❝DÉVOUEMENT❞ ; twst.

✦ chapter nineteen.

ೃ༄ "you shouldn't jump in there without a plan—... and they're gone..."
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today was the start of the fated first day for the ramshackle residents to fulfill their part of the contract. it was time for breakfast so the students sat amongst their dormitory mates or their friends, in general. f/n was about to walk towards the exclusive diasomnia table until yuu blocked her way, "a-ah... n/n? want to eat with us?" f/n glanced at the table and saw the three savanaclaw residents with grim. she looked back at yuu before peeking at her table, knowing that they were listening to the conversation. lilia turned to look at her with a close-eyed smile and a thumbs up as a way of saying, "go and sit with your friend, we'll be watching and listening from afar."

the first year sighed before looking back at yuu and nodding. the ramshackle first year smiled as he sat on his seat, moving aside to give some space for the diasomnia student to sit on. "hello, leona... hello to you too, jack, ruggie, grim..." greeted f/n softly before chewing on their meal and ignoring the gazes of the rest. "didn't think i'd ever have the chance to eat together with you, diasomnia brat..." spoke leona. f/n's eyes looked up at the dorm head while munching on her meal before gulping it down, "is that so? well, here i am. think of it as a date if that boosts your ego." 

the other four sweat dropped as they tried to pinpoint what their relationship exactly was. friends? enemies? an incredibly dense person and a terribly lovesick love interest type of dynamic? an uninterested person and a person that sucks at showing their emotions type of dynamic? one can never tell. 

leona snickered at her response and leaned on the table, seeing as he was the one seated in front of her. "i'd rather take you out on a fancy restaurant, but we both know we hate being in places like that." f/n gulped their water down and asked, "your point?" leona continued, "i'm saying that if i were to ask you out, you'll be the one giving recommendations on where and what we should do." f/n still had their eyes on leona as they chewed on their meal, "mhm. we are talking about this as if you really are planning to ask me out. don't you hate my guts because i'm involved with malleus and i'm from diasomnia?" 

"i never said i hated you," mumbled leona. f/n snickered and said, "oh~? the second prince of afterglow savannah, leona kingscholar, is interested in me? my, my, i'm honored~" yuu awkwardly shifted his gaze at grim for he did not know how to react to f/n sarcastically talking to leona as if he wasn't feared by most people, but then again, she was feared by most as well. ruggie cleared his throat as he desperately tried to change the subject, "so, uh... back to the topic at hand..." before they could continue their little conversation, the group heard gossips amongst the students.

"yo, is that l/n with leona-senpai?"

"never thought they'd get along..."

"dude, keep it down! they're both scary, y'know. so if they heard us, we're toast!"

f/n snapped their head towards the direction of the students and looked at them. they shrieked and cowered down while trying to calm themselves and continued having their meal as if they did not feel threatened by the first year's intense gaze. f/n looked back at their meal and continued eating, while ruggie cleared his throat and initiated the conversation. leona looked back at yuu and said, "until the sun sets on the third day..." ruggie continued, "you have to sneak into the atlantica memorial museum and then steal the picture?" yuu nodded and the two became quiet for a while. 

f/n's eyes glanced up at them and ruggie spoke, "sorry, but, uh... my condolences." grim furrowed his brows as he yelled, "don't say something so discouraging before we even got started!!!" ruggie sighed as he continued, "the atlantica memorial museum is underwater, you know? how do you even plan on getting there?" grim gulped down his meal and said, "they gave us a potion that can help us breathe underwater." jack then interfered, "i don't know how legit it is, though." ruggie nodded and said, "if azul-kun gave it to you, then i think it is okay to trust it. i can't imagine him making a flimsy potion. his pride wouldn't allow it." 

leona hummed and said, "then, why don't you go and start searching? time is money, remember?" grim's eyes widened as he snapped his head towards yuu and grabbed his sleeve, "wha-?! oh yea, yuu! let's hurry and go to the atlantica memorial museum!" jack nodded as he immediately gulped down his water, "you're right. we only have three days, so we can't afford to slack off." grim agreed and continued pulling on yuu's sleeve, "let's take ace and deuce with us too! onward!!"

"you shouldn't jump in there without a plan—... and they're gone..." f/n watched as the two first years and the monster ran away from the table and are on their way to grab the other two before heading to the mirror chamber. "ah-ah~ look like they left. that was pretty mean of you, leona-san~" said ruggie. "hah? what exactly do you mean?" asked leona, though a small smile was present on his face. f/n sighed and sipped on her drink of choice while stealing glances at leona and ruggie. "oi, diasomnia brat." called leona. f/n's eyes landed on leona while sipping on their drink, they raised one brow as a way of saying 'what?'. 

"why didn't you join them?" asked leona. f/n's lips left the straw and spoke, "i'd rather enjoy my meal. do you want me to leave that bad?" leona shook his head and took a sip of his drink, "i enjoy your presence, so stay. i'm sure ruggie won't mind." f/n's eyes glowed subtly while staring at leona, indicating that they were reading his aura. 'pure... he's being genuine? what does this lion see in me that made him so interested? very well, i'll stay...'

"ah-ah... yes... i don't mind..." ruggie smiled awkwardly before eating his fill. f/n stared at him next, eyes glowing subtly whilst reading the hyena's aura. 'some purities here and there... seems half of him is still wary of me...' f/n nodded and continued sipping on their drink while stealing glances at leona, who was busy enjoying his meal. f/n turned a little to look at the exclusive table and saw lilia staring at them. she raised a brow at him and he pointed two fingers towards his eyes before pointing it back at leona, indicating that he was watching him. f/n had an annoyed expression and brushed him off before looking back at the two savanaclaw residents. 

"... i forgot to warn them about the twins' unique magic... because i am certain those idio— i mean, boys... will encounter them on their way to the museum." leona looked at f/n before looking back at his plate, "you should've went with them. you can steal their unique magic, then they can steal the picture from the museum." before f/n could speak, leona cut her off. "oh, right. that lizard brain said that you are not allowed to use any advanced magic and your unique magic without any of them guarding you." f/n looked at leona all shocked, "how did you...?" 

"lizard brain informed the headmaster about it, then the headmaster passed it on to the dorm leaders... honestly, you're quite stubborn. what made you think it was a good idea to use that kind of magic on me? those type of magic are only used by royalty and the nobility," said leona. "i was desperate to bring you back," mumbled f/n while sipping on their drink. "... i know, half of it was my fault... so, i'm sorry..." mumbled leona. f/n looked at leona before giving him a teasing smirk, "aw~ you do care~" leona's brows furrowed and scolded the first year, "stop it!" ruggie sat there and watched the interaction unfold as he thought to himself, 'i'm still right here, guys... oh well~ that means i can steal leona-san's food... should i steal f/n's food too? better not, i might meet my ancestors too soon if i did.' 

meanwhile, in diasomnia's table...

"father, calm down." silver tried to calm the third year who had an irk mark on his forehead while gripping his fork tightly. "he's being all lovey dovey with beastie!" said lilia. "who does he think he is?! talking to n/n like that!" spoke sebek. silver sighed as he tried to calm him down as well, "not you too, sebek..." sebek looked at silver as he said, "stop acting like you're okay with it, silver!" 

silver sipped on his drink whilst looking at the diasomnia first year seated with leona and ruggie. he tried to drown the voices around him and focused on her as he thought to himself, 'i don't feel comfortable with it, but... f/n seems to be enjoying her time with them... i'd rather see a smile on her face, even if it wasn't noticeable for others.'