Kalim: Okay, Leona! You're Next!

Kalim: Okay, Leona! You're next!

Leona: *sigh* Why are we doing this again?

Vil: Stop complaining and just answer the question that he's going to ask.

Azul: That's right. The questions are slightly embarrassing to say the least and none of us has skipped any. *smiles*

Leona: ...

Riddle: Just drop the question, Kalim.

Kalim: Okay~!

Kalim: Leona, have you ever had "love at first sight"?

Leona: ...

Leona: *crosses his arms and thinks*

Leona: "Love at first sight", huh? Yes. I had one.

Kalim: Wow!

Vil: I was really expecting you would say no.

Azul: Now we expect a full story on that.

Leona: Seriously? That was a long time ago.

Kalim: But you have to tell us the story. Or else you'll get cursed.

Leona: That dumb— Fine. It happened when I was—

Idia: Wait a second. I need to record this.

Leona: I'm gonna smash that thing.

Idia: Eep! Okay! Okay! I'll just listen!

Leona: *frowns at him* *then lets out a sigh again*

Leona: I fell in love at first sight with this boy who stayed in our castle for his vacation.

Idia: Wa-wa-wait! Did we just hear it right?

Vil: Your love at first sight was a boy? Color me intrigued.

Azul: What was he like?

Idia: ROFLMAO! Just imagine Leona getting all blushy-blushy!

Leona: *annoyed* Do you want to hear the story or not?

Kalim: We want to!

Riddle: *still trying to process everything*

Leona: Well then—

Leona (7 years old): ...

MC (6 years old): *looks worriedly at him* *has accidentally bumped into him earlier*

MC: Are you alright?

Leona: ...

Leona: Are you single?

The housewardens: *wheezing*

Leona: *unamused*

Vil: Love at first sight and you embarrassed yourself.

Leona: Shut up. He thought I was asking because kids during that time were already engaged.

Kalim: So what did he say?

Leona: He said that he was.

Idia: Good for you. Good for you. So did you two become close?

Leona: He stayed in my quarters and he became my playmate. But when he left, he never came back.

The housewardens: Aww...

Leona: Don't "aww" me. It was just a puppy love.

Leona: *already back in his dorm*

Ruggie: Oh, Leona! You're just in time!

Leona: What?

Ruggie: Your boyfriend's here.

Leona: Huh?

MC: Leona?

Leona: ...

MC: *smiles* Long time no see. How have you been?

Leona: ...

Leona: *turns around and runs*

Ruggie: Leona?! Where are you going?!

Ruggie: Leona-!

Ruggie: *sigh* What's wrong with him?

MC: *who's equally puzzled as him*

first steps

Floyd: Shrimpy~!

MC: Oh shit—

Floyd: *has picked them up and hugged them before they could run* Shrimpy~! ♡

MC: Floyd...

Floyd: Shrimpy~

Azul: What's going on here— Ah. I see. *smiles*

MC: *grumpy frown*

Jade: Hello, Prefect. *chuckles*

MC: If you're going to tease me about "that", I swear to god—

Jade: Our mother is asking if you're free this Tuesday.

Jade: She also wants me to inform you that she has prepared you a room that you could use whenever you feel like bonding with Floyd.

MC: ...

Azul: Ah, to earn the respect of the Leech family just because you courageously touched Floyd's tailfin.

MC: Shut up.

Part 2 to this post (ghost bride competition)

Summary: After the two of you walk in to the semi-formal together, you and Malleus are subject to many stares. While Vil wishes to apologize to you, Malleus decides to have a talk with Leona about the prince’s feelings for you.

Malleus x GN Reader, One-sided Vil and Leona x Reader

You raise a glass to your lips, taking a sip of the suspicious concoction that was supposed to pass as ‘juice’. The semi-formal had been a bit more dull than you thought. Although he tried, Malleus was not one for large social gatherings of this nature, so he preferred to stay at your table, despite Lilia’s encouragements for him to take up a place on the dance floor.

Ace and Deuce remained elusive, running off after only a couple minutes of chatting with you at the beginning, muttering something about helping the committees set up. You wondered if they were hurt you had hidden your relationship with Malleus from them; you hadn’t ever meant to trick them, there was just never a good time. Since they ditched you, there wasn’t much to do but sit at the table, considering most of the students kept a wide breadth from you since you walked in with Malleus.

Even Leona, who would normally chat with you (or rather, tolerate your presence and let you speak to him) had kept a distance from you. You tried to wave at him across the room at one point, but he had only huffed and looked away. Vil hadn’t made such an obvious expression of his feelings toward you tonight, but he kept his smile tight and polite when he greeted you, eyeing Malleus at your side.

You started to reconsider how you had handled things. Was Malleus right? Had they really…been serious about asking you out as their date? It was hard to imagine. Sure, you and Vil had gotten closer after the VDC, but you had assumed he only thought of you as a friend. He also had no lack of options to choose from. With his beauty, fame, and charisma, you know he could have anyone he wanted. Although you were fairly confident in your own appearance, you knew that you must not compare to the other models he brushes shoulders with on a regular basis.

And Leona. The prince hadn’t ever bothered acknowledging that the two of you were friends, let alone any further interest. You knew he didn’t hate you because he wouldn’t immediately tell you to go away when you tried to talk to him, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t an uphill battle. You had been the one to put in all the effort in your friendship, not him. If he’s been interested in you, he is certainly terrible at showing it. You’d sooner believe that he did truly despise you before ever coming to the conclusion that he liked you. It hurt a little to think that perhaps he thought that lowly of you; that he would rather drive you away and forget about his little crush than ever try and let you in.

You can admit to yourself that there was a time when you first met Leona, long before you even formed any kind of friendship with Malleus, that you had a small crush on him. He was a gorgeous prince who had the skills to back up his name. Sure, his attitude was off-putting, but you still naively believed back then that if you were to get closer to him, that he might treat you differently than he did anyone else.

The time that you had longed to be with Leona had long past. You were happy with Malleus and that would not change, no matter who showed interest in you now. You loved him and he loved you; he had shown you what it was to be cared for and not to be left wanting. Still, the sting that Leona truly would not let anyone close to him remained. You had no desire to earn his love, only his friendship, but even that eluded you.

Your gaze drifts from Leona across the room to Malleus seated beside you as he places his hand on yours. “Are you doing alright, my dear?”

“Yeah. Do you think Leona’s okay?”

He smiles at you gently, but his expression is tainted with something other than happiness. “You are always so worried for others, I wonder if you take any time to care for yourself.”

You turn to face him fully, moving your face closer to his until your foreheads touch. His smile comes a bit more naturally this time. “I think you already do a great job at taking care of me. Better than I could do myself.”

You plant a light and cheeky peck on his lips, before pulling away. Before you can get too far, Malleus pulls you into a hug. His grip is tight, but not uncomfortable. He’s always gentle with you, watching his strength. You wrap your arms around his back, squeezing him tight in return. You can feel the words he can’t say in his touch.

“I love you,” he murmurs quietly into your ear.

“I love you too,” you reply.

After you pull apart, a few minutes of gentle conversation passes before Malleus is pulled into a conversation with Lilia and Silver over something Diasomnia related. You’re too restless to keep track of the conversation, so you watch the dance floor, staring at all the people chatting with their friends or dancing together. You snap out of your thoughts when a certain blond begins heading in your direction.

Vil approaches your table. Malleus’ conversation ends as he nears. “Hello, Malleus. Lilia.” He turns to you, “Prefect, may I ask you for a dance?”

You meet his purple eyes. He looks beautiful tonight, makeup striking and a dashing suit to accompany his charming looks. You make eye contact with Malleus, and he nods, letting you know that it’s your choice.

“Okay.” Your reply seems to let Vil relax a little, the tension in his shoulders releasing as you stand up.

“I’ll be back soon, Mal.” You plant a kiss on your boyfriend’s cheek, in case he has any doubts about your overwhelming love for him. The display is a bit embarrassing in front of Vil, but he isn’t your priority at the moment.

Finally, the two of you make your way to the dance floor.

-

While you’re away dancing with Vil, Malleus finds Leona, still sulking in the corner and watching the two of you.

“Still upset over the prefect, Kingscholar?”

“Fuck off, lizard. It was just a stupid competition with a dumb little herbivore.”

“Watch yourself. You are speaking to their boyfriend, after all. And I like to believe we understand each other better than that. I know you liked them.”

“So what? You here to scare me away?” Leona glares at him.

“No, I only wish to talk,” Malleus replies calmly.

“Why?”

“The two of us are more similar than we often care to admit.”

“Us both being princes doesn’t make us ‘similar,’ Draconia.”

“Deny it if you wish, but our affection for the prefect is not the only thing we share.”

Leona rolls his eyes. “Get to your point.”

“I want to make my beloved happy. For that to happen, I wish for you to be their friend.”

“Their friend?” Leona furrows his brows in confusion. “You still want me around them?…And if I say I won’t just give them up to you?”

Malleus matches his sharp gaze, unbothered. “They do not belong to anybody but themself. You’d do well to remember that, Leona. There’s no need for me to threaten you because I have full trust in them. But I know that they will miss you, if you begin to pull away. The distance you keep…I will give you a fair warning. The prefect wishes to have you as a friend, but do not test their boundaries.”

“Whatever.” Leona’s eyes fix on you and Vil, swaying together.

“It seems Schoenheit has made his choice,” Malleus remarks, eyes following the direction of Leona’s gaze. “I ask you to remain their friend, in spite of what I may desire, because my greatest wish is to see them happy. Do it for them or do it for yourself, it does not matter to me.”

Leona sighs, closing his eyes for a moment. He looks up at Malleus and finally gives a small nod. “The two of you are more trouble than you’re worth,” he says, but his words hold no bite or harsh edge to them.

The corner of Malleus’ lips twitch up in a smile.

-

“I am sorry, you know,” Vil says. His arms hang loosely around your back, as though he is afraid to touch you. The two of you sway together, but the distance between you makes the movement a bit awkward.

“I know,” you say. Your hands touch his shoulders as you dance, but it’s hard to want to get too much closer.

“I messed up.”

“I know.”

He manages to keep his face from giving away too much of what he’s thinking. You don’t want to come out and ask him; he’s the one who asked you to dance.

“I liked you- like you. Of course, I’m loathe to admit it now. I have more than enough decency to not try and get with someone taken.” He looks down at you, taking your hand off his shoulder and holding it in his own as the pace of the music begins to change. He pulls you into a sweeping dance, keeping one hand on your back. “But you had to know. I would never have intentionally tried to make light of your feelings. Never.”

“I believe you. But that doesn’t change my feelings for Malleus.”

“I know. I would never ask you to. I only asked you to dance so I could apologize, not ask for anything more than the chance to do so. Also, to warn you that being with Malleus will probably not end Rook’s pursuits. In fact, I fear he may wish to court both of you, now.”

You look over at Vil’s table and spot Rook and Epel watching the two of you. Rook gives a small wave, not shying away when he notices your gaze. You shudder. “Duly noted. I just don’t understand…why did you not saying anything before? You never even hinted that you liked me as more than a friend.”

“I thought I was being obvious. Kissing your cheek, lending you my makeup…”

“Oh. I kinda thought you did that with everyone…But still, why me? You know anyone at the school would’ve accepted an invitation to attend as your date.”

Vil sighs gently, smiling in spite of himself when he looks down at you. “I mean this in the kindest way possible, but are you truly that dull? Your boyfriend is Malleus Draconia, and yet you wonder if you are anything special. Of course you are.”

Your face heats a bit under his gaze. “Ugh, don’t say embarrassing things like that. I’m nothing compared to you guys.”

You wince when Vil flicks your forehead gently, looking up at him in annoyance. “It seems we’ll have to work on your confidence issues. You can’t rule Briar Valley alongside Malleus with that attitude.” Vil winks at you. “Now run along to your prince.” He catches your wrist as you turn to head back to your table. “And if Draconia does anything to hurt you, I best be the first to know. I may not be as strong as he is, but I won’t stand for the mistreatment of my friend.”

You smile at Vil, genuine this time. “Thanks, but you know Malleus would never.”

Vil doesn’t reply, only watching in silence as you walk back.

twst requests from tiktok (part 1)

Malleus: My love, I have brought you a companion. *has given them a bird*

MC: ...

MC: Thank you, Malleus.

Malleus: *kisses their cheek* See you later after classes.

Lilia: Malleus~! We're going to be late!

Malleus: I'm going—

MC: *has grabbed his sleeve*

Malleus: What is it, my love?

MC: ...

MC: Enjoy your day.

Malleus: *smiles* I will. Thank you.

MC: ...

MC: *when they're sure that Lilia and Malleus have already left*

MC: *talks to the bird* You don't have to accompany me. *walks to the window and opens the cage*

*the bird looks at them before flying out of the cage*

MC: ...

Silver: Oh. Has Malleus already left for class?

MC: Yes. Is there anything you need from him, Silver?

Silver: Yes— No. I mean, I actually came here to see you.

MC: ...

Silver: ...

Silver: I know it must be hard not being able to leave Diasomnia so... *walks up to them and gives them some story books*

MC: ...

MC: What are these for?

Silver: ...

Silver: Even a little, I want you know what the outside world feels like. It's imbued with magic, so you will be able to smell the flowers or hear the chirping of birds or the voices of the characters in those books.

MC: ...

MC: These are great, Silver. I'll be sure to read them.

Silver: That's all I wanted to say. I'll be going to my classes now.

Silver: I hope you have a great day. *then leaves the room*

MC: ...

Sebek: Look, Waka-sama! I've got them some flowers!

Lilia: *chuckles* Sebek! Malleus should be the one getting them some flowers! You're going to make the husband jealous!

Sebek: N-No! That's not my intention! Waka-sama! Please believe me!

Malleus: *smiles* Don't worry, Sebek. You're free to give them presents.

Lilia: Silver? Have you already given them the story books you borrowed from the library?

Silver: Yes, father.

Malleus: ...

Malleus: I didn't notice you giving them anything, Silver.

Silver: Because you had already left when I went to your room.

Malleus: I see. *smiles*

Silver: ...

MC: *doesn't feel anything after reading almost all of the story books, until they opened the last one*

"Once upon a time, in realms of old,

A cherished soul, my kin, I hold,

Their spirit danced, a joyful sight,

A radiant smile, a beacon of light.

Once upon a time, they graced my side,

But now, alas, they seem to hide,

Oh, where have they flown, I ponder and weep,

In the shadows they vanish, secrets they keep.

Will they return, like a fairy's vow?

To my heart's hearth, I humbly bow,

Their chamber awaits, a sacred space,

Preserved with love, their cherished place."

MC: ...

MC: *tears started to fall onto the page*

MC: Why does this seem familiar to me... *not realizing that they're crying*

MC: *then flips over the page to see the illustration it has*

*It's their room.*

Malleus: ...

Malleus: You want me to design this room like the one in this illustration?

MC: Yes. If it's fine with you.

Malleus: *his expression changed but only for a split second* *smiles* For what reason?

MC: ...

MC: I love how it looks...

Malleus: *sighs in relief* I see. I'll make this room similar to this then. *touches their cheek gently*

MC: Thank you, Malleus.

Malleus: Is there anything else?

MC: No. That's all.

Malleus: *holding the book*

Malleus: *burns it*

Malleus: Nothing should be left. *glances at the sleeping MC*

Malleus: *smiles*

Malleus: That is the last one. And there won't be another.

Silver: ...

Silver: *smiles after remembering what MC has said to him*

MC: Thank you, Silver. I have enjoyed my day because of the books you gave me.

MC: I'm looking forward for the next.

Silver: Instead of books, would it be alright to bring you some forest animals?

Silver: I'm sure you will enjoy them more.

MC: ...

MC: *smiles* Yes. Please do.