Apprentice Catherine

First it was two new friends, snuggling under the covers like a sleepover, them savoring the rest of a proper bed and relishing the tiny details of spending time with you up close.

~ my submission for this week's prompt - have some sappy headcanon drabble ^.^ ~

Julian

The sounds of leather folding and bending and creaking, of a pent up sigh, of a noble, anxious, too-big-for-its-own-good heartbeat fluttering against those thin, bird-like ribs

The smell of - yes, more leather - with a slight hint of sweat and the faded scent of the crushed herbs used to stuff doctor's masks

Julian

There's a reason the developers said his cardinal sin would be wrath

The only kind of thing that would make him lose his handle on his anger like that would be someone who doesn't value human life

He's not the most physically strong dude, but he didn't survive pirate ships on sheer luck

He's using every weapon at his disposal and that's not limited to whatever swords, scalpels, or leeches he has on hand

Nobody knows how to sway a crowd to his side like he does and he will use that

He'll be bellowing at the top of his lungs, listing every infuriating thing there is to know about this person and exactly what consequences he thinks they should suffer

And because he's good at getting people to listen to him, you can bet he'll drum up a mob of rioters in no time

People aren't afraid of what Julian personally will do to them if he's properly angry, they're afraid of what he'll unleash in the form of every person in earshot

Assuming you spend the rest of your life with him, you'll only see this happen a few times, and each time is easily justifiable

He is one of the most forgiving people by nature. Once justice is done, he'll be right back to his usual self like nothing happened

Asra

It's no secret that they can hold a grudge

He's not the type to harbor ill intent either, malice isn't really his thing, he's got other stuff to focus on

What sets them off is when someone acts selfishly, casting disproportionate harm on other people either for one's own gain or to escape earned consequences

You won't know the moment his temper snaps by his actions, you'll know it by his face

They will be completely closed off. Their only interest will be doing right by the people who were harmed, and making sure the person harming them is incapable of continuing that behavior

He will pursue that end by the most efficient means. If that involves great harm to the person who has angered him, he'll do it. If it involves no harm to the person who has angered him, he'll do it

They lose their temper when they lose any care for the person who crossed their line

This kind of reaction takes a long time to build and a long time to resolve

If you see it coming, you can ask him to talk about it and express his frustration, which will make it easier for him to forgive the wrongdoer if a good opportunity arises

If not, they will never view that person as a worthy human being again

Nadia

She is the definition of feminine rage, you do not want to make her angry

Thankfully, that is a very difficult thing to do

She is one of the most open minded people you'll ever speak to, if there is a set of actions or beliefs that she doesn't vibe with, she'll still seek out the reasoning behind them before she passes judgment

She loses her temper when she sees someone target another person for purely petty and malicious reasons

Someone at the palace kept making vicious remarks about her loved ones because they felt insecure around them? It's over

You could try to insult her ego by calling her petty, but it goes far beyond that if she's truly angry

Every ounce of intellect, drive, and influence she has will be painstakingly strategized into the most effective way to tear someone apart piece by tiny piece

First it's the rumor she influenced Portia to plant. Then it's a missed pay raise. Then it's an increase in rent. It's a never ending stream of situations in which the quality that person was insecure about is on full display. None of it can be traced back to her but she's the only one you know capable of it

She will stop when she either sees her target truly remorseful for their sins, or recognizes the viciousness of her own actions

Muriel

It is highly unlikely that you'll ever see his anger become so dominating that he succumbs to it

He is much more complex and introspective guy than a lot of people give him credit for. His anger is always tied to something more intricate

He's angry about his time in the Coliseum, but he's also betrayed and deeply ashamed and regretful. He's angry about the fate of his parents, but he's also grieving bittersweetly for a community and an identity he thought he'd never have

As a result, you're more likely to see him focusing on the nuance and complexity of the situation and reacting to that instead

It's easiest to tell when he's angry at someone because it's one of the only times he won't try to avoid somebody for a reason that's not positive

If he's hurt or frustrated by someone, he'll avoid them because that's how most people tended to make him feel anyway (before half the city designated him their hero)

But if he's truly, deeply infuriated, he'll come out of whatever space he likes to keep to to ensure that the wrongdoer faces justice

Which requires a wrongdoer causing injustice to more people than just himself

You rarely see him act in anger but it's justifiable each time

He doesn't like confrontation at all, as soon as he is capable of focusing on a different emotional element he's doing that

Portia

She's less of a schemer and more of a "talk with your fists" type of woman

She probably has the healthiest relationship with her own anger of anyone you know, mainly because she doesn't hide or avoid or bottle it up

Her brother crossed a line? Punch to the gut. Someone kept snarking at work when there wasn't time for that? Whack upside the head. A creep was rude or intrusive? Slap across the face

One of the wonderful things about being with her is that you'll never be in the dark about how she feels

Because she's so in tune with expressing her own rage, it's extremely uncommon for it to get the best of her to the point that she's actually lost her temper

That would only happen if the thing that made her so angry was also something she had no solution for and was at the mercy of

Then her response isn't about expressing an emotion, it's a fury-driven obsession with proving that thing wrong or taking back control from it, and everything she is and has will be poured into it nonstop with ferocious intensity

And she won't stop until she's either achieved that goal or until you or someone else has shown her why the initial challenge was baseless

She'll be tired afterwards, but she'll also be herself again and that's what really matters

Lucio

Tantrums. It's canon.

He had tantrums over the things that upset him so often that Vesuvians were putting on plays about it years after his death

Walking through his past with him resolved a lot of that behavior because it became clear that most of his anger was a defensive response to overwhelming fear

Now most of the time he feels one brewing, he knows to talk about it with you or someone he trusts so the fear that causes it can be dealt with

He still indulges every now and then if it's trivial, you know well enough not to be bothered and it's cathartic to let it all out

You'll know he's really, truly angry when he goes silent

This is only likely to happen when someone infringes on something he values very deeply

This is the Lucio that took a fiendish delight in the most violent parts of battle, who abused emotional connections to see more blood in the sand, whose best form of thanks was lifelong imprisonment and isolation, who didn't think twice before sacrificing countless lives for his own gain, who made deals with the Devil

You're the only one who can snap him out of it

The Arcana HCs: the best part of the day with M6

~ @godslayer143 requested something like this too, I think their words were "romantic tidbits throughout the day" and something about that phrasing made me melt. anyways here you go, much love from - brainrot ~

Julian

Every evening you spend with him is a gift

He's got the kind of anxious energy that peaks in the late mornings and he likes to fill his day with things to do and people to talk to and places to see

He really mellows out when the sun begins to set, and that's when he comes home and realizes that he's forgotten to eat a meal or hydrate (he's trying, he promises, he just gets distracted) and that's when you've learned to have your time free to catch your breath together

Sometimes this looks like having a hot plate of food ready or a cool glass of lemonade, sometimes it means sitting next to him and asking about his day while he strips off all the heavy outer layers of his clothing and lets the day's sweat air out

Those little moments of grounding become the thing he measures his days with and you will never fully understand how much he appreciates them

He in turn likes to make you feel special, every night is date night

Maybe it's drinks at the Raven, maybe it's attending or watching him perform a play at the community theater, maybe it's a walk on the beach while he tells you about his days at sea

He's a hopeless romantic, and he's hopelessly romantic for you

Asra

If mid-morning wasn't your favorite time of day before, it is now

Because that is when they wake up

You've got your own schedule to keep but now you know to be free around 10 AM and have some tea on hand

They're the most refreshed when they wake up, the light is golden and the air is warm, the day is full of the unknown, every muscle is relaxed from sleep, and when they start to emerge from their pile of sheets and pillows the first thing they get to look at is you

There is nothing wrong with being a naturally guarded person, but these are the moments when he can be completely open with you and he treasures each one

Drowsy cuddles are the best, the lines from the pillow are pressed into their cheek, they have the fluffiest bedhead, their clothes are rumpled, and they're fixing you with the most lovesick gaze

You have never seen dimples look so soft, he's pressing chaste little kisses to whatever part of you he can reach and murmuring sleepy sweet nothings just to watch you blush

He's going to spend the rest of the day trying to make you feel as loved as waking up to you did for him

It'll be creative little gestures, a little note on the counter, your favorite drink in the coolbox, maybe a surprise date rambling through the alleyways until you find a new place to eat

Nadia

Late nights with her are unparalleled

She is fully dedicated to taking care of Vesuvia, and her days are tightly scheduled with meetings and committees and important dinners

But once Vesuvia's asleep, she can dedicate all her attention to you

You know being around people and maintaining a city's well-being is tiring, so you like to gather everything she needs to relax with you

You got Portia to write down her evening routine in detail, so when Nadia's finally finished her state dinner you have her bath drawn and your hands free to de-style and brush and wash her hair

Once you're both in your dressing gowns you'll go somewhere quiet to enjoy the night view

A lot of the time it's a slow walk through the wilder parts of the palace gardens, breathing in the cool night air, talking about the day and checking in with each other

Often it's going up to the contemplation tower and opening the windows, sharing a nightcap and stargazing

The sleep she gets after nights with you is restful and dreamless, and it makes her want to give you the same peace it brings her

She may be busy, but you will always be her priority and she makes sure you know that

Muriel

Early mornings with Muriel are spectacular

Unless you're the type to go to bed a few hours after sunrise, he is definitely up before you are

He has chickens to feed, and a host of protective wards to refresh

And now, he has you to make breakfast with

It takes some effort to consistently open your eyes as the sun is rising and he's just returning from his walk around the perimeter, but it's worth it to cook next to him

You've been adding new items to the menu besides just eggs, and now you two have the perfect synchronized dance as you assemble a breakfast of yogurt, nuts, fruit, and bread

You'll sit together in the doorway, watching the sun rise and mist clear, snuggled next to him for warmth in the morning chill with Inanna laying over your feet

These are the moments that tell Muriel that all is right in the world, something he rarely experienced before he met you

He used to sleep to escape the discomfort of going through life, but now he looks forward to waking up so he can begin a new day with you

He in turn wants you to feel empowered to make whatever decisions you want to, and will happily sit down with you in the evenings with a hot drink and listen to you tell him all your thoughts

Portia

You have a lunchtime tradition with her

It's one of the few points in the day that you can plan on having free, without expecting to have something you want to do with it besides eat with each other

Mornings are an organized rush to get out the door, and evenings are full of social activities, but lunch is one hour to sit and eat with minimal interruptions

You take turns packing a picnic and you'll meet up wherever works - in the palace gardens if you're in Vesuvia, on the ship deck if you're on a trip, on the front steps of the cottage if it's your day off

She makes the best sandwiches and Asra taught you the skill of perfect tea brewing, and there's always baked goods somewhere

She'll kick off her shoes and sit in the sun, her hair shining and her face steadily freckling, blue eyes twinkling as she schemes for your evening plans and belly laughing about all the funny things she's heard and seen so far

As someone whose schedule is organized around other people's activities, you organizing your schedule around time with her means the world to her

She wants you to always feel as relevant and important as you make her, and it shows. Whatever challenge you want to take on, she's putting her all into it right next to you

Lucio

He's at his best in the afternoons

He is a naturally early riser, but he's a naturally early riser who doesn't like mornings, so he tends to pout his way through the first several hours of the day

Evenings are when he really comes alive, which means he's too energetic to stop and connect

Afternoons are when he's just been rejuvenated by lunch, when the air is nice and warm and the day is at its busiest, when there is still work to be done and therefore a task to focus on

When you're on the road with him, it means swinging your clasped hands between the two of you as he teaches you the rowdiest drinking songs and tells you of the mischief he got up to as a kid

Since your childhood memories are faint at best, he likes to retell his childhood like you were a part of it, and imagine what sort of youth he'd have had with you

On off days, it means a sparring session, practicing footwork, strengthening your grip, learning new techniques

He's beautiful in his element like this, golden hair and arm glinting in the sun, a rosy glow across his face, and his sharp, proud smile as he compliments your hard work

Do not care what format.

The Arcana HCs: M6 with a touch/affection-starved MC

~ honestly I don't know why I didn't think of writing this one sooner, these kinds of headcanons are always my favorite to read and now I get to write some! many thanks @lemon-len ^.^ ~

Julian

If you think he didn't notice the way you melted into his touch when he healed you of that vampire eel bite that first night, you are wrong

He totally noticed

Most of it he chalked up to chemistry, but it definitely piqued his interest

He's also a champion at writing off his own impact on people, so the whole time you're unraveling the mysteries of the Red Plague and stealing moments with each other he's assuming it's the adrenaline high

It doesn't become apparent to him until after, when he's checking over all the bumps and bruises you've accrued, that he sees the way you lean into his touch

He's told you he loves you, and he knows you love him too, so he doesn't have to be hesitant (though really, when was he ever?)

Now he's folding you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you as snugly as he can and tucking your head under his chin

You're all surprised and tensed up at first, until he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head and you melt

He can feel the tension draining out of you and the way your fingers are tying themselves into the back of his shirt, and how you're burrowing into his chest

He's always been "too much" in his relationships as to how much physical touch he likes to initiate, but now he's found someone who wants what he has to offer and it's the person he's promised his life to

You can fully expect him to make you a solemn vow to never let you go uncuddled again

If you thought he was already generous with the PDA, it's about to get waaay worse

Asra

In case it's not obvious, their love language is touch

One of the hardest parts of hiding his affection for you those three years was not letting himself touch you

They already knew it was something you craved, it was obvious when they were your caretaker

But the first time he pulled you into a pillow pile with him to snuggle the familiarity of it rocketed you into inhuman levels of pain, and he wasn't going to risk that again

Once it became clear that you had grown enough to learn about the past and accept their affections, it was on

You have five minutes? cuddle time

There's a seat next to you? He's sliding into it and falling into your lap

You're walking by while he's sitting down? They're pulling you into their lap

You're getting ready for the day? He's doing your hair

You're having a conversation with someone that they're not a part of? They're standing behind you with their arms around your waist and their head on your shoulder, letting you take their weight

He has been known to fall asleep on you in public like this, most notably in the town square during a royal proclamation

If you're each doing your own unrelated tasks, they're either sitting beside you with your knees touching or behind you so you can be their backrest

He also knows how people tend to associate the feeling of different clothing articles with the people who wear them

So anytime they leave the shop while you're asleep you can expect to wake up wrapped in one of their shawls

He fully expects you to let him take your clothes with him on long journeys too, which is fine for the most part except for when it's one of your favorite pieces (I still want to wear that!)

Nadia

Her favorite way to love people is to provide for them

It demonstrates her commitment to being an important pillar in your life for you to lean on

Which is why she is completely tuned in to picking up on any of your needs, so she can satisfy them

So she figures out early on that physical contact is a desired and effective method of showing affection to you, but she can't figure out why you never ask for it

She guesses this could make a fun game, so she tries holding back a little and waiting for you to initiate

And then she watches you slowly withdrawing for a whole day, the confidence you always show in her is wavering slightly, and by the time dinner rolls around you're picking at your food with a face full of hurt and confusion, but you haven't said anything!

That's when it clicks for her that there could be another layer to this

Maybe one of the reasons you cherish affection so deeply is because you know what it's like to live without it

Now she's bodily lifting you out of your chair and dragging you to a more secluded spot to make up for her mistake

She feels awful, she should have known not to trifle with depriving you of something that obviously meant so much to you

She has you reclining in her lap, insisting on feeding you your dinner and apologizing for making you worry

Words are very important to her though, so she's going to ask as many questions as you're comfortable with answering about why you don't ask for affection and how to help you get there with her

Now she checks in with you every day by taking both your hands in hers and not letting you go until you've requested some gesture of affection from her

Muriel

He is so generally touch-averse that it took a long time for him to feel comfortable with giving or receiving any kind of physical affection

This didn't bother you too much until your trip south into the tundra

Because it was so cold down there you were incapable of keeping yourself warm at night, and needed to share a blanket and sleeping space with him

Oh my, that did things for your heart

Every night for several weeks you got to finish a day of uncertainty and training and exhaustion by sliding your back right up against his and melting in the waves of body heat he produces

It got easier as he relaxed around you, sometimes you'd wake up to his arm slung around you in his sleep and then you'd happily suffer through Morga's unimpressed stare as you savored the moment

But he was still so self-conscious of how big and intimidating he was, and you were still too hesitant to initiate contact whenever you wanted it, so things stalled for a bit there

You also have to be careful navigating his own relationship with his body

He's got so much trauma from the physical pain he was put through and the deprivation he endured that he's still learning how to taste the food he eats

Eventually you're able to ask him why he doesn't want to touch you, to which he responds that he's not used to touching someone without hurting them or them being afraid of him

It's progressing slowly, but now you have permission to initiate or invite cuddles, and it's changing the world for him bit by bit, because you're showing him that his touch can be a good and precious thing

Portia

She notices how much you love it when she touches you, but she doesn't really get why it's such a big deal at first

She grew up with a sibling and a grandmother and a town of friends and she does manual work elbow-to-elbow with a multitude of palace servants, touch is normal

Until she's sneaking another chapter of a favorite novel and encounters a character for whom touch is not normal

And now she's drawing connections between you and the character, is this why you relax as soon as she puts her hands on your face or your whole body sags when she hugs you?

She can't imagine a life without hugs and tussles and elbows to the ribs and tripping over other people's toes

As soon as you're both back in the cottage that evening she's pulling you onto the couch with her for cuddles

She's telling you all about the book character and listing all the ways you're similar to them, how you don't touch people often but you melt as soon as somebody does, how the character was that way because they weren't used to being touched

Was it the same way for you? Who gives you hugs? How many hugs did you normally get? Did you also get locked in a tower and use glass slippers to climb a beanstalk out?

You're surprised by the onslaught of questions, but her tone is purely curious and slightly concerned, without an ounce of judgment

Once you tell her more about why you crave affection so much she's determined to give you as much as you can handle

This is her partner in crime, her ride or die, you have always had her back and she is going to watch yours

Besides, she thinks you're the most attractive human to walk the planet, who wouldn't want to cuddle you for hours?

Lucio

He clued in faster than you expected him to

He's not very emotionally intelligent, but he is physically intelligent

He grew up in a warring tribe and spent his youth as a mercenary, interpreting people's body language for strengths and weaknesses is second nature

So here you are, dragging him through mystical realms he's completely vulnerable in, and he's watching you like a hawk

And he picks up on it quickly, any time you two make casual physical contact your guard slips a little

At first he's thinking of ways to use it against you, but your charm gets through to him fairly quickly and he never acts on it

It's the night you spend in the labyrinth that settles his doubts for him

You're stumbling every few steps but you're too hyped up to rest, until he sits next to you and pulls you into his side

He watches the way you tense and then completely relax, falling asleep on his shoulder while he's still holding an open weapon in one fist

He's briefly wondering if he'll have to make a habit of this, pausing everything to guard you so you can sleep

And then he's getting an emotional punch to the gut by feeling just how much trust it takes for someone like you to fall asleep on someone like him

He can't remember the last time somebody trusted him at all, much less this completely

By the time your eyes are fluttering open he's decided he'll be willing to keep watch while you sleep as often as you want him to

He's not shy about showing affection at all, so once you two save the world and start your new life together you can expect to receive some kind of physical affection several times a day

Julian Devorak (12th March)

Some fluff after yesterday's post

Julian

How dare you ignore him

But not in an entitled way, more like in a "I'm baby though" kind of way

He knows you've been busy, the last several days have had you running around putting out fires and you're tired

But now his brain is yelling at him and he's remembering all the reasons he's given you to leave him (including the time he tried to leave you)

But he's a better man now, he can handle this, he just needs to show you what he wants

Which means he is going to dial up the charm to 3000

He spends the whole day tripping over himself to woo you

Let him get that door, let him grab that chair, let him pick up the tab on this one, here's a bouquet he grabbed!

And it works, you pick up from a comment here and there that he's missed you, and you're able to give him all the reassuring affection his heart desires

Now that he has what he was missing, he's melting, humming happily as you catch your breath together

You'd better not forget again

Asra

They knew they deserved this

You could only accompany him on so many of his trips, you have a shop to run and his travels are more out of nature than necessity

But they kept their trips short now, and they were so excited to surprise you

And he walked in the back door early in the morning, just in time to see you walking out the front for a morning of errands

No worries, they can wait until you get back, and they chillax in the back room for a nap

He wakes up to the sound of you back in the shop, and he's got a blanket draped over him, but you're not turning to him because you're busy talking to the customers, and you know, running a business...

It's finally evening and the last customer has left, they're setting out tea for you, and you're so tired you press a quick kiss to their cheek and plop down at the table for your refresher, asking about their trip

This isn't right, where are his snuggles???

Look at these pillows he's nestling into MC, they're so soft, you should try them

Look at their arms stretching up into the most graceful catlike arch, and look, when they come back down there's a you-shaped space right against their chest

He's lounging in the coziest pile of soft things with tousled curls and the most adoring, sleepy gaze, and he knows exactly what he's doing, and it's working

Once you succumb to the invitation, that's it, it's done, they're not letting you go until the next morning

Nadia

She's been busy, she knows that, but now that you live in the palace with her she's able to sneak five minutes with you here and there throughout the day

Except today you've been in high demand, somehow there are issues cropping up in all the parts of the palace that she isn't that require magical attention

So she misses lunch with you, and then she misses tea with you, and then she misses dinner with you, and now she's hearing that you'll have to stay in the old shop for the night and come back in the morning

Now it's hitting her that as much as you've freed her to follow through on being Countess, she's left the larger part of making time together to you

She feels awful, partially because she doesn't like knowing she didn't do something perfectly

And partially because, hey, she misses you

When you get back the next morning she's whisking you away to one of her resorts for a few days of uninterrupted relaxation

It's okay if you don't have the energy right now to show her affection, that's not going to stop her from showering you with it

Muriel

He knows he can be grouchy and difficult to approach sometimes, but you've never let that stop you

And he knows there's a rational explanation for this, you've been shuttling your possessions between the hut and the shop, getting ready to build a life with him

But he hasn't had a hug from you since yesterday morning, and now it's nearing dinner time, and you've only just arrived in the clearing with another bundle of bags

You're just happy to have the bulk of the work done, as of this evening almost everything has been taken to the correct location and all you need to do now is unpack

And there's your steadfast Muriel, lifting the bundles out of your arms and lumbering ahead of you into your new home together

Now you're reaching for the second bundle of things to put away, and oh look, it's right next to Muriel

You're searching for a cloak as the temperature drops for the night, and oh look, it's draped over his shoulder

You're sitting down to eat dinner, and look at that, your bowl and floor cushion are next to Muriel

He's not trying to be subtle, he's just setting things up so that he'll be easier to approach

You decide that's enough unpacking for the evening, and spend the rest of the night curled into his side, watching his arm creep shyly around your shoulders as the minutes pass

Portia

In case it's not clear by now, she has workaholic tendencies

You're good at pulling her out of them, the same way she's good at bringing the fun back into the crazy adventure that your life has become

Except you've been distracted lately with figuring out what that new life looks like with her, and she's been distracted doing the same thing, and neither of you have been focusing on each other enough

But this afternoon the tasks she expected to fill up her time finished up remarkably fast, and she has free time for you now

It's hitting her as she returns to the cottage that she hasn't had any energy for you at the end of the day, only enough to wish you sweet dreams

And when she gets back, you're not at the cottage, you're busy, and she hadn't thought to ask you where you would be

So now she has free time, and a chance to rest, and only Pepi to snuggle with

You get back to the comfiest space ever

There's hearty soup and bread on the table, the air is clean and fresh, and she's helping you out of your outer layer and into some cozy slippers

She's buzzing around the room, trying to ask you about your day and catch up on your plans and catching herself every time she interrupts you

Once you finish eating you help her do the dishes and two of you snuggle up in front of the fire with cocoa, daydreaming all the excitement back into your futures

Lucio

How dare you ignore him pt. 2

But this time it is definitely in the entitled way, and that's the problem

He's been enjoying the simple life with you, taking jobs, bouncing from place to place, always with you at his side to fix his oopsies, and -

Oopsie

In the last five jobs he'd taken, you've had to fix four oopsies because he didn't want to pay attention or be patient, and that was why you were ignoring him

You weren't actually ignoring him, you just wanted something less frenzied, so you had suggested that you each take shorter, separate jobs and split up for 48 hours to do them

And now he was squinting at the description for the sixth time in ten minutes, trying to figure out if he had the right beast or not, and you weren't there to tell him

At least he's able to acknowledge his shortcomings now

When the two of you meet up again, he is both ecstatic and unusually subdued

He won't let you do anything with him, he's making camp and planning your new route all by himself, so you won't need to take another break anytime soon

The thing is, you missed him too

So you're praising his work and gently pulling his tasks away from him and curling up to get a proper night's rest, safe in the assurance that he'll be there to fight off anything that comes your way

Julian

To this guy, being alone is cruel and unusual punishment, so the first few times you give yourself some alone time he freaks out

Did he make you mad? Did he say something to hurt you? Are you bored with him?

His solution is to glue himself to your side and pull out every charming trick he can think of

Look, he can swordfight! Look, he can sing! Look, he reads big books full of obscure medical terms! Please don't shut him out!

Needless to say this gets irritating after a bit

Once you sit him down and get to the bottom of why he's acting so weird you're able to explain

He's much more understanding now

You'll still need to be very blunt though: "Julian. I love you very much. For the sake of my sanity I am going to spent the next few hours in this room. By myself."

After a few instances of this it's able to settle in his mind that you needing alone time isn't a rejection, so now he takes these opportunities to go get himself in trouble so he has a dashing story to tell you about later

Asra

They've known this already, they've known you further back than your memories go and they spent at least a year being your caretaker

He's also an introvert so this works out great

Loves sitting quietly on opposite ends of the room, dozing and daydreaming and mentally fine tuning a spell or two while you do your thing

If they feel like being around people when you don't they'll leave Faust with you and go exploring

Never stays away for too long, now that he knows what he gets to come back to

Alone time is a lot harder to get when you're traveling though, so they will happily take a day with you to hole up in some B&B or camp out in whatever nature you're passing through

After the events of that disastrous masquerade, you have a lot more friends than you did before and more reasons to be social

So if you're in the mood for human interaction and he isn't, he doesn't feel nearly as guilty taking some time to himself if he knows you'll take that as a chance to pay some visits

Nadia

What else did you think her thinking tower was for? She gets it

As dedicated to you as she is, she's able to pick up your inclinations pretty quickly

She makes sure you have your own chambers next to hers at the palace to use as you see fit

Not that you aren't welcome in hers! But she likes having her tower so much she figured you should have something like that too

Has secret passages installed with a little magical help from your chambers to several important places

Those places are the library, the kitchen, the gardens, and her private bath

Sometimes if it feels like a while since she's seen you, she'll send Chandra with a little love note to check in

If she needs alone space while you're feeling chatty, no worries there. The palace is packed with people

Now that her family visits regularly, you're able to get to know them while she's occupied and learn more about her

Every now and then she'll come downstairs after a quiet afternoon and find you in the drawing room with one of her sisters, sharing the things about her you love most

She'll be blushing for the rest of the evening

Muriel

King of the introverts

If you need a day to yourself, the hut is yours while he goes about his daily routine

The chances of him wanting to be social when you don't are highly, highly unlikely

In fact, unless you are also as extremely introverted as he is, you are more likely to need more company than what he can comfortably provide

Going into town isn't always the best solution either, because after half of Vesuvia camped around his hut for a month everyone recognizes you

Thankfully Nadia built a back entrance into the palace gardens from the forest in case either of you wants to visit

And you have a very convenient glamor spell for when you need to stop by the shop

You always pick up pumpkin bread and something new to sample on your way back

Inanna especially loves it if you bring her a treat or two

It's also not uncommon for somebody to stop by the hut for old time's sake, to invite you to a wedding or birthday or just to check in with a gift

Portia

Oh boy, she does not get it at all

Like in her mind she knows some people are just like that, Nadia's quite the introvert too, but she cannot relate

Mostly she'll just be worried that you're losing your happiness. Everything about being around people brings her joy, why don't you want to have fun??

She loves you though, so she'll leave you in the cottage or garden for a morning with some pastries and a book recommendation while she catches up on palace gossip

If you're traveling it'll look similar, she'll make sure you're set up for a comfortable few hours while she does her ambassador stuff

She draws people to her without thinking about it, she'll never be without company

You're still her favorite company though, so she'll pop her head in pretty regularly to see if you're recharged enough to hang out

She'll also let you know every single place she's going to be in so you can come find her as soon as you're ready

Her smile when you do will light up the room

Lucio

In case it wasn't obvious from the amount of parties he likes to throw, he is an extrovert

Half the time, if he's caught up in something, he doesn't notice if you take a few hours to yourself

The other half the time, he's very concerned and slightly hurt

Why wouldn't you want to spend time with him? What do you mean you want to be alone? Being alone is the worst! You prefer being alone to being around him?!?

You do try to explain it to him, and he does do his best to understand, but the concept is so foreign it just doesn't make sense

Your best bet is to suggest an activity that he enjoys and tell him that you're tired and you're going to rest while he does that (which is basically true)

This actually works really well for the most part

Sometimes something will remind him of you or he'll get bored quickly and come bursting into your quiet space when you least expect it

Julian

Let's be honest, self care is an entirely foreign concept to him

And for the last three years, he hasn't needed as much of it due to his healing gift

Which is why, in the weeks after the masquerade, he unwittingly and completely runs his body into the ground

You're not that surprised when you come home to him swaying in the middle of the kitchen, coffee pot clutched in one shaking hand, running a fever

"Ah, MC, you're home! Would you be a darling and summon some of that fire magic for me, it's a bit chilly-"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence because you're prying the coffee from his death grip and bullying him into bed

He's very confused when you tuck him in and leave the room instead of joining him

But now that he's lying down he can feel how much he's struggling to get warm, and how much his thoat hurts, and how dry his mouth is, and how ferociously empty his stomach is

Once he sees you reappear with a thermometer and a flask of water, it finally clicks

He's sick. What do you mean he's sick, he can't get sick - Oh yeah, he guesses now he can again

As weird as it is for him to be so low on energy and docile, he is fully on board with you nursing him back to health

Jokingly calls you "Dr MC"

Will not hesitate to critique your professionalism

He's trying really hard to make you laugh and play it off like it's not a big deal, but his smile is forced when he's gripping your hand

He remembers the plague, he remembers what sickness can mean, and he knows his own infection never ran its course, even if there's no reason for it to come back

You can tell that he's terrified and you'll have to talk it out with him

You reassure him that he's safe, the two of you beat the devil himself together, as long as you've got each other things will work out

You're just relieved to see him eating and hydrating and sleeping

You know he's doing better when he starts dramatizing his symptoms and demanding either leeches or affection as medicine

From now on he's more mindful of not having his mark anymore and the importance of half decent self care

Asra

They're not stupid, they have plenty of common sense, they just have a weakness for unusual foods

Especially foods he's never encountered before

Did they know that eating from a shady food stall they'd never seen before is highly inadvisable? Yes

Was he able to identify any of the ingredients or smells involved with the food? No

Were there any other customers at said stall during the hour and a half that they were wandering around the marketplace? No

Are all of these factors the main reasons he decided he absolutely had to try it? Obviously, duh

Food poisoning is never fun, even for the slyest of magicians

They come back to the shop after an afternoon of errands, arms and satchel full of groceries

He gives you the biggest smile when he lays eyes on you, but you notice there's an unusual tightness around his eyes

First there's the sheen of sweat on their face that they keep trying to wipe away, and then the slight tremor in their arms as you're closing up the shop for the evening

You confront him when his gut starts trying to imitate whale mating calls and he admits to having a slight tummy ache

They keep telling you not to worry until the nausea hits them and you're scrambling to get them over a toilet or a basin or *something*

"Asra, what did you eat?"

He doesn't answer you, not because he doesn't want to, but because he doesn't know

And also because, well, the nausea is ongoing and they are suffering

You love him and you don't like seeing him in pain, so you're pulling his hair out of his face and rubbing his back and propping him up

Eventually the nausea fades and you can get them to drink some water, but then the next phase of food poisoning kicks in and they're glued to the toilet seat, producing the most lethal odors

He'll be so embarrassed you had to see and smell him like this later, but right now he's tired and weak and your hands are so cool and soothing on his feverish face

You're going to be up with them through the night until they finally fall asleep as the sun is rising

You had a scathing lecture planned for him when he woke up but you can't stay mad when he's so apologetic and embarrassed

They have a new guideline now: "If I wouldn't feed it to MC, I probably shouldn't feed it to myself."

Nadia

She doesn't get nearly as many headaches as she used to now that her undead ex-husband has been dealt with, but they still happen sometimes

You've heard stories from Portia about how bad they used to get, but this is your first time seeing it for yourself

She had tried to power through it while you were out that morning, but you were rushing back to the palace as fast as your legs could carry you when Chandra brought news that she had fainted

By the time you got back she had regained consciousness, but she was still in her chambers and everyone was unusually hushed

When you walked in the room was dark, the normal perfume in the air was muted, and she was lying stiffly in the middle of her bed

It was very strange to see her smile at you without speaking

As soon as you were within arm's reach you were quickly reminded that she was in fact the baby of her family growing up

She finds your presence soothing, what can she say

She's not letting you leave her side

You're stuck now

Anyone else who dares enter her chambers receives a death glare

Your new job is to act as a liason between her and everything outside her room

You watch for the shadows of feet in the crack of light under her door and slip away to collect her meal or request some water or answer a pressing question

Every time you return you find her sulking (she will deny this later) because you left without her permission

She will only eat if you feed her. She will only drink if you're cradling her head. She will only take the painkillers if you give her a kiss.

It's slightly heartbreaking because you can't imagine the amount of pain that would cause her to act like this

But the most beautiful woman in the world is pressing your hand to her lips and whispering how much she loves you and insisting you have a taste of her sorbet so you can't really complain

Once she's feeling better she insists on rewarding you in whatever way you desire, but she also makes it clear that you are not to share anything about her behavior to her family

Muriel

You've never seen him get sick, you're pretty sure his stomach and immune system are made of steel

He's also highly skilled at ignoring his physical needs

That's really what did him in, he kept getting symptoms and ignoring them, thereby making the problem worse

Sore throat? He's fine. Headache? He's okay. Subtle desire to wear another layer of clothing? He never gets cold, what are you talking about. Dizziness? No, the ground has always been wobbly like that -

You know you won't be able to catch him if he falls and he can tell you're getting upset, so he agrees to lie down, just for a little bit

He doesn't get up again for a while

His instinct when he realizes he's sick is to handle it the way he always has in the past, which is to hunker down where he's the most invisible and dissociate while he waits it out

Except now somebody's tapping his shoulder and pulling the covers off of his face and trying to get him to eat and he's feverish so he doesn't want to

You had forgotten just how grouchy he could be

You're getting flashbacks to what he was like when you first met

But hey, you stubbornly loved it out of him once, you can stubbornly love it out of him again

"I brought you some water, Muriel." *Grunt*

"You need to stay hydrated." *Angry grunt*

"That wasn't a suggestion, Muriel." *Death glare*

You pile furs and blankets over him and send Inanna with a note to get medicine from your shop

As he recovers he's able to open up a bit about what it meant to get sick as an orphan by the docks, and how that was a signal for others to take advantage of one's weakness

It explains his hostility towards anybody approaching him or acknowledging his condition, but he stills feels awful about it

Once he's back to normal he shows more affection than before because he knows you won't take advantage of him

What really made him the most grateful was finding out that you fed the chickens for him

Portia

She gets sick about as often as any normal person gets sick, but that doesn't mean she's okay with it

There is a dark side to living in service to other people, and that is when it becomes the thing you base your value off of

Long story short, she has workaholic tendencies and she indulges them too much when she's feeling low

Which makes her tired, which makes her feel worse, which makes her work harder, which makes her more tired, etc etc

You've seen this vicious cycle show up once or twice on ambassador trips and you've been able to pull her out of it by clearing her schedule for the day and showering her with affection and affirmation

But this time she was home, in Vesuvia, and you had to go on a trip to gather some supplies, and she had to stay and host some visiting dignitaries

And then she missed you, so she worked harder to distract herself, and ran herself into the ground

You came back to an unusually messy cottage and a sleep-deprived, feverish Portia

It wasn't very hard to figure out what happened

It was very hard to convince her to rest

You had to wrangle her into bed and convince Pepi to fall asleep on her so she wouldn't try to move

You brought her some soup and herbal tea and set to work cleaning the cottage and clearing her schedule for the week

When you walked back to check on her she was fighting to stay awake, on the verge of tears because she was so stressed and burnt out

You had to lie down next to her and tell her three times that everything was taken care of before she could fall asleep

Once she woke up and her fever broke and she had eaten and rehydrated you got her to rant about why she was stressed and then you had to force feed her soup and self affirmation

You got Ilya to come pay her a doctor's visit to get your point across

Now when either of you has to go on trips without the other, you leave her notes with affirming words all over her things so she can't go through a day without being reminded of how loved she is

Lucio

If there's one thing you can credit Morga for, it's Lucio's impressive physical endurance. His immune system is almost on par with Muriel's

Really the only time he's been seriously ill was when he was dying of the Red Plague, and that had nothing to do with physical strength

So you never really worry about him getting sick, he's Lucio, he's resilient like that

But you do worry about his recklessness sometimes, especially when it borders on stupidity

You had taken a gig back in the ancient forest to hunt down a lost relic, and you had been warned multiple times about the effects of certain plants in the area

Nothing to be too worried about really, they were even safe to touch as long as you didn't get any of their sap on you, and it wasn't deadly or anything

It was just something worth avoiding, because the effects were akin to a nasty 24 hour virus and you didn't want anything slowing you down

He did not understand the assignment

He hacked through them with his sword to make a "shortcut" and covered himself in sap

Now you're *slightly* lost in the deep woods, with an increasingly miserable ex-mercenary and no sign of human life in sight

He's panicking, last time he got sick he almost died and spent three years as a ghostly goatman, he doesn't want to do that again MC!

You snap him out of his panic by dunking him into the nearest stream (to wash off the sap so you don't get sick too, obviously) and explaining that he'll be ill for 24 hours and then he'll be fine

He's not worried anymore, but he's not used to being sick either, and he only tolerates glamorous discomfort

He is going to whine and complain without ceasing

You do your best, you wrap him up in all your blankets and set him up next to a roaring fire, you keep a cool handkerchief on his forehead, you keep him hydrated and forage enough to make him a hearty herb and jerky stew