#idia fluff

'here comes the dreaded question', idia groaned, almost pulling his knees to his chin but realising that'd be rude when his legs were halfway there and dropping them back down.

you so think he's ugly and weird looking and- wait, you're still staring at him expectantly? and your expression holds no visible disgust?

he relented.

"i-i don't know how much y-you know... about STYX." he really wished he had his handy-dandy tablet right about now. he was using up way too much brain power and LP trying to articulate sentences to a stranger's face.

"the basics, i guess? i just know it's a secret organization that investigates magic in some way." you recalled your parents giving you that briefing session just a few short hours earlier.

"so, uh. m-my family... we're cursed, o-or whatever. that's why my hair is... l-l-like that. it b-burns my blot." he really didn't feel like going into the details right now.

"whaaat? how cool! i mean, it isn't cool that you're cursed, but like, so cool! i wouldn't even need a flashlight to walk around at night!" you giggled, imagining having such hair yourself and being able to read manga at night without turning on the lights.

"... i dunno. it kinda sucks." idia muttered under his breath and the only reason you could actually hear what he said was because the two of you were alone in a silent room.

"oh, um. sorry then." you made the educated guess that asking to touch his hair will only make things worse. it didn't burn the wooden chair he's sitting on, so you assumed it wouldn't burn you either.

you shifted in your seat and the silence returned. this is going terribly. not only have you not made any progress with your date, you've also managed to offend him.

luckily, the waiter rescued you from your misery by coming back with the food. at least temporarily, since he unfortunately wasn't there to stay.

"i still can't believe i'm getting married to you in a month." you said gently, picking at your food. it was one of those restaurants where you pay 9999 madol for a meal that couldn't even satisfy a toddler, making you frown at your plate.

you mostly said the statement to yourself, feeling dejected at the notion. you can only suppose your parents married you off without a second thought because you'd stay in your room all day, gaming or watching anime - not really contributing to he household in any meaningful way.

you knew they didn't find your behaviour very befitting of your status as a noble and you sorta became the least of their priorities when it came to their children, which you thought you were fine with until they approached you one sunny summer day, telling you you're getting married to a complete stranger.

is that just how little you meant to them? they didn't even seem that torn up about letting you go, they just talked about it flatly as if they were asking you to go downstairs to eat dinner.

idia didn't seem very excited about being reminded of the reality of his predicament. "uh, yeah. m-me neither." he muttered, not even bothering to hide the disdain that twisted his expression.

'well, that makes two of us.' you thought to yourself, feeling even more dejected now that even your future spouse has made it clear he hates this. maybe you should just shut up for the rest of the day since you can't do anything but mess things up. you don't know what "normal" people talk about, dammit...

suddenly, the silence was interrupted by your phone ringing, which wouldn't be a very big issue if it weren't for the fact that your ringtone was set to a premo song of all things. you panicked, rummaging through your fancy little handbag to pull out your phone (which was littered with anime stickers under its clear case) and quickly explained to the person calling that you're busy.

after hanging up, you noticed idia staring at you like he had just seen you commit a murder and you cursed under your breath. 'fuck, he knows i'm a weirdo now...' you lamented, trying not to let the embarrassment show on your face. "sorry, i... i thought i set my phone to silent."

"you... YOU'RE A PREMO FAN?!" the atmosphere in the room suddenly felt VERY different. idia felt absolutely elated, not just at the fact that you're a girl who knows the absolute genius of premo's music, but because your ringtone was an obscure unreleased song from their early days, ergo not a "fake fan" song. you were the real deal.

"no way, you too?!" you let your excitement at finding a kindred spirit show by leaning closer to him and watching his hair flicker excitedly. you suddenly felt like you were breathing hallowed air.

"YES??? i've been a fan since the release of their first album! i even own the limited edition light stick." idia bragged with a proud smile on his face.

"oh sevens, you mean the ones that were only available for a few months after the release of their second album?! not faiiiiir, i want to have it so bad. i mean, i guess i could buy it from a reseller, but it doesn't hit the same, you know?" you clenched your fists, groaning.

"i get it, i get it." idia nodded sagely.

"so, who's your oshi? i just looove kassia's singing. can't believe they gave her barely any lines in their older songs." you glared at no one in particular, upset about the injustice against your oshi.

"i'm more of an ifegenie guy myself. nothing can beat her visual OR her stage presence."

you realise just now that he seems completely different to how he was just a minute ago. he's suddenly looking at you (and actually looking at you, for that matter) like you're the best person on earth, his cheeks dusted a light shade of pink due to excitement. and he seems to be speaking freely, like he isn't forced to be here anymore.

you relaxed because of the change in atmosphere, enough to drop the hand you were holding over your phone to conceal all the anime stickers hidden beneath. when idia noticed, he felt like passing out from excitement.

not all hope is lost for a good life, baby!

"is that freaking 'magical minnie☆chan(star not included in pronounciation)'?!"

cue the two of you squealing in excitement. "holy shiiiit, that anime was my childhood, i can't believe you know it!" you just couldn't wipe the smile off your face.

"duh, it's a classic. any anime fan worth their salt knows AND loves it. who do you think i am? a tasteless tourist?" idia leaned a little closer towards you, his hair emitting a healthy neon blue glow.

"of course not. i even carry a little keychain of minnie around for good luck." you placed the designer handbag your parents pushed onto you last minute onto the table, pulling out a little plush keychain of the aforementioned character. "i felt like i could use a bit of her star☆beam☆power today."

he shifted in his chair, studying you with his gaze "you know, i totally thought you were a normie when i first saw you."

"oh fuck, that means my parents' makeover worked, actually. they tried to make me look like 'a proper lady', or whatever... i look much more dissapointing usually, so don't get too used to it." you laughed a little, trying to make the self-deprecating comment sound a little less depressing.

"so do i. i can't believe mom made me put on this stupid suit. it's not like i'm gonna be wearing it in front of you every day." idia clicked his tongue, hooking one of his lanky fingers behind the collar of his suit and pulling on it as if it was suffocating him.

"with your face? get outta here." you raised an unbelieving eyebrow, shaking your head slightly.

"...what's that about my face?" idia didn't follow. not in the least.

"i'm saying you're... hot, or whatever." you immediately felt cringe after saying it out loud, clutching the edge of the fancy tablecloth with one hand and shoving food into your mouth with the other.

a strange noise escaped idia's throat, like a sentence suddenly deciding it doesn't want to be spoken out loud after all and slipping back down his larynx against his will.

a girl, a real, actual 3D, made of flesh and bones girl.... just called him hot. he needs a moment to remember how to function again, even if he doesn't exactly believe you. you're definitely just trying to make him feel better about the whole arranged marriage thing. definitely.

and it's definitely NOT getting to him right now. (ignore the shaking fingers as he picks at his food).

you noted the tips of his hair turning pink, finding it sort of cute how it matches the blush on his face. not that you have any room to talk, you're just as flustered as he is right now.

but then again, what's the harm in calling your future husband hot, anyway? you're gonna spend the rest of your life with him.

yeah, it's kinda like an otome game. call the character hot and watch him blush. you're good at that.

the silence soon becomes suffocating again, though, so you feel the need to speak up again despite your nerves eating at you after the accidental flirty comment.

"so, uhm, now that we've covered that base... i have to admit i don't actually know how to code very well. i mean, i've tried and failed making a videogame using SY-PHR before, but that's like, about it." you decided to change the topic to something that's arguably more important considering the impending marriage. though from the minuscule amount of information you got about STYX (which is that they do fancy tech stuff aside from the magic stuff) this might be an obsolete thing to mention.

after a few seconds of seemingly processing your words, he grinned at you widely, which prompted you to grumble out: "...what? don't laugh at me." it's like you always say the wrong thing when you aren't talking about your interests with him.

"no, no, it's just... i made that game engine when i was 7. what a callback." with a smug smile, idia propped up one elbow on the table (which is something your parents drilled into you to not do, but oh well, you could use some reprieve from dumb dining rules, so you'd rather your future husband doesn't give a damn about them either).

"...you're shitting me."

idia sighed internally. they've moved past that dastardly compliment that's no doubt gonna haunt his dreams for the next few days.

just how is he gonna kiss you on the wedding day if he can't even handle one compliment from you? (that is, if you were actually being honest and weren't just gassing him up (he is in extreme denial).)

wait... kiss you? he's sort of been through this before because of the whole ghost bride situation, but he was much less attracted to that lady and in much bigger mortal peril at the fact that if that marriage did come to pass he'd actually die.

"i... idia, are you okay?" you asked, worried about the way his hair was flickering widely.

"fine.... i'm fine." he assured.

(he wasn't.)

.

"idia, dear, it gets better, i pro-" idia's mom paused at the elated smile splaying itself on her son's face upon his return to STYX headquarters.

"... how come you're so happy?" her face twisted in disbelief. she even had a whole speech prepared for him, very sure he'd return home looking just as unhappy as he left. well, it is quite a nice surprise to see he isn't, so she won't complain.

"how could i not be? she's a kindred spirit, wheheheheeee. i won't be miserable!~♪" idia giggled happily, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his dress shirt and finally feeling like he could breathe.

idia's parents exchanged a half happy half worried look.

"well, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters." idia's dad shook his head slightly, thinking about how his little boy is all grown up now.

"what's that supposed to mean?" idia looked at his parents askance but all he got in return was a suspiciously wide smile from each.

"...well then, did she say anything about how nice you look?" idia's mom interlaced her fingers innocently, not meaning much by asking that question.

the memory of you calling him hot echoed in his mind and that manifested in his face turning completely red and the flames of his hair flaring up and crackling widely for a moment.

that was answer enough for his parents.

"ummm... i gotta go... anddomydailiesbye!" idia quickly excused himself before he could be hit with any follow-up questions, retreating to his gamer lair (his room).

"hehehe, you used to make the same face when i complimented you back when we just started dating." idia's mom twirled a piece of her hair, smirking up at her husband.

"i did not." idia's dad huffed.

" weren't you the one who rushed into a mini fight after using all your healing potions five minutes ago ? " you teased, resting your chin at the palm of your hand, " right after i died ? " smiling at the sight of his face.

" that was a tactical plan ! " he defended, ears turning pink when he suddenly locked eyes with you. his avatar barely dodged an attack, he got so distracted. " there's a huge difference. "

you hummed, nodding slowly as a way to piss him off with your sarcasm, " mhm, yah sure~ "

he wanted to bury himself under when he lets out a soft shriek, immediately turning his attention back to screen to ignore you―even though you were doing nothing out of the ordinary, and focused back in the game.

as the game music picked up, fingers tapping in sync with your controller and his keyboard, the two of you reached the fifth checkpoint of the game. it was supposed to be "one more round" three hours ago. one turned into two, two turned into three― and so forth.

" we can't quit now, we're on a winning streak ! "

idia would retort just as you were about to head to sleep. another reason he held this on for extra longer is because ... I'd you were heading to sleep, that meant you had to sleep on his bed. his sacred territory, despite you already invading his room, wasn't an invitation for just anyone.

but, you were different. you weren't a normie, a npc who simply saw idia as just the scars, nerdy guy with no life...oh wait, yah that's kinda exactly who he is.

is what he thought, until he met you. bubbly, happy personality met introvert, shy.

since then, you've been getting along with idia―following him around, inviting yourself to hang out with him, even taking time out of your day to make sure he's taking care of himself.

that's what...couples do, no ? you're not a couple, YOU CAN'T be a couple―wait no, you CAN, but...do you want to ? ... DOES HE EVEN WANT TOO ? AUAUAHH, this is too confusing and nerve-wracking for him to think about right now.

suddenly, idia glanced at the corner of his screen. eyes adjusting to the new light, he blinked once.

" ... 3:35 AM. " he whispered, blinking again and he clicked on.

" mhm, " you didn't look away from the screen, too busy guiding your and his character through the narrow escape route. " what about it ? "

he shook his head, leaning back in his gaming chair he reached over to snatch the energy drink at his side and sipped on it, " nothing, it's just― "

sip.

swallow.

"we've been non-stop grinding this game for like, four hours now. " he tugged slightly at the collar of his hoodie, " figured you'd get tired eventually. you've only had one drink, "

another sip.

shakes the empty can and tosses it to the garbage can close to his bedside.

" normies would have crashed out by now. " He joked, that look in his eyes telling you he's trying to get a conversation out of you.

" good thing i'm not a normie then, " you said, flashing him a confident grin. " am i ? "

he froze for a second. that―he wasn't ready for that response. because yeah, you aren't. your nothing like the other students at night raven college. you actually show interest in talking with him, into being his friend ... friend.

you say stuff like that so casually, staying up all night with him in his room, snacking together and stealing his controller when you died―stuff he wouldn't do with anyone else.

you reached one of the final checkpoints before you let out a tired yawn, arms stretched over your head your shirt rose a bit―to which, idia immediately turned away, " uh, you―you sound tired. " he spoke quickly, clicking a key on the keyboard in front of him to pause the game.

" don't you have that exam in a few hours ? "

you fall back against his sheets, blinking slowly as you adjust to the dark light of the ceiling. " i mean, yah, but i'm probably going to fail anyways. "

you never realized how soft idias pillows are, instinctively cuddling up to his sheets without him realizing.

telling yourself you'll close your eyes for a few seconds―

idia doesn't reply, he just shrugs and shuts the game off―the blue led lights stayed on as he just slumped back into his chair, spinning around to look at you, he stops.

chair froze mid-spin, hands gripping the sides of his seat and his eyes widened at the sight before him. there you laid, curled up in his blankets with your head resting against his pillow.

back rising up and down slowly― a very clear and obvious sign you were asleep.

on his bed.

asleep ... on his bed.

HIS BED ???

" ... [name] ? " he called out for you softly, not darking to move from his spot until he heard you reply. a simple, "got you !" Or "you should see your face right now!"

but no, he was met with silence and the whirring of his monitors.

he felt his cheeks go warm, the tips of his fingers fiddling with the strings of his hoodie, he finally rolled over the chair to you and just ... stares at you.

he knows this is creepy, and he should let you sleep―he can easily go back to his own game he was farming on for days, but this was the time he could finally admire at you without having to chicken out.

you were fast asleep, hair in face it almost went into your mouth―so he thought on the fly and reached over to brush your hair behind your neck. his fingers lingered at your cheek longer than expected when he pulled all your hair back―hand shakey as he pulled away.

he dimmed the lights down using his phone, reached over to shut off his desk light and sat in the dark for a few more seconds while staring at you.

" by the sevens, you're beautiful. " he whispered out loud to himself, honestly proud he didn't have to hide away. until two seconds later you adjust in your sleep, turning around to face him but still knocked out.

with this new position, idia simply sighs and let you sleep for the rest of the night. he'll crash out on his gaming chair for the night, because he is NOT going to be trying to explain why you two are sleeping in the same bed together, let alone his bed, even though you wouldn't probably mind.

♡ You on the other hand were far more sensible and named your Meowscarada "Loki"

♡ You both spend most of your nights grinding to get your Pokémon at a higher level

♡ Idia hates the fairy type gym, he kept on losing to it, that is until you gifted him a Meowstic, which he then gleefully destroyed Ortega's team

♡ Well Idia's team mainly deals in offence, your team balance him out in defence, with Skeleridge as your main 'mon potentially difficult battles were breezed through

♡ sometimes ortho would join you, and unlike your or Idia's team, his was a well balanced mix of offensive and defensive Pokémon, with Quaxely as his starter Pokémon of choice

♡ he also ends up helping out idia alot, and knows every single free code imaginable, safe to stay with Ortho around you and Idia were stacked

♡ sometimes the other first years would join you and Idia (to both his suprise and potential demise)

♡ Ace and Deuce would argue the entire time about how their starter is clearly the better one, well Grim constantly commanded you to catch any legendary or shiny you set your eyes one (which was zero, your luck just sucks, huh?)

♡ Epel was having his own personal beef with Jack, since he got his butt kicked by Jack's ace Pokémon and was on his training arc with the sole goal of beating Jack's ace - a midnight form Lycanrock

♡ Most of the time though it was just you and Idia, playing, talking and laughing in his room as you ate all kinds of junk food and played your worries away

It was Idia's idea to game with you, although he only asked because you mentioned that you had a new game that you haven't gotten around to playing yet. You were sure he had ulterior motives when he asked you to hang out, but you didn't bring it up with him as you didn't want to scare him off. Instead, you simply grabbed your game and met him at his dorm.

Ortho was more than excited to see you. You always held a special affection to Idia's little brother that didn't go unnoticed by both parties. On more than one occasion when you weren't around, Ortho would beg his brother to finally ask you out. But Idia was far too terrified to approach you with a romantic relationship. So he simply settled for a friendship that he would never ever, ever, EVER take advantage of.

Idia made sure to clean his room before you arrived and you were pleasantly surprised. Whenever you crashed the Board Game Club meetings, Azul would go on and on about how filthy his room was. Still, you didn't point it out to him. You didn't want to make him feel any more self-conscious than he already was.

After exchanging some casual pleasantries, the two of you fell into your gaming. It was calm and relaxing. You found yourself enjoying your time with the dorm leader of Ignihyde more than you anticipated. He was considerate about your own gaming experience and kept his reactions to his game quiet. Every so often you would look up and watch what he was doing, asking questions when you felt it was appropriate. He answered all of your questions with ease and even reciprocated by asking questions about your game. All and all, it was the perfect afternoon with one of your favorite people.

Then you hit a rough patch in your game. Your sigh of frustration alerted Idia, who knew exactly what it meant: you needed help. Now, Idia doesn't like to boast about his exceptional skills when it comes to video games, but surely he could appear like your knight in shining armor and lend you a hand?

"What's wrong?" He softly asks, his gaze still trained on the game he was playing.

"I'm stuck. I don't know which boyfriend to choose." You mumble, flicking through the different options in your otome game.

Idia thought it was a good thing you weren't paying attention to him as his hair flickered pink for a brief moment. He fumbled with his control to pause his game before finally addressing your issue.

"What, what do you mean?"

You showed him the screen of your game console. "So my new game is an otome game. I have seven boys to choose from. I just completed the intro and now I have to pick one, but I don't know who to choose."

He frowned and looked at your options. "Why don't you just pick one that you like and then do the other routes later."

"That's the problem. You can only choose once. If I want to complete the other routes, I have to buy another game. It's a major capitalism scheme, but I thought the game looked fun." You shrug. "Any idea who I should choose?"

"Uh... why don't you tell me about them and then I'll help you decide."

You nod with a smile that makes the tips of his hair turn pink again. "Okay in order here you have: Ryushi, the strict student body president who just needs someone to soften his edges, Ietsuna, the lazy slacker who only cares about you, Amane, the bad boy who likes to tease and torment, Kobo, the golden retriever who is the fan favorite, Michinori, the cultured exchange student who is a little fruity in my opinion, Masanobu, the secret prince of the school who would do anything for you, and Ichibei, the otaku with a heart of gold."

"Wow." He's surprised with how typical the choices are like every other otome game. He would normally say pick the one you're most interested in as they're pretty average, but considering you can only make one choice, you have to be careful. "I guess I'd have to say the choice is up to you."

You give him a pout. "You're really going to make me make such a tough decision all on my own? You're so mean, Idia!"

He panics at your words, not meaning to make you upset with him. "Well I mean it's your game! You should pick the boy you feel is the most special to you! I can't really help you make that decision."

"I suppose you're right..."

"Who do you feel is special?"

You shrug and glance back at your choices. "Well, I first thought about Masanobu because who wouldn't want to be a princess? But I felt he was trying too hard in the prologue to try and gain your favor. So I went through the options again and I'm stuck on two: Amane and Ichibei."

He tried to not let you know how surprised and flustered he was. "Oh?"

You nod. "I mean, I'm so like other girls when I say I love a bad boy, but Ichibei... he seemed so sweet and shy. I couldn't help but be drawn to him. I think he might be my favorite."

Your explanation was not helping the poor boy's rapidly beating heart. Based on your little description about him, Idia couldn't help but see similarities between him and Ichibei. Was this your subtle way of saying he was your favorite too? Was it too much to hope that that was true?

"I think you should go with your favorite."

You beamed at his words and his heart skipped several beats. "I think you're absolutely correct! Thank you Idia!"

You were sure Riddle’s offer to help went beyond just his housewarden duties, having become pretty close friends with you after the overblot incident in your first month. Since then, he had gradually warmed up to you, inviting you over for unbirthday parties, study sessions or a stroll through the rose labyrinth. 

So, quite inevitably, you slowly felt your feelings for your friend change. What used to be gratitude for getting the Adeuce combo off your back or joy at having someone to eat lunch with shifted into excitement at seeing him again or disappointment when you thought you had caught sight of him in a crowd, just for it to be someone else. Once you realised the situation you were in, it became even harder to hide those feelings, especially when you could feel the heat crawling up your neck when the housewarden reached over to fix your tie or straighten your uniform.

“Thank you, Riddle. There actually is something I don’t understand,” you sheepishly scratched the back of your head. Sliding over your Applied Magic homework, you pointed out the question you were struggling with. “Why is it dangerous to use a spell like this in that situation?”

“Ah, I see.” Taking a moment to reflect on how to explain it best, Riddle’s steel grey eyes flitted to the roses outside for a moment. “Try visualising the question’s context and the effect of the spell you're casting before your mind’s eye. What kind of environment are you in and how would the magic affect it?”

“Hmm, the energy released from the spell could… shake the unstable structure of the walls and ceiling and cause it to collapse? And even if it doesn’t collapse, the falling debris could still cause major injuries?” 

“Yes, that’s correct. A lot of offensive magic packs more energy than defensive magic and therefore has a greater impact on the environment rather than the caster themselves,” Riddle explained further. “Now, consider all previously used magic. In this example, a few spells have already been cast, like this shielding spell for example. How straining are they on the caster and how long do they linger in the area?”

“Uh, let's see… The elements of previous spells might react with that of the current one, causing unpredictable side-effects. And in a stressful situation like this casting an unstable spell could put more pressure on the magic user, leading to… faster blot accumulation?” The last part was a total stab in the dark and you nervously watched Riddle’s unreadable expression before he gave you a satisfied smile.

“Correct again, Prefect. It is very impressive that you have such a nuanced understanding of Applied Magic, despite not being able to use it yourself.” The gleam in his eyes was genuine before he let out a defeated sigh. “If only some of the Heartslabyul first years would give magic a second thought before leaping into action…”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at that, having a pretty good image of just who he was referring to. Now, with your work out of the way, you could finally let your thoughts drift. And almost immediately they went to the housewarden sitting next to you. 

Looking at him, it was almost as if time stood still. In the afternoon sun, his hair was positively glowing and his grey eyes seemed even brighter than usual. As always, his posture was perfect and poised and there was such an elegance in the way he carried himself. You wouldn’t be surprised if he was actual royalty.

When he put the tea cup to his lips and took a sip you suddenly remembered the videos you had seen back in your world where people kissed their best friend to see their reaction or to confess. Riddle probably wouldn’t approve but when he turned to you, you couldn’t tear your eyes away from his lips. You’d bet on the fact that they were soft with the taste of tea…

“-fect! Prefect! Are you alright? I’ve been calling your name multiple times now.” Blinking back into reality, you came face to face with a concerned Riddle who was leaning over. Putting the back of his fingers against your forehead, his brows creased even more. “I wanted to ask if you want to try the strawberry tarts Trey baked but you’re burning up. Perhaps you should go and rest up. The rules might not state it but you can even stay at Heartslabyul if Ramshackle’s too–”

Before the thought process registered in your brain, you had already pulled Riddle closer by his collar and connected your lips. You were right. As with every aspect of his life, his lips were properly cared for and pillowy soft and after you parted, you thought you could make out a hint of sweets and lemon.

With a shocked yelp of your name, Riddle snapped you back to the present once more. Under different circumstances, the sight of the usually put-together housewarden staring at you with saucer-wide eyes and his face decorated with a rose-red hue might have been endearing but, right now, it chilled you to the bone. 

Jumping up from your seat and noisily scraping the chair over the floor, you hurriedly stuffed all your belongings in your backpack, ready to book the hell out of there. “I’m sorry, Riddle, I really have to go water the cat and feed the plants–”

“Prefect please wait.” A hand gently wrapped around your wrist and made you turn around. The short-tempered housewarden wasn’t yelling (yet), which you took as a good sign. In fact, he wasn’t meeting your eyes at all. “I have to admit that was quite the surprise. But… not an unpleasant one. Prefect, if I may be so bold, do you have feelings for me?”

“Well, I don’t kiss just anybody I meet,” you awkwardly chuckled but you quickly abandoned the idea of joking yourself out of this situation at Riddle’s unimpressed reaction. With a sigh, you conceded. “Yeah, I do have feelings for you. Look, I am really sorry, I don’t know what–”

“I’m not,” he quickly interrupted. “I’m not sorry this happened. I, too, like you. More than a friend, that is. I might not have the most experience in this field but I’m willing to try if it’s with you. However, I do believe there is a proper protocol to be followed.

“Prefect, before you spring another surprise kiss on me, may I take you out on a date first?”

JAMIL VIPER

The sound of boiling water and knives moving over a chopping board filled NRC’s kitchen. At this time of day -or should you say night?- nobody but Jamil usually came here. Most students were probably already heading to bed or cramming in a late-night study session right about now but the vice housewarden of Scarabia was still diligently meal prepping for the following day.

“Could you pass me the turmeric please?” He didn’t even look up to see if you had heard him, eyes still trained on his task at hand. 

“Sure, here you go.” Sliding over the spice, you took another moment to study his side profile. As always, there wasn’t much of an emotion readable on his face but you noticed how his shoulders seemed less tense than during the day. Or maybe it was just your imagination.

After he hummed a ‘thanks’, both of you went back to working in silence. You really appreciated Jamil trusting you enough to let you lend a hand, knowing just how strict he was about being the only one to prepare Kalim’s food. The first time you asked to help, in fact, he had watched you like a hawk and your hands had never shaken more.

At first, Jamil had been a little annoyed, thinking he’d have to look after someone else instead, but as you swung by more often, he started to appreciate the company. Not only did you not cause any trouble for him but you also stuck by him even after his overblot, whereas the rest of his dorm gave him a wide berth. So he allowed you to stay and if he ever ‘accidentally’ made too much food he let you take the leftovers.

And you, too, started to enjoy his presence more and more. You didn’t necessarily need to do something together, just being in the same space while working was enough to put you at ease. That was when you realised your actual feelings for Jamil but you didn’t know what to do with them.

Besides fear of rejection, you were also well aware of his position as Kalim’s retainer. Acting out on your feelings could cause a lot of problems for him even if he were to reciprocate them. Could he even accept them?

Before you knew it, your thoughts had distracted you enough to where your knife was merely hovering over the poor vegetable in front of you. As you were about to shake your distractions away, two warm hands already took the knife and board from you.

“You shouldn’t handle sharp objects when you’re not feeling well,” Jamil sighed but you could tell he wasn’t upset with you, rather, he was concerned. “You could seriously injure yourself.”

“I’m feeling fine actually,” you said. It wasn’t like you were physically unwell.

“Are you now? I couldn't help but notice you spacing out a lot more often lately.” Quickly throwing everything into the pot, Jamil leant against the counter with his arms crossed, giving you an earnest once-over. He was quiet for a while before mumbling “It’s okay to ask for help you know. You don’t have to do everything yourself.”

“That’s rich coming from you, Mr. Workaholic,” you snorted. “Between the two of us, the one in need of a break is not me. Anyhow, it’s nothing, so don’t worry about me.”

“So there is something after all,” Jamil cocked his head to the side with a raised brow. 

“Great Seven, if you must know. Yes there is something that’s been weighing on my mind,” you groaned. “Are you happy now?”

“I’d be happier if you also told me how I can help you.” 

“And if I told you you can’t?”

“Then I wouldn’t believe you.” This guy…

“Agree to disagree, then,” you deadpanned. Turning your back to hide your burning cheeks, you pretended to wipe your hands. This once, you had wished Jamil’s sharp senses would fail him but of course not. 

The irony of this situation wasn’t lost on you.

As you had your back turned, you hadn’t noticed Jamil stepping closer, so you nearly collided with him as you went to face him again. Quickly, he steadied you by your shoulders, his touch lingering perhaps a little longer than necessary.

“Prefect, let me be perfectly honest with you, I’m worried about you. You’re not normally this distracted or careless.” And whose fault was that? 

“You know it’s hard to keep saying no to you like that. But I really don’t think you’d want to know,” you sighed. 

Aside from the bubbling pot, the kitchen was quiet as you leaned against the countertop and examined your fingers. For a moment, nothing but you two in this moment seemed to exist. Jamil wasn’t bound to the Asim family and your future wasn’t so uncertain. If only it matched reality.

“Try me.” Jamil’s voice was a lot gentler now. You thought you saw his hand hover over yours for but a second, then chalked it up to wishful thinking. “You’ve shown me that it’s okay to be my own person and that it’s possible for me to have my own dreams despite my status; I’m very grateful for that. I also really like… spending time with you, so please tell me what’s wrong.”

Heaving a deep exhale, you braved yourself for whatever was bound to happen next. Maybe you were about to lose a friend.

“I don’t know if it’s wrong but… I like you, Jamil.”

As you looked up you caught a glimpse of surprise on his features before it was replaced by his usual poker face. “I’d hope so, seeing as you’ve referred to me as your friend.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know that.” If you took the leap you might as well see it through to the end. Leaning in, you placed a quick kiss against his cheek before turning and marching straight towards the door, leaving Jamil alone in the kitchen. “I like you like that.” 

Luckily, the next day was a Saturday, so you could stay in bed and pull the covers over your head. Ignoring the yelling cat in your house and the absolute flood of text notifications from what you assumed was the first year group chat might as well have been your signature spell.

Eventually, you did crawl out from under the sheets and got dressed, even if it was just because the growling of your stomach became too annoying to ignore. As you were rummaging your fridge for something edible that wasn’t tuna, the doorbell rang which was suspicious enough. Nobody ever rang the doorbell.

As you approached the door, you could already make out Jamil’s neatly tied back hair. Steeling yourself, you slowly opened the door to find he hadn’t magically transformed into someone else.

“Jamil, what brings you over at this time of day?” Forcing as much normality as possible into your voice, you hoped that maybe he had just forgotten.

“I wanted to talk about what happened last night.” So much for that. “I sent you a few messages but you didn’t respond.”

“Nya! What’s that? Are you the reason my henchman has been hiding in bed all day?” You whipped around at hearing Grim speak, promptly grabbing him by the bow around his neck and throwing him out of the dorm.

“Go play with Ace and Deuce for the day.” Ushering Jamil inside, you threw the door closed before Grim could protest. “Don’t mind him.”

“I didn’t see you at breakfast,” he started as he handed you a container with some of the food you cooked yesterday. “I thought you might be hungry.”

As on cue, your stomach growled rather loudly. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Jamil, but you didn’t have to come all the way here just for that.”

“I also wanted to apologise,” he blurted out. Ah, so he came to reject you once and for all. “I didn’t give you a proper response. Well, to be fair, you didn’t give me the time to do it.”

You bashfully looked away, standing with your back towards him, at the memory of storming out of the kitchen. Your response came out a lot more seriously though. “Jamil, I’m sorry for saying something so selfish, I know that your work–”

You were cut off by being spun around suddenly until you were looking into Jamil’s sharp eyes. “No, I’m tired of my work getting in the way of what I want. You said it was selfish of you to tell me your feelings? Then let me be selfish as well and tell you I reciprocate them.”

There was such genuine certainty in those pools of grey, you couldn’t help but reach out and cup his cheek. One of his hands wrapped around your waist to pull you closer as the other found yours. Bringing it up to his lips, he held eye contact as he placed a tender kiss on your knuckles.

“For once, I’d like something entirely to myself.”

VIL SCHOENHEIT

“Hold still.” At Vil’s commanding tone you completely froze despite not moving much in the first place. “Good. Now close your eyes.”

You did as he said and tried your best not to flinch as the cool brush touched your eyelids. While Vil concentrated on perfecting your eye make-up, you did your best not to think too hard about his fingers currently holding your chin or how the scent of his perfume invaded your senses.

Despite being close friends with the Pomefiore Housewarden, it was still quite the task not to shrink away under his scrutinising gaze, even if it was directed at his own work rather than you. How did Epel endure this every day?

Well, the first year was most likely not head over heels for Vil and didn’t turn into a stuttering mess every time he talked to him. So much for your plan to play this crush cool and be as graceful and elegant about it as possible. Yeah, there was probably a reason you weren’t a Pomefiore student.

But then again, this was Vil you were talking about. The walking, talking, breathing definition of perfection. On top of that, he was smart and hard-working with the skills to back up his confidence. Naturally, he had people falling at his feet, no matter how intimidating he came across as. Not wanting to be seen as just another one of the masses, you decided to hide your feelings to the best of your abilities.

And so far, it seemed to be working. You were a regular visitor at Pomefiore dorm, so much so, the guards already let you pass the gates as if you actually belonged there. Seeing the actor achieve loftier goals over time, surpassing others and himself on numerous occasions, was fulfilling in its own way. There was a spark of pride every time he was chosen for a new lead role or when he had the chance to work on a new line of skin care. Yet, although you got to be close to Vil this way, it still kind of stung to know that this would be all there’d probably ever be between the two of you.

“My, I have to say, this is a job well done,” Vil concluded, giving you a content smirk and turning your chair to face his pristine vanity. What could you say, he was right. Even though the make-up wasn’t all that elaborate or out there, you still almost didn’t recognise the person staring back from the mirror. “You clean up nicely, potato. I’ll permit you to stand by my side now.”

“You never fail to impress me, Vil. Just, how do you do it?” you chuckled, your eyes finding his in the reflection. “Normally, I would’ve called it magic, but I know better now.”

“Magic has nothing to do with this. It’s solely hard work and practice which makes perfect.” Spinning you back around, he came face to face with you again. “While you flatter me, I am far from finished. I will see this through ‘til the end and perfect this look.”

With that, Vil went back to work, prepping your lips to the point where you were convinced this would be the smoothest they’d ever be. Then, with a look of utmost concentration, he started tracing them with a lip liner before filling them out with lipstick and applying gloss after blotting it.

Despite being finished, the housewarden didn’t move away from you and you were suddenly keenly aware of the distance between you. Or the lack thereof, rather. Subconsciously, your gaze drifted to Vil’s mouth before snapping back up as you caught yourself. Your heart was racing so fast, you’d be surprised if he didn’t hear it. Was this how you died?

You knew you shouldn’t, you really shouldn’t, but screw it. The few months here had already put you through so much, at one point you stopped thinking things through twice and just leapt into action. If you’d learnt anything in this school, then it was that you had to take what you wanted because nobody would just hand it to you.

So, against better judgement, you closed the gap between the two of you. 

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise but a simple kiss from Vil was overwhelming; it was entirely too much and then again not nearly enough. If you had to find just one word to describe it, it would be intoxicating. He might be the death of you but you couldn’t care less.

Even after such a short contact, pulling away wasn’t easy. Especially because you didn’t get far before a hand at the back of your neck held you in place. Your eyes flew open to see the challenge and amusement written in his lilac ones. Not that you minded per se.

In the end, you were positively stolen of your breath whereas Vil looked as dazzling as ever, except for the slight smudge of lipstick in the corner of his lips. In your opinion it only added to his charm though. 

When you had sorted your thoughts again, your tone was slightly accusatory. “You did that on purpose.”

“Whatever do you mean?” His infuriatingly handsome smirk looked just a tad too smug for him to play coy. “May I remind you that you are the one who kissed me?”

“You weren’t even surprised!” You bristled at his act. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. I can read you like an open book, sweet potato. I just wanted to test if you’d be daring enough. Seems as though you’ve passed.” Reaching out a perfectly manicured hand, Vil wiped the stains under your bottom lip with his thumb while his gaze was trained on how your mouth parted at the movement.

“Hmm, it seems I need to do this again...”

IDIA SHROUD

Standing in front of Idia’s room, you firmly knocked on the door in a very specific rhythm to let him know it was you. Otherwise, there was a rather slim chance the housewarden would even open it. But luckily for you, you were one of the only people who were granted access to his abode. 

After grumbling a greeting, Idia widened the crack of his door just enough for you to slip through. The two of you might be friends but that still didn’t mean he was suddenly a ray of sunshine, especially when it came to social interaction. As you adjusted to the artificial blue light, you were already prepared to be tackled by a certain blue-haired boy but the anticipated weight never came.

“Huh? Is Ortho not here today?” you wondered.

“Ah no, uh… Ortho’s out running errands,” Idia mumbled, shifting from one foot to the other. “You’re probably disappointed now, right? It’s like seeing your bias is not at a fanmeet…”

“No, not at all! I was just noticing it. You’re the reason I’m here.” Winking at him, you were already grinning at his reaction for what you were about to say. “I’m Idia-biased after all.”

And he didn’t fail you. Instantly, his eyes widened and you could practically see him blue screen behind his golden irises. Meanwhile, the ends of his long hair tinged pink as he tried to hide himself by tugging the drawstrings of his hoodie tighter. “HUH?! I- You- What– You can’t just drop SSR dialogue like that on me…”

“Why not? It’s the truth and you’re supposed to tell the truth, no?” You tilted your head to the side expectedly. 

“What’s with you and your ability to turn a supposed buff into a massive debuff?” Idia shook his head miserably.

“Come on, I’m just teasing you. Although you are my fave, that part’s not a lie.” Nudging him back into the realm of the living as you pass, you plopped down on one of the gaming chairs in front of his PC. When had you asked him why he had two, he’d said that one was for Ortho, yet it was perfectly adjusted to your height. You just pretended he had fooled you though and didn’t comment on it further. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

“Uhm, that show we’ve been watching released a new episode today, so maybe we can catch up on that…” At your approval, he started setting everything up as you watched his fingers fly over the keyboard with such practised ease it amazed you every time. “You still remember the plot, right?”

“Of course, who do you take me for,” you playfully accused him. “The protagonist basically gets isekai’d to a mmorpg-like world and would die almost every two seconds if it weren’t for the cooler side characters.”

“Ya, cut him some slack. Everyone else grew up there while he’s a total noob.”

“Trust me, I know the feeling,” you deadpanned. “But even you have to admit his decisions are questionably stupid.”

Idia just looked at you as if you had grown a second head. “Is the outside perspective making you realise something or what?”

“HEY! I can go three minutes without being an orc’s breakfast.”

“Only because there’s no orcs on Sage’s Island,” he taunted with a grin, showing you his sharp teeth. In return you gasped in faux indignance before dissolving in a fit of giggles.

“Just imagine there’d be a show like this about NRC…” You tapped your finger against your chin. “I wonder what kind of tropes everyone would fall into. Like, Kalim and Jamil are your classic deredere and tsundere duo.”

“Riddle is the type of crazy skilled character you wouldn’t consider at first. But then he saves everyone by casting some seriously dangerous magic or something,” Idia sniggered.

“Meanwhile Malleus is the impossibly powerful, show-breaking character who is always conveniently absent when there’s a problem to be solved,” you sighed. Turning in your seat, you leaned your head against the back of the chair. “Say Idia, what kind of character am I?”

He tried to suppress his tiny squeak at the drop of your voice. To be honest, you had never been shy about showing your affection for the housewarden but you had come to the realisation he just wouldn't catch on, no matter how many hints you threw his way. Or rather, he’d convince himself you couldn’t possibly mean any of it.

“Y-You? Uh I guess, you always jump in to save the day no matter the risks, so you’d probably be some sort of knight in shining armour type. But with a serious case of ‘chosen one syndrome’,” he mumbled. “Seriously, only crazy people would play hard mode with those gimmicky stats of yours.”

“Aww, really?” you cooed before preparing yourself to strike. “What if I want to be the love interest though?”

By the look in Idia’s eyes it was a critical hit. 

“Lo-Love interest? You can be both I think… I mean there’s a lot of people you’re close to…,” the poor guy stammered. Seriously, how could one person be so smart yet so dense at the same time? But fine. If you needed to spell it out for him, so be it. 

Getting up, you slowly came to stand in front of his chair and propped your hands on the arm rests. You almost felt bad for him with how he was staring at you like a deer caught in headlights; Idia looked as if his life was flashing in front of his eyes. But you’ve had enough of your little cat and mouse game, it was time for the chase to come to an end.

“I was talking about your story. I want to be the love interest in your story, Idia. Hmm, how am I going to get that thought through your thick skull, I wonder…” You pretended to think about it for a moment before giving him a cheshire grin. “Ah, I think I have an idea.”

By now Idia’s hair was bright pink, matching the colour of his face, and he was radiating heat like a fireplace. As much as you wanted to see his reaction to a kiss on the lips, you were afraid it would actually kill him and you didn’t want this experience to end in giving him CPR.

So you settled for a sweet but lingering kiss to his forehead. Just as expected, his skin was warm to the touch and you felt him relax after the initial tense up. Maybe it were your own rose-red glasses but as you pulled away to cup his cheeks you could swear little hearts were flickering at the end of his hair. “Pardon the straightforwardness but I really needed to get my point across.”

“Wait, so you like me?!” Apparently his brain had kicked back into action at this point.

“I have for a while now,” you laughed, “but thanks for noticing.”

“So you were serious when you got me roses? And chocolate? And said I was your favourite?” The incredible tone of his voice was simultaneously endearing and heartbreaking. How could he not notice how amazing he actually was?

“I told you, it’s the truth,” you smiled. “So how about it? Can I be your love interest? Or is my affection already high enough to clear your route?”

“Woah you’re like straight out of an otome game,” he breathed. “Is this the super secret ending you have to play flawlessly for?”

“Oh come on, Idia,” you shot him another wink, paired with a teasing smirk, “You don’t really think this is the end, do you? If anything, it’s only the beginning."

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