Nah I think you've nailed Volta's speech dont worry It was cute tho

Aw thank youuu I'm glad you appreciated it! <3

Mother

Pairing : Procurator Volta x male!reader (if you really squint your eyes)

Fandom : The Arcana visual novel

Warnings : motherhood ; angst?

Summary : She had a bad feeling about her lover's next trip with Asra, and so, she asked him to give her a gift she could keep for as long as she lived.

(You can pretend this doesn't exist if you wish.)

No one ever noticed. No one could've guessed. No one could've possibly fathomed something like this happening with Volta. There were hints, of course. But nobody had picked up on them. The Procurator had always eaten a lot, and so nothing was out of the ordinary. She had mood swings, however, but everyone thought it was because of the magician's apprentice's death. Tragic news, for nearly everyone ; even more so that the majority of the court knew he and Volta were particularly attached to each other, even though their relationship had never been made officially public. When Asra came back alone to the Palace, everyone knew what dreadful tales he had to tell, and afterwards, Volta locked herself in her room for roughly two days, crying her heart out at the loss of her beloved. The Countess and the rest of the courtiers then interpreted her changes in attitude as a response to grief ; even if not everyone was too displeased by it. Vulgora was even happy that she finally dared to get angry sometimes. But well. Again, no one could've possibly thought there was another reason behind her sudden affirmative demeanor.

It was a day like any other. The sun shone in the sky, birds chirped, the people in the streets passed and went to tend to their respective businesses, but in the Palace, in the quiet hours of the morning, no one knew that someone would be seeing the light of day for the first time.

Valdemar was simply walking down the corridors, with the intent of going to the dungeons for yet another productive day of experiments, when a distant noise stopped them in their tracks. Cries. Infant cries. They blinked, confused, and followed the noise to the room down the corridor : Volta's room. Their heart beat in confusion and anticipation as they pushed open the door, which was already slightly ajar. There, they found Volta, in a simple cotton night gown, holding something in her arms and panting, beads of sweat adorning her forehead. The Quaestor's jaw dropped as they finally figured the source of the noises : a newborn, right in Volta's arms. They stood in the doorway, perfectly immobile, for a hot minute, looking at the bloody bed sheets and again, the infant in Volta's arms. The Procurator noticed them : "ah, you couldn't come in at a better time" she said. Her gaze held a sort of determination and maturity that had probably been hidden for a long time. "Volta doesn't exactly... know what to do from here." she said, looking between the baby in her arms and Valdemar. The gears in the doctor's head started clicking restlessly, trying to overcome the initial shock to start helping the Procurator out. "ah- y-yes well-" they looked around frantically. They knew they had to react quickly. They walked into the corridor and called out : "PORTIA!!" a little louder than they would've wanted. But the servant, hearing them from nearly the other wing of the Palace, hurried to them "y-yes?? what is it??" she asked, before a flicker of confusion flashed in her eyes as she heard the newborn's cries. Valdemar didn't give her much time to think and started giving instruction : "Bring me a basin of warm water -the cleanest you can find- I also need fresh and clean towels, and I have a box of pocket tools in the library -the right shelf- and new bed sheets too, hurry!!" and with that, they went back into Volta's room. Portia, sensing the urgency of the situation, called out to other servants to help her gather what Valdemar had asked as quickly as possible.

Once she came back with the basin and the towels, Portia managed to catch a glimpse of the situation and she was just as shocked as the Quaestor earlier. Speaking of them, they snatched the basin from her hands, and then their eyes quickly flickered between Volta and the infant. Their bare hands were currently cleaner - they'd have to remove their gloves, which they did, throwing them on the other side of the room. Portia went to sit down next to Volta, trying to offer some support by gently rubbing her back and holding her hand as Valdemar took the baby from her -with... shocking delicacy- and made sure the umbilical chord wouldn't be an issue. They then carried the infant to the basin and careful rinsed them -again, with shocking delicacy and gentleness- as it continued to scream its lungs out. But that was normal. Reassuring, even. Then, they carefully laid it down on a towel next to the basin "let's see..." they mumbled, as they checked for the child's heartbeat, breathing, and overall health. Gods- it was small. They weren't used to handling babies... After the small checkup, they carefully and not too tightly wrapped it in a clean towel, giving back the small bundle to the Procurator "It's a boy. Hold him against the skin of your chest, he'll... Get used to you and your scent" they said, as Volta smiled and nodded, sitting back in her bed and carefully cradling the small being in her arms. Portia smiled "aww, he's adorable" she commented, to which Volta agreed. Now that that was done, Valdemar allowed themselves to stand a little to the side, and finally give in to their shock and disbelief. They looked at the ground, brows knitted together as they tried to process what exactly had just happened. Their arms laid limp at their side and they were still as a statue. It wasn't... a bad kind of shock, at least they thought it wasn't. It was just... Like, this... How... They blinked a few times, trying to regain their composure. They still had to monitor both Volta's and the child's condition just in case. But for now, they'd let Volta and Portia alone for a little, as they picked up their gloves again and muttered a little "I'll be back" before leaving the new mother and her child. Mother. That's what they couldn't possibly wrap their head around. Volta, a mom. That just sounded impossible. Maybe she was fit for the task, they didn't exactly know about that but... But this was actually happening. What... What had happened for her to just... ??? They knew they were missing some piece of information, and that didn't help their confusion and shock. They took a deep breath and went to wash their hands before putting their gloves back on. They hadn't realized they'd been walking to the Countess' office until she spoke up, surprised : "Yes? Do you need something, Quaestor?" They didn't answer right away. They weren't even looking at her. Nadia seemed to sense something was off. "You look troubled.." she said, her brows furrowing slightly. "...Maybe... You should come see for yourself." They replied, as they started to walk back to Volta's room. Confused, Nadia followed them.

She too found herself highly surprised when she came in the room and saw Volta holding her child. However, she seemed to take the situation well. She came up to the Procurator and congratulated her, as she joined the discussion with Portia. The Quaestor's mind was still... Blank, as they once again left the room, and instead leaned back against the wall of the corridor. That's when they heard -very recognizable- footsteps coming towards them, and it seemed to wake them up from their shocked state somewhat. They stood in front of the annoyed Pontifex, who said : "Where's Volta?? I've been looking around the Palace forever for her ! She's not in the kitchen, she's not in the gardens, she's not-" ; "She's resting." Valdemar interrupted them. Vulgora raised an eyebrow "Resting? From what?? She's not done anything particularly special in three days!" they protested. Valdemar sighed. "It's... I don't know how to explain it to you. But you must promise me that you won't shout, that you won't make any kind of harsh movements, and that you'll remove those gauntlets -they're too sharp-" Vulgora looked both confused and annoyed "What the fuck are you yapping about??" and the Quaestor had to hold back the urge to slap some sense into them. They didn't try to stop them when they walked past them into Volta's room : "Volta ! what the hell have you been-" the Pontifex interrupted themselves as they saw the three ladies in the room, but their confusion quickly turned to shock when they noticed the small bundle in Volta's arms. "ah, Vulgora." she commented. It was true, she looked quite tired. "...wh.... are y-...." the Pontifex's voice became nothing more than a strangled whisper "i-it's yours???" but it did convey their shock well enough. the Procurator nodded "it is." she looked back at the bundle in her arms, while Vulgora stood there in confusion and something like horror. "wh- WHO DID THIS TO YOU?? I SWEAR I'M GOING TO SPLATTER THEIR BRAINS ON TH-" they started to shout, earning angry and disapproving glances from Portia, Volta and the Countess when the baby made a little noise of discomfort. Volta spoke up, her expression softening into a smile : "it was Volta's idea. My choice. It's all okay, Vulgora, I promise..." the Pontifex was still in shock and had to go for a walk, leaving the room.

When the evening came around, everyone progressively started leaving the Procurator's room. The servants had changed the bedsheets and Nadia had a little crib put beside her bed to put the baby in. The moonlight peeked through the window, as Valdemar still stood in the room. They had... questions. But they'd wait until Volta woke up. For now, they looked into the little crib, contemplating this brand new individual born at the Palace. He was... Little. Minuscule. They'd forgotten how small humans start. They'd noticed how this one was a little smaller than the norm too -he wasn't even bigger than Volta's forearm-, but since there didn't seem to be any other underlying issue, they didn't have to worry more than that. So they observed, and listened : the baby's breathing, the air coming in and out of those tiny lungs, those eyes shut and those big round cheeks, and those hands, those minuscule hands. There was... A strange feeling in their chest. They were still utterly confused, yes, but somehow, this tiny little being stirred some sort of protective instinct in them. They quietly removed their right glove and gently nudged one of the baby's hand with the tip of their finger. The tiny appendage instinctively gripped them, with so very little force... That's also when they noticed Volta stir in her sleep, and she turned around : noticing them, she sat up in her bed and scooted closer to the crib, rubbing her eyes "Valdemar...? What are you doing here at this hour?" she whispered. "ah, I... Simply had a question" they replied. The Procurator nodded "what is it?". Valdemar hesitated, withdrawing their hand from the crib -reluctantly-. "Who is the father? If I may ask..." Volta sighed and looked down in the crib, and started gently caressing her son's warm cheek "The magician." She simply answered. "...Asra's apprentice?" Valdemar inquired, which Volta confirmed with a nod. Well, that was a little sad, considering said apprentice had not returned from his journey. "..I'm sorry." They simply said, while Volta continued : "...Volta knew, somehow. I felt it. I cannot... Explain how, or why, but... But Volta knew he wouldn't come back this time." tears welled up in her eyes "I couldn't bear the thought of loosing him and not... have anything left of him. So, Volta asked him for a gift." Valdemar looked down at the baby in the crib "..." The Procurator continued : "When Volta learned what had happened, I was very worried to have lost him. The baby, I mean. But he's here. And he's alright." She gave a faint smile while the Quaestor pondered what they'd just heard. So this child was a sort of... final proof of love from both of the parents. That... Was touching, actually. They wouldn't admit it of course. "...I am simply... Surprised you decided to take on such a task." she shook her head "I knew what I was doing. Volta didn't care if it was going to be complicated, my goal was to bring him into the world." she smiled, looking down at her son "..And I did it." Valdemar had to admit, they were somewhat impressed by this side of Volta. They never knew that she was capable of making such... Mature and emotional decisions. "Why didn't you ask any of us for help?" they inquired, to which Volta smiled "Volta simply wanted to do it by herself. This was my task. My decision. My mission..." They nodded, still letting all that sink in. Their eyes landed on the child again, and a thought occurred to them : "...Does that mean he's part demon?" Volta's head perked up, and worry briefly crossed her features "...maybe. Does that mean... the Devil..." Valdemar shrugged "I am not sure. We'll just have to keep a close eye on that." they paused, seeing the worry in the Procurator's eyes "...I can promise you, none of us will let anything happen to him." This was one of the most sincere and serious statements they'd made in a while. And they meant it. They hoped Volta knew that. Her expression gradually softened back to a slightly tired look, and she nodded "thank you."

After a little while of silent contemplation, Volta returned to sleep, and Valdemar, although they stayed beside the crib a little longer, knew they'd have to leave as well. They put their glove back on, and as quiet as a shadow, left the room, delicately closing the door behind them, leaving the new mother and her son rest.

Author's note : I actually have a few little headcanons tied to this story,, so please let me know if you want to see them or not ! ; also sorry for Volta's speech, I'm still a little unfamiliar with that

Chains

Pairing : Quaestor Valdemar x Liam (mc oc) ; platonic Fandom : The Arcana visual novel Warnings : angst ; hurt/comfort (still not good at warning tags grgrg)

Summary : Reverse ending ; Thinking they have betrayed him by aiding Liam becoming the new Patron Arcana of Death, the Devil punishes Valdemar (nothing related to assault, don't worry). But this cruel treatment will not go unnoticed...

The room was dark. The only source of light was the faint red glow of the chains that bound the Quaestor kneeling to the floor. The air was filled with the scent of burnt papers and parchments. They could still feel the trace of the quiet tears they'd shed when the Devil left, despite keeping their face as expressionless as possible. They were pretty sure they had bruises, and the tip of their right horn threatened to fall off at any moment because of how they'd struggled against their binds. They knew their labcoat was scratched, and that their bandages were loose. They could feel strands of hair tickle the skin of their cheeks. This... was simply cruel. Unjustified. After their centuries, their millenias of loyal services, how could the Devil possibly treat them like this?? They hadn't crossed any lines, not in the terms of their deal at least... So why? Their gaze remained on the floor as they let their thoughts consume them. What else could they possibly be doing? Struggle against the chains some more? To what end? They wouldn't yield.

But their train of thoughts was interrupted by the distant muffle of voices...

______________________________________________________________

In the corridors, some of Death's troupes looked around the rooms, opening every door they could, seemingly searching for something. Or someone. The skeletons were quick and efficient as Death advanced slowly, surveilling the operation. His cape flowed softly with each step he took. The skeletal soldier's search was fruitless so far, but it was also interrupted by a red figure down the hall. "...Vulgora." Death muttered, similarly to a greeting. Probably posted there to guard the halls, the Pontifex yielded a double bit great axe. But their expression lacked the usual bloodthirst and thrill of battle. As if... They didn't want to fight. Death was skeptical ; they'd always loved fighting. But he didn't have time to reflect upon that much : they charged at his soldiers, determined, and made the bones cackle and fall to the ground each time they'd seem them rebuild themselves. Death marched towards them, and drew their sword. He did well, because the Pontifex charged at him next. He blocked their attack, momentarily face to face with them. "They're on the second floor" if it could've conveyed confusion, Death's skeletal face would've upon hearing Vulgora's words. "The last door to the left." They sounded... worried. Death nodded and pushed them off, letting them pretend to fight off part of his troupes and taking only three soldiers with him as they rushed upstairs. He heard the Pontifex pretend to chase after them, and give up once he was halfway up the stairs. He climbed the marches one after the other.

______________________________________________________________

The sounds and muffled voices grew closer. Valdemar couldn't make out the words being said -what was the point, anyway?- but could only distinguish the clinking of metal on the floor. The steps grew closer.

"General ! They're in here !"

what...?

The door was pound against, exactly five times, before it fell off its hinges, hitting the floor with a loud thud and blowing an air current that made them squint their eyes, in addition to the sudden pool of light red light pouring from outside the dark room. They caught the glimpse of four silhouettes, three human sized ones and another, more imposing, standing in the center. The three smaller frames returned into the corridor, and seemed to go keep an eye on the surrounding area, the light they basked in revealing skeletons in armor. The Quaestor's gaze then landed on the fourth shadow : it slowly started approaching. On the floor, it noticed the carcasses of journals, books, files and parchments. And a copious amount of them, too... Two little green lights served as eyes to them, and Vlademar recognized those. Their teeth greeted together, but they couldn't find anything to tell him. Liam. The reason they were in this mess in the first place... That foolish necromancer, taking the place of the thirteenth major Arcana... They briefly looked back at the ground, but their head instantly snapped back up as they saw him crouch down beside a burnt book, about to touch the crispy pitch black pages. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF THAT!!" They shouted, instinctively getting up on their feet, only to be dragged back down by the red chains, drawing a pained grunt out of them. Their shoulders hunched slightly. Liam's hand immobilized in the air and he looked at them. They briefly wished they could still read his expression in this moment... "...Your research." he simply commented. They knew he was right. He got up, and slowly walked towards them. Their gaze was suddenly drawn to his sword, as it morphed into a scythe in his hand. They looked up right at those greenish lights he had for eyes now, their gaze unwavering. Death towered over them... They looked at him grip the weapon with both hands and raise it above his skull. He was going to do it, wasn't he? They weren't even mad. They found themselves... Strangely determined. Fine. After all, maybe it was the greatest service he could make them in th-

SHCLANK.

THUD.

....

....

..

The chains...

He'd aimed for the chains. Eyes wide, they looked at one of the metallic binds that was snapped in two by the scythe, and had fallen to the ground. Liam then snapped the other one.

SHCLANK.

THUD.

They felt the remaining ones around their body loosen, setting their upper body free. They looked at their shaky hands, and then back up at Liam.. Confused. He'd crouched down to their level. Despite the lack of... basically anything that could convey emotions on his face, they felt no ill will or threatening aura coming from him. As if... He wanted... to help...

"Do you think you can walk?"

The lich's raspy and otherworldly voice asked. "How can I possibly trust you?" was their immediate response, which they briefly regretted. Liam didn't seem fazed however. Even... Understanding. He removed the glove of his right hand, exposing his bones to the dark room's air, and reached for one of the burnt books that laid at their feet. They were about to protest again, gripping his wrist to yank it away from the fragile paper, but as soon as one of his bony digits made contact with it, it's as if the book was reborn. The pages found their normal consistency, and their handwriting appeared through the book again. Their jaw hung slack in a mix of confusion and bewilderment. "I thought... Y-you said it didn't work with..." they looked back at his orbits, inhabited by those two green lights, their gaze unable to hide their emotion. "This is... One of Death's tricks. A very brief reversal of time. It only works on objects..." He replied, as he got up and removed his other glove, going around and picking one by one the journals, the files and parchments, each seemingly coming back to life as he touched them. Valdemar was stuck in shock, still on their knees on the floor, the overwhelming amount of emotions swarming them without a single warning. He... He had to have ulterior motives. It couldn't be out of... kindness. Their brows furrowed "What do you want?? wh-why are you doing this?!" as they got back up on their feet, their hands slightly shaky. Liam looked back at them "...Do I need a reason to help a friend?"

...

Friend...? "You mean... Fiend." "I mean... Friend." Shock appeared on their features once more. Death took a slight breath and spoke up again : "But if it is easier for you, consider this a thank you for helping me get where I am now. A... Payback, if you will." he paused, turning around to face them "But the truth is, I only wish to help." The Quaestor stood there, dumbfounded, their brows knitted together due to... Whatever emotion they were currently feeling. They observed as Liam went around the room, picking up each and every single document that the Devil had previously burnt right before their eyes. They watched as he carefully arranged it all in a pile, then a mount as more and more documents were added. They took a few steps forward, their shaky hand reaching for one of the journals, flipping through the pages, then reaching for another one, and another, and another... Tears welled up in their eyes as they held at least a dozen against their chest, crumbling back to their knees and hunching protectively over them, as if they'd vanish if they let go. Their researches... Their life's work, their reason to live... Nearly wiped out like a speck of dust. They couldn't help the tears. Yes, they could muffle their sobs, and yes, they could hide their face against the pile of journals, but they couldn't stop the subtle shaking of their shoulders... Nor the bony hand that gently settled on their back and started caressing it soothingly, Liam crouching beside them.

______________________________________________________________

After a while of such deep and sudden emotions, Death stood back up, ordering his three soldiers to fetch the others, so all of them could carry the mount of documents out of this place. Valdemar took with them as much as they could, their legs slightly wobbly from the whole ordeal, as they, Death, and the soldiers hurried downstairs. They left the damned halls of the Devil's palace, and at the entrance, the Quaestor's eyes widened as they laid upon a familiar centaur-like figure. The horse skull turned to look at them "well, would you look at that! Quaestor Valdemar, in the flesh. It's been a while" Death. Their throat tightened and they looked at the ground in shame. This... All of this was starting to become a little too much. "Cut them some slack" Liam spoke softly, patting Death's flank. "I'm going to need you to carry them home. The Devil's not been kind with them..." Death nodded, although slightly bitter, lowering themselves so Valdemar could mount them, while the lich walked on foot. The Quaestor desperately clung to the journals in their arms, and as the gentle rocking motion of Death's pace nudged them, they felt exhaustion start to close onto them, despite their best attempt to keep their eyes open and surveil the soldiers which carried the rest of their researches.

______________________________________________________________

They woke up in what looked like a cottage, resting on a couch, with a thick blanket over them and a plush pillow under their head. They blinked awake, looking around, noticing Liam sitting at a table. The lich was studying what looked like maps ; there was a warm fire going in the fireplace. Their eyes lingered on the flames for a while before returning to Liam. They observed his skeletal hands carefully holding the paper, before their red eyes looked out the window, into the snowy forest around. The sight felt much less dreadful than they remember. The soft creaking of Liam's chair drew their attention. "Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?" It was... paradoxal to have Death sound so soothing... Or maybe it wasn't. "...Better." Warm. "That is great to hear." he put the map down on the wooden table, getting up to reach for a set of keys and picked two from it. He then walked over to Valdemar and gently placed the keys in their hand. "It's to access a small shed I have built nearby. I've made it so your research could be stored there, in Death's realm." yet another emotional blow for Valdemar. But of gratitude, this time. They closed their eyes and let out a soft sigh to keep their composure. "...Thank you." Liam nodded. "It's my pleasure." He was about to return to his table when Valdemar gripped his sleeve. He turned around. They'd stood up ; they seemed to be contemplating something. Their eyes briefly scanned Liam up and down, before they gulped and extended their arms, before wrapping them around him, in a clumsy hug. A warm feeling spread in the lich's chest as he embraced their smaller frame back.

Valdemar could've never guessed Death's embrace could ever be this soft and welcoming.

I was the one who requested the Valdemar’s apprentice fic and I LOVED IT!! Thank you so much! It made me smile a lot :)

YYAAY I'm so glad you enjoyed!!

Bound. For... Science. [Request]

Pairing : Quaestor Valdemar x gn! reader

Fandom : The Arcana visual novel

Warnings : brief depiction of scientific stuff ; fluff

Summary : Could you have imagined that the scary and mysterious Quaestor Valdemar would become the person you see on a daily basis? Probably not. You even have a surprise for them...

They didn't pay much attention to you at first. Nor did you pay much attention to them. If you were honest with yourself, you probably couldn't have seen it coming. Once they started looking into your general direction however, you couldn't be any more nervous. You can't exactly remember how or when it started, but they had crept up on you so many times that you couldn't keep count anymore. Good thing your heart wasn't too jumpy (to their greatest disappointment).

You were minding your own business in the library, devouring a tome written by probably your favorite scientist : the genius who is Wilfried Magnes, an eminent biologist who had just published the third part of his theory on the evolution of species, this volume being dedicated to camouflages. You were so absorbed by the author's words that Valdemar had to clear their throat to get your attention. Your head whipped around at the sound, and you let out a relieved sigh. You were about to speak but they interrupted you : "Come. I would like to show you something..." and with that, they tugged three books out of the library's bookshelf, opening a secret passage. Your eyes widened as they grinned. Oh they were going to have fun scaring the sweet heavens out of you. You reluctantly closed your book, tucked it under your arm and went down with them.

You'd half expected the elevator to just give up and drive you both down to your respective deaths, but it seemed to be holding itself together. And that is the days you reached Valdemar's dungeons. They looked... Undeniably giddy. It was fun to scare mortals after all. And well... You didn't feel... the best. You hesitantly followed them, the strong smell of blood and iron hitting your nostrils, making your nose scrunch and a discreet cough escape you. And they seemed unfazed, inhaling the dungeon's scent blissfully. The more steps you took forward, the less you were sure you'd come out of this alive. You two then reached the main hall, operation tables lined across the walls and seemingly frozen in time since the last time they were used. Your eyebrows knitted in worry, your gaze falling onto Valdemar who had a wide, sharp-toothy grin on full display. "This-" they gestured around "-is *my* haven. The heart of all my works, where lies the remains of the most unspeakable procedures one can think of. Feast your eyes, maybe this is, who knows... the last thing you'll see~" your heart thumped violently against your ribs, and your eyes couldn't look away from- oh, what was that?

Your gaze landed on something behind them, in the faint distance : a shelf, upon which rested various things, but it is the white spot that caught your attention. You gasped, and it is as if all your fears... vanished. Wiped out in a snap of fingers. You excitedly walked over to the shelf, put your book aside, and took the human skull in your hands. "Gods, that's a beautiful specimen!" you exclaimed "how did you manage to extract it- i-it's in perfect condition ! what did you use to clean it? no don't tell me- let me guess- uh hydrogen peroxide* ? or did you clean it by hand?? Who- no wait ; I think it's... it's definitely a man's, and I'd say in their... in their 40's? something? did you-" you interrupted yourself with another gasp as you spotted the wet specimen of a heart sitting on the shelf. You carefully put the skull down "wait wait wait- you do not have a heart contaminated by a dark magical parasite- you do !!! How did you even get your hands on that ?? How did you remove it without getting- no way, you have- NO, stop it-" then your hands reached for a small closed test tube "you do not have a sample of a necromancer's magical decay !!! Where the hell do you even go to get that ?!" you gasped and picked up and examined specimen after specimen, object after object, rambling aloud. Valdemar could only watch with utter confusion as you rummaged excitedly through the shelf, all giddy. But soon, they grinned ; they seemed genuinely excited at the idea of explaining each and every single procedure they went through for each item, and so they went to stand by your side as they started rambling themselves. Your excitement was contagious - mainly because they didn't exactly have anyone else to share their passion with. And so when they started to go on about every recent experiment they'd done you clasped your hands together, looked them in the eyes, and said, determined : "teach me."

And that's when you became Quaestor Valdemar's apprentice. You two would spend most of your time in the dungeons, and at times you would giggle excitedly when performing a dissection with them, or when you found something exciting. Ah, science. Wonderful science. The word got around eventually, when people saw you practically live at the Palace and with your very own labcoat, gloves and apron. Countess Nadia eventually gave you one of the guest rooms to reside in, and that's basically when your new life began. At times, you would conduct experiments of your own in your basement. You did it before you'd met Valdemar, but now that you had a person to show your work to, one can say you'd become productive. You had obviously endlessly rambled about Magnes' theories of evolution to them, and they happily reflected upon it with you. The Quaestor had even brought up a few names they knew, and well, despite being somewhat outdated (and for some proven wrong and so put a little on the side in scientific history), and when I mean outdated I do mean dating at least a millenia back, you had heard of or read about some. Sometimes you would pester them with tons of questions about the scientific breakthroughs and theories of their own epoch, and they did reluctantly reply to some of them, despite your unquenchable thirst for every piece of knowledge you could get your hands on (the mind of a great scientist).

You loved the time you spent with them. But there was one thing you were particularly excited about... You hadn't told them yet. You'd simply mentioned how it would be nice to go for a simple walk in the streets of Vesuvia, enjoy the sunlight and the fresh air -because as much as you liked the dungeons and your basement, you didn't exactly appreciate the smell down there, unlike them- and to your surprise, they'd agreed. You'd reserved your places in advance, thankfully, because you knew that despite being relatively niche still, it was nonetheless booked by all the other scientists of the city. And of neighboring cities. And countries. Now that you thought about it- the scientific field was a rather closed circle, but people really came from everywhere. Anyways. As D-day approached, you couldn't help but feel both excited and anxious. Valdemar seemed to have noticed : you were talking a lot faster than usual, and your movements were a bit less organized than they usually were. You'd always dismissed it, saying it was only 'seasonal'. Not sure how you could prove that to them, but they didn't question you further. When the day finally came, you were absolutely restless. You laid there in your bed, it was probably... 3 AM. And you were successively falling asleep and waking up by periods of thirty minutes. Gods, this was torture... You tried tiring your eyes by reading Magnes, and... It worked, actually. You sighed as you finally managed to sleep through a few more hours before sunrise.

But once you did wake up for good... Oh you were worse than a grasshoper. You couldn't even focus on the experiment with Valdemar- you couldn't even stay sitting for more than two seconds. When the clock struck noon, you agitated even more, insisting that you and them go on that walk in Vesuvia NOW. They initially resisted, but their patience ran thinner and thinner with your insistence. "fine, FINE ! We'll go on that stupid walk!" they said, irritated. If you were honest with yourself, you would've dragged them by the horns if they'd continued to refuse. They sighed, annoyed, as you gripped their arm and pulled them out of the dungeon. Valdemar knew something was up. No human -especially not you- was so excited about a walk in the streets. You were definitely up to something, and they didn't like the fact that they didn't know what it was. But your (nearly feral) eagerness did ease a bit of their concern : it was entertaining to see you so jumpy. You'd not talked about anything scientific on the way to your... surprise. You were afraid that you might accidentally spill the beans. And you wanted it to remain the most surprise it could be. You both walked the busy streets of Vesuvia, the sun hitting your labcoats, reminding you that they were actually a clear color, nearly white, making you squint your eyes every time you glanced at Valdemar. Now that they thought about it... They weren't exactly used to the outdoors. They haven't been recently, anyway. It was nice to feel the warm sun on the skin of their face again... They allowed themselves a small smile behind their mask.

After what felt like endless turns, you smiled with undeniable joy as you both reached your destination. You walked a few steps ahead of them and cheerfully announced : "Tadaaa ! Welcome to the Third Edition of Vesuvia's annual Scientific Exhibition !!", with a wide and toothy smile. Valdemar's eyes widened slightly. They'd never heard of this event before... They looked at the building which hosted it, and the crowd of what were definitely scientists -or at least curious souls- lined up at the entrance, the sun hitting the bright red of the laid out carpet and the banners on the walls, embroided with the event's symbol. You excitedly waited for their reaction. They smiled and looked back at you "ooh, so that's what you were all jumpy about..." you chuckled, slightly embarrassed "I really wanted it to be a surprise..." you said sheepishly. They hummed : "well, that is definitely a pleasant surprise... Shall we go in?" You nodded eagerly as you went to wait in line with them. They struck conversation as you both waited :

"What does... what happens there, if I may ask?

-Well, it is an event that allows scientists of all backgrounds to come and show off either their discoveries or their handiwork. There are also often books and manuals being sold, as well as materials and products -ouh, I could definitely use a few brand new scalpels- but there can also be specimens. Last year I've seen reconstruction of animal skeletons, things like that.

-My, that is most interesting... *they replied, their eyes sparkling with interest* I do hope this will be a fruitful experience.

-Oh, it most definitely will!

-How come I have not been informed of such event? You said it was annual?

-Well, it's still very niche, and not many people outside the scientific field know about it.

-But the Countess must've known, no? Third edition- meaning this is the third year they're doing this. Ooh, or maybe it was put on hold during the years of the Plague... Meaning it was Lucio who-... Hm. He most definitely wouldn't have told me. He must've said yes for the event to be hosted without even giving it proper attention. Tsk.

*you chuckled*

-Well, now we're here, and I'm pretty sure the Countess will give the exhibition a bit more care and attention from now on..."

You both arrived at the reception, and the man behind the desk looked up to both of you "Ah, greetings, Misters.. Misses...?"

"Doctor." you both replied at the same time, on a nearly identical tone. The receptionist raised an eyebrow and blinked, before reading over his list "hm.. Ah yes ! I do have two Doctors : Dr. Y/N and Dr. Valdemar?" you beamed "that is us!" the receptionist nodded and handed you a quill "I'm just going to need you both yo sign here..." and you both did. The man bid you a good visit and you both walked into the building, excited to see what would the exhibition hold for your curious eyes. Valdemar had noticed the little paper at the entrance, and decided to tease you about it : "You didn't take the couple's discount?" you briefly froze in your tracks and stammered "wh- uhm I didnt- I ju- uh... Should I have?" They laughed "No, I just thought maybe you could've spared a little bit of money... Those places were expensive, no?" your cheeks reddened and you frowned "don't worry about that- Let us enjoy science!!" They nodded and followed you through the building.

And the event did NOT disappoint. You went from person to person, lingering on some more interesting than others. you bought supplies, both for the dungeons and for your own little experiments at home, and you and Valdemar spent a copious amount of time with a surgeon, Dr. Milestone, who had successfully extracted a whole human nervous system, which was on full display under a glass protection for you to admire. Both of you swarmed him with questions, undoubtedly interested. Maybe you had even... Intimidated him somewhat. If it weren't for the exhibition's most interesting part, you would probably have spent a lot more time with him. You both walked into a separate room, which was basically a small amphitheater, and when you sat down, an auction began. There were various specimens -live or dead- being sold, but you hadn't managed to get your hands on any, despite the juicy offer of an amnesic brain and two hundred coins for a complete collection of the tools of the late scientist Oscar McArthy, a reference in the world of science... But that was a very little loss compared to the amazing afternoon you spent with Quaestor Valdemar. And they seemed to be thinking the same thing. However, around 5PM, you'd lost them in the crowd. Unable to catch a glimpse of them, you went and waited by the entrance, thinking it would be the most logical thing to do. They appeared again around half an hour later, and before you could scold them, they apologized, and you weren't so upset anymore.

Eventually, you both returned to the Palace around the evening. You didn't head straight for the dungeons however... Your legs felt weak and all the excitement, all the attention and focus you gave the exhibition had drained you. You let yourself slump down onto the couch of one of the drawing rooms with a groan, already feeling your eyelids begin to weight and threaten to close. Valdemar only chuckled at the sight "Can I at least sit down, too?" you briefly sat up "oh- yes, sure.. sorry" and made room for them. But as soon as they sat down, they grabbed a pillow, placed it on their lap and patted it gently. Your eyes widened at the invitation, and before you could wonder why they'd even done that, they said : "it's the least I can do for such a wonderful afternoon.". You didn't need to be told twice. Your head slumped down on the pillow on their lap and your eyes closed with a comfortable sigh.

It's not before they were sure that you were knocked out asleep that they started gently running their fingers through your hair...

*nota bene : I am in no way a scientist, so I may give inaccurate depictions of certain elements in the story.

Bonus !!______________________________

The following day, around breakfast, Valdemar came up to you : "I didn't have time to give you that yesterday - you were pretty tired." they handed you your copy of Magnes' theory on camouflage and you raised an eyebrow "what do you mean? I hadn't lost it..." you opened it and your eyes nearly popped out of your sockets- there, on the first page, was a handwritten dedication :

"Y/N, may your thirst for science and knowledge never quench"

-W. Magnes

"you.... when did you ...?" your voice squeaked as you stood up from your seat. Valdemar only smiled smugly. "He was surrounded by quite the crowd... We didn't even notice him, near the auction room. But I did manage to capture his attention briefly." You didn't even question how they'd gotten the book -since you were pretty sure you'd left it at the Palace- or the fact you missed the chance to see your favorite scientist, you were nearly crying, this was just so sweet of them to do-

You nearly knocked them off their feet with the force of your hug "oooowhhh, Valdemar !!" you squeaked out "there there, it's nothing." they said, patting your back, seemingly amused "I could kiss you-" you said. "ah- maybe not for such a futile favor?" the replied, a little embarrassed. You didn't care, but if they didn't want to be kissed, you wouldn't kiss. But you wouldn't let go of them either.

"Y/N, will you let me go now, it's roughly been three hours-"

They learnt this around dinner, with the other courtiers and the Countess. They were paying very mild attention to everybody's shenanigans when Nadia suddenly spoke up:

"Oh, I meant to inform you all ; I have charged Y/N with the task of becoming the lead investigator on the case of Doctor Julian Devorak."

...huh? They stare, blinking slightly in confusion. Who ? Julian Devorak? a case?

"the magician's apprentice?" Vulgora asked with a mouthful of steak

"Indeed." the Countess replied. "They have begun their investigation just yesterday."

The courtiers hummed in thought, while Valdemar remained silent as always. They didn't want to show that they were just learning about the whole thing... Maybe spending so much time in the dungeons was not.. a good idea.

Volta took a large bite of her loaf of bread "mh- Volta thinks they will be perfect for the job. Finally he'll face the music for the murder !"

Valdemar's mind quickly tried to put the pieces together. Case. Murder. Asra's apprentice- OOoooh, they were talking about Count Lucio's murder and Dr. n° 069's possible implication ! ok, ok. Their shoulders relaxed slightly, as they leaned back in their chair, hands joined on the table. Now they could follow the conversation a little better...

After dinner, they went back down to the dungeons. They thought back on what Countess Nadia had said about tasking Y/N with the investigation. Their brows furrowed. That name sounded somewhat familiar...

They walked in the small closet in which they'd stocked all the plague-file-filled boxes and took out the one that registered the victims' names. Their eyes quickly swept through various pages, at a regular pace and speed, until they caught what interested them : [L/N Y/N ; patient n°321 ; apprentice of Dr. n°069 ; pronounced dead the [---] at 3:45 AM ; cremated]

...huh. So that's where they'd seen it... Well, as far as they knew, the dead couldn't exactly become lead investigators on cases... Oh, they'll definitely have to look into that. They don't feel particularly excited, but the fact that they don't know the answer to this very puzzling conundrum is annoying, and so they will be leading their very own investigation in their corner, without anyone's knowledge.

And they definitely will not be revealing what they found. But they do take pride when they solve this mini case on their own.

My apologies on the confusing ask, it was just asking how Valdemar would react to Mc poping up out of nowhere and becoming the lead investigator on Julian's case

Ooooh I see! Alright, I'll try and make something when I have a bit of time! ^^

Hi!!

Your Valdemar content gives me so much joy since they’re a hyperfixation of mine for 2 years. I love it!!

Would you be able to write about MC being Valdemar’s apprentice because MC loves science too? It would be awesome if it was a little fluffy and MC is gender neutral. The rest would be up to you!

Of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to or are too busy or both. I understand. :)

Thank you!!!

This sounds like a super cute idea!! ^^

If I can't write requests it's only because I just don't see what I can do / lack of inspiration you know? (and I will profusely apologize too)

heyoo dude, wassap, howzitgoin

asking for a drabble for the first time because why not 🤷🤷

could you write a drabble about cuddling birblian? i just- i love him so much, he's so precious and baby and he's so kakdjjdksjdksksjkk

The Arcana Drabbles: Cuddling Birblian

~ I generally only write for upright endings, but as this is my first drabble request and promises a fair amount of fluff, I'll make my exception XD. @dumbfxck00 enjoy! - brainrot ~

You're so glad he lets you hold him like this.

His large, lanky frame is curled around you where you sit cross-legged on the floor, head and shoulders nestled in your lap while he hides his face against your stomach. You watch shivers skitter through his feathers and across his skin as he clutches at your shirt and tries to relax. He says it's because he likes your smell, but you know it's because he's still self-conscious about his appearance.

You're combing your fingers carefully through the black plumage around the backs of his neck and shoulders, discarding broken and bent feathers, oh-so-gently carding through clumped tangles, lightly brushing the skin at the base of each straightened quill with the pads of your thumbs. You feel more than hear the involuntary trills he's muffling against your navel, even as he pretends his talon-like fingers aren't tapping in reflexive delight against your back. He shifts for a moment, taking a deep, shuddering breath as you finish preening him, only to curl even closer around you until you're leaning back against his thighs.

One grey eye, and then a second make an appearance as you absentmindedly stroke the feathers around his hairline. It almost feels like you're pushing his old auburn bangs out of his face like this. The brief respite and prolonged affection have worn his jaded guard down until he's been able to forget himself, to forget your fate, and now he's smiling up at you with the calm warmth of a sunny ocean breeze. You're both close to falling asleep for the night, but for a precious few minutes you're able to bask together in the quiet safety of a life you might've had.

Imagine telling Valdemar a joke but they have that delay where they understand it afterwards but it's been at least a century and a half ?

So one day they're in their office, they remember, and they just burst out laughing out of nowhere? And comments how that was a good one even if you can't hear it from beyond the grave?

My apologies on the confusing ask, it was just asking how Valdemar would react to Mc poping up out of nowhere and becoming the lead investigator on Julian's case

Ooooh I see! Alright, I'll try and make something when I have a bit of time! ^^

Can you write something to the effect of...

Valdemar after seeing Mc after the three years and being over all mildly confused on how Julian's Apprentice is leading the investigation against him while they know that Mc, or the one they knew, would actively help Julian to avoid the law.

I'm sorry I didn't quite understand that one :')) would it be alright if I ask you to rephrase?

I sincerely apologize to the few people that did not want to see this happen

Unfortunately, it happened

So uh my unhinged brain has decided to come up with a fanfic idea of Volta becoming a mom...? And it just doesn't want to leave my mind so do y'all wanna see it or..?

I thought it'd be a good way to like explore her less innocent and more mature/courageous/sentimental side. I won't be describing like the whole pregnancy because I ain't comfortable with that.

Also !! I did decide to make another side blog dedicated to fanfiction because I really wanted this one to be more about art/fanart : @greyspirehollow

Thamks for making headcanons!!!!!

No problem!!

It's me again and the fic is great, thank you ♡

I'm glad!!!! ^^

We lock eyes again [Request]

Pairing : Quaestor Valdemar x Reader

Fandom : The Arcana visual novel

Warnings : none

Summary : You do not remember how long it took you to finally find a suitable host for your soul, and go on a quest to find your long lost anchor to the mortal world ; the one who your thoughts inevitably converged towards, stubbornly holding you back from crossing the threshold of the afterlife.

It had been centuries. It had been too long. You'd lived many ages : through the eyes of the salmon, deer, and wolf. You would see it in your dreams ; the time you spent in limbo, waiting, patiently...Although, when you awoke, these dreams didn't make sense anymore ; only leaving behind a lingering sense of longing, a feeling that you had to find... What did you have to find? You couldn't put your finger on it...

You sighed, sitting up in your bed and stretching. Another one of those dreams... But you didn't have time to reflect upon them, today. Asra wanted to introduce you to the court of Vesuvia, as a sort of starting point to your journey as a magician's apprentice. You feel as if you've done this before. You got up, yawning, and rummaging through your wardrobe to find something decent to wear. Once you had your outfit all sorted, you decided to add a twinkle of jewelry, just to make it all a little less dull. You had heard about this kingdom's history : struck by a terrible plague that had decimated thousands, sacrifices, memory loss... It was all a bit confusing, so you had only paid attention to the plague bit. Asra eventually knocked on your door "Are you ready?" ; you quickly adjusted your attire before hurrying out of your room "yes! I... Do I look ok? is it not... a little too much?" the magician smiled, looking at you fondly "you look perfect. Now, let's go ; we shouldn't keep the Countess waiting." You followed, walking through the sunlit and busy streets of the kingdom, looking around with delight. You had not left the shop much when you had gotten here, and the lively markets, the colors, and the people actually did you some good (to your surprise).

Your eyes widened slightly as you and your master arrived at the Palace's gates ; you looked up at the shiny architecture with sparkles in your eyes. What snapped you out of it was the voice of the guards demanding you introduce yourselves. Luckily, the Countess had seemingly told them about you and Asra's arrival, as the guards let you pass after having heard the magician's name. You then advanced past the gates, still awestruck. You felt as if the sun was illuminating the Palace in a magical hue, and the more you approached, the faster your heart thumped in your chest. It wasn't just the Palace's glory : you had a feeling. Something that made you apprehensive yet eager to go inside. You felt as if you knew something, but at the same time it was missing ; you had to go in the Palace, but you couldn't figure out why ; it tugged at your heart, pumping adrenaline into your veins, as if strings were drawing you towards the place... However, you kept this to yourself, and quietly followed Asra as you both made your way towards the throne room. Now that you thought about it, you didn't see anyone guide you towards there, and you suspected Asra had come to the Palace before.

However, no one was sitting on the throne. You raised a curious eyebrow, but before you could utter a word, your master uttered a little "ooh" of realization, before saying : "She must be in the drawing room. I wouldn't be surprised if she wished to introduce you to the courtiers as well." You nodded. That made some sense ; even though you were slightly disappointed : you would've loved to meet the Countess in a more private setting. You followed Asra nonetheless. A few turns later, you both found yourselves in said drawing room. The Countess was elegantly sitting in a one-person sofa, while she conversed with five figures, which the diversity of... Struck you, to say the least. Despite your unease, you followed Asra inside, as the magician bowed to the woman whose purple hair draped over her shoulders with shocking delicacy. "Countess Nadia" ; you bowed as well. She smiled "Ah, Asra. And you are..?" she asked, looking at you with a soft yet undeniably authoritative gaze. You managed to stutter out your name, giving her a short bow of the head. "I am glad you two were able to join us for tea. Please, be my guests ; make yourselves comfortable. I will have a cup made for you this instant. Portia?" She called out to a servant, whispering to her something before the young lady hurried out the drawing room, to presumably go fetch the tea.

It is then that Countess Nadia gestured to the other people in the drawing room. So they were the courtiers, you thought, as she went over each of them, your gaze following accordingly. Procurator Volta. Consul Valerius. Praetor Vlastomil. Pontifex Vulgora. Quaestor-

You let out a soft gasp ; no one heard you. Your eyes widened as they locked with their red own. Suddenly, everything made sense. This is why you were here. This is who you had been seeking. The dreams connected themselves, perfectly falling into place at this exact moment. You remembered it all now, the limbo, your adventures from body to body, your struggle and ghostly tears, the longing, the waiting, all that for this person right there, sitting on this sofa amongst the others...

Valdemar.

They looked surprised as well, their eyes never leaving your own, as they seemed to be deep in thought. The conversation around you faded, your whole attention focused onto them. The memory flooded back in your mind, nearly playing out in front of you...

The little cottage. The lingering scent of herbs and wood in the air. The shelves with dried plants, stuffed birds and other animals, skulls they had found on their trips to the forest... And Valdemar themselves. They excitedly opened their journal on the desk, signing you to sit next to them enthusiastically. "Here ! -they said- I've found something ! I think you're going to like it..." You smiled and chuckled. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you managed to capture a frog" They snorted at your reply "I'm past that. No, look... I've managed to make an antidote with snake venom ! I just diluted it, added some... ah, I forgot the plant's name- it's all in my notes, look" they were smiling widely as you approached, standing mere millimeters away from them, your hand brushing against theirs as you flipped through their research journal. It smelled peculiar, it always did : a mix of something like oak and leather, with a hint of vegetation. "It's impressive..." you nodded as your eyes squinted slightly, having a hard time reading certain words because of their highly cursive and optimized handwriting. Valdemar looked at you expectantly. "It is brilliant" you finally said, looking back at them. Your heart skipped a bit at that precious smile of theirs, which pushed their freckles-adorned cheeks. Oh, how you'd kill to pamper those in kisses... "why, I'm quite proud of myself" they said, looking back at the pages. However, their grin faltered slightly "...but what if... what if all this disappears? what then?" your heart ached slightly. You knew how important their researches and breakthroughs were to them. You didn't resist this time : you wrapped their arms around them "do not fret. Your knowledge will not be lost." you spoke softly, hoping to soothe their worries, even temporarily. "...You're right... It and I will live on forever..." They say after a few beats of silence, embracing you back. You smiled, content to see them somewhat reassured.

With that, the memory faded. Your throat tightened and you had to excuse yourself. Your eyes hadn't left Valdemar's for all this time. You made your way to the bathroom, closing the door, but not locking it. You took in a quivering breath, the tears coming to your eyes despite your best attempts at holding them back. Tears of joy...

After a while, someone softly knocked on the door, but before you could get a chance to answer, the door opened, revealing the Quaestor. They stepped inside, carefully closing the door behind them without a sound, and pulling down their mask. As they set eyes on you, their expression softened somewhat. You sniffled, quickly wiping your tears away. You were about to say something, but suddenly stopped yourself. No. You didn't need to talk.

You looked at them... They had changed... You were unfamiliar with this lab-coat, those supposed horns wrapped in bandages, and this sickly green skin... But you'd recognize that thin nose and those thin lips, those freckles and those wide, curious eyes, even if they had turned red, anywhere. You had to bite back both your tears and a smile, as you felt them examine you. They took a step or two towards you and carefully lifted your hands into their own, as if to take a closer look at them. They were... Confused. And a foreign feeling tugged at their heart. They didn't know what it was. They just knew it was... Human. Which only confused them further. Scared them, even, although they wouldn't admit it.

Your eyes.

Your soft hands ; their thumb brushed onto the back of them.

Why do you feel so familiar?

This specific accent they heard when you greeted the Countess earlier.

Your warmth.

It's all so familiar...

Who are you?

Why can't they remember?

They remember someone, they can't say who. They remember them like an essence. A feeling. Nothing concrete. They don't remember their face or their voice but they know how they felt around them. They know they talked to them, even if they don't remember the words they said. It's all blurry. It feels like a dream...

Had it been too long? Did their deals make them forget? Why did you trigger their pseudo-memories of that someone?

They don't remember...

Their brows furrowed as despite their best attempts, the answer just wouldn't come back to them. Their grip on your hands tightened slightly.

But you do. You remember now. You can't help a soft smile from tugging at your lips as you look at them fondly. They haven't changed one bit... Factually, they did. But to you ? They were still the same. Deep down, they were still your sweet alchemist. You had missed their voice... You had changed as well, beyond recognition. You were aware of that. Those tedious years you spent in limbo had carried you into body after body, having to live as a wild animal once or twice as to not disappear... You wouldn't tell. Even if your soul was the same. They would either recognize you, or they wouldn't, and you were perfectly fine with both. Your alchemist... They were there, in the flesh. You had to hold back your tears of joy, yet again.

Valdemar sighed, briefly closing their eyes. "...I do not know who you are -they started-, nor do I know where you come from" your heart tickled in your ribs. They locked eyes with you again. "... But I feel as if I am happy to see you again". You nearly lost it, briefly closing your eyes and tilting your head down as to not burst in tears "strange, -you started- I feel the same about you" you chuckled. "Maybe... Forces we don't know of are into play?" you looked back up at them. They didn't seem to like that idea too much "I hope not... I would rather know who is playing with me like that" their tone held nothing negative. You couldn't help but chuckle again "w-well..." you cleared your throat, trying to keep your voice from shaking too much "Whether it is planned or... conducted by something in some way... I don't think this is too bad, eh?" you tentatively asked. They seemed to turn the thought into their head, their red eyes briefly flickering to your hands.

"...I suppose not."

You nodded, fighting for your life tears to not roll down your cheeks. You knew it made you look somewhat suspicious, but if they'd noticed, they didn't comment on it.

"...Say, -they spoke once more- what do you think after... the end of your meeting with the Countess, we spend some time in the library? I feel as if... We have... uhm... Something to catch up on." oh Gods, they absolutely hated when things were blurry and inexplicable. You nodded, practically beaming "I-I would love to." you said, once more looking at your hands in their own.

You both exited the bathroom, hand in hand. You softly let go once you had come back around the drawing room, and Valdemar did the same. However, they sat down next to you. While you joined the conversation between Nadia and Asra, their eyes never left your hand resting on the sofa, withing reach, and once more endless questions tossed and turned in their head... But it looks like the mystery of you was going to stay unsolved...

Of you take requests could you do something with Valdemar meeting someone they feel some tief to, nut they can't tell why this person seems so familiar... that person being someone they knew back when they where human but they where reincarnated?

Bonus points if the person rembers but doesn't bother to tell them.

I love your work and wish you the best, and my apologies if you don't take requests as I looked and couldn't find anything that said you did or didnt.

I do take requests!! ^^

I had thought about something similar ; I think it's a good idea

I'll get to writing that as soon as I've got the time!

Vesuvia weekly ; First kiss with the courtiers 🎉

Pairing : The courtiers x reader

Fandom : The Arcana visual novel

Warnings : none. Just fluff.

Valdemar:

You're the one who initiated the idea of a kiss. You had noticed how affectionate gestures didn't come out naturally or often on their part (at least not in the conventional way) ; and so you wanted to try and gently suggest it.

Confused at first ; They had forgotten what a kiss felt like, or how to do it properly.

They will need to practice by just kissing your cheek from time to time, just to get used to the way they need to purse their lips and the feeling of something against them.

A week or two later, they will gently grab you by the arm and drag you somewhere quiet ; they will slightly push you against the wall, their eyes never leaving yours as they paused, and eventually, they lean in carefully to meet your lips with their own

it's pretty calculated and thought out to begin with, almost mechanical. You didn't blame them ; it must have been a while. As they part away, you gently whisper : "try not to think about it. Go with the feeling..."

And you both go in for another one. This time, they manage to make their lips dance with yours softly for a while, before parting away. You could swear their cheeks had tinted in a warmer hue than usual.

Vulgora:

uhm... Force.

Prepare to have your breath taken away.

They are the one who brought up the idea. Ever since you've been together, you've had your fair share of energetic and violent displays of affection. Whether it was carrying you around while chuckling like a madman or threatening anyone that made you upset ; or having your cheeks pampered with tons of kisses when no one was looking.

They are all jumpy when you agree to come with them in a less crowded corner. They look at you with a wide excited toothy grin as you rest your hands onto their shoulders and start to lean in. You barely have time to process it ; their lips crash into yours with passion.

It's heated and full of energy, yet you can sense they're afraid that it might be a bit too much for you. That doesn't stop them from kissing you so agressively ; but not aggressive in the painful sense, more the overwhelming way. They are so excited, have so much love to give you that they can't think of any other way to convey it all.

Once your lips part, you gasp for air, looking at them, baffled. You know they were a handful, but damn. Not that you minded. "Phew, that was... That was something else." you breathe out, their contagious grin spreading across your own face. Before you know it, your face is getting attacked with kisses again.

Will brag about it in an argument ; "AND I KISS MY PARTNER SO WELL THEY'RE ALWAYS BREATHLESS AFTERWARDS, TWAT!!" or something similar.

Vlastomil:

He has kissed before, he's just not exceptional at it. He's not bad at it, don't make me say what I didn't say ; he's simply good.

You nearly brought up the idea at the same time ; and yet none of you said it out loud. One night, sitting next to each other, you just looked at one another and leaned in at the same time, closing your eyes and meeting your lips with surprising harmony in your timing. This was the moment. This was right. It's as if things had fallen into place : nothing pushed you or held you back.

His lips are surprisingly soft. You'd expected them to at least tingle because of their little beard, but not even. They were a tad moist, but that was to be expected.

Once your lips part you can't help but look fondly into each other's eyes, your hands intertwined, as you just let the moment sink in.

Volta:

The idea had been swirling around in her head for a while now. But she never brought it up. She was much too shy. Holding hands was already making a stuttering mess out of her, so a kiss?? It doesn't mean she doesn't want to, it just flusters her beyond what's reasonable.

When you bring it up to her, the sweet potato will go bright red, nod, and look at you with big expectant eyes.

You have to lean down to bring yourself to her level and she has to be on her tippy toes to reach you. She'll close her eyes tightly, purse her lips and go in for a smooch. It doesn't last too long, maybe half a second, but it seems to be enough for her.

She'll never dare to do anything too involved in terms of kisses, so take it slow with her. But after that, she will tug at your sleeve and timidly ask for a kiss more often (and how the hell could you even think about denying her?).

Valerius:

The most skilled out of everyone. And believe it or not, you didn't even have to think about introducing him to the idea. Ever since you've confessed to him, he knew he would kiss you. And that didn't seem to be negociable. But when would be the right time...?

It was during a party. Just a small annual gathering. But he'd noticed how the nobles seemed to gravitate around you. He didn't like that one bit. He frowned, walking towards your little group, before swiftly snatching you away with a defty hand to your waist and a kiss to your lips

Oh. Gods. You had not expected that at all. His lips linger on yours, the warm taste of wine sweeping across your mouth as he moves his against yours. You can't help but hold onto his shoulders, closing your eyes and savoring the moment. The other nobles, after a while, seemingly uncomfortable, leave you and the Consul alone.

After your lips part, you look at him with a cheeky grin "Did Lucio teach you?", you ask. He groaned, rolled his eyes and swirled his wine before taking a sip out of it "I taught Lucio" he replies, avoiding looking at your eyes.