Legendary Lovers
desc: five years after graduation, NRC holds a masquerade ball for the alumni. old classmates find each other, recognizing each other through the masks. unexpectedly, the famous Vil Schoenheit arrives with an unknown woman by his side. or is she really that unknown?
word count: 4.7k
warnings: none
The first thing you notice when you arrive at Night Raven College is that the roses are still alive.
It was ridiculous to you. Out of everything you could have noticed, it was the deep crimson roses that looked just as beautiful as when you had been attending the school.
For a moment, the years from then and now had disappeared. It made your chest ache with a familiar feeling of nostalgia.
You felt like you could almost hear Ace and Grim bickering in the courtyard in the distance, all while Deuce fought to break them up, or Crowley pretending that the school wasn’t in a constant state of disarray from his lack of effort.
Night Raven College had always been a chaotic mess while you were there, but it was also your first home in this world.
Standing here now, dressed in a flowing violet and silver embroidered dress, beneath the school's floating lanterns, you realize that you never stopped missing this place.
Beside you, Vil noticed your gaze at the roses.
“You’re staring again,” he hummed next to you.
You glance over to him, a faint smile on your lips. “I was just remembering some things.”
“Yes, I assumed as much. You have that look of longing new actors could only dream of perfecting.”
“Oh, please. You say that about any ounce of emotion people show on their face.”
“It’s not my fault they can’t make a face that looks accurate to their words.”
Your laughter slips out before you can stop it.
Vil’s gaze flickers over to you at the sound, and something in his expression softens. So small it was nearly imperceptible.
It wasn’t enough for any passerby to notice. But it was enough for you.
It was always enough for you.
The five years had changed him. Anyone was able to see that.
Vil Schoenheit had already been so beautiful that it was intimidating. Now at twenty-three, he had become so refined in a way that everything appeared effortless, something so elegantly lethal. Somehow, despite all that, you are the one next to him that he chooses every time. His personal safe place and home.
“You think loudly,” he murmurs as he brushes the hair from your face.
“Like you can hear my thoughts.”
“When you're being this reminiscent, it's hard not to.”
Tonight already feels strangely special.
Not because of the masquerade itself, although you must say that the campus looks entirely too enchanting. But because the two of you haven’t been able to attend and properly enjoy a ball like this in quite some time. Not properly, anyway.
There were always cameras that followed him.
You were able to hear the music from just outside the entrance of the school. You glance toward him again, unable to keep yourself from smiling.
“What?”
“I’m excited.”
Vil pauses. “You’ve been talking about this ball for the past two weeks.”
“Because we never get to attend things like this anymore.”
“You attended the Fleur City premiere with me just last month, though?”
“That doesn’t count, and you know it.”
“You looked beautiful.”
“You were working.”
Vil opens his mouth to respond, but closes it quickly, knowing that you weren’t wrong. All of the events you had gone to together, you both had to act for the cameras, and half the time, he was dragged away to talk to other co-workers.
Above you, the lanterns floated, the orchestra becoming louder as you approached the ballroom. And for the first time in a while, everything feels lighter.
You slip your hands behind your back, rocking on your heels slightly as you look around the campus.
“You know,” you spoke, “I think Crowley may have actually done something good for once.”
Vil chuckles, “Don’t say that aloud. You’ll only encourage his silly ideas.”
You laugh with him. Sevens, you missed this.
Not just being a student here, or at the school. But being here like this with him.
With the quiet moments, where you are both able to be yourself.
“You’re bouncing.”
“I am doing no such thing.”
“You are.”
“Sevens forbid I’m excited.”
“You’re behaving like grim in your first year.”
You scoff jokingly, “That’s mean.”
“It’s accurate.”
You grin shamelessly, “and yet you still stare at me with all the care in the world.”
Vil sighs through his nose as though he were burdened by this revelation.
“You’re insufferable tonight.”
“Yet you love me deeply.”
“I tolerate you generously.”
“Vil.”
“Yes,” he says, “I am devastatingly, hopelessly, unfortunately in love with you. There, are you satisfied?”
You beam, “Very.”
His face changes from exasperation to a small smile as he holds his arm out for you to take. Your arms are intertwined as you walk toward the entrance of the hall. Despite it coming naturally now after five years, it still made your chest feel warm.
You remember when something this simple used to be so nerve-wracking to you.
Back then, getting the chance to love Vil felt so dangerous in ways you couldn’t properly explain. He was already destined for fame and greatness before graduation, already carrying more ambitions than half the student population. You were always worried you would hold him back from that.
However, Vil had looked at all of your fears and dismantled every single one. He did so with terrifying precision, too, making sure not to leave you with a single reason to be afraid.
“You speak as though loving you would ruin my future,” he had said quietly one night.
You had nearly cried that night. Not because he was cruel, but because he was the complete opposite.
Vil loved fiercely once he allowed himself to. Being loved by Vil was like standing in the warm sunlight after being stuck out in the cold for years.
The memory still gave you the feeling of butterflies in the best way, even though you used to hate the feeling of them.
Two security guards open the doors as you approach. Walking into the ballroom, the air changes around you two. People part for the two of you while they stare.
People notice Vil immediately. How could they not? Even now, when everyone knows him from his school years, he enters with a regal air around him, as if he were made for people to stare.
Quickly, people begin to notice your presence, too. Curious murmurs ripple through the crowd of people watching. Many were wondering who you were. Others are wondering your status, considering Vil Schoenheit never arrives with anyone so casually.
The ballroom itself was unreal. It glowed with magic. Sparkling constellations decorate the ceiling, along with silver ribbons decorating the walls.
“This is beautiful,” you whisper.
Vil looks at you through his mask, “You sound impressed.”
“I am impressed.”
“Good. You should be.”
You shake your head at him fondly. Nearby, conversations are already trying to solve your identity. You take two champagne glasses from a waiter’s tray passing by. You hand the second one to Vil.
He takes it without a glance in your direction, his attention still on the crowd. These were small habits you both picked up after a while. Thoughtless gestures built over the events together.
Leona notices it first.
He watched as Vil leaned down to hear you over the music.
“No way,” he mutters to no one in particular.
Ruggie looks up, “What?”
Leona snorts into his drink. “Nothing.”
Across the room, Ace nearly chokes on his drink. He smacks his hand against Deuce’s chest to get his attention.
“Juice, do we know them?” Ace asks.
Deuce doesn’t bother to look up from his glass before replying, “Ace, you thought Professor Trein was the Ghost Bride.”
“That was one time.”
Next to them, Epel looks at you over his glass. “Wait a second,” he squints at you.
You immediately turn your face toward Vil before any of them could stare any longer. You giggle to yourself at how fun this was.
Vil’s lips twitch faintly beneath the rim of his glass. “You are enjoying this far more than you claimed you would.”
“Maybe just a little.”
“Of course you are.”
“You’re one to talk,” you nudge him lightly. “You look delighted.”
“I always look delighted.”
“Fine, you look smug.”
“That too.”
The orchestra shifts to a slower melody, and the strings play throughout the room delicately. Everything felt like a dream.
The sort of memory that will only exist as it is happening. Unable to be captured by photos or videos. You glance around the room once more.
NRC was beautiful, more beautiful than you had remembered. It was fitting for the old castle, and the attention to detail at the school never left you anything short of amazed when you were there as a student.
Everywhere you looked, you saw familiar faces, more grown up and aged slightly over five years. Your eyes landed on your old friend group.
Ace had grown into his confidence, no longer forcing himself to be the loudest in the room. However, the constant glint of mischief never seemed to have gone. Deuce carried himself in a way that would have shocked his first-year self, he was calmer and more composed. Epel had sharpened around the edges over the last few years, his sweet appearance had become his own. Jack held an air that made him more dependable, it was grounding even from a distance. Sebek’s intensity seemed to have become quieter, and much more intimidating.
Staring at them from afar, you realize you missed them above all, more than attending NRC. While off in your own world of wondering how your friends were, you felt a shift in the hand around your arm. Before you could turn to Vil to say anything, a familiar face appeared before you two.
White hair bounced into your vision, followed closely by someone with long black hair.
“Vil!” Kalim beams. “You finally arrived.”
Jamil, who wasn’t far behind, already looked exhausted. He was mumbling something to himself tiredly before looking up, “You say that as though he wasn’t invited.”
“He almost wasn’t,” you turned to see Azul walking over to you all. “Crowly nearly had a breakdown just trying to plan security for this event, especially after Vil confirmed his attendance.”
Vil sighs dramatically, “You say that as if I asked for all of that fuss.”
“You absolutely expect it, though,” Floyd chimes in from somewhere nearby.
You bite back a smile. And for a moment, no one seems to notice your presence. Their attention remains mostly fixated on Vil, which has begun to feel normal.
You look over toward Kalim and see that he is already watching you.
His eyes widen behind his mask, and he grins widely.
“Oh,” he says, “you’re very pretty.”
Vil preens at the compliment as though it were said to him. He knew he was very lucky to be attending this with you, as you two were the most beautiful couple anyone had seen before.
You laugh, “Thank you.”
“You seem nice too,” he adds.
“Can you?”
“Yeah,” he trails off, “Vil usually looks kind of scary at parties like this, but he looks super happy right now.”
Vil looks horrified at this revelation, “I do not look scary.”
Jamil deadpans at the man, “You absolutely do.”
“How unfortunate that must be for all of you,” Vil states.
You hid your smile behind your glass.
Everyone you hadn’t seen in the longest time, finally together again. Old friends teasing each other like no time had passed. Everyone’s curiosity grew with your enjoyment. No one had recognized you. Not yet, at least.
Many people only saw Vil’s performances and presumed he would be too exhausting to love. They were wrong. Yes, Vil did expect excellence from the world and himself alike, but when he was with you, there was so much gentleness.
When you think about loving him, you don’t see him as a celebrity or the legacy of the fairest queen in all of twisted wonderland. You see him as himself.
The orchestra swelled into yet another melody. This time, it was long and romantic. Conversations quiet as more people move toward the floor, Vil holds out his arm expectantly.
You look up at him with confusion on your face.
“You want to dance, am I wrong?”
You brighten and take hold of his arm.
As you look at him, everything around you stills. There were no reporters near to bother you, there were no interviews lined up, and there was no work to be done. It was just you and Vil.
The music flowed through the room, and Vil’s hand found the side of your waist. Even now, as you stood lost in each other’s gaze, he looked unreal. His pale hair catches the light, similar to how his violet bejeweled mask does.
Vil guided you to the center of the floor slowly, the crowd parting around you. The candlelight from the chandelier hanging above you reflected across the marble.
The first step of the dance was impossibly soft. Vil drew you effortlessly into the dance, your dress sweeping across the floor in flowing waves of violet and silver sparkles.
The world narrowed until it was only you and him. You only felt the warmth in his hand, the look in his eyes.
Goodness, Vil was watching you like you had hung the moon and stars just for him. Dancing with him had always felt intimate, but tonight it felt different.
His gloved hand tightened around yours as he spun you around.
The music slowed further, and the two of you pulled closer. Your joined hands rested on his shoulder, and his other hand was steady on the side of your waist.
Vil lowered his head slightly, close enough so only you could hear, “You’re radiant tonight.”
You smiled, “You already called me beautiful, Vil.”
“This is different.”
For a moment, you forget the ballroom entirely.
Rook watches from the balcony above, his old friend and the mysterious stranger dancing around with no other thought on their mind. Never had he seen Vil so entranced with someone before, and he had never seen him so in love before.
You are filled with laughter as the two of you spin around endlessly, and Vil looks undone by the sound of it. There is something boyish in his expression, something much younger.
“You’re drifting again,” he hums.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“I can’t help it when I'm with you.”
The song slows to its final movement. Around you, the ballroom had fallen quiet. All of them are watching you.
“You know,” you mutter, “they’re definitely still gossiping about us.”
“They have been for years.”
“True,” you admit.
His thumbs brush against your waist, “and we’ll let them.”
Even back at NRC, rumors would follow him everywhere. People would gossip about anything they could think of, from his grades to the people he spent time with. There had always been eyes on him, from when you met him to now.
At seventeen, it used to exhaust him more than he’d like to admit. At twenty-three, he wears it purposefully. Tonight, the attention shifted to you, who stood so naturally beside him.
The final notes of the song ring out as Vil spins you a final time. Applause ripples through the room as people move off the dance floor with you.
“You enjoyed that far too much,” he says.
“And you were the one who was trying to seduce me through the choreography.”
Vil looks entirely unapologetic, “and?”
You shake your head while accepting another glass from a passing tray.
“I’ve literally never seen him look at anyone like that,” Epel said, “Not even Rook.”
“Do you think they’ve been dating long?” Jack asks.
Nearby, a certain card soldier is recording himself, “This is the best reunion ever, like this is totes iconic. There is literally a mystery romance going on, and no one can figure out who it is.”
He puts his phone away, a rare occurrence for him, and he wanders over to you. You smile as he approaches.
“Hey, don’t mean to be #annoying or anything, but I was wondering if I knew you from somewhere?” Cater asked.
“Hm, I don’t know if you do know me,” you shrug.
“Hm.” Cater stares at you for a moment, and your pulse skips. “Well I hope we at least get to know each other soon, you seem so fun!”
Epel was still staring at you whenever he felt like you wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately, you and Vil both did.
“Epel, I thought I would have taught you not to stare, no?” Vil chastises.
Epel jumps, “I don’t know, did you?”
Before you have a chance to join the conversation, another familiar voice from before cuts through.
“Well,” Azul says thoughtfully, “whoever you may be, you have accomplished something I had previously believed to be impossible.”
You glance toward him, “and what might that be?”
Azul adjusts his glasses, “You’ve somehow managed to make Vil pleasant at a social function.”
Vil sighs, “Must we all speak as though I am some sort of hostile animal? I am not that difficult to talk to normally.”
“Yes,” Floyd answers for Azul. “You do glare at people often.”
“Well, most people are irritating.”
“And yet,” Azul continues, his gaze flicking toward you, ‘you seem to be remarkably relaxed tonight.”
Floyd gasps at this, “Oh my sevens, you have heart eyes, betta fish.”
“I do not have heart eyes, what an absurd phrase.” Vil scoffs.
Vil looks moments away from using his unique magic on someone, while you try to hold back your laughter.
Across the ballroom, more familiar faces begin to come closer, one by one. Riddle arrives looking as elegant as ever. However, his expression shifted when he saw Vil standing beside you.
“How interesting,” he says carefully.
“I know, right, Riddle, do you want to hear what I’ve gathered?”
Riddle ignores Cater’s attempts to gossip with him as his eyes narrow toward you.
“You dance very well,” he says politely.
“Thank you.”
“You seem familiar. Do I know you from anywhere?”
You blink in surprise. Vil notices quickly, and his hand settles against the small of your back.
You realize that it isn’t just Vil’s arrival with you that surprised them. It was the way he looked at you.
Vil had always been so open with you, you never noticed the difference. He hadn’t attempted to hide his love for you from anyone tonight.
The entire night now feels suspended between the dream you had imagined before and a fairytale. Beside one of the windows, Sebek stood, now with the group he had spent his first year at NRC with.
Lilia stood next to him, staring contentedly at you with his ever mischievous grin. Malleus stands beside him, also watching you. Unlike everyone else, they don't look confused. Malleus’ eyes met yours across the room.
Of course, they, of all people, recognize you. You spent too much time around them for them not to. Silver follows their gaze in confusion.
“Do you know who she is?” He asks.
Malleus lifts his glass slightly without breaking eye contact. “I believe that tonight’s mystery may not remain mysterious much longer.”
“Oh, is that so?” Lilia says delightedly.
On the other end of the room, Ace was still spiraling.
“No, because this is seriously driving me insane,” he complains to Deuce, “I swear I know them. There's just something about them.”
“You claim to know everyone, Ace.” Deuce sighs exasperated.
“No, but this is different.”
“You said that about the barista the other day. Please give it a rest.”
You laugh under your breath at everyone’s confusion. Your eyes sweep across the room, a few people you had yet to reunite with, while they don’t know it's you, you still got the reunion you wanted. Your eyes land on the dance floor again, lingering for a few seconds longer.
Vil notices, “Do you wish to dance more?”
“I always want another dance with you.”
“You say things like that so very casually,” he murmurs.
“It’s your fault for being so romantic.”
“I am not romantic.”
From somewhere nearby, you hear people laughing at what they heard.
“You wrote poetry once,” you remind him softly.
Vil looks horrified at the reminder. “We agreed to never discuss that again, I thought.”
Ace gasps, “You wrote poetry?”
“It was one time.”
“How bad was it?” Epel asks you eagerly.
Vil points a perfectly manicured nail at him. “Don’t start.”
You grin, “It wasn’t bad.”
Vil looked like he would rather praise Niege than be here at this moment. As the conversations between you all continue, the music begins to fade as a microphone crackles to life.
“Hello, dear Night Raven Alumni,” Crowley begins, “I would just like to remind everyone that at the end of the night, you are to remove your masks so you can properly catch up with those around you. The clock will strike midnight soon, dear alumni.”
And as quick as he was to interrupt, Crowley disappeared into the crowd and left it at that.
You continue to catch up with your friends through Vil’s conversations with them, while you intently listen and occasionally add your thoughts.
Soon, the clock chimes, and you can hear Crowley call out from somewhere in the room that it is time to remove the masks.
Vil exhales next to you, “Of course it is.”
He carefully removes his mask, careful of his hair. And you ask him for assistance as your hair had gotten tangled in it.
“Hold still,” he warns you, his careful fingers brushing your hair out of the way. “How did you even manage to get your hair tangled in this?”
“You say that like you weren’t the one who suggested so many gemstones on my mask.”
“They completed the look,” he shrugged.
Around the ballroom, masks begin to slip away one by one. Laughter rises as old classmates recognize each other fully for the first time this evening.
Ace is in the middle of accusing Deuce of having the “least interesting mask in existence” as Vil steps back from you.
“There,” he says. “All fixed.”
Your finger reaches up to pull away the sparkling mask. As it slips from your face, you see the wave of recognition within all of your friends.
Now they can tell there is something familiar there, from the curve of your smile to the way you stand beside Vil as if you had always belonged there. The ballroom falls silent.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” Ace stares at you in astonishment.
You start to laugh before your mask is even fully off. ‘Hi, Ace.”
“Prefect?!”
Deuce looks like his soul is about to leave his body. “No, there's no way.”
Epel is standing with his mouth agape. “I knew it. I know something was familiar.”
“And everybody was trying to make me feel like I was losing my mind!” Ace adds. “You’re telling me I spent three hours confused over someone I literally lived with?”
“You thought Professor Trein was the ghost bride once,” you remind him sweetly.
“That was once.”
“Actually,” Deuce says carefully, “I think it was twice.”
“It was not twice.”
“It was twice I remember it,” Epel cuts in.
Beside you, Vil lets out a sigh through his nose. “How embarrassing for all of you,” he says. “Honestly, I expected at least one of you to figure it out.”
“Wait pause, Vil,” Cater points accusingly at him. “You brought the prefect here and didn’t tell anyone?”
And before anyone could answer, Kalim sprinted at you full speed, “I knew you felt familiar prefect!!” he beams, practically glowing. “You look amazing!”
You barely manage to laugh as he wraps you in a hug.
“It's good to see you, too, Kalim.”
“Some of us were able to figure it out sooner than others,” Lilia muses from the window.
Malleus nods to you, amused by all of the chaos you had managed to cause. “Child of man.”
You nodded back at him. “It’s been a while.”
Sebek looks offended, “You were standing there the whole night?”
“To be fair,” you laugh, “the masks were kind of the point.”
“Ah, what magnificence,” Rook declares from the balcony above you, a hand over his heart, “To think the mysterious belle beside Roi du Poison was none other than our beloved trickster all along. How romantic!”
“Rook,” Vil says flatly.
It was too late to stop him as he had already begun his rant on how beautiful the dance was and how perfectly theatrical everything was.
Vil pinches the bridge of his nose. “I regret attending this event.”
‘No, you don’t,” you say immediately.
Vil doesn’t say anything else, but he nods nonetheless.
Ace stares at him, “Oh my sevens, he’s down bad.”
“I hate that phrase,” Vil states, but doesn’t disagree. He looks mere moments away from walking out of the ballroom.
Instead, you slip your hand into his, and he accepts it.
“Vil Schoenheit appears to have become tame,” Jade says calmly.
“I am not tame,” Vil narrows his eyes. “You all, however, are incredibly annoying.”
“And you’re in love,” Ace grins.
“Yes, obviously.”
Everyone is still reeling from the new announcement of the couple standing before them. They take their time congratulating them. After his turn, Deuce squints at your left hand closely.
“Wait a moment,” he says.
You and Vil watch him in amusement. “What is it, Deuce?”
Deuce points at your hand, “What is that?”
Sitting on your hand was a ring no one had noticed, it was in no way anything small or subtle either. It was a breathtaking violet gemstone with diamond and silver detailing so intricate that it could only have been custom.
Cater gasps loud enough for several people to return their attention to the couple. “No way.”
Ace’s eyes widen in horror, “Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. WHAT.”
You are already laughing in pure delight before he even starts his third spiral of the night.
Vil exhales like a man enduring an unimaginable hardship, “Must you yell?”
“Are you two engaged?” Deuce accuses.
The room becomes silent, quiet enough for a pin drop to be heard. Vil grabs your hand within his and lifts it into view for everyone to see.
“Yes,” he says smoothly. “We are.”
Ace looks to be one second away from dramatically collapsing onto the marble floor. “You mean to tell me, my best friend disappeared after we graduated, gets secretly engaged to the Vil Schoenheit, and then returns to the reunion like nothing changed?”
“In my defence,” you grin. “I thought the masks would distract you longer.”
Epel looks offended, “How long have y’all even been engaged?”
You glance toward Vil automatically.
“Three months,” Vil answers.
“Three?” Jack questions. “Why hadn’t you informed anyone?”
“I wasn’t aware we needed to,” Vil said.
“Of course you do, we obviously have to be a part of the wedding,” Ace nudges your shoulder.
“I hate every single one of you,” Vil says as he massages his temple.
“No you don’t, Vil, stop saying that.” You say, Vil only nods and allows himself to admire you more.
Kalim has now taken hold of your hand, admiring the ring with sparkling eyes. “Wow, it's so beautiful!”
“It should be,” Vil chimes in. “I designed it myself.”
“Of course he did,” Azul sighs. “Honestly, that's the least surprising thing that's happened tonight.”
“You’re all acting as though this is shocking,” Vil says, although there is an unmistakable pride in his voice and posture.
“But we didn’t know that now, did we?” Epel argues.
“You were just unobservant, that is no fault of ours.”
You can barely breathe from laughing now. You were leaning slightly against Vil’s shoulder as everyone went back and forth. Despite all of the shouting and all of the teasing, Vil looks happier than you have seen him in a long time.
His smile was not forced for a camera, and he had returned to his old friends and classmates. This was the boy from school who used to sit beside you at night while studying. The one who gave you his heart and trusted you to love him before the world did.
You squeeze his hand gently. Then quieter, to just you, he leans in for only you to hear;
“You do realize they’ll never stop talking about this, right?”
You smile, “Good, that's what I was hoping for.”
