Aria Whitecourt's Pocket Watch ⌚

Man the plot bunny is really at it in after part 1 of the nightmare.

So many interesting directions I could go for events occuring in response to the last paragraph in part 1.

Like what about the person who knock on Aria's door? Who was it? Why were they knocking at her door? What have they heard, if anything?

And then there's Aria.

Where did she end up? What area or situation did Aria teleport herself into?

Is Aria alone or not? Is she stuck at this new location?

So many entertaining ideas. My brain is very entertained with where I ended part 1.

I did have a specific scenario vaguely planned out before I started writing part 1. However I could have that be another night.

I mean who said Aria teleporting away after a nightmare was a one time thing. Obviously I'm not having my poor girl experience nightmares daily, but maybe once every two weeks max, however would like it be once every few months minimum.

I'll figure it out later, probably

For now I'll have fun daydreaming about Aria and the twst Bois for a while.

Maybe even throw a Yumi in the daydreaming as well.

Familiar, Not So Familiar || Lilia Vanrouge

You, a mage-in-training, attempt to summon a simple familiar—only to accidentally get yourself Lilia Vanrouge, a legendary fae with a penchant for chaos.

You have tried. You have tried so many times that the gods themselves must be watching your efforts like a soap opera, popcorn in hand, marveling at your persistence and misfortune.

Every spell you’ve ever learned? Perfect. Every potion you’ve ever brewed? Immaculate. Every single tedious little task required of an apprentice mage? Completed with at least passing competence.

And yet—this. This one, single, crucial spell has eluded you since the moment you first picked up a wand and thought, yes, let’s dedicate my life to this craft instead of something simple, like farming, or piracy, or a career in interpretive dance.

For years, you have watched your classmates perform their familiar rituals with ease. You have seen their little foxes, their wise owls, their unbearably smug salamanders perched on their shoulders like accessories in an enchanted fashion show. Oh, you don’t have a familiar yet? they’d say, voices dripping with polite condescension. That must be so hard! Magic must be so exhausting for you!

Yes. Yes, it is exhausting, Martha, you imbecile. Magic without a familiar is like trying to run a marathon uphill while being punched repeatedly in the stomach. It is like carrying a cauldron of molten lava with no gloves and being told, just don’t drop it! It is slowly killing you, and you are tired.

So tonight? Tonight is it. The line has been drawn. The candles have been lit. You have researched, you have practiced, you have painstakingly carved every single rune with the desperation of a student facing final exams with an empty study guide.

Either you summon your familiar, or you start looking into lucrative careers in something that requires zero magical ability. Candle-making. Tax fraud. Something.

You kneel before the summoning circle, hands clasped in pure, unfiltered desperation. Your voice is raw as you plead, as you offer up your dignity to the uncaring forces of the universe.

"Please," you whisper, nearly headbutting the floor. "Just this once. A cat. A dog. A single, semi-intelligent rat. Hell, a bat—bats are magical, right? I’ll take a bat. I’ll take a sentient pile of mold if it can cast at least one large spell without dying. Just something. Please, I am begging you."

The room is deathly silent.

And then—

A hum. A vibration in the air, as if reality itself is rethinking its choices.

The summoning circle does not glow—it erupts, an explosion of light so bright that your first instinct is to assume you have been smote for your insolence. The ground shudders. The candles flicker wildly. The sheer energy of the spell crackles through the air like the universe is taking a deep breath and laughing at you.

And then, through the haze, a silhouette.

Your first thought: That is not an animal.

Your second thought: That is not an animal, that is a person.

Your third thought: THAT IS A FAE.

Your fourth thought does not get to exist because your brain has blue screened.

The figure steps forward, hands clasped neatly behind his back, surveying the room with the air of someone who has just walked into an amusing play and finds himself the lead actor. He is floating, because of course he is. His wild hair is a chaotic mess of black and magenta, his sharp eyes twinkling with mirth, his very presence radiating power that should not, under any circumstances, be inside your living room.

Then he smiles, and you are abruptly hit with the horrifying realization that you know who he is.

The portraits. The stories. The absolute legend that is Lilia Vanrouge, former general, feared warrior, living relic of a bygone era, the kind of fae you read about in history books with the unspoken footnote of probably do not summon him.

And he is here.

And he is looking at you.

"Ah," he says, with all the delight of someone who has just stumbled upon something incredibly amusing. "How interesting."

You are frozen. Your body has stopped functioning. Your brain is actively trying to escape this situation by retreating into the astral plane.

Lilia tilts his head, observing your utter paralysis with great amusement, and then, with the flourish of a seasoned actor stepping onto the grandest stage of his life, he presses a hand to his chest and bows deeply.

"You have called," he proclaims, voice rich with dramatic flair, "and I have answered! For one year, I shall serve as your loyal familiar! May our contract be fruitful, our battles glorious, and our meals—" he pauses, grinning like a fox, "well, we shall see."

He straightens, clearly expecting some sort of response.

You do not move. You do not speak. You do not even blink.

Because you are still attempting to comprehend the fact that you have, against every possible law of magic, logic, and common sense, just summoned Lilia Vanrouge as your familiar.

The next morning, you awaken to the horrifying realization that last night was not, in fact, a fever dream.

Lilia Vanrouge is still here.

Floating.

In your kitchen.

Sipping tea.

With your mug.

You stand there, unblinking, as he lifts the cup in greeting, utterly unbothered by your complete mental breakdown. “Ah, you’re awake! Good morning, my dear summoner! Did you sleep well? Oh, never mind that, of course you didn’t—you must be so excited! Your first day with your new familiar!”

Your eye twitches. The existential dread is setting in. But there is no time to panic because you have class.

And now, for the first time in your absolutely miserable academic career, you have a familiar to bring with you.

Which would be a cause for celebration.

If your familiar was literally anyone else.

But no. No, you are marching through the academy halls with a floating, ancient fae war general drifting beside you, humming cheerfully, taking in his new surroundings like a tourist at a historical landmark.

Your classmates? Shitting bricks.

Your professors? Re-evaluating their life choices.

Your history professor? Actively vibrating in place. This is a man who has spent years studying Lilia Vanrouge, reconstructing battle strategies, debating historical inaccuracies, analyzing old texts to understand the mind of one of the most enigmatic figures in magical warfare. He looks at you, at Lilia, back at you, back at Lilia, and you swear to the gods above that this man is about two seconds away from weeping.

He wants an interview. He wants an entire dissertation. He wants to shake your hand for the sheer magnitude of this academic opportunity, and you are just standing there, barely holding onto your last scrap of sanity, because this is not a research opportunity, Professor, this is my life.

Meanwhile, Lilia is having a blast.

“Ohoho, what a delightful institution!” he muses, drifting through the halls, peering into classrooms, inspecting the architecture with a level of interest that should not belong to someone who predates half of these buildings. “Ah, look at that banner! I remember when these were in fashion—horrid little things, always got caught in the wind and smacked people in the face during duels. Ah! And look at these uniforms! What a quaint design! Oh, but that color… tragic choice, really, you should have seen the battle robes from my era. Those had flair!”

You press a hand to your face, inhaling deeply.

You are not going to survive this year.

But at the very least, you are about to have the first productive Offensive Magic class of your entire life.

For years, casting magic without a familiar has been hell. You’ve always struggled with large-scale spells, your body too weak to sustain the energy required. Your classmates have always had an advantage, their familiars supplying them with extra mana while you struggled to get anything stronger than a low-tier fireball.

But today?

Today, you have Lilia Vanrouge as a mana battery.

And you are about to find out exactly what that means.

The spell you’ve been struggling with for years—the one that has never worked properly, the one that has always left you half-conscious and questioning your life decisions—flows from your hands as easily as breathing. You don’t even have time to be excited because the moment the spell leaves your fingertips, the entire training ground erupts.

Not a small explosion.

Not a reasonable, manageable, academically acceptable explosion.

No.

You have just cratered the battlefield.

The shockwave sends everyone flying. The ground is smoking. There is a hole where the target dummies used to be. Somewhere in the distance, alarms are going off. Birds are screaming. Your professor is staring in mute horror at the absolute devastation before him.

And you?

You turn to Lilia, hands shaking, mouth opening and closing like a fish, because what the hell just happened.

Lilia, floating beside you, watches the destruction with the expression of a man who has just seen a slightly amusing street performance. He clasps his hands together, nodding approvingly.

“Well! Now that that’s done, why don’t we go find something fun to do?”

You are not going to survive the year.

It is supposed to be a quiet night.

Supposed to be.

You, a dedicated apprentice mage (read: overworked and underpaid student), have settled down with your magical theory book, prepared to suffer through the finer details of mana channeling. The lamp flickers softly, the air is calm, and for once in your chaotic existence, things feel peaceful.

Then, from the kitchen, you hear something.

Something that does not belong in the realm of mortals.

It begins with an unsettling hiss, followed by a squelching noise so visceral it sends a shudder down your spine. Then there’s a clank—something metal hitting the floor—then a thud, then another squelch. You are gripping your book so tightly that the pages crinkle.

And then—

A chainsaw.

You blink.

You tilt your head, straining your ears, waiting for your exhausted mind to correct you.

The chainsaw revs again.

There is a cackle—a delighted, mischievous giggle, unmistakably Lilia’s—followed by the sound of what can only be described as something wet hitting the walls.

You place your book down with the slow, measured movements of a person who has just realized that, against all odds, they are in mortal danger.

Before you can even get up, Lilia emerges from the kitchen, beaming, holding something that should not exist.

It is a plate of food.

You think.

At least, you assume that’s what it is. The thing on the plate is writhing slightly, like it’s trying to escape, its color shifting between shades of green that have never been found in nature. It looks less like a meal and more like something that should have been sealed away in a forbidden vault centuries ago. You are pretty sure it just twitched.

Lilia, looking pleased with himself, holds the plate out to you like a proud parent. “Here you go! A little something I whipped up! A good meal is essential for a strong mage!”

You stare at him. You stare at the food. You stare at him again. Then back at the food, as if hoping that, upon a second glance, it will suddenly become normal. It does not. It continues to vibrate menacingly.

You inhale slowly. You pray to the gods—the ones who have clearly abandoned you—and take a bite.

And then—

You almost meet them.

Your soul briefly leaves your body. Your ancestors appear before you, shaking their heads in deep disappointment. The concept of life and death ceases to have meaning. Time itself slows to a crawl as your taste buds experience a level of suffering once reserved only for cursed spirits.

You slam the fork down, forcing a smile that looks more like a pained grimace. “I—uh—actually, I’m not really that hungry right now!”

Lilia blinks, tilting his head. “Oh? But you just took a bite—”

You cut him off, nodding so quickly it could give you whiplash. “Nope! Super full! Wow, so full. Stuffed, actually. I definitely can’t eat another bite!”

Lilia frowns, looking genuinely disappointed, and for a brief, insane moment, you almost consider eating more.

Then the food on the plate shudders again.

And you decide that no matter how cute Lilia Vanrouge is, you simply cannot abide.

Later that night, you are once again seated at your desk, trying to get through your magical theory reading, when Lilia appears at your side.

For a brief moment, fear seizes you—until you see what he’s holding.

A cup of warm milk.

Just milk.

You stare at it, half-expecting it to start glowing or whispering in an ancient, cursed tongue. But no, it’s just milk. Safe. Harmless. Normal.

You accept it with more gratitude than you’ve ever felt in your life. “Thank you.”

Lilia settles in beside you, watching as you study, occasionally making little jokes, pointing out errors in your book’s outdated magical theories, offering insights that no historian could ever dream of. The conversation flows easily, his voice a constant, comforting presence, a bridge between history and now, between chaos and something softer.

And as you sit there, sipping your drink, listening to Lilia hum an old tune while offering you obscure magical trivia, you think—

Yeah.

Maybe he really is the best familiar you could have summoned.

Lilia does not like your magical theory professor.

At least, you think he doesn’t.

He’s always cheerful—borderline impossible to ruffle—but the moment you step into that class, something shifts. His usual smile dims, his eyes narrow ever so slightly, and his arms stay folded across his chest like a particularly judgmental gargoyle. It’s subtle—so subtle that if you weren’t stuck with him 24/7 (as your familiar, and definitely not because you enjoy his company), you might not have noticed.

But you have noticed. And it’s weird.

Even weirder? Every time you ask him about it, he gives you the most convincing performance of utter cluelessness you have ever witnessed. The first time, he even tilted his head, widened his eyes, and said, “Me? Dislike someone? Oh, dear apprentice, you wound me!” in the most theatrical, exaggerated manner possible.

And the thing about Lilia is, if he doesn’t want to talk about something, there is no force in the universe that can make him.

You gave up after the third attempt. If it was major, he’d tell you.

…Right?

Today, your professor smiles as she hands you a new assignment: a magic circle for you to analyze.

“You should be able to cast this with your familiar’s assistance,” she says, smiling in that teacher who’s about to ruin your life way.

You glance at the intricate diagram, tilting your head. “What’s it for?”

“Oh, it’s just illusion magic,” she assures you breezily.

And before you can say anything else, Lilia moves.

One moment, he’s standing behind you, silent as a shadow. The next, he’s in front of you, plucking the book from your hands with the effortless grace of someone who has definitely stolen things before.

His gaze sharpens as he scans the magic circle, his usual playful demeanor gone. His fingers tighten slightly on the book’s spine. Then, without hesitation, he snaps it shut and hands it right back to your professor.

“No.”

Your professor blinks, looking caught between offense and confusion. “Pardon?”

Lilia’s voice remains pleasant—but it is the kind of pleasant that makes your survival instincts scream. “I said no. My dear apprentice will not be casting this.”

The professor balks. “Excuse me, but I gave them an assignment. You contain your familiar—”

You raise your hands in exasperation. “Lady, are you kidding? This is a war general. You think I can just ‘contain’ him? You contain him.”

Your professor looks like she wants to argue. Lilia, meanwhile, tilts his head at her with the serene patience of a man watching a squirrel try to pick a fight with a dragon.

Then, he smiles.

It is not his usual mischievous grin. It is a deliberate, pointed smile.

“Why don’t you cast it first?” he asks, tone deceptively light.

Your professor stiffens. “That’s unnecessary, I already—”

Lilia’s eyes gleam. “Go on, then. Just illusion magic, isn’t it?”

The tension in the room spikes. Your professor, who has just spent the past five minutes acting like the spell is no big deal, suddenly looks very nervous.

“Oh, well,” she flounders, “I—it’s meant for—um—student practice—”

“Ah,” Lilia hums, nodding sagely. “So you’d assign a spell you wouldn’t cast yourself to my dear apprentice? How interesting.”

Your professor’s expression freezes.

And that’s when you realize something.

Lilia knew.

He knew the moment he saw the circle that something was off. He recognized it. And whatever it was meant to do, it wasn’t just harmless illusion magic.

Your professor coughs, clearly scrambling for a way out. Lilia waits, ever-patient, eyes half-lidded like a cat watching a cornered mouse.

Then, before she can say anything else, he turns to you. “We’re leaving.”

And you do not argue.

Outside, Lilia floats beside you, humming a little tune. You don’t say anything for a while, still processing.

Finally, you sigh. “You’re not gonna tell me what that spell actually was, are you?”

Lilia’s grin returns, bright and playful. “Who’s to say~?”

You groan. “Lilia.”

He chuckles, reaching out to pat your head in a way that is both condescending and annoyingly affectionate. “Let’s just say I’d rather not have to un-curse you anytime soon, hmm?”

Your stomach sinks slightly. You glance back toward the classroom building, frowning. Your professor has never pulled something like that before. But before you can dwell on it too much, Lilia floats closer, arms crossed.

“Promise me something,” he says, tone suddenly softer.

You blink up at him. “What?”

“Run your spells by me before casting them.” His smile doesn’t falter, but there’s something firm—unshakable—beneath the usual playfulness.

Your first instinct is to argue. To say you know what you’re doing. That you’re a capable mage. But then you think about how fast he moved. How easily he spotted the issue. How your professor, faced with his simple challenge, folded like wet parchment.

“…Okay,” you say.

His smile widens, but this time, it’s warm. “Good.”

And then, just like that, he’s back to his usual self, floating ahead, dramatically stretching as if he was the one who had to deal with a dangerous spell.

“Now that that’s settled,” he sighs, “why don’t set something on fire?”

You press a hand to your forehead.

At first, it was little things.

Your professors started assigning you slightly more advanced spells—reasonable enough, considering your mana pool had technically expanded (read: you accidentally summoned an ancient fae war general as your familiar). You could handle it. You were handling it.

But then it got worse.

Much worse.

It started with offensive spells. The usual: fireballs, lightning strikes, the occasional tornado. And then, gradually, the assignments escalated into city-leveling disasters.

One moment, you were casting a moderately powerful explosion spell. The next, you were being instructed to conjure something called the Wrath of the Abyss—which, from the name alone, sounded like it had no business being taught in a school.

Lilia, floating serenely beside you, casually flicked his fingers, erasing the spell from your assignment scroll. “No,” he said.

You didn’t argue.

The final straw came when you were assigned a spell so ridiculously strong that had Lilia not interfered, you’re pretty sure you would’ve smited an entire town off the map.

That night, exhausted and frustrated, you marched to the headmaster’s office to finally have a conversation about this.

And that’s when you heard it.

Muffled voices.

The headmaster and your professors—all of them—discussing how to weaponize your newly expanded mana pool. How to push you further, how to ensure you could be controlled—with force, if necessary.

You stood there for a long moment, processing.

Then you turned on your heel, went back to your dorm, and drafted the most polite resignation letter you have ever written in your entire life.

By morning, you were gone.

Which brings you to now.

Laid out on the couch.

Bored.

Contemplating your life choices.

Lilia floats around the new house, inspecting it with the air of a man who has been evicted from kingdoms before and now finds the concept of moving vaguely amusing. Occasionally, he hums in approval. Once, he sticks his head into the kitchen and mutters, “I could work with this.” (You choose to ignore the implication.)

Eventually, he drifts over to the couch, settling next to you. He watches you for a moment, eyes softer than usual, before reaching out and gently patting your head.

“…I’m sorry,” he says quietly.

You blink, turning your head to look at him. “For what?”

He offers a small, almost wistful smile. “For everything. You wanted a small familiar. A cat, perhaps. A gentle companion to aid your studies. And instead… you got me.”

Something about the way he says it makes your heart squeeze.

You sit up, shaking your head. “That’s not your fault. It’s not your fault humans are garbage sometimes.” You snort. “Honestly, I should be the one apologizing to you. You got roped into this mess because of me.”

Lilia laughs softly. “Oh, please. This is hardly the worst summoning I’ve been part of.”

You roll your eyes but lean into him anyway, resting your head against his shoulder. “I mean it, though. I’m glad you were there to look out for me.” You exhale, closing your eyes. “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else. You’re the best fit for me.”

There’s a pause.

Then, Lilia shifts slightly, tilting his head to look at you.

“…You know,” he murmurs, amusement creeping into his voice, “it almost sounds like you like me.”

You groan. “Lilia.”

He chuckles, clearly pleased with himself, and lets you rest against him, draping an arm over the back of the couch.

The TV plays some mindless reality show in the background—something ridiculous, the kind of show where two rich people argue over whose yacht is shinier. Lilia occasionally makes a quiet, offhand comment about the historical implications of their arguments, which, considering he’s been around long enough to have historical context for everything, is both fascinating and deeply concerning.

Still, as you sit there, comfortable and safe, a strange sort of peace settles over you.

Maybe this is okay, too.

Moping is unsustainable.

Yes, your dreams of becoming a renowned royal mage have withered and died like a houseplant you swore you watered (you didn’t). Yes, the academy tried to turn you into a walking magical war crime before you dropped out. And yes, you are technically in magical witness protection now.

But you refuse to let that get you down.

You are a problem solver. A forward-thinker. A survivor.

And what do survivors do? They pivot.

Thus begins your new life as the proud owner of Mystic Remedies, a charming little potion shop in a sleepy town where nobody knows—or cares—that you once accidentally summoned a literal fae war general as a familiar.

And surprisingly? Business is booming.

Apparently, people love magic when it’s used for normal things, like fixing bald spots or whitening teeth or getting rid of that one really stubborn pimple that refuses to die no matter how many times you pray to the gods. Your bestselling potions?

“The Shine of Youth” – Teeth Whitening Elixir

Results are instantaneous and blindingly effective (literally. One guy came back complaining his teeth were so white they were reflecting sunlight into his own eyes.)*

“Regrowth & Renewal” – Anti-Baldness Tonic

The town’s balding population has never been happier. One man sobbed openly in your shop after seeing his full head of hair for the first time in twenty years.

“Vanisher’s Touch” – Acne & Scar Removal Serum

One (1) drop and your skin becomes as smooth as a newborn’s. Side effects include strangers asking you for your entire skincare routine (which, obviously, you refuse to share because you are making BANK off of this).

And presiding over all of this?

Lilia Vanrouge.

Your fae general, immortal menace, questionably helpful familiar.

At first, you thought Lilia would just hang around for company. Maybe help with security. Offer sage wisdom. That kind of thing.

You were wrong.

Instead, he has taken it upon himself to be your business partner.

Which would be fine, except:

1. Lilia insists on being the shop greeter.

“Welcome, weary traveler!” he announces grandly every time someone enters, even if it’s just the lady from next door.

2.He also bows dramatically every time, which has led to multiple people thinking they’ve accidentally entered a royal court instead of a potion shop.

3. He makes up fake tragic backstories for your potions.

The baldness potion? “Crafted from the tears of a forgotten god who, himself, was once afflicted with hair loss.”

The teeth whitening elixir? “Distilled from the ancient wisdom of a radiant moonbeam, stolen by a trickster spirit under the cover of night.”

The anti-acne potion? “Forged in the fires of celestial vanity, when the first star envied the smoothness of the moon’s face.”

The customers eat it up. Business doubles because people now believe they’re purchasing legendary magical relics instead of DIY cosmetic solutions.

4. He takes “quality control” VERY seriously.

You once caught him drinking the hair regrowth tonic.

“Lilia,” you said. “You have hair. You have a lot of hair.”

He took a long, thoughtful sip, smacked his lips, and simply said, “Quality assurance.”

(The next day, his hair was so voluminous it looked like he had absorbed a lion. He seemed thrilled about this. You refused to comment.)

5. His idea of “helping” with potion-making is... distressing.

One time, you left him alone for five minutes.

When you came back, he had somehow produced a glowing purple substance that was hovering slightly above the table and making whale noises.

You didn’t even ask. You just threw the entire thing out.

Lilia disappears sometimes in the middle of the night. You’ll wake up, the room unnaturally quiet, and immediately know he’s gone. Not gone gone—he’s not that dramatic—but somewhere else, wrapped in thoughts you never quite get to see.

Tonight, the air is cool when you step outside, wrapping around you like a second skin. You don’t have to search long. He’s on the rooftop, perched with all the effortless grace of a creature who defies gravity. His eyes are locked onto the moon, silver light washing over his face, his usual impishness replaced with something… else.

You’ve seen Lilia in many states—mischievous, chaotic, wise, deeply concerning—but you’ve never seen him like this.

So, naturally, you make the entirely reasonable decision to scale the side of the house.

It is not a graceful process. There’s a lot of slipping, a lot of swearing, and at one point, you’re pretty sure you get stuck in a position that defies basic human anatomy. Lilia watches all of this unfold with what you know is barely suppressed laughter, but he doesn’t help.

Rude.

By the time you haul yourself onto the roof, panting like you’ve just wrestled a bear, Lilia looks at you like you’re the strange one here.

“…You could have used the stairs,” he points out.

You glare at him. “Yeah? Well, you could’ve not brooded on the roof like the protagonist of a tragic novel, but here we are.”

For a moment, you think he might tease you, but instead, something in his expression softens. Like he hadn’t expected you to come. Like the idea of being found was somehow surprising.

You settle beside him, deliberately sitting close enough that your arms brush. Lilia doesn’t say anything, just leans into you, his weight light but grounding.

“I’m grateful you left immediately when you did,” he murmurs, voice quiet in a way that makes you pause. “I wasn’t prepared to lose you.”

You don’t ask. You never have. Lilia carries centuries in his gaze, in the way he moves, in the weight of the things he doesn’t say. But this? This moment, this sliver of vulnerability? This is his truth, and you’ll never push him to unravel more than he wants to.

So you nod. You pull him closer. And you sit there, pressed together beneath the vast, endless sky, offering nothing but presence.

Because sometimes, companionship is enough.

Despite all of this—despite the dramatics, the chaos, the fact that you are pretty sure Lilia is making up 90% of his fae wisdom on the spot—your little potion shop thrives.

You get to help people. You get to live peacefully.

And best of all? You get to spend your days with someone who makes life interesting.

One evening, as you’re closing up, Lilia floats beside you, watching as you count today’s earnings.

“You’ve done well for yourself,” he says, tone oddly soft, absent of his usual teasing lilt.

You glance at him, raising a brow. “We have,” you correct, shoving the last of the gold into the till. “I’d be lost without you.”

He hums in amusement, resting his chin in his hand. “Flattery will get you everywhere, you know.”

You snort. “It’s not flattery if it’s true.”

There’s a pause.

Then, after a moment, he reaches over—ruffles your hair with genuine fondness.

You pretend to be annoyed, but you don’t move away.

(And later, as you sit together, sharing a cup of tea under the quiet glow of lantern light, you think—maybe this life? This ridiculous, unpredictable, strangely wonderful life? Maybe it’s not so bad, after all.)

The first time you created a potion for hair growth, you barely had time to marvel at your genius before Lilia grabbed the vial and downed it in one gulp. No hesitation. No patch test. Just the unwavering confidence of a man who believed you were capable of alchemy miracles despite your previous track record, which included but was not limited to:

Accidentally making a love potion so strong it made a squirrel propose to a tree.

Brewing an invisibility elixir that only made clothes disappear (awkward).

Concocting a sleeping draught that did, in fact, induce sleep—just exclusively in yourself.

So, really, this blind faith of his was either heartwarming or deeply concerning.

The effect was immediate. Lilia’s short, fluffy locks exploded outward in a dramatic cascade, flowing past his shoulders, his waist, and then pooling onto the floor in a heap of silky, midnight strands. He blinked at you from behind his newly acquired curtain of hair, looking entirely unbothered, while you sat there in stunned horror like an artist realizing they’d just painted the Mona Lisa using finger paints.

“Well,” he said cheerfully, lifting a section of his hair with mild curiosity. “At least I won’t have to buy a blanket anymore.”

You groaned, already reaching for the shears. “Sit down. I’m cutting it before you trip and break your immortal neck.”

Lilia plopped down in front of you, perfectly content as you gathered the thick locks in your hands, marveling at how soft they were. You ran your fingers through them, untangling strands, watching them catch the light like the finest silk. Somewhere in the middle of methodically snipping away, your hand brushed against the nape of his neck.

And Lilia—Lilia of the endless energy, mischievous smirks, and unpredictable chaos—tilted his head into your touch like a cat craving warmth. He let his cheek brush against your palm, the weight of him light but deliberate, and you felt something in your chest hiccup.

Oh no.

Nope. Absolutely not. You were not going to sit here and have an emotional epiphany over a haircut.

You cleared your throat and kept cutting, pretending you didn’t notice the way his eyes fluttered shut, how he sighed just the slightest bit when you raked your fingers through his hair again. You ignored the warmth curling in your stomach, the way your heart stuttered like a miscast spell.

This was fine. Just a normal, everyday occurrence. No significance whatsoever.

(You ignored the fact that, long after the potion’s effects had worn off, Lilia still asks you to fix his hair for him.)

It has been a year.

A whole year since you knelt in front of a summoning circle, begging the universe for a small, manageable familiar—a cat, a bat, anything reasonable—only for reality to spit in your face and drop a war general into your living room.

A year since Lilia Vanrouge, former general, ancient fae, and walking eldritch menace, declared himself your familiar with a dramatic flourish while you stood there questioning every single life decision that had led to that moment.

And now, it’s time to let him go.

You knew this day would come. You told yourself you wouldn’t get attached. He was never supposed to stay forever. He has actual, important, world-changing things to do, and you—what are you? A small-town potion seller with a thriving business in male pattern baldness reversal and anti-aging tonics. This is not a worthy occupation for a fae of his caliber.

So why does the thought of him leaving feel like your heart is about to crawl out of your chest, slap you in the face, and then dramatically expire in protest?

You’re an adult. You can handle this. You will handle this.

Night falls, and you set up the ritual.

The summoning contract that bound him to you for a year must now be undone. The process is simple: draw the circle, say the words, and Lilia will be free to return to whatever grand, fae-magic-drenched existence he had before meeting you.

Your hands shake as you carve the sigils into the ground. You tell yourself it’s just fatigue.

The circle is perfect. The words are ready. You steel yourself, take a deep breath, and—

SCRATCH.

You blink.

Your circle is ruined.

Because Lilia just dragged his foot through it like a toddler messing up a sandcastle.

“Whoops,” he says, tone entirely insincere.

You stare at the ruined circle. Then at him. Then at the deep, deliberate groove he just scraped through the sigils.

“…Did you just—”

“Oh dear,” Lilia sighs, not looking remotely sorry. “How clumsy of me.”

You narrow your eyes.

Fine. Fine. You can work with this. You redraw the circle, faster this time, heart pounding, trying not to think about how every stroke is another step toward the inevitable.

But as soon as you finish it, it vanishes.

You gape. “What the fu—”

Lilia, sitting lazily on your kitchen counter, swirls his wine glass and hums, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

You try again. And again.

Each time, something goes wrong.

The chalk disappears. The ink dries too fast. The lines curve into nonsense when you look away. Lilia, drinking his wine, watching you struggle, looking like a cat who just knocked over an entire shelf and is waiting for applause.

Then, finally, the last straw.

You painstakingly carve the circle one last time, standing up with triumphant determination—

And Lilia immediately spills his wine on it.

He gasps, eyes wide with the fakest, most dramatic shock you have ever seen. “Oh my. How unfortunate.”

You drop the chalk.

You inhale, slow and measured, like a parent about to scold a misbehaving child.

Then you turn to him.

“…Hey,” you say, voice trembling, not with sadness, but with the sheer, earth-shattering realization that this little fae menace is playing with you.

He takes another sip of wine, as if to fortify himself against the incoming confrontation.

“Do you,” you say, pointing at him, “not want to leave?”

Lilia smiles. That infuriatingly cryptic, all-knowing smile that he has given you exactly one thousand times over the past year.

He doesn’t answer.

And you are done.

You grab him by the collar, yanking his floating self down to your level, because no. Not this time.

“Say it.” Your heart is racing, your voice shaking. “Stop playing with my feelings and just say it.”

For the first time in a long time, Lilia looks genuinely surprised.

His bright red eyes flick over your face, searching, calculating.

Then, gently, effortlessly, he kisses you.

It’s soft. Unhurried. Like a promise instead of a confession.

When he pulls away, there’s no teasing, no smug amusement. Just quiet certainty as he murmurs, “I thought that was obvious, little mage.”

And you—

You think, yeah. This is perfect.

The day after the kiss is, by all accounts, completely normal.

Lilia is still Lilia—dramatic, whimsical, and absolutely insufferable in the best way possible. He flits around the shop like a particularly mischievous specter, rearranges your potions in ways that make absolutely no sense, and startles at least three customers by dropping upside down from the rafters like a bat with a caffeine addiction.

The only difference are the little changes in his proximity.

The way he brushes a little closer, his fingertips lingering on yours when he hands you a vial. The way he leans in when he speaks, voice a low murmur that sends shivers down your spine. The way his eyes—sharp, playful, knowing—linger just a second too long, like he’s drinking in every reaction.

Your regulars notice immediately.

“You two finally figured it out, huh?”

“About damn time.”

“Oh, we’ve been betting on this for months—Edgar, pay up.”

Even the old woman who only comes in for her arthritis tincture pats your cheek with grandmotherly approval, declaring, "He’s a little strange, but you always liked strays."

By the time you close up for the night, you’re warm with laughter, exhaustion, and the sheer reality of it. Of him. Of you.

And then there’s a weight on your back, light but unmistakable, arms winding around you as Lilia attaches himself like a particularly affectionate cloak.

“You still haven’t actually asked me to stay,” he hums, his chin resting on your shoulder. You can hear the grin in his voice, teasing and pleased.

You roll your eyes, exasperated and utterly, helplessly fond.

Then, without warning, you turn, grabbing his face in both hands and kissing him hard.

He makes a soft, surprised noise against your lips before immediately melting into it, responding with all the fervor of someone who has absolutely been waiting for this. His hands tighten on your waist, pulling you closer, and you swear you can feel him smiling into the kiss.

When you finally pull back, breathless and a little dazed, you meet his gaze and say, firm and sure,

“Stay.”

Lilia blinks, as if he wasn’t expecting you to actually say it. Then his lips curl into something unbearably soft, unbearably fond, and he whispers,

“Till the end of my life.”

Masterlist

Sian and Yuzu's background

They live in a magical medieval fantasy world.

Recently before getting isekaied Yuzu lived in a cottage in the woods not to far off from a village settlement. Sian usually hangs out at a castle with her childhood friend 'Prince'.

Sian used to live in a hometown full of pixie fairies like her, think of pixie hollow and the Tinkerbell movies.

My point is Yuzu and Sian are actually in a more similar boat as Grim not knowing Holidays from Twisted wonderland.

Not to mention also being very outdated on technology and confused by them. Hell Ace on week one had to point out the light switch in Ramshackle, used it and surprised the two girls with the power of electric light sources.

So yeah these OCS are from a world of magic but not a modern world of magic unlike twisted wonderland.

Also pixie Fae from Sian & Yuzu's world are a tad different or at least the laughter born ones are. Sian being one of those fairies/pixies.

I think my OCS from this Au have experience or heard of generic seasonal festivals in their world.

Birthdays, mothers day, and father's day, will also exist in Sian's world.

Might need to further look into what holidays or celebrations their medieval fantasy world might hold, that includes any fairy related holidays like in one of the tinker bell movies.

So I'm probably gonna rewatch TinkerBell and the lost treasure. I wanna add that festival/event as something that is celebrated at Sian's hometown.

Winter Night thoughts.

Yumi contemplates spending Christmas without the family she grew fond of back in the magic less world.

Tis was late at night, a few days before Christmas.

The hearth of Ramshackle longue was alight with a warm glow.

Not small bugs or critters scurried about Ramshackles halls.

Grim was snoring up a storm in the prefect's bed.

Yumi the perfect herself was downstairs nursing a cup of hot coco while sitting on one of the couches in Ramshackle's longue near the furnace.

She sighed heavily.

She looks towards her phone in a grimace.

So many texts and Christmas invitations she had refused littered her text history.

Yumi looks away from her phone and sighs again.

'I wonder how mom and dad are doing, not to mention my siblings back at home'

Home...

What a funny word.

So many tried to help Yumi find a 'home' in twisted wonderland, but none satisfied her.

Yumi misses her home back at the magic less world she grew up more than any of her friends could offer her. Nothing could replace her family and strong feelings of belonging that she possessed back there.

Yumi looked back at her phone and flipped thru her messages and sighed once more.

Whether she liked it or not someone was too stubborn and persistent that she ended up giving in and promising to join them for Christmas.

It was Professor Crewel. Apparently, she was related to him by blood. Yumi was not looking forward to it, perhaps she should've given in to Aria's invitation. At least then she could've avoided her blood related family for Christmas. Worried that they are trying to tie her down into this world, one she is determined to leave for her family and friends back in the magic less world whom she missed so much.

Then again, perhaps it's a good reason to spend Christmas with Professor Crewel's family. For this Christmas may be the only one they will get to enjoy with her if Yumi's plans succeed.

It wasn't like Crewel and his family were unkind or bad people. So, it wouldn't be a terrible Christmas if she spent it with them this year.

Yumi sighed.

'I should stop thinking negatively about this and just enjoy Christmas with them regardless of whether I'm staying or leaving twisted wonderland later'

Yumi got up from the couch and went to put out the furnace fire before placing her empty cup in the sink and heading upstairs.

'I wonder how different Christmas will be for me the rest of the year it's already been a wild ride of a winter break:

Yumi smiled.

It wasn't the most pleasant pass few weeks with the whole ordeal at Scrabia that occurred. However, the party afterwards at Scrabia followed by the one held at Ramshackle was delightful.

It was sweet having her friends that came to her rescue from Scrabia stay by her side for a bit longer even after confirming the danger was already dealt with.

Yumi wasn't expecting to have a party at Ramshackle with so many ppl some who were supposed to be away all winter break.

Ace, Deuce, and Aria.

Aria's mother was also there, and they managed to convince Lilia to stay for a while after he gave Yumi a Christmas letter. Oh, and how could she forget Silver. Lilia invited him to join in the Ramshackle party. Those two apparently decided to stay at Diasomnia during the winter break.

Apparently, the ghosts had decorated the dorm a tad for the holidays while Yumi was at Scrabia. Along with tending to NRCs fire fairies. Ramshackle also got a feast, one that Grim demanded from Crowley before the winter break had started.

It was a wonderful winter break so far and it's not over yet with Professor Crewel coming over tomorrow morning to pick Yumi up. Winter break and celebrating Christmas was yet to end for her. Yumi started to look forward to it once more.

She also hoped and wished all her friends in both worlds along with her family back in the magic less world a very merry and wonderful Christmas.

Yumi made it to her room and patted the head of the snoring Grim among her pillows with a soft smile.

She was not leaving him behind for Christmas. She managed to convince the professor to let Grim tag along for the trip.

Yumi yawns and stretches before heading back to bed.

Yes, this Christmas was gonna be different for her, but it was gonna be a wonderful time and a memory to cherish forevermore regardless of her apprehension prior to tonight.

So i may or may not have written, the prologue before NRC orientation months ago. I picked it back up days ago and have been rewriting it and fixing up this whole time in my drafts. So yeah i dunno how confident i am in it but ill post it.

IM SO SCARED and nervous i feel like im being too reckless today with how much im posting.

I think I changed my mind on posting one of the 3 posts I mentioned I'd post today. So yeah I might be done posting for tonight. Just wanted to keep ya informed.

Also you might've noticed how most of the posts the past few days being centered around my oc Aria.

I've just been in the zone for writing about my OC Aria specifically these past few days, that's why majority of the posts recently are about her.

It's also why I've been posting a lot lately but at the same time it's not much variety. I just was in the zone for writing a specific character.

Hopefully I'll get in the mood/zone to write like crazy for my other twisted wonderland ocs soon.

How did Aria Cross worlds in each timeline (more detailed)

Content warning: mentions someone almost getting hit by a car. failed kidnapping attempt mentioned.

So how did Aria end up in the magic less world?

Aria is a Half-Fae with a large mana pool and great affinity for magic. Aria lives in the Queendom of Roses which has more human than beast folk, merman or Fae around. This isn't mentioned in game but for this story majority of the Clock Town living here didn't have a considerable amount of magic/mana pool.

Basically, Aria lived in a place not brimming full of Fae magic and no one with considerable mana pools/magic to properly teach Aria proper control of her own magic.

Normally this isn't an issue for most kids. Since majority of them can barely use or access their magic at such a young age. A good example of this is Deuce who could only summon Cauldrons before attending NRC. Aria had a huge mana pool and could access it on instinct occasionally since she was 4 years old. Poor Ms. Whitecourt probably made raising Aria more stressful than she expected.

For both timelines it turns out it was easier to use magic teleportation to end up in another world more so than trying to use magic to leave one that possess no magic.

Aria's mana pool was diminished and drained upon walking up in another world. Without the means to replenish her magic regardless of sleep since the world started to suppress her magic the longer, she remained in this unfamiliar world. Aria got officially stuck in another world unable to return immediately after arrival.

For timeline two Aria got spooked and startled. Her reflexes sending her to another world via teleportation.

With no clear destination in mind upon teleporting she ended up somewhere she shouldn't have a place that was more of a challenge to leave rather than arrive at. Aria wakes up in the magic less world stuck until Night Raven College managed to send her back to twisted wonderland.

I think I figured out and decided what exactly spooked/startled Aria to the point of teleporting to a magicless world in timeline 2. I want it to be intense since the one for timeline 3 was also a bit of a panic teleport moment. It feels right that Aria teleport reflex/instinct usually doesn't go to the extreme extent of going off world unless its she feels like her life is in mortal danger.

For Timeline 2 Aria almost gets kidnapped around 14 years old. The culprits being other Clock Town Delinquents that rival/enemies of Deuce who just started his delinquent phase.

Aria was headed home alone at night when she encountered Deuce's enemies who was goanna hold her hostage or just take her away to beat her up as an send a message to Deuce and his gang to not mess with them and to get off 'their turf'. However, Aria managed to free herself and runs away. unfortunately, a member showed up around the corner in front of her and spooked her. She teleports away on instinct before the guy in front of Aria could grab her.

Deuce has no idea what happened to Aria she just went missing. there are rumors that a rival gang might've taken her, but that's just one of many rumors regarding Aria's disappearance. I haven't decided or come up with other rumors for this so far.

It would just make more sense to me. Instead of leaving it as, yeah somehow despite getting surprised spooked occasionally. Somehow this one time when Aria was already like 14 years old managed to send her to another world and not any of the many previous times.

Though maybe I could say that she did end up in other world before and the difference was this is the first time showing up in one that's magic less. The first time she couldn't just rest up and teleport back to Twisted wonderland on her own or with help from a magical resident of this other world.

For current timeline/timeline three. During their childhood, Aria and Deuce were playing around outside around the white rabbit festival hedges. Yumi approaches them and asked to play with them and even has a ball to play with. Aria and Deuce let her join them as they decided to toss the ball around between the 3 of them, changing who they threw the ball at next every so often. Eventually Yumi fails to catch the ball, and it rolls off. Yumi runs to get the ball with Aria close behind. Yumi runs into the street with a car approaching. Aria panics and manages to grab Yumi and on instinct teleports away to safety. The only problem left is they appear to be unable to return to twisted wonderland and is now separated from everyone else from Twisted wonderland.

Aria Whitecourt and Yumi

Backstory of current timeline, (T3)

Content warning: mentions someone almost getting hit by a car.

Aria was born in the Queendom of Roses, and her childhood was spent in clocktown. She lived alone with just her mother, and they had relatives living nearby. She lived a block away from Deuce.

Ms. Whitecourt and Ms. Spade used to be coworkers for a bit before Aria's mom got another job nearby, but they still met up and had their kids play together as friends. So, Aria and Deuce were childhood friends. Aria is 2 years older than Deuce.

Sometime between ages 6-10 for Aria. With both Yumi and Deuce 2 years younger than her, at the White Rabbit festival. Yumi was running after a ball she dropped and almost got run over by a car. Aria managed to grab Yumi and teleported them away to safety. However, the place they found themselves in was another world, one without magic.

Yumi just met Aria and was playing catch with Aria and Deuce right before the two of them both ended up in the magic less world unable to teleport back. Yumi teleported on instinct and upon arrival her magic was being suppress in this new world they found themselves at.

Yumi is the same age as Deuce or a year younger than him.

She doesn't remember anything from before ending up in the magic less world as a child. So she has no memories of Twisted wonderland and if she has any it be vague and she thinks they were just fever dreams and denies them possibly being real.

Yumi doesn't believe in Arias stories of twisted wonderland. They are clearly just young Aria's exaggerated tall tales that Aria just won't move on from. There's no way she or Aria came from another world, let alone one with magic.

So both Yumi and Aria end up as orphans in the magic less world and stayed at the same orphanage during their childhood.

Yumi got adopted first by a kind loving family and has siblings (haven't decided fully on specifics for them, like are they older or younger than Yumi? and how many are there?).

Aria gets adopted year(s) later than Yumi by a sweet elderly couple who lives in the same neighborhood as Yumi. So, Aria & Yumi reunite as neighbors and even attended the same school tho Aria is a upperclassman to Yumi at the school they attend.

They either became friends before Yumi was adopted back at the orphanage or shortly after the two reunited.

Now a year or few months prior to ending back up on twisted wonderland again. The grandparents that are raising Aria passed away and Yumi's family has adopted her. Though Aria is still mourning and isn't feeling comfortable living with Yumi's family she feels like a burden and most importantly feels out of place and like she doesn't belong.

Basically Aria is still probably in the depression state of mourning over the elderly couple who took care of her not that long ago in her eyes.

For waking up at NRC. Yumi and Aria wakeup during Ace & Deuce's entrance ceremony like in twisted wonderland game. However, Deuce won't be able to recognize Aria. She has changed enough appearance wise that it's reasonable to not recognize her at first glance, it was over 5 years ago.

Now Aria and Yumi are both related to a Twisted wonderland character like in the twisted wonderland return home au's I've read and enjoyed immensely. However, i will not be revealing who they are related to you in this post.

Want to see the backstory to the other timelines?

Timeline 1, Timeline 2

Aria's Unique Magic

Warning Twisted wonderland book 6 spoilers

Unique spell name: Rewrite Time

so yeah, Aria has a time related unique magic. I enjoy the time loop theory in Twisted Wonderland community/fandom and decided to implement it for Aria's story.

Aria unlocks her Unique magic during the overblot apocalypse in timeline 1. It alters the past and changes something in the past that increases the chances of reaching the desired outcome.

In this case preventing the overblot apocalypse was what her Unique magic is used for at end of Timeline 1. Using her unique magic won't guaranteed the outcome she is going for it just nudges the world towards her desired intentions/outcome she is aiming for.

Only one(s) that could remember the past timelines themselves are Aria and anyone who touches Aria when she is casting her Unique magic. There is a way for Aria to show her memories of the previous timelines to others but that's a discussion for later.

The change that occurs in timeline 2 is Aria ends up in the magic less world and returns to Twisted Wonderland via Night Raven College carriage. Her unique magic changed the past so that Aria would be at the Island of Woe during Idia's overblot which led to overblot apocalypse in timeline 1.

Aria manages to be at Night Raven College in order to run into Rook and follow him to the island of Woe and defeat overblot Idia thanks to using her unique magic. In timeline 1 Idia defeated the NRC students during his overblot and successfully released all the overblot Phantoms to all of Twisted Wonderland.

In this timeline Grim overblots near the end of Aria's 3rd year at NRC. This overblot causes Aria to use her unique magic yet again and rewrites the timeline once more.

What was needed this time is a beast tamer at NRC with Aria. So, the change that occurs in timeline 3 is Aria teleporting to another timeline with Yumi who has a beast tamer talent/skill. However, in order to achieve this the unique magic has Aria and Yumi end up in the magic less world during their childhood and shows up at NRC 2 years later compared to timeline 2.

In the previous timelines Yumi lives her whole life in twisted wonderland and becomes a potion maker or owns a store on Sage Island during the twisted wonderland game's main story.

As you might've seen or notice. I have finally finished the waking up at NRC prologue part for my children of laughter twst Au! :D

Which I have recently posted a few minutes ago under this post.

I honestly dunno how active I'll be on this blog in the near future, in terms of posting any more content here that is.

I'm just posting here whenever I finish writing anything I want to post like fanfics.

However writing fanfics will require inspiration or motivation to strike me first during my free/spare time.