Thrice a Day: A FC/UC Relationship Short

Gamma Belt
Mortal Realm
Sector ACR 4-A, Nuevo Filipina
Del Riano Headquarters
2022

Emman didn’t know why Adri was doing it.

The del Rianos weren’t heartless – that was a fact proven by the lone daughter of the family. Emman knew of the girl’s kindness from years back, but expected that same kindness to shatter. Emman expected something else of Adri: a colder woman, someone who wouldn’t spare the female Astra a look.

However, things were different.

Breakfast was at 7AM, lunch at 12 and dinner served at 7PM. Emman was usually served food at those times, and half of the time, she didn’t touch it due to lack of hunger or pure spite. They would always slide the tray into the jail cell, Emman either sleeping or staring down the person who would give it to her.

It had been like that for three days.

On the fourth day, things had changed.

The time was seven in the morning and Emman had just woken up, blinking and adjusting to the pouring of light into the cell. The girl squinted and sat up slowly, running a hand through her tussled hair. Copper eyes glanced at the wall and she read the time, expecting the same person to bring her food to come some time now.

The door opened and she didn’t look, but heard the influx of voices.

“You’re being reckless, Adri.”

“It’s called being human. Try it sometime,” the person snapped, slamming the door. Emman’s brows met at the center and she frowned deeply, suddenly confused. “Emman?”

Emman didn’t look at Adri and the latter said nothing more, taking keys out of her pocket and unlocking the jail door. She went inside and placed the tray on the table, Emman feeling the girl’s silver eyes on her figure. Once more, the door closed and it was locked.

Her footsteps stopped and Emman faced front.

Slow Down: A Shoujo Parallels Headcanon Short

Gamma Belt
Mortal Realm
Sector ACR 4-A, Nuevo Filipina

Fifth grade.

Adri del Riano noticed that Emman Astra’s pace was longer; most likely due to the fact that the Lightning Original was taller than Adri by miles. So whenever the two would walk side by side, Adri would always need to quicken her own steps.

Emman’s walking style was quick, no nonsense. She always managed to make her steps appear sophisticatedly flawless. Adri, on the other hand, merely took her time with a bounce to her step. Clumsy as she was, the heiress was frequently seen with a sprained ankle due to the many accidents that would happen to her.

“E-Emman, hold on,” Adri protested. Emman paused and turned to look at Adri, who was struggling to keep up, limping. Emman frowned deeply, walking back to her and snatching the messenger bag from her grip.

“If you put further strain on it, it’s going to get worse. You should have rested.”

“I couldn’t.” Adri glanced downwards, “I had to submit some other reports, remember? I…I can’t exactly submit anything late.”

Emman looked at her for a moment and then shook her head, slinging Adri’s bag on her free shoulder. As gently as she could, she let Adri lean on her.

“W-What are you doing–”

“Just let me help you until we reach the Multi.”

It had been that way for the rest of their grade school life. Emman would always accompany Adri to her fetching area, and Adri to Emman’s. And every time the two would walk together, Adri would always have to quicken her pace.

Junior year.

The fetching area for bus riders switched from the covered courts to the area near the theater. Due to that, Emman could – sort of – no longer bring Adri to her place, and vice versa.

Yet Adri persisted.

(Un)wanted Reunions: A Shoujo Parallels Headcanon Short

Gamma Belt
Mortal Realm
Sector ACR 4-A, Nuevo Filipina
Del Riano Headquarters
2022

Zachary wanted to shake some sense into her.

“Are you kidding me? Are you honestly kidding me, Adrienne?” he tried to stop himself from yelling, really. But he couldn’t believe that she had just said. “You’re not going there. I’m not allowing you to go there,” he started, feeling the rage start to pool up in his system, “You’re not going to visit Emmanuelle Astra. You’re not.”

Adri, on the other hand, felt like yelling herself.

“Who are you to stop me, Zachary?” she demanded.

“As your Watcher, Adrienne, I’m making you stay in your room.”

“You can’t do that. I’m not letting you do that, Zachary.” The girl’s cold silver eyes met his ruby ones, “You may be my Watcher – in more ways than one – but you’re not controlling my actions. I’m not going to let you control my actions like some kind of puppeteer and the marionette.”

“You don’t know what you’re doing,” the Lava Original spat. “After what I’ve done to protect you, and now you’re just throwing it all away.”

Adri stared at him and took a step backwards, clenching her fists tightly.

“I owe you nothing, Zachary.” She said coldly. “Absolutely nothing. Fine by me if you decide not to be my Watcher anymore. I don’t care.”

The sky lit up for a moment outside – and with that came a large clap of thunder.

With that, she turned on a heel and left him alone in the middle of the hallway.

Emmanuelle: A Shoujo Parallels Headcanon Short

Gamma Belt
Mortal Realm
2008

“Try to make some new friends.”

Sacha Adrienne del Riano didn’t quite grasp the concept of ‘friends’. She huffed as she uneasily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. If she didn’t transfer, then she might have been resting comfortably in her seat while the new students stuttered their way through introductions. 

In this case, she was the new student. 

Her sharp grey eyes scanned the room of students as the teacher explained her situation. But she knew they weren’t listening at all. All they cared about was the fact that a del Riano had transferred to their school – and was assigned to their class.

5-1.

“Which school did you come from, Adrienne?”

“Adri,” she threw in quickly. “And I moved from St. Augustine.” she fidgeted slightly and the teacher nodded, gesturing an empty seat beside another girl by the window. Picking up her bag, she moved to the said seat and sat down, trying to keep looking forward as the others stared. She just looked straight ahead, listening to whatever their teacher-in-charge was saying. 

Ten minutes passed. They were writing down their respective information – father’s name, mother’s name, house number – on a sheet of pink paper to be passed. Just as she had closed the cap of her pen, a light prod in the side made her blink.

“Hey,” the voice to her left whispered. “Hey.”

Adri looked at the girl, whose hair was neatly cut short. A pencil was tucked on her ear, and though she wasn’t looking at Adri, the latter somehow felt that she did look – a lot – moments back. Right before her attention was called.

“Don’t you hate it?” the girl continued. “How they stare.”