MortalitysEcho

Sapphire eyes widen in genuine fear of that threat as brown eyes glare holding the heat of a dozen suns. "Bitch tell me!"

"Alright!" She shouts back, going up on her toes to get some more distance from the angry feathered woman who wore pink plumage at her ears today with glitter on them.

Satisfied, said bird backs down and sits on the couch, pulling Amaris with her in a huff of indignance.

Fixing her emerald blouse the reporter settles in and straightens her spine as she begins her observations. "Alright, so looking at the facts we know now Maria is a lesbian, her and Jade are together, but it also says Rook is pursuing Heishen. Even as she doesn't seem keen by the wording." Amaris had pulled out her own phone reading off the latest update like it was a crime scene and less a post about preference. Her interview mode knew no bounds.

"They are together...somehow?! Do you know how much that February post fucked up my weekend get away? It became months long! It's all their fault!" Daphne tosses her hands in the air and the reporter sighs pushing a finger to the youngers forehead immediately shutting her up.

"They are, and that's okay. How you react is your business, but not their problem."

"But-"

"Hush. Let me finish." She looks back down at her phone scrolling through past posts and video clips, searching, analyzing and using all she had to give Daphne a clear picture, or at least clearer than before.

Daphne just blinks at her best friend wondering just how much went on in her brain. "You clocked Ruth and Ruby by their shoes?! You pegged half of them on vibes alone??? You got all that but miss Ruggie's cues?"

"I had a feeling about Reagan, she hinted at it... And her file is revealing. Way to be supportive Draco. If only all men were as classy." She mutters, trying her best to distract her companion from the rage she felt was bad for her cortisol levels. "R&R were a shoe in, their shoes literally a dead give away, not saying those straps were key, but I don't know, I just had a feeling with how comfortable they were addressing my appearance. The audacity I swear." She snorts. "And The King calls me bold?"

"Patricia isn't surprising either, I wouldn't have guessed it, but it fits like a glove when one holds it up. I really need to look into understanding bubbly personalities better to get clearer reads. The worm thing is such a you thing Dove. Maybe you should ask Sunbringer about Patricia sometime. Mrs. Moon was another I saw coming. That smile said enough when I saw her at the infirmary, though it's adorable she'd marry Jack all over again if he were Jackie instead. Love that for them and another reason to hate my life of singlehood and devote myself to fanfiction again."

She pauses reading Mrs. Moons part again. "Married, well I guess I should send a card if that's the case. Congratulations to you two love birds." She mutters scrolling onwards. "Should I write a post or is that rude? Clearly they haven't been announcing it so I won't. Sevens their baby is going to be a Captain America carbon copy. I can see it already."

"Boss I clocked at their intro speech last year through the laptop during my purgatory visit, and Lady Galatea is a crime but that's okay, so am I. Make the world suffer, rob them blind."

"We aren't talking about that right now." Amaris waves a hand and looks up. "Jade is with Maria, she's a lesbian, he's flirting with you clearly by the times he's sought you out, protected you from harm, nick-named you more than once in public, and it matches with what he's shared about his motivations in being interested in a partner. He has many female friends he asks advice from, which leads me to believe there is far more to this story if he's been flirting, seeking you out and giving you things."

"This is what I was trying to get your attention on back in February. The Butler's intelligence differs slightly from The King's. He is less focused on domination and more on experimenting with people, he also has manners though so if off sets the asshole behavior one usually gets from this type of mind. But this type of intelligence generally likes to show affection and liking through round about ways of causing some level of distress to those they care about. It's almost a love language. They like seeing their loved ones in a bit of a mess because in their minds it shows that person cares enough to react, which to them is affectionate. Don't quote me though cause I could be wrong. Observation isn't a fact." She shows the blonde the receipts like a cat bringing back a mouse to its owner.

A nail points to the teal umbrella in the pink woman's bag that sat by the door in a side pouch today because the weather sucked and it was gonna rain. It seemed the blonde hadn't gotten rid of it yet.

"Also, Maria Seraphina was nervous when we interacted with her, though that could just be the nasuea meds she'd lost. Her hair was pink, your bright hot pink you like wearing. She wouldn't meet our eye and was very busy. This is either nerves, personality or a combination. Though she was dressed as a midwife so most likely she is used to dealing with high stress scenarios, she's also a member of Boss's family which speaks for itself. So I'm leaning towards personality with a disposition to nerves. And calling on saints to manage said disposition."

"I don't remember her... I feel so bad." Dove cups her cheeks mortified as she hands the reporter back her phone. "Do you think I offended her? Do you think she's into me? If so I'm flattered, women usually avoid me so I never had the pleasure. Why would Boss act like I shouldn't know. Is it a secret? Should I play dumb?"

"You were very ill Daphne, near death before we figured out what Dahlia had loaded that needle with. And Maria wasn't too focused in general so don't feel to bad. She did give you iron pills though." Amaris sets her phone aside. "As for Boss I believe they like stirring the pot, giving just enough to cause an uproar. I believe they find you amusing to play with in their own way, you are very reactive."

"Hey!"

Amaris laughs. "It's not a bad thing. In fact you have learned a lot about keeping secrets. So maybe keep this one to yourself, like Jade's Harley intel. It's just for you to know, though if you get the chance I'd ask the eel not in an interview."

"He probably won't tell me..." Her shoulders sag in defeat, "and even if he did I probably would miss it."

"Daphne that actually makes you one of the better people to tell, because you won't figure it out, not unless you're told point blank. Which means you're an excellent distraction from the heart of an issue."

Her earrings flutter in mortification. "Gah! That's worse. I don't wanna be used like I'm some dumb blonde! I'm plenty smart! I can explain economics, money and stocks, food and Russian culture. I can win any game having to do with geography and find major cities or countries on a map before any one else can. I can set beautiful tables and I know what a salt cellar is! Do you know what a salt cellar is?"

"No ..."

"See I know things. I know lots of things. And I'm not dumb because I don't see things..."

Amaris sighs with all the gusto of an underpaid worker. "You aren't dumb, you are incredibly smart and very aware of relationships. And I don't think The Butler or Maria Seraphina find you to be dumb either. There are many types of intelligence after all."

"But what if..."

"No, no going there you will spiral again."

"But Amaris!"

"But nothing, the facts remain and they are concrete. Jade definitely, with the information we have, has been flirting with you cause he is interested in some fashion. And Maria found a way to help you in the infirmary, crush or no crush. Either way there's something going on we don't have the privilege to see. Giving someone extra iron pills isn't normal with what we know now. It could mean something. The pink hair too, but we have no proof."

"To bad I couldn't use them. We need a special mix so it doesn't mess with our fragile blood cells, being Rh-nul." She pouts annoyed with the dice her genetics had rolled. "But I know the hospital appreciated the donation and swapped them for me with ones suited to my hemoglobin and ferritin levels. You should get your blood tested again too, that way they can update your file with the correct dosage. You get stabbed and we're screwed, both of us, since I currently can't donate."

Amaris sighs. "My insurance will cut me off if I use it again. I covered your last several treatments."

"Amaris!" Daphne exclaims alarmed. "You shouldn't be doing that, my family can cover it easily."

Taking the reporters hands the blonde scoots closer, worry now filling her gaze at the weight of it all on her dearest companion. This wasn't meant to happen.

"I'm responsible for you. You die I die. You suffer I suffer, you bleed I bleed. Remember?" The elder holds Daphne's doe eyes streaked in mascara. "You tied us together. And if your family thinks you're suffering or dying...then they'll take you and —by default— me. And then I can't very well take out Dahlia if I'm in Russia, he kindah needs me here to keep his attention so he doesn't go careening off to another country for bodies. So yes I will do this. I'll find a way. I can cover us both, okay?" She squeezes their hands

"You're so strong... Who looks after you, who keeps you safe? I certainly can't..." Daphne breaks down again sobbing into her friends chest as arms wrap around her. "I can't even stay healthy long enough to enjoy this place. I'm so sorry I did this. I'm so sorry I chained you to me. I'm so sorry you're not a person legally anymore. It's all my fault. I thought I was helping you, but really I collared you and you're slowly dying because I can't stay well."

"Stop it." Amaris snaps with a hiss, teeth bared at the very thought of Daphne carrying the weight of a decision she'd made in good faith. "You were a child. A child alone, cut off from society, scared and you saw another kid, alone, scared and terrified. The adults took advantage of you and used you. You didn't steal anything from me. I was already not human to them. Your family just bought me and made it official so I would be property, a pet with no legal ability to push back or be allowed to have autonomy. A useful item to keep you alive. A bag of organs, blood and bone to hand off whenever you needed it between the fucked up things they had me doing to line those Families pockets. It was smart and desperate. And it worked. I don't regret saving your life Daphne. So stop apologizing for it. You deserve to be here, you have fought so hard to have this freedom and I won't let you keep destroying yourself for this. Be angry, be furious, but please stop pitying me."

French tipped nails stroke through golden hair, offering peace as tears finally run the mascara clean off Daphne's face. "I hate them... I hate them! I hate the games and cruelty! I hate how they smile and hide behind masks and lies. I hate how they sit apart from the rest of the world, untouchable like it's a birthright and not chance of a dice roll." She shifts. "You're a person, I don't care what you are to the world. I don't care what legally you are in a court of law because of your nature. You aren't a monster, you're not like Dahlia at all! You've never killed anyone and you're sane. You are one of the kindest people I know and your always giving it all away. You look after everyone like a mom and I know everyone adores you, —well maybe people in power don't— but the little guys love you. You aren't afraid of those that society looks down on, like the girls from The Eclipse, and I think thats beautiful. You're brilliant and indominable and by the sevens just marry me so I can protect you from it all."

She rages into the elders chest, face buried at the heart making Amaris lean away a bit in discomfort. "Please marry me, I don't want you to be alone anymore or end up locked up cause people are disgusting in their assumptions... I have enough money to keep you safe, to hide us. We can go on cruises and have drinks with umbrellas and just be best friends, platonic wives, rating hot men on a beach somewhere in Bali or Tahiti... I love you and I don't want them to take you away and kill you for being-"

"Daphne..." Amaris cuts her off with a gentle tone, tracing her back, the trembling almost shaking the couch. "Deep breathes with me. Focus on my heartbeat." She calls the young woman to focus on each breath and not on the war inside her, the guilt and shame of coming for a family that bought people like cattle and treated them as fodder to fluff her bed with while she lived.

And just as time had weaved them together, so it slowed down just for them to breath and quiet. A glass of water left on the side of the couch from earlier before this all began pushed into Daphne's shaking fingers.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

" This isn't your fault." Amaris rocks them back and forth, cradling her charge like a panda would its cub, safe and secure, providing what the other lacked.

"You are strong in ways I could never be. I wish I could love as you do... Thank you for writing week 10, and all the other stuff..."

"I'm so weak I can't even help you live. I can't offer you anything useful or worthy..."

"You don't hate me for it?" She blinks up at her mentor, glassy tears welling at the corners. "I overstepped and sold you out, though no one believes any of it... I just can't sound like you..."

"I think you're crazy, but no. I needed the push. And I'm just... afraid. I've never felt this way before."

"I've never been so pissed off by a man and a woman before. And trust me, the pompous prideful people I have met are awful human beings." Daphne giggles between sniffs as Amaris rests her chin on her head.

"The Mafia being our accidental tormentors wasn't on my list."

"Wow, you admit defeat."

"Says the one who got blind sided by a lesbian and her boyfriend."

"Shut up! How was I supposed to catch all that?"

Amaris snorts softly through her nose, drawing away to stand and stretch as Daphne extends on the couch, clutching a back cushion. The pillows still scattered around the apartment floor.

"Do you feel better understanding things now?" She looks over her shoulder and Daphne nods curling her legs tighter and tuckin her toes between the cushions.

"Yeah, you have a way of seeing people and things... I just can't understand like you do. I get so frustrated."

"You are you. And someday a man or woman, maybe both, is gonna want to keep you. And you are gonna be their whole world." Amaris kneels taking a seat on the floor after gathering the pillows. She hands one to the young woman. "You're sweet, a good cook, you can do all sorts of crafts and sew, you're rather good at book binding too." Daphne giggles at that making the reporter smile, patting the blonde hair into place. "You like being with those you love and you don't wait, you strike because time is short and you understand how fast that clock runs out. I wish I possessed that kind of strength, to not be afraid of rejection."

"You are though, which is okay. But you need to do something." Daphne sniffs tucking her face into the pillow as Amaris rubs her back.

"I'm trying... I'm looking for something currently and finding him anywhere is like chasing a ghost. Lots of talk but no solid evidence. I'm starting to think he's avoiding me. I can't chase someone who doesn't want to be found. Let alone find him. I'm not that good." She leans against the couch stretching her legs.

Dove groans, "Times a wasting in slow burn hell. You could die tomorrow and then what?"

"You should too..."

The brunette snorts. "And then he moves on and lives. Sees more amazing places. Makes more people laugh, enjoys more donuts and stealing more people's food. He hugs his family and folds more laundry between vaulting walls and parkour, making more good food for those he cares for after haggling at the market with vendors, annoys The King to pieces with his endless sass and daring charm. He keeps people alive and those like Jack have their backs covered so they can go home to their moons. He embraces new cultures and takes photos of his travels maybe... He goes to Pompeii and tries the cusine he's marveled over for so long... He's never starved for love —ever—he lives free. Just as he wishes too."

Amaris closes her eyes. "In my dream, I am."

"That's why you call him your mon rêve* isn't it? He is already all you could want and more. He is your dream."

"Yes. He is. As I said I woke up, and he was already in my house— metaphorically." She laces her finger with Daphne's, stroking the back of her hand. "Give Jade another chance, can't believe I'm saying that at all. But clearly he and Maria are somehow looking at you as you do them. And hey, you don't have time to play games, let him know. I'm sure he'll take it back to his counsel of ladies and you will hear back promptly. Women are very efficient creatures." She winks and Daphne giggles eyes closing as exhaustion comes for her like a train car sliding on ice.

"Funny how your focusing on action over words now... What happened to you?" She yawns, eyes half lidded as she forces them open.

"A hyena bit me so I pay closer attention to things. It's not going well but I'm trying. That's all we can do with our time here, try."

"One day at a time Daph."

"Probably will never see them again... The interviews are getting fewer." Another heavy yawn as a pink dove falls into a much needed nap, safe in the damp morning air of the apartment she adored invading with no warning. At her side sat the woman who bled and bled for everyone she knew. Sacrifice to survive, build something from nothing, leave value behind in a society that asked for loyalty to die, hope to vanish and trust to wither away till nothing remained but ashes.

Too bad ashes were her war paint, just as Mortality was built from death. So she'd find a way to survive and with a bit of hopeful dreaming, thrive.

Language detection: French

j a m i l v i p e r

as the eldest son of the viper family, and the personal servant and body guard to the al-asim family’s beloved heir, there were a great many things that jamil was forced to learn about growing up. things like how to identify a potential threat in a lively crowd, or how to non-fatally restrain an attacker so the proper authorities can deal with them, or how to improvise a weapon in a situation where non-fatal restraint is no longer an option

and amongst all of those lessons his father and his fellow servants instilled into him came a very detailed education about human anatomy, medicinal plants, as well as various deadly toxins and herbs and poisons and how to identify and treat those who have ingested them. a mandatory part of his education given how frightfully common a threat food poisoning is for the family his kin serve

so while he may not know quite as much as you do about the topic as you do, given the very limited and situation nature of his education, jamil is still more than capable of keeping up with you whenever you start talking about what you know. making him perhaps the most engaging conversation partner you could find at night raven college if ever you want someone to talk to about the properties of certain medicinal herbs or the common symptoms of a certain disease or whatever else

(except maybe vil? though his knowledge is very firmly centred around the alchemy and potionology side of treatment as opposed to jamil’s more well-rounded knowledge so… yeah…)

after the two of you become an item and he knows that he can trust you completely, he slowly starts to entrust more of his responsibilities towards kalim to you. nothing exceptionally important or time consuming or outside of your wheelhouse, so to speak, as he wouldn’t wish his current workload on you even on his better days. but smaller tasks centred around your area of expertise that he knows you can handle with ease and that usually take up time for him that he could easily spend doing other more important tasks

think along the lines of properly preparing and stocking up on the ingredients needed to create the medicines kalim tends to need the most often — usually painkillers for injuries he gets during his parties when he gets a bit too into the moment, and nausea medication on the rare occasion when something slips through the cracks and he ingests a small amount of tampered food, and so on. he may also ask you to check through the pills and potions he already has stocked to make sure everything is safe for use and is the most effective it can be for its purpose

and sevens help you if you have a keen eye for identifying specific medicinal or toxic plants because he will be inviting you (well, begging you more accurately) to accompany him and kalim on ingredient gathering assignments just to make sure they don’t end up coming into contact with something dangerous by accident. of course he has a keen eye for this kind of thing too, but if he can have someone there to help share his burden to any degree he’s absolutely gonna take full advantage of that

in other words, jamil makes it very clear through his words and his actions just how much he appreciates and admires all the work you’ve put into studying medicine and how much of that knowledge you’ve retained. because, after all, trust does not come easily for someone like him so the fact that he’s trusting you with the life of the person who pretty much holds his family’s lives and reputation in his hands speaks volumes — and if that doesn’t do it for you then all of his thoughtful questions about your area of expertise certainly should

if you’re in the same class for potionology he’s going to be giving you looks whenever one of you classmates severely messes up their work, but doubly so if they happen to mess up something he knows that you know like the back of your hand. bonus points if you have absolutely no poker face during these moments because your look of abject horror or disbelief always makes his day whenever he sees it

every single time he catches sight of a new bug in and around scarabia, or his room back when he goes home during the holidays, you can expect him to send you a (very shaky) photo of the offending creature, his best attempt at identifying the species, and a question about what symptoms he should be looking out for if he gets bitten by it and what medicine he should look into for such a situation… yes he killed it already, but with beasts like that there’s no knowing how many there are laying in wait and he wants to be prepared! no he’s not being paranoid, shut up

r u g g i e b u c c h i

prior to enrolling at night raven, ruggie and his family didn’t exactly have ample access to a whole lot. and medicine, and medical help in general, was one such resource they didn’t exactly have in spades back in the slums. so whenever someone got injured or sick the default was the lean on homemade medicine and the sorts of traditional remedies that his richer classmates would be sure to scoff at if he ever brought them up

of course he does know what he’s doing when it comes to tending to those things and a lot of the treatments his grandma taught him do work, even if not as efficiently as the potions and treatments available in more well-off areas, and that means that he’s usually able to follow along and keep pace with you whenever you’re doing your thing or talking about a specific treatment or condition or medicinal item. it’s just that sometimes the specific language you use can go over his head and he’ll need to look it up afterwards — he does still understand, obviously, but he’s also not as knowledgeable as you so it only makes sense that sometimes a word or phrase will need some more context or explaining before it clicks for him

having spent so long scavenging for food all over the island, and especially around night raven college campus, ruggie knows all of the best spots to find specific native medicinal herbs and fungi. and for the right price (read: a box of donuts and a whole lot of kisses, per each guided tour) he will be more than happy to show every single spot off to you. isn’t he just the best boyfriend ever?

if he knows that a specific injury or illness is something that you know how to treat, and he knows that you can do it efficiently, ruggie will oftentimes go to you instead of the school nurse. partially because he trusts you fully with his health and thus is more comfortable with you, but mostly because seeing you saves him a whole lot of time compared to going to the infirmary and he’d like to minimise the risk of him running late to work or (sevens forbid) missing a shift completely

he brags about you a lot to those around him, both during the semester on and around sage island and even when he goes back home to the sunset savanna. and who can blame him? after all, the runt who nobody thought could amount to anything managed to score an incredibly smart (and to him unbelievably attractive) partner who is just as willing and happy to help his family as he is. and even if you may be easily embarrassed by the attention and praise, it is still nice to know just how openly and genuinely ruggie admires you and the work you’ve done throughout your life

every now and then, when you’re alone and he’s helping you gather up whatever ingredients you need or helping you out with whatever other task you need an extra pair of hands to accomplish, ruggie will start asking you very targeted questions about certain conditions and symptoms and such. and while he’ll evade your probing for a while, if you’re persistent enough he will eventually crack and confess that he’s asking you these things so he can get a clearer picture of whatever one or a few of the kids back home are going through. because medical care is expensive and not really accessible to his family and he wants to be able to know how he can help them and what he, and his grandma, need to look out for going forward. it’s sweet, seeing how caring he can be sometimes

and when grammy catches wind of the fact that you’re working your ass off to help him help her and the kids? when she finds out her grandson is dating someone who just knows medicine in ways nobody around them seems to? oh she’s on his tail about locking you down and introducing you to the family immediately. and sternly. like you should see the letters he starts getting from her, it’s crazy how invested she is in your (to paraphrase from her) ‘inevitable’ future marriage

if you’re in the same cohort as him, he fights tooth and nail to pair up with you for any alchemy assignments crewel sets. partially because having an expert on hands makes passing them a walk in the park (which then gives him more time to take up extra shifts and earn even more money to send back home to the cackle and grammy), but also because he just likes spending the extra time with you and thinks you look kinda cute when you get all caught up explaining the properties of a certain plant or toxin or the potential medical applications of a specific substance… not that he’d ever admit something so vulnerable out loud

you’re the one he goes to when he needs to stock up his medicine cabinet or first aid kit, utelising your knowledge as a way to both save a whole lot of money and to keep on top of things he didn’t even consider before meeting and falling for you. of course he does help you gather everything you need for this, but the bulk of the job is gonna be up to you

A celebrity. Wow, shocking, right? Well, yes! Because you're not seeing his body on a magazine cover or his face on the side of a bus, you're seeing world-famous supermodel Vil Schoenheit in a parking garage elevator, his back to the wall, sunglasses pushed up his nose, a few stray strands of hair falling over his eyes from his messy ponytail. You're sweating. Is it rude to ask for a picture? Corny? You want proof that you met him, if only to tease the friends you know are obsessed with him. But you're intimidated just by his poise, could you handle a whole conversation...? You say nothing, and the elevator doors open. On his way out, he tips his sunglasses and winks at you. You take it as a quiet thanks.

Rollo Flamme as...

A stranger in the cafe. It seems like the "underground" spot you chose to get some work done in is not as underground as you hoped. In fact, it's right around the corner from the university. But you've already ordered, and there's a spot in the corner that's calling your name... if only it weren't wedged between the wall and a guy with a stack of thick, heavy law books taller than the Eiffel Tower. You can feel him leering over your shoulder, likely judging your work, your poor posture, your choice in drinks and pastries... it spooks you, and you spill some of your drink in your lap. He stares, but then offers a handkerchief from his coat. "For the trouble," he explains, neatly laying it over your lap. Some people are all about manners.

Malleus Draconia as...

An ethereal goth at the crosswalk. Hot pavement, overbearing sun, sweating through your clothes (the weather forecast was so wrong today), something tall, dark, draped in black, comes from the shadows behind you, and... waits at your side. "Lovely day, isn't it?" he says with a smile, though he's holding an umbrella to keep him and his makeup out of the heat. It only takes a few sweaty swipes of your palms on your sides for him to realize you're not a friend of the sun, at least not while in a sweater, and he moves a step closer to catch you in the shade of his umbrella. When traffic clears, he offers you an arm to cross the street, and waves when you part. You nearly walk straight into a lamp post.

Idia Shroud as...

An online friend. Late night Discord chats, swapping game shortcuts, sharing snarky personal anecdotes about the jerks you know IRL. You don't remember who followed who first, because it's like you've known each other all your lives. You can't imagine a day without waking to a dozen of his messages (it's the time zone difference), half of which are semi-ironic cat memes and YouTube links, comments about internet drama you've never heard of, pleas for pictures of your pets or the cats you sometimes see on the street. Long conversations, secrets and vents you'll take to your grave. You might know him better than you do anyone in real life. He's been begging you to get into his current fixation for weeks- he even got you an advanced copy for free! How? Uh... don't worry about it, whee hee hee.

Jamil Viper as...

A customer. Plastic bags and produce. Food weights and stains on the front of your shirt. Saturday morning is always busy, but this one has been dreadful. There's chewed gum on your heel and a pounding headache behind your eyes, you're already dead on your feet and it's not even eleven in the morning yet. There's an older man, not old but older, yelling at you because he can't find the liquor. He makes a comment about your hair, your posture, the way you stand behind the register. A rude gesture on the way out. The next person in line sets a pack of stomach medicine and bandages on the counter and asks if you're alright, then tells you not to worry about clueless jerks like that. The world is full of them. You're glad this guy is not one.

Lilia Vanrouge as...

An overenthusiastic dad at a birthday party. Picture whatever. A bowling alley. A park. A pizza place. Wherever you might be in proximity to a group of shrieking, cake-covered kids, and a very overenthusiastic father trying to take as many unfocused pictures on a new smartphone as he possibly can. He offers you a slice of mushy, eggshell-filled cake as an apology for the noise. You can tell at a glance that he's new to fatherhood, and very much the hands-on, sentimental type, even if he keeps telling the party staff that the children can have steak knives because they can "handle them".

Fellow Honest as...

A coworker. Conniving, condescending, and takes two hour smoke breaks when the manager is busy. But he does what he's asked to do, and he's never bad company! Always an interesting story to tell, a remark about the customers to make, a grievance with the management to vent... and, of course, his favorite conversation topic, your personal life! He can't seem to stop coming up with cute nicknames for you and suffocating you with questions about your weekend, your family, your childhood... a luxury reserved only for you, as he (in his own words) "Wouldn't shit in the same street as anyone else working here,"

Trey Clover as...

A clerk at the bakery. You probably look miserable. You're there to pick up something for breakfast before a busy day, and you look like you just rolled out of bed. But the boy behind the counter smiles anyway, complimenting your shoes and making small talk about the morning rush. He serves your pastry in a paper bag with a smiley face and a heart scribbled on the side. There was a bit of flour covering his name tag, and the next time you come in, he's not there.

Ruggie Bucchi as...

A stranger at the bus stop. It's too cold, or too hot, or raining, or some other terrible kind of weather to be caught in, and the bench at the bus stop has room for two, except this guy's got his McDonald's bag and half his foot on the second seat. You stand, and it's silent. No big deal. But, then there's the sound of rustling paper, the sweep of a sleeve on metal, and an easy "You can sit, if you want". It's a simple gesture, but not one many else would have made. You think about asking for his name, but he sits in the very back of the bus, heart guarded by his paper takeout bag.

Rook Hunt as...

A stranger at a party. You thought you could get away with sitting against the wall and waiting to go home? Hahah. Hahaha. SCREW your social battery. There's suddenly someone next to you, loudly announcing his presence, asking for your name three times, striking up a conversation about the interior of the house and who your favorite poets are (he can recite anyone- go on and try him, he will!) and on and on until your voice is hoarse from talking and he's decimated the dessert table. If you're lucky, he might even tell you where the cat/dog of the house is hiding. He'll never tell you his name, though.

Skully J. Graves as...

a z u l a s h e n g r o t t o

azul ashengrotto for all his intelligence and planning and skills as a manipulator and businessman is perhaps the most hopeless of anyone in octavinelle — maybe even in all of night raven college — when it comes to acknowledging, accepting, and acting on his feelings. partially because he’s usually so busy with his tutoring work and the lounge that he doesn’t have the time to consider his personal relationships in much depth, and partially because all the bullying he suffered during his childhood set him up for a great deal of self doubt and denial when he eventually did develop his first ever crush on you

but when he does eventually realise that his admiration for you is more than just a platonic appreciation of your better qualities? maybe due to the probing of the tweels, or maybe in the middle of the night right before he falls asleep? yeah he panics. a lot. so much that he spends the whole night pacing and spiralling and ends up showing up to his classes the next day with eye bags so severe they showed even through his makeup

and from there came the very lengthy period of denial. denial about his feelings for you as he tries desperately to rationalise his way out of a crush, hopelessly running the numbers to try and convince himself that he’s wrong and he isn’t as head-over-tentacles as floyd has been teasing him for being as of late. denial about the fact that you could ever return those feelings because his insecurities run deep and the idea of confessing to you is something that he’s certain will lead to immediate and harsh rejection, mockery, and a lifetime spent hidden in his octopot because he really is still that crybaby little octomer at heart even all these years later. just… denial all the way down… until the tweels finally step in and force him to get over himself enough to start doing something about his very obvious (to them, anyway) crush on you

so he starts making excuses to be around you more. a stark contrast to how much he was avoiding you just a few days ago, but a welcome one as you’d found yourself missing his company. and his efforts include things like:

rearranging your shifts at the lounge and swapping out your usual duties with other employees to maximise your time spent either in his office with him or working alongside him during the shifts he spends personally managing the floor or kitchen — giving himself even more chances to fumble to get to know you and present himself as a viable option for a partner however he can (though, admittedly, landdweller courting methods are terribly unfamiliar to him and he basically just keeps tripping over himself in an attempt to impress you)

inviting you to taste test new products with him, including recipes he himself has drafted up based around what he has memorised about your personal preferences just to earn some brownie points with you. please don’t bring up the fact that his very sensitive taste buds makes this whole excuse flimsy as hell, it’ll just hurt his feelings… let him have this

and even offering to tutor you in subjects you’re struggling with. and he does it, for you, completely for free — no stamp card required. he does a damned good job of teaching you too because he does his research and comes up with a session plan that caters to both your weak areas in the subject and the learning method that works the best for you — and by the end you’ll both be smug and happy and eager to do it all again at the next available chance (you, for finally grasping this topic that’s been giving you grief for the longest time, and azul for getting the chance to show off his intellect to his (hopefully) future spouse and earning your admiration and praise as a result)

he also stares at you a lot these days. like way more than he realistically should. so much so that if you caught him you’d be forgiven for either thinking he’s entirely zoned out and doesn’t even know where he is or what he’s looking at, or that he’s plotting something sinister involving you because he just looks so… lost in thought while he’s doing it. and, yes, jade has caught him in the act numerous times and, no, he will not be letting him live it down any time soon. but that’s another point entirely

azul is extremely sensitive to any signs or potential rejection from you or any external teasing about his feelings, so he is very very cautious and intentional about how he goes about all of this. and he spends way longer than he should fussing over every detail before he does anything — including fussing over his own appearance and spending enough time in front of the mirror messing with his hair to make floyd bored — because he doesn’t want to mess things up and lose his chance before he even gets to ask you out. so… do with that what you will

to conclude, when it comes to his crush on you azul manages to somehow be both painfully obvious about his feelings and just subtle enough that there’s still a chance that you’ll not pick up on what he’s doing… or, rather, that you’ll misconstrue his flirting and flightiness as attempts at getting you to sign a contract with him. but even if you don’t realise on your own, chances are one of the twins will give you a nudge (or, in floyd’s case, a very firm and violent shove) in the right direction before he even works up the courage to start planning his actual confession. oh the joy of being the leech twins’ oldest friend…

j a m i l v i p e r

jamil is not someone who catches feelings for anyone easily. nor is he someone who acts without a great deal of planning beforehand. after all, that’s how he was raised to be as a servant to the al-asim family, and even after gaining some independence after overblotting some habits die hard. and remaining emotionally distant from others and trying to avoid any potential romantic entanglements as a result of his family status is most assuredly one of them… until you came along and slowly but surely wormed your way into his heart and left him feeling things he’s never felt before…

so needless to say there will be a very long period of denial for him the second he realises what those feelings actually are. a very long and very convincing period of denial where he all but stuck his head in the sand and ignored his developing feelings for you in the hope that enforced distance would force his mind and heart to give up and, thus, lead to the crush fading away entirely. because with everything else going on in his life jamil viper does not have the time or emotional availability to deal with a crush. or a relationship at all. in fact most days he doesn’t even have the time to breathe for himself between crises. so you can’t really blame him for immediately defaulting to denial

and it was actually almost starting to work until kalim, of all people, casually called him out for being so fond of you and all of his carefully crafted excuses and denials came crumbling down in an instant. worst of all, kalim didn’t even mean to do it — he was just being his usual oblivious and cheerful self, clearly happy for jamil and wanting to see if his most trusted ‘friend’ needed any help confessing his apparently very clear feelings for you. sevens damn it all

following that conversation he ends up going through a very quiet week-long crisis — which, of course, doesn’t show because of his impeccable poker face — in which he alternates between desperately trying to rationalise to himself why his feelings are irrational and why it would be better to let them die completely (for both of your sakes, because sevens know you deserve better than a man who can’t even give you freedom) and going straight back into denial. it’s… a stressful week for him, and for the first time in years the mediocre marks he gets in his classes are warranted

and after that week is over and he eventually comes around to accepting the depth of his crush, you’ll start to notice his behaviour around you changing quite a bit. especially given that he spent a while trying his best to avoid you entirely in the hopes of killing off his feelings by force. though you certainly aren’t complaining about the sudden excess of attention from him:

not when he starts to stick close to your side during and between classes, maintaining proximity up until the moment he has to leave to attend to kalim. sometimes staying quiet, other times striking up conversation with you by cracking dry jokes at the expense of others to make you laugh or genuinely asking about your day and listening intently to the answers you give like they’re important to him, even if you’re talking about the most mundane thing in the world… and you can’t deny how nice it is to actually be listened to for a change

not when he starts going out of his way to meal prep for you to ensure that you always have something to eat for every meal no matter your financial situation. something he starts doing of his own accord one day and just never stops — and he won’t take no for an answer with this because he has your preferences memorised and he knows that you like the foods he made, plus he’s more than capable of out-stubborning you (having a little sister trained him well apparently) so it’s best you just give up and accept his homemade cooking. and the painkillers and water bottle he’s shoving into your hands right now, he could feel that headache coming a mile away. don’t ask how he knew, he just did

not with how protective he becomes around you. mostly in subtle ways, like placing himself between you and traffic when you’re walking around town, or sitting himself closer to the window, or tasting the food you buy when you’re out first just in case. but also in more obvious ways, like utelising his skills as a bodyguard to the al-asim family to swiftly and efficiently take down anyone who tries to hurt you… though, thankfully, this has yet to come up as you’re not in danger anywhere near as often as poor kalim is

and certainly not when he looks at you like that — all warm and soft around the edges, like you’re the most important person in the room and he could look at you for the entire day without growing tired of the sight. it’s a rare show of vulnerability from someone so guarded all of the time, and on its own that look would easily be enough to clue you in on how he feels for you long before he confesses… if you notice it, anyway

to conclude, once he accepts his feelings for you he pretty much starts to treat you like he has been raised to treat kalim in the weeks leading up to his actual confession. though this time his protectiveness and care is entirely voluntary and all but forced on you instead of the other way around. so if you’re familiar enough with his feelings about his family situation there’s every chance that you’ll at least be able to pick up on the fact that he likes you more than most other people… but the crush thing may go over your head a bit unless you catch him staring at you because more often than not he does have an excellent poker face and looks more neutral or affectionately annoyed by your presence around him than he does enamoured

l e o n a k i n g s c h o l a r

leona has always lived his life in other people’s shadows, unable to escape the curse of being ‘second best’ no matter how hard he fought. and after a while he eventually just accepted that he’d never be the first choice, never be the best, no matter how hard he worked for it and thus started giving up on… everything. because its easier to accept a loss when you never tried to win than to accept losing when you tried your very best from start to finish. and that depressive, defeatist mindset eventually bled into his love life as he stopped being interested in pursuing anything meaningful with others

but despite all of that when he starts to develop feelings for you, he’s actually surprisingly quick to just… accept them. no period of denial, no attempts to rationalise his way out of his feelings, no attempts to avoid you or alter his routine to minimise contact with you. he just takes a few minutes to process how he feels, acknowledge why he feels this way, and then just kind of passively accepts that he has a crush on you and goes about the rest of his day as he normally would

including continuing to treat you with that same dismissive and apathetic demeanour that he’s had since you first met all those months ago. partially because he just doesn’t care enough to try and ward you off to try and make his feelings go away (and, besides, he’s smart enough to know that trying something like that just will not work), but mostly because he’s convinced that you can do so much better than him — the second prince, the second best student, the spelldrive player who will never win — and so he treats you accordingly. no point getting his hopes up or getting too attached when he has never been the first choice and he doesn’t imagine that changing with you

so he leans even more heavily into his worst behaviours, not enough to piss you off or ruin your friendship as a whole though. just enough to sell the idea that he’s nowhere near as invested in your happiness, your presence, and the things you tell him whenever you seek him out. in other words, these days he spends way more time pretending to be asleep and hoping you leave than he does actually napping…

but if you stick with him through this period of time, if you’re quick to pick up on the fact that he’s not actually asleep and decide to stay and keep him company anyway, you will be able to notice a few signs that may clue you in to just how deeply he’s started to care about you

like how his ears always flick towards wherever you are in the room no matter how crowded it is. even when he’s pretending to be asleep so nobody bothers him, like he doesn’t even realise that he’s doing it. because he’s always listening out for you — your voice, your breathing, your footsteps — even when there are about a hundred other things he should definitely be paying closer attention to than the way you just laughed or your excited and barely muffled footfall when you think you’ve managed to catch him off guard

or how whenever he has a game, no matter how packed and energetic the crowd may be or how close the match may be, his sharp eyes always manage to find yours. and how he always seems to be that much more determined and certain of his team’s victory after he catches a glimpse of you cheering him on — which, naturally, his teammates are all quick to pick up on and tease him for, voices just loud enough for him to hear but never loud enough to carry back to the stands or be picked up on by any microphones… sevens know they don’t want to actually piss off their captain because they all know how bad he can be when his temper is tested

or how he’s always quick to place himself between you and other students, or just generally between you and anyone who may pose a potential threat to your person. a protective streak that more than makes itself known whenever you get caught up in an overblot, and that’s resulted in him over exerting himself and getting put on mandatory bed rest as a result of the lengths he went to in order to keep you out of the line of fire. for most students this is actually the first time they’ll have seen leona be so quick to put himself at risk, and as such it should be enough for most to figure out just how much he actually likes you… even if you may not be quite so quick to realise

and then there’s the way that he looks at you when he thinks nobody else can see him: soft, warm, gentle. like his committing every millimetre of your person to memory. a far cry from the sharp, calculating, mocking, borderline predatory gaze everyone else is used to seeing from him, and a glimpse to a more vulnerable side to him that he’d sooner swallow literal poison than show anyone. except, maybe, you someday. though he’s very careful about letting his guard down so blatantly like this, so unless you’re incredibly perceptive there’s every chance you’d miss these moments entirely

✨You just shrugged. Honestly, it didn’t really matter. You had your henna done! You practically skipped through the day, all but proudly shoving your decorated hands in everyone’s faces and watching their reactions. Your friends were impressed - even Grim wanted his own henna done too. You just smiled and nodded, eyeing his fur. Maybe instead you could have Minajael decorate a handkerchief and tie it around Grim’s neck…?

✨As you were lost in thought, a loud voice calling your name drew your attention. You looked up. Waving at you from the end of the hall with his drumsticks, was Kalim grinning at you. Behind him, you could spot Jamil shouldering his gym bag. They must’ve just finished up their club activities. Perfect timing!

“Hey guys!” You grinned at Kalim, watching him rush over to you. “Kalim, slow down-!” Jamil tried, but Kalim stopped just in front of you. “So you did get your mehendi done! Cater told us during practice!” You nodded, proudly holding your arms up, “mm-hmm!~”

Kalim’s ruby eyes sparkled, “Oh wow! Can I see?” He took your hand in his, pulling it up to see the henna. “Your mehendi is so pretty! It’s so detailed!” His hands were warm, gently running his fingers over your skin. You chuckled as Kalim twisted your hands around to admire them, ruby eyes sparkling. You must’ve been like this with Minajael too, you mused. 

Jamil finally made it to you both, looking tired. “Hey Jamil,” you said with a small smile, ignoring Kalim scrutinizing your arms, “how was basketball practice?” He huffed, shaking his head with a tired look. “Floyd.” “Ah.” You nodded, deciding not to ask. 

Kalim looked up, “Look! (Name) has their mehendi done!” That’s when Jamil finally noticed it. Silently, he admired the stain. It was nice, he thought. Even at a passing glance, anyone could tell your henna was painstakingly done. Flowering blossoms spiraled on your arms, finally reaching your hands. Even your palms had a design, a mandala stained darker than the rest of your skin. Jamil nodded with a smile, “It’s very nice, (Name).” 

While Kalim gushed, Jamil studied the pattern. The design looked somewhat familiar. Jamil couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but there was something about the flower design. He just shook his head. Perhaps it was just a design you’d gotten inspiration from. Still, how did you even get henna out here in Sage’s Island? It was the off-season for when people typically got their henna done. Even Kalim didn’t have any with him. 

Beside you, Kalim tapped one of the henna flowers thoughtfully. “This looks kind of like royal mehndi designs,” he commented. Your eyes widened, “really?” Kalim nodded, “mm-hmm! That design is usually done by the royal family! The jasmine flowers are pretty unique designs, a lot of people in the Scalding Sands like ‘em. I know my cousin does!”

At that, Jamil eyed the floral design carefully. Hmm, Royal designs? His brow furrowed. Was that where he’d seen those flower motifs? He shook his head, no, you must’ve seen it at the Scalding Sands when he took you to the Yasamina Silk festival. He must be overthinking it. “Did you look the design up online?” Jamil asked, keeping his tone even. You chewed the inside of your mouth, not wanting to say. “Um, kind of?” you said, not noticing Kalim turn your hand over to see your palm. 

“Huh, that’s weird,” Kalim squinted, bringing your palm up close to his face. “Why’s Minajael’s name here?” You flinched as Jamil’s bag cluttered to the ground. Jamil couldn't stop the words coming out of him, “what?”

Minajaels name? Was in? Your HENNA design?! Jamil all but snatched your wrist out of Kalim’s grip. You yelped, but Jamil ignored it as he searched between the narrow mandala petals. “Mm-hmm!” Kalim chirped, leaning to point it out to Jamil. Kalim didn’t seem to notice the look on Jamil’s face, or that your eyes were blown wide, “Right here, on the palm!” Following Kalim’s finger, Jamil scanned through the mandala rows until he finally spotted it. In the looping script of the Scalding Sands language, was Minajael written among the layered petals.

You shook your head, “Oh, no, a part of it got smudged or something on my palm.” Poor Jamil just stared at your palm in shock, almost willing it to be a mere smudge instead of that spoiled prince’s name. Kalim shook his head, answering your question, “nope, that definitely says Minajael. Right, Jamil?”

At first, Jamil didn’t heard Kalim. His eyes were glued to your henna. The vine-like design climbing up your arms, the swirling patterns flicked perfectly outward, the mandala petals intricately and painstakingly drawn in - all of it was done patiently. Fit for a royal. That’s when Jamil realized - Your henna wasn’t just nice. It was done lovingly. 

Something boiled in Jamil’s gut before he finally snapped out of his thoughts. “Yes, that’s certainly the Prince’s name,” he ground out, forcing a neutral smile on his face and letting go of the iron grip on your wrist. Kalim ignored Jamil’s inner turmoil, instead bringing your hand closer to you to point it out.

“See, (Name)? It’s right here.” Your eyes widened. Sure enough, the same area you thought was just a smudge, or maybe where Minajael lost control of the henna, was actually writing. Surprise overtook you as you studied your palm. Suddenly, the looping script didn’t look like random scribbles anymore, but an actual alphabet. So that’s how it’s written. Minajael… you looked at it thoughtfully.

Jamil’s gaze was sharp and narrow as he studied your expression. He didn’t like the soft look on your face one bit. “(Name), you didn’t… ask the henna artist to put his name there,” his grey eyes bore into yours, “did you?” 

You just blinked, “no?” Kalim chimed in, “yeah, why is his name here? Usually having someone else’s name in your henna design means that you’re enga- mmph!” Jamil smacked his hand over Kalim’s mouth. Luckily, you were too caught up squinting at the mandala on your hand to register what happened. 

You shrugged, “I guess… maybe he left his name there as a signature?” At Jamil’s deadpan look, you stammered to explain, “y’know, like how an artist signs their artwork! Yeah!” 

Kalim nodded in understanding, while Jamil frowned. “So, he did this for you?” At your wide-eyed look, Jamil pressed, “you saw him yesterday?” You pursed your lips. Dang, looks like you were caught. You just nodded nonchalantly, playing it off, “yeah, he did my henna.” If you were lucky, you could maybe get out without a lecture. Unfortunately, you weren’t so lucky. You sighed inwardly as Jamil’s eyes grew wider than a Spelldrive disk, already freaking out. “What?!”

You just shrugged, “It’s fine, I just… had some free time, that’s all, and I went to Royal Sword Academy for a bit.” Really, it wasn’t that bad. You’d left NRC with permission before, so why did Jamil look so indignant?

“You can’t just leave campus like that!” Jamil blustered, all exhaustion from the day gone as he scolded you. You tried not to roll your eyes as you began walking towards the Hall of Mirrors. “I’ve left campus before, Jamil. I’m a big Prefect, I can handle myself. And this was worth it!” You wiggled your henna-stained fingers, trying to lighten his mood. Jamil just groaned, “That’s besides the point!”

Kalim just grinned, slipping his hand into yours. “Hey, maybe we should get matching mehendi when this one fades!” You grinned, “definitely! What do you think, Jamil?” 

Jamil just exhaled. Typical of Kalim to make plans on a whim. You looked over, “Jamil?” You prompted. He willed his shoulders to relax, and nodded. “Sure. I’ve done Kalim’s mehendi in the past, and Najma’s too.” Kalim brightened, “we could all have matching mehendi’s!” he cheered. 

You grinned, nudging Jamil as the three of you began walking towards the Hall of Mirrors. “Hey, maybe I could try doing yours!” Kalim chimed in, “Yeah! You never have your mehendi done, Jamil!” Jamil hummed at that. It wasn’t often that he’d had his own henna done. Between handling Kalim and managing his own school and work affairs, it wasn’t something he really had time for. Still… He glared down at your hand with that prince’s name scrawled in your hand. 

As if his name being there wasn’t bad enough, it was also the placement. Something about Minajael’s name being scrawled in your palm made Jamil’s skin on edge. To have his name in your hand… Jamil scowled. As if that prince wasn’t spoiled enough, he even had to go and put his name on you. How presumptuous. Even if your name was in his own hand, the idea still frazzled him. He wouldn’t even want his own name being inside anyone’s hand. The mere idea made scowl. Did that pampered prince even ask you what you wanted? 

After you waved your goodbyes, he and Kalim walked through the Scarabia mirror. While Kalim chattered excitedly about your henna, Jamil was more pensive as he thought about the flowers encircling your arms. If he were to do your henna, what design would he make? Perhaps stars or animals? Maybe he could do arches inspired by the Scalding Sands architecture. You seemed to like it when you visited. What about faux-bracelets encircling your wrists? He shook his head, huffing. This was ridiculous. He’d simply ask you what you wanted, and he’d do it. 

Soon he was back in his dorm room. Even now, he was still stewing over your mehendi design an hour later. It was the sheer intimacy of having Minajael’s name in your palm…  He scowled. And the audacity. Minajael’s name in your palm was still on his mind, no matter how much he tried to push it out of his head. He unwound his hair from its braids, looking back at his reflection in the mirror. 

He wouldn’t dare inscribe his own name in your skin without you knowing. Jamil stared at himself in the mirror, eyes darkening at his reflection as he undid the last of his braids. Although… Some little part of him couldn’t deny the intimacy of having a name on someone’s skin. His thoughts drifted. Where would he put your name on himself? Certainly not in his palm. The implications of having you in his hands made his thoughts turn sour. Idly, he stretched his wrists, still tight from club practice. Then he stopped. 

Jamil looked down at his wrist. Idly, he brushed a thumb over his skin until he could feel his pulse beating underneath - dutiful, strong, and ever-constant. 

The rhythm of his heart, proof of life. 

A smile tugged the corner of his mouth. Maybe he didn’t know what designs he’d create, but he knew one thing he’d like. Your name written in henna stain over the pulse on his wrist. Yes. That would do nicely, ya hayati. 

I hope this was ok!! Personally I’ve always thought getting someone’s name in henna over the wrist pulse was super romantic so. I indulged myself. Also I had no idea what to title this lmao 😭

Anyway this was a lil late bc I didn’t know how to end it but lmk what you guys think :D Thanks for reading!! I’m glad so many people liked the Minajael part!!!!

Until next time, take care shrimpies~ Xoxo Calci!~

You really feel you are being tested.

"You're honest." Vil remarks neutrally.

Then, he grips the base of your jaw with his gloved hand, the leather pressing firmly on your skin. Your eyes widen, surprise and confusion full-on displayed on your face.

"Or, maybe you're just docile and smart enough to know what's good for you."

What?

Vil tilts your head from this way to that. As if proving his point, you followed his guidance. You hear him hum, tone reconsidering. Oh no. 

"I can see your point, Rook." 

You blink, looking dazedly as Vil lets go and place his delicate finger under his chin, expression focused. Finally, as if the stars had seen your plight and took pity on you, Vil removes his gaze away from you.

You plead internally, hoping for this interaction to end in a conclusion that greatly benefits you.

"Still, your charge hardly looks like they want my help in the first place. I have no need for ungrateful students in my tutelage." 

At his remark, your apprehension is dampened by offense at his assumption. Oh, he's right about the 1st one, but ungrateful? That's the least thing you could be if he did choose to teach you. You're not THAT inept to not see the golden opportunity of getting tutored by one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, potioneer student in campus. 

Still, you don't want him to teach you though. The last thing you need is a harsh mentor that would judge and insult you down to the ground.

On the other hand, Rook doesn't seem to want Vil to back down. "They're merely afraid of you Roi de Poison. Your beauty and aura a new and intimidating face from their usual roster of familiar people." This time, Rook tilts your head back to Vil's attention. You lock eyes with your Housewarden again, internally wondering on what exactly is Rook planning for you. "But, even with such fear, had they not faced you unwaveringly? Waited for you to conclude rather than running away themselves? There's such potential in that, noh?"

You wait, breath shallow, as you feel the precipice of this conversation coming to an end. 

Vil's face is now unreadable. No raised eyebrow or bored eyes to tell you of his thinking process. He looks above you, probably at Rook. A silent conversation seemingly happening between them.

Slowly, amusement colors in Vil's expression. Like, he's hearing the funniest joke ever told to his face. You think it's genuine, with a hint of mockery that you ultimately feel is directed at you.

Alarms blare in your head because that's not a rejection face. Oh stars, no.

"I guess it would be remiss of me to simply look away from our underclassman knowing their failures can be fixed with a proper guiding hand." Vil says calmly. A serene expression as he insults you brazenly. 

Like a late divine intervention, the campus bell rings and you can hear the shuffling footsteps of students moving. You watch as the doors of the classroom open and a stream of students rush out their rooms.

In the midst of the increasing noise, Vil calls out with a sharp and distinct voice.

"Spudling!"

You glance from side to side before pointing at yourself.

"Yes, you." Vil is regal, the way he looks down at you, with confidence and authority, reminding you why he was always described as a perfect emulation of the Fairest Queen. "Compile your past works and quizzes in Potionology from last year to the latest and bring them to me by the end of the week." His voice lowers, the warning tone not lost on you. "My time is very sought after. And, Rook's faith is never to be trifled. I expect you to dedicate your whole being into this endeavor." 

Vil raises his eyebrow, expecting.

"Well?" 

There's a sense of deja vu that isn't missed with his action.

"Yes Housewarden!" You reply, heart beating at the weight of what you just agreed. If Vil was satisfied with your answer, you wouldn't know. You watch your Housewarden turn gracefully and make his way through the hallway, the students parting naturally for him.

Once he was out of sight, you turn your head to look at the senior who is holding onto you. You lean onto him, using him as a crutch once you feel the tremors on your knees. "What did you do?" You ask in disbelief.