#aether's ocs

-

"I wonder, sometimes... would you have chosen me on your own? Without Floyd's influence?"

It was a sad thing to contemplate, but it's a thought that weighs on Jade's soul from time to time.

Yuuji and Floyd - they seemed a perfect match, in some odd way that didn't truly make sense to anyone besides the two.

Not even to Jade, knowing the both as well as he does.

He thinks perhaps it's something to do with their unpredictable personalities, or similar attitudes of most things being rather boring. Yuuji sat through those things better, but he was often the first to act out or simply leave when someone voiced the idea.

Jade couldn't help but to be jealous of the silent connection the two shared. The way they would sometimes just look at each other and immediately know what the other was thinking, or suddenly act as one unit. Would the hybrid have even still picked Jade as a companion without Floyd steering him in his direction?

Yuuji's eyes narrow slightly as he looks at Jade, sensing the shift in mood and thinking through the question carefully.

Even if it makes the mer anxious for the answer, he appreciates that Yuuji always thinks through questions such as these. Even if the answer isn't the one he's hoping for, for at least this moment he's the sole object in Yuuji's eyes.

He tries not to shiver under the attention, keeping his façade of calm.

"I wouldn't have gone out of my way to approach you... but I didn't do that as things are." The hybrid answers, weighing each word carefully, full focus on the mer in front of him. "If you approached me on your own, without Floyd, I believe I would have still grown interested in you."

Jade tries not to melt in relief, the gripping feeling on his heart lessening.

"Perhaps more slowly... but the end result would be the same. I hold affection for you as yourself, not as a set."

That façade slips for a more genuine smile than he's worn in a while, the line of his shoulders subtly relaxing. Jade exhales a soft breath, and he feels quite greedy enough to ask for another assurance.

"Then... Tell me to stay. Spend your time on me. Show me that you hold me in your heart."

Yuuji blinks, lips pursed for a moment, but ultimately he gives in. Whatever his plans had been for the day, he could push them aside to spare the time for the jealous mer. Apparently he had been neglecting him.

"As you wish. Stay with me for a while, Jade."

-

They weren’t much, but of course Ruggie took notice - he always did, with Yuujirou.

Along with that, the panthers scent slowly started to overtake the clothes that the hyena wore, the things he brought around with him, everything. At first, he just thought it was a pleasant coincidence. One that he would enjoy while it lasted.

But, it didn’t stop. If Ruggie didn’t know better, he would say it almost seemed like Yuuji was marking him. A thought that made him blush with a love struck grin, but one that he dismissed just as quickly as it appeared.

Maybe he shouldn’t have, though, the hyena realizes now as Yuujirou greets him with an outright cheek rub and a slight push. That had to count for something, didn’t it?

He returns the gesture, of course, pleased to hear how the hybrid purrs at the exchange. But before he can lose focus, Ruggie clears his throat.

“So, um, Yuuji…” He starts, having to take a moment to admire how the panther responds to his call to attention with starry eyes before he can continue. “You’ve been more, ahem, touchy? Lately?”

“Not that I’m not okay with that! I… really, really like it, actually. I was just wondering…”

His voice dies out before he can finish his sentence, and with wide eyes he watches how the hybrid rolls his eyes and lets out a chuff halfway between annoyed and affectionate, slipping his hand behind the hyena and pulling him close into an embrace of sorts, their noses just shy of touching.

A few moments pass, Ruggie getting increasingly more red as his brain goes into overdrive, even more so when Yuujirou suddenly pulls back with the hint of a growl.

There’s a million apologies on his lips in an instant, rushing to try and dispel any misunderstandings that came up because of his silence, but they all fizzle away when he sees Yuuji instead calmly walk to a nearby bush and pull the first years that constantly follow him around out of it.

“Oh. Yeah. That… makes more sense.” Ruggie mumbles, more to himself than anything, watching how the jaguar scolds their audience as his brain starts to restart.

He would have never guessed that his guess would’ve been right. Really, he thought it was much too presumptuous of him - he was half expecting to have left the conversation with threat of never speaking to Yuujirou again.

Not that he would’ve stood for that, would’ve just let it happen without warming his way back into his panther’s life, but it was the thought that mattered. That scared him anyways.

To see that he was right in the first place, that the object of all his affections actually did like him, had Ruggie well beyond cloud nine.

Now, all he needs to do is make sure it stays that way.

-

"What... are you doing?"

Azul's voice croaked with the effort of speaking, his eyes wide as he watched the trio in front of him, looking done beyond belief.

"Huh? We're helping." Floyd was the one who answered, an undercurrent of mischief shooting through his otherwise bored drawl, glancing around them with a slowly spreading grin. "Ya were complaining 'bout needing to decorate the Lounge, weren't you?"

"Oh, Azul." Jade suddenly appears, a smirk curling at his lips. "Yuujirou and Floyd decided to assist me with redecorating. You gave no guidelines, so I was hoping that our... combined vision, would be satisfactory."

A long and pained sigh leaves the octopus-mer in question, and instead of replying to the Tweels and Yuujirou's hopeful look, he just... slowly walks away.

It's without a word that he situates himself in the corner of the room, resting his head in the space, refusing to look at the mess behind him.

There was greenery everywhere, covering almost every single part of the Monstro Lounge and making it quite reminiscent of a jungle - surely the work of Jade and Yuujirou combined. That wouldn't be too much of an issue, as he could've passed it off as a tropical themed special event, if it weren't for Floyd's... contributions.

Most notably was the broken glass on the floor. How someone hadn't been hurt already we beyond him.

Along that was shards of ceramic, looking to be with the same pattern as the new plates Azul had just ordered. Lovely.

Floyd coming up and nagging, bouncing between each side of him with whiny complaints wasn't even the worst of his issues, and nor was Yuujirou quietly whispering to Jade with a confused look on his face. Perhaps the panther didn't really know what he was doing, but the dorm leader still couldn't bring himself to face the trio right now.

No, the worst thing would have to be the football (soccer for Americans) goal smack in the middle of the Lounge, with tables and chairs mysteriously gone to make space for it. How they did it, he doesn't know. Azul doesn't think he wants to know.

Jade's laughing rings through the air as he guides Yuujirou away from the octopus in crisis, Floyd bugging him for a few more seconds before joining the two of them.

All Azul heard is a muted, innocent question of ‘did we do it wrong?’ from the panther, and pretends that he doesn’t flush as he slowly started to slump into the wall, trying not to scream. How was he supposed to fix this?

Better, how was he supposed to fix this without any help before opening? With thoughts of Yuujirou still racing through his brain?

…It would be nearly impossible.

-

Dealing with Savanaclaw's dorm leader was typically a difficult task, Yuujirou wouldn't lie.

But, sometimes, he truly did grant a sense of peace like no other. There wasn't many others that had big cat heritage like the two of them, and especially not with their kind of presence either. Leona and Yuuji were predators, and quite a duo, too.

Not that anyone would be able to tell from where they were now, lounging together in the Botanical Gardens without a care in the world.

The hybrid had more or less accidentally ended up volunteering to look after Leona for the day for Ruggie, upon hearing about how the hyena beastman had recently fallen ill to a cold (believe him when he says he'll be visiting Ruggie later, too), not that he could complain about it.

There was rarely something that came anywhere close to being as comforting as being in a heap with other big cats, the panther had found. Even more so when it was noted how little he got to be in groups like that.

"Tch. You're thinkin' so hard I can practically hear it." Leona rumbled, somewhere between annoyed and affectionate, nudging his head against Yuujirou's shoulder with a huff of his breath. "Spit it out."

"Mn?" The hybrid hummed, nudging back in a show of affection, a light purr making it's way through his chest as their tails intertwined. "Nothing much. It's just nice here. Maybe I should join you more often..."

"Hmph. That's what I've been tellin' you."

Though his tone was gruff, Yuujirou could tell that Leona was pleased, the lion taking his time to cuddle into the jaguar more, and it wasn't long until they drifted off together with purrs rumbling through the air.

-

Seeing Yuujirou scowling in the middle of Heartslabyul while waiting for the Adeuce duo to come back from their room wasn't an uncommon sight - even after Riddle had scolded the rest of the dorm for their repeated questioning of the hybrid's origins, that didn't mean that he quite enjoyed being around them.

The dorm leader walked over with a hint of a frown on his lips, looking to Yuujirou and clearing his throat.

Looking up at him, the panther let out a little hum as his expression relaxed slightly, nodding in acknowledgement.

"No issues as of late, I presume?" The redhead questioned, studying him with obvious intrigue and furrowed brows. "If there is, do let me know. I will have it sorted out."

"...It's fine." Yuujirou replied after a moment, scanning his surroundings with alert eyes. "There has been no issues. Your dorm is still... curious, but they aren't out of line."

"Good."

A self-satisfied little smile quirked up Riddle's lips, and he took a moment to appraise the jaguar before carefully reaching to redo the buttons on the collar of his shirt, telegraphing his movements to ensure there was no issue with his actions.

"I truly don't understand why you insist on looking so messy... let me at least fix these up. How did you even mismatch these?"

The shorter peered ahead at Yuujirou's chest, gently unbuttoning the top of his shirt that had been done incorrectly, a light flush appearing high on his cheeks at the act that he initiated.

It took only a moment for his shirt to be fixed to the dorm leader's standards, but still, his face was as red as his hair when he finished - especially when the hybrid asked what was wrong.

-

Looking at the serpent in front of him, Yuujirou couldn't help but purse his lips with just a hint of distaste - nothing against Jamil, of course, but rather against what him being here meant.

You see, it wasn't exactly an ideal situation that the hybrid found himself in. It never seemed like it was.

Kalim had drug him into attending one of Scarabia's infamously spontaneous parties last night, and Yuujirou had ended up becoming ill. Not that he minded - leaving the gathering early was all but a blessing.

But, today, he was unfortunately made to stay home. So, here he was in Ramshackle, resting as much as he could without having Grim in his sights. He hadn't been expecting Jamil, evidently, especially with the blankets he had draped around him like a cloak, and his obvious bed-head.

"...So. Kalim sent you?"

"Yes, he insisted upon it." Jamil sighed, his stony façade breaking as he studied the panther with sharp eyes, relaxing in his presence and adjusting the items in his hold. Likely, a form of apology from Kalim. "Where has Grim gone off too? I thought he'd be taking the day off from classes as well."

He seemed fine for the most part, the serpent noted, despite how urgent he had been to just get out last night. For a moment there, he had even seemed like he was going to run out without any supervision to ensure that he would recover.

Everyone knew how impossible it was to find the hybrid when he wanted to remain hidden, so Jamil had been tasked with coaxing him back to Ramshackle - something he took pride in doing well even if it had led to him seeing the more concerning notes of last night.

The hybrid had been sick, violently so, and dazed beyond belief. It was something... far from comforting to see, knowing how sharp and present Yuujirou was at all times. Keeping him focused and cooperative was nearly impossible, but somehow, he had figured it out. A fact he was quite proud of - and one that had depressed Kalim to no end.

The panther hummed lightly, bringing the other back to the present, relaxing at the thought of his cub and gesturing for Jamil to come sit at the dining table with him.

"Jade offered to look after him for the day when he came by with Floyd this morning. He was quite upset when he heard that I wouldn't be there to help him stay entertained today, and when it came up Jade mentioned that it was the least he could do since I'm ill, with how much Floyd clings to me."

Jamil took a seat parallel from him, but cringed at the mention of the eels. "I truly... do not understand how you and them get along so well. But, I suppose that's not truly my business... It's likely better that you don't have to watch Grim while you're recovering, anyways. He must be a handful."

A nod from Yuujirou, and a thoughtful hum, even if he wouldn't have described the kit like that himself he couldn't deny the statements truth.

There's a moment of comfortable silence, both of them relaxing in the quiet company, and then shuffling when Jamil starts to present the things that he had brought with him.

"...I did my best to help Kalim select things that you would find useful, but I wasn't sure if there was any differences in medicines between beastmen and hybrids. If anything is out of place, let me know." His tone is clipped, but not unfriendly, and Yuujirou nods in understanding as his tail lazily swishes behind him.

"How are you feeling? Really, I'm unsure of how this even happened - I'll ensure that I find the mistake and amend it accordingly. If there's outside work to blame, I'll correct whoever thought to do this."

Yuujirou cocked his head at the sudden dark tone that Jamil's voice took, attentive as he looked at him with curious eyes.

"I'm sure it was just an accident, Jamil." He soothed unintentionally, not even noticing how much the serpent softened upon hearing his smooth voice. "That, or perhaps it was just something I'm unused to. There's many foods like that here, I've found... And, combined with the noise..."

It's the others turn to be curious, this time, full attention affixed to the hybrid in front of him at the casual admittance of what seemed to be a continued issue.

"Oh?" He prompted, but upon only receiving a nod, continued. "That seems that it would be quite a possibility, as well... Perhaps I'll have to ensure that you're able to experience more of the cuisine of the Scalding Sands..."

"And of the noise... I wish there was more I could do." Jamil sighs heavily, a wrinkle on his nose to go with his distasteful expression.

His eyes flick to Yuujirou's ears, almost hidden in his messy black hair, before focusing back on his face. Looking closely, one might've noticed his pupils dilate ever so slightly and how the slightest flush creeped up to his cheekbones, betraying his true emotions. He truly did care for the hybrid, didn’t he?

Clearing his throat, he regains both his train of thought and his composure, and continues. "As fond as Kalim is of you, I'm not quite sure that he'd give up on getting you to attend his meaningless celebrations."

Jamil doesn't bother to hold back the undercurrent of disdain in his voice as he normally would, sighing with a roll of his eyes, being rewarded by an affirming hum coming from Yuujirou.

"...I'm sure we'll work out a solution." Is what he decides upon answering, nuzzling into the blankets around him without much a thought, not even paying attention to how the serpent's heartbeat quickened as he sighed out in obvious contentment.

"I'd like to go back to resting, I think." The panther states after a few more moments of silence, blinking and rubbing his slightly bleary eyes. "You're free to take a break and stay at Ramshackle for awhile, if you'd like. It would be nice to have some good conversation."

Visibly lighting up, Jamil agrees before he can stop himself, and decides that it won't be so bad to get a bit behind on his tasks.

As long as he gets to stay with Yuujirou, and see this vulnerable state that few others were allowed to, he would be happy. It takes a moment for him to gain his composure, but once he does he helps the hybrid back up, letting him lead the way to the couch.

They spend the next while in comfortable quiet conversation, lazing as much as they could afford, soon falling into much needed sleep in each others company.

This will be quite the sight for whoever stumbles into them, hm?

-

Yuujirou let out a rather... undignified yelp as Floyd tugged him into the water, hissing slightly at the feeling of his uniform getting drenched, resisting the urge to shake out like a dog as he instead glared at the eel.

"Whaaat? You weren't comin' in!" Floyd whined, wrapping around the panther with his mer-form, petulantly pouting. "I can squeeze ya so much better in here!"

Sighing, he rolled his eyes and pushed him away with ease, a soft growl rumbling through. He wasn't truly irritated - Floyd would have been out of his life much sooner, if he was - but that didn't mean that he enjoyed the feeling of rough fabric sticking to his skin.

"Yes, but... I was trying to ask you if you had swimming clothes of any sort that I could borrow. It's a bit late for that now, though..."

"Huh? Silly Yuuji, why would I need swim clothes?" The eel was rightfully confused, gesturing down at his form as he continued to circle around the hybrid playfully, still keeping his proper distance after being pushed away.

"Oh... yeah."

His tone was apparently sad enough to make Floyd to burst into laughter, shaking his head and darting around as he watched the panther flatten his ears with the hint of a flush high on his cheeks, adjusting the collar of his shirt uncomfortably.

"Eheh! You totally didn't realize, did you~?" He teased, inching closer once more, watching how Yuujirou reacted with a smirk on his face. "Silly kitty cat! Come on, let's play tag~! If you win, I'll let you borrow some of my clothes, m'kay? I'll even let you be it!"

The scene flips within mere seconds at that, Yuujirou's pupils suddenly shrinking into slits as a feral grin started to sneak onto his expression, the idea of the thrill of the hunt coaxing him into acting on the instincts that he suppressed most of the time.

Floyd giggled at his expression before quickly racing underwater, starting the chase.

-

The duo was always like this - causing trouble by feeding off of each other's more animalistic instincts, play fighting like this wherever they went.

Typically, the panther tried to be more aware of where this happened, but there had been more than one occasion where Jade had to break them apart in the middle of the hallways.

At least now, it was in a pretty okay location - the pool that also served as an aquarium in the Monstro Lounge. There would be some stares, but nothing that Azul and Jade wouldn't deal with.

He was sure it would be more amusing than anything else, anyways, watching someone with Floyd's reputation get chased by someone most didn't quite perceive as a threat yet. A mistake on their parts, not that they would know that.

It took only minutes for Yuujirou to catch the eel, much to both of their delights, and they both surfaced to get out with a giddy energy about them. If it wasn't for the lack of proper clothing, he thought that he might've been able to play like that all day - it was rather refreshing.

Jade was there waiting with an expression somewhere between fond and exasperated, poorly disguising a laugh when he saw just how soaked the hybrid was. "It's impressive that you caught Floyd that fast underwater, you know." He tries to compliment, seeing how he received a glare for his laughing.

"Panthers are known to drag out crocodiles out of the water whole when they're hunting." Yuujirou replied bluntly, satisfied to see the way that both of the eels shiver at the fact. "Dragging out a little eel was nothing."

"Ehhh? But you're smaller than me, Yuuji!" Floyd reminded, wrapping his arms around the panther with a grin despite his slight nerves with the fact brought up. "Look! Ya fit in my arms so cute, ehe~!"

Huffing, he rolled his eyes and shrugged the eel off of him, getting out of the water without another thought and taking the towel that Jade was offering out.

"Floyd, here." The more responsible twin handed off a potion to relieve the other of his mer-form, making it so he could continue with his day. The only reason that he let it wear off was because he wanted Yuujirou to see, and so they could play together. With that done, he didn't raise a fuss and took the potion without issue.

Besides, how would he be able to see how cute his Yuuji was in his clothes if he was still stuck in the water? That wouldn't be fun at all.

The hybrid had dried off his clothes as much as possible with the towel, now focusing on his hair and ears. He was gentle, with furrowed brows and a scrunched nose, trying his best to make sure there wouldn't be any water stuck in his ears before moving on to gingerly drying his tail.

"Okay, kitty, deal's a deal!" Floyd hummed, wrapping one arm around Yuujirou's shoulders, grinning happily when he heard the little grumbling chuff he gave at the nickname - anyone else would have been dead for the familiar term, and he knew it. "Wet clothes must feel reeeal nasty, huh? Lucky you, ya have me to let ya borrow some~!"

"You're the reason he has to change in the first place." Jade chided, keeping his twin from getting too overexcited, a familiar glint in his eyes as he observed the two of them. "If Floyd's clothes aren't to your taste, you can always borrow mine, Yuuji."

He took the other side of the panther, slithering his arm around his waist with a mischievous air, truly living up to his eel-mer origins.

Floyd tightened his grip slightly and leaned down to nudge his head against Yuujirou's neck, sending a pointed look Jade's way as he seemed to try and stake some sort of claim over him - not that the hybrid noticed, instead sighing and shaking his head.

"It's just something to wear back to Ramshackle, don't make such a big deal of it, you two." He hummed, a rumbling making it's way through his frame and calming the two eels clinging onto him.

"The Lounge is still open, isn't it?" He brought his gaze to Jade, regarding him attentively and smiling slightly when he noticed how he had been brought back to himself. "You should go back to help before the little octopus gets overwhelmed. You are his most competent worker, aren't you?"

It was almost funny how oblivious Yuujirou was, the full focus of Jade's intense gaze on him and he still didn't even realize how enamored the two eels were with him.

Of course, it brought back a new round of complaints from Floyd, whining and saying that he could be the best employee at Monstro Lounge if he wanted to, but that was silenced soon enough by reminding him of his wet clothes.

-

It wasn't long after when Yuujirou was situated in Floyd's room, studying the clothes he was given with a wrinkle to his expression. He hadn't expected them to be so... large.

Sure, it made sense, seeing how much of a height difference him and the eel had, but for some reason he hadn't even thought of it.

A long sigh drug it's way out of his lungs before he recollected himself, shrugging off his drenched clothes onto the towel from earlier so they wouldn't get wet, and getting into the eel's clothes that draped down and made him feel... unordinarily small.

The panther huffed a little, lightly rubbing his face against one of the sleeves to get rid of excess moisture from before, frown tugging down further when he realized just how much they smelled like Floyd.

Not to say that they smelled unpleasant, they actually smelled quite like the sea with something distinctly like the mer in question, but they weren't his.

Knocking on the door is the only thing that pulls him out of his thoughts, paired with Floyd's childish whining about him taking too long, and Yuujirou pushes his complaints away as he gathers the soaked clothes in his arms.

Safely protected by the towel covering them, he doesn't risk making Floyd's shirt anything more than damp, and he opens the door with lightly flattened ears - immediately getting bombarded by the eel.

"Yuujiiiii! You took so looong-" He cuts himself off when he sees the hybrid, giggling at the sight. "You look so tiny!"

He starts to form a response, but he's cut off by Floyd scooping him up in his arms, earning himself a short growl for the action. "I knew you were small, but I didn't know you were this itsy-bitsy! And now you smell just like me~!"

There's not even a chance to process that fully before the eel is running with him to the Monstro Lounge, still carrying him bridal style and excitedly showing off the growling disgruntled panther to everyone who so much as glanced at them, making a rather large commotion in a matter of moments.

Jade comes out, at some point, and upon seeing the duo just... walks over and shakes his head.

No words are spoken, but Floyd slowly puts down Yuujirou with a hopeful look in his eyes, remembering now that he probably... shouldn't have run full force into the Lounge and disturbed customers like that. Azul would likely be rather upset.

"But... look?" The hyperactive eel does some weird gesture, as if he's trying to show off Yuujirou, doing his best to convince Jade not to tell on him. "Small!"

It... seems to do something, though the panther can't say that he would describe it as anywhere near convincing.

"Yes, small." Jade sighs affectionately, taking a moment to regard Yuujirou before shaking his head and pulling his attention back to Floyd with a frown tugging at his lips. "Go escort him back to Ramshackle before his cubs come cause more of a fuss - I won't say anything unless Azul brings it up first.”

-