You Talked About Rook Talking And I Just Remembered How Much I Want The Light Trio To Have More Interactions

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

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

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

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

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

now, let's get this started, yes?

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

AZUL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JADE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

still, Jade is slaying

FLOYD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

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

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

Hey hey its the jade crush non ;0!,(u honestly can just call me ramble if you want cause of how much I do it ahdhf),and Im very happy my lil ideas gave you inspiration that means a lot !!🥹,cant wait to read what you’ve come up with!!

WELCOME BACK RAMBLE ANON!!!

I'm having so much fun writing the Jade oneshot! it's helping me a lot actually because I've got some wips to finish but I couldn't find the motivation to write and now it's flowing so easily !!! I hope you'll like my silly Jade romcom fic, it's SO self indulgent I'm having a blast !!!

Can I just say I love the fact Epel is supposed to be the poisoned apple? Like most characters are based on the villains or the henchmen or at least a person you could say. And then there is Epel who is supposed to be the an apple. Poisonous but still just an apple (this does not make me love him any less just think it's funny)

Also his UM fits perfectly and I love it so much

there's one time at the end of chapter 5 when Vil outright call him a poisoned apple that was so funny

LIKE. IT'D BE SO FUNNY IF ONLY EPEL WASN'T TWISTED FROM A CHARACTER BUT FROM A LITERAL PLOT PROP LMAO

and the fact you pronounce his name like apple and he comes from an apple farm and likes to crave apples 😭😭 disney clowned on him so hard

oooh I haven't seen chapter 6 yet, I can't wait to see him putting it in action! now only Ace and presumably Sebek don't have their UM's yet, excited to see what they'll be!

oh!,(same anon as before) when I meant lightning I was talking about how hes based off of maleficent lightning!,but maleficent does have soldiers/servants that do respect her so your right about that 😂,if anything cant thing of any other character that fits him who knows maybe diasmonia chapter may change that whvc

WAIT FR it does make sense... if Epel can be based of a literal apple, I guess Sebek can be based of literal lightning too

the servants don't really appear much but they are so incompetent 😭 I'm not doing Sebek wrong like that, he's much more competent (and loud)

Diasomnia chapter pspsps please come home I want more Silver content pleaaaaseeeeee

lil silly comic abt the time yuu and grim have to stay at pome while ramshackle is being renovated ww they gave them a lil makeover

I’m sick but I always have time to draw Riddle 😭😭😭💖💞💕💞

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

With care,

Bee ♡

[Valentine's first spring - Riddle Rosehearts]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Prefect. Have you forgotten something here?"

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

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

"Oh? What for?"

"I want to help."

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

"Excuse me?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"There's just one more thing."

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

"We don't have any oyster sauce."

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

"Why would we need any?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"These are for you."

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

"Thank you. They are lovely."

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

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

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

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

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

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

It feels so much like a confession.

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

"You're beautiful too."

It feels like a promise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Masterlist

CHERRY 😭😭😭 DON'T BULLY ME

(sorry the poor made edit) I just realized something...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hiya! Could I request these:

6 "I want you to be a part of my future."

7 "Here. You look hungry."

12 "I have an extra ticket... Would you like to go with me?"

47 "I would do anything for you."

55 "I missed you... a lot."

For Jamil?

I wanna see myself malfunctioning

Jamil Viper x reader

summary: Jamil finds that you gently loosen the chains that bind him down

w.c: 1.2k

Author’s note: Hi anon! Thank you so much for this request! Jamil is another one of my favourite characters so writing this and exploring his character was a treat!! I hope the way i’ve written him meets your expectations.

set after chapter 4 contains some vague spoilers but nothing too explicit

Here. You look hungry.

He talks to you as though this is something nonchalant, he isn’t looking at you, one arm raised holding said food whilst the other tends to the food still cooking in the pan. You frown slightly. “Kalim isn’t here you know.” You watch him become still, his arm stops mid stir and his eyes become wide for a slight moment before he turns to you. Expressionless, there’s no anger but you see the slight coldness in his eyes.

“I know that.” You shrug.

“Do you though?” He doesn’t speak, instead turning his head towards the pan and turning off the flames that heat it.

“I’m sorry if i overstepped.” His movements and words are quick, his back is already turning away from you. You grab his hand and quickly hold onto it.

“You haven’t I just—“ the words bubble in your throat. Jamil stops, he lets himself hear you. Your arms envelop him. “You’re not the Al-Asim's servant, you’re Jamil Viper—“ your arms tighten around him. “And you’re my boyfriend. You don’t have to pretend around me, I want to share your burden Jamil.”

He sighs, turning himself towards you and wrapping his own arms around. “Seriously, why’d I allow myself to fall in love with someone as headstrong as you.” You kiss his cheek.

“Because you deserve it.”

I have an extra ticket… Would you like to go with me?

There’s no evident flush when Jamil presents the ticket to you but still you can tell he’s nervous about giving you this — can see the tenseness of his shoulders. You peer at the ticket, you can make out the words but the pronunciation is beyond you. Jamil patiently waits for you to finish until you turn to him with a pleading look on your face. “Help me please.” He chuckles, you listen to the way he says it, the way syllables roll off his tongue.

“It’s my hometown.” He finishes off, you turn to him with surprise in your eyes. You shift closer to him, shoulders bumping against each other, he doesn’t retreat from the contact.

“Do I get to meet your family?” You question and he shrugs.

“My family most likely will be busy with their jobs and whatnot but I have a younger sister—“ Jamil cannot stop the small smile that spreads on his face when he sees you really light up at the mere mention of his sister — “She would like to meet you, I’ve mentioned you to her before.”

“You’ve mentioned me to your sister?” He nods.

You cannot stop the happiness that blooms within you.

I missed you a lot.

The water tickles at your feet gently as Jamil whispers the words into the night sky, almost as if he didn’t want anyone else to hear the words, almost as if the words he’s speaking to you are the greatest taboo to ever live. Well maybe to Jamil, you on the other hand?

You take his hand in yours as Jamil and you watch the scattered fireflies buzz throughout the sky, you’re both not looking at each but that’s fine you think, it’s fine to be content just like this.

“I’ve missed you too.” Jamil squeezes your hand, your finger traces the beating pulse in his wrist.

“It’s funny,” he pauses the word hanging in the air, he’s still staring ahead. “I genuinely thought for all my life I’d be stuck in a never ending cycle, always pretending.” The words hang heavy around your neck as though it’s a noose cutting off your oxygen supply. You don’t know the words that will help remedy his wounds, don’t know the course of action that will help stitch his heart back together. Jamil finally turns towards you, the moonlight’s shine radiating across his face, he’s so beautiful that it almost hurts.

“But I’ve found you’ve changed a lot things about me, my perspective on life, my feelings—“

“Jamil—“ you try to interrupt but he shuts you off quickly. Your lips remain closed.

“What I want to, what I've wanted to say, is thank you.” He inches closer and closer to you, lips ghosting against yours, he’s hesitant you can tell. You want to lean in, close the gap that your heart is so aching for, but you resist, let him have his moment you think. His eyes meet yours momentarily before they gaze back down to your lips, your foreheads are touching now. You feel as though you may die if he doesn’t kiss you right now, as though you are under some sort of curse and he’s the unfortunate prince that is tasked with saving you.

Jamil would argue it’s the other way around, he likes to do that a lot.

“I love you,” he whispers your name in a hushed tone as though he doesn’t want anyone to hear it, as though it’s the world’s greatest crime for him to admit his love, as though he is a poet locked upon with his room.

Jamil finally closes the gap. It feels euphoric.

I want you to be a part of my future.

There’s a cocky smirk that plays on your lips, you finish swallowing the curry, the one that both you and him have made. “Of course you do.” Jamil rolls his eyes but there’s still a small smile on his face. He takes hand and holds it within yours. The smell of food waltzes in the kitchen, its flavour that tastes of the sweetest love overrides your senses. It envelops you in the tightest hug, the table is cluttered together with foods that warm the air. It's a mess but it’s home.

A home that you and Jamil have built together through the tears, sweat and blood from your relationship.

You take another bite. “I’m an excellent cook I think.” Jamil smiles wider.

“I completely agree, although it could have had a touch of my work but it’ll suffice.” He laughs when he feels you lightly punch his arm. Jamil’s heart beats ever so tendly when he thinks about the future he holds with you.

I would do anything for you.

Like everything with Jamil it’s said in a hushed whisper, his body curled around yours cradling you as though you’re a country’s national treasure. You kiss him gently, lips barely touching, but he’s craving more like a starved beast who can only take so much before he finally explodes. He brushes the stray hairs away from your face like you’re some sort of endangered flower. You rest your chin in the crook of his neck, you breathe in the scent of him; he smells of several spices, you can smell the faint trace of sweat, he smells like home, he smells like love.

Jamil Viper smells of many things, many things smell like Jamil Viper. You commit everything to memory as though if you forget even one you’ll forget him completely. Jamil’s smell reminds you of home, Jamil Viper is home, you’ll follow him to the ends of the earth and Jamil would follow you too.

“What are you thinking about?” He asks; you would be a fool to not indulge him. You kiss him again, you let yourself linger.

“You of course.”

extra authors note: I was thinking of actually rewriting the first prompt, basically it was going to be more comedy based with Jamil trying to coerce reader into eating more however I thought that with the rest of the tone of the story this didn’t really fit and also how I wanted to convey his character! Jamil already has a lot of comedy surrounding his expense due to Kalim and whatnot. I thought a change of pace with this would be much nicer. Plus Jamil has to cook and taste everything for Kalim so i’m sure he might even view cooking and food as a chore. I wanted a reader to essentially try and flip that scenario on its head. You can see that with the first prompt and then the 4th one .

Haha i felt as though i really rambled there sorry!!