マレウスの人の子

"You know, I'm starting to see why people think we're dating," said the prince as fluffy bristles painted faded teal lightly sweep across his left eyelid.

"Really..? I can't see why..." you tell him, but it's obvious in the faint drag of your tone that you weren't entirely paying attention to what he was saying. That said, Minajael can't entirely blame you. After all, doing makeup requires at least some level of concentration.

Besides — he cracks the other eyelid open, his gaze falling downwards and stopping at where your hips meet and your legs cross around his waist to hold yourself steady — as it stands, he can't say he's the most focused at the moment himself.

"Really?" He parrots softly, "That's interesting coming from you."

"Huh? How so?" You ask, but the moment he parts his lips to grace you with an answer, your legs fall from around him and you shift all your weight to his thigh so that you can maneuver.

He silently allows you to, watching as you tilt and tip for a moment until you nearly lose your balance to which he so graciously helps you out in the most platonic way ever — by snaking his hands under your shirt and latching his hands onto the bare skin of your waist.

"Thanks," You tell him, your hand cupping underneath his chin as you turn his head in order to properly marvel at the work you've laid upon his almond eyes.

Your work of art...that you now realized was smudged at the tip, you scowl.

"Damnit.." You curse under your breath, "I need to start over — hey, lift me a bit?"

Upon your request, Minajael bends the knee of the leg you still sat on, raising you into the air with ease. You accommodate swiftly to the new position, setting your knee on the new chair space you were granted between his legs.

Your hands find his face once more, this time both at the same time in order to cup his face and brush a wave of brown bangs out of your way and allow the light overhead to hit the area it was once so rudely covering. Now your mistake is on full display for you to perceive and, even better, for you to fix.

...But as you grasp at a cotton pad and wet it with a generous amount of cleansing water, you remember, "Sorry, what were we talking about? Something about rumors?"

"Yeah," The man hums, "The rumors about us being in a secret relationship these past three years."

And at such claims, you respond casually, "Oh right, right... Honestly, people can turn just about anything into gossip. I'm not surprised they managed to blow our little interactions up out of proportion."

"I completely agree, but—" "Close your eyes."

He closes them, not missing a bit as he continues, "—at the same time, I think we're partially to blame for them being blown up so much."

You dab at his eyelid, "Hm...I guess, but it's not like we've done anything crazy. It was all completely platonical — like that time during freshman year when you let me borrow your jacket because I got the shivers in class," You said.

"Or that time during sophomore year during our school trip to Sunset Savanna when you got tired on our walk and I carried you the rest of the way on my back," He added.

"Was I heavy?" You pondered aloud to which he responded, "You want the nice answer or the honest answer?"

He feels you land a firm smack to his shoulder and he can't help but chuckle at the satisfaction he feels earning such a reaction.

"Anyways," You said amidst his bout of laughter, "This all could've started because of that one time Chenya caught me sneaking out of your room. I told him I was just in there to steal some cosmetics but he didn't seem all that interested in hearin' me plead my case."

"Oh so that's why you visited me. Makes sense coming from the same thief who also stole one of my scarves that night too."

"You have a million of them. Me borrowing one for a little while is no big deal," you defend as you remove the last bit of teal from the corner of his eyes and set the pad aside.

And he replies with a half laugh, half huff, "Oh so now it's "borrowing", alright."

The flat brush finds its way into your hand once again, and with a quick swipe from his palette dying the stiff, bulleted brush teal for a second time, you retort, "I gave it back eventually — along with your makeup palette, might I add — so yes, it was borrowing. Textbook definition of it, actually."

And as you begin the application process once again, Minajael asks with the same mellowed casualness you had used on him earlier, "Then what do you call what happened this morning then? Were you just borrowing that kiss from me? Were you planning to give that back, or..?"

And just like he did before, you don't bat an eye, "At some point I did, yeah."

"Well why wait? I mean, take any longer and you'd be bordering theft here." He cracks his right eye open, and you can see a faint sparkle of playfulness lighting his oval irises — one that just about bordered mischief when paired with the smirk growing on his face.

"Tch, no way! I'm just now getting this color to blend with your eyeliner again — I'm not stopping now!"

"How dedicated you are," He said, allowing his eye to fall shut again, "Even if branded as a criminal, you'd still prioritize making sure I look good. I'm honored."

You pause, but only to roll your eyes as you murmur, "Somebody has to.."

A comfortable silence falls between you two, and the sounds of your breaths quietly leaving you to mingle with his inevitably become the white noise that slips you back into the zone.

Minajael doesn't say a word as this happens, and without much conscious thought to it, slides his hand up your thigh and begins stroking it as tenderly as a weaver would to silk.

"Wanna go down to the cafeteria after this and grab some snacks?" He pops the question after a while. You hum out affirmatively.

"Wanna come back up here and cuddle afterwards?" Silence. He continues, "Don't worry, I won't fall asleep and ruin your precious masterpiece."

You hum again, his smirk widens.

"It's a date then."

He’s never liked staying at the palace, the media and many know that well—knowing he’s ran away from home multiple times. So, whenever he’s forced to stay there and falls sick, he doesn’t wait before finding you. Your phone lights up with a message, “I’m outside, open up.” You hurry downstairs and swing the door open, finding him there on the doorstep—breath uneven as his fever rises. When you ask why he always comes to you whenever he’s sick, his answer is always, “It’s unbearable being ill in the palace,” he mutters. His answer isn’t entirely a lie, but he’d be lying if he said there isn’t another reason. He likes the way you fuss over him, the quiet comfort of being taken care of by you.

Likes your hands a lot, he’s always mindlessly rubbing his thumb across your knuckles or lacing them together with his. Every time you meet, he greets you with a kiss on the back of your hand. When you question why he does that, he just spares you a smug look before letting out a soft chuckle.

Has this habit of always having his hands on you. Whether it be his palm resting against the small of your back, guiding you through a crowd, or his fingers mindlessly tracing circles on your waist, his touch always seems to find its way to you. When it’s just you two alone, he gets a little greedy with it. Your back pressed to his chest, his arms around your waist, holding you close as if he has no intention of letting go anytime soon. The moment you try to slip away, he pulls you closer. “Don’t,” he whispers, his breath brushing against your ear.

He rarely gets jealous, but when he does, he sulks like there's no tomorrow. When you ask what’s wrong, he only shrugs you off. “S’nothing,” he mutters, though the restless shift of his posture say otherwise. He grows quieter, clearly bothered yet too stubborn to admit it. It’s only then when you smother him in kisses would he give in, sighing as he lets the truth slip through his lips.

𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞

it was so obvious that it was almost disgusting.

there you were, enjoying a nice ice cold beverage with your boyfriend on a hot day at your favorite local cafe. then, a random girl had just decided she had to come up to your table and speak to him.

you had noticed her making goo goo eyes in your direction for what you estimated was around ten minutes. she did not come up until her group of friends had noticed her stares and started hyping her up to go talk to him, how rude could they get? even in this moment, your hand was interlinked across the table because he wanted to play with your fingers.

it wasn’t until the girl had approached your table and spoke to him that he lost his focus on twiddling your fingers. the way her eyes swept over him with a more than friendly look made your body temperature noticeably rise and your heart beat quicken, and it only continued to worsen as she stood there.

her eyes didn’t once meet yours, opting to only focus on rielle. “you’re so handsome!” she had exclaimed, inching herself a little too close to the table.

this made him finally take his attention away from you, only offering her a, “thank you!”, before resuming his intricate study on the movement of your hands. he caught himself though, and added a, “i really appreciate the compliment.”

“you should ditch this person, come with me and my friends! we’ll show you a good time.” this statement made the mer’s eyes visibly widen, and he gave you a look that said ‘please help me’.

“i really don’t–”, before he could continue any further, you cut in with a sharp, “can’t you see that he’s uncomfortable?”

the girl seemed surprised that you would even utter a word to her, “what–”

“please leave.” you insisted as you intensified your glare, which seemed to do the trick. as soon as the girl ran back to rejoin her friends, you turned to rielle. “are you alright?”

“i’m fine,” he confirmed, “are you okay?”

“i could be better.” admittedly, you did not want to get snippy with that girl. today was a lovely day and spending it with rielle was all you wanted, but you can’t always predict the future. still, you would continue to enjoy what time you had with him this afternoon.

𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐞𝐥

you liked to believe that you were a reasonable person. when someone upset you, or wronged you in any way, you dealt with the issue head on with grace. you would rather them look like a fool for getting angry or frustrated with you than you be the fool yourself.

which is precisely why minajael was trying his damn best not to let even a snort or wheeze escape his body right now.

a typical picnic, a simple yet classic date idea held by many a couple. you had planned this event out for months due to your schedules not aligning in a way that suited you both, so this happened to be the only day that both of you were available.

it started out so romantic; minajael feeling the breeze flow through his shoulder length hair as you gazed at him wondering how you had bagged such a beautiful and intelligent partner, the two of you feeding each other new snacks you had never tried before, him combing through your hair with gentle fingers as you laid on his lap. it was almost too perfect. so of course a gust of wind had to go flying and blow some of your food wrappers away.

no way would you ever litter such a well maintained and nice park, so the both of you got to work rounding up the lost trash.

however, it didn’t take too long before someone noticed that your boyfriend was by himself. they had approached him just as you were returning to his side having found all the wrappers you could find. the way they gazed at him was too sultry for your liking, your pace subconsciously speeding up as you walked.

and it only got worse when you arrived at the scene. just as the perpetrator was about to put a hand on minajael’s shoulder, you grabbed his wrist and told him to back off. your boyfriend had never witnessed you react this way, you were aware of the knowledge that he knew martial arts and could take this person down in two seconds flat. yet, you still decided to defend him.

you were too cute. and in some ways, too sweet.

as soon as the person walked off, you huffed and turned away from him to cross your arms. a barely noticeable grin took over his facial features, not one of smugness. no, this was admiration. “are you alright, hayati?”

you gave him a curt nod, “just peachy.”

“no need to worry,” he whispered, taking a ginger grasp of your hand. a silent reassurance. “i’ve been yours since the start.”

he will admit, though, he really wanted to deck that guy in the face.

Riddle Rosehearts

when riddle kisses you, it’s a little clumsy, like he’s not used to it

he never does grow out of that awkward moment right before the kiss

you bump noses everytime → you both try to move the same way and laugh when it just keeps happening

he melts into kisses every. single. time. his hands always find your face after he finds his rhythm

he tastes like strawberry tart and lemon teas

he can never kiss you without turning bright red → he stutters over every word when you pull away

he will never ask you, nor will he initiate ← you will know his desire by the hand on your knuckles and the way his eyes follow your mouth when you speak to him, but nothing more will be spoken

read his cues. he will be endlessly grateful

as your relationship progresses, he will become more comfortable with initiating contact, so just be patient with him!

he will always kiss you goodnight, even if you’re angry, even if he’s angry. he wants you to know he loves you even in anger.

Trey Clover

trey kisses you deliberately, half teasing half loving

this is never a quick endeavor → he holds you by the jaw and pulls you in deeply no matter what kind of kiss it is

goodbye kiss? it lasts at least ten seconds. same for any others

he wants you to know that he’s thought about it, that he’s not taking you lightly. his kisses reflect that thought process

he always tastes faintly of some kind of batter, but it’s always a little different every time he pulls you in

his hands find your waist and settle there with purpose as you kiss

if you put your hands in his hair he will marry you

take his hat off as you kiss him in front of his dorm room and you might just spend the night → he wants you to know him the way no one else does

Cater Diamond

cater kisses with the kind of avoidance that only comes from getting used to leaving

he’s never quite there when he kisses you casually → he pecks your lips or kisses your cheeks but he walks on eggshells over the idea of being that vulnerable

he claims any public space is a trashy space to make out in → he doesn’t wanna suck face in the hallways of NRC likes two horny side characters in a 2000s romcom 

but… if you give him time, he’s worth the wait

he kisses with desperation, emotion you are rarely allowed to see

quick kisses are plastered on magicam like paint on roses but he won’t ever take a picture of the way you smile when he puts his palm on the back of your neck

the first time you kissed for real, he started to cry

kissing you is like air to him, he feels like he’s been choking for his whole life until he felt the way you melt into his lips and his arms

he feels understood when it’s just you and him, and he can’t help but get scared that he’ll have to leave once more

he tried to push you away, but the feeling of your lips on his threw those plans out the window

he tastes like spicy ramen and chips almost every time → sometimes he tastes like spearmint gum (like your first kiss; he was nervous, okay!) and you know he planned on kissing you the whole time

Ace Trappola

when ace kisses you in public, it’s peppered with a raspberry and a joke

he’s determined to make you laugh every time → you roll your eyes and wipe his spit off your cheek and he is so in love with you it’s not even funny anymore

your first kiss he accidentally smacked into you and bit his tongue → he won’t make that mistake again

in private, he’s softer and he kisses like he means it

his hands search for you and they don’t seem to stop → he just likes to know that you’re there and you love him

he tastes like cherry anything → tart, lollipops, even just the actual fruit; it’s addicting

he kisses you on the couch like a high school boyfriend and he finds you in hallways just to deliver one more in case you’ve forgotten how good he is at kissing

he says he’s a better kisser than you as a joke → he secretly thinks you’re better than he is

“prefect, did you eat egg salad or somethin’ at lunch?” ← he’s always just kidding, but he likes when you flush that pretty pink and hit him in the arm with a scowl

he lets you shut him up with kisses, and he always laughs in between the space where your lips meet. without fail. 

Deuce Spade

deuce kisses you with tension in his shoulders and a stiffness in his lips → he’d never kissed anyone before you, and he’s scared to get it wrong

he’s the kind of guy to watch tutorials on youtube; he just wants to do it right for you!

his whole world was tilted the first time your lips met his, and he can never go back to the way it was before that moment of connection

he melts into every kiss but it always starts incredibly formal → he will never touch you any way that makes you uncomfortable

he asks every time

“is this okay, prefect?” with his hands cradling your face and his eyes hooded with barely restrained need → he’s always wanted you, and he will never get used to the fact that you’re really his

his hands always end up at the small of your back when the kiss gets deeper like a heat-seeking missile

Leona Kingscholar

when leona kisses you, it’s borderline lazy

he kisses you fully alert the way one would expect him to kiss you half asleep

but when he’s half asleep, his kisses are heavier and much slower

he wants every moment with you to last a lifetime, and he recalls each memory with the reverence of someone who doesn’t want them to wear out or turn to sand

his hands find your hips → he wants to stabilize you, to keep you safe and away from harm every time

he just can’t help the way his lips quirk up when his kisses steal your breath → yes he’s smug, but he’s allowed to be isn’t he?

“don’t strain yourself, herbivore” he loves to daze you and pretend nothing happened

your reddened face is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen and he won’t deny it (although he doesn’t mention it either)

if he ever lost you, he’d be a wreck, and he knows it

Ruggie Bucchi

ruggie kisses are punctuated by a light nip and his trademark laugh

they’re meant to take you by surprise, and they always do 

he kisses you like he’s starved and you’re a five course meal → you’re his, and he’s so used to owning nothing but the clothes on his back that he can’t help but hoard you away 

when he kisses you seriously, you can always tell by the way his hands grab at your shoulders as if to keep you from pulling away

he likes to hear your breath hitch when he lands one, and he revels in the idea that he might be able to get that kind of reaction from you

his teeth find your bottom lip like muscle memory and he loves to laugh at the way you startle

his kisses are cut off by wide grins that pull his lips off his teeth; he just can’t stop smiling like a lunatic and it’s making it hard to lay one on him

Jack Howl

jack kisses you like it’s a challenge and he’s trying to improve every time he does it

his tail wags noticeably and he can’t help but get a little embarrassed

his hands always search for your chin to pull you in just a little more

his ears twitch when your breath hitches → he loves to hear the way you love him

he gets flustered if you deepen the kiss, but he pretends not to 

he’s the kind of guy to kiss you every time you meet and every time you part

kiss him before his track meets “for good luck” ← he always ends up performing a little bit better

Azul Ashengrotto

azul still flushes bright blue each time you kiss him

if it were up to him, you would never stop kissing him, but alas, he has work to do 

he likes to drop hints, subtle comments that might sound like initiation but really aren’t → he gets nervous, don’t be too harsh with him

his fingers shake when you kiss him, but they intertwine with your own and he feels better

if you put your hands on his waist or his face he just might cry

do NOT wear lipstick because he won’t wipe it off but he won’t let the tweels see it either (they always know when he’s been kissed somehow. maybe it’s that dopey grin on his face? couldn’t be.)

Jade Leech

jade kisses like you’re an experiment, or like a puzzle he’s piecing together

he finds it fascinating that he can earn any kind of reaction from you, and he likes the idea that he might be seeing a part of you that no one else has

he always tastes like mushrooms; it’s earthy and familiar

the first time you kissed him his composure fell completely, and he didn’t speak for at least forty seconds

he’s never physically initiated kissing, but he talks big

“prefect, it seems you tried to kiss me this morning, but you must’ve missed, for it was delivered to my cheek instead. would you like to try again?” ← jade i hate you

Floyd Leech

floyd kisses are fast and always different

he likes to keep things interesting, and to be honest, he was a little skeptical that he wouldn’t get bored of kissing

but holy shit

when he first kissed you it was like an explosion happened in his brain and now he can’t go two seconds without your lips on his

he likes to pick you up (just like the movies) but sometimes he squeezes too hard lol

“shrimpyyyyy!” ← he always punctuates his greetings with little pecks now 

(not as cute, but he has a fondness for using his tongue and his teeth)

Kalim Al-Asim

kalim kisses with the kind of love that’s hard to explain

every kiss feels like you’ve been off at war for decades and he’s finally seen you again

the first time you kissed when he finally pulled away he started laughing and couldn’t say anything but the word “hi”

he loves to put his hands in your hair but his fingers always end up at that spot on your jaw right under your ears

his knees get a little shaky every time and he feels a jolt of electricity when your lips collide

he could do it again and again and again

it silences him immediately and he gets weirdly calm after

jamil thanks you lol

Jamil Viper

jamil kisses you like you’re dying, or he is, or perhaps both

he kisses you the way parting lovers do; pyramus and thisbe anyone? 

“i suppose you’re right, prefect. we should be going soon.” ← he waits a beat and then kisses you again (you’re never getting where you need to go)

he’s in love with the way you taste 

he feels like you’re taunting him everytime you talk to him and you don’t kiss him → what else would those lips before?

plealse don’t kiss him in front of kalim he might die

Vil Schoenheit

when vil kisses you, it is equal parts stylish and vulnerable

you are never at a bad angle when you two kiss; he tilts your head to the exact degree he needs you and he leans in

it’s almost picturesque, but this does not mean it’s not soft and sweet

his kisses are best in his room, alone  → these are slow, like he has all the time in the world 

his hands always curl at your waist and pull you in slightly, as if he needs to feel your skin on his at every moment

he hums contentedly every time  → you never fail to make him deliriously happy

he loves to see his lipstick smudged on you (he wipes it off after, but he likes the image)

Rook Hunt

i think we all know rook’s preferences 

rook kisses you with the devotion of a samurai or a man being sent off to battle

he could recite full sonnets about how it feels to kiss you, and if it were up to him he’d never stop

his hands hold you so delicately you’d think you were glass  → he wants to treat you like the deity he finds you to be

he’s never felt something so perfect as your lips on his, and he never wants to let that go

try to peck him. try it. i dare you. he will pull you in with a “such a tease, mon cœur” and you will never hear the end of it

his lips ghost over your skin before you fall asleep and right before you wake up  → he wants the first thing you know in the morning and the last thing you know at night to be that he loves you

Epel Felmier

epel kisses are a little clumsy, in the best way possible

he tastes like apples (cider, pie, with cinnamon, you name it) and he smells like faded perfumes and soil

his hands never quite know where to go but they always end up at your waist

there’s an enthusiasm in his kisses that is read in almost everything he does → he knows what he wants, and he’s eager to be the best at it

he pulls you in with a strength most people don’t realize he possesses; he’s a bit of a man-handler hehe

overall he’s eager to please and he’s obsessed with your lips more than anything

Idia Shroud

idia kisses are always a little awkward in the sweetest way

the first time you kissed your teeth bumped accidentally and he fell off his bed

he tries to catch you by surprise → it’s the only way he can do it that doesn’t feel cringey

he has maybe seen a few animes that show kissing and tried some tactics on you… but he will NEVER admit this

he finds himself chasing the high your lips give him more often than not, and that interest is what helps him get over his own anxiety

you will probably never get a kiss in public (this is scary) but in his room he’s much more confident about it

he’s the kind of guy to pull away after a bit and just start nervously laughing 

pretends to die and throws himself onto his pillow all dramatic like if you giggle while he’s kissing you (he smiles if you start laughing harder though, he’s doing it all for your enjoyment)

he never stops getting flustered by you not even after months of kissing

one kiss? mmm…. another one…. but what if…. one more. mmm…. another one.

his hair turns pink all over and he can barely look at you uwaaaaaaa 

(can you tell i love idia?)

Malleus Draconia

malleus kisses you both like he knows what he’s doing, and like he’s learning something new

he’s curious, he wants to know everything that could pull a reaction out of you, and he has no qualms about using his findings against you

his hands are so gentle when they’re on you → he couldn’t imagine being rough with you. ever. 

he likes to steal your breath, he finds it amusing that he can leave you panting

he’s the kind of guy to pull away after the first kiss and just look at you a moment before chasing after your lips like a man starved

no feeling will ever compare to the way your lips feel

he lays in bed with you sometimes and thinks about family, about marriage, about waking up every morning to your kiss and he decides it’s worth it; even if human lives are so much shorter, he’d rather a burst of happiness then the slow stumbling walk of regret

Lilia Vanrouge

lilia kisses are bursts of energy that always catch you by surprise 

you find yourself recreating the first spider-man movie very often (catch the ref, darlings)

his hands are on your spine → he likes to press you to him, he wants to feel your warmth tangle with his

lilia is legs tangled together and giggles between kisses and yet you’ve never felt this kind of devotion before

he’s willing to spend the rest of his fading life with you and i think that’s beautiful

kisses out in public are pecks and nose kisses intended to make you roll your eyes and laugh

kisses in private are intended to make you realize that there is a love in the universe that is greater than anything, and it is all for you and you alone

Silver Vanrouge

silver kisses are innocent and straightforward 

he’s the kind of guy to chase after your lips when you pull away → don’t laugh, he just can’t stop 

“prefect, may i kiss you again?” my my, how forward! what would lilia say? (nothing he would literally say nothing)

he dreams about you now, and if he wakes to find his bed empty he feels an ache he’s never really felt in his chest before; i guess you have to stay and monitor this with him, it could be a heart attack 

he never does anything without your permission and he’s just the sweetest

sleepytimes boy i love you

Sebek Zigvolt

sebek kisses are ALWAYS clumsy and ALWAYS leave him flustered

every time he pulls away he’s ruddy-faced and straight spined → it’s silly please kiss him again

refuses to kiss in front of malleus i’m sorry

he bows and presses his lips to the back of your hand before using said hand to pull you towards him and leaning to press his lips now to your own

he’s a knight first and your lover second, but this really does have its perks 

he’s never been anything but a gentleman to you when it comes to this

if you can handle his yelling, honestly? you can handle anything he throws at you dear reader

he’s grateful you can ❤️

Rollo Flamme

rollo kisses are chaste, but you can feel the restraint behind them each time

hands intertwined with yours and they never stray → he has self-control; he ought to use it

sometimes you catch him off guard and you can practically touch the desperation that leaks from him as he pressed his lips to yours

he’s never wanted anything as much as you and he doesn’t know how to feel about that 

give him time, he’s worth it i promise 

he likes your temples; this is really where he kisses most often

something something the most reverent place to kiss a lover something something temple of god something something 

Artemiy Artemiyevich Pinker (Che’nya)

che’nya kisses are unpredictable but sweet

he appears sometimes out of nowhere to plant one on your lips and then leave with a broad cheshire grin

he can’t get enough of it, and it really shows

“prefect, you’re purrfect” please get him outta my face 

no but he does get serious with you sometimes → these are the best che’nya kisses

his fingers curl at the nape of your neck and he tastes like tarts almost every time 

he smiles into kisses there is no stopping him

Rielle Corallia

rielle is obsessed with kissing

he searches for you like a heat-seeking missile and kisses you no matter where you are

every time it’s different and every time it’s the greatest thing in the world

he kisses like he’s memorizing the way you feel, like he’s letting his curiosity get the best of him

another one another one another one → you are never getting rid of him

he holds you by the hips, he likes the feeling of what makes you human

some days they find your wrists, feeling your pulse under the skin; he really likes that

Minajael Tealrajah

minajael’s kisses are confident and cool

he dips you sometimes (often) and he can’t help but smirk into the kiss

don’t be fooled though, he’s a huge loser for you

definitely another kiss chaser, he won’t let you go until he’s finished

you pull away to fast and The Eyebrow comes out woof i would kiss him again to make him feel better

he pouts if you don’t kiss him for the exact amount of time he wanted you to

he holds you by the chin and his other arm wraps around your waist to find the small of your back

Neige LeBlanche

neige kisses are sweet and slow

he always asks permission first, there is no exception

his hands grasp either side of your face like he’s holding glass and it’s glorious

he tastes like apples and cinnamon :)

he’s the kind of guy to thank you after you kiss him (don’t bring it up it was an accident !!)

he loves you and he loves to show you that all the time

it takes him five minutes just to say goodbye he’s too busy blissed out on kissing you 

You wrap your arms around his small frame, halting your walk as you squeeze him as tight as you can, swinging him lightly as you try to get all your pent up energy out. Riddle is flabbergasted, absolutely spluttering incoherent words as his mind tries to comprehend how fast his world just shifted. A second ago he was trying to ignore your subtle glances towards him, now he’s wrapped in your vice-like embrace.

“Wh-what are you doing?!” Riddle  stutters, face a bright red, nearly matching the color of his hair. 

“You’re just so cute!” You groan, squeezing him a little tighter to emphasize your words. “I can’t hold it in anymore, ‘m sorry.”

Riddle tries to regain his composure (a difficult task as you nuzzle into him), speaking softly, “Don’t apologize. I do not mind your shows of affection. Though I do request you keep these moments for us alone.”

“Okay,” You agree, grin bright as you get even more giddy at the prospect of being able to do this again, and again, and again. So excited, that you bite his cheek softly before pulling away.

“What in the world was that for?!” Riddle’s voice cracked, any composure long gone once again.

❥ Leona Kingscholar

While Leona was intimidating, and can be quite scary at times, you couldn’t help but remember that at the end of the day…he was still a lion. You loved to watch the way his ears twitched, or how his tail swayed, or how his canines (which were sharper than a human's) poked out when he smiled smugly. It just made you want to squish him into utter oblivion. Who allowed him to be so cute! 

While Leona wasn’t a huge fan of being overly affectionate in public, he indulged your overly affectionate habits behind closed doors. Which is where you were right now, laying beside the lion beastman as he dozed the day away. Once again, that clawing affection rose up within you, the incessant need to claw and squeeze him until the energy building up in you finally goes away. 

You tried to hold back, as Leona didn’t like anyone waking him up…yet, his nose twitching cutely was the death of your restraint. You lunged at him, wrapping around one of his beefy arms and squeezing around him like you were a boa constrictor. Yet it wasn’t enough, it never was. So you lay yourself completely on top of him, hugging his head to your chest, smothering him (quite literally) with your love.

“What are you doing, herbivore?” Leona’s sleepy voice asks, muffled. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Yes,” You state flatly, squeezing his head to your chest a little tighter before giving him room to breathe. Slitted green eyes meet yours, and you feel your heart melt as his pupils dilate as they meet your own.

“I question why I allow you anywhere near me with your homicidal affection,” The lion mumbles, closing his eyes once more as he relaxes further into your embrace.

“Because you love it,” You hum, leaving a splatter of soft kisses across his face.

“I love you,” He corrects, tugging you closer (somehow). Of course, Leona cannot let you have the last laugh, turning his face and giving your cheek a light chomp, his smug self dozing off once more.

❥ Azul Ashengrotto

Azul was such a gentleman, and it drove you absolutely nuts. The quiet ways he cared for you, the way he was always close to your side (and if he wasn’t, then it was the twins), the way he always gave you discounts (it wasn’t even discounts at this point, he just fed you for free). Ugh, and the cute blush he gets every time you thank him, it makes you want to eat him up! Oh and how he was so shy, yet clearly ate up all your affection made everything ten times worse.

“You. Are. So. Cute!” You punctuate each word as you squish Azul’s cheeks. He allows you to do so, ears a bright red as he takes in your strange form of affection. It was a needed break from creating fine prints on his contracts.

“Th-thank you, my pearl,” Azul stuttered, voice muffled as you continued to pinch and squish his cheeks. 

He would have been offended by this not too long ago, before you both were together. It reminded him of his mother, who would always pinch his cheeks when he was little, reminding him of times where he was bullied for his weight, for his merform. Yet once his heart opened up to you, and your bond grew, he couldn’t help but be reassured by your bouts of love. It reminded him that he didn’t need to work for your affection, and that you truly did love him for who he was, and not just what he could offer. 

Unfortunately for him, the squishing was not enough for you. From your spot on top of his desk, you lean in, causing the mer’s eyes to widen at your proximity. His form utterly stills, acting like this was the first time you’ve done this (it was far from that), only for you to bite his cheek. 

“Darling!” Azul gasps, heart fluttering violently at your actions. 

“I’m hungry for takoyaki,” You joke, nipping at his reddened cheek once more before finally pulling yourself back.

Azul’s brain officially shuts down, jaw dropped. Give him some time to try (and fail) to regain his composure.

❥ Kalim Al Asim

This sweet boy. The question is when aren’t you feeling cuteness aggression towards him? Kalim tackles you in a giant hug? You’re squeezing the living daylights out of him right back. He kisses your cheek? You kiss him all over his face. You’re both a gross mess of affection and glee, it lowkey disturbs everyone around the two of you. But neither of you could care less when you both love each other so so so so much it physically hurts to keep it inside.

“Kalim!” You practically squeal with laughter as the housewarden peppers the entire side of your face with kisses. You do your best to pull away from your overly affectionate boyfriend, who then lands ticklish kisses to the side of your neck, giggling along with your laughter. You try to push him away, face aflame as you glance at the few people who pass you in the courtyard. You fail that mission quickly as Kalim pouts towards you, which instantly bleeds into a beaming grin (he can’t pretend that he isn’t the happiest guy ever with you). 

“I can’t help that I love you so much,” Kalim says without a hint of shame nor hesitation, which makes your insides turn from a gooey mess, to a violent buzzing storm. 

With no rational thought, you tackle the sunny boy down onto the bench, no longer caring of the stares of others. Kalim is a willing victim, having been on the end of your cuteness aggression many times. You both squeeze each other as tight as possible, and the fact that he is copying your actions makes you feel even more aggressive. 

“I love you so much too,” You reply, head buried in the crook of his neck. With skin pressed to skin, you can’t resist the urge to bite, which leads you to chomping his neck in a quick and light bite. 

“Hey!” Kalim giggles, not even trying to wiggle away from you, leading you to bite his shoulder, then cheek to finish off your attack. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” You lamely apologize (you both know you’re not sorry, and that it will happen again). “You’re just too cute.”

“It’s okay,” Kalim easily bats off your apology, arms looped around your waist as you still lay on top of him on the uncomfortable bench. “You should do it again!”

You both fed into each other's affection crazes.

❥ Vil Schoenheit

It was an awful, bubbling pit that you had to keep to yourself. Every time you saw Vil’s newest photo shoot, or watched the newest movie he was in, that crazy urge to chomp his arm off festered inside you. Could anyone blame you? Vil was beautiful, skilled, amazing, gorgeous, and so, so sweet in his own (slightly backhanded) way. You weren’t the only one with those feelings, but you were by far the luckiest, as you can call him your boyfriend. 

Ugh, and the fact that Vil has let you on set for his photo shoots? It’s torture in it’s own form, one you willingly put yourself through every time. You do your best to act like a normal human being as Vil poses, switches outfits, makeup changes, then poses again. You pretend like your brain isn’t barking like a feral dog as you bring him his water bottle, reassuring him he looks perfect when he asks for your opinion. You hate the knowing look in Vil’s amethyst eyes as you scuttle away.

It isn’t till later when you’re both safe in his room, tucked under the blanket of night when all your pent up energy releases. 

“You’re too pretty to be kept alive,” You grumble, squeezing Vil with all the strength you could muster. Vil could only let out an amused sigh, allowing you to exhibit your cute tendencies. As much as you wanted to take a bite out of your too gorgeous boyfriend, you had begrudgingly agreed to not leave any marks (or do anything that could lead to marks), so you settled on wrapping yourself like a koala around Vil and trying to merge you both. 

Vil absentmindedly runs a hand through your hair, frustratingly unaffected by your attack. So, you use the last tool in your arsenal, and press your lips to his feverishly. Of course Vil reciprocates, and you can’t help but wonder what he sees in you, but that thought quickly dissipates as he easily leads you into a more coherent kiss, taming your rampage into something more gentle until finally the energy in your system is gone. 

“What am I going to do with you,” Vil mumbles fondly, tucking you close into his side (you’re already pressed against him, but it’s a sweet gesture nonetheless). He’ll never admit that your cuteness aggression for him does something he’s not too proud of.

❥ Idia Shroud

Idia is too beautiful to be a recluse shut in. You cannot comprehend how your boyfriend thinks he’s ugly. From his flaming blue hair, bright yellow eyes, and that cute shy smile he gets around you. Ugh, just the thought makes you want to squeeze his head till it pops…in an affectionate sense. Idia finds the notion insane. He can barely comprehend the fact that he has a partner, let alone that you love him so much it makes you go crazy. He would just be existing and you would spring at him like a rabid raccoon. Who even does that?? It’s not like he’s a romance protag, yet you make him feel like one.

You do your best to not jump him when he’s gaming. You know how seriously he takes it, and you don’t want to make him upset if he fails in getting an ssr, or a rare item. So you sit (im)patiently on his bed, pretending to scroll on your phone when you’re secretly eyeing up your pretty boy. He’s completely lost in his game, a giant, maniacal grin spread across his lips as he mashes the button of his controller. He looks so happy it makes your stomach flip. 

You really, really tried to be patient, sitting there for a few hours, yet when Idia gets into a game, he can play it for days without a break. So you give in to your desires, slithering your way towards his seated form, stealthy coming up behind him. Your stomach twists in knots at the anticipation of finally smothering your boyfriend in the affection he deserves. You pounce, nearly jumping into his lap as he lets out a high pitched scream. You can’t help but laugh at his reaction as you wrap your arms around his neck, squeezing his form into your own.

“Wh-what are you doing?!” Idia exclaims, voice cracking on a few syllables. 

“Loving you,” You grumble, peppering kisses into his neck as you nuzzle into his side. You feel the heat of Idia’s hair as it flares, his attention solely on you as you shower him with kisses and hugs.

The ‘game over’ screen is long forgotten as Idia basks in you and the love that consumes you both.

❥ Malleus Draconia

Malleus is overjoyed by your bouts of cuteness aggression. In fact, he anticipates it, wishing to have you shower him with the affection he oh so longs for. He cannot judge you though, as he feels the same, he is just unsure how to showcase his own affection. Ugh, but he is just a total cutie. You love when he pouts at his phone, asking you for help, or when he speaks passionately about gargoyles, or when he looks towards you to see how you react. All your adoration and love just want to explode like a volcano! Malleus just smiles and it makes you want to kiss him all over his pretty face. 

“You’re so gorgeous,” You complain, squishing his cheeks beneath your palms. “Who let you be so pretty? It should be a crime.”

Malleus’ grin speaks wonders as he sits perfectly still, eating up your attention and affection. He says nothing, eyes squished as you paw at his cheeks like its playdough. 

“You’re too dangerous to be left alive,” You declare, pausing your movements. Malleus tilts his head, curious about what you’re going to do next, and your cuteness aggression flares even more at the adorable gesture. 

You don’t think as you lean in and lightly ‘bite’ (more like place your mouth around) his horn, the two of you stock still as the action clicks in your heads. Your stomach drops, you definitely went too far, and you pull back, apologies ready to fly off your tongue, but strong arms halt your movement. Your breath is still as you notice the bright red blush that coats the dragon fae’s cheeks and ears, his pupils widely dilated as he stares at you. Your heart skips a beat as he pulls you closer. 

“You are quite brave, child of man,” His voice reverberates between you both, but his tone is filled with nothing but warmth and something a bit darker. “You are lucky that I enjoy all your strange forms of affection.”

With that, he leans in and bites your cheek (something you have done to him countless times), reciprocating your strange show of love. 

❥ Minajael Tealrajah

Minajael cannot get enough of your seemingly random attacks of affection towards him, no one had dared to get close to him, let alone bite him (except for his adorable pet tiger). It invigorated him, made him feel strangely normal. You didn’t treat him like some porcelain prince like his father did, nor did you treat him like untouchable royalty like others, and biggest of all, you didn’t try to suck up to him because of his title. Your uncontrollable affection for him proved just that. 

You had borrowed the magic carpet from Kalim, taking Minajael for a ride across Sage’s Island. It was beautiful, the moon a waning crescent above, the sky nearly clear, if not a few fluffy clouds dotting the horizon. Yet you couldn’t take your eyes off of the prince across from you. Your heart melted at the way his warm, brown eyes took in the scenery, his face shining with wondrous awe. The nail in the coffin was when his gaze finally landed on you, eyes brimming with love and joy and it makes you want to explode. 

You gently hold his face, squishing his cheeks lightly before attacking his face in kisses. Minajael chuckles softly, practically melting in your embrace, his own heart beating erratically. Yet kisses aren’t enough to get rid of the vibrating energy that is buzzing beneath your skin. So you squish his cheeks together, pressing a final kiss to his smushed lips before tackling him (gently, you don’t want to fall off the carpet). 

“You are so strange,” Minajael breaths out, enjoying the way you try to squeeze it out of him. “I love it.”

“You say that like you aren’t strange too,” You reply seamlessly, relaxing your hold as Minajael wraps his arms around you.

That familiar smug smirk tugs on his lips, nuzzling your nose with his own. 

“You’re right,” He agrees, his sweet affection turning sharp as he bites the tip of your nose in retaliation. “We’re a perfect match.”

It was safe to say that you both match each other’s freak.

“Cold?” Minhaj asked, quirking an eyebrow at you. You waved him off, pulling your silken scarf from your head and wrapping it around your shoulders. 

“Just peachy.” 

“...And that would mean?” He asked, seeming confused at your phrasing. You only sighed, his confusion a stark reminder to yourself that you don’t belong here. 

How does this world have French but not ‘just peachy’...?

“I’m fine, thank you.” You revised, hoping he would think it was foreign slang instead of otherworldly slang. If he suspected something he didn’t say anything, instead reaching a hand up to brush against your cheek. The warmth of his hand was a welcome one against your chilled skin, and you had to remind yourself to not reach for that warmth as he pulled away. 

“You feel pretty cold to me.” He remarked, giving you a teasing grin. You grumbled at his words, quickening your pace and walking ahead of him, a small smile on your lips. “To think you would leave poor me behind so quickly!” Minhaj chuckled from behind you, a bit of a dramatic flair to his words. 

There was a light ‘whoosh!’ sound, and you suddenly felt another layer fall over your shoulder, making you feel a bit warmer. Minhaj came up by your side, his cloak pointedly gone from his own shoulders as he looked over your appearance.

“Hm, much better now.” 

“...You didn’t have to do that.” You murmured, cheeks feeling hot. This time he was the one waving you off, shaking his head. 

“I wanted to though, so I did. Someone very wise once told me to not take things for granted, you know.” The way he referenced your previous words made you look away from his warm gaze, a bit embarrassed at how high and mighty you must have sounded. 

“...If you say so.” 

“I do.” He teased. “In other news, it seems we have arrived at your destination, habibi.” At his words you looked around, realizing that the two of you were now in front of the Asim estate. It might have been a bit worrying that you hadn’t even noticed the familiar surroundings, completely content with following this person you had just met today, but there was something about him that made you feel like you didn’t have to worry about that sort of thing, (you could almost hear Jamil’s voice in your head, scolding you for your actions). 

“Are you really so upset to part with me, (Y/N)?” Minhaj asked seriously, now standing in front of you. 

“What?” 

“...You’re frowning.” He murmured, brows pulled together. You immediately fixed your face at his words, realizing that you in fact had a bit of a small frown, (what for? You only just met Minhaj today…). Looking at the boy in front of you, you smiled a bit, his intense gaze making you feel a bit flustered. His expression lightened a bit at your smile, although his eyes seemed to still hold some kind of worry. “That’s better. Frowning doesn’t suit you.” 

“Hey, if I feel like frowning I’ll frown…” You started, the teal color of the cloak around your shoulders making you change the subject. “Let me give your cloak back.” You began to slide it off, but his hand shot out, his gentle grip on your wrist reminding you of earlier in the day when he had done the same thing. 

“You can keep it.” You looked at him in confusion but his face didn’t change; he was serious. 

“Aren’t you going to be cold?” Minhaj chuckled lightly at your concerned words, letting go of your wrist and instead adjusting the cloak back around you. 

“You might remember that I grew up in the Scalding Sands, so I’m quite well-adjusted. Think of this as a souvenir of your trip, perhaps. Aside from that though, I won’t be going far.” 

“Do you live closeby?” You questioned, making him pause for a moment. 

“Perhaps.” He said a bit mysteriously, his eyes seeming rather intense now. 

“Keep your secrets then, mysterious Minhaj.” He smiled at your joke but didn’t respond, his hands staying on your shoulders as he looked down at you. “...Is something wrong?” You asked gently, a bit nervous at his sudden change in disposition. 

“...It’s nothing.” He finally said after a few moments, shaking his head. “You should head inside now, I’m sure your friends are worried sick.” 

“Can we keep in contact, maybe?” You asked hesitantly. “Like…Magicam…? Or can I give you my phone number?” He sighed softly at your words and shook his head, making your heart drop to your stomach. 

Go figure. 

“I have faith that we’ll meet again, (Y/N).” One of his hands slid down to yours, lifting it up gently. “And when we do, maybe you can show me more of your world.” He leaned down, his lips brushing against your knuckles and leaving a chaste kiss before letting go of you. 

“But-?!” 

“(Y/N)!!” Your head whipped around at the familiar voice, a figure running down the road from the estate. Quickly, you turned to face Minhaj once more, only to be met with an empty spot where he had just been standing. Your eyes darted around, trying to find if he had hidden somewhere, but he was just…gone. 

Minhaj…

“(Y/N), are you okay?!” Jamil’s voice broke you from your thoughts, your heart pounding as you nervously approached his running figure, certain you were about to be cooked alive. Before you could get a word out, Jamil reached you in record time, his eyes laced with worry and his eyebrows furrowed as he frantically looked at you top to bottom. “Are you hurt?? They didn’t do anything to you, did they?!” He asked, panic in his voice. His hands hovered over you, clearly wanting to check you for any injuries, but stopping himself. 

You were expecting for him to be absolutely livid with you, so this panicked and worried state that he was in had you shocked. His hair was loose from its usual style, flowing wildly as if it was in sync with his emotions. Jamil was always the level, cool-headed one in any group setting, logically thinking through the next course of action, so to see him like this… 

You took hold of his hovering hand, bringing it to your cheek and holding it. “Jamil, I’m okay. See? No injuries or anything. I’m all good.” You assured, the warmth of his hand feeling comforting and familiar. His gray eyes searched your own for a few moments, almost as if he was trying to see if you were lying. He seemed satisfied and let out an exhausted sigh, his hand now cupping your cheek of his own accord.

“You’re always getting into some kind of trouble, aren’t you…” He trailed off, shaking his head in disapproval. “And how could you just run off like that? I had it handled!” Jamil scolded, making you a bit sheepish. 

“I panicked, okay? Those guards were huge…” He didn’t seem pleased with your excuse, his eyebrows still furrowed together. “I’m sorry, though. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” You added, unconsciously leaning into his hand a bit, (it was rather chilly out…). 

“...Don’t ever do that again.” He said, his tone serious. “I already have Kalim to worry about, I don’t want to be worrying about you too.” His harsh words made you look away, shame churning in your stomach. 

“Sorry…” You murmured, keeping your eyes fixed on the ground. Jamil sighed, silence falling between the two of you for a bit before he spoke. 

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Just…don’t scare me like that again.” His hand fell away from your cheek, his expression seeming rather conflicted. “Where even were you all this time? I’ve-We’ve been looking for you all over the city. We thought you got thrown into jail. Were you with someone just now?” He asked, looking around behind you as if trying to spot whoever you were with.

“Err…” You hesitated, thinking about whether or not to tell him about Minhaj. On the one hand, Minhaj was a local who kept you from getting caught and showed you around the Scalding Sands, but on the other hand, you just met him today and he could be a serial killer, (you seriously doubt it though). 

“Well?” 

“That was someone I met today…He saved me when I was about to get caught by the guards. He brought me back too, since I didn’t know where I was.” You explained, omitting the rest of the day. Jamil didn’t look at all convinced, looking down at you with an unamused look. 

“Really.”

“Yup.” 

“And that took five hours?” You internally cringed; you hadn’t realized that you were gone for so long, and now it made a little more sense why Jamil had been so panicked. 

“...Yup.” 

“You trusted a complete stranger to lead you around a foreign land.” He said flatly, clearly disapproving. You pressed your lips together, knowing there was no defense you had left. 

“I didn’t know how to get back…” 

“You could have called me back, you know.” Jamil sighed again. “I would have come to get you. You shouldn’t be relying on random strangers you find on the street; you’re lucky that person wasn’t a serial killer. Be more careful.” 

Did he read my mind?

“Okay, you’ve made your point, Jamil…” You relented. “I said I’m sorry…let me back in? It’s kinda cold out here.” 

“Fine. You should know that Vil has been planning different ways to lecture you, though.” 

“Oh god.” You groaned, making Jamil smile slightly. 

“It’s the consequences of your own actions.” 

“I know, but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it.” You grumbled, pulling the teal cloak around you more as the two of you walked back to the estate. Jamil’s brows furrowed slightly, as if he hadn’t even realized what you were wearing, (or more like, what had been added to your outfit). 

“Where did you get that?” He questioned, taking hold of one of the corners of fabric and examining it. 

“The person I mentioned gave it to me, since it was getting chilly out.” You explained, confused as to why he was examining it so thoroughly. “Why?” He looked at it over you for a moment longer before turning his back to you, walking back to the estate rather quickly. 

“...Nothing. Let’s get inside.”

♡♡♡

As promised, you were given an hour long lecture from Vil on safety procedures while on trips, and he subsequently gave you a battery pack for your phone since, ‘it must have died, given you didn’t pick up my calls’.

Grim had tried to act all tough at first, saying ‘Heh, finally! Hench-human, you took too long!’ before fat tears started rolling down his furry cheeks, yelling about how he wasn’t crying when you picked him up and gave him a hug, (you didn’t miss the way his paws gripped onto you tightly). 

Similarly, when Kalim saw you he barreled straight into you with a hug, (he’s surprisingly strong) crying and apologizing for not finding you sooner, promising that there would be no bounty on your head and that you wouldn’t be going to jail, (thank goodness for that). 

“One of my cousins, Minajael, is the prince, and he said something like ‘I’ll take care of it’, so it’s gonna be good now! He was here actually, you just missed him!” Kalim beamed. 

“The prince?” You questioned, feeling a bit alarmed. “How did the prince know what happened?” Kalim tilted his head at you like a confused puppy, putting a finger to his chin. 

“Did you not tell him what happened?” He asked. 

“Obviously not,” You sighed. “I don’t even know who the prince is, much less that he’s related to you!” 

“Ohhh, true! Haha, I forgot about that.” He laughed. 

“Kalim, when did the prince come? I didn’t see him.” Jamil asked, looking rather concerned. 

“Oh, he showed up at my window!” 

“He what?!” Jamil looked like he was about to bust a blood vessel with the way his eyes bulged, his mind clearly running through the many things wrong with that sentence. 

“Yeah, it totally scared me! But then he said that and I was like ‘Wow, thanks so much!’ and then he left!” You gaped at Kalim happily saying all of that as if it was the most normal thing in the world. 

“Wow…” You murmured, glancing over at Jamil, who was closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. “Well, at least I can show my face in the city again tomorrow…” 

♡♡♡

You flopped on your bed, the exhaustion of the day beginning to get to you. Your thoughts were racing through your head, but the one person that you were thinking about the most was Minhaj. You would be leaving fairly soon for school again, and who knows when or if you would ever come back to the Scalding Sands? 

Maybe I could ask Kalim if I could come back with them during break…

You shook your head, casting the thought aside. There was no guarantee that you would even see Minhaj again if you came back to the Scalding Sands, given that he hadn’t given you any way to contact him, and you didn’t know where he lived. He had seemed pretty convinced that the two of you would meet again, but you just couldn’t see a way that it could happen. 

You stretched out over the bed, but your hand hit something hard and metal underneath your pillow. You froze for a moment, feeling for what it was, pulling it out and examining it. 

In your hand was a beautifully engraved golden bangle, the surface of it reflecting even in the dim light of your room. The engravings consisted of curling vines and lotus flowers, and you noticed that in the middle of the design was an engraving of a small tiger, the tiger being the only part that was filled in with tiny colored jewels. 

Attached to the bangle was a small slip of paper, which you carefully opened. In neat, fancy handwriting the note read: ‘For (Y/N). With love, Minhaj. 

You stared at the note for a long while, rereading it over and over again. Eventually, you carefully slipped it off the ornate bangle, setting it carefully on the nightstand. You hesitantly slipped the bangle over your wrist, half-expecting for it not to fit. Instead it slid on smoothly, settling on your wrist comfortably. 

Flopping back into bed, you smiled at the thought of Minhaj giving you such a beautiful gift, (and maybe a touch concerned about how he got it and knew which room you were staying in). Maybe the two of you really would meet again. 

a/n: okay yall rlly ate up the last part so i got to work on this one lol i literally wrote it all today before going to work ..... also jamil is jealous in his own ways okay its not rlly outward displaying at least in my opinion ... anyway, might do a part three that happens at the tournament lolol if anyone wants it :P lmk ...

tagged for part 2: @kimura-uzuri , @yasminniejoon , @sincerelyruu , @arccanadian

Perhaps it was some sort of common scam that you fell into, but when the vendor of the stall you were purchasing items from accused you of stealing, you literally laughed in his face because, well, you didn’t steal anything. You knew much better than to steal in general, especially not in a foreign land in a completely different world where you basically didn’t exist, that’s for sure. 

For what it was worth, Jamil had attempted to calm down the situation, using the Asim family name to try and shield you from the accusation, but the vendor was quite adamant, insisting that he had seen you attempting to steal. It probably was not the best option, but seeing three very large guards start to move towards you triggered your fight or flight instincts, making you dart around them and into the market, (in hindsight, it probably made you look guilty as hell, but it was too late to take it back). 

“Hey! Get back here you thief!” The gruff shout was much closer than you thought, making you pick up your pace, attempting to slip through the crowd without knocking anybody over. 

“I didn’t steal anything?!” You yelled back, ducking under a clothesline and frantically looking around for any sort of hiding spot. Your stamina was running low, especially with the intense heat of the sun beating down on you, making you feel a bit panicked. Should you try and go back to Jamil and the rest? Should you assert yourself as a guest of the Asim family? 

What am I supposed to do?!

You could feel sweat dripping down your face as you reached the end of the market street, the crowd thinning out, which made it a bit easier to run. Unfortunately, it also made it a bit easier for the guards to run as well, and you felt like you could hear them directly behind you, very nearly caught up. 

“Stop right there! You think you can steal here and get away with it?!” You groaned, locals staring you down as you ran, taking another turn and hoping it would lead to some kind of hiding spot. 

How do I even hide while running…?!

“Again, I didn’t steal anything!! This is crazy!!” You shouted. It was probably in vain to deny it at this point, but you were no thief! You’re not going to own up to a crime you didn’t commit! 

You were sure the sheer panic and desperation could probably get you through another couple of blocks, but you suddenly got yanked rather forcefully to the side, abruptly pulled into a small side alleyway. 

“Hey-!” 

“This way. Unless you’d like to be caught?” A smooth, teasing voice came from the cloaked figure in front of you, a firm yet gentle grip on your wrist as you were led through a series of alleyways, weaving through different intersections and jumping over crates. You were panting viciously at this point, barely able to keep up with this nimble stranger who seemed to know these roads oddly well. 

Another firm tug on your wrist had you careening into a small gap between two buildings, the momentum of suddenly being yanked made you collide into your hooded savior, which elicited a small chuckle. You drew back quickly, embarrassed, back pressed firmly against the wall behind you.

“Oh? Falling for me already?” The hood of the cloak had fallen, revealing possibly the most handsome man you’d laid eyes on, (and you had seen many since arriving in Twisted Wonderland). 

He only seemed to be slightly out of breath after running for so long, his short brown hair not even seeming to have a hair out of place, (how was that possible?!). His bangs swept over either side of his face, and there was a very intricately designed teal headpiece tied over the top of his head, the length fastened in what seemed to be a bubble braid, flowing down until it almost reached the floor. What caught your attention the most though was how his dark brown eyes were trained on you, an amused smile on his lips as he quirked an eyebrow at you.

“Speechless from my good looks, is it?” 

“Wha-?! No!” You sputtered, pulling your silken scarf across your face. “You would be in shock too if you got accused of stealing, then subsequently got chased through a market in a different world and saved by some random stranger.” 

“Different world?” He questioned, hand at his chin as he gave you a rather suspicious look. “As far as I know, we can’t travel to other worlds…” 

Shoot. 

“Foreign land, then. Whatever you would like to call it,” You said, hoping it was enough to cover your slip-up. “It’s a rather jarring experience, I’ll have you know.” 

The stranger seemed to be a bit hesitant to accept your words, but he did anyway, leaning back against the wall that was behind him. “So then, if you weren’t stealing, what were you doing?” He questioned, arms crossed. His gaze was strangely intense now, his dark eyes now a stark difference from his previous teasing. 

“Well…” You paused for a moment, praying to whoever was watching over you that you hadn’t stumbled upon some secret security guard that would lock you away for life. “If you must know, I was about to purchase some items in the market when the vendor accused me of stealing.” 

“And did you?” You scowled at the man across from you, not appreciating his insinuation. He only tilted his head in question, waiting for your answer. 

“Of course not! I just said that…” You sighed, furrowing your brows in frustration. “I don’t think I would attempt to steal something even if it was guaranteed I wouldn’t get caught. It’s wrong…but also, I have too much anxiety for that. I just want to try and live a peaceful life.” You admitted, staring at the ground and huffing in defeat. “Fate has it out for me, it seems.”

A few moments passed by, and you almost thought that you were about to be interrogated again, when suddenly you heard laughter. 

The stranger in front of you had covered his mouth with his hand, shaking silently as he seemed to be trying to stifle his chuckles. You stared at him in shock, eyebrows raised all the way up as you tried to think how he could possibly find your situation even slightly amusing. 

“Pfft…Sorry, it’s just-” 

“You’re laughing?! How is this funny to you?!” You questioned, unsure of whether or not you should be offended right now. 

“Hah! Running from palace guards is certainly one way to try and ‘live a peaceful life’.” He teased, his seriousness almost immediately gone. “And here I thought you were some kind of famous thief!” 

“You helped me thinking I was a famous thief??” You asked, stunned at his seemingly crazy decisions. “What would you have done if I threatened you?!” 

“It’s a good thing you aren’t then, is it not?” He countered, a smug smirk on his lips. “You’re not a native, so what brings you here?” 

“...And why do you want to know?” You questioned, giving him your own suspicious look. “How do I know I can trust you?” 

“You’re suspicious of me…” He murmured, a thoughtful look on his face. “At least you have some survival skills.” 

“Hey!”

“I feel a bit hurt though. I practically saved you, didn’t I?” 

“Yes, but…I don’t even know your name. Do you want me to give you my whole life story just because you saved me?” You questioned sarcastically, waving him off. 

He sighed dramatically, laughing a bit when you glared at him “Minhaj.” 

“Huh?” 

“My name. Your turn.” He looked at you expectantly, his fingers tapping on his crossed arms. You pressed your lips together, already hearing Jamil’s voice in your head about not trusting strangers and ‘personal safety’. 

He did save you, though. That probably counts for something, right? 

Right.

“...(Y/N).” You finally said. Minhaj seemed pleased with your answer, pushing off from the wall and looking at you a little closer, an amused smile on his face. 

“Hmm, I should have known there would be a pretty name to a pretty face.” Your eyes bulged at his words, immediately looking away and choking on air. He chuckled at your reaction, and you were suddenly very aware of the rather small space the two of you were hiding in.

“You don’t really-” 

“Shh.” And he was suddenly right up in front of you, a slender finger held to your lips to silence you as his sharp eyes stared at something outside the space you both were in. 

“Sir, we weren’t able to locate the thief.” Your heart damn near stopped beating at the familiar voice of the guards, who seemed to be gathered just outside of where you and Minhaj were. 

“Damnit! That brat got away…Search the market area again!” 

“Yes sir!” With that, there were heavy footsteps that seemed to be running away, getting quieter until the guards had left the area altogether. 

Minhaj removed his finger from your lips, and you let out a shaky breath you didn’t know you were holding, your heart going a million miles an hour. 

“Thanks…” You murmured, paranoid about being found. Minhaj lingered for a moment longer, the edges of his silken cloak brushing against you before he pulled away again, letting out a big sigh with a shit-eating grin. 

“Who would’ve thought you would be so dangerous to be around, (Y/N)?”

“I’m not dangerous, it’s just a misunderstanding…!” You huffed, biting the inside of your cheek. You had no idea how you were going to find your friends again now that the guards had gone back to the market to look for you, but you had a sliver of hope that Minhaj might help you out. 

“Mm, if you say so~” You only rolled your eyes at his grin, choosing to look at the wall instead. 

“I do.” 

“You’re cute when you pout.” 

“Wh-I’m not-?!” 

“Are you thirsty? You seemed to be struggling in that last leg of running.” His words immediately shut you up, a bit embarrassed that he noticed your lack of stamina. 

“...I might be.” 

“Well, I might be able to help with that, and I might also know how to get you to your next destination. What do you say? Do you trust me?” He put his hand out in offering with his question, the words looming in the air for a few moments. 

Screw it. 

You carefully put your hand in his, your fingertips brushing against his in a way that felt like a spark of electricity. “For now…yes.” He gave you a cheeky smile, using his free hand to adjust your silken scarf in a way that covered your face more. 

“I was hoping you would say that.” And suddenly he was leading you out from the hiding space, peeking around the corners just in case there were some guards lingering around. Even after leaving the small space he kept a firm hold on your hand, saying something about ‘not wanting to lose you’ when you carefully asked him about it, (you feel like you’re about to combust). 

It felt as though he was leading you through a city-wide maze, making various turns and helping you climb over small fences and boxes. He was surprisingly gentle in his touch, but still kept a firm grip in case you lost your balance, catching you by your waist in one instance where you had almost fallen. 

“Falling for me again, (Y/N)?” He had teased, that playful smirk almost haunting you at this point. 

“You wish.” 

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon when you two finally reached his destination; a lone stall far away from any other sellers that had a bountiful amount of green coconuts, all perfectly ready for refreshing coconut water. Your thirst had reached an all-time high after the time you both had spent getting here, and you were grateful to finally have a bit of rest. 

“Two coconut waters, please.” Minhaj politely asked. The vendor let out a grunt in response, grabbing two large coconuts and promptly chopping the tops off of them. A straw was placed in each one, which was rather convenient since you think it would be rather hard to drink directly from a coconut without making a fool of yourself. 

You rummaged around in your sling bag for a moment, trying to scrounge up the money Jamil had given you at the beginning of the trip. It had fallen to the bottom of the bag, probably when you were running throughout the streets. 

Before you could get a hold of it, Minhaj paid the appropriate amount of money to the man, taking the two coconuts and handing one of them to you. 

“Wait, let me pay you back at least.” You said, furrowing your brows in concentration as you got a grasp of the money. Minhaj shook his head though, taking a long sip of his beverage before speaking. 

“It’s my treat. After the events of this afternoon, I would like for you to have a somewhat good impression of my homeland’s hospitality.” You frowned at him, feeling a bit guilty about letting him pay for you. 

“I have money…” 

“I am well aware. Can a man not be chivalrous anymore?” The rhetorical question hung in the air for a moment, making Minhaj shake the coconut in your direction. “My arm is getting tired here, you know.” 

“...Fine. Next time though, I’ll pay.” 

“Oh? You’re already thinking about seeing me again?” He teased, giving you a wink. He wasn’t being serious, but his words suddenly made you realize that yes, that’s exactly what you had been thinking of. 

“Nevermind.” You said, walking off in a random direction, trying to play off your fumble. What was going on with you, and why was Minhaj having this effect on you…?

He followed behind you, catching up rather quickly. “Do you even know where you’re going?” He asked, seeming amused at your embarrassment. 

“Mm, I can figure it out.” 

“Right…you don’t know my secret spot, though.” You finally looked at him again, a bit curious as to what he was referring to. He gives you an almost blinding grin, and you suddenly begin to wonder how he doesn’t take out every person he smiles at.

“...Your secret spot?” 

“I mean, if you’d rather wander around these barren streets, be my guest.” He said nonchalantly, humming to himself and sipping his drink. His eyes peeked over at you, seeing if you were convinced by his performance yet. 

“Well, since you seem so eager to show me, I guess I’ll let you.” You finally said, giving in. Minhaj looked at you with a proud look, like he knew he would eventually convince you of it, (as he seemed to keep on doing). 

“I knew you’d come around. It’s this way.” 

Now that the streets were more empty, he didn’t keep hold of your hand this time, and you couldn’t help but miss the contact from him. Maybe you weren’t thinking straight or maybe the heat had finally gotten to you, but you could feel yourself gravitating more towards him…

It’s vacation, I can let loose a little…

His ‘secret spot’ wasn’t too much farther from the coconut stand, and it happened to be at the top of what seemed to be an abandoned building. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem as eerie or scary as they usually were in your own world, and was instead home to different stray animals, (whom you spent way too much time petting and cooing at). Minhaj eventually was able to drag you away from them, leading you up the stairs and through the doorway to the roof. 

He seemed to spend a good amount of time here; there were a few chairs arranged in a corner, along with a small side table and a tiny carpet that had probably seen better days. 

The part that caught your attention the most was the gorgeous sunset that painted the sky. It was a mural of fiery reds and oranges that faded into soft purples and pinks, a sight that you usually could never see on Sage’s Island. 

“Woah…is it always like this here?” You asked, taking a seat next to Minhaj and staring at the colors in the sky. He chuckled at your childlike awe, resting his head on his hand. 

“For the most part. Despite seeing it hundreds of times, the sunsets still manage to surprise me.” He said, staring off into the distance with a thoughtful look in his eyes. “It reminds me that there’s still so much I haven’t seen yet.” There was a longing tone to his voice, almost as if he wouldn’t be allowed to see the things he wants to. 

There was something about the sullen look on his face that resonated with you. You paused for a while, taking time to think about your words. “I think…sometimes it’s easy to take what you have for granted,” You started. Minhaj seemed surprised, but stayed silent, waiting for you to finish. “Not that that’s what you’re doing. But sometimes…you get so caught up in wanting something new and different, that you don’t realize what you have in the moment. It’s something that you can regret if you do lose it.” You finished, your eyes drifting back over to him. “I really hope that doesn’t happen to you, Minhaj.”

He was silent for a long while after that, long enough that you had begun to think you had upset him. That hadn’t been your intention, but then again, you weren’t sure if you’d ever had a particular way with words. 

“Hah…” His dry chuckle made your heart drop, and you prepared yourself for a scolding of some sort. “Normally, I would say that you’re wrong, but something tells me you know all too well what that feels like. I appreciate you being honest, it means more to me than you might know. Honesty is…not something that’s easy for me to come by. Thank you.” He gave you a small smile, his dark eyes warm as he gazed at you. 

You looked away, feeling your face flush at his cute expression. “It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me today.” You murmured, sipping on the last parts of your drink. 

The rest of the lowering sunset was calm and quiet, a peaceful silence hanging over you both as the sky began to darken. You weren’t exactly sure what it was about Minhaj, but he made you feel calm and collected. 

Once the sun had dipped below the valley, Minhaj stood up from his seat, stretching his limbs. “Now then, where shall I lead you next?” His words made your eyes go wide; you had completely forgotten about meeting back up with your friends. 

Jamil is going to be so pissed.

At your shocked expression, Minhaj laughed, striding over and ruffling your hair. “Were you having so much fun with me that you forgot about getting back with your group, habibi?” You quirked an eyebrow at the nickname, unsure of what it meant. 

“In your dreams. I’m keeping them waiting on purpose.” You confidently said, checking your phone. 

25 missed calls from Jamil, 30 from Vil, 100 missed text messages in the group chat…

You closed your eyes for a moment, praying to anybody who would listen. Jamil is genuinely going to cook you alive when you get back to the estate…

“Oh? You don’t seem so confident now.” You stood up from your seat, giving Minhaj a playful glare. 

“We will probably never meet again, since I’m about to be cooked alive.” You stated, accepting your fate. “Thank you for today though, I probably owe you the rest of my life for not being thrown in jail until death.” 

“Until death?” He asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. “I suppose you’re indebted to me then.” 

“I suppose I am.” He smirked at your words, amused. 

“Careful there. I might just ring in a favor someday soon.” You probably should have felt a bit nervous about that, but instead you were only filled with the hope of seeing him again. 

“I’ll be waiting.” 

a/n: thinking abt a part 2 w jealous jamil ,,, lmk yall ,,, also this might be ooc in the future since rsa just got released less than a week ago lol. also just rq, what kind of name is minajael tealrajah lolll as a south asian person I REBUKE THIS .... & dont come for me yes i am working on the jade story i just wanted to write something different :,) i hope you all enjoyed!! <3