Scarlet Vision | Twisted Wonderland

but my beautiful stranger will have to remain (a stranger until i see him again)

[Name] leaned back on the couch, their gaze fixed on the ceiling of the Ramshackle dorm. The evening outside was calm, but inside, their thoughts were anything but peaceful. Through the open windows came the sounds of the night: distant cries of owls, the faint clink of windows being brushed by the wind, and the gentle rustling of the breeze against the trees. Everything felt quiet for now, but [Name] knew it wouldn't stay that way. They could already imagine the complaints from Ace and Deuce as they went through their training tomorrow to prepare for the duel against Riddle.

With a heavy sigh, [Name] felt the weight of the day settling on their shoulders. First, there was the trouble with Riddle, then the tense conversation with Trey, plus the looming duel, the collars, and so much more—it was like one problem stacked right on top of the next. How had things gotten so messy so quickly? They'd expected college to be more about having fun, maybe even crashing some wild party. Instead, they were dealing with way more drama and stress than they'd ever imagined.

They closed their eyes for a moment, letting themselves feel the exhaustion. Echoes of Ace and Deuce's voices lingered in their mind—their joking around mixed with serious talks about what to do about Riddle during dinner.

Everything seemed like a whirlwind of chaos, but at least they had friends now. That thought alone brought a bit of comfort. For once, they actually felt like they had people they could rely on, a strange feeling they were still getting used to.

Being Housewarden had sounded exciting at first—a chance to prove themselves, to show they could stand on their own and make a difference. But now, it felt more like they were drowning in responsibilities they hadn't expected. They doubted Crowley would take the position back if they tried to quit, and Grim? He wasn't exactly Housewarden material.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" [Name] murmured to the empty room, frustration creeping into their voice. They covered their face with their hands, trying to block out the growing pressure. They needed to make sure Ace and Deuce had everything they needed for a fighting chance against Riddle.

Their mind wandered to the upcoming duel. Could they really see it through? Would they even have to fight Riddle? It didn't feel fair, like they'd be picking on a kid. [Name] knew they had the power and experience to completely overpower him. Not to brag, but Riddle probably hadn't gone up against someone like Thanos. Even thinking about it gave [Name] a bit of a headache.

They sighed again, rubbing their temples. "Great, just great."

[Name] sank further into the couch, stretching their arms across the back as they stared blankly at the ceiling. The quiet sounds of the night around them were soothing, but no matter how calm it was outside, their mind just wouldn't settle down. It had been a long, tiring day, and every time they thought they might finally get a break, something new popped into their life.

They rubbed their temples with both hands, as if trying to press the stress away. "Just a few more minutes," they thought, trying to grab a bit more peace before everything crashed back in.

But, as if the world had other plans, their phone buzzed on the coffee table.

[Name]'s eyes moved to the phone, a hint of curiosity and confusion on their face. It was late, and they didn't expect anyone to be messaging them right now. Ace and Deuce were probably already asleep, and the only other person who even had their number here was... Cater.

Those three were the only people in this world who had their phone number.

With a sigh, [Name] reached over, fingers brushing against the cool surface of the phone. They unlocked the screen, figuring it was either a message from Cater or maybe just a random Magicam notification.