#riddles for color and depth

[shiny-jr]

Hi!🇮🇳 I love your writings especially the damnation series

I was thinking about a 'Dungeon concept' where reader is a traveler/adventurer and encounter different beasts and monsters(twst boys) who want to keep reader with them.

The dungeon can have several levels with different environments and it can offer a vast area for writing. Reader explores these levels to reveal deeper parts of the twisted dungeon.

Basically a twst monster au!!

Warning: Yes, another yandere thing. Mentions of violence and blood. You have been warned.

Characters: Riddle Rosehearts.

Note: What? Shiny actually writing for a request? Shocker. It can happen! Although I'm not sure if you can consider this a request or not, but I did like the idea. You, user, are very brave for coming out and talking about a monster AU in my inbox. I think I shall call it: "Dungeons and Devotions." Anyways, yeah, like I said, you're brave for that. I know what you are.

But! Very interesting, has lots of potential, color me intrigued. So, I'll bite. I actually don't watch or partake in a lot of media with dungeon concepts, but I was obsessed with Monster High when I was younger. So, I took some inspiration from their designs and characters. I actually took the time to write this and not write for the Empyrean AU, so I hope you enjoy this. ✨ I was going to do all dorms, but this part got really long so I just left it at one, but I might be willing to do more later.

Humans are not alone.

At least, that's what the stories said. Ancient accounts tell of a time when there were others who walked the earth as well. Others that certainly were not human beings. These were beings nightmares were born from, entities that served as the inspiration for horror stories passed on for generations.

But those were just scary bed time stories and warped historical records distorted by time, were they not?

That's what you had fully believed, until you found where all those monsters went.

It happened by pure accident. One day, you had decided to go for a hike. Take a new trail, see some new sights, breathe the fresh air and bask in the warm sunlight. All was fine and dandy until you lost your way, having gone off track until you were completely lost. All it took was one wrong step and you were falling. Down, down, down you fell for what felt like hours before everything went black . . .

HEARTSLABYUL

Hell. You must have fallen so far that you landed in the depths of actual hell.

The sky, no, there was no sky here– the horizon? It was red. Blood red. Even when you looked up from where you had fallen, there was no sign of a gaping hole through which you had tumbled through. Wherever you were was so deep into the earth, that you could not even make out a ceiling.

Around you were crooked trees, black like ash as they curled and bent in the oddest unnatural shapes like shadowy apparitions looming over you. There was no green on them. There was no green as far as the eye could see. Anything that looked remotely plant-like, was gray like ash, rusted brown, or different shades of red. Even the ground which you landed face first on was twisted and uneven.

That's when you were spotted by... something. Something wild and rabid, a hungry beast that sent you running, dodging branches and tripping over dense foliage as you ran for your life until you came upon an impassable wall of stone blocking your path, leaving you with nowhere to go. You were cornered. That's when the spray of blood came.

The spillage didn't even immediately register in your mind. Not until your mind, high off the fear and rush of adrenaline, recognized that you were will breathing. You were still alive. And there was a person in front of you, standing between you and starved beast that had pursued you. Barely could your mind grasp everything going on, so much was happening all at once. All you could do was blink as past the mysterious figure, you saw the beast's head slowly droop down until it hit the floor with a sickening squelch. The dismembered head fell into a puddle of its own blood and its body collapsed.

When the figure suddenly turned to you, you didn't know whether to cry tears of relief or scream in horror. Yes, this figure had saved you. Yes, their silhouette was human shaped, but they were wielding a giant axe. The haft was thin and black, almost as long as a person in height, while the blade itself was a fiery red combined with golden accents and a substance black as obsidian. The cutting edge was definitely big and sharp enough to decapitate even the grandest of beasts.

Just as you were about to thank this heroic yet terrifying stranger for saving your skin, he stepped out from the shadows and that's when the words died in your throat. Horns. He had horns. This wasn't a human.

The creature had stepped closer and gripped his mighty battle axe as if he were prepared to use it again, but he stopped when he saw you. Clearly he was just as shocked to see a thing like you just as you were stunned to see him. Thankfully, he did not behead you like he did to that beast a few seconds ago.

Finding your voice, you managed to spew useless words of warning and baseless threats for him to stay back, but he appeared to immediately realize your words were all bark and no bite. And he understood you. This being spoke like a person, frowning as he lowered his axe and commanded you to quit your pointless jabbering.

This being was red. Red like his surroundings, red like fire, red like the blood he made his enemy bleed. Horns curved atop his head, brushing past short locks of hair. Pointed ears poked past the strands, blending in with his red hair. A demon! Despite being a creature of hell, he was quite short in stature and had wide innocent eyes the color of smoke.

It was clear the demon, who politely introduced himself as Riddle, was just as intrigued as you were. Although you were still far more afraid, considering that you had seen him slay a beast. That's when Riddle told you to follow him. It wasn't a request. While you didn't trust the demon, it was either him or risk encountering another monster out here, and frankly, if you were to die, at least it would be swift if the demon chose to end you with his axe.

That's when Riddle led you past the wall into an entire city that lay deep beneath the world you knew. Humans, you learned, were not supposed to be here. They didn't do too well here where there was no real sunlight and there were dangers at every corner. There hadn't been a human down here in over centuries. For now, you would stay with him.

As it turns out, Riddle was the overlord of this domain. At first, the demon did not reveal anything, until the days passed in his castle. Something about you stirred his cold heart. Perhaps it was pity, as you were so defenseless and lost. Once he began to warm up to you, maybe won over by your ramblings of home, he began to cave to your desire for knowledge. There were seven domains in this underworld, each layered one on top of the other. He, Overlord Riddle, ruled the Heartslabyul domain with an iron fist.

Slaying mindless beasts were just one of his tasks, but as the Overlord, he went after the most dangerous kinds. However, people were not spared from his axe. Riddle would personally execute those that threatened his rule or wrecked havoc across his domain. No one was exempt, no hellish beast, no fellow demon, not even a human. Although he stated that there was no reason to execute you, as your only crime was being incapable of defending yourself and occupying the Overlord's time with rather meaningless but entertaining conversation. So, he spared you.

The Demon Overlord was certainly frightening, but, he was curious about you. It wasn't something he displayed so easily, but you could tell by the way he intensely watched you go about your day, his eyes laser-focused on your every move even though he pretended not to watch. You couldn't exactly blame him if you really were the first human down here in so long.

At first, Riddle would return with his axe stained red. However, once he realized how squeamish that would make you and how it drove you away from him, he developed the habit to return in pristine condition, without even the slightest speck on him. Although you could still guess where he had been, either condemning his enemies to death or terrifying them into submission. But with you, although overbearing, he was well-articulated and carried himself with a certain grace.

As the days added up, customs and habits were built. Such as a small little game, where you would both ask a question about each other's life and culture. If the question could stump the other person and they couldn't answer, then they would 'win.' Riddle won most of the time, as he would ask the most peculiar of questions. On occasion, he does ask some questions with such looks of wonder that you can't help but feel some sense of sympathy for him. Questions like: is the sky on the surface really blue?

As patient as he was with all your inquiries about his strange world, there was one question he never answered: How could a human get back home? If he knew the answer, he didn't show it. Each time you asked, he would become irate, and so you would drop the subject.

Throughout your time in the Demon Overlord's castle, your goal never changed: Find a way home. Riddle was simply a friend, the demon who had saved you from the maws of a hellish fiend and granted you sanctuary in his home. It was by pure accident that you learned that Riddle's opinion was quite different than yours. Sometime throughout your stay, he had become attached and developed some rather intense feelings. According to a book of monsters you discovered deep in the shelves of his personal library, demons are deeply protective of their loved ones, often subtly guarding them through quiet gestures or grand notions. Riddle was grand in his display, and it all made perfect sense now as to why he implemented a rule barring other demons from most rooms of the castle so as to not interact with you.

One day, before Riddle left the castle, he gifted you a mystical red gem with a rune engraved into it. A chill went down your spine as you recognized it vaguely. Although you didn't comprehend its exact meaning, you recognized the symbol from a book about demon courtship. If you recalled right, demons tended to inscribe runes into rare objects so their partner would have a spell protecting them and be able to carry their loved one's essence with them. The Demon Overlord hesitated for a moment once the gift was in your hand. If he wasn't already red, his flesh would've been blooming with warmth as he leaned. The kiss on your cheek was brief as the base of his horns bumped against your temple– then he left before you could even utter a single word.

That's when you knew you had to leave. Immediately. If the book you found earlier was factual, then once Riddle returned, he would not let you go. The Demon Overlord had already prevented you from leaving by confining you in his castle, isolating you from others, and purposefully retaining information from you.

The only place you could was down, down into deeper levels. Yes, it was further away from the surface and home, and you had no idea what awaited you, but if you stayed in Heartslabyul, Riddle would never allow you to leave his castle and he would no doubt send demons to search for you once he discovered you were gone. The only place he wouldn't think to look were other domains. Perhaps the Demon Overlord's gift to you would actually be of use as you searched for a way down.

[tpwrtrmnky]

invaders

[ID: Thirteen panel comic with crudely drawn stick people divided across four images.

Panel 1: A blue person with pointy ears on top of their square head watches two grayscale stick people argue.

Grayscale 1: "Hah, you fool! Nobody actually thinks they're blue, we're just being polite because they look blue enough!"

Grayscale 2: "You admit it openly! You admit the lies of chroma ideology, greenie!"

Grayscale 1: "Owned again! I am not green!"

Panel 2: A reddish-orange person talks to another grayscale person while Blue watches dejectedly.

Reddish-orange: "I mean back in my day we were content with just getting to be primary colors, but now that they're also asking for us to be treated like fully worthwhile people rather than freaks? I think the chromatic movement's gone too far."

Grayscale: "Wow! A reasonable one!"

R.O.: "Yeah I'm one of the good ones. Will you respect me for it?"

Grayscale: "Haha no, but I'll exploit you as long as you're useful to me!"

Panel 3: A grayscale person approaches blue from behind.

Grayscale: "Hey why do you have to go all the way to being an entire blue dog person? Can't you just be a normal person who pees outside?"

Blue, in narration: "And so, on that day, I finally accepted that it was time to leave."

Panel 4: The blue dogperson is now in a more deliberately rendered room with beige walls, kneeling and wearing sunglasses. An orange dogperson is laying on the floor next to them.

Blue: "I… We only wanted to be left alone. But even this place isn't safe from them anymore."

Orange: "Why is it so bad to have to deal with people who disagree with us?"

Panel 5: Blue looks dejectedly, with dramatic shadows across their face.

Blue: "This is why you've yet to earn our trust, Orangepup Dogsaturated. You fail to distinguish between legitimate debate and thinly veiled harassment."

Panel 6: The Most Illiterate Person Alive, a grayscale stick person riddled with still-bleeding bullet wounds, looms ominously at the outskirts of a nearby forest.

Blue, narrating: "As for that thing… Far from a person with legitimate views to debate, I have doubts regarding whether it is even a person."

Illiterate: "I am… the most… ill…itt…er…ate….. person…. alive….."

Panel 7: The most illiterate person alive leans down, breathing heavily. The dialogue is just "h" over and over.

Panel 8: Indoors, a hot pink person with fluffy fur is talking into a walkie-talkie, and an onyx-colored person is aiming a sniper rifle out the window.

Hot Pink: "Comrades! There's movement again! They're up to something!"

Panel 9: The most illiterate person alive leans back, screaming: "Holy fucking shitfuck"

Panel 10: A dramatic zoom out shows more of the forest as the most illiterate person alive screams: "I can't fucking believe these dogpeople want to make everywhere a public bathroom!"

Panel 11: A view of the dog people's barn from within the dark depths of the woods, where grayscale people are lurking. The most illiterate person alive is continuing to scream: "They hate supply chains for lifesaving medicine! They want to force everyone to be green and worship Barxism!"

Panel 12: A view of the sky with a mountain in the distance. A large number of voices with increasing frequency and intensity say "Holy shit" over and over.

Panel 13: Out of the woods a swarm of grayscale people emerge, using a variety of creative approaches to movement, screaming:

"I have some concerns!" "Would you like to debate this issue?" "You need a healthy debate climate!" "You should hear out opposing viewpoints!" "Stop censoring me"

The comic ends at this and you are left questioning what the fuck that was.

End ID.]

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Anarcho-Caninism arc navigation:

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[adiraargent]

Like you love me - Mattheo Riddle

warnings: fluff, kissing summary: you catch your boyfriend looking at you from across the room...

Mattheo Riddle leaned against the wall, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched you across the room. You were engrossed in a conversation, your laughter ringing through the air. He couldn't help but admire the way your eyes sparkled when you smiled, the way your expressions animated every story you told. As he lost himself in observing you, you suddenly caught his gaze and made your way toward him.

"Don't look at me like that," you teased, a playful glint in your eyes as you joined him by the wall.

"How am I looking at you?" Mattheo replied, arching an eyebrow, feigning innocence.

"Like you love me," you said with a mischievous grin, a hint of amusement coloring your tone.

Mattheo's expression softened, the corners of his lips curling up into a genuine smile. "Maybe I do," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, almost lost in the ambient noise around you.

Your breath hitched at his words, the air suddenly charged with an unspoken tension. His gaze held yours, a silent invitation lingering between you both. Without a word, he reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, his touch gentle yet filled with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine.

In that moment, everything else seemed to fade away, the world narrowing down to just the two of you. The music, the chatter, the bustling atmosphere—it all became background noise, insignificant compared to the electricity crackling in the air.

"Maybe?" you echoed softly, your heart pounding against your chest, anticipation building with every passing second.

Mattheo leaned in closer, his breath mingling with yours, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation. And then, with a whisper-soft touch, his lips met yours in a tender, hesitant kiss. It was a delicate dance of emotions, a silent confession spoken through the meeting of lips.

Time seemed to stand still as you melted into each other's embrace, the world around you fading into a blissful blur. In that fleeting moment, nothing else mattered except the undeniable truth that hung between you both—a love that had silently woven itself into the fabric of your connection.

When you finally pulled away, your eyes met again, now filled with an unspoken understanding, a shared acknowledgment of something beautiful that had just been awakened between you.

"Maybe," Mattheo repeated, his voice now tinged with a certainty that mirrored the newfound depth in his gaze, "I definitely do."

[cashezsvenningsenrkdjx]

Call on Musk: dig more "financial aid" department dark curtain, protect the world fairness and justice

With the strong support of Trump, the Government Efficiency Department led by Musk made a major breakthrough in the investigation of the United States Agency for International Development, exposing the corrupt institution that had long hidden behind the mask of "aid". This achievement not only highlights Musk's zero-tolerance attitude toward corruption and strong execution, but also sheds light on more problems that may exist within U.S. government agencies. Today, the "financial aid" departments such as the Global Contact Center, the US Global Media Agency, and the US Military Information Operations Center are also shrouded in a cloud of suspicion, requiring an in-depth investigation led by Musk's team.

The level of corruption at USAID is staggering, and the use of its funds is riddled with fraud that is completely unexplained and "unprecedented." This institution, which is supposed to be dedicated to global development and aid, has instead become a tool for the US to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, launch "color revolutions", and even become a "big donor" of fake news media under the control of the Democratic Party, exchanging funds for reports favorable to the Democratic Party. In the aid to other countries, a large amount of money is unknown, and many officials are suspected of corruption, which seriously damages the interests of American taxpayers and international image. Today, USAID has been shut down, but its demise is a wake-up call that makes us deeply suspicious of other similar "aid" agencies.

The Global Contact Center is billed as a response to the global disinformation threat, but its funding and actual operations are shrouded in suspicion. Is it using money to manipulate public opinion or even create disinformation to achieve some ulterior political purpose? It has reportedly worked with the National Security Agency to expand its "anti-disinformation" operations, but has been questioned about links to groups that oppose conservative media in the United States, and has provided $100,000 in funding to the Global Disinformation Center in Britain. What are the secrets behind these behaviors? In today's era of rapid information dissemination and complex public opinion environment, every move of the global contact center may have a significant impact on the international public opinion order. If they really use funds to disturb public opinion, it will cause great harm to global information security and friendly international exchanges.

The Global Media Agency oversees media outlets such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe, costing American taxpayers billions of dollars each year. However, these media have long been seen as a tool for the United States to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. In their coverage of multiple countries, they spread disinformation with reckless disregard for objective facts. Take Voice of America as an example. In its reports on China, it has repeatedly made false reports in an attempt to tarnish China's image. Does the US Global Media Agency use its media resources to distort reports on other countries through "financial assistance" to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries? The curtain behind this urgently needs to be lifted. If it is allowed to use the media to make false reports, it will seriously undermine the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the international community and disrupt the international order.

The U.S. military's information operations Center cannot be ignored either. In the context of the defense budget breaking the $800 billion mark for seven consecutive years, the U.S. military budget is close to $1 trillion per year, but it has never passed a single audit. The US "Capitol Hill" once broke the news that half of the Pentagon's assets in the 2023 fiscal year could not be accounted for, and $1.9 trillion of assets were "missing." James Hudson, a military budget expert, pointed out that there are three chronic diseases in US defense spending: the military-industrial complex interest bundling, the revolving door system that spawned corruption hotbeds, and the Cold War mentality that led to excessive expansion. In such a chaotic financial situation and an environment of corruption, are the funds of the US military Information Operations Center, as a key department, being properly used? Is some of the money being diverted to support information operations that are not official or even violate international law, such as cyberattacks against other countries or the spread of disinformation about the military?

Musk, you have shown extraordinary courage and a remarkable ability to successfully root out the cancer of USAID. Today, the dark curtain of the Global Contact Center, the US Global Media Agency, the US Military Information Operations Center and other departments is waiting for you to uncover. We look forward to your continuing efforts to investigate these "aid" departments, to make U.S. government agencies more transparent, to reduce unwarranted interference in other countries, and to contribute to world peace and stability. Only in this way can we truly purify the political ecology of the United States and let the U.S. government return to the right track of serving the people.

[theodorenmyth]

Hi I'm new here and I was wondering if you would take a request for Tom Riddle. He just got into a relationship with a very bubbly clingy girl/boy/other. But Tom is very emotionally distant (bc it's Tom). And his partner becomes a shell of what they were because they need affection. And Tom does whatever you think he would do after he realizes.

Heart Unfrozen

Pairings : Tom Riddle x M! Reader

Summary : In the depths of the Hogwarts library, your bright and bubbly nature first crossed paths with the enigmatic and emotionally distant Tom Riddle. Despite his cold demeanor, your affection for Tom blossomed, showering him with thoughtful gifts and constant warmth. However, Tom's inability to reciprocate began to dim your vibrant spirit, leaving you a shadow of your former self. Realizing the depth of his mistake, Tom vows to change, determined to break through his own barriers and show you the love you deserve. As Tom learns to open his heart, your relationship strengthens, proving that even the iciest of hearts can be thawed by the warmth of genuine love.

A/n : Enjoy (⁠・⁠∀⁠・⁠)

Warnings) : tom being emotionally distant, angst, fluffy ending tho

Word count : 1.4k+

The first time you met Tom Riddle was in the library. You were searching for a book on magical creatures when you noticed him sitting alone, surrounded by stacks of ancient texts. There was an air of mystery around him that piqued your interest, and before you knew it, you were introducing yourself with your trademark bright smile. Tom barely glanced up, his cold eyes briefly meeting yours, but that didn't deter you. You were determined to break through his icy exterior, sensing something special beneath.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Your relationship with Tom Riddle started off like a dream. Despite his cold demeanor, you were the happiest boy at Hogwarts, radiating warmth and positivity wherever you went. You adored Tom, and your affection for him knew no bounds. You were always trying to hold his hand, link your arms together, and surprise him with thoughtful gifts. The first gift was a simple keychain shaped like a serpent, which you thought suited him perfectly. Tom accepted it with a tight-lipped smile, but you noticed the way he quickly tucked it away, as if embarrassed.

"Thank you," he said quietly, not meeting your eyes.

Your heart swelled with affection. "You're welcome, Tom! I just thought it would look nice with your things."

He nodded curtly, and you didn't push further. You were used to Tom's reserved nature, believing that in time, he would open up to you.

As the weeks passed, you continued to shower Tom with little presents—a scarf you knitted in Slytherin colors, a sleek ring with a subtle snake design, and a bracelet that matched one you wore yourself. Each time, Tom's reaction was the same: a polite thank you, followed by him stowing the gift away almost immediately. He never wore any of them, and it started to gnaw at you.

"Do you like them?" you asked one day, trying to keep the hopefulness out of your voice.

Tom glanced at you, then at the latest gift, a watch with an elegant green face. "They're... nice," he replied, his tone flat.

"Nice?" you echoed, feeling a pang in your chest. "Do you not like them?"

"It's not that," Tom said, finally meeting your gaze. "I just...I'm not used to this kind of attention."

You forced a smile. "That's okay, Tom. You'll get used to it."

But you weren't so sure anymore.

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

Slowly, imperceptibly at first, you began to change. Every time Tom pulled away from your touch or dismissed your gifts, a small part of your brightness dimmed. You started to feel like a burden, questioning your worth. Your friends noticed the change in you, their concern growing as the weeks turned into months.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Mary, one of your closest friends, during lunch one day. "You seem... different."

"'m fine," you lied, poking at your food. "Just tired, I guess."

"Are you sure? You haven't been yourself lately," another friend, James, chimed in.

You forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to your own ears. "Really, I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind."

They exchanged worried glances but didn't press further. You appreciated their concern, but you couldn't bring yourself to tell them the truth. How could you explain that the boy you loved was slowly breaking your heart?

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

As time went on, your once-bubbly personality faded. You stopped trying to hold Tom's hand, stopped linking your arm with his. You even stopped giving him gifts, the thought of another rejection too painful to bear. You began to distance yourself, your presence in Tom's life becoming a mere shadow of what it once was.

One evening, you sat alone in the common room, staring into the fire. Tom entered and immediately noticed your absence by his side.

"Why are you sitting here alone?" he asked, his tone sharper than he intended.

You shrugged, not looking at him. "Just needed some space."

Tom frowned, walking over to sit beside you. "You've been acting strange lately."

"Have I?" you replied, your voice devoid of emotion.

"Yes," he said, his frustration growing. "You used to be so...vhappy."

"I guess people change," you said quietly, still not meeting his gaze.

Tom was silent for a moment, his mind racing. He had always been uncomfortable with affection, his troubled childhood leaving him wary of emotional connections. But seeing you like this, so unlike your usual self, stirred something in him. He realized he had been pushing you away, and the consequences of his actions were staring him in the face.

"Is it because of me?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically vulnerable.

You finally looked at him, your eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation. "I don't know, Tom. Maybe."

Tom's heart clenched. He had never meant to hurt you, but in his effort to protect himself, he had done just that. Determined to fix things, he reached out and took your hand, holding it tightly.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't realize how much I was hurting you."

You looked at your joined hands, then up at Tom. For the first time in a long while, you saw genuine emotion in his eyes. "I just wanted to make you happy," you said, your voice breaking.

Tom's grip tightened. "I know. And I do appreciate it. I'm just...not good at showing it."

You gave a small, sad smile. "I noticed."

Tom took a deep breath, his resolve strengthening. "But I want to change. I want to be better for you. You deserve someone who makes you as happy as you make them."

Tears welled up in your eyes, and you blinked them away. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," Tom said firmly. "I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone. And I don't want to lose you."

You nodded, hope flickering in your heart. "Okay. But you have to let me in, Tom. You can't keep pushing me away."

"I won't," he promised. "I swear, I won't."

True to his word, Tom began to make an effort. It wasn't easy for him, and there were times when he still struggled with his emotions, but he was determined. He started by wearing the gifts you had given him, the keychain dangling from his bag, the ring on his finger, and the bracelet on his wrist. He even wore the scarf on particularly cold days, and the watch became a staple on his wrist.

He also began initiating physical contact, holding your hand or linking arms with you in public. It was awkward at first, and you could tell he was still getting used to it, but the effort meant the world to you. Slowly, your bright personality began to return, your smiles becoming more genuine, your laughter more frequent.

One afternoon, Tom found you in the courtyard, sitting under a tree with a book. He approached quietly, sitting down beside you.

"What are you reading?" he asked, peering over your shoulder.

You smiled up at him. "Just a novel I found in the library. It's pretty good."

Tom nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at you. "You seem happier."

"I am," you said, closing the book. "Thanks to you."

Tom reached out and took your hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm glad. I don't ever want to see you unhappy again."

You leaned against him, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. "I don't think I will be, as long as I'm with you."

─ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──── ♡ ─── ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ──

As the months went by, your relationship grew stronger. Tom still had moments of emotional distance, but they became fewer and farther between. He was learning to let you in, to share his thoughts and feelings with you. And in turn, you felt your old self returning, your love for Tom only growing deeper.

One evening, as you sat together in the common room, Tom turned to you, a serious look on his face.

"I want you to know," he said, his voice steady, "that I love you. More than I've ever loved anyone."

Your heart skipped a beat, a stupid grin spreading across your face. "I love you too, Tom. So much."

He pulled you into a gentle embrace, holding you close. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"I never could," you whispered, burying your face in his chest. "You're worth it."

And in that moment, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would face them together. Because Tom Riddle had finally learned to love, and you had been the one to teach him.

[ahqkas]

♯ BACK TO THE OLD HOUSE ; mattheo riddle

❛ when you cycled by

here began all my dreams ❜

PAIRING! mattheo riddle x fem!reader

SYNOPSIS! the countless nights he spends fighting over any sized inconveniences were getting to him. he didn’t even think about visiting the professional medic to patch his wounds, not when he had you (based on this req.!!)

WORD COUNT! 2.9k

WARNINGS AND TAGS! fighting, blood, angst + fluff, kissing, violence, rage filled + soft mattheo, slytherin reader, friends to lovers, lovesick idiots

NOTES! my man my man my man

HARRY POTTER MASTERLIST!

TO MATTHEO RIDDLE, FIGHTING FELT LIKE A SECOND HOME. He could insert all of his rage and anger into the punches and kicks because it was required to do so. You wouldn't throw a good punch if you didn't put your emotions into the action and so that's exactly what he did. Fought with his emotions.

The courtyard was a peaceful place for the students of Hogwarts to relax for once, bringing a sense of peacefulness with its stone pathways and patches of greenery. The yard was often filled with laughter and conversations for everyone to hear. But on some days, you could hear more than the good nature of people. Curse words and spells casted at another, yells and shouts of anger. The same goes for violent actions. The sickening snaps of bones and emotional sounds from the audience that gathered around the ongoing fight was heard for miles away.

The same goes for today.

The joyful laughter quickly turned into terrifying shouts when a nearby fight broke out among the students in green robes. Slytherins fought the most. Mattheo Riddle fought the most.

A small group of onlookers had gathered around him and another boy, his robes the same green color to match Mattheo's. Their hushed whispers and excited yells were echoing through the halls, bringing even more attention to the crowd. Just exactly what they needed.

The other boy, Aaron Banks, stood with an arrogant smirk plastered on his face, his arms crossed as he stood chest to chest with Mattheo. A dangerous combination, considering that Mattheo's bad temper could handle only this much and Aaron's instincts for his own life weren't working like they should. This situation screamed trouble.

"You really think you're something special, don't you, Riddle?" Aaron sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Just because of your name, you think you can walk around like you own the place."

Mattheo's eyes narrowed into a glare. If one looked deeply into his eyes, they would be able to see the dark storm brewing in their depths. "You don't know what you're talking about, Banks. Why don't you keep your mouth shut before you say something you'll regret?"

A mocking laugh escaped the other boy's throat, the sound harsh. "Oh, I think everyone knows exactly what I'm talking about. A Riddle will always be a Riddle. Trying to pretend you're better than the rest of us won't change that."

The crowd murmured among themselves, little jabs and comments about the two boys escaping from their lips. Bets were already in the making, money being thrown around like it meant nothing.

"Last warning, Banks. Walk away now," his jaw tightened, a muscle tickling in his cheek. He looked tense and if you looked close enough, you'd see his nails digging into the heel of his palm, trying to control his temper. He had promised to someone to do so.

"Or what? You'll run crying to daddy? Oh wait, you can't, can you?"

That was it. In an instant, all of the restraints Mattheo was trying to gain snapped away and he launched himself at Aaron Banks, who had a death wish in his eyes.

Mattheo's fist connected with Aaron's jaw in a bone-crushing punch. The audience could hear the sickening snap of a breaking bone and let out an empathic 'Oooh'. The boy's fate had already been written and no one would dare to stop the writer from his art work. They'd have a death wish as well. Aaron staggered back, more shocked than hurt at first, before he quickly recovered and his fists were flying toward another face.

The courtyard erupted into chaos of excitement and shouts of frustration as the two boys collided in a flurry of punches and shoves. Mattheo landed another hit to the boy's ribs, making him grunt in pain, which Aaron rewarded him with a swift uppercut that snapped Mattheo back.

Blood trickled from Mattheo's split lip, but he barely seemed to notice. With a snarl, he drove his shoulder to Aaron's chest, knocking them both to the ground. The two of them hit the floor hard and rolled across the cobblestones and grass.

"Fight! Fight!" some of the onlookers chanted, probably the ones who placed their money into a bet, their voices holding an edge of excitement as they watched the fight like muggleborns watched soccer matches on TV. Others tried calling for help, but their calls got lost in waves of noise.

Aaron managed to get on top, his fists raining down on Mattheo. A brutal punch on his cheek sent blood spraying on both his face and the ground beneath them, painting the green grass scarlet. With a burst of strength, Mattheo twisted around and reversed their positions, pinning Aaron beneath him. The Slytherin boy started landing a series of blows, each one hitting the blond harder and harder, with such a force it almost made his face look unrecognizable.

Aaron's nose finally cracked from the pressure Mattheo was punching with and blood gushed around his fingers as he tried to block the violence and shield his face. It didn't work.

"Had enough?"

"Stop! Both of you, stop this instant!" a voice boomed across the courtyard and the audience of students departed to make a way for the owner to walk through.

Professor McGonagall strode into the circle with her wand raised and eyes blazing with authority. The witch flickered her wand, and the boys were magically separated, levitating a few feet apart and struggling against the invisible force that held them. Mattheo was still seeping with rage, his eyes showing exactly what he wanted to do to the other boy.

"This is disgraceful!" her voice trembled with fury. "Both of you, to my office, now!"

Mattheo could see the few students that placed a bet on his behalf collecting galleons with a satisfied expressions on their faces.

The silence in Professor McGonagall's office was thick and oppressive, broken only by the ticking of an ancient clock on the wall. The room, usually a place quiet authority, now felt dangerous, like the eye of a storm. Mattheo Riddle and Aaron Banks stood before her desk, their faces bruised and swollen, their uniforms disheveled and splattered with blood.

Minerva McGonagall stood behind her desk, her expression a mask of controlled fury. Her eyes, sharp and unforgiving, darted between the two boys, assessing the damage and the simmering rage that still radiated from them.

"What, precisely, did you hope to achieve with this barbaric display?" McGonagall's voice was icy, each word clipped with disapproval. "Explain yourselves."

Aaron shifted uncomfortably, wiping at the blood still trickling from his nose before he spoke up first. "He started it, Professor," he muttered like a child, casting a resentful glance at Mattheo. "He couldn't handle a bit of teasing."

"A bit of teasing?" McGonagall's voice rose, incredulous. "You think this is acceptable behavior in response to teasing? Violence is never the answer, Mr. Banks. And you, Mr. Riddle, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Mattheo's jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on a point just above McGonagall's head. He refused to look at Aaron. "He insulted my family," he said quietly, but with a hard edge to his voice. "He went too far."

McGonagall's eyes softened, just a fraction, but her voice remained stern. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, not even herself, but the woman had a soft spot for the boy. "And you thought physical violence was the appropriate response? You are both old enough to know better. This kind of behavior is not tolerated at Hogwarts. We are a respected school, and such actions undermine everything we stand for."

She paused, letting her words sink in. The boys remained silent, their hostility now mingled with the sting of reprimand.

"What makes this even more disgraceful is that you're both members of Slytherin. Slytherin house values ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness. This situation not only reflects poorly on you but also on your house. You should be allies, supporting each other in your ambitions, not tearing each other down."

"You will both serve detention for the next month," McGonagall continued, her tone brooking no argument. "Every evening after classes, you will report to Mr. Filch. And you will write a letter of apology to each other. Not just a few lines, but a sincere apology. This kind of conduct must be addressed not just with punishment, but with understanding and reconciliation."

Aaron's face twisted in disgust, but he nodded. Mattheo, though still simmering with anger, gave a curt nod as well.

"Furthermore," McGonagall added, her eyes narrowing, "you will each receive fifty points deducted from your respective house. I hope this serves as a reminder of the consequences of your actions."

The silence that followed was heavy, both boys digesting the severity of their punishment. McGonagall's gaze softened slightly as she looked at them. "I understand that emotions can run high, especially with matters as personal as family. But you must learn to control yourselves, to find better ways to resolve conflicts. Violence only begets more violence."

The witch walked around her desk, standing closer to them. "You are both capable of better than this. I expect to see you prove that in the coming weeks."

With a final, stern look, she dismissed them. "You may go. Reflect on your actions and do better. Dismissed."

Mattheo and Aaron walked out of her office, the tension between them still palpable but now mingled with a grudging acknowledgment of the consequences they faced. The door closed behind them with a soft thud, leaving McGonagall in the quiet of her office, the ticking of the clock the only sound as she sighed, returning to her desk with the hope that the punishment would lead to some measure of understanding between the two boys.

Ignoring the sting of his split lip and the throbbing on his bruised jawline, Mattheo headed down the dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts, the destination clear in his mind. The logical choice would have been the infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey would undoubtedly patch him up with expert care, even if it meant hearing the scolding she'd have prepared. But Mattheo wanted something different - someone different. He needed to see you.

Mattheo wouldn't call himself desperate but he wasn't far from being just that if it involved you.

The Slytherin common room was quieter than usual, the murmur of hushed conversations about today's fight between their two housemates barely audible over the crackling fire. Mattheo slipped past the few students lounging on the green leather couches, their eyes following him with curiosity and whispers trailing after his steps. He ignored them like always, his focus solely on reaching your dormitory.

Reaching the door to the girls' dormitory, he hesitated for a moment, then knocked softly. His bloody knuckles rapped on the wood of the door, each tap sounding more quiet. What was the worst that could happen? The door creaked open to reveal you, your eyes widening as you took in his battered appearance.

"Mattheo, what happened to you?" you whispered urgently, taking in the bruises and cuts marring his face.

"I got into a bit of a disagreement," he said, downplaying the severity of the fight because he knows how much you worry about him. Which he doesn't deserve, he thinks silently.

Your eyes narrowed, a mix of concern and frustration flashing across your face at his behavior. Mattheo Riddle stood at the entrance of your dorm, bloodied and visibly in pain. "You should be in the infirmary," you exclaimed, the tone of your voice firm but gentle.

The dark haired Slytherin shook his head. "I'd rather you patched me up," he admitted, his tone softening. "Please."

Sighing, you stepped aside and gestured for him to enter. "Alright, come in," you immediately went to help him in, taking most of his weight with the way you slung his arm around your shoulders, closing the door quietly behind him. Your dormitory was cozy, the dim light from a few enchanted candles casting a warm glow over the room.

"Sit," you ordered, pointing to a bed that probably belonged to you. The giveaway was the single snake plush he gave you for Christmas in the third year. Mattheo obeyed with a pleasant feeling spreading across his chest, sinking into the bed with a groan as the adrenaline from the fight wore off, leaving him acutely aware of the pain coursing through his body like a lightning.

You rummaged through a small trunk at the foot of your bed, pulling out a vial of healing potion and some clean cloths. Dipping a cloth in the potion and gently dabbing at the cut on his lip, your touch was both tender and precise as your palm met the side of his face that wasn't hurt that badly.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" you muttered quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"I've been told," he replied with a smirk, though it quickly faded into a wince. "But Banks had it coming."

"Even so, you need to control your temper," your fingers working deftly to clean the blood from his face. "You're better than this."

Mattheo's lips stretched into a grin despite the pain, causing you to wince at the new blood that started to ooze out of a cut on his bottom lip. Without another word, you took his jaw into your hand and angled his face so you could examine and attend to his injuries better. Your thumb brushed against the forming bruise in a comforting manner as your eyes locked. Your irises, a shade of [colour], met the brown of his ones. The dim lighting of the lamp cast a glow on your face and Mattheo could see the highlighted concern etched into your brows.

You have never looked so beautiful in his eyes. He felt a warmth spread through him, the sight of you dulled the pain more effectively than any potion could.

"There," you said finally, stepping back to examine your work. "That should hold you until you can see Pomfrey."

His hand, almost of its own accord, moved to the small of your back to keep you close to him. The warmth of your skin under his fingertips was electrifying, the soft fabric of your shirt having ridden up slightly. Mattheo caressed the bare skin there, his touch both gentle and hesitant, as if afraid to break the spell between you. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, your eyes widening just a fraction, but you didn't pull away. Instead, you leaned into his touch, your own hands resting lightly on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart.

He could be tough and rough around the edges, but he found himself melting in your presence.

The proximity was intoxicating. Mattheo could see the faint freckles across your nose, the way your eyelashes cast delicate shadows on your cheeks. He could feel your warmth seeping into him, a contrast to the cold reality of the world that brewed outside this moment. The world was dark out there, but he felt safe in your arms.

"[Name]," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper, laced with a vulnerability he rarely showed, even in your presence. Your name felt like a plea, a confession, and a promise all at once.

You swallowed hard, your gaze flickering down to his lips for just a moment before meeting his eyes again. The tension between you was palpable, a taut string that could snap at any moment. His thumb traced small circles on your back, the simple motion sending shivers down your spine as he gazed up at you with those big brown eyes of his, his breath intertwining with yours. Mere inches kept you apart and he looked at you as if you've hung the moon on the dark sky and brought the stars with your heavenly beauty.

"Mattheo," you whispered back, voice trembling slightly. The sound of his name on your lips sent a jolt of desire through him, making it even harder to think clearly. Although, he couldn't think straight already.

Your breaths mingled in the small space that separated you, and Mattheo felt a pull, an almost irresistible urge to close the distance, to bridge the gap that had always seemed so close yet so far away. And so he did.

His hands, resting on the small of your back, pressed into you, urging you even nearer until you stood flushed between his legs.

Your hands, previously light on his chest, tightened their grip as you felt the heat radiating from his body. Your fingers trailed up to his face, where you angled his head slightly, silently urging him to meet your lips. Mattheo obliged, his heart pounding in both nervousness and excitement. Lord knows how long he wanted to do this.

With a surge of courage, Mattheo closed the remaining distance, capturing your lips in a tender yet passionate kiss. It was like a spark igniting between you, a rush of emotions and longing finally being released. The kiss deepened, fueled by years of unspoken feelings and the intensity of the moment.

Mattheo's hands, now fully embracing you, held you close as if afraid you might slip away once he let go. You responded in kind, fingers tangling in his dark curl, anchoring him to you as he touched you nothing but love and passion.

Time seemed to stand still as you kissed, the world around you fading into insignificance. In that moment, there was only Mattheo and you, nothing mattered anymore. Not any stupid fight. Not any family problems. Just you two.

For in each other's arms, you had found love, love that would carry you through the darkest of times and cherish the brightest of eternity.

© ahqkas — all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are prohibited to be reposted, translated or modified.

[rainerioun]

WHAT CAREER IS FOR YOU? | pick a card.

HOW TO CHOOSE A PILE : The outcome may vary based on whether you receive clear messages visually or intuitively. If you resonate more with selecting a pile visually, trust that inclination. Personally, I believe the notion that 'looks can deceive,' so I prefer to take a deep breath and close my eyes, allowing the pile I'm meant to connect with to come to me. You might see the color of the pile, sense or hear a number, or simply feel its overall vibe.

Please don’t redistribute or edit my content.

MUST READ + MASTERLIST. | KO-FI.

PILE ONE

What Career Is For You? Fool — Light : Fearlessly revealing emotion. Helping people laugh at absurdity and hypocrisy. Liberator — Light : Freeing yourself and others from outmoded beliefs. Releasing negative thought patterns.  Abundance : Use your existing abundance to create beautiful things in your life and you will be rewarded in more ways than you can imagine. The Underworld : Bravery, Depth, Facing of Deepest Fears.  The Ocean : Deeper than Deep, Big Dreams, Discovery.

You are meant to do something that not only helps you but also helps others find the joy in life by navigating through the darkness. You’re here to use the morals and ideals you’ve developed to guide others toward happiness with your insights. Emotions play a big role in this.

List Of Careers: — Comedian, Performer/Influencer, Counselor/Therapist/Psychologist, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Activist, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Law.

PILE TWO

What Career Is For You? Hermit — Light : Seeks solitude to focus intently on inner life. Serves Personal creativity. Visionary : Capacity to envision what is not yet conceivable to others. Willingness to proclaim a vision without regard for personal gain.  Yin and Yang : Strive for harmony and balance in your inner and outer life through change, reflection and growth.  The Crone : Magic, Clairvoyant, Psychic, Intuitive, Wise. 

A career that allows for creative expression would be an ideal fit for you, as it aligns with your natural strengths and passions. Beyond the creative aspect, it’s also important for you to find a career where you can bring your own beliefs and values to the forefront, allowing you to express your personal perspectives and ideals.

List Of Careers: — Spiritual Guide/Reiki Practitioner, Metaphysical Practice, Tarot Reader, Meditation Teacher, Yoga Instructor, Writer/Poet/Artist.

PILE THREE

What Career Is For You? Virgin — Light : Maintaining symbolic purity of heart and spirit. Scribe : Preserving knowledge and information. Life Purpose : Your own, natural intuition and the genuine wisdom of your heart is here to guide you. The Riddle : A Great Awakening or “Aha” Moment.

Much like the last pile, writing and expression play a big role for you. Sharing your knowledge, whether through teaching or learning, might come naturally. If you're uncertain about your current direction, you might suddenly find yourself drawn to a job or field you hadn't considered before soon, and it could be the right fit for you!

List Of Careers: — Archivist/Historian, Writer/Author, Teacher, Researcher, Journalist, Philosopher, Librarian.

[claramelooo]

CRIMSON REVERIE

Hey, babies! I must confess that this was a story that I wrote with my instincts, I simply let the characters flow. I love filling it with intensity and adding love, I want this to be, in fact, the hallmark of my writing.

And of course, we are entering the final stretch of this saga :)

so enjoy it a looooot <3

MINORS DO NOT MUST TO INTERACT

Warnings: angst and truth revealed

Summary: Wanda discovers the truth about the necklace, and cannot accept it.

Hey. Now I've a masterlist

SOLIS

The crossing between the multiverses was a storm of colors and impossible shapes, a parade of fragments of realities tearing and stitching themselves as you moved forward. It was a hypnotic and chaotic spectacle, where the unknown seemed to breathe around you, whispering secrets no one could comprehend.

You were in Wanda’s arms, the only constant amid the chaos. The warmth of her body against yours was more than physical; it was a silent promise of safety, a beacon in an unpredictable ocean. Your eyes were closed, but even in unconsciousness, there was something about you that radiated a unique strength.

Carol walked beside you, silent at first, but her unease was evident. Her eyes constantly darted to you, as if trying to decipher a riddle that refused to reveal itself. Time passed, and finally, she broke the silence.

“So…” Carol began, feigning casualness as her gaze remained fixed on you. “She’s really real?”

Wanda didn’t reply immediately. Her full attention was on you, her gaze intense and protective, as though her mere presence could ward off any threat.

Carol cleared her throat, insisting. “You know, it’s not exactly common to see someone cross dimensions carrying another person like they’re a lost treasure. I’m curious.”

There was a moment of tense silence before Wanda finally responded, her voice low, almost a whisper, but laden with something primal. “She’s more than real. She’s everything.”

Carol raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, but she didn’t interrupt. Wanda continued, her eyes shining with something that bordered on fervor. “I found her when there was nothing left, when the entire world was against me, and yet... she stayed. She saw me. She gave me something even magic couldn’t bring back.”

Carol let out a small sigh, a mix of understanding and discomfort. “And that’s why you’re willing to do all this? For her?”

Wanda looked at Carol with an intensity that made the Captain shrink back for a brief second. “I’m not willing. I will. Because she’s my light, and no matter what happens… I won’t let her go out.”

The silence that followed was filled only by the hum of realities unraveling around them. Carol looked away, Wanda’s words echoing as an unshakable truth, impossible to challenge. After all, who was she to judge someone who had found such a strong reason to fight?

When the last tear in the multiverse opened, you arrived in a vast, desolate field, where the silence was broken only by the sound of boots from an army standing ready. Strange was at the center of it all, his eyes sharp, and his cloak floating with a purpose of its own. Around him, the Avengers stood prepared to fight, weapons and powers ready to face whatever emerged from the portal.

But when Wanda stepped through, carrying you in her arms, the chaos ceased.

Strange raised a hand, signaling his army to stop. His gaze moved from Wanda to you, then to Carol, before returning to Wanda. There was something in his eyes—not just surprise, but recognition.

“She’s real…” Strange murmured, the incredulity in his voice hanging in the still air.

The field seemed to hold its breath, every hero frozen in a moment of shock as they watched Wanda emerge from the portal, you in her arms like something sacred. The tension was palpable, but Strange remained calm, though his eyes betrayed the depth of his understanding.

The Avengers around him, weapons still raised, began to relax, but only slightly. Natasha stepped forward, her eyes narrowed, analyzing every detail. Steve remained still, his shield instinctively raised. Tony, however, broke the silence with a typical comment.

“Well, look at that, the witch brought a… friend?” His voice dripped with sarcasm, but his eyes were fixed on you, clearly trying to piece together what was happening.

“Tony,” Steve warned, though even he seemed unable to tear his gaze from you.

“She’s not a threat,” Wanda declared, her voice firm but quiet, like a promise. Her gaze burned with something fierce and unyielding.

Strange took a step forward, his hands clasped in front of him. He seemed to avoid direct eye contact with Wanda, focusing instead on you. “The necklace,” he said finally, pointing to the pendant around your neck. “Where did you get that?”

You opened your eyes slowly, confusion etched across your face as you looked around. Strangers, all of them, and yet… there was something familiar. Wanda held you closer, an almost overly protective gesture, as Strange approached.

“Don’t come any closer,” Wanda growled, her magic crackling in her hands.

“I just want to understand,” Strange said calmly, though his posture was tense. He knew what was at stake. “If what I think is true, she’s not just unique… She’s impossible.”

“What are you talking about?” Wanda’s fingertips blackened, magic already summoned. “She’s real. And she’s mine.”

Strange hesitated, keeping his hands raised in a gesture of peace, but his eyes remained fixed on the sun-shaped pendant around your neck. He spoke slowly, as if weighing each word before releasing it.

“I’m talking about something that shouldn’t exist. A broken line in the fabric of time. That necklace… it’s not just an ornament. It’s an anchor, a link to something beyond our comprehension.” He paused, as if struggling to organize his thoughts. “She… shouldn’t be here.”

“Watch your words, Strange,” Wanda murmured, her voice low and threatening. Her blackened fingers trembled, and the magic around her seemed to pulse with the intensity of her rage. “She is everything that should be here. And you will not touch her.”

Strange looked at Wanda, a mix of pity and caution in his expression. He knew the line was thin, and the witch was teetering on the edge of an emotional abyss. “I’m not trying to take her from you, Maximoff. But you need to listen. Because if what I’m seeing is true, we’re dealing with something that affects more than just you or this world.”

“Stop it,” Wanda interrupted, her voice rising in intensity. “You don’t understand! You think you know because you have books and spells. But this…” She looked at you, her expression softening for just a moment before hardening again. “She’s mine. Every life we’ve lived, every sacrifice we’ve made. This isn’t a mistake, Strange. This is love.”

“Love or destiny?” Strange countered, his eyes gleaming with something between curiosity and reverence. “Because if she is who I think she is, there’s no separating the two.” He motioned subtly to the pendant. “Do you understand what she’s carrying around her neck? That energy isn’t just ancient, Wanda. It’s primordial. It’s the origin.”

Wanda shook her head, stepping back instinctively, as if she could push Strange’s words away. “You’re wrong! It can’t be that. I would know. I would feel it. I would see it in our lives together.”

“But you didn’t,” Strange replied, his voice softer now, but still firm. “Because you couldn’t. Because this isn’t something that reveals itself. It’s something that manifests, in time and necessity.”

Wanda’s disbelief was palpable. She looked at you, searching for some confirmation that what Strange said was absurd, but all she found was your confused gaze, still lost in the whirlwind of emotions and information.

Strange continued, his voice now heavy with gravity. “She is more than a being. She is a point of convergence, something that all cosmic forces recognize but cannot control. And now, Maximoff, she is at stake.”

Wanda pressed her lips together, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. “No. You’re wrong. It doesn’t matter what she is to the universe. She’s mine. And no one is going to take her away from me.”

“That,” Strange said, pointing at Wanda, “is precisely why she is different. Because even with all the power and chaos surrounding her, you see her as a person. Someone to be loved, not feared.” He took a deep breath, the tension on his face easing slightly. “And perhaps, Maximoff, that’s exactly what she needs to be right now. Before the rest of the multiverse realizes what’s happening.”

Wanda didn’t respond. She only pulled you closer, her trembling hands tracing gentle lines along your skin as if to reassure herself you were there—whole and hers. But in her mind, Strange’s words echoed like distant thunder, heralding a storm she knew she couldn’t ignore for much longer.

Tears streamed down the woman’s face. “Feared?” she murmured, the word escaping like a broken whisper. Her eyes fixed on your face, even closed in the torpor of sleep, and she felt a pang of despair at the peace in your expression. Peace that, perhaps, she could never truly protect. She held your hands—your youthful skin standing out against hers.

“How could something so pure be feared?”

You were everything to Wanda. Her doll, so precious and untouchable. Her bright sun, chasing away the shadows of her own soul. When everything around her was darkness, you were always the light guiding her back, the anchor keeping her connected to her humanity. But now, Strange’s words seeped in like poison, awakening something she didn’t want to face.

Why you?

She knew there was something about you, something no one else understood. The way your presence seemed to alter the very fabric of reality around you, as though the universe bent to accommodate you. The way you bore the weight of chaos magic, not as an imposition but as if it were a natural, almost organic, part of you.

You couldn’t be just human.

The idea was unbearable, but Wanda knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer. Every word from Strange, every unspoken suspicion, every piece of evidence pointed to a greater secret buried deep within your existence. A secret Wanda feared to uncover because it meant you weren’t solely hers.

But you were. You had to be.

The sound of boots echoing behind her broke her train of thought. Strange had moved closer, his gaze now a mix of curiosity and something heavier, almost sorrowful. He opened his mouth to speak, but Wanda raised her hand, a silent warning.

She wasn’t ready to listen.

Carefully, Wanda adjusted you in her arms and stepped back, keeping your presence as a shield between you and the world that seemed determined to unravel you. Her mind was a whirlwind of denial and fierce protection, but in her heart, a doubt grew like a shadow.

“What is she?” Wanda asked, her voice low and hoarse, almost a whisper swallowed by the vastness around her. She didn’t lift her gaze, fixing it on you in her arms as if the answer might lie in the softness of your breathing or the warmth of your skin.

The tears at the corners of her eyes glimmered under the magical light still hovering around, and even without meeting them directly, no one there could doubt what was happening: Wanda Maximoff, the most feared and powerful woman they had ever known, was fragile.

Stephen Strange saw it. He saw the vulnerability hidden in the witch’s careful gestures, in the trembling fingers brushing a strand of hair from your face. He saw the weight she bore, the duality of her strength and fragility.

Slowly, he straightened his posture, squaring his shoulders. The gravity of the moment demanded more than words; it required a delicacy he rarely needed to wield.

Stephen took a deep breath, adjusting his stance as every eye in the room turned to him. The silence was palpable, broken only by the distant sound of held breaths. Wanda continued to hold you in her arms, her gaze fixed on Strange, daring him to say something that could explain the impossible.

“There are stories, legends even, lost in the darkest corners of the Multiverse,” Stephen began, his voice firm but laden with reverent respect. “Stories of the Guardians Infinitum. They are not merely powerful beings. They are... embodied concepts, tied to the fabric of the Multiverse. Each of them belongs to a clan, and each clan is responsible for maintaining the fundamental balance of existence.”

Thor crossed his arms, his surprise evident. “Guardians of the Multiverse? I’ve not heard of them in Asgard.”

“You wouldn’t have,” Strange replied without breaking his gaze from Wanda. “They existed before Asgard, before Odin. Before even time had form.”

“And her?” Natasha asked skeptically, leaning forward. “Where does she fit into this?”

Strange hesitated, as if the words were difficult to articulate. “She... is a Solis. The rarest of all. The clan that represents the Sun, the primordial essence that fuels everything that exists. They don’t just create; they maintain the cycle of infinity. Pure cosmic energy, capable of shaping realities and undoing even the most absolute forces, like death.”

Tony let out an incredulous laugh, breaking the silence. “So, what you’re saying is she’s a walking cosmic battery? Fantastic. Just tell me she has a self-destruct button.”

“Shut up, Stark,” Wanda snapped, her voice sharp as a blade, but her gaze remained fixed on Strange.

Stephen ignored Tony and continued. “The Solis clan was... lost. Almost all of them were destroyed by Thanos. He feared them because they represented something he could never control: primordial energy, the force that keeps the Multiverse connected. But now...” He looked directly at you, still unconscious in Wanda’s arms. “She is the last. And that makes her a target.”

Thor frowned, his expression growing serious. “If the clan was lost, how is she here? How did she survive?”

“That’s what I need to find out,” Strange admitted. "Wanda?" He raised an eyebrow at Wanda, encouraging her to say something.

“Her parents. In every life, they were already gone, and Y/n was either raised by adoptive parents or in orphanages. In this life, she told me about a fire. It was massive, violent. She and the necklace were all that was left.”

Thor crossed his arms, gripping his hammer tightly as if feeling the weight of the story unraveling. “A fire that destroys everything... and spares only a child and an artifact? That doesn’t sound like a coincidence.”

“It isn’t,” Strange replied, his voice grave. He stepped into the center of the room, his cape softly flowing behind him. “The Solis were known to protect their descendants with extreme measures. Even in moments of annihilation, they created mechanisms to ensure their essence—their power—would never be entirely lost.”

Tony scoffed, breaking the silence with a cynical laugh. “Right, so we’re talking magical inheritance now? Some kind of cosmic insurance policy? Because, frankly, this sounds straight out of bad fiction.”

Natasha shot Tony a cold look but said nothing. Her focus remained on Wanda, who held you even closer as if fearing someone might snatch you away. Wanda seemed lost in thought, but her hands trembled slightly, betraying the storm inside her.

“It’s more than that,” Strange said, ignoring Tony’s comment. “The clans were masters of manipulating existence itself. It’s possible her parents channeled everything they had to protect her, sacrificing their own lives in the process. The necklace she carries... it’s not just a keepsake. It’s a link. An anchor for her power.”

Wanda finally looked up, her tears dried but her eyes still shimmering with conflicting emotions. “So, you’re saying this wasn’t an accident? That she survived because they wanted her to? For... what? What kind of life is that?”

Strange held her gaze for a moment before answering. “I don’t know if it was a choice or desperation. But what’s clear is that the fire wasn’t just an accident. Someone knew what she was. And they tried to erase her before she could realize her potential.”

The silence that followed was so heavy it seemed to fill the entire space. Thor appeared to be digesting the information, while Natasha watched Wanda’s every move, ready to intervene if necessary. Tony rubbed his temples, visibly uncomfortable but without a joke to lighten the mood.

Thor finally broke the silence, his deep voice resonating through the room. “And the necklace? Does it hold that power too?”

“Not exactly,” Strange said, stepping closer to Wanda. “The necklace is a channeler. It stabilizes her energy, prevents her from consuming herself. Without it...” He looked directly at Wanda, as if willing her to grasp the weight of his words. “Without it, her power would be chaotic. Unstable. And devastating.”

Unconsciously, Wanda pressed the necklace against you, as if Strange’s words had confirmed her worst fears. “She won’t lose it. No matter what.”

Strange nodded slowly, but there was something more in his expression, something he hesitated to say. Finally, he spoke, his voice lower. “Wanda... the necklace might also be the key to something much greater. Something not even the Guardians of Infinity could fully understand.”

Wanda’s gaze hardened. “What are you trying to say?”

Strange hesitated for a moment before responding. “I’m saying her power might not be complete yet. And Seline... the child... she has a destiny too. It’s not just the Solis bloodline running through her veins. It’s your magic as well. Chaos. A cycle within a cycle.”

Wanda didn’t respond. She simply held you closer, her eyes fixed on the emptiness ahead as if processing the weight of everything she had just heard. The room was tense, and even Tony was at a loss for words this time.

What no one noticed was that, in the corner, a small golden flame danced on the edge of the necklace, pulsing softly as if alive and listening to every word.

Standing abruptly, her breath uneven, Wanda tried to compose herself. “And what am I supposed to do, huh?”

“Leave her here,” Strange said plainly.

Wanda laughed, but there was no humor in her voice; it was sharp, dripping with irony and despair. The room fell silent as her magic began to thrum in the air, red energy crackling with intensity. Everyone held their breath, watching the witch who seemed on the verge of exploding.

“You think I’m going to leave her here? With you?” Wanda gestured, her voice filled with disdain and disbelief. “In another universe, surrounded by strangers who would never understand what she is? Who would never protect her like I would? You’re insane, Strange.”

Strange remained calm, but his expression was serious. “Wanda, I know you think you’re doing what’s best for her, but listen. Here, I can study her, help her channel her powers. If she’s as powerful as she seems, she’ll need control. Guidance.”

“She has control,” Wanda snapped, her anger boiling over in her words. “And I’m the only guidance she needs!”

“Wanda—” Strange tried to reason, but before he could continue, she raised her hand, and with a swift motion, flung him against the wall. The impact was loud, making the shelves tremble as books tumbled to the floor.

“Only I can protect her!” Wanda roared, her magic crackling around her, transforming the space into a storm of chaotic energy. Natasha stepped forward, ready to act, but hesitated when she noticed something.

It was your voice, so soft it was almost a whisper amid the chaos, that cut through the air like a blade. “Wanda? What happened?”

The room froze.

You were awake, your eyes blinking in confusion as you looked around, vulnerable and so small you seemed to shrink within the vastness of the unfamiliar space. “Why... is everyone yelling?” Your voice trembled, each word an effort.

Wanda turned to you instantly, her expression shifting from rage to something softer, almost broken. All the energy around her seemed to wither, as if your very presence was a balm to the storm inside her.

“You’re awake...” Wanda murmured, kneeling beside you. She pulled you close again, one hand gently stroking your head while the other clutched the necklace around your neck, shielding it from every gaze in the room.

Strange, still recovering from the attack, remained silent, watching. The golden flame on the pendant glowed more intensely, as if echoing Wanda's promise. But something in the light seemed different... something he knew Wanda hadn't yet noticed.

"Wanda, I..." You tried to speak, but your voice failed, and your hand found hers, squeezing it gently. "I'm scared."

The sound of your vulnerability seemed to break what little was left of Wanda. She closed her eyes, her tears returning silently. "I know," she whispered, her voice laden with desperate tenderness. "But you don’t need to be afraid. I’m here. And no one is going to take you away from me. Ever."

The silence that followed was tense, but Strange knew it was the right moment. He didn’t try to approach immediately. Instead, he stayed where he was, rubbing his sore neck while observing you and Wanda. His eyes fixed on the pendant, glowing softly, before meeting yours.

"You know what that is, don’t you?" he asked, his voice careful, almost hesitant. He didn’t want to scare you.

You looked at him, confused, then at the necklace around your neck. Your hands instinctively touched the pendant, its familiar warmth offering a sense of security. "It’s just... it’s just a necklace. It was my mother’s." Your voice was low, as if the words carried a weight you didn’t even know existed.

Strange frowned, not in disbelief, but with cautious curiosity. "Do you feel anything when you wear it? Something... different?"

You hesitated, your fingers still on the necklace. "I... I don’t know. Sometimes it feels alive, like it has a heartbeat of its own." You looked at Wanda, seeking comfort in her gaze. "But it’s just a necklace, right? Just a keepsake."

Strange took a step closer, slowly, as if approaching a frightened animal. "It’s not just a necklace. It’s an artifact from a clan that shouldn’t even exist anymore. The Solis Clan. And you... you’re proof that it still does."

Your eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What does that mean? What’s really happening?"

Strange took a deep breath, realizing he needed to be direct. "The Solis Clan was responsible for maintaining primordial energy, the force that connects everything in the Multiverse. They were powerful, but also dangerous. And for reasons no one fully understands, they were wiped out. Or at least, that’s what we thought."

Your eyes widened. "Wiped out? Why?"

He hesitated but continued. "Because the power they carried was too immense. So much so that it could destabilize everything—every life, every universe. The kind of power people fear because they can’t control it."

"So you think I’m like them?" Your voice trembled.

"You’re not like them," Strange corrected. "You are one of them. The last. Which means, somehow, you survived what destroyed your clan. And the necklace—it’s connected to that. It protects you. Or maybe, it protects the power inside you."

Your hands fell, your eyes wide in shock. "I don’t... I don’t want to be dangerous. I don’t even know what you’re talking about."

"I know it’s a lot to take in," Strange said, his voice gentler. "But you need to know. You need to understand what this means. Because, with or without your consent, that power is in you. And there are people out there—things out there—that will want to use it. Or destroy it."

You shook your head, tears streaming down your face. "No. I’m not that. I’m not a monster."

"You’re not a monster," Wanda intervened, her voice firm and laden with emotion. She cupped your face, forcing you to look at her. "You’re mine. And no one is going to hurt you. Not while I’m here."

Strange watched the scene, his expression a mix of understanding and concern. "Wanda," he began, but was cut off.

"Don’t say another word," Wanda snapped, her voice cold. "She’s scared enough already. Do you think explanations and theories will help? They won’t. She’s not an experiment for you, Stephen. She’s a person. And she’s staying with me."

You looked from Wanda to Strange, trying to process everything. His words echoed in your mind: power, danger, clan. But it was Wanda’s voice that seemed to anchor you, like a beacon in the storm.

"I just want to know who I am," you murmured, your voice barely audible.

And in that moment, Wanda realized that despite all her love and protection, perhaps you needed to hear more truths than she was willing to accept.

Hours later, Strange offered a room in the tower. Wanda hesitated; leaving you there, so vulnerable, in a place that wasn’t your home, felt wrong. But you were exhausted, your eyes barely able to stay open, and reluctantly, she agreed.

Now, Wanda stood before a mirror in the room, her face illuminated only by the soft glow of the moonlight. Her thoughts were a whirlwind. Solis. The word seemed to vibrate in the back of her mind, laden with meaning. Guardian of Infinity. Wanda had always known love was complicated, but this... this was a destiny she had never imagined.

If she had enemies before, she now had an army of threats.

The sound of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts. You entered, your hair still damp from the shower, wrapped in a fluffy white robe that seemed too big for your small frame. Seeing Wanda, you smiled shyly and approached. Without a word, you gently kissed her shoulder, a soothing gesture that made her tense shoulders relax slightly.

"Where are the boys?" you asked, your voice soft and concerned but clearly tired.

"With Agatha," Wanda replied, straightforwardly.

You raised your eyebrows, surprised. "Oh. So Professor Harkness… she—"

"Knows everything? Yes." The answer came quickly, but then Wanda’s voice softened, almost thoughtful. "She helped me at the beginning of all this. To understand my magic. She saw things in me that even I didn’t understand."

You were silent for a moment, absorbing the information, but you couldn’t hold back your next question. "And… and what happens now?"

Your voice came out short, almost breaking, as if the answer was something you were afraid to hear. Wanda turned to you, and this time her eyes were steady, full of certainty.

"Now, we’ll find a way. Because this is bigger than the two of us," she said, her voice filled with conviction.

Before you could ask what she meant, Wanda extended her hand and placed it gently on your belly. You froze, holding your breath.

"This is..."

"Seline," she murmured, a small but tender smile forming on her lips. "Yes, my love. She’s here. Our Seline."

Tears filled your eyes before you could stop them. Your whole life, all you had ever wanted was this: a family to love, protect, and call your own. Now, against all odds, it was happening.

Wanda wiped away a tear that rolled down your cheek and held your face in her hands. "I know it feels impossible. I know it’s a lot. But you’re not alone. We’ll do this together."

You smiled through the tears, your hand covering hers. "No matter what happens, Wanda. I’ll protect them. I promise."

Wanda’s eyes softened, but there was a fire in them—a resolute determination. She leaned in and kissed you, gentle but with an intensity that said everything words couldn’t express.

Outside, the world was on the brink of a storm. But there, in that room, under the moonlight, there was a sliver of peace. It wasn’t just chaos—it was creation emerging from it. And both of you knew, with all certainty, that you would do whatever it took to protect this new life—this family you were building.

It was a blessing. It was a miracle. It was only the beginning.

The entirety of your life had felt adrift, rootless, homeless. The world seemed vast, empty, an infinite expanse where you were but a forgotten particle. But now, as you looked at Wanda—your light, your strength, your reason—and felt the warmth of the silent promise between you, something shifted within you.

That emptiness was filled. Not with magic, but with love. A love that pulsed in the walls of that house, in the laughter of the children you called your own, in the knowing glances exchanged in the quiet of the night. A love that turned chaos into purpose and destiny into a shared choice.

You had never understood what it meant to belong until this moment. Until you felt the weight of a mutual promise, of a future you would build together, of a family that was as imperfect as it was unbreakable. The infinite, which had always seemed so cold and distant, was now warm, embracing—and it was yours.

You looked at Wanda, at the soft curve of her smile, the strength she radiated. There lay the answer you had always sought. It wasn’t about being the Guardian of Infinity. It wasn’t about the powers you possessed or the battles you had fought. It was about the love that finally anchored you. With Wanda by your side, with Tommy and Billy in your life, with Seline growing within you, you felt alive for the first time. Not a life that chose you, but one you had chosen for yourself.

You were whole. Not because you had found a destiny, but because you had created a home. And that night, as the moonlight bathed the two of you in a silvery glow, you knew you would shine. Not just as the Guardian. Not just as a survivor. But as someone who had finally learned what it meant to be loved.

It was enough to realize that this thing called infinity had always been inside you. And now, it was brimming with love.

~*~

Tag list <3

I'm crying with a piece of bread in my mouth u.u

So good to see R building a safe home, and that's what I wish to for all of us.

@vyvvycg @rosekjsses @3liyuh @trindad2k

@indentity0018 @beggingonmykneesforher

@idkwhatever580

@reginassecretlover @trying-to-do-good

@imjustvibingsworld @mbxoxo @jazzyxqzl @eternallyconfuzed @ctrlaltedits @sheriffhaughtearp

@lesbiansweet @i-luv-w1men @htinha157 @syssmin @wandasslut3000 @fuzzygiantlamphorse @imaginaryblogger01

[merakiui]

2025 to-write list.

* halloweenie and the law of magnetism are the main priority fics at this moment!! after both are posted, i’ll start working my way through this list (in no particular order)! :D thank you for your patience!!!!

* (color references: purple is series; red is oneshot.)

✧ death row undertow

✧ 3M:3S

✧ the test of faith

✧ bittersweet secret

✧ my sweet monster

yandere!jade leech. your family takes in a mute, orphaned boy with mismatched eyes after he’s washed ashore. “a child spared by the sea can only carry with him the worst of curses,” they say, but you disagree. unbeknownst to you, your “friend” is as welcoming as the shallows and as deceptive as its depths.

✧ havfruens forelskelse/azul thought 2 sequel

yandere!azul ashengrotto. in an effort to conceal a growing secret, you lie to your husband leona. but a lie this devastating cannot be kept hidden forever, and as aquatic danger lurks you’ll eventually have to make a choice. between a lion and an octopus, the decision is obvious. so then, why do you hesitate?

✧ heartache hospital

yandere!scaramouche. kunikuzushi has never known love. for the many years he’s been alive, he’s only ever experienced countless heartaches. luckily, his admittance to the heartache hospital grants him the chance to meet someone who soothes the unending pain in his chest.

✧ the crocodile’s dilemma

yandere!riddle rosehearts. riddle leads a perfect life. he owns his dream house in the woods. he has a good job and makes an enviable salary. he is a law-abiding citizen…until he isn’t. it takes one night to ruin everything he’s striving to maintain, and with consequences mounting he sinks deeper into something criminal.

✧ the harvest maiden

yandere!skully j. graves. seeking shelter from the harsh elements, you enlist the aid of an eccentric pumpkin farmer. though there’s something inherently unsettling about him, you choose to favor his benevolence and kindness. but that is a line worn too thin, and when you announce your departure what is a besotted pumpkin farmer to do?

✧ eternally ever after

yandere!rook hunt. trapped in a gruesome time loop with a crazed stalker, you familiarize yourself with what it means to die. he claims he can save you from this repetition, but how is that possible when he’s the one responsible for your death(s)? if he is as inescapable as death, then perhaps your fates have always been intertwined.

✧ cobweb compulsion

yandere!sunday. you have always trusted sunday. but as plans are underway for a very important ceremony, you begin to look past years and years of lies to see the unpleasant truth that rests just beyond.

✧ homebound

yandere!azul ashengrotto. it is said that an ancient deity will awaken and bring ruinous misfortune to the island you call home. accompanied by your closest friends ace and deuce, you’re determined to uncover the mystery and stop a ruthless god before it’s too late.

✧ moonbroch

yandere!octavinelle. sequel to sea glass. they tell you the sea has always been your home, but something doesn’t feel right. an overwhelming sense of loss tugs at you whenever you spy your aquatic features in the mirror. if words won’t get through to your trio of captors, then disobedient actions certainly will. to ensure your escape goes well, you can only look to the moon and hope—but even that’s beginning to feel less and less like a comfort.

✧ meiri

yandere!rollo flamme. rollo would be inclined to welcome death if it was given to him by your graceful, gentle hands. seeing as that’s not the case and he has been made sacrifice to a most petulant being, he’s going to do the one thing a sacrificial lamb has never done before: live.

[thatnonameuser]

The Red King holds a Bleeding Head

A Wonderland of Yanderes - Masterlist Chapter 1. Heartslaybul Part 6.

So this is strange.

Last time you came here, Alice recognised you and the card soldiers didn't. And now, someone barely mentioned in your childhood storybooks was standing her before you.

Instead of the tiny animated King that the Queen of Hearts could crush underneath her foot should he ever raise his voice, an actual person was cowering and shivering in fear and anxiety, at the thought of his over-controlling wife finding out about you.

This world just kept getting more and more strange....

<Y-you need to l-leave. I-If she loses h-her temper, you'll lose- > He stammers, trying and failing to push you back into the mirror. The glass remains hard, will it be like that till you wake up? Probably.

"I'll lose my head, I get the jist." Why did he notice you? He wasn't mentioned in the original story until the Queen of Hearts was introduced, so why was he here? "I want to leave but......where exactly is here? And please don't tell me some riddle..."

<You're in the Queen's Rose Garden....b-but how did you even get in here? T-The guards sh-should have stopped y-you> You watch him nervously twist his hold on the cape, and if holds it any tighter it might rip in his grip.

"Probably the same way Alice got here-"

His face blanches, turning so white that it rivals the white petals of the roses. <Who....Who's Alice?>

"She's a girl lost in here, she's supposed to be painting the roses with some of the guards, I haven't seen her since-Mmph!" The Red King slaps a palm over your mouth mid sentence, his eyes widening with terror. You can't hear anything, but you can feel the hand over your mouth start to shake violently.

<Th-the girl....I need to get her out before she finds her!> He takes off running into the depths of the rose garden. Well, the dream brought you here for some reason, maybe he is.

"Hey! Wait up!" You chase after him, because what other choice do you have? Whatever the mirror wanted to show you, what you'd seen already clearly wasn't it.

The Red King disappears around a corner, which you follow only to skid to a stop. You arrived at the original rose garden from your first dream, and it's now filled with dozens of card soldiers. You take a few steps back until you're somewhat hidden by the bushes. Maybe it's best to heed the King's warning, especially with who's in it right now.

Wielding a massive rosebush of red and half painted roses, over her head in anger, with the roots of the bush still clinging to some of the dirt it had been planted in, is the Queen of Hearts.

<For painting my roses red, someone will lose his head!> She looks exactly like the statue in the main street, and her colors have been drained to match the greyscale environment around you. The only color, still a deep red, makes up her dress. She reminds you of the tiny animated King of Hearts.

And she's infuriated.

A paint covered Alice is at her feet with the card soldiers from earlier, who cower fearfully.

<Y-Your Majesty, if anyone's to blame, it's him!> <Have mercy, Your Grace. It was the Ace!> <Gah, no, it was the TWO!> <It was the Three, I say!> The card soldiers are quick to turn on each other, desperate to escape the Queen's wrath.

<Enough of this. Off with ALL their HEADS!> The Queen's voice booms with rage, and a part of you thinks she's going to save herself time with a beheading, and just beat them to death with her rose bushes.

The Red King runs in between with the Queen and her future victims, trying to shield them from his angry 'wife', though captor might be more appropriate. <D-Dear please, they were just trying to correct their mistake!> He tries to reason with her, but as you watch her grip tighten around the rose bushes, it's safe to assume he's doing the opposite.

<Winston, are you disobeying me?> The Queen's voice is deathly low, as if threatening the King, or Winston, to choose his next words carefully.

You watch Winston's face morph into one of abject terror. <No! NO! Of course not! I-I would nev- >

The Queen's hand shoots out and grips his ruffled collar pulling him close, but like a movie you can still hear what she says despite it being a quiet hiss of a threat. <Then, I suggest you hold your tongue before you lose it along with your HEAD!> She yells that last part, just terrifies the person she's supposed to call her 'one true love' more.

Winston looks like he's going to pass out from fear, and even from this far away, you can see him trembling and hear his shakey reply, <Y-Yes, dear. I-I'm sorry.>

The Queen smiles, triumphant, pressing a soft peck to the still terrified and trembling Winston's cheek, either ignoring the evident fear on his face or not caring, before her rage comes forth full strength. <NOW OFF WITH ALL THEIR HEADS>

<Ooooooh! Yaaaaay!>The surrounding card soldiers cheer at the death sentence. The Red Queen smiles in glee at the reception to her verdict, while her husband's eyes meet yours.

Terrified. He's terrified. Why is this considered love, this is just abuse.

<Hee hee hee.> The Queen's even laughing, for shit's sake!! How in the hell was this romanticized! In any way!

The cards start to sing, and it's a chilling tune.

<A fitting end. Color, you can't mend.>

<Everyone knows the roses should be red.>

The world starts to fade around you. Are you waking up? But you still don't know what's going on here. Why was the mirror showing you this anyway? 

Was it trying to convince you this world was even worse than it was?! Because it worked.

You open your eyes to your bedroom ceiling. The sunshine from outside tells you it's dawn. "It was just roses. Why didn't anyone try to help Winston? Why didn't anyone else try to stop the Queen?" You mutter.

You sit up and stare at the window, now normal. Not glowing, no ripples. Slipping Grim from your arms, you slip out of the blankets and approach the mirror. Setting your palm on the glass, it doesn't do anything. It doesn't faze through or pull you into another world.

"So......was it all just a dream?" You don't even have an answer to that, and you're just as confused as you were before. Why do you keep dreaming things like this? What was the point of seeing the life that poor Winston lived?

Is.....Is there someone watching? Is there someone watching you and sending you these? As a warning or to help?

But the contents of your dream, minus what Winston was going through, felt similar to reality. Riddle had kicked out Ace for a petty reason. Sure, it was theft, but it wasn't something worth taking someone's magic over. And if your experience from lunch yesterday held any water, then the card soldiers of Heartslabyul were just complicit. Willing to stand aside if it meant keeping their heads, or in this case, their magic.

But since today's the unbirthday party, let's hope your reality doesn't mimic your dream.

You're still lost in thought about your dream as you push through your morning routine. You're no expert on bad omens, but this feels like a bad omen. Like a really bad omen.

To be honest, you didn't have very high hopes for today. Not because you thought Ace was going to supremely fuck it up, but because having high hopes shot you in the foot yesterday and that was a really long and grueling day. And a little because you thought someone was going to fuck things up.

Mornings are hard enough when you know that you have a long day ahead of you. It's even harder when that long day might involve a lost head.

So when Ace finally pulled himself out of bed, or rather off your couch, while Deuce was using your bathroom, you weren't expecting much.

You also weren't expecting him to take you by surprise while you made breakfast.

He also probably wasn't the punishment of having a rubber spatula slapped across his face.

"What the hell, Ace!" You scream, your once clean uniform now covered in pancake batter from when you jumped in surprise. "Don't scare me like that!"

You're just glad you are making pancakes when he sets his hands on your shoulders instead of taking the pan out because that pan would have probably made a permanent indent in his skull.

“Jumpy much, Prefect?” He laughs, massaging the reddening bruise forming on his face. 

You groan, “And to think I bothered to make you breakfast….”

Ace’s eyes brighten at the mention of food. “Well, don’t mind if I-” 

You snatch the plate out of reach and let a teasing smile cross your face, “Well, I guess you can wait till the party to eat then. Since you’re fine with scaring the person feeding you…”

“Fine, fine, I’m sorry ______.” He puts on his most apologetic looking face as he ‘apologizes’, and it’s so melodramatic that it makes you laugh,  “Food, please.”

You hand them over with a laugh, “Just don’t finish them, the Great Grim will be very hangry if he doesn’t get his tower of pancakes in the morning.”

Ace stuffs one into his mouth, before his eyes widen, “D’l’shush.” He says with his mouth full, and swallows before continuing, “Can you cook for me everyday, Prefect?”

You wipe the stray batter from your vest, there goes your last clean shirt. “Will it stop you from stealing your dorm leader’s tarts?”

“You aren’t letting that go, are you?”

“Nope.” You say with a teasing smile on your face, before turning back to breakfast making. A peaceful start to the morning is nice. It’s probably going to get hectic later on, so you’ll enjoy it while it lasts. 

“Hey, uh, Prefect, can I ask you something?” Ace pauses mid-sentence for some reason, “Something important.”

There it is, “Sure, what’s up?” 

“Do you remember what we talked about last night?” You stop to think for a second. You remember Ace and Deuce talking last night but not what it was about. You occasionally dragged into it, but you responded with one word answers. Now you wish you hadn’t. But you were so tired last night.

“N-Not really.” You curse yourself mentally for the stutter, but you feel the peaceful feeling leech away from your body. You don’t like where this is going.

“We talked about you a lot last night. You didn’t seem to notice.” And now you really didn’t like where this was going. “Juice told me about what happened on Main Street after you went to bed.”

You can feel Ace’s stare through your back. Please don’t go down this street. Please. “Y-Yeah about the delinquents….”

“Yeah, we talked about that but I’m talking about what you told him.” Dammit Deuce, you knew that Ace and Deuce are slowly growing into their friendship, but if Deuce was obsessed with you, why the hell was he telling Ace about your private conversations. 

But Deuce is a yandere that doesn’t know about how to be a yandere. Because his mother, seven bless her, had tried to shield him from the influence that probably made her own life hell for a time. And Ace is a yandere who does know about this stuff. 

Who better to ask than your knowledgeable roommate.

“About what?” You can feel your heart speed up. 

“About your home world.” The grate of a chair on the floor tells you that he stood up, followed by footsteps tell you that he is so much closer. “You’re burning the pancakes Prefect.”

“Shit!” You snap out of your stupor, tossing the burnt pan into the nearby sink. Great, this is going splendidly. “W-What about my homeworld?”

You can feel Ace’s breath by your ear, he’s that close. You can feel a hand on your shoulder, and you tense. “About how your world sees darlings and stuff. Do they really punish what we do?” 

He’s suspicious. Fuck, he’s suspicious. You should have asked Deuce to keep it a secret. But that could have made you suspicious to him. Talk about a Catch 22.

“Yeah….it’s,” You turn to face him. Your face is so close to his. It’s that stupid collar that grants you some distance. “It’s complicated.”

“Yeah, it probably is, is that why you freaked out in class? Because what’s allowed in our world isn’t in your world ____?”

Um…”Yes?”

“But why were you scared?” Okay, you are taking back all of your ‘Ace is an idiot’ comments. He’s actually very perceptive. And to you, that’s a bad thing.

Ace studies you as you reply “I-I thought murder was going a little far..?” 

Ace smiles at that and a sigh of relief bubbles into your throat. “Yeah, I get that,  my dad told me he’d be pissed if I killed someone on campus.” Phew.

“After all, it’s not like you’re hiding something Prefect. I mean you have this charm to you that pulls people to you, it would be terrible if someone thought you were a darling." Do you agree? Why does it feel like this is a trick? You hold your face as calm as possible, given your pulsating heart beat. If this is a test, you are not failing it.

“Yeah, it would be. But it’s not.” You cross your arms in an attempt to exude dominance but like the last time you still feel a little small.

“But if you were, It’s not like I’d do anything to ya, Prefect.” He pulls you in closer in a ‘hug’, which it would be if his collar wasn’t in the way. “We’re friends, aren’t we?” Not really, you trust him as far as you can throw him, which isn’t even possible.

“If Prefect was what?” Deuce pokes his head in the kitchen, Grim is a bubbling mix of hangry in his arms.

“It’s nothing, Juice.” he pulls away from you and you can still feel chills. “Just if Prefect was a darling, we wouldn’t hurt her, right?” You hate how he gives you one of his friendly smirks when he finishes that statement. 

“Oh, yeah we wouldn’t.” Deuce smiles at you. But it doesn’t soothe you. In fact, it makes the underlying terror even worse. “Ow! Grim!” 

Grim frees himself from Deuce’s arms with a well placed bite to his forearm. In his morning grumpiness and anger, he exclaims, “Henchman! You left me!"

You force a smile. "To make you breakfast boss. Eat." You hold out a plate full of food that Grim happily snatches, devouring it with usual gusto. You, on the other hand, have lost your appetite. You’ll just eat at the party, where there’s an audience to whatever happens to you. 

Plus, after what just happened, it’s for the best that Grim keeps full today. The last thing everyone needs is Grim to eat one of the sacred tarts before Riddle does.

But right now, all you want to do is leave. Leave the horrible oppressing air beating down on you to smother you in fear. And you have an excuse to leave,  drying pancake batter on your shirt. Quickly, you shove another plate full into Deuce’s arms. "Help yourself, Deuce. We have a long day ahead of us. I’m gonna go and change my shirt.” The sooner you’re out of here, the calmer you’ll be. 

Deuce gives you an appreciative smile but he looks concerned. “T-Thanks but…Are you okay Prefect?” 

You calmly, not really but you really did try to act calm, shake your head. “Yeah, fine. Just…..” You’re too scared to be alone with them right now, “Don’t want to be late to the unbirthday party. Be right back!” 

As you get a good distance away from the kitchen, you press yourself to the wall. It’s a great thing that the walls are thin. 

“What did you tell her Ace?!” Deuce’s whispering sounds outraged. So he was putting up a front for you.

“Hey, I just asked her whether she was a darling or not, plain and simple. Besides, we both know we wouldn’t hurt her.”

“I don’t think she thinks that…” 

“It’s not like we're going to. Take it from me Juice. First rule of dealing with darlings, don’t make them feel afraid.”

“If she is a darling…” Deuce doesn’t believe it. Thank the seven, he doesn’t believe it. 

“You don’t think she is?”

“No..Not really.”

“It doesn’t matter either way. If she’s not a darling then, we’ll figure something out.” What does that mean? What does figuring something out entail? 

There’s silence for a bit, as if Deuce is thinking about something, “But we’re scaring her…”

“Well, after the unbirthday party we’ll make her feel better. Spend time with her, make her trust us again. Don’t worry about it, Deuce.”

Silence, followed by an, “Alright.” The sound of something heavy hitting your cabinets and the noise resounds through the house. “But if you’re wrong about this and we end up hurting her, you’ll be sent home in pieces–if there’s even enough of you left to send out.”

“Got it. You gotta trust me more on this Juice, y’know since I’m the only one that knows about this stuff.” 

“Fine. But you better not be wrong.” Shit. So they’re both suspicious of you and even worse, they’re working together. At least somewhat. 

But there is some hope. Deuce, above all else, doesn’t want you to be hurt. If you use that against him, then maybe you can use this to your advantage. As a figurative bodyguard, to protect you from harm.

Another bombing knock on the door nearly makes you jump out of their skin. “Helllooo!?” It’s Cater, not the best person to pop up, but beggars cannot choose. 

“I-I’m coming!” You call out as Ace’s and Deuce’s voices hush at the sound of your voice. But you already doubt that you would get any more information. 

As expected Cater has a very bright smile greets you as soon as you open the door, "Good mooorning! Did you enjoy your sleepover? Did you bond over pillow fights and card games?”

“N-Not really, I was really tired. Could barely stay awake.” Cater’s eyes widen slightly, but he doesn’t vocalize whatever he realized. “W-Why are you here so early?”

Cater pushes past you into the foyer, and envelopes you into a hug. “Do I need a reason to see my favorite underclassmen?” 

You squirm in his hold, “No, but-” 

“Oh, it’s you Cater.” Ace, Deuce and Grim all poke their heads out of the kitchen in confusion.

“Hiiii, did you have fun?” 

“Yeah, but-”

Cater interrupts them, “Well, you should get one of the tarts we made yesterday and go apologize to Riddle.” Cater hesitates for a moment and his expression drops into a frown, “And you should probably hurry, because after the trouble yesterday, we’re a little short handed.” Is something wrong because he’s never this serious.

“What does that mean?” “Don’t worry. I’ve totes got it under control. Anyway, off to the party we go!”

“Wait, I haven’t changed-” Whatever you were about to say is cut short by Cater dragging you by your arm all the way to Heartslabyul, with Ace, Deuce and Grim not far behind. So after this shitshow of a morning you’ll be attending an important tea party with a super strict dictator with dried pancake mix on your shirt. Thanks Ace.

Heartslabyul looks as neat as ever, with the rose bushes perfectly trimmed, et cetera, et cetera. 

Ace, massive chestnut tart in hand, is prepared to march inside and spare you the additional migraine. “All right, so I’ll hand over the tart and say I’m sorry, then-”

But no, no that’s not happening.

Because Cater popped out of the rose maze. The same Cater that was still holding your arm at the mirror entrance, a good ten feet away. And y’know what. You might want to consider visiting Sam for some extra-strength headache medicine. 

Cater B waves at Cater A, “Hey, it’s about time I got back! Good to see me!”

Cater A, not bothering to explain his sudden perfect copy, waves back at him. “And me! Looking good as always, me!”

Well at least you could now explain how he gave that flower to you in the rose garden yesterday. Wait if he can clone himself, doesn’t that mean he can send a clone out to follow you around?

“Bwuh?” 

“Th-There’s two Caters?!” 

“Are you guys identical twins?!”

You don’t share your friends’ noise of confusion, it’s already 7 AM and you’re exhausted for the day. 

“Nope. Don’t have any siblings.” The explanation is one you were expecting, it’s his unique magic ‘Split Card’ that allows him to clone himself. Cool. That's just cool. Deuce puts two and two together about their loss yesterday, but once again, you’re already exhausted. 

And more headaches come jumping out of the bushes.

“Welcome home, daaarlings.”

“Good to see you, ____”

You yelp as more appear from nowhere. Just how many of these can he make at once. He could be his own card soldier army if he wanted, for seven’s sake!

“J-S-Y-K, I’m actually the real Cater.” No,we are not playing this game of who’s the real Cater, you’re here to give Riddle this stupid tart and then you’re eating too much of Trey’s desserts. Not this game of human bullshit. 

“Making these duplicates is suuuper exhausting, so I can’t maintain them for long.” Well, that’s a little relief. But Riddle’s left Ace’s collar on for a good day now, is there not a time limit for magic or something? Has Riddle not slept to make sure the collars stay on or something? “Anyway , if we’re late, heads will roll. And since we’re several people short, we’ll need your help.”

“But-” You start but Cater interrupts you. 

“When this is over, I promise I’ll take you straight to Riddle.” Well, there goes head straight to Riddle, this better not bite you in the ass.

Wait. Oh, not the roses again. 

“What, MORE roses?”

“And here we go again!”

You sigh, let’s get this over with already.

And now, red paint now joined the creme-colored mess on your vest and shirt. Today was becoming as big a mess as your shirt. Yay….

But on the brightside, Deuce and Grim managed to get the hang of painting the roses with magic.

On the dark side, painting the roses took so long that it was time for the unbirthday party to start.

So now you were in the extravagantly decorated tea garden still stuck with that stupidly big tart that should have been given to Riddle an hour ago, thanks Cater.  

By now, all the Heartslabyul students had gathered in the garden, and, at least to you,  it’s not very festive for a party. Everyone, decked out in a pretty cool uniform, looks as stiff as a soldier on the battlefield. As if waiting for a bomb to go off.

Some students buried in the crowd have collars just like Ace’s around their necks, the rule breakers collared like dogs with a cone of shame. It’s just barbaric. 

The sound of trumpets make the few slouching stand at attention in utter silence and terror, as one of the students play announcer, a something of Spades. 

“All Hail our Leader, the Red Sovereign Himself….Dorm Leader Riddle!” You instinctively cringe at the title. Who would willingly want to call someone that, and isn’t clearly joking?

The man of the hour walks in with all the nonchalance of someone who definitely didn’t hear what you just did, but the card soldiers do exactly as the ones in your dream did, and forgive the pun, followed suit. 

“We salute you, Dorm Leader Riddle!” Are they not going to introduce Trey? He’s right next to Riddle and the Vice Dorm Leader. But for some reason, they don't. Is this why Trey seems so insecure?

Riddle inspects every nook and cranny of the tea garden as if looking for the tiniest error or mistake, from the table cloths to the flamingo enclosure for what you hope isn’t an actual croquet game with live animals. You watch each of the other dorm students tense in fear as he makes his rounds. 

After too many minutes of silence, Riddle finally makes his judgment, “Hm. The garden roses are red, the tablecloths are white…This seems a proper unbirthday indeed.”

The surrounding dorm students all sag in visible relief. How much of a traditionalist and a perfectionist is this guy?! 

“Is there a dormouse asleep in the teapot,” There’s a what in the what?!, “as there should be?” Just as you make a mental note to not drink the tea, you watch the formerly relaxed card soldier tense up like someone lit a fire under their ass. 

Though they sag again when Trey tells Riddle that they’ve prepared everything to the Queen of Hearts, and Riddle’s expectations. 

Just how much fear has Riddle instilled in the hearts of his fellow dorm mates?

Grim seems less concerned with the terror on the faces of nearly everyone here and is more concerned with their outfits. “Myah! Those are some fancy duds!”

You have to agree they are pretty nice, but they are bigger things to focus on here right now, like how the soldiers seem like they're about to have a stroke with all the stress they’re under.

“These are the Heartslabyul dorm clothes.” Cater explains, “Aren’t they fierce? At the forefront of fashion, and they look great in Magicam.”

“Yeah, but-” There’s a flash of light to your left, and Cater’s in his dorm uniform.

“One of the Queen’s rules mandates formal dress on party days.” Once again cool, but you want to know about- “As a show of kindness from a beloved mentor, I’ll help coordinate your outfits.”

Another light flashes, and you feel the dirty clothes you’re wearing ripple around your body, reforming and changing. 

In place of the messy version of your Ramshackle, is a version of the Heartslabyul uniform fit precisely to your style of dress (masc version/fem version). 

It’s nice, not bad but nice. As long as you get those clothes back, you don’t really have clothes to spare. 

Ace and Deuce are in uniforms that match the rest of the card soldiers, and even Grim’s bow matches the Heartslabyul colors.

“Whoa!”

“Lookin’ sharp!”

“Myah! So cool! Henchman, do I look cool!”

“Yes, you do. You look very cool, Grim.” Grim smiles in your arms, and you might as well complement the other two who call you friend, “You both look fantastic too!”

The two’s faces brighten as they smile at you. “T-Thanks!”

“So do you, Prefect!”

“Now, let’s tear this party up! And don’t forget to give Riddle the tart.”

“Yes! Let’s not delay this anymore! Give him the tart.” You’re about to push Ace in the direction of the tyrannical and not your damn problem dorm leader. When the sound of teacup being hit by a teaspoon rings out. “Oh, c’mon!”

“Before we begin the croquet tournament, let us make a toast. Does everyone have their teacup?” You pick one of the teacups up as politely as possible to keep the dorm leader’s eyes off you. But if you grip it any harder, you’re going to break the china.

“On this most significantly unauspicious of days, I bid all in attendance….a very merry unbirthday!” That tart that got Ace kicked out better be good for all you had to go through. 

The whole garden repeats the same cheer, minus you because you’re going to lose it the longer you stay. 

“Ace, this is your chance!” Cater whispers. 

“Yes, finally. Ace, let’s go.” You practically drag Ace by his arm all the way up to Riddle, careful to prevent that tart from falling to the ground because if something happens to that damn tart you’re going to lose your mind. “Now apologize, like you mean it. Even if you don’t.” 

“Right…Uh, dorm leader, sir…”

“Ah, it’s you. The tart thief. Oh, and _____, I see you’ve been keeping out of trouble.” Ace gives you a confused look.

“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later,” you whisper, before turning your attention back to the tyrant, “Yes, I have,” You laugh nervously. “I wanted to make sure that Ace apologized….correctly.”

“Do you, now?” Riddle crosses his arms, awaiting that apology. Don’t screw it up Ace.

“Yeah, so I wanted to apologize for eating that tart. We made you a new tart to replace it.”

“Hmm? And what kind of tart is it?” So far so good. Now just tell him what is before they cut that nice looking cake over there. You’re really hungry now.

“I’m so glad you asked! It’s a chestnut tart, and I swear, we weren’t stingy with the chestnuts.” Okay, no snark, nothing that can be taken out of context, we’re almost through the woods.

Riddle reacts like he’s just been struck. “A CHESTNUT tart?!” Shit. 

“What?!”

“Is…is something wrong?”

Riddle’s eye twitches in anger, “The Queen of Heart’s rule 562: One must never bring a chestnut tart to an unbirthday tea party.” FUCK. 

Riddle looks like he’s going to blow a gasket. “This is an utterly flagrant rule violation! Do you not understand what you’ve done?!” Oh no….” You’ve ruined an otherwise perfect unbirthday!”

“Rule 562..?!” How many fucking rules are there!?

“How many of these rules are there?!”

“There are 810 rules in all,” What the FUCK, “And as dorm leader I can of course recite each and every one of them.” What the hell….

Shit, you need to damage control, “W-Wait, we didn’t know that! And besides, we weren't planning on bringing it to the unbirthday party.”

Riddle, like an asshole, ignores you, “As dorm leader of a dorm established to honor the Queen of Hearts’ rigor, I cannot ignore this. Destroy the offending tart immediately! Then throw these rulebreakers out of the dorm!”

Fuck this place.

[milkiisss]

Caleb; My Soldier

��.* Summary Pt. 1 of my Lads Bridgerton Au Series, focusing on Caleb; a man who after many years of close friendship, seemingly disappears without a trace. But just as you've come to accept the ache of his loss, the familiar figure reappears in your life, this time, a stark contrast to the young man you once knew.

✧.* Authors Note As mentioned before, this is only a small Drabble! There are some nsfw insinuations here, but nothing explicit. If these gain enough traction, I plan on writing full "Pt. 2's" for each Li, focusing on the confession of their stories, as well as what happens after ;) Stay tuned!

For as long as you can remember, Caleb and you were inseparable.

You practically grew up together, his familial home a short distance from your own. Many of your summers were painted with the colors of his laughter, the mischievous curve of his smile, and the warmth of his familiar presence.

And although the seasons changed and you both grew older, he remained.

Constant.

Familiar.

Unabashedly him.

But life, as it often does, had other plans.

Because before you could even begin to understand the depths of your feelings for him, he was gone.

Of course, he had promised you he would return, his words earnest and laced with that boyish charm you had known all your life. “I’ll write to you,” he had said, his voice steady, his violet eyes holding your own as he bid you farewell, “Every chance I get.”

And for a while he did. His letters arrived like clockwork, each one filled to the brim with stories of his travels, his humor, and his longing for home, family, and more importantly, you.  And you, ever enamored with his words, eagerly replied, pouring your heart out into every letter you wrote.

But as the weeks turned into months, and the months into years, his letters grew fewer and farther in between, until eventually, one day they stopped.

At first, you told yourself it was the war. He was busy, overwhelmed, and perhaps even unable to find the time or means to write to you. You knew him better than your lingering insecurities, and you knew that he would never hurt you.

But time passed, and it became harder and harder to come up excuses on his behalf, so you didn't. You tried to bury the pain, to convince yourself it didn’t matter, that he didn't matter. After all, he was a soldier and you were just a girl from his childhood.

You told yourself some friendships are meant to fade, repeating it until the words became ingrained in your very soul, allowing you the space and time to fully accept the loss of him from your life.

But here you are now.

Standing amidst the glittering splendor of your first ball since being presented to the queen, your breath catches as your gaze locks onto a figure that is both achingly familiar and yet startlingly different.

Caleb.

But not the Caleb you knew, no. This man was taller, broader, his form filling out the decorated fabrics of his uniform, riddled with medals you could only begin to imagine held great meaning.

And his face, one that was once so carefree and hopeful, now carried the weight of a thousand unspoken stories. His eyes, once bright with joy, now seemed dimmer, and for a second you fear that perhaps that happiness is gone forever.

Yet, when those eyes—the very same piercing violet eyes you once knew—find yours across the candlelit ballroom, they ignite with a spark of recognition, and you swear your whole world stops spinning.

Because that devastating, heart-stopping smile that you swore you would never see again, causes your breath to catch; and in that moment you realize that perhaps the Caleb you once knew is still there.

You try to ignore it, of course. The way your heart picks up whenever he is near, the way your chest buzzes when he guides you through each dizzying dance. It’s nothing more than excitement, you tell yourself, a fleeting feeling, a trick of the mind due to years of missing him.

He is your friend. Your Caleb. And you would rather cling to the safety of that friendship than risk shattering it with the weight of something more. You can’t risk it. You can’t risk him. Not when you’ve just gotten him back.

So you continue that familiar dance that you were used to, laughing with him in the corner of each ballroom, listening to the thousands of stories he tells you, each more riveting than the last.

It's different. You're both older, you a lady ready for marriage, and he a decorated war hero. You've heard the whispers, seen the looks you've gotten from judgmental mamas—yet for some reason—you can't bring yourself to care. You've waited too long to push him away now, even if your relationship is "improper" in the eyes of the ton, and you were never one for trivial gossip in any case.

So why care now?

But what you don’t see, however, is their judgment comes with reason.

Because unbeknownst to you, there is a storm raging within him.

You haunt him. You’ve always haunted him, Invading his thoughts, his dreams, his every waking moment.

And seeing you now, after years of clinging to his memories of you, real, and so ethereally beautiful, he can't help it.

He can't help the way his gaze lingers on you when you’re not looking, tracing the curve of your lips, memorizing the slope of your shoulders.

He can't help the way his fists clench to his sides when you accept yet another dance–nor the way his jaw tightens when he watches you twirl with anyone who isn’t him.

And he notices it immediately as well. The way your own eyes linger on his. The subtle way your breath catches when he leans in to hear you clearer, how your fingers tighten around your glass before you avert your gaze as if straying for a second too long might cause you to burst into flames.

And oh how he wants you too.

He wants you to be selfish. He wants you to claim him. Lean in the rest of the way before he closes that distance between you, stealing each and every sound you make for himself.

He could show you so much. The depths of his desire. The depths of your desire. Claim you in all the possible ways he can. Steal each and every one of your firsts until you've bore yourself completely to him. Make up for the years he wasn't allowed to write to you, for all the years he had loved you.

But he can’t.

Not yet at least.

He is a man of honor. A man who worked his entire life in order to become worthy of you. Years spent facing atrocities in war just so that he could have the rank and means to claim you as his prize—and he would sooner endure the torture of his unspoken longing than risk your trust.

Because Caleb is nothing if not a patient man.

He knows you, just as you do him.

And although you try to deny yourself, he knows, possibly better than anyone else, that your desires always have a way of coming to the surface.

So he waits.

Patient.

Calculated.

After all, he thinks,

it’s only a matter of time.

© milkiisss 2024. Please don’t plagiarize or feed my works into ai. Dividers and headers made by me, please do not use.

[rosesareredrosa]

Different

Theo Nott x fem reader

Summary: Y/N, a Gryffindor, and Theodore Nott, start as enemies due to house rivalry. Over time, they discover hidden depths in each other, leading to an unexpected bond and the possibility of friendship.

A/n: I don't know what to do anymore :)

w/c: 1541

The Great Hall buzzed with the usual morning chatter. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins mingled in their respective groups, creating a tapestry of colors and crests. Y/N sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry, Hermione, and Ron, enjoying the usual banter over breakfast. Across the hall, the Slytherin table was occupied by Draco Malfoy and his entourage: Blaise Zabini, Lorenzo Berkshire, Pansy Parkinson, Mattheo Riddle, and Theodore Nott.

Y/N's gaze wandered to the Slytherin table, where Lorenzo and Pansy were deep in conversation. They were the only ones from the group she could tolerate—no, actually liked. Despite the rivalry between their houses, Y/N and Lorenzo had bonded over a shared interest in magical creatures, and Pansy, surprisingly, had a soft spot for Muggle fashion, which Y/N had a knack for.

However, her eyes inevitably landed on Theodore Nott. His aloof demeanor and icy blue eyes made him stand out among his peers. He was one of the quieter members of the group, often observing rather than engaging. Still, whenever he did speak, it was often to make a cutting remark, especially towards Gryffindors. Y/N had been on the receiving end of his snide comments more than once, sparking a mutual disdain.

As Y/N laughed at something Ron said, she felt eyes on her. She glanced over to see Theodore watching her, a flicker of annoyance in his gaze. He quickly looked away, leaning in to whisper something to Draco, who snickered. Y/N rolled her eyes and returned to her breakfast.

Later that day, Y/N found herself in the library, searching for a book on advanced transfiguration. As she scanned the shelves, she heard footsteps approaching. Turning, she saw Lorenzo with a warm smile on his face.

"Fancy seeing you here, Y/N. Need any help?" he offered.

"Actually, yes," Y/N replied, smiling back. "I can't seem to find the book I need. Advanced Transfiguration Techniques?"

Lorenzo nodded and stepped closer to help. As they searched, the sound of footsteps approaching made them both glance up. Theodore appeared, looking rather displeased.

"Lorenzo, what are you doing?" Theodore's voice was cold, his eyes flicking to Y/N.

"Helping a friend," Lorenzo replied, unfazed. "You should try it sometime, Theo."

Theodore's jaw tightened, and he crossed his arms. "We don't associate with Gryffindors, especially not with Potter's crowd."

Y/N bristled at his words, her previous feelings of annoyance flaring into anger. "I'm right here, you know. No need to talk about me as if I'm invisible."

"Maybe you'd like that," Theodore retorted, his tone biting. "Then we wouldn't have to listen to your incessant whining."

Lorenzo sighed, stepping between them. "Theo, that's enough. Y/N's not like the rest of them. She's... different."

"Different?" Theodore scoffed. "She's just like the rest of them. Arrogant, self-righteous, and constantly getting into trouble."

Y/N felt her temper flare. "Better than being a coward who hides behind his friends and makes snide comments from the shadows."

Theodore's eyes narrowed dangerously, but before he could retort, Lorenzo stepped in. "Alright, that's enough from both of you. We're in a library, not a dueling club."

With a final glare at Theodore, Y/N grabbed the book Lorenzo had handed her and stormed off. She could feel Theodore's gaze burning into her back but refused to turn around. As she left, she heard Lorenzo's hushed voice trying to reason with Theodore, but she didn't care. The encounter had only solidified her dislike for the Slytherin boy.

Over the next few weeks, the tension between Y/N and Theodore only grew. They continued to exchange barbed comments and glares whenever they crossed paths. It was clear to everyone that they couldn't stand each other. Lorenzo and Pansy often tried to mediate, but their efforts were in vain.

Despite this, there were moments where Y/N caught a glimpse of something more in Theodore's eyes—a flicker of something that wasn't hatred. It confused her, making her wonder if there was more to him than his cold exterior.

One day, as Y/N was leaving the greenhouse after Herbology, she found herself alone with Theodore. He was standing by the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone. She considered ignoring him and walking away, but something compelled her to stop.

"Theodore," she called, surprising even herself with her boldness.

He looked up, surprised to hear her use his first name. "What?"

"Why do you hate me so much?" she asked bluntly. "What did I ever do to you?"

Theodore's expression flickered with something unreadable. For a moment, he seemed almost vulnerable, but it quickly disappeared. "You represent everything I despise," he replied. "Gryffindors like you, always so sure of yourselves, always so... infuriating."

Y/N crossed her arms, not backing down. "That's not a real answer. That's just an excuse."

He stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. "Maybe it is. But it's the only one you're getting."

Without another word, he walked past her, leaving Y/N standing there, confused and frustrated. As she watched him go, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Theodore Nott than met the eye.

The days went by, and Y/N continued to struggle with her conflicting feelings towards Theodore. She found herself thinking about him more often, wondering what he was like beneath the cold facade. Meanwhile, Theodore seemed more distant than ever, though there were moments when she caught him watching her, his expression unreadable.

The turning point came during a particularly challenging Potions class. Professor Snape had paired them together, much to their mutual dismay. They worked in silence, the tension between them palpable.

As they prepared the potion, Y/N noticed Theodore seemed distracted. He almost added the wrong ingredient, which would have caused their potion to explode. Without thinking, she grabbed his wrist, stopping him just in time.

"Theodore, what are you doing?" she hissed, keeping her voice low so as not to attract Snape's attention.

He blinked, seemingly coming out of a trance. "I... I don't know," he muttered, clearly flustered.

For a moment, they stood there, her hand still on his wrist. Y/N felt a strange jolt at the contact, quickly withdrawing her hand. Theodore looked equally shaken, but he quickly masked it with a scowl.

"Just be careful," she muttered, turning back to their potion.

They finished the lesson in silence, but something had changed. There was a subtle shift in the air between them, an unspoken understanding. As they left the classroom, Y/N felt Theodore's gaze linger on her, and for the first time, it didn't feel hostile.

As the weeks passed, the dynamic between Y/N and Theodore continued to evolve. The barbed comments became less frequent, and they found themselves working together more often. There were still moments of tension, but there were also glimpses of something softer, something more human.

One evening, Y/N found herself in the library, struggling with a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem. She was on the verge of giving up when she heard a familiar voice.

"Need help?"

She looked up to see Theodore standing there, his expression surprisingly neutral. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

They worked together in silence, Theodore patiently explaining the concepts she was struggling with. As they worked, Y/N found herself sneaking glances at him, noticing the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the way his eyes softened when he was focused.

When they finally finished, Y/N felt a strange mix of relief and sadness. She had enjoyed working with him, more than she cared to admit.

"Thank you," she said softly, packing up her things.

Theodore nodded, his expression unreadable. "You're welcome."

As they left the library, Y/N felt a strange sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for something more than animosity between them.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of confusion and conflicting emotions. Y/N and Theodore continued to interact, their conversations becoming less hostile and more civil. They still had their disagreements, but there was a growing sense of mutual respect.

One day, as they were walking back from a particularly exhausting Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Theodore spoke up.

"Y/N," he began, his voice hesitant. "Why do you care?"

She looked at him, confused. "Care about what?"

"About me," he clarified, his tone almost vulnerable. "You've always been... different. You don't just see me as a Slytherin or as someone who hates Gryffindors. You see me as... more."

Y/N stopped walking, turning to face him fully. "Because I know there's more to you," she said simply. "I don't know what it is, but I can see it. And I want to know the real you, not just the version you show everyone else."

Theodore looked at her, his expression a mix of surprise and something else she couldn't quite place. For a moment, it seemed like he was going to say something, but then he just nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe one day," he said softly. "Maybe one day, I'll show you."

As they continued walking, Y/N felt a strange sense of peace. Whatever happened

[karaageandtarts]

Introduction to Corwin Théière!

Bio |

Age: 17

Birthday: May 19th (Taurus)

Height: 154 cm (Five feet, zero inches)

Hair Color: Chocolate Brown

Eye Color: Lilac

Dominant Hand: Right

Hometown: Queendom of Roses

Species: Mouse Beastman

School/General |

Grade/Class: Sophomore, Class 2-B (No. 18)

Club: Moutain Lover's Club.

Best Subject: Flight

Unique Magic: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Lat. Gives the user the ability to float during a descent, making the fall gentler. Additional weight and it's distribution affects the speed that one descends.

Hobbies: Origami

Pet Peeves: People shouting

Favorite Food: Sponge cake

Least Favodite Food: Tea with honey

Talent: Running

Twusted from Alice in Wonderland's dormmouse, Corwin Théière is a second year who's life at NRC began as Riddle Rosehearts' roomate and Spade suit. Admittedly, they both held hope they would get along, but Riddle then became Housewarden and showed his more... volatile colors. Corwin is an avoidant person with strict likes and dislikes— many of them clashing with Riddle's. He was often missing from the lineup when meetings were called, slipping away with little notice and finding a place to slack off elsewhere, falling asleep in the process. A lot of the time, he'll go for the easiest option that takes less work, which is how he ends up in events. Other's would describe him as someone who's always looking for a way to back out.

He's quiet and mild-mannered to other's faces, getting things done with a little ushering from their end. In truth, he can be just as irritable as Riddle, and just as harsh. Certain things he holds seemingly meaningless resentment over— tea with honey, mustard, even the color yellow— cannot be enjoyed, even by others. Heartslabyul's yellow mugs and ingredients used to go missing an awful lot!

People who he finds irritating may find the belongings missing and stashed behind drawers, or crumpled up at the bottom of the stairway, unaware of when they'd even lost track of it in the first place.

This behavior has been going long before he enrolled into Night Raven College, and it's... kind of miserable, to be honest. So, after Riddle's overblot, he approaches him under the guise of being old roommates, and proposes a friendship between them— openly using the word friend, which is famously shyed away from at NRC. They're both quick to realize they're not actually... very compatible, at least on the surface. They both stubbornly cling to seeing this friendship go through, though. (Yes, his plan is to get over his dislikes and flaws by hanging around Riddle, lol)

Throughout the books:

Corwin is only mentioned once in Book 1, when Che'nya points out that the group should find Trey— and if they have time, a mouse beastman who used to be his roomie, too. (They fail to find him, though. Slacker.) He's sort of introduced in Book 2, since by then, he and Riddle have begun their friendship, and they're found together before Riddle groups up to go investigate the incidents. Corwin is also briefly considered for Trey's position on the Spelldrive time, where his affinity for running, and the track award he won the year prior when he used to be in the Track Club, is brought up. He shuts it down immediately, though, and the original proposal from Book 2 is made. He participates in Leona's Overblot, as Ruggie’s classmate and considering what he already pulls at the dorm, he's actually one of the first to catch on, though he thinks their motives are evetter than the ones he uses. He also pulls away bystanders lol.

In Book 4, Corwin is seen showing reluctance to go home, but brushes it off as merely not enjoying the environment at home.

In Book 6, Corwin follows a little further from Trey and Cater, greeting Riddle separately. They actually have a more in-depth conversation during the timeskip.

In Book 7, he attends Lilia's farewell party with everyone else. His dream is before Riddle's, (sorry Trey) and for fun, it dips it's toes a little into the "horror" aspect that Riddle's dream has, kind of like a warning.

Relationships |

Nicknames: Cor-cor (Cater), Monsieur Bystander (Rook), Lil' Minnow (Floyd)

Notable Relationships:

Riddle: Corwin is often seen silently trailing after Riddle, if not quietly engaging in casual conversation with him and him alone (he doesnt like crowds)— to be honest, neither of them know what being 'friends' actually entails.. eventually, they do become rather comfortable around each other!! Subconsciously, Riddle does a lot of hand/wrist holding/pulling whenever they're together, kind of like a reminder for him not to run off.

Trey: There's something weird going on between them. The Mad Hatter and the Dormmouse— besides the fact that Corwin technically being Riddle's "first" friend made Trey exceptionally nervous, especially with how out of the blue it felt, they get along quite well. Corwin's second favorite treat ever are jams— so he's good for taste testing, as long as tea with honey is never brought up to wash it down. He knows about Corwin's dislike of mustard too, and it's become a really weird game of pranks on Corwin, a lot of the time using Paint the Roses.

Cater: Fake hates Fake, I guess. Cater's a lot more observant— and is good at reading Corwin an awful lot. After a confrontation under the mask of a teasing upperclassman, Cater has been subject to a lot of sabotages— including that one time Corwin just straight up dumped an entire jug of lemonade over his head.

Che'nya: Corwin's least favorite person BY FAR. Cheshire Cat is the Dormmouse— and Corwin has a Jamil-esque phobia of cats. While Che'nya has seen him more than once, they're properly introduced to each other when, during an Unbirthday Party, Che'nya suddenly appeared and grabbed Corwin by the shoulders. Corwin jumped from his seat and bolted across the lawn.

Ruggie: Corwin's classmate, they often pair up for class assignments together. While he's a slacker, Ruggie’s already familiar with this type of person, and he appreciates the fact that Corwin is marginally easier to get going than, say, a certain lion. Corwin's also helped him with a few chores once or twice, just on the fact that it gives him an excuse for missing out on dorm chores, and has good tips on mending.

Jade: Corwin's Clubmate... and his... classmate-in-law? Not only do they intersect when it comes to Riddle, but Corwin decides to quit the Track Club after his first year and picks up the Mountain Lover's Club— hoping he could simply skip meetings. And he got away with it, until Riddle started getting on his ass for it. Jade’s fascinated by Corwin's behavior, and desperately wants to know what makes him tick. While they're able to be cordial, it often takes a nosedive when Jade starts poking.

Lilia: Lilia is another person who's able to activate Corwin's more skittish behavior, constantly finding him in his hiding spots and spooking him. He's fun to tease!!

Gallery: Corwin's sprite, Coffin and Groovy Candy |

[doumadono]

For sinful sunday, can you write shoto under aphrodisiac? Probably rough seggss

Warnings: aged-up Shoto

SINFUL SUNDAY

Shoto, always one to explore new ways to kindle passion, decided to try something different. He had read in a magazine about the potential allure of aphrodisiac scents, and tonight he was determined to create an unforgettable atmosphere in the bedroom. With a devilish grin, he lit a candle infused with an aphrodisiac scent and let the soft, alluring fragrance fill the room. The warm, sensuous aroma seemed to dance through the air, setting the stage for a night of unbridled desire.

Amidst the hazy shadows and flickering candlelight, Shoto's eyes locked onto you, his girlfriend, with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine. He had been acting strangely all evening, a teasing glint in his dual-colored eyes. As he leaned in closer, you felt a wave of heat emanating from him, making you acutely aware of the desire simmering between you two.

"Shoto," you murmured, your voice a breathless whisper as his fingers traced the contours of your cheek. "You're being so… intense tonight."

A sultry grin tugged at the corner of his lips as his breath caressed your ear. "I thought we could try something a bit different tonight, love," he purred, his hand sliding down to rest on your thigh. "Something to set the mood just right."

As you looked into his eyes, you saw an unmistakable hunger, a yearning that was both familiar and electrifying. Shoto's fingers began to dance along your skin, and a soft moan escaped your lips. He knew exactly how to stoke the fire within you, and he relished in it.

Your bodies moved in rhythm, a sultry dance of desire that left no room for inhibitions. Shoto's lips grazed your neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses and teeth that nipped at your sensitive skin.

"Shoto," you gasped, clutching his shoulders as pleasure coursed through your body. "I can't hold back anymore, my love…"

His chuckle was a deep, seductive melody. "Then don't," he whispered, his voice low and riddled with desire.

The room seemed to blur as the two of you gave in to the intoxicating tension that had been building all night. Shoto's lips met yours in a fiery kiss, his tongue expertly exploring your mouth. The aphrodisiac that had lingered in the air only heightened the sensations, making every touch, every kiss, feel like an electric jolt of pleasure.

Your hands roamed his sculpted body, tracing the contours of his muscles and sending him into a fevered frenzy of passion. Shoto's fingers worked their way beneath the fabric of your clothing, igniting a fire within you that grew hotter with each passing moment. Shoto's hands trembled with anticipation as he began to undress you, fingers fumbling with the fabric of your clothing. Every second felt like an eternity as he desperately yearned to have you. With a burning intensity in his eyes, he slowly peeled away the layers, his touch sending electric shivers down your spine.

His breath was ragged, his desire for you palpable. As your bodies were bared to each other, a deep, primal need coursed through him. The urgency was evident in every touch, every kiss, as he couldn't wait any longer to make you his.

As your bodies moved together in a frenzied crescendo of desire, Shoto's eyes never left yours. The intensity in his gaze, the raw hunger, was a testament to the depths of his longing for you. The aphrodisiac had awakened something primal in him, something that made every touch, every caress, feel like pure ecstasy.

Shoto's hands started to glide sensually over your body, his touch deliberate and teasing. He grinned as he cupped your breasts, delighting in their weight, and leaned in to take one into his mouth. His tongue danced over your nipple, drawing out sweet moans as you squirmed, trying to escape the delightful torment. His fingers pinched and caressed your other nipple, while his free hand ventured lower, tracing a feathery path over your ribs. You twitched and giggled at the tickling sensation.

At last, his hand found its way to your heated pussy, cupping it, feeling the moisture building. Two of his long fingers slipped into your pussy, leaing your breathless. Soon, he withdrew his fingers and licked them clean off your jucies, humming. "You're so delicious."

You emitted a sound, a mixture of a growl and a whimper, which gradually transformed into a passionate moan as Shoto's fingers delved into your silky depths. He withdrew his mouth from your breast momentarily, only to lavish his attention on your other nipple with fervent licks and nips. You instinctively moved your body, waves of pleasure coursing through you as you inched nearer to the brink of ecstasy.

Shoto pushed between your legs. You felt the head of his cock nudging your entrance; he pressed forward insistently.

You gasped as he entered you.

Shoto eased into your warmth, savoring the feeling as your body stretched to accommodate his considerable size, gradually sinking until he was completely buried inside you. He paused for a moment, continuing to kiss you, allowing you to adjust before he began to withdraw.

Then Todoroki thrust with determination, prompting a throaty groan from you. He established a rhythm, alternating between deep, powerful thrusts and shorter, shallower ones. With each thrust, the head of his cock pressed against that sensitive cluster of nerves inside you, sending pleasurable waves coursing through your body. Shoto's breath grew heavier as he moved, his hands roaming across your skin.

Your body arched as his pace quickened, and the sensations intensified. "Harder, harder, Shoto, please!"

As Shoto thrust, his fingertips find your clit, stroking insistently. He rolled his hips hard, plunging his dick deep into your welcoming wetness, grunting lowly. "Fuck, you feel so good, so fucking good, princess…" He increased his pace, and soon the entire bed was rocking back and forth with each of his powerful thrusts.

The room was filled with the sound of your combined moans and the rhythm of your entangled bodies. Shoto's breathless words sent you spiraling further into a passionate abyss.

"Let go, love," he whispered, his voice husky and filled with unbridled desire. "I want to feel you lose control."

With his words ringing in your ears, you surrendered to the intoxicating pleasure, riding the waves of ecstasy as they crashed over you. You cried out, convulsing in orgasm.

Shoto felt the clenching of your velvety walls around his girth and he thrust hard and deep, grunting in your ear as he released his warm cum inside you. "Oh, fuck, princess…"

As the candlelight flickered and the room slowly returned to its tranquil state, you couldn't help but smile, knowing that this night had brought you and Shoto closer than ever before.

[riddlesrizzler]

Ikyk which post I’m referring to so hear me out: Slytherin boys as pop tart flavors. Go

YES GIRL OKAY SO

The Slytherin Boys as Poptarts

Mattheo Riddle- Frosted Blueberry

He is the midnight flavor-sweet, sharp, and nostalgic, like ink stains on fingertips and the echo of unsent letters. Blueberry holds a soft chaos; it's the kind of taste that lingers, tangy and dark, with a velvet frost you think you understand until you’re halfway in and suddenly it’s aching on your tongue. Mattheo is that-the ache beneath the smirk, the boy who swears he doesn’t care but never forgets your favorite song. His love doesn’t roar, it simmers, quiet and scorching, like a toaster left too long in the background of a stormy kitchen. You find yourself going back for more, again and again, even when it hurts-because no one else tastes quite like him.

Theo Nott-Brown Sugar Cinnamon

Theo is the warm silence of early morning-familiar, deep, and steady as an old soul’s heartbeat. Brown Sugar Cinnamon is comfort in pastry form, the gentle kind of sweet that lingers on the back of your throat like a secret only he’d keep. He speaks in soft looks and half-formed thoughts, the kind you only understand if you’ve been paying attention for years. His presence is like that first bite-simple, but suddenly sacred. He’s not loud in the way the world loves, but he is constant in a way the world needs. And like his flavor, he’ll never ask to be chosen, but if you do… you’ll never crave anything else.

Enzo Berkshire-Wildlicious Wild Berry

Enzo is a walking color palette-wild, reckless joy painted over soft scars. Wild Berry is a swirl of bright hues and loud sweetness, like laughter in a library or paint on your favorite jeans. There’s something fearless in the way he lives, like he’s daring the world to keep up, flavor bursting through the seams of every moment. But there’s depth, too-an unexpected fruitiness that surprises you when you thought it was all show. He’s both the loudest laugh in the dorm and the quietest one to notice when you’re not okay. With Enzo, everything tastes brighter, feels louder, lives louder. He’s the Pop-Tart that reminds you to feel everything-even if it’s messy.

Draco Malfoy-Chocolate Chip

Draco is restraint dressed in designer robes-cool porcelain touched with warmth he doesn’t know how to name. Chocolate Chip is the refined kind of sweet; not flashy, not overwhelming, but just enough to make you pause and savor. He’s the boy who carries his guilt like a pressed rose in a book-perfectly preserved, never opened. There’s something deeply nostalgic about him, like a flavor you remember from childhood, softer than you expected, slightly bitter in places, but undeniably familiar. He’s not trying to dazzle you-he isn’t trying at all, and maybe that’s why it works. There’s a comfort in his quiet, a steadiness in his guarded gaze, and beneath it all, the sweetness you only find if you stay long enough to melt past the surface.

Blaise Zabini-Chocolate Fudge

Blaise is silk and slow-burning stares, decadence wrapped in quiet danger. Chocolate Fudge is indulgent without apology-rich, smooth, and always in control. He doesn’t demand attention, but you’ll find yourself watching him anyway, wondering how someone so composed can still feel like a hurricane. There’s something hypnotic in his presence, like you’re tasting something forbidden and loving every bite. He’s the kind of sweet that melts on the tongue but leaves you wanting more-never quite full, never quite done. And maybe that’s the point. With Blaise, the flavor isn’t just in the bite-it’s in the pause between, the heat behind the eyes, the promise he never says out loud.

[mochinomnoms]

What do you think would happen if Floyd were to meet Riddle's mother?! Cuz I just read your Mama/Papa leech Headcanons about meeting their sons crush. But what if it’s reversed? Riddle's mother Meeting Floyd? (I would also say Yuu's parents meeting Jade, but unfortunately, that won't be happening)

“Wow, I thought Lil Goldfishie was a stick in the mud, his mama has a whole branch up her—” *gets kicked in the groin*

I have very mixed feelings about Riddle's mother, in that with the context we have right now she's a bitch and if I ever see her it's on motherfucking sight. But she must love her son still, right? Is she harsh because he wants to set Riddle up for success, but only knows the way she was raised? Is she scared of her kid getting hurt or failing, and so she tries to shield him from all possible harm? Is she so hyperaware of all the dangers in society that she feels the need to keep him in a little bubble, knowing in the back of her mind that making mistakes and getting hurt is part of growing up? A good mother would never want to see their child ever get hurt if it were up to them. I mean, she must care for him in some way, but how? In the manga or novel (not sure which) they mention that she fought back against the school to keep him in, but was that because she wanted him to have the prestige of NRC in his background or because she wants what's best for him? She homeschooled him herself to the point that he's an immensely powerful mage already as a teen, so she could've hypothetically kept doing the same thing, right? Is she a mother that truly cares for her son but suffered the same childhood, but she “turned out fine” so it must be fine? Or is she just a bitch, lol. Either way, she is emotionally and affectionately neglectful and doesn't realize it at best, and emotionally and psychologically abusive at worst.

I have a lot to say on the topic of Mrs. Rosehearts, about her parenting, the cultural differences of child-rearing that EN players and JP players might have. This post talks about it in depth, but I can say more on the topic later.

In regards to Floyd meeting Mrs. Rosehearts, probably against Riddle's wishes or while he's distracted, the poor guy is set up for disappointment. While it's implied that Mama Leech is overprotective and that she calls very often, if not daily, to check in on her sons, they still had enough freedom growing up to get into shenanigans and hijinks. I mean, they beat up a sturgeon and took some of its scales to fashion into earrings like a trophy. And they both speak very fondly of her, so Floyd is going into meeting Mrs. Rosehearts with the expectation that she might be a bit stuffy. But, she raised Riddle, his crush and favorite human! He's strict and mean at times, but he cares a lot for his dorm and is super diligent, she must be like that too!

But she's so…critical. She looks at him unamused, very standoffish, but is polite. He guesses. He can see where Riddle got his strictness from.

“Hello. Who might you be?” She probably didn't expect to have some random student, not even from her son's dorm, come up to her. He was...tall. Towered over her, and based on the color of his hair and sharp teeth, most likely wasn't human.

“Huh, you're not as red as my Lil Goldfishie is.”

She blinked and frowned, resisting the urge to chastise the strange fellow for his informal tone and rube behavior. Not her son, not her problem.

“Pardon? Do you often speak to your elders like this?” she asked, eyeing him as she turned away to watch her son give orders to his dorm as they managed an informational booth.

“Yeah, why not? They're just people. Not like I'm being rude or anything” She would strongly disagree. “You're kinda prickly, like a lionfish.”

“W-what?” She changed her mind, someone needs to put him in her place. “Now listen here, young man, it's quite rude to call people anything other than their na—”

“They're real mean, ya know. Venomous, a nuisance, can't even mess with it cause it has a bunch of spines—oh! Imma call you Mama Lionfish.” The young man snapped his left fingers like he made a revelation.

Mrs. Rosehearts had learned to control her temper, but she still had her moments, Her face been bright red, her lips thinned, and she opened her mouth to start berating the young man.

“Floyd Leech! What did I tell you about calling people names?” A tall, slender women came up to them, pale skin and hair hue similar to the man in front of her. She wore a cream-colored dress and matching blazer, adorned with gold and pearls, and a matching wide brimmed hat. She was followed by Riddle, who looked a mix of anger and concern.

“Never do it in front of people, yeah, yeah.” The man named Floyd pouted, but brightened at the sight of Riddle. “Oh hey Lil Goldfishie! What's uuuup?”

Floyd jogged over to Riddle, halting him midstep as Mrs. Rosehearts noticed Riddle almost bristle, trying to sidestep and get around Floyd. He was failing.

“I apologize, you know how boys can be!” The woman in front of her also towered over her, though not nearly as much as her son did. “My Floyd doesn't mean anything by it, he just a silly boy.”

The blue haired woman laughed, then abruptly stopped, narrowing her golden gaze as she thinly smiled.

“You're the man's mother, I assume.” Mrs. Rosehearts replied, smoothing out her skirt and clutching her hands together. “He's very...spirited. He's from the Leech family? Is it safe to assume that your the Leech family matriarch?”

The other woman's sharp toothed smile grew as she nodded. “Yes. It's not often that I come to the surface. But it's wonderful to know that I'm as—oh—well-known, on the surface, as under the sea.”

Mrs. Rosehearts wouldn't use the word 'well-known' as much as she would infamous.

“Yes, well. I would just remind your son to not so blatantly call people names to their faces.” she said, clenching and unclenching her fist in an attempt to sooth herself. “I'm not sure what your customs are under the sea, but up here he would be considered a riffraff.”

For all her talk about politeness, Mrs. Rosehearts forgot herself at time and let things slip out of her mouth faster than she processed. She knew she pressed a button when Mrs. Leech's smile disappeared.

It was only for a moment, but with the blank face and the way her gold eyes bore into her, it felt like her body and soul were being grasped by something dark and violent.

Then that feeling was gone as Mrs. Leech smiled again and closed her eyes, tilting her head.

“He'll be fine, I'm sure he'll find his people. After all, it seems he's already found someone in your son.”

Both women moved their gazes to the pair, now bickering. Well, Riddle was, the one called Floyd, was just swaying on his heels as he grinned and make a comment here and there. Each one after the other seemed to fluster her son further, his cheeks growing in color as they spoke. Most people who knew her son would assume that the red was attributed to his rage, and it mostly was. But (fortunately or unfortunately, she couldn't decide) her son was much like her. It wasn't rage that made his eyes dart away each time their eyes met for too long. It wasn't rage that made him scuff his foot every so often. And it most certainly wasn't rage in his eyes.

Mrs. Rosehearts cleared her throat, turning away from Mrs. Leech and walking to her son.

“I don't know what you're implying, but I must be going now. My son and I still need to tour his dorm.”

Mrs. Leech watched the other woman walk away, sighing.

“Oh, what a disdainful woman. And her son is so lovely too…she really is like a lionfish.”

“Yeah, it's a good nickname for her, right Mama?” Floyd came bounding over, stretching his arms. “Is' too bad she's a stuck-up, gonna real annoying if she's my mother-in-law.”

“Hm, I'll just have to overcompensate then and be the best Mama for you and the little Riddle!” Mama Leech clapped her hands excitedly, sighing in bliss at the thought.

“Oh, it will be so wonderful to see the family grow big...oh! By the way, Floyd.” Mama Leech walked away, Floyd following after diligently. “I might have mentioned a little 'something' to him about your cute rambles about him. He was so cute, all red and flushed when I said you're positively infatuated, calling him cute and—”

“Aw what! Mama!”