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Exploration (pt 5)

Pomefiore

Seeing as I know who they are going though this part should be a breeze.as much as a breeze this will be, it would be cruel of me to skip them entirely. Based on kalim’s reaction, it would be a relief to find out that someone from the living know that they exist and they don’t feel invisible . Though I would say I’m quite nervous meeting a famous actor and model. Grim seems relaxed going in here. When I entered the luxurious doors of the Pomefiore wing I was greeted with music and the scent of honey lavender. The air felt refreshing, almost like a calming relief. Just one problem. The feeling of eyes watching my every move. Like I’m on stage. Fortunately it seems peaceful in the main lobby. My search began starting with the lower floors plus the outside. I walked to the kitchen,nothing in there ghost wise. But there was a basket full of fresh apples. Something that wasn't there before. Still feel like I’m being watched. I exit the kitchen where I saw grim being petted by a young guy with unusually lavender hair. In his hand was an empty basket. I walked forward which made him look up at me. He looked surprised that I could see him now. He walked to me and placed the empty basket in my hands then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me to the backyard to the garden. Though there were mostly poisonous and medicinal plants and herbs there happens to be a single apple tree with fresh apples still left on the branches. When we reached the apple tree the young male disappeared .This tree must mean that the ghost was epel,the assistant who was an apple farmer I guess he wanted me to pick some apples. How am I gonna get them out of the tree? I only picked the apples that were in my reach. Then something told me to look up behind me. I turned to face a window. As soon as I turned, a figure exited out of view. I quickly wrapped up the apple picking and headed back inside. I placed the apples next to the other batch, then I headed upstairs. Before I could pick a room, a sharp gust of air passed by me which ended with a sound of something being punctured. I turned down the hall to see a make-shift archery board. There was an arrow stabbed dead center. “I apologize. I had no other way to gain your attention, amore” a voice spoke with a slight accent. I turned to see a familiar face holding a bow. His green eyes smiled as he gazed at me. That bob cut and that accuracy and that unforgettable gaze. I’m looking at rook hunt. “Roi du Poison, is waiting in the other room” Rook said as he pointed to the master room. “Thank you…” I said and he gave me a smile before walking down stairs. I looked to see he was gone. Behind me was the creaking of the door. The master bed room is open and has an overwhelming sweet smell rolling from it. Whatever it was sure attracted grim who came walking upstairs head up high. I followed behind the silly cat but the more I edged closer, the more dizzy and suffocating the air became. Humming was heard from the room. An eerie toon. I reached the door where the dizzy smell grew the strongest. The room was slightly dim where the majority of the lighting came from the vanity. The main issue was there was no one around. I entered the room where the door closed on purpose. That smell grew stronger which made me feel dizzy. My vision blurred for a second. When I gained some control I noticed a person sitting on the validity chair. The Vil Shoenheit was sitting in front of me doing his makeup while humming. Well i see it it’s proof enough now i have to go before i pass out. I turned around to leave only to feel paralyzed. I couldn't even speak. That smell continues to overwhelm my senses but its not a painful dizziness. Now it’s drowsiness. This air once again brought me comfort like a blanket. My body leads itself to the comfort of the bed almost like I was floating. The comfort of the sheets. The perfect air. I guess a nap wouldn't hurt. My vision fades so does that figure resting above me stroking my head comfortably. I guess a nap woulden”t hurt….. The i felt something sharp. I shot up awake to see grim hair on ends as he meowed almost in panic as he rubs against me like we haven’t seen each other in years. I looked at the time and it was almost sundown. How long have I been asleep? Weakly i got up from the bed and searched for my journal. The journal is on the vanity so I went to grab it. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something glossy. There was a kiss mark on my forehead leaving me with much confusion. I wiped the mark off,I gathered my things then I began to leave. I wonder why he did that.

Exploration (pt 5)

Pomefiore

Seeing as I know who they are going though this part should be a breeze.as much as a breeze this will be, it would be cruel of me to skip them entirely. Based on kalim’s reaction, it would be a relief to find out that someone from the living know that they exist and they don’t feel invisible . Though I would say I’m quite nervous meeting a famous actor and model. Grim seems relaxed going in here. When I entered the luxurious doors of the Pomefiore wing I was greeted with music and the scent of honey lavender. The air felt refreshing, almost like a calming relief. Just one problem. The feeling of eyes watching my every move. Like I’m on stage. Fortunately it seems peaceful in the main lobby. My search began starting with the lower floors plus the outside. I walked to the kitchen,nothing in there ghost wise. But there was a basket full of fresh apples. Something that wasn't there before. Still feel like I’m being watched. I exit the kitchen where I saw grim being petted by a young guy with unusually lavender hair. In his hand was an empty basket. I walked forward which made him look up at me. He looked surprised that I could see him now. He walked to me and placed the empty basket in my hands then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me to the backyard to the garden. Though there were mostly poisonous and medicinal plants and herbs there happens to be a single apple tree with fresh apples still left on the branches. When we reached the apple tree the young male disappeared .This tree must mean that the ghost was epel,the assistant who was an apple farmer I guess he wanted me to pick some apples. How am I gonna get them out of the tree? I only picked the apples that were in my reach. Then something told me to look up behind me. I turned to face a window. As soon as I turned, a figure exited out of view. I quickly wrapped up the apple picking and headed back inside. I placed the apples next to the other batch, then I headed upstairs. Before I could pick a room, a sharp gust of air passed by me which ended with a sound of something being punctured. I turned down the hall to see a make-shift archery board. There was an arrow stabbed dead center. “I apologize. I had no other way to gain your attention, amore” a voice spoke with a slight accent. I turned to see a familiar face holding a bow. His green eyes smiled as he gazed at me. That bob cut and that accuracy and that unforgettable gaze. I’m looking at rook hunt. “Roi du Poison, is waiting in the other room” Rook said as he pointed to the master room. “Thank you…” I said and he gave me a smile before walking down stairs. I looked to see he was gone. Behind me was the creaking of the door. The master bed room is open and has an overwhelming sweet smell rolling from it. Whatever it was sure attracted grim who came walking upstairs head up high. I followed behind the silly cat but the more I edged closer, the more dizzy and suffocating the air became. Humming was heard from the room. An eerie toon. I reached the door where the dizzy smell grew the strongest. The room was slightly dim where the majority of the lighting came from the vanity. The main issue was there was no one around. I entered the room where the door closed on purpose. That smell grew stronger which made me feel dizzy. My vision blurred for a second. When I gained some control I noticed a person sitting on the validity chair. The Vil Shoenheit was sitting in front of me doing his makeup while humming. Well i see it it’s proof enough now i have to go before i pass out. I turned around to leave only to feel paralyzed. I couldn't even speak. That smell continues to overwhelm my senses but its not a painful dizziness. Now it’s drowsiness. This air once again brought me comfort like a blanket. My body leads itself to the comfort of the bed almost like I was floating. The comfort of the sheets. The perfect air. I guess a nap wouldn't hurt. My vision fades so does that figure resting above me stroking my head comfortably. I guess a nap woulden”t hurt….. The i felt something sharp. I shot up awake to see grim hair on ends as he meowed almost in panic as he rubs against me like we haven’t seen each other in years. I looked at the time and it was almost sundown. How long have I been asleep? Weakly i got up from the bed and searched for my journal. The journal is on the vanity so I went to grab it. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something glossy. There was a kiss mark on my forehead leaving me with much confusion. I wiped the mark off,I gathered my things then I began to leave. I wonder why he did that.

Exploration (pt 5)

Pomefiore

Seeing as I know who they are going though this part should be a breeze.as much as a breeze this will be, it would be cruel of me to skip them entirely. Based on kalim’s reaction, it would be a relief to find out that someone from the living know that they exist and they don’t feel invisible . Though I would say I’m quite nervous meeting a famous actor and model. Grim seems relaxed going in here. When I entered the luxurious doors of the Pomefiore wing I was greeted with music and the scent of honey lavender. The air felt refreshing, almost like a calming relief. Just one problem. The feeling of eyes watching my every move. Like I’m on stage. Fortunately it seems peaceful in the main lobby. My search began starting with the lower floors plus the outside. I walked to the kitchen,nothing in there ghost wise. But there was a basket full of fresh apples. Something that wasn't there before. Still feel like I’m being watched. I exit the kitchen where I saw grim being petted by a young guy with unusually lavender hair. In his hand was an empty basket. I walked forward which made him look up at me. He looked surprised that I could see him now. He walked to me and placed the empty basket in my hands then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me to the backyard to the garden. Though there were mostly poisonous and medicinal plants and herbs there happens to be a single apple tree with fresh apples still left on the branches. When we reached the apple tree the young male disappeared .This tree must mean that the ghost was epel,the assistant who was an apple farmer I guess he wanted me to pick some apples. How am I gonna get them out of the tree? I only picked the apples that were in my reach. Then something told me to look up behind me. I turned to face a window. As soon as I turned, a figure exited out of view. I quickly wrapped up the apple picking and headed back inside. I placed the apples next to the other batch, then I headed upstairs. Before I could pick a room, a sharp gust of air passed by me which ended with a sound of something being punctured. I turned down the hall to see a make-shift archery board. There was an arrow stabbed dead center. “I apologize. I had no other way to gain your attention, amore” a voice spoke with a slight accent. I turned to see a familiar face holding a bow. His green eyes smiled as he gazed at me. That bob cut and that accuracy and that unforgettable gaze. I’m looking at rook hunt. “Roi du Poison, is waiting in the other room” Rook said as he pointed to the master room. “Thank you…” I said and he gave me a smile before walking down stairs. I looked to see he was gone. Behind me was the creaking of the door. The master bed room is open and has an overwhelming sweet smell rolling from it. Whatever it was sure attracted grim who came walking upstairs head up high. I followed behind the silly cat but the more I edged closer, the more dizzy and suffocating the air became. Humming was heard from the room. An eerie toon. I reached the door where the dizzy smell grew the strongest. The room was slightly dim where the majority of the lighting came from the vanity. The main issue was there was no one around. I entered the room where the door closed on purpose. That smell grew stronger which made me feel dizzy. My vision blurred for a second. When I gained some control I noticed a person sitting on the validity chair. The Vil Shoenheit was sitting in front of me doing his makeup while humming. Well i see it it’s proof enough now i have to go before i pass out. I turned around to leave only to feel paralyzed. I couldn't even speak. That smell continues to overwhelm my senses but its not a painful dizziness. Now it’s drowsiness. This air once again brought me comfort like a blanket. My body leads itself to the comfort of the bed almost like I was floating. The comfort of the sheets. The perfect air. I guess a nap wouldn't hurt. My vision fades so does that figure resting above me stroking my head comfortably. I guess a nap woulden”t hurt….. The i felt something sharp. I shot up awake to see grim hair on ends as he meowed almost in panic as he rubs against me like we haven’t seen each other in years. I looked at the time and it was almost sundown. How long have I been asleep? Weakly i got up from the bed and searched for my journal. The journal is on the vanity so I went to grab it. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something glossy. There was a kiss mark on my forehead leaving me with much confusion. I wiped the mark off,I gathered my things then I began to leave. I wonder why he did that.

Exploration (pt 5)

Pomefiore

Seeing as I know who they are going though this part should be a breeze.as much as a breeze this will be, it would be cruel of me to skip them entirely. Based on kalim’s reaction, it would be a relief to find out that someone from the living know that they exist and they don’t feel invisible . Though I would say I’m quite nervous meeting a famous actor and model. Grim seems relaxed going in here. When I entered the luxurious doors of the Pomefiore wing I was greeted with music and the scent of honey lavender. The air felt refreshing, almost like a calming relief. Just one problem. The feeling of eyes watching my every move. Like I’m on stage. Fortunately it seems peaceful in the main lobby. My search began starting with the lower floors plus the outside. I walked to the kitchen,nothing in there ghost wise. But there was a basket full of fresh apples. Something that wasn't there before. Still feel like I’m being watched. I exit the kitchen where I saw grim being petted by a young guy with unusually lavender hair. In his hand was an empty basket. I walked forward which made him look up at me. He looked surprised that I could see him now. He walked to me and placed the empty basket in my hands then he grabbed my wrist and tugged me to the backyard to the garden. Though there were mostly poisonous and medicinal plants and herbs there happens to be a single apple tree with fresh apples still left on the branches. When we reached the apple tree the young male disappeared .This tree must mean that the ghost was epel,the assistant who was an apple farmer I guess he wanted me to pick some apples. How am I gonna get them out of the tree? I only picked the apples that were in my reach. Then something told me to look up behind me. I turned to face a window. As soon as I turned, a figure exited out of view. I quickly wrapped up the apple picking and headed back inside. I placed the apples next to the other batch, then I headed upstairs. Before I could pick a room, a sharp gust of air passed by me which ended with a sound of something being punctured. I turned down the hall to see a make-shift archery board. There was an arrow stabbed dead center. “I apologize. I had no other way to gain your attention, amore” a voice spoke with a slight accent. I turned to see a familiar face holding a bow. His green eyes smiled as he gazed at me. That bob cut and that accuracy and that unforgettable gaze. I’m looking at rook hunt. “Roi du Poison, is waiting in the other room” Rook said as he pointed to the master room. “Thank you…” I said and he gave me a smile before walking down stairs. I looked to see he was gone. Behind me was the creaking of the door. The master bed room is open and has an overwhelming sweet smell rolling from it. Whatever it was sure attracted grim who came walking upstairs head up high. I followed behind the silly cat but the more I edged closer, the more dizzy and suffocating the air became. Humming was heard from the room. An eerie toon. I reached the door where the dizzy smell grew the strongest. The room was slightly dim where the majority of the lighting came from the vanity. The main issue was there was no one around. I entered the room where the door closed on purpose. That smell grew stronger which made me feel dizzy. My vision blurred for a second. When I gained some control I noticed a person sitting on the validity chair. The Vil Shoenheit was sitting in front of me doing his makeup while humming. Well i see it it’s proof enough now i have to go before i pass out. I turned around to leave only to feel paralyzed. I couldn't even speak. That smell continues to overwhelm my senses but its not a painful dizziness. Now it’s drowsiness. This air once again brought me comfort like a blanket. My body leads itself to the comfort of the bed almost like I was floating. The comfort of the sheets. The perfect air. I guess a nap wouldn't hurt. My vision fades so does that figure resting above me stroking my head comfortably. I guess a nap woulden”t hurt….. The i felt something sharp. I shot up awake to see grim hair on ends as he meowed almost in panic as he rubs against me like we haven’t seen each other in years. I looked at the time and it was almost sundown. How long have I been asleep? Weakly i got up from the bed and searched for my journal. The journal is on the vanity so I went to grab it. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted something glossy. There was a kiss mark on my forehead leaving me with much confusion. I wiped the mark off,I gathered my things then I began to leave. I wonder why he did that.

May I ask for some spicy headcanons for magishift and/or basketball club members and male reader, who has a lot of piercings all over his body? So, when they changed in the locker room, they saw his nipple piercings and the reader jokingly said, "Hey, I'll let you take a closer look after training, if you don't tell the teachers about it."

Yes you may and since I am an absolute sucker for the sports teams you get both sports teams.

Under cut because implied spice and male pronouns used upon request

Leona Kingscholar

He had seen the facial piercings you had before and while he respected the pain tolerance necessary for them he didn’t think much of them otherwise

Till he saw you in the locker room one day as you yanked your shirt off to show the bars in your nipples

Has a million questions he is too prideful to ask

A small part of his wonders how they would feel to roll around on his tongue but banishes it quickly, for once glad for the chance to run around the field and cool off his head

When you catch him staring and give him a wry smirk, his ears flatten a little in response to his embarrassment

“Easy there Kingscholar, I don’t mind letting you take a closer look after practice as long as you don’t let Vargas hear it.”

He has you pinned to the lockers in seconds, prompting the rest of the Magishift team to scramble out quickly

“Careful there herbavoir,” he taunts with a wicked smile as he grabs your face with one of his large hands. “Prey that doesn’t want to get caught shouldn’t taunt the predator.”

Ruggie Bucchi

For Ruggie, piercings tend to show money and status since it isn’t exactly cheap to get them done and doing them oneself can be dangerous in some of the areas you tend to have them

Needless to say you have his attention, if nothing else then to steal some of your jewelry to see if it was worth anything. But a fun time wouldn’t be something he said no to either

It isn’t until the two of you are the last getting ready for practice he saw them

Ruggie had been running late thanks to running errands for Leona, but you were usually late so he rarely saw you change

That was when he saw the nipple piercings and while Ruggie didn’t have a preference about them he definitely found it hot on you

That is until you catch him staring and smirk

“Hey there cutie don’t be shy, I’ll let you get a closer look after practice if you want. Just don’t tell Vargas ‘Kay?”

Ruggie can only give a signature laugh if response though if he is embarrassed or being cheeky you will never know

“As long as you can pay for my time Tom Cat I’ll meet you where ever you want.”

Epel Felmier

Thinks piercings are hot and no you will not change my mind on this headcanon

Probably wants a few of his own but Vil would kill him first, hence how you ended up on his radar

He had already been observing from a distance due to attraction and envy

Feels his knees go absolutely weak when he sees the nipple piercings

Really wants to know what else you have pierced

“Hey there Cutie Pie, wanna take a closer look after practice? You can get all personal as long as you don’t tell Vargas.”

Something in Epel flips as he saunters up to you, placing a hand on your chest and pushing you against the wall

“Don’t call me Cutie Pie again and I’ll consider it... Doll.”

It was a weak nickname but he is trying

Floyd Leech

Piercings arn’t super common in the coral sea because of how easy metal rusts so it was definitely something that caught his attention

However usually Jade or Azul was there to stop him from going up and getting into people’s personal space

They were not there when you walked into basketball practice and ripped your shirt off, showing off the shiny piercings you had on your nipples

“Hey Shrimpy what’s that doesn’t it hurt?”

He is already in your personal space poking and prodding at the piercings

“Easy there Floyd if you want a closer look you can do it after practice just don’t tell coach ok?” You manage as you stifle moans with heavy breaths

“Is that a promise, cause if it isn’t I’ll squeeze ya good.”

For some reason you hope that is a promise not a threat

Jamil Viper

He had seen them in the hall and barely batted an eyelash. Kalim had piercings after all and all kind of piercings and jewelry was popular and common place in the Land of Hot Sands

But seeing the metal through your nipple, that did something to him and he had no idea why

Maybe it was the rebellious nature of it he found attractive, the freedom of autonomy it represented but even in the locker room he couldn’t help but stare with sharp eyes

When you catch him looking he instantly drops his head in embarrassment and continues to change as quickly as possible

“Awe no need to be shy, I’ll let you take a closer look after practice if you don’t tell the coach.”

He is practically twitching in embarrassment before he has you pinned against the wall—his face caught between embarrassed rage and arousal. No other club members to save you as they had already cleared out.

“Watch that mouth of yours princey or I’ll put it to better use with that tongue piercing you think I didn’t notice.”

Ace Trappola

Also thinks piercings are cool but he personally wouldn’t get one. Would ruin the good boy appearance he uses to get away with everything

Still it won’t stop him from admiring the pieces of jewelry adoring you skin

To the point he is still staring at your nipple piercings as you strip for basketball practice

“You enjoying the view Trappola?” You ask playfully. Leaning against the wall

“How could I not with a view like that,” Ace fires back equally as cheeky

“If you want a closer look after practice as long as you don’t tell the coach,” You continue to play along with a wink

Ace laughs but a flush creeps up his cheeks from embarrassment of the images suddenly flooding his mind of you pinning him down and the feeling of metal against his skin

“Maybe if you can keep up in practice pretty boy,” Is the only taunt he manages to make back in response

PROBLEM SOLVED BUT YOU GOT ANOTHER ONE RISING, MAKE IT FIVE [ FIC / FLUFF + SLIGHT NSFW ]

NRC FRESHMEN X FEM!READER

WORD COUNT: 2.1K WORDS

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I WONDER IF ANYONE COULD TELL THERE'S A REASON WHY THE TITLE IS NAMED LIKE THAT ( ◜‿◝ )♡

Looking yourself up in the mirror, you let out a satisfied hum at your choice of clothing. Like any other weekends, you've finally planned out your trip to Pyroxene, suggestions given by Cater himself that there's a wonderful shop that sells clothes AND pastries.

You wanted to spoil yourself rotten given the past circumstances that gave you zero chances of going out for some required alone time. There's nothing wrong with your friends, you love them dearly but sometimes having to chat and meet up everyday socially drains you.

So you had to plan out a trip without them, a tinge of guilt brewing in your heart. Shaking your head, you cursed the damned feeling as you know that they would understand your reason of doing so and will give you plentiful of space if told. You know them far too well despite living in this world for a short time.

As you were doing the last finishing touches to your attire, your phone blasted out your designed ringtone, accompanied by the loud buzz from it vibrating against the table. You rushed towards the direction of the table , hastily picking it up in your hands before answering the call. Unfortunately for you, your ears weren't prepared to be served with loud yelling, the sound of what seems like wood breaking in the background set an uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach.

"P-Prefect?! Are you there?! Can you hear me?! We're having a problem and looking at how things are going, we need more hands!!"

"M-more hands?! What the hell did you guys-"

"Sorry, can't sweat the details right now! Just- Head to the school corridor!! The one near alchemy class!! Quick!!"

Within a second, the call was cut right off. It seems like this world LOVES pissing you off in a multitude of ways. You can't go out looking like this! Not when you're about to head out for your trip! Your precious clothes are bound to be dirtied once the problem's solved and you'll have to either throw it into the trash or throw them into the laundry, depending on the severity of damage done to your clothes but nonetheless, the day's ruined!

With a groan, you decided to suck up and went out the door with your current clothes since there's absolutely no time to change out of it! All you could think right now is the urgency of the matter at hand and the safety of your friends is top priority! Minutes passed by and from the moment you've entered the west wing of the school, there were vines crawling everywhere, growing rapidly and ensnaring any pillars in its wake. More and more as you head towards hallway of the alchemy classroom, the vines grew number in size to the point that they're piling all over the floor. You nearly tripped in your run but luckily you caught yourself in the nick of time, proceeding on with your journey.

Coming to stop, you've finally reached your destination. Hair sticking to the back of your neck due to all the sweat you've accumulated, the muscles in your legs burned with ferocity and were desperate for rest. Maybe you should thank Mr.Vargas for all the intense training he run you through- Nevermind that, you should focus on what's happening in front of you

From the looks of it, it seems to be a case of a plant upsurge, thankfully it's not one of the poisonous plants that Mr.Crewel that asked everyone to steer clear of. Thinking back, didn't Mr.Crewel asked the five of them to remake that growth potion...Did they messed up that bad remaking it?!

"Is everyone-Woah!" you yelled, stumbling mid sentence before latching on to the broken door hinge for dear life as the vines on the floor came to life, gleaming with a mysterious light before swelling erratically. The sudden jerky movements sent you down to your knees yet it made you tighten your grip more.What seems like an eternity finally came to an end. The large bulbous vines thinning out akin to an inflatable pool being punctured with a needle, leaving only flabby and dried out vines strewn across the room

The six of you were greeted with silence, still too stunned from the sudden cease of onslaught done by the plant. You steadily rose up to your feet, hands still clutching to the door hinge for support before letting go. "What a drag.." you muttered before sighing softly. The condition of your clothes was a tad bit dirty with some soil splotches here and there but thankfully no tearings, in to the washing machine it goes!

Scratching his head, Ace couldn't help but let out a whine. The potion messed up, a part of this designated school floor is covered in vines meaning that he have to clean it up, his labcoat's covered in soil and whatever that came out of the plants! Well, at least nobody knows that it was his fault for putting too much auxin powder into the cauldron-

"Could've been worse but anyway! Now that you're here Prefect, let's- oh damn, look at you. All prettied up for what cause I wonder?" The redhead whistled at the sight of you dressed up in clothes he'd never think he'd see you in. Licking his lips in anticipation as his red eyes trailed your form up and down. "Why the hell are you whistling at- P-Prefect?!" Just as Deuce was about to raise his hand to smack Ace's head, his face blossomed into a bright shade of red the moment he laid his eyes on you

Curious to what's happening to the both of them, the tall wolf decided to turn his head to your direction. Golden eyes taking a glimpse of your form sent electric jolts all over the wolf's body, a feeling that's entirely new to him. Jack was quick go turn away, his canine ears pining to the back of his head while faintly cursing at his tail that was swishing from side to side, unable to hide the excitement brewing in his gut and somewhere

Though, not everyone's reaction was the same as them. You found yourself being roughly yanked on the arm by the lime haired freshmen. Instead of being flustered by your new look, he had rage written all over your face. His sharp canines glinting under the light as he gritted his teeth in anger. "Don't you have any shame for yourself, human?! Your way of dressing is-" He stopped abruptly, breath hitching in his throat as he started to register at how breathtaking you looked, your plump lips looked so divine and its so close for him to just come and bite it

Scoffing, Sebek pushed you away from him. The frown on his lips isn't as evident as before but you can still tell that he's angry, judging how his eyebrows are still furrowed. Shaking his head in a disapproving manner, he promptly took off his coat before placing them on your shoulders, gloved fingers already working on their way to button it up (you swear, this crocodile bastard is so impatient that he didn't give you time to slip in your arms into the sleeves of the coat-) "As your friend, I'm obligated to protect your honour AND dignity, human. Be grateful for it" said Sebek. Vaguely, a slight growl could be heard when he turned his heels away from you, leaving you stupefied from the swift withdrawal.

The coat was large enough for you to easily shift and slip in your arms to occupy the sleeves section. Though the stained clothing was comically large on you, the hem of the fabric reaching up to your lower thigh as to remind you the vast size differences you have against towards the male. "Um..(Y/N)..?" Looking over your shoulder, you were met with mesmerizing ocean coloured eyes that seemed to glitter with pure adoration. Epel smiled now that he have caught your attention as you certainly did with his as well

"Please don't mind Sebek! I don't find your way of dressing to be shameful! In fact, you look wonderful! Beautiful even!" Said the lavender haired male. "Did you always had those clothes tucked away in your wardrobe or did you recently bought them? Ah, they compliment your eyes so perfectly too!" With each question he asked, Epel ends it a compliment. The boy couldn't help it after all, you looked so ethereal that you deserved to know how alluring you were to them so he decided to shower you with praises.

Shyly, Epel took out his phone from his pocket as he looked up to you with puppy-dog eyes. "(Y/N)...could you unbutton the coat? You look amazing with that outfit so I can't help but want to take a picture of you in it.. That's okay, right?" His words seemed to ooze with sugar as they sounded so so sweet to you. Just as you were about to give your answer, you were immediately cut off by the sound of Ace's booming voice

"Hey, hey, hey!! No pictures until we're done cleaning, Felmier! (Y/N)'s isn't in her perfect sexy glory if she have all of those patches of dirt on her clothing!" Not a second after Ace yelled those words, a loud smack came soon right after along with a loud 'fuck!' sputtered by the auburn haired male. The smacker was no other than Deuce, who's fist was curled up almost like he was ready to punch the lights out of his dorm mate.

"You DO NOT disrespect (Y/N) by calling her sexy!" Deuce hissed "So what?! You're telling me she's not?!" Ace barked right back at his navy haired freshmen. Briefly, his gaze collided with yours and again, his face turned bright red. Lips forming a straight line as he muttered something under his breath before clearing out his throat. "She looks... attractive" he exclaimed. The features on Ace's face scrunched up in disagreement. "No wonder you're not a hit with the girls, your compliments are dry, Juice" "Say that to me one more time and I'll punch you right here and now Trappola"

"Both of you quit it already! And don't try to drag (Y/N) in this, we're the ones who screwed up the potion so it's on us to clean it up" Jack huffed, clearly annoyed by the argument between the two Heartslabyul students. In response, Ace stuck out his tongue to the wolf beastman. "That's lame! The more hands, the more better you know!" He whined.

This comment was met with stern gazes that seem to bore into his figure, clearly not amused. "The more hands, the more better my ass, Trappola. You're going to skimp on the work and pass it on to (Y/N), weren't you?" The beastman growled lowly, veins threatened to burst if the red eyed male in front of him decided to add any more comments of you wanting to partake in the clean-up session

Sheepishly, Ace looked away from the stern gaze, opting to look at the ceiling as if it sparked some kind of interest in him. "Maybe. Just a little" Like a joint choir, everyone in the room except Ace let out a sigh as they figured about his intentions on why he was keen on you to help out. As the boys went off to start cleaning likewise how Sebek started on tugging and pulling the vine off like a breeze, Jack spun to your direction.

His tail eagerly beginning to swish from side to side. "Then..(Y/N), you can sit this one out and head back to your dorm to change up or if you want, you could just stay...M-Mainly because it's for supervision reason! I trust you enough to keep the cool in here because I'm sure I would have beaten someone into a pulp" With the last few words being exclaimed loudly, clearly directing it to Ace who replied with a quick 'fuck you!' before going back to peeling off the vines from the walls

"Obviously I'm not going anywhere, you guys are up to each other's throat when I'm not around" Jack's golden eyes seemed to brightened up even more when you agreed to stay, ears perking up as a soft smile appeared on his lips. Nodding, he turned to look at Epel who was beside you who got his message.

Carefully, he wrapped his arm around yours, tugging it gently as to motion you to come and follow him "You can sit over here, (Y/N)! The place's clean so you don't have to worry about your clothes, I promise!" The ocean eyed boy assured you not before tapping a finger on his pocket where his phone was kept. "Remember! We'll take pictures okay!" Epel walked away, seemingly bouncing in each of his steps

"CLOSE YOUR LEGS WHEN YOU'RE SITTING, HUMAN!" Just as you were about to get comfortable sitting by shifting your legs open, you were reprimanded by no other than Sebek. How quaint of him to do so

"Met a boy who likes my body

with Epel Felmier"

As you spun around for him, he looked mystified. Absolutely infatuated by your figure in your formal attire. The two of you were meant to go to a ball hosted by his dorm, but now he was having second thoughts. Perhaps he wanted to keep you all to himself.

"Well, I'll be! My [name] is gonna be the apple of everyone's eye." With his hands crossing over his chest, he looked so charming towards you, hiding his dread in a sweet tone. "I might just have to hide you from the rest of 'em."

It was no secret he tried to keep that he disliked sharing you with others. You always chuckled at the way he glared at any guy who talked to you, and even yelled at some who got too close. He was so loving towards you, not many would expect him to get so angry with ease.

"Epel," you grabbed his hands in your own, "you are the only man on that floor that I could possibly want." With red forming at his cheeks, a smirk crossed his features. He didn't often need your reassurance, or want it, but he adored when you said things like this. Claiming he was yours, and you were his.

"Then let's head out, darling."

BOYFRIEND TEXTS twst first years

you're literally the best partner ever ( ur a cunt )

ace + deuce

epel + jack

sebek

( egoistars and her mandatory weekly post to remind everyone hes the funniest person ever )

When your Prince Charming arrives || First Years x Reader

What if someone from RSA seemed to be your dreamed lover?

Ace Trappola

It isn’t easy to make Ace seriously worried, about something that wasn’t caused by his friends, wanting to get revenge on his poor—as they defined them—jokes.

From the first sight he knew, that a boy, who “accidentally” bumped into you, was a danger. Some kind of.

He seemed just… too perfect: tall, muscular, with beautiful hair and natural charm, charisma. His clothes complemented the colour of dark as cosmos eyes, and his manners were impeccable. Ace started doubting that even Vil Schoenheit himself could point out anything to him, but he wouldn’t bet on his arm.

With each trait, something was pushing Ace away from the boy more and more.

If he hasn't paid much attention to him, then you definitely did. By the time the day was over, you managed to tell him ten times how he helped you get up—"You fell because of him," Ace replied while rolling his eyes—and characterized the boy verbally, so that no teacher would complain about not enough words on your opinion essay.

“Agh, enough-!” Ace got upset when, even while playing cards, you didn't talk about anyone else but that handsome hero who helped you get up faster than Ace did. He got up from the floor. “Marvel at him in his face! He will certainly want to hear all these compliments in person.”

He stormed out of the room before you could stop him.

His arms were shaking once he got out of the dorm, to the Rose Maze. He emanated with anger and grief; he swore to himself, that he will kick this guy from RSA the time he sees him. Though he wasn't sure... would you be mad at him...?

“Wait, Ace!” you had to run as fast as you could to catch up with the boy and bump hard into him. You hugged his waist tight, worried that he would run away as soon as you loosened your grip. “Sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you.”

Ace turned around to see your eyes. The corners of his mouth quivered before twitched into a weak smile.

"It's alright," he said, but his voice slowly cracking. “The better one wins, right?”

"Of course," you tightened your embrace so that your cheek was pressed tightly against Ace's body. “I won't be with any guy who can't destroy a chandelier with friends.”

The boy took a deep breath before finally wrapping his arms around you.

The warmth he felt from you and the one inside him caused a strange feeling in his stomach and chest. He didn't know exactly what he felt, but he didn't mind at all.

“Out of my advantages, you chose this particular one?” He said, his face showing a mischievous, a bit mocking, but still friendly smile. "I guess it was at the top of such a long list as ‘Advantages of Ace’"

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎

Deuce Spade

Deuce didn’t know what feeling was responsible for twisting his stomach, once he saw you and a boy from RSA, introducing him to some NRC classes.

Does his dark, rebellious side finally want to see the light of day?

Not as much as he wanted to hit that boy, he’d rather preferred to take you somewhere far away from him. From everybody.

“Someone's jealous!” Ace laughed when Deuce told him about his worries.

“Again, why did I come to you with this...?” The dark-haired man sighed, placing his hand on his hair and tightening it tightly. "You really think I'm, uh, jealous?"

“And not?” Ace tucked his hair back, laced the fingers of his hands together, and blinked several times. “Oh! My hero!” He said in a squeaky voice. “I will have to give up my lovely Deuce for you because you helped me up. A~aah!”

Deuce snorted and slapped Ace on the forehead. He fell onto the bed. The redhead burst out laughing as he looked at the nervous, sulking Deuce.

“Go Deuce,” he said, sitting down on the bed, still with an amused sparkles in his eyes. “Fight!”

Without waiting for any further words of encouragement, Deuce ran out of the room, towards the school. He went through all important, busier spots in the school before he found you in the cafeteria.

Of course, with that RSA guy.

He felt his body tighten like a tight string as you spotted him between the heads of the other students and waved at him.

"This is Deuce, my boyfriend," you introduced the boy to your dinner companion, and the dark-haired man looked away. So what if you guys were dating for months? The title "boyfriend" always made his heart run wild. “And this is [Boy's Name], a student from RSA.”

"Nice to meet you." Deuce reached out his hand and squeezed the boy's hand. He did it with such force that you could almost hear the crunch of bones and a soft gasp as the student jerked his hand away. “Now, I'm so sorry, but I have to take [Name] with me.”

He felt a twinge of guilt as you walked away, and the RSA boy was massaging his hand. However, now-not-yours prince charming will definitely go to the nurse, and on the way, he will surely run into one of the most beautiful students in NRC. It’s always like that in fairy tales.

You have to fight for your true love, right? They both have to find and keep the love of their lives.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

Epel Felmier

Just give him a chance, and he'll definitely try to kick that fop in the knee so hard he won't get up again.

"Fight fire with fire," Vil advised him during their usual dinner at Pomefiore. Even though Epel had said nothing about his worries, Vil could still sense a depressive aura from him that was definitely ‘not beautiful’.

The Pomefiore leader was also not very happy with the arrival of some students from the RSA. But until they were more beautiful than he was—not that anyone like that existed—their presence did not irritate them that much.

Of course, you didn't forget about Epel—you felt so drawn to your new acquaintance's aura that you sometimes lost track of time, but you make sure not to skip your meetings.

He felt like a pawn in a game of chess, not a player. He was attractively dressed, and now standing next to that RSA boy who had attracted your attention all too often. He took you with him a lot, that one day he almost offered to take you with him to the RSA. It would only require some paperwork, wouldn't it?

“[Name]” Epel turned to you, his voice trembling with anxiety and anger. He took a deep breath but didn't feel any cooling down. “The final decision will always be yours. But I want to say something about it here.” He pointed at the visitor and glared at him.

He felt a sudden need to straighten his hair and his clothes as silence fell around him. All the witnesses waited for his next move, and even though no one was saying anything, he felt like he was the new hot topic of gossips.

He went over to you and locked you in a hug as if he didn't want to watch all those onlookers.

"I know you may not believe me, but I really am not sure if he can bring you the happiness you expect," he blushed here. “I-I mean… I don't know if I can offer you a life only filled with happiness you want, but… I will try… So, uh, please don't go with him…!”

“Huh? There's no way I'm going with him,” you said, tearing away from him. "I'm addicted to apples and a certain apple boy, and I won't survive without this combination."

Epel breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his cheeks flush with shame, and memories of words that even sounded too serious for him.

Even though he felt terrible in this elegant garment, he couldn't think of it as his feelings exploded in his body.

Ah, yes. He couldn't want to love anyone else that much.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

Jack Howl

Jack never wanted to stop at anything other than "true love".

When you two started dating, he saw no other way than planning his future with you... But this RSA guy was never included in your plans.

"He's joining us," you told your new friend, pointing at Jack. He had his arms crossed and he was at least a head taller than the boy, so the boy had to raise his chin to see Jack's ears. “He offered to help us with cleaning.”

"Ah, yes," [Boy's Name] cleared his throat, trying to remain indifferent. He felt overwhelmed by Jack's presence and Jack made no effort to make it easier for him. Because what was he supposed to do? Squat down so that he doesn't feel trapped like surrounded by tall rocks? "We'll definitely need someone strong."

Everything went very agile and neat.

Even if you and the RSA student previously thought it would take a long, long time, in half an hour you managed to do more than you were allotted to. Maybe it's because your loved one didn't allow too long conversations between you and [Boy's Name]?

It would certainly have been hours if the two of you were left for each other. Ideally, a lot of time to make another appointment, exchange phone numbers, cancel your joint vacation plans with Jack and change your school, right?

“Thank you for your hard work” you put the broom in the storage box. Cleaning with magic was definitely simpler and easier, but as long as you can clean, magic can feel a little sloppy while comparing the cleanliness of rooms.

"Thank you for your hard work," [Boy's Name] replied, dusting his hands of the fluff. "Maybe... you'd like to go together, just the two of us," he stressed the last words, "to the cafe?”

"I'm sorry," you smiled apologetically. You looked at Jack who was just coming back and started walking towards him with a smile on your face. “You may not see it, but this one needs a daily dose of hugs because later he will be very sad.”

Jack silently denied as he turned his head to the side out of intimidation as you hugged him tightly.

… For moments like this, the existence of people like [Boy's Name] is needed.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

Sebek Zigvolt

“We need your assistance, [Name]” just after taking the left corridor, Sebek appeared in front of you and a student from RSA. The green-haired man had a stoic expression and his hands were behind his back, what made him seem much more composed than he thought himself. There was so much going on in his head that it would be easier to talk about what he wasn't thinking about. “It's urgent.”

Without further ado, he grabbed your wrist, knocking the RSA student's hand off your shoulder. He gave him a frightening look before he turned on his heels and you and you walked far, far away from this place.

"Hey, Sebek," you broke the silence that had been with you since you stepped out into the uncrowded corridor. “Something happened?”

“What do you mean?” He replied in a gruff voice and picked up the pace.

"For example," you panted, trying to keep up with him, "you're almost crushing my hand."

As if on cue, Sebek immediately let you go, doing it as quickly as if he had touched hot coal. With a surprised look, he glanced at your wrist, which turned slightly red from his tight grip.

"Ah, uh, forgive me," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "I still feel sick to see that human from the Royal Sword Academy."

“You mean [Boy’s Name]?” you asked, and Sebek made a face at his name. For him, this boy will always be "human" in the worst tone and sense of the word. "Some have described him as ‘so sweet that he is so bland’”

“It suits him.”

“You don't like him too? Too cute by Diasomnia standards?” you guessed jokingly. “Or were you jealous, hehe?”

“T-that's not the point!” He growled, feeling his face flush red. You looked at him in shock, now sure, you guessed it, and Sebek felt even more exposed by it. "It's just that this human looked at you so... so strange! I didn’t not like this.”

"There is a way," you said, smiling frivolously at him. “You can invite me to tea and vice versa, and then we will not see him anymore.”

Unique Kisses: Pomefiore!

Heartslabyul || Savanaclaw || Octavinelle || Scarabia || Pomefiore || Ignihyde || Diasomnia || Rollo, Che'nya, Neige || Honest Fellow

Vil S. (grab-you-kisses)

Ha, you thought you'll be clever.

As soon as you see Vil walking down the corridor towards you, you know you will have to go with your brilliant idea. You are hoping to knock him off balance and lose composture. Why? Well, you don't know it yourself, but the urge seems harmless enough for Vil to quickly forgive you.

Your pace quickens until you almost bump into him. You clasp your hands around his neck, your fingers lay at the back of his head and gently pull him into a half-embrace, forcing him to lean over.

He hasn't had an opportunity to say anything yet.

You were careful not to mess up his hair or make-up—he wouldn't let you off soon. Your every move is vigilant and calculated, and before you get to the kiss itself, you are wary of anything Vil might use to argue with you about later. You don't change the arrangement of any strand of his hair.

You kiss his lips quickly, just as Vil used to teach you, telling you to correct "sloppy" kisses and return them correctly. You tried to remember each detail as if your life depended on it. Your heart was pounding hard.

Being a diligent student paid off—Vil before you is surprised enough to stop midstep, with a distracted look on his face. If he had a mirror in front of him, he would change his expression hastily. He looked... exposed.

The shyness you dealt with after such a bold move is overcome with the joy that fills your face with blushes as you step away from Vil. You like the expression he's wearing. Throwing him off balance was a great success.

You lick your lips, feeling that a thin layer of his lip gloss remains on your lips.

With a chuckle, you walk past him, only to be caught by the collar of your uniform.

“Do you think you can do whatever you want and then just run away?” he asks, pulling you towards him. Vil has some strength in his grip. When you try to resist his movement, he doesn't even falter. His fingers ghost over your cheekbones until they are under your lips. “Unfortunately, that's not how the world works.”

After that, he leaves, and you know you will have to work for a while to restore kissing privileges.

Rook H. (kissing the hair)

You will have open those books eventually. The exam will be tomorrow, and you've been planning to review the material.

...In your defence, it is too hot.

The roofed gazebo you are sitting under isn't enough to protect you from the steamy air. It is hard to pull your sweaty cheek away from the cold-stone tabletop on which you almost lay down.

You have no idea how Rook can look so carefree, sitting next to you and leafing through an alchemy textbook. His other hand unwittingly plays with your hair, although you feel he was paying attention to that as well.

“How about we tell Vil that the textbook burned down and we couldn't study?” You ask, and his eyes flick your way. You fight the smile that tries to emerge. - “I'm serious. I'll take the blame.”

Rook laughs breathly at your suggestion. There is delight beaming on his face and it is one of the reasons you like being with him so much. And he liked you enough to agree without a moment of hesitation when you first confessed your feelings to him.

His hand is still playing with your hair, but now he is trying to draw your attention to himself. He brings the strands to his lips, on which he places several fleeting kisses. He plants the last one near your ear. He comments something about perfume and shampoo, but you are too focused on his hand, which begins to wander from your hair to your shoulder.

You move further from him.

“Don't come any closer,” you wave a hand at him to lightly knock off his hand. In response, you receive a smile with a shade of mischief. "I'm sure you're too hot to touch and in a very un-romantic way. It's too hot.”

"That's very, very bad," he says, moving closer to you. As if out of spite, he embraces you completely and gives you a warm hug full of love. You sighed in resignation. “Because I cannot resist you.”

Epel F. (dominance kisses)

“Did you get them from someone? Huuuh.”

Epel's gaze sweeps over a big bouquet of roses you were going to hide from him. Your plan had to be quickly changed because he was there before you. And because he came to greet you as soon as he heard the door creak open, you didn't even have time to tear up the heart-shaped note with your name on it.

The roses are in full bloom. The red petals have a scarlet, rich colour and are arranged in a way they seem like little suns. There are maybe twenty of them: all evenly cut and tied with a dark ribbon with a note attached.

You both suspect they were from Heartslabyul students. Was it a sincere gift or just a prank to annoy Epel? There was no answer on the attached card, but Epel could name several people inclined to take the second option in that dorm.

“Yes, but-” You started talking, still somewhat covering them up from Epel's view. You feel guilty. “I'll leave them in the living room as a general decoration. O-oh, or maybe in Pomefiore roses would be more useful?”

“What? You don't have to give them to anyone. They were for you.”

You turn the bouquet uncertainly in your hands, and Epel wordlessly takes it from you. He finds a low vase somewhere and fills it with cold water. Then, he puts flowers there. He has to be careful not to drop the vase because of the wet hands he doused as he filled the jug.

The roses match the Ramshackle salon. They are too sumptuous and contrast too much with other colours in the room.

The fact that this gift doesn't fit here lifts your spirit.

"I'm not worried about anything like that. Don't look so stressed," Epel says, wiping his hands on his pants (Vil isn't here, so who's to stop him?). “You worry too much.”

…That's a relief.

You hug him, and he leans over with you and falls on the couch. You lay still, but only for a moment because soon Epel lifts himself to be over you. His hands are on either side of your head. He lowers himself on his forearms—the push-up training finally has some practical use—to get close to you and kiss you.

A violent, slightly inattentive Epel tries to take all your focus, wrap it in a ball and put it between his lips, which seem to soften with each subsequent touch. And despite the flushed face (whose redness he doesn't want to blame on either embarrassment or effort), he watches you carefully: whether this countenance is different from the previous one, whether are you already getting used to his kisses, what to do to make forget everything else.

You feel a quiet gasp at the corner of your mouth as Epel rises and then, with a soft rustle of clothes against the fabric of the sofa, lays down beside you. You have to squeeze together so none of you will fall off it.

“...Besides, it's nothing compared to the flowers in my town. Do you know how beautiful apple trees can be?” Epel says after a moment, looking at the bouquet on the table. You aren't sure why, but the flower petals seem less colourful than before. Epel's eyes brighten. “When it's time, I'll collect them for decoration... or a crown? Maybe you can weave them into other plants... I'll make you a crown of flowers... and you'll remember it even more than ordinary roses.”

If that's okay could i request it for Epel?

How to win the heart of Epel Felmier?

a/n: Thank you for requesting~~ Dear Readers, while I am not a native English speaker, I wrote this ff in the English-pronounciation (?) mindset that “Epel” and “Apple” sound very similar. If it’s not all that similar, may Reader be too obsessed with apples to have that selective hearing when it comes to Epel’s name or let’s blame it on the Harveston’s dialect, haha

Be a zealous apple lover.

You envy this boy’s name.

“Apple”? What a majestic word to be named after. The first time you’ve heard a woman calling someone like that, you remember stilling in place and whooping your head at a ten-year-old boy who yelled that he was coming.

And he… doesn’t look like an apple. Maybe you weren’t expecting a walking apple, nor a boy with red hair dressed in all browns, carrying a big basket of apples (and of course, eating one in the other hand) like a character created for a show whose audience is a tad younger than you, but none of the apples you know turn purple.

Never have you imagined someone with such a beautiful name would move so wobbly in snow, the sledge he dragged behind definitely too heavy.

The realization of how unfitting this name was makes you lose a grip on the basket of fabric you got from one of your new neighbours. Well, everyone here is “new” if you just came into this little village just three days ago.

That boy notices you. He must have heard the news because a flash of recognition paints itself on his face. You didn’t return a shy smile at the staring, even if you wanted to. You remember your cheeks prickling from the freezing wind when you bolted home as the apple boy looked like he wanted to say something.

“He doesn’t look like an apple,” you argue with your mother that night, as she kisses your temple goodnight.

“Maybe not. But I would have loved you two to be friends…” Your mother stops in her words as you roll your eyes at her and pout with all your might. She suppresses a laugh that you would take to your heart. “…But, maybe I should be glad he doesn’t resemble an apple at all? You would have fallen head over heels in love with him if he did.”

Yeah, your mother doesn’t need to look so happy as you grew agitated.

“I wouldn’t!” You protest loudly and bury yourself deeper into bed sheets even if your face grows hotter. Maybe of the embarrassment, maybe of the fury, but surely not because of the boy. “I would never fall in love with a boy like him. And I don’t want you to talk about this to anyone!”

You remember your mother’s eyes twinkling with utter amusement. “Yes, yes, all right.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

2. Challenge Apple to a sled race.

Maybe it’s the fault of far too many action films being aired on TV, yet the idea of being able to win anything a fight was stuck in your head.

Some limited part of your brain thought that, hm, Apple might just give up his name to you if you won in this town’s most famous activity: the Harveston’s Sled Race. It seemed only appropriate for you to pick something the boy must know, even if you had only got your first sledge barely two weeks ago.

“Ya… want my name?” Apple blinks as you grow irate when you repeat your offer once again. You remember rolling your eyes ostentatiously at him, and Apple huffing loudly at you. “What does it even mean, duh?”

He crosses his arms and glared at you. He has the advantage of being just a little bit taller than you, but thankfully, his The-Great-Seven-Better-Bless-Her grandmother never ceases to dress him in fluffy, puffy clothes, always in pastel colours; the cute pompom on top of his beanie and shawl in the adorable pink shade made him much less imposing.

“Whoever wins in this sledge race will be called Apple,” you repeat. Apple squints his eyes at you. “I like this name so much, you have no idea. Please give it up to me.”

“Oh.”

You have no idea why his face slowly turned red. If you knew better, you would have used this opportunity to tease him, but little you didn’t want to mock a newly met boy, even if you just threw down a gauntlet for his name.

“It’s a normal name….” He mutters, and before you can protest, he draws his eyes to you, somehow redeeming you speechless. “…But I’ll challenge you if that’s what you wanna do.”

Huh. You weren’t expecting him to agree so easily.

…Nor were you expecting him to glide on the snow with his sledge. He looked frail enough to not care about things like rides and thought that it would give you the advantage. It did not. Apple flew or used magic, or illusions because he rode so fast the snow beneath him barely left a trace.

That was some cool skill, even if you hated how awed you were.

It seems like you challenged the wrong boy because this one wins with ease.

“Sorry,” he says with flushed cheeks, and his deep breaths create little warm clouds in freezing air. He lays on the snow, and his fringe sticks to his forehead. He has won, and it was a tough victory yet a well-earned one. “I will still be the only Epel in this town.” He shifts his gaze on you. “So. What’s your name?”

Well, he is a (treacherous) winner. You give your name to him.

He smiles slightly, he repeats it slowly and goes quiet. You look over to see him open his eyes from reverie and bright lights dance in his eyes.

“It’s nice. I think it suits you well.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

3. Have some baking skills.

“Epel, dear. We’ll be having our little neighbour helping us this year’s festival, so please show how responsible can you be and teach [Name] how to prepare apples for the pies.”

Ugh. If only Grandma Marja wasn’t so kind, you would have been protesting more.

Apple looks at you and you frown slightly as he sighs at your sight.

“You again?”

And because Grandma Marja already left, you feel free to announce your displeasure with the situation as well. Sadly, there are no other kids your age in this village, so you are probably bound to accompany him for the rest of your whole life here as he’s your only peer.

“Unfortunately.”

Apple hands you an apron, before ordering you to wash your hands. Because the kitchen island is too occupied with other dishes and too high for any of you without a stool, you take a seat next to a coffee table that was impractically set between the salon and kitchen, leaving just enough space to create a narrow route from one room to another.

“Have you ever baked an apple pie before?” He asks and you shake your head. His brows furrow slightly as he thinks whether you will be a help here at all. “So, it will be a long day…”

He better not write you off before you can even start.

You cross your arms. “Test me first, complain later... if ever.”

“I’m not complaining. But we have a knife and a peeler. Oh, and it hurts if you get cut. You should take it slowly and be careful,” he adds and hops to the other room to grab a basket full of apples. He lays it between you two.

Apple doesn’t let you use a knife.

“I am older than you,” he says and takes an apple from you to cut it into even pieces. You don’t notice the skill he has to make careful cuts precise and clean, as you glare at him.

“Barely.”

The few-month gap in your age isn’t enough to stop you from insisting that you can do more complicated things than just peeling apples. That’s some arduous work, especially when the peeler doesn’t cooperate and the thin fruit’s skin gets stuck between the blades.

So, Apple, who couldn’t contain that last annoyed sigh, finally lends you a knife. He instructs you, but after several times that you tell him you know what are you doing, he hesitantly goes back to his work. You could feel a worried gaze at you nonetheless, and at one time you looked over your shoulder to see him staring at you.

And that’s when the knife slips from your hands.

You don’t scream, but a gasp and a sudden flinch gives you away.

“Aaaand that’s what I was saying,” he immediately drops the apple he was taking care of, and stands next to you, scrutinizing the cut. It’s not bigger than a paper cut, yet it’s a bit deeper and stings as much. You quickly hide your hands from him. “Go take your hand under the cold water. I will get some bandages.”

He gets some. He then orders you—” I am the older one here and I was right before, so I am in charge between us two,” as you were told—to sit on the sofa as he carefully wraps one bandage around your finger. The gesture it’s almost cute from him, but it doesn’t lift your foul mood at all.

“I made more trouble than I’ve helped,” you say quietly. Epel looks at you, a bit surprised.

“You sayin’ that this little cut is making you quit?” And now he has that stupid smile on his lips that makes your blood not boil, but warm up at least five degrees. “Awh, poor thing.”

You get up in a hurry.

“…I didn’t say that.”

“Then don’t give up like that,” he chastises you, but he can’t hide a (still very stupid) smile when you pass him to get to the kitchen counter. “But be more careful from now. No one wants to eat a bloody apple pie.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

4. Get into NRC and survive a shock.

Over the years, you’ve become friends, close enough to plan to go to college together, if the opportunity arises. It did.

“Cheers!”

The perfect way to celebrate getting into NRC is with a soft drink, sparkling soda and a big plate of snacks. Although you bought chips for the occasion, your and Apple’s parents prepared a pile of homemade goodies and they couldn’t compare to those store-bought.

Your can clinks against Apple’s and you take a sip.

“It’s not like I ever thought of Night Raven Collage rejecting the best candidates ever,” Apple says with a sigh. Only today you can notice how stiff he was before; although he’d been playing it cool, he was tense all the time. “But that’s one burden off your chest.”

You nod in agreement and look at the acceptance papers once again. When a time will come, carriages with Gates will come for you two… And that’s a thrilling thought.

“This document looks so official,” you say. “What a pretty paper. It looks so elegant.”

Apple empties his can and briefly glances at you.

“Nothin’ special about it…”

And because you want to see the comparison (maybe there are hidden hints where you might be allocated to by the Dark Mirror?), you take his document. The first thing that crosses your mind, is that there is something wrong with his name.

“Wait,” you shriek loudly, and Apple shudders from surprise. He would chastise you for screaming so loud if you didn’t look so worried. “They spelled your name wrong!”

“Huh?” Apple feels a pang of horror, the same you feel when you tap your pockets in search of your phone. As if he found it, once he reads the top of the document again, he relaxes. His lips form into a thin line: he thinks you are pranking him. “No way. Everything is correct.”

“No, look here. Your name, Apple!”

“It’s… Correct.”

“E- P- E- L. And your name is A- P- P- L- E, no?”

“…What?” Epel, not Apple, looks surprised but not as surprised as you. “You thought my name was ‘Apple’ for all those years?!”

You bite your lip to not question it. Is it not? Your cheeks burn from embarrassment, and your heart feels heavy as if you have just betrayed your best friend. It never crossed your mind to have him write down his name, and there wasn’t a reason for him to do so: in this small town there is no school, neither are there the tests you need to sign.

“…I’m sorry.” You stutter, and Epel brushes the crumbs off from his blouse and gets up.

“Goodbye,” he says, making his way towards the door. He doesn’t seem that upset over the whole thing, as much as confused. Tomorrow everything will return to normality, but Epel will have a top-tier teasing material for years. “That’s too many revelations for today.”

“Wait, Epel!”

“Go to ya Apple boy.”

“No!! I said I’m sorry!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎

5. Get sorted into any dorm but Pomefiore.

“Stop laughing.”

“I can’t…! Ha…”

You take a big breath to calm yourself down, but once you look up at Epel and his grimace, it’s impossible to not burst out laughing so loud and so breath-taking you drop to the floor. Epel nudges you. You might be in his room, yet he knows if he’ll be too loud, someone will come to shush you two.

And maybe they will punish him, but Epel isn’t familiar with Pomefiore’s customs, so he doesn’t know what to expect.

“How come you got sorted into another dorm, while we are practically the same?” Epel mumbles, lying down on his bed. The sheets are heavy yet comfortable, luxurious like the whole room. It feels like a museum here, where each item is more valuable than your life and you need permission to rearrange the interior.

To Epel, Pomefiore is the worst dorm. He remembers you teasing him about getting sorted to Pomefiore, but neither of you thought it would come true. It’s too stiff, too restrictive and cares too much about appearances. Epel’s heart feels heavy at the thought of the next four years here.

“Maybe Dark Mirror doesn’t sort the dorm judging by the alikeness of two last brain cells but the shape and colour of the soul,” you nudge him back, waking him up from his reverie.

“Or maybe it didn’t get any input of brain cells from you.”

“Well, your desire to be the prettiest boy in the town got to it, so I think it functions well.”

You chuckle at the dead glare he throws you.

Epel finally sighs.

“…I would like to change the dorms.”

“I don't know whether the Dark Mirror accepts complaints,” you tease him. The gloom is abruptly replaced by irritation, and that’s nice. An angry Epel is better than a devastated Epel. “But if you ever want to escape for a while, you are welcome in my room. We can have a sleepover whenever you want.”

“…Thank you.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

5.5. Sorted into Pomefiore exception.

“You ain’t elegant at all, though.”

“It seems like my elegance bleaks in comparison to yours, pretty boy.”

“You are blind.”

Epel tries to push you away, but you sidestep while giggling. He glares at you, and thankfully, his eyes don’t seem that sad. When he returned to his seat after getting sorted to Pomefiore, he looked bewildered, as if he suddenly wasn’t in the NRC he dreamed of but some other, less-dreamlike school.

You remember him blinking back tears, but maybe not from sadness—thankfully, Epel doesn’t pity himself—but melancholy, as if he just lost something he didn’t even have. Maybe also fury and confusion.

“It will be fun to stay here together,” you prompt, and Epel sighs but a trace of a smile appears on his lips. Thank Great Sevens for the little lights that brighten the azure tones in his eyes.

“Guess I’m stuck being your neighbour forever.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

“No?”

“Of course not. You already know how great friend I can be.”

“…I guess you’re right,” he sticks out his tongue. Vil will have a lot of work if he wants to make him a fine gentleman. Well. You will take any version of Epel, even the pettiest and most teasing one, so it’s Vil’s burden to bear. “Kind of.”

You pout at him, but a quiet smile breaks your coolness. “So petty.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

6. Listen to your manly man complain about Vil.

After several weeks in NRC, you could tell Epel still hasn’t gotten used to Pomefiore, and especially its leader.

“I can’t handle him pointing out each… well, everything!” He hides his face in his hands and sluggishly rubs his eyes; he looks tired enough even if Pomefiore must have those eight hours of sleep every night mandatory. “He would find wrongdoings in the way I breathe.”

“I would too. You don’t breathe as much through your nose as you think you do. That’s so very unhealthy, Epel. Your skin will be ruined in the next week of running.”

Epel throws you a warning look as if you had hit the nail with your talk. “Stop or I will strangle you with a pillow in your sleep. I already have Ace on my list.”

You chuckle at a threat, and Epel rolls his eyes. “How dramatic.”

“I have enough drama in my life,” he continues, and you can feel from his tone that he either suppresses the sigh. No apathy or fury anymore, though. Pomefiore must be slowly growing on him, and you take it as a good sign. “My two upperclassmen are going to be a death of me. I don’t know how could I end up in Pomefiore. This kind of lifestyle doesn’t suit me.”

“You complain about them a lot, but, in reality, you look up to him, no?” You tease. “Even you can say the beauty he possesses is influential and somewhat powerful.”

“He might look majestically but it doesn’t make him any less annoying. Now, let’s stop talking about him.”

“Why not? I might become Vil Schoenheit’s fan.”

He clasps his hands on your mouth, so you have to fully focus on his glaring.

“You can’t. You are my fan.”

You pout but after he takes his hands off you, a lopsided smile cracks your lips. “I guess you’re right.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

7. Argue, duh.

That’s a hobby of you two, although a risky one. It always leaves a weight on your heart, because you cannot not care for Epel. While jokes and sarcasm are never intended to hurt any of you, and you can almost always distance yourself from teasing comments, his every word is precious to you.

“Don’t be a killjoy,” would make you roll your eyes if Epel didn’t look so serious. Your smile falters, and something in your stomach twists. You know this conversation was going to end in an argument even before he glowered at you.

“Hey, don’t say it like that,” you stutter the words, placing a hand on his arm. It would come as a reassuring gesture, yet Epel made an effort to move a seat away, and your arm fell aimlessly, sadly. “I am just worried about our grades. That have. Uh. Dropped marginally.”

You stare at your shoes because listening to your best friend being displeased with you so greatly is heartbreaking.

“We have the whole weekend ahead of us to study,” he argued. “Be serious. You don’t want me to go, because you weren’t invited, isn’t that so?”

You sigh. You’ve never expected to be invited to each of their meetings: they are Epel’s friends, and you have yours.

While you knew Ace and Deuce were delightful company, you always thought Epel would choose you over them, even if you suggested something as unentertaining as studying because you would do the same.

You were wrong, after all. Maybe that’s the difference of willpower between a just-a-friends mindset and having a crush on him. Do you really have a crush on him, though? Or maybe you’ve expected too much from a childhood friendship.

“Well, no. I mean, I would love to be invited, but—”

“We don’t need to hang out together every time we have a spare afternoon,” he said, and while it was a true statement, it hurt. If you weren’t able to somehow steel your nerves, you would know you wouldn’t be able to bear the prickling in your eyes. Epel’s next suggestion comes as a whisper. “Sometimes… We should take a break from each other, ya know? And I need to figure, uh, something out.”

The news shocks you so much, that you don’t notice how he visibly abstains from lifting a hand to his chest.

Well. You always knew you were a hopeless romantic.

“Breaks from each other, huh…”

You take in the phrase in silence. Epel takes this chance as an opportunity to gather his things and pack them.

“…I’ll be leaving. Good luck studying or whatever.”

“…Alright. Have—” fun, you wanted to say, but the door shut and Epel left you alone.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

8. Go through the silent treatment phase.

After a week of awkward conversations, Epel has forgotten about that talk. The pain in your chest dulled and you were growing indifferent as if you were watching a show—your life—that started to bore you, not engaging you at all.

You stared blankly at the screen of your phone.

— today —

Epel: Hey

Epel: are u free todya?? you’ve been so absent last weeks >:((

Epel: Grim and prefect invited us for gaming night

Epel: dont ya DARE do skip it again

— seen: now —

…Yeah. You feel nothing, maybe only a little sad at the memory when you felt so vivid and happy when you got a message from Epel.

“No, sorry, I am busy with studying lol,” you type, and while you know that excuse will wear out in the next few days, for as much as you’ve been using it for the last week to avoid hanging out with Epel, your (ex-?) best friend starts to type something. He will protest and argue and try to convince you, but you don’t want to talk today. “Maybe next time.”

So you turn off your phone, sinking deeper into the pillows on your bed.

You don’t have the energy to confront Epel right now.

And that’s it.

…

You fell into a slumber deep enough to not hear the hesitant-turned-frantic knocking to your room.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

9. Let Epel hear the advice of unreliable gurus of love.

They are really unreliable, look messy, and they judge you. The worst kind of people to go for (love?) advice, but Epel assures himself that he needs honesty, not a pat on his back or a shoulder to cry on. He also is out of other options.

Moreover, he would like to cry nowhere near Ace, who would obviously mock him. Even now it’s hard to have a heart-to-heart conversation when he and Deuce chomp on some type of dessert and some awfully happy music from videogame plays in the back of the room. “So? What did you do?”

“Ace,” Deuce is kind enough to elbow Ace in the stomach when Epel’s stoic expression falters.

His shoulders drop. “No, he… He is kinda right.”

Ace throws a winning smile but moves too far away from Deuce to have him punch him for the cheekiness. “’ Kinda’?”

“…Totally right,” Epel finally admits. “[Name] has been avoiding me and I have no idea what should I do,” He throws his arms on the table, and almost hides his face in the palms of his hands. Instead, he moves away the strands of his unruly hair. “Ugh. Why I am even asking you guys to help me? You’re even worse at this kind of thing.”

“Speak for yourself. And Deuce,” Ace cuts him off. And before Deuce can do anything else than glare at him, Ace shifts closer to Epel and throws an arm over his shoulder so he has to hunch. “Epel, question: what is “this kind of thing”. You mean… as in friendships or dating?”

Deuce looks shocked, even so more than Epel. “Dating?!”

“Why are you even so shocked?” Ace asks him, furrowing his eyebrows. When Deuce starts to ponder over his words, he rolls his eyes. “[Name] probably have had a crush on this imbecile”— he points his fork at Epel—” for damn years now, if I had to guess”.

“Years?!”

“Thank you for the dramatic echo effect again, Deuce,” Ace snarls and finally focuses on Epel. Too distracted with a bickering between his friends, his spirits lift up a little. “And you, Epel. Pull yourself together. Do you want to sever the relationship? Do nothing. Do you want to be friends? Apologize to [Name] and try to patch the bond. Do you want to be in a relationship? …Welp, figure out that for yourself.”

…

“Amazing advice, Ace,” Deuce claps his hands theatrically.

He sticks out his tongue and winks. “You could never give a better one.”

Epel gets up from his seat.

“Thanks, you two. I… will do something.”

“Good luck,” Ace waves at him as Epel makes his way over to the door. “If it works out, you owe us a free drink. Especially me.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

10. Have Epel fight for your love!!

It’s hard to find someone when the person knows your schedule and actively tries to avoid you. Choosing more roundabout corridors and sacrificing your wallet to have most of your meals in Monstro Longue instead of the cafeteria are only some of the things you did to avoid encountering Epel.

But he didn’t give up, and maybe his tenacity is what makes you oblige Epel once he finds you.

You don’t question him when he grabs your hand and asks you to skip the last lesson with him that feels almost unimportant as his intertwined fingers warm yours. You don’t comment on how his grip is stronger than usual and how he doesn’t let it go when your hands begin to sweat.

But as you leave the main building of NRC, the curiosity gets the better of you.

“Where are we heading to?”

Epel looks over his shoulder to blink at you. “I…,” he stammers, as confused enough to leave you wondering what is your final destination. Or what was your final destination, Epel seems to have forgotten whatever plan he had in mind. “I guess it can be here.”

He ushers you into one of the side alleys, a bit distanced from the main street and sits you down on a bench. You eye him curiously as he slowly lifts his hands to your face—and that is the first time he let go of your hand—and cupped your cheeks.

“Let me be clear. I- really like you,” he said loudly, gazing into your eyes. “And I know I… overreacted earlier. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to avoid me.”

You breathe out slowly. The heat from the “I really like you” moment prickles and makes your face hotter. It doesn’t help that Epel doesn’t shift his gaze from you nor that he has his hands firmly on your cheekbones as he awaits your answer.

“I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t have been getting between you and your friends.”

Epel eyes you, bewildered. “Why are you focusing on that part?”

“Huh?”

“Ah. Maybe… I will phrase it differently,” He hesitates and his tone wavers, but he says the words without a stutter, as if he’s been practising them in front of the mirror, effectively. “I love you.”

“And I- I want to be friends even if you don’t feel the same.” He rushes with an explanation when you don’t answer as your mind goes blank. “Because. I don’t want you to… avoid me anymore. A-actually, you don’t have to rush with your answer. Just, decide, someday, in the near future, haha? I will wait.”

He glances at you and you know he won’t be able to bear long without hearing your answer. As he rushes past you, you think you heard a hushed whisper.

“Dear Sevens, I said it…!”