Love to All

while riddle’s objectively sheltered upbringing did leave him with a more skewed perception of what could be considered ‘normal’ in regard to social etiquette and general behaviour, there was always just something about your behaviour around him and azul that never quite sat right with him. certainly having the unwavering devotion of a woman he found terribly attractive was flattering, and he can admit to feeling some degree of satisfaction in having you lash out on his behalf against rule breakers and those that disrespected him (especially before his overblot, but also afterwards… loathe he is to admit to something so shameful), but that didn’t completely offset his awareness that your clear devotion perhaps strayed a bit too far off of the beaten path to be considered healthy

azul, too, was very keenly aware of just how much energy you put into him long before he ever even considered bringing it up to you. and the only reason he dawdled so much on the matter despite his usual preference for efficiency is that, well, he found your intense devotion to be incredibly flattering — to the point where he didn’t know how to react to it for a while, initially brushing it off as just you attempting to flatter or intimidate him for your own benefit until he eventually realised that you were actually invested in him personally and seeking to protect and flatter him solely out of that devotion. which may or may not have required the twins filling him in on the matter, but that’s beside the point. because from there, despite revelling in so much positive attention from someone he considered dearly out of his league, there was just no denying the unhealthy root of your actions for azul and so he was much quicker to accept that particular reality than your other darling

that being said, while both housewardens were aware of your obsessive and stalking tendencies neither actually made much of an effort to dissuade or avoid you after making their discoveries. of course riddle wouldn’t hesitate to scold or collar you if your advances caused you to break a rule or he caught you threatening the wellbeing of another student, and azul never hesitated to bring you into his office to remind you about how you should be acting around the customers lest you scare any more away from the lounge, but beyond that they just… treated you like they did before

hell, there were even moments where each of them found themselves leaning into your obsession for one reason or another. for riddle he usually did this as a means of verifying that he was correct in whatever action he took and the other party was clearly at fault (after all you’re agreeing with him, as you always do, so he can’t be wrong!). and for azul he usually found himself positioning himself ‘casually’ in your vicinity during his worst days and using your endless stream of compliments and assurances and obsessive staring to try and quieten the insecure voice in his head for a while. though thankfully those moments were rather rare for each of them, and in the months leading up to the three of you actually getting together you were mostly just treated as neutral company with some more concerning habits — not unlike rook, actually

much to the concern of certain onlookers (namely trey, cater, and deuce once he finally picks up on the concerning undertones to your behaviour), and amusement of others (read: the tweels and ace) — reactions that only intensified when the two boys eventually accepted your courtship and the three of you started publicly dating

both of them put a lot of work into trying to redirect your energy away from obsessing and stalking to something less harmful and more productive — though what that energy gets channelled into depends a lot of which of your boyfriends you’re with in the moment. riddle in particular tends to direct you towards either independent study, tutoring some of the heartslabyul first years that are struggling in a subject you’re particularly strong in, or spending your energy tending to the grounds around heartslabyul (after all, you can’t go around threatening others for looking at him when you’re busy tending to the hedgehogs or meticulously hand painting a maze worth of white roses red, now can you?). azul, meanwhile, encourages you to spend your excess energy in ways that are more beneficial to the lounge — like helping him with filing paperwork if that’s your strength, or lending a pair of helping hands during the dinner rush just to keep you too busy to even consider doing anything nefarious. of course the long-term success of their respective strategies is entirely dependent on how stubborn you are, but at least they’re trying, right?

for as much as they can both appreciate, in their own ways, your intense level of fidelity and devotion to remaining entirely loyal in your relationship to them, the second your methods veer too far off of the beaten path neither of them will hesitate to pull you aside and scold you for it. though riddle is much more genuine in his scolding as he cannot condone you threatening or harming people no matter how much he may agree with the sentiment behind your actions (flirting with taken people is against the queen’s rules after all), while azul is noticeably more performative and placating about it and will only ever pull you aside for a chat if you get caught or your actions start to put his business and connections at risk

or, in other words, riddle will let you go after others if you’re really intent on doing so just so long as you don’t break any rules in the process (though he would really rather you not act quite so shamelessly possessive and obsessive in public…), while azul has absolutely no qualms about what you do as long as you don’t do anything to smear the lounge’s reputation (or his) in the process… so don’t get caught (it’s a mer thing, honestly, this kind of behaviour is pretty normal amongst courting pairs it’s just that octo-mers like him aren’t so quick to aggression over minor things… unlike eel mers, for example)

azul has absolutely floated the idea of utelising your unwavering obsession and eagerness to please and protect for the benefit of himself, the lounge, and in order to better enforce his contracts — as, after all, you’re much more threatening than floyd when provoked… more motivated too — but riddle very swiftly and loudly shut the idea down before it could take root. he even went so far as to weaponise your equal obsession with him just to make sure you wouldn’t get so involved with your other boyfriend’s shadier dealings

ever so diligent and dedicated to his tight schedule, riddle will do his damndest to ensure you don’t break away from your own studies and extracurriculars as a result of your yandere obsession with them. in fact he’s long since given up on stopping you from stalking altogether and moved on to doing your schedule for you and setting aside a dedicated block of time each day for you to follow him and/or azul around to your heart’s content… but sevens forbid he catches you breaking schedule because you will get the scolding of a lifetime

given that azul and riddle are both people with a lot of responsibilities independent of their relationship with you or each other, it almost goes without saying that you’re going to end up splitting your time between them a whole lot more than you probably would prefer. but the alternative is leaving either heartslabyul or octavinelle without their housewardens, and potentially the mostro lounge without its manager, and neither possibility is one that bodes well in the long term. that being said, date nights are a weekly thing and the boys do carve out some time in their schedules where you can all be together as a triad… if only to stop you from going completely insane, but a win is a win, no?

azul, having grown up with floyd and thus being very desensitised to displays of violence and threats thereof, is the better equipped of your two boyfriends to handle you when you’re at your worst — when all you can think of is taking care of those you perceive as rivals or as threats to your relationship with them. he’s also, though riddle is loathe to admit such a thing, the only one of the two who is strong enough to hold you back from actually committing any acts that could lead to actual consequences for you. riddle does excel at frightening off others enough to quell your possessive urges before they can actually take root, though, which azul and his well-practiced businessman charm do not exactly help with… so let’s just say they’re even

while riddle would quite literally chug poison than ever talk about the fact that he’s in a nonmonogamous relationship with a deeply obsessive individual, azul has no such hang ups and his parents both know about you and can’t wait to meet their son (and grandson)’s wonderful partners. funnily enough the twins’ parents are also particularly keen on meeting you and are pleased azul found someone so traditional in her courting methods (not to speak ill of riddle, georgina has met him before and liked him well enough, but he doesn’t show his love quite so dangerously as you so her approval of him is a bit more understated)… so take that however you will

they have brainstormed a couple of ways to try and keep your worse tendencies in check, most of which were found to be incredibly ineffective in practice, and one such method was just to have one of them keeping an eye on you at all times. like the ‘buddy system’ that some primary schools implement for their students, but with a lot more gravity to the situation and a lot more headaches as they both struggled in their own ways to juggle your constant need to be with them and their own responsibilities… so safe to say this one did not last for very long, but you certainly had a wonderful time while it lasted

while at a first glance it may be easy for an outsider to assume that the two of you are the pure, living embodiment of the idea that ‘opposites attract’ and make for the best partnerships, you and your boyfriend are actually a great deal more alike than you are different. the only real difference of note is that you’re a lot calmer and your interests, though they cycle in and out just about as frequently as those of your favourite eelmer, tend to be more focused on crafts — unlike floyd’s own which are a lot more eclectic. but despite the misconceptions and the similarities both, the two of you are quite sure that you’re the perfect match

or, rather, floyd is absolutely certain that he’s found his soulmate in you — both in the common lander sense of the word and in the heavier, more literal sense that mers mean when such a word is said — and he makes absolutely so secret to those around him just how hopelessly smitten he is with you. not even because he won’t shut up about you (though that is equally true, of course) but just because of how much his whole demeanour softens and how he practically glows the second your name comes up in conversation

… needless to say jade finds this whole development to be incredibly amusing and, while certainly happy for his twin as any good brother ought to be, he also has every intention of using this new development to conjur up new ways of messing with him. or getting him to eat more mushrooms by utelising the state of complete and utter distraction the thought of you brings him to in order to sneak them onto his plate. maybe both

moving on from his brother’s experiments, floyd’s clear-as-day infatuation with you has started to impact just about every facet of his life whether or not you’re actually there in the flesh for him to pine over or not. much to the endearment of his parents (told, naturally, by jade about the sheer extent of the situation), the intrigue of his brother, and the frustration of azul

because for as happy as he is that his friend has found his person — he’s not a monster, after all, and can appreciate how visibly light and upbeat you’ve made floyd just by existing in his life — azul would also much prefer that his head cook didn’t bail midway through rush hour to go and see his partner without notice, or go completely off menu and start making only the foods you like regardless of whatever the customers ordered because he just can’t get you off of his mind. be as happy and in love as you want as far as he’s concerned, just please do it on your own time… the mostro lounge could do without the interruptions to service

he very much so wears his emotions on his sleeve, so there’s absolutely no hiding the jarring shift in his mood from despondent and bored to so happy his smile is literally splitting his face in two and you can hear his voice shouting after you giddily from the other side of the courtyard that happens the second he picks up on your voice or smell or silhouette. and as such there is not a single student at night raven college, nor, perhaps, a single soul on all of sage’s island, who is left in the dark about your relationship — great sevens, even silver and kalim have both picked up on it now so nobody has any excuses not to know exactly why just hearing your name getting dropped is enough to turn floyd’s entire day around for the better

though he may be something of a force of destruction as far as his classmates are concerned, floyd does have an appreciation for the arts and he especially possesses an appreciation for the art you make. and even more so any pieces you make for and gift to him, which is a really big thing in mer culture and always leaves him practically bouncing on his heels from excitement — and you can bet your ass he will be displaying everything you give him and bragging about how talented his favourite little fishie is to literally everyone who asks about them, and everyone who doesn’t ask too

stares at you a lot. both because he just likes how you look and derives a calmer sort of happiness from memorising your features and trying to guess what you’re thinking based on whatever micro expressions you’re making, and because he literally can’t help himself and when he’s not actively working on something else his eyes just naturally get drawn to you like you have him under some sort of spell… not that he’s complaining, of course

he’s also the type of guy who will doodle you all over his notebooks and exam sheets, much to the endless irritation of his teachers because no amount of scolding and detention has gotten him to shake the habit. of course it’s nice to know that their student is so happy and in love and all, but really puppy you were going to see them in two hours couldn’t you just wait? evidently not, no…

Though letting himself into your apartment like this was nothing new, had become a part of your routine for months at this point, if you're honest, there was something that had been feeling different about Valko's visits to you lately. Less vexing and more… comforting.

An increased awareness of him, maybe? The sound of his voice. His size. The way his laugh and personality managed to fill the room more than his bulky body. Of the way he always tripped over your living room rug or tried to sneak a rub of his scent into every pillow. Of the way he stood so close when he spoke to you, capturing you in the sweet honey of his eyes.

It was something warm that pulsed in your chest, something intimate that had started to hook your gaze to his mouth and magnetize your palms to his skin even today, when you're at your lowest.

His right ear twitches at the sound of his name as he grabs your phone from the floor, a crease of distaste scrunching his nose when he clicks on the screen to stop the noise and tsks, "Looks like my 'dogs are better than cats' speech needs some work."

"Maybe I'll be more in the mood to hear you out–" you take your phone back and set it on the table with a huff, "–when my 'please use the damn front door' speech finally penetrates that thick skull of yours."

A crooked grin scrawls over his face. The pointed tips of his incisors reflecting the dim light of the small lamp you'd flicked on purely to save you from feeling like a complete gremlin while you moped this evening.

"Gonna tell you the same thing I tell Ma every time she says that." He unfurls from the crouching position he'd been in and drops his weight beside you, making your normally sizeable loveseat suddenly feel cramped. "Processing info is for the ears, not the skull."

Resting your cheek in your palm, you narrow your eyes at him with a considering hum.

"What?" Your uninvited houseguest turns to face you, eliciting a concerning creak from the loveseat as his knee comes up to rest on the cushion and his arm drapes over the back. An oversized paw just shy of brushing your shoulder. "What d'you mean, 'hm?'"

"Trespasser, jumpscaring people, terrible manners, and a smart ass to your mother?" You note each transgression by holding up a finger. "No wonder you're always prowling around Linkon alone."

"Hey, hey! Woah, woah, hold on." His hand darts forward, covering yours like it'll hide the evidence. "No– I mean– sure I may be some of those things, but trust me," he puts one of your fingers down and leans forward, another sad groan coming from below the cushion as he rests his elbow on his knee. "I wouldn't be sitting here, or hanging out with you – or breathing – if I were a smart ass to my mother."

Despite yourself, you feel the corner of your lip twitch, the closest you’ve come to a smile all day.

It surprises you how naturally it comes, how much lighter you feel, as you take in his easy grin, his warm palms, his artless gaze. Makes you worry that you're becoming used to this feeling, to something you might be misreading.

"Why?"

"Well, she has this really brutal way of grabbing you by the ear and–"

"No–" the word dissolves on a giggle that has both his ears twitching and an expression you can't quite interpret crossing his face. "I mean, why are you sitting here? Hanging out with me?"

"Oh. I kind of–" He stops, catching a hint of pink creeping onto his cheeks as he looks down at still-linked hands. "I mean, I sorta felt like something was… off. With you." You're suddenly glad for the loss of his gaze as he starts to fiddle with your fingers, pressing the pads of his fingers to the tops of your nails as if to test their sharpness. "It's like a.. tug?"

Your mind races with panic as you realize just how much your attraction to him has been tugging at you over his last few visits. "Are you saying that with this– this bond or whatever, you can feel my emotions?"

"Nah, it's not like that." You hope he can't see the stark relief in your gaze when his eyes meet yours again, letting go of your hand to press a palm to the center of his chest. "It's not emotions that call me, it's, well… you. Calling me, that is. Needing me. Or, pulling at me, more like."

Your brows arc upward. "Like a leash?"

His head shoots back dramatically, paired with a groan that sounds almost as distressed as the loveseat still suffering under his weight. "Mercy, little hellion. Let a man keep at least a little dignity." He shakes his head with a bark of self-deprecating laughter. "But yeah. You've got me leashed up good. Happy?"

His question is gentle but pointed, hopeful. His frame still leaning over you, an umbrella shielding you from the sadness and negativity that have been pelting you all day.

Your chest warms at the sight, making it all the harder to respond with a sad smile and the shake of your head as the all the reasons you're not happy come flooding back.

"Alright," he says easily, unphased and unrelenting. A considering look enters his eyes. "Just means I've gotta take more drastic measures here."

In a blur of movements you barely have time to process, he turns his back to you, kicks off his boots – an oddly polite gesture that has you reconsidering just how serious he was about that leash comment – and flops backward. The broad span of his shoulders forces your bent knees down to accommodate the weight of his head as it nestles into your thighs.

"V-Valko! What are you doing?" you stutter, heartbeat galloping as the scent of amber and pine and him wash over you. His ear twitches as he takes your awkwardly hovering hands, placing one behind the wolf ear on his right and the other behind the human ear on his left.

"There," he says with a wiggle of his shoulders, like your thighs are a pillow he's nestling into.

When he notices your hands haven't budged, he gives you an expectant look, nudging the sides of his head into your palms until your lips twitch and your fingers start to move.

"This is your drastic measure?"

He hums in response, eyelashes fluttering as your nails scrape gently over a rose-coloured mix of silky hair and plush fur.

"And this is supposed to…" The question trails off but your hands continue.

He shrugs, the heat of his shoulders anchoring your thighs as one of his arms sneaks around your waist.

"I dunno, distract you? Annoy you, comfort you, take your pick." His eyes lock onto yours, sincere, earnest. "Whatever you need."

The combination of his touch and his words act like a stick of dynamite, blasting through the boulder of tension and worry that's been sitting on your chest all day.

You take a deep breath as he sighs in what you instinctually know is relief. And for the first time since he's mentioned this "bond" of yours, you think, maybe this thing goes both ways.

The thought that you might be starting to figure him out as well as he always seems to understand you brings a small smile to your face.

His lips mirror yours. "That's what I like to see," he says, voice low.

You roll your eyes and flick his ear to disguise the way your stomach flips when the praise rumbles through your thighs, flexing them to jostle him and joke, "What? Me being suffocated?"

His finger comes up to tap the end of your nose with a self-assured grin. "Stop pretending you dont like it, I saw that weighted blanket on your bed." You're not sure if it's you or the loveseat that squeaks when he tugs you into his face and nuzzles into your stomach. "Wanna tell me what's got you down?"

There's something about Valko's bluntness, about his willingness to tackle everything head-on, that catches you more off-guard than his casual and abundant displays of affection ever do. It's straightforward, without artifice. And though there's no hesitation in his request, there's somehow no pressure in it either. As if no response you give him could ever result in offense or resentment or awkwardness, making it feel like the most natural thing in the world to tell the unvarnished truth.

So you do.

"It's just… everything? I don't know, it's all piling up. Like, there's work, lack of sleep, friends I'm not keeping up with, not to mention the general state of the world."

You pause, finding his attentive gaze already on you when you look down to see if you're making any sense. He nods encouragingly, the ears on his head twitching in unison like an attentive audience.

"So I guess I've just been thinking about it all and it feels a little overwhelming. Right here." You press a hand to your chest. "And… heavy, I guess. Like–" You raise a pointed brow. "Like getting crushed by a giant mutt on my own sofa."

His jaw drops in dramatic affront. “You– did you just-” He snaps into a sitting position, your loveseat groaning in despair before he points a finger at himself, as if there could be anyone else you were talking about. “Mutt?! Oh you just crossed a line, you hellion.”

Any response you might’ve had morphs into a high-pitched squeal as you’re scooped up by a muscular arm and thrown over his shoulder.

“Valko! What are you doing? Put me down,” you manage through giggles and laughter as he hauls you to the bedroom with what sounds like a muttered 'I’ll show you a giant mutt.'

You land on the mattress with a breathless oomph, the stray laughs bubbling from your throat feeling foreign but welcome as Valko descends over your figure in an army crawl, finally stopping when you're nose to nose.

Your chests meet on each breath as he reaches up to brush hair from your face. His eyes seem more yellow than amber in the dim light, like marigolds, and you can't think of anything more fitting for the resilient, protective man above you.

"Hi," you breathe, grinning wide.

"Hello, gorgeous," he murmurs, darting a glance at your lips that has your heartbeat pounding against your ribs.

The shadow of his tail swishes behind him as he lowers his weight onto you, fitting his body over yours in a way that anchors and comforts you rather than stifles you.

"Better?" He mumbles into your neck, the heat of his breath awakening gooseflesh over your collarbones. "You know, now that you've made my pedigree your punching bag?"

"Yeah, actually," you realize with a giggle, fingers brushing over the soft bristles of his undercut. "I do."

You haven't laughed this much in a while. In fact, despite being pinned under the heaviest man you know, you haven't felt this light for a few weeks now, you think, which was… the last time he visited you. You close your eyes briefly, mourning the loss of your sanity at the realization that he was right earlier. You had needed him.

"Then listen to me real quick." Your hand slips to his jaw when he raises his head, his smile smaller, his eyes intent. "Next time you feel overwhelmed, or if it's all feeling like too much, you don't have to isolate yourself, or doomscroll, or muscle through it alone. I know I look like I'm all brains but I can help carry things. So just call me, yeah?"

You smile, agreeing with a small nod, pausing before you joke, "With the leash?"

"Okay, who's the smart ass now?" he mutters with a shake of his head, crooked grin back in place. "I meant with a phone. But the leash works too, I guess."

"What's it like?" you ask, curious for the first time since you've learned of it.

"The bond?" His eyes flicker between your eyes and your lips, a knuckle tracing your cheek. "It's like one of those less traveled paths in the woods. Barely visible to the naked eye, but once you find it and start walking on it, everything starts to feel… right."

"Your chest gets really warm and you have this zappy feeling in your gut." His lips tip up in a faraway smile as his eyes follow the path his knuckle makes over your ear, your neck, your collarbones. "Everything feels possible when it's there. Lighter. And when it's gone? Anything you do feels wrong. Empty."

"But…" You swallow past the heartbeat in your throat. "I thought you couldn't feel my emotions," you protest weakly.

A spark ignites in his eyes, electric enough to charge the air between you as his expression morphs into what you can only identify as a primal satisfaction. He inhales deeply, as if he's trying to memorize the scent of this moment, holding your gaze as his eyelids lower.

"I can't," he breathes, so close his nose brushes against yours when he shakes his head. "Those were all mine."

Your lips part, tongue hovering in wait between your teeth as his palm comes up under your chin, fingers settling on both sides of your jaw to draw you in. Your eyes shut as his lips descend over yours, and despite the warmth of his palm, the first brush of his tongue feel like being doused in flame. You wrap your arms around his neck on a moan, humming when he tilts your head to lick into your mouth again and again.

"Valko." The soft, fuzzy sensation of his buzzed hair grazes your knuckles and he sighs into your mouth, as if you're breathing life back into him with the sound of his name.

You take the chance to nip at his lip, holding it hostage between yours until he answers in kind. The sharpness of his teeth like bee stings on your mouth, soothed only by the sweet honey of a tongue that's licking, tasting, consuming the flushed skin between your lips and your throat.

His body sinks into yours, each of his muscles and contours taking shape around yours like heated metal, a weapon being forged for its master, its weight the heaviest thing you'll ever have to carry again.

➻➻ MASTERLIST

NOTE: They can take my undomesticated wolf man from me in the game but he will live on as a terrible house guest in my delusions forever xoxo

Being in a relationship with Floyd Leech was not for the weak.

He was unpredictable, clingy one moment and bored the next, and he had an almost supernatural talent for pushing every single one of your buttons. The worst part? He knew exactly what he was doing. And he did it on purpose because nothing entertained him more than watching your face go red, your voice rise, and then kissing the anger right out of you until you were melting instead of fuming.

Today was no exception. You’d asked him to pick up a few simple things from Sam’s shop after class, flour, sugar, chocolate chips, eggs. Nothing complicated. You wanted to bake muffins once you got back to ramshackle.

Floyd had grinned that sharp, lazy smile and said. “Sure thing, Shrimpy~ I’ll take care of it.”

And of course, when you walked into ramshackle that afternoon, there he was, sprawled across your couch like he owned the place, long legs dangling over the armrest, scrolling on his phone.

“Hi Shrimpy~” he greeted, flashing you a big, sharp smile.

You smiled back at him. “Hey. Did you get the stuff I asked for?”

Floyd tilted his head, pretending to think. “Hmm… oh yeah. I forgot.”

Your smile dropped instantly. “You forgot?”

“Yeah…” he said casually, sitting up and stretching like a cat. “I’ll just grab it tomorrow. No big deal.”

You felt the annoyance flare up immediately. You crossed your arms, staring at him. “Floyd, I wanted to bake today. I planned everything around it.”

He shrugged, still smiling. “You can bake anytime. It’s just muffins.”

That was it. You marched over to the couch, now properly upset. “You’re acting like a huge dick right now, you know that?”

Floyd stands up fully, mismatched eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re overreacting. The world not gonna end over some eggs and flour.”

That pushed you over the edge. Your voice rose. “I’m overreacting?! You’re so irresponsible and childish sometimes! If I annoy you that much, maybe you should just…”

He didn’t let you finish.

Floyd surged forward, one hand cupping the back of your neck as he pulled you into a deep, sudden kiss. Your eyes flew wide open. You planted both hands on his chest and tried to push him away.

“What are you… mmph!”

Another kiss. Harder this time. His arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against him until your knees bumped the couch. The fight drained out of you faster than you wanted to admit. Your hands stopped pushing and instead gripped fistfuls of his shirt as you kissed him back.

When he finally pulled away, just enough to look at your flushed face, he grinned wide, teeth sharp and delighted. “You feel better now, Shrimpy?”

“You’re insufferable….” you muttered, still breathing hard.

Floyd giggled, that low, playful sound that always made your stomach flip. Then he snapped his fingers like he’d just remembered something. “Oh wait~ I’m so stupid. I did buy all the stuff. It’s in the back of the kitchen cabinet. Oopsie~”

Your eyes went wide. Then narrowed again in fresh annoyance. “You did this on purpose?!”

He let go of you and flopped back onto the couch with dramatic innocence, arms spread out. “Me? Neveeeer… or maybe~ If you’re still mad, I can kiss you again. I don’t mind.”

You stared at him for a long second, then you rolled your eyes and turned toward the kitchen.

“I hate you!” you called over your shoulder.

Floyd laughter followed you. “No you don’t~”

You really, really wanted to argue with that. But as you pulled the hidden bag out of the cabinet and saw he’d gotten everything you asked for (plus a few extra things he knew you like), you couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at your lips.

You hated how much you loved him.

And Floyd? He knew it too. That was exactly why he kept doing it.

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

now azul is very insistent of the fact that he is ‘above’ jealousy — that he’s more than comfortable and confident enough in his place as your boyfriend (and, naturally, future husband) to ever give into the influence of such a petty emotion — but if you’ve known him for longer than a few short minutes you’ll know that he’s lying through his teeth. and it’s such a blatant and bold faced lie, even compared to the tales he spins to get a good deal out of the poor unfortunate souls he works with on a daily basis, that you can bet every thaumark you have to your name that the twins would be giving him the worst ribbing of his life if they ever heard those words leave his lips… which is precisely why azul is careful to never broach the subject when either of them could be in earshot

because not only is azul very much so not above jealousy, but he has the most prominent jealous streak of anyone either of the tweels know. of course he is rational enough to recognise that his jealousy isn’t your fault and he never takes it out on you if he can help it, but after the severe bullying and ostracisation he faced in his youth and all the lingering insecurities he has as a result he can’t help but feel a bit antsy and uncomfortable with the idea of you spending more time with others. especially those that could offer you more than he can… even if he would sooner let floyd squeeze him until he literally popped than ever admit as much to you

and no matter how long you two have been together, no matter how secure he otherwise feels in your relationship, that little voice in his head insisting that you can do better and that he doesn’t deserve you will always be there. and it will be that much louder whenever you give him even the slightest of signs that the student he’s jealous of is something that you actually like, even if you’re not doing it intentionally and truly do just feel platonically for the other person. of course that little voice does get quieter and more easy to ignore as he gets older and starts to actually address his personal issues, but growth isn’t easy or linear and it will take him a long time to truly make any progress — years, even… but that’s beside the point

the main way that his jealousy shows is through his very personal and intentional targeting of whichever person he’s jealous of, with azul using every single means he has at his disposal to get them under his thumb so he can keep them away from you. and the methods he utelises to do this vary from obvious to subtle enough to make the sea witch herself proud, including:

having jade snoop around to find out what they want and what they need so he can entrap them into a contract where they get their heart’s desire (or the closest possible equivalent he can get his hands on; resourceful as he is, azul is still only a student) and he gets the peace of mind that they will not be going anywhere near you for the rest of their life. a true win-win situation, as well as an excuse to show off the true benevolence of octavinelle’s housewarden… and thus his preferred method of dealing with his jealousy because it’s just so simple and unassuming, but unfortunately for him this isn’t always an option so he does have to resort to some less elegant solutions every now and again

rearranging their entire work schedule, if they work at the mostro lounge, to ensure that they either never cross paths with you at all or that they’re too exhausted to even properly acknowledge you when you do stumble across each other — thus causing a rift in your bond with the other person that he is all too happy to watch grow and worsen. though he is convincing enough with the reasons he provides for swapping their shifts and duties around (e.g. the lounge is short staffed on those days and need the extra hands, the previous person that performed those exhausting/undesirable duties quit and he will compensate them fairly for picking up the slack, etc.) that there’s every chance that they, and thus you, never catch onto what he’s actually pulling

enlisting the twins to… talk to the individual in question and politely advise them to never speak to you again, unless they want another visit of course. it’s a messy solution and one he will only ever use as a last resort as it involves both letting the twins know that he’s jealous (as he can’t exactly excuse these requests for being in the interest of the lounge as he might a brief research request) which will result in him getting teased to hell and back, and running the risk of you finding out what happened as the leech boys don’t exactly scream subtle when they do dorm visits… especially not floyd who is somehow both the best and worst option for this particular assignment. but if things get to this point he likely doesn’t have the option to be picky anymore so… yeah

yeah… there’s pretty much nothing that he will not do if it means keeping you by his side, even if he knows that his jealousy is completely unfounded, because he’s a problem solver to his core and he can’t help himself but try and correct what he perceives as a disaster waiting to happen. and if he can do all of that while keeping you mostly in the dark about his insecurities flaring up then that’s a bonus

granted, for as sneaky as he can be when it comes to working out ways to keep the other person away from you he is also tremendously unsubtle about his jealousy in other ways that are clear as crystal to you. like how physically clingy he gets with you, his clear displays of anxious body language like pacing and nail biting and averting his eyes, and how much he questions you about the people in your life and your own relationship while trying (and failing) to be completely nonchalant about your answers. so, really, you’d almost have to be trying to remain oblivious whenever his jealousy spikes

so… maybe don’t let him fester in his negative thoughts for too long and drag him into a cuddle pile and start kissing him senseless the second you start to notice the signs, lest he end up ruining some poor student’s life out of jealousy. unless that’s something you want to see him do for whatever reason? but even then, be sure to assure him that you’re not going anywhere because sevens know he needs to hear it

j a m i l v i p e r

after a lifetime of servitude and learning to bottle up all of his emotions in favour of performing a carefully honed neutrality to the world and people around him, it almost goes without saying that jamil has a pretty solid poker face. one that you are unlikely to be able to see through if he’s actively trying to keep it up, unless you’re exceptionally observant or he opens up to you about whatever he’s actually feeling on his own terms. and even after his overblot and his embracing his new freedom as much as he has, it’s still gonna take him a while to actually let himself open up to you like that. don’t take it personally, old habits just die hard for him… even when he really doesn’t want them to

all that to say that while he does have quite the prominent jealous streak, he also knows better than to act irrationally because of it. after all, not only does he have his family’s reputation on his shoulders but he also has to consider how his actions will impact you as his partner, and as a result he is very careful about how he acts around whoever he’s jealous of. not to say that he’s above being petty with them, because he’s not, just that he’s going to be a lot more thoughtful and intentional in how he goes about being petty — he has to have plausible deniability, after all

though his first instinct for a while, before he even considers messing with the other party at all, is to try and work through these uncomfortable emotions on his own. like he does for most things in his life and has been doing pretty much for as long as he can remember. of course this isn’t exactly a successful strategy and he will pivot eventually, but it’s effective enough and he’s stubborn enough to try and stick with it for as long as he can… which, in hindsight, is perhaps a while longer than he should have

eventually though he will end up caving and broaching the topic with you himself, hinting at it over several days to test the waters before actually setting aside a chunk of time one day for the two of you to actually sit down so he can tell you about what he’s been dealing with. because for as much as he hates showing off his vulnerabilities and insecurities to you in such a clear way, he does also want to make this relationship work in the long term and understands well enough that this is very much so a necessary step in ensuring the two of you don’t end up drifting apart or growing resentful (you may be his first real partner, but having spent a lot of time blending into the background he’s been privy to watching many couples implode over one person’s jealousy and he does not want the two of you to end like that. or at all, actually… but that’s beside the point)

and after that conversation, difficult and awkward and uncomfortable though it may have been for the both of you, you’ll come out the other side much more confident and assured in the stability and openness of your relationship. and you, in particular, will have your eyes open to all of the signs you likely missed that pointed towards just how jealous jamil was… which you now can hardly believe you didn’t find as blatantly obvious before he confessed his discomfort to you

like how he would glare at them whenever they were near you, or whenever he saw them around school in general, his eyes observant and judgemental and burning holes into their skull only to return to a more neutral, almost bored, expression the second they looked in his direction. a clear sign of his dislike for the other person to those who were close to him in the moment, namely ace and floyd, but one that was easily missed as he excelled at quickly masking his hatred and blending back into the background before they realised he was the one staring them down

and the way that he’d almost habitually position himself in front of you whenever the two of you bumped into the other person, placing a physical boundary between you and wordlessly but irrefutably cementing his role as your boyfriend to them in a single, outwardly inconspicuous gesture. even inserting himself silently into your interactions with them just to reassert his place and the fact that they really ought to back off, even if he never actually said as much to them

and then there were all the times that he would actively interrupt your conversations with whoever he was jealous of, though he always came to you with a believable excuse so you never really thought to question it. after all, it really wasn’t so out of sorts to think that kalim had thrown another last minute party and your boyfriend desperately needed someone to keep him sane while he did all the prep, or that you had promised to study with him during your free period and it had slipped your mind because of all the chaos you experience on a daily basis, so you’d always bid your farewells and follow jamil without complaint (much to his unspoken relief, and smugness — because once again you chose him and not them)

and the way he’d become more publicly tactile with you whenever they wandered over to you both… though he always kept his gestures on the more appropriate side (e.g. fixing your uniform, kissing you on your hands or cheeks, offering you his arm to hold onto while walking between classes, etc.) so you didn’t necessarily pick up on the more possessive and intentional undertones to why he was suddenly being so physical in those moments. but, saying that, you can’t exactly bring yourself to complain about it as it was nice having your boyfriend be so openly tactile for a change…

… but, hey, hindsight is fifty-fifty and jamil can hardly blame you for not really picking up on his jealousy since he was otherwise going to such lengths to keep it under wraps. though now you know what to look out for moving forward, so do whatever you will with that newly acquired knowledge

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

despite leona’s claims that he ‘isn’t the jealous type’ and that ‘it’s just called being territorial, herbivore. all beastmen are like this’, he is, in fact, a very jealous person. mainly because of his own insecurities and that lifelong fear of coming in second once again, this time in his own relationship with the one person in his life that has actively and consistently chosen him over anyone else. and while he will not take that jealousy out on you — unless, for whatever sevens forsaken reason, you decided to actively try to make him jealous and he knows that’s what you were doing — and while he does do his best to try and hide his jealousy as best as he can, he is also tremendously unsubtle about the whole thing, especially so if you happen to know him well (like, say, ruggie who is usually the first to call him out on being jealous whenever he’s around)

the first sign that you’re likely to notice that gives away just how unhappy he is with the amount of attention you’re giving to or receiving from another person is just how much he’ll be glaring at them. over your shoulder, behind your back, his entire expression cold and calculating and threatening, only to become noticeably neutral and unbothered the second your attention returns to him — an unspoken challenge and threat that is usually enough to force any savanaclaw student to get the picture, and to at least unsettle other students into leaving after a while

(though, granted, his resting face isn’t entirely dissimilar to his expression when he’s jealous and starting to get pissed off — especially if the other party doesn’t know him all that well beyond what little they may have seen/heard of him from his dorm mates — so it’s entirely possible that they’ll just not notice what’s going on and continue on as usual. but, eventually, even the most oblivious of individuals is sure to start feeling unsettled by how intensely leona is staring at them, so it’s a matter of whether he gets tired of inaction and moves to make a more obvious show of possession or whether they finally take the hint and leave first…)

then, if that fails to ward them off at all, he’ll escalate to practically draping himself over your body — making his presence impossible to ignore and really showing off the fact that you’re taken and the other person needs to take the hint and back off. of course he’s careful not to put his full body weight on you because for as funny as he finds it to bother you like that he doesn’t want to crush you and this is solely a matter of staking a public claim on you as your mate, but nonetheless the very blatant gesture is usually clear enough of a sign to get most students to clue in on the fact that you’re his and scamper off with their tails between their legs

he may even go so far as to start growling and threatening them if he feels it’s necessary. though really he’d rather not have to lower himself to that level and it takes a lot more than you’d think for leona to feel truly compelled to start acting so aggressive with another student — granted instincts are instincts and if it’s another beastman that’s trying to infringe on your relationship he has no qualms reestablishing the pecking order in the dorm if he needs to, but if he can get away with it he’d much rather take the easy way out and have them leave before any actual verbal or physical confrontation takes place

and if the passes start to become a bit too blatant and bold for his taste — i.e. they cross the line from excusable or mildly complimentary in tone and turn obviously flirty and disrespectful to you and to your relationship — then leona will just straight up pick you up or drag you away by the arm to go and nap somewhere private. both so he can properly scent you again and remove you from the offending party’s presence, and so he can slowly sleep off his frustration before he does something that gets you annoyed with him

(you’re not even safe from this when he’s not there in the moment to see this all going down either, because his sense of smell is so strong that he’s very quick to pick up on the fact that you ‘stink’ of someone else — which then immediately puts him in a sour mood and results in him pretty much holding you captive in his arms while he naps to rid you of the stench)

he may — emphasis on may — even start attending his usual classes if you and the person in question are part of his cohort, if only to ensure that you don’t end up having to work with them (after all, why pair up with them for a project when your boyfriend is right here?) and thus that they have absolutely zero chances to get close to you in any sense of the word during class hours. not physically, as leona will be setting up shop right next to you and glaring anyone who tries to sit in his seat (no he doesn’t care that they were assigned that seat, it’s his now), or through bonding as he makes it very clear that he’s gonna be your default class partner for every class you have together. no he’s not being obvious… shut up

he will also go out of his way to make sure that you smell like him afterwards, usually by all but forcing one of his jackets on you and insisting on you wearing it for the rest of the day — partially as a very clear visual indicator that you’ve been claimed by him even when he’s not there to literally drape himself on top of you, and partially because the jacket smells like him and if you have his scent clinging to you there’s no denying that you’re his person. his mate. and that usually is enough to ward off pretty much any other beastman that you may cross paths with, and most other students too (aside from the bold or oblivious, but he has his ways of dealing with those too if he needs to do so)

while this isn’t something he particularly wants to do, or that he’ll default to unless he’s exhausted all of his other options, leona can and will fight anyone who simply refuses to take the hint that you’re his mate. and he will win, so don’t worry about that. though, again, this is very much so a last ditch effort from him to really send a message and the vast majority of the time the most you’ll see of his jealousy is what’s listed in the above points instead

r i d d l e r o s e h e a r t s

to say that riddle wears his heart on his sleeve sometimes may very well just be the understatement of the century — after all, anyone who has ever crossed paths with the former rose red tyrant is surely all too familiar with just how quick he has been to anger in the past, as well as just how visibly obvious it was whenever his temper was even just starting to rise. and that very much so extends to how his jealousy tends to manifest now that the two of you are in a relationship

of course he does usually try and rationalise his way out of this headspace when he can (he trusts you dearly, after all, and would very much so like to believe that he’s made some progress towards anger management since his mortifying overblot at the start of the semester), but even so there will be many instances in which you, or whoever is nearby at the time, will be treated to the sight and sound of a positively fuming riddle whenever his jealousy happens to get the best of him. which is more often than not because someone is getting way too close to you for it to be innocent in his presence

riddle has absolutely zero poker face when it comes to how he feels about you, and even if he manages to keep his mouth shut and his temper (mostly) contained all it will take from you is a single look in his direction to realise just how jealous your poor boyfriend is. because, well, there’s really no missing the frightening shade of red his skin flushes from the neck upwards, nor the sour look on his face, nor the way his hands tighten around whatever he’s holding in a way that very clearly indicate just how hard he’s trying not to lash out — like you’d have to be trying not to notice at that point

he will make a point of positioning himself between you and whoever he’s jealous of in the moment, or failing that he’ll just stand by your side and make it abundantly clear through that prolonged proximity that you’re very clearly taken and they ought to back off — or, at the very least, knock off whatever offending behaviour they were engaging in before he moved to intervene… after all, with his reputation being as widely spread as it is its rare that riddle actually has to go so far as to escalate beyond this little show before the other student politely backs down and makes an excuse to leave. especially so if said student happens to be a member of his dorm (and, thus, very familiar with just how bad his temper can get) or if they are close to another student who is (and are consequently keenly aware of how bad of an idea it might be to test his patience and his boundaries when it comes to you, his lover)

and, because riddle is riddle and old habits die hard, he also has a nasty habit of lecturing the hell out of whoever he’s jealous of — systematically scolding them for every tiny infraction that he can think to apply, no matter how niche or unimportant, until they finally break and leave with their tail between their legs… and an apology on their lips too, ideally, but being a housewarden has taught him that accountability to that level is very rare at night raven so he doesn’t really expect that. frankly, as long as they leave he couldn’t care less about what they have to say

he may even try and find an excuse to collar them if he felt their offence was severe enough — though, unfortunately, riddle isn’t so keen to fall back on the same bad habits that led to his overblot so he does actually make an effort to not just collar people because they made him jealous… however if he finds them guilty of breaking a rule at the same time and that warrants being collared, well, that’s fair game in his eyes

the second the two of you leave, or he finally gets the other person to leave, he will be complaining about them for the rest of the day… or until you manage to get him to move onto another topic, but even then he will be quietly stewing on the whole interaction for hours after the fact. and his complaints vary from understandable (e.g. they were rude, they interrupted you too much, they were mishandling their pen and could have hurt someone, etc.) to downright petty in a way that somehow manages to be both deeply amusing and bewildering in the most riddle way possible

in the hours, days, and sometimes even weeks, following a particularly rough experience in regard to his jealousy, riddle will make a point of keeping you even closer than usual. partially to make it even more abundantly clear to those around you that the two of you are an item, but mostly to soothe his own insecurities and upset without him having to ask outright for that comfort. and that involves everything from walking you to and from your classes and sitting beside you during lunch, to personally inviting you to the dorm for sleepovers and unbirthday parties and study sessions — which both gives the two of you plenty of chances to spend time together and grow closer as a couple, and makes it much more difficult for anyone else to try and capitalise on your time in that way that sets his teeth on edge

and sevens help him if the person he’s jealous of happens to be someone that you’re naturally very close to independent of your relationship with him. doubly so if that person is more traditionally likeable than riddle is. because that will only make his insecurities that much worse to contend with as he spirals in ways that are clear as day to everyone around him…

Timelapse🩷

this is a habit he formed long before he ever even considered asking you out, and something that clued his family in on the fact that their sweet little epel actually had a crush on someone, but whenever he writes home to his family, and especially to his meemaw, he always ends up talking about you for at least a paragraph or two in each letter. he doesn’t even realise that he’s doing it or that it’s an unusual thing for him to do because you’re such a big part of his life now that mentioning your recent shenanigans and achievements just feels like a natural inclusion, and the idea of leaving you out never actually occurs to him. so, needless to say, you will be getting a peek at those letters when he brings you over to harveston to meet the family because they’re all so eager to meet the person he’s been talking about so much — much to epel’s very vocal mortification

he never mentions this to you outright, mainly because he’s way too embarrassed to actually ask you to do this and doesn’t want to come across as too ‘needy’ or ‘desperate’, but epel really wants you to show up to one of his spelldrive games wearing one of his spare jerseys. in fact just seeing you in one of them would be enough to make his day, and give him the motivation to play at his absolute best no matter how utterly drained he may be. so instead of having an actual conversation about it, he just leaves one of his team uniform shirts laying around your dorm room in a very obvious place in the hopes that you’ll ‘steal’ it and wear it to one of his games

if you are someone who wears makeup, and especially if you’re someone who wears lipstick or lipgloss that has the potential to leave stains, he finds himself having a love-hate relationship with the kiss marks you leave on his face after you two have spent some time together. love because, well, they’re a very visible sign showing off that he’s taken and his partner is as smitten with him as he is with you… hate because even he can reluctantly acknowledge that being covered in kiss marks makes him look way cuter than normal, something which the other first years have oh so helpfully told him

for as much of a fight as he puts up whenever anyone else tries to get him to conform to a certain image or act a certain way, like vil for example, epel is strikingly quick to fold and comply the second you’re the one issuing the command. of course he puts up a bit of a token fight but you both know he’s gonna give in because epel is a firm subscriber to the ‘happy spouse happy life’ mindset and he’s very much so not in the habit of intentionally pissing off his partner (sevens know his meemaw would have his ass if she found out he was doing that and for a woman her age she can be terrifying when she wants to be)

this is more of a harveston thing than an epel-specific thing, but he will absolutely get on your ass about eating properly and consistently — including piling more helpings of food on your plate if he thinks you happen to look a bit hungry (and stubbornly arguing with you if you try and insist you’re not), and nagging you into eating more regularly if you’re someone who has a habit of forgetting for one reason or another. and, no, he doesn’t see the similarities between how he acts towards you and how much vis is on his ass for his diet and he’s obstinate enough to straight up deny it even if you bring it up to him directly so don’t waste your energy…

of all the photos he’s taken with you there are two that stand out as his absolute favourites. the first, and the one he shows off by far the most to friends and family, is a selfie he took with you during your first stay at his family farm and right after you two finally finished up your share of the work — you’re both visibly sweaty and exhausted, but the bright smile on your face (and the more masculine look he has about him in the picture) cemented it as a favourite of his from the second he took it. and the second, and more private, favourite of his is a picture he snapped of you asleep on his shoulder during a sleepover in his dorm because he thought you looked adorable like that… and the general domestic vibe of the photo, and the softness of his features as he looks at you in the picture itself, is both the main reason he loves it so much and the reason why he pretty much never shows it off

the very first time you met his folks he went in full of confidence about getting the chance to show off and play your personal tour guide… only to end up pink from collarbone to crown and hoping desperately for the floor to swallow him whole while his meemaw spent the better part of the visit alternating between showing old pictures of him from when he was a kid, telling you all the embarrassing stuff he used to do, and gushing about how lovesick he acted the first time he came back for break after the two of you became a couple (the majority of which he spent, when not working on the farm, texting and calling you). yeah… great time for you, embarrassing core memory for your darling boyfriend

around the time your first ‘big’ anniversary came around, epel had gotten it into his head that he needed to take you out somewhere fancy to celebrate. which meant he spent the month leading up to the date in question consulting his housewarden and rook for help with setting everything up. of course in the end the two of you didn’t make it through the whole dinner as you both felt so out of place, ditching the fancy restaurant for something more ‘you and him’ so you could actually enjoy your anniversary, but he fears he may never live down the way he damn-near begged for vil’s help with choosing an outfit… and, for your part, please make sure he doesn’t because he gets the cutest most annoyed look on his face whenever you bring it up

he may or may not have dropped an unexpectedly heavy apple straight onto his own face while tossing it up into the air over and over again in an effort to impress you. and then he may or may not have insisted he was strong and it ‘barely even hit him’ despite the fact that you could see the tears in his eyes and hear the crack of his voice as he said it… before making a very smooth exit to go and ice his face to prevent a bruise from forming that vil would absolutely be on his ass about should he see it…

==============================

The silence in the NRC library was calming, and punctuated only by the soft turning of pages and the distant scratching of pens on paper. It was late, and the towering stacks of ancient books seemed to cast impossibly long shadows across the polished oak tables

You sat close beside him, shoulders touching and surrounded by an absolute fortress of magical textbooks and loose paper. You were staring blankly at a complex enigmics worksheet, your pencil hovering uselessly over a particularly stubborn problem. You had been trying to break down spells using formulas for what felt like three hours, but the numbers and charts were starting to swim on the page. Every note you had taken and things you still had to study had completely blurred together in your exhausted mind.

Beside you, he shifted slightly, his focus locked entirely on his own reading for professor treins class. The steady, quiet rhythm of his breathing and the solid, comforting warmth radiating from him in the drafty library were a stark, soothing contrast to the frustrating formulas in front of you.

You rested your cheek against your palm, letting out a soft defeated sigh. You told yourself you would just close your eyes for a single second..just long enough to give your brain a break from the work in front of you, but the moment your eyelids fluttered shut, the sheer exhaustion of the school week dragged you under

Your grip on your pen loosened until it clattered softly onto the desk, rolling somewhere else completely. Your head slipped from your hand, gravity took over as you unconsciously drifted toward the warmth beside you, finally coming to rest in a soft, peaceful sleep against his shoulder without a second thought

==============================

Ace Trappola♥️

-oh boy…ace is the KING of acting like he doesn’t care but the moment your head hits his shoulder his facade drops a little

-at first he tries to tease you by testing the waters and poking your cheek gently to see if you were actually asleep

-the second he realizes you are he pulls his hand back from your face and relaxes a bit more as a huge, goofy grin paints his face

-he’d pull out his phone to snap a picture for “blackmail” but between me and you? He’s putting it in his favorites folder

-gently he’d shift his posture to try and act casual just in case anyone so happened to see but the red flush on his cheeks made him look anything but casual

-ends up laying his head gently on yours as he looks down at your work, a smile on his lips as he looks down at the small doodles and notes you made in the corner when you couldn’t figure something out

“Seriously? Formulas is what finally took you out?”

-he’d speak in a murmur as he moved one hand up to gently brush a strand of hair out of your eyes, completely abandoning his own textbook and work

“I guess I could help you with this junk later but you definitely owe me got it?…sleep well idiot..”

Deuce spade ♠️

-you might’ve broke him for a second if we’re being honest

-the second he feels your head gently hit his shoulder his pen immediately came to a halt, a tight grip as he squeezed it

-genuinely short circuits with his cheeks going red and his posture immediately fixes itself by going to sit completely upright

-he tilts his head down slightly to look at you. The way your lips are slightly parted, the way your brows twitch slightly, and your steady breath..his heart is beating so fast in his chest he was scared it would wake you

-he’d glance at your paper and furrow his brows slightly before realizing he recognizes what you were working on, the formulas and graphs have been giving him a hard time too

“So you’ve got enigmics too huh? No wonder you’re..geez you’re really out..”

-he doesn’t dare move an inch and tries to stay as perfectly still as he can

“I’ve got you just..just rest I promise I’m right here”

Jack Howl 🐺

-He gives a sharp and involuntary twitch the moment your head comes into contact with his shoulder

-his ear pinned back for a moment before moving forward. His protective instincts instantly kick in the moment he glances down at your exhausted figure

-he only really lets out a soft grunt before his attention turns back to his work trying to act like this doesn’t effect him

-his tail betrayed him, its wagging in slow rhythmic thumps against the oak chair

-stays silent for the most part as he continues to work, his movements slower than before

“You’ve worked hard... I’ll wake you in 20 just, stop leaving yourself vulnerable in the open anyone could walk up on you.”

-his voice was kept low and quiet as he spoke indirectly to you, he kept his ears perked up just in case as he let you rest

Epel Felmier🍎

-his breath hitches when he feels the sudden added weight of your head on his shoulder

-very used to vil constantly lecturing everyone at ​pomfiore about elegance, posture, and maintaining a dignified distance

-all those rules slip his mind though when he glances down to see your face, his heart melting at how perfect you looked

-glancing down at your paper with a sympathetic smile

-he understood how exhausting It could be to try and balance classes with what goes on at nrc

- he sets his pen down while glancing around the room, his hand moves to find yours under the table, gently interlocking your fingers together

“You really went and tuckered yourself out didn’t you?”

-his voice was kept quiet and soft with just a hint of a drawl behind it as his thumb rubbed circles on the back of your hand

“You’ve been pushin yourself way too hard lately..always runin around trying to fix other people’s messes..just rest, darling I ain’t budging an inch until you wake up”

-and he means that, he lets himself relax while keeping steady for you to sleep not daring to move an inch

-fingers still interlocked with yours the entire time

Sebek Zigvolt🐉

-sebek is..loud..typically

-so when your head drops onto his shoulder he immediately inhales as he gets ready to reprimand you

-for a lack of “decorum” as he would say and even daring to use a retainer of malleus draconia as a pillow

-the words die in his throat the moment he looks down at you, your face peaceful as you nuzzled into his shoulder

“HUMAN! DO NOT DARE TO-“

-genuinely a struggle for him but he does shut up a little

-part of him is kind of deeply honored that you felt so safe with him that you’d fall asleep

-he sits up completely straight almost acting as some unmoving and vigilant guard dog

“Insubordinate human..completely undisciplined..to fall asleep during academic training, and against my person no less!….fine. Only because you have clearly exhausted your meager stamina on these calculations. I shall allow this temporary transgression..”

-will stare holes into the wall as he sits at full alert, heart pounding in his chest as he ‘keeps watch’

==============================

==============================

The afternoon sun filters softly through the windows of the pomefiore dorm, casting a warm golden glow over epel’s room. It’s quiet and sweet, a rare yet precious occurrence and the two of you are making the absolute most of it

You’re sprawled out across his neatly made bed, your head resting comfortably on his chest while he has one arm wrapped securely around your waist. With his free hand, he’s holding up a heavy textbook for alchemy though neither of you actually read a single line in the past forty minutes

"Hey I'm just saying”

you murmur while tracing lazy circles on his shirt with your finger absentmindedly,

"if we get caught, I’m telling vil that you held me hostage with that southern charm of yours”

Epel snorts slightly, the vibrations rumbling pleasantly against your cheek, your hand stops to rest on his chest. He drops the textbook onto the mattress with a soft thud and rolls over, now pinning you beneath him with a dramatic and exaggerated scowl

"Oh southern charm huh? Is that what we're callin' it now?“

He buries his face in the crook of your neck, peppering it with rapid kisses until you’re practically breathless and laughing so hard your stomach hurts trying to push his shoulders away

"Epel- HA- please stop! I can't breathe!"

you gasp, your hands moving up to cup his face, chest rising and falling quickly

The moment he feels your hands on his face he relents, propping himself up on his elbows

His periwinkle hair is wonderfully messy, falling in front of his face. The sharp, tough guy persona he tries so hard to maintain has completely melted away. He looked at you with a softness that is reserved strictly for you, melting into your touch as he kept himself propped up on his elbows

"Y’know..you're real pretty when you're laughing n smilin like that”

he mumbles as a genuine rosy blush dusts his cheeks, his eyes gleaming with admiration. There’s a comfortable moment of silence between you both, just soft gazes and smiles meant for only each other. After a few moments he leans down and catches your lips in a proper kiss this time. It’s sweet, slow, and full of warmth

Your eyes flutter shut as your hands moved from his face to his hair, fingers gently tangling in the periwinkle strands. The kiss deepens, sweet and lingering completely locking both of you into your own little world

Click

The sound of the doorknob turning is sharp and quick but it doesn't quite register to either of you until the heavy wooden door swings wide open

"Epel, I have reviewed your posture exercises for the week and I believe we need to-“

Immediately the voice cuts off abruptly, the owner of said voice seemingly not expecting whatever the scene was in front of them

You and epel freeze. It was almost like time had stopped. At an instant epel scrambled backwards so fast he nearly tumbled off the bed, his face turning a shade of crimson that you don’t quite think you’ve seen on him before. Following him you sit up quickly, smoothing down your clothes, trying and failing to look like you were just...studying the ceiling

Standing in the doorway, looking terrifyingly elegant was vil..His arms were crossed, a single perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched so high it practically meets his hairline

“Well.” Vil begins, his voice was smooth and had almost an icy purr to it. “I can see your flexibility training has taken a rather unorthodox turn.”

"DAGNABBIT!” Epel squeaks, his voice cracking slightly as he cleared his throat, panic clear in his face and voice which made you hold back a snicker behind him, eyes still glued to the ceiling

“I mean-vil senpai! I didn’t expect you to just bust in here I.."

Epels drawl depleting as he spoke in that soft refined act he did when speaking to upperclassmen and teachers

"This is my dormitory, epel. I do not 'bust in’ I simply grace rooms with my presence” Vil replies flawlessly, his sharp violet eyes darting from epel’s messy hair to your thoroughly kissed lips that had become a vibrant pink. "And more importantly, I believe I see the prefect of ramshackle on your bed. Care to explain why the magicless supervisor of our campus is currently acting as your blanket?"

Epel opens his mouth and quickly closes it, no words are able to escape his lips, at the mention of you he looks over his shoulder where you are now watching this unfold, a panicked expression paints his face that translates entirely to “please help!”

You only give him an encouraging nod, eyes on his as you offered a reassuring smile while also trying not to giggle at the situation unfolding

Taking a deep breath, Epel stands up as straight as he can. He squares his shoulders and tries to be confident but the bright crimson blush creeping down his neck betrays him. He took a deep breath as vil stood there waiting for an answer, perfectly manicured nails tapping his crossed arms

"Well..they..” he tried to find the words, he knew trying to go around telling vil the truth wouldn’t work as he could read epel like an open book, his slightly trembling hands gripped the hem of his shirt as his heart pounded in the chest, might as well just rip the bandaid off now since he knew he couldn’t explain what he had walked in on in a normal way

“Well..perfect and I are dating and we have been for a while now!”

Epel stood there awkwardly as you scooted to the front of the bed where he was, you stayed seated with only your legs hanging off the bed, a hand gently landed on his lower back to reassure him that it would be okay

Vil doesn't blink or say anything, he just stares at the both of you for a long, agonizing five seconds, the tension so thick in the air you could cut it with knife if you really wanted to

"I am aware.” Vil says simply, there was no anger in his voice which somehow made epel more nervous. He blinks, almost completely deflating at vils reply, his brows furrowing slightly as he just stares at the housewarden in front of him

“You..huh? You know?”

"Epel.” Vil sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with an air of dramatic exhaustion. "Numerous times I’ve witnessed you wear a ribbon with colors that are distinctively ramshackle colors on your wrist, your posture miraculously improves only when prefect is around, and you always smell faintly of their laundry detergent. Did you truly believe you were being subtle?"

At that you couldn’t help yourself as you burst out laughing, unable to hold it in anymore

“I told you he knew!” You said in between giggles as your hands made their way to your stomach. You had a feeling vil already knew as..well he knew everything that went on with all of the “potato’s” in his dorm, as he would call them

"Hey! You’re really hot helping!" Epel groans as he covers his face with his hands, his ears burn bright red. At the sight vil lets out a soft, almost imperceptible chuckle, his sharp demeanor softening just a fraction. He looks at you, then back to at epel who’s gaze returned to vil

"While I appreciate that the prefect seems to have a grounding effect on your..tendencies, epel. I must remind you that public,, or semi private,, displays of affection must not interfere with your studies.” Vil fixes you both with a stern look. "And please if you are ever visiting ​pomefiore again, perfect lock the door next time. I have no desire to witness the sequel to this…particular scene."

With a dramatic swirl of his purple lined robes, Vil turns on his heel with grace and leaves the room, clicking the door shut behind him

The room is dead silent for a moment before epel groans loudly and collapses back onto the bed right next to you

"Ah'm so teed off ah could spit..that was embarrassin’!” he mumbles into his hands as he stares up at the ceiling, his face and ears still dusted a deep crimson color "how on earth could I not have known vil knew”

You let out a soft chuckle as you lay back, turning so that your head was on his chest, cheek pressed against the fabric of his shirt as you heard his heart pounding in his chest

“C’mon tough guy, you did great and hey at least he knows so now we don’t have to sneak me in to hang out”

Epel turns his head sideways, glancing down at you with a pout, though a small, fond smile is already tugging at the corner of his lips, his eyes gleaming again as he moved one of his hands to rest on your back, the other resting on his stomach

"Yeah yeah. Laugh it up, sugar” he grumbled gently as he began to move his thumb up and down on your back, "But hey now that we’re in the clear you're stayin' here for the rest of the day, just ta’ help me recover from this”

A smile painted your lips as you lifted your head to look at him, admiring his features for a moment,

“And you think I’d complain about that? You’ve got yourself a deal” You said playfully as you leaned in, placing a sweet and quick peck on his cheek

==============================

============================

The familiar scent of expensive botanical extracts, crushed lilies, and meticulous discipline always hung heavy in the pomefiore lounge, but tonight it felt thick enough to choke on. You stood just inside the threshold of the lavishly decorated room, nervously shifting your weight from foot to foot and In your hands you tightly clutched a completely blank notebook, using it like a shield against the sheer, intimidating elegance of the dorm.

You had spent three days psyching yourself up for this. You wanted to start taking care of your skin more and maybe even experiment with some light makeup but a single trip to the sam's mystery shop had left you completely overwhelmed and even more confused than before. You didn't own a single product and truth be told, you didn't know the difference between toner and serum or what they even did which led you to desperately needed help.

"Oh, Ma Chère! What a radiant surprise!"

Rook appeared almost out of thin air, his fedora tilted at a rakish angle, his green eyes gleaming with an immediate yet intense focus that made your stomach do a nervous flip. He swiftly stepped into your personal space, his gloved hands clasping together over his chest

"To what do we owe the honor of your presence in our quiet dormitory on this magnifique evening~?"

You took a moment, eyes scanning over his face for a moment before you blurted it out into the open air

"Well..I want to start a skincare and maybe even a makeup routine? But I don't own a single thing and I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. I was hoping…maybe you guys could give me some recommendations?"

The silence that followed lasted exactly two seconds. Then, the heavy, gilded double doors of vil’s private quarters swung open. The elegant housewarden stepped out, his amethyst colored eyes sweeping over you with the terrifying intensity of a medical scanner. Instantly you tensed up, grip on the notebook tightening as you braced yourself, half expecting a lecture on your current lack of a regimen

Instead, vil’s lips curved into a rare, genuinely radiant smile that made your heart skip a beat

"Well," Vil started, his voice a smooth and commanding melody as he descended the stairs, his posture absolutely perfect as he kept his eyes on your figure

"My, sweet potato It seems you’ve finally decided to treat your skin like the precious canvas it is. Now sit down at the vanity. Rook, fetch the evaluation mirrors and the sanitized brushes”

"Right away, roi du poison!" Rook beamed, but before he turned to leave, he cast a lingering, incredibly softened glance your way

"Ah, to witness the awakening of a beautiful flower...truly, my heart sings!"

And with that, for the next two hours, you were the absolute center of the universe.

Vil sat you down in a plush velvet chair in front of a massive, illuminated mirror. He stood directly behind you, leaning down so his face was mere inches from yours in the glass. The scent of his rose and sandalwood perfume washed over you.

"First, my dear, we assess” Vil murmured. He removed his gloves, revealing his long fair toned fingers with a perfect manicure to match. When he reached out to touch your face, his skin was surprisingly warm. His fingertips traced your jawline, gently turning your face from side to side to catch the light. His touch was incredibly precise, yet so gentle it almost made your skin tingle. You caught his eyes in the mirror, his gaze was fierce but there was an underlying softness there, an almost quiet, burning intensity that had nothing to do with cosmetics

"To start, your skin has an excellent natural barrier, but from the feel of it, it's thirsty" Vil diagnosed, his thumb brushing lightly across your cheekbone. He held the contact for a fraction of a second longer than necessary before reluctantly pulling his hand away, keeping his composer

“First off, will start with hydration. A gentle, ph-balanced cleanser, a soothing toner, and a lightweight moisturizer with SPF. Consistency is your holy grail. If you skip a night, I will know."

"Ah~ and look at how the lighting catches the high planes of their face, absolument époustouflant, parfait, élégant, you Mon cœur are the embodiment of perfection!” Rook chimed in, singing praises as he leaned over the arm of your chair. He had abandoned his hat somewhere behind him and his golden hair fell loosely around his face as he stared at you with unadulterated adoration

"Truly, nature has already blessed them with such marvelous structure. We are merely framing a masterpiece!"

Rook reached out, his hand hovering over yours where it rested on your knee "May I?" he asked softly, a rare note of genuine vulnerability in his usually theatrical voice.

When you nodded, he gently lifted your hand, using the back of your wrist to swatch a few different shades of a hydrating tinted moisturizer. His fingers were steady, but his thumb traced slow, deliberate circles against your skin as he evaluated the color

"Look at that blend, Ma Chère..” Rook whispered, his voice dropping to a low, intimate register that sent a shiver straight down your spine

"It mimics the warmth of your soul. A perfect match."

"Now now, don't fill their head with too much poetry, rook. They need practical instructions” Vil chided, though his own cheeks were dusted in a faint, unusual dust of pink. Vil stepped closer, picking up a clear brow gel and a tinted lip balm. He leaned in close again, his chest almost pressing against your shoulder

“Now if you would, look up for me.”

You looked up, completely trapped between vil’s commanding presence above you and rook’s intense, adoring gaze beside you. He gently applied the balm to your lips, his gaze dropping to your mouth with a look of intense concentration and something else that felt dangerously like hunger and adoration.

"There” Vil murmured, his voice slightly thicker than before, his lips tugged into an unusually soft smile as his eyes scanned over your face for a moment, soon letting out a sigh of satisfaction before pulling away, eyes finding your face in the mirror

"A natural, healthy flush. Perfect."

━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

Before you could even think about asking where to buy these items or how much they would cost, vil vanished into his room and returned with a beautifully embossed, heavy white box tied with a satin lavender ribbon. He placed it gently in your lap

"Open it” he commanded softly

Inside was every single product they had just tested on you all brand new, full sized, and gleaming in their luxury packaging

"Vil? I can't accept this” you stammered, your face burning “This must cost a fortune!"

Vil simply raised a hand, a soft, incredibly tender smile crossing his face as he looked down at you

"Nonsense, Consider it an investment in your future, and perhaps...an investment in the person who has caught the eye of the Pomefiore Housewarden. A true beauty never worries about the bill"

"And do not worry about the application, mon Amour!" Rook added, stepping forward to gallantly take the heavy box from your lap to carry it for you. He leaned down, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to the back of your hand, his eyes locking onto yours with burning affection

“I shall be at your dorm tomorrow morning at dawn to guide your lovely hands through the first routine! We wouldn't want you to feel lonely on this new journey, would we?"

============================

Now what do they recommend?

​Vil Schoenheit 👑

-A high end, non comedogenic cleanser and a luxury hyaluronic acid serum that may or may not be made by him..

-He’s also very big on toner, something that fits your skin type to help it flourish is his go to!

“Only the best for a face under my supervision."

Base wise,,

-A premium tinted moisturizer or BB/CC cream

-Vil absolutely refuses to let you cake your skin in heavy foundation for your first try

As for accents,,

-A berry tinted lip oil and a clear brow gel

"Framing the eyes and hydrating the lips changes the entire face structure."

Rook Hunt 🏹

-A refreshing rosewater and aloe facial mist

-Definitely gives you something like a daily spf crème without a scent or with a floral scent

"For a burst of life when you miss me during the day, Ma Chère!"

Base wise,,

-A subtle liquid highlighter

-Rook wants to see you shimmer like liquid gold shimmer more than you already do

As for accents,,

-A simple soft warm cream blush with a jelly applicator

-Though rook secretly notes that your natural blush when he compliments you is his absolute favorite shade in existence

============================

Pomefiore, known for its unmatched elegance, strict pursuit of beauty, and excellence! Basically it was a second home to you by now. Between long study sessions, drinking expensive herbal teas, the rich skincare you were treated to and simply just being able to bask in the company of the dorm’s eccentric leaders, spending the night here had become somewhat of a regular occurrence for you

With that being said, you had a terrible habit when it came to the actual leaving part of this whole staying over thing..

Whether it was the chill of the early morning or the groggy state you were still in, you tended to just…grab things that were in reach of you. A sweater here, a scarf there. If it was draped over a chair and you felt a breeze gently blowing from an open window it became yours for the journey back to ramshackle

You always meant to bring them back, really! somehow though they often ended up folded neatly in the old and very rickety wardrobe closet instead, waiting for the return trip to pomefiore that kept slipping your mind. They had tons of clothes though! Surely it wouldn’t be a problem if only a few things went missing right?

You are infact painfully mistaken if that’s what you thought, currently there was a crisis of missing clothing pieces brewing rather quickly back at the pomefiore dorm

━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

As vil stood before his immaculately organized wardrobe, his amethyst eyes narrowed in genuine perplexity at the sight In front of him. His clothes were sorted by season, color, occasion, and fabric, and even fabric weight! Yet even with his pristine organization, he couldn’t ignore the glaring gap in the section specifically sorted for silk

“Rook!” He called out, his voice a tight cord of restrained irritation as he stepped out of his room, his hands moving to rest on his hips, his perfectly cut brow raised

“Have you been in my wardrobe? My outer robe is missing.”

At an instant rook appeared from the corridor, but for once his usual springy step was accompanied by an air of deep contemplation..along with that it seemed his head was entirely bare

"Alas, roi des poisons" Rook sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart as he leaned against the wall

"I have not laid eyes upon your magnifique garment. In fact I am dealing with a tragedy of my own! My beloved chapeau has vanished! Un grand mystère! It seems a phantom thief stalks the halls of our beautiful dorm!”

Vil pinched the bridge of his nose, other arm crossed over his chest, he let out an almost irritated sigh

"I am not dealing with a phantom thief, rook. I am dealing with the disappearance of my robe. It is a vital component of my silhouette and I need it for the dorm leader meeting this afternoon. I refuse to be seen without it”

"Ah but fear not!" Rook’s eyes gleamed with the thrill of the chase, he pushed off the wall with a dramatic flair as he made his way over to vil

"Where there is a mystery the hunter shall find the truth! The trail of beauty never goes completely cold..Come, beau! Let us track down our missing treasures”

With a huff of annoyance, vil followed the vice housewarden, his heeled boots clicking intimidatingly against the polished marble floor

"It had better be a short hunt. I refuse to be seen looking incomplete."

━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

The hunt soon led them to the botanical garden where the afternoon sun filtered through the glass roof in warm golden beams. There you laid sideways across the entire length of the long iron bench with your knees tucked firmly against your chest

Vil stopped dead in his tracks, a breath of sheer, unadulterated horror catching in his throat as his eyes scanned your figure. Rook on the other hand, let out a soft and very delighted gasp as he immediately pressing a finger to his lips to quiet himself

You were fast asleep!

The floor length, heavily embroidered indigo robe was draped completely over your curled form. It was wrapped snugly around your shoulders and tucked beneath your chin like a makeshift blanket, engulfing you almost entirely. The luxurious long sleeves cascaded over the edge of the bench, pooling dangerously close to the dirt below..it also seemed that resting perfectly atop your head, tilted forward just enough to shield your sleeping face from the sun was a certain vibrant fedora with a deep red band and a distinct black feather…hm I wonder who could these things belong to

A thick textbook on astrology laid completely forgotten as it was precariously balanced against your bent hip. Hands having long since gone limp against the open pages

"Ah, regardez moi ça..” Rook whispered, his voice barely a breath as he slowly made his way closer to your sleeping form, his eyes crinkling with profound adoration as he tilted his head slightly

"The culprit is caught! but alas...they have stolen my heart just as easily as my hat..Look at our dear trickster! Is it not a picture of perfect unbothered peace? truly the embodiment of beauty!”

Vil looked as though he were fighting a fierce internal battle, he composed himself as he marched forward, his perfectly polished boots making a few soft clicks on the stone path. He stopped right beside the bench, his eyes darting from the creased and impossibly expensive silk to your softly parted lips before his gaze softened for a moment

"My dear, do you have any idea what you’re doing right now?” Vil murmured softly, ensuring he wouldn't wake you

“You..you’re wrinkling the silk! Not to mention wearing the items we’ve been looking for! Do you know how stress over things like this can ruin the skin?”

Despite his harsh words, there was absolutely no bite to his tone. Slowly, Vil reached out to you, but Instead of yanking his precious garment away, his gloved fingers gently pinched the edge of the collar, pulling it just a fraction higher around your neck so the cool greenhouse draft wouldn't reach you

He could’ve woken you up, lectured you on stealing his clothes, wrinkling the precious silk, daring to let it even graze the ground! But..it was you and somehow someway you had a soft spot in his heart

Suddenly you let out a soft and contented sigh in your sleeping state, subconsciously nuzzling into the thick fabric as your eyes remaining firmly shut beneath the brim of the fedora as you curled just a little bit tighter into a ball

Vil froze, a distinct yet lovely shade of pink dusted his cheekbones, He slowly withdrew his hand as his eyes softened into something incredibly fond

"Hopeless" he breathed softly, pinching the bridge of his nose “Absolutely hopeless."

Rook chuckled low and sweet as he stepped behind the head of the bench to lean over you. He gently adjusted the brim of his hat on your head, his knuckles lightly brushing your cheek

"mon ami..they are exhausted. It appears our little thief of beauty needed the comfort of our presence even if they had to borrow it from our wardrobes”

"If they are so prone to freezing" Vil huffed quietly, carefully perching himself on the very sliver of empty space at the foot of the bench, right next to your boots as he crossed one leg over the other in one swift and elegant motion

“they only need to ask. I will personally have something custom made just for them. I will not have them catching a cold in a drafty greenhouse or even in that..ramshackle dorm of their, nor will I have them wandering the campus drowning in garments twice their size.”

"Ah, but roi des poisons..” Rook smiled, maintaining his post near your head, his hand resting protectively on the backrest just inches from your shoulder as he gazed down at you "I believe they simply prefer the warmth that belongs to us”

Vil didn't argue, he merely brushed a stray leaf from the edge of his stolen robe, eyes scanning over your sleeping figure once more as he let out a content sigh

It seems he was perfectly content to one of his most prized garments to serve as your blanket for just a little while longer..