🍬©hevonne雅.

     “Are you certain of this? Everything you have worked towards- your goal since you’ve came to this land, has been to return home. And now, we are so close- nearly at the finish line.” Crowley said. His voice sounded like he pitied her- and even through he was commiserating with her new set of circumstances, it did little to make her feel better. 

     Because the truth was; she wasnt sure of her decision. Every single day, she teetered on the edge of wondering if she was doing what she felt was right or if she was making a mistake. More often than not, in the back of her head, she was close to changing her mind. Just him asking her that, reminding her of her home- the life she had left behind- made a lump form in her throat- words unsaid that were urging to leave her mouth. She breathed in deeply- calming her nerves as she composed herself, swallowing down the lump. It would do no good to doubt everything now that it was all said and done. She couldnt change what has happened. 

     So- she decided to hear out what her options were now. It was all she could do…  “And… if I do decide I want to go home? What then?” She pursed her lips- thinking about adding more onto her question- clarifying her worry- but it was unneeded as Crowley gave her a small, but sad smile.  

     “Well… your child will be part of this world. It will have no place in your past life.” Crowley replied. “In short; it will be impossible for the child to accompany you back to your world- if you choose to return still.” 

     She knew this- knew this would be his response, had expected it- and yet still; she had held out hope. Hope that she would be wrong… but it was foolish for her to think that she could take one last reminiscence of this world. A world she had come to love just as deeply as the one she had came from. How long had it been since she had come here? 6 years? Almost 7? After she had graduated from Night Raven College, she had stopped keeping track.

     And then… she had made a mistake- Well, really, three mistakes. In hindsight, who would have ever predicted this is what would happen? Her mother, certainly- who had warned her against having unprotected sex. And now, she would deal with the consequence- for she knew, even if her mind went back and forth, she could never abandon her child here. 

     “I… I cant then.” Yuu said with finality, the last of her doubt and hope leaving her mind. It was as if letting go of it all- and now, being able to mourn her old life- that she was able to have much more clarity. She could breath, she could truly now live and accept the world around her as hers now- because it wouldnt just be her world, but her childs home. She looked to Crowley, at peace with it. “Thank you… for atleast trying… I suppose now, all I can do is make the best life I can for myself and my child.” she looked down at her stomach- which concealed her fate, and would only grow over the next couple of months.

     The next question in her mind was where she would even go. She had resided on Sage’s island ever since she had been brought to this world- knowing no other home. But it wasnt like she could raise a child on a school campus.

     There was a pause of silence before Criowley asked: “And what of the father? Would I be overcrossing a boundary to ask weather the child's father is present?” 

     That was a difficult question- where would she even start with that. “No…” She replied. “The father will not be involved.” It wouldnt be fair- especially when she didnt even know who the father was. But she wouldnt admit that- especially not to Crowley! She had not even told Grim the truth… He didnt need to know anything other than that she wouldnt be returning home because she was pregnant. That was it.   

     “Well, luckily for you- My generosity know’s no bounds! And because of all of the assistance and dedication you’ve offered the school over the years you have been here, I will grant another gift.” Yuu frowned- confused on what he was referring to. She knew she had stopped a multitude of disasters over the past couple of years she had been here- especially in her first year when she had stopped seven overblots- but what gift could he give her that would make a difference?

    She decided to take the bait. “Oh yeah? And what is that?”

     “Well, the school owns a couple of buildings within town- some of which we rent out. Now- I know you do not have the funds currently to rent, however perhaps we could come up with another compromise?” A compromise…? “There is currently a storefront for a cafe, which closed down around a decade ago and hasnt reopened since. Well… its been popular demand that it be brought back- however, I was never able to find someone to manage the store… until now. How would you like to run the cafe?” Yuu was speechless- her mouth opening and closing as she tried to figure out what to say. “I would grant you funds for food and necessities ofcourse- and there is an apartment above the storefront that you can board in… I ask that you just consider it.” 

     There wasnt much to consider through. It was the best option she had heard in a long time; she would live in a familiar place, relatively safe- she would be able to have a job, a place to live, a stead source of income… it was all she could ask for really. So- she didnt need time to consider it- she knew what her answer was. “I accept.” 

────•⋅⊰༻ 9 years later ༺⊱⋅•────

     “Yume- you’re gonna be late!” Yuu called upstairs- receiving no reply back. 

     In a month, it will have been 10 years since her daughter had been born. 10 years of living on Sage’s Island and running the coffee shop for Crowley. 10 years of ups and lows- and coming to grieve, mourn and unteather herself from her old world. It had been easier than she imagined when Yuu not only had herself but her daughter and Grim to think of now. “Grim-” Yuu’s companion poked his head up from the blanket where he rested on one of the many booths in the coffee shop area downstairs. He blinked grogily and let out a yawm- as she pointed up. “Please go get Yume- she is going to be late for school if she isnt down in the next two minutes.” 

     “Yume! You’re gonna be late!” Grim repeated, yelling upstairs as well, and Yuu put her hands on her hips with a look of irritation. 

     “Thanks Grim- I could have done tha-” But then there was the sound of small footsteps on the stairs, the sound of a child running down the stairs. 

     “Im coming!” A high pitched voice called out, and sure enough, in entered her daughter- dressed with her backpack on her back. She had dressed herself, and though she was a little younger than 10 years old, she looked neatly put together. “Im ready to go.”

     “Good! Say goodbye to Grim and lets go-” Yuu said as she rushed towards the door. Yume took her time though as she approached their companion. 

     “Bye Grim!” Yume reached down and gave a big hug to Grim- who accepted it graciously and patted her back the best he could with his paws. 

     “Bye kid- go and learn something.” He gave another yawn, stretching his back in a similar manner to a cats after Yume let him go. 

     “I will!” She chirped and ran towards Yuu, running out the door. Yuu pointed at Grim, expectantly. 

     “Im taking her to school. When I get back, you better be awake and the machines better be running. We open in less than an hour and they need atleast 30 minutes to get hot and going.” She reminded him, but he squashed her worries as he leaped down and walked towards the kitchen. 

     “Im going, im going.” He grumbled. Yuu smiled, closing the door behind her. She knew he didnt like to wake up early, and yet, without fail for the last few years, he has woken up early to help her set up the shop- even if with a few complaints every now and again. Yuu walked up ahead, finally catching up to Yume, who’s short legs had made it such a far distance without her. Once she finally caught up, Yume held out her hand to Yuu, to hold her hand as they walked- which Yuu took.

     “Mama-” Yume started, and Yuu let out a hum that she was listening as they walked the quiet streets. It was early enough in the morning that there was hardly anyone else out and about- especially students from the nearby schools- but not so early that there was no sun. The only people who occupied the streets were the locals and other store owners who were setting up before opening. “My birthday is coming up!” 

     “Yes it is dear.” Yuu replied. A dog crossed their path, with its owner following behind with a leash. They halted before continuing their walk. 

     “I know what I want for my birthday…” Yume’s voice drifted off- unsure of herself. Yuu looked down to her daughter, now intrigued. 

     “And what would that be?” 

     “I want to know who my father is. I want him to come to this birthday…” Yume asked, and Yuu stopped in her tracks- startled. She knew this would come one day, the day her daughter grew up and would understand the difference between her peers having a two parent household, compared to her own household of just Yuu and Grim. Maybe when she was 5, that was enough, but now… and Yuu could not fault her for it either.

     “Well, that is…” she didnt even know where to start, or how to respond. “Your father… loves you very much- but wont be able to come.” Yuu lied- because she couldnt admit just yet that her father- whoever he was- did not know she existed. But Yume wouldnt just leave it at that- she pressed the issue, her own curiosity now outgrowing the answers that Yuu had always supplied her daughter with. That her father was ‘a busy person’, or that ‘he would meet her one day’. But it was no longer good enough. 

     “But why not? Why cant he come? And dont say its because he is busy- how can he be so busy he cant make time for me?” Yuu pursed her lips. She could see how distraught her daughter was about this- and so, this time, she decided to tell her something equivalent to a truth. 

     Yuu stopped, pulling her daughter off to the side of the sidewalk, as she crouched down to look her in her eyes. Eyes that looked exactly like her own. Perhaps if Yume even had a hint of her father’s features in her, Yuu would have been able to determine who he was, but fate would have it that she looked like a replica of her mother. “He is a very, very important person Yume. Many people look to him, depend on him, and… well, we need him a little less than other’s do.” It wasnt a lie- it was the truth no matter who she thought of. “Besides, dont be too bummed. Uncle Ace and Deuce are making a special trip to come and celebrate with us!” She could see the disappointment still evident on her child’s face- so she rubbed her shoulders up and down to soothe her. “Im sorry- Is that okay?”

     Yume was quiet for a short while, before breathing out and nodding. “Its okay, Mama.” She said. “I understand…” 

────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────

     However, there is the thing about children: though they might say one thing, they dont mean it. And with Yume- even though she had told her mother she understood- she did not. In her mind, what could be more important that a birthday? Especially her 10th birthday. There was nothing more important than that- and so, she decided that if her mother would not treat this with the urgency is required, then she would. 

     At first, she was faced with the biggest problem; who was her father? Her mother had never given her a name, a homeland, anything that hinted at who he was exactly to narrow down the search. So, Yume turned to the next best thing after the internet- her mothers private journals. It was brilliant really- and if her mother wouldnt be angry at her for snooping through her belongings, she might have been proud of Yume for being so smart.

     Yume opened a box with dust that had gathered on it that had been sitting in the storage room for as long as she could remember. It was a box of belongings that her mother had stored away years ago- things from her years at Night Raven College. On top of the box, in black marker, was a list of things that were tucked away; uniforms, old books, and journals. Journals that possibly contained all the answers to her neverending list of questions that had accumulated since she was 5. 

     There were only three journals really- not a lot- and there was little written in each of them. The first was written like a fantasy book- perhaps a story her mother had written when she was younger. A story about someone being tossed into a world where they did not belong, and defeating magic that corrupted a persons being- things of fiction. It was then in the next journal, after her mother had graduated from school that Yume found something more tangible in terms of answers; she found names. She recognized some of the names; her uncle Deuce and Ace, her uncles Epel, Jack and Sebek… and then there were some names she didnt recognize. Three names in particular that came up multiple times. 

     The first was Vil Schoenheit- a name that was very familiar to Yume. He was in some of her favorite movies- and appeared on Television more times than she could count. If he was her father, it would make sense what her mother had said about him being an important person- and Vil Schoenheit most certainly was a very big and important person.

     The next was Leona Kingscholar. She did not recognize him, and so she did what everyone did; she looked up his name. There, she found he was the second prince of the sunset savannah. She gasped, giggling excitedly at the idea. That would also make him an ideal candidate- another important person who would hypothetically be too busy to make it to her birthday party. And if he was her father- that could make her a princess! Another loud giggle, as she clutched her tablet- 

     “Hey, whats all the laughter about?” Grim asked, causing Yume to let out a yelp and cover her tablet and the journal with a nearby pillow.

     “Nothing!” She answered quickly. ‘Im just… watching a funny video!” 

     Grim looked at her, suspicious of her answer, before shrugging and walking into the kitchen. After she could hear his footsteps become further and further, she let out a sigh of relief. She grabbed the journal from underneath the pillow once more and opened it, continuing to read until she found the last name. 

     Malleus or ‘Hornton’- No last name, and when she looked up the first two names, nothing for Malleus or ‘Hornton’ was found. The closest thing she could find was that the name Malleus came from Briar Valley- an area with little known about it, and therefore, her search was limited. But even so… it was a start. 

     At the end of the journal, after some passages of her mothers experience at being pregnant with Yume- was three letters. They were unsealed, dusty as well with some of the ink being faded- but still legible. Yume opened each letter, reading the contents. All three contained the same exact message- just with the names swapped out between Vil, Leona and Malleus’s. Each being confessions- the confession that Yume existed. 

     Suddenly, Yume didnt feel too good. These letters… it made it seem like her dad didnt know she existed… and maybe thats why he never came to anything, never visited, was not around… because the truth was that he didnt know she was alive. 

     Well- no longer would that be the case! He needed to know, whoever which one of them he was. She sprang up, running to her room and taking out all of her art supplies. She grabbed three empty invitation cards, and started working. Each one, she decorated with a careful hand- placing stickers and drawing with her markers animals and party balloons. On each one, she wrote a message- 

     “You are invited to Yume’s 10th birthday party! Please come, I would love to meet you. Love, Yume.” She spoke outloud as she wrote. She shoved her creations into the already written envelopes- and sealed them closed with tape. The addresses that were written on them were from 10 years ago- so hopefully they would receive it. And when all three were finished and closed, she looked at them with a huge grin. “There! Now he will have to come and meet me!” She said victoruously. 

     She ran downstairs, putting on her shoes as Grim sat nearby, loafed on the couch. “Where you off to kid?” 

     “To the postbox- I have a few letters to deliver-” She said, however left out who they were for. 

     “Okay- sounds good. Just be careful..” And Grim laid his head back down. He had grown to love home life with Yume and Yuu- especially on their days off of work or when it wasnt busy in the cafe. 

     “I will be.” She assured him and ran out the door quickly. A couple of streets down and she made it to the postbox, slipping the letters in. Now, there was no turning back. But Yume was ecstatic as she skipped back to her home- thinking about herself in a princess dress and not having to attend school anymore because she would be too important as well… 

 ────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────

     “Happy Birthday Yume!” Yuu exclaimed as her daughter walked downstairs, and she engulfed the girl into a huge hug, placing kisses on her forehead and anywhere else on her face she could. “Awww, my baby is 10 years old- you are getting too old!” 

     “Mama-” Yume giggled, pushing her mom off of her, but failing. “Come on- youre heavy!”

     Yuu laughed, letting up off her daughter and backing up. “Well, thats not very nice- especially since Im the one who got you a surprise… One I think you’ll really enjoy-” Yume perked up at that- as she remembered what she had done.     “I also have a surprise for you!” She said, bouncing up and towards the kitchen as she followed Yuu. 

     “For me? But its your birthday Yume- you didnt need to get me anything…” Her mother replied, and Yume shook her head. 

     “Its a surprise for the both of us- but I think its one you’ll really like.” The girl said, as she watched her mother start to get out some of the decorations. “Here, let me help!”

     Yuu smiled, looking down as she handed Yume some deflated balloons. “Do you think you can blow some of these up and hang them on the fence?” 

     “You can count on me!” The girl took the balloon pack and ran outside without her shoes on. Yuu thought to call out and correct her, but instead, just scoffed and gave a small grin as she shook her head. Sure she might get dirt and mud on her, but it could all be washed away- it was all temporary, but making sure her birthday was an enjoyable one was her priority.

     It wasnt until later on in the day that Yuu was fussing over her daughters appearance- after the decorations were set up, and almost all of the food was finished, Yuu started getting herself and Yume dressed. Her daughter had picked out a pretty turquoise dress, and had been the one to decide what her hair style would be- and Yuu, well, all she could do was obey her daughters request. 

     Just as they were wrapping up getting ready, there was a knock on the door, and Yume got up. “I got it!” Yuu watched as her daughter opened the front door, jumping up and down. “Uncle Ace! Uncle Juice!” In the doorway were her old classmates and friends. The past ten years had significantly changed the both of them, as they had gotten taller and their boyish features had filled out into more sturdy looking ones- stronger jawlines, and both were much more sure of their own magical abilities. 

     In both of their arms were boxes- presents with colorful paper and beautiful ribbons- wrapped so nicely that she doubted that the both of them had decorated them as so. “Hey kid- Happy Birthday!!!” Ace said, and Yume jumped to hug both him and Deuce. “You’ve grown a lot- how long has it been since we last seen you- a couple months now?” 

     “Its Uncle Deuce-” Deuce said exasperatedly. When Yume was two and still learning words and who people were- Ace had made a one off joke and referred to Deuce as ‘Uncle Juice’- and ever since then, it had stuck. Yume now knew his name was Deuce- but still lovingly referred to him as Uncle Juice occasionally. “And, I believe its been nine months since we last seen each other-”

     “Almost a year now?!” Yuu asked. “It felt like its only been two or three months- not nine- wow… we are getting old…” Yuu laughed- and Ace and Deuce joined in. 

     “Not that old- but we certainly are aging… And you too Yume, youre 10 now!” Deuce said. 

     Yume nodded her head. “Yup- Im getting older too!” She said. “Oh! Uncle Ace, Uncle Deuce- I helped decorate!” 

     Ace looked around and nodded- “Yeah I can tell- I like what you did with the place-” 

     “The decorations are outside, idiot.” Deuce side eyed Ace- and the red head looked shocked. 

     “Y-Yeah I knew that! I was just complimenting Yuu and Yume’s interior decoration skills as well!” Yume laughed, and Yuu beamed at the sight. Seeing all of her loved ones here, and ready to havea good time made her feel like everything that had happened had been worth it.

     “Thank you, Ace. Now, how about we all go outside to admire Yume’s decoration skills and start this party?” Yuu asked- and they all agreed.

────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────     

          It was about an hour later- when the party truly started- that the food was brought out. Ace had some things on the grill after insisting he could barbeque the best out of the three of them, however was slowly regretting it as smoke rose from the grill. 

     “Is it supposed to be smoking that much?” Deuce asked- though he knew the answer to that- it probably shouldnt be. 

     “Yeah! Yeah- thats what gives the meat all the flavor- dont you know?” Ace asked- poking at one of the steaks that were grilling. Yume rubbed her eyes and shook her head. 

     “The smoke is hurting my eyes Uncle Ace-” She whinned- and he quickly closed the grill. 

     “Well- lets just close that and let it cook then, huh?” He asked hypothetically, as he decided to just leave the meat to cook. As he did so, Yuu came back out with a bowl that had lettuce and other ingredients in one hand, and another bowl in the other that was already prepared. 

     “Here-” She set down the premade bowl. “Here is the macaroni salad I made last night. And- I still need to put the salad together-” She set down the second bowl filled with the uncut lettuce head and other things. “Aaannnddd- I have your surprise inside! Let me go get it.” And Yuu went back inside. 

     Ace looked to Deuce and Yume- “Suprise? Dont we do presents after cake?” He asked, and Deuce and Yume nodded.

     “Yeah- but this isnt a present- its a surprise.” Deuce stated- and it didnt help with Ace’s confusion. It wasnt until Yuu came outside with a giant cake box in her hands that it clicked into place for Ace and Deuce. 

     “Well… my surprise for you was that I got you an ice cream cake- Your favorite!” She opened the box. “We cant eat it until later- but I couldnt wait to show you it- and look! It has your favorite animal on it- a bunny!” Yuu pointed. Sure enough, there was rabbits drawn in gray frosting on the borders of the cake, that was lined with purple frosting.   

     “Oh wow! I love ice cream cake and bunnies- im so excited!!!” Yume looked- standing on her tiptoes to see the cake better. Before she could say anything esle though, there was a knock at the front door- a knock that was unexpected. Yuu looked around, confused. Everyone who was invited was there already- could it be Crowley? He had never popped in unannounced before- not without telling her atleast. “Who could that be?” She muttered under her breath and sat the cake down gently on the table. She wiped her hands on her pants, and got ready to go get the door before she was stopped.

     “I-I’ll go get it!” Yume shot up, raising her hand as she volunteered.  

     Yuu raised an eyebrow, now suspicious. “Did you invite someone?” She asked her daughter, as she sprinted from her chair to the porch back door to head back inside. 

     “You could say that… Its your surprise!” She exclaimed, and without waiting, ran inside. Before opening the front door, she breathed in a deep breath, preparing herself. This was something she had been waiting for for years now- all culminating to this one moment. This would change her life forever- and so, she unlocked the front door and opened it.

     Standing in front of her were three individuals. The three she had been expecting… “You came! You all came! I wasnt sure if you would get my letter, but im so happy-” She gasped- stars practically in her eyes as she looked up to all three of them. 

     They all looked down at her- as if they could not believe she existed as well- like she was an alien or something odd but interesting nonetheless. “Your letter? So, your the one who wrote out this invitation and sent it to us?” One of the men’s ears twitched as he held up her the invitation she had written out, as well as the letter with her mothers handwriting behind it. 

     “Yeah! I invited you- but the letter is from my mom.” She explained.   

     “You are Yume then? Correct?” The tall man with black hair asked. He was the tallest of the three of them- black hair with green on the tips. He wore a black coat with a royal purple waist tie- it was a fancy outfit, but hardly fit the occasion. His ears were pointed- a trait she had seen on only a few people- mainly, a few students from the nearby schools. He must be fae- she concluded. Yume nodded exuberantly at his question- excited he had remembered her name. 

     “Thats right! I’m Yume-” She extended her hand out as much as she could- but with all of them being rather taller than her, they had to bend down in order to properly grasp her hand and shake it. “Its nice to meet all of you.” 

     “Where is Yu-” The brown haired man stopped and hesitated, before clearing his throat. “Your mother?” She looked at his appearance- His hair wasnt exactly combed, but it wasnt messy either- with braids throughout. He wore a leather jacket with a lose shirt underneath that was a golden color. Beaded jewlery decorated his neck in bright colors- she recognized it and her eyes brightened. 

     “You must be Leona Kingscholar- Second Prince of the Sunset Savvanah.” She replied, not answering his question. She then turned to the tall, blonde man that was combed back. He was impeccably dressed- a silk shirt, black pants, gold braclets and necklaces- a true super star. He even seemed to sparkle like he did in all his movies- it was almost blinding. “And you- you are Vil Schoenheit! You were in ‘Moonlight Horizons- one of my favorite movies!”

     “You have immaculate taste then.” Vil smiled and folded his arms over one another. “But I also must wonder- where is your mother?” Vil pulled from his inner pocket her invitation as well that didnt have even a fold- kept perfectly flat. “And does she know about this?” 

     Yume looked at the invitation, and gave a sheepish grin. “Yeah- she knows about the letter- she’s the one who wrote it after all.” She replied. She left out though that her mother had written that letter more than a decade ago- and that she had not sent it, but Yume had. “Yeah, she knows. Please- come in! She’s in the backyard and would love to see you.”

     They looked to one another, as if they were only then questioning if they were going to listen and follow a child into her house. However, it seemed their curiosity won out, as they followed her, through her apartment and into the backyard just as she said. 

     Yuu’s back was turned, as she prepared a salad for the table before the party started. She was just placing the ingredients into the bowl before she was interrupted.      

     “Umm- Yuu?” Ace turned to his friend nervously. She looked up from the task at hand.

     “Yeah? What is it?” When she did look up finally, she saw the terrified and perplexed faces of not only Ace, but Deuce and Grim as well- as they pointed towards the apartment door. She spun and looked- and immediately wished she had not. 

     In front of her stood three figures from her past that she had not seen in a decade- all following behind her daughter- or rather… the daughter she had had with one of them. They all looked to her, expectantly- and looking almost as they had all those years ago. 

     Malleus was the first to speak; “Child of man, it is good to see you.” 

     “Long time no see, Herbivore.” Leona nodded- though he looked less pleased.  

     And Vil- he held onto a letter- her letter that she had written, and held it up to her, waving it. “Potato- we have much to discuss.”

     They knew. And they knew she knew…. 

The training field was buzzing with anticipation.

Would Leona lift you properly and carry you the way he should… or would he just sling you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes? Would he be gentle, or would he treat you like dead weight, like an object, just another extension of the physical limits he had been pushing you through all training long?

There was only one way to find out.

He picked you up with an ease that made you look ridiculous, placing you in a position where you were nothing more than a ragdoll… a very bruised, completely wrecked ragdoll. For a single second, your body tensed as you felt his hands slide under your thighs and across your back, but exhaustion won, and you went slack.

You really did look like a ragdoll.

“This is humiliating” You glanced over his shoulder, catching the Magift team giving thumbs up, and you hesitated, unsure whether they were meant for you or for their captain as he turned his back on them.

“You’re allowed to rest, y’know?” He adjusted his grip, making you jolt slightly and yelp as you were lifted into the air again. Without looking at you, he settled you against his chest, your hand gripping the collar of his shirt as that dizzying rush rang in your ears.

“You did that on purpose” You shot him a glare, earning nothing but an amused huff before he started walking.

Your body swayed from side to side, the weight of the training already taking its toll; you could barely keep yourself upright in his arms. At one point, your head bounced and almost smacked into his shoulder, but you caught yourself at the last second; the last thing you needed was for everyone to see you completely defeated, like some princess being carried around by her so-called prince charming. No. That was not happening.

With sheer stubbornness and a frankly concerning amount of willpower, you kept your gaze forward—well, backward, really—still looking at the field and the stands… and the dozens of students holding up their phones, recording the whole thing.

“Ah, fuck…” you muttered, shrinking behind his body, trying to stay out of the center of their cameras.

“Hm?”

“They’re recording on their phones” You lifted your head, giving him the most pitiful, sheep-like expression you had managed to pull off to date, hoping he would do something. He clicked his tongue, and from your angle below, you saw his ears flick to the sides, irritated. “Can’t you say something to them?”

Bold words, considering your current state. You had already demanded special training, held your ground against his superiority-filled remarks, and now you wanted him to deal with the mess you yourself had stirred up. You wanted to avoid the embarrassment of being filmed getting carried bridal-style in Leona’s arms? Fine.

You were about to have a lot more to worry about… because Leona let go of you for a moment, tossing you upward, your body floating in the air again, your hair whipping into ridiculous waves in every direction, including straight into your mouth when you complained again. When he caught you, this time by the waist, your stomach landed squarely over his shoulder.

Now you were definitely being carried like a sack of potatoes.

Your forehead bumped against his back, and the blood rushed straight to your head in your new position. You spat out strands of hair, grabbing onto whatever you could while your vision and hearing adjusted to the new angle. You planted both hands on his back and pushed yourself up.

“Leona! I demand you stop carrying me like this!” You smacked his back lightly with your palm.

“Big words for someone who falls apart on her own” He adjusted you again, now holding you up with a single hand, making a point of showing he could carry you with one arm alone.

How humiliating

And of course, everyone was still recording, though now they were farther away, just tiny dots in the stands. At least the public humiliation was about to end.

“LEONA, YOU CAN’T CARRY HER LIKE THAT!!”

And just like that, the usual circus was about to start, courtesy of Riddle’s shouting.

Kalim was the closest to the two of you, practically bouncing as he ran past the Savanaclaw students and the training team like he was in a race. Vargas followed his movement with his eyes, chuckling under his breath; he shook his head at the white-haired boy’s antics and went back to the team.

Idia’s floating tablet trailed not far behind, and behind the two of them, the other four walked briskly, their faces showing clear concern...except for Malleus, who moved in that same ethereal way he always did, unhurried. Wherever you and Leona were headed, he would get there in the blink of an eye; he was only walking because he wanted to see how this whole mess would play out.

“I already am,” Leona said, ignoring the fact that the others were catching up, and just to emphasize your already embarrassing situation, he bounced you up and down, making you lose your balance and slam your stomach against his shoulder again.

“Leona!!” You pushed yourself up again and shouted near his ear. He barely tilted his head to the side, only mildly affected by the noise.

“That was amazing!!” Kalim exclaimed, now walking behind you, his ruby eyes shining with excitement. “The way you jumped, a-a-and flew—even the way you hit the ground, it was like art!” He moved his hands wildly, straight lines, curves, exaggerated gestures, trying to mimic your movements on the broom.

He was definitely exaggerating, probably completely absorbed in his own retelling of what had been the most intense and nerve-wracking minutes of your life. You rested your elbow on Leona’s shoulder, pressing the bone right into the junction between his shoulder and neck, hoping it would annoy the hell out of him. You propped your head up on your hand, letting your cheek squish further and further as you watched Kalim narrate.

“You had that look of determination on your face! I—I don’t even know how to explain it” He brought both hands up in front of him, fists clenched, visibly trembling from the rush of emotions coursing through him; it was like watching a kid excited over a brand-new toy. “Amazing, truly amazing!”

“There was nothing amazing about that!” Riddle shouted as he finally caught up. “You nearly got yourself killed more than three times, and I’m quite certain you have some kind of internal injury!”

Sevens, how dramatic.

“For the aesthetic” You brushed your hair aside with your free hand, letting the wind play along like a paid actor to add a bit of drama to your comment. Unfortunately, your joke did absolutely nothing for the redhead.

Riddle was completely beside himself, his face flushed that signature red, turning corner after corner as Leona kept carrying you through the halls of Savanaclaw, drawing even more furtive glances from residents who hadn’t gone to watch the training. Some of them even had the decency, or rather, the absolute lack of manners, to point at you while whispering among themselves.

“It’s not funny!” Kalim had to turn his head away at the shout, scratching his ear. “You could’ve broken something”

You pouted, tilting your head even further against your hand, trying to feel every sore muscle and aching part of your body. “Well, I don’t feel like anything’s broken” You rolled your neck a couple of times, checking if your head was still properly attached to your body; a crack sounded, and miraculously, the area felt lighter.

Kalim reacted with a guttural noise at the crack, shrinking in on himself, shoulders and head curling inward, teeth clenched as he leaned all the way back. Riddle seemed to pale on the spot, as if he had just watched your life flash before his eyes, fully expecting you to collapse right then and there.

“Oi! Don’t do that” Leona also let out a low sound when he heard your neck crack, finally turning his head to look back at you.

Vil sighed, followed behind by Azul and Malleus, all of them crossing the Savanaclaw mirror and heading toward the infirmary. “This girl is more stubborn than I thought.”

“Hey! I heard that” You pointed at him.

Vil met your gaze from below, not looking threatened in the slightest. “That was the intention”

Idia’s tablet made a small error sound, letting out a brief grumble before continuing to float along. “This is a canon event, tier overlord” The device floated so enthusiastically it nearly smacked into your face. You pushed it aside with your hand and let it keep rambling whatever nonsense it was spouting.

The tablet drifted back into place, right next to Azul but slightly behind his shoulder, the “only sound” screen giving a small click before going silent, as if the person on the other end had grown tired of talking for the moment.

Azul walked with purpose, hands behind his back, watching you as if he were mentally drafting his next contract. “If you’re going to keep up these… let’s say, rather unproductive habits for your physical well-being…” You were already bracing yourself for his next remark. “Then perhaps it would be beneficial for you to acquire proper equipment.”

“Azul…” You looked at him, completely deflated.

“Yes, dear?” Azul’s expression was the same one he had worn when attempting to discuss female health in that ill-fated meeting… and it was the same expression you were about to shatter all over again.

“If you’re trying to—”

Leona cut you off mid-sentence, turning around with ease, your head spinning just as fast. Now you were facing the opposite direction, dizzy, your hair hanging down.

“She has the proper equipment” He walked backward with impressive agility. “She just needs to learn how to keep her ass on the broom”

You planted both hands on his other shoulder, pulling strength from who knows where, your palms irritated and burning against the fabric. “Can you not do that?!”

And Leona, being Leona, ignored you completely. He turned again, making you drop back over his shoulder, your stomach landing hard while your head bounced as your forehead knocked against his back once more.

“You fuckin’ bastard! You did that on purpose!” you snapped, rubbing your forehead.

You glared daggers at the back of his head. At some point, you weren’t even sure where the idea came from, maybe all the adrenaline had finally drained out of your system, leaving behind nothing but bad decisions and complaints about the bruises scattered across your body...but you went for it anyway. You lifted your leg, just barely, almost imperceptibly, ready to kick him in the stomach or abdomen, wherever you could land it first. But you should have considered that Leona was in a far better physical and perceptive state than you; the moment he felt your leg move, he grabbed it without hesitation.

“If you’ve got enough energy to try and hit me…” He pinched your leg through the fabric, making you yelp. “Then you’ve got enough energy to walk”

Defeated, you slumped over his shoulder, your arms hanging limply down his body, swaying with that steady, methodical motion as they continued through the castle hallways.

“Want me to tie your hair?” Kalim leaned in, his face very close to yours.

You lifted your head slightly, looking at him through the curtain of tangled hair. “That would be great, Kalim, thanks”

Kalim got to work as you all kept moving—well, more accurately, as Leona kept striding forward like a giant from your current position on his shoulder. His fingers moved carefully through your hair, occasionally catching on knots, while Vil acted as a second-in-command, instructing Kalim on how to run his fingers through it without making a complete mess out of the “bird’s nest”. The goal wasn’t anything elaborate, just gathering all the rebellious strands into a high bun, loosely secured with a hair tie Vil provided.

Leona pushed open the infirmary doors with his opposite shoulder; the impact made you bounce, but he held you just as firmly as he had the entire way. The journey was over, you weren’t about to fall right at the infirmary entrance.

“Are you putting me down now?” you asked, turning your head slightly to look at the beds. The place was completely empty, what a miracle. That meant silence, peace, quiet.

“Nah.” Simple, flat, and he kept walking down the aisle, ignoring the first rows of beds on either side.

“Why?! I can pick the bed”

“Considering your ‘acrobatics,’ dear potato,” Vil commented as he stepped into the infirmary, adjusting the pocket of his trousers where he had retrieved the hair tie, “I imagine he doesn’t want you touching the floor if he can help it” He crossed his arms, watching as you were still being carried the same way a predator hauls off fresh prey.

Though, to be fair, Vil would have done exactly the same. Maybe he didn’t wear his concern as openly as Riddle did, but he had been worried throughout the entire training. The only difference was that he would have handled it with more grace, while also insulting you for wrinkling his uniform.

“Awwww” You blatantly ignored his comment about your acrobatics, far more interested in bothering the lion. “Did you go soft on me?” you asked in a soft, princess-like voice, batting your lashes quickly, but your smile was anything but sweet, and far from innocent.

Leona dropped you onto a bed, and you landed with very little, almost no-grace, letting out a small uff as your body hit the semi-soft white sheets. There went your chances of continuing to annoy him.

“Okay, point taken,” you muttered heavily, clutching your stomach at the new dull ache in your back.

“Seriously, you’re a complete mess” You shot Azul a look that could kill. Even if he was right, you weren’t about to admit it in front of everyone. Tomorrow would frame today’s events in its own way once the whole school found out.

And you refused to be seen as the fragile prefect who almost broke every bone just from falling off a broom a couple of times she barely knew how to handle. Give yourself some credit—everyone had to learn how to fly one of those things at some point. Some of them probably started as kids and fell plenty of times too; the only difference was that they didn’t have anyone around to throw it back in their faces.

“Try not to push your body anymore, you’ve already proven your worth more than enough.” Malleus’s calm voice filled the room as he stood at the foot of the bed. Even with you half-sitting, the horned figure was imposing, even if he was only looking at you, searching for any sign of discomfort.

“What she needs is to keep both feet on the ground from now on!” Riddle crossed his arms, visibly irritated and on the verge of exploding to astronomical levels. He was practically vibrating, looking like he might throw his arms up at any second.

“What she needs is for ya to stop yellin'” Leona leaned against the wall, arms crossed as well, his tail thumping against the floor once, twice.

“Don’t defend her!” Ah, it looked like steam was about to come out of both of Riddle’s ears. Kalim took a few steps toward your bed, though you weren’t sure if it was to put some distance between himself and the shouting or to shield you from it. Either way, Kalim was now at your left side, leaving Leona on your right.

You slowly raised your hand, glancing from one side of the bed to the other, both sides now filled with all the dorm leaders, forming an intimate circle with you in the middle. “Um… I’m right here, you know?”

“Be quiet!!” Riddle shouted at you. You froze, mouth slightly open, brow furrowed. You tried to speak, but you couldn’t even form a single word.

“Shhh” Vil hushed you, placing a finger against his lips.

That did it.

“DON’T YOU SHUSH ME!!!” Part of your body leaned forward, ignoring the pain in your hip, though you still gritted your teeth as you moved. “And shhh your cheap ass makeup kit!” You made a dismissive motion with your hand, as if trying to wave him right out of the room.

Vil’s face twisted, even more so when Leona let out a snort that turned into a mocking laugh; he brought a hand to his chest, utterly offended. “EXCUSE ME!?”

“I DEMAND SILENCE!!”

Several souls left multiple bodies at once.

Crewel’s cold, elegant, and crisp voice cut clean through the room, slicing the argument short. Seven heads, and Idia’s tablet, snapped toward the door, where Crewel stood alongside the nurse. The latter looked like a man who had endured far too many hormonal teenagers yelling all day, for far too many years; he walked off to the other side, avoiding stepping into the conflict altogether.

Crewel, on the other hand, walked straight toward your bed, the last one in the row, beneath a large window that let the late afternoon light spill in, putting you directly under it so your bruises could be seen clearly. His expression carried traces of both a concerned professor and a furious fashion critic spotting wrinkles on a freshly pressed garment.

He pulled his pointer out of his coat pocket, flicking it open with a movement that nearly smacked Leona in the face, and without a word, placed it under your chin, examining your injuries with such surgical precision that even the nurse seemed to wonder what he was still doing here.

“Tangled hair tied into a dreadful bun, bruise on the neck, cut on the cheek, scraped hands, sand everywhere.” He held your gaze. The weight of it felt almost tangible, making you seem smaller.

You swallowed with difficulty, resisting the urge to cough, some grains of sand had probably lingered in your mouth. Crewel, of course, noticed.

“When I allowed you to train with beasts…” He straightened up, resting the pointer against his shoulder. “I did not mean for you to end up rolling around on the ground with them” His gaze drifted toward the other young men forming the circle. “Who is responsible?”

Five pairs of eyes, including Idia’s tablet, turned directly to Leona; it was a rather ironic question, considering the professor already knew who had been in charge of the training.

Leona rolled his eyes, letting them drift upward toward the ceiling, or anywhere but Crewel. He inhaled sharply, jaw tightening, clearly wishing he didn’t have to deal with this. “It was just trai—”

“I am not interested in hearing vague excuses from someone incapable of maintaining order within his own team” Crewel cut him off, stepping right in front of him, forcing him to lower his gaze and meet his eyes.

Leona did so slowly, standing his ground, not moving an inch. A clash of tension between a dog and a lion. Your eyes flicked from Crewel to Leona, and from Leona back to Crewel, noticing how close they were to baring their fangs at each other; though it wouldn’t be entirely appropriate for the professor, it would look rather bad on his record to say he got into a fight with an adult student.

“As captain of the Magift team, it is your duty to ensure that everyone ends up in proper condition” Now the pointer was aimed at him...and Leona did not like that at all.

He uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to the pointer, holding Crewel’s gaze. “She wanted to train,” he muttered, his pride intact despite the bruises Crewel seemed intent on provoking. “She did well”

Crewel pressed his lips into a thin line, frowning. “She did more than well” He lowered the pointer and slipped it back into his coat pocket. “Vargas said it was exceptional, and I don’t doubt it” He took a step back, not because he felt intimidated by Leona’s tall, solid frame.

The professor walked over to the nurse’s cabinet, asking a silent question with his eyes. The nurse nodded and gestured for him to take whatever he needed before sitting down at his desk to grade some scattered papers.

Crewel opened the cabinet, running his finger over ointments, bandages, and various things you couldn’t recognize. “But being exceptional does not mean you can allow her to wreck her body for a sport”

You leaned forward again, trying to catch sight of him past Riddle and Azul. “Professor Crewel, I assure you I’m fine—”

“Shuush, puppy” That made two people telling you to shut up, and you were in a terrible mood.

You leaned back against the bedrest, resting your lower back on the pillow, crossing your arms with a small pout, brows furrowed. The pout disappeared just as quickly when you noticed Vil turning his head toward you—you weren’t about to let him see how easily you folded under the professor’s command.

“I want my protégé in one piece, not a swollen version of a sack of meat” Crewel glanced over his shoulder, shooting daggers at Leona.

After checking the first and second rows of the infirmary cabinet, Crewel shut it and walked back to the bed, uncorking a vial filled with something that looked like syrup. The scent was sweet, but knowing the healing potions of this world, something you had never tried, you had a slight suspicion it wouldn’t taste nearly as good as it smelled.

And today was the wonderful day you were going to try one for the first time.

“Bottoms up” He held the vial out to you with a firm hand. “It will ease the muscle pain. We’ll see afterward if you have any internal injuries”

The syrup-like liquid had an amber color, very similar to cough syrup, and with the added sweetness of its scent, there was no reason to suspect it could be anything bad. Well… it definitely had something bad.

The taste.

Extremely sour, a sharp sensation stabbing at your tongue, finishing with a rough, dry edge that made it feel like you were swallowing acid rather than syrup; you couldn’t keep the liquid in your mouth for long. You spat it out. The liquid splashed all over the bed, and you doubled over coughing, the dorm leaders stepping back a few paces; Kalim far too dramatic, nearly bumping into a small bedside table from the adjacent bed; Vil even looked as if you had spat directly and deliberately at him.

Crewel brought a hand to his temple, sighing. “Why am I not surprised?”

You kept coughing, sticking your tongue out as you tried to get rid of the awful taste. “It tastes awful!”

Riddle huffed, muttering, “Just because it’s medicine doesn’t mean it has to taste good”

You waved a hand at him, motioning for him to shut up. “Shut it” You squeezed your eyes shut as you felt a sour drop slide down your throat; you shook your head, still with your tongue out.

Yes, not feminine at all and completely over the top...but it was awful.

“Try again, and please have the decency to keep it in your mouth longer” You glanced sideways at Crewel, ready to protest, but his stern look was more than enough to shut you up.

You looked down at the vial, hesitating, taking a second longer than necessary before tipping it back toward your lips. Once again, the sour taste flooded your mouth, and you stopped breathing for a moment just to force yourself to swallow it. The face you made afterward could only be described as the same one when you make after smelling something rotten and being on the verge of throwing up. But hey—you swallowed it, and little by little, you felt your muscles begin to relax.

You handed the vial back to Crewel and shifted on the bed, settling your head against the pillow. “Okay… I’m gonna survive,” you whispered under your breath, not really directing it at anyone. You could now cross “healing potions” off your list of things to try. In that wave of relaxation, your muscles started to give in, melting into the bed as sleep began to creep in.

Crewel gestured for the others to leave, and one by one, even the tablet, they slowly made their way toward the door. Kalim gave your shoulder a gentle squeeze and flashed you one last smile, so unmistakably him, before leaving. You returned it as best as you could and shifted slightly to stretch out on the bed. The nurse approached then, applying an ointment to the bruise on your neck and a disinfectant over the cut on your cheek.

With such capable hands tending to you, and the comforting sensation settling in, you fell asleep.

╌╌╌╌╌╌𖤐☽༓☾𖤐╌╌╌╌╌╌𖤐☽༓☾𖤐╌╌╌╌

The door shut behind the eight of them with a click that sounded like a gun being reloaded and ready to fire. Crewel’s words were going to be that bullet, and the six young men, and one technological device, standing before him were going to be the target. He stood in front of them, hands behind his back, his expression so severe that even Riddle looked away.

“You…” he inhaled slowly. “Are the greatest collection of irresponsibility I have ever seen in my career!” And he snapped.

Kalim, Riddle, Azul, and Vil all took a step back, startled by the professor’s outburst. Only Malleus and Leona held their ground, unmoving, Idia’s tablet let out a small screech, like a fried wire, before going quiet again.

“Do you even realize what you allowed?!” Crewel paced back and forth, trying to rein in the anger that seeped out of his otherwise meticulously composed demeanor. “You let a magicless student be used as a moving target, thrown into the air and knocked down I don’t even know how many times!”

Riddle raised his hand awkwardly, lifting his head in an attempt to maintain his model-student composure. “Technically, I refused from the beginning—”

“SILENCE, ROSEHEARTS!!” Riddle visibly recoiled, not used to being shouted at like that by a professor. “All of you watched from the stands as if it were a circus and she the main attraction! And not a single one of you decided to step in and stop such nonsense!”

Vil stepped forward, composure already restored. “Actually, we did try—”

“Leona allowed the training to continue” Azul added.

Leona rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, his tail swaying lazily from side to side, clearly bored with the situation, being the center of attention for so long, in a reprimand he found entirely unamusing.

“I was convinced that continuing this trial of courage and will would lead to a favorable outcome,” Malleus commented. Crewel shot him a side glance and took a deep breath, deciding not to engage with that statement.

His gaze snapped back to Leona like a whip, and the others could feel the tension radiating from the professor’s stance, so much so that Kalim instinctively shifted behind Azul, at least gaining a human shield in case Crewel exploded again.

“Does ‘controlled training’ mean ‘throwing students through the air’ to you?” They stood only a foot apart now. The air felt sharp enough to cut with the slightest movement. “She was one bad fall away from breaking her spine!”

Leona didn’t step back, not at the outburst, not at the shouting, not at the imposing figure Crewel tried to project. His ears flicked with irritation, but his eyes burned with stubborn determination.

“I’m this close to putting her in the sewing club so none of you”, he pointed with a perfectly manicured finger, “especially you!—end up getting her killed.”

Leona arched a brow, glancing down at the finger hovering near his chest. “You done?”

The others seemed to hold their breath. Idia’s tablet jolted and flickered like it was about to blue screen. “This is bad, very very very bad, he’s unlocking a secret tier-twenty boss—”

Riddle pushed the tablet aside with his hand, letting it hover behind his shoulder, understanding this was not the moment for those kinds of comments. Leona didn’t break eye contact with Crewel for even a second, as if the two of them had sealed themselves inside a bubble where nothing else existed.

“She’s not a princess” His voice rang deep and steady. “She doesn’t need you wrapping her in cotton and silk”

Crewel narrowed his eyes. “She is—”

“Someone without magic, without prior training, and still she got back up more times than any herbivore in this school before quitting in tears,” Leona cut him off, unwavering. “That girl didn’t cry once, didn’t ask for help…”

His gaze hardened, pride—barely visible—cutting through like a blade; a lion protecting a member of his pride. “She earned that training, and the respect of the team, and probably of my dorm”

Crewel didn’t move, feet firmly planted, watching as his laziest and most difficult student had taken under his wing the one person no one in that school full of rough, sweaty, testosterone-driven boys had considered worth keeping close with the same level of respect.

He let out a slow breath through his nose, studying the determined look on his student’s face. He crossed his arms, his finger tapping against his forearm several times, before glancing at the group that had shifted to the side to avoid the line of fire. “You all take this as a lesson” Riddle, Azul, and Vil straightened immediately at his firm tone. “That girl has more guts than half of NRC combined… do not underestimate her again”

Malleus inclined his head in acknowledgment. “She will not be underestimated”

“But…” Crewel added, raising a finger as he looked at each of them. “Her strength is not an excuse for irresponsibility”

Leona huffed, clearly satisfied, wearing a smug, irritating grin as if he had won the clash of ideals.

Crewel didn’t let it slide. He pulled out his pointer and smacked him over the head. Leona didn’t protest, though he did lift a hand to rub the spot, Crewel hadn’t held back. “I will allow her to train… under conditions.”

Leona’s ears perked up, his tail tapping against the floor. “And what are those?”

╌╌╌╌╌╌𖤐☽༓☾𖤐╌╌╌╌╌╌𖤐☽༓☾𖤐╌╌╌╌

The sun had climbed to the rooftops of NRC by the time you stepped into the cafeteria the next day, carrying yourself with a calm, almost unsettling composure, as if you hadn’t been thrown, tackled, knocked down, and practically dragged across the Magift field just the day before.

The bandages on your knees were perfectly wrapped and secured, done early that morning when you had woken up disoriented after hours of deep sleep. The nurse had also carefully reapplied the ointment to the bruise on your neck, and the cut on your cheek had already closed, by tomorrow, there wouldn’t even be a trace of it left. Your hands still stung, but it was manageable, and your hair was no longer a mess, even if it had taken some effort to detangle it after peeling yourself off the pillow; soft and comfortable, far more than your own bed back at Ramshackle. You hadn’t wanted to leave that softness behind, much less step out into the cold hallways.

But you had to. You had to show those bruises with pride, prove that a few falls weren’t enough to keep you down or chip away at your confidence.

And… you also had to show off the new uniform.

Impeccable, fresh, comfortable, and above all, absolutely Crewel-approved; of course it was approved, he had designed it himself. The vest, with its golden lines, framed your waist the way it should, no longer hanging like a shapeless piece of fabric; a ribbon fastened your white shirt in place, similar to the style Riddle or Epel wore, adorning your collar with a neat bow; and instead of a skirt, something you had spent the entire week expecting, they had designed high-waisted shorts, fitted just below your sternum, allowing full freedom of movement, yet not short enough to risk an asscheek slipping out. No, they covered more than enough, with no chance of revealing anything inappropriate if a stray gust of wind decided to ambush you again.

You walked calmly toward the line to grab something decent to eat; you were starving, absolutely starving, your eyes locking onto a plate of rice with what looked like a spicy sauce. You didn’t hesitate; your hand shot forward before another student could snatch it away. You also avoided lingering too long, sparing yourself from the multiple glances, one, two, even three, that other students were throwing your way because of your new uniform.

“And that uniform?” “Is she allowed to wear shorts?” “Why can’t we?” “Dorm Leader Rosehearts will go insane”

And they were right. Just as you were about to sit at your usual table, Riddle appeared at your side, a book tucked under his arm. The moment he saw you, he froze. His expression shifted from shock, to confusion, to nervousness, all in the span of three seconds.

“Th-that uniform…” He had gone just as red as he had during the dorm leader meeting when he first saw you in a dress. History was repeating itself, and it didn’t seem like he was handling it any better this time.

“Designed and approved by Crewel” You adjusted your hair to the side, resting your elbows on the table. “You’ve got nothing to worry about”

Riddle flushed like a strawberry, avoiding your gaze. “That…” He cleared his throat quietly and straightened up beside your table. “If Crewel approved it, then… I have no grounds to object”

He nodded, visibly overwhelmed, just a little, as he tried to process yet another variation of the official uniform. You rested your head on your hand, watching him cycle through different shades of red. “It’s… nice,” he finally admitted.

It seemed to physically hurt him to say it out loud, though it came out barely above a whisper, so soft it could have gone unnoticed if you weren’t paying attention. He looked away, already preparing to continue his usual path toward the line.

“Want to eat with me?”

A simple question that made him freeze again, just for a second. His head turned back toward you.

“Y-you’re…?”

“Inviting” You blinked a couple of times and smiled at him, trying to appear as warm and open as possible so he wouldn’t feel pressured or overwhelmed.

His eyes studied your expression, searching, and then he sighed, straightening once more, adjusting the book under his arm. “Very well” He returned your smile “I accept your invitation”

Your smile widened as you let him go grab whatever he wanted to eat, shifting on the bench and finally picking up your fork, stirring your food to let it cool down. You weren’t about to start eating before he got back, that would be terribly rude.

“PREFECT!!!”

The shout arrived at the same time as the impact; a heavy force crashed into your side, knocking you off balance and making you drop your fork.

Kalim had launched himself from the entrance of the cafeteria like a cheerful missile, running with his arms wide open, only to crash into you and plop down beside you in one smooth motion, hugging you tightly. “You’re on your feet! And in one piece!”

You let out a breath as you tried to sit back up, Kalim squeezing you tighter and tighter until you felt your spine creak. You tapped his shoulder lightly, a soft pat pat pat, with your fingers. “Kalim, please, you’re killing me with affection”

He let go, still grinning from ear to ear. “I thought you’d be in the infirmary longer” He circled the table and sat across from you, tucking his legs up on the bench and sitting on them.

You adjusted your vest, fixing a button back into place. “Some muscles still hurts, but I’m fine” You picked up the fork that had fallen into your food and grabbed a napkin to clean it.

“Do you need anything else?” Riddle returned, tray in hand, placing it gently on the table; a small teacup was neatly set to the side.

“Nope… well…” Fork now clean and ready, it went straight toward the food that was practically begging to be eaten. “Food.” You grinned, showing your teeth, and took your first bite.

Being able to eat in peace again felt like a miracle, a sweet and slightly spicy miracle. Your feet swayed back and forth under the table, happy to finally get something into your stomach that wasn’t whatever it was you had been forced to swallow in the infirmary; that thing had been painfully bland. You weren’t even sick, so it had felt completely unnecessary to be given what was basically tasteless mush.

Riddle set his book down and began eating as well, slowly; Kalim, meanwhile, was rocking his folded legs back and forth like fluttering wings. “Aren’t you eating anything, Kalim?” you asked as you split a bread roll in half to dip it into the spicy sauce.

“Jamil’s bringing me food in a bit,” he replied, placing both hands on the table and glancing around to see if Jamil was nearby.

Your hand paused halfway to your mouth when you heard that, but you didn’t comment. You looked away, pressing your lips together and shrugging it off before popping the piece of bread into your mouth.

As your gaze shifted, your eyes landed on the book Riddle had brought. Hardcover, yellowed pages, old, but well preserved. From where you sat, you couldn’t quite make out the title. “What are you reading, Riddle?”

“An alchemy book from the library” Riddle lifted it and turned it so you could read the title.

The Art of Transmutation

You brushed your hands together, lightly tapping your palms before reaching out for the book. The scent of aged pages filled your nose, but it was a pleasant smell; despite the yellowed paper, the texture felt firm and slightly rough beneath your fingertips.

“Did Crewel step up the difficulty?” you asked, flipping through the pages. There was a lot of text, accompanied by illustrative diagrams, similar to the books the professor had lent you before, but this one felt far more advanced.

“Personal research for an assignment,” Riddle replied, taking a small sip of his tea.

You paused on a page displaying a rather peculiar flower. The drawing wasn’t colored, but the description detailed a black stem, five white petals, and yellow bulbs, quite beautiful at first glance. You were about to read its properties and effects when the murmur around you started to grow louder… and louder. You lifted your head and saw Kalim and Riddle reacting as well to the rising noise.

A horde of Savanaclaw students, muscular, energetic, hyperactive, brimming with adrenaline and testosterone, crowded around the table. Some even sat down beside you. Another inch, and you would’ve been crushed between two guys far too big for your personal space.

“Perso—perso—” You stretched your arms forward, pulling the book out from your squished side. Your voice was barely audible over the chaos.

“What you did yesterday was insane!!” “More like suicidal!” “More like crazy!” “The other guy still has the mark from your kick!”

“PERSONAL SPACE, PEOPLE!!!” You shouted, and the ones beside you leaned back just slightly, reacting more to the volume than your actual request.

Ruggie slipped through the crowd like a professional shadow, snatching a plate of premium meat from someone else’s tray without them even noticing.

“Knew you’d end up a celebrity” He nudged one of the bigger guys aside and sat next to you, taking a bite of the meat. “Savanaclaw respects willpower and strength.”

“Ruggie!! Can you do something?” Kalim hadn’t been as lucky as you, ending up crushed alongside Riddle by the other students, both of them looking like they were about to get shoved right off the table.

Ruggie laughed and shifted on the bench, resting his elbow on your shoulder. “Alright, guys, give ’em some space.”

Reluctantly, the others started to back off, though they didn’t leave the area. They just stood around the table, arms crossed. It looked like some kind of mafia meeting, way too intimidating for lunchtime.

You sighed, glancing at several of them, beastmen and humans alike, but all of them watching you with that same air of superiority, very similar to how Leona had looked at you during training. “I don’t want to be a celebrity,” you muttered to Ruggie, shooting him a sideways glance.

“Tell that to them.”

No thanks, I’d rather keep my sanity

The noise that came with this new group of bulky “bodyguards” felt like a tribal bonfire, laughter, shouting, overlapping conversations, a few comments thrown your way, all of which you dismissed with ease now that food was your main priority.

Then suddenly, silence, strange and unnatural for this dorm, fell over the table. Even Ruggie’s ears twitched as a new presence made itself known behind all of you. A couple of students straightened up, some beastmen stopped flicking their tails, their ears perking up, others stepped aside, not only letting air flow back into the table but also making way for the newcomer to approach.

Seeing Leona in the cafeteria at lunchtime was… rare. You’d always heard he spent most of his time sleeping in the botanical garden, with Ruggie bringing him food. His usual lazy expression was still there, eyes heavy, he had probably just woken up from his usual nap, and with the same level of politeness he showed everyone else in the school, which was none.

Ruggie made space, and Leona dropped onto the bench beside you, reaching out to snatch the piece of premium meat straight from the hyena’s hand. He took a bite that nearly finished it in one go.

He looked at you, not even bothering to hide the sleep in his eyes. “Sleep well?”

You raised a brow, not expecting that question. “I slept pretty well, thanks.”

“You could’ve slept better if you’d stayed on the broom instead of the ground” He took another bite, and just like that, the meat was gone.

You clenched your teeth, pressing your lips into a thin, very tight line. From the corner of your eye, you saw Riddle beginning to turn red with anger, Kalim placing a hand on his shoulder, whether to stop him or calm him, whichever came first.

Your lips curled into a small, sarcastic smile. “Say it louder, I can’t hear you from your peak of egocentrism”

Ruggie’s eyes went wide in surprise, you couldn’t tell if it was the good the bad kind, as if he had already accepted that a fight was about to break out right there in the middle of the cafeteria. The rest of Savanaclaw tensed as well, watching their leader, waiting to see how this would unfold.

Leona let out a short, low, amused huff, a sound that threw the others off. Maybe, deep down, they had expected their alpha to snap back with a roar at such audacity. His green eyes, however, sharpened with interest.

“What do you want?” you asked, holding his gaze, as if you couldn’t care less that the leader of the strongest, most animalistic dorm could go for your throat at any moment. If anything, your question sounded like you were the one ready to lunge first, defensive before any attack could even begin.

“What makes you think I want something?” He raised a brow, his elbow now resting on the table.

“Because you’re sitting here” You crossed your arms, waiting, bracing for the next move.

Leona leaned forward slightly, that kind of closeness he used to intimidate or assert dominance over new prey, but you held your ground, already a little bored of his usual tactics. “I wanna know if what you did yesterday was instinct…” he tilted his head, a fang peeking into view, “…or luck”

“Could be both.” You leaned in as well, leaving barely a breath of space between you. Around you, everyone leaned over the table, watching like it was the final scene of some over-the-top melodrama.

“Yeah… could be” He reached out again, this time stealing the other piece of bread from your tray. “Or it could be madness.” He turned it in his hand a few times in front of you.

You followed the movement with your eyes, watching crumbs fall onto the floor and into your lap before lifting your gaze back to him. “We don’t run on craziness.”

He tossed the piece of bread into the air, and Ruggie caught it easily, taking a bite. There went your bread.

“Then what—”