welcome to the station

I need epel with slightly darker veins and learning how to hide trembling.

I need jack pushing himself to the brink to try and forget The sand and ruggie screaming.

Ace hating things on his neck, feeling like he will choke

Deuce, hating all the fights he gets into but needing to protect his friends, because if he doesnt they could die.

Sebek terrified its all a dream, pinching his arms, scratching his scales so that the pain can prove he is awake.

Ortho, cataloging all the different ways his friends struggle to help them, even as he wonders is he just a copy of the original Ortho? Is he truly sentient? Or just leftovers.

So say Yuu once they get an actual phone ( probably form cater) and sets up a magicam account. Not really thinking about it, they just take photos of their friends out of habit cause they are used to doing so with the ghost camera.

And like it's just an after practice photo of Jack and Deuce. The light hitting just right behind them to make it seem like a halo behind their heads.

A photo of eple carving an apple under a tree wearing a flower crown. As ortho is picking and weaving another one beside him. Both at peace and illuminated by sun beams through the leaves.

A after class photo of Ace and Grim smugly coming up with a prank. Their grins shining with joy.

A photo of sebek tucked away in a little corner of the library reading a book. The light catching the dust in the air as he's to focused on the novel.

One not taken by Yuu but of Yuu cause their friends took their phone in a joking manner. And now it's of them smiling, reaching out mid laugh. Light and joy shining in their eyes

And then the photos just take off on magicam. They're natural not planed but show off wonderful qualities of each other, of friends being friends. It doesn't help all of said friends are very pretty(adorable in orthos case). And Yuu doesnt even register when their follower count goes up and up(they stoped paying attention once their friends followed them.) They just keep posting the photos cause it makes them happy. To have something to leave memories behind, just in case Crowley actually sends them back one day.

Like cater knows, but he literally helps Yuu set up their account and was their first mutual on the thing

It hurts his soul seeing the success of Yuu's account and them not caring about possible fame.

Tho their are photo ls of him on yuus account. Like one of him just sitting upside down in a chair as he's on his phone giggling at some post online.

Another who is probably aware ( and very early on) is surprisingly Malleus. He and Yuu are hanging out during his culb time when he hears a soft click. He would probably be briefly upset that they took it without permission, and his guard was down so much. Until they say why they took it. Telling him if he wants it will never be posted and can be deleted now if he wishes. Their friends' comfort is more important to them than some photo. But also asking if they could send it to sebek first if only to calm his worries about his location so he doesn't seach for him in the rain. After hearing Yuu's minor fear of one day being gone and having no memories to keep for them self and their friends. Malleus let's them keep the photo. Post it even, but only if his child of man shares their photos with him. They help him make an account the way cater showed them. Yuu gets a new mutual. A user by either Hornton or GargoyleAdmier.

Both are unaware of magicam losing its shit over a photo of Malleus.

It's him crouched beside one of ramshackles gargoyles umbrella in hand shielding both him and it from the rain. Green fireflies illuminate the seen as Malleus tho giving off a regal no less elegant vibe. Can only be described as looking so gentle. So fond and caring next to the statue.

Ace puts his back to Deuce when talking to Cater and Trey, and it's a simple thing that they almost don't notice, but they realize that he hasn't turned his back to them since they stood by and did nothing when Riddle ordered them to be thrown out before his Overblot.

Deuce puts his back to Jack when he approached Riddle asking for help with his homework and Riddle realized that Jack is watching out to make sure that Riddle doesn't collar Deuce without good reason again.

Jack puts his back to Epel when he approaches Leona and Ruggie for permission to go to a first-year sleepover and the two of them realize that that Epel's making sure that they don't do anything like they talked about when Jack overheard them talking about their plan.

Epel puts his back to Ortho when he goes up to Vil and tells him- not asking, telling him- that he's joining the sleepover and Vil realizes that both of their eyes are watching, both for Rook and for any more poisonous gas.

Ortho puts his back to Sebek when talking to Idia through his door and Idia, watching through the security cameras, realizes that Sebek is making sure that they won't be attacked from behind or jumped by any technology.

Sebek puts his back to Yuu when he approaches Lilia and Malleus for permission to join the sleepover and the two of them realize that the both of them are grounding each other and ensuring that they're actually awake.

Yuu puts their back to Ace whenever they speak to any of their upperclassmen, trusting that Ace and the other freshmen won't hurt them like the others, won't leave scars on their skin and mind, won't leave red and black hanging in their vision.

Somewhere along the way, the upperclassmen realize that their first-years have learned both how to trust and not trust anymore. And they don't trust in obvious ways, in not letting someone into their blind spots, in not taking anything they hand them, in not meeting their eyes or speaking what they really think.

But they've also learned how to trust in quiet ways, in the little things. In the way they smile true smiles at each other, in the way that they grab each other's hands without hesitation, in the way that each boundary is pushed to where it's safe before being gently released, nothing dangerous having been touched.

Like it starts with yuu, they don't really have much and its easy to ask them if they want to try some of the stuff. But it continues like maybe once a week type thing and they just chat and laugh together over dumb shit. Maybe dress grim in some pretty bows.

The next to join in is Jack. He grew up with vil and is pretty good about taking care of himself. He also shows eple you can be buff and still enjoy the stuff.

Duce follows afterwards unsure at first. he kinda learned a bit during the sdc. But actually starts to enjoy the routine. He asks about what products do what and takes notes. He thinks about which ones him mom might like. And helps him to feel a bit further from the delinquent he used to be. It's also when they start to use the meet up as a impromptu study time.

Surprisingly Sebek is the next to join in and probably see the first invite as mocking him but after being explained, calms down a genuinely considers it. He eventually relents under the premise that as a retainer he should know more about taking care of him self. He actually gets more out of these meet ups them he would like to admit. He already is used to his own routine with moisturizer but takes to learning the different products and how to get better results. (He won't admit to how much being included with out expectations and acceptance makes him happy.) The group starts having some healthy snacks while hanging out each week. And if he wears his hair down around them nobody makes a comment.

Ortho joins in despite not needing any at all is happy to just spend time with them. And is overjoyed when the group starts bringing nail polish. Just so he could be involved in some way. Occasionally they forgot to remove the nail polish leading to an upgrade that mimics what would be nails.(a cosmetic mod Idia reasons)

Ace is the last to join practicly gets dragged to the group one of the meetings and trys to joke his way out but ends up sat in a chair with a face mask and hair held back with one of those scrunchie headband things. A disgruntled look on his face unwilling to admit he likes feeling a bit pampered.

Let's face it Rook probably knew as soon as they started the habit with 2 and each first year that joined following. He definitely smiles about it, seeing the beauty in this blossoming friendship. It's nice to see them all smile.

Idia caught on the moment the group started using nail polish. He would ask Ortho about it and get a happy info dump. Seeing his little brother so happy to be included it was a no brainer that a cosmetic mod was a needed upgrade. Tho he probably won't be joining the weekly hang out with orthos friends despite him asking. To many extroverts for his poor gamer heart.

Leona finds out early on but doesnt think much on it and leaves them be. Dont ask questions about the products from Ivory Springs. He has nothing to do with it. (He suppies them to vil to make sure they get to the freshmen)

Ruggie finds out when looking for Leona at pomfiore. Oddly enough he's been taking more naps in their gardens as of late for some reason even tho Rook is in this area. He hears Jack's laugh and chooses to investigate. He sees him with his friends. Ruggie laughs to himself with a smile before going back to looking for Leona. He finds him nearby under a tree. He swears the man is such a cat at times but will probably chill beside him for a bit. He did search for a while after all.

Riddle and Trey are both vaguely aware when deuce tells them he's going to a weekly study group. Riddle is quite happy he's taking initiative to better his grades and trey offers a few pastries for it. Both don't think much about it at first. It isn't until Ace gets dragged along to it they witness theses hangouts. It's a Friday evening and Riddle needs to talk to one of the adeuce duo and goes searching for them with trey. The eventually find both Ace is goofing off with epel and Deuce is confused over some reading that Jack is helping him with. It's a quick decision from the both to talk to their freshmen later. The freshmen slowly start having more sweets at the meet up. Trey assures them it's no he just baked more than he intended.

Cater stumbles upon them by complet accident. He looking around pomfiore for a good place for a photo shoot for magi cam. When looking around he spots them. His favorite freshies and their friends. They are smiling and laughing. He silently takes a few pics. Not for magicam, but for himself. It's nice to see them happy. To see them drop the guard they've crafted over the school year.

Lilla finds out from Cater. It's the end of the music club, and kalam has already left for the day when Cater asks him why he didn't tell him their freshies were such adorable friends. Que Lillas confusion and him asking what he means. And cater show him the photos he took. And oh. Sebek looks so happy in those. He's leaning on deuce laughing with his eyes closed. Responding to an unknown joke that seems to have originated from epel based on the photos. And ow. Lilla doesn't think he's ever seen sebek without tension straining his shoulder. Never thought they were always tense until now, seeing the difference. Lilla asks cater for a copy of the photos. He's so right that they are adorable friends. (How can he go about getting sebek to smile like that?)

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