Idia + Azul glazer

being transported to another world was already terrifying. being transported to another world filled with magic, monsters, and students who all seemed far more confident than you somehow made it worse. from the moment you arrived at nrc, words became your greatest enemy. every introduction turned into a struggle. every sentence seemed to trip over itself before it could leave your mouth. you'd start speaking only to get flustered halfway through, lose your train of thought, and end up staring at the floor while desperately trying to remember what you were saying. it was embarrassing, especially when everyone around you seemed so self-assured. unfortunately for you, your awkwardness ended up making quite the impression.

Riddle Rosehearts

riddle initially assumes you're simply nervous because of your situation. considering you'd been dragged into an entirely different world, he finds it understandable. however, the first time you attempt to introduce yourself and spend nearly thirty seconds trying to get through your own name without stumbling over it, he finds himself unexpectedly caught off guard. you look so genuinely determined to speak despite your nerves that he can't bring himself to be annoyed. instead, he starts waiting patiently whenever you struggle. if someone interrupts you or tries to rush you, he'll immediately correct them. "allow them to finish." over time, he finds your shy mannerisms strangely endearing, though he'd sooner overblot again than admit it out loud. secretly, he becomes someone who listens carefully whenever you speak because he knows how much effort it takes for you to get the words out.

Leona Kingscholar

leona notices your habit almost immediately. at first, he thinks you're just intimidated by nrc. then he realizes you stammer even when speaking to grim. the discovery amuses him far more than it should. he'll occasionally watch you struggle through a sentence with half-lidded eyes, waiting to see if you'll make it to the end. yet despite teasing you occasionally, he never does it maliciously. in fact, if someone else laughs at you, his mood immediately sours. over time, leona becomes surprisingly patient. he'll wait through every awkward pause and unfinished sentence without complaint. sometimes he'll even finish your thought for you after spending enough time around you. the first time he correctly guesses what you were trying to say, you're so shocked that you forget to stutter entirely. leona never lets you live that down.

Azul Ashengrotto

azul completely misunderstands the situation at first. he assumes you're hiding something. every time you stumble over your words, he becomes convinced you're carefully choosing what information to reveal. then one day he watches you spend an entire minute trying to ask where a notebook went before accidentally mixing up half the words in the sentence. suddenly everything clicks. you're not calculating. you're just shy. the realization changes everything. azul finds himself becoming surprisingly gentle whenever you get flustered. he never points it out directly because he knows that would only make things worse. instead, he waits patiently and allows you to gather your thoughts. deep down, he relates more than he'd like to admit. after all, he knows exactly what it's like to feel self-conscious every time you speak.

Jamil Al-Asim

jamil notices your nervous habits long before anyone else. years of observing people have made him excellent at reading body language. he quickly realizes that whenever attention shifts toward you, your shoulders tense and your words start tripping over each other. unlike some of the others, he never teases you about it. if anything, he quietly helps. when you lose your train of thought, he'll calmly wait. if someone interrupts, he'll redirect the conversation back toward you. he understands how exhausting it can be to constantly feel watched or judged. eventually, talking around him becomes easier because you know he isn't going to pressure you. jamil ends up becoming one of the few people you can speak to without feeling like every word is a battle.

Kalim Viper

kalim thinks you're adorable. that's it. that's the entire problem. the first time you get flustered and accidentally trip over your words, he smiles so brightly that it only makes you more embarrassed. yet unlike people who might tease you, kalim simply finds your nervousness endearing. he never gets frustrated when you struggle to speak. in fact, he's probably the most enthusiastic listener imaginable. every time you manage to finish a sentence, he reacts as though you've delivered the greatest speech in history. "really? that's so cool!" the positivity helps more than he realizes. before long, you find yourself talking a little more around him because you know he'll always respond with encouragement. kalim never sees your stuttering as something embarrassing. to him, you're just you, and that's more than enough.

Vil Schoenheit

vil notices your nervousness almost immediately. at first, he assumes it's simply because you've been thrown into an entirely different world. however, after watching you spend nearly a full minute trying to ask a simple question before getting flustered and losing your train of thought halfway through, he realizes this is just how you are. surprisingly, he doesn't find it annoying. if anything, he finds it a little sad. not because you're shy, but because he can see how much you overthink every word before speaking. the first few times he catches you apologizing for stumbling over your sentences, he immediately stops you. "why are you apologizing?" he asks. when you awkwardly explain that people sometimes get frustrated waiting for you to finish speaking, vil's expression softens ever so slightly. "then they're the problem, not you." it's one of the first genuinely kind things he says to you, and it completely catches you off guard. after that, vil becomes surprisingly patient whenever you talk. he never rushes you, never interrupts, and never allows anyone else to make fun of you for it either. in fact, if someone tries, they're immediately met with one of his infamous looks. over time, he starts encouraging you to be more confident, not by forcing you into uncomfortable situations, but by reminding you that your words are worth hearing no matter how long it takes to say them. the first time you manage to speak your mind without stumbling, vil notices immediately. he doesn't make a huge deal out of it. instead, a small smile appears on his face and he simply says, "see? that wasn't so difficult." yet the pride in his voice makes you feel warmer than any grand compliment ever could.

Idia Shroud

idia practically recognizes a fellow sufferer. the first time he watches you try to introduce yourself and nearly combust from embarrassment halfway through, he immediately thinks, "oh, they're one of my people! ssr rate pull icl.." unlike everyone else, he completely understands the panic of social interaction. if anything, the two of you end up accidentally making each other more nervous. conversations between you sometimes become a disaster of awkward pauses, stuttering, and mutual panic. yet somehow that's exactly why idia feels comfortable around you. there's no pressure to be confident when neither of you knows what you're doing. he secretly finds it reassuring that someone else understands the struggle.

one key thing to know about you: you were weird.

this was not said without concrete proof. everyone, even the most uneducated commoners, knew how eccentric the sole heir to the von sommerstern bloodline was.

in contrast to the major belief that you were a rebellious child who couldn't be disciplined, your academic performance was surprisingly great, far surpassing your fellow eight-year-old peers.

that was where the oddity of your existence began, or rather, was displayed more clearly, the same intelligence that garnered you praises from fastidious tutors.

your hands seemed to never stay still, managing to grapple with things that were meant to be far out of your reach.

there was one time, when you somehow slipped into the kitchen, seemingly marvelling at the cooking of the maids. when they were done with preparing elevenses, they were shocked to find out that a baking soda pack and a whole bottle of vinegar had vanished from the shelves.

safe to say, everyone knew promptly where to look, and when they arrived in your room, the sight was nothing short of bewilderment to them.

there you were, sitting on the floor with those same eyes that bore a certain detachment to the world, watching in extreme boredom as your doll vomited white liquid from its lips.

when you were questioned, you answered, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"i'm turning my doll into a volcano."

your father, after hearing this from the servants, had let out a boisterous laugh in amusement.

speaking of him, the man who had partially contributed to your existence, as you put it, the earliest memories you had of him were how he allowed your nonscenecial whims to run wild. from disrespecting an antique portrait of your great-ancestors, to acting like a lifeless doll on a balcony (which terrified the guests), there was nothing that could anger him.

well, except for outright insulting your late mother, but had half of a mind not to do so.

mind, not empathy.

additionally, in that soft voice which always carried a tone of apathy, you spoke of the strangest things no child at that age could fathom.

it wasn't delusional like wishing to be in a fairytale; it was worse than that, or at the very least, according to the prim and proper maids who knew nothing but obedience and salary.

your first reaction, upon witnessing a flying carriage land in the front yard of your mansion, wasn't of awe or surprise. instead, it was uttered in a jaded timbre.

"airplanes could do that, no need for applause."

"young master, what is an airplane?"

"do i look like i know?"

the maid didn't respond, fearing the way your eyebrows rose, as though questioning her curiosity.

in that household, the only one permitted to be curious, to be both smart and yet terrifyingly lacking in emotional affairs, was you and you alone.

"father, have you heard of [country's name]?"

"is that another one of your novel's locations?" the porcelain teacup was promptly thrown at him, and unsurprisingly, he caught it effortlessly. you didn't seem guilty about it, instantly returning to the book you were holding, with a gentleness reserved for non-sentient objects, not the people around you.

you were violent, quick to resort to physical acts when things weren't going your way. hidden by that small frame was an unexpected sheer strength, enough to be able to knock down servants in your tantrums.

it wasn't like you were dumb enough not to be aware of your notorious reputation; you were different from others, and you thrived off it.

you knew your father wouldn't forbid you, the servants too meek to stop you, toys unable to cry out in pain during the torturous sessions you put them through. all in the name of entertainment, of trying to find what could elicit an honest feeling from you.

you were a weird child, and that would continue, even after regaining the memories of your past life.

it was an embarrassing memory to dwell on, but an essential milestone nonetheless.

dull eyes watched as orange and gold spilled onto the blue canvas of the sky, marking the end of another repetitive day. that shadow stretched across the grass didn't move, even when utterances of its name rang from afar. inside its palms was a broken shard of a door's mirror, something the clumsy new recruit had failed to fetch. its eyes gazed at the reflection, seeing someone that wasn't a shadow.

'i shouldn't head home.' it, or rather, you hummed in your throat when you sat up. you squeezed your hand tight and watched as red tainted the neatly trimmed green cushioning your legs. there was supposed to be pain, a grimace should have appeared on your face, akin to that maid when a shard accidentally cut through her fingers. and yet, you felt nothing, other than your muscles prevented you from going farther.

this mind, wanted to die, something the body vehemently opposed.

or maybe you were a coward, unable to let go of the biological instincts that chained you to this world.

maybe this body never belonged to you; fate had its weird way of tormenting even the most indifferent souls. you wouldn't grant it satisfaction, letting out a cheerful chuckle as you released the blood-stained shard. your tongue flickered out to lick the wound, disgusted at the iron taste flooding your taste buds. you recalled tomes, collecting dust in the library, that detailed how honey faes' blood tasted, or how beastpeople tasted spicier than normal. you envied them, truly, for their magical capabilities and how they could enjoy the taste of their blood were they to bleed.

embarrassingly, as though loathing you for being unaffected by the surroundings, fate decided to twirl one of its strings on the vast fabric of life.

and made you fucking trip.

over nothing.

at the moment, memories of your past life flooded in like a broken dam, and they were as stupid as the way you regained them.

you weren't always the apathetic person you presented yourself as in your current life. that would be a wrong notion to take in, without adding that you masked your eccentricity better.

a hypocrite, that word alone summarized your fleeting existence. you were too indifferent to care about others, and yet, too prideful to be looked down on. you loved yourself for not entertaining yourself with trivial matters, like video games, and yet, the competitiveness baked in your blood forced you to always be on the top leaderboard.

you never skipped classes, perfect attendance, decent social circle, but you would rather eat a lightbulb than proclaim your supposed liking towards other human beings,

who could blame you for being such a fake bitch, really?

moreover, there was a more important realization you acquired.

this was no unfamiliar, outlandish universe you were reborn in.

no, this was the world of 'lost in my favorite novel: let's change the genre!'

it was a dating simulator where the main character, yuu, fell asleep after finishing the tragic novel they were reading.

true to its position as the stone to kick off the plot, that original novel was nothing short of... dog blood!

unnecessary angst, prolonged miscommunications, out-of-nowhere plot twists, this novel truly encompassed the worst of mankind in the tragedy genre.

what angered yuu the most was the terribly sad ending their favorite character, malleus had to endure: being slain by the one he considered his brother because of the political manipulation from the humans' side. even worse, the faes were also pushed to extinction after the death of their leader, framing the humans as some sort of saviors reclaiming their lands.

so when yuu found themself becoming a side-character in the novel, with a weird creature named grim, who was revealed to be a fragment of the book's own mind that desperately wished for a rewrite, the duo went around to.....change genre.

pray tell, why was all of that interesting premise thrown aside in favour of the poorly underdeveloped and rushed romance?????

the game's strong point was literally about wooing these tragic figures. how did they fumble that badly in the writing room? did the writers collectively snort cocaine? did they agree to remove their brains for this story?

it was more disappointing because you were slightly interested after seeing a writer, whose creations had been critically acclaimed, in the credits.

damn capitalism and its favor of quantity over quality!

that was also why you decided to speedrun the game, collecting all the merry bad endings before it was EOS.

well, not sleeping for a week straight resulted in your death, pathetically. that was how you came to know those modern terms, your country's name, airplanes: it was a huge sense of deja vu, reminding you of what you truly were.

anyways, what was your role in this god-forsaken game?

the big bad villain.

hailing from a prestigious bloodline, the original you had been spoiled rotten, leading to a total moral decay. they treated everyone badly, in classic villain's style, manipulating the love interests into turning against each other for their own joy.

it was they who were responsible for the death of malleus, and in the end, they died at his hands: head smashed against the cobblestone that led to the entrance of the thorn-ridden castle.

come to think of it, weren't you practically the same as them during childhood? the only difference was that you hadn't touched any major figures.

yet.

when you arrived back at the mansion, equipped with knowledge of the impending doom, you weren't surprised when you heard of your father's summons to his office.

when he held that letter, with a rose encrusted on it, you already knew the words that would spill out from his lips.

the dire engagement with the son of the duke, riddle rosehearts. this was how riddle grew up to be a tyrant; he was always bullied by the original you, which fed into his desire for control, for discipline, something always present during his life, but didn't belong to him.

"it pains me to see their shamelessness, little brat." your father chuckled, tossing the letter into his fireplace after reading it. you didn't respond, clasping your hands as your dull eyes scanned his office room. 'little brat', a nickname he gave you upon the many troubles you had caused. despite his words, you had already know his answer.

yes.

according to the novel, or the game itself, the reason why grand duke von sommerstern accepted the proposal,

for the blissfully unaware rosehearts family, they had secured a connection to one of the most powerful households of twisted wonderland, and a collasal fortune.

for your family though, it meant you got another toy to play with.

"try not to break him, or else you will cost me this house." he laughed coldly.

his warmth was only reserved for your mother, after all.

perhaps that was why the original you was such a heartless person; how could one be capable of love, when the sole form they experienced it, was an eternal frigidity.

"yes, father!" you chirped delightfully. tomorrow, he would come to visit, a perfect chance for you to try changing the ridiculous ending your future self had.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Rollo Flamme

"It's not that bad," you told him,

"It's only temporary!" you pleaded,

"It could've been a lot worse!" you groveled.

Rollo only grabs you by the wrist and drags you into his room, locking and barring the door behind him.

"The others hear not a word of this," he says, sitting at his desk and pulling a potionology book from the top shelf.

For hours (and what feels like an eternity), he skims through antidotes and antivenoms, searching every crevice of the yellowed pages for something potent enough to reverse the effects of the potion.

For hours (and what feels like an eternity), you nap.

It's near dark when you wake, and he's in the same place, muttering profanities and flipping through pages.

You would turn over and go back to sleep, but the rhythmic movements of his quill feather scribbling notes on a piece of scrap paper is... strangely hypnotic.

You find yourself crawling out of bed to attack (discreetly, like a true hunter), batting at the feather from under the desk.

"What the- Prefect!" Rollo scolds, moving his paper and quill to the other side of the desktop.

Two seconds later... fwifwifwip.

"Prefect, control yourself!"

He moves again, keeping a wary eye on his quill...

...And then, while his back is turned, you slap his inkwell off the table.

"PREFECT!!!"

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Fellow Honest

[Fellow voice] "Guess we're doing cat ears now".

Like I could not emphasize enough how much it wouldn't matter to him at all. He would see the ears and tail and go, "Huh. Was that there before?" and then have a full couch nap with you curled up in his lap before remembering that you aren't a beastman.

...Guess he forgot?

I mean, you're so much a part of his life now that you may as well be. And Gidel looks up to you like a big sibling, so cat features fit the bill.

Anyway his second comment is that you should commit as much crime as possible before changing back, because then the police would be looking for a beastman and never track you down.

(You politely decline).

And then he uses you to guilt Rollo into buying everyone a fish dinner.

Best part, though? The cuddles.

Obviously.

Tiny cat beastman under one arm, big cat beastman under the other, both you and Gidel using him for his body heat... the combined purring is powerful enough to shake the house.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Skully J. Graves

I don't think Skully could ever dislike anything about you.

It's you we're talking about, after all- whatever you are, were, or will be, he loves, because he loves you.

Cat today? Well, why not!

Every day you get weirder is a blessing to Skully J. Graves.

And cats are an iconic symbol of the Halloween season, don't you know? The perfect combination of spooky, cute, and chilling. An omen of bad luck... which, to him, is good luck!

Cross his path as many times as you'd please, dear omen of death!

You can't kill what's already dead, after all!

Could also imagine him using those scraps of cloth at the ends of his coat to play with you... not that you could ever catch him, he IS a ghost, after all, but it is ever so fun...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Swing

You know how some people pet dogs/cats by putting their whole fucking hand on the thing's head and pulling it back? Yeah that's Swing.

He does it with Grim too.

Not that he can't be gentle, he just actively chooses not to (ragebaiting is one of his favorite pastimes!)

At least on you (and not poor Grim), the pressure feels nice.

...Kind of like if the relief from a massage hit all at once.

Yeah, these are those good kinds of pets, the kind that make you push your head up and arch your back into each stroke for more.

He's strangely calm for those few hours of quiet petting, as if fascinated by you- testing your reactions to every poke and prod at your new body.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Heartslabyul

Ace and Deuce didn't like the thought of you sharing a dorm with that guy, not one bit!

It took a lot of talking (and cherry pie bribery) to get them to come around, and when a few months had passed with no incident to tell, they mellowed out

...Then, suddenly, you're inviting Rollo on all of your outings, and your trio (not including Grim) became a quartet

Tolerable until Ace and Deuce realized Rollo had not one bit of interest in them, and would only make pleasantries out of politeness, likely for their beloved Prefect's sake (he never leaves your side)

What's worse is that Rollo is doing all the gentlemanly stuff that they never bothered to- holding doors for you, pulling out your chair, offering to carry your things... why didn't they think of that!! He makes them both look like Grade A jerks without even glancing their way

Noble Bell College is all about manners and formalities, after all

They try to bounce back by doubling their gentlemanly behavior, but somehow always end up fighting about which one of the two gets to link arms with you while crossing the street, or give you his coat when it's cold

...Then Rollo goes ahead and does it anyway while they're busy bickering with one another

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Savanaclaw

Leona didn't have any interest in Rollo to begin with

Listen, he wasn't at the masquerade ball. He never broke his back weeding fire lotuses, never singed off his eyebrows while battling in the bell tower (sorry, Azul), and in Leona's world, this meant they had no personal beef, thus he had no reason to care about the strange new transfer student

He wasn't even bugged that Rollo was being a perfect gentleman for you- in fact, he thought it was a good thing. Someone has to look out for you around here

It wasn't until he spotted you walking with him in the botanical gardens, when Rollo held out an arm to stop you mid-step

Leona narrows his eyes- trouble?

...But Rollo only points out that your shoelaces have loosened, and he kneels to tie them for you without thinking twice

Something about the gesture (and how CASUAL it is) makes Leona's eye twitch

He'll have to keep a better eye on that Rollo guy...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Octavinelle

Azul didn't like Rollo to begin with, but now he's REALLY gotten on his nerves

The once kind, helpful Prefect, always willing to lend a hand (or an arm, or a leg, or a vital organ) to a fellow poor, unfortunate student, no matter the cost to themself?

...Suddenly saying no

Azul's art of the deal falls flat when Rollo is around, who delivers that steadfast and ready "No, thank you, good day," and whisks you away before Azul can even get a word in!

Not even the tweels are convincing- Rollo always makes you stand behind him when Floyd is around, and he refuses to even look at Jade

But it's not only that the Prefect is no longer an unpaid intern because of Rollo's intervention, it's that you actually listen to him

His judgments? His decisions? His muttered comments? You respect him enough to heed his warnings without question. You must think very highly of him...

...Azul can't help but feel a little jealous of that

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Diasomnia

Malleus was ready to put that nasty fire lotus business behind him

What? You thought he would be angry, vengeful, and possessive? Have you MET the guy? He takes no pleasure in hatred, violence is only a potential necessity, and, in all honesty, he was excited to have a member of the gargoyle studies club besides himself and the Prefect

...Maybe he puts too much faith in people, sometimes

Because Rollo Flamme maintained exactly zero interest in befriending, or even tolerating Malleus Draconia, and instead prefers following in your shadow, keeping his eyes pointed at potential threats to the magicless student he so adores

Malleus had never been particularly envious of your friendships with fickle, foolish boys, and besides that, your happiness was his happiness

...But this feels like Rollo is overstepping a boundary that Malleus didn't even know was there

He suddenly feels a great urge to have you closer, to impress you, to catch your attention

His displays of magic become even grander, his acts of chivalry even more dramatic, his kindness pushed to its limit (Sebek would kill hundreds to be in your position, but he was told to hold his tongue on the matter for the time being), and yet, still, you stay at Rollo's side

Malleus doesn't quite understand it. Cold, curt, and with more interest in old traditions than magical ingenuity, he seems like the very last person that you, of all people, would get along with

...And, yet...

Rollo walks you through the courtyard with linked arms, he always lets you have your first pick of the pastries he gets shipped from home, and he's sure to wrap an arm around your waist when he feels tension in the room, as if his first priority is always and forever keeping you safe

He speaks to you in that soft tone (reserved only for you, when he thinks no one is listening), and calls you dear Prefect

It would have angered Malleus, if it were anyone else- but this is someone he's beaten in battle before.... just on a different playing field

In the others? Fellow saw a threat. Dozens of pampered, privileged, powerful mages, who looked at him like he was something nasty stuck to the bottom of their polished loafers. The sort of people who, if he didn't play his cards just right, would have him thrown in a tight little jail cell without a second thought... or worse.

In you? Fellow saw an ally.

You would have wondered what made you so different from the others, but you didn't have to- Fellow reminded you. Daily.

Weak, poor, magicless nobodies like us have to stick together, right?

No amount of reminding him that he was still a mage, and an impressive one at that, would shake him of this romantic ideal (though he did preen at your praise).

In Fellow's head, there was a clear divide in the world: the fortunate (the magically gifted, the privileged, the rich, so on) and the unfortunate (you, him, and Gidel). You were each other's island, whether you wanted to be or not- the others just wouldn't get it.

...You suppose he's not wrong. For months, you had felt weak, useless, helpless, and alone. Being surrounded by powerful mages at Night Raven College had a distinct flavor to it- they liked you, loved you, maybe, but they didn't see you as one of them. You were more of a weird pet than a person, and you had almost forgotten your humanity until Fellow and Gidel came along.

...No fireworks, no impressive feats of magic baked into their morning routines, just... normal, messy people.

Unlike Rollo Flamme, who had magical ability, even if he refused to use it, Fellow and Gidel weren't exactly at the top of the food chain anywhere. Fellow was a one-trick pony, and Gidel hadn't any magic at all. Combined, they were weaker than Grim- not that Fellow ever let that stop him from taunting the direbeast.

...Or the Night Raven College students.

But it certainly warmed him up to you, the pathetic, sad little pet you were, and he adopted you into his merry little trio without a moment of thought.

And being with Fellow certainly has its perks!

He lets you in on the tricks of the trade, the sleight-of-hand and street smarts, the ins and outs of the life of a small-time criminal. You and Gidel become his little apprentices, watching him work his magic on unsuspecting RSA students in town, at least until you're chased away by the authorities.

It's no secret that Fellow Honest favors you, reserving his sneers and glares of contempt for the Night Raven College students, and his affection all for his Prefect. He's loyal, if not territorial.

When an NRC student is clueless? Annoying, ignorant little brat.

When you're clueless? Cute and sweet!

His preference extends to an interest in your safety, and though he's the non-confrontational type and definitely couldn't hold his own in a fight, he always has an escape plan for when negotiations go sour.

Keeping you in his line of sight, close to his side, out of harm's way.

Of course, Fellow Honest never does anything for free...

And he accepts payment in total freedom to pinch your cheeks, boop your nose, and squeeze you like a stuffed animal.

What? He's a weak mage, not a blind man. He can be subject to a little cuteness aggression every once in a while. Is it a crime to get handsy with the apple of his eye?

Besides, he's only doing it to get his scent on you, so those silver spoon-sucking private school brats know you're spoken for, it's nothing personal...