Tea Time - Blog Posts

me when I don't know what my own green flags are

everything. I'm a walking green flag.

I don't have any red flags so that's a plus !!

nah I'm just kidding, let me start over

I've been told I'm a great listener! be it to rant your problems or talk about one of your insterests, you can come to me anytime! and don't you dare think you're bothering me, I love to listen to what my friends have to say, doesn't matter if I'm clueless about the subject or not!

I like cats. I love cats. I'm the biggest stan of cats. if cats have 1000 likers, I'm one of them. if cats have 10 likers, I'm one of them. if cats only have one liker, I'm this person. if no one likes cats anymore, then I don't exist.

I'm very affectionate! the brazilian urge to hug your friends and hold their hands and kiss their cheeks and shower them with love... of course, only if they are comfortable with it!

I love art, be it acting, drawing, painting, sewing, dancing, singing, writing, reading, anything really! I like to be involved with all of these whenever I can!

even if my memory is the worst, I'll always try to remember the things those important to me tell me! I pay close attention to whatever they have to tell me! and it makes me really happy whenever they remember stuff I've said and bring it up in conversations too <33

as an ace and bi person, I don't really have any particular type, if I like you I like you, that's it! you'll be beautiful in my eyes no matter what!!!

I always try to match with the energy of those around me, so if you're excited then we are excited! if you're happy then I'm happy too! if you're sad then we are both sad and I'll do my best to lift your spirits and offer comfort!

I have very ecletic taste and I'm willing to try new things!

oh there's a new series you've been watching? let's watch together it you'd like to! you've been obsessed with this song lately? going straight to my playlist! you want to try to eat on the new cafe down the street? I'll go with you! you really reccomend this book? I'll give it a read once I have the time to!

bonus: my charming personality, amazing looks and wonderful sense of humor !!! (also I'm very humble. as you can see.)

I literally never know who to tag on those so anyone that wants to join is free to do so! you've got my special VIP invitation

My Green Flags:

(tags ig)

I’M honest

i will cry to you about some random animal I found

I’m a Realistic Cat Girl. (I’m knocking your shit over and walks away)

I have LED lights and a black light

i have a semi stable sleep schedule

I love All body types. (Especially large tits and thighs tbh)

I have anxiety

I can give you good Zombie/Horror Movies to watch

I am very sweet to new friends til they get used to me :)

Tags: (list your green flags 1-9 and tag others if you wanna see theirs ig

@slimeballhere @angelic-guest @kasumi-prenami @speedystarshine @the-b33-hive

watch my immaculate taste in fanfic:

thank you for the tag liya <333

Fanfiction Tropes Tier List

I didn’t make this one this time, but I found a fanfiction tropes tier list on tiermaker.

This was fun to do! I can’t wait to see what everyone’s favorites are! My all times are ‘sharing a bed’ and ‘fake relationships’.

I would like to add a ‘vampire AU’ which I’d totally put in A Tier.

Tagging: @postwarlevi @holy-guacamoly @levisbrat25 @levmada @levimay @nelapanela94 @ackermandick @ack3rlady @heich0e @darlingheichou and anyone else who wants to play!

SO TRUE, the way they both trusted each other so much... that last fight with Nine becoming Melissa's eyes... them..................

YESSS yuri's character is much more than the "sweet and innocent MC who cares about everyone", she's much more well rounded than that! in my heart, the true ending is Melissa marrying both Nine and Yuri and they live happily ever after (with Yona being their maid of honor who gets really rich)

YOU'RE SO RIGHT, especially with Ian since he's the one that had more screentime, you could see him changing after Melissa confronted him inumerous times and Melissa's own feelings on that matter. I also really liked how they straight up just threw Peacock in jail LMAO that's what he deserves!!!! and the whole stalking thing with Jake was really cool, to see Melissa and Yuri confronting him like that. Jack is so funny to me too because he didn't even go after Yuri, he was just vibing being a dumbass who causes trouble all the time lol, Melissa is a real one for protecting Yuri and putting everyone in their places, what a girlboss

HII LIYA!! just wanted to say I've just fineshed reading Beware of the Villainess and OMG??? IT'S SOOOOOOO GOOD???? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECCOMENDING IT I LOVED IT <33 seriously it's so funny and captivating, Melissa is such a cool protagonist, breaking the usual stereotypes like that and writing her own story!! I also LOVED Nine and Yuri, they are so sweet, I was rooting for both of them! LITERALLY NINE AND MELISSA INVENTED ROMANCE. NO ONE WILL EVER TOP THEM EVER. how am I supposed to move on from such a heartfelt relationship................ soulmates fr fr. and the original male love insterests ARE SO FUNNY?? the art style, as you had mentioned, is beautiful as well, some of the scenes took my breath away, I just had to take an extra moment to appreciate them! again, thank you so so so so much for introducing this amazing manhwa to me, it's such a nice way to start reading this genre!

HI BEE!!!! <3 I’m so glad you enjoyed Beware the Villainess!!!!! It has such a soft spot in my heart and it’s such a genuinely great story!!!

You’re right, NO ONE did romance better than Melissa and Nine… they’re so sweet? I love how they felt like they were friends, not just lovers, like they really get along and care for each other :’0

Something I like about Beware the Villainess is how Melissa and Yuri have fully rounded characters, and are both victims trapped in unfortunate circumstances? Neither of them fall into a cliche role, and their relationship is so cute… Melissa has two hands: one for Nine and one for Yuri <3

Another thing I enjoy is that the og male love interests are portrayed as horrible people and they… are properly punished by the narrative for their actions? They’re not redeemed for some shallow reason, they’re redeemed by properly reflecting on their actions and trying to do better. It really grinds my gears when manhwa go “oh this guy was shit and treated the mc terribly and was even the cause of her death BUT he changed and they’re in love now :3c” like…? Get away from her rn!!!!! We’ve seen their relationship at the lowest, and the fact he has the capacity and ability to do horrible things to the mc means I do not want him near him tysm !

Yooo, really random thought lmao, but you know how familiars are allowed in NRC, like how Grim was thought to be Yuu's familiar at first? Do you think any of the boys have a familiar? If not, who do you think would be most likely to have one, and what would their familiar be? It'd kinda be cool for Crowley to have a ton of Crow familiars watching over campus or maybe Riddle with a cute lil hedgehog :)) I was just curious, especially how we haven't seen any familiars save for Lucious maybe? No need to answer, just thought it'd be cool to ask you :) Hope all is well!!! <3

hii anon!! I also think it's a very cool question, thank you for asking!! everything is going well for me, despite being very busy, I hope everything is well for you too! <3

it's a bit funny how there was this random lore drop and. it's just never mentioned again. nada. no one has a familiar, it's not a plot point that's brought up again, they didn't even expand on the concept. I do hope they bring it back, as it's such an insteresting dynamic to add to their world!

I guess we could think that only beast tamers have familiars? as MC is enrolled at NRC as a beast tamer, that would make Grim their familiar, thus making him able to take part on the pratical magic classes in MC's place. plus, in the start of the game Crowley mentions how some familiars are more rebelious and difficult to deal with, so maybe being a beast tamer is not a necessary requirement, but something that would be a great help in this aspect.

I do like the theory of Grim actually being MC's familiar, even if neither of them are aware of it! not sure how canon it might prove itself to be, but Grim and MC definetly have some kind of connection, for sure. I think Grim has a paw in what brought MC to Twisted Wonderland in the first place, but I'm not sure what exactly that would be.

I don't think the boys have familiars, as I have the impression it's more common for wizards that already completed their college education to have them. not that's impossible for a student to have one, but it makes more sense in my head that way ig?? like, it seems to be a harder and more advanced branch of magic, so it'd make sense for them to need a complete education in order to have one.

the most likely would be Lilia, a bat (cliche, I know, but look, Lilia already have those bats that follow him to classes, so it's not a stretch to think they are his familiars), Malleus, a raven (making a reference to Diablo, Malificent's pet raven), or Leona (I'm not sure how a beastman would behave with a familiar? but I think it'd be a lion because. c'mon he's a lion too). as I explained, I choose them since they have more experience and are extremely powerful mages already, so I could see it!

I agree, it'd be really cool for Crowley to have familiar crows, especially if they helped around campus! stopping to think of it, it makes a lot of sense, since Crowley always seems to know what's going on campus at all times, so that'd explain it, as he'd be able to have eyes everywhere at the same time like this. I think Crewel might have dog familiars too! and, as you mentioned, Lucious as Trein's familiar. Vargas is not allowed near any animal. Sam is already happy with his friends from the other side, no need for a familiar.

for the other boys, I can imagine them having familiars (in the future) that reference the movies they were twisted from. Riddle with hedgehogs, Cater with a rabbit, Trey with a dormouse or a hare, Deuce with a flamingo (which would be very funny), Ace with a turtle, Che'nya with a cat, the Savanaclaw boys with their respective animals, same for the Octavinelle boys, Kalim with a tiger, Jamil with a parrot (which is a headcanon I love), Vil with a peacock, Rook (which is concerning to think about with any animal at all) with a hawk, Epel with a sparrow, Neige with a deer, Idia with a dog (which is ironic considering he likes cats more, but Cerberus.), I can't think of one for Ortho since he's kind of a robot and I'm not sure if he'd be able to have a familiar at all? anyways, a crocodile for Sebek and literally any forest animal for Silver (they are all his familiars. squirrels sparrows owls rabbits you name it).

it's a very interesting concept to think about and it'd be very endearing to see more pets around campus, so I hope they'll mention it sometime again and expand on it!

I love Riddle, but sometimes I worry he wouldn't like a tall s/o :(

oh anon, I'm sure you don't need to worry! Riddle probably appreciates his partner's personality above everything else, no matter their height! if he's fallen for you, your height won't be a problem, you're beautiful in his eyes, either if you're taller or smaller than him <33 (and let's be honest. it's a bit hard to be smaller than Riddle anyway so I'm sure he wouldn't have such an unrealistic requirement for his S/O. as long as they make him happy and care about him, then that's more than enough!)

Super sorry this isn’t about Twst but I just gotta say how much I hate when people consider someone weird for liking kids shows like I absolutely love MLP and I have a ton of merch from it but if I ever talk about it I’m called immature like please just let me like my silly little colorful pony show :’] -

HI 🦭 ANON!! no problem, I like to talk regardless of the topic!!

tbh, even when I was a little kid at the age that you're still expected to like kids shows I was made fun of by some classmates because they were more "mature" and that was just a "silly cartoon for little kids", but the point is: I was a little kid!! let me enjoy those things!! even today I really like cartoons, I love animation, even if it's "for little kids".

maybe that's the neurodivergency talking as well, but there's just something about them, you know? perhaps I like the simplicity or the heartfelt messages of love and friendship, maybe even the nostalgia, or I just want to give my child self something that she can enjoy without being ashamed of it.

MLP is such a nice show, the characters are all very different and have nice designs, the story is cute and manages to pass on messages that are important, be it for children or an older audience. a few days ago I was actually rewatching the Equestria Girls movies to remember how they were, since I used to LOVE them when I was little! (the songs still slaps)

I really like shows like Gravity Falls and The Owl House, that may be considered childish simply for the fact that they are animated. even if it's intended for a younger audience, they are so well made they capture the attention of anyone watching!! I also love to watch any new animation movies that comes out, since they are usually so cool! even old ones, as this past vacation I had a disney movie marathon and enjoyed getting to see the stories with new eyes, still remembering how I watched them as a kid!

people who judge other's interests are just so rude without a reason. why does me enjoying something I like a lot bothers you so much you couldn't stay quiet? I don't care if it's "cringe" or whatever, just let people enjoy things in peace!! there's something so beautiful in being able to find happiness in little things and I love when someone starts talking about something they like, since you can feel their passion and they eyes light up and they get excited, it's very cool!

even sometimes when something is not for kids, people might make fun of you for it? for example: animes have a reputation of being for kids since they kind of are very exaggerated, be it in fights or just anything really, and they are animated. that doesn't mean it's only for kids! there are some anime that I wouldn't reccomend for a kid to watch, since there might be some heavy topics in them. honestly, people just like to find a reason to make fun of others sometimes because their lives are getting boring without it and they couldn't find anything better to do with their time. (I garantee you, as someone with a very busy life, I couldn't care less if one of my friends enjoys watching kids shows or playing with dolls or doing whatever, as long as they aren't hurting anyone then they're good in my books).

so, in conclusion, even when people might judge you for it, I don't think you should stop doing the things you enjoy! be unapologetically happy! at the end of the day, they won't get any satisfaction from making fun of you, but you'll still be happy with the things you like. especially if you find other people that share your interests! what others say doesn't really matter, your life is yours and only yours to judge, and there are already so many problems out there, there's no need to create problems that don't really exist, you know? liking something "childish" isn't a problem and it shouldn't be a problem, so just enjoy what you like without feeling ashamed for it!

“if you believe the theory of Jade and Floyd being two of many Leech kids, but the only two that survived, this also might explain why their mother is so concerned with their safety, not wanting to lose the only two babies that she has left.“

genuinely Ive thought about that theory for a while and after reading that part it makes sense and now im sad-

(referring to this)

it's a very popular theory and it makes so much sense! but it does have some sad implications, such as the consequences of such a hard natural selection process for their family.

I actually think it makes a lot of sense, if you consider how many babies an eel can have (on average, female moray eels can release 10,000 eggs at a time) and some parts of the story, such as Floyd's labwear vignette in which he says he's "neither the youngest nor the oldest twin", in Jade's halloween vignette in which it's mentioned that ghosts wander through the sea at that time and that both him and Floyd had seen other Jades and Floyds around, in the Harveston's Kelkkarotu event in which Jade mentions that currently their family consists of five members, and in the story in which Jade mentions he's glad him and Floyd "choose each other".

taking it in consideration, alongside the Coral Sea's harsh environment, it explains why their parents seem to be so protective of them (not to mention the potentially dangerous shady job his father runs). Miss Leech won't lose another of her babies if she has any say on it!

holds out the mic to you cause I just octotrio l/tweel thoughts I love—but I wonder what do you think about the tweels parents /azuls mom do you have any lil theories or thoughts to what they may actually be like?

HI ANON!!! in fact, I do!

first, there's canon info about their families in their character fact sheets! (Azul, right at the beggining, and the twins, closer to the end, after Jade's bedroom image.) taking these in consideration, I'll go on about how I think they might be more personality wise.

firstly, Azul. as I mentioned in my Azul brainrot, I think his mom is similar to Ursula, in the way that she's confident and elegant, a true sight to behold! I imagine they looking physically alike too, but not so much as Azul's grandmother did. I think her hair might be longer and wavy, that she wouldn't wear so much makeup and that her eyes are bigger. though in personality, you could see some similarities, as Azul's mother is classy and higly intelligent. she's also very iconic, running an indepent restaurant, getting a divorce to not stay in an unhappy marriage, getting together with the attorney who treats her very well and being a general big inspiration for her son! I stan Miss Ashengrotto so much, I'm sure she's wonderful.

Azul's grandma is very inspired by Ursula in the aspect of being a great witch that helps others out of her "kindness". whether this kindness is genuine or fake, like Azul's, I'm not sure, but surely Azul was able to learn a lot about magic with her.

his stepfather sounds to be very caring towards his family, most likely being close to Azul as another role model. his cleverness and negotiation skills are very powerful, making him one of the best attorneys around the sea. he always has an argument to win any discussion, always keeps his calm and composure during trials, doesn't matter how dire things look. after all, the only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over. (I couldn't resist making an Ace Attorney reference)

I think he lost contact with his biological father after his mother's divorce, as they didn't have a close relationship. he probably gets along with his stepfather's side of the family, as they are also mages and might have helped him with his own studies.

overall, Azul's family is iconic and I'd love to meet his mother on some event because I'm sure she'd be super cool. he's very proud of his family and takes inspiration in all of them!

now onto the twins. their grandmother is probably a very old cranky lady, these grandmas that are always scwoling but have a soft spot for her michievous grandsons. she's strict and judgmental, as she's been hardened by living so long in the cruel waters of the sea, but she loves her family a lot.

their mother is a bit overprotective, especially because she knows all about the dangers of the real world. she had her sons take self defense classes and probably knows they can handle themselves just fine, but she still worries for her babies! I think she's very present and involved in their lifes, sending messages or calling them everyday to hear how they're doing on land.

if you believe the theory of Jade and Floyd being two of many Leech kids, but the only two that survived, this also might explain why their mother is so concerned with their safety, not wanting to lose the only two babies that she has left.

many think their father might be some influential fish mafia boss, what with the way he's involved in some shady stuff, has many rich people coming to parties and signing contracts, and in Floyd's wish, Idia mentions not wanting to know what he does, as he might end up "sleeping with the fishes". I think that's very funny, so I agree with it. their father runs the façade of just selling trinkets and runs some kind of fish yakuza behind the scenes.

whether Jade and Floyd know what their father actually does, I'm not sure, but I think they might. their father also is as involved as he can with his sons, as he loves them above everything else, and tries to teach them proper decorum to not be eaten up alive in such a cruel setting as the sea. I think they both took his lessons differently, as it's reflected on their personalities, and they value him a lot, seeking his advice when needed and obeying him without a fuss.

I think Jade might be closer to their mother, as he's usually the one that answer her calls to keep her up to date on how their lives are doing. Floyd is closer to their father, as he admires his power and way of doing things, following closely any advice he gives (on his own Floydish way). overall, their family gets along very well, despite their sharp edges, and love each other a lot.

I think Miss Ashengrotto and Miss Leech are friends due to their sons close friendship, and Miss Leech is oftentimes found at Miss Ashengrotto's restaurant spending time with her and chatting. I think she's the one that tells her what Azul has been up to, as Azul doesn't have much time to call his mother everyday and she isn't much of a worrier like the twins' mother.

their families are also of a good wealth, as they went to school with a prince and their parents have influential jobs (best restaurant of the Coral Sea, best lawyer, mafia boss). despite their oddities, all have a very good and caring home life!

in conclusion, I want to hang out with their moms at Miss Ashengrotto's restaurant and gossip with them. I bet they have the best embarrassing childhood stories to tell!!

Hello :D back again with more rambles !!! So as much as the Leech twins say they don’t care about Azul and would leave him; I have a hard time believing they genuinely would. I mean yes they clearly don’t have a traditional friendship but they definitely have one. The twins seem closer to each other but they often shadow over Azul even when he does things that seem boring. Playing more on the thought I mentioned in my Floyd ask, I think they might not say they’re friends because it could be exploited? Of course the twins are obvious with how close they are, but they can protect themselves. Meanwhile, Azul is powerful but not so much in the physical parts. They could avoid showing their friendship simply because it would make them seem “weaker” or that someone could harm Azul to harm them. Their dynamic is interesting because it breaks the stereotype of having 2 loyal servants. The twins are free to do whatever they want and deny a request unlike in other shows. Overall I think they have a friendship it’s just different than a traditional one- 🦭

HIII 🦭 ANON HOW ARE U?? I'm so sorry for taking so long to answer, life has been real busy lately, but I'm powering through!! thank you for sending your thoughts again!!

I agree with you, the twins and Azul are not only friends, but also very close ones! they've stayed with Azul for years and have watched him grow into the person he's now, being by his side the whole time! they all know each other on a very deep level, thus they also care about each other, in their own eccentric ways.

the twins, at first, only stayed because Azul was different from others (as this is the reason he was bullied in the first place). because of that, they didn't know what to expect with him, thus making him insteresting to be around. they ended up actually becoming friends though, and stayed together after that, following each other from dephts of the cold ocean to the lands of the warm earth.

of course, they say they'd leave should Azul start to bore them, but I don't think Azul would ever get boring, not with his witty intelect and shady schemes. Azul says he doesn't control the twins, which is absolutely true, but that doesn't mean they won't stay by his side. as they said themselves, they don't care about the money, as long as they're kept entertained.

naturally, the twins are closer, as they've been working together since their birth, only them against the cold and cruel sea. they always been odd ones as well, so that's why they clicked with Azul so well, but they're still different brands of weird.

hmm, I could see that! with the line of business Azul conducts, it might be dangerous to have weak points such as a soft spot for his two closest and most competent employees. not only that, but being openly friendly with people that are supposed to obey him, as their boss, could crack his intimidating untouchable image, thus making him seem weaker.

still, Azul isn't weaker, as he seems to be! he's actually stronger than the twins, as Floyd mentions on beans fest, so he's got strong magic, strong muscles and a strong brain. I think it'd be hard for anyone to harm him, unless they could get under his skin by attacking his more emotional side. Azul's got an amazing mask of indifference and faux confidence, but he's still very insecure about his past, which could be one way to get to him that would involve the twins.

I personally think that their refusal to be seen as friends might have come from old habits they carry from their home. as I see the Coral Sea, if it's anything like real sea life at all, it's a dog eat dog world, where everyone lives by themselves and protect their own. sea life can be very cruel, even to their own kind, so it would make sense for them not want to appear weak. it also is related to their own personalities, as they're not very open and emotional people, like Kalim for example, and they don't like showing their hand, prefering to keep their cards close to their chest.

their dynamic reflects that of Ursula and Flotsam and Jetsam very well! differently from other disney villains, who are cruel to their minions and oftentimes only put up with them for their own gain, Ursula genuinely likes the eels, as they are her beloved pets, not her servants. the eels are very cunning and like to create trouble, aiding Ursula in her evil schemes. when they are accidently killed by the end of the movie, Ursula gets furious, going on a rampage and attacking the ships. (see background part of the wiki!)

also, I really like this meme that sums up what you said really well lol

their relationship is very insteresting indeed! since they individually are already so fascinating, as part of a dynamic they have even more potential. a non traditional friendship like theirs is a nice break of stereotypes that TWST does once more!

I'd recommend Mitski's whole discography.

jk jk (though they are all very good), if I had to reccomend a song from each album that I think fits with the theme I'd go with: Bag of Bones from Lush, I want you from Retired from sad new career in business, Francis Forever from Bury me at makeout creak, I bet on losing dogs from Puberty 2, Pink in the night from Be the cowboy, Should've been me from Laurel hell.

calling for my followers or interested people who likes sad songs: I'm building a playlist for my last fic request (bc I thought it would be interesting) and the theme is "songs for when you're broken-hearted but won't admit" which is a playlist that Idia will mention~

it can be sad songs about love, a bit of copping, not so salty, songs to when you're thinking about this person you had lost but still isn't sure about what you feel... basically those vibes. Being it indie songs, oldies, 90s, what matters is that is a sad song :D there's no deadline bc it's more of a independent playlist so I can still add songs endlessly

I thought we could do this thing together bc why not? (and idk much sad songs, so elucidate me with your music tastes)

feel free to submit here or in the asks of my sideblog @myplaylists-angeli <3

I think something twst does really well is show the characters improving in a realistic way. No one can change overnight which makes the aftermaths of the overblots so interesting. I think it’s shown the most through Riddle during Book 2 you get to see him changing, trying to adapt now that he’s acknowledged what his mom did. You see him slowly improving and of course he isn’t perfect none of them are, but you get to see them make active efforts to better themselves- 🦭

YESSS YOU'RE SO RIGHT ONCE AGAIN 🦭 ANON!!!

I had a conversation with Gabi about Riddle in the reblogs of one of my oneshots (see here, just scroll down to the end) in which we mention a chapter of the anthology that makes this change very clear (this one!) and as you mentioned yourself in the Floyd ask, there's one chapter in which we get to see it more! in my Azul brainrot I also mention how I like the change in his acts and how he puts some efforts into being better. in my writing I love to explore this aftermath and their inner thoughts on it, especially in this Azul oneshot in which his overblot ends up a little differently!

I have individual thoughts on how each character reacts and improves after their overblots, so I'll go over them really quickly!!

first I just wanted to go over the concept of an overblot on itself. it's mentioned at the beggining that's a rare and dangerous occuring, but at NRC it happens every other month after MC's arrival, so that must be shocking. an overblot also leaves them sore and exhausted, both physically and mentally, as it's the result of the dangerous combination of too much magical usage and too many negative emotions due to years of distress. it's truly interesting how MC and/or Grim seems like a trigger of sorts to these overblots, as I believe there wasn't any before they suddenly appeared, getting involved in the middle of each of them. it's definetly not a coincidence how some of the most powerful and influential students suddenly overblot on the same time period, almost as if there was some higher force making it happen on purpose, for some reason. I hope it gets more explained in the future, perhaps after chapter 7!

as stated, I feel that Riddle, for being the first overblot, has gotten more time to show how much he's changed. from the tyrant from the start of the game to an actual dorm leader worthy of his title! he hasn't dropped his appreciation for rules entirely, but he won't go around cutting other people's heads for minor things. he's still strict with proper conduct and Heartslabyul's students' grades, but in a less overwhelming way, as he's seen how the way he's been taught to do things was wrong. during the second chapter, Riddle is much calmer and more rational, he helps MC solve the mystery even when he didn't have to do so. he was a great help at Leona's fight, and it's due to his quick thinking that no one was hurt at the stampade stunt. even when it's hard and causes him some mental turmoil, Riddle has reflected upon his actions and does his best to change for the better! having Trey, Cater and Che'nya by his side, lending him support, is probably a big motivator, as well as Ace's judgment and sharp words, as he's not afraid to speak his mind and call out people who are in the wrong. Deuce's admiration for him also contributes to it all, as he'd like to set a good example for his underclassmen to follow. all in all, Riddle has improved a lot in his behaviour and I'm very proud of him!

Leona is a complicated case, in all aspects. before his overblot, he had such an intense inferiority complex he didn't put effort in anything, thinking he wouldn't be recognized either way. not only that, he stays stagnant at NRC, most likely because he didn't want to have to go back to his kingdom where he's always second place. it's due to this that he tries to win against Malleus, spelldrive is one of the things he's best at and he used to be recognized for it before Malleus appeared and took his spot. for someone as smart as Leona, I feel that the plan from chapter 2 is kind of... half assed? him and Ruggie appear scheming all smug, but it's a pretty shitty and obvious plan, honestly, and he had potential to do something better. maybe, some part of him couldn't bring himself to care, since he was so used to being second place, it's not like that would change anytime soon. and that's why Lilia's words are so important, to make him realize: he wasn't second place because the world is against him and won't recognize anything he does, but because he can't bring himself to put an actual effort into things and get over his pride and ego to do what's best. I could go on about that but I didn't even get to the point yet, so I digress.

going back to the main topic: after Leona's overblot, I don't think I see him changing that much? while in Riddle's case it's plain to see how he's been trying to be better, Leona seems the same as before. he doesn't go to classes nor starts taking an initiative in things, much less apologize for hurting Ruggie and putting so many people in danger. (not that I expected him to actually say "I'm sorry", but maybe show in his own way that he regrets what he did?) even in chapter 3, he doesn't help because he wanted to, he begrudgingly does as MC suggests only because it benefits him too. I don't believe for a minute that Grim and MC posed any threat to his sleep, as he could easily beat them up and get it over with. no, Leona went along with MC's plan an destroyed the contracts because it was what he wanted all along. in the previous chapter he had made a deal with Azul in order to get Ruggie's potion, so he must have wanted to stop beind indebted with him and/or get back whatever it was that he bargained.

don't get me wrong, I do like Leona a lot! when I first started playing, he was on my top3 characters, and even though he isn't anymore I'm still rather fond of him. it's just... disappointing to see how much potential he has and how he doesn't do anything to reach it. one way for him to change would be to drop the unbothered attitude and actually start making an effort. there's still a long way for him to go, and only he can take the first step. I do like how his problems aren't all solved after a little motivational talk (and being beat up), since his overblot doesn't change his depression, nor his country's political state, nor his family issues, nor his complexes.

Jamil's and Kalim's relationship is a major theme of chapter 4 and very connected to Jamil's overblot in the first place. I like how Jamil becomes more open after it, even if he's blunt and rude, possibly making him seem worse than before. the thing is, before he only hid what he was thinking and kept it all to himself, bottling up his emotions to the point that they end up exploding. afterwards, even if he voices his annoyance and is pretty harsh with his words, not trying to spare Kalim's feelings, it feels better that he's being honest for once. the work his family serves under Kalim's family creates a very complex relationship between those two, as there is a power balance, no matter how much Kalim tries to treat him like an equal. Jamil should always present himself as less than the heir of the Al Asim family, should always follow along his heat of the moment decisions and make sure to keep him safe between the sea of shady students that could take advantage of his naivety and positive thinking. the way Kalim's childhood molded him into such a different person, almost the complete opposite, from Jamil also aggravates their dynamic's problems.

anyways! as I discussed in Azul's post, I like how we can also see a change in how he does things post overblot. while he still might do some shady deals, his focus goes into his business and ways of improving it, showing his change of perspective. he no longer tries to hoard other people's powers, as he finally recognizes his own merits and learns to be proud of them. he's still cunning and witty, not losing the interesting parts of his personality, but he's changed on how he uses those traits. he isn't suddenly one of the "good guys" and he doesn't do things out of the kindness of his heart, as he wants people to believe, but he's improved a lot from how he used to deal with things, even helping MC on chapter 4. (he also had other interests, but he didn't necessarily have to help MC, even if he felt indebted to them for the help during his overblot fight)

I throughly enjoy how the consequences of a change in their careful and fragile balance are explored in chapter 5, with Jamil finally putting himself out there and letting his potential show, not holding back, and Kalim feeling frustrated for the first time for not getting what he wants, and how it makes him understand better where Jamil is coming from and be more considerate to his feelings. all in all, even if Jamil doesn't become a good person in the traditional sense, as he's still sassy and deceitful at times, it serves to help him improve himself in a more internal sense, to try to be more open with Kalim and to break some of the old patterns he's been taught to follow.

Vil is quite interesting, as he's the only character that overblots that I liked a lot straight away. I didn't pass through the phases of "I hate his guts he's so annoying" to "alright he's not that bad" to "wait I think I might like him" like I did with the others. and I'm not saying he didn't do a lot of wrong things, since besides almost poisoning an innocent person, there were also times when he acted out of line and showed his arrogance, such as when he fought with and made Epel cry only to prove a point, without much respect or care for his feelings. still, he also felt more reasonable than the other overblot characters, as he's more down to Earth, shows his hard work and efforts, and is up with social causes like gender equality and not conforming to toxic masculinity.

by the end of chapter 5, he expresses regret (as he "wishes they hadn't seen him in such an ugly state") and keeps his head high as he performs with Neige after losing. he doesn't seem to particularly feel sorry about almost hurting Neige though, and maintains his feelings of animosity. I have yet to see how he behaves in chapter 6 and how he might have changed, perhaps by trying to find compromises when things don't go the way he wants them to and by praising people's efforts rather than only criticizing their errors.

so! I agree anon, TWST does very well show that things don't change overnight and that there must have some effort put into these changes. the characters' problems aren't magically solved by the power of friendship (and violence), but they can get started on working on them. acknowledging your mistakes and trying to improve is rather hard, but a very necessary part of personal growth. with each passing chapter, I hope we get to see more about how the overblots have changed them and how they have improved themselves!

I just finished reading "Would it be enough?" and oh my god, it's absolutely amazing. God it was such good angst!! Made me tear up, I just ahxghwjcywn

Your writing is absolutely beautiful, I can't wait to read more. Keep up the good work and make sure you get some rest!!

THANK YOU ANON <333

I'm so happy you liked it!!! sometimes when the angst mood hits, I can't resist writing something up. I'm glad you're sticking around, I'll keep doing my best! get some rest too, dear anon, thank you for your sweet words! <33

Hey hey if you could make an event in twst what would you want it to be about?,what characters would you wanna learn more about?

hello anon!!! oooh that's such an interesting question, I really like it!

to be honest I haven't given much thought to it before, as I've started to play the game kinda recently (almost 2 months now!) and haven't participated in a lot of the events, so I still have many of the available ones I wanna explore. all the events are so interesting, with their disney movie themes, character interactions and exclusive cards!

also, I'd be pretty content with learning more about any character, really, since they're all very well written and any new detail would be nice to learn and add to their whole picture! of course, if some of my favorites were to get choosen, that would make me happier, but I'd be satisfied with any character.

hmm, as I said here, I do think an April fools event would be nice! something more light hearted, filled with jokes and chaos. one example of April fools event that I've really enjoyed are from Mystic Messenger, as they are SO FUNNY, the characters are acting kind of crazy and it makes me lose it every time.

another event I think would be interesting is a valentine's day one. I know many people would like it to follow a more romantic route, and while I don't think it would work that well and am satisfied with the way things are, a valentine's event could be great for world building! do they have something like it? are their traditions like ours? is the date inspired by some famous tale? also, valentine's is a time to celebrate love, which can also be platonic and shared between friends! it would make a very wholesome event, after we get past the usual shenanigans.

if we are following the cliche route, then we need a beach day episode type of event. it would be even funnier if none of Octavinelle was included on it. imagining the first years going to spend a day at the Island's beach together sounds like so much fun!

I'd also LOVE a masquerade ball! maybe as a reference to Cinderela? the high tension and mystery and elegance of this type of event would be very appealing to me. AND IMAGINE THE BEAUTIFUL CARDS!! I just KNOW everyone would look amazing! the masks have a lot of potential to be creative and recall the original movies. I think it would work as a twistune event, and the soundtrack would be wonderful. imagining their little chibis all dressed up and dancing together in the background now.

one in which we get to explore more of the world would be nice as well, visiting the boys homeland (such as with the Harveston and the Scalding Sands events). the world building we would get to see would be amazing, and it might answer many questions! I particularly would be interested in visiting Sunset Savanna, maybe meeting Falena and the queen while having more Cheka cameos, and of course granny Bucchi as well, perhaps even Rook's family. or the Briar Valley, take a look at how different a fae habited land is and shine some light into Malleus' grandmother mystery. as both are kingdoms, I'd also want to explore how being part of royalty would affect their lives once they're in their own countries, and not at a neutral territory like NRC.

as I've seen it being done in fanfics before, an event in which some kind of potion experiment goes wrong and turns some of the boys into little kids would also be so cute. babysitter MC to the rescue! looking after the little brats as they cause trouble would surely be endearing. and if we get little kid cards, then what? (also, I think it would be a twistune event with nursery rhymes, but imagine it as a battle event for a second. we would get to fight literal little kids. yes they are bastards once they grow up but still. it would be so funny.) and any card would be extremely cute too.

as for something elaborate, I can think of a little storyline. Peter Pan, despite being one of disney's oldest movies and also iconic ones, didn't get any references in the game, at least none that I know of. Captain Hook is such a cool character, and I think there could be some teacher twisted from him, if not an entire dorm on his name. the point is: I really like pirates. so, I'd like a pirate themed event that would make references to Peter Pan. (look, I'm gonna be very biased towards my favorites right now, this would be a completely self indulgent event)

here's how it could go: there'd be rumors of a treasure somewhere in the Coral Sea, as recently many pirate ships have been swarming the waters in search of it. Crowley, of course, would also like to get his hands on the treasure, and who better to send to do his dirty work other than his minion MC? Azul, naturally, would want in, as the Coral Sea is his home and there is no better guide than him, though his help will come by the hefty price of 50% of the profit. the twins will be dragged into this as well, but happily so, as they'd love to visit their home again, even if it's on a boat.

other characters I think could enter: Ruggie, that was working at Mostro Lounge, heard everything and wanted in to get some of the supposed money too. Deuce, who might have been roped into another contract and was dragged by Azul to help them (they needed more hands on deck. Deuce will be cleaning it). and Silver, who either got roped into this mess by Lilia or got in trouble with the octatrio because of his sleeping habits and would go with them to make up for it.

I think their interactions as they imitate a pirate crew in the middle of the sea, stuck on a ship together, have immense comical potential. someone WOULD walk the plank (most likely Floyd). Ruggie would tell pirate stories and sing sea shanties. Deuce would do his best to act the part and try to talk like a pirate during the entire thing (he's really bad at it but he's got the spirit). Silver would befriend a bunch of seagulls and fish. Floyd would play with swords and almost cut something in half. Jade would have his fun by exploring their ship and learning how's the sea experience for people of the land. Azul would be stressed because where is that damn treasure!?

another thing that could happen would be a prince Rielle appearence! I'm super curious to see how he is and what exactly is his relationship with the Octavinelle guys. and imagine if he joins the crew to help? it would be so funny, the potential of someone who has known them since they were little kids joining in... plus, I'd get Neige and Che'nya to make a cameo at the end of the event and reveal Rielle has been going to RSA and is Neige's classmate!

for their cards I think Azul would be an SSR, as the captain of the crew (and finally would be wearing a hat that suits him). Ruggie would also have one, in which, differently from his halloween one, he would look more like a first mate (think Mr Smee like). Jade would be an SR, as the quartermaster. Floyd would be the other one, as the gunner, and he'd be holding pirate swords on both hands. Silver would be a R, as the boatswain, alongside Deuce, as the swabbie of the crew (bless him).

it would make a lot more sense for it to be a battle event, but I like twistunes and would like to hear the sea shanty like rythm they could come up with, too. if it was an option, a mix of the two would be ideal.

in the end, there might not be any treasure, or it doesn't have what they expected it to, rendering their efforts worthless, but it would have been such a nice trip! I'd have a lot of fun playing an event like this!

Loved your take on him smelling like smoke and I completely agree! I have no idea how his hair works, physics wise his hair would be burning at atleast 2,500 degrees F if not up to 3000 degrees F so by all means simply brushing past him would leave you with atleast a slight burn if not worse, yet we see him tie it up in a ponytail and braid it. Also just a little silly fact since his hair canonically turns red when he’s angry that would mean his hair becomes a colder temperature when he’s angered than it is when he’s completely fine (p.s I love Idia thank you for talking about him with me!!) -🦭

I'm glad you did, 🦭!!!

RIGHT? but I don't think it burns at all, not himself nor other people, since no one has ever mentioned it? Idia is insecure about his hair, yes, but not because it's dangerous and has hurt people before, but because it's different and people might look at him weird. and just like you said anon, simply by brushing past him it would be able to leave a burn mark on someone!! which has never happened at all!!

maybe it has something to do with his curse? I don't know much about his backstory yet, though I'm pretty sure he's not fae or a demigod, but a human like most students, the only difference is that his family carries a curse that causes his hair to be in flames, his teeth pointy and his lips blue. I'm pretty sure that's it? there must be some reason (something involving the underworld?), but I haven't read chapter 6 so I'm not aware of it yet.

this curse might mean his hair is not actually on flames, but these are more like a symbolical fire? it imitates real fire, but acts just like hair (with a few exceptions at the tips that end up floating and giving it a fiery effect). that might be why he's able to touch it and mold it into different hairstyles.

it would also explain this emotional fact! like you said, his hair turns colder when he's angry, which wouldn't make much sense if you consider that there's a tendency of your blood rushing and making you run hotter when feeling strong emotions, particularly one as strong as anger. if you consider the color theory of it, though, it makes more sense: Idia is usually chill and calm, even melancholic, so blue fits his natural state. red is associated with negative fiery emotions, such as anger. pink is a soft color that brings to mind love, so when he's flustered it might burn pink. so on and so forth. it's very cute how you can tell his emotional state by his hair!

Idia is so interesting (and relatable at some points), I totally understand why he'd be one of your favorites, anon! I really enjoy talking about him with you, as you bring up so many good points I wouldn't have thought about!! I can't wait until chapter 6 comes to the english server so I can see more of him!

NOW THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING!!!

I belive you're refering to Jade in the halloween event, when he gets possessed and starts to act like Floyd (see here and here). it's truly a scary sight to see someone as composed as Jade start acting wildly like Floyd (it also reminds me of the groovy version of his event card, in which it's the only time, at least that I can remember of, that we get to see him a kind of unhinged. he's got so much potential to snap and show a little insanity. as a treat.)

there's one instance in which Floyd acts like Jade, in one of his ceremonial robes voice lines (see here). it's a very short glimpse that lasts less than 10 seconds, but it's enough to fuel our imagination!

their voice actors are very talanted in imitating each other (that is, if they didn't just swap lmao), which leads me to believe that they could easily speak like the other twin if they wanted to. Floyd even drops his voice when he's trying to appear intimidating or is on a bad mood, showing his vocal chords can reach lower pitches similar to Jade's voice.

they look enough alike to pull it off on people that don't know them very well and wouldn't know in which side is the long stripe for each twin, too.

the actual problem would be how they act, really. down to their body language, Jade and Floyd are very different, with how Jade is always with a straight posture and rolled back shoulders, looking ahead with a carefully polite expression, while Floyd is hunched over and with slumped shoulders, only paying attention to what he wants to and showing his emotions freely on his face. how Jade is more reserved and keeps to himself while Floyd can and will occupy everyone else's personal space without a care in the world.

these differences would make this whole act look even more entertaining, should they be able to pull it off. I think Jade might have done this at least once before, just to drive Azul crazy with two Floyds. though, as I said in my Jade brainrot, I think he'd stop after some hours since Floyd's way of dealing with things is not his preferred one, and he'd much rather have his usual fun with mind games. squeezing people left and right can only be fun to a certain extent.

now, for Floyd to willingly imitate Jade? I think he must be on a rather extraordinarily good mood or have no other choice but to do so. Floyd doesn't like to be mistaken as his brother and he doesn't want people to think they are the same, so there's no point in him pretending to be Jade. sure, he did imitate him in that voice line, but it was more to poke some fun at Jade and show off his vocal skills, not because he wanted people to assume he was his brother.

although just like you, I also would really like to see this happening, it would be so funny! the potential! I don't know which would be more chaotic: two Floyds or two Jades (granted, both options would drive Azul, and pretty much everyone else, insane either way). I don't think they'd drag it out, because if people expect them to act like the other then it's no fun anymore, but they would have the time of their lives while it lasted!

should d*sney and aniplex ever decide they are in the mood to goof around a bit (maybe as an April fools event?), I'd be delighted to see what they'd prepare for this particular case!

I'm glad you liked my other rambles! thank you for sharing such an entertaining thought with me!!

(also, I've answered like this because you probably accidentally forgot to put on anon mode when you sent this ask, and I'd like to preserve your privacy! don't worry, should you feel more comfortable this way, I'll turn a blind eye and pretend I didn't see a thing! it's your call, really)

You cannot convince me Idia smells like anything other than clean laundry like yeah he stays inside a lot and is a gamer but there’s no way his room isn’t clean he probably cleans it weekly and hates smelling bad (by a clean room I mean it’s messy but he doesn’t just leave dirty laundry everywhere) I don’t care how much of a degenerate he might seem like I swear this man would walk outside of his room and you can smell the clean laundry he’s wearing and how he smells like freshly washed bed sheets -🦭

hiii 🦭 anon, you're back with the hot takes on Idia!!

ooh I can see it! since he (and the rest of Ignihyde) stays in his room for such a long time, it's important to mantain it as a clean space! not only that, but he also uses it to work on his inventions, so keeping trash and other stuff scattered around wouldn't be good.

it's also a break of expectation in the Nerd Gamer stereotype that I've talked before! people expect him to be unhygienic because he's always holed up in his room and stays in front of his computer for hours without breaks, but that doesn't mean he can't take care of himself.

it's as you said: Idia's room might be a bit messy, but it's not dirty. his bed is unmade but there aren't any used clothes thrown on it, there are books on the floor but all in little piles to not occupy much room, there are some boxes with tech pieces but it's most likely because it's something he uses often and needs to have close by for easy access.

I'm not sure how exactly laundry works at NRC, but I think each student has to take care of their own (judging by how Ruggie also does Leona's). Idia might not leave his room often, even if the laundry room is still inside his dormitory, but if anything his clothes are always clean because there's NO WAY Ortho would let his big brother walk around in dirty clothes.

Ortho is probably a big help in the cleaning aspect, as he doesn't make messes and takes care of Idia's well being. even if Idia stays the whole day binging some limited time event of one of his games, Ortho will ensure he takes a bath afterwards and gets a change of clothes.

as you mentioned, anon, Idia's parents have a health related business, and as such I believe they'd value hygiene a lot, so Idia might be used to being clean.

though it's funny to think what would happen should he take a shower because like... does his hair just... goes off? how does he take care of it? is there any special product he can use or is it literally some magical fire that do as it pleases on his head?

about his scent, I think he might have a bit of that stuffy room smell, since he does stay in most of the time, but also smoky because... his hair is on fire, you know.

though I can also see him smelling like clean laundry! I belive he wouldn't like strong cleaning products, so it'd be more of a subtle scent. since Idia cares so much about what other's think of him, unless he's about to go on a super stealthy late night snack run, he'd do his best to wear presentable and fresh clothes, no need to give anyone more reasons to mock him.

thank you 🦭 anon, I've never thought about it like that before, but it does make sense! I love your takes, please continue to spread the loving Idia agenda!

Hi hi its the curious anon again from the jade and azul ask !!,HEHR PLEASE DONT APOLOGIZE FOR THE LENGTHY,I love reading long posts so I enjoyed it very much and I loved reading it!!,you honestly had me going /YES YEA THIS/ the whole way through 😂 and if you wanna go off about their designs plea please do!! 🥺,

I dont have too many thoughts to share /myself/ however except maybe a silly one thats a lil shippy on how floyd would call is s/o their actual name and flipflop between the sea animal nickname and actual name cause of the theory that he usually calls those he respects/are close to their names n so on-

HII CURIOUS ANON, I'm glad you liked my lenghty thoughts on them! since you've given me the go ahead, I'll take up your offer and talk a bit about their Dorm Uniform designs! (I didn't include Azul's overblot or any other clothes to focus on these especific ones, but perhaps another time!)

oh, before I start, yes I agree with that! I believe you're refering to this post regarding Floyd's nicknames, and I agree with it! like he does with Azul and Jade, the people he's truly close with and respects he would call by their actual name, not one of his nicknames. although I'm very attached to shrimpy as I find it very cute and I'd kind of miss it if he dropped it altogether, so I like the idea of him varying between it and his S/O's name!

fun fact: I like to draw occasionally, so character design is something I have a lot of interest in!

now, let's get this started, yes?

I feel like my thoughts go along with the general consensus of their designs, but sometimes even the obvious should be stated, so I'll say everything in my mind!

AZUL

I have a confession to make. I'm easily attracted by anime characters with white hair. I KNOOOOW IT'S SUCH A COMMON TROPE AND I FALL FOR IT EVERYTIME, HOOK, LINE AND SINKER. so him having his gray-ish hair color is already a positive point in my books. differently from Ursula, his hair is not wild and free, but rather very well kept, tamed and wavy! (and difficult to draw, lmao. the notes in the 2020 visual book make a comment on how it's important to make an outline before drawing it, or else the right side can come out too big)

even with it's difficulty, I think the little strand that's just a tad longer and curls following his face, reminiscing of a tentacle, is just so charming, it's a nice little detail that makes all the difference! another thing you can't really see it's that he has AN UNDERCUT!! WHICH IS SO COOL!! I miss the time I used to have an undercut too.

the choice of giving him glasses but not the twins is a bit ironic, since octopi don't have much of a bad vision at all, meanwhile eels are almost blind. (I think they use contact lenses. just imagine Floyd forgetting his and he can't see anything and he's just. confused.) I think it's most likely to make him fit even more in the stereotypical "smart and cunning anime character" profile. it miiight have been a reference to the darker shade around Ursula's eyes, but I honestly doubt it. they do fit quite nicely, so I'm not complaining at all!

one thing I like about his eyebrows are how expressive they are, which brings Ursula's eyebrows to mind! they seem to have very similar expressions in that sense, as the drawing of him with a mean grin and arched eyebrows is reminiscent of Ursula's expression! his eyes aren't half lidded like hers tho, a difference that pops out very clearly if you compare both pics of them looking straight ahead while smiling. Ursula's seem more menacing, as if she's up to no good, while Azul's is more polite.

I loooove the mole near his mouth, mirroring Ursula's, it's so charming!! and I don't know if you've ever stared at his lips before but. look. they are very glossy and they SHINE, his mouth looks amazing, he might not pass on Ursula's birght red lipstick but he DEFINETLY has lip balm at least

now let's look at his drip. Octavinelle's dorm uniform makes an homage to the Sea Witch's elegant style, using a stylish combination of suits in more neutral tones, either in black and white or in shades of purple and gray, making a reference for her lavander skin tone and purple tentacles.

look I'm gonna be honest. I don't know what's up with the fedora. the iconic shell is a nice touch, but why must he wear a fedora? he could look professional and mature without it!! I am. not the biggest fan of hats. AND HIS HAIR LOOKS SO PRETTY WHY MUST HE HIDE IT

the bowtie I think it's a bit silly, but that might be because it's not common at all here where I live. I've only seen normal ties, so for me it might have looked better with one (not in this purple shade tho, maybe in a more muted tone of it. I do like the contrast of color against the white). I also don't see much what's the point of the grey scarf but it does help him look fancy, though the Octavinelle crest on it makes it look a bit like Harry Potter merch

as he's the housewarden, he gets a special long coat that does make him look a bit like a mafia boss, especially because he's not actually wearing it, only having it drapped over his shoulders. (or perhaps it's the bowtie. was that why it was there all along!?) and the white gloves? it's very snazzy and suspicious at the same time, but I can see the elegance of hiding your hands as if you're a victorian maiden hiding your ankles and shoulders to preserve your modesty.

the cane is SO COOL. I don't think he uses it for anything other than looking intimidating but's it's so cool. maybe it helped him to get used to walking with only two legs (adapting from eight to two must have been hard) when he started his first year and he's kept it. his shoes are pretty normal, expected even, BUT WHY ARE HIS SOCKS NEON PURPLE. I know it's to match his silly mafioso bow tie BUT WHY.

JADE

I'll start with things that will apply to Floyd as well, but I only want to say it once

Flotsam and Jetsam are... not the prettiest around. I'd say they are very far from it, even. Which only surprises me more that the twins look SO GOOD when they were based off of this??

as a reference to the moray eels, Ursula's beloved pets and minions, the twin's hair follow their color scheme, teal in it's majority with a dark gray stripe, and each have one yellow eye that helps to differentiate from which eel they were inspired by. their merman forms also make reference to them, as their tails are quite similar and they have fins and gills, which is not something the merman in the Little Mermaid used to have.

thankfully, for everyone's happiness, their physical similarities end there.

JADE TIME!! I have another confession to make: I also love character's with hair that has more than one color. I'M NOT TOO HARD TO PLEASE ALRIGHT!

Jade's hair is very unusual and at first glance might even look strange, a mix of color and shapes in an already complicated design. I think it plays along well with him, the little J shaped strand of hair hugs his face and calls attention to it, breaking the monotony from his otherwise short hair and balancing it's color out. the way his side bang is cut in such an angular and sharp way gives it such a nice shape, and I like how his hair is well kept and brushed! (differently from Azul's, his hair is a pleasure to draw, as I sometimes find myself doodling it at the corner of my books, absentmindedly)

THE SHAPE OF HIS EYEBROWS !!! they also feel quite angular and pointed, different from Floyd's, which compliment his eye shape very well. AND HIS EYES?? I could look into then all day. the way they are sharp and pass the feeling of his witty personality, they are angled upwards and give him an alluring sense, his upper lashes are fuller and give a cutting look to his eyes, the little eyebags (?) under them breaking the lightness of his skin and adding some color around them, even his eyelid fold helps to create such a charming gaze. I LOVE THE HETEROCHROMIA!! they aren't wildly constrasting, like I commonly see, but rather a duller tone of the other, which is how it usually happens in real life! such a polite look and by it's shape alone you can tell there's something behind it, something sharp enough to almost break the surface.

even his nose differs from Floyd's, as it feels a little softer and round ended, less curved and more of a straight line. I love these little spot the differences games, while they might seem like such minor details, they come along to create a bigger picture that differentiates the twins and each is their own person very well, not only with their body language but also by their appearence!!

OH AND HIS LIPS. I know I know it's the art style but still. the way his bottom lip is so full and shiny?? the way the corners of his mouth curl upwards just so. the carefully constructed politeness. how he rarely shows his teeth to keep the more harmless appearence, only letting them be seen if he's trying to intimidate someone or if he's actually happy. the dangers of his sharp teeth hiding like a shark under the waves !!!!!!

AND JADE'S EARRING! like on Floyd, it's such a dynamic little shape and gives them a bit of a more approachable look? and then you discover how they even got it in the first place LMAOOO. wait, let me give some context: on Usrula's spell, she says "Beluga Sevruga, Come winds of the Caspian Sea!" what does that mean? beluga is a variety of caviar (and of the more expensive ones), and it's harvested from the Sevruga sturgeon, native from the Caspian Sea. the story of how the twins got those earrings is that they won a fight against a sturgeon and kept the scales as a prize, so really even their cute little silly earrings are indicative of how dangerous they can be and how they like to flaunt that around LOL. in story they are also mentioned to be known as a good luck charm, due to being a popular ingredient in the Sea Witch's potions. it's such a nice reference! and it also implies the twins might have a bit of a supersticious side to them, which is so interesting.

the merman form is so cool too! as mentioned, I really like how they use more elements of moray eels and lets them have a more fish-like look. the stripes are elegant and a nice detail that brings these aspects from the eels, not to mention his body is literally luminiscent! like! he glows underwater!! how cool is that?? the fins in place of ears are cute, and the webbed hand makes a lot of sense! the tail adding lenght to them and making them twice their human size is a nice way of making them grow without distorting their proportions. (just why. why must he have abs. eel abs. it was a whole jumpscare the first time I saw them.)

I'm. gonna sound a bit hypocritical now. but! I think the hat looks nice on Jade. HEAR ME OUT! I'm still not the biggest fan of hats, but Jade's is not like Azul's, it has a wider, less square box like, shape, the shell is hidden as to not overdo with the details and leave it as a more discreet one, and the way it's drapped on his head, following his bangs and the linearity of his longer stripe, gives such a fluidity to the whole thing and manages to make him look suave!

also, one thing about him is how he's always prim and proper, tucked in neatly in any formal suit and showing his diligence. there's something about people who are always so covered up and formal looking. the profissionalism... the maturity... the sense he's above you... the clothes make the man...

ANYWAYS. I like that the shade of the regular uniform is a lavander that goes easy on the eyes (housewarden's neon purple, take notes), it gives a classy feel and goes along great with the general color scheme! I hope they are careful on laundry day to wash those separatedly from the white uniforms.

again with the little bow tie. the white manages to compliment his gloves and the pocket square very well, but it stills looks a bit silly to me. I'm sorry, but here where I live the only people I've seen using those are clowns, literally (look up Patati e Patatá. it's Jade and Floyd).

he thankfully doesn't show his socks, but his shoes have white details on them that I feel that kind of break the sleekness of the whole. I know it would be way too monocromatic otherwise, but I don't think it'd be necessarily a bad thing, especially since they have no problem in doing it with his other designs. with the ones he has on, it looks like he's about to start tap dancing at any minute.

still, Jade is slaying

FLOYD

as I've already discussed some of his design aspects in Jade's part, I'll go over only what I see as unique to him.

his hair is messier than Jade's, wilder and spikier, and it kind of looks like he doesn't brush it in the mornings, but that's part of his charm, this unkept look! the F shaped longer strand seems a bit fuller than Jade's as well.

his eyebrows are higher and less sharp than Jade's, angled downwards and following his eye shape that makes him look sleepy or bored more often, less atent than Jade, and exposes his double eyelid better. his eyes are more expressive, oftentimes curving in excitement or with his pupils contracting when angry.

the shape of his nose is pointy, sharper and slightly more curved. ONE THING I REALLY LIKE: his mouth. Floyd is always showing his emotions, and it's delightful to look at his jagged teeth as he smiles openly! even when he's not emoting so drastically you can still catch a glimpse of them!

the thing is that while they have their differences, the twins designs are very similar, as they really separate from each other in their personalities.

the hat also looks better on him than on Azul (sorry Azul, yours is a bit goofy and doesn't compliment your hair very well), and while it follows some of the reasons I've cited on Jade's, there's also something else. the hat helps to show his impulsive nature! how so? well, I think like this: the rest of the uniform he has to wear, there's no escaping it, but the hat? he can do wathever he wants with it. if he feels like putting it on, he does, if he doesn't feel like it, he can just not. it's not a crucial part like the shirt or the suit, so people won't get much on his case about it. in the card, he's taken it off, simply because he wanted to.

he's also more free than Jade's buttoned up look, as he quite literally doesn't button up many parts of it, his jacket is open, his collarbones are exposed, his silly clown bow tie is untied, his scarf is flowing in the wind. Floyd doesn't like to be restricted by tight fitting clothes and honestly I get him.

as much as Floyd is interested in shoe fashion, I don't like his shoes at all. in most of his cards actually. I don't know if it's because I know nothing about it and use an All Star for every occasion, but his shoes always look goofy because of his socks. ALWAYS. who lets him keep getting away with this??? someone please stop him he's comminting crimes against fashion with those socks. THE NEON PURPLE DOESN'T EVEN GOES WELL WITH THE SOFT LAVANDER OF HIS SHIRT. THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON FOR HIM HERE. not to mention he's also using the tap dancer shoes.

CONCLUSION

I really like Octavinelle's under the sea theme and how well their designs make callbacks for their counterparts, making nice references for such an iconic villain! all in all they are very elegant and pass a professional vibe that's characteristic of the dorm and it's students, leaving enough space for their own little quirks to shine through.

I love to take a look at them like this!! I might have a terrible fashion sense for myself, but when it comes to character design I suddenly become a critic lol. though I feel that the game manages very well to create interesting designs that calls to mind the original villain's and leave enough room for their own personalities to shine, catching your attention and staying easily on your memory! all the characters have unique little things that differentiate them and make even people that have never played the game recognize them!

that's it for their dorm uniforms and general designs, I hope you like it curious anon! thank you for once again indulging me on my rambles!

(I took the images from pinterest but they are from the 2020 visual book, which I found some translations for in their character fact sheets and here, or from the Little Mermaid's concept art book!)

Hi! Anon from the Floyd and Idia asks I was wondering if you were okay with having anons sign off with emojis if you are then I’ll start signing off with a 🦭 just cuz he’s super silly yknow :D

HII WELCOME BACK <3 I loved to answer those asks, thank you for sending them!! of course, that's completely fine! he's really just a silly guy goofing around, good for him!

Oho im a curious anon now I gotta know if you have any more thoughts on jade and azul (or just one of them) I like hearing peoples take on characters!

ooh I like curious people, of course I have thoughts on Jade and Azul!! I'll gladly share them with you my dear anon <33 and if you'd like to say your thoughts on them as well, feel free to!

as I mentioned in my Floyd brainrot, I'm not immune to Octavinelle propaganda, they are actually my favorite dorm! they are all sooo interesting, both on their own and as part of a dynamic, be it between themselves or other characters!

time to dive deep into the waters of my Octavinelle thoughts. prepare yourself, it's a deep dive in.

the same warning as in Floyd's post: this is my own view of the characters that may not be 100% accurate and anyone can disagree!

I'll talk about them separatedly and then as a trio later on, so let's get started with the dorm leader, shall we?

AZUL

if you've seen my writing before anon, you might have noticed that I particularly like to make Azul suffer a bit, but I swear I love him!! it's just that I also love to break his carefully constructed façade and look at what's inside, what are Azul Ashengrotto's inner feelings, what are the things that stay in his mind only for him to ever see or hear, what is he hiding deep down?

oh Azul, where to start with him?

Azul is one of the most popular characters in the fandom, he's got a perfect combo going on for him: he's one of the housewardens, part of Octavinelle and he's got a tragic backstory. triple strike!

not only that but his businessman like persona and cunning schemes get a lot of attention, not to mention that he's twisted from such an iconic villain! Ursula from the Little Mermaid is certainly someone that stays in your mind even years later!

I'll begin at the beginning, and go on till I come to the end, then!

Azul's backstory is one many people can relate to, myself included, which gathers a lot of sympathy from the fandom for his woes. it's awful to be excluded as a child simply because you look different and is a bit more introverted, and I get the overachieving academically to compensate for it and feel like you can prove them wrong and that you're just as capable, just as good.

seeing him having a similar story to myself actually created a deep connection with his character, because I feel like I get it. it was awful and cruel and he didn't deserve any of it, the loneliness and the yearning to have what other's have, to be like them, to be acknowledged. (I was also a huge crybaby lol so I was picked on for that as well. Azul struggles.)

that's what makes people be so forgiving towards his wrongdoings, because they get it. they can put themselves in his shoes and feel his anguish and despair and desparation. "should I have been in his place, would I have done the same?"

but here's the thing, I think Azul needed a wake up call. maybe not done so crudely like it was in the story, but I understand the prefect's situation, what could they do? plus, it's much more interesting, narratively speaking, to have some huge drama instead of a much needed therapy session.

having everything he's been working for, during YEARS, be destroyed in front of him like that, literally turning into sand, was a breaking point to his already severely bottled up emotions. so he had a reaction that was understandable, but it doesn't make it right.

he had to get stripped away of all the things he'd stolen to be forced to face that he was more than that. he didn't need to prove his old bullys wrong and get his revenge, what he needed was to realize his own potencial. yes, he's different, but that's not a bad thing. it's wonderful, even, and it should be something to be proud of! he should be proud of who he is by his own efforts, not by stealing and tricking people into unfair contracts then hoarding their powers into his vault. Ursula herself was always very confident and proud of herself, something Azul was lacking in order to follow the Sea Witch's steps.

like the prefect has the option to tell Azul at the museum in the end of chapter 3, he's got something that's better than any magic, and he should be proud of that! he's got drive and wits and he doesn't need to live through others, he can live for himself, too.

after all, Azul's big strong point is how intelligent he is. he doesn't need powerful magic (which he does have, not only his unique magic but also his amazing potions) nor powerful muscles (which he also has. Floyd mentions that Azul as an octopus is stronger and bigger than the twins), because he has a powerful brain that's enough to make him be feared, a silver tongue that can rope anyone into one of his schemes.

my Azul appreciation was a gradual thing, since at first I didn't like him that much. I didn't dislike him either, I just didn't give him much thought at all lol like "oh he's an asshole but Ace, Deuce and Grim should have seen that one coming, come on!" and when he sent the twins to bother the prefect I also expected that, so like that's fair ig?

but then after his backstory?? I got my 'oh. oh!' moment, like yes now I get it!! I really like how they all go and put back the photo on it's original place and how Azul changes his dealings afterwards. yes he's still a little shit who will trick people into them, but it's not as exploitive as before? in chapter 4 he's also a great help, even though he really didn't have to get involved (the twins must have been driving him crazy because they were bored lmao)

actually in chapter 4 I was mad at him for filming it live because YOUR RISKING JAMIL'S LIFE? HE COULD GET INTO SERIOUS TROUBLE FOR THAT YOU KNOW?? and then he reveals it was a lie and I think that was the first time I didn't expect one of his schemes, which was very nice because wow he does have basic empathy!!

I also see some people thinking that his whole personality is a fake and he's still the same as he was years ago, which I don't agree with. Azul has learnt how to keep his façade, how to interact with people to get what he wants, how to keep other's at arms lenght and not let them see him vulnerable, but he's no longer the crybaby octopus that would hide in his pot at his troubles. Azul has learnt to face them head on, at least after his overblot, and he knows how to keep himself composed until the very last straw breaks. he's not clingy or whiny, he does his best to keep his image as he wants people to see him, but it isn't all a mask. sometimes the lines blurry, in which point does the businessman Octavinelle's housewarden ends and in which point does Azul Ashengrotto begins? are they not one and the same?

SO. I think he's neat. and he's my little lab rat that I like to project onto <33

also his family life is so interesting? I've read his mother divorced his father and married her divorce attorney and that's so girlboss of her. I just KNOW miss Ashengrotto is the best and super pretty too. (I imagine her to be a bit like Ursula, so very elegant and confident!) also I think she might own a restaurant too? Azul looking up to his mom and trying to be like her that's so cute

JADE

HIIIMMMM JADE LEECH WHEN HEEEEE <333 I LOVE IT WHEN. WHEN. JADE LEECH WHEN.

fun fact: Jade was the one I took the hand of at the start of the game, so he's also my first SR card! we have a special connection I love him I hope he lives his best life. he's also on my top three favorite characters, so you might get a slight whiplash from the change of tone lol

to get started with, I love how his personality is different from Floyd's, but not in a total opposite way, but in a complimentary one. while Floyd is like a passionate crime, done in the heat of the moment, Jade is a premeditated one, carefully planned down to it's details. neither is more or less dangerous, they simply are what they are.

Jade's superficial image of just a butler type character is very insteresting, but I feel people mistake it as him trying to hide his true self? I don't think that's the case, at least not in my point of view. Jade oftentimes lets his more. uh. let's say sadistic side slip through his polite mask, and it's completely on purpose. the students might be more afraid of Floyd, who's openly threatning, but they're also scared of Jade, who lets his mask slip just enough for them to peer a fraction behind it and think "oh. he's also a little fucked up, so I better behave."

he pretends he just wants to help and seems like a polite pushover who has to deal with Floyd and Azul tormenting him, oh poor thing (like Trey mistakingly thinks on Jade's cerimonial robes vignette), but the truth is that he likes it. he likes Floyd's chaos and does nothing to stop it, at most he only pretends he does. he likes Azul's deals and business, as it keeps him entertained. he likes to be more discreet and stay in the shadows, only observing and appearing inconspicuous, it makes people lower their guards more easily, makes them easy prey to lure in and close his jaws onto. he's sharp and knows how to hit all the right weak points to make people cave in.

Jade could use brute force like Floyd does to get his way, but I think the predictability of the outcome would quickly bore him. a mind game is much more fun, twisting his words and using his charm to make people walk into his carefully laid trap, only to realize it when it's too late to do anything about it. that takes creativity and skill, it's very impressive even! that's why he's sooooooooooooooo * sighs dreamingly * he knows how to use his words to the max, how to weaponize them so! it's common to see him as a big tease in fanfics and I think it's because of this, he likes the word game and he likes the thrill a smart conversation can offer.

there's this mystery aura around him because you never guess what he's thinking, with his carefully constructed expressions. it's pretty unsettling, someone that's an enigma and could be either thinking about the weather or planning on your downfall without you suspecting a thing, all with a polite little smile on his face.

there's also one thing. HE'S VERY CAPABLE. HE CAN ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION! I LOVE CAPABLE CHARACTERS. Jade can do anything he puts his mind to, doesn't matter how hard it seems. if he really wants something, he will get it with his own hands. AND AND AND HE KNOWS HOW TO COOK. I know I'd offer my SOUL to take a single bite of a mushroom casserole that he made. I just KNOW it would be heavenly, the taste of the divine melting in my tongue and making me ascend to the lands above

he knows how to take care of himself, like doing stuff like laundry? easy. washing the dishes? he's on it. moping the floor? it's shining already. something about the maturity and domesticity of Jade doing simple house chores with dedication is so charming, I love capable people !!! like yes king your bedroom is wonderfully organized !!

AND HIS TERRARIUM HOBBY? IT'S SO CUTE. the way he looks at his little plants with so much love makes me wish someone looked at me like that too. imagine his concentrated face as he waters his plants and talks with them about his day??? SO ENDEARING. it's the usual stoic character showing his softer and loving side for me. (yes I am well aware he likes his terrariums so much because he likes the feeling of being the God of a little world of his own creation, living by his mercy. I still think it's very cute.)

another thing I love so much is his Mountain Lovers club. like I can genuinely see he cares about it, not to create a false sense of security because "oh look at silly Jade with his silly mountain excursions" but because he truly likes to explore the land's nature. Jade is very curious (as seen in the vignette where he asks Ruggie to teach him new recipes using herbs from the mountains and in several other instances) and there's a whole new world for him to explore, with so much flora and fauna he's never seen before. who wouldn't want to explore it and see all it has to offer?

also the way he's always promoting his club and everyone just thinks it's weird. JADE I'LL JOIN THE MOUNTAIN LOVERS CLUB SIGN ME UP! RIGHT NOW! yes he'd make me climb mountains and laugh as he sees me struggling after I'm five steps in but it will be all worth it.

THERE'S THIS ONE SCENE IN CHAPTER 4 WHICH HE SAYS WHAT HE'D DO SHOULD SOMEONE BETRAY HIM AND HE'S JUST SAYING SOME HORRIFIC NIGHTMARE INDUCING STUFF WITH A CUTE LITTLE SMILE? LIKE? I LOVE HIM SO MUCH KKSKDJSFKKSKSK (I'm pretty sure he was only joking. or maybe that's what he wants me to think. either way it was so funny)

HIS UNIQUE MAGIC IS SO COOL TOO. like. the first time it appeared I just thought "wait this is so shitty you can't do much with it all" BUT. THAT'S THE APPEAL. IT FITS HIM SO WELL!! Jade wouldn't like a UM that gives him easy answers whenever he pleases. no, having to carefully plan when or if he'll ever use it on someone, how to approach them and make them look into his eye without being suspicious, trying to fill the gaps of the info he does get, it's much more exhilarating than having the answers handed on a silver plater!!

ALSO HIS SMILE!!!!!!!!! IT MAKES ME GO FERAL!!!!!! not the fake ass one he's always got, the REAL ones, the ones when you can see his pointy teeth he usually keeps hidden and his eyes crinkled and there's pure joy on his face (like his union birthday groovy card!). they clean my very soul and give me the strenght to live another day

so. as you can see. I'm very normal about him. I like him a normal sane amount.

DYNAMICS

as they are already so captivating on their own, as a part of a dynamic they always have something to offer and can work well with any setting: comic, serious, dramatic, soft, anything really. it's also why it's so fascinanting to write them!

some particularly interesting dynamics I think they have with other characters are:

Azul and JamilI - IT'S SO FUNNY. AZUL ACTS LIKE A MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRL WITH A CRUSH AND JAMIL REJECTS HIM EVERYTIME HELPPP. also I think Azul genuinely wants to befriend Jamil as he feels they are similar and could get along well? but Jamil knows all about Azul's schemes and is way too smart to get caught in one of them, no matter how much Azul nags at him

Azul and Idia - THE BOARD GAMES CLUB MY BELOVEDS! on Azul's school uniform vignette their relationship is explored more in depth and it's. so very funny. Idia, despite not having an ounce of the social skills' Azul has trained himself to have, manages to get under his skin so easily. he says a taunt that gets in Azul's mind for DAYS

Azul and Riddle - they are besties. I make the rules and I'm saying they are. as the top of their grade and second year (responsible) housewardens, the two of them have a lot in common and are often paired together, such as in the very beggining of the game, in the prologue as they chase after Grim in the first twistune, and many cards have buddy level and duo magic between them! (like their dorm uniform ones!) a study session with these two would be SO productive

Jade and Ruggie - it might sound a bit unusual but hear me out! they are both my favorites. wait I have more reasons! Jade and Ruggie are very similar, both are vice housewardens (or a pseudo vice housewarden in Ruggie's case, since he might as well be one with how he does stuff in Leona's place), both are very capable and responsible, both are mischievous, both can cook and like to discover new recipes, both are cunning and can be deceitful and there's one scene in the game's 2 year anniversary animated short in which they are shopping at Sam's together, so they are also besties.

Jade and Cater - HEAR ME OUT! first things first, Cater is also so interesting and I feel he has so much potential. in Jade's birthday interview, he answers he would like to have Cater as a brother, which might sound a bit unexpected at first but soon becomes clear as to why! they are similar in the way they both hide their feelings and put a mask on for the public to see, even if their motives are different. Cater also has a cunning side that he shows on the beans day event, in which they form a partnership that was so interesting! I wish they had more interactions, as they both can see straight through each other's masks and play a complicated mind game with each other while also having some fun!

Jade and Vil - I haven't seen the vignette they share but the card is very pretty so I do think their dynamic has a lot of potencial! I think Vil, like me, would appreciate someone who's responsible and can take care of themselves, so someone as capable and (seemibly) reasonable like Jade would be a good break from Rook's and Epel's harsher personalities. I think Jade admires Vil as well, especially due to his poison making skills, and would like to learn from him.

Floyd and Riddle - yes Floyd likes to torment Riddle and oftentimes picks on him to the point he's very stressed, they both get under each other's skin (like when Riddle says Floyd is like his brother because he knew it would irritate him enough to make him leave him alone, in the anthology I think?) and it's such an interesting antagonistic relationship. they are not enemies that hate each other or anything, so it's very amusing to see them quarrel.

Floyd and Ace - the basketball buddies! it's shown that they actually get along pretty well when Floyd is not on one of his bad moods, as they bond over their love of fashion (especifically shoes) and of the sport. they also like to goof around in club pratice and cause Jamil headaches, and Floyd has said in his birthday interview he thinks Ace is entertaining enough to chose him as a brother.

Floyd and Kalim - both are very honest, energetic and excitable, easily surrendering to their whims to do as they please. I feel like Kalim doesn't see any malice in Floyd's words, and while that can be dangerous if he doesn't notice the signs of a bad mood, it could also be very entertaining to Floyd and make him want to spend time getting into shenanigans with him. (and, again, causing Jamil a headache.)

between the three of them, as a trio, they work very well too! Jade enables Floyd chaotic behaviour for his amusement and because, according to him, if Floyd is happy then so is he. Jade helps Azul as his right hand man, covering any blind spots in his steel armor and leading him into battle flawlessly, doing as is asked of him with enough leeway for some of his own entertainment. Floyd gets on Azul's nerves with his carelessness and mood swings, but remains loyal at his side. Floyd likes to go along with some of Jade's plots, staying close to him to the point that where one is, the other is expected to be as well. Azul cares immensely for the twins, his first ever friends, the ones that extended their hands to him and didn't doubt he could do it. they all work together well as an unit, years of familiarity driving them to almost read each other's minds, know how they work from inside out. that's the thing with childhood friends, they know your most embarrassing stories and your deepest fears, your most shameful moments and your best hidden desires, and they care about each other as if they were family. (though they refuse to admit it even under gunpoint).

I hope you know I'm not trying to say any of the octatrio are evil masterminds hiding and waiting to enact a fish world domination or any of that. at the end of the day, they are all highschool students with veeeeery dubious morals that just want to have their fun (even if most times it's not harmless at all). Floyd might squeeze someone until you hear something crack and procced to have touble to do his homework. Jade might manipule Azul's clients to perfection and make them sign shady contracts and then calls his mom to tell her about his day and yes, he's been eating his vegetables and making sure Floyd eats his as well. Azul might run a successful business at the school and earn a lot of money, only to geek out about strategy games at his club with one of the most introverted people of the whole school.

none of them are "soft and misunderstood bois who never did anything wrong uwu" but they also aren't "all of that's evil in the world incarnate into three devious merman who will strip you of all your dignity and leave you crying on the floor"

they are very complex and well written characters filled with more layers than an onion, and I could stay here all day peeling them off one by one. that's the allure of Octavinelle, their siren's song is strongly due to how they look at first glance showing to be wrong once you look deeper, this break of expectations fishing your attention and keeping it on them, wanting to watch just how will they surprise you next.

ALSO there's something I haven't discussed at all in this: their designs. I feel like there's a lot I could talk about that but it doesn't enter exactly in this personality focused analysis so I left it out. do let me know if you'd like me to tell my opinions on their designs or maybe on specific cards as well!

TL;DR: there's no way to sum up everything other than I'm insane about Octavinelle and have many thoughts about them

Extra: Jade's fact sheet, that I've rebloged once before as I think it's very interesting, Azul's fact sheet, Raven's Jade brainrot that I also agree on most parts, Jade laugh compilation that is one of my favorite videos in youtube and will add 10 years to your lifespan

You pay for your angst crimes,,LET THE OCTO BE HAPPY 😭,jahfh seriously that fic was very good and just ow keep it up 🥺!

SORRY ANON I LIKE TO MAKE AZUL SUFFER TOO MUCH 😭😭😭 I'm going to angst jail to pay for my crimes 😔

THANK YOU <33 I'm glad you liked it!!!

I have good news for you anon, there's one Octavinelle fic I've been working on that's fluffy so! you'll receive your happiness soon enough! the thing is I've been working on it for a while then I started 294893849384 other projects and it kinda stayed at the back of my list. but! it's a sweet idea that has a special place in my heart so I'll definetly get it posted as soon as I finish it!

Any thoughts on Floyd? I personally think he’s a lot more of a 3 dimensional character than the NRC students think he is! He’s ironically seen as the scariest out of the Octavinelle trio but in certain scenes like in Chapter 3 of the Anthology comic where he tries to reassure Riddle that he’s still a good person despite what he did while overblotted or in his dorm vignette where he makes trades with things clearly holding less value than what he currently has just because the other person seems to need it he seems much more thoughtful and kind. He can be a nice person but he always says he’s only doing it because he’s bored almost making it seem like he has a fear of showing kindness with others. Sorry for the ramble I just think he’s interesting personality wise

hii anon!! and oF COURSE I DO HE'S MY LITTLE SCRUNKLY MY DENTINHO DE TUBARÃO MY BELOVED BLORBO!!!

I agree anon, he definetly is! may I add to your examples: Floyd's labwear vignette, in which he helps Ace and Deuce to master the color changing spell! (it's very cute so if you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you take a look at it!)

NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS!!! feel free to send an ask anytime and ramble as much as you want!

since you asked for my thoughts, here they come:

same fair warning as the Idia post: this is my opinion and it might not be 100% right, anyone is allowed to disagree!

anon, you're so right, Floyd is such an interesting character! all of Octavinelle are, which is why I get the impression they have the most content in fandom, alongside other popular choices like Leona and Malleus. now get ready, because I have MANY thoughts on him and you just gave me the opportunity to ramble about them in a silver plater.

I think the thing with Octavinelle is that they are very complex, so naturally their interesting personalities and dynamics attract a lot of fandom attention, myself included! although this complexity also can lead to some misunderstandings and many different interpretations.

going along with your line of thought, I think he's the least scary of the trio, depending on how you view it. Azul seems to agree, as in Beans Day he comments how Jade is the scarier twin, since you never know what he's thinking, while Floyd makes his thoughts clear as day (or something along this lines). I personally agree with this, Floyd is very honest with his intentions, if he wants to hurt someone he'll just outright say it and threaten them, giving plenty of body signals. Jade and Azul are not like that at all, making them more dangerous due to never knowing what angle they are planning or what's going on in their minds.

I can see why the students think he's so scary tho! Floyd's squeezes can hurt quite a lot depending on how he does them, I think in chapter 3 a student even passes out because of it? not only that, but his constant mood swings and unpredictability are also very nerve racking and unsettling, as I think I'd have a hard time trying to deal with someone like this in real life, especially as I appreciate some predictability in order to know how to act around people without stepping over any boundaries, so I feel I'd be walking on eggshells around him lol

of course, he isn't all scary! he looks like it even when he's on his happier moods because of his pre-existing reputation and his loudness and lack of personal space, so people don't try to get close to him and actually see his other sides. I feel he'd be a fun friend to have around, because he's always up to something, and since I love physical affection I wouldn't mind much his hugs. (as long as they aren't his deathly squeezes. I like to keep my lungs intact thank you very much.)

another thing about him is that besides his more scary side, he can be quite cute! his laugh is seriously serotonin inducing, he likes to play around and to dance and to experiment new colorful clothes and to have a good time! he's not an "uwu innocent baby", but he's not a "crazy maniac bastard" either. Floyd can be scary when he wants to and he can be cute when he wants to.

I really like his dorm uniform vignette, I think it's a good example of his nature! he gets things because he wanted to at the time, and that's all there is to it. I don't think he had a personal kind motive behind his trades, just that he wasn't using one thing and if he could trade it for another, then why not? tho it's very interesting how at the end, he did it all to get what Azul wanted (at least inicially, he kinda forgot about it halfway through)

Floyd is, at my point of view, very free, as he doesn't care much about other people's opinions about him or about his grades or about his unique magic or anything really, as long as he's having a good time at the moment. The only thing he's tied to are his own whims, as only Floyd could ever stop himself. I feel like he does things sometimes because he's bored, yes, but sometimes simply because he felt like doing it at the time, so he did. (sometimes I wish I could think like him honestly, it would save me a lot of headache!)

he can definetely be a nice person! like all students at NRC, while they have a tendency to be assholes most of the time, every single one of them can be nice and good! I do like your interpretation of him being afraid of showing vulnerability, such as kindness, something others can easily exploit and he'd know very well about it, since both under the sea and at NRC people take advantage of each other at the drop of a hat. I've seen people think that this boredoom and extreme mood swings of his are masks so he doesn't have to do things he doesn't want. if he wants to escape a situation, he'll say he's bored and leave, simple like that. if he wants to help someone, he'll say he was bored and didn't have anything better to do. I can definetly see it!

in my point of view, I think he genuinely does have his mood swings, one time he'll be super excited about something and in the next he just... won't. I don't think they are without a motive tho, there's always something that triggers it, like if things get repetitive or don't go the way he wanted them to. a way to put him in a especially bad mood would be to try to control him, that's when he's definetly not going to do anything he's asked of. just leave him be and do things on his own way and he'll comply (if he feels like it).

he's most definetly capable of being thoughtful and kind, as Floyd is not dumb at all, he understands other people's emotions and how he affects them very well. hell, he even takes pleasure in scaring them sometimes, so obviously he's very aware. tho he won't just come and do something out of the kindness of his heart, he can do things because he wanted to help or to have something to do. he could just disobey Azul's every comand at any time, but he doesn't, and that shows how far his respect for him goes. he doesn't bend himself over every single wish of Azul's either, oftentimes just not showing up to work or doing his job in a lackluster manner. it all depends on how he's feeling really.

TL;DR: Floyd is such an interesting and multifaceted character! he's much more than the scary image the NRC students have of him and can show many different sides, depending on his mood! he's my little weirdo meow meow, thank you anon for sharing your thoughts with me!

Extra: here are some links for Floyd content you might like! his character fact sheet, that shows a lot of curiosities about him, this analysis Raven has made some time ago, that I agree a lot on (as you can see), and this youtube video that I LOVE it's my little serotonin machine!

I imagined you doing the shocked pikachu face, thank your for the mental image it does sounds funny KKSJDKSKDK

at this point I'm in love with almost every character 😭 (look it was this one so I have enough leeway to argue it was actually my beloved Silver who did)

FR SHE SAID IT DOESN'T LOOK THAT BAD?? CHERRY HAVE YOU LOOKED AT IT???

may baby sun Rook bless all your days with his bright rays 🙏

OMG WAIT THE SCREAM I JUST LET OUT???? THE REBLOG??? AND YOU FOLLOW ME????? IM SO SORRY I DIDN'T NOTICE BEFORE MY GOD- I'VE BEEN MEANING TO PICK UP YOUR FICS SINCE I KEEP SEEING YOUR BLOG EVERYWHERE LMAO

THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE AAAHH <3333

also about your tags hehe- welcome to the rook fixation~ where i make you fall in love with rook hunt our dearest hunter and lure you in with his ethereal beauty~~

imma go binge your work now :DD

HI PANDO OF COURSE I FOLLOW U I LOVE YOUR WRITING !!! I just now realized I never rebloged before and I was like "wait. wait a minute. what??" NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE!! I've actually followed before I started posting so it's only natural you didn't notice before!!

NOOO don't drag me into the world of Rook appreciation I already love way too many characters (fun fact: I kind of got into twst bc of a tiktok video with him so. I might have him to thank)

thank you, I hope you enjoy it!!

also, I don't have even a single drop of Cherry's editing skills, but I tried to make the teletubbies' sun Rook be a real thing so. here you go (with the worst possible quality of image and my even worse editing skills)

Everytime I see someone say Idia wouldn’t know what a period is I always wonder whether they know he has to do stuff at his parents company which is literally about health /nm

hi anon!! I've actually never seen anyone saying this, but that might be because I'm very new to the fandom and haven't seen much Idia content so far. I agree with you, tho, I think him (and most of the boys at NRC too) would definetly know what it is!

wait I'll put this under the cut it's time for my (not so in depth) Idia analysis!!

ok so first things first, fair warning: this is my own personal interpretation and it might not be a 100% correct, anyone is allowed to disagree!

another fair warning: I've only caught up with the english server so far so I haven't read the Ignihyde chapter yet, which means I still have a lot to see about Idia, but I don't wanna get spoilers so I'll be going with the knowledge I have from the main story, events and vignettes.

the thing with Idia is that, at a surface level, he's just another Gamer Nerd TM stereotype that's a shut-in with no friends nor social skill and yada yada, and that's what some people might take him for, especially at first glance. I've seen people saying he'd be those misogynistic gamers that have never seen a girl in his life or the ones that think you absolutely have to prove you know everything about a game to be a fan of it. and I know that's all in good fun of course but! I don't agree with it at all!

in my point of view, yes Idia is very introverted and reclusive and he's socially awkward, but that doesn't mean he's that stereotypical gamer, which is what makes him so interesting in the first place! he breaks those expectations you have for his character and shows a lot more depth than this label! I'm not saying he doesn't play into the role at all, but I think he's very well written to break some common patterns.

like! he's such a sweet older brother! he might love his games and his alone time and his room, but he loves Ortho more than those things and would go out of his comfort zone for him (like in the recent Wish Upon a Star event which is one of my favorites btw). he gets very talkative and almost sassy when speaking about something he likes! (like in Azul's school uniform vignette). and yes he can be selfish and headstrong and rude (like in the Ghost Bride event), as is expected for a student of NRC, but that doesn't eliminates his positive traits.

where am I going with this and how does it even ties into the question? it's because in those gamer stereotypes, you'd expect him to not know anything about afab people that isn't in one of his games and have no friends to tell him otherwise. but I think he (and most at NRC) is very educated and would know, you know, basic biology. plus I actually wasn't aware his family's company is about health (I thought it had smth to do with technology, since as I mentioned I haven't read the chapter yet), but since that's the case it's even one extra motive for him to know about it.

like, it's definetly not on top of his mind and he probably never has given it any thought but he does know, it's just not something he has do deal with on a daily basis.

TL;DR: I agree with you anon, Idia is very interesting and there's more than what meets the eye to him, so he doesn't fall into a clear cut stereotype that people often take him for!

OMG WAIT THE SCREAM I JUST LET OUT???? THE REBLOG??? AND YOU FOLLOW ME????? IM SO SORRY I DIDN'T NOTICE BEFORE MY GOD- I'VE BEEN MEANING TO PICK UP YOUR FICS SINCE I KEEP SEEING YOUR BLOG EVERYWHERE LMAO

THIS WAS SUCH A NICE SURPRISE AAAHH <3333

also about your tags hehe- welcome to the rook fixation~ where i make you fall in love with rook hunt our dearest hunter and lure you in with his ethereal beauty~~

imma go binge your work now :DD

HI PANDO OF COURSE I FOLLOW U I LOVE YOUR WRITING !!! I just now realized I never rebloged before and I was like "wait. wait a minute. what??" NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE!! I've actually followed before I started posting so it's only natural you didn't notice before!!

NOOO don't drag me into the world of Rook appreciation I already love way too many characters (fun fact: I kind of got into twst bc of a tiktok video with him so. I might have him to thank)

thank you, I hope you enjoy it!!

also, I don't have even a single drop of Cherry's editing skills, but I tried to make the teletubbies' sun Rook be a real thing so. here you go (with the worst possible quality of image and my even worse editing skills)

yes yes, they helped but were kinda acting like nothing happened ig??? ooh that's true, as the first overblot, Riddle has a bit more content about it! I'VE READ IT, it felt like such a different tone from the rest of the anthology and it hurt too (like Riddle is so confused, still adapting his way of acting and trying to redeem his past wrongdoings), but it was so good, I loved getting a glimpse of Riddle's and Ace's relationship after everything and how they were adapting!

With care,

Bee ♡

[Valentine's first spring - Riddle Rosehearts]

Summary: Autumn passes by, with winter following closely. You stay, keeping his heart safe. You stay, and Riddle craves you more than anything in this world.

Notes: gn!reader, fluff with a bit of angst, riddle's mother is it's own warning, wrote this in like an hour while listening to Valentine by Laufey and First Love/Late Spring by Mitski

The wall was red. Not too vivid, to not hurt the eyes to look at, but not quite light enough to be pink. Riddle remembers clearly, the hours of staring at it, locked in his bedroom, marked it in his memory, burnt a hole and stayed at the back of his mind. Sometimes, if he closes his eyes long enough, he feels as if he's staring at that wall again.

As a child it felt agonizing. He stared and stared and stared, trying to will his brain to keep quiet for a little while, to stop thinking. He never managed to do that, not like the other kids, who always looked so cheerful, without a care in the world, only thinking about the present moment. Riddle wasn't like them, he never was. His brain didn't look at the wall and wondered about what the next episode of a cartoon would be or what sweet he would eat next or what prank he'd pull with his friends.

No, he wasn't like these misbehaving brats, his mother told him so. He thought about the exercise he couldn't get right and his mother's disappointed frown. What should he do to be better? He didn't want to be burden, the least he could do was get a simple exercise right. Other times he would think about the high grade he got on his latest test. His mother looked pleased then. Not happy, she was never happy, not around him. Perhaps if he only put more effort into studying, if he followed the rules, if he did everything as she told him to, perhaps then she would smile and tell him he did a good job. She loved him, she told him so. It just didn't feel like it, sometimes.

After meeting Trey and Che'nya, he stopped looking at the wall for a while. He was happy, he couldn't stand that reddish color anymore, nor his stray thoughts. He met a blue sky and green on the streets and the world was full of color. He bid the wall goodbye for good. 

Even so, he missed staring at it when his free time was taken away from him. Back when he still could, his mind would rest a little and he could pretend he was doing it out of his own free will, not because he didn't have any game to play or any non academical book to read or any candy to snack. The books were nowhere as comforting as that familiar red shade. His chest ached. He wondered if that was what love felt like.

After his overblot, Riddle was lost. He was thankful for your help, for you stopping him from commiting even more mistakes and making him see how he was doing things wrong. Still, he couldn't help but resent you a little for opening his eyes, forcing him to leave the comfortable zone he was in.

He was taught to follow the rules, since it was the right thing. Naturally, everyone should do the same. Have their mother's never taught them how to behave? Riddle could do the job, put everyone in line, make Heartslabyul follow proudly in the Queen of Hearts' steps.

But the rules weren't always right, human nature was a complicated thing, there would always be exceptions. He couldn't expect everyone to act like him when they weren't brought up the same way. He should have been more considerate to their feelings, stopped to hear their justifications before collaring them mercilessly. 

Riddle had never wanted to be a tyrant. He only ever had wanted to be a good ruler, someone his subordinates can count on.

He continued to be lost as he stared, alone, at the cooking book's instructions. Trey was so kind to lend it to him, even after all the mess he had made, even after everything he had put him through. He still smiled at Riddle and tried to help, in his own way.

Riddle wanted to cry, then. He wanted to apologize over and over, to thank Trey until he couldn't talk anymore, to ask why didn't he stop him sooner, why did no one tell him he was wrong, why did his mother mislead him so? He felt like a child, so small and pathetic. A lost child, at that. He refused to let the tears fall and only thanked Trey politely with a strained voice. From his firend's pitying smile, he could tell Trey saw through his façade easily, but didn't comment on it, letting him save the last bits of his dignity.

Wallowing in self pity wouldn't fix his mistakes nor get the tart done. He should get started as soon as possible and follow all the steps perfectly to bring a most satisfactory result. Although he couldn't find the measures for the secret oyster sauce Trey had told him about. 

There's a sudden noise at the kitchen's door as someone enters, surprising him. Riddle turns around, not expecting any company, much less yours.

"Prefect. Have you forgotten something here?"

"No, I didn't. I wanted to see you, actually."

There's dread in his gut and his hands tremble slightly. He's not sure how to act after the stunt he pulled, after he had put you in danger on your first week, after he broke down crying in front of everyone. Perhaps you're here to demand a better apology or to mock him. So be it, he'll take it all gracefully.

"Oh? What for?"

"I want to help."

There's a soft smile on your face, determination shining in your eyes as you roll up the sleeves of your uniform and look around for an apron.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused." Your smile turns into a playful grin and you let out a victorious sound as you put on the apron you found laying on the corner. 

He's baffled. What were you talking about? Ace made it very clear he should do this alone to prove he was truly sorry for his past actions.

"I'm... not sure if I understand."

"Well, it's just that I didn't want to leave you alone after... uh... everything." You make a motion in the air with your hands, as if it would be enough to sumarize the whole disaster that had transpired. "You don't have to isolate yourself, you know. You can count on us if things get too tough."

There's a strange lump on his throat and he swears he has stopped breathing. What were you talking about? Why were you being so kind to him, of all people? You haven't even known each other for that long and he has only caused you trouble the whole time.

"Also, I had a lot of fun baking with the guys! I want you to have fun too! The more, the merrier, and all that."

You walk to his side in order to look at the book, all smiles and confidence in a pink apron. He stares at you in shock, scooting away as soon as your elbow makes contact with his. He feels tingles on the place, as if your touch could burn. You pay him no mind, reading carefully the list of ingredients. 

"Alright, sounds easy enough. Let's get started, then!"

"Wait. You don't have to do this. I don't need your pity, prefect, I can handle myself just fine."

Riddle wants to slap himself as soon as the words are out of his mouth, but he couldn't let you help. He needed to this alone, that's how he's always done things. Your stare makes him want to scream in frustration. He doesn't understand it, it isn't the disappointed one his mother gave him, nor the pitiful one from his dormmates. If he looked long enough, he would have concluded it was an understanding stare, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I don't pity you, Riddle. You knew what you were doing and you deserved to hear those things from Ace."

His breath hitches and he's never felt so ashamed before. It feels worse than a slap, to have the truth thrown at him like this. His actions mocking him, his own faults tightening the collar around his neck.

"Still, I can see you truly regret it. And it doesn't feel right to just leave you alone. Don't get me wrong, you're not my charity project or anything. It's just... I understand how hard it is to start again, to try to be better. And it's so much harder when you feel like no one is by your side."

Like an open book, Riddle feels you can read every line from his being, that his thoughts are yours to pick apart. Is he so obvious? He feels rooted in place, a poor fool waiting to receive his sentence at your mercy.

"You're not a bad person, Riddle. I can see that. So, let's start again, together."

Your smile looks too much like the light at the end of the tunnel, like some sort of salvation. His chest expands and contracts again as his breathing resumes, he gulps the dryness out of his throat and blinks firmly, holding the tears in. Suddenly, he doesn't feel as lost as before.

You extend your hand at him, expectantly. How could he deny that? Sparkles fly on his skin as your hands touch, the gentle feeling like nothing he's ever felt before. How did you manage to make him feel like he's floating, like everything will be alright, like there's a shock running through every single bone of his body?

"Come on, we've got a tart to do!"

"Yes. Let's do this." He can't control his facial muscles, a little smile forming on it's own.

Only after both of you had gathered all the ingredients did he remember something.

"There's just one more thing."

"Yes?" Your attention focuses solely on him, head tilted slightly and he feels at the top of the world to have you looking at him like that.

"We don't have any oyster sauce."

The cute inquisitive expression falls from your face, a carefully neutral one taking it's place, making him fidget on his spot, worried he might have done something wrong. He truly didn't want to ruin things with you, not when everything has started to feel right again.

"Why would we need any?"

"Trey has told me it's an unlisted secret ingredient that all the finest bakers use..."

He watches, mesmerized, as your expression cracks, a giggle leaving your lips, followed by another and another until you're full out laughing, eyes crinkled so hard they're almost closed, teeth exposed and chest heaving, pure joy flowing through you. It's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard.

Still, he's not sure if he should feel hurt or offended that you're laughing at him. He settles on confusion, not wanting to jump into conclusions.

Once you've calmed down enough to speak again you explain, between giggles sweeter than sugar, that it was only a joke Trey had pulled on you as well. 

The embarrassment creeps up his spine and makes his face blush, cheeks warming up. He would have been mad, had it happened a few days ago. And yet. Your happiness is contagious, making a laugh break out from him, joining the chorus with your melody. 

It feels so silly, laughing together in the kitchen like that, but he's not lost anymore. The air is comfortable once more and it feels sweet on his tongue, it feels like home.

As the time passes, you grow on him, you make a place for yourself in his life, to the point he can't remember how he's ever lived before you.

You study together, you listen to all his explanations attentively, he answers any questions you might have, you make sure he's taking breaks. You take him on walks around the campus, hand clasped in his. You rope him into snack runs, sharing with him a piece of whatever you're having.

You give him hugs without asking anything in return, your arms open and oh so inviting, so alluring. You tousle his hair when you're feeling playful, fixing it gently when he complains. You give him a kiss on the cheek when you're proud of one of his accomplishments, loudly congratulating him.

He's never had this before. No one has been this affectionate with him, so openly and unashamed. No one has treated him like he's precious, like you do. 

Riddle craves you. He has never desired something so fiercely before. He has never had the chance. 

The next best thing he could compare the feeling to was to a strawberry tart. Not any strawberry tart, but Trey's parents' bakery's strawberry tart. Whenever he gazed at the window he would see it on display, the red color calling to him. His mouth salivated just thinking about how it would taste should he take a bite of it, the sweetness exploding on his tongue. Maybe he could satiate the aching whitin him, fill that empty hole and feel happy. Then, his mother's voice would play on his head, reprimanding him for even thinking of consuming that amount of sugar. He'd look away, ashamed, but the red strawberries would always pull his eyes to them again, like a magnet.

Whenever he saw you, he felt the same ache on his chest, but stronger. A yearning to see your smile, to feel your warm hands against his, taste the most delicious red from your lips. Just from having your attention on him it felt like lady bugs dancing on his stomach, making his heart accelerate, face flushing. He craves you, more than any strawberry tart in the world.

It scares him. He's never felt like this, never felt this strongly for anyone. He's still young and sorting his life out, he doesn't even know what he wants to become without his mother's overbearing demands. He's figuring himself out, getting lost in the maze of his feelings. He's always acted older than his age, always complied to his mother's desires, and now he feels younger than ever and he's scared.

Riddle wants you to like him back, desperately so. Still, he can't bear to imagine you saying you love him. The thought leaves him breathless, his chest aches and aches and aches for you and he doesn't know what he'd do without you.

Autumn passes by, with winter following closely. You stay, keeping his heart safe. You stay, and Riddle craves you more than anything in this world.

The fresh breeze of spring brings forth the scent of the flowers scattered across the garden. Riddle can hear birds singing at the distance and the sun's warmth settles pleasantly on his skin, warming up his bones. It's as if the flora has come to life, buzzing in excitement for the season.

There's nothing prettier than your smile directed at him, nothing else that could make him feel like he's lost control of his heartbeat.

Your hands are behind your back and you have a spring in your step as you stop right in front of him. You ask him to extend his hand and he does so, watching intently as one your hands takes his and brings it to your lips, tenderly pressing a feather light kiss on the back of it. His eyes are blown out, his lips drying and heart running wildly.

"These are for you."

A bouquet of flowers in red shades is given to him, your other hand making contact and holding his. A smile blooms on his face, stretching his red cheeks as a loving sigh leaves his mouth. 

"Thank you. They are lovely."

"Just like you." You wink playfully, sticking your tongue out a bit and letting go of his hands. He has to stop himself from reaching out again, missing your warmth terribly.

Riddle clears his throat and motions at the other side of the small round table he's set up. "Please, have a seat."

You do as he says, admiring the decorations he's prepared. Between the red and white roses of the garden, the two of you share a cup of milk tea and a strawberry tart. The conversation flows naturally, telling each other how your days have been and how things are going. Riddle could listen to you all day, every story you have to share captures his interest as easily as you've captured his heart.

It's such a domestic scene, the two of you. Riddle thinks that's what love must feel like. Like a warm embrace, or like the sweetness of the tart melting on his tongue, or like your smile. Not like a red wall and a disappointed frown.

The sun sets in a hue of reds, the sunlight creating a dream like atmosphere between yourselves. The way your relaxed face reflects the colors makes Riddle feel full of affection. He's content, he realises. He wishes he could share a million other moments like this with you, a million other springs.

"It's beautiful." You comment, breathless. You're not looking at the sunset anymore, though. Your gaze is on him and only him, as if he's the most important thing in the world. "You're beautiful." Your voice is filled with sincerity and something else, something that makes his heart ache with yearning, something that makes him want to hear you say that again and again.

It feels so much like a confession.

He can't help but blush, red like his hair. He's never had this before, he's not sure how to react. So, he blurts out the first thing he thinks of, the truth slipping from his lips.

"You're beautiful too."

It feels like a promise.

You look surprised, eyebrows rising and mouth opening. He's surprised too. And then you laugh, honey dripping from the sound. You look pleased as you take his hand in yours, lacing your fingers and squeezing it gently. 

The table is small, small enough for you to lay your elbows against it and come closer to his face, for your other hand to cup his red cheek and bring his face closer to yours. Riddle is lost in the moment, closing his eyes and tilting his head, his free hand resting against your shoulder. 

As your lips press together, Riddle feels elated. His fingers tremble and grip harder onto you, not wanting to let you go. The kiss is slow and so tender, so sweet. He can taste the strawberries on your tongue, can feel your thumb caressing his cheek. You deepen the kiss and he lets out a whimper from deep within, a sound filled with sheer want. He lingers over this moment, wanting to commit it to memory, carve it on his soul.

You pull back, separating your lips. Riddle chases after you, wanting more, needing more. You giggle and nuzzle your noses together, such an innocent act that it feels more intimate, somehow. You've got his heart on your hands and you hold onto it with the utmost care, so much so that he can't feel himself ever regreting this. If he could, he'd like to kiss you, and only one, for the rest of his life.

"Riddle." The way you say his name is soft, not breaking the moment. "Will you be my valentine?"

He opens his eyes and traces every inch of your face, his hand moving to the back of your neck and pulling you closer. He gives you a chaste kiss, trying to satisfy his craving enough to be able to get the words out from his throat without choking on it.

"I'd love to, if you'll have me."

Your answering smile is exactly what he needs. Your lips connect again, it feels a lot like love.

Masterlist

AHA gotcha!! YESSS they have so much potential that's kinda glossed over in the main story (I undestand, of course, that the plot has to move forward and there's no time to go in depth about every single instance), so I really like to explore it and their feelings on the matter, and it's a lot of fun to try to get into their minds! I'm glad you liked it as well!

With care,

Bee ♡

[Valentine's first spring - Riddle Rosehearts]

Summary: Autumn passes by, with winter following closely. You stay, keeping his heart safe. You stay, and Riddle craves you more than anything in this world.

Notes: gn!reader, fluff with a bit of angst, riddle's mother is it's own warning, wrote this in like an hour while listening to Valentine by Laufey and First Love/Late Spring by Mitski

The wall was red. Not too vivid, to not hurt the eyes to look at, but not quite light enough to be pink. Riddle remembers clearly, the hours of staring at it, locked in his bedroom, marked it in his memory, burnt a hole and stayed at the back of his mind. Sometimes, if he closes his eyes long enough, he feels as if he's staring at that wall again.

As a child it felt agonizing. He stared and stared and stared, trying to will his brain to keep quiet for a little while, to stop thinking. He never managed to do that, not like the other kids, who always looked so cheerful, without a care in the world, only thinking about the present moment. Riddle wasn't like them, he never was. His brain didn't look at the wall and wondered about what the next episode of a cartoon would be or what sweet he would eat next or what prank he'd pull with his friends.

No, he wasn't like these misbehaving brats, his mother told him so. He thought about the exercise he couldn't get right and his mother's disappointed frown. What should he do to be better? He didn't want to be burden, the least he could do was get a simple exercise right. Other times he would think about the high grade he got on his latest test. His mother looked pleased then. Not happy, she was never happy, not around him. Perhaps if he only put more effort into studying, if he followed the rules, if he did everything as she told him to, perhaps then she would smile and tell him he did a good job. She loved him, she told him so. It just didn't feel like it, sometimes.

After meeting Trey and Che'nya, he stopped looking at the wall for a while. He was happy, he couldn't stand that reddish color anymore, nor his stray thoughts. He met a blue sky and green on the streets and the world was full of color. He bid the wall goodbye for good. 

Even so, he missed staring at it when his free time was taken away from him. Back when he still could, his mind would rest a little and he could pretend he was doing it out of his own free will, not because he didn't have any game to play or any non academical book to read or any candy to snack. The books were nowhere as comforting as that familiar red shade. His chest ached. He wondered if that was what love felt like.

After his overblot, Riddle was lost. He was thankful for your help, for you stopping him from commiting even more mistakes and making him see how he was doing things wrong. Still, he couldn't help but resent you a little for opening his eyes, forcing him to leave the comfortable zone he was in.

He was taught to follow the rules, since it was the right thing. Naturally, everyone should do the same. Have their mother's never taught them how to behave? Riddle could do the job, put everyone in line, make Heartslabyul follow proudly in the Queen of Hearts' steps.

But the rules weren't always right, human nature was a complicated thing, there would always be exceptions. He couldn't expect everyone to act like him when they weren't brought up the same way. He should have been more considerate to their feelings, stopped to hear their justifications before collaring them mercilessly. 

Riddle had never wanted to be a tyrant. He only ever had wanted to be a good ruler, someone his subordinates can count on.

He continued to be lost as he stared, alone, at the cooking book's instructions. Trey was so kind to lend it to him, even after all the mess he had made, even after everything he had put him through. He still smiled at Riddle and tried to help, in his own way.

Riddle wanted to cry, then. He wanted to apologize over and over, to thank Trey until he couldn't talk anymore, to ask why didn't he stop him sooner, why did no one tell him he was wrong, why did his mother mislead him so? He felt like a child, so small and pathetic. A lost child, at that. He refused to let the tears fall and only thanked Trey politely with a strained voice. From his firend's pitying smile, he could tell Trey saw through his façade easily, but didn't comment on it, letting him save the last bits of his dignity.

Wallowing in self pity wouldn't fix his mistakes nor get the tart done. He should get started as soon as possible and follow all the steps perfectly to bring a most satisfactory result. Although he couldn't find the measures for the secret oyster sauce Trey had told him about. 

There's a sudden noise at the kitchen's door as someone enters, surprising him. Riddle turns around, not expecting any company, much less yours.

"Prefect. Have you forgotten something here?"

"No, I didn't. I wanted to see you, actually."

There's dread in his gut and his hands tremble slightly. He's not sure how to act after the stunt he pulled, after he had put you in danger on your first week, after he broke down crying in front of everyone. Perhaps you're here to demand a better apology or to mock him. So be it, he'll take it all gracefully.

"Oh? What for?"

"I want to help."

There's a soft smile on your face, determination shining in your eyes as you roll up the sleeves of your uniform and look around for an apron.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused." Your smile turns into a playful grin and you let out a victorious sound as you put on the apron you found laying on the corner. 

He's baffled. What were you talking about? Ace made it very clear he should do this alone to prove he was truly sorry for his past actions.

"I'm... not sure if I understand."

"Well, it's just that I didn't want to leave you alone after... uh... everything." You make a motion in the air with your hands, as if it would be enough to sumarize the whole disaster that had transpired. "You don't have to isolate yourself, you know. You can count on us if things get too tough."

There's a strange lump on his throat and he swears he has stopped breathing. What were you talking about? Why were you being so kind to him, of all people? You haven't even known each other for that long and he has only caused you trouble the whole time.

"Also, I had a lot of fun baking with the guys! I want you to have fun too! The more, the merrier, and all that."

You walk to his side in order to look at the book, all smiles and confidence in a pink apron. He stares at you in shock, scooting away as soon as your elbow makes contact with his. He feels tingles on the place, as if your touch could burn. You pay him no mind, reading carefully the list of ingredients. 

"Alright, sounds easy enough. Let's get started, then!"

"Wait. You don't have to do this. I don't need your pity, prefect, I can handle myself just fine."

Riddle wants to slap himself as soon as the words are out of his mouth, but he couldn't let you help. He needed to this alone, that's how he's always done things. Your stare makes him want to scream in frustration. He doesn't understand it, it isn't the disappointed one his mother gave him, nor the pitiful one from his dormmates. If he looked long enough, he would have concluded it was an understanding stare, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I don't pity you, Riddle. You knew what you were doing and you deserved to hear those things from Ace."

His breath hitches and he's never felt so ashamed before. It feels worse than a slap, to have the truth thrown at him like this. His actions mocking him, his own faults tightening the collar around his neck.

"Still, I can see you truly regret it. And it doesn't feel right to just leave you alone. Don't get me wrong, you're not my charity project or anything. It's just... I understand how hard it is to start again, to try to be better. And it's so much harder when you feel like no one is by your side."

Like an open book, Riddle feels you can read every line from his being, that his thoughts are yours to pick apart. Is he so obvious? He feels rooted in place, a poor fool waiting to receive his sentence at your mercy.

"You're not a bad person, Riddle. I can see that. So, let's start again, together."

Your smile looks too much like the light at the end of the tunnel, like some sort of salvation. His chest expands and contracts again as his breathing resumes, he gulps the dryness out of his throat and blinks firmly, holding the tears in. Suddenly, he doesn't feel as lost as before.

You extend your hand at him, expectantly. How could he deny that? Sparkles fly on his skin as your hands touch, the gentle feeling like nothing he's ever felt before. How did you manage to make him feel like he's floating, like everything will be alright, like there's a shock running through every single bone of his body?

"Come on, we've got a tart to do!"

"Yes. Let's do this." He can't control his facial muscles, a little smile forming on it's own.

Only after both of you had gathered all the ingredients did he remember something.

"There's just one more thing."

"Yes?" Your attention focuses solely on him, head tilted slightly and he feels at the top of the world to have you looking at him like that.

"We don't have any oyster sauce."

The cute inquisitive expression falls from your face, a carefully neutral one taking it's place, making him fidget on his spot, worried he might have done something wrong. He truly didn't want to ruin things with you, not when everything has started to feel right again.

"Why would we need any?"

"Trey has told me it's an unlisted secret ingredient that all the finest bakers use..."

He watches, mesmerized, as your expression cracks, a giggle leaving your lips, followed by another and another until you're full out laughing, eyes crinkled so hard they're almost closed, teeth exposed and chest heaving, pure joy flowing through you. It's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard.

Still, he's not sure if he should feel hurt or offended that you're laughing at him. He settles on confusion, not wanting to jump into conclusions.

Once you've calmed down enough to speak again you explain, between giggles sweeter than sugar, that it was only a joke Trey had pulled on you as well. 

The embarrassment creeps up his spine and makes his face blush, cheeks warming up. He would have been mad, had it happened a few days ago. And yet. Your happiness is contagious, making a laugh break out from him, joining the chorus with your melody. 

It feels so silly, laughing together in the kitchen like that, but he's not lost anymore. The air is comfortable once more and it feels sweet on his tongue, it feels like home.

As the time passes, you grow on him, you make a place for yourself in his life, to the point he can't remember how he's ever lived before you.

You study together, you listen to all his explanations attentively, he answers any questions you might have, you make sure he's taking breaks. You take him on walks around the campus, hand clasped in his. You rope him into snack runs, sharing with him a piece of whatever you're having.

You give him hugs without asking anything in return, your arms open and oh so inviting, so alluring. You tousle his hair when you're feeling playful, fixing it gently when he complains. You give him a kiss on the cheek when you're proud of one of his accomplishments, loudly congratulating him.

He's never had this before. No one has been this affectionate with him, so openly and unashamed. No one has treated him like he's precious, like you do. 

Riddle craves you. He has never desired something so fiercely before. He has never had the chance. 

The next best thing he could compare the feeling to was to a strawberry tart. Not any strawberry tart, but Trey's parents' bakery's strawberry tart. Whenever he gazed at the window he would see it on display, the red color calling to him. His mouth salivated just thinking about how it would taste should he take a bite of it, the sweetness exploding on his tongue. Maybe he could satiate the aching whitin him, fill that empty hole and feel happy. Then, his mother's voice would play on his head, reprimanding him for even thinking of consuming that amount of sugar. He'd look away, ashamed, but the red strawberries would always pull his eyes to them again, like a magnet.

Whenever he saw you, he felt the same ache on his chest, but stronger. A yearning to see your smile, to feel your warm hands against his, taste the most delicious red from your lips. Just from having your attention on him it felt like lady bugs dancing on his stomach, making his heart accelerate, face flushing. He craves you, more than any strawberry tart in the world.

It scares him. He's never felt like this, never felt this strongly for anyone. He's still young and sorting his life out, he doesn't even know what he wants to become without his mother's overbearing demands. He's figuring himself out, getting lost in the maze of his feelings. He's always acted older than his age, always complied to his mother's desires, and now he feels younger than ever and he's scared.

Riddle wants you to like him back, desperately so. Still, he can't bear to imagine you saying you love him. The thought leaves him breathless, his chest aches and aches and aches for you and he doesn't know what he'd do without you.

Autumn passes by, with winter following closely. You stay, keeping his heart safe. You stay, and Riddle craves you more than anything in this world.

The fresh breeze of spring brings forth the scent of the flowers scattered across the garden. Riddle can hear birds singing at the distance and the sun's warmth settles pleasantly on his skin, warming up his bones. It's as if the flora has come to life, buzzing in excitement for the season.

There's nothing prettier than your smile directed at him, nothing else that could make him feel like he's lost control of his heartbeat.

Your hands are behind your back and you have a spring in your step as you stop right in front of him. You ask him to extend his hand and he does so, watching intently as one your hands takes his and brings it to your lips, tenderly pressing a feather light kiss on the back of it. His eyes are blown out, his lips drying and heart running wildly.

"These are for you."

A bouquet of flowers in red shades is given to him, your other hand making contact and holding his. A smile blooms on his face, stretching his red cheeks as a loving sigh leaves his mouth. 

"Thank you. They are lovely."

"Just like you." You wink playfully, sticking your tongue out a bit and letting go of his hands. He has to stop himself from reaching out again, missing your warmth terribly.

Riddle clears his throat and motions at the other side of the small round table he's set up. "Please, have a seat."

You do as he says, admiring the decorations he's prepared. Between the red and white roses of the garden, the two of you share a cup of milk tea and a strawberry tart. The conversation flows naturally, telling each other how your days have been and how things are going. Riddle could listen to you all day, every story you have to share captures his interest as easily as you've captured his heart.

It's such a domestic scene, the two of you. Riddle thinks that's what love must feel like. Like a warm embrace, or like the sweetness of the tart melting on his tongue, or like your smile. Not like a red wall and a disappointed frown.

The sun sets in a hue of reds, the sunlight creating a dream like atmosphere between yourselves. The way your relaxed face reflects the colors makes Riddle feel full of affection. He's content, he realises. He wishes he could share a million other moments like this with you, a million other springs.

"It's beautiful." You comment, breathless. You're not looking at the sunset anymore, though. Your gaze is on him and only him, as if he's the most important thing in the world. "You're beautiful." Your voice is filled with sincerity and something else, something that makes his heart ache with yearning, something that makes him want to hear you say that again and again.

It feels so much like a confession.

He can't help but blush, red like his hair. He's never had this before, he's not sure how to react. So, he blurts out the first thing he thinks of, the truth slipping from his lips.

"You're beautiful too."

It feels like a promise.

You look surprised, eyebrows rising and mouth opening. He's surprised too. And then you laugh, honey dripping from the sound. You look pleased as you take his hand in yours, lacing your fingers and squeezing it gently. 

The table is small, small enough for you to lay your elbows against it and come closer to his face, for your other hand to cup his red cheek and bring his face closer to yours. Riddle is lost in the moment, closing his eyes and tilting his head, his free hand resting against your shoulder. 

As your lips press together, Riddle feels elated. His fingers tremble and grip harder onto you, not wanting to let you go. The kiss is slow and so tender, so sweet. He can taste the strawberries on your tongue, can feel your thumb caressing his cheek. You deepen the kiss and he lets out a whimper from deep within, a sound filled with sheer want. He lingers over this moment, wanting to commit it to memory, carve it on his soul.

You pull back, separating your lips. Riddle chases after you, wanting more, needing more. You giggle and nuzzle your noses together, such an innocent act that it feels more intimate, somehow. You've got his heart on your hands and you hold onto it with the utmost care, so much so that he can't feel himself ever regreting this. If he could, he'd like to kiss you, and only one, for the rest of his life.

"Riddle." The way you say his name is soft, not breaking the moment. "Will you be my valentine?"

He opens his eyes and traces every inch of your face, his hand moving to the back of your neck and pulling you closer. He gives you a chaste kiss, trying to satisfy his craving enough to be able to get the words out from his throat without choking on it.

"I'd love to, if you'll have me."

Your answering smile is exactly what he needs. Your lips connect again, it feels a lot like love.

Masterlist

I have to say, I love how you write Che’nya with all my heart. Your fic about waking up in the morning with him left me in shambles (but in the best way possible). I’d love to see more one day if you want to ever write him again…sorry I’m really shy about this but just know your fic made my fluttering heart very happy🤍🥺

hii Amanda, thank you so much!!!! I love to write about Che'nya, he's my favorite after all! don't worry, I still have some things planned for him, so I'll definetly write him again, as soon as I finish my other wips! I'm really glad you liked my fic, it has a special place in my heart as well <3

Che'nya my little meow meow literally the cutest kid ever

⌜ che'nya ~ twisted wonderland 𔘓𓂃 ִֶָ coloreado ⌟

𓄼 ₍ᐢ..ᐢ₎

THANK YOU I LIKE YOUR FANCY WORDS !!!

me creating this in my lab while I conduct a little experiment on Azul and eximine his insides closely and pick him apart !!

[I refuse to drown - Azul Ashengrotto]

Summary: He had hurt you. Azul had hurt you and he wasn't sure how he could ever forgive himself, the guilt gnawing at his core. Despite that, you still smile at him. 

Notes: reader and azul knew each other before chapter 3, gn!reader, angst and hurt/comfort, self deprecating thoughts, some mentions of blood, injury and death but none too graphic, not proof read

Azul had lost everything.

Everything he had built painstakingly for years, crawling himself from the bottom of the depths, that he exhausted himself for, that he carefully planned and gained through his hard work. Gone, just like that, floating away in the wind the same way the sand of the beach is carried away by the waves.

But, the worst of all: he lost control. 

Control of himself, his actions and his mind. Azul couldn't remember what happened after seeing his contracts disintegrating, only that he felt more despair than ever before. Even when he was isolated and mocked by the other merman, he's never felt such helplessness, such anguish, such misery. 

His mind was muddy, he didn't feel like he was in his body. Why would it matter, anyway? It was all gone, gone, gone. 

He let himself drown in the feeling.

Drowning was a strange sensation. Azul, being a merman, never thought he could experience it, but Night Raven College was full of surprises. His lungs felt full, an inky substance occupying where once was air. His vision was dark, as if he had fallen into an abyss. He couldn't bring himself to care.

Azul didn't know which was worse, the hopeless feelings or the lack thereof. 

He stayed floating into nothingness for a while. He wasn't conscious, but he was. He was there, but he wasn't. He didn't have a body, but he did. If he could manage to string a coherent thought together, it might have been something like this: "Is this what death looks like?" Perhaps if he could muster enough strenght to feel something, he might have felt regret for all the things he still had left to do.

If he looked deep into himself, deeper than he was willing to, he might have found that he regretted making you sign one of his rigged contracts and dragging you into this mess. He should have known better than understimating you, he should have known that something like this would happen. After all, you were amazing enough to catch his attention. What made him think you wouldn't be amazing enough to find a way out of his deal? What made him think Jade and Floyd would be enough to disencourage you? What made him think someone like him, so dirty and insicere, could ever dampen someone like you, so determined and bright?

He didn't think about any of it. He didn't think about anything.

The first thing Azul felt when he came back to his senses was light against his eyelids. He was back at the surface. His body ached all over but his lungs no longer bled that viscous black liquid and he felt alive once more. He was still alive.

He could smell a familiar scent, one that he was used to smelling back at the Coral Sea, so used to he didn't identify it a first. He heard shouting that seemed to be miles away and right by his ear at the same time. His slugish head couldn't distinguish what was being said by whom, but he could swear he heard your name, it's mention alone being enough to jolt eletricity back into his being and keep him awake. There were hurried footsteps getting farther away and he finally recognized what the smell was. It was the metalic smell of blood.

He tried to open his eyes but the bright lights of Mostro Lounge burned them, so he kept them tightly shut. He couldn't get up, his legs hurt more than any other part of his body. What had happened? He couldn't have... could he? The last thing he could remember happening before passing out was... oh.

Oh. He did. Azul had an overblot.

His breath hitched, but he forced himself to keep breathing in the air, to keep the blot out, out of his system and out of his lungs and out of his veins and out out out of him. He bit his tounge, clenched his fists and forced his sore eyes to open.

The contracts, they were gone. His life's work. He had made a fool of himself in front of another housewarden. He had an overblot and put everyone in danger. He had put you in danger.

Jade and Floyd were by his side. They were talking to him, but he couldn't register the words. His head was underwater, the pressure weighting him down, his ears filled with water and dripping, dripping, dripping.

He could still smell the blood. Ah, it felt just like home.

Azul looked at his lower half, almost sure in some hysterical part of his brain that he would find his tentacles there. His legs laid on the floor, clean and useless. He breathed a sigh of relief. Still, he couldn't help but wish the blood was his.

He got the gist of what the twins were saying. Leona destroyed the contracts and you had managed to adquire his childhood photo. They were mocking him for the tantrum he threw, but he could tell they were worried. There wasn't much force behind the half hearted taunts and no matter how much they tried to hide, Azul knew them just like they knew him. They were aggravated at what happened as well, no matter how much they pretended they couldn't care less.

"What would you like us to do about the photo?" 

"I'm pretty sure we could just snatch it up with how shrimpy is now, but man, I'm not in the mood for it."

"...I don't care about the photo anymore. Tell me, what happened to the prefect?"

Jade looked at him with pity and Floyd's mood deteriorated. There was a bottomless pit of dread at his stomach, his throat felt dry all of sudden. His eyes burned, but no tears fell from them. When had his breathing become so erratic?

As soon as the twins broke the news to him, Azul tried to stand up and see you, not caring for how much his legs ached and hurt and screamed at him to stay down. Good, he thought with venom, so much loathing and disdain it left a sour feeling in his mouth, they better be hurting after what he'd done. He deserves worse.

Jade helped him balance himself on his legs and Floyd laughed at his clumsy footing, as if it was the first time the three of them set foot on land and were just learning how to walk. Azul felt like he had been stripped from his tentacles and siphon all over again. He had been stripped from his skin and from his mind, had been laid open and bare and vulnerable for all to see, had his chest teared apart and his lungs leaking onto the floor.

Once they arrived at the infirmary, Azul was almost jumped by your friends. The Heartslabyul duo and the young Savanaclaw seemed ready to plummet him to the ground, no care for his condition, if it weren't for Jade and Floyd tanking him by both sides like bodyguards. Azul was glad they didn't care, he was glad they worried so much about you. He would have let them hit him and taken the beating, there wasn't much of his pride left to salvage anyway.

The school nurse had just finished attending you and promptly went to work on his injuries. The Headmaster appeared at the infirmary right after Azul was discharged, no doubt already knowing what happened. He had never seem Crowley look as serious as he did when he asked for the three of them to accompany him to his office. 

Azul's body was exhausted, he clearly needed to rest. Still, he agreed without a fuss, the twins following him closely from behind. He could feel Jade's gaze burning the back of his neck, but he couldn't gather enough energy to care for whatever was going on the eelmer's mind. He felt empty, almost hollow. Frighteningly so, like he was still on that void state, disconnected from his body. Was he even awake?

The talk with the Headmaster was a long and tiring one. At the end of it, Azul accepted the new terms for him to keep running Mostro Lounge at the school, gripping tightly to the only thing he had left. He couldn't lose his beloved restaurant alongside everything else, it would be too much, more than he could handle.

It was dark by the time they were excused to go back to their dorm. Azul felt and looked like a mess, not like the businessman he took pride in being. His hair was dishevelled, there were eyebags under his eyes and his mouth was set in a firm line for a while, not managing much more emoting. 

There was a restlessness under his skin, on his muscles, deep in his bones, down onto every single cell. No matter how worn out he was, there was no way he would be able to sit back. Not until he saw you with his own eyes, saw exactly how much damage he had caused. 

He wasn't able to muster up the courage to look the twins in the face as he told them to go ahead, that he had something to do. Luckly, they decided he had suffered enough and didn't kick up much of a fuss before leaving him alone.

The walk to the infirmary felt like a fever dream, too long and too short at the same time. Azul wondered if your friends were still there at this time, if you were awake, if he was even allowed to enter. He stayed rooted in front of the entrance, trying to gather every last bit of confidence to put up his usual serene façade. 

He wouldn't let you see how affected he was by the whole ordeal. This wasn't supposed to be about him, he wanted to take a look at you. You, who had been nothing but friendly to him, who had caught his attention early on, who spent time with him at Mostro Lounge, who he admired so much, who wormed your way into his heart and refused to leave.

Azul was afraid you hated him now, but by the Sevens how much he wished you did. Why wouldn't you, after he tried to scam you out of your house and almost got you killed. All for his selfishness, for his stupid pride and greed. He was ready for you to scream at him, to hit him, say you never wanted to see him again. Even if the mere thought was enough for him to feel like throwing up, he knew it would be better if he stayed away from you and your light. That way, he wouldn't hurt you again, never again.

Steeling himself with the fakiest smile on his face, he pushed the door open, hands shaking.

The infirmary was quiet, no one in sight save for you. You were laying on one of the first beds, a peaceful expression on your face. You looked beautiful. You always did, to him. There were bandages all over where your skin was visible. Azul could feel the guilt choking him. How could he have the audacity to come talk to you after he was the one that did this?

He turned around and was about to leave when he heard you whisper. It was spoken so softly he wouldn't have heard at all if he wasn't hyperaware of you. "Stay." 

Azul stayed. He could never deny anything you asked for. Especially not when you sounded so pleading, when you looked at him like that.

There was a chair next to your bed, so umconfortable looking as it must feel. But it was the best way to stay closer to you, so he sat on it, waiting for you to drop the guillotine over his head for his sins. 

The silence was suffocating, denser than the pressure at the bottom of the ocean. He wanted you to say something, anything. His gaze was on the floor, lips pulled back, brows furrowed. If he closed his eyes, only the darkness would welcome him, swallow him whole, so he kept them stubbornly open.

"Azul." It felt like a blessing, like a drop of water after walking through the desert, like a warm embrace. Azul relished the way you said his name, the delicious entonation as your tongue rolled over every letter. He wanted to beg you to say it again and again. The only thing he does is lifting his head to look at you.

The proximity between you two was startling. He hadn't noticed how close you were, hadn't noticed you raising your hand, hadn't noticed the shine in your eye. He thought you were about to slap him, but couldn't drag his stare away from your eyes. They looked so gentle, so full of... something. He wouldn't dare try to name the emotion behind them, wouldn't dare hope.

Your hand made contact with his cheek, making him flinch lightly. There was no sting, only your warmth as you held his face. Your fingers left burning imprints where they touched, marked him from the inside out. Wide blue eyes meet your affectionate ones, so open and honest. Why were you being so gentle to him? Acting like nothing happened, like things were the same as before this whole mess occurred. 

"I'm glad." You confess softly, a secret meant only for the two of you, thumb brushing against his cheeks as he leans into your touch and lets himself melt into it while he still can. "I'm glad you're alright, Azul." 

"How can you say that when you're the one laying on a hospital bed?" His voice falls flat, trying to hide his emotions. But he's a cracked shell, his insides are spilling out into your palms, plain for you to pick apart and analyse as you please.

You smile, your joy is so sincere Azul can feel his eyes burn with unshead tears. How could he ever hurt someone like you? How could you still look at him without an once of hatred or disguist or fear?

"I was worried about you." You state as if it was the simplest thing in the world, because it is, to you. The sky is blue, the ocean is cold and you care about Azul. You say as if you aren't shattering his last bits of composure, as if you aren't breaking his heart into little jagged pieces. 

"Don't say that." He manages to choke out, as if the mere words hurt his throat, voice watery and breaking. "Please, don't say that." The 'I don't deserve it' is not said out loud, but both of you can hear it.

"How can I not? It's the truth." His tears flow freely, no longer under his control as he feels the urge to sob, to beg for forgiveness, to hide and never see you again in fear of hurting you. Only you had this effect on him, only you could break his barriers and composure so easily. 

You brush his tears away, whispering reassurances. Wasn't him supposed to be the one reassuring you? He had come to see how you were, to apologize, to let you scream at him, anything. He could take it if you hated him, he would understand, but how could your gaze still hold so much fondness in it, so much love? The guilt shatters him, pierces his heart, make his sobs louder. How cruel could your kindness be?

He had hurt you. Azul had hurt you and he wasn't sure how he could ever forgive himself, the guilt gnawing at his core. Despite that, you still smile at him. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeats, over and over. You say you forgive him, but he keeps going until his voice is hoarse. You don't, no, you can't understand it. You did nothing wrong, you're not like him, hands stained with blood and rot. He lets his guilt out before it festers and consumes him. It isn't enough to make up to you, although it does make him feel a little bit better, to let it all out like this.

You don't lie to him. You don't say it wasn't his fault or that he wasn't in the wrong, but you don't rub it in either. Azul appreciates it, the sincerity. He knows you can hold him accountable when the time is right. For now, you comfort him. You tell him how nobody else could put such effective notes together, how determinated and hardworking he is. How his past doesn't define him and how he has greater strenghts than any magic. He drinks every word up, commiting them to memory.

As his tears seem to dry out alongside his voice, you pull him closer to yourself. He submerges himself into you, your scent, your voice, your touch. He would happily let himself drown on the sensation. You just hold him, rubbing circles on his back and lending him your shoulder. 

It's like time has frozen over. Azul wishes it had. He could stay like this with you for hours if you'd let him, although he doesn't feel ready to admit it, be it to you or to himself. 

Everything is not right. You're still hurt, his contracts are still gone and Azul still feels wrong, the effects of the overblot lingering underneath his skin. His reputation took a significant blow and he'll have to change the method he's always used to work at his own establishment. 

But not all is lost, either. He can start over, the right way this time. You'll be by his side, cheering him on. There's a long road to improvement and Azul has never been one to get scared by such things. He'll put his efforts on getting back on his feet and breaking the surface of the water, as he refuses to drown. 

The late hour weights on your tired bodies, causing you to yawn, your hold on him getting laxer. With the way his body aches, he wouldn't be able to go back to Octavinelle. In fact, he doesn't feel able to move from the chair he is in. He doesn't want to leave you from his sight, to lose your touch. 

You ask him to keep you company, prompting him to lay his head on your lap, an umconfortable position, as he has to bend his torso to reach it, but he doesn't mind. Just having you nearby will be enough. One of your hands interlock your fingers with his and the other plays with his hair as you hum, not letting the silence engulf the room. He's beyond grateful for that, for how you just seem to know what he needs and is more than willing to give it to him. He's never been handled with such care before, like he's wanted, like he's precious. It makes his body feel warm and he basks on it.

He waits until you stop your ministrations, until your breathing evens out and it's just him alone with his thoughts. He keeps his eyes shut, as he knows that if he dared to glance at your sleeping face his heart would burst with affection, the feelings he's trying to rein in exploding from his chest. 

Azul only has made a promise to himself once, when he was a little kid being bullied by his peers, eager to prove them wrong, to prove he could be better than their expectations. Now, he makes a new promise, to protect you and your kindness, to never let someone, least him, hurt you again, to make up for his own shortcomings and become someone you can be proud of.

He loses consciousness for the second time that day, but this time he knows he's alive. He feels it in the way his heart beats in sync with yours, the way his breaths come out from his mouth, the way your fingers are laced with his. 

Azul is alive and swimming to the surface, as he refuses to drown.

Masterlist

Bia, as always, I love your reblog tags <3 I'm sorry I can't reply to them always but pls know I hold them dear to my heart and if you want to talk about it via message or asks, I would love to! Have a "completely normal and proper" conversation about a fictional character that can't rest in being the smoothest man in the universe when saying that he's glad he's awaken to kiss the reader- I DIED ON MY CHAIR AFTER THIS PHRASE I NEEDED A MOMENT TO PACK MYSELF TOGETHER

no worries Cherry, I know you always see them!! I love commenting totally sane things in the tags and pontual thoughts that absolutely have nothing to do with me sendo gadinha de personagen 2D 😁

* I open your ask box *

* I scream incoherently about a fictional character I'm obsessed with *

* it's literally just me simping in all caps, you stare while questioning my sanity *

LIKE SILVER'S GOT GAME! HE JUST DOESN'T KNOW IT! BUT HE DOES! IF HE'D ONLY GIVE US ONE CHANCE !!!!!!!