#scrawlingquill

From a vantage point, perhaps from a second story window or among the trees that dotted the campus, Rook had caught sight of you stone-still on your walk. Before you, an NRC student he couldn’t recall. He didn’t really have time to register the man when Rook had just attention all on you.

Your wide, hollow eyes. Your chest rising and falling rapidly. How you froze so perfectly under the gaze of this man. It was a scene Rook was all too familiar with. Prey terrified beyond its own mind to run, to hide, or even fight.

Your rational mind couldn’t comprehend what your ex was even saying to you as panic held you in its overbearing clutch. The world grew dizzying and just when you felt like your heart would give out, right then and there, a broad arm wrapped around your shoulders.

“Ah, there you are, ma petite grâce. I was looking all over for you. You made me a bit worried, you know!”

It was hard to look up at him as Rook’s hat was tipped just enough for the shadows to mask his features. But your ex needed only one glance for the role of prey to be forced on him. Green eyes with a gaze so sharp, so precise like a notched arrow perfectly aligned to fire, bored right into him.

It didn’t take much time before the ex backpedaled away with his tail between his legs, now only leaving you with Rook.

Rook would face you, gripping your forearms firmly. His expression, soft though. He called out for you, trying his best to snap you from your daze. When you finally realized it was him now before you, your body moved on its own before you could think. A heaviness made you fall against his chest. You shivered, maybe tears and sobs escaping you.

Rook held you so close against him. Like he was cradling a sculpture of the most delicate porcelain. As if one scratch or knock would crumble you into fine dust.

A single hand held the back of your head protectively, letting you weep as much as you wanted against his shirt. His chin nestled along your hair. You would be so blissfully unaware of Rook’s gaze. A complicated stare into space as his mind swam with many thoughts.

Rook always found beauty in the oddest of places. Yet for the first time, there was something Rook found utterly detestable. A vile image that was a blot in his picturesque vision and that was your ex, the source of your pain. But from that ugliness, he did find a most exquisite sensation. A drive to hunt. An unyielding need to protect you.

While he couldn’t spring into action earlier, his quarry was marked. A hunter is patient and he can wait as long as he needs to for one slip-up, one more attempt to dare get near you, and Rook would be sure to let loose a vicious arrow.

There is a tension between you and Floyd on certain days. While most times, it would be all fun and games, just him and his little Shrimpy. But Floyd wasn’t blind to the weight you carried.

It would irritate him on a dime when you obviously had thoughts clouding your mind. So much so that you fidget anxiously or not even pay attention to him. His sharp voice would call over the din of thoughts and you’d see the eel practically inches away from your face.

His dual colored eyes glared at you and a slight frown pulled at his lips. “Geez, what the hell is goin’ on with you!?” He doesn’t mean to be so crass, but to see his Shrimpy unsettled, it frustrated him. 

Moreso that he can’t exactly pinpoint what was going on with you, that he can’t just squeeze it to a pulp and boom, no more problems!

He knew you had your walls and such walls took time to lower to let him in. Floyd had the patience as a waiting moray eel, but if he had the proactiveness to actually act upon his patience? That’s a whole other story. When it came to you, he just wanted to see you happy and unbothered. All reasoning would flutter out the window.

It may or may not have taken a lot of squeezing and thinly veiled threats to your friends for them to fess up information you couldn’t bear to unload on Floyd. A common name would be passed around, an ex from your past. Just the thought that someone else had their hands on you nearly made Floyd break bones if not for the pitiful yelps of your friends to release them in time.

Questions whirled in that skull of his. Why have you never brought this up to him? What did this ex do to you that made you shy away from him? Where was this scumbag now? All of these worries would bleed into his daily life and if it weren’t for Jade and Azul to straighten him out, he would have been throwing tantrums left and right.

It wasn’t until one day that all his frustrations would come to a boiling point into a final, satisfying crescendo. At least for him.

Work was to be done at Mostro Lounge. Floyd was on duty to be a waiter along with yourself. Both of you have opted to be in an awkward silence in your relationship and it was evident by how you both avoided one another, unsure of how to really talk about your issues.

Floyd had taken an order from a particular student, one he could easily sniff out as a rude bastard by his mannerisms and his tones. But if Floyd’s temper got the better of him, he’d never hear the end of it from Azul. He would hand off the order to you to at least serve drinks.

Everything seemed normal until suddenly a glass shattered. All eyes shifted to you who shivered in place. The tray rattled in your hands and below you a cascade of broken glass.

“Y-you…” “The fuck…? What the hell are you doing here!? And look at what you did to my drink! You’re still incompetent as ever, tch!”

You wanted to cry, scream, run away. You felt so ashamed, being treated like garbage again from an ex you swore you’d never let walk all over you again. But at the height of stress, you couldn’t bring yourself to stand up for yourself. Pathetic, absolutely pathetic…

That is until a sing-song, nonchalant voice slid right up behind you. “Ahhhh, what a shame. I apologize on the behalf of our lil waiter here. They’re just nervous is all. Here~ Why don’t I make it up to ya? I can serve ya a drink right here, right now. On the house~” “Finally, some decent fucking service…”

You looked up at Floyd and saw that dangerous glint in his eyes. How his pupils honed on the poor fool as his smile widened so tightly across his face. He reached for a spare glass that was left on the table, presented it with a flourish to your ex, and coyly said, “Readyyyy~? Watch carefully.”

Then, his hand flew so quick to grab a clump of your ex’s hair and slammed it squarely on the glass. The crunch of glass, your scream, and the screech of chairs being pushed back as patrons jumped.

“GYAHAHA, YOU LIKE IT!? IT’S MOSTRO LOUNGE’S OWN PERSONAL RED. Ahhhh, but the red comin’ from you? Pfft, it ain’t worth the shit under my shoe…” Your ex could barely register what was even being said to him from the glass embedded in his face and blood gushing from his nose and broken lips.

Hands covered your mouth in terror as you could barely register what was happening. From panicked students screaming to Azul and Jade holding Floyd back from beating the poor ex to a pulp. All you could really register was the horrifying satisfaction deep in your chest, seeing the one who hurt you so much battered under the hand of someone who protected you…

Leona has his own ways of caring but most of the time, if you cannot read between the lines, it may come off as uncaring.

He does care, but don’t expect a coddling man rushing to be your knight when you are feeling sorry for yourself. The last thing he wants to do is pity you as he knows all too well the humiliation of being pitied.

Instead he observes, he watches, he’s keen to everything you do that isn’t a part of your daily life. In sly ways, he tries to break your moments of dissociating. He calls your name sharply to snap you out of your funk and gives you a menial task.

Telling you to maybe preen his mane, join Ruggie on an errand, what have you. It’s better to keep yourself occupied than whatever is plaguing your mindscape.

Sometimes, he will even abruptly lean against you, his weight toppling the both of you over. Even if you protest under him, he will insist he’s really tired and just wants something warm beside him to help him sleep. In truth, it’s just another way to stop your self-deprecating thoughts.

Though he will speak up in annoyance if your depressed thoughts start to bleed into your relationship. It will sting, but he means well. He tells you gruffly that he’s not in the mood to lay next to baggage. He wants only his partner, dammit.

You may argue, you may not, it depends on how you react but at the end of it, one way or another, you’re going to have to face him and this problem that hangs over you.

If you take time before approaching him or spill everything in one go, he will wait patiently and listen. But cowardice by running away he won’t accept and would want answers promptly.

One way or another, the truth has to come from you and you explain the thoughts that coil around you like a petulant serpent. A name and face that digs into your chest horribly. Your ex and the ways he has hurt you in many ways.

Leona listens stoically, letting you share your story before acknowledging and commending the strength it took for you to finally admit this. He knows all too well the pains of the past, he shares in your frustrations. But the past stays in the past for a reason.

Now it’s you and him now. You define yourselves here in the present. If anyone says otherwise? Well, he’d like to see them try.

Who would have known that such a time would come so soon when one day, someone had the gall to start harassing you right in the Savanaclaw dorm.

That same face that always lingered around you like a ghost was here right now in the flesh, taunting you at the edges of the Spelldrive field. Your ex sneered at you, wondering what the hell you were doing around here during his practice hours. Had the nerve to accuse you of stalking him despite your split.

Your anger boiled your blood, your face flushed. Your nerves alighted with a burning fury that made the dorm’s dry heat pale in comparison. But your body did not respond to you. Your throat froze despite wanting to curse and yell out at your ex.

What neither you expected though while your mouth gasped for something, anything to throw at this scumbag, was a lion’s roar peeling across the field. A shadow loomed over your ex and both of you looked up to a silhouette blocking the sun and a pair of piercing green eyes.

Astride his broom, Leona stared squarely at the ex. “For a minute, I thought I heard annoying squawks from a mangy vulture, but now I just see a whelp. Having the nerve to approach my partner…”

Without missing a beat, Leona lowered himself to the ground and sauntered right over to your ex. Your ex tried to stand his ground but anyone could tell he was practically shaking in his spot.

“So.... What were you two talking about?” It was such a simple question. So trivial. But the way Leona spoke each word, it was like a pair of hungry jaws were ready to snap behind every syllable. He dared for your ex to slip up.

“N-nothing… Nothing at all… I was l-leaving…” “Hooo?” Leona’s tail whipped behind him in amusement. “So you just waltzed up to my partner and gawked at them? Nothing left your useless, flapping gums? I can hardly believe that.”

Leona’s knuckles cracked as he flexed his hand and for a quick second, you swore you saw wind and dust particles gather between his finger tips. The air felt still and you heard your ex gulp audibly from a dry throat. Then, a sudden calmness.

“But if you were just about to leave, then by all means, scurry along. I hate people wasting my time.”

To which your ex immediately did, turning on his heel, so close to make a run for it. Then, like a giant paw slamming atop a helpless mouse, Leona’s hand roughly grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

“I appreciate you waking me up at a reasonable time, but maybe next time, you could try and wake me without using claws,” you pleaded softly. At this Azul withdrew his paws underneath his fluff and mewed softly in a saddened tone. You quickly reached out to scratch his chin in reassurance, feeling an instant pang of guilt.

“No, no, buddy, I’m not mad or anything. I appreciate you making biscuits but I wish I was made of thicker skin to take all your kneading, haha!” You sat upright at this point, now moving to start your day. With a yawn, you grabbed your phone from your nightstand to look at the time and any missed notifications. However, something else caught your attention immediately. The date, February 24th. Instantly your mind was taken back to a very special day. The day you found a scrawny little kitten abandoned on the side of an empty street. You had your doubts if that kitten would survive, with the many parasites that riddled his body and his sickly demeanor. Yet here that kitten was, all grown up and having turned into a beautiful Ragdoll that was the envy of every cat show you took him to.

You were a little saddened that you truly didn’t know his birthday but finding him on that day was the next best thing to celebrate. An idea then popped into your mind. You shuffled to your wardrobe and began to throw on a quick outfit. Seeing you do this motion, Azul instantly stood up and meowed in protest.

“Now don’t be like that, Azul. It’s only for a quick walk. I’ll be right back, you won’t even feel like I was gone,” again, more meows argued with you. You turned around to give the cat a quick kiss on the forehead before bolting for the door. You knew Azul would race with you to try and stop you from leaving but this was for an important mission! You tried your best to ignore the saddened yowls from your front door as you closed it shut. You raced off, hoping you can make record time to get what you needed and come back so Azul wouldn’t be too heartbroken by himself.

You recalled that not far away from your home a certain bakery could be found. Clover Bakery you think it was called? You must have looked like a bread fanatic with how quickly you scanned the shelves and grabbed whatever looked the nicest to you. Cream breads, croissants, sugary doughnuts all went flying into your little basket. You were about to pay for your haul when something caught your eye. In the display window, individual slices of cakes sat in an array of colors and flavors. Your eyes lingered on a piece of white frosted cake adorned with the fluffiest whipped cream and a blueberry. Your mind could only conjure up a certain feline and instantly, you piped up to the one behind the counter for a slice.

Back at your home, Azul was in a morose state, already trudging over to his favorite bed. An oversized purple shell pillow. Granted he never really used the darned thing when he thought the best place to nap was by your side. But it would do for now as a good place to wallow. Not even a paw was placed on the bed as his ears perked up at the door unlocking and your footsteps came in.

“Azuuuuul!” You called and like a bullet, the silvery cat ran up to your feet and meowed with his whole chest in greeting. He circled your legs, rubbing up against them with all his might and could not stop moving in excitement. How long were you even gone? 15-20 minutes at max? You really needed to get this little guy a friend, but that was a thought for another time. You carried the bag filled with your spoils to the kitchen table then smiled at Azul.

“Hey, why don’t you go into the room, get dressed, and come back? I wanna surprise you with something,” you teased.

Azul looked up at you curiously with a tilt of his head, but didn’t question your request. He scurried off back into your room, time passed, and instead of quiet paws stepping back in, you heard footsteps. You looked back and where once was your cute Ragdoll now a handsome man stood. Familiar soft ears perched atop his head and behind him, a fluffy feather duster tail swayed. From his neck, a recognizable purple bowtie collar sat with a bell. No mistake, it was still Azul here with you. He carefully approached you, still wondering why you had asked him to come out in this form.

“Master?”

“Ta-dah!” You moved aside and revealed the dinner table. Strewn about it were all sorts of baked goods still fresh in their wrappers and the blueberry cake slice as the centerpiece. Azul blinked, looked at you, then back at the spread before him.

“What is all this?”

“It’s for you, silly! To celebrate your birthday!”

His ear flicked at this. “Birthday…?”

“Well technically not your real birthday cuz I have no idea when you were actually born. So let’s celebrate instead the day I first found you.”

Azul’s expression softened at this and his hand reached up to clutch at his shirt a little. Like his heart was about to burst from such a sweet gesture. “Thank you… I never had a birthday before. I mean, why would a cat need it? Ah, but this is really nice,” he spoke in such a soft tone. You couldn’t help but to melt a little at his words and you approached him, taking him tightly in your arms. You reached to lightly stroke his hair and nuzzled against him, basking in the warmth you knew so well when he curled against you as a cat.

“You’re not just a cat, Azul. You’re more than that and very special to me, okay?”

You felt Azul’s chest rise up and down with a chuckle followed by the faintest of purrs. “Okay,” he sighed.

Yuu sighed in defeat, their shoulders slumped. “Alright, alright, enough of that, Trappola. You can crash with me in my room….”

Ace did a little fist pump of victory while Grim bit back a yowl. “Henchman, you can’t be serious!? We don’t have enough space on our bed!”

“Oh yes, we do! More than enough! You would know that especially, right, Mr. Bed Hogger?” Yuu grumbled.

At that, Grim shut his mouth with a small “Geh…” and his ears flattened in defeat. A look that certainly had Ace chuckling and earned an immediate stink eye from the feline.

“Alright, c’mon. I’ll take you upstairs and you can freshen up before bed.”

“Yeeeees~! Thank you so much, benevolent Ramshackle Prefect! Your kindness knows no bounds!” Ace sang in mock-praise and Yuu immediately started to question their choice. 

Past the dusty stairway and behind a rather creaky door, Ace would follow Yuu right into their bedroom. It looked to be the biggest place out of all Ramshackle with a pretty large bed, ample space, and even a fireplace being situated against one wall. Though with the sorry state it was in, Ace doubted it would be providing warmth anytime soon. Speaking of warm, Ace was already starting to feel the woes Grim and Yuu had to face living in this dump of a building. Even with his uniform jacket on, a chill shuddered through him and he rubbed his arms.

“Geez, how do you even sleep here at night? Grim I can understand cuz he’s a furball, but you? You don’t even look like you’re wearing heavy pajamas.”

“I am not a furball!” Grim exclaimed while he was in the middle of hoisting his favorite pillow to the foot of the bed. Before he could get himself more riled, Yuu quickly settled the monster cat down and patted his back to get him to sleep.

“Eh, I tend to run warm usually. Sorry I can’t do much given how we’re stuck with,” they gestured vaguely to their surroundings, “--this. I’d offer you more blankets if most of them weren’t shredded by moths…”

Ace sighed, his posture slumped a bit. “Ah well, beggars can’t be choosers. I’m gonna use your bathroom then,” with that, the auburn-haired teen trudged off. Fortunately, hot water still ran through Ramshackle’s pipes, which was a bit of a surprise on Ace’s part. However, even while he tried to wash his face and hair with the warm water, the comfort would be fleeting once he stepped back into the chilly bedroom. Yuu was getting themself comfortable and Grim was knocked out immediately, snoring peacefully with drool dribbling down his chin. Ace wrinkled his nose at Grim’s sloppy sleeping as he rested his uniform’s outerwear on a nearby chair. He mentally slapped himself for not grabbing a bag of essentials before marching out here.

“You sure you’re gonna be okay sleeping in your uniform?” Yuu asked, then pointed at their neck. “And with that collar clamped around your neck?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll make do. If anything, I can always grab fresh clothes when we go back to apologize.”

“You mean when you go to apologize.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Ace said dismissively, earning him an eye-roll from Yuu.

Eventually, Ace would slip right under the covers and Yuu rolled on their side, turning their back on Ace. They snuggled into the sheets, yawned, and gave a lazy, “good night” to Ace. The boy mumbled back the same phrase and tried his best to find his way to sleep. Emphasis on tried. Not even a good five minutes in Yuu’s sleep and they felt something shaking the bed slightly. Yuu looked over their shoulder to see the lump that was Ace shivering like a leaf caught on a blustery day.

“Ace. Ace!” Yuu hissed softly.

“Wha–?”

“Dude, is that you?” A moment of awkward pause.

“Yeah… Sorry, I’m really cold,” Ace mumbled.

“No, you’re fine. I just– hmm… How are we going to do this? I can feel you shaking next to me.”

“I can just go back downstairs and sleep on the couch, if I’m keeping you up,” he sighed.

“No, no, if anything, I’m worried you’re gonna catch a cold down there, cuz if you’re trembling here, you’re not gonna survive down there.”

“Well what do you suggest we do? You don’t have any more sheets right?”

“We can sleep with our backs touching.”

This time, it was Ace’s turn to look over his shoulder and shoot Yuu with an incredulous look. Something that Yuu instantly scoffed at. “Don’t you dare act weird now after you begged to come into my bed.”

“D-Don’t say it like that! It sounds bad like that!” Ace stammered out, his voice raising with the heat gathering in his cheeks.

“Shhh, shut up! You’re gonna wake Grim up! Do you want to be warm or not…!?”

“Fine, fine!” He grumbled in defeat. He felt Yuu scoot closer and a weight gently pressed against his back. Instantly, he felt warmth crawl along his spine. Yuu wasn’t kidding when they said their body ran warm. Ace relaxed, surprised that even just the close proximity was enough to comfort him. Yuu sighed softly in relief as they felt the tension in Ace slowly dissipate. Once again, they closed their eyes and nuzzled into the comforter. They focused, the darkness behind their eyelids beckoning them to the land of sleep… Until a familiar shaking against their back had their eyes snapped open. Ace didn’t even have the nerve to look back as he felt a pair of eyes bore into the back of his head.

“Trappola, I’m spooning you right now.”

Ace choked. He tried to spin around to face Yuu, ready to protest but the Prefect was faster than him. They latched onto him, body flushed against his, and their legs already tangling. Ace squirmed and frantically tried to slip out of Yuu’s arms that wound tightly around his waist.

“Lemme go!” He whispered harshly.

“Not if you’re going to be rattling like this the whole time. Neither of us are going to sleep at this rate. So either relax while I hold you or I’m legit going to kick you into the cold.”

Ace gritted his teeth as he weighed his options. It was cold enough already in this bedroom so how was the rest of this dusty, old building going to feel like? It’s only going to be for one night, he chanted silently in his mind and Ace went limp in defeat. “Just– stop holding me so tight…!” 

Yuu complied off course, loosening their hold on Ace in favor of a more comfortable position for the both of them. Yuu rested their forehead squarely between Ace’s shoulder blades, their arms now loosely held around Ace. With being so close to their fellow student, Yuu couldn’t help but to take in Ace’s natural scent. They could smell his light sweat leftover from the day’s antics of running around the campus and in the Dwarves’ Mine, but also a hint of something else. Tea with maybe a whiff of crumbled tarts? Whatever it was, it definitely a whole lot better than the must and dust in Ramshackle.

With Yuu so close now, Ace was forced to stay still as a statue. Yet as the minutes flew by, he began to let go of his tension. Of course, that didn’t stop his cheeks from glowing with red and being hyper aware of his fast beating heart. He screwed his eyes shut, trying desperately to not think about the situation he was in. Though in his mind, he began to wonder. When was the last time he had ever been hugged tenderly like this? Sure he had his rough hugs from his teasing dad and older brother along with the gentle hugs he’d offer to his mom. Yet those kinds of embraces were fleeting, something you only ever gave to family. Hell, he didn’t even get this far in cuddling with his past girlfriend.

Yet here he was, melting into a state of pure calm with this Prefect sharing body heat with him. Where once were whirling embarrassed thoughts now faded into a peaceful silence. Sleep finally washed over the two as the exhaustion from today’s activities finally hit them in one fell swoop.

♥♥♥

Being a ghost definitely had its perks besides well, y’know, the whole deal with not being among the living. No need to walk, didn’t have to worry about the pains of having a fleshy vessel, plus you get to be invisible and phase through walls. This certainly helped when one decided to maybe snoop around and see some rather interesting sights. No one would be none the wiser after all, since dead men tell no tales, right? That was what was going through the minds of the three resident ghosts of Ramshackle as they poked their heads through the Prefect’s wall.

They had decided to maybe give their newfound guests a surprise alarm on their first day at NRC. It was the least they could do for their new friends! But that idea went flying out the window the moment they laid their eyes on the bed. The late night visitor of Yuu’s was clinging onto them like they were his safety blanket. His face nuzzled deeply against their chest, arms held tight onto their waist. Meanwhile Yuu in their sleep was more than willing to hold Ace snuggly. One hand rested on the back of his head while the other was draped lazily on his shoulder. They even nestled their face close in Ace’s wild locks. Both slept deeply, so unaware of how they looked.

The three ghosts giggled to themselves and exchanged fond looks. “Shucks, ain’t they cute?”

“Maybe we can give ‘em five more minutes?”

“Yeah, five more minutes wouldn’t hurt…”

“Please grow strong. Please grow beautiful,” Yuu whispered to the flowers that stared up at the magicless student with their buds shy of blossoming.

One certain curious student made note of Yuu’s determined gardening. “Trickster is such a dedicated little one. It’s almost as if the flowers themselves are a lover they visit everyday!” Rook chirped.

“Flowers as a lover…?” Epel echoed uncertainly with a raised brow, peeking up from his latest apple carving. “That’s– certainly a thought, Rook. But it does make you wonder. I’ve never seen another student so dedicated to the garden. Not even Trey.”

Vil was relaxing upon the throne that laid in Pomefiore’s lounge, book in hand, as he overheard his fellow dorm mates chatter from the couches. His jewel-like eyes would peer up, his curiosity a little piqued over this conversation.

“Has it ever crossed your mind that Trickster may not be just growing them for the sake of having belle fleurs to admire? The gardens are filled with wondrous flora yet they never attend to the others. Only those four kinds,” Rook emphasized his point by holding up four fingers.

Epel thought about this and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that is true. Maybe they’re just Yuu’s favorite kinds?”

“Perhaps! But I offer a counter argument, Monsieur Cherry Apple. I think our little Trickster is growing those flowers for someone~”

“For someone?” Epel’s eyebrows shot up. “How would you know that, Rook?”

Epel wasn’t the only one to be intrigued by Rook’s theory. At this point, Vil was slowly closing his book to focus more on this conversation. The keen hunter could feel his Dorm Leader’s eyes hone in on them and Rook had to stop his lips from curling into a mischievous smile.

“It’s the meaning they carry, mon ami! Lilac, a harbinger of spring, the start of love blooming in one’s heart. Camellia, a symbol of affection and admiration. Primrose, a bold declaration of not being able to live without their other half’s love. Finally, Stock, everlasting beauty and bonds. Ah! Such forthright feelings in the most delicate of blooms, it’s enough to make one’s heart soar!” Rook dramatically declared with a flourish of his arms. The animated talk from his senior had Epel sinking slightly into the couch as he avoided Rook’s dramatics. But a slight blush crept on his cheeks over how rose-colored this was. Was Yuu really head over heels for someone? If they were, with who?

Vil shared these sentiments as well but was not obvious. Cool and elegant as ever, Vil opened his book back up again to further his readings. Try as he might to focus on the task at hand, his mind wandered to the mystery of the Prefect’s hidden feelings. Though the day would carry on normally as ever. The conversation faded and other tasks had to be dealt with. After all tomorrow was Vil’s birthday and for the Dorm Leader, anything less than perfect wasn’t going to cut it. The morning sun would ease in through Vil’s window and naturally, he would rouse awake. A testament to his healthy circadian rhythm. Vil was about to start his day until knocking promptly came upon his door.

He raised a fine brow, a bit perturbed that someone would dare come to his bedroom before he started his daily ritual. “Who is it?” He called.

“It’s me, mon Roi du Poison. Forgive me for showing so early, but I have something that I think you must see. Any moment later would tarnish their beauty…”

Confused, Vil would slip a silk robe on for modesty and open the door. He was about to lecture Rook for coming so early, but stopped upon seeing a plethora of gorgeous flowers presented in a modest but elegant vase. Lilacs, camellias, primroses, and stocks, all in varying shades of purple or deep pinks. Vil looked between the bouquet and Rook with slowly widening eyes.

“From a secret admirer, mon Roi,” Rook clarified. “They left before I could even catch them~”

Crowley is literally knocked off his feet as this massive bird tackles him to the ground, hat flying off, and winds whipping everywhere. A crowd of students are gawking as Crowley is laughing with this bird churring and preening him. 

For reference, I shamelessly imagine her looking like Marahaute from Rescuers Down Under because c’mon. Tiny blackbird husband with a huge golden majestic eagle wife. I’m deceased.

So anyway, student population right now is thinking, “Oh god, our Headmage is legit married to a big bird… He’s actually insane…” But then things start to shift. Winds pick up again, a flurry of golden feathers and light, and there is a woman now holding Crowley like he weighs nothing.

Wife is BUILT like an Amazon. I’m talking nearly on the cusp of being 7’00” tall, solid abs, and biceps that look like they can crush an apple. Everyone has to catch themselves again from the shock. She also has a mask similar to Crowley but it’s shaped to be an eagle of course.

“I didn’t know you were visiting! You should have messaged me!” “Haha! Sorry, my love. I really wanted to surprise you!”

Sets him down gently, dusts off his hat, and happily puts it back on him. Crowley is all sunshine and flowers while everyone is still in silence. He’d proudly show off the students who were present and Mrs. Crowley is so happy to meet them.

Course, she gets whisked away as Crowley pretty much acts like an excitable bird, strutting his stuff, and showing off his school to the wifey. This is one of the few times Crowley is super on his best behavior.

Even the staff are flabbergasted because they had NO idea that Crowley was married in the first place. Much less even capable of getting hitched.

Absolutely act like an annoying pair of lovebirds that won’t stop cooing over each other and being lovey-dovey. Every time Mrs. Crowley compliments him, he’s puffing his feathers out and grows energetic. Like: “Ahh~ My husband is so kind and generous. What a dashing headmaster!” “Fufu! You flatter me too much!” Acts cute but is totally fishing for more compliments.

Over the top nicknames that make you gag. Honeyfeathers, Dire Darling, Birdy, etc, etc. But that’s usually for private or whispered between each other if in public.

Crowley and Mrs. Crowley are opposites in every way from stature to personality. While Crowley is eccentric and mysterious, Mrs. Crowley is warm and easy to approach. Surprisingly, they both compliment each other in that Mrs. Crowley has a keen eye in seeing past Crowley’s bravado and discovering how much work he puts into his job. Meanwhile, Crowley offers a new perspective to Mrs. Crowley on various topics and reminds her to be open-minded to the people in the shadows.

A day marked by cake, candles, presents, and special treatment from his fellow classmates and teachers. Usually Ruggie was more than happy to roll around in the attention. Especially with the prospect of gaining some valuable gifts or an extra helping of food from the celebration banquet at Savanaclaw.

But surprisingly enough, Ruggie had to cut his own birthday celebration short. An act that had quite a number of Savanaclaw members tilting their heads in confusion. For Leona, the reason was obvious by how quick and eager Ruggie bolted out the door. The glimmer in his stormy gray eyes, the quirk of his lips in a bright smile. The pup was off to meet his mate. Eh, at least he got to go back to napping than having to stay awake longer for a party. And right Leona was with Ruggie tailing Yuu eagerly. Eventually Yuu came to a halt in front of a thick patch of foliage obscuring their path. They looked back to Ruggie excitedly as they lifted their hands up, about to unveil their special present.

“Ready?”

Ruggie grinned with his tail wagging a mile per minute. “As I’ll ever be. C’mon! What is it!”

“Surprise!” With a sweep of their hand, the scenery unfolded, and Ruggie gazed out. Before him was a hidden paradise in the depths of the botanical gardens. A spring of rushing water, fed by a small water created by some stones that wedged themselves among the foliage. All kinds of vibrant and colorful plants swayed in the warm air from hanging vines dappled with violet blossoms to leaf fans that dwarfed him and Yuu. Ruggie couldn’t even believe that he was still on NRC grounds.

“Woah… When did you find this place?” He asked breathily, his eyes never once leaving the scene.

“A loose, running mandrake can really take a person to the wayside. But hey, I think it was pretty worth a mad dash,” Yuu snickered. “Do you… Like it?”

“Yes, me being slack-jawed and bug-eyed are signs that I hate it... Of course I like it, Yuu! Are you kidding me!?” Ruggie scoffed.

“Alright, alright, no need to be a smartass about it. C’mon, I got more to show ya,” and once again, Yuu grasped the hyena’s hand and pulled him along on their whimsical way.

Closer they drew to the water and by its edge, a picnic blanket was laid out. Atop of it, an array of foods gathered with succulent meats, freshly picked fruits, glittering juice, and of course, an array of delicious donuts covered in all kinds of toppings. Complete with various candles that surrounded the picnic for mood lighting. Ruggie smiled at the sight, feeling a fuzziness gather at the base of his chest. It bubbled up and came out as his usual sly giggles. He hid his huge grin behind his fist and Yuu glanced over their shoulder to regard him curiously.

“Did I do something funny?”

“Yeaaaaah,” he said in a sing-song voice as he swayed their held hands. Yuu snorted and drew closer, raising a brow.

“What’d I do, Giggles?”

“Bein’ such a huge sap. Finding this little slice of paradise and treating me like I’m the best thing around. You seriously that into me? I feel sorry for you,” he mocked, but with how his cheeks were so rosy and his ears wiggled, Yuu knew Ruggie was just trying to deflect to ease his poor racing heart. Yuu pulled Ruggie closer and took him into their arms, locking his waist close against theirs.

“And what if I am the biggest sap around?” Yuu questioned with their own sly grin. “You’re gonna be stuck with me the whole time, Ruggie. Oh whatever shall you do~?”

“Mmm, I guess I gotta have to keep my eye on you. Make sure no one else gets a taste of how sweet you are…” He whispered, lips just a breath away from theirs.

“Doubt that,” Yuu said, practically brushing their lips now against Ruggie’s. “If anyone is getting a treat, it’s only for you.”

“Sebek, are you alright? Your mind seems to be somewhere else?” Lilia piped up and Sebek jolted.

“Ah, my apologies, Master Lilia! I did not mean to be so inattentive,” Sebek quickly blurted out, but Malleus raised his own hand to ease the troubled knight-in-training.

“Sebek, at ease. It is your birthday. You can get away with some good distraction here and there…”

“Young Master, I could never!”

“He’s right, you know!” Lilia tutted. “Birthdays should always be a good excuse to have a little fun. All work, no play makes a dull boy, as the saying goes. Now off with you! Why don’t you greet your first-year friends!”

Sebek was powerless at Lilia’s insistence coupled by the shorter fae floating up to push lightly at his back. Sebek was instantly lost in the crowd, now a fair distance from the comfort of his dorm mates. Fortunately he wouldn’t be lost out at sea for too long as the grand doors of the lounge were opened for a certain group of first-years.

“Man! Even when we ran, we still got soaked!” Ace complained, trying his best to wring out the corners of his uniform.

“Jack! Don’t shake yourself, you’re getting water everywhere!” Epel exclaimed followed by a sheepish “Sorry” from the guilty wolfman.

Sebek approached the group with sudden hurried steps and formally greeted the group. “You all made it, welcome,” though his antique golden eyes didn’t really focus on any of the boys. Instead, he tried hard to find a certain Prefect and his shoulders sank a bit noticing their absence. This did not go unnoticed by the quartet. Deuce quickly came forward to defuse the situation, jutting his arms out with a gift in hand.

“Happy birthday, Sebek! We’re glad we could make it on time despite the weather!”

Following Deuce’s lead, everyone offered their gifts and birthday greetings to which even Sebek did genuinely offer a small smile in return. Gathering his gifts, he led his friends into the heart of the party and allowed them to feast on all the food the dorm had to offer. Things were going rather well! Yet even surrounded by friends and bright festivity, a thought gnawed on the back of Sebek’s mind like an annoying pest. He truly wanted to shove such ugly feelings deep down. It was such a childish notion to get upset over. Yet in his mind, Yuu restlessly hovered over him like the clouds that gathered over Diasomnia.

Was he not clear that they were also invited? Did something come up suddenly for them? Did they not want to even come here in the first place? More and more he raked his mind over these questions. It was so clear that Sebek was troubled by how uncharacteristically quiet he was and how often he kept gazing downwards, finding the stone tiles of the dorm much more thrilling than engaging with his guests. Time was ticking away and both the Diasomnia students and first-years exchanged looks, wondering where the unspoken guest of honor was going to show.

CRRK-BOOM!

A powerful lightning strike, a flash of white by the windows, guests jumped, and the doors swung open.

“NyaaaaaAAAAH! GIMMIE THAT BIRTHDAY BUFFET! I DESERVE IT!” A shrill, familiar yowl echoed through the lounge. A blur of gray, white, and blue dashed for the nearest catering table and gorged itself on whatever was in paw’s reach. Ace was first on the scene alongside Sebek, ready to scold Grim for the ruckus but both nearly fell backwards at what they saw.

“Grim, is that you!? What happened to you!?” Ace exclaimed

What should have been a monster cat now looked like an electrified puff ball, all of his fur standing up pin-straight.

“Why don’t you ask Yuu!? That’s the last time I ever do something like that! Even with an extra tuna bonus for an entire week,” Grim grumbled between mouthfuls.

At the mention of Yuu, Sebek turned his head to the dorm’s entrance and saw the heaving Prefect, soaked to the bone and their hair also similarly frizzed like Grim’s. In their hands, a water-logged item was wrapped in brown paper and twine.

“Human!” Sebek raced over to them and hastily brought them, making way for them to dry off by the roaring fireplace. “What has happened to you!? What were you and Grim up to!? How long were you outside!?” Loud, rapid fire questions were fired one right after the other. All at the usual trademark volume Sebek spoke at. Yuu couldn’t answer all of them as they still were recovering from whatever escapade they and Grim were up to. Instead, they wordlessly offered the wrapped up object to Sebek.

“Present,” they wheezed.

Sebek blinked owlishly at Yuu. “What?”

“Open it.”

There was a moment to digest and Sebek cautiously took the present in hand. It was easy enough to peel the soaked wrapping away to reveal a large mason jar with dark clouds rolling within. He furrowed his brow, unsure of what he was looking at.

“Let it come out. I promise it’s nothing bad.”

So he did. With a quick unscrew of a cap, the clouds trapped within the jar came flowing out. Now unfurled to its full glory, Sebek would be greeted by a puffy gray storm cloud that was no bigger than his head floating in front of him. He could hear gentle thunder rumbling inside of it and green sparks illuminating it, making it give off a gentle green light. A small crowd gathered around, fascinated by the sudden magical gift.

“Human, what is this?” Sebek asked as his eyes never left the cloud, fascinated by the light and sound it gave off.

“It’s a cloud lamp!” Yuu cheerily explained. “Only it’s an actual cloud, sort of. It’s a nice night light and it gives you relaxing distant thunder to listen to. You can always put it back in the jar with a little magic if you want it out of sight. Do you like it?”

“It’s a very interesting gift, but… I’m curious how did you get your hands on this? Did you make it?” Sebek eyed Yuu’s disheveled appearance but Yuu waved his concerns off.

“Don’t worry about the details! As long as you’re happy with it, that’s all I can ask for,” and Yuu flashed a big grin up at him. Sebek felt his heart jump a little at the brilliant smile and he could feel his ears starting to burn red. He could hear the first year boys chuckling and making comments, but they were deafened by how focused he was on Yuu. To thanklessly work for his sake just to give him a heartfelt present. Yuu’s boundless generosity was something that came in like a sudden stormfront. It shocks, it’s loud, and it surrounds him entirely. Yet Sebek didn't run from it, he relished in it. But he’d never dare say that in front of the others.

“Oh my, what a charming gift!” Lilia said as he floated over to inspect the cute storm cloud. “But… Don’t you have to catch actual lightning to create the thunder effect? It’s quite risky to do! Usually people just leave it as a fluffy white cloud.”

Sebek’s eyes bulged and his pupils turned into hair-thin needles. “YOU WHAT!?”