#((Should they reach the exit soon or find any shadows in their way?))

[tvstarkuma]

@doctor-yamagishi Continued from here

Since his childhood? Then this was something that happened a long time ago. Questions filled the bear’s mind. Was there something else that involved shadows and Personas that happened years ago? Inside his world he wasn’t aware of anything that happened outside. If there was such an event, he wouldn’t know.

“If it’s easier, you can tell me later. I know how tired people get after being in here…” Not from personal experience, but from his friends.

Teddie gripped Nobu’s hand. His poor friend must be terrified right now. Part of Teddie’s mind told him to run for it with his friend held on. This should get them to the exit faster, right? But…would he be alright running right now with his energy slowly being drained away by his mere presence in Teddie’s world?

He picked up the pace. No running but a brisk fast walk.

[es46]

Submas Prompt: Not even Hours -

Ingo opens his eyes. Darkness first, soon giving way to the silver gaze of moonlight through the window. It takes a moment for his vision to adjust, but frankly he need not see to know Arceus had upheld its end of the bargain. He can feel the comforting swathe of his own bedsheet beneath him. He can hear the faint ticks of the old clock on his mantlepiece. The familiar warmth, the familiar smell- a mix of oils and metals. Home. Breathing deeply, Ingo sits up, places himself at the foot of his bed. It's almost hard to believe that he's here. His hands brush over the smooth duvet. His eyes take in familiar features. His own room. His own house- more accurately, his and Emmet's. Or is it? Ingo can't imagine Emmet would have beared to stay without his brother. He has to take this slowly. Ingo knows he's been gone a long time. Three years, five months, ten days, and four hours. He needs to adjust quickly, find out what's happened in his absence before revealing himself. If the house has new owners, having the police called on him wouldn't be a good start. But wait. The room hasn't changed, has it? The wardrobe, the desk, the model trains, even his laptop. Everything is where it was when he 'left'. Something about that perturbs him. Emmet may have wished to keep what he had left of his brother intact, true, but the laptop would have been sold, wouldn't it? No sentimental value there. And if the laptop was there, then- Ingo looks back to the drawers beside the bed. His phone is there. Again, Emmet wouldn't have kept it, once he'd scoured through all the messages in an effort to find clues of where Ingo had gone. The perturbing feeling settles in his gut and writhes. Ingo reaches for the phone, unlocks it. Still has charge, still the same code. If he has been gone for as long as he has, Ingo considers, then doubtlessly he'd have received plenty of texts enquiring where he was. He opens his messages. Ingo feels a chill go down his spine as he reads the top message. Not because of any real unease to it. It's Skyla, somehow sounding flustered through text, asking him for advice on what to wear for Elesa's latest TV gig. Should she go fancy? Go casual? She doesn't want to make her girlfriend look bad on live television. His reply is there; go casual. Elesa's only rule about inviting her girlfriend to events was that Elesa always had the fancier outfit. His hands shake. He looks at the time the messages were sent. He shifts back, looks at other texts. Little Lacey, reminding him that she'd be home from the Academy for the Christmas break and that he and Emmet had PROMISED to take her on the multi-battle Subway. Drayden, once again stumped on what to do about his flunking grandson and clearly desperate for anyone's help. One of the Triplets, suggesting a train that was also a restaurant (he had advised taking up the matter with Emmet). Absolutely no-one, not even his brother, is asking where he's gone. The feeling in his gut writhes harder. Ingo feels oddly out of breath, like he's swaying, dazed, disorientated. A horrible thought is dawning on him. Ingo remembers when he was taken by Arceus, right down to the minute. Eight thirty-five PM, December 15th, 2015. Shaking, he exits his messages and checks the date. December 15th, 2015. Eleven forty-seven PM. The phone falls from his hand and clatters onto the floor. Ingo wrenches himself upwards, staggering from the bed towards the wardrobe, gazing madly into the mirror affixed to the left door. He see a man who's spent over three years in another time. Shadows under his eyes, a paleness to the skin, uneven shave, scratches, the rugged clothes. The perturbing feeling is twisting in his gut, shaking Ingo to the bone, leaving him panting in panic as the realization hits him. He has lived over three years in Hisui. He has been changed in ways not even Arceus could undo. But for his brother? His friends? Unova in its entirety? It's only been three hours.

[yourlocaltreesimp]

All Chained Up

All chained up Masterlist

Last chapter *ੈ✩‧₊˚ Next chapter

Tw: It gets a bit existential

Chapter 4: Nothing gives way to nothing

Your dreams were met with the black void again. It’s hollow and empty, so encompassing that it seeps through your skin, leaving a chill across your skin. It’s hard to move again, your limbs surrounded by what feels like molasses. Your mind feels so incredibly loud with its silence, and yet you feel like you are supposed to be this empty. Made to be nothing.

“It’s you-“ “You're back a-” “Why did you le-” The shadows speak, so many voices layered overtop one another that they press against your skull.

“Where am I?” Your voice is so loud here. Crystal clear and commanding despite your intent of a whisper. You flinch away from your own voice, unfamiliar with its power.

“Home.” All of the shadows unanimously agreed, nipping at your skin. You shouldn’t feel pain in a dream. And yet you feel regardless. The nothingness you were made to express was tarnished by the world that surrounds you until you’re no longer a creation that represents what it was meant to. And your creator turned their back on you, leaving you to rot in a world where you could not possibly flourish. These feelings fester and rot until you’re soft and weak. “She’ll be coming to get you soon” One voice whispers right next to your ear, and even then it sounds like a collage of voices pieced together. The words strike fear and yet you do not know why. Shouldn’t the hands of your maker be warm as they mould you back to the form you were intended? You feel as if you know this connection you yearn for with your creator is one you may never have. “We won’t let her take you away again” It puts its hands over your eyes despite there not being much to cover. One darkness simply gave way to another. The empty feeling falling into another until something changes. You feel the energy shift, a low hum filling your senses and buzzing at your limbs. The blood in your veins burns and your organs push against your bones in an effort to escape. Now you were as she intended. Now, you no longer feel like a person. Were you ever really to begin with?

You awake fully sat up, the sun hardly dousing the land with its light. Time watched, silent as ever. Silent as always, and yet your head was filled with chatter. Noise you could not shut out. Wind’s words played back through your head, how Time has given them orders to not speak with you. Caution was good in moderation of course, but that struck you as odd. His gaze was far off, looking far through you. You pop your sore joints and that light of recognition lights in his eyes.

“Rough night?” His voice was different. It’s still hard and commanding as it always had been, but where you were once met with stiffness, there was give. You found it in yourself to nod, not questioning why your nerves still stood on their ends. Why that harrowing emptiness that gave you comfort was stripped away. “Are you usually visited by bad dreams?” Now that, that struck you as odd. Time had given explicit orders to the others to only talk to you as needed (and even then they’ve broken that rule) and he went to great lengths to ignore you himself. But this genuine concern was a jarring shift of character. The shift of his words breaking you down, isolating you, to his words striving to stave off the darkness that infected your mind.

“More recently, I guess” He nods. You feel uncomfortable, despite the fact this concern should be comforting. Much the way you felt about- you cut that thought short. This would all be over soon. It has to be. You’ve fallen into the labyrinth of your mind and would soon find the exit. Or maybe your old life was the labyrinth. Both thoughts now felt sickeningly cruel. Eventually, that awkwardness is broken up by others waking up, Wild making breakfast and Legend’s begrudging return. You felt the urge to reach out, to apologise to the both of them. You hadn’t seen any man look as haunted as Wild did for the rest of that evening, and judging by the bags under his eyes, you guessed he did not sleep well either. And Legend seemed nice enough. Abrasive, sure, but he was the first to actively try and talk to you. Call it clingy, but you weren’t going to let him burn that bridge. So many things flew under your radar. Wind sat glued to your side, silent and still, much unlike the bright and unruly character he normally was. Legend passed you several looks over breakfast, trying to gauge your reaction to his outburst, trying to see if you were still so forgiving of him. Time’s face paint was slightly more vibrant than it usually was, the rich crimson and azure bright and bold against his skin.

As it turned out, both were similarly stubborn in not admitting anything was wrong. Wild was simply unwilling to talk much on the matter, saying that Legend gets heated sometimes, and assured you to ignore it. He made an effort to at least look unbothered, but no person talks with that much strain in their voice about something their unbothered but. Meanwhile, Legend was unwilling to even acknowledge that he spoke to you at all yesterday. So, all things totalled, You’ve broken Time both the person and the concept, pissed of Legend to the point he refuses your existence and possibly started a whole new conflict. And almost met god on a few occasions, but it hasn't happened yet. At least the forests were more forgiving. The trail was quiet, but filled with ambient noise. Birds whistled their song into the wind as it rustled the leaves to the left of you as water ran to your right. You fell in pace with Wild and Twilight, who’s conversation carried on despite you standing there- you felt a little sad that it was an achievement.

“You seem to be enjoyin’ yerself there, care to enlighten us?” Twilight looked over to you and you found yourself panicked. Mainly because you did not know these people well enough to know what dignified as a good response, and the actual response of ‘I’m just glad you didn’t stop talking when I was walking next to you’ was incredibly incriminating.

“I- uh It’s just been a while since I’ve been able to walk around y’know?” They’re both looking at you know, prompting you to continue. “Between work and school and- well everything, it’s been a minute since i’ve just enjoyed the world around me.” They both nod and you’re grateful for the silence that covers you.

“I get that” Wild concedes, nodding his head. “Before I started travelling I always worked too hard to ever really acknowledge the world until-“ His eyes darted to the trees, his hands caught one of the leaves from a bush and peels it apart with his nails. “One day, The world was the only company I had. And I got to see it for what it’s worth. He smiles at you with understanding, warm and unrestrained unlike how he had been earlier. The closeness of the moment is striking, like it’s the ripple of something already passed. Silence falls between the three of you again, but this time, it’s not nearly as harming. It’s comfortable in embracing the world as it is.

[frierengf]

i can see us dying — choso x reader

— it absolutely terrifies you. the complexity and countlessness of the emotions his existance makes you feel. he terrifies you, disgusts you, and he probably hates you. that should be it, but for some reason it isnt.

wc : 2626 | ao3 [tags & notes]

It’s awfully cold in the cramped little storage shack. Your eyes have not yet adjusted to the darkness of the room, but you remember the words, the orders you’d been told. Absolutely no flashlights, absolutely no fighting and /absolutely/ no taking more than what you came for.

The shack is filled with weapons of all shapes and sizes, training dummies and ropes, shelves upon shelves packed with cursed objects. Eventually you find the small glass containers.

Ten of them, lined up in a neat little row.

”One, two and three. No more and no less.”

You squint as you lean closer, checking for any labelling of the objects. You don’t want to touch anything you don’t need to, even though you’re wearing gloves. Getting on the bad side of the Jujutsu society higher ups would mean the end of your life.

Finally you spot it, tiny engraved kanji on the metal bases of the containers. You grab one, two and three, carefully placing them in the bag you’d been supplied with. Padded and small, pockets custom fit to the little cylinders, made to look like any normal purse.

As soon as the bag snaps shut you hurry out, hoping to god no one has noticed the unconcious attendants outside the building. You make your way through the campus, moving carefully through the shadows. The suit you’d put on is just a bit too big and untailored to really fool anyone looking closely enough, but if you really need an excuse, it should work. You hope it works.

The mask covering your face is suffocating and the tie around your neck is nearly choking you. For as long as you’ve done this, you don’t know if you’ll ever get used to it. The espionage is one thing, but the fear of getting caught is an entirely other thing. A thing that shakes you to your core, a thing you only do when there is no way you’d live if you didn’t.

When you finally exit the gates you carefully look back and take a few steps down the stairs, just enough to be out of sight. As soon as you are, you speed into a sprint, moving quickly through the woods, down to the road where you’d parked your battered old motorcycle.

The trip is not particularly far, but the wind and anxiety whistling in your ears makes it feel like hours. Your eyes flicker between the empty streets and the road you drive on.

You stop outside a dilapidated alleyway, cramped between a rundown love hotel and a shabby old bar. The alleyway is filled with old boxes and trash bags, and you do your best to manouver between them towards the stairs leading down to your meeting spot. Quickly pressing the code into the tiny keypad on the door, you move forwards just slightly as the door pops open.

As you step into the room, ready to dump the bag and get your money before leaving, you instead stop in your tracks, eyes widening at the sight of the bodies behind the monk.

You swallow down your questions and your nausea.

Get the money and get out.

”Here,” you force out as you place the bag down on the table. The monk hums, smiling at you with closed eyes.

”All three are in there I presume?”

”Yes.”

Three. Three cursed objects. Three bodies slumped against the wall in front of you. Your brain makes the connection, entirely against your will. The nausea you swallowed down grows, bubbling in your gut.

You’re broken from your discomforting haze by the sound of a wad of cash being put down next to the bag.

”Sorry to do this the analouge way, but you know how it is,” the monk says with a snide smile. You bite your tounge.

”Yep.”

The words are tense. You reach down to take your money, but the second you wrap your fingers around the stack a hand rests upon yours and a shiver runs down your spine.

”Thank you very much for doing business with us.”

You stare at him for just a second before your eyes start jumping between the bodies behind him, his hand on top of yours, the bag on the table.

You can’t say no problem and you definetly can’t say my pleasure.

”You’re welcome.”

——————

You spot him in the grocery store one day. You almost can’t process it. You’re sure you look insane, the way your eyes widen and your knees crumble down. The way your hand slaps over your mouth and you nearly begin to cry.

You feel disgusted. You are disgusted. With that awful monk, with yourself. Not with him, not really. It’s not his fault. He isn’t here anymore after all. Replaced by some monster wearing his skin. It’s your fault.

The thing wearing that innocent mans body is disgusting and it’s all your fault. You get up, shaky and dryheaving, and stumble out of the store. You pass him and he only throws a questioning glance your way. You glare at him and you think you see some form of realization spread across his face as you leave.

——————

The two of you bump in to oneanother one evening. The midnight streets of Tokyo are packed with people, but when you feel a shoulder bump against yours, your eyes snap to the perpetrator, only to widen in astonishment. His eyes only narrow when they meet yours.

He knows who you are this time, and that fact terrifies you. Your steps speed up, you elbow your way through the crowds, muttered apologies leaving your lips. He can’t catch you. You can’t let him catch you.

You don’t even know if he’s following you, yet you still move quickly through the crowds, pulling up your hood and putting on your mask. You don’t want to see him, and you don’t want him to see you.

——————

He walks up to you in the street one night, pulling you into an alleyway. You instantly rip your arm out of his grasp and he turns around to face you, crowding you against the wall, intimidating you. Or at least trying to. You’re too disgusted to be scared anymore.

”It’s all your fucking fault.” His voice is raspy and hurt. You clench your jaw.

”I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about man.” The rain beats down around the two of you. You shrink down into your jacket.

”It’s your fault my brothers are dead. You ruined our lives. They didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for this.”

You let out a shaky breath as you step closer to him. You don’t know his name. You don’t know if he even has a name. You don’t think you want to know it, even if he has one.

He used to have one, that’s all you know.

”Newsflash man, I didn’t ask for it either. Do you think I wanted to take that job? Do you think I want a connection to those people? Everyone has to be selfish sometimes. If you think I knew it would end up like this you’re dead wrong.”

Your finger presses against his chest and his face is inches from yours. You hear his heartbeat and feel his breath. It unnerves you down to your core.

”Don’t go around blaming people when you could’ve got up and left if you wanted. My life would’ve been ruined if I didn’t take that job. Judge me all you want but do not act as if I’m the only one to blame.”

——————

You hate that you keep seeing him. Alone on the streets, in stores and cafes with the rest of that offputting group. You always hope that it’s the guilt and shame that pulls your eyes towards him, but you know that isn’t the only reason.

Maybe if the circumstances were different. If you had a normal job and he hadn’t been possessed by a cursed object you’d stolen. If you were just a normal girl and he was just a normal boy. If you hadn’t been the cause for what took his normal life away.

You don’t like how you feel when you see him. You try to pretend the hatred and disgust is just directed outwards, at him, but you know you’re lying to yourself. It’s not his fault, not at all really. He’s not the one who walked in and asked to join the pretend group of villians and he’s not the one who stole cursed objects from a heavily guarded storage room.

——————

You can’t sleep. It haunts you. He haunts you. You see him in your dreams. You wouldn’t really call them dreams, but you’re not sure how else to describe them. Vivid hallucinations that feel so real that you don’t even realize they’re fake. You can always tell when you’re dreaming, usually.

You see his body, slumped against the wall. You see the monk, forcing his mouth open and pushing the cursed object down his throat, like helping a cat swallow medicine. His body begins to twitch, cracking and snapping in unnatural ways. You feel nauseous. You try to scream, try to cry, but nothing comes out.

Even in your silence, the monk turns to you with a disgusted sneer on his face. He says something, but you can’t hear him. Tears build in your eyes, burning and stinging.

Memories that have never existed begin to infiltrate the visions. A weird alternate reality, that never could’ve been true in this universe. Summery school days. A girl and a boy. Your skirt fluttering in the wind and him carrying both of your bags, even though you’d insisted he didn’t need to. He comes to your club performance, and you smile at him while you sing. You’re good he mouths. Thank you you mouth back when your part is over.

You feel like the whiplash nearly kills you. The white static nausea of the first scenario compared to the radio love song warmth of the second one.

As much as you resent it, a love song like that is one thing you’ve longed for longer than you can remember.

——————

Some days, an overwhelming feeling that you don’t belong takes over your entire being. Not in a lonely way, like when you’re left out by your peers, or not in on the joke. In a way that makes you feel like something is fundamentally wrong with you, a way that makes you feel that you’re not made for this world.

This world isn’t made for you, your father would’ve said. He isn’t here anymore, and your only empty comfort is the broken casette tape of his voice that you’ve buried deep into your brain.

Another little voice, buried even deeper, one that you fight to repress every time it comes back, speaks up as well.

What if he feels the same way?

——————

You get a job offer. The notice is short term, and so is the job, but the amount of money offered is big, and in your account as soon as you accept. It’s not like you had any actual halloween plans anyways.

A mere hour or two into the job and you begin to regret it. You don’t like working with other people and you don’t like getting more than you bargained for. You’re not good at communicating with people, you’re just good at following orders. Unfortunately for you, a veil that you can’t seem to leave is cutting off contact from the very people giving you orders.

You sit, cramped up in a bathroom stall with your legs pulled up to your chest, without knowing what or who you’re waiting for.

Eventually you move. Most of the screams have died down and all the violent slams and shakes seem far away enough that you should be safe.

After a few minutes of walking around, trying to think of where to go or who to contact, you stop.

You’re not surprised that he’s here. You are surprised at the fact that he’s sitting curled up in a tiny alcove in the station wall. He doesn’t seem to notice your approach. You step closer, ever so carefully, and poke at his leg with your shoe.

”Hey.”

He doesn’t react.

You bump your shoe against his chest this time, just like you had with your finger that time that feels like years ago by now. ”Hello.”

He startles, and you back away quickly. His gaze snaps up to yours.

”You.”

”Me.”

Silence festers in the tunnels beneath the earth.

”I need to go,” he says. ”I need to help.”

You blink at him. ”Okay.”

”Come with,” he continues. You almost laugh.

”Are you joking?” He frowns.

”No.”

Silence festers between tense bodies, poised for fight or flight.

”I’m leaving,” you say.

He stares at you for a while and you begin to falter under his heavy gaze.

”You always run.”

You scoff. ”Does it look like I have any obligation to stay here? I was hired for recon, not to fight. I’m getting all my savings and getting out of Japan, so yeah, I guess I am running. Do you, out of everyone, have a problem with that?”

He frowns at your words, and you can’t, for the love of everything that is holy, think of any reason why he would be upset that you’re leaving.

He doesn’t deign to give you a reply, instead beginning to move, upwards and outwards. You stand still for just a moment, before making off in the opposite direction.

——————

You leave Japan. Your savings get you a flight to Taipei and a passable little hotel room. Most of your days consist of nothing more than going to your part-time waitress job followed by hours and hours of watching the news and scrolling through japanese sorcerer forums for any updates you can find.

On Christmas Eve you’re called in to work as one of the few employees without any particular holiday plans. You don’t mind, not really. It’ll mostly be to-go orders and loners like you coming in for a quick meal and some beer.

As you’re clearing a few tables, you feel your phone vibrate in your back pocket. You throw a glance to your boss. His eyes meet yours, and you look towards to break room door before looking back at him, the question going unspoken. He gives you a short nod.

You pull out your phone as soon as you sit down on the dingy old couch. The notification is from one of the largest sorcerer forums out there.

A livestream?

The title of the stream claims that you are watching the battle between Gojo Satoru and Ryoumen Sukuna, but it looks more like a cheap action movie filled with quick blurs and massive explosions.

You grimace slightly and shove your phone into your pocket.

Not worth watching.

When you come back home from your shift, you pull up the livestream again. The title has changed, however. It now claims that Gojo Satoru is dead, and the fight is currently between Ryoumen Sukuna and the stragglers of Japans Jujutsu Society.

There are fewer explosions this time, but the blurs of movement remain the same speed, maybe even quicker. Your eyes flick across the screen to take in as many details as possible.

Fallen buildings, large indents in the ground from Domains and powerful clashes. Something on the ground blurs, and suddenly theres a camera switch.

You see his corpse.

You never even got to learn his name.

You think back to that one dream you had with him. A warm summer, just like a love song.

You never even got to learn his name.

Life goes on.

Maybe in the next one, we can have our love song.

[astyrial]

shadowed mystery matt murdock x gn!reader (meeting) synopsis: someone saves your life word count: 1k warnings: kind of hated this ://, mention of blood, use of a gun, murder masterlist | requests are open

    "yes, the driver said that the truck broke down. yes, i'm heading towards the baking aisle right now. i'll get enough to hold us over until thursday," you hold the phone up to your ear with your shoulder, your free hand reaching for a bottle of honey.

  to lean on the cautious side, you grab another two bottles, your eyes closing for a second. "yeah i'll see you in the morning. i'm going to be exhausted, but yeah bright and early," you set the bottles of honey into the basket hanging from your arm, your fingers grappling the phone and ending the call. 

  you push your phone into a back pocket and continue down the aisle. the store should close rather soon, leaving you to have little time to gather anything else you need. sugar, milk, eggs, and other basic things for your apartment remain uncrossed on your list. 

  with a little sigh, you exit the aisle and start towards the dairy section. as you turn around the corner, ready to grab a carton of milk, you notice two individuals down the way. one is directly behind the other, the one in the front with his arms up in the air.

  you stop walking, your feet feeling as though they're superglued to the flooring. the air seems to have left you as you notice the man in the back has a ski mask on. his whole attire is black, and his voice even sounds raspy and deep, "where do you store the cash?"

  "we deposit it constantly, we don't store any cash here!" the employee pleads for the man to let him go, attempting to tell the truth no matter if his captor was going to listen or not, "i have a kid at home! please let me go, i won't tell anyone!"

  "why should i let you go when you didn't tell me anything?" the man's voice seemingly echoes through the building, the sheer strength of it nearly matching the closely followed gunshot ringing through.

  an expressive gasp can't help but crawl its way out of you, your hand quickly covering your mouth. however, it doesn't do much to stop the captor from turning around to find the origin of the noise. his eyes meet yours from across the produce. they're a steel blue, cutting through the thickness permeating the air. 

  before he can do anything to reach you, though, you make a run for it. your feet push hard against the flooring, the basket falling from your arm. soon the clanging of your phone falling follows suit. with little thought you turn down an aisle with your heart nearly beating out of your chest. you turn around to see the captor noticing you running away, his hand raising, along with his gun. 

  you reach the end of the aisle, tearing down a small set up as another gunshot rings through the air. your eyes search for the front doors and luckily there is one not too long from where you are. as you look back to no longer see the man, you run up to the automatic doors. 

  however, they appear stuck, unable to move as you attempt to pry it open. your fingers curl around the middle of the two doors, whatever adrenaline pumping through you doesn't appear to matter much, though. it doesn't budge and leaves you looking around frantically for a hiding space. 

  you get on your hands and knees, crawling your way to a cashier's desk. you bring your knees up, your eyes closing as you lean your head back. another shot rings out through the grocery store. however, unlike the last one, it sounds dulled. a part of your mind runs back to the employee and tears suddenly well in your eyes.

  maybe he assumed you had escaped and went back for the employee. cries want to escape your lips but your hand covers your mouth, making sure that he doesn't come back for you. despite covering your cries, you look over to your right and see the man walking back, blood trailing with his footsteps.

  without much warning his eyes run along the area, and finally see your body. his head lowers and he lifts his gun once more, ready to shoot you as you stay frozen in place. your fight or flight malfunctioning momentarily. however, like a moment of pure chance, of pure luck, someone comes up from behind the man.

  the individual jumps on the back of the man, pulling him down to the ground. he flips backward from the individual lifting him with his legs. you watch in astonishment, wondering if the mysterious stranger was going to be able to take down the captor. 

  you rise to your feet as you notice the stranger keeping the other man in a chokehold, making him pass out. despite your want to get out as soon as possible, undetected, you let out a sigh, "thank you."

  it's quiet, quieter than most people could possibly hear from that distance. but his head turns so it's facing you. his eyes are covered but it feels as though he's looking into your very soul, as if he can truly understand just how grateful you really are. 

  with lips parted in want to say something to show your appreciation, you can't seem to think of anything to truly represent the feelings within. he looks down at the man and then back at you, his breath catching a little. "you're welcome," he seemingly mouths, either that or he whispers it with an intensity that you can't hear. 

  before either of you can say or express anything else, he runs off, leaving through the back of the store somewhere. you stand there, your heart beating faster than you had ever experienced. and finally you get the chance to think clearly, like knowing to call the police. what do you even say, though? some shadowed mystery man saved your life? that some man died before anyone could say him? 

  you begin to walk to grab your phone, knowing that the video tapes will prove it, they have to. but something stops you, the sounds of sirens and the bright lights flickering in the grocery store window. you stop walking and turn back around, your hands raised before they can even enter the doors.

[timehastobecruel]

Hi Tumblr, long time no see. Is anyone here? No anyway. I have been holding this one under my thumb for a very long time. I’m still not sure if I should truly post it. I have already planed a little au in the future under the condition that some lonely soul will read this maybe even if no one is going to. I’m just too exited to write this fanfic and scared. Haha, Anyway

Link x f!Reader

If anyone wants I could make a version without the female pronounces

Summary:

Some times has passed since the hero of time saved the world. He is forgotten by now, not only by the people of Hyrule but the goddess herself, living secluded in the lost woods, the only home he ever knew.

After all one throws away a toy that is no longer of use.

Little does he know that fate in form of you is already on its way. The gears of the old clock have started moving again and who is powerful enough to stop destiny?

It was a good day, or so she thought. The sun had just climbed over the mountains and colored everything in soft morning light. The heat of the day had not yet reached its peak and enveloped the inhabitants of the forest in a pleasant coolness. The morning air couldn't have been better and more soothing with every breath and the chirping of the birds couldn't have been more cheerful. Bright clouds drifted over Hyrule, the soft pink kissed orange and here and there one could already sense the infinite blueness of the sky, which would soon stretch cloudlessly and the burn the sun would provide ungraciously.

But this unpleasant premonition did not reach her at all, for her youthful heart felt protected in the forest. She thought she could feel the presence of the Kroks, which calmed her mind and made her feel protected, so that she did not dread the forest, which would have frightened any wanderer.

The weight of her ocarina in her pocket gave her additional security and the knowledge that nothing worse than loneliness would befall the children of this forest. That's why she greeted the eagle owl without shyness, who scrutinized her with attentive eyes. She walked past him into the woods and wandered around with a melody on her lips. Her own imagination made the forest vivid, so she didn't need to discover the little woodland creatures that lurked at the edge of her field of vision and eyed the young woman curiously. They perceived the naive heart and the childish mind, coupled with an insatiable thirst for knowledge that would get her into a lot of trouble.

The deku tree couldn't be angry with her for entering its woods either, and with a sympathetic eye, it saw how tenderly she brushed aside the tendrils of the trees to slip through and immediately find herself eye to eye with a hut.

The rotten wood made her heart tremble, but her concern for the inhabitant was greater than her fear itself. Her father, a carpenter, had put a keen eye in her cradle and her inquisitive mother had created the best prospects for her to absorb knowledge. Other girls who liked to play with dolls had never understood the inclination to rummage through books or watch their parents at work. She knocked timidly on the door and a harsh cry escaped her throat as the wood gave way beneath her fingers and fell clumsily to the ground. Sunbeams now kissed the bare earth and flooded the interior of the house with their glare. A wooden table in the middle of the room could not escape them and would probably fade under the sudden brightness. She entered, surprised by the simplicity of the hut, for it contained little more than a fireplace and a bed. On the other side of the house, the corners were shrouded in shadows so that she could not see the furnishings.

"Excuse-," the rest of her words were drowned in coughs. She waved wildly in front of her face, expelling the dust that filled her lungs and danced in the house. It seemed abandoned to her, so she didn't bother to waste any more words and risk getting more dust up her quivering nostrils and into her bandaged lungs.

Melancholy immediately gripped her mind as she considered the thorough handiwork, running her fingers over the nicks that had been collected in its surface with passing time. She circled the table and crossed the room, intending to keep looking around. A rough hand suddenly placed itself over her mouth and she was grabbed.

She threw up her hands, tried to free her mouth in agony and kicked out backwards with her legs to hit sensitive areas such as his shin. Her opponent was taller than her and in her fearful excitement she could feel the muscular body behind her. But despite her belief that she was up against a strong man, she managed to escape his practiced but weak grip and stared into the boy's face with wide eyes. The mirrors of her soul widened even more.

Her opposite was dressed in rags, the fabric hanging in tatters from his body. The once green fabric was faded and splattered with mud. She thought she could also make out red stains and the smell of blood, beneath the acrid stench of sweat. A far worse odor of sickness enveloped him, which she saw confirmed in his muscular but emaciated form and face. His collarbone stood out. His face was sunken, the skin stretched white almost greenish over the bones, looking almost like a skull, which was reinforced by the impression of the eyes that had fallen deep into their sockets. But beneath all the horror and squalor, his eyes captivated her. He wasn't pretty, but she was almost certain that one, not anymore, was in order. The greasy blond hair underscored her suspicions and his eyes burned hard into her soul.

It wasn't just the piercing blue which was overcast by a dark shadow, but the expression that was reflected in them. They were on fire, burning. An expression that would have taught any normal girl horror and fear but brought her back to her right mind. Beneath the layer of dirt was something that would have escaped someone controlled by fear. The way he held her hand with his left, exerting a surprisingly strong pressure that he had not exerted with his right, left no doubt. A fighter stood before her. A fighter who was used wielding a sword.

He had followed her movements closely and scrutinized her face almost as intensely as she had his. The warm brown of her eyes, which began to shine at the same time as her discovery, made him wonder. The fear had evaporated and given way to a warmth that sent shivers down his spine. It had been a long time since a human had looked at him with so much admiration, almost benevolence. Years, if not decades. He was no longer used to being gazed at with so much enthusiasm, with so much naïve ignorance.

And it repelled him, bringing back too many bitter memories.

"Rise (Get out)," he growled. His voice sounded hoarse, scratchy, as if it hadn't been used for a long time. But the growl that used to make even a grown man’s knees buckle under his weight had no effect on her. She had to prick up her ears to hear his voice and it took her even longer to match the syllables. They were spoken in old language, borne of old times past.

"Who," she said, thinking hard, trying to remember the sentence structure and the right words. "Millet be."

He stared at her, puzzled and surprised, until he burst out laughing. The ice was broken. She relaxed, let the pent-up air escape and finally felt the warmth of the sun on her skin again, which the scene had grotesquely taken away from her.

Giggling, she joined in and opened her eyes again just in time to see him limping to the bed, the only object, counting the table, on which there was no dust.

As he sat down, he said: "Don’t worry, dear child, to be no longer familiar with the language of the gods. It amazes me that thou recognised and e'en understood it at all. Withal bearing so much knowledge already, thou don’t hast to be familiar with their tongue as well. I understand thou that way too"

"Truly? thou speak both languages" she exclaimed in astonishment, her cheeks and the tip of her nose turning red in excitement. "How most wondrous and thee can actually speaketh both" she exclaimed.

"That is not the problem. I just do not like to mirror their clumsy tongue."

"A lot is lost 'i their translation, that's true." He raised his head.

"Now do not look upon me as surprised as a donkey at lunchtime. I realize most well how much finer thou speak than i doth, e'en would I compose the greatest effort. Thy grammar and sentence structure is much better than a housewife and a simple carpenter could ever have taught me. But what can't good will make up for?" she said cheerfully and sat down on the floor as a matter of course.

"Wherefore thee not taketh a chair?" he shouted hastily, wanting to get up, but she was quicker and pushed him back into the bed. "Do not ! thou'd better lie down again, 'i thy condition! thou want a bath and a meet meal! forgive me, yet thou stink and thy apparel could doth with a stitch! How good that I could be barely mistaken as a good housewife”, she mused sarcastically.

In his bewilderment, he began to laugh, dark and warm. He was no longer prepared to resist her, hadn't he given in to her at her first remark? She spoke the truth and that spoke for her.

He raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Doth with a stitch? needle and thread, thou mean."

Her hurt expression made him row back immediately. "Forgive me, i didn't mean to hurt thy feelings, thou mean well and that's all that matters! thou are welcome 'i mine home! if thou desire to compose yourself useful then hie ahead, behind the house thou shall find firewood, a pot 'i front of the fireplace, ingredients for a meal 'i the house, as well as a needle and thread." On the way out, she heard him add: "After all, thou've already invited yourself 'i"

Laughing melodically, she left him behind and found the things as he had listed them.

She dragged the wood over and deliberately ignored his objections, with which he warned her that the wood was far too heavy, cutting mushrooms and onions too difficult and sewing too dangerous. She also repeatedly rejected his admonition that she really didn't need to do that and, despite this, dragged a tub for him to wash in.

She put the bones of a hare, after cutting it up, in water and put its innards and meat aside to add to the broth later.

Late in the evening, as dusk fell, she was ready. She had left the door provisionally ajar because, despite all her knowledge, she didn't trust herself to hammer like her father would have done. Not yet.

As a result, the cold penetrated every crevice and, despite her efforts to keep the house warm and to stoke the fire, she noticed him shivering.

She had already put all the blankets she could find in the house around his slender body and, despite his protests that she needed one too, stuffed it tightly around him.

It was no use, he was shaking and when the spoon fell into the wooden bowl and he buckled backwards, she rushed to him. She placed him on the pillows and felt his forehead. It was hot and his skin was wet with sweat. He was feverish.

[ekebolou]

A Haunting, pt. 5

Five parts because I'm a wordy bastard.

Also, Gaelic is a living language and it's important not to imply it's some kind of dead or fantastical cultural artifact by using it as a 'fantasy' language, but I used it this time because I want you to be able to drop it into a dictionary and at least have some idea of what's being said, while maintaining the sense that knowing exactly what's being said isn't how the characters are experiencing it and isn't vital to the story. So I did use some Gaelic.

Latin is fair game.

and I dunno, maybe I'm crap at endings.

Cole’s hand squeezed the back of his neck in confirmation, and he lingered just long enough to brush lips against Dominicus’ cheek before the feeling of his body’s nearness dissipated in the dark. Dominicus heard only the slightest shuffling as Cole passed on the plan, and finally, a sliver of light let them all find each other long enough to grasp hands, before being closed off again.

Cole was in the lead as they crept up the stony hall, all the way back to where the path split. They curled like a worm around the fork, Odhrán at the end with the lantern backing them into the rightward path, so their line still ‘faced’ the exit path, Dominicus at the head. Shuffling back to be well-hidden by the split, pressed against the wall, Cole broke away for a moment. Dominicus’s heart pounded unusually fast until he returned, hand searching out hand in the dark.

This time, Dominicus pulled Cole in, but for reasons unclear even to himself, instead of explaining his plan, Dominicus kissed him, before pushing him into second place in line.

Well, it was very dark. That was a good moment for it, wasn’t it? Anyway, Cole had kind of kissed him first, earlier, back in the little cavern. And nobody could see.

Each hand’s grip tightened on the others when the faint glow of distant light broke the shadows’ hold.

The Second Years’ were closer than the light made it seem, because the whisper that broke the quiet was as loud as if directed right into to each of their ears.

“Hsst!”

The light bobbed to a stop, then swept, low and slow, over the ground.

“I didn’t see that the first time we went past.”

“Well, it’s hidden, isn’t it? By the wall.”

There was a pause.

“There should be some light – it’s not that far.”

“I fuckin’ hate this place. It’s still creepy.”

“Maybe they’re not that dumb.”

There was an incredulous snort, but another pause.

“They would have signalled, up the other way, if they had caught them.”

Dominicus’ stomach slightly dropped when he heard a third voice break into this whispered conversation between two.

“I hope this isn’t a waste of fucking time. I’ve got a test tomorrow,” it yawned.

Three was a lot. There were six of the First Years, but surely they were expecting no more than five. The way the Second Years spoke suggested more than one waited at the entrance accessible from the Second Year dorms, which meant their numbers were, at the very least, supposed to be evenly matched. But with the differences in experience, in training, between First and Second Years –  at even numbers, the Second Years outmatched the First Years considerably. If the odds were any worse than that, the First Years’ situation would be dire.

This made Dominicus very angry – and his hand hurt. Anger had tightened his grip, but that wasn’t why; it hurt because Cole had tightened his.

“We made them scared shitless of being caught. I bet they put out the light before they reached the cavern. It’s a good sign.”

“Dim the light,” came the order, and the rosy glow of the Second Years’ light dimmed. Apparently they hadn’t had time or access to a shuttered lantern, and were relying on some kind of drape, because some light remained, definitely more faint, but like the sun in such pervasive darkness.

Dominicus squeezed then pulled his hand free, crouching low, but soon he felt the hand that had been in his rest on his back, hearing the shuffling as Cole crouched beside him. Together, they snuck towards the break in the passage.

“Bring the torch – ‘my enemies’ gifts’ you know,” said one of the Second Years, followed by a dark laugh and the sound of wood scraping against stone, then lightly smacking skin.

The Second Years passed the break. Galen felt for Cole, then felt past him tugging whichever of the four it was in the lead to pass them both, and head back to the entrance. In a passage so narrow they could feel each other go by, the thought that the Second Years’ must have heard them or felt them too was agonizing, but the rosy light, blocked by shifting bodies, continued to sink further into the left hand passage, towards the little cavern.

Again finding Cole’s neck, Dominicus pulled him close, and since he apparently wasn’t going to leave, shared his plan. He felt Cole’s grin against his cheek.

But they had to move quickly, and quietly.

There was, of course, the opening of the path, just before the little chamber, that had so unnerved them – here, the Second Years, if more familiar, would know to completely shroud their light lest they lose the element of surprise. Dominicus, facing the path towards the exit and relying on the echo, started to whisper indistinct Midraeic, breaking in now and then with his most precisely pronounced Ainjir words.

They heard the shuffle of the Second Years to a halt, but the Second Years didn’t turn back – they resumed heading for the cavern. Creeping up the passage behind them, Dominicus continued his whisper, doing his best to make it sound like more than one voice, aided now and then by Cole matching his tone, slightly farther away. And every second word, Dominicus dropped his volume lower, and grew closer to the edge of their dim circle of light, the twisting passages turning their words into a confusing blanket of near-far echoes.

“…hate this fuckin’ place…” one of the Second Years mumbled, followed by a soft thud.

On cue, the group reached the widening edge of the cavern, and the faint light disappeared into darkness.

And this was stupid – Dominicus knew it, it had been stupid when he planned it – but luckily, Cole was at least as stupid as he was. The moment the light disappeared, a voice boomed through the dark:

“FEALLTÓIR”

Though the startle was enough to draw the shade from the light, it all happened too swiftly to do anything but blind the Second Years, who found themselves barrelled over as something crashed into their knees. The fallen lantern smashed in smothering darkness.

The voice had not stopped, either, but continued, wavering between a growl and a shriek

“DÚNMHARFÓIR DUBH, NA DÍCHREIDMHIGH”

The shouts of surprise from the Second Years first gave way to curses, first on the First Years, then on the caverns, and then to each other, to shut up and stop panicking and find the speaker – it had to be one of those little snot-pebbles, those self-satisfied little pipsqueaks. But by the time they had calmed themselves, and regrouped, and at least one of them had slipped and cracked his tailbone and been persuaded to stop cursing the fact, they found themselves alone, in an increasingly silent, velvety darkness.

Now it was a game of who would blink first – they (the First Years) had to be here, there were only so many ways to go – but as the Second Years stilled after bouncing fruitlessly off the walls and each other looking for their prey it grew increasingly cold, and increasingly, it seemed, lonely.

And it was only after total silence had fallen, and even the injured one had quieted his panting breath that they heard a gentle whisper – not quite low, not quite high, bouncing softly down the passages, as if moving from first this one, then that one…

And it was speaking more Old Ainjir.

Dominicus, shivering uncomfortably in the puddle by the wall, could only understand about every other word or so, but he assumed the Second Years knew more. At any rate, it was a lament, a sad and pleading tale, a searching and loving and losing tale. And in the dark, in the quiet, melding with the voice of the waters that murmured through the tunnels, it was chilling.

And so was the water. He meant to be here, thinking if the stumbling Second Years heard a splash when they stepped, they would move away rather than towards it. But still – it was cold as Hell. So it was mostly because he thought he was otherwise going to die of the cold if he stayed in the puddle that Dominicus slowly stood and tried his best to edge his way out, moving with painful slowness to neither stir the water nor barrel into someone, one hand holding the wall to his back and the other outstretched to at least, perhaps, sense the warmth if he was getting too near to anyone....

But it didn’t work that way. His cold hand could feel nothing – Hell, he could hardly feel he still had a hand – yet by sheer uncontrolled fate, the strange blessings of the Prophet to his faithful – his cold hand caressed the jaw of the injured one, who leaned half-over his own knees to try to ease his bruised back.

The Second Year screamed.

The Second Years all screamed.

And they ran.

It was a miracle Dominicus wasn’t trampled, and Cole wasn’t discovered, for which Dominicus promised to be duly thankful if he ever made it out of this freezing hole. Cole had been hiding just past the break, which all of the Second Years at least had the sense to feel for in their desperate scramble to get out of the caverns, so they could take the branch that would lead them back to the dorms.

Dominicus finding him wasn’t as miraculous; once the Second Years passed, Cole stood in the center of the passage that would lead them back the way they had gotten in until Dominicus, wet and shaking, ran into him.

They dared not speak until they found the others and were out of the blasted passages, but kissing was mostly silent, and, ostensibly, warming, so they did do that. At least a little bit.

They shuffled their way carefully down the passage until the faint promise of light turned into the four cadets, bravely but with utmost reluctance, waiting in the same alcove they had been at the start of the night.

“Yes, they lived, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” Murry intoned as Galen and Cole came around the corner again.

“No!” Glasan said, hand held out imperiously, only shaking a little bit, “You heard the fuckin’ thing – we’ve angered it!”

“Glasan,” Taig sighed, running a hand over his face, “That was obviously them.”

“I don’t fuckin’ believe it,” Odhrán said, chewing his free thumb while clutching the lantern as high to his chest as he conceivably could without burning himself. It was not at all clear to anyone what it was, exactly, he didn’t believe, but he also wasn’t moving towards the exit.

“You said we could ask!” Glasan insisted.

“He doesn’t know Old Ainjir!” Odhrán said, pointing to Galen.

“You don’t know Old Ainjir!” Taig said.

“None of us know Old Ainjir!” Glasan cried, “That’s the fuckin’ point!”

Galen looked at Cole. Cole smiled at him, but said nothing.

“We saw the ghost.” Galen muttered. “You are fine. It is… happy.”

“Didn’t sound happy,” Glasan muttered. The four cadets exchanged glances. Then they looked at Cole.

“Don’t look at him,” Galen snapped. “He is useless. Look at me. It was mad at the Second Years for tricking you. You are fine. Let’s go, you have the only light.”

They didn’t move, but at least switched their staring to Galen.

He sighed. “I have… asked the Prophet to reach the spirit and… touch it back, or whatever.”

“…Are you su—”

But before Odhrán could finish, Galen stepped back from the group, clapped a fist to one side of his chest, and drew a line from one shoulder to the other, then a vertical line in the air, then again, with the other fist, in the other direction. The whole time, he muttered continuously in Midraeic, clearly intoning a reference to each one of the four in a sing-song mess of syllables, indicating with each the vertical line gesture.

“If there is any lingering curse, the Prophet protects you. The ghost is appeased. You have touched the dead. By proxy. And are, uh… cleansed.”

The four again exchanged glances, smiling. Odhrán finally lowered the lantern; Glasan let out a theatrical sigh, and patted Murry on the back. In spite of his protests, Taig seemed relieved.

“And if we do not fuck off out of these tunnels I will ask him to curse you and invite the spirits back.”

Now they moved.

And Dominicus let himself shake again – it was ungodly cold being wet in these tunnels. Cole stayed close – Dominicus saw him fingering his coat buttons, loosening them quite slowly, as if contemplating offering it to replace Dominicus’ soaking one – but, of course, that would be a step too far. How? Dominicus wasn’t sure, but was in equal measure sure he would have to refuse it, or possibly insult him, or start a fight. Why?

…There were witnesses. That would be… tender. And all of the sudden, Dominicus shivered violently. Cole grabbed his hands and started to rub them between his own, bringing them up to breathe on them as they slid through the dark after the pathetic gaggle of other cadets.

Once again on the surface, they had to stagger their leaving, so as not create too big a target for any eye that happened to catch them – after all, unlike trespass into forbidden areas, cadets sneaking off into bushes after hours was something only the most hardened officers cared about. They had all been young once, after all, and most of the First Years were still four to a room. It was certainly better for morale not to keep one’s roommates awake.

Galen and Cole, of course, were the last to go.

“I think he was trying to thank you,” Cole said, watching Taig crouch-run (totally unnecessarily) off into the dark towards the First Year dormitories.

“What the fuck kind of thank you is that? He just mumbled about it being a nice night,” Galen said, unable to keep the slight chatter of his teeth down.

“Tits, you’re ashen.”

“Eha! Fuck! What are you doing?” Galen slapped Cole’s hands away from the buttons of his coat.

“You have got to get rid of at least some of those wet clothes – cut it out, you madman. This wool will dry fast if only you get the water out of it, just give me a moment. If you don’t, it’ll be wet all tomorrow, too.”

And, of course, Cole had Galen’s jacket unbuttoned almost the moment Galen stopped getting in his way – he did, after all, have a lot of practice. Galen looked ready to fight about his shirt, but Cole sighed at him – sighed! Like that! At him! Like his mother! – and he got that off, too.

It was, Dominicus had to admit, much warmer under Cole’s jacket.

“Don’t touch my pants,” Dominicus said, watching Cole twist his jacket as if trying to break it. “Be careful with that.”

“I do have other interests, you know. Your pants are your own trouble,” Cole said, “and if anything this will make it more pliable and less scratchy, and you’ll owe me thanks. They make these pieces of shit out the cloth cows wouldn’t tolerate. If I can do the work to break the cloth without pilling you might actually want to thank me, even.”

That was a ridiculous assertion – imagine, him thanking Esras Cole for anything, but still.

Dominicus sat and watched him; above ground it was actually fairly warm, despite nightfall, especially sheltered from the wind. Of course, Cole’s jacket – definitely too big for Galen – was warm from his body, too, and that was a warmth Dominicus had learned to appreciate, even if he wasn’t particularly happy about it. But it wasn’t the warmth that was making him sleepy – not sleepy, perhaps content? It made him sink his back into a deeper curve, let more of the bushes support him despite their poking branches, so he could watch Cole bent over his task, hair shining in the moonlight, sleeves pushed up so every twist of the fabric brought cords of muscle out in his forearms like it forced silver streams of water from the cloth. Absent everything else – absent the Academy, absent their contest, absent the pressure of his faith and the strangeness of the Ainjir – he could watch that for a long time.

But thanking Esras Cole?

“I didn’t know you knew Old Ainjir,” Galen said. It had been clever; he could admit Cole could be clever.

But Cole smiled and it was fake. “I don’t. I know some poetry – some poetry knowing requires some Old Ainjir – and it seemed appropriate.”

Galen wished he had said nothing, or Cole had ignored him and not replied at all, but he didn’t know what to do with that wish. It just sat on him, like a walnut too big for a squirrel’s mouth, and he was the stupid squirrel that wouldn’t let it go.

“I didn’t know you knew how to dispel ghosts,” Cole said, holding up the coat to see his work – thank fuck, Dominicus thought, a little more squeezing to do. “Your Prophet doesn’t do such things.”

“What do you know about it?” Dominicus snapped, and while it was infuriating, at least this time the smile was real. The stupid bastard must have done some reading. Or… listened to him. Possibly.

“What did you say over them?” Cole asked, this time ignoring Dominicus, as he occasionally (very occasionally) should.

“Bread recipe.”

Cole stopped his work and looked at him.

Dominicus shrugged. “Bread recipe. Bonum panem fert. Panis plana allium…”

Cole laughed – loud enough to cause Dominicus to start, but really, what if they got caught? Who cared? He was comfortable. All the leaves were falling in Cole’s jacket, which was warm, and not his, and would fall all over Cole’s floor when he shook it out. It almost made up for the fake smile, that laugh.

It almost made him want the leaves to fall on his floor.

And maybe they would.

At some point, anyway.

“Thank you for coming,” Dominicus said, surprising himself with how painless it was. That had nothing to do with anything. It was only proper, the little Catillia-voice in his head agreed, probably insincerely.

Cole paused his squeezing a second time, a smile that seemed just as surprising passing quickly over his face before he buried it – he buried it so very deep. “You pursue interesting entertainments.”

“Can’t fuck all the time,” Dominicus said.

Cole lost it, this time struggling to smother it. He fell back on his butt, chucking the jacket at Dominicus. “Virtue’s Tits, Galen – how they would love you, if they weren’t so scared of you.”

“What is scary?” Dominicus scowled.

“That face, for one. It was remarkably brave of your little tentmate to get up the balls to ask for your help.”

“Then he is at least as stupid as he is smart.”

 “If you say so,” Cole replied.

“I do,” Galen snapped, infuriated to find himself doubling back to defend his idiot tentmate to his idiot… “Why are you so…?”

But he couldn’t finish that thought either, instead just fiercely bundling his damp jacket in his fists and holding it out in Cole’s direction.

Cole, the absolute bastard, said, “Be careful with that.”

Dominicus flung the bundle aside, shrugged himself out of Cole’s coat, crawled the short distance between him and flung himself into Cole’s lap. Straddling him, Dominicus seized Cole’s shirt and kissed him ferociously. Cole’s hands first found his back, then butt, then hips, drawing him closer.

Just when Cole thought he might drown, Dominicus let the kiss go, yet Cole dragged after him, desperate to drown. “Shit – Galen–”

“Shut up,” Galen said. “You have nothing good to say. Nothing good will come of this.”

Then, completely bafflingly, he kissed Cole again, though more gently, every bit as hungry. This time, he released Cole and stayed close, forehead pressed to forehead, hands cradling Cole’s jaw to keep his face turned up towards him. Cole, who had closed his eyes – like a normal person – was as he found himself so often when they kissed, forced to confront Galen’s gaze fixed on his face, inches away, seeing everything, always seeing everything, probably seeing more than Cole ever wanted anyone to see. It made his chest burn, and he wasn’t sure whether that was good or not but he knew he hated it, and never wanted it to go away.

It was terrifying. Why was it always terrifying and exhilarating and…

“I have made my pants your trouble,” Galen said softly – and indeed, wet as he had been, sitting on Cole like he was, soaked a very warm area in shivery cold. “Now tell me of your other interests, Esras Cole.”

Cole had never been as good a talker, once certain other things were in play, but, if only to defend his own honor, and because it didn’t require much thought, he repeated a few lines of the poem he had used earlier, to help chase their enemies away.

He wanted desperately for Galen to start kissing him again, but instead Galen said, “Tell me what it means.”

For many reasons, not least of which he was very ready to be fucked, thank you, Cole had difficulty bringing up the right words. “It was what it sounded like. Like the story. The lovers parted, unable to find one another, in danger apart.”

“Eha,” Galen smiled, “you do know Old Ainjir.”

“I know poems,” Cole said, quite against his will. “Just enough Old Ainjir to get by with them.”

“Then say more poems,” Galen replied, “and less stupid shit, and you will be easier to like, too.”

Cole might have liked to fight back – or at least defend himself – but Galen was kissing him again. And he would say all the poems he liked, as long as Galen kept kissing him.

[av-royale]

ATTENTION! there is a special quest and badge in the dorm bathing quarters! the Break In! badge is earned by working together with 4-5 other players!

in order to start the quest, jump in the dryer furthest from the basket racing minigame. just move around until you make it down a long chute.

it will load you into a new area titled In The Vents, and the quest begins!!! [note: the quest will not show up in your journal, nor does it give any diamond/exp rewards.] [you may find additional chests in the vents, granting you diamonds/exp/a useable flashlight!]

1. assemble a team of 4-5 people at the entrance!!! (too many people can lead to loading issues, as only x amount of people can load into a server at once!)

2. follow the path!!! many rh youtubers have already posted videos on where to go in the vents!!! [just search ‘break in royale high’.] if you’re having trouble multitasking, set someone in the group as your guide! [IF YOURE HAVING TROUBLE SEEING, go into the settings, disable shadows, and turn the Royale Day filter on! it should make seeing things easier!]

3. MINI PARKOUR! (Simple) after youve gone through the first hidden wall and gotten the chest, there will be a second invisible wall to your left!!! it’s critical that you Do Not Go Through It until you’re ready. once youve reached this area, turn on sprint. then, go one at a time through the passageway Without Stopping.

underneath will be trapdoors that will send you back to the start, but if you sprint over them, you will make it across before they drop you. you will pass over 3 of them and end in a room with another chest. use this room as a loading area to wait for the rest of your team!

[NOTE: if one of your teammates falls, you can send someone back across the same way you got in, and back to the start to lead them back. you can do this however many times you need.]

4. TAKE THE PLUNGE! after everyone in your group has made it to the loading area, friend each other to ensure you land in the same server.

when all of you are ready, jump down the 3rd/closest vent tunnel. it will drop you in a front office server in a vent. as soon as everyone is there, crowd in the vent exit at the end of the hallway.

[NOTE: you will need everyone on your team to be there (4-5 people) for the vent exit to open!]

this should drop you in the headmistress’s office, and grant you the Break In! badge!!!

[coolfireguy73]

Monster/Cryptid TF2 Story pt. 3

(Read this for context)

Miss Pauling opened her eyes, she had spent the night on the couch. She didn't sleep very well, not that the couch was uncomfortable but it is true that being in this town wasn't very reassuring, however it gave her time to think about what to do next. Scanning the room, he noticed her host sitting at the table in the small kitchen area, he waved at her: -"Hello ma-am."

-"Hello Engi." -"Coffee ?" -"Yes, please." She sat down and he served her a cup of coffee. He sat on a chair in front of her: -"I thought about ideas, to save the others." She said, out of nowhere. Engi looked at her, not really convinced: -"And, what's your idea ?" -"You told me you sent Medic to the hospital first, right ?" -"Mm-hm..." -"We have to find what infected them in order to cure them. And, the doctors at the hospital must have taken notes about him. And surely other civilians ended up there too so-" He stopper her: -"I see where you're going with this ma-am, but we won't go down there. It's way too dangerous." -"It's our best bet." -"If we go there we'll die." -"If we stay in town we'll die. We have to try, to save them." -"We can't save them if we're dead." -"Then what ? Do you have better ideas ?" He stayed silent. She was right, they needed to know what infected them. But he was right too when he said it was too dangerous, he continued: -"Look, if we go in there and Medic hear us we'll have little chance to get out alive, he's too quick." -"But we could fight back !" He sighed: -"Yes. Yes we could. He has weaknesses. But-" -"Then we should be fine." -"BUT, If he fight him he'll call for Heavy and we don't want that. That'll take our chances to live from little to none." She realized it would be very dangerous, she had no idea Heavy was in there, and seeing what the others had become, she could only imagine what Heavy was like. After a brief silence Engi said: -"Ma-am, I tried already and-" -"Engie, there'll be two of us this time. If the slightest thing happens, we run away. We have to find what infected them, it's the best chance we have." He thought about it. Staying here for so long, he couldn't afford to die now. But saving them was the reason he stayed here in the first place: -"Ok..." he said "But you'll have to do as I say."

They stood in front of the hospital. Engi had briefed Miss Pauling on the way here, they were both a bit nervous. He opened the door and motioned for Miss Pauling to stay quiet. They walked slowly, attentive to the slightest noise, and above all, careful not to make any. Room after room they searched the drawers and shelves, reading through any document they found as quickly as possible. They knew they were lucky to not have been spotted yet, but they knew very well that it wasn't going to last. They entered in a room filled with shelves and various documents. They sighed internally at the amount of paper in front of them, but if what they were looking for was in this building, there was a good chance it was in this room. So, they started looking, it seemed endless, the amount of documents was just too much and Engi worried that they wouldn't find anything before nightfall. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a loud noise. He looked up and realized the noise was coming from inside the room: Miss Pauling had just dropped a box.

They looked at each other for a moment, enjoying the few seconds of silence before the inevitable. They knew very well what was going to happen, soon, they could hear the sound of Medic running toward them. Engie shouted to Miss Pauling to run, she barely reacted, when a shadow zoomed in front of her at full speed to come crashing against Engi. She finally moved, and tried to help him. But there's nothing she could do without risking warning Heavy. - "I said: run!" He yelled. Reluctantly she followed Engi's orders and fled. She could hear his screams followed by running noises. Medic changed target. Miss Pauling tried to reach the exit but Medic was way too close behind her and rapidly approaching, she had no choice but to grab the first object she could and kicked Medic in the face. She knew, what was coming next was much worse, so she wasted no time and rushed to the exit trying to ignore the shrill screams behind her.

(Sorry this one took so long. Still pretty worried about posting it but here it is ! I have more planed for this story, way way more. Also some drawings ^^)

[drrealityslenderverse]

Dark Halls

A03 Request: Brian meets Masky for the first time

Back to Contents || Back to One-shot Contents

He was still groggy as he regained consciousness, not that it was easy to tell when the world was nearly as dark with his eyes open as they were closed. Brian sat up, rubbing the back of his head only to wince with a hiss of pain. The area where he’d been hit was still throbbing and the confusion he felt over what exactly happened wasn’t helping.

“Alex and I were filming and then…” That was where his memory got hazy. Brian recalled his throat feeling scratchy and coughing, Alex being annoyed, but afterwards he didn’t remember much. 

All he was really certain of was that it was now night and he was somewhere in that abandoned building. If he hadn’t been worried about being caught and getting in trouble earlier he definitely was now. As his eye adjusted he could clearly see he was alone in the room, though how he ended up in this place in particular he wasn’t sure. 

“Alex?” He called out for his buddy while standing and making his way to the door. 

The hall stretched in both directions, each way lined with more rooms and looked equally deserted. Brian wasn’t sure which way to go and just settled for picking a direction, hoping to find either the exit or Alex—or both. His footsteps crunched with each step as old painchips and who knew what other debris broke under his shoes. As quiet as he was trying to be, it didn’t work too well. 

Looking into the rooms as he passed by, he started to wish he’d pushed Alex harder to pick another location for his character to reflect. This place was already creepy enough in the daylight; it was even worse now that it was engulfed in shadow. There was almost a constant feeling of being watched. Brian wasn’t much of a fighter, but he wished he had something to defend himself in case someone unfriendly did show up. 

A scuffling sound made him tense up as he cautiously walked closer to another doorway. Brian’s breath caught a moment, fearing whether or not he should call out for Alex again. However, at this point he’d almost welcome getting caught by security. At least then maybe he could find a way out and feel safe again. “Alex? Is that you?” 

Peering into the room he saw something move in the corner. His eyes widened in shock as he found Tim. Brian didn’t know what the guy was doing here but he had to wonder if this was why his calls hadn’t been returned. “Tim! Tim are you okay?”

Several coughs as the shorter man curled tighter beneath the thin, raggedy blanket was the only response he got… At least until he crouched down. Brian was close enough to reach out, though still couldn’t tell if Tim was hurt with the lighting. As soon as he tried to reach out to help Tim lunged forward with a feral sound. 

Brian slammed back onto the ground, Tim’s full weight pressing down on him. The initial shock that his best friend would turn on him blinded Brian to the vice-like grip on his throat until he tried to call out to the dark haired man above him. Maybe it was the fact he was quickly losing oxygen but he swore there was something in Tim’s eyes that wasn’t right. 

“T-im… pl-leassse.” Brian choked out, his feet kicking and scraping on the ground while he tried to pry the hands off his throat. 

Faintly, he could hear more sounds coming from the hall. Hazily, Brian saw a figure step into the room with a loud shout. The grip on his throat released immediately and Tim’s weight lifted quickly as the man charged for the newcomer. All Brian could do was cough and gasp for air while the room rocked in his vision. His movements as he tried to turn and see what was happening behind him were uncoordinated. 

“...Alex?” His voice rasped out as he watched his two friends fight. “What is going on?”

Neither of them paid Brian any attention. Feeling better, he got to his feet, staggering closer. A loud thunk made him wince as Alex swung the pipe and landed a solid hit to Tim’s head. Brian stepped forward as he watched the man collapse to the ground, concerned for Tim’s wellbeing. 

“Alex what the hell is going on?” He was alarmed to see Alex wasn’t about to let up and was about to go in for another strike. Brian panicked and ran forward, shoving the crazed director away. “Alex, stop!” 

“Move.” Alex’s grip on the makeshift weapon didn’t waver. 

Fear shot through him; he’d never seen Alex like this. Between him and whatever was going on with Tim he almost had to wonder if this was some crazy dream and he was still lying unconscious on the floor. Brian didn’t get a chance to decide before Tim was on his feet again, sending Alex to the ground while the pipe fell to the floor. He watched as Alex tried defending himself from the punches being thrown at his face, unable to decide who exactly to root for. 

It made him feel bad to run, to abandon both of them to whatever fate decided, but Brian couldn’t think straight on the matter. Alex had looked prepared to bash his skull in—and thinking about it might’ve been the one who left him in that room—while Tim wasn’t himself at all and had also tried killing him. All he wanted to do was hide and wait this out until morning. Better yet, maybe he’d wake up and everything would be normal. 

“If only it was that simple…” He skidded around a corner, faced with another hallway. He ducked into one at random and hoped for the best.

He didn’t know how long he sat huddled in the corner straining to hear if anyone was coming. While he’d been able to hear their fighting faintly at least an hour back, it had long since gone silent. Brian almost started to think it was safe until a faint crackling of paint chips underfoot came from the hall. They grew closer and closer… and then stopped outside the room. His eyes were met by dark voids on a white mask. 

“Is that… Tim?” He couldn’t speak. The man watching him remained mute as well. 

The person he’d once seen as his closest companion stepped into the room, causing Brian to instinctively press harder into the corner in fear the masked man was about to finish what he’d started. They paused and finally broke their stare to turn and leave. 

His heart was pounding in his chest, which only made his head hurt worse. Brian nervously got to his feet and peered down the hall, watching as the masked figure paused several yards down to glance back and give a small gesture to to follow. He wasn’t sure that was the best option but surely Tim was still somewhere in there… Brian began following after him.

[skvaderarts]

Elden V Chapter 4: The Weeping Peninsula

Chapter 4: The Weeping Peninsula

Note: Sooo… DLC, HU?! Please be a Miquella DLC. Please Be a Miquella DLC. Please be a Miquella DLC. Or a Godwin DLC. Or both. I would love that. PLEASE. I’m patient. I can wait. Just give me what I what, FromSoft!

(-~-) 

I was wholly and utterly unprepared for what awaited me when I exited Sellen’s chamber.

As soon as I left her presence, I started down the road, headed south as planned. And as I did so, I crossed a stone bridge that I have crossed on several occasions with little to no resistance on the part of the locals. But this time was different. This time as I approached the center of the bridge, out from the shadows as if manifested by the night itself appeared an impossibly massive black horse covered in a flowing black cloak. It easily made five of Torrent, and its rider was an equally imposing knight in jet-black armor, their silence as foreboding as their stature was intimidating. I… am not accustomed to feeling so very small, but the two of them easily sat at a height of around fifteen to twenty feet tall from the ground. I may be overestimating that as a result of the head trauma I suffered after being knocked off of my horse and onto my back on the pavement after receiving a blow from the knight’s massive black halberd (or was it a glave. I admit that my knowledge of medieval weaponry isn’t what it used to be.)

I managed to knock the rider off of his horse and do battle against him on the ground for a period of time before he resummoned his mount and came after me again on horseback. Thankfully, although thoroughly imposing, He was manageable enough once I downed him again. I managed to knock him off of his horse after a period of prolonged battle and of course after I managed to secure several minor to mild injuries in the process. But before long, I was able to deal a killing blow while he was on his back on the ground.

After that, I hauled my broken and battered body onto the back of my house and limped down the road towards the unknown, determined to make progress and stick to my original plan. I couldn’t tell you why I didn’t just stop and convalesces for the night, but I was determined to press on. Perhaps it was out of a desire to vacate the area before anything else undesirable showed up.

I can only assume that this is an enemy that patrols the shore’s edge after dark. I will be the first to admit that I do not travel after dark out of a sense of cautious foresight and the general uneasy feeling that dusk in these parts brings with it, but I was unpleasantly surprised to find that my intuition was correct. So very correct.

I encountered a caravan along the road that I’d seen a few times prior. They don’t seem to make much progress in regard to reaching their destination, but perhaps the same could be said about myself, so I cannot make any judgments. Regardless, I continued down the way that they’d come from until I came upon a bridge and was almost immediately fired upon by some sort of ballista. It blew me off of my horse and onto the ground where I only just managed to roll out of the way before the second shot fired and knocked me across the ground. I am certain that I would have been killed upon impact with the second shot should it have hit me dead on. Thankfully, Torrent was still willing to assist me and I charged through the barriers they had used to fortify their position on the bridge before they could get off another shot. I grabbed a few items along the way before escaping to the other side of the bridge to the waiting safety of the sight of grace that I am now sitting at writing this. The experience was difficult, but I am pleased to know that I had what it took to survive it, even if a considerable amount of “what it took” boiled down to extraordinary luck. I shall rest for the night and explore the region further.

Day 14

It’s pouring rain today, more so than usual. And that seems typical here.

The region I now find myself in is apparently known as The Weeping Peninsula if the map of the area I managed to snag is anything to go by. But admittedly, that is much less notable than the fact that what I can only describe as a gigantic arrow came flying at me out of the early morning fog, only narrowly missing me. It made no sound until it was upon me, and I must confess, it scared me half to death.

This is a problem. Not only because of the fact that I now know that something big enough to fire that thing at me from what must be a considerable distance exists in these parts, but because of the fact that I actually need to head that way. You see, as soon as I set out down the path that lead me here, I encountered a young woman named Irina. She was sitting on the side of the road alone next to what appeared to be a detachment of dead soldiers. She heard my approach and begged me to lend her an ear. Apparently, her father had her sent away for her protection after some sort of battle broke out at a place called Castle Morne. He’s the commander there and the creatures that are apparently called misbegotten that worked there rebelled and decided to kill everyone. 

I’m not sure I understand the specifics, but I do wonder what led her father to the conclusion that sending her away with only a few troops to protect her was a good idea, seeing as she’s blind and doesn’t seem to have any way of knowing where she’s going or the best lay of the land, to begin with. That seems… less than ideal. And highly illogical. But it is what seems to have happened.

Personally, I would have escorted her myself, but perhaps there is a reason I simply do not understand. Regardless, she asked me to deliver a message to her father, begging him to come to join her so that they can escape together. A fine plan as far as I’m concerned, and as such, I swore to bring the letter to her father at the castle. I plan to keep that promise. But before I do that, I must investigate the area. I see several structures scattered around these parts, and I am willing to bet that it would be worth my time to investigate them further.

(-~-)

The sun is setting now and I have had what I can confidently call an eventful and productive day. First, I discovered that Torrent can jump up mountains by riding gusts of air. I know not how any aspect of that works or where the air even comes from since it doesn’t seem to come out of the ground, but I shall not question its utility, even if the landing and falling does make me sick and I grit my teeth each time that I do it. Hopefully, I will become more accustomed to it as time passes.

At the top of the cliff that the first gust led me to was a tower with a, let's say, peculiar little puzzle. It asked me to find 3 “wise beasts” which turned out to be… ghost tortoises. I… I’m not sure what to make of them. One was even invisible. And when I touched all three of them the door to the tower opened and I located a strange stone amulet on the top of it. I cannot explain how, but I felt my mind expand as I did so. I think I shall seek out more of them in the future. Anything that might expand my chances of surviving this inhospitable kingdom is welcome by me.

After leaving there I was set upon by a strange group of hooded worshipers who were seemingly guarding some sort of glowing purple crater. I left the second some giant, gangly creature with a large sword charged at me. What’s next, am I going to discover that extraterrestrials are real?

I found a handheld ballista in a nearby tower and another golden seed by the cliffs opposite the tower… but the most disturbing thing that I discovered was the small village at the top of the hill in the area. Everyone there was sick, even the rats. And although it sounds insane, they were doubled over holding their heads and their eyes were on fire. I wish that were simply a jest made in poor taste, but I assure you, flames came from their eye sockets, and the longer I looked at them, the more I felt my own eyes begin to sting. I also found a plant called the Eye of Yelough that apparently has something to do with this. Perhaps it can help cure it? It says it grows in areas infected by madness. All the more reason to leave, I should think. And with haste, at that. And so I did. But not before investigating the little ruined church in the center of town guarded by the biggest rat I have ever seen and hope to never see again. Within it, I discovered a parchment containing knowledge of a spell called The Flame of Frenzy. I’ve learned it and it sounds… disturbing. Perhaps I shall try to use it… 

I left there and investigated several more settlements in that area. Some were filled with more demihumans and misbegotten, while other has soldiers guarding them. But I did discover several more Sacred Tears and a flask tear that can apparently boost my golden power by increasing my affinity towards it temporarily. It shall come in handy, I’m sure. I also stumbled upon several creatures that seem to have branches growing out of them. They were shockingly nimble. Clearly not to be messed with. 

But perhaps the most interesting thing of all for me personally is the things that Melina told me about a woman named Queen Marika. She approached me at each of the churches and told me stories of her. Apparently, she divested the Tarnished people of their Grace and set them to wage war in another land. And once they died they had their grace returned and they were beckoned to return to this land to claim the Elden Ring. I do not think I fully understand what any of that means, but I believe her I shall explore this topic further to better my knowledge of it.

I then stumbled upon something fantastic. Another merchant, and this one had weapons to sell me. I perused his offerings, but something immediately caught my eye. A sword. And not just any sword. A very long sword. I was admittedly very heavy, and I am only barely able to swing it, but I decided to take the leap and purchase it anyway. After all, wielding a blade half as long as I am tall could never be a bad thing, could it? It’s apparently called a Zweihander. I feel as though I may have heard of this weapon somewhere before, but I cannot be sure. What I am sure of is that I can coat this weapon in Glintstone magic as Sellen taught me, and for the first time, I feel confident that I might actually be able to defend myself. And especially since I found a new shield laying on a cliffside nearby. And I can cast a spell on it to repel magic in a similar fashion to that of my blade. Slowly but surely it’s all coming together. A good Ash of War would be a wonderful edition, however. 

I think I could use a good night’s rest.

Tomorrow I head for that castle. I think I may be ready.

Day 15

I am proud to say that I made it through the front gate of the castle. As it turns out, there was a stone giant guarding the front of the castle, and that was the creature that was shooting the arrows. I managed to outflank it on horseback and two swings of my new blade were enough to knock the giant to the ground. I then circled around and stabbed it in the chest. It… died instantly. I think I could get used to this… 

I will head into the castle up the lift to deliver the letter to Irina’s father. And then I shall update this further. Hopefully, I make it back alive. I’m going to besiege a castle on my own, after all.

(-~-)

I… 

I took the letter to her father. Past the mountains of dead bodies and rabid dogs. Past the active battles going on within the walls of the castle. Past the crazed man with the giant pumpkin-shaped helmet on his head and the misbegotten that were literally dancing on the graves of their fallen enemies. I battled through it all until the sun was low in the sky… and he told me that he could not leave, even if the castle should fall. That it was his duty. That he had to guard a sword that had been entrusted to him to make sure that it did not fall into the wrong hands. 

Personally, and to be blunt, I believe that opinion to be nothing but utter buffoonery. His duty should be to protect his blind, currently helpless daughter who is actively in danger, but I did not press the matter for it is not my place to. I did not know him. I did not wish to overstep and start a fight. It would have accomplished nothing. I decided to go looking for this oh-so-important weapon instead. Perhaps then I could persuade him. I journeyed across the rooftops and down the towers into the bowls of the castle. Past the cowering creatures who cowered away from me in fear of the whip that I found in the depths of the castle which I can only assume has been turned against them many a time in the past. Perhaps the reason for this rebellion in the first place?

And eventually, I encountered him. A humanoid creature that stood upright with a red, fiery mane that looked reminiscent of a lion. And he nearly killed me, my new blade’s slower speed working against me unless I kept the pressure on. But he wore me down and I became winded quickly. He was agile and fierce, fast and relentless, and although I managed to defeat him, he did a number on me. And with what I thought might be my very last breath I pried what I could only assume to be the sacred blade that was more important to Edgar from the creature’s hands and returned it to him. He thanked me and told me to keep it safe. I asked him if he would finally join his daughter and he told me that he would set out on the road. And after taking a short while to convalesce at a nearby sight of grace, I decided to go and check on them. To wish them well in their future endeavors. To hope for a safe departure and journey on their part.

Irina was dead.

Murdered in cold blood on the side of the road with a giant cleaver sticking out of her body with her arms bound behind her back. The same giant cleavers that the misbegotten creatures with the wings and the far too wide toothy grins on their faces had been using to chop off dead soldiers on the way to the castle. They had found her during my absence and ended her life.

Edgar was beside himself, weeping openly over her fresh corpse, kneeling in the pool of blood she’d died in. She proclaimed that she deserved better, and even without knowing her, I agree with him. So very much better. We both should have done more. I shouldn’t have taken so long, and he shouldn’t have hesitated. But now it’s too late and the kind girl I met on the side of the road is… 

He swore vengeance on her behalf, but that will change nothing. It will not bring her back. Would that even be justice? Should it have not been for our failures, I don’t believe those creatures would have killed her. Perhaps if not for their mistreatment under his command they would not have sought to harm anyone, least of all her. The hundreds upon hundreds of dead at castle Morne would not have died. This could have all ended so differently. So many lives ended, and for what?

I… I need time to think. To leave this place. I shall head to the lands beyond the Mistwood. Up opon the hillside. The road I met Bernal on seems to lead elsewhere. It should lead me far from here. I have done enough in this region. Perhaps I shall find better luck away from this place. There is nothing more that I can do here, but hopefully, I can find better luck in the East. I can’t do much worse than I did today, that much is for sure. I might have one the battle, but I think we all lost the war.

(-~-)

I assure you, V, there is nothing of value to be found in the East. What happened to Irina wasn’t your fault. We all know what’s out there, and it’s not good. Learn from our mistakes! *violent shiver*. But perhaps there is something useful there. Just maybe… 

At least V is getting stronger. And he’s got a much better weapon! That’s got to count for something, even if his little noodle arms probably wish he would stop swinging the big scary Zweihander. Hehe!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I wrote it in the pitch black on my chrome book when our DAMN POWER WENT OUT IN A STORM. It’s still not on. It’s been 4 hours. I’m concerned. Damn you, Texas. Just once I wish the power would stay on when it rains in this damn state. Electricity costs way too much here for how dogshit the power grid is! Ahem… Take care, everyone! I hope your power is working and you enjoyed this chapter smh! See you in the comment section. And I’ll see you next Friday for a new chapter of Petirchor! Sorry for any mistakes Grammarly missed after the power inevitably comes back on and I get to edit this. I know there will be some. Smh. At least I got something productive done in the dark… 

[garlicbreadkings]

Dangerous Games Chapter Six: Inferno

T/W: Smut

Jack watched the hallway explode. Soon everything became engulfed in flames in those tunnels. He lost camera view. A shadow stood behind him. Jack turned around. Raven folded his arms over his chest. “Did you really have to kill the both of them?”

“What’s a few loose ends to you? The less the outside world knows about what we do here, the better.” scoffed Jack.

Natalie’s vision blurred in and out. She felt somebody laying on top of her. She looked to see Will laying on top. It was almost as if he used his body to protect her. “W-Will?” whimpered Natalie. “Will?”

Will didn’t respond. His body was limp. She gently pushed him off. She checked for a pulse. She sighed when she felt one. “Will?”

Will heard somebody calling for him. He slowly opened his eyes. He was temporarily blinded by a spark. He saw someone standing over him. He coughed. “Nat?” he rasped.

“Will. Thank god. Can you stand? Can you move?” questioned Natalie.

He wiggled his fingers. He could feel his toes moving. “I think so.” He weakly tries to stand. The room spins once he does. He feels something warm and sticky go down one side of his face. He touched it to find that the gnash he had reopened.

Natalie held his arm. “We should get going.”

Will nodded. He guided her further into the tunnels. He had no idea where the exit was. Natalie limped alongside of him. She couldn’t believe that they were free. “With any luck, Jack will think we’re dead.” muttered Will.

“I hope so. We should head to Chicago Med.”

Will shook his head. “No. We can’t risk anyone else. We need to lay low. Just in case he doesn’t think we’re dead.”

“Your brother. He can help us.”

“I can’t involve him in this. I really can’t.” He looked toward Natalie. “We need to keep a low profile.”

Natalie sighed. “Fine. Then let me treat your wound.”

Will kept wandering through the tunnels. He found a rather large horizontal door with a datapad. Will groaned. He reached into his burned pocket. He pulled out a keycard. He slid it right through. The door hummed to life. The door began ascending upwards. Will could feel a breeze. He grew excited. He waited until the door was open just enough. He ducked underneath of it.

Natalie followed suit. The two of them looked to be in a drainage tunnel of some sorts. They walked a little further into the light. They were in a tunnel inside of a mountain overlooking the city below. The both of them stood. Natalie felt her eyes grow hot. The adrenaline left her system. All she could feel was fear. Will picked up on this. He gently placed an arm around her.

The two of them made their way down the mountain. They walked down the forest trial. Natalie felt really tired. She couldn’t take another step. Will slowed his pace down. He picked her up in his arms. He began carrying her down the trail. “Will.” whispered Natalie. “Can we rest? It may take us a while to get down the mountain.”

Will nodded. He found a nice spot to rest near a tree. He sat down with her on top of him. He laid her head on his chest. Her closeness was what he needed. The two of them laid in silence.

Natalie leaned her head against his chest. She listened to the sound of his heart. “God, Will. I was so worried. I was worried we’d never find you.”

“You know that I would of found a way out.” He held her close to him. “Now we are together. That’s all I care about right now.”

Natalie nodded. She held her hands up to her chest. She then turned her head just enough to see the stars shining over them. She could also see the tip of Will’s chin. She planted a kiss underneath of it.

Will hummed. He looked down at her. His lips captured hers. Natalie looked into his eyes. Her hands drifted down his sides gently. She felt Will smirk. “Frisky?” he asked.

“A little bit but you would be too if you were under stress.” she mused.

He grinned. He kissed her gently. He held her close to him. His hands went down her body. He felt her shift under his touch. A soft hum left her.

Will kissed her neck. He flipped so she was against the tree. His hands went up her shirt. He pulled it off her. His hands then drifted to the clips on her bra. He undid it slowly. He freed her breasts of it. He felt Natalie shiver at the sudden cold. Will held her close to him. He tried to use his body heat to keep her warm.

Natalie touched his sides once more. She stuck her hands up his shirt. She felt his abs underneath of it. Will reached and pulled his shirt off. He began kissing her again. His tongue danced across hers. He pushed her up against the tree. His hand rubbed her opening through her pants. Natalie moaned against his lips. She parted her legs. Will kept rubbing her. She squirmed in his grasp.

Will then grabbed hold of either side of her pants. He yanked them down just enough to get at her opening. He reached for his belt. Natalie’s hands stopped him. She grabbed hold of his belt. She yanked it free from it’s loops. Will captured Natalie’s lips. He held her hands up against the tree with one hand. He reached and undid his pants with the other. He pulled both his pants and his boxers down.

His cock was now exposed to the air. He pushed his way inside of Natalie. Natalie gasped. She held onto him. “Will.” she moaned.

Will groaned at how tight Natalie was. He pumped in and out of her. He rubbed the base of his cock up against her clit. He felt Natalie squirm in pleasure. She dragged her feet across the dirt. She let out a moan which Will silenced with a kiss.

Will moved in and out of her. He kept his movements slow enough to tease her. Natalie moaned. She gripped onto Nat. She moved her hips in time with his. The night air blew around them. Natalie felt goose bumps grow on her skin. She leaned her head against his neck. She loved this man with all her heart.

Will felt her walls tighten around his cock. He pulled her against him. He parted her legs even more. He pushed his full length inside of her. She let out a long drawn out moan. Will smiled. He kissed down the side of her neck. Having sex with Natalie in the woods wasn’t something he was expecting but he sure as hell would do it again.

Natalie leaned her head to the side. She closed her eyes. All she could focus on was Will moving inside of her. She pressed further against him. The two were made for each other. Like a sword and a scabbard. She felt her walls grow rather tight. Her climax was coming. “W-Will. I’m close.” she whispered.

“Let it go, Nat. Don’t hold back.” said Will seductively.

Warmth rose in Natalie’s body. She pressed further against him. She held him in place for a moment as her climax hit her. Her core exploded sending out waves of pleasure. Will exploded in that moment. His seed filling her womb. He panted softly losing himself in his senses.

Natalie went limp in his arms. She shuddered gently. She leaned her head against his chest. Once she came to, she looked up at him. Will was staring at her. The moon made a soft halo around his body. Natalie gently touched his cheek.

Will turned over onto his back side. He let Natalie climb on top of him again. He held her close to him. The both of them drifted off to sleep.

Jack noticed that there was a ping on one of the computers. He checked it. He scowled when he realized that Natalie and Will didn’t die in the tunnels. There was a log entry from a keycard that had been used on an exit out of the tunnel.

Jack tapped the button on his wrist. A shadow appeared in his room. “Yes?” came a voice.

“Send the Hands. I need a couple of people eliminated. They left through the tunnel leading into the drainage ditch.”

“It’ll be done.”

Will woke back up the room he had been held in. He heard faint whispers around him. He slowly sat upright. Why was he back here? Black tendrils were growing out of the walls. They were also coming out of the roof.

Will got to his feet. He limped over to the door. He opened the door. He saw the same hallway from before. He heard a female scream. It sounded like Natalie. He rushed toward the light. This time the hallway didn’t move. The tendrils chased after Will.

Will reached the light. He looked out of it to see Natalie strapped to a table. She was being worked on by Jack. “No!” shouted Will.

A black tendril wrapped itself around Will’s waist. It dragged him backwards. Will struggled. “Natalie! NATALIE!” he screamed.

Jack walked up to the door. He slowly closed it. “No! NOO!”

Will snapped awake. He panted looking around. He felt a body laying on top of him. He glanced down to see Natalie laying on him. She was resting peacefully.

Will let out a sigh. He leaned his head against the tree. He wrapped his arms firmly around Natalie. “Nat, it’s time to wake up.”

He heard her groan in response. He laughed. “We have to get going.”

The both of them got dressed. Will took Natalie’s hand in his as they went venturing into the woods. The woods were rather thick. It was easy enough for either of them to get lost. Natalie stuck close to Will’s side.

“So where exactly are we going?” asked Natalie

“Hopefully this is the way down. If we stick to the trail, we’ll end up in Chicago in no time.”

They walked in silence for a bit. Will suddenly felt a chill go down his spine. He heard a hiss from somewhere behind them. Natalie whipped around. “What was that?”

“I don’t know.” Will saw something black dart between the trees. He pushed Natalie behind him.

“Run.” urged Will. He turned and shoved her forward. “Go!”

The both of them took off running. They held each other’s hands. Natalie casted a glance over her shoulder. She saw a black cat-like creature giving chase. It’s tail was a tentacle. It lashed side to side. Natalie immediately picked up the pace.

They kept running until they got to a ravine. Will looked down. The ravine was miles deep. He looked behind him. That creature was catching up. “Jump.”

Natalie looked at him. Will placed his hands on her. “Jump!” he ordered.

Natalie backed up. She took a running leap and soared across the ravine. She landed on the other side without an issue. She turned and watched Will.

Will backed up. He took a step only for the beast to slam into him. The both of them went rolling off the side. “Will!” shouted Natalie.

Will went plummeting toward the bottom. He watched as Natalie got further and further away.

Will landed in a river. The river had a rushing current. Will got caught up in the current. His head finally broke the surface of the water. He gasped for air. He looked for a rock or something he could hold onto. The current suddenly dragged him under. Will didn’t have enough time to even get a breath before he was sucked under. Water entered his lungs. He gagged. He fought to surface again. His head broke through once more. He looked around. The river was beginning to dip down. “Waterfall.” he muttered.

A rock sat at the very edge of the waterfall. Will latched onto it. He cried out hoping that someone would hear him. A log had pulled away from two rocks up stream. The rapid current rammed it sideways into Will. Will let go of the rock. He went over the waterfall.

He landed in the rushing river below with a loud splash. The river carried him further down stream.

Will’s hand broke the surface of the water. He gripped onto the bank. He panted as he dragged himself up onto it. He got as far from the water as he could before collapsing onto his side. He shivered heavily as the cold settled in. He gripped onto his arms for warmth. He was too cold to move. He looked up at the sky to see how dark they had become. He shivered gently. He slowly got to his feet. He was cold and wet but he knew he had to keep moving.

Will trudged off into the trees. His vision was a bit blurry. He used his wet hands to rub his eyes. He removed water from his vision. The last of the sun dipped on the horizon. Will shivered violently. He couldn’t take another step. He collapsed onto the ground.

Last Chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/garlicbreadkings/724606989611761664/dangerous-games-chapter-five-new-plans?source=share

Next Chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/garlicbreadkings/724607349829124096/dangerous-games-chapter-seven-lost?source=share

[mint-yooxgi]

Gilded Gold - Yandere!Vampire Prince!Jaehyun X Reader

Yandere AU, Vampire AU, & Prince AU

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Smut (Someone goes a little feral at the end there)

Pairing: Jaehyun X Reader

Words: 22,845

Warnings: Jaehyun is pretty sadistic and manipulative in this one, as such there is a lot of violence and gore mentioned. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: It’s finally here! Omg, after months (again) of nothing, I'm really happy with the length of this one and how it turned out. Certain scenes are really good in my opinion, so hopefully you enjoy reading them just as much as I enjoyed writing them. I’ve nearly had this idea planned out for almost a year, so I'm happy that I've finally finished writing it all out. Tbh, certain scenes are pretty self indulgent... Anyways, I do really hope you enjoy this one, please do let me know what you think! Feedback is always appreciated!

“Is everything prepped and ready for tomorrow?” He asks, expression stern as he looks towards his adviser. 

“Yes, my Prince,” with a nod from the adviser, a smirk begins to slowly spread itself across Jaehyun’s lips.

“Perfect,” a dark look takes over his features, smirk now fully formed as he thinks over his plan once more.

Tomorrow will change everything, and he can hardly wait. For too long he’s waited, watching in the shadows until this day would come. Until finally, he can have everything that he’s ever wanted. Tomorrow, he’ll finally have you.

From the first moment he saw you all those months ago, he knew he had to have you. The way you so willingly went out of your way to help your neighbours with their little market stand only confirmed to Jaehyun that you’re a kindhearted individual. However, if it weren’t for the way you cussed out an older man for attempting to hit on your younger sister, he would have assumed you to be too soft. That is what intrigued him: that you could look so innocent on the outside, but on the inside, contain a strong, level-head, is what drew him to you.

Since then, he’s been sneaking out of the castle at least five times a week to find you, and once he did, he couldn’t stop himself from simply observing you. He became another shadow in the night, and you were none the wiser as to the monster lurking just outside of your window.

The day he learnt that you had no potential suitors, he swears he had never been happier in all his long years of living. It took him a bit of persuading, but he eventually convinced his mother to let himself actively pursue you. She was a bit wary at first, having never met you, nor even having heard of you before. The fact that you’re a mere human, and a commoner, no less, concerned her greatly. However, he made sure to take care of everything before your arrival. After all, you’re his responsibility now, and he’ll make sure to take care of you in any and every way that he can. 

Soon, the whole kingdom will know that you are meant to be his, the Crown Prince’s very own betrothed. The announcement might turn some heads, considering everyone is aware of the vampire society, and how the creatures of the night reign over them, but he’s counting on the support from those whom support interspecies relationships. It will be a huge step in a positive direction for his family to bring a common human into their inner circle. Not that you would have a choice, whether you know it or not.

That night, he barely gets any rest, too excited for what is to come tomorrow. He has it all planned out, the outfit he’s going to wear, how he’s going to make a grand entrance when meeting you for the first time, as well as the first thing he’s going to say to you once he sees you. 

His eyes flash red. Fuck, he finally gets to see you in person with you actually aware of his presence this time. Oh, how he can hardly wait to see your reaction when you gaze upon him for the first time. A smirk slowly tugs at his lips as he envisions the scene in his head, your awestruck face, the wonder shining in your eyes, and the way you’ll bite your lip as you take him in with the realization that he’s all yours.

Tomorrow cannot come fast enough.

That next morning you are awoken by the sound of your mother answering the front door. Muffled voices reach your ears as you bury yourself deeper into the warmth of your comforter. The sound of your door creaking has your eyes flinging open as your mother storms into your room.

“Get up! There’s a royal advisor at our front door asking for you, personally,” she tears your blankets off of you before moving over to your dresser to pull out some of your nicest clothes. “Apparently he has a message from the Prince. For you.”

“For me?” Your head is reeling at the thought of a royal advisor visiting you with a personal message from the Prince himself. What would the Prince want with you? You have no idea.

“Yes, you,” your mother tuts at your confused look as you clamber out of bed. “Now hurry up and get dressed. Don’t keep him waiting.”

Without another word, your mother leaves your room, heading back downstairs so as not to keep the advisor alone for too long. She would have made your sister keep him company, but she had to go to work this morning.

Squinting at your now closed door, you shift your gaze over to the outfit she has so meticulously picked out for you to wear. The clothes are quite literally the nicest ones you own, and your frown deepens. What message could possibly warrant you wearing your nicest clothes?

Yawning, you rub at the sleep still in your eyes. Screw formalities, it’s just a message, it can’t be that serious. Forgoing the outfit, you quickly head to the bathroom to freshen up and at least make yourself look presentable. No matter what this message turns out to be, you’re going to hop right back into bed afterwards anyways, so you see no point in getting dressed.

Making your way downstairs, you hear soft chatter coming from the front room, and as soon as you enter you can feel your mother’s scrutinizing gaze on you for not changing. You briefly make eye contact with her before turning your attention to the unfamiliar man standing across from her. You can already tell from his proper stature and from the royal emblem hanging proudly on the left side of his uniform that he’s the advisor.

“Ah, good, you must be Miss (Y/n), it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he bows to you. “My name is Minho, and I come bearing a message from Prince Jaehyun himself.”

You bow back respectfully, nodding for him to continue as your mother smiles almost nervously from the side of the room.

“You are to be moved to the castle immediately,” he says as your eyes go wide. “You are to be betrothed to Prince Jaehyun effective immediately.”

“Excuse me?” Your jaw has dropped, disbelief clear on your face.

“You are to be moved-“

“No, no, I heard you,” you cut him off, “I meant, what the actual fuck?”

“(Y/n)!” Your mother scolds.

“What? You’re telling me that this completely unprompted visit is to tell me I am to become the prince’s fiancée without any say in the matter?” You ask, incredulously.

“I apologize, I should have been clearer,” Minho clears his throat. “You do get a choice, as it is the Prince’s intention to court you first. However, in doing so, it requires you to come stay at the palace for the time being.”

“I-“ your mouth gapes like a fish out of water, “do I have a choice in this?”

“Of course!” Minho immediately responds. “I understand this is very sudden, and probably very confusing, but the Prince promised to explain everything once you have arrived to the palace for the day. We really shouldn’t keep him waiting too long.”

“I-“ you’re about to object once more when your mother cuts you off.

“Go with him, sweetie,” you frown at the look she’s giving you. You don’t think you’ve ever heard her voice sound so tense, completely different to how she looked when she first entered your room not ten minutes ago. “He told me you would have to leave immediately, so I’ll send a few bags with your stuff later this week.”

“But mom-“

“No buts,” she smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the Prince chose you, no less. Please be on your best behaviour.”

“Great, then it’s settled!” Minho smiles, beginning to exit the room in order to walk towards the front door. He places a hand at the small of your back and guides you along with him, with you too stunned to say much else. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he bows to your mother once at the door, “we’ll be in touch.”

With those words, he is leading you out of the front and to the car that awaits at the end of the driveway. By now, a few of your neighbours have stepped outside their homes to view what is going on, and you can see them whispering to themselves as you are ushered into the back seat. You only wish you got to say goodbye to your sister before you had to leave.

“Guess leaving is so urgent that I can’t change out of my pyjamas, huh?” You joke, a hint of seriousness to your tone as you cross your arms. 

Minho soon slides into the front seat beside the driver whom has been waiting in the car this whole time.

“I’m afraid not, Miss,” he replies, pulling out his phone. “We’re on a tight schedule today.”

You sigh, leaning your head on your hand as you look out of the window. You see more neighbours watching the car go down the road as you drive off, and you begin to wonder how you even got into this mess. Though you will admit, a part of you is intrigued. To catch the eye of the Prince, the Vampire Prince, no less, is causing your heart to race. 

You’ve seen a few photos of the Prince before in passing, and he does look very handsome, so a part of you is curious to see if that’s actually true. Another part of you feels excitement at the thought of being sought after by the prince himself. Maybe that’s why you’re not putting up more of a fuss at this matter. A sigh escapes your lips at the thought, and you begin to wonder what exactly is in store for you once you arrive at the castle.

About forty-five minutes later, you arrive at the palace. Your breath is quite literally stolen away as you gaze upon the fortress in awe, taking in the arches and crevices in the architecture, along with its massive size.

“If you think the outside is grand, just wait until you see the inside,” Minho chuckles, noting your gaze of wonderment.

His words manage to pull you out of your admiration of the palace and back to the steps in front of you which lead up to the front doors. Shaking your head slightly, you clear your thoughts. You’re sure you’ll have plenty of time to admire and explore the castle once you get settled inside.

“So, uh…“ you trail off, following Minho up the steps, not knowing what to ask first.

“I’ll be leading you to your personal chambers while you’re going to be staying here, then some servants will be coming to prepare you for lunch with the Prince,” Minho explains, and you nod along absentmindedly, still too distracted by the grand stonework of the building, of which is much more intricate on the inside. “I’m sure His Royal Highness would gladly take you on a tour of the premisses, given how intrigued you seem to be by the grounds already.”

At this you can feel your face heat up in slight embarrassment, “sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize, Miss,” Minho smiles at you assuringly. “It’s quite nice to see someone admiring the architecture once more.”

“What do you mean?” You tilt your head slightly in curiosity.

“Oh, it’s just been quite a while since we’ve had a new guest who’s admired the detailing as you are,” he says.

“Must not get many new guests then,” you mutter, but he still manages to hear you.

“No, not really,” he sighs, eyes soon going wide as he’s come to realize what he’s just said, clearing his throat in the next moment. “I mean, I’ve said enough already.”

You simply hum in response as he leads you through some side corridors and up another set of stairs. You can feel your legs burning at the amount of flights you’ve climbed, not used to the amount of steps yet. Once you reach the tops of the stairs, you find yourself resting your hands on your knees in order to catch you breath.

“One second,” you hold up a finger, indicating to Minho to stop and let you catch your breath.

“Alright, but we really mustn’t delay, Miss,” he says, worry flashing briefly in his eyes, but it passes so quickly that you do not see it.

After a few moments, you right yourself, taking a deep breath before nodding at him to continue. He nearly breathes a sigh of relief as he continues to lead you down the hallway you’re now in, checking his watch on the way and noticing he’ll make it just in time. It’s important for everything to go according to schedule today, or so the Prince has reminded him countless times, along with the other staff. Everything has to be perfect.

Leading you to a set of doors near the end of the hallway, Minho pushes them both open to reveal a large room full of everything you could possibly think of. You’re pretty sure this room is the size of your entire main floor of your house, complete with a four post king sized bed, privacy screen which looks like it leads to another part of the room, along with various shelves, desks, and cabinets spread throughout. To say you are awestruck would be an understatement.

You take your time wandering around the room, opening one of the side doors to find an adjacent bathroom built for the gods. A large tub rests on one side, along with a set of double sinks, a large mirror that takes up the entire wall, along with a huge shower which you believe also works as a sauna. You are hardly able to believe what you’re seeing, this is all so unbelievable. To think, your lifestyle quite literally has changed in the blink of an eye. 

Now, if only you could see what rests behind the privacy screen. You’ve avoided opening the doors so far due to the fact that you’re unsure what’s waiting for you on the other side. In the back of your mind, you hope it’s not another room. More particularly, that it’s not the Prince’s room.

The whole time that you spend exploring your new room, Jaehyun stands just off to the side beside the privacy screen where you cannot see him. A smirk is ever present on his face. He could smell your scent getting closer with every step you took down the hallway, only serving to make his dead heart race in his chest. He cannot help how his mouth salivates at the thought of you now only being one room away, nothing more than a thin set of doors standing between your bodies. He can hardly wait to meet you.

After a few more moments of you taking in your new room, you turn to look at Minho, “so, uh, am I allowed to see what’s behind those privacy doors,” you motion to them with your head, “or is that part off-limits?”

Your attempt at a joke earns a small chuckle from him, “actually, I believe the Prince should be joining us soon.”

“Is that the Prince’s room?” Your eyes widen as your suspicion is all but confirmed. You know you’re expected to become close with him, but you aren’t expecting to be literally sharing a room.

“Oh, no!” Minho is quick to answer, to which you breathe a small sigh of relief. “I believe His Highness went to inspect the second portion of your room earlier, before your arrival, in order to make sure everything is up to his standards.”

“Ah, I see,” you nod in understanding. “Glad to know he’s taking such precautions for me.”

Of course! He wants nothing but the best for you, after all. It’s what you deserve. Jaehyun’s smirk only grows, and he takes your words as his cue to finally make his presence known, and finally enter the room.

Ever so slowly, you notice a shadow forming behind the semi-transparent screen. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest, racing at the prospect of finally being able to meet the Prince in person. Little do you know, that this is not the first time that the Prince will be seeing you.

Just like a scene from a movie, the doors part, Prince Jaehyun stepping through the threshold. His gaze lingers on the ground briefly before finally looking upwards to lock gazes with you. Your breath hitches, and you can feel your heart skipping a beat, all of which does not go unheard by Jaehyun, only serving to make him more smug during this time. Besides, the smirk resting on his features only adds to his charming good looks as he takes a confident step forwards, slowly making his way over to you.

The whole time, your eyes never leave his. Again, to say you’re stunned would be an understatement. You don’t think you’ve ever seen a finer looking specimen in your entire life, and from the looks of things, he can read your expression like an open book. 

For a brief moment, your gaze rakes over his entire body, and you have to stop yourself from inhaling sharply once more. He’s wearing the finest embroidered suit that you’ve ever seen in your life, the sharp gold thread contrasting with the black fabric. You know the suit must have cost a fortune, just from the design alone, not to mention the materials. The detailing of the floral design, combined with the surrounding leaves is stunning, but what catches your attention the most is the fact that he’s not wearing a shirt beneath the suit jacket. You can see the smooth skin of his chest on display, only serving to make you lick your lips in admiration, anticipation lingering in your chest. For what, you aren’t quite sure, but fuck, you’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t think he was extremely attractive.

His chest swells with pride. He knew you would react like this, only confirming to him that you also find him as attractive as he finds you. Well, considering all the peasants you had to endure back in your hometown, he’s not surprised. As if any of them ever stood a chance with you. Well, not if he had anything to say about it.

So far, everything is going exactly how he has planned it to, and he couldn’t be more happier in this moment. Minho was on time and everything, though Jaehyun worried at one point that you were running behind schedule. He cannot let that happen, everything needs to run like clockwork in order for things to be perfect.

The one thing that he wishes more than anything that he could do right now would be to take you into his arms, but he knows that would be overstepping boundaries at the moment. The last thing he wants to do is scare you off on the first day. After all, since you’re going to be spending eternity together, he doesn’t want to push you away now.

You don’t mean to stare as you have been, but you cannot help it. With wide eyes and slightly parted lips, you continue to stand there, almost dumbfounded by the current events. By now, you are most certainly regretting not listening to your mother to change into your nicest clothes. Meeting the Prince while still in your pyjamas is making you feel a bit self-conscious. How embarrassing, to meet him while you’re still in your sleep clothes.

On the other hand, Jaehyun thinks that it’s so endearing that you’re still dressed in your pyjamas. Were you that excited to meet him that you couldn’t even wait to leave, meaning you forwent changing? How adorable.

“Miss (Y/n), may I formally introduce you to Prince-“

“Jung Jaehyun,” he cuts Minho off, taking your hand into his own in order to bring it to his lips and kiss the back of it tenderly. Oh, how soft your skin feels against his own. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Introducing yourself, your voice is a bit airy, still breathless due to everything that you’ve encountered so far. You’re especially impressed with the way he’s held himself, “the pleasure is all mine, Your Highness.”

“Please,” he smiles, running his thumb over the skin on the back of your hand before releasing his hold on you and returning his hands to his sides, “call me Jaehyun.”

You smile back politely, thoughts running through your head a mile a minute. All the while, your nerves begin to grow, and you begin to ponder why exactly it was you that he chose. You don’t necessarily think you’re anything special, but Jaehyun would beg to differ.

“Um, I was told that we were going to be dining soon?” You ask, shifting slightly from foot to foot as you attempt to break the small silence that has settled over the three of you. You figure Minho is probably avoiding saying anything right now out of respect for you and the Prince.

“Ah, yes,” Jaehyun nods once in confirmation. “That is, if you’re willing to join me for lunch. Of course, I’ll let you change first, unless you’d prefer to stay in those.”

At the motion of his head towards your choice in outfit, you can feel your cheeks heating up once more in embarrassment.

“Oh, uh…” you avoid his gaze for the first time today, and he can’t help but be reminded of how cute you are as you add quietly, “I don’t have anything else to wear.”

He simply quirks a brow in response, “has Minho not shown you your wardrobe yet?”

“No, I-“ you smile sheepishly, “I didn’t get a chance to pack any of my own clothes before I left. I mean, I didn’t even have a chance to change.”

He chuckles this time in response, “come with me, Princess.”

You cannot deny the way your heart positively flutters when he calls you that. A fact which only makes him smile subtly. You haven’t even known him for more than fifteen minutes and he already sets your heart racing. A fact which only serves to stroke his ego even further. This is going even better than anything he could have ever planned.

Leading you over to a side door that resides in the second half of your room, of which you notice is a lavish seating area complete with a chaise, he opens it. A grandiose closet is revealed to you, filled with the most lavish pieces of clothing you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Dresses, shirts, skirts, you name it, line the shelves. Rows upon rows of accessories cause your eyes to widen even further than they already have. You cannot help the surprised gasp that escapes your lips as you take it all in.

“Is this-“ you blink, attempting to wrap your head around everything as you try to get the words out, “is this-“

“It’s all for you, Princess,” Jaehyun smiles at your wide eyed expression.

“I-“ you turn to him, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he assures you.

“Honestly, I’m torn,” you bite your lip nervously.

He simply quirks a brow at you to continue, despite the fact a frown wants to pull onto his features.

“I’m torn between ‘I can’t accept this’, and ‘thank you so much’,” you admit, and you hear him chuckle once more. Out of the corner of your eyes, you notice Minho tense.

“Always so humble,” he hums. “Don’t worry about it, it’s a gift.”

“I-“ you take a deep breath, “thank you.”

He smiles, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants, “just promise me that you’ll use it.”

You notice how he motions to the closet with his head, and you immediately nod, “of course.”

“Good,” he nods once. “Well, I’ll let you get ready. Maria and Greta should be arriving soon to prepare you for lunch.”

As soon as he finishes speaking, a soft knock sounds at your bedroom door, signifying the arrival of the two aforementioned women. He could hear them walking down the hallway and figured now would be as good a time as ever to take his leave, even if it will be momentarily.

“I’ll see you soon, Princess,” with those words, he walks out of your room. 

The two women whom have been patiently waiting in the hallway to come in now step inside as Minho steps out of the room following Jaehyun. You notice that they look somewhat nervous, approaching you carefully as if you’re someone to be cautious of. You send them a reassuring smile, introducing yourself shortly after.

“It’s nice to finally meet the woman the Prince has been talking non-stop about,” Maria admits, seeming to relax more now that you’ve talked to the two of them.

“Maria,” Greta hisses while elbowing her partner. Your brow furrows, it seems as if they’re not allowed to talk about that in front of you.

“He’s talked about me?” You question as they move you into the closet to pick out an outfit for the day.

“Oh yes,” Maria nods. “He’s been very… excited for you to come visit the palace.”

“I won’t warn you again,” Greta narrows her eyes at Maria disapprovingly.

“Am I not allowed to ask about it then?” You frown.

“Oh, you can ask any and all the questions you’d like,” Greta answers, pulling a simple gown down from the racks. “We’re just not supposed to talk about certain things.”

“Like the Prince?”

“Listen dearie,” Greta sighs. “If you knew what’s best for you, you’d run, and run far.”

Her words only serve to confuse you even more, especially at the nervous expression Maria now wears on her face.

“Is there something I should know?” You ask as they help you into the dress.

“Don’t listen to Greta, dear,” Maria pats your arm gently once the dress is secure. “The Prince is a wonderful gentleman, and from the looks of things, he’s completely smitten with you.”

“But he hardly even knows me,” you mumble as they start to work on your hair.

“He knows you better than you think,” Greta’s voice is barely above a whisper. In fact, it’s so faint, you don’t catch all of what she says.

“Pardon me?” You catch her gaze in the mirror they have you sitting in front of now.

“All the more reason for you to get to know him better,” she corrects herself with a smile, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

Maria manages to change the subject shortly after by asking you questions about yourself, and her telling you small stories about her life. The two of you are able to connect well quickly, and you know that if she continues to look after you while you’re here, you will have a friend in her. Greta, on the other hand, you’re not so sure about.

Not only does she continuously look at you with worry in her eyes, she scolds Maria any time she thinks Maria has overstepped any sort of boundary. The amount of times Maria has begun to tell you about the Prince, only for her to be cut off by Greta soon after is astounding. Hopefully you can get some answers from the Prince himself. After all, you are going to lunch together.

“There, all finished,” Maria smiles warmly at you as she helps you stand up.

“Thank you,” you smile back, smoothing out the front of your gown subconsciously.

“Come now,” Greta says, checking her watch, “or else we’ll be late.”

“Oh dear, we wouldn’t want that,” Maria suddenly looks worried. “We’ll lead you to the dining room. His Highness should already be waiting.”

“I guess I shouldn’t keep him waiting, then,” you joke as you three move to exit the room.

You fail to notice the brief glance the two of them share as Greta says, “no, you really shouldn’t.”

Without another word, you all make your way down the hallway, them leading you to where Jaehyun has instructed them to meet him. As he hears you approaching, a small smile tugs at his lips. He can’t wait to start his forever with you, and today is day one.

“Ready for lunch?” He asks, turning around just as you walk up to him.

You nod, humming your eagerness. You can’t wait to see what they decide to serve to eat, you are in a palace after all. Besides, the company is wonderful so far, and you really want to get to know him better.

Lunch with Jaehyun passes by far too quickly for either of your likings, and before you know it, you’re both finished. To say that you enjoy your time with him would be an understatement. Not only was the food delicious, but you also got to do what you wanted and get to know him better. One thing you know for sure, is that he has a beautiful smile, of which you hope to see more of. Plus, he’s got the cutest dimples you’ve ever seen.

After lunch, he gives you a tour of the castle, and once again, your breath is stolen from your lungs. The whole time you spend admiring the architecture, Jaehyun spends admiring you. His dead heart races in his chest every time he looks over to see that awestruck expression on your face. You’re so beautiful, and the fact that you’re admiring everything he shows you so far, along with how grateful you’ve been towards him, assures him that he’s made the best choice in choosing you as his fiancée.

Every so often, his hand will brush against your own as he walks with you through the castle. You cannot help the rush you feel each time he does this, his touch both innocent and teasing at the same time. Each brush only makes a subtle smirk pull at his own lips, knowing he already has such an effect on you.

All too soon, the afternoon comes to an end and he’s leading you back to your room for the evening. He’s told you that you’ll more than likely be meeting his mother tomorrow, so you should get as much rest as you can, considering how hectic the day has been for you.

“If you ever need me, I’m just down the hallway to your left,” he tells you, of which you find yourself nodding in response. “If an emergency ever arises, come and get me. No matter the time.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you say, lips twitching upwards in a half smile. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” he returns your smile. “I’ll always be here for you.”

By now, the two of you have stopped just outside of your bedroom door. You stare deeply into his eyes, and you can see the sincerity reflected in them. Your lips part slightly as you take a small step backwards as he continues to stare intensely at you, almost as if he’s in a daze.

Before you know it, he’s blinking as if to clear his head while clearing his throat, “well, I’ve got a few things to attend to before dinner. I’ll have someone bring you something to eat for then. In the meantime, feel free to do whatever you’d like, just let Maria know where you’ll be.”

“Sounds good,” you smile once more.

“See you later, Princess,” he grins, grabbing your hand in order to place a gentle kiss onto the back of it, successfully making your face warm. Without another word, he takes his leave. 

Watching his figure disappear down the hallway, you let out a blissful sigh. Lunch was enjoyable, and you can’t wait to see what else he has in store for you. Not only that, but you can’t wait to further explore the castle and find your favourite spots. Hopefully you can find a little nook to read some of the books from the massive library that caught your eye while you explored with Jaehyun.

Entering your room, you bite your lip. The only thing you’re particularly nervous about would be meeting his mother. Based off of what he’s told you about her so far, she can be very picky about mannerisms, and it can be difficult for anyone new to impress her. Maybe that’s what Minho meant by no one new has come to the palace for a long time. You just hope you can make a good impression, or at least good enough for her to at least tolerate you. After all, if you’re to marry her son, having her like you would be a huge success.

“You okay there?” Maria’s voice manages to pull you out of your own thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” you reply absentmindedly, walking further into the room as the door falls shut. Your brow furrows slightly as you notice Greta isn’t with her this time. “Where’s Greta?”

Maria stiffens ever so slightly, “she has this afternoon and evening off.”

“Ah, makes sense,” you nod, moving to sit on your bed.

“Is there anything I can get for you, Miss?” She asks politely.

“Not at the moment, thank you,” you shoot her a grateful smile. “I think I might just nap, I am a bit sleepy.”

“Alright, well, I’ll help you change,” 

“No need, I can do it myself,”

“No, please, I insist,” she’s already begun to move around your room and grabs a fresh set of clothes for you to change into. “After all, it’s what I’m here for.”

“Well, okay,” you sigh softly, allowing Maria to help you change.

Once done, the two of you just sit together in your room talking about anything and everything. She tells you that her family has always served the Jung’s for as long as she can remember, but she doesn’t mind it here. Apparently, the job pays really well, and they get ample time off.

Before you know it, there is a knock on your door and another servant is there holding a tray for you piled high with plates containing your evening meal. You thank them and move to take the tray from their hands, but they insist on putting it down for you. They set everything up for you on the table in your room before bowing respectively and leaving you to your own with Maria still patiently standing off to the side.

Sitting back down, your eyes rake over the food now resting in front of you. This is one of your favourite meals, but Jaehyun couldn’t possibly know that. Could he?

“The Prince made special preparations for you before you came,” Maria says, noticing your stare.

“This is my favourite dish,” you comment.

“I take it everything is to your liking, then?” She smiles.

“Of course, but I still don’t understand how he knows this is my favourite dish,” you say.

“If I’m not mistaken, I believe he was informed by your mother,”

“He’s talked with my mom?” Your eyes widen slightly in surprise.

“Oh, I mean, Minho was told by your mother, who in turn told Prince Jaehyun when he got back to the palace today,” Maria is quick to correct herself.

“Ah, I see,” you turn back to the food spread out in front of you. “Oh my! Where are my manners? Would you like anything?”

Maria almost looks caught off guard by your offer of sharing your food with her, “oh, no, thank you! I couldn’t.”

“Nonsense,” you shake your head, pushing one of the many side dishes over to her. “I don’t like eating alone, anyways.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice is hesitant, gnawing her bottom lip in worry.

“Of course,” you confirm. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

“Thank you, Miss,” she graciously accepts the dish, grabbing a set of utensils to join you in eating.

You simply smile at her in response, happy to be sharing your favourite meal with someone else. Her presence brings you comfort in this still unfamiliar place, of which you know will take some getting used to, despite the tour you took today. After all, you are alone, and far from home.

Meanwhile, Jaehyun paces in his study. He sent Minho to gather Greta for him just before you came to meet him downstairs for lunch that day. He overheard what she told you, and to say he was not impressed would be an understatement. Is she trying to make him look bad in front of you? No matter, he’ll dispose of the problem soon enough.

“Minho, I still don’t understand what’s going on-“ Greta’s voice gets caught in her throat once she is escorted inside the study to see Jaehyun now leaning against his desk with his arms crossed.

“Your Highness,” she bows respectively. “How may I be of service to you?”

“I have a favour to ask of you, Greta,” the way he says her name sends a shiver of fear running down her spine: full of venom and malice.

“Y-yes, sir, what is it?” Her blood is rushing through her. She’s heard of the Prince’s famous glare but never having been on the receiving end, there’s nothing that could have prepared her for the look of bloodlust in his eyes that came about so suddenly.

“I want you to run, Greta,” he pushes himself off the edge the desk, staring directly into her eyes, “and run far.”

A gasp escapes her lips. He heard.

“Well?” He hums, tauntingly, amusement shining in his eyes as he stares at her now trembling form. “What are you waiting for? That’s an order.”

With a shaky nod from her, she’s bustling out of the room and down the hallway. He can still hear the sound of her racing heart even after she makes it to the floor below him.

The malicious grin never leaves his lips as he begins to make his way out of his study. Currently, he is a predator stalking their prey. This’ll be fun, he hasn’t had to chase his prey in a while, and he cannot wait to tear into her throat. How dare she even suggest that you run from him. He would never hurt you. 

Anyone else, on the other hand? Fair game.

“Are you really sure this is necessary, my Prince?” Minho nervously watches Jaehyun as he passes through the doorway into the hall.

“Of course,” Jaehyun smiles, but it only serves to unnerve Minho as Jaehyun’s eyes flash red in the next moment. “She nearly lost me what is mine.”

In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun is gone from his sight, and Minho can only breathe a sigh of relief that he’s left unharmed this evening. Once Jaehyun sets his mind to something, there is no changing it. No one can stop him when he’s on a warpath, and Minho is just glad that he isn’t on the receiving end of one of the Prince’s violent episodes.

It takes Jaehyun mere seconds to catch up with Greta, who has been able to make it into the grand foyer before the main doors. He slams her against the wall, hearing a few of her bones fracture due to the impact. Her whimpers and pleas for her own life fall on deaf ears, even as more servants shuffle passed. They all know not to get involved, lest they want to suffer the same fate as Greta. Too many have learned that the hard way.

The last thing she sees is Jaehyun’s malicious smirk, fangs on full display as he tears into her throat. Once he’s sure she’s dead, he tosses her body aside, letting the blood spill over the floor. He spits the chunk of her neck he has in his mouth onto her body, a look of pure disgust on his face as he glares down at her corpse.

“Somebody clean this mess up,” he snarls out as he turns his back to her body. The others are frozen in fear, but his growl manages to have a few snapping immediately to their senses and rushing over to Greta’s dead body. “Now!”

He doesn’t stick around to see if they remove her or not, opting to head straight to his room for the evening. He wants to see you again, but he knows that it might be too soon. Besides, with his emotions heightened at the moment, he would potentially be putting you in danger. At least he’ll still be able to smell your scent, and hear whatever it is that you’re doing. That’s enough for him, for now.

A smile tugs at his lips as he faintly hears you conversing with Maria about something that happened to you during your childhood. He knew placing Maria with you as your personal assistant would be a good idea. Greta was his mother’s choice, and he had a feeling she was going to be nothing but a nuisance for him. Nothing is going to get in his way of winning your heart. Nothing. Everything has to go according to plan.

The following morning, he does a brief check of the front foyer to make sure everything has been cleaned properly, and that nothing remains of the events of that previous evening. The last thing he wants is for you to see something like that. Seeing that it’s been cleared of any evidence, he smiles, making his way back upstairs to finally greet you for the day.

To be quite honest, he is a little nervous himself for you to meet his mother. She didn’t exactly approve of him essentially stalking you, what he just calls taking a keen interest in making sure you’re doing alright. If Greta was any indication of how his mother will act, he knows she’ll probably devise a plan to take you away from him, or worse, make you afraid of him. After all, she knows exactly how her son can be.

Knocking gently on your door, he can hear your soft footfalls as you walk closer to him. He can’t wait to see you, and when you open the door to reveal yourself he most certainly is not disappointed with what he sees. How you look more beautiful every time he sees you is a mystery to him. One thing he knows for sure though, is that you’ve enchanted him since the moment he first laid eyes on you.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he smiles, noticing how you react positively to his words.

“Good morning,” you greet back politely, a small smile gracing your own features.

“Did you sleep well?” He asks, noticing Maria has already remade your bed.

“Quite,” you nod, smile only widening as you look at him. “Did you?”

“I did indeed,” he hums in response, though he would have slept better if you were in his arms. “Are you ready for today?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you let out a nervous chuckle as you step into the hallway, closing the door gently behind you.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with you the whole time,” he assures you, extending his arm out for you to loop yours with his. “Let’s get going.”

“Yes, let’s,” you hum back, taking his arm as you begin to walk down the hallway. “Any advice for me before we meet you mother?”

“Just be your usual charming self, and I’m sure you’ll be fine,” he squeezes your arm slightly, causing you to look over to already see him smiling at you.

You say nothing but choose to nod in understanding. You just hope your usual charming self doesn’t do or say anything that might embarrass you.

The two of you make idle chat as you make your way to the throne room to meet his mother. He manages to make you laugh, loosening your tense shoulders slightly as you relax the more he’s able to distract you. The whole time, he observes you fondly, glad to know that he can ease your nerves slightly, even if you’ve only officially known each other for a day. If only he could help you to relax in any and every other way he knows how.

All too soon, you’ve arrived just outside the doors to the throne room. Minho already stands waiting outside the grand set of double doors for the two of you, announcing your arrival to the queen as the doors part for you to walk through. 

Your heart races in your chest, nerves momentarily returning as you’re faced with the task at hand. This is one of the most important moments in your mind, for if his mother doesn’t approve of you, you do not know what will happen. That being said, you want to make sure to make the best impression you can on his mother, no matter what happens.

Walking into the room, you see his mother already sitting on her throne, watching the two of you as you approach where she is seated. Her gaze is scrutinizing, though it seems as if she’s watching he son more closely than she’s watching you. A fact which confuses you slightly since you would have assumed she would be more interested in how you hold yourself around her son rather than how her son holds himself around you. However this may be, you’re only grateful for the momentary relief you feel as you finally stop just before her throne.

“Mother, I’d like to formally introduce you to the woman whom I’d like to become my betrothed,” Jaehyun introduces you, telling her your name shortly after.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty,” you say, bowing politely in introduction to the queen.

“Please, Your Majesty sounds so formal,” the queen waves her hand slightly in the air as if dismissing the remark before leaning forwards slightly in her throne, “call me Cathy.”

“Huh,” you muse, “like mother, like son.”

“Oh?” Cathy’s amusement is clear on her face as she looks from Jaehyun over to you.

“Yes,” you confirm. “It seems not liking titles runs in the family. Jaehyun’s also told me to call him by his name instead of his title.”

“Has he now?” Cathy leans back, eyeing her son suspiciously. That’s very unlike her son, as he only ever allows people to call him by his title, no matter who they may be. You must be important to him then, a fact which only causes her worry for you to grow. None of her son’s other playthings ever got to address him by his first name. “And has he been treating you alright so far?”

Jaehyun’s eyes narrow ever so subtly at his mother, for he knows what game she’s playing. Like hell she’ll catch him slipping up.

“He’s been nothing but a gentleman since I’ve arrived,” you respond, and if your words don’t fill his chest with pride, nothing else will. He can hardly wait for you to see what else he has in store for you.

“I see,” she hums, placing her hands gracefully in her lap.

“I’d also just like to thank you very much for your hospitality, and for letting me stay at the palace during this time,” you bow deeply once more. “Thank you.”

“Of course, sweetie,” she smiles. “Anything for the one my little Jaehyunnie has been so obsessed with lately.”

“Mother,” Jaehyun’s reaction is a warning to her, but to you it just sounds like a boy being embarrassed by his mom.

You giggle, and normally he would think it’s the sweetest sound, if not for the circumstances. “So I’ve heard.”

“Ah, I see,” Cathy grins. “He’s already told you all about how he-“

“Are you quite content, mother?” Jaehyun interrupts, eyes flashing his warning towards Cathy who only appears to be amused at his antics.

“Oh, indeed,” she smiles back, though you fail to register the malice hidden behind her lips. “I was only hoping to be joined by Miss (Y/n) here for some morning beverages. I’d love to get to know her better, if she’s alright with that, of course.”

Before Jaehyun can even respond, you’re already speaking, “I’d love that.”

“Excellent!” His mother stands, descending the stairs and coming to stand before you. Having her this close really makes you realize the amount of power and regality she possesses. She extends her hand out for you to take. “If you’d be so kind as to join me.”

“Of course! Thank you,” you take her hand, allowing her to lead you out of the throne room as your arm slips out of Jaehyun’s grasp. With one final glance back, you see Jaehyun already staring after you, an unreadable expression on his face.

Turning back around, you notice Cathy leading you towards the gardens. Once outside, you see a nice table already set up facing the fountain, some of the finest cups and plates already set on top. Letting go of your hand, she motions for you to sit with her, a servant already pouring what looks like a steaming cup of tea for each of you.

“Thank you,” you repeat your words from earlier once you’re seated, graciously accepting the cup that is handed to you.

“I’m so glad you could join me this morning for a little girl talk,” she smiles, tilting her own cup in your direction in a mock ‘cheers’ gesture, of which you mirror.

“It’s nice to be invited,” you reply, taking a sip of your drink.

“I want you to know that you can come to me for anything, dear,” she says, looking you directly in your eyes and you’re momentarily stunned by how sincere she looks. “Absolutely anything.”

“Oh my,” you blink a few times in surprise, “that’s awfully kind of you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good,” her gaze lessens in intensity, allowing for your shoulders to relax slightly, not that you had even been aware of tensing them. “I know how my son can be, so your safety and happiness is my number one priority.”

“Thank you,” is all you can say, and you’re starting to feel like a broken record, but you truly are grateful for her words. Though, you don’t quite know exactly what she means by her most recent ones. Jaehyun, to you, seems like a really nice, caring guy, so the knowing look she sends you when she says that only serves to confuse you. Besides, she seems a lot nicer than what Jaehyun had made her out to be, of which you find a bit strange. Perhaps she’s just putting up a nice front for your sake at the moment. Either way, you’ll make sure not to do anything that would warrant her to dislike you.

“So, tell me about yourself,” Cathy sips her tea, leaning back in her seat to get comfortable as she watches you.

The rest of the morning is spent with the queen, getting a feel for each other and learning all about the other. She listens intently to everything you have to say and she looks genuinely so intrigued by you. The more time you spend with her, the more you seem to relax around her. She’s nothing like how Jaehyun described, which only makes you believe that that’s his familial side talking. Perhaps they’re not as close as the media makes them out to be.

By the time lunch rolls around, you find yourself eating alongside the Queen in the dining room, Jaehyun nowhere to be seen. Noticing your curious gaze, she mentions that he has some diplomatic council meeting to attend to, but he’ll probably be joining you for dinner that evening. You simply nod in response, continuing on with your conversation with the Queen.

Another hour passes with you spending time with Cathy, and the both of you enjoy this so much that you plan to make your little girl talk a weekly thing. You end up leaving with a smile on your face, as if a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders as you head back to your room. Honestly, you cannot wait for next week to be able to spend more time with the Queen, as she’s nothing at all like you were expecting. It’ll be nice to have another person that you can consider a friend while you’re staying here.

Making it back to your room, you’re greeted by Maria who seems to have been patiently waiting for your return. She asks you how your day has been so far, and you tell her honestly that you had a lovely morning with the Queen. 

“I’m a little surprised though,” you admit.

“Why’s that?” She asks, brow furrowing in slight concern.

“Jaehyun told me that she was a hard woman to please,”

“Really?” Her voice comes out in mild disbelief. From what she knows of the Queen, she’s a lovely person through and through. The Prince on the other hand… though she would never tell you that. Not that she could without risk of losing her life and everything she holds dear.

“Still, I’m glad we made such a connection today,” you smile. “That’s good, right? Getting his mom to like me is a step in a positive direction.”

“Of course, Miss,” Maria returns your smile, though it seems a bit forced. She has to be extra careful around you now with how she acts and what she says, after all, by now, every servant in the castle has heard of what happened to Greta last night.

“By the way, how’s Greta doing? I haven’t seen her since yesterday,” you wonder aloud, almost missing the way Maria’s shoulders seem to tense at the inquiry.

“Oh, uh, about that,” Maria says, eyes shifting nervously around the room. She’s just grateful she’s facing away from you at the moment. “Greta took a vacation to go visit her family, so she won’t be back for a while.”

“Ah, I see,” you hum. “That’s nice, hopefully she has a lovely time with her family.”

If only you knew what kind of condition she was in when her body was sent back to her family. Maybe then you would have heeded her warnings.

“Yeah,” Maria replies, somewhat breathless. “Hopefully.”

The next few weeks pass by in a blur for you, each day bringing about a new adventure with Jaehyun. So far, he makes you very happy, and you’re beginning to settle into things at the castle. You especially look forward to the weekly girl talk dates with Cathy, of which she’s asked you to start calling her ‘mom’. Each time she does, you smile shyly and your heart warms, though when you told Jaehyun, he seemed quite shocked.

You’ve also discovered that some of the servants are humans and others are vampires, which was a bit of a surprise to you since you thought all of the servants were humans. At least most of the one’s you’ve encountered so far are. They’ve all been super nice to you, except for the odd one that either looks at you with pity or worry in their eyes. A few even go so far as to attempt to warn you against something, but Jaehyun always appears before they can finish whatever it is that they have to tell you. Whenever this happens, you can never understand the fear that seems to take hold of their body, eyes pleadingly looking towards Jaehyun. Oddly enough, you usually never encounter them again, only hearing brief mention of their names from passing servants.

Of course Jaehyun won’t tell you the amount of teeth he’s pulled, eyes he’s gouged out, or even tongues he’s cut off because of this. No, never. He always has to be the perfect prince in your eyes, keeping you blind to everything that might scare you away from him.

What really sets him off one day is when the two of you had just come back from riding your horses through the grounds. The stable hand, Shotaro, had given you a hand helping you off of your horse. Instead of Jaehyun being the one to help you, he was forced to watch as another male held your hand delicately and smiled at you softly.

Having had a few previous interactions with the vampiric stable hand, you thought nothing of this. A simple friendly gesture to you was near treason in Jaehyun’s eyes. Only he should be able to touch you like that. How else is he supposed to charm you and show you how much of a gentleman he can be towards you? How he can provide for you, even in the most basic of ways?

Luckily, Maria was waiting to lead you back to the castle in order for your weekly girl talk with the Queen. Using this opportunity as you’re walking away, Jaehyun rounds on Shotaro, already seeing the vampire visibly stiffen at the deathly gaze that is sent his way. In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun is in front of him, grasping the same hand Shotaro used to help you down from the horse.

“Scream, and I will end you,” Jaehyun seethes, not giving a second thought as he crushes Shotaro’s hand in his grip, hearing the bones snapping beneath the pressure. The tears he sees threatening to fall from this pest’s eyes only serve to widen the sadistic smile on Jaehyun’s face. “If you ever touch what’s mine again, your hand won’t be the only part of you I shatter. Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-yes, my Prince,” Shotaro stutters out, fear pouring off of him from every angle.

“Now, you better go get that hand of yours fixed up,” Jaehyun tilts his head slightly, a malicious gleam in his eyes. “We wouldn’t want any bones to set and start healing in the wrong place, now would we?”

“N-no, my Prince,” he shakes his head, clutching his broken hand to his chest as soon as Jaehyun releases his grip.

“Good,” Jaehyun hums, a dark expression taking over his features. “Now, get out of my sight.”

Immediately, Shotaro flees the scene, fearing the Prince might inflict more of his wrath upon him. How you haven’t noticed Jaehyun’s eccentric behaviour yet is a mystery. Then again, he purposely keeps you blind to everything bad about his personality, only willing to show you the good parts. Those good parts which are only reserved for you.

Meanwhile, you have just been softly conversing with Maria as she walks with you back up to the castle from the stables. It’s then that you realize that you’ve been walking alone with her for the past two minutes, causing your brow to furrow slightly.

“Where’s Jaehyun?” You verbalize your thoughts, and just as you’re about to turn around to look for him, you feel his comforting hand on the small of your back.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to check up on something back at the stables,” his smile is dazzling and you can’t help but nod your head in understanding as you smile back at him.

Naturally, your arm slides around his, the two of you walking comfortably back into the castle with Maria at your heels. Soon enough, the two of you enter the throne room, a large smile breaking out onto your features as you greet the Queen. A smile which Jaehyun wants only for himself.

“Are you finally going to join us today, Jaehyunnie?” Cathy asks, standing from her seat and making her way towards the two of you.

“Oh, I’d love that,” you look towards him with a hopeful expression, eyes wide.

“Not today, unfortunately,” the look you’re giving him almost makes him change his mind immediately, the pout causing him to gently cup your cheek in his hand, running his thumb over your skin. “Maybe next time.”

“Alright,” you sigh, slightly disappointed. You love spending time with him, almost as much as he does with you. “You promise?”

“I promise,” he smiles, placing a gentle kiss onto your forehead as he reluctantly steps aways from you, only to see his mother observing him carefully. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Okay,” you respond, eyes following his figure as he turns and walks out of the room, gaze lingering ever so slightly on the doors even after they’ve closed behind him.

“Ready to go, dear?” Cathy’s voice manages to pull you out of your daze, you nodding in the next moment and following her out into the gardens for your weekly girl talk session.

The afternoon passes with the two of you conversing about how you’re liking staying at the palace so far. You tell her honestly that you’re having a wonderful time, and that everyone seems so nice, except for the odd few who seem to avoid you like the plague. She seemed to only hum in response at that, though you’re not quite sure why.

“How’s your family? Have you been writing to them like I suggested?” Cathy sips her drink, looking at you expectantly.

“Oh, I completely forgot,” you meant to send them a letter last week after she had suggested it, but you got caught up in the plans Jaehyun had made in the afternoon that you forgot all about it. Besides, he didn’t quite look too enthused when you mentioned writing to them, but that could just be your faulty memory. “I should write them today, I do miss them greatly.”

“Would you like to visit them?”

“I’d love to,” you smile softly, not believing it to be possible. “But-“

“Excellent! I’ll make arrangements for you to visit them tomorrow,” Cathy interjects, a chipper expression on her face.

“I don’t know how to thank you enough,” at this point you know not to question her decisions.

“Nonsense,” she places her hand gently on top of yours which has been resting on the table between the two of you. “It’s the least I can do. After all, with how much you talk about your family, I can tell they’re important to you.”

“They are,” you confirm, looking over to meet her fond gaze.

“You have a kind heart, (Y/n),” she hums, shifting her gaze to look out over the garden. “Guard it well.”

You can only smile in return, thoughts running wild as to you finally being able to go visit your mother and your sister since you first arrived at the palace two months ago. Finally, you’ll be able to catch up with them and tell them all about what’s been going on in your life. Maybe if you’re lucky, you can introduce Jaehyun to them as well.

That evening, after Jaehyun has bid you a goodnight, he storms into his mother’s chambers. Throwing the doors open, a loud bang reverberates throughout the room, a few passing servants looking on in fear. Sending a dangerous look their way, Jaehyun manages to scare them off before rounding on his mother.

“You promised to let her see her family tomorrow?” He seethes, voice booming as there’s no fear you may overhear. After all, your room is all the way on the opposite side of the castle.

“Oh, Jaehyunnie, what a pleasant surprise for you to drop by to finally come visit your dear mother,” she feigns interest, sparing him a side glance before going back to her nightly routine.

“Spare the small talk, mother,” he spits, brows furrowed in anger. “Why would you do something like this?”

“Are you that obsessed with isolating the poor girl?” Cathy hums, tilting her head questioningly at her son. “She needs to socialize with other people, she can’t just stay around you the whole time.”

“I’m the only one she needs,” his voice is low, a growl threatening to rise up his throat. “The only one she’ll ever need.”

“You do not own her,”

“I know,” he snaps. “I’ve worked too damn hard to let her go now.”

“You have a lot to realize before you should even think about calling her yours,” Cathy states, hearing her son let out the growl that he had been holding back this whole time. She only looks amused by his reaction. “You cannot control her.”

“Everything’s gone according to plan thus far,” he retorts, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Besides a few minor set backs which have been disposed of.”

“Ah, yes,” she muses. “I’d appreciate if you stopped mutilating my servants, let alone killing them.”

“It’s no less than they deserve,” he counters.

“And what does your beloved think about that side of you?”

A brief moment of silence settles around the room, speaking volumes in Cathy’s eyes, until he breaks it.

“She doesn’t know,” Jaehyun watches his mother move around her room carefully, eyes narrowed in distaste. “She never will."

“My child, there will come a day when her eyes are opened to see your true colours,” Cathy warns, pausing in her step to turn and look down upon Jaehyun with her nose upturned. 

“Is that a threat, mother?” His eyes hold a crazed look in them at the mere idea of you finding out the truth. Hell, even the thought of you being taken away from him sets his instincts into overdrive, causing his eyes to bleed red and another growl to escape his throat.

“It’s not a threat if I only speak the truth,” she replies calmly, only causing his anger to flare more than it already has. “Do not expect her to return with you after visiting her family tomorrow. I have been keeping in touch with them regarding this entire situation and they know the lengths you are willing to go to ensnare her. The lengths you have already gone. I don’t know what you told Minho to tell her mother that first day that has her so terrified of the consequences, but her sister, Lori, was it? She seems to have a level head on her shoulders.”

Jaehyun’s blood boils, eyes filling with fury as they remain red, “you’ve been doing what?”

“Warning them about you and devising a plan to free the lovely Miss (Y/n) from your clutches,” her brow quirks as she watches her son fume before her very eyes. 

“I’ll kill them if they so much as even try,” he hisses, chest heaving with every breath as he is thrown into this situation. He’s come this far, there’s no way he’s letting you go now.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Cathy’s voice is steady, firm in her command of the room. “Enough blood has already been spilt on your account.”

“Clearly, there hasn’t been enough,” Jaehyun growls, eye flashing once more at his mother.

Rising to her full height, the Queen does not take the underlying threat from her son lightly, “you dare threaten me? Let’s not forget who brought you into this world and who taught you all that you know. Be careful, boy, lest your ambitious lust go to your head.”

“I don’t care who you may be to me, mother,” he seethes, straightening his back and matching her ferocity with his own, “but if you so much as even attempt to take what’s mine away from me, I’ll kill you.”

Without another word between them, Jaehyun is storming out of his mother’s room, leaving her standing with a shocked expression on her face. Never, in all of her long years of putting up with his antics has she ever seen him look this serious, this deadly about something in her life. Her worry only grows for you as she thinks of what he may have in store for you in the future. Going forward, she’ll have to be extra cautious, preparing herself for whatever her son has planned to come.

The next morning, you wake up bright and early, excited to finally go visit your family again after being away from them for so long. You hardly got any sleep at all last night, considering how excited you are. Being able to catch them up to everything going on in your life will be like a dream come true, and besides, you never did get your clothes from your mom that she promised to send to the palace, and you really miss your favourite sweater.

“You’re awfully happy this morning,” Maria comments as she does your hair for the day.

“I am,” you agree. “I haven’t seen my family in months and I can’t wait to introduce them to Jaehyun.”

“That’ll be lovely!” Maria replies, though you catch her grimace in the mirror.

“What is it?” You question, eyes wide with concern.

“Nothing to worry yourself about,” she tells you, shrugging off your inquiries.

“Clearly it’s something,” you counter, to which she sighs.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Prince will not be joining you right away this morning,” Maria admits, to which your expression drops slightly.

“Oh,”

“But don’t worry! He told me to tell you that he’d be along as soon as he can,” Maria continues, giving your shoulders a quick rub in encouragement. “He just has a few things to tend to first. You know, political duties and such.”

“I understand,” you nod, still visibly disappointed you won’t be arriving at the same time, nor travelling together this morning.

“Come on, dear, let’s get you changed,” she gives your shoulders one final pat before leading you to the closet to finish getting you ready for the day.

After a quick breakfast with the Queen, you’re being ushered into the back of a car to head back home for the day. The whole car ride over feels like an eternity, the scenery not being able to distract you one bit. 

Restless wouldn’t even begin to be able to describe you, your eyes flitting everywhere inside the car, then out the window, only to repeat the same process over and over again. Even your leg hasn’t stopped bouncing in anticipation, fingers toying with the edge of your shirt just to have something to do.

Eventually, after what feels like hours to you, you arrive in a familiar neighbourhood. Once the car is parked, you step out onto a familiar driveway, a smile gracing your features as you breathe in the fresh air. The driver has only been instructed to drop you off since Jaehyun will be by later, accompanied by Minho to take you back to the palace. Once he sees you’re safe, he’s starting the engine once more and pulling out of the driveway. This way you can have some privacy before the Prince arrives. Cathy made sure of that.

Making your way up your front porch, there’s a slight spring to your step, pushing open the front door in the next moment and calling out a cheerful ‘I’m home’! Oh, how good it feels, too.

“(Y/n)?” You hear your mother’s voice sound from the kitchen before her head is peeking out from the doorway, eyes wide with disbelief. “Is that you?”

“Hey, mom,” you greet, kicking off your shoes and running over to embrace her, her arms already spread open in anticipation.

“It’s so good to see you again, sweetie,” she says, hugging you even closer than before, almost as if she’s afraid you’ll disappear in a moment’s notice. “When the queen sent notice last night of you coming to visit this morning, I could hardly believe it.”

“More like you couldn’t believe it,” Lori’s voice sounds from the entranceway behind you, causing a large grin to spread on your face as you turn around to face your younger sister. “Where’s the Prince? I’m surprised you two aren’t joined at the hip.”

You roll you eyes at this, “it’s lovely to see you, too, Lori. I’ve missed you so much.”

She merely sticks her tongue out at you in response, coming over to squish you in a hug in the next second. “Yeah, yeah, I missed you, too.”

Despite her grumbling, you can tell she means what she says, if the tightness of her hug is anything to go by. You can tell she’s also missed teasing you, just as you’ve missed teasing her.

“If you must know,” you say, pulling away from Lori after a long hug. “Jaehyun will be coming by later, he’s just got a few things to attend to first. He sends his regards, though, for the time being.”

“Wow, first name basis with the Prince,” Lori whistles lowly. “That’s a shocker considering I’ve heard that he doesn’t let just anyone call him that.”

“Lori,” your mother shoots a warning look at your sister.

“What? It’s the truth,” she shrugs, only causing you to chuckle.

“Well, we are pretty close,”

“I’ll say,” Lori hums. “Speaking of, has he ever told you why he chose you, or how he even found out about you in the first place?”

“Lori, my word,” your mother shoots her another look, as if to tell her to quit while she’s ahead.

“Mom, it’s okay,” you chuckle, voice nothing but reassuring. “I always knew my little sister was concerned for me, no matter how badly she tries to hide it. As a matter of fact, yes. I have asked him before.”

“And?” She motions with her hand for you to continue.

“He told me that one day while he was out he saw me and overheard the conversation I was having with Jaemin - remember how we always banter back and forth?” Seeing her nod, you continue, “anyways, he apparently appreciated my wit and humour and decided to learn more about me. Well, here we are.”

The smile you send your mother and sister only serves to unnerve them slightly. They’ve been told not to tell you that Jaemin has gone missing since you’ve left for the palace.

“You believe him?” Lori gives you a ‘really’ look, brow quirked in disbelief.

“I have no reason not to,” you shrug.

By now, the two of you have sat down at the kitchen table, your mother busy with preparing lunch for all of you.

“You know how crazy that sounds, though, right?” She goes on to say. “After eavesdropping on your conversation he suddenly wants you to move to the palace so he can make you his wife? That’s very strange.”

“I mean, I was a little weirded out at first, but after he explained himself I felt better,” you say, leaning back slightly in your chair in order to relax. “I trust him.”

At your words, Lori only seems even more suspicious, your mother distracting you long enough for her to hide her concern.

“That’s nice, dear,” she smiles at you. “You must really like him, then.”

You hum in agreement, “I really do.”

“So,” your mother begins, sitting down to join you two at the table as the food heats up on the stove, “tell us everything.”

It takes you about an hour and a half to explain everything that’s happened to you since your arrival at the castle all those weeks ago. The whole while, your mother and sister listen patiently to what you have to say, chiming in here and there with little comments of their own. Your mother seems happy for you, but you can tell your sister isn’t all that convinced. Her comment about the Prince not being everything he seems to be certainly is enough to rub you the wrong way, putting a slight damper on your mood the longer you spend at home.

“All I’m just saying is that he seems too nice, from what you’re telling me,” her eyes hold the same suspicion you can hear clearly in her voice.

“He’s given me no reason to suspect otherwise,” you counter, a slight furrow to your brows.

“Yet he’s never once suggested visiting us, and when you do, he’s nowhere to be found,” Lori quirks a brow at you.

“It’s not his fault he has duties to attend to,” you defend him, upset that your sister doesn’t seem nearly as happy for you as you thought she’d be.

“Does he always have ‘duties’ to attend to when there’s something you want to do?” A knowing look is sent your way, as if she already knows how you’re going to answer. “If you’re always alone there, then why don’t you just come home? It sounds to me like you’d be better off that way, anyways.”

“No!” You immediately counter, crossing your arms in front of your chest, hurt that your own sister would even suggest something like this. “That’s not the case. He’s been nothing but caring and respectful towards me since I got there. I don’t expect him to wait on me hand and foot all the goddamn time. It’s nice having some space every once in a while, too.” You can tell you’ve momentarily stunned her with your answer as she looks at you, dumbfounded. Taking this opportunity, you continue, “if all you’re going to do is shit on my happiness, then I won’t bother to come home at all. I care about him and I know he cares about me, and all you’re doing is making your jealousy clear. I don’t want to move back home, I want to stay with him. I-“ you swallow, gathering your courage to utter your next words, “I’m in love with him.”

A soft gasp leaves your mother’s lips, “sweetie.”

“What?” You turn your attention to look at her, noticing how she’s already staring at you with an unreadable expression on her face, your sister sitting frozen in her spot at your admission.

“You love him,” comes your sister’s voice. Not a question, but a mere statement of facts, of which causes you to gape slightly before closing your mouth and steadying yourself. You let out a breath that you didn’t realize you’d been holding.

“I do,” you confirm, staring both women down as they stare back at you. Your mother with a dumbfounded expression, your sister with a stern gaze that feels as if it’s boring into your soul.

A moment of silence passes over the three of you as they let your confession sink in, only interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” your mother sighs, heading towards the front door to see who it could be.

“He has you wrapped around his finger, doesn’t he?” Lori sighs, causing whatever last thread of patience you had to snap at her remark.

Your snappy retort dies in your throat as soon as you hear a familiar masculine voice coming from the front door, Jaehyun politely introducing himself to your mother after being invited inside.

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear,” Lori mutters, shaking her head.

In an instant, you’re standing, the scraping of your chair against the floor enough to cause Lori to look up at you in surprise at the sudden action. You say nothing as you head out of the kitchen and towards the front door, Lori following shortly afterwards with a frown prominent on her face.

To everyone’s surprise, you start to slip on your shoes. Out of the corner of your eyes, you see Minho shoot you a worried look while your mother and sister share a glance. However, none look as concerned as Jaehyun does right now.

“Is everything alright?” He asks lowly, hand finding purchase on your lower back as you right yourself after fixing your one shoe.

“Fine,” you respond shortly, to the surprise of everyone in the room. “Thanks for lunch, mom. It was really nice seeing you again.”

You move over to give her a brief hug. It takes her a moment to return it, unsure of what exactly has transpired in the past minute to have you rushing out of the door so soon. You seemed so excited for them to meet the Prince earlier, so this only serves to increase her worry.

“Of course, dear,” she answers. “Is everything okay?”

You pull away, giving her a tight smile, “just a bad headache, is all.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to lie down for a bit? You just got here,” she frowns, worry evident on her features along with a hint of what looks like sadness.

“I’m sure,” you reply, sending her a weak smile in return. 

One thing you’ve always been horrible at is hiding your emotions. Anyone can read them clear as day on your face, especially right now. That’s one thing Jaehyun has learned about you during your stay at the palace, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t find out what happened. For now, he’ll simply go along with your wishes, playing the part of the concerned lover. Good thing, too, otherwise if a moment longer had passed, he probably would have torn Lori’s head from her shoulders for causing you such distress.

Even though he’s only just entered the house, he’s been outside far longer than any of you have suspected. Of course he overheard what the three of you had been talking about, and your family’s attitudes certainly rubbed him the wrong way. He knows his own mother definitely has something to do with the way Lori is acting. Thank fuck she won’t be a problem any more.

The only good thing his mind has latched onto at the moment is your loving confession. He has to remind himself to stay in control of his emotions for the time being, lest he want his plans to be ruined. After all, things are going far better than he could have ever hoped on this end.

“Okay, sweetie, if you’re sure,” even though she doesn’t look convinced, she doesn’t push the issue. “Come and visit again soon!”

“We will,” you give her another small smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes.

Giving one final nod to your mother, you hardly even spare Lori a final glance as you bid her farewell, the both of them waving goodbye to you from the front porch. Once seated in the backseat of the car beside Jaehyun, you let out a sigh.

“Is everything okay, Princess?” His voice holds nothing but concern as he motions for Minho to raise the privacy screen.

You finally meet his gaze, and he curses whoever was the one to cause you pain, “honestly, not really.”

He shifts closer, placing a comforting hand on your knee, “did you want to talk about it?”

A few moments pass by in silence as you attempt to calm yourself down. Taking a deep breath, you meet his gaze once more.

“She called you a devil,” he inhales sharply at your words, feigning shock. “And I know how much you hate that word, let alone being called such a thing. I just couldn’t sit there and listen to any more of Lori’s bullshit slander of you.”

“I see,” he says, lips tugging downwards in a frown. On the inside though, he’s surprised that you even remembered him telling you that offhandedly one of the first times you went horseback riding together. It warms his heart that you would remember a detail like that of himself. Though, this only serves to confirm to him even further that you’re perfect for each other.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize for your family’s behaviour. “I just couldn’t stand how she was talking about you, or the fact that I felt like they were invalidating my feelings.”

“It’s not your fault,” he assures you, shifting so that his hand can now gently stroke your back as you lean forward to rest your elbows on your knees.

“I was looking forward to you meeting them, too,” you pout, disappointment clear in your voice. “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s alright, Darling,” he sends you a reassuring smile. “If I’m being completely honest, I’m kind of glad we left early. I don’t think I would have had the heart to be proper company to your loved ones.”

This time, it’s your turn to look at him in concern, “is everything okay?”

“Not really,” he shoots you a weak smile, his facade cracking just as he had planned from the moment you decided to leave your house as soon as he had arrived. “No.”

“What’s wrong?” You cup his cheek tenderly, and he leans into your touch, briefly closing his eyes as he revels in the way your skin feels against his, though you take it as him seeking comfort for whatever it is he’s about to tell you.

“It’s my mother,” he pauses, swallowing a fake lump in his throat. “She’s been murdered.”

“Oh my god,” a gasp escapes your lips, a hand coming up to cover your mouth in shock.

“I was only just informed minutes before I arrived at your house,”

“Oh, Jaehyun,” your eyes hold nothing but sorrow as you embrace him, “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re doing an awful lot of apologizing today for things that aren’t your fault,” he comments, wrapping his arms securely around your waist as he pulls you closer into his chest.

“Still,” you whisper into his neck, “I’m sorry for your loss. Your mother was a wonderful person.”

A hum is all you receive in response, his grip tightening ever so subtly around you as he feels you start to shake slightly. He knew the two of you were close, but he wasn’t expecting you to shed actual tears when you learnt his mother had passed. Perhaps it’s the combination of emotions from your family mixed with this sudden news that has you curled up in his arms, seeking his comfort as much as you are comforting him. Either way, he’ll use this to his advantage, loving the feeling of having you pressed so close to him, clinging onto him like he’s the only one you’ll ever need.

Quietly, he shushes you, telling you that it’ll be alright. You’re quite surprised at how well he’s taking all of this, though you can tell he’s glad for the comfort you provide him during this time. However, what you fail to see is Jaehyun glancing briefly towards the window, eyes flashing as he catches his reflection in the glass. A look of smug content resides on his features as he continues to stroke your back in comforting circles.

You manage to fall asleep about halfway through the car ride back to the castle. Your head is resting on Jaehyun’s lap as he gently strokes his hand over your hair. A smile pulls at his lips when he hears you hum in content, shifting yourself closer to him in response.

Growing up the way he did, getting everything he ever wanted or could ever ask for, and hardly ever receiving punishments for his actions, he’s used to others shouting and crying about how unfair he can be. The amount of people he’s seen beg for their life with tears in their eyes has never made him blink one time. However, seeing you this upset, with tears in your eyes has made him promise himself to never see you cry again. You’re the only person in this universe he cannot stand to see in pain, and he will do anything and everything in his power to make sure that this never happens again. You deserve nothing but happiness, of which he knows only he can give you.

The news of the Queen’s death spreads throughout the nation like wildfire. Many demand answers as to how something like this could have happened, as well as who would do such a thing. Luckily, Jaehyun had prepared for this. A few servants, both human and vampire alike, that had tested his patience for far too long took the fall, information leaking that the murder was an inside job long planned out by said servants.

Jaehyun played his part well, condemning the criminals for their vile acts and taking his precious mother away from him, as well as the precious matriarch away from the citizens. The best part is that you were there the whole time comforting him and making sure he was okay. 

Those were some of the best days for him, being able to stay by your side nearly twenty-four seven, being able to hold you in his arms as you slept beside him. Fuck, he can never get enough of you: your soft skin beneath his fingertips, the way your body feels pressed against his own, the way you stood by him and offered him condolence when he needed it, and especially the way you smell. There were a few times he nearly went feral during the night due to your scent spiking with arousal. He could tell you were having some pretty nice dreams about him, for the one time you moaned his name in your sleep, nearly driving him insane.

He only wishes he had done this sooner, maybe then your sister wouldn’t be even more suspicious towards him. The letters from her only seemed to increase after his mother’s death, but he has no time for them, nor does he even want to entertain them. Maybe then he can finally have you all to himself without worrying about what your stupid brat of a younger sister might do to take you away from him. No matter, he’ll make sure to dispose of her soon, if she doesn’t stay in line.

Approximately two weeks after his mother’s funeral, Jaehyun takes you on a small picnic beneath the willow tree that overlooks the gardens. The place is secluded enough that you know you won’t be disturbed. After all, after the commotion of the past few weeks, it’s nice to just get away for a while, especially with just the two of you.

Currently, his head is resting in your lap, the two of you finally able to relax and enjoy each other’s company without interruptions. Glancing down, Jaehyun catches your gaze.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look today yet?” He smiles softly up at you as he watches the evening sun kiss your skin.

“Hmm,” you pretend to ponder his question, gazing out over the gardens as you teasingly tap your chin. “I don’t think you have.”

“It’s a shame, then,” he clicks his tongue, shaking his head slightly. “All the stars in both heaven and on earth could never compare to your beauty.”

The way he looks at you, like you’re his entire world, sets your heart racing in your chest. You bite your lip, looking away bashfully.

Sitting up, he lets out a small chuckle at your reaction. How can you be so cute?

“Don’t hide that pretty face from me, Darling,” cupping your chin gently in his hand, he turns your head to face him, noticing how you avert your gaze slightly in embarrassment. Pride swells in his chest as he knows only he can get a reaction like this out of you. Only he can make you feel this way. “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one for me.”

“Jae,” the whisper of his name from your lips sends a shiver down his spine.

“Getting to know you over these past few months has only confirmed my first thought I had of you,” he tells you, stroking his thumb slowly over your bottom lip as you watch him carefully.

“Oh?” Your gaze becomes hooded as you watch him, his own eyes focussed on the way his thumb is caressing your lip. “What might that be?”

“You’re perfect,” his voice is low, seductive, as he moves his hand to the back of your neck, thumb now stroking the nape.

“You must not have met many good people, then,” you lightly joke, the corner of your lip twitching upwards as your eyes flick to his lips, noticing how the space between the two of you grows ever smaller by the second.

“No,” he replies softly, “I haven’t.”

Your hand comes up to cup the side of his face, thumb rubbing his cheek tenderly as the two of you continue to stare into each other’s eyes. A moment of silence passes between the two of you before Jaehyun is breaking it.

“Can I kiss you?”

“I thought you’d never ask,”

You barely have time to finish your words when his lips are on yours, the hand he has placed on the back of your neck pulling you in closer. His touch is soft, lips delicate over your own, as if you’re the finest piece of glass that needs to be handled with the utmost care. Your eyes flutter shut.

This tender moment is enough to steal your breath away, something that Jaehyun never fails to do when you’re alone with him. How you got him of all people to fall for you is still a wonder, of which everyday you’re thankful for. Ever since he’s come into your life, you’ve never been happier. Each day with him is another where he makes you feel special. He cherishes you, just as you have come to cherish him, but more than all of that, he makes you feel loved.

Pulling away, he rests his forehead on yours, the hand on the back of your neck holding you in place as your eyes open to see him already gazing at you fondly.

“Like I said,” he breathes. “Perfect.”

“I could say the same about you,” you hum, pecking his lips once more and causing him to smile.

He hums back, content with how this evening is going so far, and with one final lingering kiss to your lips, he pulls away from you, albeit a bit reluctantly. If he’s honest with himself, he’s a bit nervous. The question he’s been meaning to ask you this entire evening sits at the tip of his tongue, unwilling to actually be formed into the proper words.

“I love you,” this is not the first time he’s told you this, but it still sets your heart aflutter. Maybe this time will be the time you say it back.

“I know,” you hum, lips tugging upwards as your eyes reflect the same love and want shining in his own.

“Even though we haven’t know each other all that long, no one makes me feel the way that you do,” he begins, again, somewhat nervously. You take his one hand into yours, letting him know he can take all the time he needs to in order to form the words he wants to say to you. “You mean the world to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life. I know it sounds ridiculous, but my life changed the day you stepped through those palace doors, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. You’ve changed my life for the better; you make me want to be a better man.”

“Jaehyun,” his name is but a whisper on your lips as he pulls out a ring from his pocket.

“Will you do me the honour of becoming mine?” He asks, gaze locking on yours as your hands come up to cover your mouth in shock. 

All you can do at the moment is nod your head, a large smile breaking out onto your face before it morphs into a slight smirk as he slides the ring on your finger. “Does this mean I get to call you mine?”

“You can call me whatever you’d like,” he grins, eyes hooded as he pulls you onto his lap to admire the ring now glinting on your finger. “My perfect bride.”

Your giggle is like music to his ears as he pulls you in for another kiss. This one is more heated, full of passion and longing with an undertone of a promise of what is still yet to come. 

Jaehyun could not be happier than he is in this moment with you. Everything has gone according to plan, and soon, he’ll get to call you his wife. Not that you would have had a choice in the matter, even if you had denied him. Now, you’re his, indefinitely, and nothing can change that. Now, he’s never letting you go.

As the sun begins to set in the distance, it’s your turn to rest your head on his thigh. He’s currently feeding you some red grapes, of which he’s been told are your favourite.

“What else we got?” You ask after a having a few more grapes.

“Hmm, let’s see,” he digs through the basket, pulling out and listing the different food options. “Why, do you not like the grapes?”

“I do, don’t get me wrong,” you smile reassuringly at him. “I’m just not the biggest fan of red grapes.”

“I thought they were your favourite,” Jaehyun replies, a small frown pulling at his features. Who was it again that told him that red grapes were your favourite? Ah, that’s right, Ben. If he had known they weren’t your favourite he would have never even dreamed of having them packed for you.

“Nah,” you scrunch your nose slightly while shaking your head. Jaehyun would think it’s cute were not for the situation he finds himself in. “Green grapes are where it’s at.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he smiles, though you don’t registered how it looks slightly forced.

Shooting him a smile back, the two of you turn your attention back to the sunset before you, making small comments here and there about the way the light reflects off of the surrounding areas. You feel completely at peace. Jaehyun on the other hand, is suffering from inner turmoil at this mistake. Something that is so small could have meant a world of difference to you, and the last thing he wants is to screw things up this far into your relationship. How is he supposed to be the perfect lover if he can’t even get your favourite foods correct?

The moment he bids you a goodnight and your door shuts behind him that evening, he’s speeding to the kitchen. The staff, whom had been finishing up for the day are startled by his sudden appearance. Immediately, they bow in respect, a few of the cook’s nerves spiking in fear that what they had prepared this evening did not please him.

“Where’s Ben?” His voice booms throughout the room, eyes deadly as they scan the area for the aforementioned man. 

“He’s just gone to dispose of the trash, Your Highness,” one of the cooks tells him.

“How fitting,” he muses, already thumbing the coin in his pocket which he had grabbed from the cellar on the way here.

The side door to the kitchen creaks slightly when it opens, a lanky man walking through in the next moment. Sensing the tension in the kitchen, he freezes, the door falling shut behind him. Noticing Jaehyun standing at the opposite end of the counter, he immediately bows.

“Your Highness,” 

“Red grapes, huh, Ben?” At Jaehyun’s words, Ben stiffens, already knowing something must have gone wrong for the Prince to be in the kitchen this late.

The rest of the staff share brief glances towards one another in confusion as they watch the scene before them play out. None are willing enough to move for fear of the Prince’s wrath.

“Do you know what this is?” Though his voice is calm, Jaehyun is far from it, only able to maintain his composure due to the fear radiating off of everyone in this room. He loves knowing the power he holds over each one of their insignificant little lives.

Ben eyes the coin now poised in Jaehyun’s hand warily, the metal glinting ever so slightly in the light of the kitchen.

“A coin, Your Highness,” Ben answers as Jaehyun looks at him expectantly, obviously wanting more than just that as his answer. “The ones which you use to pay us.”

“Very good,” he feigns amusement, eyes narrowing harshly in the next moment. “Now tell me, what’s the point in paying you when you provide me with the wrong information?”

Ben looks stunned momentarily, “I’m sorry, I don’t follow.

“Red grapes, Ben,” Jaehyun tuts. “Red. Grapes.”

It seems as if something clicks in his mind, “oh, yes, (Y/n)’s fav-“

“You dare speak her name in my presence?” Jaehyun’s voice booms, a few of the younger staff now visibly shaking in fear at his outburst. “Do not taint my love’s name with your tongue.”

“My apologies-“

“Silence, you scum,” he hisses between clenched teeth. Jaehyun’s anger currently knows no bounds, only serving to worsen the longer he has to deal with this situation. Taking a breath, he seems to visibly calm down slightly before speaking once more. “Did you know, Ben, that she prefers green grapes over red ones?”

It is then that Ben realizes his mistake. The information he had gathered proving insufficient and false. He starts to shake, unsure of what is to become of him now.

“I’m sorry, my Prince, it will not happen again,”

“You’re right,” Jaehyun smirks. “It won’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an engagement party to plan,” he turns to leave the kitchen, tossing the coin he’s holding in his hand in the air once before catching it between his fingers. “Oh, and somebody clean this mess up.”

In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun has flung the coin through Ben’s head, a dull thunk being the only sound heard as his now lifeless body falls to the floor. The whole kitchen remains silent, no one daring to even move a single muscle until Jaehyun has turned the corner, nothing but the coin embedded in the wall serving as a reminder of his presence mere moments ago.

The following week passes by in a blur to you, the whole castle bustling from the news of your confirmed engagement to the Prince. Now, there is cause for celebration instead of remaining in the period of mourning that had plagued the nation previously. You only wish his mother was still here to see it all.

You’ve planned to host an engagement party this coming Friday evening, and you can hardly wait. The two of you have been discussing plans for the event, and you don’t think you’ve smiled brighter than you have been these past few days. Jaehyun has been with you every step of the way, sharing in your excitement at the date grows near.

All too soon, the night of the party arrives and you’re dressed in the finest materials you’ve ever worn. Quite a few diplomats and vampires from surrounding kingdoms are coming to wish you a congratulations on your engagement to the Prince, and to say you’re nervous would be an understatement. You just hope you don’t make a fool of yourself in front of so many important people.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, cannot wait to show you off. Finally, he gets to profess his love for you in front of so many others, finally letting everyone know that you’re his and his alone. If anyone so much as dares to take you away from him, he’s prepared to do whatever it takes to keep you and make sure you never leave his side. Nothing, in all of the world, could tear the two of you apart.

Luckily, the evening goes by without a hitch, passing by much quicker than either of you two expect. Though, you have to say, you’re glad. With the way he’s been looking at you all night, the end of the party could not have come sooner.

Making your way back to your room, you think back to the events of the evening. A smile tugs at your lips as you recall the way the two of you danced, the way he held you close in his arms and made you feel loved. You couldn’t ask for a better man to have come to sweep you off of your feet. You only hope that the night doesn’t end here, and from the dark look you still see swimming in his eyes, you have a feeling that it’s only just begun.

With the way Jaehyun has been looking at you this entire evening, you swear he wants to eat you whole. His eyes are dark, a smirk on his lips as he backs you into the wall of your room, hands finding purchase on your hips as he leans into your neck, inhaling deeply.

“Fuck, you smell so good,” he breathes, eyes fluttering closed in bliss as he allows your scent to cloud his mind. A growl escapes him, finally allowing himself to indulge his fantasies, revelling in everything you. “All mine.”

You cannot deny the way your heart positively flutters at his words, and from the way his grip tightens, you can tell he is enjoying each and every one of your reactions. After weeks of tensions rising, interrupted moments and longing glances sent each other’s way, you know what you want, and you what you want, is him. Badly. 

“I hope you don’t mind, Princess,” his voice is low, nose ghosting over the skin of your neck until his lips come to rest right beside your ear, “but tonight,” he hisses as you pull him closer, “tonight, I’m going to make you mine.”

Bringing his lips to yours, he steals a kiss, loving the way you hum approvingly in response. He loves all the reactions you’re giving him, he thinks they’re so cute. The way your heart is racing in your chest, excitement rolling off of you in waves, sets his own dead heart racing. He can smell your arousal building, a fact which only makes his chest swell, a growl of approval building from deep within.

He could get lost in you. The feeling of your lips on his, your scent, your touch. Everything about you drives him wild, and tonight, he finally gets to show you exactly what you mean to him. He’ll treat you like the royalty you are; whom you are meant to be.

Breaking the kiss, he leans back slightly to rest his forehead on yours, staring deeply into your eyes. You can see the love he has for you shining in them, along with the lust and desire swirling within his irises.

“I’m addicted to you,” voice nothing but a whisper, he cups your cheeks in his hands, “I can never get enough.”

“Then don’t,” your soft reply has his eyes widening slightly. “Because I don’t think I could ever love another as much as I love you.”

He swears his dead heart has once again stopped beating in his chest as he lets your words sink in. You love him. You finally told him that you love him.

A smile breaks out onto his face as he claims your lips with his own. You love him, and that’s all he’s ever wanted. Everything he could have ever asked for has just been granted to him. You’ve fulfilled his every wish, and tonight, he’s going to finally make you his, in every meaning of the word. Tonight, you’re his Queen, and his alone.

“Fuck, you don’t know how happy you’ve just made me, hearing you say that,” he says against your lips, needing to feel every inch of your skin beneath him soon, or he might just go crazy. Your giggle is music to his ears as he litters your face with kisses, “I love you.” He hums contently. “My Queen.”

Your breath hitches as you hear him call you that for the first time. You cannot deny the way your stomach clenches at hearing him call you that, and from the slight upturn of his lips, you know he heard your reaction loud and clear.

Feeling a surge of confidence wash over you, you look into his eyes once more, smirk dancing across your own lips. 

“Then fulfill your promise and make me yours,” you purr. “My King.”

A shiver runs down his spine at your words, and he cannot help the snarl that escapes him, “with pleasure.”

In the blink of an eye, he has you pinned on the bed, hovering over top of you as he trails his lips over the skin of your neck. Pinning your hands at the side of your head by your wrists, he takes this opportunity to start sucking marks into your skin, biting down occasionally. Although he doesn’t let his fangs out yet, he makes sure to leave his marks. He wants everyone in the kingdom to know that you’re his, that he’s finally claimed you for all to see.

The sound of tearing fabric registers in your mind, and you glance down to see that Jaehyun has torn both your dress and his shirt from this evening from your bodies, eyes drinking in every curve of your figure beneath him. His hands come up to cup your breasts, thumbs brushing over your nipples as they harden from his touch.

“Beautiful,” he hums.

Giving your chest a slight squeeze, he emphasizes his approval, only serving to make you become bashful. In the next moment, you attempt to cover yourself with your arms, but he’s quicker. Grabbing your wrists, he pins them beside your head once more.

“Ah-ah,” he tuts, a gleam to his eyes, “don’t you dare hide from me.”

Before you can say anything in response, his lips are on yours as he successfully steals your breath away for the nth time that night. Ever so slowly, he parts from you, trailing kisses down your neck and to your chest, where his hands have returned to cupping your breasts gently. 

A shiver runs down your spine once you feel him take one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking lightly as his tongue flicks over the pert bud. His opposite hand works at the other, making sure neither goes untouched. Your satisfied hum is all he needs to hear to know you’re enjoying yourself so far. Smirking against your skin, he trails kisses from one breast to the other as he takes his time to make sure each gets the attention you deserve. By the time he’s done with you, you’ll be screaming his name in ecstasy all night long.

A hand in his hair catches his attention as you guide his head back up to yours, lips meeting in a heated kiss. He can never get enough of you: your taste, your touch, your everything, and he’ll take everything you’re willing to give him, and then some.

Slowly, he grinds himself into you, your legs parting naturally for him to fit between them. The gasp you let out when you feel his hard cock rubbing against your core is music to his ears.

“Feel that, baby?” He hums, nuzzling his nose against your neck and scenting you once more. “That’s all because of you. You have no idea what you do to me.”

The breathless whisper of his name you let out sends a shiver of pleasure down his spine. His one hand grips your thigh, pulling you against him as your fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him in to kiss you again as he continues to grind himself into you.

Breaking away, he nips at the skin of your neck, trailing kisses down your body. The whole time, he mumbles against your skin about how he just needs to taste you, your panties being ripped off of your body not even a second later.

The full force of the scent of your arousal hits him as he settles between your legs, a pleased growl echoing from within his chest. He can already tell his eyes have bled red, your slight gasp confirming it when you meet his gaze.

Trailing kisses up your thighs, he notices how your chest rises and falls with each breath in anticipation. A smirk dances at his lips as he sees you close your eyes momentarily the closer to your entrance his mouth gets. 

Testing the waters, he licks a tentative strip up your core, watching your every reaction and drinking it in. Fuck, if you aren’t the best thing he’s ever tasted in his life, and he’s sure to let you know.

At his words, you cover your face in slight embarrassment, feeling every breath he makes hit your core and send little jolts throughout your entire body. From the chuckle you hear him let out, he knows exactly what he’s doing.

“No, no, no, none of that,” he reaches up and pulls your arm down so you’re no longer covering your face. You meet his gaze once more, and your heart nearly stops at the carnal hunger you can see shining within them. “I want you to watch me as I devour you.”

A moan slips passed your lips as you watch him bring a hand up to spread your lower lips, tongue slowly dragging through your folds all the while he stares deeply into your eyes. Every sound you make, every reaction, is his tonight, and his alone.

Wrapping his lips around your clit, he sucks a few times before flicking the sensitive nub with the tip of his tongue. He alternates between this and bringing his tongue down to circle your entrance before thrusting it in to collect your juices, massaging your inner walls at the same time. Like hell he’s going to let anything go to waste, not after he’s waited this long to finally have you all to himself.

Your hips start to move in time with his tongue, and he lets out a snarl as your hand comes to tangle in his hair, only serving to pull him closer into you. His tongue continues to work you up in every way he knows how, wanting you to know that only he can please you like this. Only he can make you feel this good.

His eyes never leave yours the whole time, even when he starts to pick up the pace. Every twitch of your inner walls lets him know he’s doing something right, taking the opportunity to slide a finger in using his free hand. Now, he focusses his tongue on your clit, licking and sucking as his finger massages your inner walls. The way you’re clenching around him only makes him that much more eager to finally be inside you after all this time.

By now, multiple curses and moans of his name have slipped past your lips, whines only serving to becoming louder as he adds a second finger. Each movement he makes is precise, and you can feel the pressure building with each moment that passes by. With each flick of his tongue, you swear it will be the push you need to fall over the edge, but he purposely slows his movements, wanting to keep you on the brink for as long as possible and prolong your pleasure. By the time he adds a third finger, you feel as if you’re just about ready to fall apart.

“That’s it, darling,” he coaxes, moving his fingers along your inner walls in time with each flick of his tongue, the pressure within you about to snap. “Let yourself go.”

His words are all you need to hear in order to feel yourself falling over the edge, your orgasm crashing into you as a scream of his name tears from your throat. A smirk on his lips is the first thing you see once your vision clears, chest heaving with each breath you take as he laps up every last drop of your essence with his tongue.

“Such a good girl for me,” he hums, removing his fingers in order to crawl up your body and place them at your lips. “Suck.”

Immediately, you part your lips, taking his fingers into your mouth and tasting yourself on them. A moan bubbles in your throat as your tongue swirls around his digits, echoed only by his own groan as he sees the blissful expression on your features.

Taking his fingers out of your mouth, he kisses you once more, pulling your body impossibly closer to his own. He needs to feel every inch of you pressed against him, not wanting to leave any part of your body unexplored this evening.

“Jaehyun,” his name falling from your lips is one of the best sounds he’s ever heard in his life, and he could never tire of it. “Please, I need you.”

Those words are all it takes for him to be ripping off his pants and lining himself up with your entrance. He can’t help but tease you a bit, dipping the head of his cock into your folds to collect your wetness before pulling back out again just to hear you whine. You’re so cute when you’re needy for him.

“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll make you feel so good,” his voice is a low drawl that sounds right beside your ear.

Your arms are already wrapped around his torso, nails digging into the skin of his back as you feel the need to bring him closer. The next thing you hear is him let out a small chuckle, feeling him beginning to stretch you out in the next second as he begins to push into you.

Your mouth falls open in a soundless gasp as you feel him stretching you out. His own breath falters as he feels your walls pulsing around him, the soft warmth of your flesh feeling as if it were made for him. Considering the fact that you two fit perfectly together, he swears that’s the case.

He has to remind himself not to move before you’re okay, every instinct in his body screaming at him to ravish you as soon as he’s seated in you fully. However, he’s in no rush tonight, wanting to take his time in order to make the sweetest love to your body. Something only he can do.

As soon as he sees you nod, he’s resting his forehead against yours as he pulls out slightly and gives a shallow thrust to start. His movements are slow, precise, each movement of his hips a sensual grind to make you feel every inch of him buried within you.

“I fucking love you, you know that?” His voice is rough, strained as he attempts to control himself for the time being. This is your first time together, and he wants to make sure it’s special for the both of you, something neither of you will forget. 

You let out a gasp at a particularly sharp thrust, “I love you.”

This is all he could have ever wanted, and more, as he begins to pick up his pace. His lips meet yours once more in a searing kiss, all of his passion, love, lust, and want for you being conveyed wordlessly through every movement he makes.

When his lips aren’t on yours, they’re sucking marks into the skin of your neck, teeth nipping at the skin shortly after. As he increases his pace, his one hand comes up to grab yours, fingers intertwining as the other grips your waist, holding you to him as close as possible. The way your free hand drags down his back, nails biting into his skin lets him know he’s doing all the right things. Your legs wrapping around his waist only serve to pull him that much closer into you, a pleased rumble escaping his chest.

Shifting slightly, he adjusts the angle he’s hitting you at, hearing your sharp intake of breath as he hits a specific spot inside you.

“Fuck, my King, right there,” your voice is desperate as it comes out, eyes closing in bliss as your head is thrown back.

The snarl that tears from his throat is feral, your words snapping any last bits of sanity he had left in his body as his hips snap into yours. 

“That’s it, Darling,” he growls, eyes bleeding red once more as he takes in the beautiful expressions you’re making for him, “let your King take care of his Queen.”

The hitch in your breath at his own words causes a tightening in his abdomen, and he knows he’s getting close. He has to remind himself that you’re still only human as his grip tightens on your hand and waist, not wanting to hurt you, but needing you to feel just how desperate he is for you. Everything about you drives him insane, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t treat you like the Queen you are.

With each thrust, he can feel your walls twitching around him, signalling that you’re getting closer to your second release of the night. Bringing his one hand down from your waist, he uses his thumb to circle your clit, feeling your whole body shudder beneath him as you near the edge.

“Come on, my Queen,” his chest rumbles in content each time he says those words, voice dangerously low. “Come with me. Come for your King.”

The way his thumb flicks at your clit, combined with his words and the angle he’s hitting inside of you is enough to push you over the edge for the second time that night. Seeing you shake beneath him in ecstasy, combined with the sinful way you’re moaning his name has him following shortly after, a loud cry of your own name escaping his lips.

Lazily thrusting into you a few more times as you both come down from your highs, he makes sure you’re okay before pulling out of you. In the blink of an eye, he’s got a damp washcloth ready in his hand, wiping you down gently while whispering soft praises in your ear, telling you how good you are for him, and how much he loves you. You can only smile softly in return, finally able to catch your breath once he returns from disposing of the washcloth.

Crawling into the bed, he tucks you both under the covers, pulling you close into his chest in the next moment. His hand strokes over your back gently as he places a tender kiss to your forehead.

“I love you,” he whispers. “My Queen.”

“And I love you,” you hum. “My King.”

Silence settles over the two of you as you each take comfort in the other’s embrace. Eventually, sleep overtakes you, leaving Jaehyun to watch over your sleeping figure with a smile on his face.

“Always and forever,” he whispers, allowing his eyes to close and his whole body to relax as he succumbs to his own darkness.

Dawn comes and Jaehyun manages to wake before you do, appreciating the way the morning light cascades over your naked form, painting you in golden hues for him to adore. His eyes trail over your back, tracing the curve of your spine as he remembers the events of last night. Licking his lips, he inhales the scents of the morning deeply, positively growling at the way you’re now covered in his scent.

As it should be. As it will always be. From this point onwards, you’re his and he’s yours, and last night serves as a confirmation of that fact. Now, you’ve given yourselves to each other, and all that’s left to do is set the date for the wedding.

A few minutes pass by with Jaehyun simply admiring you. Very lightly he traces his hand over your back, loving the way you shiver underneath his fingertips, for it only makes him recall how you were trembling beneath him in bliss merely hours before. He could stay like this with you forever, but unfortunately, he needs to attend to some final arrangements for the royal announcement of your wedding ceremony.

Letting out a small sigh, disappointed he has to leave you for the time being, he slides out of bed. The glint of the ring on your left hand in the morning light catches his gaze, only causing a small smile to form at his lips. Last night could not have been more perfect.

Moving as silently as he can so as not to disturb you, he exits your room.

It takes him longer than he would have liked to get ready that morning, his movements feeling a bit sluggish the more he has to move around. It’s almost as if his senses have dulled slightly for the time being, for his hearing isn’t as sharp as it usually is, nor his sense of smell. Perhaps these are simply side effects of his mood, for he knows when he’s overcome with emotions he can never think straight, let alone react in an orderly manner.

Making his way through the castle, he finally enters the throne room, having requested to meet Minho there to discuss everything that still needs to be done for the upcoming ceremonies. However, what he isn’t expecting to see is another person standing with their arms crossed in front of their chest beside a very nervous looking Minho.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jaehyun’s voice practically booms across the room, demanding their attention.

“Your Highness, I’ve been attempting to escort Miss Lori out of the castle and back to her home, but she simply will not go until she speaks with her older sister,” Minho explains, words coming out rushed as he looks towards Jaehyun frantically.

“Is there anything I can help you with? Your sister is currently still resting in her chambers,” Jaehyun continues to play the nice card. He’s gotten this far despite not needing anyone’s approval, but that still doesn’t mean he won’t try for you.

“Cut the bullshit, you’re not fooling me,” Lori narrows her eyes at him, only causing Jaehyun to raise his brows amusedly.

“Is there a reason that you’ve come to talk with your sister then?” Jaehyun asks, already bored with this conversation, yet still feigning interest and concern. Again, he’d do anything for you, even if it means something as trivial as this.

“I’ve come to collect my sister and take her back home,” Lori answers. “Away from you.”

Jaehyun’s expression falls, immediately darkening at the threat apparent in her voice, “I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in here.”

“No, I don’t think you understand your situation,” Lori counters, causing Minho to send her a look filled with nothing but distress. “I’ve seen through your little ‘nice guy’ act long ago thanks to your mother, and I’ve finally come to save my sister from whatever you plan to do to her. She’ll listen to me this time, she always has. I’m taking my sister back home with me, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

The confidence in which she says those words irritate Jaehyun to no end. Though, he supposes he finds this situation rather ironic, causing him to let out a few laughs in disbelief. How dare Lori threaten him of all people. Like she could ever do anything to tear the two of you apart now, considering what occurred last night. After all, the two of you are to be bonded for life.

“You came all this way to threaten me? Me, of all people?” He chuckles maliciously, shaking his head in disbelief. “You think I’m just going to let you waltz in here and steal what rightfully belongs to me? That I’d even let you near what’s mine?”

“Your threats don’t scare me, I know you won’t do anything to me,” Lori raises her chin in the air in defiance, a smug look resting on her face. Clearly the letters his mother had sent her are still giving her a false confidence on this matter.

In a flash, he’s in front of her, holding her in the air by her neck. The hold his hand has around her throat is firm enough for it to be a threat, but not hard enough to completely block her airway just yet. “You underestimate the lengths I am willing to go to keep what is mine. I’ve spent too long planning everything out and making sure things run smoothly in order for things to get where they are now. I’m not giving my love up so easily.”

“Then, obviously you wouldn’t harm her own sister!” She manages to choke out, gaze darting off to his right as if something, or someone has caught her eye. His grip only serves to tighten ever so slightly as his eyes flash red.

“Wouldn’t I?” He hums, tilting his head in false sympathy. “I mean, considering I disposed of my own mother who got in the way, what’s a measly little human girl compared to that?”

Minho can do nothing but watch as this event unfolds before his very eyes, taking a few steps back in order to give the Prince space to do what he has to. His own heart is pounding in his chest out of fear, so he can only imagine how Lori feels in this very moment.

“It’d be so easy for me to cover up your death, so don’t flatter yourself,” Jaehyun seethes, eyes crazed as he stares into hers. “I’ve done everything I can to rid myself of nuisances in my way. So, what’s one more?”

Shifting his predatory gaze, he locks eyes with Minho, waiting for the advisor to speak and confirm his words.

“Yes, Your highness, you’re correct,” Minho swallows nervously, he’s never seen Jaehyun like this before. The intense insanity in his eyes nearly has Minho stumbling over his own feet despite standing perfectly still. He knows something must have happened last night after the engagement party, otherwise there’s no way he would be looking like that right now.

“You’re nothing,” he hisses. “A measly little human whose life will end at the flick of my wrist, worth no more that the servants I’ve killed beneath my feet. Poor Greta, only wanted to warn the love of my life about me, and look what that got her,” he feigns a pout, “only her throat ripped out.”

Lori gasps, remembering how you mentioned to her that one of the servants you met on one of your first days here seemed to have suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again.

“Not to mention the countless other lives I’ve taken for even looking at my love the wrong way. Or maybe, perhaps I should say poor Ben, who only got his skull run through for providing the wrong information about my love’s favourite foods,” Jaehyun tuts, shaking his head. “Bastard could have ruined everything. Just as you are trying to do.”

Lori can feel the breath being squeezed out of her lungs as Jaehyun slowly crushes her airway. She attempts to claw at the hands around her neck to no avail, legs kicking out uselessly beneath her. 

“Don’t you ever think for one second I’d let you take away what I’ve worked so hard to achieve,” he spits, venom dripping from every syllable as he crushes her throat, bringing his other hand up and tearing her head off in the next moment in his anger. “Worthless scum.”

Lori’s head hits the floor with a loud thump, her blood pooling around her now discarded body as lifeless eyes stare up at Jaehyun in fear. He shakes his head in disgust, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe off the blood that had managed to get on his hands. 

“Clean this up,” he orders, turning to Minho to see him nod once in understanding.

Closing his eyes, he shakes his head. So much for his pleasant morning. 

Turning around, Jaehyun sighs, eyes still closed. His face is still contorted into an expression of annoyance, brow furrowed as he takes a deep breath. He can feel his whole body tense as he recognizes a familiar faint scent in the air.

Slowly, he opens his eyes, realizing in horror that you stand in the open doorway of the throne room. Your hands are both raised over your mouth, as if to cover a silent scream as tears stream down your face. He can feel his dead heart falter in his chest as he watches you. The fear you look at him with is something he never ever wanted to see from you, especially directed towards himself.

A few moments pass by with the two of you just silently observing the other. Jaehyun hates how it’s only now that he can seemingly hear the loudness of your racing heart, your scent becoming stronger the more time you spend staring at one another. All that he had worked so hard to create, everything he’s done to impress you, to woo you and make you fall in love with him, is now ruined. It’s only all confirmed when he sees you turn and attempt to run away from him.

In an instant, he’s run to you, caging you in his arms and holding you tightly. Your screams and protests are falling on deaf ears as he holds you to his chest. His attempts to quietly shush you and calm you down are not working, with you only seeming to struggle harder against him, spouting insults and curses at him. 

“Sweetheart, please,” he sighs, “I need you to calm down.”

“Calm down?” You’re hysterical at this point. “Calm down? You just murdered my little sister in front of my very eyes and you have the audacity to tell me to calm down?”

“I did it for us,” he replies calmly, voice sounding completely opposite to how he really feels inside at the moment. “She would have only gotten in the way.”

He’s not entirely sure how you managed to sneak up on him, but he assumes that he didn’t hear you due to his dull senses this morning. The fact that you’re covered in his scent is probably why he didn’t smell you right away, too. Either way, he’ll do his best to steer the conversation in a direction which suits him, considering he doesn’t exactly know how long you had been standing there for. However, your next words only serve to confirm just how long you had.

“And I suppose your mother, Greta, Ben, and who knows who else were all collateral, too?” You retort, anger and disgust shining in your eyes which only causes his grip to tighten ever so slightly around you.

“Yes,” he answers, but he isn’t stupid enough to believe you’ll willingly accept his reasonings. “They were. I don’t expect you to understand why I’ve done what I have yet, but if you think I’m ever going to let you go, you’re mistaken. And before you say you hate me, I just want you to think back on everything I’ve ever done for you since you’ve been here. I want you to remember all the moments we’ve shared together, especially the good ones. Especially last night,” a shiver runs down your spine as he whispers those words lowly in your ear before trailing his lips down your neck, pressing them against the same spot he did the previous evening. Your struggling lessens as he continues, “I’d never do anything to harm you, I think my actions towards you have shown that. I never wanted you to be scared of me. Why do you think I never showed you this side of me yet?”

“You really are a devil,” you spit, finally giving up your attempts to escape his hold for you know that it’s futile at this point. You’ve long been trapped in his clutches, you just only wish you’d realized it sooner.

“A devil who loves you,” he hums, nuzzling his face deeper into your neck and breathing in your combined scents. A shiver goes down his spine. At least now he doesn’t have to worry about hiding this side of himself from you any longer. Plus, you now know what he’s capable of; what he’s willing to do for you. What he’s always been willing to do for you. “I always get what I want, so don’t even think about leaving me. You sealed your fate the moment you agreed to become mine.”

“I hate you,”

He simply chuckles, “that’s not what you were saying last night.”

“Yeah, well, things change,” you reply, refusing to so much as look in his direction as he holds you from behind.

“That they do,” he hums once more, clearly amused by your stubbornness. In the next moment, his eyes are going dark, expression deadly serious as he turns you around to stare deeply into your eyes. A shiver goes down your spine. “One thing that hasn’t changed though, is the fact that whether you like it or not, you can never escape me. I love you, and I will always love you, so you better get used to that. After all, a King should never be without his Queen.”

[verus-veritas]

Legacy

Revenge, Technology, Mind Transference, with a dash of unrequited love. What’s not to love? /Verus

"Dude! P-please! I'm sorry! Whatever you think I've done, it must all be a mistake!" Andew yelled, thrashing against his confinements and eyeing the only point of exit in the room. His firm muscles were wet and taut against his clothes, and his handsome face flush red with terror and worry.

"Are you really sorry though? It didn't seem like it from the way you acted during Gavin's funeral. The sneers and laughter you made as his parents said their final words to him..." I said, hiding in the shadows. Only my feet and the contours of my body was visible for him to see.

"N-no offense. I just found it funny when the parents said they wish he'd atleast gotten a girlfriend before he passed away-" The same devious sneer returned on his perfectly handsome face, as he most likely remembered the scene in his head.

"Of course you found it funny. Because you knew he was completely gay. Gay, and had a massive crush on you for ages. He literally worshipped the ground you walked on, and spent most of his waking hours wishing he could be with you." I explained, slowly walking around him as I pulled out a flimsy latex cap with electronical nodes attached to it.

"And I let him. I did no wrong." Andrew talked back. His eyes following my figure until I stood directly behind him.

"No! You lead him on, made him believe you were actually interested in him. And then you destroyed him. You are the reason he ran out of the house crying, and you are the reason he didn't see the truck speeding towards him!" My voice was shaking as I quickly slapped the cap onto his head, accidentally pulling out a few strands of his hair.

"Ouuch! Get this thing off me!" He shook his head and began thrashing about again.

"You know. He really loved you... He said he was going to make you the happiest man on earth. Showering you with gifts and undying love, and be by your side forever and ever. That's why he trusted you so wholeheartedly and let you do whatever you wanted."

"Naive..." He quietly muttered under his breath.

"He was even fine with you staring and drooling over other girls. As long as he could stay by your side."

"What a fag..." I could hear him gritting his teeth.

"But that evening when you invited him over, only to have him find you in the bedroom hooking up with a random girl... that completely ruined him. You shattered his dream, his self-confidence, and his sensitive soul! He didn't know what to do and where to go, which is why he ran straight out into the traffic..." My voice was uncontrollably going up and down now, as I was unable to hide my emotions.

"Dude only had himself to blame. He should've known I only had him around for the free stuff he bought for me." Andrew snickered, as he looked down at the expensive shorts Gavin had bought for him a few weeks prior.

"How dare you!" I tried to punch his shoulder, but knew I was too weak to do any real damage against his hard muscles.

"Y'know... it almost sounds like you had feelings for him- Wait a minute! You're that pastry white kid that always walked around with him aren't you?! Hah! 'Ghost boy' we called you!" The tone in his voice shifted - with more confidence and arrogance. Back to the way he normally talked - a manipulative bastard at heart. "I see. So you best friend Gavin never had feelings for you, and now that he's gone you blame yourself for not having stopped him."

"......" I clenched my hands till my knuckles turned white.

"Hah! Maybe you really were a horrible friend. Have you thought about that you might be the reason he's dead?" He laughed, obviously enjoying the way he was toying with my feelings.

"...you have no idea..." I mumbled, as tears began to flow down my cheeks.

"Maybe you should be the one sitting in this chair - tied up and wearing this stupid cap on your head. Hehe."

I took a deep breath and calmed myself, before walking around him once again and turning so he could see me. See the real me... one last time. "I will. Soon."

"W-what do you mean with that? And why are you also wearing that ridiculous cap?" He asked. His tone in voice once again becoming panicked and anxious.

"You see. The reason why I'm so pale is because I spend so much time at home playing with my inventions and devices. Coding is one of my favorite things to do. And for the last few months I've relentlessly been working on creating this device we're both wearing right now. It was originally only meant to be used on you, recoding the patterns in your brain into loving Gavin as much as he loved you. While also erasing all of your bad traits and turning you into his ideal boyfriend... but there's no reason for that anymore, is there? So, I upgraded it into 2.0, which can now be used with two people."

"P-pff... yeah right... and what does this new version do then?"

"It can transfer the consciousness between two human brains. Even recoding the brain into believing the new consciousness have always been in control of its own body. All the memories, habits, and even muscle memory will be easily accessible to the new permanent owner." I explained, as I began fiddling with a machine by our side. The nodes on our caps lit up.

"Permanent?! Wait a minute. Let's say all of this freaky sci-fi stuff is actually real, what's going to happen to my consciousness?" Andrew asked, as he began to get more anxious by the beeping sound of the nodes on his head.

"All gone. Overwritten by mine. Erased out of existence with no way of restoring it." I answered nonchalantly. Flicking the last switched around, the device was now ready to be activated.

"What the fuck! Then you're basically killing me?! Get me out of here, you sick freak!" He began violently thrashing against the back of the chair, and flung his head around to get the latex cap off... but to no avail.

"Am I really though? Your memories, your body, and your relationships will all still be here, under my complete control. I'm just... discarding a small part of you that's no longer necessary."

"No...no... Help! HELP! SOMEONE!! THIS CRAZY MOTHERFUCKER IS GOING TO KILL ME!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, but the soundproofed walls would do him no good.

I flicked the final switch and walked over to him as the machine began buzzing. Standing in front of him, I suddenly sat down on his lap and grabbed hold of his face. I stared into his fearful yet piercing blue eyes and slid my hands across the cheeks and contours of his face.

"This beautiful face of yours that Gavin loved, I promise I'll take good care of it and cherish it until the day I die. It's the least I can do to honor my friend Gavin." I leaned forward and gently laid a kiss on his sweaty forehead, while holding him in place as he screamed for all he was worth.

"No! Noo! NOoO-Uoogguuughhhh" His scream turned into a gurgle as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. At the same time, my eyes went white and hazy as my pastry body slumped over and fell on the cement floor. Most likely cracked open its head or something from the sound of it.

"NgOOuoouughhgguuuhh!!!" Andrew's head flung back and forth as if to fight whatever was invading his head, but it barely took a minute before the thrashing suddenly stopped and his head slumped down.

His eyes were closed, his face flushed red from exertion, and the sweat and drool pooled down onto his expensive shorts. A further five minutes of stillness and blinking nodes passed before any activity was seen.

---

*Gasp*

I awoke to the cap on my head giving me a quick electric shock. In front of me laid my old withered body, lifeless and without a doubt stone dead. My throat felt dry and tired, and the ties on my arms hurt like hell. In fact, everything felt, looked, and smelt different. The smell oozing from my sweaty clothes that once smelt great now stunk in my nose. I could recall from Andrew's memories that he showered atleast twice a day. I showered atleast twice a day.

After some fiddling with the special knots in my back, I easily slipped the rope off. Massaging the sore parts on my wrist, I soon relished in how big and strong my new hands looked now. Hands who should've been holding Gavin's...

I explored further up till I reached my new bulging biceps. Squeezing them I felt how firm and taut they were. I never in a million years would have managed to get myself this big, but here I was, standing in the body of a perfect specimen. The body of the man who my friend loved, but who didn't truly love him back. If only I could've done this before Gavin died... Would he have loved me instead, or would he have hated me for what I had done? Well, atleast he would've been alive.

My focus went to my Andrew face, as I caressed the blemish-free skin and the small stubble forming on it. The face of the man I had hated for a while, the face of the man whose identity I would have to take over, and the face I would see in the mirror for as long as I breathed. It was one of the most handsome faces I've ever laid my eyes on no doubt, so I'm perfectly fine with that decision.

My hands continued to explore what was now mine; running fingers through my lush but wet hair, following the outline of my cobblestone abs, and shaking my strong and muscular legs awake from sitting too long.

Not long after I finally slipped the drool and sweat-soaked shorts off myself and watched as the tool between my legs arose to its new owner. It might not have been as long as my former one, but the very girth of it made up for it. As I enveloped it between my palms, I realized that no one had ever been as intimate with Andrew's tool as I was now, and no one would ever be. Not even Gavin would if he was somehow resurrected. Only I, Andrew would ever know how this throbbing member would feel in my own hands, the endorphins and pleasure its touch would send throughout my amazing body, and the ultimate earth-shattering orgasms I would experience as I edge myself to climax every day from now on.

The very thought of it immediately brought me to the brink of orgasm, so I quickly spread my legs apart and thrust the member fully through my grasp. It was all that was needed as I suddenly began shaking with pleasure and exploded shot after shot of Andrew seed all over the floor, myself and my former lifeless body."Ugh! Uuuugh! UUUuOOGggHH!!"

“.... Holy shit.....” I moaned, slightly shocked by the unfamiliarity of the new voice coming from my throat.

Reeling from my first ever orgasm in my new body and life, I sat back down on the chair and took a breather. I was sweaty, my crotch sticky, and my armpits stunk. Yet, I know I still looked glorious. How couldn't I? After all, I am Andrew. The man who Gavin loved, and who loved him back just as much, if not even more...

I will dedicate this new life of mine to worship and care for this body just as much as Gavin would have. His legacy, Andrew's body and life, and my consciousness have finally become one... and I promise I will carry them with pride and confidence to the grave... even if it is the only thing I will accomplish in this short insignificant life of mine.

[cherienymphe]

Joke’s On You (Joker x Reader)

WARNINGS: DUB-CON, NON-CON, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, knife play, blood play, murder, violence, 

IF ANY OF THIS OFFENDS YOU, PLEASE DNI

➥ {page breaks done by @whimsicalrogers​}

summary: you’re a part time thief who keeps getting in the Joker’s way. What starts out as rivals quickly turns into something hot and heavy, and before you know it, you’re J’s girl. Whether you want to be or not {based off of this headcanon}

~

The first time you ever come face to face with the Joker, the clown king himself, is during one of the first night’s you first started to execute your grand idea. You went through a klepto phase when you were a kid, but you never expected you’d return to it, and definitely not on a bigger scale like this.

It wasn’t like you were homeless or right on the poverty line. You had money, quite a bit in fact. One of the perks of being a stripper in the most popular club in Gotham, but there came a certain thrill from stealing from the rich in this city. Sure, you took their money on the stage, did everything you could to make them empty their pockets, but taking their money right out from under their nose was different.

You’re not sure when you came up with the bright idea, but you knew that if you wanted to keep this up and stay out of prison, you had to get smart about this. That was where the Joker came in. That clown ran this city, and you knew that with him around, no one would dare to even notice you. If you made your hits the same time as him, you could get in and out to no one’s knowledge.

It was a solid plan.

Until it wasn’t.

You almost ruin his plans to send a bank up into flames, and your eyes briefly meet his cold green ones before you’re taking off. You half expected to hear the sound of gunshots, even expected to get hurt or worse, but you can hear him telling his thugs to stand down. He doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by your presence, no real threat, and you’re unsure if you should be offended or not.

You had never seen the man himself up close before, and you’re shocked to realize that he’s taller than you imagined. More intimidating than you imagined. Despite the fact that he barely paid you any mind, you can’t help feeling like he’s going to break into your apartment and slit your throat. You’re a petty thief, nothing like the big criminals in this city, and your run in with him spooks you. It takes a long time for you to fall asleep that night.

You quickly put it behind you though and tell yourself that you just have to be more careful from here on out. It soon becomes obvious that that’s easier said than done. You hadn’t meant to get in his way when he was taking the mayor hostage. It was an honest mistake when you almost kept him from breaking some other danger to society out of Arkham, but the nail in your coffin finally comes when you do prevent him from robbing a bank truck.

You barely ducked in time as a bullet came flying past your head. You’re shaken up, but you manage to force yourself to get the hell out of there before the cops showed up and before the Joker took another shot. You should have known that he was going to be expecting you. The Joker was a lot of things, but stupid was not one of them.

You walk right into a trap, and you’re in the bank vault, hands full of money when you feel a sharp tug on your hair. You swallow down a yelp as you’re yanked back into a bare chest, and your eyes widen when a hand curls around your throat. You may not be the best villain in the world, but you’re one that can defend yourself, and the walls of the vault shake as you fight back.

He’s stronger than he looks, but you’re stronger than you look, and you both realize this when he has a gun pressed to your forehead while you have a knife at his throat. Your heart is hammering inside of your chest because not only are you once again face to face with the Joker himself, but he’s seconds away from killing you. You feel like you’re about to throw up, and he’s clearly amused.

He tilts his head at you, red lips parting to reveal a shiny grin, a laugh bubbling in his throat as he presses the barrel of the gun even further into your skin. His purple coat hangs off of him, pale chest heaving and that’s how you know that despite his grin, he’s irritated. Maybe even mad.

“…and what do they call you?”

His voice is deep, and that takes you by surprise. A lot of things about the infamous criminal are taking you by surprise.

“What does it matter? You’re going to kill me anyway, right?”

He hums, stepping closer with a sneer.

“I haven’t quite figured that one out yet…maybe I will when you tell me your name…”

“Well, I haven’t quite figured out what I want to be called,” you honestly told him.

No one but him and his goons knew about you, so you had never counted on anyone else knowing about you either. The thought of an alias never crossed your mind.

“Trying to steal my shine or something? You want to be the big dog around here?”

“Oh, please,” you scoff, and if he had eyebrows, you were sure he’d be raising one at you right now with the look he gave you.

He narrowed his eyes, and in one movement, he ripped your mask from your eyes, making them widen. He looked down his nose at you, taking in your all black attire before finally resting his eyes on your face.

“…or don’t tell me…you’re one of those girlies who thinks she can run around with me?”

You frowned at him, and he continued.

“I take it you’re a big fan.”

His tone was mocking, and you had the urge to spit in his face, but you knew that would surely put a bullet in your head, so you simply rolled your eyes.

“Hardly. With you around, no one will even look my way. Your taste for the dramatics allows me to stay below the radar,” you told him.

He hummed at that, tilting his head from side to side as he weighed your explanation in his mind.

“That’s smart, and I gotta hand it to ya, I didn’t think you were smart.”

Your frown deepened at his backhanded compliment, but it was quickly wiped from your face when he tightened his hold on his gun, and your eyes widened.

“Smart, but not smart enough to stay out of my way-.”

He was interrupted as the building shook, and you both turned as gunshots reached your ears. While he was distracted, you slipped out of his grip, ducking in time to miss a bullet before turning the corner. A recognizable shadow passed over the walls, and you ducked into a nearby hallway just as the winged vigilante himself met the Joker as he stepped into the hall.

The air hitting your face reminded you that your mask was gone, and you quietly made your way to the back exit as the sound of fighting and gunshots grew fainter. You released a sigh of relief when you made it outside, and although you didn’t have anything to show for your excursion, at least you had your life.

A thin layer of sweat clings to your skin as you step down off of the stage, feet aching in your heels. A coworker of yours winks at you as she takes your place on the stage, and you wish her luck. Customers were being a bit stingy today, and considering your last heist granted you with nothing, your lack of cashflow today had you more annoyed than usual.

Sure, it was a Tuesday afternoon, but it was still the hottest club in Gotham. Customers of all types of backgrounds frequented the place, and although the old money crowd practically lived here, you had a love hate relationship with their kind. They tended to be the stingiest with their money despite having more than you could ever dream of.

“What time are you off?”

You turned to another girl who worked at the place, Mandy, and threw her a grim look.

“12.”

She grimaced, blue eyes filled with pity as she shook her head.

“Sheesh. Well, that’s what happens when you’re the best dancer in this place,” she said with a shrug. “Your demand is high.”

“High demand and low pay. What a treat,” you sarcastically replied.

She chuckled, but she quickly swallowed it down, eyes glancing past you. The club was already loud, but there seemed to be an uptake in noise, and you turned to find the cause. You froze where you stood, eyes wide and lips parting at the group of people who just stepped into the place.

All of the men varied in size and shape, all dressed in black as they made their way inside like they owned the place. You supposed that in a way they did. Anyone following the footsteps of the Joker probably felt like he could get away with anything. The man in question led the bunch, strutting past patrons with a dark look in his eye, green hair contrasting against his dark red shirt.

You quickly turned back around, squeezing your eyes shut as Mandy let out a low whistle.

“I haven’t seen him step foot in here in forever,” she commented.

You looked to her with a confused frown.

“What?”

“Oh, yeah. You’ve only been here for what, half a year? The Joker used to come in here all the time. They’d get a bit rowdy but what is that when he’s the highest paying customer?”

She shrugged, reaching for a tray of drinks, completely unaware of your internal dilemma. It was almost time to get back on stage.

“Have fun,” she purred, walking past you.

You took a deep breath, forcing yourself to calm down as you stewed over what you should do. Sure, you were a thief in your spare time, but you couldn’t lose this job. As much as you wanted to, you couldn’t walk out of here, so you straightened your shoulders and made your way back to your stage.

You kept an eye out for pale skin and green hair, and you were thankful to find him far on the other side of the room. He and his crew were occupied by another dancer, Mandy serving them drinks. You were thankful and carefully stepped onto the stage.

As usual, you attracted a nice sized crowd, and you made sure to keep your face turned away as you moved around the pole. You were pleased to find that this crowd was more generous with their money, but your satisfaction was short lived when your turned to find your boss gesturing for you to come off the stage. You were confused but did so anyway. He nervously scratched his dark beard as you approached, and you had a sinking feeling in your gut for some reason.

“What is it?”

He grumbled and jerked his head towards the other side of the building, and you hesitantly looked over his shoulder. The Joker’s goons were having a good time tossing money at the dancer on stage, a few of them clearly drunk. The green-haired man, however, wasn’t partaking in the festivities. His unreadable gaze was focused on you, and your heart sank when he didn’t break the stare. You were forced to when your boss spoke.

“He wants a private session with you,” the older man mumbled, and you’d be dumb to miss the fear and concern in his voice.

You internally cursed.

“You’re kidding…”

“…’fraid not. He was very clear in his…request,” he responded.

You both knew that it wasn’t a request. The Joker never requested anything, and you briefly closed your eyes, positive that this was going to be your last night on earth. Your boss placed his hand on your shoulder, gaze sympathetic…and pitying.

“Just do what he says, alright?”

He wasn’t just telling you that to make more money, but to keep you from becoming the clown’s next victim. You didn’t have the heart to tell him that your fate was already sealed. With a nod, you strutted past him and made your way to the other side of the room. The Joker’s expression didn’t change as you approached him, and you nervously swallowed. His cold green eyes seemed to follow the gesture, and you took a deep breath.

“Someone request a private room?”

Again, he said nothing, simply tilting his head to the side as his trailed his eyes over your scantily clad form. Some of his posse was still enamored with the dancer before them, but the rest had turned to not so discreetly eye you. They all looked away when the green-haired man stood, and your eyes fell to the sliver of skin that peeked through the top of his shirt, unable to hold his gaze.

“Right this way…”

You didn’t hear his footsteps, but you could feel his presence behind you as you led the way to the back where the private rooms were located. The walk was quiet, thick with tension, and you wondered if it was too late for you to start saying your prayers.

You went in first, blinking at the red glow of the room that came from the neon lights. You were shaking, stomach churning as the door clicked shut behind him. You turned to tell him to get it over with when his hand wrapped around your throat, forcing you to swallow your words. You let out a pained squeak, eyes watering, but his lips swallowed any other noise you threatened to make.

Your eyes were wide as he roughly kissed you, shock coursing through you while his mouth moved against yours. You stumbled back in your heels, but he quickly followed, teeth nipping at you so violently that you tasted blood. You wanted to tell him that this wasn’t that kind of club. This was not in your job description and was not allowed, but you remembered your boss’ words and wondered if he knew that this was what the man wanted?

Even still, you couldn’t go through with this, but his tattooed hands were ripping at your attire before you had the chance to voice what you wanted to say. Your lips were finally free to tell him off, but the only thing that came out was a yelp when his teeth sank into your shoulder. The pain you felt was quickly overshadowed by the pleasure that warmed your stomach when his fingers brushed over you.

You pushed against his chest, but his other hand grabbed your wrist, spinning you around so that your back was pressed to his chest. It happened so quickly that you didn’t have time to ponder what was happening until he was already inside of you. One hand was tangled in your hair, face pressed into the seat of the sofa as broken moans escaped your trembling lips.

His free hand was pressed into the skin between your shoulder blades, holding you down while his hips snapped into you over and over again. He was far from gentle, but every harsh stroke only seemed to stroke that fire inside of you. Your lashes were fluttering as he thrust into you, eyes rolling while you tried to make sense of everything.

You could feel his nails pressing into your back as he pinned you down, and your own scraped against the fabric of the couch while choked moans climbed out of your throat. This was far from how you expected your day to go. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that this man was trying to kill you. You fluttered around his unrelenting cock and tried to remember why that was a bad thing.

He let out what sounded like a growl above you, the fabric of his pants pressing into your skin as he ground against you, and his hand in your hair moved to the back of your neck just as the tightening in your stomach snapped. You came around him with an embarrassing scream, going limp beneath him as he fucked you through your climax, diving headfirst into his own.

You collapsed the minute he let you go, vision blurry and throat sore as you heard him zip his pants. You were still shaking, and he was already gathering himself together like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just fucked you delirious. You moved to stand, ready to give him a piece of your mind, but you collapsed back onto the couch.

If you didn’t know any better, you’d say you heard a low chuckle in his throat. Either way, you didn’t get to ask him because the sound of the door slamming shut reached your ears seconds later.

The next time you ran into that stupid clown, you took great satisfaction in striking him square in the face. You didn’t care that he was surrounded by his band of hired muscle nor that you were currently standing in the middle of a jewelry store, alarm blaring in your ears almost painfully.

He gestured for the men around him to continue looting the place, seeing as they had paused to take in the scene. You knew they would have killed you without hesitation had he told them to. You glared at him as he grinned at you, bat perched on his shoulder.

“We’ve gotta stop running into each other like this,” he lowly said.

“That was for the last time we ‘ran into each other’,” you sneered. “I don’t care who you are, you don’t get to-.”

“Consider it my way of letting you get off easy.”

He chuckled at his play on words, but you weren’t amused in the slightest.

“Get off easy? Are you even crazier than everyone thinks?”

His grin was gone in a flash, and he stepped towards you, tapping his bat against his shoulder as he leaned in. His lips were parted as his eyes bore into your own, and you forced yourself to stand your ground as the scent of him invaded your nose.

“If you recall,” he slowly began. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

You swallowed, jaw clenching as he tapped his finger against your nose.

“The plan was to put a bullet in that pretty little mouth of yours. Does that…ring any bells?”

You pressed your lips together, glancing away as he let out a breathy chuckle.

“Fucking you brought me more satisfaction than killing you ever could,” he deeply said.

You felt heat rise to your face, and he tilted his head, lips brushing against your own as he spoke.

“So…I suggest you keep me satisfied…”

His coat flew behind him as he spun away, stomping towards one of his men to bark orders at them. Anger and humiliation coursed through you as you stomped outside, and you narrowed your eyes as the sound of police sirens drew nearer. With a sneer, you grabbed the knife in your holster before slashing the tires on his van.

That kept you satisfied throughout the rest of the night, but you paid for it dearly the next day at the club. This time, he hadn’t even waited until you were in the room. His hand had curled around the back of your neck as soon as you got to the door, forcing you inside as soon as he opened it.

You had stumbled in your heels, falling to your knees, and he was there before you could even rise. His hand was on your neck the entire time he slammed into you, the carpet scraping against your back. You could hardly breathe, let alone moan as he had his way with you, and you knew that he was genuinely angry this time, and you wondered how he managed to escape the police.

He was punishing you for your little stunt, but God did you love it. Your hands fisted into his bright red button down as he slid into your soaked walls, trying to pull him closer. You heard him hum every time you clenched around his throbbing member, the sound of your arousal reaching your ears. You should have been embarrassed at how wet you were, but the Joker seemed to enjoy it just fine, and besides. You saw no reason to pretend.

Like the last time, he was righting himself as soon as he was done while you lay on the floor, still trying to catch your breath. You let out a soft chuckle as he slammed the door behind him, and you wouldn’t be surprised if you weren’t even able to talk in the morning.

This little game between the two of you became something of a regular occurrence. You’d make your hits when and where he did his to avoid exposure, and sometimes things would go wrong on his end. Some mishaps were genuine accidents, but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy the way he’d take out his frustration on you.

He fucked you like an animal, and you loved it because sometimes you couldn’t even form words afterwards. And best of all, he wasn’t trying to kill you anymore…just your vagina.

One day, he didn’t leave as soon as he was done. He stood over you, watching as you fought to control your breathing. When you realized that he wasn’t making any moves to leave, you peeled your eyes open to look up at him from your place on the couch.

“…what?”

You nervously sat up as he dug into his pocket, eyes widening when he pulled out the shiniest bracelet you’d ever seen. He dangled it in front of your face, a low hum escaping him as you admired it.

“Saw this shiny little number in the display. It had my little thief written all over it…”

He jerked it away when you reached for it, so you reached higher, gasping when he closed his free hand around your wrist. You watched as he snapped the expensive piece of jewelry around your arm, and you brushed your fingers over it the minute he let you go.

You were forced to pull your eyes away from it though when he harshly gripped your chin, pulling your head up so that you were looking at him. His green eyes bore into your own, face unreadable as he pressed his red lips together.

“You like it, doll face?”

You couldn’t hold back your grin, and you nodded.

“I love it,” you told him, unaware of the implications behind the gesture.

You started showing up to work with all kinds of new things. A new pair of earrings, a necklace that wasn’t that before, even some new heels that didn’t hurt your feet as much. You figured it was just a perk of fucking the king of Gotham, of keeping him satisfied.

You didn’t know that it went beyond mere satisfaction and thankful gestures.

It was a late night, or early morning depending on how you looked at it. The club was almost at its peak, the early hours of the morning being your busiest. You hadn’t seen J in a few days, but it wasn’t unusual. The man was basically running an empire.

You were servicing a client, a regular who could never stick to one dancer. He had a habit of hopping between the ladies at the club, and it looked like this week, he’d chosen you. The loud music filled your ears as you slid your hands over his shoulder, thighs brushing his as you danced on him. The bass from the music made your body vibrate, and your eyes fell closed as you fisted one of your hands into your hair, chest pushed forwards.

The man had already given you a handsome sum of money, and you knew that if you put on your best show, there was plenty more where that came from. The loud music prevented you from hearing the rise in voices as a new patron entered the club. It also prevented you from taking note of the worried chatter that had only just started to emerge, but it didn’t drown out the sound of a gunshot that you flinching.

However, you didn’t open your eyes because of the gunshot. You opened your eyes at the feel of droplets landing all over your face, hair, and clothes. You faintly registered the sound of screams surrounding you as people fled from the club, tripping over one another. You stumbled back, frozen in place as you stood up straight, hands raised in front of you as you stared at your dead customer in shock.

He was dead.

That much was more than clear, but you were having a hard time wrapping your head around it. Heavy footsteps slowly made their way over to you, and you hesitantly looked over, terrified eyes connecting with familiar green ones. His eyes were wild and crazed, green hair pushed back away from his face, gun swinging back and forth on his finger. He looked good in his all white suit, not a spot of blood on him.

You wished you could say the same.

“Are you insane?” you screamed, legs trembling.

“Well, that’s what they tell me.”

You frowned at him as he threw his head back and cackled, and you shook your head, fighting to clear it.

“Why did you do that? What’s wrong with you?”

He abruptly stopped laughing, slowly lowering his head to gaze at you. His lips parted into a mocking grin.

“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you? I leave town on business for a few days, and I come back to find my girl practically screwing some punk for the whole club to see,” he slowly said, voice low and threatening.

Your anger kicked you into gear, and you stomped towards him, a frown on your face.

“I am not your girl, and even if I was…this is my job! You know this is my job-!”

Your words were cut off, and you winced as he tightened his hold on your neck. Your feet were barely grazing the floor as he walked forwards, forcing you back. You dug your fingers into his arm, hitting at him with your free hand, but he acted as if you weren’t even fighting back.

“Those nice earrings you’re wearing says you’re my girl…”

Your stomach churned as you began to realize the serious meaning behind his gifts.

“…that pretty little bracelet on your arm says you’re my girl…”

You looked around in fear, realizing that the club was completely empty save for you, the Joker, and his thugs. You kicked at him as he forced your back onto the stage, his firm body pressing down on yours. His hold was still tight, and you felt tears spring forth as you fought to breathe.

“…and I say you’re my girl. Understand?”

You gave a shaky nod, but it wasn’t enough for him. He lifted you by the neck before slamming you back down, making you wince, and a slow grin spread along his face, revealing his shiny teeth.

“I’ve got a whole lotta toys, sweetheart. I earned those toys. I took those toys. Those toys are mine…”

You watched as he pointed his gun at the dead man still slumped in the chair.

“…and I don’t like people touching my toys.”

You didn’t get a chance to ponder on this turn of events before his lips were harshly pressing against yours. He slammed the gun down next to your head, hands pulling at your attire, and the tears finally spilled over as you fought against him. You weren’t alone, and this was a new level of humiliation that you weren’t okay with.

A man was dead. In fact, you were still covered in his blood, and the Joker’s men were just behind him, intently listening to everything, no doubt. His grip was harsh as he took hold of your wrists, slamming them down beside you. He let one go to grab his gun, pressing it into your lips as you shook.

“You gonna be a good girl? Or do I have to use this again?”

His voice was calm despite the violent implications behind his words, and you shakily shook your head.

He was rougher with you than he had ever been before. Biting you, choking you, and holding you far too tight. Part of you felt like it was done on purpose, not only so you’d get the idea, but so that the rest of his crew would get that you were his too. You cried as he pressed your cheek down onto the stage floor, hips snapping against your backside while harsh grunts left his lips.

You couldn’t handle staring at the Joker’s latest victim while he forced himself into you, so you squeezed your eyes shut. His other hand dug into your hip so harshly, you knew it was going to leave a bruise. As the minutes drew on, it seemed like his ministrations were becoming rougher, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d say the sound of your sobs were egging him on.

His grip on your hair when he came had more tears springing to your eyes, and you flinched when his lips brushed your ear.

“Clean yourself up…”

Having only been half on the stage, you collapsed to the floor when he let you go. Your hair and makeup were a mess, and you miserably stared up at him through tear-filled eyes as he tucked his shirt back into his pants, swiftly pulling on his white suit jacket.

“…the cops will be here soon, and you gotta pull yourself together. Huh, doll face?”

He forced your head back as he gripped your chin, and you reluctantly nodded. He roughly dragged his thumb over your lips, smearing what was left of your lipstick before taking his leave, leaving you alone with one dead body, and one bruised one.

You shuffled upstairs, arms aching and eyes tight as you made your way to your apartment. It had been weeks since you’d been back to the club. Your boss, someone you were ever grateful for, told you to come back when you were ready. After all, you’d had someone’s brains blown out right in front of you…on you.

You were fortunate that no one stuck around to see J’s possessive display of ownership, so no one knew what his impromptu murder was really about. Everyone speculated that the customer had crossed the Joker in some way, a business deal gone wrong, but only you knew the truth. Only you knew that the man’s only crime had been paying for your time.

You took a break from stealing from the wealthy too. Not only did you lack the energy, but you couldn’t chance running into the Joker. Had you known what all of those gifts had meant, you never would have accepted them. You didn’t want to be the Joker’s. The last girl who got seriously tangled up with him had ended up almost crazier than he was.

Granted, you heard Harley Quinn was doing better these days, but God. Look how long it took her to get there? The thought of telling him to his face that it was over was a scary one, so you settled for just hiding away in your apartment. He was the Joker, a man who had a lot on his plate, and like he’d said, you were a toy to him. There were plenty of toys out there, and he could easily find another.

You dropped the groceries to the floor as soon as you made it inside, and you groaned as you straightened. Your shoes clicked along the floor as you made your way through your dark apartment. You turned on the kitchen light so that it would be on when you returned, and you made your way through your living room, looking forward to getting out of these clothes.

However, when you turned on the light in the living room, you were startled by the sight of a familiar green-haired villain standing in the corner like some statue. You barely swallowed down the scream that bubbled in your throat, and your eyes were wide as you took him in.

He was wearing a tux, a nice one with a white bowtie and a matching boutonniere. His hair was slicked back, and you weren’t sure where he came from, but you wanted him to go right back.

“I was enjoying a night out on the town…taunting Batsy as I like to do…”

He walked away from the wall as he slowly begun, cold eyes roaming over your apartment.

“…when I realized that I hadn’t seen my little thief for days. Weeks even.”

“What are you doing here?”

He didn’t respond, instead opting to make his way around the living room, running his gloved hands over your furniture. You didn’t realize that he was gradually closing the circle, nearing you.

“You haven’t been at work. You haven’t been in my face while you ruin my plans. You’re not hiding from me…are ya, doll face?”

You clenched your jaw, swallowing down your fear as you crossed your arms over your chest.

“I’m not hiding from you. We’re just through,” you told him.

He froze, glancing over his shoulder at you before continuing to look around.

“Did you hear me? You and I are done. Take your jewelry back, take everything you gave me and leave,” you continued.

He continued on as if he hadn’t heard you, and you stomped towards him.

“I’m serious, J! Do I need to call the police?”

That made him turn, and he wagged his finger at you like you were a misbehaving child.

“Careful,” he purred. “…because I personally know a certain thief they’d love to be informed about.”

You frowned, swallowing before pushing past him.

“I don’t care. At least in jail, I’ll be away from you-.”

You were cut off by your own scream, reaching for his hand as he pulled on your hair, forcing you away from the phone. He pulled you against him, and your eyes widened when he pressed a knife against your cheek, a hair’s width away from your lips.

“You have no agency in this arrangement.”

He threw you to the floor, and you scrambled away from him, nails scraping along the wood as he pulled you back. He cut your clothes away with ease, the torn shreds falling to the floor to leave you bear before him. The knife that grazed along your skin kept you from screaming as he undressed, but you did wince when he pressed it into your thigh, like a warning of what could come.

He took you behind the couch first, holding your thighs so tightly that the skin burned when he finally let go. Your table was next, but unfortunately, it didn’t withstand his rough treatment. The wall shook as he fucked you against it, every thrust rattling the pictures you had hung up to make this place a tad cozier.

Broken glass and broken pieces of wood littered the floor by the time he forced you into your bedroom. His knife remained in between his fingers the whole time he fucked you against your sheets. Your scalp burned from his harsh hold, and your throat hurt every time you swallowed, and you just knew that you’d wake up with finger shaped bruises in the morning. His deep voice was a constant in your ear, calling you ‘his little thief’, tsking at you like you were a confused child, telling you how much he was going to straighten you out.

When you clenched around him for a final time, your legs were thrown over his shoulder while your hands were pinned above your head by one of his. His free hand had fun cutting little nicks into your skin, greedily licking up the blood as tears continued to dampen your cheeks. He continued to push himself into you even after he came, and when he finally pulled out, your legs fell to the bed, chest heaving with shallow sobs.

“Now, wasn’t that a whole lotta fun?”

You glared at him as he sat up, a thin layer of sweat clinging to his fair skin, and your eyes traced the ink that decorated him. His green hair was in disarray, a smug grin on his lips as he pushed the strange colored locks away from his face. You could hardly even move, and you feared that attempting to would hurt worse.

You watched as he leaned over to his discarded pants, pulling out some sparkly piece of jewelry that you couldn’t care less about. You swallowed as he held it up, nearing you.

“…and here I was out shopping for something to compliment those new earrings, and you’re talking about leaving me. That’s a bit rude, but I’m willing to look past it.”

More tears spill over as he slides it around your neck, and it feels more like a noose than a necklace.

“You look like a work of art,” he says, lips brushing your cheek. “…all pretty and marked up by yours truly.”

His hair tickles your face, and he slowly leans away, dragging his fingers over your lips. You wince when he roughly grabs your jaw, pressing his fingers into a tender spot that you know is already forming a bruise.

“Now, I’ll be back in a couple of hours, so don’t do anything stupid.”

He tightened his grip at the end of his sentence, and you flinched. He grinned at you as he lightly patted his other hand against your cheek, grin widening when you recoiled.

“Let’s not do anything like that again, alright, sweetheart?” he purrs. “I’d hate to have to really hurt ya.”

~

tags: @harryspet @sherrybaby14 @darkficreposter @xoxabs88xox  @opheliadawnwalker3 @honeychicanawrites @honeychicana @nickyl316h @captainchrisstan @sebabestianstan101 @readermia @villanellevi @lokislastlove @notyourtypicalrose @coconutqueen21 @hurricanerin @buckybarnesplumwhore @quaksonhehe @nerdygirl8203 @mandiiblanche @cocoamoonmalfoy​

[mae-gi-writes]

Yūgen | Sunwoo (The Boyz)

Yugen (n.) a profound, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe that triggers a deep, emotional response. 

Requested by anon! In which Sunwoo, the ace of the volleyball team, is curious about what you’re drawing all the time. Until one day, he stumbles upon a drawing of himself made from yours truly. 

Genre: fluff, volleyball player! Sunwoo and art student reader, shy love, softness, and inspired by haikyuu because I have been obssessed with the anime lately TT__TT  A/N: It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve posted here! Slowly but surely, I’m going through my inbox and replying to your requests. Thank you for your patience, stay safe loves, ily all xx 

-----

Sunwoo wasn't artistically inclined.

But that never stopped him from admiring those that were. He was always so curious as to how just a flick of fingers managed to create a shadow, or how just one glance at a subject made it through onto paper without so much as an effort to remember the details. It was like it was automatically recorded into one's brain, hands already registered to mimic the curves and the folds and the shadows that turned into nothing short of a miraculous piece. So when he caught sight of someone drawing, it always piqued his interest. He stumbled upon you one late afternoon after his volleyball practice, with sweat dotting his forehead and his training bag slung casually over his shoulder. He was about to direct his way to the parking lot upon exiting the gymnasium, only to spot a lone figure huddled upon the bleachers and curled into a ball that caused Sunwoo to frown. Slowly sidling up to the stranger in question and peeking over the railing to catch a glimpse of your face, his eyes are instantly driven to the sketchpad in your hands.

You didn't notice him though, so absorbed in your own world with earphones blocking out reality that a tsunami could've gone unnoticed. So Sunwoo took advantage to climb over onto the opposite bleacher and, after ensuring that your back wouldn't turn to greet him, leaned over the separation to catch sight of a lone figure cartwheeling freely over the page. Woah. You were talented alright. There was nothing else to describe the fluidity of movement you caught with your pencil. It made Sunwoo's breath catch in his throat. He had the sudden urge to know exactly what kind of face hid behind the visual mastery manifesting before his very eyes. After all, there must be other things for them to see rather than the boring literal reality that most people settled for. What kind of imageries were they creating in their heads? What beautiful stories were they crafting? Worlds they got lost in? You moved then, causing Sunwoo to jolt back and scurry away with his heart beating out of his chest, deciding that it was enough spying for the day. After that day, he made sure to seek you out every time after practice although he noticed you never strayed too long in the same place, always moving about like a shadow lingering in the corner, invisible yet omniscient. Sometimes you would find a quiet spot in a patch of sunlight by the tennis courts. Sometimes you'd be found on the bleachers, alert eyes observing every pass, every move, every twist of a body like  camera taking everything in. Sunwoo never approached you. Not that he didn't want to, but he found it awkward to just come up to you and present himself as the guy who'd been stalking your drawings. So he admired you from afar instead, relished in the passion of your dark coffee coloured eyes and in the attentive focus dipping your eyebrows in a soft frown, lips paeted slightly in concentration. "Do you know her?" He'd asked one of his friends from the volleyball team once, during their lunch break as he saw you line up at the cafeteria. Changmin took a peek at your face before he shook his head, "she might be in one of my electives." "Which one?" "I think it's art." Sunwoo forced his face to remain in a mask of calmness as he grabbed a steak sandwich, no fries, "do you know her name?" "Nah. I don't think she's ever spoken in class," Changmin's eyebrows quirk up then, "why'd you ask?" "No reason." Changmin's pointed look defined anything but that.  Although he did have the decency to drop the subject as soon as the rest of the volleyball team joined the table. Sunwoo got his answer a few days later when he practically toppled over you and your drawing crayons. It was his mistake. He'd been leaning too far out from the top of the basketball bleachers, struggling to get even the smidgest glimpse of what amazing piece of art hiding under your jacket sleeve, only for his foot to slip. Down he went with a curse, crashing straight into your body and quickly scrabbling to wrap his arms around your head, a pathetic attempt to cushion your fall as you fell into a heap in front of the bleachers. "You--you okay?" He huffed out, breathless and heart beating like a time bomb. Pulling his arms away slowly, gently, he finally met your gaze straight on and --oh my, your eyes were not coffee coloured at all.  But more of a honey-brown, wide open and framed by soft lashes. Currently dilated in panic. "I'm fine! What--What about you? Oh gosh, I'm so sorry--" "No it was my fault," he made a grab for your sketchbook and scattered pens only for his orbs to register the face messily etched onto the paper. His breath caught. For a minute, he could do nothing but stare at the replica of his face made in charcoal. Those were his eyes, his slightly crooked nose. The scowl he wore during his soccer matches. That was him. The resemblance was akin to that of perfection. That was before your hands snatched away the sketchbook before you quickly slammed it closed, cheeks blazing red, "that's-- I swear I"m not a creep, I-- I just do that for practice--" "It's amazing." Your head-- which had been bowed this entire time for fear that anger would be his response -- shot up in surprise, "what?" "It's amazing," Sunwoo repeated. He wouldn't mind repeating it forever, he realized, if that meant he got to see that aforable blush of yours. He reached out with his hand, "can I look at it again?" So you allowed him after some slight hesitation, and if he noticed, he didn't comment. Fingers brushing against yours slightly, he handled the sketchbook with utmost care as he flipped through the pages with child-like awe. He'd seen your drawings, sure, but mere glimpses here and there, a sneak peek, always accompanied with the fear of being found. But now, he could take his time and actually relish in the soft tracings of your crayon, admire the gentle shadings that made up the tip of his nose. You had managed to capture that frown -- the one he used whenever he concentrated -- to perfection and for a minute he swore he'd fallen in love with himself. "You're really good," he murmured, though that definitely banalized the array of praises popping through his head, "you should keep doing them. I mean it." "So, you're not--" you paused, "mad?" "Well I think you'd have more reason to be mad if you knew I was stalking you from before." "What?" Oh Sunwoo, you idiot. Your eyes had tripled their size and you were looking at him like he'd just grown a second head. He lifted his hands as defence, "that sounded so much better in my head. I swear I'm not that creepy, or a stalker, I just--well you're always drawing and I got curious but I can't really come over and tell you to show me so I had to hide and peek and--" You burst out laughing in his face and despite the fact that he was the cause, he couldn't help joining in with a small chuckle, a grin spreading across his features at how alive you looked at this very moment. "You can ask me next time," your grin settled into a soft smile, "I don't bite." "Your words, not mine," he said, tone lighter and teasing. He helped you gather your belongings and as the pair of you started towards the school gates, he asked for your name. "Y/N," you answered, "and you?" "Sunwoo," he noticed the sky was darkening into purple, a sign that twilight was approaching. Usually, he'd be in a hurry to catch the last bus of the evening to avoid the pain of traffic after six. But it was like his body was slowing down on its own to join your pace, as if he was automatically tuning in to the rhythm of your steps. He found he didn't mind. "So why athletes? Any special reason why you like drawing them?" He asked as you reached the gates. "I just like watching the way they move. It's ...graceful," a hand went to rub the back of your neck, "and they come in handy for figure practice." "I mean, we're not that graceful when you're on the pitch ready to get blown away," he chuckled, "but thanks. At least we know we don't play like animals." "Oh god no. The volleyball team's pretty good. The rugby team on the other hand..." you sigh before you shake your head, "that team is nearly impossible to draw." His shoulders shook as he laughed, "well I don't think they aim for graceful. They look like a pack of wild dogs. Even I don't understand how they play." You had reached the said bus stop by then before you spotted your mother's car along the sidewalk, "oh, my mom's here," you turn to him, "where do you live? Maybe we can drop you--" Meeting your mom? On the first day of meeting you? Sunwoo's hands flew up, shaking them wildly in response, "oh no no, that's not necessary. I'll see you tomorrow!" Thank god for the bus that pulled up at the right time so that he didn't have to linger longer than he needed to. But he didn't miss the small wave of your hand as you watched him go, the smile on your face warming his heart even when it was one of the coldest winter days of the year. From that day onwards, Sunwoo made it a must to make his presence known whenever you were deep in your sketches, always observing, sometimes silently keeping you company and sometimes getting so wrapped up in conversation that your pens would lay forgotten by your bag as you bantered back and forth about subjects that would've made people throw you looks of concern. It became routine to have Sunwoo's head pop up from behind the bleachers or to see him walk up the path to your special hiding spot, right where your gaze would meet the tennis court. You sketched him more and more, folding your drawings into your bag so that he wouldn't see although the urge to catch his face on paper was a growing addiction you couldn't ignore. Even your friends had noticed his lingering presence, proceeding to prod you with questions reflecting their curiosity. "He's from the vòlleyball team isn't he?" Yeji asked one time during lunch, upon noticing the way the said young man's stare lingered over the back of your head before turning away just as quickly, "do you know him?" "We've spoken once or twice." "How do you know him?" Your other friend, Saeron, nudged you with a wriggle of her brows. You brushed her teasing away, "we bumped into each other and then he saw my drawings." "Oh right, you do sketch athletes," Yeji leaned forward, mouth full of bread, "did you sketch him?" "I did, actually." "Oh awkward," Saeron giggled, "he's handsome though, can't deny that. You gotta introduce us sometime." You mumbled out an agreement even though you sat with them just for the sake of having people around. It wasn't that you didn't appreciate them. You did. But they seemed to speak a language you couldn't quite grasp. You would rather sit in your own silence, enjoy your own company if that made sense. Maybe that was why it was so surprising, that you allowed Sunwoo to linger as long as he wanted to. There was something authentic about the way he reacted to your words, an unguarded expression that made you comfortable enough to speak up without fear of judgment. Spending time with Sunwoo was listening to water trickle down the river. Smooth and free. Peaceful. But Sunwoo seldom knew of your high regards, was not aware of the tiny sketch of his figure in mid-spike that was hidden in the pocket of your school skirt so that you could take a peek whenever you felt out of place or nervous. It calmed you down to admire his composure, even if his expression was a mere mimic that could not replace reality. "Do you have any material in particular that you like to use?" Sunwoo asked one cloudy afternoon, breaking the silence while huddling a little closer to peek at your newest sketch of Lee Juyeon; a basketball star player known for his quick reflexes and adept playing style. Not only was his skill on par with that of a Nationals team, but his looks had garnered him quite a fanbase from the get-go. Sunwoo would've liked to say that he wasn't jealous of the way your thumb gently applied shade to Juyeon's lower lip. But the spike in the middle of his chest proved him otherwise. "I like charcoal the most, it's the easiest to work with," pausing to admire your work, your eyes glanced over at him, "do you draw?" He scoffed, "like a five year old." "Wanna try?" "No way. I'll ruin it. I'm okay with admiring it from afar." You hummed an unknown tune as you pulled back your sketchbook, "how is practice?" "Alright. Could be better. We won a practice match last week so we're kind of taking it easy." "That's good though isn't it?" Your gaze met his. His eyes were various gradients of warm maroon and you wished-- at this very moment -- to paint his features into memory. That was when you realized how close you were. You shuffled slightly back and didn't notice the frown Sunwoo threw you in response, "it is. And I'm happy we get to rest. The team deserves it." "You're pursuing it in College?" Your eyes tried not to linger too much over his lips, "volleyball, I mean." "Depends," he smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, "if we make it to the Nationals." "You will." "Someone's confident," he chuckled. "Well I'm no pro but even I can tell you're talented, Sunwoo," you peeked at him from behind your fringe, glad that you could blame the cold for your red cheeks when just the intensity and closeness of his entity made you want to squirm, "so if there's anyone who can do it, it's you." It was impossible to keep eye contact after such a confession. You lowered your gaze, glad for your sketchbook that acted as a distraction. It was at that very moment that the paper tucked so neatly in your pocket slipped out, causing Sunwoo to quickly make a grab for it. You made a noise of protest before trying to snatch it back, but the boy only chuckled before unfolding the creased page so that there he was, depicted in all his glory. "Is that--" his voice was hoarse and you took this as your chance to steal it from his grasp, reddened cheeks burning and fingers shaking as you folded it back to its tiny square shape, "is that me?" "Y--yes." "You--you keep that with you?" "I--I do," you lifted your chin up defiantly, though you felt your limbs trembling. His eyes, they pierced your own, piecing together a coherence that caused your stomach to fill with butterflies. When he spoke next, his words were a mere murmur. "Why?" "I--I don't know," eyes darting towards the ground, you mumbled, "I just like watching you...play." A pause. Then, Sunwoo shifted a little bit closer. "You like watching me play? Or do you like," he cocked his head, "watching me?" If you were red before then you were probably the colour of a fire engine truck by now. Averting your eyes and turning your head away were instinctive responses due to the blood rushing through your face. "Stop flirting with me," came your mumble. Laughing softly in response, he scooted himself a little closer, so close that his shoulder brushed your back. He leaned over, head tilted to catch your expression. "Cute," his lips broke out in a crooked grin and you swore you felt your heart explode. Flustered, you shoved him away out of instinct but he wasn't having any of that. His hand grabbed your wrists and with a yelp, you were dragged even closer to his chest. "You like looking at me that much huh?" His tone was teasing while his eyes glimmered with playful mischief, "why is that,Y/N?" "You ask as if you don't know," you mumbled out through jumbled words and you were glad he actually understood you. But instead of laughing some more, his features softened into a smile instead as he proceeded to gaze down at you with an expression you couldn't quite place. It was in your normal behaviour to admire people. Not the other way around. And at this very moment, you felt way out of your comfort zone. "I don't know." Your orbs flew up to his in surprise and what you found in those coffee-coloured pupils made your breath stutter, heat coiling through your abdomen. "It...it calms me down," your whisper was barely louder than a breath but by the way Sunwoo's smile widens to reach his eyes, you could tell he heard you just fine. "I like watching you too," he replied. A strand of your hair caught in the wind and he raised his hand to curl it around the back of your ear, his touch ghosting with sparks wherever flesh bumped into flesh. You felt warm. He didn't pull away. Didn't bother hiding the slight dust of pink in his cheeks either, as he slowly allowed his palm to cradle the side of your face. Gently. As if he feared you might run away, recoil back. But you didn't. Even with your breaths going staccato, even if your heart felt like a wild animal. You calmed yourself down with the knowledge that he seemed just as nervous as you were and suddenly, out of a stroke of boldness, your hand went up to hold on to his, pressing it close to your cheek. His breath hitched. You shivered. The wind blew against your figures, a gentle reminder that the day was coming to an end. You weren't exactly sure what changed that day. There were no verbal agreements, nothing that suggested your relationship had changed. Yet, the subtle touches of his hand against your back, your shoulders, moving your hair from one shoulder to another, complemented by his gentle doe-eyed stare that made your toes curl, these changes were small, but significant. And you couldn't find it in your heart to say that you disliked it. What are we? The words lingered at the tip of your tongue, as bitter as the aftertaste of coffee as you stole small glances in his direction. You were sitting comfortably under a tree that overlooked the tennis court where Sunwoo had decided to join you. He'd fallen asleep halfway through your beginning sketch and was now leaning against the tree trunk, face relaxed and body leaned towards yours, close enough that you could admire his face. Countless hours you had spent tracing Sunwoo's features on paper. Countless times you had imagined tracing his lips with your thumb, wondered whether they were as soft as they looked. Maybe it was just curiosity or maybe you had let him walk into your heart so easily that you hadn't realized it yourself. But if there was one thing you could swear your heart upon it would be that you could no longer imagine every day without Sunwoo's presence at your side. As if on instinct, your fingers took a life of their own as they reached up to push a few strands away from his face. They gently carved a path down his cheek, landing at the corner of his jaw. Dangerously close to his open mouth. There was no denying it. Sunwoo was beautiful. Handsome. Had those features on par to that of a model's. You were so focused on edging your way to touch his lower lip that you didn't realize you had been staring, until you glanced up to see his brown orbs fixated on yours. You froze. Shit. "Like what you see?" He murmured. Then, before you could scramble back and probably run with your tail between your legs, his own hand grasped your own and he pushed himself off the trunk before his head angled towards yours, finding your lips. Soft. Sunwoo's lips were soft. You panicked. Not used to the closeness. The fire that sparked between your lids. But his other hand went to clasp your jaw, holding you close as he kissed your next protest away and unconsciously brushing his thumb against your cheek. Shivering in his touch, there was no running away from the way his mouth molded against yours so snugly, and you didn’t want to. You found yourself addicted to the sweet pressure of his upper lip meeting your lower ones and soon enough -- without realizing -- you melted into his touch. 

Sunwoo made a noise that sounded like a soft grunt, his other hand lacing around your waist to pull you closer so that you tumbled halfway into his lap. With embarrassment suddenly flooding through you, you let out a squeak that he answered with a chuckle of his own before distracting you once more with a series of kisses that left you gasping.

Your hands, initially balled into fists in your lap, went to rest against his chest and you didn’t realize that you were gripping onto his school shirt until you parted for air. Only were you aware of your compromising position, of the hard ridges of the young man’s thighs, of the firmness of his chest against your palms, of the way he seemed to be so much bigger than you even though he was a lean athlete, meant to be light and as speedy as the wind. 

Breaths coming out ragged, you tried to slow the beating of your heart. Though it seemed to be quite the challenge, given how lovingly, how intense, Sunwoo seemed to be in making love to your neck, nibbling on your pulse point and causing a soft whimper to fall from your lips. 

A whistle blew in the distance.

The soccer team. They’d be crawling up the hill any minute now.

“Sunwoo,” you breathed out, eyes hazy with mixed feelings of desire and embarrassment. You feebly tried pushing against his chest, to no avail. He merely groaned, head tilting upwards to catch your mouth into another kiss. 

“Sunwoo,” you groaned against his lips. But he held on for dear life, one hand clasping the back of your neck, tangled into your locks. The other around your waist, pressing you as close as he could possibly get you to be. 

“Just one more,” he mumbled in-between kisses, hooded eyes fluttering closed and head slanting to kiss you a little deeper, a little harder.

Your body was on fire. You weren’t used to this intimacy, nor all of the affection he was raining down upon you. 

But it felt good. It felt amazing. Eye-opening.

He finally relented after what seemed like an eternity and you quickly made a move to scramble out of his lap. Though he wasn’t having any of that, grip made of iron as he held on. You looked up to snap at him to let go before everyone saw but was faced with his pout instead, which was enough to bring down your defences. 

“Please,” his pout deepened and your heart practically vaulted through your chest. Cute. Cute. Cute. Stop. Burying his face into your neck, he whispered, “I just wanna hold you.” 

So he did. And thank god the team had decided to take a different route so that you would avoid their imploring, questioning gazes. Though Sunwoo admitted that he’d already known they would go up from the other side of the gymnasium, considering they did that every other week to train their stamina in the process. 

That earned him a light smack on the side of his head, making him whine, “What did I do to deserve this Y/N?” 

“You knew!” You wanted to throw him a glare, but it was impossible when you were busy fighting the grin spreading across your face. 

He grinned back at you, that crooked smile that always resulted in a burst of butterflies roaring through your abdomen. Just like now. 

“So, since you have a drawing of me that you keep staring at every day--” his words died into laughter when you tried smacking his arm, proceeding to cage your wrist with his hand before kissing your knuckles. You squirmed as he continued, “does that mean I can get a picture of you?”

You let out a noise of protest, “that depends,” you mumbled, unconsciously finding refuge in his neck.

Chuckling, Sunwoo grasped your chin lightly to pull you back so that his brown orbs gazed right into yours with a gentleness that had you weak at the knees, “on what?” 

“On what I get in return.” 

“What if I say I’ll take you on a date?” he said wickedly. 

You couldn’t help your smile. 

“I guess that could work.”