RookVil

RookVil is the slash ship between Rook Hunt and Vil Schoenheit from the Twisted Wonderland fandom.

Canon
In game, Rook is seen to have a deep appreciation for Vil and his beauty. He does all he can to stay by Vil's side. While Vil notes that Rook is very eccentric at times, Vil respects Rook's skill and seems to care about him. Vil says that no one knows him better than Rook does, claiming in his Labwear card vingette that Rook reads him more accurately than any scale.

Book 5
In Book 5, Vil and Rook participate in the Song and Dance Championship (SDC) together, which is a musical competition between schools. The two are in charge of recruiting members for Night Raven College's team, and they hold auditions. After seeing the auditioners, Vil is disappointed with their options; but Rook convinces him to take on Ace, Deuce, Kalim, and Jamil, as well as Epel.

On the day of the performance, the group watches the team from Royal Sword Academy rehearse. This performance makes Vil believe his team stood no chance against them, so he decides to attempt to sabotage the team. He uses his signature spell to corrupt a glass of Epel's apple juice and gives it to the center of the RSA team and his lifelong rival, Niege LeBlanche. Before Niege drinks in, though, Rook arrives and convinces Niege to give him the juice. Once he leaves, Rook tries to drink the juice before Kalim knocks it out of his hands.

Vignette Stories
In Vil's Birthday Boy vignette, Vil mentions how Rook’s present was the most impactful to him, the present being a hundred poems written about Vil’s beauty. It’s also revealed that Rook has gifted Vil a present both in their first year and second year, each gift having more and more effort put into it than the last. Vil complains about receiving so many poems, but in the end, says it’s “the quintessential Rook present, with everything that entails.”

In Rook's Suitor Suit vignette, Ace and Epel ask Rook what he plans to do to win the ghost bride over, and Rook tells them he will write her a poem. Rook believes that poems are a gift of passion, encompassing one’s entire heart. In comparison, Rook wrote 100 poems for Vil, while only 1 for the ghost bride he was trying to swoon. In the same vignette, Ace doubts Rook’s sincerity when complimenting others, but Rook only says that he finds beauty in everything; that he means every compliment he says due to him truly loving all the beauty he sees.

In Rook's Bean Camo vignette, he tells Silver, Kalim, and Ortho about the Beanfest the year prior, where he and Vil were both farmers. Rook gushes about how thrilling it was, fighting alongside with his housewarden. The two had made a nearly unstoppable team, until they made it to the coliseum, where Malleus and Leona were waiting. Vil had even warned Rook to not go ahead, yet Rook didn’t listen, going into the coliseum, only to be stuck between the other two. Vil attempted to rescue Rook from them, but instead, Rook fought them so Vil could escape, losing the battle, but keeping them distracted successfully.

In Rook’s Labwear vignette, he’s stalking Leona around, trying to hunt him. During a lab with Vil, Rook is looking around for Leona, wanting to see him. Vil chastises him for stalking people in other dorms, again, when Rook teases him about being jealous. He instantly goes to reassure Vil by praising his looks, and saying he shouldn’t feel threatened about Rook following around someone else. Vil never denies that he is jealous, just trying to get Rook to stop talking about Leona and continue with their lab. Rook ignores him, continuing to watch Leona during their lab when Vil gives him a warning, insulting him and reminding Rook of his place as his vice housewarden. He even suggests Rook joining Leona’s club, just to get him to stop talking about him; yet Rook denies, saying he wouldn’t be able to assist Vil with the club he runs if Rook was no longer in the Science club. Rook then rants about how he loves being able to support something so beautiful (Vil’s passion for film) with his love. In response, he is warned again that if he doesn’t focus, Vil will replace him. This causes Rook to quickly focus on his lab, not wanting to lose his place as Vil’s vice housewarden.

In Rook's Ceremonial Robes vignette, Vil starts to critique Rook on his tardiness, chastising him about being late and not in the correct attire. In response, Rook tries to reassure the other, saying he wasn’t out exerting himself or causing trouble, so everything should be fine, even asking for Vil to look him over, since it had been so long. He was denied, Vil insisting Rook goes and takes a shower before changing, not wanting his vice housewarden to have a speck of dust on him. Before Rook leaves to go shower (and apply perfume per Vil’s request) he spouts praise of Vil’s beauty in a poetic manner, the other not even commenting on it. With the Pomefiore showers out of order, Rook begs Floyd to let him use the Octavinelle showers, not wanting to break his promise with Vil. Floyd refuses, and Rook sprays him with the perfume Vil created specifically for Rook. After showering, Floyd begins to question Rook about how loyal he is to Vil, even doing things Rook normally doesn’t do. All Rook says in response is “So that I may stand by his side. He is the fairest in all the school.”

Chats
Vil: The huntsman who served the Queen always carried out her commands faithfully. Though they say he was not above making serious blunders from time to time.

Rook: I can imagine the huntsman’s grief at failing to fulfil a beautiful person’s orders. I wouldn’t want to see disappointment crease Vil’s brow, for instance.

Vil: Which means you have to work that much harder as vice housewarden.

Rook: Oui! I shall do as you command.

- The Huntsman's Grief

Vil: They say the Queen had a magic mirror that assessed her beauty. What incredible rarities the greats once possessed. I admit my envy.

Rook: Hey, you’ve always got me, Vil. I’ll grade your looks any time you like.

Vil: I’d rather not let your subjective viewpoint define my reality, thank you.

- Beauty Assessment

Vignettes
"Now, if you ask me what I’ve enjoyed the most about this day, it would most certainly be Vil and Epel celebrating it with me! Every time I see their dazzling smiles, it reminds me all over again how lucky I was to be placed in Pomefiore."

- Rook (Birthday Boy) "If I am to be the baby’s breath that brings your flowering beauty to the fore, then showering and applying perfume is a trivial manner."

- Rook (Ceremonial Robes)

Rook: Creating smoke and dyes is my way of providing support for the film aesthetic you strive for. That means more than anything else to me right now… because it means I can support something beautiful with my love.

Vil: It’s true - there is nothing in this school more beautiful than I. My vice housewarden deserves a front-row seat to bear witness to my life’s work. I urge you to exercise discretion and ensure that you do not lose that seat. … Because I would replace you immediately if you got out dorm into trouble.

Rook: I’ll tread carefully to avoid getting sacked. I happen to quite like my position, you see. After all, it gives me the closest view there is of you, dear Vil - o fairest in the school!

- Rook's Labwear vignette

Card Lines
"Ugh, outdoor classes pose a sunburn risk. I’ll have to ask Rook to apply my sunblock for me."

- Vil (PE Uniform) "Rook is in the Science Club. I occasionally lend him a hand in return for the assistance he gives me with my Film Research Club activities."

- Vil (Labwear) "Rook? Going easy on ME? Never. He knows I have no respect for people who don’t strive to win."

- Vil (Bean Camo) "Epel and Rook performed an opera for my birthday, together with the rest of the Film Research Club. It was an amateur effort, but a tolerable one."

- Vil (Birthday Boy) "How do vampires maintain their appearance when they don’t show up in mirrors? Perhaps I’ll have Rook look me over between classes."

- Vil (Halloween) "Have you met our vice housewarden? His senses are second to none. He can act a bit… quirky at times, but I turn a blind eye to it. For now."

- Vil (Dorm Uniform) "I know all there is to know about sunblock. After all, Vil would be distraught to see his skin marred by sunburn."

- Rook (PE Uniform) "I selected a tuxedo the same colour as my dorm uniform. It was my way of showing respect for Vil, our fallen companion."

- Rook (Suitor Suit) "Vil never slacks off, whether he’s learning or training. That’s one of the reasons he commands such respect."

- Rook (Labwear) "Oh dear, my preparations ran overlong. But as vice housewarden, I can hardly stand next to Vil looking anything less than my best."

- Rook (Ceremonial Robes) "Would that I could taste defeat on the receiving end of a bean hurled by Vil himself. My heart would leap out of my chest!"

- Rook (Bean Camo) "Ahhh, Vil’s face lit up in dazzling joy when he had that piece of cake. This is the best birthday ever!"

- Rook (Birthday Boy) "My dorm’s rules may be strict, but if they are important to Vil, then I will certainly comply."

- Rook (Dorm Uniform) "I would never do anything that reflected poorly on the housewarden. I take pride in that as his second-in-command."

- Rook (Dorm Uniform)

Fanon
Due to their frequent and impactful interactions in game, RookVil is one of the most popular ships in the Twisted Wonderland fandom. The two display great trust in each other and show appreciation for each other. Their closeness being a big appeal of shipping the two. Some fans headcannon the ship to be a het ship with Vil being a trans woman. Exploring their relationship while also exploring Vil's gender identity. A lot of fics will typically be very angsty, although many will more look for an excuse to write fluff of the two.

On AO3, RookVil is the most written ship for both Vil and Rook. It is also the fourth most written ship in the Twited Wonderland tag. There are currently 460 written works.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

Trivia

 * Rook calls Vil "Roi du Poison," French for "King of Poison."
 * Rook also sometimes calls Vil "Beautiful Vil."