Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rules!

1. I do ships but will not do anything with:

- Third-year character x first-year character
- Leona x Ruggie
- Floyd x Jade
- Teacher x student
- Idia x Ortho
- Lilia x Malleus
- Lilia x Silver
- Lilia x Sebek
- Malleus x any first and second-year character
-Ortho x any character

2. I won't do anything that has:

- Incest
- adult x child
- smut for the first and second years

3. I accept anything practically with any pair. Like a one-shot of Vil and Epel bonding as older brother and younger brother.

4. I do any AU as long as it respects rule 1 and 2.

5. I do dark oneshots too with character death or yanderes and platonic yanderes.

6. I can do dark requests and smut for the third years as they are 18.

7. Yuu can make part of the oneshot but I'm not too good at writing an MC character.

8. If I don't feel comfortable doing a oneshot request I won't. So please respect that and the rules.

I don't have a fixed posting schedule.

Have fun with the requests!

Chapter Text

Diasomnia is known for not being up with the latest trends. To be expected as they came from a place where internet connection is basically non-existent and people still write letters.

Even so, they can indulge from time to time in modern high-tech technology with the help of their human classmates who are more versed in this area.

Through one of said human classmates (*cough* Cater *cough*) Lilia finds out about the trendiest multi-player game named Magicraft. Intrigued by the concept of the sandbox game and the desire to create chaos in his dorm, Lilia brought the knowledge of the game's existence back to Diasomnia after the Light Music Club ended.

"Lilia, I'm unfamiliar with how to make my character do the basic movement of turning one's head to the side." Malleus frowns at his computer, he puts his hands around his monitor and starts tilting it from left to right in the hope that his character will move to see something else besides the field he was spawned in.

"WAKA- SAMA I WILL ASSIST YOU!" Sebek's loud voice startled Silver awake. The grey hair boy huffed and glared at his father figure who was playing on his own computer in the lounge beside his own. "Look what you did. Now this idiot won't stop screaming."

Lilia put a hand over his mouth and ruffled his son's hair with the other. "Fufufu! Is not nice to talk like that about others. Now why don't we enjoy ourselves? This was supposed to be a bonding experience."

Silver grumbles, he knows full well that his old man only did this because he craved mayhem. Bored old bastard his father is.

"I read on my phone that I must move the mouse around for my field of vision to change but I'm afraid is not working," Malleus said in a gloomy voice as he moved the unplugged mouse in the air.

"NO WORRIES, WAKA-SAMA! I WILL GET THIS HUMAN INVENTION TO WORK TO YOUR LIKING!" Sebek picked up the monitor of Malleus's computer and started shaking it up and down violently. "DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO OPPOSE THE GREAT WAKA-SAMA'S WISH YOU HUMAN JUNK!"

Lilia snicker from across the room at their antics, he turns his character around to watch as Malleus's default Magicraft avatar haven't moved in the slightest for the past 20 minutes. He will have to go and help Malleus move once the server kicks him out for inactivity but for now, he can enjoy the chaos.

CRACK!

"Lilia, I'm of the opinion that the black box with images has died. I required your wisdom in a bring it back to the state it once was."

Or maybe not...

Lilia turns around to see the monitor with a Sebek fist-shaped hole in it, The mentioned boy is on his knees beside Malleus's desk while sobbing apologies after apologies as Malleus looks displeased.

Lilia sighed and shook his head. "We have to buy Malleus a new monitor and we will play again. That is enough for today. " The vice house warden quits the world they were playing on and closes the server.

[Vanwesome left the server]

[Silver left the server]

[Player's name Player? left the server]

[WAKA-SAMA's number 1 guard left the server]

[Dianamite server is no longer online]

Chapter Text

"So....When will we meet the housewarden?" One of the first years asked the second year who escorted them after being sorted by the mirror in the dorm. It was more than 20 minutes since the ceremony ended and they had been brought into the red and black-themed lounge by the unknown second year.

The male sighed in exhaustion or perhaps annoyance? (It was both) but it was a long-suffering sound nonetheless. "He will be here in a moment. They still have to see who wins first."

The first years gave each other confused looks as murmurs filled the Heartslabyul language.

The door of the lounge was slammed open and in stumbled two figures. Obliviously out of breath and with their clothes wrinkled and dirt and grass stains in various places. A redhead and a blue-haired boy lean against each other for support as they pant loudly.

"S-Sorry for our late arrival!" The blue-haired boy bowed down before the students. The redhead yelped as the other put a hand behind his head and forced him to bow too.

"O-oi! Deuce!" The other yelped indignantly but Deuce forced him to remain still. The redhead grabs his hand with both of his to prey it off but no matter how much he struggles, the hand doesn't move.

The second year in the room, a former roommate of the two massages the bridge of his nose as he asks in a frustrated and tired tone, not paying any mind to the shocked and stupefied expressions of the first years in the room.

"Who won this time?" Deuce got up so fast that the redhead nearly got whiplash from it. He yelped loudly as he was pushed forward by the blue-haired boy. The crown the other was wearing seconds later was plopped ungratefully onto his messy hair.

The second-year nods and holds his arm out in front of him. "This is Ace, your housewarden, and this is Deuce who is his vice housewarden for great seven knows how long."

Ace quickly straightened himself, he smirked at the confused and bamboozled first years in the room as if the last few minutes hadn't happened at all. He puts a hand on his hip, sifting his weight to the other feet.

"Hello newbies and welcome to Heartslabyul, prepare to have a lot of fun."

"You better respect the rules or the punishment will be severe." Deuce hits his fist aging his open palm, glaring at first years. Some of the new students start silently shaking as they watch the hilarious parallel between the personalities of the two second years.

The second year muttered under his breath and left the room as the first years pleaded with their eyes to not be left alone.

"I heard ya have been causing yo first years sum existential crisis." The southern accented voice of the male with lavender hair, dressed in Pomefiore housewarden uniform, was addressing the two figures in white sitting together in the corner of the table.

"Aw shut it, 'Eps. Paperwork has been beating my ass enough as it is. I don't need you to lecture me too." Ace grumbles with a pound, re-doing his red eyeliner in a pocket mirror he keeps on him for that exact reason.

"Riddle already scolded us for missing the entrance ceremony." Deuce sighed gloomily. Forehead rested against the tabletop, his vice housewarden hate sitting beside him.

"You know, it would be so much easier if you guys establish once and for all who is to be housewarden." Sebek said loudly with a scowl, annoyed at his fellow housewarden friends for the reputation they bring to their dorm. The rumors about the craziness of Heartslabyul already traveled all the way to the first years in Diasomnia.

"Like hell I will let him win!" Both said in unison. Deuce slapped his hands on the table, now sitting straight in the chair. Ace closed his make-up mirror with a loud slam and glared at Sebek.

Jack sighed loudly, scratching the back of his neck as he thought how hopeless both his friends were. "Really guys..."

Ortho doesn't even raise his gaze from the game console he brought to the housewarden meeting, calculating the probability of this exact scenario to play out. No like it was hard to predict Ace's and Deuce's behavior after he analyzed them for more than a year now.

Epel snickered and put his glittery cowboy boots, which would have given Vil a heart attack seeing them, on top of the table. The southern ignored Sebek's loud protests as he leaned back in his chair.

"Let's go Deuce. We have housewarden and vice business to attend to." Ace got up from his chair, snatched Deuce's hat from the table, and grabbed said boy by the back of his school uniform.

"More like kissin' each other instead of doin' that paperwork that has been on ya ass." Epel snickers as Ace flips him off, dragging a stumbling Deuce behind him, his face so red that it could rival Riddle's.

It was night-time when the two of them could finally have some time with each other in the privacy of their shared dorm.

The bed cracked slightly each time Deuce moved. The taller boy hummed as his fingers picked all the blades of grass from Ace's messy red hair, throwing them uncaringly on the floor for one of them to clean the next day. Putting some unruly strands of hair from his boyfriend's face and behind his ear in the process.

Ace sighs, his body relaxing subconsciously as he feels his boyfriend's gentle fingers through his hair.

"Can you next time not throw me in a grass field when we duel?" Ace asked as he laid his head against Deuce's shoulder, his eyelids getting too heavy to keep open, and he wouldn't even try to do so when Deuce's presence alone could lull him to sleep.

"Well excuse me for prioritizing you've safety." Deuce grumbles in annoyance with a frown. "Next time I will make sure to slam you on gravel if the softness of the grass wasn't good enough for you." The former delinquent pinched the shorter boy's nose, making him whine and slap his hand off.

"Deucey, you are acting like a jerk!" Ace yawned, no real heat behind his words as he cuddled closer to his boyfriend's body in search of warmth and comfort after a hectic day of paperwork.

"Only for you. You menace." Deuce said with a smile, pressing his lips softly on his pouting boyfriend's hair. Said pouting boy smiles sleepily against Deuce's neck. The blue-haired boy could never stay mad at his nonsense of a boyfriend, more so when he is so sleepy and isn't running his mouth. 

The taller boy turns off the lamp that illuminated their shared housewarden dorm. He lies down and pulls Ace down with him by wrapping his arms around the shorter boy's waist. Ace nested himself back in Deuce's side as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Arms warping around the taller, head resting against Deuce's chest.

Deuce places another kiss on his boyfriend, this time under his eye. The redhead mumbles something his barely awake mind came up with but the slurred and gentle whisper of 'I love you' was coherent enough for Deuce to catch.

"I love you too." He replied like he did all the times before and like he will do all the times in the future. The words that have been said between them so many times that at this point became facts, never to change no matter how much time passed.

Chapter Text

"-and dorm leader advised that we put our suitcases in the trunk in the position shown on page 32 of the trip guide-"

The trunk of the old-looking minivan is slammed shut by Ace. The ginger groaned loudly and glared at Deuce, obviously having enough of his dorm mate babbling.

"Can you stop already!? Dorm head Riddle is not here, you don't need to read that stupid guide. He won't know if we follow it or not." Deuce glares right back at the shorter boy, the list of their short-tempered upperclassmen is gripped tightly in his hand.

"Our dorm leader put so much work into the making of this guide!" Deuce objects, glaring back at his dorm mate for talking so disrespectfully about their dorm leader, which is nothing new but that doesn't mean Deuce will encourage the ginger in doing so. This is not what an honor student would do after all, and he really wants to be good enough to be an honor student.

"He probably stayed up all night to write 60 pages with important details from each chapter highlighted to help us." Deuce looks impressed at the guide Riddle gave them before leaving with the other second years in their NRC assigned school bus, making sure to give his underclassmen a warning to ensure they behave or 'you will lose your heads!'.

"Give me this!" Deuce yells in protest as Ace snatches the guide from his fingers, red eyes scanning the words as page after page is being turned with little to no interest, flipping through the guide at a speed no words could be read. After the last page was turned, the guide get tossed across the schoolyard by the basketball player.

Deuce yells in alarm, his eyes following the guide as it falls at a good distance from the two teens. The dark blue-haired boy wondered if this was also Ace's way to show off his basketball tossing skills, he could have done so in a less disrespectful way but he wouldn't be Ace Trappola he knew if he did.

"We don't need the stupid thing to tell us how to exist for a few hours in a car." Ace rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing at his dorm mate. All the ginger wanted was to relax for a few hours and whiteout their house warden screaming about rules in his ears.

Deuce glares at him, stepping away from the minivan to look for the tossed guide, grumbling under his breath as he does so.

No matter how hard he looked for the book, his eyes couldn't catch a glimpse of it. He debates with himself if it's a good idea to go look for it, but they have to leave soon too, or else his dorm leader will be pissed for taking too long to get to the meeting place.

Ace signed loudly, he unfolded his arms and walked to Deuce. He wraps his arm around Deuce's shoulder, a grin set on his face. "Come onnnnn, relax a little. Nothing will happen to tarnish your goodie two-shoes image." Green eyes shift from the ground to glare at the redhead.

Sometimes Deuce genuinely couldn't tell if Ace really thought that his way of reassuring people was actually reassuring or if the ginger did this only to not have him mope for the entire car ride.

"Yeh, Deuce. Ace is right this time, you gotta relax a lil." Epel told him, the purple-haired boy ignored the offended noise the redhead made in favor of searching for his country songs playlist he wanted to play on the car ride. He plans to take full advantage that Vil isn't here to chid him for his 'unrefined' music taste.

Deuce sighed loudly, he was glad that at least Jack would be joining them in this school trip. He loves his friends, but Ace and Epel can be too much trouble sometimes, more so when they join forces in doing something which usually results in him getting dragged in and then the rest of the first years' friend group soon to follow.

"Ace, Epel. Leave Deuce alone." Jack scolded the shorter boys, not taking his eyes off the motor of the minivan. The beast-man was making some last-minute verifications to the vehicle before they left the NRC schoolyard. It didn't put him at ease at all, the old model minivan Crowley provided them with looked like it had seen better days.

Jack slapped the hood of the car close, a frustrated sigh fell from his lips as he could feel the beginning of a headache. Who's brilliant idea was to have a school trip when there weren't enough school busses. When he finds out who it is (but he can bet it was most likely headmaster Crowley), Jack will give them a punch.

"This whole predicament is displeasing. I should have been granted permission to travel alongside Waka-sama, to ensure no harm befalls the prince."

Jack's ears twitched, picking up the sound of the loud voice and steps of his other fellow first-year. The half-fae comes from the left side of the van, he was probably sulking about not being able to join Malleus or Silver on their respective busses.

"That makes two of us. This whole trip thing is already stressful and we haven't even left the school yet." Jack sighed for what felt like the fifteenth time today, the voices of Ace, Epel, and Deuce bickering from the back of the vehicle making his sensitive ears twitch as Epel's voice rises in pitch.

"I assure you two that the chances of anything bad happening are relatively minimal. About 47% and the chances of something happening to Malleus Draconian are about 27%." The robotic voice of Ortho reminds Jack of the other problem that he tried to push to the back of his head.

"WAKA-SAMA WOULD HAVE BEEN IN 0% DANGER IF THE FACULTY GRANTED ME THE PERMISSION TO TRAVEL WITH THE PRINCE!" Jack winced at the loud voice, giving the disgruntled half-fae a few pats on the back when his lips formed something close to a pout (Sebek would deny ever doing that. IT WAS UNBECOMING FOR A GUARD OF THE GREAT WAKA-SAMA)

He and Sebek watched as Ortho made the last verification to the van. It was old and was owned by headmaster Crowley, so is safe to believe that it haven't seen a repair shop from the day the man brought the car.

As there was a shortage of school buses available for all the people brought to the school, Crowley gave them permission to drive to the meeting place. Which is totally irresponsible in the high sight, but what can you expect from Crowley, even a bunch of traumatized teens can do his job better than he does.

Scratch that, they are doing his job better than he does. Unfortunately, one thing none of them can do is drive a car. Sure, Epel and Deuce can drive their magical wheels, but is not the same as driving a car.

And flying a broom around mountains is known to be a bad idea as the weather is unpredictable and changes quickly, and the wind is too strong. So that leaves them with Ortho to drive them there, Idia had bragged in the past about how Ortho is programmed to be capable of doing many things, driving included.

Jack looks at Ortho and asks a little nervous. "Are you sure the car is in a functional state?"

Ortho looks at him and then his optic processors glance at the car. "The vehicle is capable of being used, but there might be problems as it is quite old. These types of minivans are no longer being made."

Jack and Sebek give each other a look, of course, this car has to be older than all first years.

"Can we leave already? I got an angry text from Dorm leader Riddle, he is asking why haven't we left the schoolyard yet."

Ace walks beside them, and two more sets of steps follow behind him. Ace adjusts a small bag on his shoulder as he stands beside Sebek and Jack. A hand on his him and the other holding his phone, the sour and irritated look on his face tells the other first years that he is reading the texts from his housewarden.

Jack nods and turns to the minivan."Ok, me and Ortho have fixed everything we could, the car should be a lesser safety risk."

"The safety risk level is 57% now!" Ortho replied happily, although the safety risk is higher than 50%.

"I call dibs on the shotgun" Before anyone could say anything, Ace opened the minivan door and hopped on the seat beside the driver's seat.

"Hey! That's not fair! I was supposed to sit there you opossum!"Epel said angrily that he lost the opportunity to sit in the passenger seat.

"Oh cry me a river Eps. If you have access to the aux cable you will put on the entire ride some of these zany western songs." Ace sas the shorter first year, making himself more comfortable in the passage seat with a satisfied smirk.

"Zany western songs!? Ya really talking all that about my toons!? How dare you!? I'm about to have a dying duck fit! You uncultured mule!" Epel screeched in anger, his southern accent becoming more prominent with each word he spits in Ace's way.

Jack winced when his ears picked up Epel's words, he stepped in so the situation didn't escalate. "Alright, alright! That's enough. Epel, go in the middle with Deuce. Ace, stop antagonizing Epel."

"Wha!? Why do I have to go to the middle row!?" Epel huffed and glared at Jack, one hand already on the door handle to the passenger side and his first raised in the air.

"I would have loved to let you in the passenger seat...But I don't think is legal...You are really.... small-sized...We are late already and I don't want to have to be stopped on the road by cops demanding we prove you aren't a middle schooler."Jack explained, opening the door to the middle row for Deuce and Epel to go in.

Epel looks scandalized at Jack and glares at Ace when the redhead snickers, not having even the decency to cover his mouth will his hand to stiffen the offending sound. The southern boy mumbles some words that only people from the countryside will make sense of. He kicks Ace's car door before begrudgingly entering the car.

"First come first served. Not my fault you have short legs Eps."Ace grins, looking over his seat at the row behind him where Epel is glaring out the window, and probably (most definitely) curses at him under his breath, planning his downfall.

Deuce rolls his eyes at Ace and gets in the car too, sitting beside an annoyed Epel. Jack closed the door after the Heartslabyul first year took his seat, already looking drained.

'I don't think sitting with my dorm mates on this trip could have been more hectic than this. Actually, no. Leona and Ruggie could have found a way to make it even worse than this. I could see Leona's nephew popping out of nowhere to get babysat even on a school trip'. Jack thought to himself frustrated as he got in his seat in the last row with Sebek.

"Everyone has their seat belts put on adequately? The chances of one of you flying through the windscreen are statistically low but not impossible." Ortho's voice brings the attention of the other first years to the short android boy in the driver's seat.

All of them quickly put on their seat belts, giving Ortho various affirmative words. The boy will fire hair make a pleased beep noise and start the car.

Chapter Text

It was a tense atmosphere, the car completely silent except for the radio playing some pop song you hear everywhere but never remember the name of the singer.

Deuce was texting his mom, despite the warnings given by Ortho that he would get motion sick if he did that. Snapping pics of the road or the view every so often to send to his mom. The woman likes and gives compliments on every picture her son took, despite the majority of them being blurry and at a bad angle.

Sebek was revising a lengthy-looking book titled "The Protocols for Royal Guards". He grunts occasionally as his eyes scan the pages, nodding his head when he reads something he agrees with. The fae's eyes glance at the front row when he finishes a chapter, so every 15 minutes.

Epel was vibing to one of his country songs blasting from his headphones, his foot kicking the driver's seat on the beat. It didn't disturb Ortho, being hyper-focused on the road. The sound was loud enough that the other residents of the car could hear what the song was about, full of phrases they heard Epel utter on multiple occasions when Vil was conveniently out of earshot.

Jack was thumping his tail against Deuce's seat, glaring at the from row, waiting for it. He has been doing this for the past hour they were on the road. He had timed it, perfectly every 15 minutes Ace would-

"Are we there-"

"Ace. I will open the car door and push you out of the moving car if you ask again if we are there yet."

Ace raises his arms in a show of surrender, a look of surprise on his face Jack was damn sure was a faux one. That bastard is for sure counting in his head the seconds that pass to piss off Jack. He looked at his phone and every 15 minutes sharp Ace would open his mouth. Could have been considered very impressive to the beastman if this little quality of Ace's for-time measurement wasn't used to piss him off intentionally.

Just like the other three times Ace had asked and Jack had snapped at him, the car fell again into silence. The colored language of Epel's song resonates from his headphones and the pop jingle on the radio fills the space.

"You have been off with the approximation of one second and 0.5 hundredths Ace Trappola."

"Don't encourage him!"

Jack snapped at the android boy this time, disliking the satisfied look on Ortho's face and the smug smirk on Ace's. The android shrugged, not even pretending to be sorry for finding this amusing. He takes a right on the highway, and the internal GPS installed by his big brother calculates the route.

Chapter Text

Sebek woke up with a pounding in his head and hazy vision, it was sharp and bothering as if a nail was being hammered into his skull. All the colors were making no sense as even squinting slightly he couldn't make out the contour of the objects around him. Something sticky was trickling down his neck, he could feel how his shirt was getting sticky and uncomfortable on his skin underneath.

He opened his eyes more but even so everything was dark still. Something was digging into his shoulder and around his middle, something tight that kept him from moving too much. With a clawed finger, he deducted that it was material, black material for that matter. It was a belt? But then why was it around his shoulder too? Sebek's brain was too muddled for some reason to be able to make any distinction in the situation. Now that he was trying to focus more on his surroundings, he discovered that he was suspended by the belt in the air.

It wasn't any belt, it was a seat belt. Suddenly any fogginess around the edges of his mind vanished as panic made alarm bells ring in his already scrambled brain. The car was dark because it was full of smoke, dark and thick and the Diasomnia student couldn't see any of the rows of seats in front of him. With any inhale his lungs are filled with the toxic fumes, his eyes watering and his nose burning.

The stench of smoke wasn't enough to mask the havey iron smell of blood. Remembering the sticky feeling from before, the 16-year-old put a hand on his neck only to bring it to his eyes with blood-stained fingers. He was injured which was not good in the situation he was in. The car was on its side, with Sebek's door side against the ground, being blocked. Jack's side was facing the now dark sky. 'How much was he out?'. Talking about Jack, the fae wastes no more time to check the beastman for any injuries with his eyes.

Jack was barely awake but he could see no trace of blood on him. The guard reached a hand out to the white-haired boy, shaking it slightly as he called out his name.

"Jack! Jack! Look here. Are you awake?"

The other groaned and looked at Sebek. His eyes were half-lidded and full of confusion and alarm.

" 'm fine. I think. What happened?"

"Some reckless individual provoked a car accident by slamming into our vehicle. Do you think you have enough strength to climb through my side of the door if I open it? We have to waste no more time as I believe somewhere is a fire."

Jack became more alert and nodded, his yellow eyes going from the front of the car and then at Sebek's car door. The situation was uncertain and the time ticked. They have no idea if the others are ok or if there was any fire inside or outside the car.

"Yeah. Let's try to get out of here and get the others to safety."

Sebek nodded and reached for the door handle. A squeaky noise is made by the door as it opens with some effort on the boy's part. As soon as the door opens, smoke gets outside the car. The fae reached with one hand to the door ledge and undoes the safety belt with the other. Due to the help of Lilia's training, the boy is able to pull himself out using only his fingers' grip and the strength he had in his arm from all the sword practice.

Once on top of the side of the car, the fae looks at the front where there was indeed a fire. It comes from the motor, flames illuminate the dark area of what looks like a forest. The front of the car is wrecked. The drive's door caved in and bent in a way it won't be opened.

Sebek reached his arm back in the car to offer Jack help climbing up too. The Sevenclaw student undid his seat belt and jumped up, grasping Sebek's waiting arm and holding tight on the other student. With a sound of effort, the fae manages to pull the other completely out of the car.

Now in the natural light of the moon, he could see that Jack had brushes on his face, and some pieces of glass shone in white hair like it was some kind of glitter.

"Let's get the others out. You can check for injuries later".

The green-haired boy nods at the urgent tone of the other, hurrying after the beastman to the door of the middle row. It was Deuce's door, meaning Epel would be harder to get from the wreck. The car door wasn't so hard to pull open despite the indent in it. Just like when the first door was opened, smoke spilled out of the car, forcing the students to take a step backward and cover their sensitive noses with the shredded sleeves of their clothes.

The amount of smoke was enough to make the hybrids' noses burn and eyes water, for their human companions it must be worse as there was no fresh air in the car and they have been there for a while now.

With more urgency, they get on their knees beside the opening, leaning their heads inside to look for Deuce and Epel. The car was just as dark with both left side doors open. This part of the vehicle was more in disarray than the back was. It makes the fae even more agitated about thinking of the front row. Ortho's and Ace's part of the car.

"Deuce! Epel! Can you guys hear me?"

A groan answered the silver-haired male. A hand soon followed, waving in front of the opening, the little light that came from the moon gave the hand an even paler look.

"I'm here!" Deuce's strained voice came between coughs, weak and hoarse as if he drank lemon juice for an hour straight with no break. "Can you guys help me?"

"Yeah, hang in there Deuce! Can you see Epel there?"

Jack positioned himself over the opening, gesturing for Sebek to hold him around the waist to be able to bend and grab the trapped boy.

"Epel? Oh! Yeah, I can faintly see him. He is...ummm...leaning against the window? He is asleep- wait, no. Probably unconscious. He, um. Sorry. I can't seem to be able to think right."

Sebek is tense at the declaration. Can't think properly? The other boy sounds like he is getting more exhausted the more he is forced to think. Could it be a concussion? The fae eyes follow the trail of car pieces until it stops up on the coast their car rolled down from. Parts of the metal fence stick out of the dirt and all around the marks in the coast, the vehicle fell from. It rolled from the street, down the tall coast, and stopped when the front hit a tree.

Some medical examinations will be required. He hopes one of the various medkits survived the crash.

"Is ok Deuce. We will take care of it. But first, try to shake Epel awake. Can you do that? Undo your safety belt and try to get him to wake up. If he doesn't wake up tell us."

"Ok. I think-wait a sec." The click of the belt reached the beastman and the fae. Then the thump of shoes. "Yeah. I did it. Now got to, to wake up Epel." The ruffle of clothes and nothing else fills the silence. A few moments pass and Epel's mumbles and Deuce's whispers are heard before the blue-haired boy calls out.

"He is awake. I got him. His knee is hurting though."

"Good job Deuce! Can you pick him up and bring him to the open door?" Jack called out to the other, holding his arm out as far as he could. With a grunt and a wounded noise from whom Sebek could identify as Epel, Jack's fingers brush against something warm and soft. The Sevenclaw student grips his fingers in the softness, bringing the other hand to grab at the shorter boy.

It was an effort from all sides to get the lavender-haired boy out. Sebek and Jack pulled while Deuce pushed from inside the car until the injured boy was safe on top of the car.

They took a moment to catch their breath before pulling Deuce out too. It wasn't wise to try to pull the other now after they had exhausted themselves in acquiring Epel. Even attempting to pull Deuce, with a body structure taller and heavier than Epel's, could lead to injuries to both the rescuers' part and the rescued. Sebek knew better the to take some useless risks that potentially could bring good results. 'Potentially' is not better than a thought-out plan. Lilia's old wisdom again aids him when he needs it.

In the meantime, Jack is talking to Deuce, assuring him everything will be okay despite the probability of not turning out fine. They haven't checked the front yet. He knelt before Epel to assist the shorter with his injuries. At least the visible ones that the moonlight makes him aware of. As fingers press on the skin of the left knee, his hypothesis is proven right when Epel flinched and whimpered. Broken bone from impact against a heavy mass. The dark-looking brushes around the area suggest that it happened the moment the car started rolling.

"We will have to secure the limb in place. Making any movements with your leg in this state whiteout it being in some kind of cast, will make your recovery very slow."

Epel shakes his head, a look of pain and anxiety on his face. "No. We hafta get Deuce out. And Ace! Ortho too!"

A hand pressed on his shoulder, squeezing it firmly stopped the boy from talking. Blue eyes meet green, the taller boy staring at the other closely as he spoke.

"We will, but letting a sense of agitation take over our minds won't aid anyone. 'So don't lose your cool' or whatever you humans phrase it."

Epel nods, anxious still but now intending to be useful and not complicate the situation further. Jack turns to the two, holding a thumbs up. Understanding that the break was over, Sebek pulled his hand away from Epel, pushing the shorter to the side so he and Jack had more space to get Deuce out.

Just like when they pulled the lavender-haired boy out, Sebek held Jack's waist while the beastman held his hands out, reaching for the dark blue-haired boy. "Alright Deuce. Try to grab my hand to pull you out!", the second tallest boy said. "I will try. Is so dark here." Deuce's voice said back. "Is like back at the beginning of the school year, back in the mine with Ace and the prefect". His voice this time is more strained, with a more faraway air, as if Deuce was reminiscing on some memories.

"Deuce, focus." Jack tries to grab his attention back. The crackling of the fire from the front of the car was making his ears twitch in agitation. The beast-man wants to get his schoolmates away from here. Far away from the wrecked minivan and all the smoke. To do so he has to get Deuce and then Ace and Ortho out of this damned thing.

"Sorry. I just- my mind is more jumbled than usual." Epel made a face of realization, eyes snapping at Sebek and Jack. The southern boy mouthed 'head injury', receiving a head nod from Sebek.

The car shakes a bit. The boy inside jumped up, higher every time to reach the Sevenclaw dorm student's hands. Epel gritted his teeth together and muffled a scream of pain after his knee was jolted, not wanting to discourage Deuce's rescue. Jack took notice of this, leaning even more down to grab Deuce. When his hands wrap around what he suspects is the other boy's shoulders, he grabs them tightly, muttering a silent apology to Deuce before yanking the boy up.

Sebek pulled on Jack's waist, the vehicle shaking again from Deuce's legs using the seat headrests to climb upward. With one more strong pull that left all three boys sprawled on top of the car around Epel, breathing hard and in Deuce's case moaning in pain from the hard landing and wheezing as clean air filled his lungs after getting used to breathing in smoke.

A loud noise made the teens scream. Car shaking again but this time it was not from Deuce. Heat and brightness came from the motor of the car, flames now visibly engulfing the hood of the car. Sebek curses, something that he later apologizes to Lilia for acting unlike a proper guard. He jumped up and rushed to the front of the car, ignoring how the metal under his shoes felt hotter the closer he got to the driver's side. He grabbed the handle on Ortho's side, pulling at the dented and deformed door as hard as he could.

"We have to get them out of there!" Jack rushed over him, Deuce and Epel left behind to watch the taller teens jump in action. "Oh god! Ace is still there!" Deuce jumps up, legs wobbly as they try to keep him standing. Epel grunts again, gripping his knee with one hand, holding Deuce by the wrist with the other to ensure he won't top over. "Housewarden will kill me if I don't come back with him!"

Epel calls out to Deuce when he pulls his hand away from him and rushes to the other two teens.

"There is no use. This door is not opening". Jack pants from the effort, hands red and painful from tugging at the car door. Deuce tries too, pulling in blind desperation at the door, hoping for the strength he had in his delinquent era to break noses left and right to help him open the door. But despite all the hopes and determination to save his friend/rival. The door didn't budge even a little.

Sebek's gaze looks at the vehicle closely. Could the three of them make a hole in the metal? It could happen, he and Jack had claws, but it would take a while before the hole would be wide enough to pull Ace and Ortho out. The ginger's side door is kept shut by the ground. No way could they push the minivan back on the wheel in the condition they were in. Flames were getting closer and closer to the front row of the car. Minutes away from spreading over the windscreen.

An idea made his eyes snap to the windscreen. That was it! If they couldn't get the other two teens out through the door, the windscreen is the best next option. The fae hurried to the windscreen, sharp eyes looking through the cracked glass inside a pitch-black car. The airbags are out, and the outlines of red hair and metal limbs are faintly seen through the smoke. The same sharp and nauseating smell comes through the cracks in the windscreen, so recognizable from all the time the guard in training got a new wound from training.

The smell of blood is strong, so much so that it makes the green-haired boy pinch his nose. Now that he is more focused on the moment the small stains of blood on the windscreen are noticeable. On the other side of the windscreen, oil is dripping and staining the airbag and driver seat. That's not good. Definitely not good. If fire touches the oil their upperclassmen will find them cooked (burnt) alive.

Taking action that very second to prevent a tragedy, the boy pulls his dominant hand back, fist tightly clenched, nerves steeled for the sensation it will come. The fist makes contact. Glass shatters with a remarkably loud noise, grabbing the other three teens' attention. The smell of even more blood reached Jack's nose and made him rush to Sebek's side in an instant.

"What was that noise!? What have you done!?"

The fae pulls his bloody hand away from the now shattered windscreen. Shards fell on the dashboard and the airbags had some too. The tallest teen hopes none of them got too close to the ginger.

"We have no time. We have to get the human and android out now."

Sebek pushed some of the broken glass away from the shattered windscreen with his good hand, ignoring the burning sensation and how sticky his shirt was getting in the place his other hand was pressed against his chest. Once he demands the windscreen safe enough for the remaining glass parts.

"Jack, go grab Ortho", he instructed with a stern voice, getting through the windscreen to try to grab the ginger. "Do you think you can give me a hand Deuce?"

Quickly the two teens jump to help. Minivan shaking yet again due to the three teens pushing and moving the airbags around. Epel managed to drag himself closer to the front of the car, cursing all the way for the pain he was feeling every time his leg moved. Jack gets a hold of Ortho's arm. The mangled remains of it better said. Metal limbs were bent, bolts and parts of them coming off when the beastman pulled the fire-haired boy out of the wreck.

"Shit. His big brother will not be pleased when we get back."

Epel nods, looking at the android that was put beside him. "Definitely not. I don't think he will ever turn on. Pal over here took all the force of the damage."

Jack scowled at the southerner's words. They were true, unfortunately. The android was no longer activated. His eyes closed and every lights around his body turned off. Limbs missing parts and flattened, it reminded him of one of those scenes from the old TV show with a cat and a mouse where the mouse when hit by a pan would flatten unnaturally. The metal around one side of the head where the car was hit was very dented, oil leaking out in a small pool beside Epel.

Jack wishes Idia would be able to fix Ortho. The way he is now makes the Sevenclaw dorm student very uncomfortable. For something that couldn't die, Ortho can mimic being dead pretty damn good.

"Shit, Ace!"

Both Epel and Jack turn their heads just in time to see Deuce and Sebek pulling Ace out through the windscreen. The lavender-haired boy put a hand over his mouth from the nauseating sensation the scene gave him. Jack exhaled shakingly through his nose, eyes taking in the tall and slender figure sprawled on the side of the car.

"Oh fuck..."

In contrast with the other relatively light injuries, Ace was in bad shape. Blood was freely falling down the side of his cheek from his temple, his fingers from his dominant hand were all in very odd angles, wrist was brushed dark purple. His face didn't look any better. His nose is so broken that his closed eyes look black and swollen. His lips parted for wheezing exhales to get out. Deuce was on his knees beside his partner in crime, hazy and panicked green eyes looking down at the other in a horrified way that would haunt Epel's dreams for months, probably years to come.

In the shorter's boy eyes Deuce was one of the strongest persons he knew, always ready to throw a punch if his friends needed someone's protection and help. Seeing him like this, leaning over Ace, a way too still Ace, was giving him guess bumps like nothing else. How could someone who fought four overblots who are known for being dangerous, ink-possessed individuals whose minds have been so infected that led them to attack others look so terrified and petrified in this moment?

Ah. But how could Epel be so stupid? Those times Deuce or anyone else never needed any kind of emergency-level treatment. Always getting out of life and death situations with brushes and some sour bodies at most. Never had Deuce been forced into the position where he had to witness someone bleeding before him, less so Ace.

The same annoying red-eyed boy who always made fun of him for his intelligence, love for his mother, and past. Same old Ace who stuck with him through thick and thin, scoldings and punishments, overblots, and more normal teenage life situations. To have him laying before him, pale and bloody, quiet and unresponsive to his desperate pleas for him to wake up.

All of a sudden the situation became more real. No longer were they untouchable mages in training who could solve any problem with their magic pens or their upperclassmen's help, messing around like any teenager their age would.

Truth be told, they never were normal teenagers to begin with. Normal teens don't know all the rules of the Briar Valley Royal Guard code in and out and in their sleep. Normal teens don't have to fight for their life and for others when their housewarden has a bad day. Normal teenagers don't fight overblots for the good of the school only to be expected the very next day from the teachers to act like nothing happened and hand out their homework.

So, as the very much not normal teenager he is, possessing knowledge not a lot of individuals his age have, Sebek deducts that the fire has only a few minutes left until it will burn down the car motor and escort everyone off the car.

Deuce passes Ace to Jack who now is standing on the ground in front of the wrecked car beside Sebek who was helping Epel down. It was very embarrassing for the southerner boy to be held in the fae's muscular arms like he saw the other carry training mannequins something during Lilia's on-school campus training for his two disciples if it wasn't for the fact that Sebek was warm and felt safe. This time only Epel will let his guard down and snuggle closer to the other, hearing how his heart beats in his chest in his ear.

Deuce joined them on the ground with Ortho in his arms, watching as the motor exploded and the whole car caught fire at a rapid pace. Burning everything in its way. Including all their languages now spilled in the car and the truck and their magic pens and phones.

Chapter Text

The first to find out was Idia. Of course, it was the IT genius, had any doubt? Even in this remote place, where wifi shouldn't be possible to have, the blue-haired boy managed to get his super-advanced laptop to work even in the mountains. 

After Ortho's tracker stopped last evening, around the same time nobody could get a hold of the other first years, Idia got suspicious and started to dig for some pieces of evidence. 

Around the sunrise of the next day, was when an article popped up after hours of searching. 

"Horrible car accident happened on Maple road number 27. A suspected hit and run, the wrench of a burnt minivan was found with blood stains inside but no bodies were discovered. All the belongings found at the scene suggest the car was occupied by at least 5 individuals."

Idia doubled check, then did it again, and again and again. The car description and the photos weren't lying, the minivan was indeed Crowley's monstrosity of a vehicle. The dots were connecting but he hoped they didn't. If not for the sake of being a misunderstanding then for his own sake. If Vil, Riddle, Leona, or Malleus found out about this, it would be hell on earth. 

But (unfortunately for him) no matter how much he tried to refresh the page, the article stayed the same. Thankfully, Ortho could be rebuilt, robot body parts were scattered everywhere around his dorm back at Night Raven College. One of the copies of his consciousness is always on Idia in case things like this happen (a few are back home with his parents, in case for some reason he isn't able to do anything at school). 

Does it mean it makes it less frustrating and painful? No, it doesn't. Why was the universe so much against him? He was only trying to unlock the good ending but for some reason, the system kept on throwing obstacles at him. 

It was so unfair! He keeps on giving Ortho bust after buff. Installing new data and adding new gadgets to his younger brother to keep him safe and to raise his status so the system would stop targeting him for having a lower level. But no matter what Idia does, his brother keeps on being forcefully taken from him! 

Fear starts to grip his heart. If he feels like this for Ortho (how can be rebuilt and be as new in case his body blows up), then the reactions of the other housewares who lost their students will blow this campsite up. 

'OhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhno! Will I have to break the news to them!? OH NO OH NO! THEY WILL KILL ME! CAN'T I TELL ONE OF THE TEACHERS TO TELL THEM? BUT CROWLEY BEING CROWLEY WILL NOT LET ANYONE MAKE A BIG FUSS AND TRY TO SWIPE THIS UNDER THE RUG AND THEN THE OTHERS WILL GET MAD AT ME FOR NOT TELLING THEM SOONER!'

Idia was spiraling in his anxious thoughts. So much so that he almost didn't hear the knocking at the door. 

'Shroud?.. I was sent to bring to your attention that your attendance is required at the Diasomnia cabin.. immediately."

Jade's voice cut through his drawing thoughts like a hot knife through butter. Only for the panic to come right back when the words were registered. 'In the Diasomnia cabin!? Were he would be all alone with the prince and his guards!?' 

Jade knocked again on the door, his voice staying as terrifyingly patient as usual. "Shroud, can you hear me? If you want me to repeat myself to be heard over your panicked breathing I could."

Idia panics more.' He can hear my breathing!?' But if the eel can do that, there is no way he will be able to pretend to not be in the cabin. 

"I-I will be right there, J-Jade!"

The eel was content with the answer so he said his goodbyes, his leather shoes clicking away from the door. 

After some self-convincing and giving himself a pep talk in the mirror, the shut-in finally left his cabin, resigned about his grim fate. He took hesitant step after hesitant step to the big and towering cabin. The closer he got to the establishment, the more his stomach started doing flips as if it was trying to get the biggest score at Subway surfers.

His legs nearly gave out as he got to the door. His hand raised trembling to knock at the door but before he could it was pulled open forcefully from the inside. 

"Shroud, you managed to join us." Malleus nods at the startled boy who jumped out of his skin when the door opened so violently, as if the prince could sense his arrival or was waiting by the door (it was both). 

Idia nods, waving his hand nervously in greeting. Malleus guides him inside the gothic-themed cabin. This could be a meeting about any type of thing, not the missing students specifically, Idia keeps on telling himself. But Malleus was unusually jittery and his tail was out and swishing from left to right like Lucius would when he is disturbed from his sleep. 

Idia would freak out internally over the cute scene if he wasn't led to the center of the cabin, where all the other 5 housewardens were waiting. 

'Oh, so it was about the first years...'

Idia thought anxiously as he was led to one of the last two available chairs in the room. Now that he was seated (between Azul and Kalim which is not such a bad arrangement. He could be between Riddle and Leona.), he could see that behind the chairs, in the shadows, other people were present too. 

Trey and Cater were flanking a strangely quiet Riddle, on his left was Vil with a hunter standing straight behind the actor's chair, smiling in his usual way but more sharp, guarded. Floyd and Jade were leaning on the back of Azul's chair, to no doubt anyone their dorm leader. Jamil was on the right of Riddle and besides Kalim, talking to the Asim heir in a hushed voice.

Besides Kalim was seated Idia, all alone. He came to the very nerve-wracking conclusion that he has no protection unlike the other housewardens if a fight is to break out. 

Besides Azul was a grumpy lion prince. His position on the chair was half seated, half draped over it. Any sleep in that position would give anyone a stiff neck, but Leona doesn't seem to care. The only indication that the prince was awake was his angry tail moves and the way his eye twitched slightly any time Malleus spoke to Lilia or Silver. 

Ruggie gave his boss dirty and annoyed looks but otherwise only shrugged his shoulders when someone else looked at him. Is not like he can control when the oldest sleeps or not. Not even the teachers can, what do the students think he could do? 

On the other side of the room, beside Vil stood Malleus on his feet, choosing instead to leave his chair for his exhausted-looking human brother. Lilia was leaning over the back of the chair to whisper things to his son, to which Silver would nod or shake his head depending on what his father would tell him. 

At first Silver protested sitting in the chair meant for the prince. But Malleus kept on insisting until he got fed up and picked up the human and plopped him on the chair like he weighed nothing.

The air in the cabin was strange and heavy. The tension could be felt by everyone. Trey and Cater look so lost, standing stiff on Riddle's sides, expecting something to happen at any moment. Riddle looked at the floor as if a new set of rules written by the Queen of Hearts herself appeared there was also unnatural. 

Ruggie's agitated attitude accompanied by Leona's more ticked-off one made the room feel like a minefield. Vil and Rook were far more civil, even though the hunter gazed at the cabin window in a certain way akin to longing. As if the blonde couldn't wait to throw himself out of that window. 

Azul usually had that businessman like persoana. Relaxing on his chair, like he was waiting for a business meeting to start. His detached attitude to such a serious matter made some people in the cabin (Sevenclaw duo) annoyed. 

Despite his toothy smile, Lilia was protectively bent over his human son. The half-fae has his pointy nails resting on the backrest of Silver's chair, in the open view for anyone who thinks about doing something. Malleus was half transformed, dragon traits apparent and instincts high. 

They are waiting. 

Idia quickly concluded. 'But for what?' 

The cabin door opens and closes. Three sets of familiar footsteps came from the door to the center of the room. Sam, Crewel, and head mage Crowley stand grim in the middle of all teens and faes. 

'Ah, so it's an urgent meeting.'

The Shroud older brother curls into himself, trying to make himself as small as possible.

All eyes move to look at the teachers, all with different emotions in them. Annoyance, anger, disgust, fear, anxiety. The air of hostility was oblivious to anyone.

Time means money, my good sirs, could we begin already?" Azul smiles his usual business smile.

"Usually, I'm not with the cephalo punk, but I will make today the exception." Leona yawn, looking bored but having the minimal decency to cover his mouth. "Let's get this circus show on the road". Vil's eye twitched in annoyance. 

"Headmage, please explain what's going on." Sensing the hostility some students had toward the teachers, Trey took the initiative and put the first question as carefully as he could. "This must be a misunderstanding. Surely the article Cater found circling magicam is fake news -"

"Clover, the article is not mistaken. Your alchemy teacher and school staff had checked the wreck."

Crewel glares sharply at the crow-dressing man. The gasps followed by the blunt confession didn't go unnoticed by the teacher or staff.

Leona's eyes narrowed and a pair of amethyst eyes moved sharply from teacher to teacher. Manicured hand stopping mid-tapping in agitation against a knee.

Riddle was the first one to get a grip on his emotions, or rather he managed to process the situation enough to react. Grey eyes jumped from Sam, Crewel, to Crowley and then back at Crewel. Desperately searching, begging silently for all this to be a fib. Imploring his alchemy teacher, the most trustworthy one in his eyes, to deny this. 

With a heavy heart, the bi-colored man shook his head.

"h-how could this happen...?" He whispered, one hand gripping his scepter tightly. The floor became more interesting to focus on than the teachers, and Crewel both hated it and felt relief. Relief for not seeing his pup looking directly into his soul with lost and guilty grey eyes. As if the boy was trying to comprehend the mystery of life then the death of the younger. 

Riddle looks numb, his gray eyes looking hunted at the floor.

(Rule***: "The queen of Hearts is directly responsible for the fate of all her card soldiers.)

'How could he fail so badly at respecting the rules he knew his whole life?' Riddle thought bitterly, a shaky breath leaving his quivering lips.

Clover and Diamond were quick to try to comfort the younger, whispering among themselves. They had to excuse themselves shortly after when Riddle's voice started to break, a sign of an inevitable breakdown on the horizon. 

If the reaction of the red tyrant was expected and at the same time not (who would have thought that the redhead would break down in tears at losing the so-called terror duo of Heartslabyul), the Savana prince's reaction was predictable. 

The sound of a fist smashing in the crow mask echoes around the cabin together with the gasps of the still-present students. Crewel watched with some satisfaction as blood started dripping from under the mask beak, down the headmaster's chin. 

Crowley was completely silent as the beast man kept on bettering him and insulting him, blood dripping from under the mask and on the floor from a broken nose remaining unwhipped. Words full of venom were spat literally in the head mage's face before they stopped. 

"You are not worth my time. Let's go Ruggie. Let's find the cubs' remains."

The prince ignored Idia's meek voice trying to explain that the intensity of the fire might make any remains hard to find. The beast-man yanked the cabin door open and closed it with a bang. Ruggie quickly followed his housewarden, not even glancing at the injured teacher.

Vil sifted in the chair. He uncrossed his legs and stood up at his full height. Rook elegantly sidesteps the chair, standing behind Vil.

Kalim was silent as Vil started glaring daggers at the head mage, blaming him for the deaths of the younger boys. 'How could he not? After all, the head mage was to blame for sending the noobies on quests that their levels didn't match constantly,' Idia thought, pressing himself further into the chair. 

Under the dim red eyes of the sand prince, the actor turns on his heels and follows Leona outside the cabin. Stooping in the doorway, the blonde looked over his shoulder at the bird-masked man. "Congratulations, headmaster. Your brilliant stupidity had done it this time." The door was opened and closed silently, sounds of heels clicking in an aggressive but still elegant way getting further away.

Rook took his hat off in goodbye, with a sharp and terrifying smile. Jumping out through the window to keep up with the retreating figure of the actor to their cabin. 

'This is going bad quickly. Time to leave.' Idia discretely stood up from his chair and tiptoed out of the cabin. Even with Leona and Riddle out, Malleus was a mystery in how he would react. His stats could probably demolish this entire camp and Idia didn't have his defense stats high enough to not be affected. 

Nobody commented as the fire-haired boy ran out of the cabin, unlike the others. His cowardly attitude wasn't something new to notice.

Malleus was fuming back in the cabin, the sky cracking with the force of an upcoming lighting storm. 

"Your negligence resulted in the death of a royal guard of Brielle Valley." The fae prince used a sharp tone when addressing the man, stepping in front of him to tower over the head mage in a threatening way. "Expect the consequences that will follow issued by my kingdom."

Crewel raised a hand to put on the fae's shoulder, but he was beaten to it as a small and pale hand shot out from behind the prince to grip his camping clothes. Green eyes snapped behind him, pink eyes looking back. The usual smiling man was blank and silent as he floated into the air to be able to reach for Malleus's shoulder. 

Malleus was waiting for one of his adoptive father's jokes about him being so grown. It never left the older fae's lips, instead, he made a sign with his head behind them. 

Green eyes look behind Lilia, staring directly at a distressed Silver. The prince winded his eyes, looking from his dad to his brother then back at the headmaster. He exhausted through his nose, smoke coming out to emphasize his annoyance. He glared at Crowley one last time, then he turned on his heels to go to Silver.

Crewel could see from the corner of his eye how the shop owner frowned. Despite the sketchy attitude and wacky vibes he was giving, the shop owner has a soft spot for the students. If it wasn't the case the alchemy teacher was convinced Sam wouldn't have stayed on the campus. 

"I think it will be wise if our meeting concluded here." The empty voice of the oldest fae said, opening the front door of the cabinet, and holding it open for the remaining 'guests'. "I believe some of you overstayed your welcome." Pink, cold, eyes meet the crow mask. 

The staring contest wasn't long, Crowley leaving the cabin as silently as he came in.

Jamil escorted a shocked Kalim outside the cabin, giving a short goodbye to the grieving fae. Azul and the eels were the next to leave, giving Lilia a business card in case he needed any of their 'services'  with this whole situation.

Lilia pocketed the card and said nothing. You never know when these things will come in handy. Still, most likely he wouldn't call some kids to do or clean something he can do himself. If he wants Crawly to disappear, he can do it on his own. He is quite good at 'making people you see today disappear tomorrow', like a magician. 

"If you need anything, or any type of crisis occurs, come to the teachers' cabin," Crewel told the shorter man, trying to not focus on the whispers of the two last students in the cabin who were huddled together on a chair, as if being away from each other's proximity will result in more loss then is already. 

" I believe that I already have a crisis on my hands," Lilia said in a somber tone, glancing at the fourth bed beside his human son's bed. Still unoccupied, like the one at the school will be from now on. 

'Like the spear mattress in his own house used for the kids, sleepovers will be' the war general thought with a heavy heart.

The two last teachers bid their goodbyes and condolences before leaving, hurrying to their cabin as a lightning storm spread out of the blue over the camp. 

After the bomb was dropped, each cabin that suffered a loss dealt with it differently. 

The Heartslabyul cabin was deadly quiet. Riddle decided to consult a replica of the Queen of Hearts rules and guidelines to see what should be done in such a situation. Unfortunately, not a lot of the book has been lectured and his eyes keep getting misty.

His phone was left open beside his table, showing a messaging app. Two of the contacts were sent recently a bunch of messages. From scolding, and threats to frustrated paragraphs. The last few are filled with urgency and anxiety, almost taking a pleading tone. But those were sent three hours ago. Before he knew that all the texts were in vain. 

Trey detached himself from reality by baking in the camp cafeteria. Bunch after bunch of treats are being given out. Out of coincidence some of the treats were the favorites of their two troublemakers' first years. 

Cater was left to see how his two friends tried desperately to deal with the pain, while he was forced to confront it head-on as on no app he wouldn't be reminded of his two dorm mates. His gallery has a good amount of photos with the two, mentions of their profiles on his magicam pasts, and the last messages from the last afternoon. 

'Can't wait to go pranking people around the camp when I get there! Just wait and see what I will do when I get there.'

'Do you think that Riddle will be mad that I lost one of his guides? :(' 

Cater honestly wishes that he never got that article pop up on his feed. Maybe like that, he wouldn't have tormented himself mentally over unanswered questions until the teachers confirmed it. Curiosity kills the cat but this time the cat only gets traumatized instead of being the one to die.

The redhead can reply to the memory of how Riddle reacted when he showed the article. How all those emotions flashed in his gaze in quick succession. Confusing, shock, disbelief, doubt, anxiety, denial. The ex-red tyrant dismissed the article because it wasn't confirmed by the teachers, and hurriedly to get out of the situation. 

Leona and Ruggie got back from their search a few hours later. Both quiet and frustrated. None of the remains had been found. No bones, no blood, no ashes that smelt human or any fancy robot remains. All the hard work they put in shedding metal and turning that accident scene upside-down to find anything was a waste of time. 

Ruggie had to be piggyback carried to the camping spot after he overworked himself in the hunt for clues. Leona knew that the hyena blamed himself. It was dumb in his opinion. Ruggie couldn't have known this would happen, and even if he did travel with the cubs like he initially wanted, Leona proved his selfishness by being glad that the hyena was here with him. 

Maybe Shroud was right and no remains can be salvaged. That conclusion brings no closure to the prince. It only makes him feel more like a failure.

Vil scrolls through a list of lawyers, searching for the best one with good reviews. No way the actor will hire an amateur in this future lawsuit. This time he will sue the school. After this show of blunt incompetence and incomprehensible stupidity, the model won't back down from his one like he did with all the rest. 

This time people got killed. His underclassman got killed. 

Vil takes a deep breath and puts his face in his hands. Makeup be dammed, a headache wasn't worth a good image. The bed drips under the weight of someone else. The actor didn't flinch when a set of arms warp around his shoulders, pulling him into a side hug. 

The familiar smell of cologne entered his nose, giving the actor a good guess on who was holding him.

"Je suis désolé, roi du poison."

Accompanying the low whisper of the hunter was his gentle touch. Delicate fingers rubbed Vil's arms as if the actor was made out of glass. The housewarden could have chuckled if it wasn't for his heart skipping a beat and a wave of confusion to drown his thoughts. 

He raises his head slowly, purple eyes looking at Rook, only to see his reflection being mirrored in the hunter's sorrowful eyes. 

Exhaling shakily, Vil put a hand on his cheek. Bringing his fingers in front of his face afterward confirmed what he feared. His makeup was smudged by the salty water dripping down his cheeks. He put his face back in his hands to hide the way his lip started to quiver.

Vil would rather lose nights of sleep for only one text from Epel. Even if it was the southern boy cursing out the actor. Or sending the middle finger emoji to Vil with the excuse of 'his finger slipped' was better than dead silence. Any vulgarity was better than no vulgarity from the boy, Vil quickly and far too late concluded. Teardrops fall on his hands. 

Idia had been closed in his cabin since the meeting. All his games have been put on pause or closed altogether, the boy's attention being on the table dragged in the middle of the room. 

Blueprints are pinned to the wall by a screwdriver, making a hold in the wall. The genius was using a welding lamp to put together some robotic parts. 

He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, putting his protection glasses down from his face, letting them rest around his neck. 

Idia was trying to remake Ortho with what robotic pieces he had with him. But obliviously they weren't enough by the way the legs, the only part of the body the metal was enough for, was proportionated weirdly. 

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, Idia sat in his gaming chair brought from Night Raven College here, to rethink his next moves.

Lighting had struck various places around the general area of the camp, but the most common one was the Diasomnia cabin. The fae general gave up on trying to calm down the dragon, letting the boy pace around the room and rambling furiously. The dragon was halfway transformed, giving away to the older fae just how upset his prince was. Spiky tail smacked away any objects that were in the way of his pacing.

The old general watched everything happening quietly. He wasn't a stranger with the bitter taste of goodbyes brought by death. He only hoped his kids wouldn't have to be acquainted with it too soon.

But here he was, holding his human son in a hug, smoothly rubbing his back to try to make the grief more bearable. But could he do that? His prince's guard whom he saw as an overprotective little brother, part of his hoard, one of his most valuable treasures be ripped away from him in a matter of hours. Not even given the chance to die with honor. 

The poor boy probably died while unconscious in a car slowly engulfed in fire. At least the general hoped his apprentice died painless and in sweat unaware of what fate he had. The thought of the boy being awake and aware of the fire taking over the car and his being made the fea feel sick. 

The human guard could feel his father holding him tighter, pressing his face in silver hair to prevent a sorrowful sound from slipping past his lips.

The human guard (the last guard of his majesty present in the school) presses himself closer to his father, the numbness still hasn't left to make space for acceptance in his heart. It was hard to accept that the imposing and ever-present presence of the half-fae wouldn't be a constant in their dorm. 

Or their life.

Crewel throws all he brought in this nightmare excursion in a suitcase. The damage done to any of the belongings was not a priority in the storm of emotions he felt. Crowley was beside him, carefully and silently placing some of his clothes in his bag. 

In any other circumstances the quiet was a miracle from the grate seven with this idiot, but this time it only made his temper fleer up more. How can he have the nerve to be silent? He killed six kids for seven sake! 

A bag full of once unbroken objects is slammed into his suitcase next. The sounds they made as they clang together and against the bottom of the suitcase assure him that the objects are no longer intact. 

Fead up with Crowley's lack of reaction, he turns around to glare at the head mage. "Why are you silent all of a sudden, Dir?" He slams his suitcase close to having his whole attention on the other man, who had been silent this whole time. "You were quite chipper yesterday if my memory serves me right. Don't tell me you grew a consciousness overnight."

Crewel hissed those words, venom in them intending to hurt. But the silence stretched out. Crawly drops the shirt in his hands in his bag silently. It was one with fish all over it, planned to be used today after he kept bragging about going fishing with the kids. 

The lack of response and acknowledgment made the bi- colored hair man grab the head mage by the front of his shirt. "Stop acting like a kicked puppy and answer me!" 

A hand is placed over his, making the angry man dig his hands further into the fabric. The hand stays there, with no intent to push Crewel away. He was about to shout his question again, shaking the other if it was needed. But a pair of eyes finally met him, but it didn't calm him. 

"Crewel. I don't see how anything I do now will help." Crewel clenches his teeth and gives him a shake this time, ready to give him a piece of his mind. 

"Mister Crewel! Head mage!" 

Both men turn their heads to the door, watching the student in the door gasping for air. The door squeaked on its hinges from the force it was opened, doorknob bent when it hit the door. 

"What is it pup? Why are you yapping and slamming doors-" Crewel let go of Crowley, dusting his hands before he crosses his arms over his chest. 

"I-In the front o-of the camp! The kids! The first years!" The panther student pants between short breaths, leaning against the door, looking panicked at the teachers. 

The two teachers look at each other with astonished expressions, quiet for a few moments before running out of the cabin. 

When they got to the front gates of the camp, a big crowd of students circled the entrance. Among the sea of students, the alchemy teacher catches a glimpse of the housewardens coming to the sight as well. 

Losing his last gram of patience, Crewel yells out. "Pups, move aside!" 

They obliged immediately, out of fear of possible punishment. The crowd parted like the Red Sea for the alchemist, who took the occasion to walk further. Sam and Crawly followed in his steps, the hurried steps of the housewardens behind them. 

Whispers of a multitude of voices mix, loud or quiet; voicing their opinions by mumbles. He doesn't give them any mind, trying to focus on the path ahead. 

Crewel stops in his tracks at the entrance, eyes widening and mouth agape. There stood the first years, in the last rays of sun left. 

They were dirty, bloody, and tired, leaning and clinging on each other, but breathing and looking at him back. 

"Hi, mister Crewel. We kind of got lost." Ace chuckles apologetically, wincing afterward. His hand leaves Sebek's neck to hold his ribs, which are wrapped in what looks like parts of Deuce's shirt. 

The man would have snapped his whip at the stupid remark if it wasn't for the way the kids looked. Ace was carried on Sebek's back, cheek resting on the fae's shoulder and legs swinging slightly back and forth. Blood and dirt coated his skin and what was left of his shredder clothes. Some pieces of clothes are warped around his lanky figure in various parts of his body making the teacher even more worried by the share number of injuries possible covered underneath. 

Sebek was thankfully in a better shape. No black eye or brushed face, unlike Ace. His hand was wrapped in a purple cloth most likely taken from Epel, stained brown in some places. His clothes were ripped in places where no vulnerable part was exposed.

Epel was leaning against Deuce, a cast made from a shoelace and tree benches on his leg. The shorter boy was just as dirty as the others, lavender hair framed his face in such a way that some black brushes stood out immediately.

The teacher's eyes look over Deuce's and Jack's injuries to make a list of priorities in his head. The blue-haired boy doesn't look trashed too much, like Epel. His green eyes were unfocused but otherwise, only dirt and brushes littered his skin. 

Jack was unharmed, with only some cuts on his face. Crewel saw that car wrack, it got hit in the drive side. So Ace and Ortho by the look of it took the most damage. Talking about Ortho, the android was held by Jack in his arms. He was deactivated, and oil stains the beast teen's clothes. 

"Zigvolt, bring Trappola here." He said, walking to a grass patch in front of the entrance. The boy thankfully wastes no time to bring his classmate to get aid. As he was unwrapping the various colored bandages around the ginger's body, getting a winch or hiss from the boy, the housewardens got to the scene, each worrying and fretting over their freshman. 

Riddle jumped to aid him with healing the more serious wounds in the first year. In true Ace Trappola fashion, the boy cracked a joke that made the second-year huff a remark that shut him up. If it wasn't for the way his grey eyes seemed to be livelier and the way his body moved less stiffly and tens than a few hours prior, Crewel would have truly believed the annoyance in the boy's tone wasn't a way to mask his relief.

Trey and Cater follow their queen's example and make a beeline for their other first year, Vil and Ruggie close behind them to reach their students. Rook and Leona made their way to the only first years coherent enough to tell them what happened. Sebek and Jack let their upperclassmen interrogate them about what happened, all under Malleus' close eye.

Lilia was looking at Sebek proudly as his ward, his boy, told the other housewardens how he directed everyone around to get to the meeting place. Using the survival skills the older taught him. How he ripped parts of their clothes to make bandages. The way he had to wake up Deuce every two hours sharp to make sure he was okay. Ace has to be checked on frequently to not choke on his blood. About how he built a shelter from benches and leaves and made a fire. 

The process of finding food and drinking water was hard, only finding a river after two hours. The blackberries were few and shard to devoid equally, but they managed.

The fae was standing behind the green-haired boy, taking in everything the half-fae was saying. Idia made his way over too, taking his brother from a  hesitating Jack with a quick thanks.

The beast-man looks after Idia in silent worry for the robot. Ruggie saw that and put a hand on his shoulder. A hushed conversation between them starts with the older reassuring the younger in his Ruggie way. Leona added his impute to the conversation when he felt like it. 

Lilia hovers behind a sprinting Silver, smiling in relief when his gaze meets Sebek's before the younger was jumped by the silver-haired human. "You jerk! You made me worry for your intolerant sake!" Despite the harsh words, the human leaches onto the half-fae like a koala bear to a tree. 

Sebek sputters in embarrassment, only half-heartedly trying to tug the older off him, but no luck. A cold face is nested in the croak of his neck before Silver falls asleep, a peaceful look on his face. Sebek sighed in frustration, holding the fellow guard by his legs to not fall over.

The cackled laughter coming from Lilia made Sebek flush in embarrassment, hiding his pink face from his amused prince and giggling mentor behind silver hair.

Two hours took to get everyone settled down. The first years were cuddling in a pile on the very back row of seats of the bus that would take them back. After Ace's injuries had been treated by the alchemy teacher and Riddle to a level where he wasn't under any real risk, they moved on to do the same for all the other first years. 

Epel was the second worst. His leg was broken and had to be put back in place for some proper bandages to be wrapped around it to help with the healing process. The short but painted curse word said by the purple-haired boy was overlooked by the actor, who was holding Epel down with Rook as Crewel twisted his leg. 

After that, the boy was given some painkillers from Riddle, who always carried them on him from the headache brought by the messes of his own two students.

With Epel and Ace taken care of and high on painkillers on different levels, Deuce was the next to be examined. Thankfully, no internal damage was done, and no bad injury besides a mild concussion. A bandage was wrapped around his head and put to rest with the other two. Sebek needed to have his dominant hand disinfected, and his wounds checked for pieces of glass (which Malleus wasn't too happy about, scolding the younger, making Sebek look like a sad puppy).

Once the cuts were dressed in gauze and wrapped in bandages, the half-fae was led to the other kids. Jack was the least injured of all of them, with some brushes on his face and hands but otherwise fine. Even so, Ruggie kept fratting over him like he did over all the other kids. Stopped only after Leona threatened him with being put on babysitter duty for his nephew the next time he came over. 

Once all the first years that were made from organic matter were taken care of, it only left the android one to be repaired. Thankfully for the teachers, who have no android knowledge, Idia took care of that. 

An hour later, Ortho had been taken care of too. The boy looked brand new. He was in a deep sleep so his programs will have time to adjust to not provoke any overheating that might lead to a fire. 

With all the kids under the watchful eyes of their dorm leaders, Crawly directed the remaining children to pack up their bags and go back to school. The first years had no languages, all burning in the car fire. The older teens learned some of their clothes for the younger ones to wear instead of the ragged ones they had. 

Riddle passed Epel one of his short-sleeved shirts and a pair of sports pants. Lilia was very insistent on passing some of his clothes to Ortho, despite Idia's insistence that he doesn't need clothes. The result was an android child who looked like he came out from a mix of 18th-century and futuristic games (much to Vil's displeasure). 

Ruggie leaned some of his clothes to Ace, holding his tongue from making a sassy remark about making the ginger pay for renting his clothes. The kid needed Cater's help to put the shirt on to not aggravate his injuries, which was embarrassing for the boy. Teasing him more than he already was ashamed might make him cry, and Ruggie didn't want to find out what Riddle might do to him if he made the first cry. 

Cater had shirts more fit for Deuce's lean shoulders and was more than happy to style his underclassman with the help of Vil's remarks. Deuce went with the flow, too tired to protest at his seniors playing dress up with him. At the end of the day, he got to snuggle in a comfy brown sweater that smelled similar to his mother's perfume. He considers this deal to be highly in his favor. 

Leona swore up and down that he wouldn't let the lizard give his pup clothes. The last thing he wanted was the lizard's stinking smell on his dorm member. Vil offered but was also denied. The eel siblings gave the kid some clothes at the end after Vil threatened to spray perfume in his nose if he refused.

Malleus was more than happy to dress Sebek up, purring silently when the younger member of his hoar had his smell all over him. 

After everyone was done packing, a new problem arose. There were only two buses and three groups of students. The third and second years know how to go to school, but what about the first years? Well, the housewardens insist that their students travel with them, while the first years refuse to be separated. 

A solution came after a while of arguing and butting heads. The first years, housewardens and two teachers will travel on a bus together. The rest of them will go with the other bus.

It got pretty cramped after Cater, Trey, and Ruggi insisted on coming along, the eel twins and Azul intimidated their way in and Malleus not so subtly threatened war if Lilia and Silver weren't granted access too.

So here they are. Squished in one bus with Sam as the driver. The youngers sleeping in a pile in the very back seats with Riddle, Malleus, Leona, and Vil on the bus chairs in front of them; Idia being more in the back on his phone. 

The atmosphere was so peaceful that Sam didn't have the heart to yell at the French hunter sunbathing on top of the moving bus.

Kamil and Jamil were traveling on their flying carpet beside the bus. Where did Kamil get it? We will never know. 

In the other, empty, bus, Crewel was humming as he drove behind the first bus. With all the kids squished in one bus, it gave the alchemy teacher time for himself.

Despite the empty second bus, Crowley still got left behind at the camp. An executive decision was made by Crewel. 

Chapter Text

It was killing Kalim inside to not follow the routine anymore. He has to do most things on his own, now that Jamil's true feelings had spilled like the ink that transformed his friend(?) in a vengeance filled overblot.

It was fair in Kalim's opinion that Jamil overblotted. Keeping all those resentment trapped inside him must have been agonizing. So he tried his best. Wake up by himself, go and eat by himself at breakfast if he haven't woken up too late by an alarm turned off when it rang at the correct hour.

The new routine was lonely but deserved in a way. Kalim tried to learn to do things for himself, with the help of his band mates, he managed to get a grip on the basic things he needed to do. It was a blessing to have someone so wise as Lilia to gave him advice and as friendly as Cater for support. 

His interactions with Jamil have been limited and icey. The black hair boy keep him distance at the same time made sure to always be in the vicinity in case the hire needed protection against assassination attempts.

Jamil haven't persay told him anything mean, just the way he was addressing him, like there  wasn't anything between them besides their roles. Kalim feels his skin crawl any time Jamil calls him 'master'. It sounded wrong, alien even, to be addressed as such. But as he isn't in the measure to tell Jamil how to adress him (to not be seen as a heartless tyrant).

So Kalim strive to be better. To show Jamil that he can change and that he is worthy of his friendship. Perhaps, when he becomes more independent, Jamil will see him as capable instead of a whinny rich kid that can't do anything by himself. 

A few weeks passed by like that. Kalim and Jamil interacting very little. Only if it's absolutely necessary to be in each other's company. Like school classes. They where in Crewle's class when it happened. The potion concoction they where preparing in a cauldron was bubbling on the low fire. 

The teacher directed everyone on each steps they have to take to ensure the potion is done correctly and safely. Kalim did his best, tried very hard to not mess this up for Jamil as he was his class partner. He took more time to add ingredients in the potion than usually as he made sure to double check if it's the correct one.

Jamil was looking at him intensely from the corner of his eye, noticing his fidgety behavior but not commenting. The other boy only remained him now and then when he forgets a ingredient. Kalim each and every time thank him with a sunny smile for the help while dying a little on the inside for messing up. 

After all the steps he took to not mess up, he still messed up somehow. The potion turns from a sky blue to a menacing black slowly but surely. The big wooden spun Jamil was using to mix the concoction got stuck in the liquid from the cauldron, not being moved an inch anymore despite how hard Jamil tried.

In a few seconds, the concoction from the cauldron bubbled violently upwards, spilling outside the iron cauldron rapidly, ending on the floor. Jamil makes a startled noise as smoke starts coming from the black potion. Kalim hurried to him from the ingredients shelf at the same time Crewel shouted to stay away from the potion. 

The smoke cover the entire class, making Kalim unable to see anything in front of him. His body colinde in something solide and warm a few second later. It was undeniably Jamil's, Kalim was sure he recognize the shape. His guess was right when Jamil grunts feom the impact a second later. Both of them were covered in black smoke as they surrounding change. 

Chapter Text

It was a cold night at Night Raven College. The wind was powerful enough to topple someone over. At this ungodly hour of the night, Ace, Deuce, Grim and Yuu where fixing the perfect's dorm roof.

"Yuu, I'm very close to make a complaint at the ministry of education." Ace growled, slamming the hammer on a nail, trying to keep the metal part of the roof from falling off again. "This is ridiculous! Head mage should be the one to to this!"

"Or pay someone more experienced to do this." Deuce piped up, not looking up from where he himself was slamming a rock against a nail. He lost a card game with Ace for the hammer (he swear the ginger cheated). 

Yuu snorted, moving Grim over a part of the roof. The cat creature was using his fire magic to melt the metal slightly to fix the piece of the roof in place. "And what will you say? 'My head master is involved in child endangerment and abuse activities at the school?' Come on Ace, if they wanted to close the school, they would had done it when you're brother was still a student."

Ace grumbled, continuing his part of repairs." When will I be allow to use my human rights?"

"Not at this school." Deuce said, giving his nail a hard hit. The rock split in two in the boy's hands. The dark blue haired boy looks at the rock- errr rocks, pondering what to do next.

"Ace. Give me the hammer." The rock pieces get thrown over the ledge. The ginger stops hitting at his bent nail, pulling the hammer protectively against his chest. "Don't be a sour loser, Jeuce!"

Deuce growled at the stupid nickname. He reached out to take the tool from the other's hands despite his protests. "You cheated!" 

"No, I didn't! I won fairly!" The two boys start wrestling with each other for the hammer. Yuu had to stop using Grim as an improved glow torch when the two troublemakers started to get too closer to the ledge for the magicless student liking. "Guys, enough! If you keep going you will-"

-

"Annnnd, there." Yuu placed that last band aid over the last of Deuce's untreated injuries. The boy nods in gratitude at his friend. "Thanks prefect." He rubs his cheek over the various band aids on his face. The fall from the roof thankfully didn't lead to any broken bones, Ace broke most of their fall with his wind magic. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to prevent the sharp rocks from scraping any uncovered patch of skin.

"This suckssssss." Ace whined from the couch. He was like an jackass taking all the sofa for himself by being spread over the furniture entirely. Deuce would had start fighting with him again if not for Yuu's threats of throwing the empty medkit at them if they start another fight tonight. Apparently, the first aid is as 'luxurious' as the dorm itself.

Yuu brought some dingy chairs from somewhere in the dorm for them and Grim to sit on. "Serve you right for fighting on a rooftop during strong winds." Yuu replied, stroking the cat demon who was draped in his favorite human's lap. 

Ace muttered in the sofa cushions, his face and hands had just as many band aids on them like Deuce's. The other boy wasn't in a better mood himself. Body slouched against the backrest of the chair, head tilted backwards to look at the ceiling. 

Taking some pity on the two boys, Yuu raised from the chair and made a quick trip to the kitchen, taking something before returning to the common room. 

"Here guys. We can share some."

Both Heartslabyul first years look up at their friends. Their gloomy demeanor change quickly at seeing the ice cream bucket held by the magicless student. 

"Sweet! Give me some." Ace eagerly sit up, making grabby hands at Yuu. "Nu uh. First, scoot over. Secondly, promise to share."

The ginger made a offend noise at the accusation. "Me? Not sharing? Absurd!" To make a show of being hurt, Ace put a hand over his chest, like the drama queen he was. "Scoot over already." Ace was unceremoniously shoved to the end of the couch by the blue haired boy. "Hey! Watch it, Jeuce!" 

"Hush. I want ice cream."

Ace pouts, looking at Yuu with his best impression of puppy eyes. "Ice cream now?" 

Yuu sigh, knowing this is the best Ace has to give the prefect. Asking for the ginger to promise not to take more then his portion was pushing it. No matter. The greedy boy will have to fight Grim for more ice cream while Yuu and Deuce could share together in peace. 

"Yeah. Ice cream now."

And as Yuu had predicted, halfway through eating ice cream, Grim and Ace started bickering. At least Deuce had the decency to scold them after finish a spoon full of ice cream (unlike a cat like creature). 

Yuu has to grin at the three idiots that are the prefect's friends. Snapping a few pictures of them with the phone, the only calm student enjoys the ice cream while the room erupts in chaos.

Another day in Twisted Wonderland. 

Chapter Text

Kalim was cold. He was on something warm but everything around him felt cold. The boy press himself further in the warmth. He quickly sit upward when a gran come from somewhere far too close to his ear. 

The first thing he noticed was the black around him. It trickle down the walls, dripping from the ceiling making the puddles on the floor bigger. The second was the warmth he was sitting on was actually the body of someone not so happy to be set on.

A hand grabs his wrist, moving it from where it was pressed against a neck. "Kalim. Move." Jamil's raspy voice choked out. 

Kalim stumbled upward. As soon as he was on his legs he offered a hand to Jamil only to see that the other was standing already, looking through his pockets. Kalim let his hand drop disappointed he didn't get the chance to help Jamil up.

Curiously, he let his eyes follow the other, wondering what he was doing. His hand reaches his shirt breast pocket to fidget with his magic pen- that was not there. The white hair boy looks in a panic in every pocket of his clothes. Every pocket was turned inside out and his cardigan was thrown on the floor in his search. 

"Stop that." Kalim look up at Jamil. Their eyes meet for a few seconds before the taller looks at one of the walls. "They aren't on us, which means we probably lost them when we got here." 

Kalim deflated slightly. He was to blame for the situation they where in. Opening hia mouth to apologize to Jamil for what happened only for the other to start walking through the faintly illuminated corridor. Kalim swollow back his apology in favor to hurry to keep up with Jamil. 

The other was looking around with a critical stare and an expression seeming empty. Kalim knew better though. The barely there corner of his lips pointing downward and his lips pulled far to tightly in a line gave away how he was frustrated. 

"What is this place?" 

Kalim didn't get enough time to look at Jamil more as the other already starts to move around to look at the structure of the coridor. So no injuries serious enough were suffered during the fall, Kalim notes in his head as he trails behind Jamil. He wrinkles his nose as they pass beside a wall full of that black stuff. Call it carelessness or a morbid fascination, but Kalim reached with a finger to touch that misterios substance. He wants to know what it was and why it was everywhere. It was like water but the smell was far harsher.

"Don't!" Jamil grabs his wrist before he could touch it. Red eyes meet the other's eyes and they where silent for a while. The hire was expecting a scolding, but none came. Jamil let go of his hand instead, looking forward again. "Let's go. We have to find a way out of here. Don't touch anything."

"Ok..." Kalim muttered. He rest his hand against his chest as he looks at Jamil's back. The two start to walk again through the wooden coridor. So much black liquid was making Jamil suppress shudders. It remained him of the time he overblotted. It doesn't help that the smell is the same. The teen doesn't know where they were but this place was least of his favorite. 

The two boys adventure further down the hallway. Their steps make splashing sounds echo in the seemingly empty place. Unbeknownst to them, a lot of creatures are waiting in the darkest corners of the place.

Chapter Text

In the world of Twisted Wonderland relationships are very important. From the rulers to peasants, parents to kids, everyone knew about the soulmarks. When the universe decides to pair you up with someone, either platonic or romantic, a mark would bloom somewhere on your body. Nobody knows when this first happened. Some believe is a tradition as long as time itself. When you hit the 16 year old mark, a platonic soulmark or marks will appear on you body. There are cases, rare but still happening, where someone will have more than one soulmark. Usually green in color, with only a splash of color of your soulmate, the platonic soulmark will appear on your 16th birthday. The romantic soulmark is a little more complicated and Sebek wasn't really interested in it. Can't have some stupid puerile crush get in his way on doing his job as a guard.

Some nights, when sleep doesn't seem to come, Sebek can't help but wonder...Who would his platonic soulmates be? When he was younger he was hopping it would be Silver. They grew up together. It would only be normal for them to keep on being close. But as Silver became 16 and he got his Night Raven Collage acceptance letter, excitedly telling the half fae that he will go with his father to keep the prince safe. Sebek could only numbly half listen while he watched Silver's wrists as the other moves his hands around. A torns bush and a grinning bat where side by side on the older boy's left wrist. That was...fine. He will be 16 next year and he will have a platonic soulmark too. And perhaps, it could be Silver! After all, he already has 2 soulmarks. One more won't hurt, right?

Foolish thinking. Oh so foolish of him to get his hopes up. After Lilia left with Silver for the boy's first year at the school, Sebek wasn't doing so good in their home town. Kids in his school, full faes, started to pick on him. In the past Silver would stand up to their harsh words. But he wasn't there anymore. Sebek was left on his own to fend off critics addressed to his ears and his lineage and pretend to not hear the whispers as he pass by in the hallways. With shame, he will admit that their judgments did affected him back then and still linger to this day.

Months of tourment pass. September turned to March and finally...finally! Spring break was here. Silver had a lot of story to tell. And Sebek as a good friend sits and listened. The 17th day of March came around and his world took a drastic change. On his shoulder a lone dandelion mark stood. 

That was...not fine. All his hopes that Silver will be his soulmate evaporate. That night, after his birthday party, Sebek cried inconsolable tears all night. In private of course, so his siblings won't hear those pitiful sounds from a future royal guard.

Afterwards everything changed. Between him and Silver appeard a distance. No longer was Sebek inviting him to swim in the lake near Lilia's forest cabin. The younger make an extreme effort to not be seen without his shirt on around Silver. Even going as far to use his siblings makeup to cover the mark.

Silver tried to bug him about the platonic mark. But he never showed it to him. It wasn't relevant anymore. Sebek's duty was to protect the prince and bring honor to his dorm.

His plans got shaken shortly after meeting Yuu and their band of misfits. Despite his best efforts to distance himself and not get dragged into their shenanigans, he still got stuck with them. As time pass, his disdain diminished. The other first years weren't as bad for a bunch of troublemakers.

Unsurprisingly, platonic soulmarks came into discussion one day after school. Ace was whining about Riddle having higher expectations from him and Deuce as the younger boys were two out of the surpriging 5 platonic marks the Heartslabyul dorm leader had. That led to Epel complain about his own dorm leader and how unfortunately it was to be his and the French creep platonic soulmate. Jack followed suit in his exasperated ramble about Ruggie and Leona. Ortho enthusiastic as ever talked openly about wishing his brother would take better care of himself. 

Sebek turned out all the talk the first years had about their platonic soulmates. He had been bitter at the beginning. All the other first years had their dorm member as their platonic soulmates. Hell! Ace and Deuce had four marks each! And Sebek only had one... Ortho too had one but that was a miracle in itself. Who would had thought that destiny will be far nicer to a robot before him. But Sebek soon realized he was being selfish with his blinding envy. 

Despite their amount of soulmates, Ace and Deuce struggled to communicate and understand their complex upperclassmen. Jack was very annoyed with all the teasing from his housewarden and unofficial second in command. Epel was tethering on the edge of throw hay in Vil's bed and closet any time the actor annoyed him. Ortho was a constat reminder for Idia about what it could have been. A ghost of a boy that once was. 

Sebek felt dumb for feeling as such. But he couldn't help it. Any time he saw Silver and Lilia in the Diasomnia common room past the hour of curfew, it was always to do something domestic. He felt ashamed when he walked in those father son moments later at night as he was on his way to grab a glass of water as sleep didn't seemed to came that night either. 

That was...fine. Silver and Lilia are allowed to watch movies that humans made and cuddle on the couch. The stinging in his chest shouldn't happen when he thinks about it but it does.

All eyes of the other first years are on him and Sebek is aware right away that he had been quiet for far too long for the others to not pick on it. 

"What about you, Fangs?" The red head's voice made his eyes meet with the raised eyebrow of the card soldier. "Don't you have something to complain about with all the soulmate thing?" 

"Don't put foolish questions as such, human!"

It was a swift reply but did was intended. Ace rolled his eyes and got back at annoying Deuce and Grim. "Touchy subject, huh?" Epel's whisper to Jack was ignored but not unheard.

After hanging out some more with one another, the first years left to each of their dorm. That night Sebek stayed in bed, wondering why did it bothered him so much. It wasn't like he was obligated to meet or to like them. He meet people who choose to not meet or didn't liked their platonic soulmates.

Silver was the moon. At least Sebek associated him with it. From his hair mimicking the color of moon light and his curse but also his calm and mysterious nature. Silver was the moon. Lilia is the stars. Always there even if you don't see him. Either as an opponent or a parental figure. Lilia was complex as the vast sea of stars that made constellations so beautiful to look at but overwhelming if you don't know where to look.

Ace compared Malleus with the moon, but Sebek has to disagree. Wake sama was obliviously the sun. The center of Sebek's universe as the other first years like to joke. It obliviously had more truth than he initially thought. His life orbits around the prince. Sebek dedicated his life fully to protect and fulfill any of Malleus' wish. He use to think he was the Earth that moved around His Majesty, but that has to be wrong. That would mean that Silver orbits around him, and that's no longer valid. No since they where kids. Or probably it never was.

Despite his differences, Silver was admired and loved by everyone who met the quiet boy. He listened to Deuce on multiple occasions ramble about Silver to know that a good part of his friends admire the gentle but fierce second year.

He doesn't know if Silver, Lilia or Malleus see him as anything else besides a guard that had the face of an acquaintance. Sebek starts to regret putting such distance between him and Silver. But it was for the better. He couldn't raise from the older boy's shadow without putting him in his own shadow, so he tries extra hard to be seen as Silver's equal rather than better than him.

But...in the end. No matter how hard he tries...he always will be the half fae that always seems to to the things half right. His family and now friends tried to reassure him that being half human wasn't bad. It was who he was. Sebek still hated it. Hated that he couldn't fully relate to the other first years experiences growing up as he was raised in a mix of human and fae culture. He hated how he doesn't look fae enough to pass as one but neither human enough to not raise suspicions. 

Sebek was Sebek...too tamed to be a fae and too wild to be a human. A lone asteroid watching as the sun, stars and moon are beloved and admired by all, including each other. And Sebek could do nothing more then to wish, selfishly so, to have changes to prove that he is worthy staying on their orbit despite not offering anything.

If Sebek knew that all his world will turn upside down from marley going on vacation with his family, he would had stayed at school over the winter and sleep until school starts again. 

His father suggested going to a country a little further away from the Queendom of Roses. It was a small place but very favorable place for a family vacation. Sebek initially wanted to tell Lilia, Silver and Malleus, but he felt too much of a bother to disturb their conversation as the three walked towards the mirror chamber with Sebek trailing behind. 

He chose against telling them which will come to regret later on. As his luck would have it, the boy meet his platonic soulmate in that country. He was a Duke of a country close to the Briar of Thorns. He (the Duke) was wondering on his own after ditching his bodyguards by sprinting through an alleyway. Sebek feeling as if it's his responsibility to keep the slightly older boy safe, and to avoid getting the Briar Vally involved in a conflict with the neighboring county if the Duke got harmed, Sebek insisted to bring him back to his hotel.

It wasn't too hard to convince the Duke, who's name was Dillan, to come back to the hotel. The older only wanted a few moments to explore the city whiteout feeling like he has someone breathing doen his neck at all times. So surely but slowly, they started strolling the street in the direction of the hotel. Dillan stopped every now and then to watch something in the window of a shop, not frequent enough to be annoying. Sebek indulged him every time and stood to the side, keeping vigil. 

Surprisingly, the older boy wasn't unpleasant company. He would ask Sebek questions about his home country, his family and school, sharing some aspects of his like with the half fae in a way that it wasn't self absorbed. Sebek was almost shocked to realized that...he actually enjoyed the conversation. 

It was probably due to not being as close to Silver, his only confidant who he once could had told anything. Sharing some of his thoughts with another person (besides the first years) felt good. So they kept talking, until they where close to the hotel. That moment a group of punks recognized the Duke and started pickin a fight him him. Sebek was quick to step in to prevent an altercation. Unfortunately, the idiots where too dumb to know not to pick a fight with an trained bodyguard and knight. The fools where on their ass in less than five minutes. 

One of them managed to rip a part of his shirt in the brawl. His left sleeve was ripped away from his shirt, leaving his skin unprotected in the afternoon air. The boy didn't gave his clothing too much of a thought, too busy making sure the Duke was save first. 

Dillan gasped at seeing his mark on his sholder, the one he didn't bothered to hide with makeup that morning. His sister had a limited amount of foundation in this vacation and he didn't wanted to leave her with little for herself. And going into a store to buy some for himself sounded far too embarrassing. Sebek didn't initially knew what was happening, but everything became clear when the older boy rolled up his sleeve to show that he himself had the same soulmark. 

That is- honestly? Sebek doesn't even know at this point. He was far too tired for all this. Dillan pulled him to go his hotel room. Sebek only stumbled after him, sighing tiredly. The Duke started to exchange stories with him, offering him food from his mini fridge, overall trying to be a good host. As hours of discussion pass, Sebek came to a surprising conclusion. The Duke and him had met before. Over 5 years ago, in Briar Vally, they met on a playground. Dillan was there with his family in some diplomatic business and stopped at the playground before checking in at the hotel. 

Lilia was at that time with him and Silver at the playground. Vaguely he remembered that him and Silver played hid and seek and the older boy must have fallen asleep while playing as he wasn't responding when Sebek couldn't find him after 15 minutes of calling. Lilia had gone to look for him, reassuring the worried boy that he will be right back. In the short while he was away in the park, a family came. A boy with blue hair and yellow tips that now he remembered it must had been Dillan skipped over, excitedly asking if he wanted to play. Sebek a little suspicious accepted hesitantly. He didn't had anything better to do anyways. And besides, Lilia will be back shortly. 

Shortly meant half a hour later. Dillan already said his goodbyes and left with his parents by the time Lilia came back carrying a muddy and crying Silver back. Sebek wanted to tell him about his new friend but one look at the other boy who had his head pressed in his father's sholder made a new wave of worry florist in Sebek's heart. Tiredly, Lilia grabbed Sebek's hand and gentry pulled the boy on the way to their neighborhood. 

He forgot that encounter, too busy worrying about his friend who apparently got spooked by a racoon and had fell in mud behind some bushes. Sebek was strangely touched by the fact that Dillan still remembered their first meeting. And a little guilty for forgetting. He has to make it up to the other boy. Inviting him to launch should be a good start. Despite the older boy's protests, Sebek insisted to meet tomorrow to make it up to him. 

And a lunch turned to going to the arcades a few days later. Then numbers where changed and over time they had their own little inside jokes.

Malleus was displeased. He was also aware he was pouting, no need to point that out anymore Lilia. For a few days in fact, the housewarden had been in a bad mood. Why you may ask? Sebek stinks. Oh, but no any kind of foul odor, a fragrance of a stranger was clinging to Sebek like a second skin. It was unlike any other smell in Malleus associated with his younger guard. Sebek smelled of mint, ocean and pin tree; some other smells too but Malleus was aware of the fain fragrances of the other first years. What bothered him was the new smell of field flowers that was now present in his dorm. He could blame it on a new shampoo or parfum of the younger, but Malleus couldn't stop the nagging feeling that it was more at play. He gently as possible asked about if Sebek changed his shampoo but it was a negative as he thought so. 

Malleus was displeased even more so when he found out why Sebek smelled like that. A human, of important station, was hanging around his guard any time away from school. The smell was his. The dragon part of his blisters in indignation, possessively growling about hoard and youngling and stranger. He was amiable enough to not smitten the Duke with one of his lightnings, only to not start a conflict with another country. Instead to solve this issue, Malleus made sure to mask the foul smell with more of his hoard's one. 

Giving Sebek scarfs that are clearly Silver's as an excuse to leave more of their smell on his youngest at the slightest drop in temperature. Fetching a blanket all the way from Lilia's room to wrap around Sebek when he find the younglin sleeping in the commune room while learning. Even making sure to be in contact with Sebek more often. A hand on the sholder and back id enough to calm his draconic side slightly. The message was made clear. Sebek is part of his hoard, platonic soulmark or not. 

Lilia was amused but a little ticked off. The Duke was hogging his student's attention and as a good mentor, Lilia couldn't let that go. He purposely put training lessons more frequently to not let Sebek have time to talk to much with the other boy.

He might had held Sebek back a few times to 'fix some of his mistakes in training' when he knew that he will met with the Duke, but he dose so out of a place of kindness for his future student's reputation as a guard. No Silver, he isn't by any chance jealous. Why would you even suggest such a blasphemy? 

Silver was so done with his father and older brother. Theirs possessiveness over Sebek was too much in his opinion. Ok, maybe having the Duke spend so much time with Sebek was annoying, and finding out Sebek is his soulmate and he didn't told any of them before stings a bit, but at least he knew how to stop. He did tried to make sure to spend more time with Sebek, even if the younger didn't knew what prompted his sudden clingy-ness.

After another week of the other three acting more touchy than usual, Sebek cracked and asked what was happening. They tried to deny it at first but at Sebek's insistences they finally confessed about their jealousy. Sebek was floored at finding out that his prince, his Waka sama was having a cold type of war with the Duke over his attention and Lilia and Silver were on in that too. 

He was so emotional that he didn't noticed that a could must had rained just for enough seconds to wet his face, around his eyes. That definitely what happened. He wasn't crying! Please stop laughing Waka-sama!

In the end they talked things out, apologized to each other and promised to make things right whiteout having Sebek stop talking to Dillan. Malleus was pleased, so much so that he was willing to look the other way about the smell of field flowers. The prince suggested that all of them could have a magical tattoo of a lightning, as their own kind of bonding mark, and Sebek could have a grinning bat, a torn bush and sword.

Lilia, Malleus and Silver where happy that Sebek was happy. After all, he was their gravity. Keeping them together and making sure no one wonders away from their axes. 

Chapter Text

"Please, have mercy!"

"No. Give me the money Idia."

"How I'm supposed to pay my taxes if I gave you all my hard-earned money!?"

"It doesn't concern me. Now hand over the money."

"Azulllll! I'm going to be homeless. No house means no anime figurines!"

"Is not my fault that you made such unwise investments. Perhaps if you think it through, you would be in the position that you are right now."

"I don't have to money to pay! Stop acting like a mafia boss looking for protection payment!"

"Great seven above. If you don't hand over the money you will have to pay for someone to protect you from me! Don't make me reach over the board and get them myself."

Idia held the toy money protectively to his chest, refusing to give it to the other teen. Frustrated, Azul glares at the older. It was foolish to continue to bicker over such simplistic matter. Idia landed on his property and now he has to pay him. What part doesn't he get?

Azul played by the rules and still, somehow, he is the bad guy. Is not his fault that Idia bought a house near the mall so he could 'be close in case any anime merchandise he wants is sold'.
His eyes wandered over the board in thought.

An idea made him grin from ear to ear in what could only be described as a 'I had twisted your words to fit my bill and you can do nothing about it because you signed a contract' face.

"That's how it is going to be? Fine then." Azul reached over the table. His fingers grab the green-colored plastic house before Idia can protest. Azul leaned back in his chair as Idia registered what had happened. "Hey!" Azul ignores him. Focusing all his attention on the plastic piece in his hand, twisting it and playing with it on his palm.

"Seems like you haven't paid your mortgage." It was all he said before throwing the house over the room. Idia followed his house flying through the air with an open mouth. He turns to Azul and crosses his hands over his chest. "That was exaggerated even for you."

Azul adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose, diec in his hand ready to be thrown. "You insisted on picking this game. The least you could have done was to play by the rules." His businessman person said in the silky tone the grey-haired boy use to trick people. "But don't pout now. I still haven't taken all your money yet."

Idia glares at his wide smirk. The introvert shifted in his chair to find a better position, ready for another round. "I will be the one to beat you. Your level might be high but my stamina stats are unmatched!"

"We will see about that."

Chapter Text

After Riddle's overblot, everything seemed fine. People got along now that the tension of walking on eggshells around the dorm leader diminished. Trey thanked Ace for his help afterward, stating how good it was to have his eyes open so he wouldn't repeat his mistakes.

Of course, Ace thought nothing of it at that time. It was simply his senpai thanking him for bringing his childhood friend with his feet back on the ground. The look in Trey's eyes as he looked at Ace that night after everyone was done brushing their teeth was strange, yes. But it could be easily shaken off since Trey hangs out with Rook and some of the French stalker's habits might have stuck with the baker.

Nothing happened after that. For a couple of weeks, everything seemed quiet. Well, as quiet as Night Raven College can be. The things that happened after Riddle's overblot were easily dismissed by the redhead and given justifications. 'Oh, Trey offered him some baked goods since he ''baked too many'' and had leftovers to give?’ Surely it was the older boy's way of putting Ace to try some of his experimental bunch before an unbirthday party. 'Cater was far more touchy with him? Insisting on taking more pictures together? Getting sent memes by the other ginger at unholy hours of the night when people should be asleep unless you are a night owl like Ace?’ It had to be Cater senpai's way of welcoming freshmen, nothing more.

Everything was mild at first. Nothing to get worked up over. So why couldn't he shake off the sensation of something bad happening? Everything was relatively more tamed than when he first joined the dorm. Hell, even he and Riddle were getting along better. So why did his skin crawl around his dorm?

Speaking of dorm leader. He was the only one who was acting the same. Fine, Ace will give credit when credit is due. The older redhead was more lenient and understanding than before. Occasionally, Ace could even get off with pulling a prank on him as long as the other was in a good mood. If Riddle was in an extremely good mood, he would do a prank of his own back. But only if planets align and the spirit of the Queen of Heart was on his side.

Things started to get different after Leona's overblot. Trey made a 180 turn and turned from cool older brother to smothering mother hen. It was impossible to leave the dorm if the third year didn't know beforehand. Not even a slip from the housewarden made the suffocating interrogations stop. When Ace confronted him about the change in comportment Trey justified as himself being worried for his students' safety.<<-Come on Ace. Can you really blame a guy for worrying? I only want you guys safe.>> Ace only grumbled. He gave in far too easily.

Cater was next to have a more noticeable change in comportment. If having to deal with Trey's overbearingness wasn't enough, Cater started to pop out of nowhere to hang out. Ace and Deuce didn't tell him where they would be most of the time. Even so, the other will just know where the freshmen of his dorms are anywhere on the school grounds. Ace shook it off after a little more time than the instances with Trey. Ok, so Cater wanted to hang out with them. Cool. They were part of the same dorm so it's normal.

What was not normal was for everything to get dialed up to 100 overnight. After a few weeks of this strange behavior happening, as Ace was just getting used to it, everything got out of hand. 

Trey was acting like a paranoid maniac. He had to know any time he and Deuce left the dorm, where they would be if not in the dorm, and at what hour they would come back. Any slip from the dorm leader would be shredded once given to Trey if the older wasn't informed prior. Ace tried to argue, yelling and arguing against the injustice happening in his dorm, again. But it was like arguing with a wall. Nothing he said had an effect on Trey. It only got him grounded on flamingo duty with no possibility of hanging out with the other first years on the weekend.

Cater was now practically glued to his and Deuce's side. Nowhere on the school grounds was a safe hiding place to not be found by the grinding senior. Ace felt like he was in a horror movie while Cater saw this as a hide-and-seek game. The guy even had the nerve to tell them that their hiding places were too evident and gave them advice for some better ones.

Ace was disturbed by this behavior. At least he had Deuce on his side. Or at least he was on his side until Trey and Cater somehow managed to rope him into their deranged schemes.

He remembers with astonishment how Deuce reacted when he had enough of all the craziness and snapped. 

“-How can you defend this!? Don't you see that they are acting like this is a prison!?”

He was mad. Shouting at his friend. Ace didn't care if it was in the common room where people were hanging out at the moment. He was done pretending that how Cater and Trey were acting was not obsessive.

Deuce looked at him with wide eyes, as if he didn't know why he was so upset.

“-Ace. You are making a scene…” The slightly taller boy whispered. His green eyes flickered at all the eyes of the other students that were on them.

“-I don't care!” Ace shouted, throwing his hands wildly around. “-I don't give a single crap if everyone looks at us!”

Deuce frowned. One of his hands was reaching out to the red-haired boy with the intention of calming him down perhaps. Ace wasn't in the right mindset to care.

“-You can't expect me to be ok-”

A hand grabbed his shoulder suddenly. He was turned around to face the person before he had any time to process what was going on.

“-I often encourage the newbies to express their opinions, as long as it is done respectfully.” 

Trey Clover's deep voice made Ace gape at the older teen. Trey meets his eyes with a smile. One that made Ace's insides cool several degrees at once. The hand on his shoulder gripped too harshly to be considered an amicable arm around the shoulder. It felt more like a prison sentence.

“-I don't know what got you so fired up.” Trey's glasses shine threateningly with the light coming from the light bubbles. “-But I will have to ask for you to keep inside voices, k?” He tilted his head to the side and that smile reminded him of Rook's too much for comfort. 

Ace gulped. Red eyes flicker slightly to look at Deuce who was quiet until now. The redhead feels his face pale as the look on Deuce's face was one a child would do when they got caught with the hand in the cookie jar. The grip on his shoulder squeezing a little tighter reminded him that he hadn't replied yet.

Ace shrugged Trey's hand off him. The grimace coming over the older's face was almost as scary as the smile.

“-Ace…”

“-No!” Despite the warning in the baker's tone, Ace persisted. The younger backed away from Trey- from Deuce. “-Don't touch me!” All those people are crazy. He has to leave. Ace took a few steps backward at the same time Trey took a few forwards. Professor Crewel has to still help Sam at his shop- Another step forward leads to the freshman taking a step back. If he takes a long enough head start…Another step back. With enough luck, he might be able to make it to ask for help-

“-Oof!"

Ace stumbled when he slammed back first into something. He was far too focused on what was happening in front of him to check his back. 

“-Careful firsty~” Ace's breath stuck in his throat when two slim but surprisingly strong arms wrapped around him, keeping him from stumbling like a baby deer. “-Can’t have you hurt now, can we?” Ace's blood froze in his veins as Cater's peppy voice said from behind him. The first year looked at Deuce with terror in his eyes, only to be ignored by his fellow roommate. The blue-haired boy was too busy talking to Trey to give the poor boy close to a panic attack the time of the day. 

“-Come on Acey~” Ace flinched at the other ginger's voice so close to his ear. “You look so tired. Perhaps you should lay down.” It wasn't a suggestion. The older ginger was already tugging Ace towards the door. 

“-Good idea Cater.” Trey finally acknowledged the other third-year in the room. “-Some rest might do him some good. He has been so stressed lately.” The way his upperclassmen adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose never looked more menacing than at that moment. 

Desperately, Ace searched for Deuce's gaze. Hope for the older boy to protect him like he heard him boasting that he would if his friends were in danger. But Deuce did nothing. He only watched with a pitiful look as Ace was dragged out of the room by a smiling Cater. 

The whole trip to his and Deuce's room was filled with Cater rambling and Ace spiraling. No amount of bullshit Cater spouted about magic cam or some gossip from around the school managed to make the younger snape out of his numbness. 

The only thoughts in his head were about the fact that Deuce betrayed him. He threw him at the woolfs and didn't even bother to look back. He should have known better. All signs were there after all. The way Deuce was hesitant to condemn Trey's and Cater's behavior. How he still seemed to yearn for their approval. How he kept spending time around them when Ace explicitly told him that it wasn't safe. 

The door of his room opened and Ace was dragged inside. “-Dinner will be done in a few hours.” Cater said with his unwavering smile. The third year made Ace sit on the edge of his bed despite his attempts at wrestling his wrist out of Cater's hold. “-I will come to get you when it's done. Get some rest.”

The door of his room opened and then closed after Cater. Ace watched his door in stunned silence as he processed what was happening.

I'm on room arrest.’Ace inhaled sharply. He bolted to the door. His hands took hold of the doorknob, trying to twist it. After a few more tries to get the door open Ace gave up. The redhead kicks the door in frustration, cursing himself for not thinking about what could happen with Trey's and Cater's weird behavior. Ace slides down the door until he sits on the floor with his back resting against it.

The boy looked up at the window of his room. The last few rays of the sun cast his room in warm tones of yellow and orange. Some of the sunlight reached his spot on the floor, touching his face gently. The faint warmth made the first year a little more grounded.

'Don't panic. That's what they want you to do.’

After some deep breathing exercises, Ace was ready to plan an escape route.

After the dinner, Ace was escorted back to his room by one of his roommates. As expected, the other first-year did not attempt to have any kind of discussion. Ace tried at first to get some discussion going with the other. Unfortunately, the result was as expected. His third roommate had no intention of putting some of his input in the pathetic, one-sided thing that Ace referred to as conversation.

Seeing as no matter what he says will change anything, Ace made no further attempt at filling the silence. Once back in the room with the door locked again, Ace waited for no sound to be heard in the hallway before getting started.

With his ear pressed against the wood and the other in his pants pocket, the first year waited for all the footsteps in the hallway to quiet down.

Once the coast was clear, he crouched down in front of the door. He examined the lock carefully before picking a hairpin from his pocket and bent it to the desired shape. The pin got put in the keyhole and moved slightly around. Ace knew that he had a limited window of time. If he made too much noise they would confiscate his hair pin and he had very few of them left.

They will more than likely be confiscated if Trey and Cater search for ‘em. That's what they did when he tried to use his magic pen to escape earlier this afternoon.

Click

Ace held his breath. Experimentally he twisted the doorknob. The door cracked slightly as it opened a tiny bit. Ace closed the door before anyone could notice. It was how he expected. The doors like the entire dorm were made after the ones in the Queen of Hearts time. One lock mechanism that is easy to lockpick if you know how it works.

Waiting a little bit more to settle his nerves. The escape will have to be fast and stealthy. His magic pen was at Cater so if he got spotted then it would be really bad. He won't be able to protect himself and Ace is a little scared of what they would do to him if they caught him.

He already tried to escape once. A second time might not fly with his seniors.

Ace grips the doorknob tightly and counts to 10. Hairpin held tightly in one hand, in a clenched fist and out of sight in case he will need to use it to defend himself, Ace opens the door and makes a run for one of the secret passages his brother told him about.

Just as Jake had told him, behind one of the big pictures of the Queen in the far east side of the hallway a passageway made itself visible after Ace knocked on the frame clockwise skipping the 4, 6, and 1 knock and going straight for the other numbers.

Adrenaline was running high, making the redhead bold down the stone corridor that was looking similar to the rose maze. Ace had no idea where this would lead him. Jake didn't go into detail about this specific passageway as it was one only the housewarden and the vice was allowed to use. Jake was neither. He was lucky to witness it back in his second year by accident and the housewarden back then asked him to not let others know how to get access. Where he would end up once the corridor was finished was a mystery to his brother. Ace would be the first between them to find out.

His pace flattered slightly as the end of the corridor, more illuminated than the rest of it, came into his view. Ace pushes himself to run fast, motivated by the light that promises him a way out of this night. Nearly toppling over, the boy stumbles out of another portrait in the hallway near the kitchen.

Footsteps running in his direction startled him. The redhead hurried back through the portrait at the exact time a Heartslabyul student rounded the corner out of breath.

“-He is not here, vice houseworden sir!"

Another set of footsteps stopped at the end of the hallway. Trey's agitated voice calls out. “-Keep looking. Ace can't be that far.”

“-Yes, vice houseworden sir!”

Ace swears under his breath. A cold sweat broke over his skin from fear. 'They are looking for me. They know I'm missing.’ A hand presses over his own mouth to stop his shaky breathing from getting louder. The student bolts in the other direction, passing by Ace's hiding place. The redhead held his breath as the sound of footsteps became further away.

Ace looked right and left before bolting to the back door. His steps thud in his ears so loudly that even his pounding heart couldn't compete. At this rate, someone was going to hear him, but Ace couldn't care less. No amount of fear stopped him from throwing the door open and sprinting into the night.

He will have to circle the whole building to get to the front. That was the part of the plan where stealth is needed, but he doubts stealth will help him now that the whole dorm probably heard the door slam. He made a run for the tea garden instead. A little detour that will help him get to the rose maze. If he got in the rose maze, Ace had a better chance of throwing people off his trail. The rose labyrinth will make chasing him inconvenient and will leave more time for Ace to find a way out.

With his mind made up, Ace ran in the direction of the tea garden. Until now everything was silent. The boy has no idea if this is a good or bad thing. He at least isn't being chased but it still made him wonder. Could the others be hiding somewhere, only to get out of their hiding places when Ace got near? As his thoughts continued to spike his fear, doubt about his plan began to take hold of him. Trey and the other third and fourth years know the rose maze better than him. The second years too. If all his dorm is on the hunt for him, the rose maze is as much a chance for freedom as it's a trap.

With each huff of breath, Ace gets closer and closer to the entrance of the tea garden. It was his only hope. The redhead was willing to gamble his chances to escape despite the risk of being cornered and captured. 

His nervousness as well as hope raced through his body. He managed to pass the entrance to the tea garden! All that is left is to go over the bridge and half of this hell was ov-

No.

Ace stumbled to a stop. His legs screaming from exhaustion. The boy was huffing, trying to catch his breath but the fear and exhaustion were still going high through him.

No…

Ace's whole face has gone white as his housewarden looks at him, magic pen drawn. Everything felt like it was spinning. Oxygen disappeared entirely to the redhead, whose lightheadedness got worse. Riddle was in front of him, silently staring. His view was so distorted that he couldn't make up his facial expressions.

“-Ace.”

Riddle's tone made him flinch. His ears were ringing so he must be wrong, but Ace thought he could hear something in the older's tone that was no anger or frustration.

Ace managed to weez out pathetically.“-Dorm head…”

The moon, his only guiding light, hides behind a cloud. Riddle's magic pen stone was the only light now. He wonders what his dorm leader is thinking now, seeing him out past the curfew. Was he disappointed? Surely he is mad about this rule violation.

Ace made a step back. He nearly stumbled to the ground from his dizziness. The way the pair of grey eyes was still observing him made his limbs shake harder. Riddle was saying nothing. Why wasn't he saying something!?

“-Ace.” The boy made an effort to look at his dorm head. He was ready for a scolding, for a screaming fest. For Riddle to perhaps pop a blood vessel from anger. “-I'm sorry.”

'What?’

“-Off with your head!”

The familiar feeling of the magic collar grounded him a little. He yelped when the collar locked in place, sealing his magic away indefinitely. Ace gasped for breath. His breathing sped up at the realization that now he really was vulnerable. The collar gave him a great disadvantage in a fight. The younger ginger whimpers in panic, scratching at his neck and tugging at the collar.

‘ No no nono no nono nono non’

Ace took a few more steps back. His legs nearly gave out when his shoes slipped on a rock behind him. A pair of hands grabbed his arms, holding him firmly on his feet. The boy flinched hard at the contact, terrified of who was touching him. “-Careful.” He was slowly lowered to the ground as his legs refused to hold his weight.

The smell of roses and strawberries invaded his senses. The hands-on his arms moved. One was put on his shoulder and the other on his back, guiding him to lean against a warm body. “-I'm very sorry, Ace…” Numbly he could feel the hand on his back rubbing small circles. “-If they think I haven't punished you accordingly…they will do it for me…” Riddle held him tightly against his own smaller body. Ace continues to tug at the collar, choking himself unintentionally.

Riddle takes his hands into his, pressing them against his own chest. “-Breath Ace. I won't let them hurt you.” Ace sobs uselessly, weakly tugging his arms. “-Nno…let go o' me..” The dorm leader relaxed his hold a bit but didn't let go of the younger.

After some more struggling, Ace stumbled forward, against the warm body. Riddle let him rest on him, not minding the warm tears dripping against his neck. The younger's sobs made the older's heart break. So full of panic and terror. All he could think to do to calm Ace down or try to is to rub his back and rock back and forth gently to comfort the sobbing first year.

Trey, Cater, and the others will find them eventually. He will have to try and convince them to not punish Ace, even though it will be pretty challenging to do so. Trey doesn't like when things don't go his way, Riddle found that out firsthand a few months ago when he tried to report to the Headmage the concerning behavior of his dorm.

The way those yellow eyes he once associated with safety looked at him, sharp and threateningly in the dim light of the Mirrors Chamber that night a few weeks ago.

«-Don’t you think Headmage has been a little busy lately?» A gentle smile was offered to the shorter redhead while his childhood friend's body was towering over him, blocking the way out of the Mirrors Chamber. «-It won't be any good to distract him from his work.»

Riddle stepped backward any time Trey stepped forward. All the younger could focus on was how wrong the other's face looked. Any hints of Trey's past tenderness and care were swapped for something so wrongly looking that was making his face look deranged.

«-Trey, I command you as the housewarden of your dorm to get out of the way.» 

He was disturbed, very much so by this kind of behavior. Riddle was nearly having his back pressed against the wall to keep some distance between them. Never in his entire life, had Riddle experienced claustrophobia, but this had to be the closest he ever felt like having no space to breathe in such a big room. 

«-Ah. Sorry.» Trey backed away from him, letting Riddle have his personal space again. «-I probably scared you a little, didn't I?» He chuckled as if it was funny. Riddle kept his distance, having his left hand resting against his chest, over his magic pen.

«-How about we talk over tea first?» Trey offered him his hand with a guilty smile on his face. «-We can deal with whatever is bothering you amicably. If you still want to go to the Headmage afterward, I won't stop you.»

He was foolish. Believing that the glimpses of his old best friend he was seeing were truly him.

«-No foul play? You will let me go talk to the Headmage if I see fit after?»

«-Promise, Riddle. Now how about joining me for tea? I made a new type of strawberry tart and I want you to try it out.

Accepting the invite without looking at the oblivious red flags is what led Riddle to get drugged in the comfort of his own room. The illusion of safety shattered that night. He was nowhere safe. Trey and Cater kept him on some kind of drug to get him to cooperate. It was a mix made in alchemy class by the baker and the French man, Riddle later found out.

The worst part of everything? Everyone was aware of what those two were doing. For a few days, all the teachers tried to negotiate with the two juniors. Offering them offer after offer to stop the madness. Nothing worked. Vil too was in a similar place with Riddle. The model offered the younger some advice to bear living with an obsessive person.

Leona despite his pride was too scared of Rook to do anything. Azul and Idia too. Malleus was actually a more lenient follower of their ideology. Him being a dragon and having abandonment issues made him more possessive than is humanly normal. Jamil and Kalim were intimidated into not intervening by Trey and Rook.

This left Riddle completely alone with a crazed vice and Cater who adopted Trey's ideology long ago, even recruiting Deuce in their cult-like belief. A cult truly was what it became from his dorm. Everyone in his dorm was quick to follow Trey's footsteps. Some because they were scared of being abandoned (like Cater and Deuce) and saw this as the best opportunity to have and keep everyone together. Others just because they thought it was normal at NRC as Pomefiore and Diasomnia dorms behaved somewhat similar to Trey's reign of madness in Heartslabyul.

Everyone around him was crazy. Well, with an exception. Ace Trappola. The first year who punched him at the beginning of the year. A boy witty like a fox and just as slay. He was the only other person besides Riddle himself for all he knows that wasn't crazy.

Trey kept ranting to him about how Ace was pushing the new rules he expected everyone to follow and how it took everything in his power to not drug the younger to keep him ‘calm and happy' like Riddle. He had been horrified hearing this. Having drugs in your body constantly wasn't a pleasant experience. Riddle truly hoped that nothing would happen to Ace.

To win back Trey's trust, Riddle had to become…what Ace had called it? Ah, yes, a ’'boot licker''. It was very draining to always put up with and encourage the others' deranged and obsessive behavior. 'Was this how Trey and Cater felt before he overbloted?’

His charade played for weeks on end until Trey damned him trustworthy enough to no longer be drugged every day. Now it was only twice a week. Plus, as a bonus for no longer acting against them, Trey and Cater agreed to let him have his magic pen as long as it had a curse on it to make it unable to fire spells at them.

Riddle took what he could. He will find a way to make do with what he has until he finds a way out. All he needs is some time to plan.

The moment to prove his ‘'loyalty’' came when Trey ran into his room. Out of breath and agitated, the junior asked about Ace. Riddle felt a tiny amount of pride at the news. His freshman had managed to escape his room. It could be a chance for Riddle to take advantage of the chaos and make his escape too. All his plans were shattered and the pride turned into worry as Trey was ranting about punishments and solitary confinement.

‘He has to be out of his mind…That's inhumane to do to a 16-year-old boy.’ Riddle became stone-cold sober after Trey's rant. Drugs were running in his system, making him numb and a little dizzy. Even so, no amount of drugs could make his fear disappear.

He had to find Ace, and fast. The second year was quick to offer his help, promising Trey to find the younger boy. He was believed to the redhead's surprise. Trey gave him his magic pen and thanked him profoundly. What the older didn't know was that Riddle had his own motives. Once he finds Ace, he will make sure his student is safe. No matter what.

That's how he ended up like this. A handful of sobbing and terrified first year clinging to his body, and Riddle has no idea how to make him feel better.

Ace cried himself to exhaustion. He doesn't know if it's a good thing or not. Now the boy was more calm but the way he was pressing himself against Riddle's body in search of protection made the older enraged.

No student should have gone through this, more so Ace. The boy had already gone the whole year putting his life in danger by fighting overblots. Riddle could at least try to give the younger the illusion of safety by doing everything in his power to keep him by his side unharmed.

“-Thanks the seven, you found him."

Ace starts shaking again in his grasp. Riddle adjusted his hold, pressing the younger boy against his chest, magic pen resting against the taller boy's back as a sign of reassurance and warning to Trey.

“-Yes. I have.” The housewarden answered shortly to the figure of one Trey Clover inching closer to the kneeling pair in the grass. Gray eyes fixed on the magic pen in the junior's breast pocket.

“-Ace..” The addressed boy flinched at the frustrated sigh the baker gave. “-Do you know what your unplanned night stroll had caused?” Trey stepped closer to the pair. Riddle held his student tighter. 

“-Everyone from the dorm has been looking for you.” Riddle could feel Ace's heart pounding against his chest. “-Cater brought you dinner you know?”

“-Trey, don't-”

The older one paid the sophomore no mind. “-How do you think he felt when he came to your room to find you not there so late at night?”

Riddle bristled in anger. He knew what Trey was playing at and he hated him- detested him even, for trying to manipulate Ace.

Sobs and babbling start again from the youngest. It didn't stop even as Riddle tried his best to shush him and reassure him that everything was ok. 

“-Aw, Ace…” It was Riddle's time to flinch. Trey's voice was far too close for Riddle to be able to focus on comforting the troublemaker. “-Don't cry now. Tears won't fix thi-”

“-Don’t!”

Trey freezes mid-move. His hand stopped as it was reaching for Ace.

Gray eyes glare up at yellow ones. Trey frowned, displeased by Riddle defying him. “-Now, now, Riddle.” With a condescending attitude, the baker scolded him. “-You out of everyone else should know how important rules are.”

How crazy this man has to be to accuse him, him, of not being up with the rules. The amount of willpower he displayed to not scream at Trey surely would have impressed everyone who thought of him as a short fuse.

“-I know them fully.” He gritted his teeth. “-Sorry for my lack of knowledge, but when was emotional abuse referenced as a suitable punishment?”

Trey and Riddle glare at each other darkly. For a moment the ex-red rose tyrant truly thought the other would strike him for talking back by how his mouth was set in a deep scowl and his eyebrows furrowed. A chuckle came instead of a slap. In one quick move, the older grabbed the back of their shirts, tugging them away from each other.

Ace and Riddle screamed in fear. The crying of the younger intensified, paired now with gasps as a panic attack manifests itself. Riddle struggles and wrestles against Trey's grip. Blunt nails dig and scratch at pale skin, but not even blood surfacing seems to deter Trey.

“-Ah. Sorry guys.” Chuckling, Trey let go of Ace's shirt to wrap an arm around his shoulders instead. “-It seemed like I lost my composure there for a second.” There is no way it wasn't painful for Ace at how tightly Trey was holding him against his side. A weak wince from the younger redhead confirmed it.

“-You are hurting him!” Riddle was struggling further. His high heels boots smack against the taller boy's leg. Trey only grunts occasionally, not entertaining the assault with a reprimand. “-I'm not doing such a thing.” Trey denied swiftly.

Both distressed boys were tugged along by the vice. Riddle was boiling inside the whole walk back to the dorm. Ace's cries the whole way were only fanning the flames. Trey made no effort to comfort him. 

“-Let's go guys. It had been a long day.”

The sight of Heartslabyul dorm was never more nerve-inducing for Riddle.

Riddle could barely keep his eyes open. The variety of drugs running through his bloodstream right now could be cataloged as a pharmacy.

A sniffle made him resume his movements. The younger boy cuddled against him, just as drugged as Riddle was, melted at the positive contact. His back is once more being rubbed to lull him to sleep.

Ace was in a pair of pajama set given by Trey. His shaky form was practically pressed against Riddle. His ear was against the older's heart like Riddle positioned him. It was the only way to keep him breathing normally.

Riddle sighed. From exhaustion? Being content? The boy had no idea. After this shit show of a day, the dorm leader was thankful for being granted permission of resting in his room with his only sane student. That happened only after Ace nearly fainted from the prolonged panic attack. The boy calmed down after being drugged by being given to Riddle.

Said redhead sifted slightly against him. Red eyeliner that smudged his cheek from all that crying stained Rosehearts' pajama shirt, but he didn't mind. Not after everything Ace had been through. The harsh sound of the metal handcuffs connecting the freshman's wrist to the bed's headboard made Riddle cringe.

Trey's idea to punish the boy after Riddle opposed any other punishment. Over his dead body, those madmen will lock Ace in the hedgehogs' enclosure or put him in solitary confinement for a week.

Reaching out to Ace's tied hand, Riddle massaged the skin which was getting irritated from how tight the cuffs were. He tried to move as slowly as gently as he could, to not repeat how he spooked the other like he had when they first started cuddling an hour ago. Ace closes his red-rimmed eyes, his breath shaky but in a constant rhythm. Riddle kept moving his hands, finding a little comfort in Ace's body weight and heat, keeping him grounded and focused on something else besides his helpless thoughts.

Only after Ace's breath evened out, occasionally a sniffle would be heard from the boy, do Riddle stop. The housewarden pulls his fluffy blanket over the both of them. He let the drugs win this time, letting sleep, or drugs-inducing fatigue, pull him into dreamland. The only place the two boys could be safe from their dorm mates.

Chapter Text

Out of every person at this school. Out of everyone. Epel had to fall in love with Ace Trappola! The guy was mean. He was snarky, bluntly honest, and a little shit. Even so...Epel has to acknowledge all his best qualities too. His loyalty, and dedication to Yuu and the other first years is admirable. Not to mention that the guy was smart. He doesn't bother with homework or academics too much, but Epel assisted at moments when the other proved his intelligence. His math-solving capacity was envy-worthy. The care he shows to any old and sick hedgehogs also reminds the short boy of the way his grandma handled chickens and ducks that got sick after a snake attack. It was a miracle in itself that he managed to see that caring side of Ace, buried under the snarky front.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad. To be in love with such a fine redhead. But now this is when things get complicated. How to get the other boy to be his boyfriend? It wasn't a surprise that Ace got a certain reputation in the school as of late. He, Deuce + Yuu Grim duo were always the center of attention since the very first day at the school. The redhead was admired as much as he was mocked. Epel couldn't go on a single day without hearing other students whisper around the school about Ace's looks or his incapacity to shut his mouth. 

At the time Epel got mad when he heard the other students insult Ace, nothing weird about a friend protecting the honor of another friend after all. But then why did he want to rip the tongues off of the students that complicated Ace? He thought that he might have been jealous of Ace at that time. The Heartslabyul teen was taller than him, muscular, and his eyeliner and barely-seen lip gloss made him look like such a beauty whiteout taking away from his masculinity. The farmer boy did add a little more makeup on himself and dubbed his amount of exercise to see if those ugly feelings would subside, but it didn't work. 

For that matter, it only got worse when Ace stared at him for a little bit too long and then complimented his looks.

A week in his new makeup routine and Epel was beyond pissed. Not only the jealousy didn't disappear, but Vil took notice and started to recommend even more makeup. Yeah, no. Screw that. The next week Epel was back at his more tamed makeup routine to Vil's disappointment. The frustration Epel felt turned to anxiety as his fear started to set in. If he stayed jealous of Ace, then their friendship might get strained if not destroyed. The farmer boy didn't want that to happen, so he decided that keeping some distance from Ace for a while might be beneficial.

It wasn't easy to ignore the redhead. Ace was smart enough and aware of his surroundings to pick on the fact that Epel was ignoring him. He tried to find out why. After a few days of trying and failing to get Epel to talk to him, Ace asked the other first years for help. They, like him, were clueless. Jack suggested that Ace might have done something, so the card soldier should go and apologize. Ace was revolted that his friends would jump to the conclusion that he did something, but what other logical explanation was there?

So Ace tried to catch Epel to apologize. The redhead was so hurt that Epel downright ignored his attempts and now was ignoring him harder. It brought Ace's mood down so much that Riddle took notice of his freshman melancholy and brought the problem to Vil. The two housewardens couldn't do much and the situation continued. The other first years tried to mend whatever they thought was broken but no luck. 

Something was flipped in Epel's head one day when he accidentally eavesdropped on a Savanaclaw student asking Ace out outside the gym. The same envy returned tenfold as the short boy saw how close the beast-man was to the redhead. He was towering over Ace easily, looking at the redhead with a gaze that made Epel clench his fists at his sides until his knuckles turned white. Ace rejected him, a raised eyebrow and an awkward look on his face. The other first-year's cheeks were slightly pink but it didn't deter Ace as he rejected the other. 

Epel expected to feel anger that Ace had the opportunity to date whoever he wanted but chose to every time reject whoever confessed. Epel would jump at the occasion of people falling at his feet to confess to him without doing so because of his looks. People only seem to want to ask him out because of his feminine aspect, which pisses him off to no end. Surprisingly, all he felt was relief and slight annoyance as he wanted to be the one to make Ace blush like that- Wait. Hard stop. HuH!?

Following that incident, Epel had a lot of sleepless nights to think about all this. Apparently, his envy wasn't because of Ace. Well, it was, but he wasn't jealous of him, he was jealous of the people who flirt and confess to him. It is a relief to know that he won't lose his friendship but now Epel is stuck. The school was big, which meant that Ace had enough admirers that Epel couldn't scare all of them off. So the next best thing is to confess, right? The worst thing that could happen is to get rejected, leading to things getting awkward between them, and their friend group getting destroyed. No pressure.

Ok. So it probably was a little pressure. Epel wasn't the most romantic person out there. He could count on one hand the amount of times he was confessed to for his personality, mostly because others confused him with a girl. So, yeah…Not a lot Epel could do in the dating department.

Thinking about the dating department makes the lavender-haired boy think about his grandparents. More specifically, how they meet. His grandma used to tell him the story a lot when he was a child, about her and his granpop's meeting. When Epel's grandma was still a maiden, his grandpop brought his tractor to the field her parents worked that day and asked for her hand.

It was romantic for an 8-year-old Epel back then, but now? Kind of wild to think how his grandparents got married despite them knowing each other very briefly. Those were other times. Epel highly doubted that Ace would go out with him (marrying him was out of the question) if he did bring a tractor to Heartslabyul.

Perhaps he would agree only to piss off Riddle. But Epel was looking for something more serious than a bit to piss off a housewarden. Hmmmm. A horse would work slightly better. He could pretend to be like one of those jessty knights in shining armor as he proclaimed his love. Yeah, no. On a second thought, Riddle would kill him if he messed with the horses.

Thinking a little more about what to do, the boy picked up his phone to scroll the internet for some ideas. The majority of them were far too corny for Epel to do without cringing inside so hard that he died. Some more scrolling later and the teen was about to put his phone down in defeat and go to sleep when a pop-up about some magic wheel competition appeared on his screen. His eyes widened as an idea started to form in his head. With a feral grin on his face and a plan for tomorrow, Epel put his phone to change. He slept peacefully that night knowing that he wouldn't need to ask Vil or Rook about love confession ideas.

Ace glares at his reflection in the mirror. Toothpaste dripped in the sink as the boy was brushing his teeth with a little bit more force than needed. Sensing the younger's bad mood, Trey refrained from scolding Ace. The older winced instead and died a little inside but otherwise focused on his own teeth.

“If you continue to press so forcefully, your gum will start to bleed.”

Red eyes look in the mirror to meet a pair of gray ones. With a sigh, Ace spit the toothpaste in the sink. He washed his toothbrush before putting it back in its place. “Right…” Ace put water from the sink in his plastic cup to rinse his mouth. After he was done, he put the cup back. “Will remember next time.” The younger muttered, despite his best efforts not to, he was squirming slightly under the gaze of the shorter redhead.

“Hope so. I don't want to hear you complain of gums pain.” Riddle scolded, leaning against the doorframe as he studied the younger. Ace couldn't find it in himself to give a snarky reply back. Grabbing his towel that he brought with him from his room, the freshman dried his mouth silently. Riddle's hard gaze melted slightly. A look of worry passed between the vice and the housewarden. 

Before either could bring up their worries, the younger folded his towel messily and passed out of the bathroom. “Night dorm leader, night Trey.”

Riddle could only nod slightly in confusion. “Night…” Trey and Riddle shared another few confused and worried looks before each said good night to the other and left for their respective room. Riddle was preparing to sleep, while Trey was looking over some of his pie book recipes. 

Deuce looks up from his phone as he hears Ace enter their room. “Ready for bed?” All the reply the dark blue-haired boy got from his dorm mate was a grumpy grumble. “Really? You are still pissed at Epel?” Deuce signed, rolling his eyes when Ace made an offended noise. “What do you think, Jeuce?” Deuce raised a clenched fist in Ace's direction at the use of the stupid nickname. The taller boy takes a deep breath and lets his hand fall back on the bed, supporting it with his cheek while looking at the other's tense figure rummaging through his messy closet for his pajamas. “I know you are only trying to rile me up so I feel just as miserable as you, but it won't work.”

“Since when do you have a working brain cell?” “Hey!” Ace snickered, cheering in victory as he managed to find his pajamas. “What was that about not letting yourself get fired up, Jeuce?~” A pillow thrown barely missed the giggling redhead's face. Ace gave Deuce his trademark smirk before hurrying back to the bathroom in the hallway to change.

Deuce watches him leave, chest a little bit lighter at hearing his roommate's laugh after a week of pouts and hissy fits. A mood much more comfortable was in the room once Ace got back. He even returned the pillow lying on the floor to its rightful owner to get a laugh out of him.

Both boys turned off their lamps, getting under their blankets. Deuce bids Ace good night, knowing that the shorter will certainly stay past the curfew, scrolling mindlessly on his phone until sleep comes.

And he wasn't wrong. It was midnight and Ace was barely awake, scrolling through his photos to find a meme. He plans to spam Yuu's phone with as many cat memes as possible before morning comes. Sleep made Ace yawn against the back of his hand. With another yawn, the boy exited his gallery, getting ready to go to bed.

Any drowsiness felt his body at hearing his ringtone blast through the room. Panicking slightly when he heard some groans from his other three dorm mates, Ace shoveled his phone under the pillow. Any hope that whoever was calling would take the hint and stop trying to contact him at the earliest hours of morning dissipated like any hope he had for sleep. The phone kept on ringing.

He considered turning it off, ignoring whoever was calling at this ungodly hour. But…what if it was Yuu? What if the prefect was in danger and needed help?

Ace, sick of all the vibrations made by the device covered by the pillow that he was pressing against his chest, got up from bed with the phone and pillow and got out to the hallway.

There was no light in the corridor as it was past curfew. The glow of his phone was the only source of light in the dark. Grumbling tiredly about the phone still vibrating, Ace sat down on the floor beside the door to his room, propping the pillow against his back. “- 'ello?...” Ace asked tiredly after pressing the answer to the incoming call, not even bothering to see the caller's ID.

“-Howdy to ya too, nice accent by the way.”

Ace woke up more at hearing the southern-accented voice coming from the device. “-Shut your trap. Is far too late to give a shit about that.” He yawned, pressing a hand over his mouth but he was sure Epel still heard him. “-You better start to run your mouth or I'm ending the call and blocking your number.”

“-Didn't you say earlier to shut up?”

“-Don't be a smart ass. I don't take kindly to being moked after getting ignored for days on end.”

Epel got silent for a bit. Ace listened closely, waiting to see if the other boy would explain himself. The background noise from the other side of the call nearly made him fall asleep. Was Epel's window open? The sound of the wind was pretty strong. Looking out the window, forgetting that other dorms have different weather, the boy checked the sky.

“-Look…I..I have a reason.”

Ace rolls his eyes at the reply. The only reason he wasn't petty and ended the call was because of his curiosity which Trey said would get the better of him one day. But when was the last time Ace heard Epel sounding so hesitant? “-You do? Good to know that all important sir Epel has reasons to ditch others with no explanation.”

That was harsh, even for his standards, but he couldn't stop the part of him that got hurt by Epel's avoidance. He saw the other boy as a friend, someone trustworthy and close to him just to be rejected the next day with no apartment reason.

“-I know that you are mad- You have all the right to be- But please let me explain myself.”

Ace remained quiet, his red eyes fixed out the window of the hallway, taking in the sight of the clouds passing by the soft glowing moon.

“-So you acknowledge that you were an ass?”

“-Kind of…”

“-Kind of?” Ace huffed, an eyebrow arched at the reply.

“-Just- Come outside to talk.”

Ace blinks. Once, twice, three times in a row until what the other boy said registered in his head. The Pomefiore first year sounded frustrated. “-Wait. Are you outside my dorm?”

“-Not yet.”

“-What do you-”

The loud sound of a motor made Ace shoot up from his place on the floor. That couldn't be what he thinks it was- Surely not-

“-Now I'm. Come down?”

Ace gave his pillow a longing look, considering refusing the other boy's request and going to sleep. On the other hand…

He got up, phone held tightly in his grip. “-Better not leave anywhere or I will send Vil all the memes you sent to the first years' group chat.”

“-Deal.”

The other boy agreed quickly. It was fear-inducing the thought of his…unique memes being shown to his housewarden.

Ace made his way down the stairs slowly. The other wouldn't go anywhere if he didn't want to be called into a meeting with Vil. He could take his time, just partially out of pettiness. The other reason was that if his own housewarden found out he was sneaking out of the dorm at this hour, his ears would ring for days from the scolding.

It was a little cold, perhaps because he was dressed in his red pajamas that were meant to be used indoors. Hopefully whatever Epel had to say could be said quickly so he could go inside. Speaking of Epel. He was on his magic wheel outside his dorm, waiting. Sighing for what felt like the 100th time that night, he made his way over.

“-The thought of Vil finding out about those high-quality memes really made you behave, didn't it?” The shit-eating grin on the redhead's face got a glare in return. “-Don't ya dare do that or I will show Riddle some of those messages on the group chat.”

Ace crossed his arms over his chest, to keep some body heat and to be imposing. “-Whatever. Say why you are here already. It's cold and I want to go back inside before dorm head kills me.”

Epel's frown melts away to something more soft. His grip on the handles tightened as he felt his hands sweat. “-I want to say sorry…for ignoring you…”

“-Mhm?”

“-Stop…stop looking at me like that…” Epel averted his eyes, no longer able to keep eye contact with the redhead in front of him. Red eyes he likes so much practically glow in the darkness of the night. “-And how should I look at you then? Perhaps out of the window of the hallway as I go back to my dorm would be better?”

It was a ruse, he turned around as if really going back to his dorm to annoy the other. “-Wait!” His wrist being grabbed like in one of those corny shows Ortho likes seeing isn't the reaction he was expecting. Red eyes look at Blue eyes. Epel's grip was firm but not painful. His hand was actually warm, giving his body a small tingle of comfort against the cold night air. “-I was messing with you, dude! Shish. What is going on with you?”

Epel let go of him with a small apology. His fingers grip the material of his pants. Only now Ace acknowledges the way the other is dressed. Jeans, boots, and a black shirt under a purple leather jacket. As a person who could appreciate the beauty of fashion, the redhead can state that the other looked good. Of course, he won't say that out loud. Epel is known for having a mean teasing strike that could rival his own.

“-It might sound crazy…what I'm about to say.”

“-Go on with it already. I'm dying of cold over here.”

Epel stood up from his magic wheel. His purple jacket got pulled off and then draped over the taller's shoulders. “-Ah! Right, here!” Ace gaped at the other, a slight blush dusting his cheeks at the unexpected gesture. Trying to salvage his image, the redhead switched to teasing.

“-Oh wow. What a knight.~” He made a show of wrapping the slightly smaller jacket around his shoulders. He wouldn't put his hands through the sleeves as they were too slime for his hands to fit. At least the jacket was a number bigger on Epel so it protected Ace's frame a little more than the thin pajama shirt. “-But it will take much more to have me fall for you.”

“-Could a night drive change that?” 

There goes his plan to make his blush go away. Great. Now his face is bright pink and his heart leaps in his chest, all because of a midget on a magic wheel. “-Depends.” Ace taps his pointer finger against his chin. “-Would you tell me why you ditched me for multiple days?”

“-Would you believe I got cold feet?”

“-Nope.”

“-Fine then. Don't believe the truth. How about finding out while out on a date?”

“-Is this…” Ace swallowed dryly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It was so cute, Epel thought with some satisfaction at making the redhead act so bashful. “-My way to ask you on a date? Yep. You know I'm not good at mussy crap.”

The Heartslabyul student looks at the other boy in stunned silence. “-You are right. That was one of the shittiest ways I was ever asked on a date.” Ace said then, after a bit of silence. Epel blisters slightly at the comment but doesn't comment on it. He was prepared to go back to Pomefiore with his tail between his legs.

“-I mean, all this?” Ace laughed, lacking the amusement in it. It was a dry sound, a mix between relief and amazement. “-The silence treatment and avoidance. All because you have a crush on me?” It was Epel's turn to flush bright red, embarrassed by his stupid past self’s actions. It didn't help that Ace's giggles did something to his heart that he once thought only magic wheel could.

“-So stupid…” Ace stopped laughing, looking far more calm now. The look on his face was far less guarded, a tad bit of fondness glimmering in his red eyes. “-Don't tell me you truly believed that with that behavior you could make me fall for you.”

Epel gives a guilty smile, trying to play along. “-So you aren't into bad boys? What a shame. I brought out the purple leather jacket with glittery inside pockets just for you.” Ace looked in bewilderment at the inside of the jacket. Another fit of giggles was received from the redhead. The two inside pockets of the jackets were covered in glitter. Cheap kind of dollar store glitter glued in place.

“-Is this your doing?”

“-Can’t make Vil’s mission to ‘improve my fashion sense’ easy now, can I?”

“-Stupid. That's what I'm into. Stupid idiots with glittery jacket pockets.”

Both boys laughed, the tension forgotten. “-So? Are ya gonna keep a man waiting?” Ace glanced at the offered hand, his lips forming a gentle smile. His pale hand slipped into Epel's much more callused one.

“-WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?”

Both boys jump ten feet up at the booming voice of one Riddle Roseheart. Turning around, the freshmen saw one red as a strawberry Riddle peeking out of a window from the dorm’s hallway. Trey was beside him, a hand tentatively hovering over the shorter’s tense shoulder.

“-Ah crap..We are busted.” Ace made a move to pull his hand away, but Epel didn't relent. The farmer boy grabbed the taller boy by the wrist and pulled him behind him on the magic wheel. “-Not if they don't get us!”

Ace looks back at his housewarden, who was arguing with Trey, possibly about going down there in his night clothes to scold them. Grimacing at the thought of punishment, Ace bites his bottom lip in thought. Riddle will yell at him anyway for being outside past the curfew. Should he? Under the eyes of both dorm head and Trey? “-ACE TRAPPOLA! GET BACK INSIDE THIS INSTANCE! “

To hell with it. Wrapping his arms around Epel’s waist and getting on more properly on the magical vehicle, Ace said to the other boy with a big and mischievous grin, “-Press the pedal, cowboy. “

Epel didn't need to be told twice. Turning the motor up, the boy adjusted the redhead’s hold on him one last time, clapping the two buttons near the neck of the leather jacket Ace was wearing to ensure it wouldn't fly off while driving before taking his feet off the ground and zooming in the direction of Heartslabyul's mirror. 

The two teens disappeared through the mirror in a cloud of smoke, their giggles being drowned by the loud cry of the motor. 

Both boys will get in trouble for breaking curfew and going on an unauthorized night drive to the beach of the island. But it was worth it. Just for a few minutes of walking by the seaside, hand in hand while talking and teasing each other. 

BONUS! 

“I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW UTTERLY CARELESS YOU ARE!”

Most of the Heartslabyul dorm lights are on, and almost all students are up at four in the morning by Riddle's loud screaming in the lounge. Ace, the culprit for all this noise, was sitting on the sofa, smiling like an idiot as he thought about his first-ever date with a guy. Riddle doesn't seem to notice how his first year wasn't present in his current scolding. He was determined to scream his lungs out that morning and he will do so. 

Trey was massaging his temples from tiredness. Cater nudged him with a cup, offering it to the taller man. Trey took the coffee cup offered to him, thanking his boyfriend. Cater leans against the sofa Trey is on, grinning and shaking his head at his favorite red-haired freshman.

 Deuce was in the corner of the room, gossiping with Yuu and the rest of the first years about the situation in the dorm. Yuu’s ‘Applepie canon? LET’S GOOOO!’ text made him chuckle. 

“-I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT VIL’S STUDENT COULD BE A BAD INFLUENCE BUT GUESS I HAD A LAPSE IN JUDGMENT! HE ENCOURAGED YOU TO GO OUT, TO THE BEACH, IN YOUR PAJAMAS! WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU GET HYPOTHERMIA!?”

Ace looks at the leather jacket lying on the couch beside him. Epel forgot to take it back after dropping him off at Heartslabyul. He had to leave in a hurry to not be caught by his fuming dorm leader. He will give the clothing article back if Epel survives Vil.

“-Mind telling me where you have been, Epel?”

“-Umm…Gone on a walk around campus?...” Epel fidget before the older.

“-Around campus, huh? Then why did Riddle call me, screaming about you taking his student with your magic wheel off NRC ground? “ Vil glares at him more sharply. The actor was displeased by the fact that Epel made a fuss that is disturbing his beauty sleep. It was vital for the older boy to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Instead, he has to be in the lounge, at 4 in the morning, to scold his love stupid student.

“-Ah bullshit... I ain't getting out of this one scot-free, do I? 

“-Epel! Language! “

“-English! “

“-Say ma petite pomme, did you and monsieur Trappola exchange a passionate press of lips in the adventurous ride you two took?” Rook wraps his arm around Epel, a smirk on his face.

“-Rook! Don't encourage him! “ Vil yelled, scandalized.

Chapter Text

Trey was at a loss of what to do after Sebek came up to him one morning before school started with a request.

“-Trey senpai. Could you lend me one of your baking for humans book?”

He wasn't expecting Sebek of all people to seek him out for his cooking book. “-I didn't know you were into baking.” Sebek blushes, looking to the side. “-You offend me! A fea like myself has to be acknowledged in every type of domain!”

Trey rubs the back of his neck, feeling awkward after that comeback. He really didn't feel like starting a (one sided) argument with the younger this early in the morning. “-Of course. Come by Heartslabyul after classes and I can lend you whatever you want.”

The baker thought that the first year might not come after he ‘offended him’ but to his surprise, the boy actually came. Respecting his word, Trey presents Sebek with a variety of baking books. He might have overdone it by lining the kitchen table with a total of 7 books. In his defense, it's not everyday that the Diasomnia first year interacts with him.

Sebek was overwhelmed at the share number of material offered to him. He obviously didn't know what to pick. “-What do you want to bake? Some books are for more complex treats.”

“-Did you just imply that I'm incapable of doing such a simple thing as rolling some dough!?”

“-No! No, no.” Trey winces at the volume. He forgot how loud the other could be. “-I’m just saying that some books are more direct than others.”

Sebek huffs, not quite believing it but deciding to not escalate the issue in case the housewarden of the dorm is feeling in the mood to collar someone. The kitchen gets filled with a heavy, awkward silence. Sebek squints his eyes at the books, biting his bottom lip in thought.

“-I want to bake a pie…”

“-Pardon?” Trey lends a little closer to the first year to hear better the whispered words.

“-I said. I want to bake a pie. A cherry pie.” It was a mumble, but at least this time the junior could actually make out what he said.

Trey blinks up at Sebek, taking a bit to process the words. “-Ah. A cherry pie? This one will definitely be useful to you in this case.”

Trey picked one green book from the table, giving it to the first year. Sebek accepts it with a nod and an awkward cough, trying to divert attention from his blushing cheeks. “-Thank you, Trey senpai.”

“-Would you mind telling me why you want to bake a cherry pie of all things?”

“-I DO MIND VERY MUCH! IS A VERY PERSONAL METER I DO NOT WISH TO DISCUSS FURTHER! HAVE A NICE AFTERNOON!”

With a bow, Sebek sprints out of the kitchen, newly acquired baking book held tightly against his chest.

“-Was that Sebek?” Trey jumps from the new voice. The green haired boy looks at the entrance of the kitchen, catching a glance of the familiar red heart painted over his first year’s eye. “-Ah, Ace. You gave me a scare.” Trey chucked, smiling at the shorter one.

“-You didn't respond to my question.” Straight to the point like always, Ace looks expectedly at his senpai.

“-Yeah. He was just here but he just left.”

“-Good grief. This guy…” Ace sighed. Trey raises an eyebrow at him but Ace doesn't acknowledge it. The freshman made his way inside the kitchen, stopping right in front of the table. “-Man. Those are all your cooking books, senpai?” Ace whistle, picking a more heavy looking book to flip some of its pages.

“-Only the ones I could find on short notice. Mind helping me bring them back to my room? There might be an extra tart piece in the fridge if you do.”

“-Deal.” 

“-You wish to borrow a book on fae cuisines?” Silver blinks at the boy, his sleeping haze made his brain work slower than normal.

“-That’s the plan.” Ace said, rocking on the back of his feet. He came to the Diasomnia dorm close to evening looking for Silver specifically. It was surprising as the first year didn't interact with him a lot. “-I was hoping you had some book somewhere around here.”

Silver grimace, glancing at a couple of books sitting neatly on a self in the lounge. “-I don't recomandat you to use the books in this dorm. Not unless you plan to end up with a murderer charge.”

“-Ah. There goes my plan. Can't say I had high hopes coming here.” Ace sighed, looking dowcasted.

“-Why not search some recipes online? I thought that phones had easy access to all sorts of information.”

“-I wanted to. Buuut” Ace exasperatedly says, “It won't be considered ‘authentical’ fae cuisine if I follow an online recipe. I don't need more complaining then I already know there will be.” Silver feels bad. The first year actually looks tired and annoyed.

“-We could look in the library if you want? I could come and help you find what you need.”

“-Really!? You rock, Silver senpai!”

Silver smiles at Ace’s excitement. He was genuinely happy to help his younger schoolmate and prevent a war crime from being committed from using father's cooking books. Thanks to the seven that Ace came right before Lilia arrived from his and Sebek’s training at the beach. This could have ended in severe food poisoning.

Sebek grunts. The dough gets flattened more until it looks similar to the picture on the magicam. He was annoyed beyond any sane level. The half fae had redone the dough for at least 4 times to achieve that fluffy consistency that his Heartslabyul first years comrades talked about.

A tray of cake was already in the oven, getting baked. That too took an infuriating long time to get the dough right. He couldn't serve a cake to his Waka sama, Lilia sama and Silver if it wasn't perfect.

“-Aha! Take that!” The dough gets roughly slammed in the pie aluminum foil. Victoriously, he poured the cherry filling, finishing quickly after the last steps in the cooking book.

The cake gets pulled out of the oven for the pie to be shoved there instead. Sebek puts his cake on the school cooking counter. It was slightly burned but far better than anything Lilia sama had made in the past.

Getting the green and black cream stored in the fridge, he starts to dress his cake in it. After he was done, the two baked goods got wrapped and put in the common school fridge, an aggressive note promising extreme punishment was neatly placed on both treats.

The morning of the 17th of March was far more hectic than any other days for Sebek. Balloons, a happy birthday banner and garlands decorate the Diasomnia lounge. All for his birthday.

Sebek could almost cry and combust on the spot from happiness after Waka sama placed a birthday hat and his head and wished him a happy birthday with a pat on his back. All day long Sebek had been spoiled rotten by his dorm.

Malleus bought Sebek a gargoyle keychain and a few books on martial arts. Lilia offered to bake him a cake, but thankfully Sebek was prepared for this scenario and was fast to bring back to the dorm his cake from the school cafeteria.

Only to discover two more cakes on the table, bought by a sheepish Malleus and an embarrassed Silver. Looks like all three boys had the same plan. Malleus cake was far more formal than the other two. Square shaped and dark green and black in color. Swords made from sugar decorate the top where no writing was. An elegant ‘Have a great day of birth’ filled the rest of the space.

Sebek had actually started to cry there. His Waka sama was so thoughtful! Malleus was quick to hand Sebek a knife and guide him to cut a piece. The prince can't have this cake added to the Sebek's ‘Malleus altar’. Rotten food smells horrendous.

Silver’s cake was simple. Also green and black in color with a simple ‘Happy birthday!’ written between a lot of sugary sprinkles. Sebek flushed from embarrassment at the rainbow sprinkles, seeing them as childish for a high fae as himself!

(He still eat a piece from Silver’s offending cake. Just to compare it to his own. It was…decent.)

After the whole party got tamed a little as the hours of evening drew closer to midnight, Sebek got the chance to sneak out of his dorm. His other baked treat wrapped in a cloth and safety against his chest.

He met Ace outside the Diasomnia dorm. The redhead was sitting on a rock, swinging his feet back and forth while throwing rocks at some big thorns bushes. “-Human! I demand you stop that immediately!”

Ace stops, not because he was asked to, it was so he could turn his head to look at the other boy. “-Huh? And why is that?” His confusion turns into a smug look as he jumps off the rock, stalking closer to Sebek. “-Will those things eat me?”

Sebek frowns, his eyes looking down at the shorter boy in annoyance. “-As if! Perhaps if it were to happen it might teach you a lesson!”

Ace pretended to think about it for a few moments, right after having a shit eating grin on his face. “-Doubt it. If not even Crewel sensei managed to do that, those dry things won't be able to.”

Sebek sighed, weighing the statement as being true. Two arms wrapped around his neck and he was pulled downward to meet Ace for a kiss. All annoyance was pushed on the back burner for now. The half fae reciprocates the gentle kiss, his hands resting hesitantly on Ace’s waist.

The redhead smiles up at Sebek after breaking the kiss. This one was far more tolerable than the smug ones from earlier. Or he was so whipped for the red eyed boy that one kiss makes him indulge the other in his comportament.

“-Happy birthday, fangs.”

Sebek huffed at his boyfriend. A blush dusted his cheeks and it wasn't only from the kiss earlier. “-You can't abstain from saying that stupid nickname even on my birthday.”

“-Nope. But if it bothers you so much I can call you something different today—” Ace said, smiling at Sebek in his flirty way.

“-The thought of you coming up with another of those insulting nicknames—”

“-Darlin~”Ace placed his hand on the taller boy's cheek. The redhead leans a little more in Sebek's personal space, hot breath fanning against his cheek.

The half fea shut up abruptly. His brain stopped working for a while, leaving with a blushing mess staring down at his smug human boyfriend. He hid his face in his palms, groaning loudly in them while Ace snickered openly. “-Awww darlin. You are redder than the roses at Heartslabyul.”

“-Shut it! Take this and shut up!”

Ace blinks at the thing that was shoved in his hands by the flushing boy. “-Huh? What's this?”

“-You have to unwrap it to figure it out.” A less flustered Sebek said, crossing his arms. Ace rolls his eyes but undoes the knot of the cloth regardless. “-No duh. You aren't going to tell me though?”

“-No. If you want to know, you have to put in the effort.”

“-Tch, you are the worst.”

“-Cese your disrespectful talking in this instance. It's my birthday today.”

“-Fine. You pissy baby.” Ace unwrapped the cloth before Sebek could combust in a yelling mess. “-Wait–is this?”Red eyes blink in bewilderment, glancing up at Sebek.

“-Well? Is it to your liking, human?” His tone was harsh but he way his fingers scrapping the sword he wears on his hip gave away how nervous he really was. Ace looks at the cherry pie in his hand. Touched by the gesture, Ace looks at his boyfriend, gently putting the pie on top of the rock he once stood on.

“-You know, on your birthday usually you shouldn't be the one baking.” It was the gentle tone that grabbed Sebek's attention, followed shortly by the chuckle he learned to look forward to. “-But what do I know? Perhaps it is a fae ritual or something.”

Those pair of arms rest on his shoulders, forcing Sebek to acknowledge the shorter boy who was looking up at him with a teasing grin. Sebek bristles momentarily before sighing, giving up on the thought of not being teased on his birthday. “-Its not. Just like being self reliant.”

Ace hums as Sebek rests his arms around his middle, bringing the card soldier closer in his embrace. “-Figured. Good thing that I made you something too, mister ‘I do everything on my own’.”

Sebek glanced at the bag laying against the rook Ace used as a seat, understanding now what it was for. With a sigh that is far too soft to be full of annoyance, Sebek leans down a little to look at his mischievous lover. “-You, Ace Trappola, will be the reason one of my blood vessels will burst one day.”

“-Awww. How romantic~”

They share one more sweet kiss, enjoying the serene and calm atmosphere surrounding them. Making the moment one that will shine in Sebek's memory like the blade of Lilia’s sword. Just the two of them, in each other's arms in the peaceful night of March.

“-So…our first years are dating…” Trey said, standing in the Diasomnia lounge with Riddle, Cater, Malleus and Lilia. “-Sure do! I Saw them eating baked goods outside our dorm yesterday. They were so mushy too! Barely contained myself from congratulating them!” The short fae grins, showing his delight. Spying on the younger boys while they had a moment doesn't seem to embarrass the old fae in the slightest.

“-If by ‘congratulating them’ you mean going to them, scaring the living daylights out of them and saying ‘I know you swing that way, my disciple’ then yeah. You congratulated them real good.” Silver sighed, glaring at his father. Lilia in turn chucked, not caring about how he destroyed a cute moment between Ace and Sebek. Which was meant to be private.

Silver had to drag his father away from the terrorized first years and apologize for his behavior a few hours later. Both boys were so embarrassed that neither could make eye contact with him, but the second year did notice that both younger boy held hands underneath the table so he stopped worrying about how his father nearly ended another relationship.

“-My ship sailed that day, Silver. Can't a man be happy when his ship sails?”

“-No cap.”

Malleus and Riddle look confused at Cater and Lilia.

“-I will tell you later.” Trey whispered to Riddle, to which the redhead nodded, still trying to wrap his head around the slangs.

“-Let's just—leave them alone. Ace came to Heartslabyul yesterday and locked himself in the broom closet for 30 minutes.” Trey said, throwing Cater and Lilia a look specifically.

The two look at Trey, a sheepish smile and a mischievous grin were given by the two. Silver nods in accord with the statement, determined to protect his pseudo brother’s relationship from his teasing dad.

"-Its for the best. The broom closet is not the most proper place for a meltdown. We need to use it to keep the dorm clean so Ace can't keep using it every time he feels embarrassed.” Riddle said strictly, glancing at Cater. It was a clear warning for the older redhead to not tease their youngest redhead.

"-Oh my. Hope young Trappola won't be going back in the closet so soon after kissing my boy.”

“-Father!”

“-Lilia. What is a ship?”

“-Fufufufuf! Well, you see Malleus—”

Chapter Text

Ace wobbled slightly through the hall of Heartslabyul. It was Saturday morning at Night Raven College. The rays of the sun shine through the windows of the hall. A pair of red eyes were searching around for—

"-Are you looking for something, Ace?”

The freshman jumped, startled by the new voice. Ace turns around, looking at the third year making his way to him. “- A-Ah! Trey senpai. I…have you seen Riddle senpai by any chance?” Ace looks unsure of himself all of a sudden. Was he allowed to wander around at this hour? The teen hopes he could get out of this interaction as soon as possible. Talking to Trey (or anyone else besides Riddle) was draining those days.

Trey furrowed his brows, trying to think where he saw the older redhead last. “-I believe he was in the rose maze earlier. But before you go to him, please do help me bring this to the tea garden.”

Ace deflated, he looked at the trays of baked sweets his senpai was carrying in his hands with uneasiness. There goes his plan of finding Riddle to hang out without incidents…

Reluctantly, the boy grabs a tray from his older dorm mate. It shouldn't have been as heavy as it felt, but the drugs in his body made his hand shaky. If Trey asked this of him a few days earlier, when he was still numb and shaky from the drugs in his system, those baked goods would have been on the floor in a minute top.

“-Easy. We don't have to go fast. Take your time, we will walk as slow as you need to carry those steadily.”

It was meant to be reassuring, for Ace it was everything but. He really wants to get this over with and go to Riddle. Lately everyone in the dorm has been needing help with something, specifically with something involving being away from the housewarden. Ace could understand why they are so vigilant. The sophomore and freshman aren't the biggest fans of the new ideology of the dorm and it's only fair to suspect that they are planning ways to escape.

They aren't wrong. Ace and Riddle had worked on some plans to escape, but they still needed to be a little polished before being put into action. All Ace really wants is to be close to his only sane senpai. He was sick of hearing all the new controversies on magicam from Cater or helping Trey with recipes the baker has legitimately no need of help for.

Trey was trying to make some conversation with Ace, but honestly? Ace wasn't in the mood to socialize. He was fidgety, any noise or sudden movement startling him. Seems like the drugs haven't stopped affecting him strongly. The third year doesn't seem to mind, choosing instead to fill the silence of the hallway with little anecdotes from unbirthday parties from years ago.

Oh, yeah. Today they were making the last preparations for an unbirthday party. He nearly forgot about it due to the amount of homework and exams lately. Ace feels a little guilty for thinking Riddle was not trying to find him while the shorter redhead was probably overwhelmed by organizing the unbirthday party to the very last detail.

The dorm members were the ones who insisted on having the party. There hasn't been one since the drastic shift in their personalities and they demand to host one. Riddle was against the idea, the drugs constantly in his system making it hard for the redhead to think, and hosting an unbirthday party was far too much of an energy waste. In the end, he gave in. All the pressure put on him by the underclassmen and his upperclassmen cracks his determination.

“-Oh! Trey senpai, Ace.”

Ace yelps, coming to a sudden stop. He was too far into his mind to pay attention to his surroundings, otherwise, he would have noticed Deuce exiting the lounge and appearing in front of them. “-Careful!” Trey put a hand on the first year’s shoulder to steady him at the same time Deuce hurried to keep the tray in his hands from toppling over.

“-Sorry Trey senpai…I don't feel in my element today.” Ace said, throwing Trey an apologetic look. The older one gives him a critical glance. Perhaps he should tone it down with the drugs for a while…Ace looks pale indeed.

“-Don't worry about it.” Trey adjusted his glasses on his nose. His hand put on Ace’s shoulder, giving the boy a squeeze that led the ginger to flinch instinctively. “-Deuce. Can you take the tray instead? Ace doesn't look too good.”

Right away, the blue-haired boy takes the sweet treats from his friend’s shaky fingers with a nod. Ace sighs in relief at this. He didn't have to worry about dropping the baked goods with every step he took. “-Come on, let's go to the tea garden. I'm sure we will find Riddle around there.” Ace nods mutely, letting himself be guided further down the hall by Trey’s hand on his shoulder and Deuce's hand holding his wrist with a bewildering amount of gentleness taking into account Deuce's delinquent side.

Being flanked on both sides made Ace nervous. He hasn't interacted a lot with Deuce since he went crazy. They did have conversations here and there, but Ace always kept them short. It displeases the taller boy if his insistent attempts to get the redhead to notice him and hang out is something to go by. Ace made an effort to sleep in his room with his other 3 roommates as little as possible. If he was allowed by Cater and Trey, Ace would sleep and spend his time only in the housewarden’s room. That's probably the reason why the others in the dorm tried to keep the second and first year separate lately.

“-Wow! Be careful!” The redhead was shoved backwards, just in time to stop him from stumbling down the stairs. Ace trembles slightly, shaken up. Trey was holding him firmly back with his hold on his shoulder, preventing what could have been a tragedy. “-Maybe I was ahead of myself. It might be better for you to go back to your room and rest” Trey said with a frown. Ace can feel his heart speed up. “-N-no! No, I'm fine. Everything is fine. I was only lost in thought. Sorry.”

Trey and Deuce share a look before both look at Ace, making his skin crawl with anxiety. “It is fine if you want to rest. I'm sure Riddle won't mind you taking a break if you are under the weather, Ace.” But stubborn as ever, Ace shakes his head. “-I'm fine, senpai, really.” Trey sighs. The baker takes the baked goods from Deuce, holding both trays. “-I will bring this to the tea garden. Deuce, help Ace get to the rose maze.” Hopefully, Trey can get the baked goods to the tea garden and send a quick text to Cater to hang out with Ace in the rose maze.

Deuce nods at his upperclassmen. Now that his hands were free, the boy put a hand around Ace’s shoulders, guiding him steadily down the stairs. The two first years remain silent during the walk to the front door. It was awkward, so much so that Ace caved in and started talking. “-So…How is the track club?” The ginger asks awkwardly. “-It's fine. Nothing much is going on.” Ace cringes on the inside. They talk to each other as if they were from different dorms. “-That's…good to know I guess…” “-Mhm.”

Silence once more befell them, and Ace doesn't try to talk this time.

Vil was making tea instead of his usual routine of skin care. The three Pomefiore students plus Epel were looking around in paranoia, acting as if something could jump them any moment. The actor makes camomile tea to calm down his spooked students. Rook had been more relentless with his hunts, stalking the dorm more frequently. For a moment he wondered if it was because of Heartslabyul’s sudden shift, but there was obviously no need to overthink it. Rook was doing it to establish dominance over his and the other dorms. It was a loud message that Vil could not ignore. Rook will stomp any kind of rebellion.

“-This is bullshit!” Vil chose to ignore the vulgar language used in his first year. The older one had to cut the boy some slack. His own reaction when he found out in his second year about Rook’s overly obsessive behavior towards the dorm was horror too. It was abysmal even for Rook to act that way but in the end, it wasn't surprising.

“-If this keeps on happening I will move schools.” The three students around the table jumped when tea cups were placed in front of each one of them. “-I recommend you to reconsider.” All the eyes are on the housewarden now, watching the calm student sip his tea. “-And what should I do instead senpai? Wait until our dorm becomes like Heartslabyul?” The student who talked to him was obviously a first-year student. No older student would be surprised at Rook’s behavior. The other student at the table was fidgeting with his tea, drinking it slowly. He wasn't there to complain. The second year was there because he felt on edge and needed some reassurance from his dorm leader.

“-For your culture. Heartslabyul copied our dorm ideology,” Vil said, placing his cup on the table, and looking seriously at the three students. Epel looks frustrated and revolted, but it was the same first year that snapped at him. “-You endorse it!? You endorse Hunt’s behavior!?” “-Let me finish, will you?” The student shut his mouth but still looked disturbed and angry. “-Trying to transfer will only be a waste of paper and time. I will sign the papers if that's what you are worried about, but it won't get anywhere. Rook will intercept it and dispose of it and you will be under his close supervision for a long time.”

Silence filled the room. The first-year student grips the tabletop, his knuckles white and eyes downcast. Vil had seen this crushed look several times as a housewarden. It never became easier to break the news to his students.

“-So…we are trapped here?” Epel's eyes looked at Vil, melancholy and fear filled his face. “-Not even the teachers could help?” Vil looks with sympathy at the younger boy. “-If there was a way to stop this, I wouldn't have let this drag on for this long.” Tears appear in the nameless first-year’s student eyes. The second year rubs his back gently, not commenting on the soft sobs filling the common room. Epel takes another drink of his tea, and his fingers shake around the cup.

“-If you ever feel scared or anxious, please come to me and don't do anything extreme. I will try to handle any worries you have.” Vil looks gently at his students. Epel was moved, he had never seen his dorm leader so open with his emotions before. “-I'm scared, Vil senpai.” Vil wraps an arm around Epel, bringing his first year in a side hug that the other was grateful for. “-I know, Epel. I'm sorry.”

In the quiet lounge, only the sound of the second year whispering comforting things to the first year who was crying on the table could be heard. Vil was distracted, thinking about his fellow dorm leader who was in a similar position. ‘I hope Rosehearts took my advice. How unfortunate fates we share.’

Riddle was checking his clipboard, gray eyes squirming at the letters. No matter what he did, it didn't stop them from moving by themselves on the page. “-Dorm leader, how many mice should I put in the teacups at the tables?” Riddle pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to alleviate his headache. “-One per seat. It's rule ***.” “-Right.”

All around him, the students were working on preparing the unbirthday party. Riddle has no idea why he was given the job of ‘supervising the students' work when he knows that Trey was preparing everything and already directed the others in doing what they were supposed to.

“-I brought the treats.” Riddle snapped from his thoughts when Trey's cherry voice reached his ears. “-Good…put them there.” Riddle made a sluggish move with his thumb behind his shoulder, at a table behind him. The redhead was seated at a table, trying to gather his thoughts. “-Are you alright, Riddle?” Trey asked, walking up to him. Riddle put his hands against his temple, rubbing them. “-I'm fine, Trey.” Riddle replayed shortly. He wasn't in the mood for a conversation with Trey. “-Ace had to take a break for a bit. Hope you don't mind.”

Riddle clicks his tongue, glancing up at Trey. “-Mind tell me why is that? The redhead hates when Trey does that. Talking vaguely about Ace to force Riddle into a conversation is one of the scummier things the baker does when he knows Riddle has no interest in talking to him. 

“-He was feeling a little sick so I sent him with Deuce to the rose maze. They will be here shortly.” Riddle narrows his eyes, the fire of anger in the pit of his stomach makes his cheeks red. It was infuriating how casually Trey was talking about this. Ace was more than likely feeling sick from the drugs, the ones Trey insisted on giving him. “-He will be seated beside me today to make sure he is ok during the unbirthday party.” Trey stops smiling, and a frown appears on his face. “-Wouldn't it be better for him to sit next to Deuce, or Cater? They are capable of carrying him back to the dorm in case he feels worse?” Riddle's own face became sour. “-Did you perhaps forget that I have medical knowledge? Your worry is admirable but I believe my skills are far more suited to deal with it.”

Trey closed his mouth. He was displeased and Riddle surely would get scolded if not punished later for arguing with his vice, but in the moment all he felt was satisfaction as Trey sighed and nodded. “-Dorm leader, vice dorm leader, the preparations are finished!” A second year call out, placing the last cup on the table. “-Ok. Please message the other students to come to the tea garden,” Trey called out, moving to take a seat where Ace would usually sit so the younger can sit beside Riddle.

“-Trey senpai is expecting us in the tea garden. The party is about to begin.” Deuce looks at his phone, walking in front of Ace. The redhead insisted so much that he could walk by himself that Deuce gave in and let him walk by himself. “-I got the message too,” Ace confirmed, glancing at his own phone. His grip on his device was shaky as he truly didn't feel the best. Staying in the sun, watching Deuce and some other students paint the roses for 20 minutes was meant to have that effect. Deuce seemed to be so absorbed in getting to the tea garden that he forgot that Ace was staggering behind. 

The redhead was so tired that he didn't see the rose bush branch that caught the back of his uniform until he stumbled backward with a startled yelp. Before his head made contact with the heavy ground, a hand covered the back of his head while the other pressed against his shoulder blades, making his fall more gentle.

“-Ace!” The redhead caught only the color purple before the hands disappeared, right before Deuce got to his side, checking him out worriedly. “-Are you ok!? Did you break something!?” Ace blinks up at him, red eyes looking around for the person who caught him. “-U-uh? No, no I don't think so…” “-Are you sure?” Deuce asked, helping Ace back on his feet. “-Yeah…My shirt was pulled by one of the bushes.” Deuce looks calmer at the explanation, glad to know that his friend didn't fall over due to illness.

“-Let's go…When we get to the tea garden you can sit down.” Deuce wrapped his hand around Ace’s waist, guiding him to the entrance of the tea garden at a slow pace. The shorter one was so confused about what happened earlier.

Riddle looks at the two first years. They were 10 minutes late but Riddle wasn't upset at that. What he was upset at however was the fact that Deuce was holding Ace like the younger of the two was about to drop down at any moment. His gray eyes glare at Trey before focusing back on Ace and Deuce. “-Ace, come by my side, Deuce take your seat.” Both first years were confused but did as told. Ace was relieved to sit beside his dorm leader, where he wasn't expected to entertain long and boring conversations. Deuce was a little disappointed for not sitting beside his best friend but was quick to cheer up when food was served.

Everyone was quick to dig in, drinking their tea and making light conversion. Ace reached out to grab the jam glass on the table to spread on some baked goods when the container slipped from his shaky hands. His red eyes winded and was ready for the jam glass to shatter when the same pair of hands from earlier caught it. Ace looks surprised at the fluffy purple ears on top of the person’s hair.

He was about to say something when Riddle hurriedly grabbed the glass from the cat hybrid’s hands. “-Be more careful Ace. Luckily, I have good reflexes otherwise the jam would have gone to waste.” Ace blinks owlishly at his dorm leader and back at the kneeling figure near their table. Riddle was looking insistently at him and the boy had no choice but to meet his gaze, noticing how the figure faded away slowly. “-Right. Nice catch dorm head.”

Cater looks at the two of them with a raised eyebrow but says nothing.

For the rest of the afternoon, Ace and Riddle talked to one another, sharing pies and any other dessert offered by Trey. Ace fell asleep on Riddle's shoulder around the time the party was around to end. The dorm leader let him sleep, draping his dorm leader uniform cape over his body. His eyes were on Cater and Deuce. They were playing croquet with the hedgehogs and flamingos. The ginger was cheering the younger on, despite the third year having the bigger score between them.

In the Diasomnia dorm, the feas, half human half-fae, and human were all having their own little picnic. Silver was sleeping with his head resting in Lilia's lap. The boy fell asleep in the middle of a story and the other three are waiting for him to wake up to retell it. Malleus was playing with his virtual pet, showing it to Sebek and telling fascinated and starstruck half-fae stories about it. Lilia was giving his own opinions here and there but otherwise was silent, making the third flower crown to put on his son's head.

A similar flower crown was hanging from Sebek's neck. Lilia felt like messing with the younger so he made it bigger ‘accidentally’. Malleus put his around his tail, liking how soft the petals fell. Between Malleus and Sebek was an unfinished flower crown for Lilia. The two took a break after they got stuck and were too prideful to ask for help.

Chapter Text

Seeing the now blotified second year for what feels like the ninth time, Yuu raises their hands. "-I'm out." 

"-What!?" Ace, Deuce, Grim, Trey and Cater yell simultaneously. The prefect doesn't falter as they keep their stroller to the exit of the tea garden under the surprised gazes of the other.

"-What!?" Ace said again, running after Yuu. The first year ignored the yells happening behind him as he ran after the other student.

Ace catched up with Yuu right outside the tea garden. "-Are you out of your mind!?" The ginger grabs them by the shoulders, shaking them hard. "-I will not go back there to fight Riddle." Seeing that it won't be so easy to coax Yuu to help, Ace changed tactics.

"-Yuu. Player. Come onnnnnnn. We can't advance with to story if you don't fight Riddle!" With a far more gentle hold on their shoulders, the boy begs the person from the other world. "-Is bullshit, Ace! Just because I lost my old account I need to redo all the books!" "-I know, I know." A idea came to the ginger suddenly, making him grin. "-How about this, Player. If you keep going, I will wear a pair of sunglasses upsidedown for each blot you defend."

The player stops to think for a bit before nodding. "-Fine. But you have to keep them on until we defend Malleus."

"-Deal!"

The Diasomnia lounge was on fire. The green flames lick at everything standing in their way, just like the one responsible for the fire who tower over the heroes.

"-Do you really think you stand a chance against me?" Malleus roar s. His cap flutter from the intensity of his voice.

"You foolish mortals- Why the hell is he wearing six pairs of sunglasses upsidedown? I can't take him seriously. He is messing up my whole monologue!"

Ace flips Malleus the bird as he fixed his glasses. "-The power of friendship, shady child labor work encouraged by Crowley ,and fuck you, that's why!"

Yuu is stuck between facepalming from the idiocy and giggling slightly at the same time. The player did not expect Ace to go through with it, but he was committed to the bit.

Chapter Text

The classroom was filled with laughter, music blasting from phones and headphones, and some paper planes flew through the air. It was pretty unusual as this was a history class after all.

“-Oi, Juice.” The blue haired boy stops mid conversation with his fellow purple hair first year to glare at the redhead. “-Stop calling me that! You know me for half a year now!” Deuce winch reflexively at his volume in history class, but once no chiding came, he relaxed. “-That's what I wanted to ask you about. Is half pass 10 and Trein is not here.” “-Neither is Lucius.” Epel piped up, frowning. It was pretty unusual to not have the monoton teacher present.

“-Perhaps he transferred school because he was feeling unworthy of teaching the greatest Draconia himself!” The other first years ignore the half fae with deadpan looks. “-Maybe Headmaster Dire Crowley got him to go on a vacation, and if so I wonder if he could talk my big brother into getting one too!” Ortho's cherry voice piped in. Ace thought about it and rolled his eyes. “-He would be the kind to know a looot about vacations.” “-Yeah. He did kind of ditch us and left for one.” Deuce glares at the alchemy homework he hasn't finished yet. If the dorm leader found out, his neck meeting head privilege was over. 

“-Hey! Don't ignore me when I'm talking about Waka sama!” “-It is kind of irresponsible to let a class of mages unsupervised in NRC.” Jack's gruff voice incurred, looking out the window to pretend that he wasn't interested in the conversation.

“-Where is the magicless human? They haven't graced us with their presence the entire day.” “-Grim ate something from the floor again and got sick.” Ace groaned, perhaps if Yuu was here, they could get to the bottom of this. “-Typical of him to do something like that.” Epel sighed and brought his feet on the table as he started craving an epel.

All students froze when the door of the classroom was banged against the door. “-Your kind Headmage is here!” The first years groan internally. The man looked around at the class of kids that were looking at him like deers caught in the headlights. “-What is the meaning of this mess!? Clean up this instance!” All the students picked up the scattered papers, books and plains and sat properly in their chairs as Crawley sat at the desk in front of the class.

After a long five minutes of scolding and self bragging, the headmaster addressed the elephant in the room. “-Your history teacher is at the doctor because of an allergy. I, as your kind headmage, gave our troubled faculty college the week off.”

The room exploded in chatter but it was Epel who silenced it. “-But who will teach us until Trein sensei is back? We have an important test in two weeks.” Whispers start again, some worried that their housewarden will have their head if they failed and others lamenting about having to do contracts with a certain marin housewarden to keep their gpa up.

“-Quiet! Everyone stop talking!” All the kids focus once more on the teacher. Crawley coughed before putting his hands behind his back. “-Do not panic! The fantastic me already found a solution! You will have a substitute teacher until mister Trein is better. This is your new teacher, mister Hawns.” The headmage made sparkles appear as he used his magic to open the classroom door.

A brunette man walks in and waves at the class. He was dressed in fancy white and purple clothes and had a charming smile on his face. “-Hello class. It's a pleasure to be teaching you and to be welcomed so kindly by the headmaster.” Subtly, the man brushed off the glitter that fell on his shoulder, the corner of his lip twitching downwards for one second before it stopped and his lips stayed in a perfect smile.

The first years look at each other and then at the new teacher with raised eyebrows. Something tells them it will be one hell of a week.

It was a week later and the teens were all eating at the cafeteria when the discussion about the new teacher finally occurred. “-What do y'all think about the new guy?” Epel said, taking some bites from his ham sandwich. Ace and Deuce who have been bickering before about the last doughnut in the box they both pitched in to buy. “-He seems nice?” Deuce blinks, tone a little unsure. “-Yeah, right. I have seen teachers like this before. Two faced assholes I tell you,” Ace said, taking advantage of Deuce being distracted to snatch the last doughnut and eat it under Deuce's offended glare. “-Hey! That one was mine!” “-It didn't have your name on it.”

“- Technically, Ace Trappola had an intake of 645 calories which means he ate five doughnuts, while Deuce Space had an intake of 594 calories which means he had eaten 3 doughnuts.”

“-See!? That one was mine!” “-Still didn't have your name on it.”

“-I have to agree with Ace, only by necessity.” Jack grumbles out, playing with his pork chops. “-The new teacher seems off in a way I can't put my finger on.” “-Do you think he is up to some kind of evil scheme that can harm Waka sama?” Sebek slams his plastic water bottle he was drinking from on the table, making all plates jump. The greenett was glaring at the table as just the thought personally offended him.

“-Don't everyone in this school have his own motives? I mean everyone does things for their own interest. It won't be far-fetched to think this guy is the same,” Epel muttered, slapping Ace's hand away that was itching near his strawberries.

“-I suggest keeping a close eye on the new teacher in the upcoming school excursion. I couldn't find any kind of report about him in any database. Everything is squeaky clean, suspiciously so.” The others look at Ortho, feeling slightly uneasy.

“-Wait, aren't we supposed to be going on a fishing trip with the rest of our class at the end of the week? Man, why are we always left alone with the shady individuals?” Ace whined, resting his head on the table after Sebek held his food tray up, away from the ginger.

Chapter Text

Hawns picked up very quickly that the freshmen class will be more difficult that the others at NRC. The second, third and fourth years respected authority, most of the time and to a degree. But those kids? Not so much.

A group in particular had piqued his interest, the ‘overblot defenders’ like he heard other students mention. At first he scoffed. Those kids and a magicless human and a stray stopped not one, not two, but six overblots? Yeah, no way. It was absurd. But once he confronted the excuse of a headmage, with some praises and boot kissing, he managed to get the information about the past overblots incidents.

So out of this school, those kids were the real deal. Hawns became a little more careful around them and started playing his favorite game, ‘destroying the very self esteem of children’. It wasn't a surprise for nobody that being a teacher, a substitute teacher no less, is not fulfilling or pays well. So what is he supposed to do if not getting fulfillment from somewhere else then the ‘joy of aiding the next generations to build a better future’?

His game is simple but so fun to play. Search for the problem children in a collective and start to isolate them from their classmates. Use the child's unruly behavior to give pop quizzes and punish the entire class under the pretext of being a fair teacher. If other teachers bring up the pop quizzes, tell them it's your way of keeping the class under control and say you are very serious about your curriculum. Often schools don't have other options for substitute teachers if they called you so they won't fire you as they are desperate and Crowley seems like all the other cheap school staff he encountered before. Just to be sure, befriend the teachers. Don't be overly friendly, just enjoy to gain their respect. There is no need to raise suspicion.

When the teachers and class are taken care of, start to slowly prepare to strike. Offer to meditate the student in the library or in other places that are public so the student(s) start to trust you. Don't do this in groups if they are friends. Do those sessions one at a time. After some sessions, start to make small comments about the kid. How they made a mistake but it's ok. Keep this up during future sessions. Actually help them to study and watch them actually get good grades. Then slowly start to change the sequel and leasen the sessions and slowly watch them struggle to learn again as you are ‘busy’ for a few days to meditate them.

After a while they will be desperate to do meditations again because of the pressure of failing your class. Agree to new sessions more frequently and place them during club practice. Scold them if they try to skip the session for club practice and start making snide remarks about their grades and reputation and them as a person. Keep those comments going when they make any mistakes. Then lean back and watch as they slowly break under the pressure of doing good in your class, avoiding bullying in said class and keeping up with their club as they become meek and start to doubt themselves.

Of course, in the cases the problem children want to be smart and record when they get scolded, you can simply put a curse on the room so all the voice recording equipment is forbidden from picking up the harsh remakes. But where is the fun in that? Instead, Hawns decided to mess with the staff and the children alike by copying the behavior of the teachers here, so in case the kid gose and shows a video or recording to another teacher, like the alchemy teacher, they will be too prideful to condone the same behavior they exhibit.

Condoning that behavior was basically confessing that the way they do things is wrong and people here are nothing if not prideful.

With students like Spade, Trappola and Flemier it worked like a charm. The letter two did try to be mouthy and record him, but it didn't work to his chagrin and only made their housewordens mad at them because they ‘slacked off’ in class.

Howl and Zigvolt were a little more complicated. Hawns couldn't just pretend that those kids are dumb and be done with this when they are in the top of his class. Instead he attacked where it hurts. Their pride. Comments about wolves being a weaker species then the other species found at Savanaclaw were dropped here and there more like remarks.

‘-Oh, you are in Savanaclaw? No, no. Nothing is wrong. Just that wolves aren't the first animal that crosses my mind when I picture a savanna dorm.’

This got the kid to train harder, doing more exercise to exhaustion until the coach had to intervene and pull the beast man out of the track club temporarily. He was so stressed and tired from all that training that his grades started to slip so Hawns offered to have history meditations with him. It worked out perfectly to plant the seed of self doubt in such a confident young man.

Sebek was simple too. He only had to boost his ego about being a fae and act surprised and slightly disappointed when ‘finding out’ he was half human too.

‘-Oh, prince Malleus allowed a half breed to guard him? That's very impressive, don't get me wrong. I just didn't think he would be able to do so because of the state's views on humans. No, no. Don't worry about it. Malleus is indeed a very kindhearted young man.’

It was so amazing seeing how his self esteem deflated like a balloon. Not that he had a lot to begin with. Hawns could see from very far away that the kid was going through an identity crisis and what was more fun than to demolish them when they didn't even complete the puzzle of who they are yet? Hide some of those pieces and see how they will need therapy later on to love and understand themselves.

And now they are here. The school was insistent that they organized an fishing trip to relax the students while also teaching them the history of fishing done with magic. Crowley though it was imperatively to teach every freshman class how to hunt fish with magic just like their predecessors did and how the society evolved. By default this means Hawns has to be with them.

But he doesn't mind all that much. He has 6 new toys to keep him entertained.

For the first years, it was hell. All of them had to go with the new history teacher on a trip. No amount of beginning the housewardens did anything. Yuu had to stay behind with Grim after he got detention for eating some of the potions ingredients in the alchemy lab and Ortho had a malfunction so he too stayed behind with Idia.

The rest were disappointed and on edge as they now had to stay for one weekend with their classmates that doesn't like them. It could be all solved quickly if any of the 5 first years told their housewardens about what was happening, but they weren't snitches and couldn't afford annoying their classmates more then they already were.

Deuce was the first to want to report to Riddle, but Ace, Sebek, Jack and Epel refused. The beast man and fae didn't want to look weak to their housewardens, Epel absolutely refused to go to Vil with any problem so he doesn't look like a sissy and Ace did not want to no longer have a head on his shoulders. The ginger was sure that their upperclassmen and teachers would find a reason to blame them for the sudden sift in their classmates behavior. All this made Deuce agree to keep quiet too.

So they all suck it up, packed their bags and get into the overfilled bus, ignoring the paper balls thrown at their heads occasionally and all the other insults and comments. Two days will be over soon and then they could go back to huddle together in the very back of the class, away from their other classmates.

Two days wasn't as easy as it should have been. First, all of them have been separated and put to share a tent with one of their classmates. They swear it was intentionally did by Hawns as when they did go to complain, the brunet man commented that the school did the sleep aragments and he has nothing to do with it. It was a wired for Crawley to separate them now when he let them bunk together in other trips.

In the end they didn't have anything else to do so they once more sucked it up and went to sleep around midnight when all the other students were already asleep to avoid any kind of altercation or arguments.

The lack of sleep and being on edge constantly because of the pranks others pull on them were getting to the five first years. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the incident that took place in the afternoon of Sunday. Everyone was given chores to do for the last day of camping. Of course everyone paired up in groups and like it happened for a few weeks now, nobody wants to pair up with the other five freshmen.

“-I can't let you five stand around while the others work. No, It won't do. You five, go in the forest and look for wood for fire,” Hawns said dismissively, waving his hand around in the direction of the dark woods as he was reviewing the program.

The kids look at the doubting place and then at one another. “-Mister Hawns, isn't the forest dangerous to go in if not with an adult? This is the exact place a group of students-” The sound of a pen clicking broke the silence making the boy go mute. “-Do you see any other forest around here mister Felmier where we can get wood for a fire?” The first years curl into themselves as the brunet man fidget with the pen. A brown notepad is subtly tilted so one edge is visible under the papers he was holding.

“-N-no sir.” The lavender haired boy muttered, keeping his eyes fixed to the familiar leather notepad. It was where the teacher wrote down any mishaps done by the students. At 3 mishaps you get a verbal warnings, 4 verbal warnings and you get detention, 3 detentions in a week get you in a meeting with headmage, two weeks away from any club and being confirmed to your dorm after class doing chores. “-Than go to it. We have to start early or we won't have enough time to cook tonight and I doubt your classmates want to go with an empty stomach to sleep.” The kids curl up into themselves more and hesitantly but with resignation, make their way into the forest. Everything happened under the not so subtle glares of their classmates who overheard the conversation.

Hawns was pleased with himself. Some teachers have the opinion that he gives too much leeway to the kids with all the warnings. Only if they knew how effective his lessons were.

Not even an hour into getting firewood passed before trouble found them like normal.

Deuce was tugging (yanking) a panting Ace after him through the forest with one hand. The ginger didn't have a high stamina like Deuce, so the ex-delinquent had to drag his dorm mate after him through the maze of trees. Sebek had a better approach with a similar problem, but instead of dragging Epel through the forest, he threw the shorter one over his shoulder to keep running.

In any other situations, the kids would have to only pull their magic pens out and deal with the troll hunting them, but they all were in the history teacher’s tent with the other pens of their classmates. It wasn't allowed to use them unless the teacher allowed it.

Jack was somewhere behind them, growling and making sure that there was a distance between the others and the troll at all times. His white fur was coated with mud from being smacked away by the creature. The beast man growled in warning again and showed his fangs to the troll as it once more tried to smack a big rock at his friends.

Sebek couldn't shield the others from a hit again. His back was already bruised and some blood was staining the back of his shirt. Another rock thrown their way might make Sebek incapable of walking.

The creature’s foot slammed into his flank and Jack rolled across the rocky ground with a whine, stopping when his back hit a tree. Epel yelled something in warning, but Jack was too dizzy to understand. Several voices joined Epel in yelling, which made him look up. The rock the troll was holding earlier was flying in his direction. Jack’s eyes open wide in alarm as the teen tries to get his body back up and out of the way.

A strong wind made his fur stand up as his golden eyes followed it to see the wind getting in the way of the rock. The messed up trajectory made the rock fall to Jack’s left, right in front of his back legs. He looked back at his friends in time to see Deuce holding Ace, who had a bloody nose, leaning against his dorm mate. The wolf barked in displeasure and Ace huffed. “-What? Do you expect me to let you get flattened by a rock and explain that to Leona? Yeah, fat chances.”

He knows Ace was trying his best to keep the morale up. But his nose was bleeding badly from overexerting himself. Out of everyone, Ace used a lot of magic tonight. His style was more a defensive one, so it made sense he would try to counter any attack of the troll. He had the best control over his elemental magic out of everyone, so much so that he can use it even without a magic pen, something that not even Jack and the others could, and the troll had some kind of immunity to their unique magic, which means they have to rely on Ace's wind magic and Jack’s beast form for protection.

“-Keep going! Guys we have to keep going!” Epel screams as the troll once more closes the distance between them. Deuce cursed and pushed Ace behind him, leaning the redhead against a tree. “-Cauldron, I summon you!”

A miniature version of a cauldron fell from the sky, bringing several dead tree branches with it. It didn't hit the troll, as it jumped back at the last second, but it did make an obstacle in the way. “-No more wasting time, Hawl! Keep moving!” Sebek yelled, taking a hold of Ace's forearm, tugging him forward. Deuce quickly got to his fellow card soldier's side and threw his arm over his neck to take some of the red head’s weight. “-Guys! Stop acting like I'm an invalid! I can walk.”

“-You look like a shed after a pig gets slaughtered.” Ace gives Epel a glare, but his face was so pale and he had so little energy that his glare was more of a grimace.

Jack quickly got to his feet and once more raced behind his friends as they followed the path out of the woods.

It was nearly 7 pm when they broke through the tree line, stopping to a halt in the middle of the camping space, panting, dirty and hurt.

Other students looked at them with wide eyes, not sure if they should approach or not.

The troll has been chasing them relentlessly. Jack got slammed into another tree, as such his entire world was spinning constantly. Concussion most likely. The back of Sebek’s shirt is bloody and torn up, barely hiding the bruises and wounds underneath the material. There have to be splinters added to the mix when the creature throws a heavy branch in Deuce and Ace's direction. Epel managed to use his magic to break it in too, but one half still managed to hit the fae in the back and the lavender boy the mouth and cheek hard enough to leave bruises.

“-D-Don't stay there! Get Profesor Hawns!” Deuce snapped at his frozen classmates who were staring at them like zoo animals. Ace groans, Deuce's booming voice not helping with the pounding in his head and the nausea he felt. Deuce apologized quietly, watching how some of the students hurried to the teacher’s tent to get him.

Sebek put the shorter boy down on the ground to rip his torn shirt off.

“-Ah fuck,” Epel whistle, looking at the back of the green haired boy. “-That bastard did a number on you.”

“-He was lucky I didn't have my sword or magic pen on me!” Sebek frowned (pouts), sitting down in the grass beside a whinded out Jack still in his wolf form. “-Did he get brain damage?” Ace asked after Deuce helped him sit down on the grass patch too. “-I hope not. Jacky boy is more fun when he is his tsundere self.” Jack growled at Epel, huffing before he plopped down on his side, trying to not let himself fall asleep in the fluffy grass and the warm sun bathing him.

A pair of boots and another pair of shoes crunch the leaves under their feet. Their pace was relaxed, close to a stroll. It was very different from the pair in front of them that were frantically sprinting, running down between trees, never losing the two pairs of feet behind them.

“-I have never seen you like this,” Leona keeps his eyes forward on the panicked man in front of them that was only digging his grave deeper, literally, by trying to go further into the dark woods to lose them.

“-Are you even angry? Because you usually are all over the place when you are. Red face and all that.” Leona’s eyes flicker to gray ones, only to once more be met with a coldness he wasn't used to. 

“-Don't be absurd.” Riddle fidget with his staff, eyes fixed on the figure in front of them. “-I’m absolutely livid.” The housewarden said in a low voice, heeled boots crushing leaves as the ginger quickened his pace. “-I'm revolted with what had happened. Being announced that two of my students got chased through the woods by Lilia was not a good way to start my evening.”

Leona brings his eyes back on their prey. He was still running, searching in vain for a way to escape them. His irises became slits, claws out and ready.

“-I want his head,” Riddle said with a coldness that was sure to freeze the entire sea. “-I will make some incisions, cut off the ears and tongue and then treat the skin with some solutions to slow the decomposition and then put it in a round jar and deposit it on my bookshelf in my dorm room.”

Leona grins, liking what he heard. “-Is all yours. Bastard deserve it after he tried to do some type of psychological torture bullshit on the cubs.”

He will have to thank Lilia later by sending Ruggie with a basket of goods to Diasomnia. If it wasn't for that creepy bat, Leona wouldn't have been informed what Jack had been through. Thankfully the Diasomnia cub was smart enough to call his mentor right after the school had been made aware of the kids getting hurt, because Crawley sure as hell wouldn't have told them until after the cubs were back.

Because of Lilia’s little interrogation on the phone, he found out because the kid couldn't lie to his mentor about the things that happened in the classroom. Thankfully, Lilia was kind enough to give this information to the rest of the housewardens, and Malleus was polite enough to teleport them to the camp.

Talking about Malleus—

Green flames burst from the ground, forming a big circle around them and their prey.

“-Mister Hawns.” Malleus emerges from the flames a little bit in front of the terrified teacher. “-I think it is the appropriate time we discuss your teaching methods.” Green eyes sharp as even look at the frozen man that fell on the ground at his feet. The fea could hear his prize slamming against the man’s rib cage, pumping blood in a fast, unnatural rhythm.

“-Too bad Vil has chosen to use that troll as his little lab rat, instead of being here.” 

Leona throws the shovel he was carrying right besides Hawns’ leg. It got impaled in the ground, right where his grave will be.

Hawns tries to grab the base of the shovel. With this collar around his neck he won't be able to cast spells, but maybe—

A heeled boot slammed into his hand making him scream. The pressure of the shoe was so hard that the heel broke several bones.

“-That abomination has to be taken care of for the way it acted to our students.” Riddle looks void of any emotions down at the scum beginning for his hand to be spared. ‘Distasteful.’ He pressed down harder, the sound of broken bones ringing over the slow rumble of fire. The younger boy almost wished he accompanied Vil in trying some of his new potions on the troll instead of dealing with this waste of molecules.

But what Ace and Deuce have been going through at his hand are asking for a punishment and this time instead of a judge, Riddle will be an executioner.

“-I'm sure Azul is a very fit assistant for Vil’s experiments. I think it is time we get rid of our own chore.”

Screaming filled the woods. One voice has been owned by a teacher, and the other one of a creature that should have known better than to attack kids that belonged to the housewardens.

The troll was struggling on the ground. His body jerked and spasmed, bulging veins spreading all over his body yellow in color.

“-How potent is this potion?” Azul asked, intrigued. The light of the moon shone against his glasses as he looked down at the creature.

“-It is not diluted at all. I have been working on it for quite some time,” Vil replied, adding some liquid in a spray bottle. “-It makes the body see the arteries and veins as an intruder, which leads to the body attacking them. This was meant for the bugs in the green house that keep destroying the flowers and potions ingredients.”

Vil puts the vile back in his designer bag before he squats down beside the creature, punching it in the face to daze it for a few moments as he pulls his eyelids away and sprays the potion in his eyes.

“-Not that I'm complain. Now I get to see what it can do to something slightly humanoid.”

“-Fascinating.”

The two watch the creature cry in utter despair, slamming his face against the ground and trees.

“-Idia!~” The introvert flinched backwards as the white haired male leaned in his personal space.

“-K-Kalim! N-not so close!” The other housewarden giggles but backs away to Idia’s relief. “-Come on silly, the kids are waiting to play the video game you paused!”

The introvert looks at the bouncing boy, groaning. “-I-I know, I know. Just wanted to make sure that the defenses around the camp are at max capacity.” Kalim hummed before he smiled brightly. “-I'm sure the others aren't sloppy enough to let those two escape. But if they do manage to break this tree line, we will just take care of it.”

Idia grimaces, forgetting that Kalim is not as clueless as he lets people to believe. “-Y-Yeah. I know is not the f-first time, but I'm worried that the newbies will see something they don't have enough level to see—”

“-No worries! Like you said, this is not the first time!” Kalim gives (shoves in his hands) a thermos. “-Hot chocolate makes everything better! Now go and play with the kids before Ace gets annoyed and tries to break your switch password with Ortho’s help. Again.”

Idia yelps and hurries back to the biggest tent with the thermos in his hands. Kalim smiles, really to go back in too, when he saw something in the corner of his eye. The boy turns around to see Riddle coming out of the woods with Leona and Malleus, bloodied and holding a bag just as red.

“-Can you—”

“-Give the bag to me and go to the waterfall 15 minutes from here in the north direction.” Kalim interrupts the ginger, grabbing a bag with shampoo, soap and some hydrogen peroxide and drops it beside Riddle.

“-Do you guys have a switch of clothes?”

“-Yeah, kid. I have it. Stop fussing and deposit Rosehearts’ and lizard’s little souvenir bag so nobody snoops in it and get traumatized.” Leona passed Kalim, swinging the bloody and dented shovel and a backpack with three change of clothes as he walked casually in the direction of the waterfall. 

“-Thanks a lot Kalim. I will be returning when I'm more presentable. Please don't let Ace and Deuce have too much hot chocolate. Ace has a tendency of sleeping way later than others and I don't want sugar right before bedtime to mess up his sleep schedule more.” 

“-No worries, Riddle! I have it under control.” Kalim watches as the ginger too follows after Leona with Malleus already teleporting there.

He made a quick spell over the bag to make it invisible, odorless and tied it to a tree branch of a tree he made a little sign in the bark to know where he placed the bag. Kalim then burned off any bloody leaves and grass before hopping back in the main tent, ready

to entertain the wounded teens with Idia.

Chapter Text

It was much later, nearly 5 in the morning when everyone gathered around in the biggest tent.

Jack blinked a few times when Riddle, Leona and Malleus came back from their bath, his nose wrinkled, but thankfully he just laid back down with his side pressed into Vil’s leg, trying very hard to not look starved for attention every time the actor pet his silver fur.

“-How much longer is he going to stay in that form?” Leona asked, plopping in the furthest corner of the tent, eyes closed and legs stretched out in front of him (like a jerk) taking some of the sitting space.

“-Jack Hawl took a hit to the cranium. A mild concussion is the result of my analysis. Jack Hawl seems to be the most content in this form so I suggest we let him be.”

Leona opens one eye to look at Idia’s brother who was trying to get the other first years to agree to watch some of his sappy romance manga on his brother's switch.

His eye moved to the lizard, who was looking over his cub’s shoulder at his virtual pet he liked so much that was in Sebek's hands. Malleus was telling a story, probably about the virtual pet, while Sebek was looking at it like it was a precious artifact.

Leona let them play in pace, not commenting or getting in an argument with the lizard this time.

Epel was half asleep beside Jack on the ground, from time to time petting the wolf. The shorter boy was slowly nodding off, that's probably why he didn't even notice that Vil’s hand that was coated in a layer of magical ice rested on his cheek and face where the purple bruises were.

The actor looks pretty content laying back and letting all the sounds around him act as white noise. Kalim was offering Deuce and Azul hot chocolate every so often, already offering to the others at least twice.

Riddle was reading a book nobody really knows where it came from. He, like Malleus and Leona, was dressed into casual clothes, a brown turtleneck and a pair of dark blue jeans. On each of his sides were his card soldiers. Ace half awake too, his head using Riddle's leg as a pillow, playing cards scattered around him. He has been showing his housewarden some tricks, but after a while, the sugar from the hot chocolate made him crash.

Riddle didn't comment on the mess. He only keeps a close eye on Ace in case he has any more nose bleeds. The cards can be cleaned tomorrow. Deuce was watching and playing video games with Idia, Azul and Ortho, talking quietly to not disturb the others.

Jack was the first to fall asleep, followed by Ace, Epel, Sebek, Deuce and the last Ortho who was running out of battery.

Each housewarden got his own student in one little corner of the tent.

Vil made Epel an apple burrito using a blanket so the boy wouldn't kick in his sleep and positioned himself to sleep beside him.

Kalim hugged Ortho to sleep, Idia sleeping with his back pressed against his brother's.

Sebek tried to stay away and on guard so Malleus could sleep, but all it took was for the dragon fae to wrap his tail around the kid’s waist and pull him for a hug for Sebek to be completely gone to dream land.

Deuce was snoring against Riddle's shoulder. No matter how hard he tried to stay still and not get into his upper class men's personal space, the warmth of another body so close reminded him when he and his mother cuddled on the sofa after a movie. Ace was curled up, face pressed into Riddle's arm. Just as Deuce, this spontaneous sleepover reminds him of his and his older brother's sleep overs in the elder’s bedroom.

Riddle was sleeping quietly between his students, not looking bothered by their oblivious need for closeness after basically being iced out by their classmates (something he and the other housewardens will talk to those kids about in a meeting back home).

Azul fell asleep close to Riddle after he reviewed and made sure everyone had an alibi and a good cover story for where profesor Hawns went off to.

Leona was the last to fall asleep as he was waiting for the first rays of the sun to make sure nothing happened. Jack was fast asleep beside him, curled up in his wolf form, snoring away. Only when the first lights of the morning colored the entrance of the tent did Leona go to sleep.

Chapter Text

Ace was not one to stress over things he believed he had no control over.

So the roses that he should have painted aren't painted. So what? They will die at the first snow and come back in spring white once more anyway.

Grim has eaten something off the ground and now he is sick? It is the basic law of nature that Grim will eat anything he deems worthy enough. So no, Yuu, he won't have sympathy for the fur ball.

But something like his magic abilities? This is where things get complicated.

Ace wants to believe he does everything he can to evolve in this school. Practicing mostly the skills he thinks are the most important for his future career as a mage. But he can't feel like he doesn't do enough. Not moving at the pace with his friends. No making progress.

All his friends have unlocked their unique magic. Hell, Deuce did it before him. And in a dramatic way too! All he heard for a weekend straight was his housewarden, Trey and Cater parsing him and offering the ex-delinquent opportunities to polish his unique magic by training with them.

Ace tried the very next week to be on his best behavior so he could get some praises too. It is not like he couldn't live without some kind words. But it was kind of hard to find someone in this school he could be vulnerable with and who would be willing to accommodate his love language.

Words of affirmation were always like crack for him. When people say ‘good job, you did good’ Ace could really feel like he did good. People at this school were emotionally constipated though, so it was pretty hard to read their faces and understand when they were pleased without voicing it.

Deuce was more into acts of service. He was always eager to do little things to show he cared when words failed him due to him getting shy. Trey and Riddle lined up with what Ace was searching for, while Cater was in the same boat as Deuce but with the added physical contact.

It was probably because he was home sick or some bullshit. Or just plain desperate. But Ace tried to stand out the entire week.

He took over feeding the hedgehogs and flamingos duty from some of his dorm mates, painted some of the roses bushes left unpainted in the back of the rose maze, and even learned for a test he would have the next week in advance to get a good grade.

Deuce and the other first years were getting suspicious, asking about what was with the attitude shift. But who cares if they think he is up to some of his schemes? All it mattered in the end was that his upperclassmen would praise him for doing good.

He did good. He was proud of himself.

“-inadmissible! You covered for that rascal that chipped my tea cup by doing his punishment chores!” 

Ace cringed, tensing up on the sofa. Nobody was in the lounge besides him and Riddle. Trey and Cater were with Deuce at Sam’s shop to get some bags of sugar. So there is nobody here to try and calm down the enraged Riddle.

“-How was I supposed to know—”

Riddle's heels stop clicking abruptly as he stops pacing back and forth.

“-That’s the thing! You don't think about the consequences before doing something!” The older said, pointing his finger at him so accusatory that Ace for a second believed he was accused on trial instead scolded by his housewarden.

Ace tried to defend himself, after all it wasn't fair to be yelled at when all he did was being a good student. But Riddle just couldn't see that. He looks positively mad beyond measure. So Ace kept his mouth shut this time.

Very uncharacteristically, but what else was he supposed to do? Yell back and get collared? Yuu was stressed enough as Grim was giving the prefect a hard time by not studying for the upcoming test. He couldn't go to Ramshackle and demand to be housed there until this blows over.

So Ace kept quiet and let Riddle yell and pace around the room. 

“-Maybe if you only used your brain to think and memorized the rules of the Queen of Hearts, you would know that no Ace of Hearts is allowed on Wednesdays to paint the roses after another card soldier damaged one of the Queen of Heart’s objects.”

Riddle huffed, stopping right in front of the sofa, arms crossed and icy look on his face. “-I don't know what you intended to do with this stunt-”

“-I was only—”

“-But I know you don't do chores if you can help it. Do you understand that you caused me more problems? Do you get a kick out of it, Trappola?” Riddle sighed and looked at the younger with a harsh look. “-Do you understand that you give me more things to do?” Ace grimaced and fixed his eyes on the floor.

“- I don't doubt that Trey and Cater would get dragged into this as the two of them are fond of you and can't help not fix your mistakes.” Ace stays quiet, an agitated expression on his face. The room got colder and quieter suddenly, as if all the sounds in the dorm got muted besides Riddle's voice. “-But it's time to start being more responsible and aware of what you do around this school. Trey and Cater won't be here forever.”

Riddle sighed and clenched his fists and relaxed them for a few seconds before sighing again. “-You should study the rules instead of scheming. If you knew the rules and applied yourself in a more constructive way, I wouldn't have to worry myself over this.” The housewarden grimaces and turns around. “-Is infuriating that you have so much potential but you waste it.”

With those words, Riddle left the lounge. If he wasn't as angry, he would notice Ace looking absolutely crushed. The older one didn't think about how his words were perceived. He was mad that Ace used his wits and clever mind to plan schemes that result in trouble. The younger one has the ability to do great things, Riddle is sure about it. But Ace was stubborn and Riddle can't seem to find a way to get him motivated to follow the rules.

That night, Ace stayed up in his bed, looking at his ceiling as his roommates were all snorting in their respective beds. Riddle's words from earlier were replaying in his mind, over, and over again.

He did good. At least he thought so…

He did extra chores. He studied. He tried to stand out.

But it wasn't enough. It wasn't good enough. Those thoughts make Ace realize something. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried…He will always be behind his peers.

Deuce, Epel, Ortho, Sebek and Jack all know what they want to do in the future. They have a clear path in front of them which they follow.

What does that say about Ace? He didn't have a rough family life like Deuce, thankfully having both his parents around. He wasn't overlooked because of his looks like Epel. He didn't have to constantly prove himself that he is worthy to be where he was like Sebek. He didn't have to try to appear stronger to others to be taken seriously like Jack. And he definitely didn't have to go through the whole existential crisis that is Ortho’s day to day life.

Ace was Ace. Resident half of the trouble duo of Heartslabyul, basketball player and student at NRC.

Ace being surrounded by so many ambitious, powerful and wealthy individuals…was nothing more than the plainest person around.

He turned on his side, looking at the floor instead as his brain was going 100 miles per hour.

No end goal, no dream career-

No unique magic…

A cold sensation filled his chest and throat. It was like he suddenly drank ice cold water without stopping. His hands tingle, and vision darkened around the edges. Ace shut his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the sensation subsided. It didn't vanish completely, but it could easily be put at the back of his mind for now.

He didn't have time to be sick right now. Not when he has to show everyone that he was a good pick to be here in this school.

Groaning, Ace got up from the bed as quietly as he could, grabbed his school bag and just as quietly made his way out of the bedroom. The halls were pitch black and cold at night. It wasn't such a big problem for him. He often walked them when the nights that were supposed to be full of dreams turn to nightmares or the memories of a unbirthday party that happened at the beginning of the year.

He was more of a night owl since he was little. Always pretending to be asleep so he could play just a little bit more in the dark. Could it be his messed up sleep schedule that is hindering his chances at finding his unique magic? Ace had heard numerous times Riddle's scolding about the importance of sleep.

The boy made his way through the dorm with ease. Darkness wasn't an inconvenience. It was comforting. Nobody should be up to scold him for breaking curfew. Instead of opting for the lounge or the kitchen like he usually does when he has a bad night, he made his way to the front door and out in the front yard of the dorm.

His stop was in the rose maze. There no one will go and disturb him. Sitting down on the grass with an alchemy book in his lap and his phone flashlight held over the pages, Ace starts read.

He can show people that he got chosen by the mirror for a reason.

It shouldn't be hard to get back on track with his academics. He was once one of the kids with the highest grades in his middle school. That was before Ace got burned out and had to take a break and take it easy.

If his brain was once capable of understanding the rants of the teachers and remembered them at tests, he could do it again.

So he studied. Read page after page and take notes until the sun starts to rise.

It was fine. The time he usually used to eat snacks Trey left for him in the fridge and pantry is used more efficiently. His tiredness will pass after he gets his brain to once more work with less hours of sleep. He will just adapt once more to his old learning methods.

Ace was prepared for what he will have to do next. He stacked on concealer and foundation so he can conceal the dark circles under his eyes when they inevitably appear. There was no need to worry others. He had done it before, so he knows what he is doing. Drinking a lot of water and at least one cup of coffee a day and sleep in on the weekends so his body doesn't shut down will be his new routine.

The first few days were the worst. His mind will act like he was drunk due to the low amount of sleep he got. The boy had hurt himself with rose thorns due to how shaky his hands got.

This nearly cost him his cover when Trey and Cater got worried and helped him bandage the cuts. But he was quick on his feet enough to blame skipping breakfast that morning for his injuries. Thankfully, they bought it. Unfortunately, that means the two seniors put him to eat something in front of them in the kitchen.

But it was worth it.

Ace was doing something that was worth all the effort.

Studying for the upcoming test is one step on the way but an important one.

If he can score high on this test without Azul’s help, he can do so in the future too. It would mean his method was flawless and the therapist that strongly discouraged it was wrong.

Without worrying about studying, Ace could focus on finding out what he wants to be in the future. He can even work on doing his chores correctly!

He only has to stick to what he knows and it will be ok.

Deuce won't have to worry about him not sleeping enough if he proves he can score high on this test. No one in the first years circle will have to worry about him anymore.

It will be fine.

It will be fine.

It will be fine.

He has this.

It's fine.

(Ace holds the test in shaky hands.)

Fine-

Fine-

Fine-

(Crewel’s voice calls on students in the background. Ace can't focus on this. All he can look at is the big red writing on his test.)

25/100

FAILED.

(Ace looks at the number, unblinking. He had….fallen asleep in the beginning of the test and when he woke up the time was almost over. He didn't have time to write enough to get at least a 50%.)

Ace zero in on the test, ruby eyes glancing at the mistakes.

His mistakes, a voice whispered bitterly.

His hands shake and the paper bends and crumbles under the force. The boy feels his stomach drop as he reads the questions on the test. Too easy. Everything was too easy. He learned all this. 

But did he? Was this the universe’s way to tell him he would have failed regardless?

He stays silent as Crewel passes all the other tests to the class. Any other noise is drawn out in favor of the cruel voice in the back of his head that kept whispering to him since he enrolled in this school.

Failed 

He failed

He didn't work enough.

He should have done more.

More more more more more more more more more more more more.

Failed. FailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailedFailed

Not enough. Not enough. Not enough. Not enough. Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not enough.Not en-

“-Hey, dude. Are you ok?” A hand touched his shoulder and it snapped Ace out of his spiral. Red eyes blink numbly at the other boy before looking back at the piece of paper. 

“-Um…yeah…” Ace blinks at the test before he puts it in his bag. He doesn't notice the worried look Deuce had on his face. The ginger was too stunned by how cold he suddenly felt. How warm the other’s hand on his shoulder was.

“-I'm fine.”

‘Drip, drip, drip.’

He wasn't fine. Ace was very nauseous as he passed the threshold of Heartslabyul. The test feels like gigantic rocks in his bag, weighing him down and making him wish to get rid of the burden so he could take a break. Just a small one. Just so his headache will subside a bit.

But the second he was by the lounge door, a voice called out.

“-Trappola.” The sharp voice of his housewarden calls from inside. Ace stops and stares at the ground, numbly debating if he should pretend that he didn't hear his upperclassmen and go to sleep and face the consequences later. Or just go in there, get his well deserved yelling and punishment, and then go to sleep.

The two had very unsatisfying outcomes in his favor. But getting yelled at right now felt like too much for the ginger. After the week he had, getting yelled at will be the last straw. He will start to cry. Ace would literally cry from frustration. And he really didn't want to do it in front of Riddle.

The decision was made for him as the mentioned boy appears in the doorway. Ace can feel his eyes on him and it froze him on the spot. 

“-Let’s have a talk.”

The younger one didn't know what emotion was coloring his housewarden’s tone. It was too nonchalant to pinpoint. Something that Riddle never did. He was treading through uncharted waters and Ace didn't know what to expect.

Saying nothing, the boy made his way after the older in the lounge with his head low as if he was walking at his own execution. The sofa screeched in protest as he sat down, but he ignored it in favor of looking at the floor. If he really showed how miserable he felt, perhaps Riddle will take mercy and give him a lighter scolding.

From the corner of his eye he could see a chair floating before being placed right in front of the sofa, facing him. This made Ace lookup. Riddle usually doesn't sit down when he wants to scold him. Pacing the room was more his style. Or if he felt tired after the day, the big heart shaped chair facing the sofa was another option. Big, imposing, demanding respect, heart chair.

But him using a normal chair and sitting right in front of Ace was new. It makes him feel small. Watched. Trapped.

The sofa was suddenly too small, too cramped even with only one person using it. It feels like Ace was out in the open for everyone to see and judge his actions. Every little twitch of his fingers. Every breath he took that become harder and harder to take at a normal rate. They were the only two people in the lounge, him and Riddle. But there was no other moment in his life that Ace felt more claustrophobic than this.

“-You have been having a…peculiar behavior for the past week.”

Ace swallows dryly and looks at the tip of his shoes. He can't face Riddle. Not right now. Not when the harshest things haven't been said yet. The younger one just can't look at the older to see his disappointment. His anger towards Ace.

(Riddle's regret at not getting rid of a nonsense when he overbloted at the beginning of the year.)

Shakingly, Ace grips the sofa cushion. His ears start to buzz. How much long can Ace pull the cord until it snaps and Riddle decides he can't deal with him anymore? Is it going to be soon? He likes it here! Ace is sure he can show the others that he will try his best to pass his classes.

That's the least he can do after he messes up at everything else. At least to pass, no matter the grades.

“-And the test today…” Ace gasped and felt a cold dread fill his being. “-The grade wasn't…one you can pass with.”

Despite the sudden ringing in his ears and how out of touch he was with everything around him, Ace picked up on a detail.

Riddle was not screaming.

Tears filled ruby eyes as the younger boy started to shake. “-I-I will do b-better!” Ace looks up at Riddle in desperation. The other can't be done with him! He can't give up on Ace like that! That's the only reason Riddle behaves like this. It has to be! He doesn't see a good reason to waste his time getting mad at Ace.

It stung, honestly. He wasn't even good enough to get mad at.

“-I- I can do better—P-please let me p-prove it!” Ace pleads, voice breaking embarrassingly in the middle of the sentence. He couldn't even keep his cool. How embarrassing. His throat feels like sandpaper as he tries to take deep breaths after his outburst. Trying desperately to get a grip.

Riddle’s eyes widen as the quickly turning purple lips and pale face of the younger paint him a clear picture that he actually tried to avoid from the beginning. A panic attack.

“-Ace—” Riddle tries to interfere. To cut those trains of thoughts before this spins out of control. 

“-I-I can do better!” But Ace was too distracted to understand what was going on. All he saw was him not doing enough. Like always. And this time instead of being angry at him, Riddle was pitying him.

“-That's not—”

“-I promise to do better! I can be better!”

DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.

No.

How did Riddle not notice this sooner?

The older one shot up from his chair in an instant. Vaguely, he heard it smash backwards against the floor, but it wasn't what was important in the moment. The distressed and panicked first year on the sofa in front of him with his magic pen in his breast pocket full of blot was more important.

“-Ace, listen to me!”

“-I CAN PROVE MYSELF!”

It was too late. Blot dripped over the taller redhead before Riddle managed to get in close proximity to touch him.

The force of the transformation sent Riddle flying to the other side of the room. His back smashed against the wall and for a second Riddle's world spun out of control.

The panicked voices and sounds of closing in footsteps brought Riddle back into focus. Deuce, Cater and Trey were in the doorway, out of breath and panicked as they watched the scene before them with various levels of shock.

Riddle looks at the couch, only to see Ace up. A blot phantom floating behind the jester costume wearing first year.

With shaky hands, Riddle got on his knees, using the wall heavily for support. The housewarden ignores the pulsating pain from his ribs in favor of grabbing his magic pen from his breast pocket of his school uniform. 

The other three were quick to follow his example, standing in fighting poses, ready for the inevitable brawl.

Ace tilted his head. A sinister happy face of a white mask glanced at the students in the doorway. Then, all of Ace's focus was on Riddle once more.

Rising on shaky legs, Riddle grips his pen at the same time Ace raises his hand in a silent order for the phantom to attack.

Number of endings: 2

Chapter Text

Ending number 1

Riddle makes his way down the corridor. The number of the door is being repeated in his mind, despite the boy knowing it like the back of his hand by now. Nurses pass by him, some in a hurry, some not. He politely greet any nurse or hospital staff that either know him because of his mother, or because of the hours he spends visiting.

The walk took 15 minutes as it often did. Thankfully, the room was not too far away from the elevator. It used to be 20 minutes of walking, but Riddle was not as scared and hesitant like he was a few weeks ago. The doctors assured him everything was going well and the potential complications were to an almost nonexistent level.

It was better in the elevator anyway. He gets to spend more time inside the room instead of second guessing himself halfway between floors on the staircase.

The door makes no noise when it is pushed open, to Riddle’s satisfaction. Rusty hinges don't have a place in an elite hospital like this one.

Riddle looks around the room, searching for any changes. The balloons with different messages float undisturbed by the bed. Some of the messages (joks) were crude, but he knows the people who got them had good intentions. No matter how it makes Riddle cringe for the medical staff who have to look at them when they come to do check ups, the balloons stay.

The curtains have been pulled open so the sun can bathe the room into its glow. He nods in approval. The plants around the room need sun to keep thriving like they have. Perhaps the ones on the windowsill should be watered too, if Jamil hasn't done that already. Him and Kalim have been here earlier today, if the new glittery garlands tapped to the walls with encouraging words were a clue.

Talking about water, Riddle has to put his bouquet into water. Walking to the bedside table, the boy put his bouquet in the empty vase, being careful to not get any flowers tangled with the one from the neighboring vase.

His bouquet was one he put a lot of though into. Sunflowers, azaleas, purple hyacinths and white heathers adorn his vase. It wasn't as big or as full of variety like the one in the other vase, but Riddle was content with his choices.

Vil had insisted on bringing his own flowers very often so the room wouldn't be so sad and empty. They were pretty and by the look and the softness of the petals very expensive too. He said also something about fragrance therapy and how it helps keeping ones dreams peaceful. The vase too was striking. A deep and smooth purple ceramic vase sat beside the elegant one which Riddle himself brought.

Riddle scoffed as he saw the newly carved rose in the purple vase. Seems like Epel got bored again during his visit and used a hair clip to scratch Vil’s vase out of boredom. He will have to tell the younger to stop or Vil will strangle him if he catches him.

Pulling the uncomfortable plastic chair that already has Leona’s shape imprinted in the foam of the backrest, Riddle sat down. Some new stickers are placed on the headboard, courtesy of Cater. It unnerved him to have so many smiley faces stare holes into him when he first visited, but thankfully he got used to it.

The boy on the bed is peacefully sleeping, a red, black and white checkered blanket wrapped around his body, keeping any visible bandages or band aids on his arms out of sight. Someone could confuse Ace for a corps by how pale and still he was.

Taking the younger’s hand in his under the blanket, Riddle noticed how cold he was also. He will bring another blanket besides this one Deuce, Trey and Cater got. Ace needs to have his body heat at a constant level to encourage healing.

Riddle hopes encouraging the body to heal faster will awaken the boy. But for now, he has to check the clipboard fixed on the bed to find out more about Ace's condition. He often had to translate the neat cursive of his mother’s pen to the other visiting NRC students when they were present as they couldn't understand it.

Looking at Ace being so still will never not be an uneasy experience. Even when he falls asleep in the lounge when he was supposed to either learn or do chores, he never was still. His limbs would occasionally twitch and a frown or smile would adorn his face depending on the dream.

Riddle had to wake him up to get him to do his duties as a Night Raven College student. The older wishes he could have the same power to wake Ace up this time too.

Sweet was the constant beeping of the heart monitor. It was one sound that was constant and gave Riddle so much hope. Idia and Ortho made sure the equipment in the room was high quality. That and the fact that his mother is tending to Ace makes Riddle able to sleep at night.

Every small breath that fogs the oxygen mask has Riddle dare to hope the younger one will wake up one day and make fun of him because he worries so much. 

“-You didn't need to prove anything.” Riddle breathed deeply. He wasn't used to talking in a quiet room. It felt like he was talking more to himself. But he doesn't want Ace to think he was ignoring him. The thing about people in comas hearing what is happening around them can be as good as a myth. Riddle won't try his luck. He had Ace misunderstood his intentions once. Never again.

“-Don't think you will get out of flamingo duty when you come back to school.” 

Ace will come back to NRC. To Heartslabyul. He had the opportunity to talk to his father and brother one time he visited. They were so nice to him. Perhaps too much so. It would have been more comfortable if they blamed him like his mother had for the incident. Their kindness just made the guilt worse.

Mister Trappola informed him that when Ace wakes up, and still wishes, he can come back to the school. He couldn't ignore the worried and tired expression on the men’s faces. He gave his deepest apologies for the incident and promised to be a better housewarden. Even swearing on his family name he will.

He plans to do much more than that though. Be a good housewarden and by extension a good friend. Try to make both titles a must to be applied together. Make his students see him as their housewarden who was their friend. Not their punisher.

Mister Trappola patted him on the back and invited him to his son's hospital room. He must have seen how much it still affected Riddle to see Ace like that, because the old man started to show him some coin magic tricks.

Ace’s older brother started talking about some childhood stories about his brother. About how Ace would jump off the walls when he came back from NRC on the holidays when he was still a student. He asked Riddle how the school and the dorm are. It felt nice to feel included. Like he wasn't intruding.

“-I bet Trey can't wait to bake you ‘Welcome back’ treats.” The boy on the bed doesn't reply or comment at Riddle's soft smile that must have slipped on his face when he thought of the others in his dorm. “-Lilia brought you treats he made himself to get you to feel better. Thankfully, Malleus always gets rid of them before they get radiation in the room.”

Bless Malleus’ soul for teleporting back to the hospital room to get the bag of treats from the night stand when he, Lilia and Silver leave the hospital after a visit. They always come at night, when there is less chance that someone will see and recognize the prince. It was very kind for the staff to have just a long visiting schedule. Riddle feels like Leona and Malleus might have something to do with it.

“-Ruggie offered to make you something at Monstro Lounge for a way cheaper price when you wake up. But I do not believe that even Azul will have it in him to charge you. Too much.”

Riddle squeezed Ace’s hand again. “-I'm…. proud of you, understand? The things you did during this year will never get overshadowed by any of your mistakes.”

Silver blue eyes look at the comatose boy on the bed. The memories of raw screams full of desperation and misery, raspy because of the blot over his face, about wanting to be seen and acknowledged makes Riddle tear up. "-We all make mistakes. And we will continue to make mistakes. But I will always be here to guide you in correcting them and move forward. And I can relay on you when I make my share of them."

No matter how much time passes. It will never not shatter his heart when he remembers how Ace was so distraught in that moment.

“-I know that we aren't in school and I'm not entitled to order you around,” Riddle choked out, resting his head against the cold metal railing of the bed. “-But I really need you to wake up. No matter when. I won't rush you. Just…wake up.”

He stayed there, with his head bowed and his hand holding the bigger one until his tears stopped falling on the checkered blanket. No one commented that he cried. Only the heart monitor was his witness.

“-I have to go and see what the others do. They are in the cafeteria. Bet they can't wait to come see you.” Riddle rubbed his eyes and stood up. With a great deal of hesitation, he let go of Ace's hand. He fixed the blanket over him, pulling it up to his neck. It might get in the way with the vitals check ups of the staff, but Riddle just can't leave with the thought that Ace might get cold.

“-See you next time, Ace.” Riddle said like all the other times he punctually visited.

Giving the boy one last look, Riddle closed the door and walked in the direction of the cafeteria. This time Cater and Trey volunteered to keep an eye on the first years to not get in trouble while Riddle visited. Next week Rook and Jade want to come, which sure will be a doozy.

Riddle only hopes that Yuu will make sure Grim doesn't start another food fight in the cafeteria of the hospital. His mother will surely have a stroke this time.

Chapter Text

Ending number 2/2

Riddle makes his way down the corridor. The number of the door is being repeated in his mind, despite the boy knowing it like the back of his hand by now. Nurses pass by him, all having something important to do. He doesn't bother to greet them. They didn't have time for that and neither did he.

It took longer than anticipated to get to the room. The elevators were full and the day was hectic. But still. It was better than the stairs. It used to be 20 minutes of walking, but Riddle was not as scared and hesitant like he was a few weeks ago. The doctors assured him everything was going well and the potential complications were to an almost nonexistent level.

It was better in the elevator anyway. He gets to spend more time inside the room instead of thinking about his mother’s words when she found out about the overblot incident.

The sound of the door squeaking open echoes in the quiet room. The boy takes a deep breath before going inside, closing it back after himself.

Riddle looks around the room, searching for any changes. The balloons with different messages that were tied to the bed started to deflate day by day. Some of the messages (joks) were crude, but he knows the people who got them had good intentions. No matter how it makes Riddle cringe for the medical staff who have to look at them when they come to do check ups, the balloons will have to stay (until they deflate all the way).

The curtains have been pulled open so fresh air can go inside. Riddle hopes tomorrow won't be as cloudy. The plants around the room need sun urgently. Perhaps he should replace the ones on the windowsill, if Jamil doesn't plan to that's it. Him and Kalim have been here earlier today, if the new glittery garlands tapped to the walls with encouraging words were a clue. At least it gave the room a little sparkle to it.

Talking about plants, Riddle has to put his bouquet of flowers into water. Walking to the bedside table, the boy takes the dried flowers from last time and throws them in the trash to put his new bouquet in the empty vase, being careful to not get any flowers tangled with the one from the neighboring vase.

Vil had insisted on bringing flowers so the room wouldn't be so sad and empty. They dried up too, unfortunately. A shame. By the look of it, the flowers were expensive. The vase too was striking. A deep and smooth purple ceramic vase sat beside the elegant one which Riddle himself brought.

Riddle grimaced as he saw the new day count tallie carved in Vil’s vase. Seems like Epel came to visit. He will have to tell the younger to stop eventually as soon the tallies will cover the entire vase.

The boy was carful as he walked, so his shoes won't get tangled in any of the wires on the floor.

Pulling the uncomfortable plastic chair that already has Leona’s shape imprinted in the foam of the backrest, Riddle sat down. Some new stickers are placed on the headboard, courtesy of Cater. It still unnerved him to feel their wide eyes on him. That didn't make the atmosphere in the room any better. Riddle has no idea why Cater likes them.

The boy on the bed was sleeping, a red, black and white checkered blanket wrapped around his body, keeping any visible bandages or band aids on his arms out of sight. Someone could confuse Ace for a corps by how pale and still he was.

Taking the younger’s hand in his under the blanket, Riddle noticed how cold he was also. He will bring another blanket besides this one Deuce, Trey and Cater got. Ace needs to have his body heat at a constant level to encourage healing.

Riddle hopes encouraging the body to heal faster will awaken the boy. But for now, he has to check the clipboard fixed on the bed to find out more about Ace's condition. He often had to translate the neat cursive of his mother’s pen to the other visiting NRC students when they were present as they couldn't understand it. Seems like a new addition was made to the already lengthy chart.

Looking at Ace being so still will never not be an uneasy experience. Even when he falls asleep in the lounge when he was supposed to either learn or do chores, he never was still. His limbs would occasionally twitch and a frown or smile would adorn his face depending on the dream.

Riddle had to wake him up to get him to do his duties as a Night Raven College student. The older wishes he could have the same power to wake Ace up this time too.

The constant beeping of the heart monitor and the other machines scattered across the room makes the silence feel heavy and suffocating. Idia and Ortho made sure the equipment in the room was high quality. That and the fact that his mother is tending to Ace gives Riddle peace of mind.

Every small breath that fogs the oxygen mask has Riddle dare to hope the younger one will wake up one day and make fun of him because he worries so much. 

“-You didn't need to prove anything.” Riddle breathed deeply. He got used to talking in a quiet room. He did that a lot lately. The thing about people in comas hearing what is happening around them can be as good as a myth, but Riddle won't try his luck. He had Ace misunderstood his intentions once. Never again.

“-Don't think you will get out of flamingo duty when you come back to school.” 

Ace will come back to NRC. To Heartslabyul. He had the opportunity to talk to his father one time he visited. He were polite to him. It would have been more comfortable if he blamed him like his mother had for the incident. Mister Trappola's kindness just made the guilt worse.

Mister Trappola informs him that when Ace wakes up, and still wishes, he can come back to the school. (But the hesitation and fear were evident on his sleep deprived face.)He couldn't ignore how disheveled and melancholic the man was. He gave his deepest apologies for the incident and promised to be a better housewarden. Even swearing on his family name he will (even if his mother is finding him too repulsive to be associated with her after all this).

He plans to do much more than that though. Be a good housewarden and by extension a good friend. Try to make both titles a must to be applied together. Make his students see him as their housewarden who was their friend. Not their punisher.

Mister Trappola patted him on the back and gave him a bittersweet smile before disappearing in his son’s hospital room where his other son was waiting, glued to his brother’s side.

Riddle heard stories and mentions about the oldest Trapolla. Pretty hard not to when he was well liked in the same dorm he now rules over and his little brother is now being teached by the same faculty members. But the stories about the happy and sly individual who will talk your ears off don't match the quiet and reclusive man who Riddle will only catch glimpses of when he comes by late at night when his schedule is full.

“-I bet Trey can't wait to bake you ‘Welcome back’ treats.” The boy on the bed doesn't reply or comment at Riddle's sad smile that must have slipped on his face when he thought of the others in his dorm. “-Lilia brought you treats he made himself to get you to feel better. Thankfully, Malleus always gets rid of them before they get radiation in the room.”

Bless Malleus’ soul for teleporting back to the hospital room to get the bag of treats from the night stand when he, Lilia and Silver leave the hospital after a visit. They always come at night, when there is less chance that someone will see and recognize the prince. It was very kind for the staff to have just a long visiting schedule. Riddle feels like Leona and Malleus might have something to do with it.

“-Ruggie offered to make you something at Monstro Lounge for way cheaper price when you wake up. But I do not believe that even Azul will have it in him to charge you. Too much.”

Riddle squeezed Ace’s hand again. “-I'm…. proud of you, understand? The things you did during this year will never get overshadowed by any of your mistakes.”

Silver blue eyes look at the comatose boy on the bed. The memories of raw screams full of desperation and misery, raspy because of the blot over his face, about wanting to be seen and acknowledged makes Riddle tear up. No matter how much time passes. It will never not shatter his heart to hear Ace so distraught.

“-I know that we aren't in school and I'm not entitled to order you around.” Riddle choked out, resting his head against the cold metal railing of the bed. “-But I really need you to wake up. No matter when. I won't rush you. Just…wake up.”

He stayed there, with his head bowed and his hand holding the bigger one until his tears stopped falling on the checkered blanket. No one commented that he cried. Only the heart monitor was his witness.

“-I have to go and see what the others do. They are in the cafeteria. Bet they can't wait to come see you.” Riddle rubbed his eyes and stood up. With a great deal of hesitation, he let go of Ace's hand. He fixed the blanket over him, pulling it up to his neck. It might get in the way with the vitals check ups of the staff. But Riddle just can't leave with the thought that Ace might get cold.

“-See you next time, Ace.” Riddle said like all the other times he punctually visited.

Giving the boy one last look, Riddle closed the door and walked in the direction of the cafeteria. This time Cater and Trey volunteered to keep an eye on the first years to not get in trouble while Riddle visited. Next week Rook and Jade want to come, which sure will be a doozy.

He didn't even get to walk to the middle of the hallway when an alarm started to blare and multiple sharp and high beeps filled the corridor made him freeze on the spot, stomach dropping. Turning sharply around, Riddle saw the exact moment doctors and nurses rushing in the room he left seconds ago in a frenzy. The blue light of the siren above the door made it all too horrifyingly obvious what that was for the boy who was quickly going pale.

A code blue.

Chapter Text

“-There is no order in here!” Riddle snapped, making the whole lounge get quiet. All eyes were on him, but he didn't let that discourage him. “-You are putting the name of the Queen of Hearts to shame with your nonsense!”

Several dorm members snarl and glare at the first year. The accusatory tone rilled a few of them up. How dare this new kid come to their dorm and act all bossy? He is short like an ant, and might get squashed like one if he doesn't quite down.

“-Even since I came here I saw how revolting the state of the dorm is.” Riddle keeps his ground. He has no muscle strength, but his unique magic is enough to put anyone who tries anything back in their place. “-You should be ashamed of yourself that you allow your housewarden to drag through the mud the name of the Queen and that of the dorm! Who is the madman who dictated that some of her sacred rules can be disregarded!?”

Cater and Trey tried to quiet him down, but it was too late. All the commotio attracted the attention of the authority of the dorm.

“-That madman would be me.”

Riddle flinched at the thundering voice coming from the doorway. A redhead with a red heart painted underneath his eye leans against the doorway, arms crossed and frowning at the freshman. “-Have a problem with that?” Ace snarled, dull ruby eyes narrowing dangerously.

Riddle blisters in anger under his upper classmen’s gaze. The older was making him feel small. Not just by their share hight difference, but also because the stare brings forth the memoirs of his mother scolding him when he was young and misbehaved. 

Riddle HATES feeling small. He has no reason to. He was in the RIGHT! His mother would agree too. So despite the other being older and in place of authority over him, Riddle didn't back down to the vice housewarden. “-I DO have a problem! The dorm is in disarray! Housewarden Spade isn't fit to be housewarden if he lets the reputation of the dorm go to waste! If he can't do his job properly, perhaps it's time to put in a capable dorm head.”

The room got dead silent. Riddle withers a little under the intensity of the glare Ace was shooting at him. Riddle had been subject to insults, belittling and mockery. But never had he been looked at like he was the most worthless person there was until now. “-So you are asking for a fight for the title then?” Ace asked coldly, teeth clenched together. His hands unfold and he grips the doorway, holding onto it while his nails dig into the wood.

"-P-perhaps I am!” Riddle wasn't proud of how he stuttered. But he couldn't help it.

“-If a fight it's what you look for, you will get it-” A hand grabs Ace's shoulder, pulling him back. “-Ace.” Red eyes glare at Riddle still, not bothering to respond to the person behind him. Only when his shoulder gets squeezed does he look over his shoulder, following the arm until he meets Deuce's stormy gaze. “-We have things to do.”

Ace huffed and pulled his hand away from the doorway, stuffing both of his hands in his pockets. The ginger turns wordlessly around, Deuce following in steps with him. His cape flows behind him as the two walk away, not bothering to look back.

When the sound of heeled boots and shoes disappeared entirely, the noise returned to the lounge. Many students whispered among themselves, the third years mostly glared at him while the other first years stayed in a confused silence much like Riddle himself.

“-Good job, pipsqueak. You got the co housewardens mad at you.” A second year snickered, but quite down from one glare from Trey.

Chapter Text

It was a normal day at NRC, that’s how usually all the bad stuff happens. When everything seems way too calm for once. By some kind of miracle, all the first years were allowed to enjoy- I’m just kidding. Do you guys really believe that Head Mage Crowley would allow that? Nah! The kids were put to clean a classroom that was out of use due to an operating one that was destroyed by a student that manifested his unique magic in class by accident.

“Yuu should buy us lunch after this for a week,” Ace grumbled, rinsing the soapy rag over the bucket whose water was already a disgusting and smelly brown, not that the stale air was any better in the room. “It wasn’t my idea to do this!” The magicless prefect protested, turning around from the windows that they and grim were scrubbing to frown at the redhead. They barely had enough money to feed themselves and Grim!

“Well you kind of agreed on our behalf to help out with this for some extra money from Head Mage.” Deuce turns as he said that shamelessly to point at Yuu with the broom he was swiping the annoying dusty floor with, never quite managing to get all the dust and junk, like some new dirty comes out from some forgotten cracks just to make sure his efforts don’t result in anything. “As if you guys haven’t exploited me before.” Mumbling under their breath, Yuu turns around to resume cleaning the window, shoving back in Grim’s paw the rag that the cat was trying to place in the prefect’s hand so he could sneak and make an escape to their dorm. “Mraw, you are no fun.” Grim whined but he took the rag back anyway.

“How dare you insinuate that a knight of his majesty would do such a thing!?” Sebek’s thunderous voice made everyone wince. “Here we go again.” Ace rolls his eyes, rubbing at a stubborn coffee  stain on the teacher’s desk. Jack puts his hand over Epel’s mouth as he was about to rile Sebek up with whatever he was going to say. “Don’t.” The shorter gives him an offended look at being silenced before he-

“Yuck! Epel, that the heck!?” The boy looks pleased while taking down spider webs with his broom. “Serve ya right.” Jack growls, looking at his saliva covered hand like it was one of Lilia’s hazardous treats.

When the afternoon light turned to dusk, and Grim’s whines about being hungry for the fifth time in less than 5  minutes, the kids took a break for that day, coming to the same conclusion that Crowley wasn’t paying them (Yuu) enough to get everything finished before midnight. They put the cleaning supplies where each seemed fit. The ones that were more neat like Ortho, Sebek and Jack placed their cleaning rags and brooms all in one corner, while the messier ones (Yuu, Ace, Deuce, Epel and Grim left them in the same place for tomorrow.

“I think we did a fantastic job! Now only 78% of the room is still in a state of disarray!” The others look at the cherry android with wide eyes and open mouths. “78%!? We only cleaned 22% of the room!?” Deuce said incredulously and disappointed. The others weren’t doing better. Ace and Grim were contemplating skipping tomorrow, Epel looked close to swearing, Sebek was questioning his aptitudes as he was spiraling into a meltdown and Jack was going over the pros and cons of changing friend groups one too many times.

“Let’s just…get some rest and we will see tomorrow what is to be done,” Yuu said in an attempt to snap the others from their pity party. As they were about to pass the doorway, a broom fell and crashed against one of the bookcases. A thick and worn out book with a gray cover was send on the floor. Its cover gets turned and the pages get flipped rapidly by a wind coming out of nowhere in the room. The first years scream, before the room gets silent and the book closes with a solemn thud.

The sound drew the Head Mage to investigate it, as he was already on his way to check the progress of his students on cleaning the classroom. Hinges squeak as the old door gets pushed open. Crawley frowns at the empty room, perplexed by the situation as he swears he heard screams. Scratching his head, the man turned around to leave, but stumbled when the front of his shoes got cached in something. Stumbling and catching himself on the wall to avoid kissing the floor, Crawley turns around with a glare, glancing down just for his eyebrows to rise to his hairline. “Oh no…” He kneels down on the floor, clawed finger touching the spine of the book with a look of worry on his masked face.

The lights in the mirrors chambers flicker ominously, casting dark shadows on the already grave expressions of most of the housewardens present. “Our students are missing so this better be a good reason to gather us around.” An impatient Riddle taps his shoe against the floor, arms tightly crossed over his chest to mask the way his fingers twitch in nervousness or anger, or both, over the situation.

It was nerve-wracking for the majority of the second and third years present. Even Idia’s table was flying close to their circle while they waited for the Head Mage to come after he sent the school faculty to their dorms to fetch them, hence Kalim and Vil were in their pajamas/ robe, the others either got changed quickly into something more presentable by using magic or never bothered to get out of their day to day clothes in the first place before going to sleep. Eight first years were missing, and it was concerning who it was. The ADeuce duo, Savanaclaw’s pup, Pomefiore’s little poison apple, the only android in the school, Draconia’s half fae guard and the Ramshackle trouble duo. Those individuals were magnets for trouble which made everyone, even the lion beastman that tried to appear bored and uninterested, feel the tension like a heavy blanket over them.

Everything turns their attention to the entrance of the mirrors chamber when their teachers and Sam stepped inside, all having complex expressions. Crawley steps forward, a heavy gray book held in his arms tightly. “Let's cut to the case. The first years are in danger.” Everyone tensed up, only Leona rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like it was hard to deduct this by ourselves.” The Head Mage frowns at the blatant disrespect, but a sharp glare from Crewel makes him focus back on the matter at hand. “Like I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted.” A heavy sigh comes from Trein. Seems like he can't go one day without being petty. “Our dear students are stuck in this book.”

Azul and Riddle frown when Crawley holds up the old and beaten gray book, remembering the incident in the library when they were taken to a remote island. “So, how do we get them out?” Kalim tilted his head, red eyes scanning the blank cover of the book. The faculty all looked amongst each other with an air uneasiness that put the students on edge. “We read it, and hope to the Seven that everything will be alright.” The housewardens tense up when the usually cheery voice of their shopkeeper is so serious. “What the hell is going on?” Leona said what was on everyone's mind, his tail swishing back and forth in agitation.

“This school is very old…and as such, overtime I forget what little secrets lay under its roof.” The Head Mage touched the spine of the book once more, regret painting what could be seen of his features. He shouldn't have let the first years clean that room without doing a meticulous check for any artifacts. “This book is one of those secrets. It can deceive you into believing it's just a normal fairy tale book. But it has the ability to suck you in and play with your mind.”

Crewel and Sam place a lectern in the middle of the room, stepping back to let the masked man put the book on it. “It was a form of torture back when humans and faes were mortal enemies,” Trein, who studied the book in detail and had just as vast of an understanding of the book like Crawley himself steps forward to glance at it. “Once someone it's trapped inside, they will have to battle their way out of it.” Vil clicks his tongue as he glares with his sharp amethyst eyes at Crawley. “If it was such a dangerous object, you should have placed it somewhere safe where no one had access!” Riddle nods at what the actor said. “This type of carelessness will get someone—” The short redhead stops himself from saying more. His crossed arms were tightly pressed against his chest, making the boy acutely aware of his thudding heart. He can't lose himself to anxiety. He is the housewarden of Heartslabyul and he will get his students back. Riddle won't lose any of them as long as he is still able to use his magic and knowledge.

“How do we get the child of man and the others out?” Malleus inquired, stepping closer to the book, his eyes narrowing on the artifact to get a reading on the supposedly book that came from his land. Everyone was holding his breath when Crawley opened the book with the flicker of his wrist. “We read the book, and try to aid the youngers in any way possible. And most important…like Sam said, we pray. We pray that the book doesn't give them tests that are too hard to pass.”

Leona bares his teeth and steps forward too, leaning over the book, pointedly ignoring the shuffling of the night rob stepping besides him or Malleus’ annoying damp smell. Azul looked with curiosity and analytic fascination at the book, wondering if he could use it somehow in his business.

The book shines with a dim yellow light, like someone holding a candle over the pages to glimpse inside, followed soon by a familiar voice. “I-It's anyone there?” Everyone perked up hearing Yuu’s voice coming from the book. “Prefect! Are you alright!?” Several winches come from around the white haired boy that push his way forward to look at the book. “Hey! I'm here too!” Grim pipes in, annoyed over being disregarded. “Are you too ok? Are the other pups there?” Asked Crewel, cutting off any rambling Kalim was about to go on. “I-I don't know. We only see the blank void of the first page.” Crawley flips the page hesitantly, revealing the imagery of a vibrant green forest on the next page. “Oh! We got words flying above us in this white void!” Vil raises an eyebrow in confusion scanning the page. “Peculiar. There are no words on the page. What do they say, potato?” Yuu drag their voice and speak in a clear tone: “Once upon a time, when cities had other names and there were still places not yet discovered, a pair of boys appeared in the magic forest, ready to take on the challenge to find a way out, or decay after failing to do so.”

The page flipped on its own, startling everything present. But what depicted the next page made Riddle’s heart drop in his stomach, coupled with the words from earlier. On the forest floor, stumbling on their feet to gather their bearings, the ADeuce duo dust their clothes off, unbeknownst to them the dangers of this world. Not only was the book a torture methods, but it's images moved, just like a video while mentaining the appearance like it was painted on the page. Keyboard clicking, loud and fast from Idia’s tablet, the owner documenting everything in a database. “Deuce! Ace! Can you hear me!?” But the two first years don’t hear the urgent voice of their housewarden. They looked around, calling out to the other first years. “I don’t think the pups can hear us.” And the housewardens knew their teacher was right. “The text changed here, should I read it?” Should the perfect continue reading? Would it be better to leave the story where it is to spare the first years of any harm? That would leave the kids trapped in the book…indefinitely…Riddle closed his eyes to think for a bit,  before sighing with a grim face and a nod. “Continue reading, Prefect.” The other housewardens step aside to let Riddle stand besides Crawley in front of the lectern. “We will get the kids out of there.” Little did the Head Mage’s words calm Heartslabyul’s housewaren’s anger or worry, but he did give the man some credit. His dorm members will be safe after all this mess.

Chapter Text

They watched silently and with held breaths as the Heartslabyul first years walked through the forest. Riddle could feel himself tense up as they picked a random direction and started walking. He wanted to yell at them about not checking their surroundings better. There has to be moss growing on a tree or a river that they could follow— But he stopped in his mini-rant to think more about this, to put himself in their shoes. The situation wasn't a usual one. Well for their school it was pretty on point and it did remind Riddle of the time he got stuck in a magic book with Stitch. Not to say it was a thing you could get used to, and unlike last time, this book was far more dangerous which puts Riddle on edge more.

They can't hear what Ace and Deuce talk about, but by the way, they shove each other and get into each other's face every so often, it's safe to say they are bickering. It was annoying to see them do that all the time, but it was better than seeing them hurt because of the book, Riddle keeps telling himself. “Is this forest familiar to any of you?” Leona scuffed and rolled his eyes. “Do you really think I waste my time looking up forests in my free time, Vil?”

Before the two older boys can get into an argument, Riddle pipes in, “The fauna and trees around are native to the Queendome of Roses.” Kalim glanced at Riddle, trying to help in keeping the atmosphere at the very least positive. “So if we find the forest we can go there and save the first years?” Yuu, who has been quiet for a while now speaks up slowly and grimly, feeling bad to be the bringer of bad news. “I don't think it works like that. The book didn't teleport them somewhere else and sends who knows what after them. They are in the book. We are trapped in a pocket-like dimension I believe where you guys have a window to look in on what's happening.”

“Oh…” Kalim uttered in disappointment. He really wished there was a way they could get the younger students out fast. “Neh? Look hench-human! The floating text is back!” Everyone looked back to the book, their attention piqued. “Read it to us, Yuu.” At the request of the headmage, the prefect starts to narrate but it's interrupted by Grim. “Let me read too! I'm bored and there is nothing to do here!” “Do you trust in your abilities to narrate efficiently and clearly?” Grim makes an offended noise at Malleus' question as Leona tries to stifle a snort. “Grim, the situation is important. Let me read.” The cat makes an ‘hmp!’ sound and grumbles under his breath. “As I was saying. The two boys walked around the woods, traveling through dense bushes and tall grass until they found a path of white pebbles.”

The page flipped by itself and the once morning sky turned into afternoon. The sun is high up and the two first years look tired and winded out, with clothes stained by grass and having tears where branches grabbed at them. Deuce is squatting, his hands resting on his knees while resting for a bit. Ace was a little bit away from him, lying on his back on the grass with an arm over his eyes.

“The time of our world with the book’s doesn't match,” Azul points out, glancing at his wristwatch with bewilderment. “It has been five minutes for us and for them it passed hours with only one page flipped. It's like a time skip happening to get to the better part of an anime!” Riddle grimaces at Idia’s babbling but sees the logic. The book isn't a detailed novel. It seems to want to get Deuce and Ace to a certain something as fast as possible. The two boys took a break before they stood side by side on the white-pebbled path, discussing and pointing at the horizon where the path was still going. “I don't like this path.” Vil narrows his eyes at the book, trying to determine how long that path is but no such luck as it seems it spreads on for miles and miles. “I don’t think anyone does but it is obviously the only way to advance the story.” Leona’s attitude could be mistaken as laid back if only his tail didn’t twitch far more than usual and because he doesn't even pretend to be bored. How can he even pretend to be bored when the uncertainty of the situation in which his pup and the other pups got themselves could result in a decline in the number of annoying herbivores that bother him? That would be more bothersome than having them around.

“It truly seems like no other option would offer results besides following the path.” Malleus, with his imposing height, is able to look over the heads of the other housewardens easily to take a peek at the mentioned path. The representation of the rocks on the page doesn't make things clear. Paint was at play here because there was no way such pearly white pebbles could appear in this environment without the intervention of someone or something.

“The text changed again,” Yuu said hesitantly, unsure if the best course of action was to continue narrating. Everyone in the mirror chamber looked at the book silently and on edge before Crewel spoke up. “Let’s advance, but let's not be rash. With each page flipped it can be a step closer to danger.”  Nobody really liked to hear those words, but they were the truth, no? The stakes were high as so was the unpredictability of this book. “Ok. Here it comes. The two boys followed the path of pristine rocks with nothing better to do. They walked and walked for what seemed like hours. The sky darkened and the blue turned to red and orange when in the distance, a settlement of shorts made with dark gray rocks caught the adventurers’ attention.”

The page flipped again to match the illustration with the narration. Ace and Deuce were pointing in the distance at a splash of grey. It was probably almost half an hour away from them, but it was an unmistakable shape of something. What that something was they had no idea. But it was worth checking it out after following the path for what feels like a bunch of hours. And hey, it was right on the path too, it has to be something important. Making a path of white pebbles only for it to lead to a rock would be disappointing. “I can barely see the shape of this thing.” Leona squints his eyes at the grey shape. “I hope it's something that can help them. I can't imagine walking so far with no food or water.” Riddle grimaces at Kalim’s words, once more being reminded of the fact that the rules of Twisted Wonderland most likely don't apply to the book. Or does it? For now, they only know that time doesn't match theirs and can jump forward how much the book wants. “Your optimism is something in other situations I would like to exploi- I mean use. But I don't believe a book meant for torture would be as benevolent as the sea witch was.” Azul looks at the book in concentration before asking, “Have we tried turning the page back? In case things get bad we might be able to turn back time and get the two freshmen to safety.” The head mage puts a clawed hand on the book, trying to place his nails in the gaps between pages but he has a revelation. “There is no space between the pages that turned. It's like they are glued together.”

Malleus hums and nods. “It made sense. The book wouldn't have a reputation as a tormenting object of torture if the torture itself could be delayed or stopped altogether.” Idia’s table made more keyboard-clicking noise as the introvert took notes about all the things happening. “But wouldn't that raise the rank of the book if the one using it could impale or hurt the ones trapped in the book over and over again by turning and turning back the page over and over again?” The other students cringe at the mental image of a person being fine one second before getting impaled by spikes the moment the page turns just for the page to be turned back and forth for someone's sadistic pleasure. “That wouldn't be pleasant.” Kalim grimace. “Not to mention mind-shattering. Imagine what being ok one moment before getting gravely hurt the next and the process to repeat would feel like.” Riddle's frown deepened, not taking his eyes away from the book. All this didn't help his nerves and worry at all. “The book has its own rules and motives. Whatever happens will happen.” Crawley’s response doesn't help anyone's nerves, but when does the headmage actually take into account his students' mental well-being?

Ace and Deuce seem to have come to the same conclusion as their upperclassmen and keep following the path of white rocks to the grey thing in the distance. The page once more flipped by itself and everyone once more had their attention on the artifact. The sky was dark behind an imposing castle made of gray marble. Deuce and Ace stand in awe as they glance at the massive building towering over them. “Wow. This thing is big.” Azul leans forward “And a mix of architectural ages and styles,” Malleus squints his eyes. “Actually….it looks like something from a storybook from the Queendome of Roses.” Kalim looks at Riddle with wide red eyes full of interest and wonder. “It does? What kind? Something with knights?” “No,” Riddle shakes his head. “This depiction, even if it's not accurate, is used to describe the castle of the Queen of Hearts. My mother bought one of those books when I was a child to point out all the mistakes in the illustration.” “Of course she did,” Leona rolled his eyes. “So they are at the gate of the Queen of Hearts?” Yuu’s voice wondered. “Or just like the castle, it could be a fake.” “Vil is right. I doubt an MVP like the Queen of Hearts would waste her time in a book to traumatize some normies.” Leona huffed before joining the discussion with his own input. “Or the book could actually lean in that direction specifically. Imagine being tortured by a famous figure you look up to from your country. A good enough reason to turn against your motherland and even better use for a torture method to use against your enemies.” A shiver ran down Kalim's spine. “Brutal.”

“Hey little imp, any new writing?” Sam asked, prompting Yuu to speak. “Yeah. Grim, do you want to take it away?” “Ney, right away! So ehem. The two adventures went to the end of the path leading to a castle of white concrete that was as tall as the treetops. Not having anything to lose, they knocked at the doors, hoping someone would let them inside.” Once more the page was turned and it showed the door opening by itself and Deuce's knuckles being mid-knock against the door before the page flipped again to show a weary Ace and Deuce looking at each other. “Yicks, give me the creeps fr fr,” Idia said and the others couldn't help but agree silently. “It can't be abandoned, can it? It looks too proper to be left to the elements.” “It can't be said for sure. The book makes its own rules.” Vargas scratches his head in frustration. Ace seems to have enough of stalling and he pushes the door cautiously open, standing by the doorway in case something jumps at them. But once more, silence. The two first years turn to look at each other to exchange some hushed words before in the end getting enough courage to step inside. The pages flipped again a few times, showing the two boys walking around the empty castle, looking at paintings and the decor that was strikingly similar to the one in Heartslabyul. Crooked furniture, checkered floors and walls, floating objects, and clocks. “Seems like our hunch was right,” Malleus' voice rumbled out, making Riddle grimace. “It's….eerily similar to our dorm.” “Isn't this what the castle of the Queen of Hearts looked like?” Crowley shook his head at Kalim's question. “No. I couldn't replicate to 100% percent the dorm. Some of the decor was so intricate that only Her Majesty knows how she made it work.” Kalim nods at the explanation, looking back at the book. “So it resembles their dorm more than the actual thing. Could the book be messing with their memories to create those wakey scenarios?” Leona's words made Riddle's chest tighten and a coldness seeped through his veins. He was right. Not once a glimpse of a drawer or cabinet present in his dorm was shown in the castle. “Yes. It's a possibility. This book was said to be able to play with its victim's deepest fears and regrets.” Train’s voice made all the housewardens squirm around the book. Not only will they have to watch their younger schoolmates get hurt potentially, but also intrude on personal things. “This is like the tree that keeps on giving,” Vil hissed under his breath, resisting the compulsory need to pull his hand mirror out to check he wasn't frowning too deeply to avoid wrinkles.

The page flipped and Ace and Deuce were now in a garden, one taking inspiration from a certain tea garden on the campus. On one of the tables was a teapot with five cups. A blue one that was chipped and had gold running between cracks in the handle, showing it was pieced together once. Right by it was a red cup. It was different from the blue, orange, green, and scarlet ones that were all huddled together. The red one was standing alone and with its bottom facing up indicating it was not meant to be used. Deuce and Ace circle the table, looking at the cups. “Man, this is so freaky!” Idia let himself sink deeper in his gaming chair, fighting a shiver at remembering a similar scene from a horror movie. “So many cups is a big giveaway. Someone had to place them there so the place is not abandoned.” Azul deduced as they watched Deuce open the teapot, eyeing the rich and dark golden brown brew of tea. He grabbed the blue cup, with the intention to pour himself some and stop the thirst, something Ace wasn't too happy about, Riddle noticed, hands crossed and dominant foot put forward, ready to get in action if the situation asked, as his face was set in a belittling frown. He understood Ace’s reticence about drinking something you don't know it was tempered with, but in that word, it was possible that everything could be poisoned so it wouldn't make much difference if it was dubious tea or water from a river. The way the rules for survival were thrown out the window due to the book making its own rules really angered Riddle. Why make such a cursed object in the first place? “I don't think it's the wises decision to drink-” But Azul's voice was lost in Riddle's ears when the page flipped, either shutting up from shock like everyone else or due to the fact his ears started to ring, his eyes to widen so much the skin was starting to hurt at what he saw on the page.

Chapter Text

After the ghosts finally released Idia once their princess announced the true prince charming of her chosing, the NRC students were allowed to stay during the after party post wedding. Not all of them did tho, as being blasted and harassed by ghosts, no matter how well meaning they might have been for their princess' sake, can lift their moods. Some did chose to stay in exchange of a big and frosty piece of cake.

Sebek was not one of those students, not fitting in any of the following descriptions. He doesn't want cake, neither does he care in particular for the spectral unwanted guests to stay and watch them party. What he was here for is another matter all together. He came to chew out Eliza for daring to show such an amount of shameless display of disrespect towards his Majesty.

No one around the makeshift banchet hall seem to pay too much mind to the huffing first year, too used by now with Sebek's abrasive personality. Some raised their eyebrows when he showed up uninvited, some (namely Ace and Deuce who were by the food tables) did not make a move to stop him even if they knew what the twitch of the vein in his forehead meant all too well. It was better to not get their ears blasted by the taller teen as he was clearly on a mission to do that to someone else.

So with the (cowardly) smart move in mind, those two someone turned towards the table and pretend to not see the half fae stomp all the way to the swooning bride that was talking her husband's ears off (who didn't mind in the slightest by the lovesick look on his face). The tap to her shoulder came to a little surprise to Eliza, as she never meet a mortal that could touch her without having their hand going through her (but spite is a very strong forth wall breaker and powerful ability at certain levels that can transcend laws of nature).

"-Excuse me, spectral entity with lower values. I have a compliant!"

Eliza blinks at the towering teen, even her newly husband stoped what he was doing to give him attention. "-Pardon you? How did you addressed me?" The woman blinks at the boy, so baffled by his entrance that she didn't even had time to get angry at how baffled she was. "-I do not wish to repeat myself so I will not! Wasted time that could be focused on a better subject! How care you chose that disgrace of a specimen that could be misjudged as for a rug with a spluttering vocabulary instead of his Majesty!?"

Eliza blinks, glancing at her short husband, who puffed out his chest in offense, before returning her gaze to the first year of the Diasomnia dorm at the same time her lover opened his mouth too to defend his honor. But the newlyweds don't get to express their confusion and offense respectively before the half fae cut them off, having none of it. "Malleus sama was the only worthy candidate for your desperate and frankly embarrassing contest! Shroud can't even get an inch in a hypothetical race between himself and that hermit!" 

Those two someone from earlier audible facepalmed so hard it was heard from two tables over and another someone with a country accent from the left side of the three way conflict swear around a forkful of cake before they went for the main food table, to snatch some more cake before the ghosts decide to kick all the humans out due to Sebek's audacity.

Eliza blinks again, processing what was said slowly with an unreasonable expression, similar to her husband. Once it hit for both newlyweds what was said, instead of what everyone else was expecting, Eliza squeezed so audibly that everyone turned in the grand hall to look at her. "Malleus Draconia? Oh but you are so right you spicy little croc darling! Malleus san fit in my criterias so well! His posture and the way he present himself is so princely!"

"-Don't forget how his personality has that pull of mystery. You can't help but want to know more." Sebek (and the others in the room blink) when the shorter ghost agreed enthusiastically with the gushing Eliza. Both husband and wife taking no offense in the rude way Sebek basically talked down to Idia, or the fact Sebek boldly stated Eliza could have had a better fit for a husband than she has now, right in said husband's face.

Both ghosts were talking amongst themselves, fangirling over the fae prince, too busy to care how bambuzaled and distraught their human guests were, the ghost ones trying to guide the humans along, not even rising an eyebrow at princess and new monarch daily Friday activity that seemed to move up early to the wedding day. Sebek doesn't need to be helped to adjust to the normal the ghost kind present in the room has been living for a while now.

The boy just jumped in their discussion, making it a three way excited and overlapping praise session to a person that is not even present in the room (he was invited but the invite got taken by the wind and by coincidence, the piece of paper flew by the window that was right behind the three Draconia enthusiasts.

"Completely dashing, I tell you. Oh, Sebek dear, you completely get me. Malleus san is such a stunning young man." The princess' groom nods along with his wife's sentiment. "One younger fella, just finished his recruitment couldn't get it together long enough to finish looking around the school earlier when Eliza dispersed us to look for her match,  because he was nervous he might run into Malleus san." Sebek nods along, puffin out his chest in pride.

"Way of course! The sentiment was shared around my unit back home when I was chosen, rightfully so, to be sent as a humble and well versed guard for his Majesty! The sentiment the scout felt was meet in the pluton I was part of as well. Several fays were ruled out for not being able to balance their admiration with their duty! Not a problem as you can see. I can show my devotation and do my duties!"

The discussion flew like river between rocks, being fueld by the three eager participants that shared anecdotes and small stories and rumors between each other, all having at the center the Diasomnia housewarden. The good time between them deeply put off certain guests. The certain someones look at the trio in complet confusion and frustrated resignation. "Why is she buddy buddy with him when we got our asses kicked!?" Ace points at his half fae first year buddy, restlessly looking from the offending trio and then back at Deuce.

"I guess Sebek had more social skills than we where aware. I don't know man, the day has been weird enough, let them gossip and just focus on the cake." "I have some in this ridiculous costume if you want some." Both fuming Ace and Deuce with his empty plate jumped when Epel come out of nowhere and spoke behind them. Both first years swiftly turn around, one giving the shorter a dirty look for the scare, the other holding his chest.

"To the Sevens, Epel! Don't just manifest out of thin air!" Ace huffed at the smaller boy, feeling ticked off that his frustration at this melodrama of a day he had is dismissed like it was water under the bridge. "Is that cake?" Deuce brush off his roommate's frustration, earning a irated noise and glare, as he noticed that his shorter friend was eating something from his hand. "Mhm. You want some? I helped myself to the cake and got plenty to give around." The lavender hair shoved his hand in his stuffed trousers' pocket, offering it after it returned into view with a fistful of mashed cake. 

Deuce and Ace stood in silence at the cake thief, glancing at the unappealing piece of food in a pregnant silence. And the a hand reached out before it got slapped off by Ace. "Don't eat his pocket cake, Jeuce! Use that teacup mouse sized brain! Seven, you are almost as bad as Grim!" "It is wistful!" "Yeah, Ace! Leave the fella live a lil!" "Salmonella is a thing too, you two know that right!?"