MoonHeart

Atsushi sings like he wants to soothe, voice warm and gentle with a smile that wraps around you like a blanket. There’s a lullaby in his tone, but you just don’t fall asleep because if you do you’ll miss that cozy sweetness. If you stay a little while, you might find yourself a new friend.

Yosano sings like she’s friends with the night, words fluttering lovely and smooth from ear to ear, soul to soul. Within her voice is a new beginning, the promise of a love to be unlocked from its cocoon. Listen as it takes flight.

Dazai sings like he wants you to wonder, but no matter how closely you tip your ear he keeps firm to the enigma. Every word holds a secret beneath the smirks and playful winks. But maybe it’s less about drawing it out and more about hearing long enough to learn his heart.

Lucy sings like it could ease the pain, and maybe it does, as even with every song leaving her in tears she’s smiling. Her voice shakes and shatters and melts back into itself all over again, the past raw and sharp, but it’s ultimately the hope of now that rings out. The hope of home.

Chuuya sings like the fire in his bones can’t be put out, and he burns so bright. The song simmers with something dangerous, and how terrifying he is to be so mesmerizing. His words are a growl, fierce and free, because sometimes it’s the only freedom he knows how to feel.

Higuchi sings like she can’t contain her heart as it spills into every word, slipping and tripping over itself to please be heard, felt, seen as she gives that which she dreams to find. Her voice embarks on a quest for connection. In a love song of one, she leaves space for the person who will someday sing back.

Tachihara sings like half of himself is buried away, voice just short of true. His songs are fun, yes, but he fights the melody as though reluctant to trust it. Maybe it’s himself he can’t trust, even as the lyrics invite him to open up and just see.

• loves watching the sunrise

• loves watching the sunset

• favorite colors are blue, orange, pink

• favorite flowers are daisies and dandelions (also marigolds)

• falls asleep to old romance films (she finds them cozy)

• has a plush pig named Lovebug

• wants an actual pet pig

• once accidentally ate a bite of Chuuya’s lunch instead of her own but she liked it so much he just let her have it (I will hint at this ship every chance I get)

• draws little smiley faces on her napkins when she eats out

• wants to one day travel to Paris

You know when a rare pair kinda becomes your favorite pairing? Because I feel like I can talk about Higuchuu for ages. Something about the dynamic between the romantic, loyal, emotionally sensitive right-hand/bodyguard (to someone else at that, someone she chases but can never reach), and the (as I like to believe) also romantic, loyal, and emotionally charged executive. They hardly interact, if at all, except for that conversation in Wan about the bathhouse. They have no reason to.

But what if they did?

A chance encounter outside of work, in a place neither expected to find the other because they really don’t know each other. And how lovely if it were to be a bookstore, in the romance section, no less. They make small talk through the shelves, hesitant, half reluctant but dreading the awkwardness of silence in a shared space they each thought was their own.

And then those meetings continue, accidental for a while until they aren’t.

They start teasing each other, playful accusations of one showing up just to see the other. They talk about that shared interest and pick at each other’s hearts about it. They leave the place and forget to part ways, conversation bouncing between them easily, tones of voice mingling in shared lightheartedness.

At work it’s suddenly hushed conversations, shared jokes, her sunny laughter, his leather-smooth smile. More and more frequently they leave together, her arm looped around his while his hands rest in his pockets, head on her shoulder. Safe, simple at first. Then progressively more and more something else.

He makes the first move, inviting her over for a bite, and she still has leftovers in her fridge she wants to eat but she arrives anyway, hair loose around her ears and it does make him pause because of how much it suits her.

She indulges in a sip of wine, nose scrunching in disinterest (alcohol never really appealed to her) that has him a little baffled though he hands her a glass of water without question, heart doing something when she smiles at him, hands back the wine that he keeps for himself from then on, lips occasionally brushing the edge of the glass where hers had been.

They pass the time in idle conversation, talking for the sake of hearing each other, and she curls her legs comfortably on his couch, arm stretched over the armrest and towards his chair, not intending to touch despite how her fingers keep finding his, curling and smoothing over his hand absently as he gives the occasional squeeze, eyes out the window as her words soothe over him, and he chimes in occasionally.

She’s half asleep against the armrest by the time he’s two drinks in, humming softly from her place curled up on the couch. From his chair he watches the city through his wall-spanning window, making lazy, comfortable patterns along her arm as she pipes up with the occasional, any-topic remark that he hums in response to.

It’s late after a while, and she nods sleepily when he offers her a few blankets, falling asleep before they cover her. He yawns, cleans up the glasses, double checks that appliances are off, doors and windows secure for the night, a couch pillow supporting her head.

He leaves a cup of water on the coffee table, the bathroom light on down the hall, and finally sinks into bed. He thinks about what to make for breakfast the next morning. Thinks about asking if she’d want to go to that bookstore they had initially found each other in.

He falls asleep to the city’s lullaby.

Can one’s light die if it never existed to begin with? Osamu wondered that every night, flat against a worn futon, surrounded by bottles. Some emptied, some halved. He sometimes wondered if he was empty, or half.

People spoke of an inner fire that if wielded right could spread warmth and love. If Osamu was half, then his fire only ever burned and scarred. Maybe his was always used wrongfully. What if he was empty? Then perhaps the grief he had always caused spoke to an absence of light.

How does one know? Osamu never felt the beauty and vitality that Atsushi encouraged around Kyouka. He never felt the drive and sense of responsibility that Kunikida insisted he act upon.

(“Don’t you want to fight for what convicts you?” The stalwart poet would urge.)

(“No,” Osamu never said, though he thought to. “I don’t know what that passion feels like.”)

Still, he knew small pleasures. Canned crab was no secret. Ah, and his hobby of toying with Kunikida at work. Easy reasons to smile when he felt no other motivation, fickle as they were. Neither quite as vital as beauty or driven as responsibility, but his all the same.

What would it be to feel those sentiments? Would a heart finally beat within him, awoken by the morning breeze as it fluffs the trees? Tickled by a young couple’s shared laughter? What was it to feel life’s sweetness?

Osamu searches the space where his heart might be. It’s an aching void, obnoxiously hollow. He considers searching deeper, more intently, but doesn’t care to waste his time.

So he picks at his mind. Memories of the work day wade in and out, dulled by alcohol and the slowly encompassing thought of emptiness, nothingness, darkness.

Osamu closes his eyes and breathes.

A dull alleyway. A freezing cold river. Sunset over the city.

The smiles of his coworkers. The stray cats he feeds from his window each evening. Kunikida patting him on the shoulder after a successful mission together. Yosano gently cleaning a wound on his cheek, murmuring some lullaby he sometimes finds himself humming. Atsushi greeting him every morning at the office, eyes shining with something that the Director had once called admiration.

Osamu opens his eyes and breathes. The rain outside is soft and steady. He matches his breath to it. His eyelids feel heavy, but not burdensome. He thinks that he might be imagining it, but something kicks to life in his chest. Fleeting, timid.

(Part one: Higuchi)

It’s a weight she can’t stand much longer, so she collapses face first into the couch.

Tachihara shifts to accommodate the new presence beside him, hand falling to the fussed out blonde hair stubbornly wrapped in a bun. “You really should stop trying so hard.”

Higuchi groans loudly. “I love him.”

“I know.”

“I have to protect him.”

“I believe you.”

“I can’t fail.”

“Your job.”

“My job.”

Tachihara taps the space between her shoulder blades.

It’s an impossible effort to sit up. Her limbs don’t move with her, much to her irritation, but Gin helps the rest of the way.

“Didn’t hear you,” Higuchi murmurs, taking the makeup wipes from her friend. Gin’s eyes shut sweetly, brows lifted. Higuchi’s shoulders loosen.

She sits with the wipes for a moment, twisting them between her fingers as she wills her nerves to unravel. This was the hardest part, usually, only if her two friends would watch her try to relax. It felt like failure, because she couldn’t. Relax, that is. If she could watch herself, she might be all the more ashamed at her shortcomings.

“Stop thinking so loud,” Tachihara says above her. He finally gets that bun out and her hair drops around her ears. “Gonna give yourself a headache.”

“You do that just fine.” Higuchi finds rest on his shoulder, lulled by the steady motion pulling through her hair. She feels a breeze of a touch along her palm and fingers, and squeezes Gin’s hand.

She almost falls asleep like that. Sometimes she does, and would later wake up in Tachihara’s bed whilst he and Gin watch Spider-Man in the living room. She always wakes up in the midst of a scene between Peter and MJ. Sometimes it’s a kiss, to which Higuchi would close her eyes again, comfortable and dreamy.

“Do you think,” she begins distantly, as it’s all she can think about in the moment, far away and lost in the wonder, “that love is out there for everyone?”

Neither answer. Gin’s hand still plays in her own, plucking and strumming each finger. Meanwhile Tachihara mumbles about work and dogs and how he doesn’t have any friends, or something, but Higuchi turns her face into his neck and thinks otherwise.

Note: do you ever just think of a certain quote, or scene, or music line, or image, or sound, or otherwise, and just feel something about it? An almost romantic feeling because it means something to you. Or it invokes any precious emotion within you because it’s special to you. Maybe you don’t realize it’s there or maybe you intentionally call it to mind. But it’s nice to think of. This is just a silly list of things I think about at times that mean something to me, and which I related to some BSD characters. Not everyone will know these and that’s okay!! Everyone has different things that matter to them or stand out to them. I think it’s a great thing to acknowledge a favorite movie quote or music lyrics or scene or moment from your life or other, whether you see it in this list or not, because it’s special to you.

Atsushi

Mary Blair’s concept art for Cinderella

Biting into a freshly made s’more

Skipping along the beach on a cloudy day

Simba singing, in brimming excitement, “I’m working on my ROAR!”

Aqua from Kingdom Hearts, saying to Terra and Ven, “well. . .that’s yet to be seen,” about the wayfinders

Sofia The First singing, hopeful, “but who knows what I could bring, flying high upon a wing. . .”

Bluey wagging her tail in excitement

Sora and Kairi calling and waving to each other happily over the water, followed by Sora’s breathless and bright smile as Kairi bubbles in laughter

Arranging leaves in the shape of a crown, a steady rain about and dew drops on your nose

Tinkerbell wandering from talent to talent, brushing past the Tinker’s hammer, not at first seeing as it responds to her presence

Ariel singing, taking in the wonder of her grotto, “look at this trove, treasures untold,”

Waltzing barefoot in the morning, before the sun,

Or swaying in a light rain with soft music in your ear

The phrase “star light, star bright,” as recited by Barbie in her island princess game

Playing the flute for the small rabbit that settled to listen, a light drizzle in the air

“Well,” Princess Anneliese hesitates. Erika smiles, encouraging kindly: “well?”

“Live and Learn” from Sonic, and the lyrics “hold on to ‘what if, hold on to ‘what if,’”

Kyouka

The lovely music and opening narration to Disney Princess Enchanted Journey (“Once Upon a time, a little girl was playing in the forest, when a pixie appeared. . .”)

Marinette, freeing the trapped akuma, “bye bye, little butterfly <3”

Naminé whispering to Sora during the song Sanctuary, inciting his year-long sleep

The Build a Bear heart ceremony, perhaps one’s first time performing it

Tasha from the Backyardigans, singing with melancholy, “I want my river back. . .”

Little Michael Darling beckoning Nana to go with them all to Neverland

Lilo hurrying through the beach to make her hula recital

Melody’s gentle admiration for treasures of the sea

The beginning music and gentle humming of Ever After High’s theme song, followed by the first lyrics, “They told you everything was waiting for you,”

Rapunzel plucking flowers from Eugene’s hand and placing them meticulously upon the water

Sharing a porch swing with someone, swaying peacefully, maybe as seen in the Barbie Movie

Xion asking Riku, softly and earnestly, “how will I know where I belong, truly?”

Dazai

Anna flying down the stair railing, singing out about her coming freedom

Elsa, with tears in her eyes as she realizes her truth, “all of my life. . .”

Rarity singing to Applejack, determined, “Pinkie Pie is in trouble, we need to get there by her side,”

The Cheshire Cat’s laughter and mischief as he vanishes and reappears

Brook Page smiling and winking at the end of the Ever After High opening

“Do you think it’s heavy?” Fawn asks. “No,” Rosetta says playfully, “it’s light.”

Stretching out your limbs with a wide yawn when you wake up and before you go to bed

Belle passionately singing, “there must be more than this provincial life!”

Daisy Duck’s merry laughter

Belle giving a greeting bow to others as she sings, “every morning just the same, since the morning that we came,”

Boo and Sully’s quiet goodbye: “Kitty?” “Kitty has to go.”

“And you’re always free to begin again, and you’re always free to believe. . .”

His unique magic allows him to split himself into multiple clones. Each version is not necessarily him, but an imitation, or a copy. A fake, not real.

Cater himself is not “real,” not when he’s wearing a pretend smile and a dispassionate laugh. During the chapter 5 auditions Vil even said that his performance, impressive as it was, lacked any and all substance and passion. Cater did everything well and successfully, but it was all hollow.

His clones are perfect imitations that lack any heart. This is a metaphor for Cater’s own sense of fraud and masking, not that he himself doesn’t have a heart, but that “Cay-Cay” perhaps doesn’t. Not to mention the nickname itself, an almost duplicate of his own name that refers to his outward persona.

Sally and McQueen, lounging on Doc’s (and McQueen’s) old but comfy couch and trading conversation over some sitcom or another, McQueen’s legs resting over Sally’s lap while her head lay on his shoulder. An empty bowl of popcorn mixed with skittles resides on the coffee table

McQueen and Sally, sitting back to back on top of Sally’s Porsche, one struggling to stay awake until the other says something and vice versa. The sound of each other’s voice simultaneously lulls and energizes them

McQueen and Sally, biting their tongues after a heated argument, tears blurring his vision and choking her up. McQueen crumbles to the floor, sorry, sorry, and so sorry

Sally and McQueen, carefully meeting each other’s eyes as she kneels beside him, a silent apology passing between them before she falls into his arms. They both whisper it, back and forth, and stay there for a while

McQueen and Sally, hands swinging between them as they walk along Radiator Springs at twilight, one fumbling nervously with something in his pocket. He hopes she’ll say yes

Sally and McQueen, sobbing into each other because of course she said yes, shaking and laughing and clinging to each other like they can’t let go (they can’t). He picks her up and spins her through the air under the stars

McQueen and Sally, chatting excitedly on their spontaneous road trip, wedding plans passing between them through mouthfuls of fast food. He leans over to sip from her drink, eyes not leaving the road but ears attuned to her laughter

Sally and McQueen, modeling random outfit pieces and accessories in the boutique they ran into during their trip, taking turns to walk their makeshift runway. She draws him in for a kiss by the scarf he tried on before snatching it for herself, laughing at his sputtering smile

McQueen and Sally, curled together the night before the wedding because despite all the preparations to be done they can’t bear to be apart, mutually excited and nervous and wondering if the other wants them forever.

Do you want me forever?

Sally and McQueen. McQueen and Sally.

Sally, walking down the aisle on Doc’s arm, breathing through her racing heart. She sees him at the altar and purposefully slows her steps because if she doesn’t, she might just run and kiss him before they can say their vows.

McQueen, waiting with tense shoulders on the alter as Mater mutters excitement behind him, heart in his ears. But he sees her in her beautiful, flowing gown, and it’s all he can do not to run to her before she can join him.

Sally Carerra-McQueen and Monty Carerra-McQueen, sharing their first dance at the reception, silent tears of joy and love falling between them as they sway and talk and laugh and cry and whisper and sigh. He cups her face as they kiss

(Italicized lines are singing—each one is taken from and references a song or musical number!)

She didn’t mean it. Honest! With a bad habit of procrastinating on homework, Yuu hadn’t slept much the night before. She had stumbled around Ramshackle with a blur in her eyes, thirsty and bleary and possibly late for class. She had thought she grabbed a water bottle from the kitchen, it had the familiar blue label and tasted normal enough.

How wrong she had been.

Her tongue had tingled, not quite burning but most definitely simmering, and her throat felt a little stuffed—as if it were fighting off mucus. She kept coughing during classes and when she wasn’t coughing she was discretely trying to clear imaginary phlegm from her throat. Anytime she was called upon to answer a question her voice cracked rather pathetically. It drew a few laughs from students, and more concerned looks from her friends. At some point Riddle had suggested she grab tea during lunch. Yuu agreed that it would help.

Except, her voice only grew more unsteady and unreliable. She could hardly control her inflection anymore, emphasizing the wrong words. Her volume fluctuated randomly; even Sebek had been a little put off by how suddenly she would raise her voice at times. Yuu had elected to stay silent after so long.

Maybe a good night’s rest would do the trick. She had been missing out on sleep lately. It was a comforting thought as she drifted into a fitful rest filled with the echoes of a song.

The next day she feels fine. Yuu tests her voice in the quiet of Ramshackle, hums approvingly to herself when it comes out normal enough, and goes about her day. She ignores the fuzzy sensation on the back of her tongue.

Lunch comes around soon enough. Grim picks off of Yuu’s plate and devours his own, meanwhile Ace and Deuce debate the practicality of backpacks vs. shoulder bags in school. Epel joins their table, handing Yuu an apple juice he had grabbed with his own.

“Thank you ~” she hums. Pauses. Strange.

Epel simply offers her a smile and digs into his meal. Yuu takes a slow sip of her juice, feeling that strange tickle in the back of her throat.

It takes her a moment to register a question put her way. Yuu blinks inquiringly at Ace.

“I said,” he begins, “what do you think about the new pie?”

He offers her a spoonful and she takes a bite, allowing his hand to hover under the utensil for her. She hums, feels her face pinch. A very sour lemon pie.

“There is something sweeter, everybody needs.”

Yuu sits back abruptly, eyes blown.

Ace laughs. “Okay, dramatic? What’s your suggestion for ‘something sweeter,’” he says, mimicking the musical tone.

“A spoonful of sugar ~” Yuu doesn’t let herself finish before her mouth clamps shut again. What?

Now the whole table is filling her with odd looks. Epel nudges her gently.

“Someone’s in a musical mood,” he teases, though he seems more curious than anything.

Yuu shakes her head gently, testing her voice again. “Nooo, no no no—no no no, no no no, no no no no, no no no no—“

Oh this can’t be happening.

“Why am I singing?”

She looks around the table urgently.

“Why am I singing?!”

“You’re. . .not doing it on purpose?” Jack says.

Yuu shakes her head.

“Real funny, Prefect.” Ace’s laugh is a little unsure.

“I don’t think she’s kidding,” Deuce says nervously.

“This is not what I want; this is not what I planned!” Yuu bleats, loud enough to draw the attention of other tables.

“Human!” Sebek barks. “If you’re going to project your voice, do it with intention!”

Yuu stands, slamming her hands on the table.

“I JUST GOTTA SAY, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND!”

Her voice seemed to erupt of its own accord.

“Something is really—something’s not right.” Yuu steps onto the table, why is she on the table. “Something’s not right!”

Each word that falls out she tries desperately to stop, but her tongue isn’t her own right now.

“SOS, please, someone help me!”

The rest of the table springs to action. Ace and Deuce hover around her, checking for any odd injury or something that looked out of the ordinary as they try to get her off of the table (now she’s dancing?!). Epel rushes to get her some water, hoping it would help somehow, and Jack vanishes somewhere in the direction of the classrooms, Sebek marching after him with words of confusion.

Soon enough half of the cafeteria if crowding their table, rather curious about the situation.

“What’s with all the singing? Can I join?” Kalim chirps from someone behind her. Yuu opens her mouth to deny but thinks better of it at the last second. Ace and Deuce are still trying to get her to step down, but she keeps pulling random dance moves that evade them (someone help?!)

Ace dodges a well-timed kick. “Something’s wrong with the Prefect!”

“Wrong how?” Riddle demands, his mere presence commanding everyone to part for him.

Yuu spins to face the young Housewarden.

“So she said ‘what’s the problem baby?’” She drops to a knee, hand outstretched to the poor boy. “What’s the problem? I don’t know! Well maybe I’m in love!”

Riddle recoils. “She’s lost it!”

“Qu’est-ce que c’est?” Hums Rook, ever playful just by his tone, and Yuu can hear the smile. “What was that most enchanting voice? I felt my own heart soar to hear such a melody ~”

Before anyone can explain, Yuu practically falls into a certain huntsman’s arms, surprising even herself.

“I’m your biggest fan, I’ll follow you until you love me—!” She covers her mouth in a frenzy, voice muffled for a moment until it breaks through her own fingers, simultaneously panicked and passionate. “Baby there’s no other superstar you know that I’ll be—!”

Rook blinks down at her in shock, but it’s quickly overtaken by a palpable delight. He swings her through the air, laughing.

“Très bien! Let me hear your beautiful voice, mon Trickster!”

Yuu shakes her head furiously despite her still running voice, barricaded only by shoving her tie into her mouth. Her vocal chords burn.

It’s Vil who speaks next, passing her a pitying look. “For your sake, Prefect, I hope you aren’t trying to woo him. He won’t let it go.”

Yuu turns to the ever regal Vil, lips flying before she can stop them.

“HEY! I just met you, and this is crazy! But here’s my number!” She smiles nervously, trying to form an apology that won’t come through. “So call me maybe!”

Azul laughs. “Oh, you poor, unfortunate little thing. Would you like me to hang onto your voice for you until a solution is met?” His eyes betray his intentions, and Yuu shudders.

“Boy don’t try to front, I know just, just what you are!”

Azul pushes his glasses up with a hum, smiling. He’s shoved aside by a laughing Floyd.

“Let me at her! I wanna hear Shrimpy sing!”

Yuu shrinks into Rook’s overbearingly sweet hug, singing a dreadful “I ran so far away, I couldn’t get away.”

The enthusiastic hunter coos down at her.

“Down, naughty pups!” Professor Crewel barks out, storming through the crowd with Jack and Sebek in tow. “I can’t even see the child with you all hounding her!”

Suddenly Yuu is set down, dizzy enough to fall back into her seat, and Crewel kneels in front of her with something that looks like a medical kit. He takes out a small thermometer-looking tool.

“Open.”

Yuu shakes her head, lips sealed.

“Pup, I need to check you for something. Open.

Yuu utters a muffled “no,” covering her mouth with her hands for good measure. She was not going to let her voice betray her further, not with the soft peals of laughter surrounding her.

Suddenly she feels several deft fingers along her side, and she’s overcome with a ticklish sensation that has her howling with laughter. Crewel takes the narrow opportunity to slip the thermometer into her mouth.

Ruggie pops up on her other side with something of an apologetic smile, snickering.

She can’t find time to glare at him because the thermometer beeps. Crewel retrieves it with a frown.

“Just as I thought. A musical remedy.” He sighs. “It’s supposed to be taken only in the case of a lost or stolen singing voice.”

Azul snorts out a laugh, as Jade fixes him with a slightly amused look.

“However,” Crewel says pointedly, “we usually don’t have to worry about such instances. I imagine you weren’t aware of what you had taken. How did you even come into possession of it?”

Yuu doesn’t have a clue what something like that would even look like. Then she remembers the “water.”

“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no—“

“What?” A panicked Adeuce ask in tandem.

“New and a bit alarming, who’d have ever thought that this could be.” she continues, the horror of her situation settling in.

Several pairs of eyes trade confusion.

“I’m such a fool, I can’t be free. . .” Yuu buries her face in her hands. This is humiliating.

“Yuu?” Epel tries.

“I can’t stop singing!” She cries. “Make it stop, make it stop, am I real or just a prop?!”

With a tired sigh Professor Crewel brings Yuu to her feet, speaking over her anguished one-woman musical.

“The effects usually last a few days, give or take. In the meantime, you should all at least save her dignity and not poke fun at the situation.”

He points a glare in the direction of Lilia, hovering somewhere in the background and not bothering to hide his laughter. Malleus stands beside him, awestruck at his child of man’s voice. A Diasomnia student snaps his fingers in front of the fae’s face, with no response.

Crewel continues. “All of you can return to your lunch. You’ve only a few minutes until the next bell. I’ll be escorting Yuu back to Ramshackle—do not follow—for her to at least agonize in private. Stay,” he threatens Rook, who practically prances after them. The hunter sighs, clutching his heart.

“Agony ~” he mourns.

Crewel leaves the cafeteria with a singing, crying Yuu, offering words of comfort, not that she hears them. Everyone else slowly returns to their prior meal.

A moment of silence passes before—

“I’M TRAPPED INSIDE A MUSICAL!”

Cater laughs nervously into his sparkling water. “She’ll be fine.”

“I’M NOT FINE—I’M NOT FIIIIIIINE—!”

Oh, everyone thinks collectively. Except for Epel, who actually says, “oh.”

Vil side-eyes the poor boy.

Ace: Prefect, why are you dancing?!

(This one leans a little more into shipping after the first two, no established relationship but each scenario sets it up)

Ramshackle trio—“Nobody Like U” from Turning Red

• Great energy, Ace and Deuce and Prefect bestie moment ftw, they have a whole choreographed dance (that Deuce is maybe struggling a little to follow but he’s trying), they’re just having fun and they smile at one another near the end, the lyrics true to heart for all three

Ramshackle trio pt 2—“Cruisin for a Bruisin” from Teen Beach Movie

• Okay so this comes as a surprise to Deuce and Prefect, as Ace chooses the song for them, and the other two have to stifle their giggles because they always dance to the song at Ramshackle for funsies so the performance comes second nature. Deuce is the one who opens, Yuu takes the bubblegum cherry pop line, and Ace follows with “I went to the drive in,” and my gosh they’re just owning it. Ace hands them each a pair of sunglasses and the stage is theirs. Ofc they strike the coolest group pose at the end

Vil/Yuu—“Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Ray

• They start rather neutral and almost indifferent, singing the same song but not really singing together (Yuu feels a little awkward, as if the song itself wasn’t already beyond her league), but then Vil lifts her hand to his lips upon the chorus and at once they melt into harmony, eyes together stolen. He pulls her along by an invisible string, endlessly charmed and amused by her puppy dog compliance. She doesn’t know what’s happened, he’s aware of her thumping heart but saves her the embarrassment, but at the end of the song the gentlest kiss brushes her cheek from behind. By the time she’s come back to herself Vil is already seated again, engaged in light conversation with Rook. She misses how the elegant dorm leader’s gaze tracks her with a fond smile.

Riddle/Yuu—“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga

• Riddle has to be downright pestered into going on stage. He’s all eye rolls and impatient huffs as he mutters at Yuu to just pick a song. She hits shuffle, nothing in mind otherwise, and feels her tummy turn when the song starts. Yuu doesn’t expect the Housewarden to humor her, diving into the song half-heartedly, but she’s caught off guard when Riddle actually joins and practically shows her up, not that it’s his intention (or maybe it is). Think Halestorm cover of bad romance with that trend of character B catching character A off guard with the sheer power of their voice. Yuu has to swallow her nerves when he fixes her with a sharp gaze during the chorus, has to will her voice out of a stutter with every step he takes towards her. Through her slight panic because wow is Riddle good, her heart flutters endlessly. It’s when Riddle tosses the faintest of smirks her way during the final chorus, singing effortlessly and taking apart her every slip up or missed word, does Yuu feel that she truly is caught in a bad romance (is it so bad?) he leaves her gawking on stage at the end of the song, something pleased and humorous tickling his eye.

Rook/Yuu—“Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga

(Can be read as romantic or platonic, implied fem!Yuu!)

Kalim/Yuu—“Stupid in Love” by Max ft Huh Yunjin

• Very fun and high energy, can be romantic or platonic but they’re both just having a blast, Kalim probably picks Yuu up at some point and spins her around. She’s laughing as he does, and they’re both flushed and smiling and out of breath by the end of the song

Cater/Yuu—“It’s Always a Good Time” by Carly Rae Jepson and Owl City

• The energy, very fun, they’re so cute and smiley and they prob hold hands as they’re just jumping up and down singing. They perform as if they’ve been doing this their whole lives and it’s just such a great time when they’re on stage

Jamil/Yuu—“Rewrite The Stars” from The Greatest Showman

• I don’t know, I just feel this one for them. I personally see Jamil being hesitant about singing at first so Yuu is the one who opens, and maybe they’re switching the vocal roles throughout the song which should be less cohesive but it works well because of how naturally they do it (An excuse to have Jamil sing the line “we’re bound to break and my hands are tied” at the end). They’re surprisingly vulnerable during the song, Jamil especially, and Yuu maybe sees a glimpse of longing that hasn’t been seen before (for what is not immediately clear, but his eyes are not entirely hers during the song). They end the song, foreheads together, and Yuu sees a whisper of tears in his eyes as he almost looks through her

Lilia/Yuu—“Levitating” by Dua Lipa

• Again just a fun time, Lilia is floating around with Yuu during the song, they’re just smiling the whole time! He does this thing where he walks her up an invisible set of stairs and it looks magical, and she’s so confused at first but trusts him enough to go with it, only for him to take a leap with her in his arms during the chorus and she screams before getting back into the song, albeit a little shaken (she’s still smiling)

Trey/Yuu—“Love is an Open Door” from Frozen

• No explanation for this, but I imagine that the two just hit shuffle play and run with it. It’s very cute and a little silly but they sound great together, very committed to the bit, especially at the end during the “Will you marry me” line. Yuu, for dramatic effect, falls into his arms when she says yes, all while Trey is on one knee and he has to brace them both lest them fall back and he’s just laughing

Azul/Yuu—“Kiss The Girl” from TLM

• Okay this might be cheating, but I was so touched by the Kiss The Girl dance on Dancing With The Stars 33. I imagine Azul and Yuu singing it with much the same tone, something very gentle and emotional. It takes some convincing Azul to get him out of his shell (haha) but once he’s on stage he puts full trust in Yuu as they trade lyrics. By the end of the song she’s the one crying, she doesn’t know why, and Azul just holds her face and whispers reassurances that he tries to also convince himself of. There’s something unspoken and unsure within them both and maybe a conversation to be had later.

As she reaches for a fairytale of some kind a crow man urges her out of the building and into some other, and Yuu blinks longingly at the retreating library and potential fantasies, feels her heart skip pleasantly when a fairy breezes by. Her palms are cold.

When the man—Crowley, and she tastes it on her tongue a few times, throat sore, enraptured by the mask—deposits her into a room of countless attendees, Yuu can hardly move. It’s like a painting, she marvels to herself, a fool in the midst of unbelievable beauty. The looks she receives are conflicted, amused, suspicious, angered—and it isn’t until she’s blinking against a bright light that she realizes she had fainted.

Grim hovers over her, impatient and small and maybe even bite-able, she teases, snapping playfully at him with no real malice but he leaps back anyway. They’re in some uncertain room with windows and furniture at disarray. It’s a mess. It’s fascinating.

Grim beats his paws against her three times, and at once a cloud lifts. Yuu stands on shaking legs, cradling her head. She fully takes in the room. What is she doing here?

The smaller of the two snorts. Took her long enough.

Yuu shakes her head lightly to clear the fog. Romance curls in her mind, persistent and inviting, and Yuu holds it by the hand but simply leads this time, is not led.

Ace, he calls himself, all lopsided smiles and knowing eyes. Yuu lets him sway her but Grim keeps her in check, absolutely snarling at the Heartslabyul boy. She can’t fathom why, but then he’s laughing at them and she doesn’t get the joke.

Crowley bids them stay on account of hers and Grim’s teamwork with Ace and Deuce (Deuce is a gem), declaring them one student, and Yuu is perfectly content with that arrangement, though she can hardly remember what led to it.

Yuu is perfectly content, curled up on a beaten up couch in a hauntingly quiet Ramshackle. Mind racing against every possible obstacle to getting home, trying to fight off the encroaching fuzz of sweetness and beauty. She may be a romantic soul but something isn’t right, and it flares up whenever someone uses magic or she’s in the vicinity. She can’t think straight most of the time, when before she could at least form a thought. Every effort at coherency makes her heart pull viciously.