Horny TWST Thoughts Asks Open

while jade was passively aware of sex and kinks and such even back before he went up on land, he never had much of a personal interest in the subject beyond just a baseline curiosity that was in all honestly mostly fuelled by his general unfamiliarity with landers and their bodies. but after falling for, courting, and entering a relationship with you he’s found himself far more invested and eager to experiment with all of the curious things he’s heard and read about landers enjoying… and won’t you be so kind as to help him? he promises he won’t bite you too hard…

he is kind of a switch but also not really. it’s more so that jade will give you the illusion of control and allow himself to be manhandled and ordered around just so he can see what you’ll do when you think you’re the one in charge, and if he likes the outcome of his little experiment he’ll allow you to ‘dominate’ him more often. though, of course, he is still the one in control and the role of dominant is still going to be the one he defaults to far more often than not — unless you happen to really excel at fucking him stupid, at which point you have a very real chance of being able to actually have him submit to you… but it will take a lot of work on your end, so do with that whatever you will

depending on his mood and what he thinks will result in the most interesting outcome jade can flip from being a terrifyingly competent and cruel brat tamer, to a teasing and condescending brat enabler with all the same ease and speed with which his twin can flip moods from overjoyed to furious. either way, though, you’re definitely going to be in for a long night if you’re a bratty person in bed — and even if you’re not usually, because jade leech always knows precisely what buttons to push to get the reaction he wants, and as his lover you’re by no means exempt from that treatment

in his human form he is fully willing to top or to bottom for you depending on where his particular interests lay on any given night. but in his original eelmer form he will only ever top you — primarily because that’s the only real option if you want to have penetrative sex with him, as him bottoming in that form just really isn’t a pleasant experience given the extremely differentiated biology between mers and landers. don’t ask him how he found out, it was an experiment he conducted with very unfortunate results that he’d rather not replicate. so if you want to top him it will have to be after he’s taken his transformation potion

while he is perhaps a bit better at keeping his composure and resisting his instincts than other members of his family may be, at the end of the day jade is still an eelmer and he still has the same biological compulsions as the rest of his kind. and, luckily for you (or perhaps unluckily depending on your preferences), that primarily shows through just how bitey and grabby he gets with you when you’re having sex — especially so when he’s in his mer form and can fully wrap you up in his tail, but even so when he’s in his lander form. and those bites hurt about as much as you would expect from taking one good luck at his teeth… he is always kind enough to clean and bandage any marks he leaves behind though, so there’s that

he is mainly a sadist and enjoys messing with you and experimenting with your pain tolerance to whatever extent you’ll allow him to — and given full rein he will eagerly explore the full scope of pain play from biting to impact play to cutting to wax play to temperature play and beyond to even more extreme forms of play, just so long as you consent obviously — but he also has a minor masochistic streak and can quite enjoy when you get a bit feisty with him in the bedroom. mainly by biting or scratching at him, but he’s not super picky. after all, he’s far from delicate so you have no reason to hold back with him… in fact he encourages you to do the exact opposite, and won’t you be kind enough to indulge your darling boufriend’s request?

one of his many duties as the vice housewarden of octavinelle is doing very thorough research on prospective students and potential clients for azul, and as your lover he absolutely uses his skills as a researcher to gain leverage over you. in other words, he will figure out exactly what you’re into long before you tell him about it — and while he mostly puts that knowledge to subtle use by incorporating language and kinks that he knows you’re into without ever saying why he’s doing that just to heighten your experience, he would also be more than happy to lean into humiliation play by utelising his borderline encyclopaedic knowledge of your search history. though as he’s not a complete asshole, he will only engage in the latter if he has your explicit informed consent beforehand

he’s also, as you might expect, very into experimenting with you and trying out new kinks and dynamics and toys with you — but he’s also not a fool and for as far as he’s willing to go to sate his own curiosity otherwise, he will not take any unnecessary risks when it comes to your wellbeing both within and without the bedroom. or, rather, any risks that he hasn’t painstakingly weighed up and researched to hell and back just to make sure that any impact you experience isn’t actually dangerous… he may be a curious and borderline malicious eel sometimes, but even he isn’t so awful of a mate as to do anything like that (sevens know his mother would have his head if he even considered it!)

he is frustratingly good at keeping his composure when you’re having sex, and usually unless he’s speaking to you jade’s gonna be borderline silent up until he cums. not to say he doesn’t make any sound, because he does, just that he’s very much so on the quiet side and unless you’re actively listening out for the way his breathing picks up or the low groans he lets out you’re just… not going to hear them. especially not if you yourself are on the louder side because jade will be making an effort to get you to be as vocal as possible during sex, which really isn’t conducive to you being able to hear him…

and whenever he does speak up his language tends to lean very heavily into patronisation, degradation, and humiliation — unless, of course, you make it very clear that you do not enjoy that kind of talk in which case he will default to just very bluntly (and teasingly) describing every little reaction you give like he’s passively observing something on a nature hike, which is a more subtle and indirect form of humiliation that he’s found is far easier to get away with. he does also praise you genuinely every now and then, but he will make you work for that praise… or save it until you’re both finished and you clearly need some reassurance after a rougher scene…

as a human he’s already on the bigger side of big and you’ll usually require a bit of foreplay, or a decent amount of lube and prep, to fit his entire length inside of you — though, mercifully for you, it’s just his length that’s the problem as his girth is pretty manageable. however, when he’s in his merform that same prep becomes less of a suggestion and more of a mandatory measure to stop you from being left in actual pain after you two have sex, and it will need to be a lot more extensive because now he’s so long that you literally will not be able to fit him inside of you and he’s thick enough for it to hurt a bit even at just the thinnest point… so… good luck

he’s very much so into orgasm control, and especially in regard to orgasm denial and edging, and for as good of a poker face he has its clear as day just how much he actually enjoys testing your patience and making you squirm. left to his own devices he could happily torture you just with this for hours at a time without growing bored, but he’s not that mean and unless he’s punishing you he isn’t going to ruin your time together just for his own enjoyment so he usually taps out and gets you off right around the time when you start ugly crying and can’t even properly beg him to let you cum anymore. isn’t he just so kind?

Trey Clover kept you pinned to the bed, fingers working relentlessly inside your pussy while his mouth sucked hard on your clit. He refused to ease up even after the first orgasm ripped through your body, pushing for a second and third until your thighs trembled uncontrollably and your voice broke into hoarse pleas. He only stopped when your muscles gave out completely, slick dripping down your legs from how many times he forced you over the edge.

Cater Diamond had you bent over the desk, hips snapping forward in a steady rhythm that never slowed. Every time your body tried to recover from climax he drove in deeper, grinding against the spot that made you jolt and cry out again. He kept going until your legs buckled and you slumped forward, completely spent from the repeated waves he refused to let fade.

Leona Kingscholar held you down with one heavy arm across your chest, his thick cock buried deep while he rolled his hips in slow, deliberate thrusts. He ignored every whimper and shake, continuing long after your first orgasm until you were shaking from the fourth, your walls clenching around him in exhausted spasms. Only when you went limp beneath him did he finally pull out, leaving you dripping and twitching.

Ruggie Bucchi used his quick hands and tongue in combination, alternating between sucking hard and thrusting his fingers at a brutal pace. He laughed softly every time your body tried to twist away, chasing each orgasm with another until you were sobbing from the intensity. He only relented once your voice gave out and your hips stopped jerking.

Azul Ashengrotto kept you on your back, tentacles wrapped around your thighs to hold you open while his fingers and mouth worked without pause. He tracked every twitch and gasp, pushing you through climax after climax until your stomach was sticky with your own release and your breathing came in shallow gasps. He stopped only when your body stopped responding.

Jade Leech smiled calmly as he kept two fingers curled inside your pussy, stroking the same spot over and over while his free hand pinned your wrist. He watched your face twist with every forced orgasm, never slowing until your legs shook violently and you begged incoherently. Only then did he ease his touch, leaving you soaked and trembling.

Floyd Leech squeezed your hips tight while he fucked you through every aftershock, his thrusts staying deep and punishing even after you came the first time. He ignored your attempts to push him away, continuing until your body went slack and your voice cracked from screaming. He finally pulled out only when you stopped moving altogether.

Jamil Viper kept a firm grip on your hair while he thrust into you from behind, refusing to let your body rest between climaxes. He drove you through multiple orgasms until your knees gave out and you collapsed forward, still twitching around him. He slowed only after your breathing turned ragged and uneven.

Idia Shroud kept you on your stomach, his hips snapping forward in quick, shallow thrusts while his fingers worked your front. He refused to let you come down, pushing you through climax after climax until your thighs were soaked and your voice was hoarse from moaning. He finally pulled back only when your body went completely still.

Malleus Draconia held you against his chest, his cock buried deep as he rocked into you with steady, powerful strokes. He ignored every plea to stop, continuing long after your first orgasm until your body shook from the intensity of repeated climaxes. He eased off only when you went limp in his arms.

Silver kept a steady pace on top of you, his thrusts deep and consistent even after you came the first time. He refused to slow down, pushing you through multiple orgasms until your legs trembled and your voice broke. He stopped only once your body stopped clenching around him.

Chenya held your wrists above your head while his hips moved in quick, shallow thrusts, refusing to let your body recover between orgasms. He kept going until you were shaking and slick was running down your thighs, only stopping when your voice gave out completely.

Minajael Tealrajah kept you on your back, his fingers and tongue working together without pause as he forced you through climax after climax. He ignored every attempt to close your legs, continuing until your stomach was sticky and your breathing came in short, broken gasps. He finally pulled away only when your body stopped twitching.

"My dear," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very earth beneath you. "Tell me if anything displeases you."

You nodded, reaching up to touch his sharp cheekbone, feeling the slight warmth that bloomed under your fingertips. He leaned into your touch like a great cat seeking affection, his eyes fluttering half-closed.

"I want this," you whispered. "I want you."

A sound escaped him—something between a sigh and a growl—as he pressed his forehead against yours. His cock, thick and veined, pressed against your thigh. He was already slick with anticipation, and when he guided himself to your entrance, he paused.

"Look at me," he commanded gently, and you did. Those green eyes held yours as he pushed forward, inch by excruciating inch.

You gasped at the stretch, at the fullness of him filling you so completely. He was larger than any man, and the sensation of being so thoroughly claimed made your head spin. But he stopped when he saw your expression shift, concern flickering across his regal features.

"Too much?"

"No," you breathed, clutching his shoulders. "Perfect. Don't stop."

He sheathed himself fully with a shuddering exhale, his hips flush against yours. For a moment, he simply lay there, buried inside you, letting you adjust. His thumb traced absent patterns on your hip, grounding you both in the present.

"You feel..." he started, then stopped, shaking his head. Words seemed to fail the ancient fae prince, and that alone made your heart ache.

He began to move—slowly, deliberately. Each thrust was measured, controlled. He watched your face with an intensity that would have been overwhelming if it weren't so filled with adoration. His hand slid down to where your bodies joined, his fingers finding your clit with practiced ease.

"Is this good?" he asked, his rhythm never faltering. "I want to feel you come undone around me."

You could only nod, moaning as he curled his fingers just so. His pace increased, but never became rough. Every movement was designed to please you, to build that coiling heat in your core until you shattered.

"I'm close," you gasped.

"Let go," he urged, his voice strained with his own barely-leashed desire. "I have you. Let go for me."

The orgasm crashed through you like a wave, and you cried out his name as your walls clenched around him. He groaned, and followed you over the edge.

His hips pressed flush against yours as he spilled inside you, hot and thick. You felt every pulse of his release, felt him marking you from the inside, fulfilling that deep-seated need that had driven him to claim you in the first place. His hand cradled the back of your head, holding you close as he rode out the aftershocks.

When he finally stilled, he didn't pull away. Instead, he gathered you in his arms, rolling to his side while keeping himself buried inside you. His hand came to rest on your lower belly, a possessive, reverent touch.

"Do you need anything?" he asked softly. "Water? Rest?"

You shook your head, burrowing into his chest. "Just stay."

"Always," he promised, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "I will never leave you wanting, my love."

And as the night deepened around you, Malleus held you close, his seed still warm inside you, his hand never leaving your stomach as if he could already feel the life he hoped to plant there.

First time doing a pmv in agessss but I’ve been working on this basically every chance I had for the past week and a half? And within that week I finished the end of Book 7 and caught up fully!!! Here is the (rendered) panels in full ^^ (curse the Tumblr image limit…)

And, oh boy, you came across several remarkable things about him that many would never have known otherwise.

You couldn't find a shy bone in his body. Nothing. Nada. He wasn't stammering with his words or hesitant in his actions. Being underneath him, you were met by his confident smirk and piercing gaze filled with unquenchable lust.

He already knew what he was doing during sex; he didn't even wait for you to give any initiatives. His clothes were smoothly scattered on the floor, along with yours, leaving the both of you in your underwear.

Dragging his mouth from your bruised, sensitive lips to your inviting neck, decorating it with a mix of rosy bite marks and purple love bites. His smirk would widen proudly on your skin whenever you softly moaned in response to his touch, while rocking his weight onto your trembling body, specifically steadily thrusting against your clothed core with his bulging erection.

Slowly, he elevated himself up from your chest, laughter rumbling softly in his chest as he admired the marks he had left on you. "Heh… you’re glitching already? We're not even in the endgame yet," he teased, roughly palming your clothed clit and following with circular motions with his fingers, feeling the heat and wetness seeping through the fabric, as he relishes the sight of you squirming beneath him, thrashing side to side in pleasure and desperation. "Aahh!! Idiaaaa…Nnghaa—!! IDIA!!"

His other hand casually reached up to muffle your adorable, recurring breathy moans with his palm, his eyes partly lidded with sadistic amusement. "Shh, shh," he whispered, his voice low and husky, sliding his hand inside your underwear and feeling the slickness of your arousal coating his fingers.

"While I love hearing you beg and moan," he leaned in closer, as did his fingers, carefully sinking in deeper to your soaked heat, finding access to your most sensitive spot, "I can't guarantee that you won't be heard by others if you keep making so much noise, hmm?" he whispered.

All that could be done was to nod in compliance, thus letting Idia retract his hand from your muffled mouth just to grant you a brief moment to breathe before he leaned in again, this time pressing his lips against yours, cocking his head to the side as he inserted his tongue into your mouth, groaning blissfully as he tasted your sweet surrender, while his fingers merely casually thrust in and out of you with deliberate slowness.

There was a lingering scent of artificial candy on his breath. He pulled away from the kiss, a string of saliva connecting from both of your lips for a brief moment before breaking. Idia's tongue simply jutted out playfully, then developed a smirk as he whispered, removing his hand from your slick folds, "Look at you…"

He takes his precious time to observe your current state. Your disheveled hair falls messily around your face, your cheeks flushed with color, and you squeeze your legs together to alleviate the persistent aching between them. You look so fucking delectable.

Another round of chuckles escapes his lips as he playfully slaps your clothed pussy, causing you to gasp in surprise. "Now, what other proof do you need that I’m not the shy little shut-in you thought I was?"

If only you could deliver a hardbound copy of a list of all the ways he's proven himself wrong, you'd have it ready in an instant.

And now here he was, curling his lanky figure at his desk like a contented cat, blissfully playing on his Nintendo Switch with his pathetic, adorable grin as if he didn't have a care in the world.

As if he didn’t just eat you out like a man starved for days, pushing your hips upwards while he devours your cunt so you couldn't squirm away with his tongue buried deep inside you, sucking and licking every inch of your wetness until you were a quivering mess beneath him.

As if he didn't have your legs raised on his shoulders while he plunged his heavy cock deep inside your abused hole in a mating press just last night and refused to take his length out until both of you slept while being stuffed full of his essence??

Eventually, he started to feel a burning gaze directed at him and curiously turned his head to you without pausing his game. His giddy grin was still attached to his face, though noticeably gotten wider the moment he realized you were finally awake, as he excitedly gestured his console to you.

"Hey, hey, look!" Without ever a greeting of any kind or a considerate pause to let you fully wake up, he immediately showed you the screen of his console, almost blinding your eyes with the bright colors and flashing lights. "What do you think about the characters I created for this game? Cute, right?"

Your face scrunched up, attempting to get a better look at the screen, slightly wincing in pain when the soreness of your limbs hit you all at once.

All you could see was two blocky characters accurately resembling pixelated versions of your boyfriend and yourself, with exaggerated features and detailed costumes. The two characters are being lovey-dovey to one another, swirls of pink hearts floating around them as they danced on the screen.

… Is that Tomodachi Life?

Your expression deadpan.

"It's...interesting," you replied, trying to sound enthusiastic despite your exhaustion.

"Right?! Hehehehe~ I knew you’d get it!" He kissed your cheek as he continued to ramble animatedly with pure unfiltered glee about all the processes he had done to create your virtual relationship and quirky interactions in the game.

However, you weren't listening to his musings; you stared at your boyfriend in disbelief.

How the fuck did he switch so fast?

His hand kept climbing. Up over the curve of your breast, until his palm cupped the weight of it through your shirt. He squeezed, not gentle, a possessive knead that made your breath hitch.

"These are mine, right?" He asked it like a rhetorical question, already pushing the fabric aside. His fingers found your nipple through the thin bra, pinching and rolling. "Mm. They get hard so fast for me."

You tried to turn around, to face him, but Floyd just tightened his grip—arm locked around your waist, chest pressed to your back, that long body coiled around you like an eel wrapping its prey. He wanted you exactly like this, pinned, helpless, his to grope and mark and claim.

"Stay," he murmured against your neck, and then his mouth opened wide, sucking a bruise into the sensitive skin just below your jaw. His tongue worked in slow, deliberate strokes, lapping at the marks he left, teeth scraping over the new bloom of red. He pulled back to admire it, thumb rubbing over the spot with a hum of satisfaction. "There. Now everyone knows."

He bit another spot, lower, on your collarbone. Then another, just above your pulse point. Each one made him groan, hips grinding against your ass, his cock now fully hard and pressing insistently through the layers of cloth.

His other hand abandoned your hip to join the first at your chest. Both palms now groping, squeezing, kneading your breasts through the bunched-up shirt. He rolled your nipples between his fingers, tugged, twisted, until you were arching back into him, a shaky moan slipping out.

"Yeah, that's it," he breathed, voice husky. "Let me hear you. Wanna hear what I do to you."

He ducked his head, mouthing at the side of your neck while his hands continued their worship. He pinched harder, and you cried out, and he laughed—that giddy, unhinged sound that always sent shivers down your spine.

"You're so soft," he said, almost to himself, kneading the plush flesh again. "So fucking soft. I could do this all day."

And he meant it. His hips kept up a slow, lazy grind against your ass, his cock sliding along the cleft of your cheeks through the fabric, while his hands never stopped touching. He was everywhere, surrounding you, that long, lean body curved around yours like he was trying to crawl inside your skin.

"Floyd," you gasped, "we're still in the lounge—"

"So?" He bit your shoulder. Harder this time, a real mark, and you felt the imprint of his teeth through the thin fabric. "Azul's busy. Jade's in the back. Nobody's coming in." He soothed the bite with a lick, then a kiss. "And even if they did... I don't care. You're mine. I want them to see."

His voice dropped, that playful edge sharpening into something hungrier. "I want them to see the marks I put on you. See how red and wet your pussy gets when I touch you."

To prove his point, one hand finally slid down, over your stomach, slipping past your waistband. His fingers found your clit through your underwear, already slick, and he let out a pleased hum.

"Told you." He pressed, circled, dragged your wetness up and down your slit. "Soaked. All for me."

He pushed your panties aside, two fingers sliding inside you without warning, and you bucked against his hand, a strangled moan caught in your throat. He curled them immediately, finding that spot, fucking you slow and deep while his other hand kept groping your breast, pinching your nipple in rhythm.

"Love how tight you get," he whispered in your ear, breath hot and uneven. "Love how you squeeze me. Love that you let me do anything I want."

His fingers pumped faster, wet sounds filling the quiet room, and you could feel yourself climbing, that coil tightening in your belly. Floyd knew it too—he always knew—and he smirked against your neck.

"Yeah, gonna come for me? Gonna come on my fingers while I play with your tits?"

He twisted his wrist, pressed his palm against your clit, and you shattered, crying out his name as your orgasm ripped through you. Floyd held you through it, fingers still moving, working you through every wave until you were trembling in his arms.

Only then did he pull his hand out, bringing his slick fingers to his lips, sucking them clean with a satisfied hum.

"Mm. Tasty."

He turned you around finally, pressing you against the wall, caging you with his body. His eyes were half-lidded, pupils blown wide, that grin lazy and dangerous. He leaned in, bumped his nose against yours.

"I'm not done yet."

His hands found your ass, squeezing hard, pulling your hips against his. His cock pressed against your stomach, and he ground into you, hissing through his teeth.

"Gonna fuck you right here. Right against this wall. And when I'm done, I'm gonna carry you back to my room and do it again." He kissed you, sloppy and deep, tongue sliding against yours. "And then again in the morning."

He helped remove your clothes and his hands slid up your thighs, hooking under your knees, lifting you. You wrapped your legs around his waist, and he groaned at the pressure, aligning himself against your soaked entrance.

"Say you're mine," he breathed. "Say it."

"Yours," you gasped.

He sank into you in one smooth thrust, both of you moaning, and Floyd buried his face in your neck, biting another mark into your skin as he began to move.

He was everywhere. His arms wrapped tight around you, his hips slapping against yours, his teeth and tongue and hands covering every inch of exposed skin. He was clingy, possessive, insatiable—and he had no intention of letting you go anytime soon.

And it excites him more now that he's finally has you all to himself--drowning in your pleas of pleasure. The pale light of the moon illuminates your tearful face, shrouded by his long hair.

He had meant to tease you when he waited inside your room in nothing but a see-through nightgown that practically left nothing for the imagination. And to complete the look--beautifully conjured locks that cascaded his bare chest.

Jade could practically smell your arousal from where you stood.

He licked his lips. Your taste is still stuck on his tongue.

"Jade! Uh...OH! AH! AH--Jade!", you cried as he continued to rock his hips sensually, moving languidly,but hitting deep with each thrust. He basked in your moans, savored every whimper and whine, his tresses cocooning your expressions selfishly for himself, as if the moon and stars weren't allowed to see you.

The hem of the nightgown hitched higher on his hips with every movement, and the upper robe slipped from his shoulders, revealing a bite that will mark. It was an erotic sight, he knew you couldn't resist. Your hole practically won't let him go, getting tighter as teasing words slip from his lips.

My my, I didn't know the dear Prefect had such unique taste

You're so wet, you're practically flooding the bedsheets. Look at you making a mess.

So tight, so desperate. So dirty~

He was high in teasing you. Praise continued to spill out until he found himself flipped over because somewhere along the way, he said something that upset you.

"It's you a want, Jade Leech. You."

His eyes grew big at your declaration. Ah, his insecurities must've slipped. He felt vulnerable, more than naked, under your stare that he couldn't help but hide his face. He must've looked pathetic to you right now. Jade Leech doesn't really care much about how others see him, but if it's you...

"I love all of you."

And your mouth was on his once again.

The moan coming from his mouth sounded desperate, needy. He never knew he could sound so lewd from hands locking around his.

Fuck Fuck. Fuck!

–

The moment you reunite with your group, Epel is screaming bloody, you were sure his lungs must be begging for relieve “DUMBASS CITY FOLK, YER THINKIN’ AM DATIN’THE PREFECT ONLY ‘CAUSE A LOOK LIKE THIS.” 

“Eh? At least you're first, dude, they didn't even let us compete.” Ace complained, solemnly looking at his number of votes. 

“We're dead.” Deuce murmured in the distance, hand coming to his neck, almost like he feared his head would jump out of his body at any moment. Jack wasn't that far from him, looking more annoyed than ever as he looked at his phone, most likely also seeing the poll, and shaking his head.

“NRC students truly are superficial, I can't believe they created this rumour out of prejudice of friendship between omegas and alphas.” 

“This is unbelievable!” Sebek proclaimed loudly, you sat back, knowing the emotional wreck your newest friend must be right now, “Me, last? I'm clearly a better option than all of you! No, forget that! I would never date the Prefect when my lord-” then Ace shoulder bumped him, stopping the discourse. 

Ah, Sebek didn't know what to be offended about, either people thinking he would date you, or because he wasn't placed higher in the list.

“Would you guys like to know the exact number of votes each of you received?” Ortho asked with a malicious look, the situation entertaining the young Shroud more than anything else, “I must say I'm impressed, Ace and Deuce are perfectly tied.” This received a unanimous "shut up!”

Oh well, you shrugged, just your friends being your friends.

– 

At Heartslabyul, all students were walking on eggshells. Everything was quieter than usual, as if expecting doom to befall the dorm. 

Not far away from the dorm, Trey and Cater were rushing to find their dorm leader. They were counting on their luck, Riddle barely uses his phone, never having any use to the group chat when he received any announcements directly from the headmage himself. 

But this time, they weren't lucky enough, someone got to Riddle first. 

“Housewarden Rosehearts, is it Ace or Deuce being courted by the prefect?” 

Riddle explodes.

– 

When classes ended that day, and students returned to their dorms, heads began to roll.

“HOUSEWARDEN, PLEASE LISTEN TO US, IT WAS NOT OUR FAULT!” 

Ace and Deuce begged for mercy, but Riddle barely listened to them. He was red with anger, protruding veins on his forehead, a perfect image of a Queen descending to the common folk seeking revenge.

“Rule 63, those who anger the Queen must run through a maze with card soldiers in pursuit.” His voice was rough and resolute, not giving a single chance for opposition. 

In a single second, both omegas were collared and hunted down through the maze.

–

When Epel arrived at Pomefiore, he felt like he was walking in a horror movie scene. No students were in sight and the lights were off, making him wonder if he was missing any event. When he reached the main room, his housewarden was the only one present.

Vil sat on his throne, face only illuminated by the faint light coming through the window, eyes sharp like an eagle. 

“Epel,” he began, voice clipped, “how could you mess this up?” 

“Housewarden, please, don't believe the rumours.” Epel made sure to be extra formal, not wanting to anger the Queen more than he already had, fearing for the punishment that awaits him.

His queen never took lightly for people stealing what he deemed his. 

“As if I would, I only wonder who was the source of it.” 

– 

Jack was not in the mood to return to Savannaclaw. If there was something he knew about his dorm leader, it is how possessive he can be, as well as how he takes offense when someone directly challenges him for his spot.

As it seemed, Leona was not in the mood to leave his room, and Jack celebrated this small victory, not wanting to face Leona when the alpha he wanted was the talk of the school, worst of all, when Jack was one of the suspects himself.

As such, he couldn't avoid Leona forever, and this came to light the next day, when Leona was acting like a prissy cat. The other omega had his lips pursed, showing fangs, growling and with his ears tucked behind, the most angered Jack had ever seen him. 

Besides this uncommon behavior - and maybe Jack should've thanked his lucky stars that Leona didn't start a fight - the lion beastman merely turned his back and went back to his room.

Still, Jack felt like it was his duty to fix the situation.

– 

When Sebek returns to Diasomnia, it feels like the air is charged, heavy, almost pressing him to the ground. And as he turns around the corner to meet Malleus and Lilia, he is met with the worst scene imaginable: Malleus is sulking. 

“Sebek,” his lord calls out, “do you fancy them as well?” 

“No!” the other boy immediately rectifies, “I would never interrupt your courting, my lord!” 

“So, this Epel,” Malleus carelessly brushes him off, lips upturning as he mutters the small omega's name like it turns his stomach upside down, “it's quite widely agreed upon that the child of man is with him.” 

“Foolish rumours! The prefect would never date any of us!” 

“But the poll-” 

“Malleus,” Lilia interrupts, placing a gentle hand on the shoulder of the future king, rubbing softly to dissuade the tension, “Sebek already gave you the answer you needed, the humans will forget soon enough, lets wait until the rumors die down.” But as Lilia raised his eyes to Sebek, he clearly tried to send him a message through his gaze, don't let this grow further.

– 

Idia feels like he is a breath away from breaking down, this was not supposed to be happening! But the poll on his screen mocks him of any possibility of this being a dream. 

Epel was the type of omega alphas would drool for, Idia knows that! He has a pretty face, big doe eyes to die for, and the softest voice ever, this is if any alpha was able to look past his behavior. Still, Idia didn't need this fact rubbed on his face like this. Is omegas like Epel your type? Wouldn't you rather go for the tall, nerdy omegas?

“Ortho, is this true?” he asked the moment his brother came into view, pointing at his offending screen. 

“No, big brother, none of them are dating the prefect.” Ortho reassured, gently guiding the uneasy omega to his nest, “It was so entertaining to see the group infight,” he laughed, “but I can delete the poll if you want, and investigate who was the instigator!” 

“Go look for who started the rumours,” Idia stood up again, looking more determined than ever, glaring at his computer as if it had personally cursed his entire bloodline, “I will deal with the poll myself.” 

– 

Not far from there, the VIP room from Mostro Lounge was in pure chaos, the wafting odor of stressed omega swallowing it whole. Azul couldn't believe this, he didn't trust any of the first year students in his dorm, which meant he didn't have a way to keep a close eye on you, unlike some of the other dorm leaders.

Right now, he regretted it, because he had no way to easily obtain inside information of your group. 

Azul quickly sent Jade and Floyd to investigate, perhaps meaning they would eventually disturb you, but he had no face at this moment to ask you himself. 

He would rather die than lose face in front of you.

–

“Jamil!” Kalim yelled for friend, rushing through the halls until he found who he was looking for. Jamil looked less than pleased, aware of the rumours and what this meant for the rest of his day, meaning he would spend it comforting Kalim, “Are they really dating one of them?” 

Kalim was on the verge of tears, red rimmed eyes almost overflowing, he was barely containing himself. Jamil's only solution was to guide him back to his room and hope his nest would be enough to calm the other boy down.

“What do they have that I don't?” the omega lamented, falling face down in his nest.

– 

At the other side of Sage Island, things were not faring better for the omegas the prefect had previously met with. 

When the omegas from RSA met the mysterious, but kind, prefect from NRC, one who treated them equally and generously, they never assumed they could possibly be already spoken for. In hindsight, maybe it was a precipitate assumption, courteous alphas were hardly ever single. 

Inside his room, Neige, who had thought he found his knight in shining armour, couldn't believe the rumours that grew more and more - at one point, some people even mentioned that maybe that alpha was actually dating the five omegas at once. For him, you both meeting was the universe moving to push soulmates together, fated to be with each other for eternity, until death do you part. So Neige thought this was all a big misunderstanding, one that you would fix before coming back to him, a challenge you must surpass as destiny laughs at your faces. 

Minajael sighs in disappointment, because of who he is, his position as an heir, he'd assumed from a young age that he would never find love, settling for whatever arranged marriage his father found appropriate. When he met you, Minajael thought that it was finally time to properly fight for his freedom, decide who he wanted to marry… He couldn't simply accept this, he needed to confirm with you before making any hasty decision. With the skill of someone who had done this many times before, he sneaks out of RSA, making his way to NRC. 

As for Rielle, the boy was heartbroken, refusing to speak with anyone. He had buried himself under his nest, playing with the little land trinkets he had collected mindlessly. Rielle had many dreams in mind, ones of freedom, travelling the world, and love, and though he was able to achieve most of them, it still hurt when something was suddenly ripped away from his hands. 

The only person who could guarantee sneak into NRC without anyone noticing, Chenya, was nowhere to be found.

– 

“So, you were the one who started this.” Vil was terribly annoyed, he couldn't believe the traitor was right by his side. However, he didn't know to what extent he was able to blame Rook. 

It was supposed to be innocent, when Rook stopped your group when you were hanging out at the school's courtyard, proclaiming, “Ah, look the lovely image you make, truly, love can be found in any shape or form, I yearn for more people to be graced with this sincere bond you share!” 

And passersby misunderstood his words for romantic love, wondering which omega had bagged the fine prefect. 

“Still.. it seems unlikely that you're the only storm in this school.” 

– 

At Heartslabyul, Riddle felt all kinds of emotions, relief, confusion, surprise, anger. He couldn't believe Chenya was whispering these rumors around! 

“Can you blame a guy? A seed was planted and perhaps someone needed to water it, nyan!” Was the last thing he said before disappearing.

Sagging his shoulders, Riddle released Ace and Deuce's head. At the very least, now he was sure both omegas weren't lying and backstabbing him. Riddle would like to say he would deal with Chenya the next time he saw him, but the catboy was more slippery than what his magic could reach.

– 

Next day, as your group met up again, the same courtyard as always, they found you laughing at your phone, the problems of yesterday barely dampening your mood - unlike the omegas, who had to deal with the pettiness of their dorm leaders, two eels shaking them for answers, and a frustrated Jamil. 

“Oh,” you look up, showing your phone screen in their direction, “Seems like it's widely agreed that I'm committed to someone.”

“Ugh, not again,” Ace complained, but snatched the phone from your hands either way, “Huh?!” 

Which omega is the Prefect courting?

At first, it was unnoticeable. . that subtle heat in his lower stomach, getting warmer and warmer with every passing second. It’s like Jack’s senses were heightened further; the scent of you, the touch of you, the sight of you has become dangerously intoxicating. Watching you closely with sharp eyes, he’s practically salivating. . but not from hunger, well . . perhaps a different type of hunger. 

It’s already early spring, Jack’s heat tends to regularly appear during spring or summer. Ooh. . so that’s what why that 

noticeable ache in his abdomen and the desire for you wholly has begun to appear. He’s going through his rut.

“Nngh. .” Jack huffs out through ragged breaths and breathless groans, the firm grip on your hips tightens ever so slightly when you squirm.

God. . how long has it been since Jack pounced on you— keeping you stuck in the mating press before manhandling you onto your knees and hands. You are moaning weakly into the sheets, the only thing keeping you from collapsing onto the bedsheets below was your dear boyfriend’s grip on your waist. . keeping you propped up for him to pound his cum into your velvety walls. With a whiney voice, you loudly moan out his name— sobbing when he presses you against the sheets, leaving to nibble at your already marked up neck. 

With each push of his hips, thick cock plunging deep into your raw pussy, his thick cum pours from your sensitive cunt. . staining the mess fabric below. Desperately, Jack slowly drags his tongue against the skin of your neck. . groaning in delight at the taste of you against his tongue, sweet and inviting. 

“Haah—! . . ohgodd, J- jack!” You gulp out, eyes rolling back with a deep and rough thrust into your gooey walls.

Your walls quiver and spasm around Jack’s length tightly, you are soo close to cumming for the nth time— overstimulation starts to bite at your flesh. You tremble violently, squealing in ecstasy as your sopping cunt squeezes around his length, squirting onto the messy sheets. Fat tears roll down your cheek from your intense orgasm, whimpering softly when Jack kisses at your shoulder— the sweetness completely contradicts those rough and mean thrust he gives.

“Mmhp. . fu- fuck, soo warm” he grumbles against your marked skin, heavy balls slapping at your puffy clit.

“Y- you feel —nngh. . wonderful, sevens—“ Jack grits out through clenched teeth, hesitating leaning in to bite at your shoulder— eventually giving into his instincts to mark you further. 

You let out a loud yelp of his name, eyes rolling back so far when Jack’s knot swells up against your glistening folds. It presses harder and harder against your cunt until it slips inside with an obscure and loudly wet squealchh.

“Haah—! J- jack!” You sob out, a new batch of tears pouring from your glossy eyes.

He lets out a soft, shaky sigh of pleasure when his knot slips into your warmth— eliciting a loud squeal of a mixture of pleasure and pain from you. Jack slowly kisses at laps at each mark on your neck and shoulder, any spot he could reach is met with delicate affection. He moves you to rest against the bedsheets, cuddling you while his knot is still plugged into your pussy— the chances of you taking his seed increases.

Once Jack’s rut is finally over, he’ll make sure to give you the best aftercare. . but for now, he’ll hold you close to his warm body.

ׅ꒰RUGGIE BUCCHI ୭ ˚

Unlike wolves, hyenas lack a specific date for ruts, rather, the female hyenas ovulate throughout the whole year

Naturally, male hyenas rely on their mate to initiate sex, due to being more submissive than their counterpart

Ruggie could easily smell it on you; that hint of spice, sour, and sweetness scent that lingers on your body. . it’s enticing. You must be ovulating, it’s the only explanation for you being so bothered and desperate at the same time. Beastmen have a better sense of smell. . they can smell certain fumes better than a regular person, for example, he knows exactly when you fingered yourself.

That tasty sweet smell on your skin is slightly subtle but still bold enough, you must have done it early ago. Ooh, Ruggie is truly desperate for a taste of you. . but his biology clearly states that the male must wait for the female to initiate sex, unless they’d like to be bitten. 

“Oooh. . fuck-! Ru- ruggie” you gasp out loudly, body trembling when he wraps his lips around your clit, sucking tightly. 

Ruggie has his hands sprawled on the inside of your plush thighs—keeping you pried apart, giving him enough time to drag his tongue through your slick folds. He’s completely drunk off the taste of your arousal, mindlessly moaning into your cunt and lapping at your pussy. . tongue smearing through your fat folds, parting them apart with each lick.

“Mmhp. .” Ruggie whimpers into your cunt, sighing when you drag your fingers through his hair, ears flattening against his hair. 

He is a wet mess, chin and mouth soaked and glistening from your sticky juices, lips swollen from how long been buried agaisnt your sopping pussy. Ruggie is shameless, lips sucking loudly onto your engorged clit— even moaning and whimpering when he suckles onto your clit, causing the perfect amount of vibrations to course through your body, ripping out another orgasm from your exhausted body. 

“H- haaah. . can’t ta- take it anymore. .!” You drool out, throwing your head back when he plunges his tongue into your quivering hole. 

Your velvety walls flutter around his tongue, gasping when he stretches your walls out by fixing his tongue into you. Your body is throbbing soo much from the pleasure, it aches in the best possible way. Your legs struggle to stay open and you don’t have to worry about it, Ruggie is easily keeping you wiiide open like you’re paying him for it.

Again, you drag your nails against his scalp, tugging on his scalp tenderly, bucking your hips. An intense shiver courses through your spine when Ruggie flattens his tongue at your spasming hole, dragging the wet muscle all the way to your buzzing bud. 

“Nngh—! Mmhp, baby. .” You mewl out, hips shakily trembling, lightly squirming from the pleasure. 

Ruggie’s grip on your thigh tightened, silently asking if you can stay still while he feats on what you give him. 

“Mmhp. . n- noo. .” He murmurs against your sticky pussy, a thin string of arousal connected between his lips and your cunt.

“D-don’t squirm from me. . need more of youu” Ruggie finishes, dipping his tongue back into your hole. . nose pressing against your clit. 

Your jaw drops, eyes roll back, your grip tightens on his hair. You let out a breathless moan of his name, gushing around his tongue, feeding his hungry mouth for the nth time of tonight. And Ruggie is there to catch every drop, loudly dragging his lips through your pussy folds. 

“Nngh. . n- no more. . please” you pant on, pushing at his forehead. 

“N- noo. . prefect, pl- please. .” He protested, resting his cheek against your thigh, pouting at you.

“Just one more. .” Ruggie says, grinning mischievously when you nod your head.

You know it wouldn’t be just one more, but how could you ever think of denying Ruggie when he gives you those eyes? Sure, you’ll be jelly-boned once he’s done it’s you. . but that’s a later concern!

ׅ꒰LEONA KINGSCHOLAR ୭ ˚

Similar to hyenas, male lions don’t actually have a specific season in which a rut can appear, in reality, lions can mate throughout the whole year but a rut can be triggered by the female’s heat

Lions are quite territorial of their mate, sometimes becoming rougher with the intent of leaving their mark. . awfully similar to Leona

The second you stepped into Savanclaw, Leona almost immediately woke up from his little nap— keen scents picking up at the distant and subtle yet sweet scent of you. He is patiently awaiting your arrival in his room while pretending to be asleep. . although the wild flicks of his tail give away his facade— in reality, he’s eagerly waiting for his dear prey to finally barge into his room. And when you do. . that spicy, musky, intense, sweet smell of you, practically radiating off your skin, invades his senses. . oooh, you’ve got him hooked just by your scent. 

“Haaah. . nngh! C- can’t take it anymoree!” You squeal out loudly into the sweat-soaked pillow, voice muffled by the soft fabric, fat tears rolling down the curve of your cheek.

You are drooling and gasping into the sheets, mindlessly gasping out your boyfriend’s name. Your body and skin tingles, a mixture of sensitivity and overstimulation. . it aches in one of the best ways possible. Leona had already reduced you into a whimpering and whining mess; thick fingers plunging deep into your quivering hole, massaging against your velvety walls as his rough tongue drags along the swollen length of your clit. . the perfect amount of pressure to have you bucking needily. 

With each mean thrust of his thick, barbed cock back into your raw, leaking, puffy cunt has a copious amount of cum pouring from your stretched hole, staining the mattress beneath your slick body further. His tongue drags roughly against the warm, marked skin of your neck, canines finding their spot on your flesh— there’s bite marks all along your neck, some on your chest, some on your thighs, there’s even some bruises indented onto your hip and thighs. It’s clear to every student, beastmen and human, that you are only Leona’s mate.

“Leonaa! L- Leona. .” You mewl out loudly, back arching further into the bed. . swollen nipples grinding against the fabric— you squirm lightly from the onslaught of pleasure.

“C’mon, herbivore. . say my name” Leona grunts out between groans of pleasure, hips snapping into yours.

“Fu- fuck. . Leona!” You sob out, whining when his grip on your hips tightens where you squirm away from his touch. 

“Again” he groans out between ragged breaths, teeth finding your neck once again, leaving his mark.

His tail curls around your thighs lightly as Leona nuzzles deeper into your neck, suckling lewdly at your skin. Your eyes roll back, an intense tremble courses through your body as you gush around his barbed cock for the nth time.

“Mmhp—! F- fuck! Ngh, Leona!” You wail out loudly, walls swallowing and squeezing tightly around his length.

He groans out your name into the sweaty skin, hips firmly flushed against your body— cock bobbing and twitching painfully, buried to the hilt of your pussy. Thick ropes of cum shoots into your white covered walls, causing globs of cum to seep around his thick base.

“Haah. . n- noo more. .” You say in a breathless and rough voice, gasping when he snaps his hips back into yours.

“C’mon, herbivore. . s- surely you’re not exhausted just from this” Leona says in that prideful and arrogant tone, you can practically imagine that smirk on his face.

However, you are wayy too fucked out to give a snarky comment back— simply melting into the sheets as his skin slaps against yours with a wet plap.

ׅ‧˚꒰♡ ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ All work belongs to only me, @/yuuna-iridescent-scales!! Translating, plagiarism, copying, posting on another website, claiming as your work will not be tolerated, instant block ᶻ Z Z

ׅᛝ AUTHOR NOTE ! ׁ ׅ ᶻ Wooow. . my first smut fic on this blogദ്ദി/ᐠ｡‸｡ᐟ\ originally, I was going to add the octotrio in this post but decided I would make a separate post(ᵕ—ᴗ—). I actually wasn’t expecting 300+ people to enjoy my first fic(..◜ᴗ◝..). I’m totally not exploding rn.. one of my fav twst writes followed me back omlomloml

The thought of it makes you laugh. Right. Of all the people to be enamored with you, you’re confident enough that Idia Shroud is not one of them. He shrinks away from you whenever you draw near, pale face contorted in disgust as he mutters for you to not show your face anywhere near him. Behind that floating tablet of his, that shaky voice turns haughty as he heaps insults at you for your lack of knowledge of this world and magic. The only reason you ever tolerated him was because of Ortho Shroud, and you were pretty sure the only reason he tolerated you was that Ortho liked you. 

“I’m not joking!” Ortho pouts, sitting up, and fixing you with the scariest glare he can muster. “If you marry my big brother, then you can be part of our family, and then we’ll be a happy family! Oh, but it’d be too much to jump into marriage, wouldn’t it? Big brother isn’t accustomed to talking to people at all, so I guess we have to slowly build up. I keep telling him that dating sims won’t cut it even as practice, but he says he’d rather die than actually talk to people—!”

Another marriage talk? You feel your throat dry. “Whoa, whoa, slow down, Ortho,” you laugh nervously. “I can’t marry Idia.”

He stops his ranting, blinking at you as if you’ve said the most confusing thing in the world. “Why not?”

For an android that has unlimited access to the internet, he’s sure naive to these kinds of things. Maybe it’s because such delicate interpersonal relationships require actual real-life experience? “Well, when people marry, it’s usually because they love each other.”

Ortho pouts at you again. “I know that!”

“Well then, you know that we can’t marry each other.” You grin wryly. “I mean, for starters, Idia would never love me. He can barely even look at me.”

“Barely looks at you?” Ortho gasps. “What are you talking about, [Y. Name]? My big brother is always looking after you! We’re always looking after you!”

With a wave of his hand, Ortho brings up multiple holographic screens. Your stomach churns as you scan what appears to be live feeds of surveillance cameras. One shows the broken-down rubble of your dorm, clearly focused on where your perch used to be. Multiple blacked-out screens labeled KITCHEN, BEDROOM, LIVING ROOM, STAIRS tell you exactly what they used to be for. Another one seems to be located in Epel’s dorm room and outside of Vil’s room. You feel your throat parch.

“Oh, silly me! Priority task added: Take down CCTVs in Pomefior ASAP. ” Ortho then laughs lightly. “I have to do that before Vil finds out that I set up cameras…” He gives you an apologetic look. “Sorry… it looks like we can’t play together tonight…” Ortho’s sweet voice is drowned out by the ringing, deafening your ears as you try to process what you’re seeing right now. Your entire life… livestreamed to someone that you barely knew. You don’t even want to think about what kind of things they must’ve seen you do, how vulnerable you get behind closed doors… Ortho– Ortho wouldn’t do this to you, right…?! And he wouldn’t do this for anyone else except…

“Ortho.” Your voice comes out shaky as you turn to his expectant eyes. “Did… Did your brother put you up to this?”

“Yes, he told me to do so a few months back.” Ortho nods cheerily, and despite the disgust embroiling your gut, the fact that Ortho was commanded to do all this brings you some sort of relief. How could you blame Ortho, who was only following the orders of his creator? “He checks up on you all the time, you know! It’s always on the display monitor!”

Ortho doesn’t know any better. He’s still naive when it comes to human interactions, how could he have known that recording every intimate detail of a person’s life was bad? Yeah, yeah. Sweet, sweet Ortho wouldn’t do something so abysmal.

“But I didn’t think it was enough, so I added this!” His hands, cold and of synthetic flesh, reach out behind your ear and pull on the fleshy lobe. You feel something… hard? metallic? under the flesh, and you furrow your brows when you don’t understand. Ortho laughs at the silly look on your face. 

“It’s a vital tracker that S.T.Y.X uses on prisoners!” He tells you cheerfully, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. “Body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate… The works! There’s also a GPS tracker so that I know where you are at all times!”

You feel the soft shell of your ear, growing weak when you feel that metal embedded underneath your skin. Someone… Ortho had cut your skin open and implanted you with a… a…

You feel dizzy. You want to get out of here.

“Why?” You rasp out. 

Ortho tilts his head, as if the answer was obvious. “What do you mean ‘why’? I told you, we’re gonna be family, aren’t we? I have to know everything about you!”  His yellow eyes narrow slyly, revealing his self-satisfaction. “Oops, that’s not right, is it?”

“I already know everything about you!”

You hear IDIA SHROUD groaning from within his room as you bang on his door for the millionth time that night. He’s been ignoring you punching, kicking, and screaming outside his door for the past ten minutes. But you have too much adrenaline and paranoia in you right now to even feel your fists throbbing after every hit, and you’ve only grown relentless in your attacks. 

“Fine, fine! Just shut up already!” Idia grumbles as he takes his headset off. This was why he liked watching you from afar. You weren’t all up in his space when you’ve got a screen separating you two, screaming his name with that pretty voice of yours. Without thinking of anything other than hoping you’d stop interrupting his peace, Idia opens the door and jumps back with a high-pitched screech when he’s face-to-face with you.

He had long basked in the comfort of just creeping on you behind a screen that he had absolutely forgotten what it was like to actually see you in person— cute, lovely, glaring… angry. He lets out another pathetic yelp when you jab an accusing finger at his face, and he jumps back like a startled cat. “Wh– What—?! D– Don’t come too close or I…”

You ignore his incoherent mumbling as you continue glaring at him. This was the man who invaded your privacy, built an android that invaded your privacy and cut your ear, and had every detail of your life filed in that stupid, expensive computer of his?! You would have rather that it was someone like Leona or Azul or anyone else that you could have reasoned that you were in no way capable of dealing with. But this guy…? You let your eyes roam over his room. Thrown wrappers, discarded clothes… The only things that actually seemed to be in order were his merch, manga, and his desktop table.

You fix your gaze on Idia again. God, you dealt with people like this in your world. Just not ones who had the audacity to install cameras in your fucking house!

“What is wrong with you?!” You grit through your teeth, inching towards him with narrowed eyes. “I heard from Ortho. I know you know that I heard from Ortho, since you have an apparent obsession with knowing everything that goes on in my life. Where do you get off recording me when I’m…! When I’m, ugh, fuck!” Sounding it out loud— that I’m at my most vulnerable, when I’m fucking naked, when I’m in my underwear— has a primal feeling crawling through your nerves and squeezes around your neck. “Why would you–! How could you—?!”

“D– Not– Eek, not too close…!” Idia slinks back from you, trying his best to maintain a certain distance from you. “It’s– It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong, I’m just– I’m just um, keeping tabs on you, yeah, yeah. It’s not, like, anything new to you or something.”

“I think cutting my ear open to implant some creepy tracker is new to me,” you hiss, tugging on your earlobe.

“T– To be fair, that’s not me, that’s Ortho,” Idia mutters frantically, shielding his face from your accusing glare as you inch another step closer. “Okay–! Okay! Partly my fault. I should’ve stopped it. But it’s not anything serious!”

“Have you seen me in my underwear.”

The tips of Idia’s flame hair burn bright red. “Senior. Answer me.”

“I, uh, look away.” 

“How can you look away if you don’t know that I’m in my underwear.”

“What are you getting mad at me for?” Idia complains, black lips scowling as he sulks like an indignant kid. “It’s not like I’m the worst of the bunch. Do you know how many times I’ve protected you? There are too many OPs spawncamping outside your home or normies who think friendmaxxing is the way to go, and there’s like, wayyyy too many people ganking you—”

“What, what are you talking about?!” Idia shuts up, seeming to have delved into some ramble that you can only comprehend half of, and quickly thinks that the frustrated look on your face is way too cute. Yeaaah, he might be picking all the wrong dialogue right now, but there are just some things that 2D pixels can’t beat. Like, what’s up with that super cute wrinkle in between your brows when you’re confused? Sure, his super-advanced CCTVs can capture every detail of your body, but it doesn’t beat seeing your faves up close. And speaking of super-advanced technology…

Seeing your frustration, India’s anxious expression twists into a sardonic smile as he thoroughly contemplates the situation. Sure, suddenly breathing the same air as you has thrown him off, but the novelty’s long worn off, and he’d be missing out on this super rare event if he didn’t make the most of it. “Wheehee, of course you don’t know what I’m talking about. What was I expecting of you?”

The sudden 180 twist in personality has you on your toes. Right. For all your acting tough right now, it doesn’t help that you’re face-to-face with a magic-user— and the Keeper of the Underworld at that. Maybe having a chip implanted in your ear or being watched 24/7 has you bravely blabbing your mouth off, but any of these men could kill you if they see fit. 

“What, suddenly too scared? Hee, and you were just trash-talking me like whatever just now. Did you suddenly realize whose room you’re in now?” Idia’s yellow eyes have a certain glee to them as he takes a seat on his gaming chair and watches you like a hawk. “You’re in my territory. Heeh, that was pretty cool.”

Does he know you can still hear him? “I’m offering you shelter out of the goodness of my heart, y’know? Ortho brought you here ‘cuz your shack’s wiped out, so the least you could do is show me some respect.”

You bite the inside of your cheek, looking away as your fists clench. Why was this loser power-tripping all of a sudden? But you’ve seen what destruction he was capable of when pissed, so you glare daggers at the floor as you force out a “... Sorry.”

“Whaaat was that? I can’t heeaaar you.” You can feel his gaze heating on the top of your hair as he chews on some sour candy, treating your humiliation like a show. “You gotta speak up.”

As you lift your head up, you think back to the previous houses. Sure, Ace liked to take embarrassing pictures of you, and Leona had you walking out of his room and into his den with a large mark on your neck, but none of them humiliated you in such a… demeaning manner. Yet here Idia was, proclaiming that his stalkerish tendencies were for your own protection and making you grovel. You could easily walk out of here, go back to Pomefiore…

“I’m sorry,” your voice comes out pathetic and small. “And… th– thank you for bringing me here and for giving me shelter.”

Sour worm hanging off his mouth, Idia’s face is one of surprise, as if he didn’t actually expect you to meet his demands. He stares at you like that for a few seconds, unblinking and disbelieving, before his creepy snickers quickly erupt into full-on cackling. You flush, in disbelief of even yourself, looking away from his mocking sneer as you stew in your embarrassment.

“Heehee. I– I didn’t think you’d actually stoop so low, I mean, the door is right there! You could’ve just walked out, and I know you were thinking that because you were basically staring at it but, hehe, wow!” Idia finishes the rest of the gummy worm as he leers at you. “Are you really that scared? Scared that some overleveled magician is gonna slice your head clean off with a spell?”

You rub your neck. You have come close to that. Nearly crumbled to dust. Drowned in ink. Almost succumbed to permanent hypnosis. Choked on poisonous mist. You suffered in the ER even long after the others were discharged. No one would blame you for acting on a little caution.

“No use denying it,” Idia croons. “I mean, like, you pretty much got the worst luck of the bunch. I’m actually surprised you haven’t died after dealing with seven overblots. You must have super high luck stat to not be dead in a ditch right now.”

“They don’t want to kill me,” you try to reason. With Idia or with yourself, you’re not sure.

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, obvs. Can’t play a romance route if the character’s dead. But I’ve seen their dreams, read the reports. That doesn’t change the fact that they could have killed you. Almost killed you. I mean, I know I almost did. Overblot’s funny like that, huh? And even without the whole overblot biz, the average magician’s got at least fifty more levels on you. Although…” He looks at you thoughtfully. “I guess you would’ve learned that after sleeping around a bit, huh?”

Don’t phrase it like that. “... Are you gonna just make me stand here while you mock me?” You resentfully say. “Or can I finally leave?”

“Whoa, whoa, don’t spoil my fun, okay? I know you’re probably thinking: ‘wow, this loser’s suddenly got all mouthy just cuz we’re alone in his room.’ And you’re probably right. But this is the first time I’ve had you all to myself, you know? Outside the whole surveillance thing.” You feel shivers up your spine when you’re reminded of his perverted hobby. “Seeing you up close, you’re totally the one I’d go for in a VN.” The corner of his lips quirked up a bit. “And especially after seeing you bow your head… that’s like a real turn-on.”

He presses something on his desk, the screen emitting a bright blue until its laser lights are on you. “Make a whole turn for the scanner, okay? There’s something I’d like to see you in.”

“... Consider it payment for letting you sleep here ♪”

Gloomurai is typing…

Muscle Red: oya? you’re still online?

Muscle Red: when you logged off just a few hours ago, i had assumed it was because you were finally going to deal with that homework you were complaining about.

Gloomurai: ugh. don’t remind me 😑😑

Gloomurai: nono i just haaad to get this off my chest. cuz like. u would not believe what just happened

Muscle Red: i’m listening ~ ∠( ᐛ 」∠)_

Gloomurai: my main oshi. like the irl one. just barged into my room out of nowhere. and i was like totally freaked out..

Gloomurai: tbh im still freaked out right now,, but like theyre magicless and im basically op yanno. so i was playing a trick on em. freak em out a bit.

Gloomurai: omggg they’re so cute when they grovel a bit. and that look in their eyes when they try to hide that theyre scared... wtff. took everything just to not break character

Muscle Red: hm hmm… the dearest ones always seem more alluring when they submit. i’m happy to see you understand my tastes

Muscle Red: i was very offended when you called me a pervert! (`皿´＃)

Gloomurai: i thought i said sorry!!! 

Gloomurai: i honestly still think you are a pervert but ure on to something… my heart’s still beating… cant believe i got em to bow their head like that… or be in front of me at all.

Gloomurai: i was just content on just watching them from a distance 💀💀💀 i might actually get addicted

Muscle Red: (っ˘ω˘ς ) ahh young love truly is a blessing to witness! i’m happy for you, young gloomurai!!

Muscle Red: maybe i’ll fetch for my darling as well. you’ve made me quite envious! 

“This is too close, ‘pel…!” Hiding under the thick sheets, you nervously glance at Epel, who looks far too comfortable for someone whose legs are tangled with your own. You have a few inches on him, so he’s nestled in the dip of your chest with an expression between disgruntlement and pleased. “‘Pel? You hearing me?”

“Yer makin’ an awful lotta noise for someone who doesn’t wanna get caught,” he huffs. “Why’d ya have to be taller than me… I was hopin that I…” His thoughts trail off into a mumble, and deep in thought, you decide to take the opportunity to inch away– only for his legs to tighten their grip around you. “Tryna run away?”

“What’s it fuckin’ look like, smartass?” You grunt, trying to squirm and failing. Why does such a cute boy have to have such toned legs?

“You don’t want to sleep with me, [Your Name]?” Epel pouts at you, turning on the charm that Vil has taught him to use as a weapon. “Are the sheets not to your liking? The blanket?” The weight of his arm drapes across your side, fingers lightly teasing the small of your back.  “Or is poor ol’ me makin’ ya uneasy?” 

Epel watches you squirm under his teasing touch with an expression too dark for you to make out under the sheets. Who was the cute one again? With the way you shyly tremble under his lightest touch, biting your lips as if trying to tempt him, he thinks you’re way too adorable for your own good. Pushing your boundaries even further, he slips his hand underneath your thin shirt— your tense body is warm under his touch, and the curve of your waist beckons his fingers to run over them to hear your whimpers once more.

“Haaa… what the fuck,” Epel sighs, nestling within the crook of your neck. His breath tickles your sensitive skin, and even more so when he darkly chuckles at your shivering. “Yer so fuckin’ adorable, I could just eat ya up. Yer not even pushin’ me away anymore, ya tease.”

You reply with only a shaky breath, nerves paralyzing you, and he laughs again. “Scared speechless? I’ll help ya jumpstart that dumb brain of yours. How about… this?” He pinches your waist, eliciting a pathetic whine from you but nothing more. Then those hands of his slip just below the waistband of your pajamas, teasingly fluttering just above the mound of your bottom yet still on your thigh. He strokes it gently, almost like petting a scared bunny. You can feel his violet eyes peer up at you, ascertaining your every move. Your shallow breaths are warm on his forehead as you squeeze your eyes shut and grip his shoulder tight.

“Ha. Ha ha. You’re so goddamn adorable,” Epel whispers, playing with the cloth of your delicates. “Jus’ the slightest touch and you’re all shiverin’ and tremblin’. Bet so many of the others did the same thing to you, huh? Sleeping in their beds… all over them… just like we are now… Bet they probably stroked you like perverts, huh. Though I guess I’m not in a position to judge ☆”

Oh, how ROOK HUNT could watch you and Epel play around all day! Every time Epel leans in with a knowing grin, you blush pensively and inch away, probably embarrassed from the night before. And how does Rook know that? Well, how could he call himself a lover of beautiful things if he missed out the chance to see two youthful beauts frolick in the sheets at night! Guaranteed, he could not see anything since you two made a point to stay under the sheets, but Rook had an imagination to make up for it!

“Bonjour, Trickster!” Rook makes a point to appear out of nowhere once Epel has been called to Vil’s chambers. You startle with the smoothie bowl you’re having for breakfast, but settle down once you see that it’s only Rook. Stalkerish as he may be, Rook seemed to have more morals than the rest of the unsavory cast here in Night Raven College. Like Silver and… Kalim… and… Jack. You frown to yourself.

Rook seems to notice the sudden shift in expression, because he quickly massages the wrinkles between your brows with two fingers. “Non, non! I shall not have you ruin your beauty with unpleasant thoughts so early in the morning, and in Pomefiore of all places! What ails you so, my dear junior? Has Epel been too rough with you last night? Delicate-looking as he is, that boy does have a mean streak in him—”

“No, no!” You cut him off with a red squeak, not even bothering to question how he knows. When Vil had agreed to letting you stay here, Rook had already declared his intent on keeping an eye on you at all times. “I…! Epel was… lovely, thank you.” You cough into your fist, knowing that he’s already seen through this lie. “Pomefiore is lovely as always, yeah. Nothing wrong here!”

“And yet there is a panic in your eyes, reminiscent of deer staring down the barrel of my rifle.” Mmm, not questioning that either. “Pray tell, Trickster. If not Epel, what could possibly be the cause of your bereavement? I want to know what sorrows afflict that beautiful face of yours.”

“Well, not sorrows.” You laugh a bit. “But I do have some things I’m stressing over. Like Ramshackle’s still broken down, and I can’t keep depending on the houses like this. And I– well, these past few days I’ve come across with some… someone’s feelings for me.” Rook raises a knowing brow at this ‘someone’ but chooses to stay quiet for your sake. “And I just. Well, I don’t really know what to do! I mean, look at me!” You stretch your arms out, looking at him for validation.

“I am looking at you, cher [Your Name], and you are breathtaking even in your morning stupor.”

You flush at the sudden compliment, hands back to playing around with your smoothie bowl. “I’m– I’m flattered that you say that, Rook, but I’m just saying. I’m plain, unlovable, I get pushed around like a doormat, people are always willing to take advantage of me here… I, I… how could they— I mean he— love me? This level of obsession for someone like… me!” You laugh wryly. “It all feels like a joke!”

Rook does not say anything for a few seconds, green eyes staring pityingly at his self-loathing junior. It is one thing to not be aware of one’s own beauty, but it is another thing entirely for proof of your beauty to be thrust in your face in the form of obsession and still deny it. La pauvre! He takes one strand of your hair and twirls it around his finger, sighing forlornly as he looks at you with kind eyes. 

“Come now, mon cher. I know you must have such a rough past for you to think so little of yourself, but the obsession of these boys— including myself— is proof that your beauty is beyond equal. Not only do you bear the bittersweetness of melancholy so well, but your kindness despite your hardships is most captivating! I know that we students of Night Raven College are difficult to deal with, but everyone sees how hard you try.” He smiles at you sweetly and kisses the strand around his finger. “Is that not beautiful enough?”

You squirm in your seat, unable to deal with such sweet words suddenly piled upon you. Rook finally lets go of the [Hair Color] strand and leans back, satisfied with the effect that his words have upon you. “I– I…” You try to mumble out something, but words fail you. He knows that it will take more than sweet words to give you the same confidence that Vil has, but Rook is nothing but patient. 

“I– Could I…?” You wince. “I heard that third years don’t have roommates. Epel is… well, handsy. Could I…?”

Rook beams for a second before something crosses his expression, and he shakes his head with a despondent expression. “Alas, my dear trickster, did you forget? I, too, share the same obsession with these men. Someone like me cannot possibly resist the temptation if your body is too close to mine.”

“How could I possibly turn them down?!”

Rook’s despairing cry shakes his drawers as he slumps down to his knees and bawls out on the deerskin rug. Those earnest eyes…! So full of shining yet misplaced hope! He was overjoyed to hear that plea from you, so willing to play the prince and swoop you from his junior’s naughty hands. And yet! He knew that he would be unable to contain himself the moment your soft body would set upon his mattress!

And he did not want to scare you away either. He can play the reliable senior all he wants, but in the end, he is just another man you have captivated. Carefully peeling away the wallpaper, Rook casts his reverent gaze on the object of his fantasies. 

Your pictures, candid shots capturing your every expression, have nearly overtaken those of Neige and Vil’s. There is a picture of you cuddling up to Grim, unwilling to get out of bed— clearly photographed by someone hanging out the tree by your window. Then there is you in a frantic dash around Mostro Lounge, taken by someone from the employee’s exit. You enjoying ice cream with your friends, you yawning in a lecture, you giggling at ADeuce’s shenanigans, you teasingly stripping down in front of the mirror, you in the bath, you— 

“Ah… ah…” He leans against a picture— you making a peace sign at his phone— and nuzzles against it. “Oh, if I were a more selfish man, could I have finally have you under my touch as well, mon amour?”

VIL SCHOENHEIT is as strict with other people as he strict with himself. The pursuit of beauty, after all, is not only within the self but also found in your surroundings. And because Vil chooses to waste precious time with you, he is particular about every single thing you do. Now that you’re residing in Pomefiore, you feel as if this fussiness has grown tenfold.

“Uh… Vil.” You warily eye the dozens of creams set before you, looking more science experiment than beauty routine. “Is all this really necessary…?”

He glares at your reflection in the mirror, looking affronted. Right now, he’s carefully applying hair oil to the ends of your hair while both of you are wearing face masks. It seems that he’s deduced what Epel had done to you by how smug he was being and how embarrassed you were that he had you quickly moved to his room. “Do you think me an amateur? Of course, we’re not using all of these! Do you not know of the basic rule ‘simple is better’? Honestly.” He shakes his head. “No, these are all for you to familiarize yourself with, while these—” He singles out a few products and taps them with a long nail. “–are what we’re actually using on you.”

“Then why the other ones…?” He huffs, clearly displeased at having to explain everything to you. “You are to familiarize yourself with the most essential of products and their effects if you are going to be living under my watch. Pomefiore students pursue beauty, and that starts with knowledge.” He lifts your uncut fingernails to the light and frowns at them. “Knowledge that you obviously do not have.”

“It’s not like I’m an actual Pomefiore student,” you mumble meekly, holding up a vial of gly… glyco… glycolic acid? and giving it a frown of your own. “I need to rebuild Ramshackle so I can get back to not depending on you guys.” And have you guys take advantage of me, but you leave that unsaid.

Vil scoffs as he brushes through the tangles in your hair. “And where do you think you will be staying while you wait? Scarabia is a snake’s nest, Octavinelle is full of advantageous creatures, Savanaclaw is just downright abhorrent with that indolent prince, and Heartslabyul has more men in rut than the actual dorm of beastmen.” You smirk at that last sentence before he lightly taps your face scoldingly. “No smirking. It’s ungraceful.”

“I just think all your effort is wasted on me.” Vil peels away the face mask and taps the moisture into your skin, finally taking a good look at your forlorn eyes. He sighs and goes back to brushing your hair.

“Did Rook not give you a pep talk this morning? He told me all about it.”

“Yeah, but he’s… Rook.” You smile wryly. “He can find anything beautiful. But I… I’m not like that. You’re beautiful, that’s why it’s understandable when people want you, but I…”

“Indeed, I am beautiful.” He doesn’t sound haughty about it, just stating facts. “But you know my story. Things don’t always go my way just because I am beautiful. It is why I spend every waking hour putting my utmost effort into everything I do so that I can do things even without needing to rely on this face of mine. But you—” He pinches your cheek. “— my foolish junior, running themselves ragged just to prove that they can be relied on, are the complete opposite. Your hair is full of split ends, your face could be more moisturized, all these things could be avoided if you took better care of yourself, and yet—!” 

He guides your face to the mirror, where a dewy-looking [Your Name] stares dumbfoundedly at the mirror. “I choose to fuss and look after you. Do you know why?”

"Um… why?”

He straightens his back and pats down your hair. “Because you could be more than you are right now. The Fairest Queen had no king to call hers, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t take a consort of my own. I will melt you down till you fit the mold I have for you, then polish you till I can wear you and make everyone around us green with envy— of you or me, it will not matter.” 

“Consort?” You squeak, shrinking in your seat before Vil grabs you by the shoulders and straightens your posture. “I– I don’t think—” “And you don’t need to,” he cuts you off. “All I require for you is to be not a complete idiot, but even I find your naivete irritatingly charming, so I suppose we don’t need to get rid of that.” He bends down until your cheeks press together, and you both look at your reflection. “Look at that. A little bit of polish and we make a dazzling pair, don’t you agree?”

Feeling his nails dig into your skin, you nod without much thought and come back up with a satisfied smile of his. “Exactly. Just follow my orders and you will be the most darling in all the lands, even more than that infuriating Neige LeBlanche.” He spits that name out like venom, but upon seeing the wrinkles creasing around his brow, he relaxes and turns around. “Come along, pup. I will have you drink a vial of my own making, an elixir promoting gut health in your sleep, before it’s lights out.”

You scamper to meet his long strides, fidgeting with the loose threads of your pajamas until Vil shoots you a disapproving look, and your hand falls to your side. He hands you a purple vial. As a show of good grace, he pops the cork of his own vial and gracefully drinks from it. It’s not poisoned, probably, so you clumsily fiddle with the cork in hopes of getting it off.

“You really have no grace in your actions.” Vil shakes his head and grabs the vial from you. In one swift motion, he pops the cork off, but rather than handing it back to you, he raises your chin with one slender finger and tips the contents of the vial into your mouth. Taken aback, you start hacking into your fist and stumble back.

“Oh, relax. There’s no poison in there.” Vil rolls his eyes and guides you to his bed.

“R-Really?” You murmur, dazedly sinking into the plush of his mattress. You don’t know what to trust anymore these days.

“Of course,” he huffs. His beautiful face is still in that perpetual scowl of his as he tucks you in and smoothes your bangs down until you feel your lids growing heavy. “Sleeping potions aren’t considered poison. Ah, ah, you needn’t worry.” He hushes you before you squeak out a protest. “This is necessary. Look at you, poor thing. You haven’t gotten a proper wink of sleep these past few weeks, have you?” You open your mouth again to protest, but ah… everything is just so… comfortable…

He hums, finally allowing himself a small smile as he continues stroking your hair. “Those eyebags are dreadful, but now under my care, you will get a good rest.” He presses a gentle kiss to your temple. “After all, I’m the only one who can properly take care of you.”

He brightens up at your assurance and is practically leaping towards his room with you in hand. “Oh, that’s great then! We’ll have sooo much fun together! We can— What do they do at sleepovers again? Ah, we can girls’ talk or braid hair or— hmmm, my hair can’t really be braided— but we’ll have fun, I swear! Otherwise, I would be a pretty bad host and friend!” You don’t quite think you’re getting much sleep tonight, but you’d take this over being sleepless because of assault.

Kalim had insisted on taking the floor, and you insisted on taking the floor, but he wouldn’t have a guest sleeping there… so now the two of you are lying side-by-side on his grand mattress. You listen to him mindlessly chatter on and on about this and that. It's a nice white noise to fall asleep to, and you feel yourself dozing off beside him until he turns his head to you and smiles at you, “And uh, thanks, [Y. Name].”

Your eyes flutter to stare back at Kalim, taken off guard by the sudden thanks. His smile right now is different from the sunny, devil-may-care usual ones. He looks thoughtful, reflecting on something you’re not yet privy to. You know that Kalim isn’t the simpleton that he portrays himself to be, that he’s only a simpleton because he wants to be that way. You wonder what exactly is weighing on this boy’s mind, and you lazily brush his hair away to take a clear look at him. 

He takes this as a silent sign to continue. “Well, like, it was you who talked some sense into me. You know, during the overblot incident.” He looks regretful as he reminisces back on it. “I thought that everything was my fault, for not noticing Jamil’s suffering… for being stupid and oblivious. I know I am, but I guess you taught me that I should be accountable for my actions and not for others.” He blushes. “Am I… Am I making sense? Sorry, I was just saying what I was thinking. You can go to sleep.”

You smile sleepily. “It’s fine, I get you. I’m happy I could be of some help to you, Kamil.”

“Th– Thanks.” He smiles shyly at you. “But that wasn’t all that I was thanking you for! I was thinking that… my relationship with Jamil’s built on a whole lotta lies, so even if I say we’re friends, we’re not actually friends. But since coming to NRC, I’ve made whole lots of them! Cater, Lilia, Silver… everyone! But I guess, I guess when it comes to you, it’s different somehow? I– I don’t know. But I’m always happier when you’re around?” 

Something in your throat tightens. “That’s… nice, Kalim.”

“Yeah, I am happier when you’re around.” It sounds more like he’s talking to himself, slowly coming to realize something about himself that he’s never quite realized. “And– And I want to make everyone happy, yeah, but to you… to you I want to give you everything. Is that bad?” He asks you, then laughs at himself a bit. “No, how could that be bad? Everyone wants to have everything!” 

“I don’t know…” You try. “Some people are just content with what they have…”

“Yes, and you’ll have everything! Because—” He clasps your hands in his, beaming at you with the brightness of a man who’s realized his true love. “Because I’ll give you everything! I– I love you, [Y. Name]!”

You balk. “Kalim—”

“Everything you could ever possibly want is right here with me,” he says softly. “I love you. So– So if the Headmaster does find that portal back to your home, is it okay? That you forget everything on that other side of the mirror?”

In the dark, Kalim’s red eyes stare at you with a hint of desperation. “So you can stay with me. Since you’re the only real thing I have. … Please.”

You (Kalim Al-Asim): waaah jamil help!!! You (Kalim Al-Asim): theyve stopped replying to my texts !! did i do something wrong?!? my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you scared them off with all your constant professions of love and your incessant following. You (Kalim Al-Asim): and the 24 carat ring ? 🙁 my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): So you DO know how annoying you are. You (Kalim Al-Asim): it’s just !!! i like them so much !!! what else am i supposed to do !!! my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Don’t ask me for love advice. You (Kalim Al-Asim): but i thought you of all people would know!!! You (Kalim Al-Asim): after all, i always see you watching them from afar ever since… my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): :/ my best friend :DD (Jamil Viper): Relax. They’re probably not replying since they’re in Professor Crewel’s class. You can swing by them after.

You don’t want to call Kalim terrifying. As you spend the nights with Scarabia, you really don’t want to call the sweetest, most precious boy in all of Night Raven’s College terrifying. It’d do him a disservice, and you’ll sound like an ungrateful brat after everything he’s done for you. He’s played the part of a graceful host, walking with you to your classes, joining you for extravagant dinners, checking on you in lunches… always ready to pop out the moment you round the corner.

You lay in your bed in Scarabia— soft and plush, silk pillowcases damp with your cold sweat— unable to sleep as you stare up at the intricately-patterned ceiling. So many red motifs, each one shaped like eyes staring down at you. Those aren’t Kalim’s, you remind yourself, they’re just perfectly normal designs. Kalim’s isn’t as eerie, bone-chilling, unnerving, words-caught-in-your-throat-before-you-tell-him-no—.

You can’t sleep like this. You need a glass of water. Stat.

You wince when the double doors to your room creak loudly, fearing that you woke up the students or worse of all, the housewarden himself. But only moonlight and the distant cawing of some exotic bird accompany you until you stumble upon vice-housewarden JAMIL VIPER alone in the hallway. You freeze upon eye contact, but he only raises a brow as he takes in your disheveled look and nods towards his door.

“You look pathetic,” he says plainly, just stating the facts without any mockery. “Come inside, I’ll fix you some tea.”

There are very few people on campus that you feel safe being alone with, and Jamil Viper is not one of them. Nevertheless, you find yourself dumbly nodding and dragging your feet behind him. The heavy incense of oud and amber overcomes you as soon as you step into the room, and you find a pot of tea already boiling on his table. He magicks the pot to pour into two cups and floats one towards you.

“Drink.” He settles himself on the edge of his bed after pulling out a chair for you. “You look absolutely exhausted.” You croak out a mumbled thanks before taking a sip. Chamomile, you guess, but you’re not exactly an expert. “Let me guess. Anxiety’s been keeping you up.” A half-smile stretches his lips, looking amused and thoughtful at the same time. “Anxiety about a certain white-haired idiot.”

You wince and busy yourself with the tea. “You wouldn’t believe the nonsense he’s been spouting these days. Droning on and on about love and romance… And just when I thought he couldn’t get more insufferable, he started daydreaming about honeymoon getaways and the jewels on your engagement rings.”

“He’s just— He’s just confused.” Pained, you cut him off. “He’s probably never experienced anything like this, so he’s getting carried away. He’ll get over it. Probably. As soon as I’m gone.”

Jamil’s lips press into a thin line, eyes narrowed as he stares at you from his bed. You’re too busy fiddling with the earthenware that you can’t properly examine his expression. “Dead set on leaving, huh? What a shame. And just when I started to warm up to you, too.” You jolt and blink at him, watching as the devious smile settles on his handsome face. “You’re just being overdramatic. You won’t actually, do that, would you? Not to your friends, not to your dearest Kalim…” Charcoal gray eyes droop sultrily as a dazed look washes over your face.

“Not to me.”

“Say it again once more, would you?” Slender fingers trail along your chin, the master stroking his pet between his thighs. “I won’t leave you. I’ll always be by my master’s side.”

“I won’t leave you. I’ll always be by my master’s side.” Your voice comes out softer, free of all worries and anxieties you might have had when you walked in through his doors. While he does find your shaky, sleep-deprived self adorably pathetic, he much prefers it when you look at him as though he’s your entire world. And with your consciousness in the palm of his hand, it might very well be in this moment. 

“Who’s your master?” He prods, combing your strands while you nuzzle comfortably into the inside of his lap.

“You, Master Jamil. You are my master.”

He lets out a shaky exhale, tilting back his head and leaning on his two hands as he suppresses the perverse grin itching to spread on his face. Fuck, does he love hearing that. He’s had that revelation ever since his overblot, when he truly thought he had control over you while you praised his name to the high heavens and touched him all over like you truly wanted him. He’s had many a sleepless night when the memories of your touch intruded on him like phantoms. And now he’s finally gotten another taste of you, this time with your mind finally under his control.

“You really don’t know what you do to me, pet,” he hums, guiding your hand to his torso and reclining on the pillows behind him. You straddle him with that sweet, ditzy expression, and he pulls on the ribbons tying your top together like a collar of his own making. “Pathetic, isn’t it? The servant boy only getting a taste of power by enslaving the mind of a magickless. But I really don’t care. Not when I have a sweet thing like you for a prize.”

He watches you tilt your head. You don’t comprehend half of the things he’s saying, but it makes you all the more endearing. “Look at me, mouthing off to an airhead like you. Do you think I’m pathetic, pet? Answer truthfully.”

You scrunch your brows, mustering whatever consciousness you still have to get an honest answer. He continues to stroke your hair as you try your best to muster up the words. “I… I don’t think you’re pathetic, Jamil.” You sound lucid, like your real self breaking through, but that lasts only for a moment before you slump right back into his touch.

… What an idiot. Should you know what he’s doing to you right now, maybe you’ll find him worse than pathetic. Or knowing you, you’ll shut out whatever terrible thing he or anyone else will do to you, only keeping everything to yourself until the very day that you (supposedly) will leave this universe. His grin is sardonic.

“Fine.” He thinks of another question. “How about this, then: do you love me?”

… The silence shouldn’t pain him this much.

For a moment, he wants to grab the hair in his hands and pull back, see that helpless face contort in pain, but do nothing to fight back. And he should. He would. But it feels like the air has been knocked out of him, or whatever energy this power trip had given him has withered away. He’s no Kalim. He’s not fucking delusional. Not once has he entertained thoughts of marrying you and giving you the domestic life that any ordinary person could be happy with. Not with you being an alien, and not him being a servant. But fuck. Was it so hard to try and…

“Fine,” he repeats, dry and lifeless. “Say that you love me.”

Like the minx that you are, your hands are upon his toned chest, feeling the heat of your palms transfer to his beating chest. They trail softly against the thin cloth of his undershirt, teasing him until you wrap them around his neck. He glances down and feels his heart in his throat as you wear an innocent yet tantalizing smile, looking at him like you want him just as much as he wants you.

“I love you, master.”

He tilts his head back and laughs, hollow and miserable.

You hold up two fingers in his face. “If I do anything, you’ll either: one, amuse yourself by forcing me to do more through violent means and force.” You put down one finger. “Or two, you’ll squeeze the shit out of me till I lay here dead.” You put down your hand entirely. “Well, tough luck. I don’t like any outcome, so I’m gonna stay still until you get fed and either leave me alone or maul me.”

The lanky eel, kneeling at the side of his bed, pouts as he lays his cheek beside your face. “That’s no fun~ Am I that predictable?”

Predictable in the way that Floyd will always do something disastrous, no matter what happens. Unpredictable in the way that you never know what he’ll end up doing. You flip your head to the side, sulky mismatched eyes and a handsome face just inches away from you… And you sigh. God, these evil suckers just had to be handsome. You pinch his cheek and sit up. “Don’t worry,” you say, drily. “I never know what’s going on in that head of yours. Never did, never will.”

Floyd’s face brightens up, moods as ever-changing as the ocean waters. “Aww, ya flatter me, shrimpy!” He grins as he tackles you to his bed. Ack. You feel like he dug something into your ribs. “Me, I liiike always knowing what’s on your mind. Your face is so cute and expressive! Like when your eyes keep shaking whenever you’re scared, or that stupid-looking smile when you try to lie, or the way your mouth gapes whenever you’re tired! I could stare at you for hours!”

What the… Oh, whatever. “No commentary on the way I smile when happy or something?” You don’t even know why you care anymore.

Floyd stares at you as if you just asked something foreign. “Well, I think your smile’s stupid. Stupid and cute. But—” His mouth slits into a smile of razor-sharp teeth. “I think you’re squishiest when you’re shakin’ in your boots, yeah?”

Staring into a mouth full of teeth that could chomp your flesh off, you gulp down a whimper. Floyd’s grin stretches even more. “Yeah, yeah, like that! I like the way ya try to be a~ll strong and brave when everyone knows how scared ya are. Like how your throat bobs cuz ya got a scream stuck there or something.” His cold, cold hands— gentle at first, then an inescapable pressure as his thumb digs into your throat— clamp themselves around you. His eyes widen as he watches you scramble to pull his hands off you and laughs maniacally. “Yes, like that! Ah~ I don’t get it! How’s someone so pathetic this adorable to look at!”

His expression drops into downright threatening. “It’s fucking annoying.”

Shit, his choke has you seeing stars already. “F–Floyd,” you gasp out, scratching at his arms futilely. “Stop this— I— Kkgh— It isn’t funn—!”

“I’ll tell ya what isn’t funny!” His voice is screeching, eyes looking down at you in… hatred? Glee? Annoyance? Obsession? Fuck, you just want his hands off you. “Who the hell do you think you are, running around in my head like that? Little magicless shrimpy who’s got nothing but a cute face on ‘em! Smilin’ at me like that… makin’ friends with Azul and Jade like it’s sooo easy! You’re makin’ em boring!” He bares his teeth at you. “You’re controlling me!”

How the fuck was that your problem?! You feel your strength failing you. You can’t breathe. Darkness was clouding your vision. You were really gonna fucking die here. You want to go home. You want to go home. You want to go—

He lets go, and you take in a frantic breath as he sits back with an amused expression. “Haha, you’re cute when you’re all gasping like that.”

You glare at him, but you feel that it comes off weakly. Your mind is dazed after being deprived of oxygen, and you feel faint. He laughs even more, a cross between amusement and being… genuine.

“Seven,” he whispers, staring at you like a treasure found on the sea floor. “I really do like starin’ at ya.”

If JADE LEECH had anything to say about the purpling bruises on your neck, he didn’t say it. Rather, he opted to smile at you with his usual slimy grin and poured you a cup of morning coffee, playing the part of the attentive gentleman. His brute of a brother walked right behind you, yawning and sporting a grumpy frown and disheveled hair. 

“Did you have a good night’s rest?” Jade asks, sitting across from you on one of Octavinelle’s dining tables. He’s already dressed in his school uniform despite it being too early in the morning. Ugh. You return his smile, passive-aggressive and barely holding back ire. You’re wearing one of Floyd’s tanks, so you know he can see it. He chuckles, sharp teeth glinting as he lifts his cup of coffee. “Well, apologies for my brother. You know how he is sometimes.”

This isn’t something to just apologize for, you think, but rather a lawsuit and a restraining order. But you doubt any lawyer would be willing to represent you, the magicless alien with not even a single official document on them. You decide to grace his remark with a scoff into your coffee cup. 

“Now, now, let’s not be like this,” Jade pouts. He feigns sadness as he regards your surly demeanor. “We are friends, aren’t we? You know it hurts me to see you be so cold to me.” You level him with an unimpressed stare, and he raises both hands as if to show innocence. “It’s true! Please look back on the times we had together. Saving Azul… breaking you out of Scarabia… defeating Jamil… Why, I thought we were best friends!”

You have to admit, it’s a bit humorous to see Jade act so pitifully, even though you weren’t falling for it. You crack an amused smile, leaning back on your chair as you take another sip. “Mm, yes. Making a deal to release 300 students from slavery… kicking me out of Ramshackle… nearly drowning me on multiple occasions…”

Jade gives up the act, returning to his intimidating smile when he knows you’re not falling for the act. “Why, they say you’re not truly friends if you don’t tease each other.” You snort again.

The two of you fall into a… not-so-comfortable silence. Not-so-comfortable in the way that he’s been staring intensely at the welt around your neck. After a few uneasy minutes, he stands up and walks away. He returns with a salve pot in his hands. “May I?” He asks, fingers already flitting across your neck. His touch is as ice-cold as his brother’s— probably thanks to their cold-blooded biology— and makes you shudder all the same. You offer a meek nod and bare your neck to him.

Jade’s smile stretches as you place yourself in the most vulnerable position possible.

He rubs the salve on your bruises, gentle and tender, all while thinking how you’re still the naive fool you were from the start of the year. By now, you should know not to show too much weakness to them, to him. Yet here you are, offering up your neck like he wasn’t capable of digging into that warm flesh and watching the light leave your eyes without remorse. Two fingers press against the pulse on your neck— one, two, one, two. A sign that you were alive and warm. You crane your neck to frown at him. He chuckles and backs down from the knowing glint in your glare.

“If Floyd bothers you that much, you can always sleep over mine tonight,” he coos. “I imagine it’d be a more comfortable rest. Perhaps more comfortable than that… Heartslabyul vice-leader.” “Trey?” Jade hears the self-mocking in your voice. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Why, didn’t you know? Your sleepovers are the hottest scandals of Night Raven College right now!” He pleasures in the way your ears burn. If he’d nibble on that soft shell, would it be weak enough to break and bleed? “That man… couldn’t stop smiling when I chanced upon him in the greenhouse and pressed him for details. Irritating smile, that one, but I confess it had made me a tad curious as to what exactly transpired.”

He bends his face to grin down at you. “Would you care to reenact the details of that night?”

“W– We did nothing!” You yelp, pushing away that mischievous face. “Just slept in the same bed, that’s all!”

“Hmm, are you sure that’s everything?” Jade hums, circling you to face him. He tidies your hair, untangling the morning knots here and there while observing your face. “He did slip something about your soft, warm tongue… pressed against his fingers… opening up prettily for him…”

Jade’s glee heightens when your blush deepens even further. There was no need for him to use his unique magic to deduce that this was the truth. “He told you that?!”

“Nope!” He laughs a bit when he hears your frustrated groan, tricked and betrayed. “I was merely guessing what that pervert might have done to you. No need to fear, dear. Should you sleep with me tonight, you would not suffer like that?”

You stare at him incredulously. “Really?” Sevens, you really know him, don’t you?

“Of course not.” He twirls a strand of your hair around a finger, kissing it gently and peering down at you. You swear that his one golden eye shines under the fluorescent lighting. “Unlike him, my perversions lie somewhere… bloodier.”

Like hell you were gonna sleep with Jade after that! … Is what you told yourself. Unfortunately, being the target of a Leech sibling’s affection means there is no way to squeeze yourself out of that situation. AZUL ASHENGROTTO seems to know that much, because even with the huge scowl on his face as he observes your bruised neck and the bite marks on your collar, he can’t seem to blame you. He’s cooking up a healing potion that could at least lessen the severity of these ugly marks. You had joked about never being able to pay back that potion, and he sighed and said it would be on the house… after all, it was his members’ fault.

“What a surprise,” you laugh as he offers the potion to you. Azul looks absolutely distraught by your mangled neck. “Didn’t think I’d get something for free from you.”

The octo merman huffs at you. “I’ve given you lots of things over the months, haven’t I?!”

It’s been a while since the two of you were alone together, but you remember how fun it is to tease him. Outside, Azul could be pompous and condescending— he has an image to retain. But now alone in his bedroom, it seems that Azul has decided to forgo the facade and be his normal, pouty self. “Honestly,” he sighs, willing the used cauldron and other supplies to fly out of the room. “I do a lot of things for you that I wouldn’t do for anyone else, don’t I? And for free too!” You squint at him. “Most of the time.” You squint harder, and he throws his hands in the air. “Sometimes! Sometimes is already too much— I’m enterprising here!”

You smirk and chug the potion down. Slightly sweet and bubbly, not unlike a soda. “Thanks so much, dorm leader,” you coo. “To be on the receiving end of the Octavinelle head’s generosity, you truly embody the illustrious Sea Witch’s benevolence.” He takes the bottle away from you, miffed, but you smile at the red coloring on his ear tips. What a cutie.

He sighs. “Jade and Floyd… They’ve always been violent, but something about you makes it worse. Floyd’s strangled a few people here and there, yes… But Jade’s always managed to hold himself back.” He brushes a careful finger over your wounds and sighs when you wince. “Sevens, they outright mangled you. The potion will take effect in a few minutes, don’t worry.”

“I get that it’s in their biology to be violent, but really! Making trouble for me…” He continues to rant. A scheming smile spreads across his face. “Why, if you insist on pressing charges, I’d be happy to write up a contract for you. Nothing too charging, of course! Though the same can’t be said for them once we present our — ahem, your clauses.”

“No one’s pressing anything, Azul,” you laugh, resting your cheek on your hand while Azul paces his room. “It’s, well, it’s not nothing… but I’d rather not get myself into any more trouble. If the rumors are true, then I’d rather not have any conflict with the Leech family.”

“Hmph, too kind!” He turns around and wags a finger in your face. “This is why it’s so easy to take advantage of you. Even things like this, you’re willing to let go! Have you not learned a single thing during your time here in NRC? You’re lucky that you have me to cover up for you!”

“Yes, yes,” you hum. “Ve~ry lucky.”

Azul smiles— less pompous and more satisfied— and straightens his back. Heh. “Exactly! After all, I am benevolent. Worry not, your rest with me will be the most peaceful you’ve had in days!”

He can hardly believe his luck. Wait, no, this isn’t luck. Everything good that has happened to Azul’s life is because he worked hard for it, and Sevens, did he work for this. You, vulnerable in your state of sleep, sprawled across his bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. From the state of your eyebags, he guessed that you haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep with either Floyd or Jade, but with him… Heh, the twins might not view it that way, but this was a win for Azul.

Gently as not to stir you, Azul reaches out and brushes his hand against your cheek. It’s warm, like rays of sun on his cold skin. As soon as he saw you in that fateful entrance ceremony, he thought you really weren’t NRC material. When you sidled up to him in the underwater museum and had a conversation about his past, like he didn’t try to kill you and your friends, he knew you weren’t made for this school. Not when you were too good for him. Not when you stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, gazing at that horrid field trip picture and granting an unjudging ear to his monologue.

“Look at you,” he murmurs. “Aaah… No one deserves you. Not me, not anyone. But aaah…” He cozies up in the crook of your neck, relishing in that soft warmth. “The things I would do to keep you down in the waters with me. I’d do anything for you, buy anything for you… just to be mine and mine alone.”

“Mine, be mine…” His begging comes off in short whines, pleading to your unconscious body. “I couldn’t bear it… to see you frolicking around with some idiot that isn’t me…”

Something slithers around your leg, sticking to it like a parasite on an easy prey. It suckles softly, while its owner cradles you with his many legs as he relishes in his most prized treasure’s body. You shift a bit, eyes furrowing as if your unconscious mind was telling you that something was off. Sleep wasn’t supposed to carry the weight of another person, and rest should not be disturbed by tentacles gently suckling on your skin.

Azul wonders what would happen if you’d wake— not that you would, he made sure of that. He wonders if your eyes would widen, heart stuck in your throat, face frozen in that fearful expression that the twins love to praise. His heart drops. No, he’d rather see you gently smile at him. He’d rather you return his myriad of desperate kisses and stroke his hair, call him pretty despite all the insecurities.

He brushes his lips against yours— not quite a kiss, but enough to make him crave more. You truly make him pathetic.

Floyd Leech changed Azul Ashengrotto’s nickname to ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Heh. Now what could have possibly caused this tantrum now?

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Now, now, Azul. As your closest friends, it’s not nice to play dumb around us. 

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Ugh. It’s weird when you say that. And I don’t like your tone.

You (Floyd Leech): WHAT DID U DO TO MY BRUISES ON SHRIMPY. WHERE ARE THEY.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): It has also occurred to me that my bite marks are gone. What a shame… The mementos of our beautiful night together gone because of a scheming octopus.

You (Floyd Leech): IM GONNA FGUCKING STUFF YOU IN UR OCTO POT U STUPID OCTO AND ILL STUFF U FULL OF UR STUPID POTIONS TILL U TURN BACK ROUND AND NICE TO EAT THEN TURN U INTO TAKOYAKI AND FEED U TO SHRIMPY

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Floyd, please. Let us not feed this stupid octopus to our pitiful prefect.

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): … I don’t appreciate the comments on my body.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Mm. Pity. Floyd and I are looking over octopus recipes. Personally, I’d prefer to place you on a sushi platter.

fuck ur mushrooms (Jade Leech): Perhaps we will start off by cutting those insipid tentacles of yours. For erasing our marks and placing your own.

You (Floyd Leech): it was kinda hot tho

You (Floyd Leech): back of the thigh. erotic doncha think

ILLKILLYOUILLKILLYOU (Azul Ashengrotto): Why, then you’ll be pleased to see the marks on their back, Floyd.

Jack shares a room with others, but Ruggie’s shovelled them to some other room so that territorial instincts don’t scare you out of your wits. Looking around… It’s Savanaclaw, alright. Ripe with the scent of testosterone and training equipment scattered across the room. Jack’s shelf is full of cacti, protein powder jugs, textbooks, and a picture of his family. You send him a grin when you catch that.

“Family-oriented, huh?” You coo, picking up the frame as he towels your ends. You let out an aww when you notice that the whole pack shares his fluffy ears and tail, just in varying shades of gray. You tap the face of a handsome mountain man. “Guess I know where you got your looks from.”

Jack splutters behind you, flustered yet refusing to comment. “Don’t know what you want with all this flattery.”

“... The answers to Crewel’s homework.”

He does something halfway between a grunt and a laugh, the rare smile reflected in the mirror as he gives your hair a final pat. Jack must not be aware that a normal human’s follicles aren’t thick enough to stand his rough toweling, with the way your hairs look aired out. “Can’t get anything out of me. I’m still trying to figure out the alchemical compositions.” You pout, but relent.

There’s a certain aura of domesticity as Jack guides you to your— well, his bed. Grim has opted not to sleep with you, something about the stink of multiple beastmen putting him off. You plop on the mattress face-first and make yourself comfortable rolling around. You fail to see Jack’s shoulder stiffen and his tail straighten when you do so. “Smells nice,” you smile as you prop yourself up to look at Jack below. “Did you pull out some fresh sheets? Thank you.”

Jack gives you one of his half-smiles, those charming and boyish ones that you wouldn’t expect from a beastman as gruff as he was. “I brought you here, didn’t I? It’s common sense.”

“Well, I’d hope so.” Your eyes sparkle with that mischievous shine that Jack’s taken an awful liking to. “Pretty sure Ace had sugar on his bed.”

Jack scowls, and you follow his stiff tail thumping slowly on his mattress. “Hmph. Ace could do anything he puts his mind to, but all he wants to do is act sloppy and undisciplined.”

“Yes, yes~” Some Heartslabyul slander was welcome after that hellhole of a week you went through. You reach out to stroke his ears, lowered for you to scratch behind. Both of you were close enough for this to be normal. “Ace and the rest of ‘em are assholes. I’m happy you took me away, Jack.”

An… unexplainable shadow crosses Jack’s eyes, and even the happy waving of his tail had slowed. A cross between two emotions that you could not quite grasp, tugging back and forth before he shakes himself out of it. “It’s no problem. You…” Though you’re affectionate with him, Jack does not make it a habit to initiate contact with you. You know very well how hesitant he is, with how easily you fold under both magic and brawn. So when he lifts his hands to your face, hovering as he considers how to touch you, the warmth of his calloused palm is a nice surprise.

“You just don’t deserve the way they treat you, is all.” His hands cover your eyes, prompting you to close them. Hiding the expression he makes from you. “You’re not supposed to be here. You have to be protected. It’s only right.”

Are you imagining the warmth that hovers just above your nape? Maybe so, because as soon as Jack lifts his hands, he’s turning away from you and switching the lights off.

RUGGIE BUCCHI’s eyes narrow as soon as you and Jack enter the room, sniffing the air as if something about you two has deeply offended his sensitive nostrils. “Ugh, get a load of that. You smell.” You jolt back and try to smell yourself, frowning when you don’t smell anything. He snorts. “Not you. Well, you. But, like, something else.” Ruggie’s discerning eye slowly moves to his junior, who is opting not to make eye contact with anyone in the room. “Or someone.”

Your frown only grows deeper. “What do you mean? Should I wash it off?”

The hyena grins, eyes still on Jack as he busies himself making his morning protein shake. “Oh, you could, but someone might get sad.” He snickers to himself. “Ah, well. If you ain’t planning on washin’ that off, help me whip up some breakfast. Least you could do after sleeping over ours, yeah?” He laughs again when he sees the crestfallen expression you’ve begun sporting. Face barely inches away from each other, his hands pinch both cheeks, and he steps away before it could actually hurt. “C’mon, I was just joking~ You’re welcome anytime in Savanaclaw, if His Majesty upstairs got anything to say about it.”

Well, that was nice to hear. Your spirits now lifted, you follow Ruggie into the kitchen where he’s busy prepping breakfast. “Just an omelette today,” he hums. “But Leona likes his in a specific way. Psh, specific way.” He rolls his eyes. “Better to just eat it anyway and not feel your stomach rumble for the rest of the day, but who are we to disobey princes, right?” He gives you some potatoes and carrots. “Peel these for me?”

You eagerly comply. In these wee hours, you and Ruggie stand side by side chopping and prepping meals. Sometimes one of you makes idle chatter to fill in the silence, but there is still comfort even when no one talks. It was nice, you thought. You and Ruggie hung out often enough to be familiar with each other, and though it wasn’t on the same level as you had with Ace and Deuce, there was no need to keep up any pretenses around Ruggie.

“What’re ya thinkin’ about?” The hyena’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts. He eyes your idle hands and then your spaced-out look. You shake your head and place the diced vegetables into a bowl. 

“Nothing,” you hum. “Just thinking how nice you are to be around.” At that, his tail and ears immediately stiffened up. But you fail to notice that as you affectionately rub the back of his ears like you always do. You do notice how aggressively he starts beating the eggs and give him a curious glance. His face is angled away from you, but his bristled tail flicks now and then.

“What’s gotten into ya?” He huffs, turning over the meat while he beats the eggs. “Getting all sappy and stuff… What, cooking breakfast together got you sentimental?”

Right. NRC students don’t take kindly to affection, do they? Especially the prideful Savanaclaws. “Sorry, was I overstepping? I thought it was just nice that we didn’t have to force conversation… stuff like that.” You snicker when his tail and ears bristle again. “Too much?”

“Get outta here,” he grumbles. He takes the meat out and pours the beaten eggs into the pan. “Saying cheesy stuff like that… You’re gonna make a man get the wrong impression. Not saying that I’m getting the wrong impression, mind you. But—” He jabs the whisk in your direction and gives you a warning glare. “Night Raven’s full of fucked up people. One of these days, you’re gonna be so cheesy that they’ll think you actually like like them!”

Your smile falters a bit when he turns his attention again to the omelette. “Right…” You know that as well, with how Heartslabyul acted around you when you slept over. Before that, you were eager to dismiss their teasing or advances as jokes. After all, they were the very first dorm that you befriended and, therefore somehow more special to you than the others. But now you’re wondering if you gave your affections too easily, to the point that they’d be delusional enough to think of marrying you… “I– I guess I have to think about that, huh. Someone tried to— well, someone’s trying to marry me. They’re planning talks with their parents and— ah, it’s all just so awkward. I didn’t even know they like liked me so…”

“Who.”

“Hm?” You startle at the sudden dip of his voice. His tail is upright as he continues frying the omelette. “Oh, who? I– I don’t wanna give it away… It’s not a nice look, I don’t think.”

“Too kind,” he scoffs, turning to you. You pull out a platter for him to put the omelette on— light and springy, with meat wrapped in the middle. “I don’t get why you’re looking out for this creep. Why you put up with the rest of us, anyway.” The latter part doesn’t seem to quite reach your ears, but he’s all up in your face again before you can even ask. “Sevens know why the Dark Mirror put you here. You’re a wimp and a pushover. Someone like you—” He taps the middle of your forehead. “Should be in Royal Sword Academy, where you brush animals and sing pretty songs with the rest of ‘em. But unlucky you, huh?”

He gives you a sardonic smile. “Buncha creeps following you around, and you still smile at them like they deserve it.”

“It’s better than being… rude,” you frown. “I can’t… I just couldn’t.”

He shrugs. “Pushover, what did I say? In the streets, they’d maim you and sell you ten times over. You’d be like a living money cheat, yanno?”

“But these aren’t the streets.”

His expression is downright gleeful. “Yeah, just worse.” 

He laughs when you reel away, watching you with those predator eyes as you grow more uneasy. “Oh, relax. I’m just kidding again. My point is, ya shouldn’t be putting up with horrendous behavior. That’s not how a real mate should act.” He pulls out another plate and sets another serving of omelette. “They should bow their heads, make ya feel loved, cook ya meals… all that sappy shit.” He places down the omelette before you, still warm, and smiles at you gently… as gently as one can when they look like they’re having the time of their life tormenting you.

“Sit. You’re not gonna turn down poor me’s cooking, are ya?”

You were right. Savanaclaw was just another form of prison. Ruggie seems to be playing coy around you, and you’re quite sure that your missing blazer is all due to him. You’re sure of it, with the way he smiles too innocently when you confront him about it. Jack, you had some hopes for. But then you walked into a bloodbath he was responsible for as he taught a lesson to the men making crass jokes about you. You had run away before he could see you, the image of blood dripping from his knuckles never leaving you.

LEONA KINGSCHOLAR caught you by the scruff as you ran and dragged you into his room to be used as a living body pillow. Now, your prime concern was squirming out of the tight grasp that the lazy lion has on you. At another failed attempt to wiggle out of his grasp, Leona pries one eye open with a low growl. “What the hell are you squirming for, herbivore?” He yawns, tail languidly waving back and forth as he looks at you. “Can’t get a good nap if you keep moving around like that.”

You huff and crane your head to glare at him. “Let–! Ugh, let go! I’ve got places to be!”

He snorts, but loosens his grasp on you. “Places? Like what? Back in that bloodbath?”

“Away!” You exclaim, exasperated. “Away from this den of—!”

“Beasts?” He smirks at you, propping himself on one hand as he eyes you like prey. “Careful of what you say. The leader of these beasts is right in front of you. You should be grateful, you know. Lots of hormones raging out there, and this is the one place that those fools wouldn’t dare intrude on. Ruler’s territory and all that.” You watch him warily as he muses to himself. “They know they’re as  good as sand the moment they walk in here.”

“Nice to know your leadership skills come in handy when protecting your bedroom,” you snort, eyes narrowed at him. “Why don’t you use them to, I don’t know, break up the fight outside?”

He raises a brow at you, as if the suggestion was just downright ridiculous. “You’re odd. You know, the whole reason Jack’s bloodying his knuckles is for you. You should be thanking him.” He shakes his head. “Poor pup. Here he is being all chivalrous only to find out that his crush is being ungrateful.”

Crush?! You shake it off. You shouldn’t be surprised. If you were a tad more narcissistic, you’d be using all these stupid sorcerers as a one-way ticket to richness. “So? Gonna break them up?”

Leona snorts and plops back down between his pillows. “Hell no. Too much effort. Just stay here till the mess dies down.” When he feels you unmoving, he looks at you and the deep frown that has settled on your face, and sighs. “Seriously, I don’t get it. Why the hell do you care so much? It’s Jack’s choice if he wants to do stupid shit, and it’s certainly no concern of yours if someone breaks a nose or a rib ‘cause they were going around calling you a whore. If anything, they probably deserve it.”

“It’s because I don’t like anyone breaking a rib or a nose or whatever over some stupid comment! Maybe if they, like, actually tried to do something to me, but…!” You shake your head, feeling less and less in control of your emotions and thoughts. “I just…! It doesn’t feel right, is what you want to say, not when Jack was smiling as he beat those boys up more than needed to.

“Look at you, thinking too much over nothing.” He is sporting that same lazy grin, the one he wears when he ropes you into schemes that you can’t get out of. “Just be grateful that people are looking out for ya, even if there are too many of them. Just sit here, lie down with me, and don’t move too much. Then we can get a pretty decent nap and erase all those useless thoughts. The moment you step foot out of my territory, you’re either getting mauled by one of those weaklings or pounced on by the pup. Your choice.”

What a…! But he’s right. The crowd outside was too aggravated not to do anything to you, the reason behind their beating. Leona’s smug smile as you crawl into bed next to him is apparent as he tugs your leg closer to him, making you yelp in surprise. “You!” You gasp, trying to put some distance between the two of you. “Don’t you think you’re being too close?!”

“It’s nothing you ain’t used to,” he yawns. “You sleep like this with that idiot duo, don’t you?”

You gawp at him. “How do you–! No, it’s just… different!”

He raises a brow at you. “Different, how?” When you fail and stumble over your words, he laughs snarkily. “Ah, I get it. It’s different when you’re sleeping with foolish boys. But I guess lying with a lion has you all flustered, then?” With a blush that grows redder by the second, you try to refute his words, only to stutter. “I’m flattered, herbivore. One little comment or a little skinship, and you show me that pretty lil blush.”

“Pity you show yourself so easily,” he hums, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Otherwise, I’d have whisked you away already.”

“Not you too…” You whimper. He doesn’t seem surprised, only growing more amused when you squirm uncomfortably under his fingertips.

“Oh, yes, me too. Baffling, isn’t it? One magicless herbivore, and you have men begging for you to look at them. It needs to be studied.” His fingers tickle as they graze down the side of your face. “Personally, I don’t want to work for many things, but look at you messing up my whole work ethic. Audacious of you, really. You’ve got no~o idea how much effort I put into making sure you don’t get marked by one of these horndogs, you know?”

You squeak when he brushes against your nape. The predatory look on his face is not lost on you as he wets his lips. “Not gonna fight back?” His lips curve hungrily. “I’m surprised.”

“What am I gonna do?” You whimper. “Jump out the window? Get mauled?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you, with how easily you throw yourself into danger.” He brings his lips closer to your nape, chuckling lowly when his fangs barely graze over it. “You smell delicious for a herbivore, but I already knew that.”

“Weirdo…!”

“The audacity to call a prince that,” he says, but there’s no real heat behind it as he relishes in your scent. “You don’t have to tremble so much. You might not have a title, but you’ll live like royalty in Sunset Savanna. Doesn’t sound bad, does it? You sit pretty, and I’ll give ya everything you desire. From the physical—” He tugs on the back of your shirt. “—To the more, hm.. physical.” You shiver when his whisper brushes against the shell of your ear, grinning as your eyes widen in embarrassment. “Not a bad deal?”

You glare at him. “As if.”

“Hm.” He scrutinizes you for a bit. Then, with a newfound conviction, his fangs dig into your nape, ready to mark you as his. You squeeze your eyes to prepare yourself for the pain… till his tongue, sandy and rough, drags across the spot.

“A-Ah!” Your response brings on more humiliation than you need, and you try to push Leona who keeps sucking and nibbling and licking. Doing anything but biting. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Playing with my prey,” he mutters against your nape. “C’mon, just keep making those pretty noises till this lion is satisfied, yeah?”

“You—! I thought you were gonna!”

“Mark you?” He pulls back to show you a smug cat’s expression. “Oh, we’ll get to that in the future, herbivore. They say not to play with your food, but… It’s pretty damn hard when dessert’s this fuckin’ cute.”

He dodges the pillow you throw at him, laughing like a maniac. “Ahaha! Shoulda seen the look on your face!” “You’re a jerk!” You cry. You don’t know if this banter or genuine frustration is from you, but you get the feeling that he doesn’t care either way. He takes joy in your suffering, perhaps even pride when he’s the one to cause it. You’ve always known that, the little sadist. He’s propped himself on his elbow now, looking at you in anticipation. An eager cat always ready to play with prey. He laughs again when you glare at him tearfully.

“Relax~ How’re ya gonna get a good night’s sleep when you’re working yourself up this much?” He brings you to his side, gentle yet anticipatory, as if feeling like something good is gonna happen. “Doubt you ever had a decent wink in that rundown dorm of yours.”

Sleeping face-to-face with Ace is not something new for any of you. You’ve had plenty of sleepovers with him and Deuce, sometimes even the other first-years, but the comfort of Ramshackle and its ghosts kept you from overthinking things. You stifle your feelings and pout at him. “Like you didn’t sleep there whenever you and Riddle had a fight.”

He chuckles fondly, tracing your pouting lips with his finger. “Yeah, yeah. I’m grateful, so I’m paying back the favor, see? Got Riddle to say yes despite all his fuckin’ rules. Gave you a neat hoodie to sleep in since all your clothes are under that rubble now.”

The beating in your chest seems ever louder, even as his fingers pull away, the faintest warmth only lingering on your lips. “You just want to see me in your clothes, asshole.”

He grins. “Damn right I do, prefect. Might sell ‘em to Deuce, the poor pervert. Might keep them for myself. Who knows?”

DEUCE SPADE is on you the next day, Grim leaping out of his arms and grumbling about Deuce being too noisy to sleep with. He got the boot from Ace last night, and you’re a bit relieved to have a bit of familiarity back in your arms as he resumes his napping. “[Y. Name]! Oh Seven, are you okay? Did you get some sleep? What did that bastard do to you?” He whips his head to Ace, who’s ambling lazily behind you with a lazy stretch. “What the fuck did you do to them?”

Ace waves him off with a grin, walking off to the kitchen. “Nothing you wouldn’t do, hypocrite.”

The growl that Deuce lets out is outright guttural that you would have thought him a student of Savanaclaw, but he softens when he feels you flinch under him. “Sorry, [Y. Name], it’s just that… well, you know Ace.”

You laugh gently. Whereas Ace was a little sadist, Deuce was overprotective in ways that made you feel suffocated, but grateful nonetheless. It was nice to know that some friends were looking out for you rather than laughing at you. You ruffle his still-messy hair. “I know, I know. Nice to know the ADeuce combo is still chaotic even in the early mornings.” His face crumples a bit when you pull your hand away, but he guides you to the common dining hall for breakfast. 

Being the overeager gentleman that he is, Deuce prompts you to make yourself comfortable while he fetches your breakfast. Grim is still curled up on your lap, trying to catch a few missing Zs, and Ace is across the room fighting with the roommates he kicked out last night. You feel a bit of guilt, but not as much when Ace is in a verbal match with them. They’re probably using Riddle’s absence as an opportunity to scream their heads off at him— you hear them call him an opportunistic man who’s trying to get their crush in his pants. You cringe upon hearing that. He laughs and says ‘At least I’m getting some!’ and a fistfight ensues.

Your breakfast plate, an impressive feast of golden honey pancakes topped with maple syrup and strawberries, is set before you. But Deuce’s eyes are narrowed at the fistfight happening, and he clicks his tongue in annoyance. “What the hell is that idiot doing?” He grumbles, sitting before you. “Spreading these malicious rumors about you… I should knock some sense into all of them!”

“Don’t,” you softly admonish him. “It’s only a matter of time before either Trey or Riddle walks in and they all get beheaded. Might as well let them learn their lesson.” You flash him a grin. “But thanks. Always nice to see my lil delinquent ready to defend my honor.”

He flushes and nervously picks at his own platter. It’s more meat than dessert, and he’s playing with the peas. “It’s nothing. You just don’t deserve to be talked about like that. You’re too…” He trails off, blushing bright red at what he might say, and stops. You don’t push further and let yourself enjoy the comfortable silence between the two of you. In the corner of your eye, you watch Ace and the other roommates get dragged off by the collar by Trey and Cater’s clones.

“Peace and quiet at least,” Deuce sighs. He glances at you before chuckling into his palm. You knit your eyebrows at him. “You’re so… oh well, hold still.” His thumb brushes against the side of your lip (a rather odd recurring event at your stay here) and pulls back to reveal the syrup residue. He eyes it for a bit as if pondering his next course of action. Then, locking eyes with you, his tongue peeks out and licks it off his thumb. 

“Th– Deuce that’s…” Your voice catches in your throat. “That’s… dirty.”

“Dirty? You?” He hums softly, cocking his head to the side. Expression dazed and ditzy, he smiled like a boy partaking in something he's so long desired. “Never. But I… well, haha, sorry. Can’t really play normal around you for too long. But you knew that, right?”

stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): check this out you dumb fuck stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): [image attached] Deuce Spade took a screenshot. You (Deuce Spade): you!! what the fuck have you been doing with the prefect last night?! You (Deuce Spade): i’ll beat u to the fucking ground if i see even one fucking mark stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): haha stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): magichat tells y when you screenshot something u kno. stuupid. stupid hypoocriiite You (Deuce Spade): IT CAN?!?! stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): dun worry your lil brain bout it. stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): we besties rmember??? i aint doing squat without ya. hbu jack off to this as apologies stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): [image attached] Deuce Spade took a screenshot. stupid ginger (Ace Trappola): sooo fuckin easy ✌️✌️

As soon as you go back to Heartslabyul after another day of class, CATER DIAMOND whisks you away before Ace and Deuce can even say anything about it. He’s rambling about something or other, about how he’s so stoked to have you here and how much fun you’d have together. Sleepovers are the highlight of youth, after all! Cater might be in his third year, but he’s not so old as to relinquish all the fun to the freshies!

So he has you sitting still and pretty on his bed, your hair held back by a cloth headband and a nourishing face mask to prep you for the how-many-steps skincare routine that you’ll be doing for tonight. He has his own matching headband as well, and yes, he did take a selfie before posting it to the ‘net with the hashtags #twinning, #sleepover, and #cute. His dorm room is as loud and vibrant as he is, walls covered with posters of his favorite bands and shows, a table full of cosmetics, and the phone and ring light glaring at you.

You shift nervously. It’s like part two of Ace’s incessant photography from last night, but you know that with Cater it will always be twice as bad. Something to do with the desperation in his eyes every time he snaps a picture of only the two of you. Or maybe not. You can’t just assume.

Cater finally turns around, grinning lightheartedly as he brings over a pot of moisturizer. “Hey, hey~ Sorry for the wait. It was, like, reeeal hard to find this pot. I’ve been so messy these days.” He’s always been a bit messy, but taking a look at the desk, you have to agree that this is worse than most days. He sighs when he sees you glance at his table. “IDK… something weighing on my mind and… agh! Lookit me dragging the mood down! Cringe. Let’s take off your mask…”

He takes off the gel mask gingerly. Tonight, you see Cater in his rawest form. No makeup on, not even that little mandatory diamond he always wears, and just him in his pjs. He likes to play rough sometimes, especially if it means getting a reaction out of you, but right now he is gentle. Without the makeup, you can see the eyebags under his eyes that are usually hidden under concealer, and you can’t help but massage them away with your thumb. Green eyes stare back at you wide.

“Have you not been getting enough sleep?” You murmur. It’s glaringly obvious to you and to whoever bothers to look closely that he’s always been hiding underneath a mask, and your suspicions seem to be proven true. You feel him soften under your touch as you continue pressing gentle circles on his eyebags. “We’re in your room, Cater. You don’t have to pretend.”

He makes a face as he pulls away. Disgust, you assume when he laughs drily to himself. “Sometimes I can’t stand you,” he murmurs to himself, but the room is so silent that you can hear it as if he’s saying it into your ear. “You’re too stupidly perceptive, it's creepy. What’s up with that? You don’t even have magic.”

You huff out a laugh. “I don’t think anyone needs magic to have some basic empathy.”

He rolls his eyes at you, but twists the moisturizer cap open and starts to slather the cream on you. “Please. It’s Night Raven College. People don’t have empathy, aside from you and Kalim, anyway. But we know what the deal is with the two of you.” You don’t belong. “You act like some sorta therapist, then boom— you got yourself a horde of hormonal men at your doorstep who could kill you at a moment’s notice.” He pinches your cheek so hard that you yelp at the burn, and he pulls away smugly. “And it’s a~ll your fault.”

You rub your cheek and frown. It hurts. Like, no joking hurts, and Cater looks guiltless as he eyes the red mark. “You’re a doll, aren’t you?” He coos. “Nothing makes you special except for this adorable lil face. Why don’t you just stick with Cay-Cay and let him make you special? I’m sure my sisters would like a sweet thing like you.”

“You’re a dick,” you grumble. He laughs out loud, not even trying to deny the claim, and he throws a peace sign to the camera. “What’s that for? You’re not livestreaming, are you?”

“‘Course not!” Cater laughs, switching back to his usual preppy self. He reaches over and stops the recording, checking the video with small appreciative hums. “Can’t let my peeps know that their Cay-Cay is a sick, sick man who gets off hurting their cute junior! One more selfie, please?”

He tilts the camera towards both of you. Within the frame, Cater’s grinning face and your frowning, bruised one are obviously filtered to hell as he takes the shot.

“Looks like Cater got to you, huh?” TREY CLOVER laughs, handing you an ice pack. It’s later in the night, and Cater’s decided he isn't in the mood to have you in his bed for the night. Shame, Trey had said to him. I know men who’d kill for this. Cater had only stuck out his tongue and waved you off before retreating to his chambers. You hiss when you press the pack against your face. Moonlight silhouetting his figure like an ominous foretelling, Trey leans on the island as he inspects you.

“Poor thing,” he murmurs, brushing the messy strands away from your face. “You got your dorm ruined, forced to move into Heartslabyul of all places, and you get bullied by our members two days in a row. Must be tough for you, huh?”

You want to pout. Maybe complain. Cry a little bit. In the first few weeks that you’d known Trey, maybe you would have. You had always mistaken him for an exasperated elder brother type, exhausted by the dorm members’ antics but laid back enough to go along with it. But you know better than to vent to Trey of all people, not when he doesn’t bother to hide his smirk as he watches you shed tears. 

“Not gonna work on me, devil,” you mutter. He laughs again and holds two hands in surrender, caught red-handed trying to make you rely on him. You eye him warily. “I’m sleeping with you tonight?”

“Oh, don’t word it like that, pet. The walls have ears.” You flush at the innuendo. “But hey, if you’re okay with that, then by all means go ahead.” 

You sigh deeply. First Ace, then Trey. Where the hell was the housewarden when you needed him? Someone needed to keep these crazies in line. Trey, for the most part, was far more responsible than any of the other members. But he hasn’t bothered to be decent around you for a long time now. Always quipping subtle lewd jokes when you least expect it, hovering his hand on your hips as he guides you through a recipe… Riddle’s mentioned it once, calling it a display of indecency. Trey had brushed it off and teased that you liked it that way. You don’t know. Riddle hasn’t brought it up ever again.

Lost in thought, you barely register Trey’s fingers prying your mouth open until he’s peering into the recesses of your mouth. This guy and his mouth fetish. You try to squirm away from him, but his steady hand on your shoulder tightens, and you still. “Steady now,” he murmurs. “Ate chocolate, didn’t you?” You can’t nod like this, but something in your eyes probably gives the answer away. He chuckles. “Yeah, thought so. Cater bought those chocolates for your sleepover. To think he was so excited for this as well. Doesn’t really strike you as the moody type, huh?”

He cocks a grin at you. “C’mon, brush your teeth. I got some extra spare ones.” 

You narrow your eyes at him. “I don’t want you staring.”

“Every man has his interests. You really think you can stop me?”

Being vice housewarden, Trey has the privilege of having his own dorm and bath, and now you’re alone with him in the latter. He’s the only thing blocking you from escaping out the door, leaning on it with arms crossed and the grin of a man who’s gotten what he wants. You make a face at him and turn to the sink. His reflection in the mirror continues to watch.

“Scrub more gently, why’re you rushing? Too eager to get out?” You heard it from Ace and Deuce, but you didn’t think that his being this naggy about brushing was real. “You’re neglecting the upper teeth.” Seriously. You didn’t think anyone was this naggy about brushing. “Scrape off the plaque from your tongue. Don’t wanna wake up with bad breath, do you?” You thought his family runs a patisserie? Not a dentist clinic?

You turn to him, features contorted in annoyance as you bare your mouth to him as proof, then clamp it shut again. “Here. Done. Now, can we sleep?”

“Mm, not yet. Open it again.”

You make a face at him, but sigh and relent. You know he’s gonna pry it open one way or another, magic or not. No use trying to argue against a man with magic and muscles bigger than yours. You open your mouth again— “Mpfh?!”

Trey’s two fingers invite themselves into your mouth, poking and prodding at your teeth as if they ought to be there. They’re gliding across molars, pulling against the inside of your cheek to get a proper see… It’s all uncomfortable. You shake your head and grab onto his wrist to try and pull him away, but his hold on you grows more painful as he levels you with a stern stare. “Always squirming, this dormouse. Stay still and excuse this senior’s… habits. Siblings back home, and all that.” He’s not even bothering to put any effort into his excuses. He presses down on your tongue.

“Mpphf mmh mpf!?”

“Just… a lil bit more. Can’t risk cavities.” He smirks at you, his handsome face taking on that sadistic expression that’s ever so common in this college’s students. “It’s okay if you’re scared. Really. More than okay.”

You’re beyond exhausted. You’ve always thought that Heartslabyul was the most normal of the dorms, but perhaps you’d hand that over to Pomefiore. One crazy (Rook) can’t possibly outcrazy four crazies. Especially not when you’ve had to suffer from them two days in a row.

But you’ve never been so happy to see that gorgeous shade of red hair until now.

RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS sits at his room’s tea table, enjoying himself with some warm lemon tea. His strict expression softens when he sees you enter through the doors, possibly due to your distraught state. Ever since the overblot, he’s loosened up and allowed himself to be vulnerable, especially around you. Riddle’s fond of looking after your quartet of misfits, but even the others admit that he favors you more than them. You’ve always chalked it up to you not getting yourself into trouble like the others do.

“Riddle!” It’s a bit pathetic, how needy you sound. But with the few days of being tossed around like clothes in the dryer, you’re willing to take any sense of order, no matter how extreme it may be. You don’t notice how Riddle’s smile twitches into self-satisfaction before he smooths it down. He gestures to the seat across him, and you take it. He pours you tea, the scent of warm lemon warming your senses.

“Apologies for not being able to properly welcome you these past few days,” he starts, leaning back on his seat. “It’s been quite a busy week for us housewardens, with the new event just around the corner. But things have settled, and I was really hung up on the fact that I couldn’t greet you properly.” He scowls, setting down his teacup as he remembers something. “Or my house members, for that matter. I’ve heard of the upheaval your presence has brought on these past few days.”

You shrink into your seat, shame coloring your face. “I’m sorry… after asking you for shelter as well.”

Riddle waves off your worry. “Oh no, don’t trouble yourself. As far as I know, you haven’t done anything. Goodness, Cater and Ace are throwing out their roommates! And just when we have a spare room as well. Although I do understand their worries, that room hasn’t been cleaned out for a while…” He fails to mention that their opportunistic ways of gaining privacy with you. “Ah. Well. There is always mine and Trey’s room.” He watches you shift uncomfortably and smiles understandingly. “Apologies. Trey hasn’t exactly relayed what happened last night to me, but I can imagine. And well, it wouldn’t be proper for us to be sleeping together.” You breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, some damn common sense in this house. Now you know why Riddle is such an excellent housewarden. You tell yourself never to doubt—

“Not when we aren’t married yet.”

You catch the teacup before it can spill anything. Riddle continues sipping in front of you. He cocks his head when he catches you gaping and you shake yourself out of it. Misheard, misheard… joking?

“I brought you up to mother, of course, she was rather outraged that I harbor feelings for a magickless, but…” He laughs awkwardly, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. “I convinced her that you very much mirrored her, just not in… magical prowess or… um, fierceness. Your softness and ability to care for others are captivating, and she still isn’t convinced, but— well, she does have some sort of intrigue. I was hoping to bring you to her at the next break, and… [Y. Name]? You look unwell.”

Softness? Ability to care for others? Your qualities as a doormat seem to have been exaggerated and worse of all, placed on a narcissistic mother who couldn't care less about anything other than her trophy son succeeding. And worst of all, marriage talks? You put down your teacup, fingers shaking from the tumultuous feelings stirring within you. Dread, maybe. Riddle looks at you from across the table, staring at you worriedly with those adorable grey eyes, as if he hasn’t said anything concerning.

“You… want to get married?” You choke out, laughing like you can’t believe it. You shakily point to yourself. “To me? The one who’s going to leave Twisted Wonderland?”

Riddle furrows his brows. “Who says you’re leaving Twisted Wonderland?”

You laugh again in disbelief. “Me! The headmaster! As soon as he finds a way—”

“I don’t think so, not really,” he hums. “It’s obvious he’s delaying, or that there really isn’t a way out. And even if there was, I doubt the numerous people attached to you would allow that.” He looks out the window, perhaps thinking of the number of mages who are so eager to prey on you and your affections. “I, for one, wouldn’t allow that. Ah, don’t look so down, my family is well-off and I will work; I will provide you with everything you desire.” His hands, smaller and softer than yours, squeeze yours gently. “I promise.”

You feel sick.

“You will be a great partner. I know my mother’s extremities far too well, but I’m sure once I find myself a solid position in the government, she will be far too content to say anything about our marriage. All you have to do is be who you are now.” Riddle shyly smiles to himself. “Sweet, caring, docile… motherly.”

Sevens, you feel so fucking sick.