𝒲𝒾𝓃𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒲ℴ𝓃𝒹ℯ𝓇𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹： 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓌 ℴ𝒻 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓇ℴ𝓏ℯ𝓃 ℋℯ𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑈𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑠： 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 32

*
"It's clear from your vacant expressions, the lights are not all on upstairs. But we're talking kings and successions, Even you can't be caught unawares."

**
Cafeteria

Noé sighed heavily, clearly exasperated as he watched Isfrid storm over to Deuce and Grim, practically radiating protective older brother energy.

"Stop that! Down, boy! Sit!" Isfrid barked at Grim as though scolding a disobedient pet. "You've got to wait your turn," He and Deuce both tried prying the weasel off the food table.

"Get offa mee!" Grim shouted, still clutching his sandwich like his life depended on it.

"Grim, you need to learn some restraint!" Deuce scolded, glancing awkwardly at the irritated upperclassmen nearby. "I'm really sorry, guys,"

"Sounds like someone I oddly know," Noé muttered, eyes sliding sideways toward Vanitas.

Vanitas, predictably offended, flinched. "Hey! I do have restraint, thank you very much!"

"No, you don't," Y/n said flatly as she walked past the group toward the catering table, expression unreadable as usual.

"Tch." Vanitas clicked his tongue, trailing after her like a possessive shadow. "You didn't deny that with any hesitation, mon lapin..."

"Yo, Pops, gimme one of those roast beef sandwich with lettuce. Toasted." Ace ordered, taking advantage of the opportunity as he was now in the front with Y/n who looked unbothered.

"I'll have that spicy ramyun with the spicy kimchi," Y/n added, pointing calmly at the dish she wanted.

"Hey! This isn't an excuse for you to cut the line too! And why did you bring Y/n along with ya?!" Deuce exclaimed, glaring at Ace.

But Y/n had already slipped out of the cluster before Isfrid or Vanitas could react—short, quiet, and used to evading both obsessive men in her life.

Vanitas immediately looked around, tense. "Where is she?"

"She's fine," Noé replied, disinterested. "Probably just got tired of being smothered."

Vanitas growled low in his throat. "She shouldn't disappear like that. Someone could hurt her."

Isfrid's head snapped toward the crowd, eyes narrowed. "...Y/n."

Sure enough, outside the group, Y/n bumped into someone—hard enough to make her stumble over her own tail. She barely managed to catch herself before a pair of strong arms steadied her from behind.

"Whoa there!" a tall, cheerful hyena beastman said, wrapping an arm around her waist to lift her upright. "You alright, lil' bunny?"

"...Bunny?" Y/n blinked in confusion. "Oh. Um. Thanks, I guess," she replied flatly. Her mind turned, trying to place his face. 'What was...this hyena's name again...? I feel like we've met..'

"No trouble at all," he grinned, releasing her as his ears perked toward Grim's yelling. "Awww, man," he bemoaned. "Looks like I'm late for the monthly bakery battle royale. And now they're sold out of the grilled cheese Leona sent me to buy for him," he sighed, holding two buns still in it's plastic package in his other hand.