Archive of Our Own

"Darling Care٫" Deuce read aloud over your other shoulder. What the hell was that? You didn't realize you asked that out loud until you heard the redhead next to you snort at your question as if it were obvious. "It's mainly steps and tricks on how to properly care for your darling."

"That just sounds like home ec for guys٫" You thought aloud٫ getting a chuckle out of the two. It sounded basically like a 'how to' guide on how to be a good househusband. If it was anything like that٫ then you wouldn't complain. Not enough guys know how to actually care for themselves٫ so much their partner.

"Whatever it is٫ I'm takin' a nap٫" the little direbeast at your feet yawned out. Ace hummed in agreement٫ beginning to yawn himself.

"You both should really pay attention to this class! I've been looking forward to it since the opening ceremony٫" Was it really that important of a class? Was househusband an average goal here in this world?

"Whatever you say٫ Juice."

"I keep telling you٫ it's Deuce!"

You were in the classroom you used for homeroom٫ both you and Grim sat between the disaster duo. It seemed just about everyone in the class was talking until Crewel hit his whip on the teacher desk٫ a loud crack ringing around the classroom.

"Alright٫ pups. It's my job to help transform you all from pathetic٫ rutting mutts to hopefully somewhat more decent ones. Since it is the beginning of the year٫ we'll be reviewing the basics. First off٫ I would hope you all know what yanderes and darlings are." Yanderes and Darlings? Like that writing trope you used to be into? Was this some kind of joke? Crewel does look deadly serious about it٫ though. You turned your head to look at the reaction's of the two beside you. Ace looked bored and Deuce looked invested in Crewel's every word. So he was for real...

"For our first lesson٫ we'll be discussing ways to claim a darling٫" Crewel continued٫ "If you have any questions٫ then please hesitate to ask. Most commonly٫ mages will leave a mark made with magic to warn off other-...sigh...yes٫ pup. What's the problem?" You hadn't even realized you stood up until Crewel said something. Everyone was looking at you٫ except for a freshly awoken Grim٫ who was looking around for what happened.

"I need to use the bathroom!" You announced. It was a lie you came up with on the spot. You just had to get out of there.

"Go ahead٫" Crewel groaned. You thanked him and hurried out٫ Grim following right behind you.

Grim caught up to you in the hallway and got you to pick him up. Now alone with Grim in the hallway٫ you could feel that familiar feeling again. It felt as if you were being watched٫ like an unsuspecting rabbit being hunted by a hungry fox. You sped up your pace. That feeling had been following you around for days now. It was especially prominent at night٫ making you really ungrateful for that broken window lock in your bedroom at Ramshackle.

"You passed up the bathrooms٫" Grim pointed out from where he was perched on you shoulder.

"I know."

"Then where're we going?"

"The headmage's office."

Crowley jumped in his seat when the doors of his office burst open. He almost seemed to shrink back on himself when you slammed your palms on his desk.

"What the hell was that?!" You demanded. For a powerful mage٫ he surely seemed like a coward towards a magicless human.

"What class could you possibly mean٫ my dear student?..." Crowley timidly replied.

"That class! 'Darling Care' or whatever!"

"Oh٫" he sat back up and cleared his throat before continuing٫ "It's a relatively useful class. It's also quite simple really."

"No٫ thats not what I mean!" You fussed٫ taking a deep breath after to try to calm yourself. "Yanderes are not real. They're just a character trope in writing٫ or crazy people..." Crowley٫ however٫ seemed surprised by your statement.

"So there are no yanderes in your world whatsoever?"

"That's what I said."

"So you're practically a purebred darling!" Crowley stood up٫ looking you over with a new found interest.

"What are you talking about?"

"No wonder you act the way you do. You have practically no trace of yandere in your DNA." He came around the desk to examine you more closely."

"Hey٫ back off my henchhuman!" Grim huffed.

"My apologies٫" the headmage apologized٫ unapologetically you may even add. "It's just bizarre to me how there's a world with just darlings; and a living product of such a world is right in front of me. No wonder you embody so many darling attributes so well!"

"So٫ my world is the weird one for locking away crazy people٫ while this one lets them run society..."

"Exactly- wait٫ what? You lock them away?! In٫ like٫ prison?!" Crowley exclaimed٫ clutching his metaphorical pearls. He looked as if he may faint once you reconfirmed it.

"How cruel!" He dramatized. Yeah٫ because you were the cruel one for wanting dangerous people to be stopped from disturbing other people's peace.

"Well٫ since you're a darling٫ you won't be able to take such classes. Hm٫ I'll see what I can do later. For now I'll just inform you professor that you'll be excused from that class." Crowley explained٫ being unusually helpful.

He soon sent you out on your own merry way. It was alright with you though. You had somewhere you wanted to go.

"Now where're we headed?" Grim questioned.

"The library."

"For what?"

"I have some stuff I wanna figure out."

You headed straight for the library with Grim. Once getting there٫ you searched for a few history books and brought a stack of them to a random table and sat down. You began to look through them to soak up as much information as you could about whatever this yandere/darling world system was. Multiple books explained how yanderes were not seem as normal until the Great Seven٫ the most famous yanderes. It seemed that there was also different types of yanderes٫ and each dorm here at NRC held the same yandere type the Great Seven member they were based on. You read in one book how different places had different traditions to officially "claim" their darling as their own. You couldn't help but think about possible situations you read. Could you end up like those darling? In your opinion٫ the darlings of the Great Seven seemed to have such tragic fates. Would that end up happening to you if you didn't find a way home soon?

You hadn't even realized how long it'd been until you heard Ace and Deuce calling out to you. Only then did you notice the setting sun and Grim sound asleep next to you.

"We finally found you٫" Deuce announced.

"You never came back to class٫" Ace added٫ "You decide to skip or somethin'?"

"What? No٫ I went see the headmage and he excused me from class."

"What?! No fair!" he groaned. "What're you doing here anyway? The library's for nerds."

"No٫ the library is a place full of valuable knowledge!" Deuce reprimanded٫ "Not that you would know that because you probably can't even read."

"I can too!" Ace fussed.

"No way!" Deuce argued back٫ leading to the two being shushed by a nearby voice. You picked Grim up into your arms٫ careful not to wake him٫ and began to usher Tweedle dumb and Tweedle dumber out before they can disturb anyone else. They begrudgingly allowed you too٫ but began to once again loudly argue with each other when outside. Seeing them like this made it almost hard to believe they could be one of those. They were the closest thing you had to friends٫ or even family٫ here in Twisted Wonderland. Just a couple hours ago you felt as if you could trust them with your life٫ but now you were wondering if you could even trust them with your drink. Could you trust anybody? Wait!- What were you thinking? The odds were impossible that they could have a crush on you٫ already at that. They've also proven to be trustworthy to you. You were just a regular person٫ not some otome protaganist who gains their own harem. Honestly٫ it would also be nice to know you have people who can protect you. You can trust them٫ right?

"Guys..." you paused٫ causing them to stop and turn to look at you٫ giving you their full attention.

"Yeah?"

"What's up?"

"What if I told told you that in my world there was no such thing as yanderes..." you hesitantly continued٫ anxiously stroking Grim's soft fur٫ "and that there was only just darlings..."

"Like٫ for real?" Ace asked٫ seemingly flabbergasted.

"And anyone who would be considered a yandere here would typically be either imprisoned or killed in my world..." you added on٫ nervous for their reaction.

"So٫ if you showed how you truly were in your world then you'd get put in jail?" Deuce was worriedly confused.

"No٫ dumbass! She's tryna tell us she's a darling٫" Ace elbowed him and you nodded in confirmation.

"Please don't tell anyone..." You begged.

"Of course we wouldn't!" Deuce proudly announced. "We'll even help protect you!"

"Yeah٫ we can also teach whatever you need to know about anything you dont understand~," the redhead agreed. "You can even call us 'senpai'~!"

"Yeah٫ happening." You all ended up laughing together as the two walked you back to Ramshackle. You were honestly glad you talked to them about it٫ now feeling much better٫ and even safer٫ too. There was no way they would take advantage of your lack of knowledge٫ right?

The next morning٫ you were desperately searching around for your uniform tie/ribbon. The wind must of moved it from it's spot when the window opened again last night due to that damn broken lock on it. The past few night the windows been opening like that because of the wind and causing your stuff to move in different places from where you put them. You eventually did find it next to your underwear drawer for some reason. Weird٫ but no time to worry about that. You had to hurry or you and Grim were gonna be late to homeroom. By pure coincidence٫ you both got to the classroom the same time as Crewel.

"Just the pup I wanted to speak with٫" he spoke٫ stopping you and the direbeast. "The headmage wanted me to inform you that instead of taking 'Darling Care' with the other pups٫ you'll be doing endurance training with Coach Vargas once a week starting today. Understood?"

"Yes٫ sir٫" you begrudgingly agreed٫ not really being given any room to argue. At least it was only once a week...

The rest of the school day consisted of Adeuce telling you bits of info that they knew about this world٫ while Grim would add in his own two cents every so often. The two honestly seemed more protective of you since finding out that you were a darling. It was sweet and all٫ but also kind of suffocating. It almost felt like they didn't want anyone else to even talk to you. You finally got a break from them٫ plus Grim٫ during last period when they had Darling Care and you had to head to the field. Vargas had you change into your PE uniform once you got there before making you stretch.

"Now٫ I want you to give me five laps!"

"Five?!" You exclaimed in exasperation.

"Want ten?!"

"No٫ sir! Five's perfect!" You shouted٫ rushing forward before her changed his mind. He started to run as well٫ passing you up a couple times but still yelling encouragement at you. He gave you a pat on the back when you were finished٫ a rather hurtful one٫ but it was praise nonetheless. You felt a wave of relief flood through you when he said you were done for the day and hurried back to change into your regular٫ non-sweaty clothes. Right after you decided to head back to the library. There were still some things you wanted to know in order to be aware of. Better to be aware and prepared than oblivious and defenseless. Thats you felt at least.

At the library٫ you started to look through the shelves of books with disturbing titles and descriptions. There were all types of guide books on how to drug٫ kidnap٫ and even force love onto darlings. Eventually٫ one caught you're attention. How to Use Your Darling's Friendship To Win Them. What the hell?! That was messed up. Your friends would never do that٫ would they...? Of course not! There was no way you could even be anyone's darling. You're not from this world so there was no way you could have such a creepy connection like that to anyone...right? You decided to look through it just to be sure. It would be useful in the future if anyone did try to use such methods on you. You grabbed the book and tried to open it but it wouldn't open. It was like the whole thing was glued shut. You were trying so hard to open it that you hadn't even noticed the boy approaching you.

"Having some trouble٫ petite lapin?" he asked٫ the amusement evident in his gaze. You could swear that gaze felt eerily familiar. Wait٫ what did he just call you?

"Uh٫ yeah..." you replied٫ somewhat put off by him for some reason. It was like your instincts were telling you to run but at the same time saying you couldn't. "Sorry٫ do I know you...?"

"Oh٫ my sincerest apologies. I have yet to introduce myself. I am Rook Hunt, Le Chasseur D'Armour," he proudly announced. Why was everyone in this school so weird? "So what seems to be the problem?"

"The book won't open٫" you explained٫ and even showed him. Rook٫ however٫ seemed thoroughly amused.

"Well٫ of course you cannot open it. Books like these are enchanted so that darlings like yourself cannot read them and evade their yanderes' attempts of claiming them." Rook explained as if it were obvious. Hold on٫ did he just call you a darling? How did he know that?!

"Hold up٫ Im not-!"

"No need to lie. It's quite obvious to a hunter as experienced as moi٫" he interrupted٫ "And there's no need to worry٫ I do not intend to tell any other. It can remain our little secret٫ d'accord?" He put his finger to his lips in a shushing motion٫ a grin on his face as he slightly tilted his head to the side while awaiting you answer. You slowly nodded٫ feeling more anxious than relieved that he said he wouldn't tell.

"Merveilleuse! Now٫ how about I walk you back to Ramshackle?" the blonde offered٫ taking the book from your hands and placing it back in its proper place on the shelf.

"N-No٫ thank you. Thanks for the offer though..." You were already backing away٫ not realizing you were running until you felt yourself running out of breath. Maybe those lessons with Vargas would come in handy after all. You don't know why you ran٫ you only knew that you had to get away from him for some reason. It was almost as if he were eyeing you like prey٫ like a hungry fox would eye a defense bunny. You walked the rest of the way back to Ramshackle in a daze. You got ready for bed as you waited for Grim to return٫ not even eating dinner. You didn't have the appetite to stomach anything at the moment. You went to bed early last night٫ but slept restlessly once actually falling asleep.

In the morning٫ the window was open again. You really needed to fix that damn lock when you got the money from Crowley. You were about to start getting ready when you noticed a note on the dresser and read it:

Ma chère proie٫ you truly are magnifique! I knew you were meant to be mine since my eyes first laid upon you. You are the quintessence of any darling! Our conversation yesterday only further these facts. I found myself positively giddy to finally speak with you. You voice is like that of a songbird that I wish to listen to forever. I cannot wait to see how our futures intertwine from here!

Yours forever and always٫ RH

PS: It would be best to fix that window lock of yours. I would hate for another to figure this fact out.