ABOUT IT (and possibly steal kisses from you as well as 'payback') OR HE'D BE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE AND DIE INSIDE AND HIDE UNDER HIS HOOD UEUEUEUEUE URE BRILLIANT ROOKIE ILY