#lotusreq

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A/N: This one-shot was requested as part of my VOTE LILIA 2026 campaign by an anon. Admittedly, I wrote this at 1 in the morning, so if I missed anything in my editing... Well, sorry, I’ll try and fix it later. But SPREADING LILIA PROPAGANDA was more important.  

Oh, and since this fic is about Kalim, you should VOTE HIM TOO!! There’s no incentive to do this; he’s just a cutie patootie. 

Also, I must admit, I’ve never considered myself a Scarabia girlie at all, but this my third time writing a one-shot focused on them... I’ve technically written for Kalim more than I have Riddle... Suffice to say you guys are starting to convince me. I’m having a great deal of fun thinking about these sillies.  

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Kalim loved finding every excuse to spend more time with you. He could sit in the dorm’s common room for hours, warm air drifting through the large windows and stirring up all the finely woven carpets and tapestries.  

Spending the afternoon preening your feathers wasn’t exactly what he’d expected when you’d asked to come over, but he certainly wasn’t complaining now, was he? 

You sat facing away from him; crimson wings neatly folded against your back. You’d changed out of your uniform into looser clothing, better suited for Scarabia’s weather. Just looking at you made Kalim flustered.  

“So... How was your day?” You asked, lifting one wing. Not completely unfurled yet, just enough for Kalim to shuffle forward and begin running his fingers through the first set of feathers.  

“It was nice!” he answered. His hands shook as he reached out, brushing against your skin and feathers. You were warm, and impulsively he wanted to just stay still, or to trace along the down that covered patches of your back. But he didn’t, and focused on his task, setting each loose feather aside in a little pile. “Kinda boring for the most part, though.” 

You shifted slightly as Kalim pulled a little too hard. “Gentle, please,” you said, turning to look at him. Kalim winced, twisting the good feather between his fingers. 

“Sorry,” he apologized. He needed to relax. There wasn’t anything to stress about. It was like playing with someone’s hair. Yeah, just like all the times he would braid Jamil’s when bored in class (which often got him chastised, of course, but it was fun while it lasted). 

But then again, this wasn’t even close. It wasn’t Jamil he was with; it was you. Glorious, wonderful, beautiful you, and therefore what should have been a very casual activity felt infinitely more daunting.  

“Anyways... Surely something happened, yeah? I don’t care if it’s boring, I want to hear about your day,” you restarted the conversation, looking up at the ceiling. 

Kalim smiled. “No, it really was nothing. You?” He admitted, moving on to the next section of the plumage.  

“Truly stupid, is how it’s been,” you answered.  

“Well, what did you do?” Kalim asked, finally getting into a groove. It felt natural, ruffling through your feathers, setting loose down to the side and scratching at the occasional pin feather.  

“Oh, it’s not what I did. It’s what Grim did,” you explained, shaking your head. “You know how you took me shopping a few days ago? And I bought all those cans of tuna?” 

“To store for after exams, yeah,” Kalim nodded along. He loved taking you down to Foothill Town to shop. Even if you spent half the time turning down his attempts to spoil you, the few gifts he managed to get always made the trips special. “As a reward for him doing well.” 

“Yeah, I hid them in one of the side rooms. Even asked the ghosts to stand guard!” You chuckled, “Don’t know why I thought that would work, though. Because you know what Grim did?” 

“Find it all?” Kalim guessed, pausing as you stretched your wing all the way out, the blue and yellow pinion feathers normally hidden beneath layers of crimson finally given bright sunlight, standing in perfect contrast to the sandy browns and reds that made up the room’s walls. He moved away from you to preen them too, now able to look at your face as you both talked.  

You met Kalim’s gaze as you corrected, “Ate it all.” 

Kalim gasped in mock surprise. Grim’s appetite was something he was aware of—Hence why he always tried to remedy it! “How could he possibly eat all that? We could barely carry it all back to the school there was so much tuna!” 

“Exactly!” you said, feathers ruffled in excitement. “Like, where does it all go? Does he have some secret stomach?” 

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Kalim laughed smoothing your feathers back down and returning behind you to start on the other wing. “No evidence otherwise! He very well might.” 

“Ehh, probably not. He’s currently experiencing the consequences of binging that much,” you explained. “And despite being completely sick to the stomach, he still insists he’d do it again! How am I to deal with him?”  

Kalim opened his mouth to respond when you leaned back against him, head resting on his shoulder as you looked up at him. Kalim squeaked in surprise; his cheeks flooded with color.  

He stared down at you, realizing you were blushing too.  

“Thanks for this, by the way,” you chirped. “I know it’s a bit of a hassle, but it’s hard for me to reach back there, and--” 

“It’s not a problem at all!” Kalim interrupted, sitting you back up and returning to work. His head was spinning, and he was instantly reminded of just how close he was to you right now. How intimate the whole process was. He couldn’t get the image of your face out of his head, all rosy and relaxed. Your lips curled into a gentle smile, eyes sparkling in the sunlight... Sevens, he was getting distracted. Clearing his throat, he continued, “I enjoy this, actually. Just getting to talk with you. And besides, I get a nice little collection out of it.”  

“... Collection?” 

“The feathers, obviously. They’re beautiful. I’d much rather wear yours than the ones I already have,” he admitted, pushing through the embarrassment of the confession. The ones attached to his hairband were nice, sure, but he would much rather be able to carry a little sign of you everywhere. 

You folded your wings up again, turning around to face Kalim. You reached up and pulled the old ones out, setting them aside, and tied the new feathers in. 

Your hands were so close to his face, your wings reaching out to pull him closer like a little hug. You were so close—Kalim so desperately wanted to kiss you. But then again, that would probably be a terrible idea. You came here to talk to him as a friend, right? One of these days, he’d find a good way to finally confess to you but today wasn’t that day. 

JAMIL ✦✧

He thinks he's subtle. He really tries to be.

Sure, him and Ritsu are dating and everything, but Jamil has spent his whole life being conditioned to prioritize others over himself. What Jamil Viper wants or needs has rarely been relevant, except for now.

Ritsu always seems to know exactly where to strike. Asking Jamil to choose what they do that day. Asking what he wants to eat, or if he just wants a break.

Jamil's never had that before, and frankly, its disorienting.

He tries to brush it off by saying he doesn't care, and to an extent, he doesn't. Even if he doesn't admit it, though, it is ultimately comforting to be wanted instead of needed.

Ritsu is a major PDA enjoyer, but Jamil just isn't used to it yet. Occasionally he tries to act like he hates it, but anyone with eyes can tell how desperately he's clinging to Ritsu, memorizing the way he feels, smells, looks...

Pushing Ritsu away from a hug as if he didn't squeeze him closer... "I have things I need to do" sure, you do, Jamil. That thing is yearn.

Did I mention he's such a yearner? This man yearns.

Like Ritsu is right there next to him. Completely in reach. His boyfriend. And this lovesick snake still manages to yearn.

Jamil hates asking for help. It feels so vulnerable, to reach out a hand and request for someone to take it. But with Ritsu, he doesn't have to ask. Sure, he can be disruptive or chaotic, but other times the prince knows when to quietly swoop in and help clean up, or prepare for the next day.

They're both caretakers, in a sense. And Jamil is just grateful to have someone who understands. Bonus points for Risa and Kalim also always being together, meaning that Jamil/Ritsu's assistance also often means getting to spend time together.

(Which Jamil spends yearning. By Sevens, just hold that man's hand!! It won't kill you!! I don't care that you're "on duty" give him a little kiss he deserves it!!)

Jamil is so paranoid about being open regarding the relationship. He just doesn't want to draw any attention to himself, much less to him and Ritsu together. He shows his love in quiet moments. In fleeting glances and the nights spent under the moon in sand dyed purple.

That actually leads into our other miscreant...

KALIM ✦✧

Our PDA King. He's holding onto Risa every chance he gets, showing her off to anyone and everyone because... Well, why shouldn't he? He has the most lovely woman alive next to him. Surely the world deserves to see her dazzling smile or hear her heart-stopping laughter? Right?

Tries very hard not to "bother" Jamil with things, but let's be real... He's always asking him for advice, even if Jamil himself doesn't really know what to do. Luckily Jamil actually likes Risa, otherwise this relationship wouldn't have happened in the first place.

He'd make a point to try and get Risa anything and everything she wants, before he realizes that just gift-giving isn't what Risa's looking for anyways. She'd much rather enjoy Kalim's company and affection, something no amount of gold could possibly purchase.

This fact is something that throws Kalim off at first. His family's fortune is often the only thing people know about him. He's used to it following him everywhere he goes, affecting the entire outcome of his life. It's nearly been responsible for its end a few times. But here, in the realm of romance, it's... Useless?

And that's comforting to him. That he can be with Risa without having to worry. He can trust her whole-heartedly, and that's important.

He giggles and kicks his feet just thinking about her. Jamil has had to listen to Kalim ramble nonsense like a schoolgirl.

All the wholesome sweetness aside, though, I feel like there's another side to Kalim that really only shows itself on occasion.

And it's that he's protective, and a little jealous, and very very careful. His life has been nothing short of dangerous (not that he'd ever admit that up front, of course... Maybe later), and he couldn't possibly imagine something happening to Risa because of him. Jamil's double and triple checking their meals. Ritsu is too, if necessary.

Set your worries and cares aside. He'll take care of them (er, Jamil will take care of them). For now, just relax. Spend time with him. Celebrate while they're still young and somewhat free.

SILVER✦✧

Silver is someone Laleh knows she can always trust.

He's not the most expressive, but he's caring and kind, and that's what matters.

And to Silver, Laleh is someone he can let his guard down around.

He is most at ease just laying in the sun with her in silence. Neither of them needs to say a word to get the point across. Love is best declared by silently offering the other a flower crown that was woven absent-mindedly, or when a bird settles on Silver's finger and he shows her.

RIDDLE ✦✧

Oh would you look at that. Trauma bonding.

(Dear Seven get these two a therapist please).

Hey wait they're very Rapunzel/Flynn Rider coded.

Like we all know Riddle is Rapunzel but Mikhail being a "sauve, charming, playful outgoing person who actually just uses it as a mask to hide his insecurity" is very Flynn Rider...

Yeah that's it that's all I have to say I feel like everything else describes itself. That's them. It's literally them.

Ritsu stared at the ceiling, Grim curled neatly in his lap. Risa had already drifted off to sleep, curled up on the couch with a blanket Ritsu had given her. It was quiet, for once, and he found it deeply unnerving. He’d gotten rather used to the constant noise he’d been living in, the rapid flow of life at NRC pushing him along stream. He’d always considered his goals rather simple. Help his kingdom, still fresh in a world that had long sense moved past it. Protect his sister and her golden heart. He’d dedicated himself wholly to those two tasks, adding along the way little things, like joining the Pop Music Club, or encouraging Lilia in the kitchen (an event that led to a notable amount of chaos and gotten both temporarily banned from it after-hours). Goals that gave him a momentary rush, but never outshone his burning need to protect and serve. 

It was the purpose of his entire life, really. Instilled in him from the very beginning. That his role was to be responsible, to guide, to lead. To let Risa lead a care-free life in a world curated to bring her and their people joy.  

But within the whirlpool that was Night Raven College, he’d found a freedom he’d never considered. He could reach out his hand and hold, put his whole being into music and performance, laugh and tease and get encouragement back.  

And in that freedom, he found Jamil Viper. He was reserved and sensible, as committed to his work, Kalim, as Ritsu was to his own. Ritsu loved watching his respectable persona crack under pressure, turning to flustered expressions and desperate attempts to dodge Ritsu’s probing. It was beyond entertaining—It was a sort of thrill Ritsu had never felt before and knowing that he could continue to hold onto someone so consistent and stable. Jamil was a puzzle Ritsu desperately wanted to solve, and he finally had the opportunity.  

Yet he couldn’t quite figure out where to start. How to express that affection that welled his chest as he passed time listening to Jamil’s smooth voice or running his fingers through his inky hair.  

Ritsu groaned as he closed his eyes, trying to vanish the thoughts drifting through his mind. It was late. He needed to follow Risa and Grim’s example and get some rest, not waste precious time daydreaming over his... Well, whatever he was with Jamil.  

Actually, no, now that he thought about it, the odds that Jamil was still up weren’t zero. Ritsu was pulsing with unspent energy; he might as well at least check if the boy was available. Shifting in his seat, he lifted Grim, the cat mumbling something vague about Risa and tuna, and set him down next to his sister, who remained undisturbed. The two of them could sleep through just about anything, Ritsu thought to himself before grabbing his uniform jacket and stepping outside.  

NRC was far from quiet, even in the earliest hours, before the rest of the world was awake. Ghosts drifted throughout the halls, free to roam the place without concern. Ritsu listened as they gossiped, their dry voices rasping to one another about the prince wandering about at the unnatural hour. He ignored them and focused on the walk itself. Wall-mounted candles flickered in their wake, creating dancing shadows across the cold stone and up the vaulted walkways. Everything was so grandiose, so open, that it wound up feeling suffocating. Like he was drifting in space, lost among stars that cared little for trivial matters like young romance. Unable to breathe, much less think. 

But think he did as he walked familiar paths turned foreign by the darkness, glancing around every corner and lingering on every shadow. Was this a good idea? Sevens, no, of course it wasn’t. That didn’t stop him from continuing anyways, but it did fill his body with unease, his nerves exposed to open air and the chilled breeze. At least he could count on Scarabia being warm as ever, even in the dark.  

As Ritsu stepped into the mirror chamber, he again considered turning back around. What did he even hope to accomplish? Spend a little more time with Jamil? What if he wasn’t even awake? It was late, and they had class tomorrow. No doubt this was a fruitless endeavor. But then the warm feeling deep within him pulled him forward, desperate to be acknowledged and tended to. Jamil listened, truly listened, and even though Ritsu didn’t have anything to talk about, he wanted to know Jamil would listen anyways. He stepped through the mirror. 

Scarabia’s unyielding heat had settled into a humid blanket that wrapped around Ritsu’s skin, clinging to his uniform as he tied his jacket haphazardly around his waist. He meandered through the dorm hallways, which were truly vacant instead of filled with the lingering memories of the dead, like the rest of the school. Or maybe ghosts waited here too, just silently. Ritsu didn’t know. He’d spent his whole life in what was effectively a ghost kingdom; a forgotten memory cursed to oblivion. In a way, he too was but a ghost haunting this world, holding desperately to ideals and unfinished business.  

Distantly, he heard someone shuffling about, accompanied by the muffled clattering of dishes. Ritsu gravitated to the sound, following the light that leaked from the kitchen. Stopping at the rounded entrance, Ritsu was greeted by the sight of Jamil hunching over a pan, stirring absently as he mumbled something to himself. The prince stood in silence, waiting for Jamil to notice him.  

Looking up from his work, Jamil startled at Ritsu’s presence, dropping the spoon he was using to stir what Ritsu assumed to be curry, from the scent. “R-Ritsu?” He exclaimed, before steadying himself and clearing his throat. “I mean, ahem... Do you need something?” 

“Nah,” Ritsu admitted, sauntering into the kitchen, twirling a set-aside bottle of paprika in his fingers. He wanted Jamil to focus on him, to distract him from his task and give them both something better to do. “Just bored.”  

Jamil’s eyes narrowed, and he turned away from Ritsu. “So, you wanted to talk?” He corrected, returning to his work. 

“Yeah, sure,” Ritsu shrugged, setting the spice down and walking over to Jamil, resting his chin on his shoulder to peer into the pot. “Looks delicious, by the way. Most important meal of the day, y’know. Curry in the earliest hours of the morning.” 

“It’s not for right now,” Jamil huffed, biting his lip and lightly pushing Ritsu away. Not enough to put meaningful distance between the two, almost teasing in the feign at annoyance. “It’s Kalim’s lunch. I make it every morning.” 

Ritsu frowned. He knew Jamil did just about everything for Kalim, but waking up this early just for him? It was absurd. He never seemed to do anything for himself. At the end of it all, the growing connection between the two was ultimately connected back to Kalim. Of course, Ritsu was guilty of the same crime, since he’d started spending time with Jamil for the sake of helping fix Risa’s love life. He decided to brush it off for the time being. “Whatcha making today, then?”  

“Curry with gyoza and rice,” He answered. “You could help, you know.”  

“Right, right,” Ritsu nodded, glancing around the kitchen. “Uhm... How?”  

Jamil sighed, shaking his head. “Never mind. Don’t worry about it. I’m almost done anyways,” he finished stirring, turning off the stove top. “I’ve got it covered.” 

“Do you?” Ritsu blurted out without thinking, earning him a targeted glare from Jamil. “Not that you’re not capable, of course!” He fumbled, trying to explain himself. “I just... I just mean that you’re doing a lot on your own. Is there really not anything I can do? I’m here for you, y’know.”  

A pause. Jamil looked at Ritsu, studying him carefully. “I know. And it’s just easier for me to do this on my own.”  

Ritsu was starting to feel a little annoyed. “You always say that, but I want you to trust me. I can help you, I promise. Just let me. You need assistance in one way or another, I’m sure. So, stop saying you don’t need anything.”  

“It’s curry, Ritsu. And technically, aren’t you banned from the kitchen?” Jamil deflected, carefully arranging the respective bento boxes and brushing away Ritsu’s meager attempts at assistance. 

“The main building only! You haven’t banned me here. Yet.” Ritsu added the amendment, though he really hoped that wouldn’t change.  

“You should be,” Jamil retorted, but he didn’t ask Ritsu to leave, instead closing the boxes off and turning to face him. He met his gaze for a long moment, in which Ritsu grew increasingly nervous. Before reaching out to fix Ritsu’s hair, Jamil’s steady fingers brushed against his skin. He wanted to savor the warmth forever, fleeting as it was. “... Alright. Could you go check up on Kalim, then? While I finish up in here?” 

Ritsu almost rejected the request, a little hurt that Jamil was sending him away, before he realized that he wasn’t being dismissed. Jamil was trusting him not just with a simple task, but with one as critical as Kalim’s well-being. It was a subtle sign of trust that Ritsu accepted. It was trust encapsulated in the warm scent of spice and momentary contact. It was all the little motivators, little tasks, that rested neatly upon the pile of Ritsu’s responsibilities like a meal’s final garnish. 

“Of course.”  

He promised to protect the things he loved. 

REQUEST RULES

✧.* Obvious things out of the way first: I will not take requests the following things:

Incest

Adult/Minor

Suggestive Content of underage characters

Full-on NSFW, even of adult characters

Most extremely triggering topics such as: s/h, suicide, eating disorders, etc.

Now that doesn't mean I won't potentially write at all about these things; just that I won't take requests for them. If I write about them it's of my own accord (I say this last bit mostly about the last option- The first four are off the table all together).

✧.* I write both headcanon lists and one-shots at request, so please be specific with what you want when asking!

✧.* I am currently open to writing for OCs; however, I am more likely to deny requests of them. This isn't personal at all. I just want my writing to be fun and accurate, and if I'm stressing about keeping them from being ooc, it stops becoming fun. Again, this doesn't mean I'll always reject them! It's just more about how I'm feeling the moment. A few things that will help make the process easier if you're requesting oc works from me:

Please give me as much detail about your OC as you can! Try to be as specific as possible, and if you have a certain scenario in mind, tell me as many details of how you want your OC to act as you can. I know it might seem like you're "talking too much", or "asking for too much", but the more information I have, the better it is for us both!

Don't be surprised if the work isn't 100% accurate to what you were envisioning, especially if you didn't tell me you wanted certain details. I cannot read your mind, but I'll try my best to keep the fic from being too ooc!

Time. These requests might take a little bit longer since I'll be trying to adhere directly to what you're telling me about your character, as opposed to other requests where I have more free reign.

✧.* In the same vein as OC/Canon (or general OC work), I am willing to write character/character, mostly because I find it fun to explore different character dynamics! This does mean that if it's not something I personally ship nor am interested in writing for in that moment, I'll likely reject the request. Please know that me rejecting a request is NOT because I hate your ship, or you, or anything of the sort. I just write for fun, so that means taking requests that I find interesting. Again, I am more than willing to write for things I don't ship, so I'm not going to include a list of "ships I'll write for" or anything of the sort (as of this moment, if I ever feel a need to in the future I will).

✧.* Character/reader works are 100% open. However, the more specific the reader-insert gets, the closer it becomes to writing an OC fic in the second person. As an example, "Could you write a Lilia/Reader fic where x thing happens? Reader is x personality/physical trait and maybe does x thing in response" is very different then "Write a Lilia/reader fic where reader has perfectly straight blonde hair, is 20 years old, likes etc etc, does etc etc has this 1,000 word backstory, etc etc". I'll take your specific x readers, but again at that point, OC requests are open so just send it there please :3.

✧.* I love writing AUs! I'm notorious for always turning things I like into superhero/royalty AUs, or connecting them to another piece of media I like (*ahem* like the Diasomnia Tuck Everlasting fic *ahem*). So big time YES on including these in other requests, or as their own ideas!!

✧.* Songfics. I just love collecting music, if I gotta write something to go with it, that's a bonus more than anything.

✧.* Fandoms I write for. These are fandoms I'm willing to write for as of this moment. If your fandom isn't in this list, it doesn't mean it's a guaranteed no! Just like anything else you have questions about regarding this list, feel free to reply to this post (or if you'd rather the question is private, dms are currently open. Please don't abuse that privilege, though) before you send the request!

Twisted Wonderland

My Little Pony

✧.* In line with the last note, please send your requests through the askbox, not through dms. This is just to help keep things organized for me. If you send a request (not a question) to my dms, it will be ignored. Thanks for understanding!

✧.* If I don't respond to your ask, that doesn't mean I denied it/am not working on it! If I don't want to take a request, I'll answer it to let you know.

✧.* And as a final reminder: This is not an exhaustive list! Please feel free to ask further questions and request what you want. Even if you think your idea is silly or dumb, I want to hear it. 

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FIC MASTERLIST

Multi-Chapter works:

✧.* Vanrouge Everlasting -- Diasomnia found family based off of Tuck Everlasting.

One-shots:

✧.* Late-Night Wishes and Memories -- General Lilia angst

✧.* Where Do We Begin? -- OC/Canon: Myra Vier/Vil Schoenheit pining

✧.* The Meaning of "Cherie" -- OC/Canon: Myra Vier/Rook Hunt Hurt/Comfort

✧.* KALIM x AVIAN!READER

Headcanons:

✧.* Mane 6 TWST Dorm Assignments

✧.* Established Relationship -- OC x CC (Multiple)

✧.* Valentine's Gifts -- OC x CC (Multiple)

Collections/Series:

✧.* To Dare To Dream -- TWST Oneshot/Headcanons Collection

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OC LIST (AND RELATED WRITING POSTS)

✧.* This list only includes writing posts from this account + Toyhouse links. More information on them can be found on my main!

✧.* Philene Virtue -- Toyhouse and CharacterHub

✧.* Myra Vier -- ⋆‧°𓏲ּ𝄢, ⋆˚࿔