Crowley feels like he's aged so much within the span of a few hours. He sighs wearily as he looks at his magic-less ward. They're sleeping so soundly in one of the beds in the infirmary. Riddle rests in the bed next to theirs, looking far too troubled to rest.
"You should rest up, Rosehearts-kun!" It was the doctor's orders, too.
"But…" Riddle's gaze falls on Yuu.
"If you are worried about Yuu-kun, then don't." Sure, Yuu might've passed out the instant they took one step into the infirmary, falling on top of Riddle in the process and scaring the living daylights out of Crowley… But beyond that, it's nothing serious. "It's just exhaustion."
It's a miracle that it's only exhaustion, when Yuu took on Riddle while he was in Overblot. With no magic to protect themselves…
"Ahh, this really is troublesome." How can such a reckless student make him fret so much?
"I am really sorry about everything." Riddle looks down at his lap. "Is it… Is it too much to ask for you to not inform Mother about today's events?"
Crowley tilts his head to the side. "Oho~? Rosehearts-kun not wanting to talk to his mother?"
Well, that's a surprise. But maybe it really is for the best, with how much she'd pester him for letting this happen to her son.
"I suppose I can do something since I'm so kind…" Crowley places his hand on his chin in thought. "For a small price."
"I'll talk to Mother later and see if she can make a donation." Riddle exhales shakily. "Shouldn't be too difficult, though…why the sudden request?"
It's funny—Crowley always has such an interest in money. He's far more discreet about it, though this time… He doesn't see much of a need.
Maybe it's because the money isn't for him?
"No particular reason." Crowley chuckles, a wide smile soon forming on his lips.
Riddle sighs again. He feels far too tired to ask any more questions, so he decides to finally go to sleep. His consciousness slips away from him as soon as his head hits the pillow.
It's been a long day for everyone. Of course, Crowley will have to inform the other Dorm Leaders. That, too, is just as tiring…
"Ahh, my cute little students are just so troublesome." Though not as troublesome as his magic-less ward. "Ah, you haven't even picked out a club yet."
So that's what he forgot to tell them…
"Let's fix that as soon as possible, yes?" He chuckles to himself. "Sweet dreams, Yuu-kun."
He has a lot of explaining to do with the other staff.
…
…
The infirmary is rather lively with visitors, though they're all here for Yuu. They wave off everyone's concerns—Grim's especially, when he asks if they're really okay.
"It's fine, it's fiiine!" In another hour, they'll be able to go back to the Ramshackle Dorm. "Ehehe, did the ghosts miss me?"
"They kept asking about you." Grim huffs. "So troublesome."
"By the way, you got homework." Ace grins mischievously as he lightly taps a stack of papers to Yuu's forehead. "Crewel-sensei says you got a week."
"Uuuugh!" Yuu makes a face. "Homework…"
Right—they're a student.
"Can't always slack off!" Cater laughs. "Learned that the hard way!"
Both through the efforts of his instructors and Riddle threatening to punish him.
"Try not to be like Cater…" Trey smiles nervously as he feeds another apple slice to Riddle.
Ace only clicks his tongue while Deuce actually takes Trey's advice to heart.
"You doin' okay, Riddle?" Yuu smiles carelessly at Riddle, who only averts his gaze.
"F-Fine…" Heat rushes to his face, dusting his cheeks a visible shade of pink.
"Ehehehe~!" Yuu is happy to hear that. "Say, say, say~! Paisen—can I have my clothes back?"
"Those old things?" Cater had almost forgotten about them. Now that he actually thinks about it… "You sure you don't wanna keep that outfit?"
The Alice outfit certainly suits Yuu, and it is far nicer than the worn-out clothing that they wore before.
"I can keep it?!" Yuu's eyes widen in awe. "Ahhh, thanks!"
It's always nice to get new clothes, though…Yuu still wants their old clothes back.
"Geez, alright." Cater sighs in defeat. "Well, it's not a bad look…"
Cater just wishes that Yuu had newer clothes. Really, just how long have they had that outfit? He almost wants to ask, but he refrains from doing so. At least now, Yuu will have something new to wear…
"You should wear it again for the Unbirthday Party!" Cater will even throw in another headband to replace the one that was discarded.
"Okay~!" Yuu nods their head eagerly. "Thanks, thanks!"
"Right, well…" Ace runs his fingers through his hair. "I think I've stuck around long enough."
"Yeah…" Deuce feels the same. "It's time to head back to Heartslabyul."
It's only been a couple of days, but Deuce already misses his room. Even if he does have to share it with others… Still, it was fun spending the night at the Ramshackle Dorm. Maybe next time, he'll even help Yuu clean up.
Maybe.
"Race ya!" Ace gives Deuce a playful shove, egging him on to chase him out of the infirmary.
Riddle wants to say something, but he keeps it to himself. Right now, thinking about rules is far too exhausting. He just finishes up the apple slices that Trey feeds him and then dismisses his friend.
"If things go well, then I'll return tomorrow." They're keeping him a little longer for observation, in case anything pops up. "Try to keep everyone in check."
"I will." Trey places a hand on Cater's shoulder. "Come on—I know you have homework today."
"Geez, so serious." Cater laughs nervously.
Only Grim stays behind, his head gently butting Yuu's hand as they stroke his fur. It's a nice sensation, that he almost loses himself…but then he opens his eyes and sees that Riddle is staring. Almost immediately, he starts growling—whether it's out of anger or as a threat, Grim doesn't know. He barely has much time to react before a tap to his nose snaps it out of it.
"Be nice, be nice~!" Yuu lightly chastises him for his behavior. "It's not nice to growl at people."
"Whatever!" Grim doesn't feel like arguing with Yuu. He turns away from Riddle, resting his head on Yuu's lap. "Wake me up when it's time to go."
They have a meeting with the Headmaster as soon as Yuu is allowed to leave. It's been a tiring day with Yuu around to do things for him, and it's only going to get even more tiring just listening to Crowley prattle on. Just what does he even want to talk to them about?
Whatever it is, Grim isn't going in without taking a nap.
…
…
An hour passes, and Yuu is allowed to leave the infirmary. They say their goodbyes to Riddle, telling him that they'll see him later. Their steps are unsteady as ever, making Grim worry each time that they teeter from left to right.
Surprisingly, they make it all the way to Crowley's office without ever falling.
Thud!
At least until they started making their way over to his desk.
"Good to see you again, Yuu-kun." Crowley watches as Yuu gets right back up, acting as though nothing has happened.
"Hi, hiii!" Yuu bounces up and down on their heels, playfully swinging around a bag that contains their homework and clothes. "What is it?"
"Yeah, whatcha call us for?" Grim yawns loudly, still feeling somewhat sluggish.
"Considering your unique circumstances, you weren't able to attend Club Fair the day after the Opening Ceremony." Crowley looks through a couple of papers and pulls out one. "Here is a list of the existing clubs in Night Raven College. Choose one that interests you…or don't. You can also make one yourself."
"Ahhh!" Yuu looks through the list as soon as the paper is handed over to them. There are quite a few that catch their eye. "Gargoyle Research Society?!"
Ahh, that sounds so cool!
"Pass!" Grim presses down his paw on Yuu's head. "Sounds like a lot of work!"
"Hmm…" Well, if Grim doesn't want to…then Yuu will just have to find something else for the both of them. "Track and field?"
"I heard from Vargas-sensei that you like to run." Though, as Crowley takes a better look at Yuu… "Though, I'd recommend gaining some more weight before joining such a club."
From what he's heard from the doctor, Yuu weighs a lot less for someone of their height. Really, no wonder Vargas wouldn't stop talking about them.
"Hmmm!" Well, that doesn't give Yuu a lot of options, then. Magical shift club sounds interesting, the basketball club…not so much.
"As I said before, you can also choose to make one." Considering Yuu's circumstances, Crowley wouldn't mind pulling a few strings. It might actually save him a lot of trouble, now that he stops to think about it.
"Make a club, make a club…" Yuu likes the sound of that.
"How about a club where we make food?" Grim suggests, his stomach growling audibly afterwards.
"Interesting, interesting…" But then Yuu will have to keep buying ingredients and that can get too pricy…wait. "A garden!"
If they make a garden, then they can plant stuff like fruits and vegetables! That way, they can save up on money!
"Hey—I wanna make a gardening club!" Yuu's eyes sparkle in awe at the thought of the things that they'll plant. Fruits, vegetables, flowers…just what sorts of things can they add to their garden?
"Gardening?" Grim furrows his brow. "Ehhh…"
He isn't against the idea.
"Hmm…the botanical garden is also there, should you need any equipment." Meaning that Crowley wouldn't have to spend much money. It's nothing dangerous, either… "Yes, a gardening club—I'll allow it!"
He is very kind, after all.
"Yay~!" Yuu can't wait to get started! "Let's start tomorrow!"
Right now, they have to finish their homework…
Growl.
Oh—and eat!
"Make sure you get enough to eat." Otherwise, Vargas will hound at him to do something about it. As if Crowley isn't already doing his best.
…
…
Yuu has a relatively normal school day, despite the whispers that go behind their back as they do their schoolwork. Often, Ace has to pinch their nose to keep them awake during class. At least once, he does it on purpose out of boredom, earning himself a light scolding from Deuce.
"Geez, why do you care so much?" Ace asks as he starts filling his tray up with food.
"Because you're making this a habit—oh, omurice." Deuce's attention shifts over to the plate of freshly made omurice.
"You know, he can take care of himself." Ace immediately regrets his words when he has to reach out to grab Yuu by the back of his sweater to prevent him from falling. "Okay, I take it back."
"Ehehehe…" Yuu is just happy that he didn't drop his tray.
"They have steak today!" Grim's paws start frantically tapping down on Yuu's head. "Get it, get it!"
"Okaaay~!" Looks like Yuu will have to cut up Grim's food into little pieces again.
Finding a table to sit at isn't that difficult, though Yuu finds that Riddle is on his own. No one wants to sit by him as he eats his lunch…so Yuu decides to sit by him, despite how much Grim complains to them about it.
"Hi, hi~!" Yuu is happy to see that Riddle is doing okay. "Gonna be okay?"
"Y-Yeah…" Riddle nods his head. "I'll be fine."
"Good, good!" Yuu starts humming to themselves as they cut up Grim's steak into bite-sized pieces.
"Why…are you sitting next to me?" Everyone else is avoiding him…well, everyone except Yuu. Trey and Cater also drop by, though Riddle has since come to expect their companionship. What surprises him the most is when Deuce and Ace also show up.
Ace, of course, ignores him, though he doesn't say anything particularly hostile either. At best, he tolerates Riddle. Deuce at least tries to strike up a conversation, but Riddle still can't bring himself to interact with anyone just yet. It's difficult, when all he can think about is how much danger he put everyone in…
"You like strawberry tarts, right?" Yuu's question snaps Riddle out of his thoughts.
"I do." Riddle doesn't know why Yuu even asks.
"They're his absolute favorite." Then Trey contributes to the conversation, prompting Cater to make a comment about how cute he is.
"Red just like your hair, huh?" Ace finally says something, no longer so distant towards Riddle.
It's not much, but it's certainly a start.
…
…
As soon as classes are over, Yuu gets straight to work. They head over to the botanical gardens as soon as they've finished changing into their gym clothes. Grim complains throughout it all, starting to regret ever agreeing on a gardening club.
"Why couldn't those two help us?"
"They're in different clubs, silly!"
Grim doesn't know why he's complaining when Yuu is doing all the work. Maybe it's because he can't do anything at all, due to his physical limitations. Yes, that certainly makes sense as he watches Yuu carry off gardening equipment to the Ramshackle Dorm.
The ghosts start helping out as soon as they come out to investigate the noises coming outside of the dorm. Before anything, Yuu has to clear out a space for the garden. It's not as easy as it seems, with so many dead plants and weeds choking up the grounds around the Ramshackle Dorm.
It's tiring work, but Yuu still has fun nonetheless, even when Grim decides he's had enough and goes inside to take a nap.
"I wonder if he likes catnip…" Yuu thinks it wouldn't hurt to plant some as soon as the garden is ready. They laugh to themselves when one of the ghosts throws a weed at them. "Heeeyyy—if that's a challenge, then you're going down!"
It's a back-and-forth between them and five ghosts. It helps pass the time as they continue with such a mundane task. Soon enough, they've made considerable progress. There is still so much work to be done in the yard, but for what's been done…
"Yeah…this is fine!" Yuu wipes the dirt off their cheek. "Let's keep going!"
There's still time left before dinner, so they can keep going. And it's just as Yuu kneels down to pull out another weed that they hear a familiar, "Child of man?"
"Hmm, hmm?" Yuu looks over their shoulder, a smile soon forming on their lips. "Tsunotarou!"
It's been a while since they've seen each other!
"I did not expect to find you here." A small grin tugs at Tsunotarou's lips.
"This is where I live!" Yuu is quick to tell him. "It's not much, but…I like it!"
Yuu especially likes the ghosts that live with them.
"Is that so?" Tsunotarou gazes upon the Ramshackle Dorm. "I also like this place myself. Although, before you came along, it was empty."
Which is why he had gone through the gate to investigate the noises he had heard. To think that this fearless child of man would be here…
"It seems we were meant to cross paths again." Why else would he have visited this dorm during the day? Life is certainly full of surprises…
"Is that so?" Yuu jumps to their feet, taking a moment to brush off the dirt on their clothes. "Well, when you put it like that…I guess we were, since today's the first meeting of the gardening club!"
"Gardening…?" Tsunotarou tilts his head, his gaze soon shifting over to the yard. "Ahh, yes…that would explain the mess."
"Sorry, sorry!" Yuu scratches the back of their head. "I need to clear out a place for the garden, so…please excuse the mess!"
Yuu bows apologetically to Tsunotarou, earning a somewhat amused chuckle out of him.
"Can you not use magic?" There is so much time that could be save with just a little magic…
"Nope!" Yuu shakes their head. "Got no magic to use!"
Which is why they're working so hard to get things done! The ghosts are also trying their best—but, ah…where have they gone?
"That is…unfortunate." Unfortunate in the sense that there is no one around to help Yuu with such a tedious task. "Hmm…"
"I don't mind not having magic!" Sure, it sucks…but Yuu is fine just being themselves! "It's totes cool just being here!"
Especially since it means they can make friends with someone like Tsunotarou!
"Is that so?" It's rare for Tsunotarou to hear such sincerity, especially from a magic-less being. "What a curious child of man…"
Of course, what else would he expect from the one who calls him by such a curious nickname?
"Fufufu…" More and more, he wants to know. Wants to see what else they do next. "Since you have no magic…"
Then Tsunotarou will just have to use his instead. What took Yuu hours only takes him seconds, dead plants and weeds now collected in a massive pile. The ground has also been cleared of any leftover debris that had collected over the years of neglect. All that's left is to prepare the soil for the garden, though that is a task that can wait another day.
In the meantime…
"Ahhh!" There's a light in Yuu's eyes that shines brighter than any jewel that Tsunotarou has ever seen. It makes his chest feel warm…
"Happiness?" Yes…this certainly feels like happiness. How long has it been since he had such simple interactions with anyone? "I can't remember…"
It makes him smile so warmly, as the child of man looks at him in awe for accomplishing such a simple task. That tiny hand that suddenly holds onto his while words of gratitude are spoken.
"Yuu…" One day, this child of man will know his name…
"Tsunotarou~!" For now, he will continue being this being referred to as, "Tsunotarou."
Going unnoticed are the ghosts of the Ramshackle Dorm, peering out from the second-floor window. They do their best to keep quiet, not wanting to intrude on the moment. There's this knowing look that they share with each other—one that makes them grin.
Later on, they'll have much to talk about. For now, they just continue to watch as their tiny human interacts with their new friend.
…
…
There's a lot more bounce to Yuu's movements as they go through the motions of making dinner. Grim only watches with slight interest as he rests on the kitchen counter. He yawns loudly, still feeling somewhat sluggish from his nap.
"What's got ya so happy?" Yuu is usually so happy-go-lucky, but today, it's especially notable.
"I talked with Tsunotarou today!" Yuu looks at Grim as they shape the ground beef into oval-shaped patties. "He helped out a lot with the garden!"
"Tsuno…tarou?" Grim tilts his head to the side. He sits up afterwards, using his hind leg to scratch behind his ear.
"Oh, that's right—you two haven't met." Yuu frowns. "Well…you'll see him soon enough! He's someone I met on the first day I woke up here!"
Mister Tsunotarou and his lovely horns…
"Hmm…I still don't know if his height includes his horns." So that's what they forgot to ask! "Welp, I'll find out next time."
For now, they have dinner to make—hamburger steak!
"I should buy a rice cooker soon." But in order to buy a rice cooker, Yuu needs money and while the ghosts have been giving them an allowance… "Is it enough?"
Maybe they should take up a part-time job? Ohh…Sam might have one for them!
"Yeee!" Yuu perks up at that thought, now humming a cheery tune. "Be our guest, be our guest…"
Ahh! Maybe they'll even invite Tsunotarou over for dinner one of these days!
"I should ask him what he likes to eat…" Hopefully, Yuu can make it. If not…well, they can always check the library for recipes. They're good at following recipes, yes!
"Say, saaay—when are you gonna finish?" Grim has already had his servings of canned tuna for the evening, but he still wants to eat more.
"Be patient!" Yuu gives him a slight tap to the nose with their nose. "Otherwise, it might come out bad."
"Grrr…" Grim hates it when Yuu is right.
By the end of the hour, Yuu serves Grim a plate full of hamburger steak. There are steamed vegetables at the side, but they mostly go ignored as he goes to town on the steaks. Yuu only smiles as they watch him eat, their plate relatively smaller in comparison to his.
"It's good, huh?" Yuu is absolutely elated to see Grim enjoying himself.
"Yeah!" Grim speaks with his mouth full. There is something so comforting about taste of Yuu's cooking. It makes him want to eat a lot more. But as he starts to empty his plate, he stops and looks at Yuu.
Their plate is almost empty, while he still has a few more steaks to go. He remembers the comments that he heard from everyone, about how little Yuu weighs. Shouldn't they…shouldn't they eat more?
Why…Why didn't they give themselves more food?
"Haaaa." Grim heaves out a sigh before using his paw to push his plate towards Yuu. "I'm full—you can have the rest."
"Really?" The dopey smile that Yuu gives him makes him feel a bit annoyed—though, mostly because of how clueless they can be. "Yay~!"
"Geez, take care of yourself." Otherwise, who else is going to open his cans of tuna? Certainly not him.
As usual, the ghosts clean up after them, allowing them the time to take a bath in peace. Grim resigns himself to his fate as Yuu carries him into the bathroom. By now, he's gotten used to the scent of the soap that Yuu uses on him. And while he still hates the effort that's put into keeping him clean, he at least appreciates the way his fur has gotten softer and sleeker from the treatment.
He rolls around on his back as soon as he jumps onto the bed. He stretches out his body, a playful growl rumbling in the back of his throat when he feels Yuu's fingers stroking the fur around his stomach. He doesn't give them much warning when he nips them, laughing afterwards when they pull away.
"Heehee." Yuu only laughs, not at all offended with his behavior. "Cute, cute~!"
The smell of flowers is overwhelming, but not unpleasant to Grim's nose. In fact, it's almost…comforting—the way he now associates this scent with Yuu. When he stops to think about it, it's only logical that he'd grow accustomed to the scent. After all, it's been a week since they've started living together at the Ramshackle Dorm.
"A week, huh?" So much has happened in such a short amount of time. Grim turns onto his side, letting out a yawn when he sees that Yuu has fallen asleep. It makes him want to sleep, too. "Going to be a long day tomorrow…"
He might as well get as much sleep as he can before he's forced to sit through another day's worth of classes.
…
…
On their way to class the next morning, Grim lets out quite a few complaints when the smell of soil and mulch hits his nose. Yuu doesn't mind the smell as much as he does, but that's the difference between their noses. It doesn't help that he's gotten so used to the pleasant aroma that wafts off his fur and Yuu's hair.
"Bleck…!" Grim buries his face into Yuu's sweater, letting its soft fabric cover his nose.
"It's okay, it's okay." Yuu pets his head, reassuring him that the smell should go away in a day or two. "At least now, we can start focusing on what we want to plant!"
"Great…can we go?" Grim's voice is muffled, but audible.
"Okay~!" Yuu nods their head. "I wonder who prepared the soil, though…"
Someone else had done it for them. Who, Yuu doesn't know…maybe the ghosts know?
"I'll ask later!" For now, Yuu has to get to class.
Crewel greets them with an affectionate ruffle their hair, complimenting them for taking such good care of it.
"Teacher's pet much?" Ace playfully teases Yuu, immediately letting out a childish whine when he suddenly ruffles his hair.
"There, there!" Yuu doesn't want to make him feel jealous. "You too, Deuce!"
Deuce only blinks, having been distracted by today's list of ingredients. "Huh?"
"Dude—stay sharp." Ace knows his attention span is terrible, but damn—sometimes, Deuce just takes it to the next level.
"Ehehehe." Though, not as much as Yuu, who gets easily distracted by Grim's paw pads.
"Geez." Sometimes, Ace can't help but worry about Yuu.
And then Yuu turns around and chastises him for not properly buttoning his lab coat. He heaves out a sigh when he starts fixing his lab coat for him, beads of sweat rolling down his face when he hears his classmates snicker in the background. Thankfully, Crewel catches them by surprised when he smacks his teaching pointer against their workbench.
"Quiet down, puppies!" he scolds them.
The bell rings at that moment, signaling the start of classes. It's going to be another long day, and Ace can only sigh wearily at the sight of Yuu complimenting Deuce for wearing his lab coat properly, while Grim looks at him with his resting bitch face.
…
For once, Yuu doesn't fall asleep during Trein's lectures. It helps that today, Lucius decided that their lap would be the best place to nap. It's a strange situation that has Grim growling momentarily, until Yuu reaches out to scratch behind his ears.
"There, there!" Yuu doesn't want Grim to be angry.
Grim huffs angrily before turning his attention back on the lecture. Maybe this time, he'll actually listen, so he doesn't have to acknowledge Lucius…
Trein doesn't say anything, though there is this look of approval that he gives Yuu. It's subtle, but nothing that easily gets by Ace. He arches his brow, turning his attention to Yuu, who is far too invested in Lucius than the lecture itself.
"So much for being responsible." Ace will just have to hope Deuce gets better at taking notes, because this is getting ridiculous. "What even are notes?"
Something that Deuce can easily jot down, at the cost of easily being distracted and losing his train of thought. Though he'll never admit it, Ace can definitely relate to whatever Deuce has going on with himself…and maybe even Yuu, too.
That all goes out the window, come gym class, and yet again, Yuu leaves him behind to eat his dust. Ace glares at Yuu as he tries his hardest to catch his breath, Deuce having an easier time recovering from the strenuous physical activity.
Vargas gives Yuu a hearty slap on the back for a job well done, further reiterating Ace's belief of him being a teacher's pet.
"The teachers all like you." Annoyingly enough, while Vargas keeps pushing him to try harder.
"Jealous?" Grim adds fuel to the fire, laughing mischievously as he dodges a swipe from Ace's hand.
"Are you really going to let yourself get so easily riled up?" Deuce ask, quickly earning Ace's ire.
"Shaddup!" He doesn't want to hear it from the guy who used to be a former delinquent.
"Temper, temper!" Yuu taps Ace on the nose. "Try not to get into trouble."
"Yeah, yeah…" He pushes Yuu aside, highly expecting him to react. It happens within seconds, and he can only sigh as Yuu latches himself onto his back. "Eat more!"
Even now, he still doesn't weigh a lot.
"I'm trying!" And yet, that still doesn't stop Ace from adding more food to Yuu's tray during lunch. He even goes back for seconds—just in case.
"You're oddly attentive," Deuce makes a comment.
"Can say the same about you." Ace has seen how often Deuce cleans up after Yuu.
Their conversation is cut short with the sudden appearance of Riddle, who joins their table wordlessly. Yuu greets him as usual, with that same smile on his face.
"H-Hello…" Riddle finally speaks, his face turning as red as his hair.
Cater drops by, adding to the already lively mood that Yuu had created. He snaps a quick photo, and uploads it to MagiCam. It's the same shit as usual, but…
"This isn't too bad." Ace still has his issues with Riddle, but…it's fine.
Trey shows up afterwards, and this time—he has a date for them for the Unbirthday Party. "It's at the end of this week."
There is enough time for the Heartslabyul landscape to finish recovering, as well as time for them to prepare for the Unbirthday Party. It's also a day without any birthdays, though it's certainly cutting it close, as Scarabia will soon be celebrating the birthday of its Vice Dorm Leader.
Trey doesn't know what to expect, but things should go a lot better, now that Riddle has calmed down. Certainly, the other students of Heartslabyul will be wary, though with someone so unpredictable as Yuu for an Alice—well, it might just be enough to break the ice.
It's been absolute mess in the kitchen, with Trey having to watch over Riddle's trials and errors. It's hard for him to do anything, when he's never been allowed to make his own food. Such is the damage done by such a restrictive mother…but, at least he's learning.
"Yes, most definitely." Trey smiles at Riddle's attempts at small talk with Yuu. It's endearing, the way he so easily loses his composure.
Yes, leave it to Alice to dethrone the Red Ruler.
…
…
The rest of classes go by without any issues, and at the end of the day, Ace, Deuce, and Yuu and Grim go their separate ways. Ace has the basketball club to attend, while Deuce has track and field. Yuu and Grim, on the other hand, head for the botanical garden.
"Let's see, let's see!" Yuu wants to see what sorts of things they can plant in their garden. There is so much to see in the botanical garden, so much that they can potentially grow.
"Smells so nice!" Grim likes it here, while the Ramshackle Dorm still reeks of soil and mulch.
"Fruits would be good." Maybe something like…raspberries? No—strawberries! "Let's get some strawberries!"
Carrots will also be good—ohh, daikon, too!
"Ehehe…!" Yuu smiles at the sight of such interesting herbs growing in rows. There's a pleasant smell that waft off them, Grim commenting on it as a purr rumbles through his body. Yes…this would also do good! "What's this, what's this?"
There should be a label…yes?
"Hmm…" Ahh, what a shame—guess Yuu will have to figure it out on their own. There is a flowerbed nearby, full of various flowers, like lavender, lilac, and… "Chamomile!"
Grim jumps out of their hands and walks over to the flowerbed. He sniffs at it, taking an interest in the scent of chamomile. "Plant some of these!"
"Okay!" Yuu chirps. "We can make tea out of it…maybe even desserts!"
It's certainly worth trying!
There is so much to see in the botanical garden, with various plants. Some are familiar, while others are completely brand new. How strange and interesting this world is…
Chirp! Chirp!
A bird lands on Yuu's shoulder as they go about watering some of the plants. They don't have to, but they want to. It's the least they can do after borrowing the botanical garden's equipment the other day.
Grim stalks after a butterfly that flutters around the flowers. His pupils dilate, and without any warnings, he pounces. Just barely—his paw touches its wing. He is unsuccessful in catching it, but he still has enough fun just trying.
Eventually, he finds a sunny spot and lays down for a nap, the sound of running water and Yuu's gentle singing lulling him to sleep. When he wakes up, it's because Yuu has lifted him into their arms.
"Have a good sleep?" Yuu smiles so warmly at him, enjoying the way he paws at their face. "Ehehehe, sorry for waking you up!"
Grim only grumbles before letting out a loud yawn.
"Let's go to the store." They have to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner. "Ehehe, Claude gave me more money today, so we can splurge!"
"Then, then…!" Grim's pupils dilate. "How about chicken!"
"Chicken, chicken…how about karaage!" Yuu will have to buy more spices, but…it should be fine, yes? "Yes, yes!"
"Can we also get some pudding?" Grim taps his paws on Yuu's arms.
"Sure, sure—let's get lots!" That way, they can save some in the refrigerator for later! "Ahh!"
Bam!
Yuu nearly falls over after bumping into a young man with short, blond hair. The young man grabs them by the arm, carefully repositioning them so they maintain their footing. Yuu exhales shakily, a smile soon spreading across their lips as they turn to the young man.
"Thank you!" they say, earning a small chuckle from the young man.
"Oya, I don't think we've met before!" Vibrant, green eyes glimmer in the light. "Tell me—who are you?"
"It's Yuu!" Yuu cheerfully replies. "And this is Grim—and you?"
"I am Rook Hunt!" the young man introduces himself enthusiastically. "I am Le Chasseur d'Amour, and my theme in life is the search for beauty and those who support it! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Hi, hiii!" Yuu laughs. "It's good to meet you too! You're from…hmmm…"
That uniform…those colors on the armband… Yuu tilts their head to the side, trying to get a better look.
"Let's see, let's see…ahh—Pomefiore!" That's the bitch! "Ehehe, so pretty, so colorful!"
Yuu likes the pretty colors of the Pomefiore armbands.
"As I thought—you are not from the same dorm as I." Rook nods his head. "I suspected it, though your comment confirms my suspicions. Tell me, which dorm do you hail from?"
"Ramshackle!" Yuu bounces up and down on their heels. "It's just me and Grim…ohh—and the ghosts, too!"
There's not much to see for now, but one day…one day, that'll change. Yuu will make sure of it.
"Hmm…" Rook gives Yuu an inquisitive look. "This scent…tell me—does the name Vil Schoenheit ring a bell?"
"Vil, Vil…you mean that pretty man from MagiCam!" Yuu had almost forgotten about him. "So pretty, so pretty!"
Yuu needs to ask Cater to look at Vil's photos again.
"Très bien!" Rook closes his eyes as he smiles. "It seems you also have an eye for beauty! Though, your words…I don't believe you two have met in person just yet—have you?"
"Nope!" Yuu has not.
"Why ya asking?" Grim narrows his eyes at Rook.
"It's just that this scent is very particular!" Rook explains, taking a moment to adjust his hat. "It's very specific to Roi du Poison. Tell me—what products do you use for your hair?"
"I dunno." Yuu just uses whatever the ghosts had given them. "I think it smells nice."
"That it does!" Rook nods his head. "Still, your words pique my curiosity… Would you mind if we talk a little longer?"
"Sure, sure!" Grim might not want to, but Yuu doesn't mind. "Can't stick around for too long, since I have to make dinner."
"Such a busy little Trickster!" Rook can't help but reach out to ruffle their hair. He takes a moment to remove his gloves beforehand, his fingers lingering a little longer than usual. "Ahh, such softness!"
"Stop being weird!" Grim hisses.
"It's fine!" Yuu reassures him with a simple tap to his nose. "I'm glad it's soft! Say…where did you get your boots?"
Yuu takes an interest in the work boots that Rook wears with his school uniform. They're somewhat out of place for such a fancy uniform, but at the same time…it's fitting for someone like Rook. He must move around a lot of terrain to wear such heavy-looking boots with ease.
"Interested?" Rook arches his brow. "Are you a hunter yourself?"
"Hunter…nah—I just think it'd be great to wear for gardening!" That way, Yuu doesn't have to worry about getting too dirty. "Are you a hunter? What do you hunt?"
"Whatever catches my fancy!" It could be many things for Rook. "Right now…my target is you!"
Such an interesting person, with a familiar that is just as interesting. Ahh, how fierce and protective does he look!
"Are you flirting with me?" Yuu furrows their brow. "Because that's what it sounds like."
"Hmm, hmm—is that how you see it?" Now that Rook gets an even closer look…yes, this person is quite adorable. "Well, you are certainly worthy of my attention. Though, I would recommend putting more effort in your skincare."
There's nothing wrong with their skin, though with a bit more effort, Yuu could stand out even more. In fact, they could certainly benefit from it.
"Hmmm…" Yuu hums, tilting their head to the side. "I guess I can use those other products that the ghosts brought me."
"Marvelous!" Yuu could also stand to wear much more fitting clothes, though Rook keeps that to himself. One step at a time for such an inexperienced little Trickster. "Should you have any issues, you can always ask me for advice. In fact, I highly encourage you."
"Okay!" Yuu will keep that in mind. "Heehee, you talk a lot!"
"Yes, I can get quite talkative." Rook is aware of how long he can sometimes keep a conversation going. "Is this a bother to you?"
"Nah!" Yuu shakes their head. "I like it! It sounds like you're having fun."
Beyond that, Yuu likes the way Rook talks in general. There's something so interesting, just hearing a person talk about the things that they like. It makes Yuu want to hear more.
"Wonderful!" That's certainly a first for Rook. "You are quite the charming little Trickster!"
"And you're quite the interesting hunter!" Yuu laughs as they tap Grim's nose again, having heard him start to growl again. "Hey, heey, I know! It's time to go—sorry, Rook! Gotta get going!"
They have ingredients to buy at the student store.
"Au revoir, my little Trickster!" Rook tips his hat at Yuu. "It's been pleasant getting to know you. May we meet again."
"Laters!" Yuu doesn't mind seeing Rook again.
"What a weirdo…" Grim says, as soon as they're out of earshot.
"Be nice!" Yuu lightly scolds him.
"Hmph…" Grim averts his gaze. Really, Yuu can stand to be a bit less trusting of strangers—especially those who make comments about their scent. "How was he able to smell us without getting too close?"
What a strange guy…
…
…
Yuu has an interesting time looking through the wares of Mr. S's Mystery Shop while waiting for Sam to return with their request. So many trinkets and charms…but no sight of where Sam keeps the ingredients they've requested.
"It is a mystery~!" Yuu hums a nonsensical tune to themselves. It's kind of lonely, since Grim wanted to wait outside for them. Thankfully, it doesn't take too long for Sam to show up.
"Here you go, Kooni-chan!" Sam sets a bag on the counter. He smiles at them as they walk up to the counter, accepting their payment afterwards. "Is there anything else you'd like?"
"Hmm, hmm—do you have any job openings?" Yuu wants to work their way up so they can buy a rice cooker. "I'd like to buy a rice cooker, but rice cookers can get pricy, so…I want to make some money."
It'll be helpful in the long run, too, since they can't always rely on the ghosts to give them an allowance. They have to be responsible for themselves, after all.
"Oho, Kooni-chan wants to help out at the shop?" Sam arches his brow. "OK—why don't you start this coming holiday?"
His shop will certainly be busy, with the upcoming birthday celebration for Scarabia's Vice Dorm Leader. It wouldn't hurt to have another pair of hands to help out. More than that, it would give him the chance to learn more about Yuu.
"I'm down!" Yuu is all too eager to accept. "What time?"
"Come in the morning—make sure to wash your face, Kooni-chan!" That should be enough to keep them awake. He's heard of their tendency to fall asleep, though…that might be charming enough for his customers. He'll just have to wait and see. "Work hard, and you'll get a reward."
"Thank you!" Yuu takes their bags and leaves. "See ya around!"
Grim jumps onto their shoulder as soon as they leave the shop. "What took ya so long?"
"It wasn't that long!" Yuu laughs. "You're just impatient."
"Whatever." Grim just wants to head back home. "I'm getting hungry."
"Okay—I got you some more canned tuna!" That should hold him over until Yuu finishes making dinner.
"Yay!" Grim rubs his cheek against theirs. "Thanks!"
The rest of the evening goes by without any issues. The smell of soil and mulch is no longer as strong as it was in the morning. There is enough karaage to go around that there's actually leftovers for tomorrow. It's not ideal for what Yuu would like to eat for breakfast, but it certainly beats making something from scratch.
By now, the smell of soil and mulch is completely gone, or at least weak enough that Grim no longer makes any comments about it.
"Ahh…so that's what I forgot!" Yuu realizes a little too late, after they've gotten far enough from the Ramshackle Dorm.
"Forgot about what?" Grim asks as he rests his head on top of Yuu's.
"About the garden!" Yuu still doesn't know who prepared the soil. "Ahh…I forgot about the umbrella!"
"How forgetful are you?!" This is starting to get ridiculous!
It's not anything they can go back for—not when they have to head towards Crowley's office before class. Grim can only wonder what he needs them for, when they've managed to stay out of trouble. He gets his answer within the first few minutes, when Crewel greets them alongside Crowley.
Crewel is far too eager to change Yuu out of their clothes, barely giving them much time to react. "I apologize for the wait."
With the freedom he was given, and Yuu's particular preferences, Crewel wanted to make this particular outfit count. Gone are the scuffed boots that have seen so much wear, alongside the shorts, tights, and faded sweater. In place, is a darkly-colored blazer, with silver trimmings and a new pair of black shorts and boots. There is a slight heel to their boots, and their tights have been replaced with black thigh highs, black straps connecting them to their shorts.
All that's left is for Crewel to tie a black-and-white striped cravat around their neck, completing the outfit that he created specifically for Yuu. It's far better than giving them the standard Night Raven College school uniform. Of course, it's up to them to decide how they want to dress from here on out. For now…this is good.
"Good puppy." Crewel is quite pleased with his work.
"Thank you so much, Crewel-sama!" Yuu smiles widely, their body shaking vigorously with glee. "I love it!"
"You've certainly outdone yourself." As usual, Crewel's sense of fashion never fails to impress Crowley. "I hope my gift won't take anything away from yours."
He's been meaning to give one to Yuu as of lately, though Crowley has never found the right time until now. Within moments, a brown belt appears around Yuu's waist. Attached to it, is a bookbag of sorts that hangs off Yuu's hip. On the opposite side, is a pouch containing writing utensils.
"Not bad," Crewel says after a moment.
Crowley chuckles. "Aren't I kind?"
"Hey—do I also get a present?" Grim pipes up, feeling somewhat left out.
"Maybe after exams." The way Crowley sees it, he's done enough for Grim already. "Don't take what you already have for granted."
"Stingy…" Oh well—it's not like Grim actually cares. He's just glad that he won't have to see Yuu in those old clothes again.
"Hey~!" Yuu lifts Grim into the air. "We match!"
Yuu is referring to their cravat and Grim's ribbon. It carries the same, black-and-white striped pattern. It's not anything remarkable, but to Yuu, it means everything.
"I guess you're right." And maybe, it might also mean something to Grim as well. He won't ever admit it, but when Deuce comments on it, sometime before class, Grim can't help but feel a little smug.
"Man, you clean up nicely." Ace gives Yuu's forehead a light tap. "Maybe you should try wearing some makeup next."
"I can try." Though, Yuu isn't that experienced with cosmetics. "Need to practice first."
"You should at least get the makeup down for whenever you have to wear the ceremonial robes." That way, Ace can have someone else to bitch about how much of a hassle it is to remove all that makeup from their eyes.
"Do you even have any makeup?" Deuce looks questioningly at Yuu.
"Nope!" Yuu giggles. "I have face masks, though—you want any?"
"Pass." Ace has enough already from Cater.
"I'm not sick, though…" Deuce furrows his brow.
"Not those face masks!" Ace laughs. "How clueless can you get?"
With the way Deuce is, Ace is surprised that his face is so clean and clear.
The hours go by, and often, Deuce has to scare off students who have taken a sudden interest in Yuu. It's annoying, but thankfully, no one is particularly persistent.
"Man, even I don't get that much attention." And Ace has already turned down more than five people this week.
"You mean you're getting attention?" Deuce arches his brow.
"Dude…are you serious?" Then what the hell did Ace see the other day, at the Heartslabyul lounge room? "What about that guy from yesterday?"
"I think he was trying to pick a fight with me, but I turned him down." Deuce smiles widely, his hands balled up into fists. "No more fighting for me!"
"Oh my god…" Ace pinches the bridge of his nose.
Thankfully, lunch isn't as annoying, though Cater won't shut up about how adorable Yuu looks.
"So cute!" Cater snaps another photo of Yuu stuffing their face with food. "Very stylish~!"
"Crewel-sensei certainly has an eye for these things." Trey does his best to contribute to the conversation, as Riddle seems to be having issues saying anything.
It takes him a few minutes, but Riddle manages to say, "Cute."
It's barely audible, but it's just loud enough for Yuu to hear. A faint blush dusts their cheeks red as they smile widely. "You're cute, too!"
Riddle averts his gaze after that, keeping his eyes only on his food. He doesn't say anything else, not even when his face turns an intense shade of red. Ace almost says something, but a stern look from Trey keeps him quiet.
…
…
As soon as classes are over, Yuu heads over to the library, carrying Grim in their arms. There is a lot of work to be done tomorrow, and if they want to make sure they have everything prepared, then they have to find the right book for it.
"Let's see…" Finding a recipe book for desserts shouldn't be too hard, yes?
It really isn't that difficult. Yuu is in the right section, it's just that they have to look through quite a few books for the right recipe. There are so many recipes that they look through, but none of them contain the right set of ingredients. Not to mention, it's easy for Yuu to get so easily distracted, when Grim makes comments about how tasty some of the desserts look in the pictures.
More than an hour has passed by the time Yuu starts going after books that are somewhat out of their reach, due to their short height. They have to jump up each time to grab a book. At least once, did a book fall right on their head. Sadly, it wasn't the one they were looking for.
"Maybe this one!" Yuu jumps to reach for another book. Before their fingers can even touch it, someone else's hand reaches for it first. "Huh?"
Delicate fingers grasp the book's spine, pulling out the book with considerable ease. Standing right behind Yuu is a hauntingly beautiful young man with blond hair and amethyst-colored eyes. His skin is pale, with highlights coloring the lower ends of his hair a lovely shade of lavender. A light scowl mars his pretty features as he looks over the book in his hand, his gaze soon fixating itself on Yuu.
"Tarts—really?" Without warning, the young man grabs Yuu's chin and tilts their head upwards. He turns their head left to right, carefully examining their face for any flaws. He ignores the hissing that comes from their familiar, who glares at him from their arms. "If you're going to steal my cosmetics, then make sure to use them."
From his current viewpoint, this little potato could stand to improve their skincare regimen. It's passable for now, but it could be better. Beyond that, he's at least content to see that their hair is looking especially healthy.
"Pretty!" Yuu suddenly says, their smile immediately catching the young man by surprise.
"Do you not understand your position?" This isn't at all about him—not that he particularly minds the compliment. "Hmm…"
Now that he takes a closer look…yes—he sees quite a lot of potential.
"Come along, little potato." He waves the book around, urging them to follow him. He can hear their familiar telling them to ignore him. It's reasonable advice, considering that they don't know each other.
"It's fine, Grim!" However, this little potato is far too trusting for their own good. "I need that book anyways."
Just how important can a book about tarts be to such an oblivious little potato?
Important enough to follow someone without question, apparently. Only their familiar is asking the right questions, which should say a lot about how this potato is as a person.
"Who are ya?!" The potato's familiar finally directs a question at him.
The question surprises him, as mostly everyone knows his face. Though, coming from a potato's familiar—it would make sense that neither of them seem to recognize him. Scoffing, the young man decides to introduce himself as soon as he's led them to an isolated corner of the library.
"I am Vil Schoenheit," he says as he pushes Yuu into a chair. "And you…are a little thief."
For anyone to think that he wouldn't notice if any of his cosmetics are missing—really, just what were they thinking? He looks towards Yuu for an answer, only receiving a dopey smile in response.
"Pretty!" they tell him again, laughing afterwards. "I like your MagiCam!"
"Ahh…so you do know me." That makes everything easier. "Meaning you knew exactly whose belongings you were going through."
"Wait…I did that?" Yuu doesn't remember going through anyone's things…or maybe they did, but just forgot? "Sorry if I went through your stuff!"
Vil blinks. "Wha…are you serious?"
Just what kind of confession is this?
"Dumbass!" Grim smacks Yuu's face with his paw. "Don't take the blame for something you didn't do!"
"But what if I did do it?" Yuu rubs their cheek against Grim's face. "Shouldn't I apologize?"
"Aaaaugh!" Grim tries and fails to push Yuu away with his paw. "Get a clue—the ghosts did it!"
It took him a while to figure out what Vil was talking about. Thankfully, he was able to remember what the ghosts had told him during his first night at the Ramshackle Dorm.
"Just somewhere that we know has extras to spare."
"It won't be missed."
"Most definitely not!"
Won't be missed his ass!
"Ghosts…" Vil tilts his head to the side. "Hmm, yes—that would make sense."
From what Vil recalls, when Rook investigated his room, there wasn't any signs of forced entry, nor anything that would leave noticeable evidence.
"It's too clean." As though it had just disappeared on its own…which makes perfect sense, considering that the suspects in particular were ghosts. No form to leave any noticeable traces nor scents—it'd be the perfect crime, were Vil not so observant of his belongings.
"That solves one mystery." Vil will have to tell Rook about it later. For now… "I apologize for confronting you like this."
As far as first meetings go, this could have gone better in various ways.
"It's fine!" Yuu reassures him before telling Grim to stop growling. "Hey—don''t be rude."
"He's being rude!" Grim retorts, his eyes narrowing in anger.
"Your familiar is right." Vil will take responsibility for this. "I have been rather rude."
How unsightly he must seem, considering his lack of explanation…
"Allow me to make up for it." It's the least he can do for them. "You can keep the cosmetics—I just wanted to know who took them. That's all."
All Vil ever wanted was answers, and he certainly got them. To think it was actually ghosts…
"How absurd…" And yet, it's the absolute truth. Honestly, weirder things have happened at Night Raven College—the sooner Vil accepts it, the better. After all, he's been here for two years already. Two will soon become three, and at the rate things are going, he's better off embracing every wild thing that gets thrown at his way.
This potato isn't any different.
"What's your name?" he finally asks them.
"It's Yuu!" There's something oddly endearing about this potato, from the way they speak to the way they move around so energetically.
"Hmm…" Yes, Vil can see quite a lot of potential in this one. They're a bit plain right now, but plainness can have its own simplistic charm. "Let's see how much you transform after I'm done with you."
It doesn't take too long, with how skilled Vil is with makeup. He always carries various shades of foundation on him, should anyone care to ask him for some. So it isn't that difficult to find the right mix for Yuu's skin tone. It's a nice, warm color, which should go well with a soft pink lipstick…
A neutral eyeshadow, with eyeliner and mascara brings more attention to their yellow eyes. A touch of blush adds color to their cheeks, and a bit of lip gloss to make their lips shine…
"Oh." Vil stops to look at his work. "How big a difference a little makeup can do."
Yuu is pretty cute to begin with, but now—well, they wouldn't look too out of place in Pomefiore. Though, they could stand to put more effort into their image. For now, this is fine…
"You look really pretty!" Grim's eyes go wide in awe.
"Really?" Yuu laughs bashfully. "Aww, shucks!"
Such cute mannerisms from such a little potato…
"Hmm." Vil finds himself smiling as well. "Hey—come here for a moment."
Vil wraps his arm around Yuu's shoulder as soon as they're close enough. A cute squeak leaves their mouth, their body going momentarily still from the sudden contact. As soon as they see Vil taking out his phone to take a photo, they relax.
"Selfie!" Yuu smiles for the camera, holding up two V-signs.
The photo comes out rather nicely—enough that Vil deems it worthy of posting it on his MagiCam account. He looks at Yuu and asks, "Do you mind if I post this?"
"Go ahead!" Yuu chirps as they catch Grim in their arms. "Yay, yay~!"
Yuu has always liked makeup!
"Here—you can have this now." Vil lightly taps Yuu's head with a book. "Try to not eat too many sweets, or else your skin will suffer. Do make sure to use those skincare products."
"Haaaai~!" Yuu raises their hand into the air, quickly grabbing onto the book in Vil's hand. "Tarts, taaarts!"
After flipping through the pages a bit, Yuu finds what they're looking for and shuts the book close. Their search for the right recipe is done, so now it's time for them to head off!
"Bye-bye~!" Yuu waves at Vil, taking a moment to hold Grim's paw in their hand so he can do the same motion. "See ya around, pretty Senpai!"
"What a strange potato…" Vil sighs inwardly. He looks back at his phone's screen, his eyes focusing on the notifications he's received on his most recent post. It's the same thing as usual, only…when he checks the comments— "What."
Everyone is asking about Yuu.
"You little…!" Well, it seems this potato managed to steal the spotlight from him. "How annoying."
It looks like he'll have to put in more effort into his regimen…
…
…
Grim is the first to enter the Ramshackle Dorm, while Yuu stays outside to check on the soil in the garden. Everything is looking good, and nothing is too dry, so Yuu starts singing to themselves as they stare up at the sky. The sun is starting to set, painting the sky a pretty combination of red, yellow, and orange.
"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, for especially in the month of June~!" Yuu can't wait to start planting. "There's a wealth of happiness and romance, aaaaalll in the golden afternoon…"
How pretty this garden will look once it fully blooms…
"Child of man?" The ever-so-wonderful Tsunotarou makes his appearance again, holding a potted plant in his hands. His eyes widen slightly at the sight of Yuu, the makeup on their face catching him somewhat by surprise. "Is that you?"
"Tsunotarou!" Yuu practically skips over to Tsunotarou. They look up at him, holding their index fingers to their head in yet another attempt to mimic his horns. "Howwwww….are you?"
They smile widely, the warmth behind it too contagious for Tsunotarou himself to keep a neutral expression. He chuckles softly, his hand reaching down to ruffle their hair.
"Did something good happen?" They're a lot happier than usual—maybe it has to do with their new clothes? "Your face…"
"Senpai did my makeup!" Yuu chirps, their fingers immediately forming two V-signs. "Ain't it nice?"
They poke their tongue out playfully at him, laughing afterwards.
"It's…very nice." Tsunotarou doesn't know how to find the right words. It's hard to think of anything else, with how easily he loses himself in Yuu's expression. The way they continue to treat him so amicably… "Yuu…"
"Hmm?" Yuu tilts their head to the side. They blink, their eyes soon focusing on the potted plant in his hands. "Is that…for me?"
Their eyes sparkle in awe as they take a closer look at the plant. Those leaves…those thorns and buds…
"A rose!" Yuu claps their hands energetically, their body shaking vigorously from excitement. "Roses are lovely!"
"I thought that it would be an appropriate gift to give a friend," Tsunotarou explains with a small smile on his face. "We…are friends, yes?"
Even now, it's still so unreal—that such an ordinary human can treat him so normally. It makes him questions things. Makes him wonder if this is all a dream.
The hands that cover his own tell him otherwise, as does warm expression on Yuu's face as they say, "Of course!"
Ahh…it seems he has a lot to say to the one who suggested he gift a rose to his new friend. Of course, that will have to wait until after he parts ways with Yuu.
And Tsunotarou…doesn't feel like leaving just yet.
…
…
Yuu walks with an extra bounce in their step the next day. It lasts throughout the day, even as they purchase ingredients from the school store after classes are over. There's this lingering happiness that they carry with them, as they make their way back to the Ramshackle Dorm.
Grim doesn't ask any questions, deciding to keep them to himself. Instead, he helps Yuu cut strawberries. His come out pretty messy, while Yuu's come out neat and delicate. He huffs in frustration, his gaze shifting over to the potted rose that sits at the center of the kitchen table.
"A gift, huh?" That's probably why Yuu has been so cheerful. It's been noticeable since yesterday, but it only really sinks in just how much it means to them. "What are you?"
What makes such a simple gift mean so much to someone like Yuu?
Grim doesn't know, but it makes him feel something inside his chest. Sighing, he goes back to cutting more strawberries. Bit by bit, he gets better at them—it's still not as precise as Yuu's, but…it looks better, at least.
There's a loud knocking on the door that causes Yuu to shriek, nearly dropping the knife in their hands. The knocking is soon followed by the door opening rather noisily and the sound of footsteps rushing through the hallways until…
"Yuu-chan!" It's Cater, sounding absolutely out of breath. Sweat drips down his face as he pants, his gaze focusing on Yuu as he takes out his phone. "Wh-What's this?!"
Cut strawberries splatter into a saucepan as Yuu looks at Cateer's phone. On the screen, is a photo of them and Vil.
"How were you able to take a selfie with Vil-kun?!" Cater pokes and prods at Yuu's face, stopping for a moment to caress their skin. "Say…what kind of products do you—not the point!"
He can't keep getting distracted by the little things, when he has questions that he wants answers for. Even if he does want answers for how Yuu got their skin to be so soft and smooth…
"Senpai asked for a selfie after doing my makeup!" Yuu replies, as though it's an obvious answer.
"He did your makeup?!" Ahhh, Cater is totally jealous! "Yuu-chan—what did you do?!"
"It's what Yuu didn't do." Grim crosses his arms over his chest. "Which is steal. That guy thought Yuu was the one who stole his stuff, when it was really the ghosts that did it."
They have since apologized, though not without saying that they wouldn't be making promises to stop. How annoying…
"I see…" Cater vaguely recalls a post that Vil had made on MagiCam, involving his missing cosmetics. "I guess that answers that."
Somewhat—Cater still has his questions, but…he supposes that it doesn't matter much. After all, the only reason he found out about this, beyond the fact that he came across it while looking through Vil's posts, is the fact that he had gotten an influx of followers to his account… Which he had received through his connection with Yuu, who was the one who truly benefitted the most from Vil's post.
"So whatcha doin'?" Cater pockets his phone, his gaze focusing on the saucepan of strawberries that Yuu puts on the stove.
"Making strawberry jam—you want to help?!" Yuu gets far too excited all too suddenly, their eyes practically sparkling with glee. "I'm also making tarts!"
"Tarts, huh?" Cater laughs nervously. He's not a fan of sweets, but… "I guess Cay-kun can put some time in for his kouhai~!"
He regrets it immensely when his arm starts hurting from mixing in so many ingredients into a bowl. The urge to use magic is high, except Cater isn't too confident in his abilities without Trey around to give him a clue. If there's anyone who is skilled in using magic while baking, it's Trey…
"Waaah, so much work!" Cater pouts childishly as he watches Yuu effortlessly fill out various pans with the dough they had just finished rolling out. "You've been busy while I was gone, huh?"
"Yep!" Yuu is an especially hard worker, for someone who expects nothing in return.
"Why so many tarts?" Shouldn't a few be enough? Cater sticks his tongue out as he looks at the bowl in his arms. This is reminding him too much of home, except now he's the one making sweets and not his sisters and mother. "Geez…"
How did his friend turn out to be such a workaholic?
"Good job, Paisen!" And yet, seeing that smile on Yuu's face makes Cater's heart skip a beat.
"I guess this isn't too bad." After all, desserts tend to get a lot of likes on MagiCam—especially if they're really pretty. "Hmm, hmm~!"
He can endure this pain a little more.
While all this happens, Grim naps on the kitchen table, his tail lightly bumping against the potted rose. He remains asleep throughout the rest of the baking process, waking up only once the smell of baked goods reaches his nose.
It's just in time, as Yuu is in the middle of opening a can of tuna. "Wakey-wakey!"
"How can you sleep through all of this?" Cater slumps in his chair, letting out a tired sigh. "My arms…"
"Quit whining—you didn't have to cut a lotta strawberries." That was hell on its own, for someone like Grim.
"At least they're not chestnuts!" Yuu forces a smile at the memory of having so many spiky chestnuts pulled off of them. "Ehehe, spiky…"
"Do I want to know?" Now that Cater thinks about it, didn't Yuu have some bandages covering their arms that one time?
"I don't wanna talk about it." Yuu averts their gaze, focusing more on the jar of strawberry jam that was left on the kitchen island to cool off. "Strawberry, strawberry~!"
Yuu empties the contents of the canned tuna into a plate. Barely a few seconds have passed before Grim rushes over to the plate to start eating the tuna. Yuu only laughs, reaching out to lightly scratch Grim behind his ears.
"Slow, slow!" There's no need to rush! "It's time to cut more strawberries!"
Yuu has had enough practice while making the jam, alongside Grim. It's why they take up the entire task on their own, while they have Cater and Grim make the whipped cream and nappage.
It's late in the evening when Yuu finally says, "Done!"
Cater has his face resting against the surface of the kitchen table, looking worst for wear now that the soreness in his arms has set in. Grim is doing a lot better, despite his exhaustion—likely because he's been given a strawberry tart as a reward.
It's topped with cream and strawberries covered in nappage. The tart itself is a lot smaller than the others, as Yuu had made this particular tart with Grim in mind. It's why Grim doesn't complain about its size. After all, he'll get to eat more come tomorrow.
Yuu hums happily to themselves as they look at the main centerpiece—a large-sized strawberry tart, surrounded by somewhat smaller tarts. It stands out amongst the others, due to the way Yuu had heavily decorated it with strawberries.
At the center, is a whole strawberry, while slices of strawberries are layered around it in a manner that resembles a flower. Nappage makes the strawberries shine in the light. A border of cream encircles the fruit, hiding the ends of the outer layer of strawberries.
It's such a pretty sight, that it makes Cater perk up a bit when he sees the tarts for himself. He takes out his phone and quickly snaps a photo as soon as he's close enough. Since the lighting isn't so bad in the kitchen and the angle is perfect, there isn't much need for him to retake it.
"Say, would you like to take a selfie with me?" Cater winks playfully at Yuu, who winks right back him. "'Kaaay~!"
It's always fun to talk to Yuu, even if they don't say much. Their mannerisms are enough at times, and what's more, they're still cute as ever.
"Hmm, hmm~!" It's funny how fast Yuu's followers like the posts he makes to their account. Quite a few of them are asking questions about him, which makes him happy at first… Until he realizes they're asking if the two are dating. "Huh."
Bummer.
"Oh well." At least he's getting some more new followers from the posts, since he tagged himself. So it isn't a complete loss. "Ehehe~!"
Cater has the rest of the evening to moderate what comments are made to Yuu's posts. It's the least he can do for them, until they get their own phone.
"Say, say—can you send in some help in the morning?" Yuu asks him before letting out a loud yawn. "Need help with the tarts."
"I'll send in a couple of clones." It shouldn't be too much of a hassle for Cater. "Make sure to wear your outfit!"
He's a got a new headband waiting for them.
"Yuu, I want more tuna!" Grim rubs his body against Yuu's leg. "You should eat, too!"
"'Kay!" Yuu drops down to their knees to stroke Grim's fur. "See ya, see ya, Cay-kun!"
"Laters!" Cater winks as he waves at Yuu before taking his leave. The ghosts are the ones who close the door behind him. They are also the ones who lead Crowley to Yuu, as he has dinner ready for them and Grim.
…
…
It's the day of the Unbirthday Party, and Riddle feels like throwing up. Each student that glances at him before immediately going to finish their assigned task makes his stomach churn even harder. He swallows hard and turns to Trey, who only gives him a reassuring smile.
"It will be fine," he says, even though it feels like a complete lie.
Even now, Riddle worries that something will go wrong. Though he wants to be more lenient with the rules, it still doesn't stop the anxiety that makes his heart feel like its going to explode. He exhales slowly, watching as Trey sets the teapot with the sleeping dormouse on the center of the table.
The roses are red, and the tablecloths are white. Ace is the only one even looking directly at him. He looks somewhat annoyed, but honestly… It's better than being ignored.
"Yes…" Riddle forces a smile.
Everything gets easier the instant that Yuu shows up. They're accompanied by a copy of Cater, with Grim trailing after them. Like the last Unbirthday Party, Yuu is dressed in that outfit that was given to them. Cater's copy takes a moment to put a new headband on them before giving them a light shove.
He says something to them. What it is, Riddle doesn't know, but all of a sudden—
"Good morning, Riddle!" Yuu walks right up to him, their hands grabbing onto his. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Y-Yeah…" It feels like his face is on fire, but…Riddle is very much okay.
"Okay!" Yuu smiles widely as Grim climbs onto their shoulder. His gaze is harsh, though not anything that Riddle can handle.
"You bring the tarts?" he asks.
"Of course." Riddle promised, after all. "For now…will you join me at the table?"
His voice almost dies in his throat when he finishes asking his question, that same heat returning to his face as Yuu looks him directly in the eye. It's like they can see right through him…
"C'mon!" Yuu leads him over to the main table by hand. They sit across from him, resting their chin on their hands as they watch him talk to Trey.
"You know…you don't have to change so suddenly." Trey can see how anxious Riddle is. "We don't have to stop all at once. We can take things slow…"
Especially since it will take quite a lot of time for Riddle to fully recover. Physically, he is fine, but emotionally…well, that's something else entirely.
"At least now…" Trey adjusts his glasses, a smile spreading across his lips as he watches Riddle nervously smile back at Yuu.
A yelp leaves Riddle's mouth when Ace suddenly pulls out a chair and sits at the table alongside him and Yuu. Deuce soon joins him, albeit nervously, with a soft, "S-Sorry…"
"Hey, Riddle-kun!" Cater is as chipper as ever, now that he feels more at ease around Riddle. He sits to Riddle's right and takes out his camera to snap a quick photo. "Nice!"
"You guys…" Trey heaves out a sigh.
"It's fine!" Riddle insists, despite the urge he has to scold them for breaking a rule. After all, there are still enough seats at the table, so…thinking about it more, they really aren't breaking any rules. "This is fine."
"Yee!" Yuu laughs.
The dormouse is in the teapot, with the jam set aside. The tables are set, and the tablecloths are all white—just like some of the roses…wait.
"Wait a minute!" Riddle slams his hands on the table, catching everyone by surprise. "Those roses aren't red!"
"Aw, crap—did we miss some?!" Ace turns to Deuce, who looks just as nervous as he is.
"Ace-chan, Deuce-chan, you said you painted them all red!" Cater immediately throws them under the bus, even though he is just as much to blame as them.
"Y-You're blaming us?!" Deuce's eyes go wide.
"Ri-Riddle, this is…" Trey tries his best to deescalate the situation. He knows it's too soon for Riddle to look the other way so easily, when he's still so anxious about breaking even one rule.
And yet…
"I'm kidding~!" The laughter that comes out of Riddle's mouth is so natural. His posture is far more relaxed than it's ever been. "I won't get mad over every little thing again…"
It's to the surprise of everyone else, who has never seen their Dorm Leader act so lenient.
"It hasn't even been a week…"
"Is the Dorm Leader feelin' okay?"
"Maybe this is a side effect of the Overblot?"
"If it is, then I'm good with it!"
The rest of the partygoers aren't as tense as they were initially.
"Cheers for Riddle-kun!" Cater happily exclaims as he throws his hands in the air. His outburst gets the rest of Heartslabyul cheering Riddle's name.
There is nothing forced about it. It's all done willingly, to the point that someone uses their magic to summon a wave of colorful confetti. The sight alone is enough to make Riddle feel even more at ease.
"It'll be faster if we all paint together." He beckons at those sitting by him to follow. There are quite a few roses that they have to paint red for the Unbirthday Party.
"Still strict as ever, huh?" Ace barks out a laugh. "I guess that's fine."
He's stayed mad at Riddle long enough. At least now, he can use magic again, so painting more roses shouldn't be too difficult of a task.
"You sure have changed, Riddle." Trey can't help but feel proud. After all these years, he's finally moving away from whatever lifestyle his mother had forced on him.
"Grrr, I can't wait any longer!" Grim taps his paws impatiently on Yuu's head. "Let's hurry and start the party!"
He wants to eat the tarts that he made with Yuu and Cater. And more than that, he also wants the tarts that Riddle had promised to make.
"Ahh…but you can't use magic." Riddle furrows his brow. "Hmm…then—here."
It takes only a few seconds for Riddle to call forth his staff, and even less to conjure up a bucket of red paint and paint brush for Yuu. Riddle was never one to use his staff for just mundane magic, always preferring to use his pen instead. And yet, after everything…
Does it really matter what he uses for his magic?
No…it doesn't, which is why Riddle continues to use his staff to paint the roses red with the others.
"When was the last time you painted the roses, Riddle?" Trey asks before turning a white rose red.
"Not sure." Riddle stares at a rose that Deuce had just turned red. He narrows his eyes, before waving his staff around to fix the color—it wasn't the right shade of red. "I've always left it to the other students since I became Dorm Leader."
He never really had a chance to paint the roses red with everyone else.
"Doing it yourself is fun, too~!" Cater pipes up. "Though, we have quite an interesting set of first-years with us."
"Hey—you talking about us?" Ace scowls.
"This isn't so hard!" Grim stops to admire his work, nodding his head in satisfaction at the rose he had painted red. "I'm definitely gonna be better than Riddle!"
"Fufufu, shall we put that to the test, then?" Riddle isn't one to turn down any challenges.
"Good luck!" Yuu says before jumping up to paint a rose. As usual, it's been a hassle, due to their lack of magic and short height. Though, all of a sudden—it gets easier, thanks to Deuce holding them up by the waist. "Hey, hey~!"
"You can sit on my shoulders if you like." Deuce doesn't mind giving Yuu a boost if it means no longer seeing him struggle. "Oh—just don't get any paint on me."
"Okay~!" Yuu will do their best.
Between painting the roses red, Cater takes out his phone to snap a photo with his camera. He has a lot to post after this, once they're done. Certainly, everyone needs to see just how cute Yuu and Deuce can be when they're like this.
Even Riddle is acting pretty cute.
"You're slacking!" Riddle waves his staff to fix yet another rose that Deuce had painted. "It needs to be a deeper red!"
"Y-Yes!" Deuce nods his head nervously.
"So much for easing up a bit." Ace knew better than to expect much from Riddle so soon.
"Maa maa, that's just how Dorm Leader is!" Cater thinks that this side of Riddle is just as cute as everything else.
"If you're going to do it, then it should be done perfectly!" Riddle explains before painting another rose red. "To have a great party, I won't be hold back…fufu."
"Fun, fun!" Yuu can tell that Riddle is having fun. They're also having a lot of fun, too. "It's fun to paint together!"
It takes a lot less time to finish painting the rest of the roses. Upon coming across the last of the trees that needed to be painted, Riddle manages to turn all the white roses red within seconds.
"Alright, that should do it." Riddle doesn't see any more roses that need to be painted.
"Amazing…!" Ace's eyes are wide in awe. "He did that in one move!"
"And with such impressive speed…" Even Deuce needs a few more seconds to concentrate, and that's if he can even get it right on the first try.
"Riddle-kun is especially good with magic!" To the point that Cater can't help but feel envious at times.
"Guess you lost, Grim!" Yuu laughs when Grim starts hissing at them. "Fair is fair!"
"Shaddup!" Grim doesn't want to hear it.
"Nice work, Riddle." Trey reaches out to pat Riddle on the back.
Riddle's smile only widens. "With that out of the way, let us begin our Unbirthday Party!"
Everyone has waited long enough for them.
"So what happened to the tart you made, Dorm Leader?" Ace asks as soon as they've returned to the table.
"Well…" Riddle waves his staff and brings out a plate with a large strawberry tart. "Here, I made strawberry tart."
It's not as well made as the marron tarts that Ace had made alongside the others, but…it's still a tart, nonetheless.
"The shape is a little off, but you did well coating the strawberries in nappage to bring out their shine." Trey is impressed with Riddle's hard work. "Good job for a first attempt."
"There you go, spoiling him again." Ace heaves out a sigh. "Well…let's take a bite!"
He's been looking forward to this all week.
"Ahh—don't cut it yet!" Cater takes out his phone. "Let me take a pic first! Okay…done~!"
"He never changes either." It's just what Ace has learned to expect from Cater. "Alright, time to dig in!"
They each take a bite out of their slice of tart…and immediately spit it out.
"Why is it salty?!"
"Eh?!" Riddle's eyes go wide with shock.
"What is this?!" Ace coughs, his body shuddering at the unbearably salty taste that now coated his tongue. "Is so freakin' salty! Just what did you put in this?!"
Did Riddle mistake salt for sugar?!
"Blegh…" No matter how much tea Yuu drinks, the taste is still there. Swallowing a spoonful of honey doesn't work either—it just makes Yuu gag. "Eugh…"
"You're surprisingly sensitive." Cater tries to lighten up the mood, but the salt combined with the texture is just disgusting. "Is this really better than eating something sweet?"
At this point, he'd prefer eating an entire bowl of sugar.
"I bought all the ingredients and followed the recipe exactly…" Riddle wracks his memories for any answers. "I don't know how it could've…ah! Don't tell me…is it because I added oyster sauce?!"
Deuce almost chokes on his spit, coughing a few times. "Clover-senpai, why…?!"
It has to be because of something Trey said.
"Trey did say that that all good tarts have it, even if it's not in the recipe…" Why else would Trey say something like that?
"Seriously?!" As if Deuce wasn't enough—why is Ace surrounded by people who take things at face value? "Bleeegh…You, of all people, should've figured out he was lying!"
Good grief, this is a disaster…
"The brain cell is collecting dust on the ground…" Yuu swallows another spoonful of honey. "The taste of oyster sauce and strawberries doesn't want to leave…"
It's so gross!
"Eh…Grim?" Grim hasn't moved in a bit… "Grim—don't die!"
Yuu starts shaking Grim's unconscious body. It takes a few shakes before he manages to spit out a strawberry that had gotten lodged in his throat.
"Haaack…" That was seriously too close. "Geez."
The salty taste had made him swallow too quickly.
"This goes beyond secret ingredient!" Cater would understand Riddle's mistake if it was a lot less salty, but damn… "Just how much did you add?"
"I wouldn't know since it wasn't in the recipe, so I may have…overdone it." Riddle should've just followed the recipe from start to finish to begin with, ignoring whatever Trey had told him before. "Sorry…"
"Pffft—ahaahaha!" Trey can't hold back any longer. "I didn't think you'd actually take me so seriously, ahahahahaa!"
As nasty as it was, Trey still can't help but laugh. Really, it's just too funny to see his simple joke come back to bite him in the ass like this. And from Riddle, too!
"Ahahaha, you're right." Now that Riddle thinks about it… "It really was foolish of me. Ahaha…"
"Haha, it's so bad it's making us laugh now, huh?" Deuce finds himself laughing along.
"Guess we have no choice but to laugh at it, y'know?" Ace would be mad if it wasn't so funny. Not to mention, the faces that Yuu keeps making each time he swallows a spoonful of honey are hilarious. "Ahaha, stop before you make yourself sick!"
"No!" Yuu shoves another spoonful of honey into his mouth. "Bleeegh."
The sickly sweetness is making him gag…
"But…it's kinda good in its own way." Grim takes another bite out of the tart. This time, he doesn't spit it out now that he knows what to expect.
"Oh, I get that!" Cater flashes Grim a smile. "It's not entirely inedible."
It's still not anything that Cater would willingly eat due to the texture.
"You guys are gross!" Yuu can't believe what they're hearing.
"Diamond-senpai is turning into Grim…" The last thing Deuce wants to see is Cater eating strange things off the ground.
"Nah—it's nothing like that!" Cater quickly corrects Deuce.
"The tart is fine because it's not sweet…correct?" Trey gives Cater a knowing look.
"Eh?" Cater blinks.
"You hate sweet things, after all." Trey's known Cater for quite a while now—it's not that hard for him to notice.
"Makes sense." Yuu recalls that Cater's favorite food seemed especially spicy. Sometimes, during lunch, they can even smell the spice on their food… It can get pretty intense. "Spicy food lover!"
"Man, am I really that easy to figure out?" Cater laughs awkwardly, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. "I never told anyone about it, though…"
"You always bring up my unique magic whenever we eat cake." Or anything relatively sweet. "I figured you didn't like sweets that much."
"Well, that's embarrassing…" So much for keeping it a secret. "You know, this might work for Riddle-kun, but I don't think that saying what you think of all the time is good at all."
"I'll make some quiche for the next Unbirthday Party." It's the least Trey can do to better accommodate to Cater's tastes, and any other of their dormmates who are similar.
"Well, thank you!" Cater appreciates the thought. "Make them look photogenic like a cake, okay?"
"Fufufu, all of Trey's sweets are so delicious no matter how much I eat~!" Going somewhat unnoticed is Che'nya, who is currently stuffing his face with sweets from the dessert table. "Nom, nom, nom~!"
"Che'nya—what're you doing here?!" Riddle stares wide-eyed at his friend.
"Hmm?" Che'nya tilts his head to the side, his mouth still full of food. He swallows as he grabs a strawberry tart off a tray. "I came to celebrate the Unbirthday Party! Congrats, Riddle!"
He stuffs the strawberry tart into his mouth after that. He enjoys the taste, though his brow furrows at the difference between it and the other sweets. Trey didn't make this one…but it's still just as good.
"The Unbirthday Party is exclusive to Heartslabyul." Riddle crosses his arms over his chest. "It doesn't concern you, does it?"
"Wouldn't it also be the same for those two over there?" Che'nya laughs as he places his hands behind his head. "Of course, there is an Alice amongst them, so…fufufu."
His presence shouldn't be too unwelcomed.
"You're the nya-nya guy from last time!" Grim had almost forgotten about him.
"Nya~!" Yuu paws at the air like a cat, prompting Che'nya to mimic them. "Nya!"
"Nya~!" Yet again, Che'nya has too much fun with this Alice.
"Just what dorm are you from anyways?" Grim still hasn't figured it out.
"Che'nya isn't even from this school," Trey explains as he watches Che'nya scarf down another dessert. It's a good thing he made so much… "He's from our rival school, Royal Sword Academy."
"He doesn't even go here?!" Deuce turns to Che'nya, who only waves at him, his bushy tail swaying behind him.
"And he's from Royal Sword Academy, too?!" Ace can only wonder how Che'nya was able to get inside Night Raven College to begin with… Isn't the distance from Royal Sword Academy too much?
"That's such a cool name!" Yuu exclaims, their eyes sparkling in awe.
"Would you like me to give you a tour?" Che'nya pops up by Yuu's side, giving the bow on their headband a playful poke. "Hi, hi, Alice!"
"Hiii!" Yuu latches onto his tail again. His fur is as soft as ever… "Fuwa, fuwa~!"
"Still so forward!" Che'nya lets out another meow before laughing mischievously at Trey, who only shakes his head in disapproval. "It's fiiiine!"
Che'nya doesn't mind!
Of course…the same can't be said about everyone else from Heartslabyul, who starts to react to his presence.
"Royal Sword Academy?!"
"How did someone get in?!"
"Where is he? I'll chase him out!"
"Whoopsies!" Looks like Che'nya stuck around too long. "Well, I got my tart, so I'm outta here! Fufufu~! Sorry I can't stick around to play this time, Alice!"
It seems they'll have to try again next time.
"Bye-bye!" Yuu says to Che'nya as he ruffles their hair. He disappears after that, in the same manner as he did before. All that's left is his voice before it slowly fades away.
"He's running away!"
"After him!"
Most of Heartslabyul scrambles to chase after Che'nya, leaving behind Riddle and the others.
"Everyone just…left." Grim is perplexed.
"Night Raven College students basically treat Royal Sword Academy students like enemies…" Riddle pauses for a moment. "Well—mostly everyone, seeing as our Alice is quite the contrarian."
"It's a rivalry that's been going on for one-hundred years…" Trey takes a moment to adjust Yuu's headband. "Not that Che'nya particularly cares about it either."
"Maa maa—no more gloomy talk!" Cater's had enough of that for one day. "Let's just enjoy the Unbirthday Party today! After all, Yuu-chan has a gift for Riddle-kun~!"
"Ahh…!" Yuu nearly falls out of their seat upon hearing that, were it not for Trey grabbing them by the back of their romper. "Thanks!"
"Be more careful." Sometimes, Yuu really worries him.
"Damn, he's clumsy…" Ace shakes his head. "I'll…go help."
"Hurry, hurry!" Grim has a hard time staying still. "I wanna eat!"
"Just…what is it?" Riddle asks, feeling rather curious.
"You'll see, Riddle-kun!" Cater pats his shoulder. "Come along!"
Riddle's eyes go wide at the tray that Ace helps Yuu carry over to the main table. "That's…"
"I told you I'd make a new one to replace the one I ate!" Yuu smiles widely as they hold up a plate with the largest of the strawberry tarts. "Your favorite, with lotsa strawberries!"
"Well…it seems you weren't the only one who worked hard the other day." Trey chuckles. "You did rather well—did you use strawberry jam for the nappage?"
"Yeah, I forgot the apricot jam and didn't know until we were already in the kitchen…" And since the school store is so far away from the Ramshackle Dorm… "I just decided to make some strawberry jam instead."
It's for the best, because otherwise, Yuu would have just eaten the strawberries they cut for practice with Grim. At least now, they have some jam to hold them through the week.
"Anyways…here!" Yuu offers the strawberry tart to Riddle. "Take it."
Riddle has a hard time saying anything, his body trembling as he slowly reaches out to take the strawberry tart. It's rather large, but he's still able to hold it in both of his hands. The nappage makes the strawberries especially shiny, giving them such an enticing look.
"Like jewels…" It smells so sweet, so…delicious. "Nom…"
The taste isn't exactly like the tart he had back then. But…it's just similar enough to remind Riddle of that day. The way he starts to savor each bite as the taste of strawberries and cream overwhelms his mouth.
It's not his birthday…
But that's okay.
His mother would disapprove so much…
But she isn't around, so that's also okay.
It's good. So, so good…
"Delicious…" Just as he always thought it would be—maybe even more than that. There is something so personal about this taste, because Yuu made this tart especially for him…
It makes his chest start to throb with each bite he takes. He's not supposed to each too much, but…he wants this. He wants to eat all of this for himself.
The more he eats, the better he starts to feel. Because this taste is enough to cover that bitter memory with enough sweetness to ease the pain. It's still such a sad memory, but…it's not the only memory he has.
This is one Unbirthday Party that he'll never forget. Not now nor ever—this is a memory that he'll always hold close to his heart. Because it reminds him that he's not alone.
Trey is there, as is Cater… So is Deuce and Grim… Even Ace, too. And most importantly…Yuu.
Yuu is there.
Yuu is smiling.
Patting his head as salty tears stream down his face.
Telling him that everything will be okay.
Making his chest feel so, so warm…
Ba-dump, ba-dump!
Ba-dump, ba-dump!
It's a pleasant feeling.
…
…
…
A/N Aaaaaaaaand we got another one to the flock, y'all!
Anyways, holy fucking SHIT, this chapter just kept getting longer and longer, but hey! We are officially done with chapter one of Twisted Wonderland!
Now it's time to start the next one! :D
I had a lot of fun with this chapter, as much as it kept me busy for reasons I can't exactly figure out like… It wasn't hard to write—I just either kept falling asleep or getting distracted.
But hey—it's done and I got like 15K+ words written.
By the by, about Yuu's new outfit—that's their school uniform. Don't expect it to be their permanent wear, since they have other things to wear. Also, do expect the sweater to make a return soon. Just a new and improved version.
Anyways, I basically nabbed SINoALICE's Pinnochio's outfit for Yuu's school uniform. I just tweaked it a bit with the boots and coloration. Otherwise, everything is in check.
And if you look closely, you can see Crowley is slowly going more into Dad mode. Do not bring it up with him, or he will outright deny it. Crewel's already accepted it, as has Vargas and Trein is slowly warming up.
Sorry, not sorry for my Tsunotarou bias showing up hardcore this chapter. I love him too much, but also the recent event really just…ahhh. I love it.
That's all I have for now. Let me know what you think, whether it's through a review, or an ask on my tumblr at klonoadreams!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Until next time! Stay safe!
