#at least those who watch the show will likely be women ‘lovers’ | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

writella · 1 month

Text

Reckless Romantics

Synopsis: Can be read as a stand alone or part two to getting ready for me; a return to innocent, inexperienced!reader and her relationship with Rick Grimes; two weeks after their first time together there has been some distance, but now Rick wants to make up for how hasty he was when he touched her last.

Details: Rick Grimes x fem!reader, smut: oral (f receiving) and teaching reader how to give a handjob, unspecified (of age) age gap, sweetness + kissing + a little mutual pining maybe, probably cliche, and leaning more into Rick as the dutiful leader and gentle lover (I feel this is just as in character as dom!Rick). Reader is a music lover— any kind of music you like— but she also likes a specific band only because I watched a documentary about them at the theater in July so it made its way into the story. Slightly proofread— will be corrected more later. wc: 5-7k (I lost track after finishing it on tumblr).

A/N: I wrote this message before I returned for the summer, but I still want you to read it: Been spending time outside this summer, trying to reach some goals— time got away from me. I don’t think I’ll ever stop saying I miss you, but please know it’s always true.

— with love from writella, my beautiful reader. ♡

Rick Grimes was not a man to give in to temptation.

My mercy prevails over my wrath, he’d say— his secret keepsake phrase. The one he whispers to himself in moments of hardship; the one he uses when he needs to make decisions only a leader would. Rick was a man of discipline; honor. He never boasted about how seriously he took these qualities, but when others did— admired, applauded, stuck by him for it— it would be a lie to say that he didn’t take note and use their pride to keep him going. This is how he knows he is strong-willed, why he wouldn’t fall for foolish, forbidden things. He was better than that. The safety and prosperity he brought to Alexandria proved it, reaffirmed it.

So why couldn’t someone remind him of that two weeks ago before he touched you?

As for you, you believed yourself to be a girl who wouldn’t fall so easily for the first man who showed you any kind of affection.

From an adolescence of peers who never seemed to take notice of you to one filled with walkers and adults who were either dead or seldom your age, you learned how hard love, let alone any connection, is to come by. It has made you quite the perpetual daydreamer because of it. One with a heart and mind filled with fantasy worlds, creating what you lacked externally. It often made you see yourself as much younger than you were despite all you’ve been through. No regular person your age in the old world has probably escaped as many deaths and wannabe cowboy dictators as you have. Still, they probably knew what it was like to have a high school romance, or at least go to the movies with friends, and have graduated from well, anything. You were simply born too late and shoved into this new world too early to experience even half of it.

This upbringing has brought you up to believe yourself precocious, although— maybe you were already too old for that word now. No, you were, so maybe– sensible, realistic despite the overactive imagination; you could decipher between right and wrong, real versus fake. This is why, for as long as you could, you did not entertain any thoughts of Rick Grimes.

Other people would though, women mostly. But you did have your suspicions of others who thought the same— they just weren't as shameless. Those who were, could be found during lunch breaks from work on house porches; or laughing and whispering at community gatherings and at the back of town hall meetings. Basically any time or place they could turn into a gossip session, which was often. And it didn’t always have to do with Rick. It could be about any one of the men in town; or retelling funny moments to their friends or complaining about their co-workers. But anything of true, great interest always had to do with the community leaders. You wish you could say you were the exception to this interest, but hypocritically, you loved a good inside scoop, and luckily for you, you had a trustworthy way about you. Almost everyone who spoke to you or allowed you to sit with them and their friends for meals agreed: you were a intent, quiet listener making you the best kind of person to say things to without judgment; and people assumed you as shy, yet you loved to laugh which was great for boosting egos. They often treated you as a little sister in that way, as if the pleasure was all yours to get to hear their ramblings because they were either older or perceived themselves to be more sociable and experienced than you. You tried not to care too much about what they took you for. It was nice to feel trusted, even if people could be a little too mean or weird for your liking because no matter who it was, they made you feel as if you were watching television, and you missed television. They told you things from period mishaps– (it’s the apocalypse, there are a lot of free bleeding queens okay)— to which people in their workstations annoyed them most with very detailed explanations as to why and, of course, rumors or general talk about the leaders: who they thought each of them has slept with, if there seemed to be any fighting between them and what side they were taking, and obviously, anything that had to do with one of the guys. Some were downright obvious that one or the other was their type, while others might try to be more sly about it, always bringing whichever man it was up more than the others. But unless they were diehard Daryl girls, wanted to dominate Glenn, or had some military man, hot priest, or doctor kink for Abraham, Gabriel, or Siddiq, most of them apparently felt that Rick was the love of their lives. He was like a local celebrity. A band’s frontman.

“So, what about you?” One of your scavenging partners asked on the ride home. “Which one do you like?”

“They’re all attractive guys,” you say, keeping your eyes on the road. “But I don’t really think about them like that.” You feel a flush coming on. Crushes, or anything romantic, is a part of your internal world, not something you discuss aloud.

“Come on,” she prods. “You never join in. You just laugh at us for being delusional.”

“Whose us?” Rosita asks, her voice sharp, humorous, and not without judgment. “I don’t talk about that shit.” But secretly, she loved the drama as much as you and would have many questions for you later tonight about why you have yet to tell her of the town obsession of treating her friends like the cast of a reality show.

“I don’t laugh at you! I like it when you guys talk about that stuff.”

“But what I’m saying is that I didn’t let you ride shotgun this time so you can hold out again,” the girl jokes half-heartedly.

“What do you mean this time? I get to ride shotgun because I’m the one with the CDs.”

And it’s true, the only thing that cancelled out the silence of drive in moments where conversation ceased was your Oasis album playing in the background. Learning about the band was your new obsession. Much like listening to the crazy imaginations of the girls in town, you found the Gallagher brother rivalry riveting even if you only knew pieces of the story from the music, scraps of magazine articles, and by asking whoever in town happened to be a teen in the 90s. Thankfully you had hit the jackpot today though. One of the houses you visited was once occupied by a dad and daughter with an insane music collection in the living room and a smaller, more curated one in the girl’s room. After gathering what new music you wanted to try from downstairs, you also found some old issues of QuizFest in the girl’s room, filled with activities that were themed with shows you remember from when you were a kid, but the most important discovery— the find of all finds— was one of those Ultimate Guide, Complete Life Story magazines of none other than the band Oasis.

You would now probably know all of the drama between the brothers to tell a coherent story about the band’s history to anyone who wanted an escape from walker related events and farming talk. When you weren’t listening, that’s what people would come to you for: to borrow music, get recommendations, or to tell them a story. In all, you were getting the reputation of being the town’s music historian, meaning you usually used your knowledge to avoid talking about yourself. And it mostly worked.

Except for now.

“Well, if I had to guess,” the girl persists despite your silence, “I think it would be Rick.”

“What?” Noticing the incredulity in your tone, you calm your voice. Shrugging you say, “Why Rick? Everyone likes him.”

Rosita sends a look your way. It’s innocent enough, probably just showing that she is still listening on as she drives but you were refusing to look at anyone now to know for sure.

“Exactly,” the girl says. “He’s a classic knight in shining armor type. I feel like he’d talk you through it, which I think would be good for— someone like you.”

Your face is on fire, you can’t even speak properly. “I- first of all, what do you know about my experience?” you ask, the incredulous tone returning. But all you get as an answer is knowing snorts and chortles from the two women. Ouch. Nonetheless, you continue, “Second, you think shooting a guy in the head in front of his wife and the whole town is chivalrous?”

Oh—

That makes car goes quiet.

You know you made a mistake.

You didn’t mean it as crassly as you said it, and you did feel bad for saying it knowing that the situation was more difficult than you summed it up to be, but you didn’t apologize. All this talk about crushes and especially Rick made you embarrassed. It’s not that you didn't see what others saw anyway. Of course you noticed how nice Rick’s curls are, how he doesn’t have to use any product for them to look as they do; or those blue eyes and how when you get closer, they become that much more stark and crisp; or how good he was at talking to people, convincing them of things or simply just reassuring them as a friend; and that southern drawl that still sometimes catches you by surprise by sounding so pronounced at the end of certain words, making his voice that much more intoxicating. Of course you saw the appeal, but that didn’t mean you had a crush on him.

Right?

Maybe it doesn’t matter. You just felt you knew better. He was like a president. You know of them, and you believe in them, but you don’t get close to them. And it didn’t matter that he told Carl to personally deliver you a stereo he and Daryl found while out once. How he remembered how you liked music. How he told Carl to tell you this one was probably better than the old one you had, that it was louder. You only showed him your old stereo that once when he was helping you move. He was just a perceptive guy with a good memory. All leaders are like that.

Right?

Anyway, let’s get back to your crass… joke.

“Hilarious.” Rosita says and you hear the low contempt in her voice at your insensitivity.

“That was ages ago though,” the girl chimes in, saving you just a little, “and he did it to help her. He didn’t care about the mess he made. He save her. I’d say that’s pretty romantic.”

“Let’s not call that romantic,” Rosita scoffs, and despite the slight frustration, there was a quiet sadness in her voice at the memory. “That wasn’t love.”

“That was reckless, not romantic.” You agree. Partly because you truly do, but also in attempt to win back favor from your friend. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

But after that day, it was all you could think about.

The idea of a knight; a romantic; someone that would do anything for you, ruin his reputation for you; find gifts from the outside that he’d send is son to give to you. Maybe you did find it charming, idyllic.

These thoughts soared in your mind so much so that on one night when thinking about boys from books or your favorite artists wasn't enough during moments under your sheets when your back arched and your fingers trailed up your thighs, your mind switched from people you would never meet to him, to Rick. Your eyes scrunched tighter, and you tried to shake it away, telling yourself it was just the women in town and the talk in the car getting to you. But then you thought about how rich and hot pink his lips looked on a bright sun-burning day and how it would feel like flames firing inside of you if he kissed you with them.

Ideas like these went on for nearly a year now. You even started questioned if maybe you had always liked him, maybe you were always just like the other girls even though tried to not be. You had thought it made you respectful, realistic; after all, how could Rick be the love of your life if he was everyone’s? Wonderings like this became even worse and more confusing when Rosita had asked if you’d like to move in with her. Becoming closer with her meant being around the leaders more often, which meant coincidental encounters and conversations with Rick as well. Quickly, he wasn’t just that president or celebrity anymore who talked to you sometimes and got you that stereo that once. He was becoming a peer— at least in some ways. One who was curious about your interests as much as your opinions. But it’s not exactly like you were in the in-crowd now as some people assumed. You didn’t get to go to leader meetings, and as much as you knew Rosita must have been telling you more than others know, she couldn’t have been telling you everything. But you did see him more than other people now, when he and the leaders came over to the house or when Rosita was invited over to theirs and she’s tell you to come too. And now, with these thoughts spiraling, you can’t help but to look back at the at the times where Rick approached you, gave you all his attention no matter how small it was and asked you about what you were listening to or reading that week, letting you ramble. He was an older guy, yes, but he cared, he actually listened, and he didn’t make you feel like the childish little sister others do.

Sadly, you did become the fawn like you had told yourself you wouldn’t be. But you couldn’t stop picturing him when you closed your eyes, and in fact, it was nice to imagine someone to fall asleep with, to wake up to. It was just going be your secret. Part of your fantasy world. But then— it all caught up to you.

Through the sliver of the open door he saw you, fingers between folds, goading yourself on as you chanted his name in whispers.

And to your surprise, he encouraged it. No, he did so much more than that— he helped you, made you come; gave you your first orgasm and made you his like no one has before.

You loved it. You gave into it. Even if it was just one secret moment. It made you give into the idea that this would continue but of course, it didn’t. He hasn’t spoken to you in almost three weeks until—

“Woah-” you gasp, almost crashing into just the person as you exit your room.

“Sorry,” you both say in unison, holding onto each other's forearms before quickly letting go. Your arms cross over into your chest before dropping as you enter your room again, clearing the hallway, and his hands go behind his back. He’s still as unsteady as you are, his mouth is slightly open, thinking of what to say.

“Hi,” you whisper tentatively.

“Good morning,” he politely replies. His eyes now smile slightly as he nods to you. You don’t miss how the light emanating from your bright room makes them shine. And he doesn’t miss how the light shining behind your figure makes you, in your white cotton sundress, look like an absolute angel.

“Good morning,” you repeat, giggling slightly, not knowing what else to say.

“Good morning,” he says again, lost and as giddy as you are.

“Oh wait— is the leader’s meeting here today?” Rick starts to nod and answers yes as you continue to speak, “I totally forgot! I’m sorry. I know I should be gone by now.”

He shakes his head, “It’s fine. I was just going to the bathroom.”

“Here? Was someone in the one downstairs?”

“Just wanted to be away from everyone when they came. Daryl and I came early so we started talking and I just- we didn’t see eye to eye on something. I needed a minute.”

You nod. That seems to be your signature when to talk to him. You hated it honestly. Often over-analyzing your words, worrying you’ll sound immature or stutter in front of him. “I'm sorry,” you tell him sympathetically. For a moment there is only silence which makes you worry he will go away, so without thinking, you ask: “I know you’re busy but, if you need a moment, maybe you would like to come in here instead?”

Rick freezes but then, inevitably agrees. As he enters, you close the door and quickly go to shut off the low playing stereo and rehang some of the dresses on your chair in the closet— you had been getting ready for the day. Rick goes to sit on the chair after you empty it but you stop him. You sit on the vertical side of your bed and guesture Rick to sit in the spot next to you, closer to the headboard. You wanted to sit next to him.

Rick doesn’t question this, maybe he wanted to be as close to you as you had, so as he sits, your thighs touch. You try not to move too much at the first contact. Still, the heat that starts to burn inside you makes you realize how much you’ve craved this. Can two weeks feel like a lifetime? It’s like you haven’t felt him in ages.

“What were you playing today?” He asks and you realize you eyes went straight to the area where yours and Rick’s legs touched. You know he noticed but still you try to answer normally.

“Selena. Rosita loves her. It’s one of her most famous songs: Amor Prohibido.”

He nods. “I probably wouldn’t understand a bit of it,” he laughs.

He would probably remember the singer from the news if you gave more context but you don’t. There is a silence that follows until you ask, “So,” starting slowly, “what’s wrong? Is Daryl aright?”

He doesn’t answer. His mouth is open as if he’s deciding what to say, but nothing comes out, so you continue, “You know, nothing is ever right in the world when Rick and Daryl fight. It makes me sad.”

The joke makes those lines at the sides of his eyes appear— a quiet laugh. “Well you know I’d never want to make you sad. Especially not you.” You two exchange a light smile while that heat rises fast to your heart. “We’ll be fine,” he finally says, but then he goes quiet again. Rick seems unsure if he wants to continue. He even looks at the door, wonders if the others have shown up yet, but— he knows he doesn’t want to leave. And even more, he knows he shouldn’t after ignoring you like some teenage boy. He decides to tell you what’s happening: “Daryl wants us to bring new people in. You know how he’s always going out there. But I think it’s way too soon.”

You hum agreeingly, but at the same time, you understand Daryl. “I think he just likes to give people what he never used to have,” you suggest.

“I know,” he nods a bit annoyedly; “and that’s a nice way to put it, but you know him, when he has his mind set on somethin’ he can be so damn stubborn. It’s frustrating. He won’t compromise or listen to anything.”

Endearingly, you try to withhold a laugh, your lisp pursing. Not only because when he says anything, it actually sounds like anythang, but because Rick sounds like he’s describing himself and he doesn’t even realize it.

“And,” he adds, pausing for a moment before he continues, scratching his beard. It looks as if maybe he shouldn’t tell you what he’s about to. His head hangs low to say: This is not information for everyone to know, okay? But the last time he went out there with Glenn, the reason Glenn’s arm is in a sling right now, is because they met a group, tried to bring them back and before they could make it even close to home, the group fought ‘em, tried to steal what they scavenged, and almost kill Glenn.”

You widen your eyes at the statement. You actually already knew this from Rosita, but that will stay between you two. All you feel is humbled that he felt he share it with you, despite it being a dark thing. It was a close call. Rick was right for being very cautious right now. “Wow,” is all you can get in before he speaks again.

“Imagine if we lost him. Fought this war with his wife and unborn baby at the time for nothing? So he couldn’t even meet him?” Rick shakes his head, and you notice his foot tapping lightly, making his knee bounce. This had happened a month ago now but it was obviously affecting him. “It was reckless and I told him that. That right now we need to be focusing on what’s inside these walls. People have only just started getting back to being comfortable now; to feeling like this is a home.”

Your eyes remain wide, “We did so much rebuilding you.”

“We did complete rebuilding.” He corrects, though not rudely. Shaking his head, he goes back to talking about Daryl: “I think I made it seem like what happened to Glenn was his fault. So not only were we arguing but I must’ve hurt him,” Rick realizes, “and now he definitely won’t be back today— maybe not even until next week.”

A silence hangs in the air after this; it seems he finished. Now, you know you should speak, but as the silence continues, you grow more unsure of what to say. Issues like these are things you’ve never dealt with. You didn’t want to say something stereotypical.

“I’m sorry I’m putting all this on you.”

“No, no,” you quickly console, trying to think. “Um, well,” you say, starting unsteadily, “this is probably going to sound stupid and not helpful. I don’t even remember the exact context or what was truly said so it might not make any sense either but, do you remember when I had my Oasis obsession? Earlier this year?”

“I do,” he laughs, turning his head over to your music table. His eyes scan any of the visible album titles to see if he can find it, but the print on most of them are too small. He turns back to you as you continue:

“This is going to sound a little far off but I think you and Daryl are like Liam and Noel.”

His eyebrows furrow, “Didn’t those two hate each other?”

“I mean, yes— but it’s much more complicated than that to me— but no, I don’t mean in that way. It just that there is this quote Noel says that I don’t remember exactly, but I really liked: he said that even though he wrote the music and Liam did the singing that Liam meant the words just as much as Noel did because they’re brothers and he wrote them. I thought that was beautiful, but…” you trail off.

He stays silent, trying to give you space to find your words but you feel like you’ve gone too far. It’s all pretty convoluted and not a true comparison to what’s going on that you’re even confusing yourself a little. “I think what I mean is that even though they have their different roles, they still feel very similar things and believe in the same purpose. I think that’s like you and Daryl. You two are so similar yet so different. But there’s still a binding force that always brings the two of you together. So, like I’m sure you already know and I didn’t even need to tell you, but you two will be okay. You two have different ways of doing things, but the music or the life you’re trying to create in Alexandria still has the same meaning to the both of you.” You laugh small and breathily as you end. “That probably didn’t make sense.”

Rick smiles to himself. “I didn’t get that first bit, with the quote, but no… that made a lot of sense to me.” He nods toward you and you return his smile. “You’re so bright. You know that? Not everyone knows how to stitch things together like that the way you do.”

This makes you feel good. Rick thought you were smart. You know you should say thank you, but instead, something else comes out: “May I, may I kiss you?”

“Yes,” he answers, almost stuttering it out, a hint of hesitation before he did, but he nods so kindly, so reassuringly as he tells you again: “yes.”

Your fingers touch his lower cheeks lightly, feeling the bristles of his beard. You’re slow, and careful, and scared. Your fingers linger on his jaw for a moment until they completely caress his right cheek and then you move in, swiftly— worried you’ll lose your confidence, worried he’ll change his mind. You catch his lower lip and seal the kiss. Your lips are locked for a few seconds until you retreat. It was nice, and exciting, but short. You knew you could have put your tongue in his mouth. You believe he would have let you because you remember when he did it last time, but you didn’t want to embarrass yourself by doing it wrong and once again reminding him how much you don’t know. But you’re sure giving him a grade school kiss like this one was enough of a reminder.

Your eyes roll down, chin low. Your cheeks are on fire and your hands do not know where to go so you start fiddling with the hem of your dress and then you laugh. You were trying to be courageous this time, and you were, but you also weren’t.

Rick grabs your left hand, holding it at the end of your thigh, “I liked that,” he says softly.

“You did?” You ask as softly as he, eyes meeting his.

A short, airy snicker comes out, “Mhm,” he hums, giving you a closed-mouth smile. He found you simply adorable.

“Can I… try it again?”

Rick pulls on your forearm, attempting to bring you closer to him. “Yeah,” he nods, voice gentle. “Do you want me to help?”

You nod before you speak, happily accepting, “Yes.”

He puts your hands on his shoulders. One of his grabs onto your waist and the other holds you lightly under your chin, adjusting your head to meet his lips. The first kiss he places holds just for a couple of moments as the one you gave him did, gentle but packed with longing. The next two are slow, pretty pecks that already have you melting at his touch, lips agape waiting for the next one. The fourth is the one where he brings his tongue into your mouth, carefully bringing it in quarter by quarter. He tastes the top of your mouth and tongue and you feel him as he slowly starts to explore how far you may like to go, but truly you become stagnant other than your hands that press into his shoulder. Luckily, Rick either doesn’t notice your hesitation or is already silently helping you as he takes the lead, pulling you closer by the hips and slipping his tongue in and out of your mouth to kiss you more. It makes you smile— the excitement of your first make-out session. You giggle, and then it makes him smile too and your teeth slightly bump into each other. Accidently you nip his lip because of it, making you pull back.

Your fingers hover over your lips as you impart a quiet apology but Rick just shakes his head giving you another quick kiss instead. He starts to move back on your bed, back pressed again the headboard and he tells you quietly, “Come here.”

You get up and sit higher up on the bed as well, calves folded under your thighs. He takes one of your legs and starts to put it over his as he asks, “Is this okay?”

You nod, vigor growing as you do it now, thrilled to sit on his lap. Your dress bunches around your hips and the tops of your thighs. You move closer to press your chest into his and you kiss him first again, another small one but with intent as you look at him afterward, feeling the scratch of his beard on your fingertips as you smile at him, in awe that this is happening.

“You want to try this time?”

“Uh,” he means you put your tongue in his mouth this time, but you’re afraid to do it wrong but you know you want to say yes so you do, “Yes, okay.”

So he brings you in again and you kiss him. He mouth opens a little and you try to bring your tongue in slightly but you teeth clash. “Sorry,” and quickly he responds that it’s okay and rubs your cheek, telling you to just open your mouth a little wider, no teeth, let your tongue go on top of his.

You try it. Your tongues meet again, licking each other tips before you slowing press in more, your chest touching his as you try to close the gap.

Rick starts slowly rocking your hips against his and he takes control of the kiss again. It helps you not think, you like it. And you like the feeling of that incoming tight bulge starting to form under his jeans, but then you let go. “Wait,” you say, “I like this.” You pause for a moment, confusing him more as to why you stopped. “But… there is something I wanted to ask you.”

“Okay,” his hand stay fixed on your hips and waist, rubbing soothily, “What it is?”

Another pause. “I feel nervous,” you whisper.

“You have no reason to be, sweetheart. You can ask me anything.”

You laugh, smiling as you look off to the side. Anythang.

He smiles too, although unknowingly to what you found funny. His head tilts as he tries to find your gaze and turn it towards him again.

“Well, the last time we were together here you taught me how to do something. You taught me how to pleasure myself better so,” you stutter, “I want to pleasure you. If that’s okay. And I was wondering if you’d teach me how- to touch you here.” You remove yourself from straddling him and point in the direction of his cock.

Instantly he feels a stir of his already hardening dick.

This is not how he expected things to go this time. Or truly, he didn’t expect any of this at all, but when you asked to kiss him he decided he would be gentle, more giving. It felt like you wanted him to take again, the exact thing he was trying not to do. “I feel like I took advantage of you last time.”

“Rick…” you shake your head. “I’m the one who didn’t close the door all the way. You asked if it was okay and then you asked if you could go faster. I said yes to everything…” You start to worry— is he second guessing everything now?—“I feel maybe we remember this differently.” You bow your head again now. Feeling ashamed, wondering if he did.

Rick places one hand on your knee to comfort you although he still says, “It’s just that I’ve never done something like this before.” His thumb sways on your skin. “I just don’t want you to end up feeling like you’re wasting your time. Your first times.”

You’re surprised, “It’s so funny how you can be so self-assured in front of a crowd and now you don’t think you’re good enough.” You take his hand and press it towards your chest. Your heart was racing. “I like you. So much.” You swallow as he says your name softly, realizing how fast your heart was going. “No one in town is truly ever mean to me or anything, and Rosita has been so kind with letting me move in with her and we talk and its nice but, you know— she has her flings and her friendships that are separate from mine and everyone just always seems like they have their person and I just don’t. I don’t have my person, or any person.” You remove your hands from your chest but Rick still holds onto it, squeezing your hand as you start speaking again. “You’re kind, Rick, and you make me excited, and you remember things about me… “ If your face could get any hotter, it does, “And, well, you’re very handsome. If you could teach me again, I would like that.”

God… Rick was trying to be a romantic yet you were so adamant on getting him off. He laughed inwardly, shaking his head, deciding that the best way to handle this situation— and make up for some of his guilt as he was trying to— would be to give you the thing you say you want and not what he thinks you want. Suppose that’s one for widower’s wisdom.

Decidedly, Rick gets up from the bed, giving you a once over, still admiring how adorable, and how sexy, you look to him with your feet under your lap, hands on your knees as you look up at him from the bed and your white dress. He starts undoing his shirt buttons. “Remember when I did this the first time?”

A smirk came on, there’s the Rick you remember. Blue eyes intense, and voice getting cocky as he gets ready to give you what you need, what he knows you only want from him.

“Yes,” you say quiet yet with budding excitement. You start going for the hem of your dress, “Should I start taking this off too?”

“Mm, stay like that.” He’s taking off his belt. “Thought you looked beautiful in it right when I saw you.”

Your thighs squeeze together slightly. Rick Grimes was undressing before you, for you, and calling you smart and beautiful all the while.

As Rick lowers his boxers, his cock springs up. He returns to his spot on the bed, back leaning against the headboard. All of a sudden he seems to truly recognize that he is the only one exposed. He would tell you what to do, guide you, but in a small way, in a way you probably didn’t realize, you were in control. It seems that each time this happens— although it’s only been twice— and each time he talks to you— which has been plenty— you steal a little more of Rick’s heart and he just can’t stop it.

“So,” he clears his throat, your eager eyes on his cock making him twitch, “you usually just wrap your hand around, start from the base and keep pumping up.” He shakes his head, “there’s not too much too it but it’s best to keep your hand light at the start, you—”

You nod quickly, “May I?”

As he nods back you, “Yes.” And as he says it you’re already licking your hand.

“Is it okay if I spit? That helps right? Or is that nasty to you?”

He’s caught off guard, “No, no, that helps.”

So you do and you place your hand lightly at the base as he said and you start to pump. Instantly, he lets out a gasp, and the next noises that follow are repressed grunts and groans. You want to ask him to stop doing that but you’re a little scared to speak up that way just yet and you’re too engrossed in how you can see the light veins of green and blue on him and how he’s so red at the tip. It was honestly exciting. Just this, touching him with your hand, staring at his member and watching him twitch as his mouth opens to pant lightly. It still felt unreal but you liked it and you were happy to learn. You start to pump him more towards the top, placing your thumb on his slit- pressing in. His abs clench at that. You push in a little harder and you squeeze your fist around him a little— testing it out to see what happens—and he groans, unadulterated this time, “oh, fuck.”

The heel of your foot that’s under your lap pushes into your center at that.

You start pumping faster. “Am I doing good, Rick?”

Hearing your voice sets him off, “Fuck, sweetheart. Yes.” He’s honestly choking out each of his words, he didn’t expect to get so turned on by all of this. He realizes the last time he had sex was with you that first time, and before that… he can’t even remember. “You’re doing an amazing job.”

As you pump, you start to slow down, only doing it shallowly towards his base. You’re feeling confident and you kiss the side of him, licking a fat stripe up to the top and then you pump him fully again.

“Oh, fuck, yeah,” he breathes out. He wants to tell you to slow down but it comes out of nowhere, he stutters before he can even speak. An unintelligible groan mixed with a moan comes out abrupt and louder than he intends and white spurts of liquid come out.

You go faster for a few moments, then start to slow down, a little unsure of what is best to do, but you notice when you start squeezing him a little more as you continue to pump up and more whiteness fall out from inside of him.

“Did I, make you come?”

“Yeah,” he says, huffing.

“I did?” your cheekbones rise as you ask with awe— it was another first for the books.

Rick’s tries to let his embarrassment fade, he can tell you were just excited about it, but still, he looks down and to the side, avoiding direct eye contact— almost like you typically would. You peer at him, almost nervously because of it. Rick is usually the confident one. “Doesn’t always happen that fast,” he explains.

“Well before a month ago I didn’t know how to make myself come so I wouldn’t know,” you say with self-deprecating assurance. You had heard from the girls in town that it was easier to make men orgasm. You already had it in your head as something not to judge. You wonder how hard he must have been restraining himself the first time he placed himself inside you, or if it just happened to be easier for him that time around. “I didn’t expect I could do it or anything really. I thought it was…” you smile while giggling, “interesting.”

“A good interesting I hope.”

“Very,” you assure. “I liked it.” You kiss his cheek as you take some wipes that are by your night stand and you start cleaning him up. He doesn’t tell you that you don’t have to; he helps along with you.

“You sure you’ve never done any of this before?”

You shake your head. “I just read fiction books.”

He smiles to himself, a quiet snort of laughter leaving his nose. You always surprise him.

When you two are done cleaning, he puts his boxers back on. Quickly, he is on the bed again and starts to kissing you. Rick holds your shoulder and pushes you down. Finally, it’s time for his redemption, he feels. It was your turn to be pleasured. Just like he wanted to do from the beginning.

Rick kisses down your neck to your collarbone, and the parts of your exposed chest and he pushes your dress up past your hips. His lips move back up to yours, kissing you more before saying, “I really wanna show you something sweetheart.” He presses his thumb into your clit over your underwear. “Can I kiss you down there? Have you ever had that before?”

You shake your head slowly, eyes wide. “I-” you start nodding your head, “-I would really like that.” And in such a small voice you add, “Please.”

Rick kisses your cheek. Deep and softly he breathlessly tells you, “I would love to.”

Rick moves his head lower and gives you slow kisses over your underwear from your mound to the end of your lips. He starts to drag your panties over your legs and once they’re gone he kisses up your thighs. Then his nose rubs and sways ever so lightly on your lips. He breathes in and it makes you shutter. Your heart is going crazy again. Finally, he licks upward. One long and languid stripe ending with a kiss to your clit and then he truly begins.

Tongues are wet and sticky and everything you ever dreamed of. Your eyes roll back instantly from that first lick and kiss. You remember a time when you started touching yourself that you used to never think of receiving oral. You thought it was scary, nasty, that you wouldn’t like it until the moment you thought about it as a million kisses on your most sensitive lips, or someone liking you so much that they’d get drenched by your wetness just to touch you, to taste you. After that, you thought about it all the time and now it was finally happening– someone needing you so much they just had to know what you taste like. Here he was: kissing, licking, sucking, not caring about how he looks but only how you feel— you now knew what it was like to be desired.

Rick presses his tongue flat on your clit, rubbing deep circles. His eyes are open, looking up at how your mouth opens wider and wider. You let out little whimpers, enamored by his tongue, still deciding if you like the scratch of his beard, but your eyes stay glued to the ceiling, scared to look at the scene below.

He gives you kitten licks in between speaking, “Look down. Don’t miss your first time.”

Your eyes go down slowly, watching as he gives open mouth kisses to your clit and right lip, tilting his head. He stays there for a moment, hearing your short and breathy pants, kissing and licking your clit and lower lips like they were the ones above your chin. His eye contact sends bursts of sticky wet fluid down your hole and you release a whimpered moan, they’re always sp short and soft and high pitched. He can tell you like it but he can also see you’re nervous. You don’t trust yourself, you know it, and he’s starting to realize it too. You’re scared of completely letting go.

He peppers kisses to your clit before moving upward, his tongue rolling and mouth kissing from your lower stomach to your breasts till his face reaches yours again. “No one’s here,” he tells you. He then kisses your lips allowing you to taste yourself for the first time. “Relax,” he whispers, rolling out each syllable. He holds your chin with one hand while he inserts a finger into your hole with the other, his pointer is instantly drenched and you shudder at the feeling. His single calloused finger reminds you of the time he was last inside you. He pumps slowly, looking into your eyes as he speaks, “Don’t think about who could come downstairs.”

“What if Rosita or Daryl come back?”

“What if?” He says it so simply as if he’s ready for everyone to know. Truly, that would be an issue, but right now it was not about him and it was completely about you; he wanted to give. It was short-sighted, reckless, yes, but… you were just so pretty, so bright, so insightful, and he felt like he needed to make up for all the taking he did last time, of your first time. Rosita had went to run after Daryl, hopefully no one was here anyway. But again, he didn’t care. It didn’t matter. “Lay back,” he gently commands, “forget what I said before- close your eyes. Just give in to it. Like I’m the only one who's here.”

Rick licks zig zag stripes down your slit and then he decides to insert his tongue in your hole. He goes as deep as his tongue allows, collecting your wetness and trying to swallow it in moments when he turns back to kissing. He his nose is brushing and rubbing up against your clit as he sucks wetness from down below and you start letting out stringy moans you can’t control. Soft, pretty, and continuous, “uh, ah, uh, uh” that turn into “sorry, I’m sorry.” You’re still self-conscious about your own noises. This was still only the second time you’ve heard the sounds you make when someone else is fucking you.

But Rick shushes you. Giving small kisses to your clit as he looks up at you, seeing your scrunched eyes and open mouth. “I like knowing you like it, pretty girl. I like all those pretty sounds you’re making.”

Your pussy tightens around nothing at that phrase.

“Keep going. You don’t have to be shy.” He grabs your chin and you look down at him. His beard is wet. “We’ve already made a mess anyway.”

He starts kissing your labias, licking up wetness when you decide to ask, nervously, “Can you make sounds too?”

Instantly, Rick goes again to kiss your clit, humming into it as he sucks. Breathing against you he says, “Want me to tell you I like it, sweetheart?” His tongue slides down again, tongue reaching into your hole and he moans into your pussy.

Your back arches and you mewl, you could almost scream.

That’s it, he thinks. Rick keeps humming and groaning into you now. His voice is so seductive. “I love tasting your pussy, baby.”

You couldn’t breathe.

Rick starts rubbing your clit with his thumb and going fast with his tongue in your hole “My bright, pretty girl gonna come for me? Hm?”

“Oh, Rick, I want to. Please, Rick.”

Rick starts to go faster and your brain turns to mush. Only noises coming out and when he stops his tongue movements to say something more you push his head down. “Sorry,” you say. You’ve never been forceful before but he says nothing, just continues going down on you and taking his free hand to place it over his, gesturing that he wants your hands in his hair. You tug on his curls and he grunts into you. You start chanting his name and then he switches to placing his lips on your clit and putting two fingers in your pussy. It reminded you of the first time but instead of your three fingers they were two of his and it felt so much better than you ever knew before, better than you could ever do it yourself. It sets you off. Your eyes shut tighter if they could. “Rick! Oh my god,” you moan and then again and again and then you come.

Rick laps at your cunt, vigorously trying to wipe you clean. He makes it look like it will be the last and only time. It makes you worry but at the same time he looks so sexy like that; needy for you even after you finished.

He takes your wipes and cleans his lips before cleaning you up as you did for him. He kisses you thighs and your lips and your cheeks as he continues. “You did such a good job,” he says. “You always do.”

You’re filled with pride at that. “Thank you.” Then worry sets in. You realize how public you’ve made everything. “Did I just ruin your life?”

He laughs while caressing your thigh. That anxious expression of yours that he just got rid of returns after all the work he did.

“I’m gonna check downstairs. Okay? If they’re there, they’re there.” You nod. We already made a mess anyway, you remember him saying. “They might want to start the meeting when I go down so, whatever happens, happens alright? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Your eyes are still nervous, but it’s all too late anyway. “Okay,” you respond.

“Okay,” he says back, kissing you once more. As he dresses himself again, he tells you, “I promise I won’t wait two weeks to see you again.”

“I’d like that.”

“Me too,” he says as a send off and goes into the bathroom to clean his face.

When he reaches the living room, there is no one. Rick is thankful but confused.

As he nears the coffee table there is a sheet of yellow lined legal pad with a talkie next to it.

Call when you’re done, it reads.

“Rosita?” He questions into the device. Who else could it have been, right?

He can almost hear the grin on her face. “They should start calling you Reckless Rick for all the agony you put these Alexandria girls through.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “There’s just something about that stupid hair cowboy accent, I guess.”

Before he can respond, telling her that it’s absurd to think of him as a playboy, that he was far from it, she continues:

“So, fucking my roommate? You’re glad Glenn and Maggie called everyone over to theirs instead. Hershel took his first steps while you were teaching someone else how to take theirs.”

She unpressed the button to suppress her laughter. “Just get over here,” she concludes, putting down the walkie and going back to meet the rest of the group with a perfect poker face. She tells everyone Rick will be here shortly.

Oh, Alexandria’s leader and her new little best friend who has been hearing the townswomen’s fantasies of him for years: Reckless Rick and his reckless romantic girl.

Rosita would give you so much shit for this when she gets home.

#rick grimes x reader #rick grimes x reader smut #rick grimes x fem!reader #rick grimes x female reader #rick grimes x y/n #rick grimes x y/n smut #rick grimes x you #rick grimes smut #rick grimes fic #rick grimes fluff #twd fanfiction #twd smut #the walking dead fanfiction #the walking dead smut #the walking dead fic #the walking dead fanfic

487 notes · View notes

mephistopholes-brain · 7 months

Text

2,977 civilians died tragically in 9/11, 343 being firefighters.

Since then it has been “Never forget.” for over 20 years, the US attacked and destabilized an innocent country, and white ppl have further pushed the narrative that Muslims and Middle Easterners are all “evil terrorists”.

Now, in less than 6 months the OFFICIAL death toll in Gaza exceeds 30,000, half being CHILDREN. At least 200 doctors have died and many were TARGETED by IOF soldiers. I have seen children dismembered, maimed, sniped, run over, crushed, starved, scalped, exploded, burned, and strung up on the side of a building.

I have seen men, women, and children desperately digging through the rubble to find their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, friends, lovers etc.

I have seen brave doctors run outside to save injured civilians while at extremely high risk of being shot by snipers.

I have seen a father carrying BAGS full of his children’s remains.

I have seen a young girl, no more than 9, with a leg, an arm, and a hand blown off while her scalp hangs from her skull.

I have seen doctors speak out against the cruelty and ethnic cleansing while surrounded by the bodies of those they tried to save.

I have seen hundreds of pictures of NICU babies who were going to die soon because the hospital was about to run out of electricity.

I have read the first hand story of a father who traded one of his children for one of his brother’s children so that if one group dies at least one of their children would make it.

I have read posts from lgbt+ KIDS talking about how they regret not kissing their crush because they just watched them DIE.

I have seen the public posts of IDF and IOF soldiers where they show off the underwear and lingerie they looted from the drawers of the Gazans they are massacring.

I have listened to the screams of mothers after hearing their child is dead.

I have watched a teen boy’s gaze harden into something cold and empty after his entire family died in front of him, leaving him completely alone.

I have seen an IOF soldier throw a father and his baby into a giant wood burning oven just for fun.

I have seen many children with shell-shock, shaking because their minds and bodies can’t comprehend the horrors they have experienced.

I have seen tanks run over women actively giving birth on the roads of Gaza.

I have watched oldest siblings, no more than 11, take on the responsibility of keeping their younger siblings safe. I cannot comprehend how incredibly stressful that must be.

A little 6yo girl was trapped for 2 weeks in a car surrounded by the dead bodies of her family as they rotted.

This is all done with American tax dollars while companies like McDonalds give free food to Israeli soldiers. We are quite literally paying for this. 20% of your work and hard earned money is paying for the genocide of innocent people in Palestine.

This is NOT a political issue. This is a human rights issue.

Pro-Palestine is Pro-Humanity.

588 notes · View notes

curseddollfaye · 8 months

Text

boy, I can't wait to get next to you

“Giving you true love in abundance, uh-huh. Giving and taking because we're not a fling. Giving me faith that it's not another”

toxic baby daddy toji! x reader NSFW headcanon

ᥫ᭡ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! ty! please let me know what you think! ^.^ requests are currently open!! ᥫ᭡

masterlist

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:· ੈ✩‧·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:· *ੈ✩‧₊˚

- Firstly, we have to talk about what’s under those sweat pants…

- Happy trail for days, thick thighs for days, back muscles that make you wanna mark him all up. He’s 7 inches soft and I would say 9 inches when he’s fully hard (he be all up in your guts to say the least)

- pink tip, veiny underside, you struggle to take him all into your mouth whenever you give him head. Often having to stroke what doesn’t fit or sometimes when you both are feeling it he’ll shove the rest of it in your mouth; muttering a soft

- “Don’t worry slut, I’ll make it fit. I always do don’t it?”

- He’s a dominate and would never let you sub (again, but that’s a story for another time ;) not that you would want to but Toji is just NOT submissive at all.

- his hands are on of your personal favorites. Apart from the looks of course. If he’s not sex on legs then you don’t know what.

- but you don’t miss the way the cashier from the grocery store slammed your eggs into the plastic bag whenever she saw you checking out with him happy at your trail…he knows he’s good looking too! which doesn’t help much when you’re green with jealously every once in a while

- Toji is 6’1 as established, he towers over you and you can admit proudly that you’ve always had a thing for big beefy men.

- SLUTTY LITTLE WAIST

- He was all muscle, obviously Toji likes working out! He likes lifting weights the most.

- you ask him to skip his morning gym session to lay with you he responds with a sly

- “Baby did you not see the way I was picking up up and fucking you last night? Daddy needs to be strong for his pretty slut”

- doesnt end up going to the gym and lays with you instead because you always get your way

- is very experienced! DUH

- Toji was a known bachelor. Before you he was with many women. He takes pride in knowing that he can satisfy a woman. Especially and strictly when that woman is you.

- Has mastered how to eat your pussy out until you’re gripping his head and crying out

- HE IS A MUNCH!!!!!

- Loves eating your pussy , breakfast , lunch and dinner. He’s not the slightest bit ashamed of it. Watching you quiver him and shake from the pleasure he was giving you did all sort of shit to his cock

- generous lover through and through. Your pleasure always comes first to him

- You will never forget on your first anniversary when he had you spread on the bed.

- Somewhere in Greece

-Thong shoved to the side and he really gave no fucks who was hearing from underneath the balcony

- the bastard had left the balcony doors open..which you hadn’t minded at first. Thinking it was innocent as the sun set and the soft breeze whipped through the silky lace curtains…

- “Gonna show everyone who this pussy belongs to, who makes you cry from how hard you get fucked…you’d like that wouldn’t you?” Toji had chuckled. Holding your legs apart and occasionally letting his hands wonder to grip your tits. The sounds of him sucking your clit into his lips and slurping all your juices into his mouth while groaning from your taste.

- you honestly were so lost in pleasure before you knew it he had manhandled you into the mating press and you were being fucked like you sinned

- LETS TALK KINKS!!

- No secret he had a breeding kink

- Lets be real it took you two year to have this man’s baby which you gladly did!

- Many nights were he’s had you with your legs to your chest while his cock drives in and out of you in a punishing pace. A white ring forming spring his base as your grip his forearms for some stability. Your creamy cunt squeezing him in so well.

- How could he not come inside you? And he does so with filthy words leaving his pretty lips

- “Mmm yeah you dirty fucking bitch take my cum. I’m gonna make sure it catches so you won’t think about leaving me ever again”

- “You want my babies? You think you’ve earned this fucking load? Come for me again and I’ll think about if you deserve it or not”

- “Gonna put my fucking baby into you so everyone remembers who you belong to, ohhh fuck…ahaha….m’gonna make your tummy so round for me. Making those fucking tits leak milk for our baby”

- he’s a big fan of titties

- but one thing Toji truly can’t get enough of is your ass

- worships it as if it’s his personal sanctuary

- you ALWAYS have marks on your cheeks from his bitting and nibbling whenever you two fuck

- because of this one of his personal positions is doggy, this man needs to hit it from the back

- eyes wandering down to watch your sss smack against his pelvis as he grins your hips and sets the pace for you both.

- has definitely pulled out mid stroke and buried his face into your soft pussy lips. gripping them fat of you ass cheeks back while his tongue wildly explored your wet cunt.

- you can only gasp and let out a pornographic moan as your eyes roll to the back of your skull “t-toji…daddy…ahhh!”

- loved LOVES coming inside you, but painting your ass with his white pearly cum is a bonus too

- also cumming on your face

- Toji makes you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, and it’s because he knows you are. He knows men are lined up ready to be with you. Who wouldn’t!! Your a man’s dream and Toji has it in his head that every man that looks your way wants you

- It honestly offends him

- Which is why he always throughly enjoys coming on your face

- His hand moving quick against his cock, red tip leaking pre- cum begging for release, his other hand petting your hair, moving your hair from your face. His thumb slipping into your mouth. Warm muscles wrapping around his digit. You looked so innocent yet so fucking dirty at the same time. Your eyelashes fluttering against your tinted cheeks. His eyes wandering down to look at your plump lips. His thumb fully engulfed as your tongue swirls around it. Your start bobbing your head, mimicking you ducking his cock and his pace around himself starts to stutter.

- Toji swears he’s about to have a heart attack when he wants you tug your tank top down letting your tits spill out for him

- he cums on your face

- Is into taking pictures and photos of you, he keeps them safely in a password and Face ID locked folder on his phone

- is obsessed when you send him pictures while he’s away on business trips or conferences

- One time he had been gone for two full weeks, scheduled to fly back the next day.

- Toji’s had a glass shot glass up to his scarred lip, tossing it back, basking the feeling of success and new beginnings for him. He knew the deal would go off without a hitch. He was Toji Fushiguro after all, he didn’t waste his time.

- A light buzz caught his attention

- His green eyes peered up from his associate , who was happily chatting with one of the investors who was already sold on the idea of investing in Toji’s new expansion of nightclubs in Kabukicho. Japan’s vast nightclub, bars, and restaurant district.

- Picking up his phone Toji smiled at the name

- pretty girl

attachment: 1

- Typing in his password he opened up his messages, his jaw fell slack.

- A 15 second long video of you, your hands playing with your boobs as you sat back in the jacuzzi that he knew too well

- he had it put in your master bathroom shortly after you broke it off, he heard you saying something about being nice to have one to relax your muscles in. he had the money so, why not?

- His finger hovered over the play button, but not before quickly putting the volume all the way down and looked around to make sure no one was in near proximity

- we all know this man is possessive as fuck, doesn’t give two shits that you two are not together because according to Toji

- “tch….Technicalities baby…” he muttered to you when you remind him of the very (annoying) fact.

- his breath hitches when he presses play. Your hair is up, a few strands falling in front of your eyes, soapy tits come into view. Your fingers playing with the soft flesh.

- Toji at that point couldn’t be more jealous of soap bubbles in his life.

- He shivers and feels his pants tighten against his skin.

- The video ends with your smirk on your plump lips. Eyes saying ‘fuck me’ and of course he would if he was there.

- Toji mutters grumpily at your teasing, angry he couldn’t be at home giving you what you desperately need.

- His girl needs to be fucked and he’s away in another country , what an inconvenience for the both of you

- he quickly types a response before getting up to say goodbye to his brand new investors and excuse himself back to the hotel room.

- ‘naughty girl, you better be ready for me by the time I get back to my room or else you don’t come at all tomorrow when I get there’

- Although Toji is a very dominate man, he’s also the softest man for you. You bask it in, and sometimes you never want to let it go. Whenever he’s making love to you on the bed. Passionate sex filled with words of promise and sorrys. Toji lets himself melt into you as you moan into his shoulder while he whispers the sweetest words to you. It often leaves you wondering if you would ever find a man that was willing to give you as much as him.

- it scared the shit out of you.

- “oh fuck baby…babybaby…mmm….mean so much to me. Fuck ‘yer so perfect”

- “Cant ever be with another woman, you’re the only one of me beautiful…You’re the only one for me. This sweet pussy was made for me, takes me so well.”

- “I love you so much beautiful”

#toji x reader #toji fushiguro #toji zenin #jujutsu toji #toji smut #dilf toji #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen toji #toji fluff #toji headcanons #toji fushiguro x reader #toji imagine #jjk toji #toji fanart #toji x you #toji x y/n #toji fushiguro fluff #jujutsu kaisen fic #toxic baby daddy toji!

535 notes · View notes

whipped-for-kpop-fics · 5 months

Text

X Marks the Spot - K.SY

🏴‍☠️Who; Kwon Soonyoung (Seventeen) x female reader 🏴‍☠️What; Humour. Bestfriends to lovers. I guess some tiny fluff? Adult themes. 🏴‍☠️Wordcount; 5.8k 🏴‍☠️Warnings; Profanity. Party typical alcohol mentions but neither SY nor reader are drinking. Kind of jealous/possessive Soonyoung. Making out in public places. The whole point of this story is Soonyoung in a costume marketed for women, so if that's not your vibe then this story is not for you, friend.

Although there isn't any smut, this is definitely an 18+ fic so Minors do NOT interact. I WILL block any account that interacts without an age indicator in the bio.

Summary; You stupidly left the job of buying your costumes for the party down to Soonyoung, and now you're paying for it and have to spend the night watching him dancing in those little shorts initially intended for you.

-2024 Masterlist-

A/N; this is all because I can't get the thought of Soonyoung in the pirate outfit from my "Sexy costumes for Seventeen to wear" post out of my head. made myself feral with that one.

Completely out of the blue last week, Seungkwan decided to send a message in the group chat that he's throwing a costume party. No reason for it, nothing had happened to warrant a party, he had simply decided he wanted to do it and demanded the entire group be there and in costume.

Soonyoung had, unsurprisingly, already been by your side on our couch watching the latest episode of the drama you two were obsessed with, when the message came through. After the episode you both looked at your phones and Soonyoung immediately started to look for costume ideas excitedly. He soon found and fell in love with a pirate outfit and after showing you it, he said it's part of a couple costume and as besties, you have to match because 'that's what besties do'. In the year you have known Soonyoung, you have never truly said no to him and this was no different.

Though perhaps you should've at least looked at the female half of the matching costume before agreeing instead of blindly trusting your best friend.

Which leads us to here. It's an hour before the party is due to start and Soonyoung has just turned up at your apartment to get ready together just like always. He has the parcel of costumes in his arms and a bright excited grin on his face when he hands it over to you to allow him to remove his shoes.

"I haven't opened it yet," He informs, watching you walk over to the couch to lean the parcel against the arm and open it like you knew he wanted you to. Soonyoung knows you get an odd sense of joy from opening parcels whether or not they're for you so he often brings his orders over or invites you to his apartment to allow you to open them for him.

"So I see," You muse with a little giggle.

Soonyoung appears at your back a moment later, leaning his chin on your shoulder to peer into the bag as you open it. The first costume out is his, packaged in another bag though this is clear revealing the cardboard insert with a picture of a man in the costume on the front. He takes it happily when you offer it and bounces aside to start to open it excitedly.

There's only one more item in the bag, your costume so you take it out, excited about your matching pirate outfits too. Up until you turn the packet over to look at the picture and realise that this truly is not what you expected, especially not from your best friend.

"What the actual fuck, Kwon Soonyoung?!" You demand flabbergasted.

"Uh-oh, the full name," Soonyoung looks up at you in alarm, all sign of joy gone. "Did they send the wrong thing?"

"I hope so because if you saw this on the site and still ordered it, you and I are going to have some issues." You turn the packet to show him the picture on the cardboard insert. A picture of a woman in a tiny pair of high-waisted shorts, if they could even be considered that with fishnet tights underneath. There's an attempt at a white top that honestly could be a lot worse, it's off the shoulder and cropped but it's honestly not as bad as it could be for a female-focused costume, but still far too revealing for your liking. To finish it off, she's wearing a striped bandana on her head with a plastic sword in her hands and you're very certain that the sword alone is the only reason the packet is that big because there's certainly not enough material creating the costume to require such a size bag.

Soonyoung stares at the picture for a second then looks up at you with a confused little pout. "It's a pirate outfit."

"Show me yours," You demand with a sigh. He doesn't hesitate to move over and hand you his costume, still in the packet just about.

There's a clear difference in costumes. The picture on his packet depicts a man in three-quarter length vertically striped trousers and a simple white shirt with an open neckline revealing a thin triangular strip of skin down to his sternum, finished with the same bandana as your costume and a plastic sword. Though, of course, the man's sword is bigger than the woman's sword. Of course, the men get the big boy sword and the women get the toothpick.

"You seriously don't see a problem with this?" You ask, holding the two packets up side by side so that he can see the photos together. Poor, naive Soonyoung looks between the pictures rapidly in a desperate attempt to understand. Yet he winds up just shaking his head as he looks at you with such an innocent expression that you know that he seriously doesn't understand the problem here at all. "Then you can wear this one." You declare, handing him the woman's outfit before turning to stalk off to your bedroom.

"What?!" He sputters, scrambling to follow you down the short corridor. "This is for women!"

"You've said before, clothes have no gender!" You remind, turning at the threshold with a hand on your open door ready to close it and a sweet smile on your face. "If you want to match with me, Soonyoungie, you wear that and I'll wear this."

He stares between you and the packet in his hand for a moment before agreeing with a nod and a simple "okay".

And that right there, is your second mistake.

When you had told Soonyoung to wear that outfit, you really had not been prepared for how fucking good he'd look in the skimpy little outfit. So now you have to spend the next hours at Seungkwan's bustling apartment pretending that your gaze isn't constantly locating Soonyoung in the dim lighting as he happily dances amongst other costumed bodies.

Sure, you've seen Soonyoung topless before so you know the man has a frankly incredible body usually hidden under the baggy clothes he usually prefers to wear, but the sexy little pirate outfit highlights his strong torso and biceps so well. The cropped top stops at his sternum giving full view of the top half of his defined abs, the bottom half hidden by the high waist of the shorts. And those shorts? They really do not leave a lot to the imagination at all so Soonyoung has spent the entire night so far carefully doing his best to keep the sword strapped around his hips dangling in front of his crotch. You had obligingly given him the bigger sword when you had realised that the 'woman's' sword wasn't exactly wide enough to cover him. Neither of you had made eye contact when you had handed it over without a word because you both knew what it meant and the fact you had obviously seen the bulge of his flaccid dick in the tight shorts.

Which honestly, had only made you wonder how big he was hard, and that was a thought that you usually try to avoid; thinking of your best friend in a sexual situation. Though his pure existence alone makes it very hard.

Kwon Soonyoung doesn't realise how attractive he is and you're kind of grateful about it. Because if that unfairly effortlessly attractive man knows how hot he is, then you know he'll be cocky and dress to show off more often than just for nights out or special occasions, and you would not mentally survive that.

As it is, you're not sure you'll survive the night.

"One day, you two are going to stop being stupid and just fuck it out," Chan comments from your right where he stands in his doctor's outfit; Seungkwan's wearing a matching one somewhere else in the apartment and you really can't tell if it's intentional or not with those two. They're always bickering and acting like they hate each other but they're always the first the other goes to for any reason whatsoever.

"Please make it before the end of summer so I don't lose money," Seungcheol requests from your left, leaning against the wall with you and dressed in a suit just like his own best friend and roommate, wherever she has disappeared to. She's likely with Junhui based on the way the pair have been eyeing each other for the past hour -and since they met really but that's another story entirely.

"You assholes have bets on us fucking?" You gawp in betrayed disbelief at the suited man.

"Yup," Seungcheol confirms shamelessly while Chan tries to sputter out a denial that makes you level the youngest with an unimpressed look. However, it doesn't last because you hear Soonyoung's loud voice even over the music and automatically look over to where your best friend is trying to stop Seokmin from grabbing at his sword. No euphemism even if the plastic is in the right place. "Looks like Seok's going to get further with your boy than you ever have." Seungcheol sniggers. You shove his arm making him laugh harder.

"Swordplay," Chan giggles then wanders off without another word to refill his cup after swallowing the last of its contents.

"Seriously though, you should like, go fuck him," Seungcheol speaks a moment later when Soonyoung has successfully distracted Seokmin by grabbing the younger's hands to make him dance with him. Soonyoung shoots you a world-weary, wide-eyed look that makes you snicker and wave innocently at him.

"You really don't want to lose money, huh."

"It's not even about that, just you two. This has been going on for over a year now; this gross pining shit. Just sit on his dick and ask him on a date, it's not that hard."

"You can't say shit, Cheol."

"Hey, I've fucked her, regularly," he defends with a pout before sipping at his drink.

"Oh yeah, because fucking your best friend who you've been in love with since childhood while encouraging her to go after your friend who she's been mutually eyefucking for the past three months is so much better." You retort sarcastically and give him a look. He can't refute it at all, it's entirely true and he's confided in you enough for you both to know that he's constantly making his own heartbreak worse by continuing to indulge his best friend both in bed and when she comes home and whines over how good Junhui looks.

"We're as bad as each other," he decides after a second.

"Don't lump me with you, I've never fucked him." You scoff and turn back around to naturally locate Soonyoung where he's back to smiling away as he dances with Seokmin and some others.

"You want to,"

"Yeah, I really fucking do," you exhale and swallow down the last of your drink only to frown down into the empty disposable cup. "I need a real drink."

"You know you can't drink around him like this or you will ask to suck his dick." Seungcheol reminds you of the very reason why you're always the designated driver when Soonyoung dresses up.

Because yes, you have come close to getting on your knees in the middle of a club for him. Luckily, Seungcheol had noticed and took you home before you actually acted on the urge to publicly defile your best friend. Unluckily, Seungcheol had noticed and has not failed to mention it at every chance. But at least it's stayed between the two of you.

"At this rate, I'll do it regardless," you mutter, still frowning into your empty cup. "Back in a bit." Seungcheol just grunts to show he heard before you slump off to the kitchen to refill your cup with one of the non-alcoholic beverages lining the counter.

You've barely finished filling your cup when a familiar hand reaches around you and picks it up to start gulping down. Even though you know it's Soonyoung, you still look over your right shoulder where he's chugging down the drink entirely unaware of your thirsty gaze watching the drop of liquid that escapes from the corner of his mouth trail down over his chin and jaw and down his neck to catch on his collar bone. You refrain from leaning in to slurp it up and lick your way up the trail it left all the way to Soonyoung's mouth.

Instead of staring at the way his throat bobs as he swallows down the last drops, you turn back around and wait for him to place the cup down so that you can refill it. And then he grabs it again before you can, making you groan. "Seriously?"

"M'thirsty," he defends barely pulling the cup away and accidentally dribbling some of the liquid from his mouth onto your shoulder. You look at him in disgust. He just grins sweetly and kisses your cheek in a sticky apologetic way before leaning back up to get back to his task of once again, stealing your drink.

At least this time when you've refilled the cup, he doesn't steal it away and lets you actually lift it to your own mouth. You can feel his eyes on you as you drink so you side-eye him questioningly without moving the cup away.

"Are you taking Seungcheol home again?" He asks, stepping closer to you as someone passes too close behind him, his left hand falling to your hip and his right on the counter, sort of caging you in though you know it's unintentional even if you wish it wasn't.

"He can take himself home, he's not drinking tonight," you reply, distracted by the feeling of plastic pressing against you. "Your sword is digging into my ass."

Soonyoung lets go of the counter to tug his sword belt around and lays the toy on the outside of his left thigh leaving him pressed directly against you. You genuinely can't tell if he's even noticed that as he seems to be focused on the conversation judging by the concentrated furrow of his eyebrows. "That's not what I mean and you know it."

"If I know it, wouldn't I respond to what you mean?" You give him a look, puzzled by his own words and hoping he understands that you seem to very much not be having the same conversation here and you are completely unaware of the conversation he's having with you.

"Not when you're both pretending nothing's happening,"

"What?" You nudge him back enough so that you can turn and face him, which admittedly, is not your smartest move when he moves straight back in. He doesn't press against you again but his left foot is between yours as you lean your ass back against the counter. Any closer and his thigh will be very close to pressing to your crotch.

"Come on, I'm your best friend, I think you should at least be honest with me, even if you play ignorant with the others," he frowns and leans heavier onto his right hand on the counter beside your hip, bringing him in closer so that he doesn't have to talk so loudly to be heard over the music. "You two often leave together when we go out. And even though his place is closer than mine, you drop me off first so it's just you two left. I'm not stupid."

"Wait, you think that's so we can go fuck?" You realise with wide eyes.

"It's obvious, you always find each other when we're all together like this and spend the whole fucking night hiding off to the side whispering to each other,"

You can't help but laugh. "Do you all think we're fucking?" He nods. You laugh again. "Oh man, I gotta tell Cheolie this," you start to push off of the counter with every intention of going to find the man knowing he will find it as hilarious as you do, but Soonyoung puts his left hand on your lower stomach to push you back and then he pushes himself against you to pin you there. "Soonyoung,"

"No."

"What? No? No what?"

"I'm not letting you go back to him. You came with me, you're staying with me and leaving with me, no one else." He declares firmly.

You stare up at him trying to decipher what the fuck is actually going on right now, what prompted this sudden conversation and behaviour. Not that Soonyoung has never pinned you before but it's usually playfully as he whines and pouts cutely to get his way, or to just joke around. But he's entirely serious now and looking at you with something kind of dark in his eyes. Admittedly, it's pretty fucking hot. "Are you drunk?" You ask, even if you know he's not; you can't smell any alcohol on him and drunk Soonyoung gets cuddly and clingy, not whatever this is.

"You know I'm not," he places his left hand on the counter on your other side, well and truly caging you in and causing him to lean down a little closer to reach comfortably.

"Then why are you suddenly acting like this?"

"It's not sudden." You give him a look. "Okay, fine, acting on it is but wanting to, that's not sudden. I've wanted to do this for a long time,"

"Then why haven't you?"

"Because I care about you too much," he frowns a little as he takes in your features from up close, gaze catching on your lips for a few seconds before lifting back up to meet your eyes. "There's a bet you know, about us fucking?"

"I just found out." You pull a displeased expression. "Cheol's in on that, you know? He wouldn't bet on us fucking before the end of summer if he's fucking me."

"He is?" He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "They made it sound like he's against the bet, said he's been trying to stop them from always talking me into it,"

"Yeah, no, he just told me to fuck you. He's always telling me to fuck you."

"Oh," He licks his lips as his eyes divert thoughtfully. "Guess I should stop being a dick to him then,"

"You've been a dick to him?" You ask, genuinely surprised. You really haven't noticed Soonyoung acting badly towards Seungcheol at all.

"Mm, I always take his favourite snacks at movie night." You can't help but burst into giggling laughter at his confession.

Of course, the man doesn't have a single genuinely mean bone in his body and would think purposely taking someone's favourite snacks would be a big dick move. You bet he's been feeling kind of guilty about it while no doubt Seungcheol hasn't even noticed.

"What? Why're you laughing?" He pouts at you.

"Oh, Soonie, you're so fucking cute," you coo and cup his cheeks fondly. He smiles a little dopily at the compliment, the same smile he reserves for you and your doting attention on him even if neither of you has noticed that. The rest of your friends have though.

"Nice ass," You hear before Soonyoung's hips jerk into you when he yelps and tries to escape the slap that landed on his ass.

"Hyung!" He complains, looking over his shoulder to pout at Jeonghan as the man appears from behind your best friend.

You really can't tell exactly what Jeonghan is supposed to be, you think it's some kind of anime character, or something kinky. Maybe both. Either way, his costume is a strange mix of faux black leather and shimmery red lacey wings. And he pulls it off unfairly well considering that you know he hadn't been prepared for the party that morning at all.

"What? Don't look at me like I'm disturbing something," Jeonghan scoffs, reaching around you to grab the same big plastic bottle you had been filling your cup from. Though he stops and looks at the way Soonyoung is very much pressed against you. Jeonghan grins after noticing that Soonyoung's crotch is definitely smushed against your upper thigh; something you have been doing your best to ignore yourself because yes you can feel everything through the thin material covering you both. "Or maybe I am." He smirks at you both.

"What are you supposed to be exactly?" You ask in an attempt to change the topic to one that won't kill your last remaining dregs of sanity. Then again, with the things that come out of Yoon Jeonghan's mouth, you could still be rendered insane but for a reason other than feeling your best friend's dick pressed against you.

"No idea just grabbed some shit from Hao's costume closet." Jeonghan shrugs as he looks down at himself. "Kind of think this might be less about his costume designing and more about sex though."

"He's definitely worn that harness while fucking someone." You agree and reach out to hook your finger over the thick horizontal strap over Jeonghan's chest. You're pretty sure it's directly over his nipples, but the slightly sheer tank top he's wearing underneath the harness kind of obscures your view enough that you don't have confirmation.

"Mm, definitely." Jeonghan agrees and smirks at you. "Want to take it home yourself?"

"And take it from you? I wouldn't dare, you look so handsome, Hannie," You coo, playing along with the flirty banter you two have always partaken in. Not because anything has ever happened between you nor will it, you've discussed it plenty of times to make sure you're both on the same page still. But it's just fun to harmlessly flirt.

"Never said I won't be wearing it," he licks his lips and gives you a suggestive look.

"You're not going home with her," Soonyoung argues firmly, crowding up against you further though his gaze is on Jeonghan in warning, so he misses the way your eyes widen and dart down to where Soonyoung is now pressing his crotch against your hip, his own thigh pressing up between your thighs. Jeonghan doesn't miss it though and cackles, taking the bottle and his cup away entirely without another word.

"S-soonyoung," You stammer, hands fluttering at his sides, wanting to push him back for your sanity but you think putting your hands on his exposed skin will just make you pull him closer.

"Do you have to flirt with him all the time?" He frowns at you, entirely unaware of the screaming in your mind, mostly just sounds with the odd yell of the word penis. He'd probably laugh if he heard it, to be honest, just because of the word penis. He wouldn't even realise it's his penis you're mentally screaming about. "And when I'm right here too. Did you forget I'm here or something?"

"No," You choke out.

"Then why- are you okay?" He suddenly realises how wide your eyes are.

"I can feel your dick," You blurt, unable to think of anything else.

He blinks at you for a moment then looks down at where he's pressed against you as if he hasn't even noticed until now. "Oh," he pulls his hips back and his thigh from between yours making you let out a heavy shaky exhale as your body relaxes a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Ha, not the word I'd use."

"What word would you use?" If he was any other man, you'd say the little quirk of his head and innocent eyes locked onto you is fake, just some kind of game, a way to flirt. But it's Soonyoung and you've seen this man miss the most obvious of flirtations since you've known him; the amount of times you or the guys have had to bluntly tell him that someone had been trying to take him home to fuck is frankly absurd. "Stop touching my ass!" His sudden exclamation makes you jump a little while he looks over his shoulder in annoyance, glaring at Seungkwan who's giving him an innocent look.

"I'm very happy that you two are finally doing something about your consistent sexual tension and mutual pining but take it out of my kitchen, please. I don't want to have to burn my home down if you defile my counters." The younger man speaks bluntly with a slightly sweet edge to his words. You can't even see him but you just know that he's got that too sweet smile on his face that always feels more threatening than anything.

"What?" Soonyoung blinks at him, the annoyance of his ass being grabbed melting away. "We're not doing anything."

"Hannie told me you're being possessive and we all know that she likes that so-"

"Hey!" You exclaim offendedly, not because you can argue it, but just more that you're being talked about like you're not there. "She has a name!"

"Well take hyung home and he can moan it for the neighbours to hear." Seungkwan gives you that sweet-threatening smile as he leans around Soonyoung to meet your gaze. "My neighbours don't want to hear it."

"My neighbours won't hear that," you scoff. Soonyoung can't help but frown, he feels like he's just been rejected even though he hadn't even gotten to the point of actually asking to take you home and fuck you like he wants to, like your mutual friends had convinced him you want him to. But your firm dismissal of Seungkwan's words sounds like you putting that boundary securely in place before he can even ask to tumble over it into your arms.

"He's loud-" Seungkwan starts to point out but you're not done talking even if you had taken a quick scoff break.

"I don't live in a cheap-ass building with paper for walls like you do, Kwannie." You finish.

Both men stare at you for a second, Seungkwan at first just blinks in surprise at the fact you're not even disputing the Soonyoung moaning your name part, just whether or not your neighbours will hear. And Soonyoung is full-on gawping at you, mouth open and eyes wide, wondering if this means that boundary even exists between you.

"Does that mean you won't get a noise complaint? Hyung is pretty loud, you know? There's a reason we don't live together anymore."

"I don't know." You reply with a shrug.

"Then go fucking home already and stop humping against my kitchen counter!" Seungkwan grabs Soonyoung by his hips to yank him backwards away from you while the scantily dressed pirate yelps and flails a little at the unexpected action. Then he's shoved towards the kitchen exit while Seungkwan grabs your wrist to tug you along.

You're both too genuinely dumbstruck by Seungkwan's sudden forceful actions to do anything but stumble along until you're both outside of the apartment, shoes in hands and staring in shock at the door that's just been shut in your faces.

"Did we just get kicked out?" You mutter.

Soonyoung nods slowly and then looks at you. "I think we got kicked out for sex."

"Is it still sexile if you're the ones getting kicked out and told to go elsewhere to fuck?" You muse, attention down as you focus on shoving your feet into your shoes, one hand on the wall behind you and the other out in the air pointlessly.

"Uh, reverse sexile?" He offers, dropping his shoes to shove his feet into.

"Sounds like a sex position."

He laughs. "What would that even look like?"

"No idea." You grin at him then figure that well, it seems like you've both been outed enough already seeing as all of your friends have stopped hiding the fact that they expect you to finally have sex, which really implies a mutual attraction. So you suck your bottom lip into your mouth for a second as he frowns down at his shoe that just will not accept his right foot for some reason. "Shall we go find out?"

Immediately, Soonyoung looks up at you with wide eyes. "What?"

"Shall we go find out what reverse sexile looks like?"

"Like…us?"

"Yeah, Soonyoung, us," You confirm with an amused twitch of your lips. "You said you're the only one to go home with me, right?" He nods. "Then let's go home and find out, Young-ah."

"Ye-no, wait." He steps closer and takes your hand gently before you can start walking down the hall to the staircase. His fingers are barely holding onto your own. It's perhaps the most cautious he's ever taken your hand into his. Even the very first time he had boldly laced your fingers together and you had only met ten minutes previously.

"No?" You ask, feeling really kind of stupid all of a sudden. You had been so unusually confident in asking him to go home and fuck you.

"Not because I don't want to because I do seriously, I really want to fuck you." He breathes out, sounding rather affected by the thought alone as he stares at you longingly and holds your hand a little more securely. "I just…I don't want it to wind up like Seungcheol."

"Uh, what about Seungcheol?" You shuffle a little closer while giving him a questioning look.

"Regularly fucking his best friend who has a crush on someone else, while he…while he wants her as more than just company in his bed." The way his expression turns serious and yearning makes your heart start to race a little with hope.

"While he…Are you saying you want more?" You ask quietly.

"Earlier when I said I care about you too much, I meant I care too much to be able to have sex with you if it means nothing. I really fucking like you and I don't want to go home with you like this if you don't feel the same. I can't do that." He shakes his head a little. "As much as I've thought about this, about you and me doing all kinds of kinky shit all over your apartment, and mine when Jihoon isn't there. Or when he is if you're into exhibitionism, I don't know your kinks and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't even notice anyway because he never leaves his fucking room an-" He's rambling at this point, frowning down at your connected hands as he talks.

"Soonyoung." He makes a soft hum of a noise as he looks back up at you with rounded eyes. "We can talk kinks later, I'd really like to get back to the matter of it sounds like you're confessing to me?"

"Oh, right yeah, I guess I am." He chuckles a little and scratches the back of his neck with his free hand. "So uh, yeah, I really like you and uhm, I guess now comes the part where hopefully, you say you like me back but I really don't know if you do because the guys just really said you want to fuck me and-" You cover his mouth with your hand that time to shut up his second bout of nervous rambling.

"I really like you too, Soonie," You confirm softly and giggle at the way his features light up adorably behind your palm. "Can we skip the trial dating bullshit and go straight to being together? I'd like to show you off as my boyfriend," His eyes widen dramatically and then he's nodding rapidly in agreement without dislodging your hand. "You're so cute." You coo and lean in just to press a kiss to the back of your hand over his mouth. He looks utterly betrayed and heartbroken when you lean back. "What?" You play innocent and lower your hand while backing up, lacing your fingers behind your back.

"You can't tease me like that, baby!" He whines, toddling after you and dragging his feet in a sulk as he moves along the carpeted flooring of the hall.

"Tease? Me? Never," You grin at him then stop as your back hits the door to the staircase.

"You are, teased me for the past year. Teasing me now." He continues to mumble away as he nears, though cuts off when you reach out to grab the sword and yank on the plastic to pull him in right up against you. His hands automatically fly up to catch himself on the door above your head while his breath catches in his throat.

"If you're so worried I'm going to keep teasing you, Soonie, you better hurry up and take what you want." You warn in a low voice, chin tilted up so your faces are only inches apart.

Soonyoung groans in the back of his throat before he leans down and seals his lips against yours in a hungry, desperate kiss. He presses his left forearm flat against the door beside your head so that he can firmly hold your jaw with his right hand and tilt you further into him with his thumb pushing on your chin to urge your mouth open wider and deepen the kiss in a manner much too filthy for a public hallway of your friend's apartment building.

"Oh for fucks sake!" The loud voice of the friend in question forces you both apart to peer over Soonyoung's shoulder to where Seungkwan is in the hallway with the cute neighbour he's recently started to date, their hands together and clearly with one intention in mind while sneaking away from his own party. They're standing outside of the neighbour's slightly open door but Seungkwan is staring at you and Soonyoung in disbelief. "I told you to go home! Not get your booty here!"

"Ha, booty, pirate joke." You snigger and Soonyoung giggles, both at your amusement and the pun he honestly hadn't even noticed.

"You two are fucking useless." Seungkwan decides and lets his neighbour tug him into the apartment. "You better be gone before I'm back!"

"90 seconds, right?!" Soonyoung calls as Seungkwan disappears. The younger's head pops back out to glare at the other and flip him a very heartfelt middle finger before the door actually shuts behind him that time. Soonyoung turns to look at you with a mischievous smirk. "Should we go fuck on his bed just to piss him off?"

"As tempting as that sounds, I'd rather only I hear you like that, Soonie," You pout at him cutely. "I'm not very good at sharing my toys, you know."

"Oh, I'm your toy now?" He muses, reaching down to open the door carefully to back you through it with his other arm wrapping around your waist.

"Mm, mine and only mine to play with when I want, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yours and yours only, baby." He agrees lowly. "And you're mine."

"I am." You confirm and tilt up to kiss him teasingly. "Let's hurry and get home so I can show you everything that now belongs to you."

A/N; There is more to this but I had to cut it all because it really was me mostly rambling with a sort of hand job thrown in there. The title comes from a conversation in the part I haven't included, by the way. Working title was "Yo ho hoe". But if I continue that part I removed from this, I guess there will be a part 2 as a direct continuation from this and it'll include smut.

#wkcnet #svthub #seventeen x reader #seventeen reader insert #seventeen fic #seventeen friends to lovers au #seventeen f2l au #seventeen hoshi x reader #seventeen soonyoung x reader #seventeen hoshi friends to lovers au #seventeen bestfriend au #seventeen hoshi bestfriend au #seventeen soonyoung friends to lovers au #seventeen soonyoung bestfriend au #seventeen hoshi f2l au #seventeen soonyoung f2l au #seventeen fanfiction #svt x reader

172 notes · View notes

rukia-writes · 8 months

Text

Shy! Reader x Hercules

Plot: Hercules getting his shy nymph to come out of her shell.

A/N: the idea came to me after watching a show.

Warnings: no minors 🔞, 18+, talks of sex, sexual frustration.

Nymphs.

Nymphs were young, spiritedly women that resided in forests, rivers, mountains, and were said to be beautiful. Of course, each nymph had her own personality just like anyone else.

(Name) was no different.

A shy nymph who by definition was the opposite of what she was defined by from others; uncomfortable, self-conscious, nervous, bashful, timid, or insecure opposite of nymphs.

Especially, that of her sisters.

Speaking of which.

“Im so sick of her!”

The oldest of her sisters came to complain about the youngest sister (Name), as another suitor left in tears by (Name) rejecting him. The eldest counted that as the tenth suitor scorned…

She believed his name was Adamas or something.

“Poseidon and Hades and even…Buddha of all people want to be her lover and she just rejects them all?! What does she have that I don’t?!”

“She doesn’t yell for one thing.”

The middle sister spoke in a cool voice while reading a magazine featuring Aphrodite, beauty tips of course. As (Name) walked to her room, by passing her sisters they wondered who and when (Name) would start dating.

Truth was, (Name) had feelings for someone…

She was just shy.

It didn’t matter how many suitors came for her she wanted one person, and that was the envoy of Justice that saved her life.

A hero among gods.

In her alone time she would daydream about him, and sometimes she would wonder if she would see him again. Missing those beautiful blue eyes, his strong arms that protected her from harm, his bright orange hair and of course his big and bright smile.

Sighing to herself in her room she wished she could see him again.

“Oh come on, (Name) be my date.”

“No, Ares.”

The next day, Ares arrived on her doorstep asking again for a date. (Name)’s sisters were gossiping among themselves as the eldest was simply watching the situation unfold while the middle sister had a crush on the god of war.

The two were walking out towards the gardens and the two simply had banter back and forth of “One date” and “I’m not free that day.” And “You said that last time.” And “I’m also not free that day either.”

Ares was a bold person while (Name) was a shy and a little nervous around the tall and well toned god that could bench press a house with ease. Good thing he was easy to talk to and he wasn’t easily angered.

Unless, you’re Apollo.

“Well, at least come to the party. Everyone is going to be there. Apollo, Shiva, Buddha, Hercules. Everyone.”

Feeling her heart skip a beat when she heard Ares say Hercules, she then wanted to go to the party. Thinking to herself how great it would be to see Hercules again.

“Okay, I’ll go-“

“Okay, I’ll pick you up!”

Ares smiled as he was happy to get his crush to go to the party, her sisters watched in the bushes and were happy as there sister would finally meet someone.

(Name) did meet someone; she met him once more.

At the party, Hercules was the same as ever. Friendly and polite to everyone he talked to. Even when Ares introduced the two Hercules was the same and (Name) was shy in meeting the demi-god again.

Well, at least the two were joined at the hip the whole time.

Ares was none the wiser for it.

Maybe a little.

“Im so sick of her!”

The suitors never stopped coming for (Name)’s hand and her sisters jealousy never seemed to subside.

“At least she’s not here all the time.”

That was true, (Name) wasn’t home as much. (Name) wasn’t home now, she had been gone all day and had returned awfully late. Like any sister, the three older sisters crowded around (Name) while asking to what seemed like a million questions.

“Could you guys leave? I was just with a friend.”

Nervous in her response while holding something close to her chest, like any sibling the sisters tried their best to see what their younger sister was hiding and what friend she had been out all day with. Once she finally got her sisters out of her room she sighed in relief and placed the gift Hercules gave her on her bed.

The two had exchanged gifts earlier that day, Hercules gifted (Name) with a simple yet thoughtful gift of a rather small doll of himself. It was rather cute and Hercules like. “To keep you company at night.” Is what Hercules told her, a thoughtful and kind gesture.

With time, the two became close.

Hercules could handle her shyness with kindness, (Name) could handle Hercules boldness with her gentleness. The introvert and the extrovert. The visits became longer and longer making her sisters jealousy turn to worry. Thinking to themselves “she too in love.”

If she wasn’t at home she was on the phone.

Talking with someone.

“Prove it.”

“… excuse me?”

“Come over here and prove it. Or I could come over there.”

“My sisters would hear..”

(Name) was still shy around Hercules even if the two talked over the phone, he was the man she had feelings and affection for and yet while still shy she couldn’t deny that she made her hot sometimes.

Most times.

“No, see I’m pretty quiet.”

“…You’re funny.”

“I know I am-I am quiet.”

“They would definitely hear your foot steps.”

Smiling (Name) poked a little fun at Hercules who was playfully hurt, knowing (Name) had a point. Hercules wasn’t quiet when he walked, man was massive. A fucking unit.

“Fine, I’ll stay here then.”

“…but if you were here what would you do?”

Shy when asking (Name) could hear heart beat in her chest, as she awaited his answer wondering quickly if he would tell her something clever or sly. (Name) hoped for the sly and when she heard the chuckle heart and her clit jumped in excitement.

“What do you think I would do?”

Ah, teasing.

Clearing her throat and gathering her thoughts as this was a first for her, never did she think she would be flirting with the envoy of justice.

“I..I asked you first.”

Smiling in triumphantly as though she had victory in her hands, only for the envoy of justice to flip the script on her.

“Well first I’d pull you close to me. Then I would kiss your forehead, softly of course. Then I would kiss both sides of your neck. Because I know you would like that.”

“My neck..you would kiss my neck”

Shyly responding to the man of her dreams while placing her hand on the side of her neck, imagining Hercules softly kissing her neck as her heart beat increased as well the excitement between her legs.

“Yes, then I’d take off all your clothes. Just so I could see all of you. Then I would please you in all the right places. I’m in a giving mood you know.”

Hercules was no fool, he could hear the her panting a little over the phone, getting his shy nymph horny was working perfectly and he was in a giving mood that night.

“Then…then what?”

“Then…I would kiss your chest and then I would kiss your stomach, slowly. And then when i was ready I would kiss your clit.”

Hot and bothered.

Both parties seemed to be enjoying their first phone sex encounter.

“And then once you are begging and only when you were begging would give what you want. And I would do it slowly. Build up is important.”

Build up was important.

(Name) could feel her heart beating fast with the excitement between her legs growing more as she began to touch her chest holding the phone for dear life, imagining what Hercules tongue must feel like.

Shy or not, she wanted the fiery righteous god.

A dirty thought crossed her mind as she thought of Hercules’ cock, how big it was, was it curved or not, skinny or fat. The nymph side was coming out for sure.

“And then..”

“And then what?”

Smiling, Hercules knew several things, he knew he had her in the palms of his hand, that she wasn’t ready for that yet, and he liked how things were going.

“…well, I guess the only to get your answer is to come see me.”

End call.

Yes, the shy nymph had experienced her first phone sex experience as well as her first experience of being sexually frustrated as she sighed in frustration while laying on her back on her bed wanting Hercules like never before.

🎀Rukia-Writes🎀

#ror x reader #Hercules x reader #record of ragnarok x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader

309 notes · View notes

lauraneedstochill · 2 years

Text

My first choice (part 2)

summary: Aemond thinks you are way too good to be Aegon’s best friend. But you are enough for the one-eyed prince to fall in love with. pairing: Aemond Targaryen and F!Reader words: ~8500 (this is why I divided it into 2 parts lmao) warnings: friends to lovers, more angst (death of a parent, attempted harassment), hurt/comfort, an embarrassing amount of softness, Aegon is the smartest one for once author’s note: this is heavily inspired by “Little women” (2019) and Amy March in particular (read the rest of my long-ass explanation in part 1). again, I apologize for the angst! it gets worse before it gets better.

Part 2. In a room full of art I stare at you.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment you fell in love with Aemond. Maybe you were too blind to notice until it was too late or maybe you were doomed from the start. From the moment when the boy, who everyone deemed to be intimidating and reclusive, bent down to you to offer help without any hesitation. The second-born son of the King, tall and close-mouthed, surely had more important things to do than waste time on a strange girl crying over her stupid dress — and yet, he only showed you solicitude, asking for nothing in return.

You thought that mayhaps you owed him, and were seeking the opportunity to return the favor. Or at least that’s how you tried to justify the fact that you were looking for him every chance you got. You often found a reason to chat with Aemond during dinners and feasts, feeling bad for him spending time on his own — and you learned that he was very easy to talk to. You made sure to visit the training yard if he was there and sometimes stayed to watch him train for hours, even — or especially — when everyone else already left. His tenacity and strength had certain allure but under all those layers, you saw a lonely boy whose only friend was probably his dragon.

Despite the circumstances and his preferred solitude, Aemond never rejected your company, however sudden it might have been. Even when Aegon foolishly suggested playing hide and seek one evening, bored out of his mind, and you busted into the library and stumbled upon Aemond, who looked like he had no interest in silly games. And yet, when you awkwardly asked for the best place to hide at, he guided you to the enclosed area of the reading room. It was dimly lit by just a few candles and, somewhere between feeling uncomfortable and getting scared, you reached for his hand. He didn’t pull away. Furthermore, he stayed with you and cheered you up with stories about Old Valyria, making you forget about any childish fears.

As the two of you have grown older, you often heard people being frightened by Aemond’s disposition but you found there to be no ground for that. He’s never been rude to you nor had he lost his temper, regardless of circumstances — and the day you saw him without the eyepatch for the first time was the prime example of that. It was getting late and Aegon had too much to drink and, while running around in a drunken stupor, he cut his hand somewhere in the yard. Luckily, the wound wasn’t too deep but he was bleeding and refused to get help, against your best wishes. He was babbling that scars adorn a man — and then, in an attempt to escape you chasing him, he barged into Aemond’s chambers. You ran in merely a second after, with explanations at the ready, and were met with his younger brother standing there, looking startled. It took you a second to realize he wasn’t wearing his eyepatch.

“My scar will be easier to hide,” Aegon giggled, not recognizing the gravity of the situation.

It was the only time you had to make an effort not to slap him in the face. You thought it was mostly a secondhand embarrassment, which was part of the experience of being Aegon’s friend, but the look on Aemond’s face, hurt and humiliated, also made your heart ache.

“His scar is a reminder of his bravery and the strength of his character that he should only be proud of,” you gave Aegon a death stare. “Yours will be a reminder of your idiocy.”

It seemed to work as his smile vanished and he even muttered an apology, leaving hurriedly to call for the maester. When you turned to Aemond, he already had his eyepatch on, and you fought the urge to come and take him by the hand again. You didn’t want to bother him at such a late hour, so you opted to offer an apology, too, and leave him be.

“His behavior was unworthy. But I meant what I said,” you turned to Aemond on your way out. “And the sapphire looks very pretty,” you could swear you saw a trace of a smile on his face but you chose not to think much of it.

With every encounter, sudden or not, and every conversation, most of which were too short for your liking, you were making more room for Aemond in your heart. You should’ve known you were a lost cause when you actually told yourself — out loud, with hands grabbing the edges of your table — “I will not fall in love with him.” At that point, you already did. He always worked so hard to be seen — and you only had eyes for him all along.

You hid your true feelings well enough for anyone to take notice — but your father was no fool. He also knew better than to meddle with whatever your thinking process was. So he watched from afar for quite some time, until you started catching his curious glances on you every time you went to talk to Aemond. Predictably, after yet another feast he could not resist bringing up the topic.

“Did the royal menace have too many cups of wine again? Haven’t seen him this evening,” he adored Aegon whole-heartedly, and you suspected that their shared love for crude humor was the main reason for that. You didn’t mind.

“Wasn’t that many, actually,” you chuckled. “But he asked me and Aemond to help him to his chambers, said he wasn’t in the mood today.”

“Well, you seem to really enjoy Aemond’s company. I assume that the feeling is mutual?” he looked expressively at you.

Your face grew hot at his words. You also felt your heart break just a little.

“We are merely friends,” you told him, your smile too tense to be believable.

There was a shadow of concern in your father’s gaze, followed by a sad sigh.

“You will let me know if anything changes, though?” he mustered a smile in return and his was much brighter than yours.

“You will be the first one to know,” you promised as he came closer to bring you into a bear hug. You never spoke of it again.

Surprisingly, the only other person who seemed to have suspicions about the nature of your and Aemond’s relationship was his father, the King. You didn’t think he was aware of your existence, and even when your friendship with Aegon grew stronger and you became a regular guest at the castle, you soon realized Viserys barely paid any mind to his younger kids’ whereabouts. You would catch a glimpse of him in the halls and curtsy out of politeness but didn’t expect him to notice. You got too comfortable with his absence — so much so, that one day, when Aegon was carrying your supplies and humorously complained about the lack of art in the castle, you blithely suggested painting a portrait of the King. The last thing you expected was for said man to step out of the corner.

“I would be delighted,” he cut right to the chase. “Lady Y/N, isn’t it?”

He didn’t look scary up close, his face wrinkled and a tad too tired, but quite benevolent. He simply asked if you would be content with drawing him on the Iron Throne and you agreed, just as easily. Truth be told, you didn’t think he would follow up on his offer — being the King and all that, but he sent a carriage down to fetch you literally the next day. Viserys took the task with juvenile ardor, bombarding you with questions — what pose to take, what paint do you use, how quickly will it dry and how did you learn to draw. After he was satisfied with the answers, he changed the subject.

“My wife considers you to have a positive influence on my eldest son,” he pointed out with ill-concealed interest.

“I deeply appreciate her trust but I believe that he is capable of changing on his own,” you corrected him courtly.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” he disagreed with a mischievous grin. “I’ve only heard good words about your guidance. It seems that you rein him back so easily, you would’ve made for a fine wife.”

You silently groaned at his comment.

“Your grace, I can assure you, our relationship is strictly of a friendly nature.”

“Oh, I know, I have seen you two,” he said, laughing, and when you peered at him, you saw that it wasn’t his usual uncomfortable-looking crooked grin but an actual genuine laugh.

“Shall you ever lay an eye on any other of my sons,” Viserys continued, much to your surprise. “Do not hesitate to tell me,” and his face suggested he knew more than he was letting on.

You ducked behind the canvas so he didn’t see your heated cheeks.

His suggestion lodged in your memory and even though you wouldn’t dare to actually approach the King, you held out hope that maybe he would give Aemond a similar hint. But months passed, Viserys’s condition drastically worsened, and for whatever reason, he never mended the relationship with his children. And eventually, your hope was gone.

You didn’t lie to Aemond when you told him about having power over who you love. But you failed to mention that said power has its limits — and doesn’t guarantee that your feelings won’t be one-sided. You learned that lesson the hard way when you had to face up to the reality you were in. Your love for Aemond seemed to be as infinite as the ocean — and you had to fit it in a fragile vessel of your heart. At first, you felt the waves raging at the mere glance of his, at every gesture of his goodwill or just upon hearing his voice. The storm of your feelings would splash over the rocks of your self-control but you survived the roaring torrent of love, time after time. The rough ocean grew calm over the years as you came to terms with being in love with someone who didn’t love you back.

You did choose to harbor feelings for Aemond, and you had no regrets about that. But when adulthood came with its own responsibilities that you had to focus on, all your energy was put into finding a husband. You were aware that your choice would have a major impact on your family as their stability depended on it. You approached the issue in a cold-hearted manner, prioritizing the duty above all else. Mayhaps, you were too calculated in your pursuit, and that was how you ended up accepting the courtship of a man who had nothing to give but his wealth.

When it comes to Jason, he never ceases to evoke a few feelings, too, but none of them are pleasant. His arrogance is the first thing that catches the eye — he’s wrapped in it and wears it with pride as if it’s another title of his. You often have to bite your tongue and fake a smile in response to his dismissive remarks and borderline vulgar comments. It doesn’t help that his self-esteem is inflated beyond your comprehension, and if only he could put his own face on their House’s sigil, he would. You are grateful that he keeps his hands to himself but you notice him getting quite handsy with the maids, and it gives you an unsettling feeling. His behavior is so disdainful and frivolous, you have no doubts that once you are married, you will be merely an accessory to him, a pretty wife to show off to his friends without taking your opinion into account. Showing off is the one thing he does best — and each time you can’t help but compare him to Aemond who doesn’t even know how to take a compliment. You find yourself thinking about the prince every time Jason comes by, and these thoughts help you get through tiresome promenades with the lord and endure boring dinners with him.

But after your last conversation with Aemond, you force yourself to stop thinking about him altogether. That decision is remorseless but you believe it’s for the better — or at least that’s what you convince yourself to think after you run out of the garden and into your carriage, only caring about getting home as soon as possible. You pretend that nothing happened, lying to your parents that the prince was too busy and you had to return earlier than planned. And then you lock yourself in your chambers, with hand clamped over your mouth to muffle the sound of crying. A small part of you hopes that Aemond will come to you the same day and explain himself. But he doesn’t. When you don’t hear from him for another two days, you come to the conclusion that he regretted his sudden outburst. And that his words actually held no meaning.

Cutting Aemond out of your life does seem to be attainable with some time, and you perceive it as just another task, another skill you can master. But getting him out of your head seems like an impossible goal from the start. You are so used to keeping memories of him, cherishing each and every one, you can’t just erase them all at once. You try your best, you do so with ferocious persistence, but there’s always some annoying little reminder ready to surface and catch you off guard at the most inopportune moment.

It gets even harder when four days later you find yourself sitting next to Jason who is even more presumptuous than usual. At this point, you feel like your nerves are at the limit, so you can’t even find it in yourself to keep up the act. You push your food around the plate, jumping from one pointless thought to another: the tasteless meal, the barely visible crack in your cup, the revolting tone of the lord’s voice. You feel your mother staring at you, clearly displeased with your attitude, yet Jason is oblivious, too wrapped up in bragging about his winery — or whatever else he is talking about, you have no idea because you stopped paying attention about twenty minutes ago.

You think if you stay by his side any longer, you will be physically sick.

So you get up from the table — may be a bit too dramatic for your own liking — and muster out a weak excuse:

“My apologies, I am in need of fresh air.”

You leave before anyone has a chance to stop you.

It seems like an act of disobedience but there’s so much freedom in it, you feel that you can finally take a breath. And you do exactly that once you reach the balcony, several corridors away from the dining hall that felt stuffed with Jason’s ego. As you stand there, soaking up the last rays of the sun, you can’t ignore the obvious question — how is it even possible to marry someone you absolutely cannot tolerate. You never had illusions about the nature of your relationship with him but you at least hoped there would be some ground to build your future on. At yet, right now it looks like you are trying to lay a foundation in the quicksand. For a man of a noble lineage, Jason knows too little of what nobility actually is, and you have enough self-respect to not give him explanations. The prospect of marrying him makes your duty feel like a burden, and you contemplate if you should even take the risk.

You are lost in your thoughts until you hear a thin voice:

“Do you know where the sun lands?”

You turn to find your sister Alyna standing at the door, in her long white nightgown and barefoot, her eyes unnaturally large for her baby-like face. She always talks like that, too thoughtful for her young age, and sometimes she reminds you of Helaena. There you go, another connection to Aemond.

“I do not, my sweetling. Wherever that place is, it’s a well-guarded secret,” you comb her curly hair with your fingers as her curious eyes study your face.

“Maybe it doesn't want to be seen,” she deduces. “Just like you don't.”

Her ability to get straight to the point sometimes blindsides you. It’s also quite liberating to talk to someone who hasn’t yet learned the skill of pretense, and she may be the only sibling of yours with no ulterior motives or hidden agenda. Alyna tilts her head, signaling that she isn’t enjoying your touch anymore — and when you remove your hand, she says, out of the blue:

“Just like Ser Lannister doesn’t.”

You stare at her in bewilderment, and only then notice that the hallway behind her is empty. It dawns on you that Alyna’s nanny Dorea is nowhere to be found. She is only a couple of years older than you, meek and quiet, her trusting nature ever so defenseless — but she is also very pretty. Too pretty for her own good, as your mother likes to say.

You feel a wave of nausea again. This time, it’s followed by a sense of dread curdling in your stomach.

“What did he do?” your voice comes out unusually calm, in striking contrast with how you are really feeling.

“I heard him talking to Dorea outside my chambers. I wanted to join the conversation but he asked me to leave,” her brows slightly furrow. “He said there are some things I am not supposed to see.”

It may be the first thing you and Jason can agree on, you think. It is also the only thing because you certainly will never agree to marry him — and that realization frees you of any false politeness and self-restraint.

“What are those things?” Alyna naively asks, shifting from one foot to the other.

“I shall go and ask him,” you pat her on the cheek. “But you stay here, alright? I will be back before you know it.”

Usually, it would take about a minute to reach your sister’s chambers, but you cover the distance twice as fast. You are a couple of feet away when you hear muffled voices — one is demanding, the other one is scared, and both are well-known to you. You grasp the situation in no time and run to quickly open the door. When you walk in, you feel a flare-up of anger at the sight: Jason grabbed Dorea by the hips, trying to pull her closer, as she weakly protests, her palms pushing at his chest in an attempt to get away. The squeak of the door makes them turn their heads to you, and you see the distressed look on the nanny’s face.

And then their gazes fall behind your back, and Dorea gets horrified.

You easily guess the reason for that — your younger sister isn’t very good at following orders. So Alyna mumbles, standing next to you and looking at her nanny:

“I do not think she likes it.”

“Neither do I,” you throw Jason a baleful stare. “Let her go and get out.”

He removes his hands — so carelessly, it almost seems like he’s offended by your suggestion of his wrongdoing. Dorea immediately comes to your side, ashamed and distraught.

“Did he hurt you?” you inquire, helping to adjust her dress.

“My lady, I think you misinterpreted —” Jason tries to say but you shut him off.

“I am not talking to you,” you scowl in his direction. Your face softens when you ask Dorea again: “Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head, sheepishly trying to explain:

“I didn’t do anything, I-I didn’t want to, and he said... He said he is a lord and I sh-should be flattered.”

Not only did Jason has the audacity to pull that off but he also wanted to do so at your little sister’s chambers — and you simmer at the thought.

“I believe you,” you gently stroke her shoulder. “I promise you will never see him again.”

“These are some unrealistic expectations,” Jason sneers, walking to you but his grin dies down when you look at him again.

“I know your opinion of women isn’t very high — trust me, the feeling is mutual — but you cannot seriously believe you will fool me,” you sense that now he isn’t pleased with your attitude but you don’t care. “When I told you to get out, I meant it. You are not welcome in this house.”

“That doesn’t sound like a wise decision to make if we are to be wed,” Jason contemptuously hisses.

“Then I guess the wedding is off,” you glare defiance at him. “But whoever you end up marrying, I hope she outlives you. Just so she can spit on your grave,” the last part is meant only for him to hear.

And he definitely does as his face reddens with rage. Jason roughly grabs you by the hand, and your nose fills with the stench of wine when he speaks:

“You are in no position to make demands,” he drawls. “Your family is in debt up to its ears, you little halfwit, so I suggest you choose your words very carefully.”

While he doesn’t see it, Alyna looks between you two, and, out of the corner of your eye, you notice her frowning. She doesn’t do well with conflicts as they upset her deeply, which can only trigger one reaction. Before you can say anything, a high-pitched scream shatters the room, echoing through the whole house.

Jason removes his hand within a second, looking shocked, but Alyna stands innocently with her mouth closed as if nothing happened. Your parents come to her chambers in the blink of an eye.

“What is wrong?” your mother looks at you all uncomprehendingly.

“Ser Lannister got lost,” you cooly explain. “He is already leaving.”

“And why is that?” your father glares at him with suspicion.

You want to spare Dorea the humiliation so you pause for a moment, trying to come up with an excuse. But Alyna has no understanding of what a maiden’s honor is — and she loudly proclaims:

“Ser Lannister was touching Dorea, and she didn’t like it.”

No one in the room needs an explanation for that.

“You shameless scoundrel!” your father roars at Jason, who unsurprisingly isn’t as courageous as before.

“Ser, there clearly has been a mistake — ”

“It was a mistake to let you in,” your father rudely interrupts him. “You won’t set foot in my house ever again. Get out of here before I make you!”

Jason doesn’t need to be told twice and storms out of the room as your father’s gaze follows him. He stands with hands clenched into fists, his nostrils flaring with anger.

“Pompous jerk,” he mumbles under his breath. “And to think that I was willing to give him my daughter’s hand...!” his voice breaks, hoarse with ire, and you notice a vein pop on his forehead. You have never seen him so furious.

“He’s been dealt with,” you cautiously say to ease the tension. “That shouldn’t be a cause for your concern anymore.”

He turns to you, his eyes bloodshot and breathing heavy. As you step closer, you hear whistling sounds with his every breath, and his gaze gets absent. You realize that something is wrong as he opens his mouth to speak but no sound comes out.

“Father, are you alright?”

He places a hand over his heart, trying to inhale, a look of fear in his eyes. The chain of events is too sudden to comprehend: his breathing begins to wheeze as he squirms, falls flat on his back and convulses.

And then your evening turns out to be way worse than you could’ve ever imagined. A week later Aegon wakes up at an ungodly hour — and he’s fueled by sole determination to put an end to everyone’s misery. Surely, he must be the only sane person in his house since all his family members seem to be oblivious to what is going on between you and Aemond. Aegon, however, can use his eyes for their intended purpose — and it is clear as day to him that you and his brother are in love with each other.

He caught on to that pretty fast, although the signs were not that obvious at first: you often smile to people purely out of politeness and Aemond may not show his true feelings even under threat of death. So Aegon kept secretly observing you two, taking note of fleeting glances and light touches, of the way you would relax in Aemond’s presence, the way he was always too eager to help you with whatever you needed, and how you two would gravitate toward each other. Both his brother and his best friend were annoyingly stubborn about making their own decisions so Aegon didn’t mean to interrupt — or at least he tried not to. But when your evident mutual pining stretched into years, Aegon started losing his patience.

In the beginning, he initiated small things, asking Aemond to come and greet you (“Oh, I just woke up! And you are already dressed for the occasion”), to deliver you his hand-written message (“Yes, it is incredibly important and I trust no one but you!” — it was his doodling of Aemond), to keep you company during the feast while Aegon stepped out for a moment (he didn’t come back). He asked him to switch places at dinner (so you and Aemond could sit together), to help find the books you wanted (“All those years of you reading should be good for something”), to pick up the portrait of his children (“They are your nephews, is it so hard?! No, I am not being dramatic!”). A couple of times he even pretended to be way more drunk than he actually was just so you and Aemond could help him to his chambers and spend some time alone in the process. None of that worked. At some point, he seriously contemplated locking you both in a room but then came to the conclusion that you would rather team up to find a way out than confess your feelings. Truly, it seemed hopeless, and Aegon thought that maybe he should give up.

But as of recently he couldn’t help but notice that something was clearly off between you and Aemond, although the younger prince refused to talk about it, and you simply stopped visiting the castle. He decided to give it a day or two, hoping that you would sort things out and refusing to even consider the opposite. A week passed and nothing changed, and Aegon cannot bear looking at Aemond’s sour face any longer. So the older prince comes up with a plan.

He is unexpectedly the first one at the breakfast table and everyone who walks in shoots him a surprised glance. They are amazed even more to see that Aegon isn’t drinking which is as rare as a miracle. Aemond comes last and he is the only one who doesn’t notice the change, too wrapped up in his thoughts. Another thing that goes unnoticed is the gleam of sadness on their mother’s face.

Five minutes in, Aegon clears his throat to attract everyone’s attention.

“So, I was thinking,” he drawls loudly.

“That does not sound good,” Otto mutters, unimpressed, which Aegon chooses to ignore and continues.

“Lady Baratheon’s poor taste in men shouldn’t be an obstacle in our way of reaching the grand goal.”

“Which is...?” Otto asks while the younger prince doesn’t move an ear.

“To find a lady worthy of my brother, of course!” Aegon tries his best to say it with a straight face.

Aemond spares him a glance. “I didn’t know you took much interest in that.”

“I always have your best interest in mind,” Aegon slaps him on the shoulder earning a disgruntled hum in return.

“I was just thinking if we should go over the list of requirements once more,” Aegon suggests.

“I don’t have a li—”

“Of course you do!” another slap. “At the very least, she should be of a noble kind. Am I right?”

“Sure,” Aemond absentmindedly agrees.

“And we are definitely looking for someone who is keen on reading.”

“Yes,” Aemond rolls his eye and looks at his plate, already showing no interest in the conversation. That is exactly what Aegon wants — and he starts talking a bit faster:

“Someone with a flexible nature...”

“U-hmm.”

“And with a kind heart...”

“Yes.”

“A great listener...”

“Uh-huh”

“Who will attend to your every need...”

“Sure.”

“And may even be of indescribable beauty...”

“Hmm.”

“...And you will still be miserable because you love Y/N.”

“Yes,” Aemond says without thinking — and then it’s too late to take his word back because everyone’s eyes are already on him. When he turns to his brother, Aegon has a shit-eating grin on his face:

“You are welcome.”

Alicent looks genuinely confused. “Aemond, but why haven’t you mentioned it?”

“I’ve been asking myself the same question for years,” Aegon snorts, and Otto raises an eyebrow.

“Years?” his grandsire questions.

“I almost gave up on him,” Aegon keeps talking while his brother just sits there, eye glued to the table.

“She was the one who drew the portrait of our father,” Helaena cheerfully speaks up. “And he kept it.”

“He did,” Alicent nods and gives her son a sympathetic look. “Aemond, she is an admirable young lady. No one would have spoken against it if only you —”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Aemond cuts her off, averting his gaze. “She is to be betrothed to Ser Lannister, and I do not intend to ruin her plans.”

“You cannot be serious!” Aegon pinches the bridge of his nose. “Shall you find the courage to propose, she will immediately reject him!”

“She already did,” Alicent avows, to everyone’s surprise.

Aemond looks up at his mother in an instant.

“Did she?” he asks in disbelief.

Alicent gives him a wan smile.

“A week ago, yes. It is rumored that his behavior... left much to be desired,” she explains half-heartedly. Her face, however, doesn’t show any signs of happiness.

“That seems like a reason to celebrate but it doesn’t sound like it,” Aegon looks at her questioningly, and Aemond tenses up in anticipation.

Alicent dithers as her face falls, eyes getting woeful and voice feeble.

“Her father fell ill that very day. Some say he got too upset with the whole situation, and I...,” she takes a deep breath. “I received a message this morning. He passed away three nights ago.”

Everyone falls silent, their faces showing shock that is quickly replaced by sadness.

“Seven hells,” Aegon mumbles.

Aemond doesn’t utter a word, feeling his heart sinking. He knows that you’ve always been your father’s daughter, and the prince cannot even begin to imagine how heartbroken you are right now. He should’ve been there for you, he thinks, full with remorse and guilt.

“You should go,” Aegon turns to him, not a hint of jesting in his voice. “We may give her some time to grieve, but I will gladly take Sunfyre out for —”

“Why would you need to?” Aemond gives him a puzzled look. “I can take Vhagar.”

Aegon emits a long-drawn groan and says to no one in particular:

“And to think he is the smartest one? I am having doubts”, he then glances at Aemond with reproach. “I am sure her mourning family will not at all get terrified at the sight of your monstrous dragon.”

His brother mulls over the idea.

“It is not safe to fly drunk.”

“I will be stone-cold sober.”

“You believe both of us will fit into the saddle?”

“We will fit just fine, can you stop with your excuses?! I am being reasonable for once, and you are making me regret it!”

“I don’t think it would be wise,” Otto cuts in their bickering, and both princes turn to him.

He holds pause with a blank stare before a sly smile crawls out on his face.

“I would rather recommend the prince goes right away. We don’t want her family to make any rushed decisions,” their grandsire advises, earning a sign of relief from Aegon, who jumps out of his chair.

“We’re leaving this very second! Do I need to drag you out of your —”

“You do not,” Aemond stands up in a hurry — and then Aegon still grabs him by the hand, pulling his brother out of the room.

Alicent gazes fondly after them.

“It was very kind of you,” she says to her father without looking at him.

Otto thinks that, with how well you’ve been handling Aegon, marrying you to Aemond would be a blessing. Because gods know, he is fed up with them both.

On their way to the Dragonpit Aegon can barely hold back his excitement but his brother’s mind is clearly elsewhere. The older prince lets Aemond take time to gather his thoughts and doesn’t bother him along the road. But once they reach the cavernous building and both pop out of the carriage, Aegon decides some encouragement would be fitting.

“Have I ever told you how I met her? That day at the feast?”

Mentioning your name always works wonders — Aemond turns to him in a flash.

“I was jesting around and she was the only one who didn’t laugh at my jokes. At all. Just stood there with a straight face and ignored me. Can you imagine?”

Aemond does know the unimpressed look you usually give Aegon, and it causes him to let out a dull chuckle.

“Took me good five minutes to even make her smile — and, frankly, my success didn’t last very long. Pretty sure half of my jokes landed flat. But you know what was the real issue?” Aegon’s smile is melancholic. “Most of the evening she kept asking about you.”

Aemond looks like the very epitome of heartbreak. Not only was he blind, he was also an idiot, he realizes.

“I know, I should’ve told you sooner,” Aegon gives him an apologetic look.

Aemond shakes his head. “I should’ve told her sooner.”

“Well, it’s only been what, seven years?” his brother chortles weakly while the dragon keepers finally bring out Sunfyre, and the dragon casts Aemond a curious look.

Aegon approaches the beast first, running his hand over the scales that shine bright in the sunlight, and the prince can never get tired of that blinding beauty. But his excitement mingles with another feeling.

“I value her friendship, you do know that, right?” he squints at Aemond, who simply nods.

“This is my way of saying that if you mess it up, I might push you off my dragon on our way back,” Aegon casually remarks, grabbing the rope to climb up.

Aemond falters with answering, reluctant to admit.

“There is a chance that I already messed it up.”

Aegon looks down at his brother and gives him a stern glare.

“Unmess it, then.” You don’t remember much from the past week, your days and nights blurred into one another. The only thing that stays on your mind is your father’s face — you can still see it so clearly, with his gentle gaze and his every wrinkle, the corners of his mouth always upturn like he’s a second away from smiling. You also remember how that face contorted in pain, how his body stiffened, and that scene plays on repeat in your head, over and over. And then there are only pieces of memories, torn and mushed together, and you can’t find it in yourself to sort them out.

You spend all your time at your father’s bedside, with a string of never-ending prayers falling from your lips. They don’t seem to help — and nor do the maester’s efforts, and you lose hope with each passing minute. As hours fly, you get a very bad feeling that soon turns into blood-curdling awareness. Deep down, you know what’s to come, and you hate yourself for it. You think you will never stop crying but by the time the maester declares your father’s demise, there are no tears left. Death has many faces — none of them looked at you with mercy.

Your mother wails, overtaken by despair, your sisters don’t leave her side, eyes puffy and full of sorrow, and you are sure that you look the same — yet you feel completely empty. There’s a cleft in a place of your heart, and all the feelings seemed to flow out, leaving you drained and emotionless, but it brings you no relief. Everything in your house reminds you of your father, his presence tangible in the rooms and in the halls, his image still as clear as a reflection in the mirror. The memories of him crawl out of every corner, seep from under the doors, fall on you along with the dust you brush off his things that you can’t make yourself take away.

Stacks of hardcovers with bookmarks in the middle.

The unfinished cup of wine.

The long grey coat hanging on the back of his chair.

Piles of letters left unanswered.

Parchments, ink and a quill that he will never use again.

All the pieces of him that you can’t look at, don’t want to look at — yet it’s all you see, and there’s is no hiding from it. You feel trapped in your own house, and you wait for the walls to collapse so maybe under the weight of them you will find some peace. You are restless in your grief, you are drowning in it.

The day of the funeral leaves a blank space in your memory, void of colors and sounds apart from everyone’s crying. The ceremony is rushed and there is only a handful of family members since your mother couldn’t bring herself to tell everyone yet. You don’t blame her for it — you think she’s too afraid to say it out loud, afraid that speaking the words will make them real, and she’ll have to finally accept his death. You have no problem with acceptance, you just don’t know how to move on. How to stay strong when you are shattered beyond repair.

Your home now feels like a coffin but everyone expects you to be in charge, so you force yourself to. Merely an hour after his body was buried in soil wet with rain, you find yourself sorting out his papers. You look through his diary, his scribbled notes, the calculations he made in attempts to stabilize the emptying coffers. He’s always been the responsible one, keeping count and cutting costs, planning for the future — and yet he’s been robbed of it. None of it makes sense to you and your father isn’t there to teach you. You clench your teeth in frustration, and it makes you want to put your head through a wall.

You push through the second and the third day. You give orders to the maids, who walk on eggshells around the house, sharing concerned looks. You take it upon yourself to bring meals to your mother and all but spoon-feed her so she at least will have some energy to get up from bed. She doesn’t — while you want nothing more than to get away. You’ve had a fair share of responsibilities your entire life but now there’s an abundance of them and it puts you in a chokehold, and you are all alone in your discomfort which brings you no respite at all.

On the fourth day you wake up feeling like the walls are closing in and you can’t breathe, the need to leave anchoring in your lungs. You don’t want to waste another second as you put on a coat right on top of your nightgown, frightened that each moment of stalling might lead to you being dragged into the same routine again. But the house is asleep, and the sun has barely risen when you tiptoe out of your room. You only wake up one maid, telling her you’ll go for a walk so your sudden absence doesn’t come off as a deed of cruelty.

You step outside and close the door behind your back, taking a slow, deep inhale. And just when the guilt is about to sneak up on you — you dart off into the morning fog.

The air is fresh and cooling against your skin as you run away from your house and through the trees, not minding the branches or the damp ground. You breathe the crisp air in, and it makes your body feel weightless, and you speed up, leaving no chance for the responsibilities to catch up with you. Patches of the forest, splattered with all shades of green, bushes and weeds that graze your knees — you pay them no attention as your feet carry you further away, up the hill, to the most remote place you can think of. You don’t know how long it takes for you to reach the narrow wooden bridge and cross the remaining field that ends with a cliff, but when you finally do, your feet ache and your lungs burn and you gulp air.

The sky is draped by the light layer of clouds but the blue of it stretches as far as the eyes can reach, and the movement of the sea can be seen in the distance. The morning is still with silence and it welcomes you, the fresh breeze encircling your body. The feeling of it isn’t gentle as the wind instantly bites every part of your skin that is covered with sweat. You should’ve worn thicker layers, you shouldn’t have rushed, maybe you shouldn’t have come at all — but you are too tired of thinking, of restrictions. Of yourself.

You let the cold seep in and pierce you to the marrow as you watch the waves meeting the horizon. You then close your eyes, hands coming up to cross over your chest. It’s an oblivion of some sort — with no demands and no tears, it’s only you and the wind. The empty space around you matches the emptiness in your heart, and the beating of it sounds like a hollow note. You feel nothing, you feel numb, but it’s so tranquilizing, you can’t help but give in, just to stop brooding for a few minutes — or maybe hours, you care not.

In this state of torpor, you almost miss the sound of wings cutting through the air. When you open your eyes, you only catch a shadow hidden by the clouds and a glimpse of gold but it’s still enough to guess. Sunfyre. At any other time, Aegon’s visit would’ve brought you joy yet right now it feels useless against the doldrums of your soul. At least your sisters will be happy to see him, you think, not having the slightest desire to move from your spot. The wind is now howling, the grass is rustling — and then the small measured sound joins the melody of nature. It sounds like someone’s approaching but their step is nearly noiseless. There is only one person who walks like that, and the realization brings you out of your trance.

You turn to Aemond before he can say anything, your gaze meeting his, and he immediately stands still. The distance between you is just like before, and you only now grasp the amount of time that has passed. You haven’t seen him in two weeks — and so much has changed, and nothing is the same — but when you look at Aemond, at every painfully familiar feature of his, your heart twinges. You really, really missed him, and it’s the first thing you feel in fourteen days.

He notes your lack of protest and hesitantly comes toward you, only pausing when he’s at arm’s length. His cheeks are flushed pink from the wind, the collar of his coat raised to the angles of his jaw.

“I didn’t want you to be alone,” his tone is filled with sadness. “Even if you despise me.”

“I could never,” you mirror the words he once said but your voice comes out too quiet and blank.

There is only compassion and understanding in his gaze, and you are hungry for both, so you don’t break eye contact. He doesn’t, either, and reaches out a hand — it moves to your shoulder as he says:

“I am so sor—” when his fingers come in contact with you, Aemond suddenly stops talking, and his eye darts to your arm. There is a flicker of confusion on his face that quickly turns into worry.

“You are freezing,” he breathes out, and his worry grows stronger in an instant.

Aemond cautiously guides his hand up and down your arm — you see the movement, clear as day, but you don’t feel it at all.

“I didn’t really notice,” you mumble.

You want to tell him that staying with your family drove you up the wall, that you lost sleep and the nights bring you no rest, that you accept your emptiness and loathe it. But the wind is still howling, your mind is clouded with exhaustion, and you are afraid that Aemond will get angry at you.

Instead, he pleads.

“Let me take you home,” he continues caressing your arm. “Please, let’s go back. You can’t —”

“I don’t want to,” you retort, and all the unsaid words bubble up and pour out. “I could not stay there any longer, it was all too much, I needed a break, I — it just made me feel like...,” your skin finally absorbs the heat of his touch which sends goosebumps down your spine, and you get short of breath.

“Like I wanted to disappear,” you say, voice barely above the whisper.

Your confession hangs in the air, and you catch that same unreadable emotion in his eye. Three heartbeats later Aemond removes his hand, and the absence of it threatens to strip you of your short-lived comfort. But then he unbuttons his coat — and opens his arms to you:

“Disappear here.”

His words break the ice of your numbness, filling your lungs with air — so much of it, you almost feel light-headed. You are cold, and you are lonely, and you missed him. In a heartbeat you fall into his embrace, with the same force one may plummet down from a cliff — only instead of waves, you are welcomed by his warmth, and you instantly sink into it.

Aemond takes you under his coat, gently putting it over your body, and then holds you tight. You instinctively wrap your hands around his waist, nestling against his chest. Your cold palms glide over his shirt, and Aemond involuntarily shivers but doesn’t budge. He starts slowly stroking your back, and you soak up the calmness that radiates off him. His touch is soothing, quieting your mind, and you lose yourself in the serenity that it brings.

You are both lost in time, standing quietly, as your body gradually warms up and relaxes. You listen to his heartbeat, the rhythm of it even and lulling, and it makes you feel at peace.

When Aemond looks at you clinging to him, his heart swells with so much love, he can barely contain it.

“How are you feeling?” he asks softly.

“I don’t know,” you sigh. “It all happened so fast, I didn’t know what to do. I still don’t. Everyone expects something from me now and I... I wish he was still here.”

“Your father was the kindest man I have ever met,” his voice is laced with sorrow. “I am so sorry you had to go through that. I should’ve come sooner but I only found out this morning.”

“And you came,” you remark delicately. “It’s all that matters.”

You snuggle up to him even more and relish in the feeling of his body close to yours, finding solace in it. You let yourself forget about everything else in the world, comforted by his kindness as he shields you from all the worries and the troubles of life.

“Whose idea was it to take Sunfyre?”

“Aegon’s,” the prince chuckles. “He was very persuasive, I’ll give him that.”

“Is he waiting for you on the hill?”

“He went to see your family, offer his condolences. And maybe complain a little since he didn’t particularly enjoy the flight.”

You try imagining the two of them squeezed into the saddle, and you know Aemond must’ve teased Aegon all the way to your house. You feel the tickling of laughter in your throat but it doesn’t go higher and then dissolves. Still, it’s a start.

“How much do you regret agreeing to that?”

Aemond pauses — and then his low voice vines through your hair:

“Right now, I don’t.”

You feel his heart skipping a beat, and for some reason, his pulse speeds up. You wonder what the reason may be, and your cheeks heat up when you are struck by the answer you can’t dare to hope for.

Or maybe you can.

“I’m not marrying Ser Lannister,” you blurt out, your own chest vibrating with anxiety.

Aemond pulls away just a bit, only to have a look at you.

“I heard about that,” he reveals. “He was never a good —”

“You are under no obligation to say anything or do anything,” you cut him off, nervously lowering your gaze, because if he tries to pity you it will break your heart all over again, and you cannot bear it right now. “I just... I knew I would never love him. So I believe it’s only for the best.”

You keep babbling, but he hardly listens, his eye fixed on your face. Aemond isn’t sure you fully allow yourself to be this vulnerable with anyone. But it’s his favorite side of yours — with your bashful sincerity, your overly complicated explanations that he understands with ease, your habit of talking with hands, with your searching gaze and your eyes bright with life. It’s all the little things that he adores.

It’s what makes his feelings finally spill over.

“...But we don’t need to talk about it, you don’t need to say anyth—”

His touch is so gentle, you barely register when Aemond puts a finger beneath your chin, lifting your head to look at him — and then suddenly his lips cover yours. His mouth is even warmer than his hands, and he gives you a couple of seconds to make sure you won’t pull away. And then he starts kissing you, slowly and steadily, in a way you could only dream of.

Aemond gently cradles your head, his lips are soft and ardent — they meld with yours, and time freezes and sounds fade as you melt into the kiss, into his touch. And at that moment nothing else matters. You are wrapped in his tenderness, the ocean of feelings flooding your body, and he enters your heart like he owns it. He always did.

Aemond is the one to break the kiss, sensing that you are gasping for air. You slowly open your eyes in a daze, as if you’ve been awoken from a dream.

“I will take care of everything,” he affirms, his mouth still only a couple of inches away. “You do not have to worry about a thing.”

One of your hands moved on top of his chest, and you feel that his heart rate is back to normal. The pounding of it pulls you back to reality.

“You mean that?” you whisper. “Aemond, I don’t have that much to offer.”

He brushes a strand of hair from your face and leaves a trail of light kisses up to your temple.

“You have everything a man can wish for,” he reassures you, and his gaze finds yours again. “Everything I have ever wished for.”

The prince takes your face between his hands, and his thumbs follow the contours of your cheeks.

“Even in a room full of art I can only look at you,” Aemond murmurs, his words are flamelike and go straight to your heart, making it flutter.

Only now you notice that the sun emerged from the clouds, and the golden light illuminates everything around you. You bask in it as well as in Aemond’s affection — and he makes you feel seen, safe, cared for. Loved.

“That was very poetic of you,” you tilt your head and lean closer to him.

“I agree with poets on one thing — we have no control over who we love. But I have never regretted loving you,” he can’t stop himself from placing a kiss on the edge of your mouth. “And if I had to choose, it would still be you.”

When you meet his gaze, this time you read it with ease — and you are sure it’s a mere reflection of your own. An overwhelming feeling sweeps over and spreads through you. But the ocean is calm, and you are not cold anymore — and Aemond does love you, after all.

You feel your mouth quirk in a smile, genuine and a very happy one. Aemond presses his forehead to yours and promises:

“From now on, you will always be my first choice,” and then you see him trailing for your lips.

And you believe him.

the taglist: @greenowlfactif, @mischiefmanaged71, @pasta-rask, @imjustboredso, @iiamthehybrid, @m00n5t0n3, @crispmarshmallow, @bellaisasleep, @aemondssuit, @ipadkidsworld, @itisjustwhatitis, @maximizedrhythms, @fckwritersblock, @hiatuswhore, @fantasyreader130, @bibli0thecary, @teapartydreams, @kyuupidwrites, @thelittleswanao3 (I couldn't tag some of you for whatever reason, so I'll just message you guys)

yep, it’s me again!

the title is someone’s quote (I have no idea where it’s from, pls help a girl out)

“Disappear here” are Jonathan Carroll’s words that have been engraved in my memory for years and they just popped into my head while I was writing in a haste and only then I realized wait, technically it’s a quote, you can’t do that?! but guess what, I did! I also tried to rephrase these two words but it looked weird so I’m letting you know that I suck as a writer

the bit when she babbles and he looks smitten with her — I couldn’t help but think of that scene from “North and South” (it screams Aemond to me!)

I imagined the cliff to look like this 🍃

I originally planned to turn the romance down just a notch ’cause I already have 4 sappy fics and I wanted this one to be more “realistic” but… oh well, me and romance go hand in hand, apparently.

you will see this version of Aegon more often because I enjoyed it immensely!

what do you guys think? comments and opinions are VERY welcome! 🥺 ✨ my masterlist English is not my first language, so feel free to message me if you spot any major mistakes!

1K notes · View notes

a-certain-romance · 1 year

Note

housewife anon without house wofe content for once shocking fr!!

so ill write multiple women cuz…multiple women and im horny and ugh i lvoe women

kay so…ahahahaem let us begin

fuck buddies to lovers senario with streamer!hu tao

hu tao was an amazing streamer to say the very least so you had to send her gifts and chats daily you were there from the very beginning so there was no surprise as to why hu tao contacted you and gave a breif smile and you guys started talking online only to then realise you guys live nearby eachother

so instead of being upfront with your feelings hu tao suggested one thing.

“hey so-“

“Dont worry lets do..ah thats right porn together! you and i wont have to show pur faces!”

well that was up front…you thought but you went for it after all anything for your favourite!! and so from then on you guys fucked yet you were still friends only till a drunken stream where she fucked you senseless with a giant strap letting your cum gush onto hu taos dick did you say the words “i love you.” hu tao wont forget..Sadly you will due to the hangover and nearly passing out moment.

public shaming w yae

i lovebeb her

yae would make you cockwarm her infront of all the attendees at the shrine in all honesty you couldnt belive it when she asked you to do so…but who are you to refuse your loving girlfriend afterall this you get praised and kissed as onlookers watch you stomach buldge and all taking yae getting getting praised for it. some would kill to be in your spot

After all she is the wise and beautiful miko who wouldnt want to be dick filled by her or praised or degraded by her just for a second.

“Seems like your stomach looks like it needs a break dear..”

“mh..im fine.”

“suit yourself.” she chuckles back leaving soft bite marks on your neck and now fondling your chest…is she gonna do it now? atleast you wont have your stomach churrning and yearning no longer

shenhe and finger sucking w cryo!!

shenhe covering her fingers with cryo while your getting pounded is so hard to divulge in after all the sweat is getting you yet shenhe is here to rescue you by shoving her cold cold fingers down your throat letting you suck and bite them as another hand grasps on what little clothing shenhe is wearing too

“hm. Your tempature is getting better maybe i can go-“

“no.”

well suit yourself now shes going slow and wont stop going slow afterall your body was weakening under her touch

and finally breeding with ei

when ei is finally annoyed at your antics and bratty behaviour her shogun side comes along to help her fuck you sensless and all slutty for her

“Your quite tight, You better stop being bratty or it will be worse next time.”

Honestly you liked those odds since she didnt care about taking it slow she wanted to pound you and dominate you till your body fell apart. You had to take all her cum or she would plow 10 times more you leaked out till her balls dropped

honestly it was fun she put you in diffrent posistions atleast!!

-housewife anon

These hearts adore

A/N: Omg loving streamer!hu Tao?? I wrote some little drabbles for each. Apologies for the lack of updates school recently started for me.

Characters/Ships: Hu Tao, Yae Miko, Shenhe, & Ei x reader (separate)

Warnings: Smut & Suggestive content written by a minor, exhibition (Hu Tao & Yae Miko, toys (Hu Tao), Strap ons (Hu Tao) Characters with cocks (Yae Miko & Ei), temperature play (Shenhe), finger sucking (Shenhe), brat taming (Ei), breeding (Ei)

It’s safe to say the first time you tuned in on Deceased_Walnut you fell in love. Maybe not head-over heels in love, but you were most definitely intrigued by the morbidly energetic brunette behind the screen. Gifting her chats and subs for the past few weeks was how she noticed and reached out to you. Hu Tao is a small streamer. But even so, the majority of your talks were through private messages. Until you realized the lack of distance, and nowadays you’re almost inseparable!

But there was also something off about her. Hu Tao tends to be flaky with her plans. Sometimes when you set up a meeting, she might text you an apology about not being able to make it. She uses different excuses each time

You sighed as your phone lit up with a paragraph of a message. Without much else to do, you took this as a night to scroll through nsfw livestreams on a separate site. It was there that you came across a familiar face.

Hu Tao’s regular channel pales in comparison to what she was streaming on this platform. Who knew someone like her uploads porn in her free time? When you found her other channel you remained a lurker at first. She wasn’t so different from how you already saw her, same teasing attitude and all. Despite wearing a special type of mask, you can tell who she without a second glance.

After a few days of watching in stunned silence did you make your appearance known. Hu Tao was doing a special where her subscribers ordered her around. She was fucking herself dumb with a wand while members in the chat were competing to choose the modes. Seeing those glossy eyes cross in pleasure finally convinced you to step out of the shadows: and so you gifted her a bit of money to demand she turn it up to the highest setting. And lucky for you, she zeroed in on your username. Hu Tao would laugh, wink at the screen, and say something along the lines of “this one’s for you!” before making a complete mess on the toy.

She was the first to contact you after stream. Surprisingly, there aren’t many who find her from her regular channel because of how she hides her face. When you met up in person for the first time after that, you guys still got along great. She became more flirty with you, giving you the cheesiest compliments and pick up lines her brain can conceive at any given moment.

The first time you two fucked was after one of her streams. It was a stressful day for her, and she needed a way to destress. She joked about you taking her to bed but then you made that a reality by eating her out. It became the start of your friends-with-benefits situation.

After some time, she proposed the idea of you joining her on stream. The chat only knows you by your username and how hot you look next to Hu Tao.

“Aiya, squirming away makes it less fun! Back me up, chat?” Messages flood through with all types of lewd responses.

“Tie her up so she can’t escape”

“50 bucks she squirts before you bottom out”

“What a whore she is for getting off from this”.

You’re too fucked out to notice the rest. But you’re close enough to Hu Tao to see her face light up at one of the responses. Your head falls to her shoulder. All it takes is that devilish look in her eye before you know what happens next.

Most would not associate the word “night life” following by a shrine. But to the residents of Inazuma, Yae Miko has rebirthed an old tradition with a new face. Aka yours. As dirty as it seems, you’re held in high regard for being showcased as Yae Miko’s newest plaything.

The guji is very particular with who she picks for this “special role”. So much so that most people considered the practice to have to have died out entirely. So for you to be hand plucked from a sea of admirers was an honor. And you happened to be the first in a very long time.

Miko cared for you as a true lover did. Your relationship outside of this role is as thriving as most couples are. She is always one to dote on you for for no particular reason (when she’s with you, does she even need one?). But being with her involves a catch: Showing off your body to the eyes of others.

In addition to the entrance fee, others pay good money to catch a glimpse at the finest Inazuma has to offer. Most times, they can tip off donations to the shrine if they’re watching something they like. It was its own business venture. And Yae Miko, ever the entrepreneur, wanted to reap its benefits now that she has such a willing participant.

“Dearest, it’s important that you put on a good show for our audience. There’s a lot of influential people who came to see you up close”

As is the majority of the crowd, Miko is entirely infatuated with you. At the start of the night, her hands delicately untied your silk robe and watched your breasts fall free with glazed eyes. Her back is almost always turned to the audience. Every time she thrusted her pale shaft into you, your eyes would lock with a stranger in the crowd. And if you tried to look away, Miko would force your chin over her shoulder to stay watch for a second longer.

“Look at her whine, isn’t she cute?” She coos, “Now, be a perfect doll for me and spread those legs of yours wider”

Temperature play is something that always gets a rise out of Shenhe.

After some time of dating, your amazement with her ability to weird both her polearm and Cryo vision led you to observing her adepti training. You’d sit to watch her practice all sorts of skillful maneuvers with the ease and precision of someone twice her age. For someone who isn’t very experienced in combat, her skills fascinated you.

Shenhe offers to teach you some of the things she’s learned. “For your protection” she argues. But maybe she wants another excuse to keep her hands on you more often. It’s hard not to focus on the coldness of her hands as she moves your hips into the correct form. No matter the reason, you’ve taken to sparing with Shenhe once you have the basics down.

It’s times like these under the hot Liyuan sun that would always have you working up a sweat. And your loving, thoughtful girlfriend wants to help you cool down in the best way she knows how. Your body is hot; she controls ice. It’s not rocket science. The solution lies in those cold hands of hers as she shoves 3 fingers down your throat while 3 more are seconds away from making you cum for the nth time. Between your legs is a wet mess dripping down your thighs.

So as Shenhe finger fucks into your core she shoves her Cryo-coated fingers down your throat, she kisses your stuffed cheek. You were thirsty after all. Maybe this should suffice? Shenhe knows that water is necessary when preforming under harsh conditions. But she doesn’t know why she prefers having your mouth on her instead.

Shenhe can second guess herself sometimes. She doesn’t know how long to do this for before you’ve had enough. How is she supposed to decipher those gagging noises you make when she’s knuckle deep in you? Perhaps she could summon her Cryo Spirit to help her out.

It’s rare for anyone to go against the Shogun and live to tell their tale. Every citizen in Inazuma fears the infliction of her wrath. And yet, you were still none the wiser, thinking that being her lover grants some kind of immunity. Ei would undoubtedly never hurt you unless you asked by any means unless for punishment but there are some actions that need to be punished. Actions, that need to tame a brat such as yourself.

Ei takes you to the plane of Euthimiya and it’s there when you know went too far. She could punish you in her personal quarters, her throne room even. But no. In the plane of Euthimiya, Ei holds all the cards. And this time, she won’t stop until you’ve milked her down to the very last drop.

Her godhood only adds to her stamina. The positions are the best part! Of all the ways she can fill you up, Ei likes having you on your side with your leg lifted up. That way, she can perfectly see both your expression and her cum leaking out of you. Seeing your eyes screw shut makes her wanna pump you full.

Though her goal was to reprimand your behavior, Ei couldn’t help but get addicted to the sight of your slick making a mess on the sheets. “So tight, see how your body stretches to accommodate my size~”

With every thrust you take her all the way to the hilt. Her balls slap against your thighs every time she pushed in. Ei bends over your body to kiss and suckle at your neck, “I could stay like this for an eternity…”

It does make her wonder, how many loads can you take until you’re carrying her child? Everything in this dimension is at her disposal, and she happens to have plenty of time to find out. The only limit is how much it takes before you beg her to stop.

410 notes · View notes

s1ckh1mb0 · 2 months

Note

Lemme give you a megaphone so the ppl in the back can hear you bestie‼️🫶🏽

Like yes I wanna be longingly fucked sideways with fingers down my throat till I’m all teary eyed but….what if me and him just went to a museum and look at marble statues or paintings made by artists from long ago and point out the small details while sharing the historical context behind them. Or what if we held hands while going to a coffee shop owned by a small business then an old bookshop. We could read classic literature and write poems to each other or sum🤷🏾

I love this so much. Like the causal intimacy of being together with your girlfriend/boyfriend and being able to have interesting conversations and spending time with you is what makes doing things like this so great. Both of your phones away in your back pockets so that you both have one another’s attention. Time can go by so fast without the distractions of other people around trying to voice opinions. Learning together and growing together as you both grow older.

There are many different characters I can see this with. Especially when it comes to the women. Most time they are some of the most intellectual people and they just get thrown off. The AOT girls are the first ones that come to mind. Mikasa and Historia especially. Those two would absolutely love to do something casual with you. Historia is an absolute renaissance art lover. Michaelangelo is would be one of her favorite artists. She knows so many facts and can tell you for literal hours. Painting dates ejth Historia oh my lord. One of her favorite things to do. She’s so messy with it and it’s so cute.

Mikasa though? She’s all for cafe dates. She is obsessed with you. Now I think Mikasa and Historia had a bit more fancier taste because of who they are, but Mikasa loved being to be close to you and just hear you talk to her about just about anything. Her pretty nails that you did for her, twisting around your curls as she sat prettily on your lap while you fed the small cake that she bought for you guys.

Another girl I think this works for is Bulma from dragonball. Oh my god that woman is beautiful and smart. Museum dates are 100% guaranteed. She’s one of the smartest characters in that entire show and you think you’re getting out of hearing everything that woman knows? She is so graceful with it too. The two of you walking around hand in hand while she educates you on all the different facts is so amazing. She also loves how much you know on your niche and different interests. Especially if comes things about science or the body. She loves being able to talk to someone on her level or educate you.

When it comes to men the first thing to comes to men first people that come to mind are Nanami and Levi. We all know how Nanami is, he’s the hardworking man that we all love and there’s no way you guys don’t have a museum date at least once. But, I can see nanami doing bakery dates. Something small you both can fit in your busy schedules because nanami had made a vow to himself that you guys do at-least two times a month. He loves to use that time to discuss anything you think has been affecting you guys, whether to be in the relationship or just something bothering you at work or whatever. If there’s nothing bother you then you guys just talk about any events coming up or even planning the future you want to have for the both of you. It’s the ambiance of the bakery that makes you both feel so calm which is so different from the many things you have to do all day. He holds your hand as you speak, rubbing his thumb over your knuckle while watching your lips as he digest every word that comes from your lips.

Levi is totally the bookstore date kind of man. Sometimes you guys don’t really want or have anything to talk about. You just both miss each other so you sit together while reading. Both doing your own thing but being close enough to fill the need of being together. You both have your own books (headcanon that Levi prefers audio books instead cause of his lost of vision) and you rest your hand on his lap as you sit together on the small bench in for bookstore. He is retired so you two take a lot of time to yourselves, just enjoying the presence of one another..

Even people like Captain price and Laswell from call of duty, they love going out to drive in movies with you. You end up sitting on their lap while they laid in the back seat. Halfway through the movie those two aren’t even watchin anymore. Laswell would just be kissing the back of your neck while wrapping her arms around your waist, silently thinking about how lucky she is to have you in her life. While price is just happily watching all perched up in his lap, smoking his cigar, and thinking about how in love he is with you.

———————————————————————

Anyways I love all these ideas and a lot of people currently (especially men) don’t do dates and showing affection like people used to. I feel with how everything is on social media people just mostly look for someone sexually or they base a lot of opinions on the sexual aspect of the relationship. Like yeah that’s great and all but I want someone to YEARN for me. To want to be around me and miss me when I’m gone. Someone willing to remember small things because I feel like when someone knows you well knows what efforts to put in when it comes to loving you and showing you ways they do.

And I’m fortunately lucky enough to have a man like that❤️ @insane-juggalo

41 notes · View notes

dirtytransmasc · 1 year

Text

pav x hobie x gayatri content, cause I feel like this, I'm bored, I'm just putting down my thoughts as they come, this is gonna be super unorganized and random.

when they take naps together, it's typically hobie in the middle with either on top of or next to him, and it's honestly just one big pile. when they go to sleep at night, gayatri's in the middle, little spoon to pav's big spoon, with hobie big spooning the two of them from the other side, cause he's long enough. is kinda like this, (99, pav and gayatri facing the same way, and hobie facing the other way wrapped around them.

gayatri and hobie wear silver, pav wears gold.

gayatri = stars, hobie = eclipse, pav = sun

hobie isn't the jealous or possessive type (he is, casually, won't cause a scene about it and knows when he's being irrational about it), he's just protective (you keep telling yourself that bub). in short, he's defiantly a bit touchy in public, like in the way that he always has an arm over pav and gayatri's shoulders, likes when they where his clothes, kinda lurks behind them a bit. pav is a little clueless to it, he just thinks hobie likes being near them, which he does, but gayatri who is also a bit possessive over her boys, assures him that everythings fine. pav rarely gets jealous, but, when he does, particularly at hobie's shows where everyone wants a piece of him, or within his community where everyone's got little crushes on gayatri (cause who wouldn't?) its bad (within the bounds of not being toxic of course), he's quite aggressive, cause those are his partners thank you very much.

the boys chug their respect women juice and are like lovesick puppies for gayatri. like, they don't fall into icky stereotypical trope of "ones dominant and controlling of the other two" or the hierarchy trope, but if anyone had to be the designated "in control" person of the throuple, it would be her, if that makes sense. in all honesty, its just the boys being willing to do anything and everything for her, and trying to beat each other in a playful competition of who can be more of a gentleman, that just makes it seem like she's calling the shots. she plays into them, but its clear to all of them that they're all equal and equally in control of the dynamic.

only time hobie will use labels is when he's talking about his partners.

gayatri likes late night dates, just watching the stars or watching a movie, the night time has always felt like it her time, so she likes to share it with her boys.

hobie is a lovesick fool and rights songs about the two. he also just makes them little crafty things, cause he no doubt knows how to sew, so anything from clothing, little plushes, or patches, etc. cause he likes giving gifts, hates capitalism, so he makes them himself.

pavs love language is words and parallel play, like he just likes to sit and talk and talk and talk, but in such a nice way that even the least talkative of people enjoy his company.

serving their communities is also their idea of a good time, from anything like helping out at community kitchens, feeding strays, to just spending the day with family helping out.

I know hobies a family favorite, he's respectful and kids love him, so he's always welcome around pav and gayatri's family.

gayatri knows they're both spidermen and that hobies from a completely different dimension, it was really hard to hide from her.

its hard to keep secrets from her in general, the boy swear she has a spidey sense, cause even stuff like planning dates or gifts is impossible to keep under wraps, and they've tried so hard.

pav is the most "traditional" lover, playing into every trope known to man, from red roses, to fancy restaurant dates.

gayatri's not super "traditional" but doesn't mind swooning her lovers/being swooned over; hand made gifts/food, love letters, poetry, etc. she likes things that come directly from the heart. this also includes quality time where she can do her boys' mehndi or makeup, spending time cuddled up together, gossiping, cooking (I know she's a food girl, but not your typical sweet tooth person, she's more a fan of savoury things), etc.

hobie, is surprisingly kinda, in a way, "traditional" when it comes to romance; he's a very proper and respectful gentleman while also remaining very punk and against the system/binary/etc., so he takes them both out dancing, gets them both flowers and jewelry, offers his arm(s) to them when they're walking together, pulls out their chair and opens doors for them, etc. some people are shocked that he doesn't have an "odd" idea of romance, but pav and gayatri aren't at all, cause he does do other things, like take them to punk concerts, teaches them to mosh, make them part of his "band" in one way or another (honestly they're just there, looking pretty or something, they much prefer to watch), gets them into punk music, etc. he just likes the softer, more main stream ideas of romance, sue him, he hates consistency, maybe mainstream isn't all bad all the time.

they will stockpile jokes just so they can tell each other them at the end of the day. thy

hobies the best listner of all times, he just looks at them with those heavy, love dazed eyes, and plays with their hair or their hands, or just watches their expressions change, cause he's just so down bad its not even funny.

they're all the type to do the whole; points out a feature "I love this" points out another feature "and this" points out a feature the other is insecure about "and especially this" type thing.

hobie and gayatri love horror movies, and while pav is easily jumpscared, he can sit through them, he just gets annoyed by cliches, to the point that he will rage quit a movie and leave the two of them to finish it, though he does have a weakspot for slashers that play into the cliches and have some level of comedy, he enjoys those. (I hate the, "pav would be terrified of horror movies" thing, I just can't see it, he would just get mad when white people are constantly doing something stupid)

gayatri has made it a rule that even if they get checked out at the HQ's medbay, they need to come see her and get looked over/patched up after missions.

both pav and hobie are aware of the danger she's in a their lover while both of them are spiderman, and are always a little on edge, cause they know she could be either of their canon events.

thats all I got for now, but I love these three, so there will most certainly be more at some point.

228 notes · View notes

desmond69miles · 5 months

Note

Was reading the Jacob x Reader with a vampire lover and I swear, I'm tempted to send a series of mythical races s/o and the Twins reaction to them 🧍🏽‍♀️

( just bc it would be funny af 😭)

Someone suggested a vampire lover for Jacob, matching the Victorian Aesthetic and what-not, but HEAR ME OUT: Werewolf Reader ✨

Like, maybe they could be one of the Rooks (?), and they start to date Jacob (don't wanna separate the canon Evie x Henry), but the Twins start to notice s/o 's oddities and discovers they have a furry buddy among them (?)

Just an idea, stay safe and your work is great! Keep going with it! 🩵

It's currently hot as balls inside my house but freezing cold and snowy outside so I'm choosing hypothermia instead of hyperthermia.

Anyway, thank you, Anonymous, for your request. My God, I love supernatural reader x character stories. They're pretty much one of my favorite things to write.

I made it so you (reader) are kind of like - how do I explain this - energetic dog who bites by accident but is very loving. ALSOOOOOOOO I've made you a werewolf that turns into a wolf, not like the Sims 4 werewolves or Karl Heisenberg or whatever you want to use as an example.

[-: Jacob steals the hearts of all of his Rooks, men and women alike. When he caught wind of a rather rough-and-tough new member of his gang that climbed the ranks rather fast, he had to meet you and found himself rather caught in your behaviors. At first, he thought you were a little strange, but hey, aren't we all? He admired your passion.

[-: Evie would like you, too. She'd be the first to come up with the theory that you weren't exactly human. I mean, when you smile, you show off those sharp teethers, and they aren't precisely human (nor is your craving for meat and the crunch of bones or the occasional wet dog smell). Evie wouldn't bring Jacob in on this for a little, though.

[-: There wouldn't be actual evidence - nor the thought of lycanthropy - until the pattern of your disappearance during the night or at full moons. There could be a few ways that the twins find out, such as...

A) Jacob is curious about your post-nine P.M. vanishing and decides to follow you out of the train. You lead him to an alleyway - he watches you from the rooftops- and Jacob swears he saw you shift into a giant wolf before prancing down the street.

B) Evie finds your book on Lycanthropy Traditions and Culture, flips it open, and finds a letter from... pack... leader? She's confused and inquires to Henry about her findings, and Henry suggests the idea of being a werewolf. They both confront you and feeling somewhat cornered by the Assassins, you come clean. That immediately explained a lot of your actions and your desire for pets by Jacob, and Evie lets you tell her brother on your own time. Although, Evie would keep a watch just in case you decide to maul her brother while he's sleeping.

[-: It definitely gets normalized among the Rooks for a huge wolf to walk in and sit on the couch.

"Welcome to the rooks!"

"Thanks, Jacob."

The door swings open, Jacob scratches your ear

"...Why do you have a wolf?"

"They're our guard dog."

[-: Cue the constant agony for the twins. HAIR, EVERYWHERE! Those were Evie's new sheets, and you got hair all over it. Jacob's hat? It's designer with real wolf fur. Henry's books? Bookmarked by your coat. Do expect at least Jacob to buy you a steak once in a while if you let him de-shed your wolf from time to time.

#jacob frye x reader #assassins creed x reader #evie frye x reader

43 notes · View notes

p0ckiiturtle · 5 months

Text

So, I recently started hyperfixating on an old show I used to watch called “Winx Club”. It’s a 2004 Italian Magical Girl show that was really popular and soon made its way to the states.

I’d also like to point out that this show ran from 2004-2019. Just to give you guys a heads up on how long it ran for.

While it was loved by all, it did have many, many, MANY flaws. One of which was their love interests.

Sky: Bloom’s boyfriend

Brandon: Stella’s boyfriend

Riven: Musa’s boyfriend

Timmy: Tecna’s boyfriend

Nabu/Nex/Roy: Aisha/Layla’s boyfriend/fiance/crush I guess

And Helia: Flora’s boyfriend

Notice how Aisha’s list is a bit longer. I’m gonna get into that.

They all suffer from the same thing. A thing I like to call “The Lover Effect”. Basically, when a character is introduced, but their only trait is to be another character’s love interest.

They have no other backstory. No known morals. They’re just there to fall in love with the character. And nothing more.

A lot of shows struggle with this. Mainly with their female main characters, but there are some examples of the male characters suffering from this.

And Winx Club is one of the prime examples of this.

We know little to nothing about their pasts. We don’t know what their goals are. And they’re only there to serve the main cast. The Winx. Their entire personalities revolve around them being the boyfriends of the Winx.

I think the only characters whose past we know of are Sky and Nabu’s. And even then, it’s seldom said.

A while ago, I was researching for a video based on my own version of winx for my TikTok account (shameless plug, I know). And I came across this:

It was from the old Winx website. I wasn't aware of this when I was watching it cause I grew up on the Nickelodeon one, but that's besides the point.

It clearly states here that Riven's mom left him when he was very young. And according to him: She probably left for money. Resulting in his distrust of people and his 'bad boy' attitude. Specifically in women. This was never stated in neither the show nor the comics.

This could've been perfect ammunition for a good redemption arc for Riven. Why he's so distrustful and so standoffish of all of his friends. Why he's constantly pushing Musa away. He's too afraid that they'll leave him. And the hurt will start all over again.

But no. They don't.

Instead, they give some toxic relationship between two characters where they're both in the wrong, but decide to paint him as the bad guy cause 'ShE wOuLd NeVeR dO tHaT!!!!". They constantly breakup. And then when they decide to give him the slightest amount of character development , they just drag him back down to being the asshole character. And the whole cycle repeats.

Every. Single. Fucking. Season.

I'm not even kidding.

I will give them this though;

As much as I will shit on Nick for practically ruining Winx Club, at least they tried to give him a redemption arc. But it was put into a half-assed breakup scene where he had to 'find himself'.

MUSA WAS JUST AS BAD, BUT THEY NEVER FUCKING ADDRESS IT!

The next victim is Sky.

For those who don't know:

Sky is the crown prince/king of Eraklyon. His home kingdom. The most we know about him is that he possibly has daddy issues and was in a relationship before Bloom.

Now the way they went about Sky is interesting. Because they gave him a little bit of a backstory. But not enough for him to be an interesting character to me. The most that we know is that his dad is an asshole and his ex-fiancé was just selfish.

From what I've gathered from the show.

But what else about Sky? What was his childhood like? What was his relationship with Diaspro, his ex, like? When did Sky and Diaspro first meet?

In the show, it's stated that they were childhood friends, but for some reason, I don't believe that. Maybe it's my version of Winx clouding my judgement, but I don't care. Knowing how most marriages between the elites and royalty were mainly for political reasons back then, that was probably my reason for not believing the whole "childhood friends" thing.

We don't even know his relationship with his father. The most we know is that he has an older cousin who he doesn't trust for some reason after something he did back when they were kids.

But personally, I think him somewhat revolving around Bloom could work.

Imagine this:

Ever since you were a child, you were forced into a life of perfection. Your parents were distant from you, so you were raised by the servants in the castle. You're forced into an arranged marriage to some girl who can only think about herself, from your eyes. And that's all you know. Perfection. Perfection. Perfection.

And then all of a sudden, you meet this girl. She's outgoing. She's a bit shy. She has goals. Aspirations. But most of all, she's free.

You meet her parents and you see how strong of a relationship they have with her. She has friends in her school. She's made tons of mistakes, but no one criticizes her for them. After all, they're just mistakes.

And the more you're around her, the more you realize that your childhood wasn't good. It wasn't what you wanted. You realized that you needed your parents love. But because of their status, they never gave it to you that much. Only speaking to you at dinners or whatnot.

Sky wanting to break the mold and find his true self because of Bloom could work. With good writing and planning, his character could become far more interesting than the one we were given.

Next up: Brandon.

The most we know about him is that he's Sky's best friend/squire and is from Eraklyon just like Sky. We don't know jackshit about his family life. All we know is that he's loyal and a flirtatious guy. Even when he's dating Stella, he's still flirting with other girls!

Like wtf??

Sure, he gives Stella a heartfelt speech about always loving her for who she is, regardless of how she looks. But that's basically it. And I hate that the most I can give him is killing off his dad. Like, that's the most character I can give him. Because we don't know jackshit about his past. His goals. Or anything else about him. And it sucks.

Next: Timmy

I hate that we barely see any of him throughout the show. The most screentime we get of him is when he's searching for Tecna when she gets lost in the Omega Dimension. But the fact that he didn't go on that trip with Sky and Bloom just sucks. I get that they wanted to create some cute moments between them and they didn't want Timmy, the guy who literally found her coordinates, to be a third wheel. But his girlfriend was LITERALLY SUCKED INTO ANOTHER FRICKIN PLANET!!!!! I think he has every right to be on that trip. It could've shown his desperation and fear that he may not be able to find his love.

And as much as I love him when it comes to commitment and his girlfriend, he still falls into this category. because once again, we don't know his damn backstory. Hell, we don't even know where he's from!

Like Riven, Helia, or Nex. Unless it was specified in the show, we don't know where they're from.

I'm gonna assume that Timmy's from the same planet as Tecna, which is Zenith. A futuristic planet with highly advanced technology mixed with magic.

But here's the thing: The only thing about his character that may give me that answer is the fact that he's smart and likes to make robots.

That's the only reason why.

Nothing about his character design gave that away. Which may just come down to me being nit-picky. But I honestly don't care.

And I hate that I have to assume where he's from because the show never gives us any indication from his character.

For Tecna, she had no idea how to handle her feelings for Timmy and was constantly going back and forth on logic and heart because that was the norm in Zenith. Logic was their only answer. And for that, they probably have no reason for love or feelings.

Meanwhile for Timmy, he's automatically head over heels for her and has no problem confessing his love for Tecna. That could be chalked up to just how they were raised. But, as I've said before, we don't know how he was raised.

Next: Helia

WHERE. THE FUCK. DO I EVEN BEGIN WITH THIS MAN?!

You wanna know something crazy?

Originally, Helia was supposed to be a girl. But they changed his gender and made him a boy because Flora was the only one without a boyfriend. And they didn't want her to be single.

(Even though Aisha didn't have a boyfriend and was single until season 3)

The thing that gets me the most about Helia is that he's seen as the quiet and reserved nature lover of the group. Just like Flora. But even then, we barely hear from this fucking bastard.

Like, I get that he's supposed to be the quiet guy, but it's not like he's non-verbal. He can fucking talk!

SO MAKE HIM TALK!!

At least we know from context clues that he's most likely from Linphea. The same planet Flora's from. But that's only because he's friends with the fucking princess of Linphea.

I guess you could chalk it up to his love for nature and pacifist personality, but that could be applied to anyone.

What's worse is that I couldn't even find/give him a reason as to why he's like this. I could just leave it and just say that "It's his personality. He was just born like that", but I refuse. The most i could give him was a large family. 6 sisters with him being the middle child.

Yes, I took a page out of 'Loud House', but I feel like it could work. You have absolutely no idea how much your family can shape and affect your personality.

But that's just me.

Next: Nabu

This is going to hurt me because he's my favorite out of all of the Specialists.

I want to say he falls into this category. I really do, but a part of me just doesn't have the heart to. Especially since he was basically the perfect match for Aisha/Layla.

Both come from wealthy families. Both have only known perfection throughout their lives, but are trying to break that mold and want to be their own person.

And I think it's perfect! Even if they were in an arranged marriage, they could still make it work.

You just have to develop their relationship over time. Have them do little things that makes the other fall in love with them bit by bit.

Unfortunately, they decided to fucking kill him off in season 4. Literally the season AFTER HE WAS FUCKING INTRODUCED!

And it pisses me off so much!

But back to his "Lover" trope:

See, he doesn't fall into it that much. If anything, I'd say he doesn't fall into it at all since we, as an audience, were given more than enough content of his past to make a clear picture of him.

Is this me being biased because he's my favorite? Absolutely.

And I think the reason as to why he was so loved by the fandom is because he was something new. He wasn't a copy paste of the same person but with a different personality and character design. He was something fresh.

Until they decided to fucking axe that and give us shit.

I don't wanna go too much into detail for Roy and Nex. Their characters bored me to death.

All you have to know is that Roy was the equivalent of the rebound summer fling for Aisha and Nex is like Riven, but worse. At least Riven was somewhat interesting as to why he acts the way he does. Nex is just an ass for no reason.

I get that this show is supposed to be for young girls. It's to encourage them that they can do anything. But you can have an uplifting girls show with interesting male characters.

With the reboot coming soon, I really do hope that the writers take their male characters into account and give them interesting personalities and not go down the Nickelodeon route and screw everything up.

From what I've heard, Iginio Straffi, the creator of Winx, is back to writing for the reboot. Even though his writing was flawed, I do hope that he's used these last 2-3 years in improving his characters and plot. From what I've heard, he's been working with authors from around the world. So this may be a sign of hope for the Winx fandom. Because god knows we need it.

#winx club #winx club reboot #winx #winx rant #rant

37 notes · View notes

sorryimananti-romantic · 2 years

Text

Stay

archer!yeosang x princess!reader

friends to lovers au

genre and warnings: fluff, angst, violence warning

word count: 18.6k

synopsis: you encounter archer yeosang not in the sports competition you had just sneaked out from, but in the forest where he saves you on your way to meet your 'boyfriend'- you're not sure what to call him. yeosang doesn't recognise you as the princess of this nation, however, you encounter him again as your replacement tutor and you become friends with him, sharing problems you face and sneaking out with him because you crave adventure. you find yourself falling for him because he makes you feel like no one else, and he finds himself falling for you but he thinks he's not worthy of you- even when you tell him again and again how brilliant he is. will he end up staying?

The air was filled with the cheers of the athletes, of the women wooing over the young participants, of the men howling in glee because they had waited the whole year for this day. The day where everyone- from the most royal to the peasants- gathered under the same sky, bathing under the same sun. The day where everyone had an equal chance of winning- if they were blessed with the right skills. The Athletics Championships- the annual sports event where people of every status, regardless of gender, participated.

There was no shame in admitting that everyone from the oldest to the youngest throughout Eden waited eagerly for this day. The athletes practised all days of the year, stayed fit so they could show off. After all, a position in the palace and a cash reward wasn’t the only prize they won that day. Even the most lacking of the athletes could win someone’s heart that day. Since there was still a majority of men participating in the competitions, the women still new to being allowed to participate, the women were usually watching the athletes with eagle eyes- not for their skill alone. And the men never failed to show off- most of them anyway.

You would have been one of those women too, but there were a number of things hindering that. Firstly, you were the Princess of Eden, seated right at the stage they’d had built for the royal family for the best view. That also meant the people could get the best view of you too, and you had to be cautious of where you let your eyes stray, of your reactions, which is why you opted to remain unfazed throughout the games, only clapping for the victors.

Secondly, you had a really, really bad headache from the way the Queen, your stepmother, had chewed off your brains so early in the morning. His son, your stepbrother and the Prince of Eden, seated on your left was the only reason you could mildly enjoy the event. His mother might be an ambitious, greedy witch who wanted her son crowned the heir instead of you, but his son was very much the opposite, having little to no interest in the position himself, only doing it for his mother (at least, that’s what he insisted) and opting to fool around. The Queen scoffed loudly when his son passed you a bowl of candies and you took two, hiding it in your sleeve. She passed a glare to the Prince who only pretended not to know what it was about, making you smile a little at his childish antics. He was still a kid at heart.

Last, but not least, you couldn’t wait to get out. Yes, the competition was mildly interesting (mildly only because this time’s female competitors were giving the men a hard time and you enjoyed that and hoped you’d see more of them next year) and you were comfortable, but you had a little… date with your… boyfriend?

You didn’t know what to call him. Yes, he was attractive, not bad to look at. He was a noble, and it made it easier for conversation to flow between you. He had a nice sense of humour (or maybe your scale of judgement had a very low base to start with). You two were friends, but at the same time, not really. And you two were dating, but not really. Currently, you were still figuring out why you were risking so much meeting a man in secret- the one you weren’t even sure about- yet. You hoped to be sure, though, soon. You just had to meet him a few more times, stop testing the waters and take a little dive, and see if he was someone you really liked.

You chewed loudly on the candy, earning some groans from the Queen. You glanced at her right where your father, the King, was sitting almost at the edge of the seat, looking as if he wanted to join the spectators instead since they could see the current game of fencing better from down there. You pretended to cough and your lady-in-waiting, Siyeon, took the signal and came forward, asking you if you felt alright.

“I just have a bad headache, is all,” you sighed loudly, making the Queen look at you two interact.

“Goodness, you look pale, this won’t do,” Siyeon shook her head. “You should let me accompany you back for a while. A cup of tea or maybe some soup would do you good.”

“You can bring that here,” the Queen shifted in her seat. “We should maintain our attendance.”

“It would only take a few minutes, Your Majesty,” Siyeon insisted, bowing respectfully, and before the Queen could scold her, you got up.

“She’s right- I don’t want to create a scene here if I faint. I’m sure you wouldn’t like that, Your Majesty,” you smiled sweetly but the Queen could see right through you and she only rolled her eyes.

“You better be back before the hour is over.”

“You got it,” you winked at her, satisfied at the gasp that left her, grinning to yourself as you followed Siyeon. Once you were out of earshot, you slapped Soyeon playfully on the arm. “Nice work back there.”

“You’re going to get me executed, Your Highness, I haven’t even had the joy of marriage yet,” Siyeon grumbled, straightening her midnight blue gown, the uniform. “Please don’t take too long- I don’t want to go after you. In fact, going in the woods is a very, very bad idea- you’ll get lost, and I’ll get fired and executed for being lazy-”

“I’m glad you’re selfish,” you laughed. “I’ll find my way, don’t worry. Mingyu will be waiting, and he’ll make sure I get back safe. Just stay in my room and cover for me while I’m gone, will you?”

“I hope after all this trouble you go for this man, he treats you well,” Siyeon said and your smile didn’t meet your eyes. You entered an empty room outside your chamber, removing the outer layers of your clothes, the gown that indicated you were royalty, leaving you in normal clothes. You handed your tiara to Siyeon as well and she gave you the signal- no one would look at you twice today, at least. Not when you would be passing by as a noble woman, nothing more.

It was exciting, you had to admit. The thrill of sneaking out to meet someone- it would never get old. The way people met your eyes but didn’t look twice- it was refreshing, since all your life whenever someone dared look at you, it was either with wonder or fear. Mingyu, however, was different. He looked at you as if he was amused to find you to be the potential heir of the crown, and you couldn’t resist asking him what was so funny the next time you met him accidentally in the streets.

“I just think you’re too lovely to be wearing the heavy and dirty burden of the crown.”

“What makes you think I can’t handle it?” You had challenged, and he had laughed at that.

“I never said you can’t handle it.”

You had smiled at that, and he had treated you to some ice cream, and you had found his company entertaining. You didn’t realise how you started encountering him more- in the palace when he came to meet a friend- which was an excuse to see you, or in the streets whenever you went out- having known from his acquaintances in the palace, but somehow, you didn’t mind him popping out of nowhere. He looked at you differently, and it got you.

You smiled at the thought as you navigated through the woods, the daylight a relief, trying to recall what Mingyu had said the last time he had come to the palace and sneaked into your room for a very short, dangerous moment to kiss your cheek and tell you to meet him in the woods near where the stream parted, when the fencing matches would start. You strained your ears to detect any signs of a stream but it seemed like you were still far.

What you last expected was for two young men to spot you and grin at each other as they made their way to you, even when you had ignored them. They looked like they were athletes participating in the competition as well, since they wore the uniform. Perhaps they had come here as they waited for their turn, or perhaps they were done- it didn’t matter. It was your fault for thinking you could go alone in the woods on your own.

“And what’s a pretty little thing doing all alone? Lost?”

It was your fault. You rolled your eyes. “Making my way home- my brother’s picking me halfway. Have a nice day, gentlemen.”

You tried walking past them but they stepped in front of you. “We could drop you there- the halfway point.”

“There’s no need,” you insisted, this time pushing between the two and walking past, trying to ignore the way they laughed.

“Why don’t you stop and have some fun with us? Won’t do you no harm.”

You should have turned and slapped them or punched them- you could do that. You had the training. But you did the most stupid thing you could have done. You ran- and that made them chase you as well. You couldn’t think straight- this was all so new, so you did the next best thing. You screamed for help, once, twice, before deciding the birds that were listening weren’t going to be much help.

But what you didn’t expect was the familiar sound of an arrow whooshing in the air and you only had a second to make a quick jump as you ran, the arrow lodging in the arm of the one who had been right behind you, making him stop and scream as he clutched at the arm. You turned back, trying to figure out the source, but you saw nothing. The second man who had been looking after his friend lunged for you but he, too, got shot by an arrow in the leg. You started running again, fearing you were next, finally hearing the damned stream and making the way there, hiding behind a rock.

You watched the men struggling to run for their lives away from the stream and you sighed in relief, your breath catching when you finally spotted the person you definitely owed now- a young man with the most beautifully sculpted face you had ever seen, his physique radiating strength especially when he drew back another aimed arrow and put his bow down. You didn’t realise you were watching him shamelessly until he turned his full attention to you, flipping his hair back, and you immediately hid back behind the rock, praying to the heavens above that there was a small chance he hadn’t really seen you (even if you knew he had) or he would just call it a day and go back to wherever he came from-

“I saw you, you know.”

It was unfair, how even his voice had the strength to call your full attention- deep and rich, making you feel like it reverberated through your brain for a moment. You took a deep sigh- you had other problems to worry about, such as the fact that you were the Princess of Eden and this is the last place and situation you should be in.

“You do look awfully familiar, I have to say,” the man jumped in front of you and you put a hand on your heart- no living man had ever dared to pull such a stunt- not even Mingyu, yet. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m- I’m okay,” you managed to say, finally meeting eyes with him, finding them a rich brown. “Thank you for saving me back there.”

“No problem,” he looked down as he brushed his clothes. “But you shouldn’t have been out here all alone- not today of all days.”

“I was meeting someone here,” you explained but he shook his head, handing you his flask of what you presumed had to be water- he must have noticed how you were still out of breath. You took a swig, wiping your mouth with your sleeve.

“That someone must either live under a rock or must be stupid enough to call a girl here,” he frowned. “Men fool around here especially at events like these.”

“And why are you here?” You raised a brow, making him raise a brow at your sudden shift of tone. You were back to normal. “With an aim like that, you should be participating.”

He pursed his lips as he smiled. “I’ve got better things to do.”

“Like saving damsels in distress?” You scoffed, finally moving from the rock and going to sit by the stream, washing your hands in the cool water, wondering if Mingyu really was waiting. “Can you tell me where this stream parts into two?”

“Is that where you’re meeting whoever?” He asked, sitting a respectable distance beside you.

“None of your business, but yes,” you sat cross-legged, retying your hair. It looked like he really didn’t recognise you and that was good. “So?”

“Just a few feet down the stream,” he pointed at your right. “Shouldn’t you go back though?”

“Maybe,” you shrugged, your shoulders slumping. “Can I just say he’s an asshole for asking me to meet there? He should have come to meet me! Why am I even making the effort?”

“Tell me more,” he turned his full attention towards you, resting his face in his hands, really eager as he waited. You glared at him but you needed to blow off the steam- the adrenaline from that experience was still there, and as someone who rarely encountered such incidents, you were finding that rambling was your coping mechanism.

“Yes, I’m meeting a guy. Here. Down the stream, actually. I’m not even meeting him anymore, he can go to hell. I don’t know why he thought I could even make it there or pass undetected. He really tests my patience sometimes.”

“And who is he? Your boyfriend?”

“I don’t know, maybe?” You shrugged and he gasped.

“You don’t know? Interesting.”

“No, what are you doing here?” You scanned him. “Hunting? You do know hunting is banned in this part of the woods, right?”

“I prefer the term ‘practising’,” he straightened a bit.

“Do you usually practise shooting on living breathing humans? Because if you do, we have a serious problem here-”

“Of course not,” he laughed a bit and you finally cracked a smile. “You really should go back- it’s going to get dark soon.”

“My time is up anyway,” you muttered as you got up, brushing your clothes and looking around. You had no idea which direction to go after running earlier. You asked him where the event was being held, making a story of how you sneaked here and your friends must be waiting. The way he looked at you made you wonder if he bought that story- he probably didn’t. He offered to drop you at the outskirts of the town and you agreed.

“I’m really curious though- why are you not participating? You’ve got a killer aim.”

He side-eyed you and you smirked. Groaning, he said, “I just don’t like being the centre of attention- not like that.”

You made an impressed face- you wished you had the luxury of deciding that for yourself too. “Well, I hope you’re doing something good or worthwhile with your skill. Wouldn’t want to put it to waste, would we?”

“I have better things to do-”

“You always do,” you interrupted and he smiled at that.

“I just mean… I’m actually a strategist in one of the royal legions,” he admitted and you wowed at that- he was quite young. You thought strategists were always old or experienced people- at least from what you had seen. “So really, I do have better things to do.”

“Suit yourself,” you bowed in thanks when you spotted the hustle bustle of the town, the sound of the drums in the event not far. “Thank you for accompanying me.”

“Be careful,” he simply said, turning before you could ask his name. You would probably never see him again. You sighed deeply before making your way back to your chamber where Siyeon was already waiting, scolding you for taking so long. You didn’t tell her that you didn’t meet Mingyu, nor did you tell her about the person you had spent the hour with. However, he was all you thought about for the remaining part of the event, seated back as a royal.

What different worlds you two belonged in. It was both thrilling and a little sad.

—------------------

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” you bowed deeply to your father, the King, before sitting down in front of him in his room. He watched you with mild amusement and you raised a brow in question, wondering what was going on in his mind.

“Good morning to you too, I suppose,” he was taking quick puffs of his cigar. “Though I’m not quite sure it will be good by the time you leave this room.”

“Ah,” you scoffed, dropping all formalities since it was only father and daughter in the room- not king and princess. “Mother dearest must be on her way here.”

“With Chan,” he referred to his son, your stepbrother.

“Isn’t that good?” You were smirking and your father practically glared at you.

“I don’t know why she thinks you are plotting something against Channie when you two are always partners in crime,” he shook his head, pinching his nose bridge. “If anything, with the relation you two have, you should be able to rule side by side, but-”

“But there can be only one ruler on the throne, for the peace of this nation,” the Queen entered, Chan right behind her who threw a wink in your direction.

“For the peace of this nation, I never should have married you,” your father joked and the Queen rolled her eyes. “And then we wouldn’t be dealing with this… mess.”

“We’re a mess?” Chan put a hurt hand on his chest as he bowed and sat down beside you. “I bet your father thought so too, about you-”

“Chan-” his mother warned but you could barely contain your giggle and that made your father laugh too, making the woman shake her head in annoyance.

“Anyways, back to business,” the King straightened and so did all of you. “The governors are all demanding a quick decision about who is going to be accompanying me when we go to the West. They think it would make a statement about the heir if I choose only one of you, so I’m suggesting you both join me.”

“Nonsense,” the Queen started. “Why would you take the Princess in a place where there will only be men? Just take Chan.”

“It’s not like there won’t be any women there,” your father began but you shook your head at him, asking him to not bother explaining himself. “Besides, she is older than Chan. He could learn from her.”

“If you insist, I’ll accompany you, but I think Chan should come with us too,” you looked at the Queen who narrowed her eyes as if you were cooking up a scheme. “I’ll feel more comfortable, and he should really start involving himself more in the court matters.”

“I don’t want to inherit the throne though,” Chan muttered, only for your ears. While the King and the Queen argued, you turned to him.

“It doesn’t matter if you want to or not; you should still know how the court, how the palace works. That’s your duty, okay?”

“Okay,” he shrugged, “I know you’re only making me tag alone so you won’t be bored.”

“Duh,” you smiled and he grinned at you.

The King asked to be left alone after you two watched them argue senselessly for a few more minutes. As you exited the room, Chan scurried off before his mother could rant to him, which left you as her target.

“You,” she sneered. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re going to make a fool of my Chan and win your father’s favour.”

“In case you forgot,” you folded your arms, not bothering to be courteous when she always assumed the worst of you. “Chan despises the throne, and it’s not my favourite job either. We all know father only favours me because Chan hasn’t shown much interest.”

“That’s not true. He thinks you’re interested, and you’re older- that’s the excuse he always gives. Does he not realise you won’t make a good ruler?”

“And would you?” You challenged her, taking a step towards her, making her glare at you. “Aren’t you only pushing for Chan because you want to use him as a puppet while you run the palace?”

You didn’t wait for her response but got the satisfaction of her gaping at you. Siyeon, who was watching all of this from a distance, shook her head at the Queen and passed you a smirk as she fell in step with you, reciting your schedule.

“Before you go to your room… there’s someone waiting for you in the guest chambers.”

You raised a brow and she nodded. You let her accompany you- it had to be Mingyu, and you were still a bit pissed at him. Siyeon made sure no one had followed you before letting you in, waiting outside.

“Your Highness,” Mingyu’s honey voice was laced with amusement and you got the sudden urge to accompany him to the palace prison.

“I can’t believe you asked me to meet you in the forest, Mingyu,” you were angry and he was finding that funny, which was annoying you further. “As you suspected, I almost got lost and made my way back before someone would think my head was a nice place to land their weapon.”

Mingyu laughed at that, running a hand through his dark hair. “I waited for you, you know.”

“You shouldn’t have. Let’s not meet anymore,” you announced, about to turn back but Mingyu grabbed your wrist, turning you around and into him, putting a hand beneath your chin and lifting it up to make you face him.

“Did I ever tell you you’re cute when angry?”

“You don’t need to,” you scoffed but he had you- you were smiling now. “I know so.”

“Hmm, I like this confidence,” he tucked your hair back and kissed your cheek, making your hand go to the back of his neck, resting at the nape. “You know what else I like?”

“We don’t have much time, so shut up and kiss me,” you muttered and immediately, you two were tangling yourselves in each other as you kissed, fiercely and desperate, being chased by time.

It was always like this with him. A few moments, stolen kisses, no promises of the future. No prying into each other’s personal lives. Just two people who got attracted to each other by chance, and decided to test the waters- you were sure he had better reasons for why he decided to play with fire, but you?

Your cheeks would flame whenever you would think about it. You weren’t sure how much you liked Mingyu yet, but you did like him. He was smart, and comfortable to be with. As a Princess, you didn’t have the luxury to explore much, so being with Mingyu sometimes made you feel like you were in the clouds. He would listen to you if you had some steam to blow off, and he would kiss your worries away. So simply put, you were lonely, and he wasn’t bad to be with.

What Mingyu was expecting out of this, you didn’t know, and you didn’t want to know yet. He was a part of the court, though, and that was the only thing about him that set you off. People were always greedy for something. And you wished Mingyu was greedy for the right things- like you were. Greedy for love and acceptance.

“Where are you?” Mingyu paused to look at you, caressing your cheeks. “You’re lost somewhere, aren’t you? Is something the matter?”

“Nothing,” you smiled weakly. “Just the usual. Have you been well?”

“I have,” he kissed your forehead. “I’ll be coming officially soon- maybe we could spend time together then.”

“I’ll see,” you assured him, pecking his lips. “I have to go now.”

Mingyu nodded, scanning your face with a smile on his face before he kissed you again and then let you go. You left first, spotting Siyeon who looked like she was going to have a stroke.

“What took you so long, Princess?” She huffed. ��My heart stopped like ten times whenever someone passed by and spotted me.”

“You’re too dramatic,” you laughed at her, letting her accompany you to one of the scholar’s offices, where you were getting trained in strategy. You made sure you yawned wide and good as soon as you entered, and the old man shook his head at you.

“This doesn’t work on me,” he let you know.

“I’m feeling sleepy because it’s you who’s tutoring me, Professor Seo,” you teased, joining him at the desk. “So? Let’s start.”

The day passed like any of the other days. Professor Seo told you to meet him in the library when you would be free from your duties in the evening, and though he was an old man and a boomer, if you were honest, you respected him as your teacher a lot. He had honed you into who you were. You owed him much more than that.

However, the last thing you were expecting was to see another presence with him, one that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

“This is Kang Yeosang, one of my friend’s son, a strategist in the royal legion in the North,” your tutor introduced him and the man first bowed to you, but as soon as he raised his head to look at you, he frowned.

And you frowned.

And then it clicked.

“Uh, nice to meet you,” you glared at him a bit as you shook his hand, silently asking him to keep his mouth shut. However, he was thoroughly amused.

“The pleasure’s mine… Your Highness,” he almost mocked and you two took a seat, your teacher looking between you two.

“Have you both met before?”

“Not at all-” “Never-”

“Alright, I get it,” the old man sighed. “Your Highness, I have an urgent matter to attend to in the North. I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you in your lessons, which is why I arranged for a replacement.”

You made an impressed face. “He’s… quite young for your replacement, I must say.”

The two of them laughed at that. “He’s the best I could offer. He’s a… prodigy, if you will. And if you like him better than me, maybe I can finally retire.”

“I got used to you, so I don’t know about that,” you fiddled with the hourglass on the table as you thought. “Is everything okay in the North?”

The old man looked at Yeosang and he cleared his throat. “There’s some conflict at the border, which he must inspect. I may be a prodigy but I’m not more experienced than him, which is why he suggested that we shift.”

“I understand, and I hope you return back well and healthy,” you smiled at your teacher and he relaxed visibly, making you roll your eyes. “It’s not like I was going to, I don’t know, throw a tantrum about you going. In fact…” you looked at Yeosang, “I think I’ll enjoy his company more.”

“No funny business, you hear me?” He pointed at you two and Yeosang raised his hands in surrender. “She’s quite difficult to handle, but hear me, Princess. He’s here for a reason. He’ll tame you.”

Yeosang coughed at that and you shot him another glare- he was making it too obvious now. Thankfully, the old man got up and told you both to acquaint yourselves, leaving you two alone in the library, both of you mirroring each other’s posture and expressions- folded arms and sceptic looks.

“So, Princess,” he started. “I believe this is the first time we’re officially meeting.”

“Officially, yes,” you nodded- no point pretending that time in the forest three days ago didn’t happen. “Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, roasting some squirrels in the forest or shooting strangers?”

“And shouldn’t you be on the way to meet a certain someone-”

“Not one more word about it, not here, you hear me?” You were almost whispering, to his amusement. “The palace has ears everywhere.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about anything,” Yeosang adjusted the collar of his shirt as he spoke. “We’re meeting for the first time. It seems like I’ll be your replacement tutor for a while, so I expect you to match my pace. Let’s be punctual in the mornings, shall we?”

“Of course,” you almost scoffed. “I’m guessing my dear old Professor must have complained.”

“Not really,” Yeosang leaned in, as if sharing a secret. “I figured you’re that type of a person.”

“Really?” You leaned in as well, more surprised to see him not backing off like others would. “What made you think so?”

“What do you think?” He almost laughed, getting up. “It’s getting late so let’s continue this tomorrow.”

—-----------------

“I can’t believe you asked me to be punctual and all when you’re late yourself and you’re trying your best not to doze off.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep last night- Professor Seo took me out for drinks to introduce me to his friends here and you know how it gets…” Yeosang faltered when he saw your annoyed face. He smirked. “Are you the type that’s a teacher’s pet? Because you seem overly eager to be tutored-”

“I’m not,” you groaned, sighing deeply. “But you yawning widely when I’m reciting what I’ve learned so far really was the last straw.”

“I was only yawning, doesn’t mean I wasn’t listening,” he raised a brow and you glared at him.

“Did you hear the part about how I have to go to the East with the King?”

“You have to go to the West,” he smirked and you grinned. “See? I was listening.”

“I can’t concentrate if you look so sleepy, though,” you pouted. “It will make me sleepy too.”

“Then let’s just ditch all this,” Yeosang practically threw the register on the table to your left. “And take a little nap.”

“I ought to tell Professor Seo-” you were about to get up but Yeosang laughed, holding your sleeve and pulling you down and you raised a brow.

“What?” Yeosang scoffed. “Don’t expect me to apologise or something. You still owe me for saving your life back there.”

You were the Princess of Eden, possible future Queen of an entire nation. But this individual seemed to not care about your status or the fact that you could end his career or life with a mere command alone. Perhaps because he had seen you as a damsel in distress, or perhaps because he was just like this. Peculiar. Interesting, even.

You rested your face in your hand, elbow on the table, as you stared at him. “I thought I told you to forget about that. It never happened. Nothing. Erase it from history.”

“I wasn’t aware the Princess of Eden had such secrets,” he mirrored your position. “And I wasn’t aware she was someone who took favours for granted.”

“Well, what do you want me to do? Pay you in gold? I can do that if you’d like.”

“I’m not interested in that, sadly,” Yeosang sighed as if it really was such a shame that he wasn’t. “I’m a rather humble person, which is why I only ask that we do not pretend that it never happened. I have an unfortunate habit of teasing, and if you can put up with it, that would be enough.”

“You’re an interesting person, Kang Yeosang,” you said and he smiled cheekily. “And your methods of teaching are also unconventional.”

“This is my first time tutoring someone,” Yeosang admitted and you were surprised at that. “So you can expect that. I think strategy is better learned from practical examples than by theory. And you don’t have to stick to battle. In your position, if you’re not strategic with every step you take, people will take the chance to pound at you from all directions.”

You considered that for a moment. “Did Professor Seo tell you something?”

“What he told me was enough,” he admitted and you relaxed- if he was someone Professor Seo trusted, that meant you could trust him as well. After all, the Professor was more a father than your own. “I still have to ask one question, if you would be so kind as to answer.”

“Go ahead,” you urged him.

“Why are you not interested in the throne, apart from the obvious reasons?” Yeosang leaned in, pushing back his dark hair. “You seem to have a rebellious streak within you, and I’m not sure why you’re not attracted to that offer- you could break the norms in Eden by being the first true Queen of Eden.”

“I know how big that sounds,” you sighed. “I’d be setting an example for all the females ahead- that there doesn’t necessarily have to be a Prince who rules the throne, but a Princess too. All these years in Eden’s history, if the eldest was a daughter, she would be considered negligible.”

“That’s right,” Yeosang nodded. “And Prince Chan isn’t too interested in the throne either. Everything seems perfect, yet…”

“Yet,” you almost smiled. “Do I really have to? I mean, I could. I’m ready, even, it’s what I’ve been trained for my whole life. Besides, my father, the King, would like me as his heir too. But as a person… I think I’m not good enough for that job. I have a few threats on my head if I am appointed the heir too, so I can’t jump on that chance without taking care of that matter- unless I’m okay with getting murdered which frankly, I’m not because I haven’t even lived yet-”

There it was. Yeosang’s knowing smirk- and your rambling mouth that was your besetting sin. Yeosang cocked his head. “You want to live a little, don’t you? Before you inevitably become bound forever? Is that why you’re risking so much meeting strangers in the forest?”

“First of all, you have no right,” you sneered but when he didn’t so much as twitch, you slumped back. “But yes. I guess so. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I don’t want to stop, yet. And anyways, our time is over,” you pointed at the clock. “Let’s continue this later, I have places to be.”

“Of course,” Yeosang nodded, resting his head on the table. “I’ll be taking a little nap here. You can go, Your Highness.”

You got up and stared at him, making him open one eye. “What?”

“I hope you won’t be rambling off whatever I said when you go to one of your drinks or something,” you muttered.

“I’m not the one with the big mouth here, Your Highness- ow!” He rubbed his head when you not-so-gracefully threw your pen at him. You left, laughing loudly to annoy him but you could feel him smiling even though you couldn’t see him.

You didn’t know what it was about him that made the flow of conversation easier, that made you ramble without a second thought, that made you answer his very personal questions even when you hadn’t allowed this luxury to Mingyu, but… he really was an interesting person. You were having the sudden urge to ditch your next lessons and talk to him more, get to know him and judge him, see if he could be of more help, but you reminded yourself this was only your second (or third) meeting and you should take it slow.

You shouldn’t make the same mistake you did with Mingyu.

Again, you found yourself pausing- whatever you had with Mingyu was a mistake, and this was the first time you admitted it to yourself. But… not all mistakes would bring bad consequences, right?

—------------------------

A few days later, Yeosang and you decided to take a walk around town- another one of his unconventional teaching methods. You were to dress as a noble lady, not the Princess, and learn the art of blending in.

You were also finding him wiser than you had initially thought. You two were crossing the road that led to the middle of the town from the palace when he explained the purpose of today’s lesson. “Strategy for you, Princess, is the art of disguising. When you are in the middle of planning an actual strategy for let’s say, a situation at the border or potential battle threat, or even civil war, would you trust everyone who’s in the same room with you as you plan?”

“I suppose not,” you nodded, adjusting your hanbok, walking comfortably for now due to the lack of the passersby. “As a Princess, I can trust no one. Not even family.”

“Exactly,” Yeosang clapped once. “You are capable of making several layouts in your head for any plan, I’m assuming?” When you nodded, he continued. “Real strategy lies in letting those people hear what they want to hear but doing what you want to. Please them but use them.”

“Ah,” you smirked to yourself. “I’m good at that.”

Yeosang gave you a doubtful look. “So, to make it seem legit, what will you do? You will need to blend in- not just in appearance, but in emotions, in their feelings. Now, we’ve almost reached town. I’ll let you lead and give you my judgement on our way back. We’re shopping in the marketplace first, and then we’re having lunch in public.”

“I wonder who allowed you to take me without guards-”

“I am the guard, in case you forgot,” Yeosang proudly pulled at his clothes and you scoffed. “I’m an excellent archer. Need I remind you how I-”

“I don’t see your bow and arrow today, though,” you pointed out. Yeosang paused as he looked at you.

“What makes you think my aim with daggers would be any weaker?”

“Wow,” you were actually amazed this time. “Maybe I should have paid attention when they were teaching self defence.”

“It’s never too late,” Yeosang resumed walking, urging you with a casual hand on your back. “Everyone should know the basics so they don’t encounter a situation like you did in the forest.”

“You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?” You asked, tensing when you saw a couple looking in your direction and scoffing. Yeosang smiled to himself, not pausing, his hand keeping you walking as well. “Why did they laugh at us?”

“Why do you think? Now stop looking like you’re about to commit a murder and blend in.”

“But I am-” you shut up when you two took the final turn that led to the marketplace and this time, Yeosang let you take a deep breath as you took in the scene.

There were people of all ages in the market- from old people who couldn’t even walk properly to kids running around, a group of them circling around you as they chased each other, making you almost yelp. Instinctively, you tried hiding behind Yeosang but he shook his head- this was your mission, after all. Blend in. the question remained- would people recognise you? Would they look at you twice?

“You have to stop at at least three shops and buy three things of different categories. So let’s start,” Yeosang said as he smirked. You glared at him before holding your head high as you walked.

“Do you think you should walk so arrogantly?” Yeosang leaned in to whisper in your ear and you swatted him away, thoroughly annoyed.

“You think I can’t blend in? Fine- I’ll show you how good I am at it,” you said and didn’t bother waiting for Yeosang as you marched to the stall selling some candy.

“What’s this called?” You asked the shopkeeper and both him and Yeosang snorted.

“It seems like she’s not from around here,” the shopkeeper smiled at Yeosang. “It’s called marshmallows.”

“Yeah, I’m not from around here, so I wouldn’t know,” you smirked at Yeosang and he raised a brow at how you had managed to twist the situation in your favour. “Is it a local delicacy? I haven’t seen it in the West.”

“Ah, yes, you wouldn’t see it in the West, I suppose,” the shopkeeper folded his arms. “Which ones shall I pack? They all taste the same so choose your colours- and add some flavoured jelly with it.”

“Hmm, let me see,” you took in the variety of the pastel marshmallows. “A few of each would be nice.”

The shopkeeper packed it for you with sticks for both of you and Yeosang paid for it. You were smiling cheekily at him as you waited for him and he scoffed when he saw you. “The day is not over yet.”

Yeosang wasn’t very surprised when you managed to shop for a few trinkets, a calligraphy brush and even a neck scarf. He had already judged you to be quick at adapting. You didn’t attract much attention at all, and he found you relaxing more and more as the day passed. Lunch was normal as well, choosing an outdoor dining as you ate noodles. However, the real test would be when someone would recognise her.

And he was going to make sure someone did. While you were busy admiring roses at a flower shop, Yeosang called a group of kids over and whispered what they needed to do, handing them some coins. The kids disappeared, unnoticed by you. However, as you turned, the kids (excellent actors, Yeosang laughed to himself) halted when they spotted you.

And you halted as well, frowning. Had the kids recognised you or what?

“Are you the princess?” One of the girls asked and you let out a nervous laugh, peeking at Yeosang who was currently too interested in his fingernails.

“I told you, she is,” a boy elbowed her. “I saw her at the Athletics Championship.”

“You’re lying,” another girl argued. “Why is she not wearing her princess outfit?”

You snorted at that and the kids looked at you. “What? Do you think the Princess even sleeps wearing a fancy gown?”

“She doesn’t?” the first girl frowned.

As the kids bickered among themselves, you turned to Yeosang. “I thought you could do better.”

“What?” Yeosang pretended to feign ignorance and you rolled your eyes. You were about to tell the kids to scoot off, but a woman came rushing towards the kids, scolding them for straying too far. You watched them, forgetting everything else for a moment until the woman looked at you and gasped.

“Your Highness!” She bowed deeply, and the kids burst into an excited fit that panicked you and you looked at Yeosang who was equally surprised. So this wasn’t planned…

“Your Highness?” A man who had been passing by also followed the woman’s suit and you groaned.

“Please, rise,” you commanded and they did, and you looked around, grateful for the lack of audience. “I am visiting town unofficially, so I hope you’ll keep my presence a secret.”

“Of course,” the woman nodded. “I’m a palace maid- you probably don’t recognise me. I’m happy to see that you’re out of the palace! You’re always inside- I hope you enjoy today.”

You were surprised at that- not her being a palace maid, but her observation about you. You thanked her, and the man grinned at you as a sign that he would keep it a secret as well and when they were gone, you finally looked at Yeosang who looked a little guilty. “Do I look that much of a bore?”

“What?” Yeosang laughed, not expecting that question so not understanding what you meant either.

“I mean,” you sighed. “The woman basically said that, right? That I’m always cooped up in my room?”

“Was she wrong?” Yeosang scoffed.

“No, which is why it hurts,” you laughed sadly. “I need more adventures in my life-”

You spotted a familiar face in the crowd- Mingyu. What were the odds?

“Uh, Yeosang,” you kept your eyes at Mingyu who was alone, thankfully. “Do you mind if I go meet an acquaintance?”

Yeosang followed your gaze, right beside you. “Oh, is that the boyfriend? What a coincidence. I promise this was not arranged by me.”

“I know,” you tapped his arm as an indication that you were going. “You better wait right here- I’ll be back soon.”

Yeosang watched you boldly walk to the man who had to do a double-take as he saw you, and then you both disappeared in the alley, Yeosang laughing silently to himself. He had to admit- he was curious about what exactly was the relation between you two. He resorted to sitting on the bench and staring at the sky, while you?

You practically dragged Mingyu in the alley, the two of you stifling your laughs and hiding in a corner, you two were all over each other. You two were kissing like you were teenagers who had snuck out behind their parents’ backs, like you were past curfew. When you finally broke apart, Mingyu was grinning. “What are you doing here, Princess of Eden?”

“I was out with my tutor on a mission- blending in with the crowd,” you wiggled your eyebrows at him. “We haven’t properly sat in so long, Mingyu. Are you ever coming to meet me properly, or should I forget about you?”

“I promise I will,” Mingyu rubbed your arms. “I might get a job where I’ll have to frequent the palace often, so I’m concentrating on getting that first.”

“Really?” You were pleased. “What job?”

“My dad’s sick, so he might push me to handle his current affairs,” he said and you recalled how his father was a court member. “Let’s see how it goes.”

“Yeah, I’ll… look forward to seeing you,” you smiled at him. “I shouldn’t keep him waiting- I should go.”

“Okay,” he pecked your lips. “Go.”

Though you had just met your ‘boyfriend’, you didn’t look lovestruck, Yeosang thought, as you walked to him and joined him on the bench, slumping down with a sigh that made him feel as if something was bothering you. Yeosang simply offered you the same candy bag and you took some, the both of you staring at the sky.

“If you sigh anymore, I’m going to have to assume you broke up.”

“It’s not that,” you laughed. “It’s… I don’t know. He’s not my boyfriend, by the way.”

“Yet…” Yeosang raised his brows.

“Yet…” you sighed again. “He makes me forget that I am a princess when I am with him.”

“In a good way or a bad way?” Yeosang asked and you frowned- you had never had anything to compare it with, but today…

Or rather, with Yeosang, you hardly felt like a princess at all as well. And though Yeosang obviously treated you like just any other human… it was somehow better than Mingyu walking on eggshells with you or looking at you as if you would break. As if you were brittle- that you couldn’t bend, you’d simply break. So you only shook your head in answer, and that was enough for Yeosang.

“Can I confess something?” You asked and Yeosang shrugged. He didn’t seem like someone who would judge you. “I don’t think Mingyu is the type of person I’d be happy with in the long run.”

“Ah, so that’s the name-”

“I think,” you ignored him, finding the fluffy clouds in the sky strangely comforting. “I think we’re both using each other one way or another. He’s handsome and I’m not the prettiest girl alive, so I wonder what he’s using me for. It’s obvious why I am, but I don’t think I want to know why he is. I don’t think I’d like the answer.”

“Then you don’t need to ask the question,” Yeosang commented. “You could part ways on good terms too.”

“That’s true,” you looked at him, smiling. “You know, you’re feeling more like a friend than a tutor or whatever you’re supposed to be. I like it.”

Yeosang put a hand on his chest and for a moment, you thought he was touched, until he said, “Then I have failed.”

You smacked his arm harshly and he laughed, shaking his head. “You’ve never had a friend, have you?”

“There’s Siyeon but she’s more like an elder sister,” you admitted. “Also, tell me you think of me as a friend too. I’d be hurt if you don’t.”

“As you know, I’m not the type of person who cares whether you’re hurt or not,” he brushed his clothes, getting up and offering you his hand, which you took as you got up as well. “But I think we could be friends. Only when I’m not tutoring you- I don’t want you to have the upper hand.”

You squeezed his hand, grinning. You could work with that.

—-----------------

“I can’t believe I thought you wouldn’t suck so much,” Yeosang was shaking his head in disappointment and you aimed an arrow at him. He didn’t even flinch when you let it loose- he already knew by what margin your arrows were always off, and he didn’t need to move- the arrow flew well past him.

“It’s insulting that you didn’t even flinch,” you were laughing in disbelief at his guts. “How are you so good with all this calculating and aiming?”

“I grew up surrounded by archers,” Yeosang admitted, collecting the arrows as he walked around. You slumped down on the bench, waiting for him to continue. “I still think your case can be improved, so let’s not give up.”

“You remember what we promised, right?” You wiggled your brows at him and he rolled his eyes.

In the course of the past few days, there was a certain air of comfortableness between you two, growing casual with each passing day. As a tutor during the early hours of the day, you stopped giving him a hard time (only because you had the rest of the day to annoy the fuck out of him) and focusing on what he taught you- he was brilliant, you had to admit. He had taught you more tips and tricks than you had learnt in the entire course of your life. You would never admit that to him, or even to Professor Seo since he had shaped you at a good pace, but he really was amazing.

He kept insisting that you get basic self defence training before you go to the West. The civil war threat was still growing and the locals there were kind of brutal. You agreed that you’ve had enough of being the damsel, so you were going to learn to fight, at least enough to not get yourself killed in a stupid way. And Yeosang had been kind enough to try to teach you, albeit with little progress in the past two days.

Today, though, you struck a bargain with him- if your aim got better today, he would help you sneak out at night so you could meet up with Mingyu.

Though he pretended to puke at the idea of it, he agreed only because you thought you wouldn’t get any better. He didn’t care if you met Mingyu or any other person, he didn’t care what you did with them, as long as he wasn’t involved, but for someone who didn’t bat an eye when others would very well crucify you, he was awfully curious. You were guessing curiosity was his besetting sin. Or maybe because you were the Princess of Eden, he was taking more interest in your life than he would have in any other person’s. Whatever the reason, you didn’t mind. You were very used to people prying into your private matters, but Yeosang was different- you just knew he didn’t have any evil intentions.

“You won’t ever hit your target at this rate, let me show you,” Yeosang said as he got up, making his way towards you. He stood next to you with his own bow and arrow, instructing you on how you should place your legs, how taut your arms should be, how you should hold the weapon properly.

“Like this?” You mirrored his position- or at least tried. He didn’t look satisfied but he nodded, urging you to try. You did, and surprisingly, this was the first time you hit the target on the tree, though you had almost missed it.

“Again,” he instructed and you did, twice, watching him walk around you as he checked your posture. “I need your full focus on your target, not on me.”

“Yes sir,” you muttered, trying to pry your eyes from Yeosang who, frankly, looked absolutely ethereal in the glow of the sun. It was unfair how handsome he was. Sometimes you wondered how his parents looked like to have a son who looked like him.

“Let me,” Yeosang met eyes with you, his hands raised in the air in front of you and you nodded. He fixed the position of your bow and then stood beside you, prying your fingers loose and positioning them correctly, his hands unexpectedly warmer than you had expected. With a hand on your back, he muttered instructions- which parts to relax, which parts to stretch, and the way his hands travelled all over your upper body-

Even though you were wearing a good amount of layers, you had to suppress the shiver with all your strength. Especially when he stood right behind you, snaking his arms around you as he positioned the bow and arrow.

“Shoot,” his breath caressed your ear and you were sure that was why you let go of the arrow, instead of the command. Yeosang drew back, clapping. “That’s much better. Let me see,” he said, standing in front of you and scanning you.

“Relax that frown,” he pointed at your forehead. “And exhale with the arrow. Come on.”

You shifted your focus to the target and did what he said- this time hitting the arrow only a few inches above the bullseye. You lowered your bow, sharing a grin.

“See? Now you only gotta practise. And for the aim, try shooting daggers as well. Let’s do that next time.”

You continued to practise, your aim getting much better, while Yeosang lied casually on one of the benches, reading a book- or pretending to. You were pretty sure he had passed out at some point, and when you couldn’t shoot any more arrows, drained, you made your way to Yeosang, glancing around for any maids or guards- after all, you were still in the palace. Finding none, you flicked Yeosang’s forehead to wake him up-

Which resulted in him grabbing your wrist before you could blink, scaring you for a moment before he relaxed, letting go. “Sorry, I thought it was someone else.”

“Who would dare?” You rubbed your wrist, trying to calm your pounding heart. “You’ve got killer reflexes.”

“I do?” He laughed, tapping the space beside him and you sat down, stretching your arms and legs as you sighed deeply. “You’ve gotten better.”

He was staring at the arrows lodged in the target board. You grinned. “Now you’ll have to sneak me out.”

“I shouldn’t have helped you,” he shook his head but gave in. “As promised. But if we get caught, come up with a story before they send me for execution.”

“Of course,” you promised. “He’s coming tonight, you know. Mingyu. Should I see him before dinner or after?”

“Before would be better, night time makes everything more suspicious,” Yeosang ran a hand through his hair. “But then… everything is so visible before the sun sets down.”

“Night time is better,” you were thinking to yourself, folding your arms. “I can make the excuse of feeling under the weather and retiring early from my activities, and then wait for him in one of the guest rooms. All you have to do, Yeosang dear, is keep watch and alert me with three knocks on the door so I can sneak out from there and run.”

“What would happen if you got caught?” He asked and when you narrowed your eyes at him, he explained that he was just curious.

“I don’t know, actually,” you took a deep breath. “If it gets public, I guess the people will frown upon me, and then father’s plan of making me his heir would get more complicated.”

“You don’t seem particularly sad about that,” Yeosang observed.

“Well, it seems like I’m not hungry for that power yet.”

Oh, power was boring- you had seen enough of it in the two decades of your life. Sure, it had its perks- especially when you get to pull rank at times, however, once you took the crown and ascended as Queen, the little freedom you had? It would be gone like it was never there to begin with. So, yes. You did not like the idea of being his heir- at least not yet, and you were pretty sure you would never-

“Ah, so you’re simply hungry for an adventure,” Yeosang’s eyes practically gleamed as he made the connection.

You supposed he was right. After all, why were you still agreeing to meeting Mingyu, sneaking around the palace like a rat, walking on your tiptoes afraid of getting caught, all for someone you weren’t even sure about? Especially when you finally entered a guest room, finding that the thrill in your heart was not because you finally got to see Mingyu after so long but because of the excitement that came with the process?

As Mingyu smirked and walked towards you with light steps, tucking your hair behind as a greeting, you wondered if there was something lost in you. You wondered if you would ever find true love in your life- the kind of love they talked about in the books, the kind of love that people gave their lives for. Mingyu was not that person for you. And what turned you off the most about him was that he never tried to get to know you. Yes, he would listen when you would talk, but he never asked questions. He wasn’t interested in you.

Which meant there had to be something else that he was interested in. As far as you knew, he was only meeting you. He didn’t have someone else in his life, so what was he after?

“You feel so distant tonight,” he commented as he caressed your face. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just tired from all the practice,” you passed him a weak smile and he didn’t probe further, fishing out something from his pocket.

“Remember when we met in the market?” He grinned, “I may have gotten you something.”

You made an impressed face and opened the box- it was a necklace with a little golden heart pendant, intricately carved. “It’s pretty. Thank you.”

“You like it?” He pressed a kiss on your temple and you nodded, shy when he let his nose trace the angles of your face, his breath caressing you. “What else do you like, Princess?”

Well, the one thing he was good at was… whatever he was doing right now, snaking his hands around your waist and pulling you forward as he kissed you, letting his lips trail down your neck, peppering kisses and sucking at a few spots, drawing the collar of your dress away and making you gasp, drawing it away even further-

“Wait,” you suddenly pulled back, drawing your dress up and frowned when he looked disappointed. “I- I should go, we don’t have the luxury of time, Mingyu. Not right now.”

“It’s okay,” he got up and straightened his clothes. “I should leave anyway. My friend is waiting for me right outside the palace gates.”

“Oh, okay,” you nodded, getting up yourself. “See you soon?”

He smiled, tipping his hat before leaving and you didn’t realise how long you kept staring into the distance until Siyeon finally entered after a knock.

“Are you okay, Princess?”

“Ah, yes, I am,” you nodded. “Just taking a breather. Let’s go.”

You made your way to your room, not noticing Mingyu walking not towards the palace gates but to the direction where the Queen’s private chamber was. However, Yeosang who had forgotten his book in the library noticed Mingyu conversing with the Queen herself, hidden from sight- anyone else would not have noticed but Yeosang was more observant than the usual person. He wondered why the two were talking, dismissing it as their private matter, but as he tried to sleep that night, he kept wondering if you knew that the Queen and Mingyu knew each other enough to meet out of plain sight.

—------------------

“I didn’t know there was a place like this in the palace,” Yeosang commented, looking around after dusting himself. You passed him a grin.

“I found this when I was 11,” you told him. “My mother used to come here when she wanted to get away from things- I once followed her. After she passed away, I forgot all about this place until one day, I found myself walking here.”

“I can see why she would want to come here,” Yeosang folded his arms, nodding.

Away from all the hustle and bustle of the palace, at the far-east corner of the vast gardens that stretched at the borders, there was an opening in the fence, hidden from the overgrown vines. You supposed when your mother was alive, she must have maintained the place, but now… it was just a collection of forgotten memories, dust and overgrown plants. The hut was dark and home to spiders and other animals- you never dared go inside, preferring to rest on the stairs that overlooked the pond and the large tree which was the highlight of the little place- purple flower petals crowding the ground and the pond.

“Ah, there’s a cat here now,” you waved at the cat but it sneered at you before taking off, making Yeosang chuckle as he sat beside you, peeking inside the veranda. “What a rude cat!”

“You’re the one disturbing the poor cat’s peace,” Yeosang commented. “So? What are we going to do now that we’re here?”

“Well, I don’t know, not study for once?” You narrowed your eyes at him- he had been pretty strict with keeping the studying schedule. He had also been strict with your other classes- you were pretty good with weapons now- Yeosang would never admit that, always dismissing you off as ‘average’, but his proud cheeky smile? He couldn’t hide that.

“Ah, so it’s just you and me then, huh?” Yeosang asked and you poked your tongue in your cheek as you wondered how to respond to that. He seemed to realise that and he shook his head. “I mean, as friends? That’s how we decided to go, right? Unless you’re planning to bury me here… pretty sure no one would find my body if you do-”

“Yes, let’s just talk and relax, and by the end of it I will decide if I really want to bury you here,” you passed him a sarcastically sweet smile. “Have you heard from Professor Seo yet?”

“I received a letter today, he’s doing fine and the situation is handled, but he decided to visit his family before returning,” he told you and you found yourself more relieved than disappointed about his late return. Yeosang spotted that right away and smirked. “Pleased that he’s not coming back soon?”

“He’s kind of boring and you’re… kind of not?”

“Why did that end as a question?” Yeosang frowned and you shook your head.

“Anyways, you said you wanted to talk to me about something- what was it?” You asked and saw him visibly struggle as he decided whether he really wanted to say it or not. “Just spill- don’t make that face.”

“Well, it’s about Mingyu- let me make a few things clear first,” he cleared his throat and you raised a brow. “I am not interested in your relationship with him or whatever you do, and I don’t mean to pry, but what you said about him wanting something from you…”

“Well?” You urged him.

“Do the Queen and Mingyu know each other in some way? Because I checked and Mingyu wouldn’t need to privately converse with the Queen over his work matters.”

You felt your heart sink at that but tried to think rationally- maybe the Queen spotted him and called him? Maybe she found out about you two? But you couldn’t help but think of the worst- that the reason Mingyu was wasting his time on you had something to do with the Queen.

“Again, I could be wrong,” Yeosang sounded cautious. “Maybe it was a one-time thing and you don’t need to worry about it, but… you’re the Princess. You always have to be cautious, don’t you?”

“You’re right,” you nodded slowly. “It could be anything, but I have to be cautious. Thank you for letting me know, by the way,” you smiled at him and he pursed his lips, nodding.

“I’ve ruined the mood, haven’t I?” Yeosang said after a moment and you finally huffed, laughing. “You said you wanted to ask me something as well?”

“Oh, yeah, did I?” You laughed nervously and Yeosang frowned in confusion.

For the past two days, you had been meeting with your father who decided he would have both you and Prince Chan accompany him to the West, despite the continuous attempts of the Queen to somehow make him choose their son over you. You felt better since Chan would be there and you wouldn’t be alone with the King and the generals and whatever officials you were going to find there, but you had an idea-

“If I asked you to accompany me to the West, with the King and the Prince, two days from now… would you agree?”

Yeosang raised a brow. “Is there a specific reason you want me there?”

“Uh…” Was there? “Just… it won’t be as awkward with you there, I suppose. Chan has his own friends there and I know as much as he likes me, he doesn’t like me enough to call me a ‘friend’. Besides, you’re a great strategist, Yeosang. We could actually use some help there. You’ll of course be representing me if you decide to go, so the court members realise I don’t have allies myself-”

“You don’t need to explain all of that,” Yeosang laughed to himself, shaking his head at you. “Come on. You’re the Princess. All you had to say was ‘it’s my order’.”

“I would have added it in the end,” you muttered, slumping but he knew you wouldn’t.

“You’ve warmed up to me, huh? Just admit it- you don’t want to die of boredom there. I make you laugh, I keep you on your toes, I even let you take those naps when we should be studying-”

“Fine, yes, you’re mildly amusing. I won’t say I’d die of boredom without you, okay? Don’t think too highly of yourself-”

Yeosang leaned forward until he was inches away from your face, making you blink in surprise. “But I think you would,” he almost whispered and when you didn’t push him away or respond, he seemed to realise just what position he was in, drawing back smoothly. “Talking about boredom, is there something fun to do right now?”

“I have dice hidden here somewhere,” you jumped down, pretending to search under the stairs while calming your pounding heart and trying to ignore the knot in your stomach. “Here it is. Let’s play?”

—---------------------

You were finding it extremely hard to get Yeosang alone once you arrived at the town in the west of Eden, where the Westerners were going to have meetings with your court to try and resolve the political problems they had with the King’s policies. The reason the King, his children and a good part of his court went themselves was a sign of good gesture- that you all were willing to listen and resolve this peacefully, but this was also a warning- that you would be assessing the situation and taking appropriate and immediate measures according to it.

However, you were warmly welcomed by the dwellers, and a large amount of the first few days were spent partying. You were, of course, the Princess and with that title, you had to display a certain amount of elegance, which Yeosang made sure to roll his eyes at whenever he came into your vision. He also made a note of telling you “I can see how hard it is for you to hold back” which only made you restrain yourself with a smile since the public was watching.

However, Yeosang clearly hadn’t expected you to sneak out in the middle of the night, leaving Siyeon alone in the room and tiptoeing to Yeosang’s room, following Siyeon’s map that she had drawn on your hand after you had begged her to let you breathe. Your heart was rhythmically matching your excitement, but you paused before you knocked on Yeosang’s room-

“Are you sure you and Yeosang are just friends?” Siyeon had asked.

“Of course we’re just friends, what are you implying?” You frowned.

“You’re different when you talk about him,” Siyeon smiled knowingly, which only confused you further. “I’ve not seen that smile once before. Not even with Mingyu.”

“Get your head out of the gutter,” you had muttered and she had laughed it off, but now that you stood-

The door slid open and Yeosang couldn’t keep from mumbling a curse when he found you standing with a hand outstretched. “What are you doing at this ungodly hour, Princess? And outside my room? Finally decided to kill me in my sleep?”

“It’s not even midnight yet,” you rolled your eyes, making your way inside his room and Yeosang watched you, peeking outside to see if you had eyes before shutting the door. “I knew you would be awake. Are you busy?”

“Not really, no,” Yeosang sat down on the couch, ruffling his hair. “Was just about to sleep, as you can see,” he pointed at his pyjamas. “Is something up?”

“I thought we could… I don’t know. Sneak out and enjoy the festival. I know we decided not to go because of security measures, but I learnt from my very wise tutor-” you pointed with both hands at Yeosang and he groaned, “-that the art of disguise comes handy. So we’ll blend in tonight, you and I, as civilians. No one would recognise us anyway- not when we dress up all fancy and… voguish, like them, eh?”

You could tell Yeosang didn’t hate the idea because he was not kicking you out of his room. “You do realise what you’re saying, right? You didn’t drink, did you?”

“I’m perfectly sober, thank you,” you got up and unbuttoned your cloak, revealing a pair of red jewelled velvet tunic and pants, and you revealed your hair tied in a bun- a mess of braids and curls. You waved your matching red mask at him as well, laughing when he gaped at you. “I’m ready. Are you?”

After a few protests and you dragging Yeosang and throwing clothes at him after shuffling through his bag, earning snarky remarks and how you looked ‘overdressed’, you finally got Yeosang to change. He looked perfect in his black outfit with a jewelled jacket, and then you made him sit on the chair in front of the mirror so he would take care of his hair.

“Don’t make me comb it myself,” you scoffed. “I haven’t ever done even my own hair apart from a ponytail, just so you know.”

“Snobby little princess-”

“It’s because I naturally suck at it,” you slapped his head and he glared at you, wondering why he was even doing this.

“You know,” he started parting his hair to one side, shrugging because if he was going out anyway, he might as well look the best. “All you have to do is be yourself. People won’t recognise you even if you wear your crown over your head.”

“That’s insulting,” you leaned in the mirror, cleaning your slightly smudged lipstick. “But also, somehow good to know.”

Yeosang shook his head, finally done and you gave him an okay. “Now, how do we sneak out?”

“Leave that to me,” you smirked.

A few minutes later and one guard down after a random rock fell on his head (only knocking him out, you told Yeosang), you were in the brightly lit streets, the noise of the people and the music almost overwhelming, but even Yeosang was surprised how perfectly you two blended in- you had clearly planned this long ago. You stopped at a stall to get some cake and you slid down your mask, peeking around but no one recognised you- you felt safe.

“This is stupid, but I can’t say I’m not enjoying,” Yeosang took a bite of the cake. “I mean, when will I ever get the chance? The Princess of Eden in the streets with her replacement tutor, unrecognisable.”

“We’re friends,” you narrowed your eyes. “If you’re still calling yourself my tutor, go home, Yeosang.”

“I don’t know when the boundary blurred,” he pondered.

“Probably when you saved me in the forest,” you muttered.

“Ah, saved you, did I?” It was the first time you had admitted and you scoffed. “If we hadn’t met that day, would we be here right now?”

“Maybe,” you shrugged. “What do you think?”

Yeosang looked at you as he finished his cake and waited for you to finish yours before stepping forward and you almost jumped when his hands went behind your head to untie the cloth you had been using as a mask. He locked eyes with you. “Can I?”

You didn’t nod but he presumed to tie it around your neck like a bandana, and he rested his hands on your shoulders when he was done. “That’s better. You look beautiful.”

As if just realising what he had said, he abruptly drew back, clearing his throat. “Evil. I meant beautifully evil. Or evilly beautiful?”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that, smacking his arm. “You don’t have to be awkward about it, Yeosang. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

You were the last person to talk about being awkward when you stood there with a silly grin until someone asked you two to move. You took a deep breath. “Let’s go watch the games?”

You got the first row in the audience that stood to watch the fire show and you didn’t realise that you had been holding on to Yeosang’s arm when he guided you through the crowd, but he didn’t mind- he liked it when you squeezed it whenever you were surprised. At some point, Yeosang himself had stopped watching the show, instead watching how your face looked in the glow of the fire, how your eyes reflected your excitement which was contagious at this point, how your red plump lips parted and pursed. He was smiling faintly when you caught him staring at you.

None of you looked away. You raised a brow. “Bored?”

“Not at all,” he shook his head. “Just want to get some air after this ends.”

“Let’s go right now,” you told him and he insisted that you finish watching the show because according to him, you looked like a cat who had seen a mouse for the first time, but you only held his hand and dragged him, almost exiting when you met a pair of mimers.

“Ridiculous,” Yeosang laughed when they started mirroring your movements.

“That’s not how we look,” you pointed and they mirrored that as well, making you gape at them. “That’s a personal attack! Choose someone else from the crowd!”

Yeosang burst out laughing at that and the mimers continued to mirror your exasperated expressions and movements, until Yeosang grabbed your hand and started running away, the mimers mirroring even that and following you, making all of you laugh because this was unbelievable but fun. The two of you kept running even after you had lost them and just when you were about to stop, Yeosang spotted them and slid into a dark alley, turning you and making you stop against him as he rested against the wall, out of breath.

“They’re right outside,” he whispered, shaking his head as he laughed. “Don’t move.”

You nodded, aware of your hands on his chest and shoulder, aware of his hands holding your wrists loosely but not letting you go, and you rested your head against his chest, out of breath as well. “Tell me when they’re gone. Or should we give them a little scare?”

“I’ll tell you when they’re gone,” Yeosang said and you hummed in agreement, not daring to move but feeling glad when you felt his tense body relax against you. His hands slid down your arms but didn’t let go, and even when he saw the mimers leave the area, he didn’t tell you.

He wanted you all to himself just for a little longer.

And that realisation made him so utterly confused. He hadn’t intended to cross the line, yet… he knew you two weren’t friends at this point- at least he wasn’t, because he was falling.

But you still liked Mingyu, didn’t you? Even when he had told you about the Queen and Mingyu’s meeting, you met him twice after, and Yeosang helped you. You told him you wanted to feel him out and see what exactly he wanted so you could catch him in the act, but… he was starting to realise why he hated it when he saw Mingyu touch your face- that guy was clearly not sincere.

Were his own feelings sincere then, he wondered. Is that how you felt about Mingyu? Unsure but wanting?

“They’re gone,” Yeosang finally whispered and you took your head off after a moment, looking up at him and finding him incredibly close. You grinned and let go of him. “Well, that was an adventure right there.”

“That sure was,” Yeosang brushed his clothes and you walked back to the streets, just walking and chatting and grabbing more snacks until you both were very tired, which was when you decided to walk back, sneaking past the guards into Yeosang’s room which was thankfully on the ground floor.

Yeosang shut the window behind him and you secured your cloak, smiling at him and asking, “Tell me how tonight was. Tell me honestly.”

“Well, Princess,” Yeosang stepped in front of you, smirking and flicking your forehead. “It was the most fun I had in a good few years.”

“Really? You’re not lying?” You asked and he nodded, crossing at his heart. You smiled wide and slumped in relief. “Glad you don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, why would you think that?” Yeosang’s voice was incredibly soft. “I like you. A lot. I like whatever we have, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I just hope you don’t forget all about me when you’re busy or when I have to go, y/n.”

Your heart did a somersault and you took a step towards him as well, almost closing the distance between you two. “This was the most fun I had too. In my life. Thank you, Yeosang. And I won’t forget you, ever. I hope you don’t if you go back.”

‘If’, you had said, Yeosang realised with a glimmer of hope. You didn’t want him to go back. It was up to him now. But he had to be sure about you first-

He didn’t expect you to lean in and kiss him on the cheek and then shyly look at you as you grinned. Oh, he wanted to cross the line so bad. “Thank you for tonight, Yeosang.”

Before he could respond, you scurried off, and he stood dumb for a few minutes until he smiled and sat in front of the mirror, taking off his accessories and looking at where you had kissed him-

Where the red smudge of lipstick welcomed him.

So that’s why you were grinning, he thought, laughing to himself as he wondered if he should just let the mark remain.

—-------------------

The situation in the West had been resolved and you made your way back, making the visit last for about a week and a half. A week after that night you spent with Yeosang at the festival. You had attended a meeting together where you got to see just what kind of a strategist Yeosang was, and he was one hell of a strategist- he managed to keep the political interests of both the parties in balance as he suggested ways to resolve the conflict, along with his seniors. He was applauded by the King himself and that made you giddy. It didn’t help that he looked incredibly hot when he was in operational mode, you told him.

“There’s something wrong with you,” Yeosang had made a face and you had only laughed.

“You know, my father approves of you. He even asked me if you’re my replacement tutor.”

“I should go and tell him how disrespectful my student is-”

And that ended with the usual bickering as well. In the few days you spent in the West after the festival, you only got to meet up with Yeosang once during the evening when you two were walking around, and Prince Chan had joined, which ended up making you the third-wheel. They surprisingly had much to talk about.

Your lessons with Yeosang were going to resume today. You had also just received a letter from Professor Seo which said that he would be returning in a week or two. You felt anxious for some reason- could you keep Yeosang all to yourself? Would that be selfish of you? After all, Yeosang’s family and friends weren’t in this town.

You went inside the library, finding it utterly quiet. You almost called out loud for Yeosang, but you saw him dozing off, sitting crossed legged on the floor with his head resting on his arms on the table. You smiled to yourself- what a sight he was. You tiptoed towards him, sitting in front of him across the table and waiting for a while- he was probably tired. You heard a muffled groan and watched him as he frowned in his sleep- was he having a nightmare?

“Yeosang?” You whispered, but he didn’t stir. You slid away from the table and went to his side, carefully pushing a few strands of his dark hair away from his face- he seemed to be caught in a dream-

You noticed the redness on his temple that you had spotted before too- you hadn’t asked him about it and the way he styled his hair, you couldn’t detect it unless you looked carefully, but it looked like it was a birthmark. You touched it lightly, smiling-

You couldn’t even let out a scream when he went for your neck making you fall flat against the floor and him on top of you with his dagger threatening to slit your throat.both of you were looking at each other in surprise with wide eyes and you patted his arm cautiously. “It’s me… Yeosang, it’s me.”

Yeosang came back and sighed deeply, drawing back and immediately apologising. “I don’t know what I was thinking, I have nothing to say.”

“It’s okay,” you frowned as you straightened your clothes, getting up to go back to your place. Yeosang, confused, got up as well. “Are you alright, Yeosang? Are you haunted?”

Yeosang snorted at that. “Actually, I’m not always like this. I was attacked on the night when we came back, in my room. I didn’t get who it was, but someone’s after me, which means… someone’s after you.”

“Oh, come on,” you shook your head. “It might be something you did. You’re not a saint, Yeosang dear.”

“Could be, but I’m betting it has something to do with you-” Yeosang stopped mid-sentence and pulled you by your arm into his chest as a vase fell and crashed on the floor, making you scream and clench onto his clothes.

“Wait here- someone’s definitely after you,” Yeosang said and before you could stop him, he went for what you figured was whoever he spotted. You took out your own dagger, waiting for him or whoever it was that dared attack you in the library, of all places.

However, the last person you expected to see was Mingyu, calling out your name before he stepped in your line of vision and you frowned. “I heard a crash and a scream, I was just passing by. Are you alright?”

“You were just passing by?” You almost spat but then shook your head. “I’m sorry- it’s just been surprise after surprise today. I’m overwhelmed. Did you perhaps spot someone else leaving?”

“Only Kang Yeosang,” he said, stepping towards you but stopping when you raised your hand.

“Do you know him?” You asked.

“He’s made quite a name for himself after the tour in the West,” he pointed out and you lowered your dagger. “He’s your replacement tutor, is he not?”

“That he is,” you nodded. “He’ll be back any minute.”

“Can I see you tonight?” Mingyu asked, shooting a playful smile in your direction.

“If you tell me why you’ve been meeting up with the Queen, sure, I can see you tonight,” you countered. You refused to believe him passing by was a coincidence- not after you’ve been suspecting him for so long.

However, Mingyu clearly didn’t like what you were implying. “Do you think I’m a spy or something? That’s a low blow.”

“What else am I supposed to think, Mingyu?” You countered. “You’ve been meeting up with her- I saw you myself. And you didn’t bother to tell me? A simple explanation would have done. You could have lied and I would have believed you. But you didn’t even tell me. You never tell me anything. You only call me when-”

“And what do you tell me about yourself, Princess?” Mingyu walked towards you.

“I tell you enough,” you seethed. “I risk meeting you and tell you enough. You have no idea what the consequences would be if I got caught meeting you.”

“Well, no one would know unless you spill,” he stopped in front of you. “Have you?”

“I just- I can’t continue meeting you like this forever, you know it,” you sighed. “And you’re still not telling me why you met her.”

“I tell you enough as well,” he countered. You couldn’t believe him. You were about to walk away but he caught your wrist. “Come on. Don’t ruin this-”

“Ruin what, Mingyu? What are we?” You locked eyes with him, surprisingly relieved when you saw no signs of longing in them. “We never address that though, do we?”

“Well, what are you with Yeosang then?” He countered and you raised a brow. “I’ve seen you both. He’s not your tutor-”

“He’s my friend,” you sneered, trying to break away your wrist from him but he wouldn’t let go. “And let go of me. You’re hurting me.”

“Friend?” He laughed. “Friends don’t look at each other the way I’ve seen you-”

“I suggest you let go of her right now, Mingyu,” Yeosang’s voice boomed as he walked to the two of you. “Let go of the Princess.”

Mingyu scoffed at him. “No, what do you two even do in here? I’m pretty sure it’s not just studying-”

The crack of the slap on his left cheek was the most satisfying sound you ever heard out of him, and you didn’t regret it, even when he looked betrayed and surprised. “Who do you think I am? You’re the first person I’ve been with, Mingyu, and you’re the only one. I can’t believe you think so lowly about me. I guess I should have thought that about you too,” you rubbed your wrist- he had finally let go due to the initial shock. “Meet me tomorrow night at the same place. We’ll end this- only after you tell me what you’re up to with the Queen. And don’t bother lying- I know what you’re up to. I only need to see if you’ll tell me the truth or not.”

Mingyu huffed, laughing in what you could only presume was disbelief. “I think we should. We need to think with clear minds, huh?” He looked at Yeosang and left the room, leaving you glaring at his passing figure. Yeosang stifled his smile as he stood next to you. “Well… that was one hell of a slap.”

“Shut up, Yeosang,” you muttered but smiled, looking at him. “I should have done that earlier. I don’t know what took me so long.”

“Do you really know what he’s up to?” Yeosang patted your back, urging you to settle down before sitting in front of you.

“I don’t, actually, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to continue whatever it is we had. It was only physical, and that’s… it makes me shameful to think of it.”

Yeosang looked proud of you though, especially when he said, “I don’t think I need to be your tutor anymore. You’ve learnt all you need to- at least about strategy and offence.”

You laughed at that. “Have I? You still have to teach me the damned nonsense the old scholars left for us that’s not even relevant-”

“Don’t disrespect your ancestors,” he shook his head, grinning.

—------------------

When Mingyu entered the room, you didn’t get up this time. He didn’t approach you either, simply sat down next to you.

“I’m sorry for slapping you earlier- I could’ve dealt with that differently,” you told him. You were sorry- that wasn’t a lie.

“I deserved that,” Mingyu looked at you and you both shared a laugh. “I was being an asshole.”

“Glad you realise that,” you shook your head. “So?”

“The Queen… the first time that she called me, she only wanted to know who my father was- apparently, he used to do some of the Queen’s private tasks, so she thought she could trust me as well. I didn’t realise what she was on to until the second time, when she casually asked me if I was interested in you.”

“Wow, she’s still digging for something to bring me down,” you made an impressed face. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her the truth- that I admire you as the Princess. That’s exactly what I said. Not a lie, but not the whole truth either,” he winked.

“That’s smart, I’ll give you that,” you nodded. “How did she respond to that?”

“She told me I should meet up with you, that you might be interested in me as well. Honestly, I was confused- I didn’t know if it was a test or some twisted game where she wants us to get caught because it’s no secret that she hates you. So I just told her I’ll look for a chance. Now she just asks me if I made some progress.”

“I wonder what’s going on in her head,” you sighed. “You should have told me, Mingyu.”

“I know,” he admitted. “I should have, but honestly… I’m not interested in you that way- at least not yet.”

“Neither am I,” you admitted. “We should end it, though. There’s no use continuing whatever we had, but I hope we can part on good terms, and possibly be allies in the future. You’re smart, Mingyu. I hope you won’t use our relationship to bring me down one day- I’d rather you be my ally, my friend.”

“Now that’s one tempting offer,” he laughed, tucking your hair behind your ear. “No hard feelings?”

“None,” you nodded. “Unless you pull something, in which case you can expect not to wake up after you sleep,” you smiled sweetly at him and he shook his head, raising his hands in surrender. “Also, yesterday… were you really passing by the library?”

“Ah, about that,” Mingyu straightened, recalling the detail he needed to tell you. “I did spot someone suspicious- dressed like a guard- around the library, so yes, I was just passing by but made a detour because I thought I saw something.”

“Who do you think could be behind it?” You wondered.

“Could be anyone at this point, but maybe start from the people closest around you,” Mingyu said. “Should I look into it?”

“Will you?” You asked and he nodded. You thanked him- that really was a kind offer, perhaps to make up for his behaviour.

After that meeting, you walked to your secret place just to have some alone time and think things through. You had just been in your room, and Siyeon had been beyond relieved after she heard that you broke things with Mingyu.

“I’m just glad I don’t have to be the watchdog anymore, you know?” She told you as she prepared you for bed, about to go and bring your tea when you told her you wanted to get some air first. She let you go willingly this time.

But when you sneaked in through the vines around the fence, the last person you expected to see was Yeosang. What was more surprising were the empty bottles around him- he was drinking.

He never drinked this much, from what he had told you. You whistled at the sight and went to sit next to him, shaking your head at his flushed cheeks. “You need to stop before I wake you up by pushing you in the pond.”

“What are you doing here?” He sounded surprisingly sober.

“What are you doing here? Why are you drinking?”

“Just needed to stop thinking for a few moments,” he admitted, offering you a bottle. You took a sip and told him you weren’t going to drink more. “Boomer. Look at the moon- it’s a wonderful sight. That calls for a few drinks as we admire the sight, no?”

“Yep, you’re drunk,” you folded your arms. “What’s keeping you up at nights, Yeosang?”

He was silent for a few moments, and you almost thought he faded into unconsciousness when he mumbled something. You frowned, “What was that?”

“You,” he said, and your heart sank. “You. You keep me up at nights. You don’t let me sleep.”

“Hmm, really?” You pursed your lips, stifling your smile. “And what exactly about me?”

He glanced at you and it was your turn to get flushed- he had rarely ever looked at you that way, but whenever he did… it drove you crazy. “I wish I hadn’t met you, y/n.”

Your heart broke like never before- it was a sharp blow. You managed to ask why.

“I’m not worthy of you. I cannot be with you. But I think I want to be with you. But… you don’t want me. So I wish I hadn’t met you- at least that day in the forest. Maybe if we hadn’t become friends-”

“What are you saying?” You shook your head. “What’s this bullshit about being worthy? I’m not some prized possession you need to win.”

“Oh, but you are,” he smiled, looking down. “You’re… wonderful. You’re brilliant. I’m nothing.”

“God, if you were sober right now, you would be saying the opposite. And that’s making me confused,” you tugged at his sleeve, making him look at you. “Are you joking right now? Do you like me or something? Because I’ve been the one afraid to take that step-”

Yeosang leaned in and kissed your cheek, making you pause. He drew back slowly. “That night… I wanted to keep you all night. I wanted you so bad.”

“Yeosang,” you whispered, “You can have me. You’ve had me long ago.”

“Is that so?” He traced your hairline, tucking your hair behind your ear, and you couldn’t help but shiver. You couldn’t help but compare- Mingyu had done this so many times, yet this single action had never made you a puddle, a mess like you are now.

Yeosang continued to trace the outlines of your face. “I don’t want to let you go,” he whispered, “Are you real, or am I hallucinating? Am I too drunk?”

“I think you are drunk, but I’m real,” you managed to say, locking eyes with him.

“Even if you’re not…” he put his fingers under your chin and tilted your face up, gazing at your parted lips. You stifled a groan- his touch alone was making you go crazy.

And when he leaned in and finally pecked your lips, holding on to his shirt was all you could do to keep from falling down. As if realising you were real, he pecked your lips again, and again, until you parted your lips and kissed him back, making him cup your face and bring you closer as he kissed you like a man deprived of air, tongue colliding and swallowing each other’s moans. You had never felt like this, feeling his touch in every cell in your body, feeling the kiss as if he was caressing every part of you.

When he drew back, you rested your head against his, and you wanted more, you wanted to kiss him all night, but he dozed off and you couldn’t help but laugh. You let him rest his head on your lap, caressing his soft hair and running your fingers through them, smiling because he looked like a cat. After you almost fell asleep yourself, you decided to leave him here- he needed to face the consequences of his actions.

But the next day, when he sat in front of you teaching you about one of your ancestor’s history, you weren’t listening- just watching him with a smirk. He seemed to be annoyed at that when he shut the book and glared at you.

“What’s so funny?”

“You look like you had one too many drinks last night,” you told him. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember.”

He didn’t.

“I remember. I never forget when I drink,” he said haughtily.

“Is that so?” You made an impressed face. “Do you, perhaps, remember meeting me last night?” He frowned in confusion and you scoffed. “Maybe you shouldn’t think too highly of yourself, Yeosang.”

“You came last night? There?” He groaned loudly, hiding his face. “I hope I didn’t do something embarrassing.”

“Nothing at all,” you shook your head. “Just did this weird dance and twirled around-”

“Now that’s a lie,” he declared and you laughed.

“If you do recall the events of last night, come find me,” you winked at him, opening the book back and leaving him confused.

—-------------------

A few days had passed when the King called you in his study to have a private conversation with you. You went after having breakfast and had tea with your father, chatting about the weather and Chan’s silly pranks when he steered the topic to what he had called you for.

“I want you to participate in court matters regularly as soon as you’re ready,” he sipped on his tea- basically telling you he was going to make it public that you were his choice.

“And what does the Queen say about this?” You asked, taking the umpteenth cookie.

“What she says doesn’t matter,” he told you.

“I think it does, a little,” you began. “She’s been sending some people after me- I don’t know if she wants to simply hurt me or kill me, but she’s out for me. I thought I should tell you.”

Your father stopped mid-air, bringing his cup back to the table. “Are you sure?”

“I am,” you nodded. “I have an ally in the court, you see. He personally caught and interrogated the guard she used. She made it a bit too obvious- it was one of her personal guards. Caught in the act.”

You weren’t lying- Mingyu had done exactly that. You had been practising archery when he sent an arrow for you- and if he had hit, all suspicion would have gone to Yeosang. However, Mingyu had been following him and knocked the guard out, and by luck, you had narrowly escaped from the arrow.

“I don’t know what to do about her,” your father rubbed his eyes. “It would’ve been one thing if Chan himself was interested in the throne, but… he’s the least interested.”

“And so am I, but father… you know there’s another reason you didn’t groom Chan like you groomed me. You’re afraid of what the Queen would do to you. After all… She was royalty too, before you became your wife. She owns a lot of land, and a good majority would support her if she decided to do something about you.”

“I don’t know why I ever agreed to marry her,” he sighed.

“Doesn’t matter, but… you don’t need to do anything about what the Queen did to me. She’s been after me all my life- I’ll deal with her myself. It would be wiser if you don’t interfere. She’ll never admit she was behind it anyway.”

“I should warn her though,” he said. “You’re my daughter. I don’t want anyone hurting you. Even if she gets Chan to inherit the throne, she’ll never let you stay here.”

“There’s always going to be someone after us, father,” you pointed out. “We’ll never feel safe. That’s the price we pay.”

The two of you concluded the discussion on the terms that you’ll both confront the Queen and ask her to back off, and that both you and Chan would sit in the court matters regularly, but you would eventually inherit the throne unless Chan is interested, in which case the King or the court themselves would cast their votes. However, that time would hopefully be after a good while. You wished your father lived long and healthy so you wouldn’t have to inherit the throne so young.

After leaving, you went to the library for your lesson with Yeosang, who had been acting a bit suspiciously himself the past few days. You didn’t know if it was because he recalled what happened that night, if he even believed, or if he regretted that, but you weren’t going to bring it up. Professor Seo was arriving in three days, and each passing day was making you anxious because with each passing day, you only became sure that you wanted no one else but Yeosang by your side. For the rest of your life. If he would return the feelings- you hoped he did, because you weren’t sure you could ever love someone like you had begun to love him.

Love- you never thought you’d get to experience that. Even as friends, there was love between you two, the kind that friends had in the books you read, where they looked out for each other and knew each other’s secrets, their likes and dislikes, and such. But the line between friends and more… it was always a little blurred between you two.

You found Yeosang waiting for you not at the usual spot but at the window. He looked at you with a mischievous smile and you raised a brow. He took a deep breath. “Do you want to go to the mountains? A little trip?”

You smiled slowly. “What took you so long! I’m ready.”

It was a thing between you two- sneaking out disguised as random civilians. You borrowed one of Siyeon’s pretty dresses (she always had prettier dresses than you while you wore ugly uniforms for the court) and hid most of yourself in a cloak, walking to the foothills of the mountain which was fairly near, just a long walk that passed by in a blink because Yeosang was suddenly feeling nostalgic and told you about the time he was a kid and climbed all the way to the top of the mountain as a challenge. When you finally started to climb, Yeosang held your hand, surprising you but you let him guide you all the way up until you asked for a break.

“This is a nice spot,” Yeosang stood near the edge of the rock and peeked down. “This shall do.”

“I’m glad,” you huffed as you sat down, Yeosang joining you. “I thought my legs were going to break.”

“I think we should ditch history and start working on your stamina,” Yeosang narrowed his eyes. “Imagine someone comes after you and you give up because you got tired after running a little distance.”

“I’m sorry but no one’s going to chase me up the mountain, I can run just fine,” you said and he laughed. You drank water from your bottle and he sighed, looking up at the cloudy sky.

“I told father about the Queen, by the way,” you said after a moment. “I thought you should know so you don’t worry your ass off.”

“What makes you think I worried at all? It’s a regret the arrow didn’t strike-”

“Hey!” You smacked his arm, pouting at him. “You’re so strange, Yeosang. You say one thing and mean another.”

“Oh? And what do I mean when I say I wished the arrow had hit you?” He turned towards you, appearing very interested.

“Well, how about ‘oh, I wish I was there and could have taken the arrow for you’. Okay, I admit that was too much,” you sulked when he laughed out loud at that, very sarcastically. “You hate me, that’s fine.”

Yeosang scoffed. “You know what I would have done if I was there?” When you didn’t answer, he put a hand on yours, caressing it. “I would have shot an arrow back, not caring who it was. If it had been the Queen, the Prince or even the King… I would have shot them.”

You were about to smack him again for teasing you but when you saw how serious he was and his gaze- the same gaze you dreaded but wished to see again and again forever- it made you pause. “You’re serious?”

“I am,” he admitted. “And it scares me because I’m the type who weighs all the pros and cons before striking, as you already know.”

You scanned him for a few moments. “Do you finally remember what happened that night?”

Yeosang answered by sliding closer and capturing your lips in an eager kiss, smiling into it when you immediately responded with a surprised moan, clenching his shirt in your hands as he continued to slide closer and kissing you without a break until you two were out of breath. You locked eyes with him, laughing in disbelief. “You’re gonna tell me now that you’re sober?”

“Am I?” He made a confused face and you pushed him back, laughing again but he caught your hands in his.

“Well, Princess y/n,” he began, smiling cheekily, making you bite your lips because gosh, he was criminally handsome. A walking sculpture- Siyeon had made the right observation. “I may have developed a… liking towards you.”

“That’s it?” You frowned, pushing him away properly this time, making him laugh until he couldn’t breathe. “Come back when you’re sure.”

“Okay, okay, hear me out,” he took both your hands in his. “I don’t want to go back, y/n. If you’ll have me… I want to be yours. I love you more than I thought I did. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. I fell for you before even realising- wait, you’re not taking this seriously!”

You let out the laugh you had been stifling. “I’m just in disbelief, because I love you and I thought you hated me and made a mistake that night or something. Okay, not hated me, but didn’t like me like that or something. But you’re telling me that…”

“That I love you,” he nodded, grinning. “And I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, you don’t need to do anything, just… stay and we’ll figure out, huh? But… stay at your own risk because I will not let you go if you stay-”

He shut you up by kissing you again, this time with a force that had you arching back until you were flat against the grass. You broke apart, “You have a habit of not letting me complete my sentences.”

“You love it, don’t you?” He caressed your face and you felt knots in your stomach. “What do you want me to do, then?”

“Kiss me until I can’t speak anymore?” You suggested and he started by peppering kisses all over your face, making you giggle. Then he kissed you ever so slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, making you melt into a puddle. He earned quite a few moans with the way he kissed alone, and when he started at your neck, it was the end of you- especially when he started nibbling at your sweet spot, sucking and licking and leaving a mark that he looked at proudly.

“Tell me you’re mine,” he whispered, caressing your cheek.

“I’m yours,” you nodded. “Tell me you won’t go.”

“I’ll stay,” he promised, sealing it with another kiss.

“Even if I have to inherit the throne?” You asked.

“I’ll be honoured to be by your side then,” he kissed your forehead. “If… if you would have me.”

“Well, you’re one hell of a strategist, and an archer- you shot that arrow at my heart-”

“Come on, you can do better than that,” he shook with laughter at your cheesy line and you pouted.

“No, I can’t,” you said. “But yeah. I’d be honoured to have a mind like you beside me. And a body and a face like yours to look at for the rest of my life, because honestly, you’re hot-”

“Ah, here we go,” he shut his eyes, basking in the compliments. “Carry on.”

You scoffed. “That’s all, Yeosang dear.”

He glared at you, lying beside you. “Can I take back everything I just said?”

“Yeosang!” You turned to slap his arm, getting half on top of him and grinning at your position, letting his hands on your waist guide you up on him. You spent a good few moments admiring him before you kissed him.

“To always and forever,” you said when you broke apart.

“To always and forever,” he nodded, about to bring you in again when you interrupted.

“What are we going to do about Professor Seo? Maybe I should ask him to retire,” you pondered.

“Can you not talk about other people when you’re on top of me?” Yeosang commented and you poked your tongue in your cheek, realising exactly the position you were in- practically straddling him.

“As you wish,” you let him kiss you senseless after that.

It was sweet, and it made your heart feel alive for the first time. You wished in that moment to have a forever and always with him. You would have no one else.

And weirdly, you were glad Mingyu had called you in the forest that day. How fate had worked for you two- meeting as strangers and meeting officially in the palace, finding an unexpected friendship and love along the way. Unexpected but welcomed.

For the first time, you felt safe too, when you lay in his arms. Even though you had told your father earlier that you didn’t have the luxury of feeling safe, you decided to one day tell him that you had found your home- the person that made you feel utterly safe.

#archer yeosang enthusiasts where ya at #this one's for y'all #yeosang x reader #yeosang fluff #yeosang angst #yeosang imagines #yeosang scenarios #ateez x reader #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez imagines #ateez scenarios #kang yeosang x reader #kang yeosang fluff #kang yeosang angst #kang yeosang smut #kang yeosang imagines

816 notes · View notes

beom1e · 2 years

Text

twenty four

everything about yeonjun was infuriating to you. the way he assumed he had the right to toss other women aside simply because he was arranged to marry you, the way he didn’t care for the kingdom he was going to one day rule, and most importantly, the way he didn’t love you the way that you loved him.

pairing choi yeonjun x fem! reader

genre drama, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers, royal au, prince! yeonjun, princess! reader, set in the past (unspecified)

warnings misuse of alcohol, mature discussions, minor injuries, minor violence, a horse dies, large amounts of blood, weapons (daggers and arrows), cursing, slight misogyny, gets a bit heated but not too far, mentions of death

masterlist | next

it was funny how alcohol could change so much. everybody shows their true colours, even if they don’t want to. people cheat, love is drunkenly expressed, confidence is boosted, awful confessions are spilled, mistakes are made. you had once vowed to never let your true colours show, no matter what. it would be more harm done than good. nevertheless, you couldn’t resist an invitation to drink.

just you and the other girls in flowing nightgowns, laughter filling the room. you would sing and dance and knock empty bottles to ground as you clumsily navigated your bedroom on a loop. gossip and the never-ending ‘who is doing who’ updates would be exchanged, your favourite aspect of the night. and much like your present, all of this would be a result of a mandatory ball or dining experience. the need to free yourselves from those obligations always ended in drinking until you passed out, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

the forced smile on your lips faltered for a moment as the boy standing before you looked you up and down. if it weren’t for the required formalities, you would have taken your hand out of his own and used it to shove him far away from yourself. as a princess, though, that was merely a fantasy. you could only dream of breaking character in a room full of watchful eyes.

your father was the king, or at least one of them. the land was split into two separate kingdoms thousands of years ago, as the two families totally despised each other. in a sense, you were the juliet of the story. your mother was forever searching for peace, and convinced your father to make a deal with the rival kingdom. that deal involved you and the other family’s son, choi yeonjun. you were to be married, and the two kingdom’s would be united into one. everybody was sick of war, and you were roped into their need for peace before you had even been born. now you were the queen-to-be, and had a reputation to uphold as their peace-loving princess.

you actually hated peace. you loved bad habits, both alcohol and boys. being queen was something you dreaded, and mostly because it meant being married off to a man who couldn’t care less about you if he tried.

yeonjun was quite like you. he loved socialising in rebellious ways, although he always got away with it. to the adults, he was a prince hard at work in preparation for his throne. to your generation, he was the biggest heartbreaker of both kingdoms combined. it didn’t taint his image, in fact it only made him more desirable. a king who valued fun and freedom over ridiculous activities such as hunting and fencing, and one who everyone on the land had a chance to sleep with. watching girl after girl sob and splutter about how yeonjun broke her heart at your secret, drunken parties always gave you a sickly feeling. how could a man be so cruel? and how come you were the only woman he wasn’t interested in?

‘would you excuse us?’ yeonjun spoke. talk of the devil and he will arrive. ‘i’d like to have a word with my betrothed.’

right, this was your engagement party.

‘of course,’ the man dropped your hand, and you smiled politely before following behind yeonjun.

‘i’m not a damsel in distress,’ you reminded. ‘i don’t need you to step in every time a man so much as looks in my direction.’

‘that man was eyeing you as if you were a bag of gold,’ yeonjun stopped and turned to face you. of course, he had to do this in the middle of the ballroom. ‘he has no status, so he’s not worth tainting your image over. a queen shouldn’t be seen mingling with commoners when she’s engaged to be wed.’

‘i was making polite conversation,’ you raised your voice slightly, before catching yourself and taking a deep breath. ‘i had no intention to sleep with him. i’m not you, i don’t just take every living, breathing thing home with me.’

‘i’m friends with enough of your previous lovers to know that’s a lie, y/n,’ he held out his hand to you, bowing slightly. ‘now, may i have this dance?’

‘absolutely not,’ you scoffed, but raised your eyes to see that everybody had turned to watch you. another forced smile made its way onto your lips and you took his hand. ‘just know i’m doing this for the kingdoms, and not you.’

‘that’s my girl,’ he flirted, pulling you in closer as the band began to play a slower song. ‘now look pretty and dance for the sake of our parents.’

the laughter didn’t seem to stop. you fell back against your bed, still giggling to yourself as your best friend hid her face out of embarrassment.

‘your turn, y/n,’ another girl spoke, running across the room to deliver a freshly opened bottle of mead to you. ‘we’ve been waiting on a story about how it is to be yeonjun’s girl.’

‘well, i am definitely not yeonjun’s girl,’ you pulled yourself to sit up. ‘although, he did refer to me as such at our engagement party. still, it’s only for show. we don’t share a bedroom, we’ve never kissed, i would rather eat coal than hold his hand, and he’s already slept with half of the women in this room. the most i can say is that he’s a swell dance partner.’

‘well, i can say so too,’ another girl spoke, sending everybody into another fit of laughter. ‘and of course, i mean outside of the ballroom.’

‘yes, yes, we all got it the first time,’ your best friend looked at you with pity in her eyes. ‘i think it’s time we left y/n to sleep, she has a big day ahead of her.’

after the room was cleared of drunken girls, you locked your bedroom door and hit your head against it a few times. hiding your jealously behind humour had became a very bad habit of yours, but it was the only way you could cope. you were being forced to marry the boy you had been in love with for your entire life, and he just didn’t feel the same. it was cruel and torturous, and yet only one other person in the world knew just how much it pained you to hear of his recent hookups.

it took mere seconds for the alcohol to knock you out, but it was only a few hours later that you were being forced out of bed again. a loud knock echoed throughout the room before the door was shoved open and yeonjun stepped inside.

you gasped, sitting up and using your silk sheets to cover your almost-bare body. the only thought running through your mind was that you were sure you had locked the door, and that only palace staff had access to the key. the words were about to leave your lips before yeonjun interjected.

‘i asked for permission to wake you up this morning,’ he smirked, closing the door behind himself. ‘from your father, and from the staff. i wanted to get a feel for what i’d be getting in the morning for the rest of my existence. so far, i’m not totally appalled by you. considering the fact that you’re hardly covering yourself with those sheets, especially.’

the sound you let out in response was a mixture of a growl and a gasp. you gripped the sheets harder and tried to shuffle further into them, while yeonjun stood there looking amused.

‘get out,’ you ordered, glaring up at him. ‘we’re not yet married so you have no right coming in here without my explicit permission. my father’s permission is not enough.’

‘i only came to deliver you a hangover cure,’ he brought his hands out in front of him and presented you with an old glass bottle filled with a brown liquid. ‘the kitchen recently received the recipe for coca-cola, so i asked them for a sample.’

‘just leave it by my dressing table and get out,’ you avoided his eyes, waiting for his next move. he simply raised a brow and tilted his head. ‘thank you, yeonjun.’

‘you’re welcome, y/n,’ he smiled, crossing over the room to place down the bottle. you watched his every move like a hawk. ‘and breakfast is in an hour.’

then he was gone. the door closed behind him and you did what could only be described as a child throwing a tantrum over having to do something they didn’t want to. but there was no choice about it, obviously. the servants would arrive shortly to dress you, and then you’d be carted off to village after village in search of peace.

you slipped out of bed onto the hardwood floor and hurried towards the bottle. the throbbing headache was kicking in, and you had all the hope that this would work.

‘your highness?’ a woman’s voice called, causing you to run back towards your bed and gulp down as much of the drink as you could. ‘are you awake?’

‘yes,’ you breathed out. ‘could you give me one moment just to bathe myself alone?’

yeonjun was flipping through an old book and producing different sounds based on how far he agreed with their views. you felt like throwing your knife across the long table and hitting him right between the eyes. of course, you had no choice but to put up with his annoying habit — although you’d bet he was simply putting it on in order to annoy you — whilst many servants surrounded the two of you.

the doors swung open and your father came towards you with purpose in his stride. you placed your cutlery down beside your plate and stood, assuming he’d ask to speak with you privately. that assumption was proven wrong when he began to speak in front of everybody.

‘a maid found an unregistered bottle beside your bed,’ he fumed, filling the room with his large voice. ‘you know the rules, y/n, and breaking them won’t do you any good when you’re queen. i won’t be able to step up and explain your mistakes, and i certainly don’t expect the prince to do so.’

‘it was me, sir,’ yeonjun stood. ‘i delivered the bottle to her early this morning, it was a new recipe i wanted to share.’

your father looked down the table and over at yeonjun, the anger in his expression slowly dissipating. you smiled down at your plate, mentally thanking him for saving you.

‘from now on, register every item that goes into and comes out of your rooms,’ he spoke in a softer tone. ‘when you’re married and crowned the new royals in charge, mistakes like this won’t pass. it only takes one servant for the word to be spread, and for your image to be ruined by the rumours.’

‘yes, father,’ you bowed your head. yeonjun stayed silent, but mirrored your actions.

‘the carriage is waiting outside,’ the king continued. ‘add some layers so you don’t freeze, and be friendly to the townsfolk who came to watch your departure.’

there were minutes of silence that followed. your father’s footsteps echoed throughout the room before the large, wooden doors creaked open and then slammed closed. servants began to whisper and yeonjun seated himself with a kind smile on his lips. it was all just for show.

your mother buttoned your cape at the collar before grabbing your face and pressing a kiss to your forehead. you smiled sadly and made a silent promise between yourselves that you would keep yourself safe. only another woman would understand the dangers of travelling alone with a man, whether that man was involved with you or not.

‘the king and queen to be,’ you were introduced, followed by the doors opening and the sound of cheering filling the area. both you and yeonjun put on a smile and he offered his arm for you to hold onto as he led you down the stairs. children jumped with joy at the sight of your dress, and women fanned themselves at the sight of the man on your arm. if it weren’t for the audience, you’d be rolling your eyes already.

the carriage was cramped, as always. you never minded if it was just you and your own family members, but being forced to sit that close to yeonjun was going to make for an awful few weeks. on the seat, there was a basket of baked goods and clothing items for the villagers. you wanted to question how the next basket would be delivered, but you assumed your parents would have already thought of that.

yeonjun helped you inside and took a moment to wave everybody goodbye before he sat beside you. you scooted as far away from him as you possibly could and faced the wall.

‘we’re going to be sitting here beside each other for the next three hours,’ he reminded. ‘maybe i can offer something more interesting than the wall.’

‘i actually think the wall will offer much more intelligent conversation,’ you shot back. ‘i want a peaceful ride.’

‘sorry, your peaceful majesty,’ he mocked. ‘i had no idea you were such a genius.’

‘how dare you?’ your head whipped around to face him. ‘i would have loved to go to school. i would have loved to read and to learn, not be forced to practice crochet patterns and piano. do not mock a woman whose only purpose was to marry, because i can assure you it wasn’t my choice.’

‘i didn’t mean to offend,’ he sighed. ‘i’m sorry, truly.’

‘gosh, yeonjun,’ you scoffed in disbelief. ‘i can’t believe so many women want to sleep with you when you famously can’t go three minutes without displaying that you’re a misogynist.’

‘you think too little of me,’ he rolled his eyes. ‘i only meant to throw an insult back at you. i didn’t think about the context, only how i wanted to fight you back.’

‘this marriage will never work if you can’t respect me,’ you turned your head away. ‘i’m not asking you to love me or even to like me, but a bit of respect would be nice. i’m not a joke, i don’t need saving when another man approaches me. i have fought my own battles for my entire life, and i want you to respect that i’m my own person and not just your queen.’

‘i do respect you, y/n,’ yeonjun sighed. ‘we’ve always been this way. you take the first chance to insult me and i take a jab back at you. just because we’re going to be married doesn’t mean we have to act all grown-up from now on.’

‘but i do,’ you met his gaze. ‘a queen has to be perfect. perfectly dressed, perfectly well-spoken, perfect manners, perfect attitude and a perfect reputation. a king merely has to fulfil his duties, and the rest is his business. he can have as many mistresses as he pleases, he can drink any day of the week at any time of the day, and nobody will blink an eye.’

‘and you think i’m going to cheat on you with every woman in the kingdom?’ he laughed. ‘drink myself to death? ruin the image my father created for our family?’

‘did you not invite one of my girls to your room last night?’ you raised a brow. ‘did you not grab a sample of coca-cola for yourself as well?’

‘no, i didn’t,’ something in his expression shifted. ‘i haven’t even looked at another woman since i proposed. this marriage is for show, so there’s no way i’m going to risk being caught being disloyal and ruin the whole illusion.’

‘you’ve gotten away with it for years,’ you clicked your tongue. ‘has all the secrecy and tiptoeing around finally gotten to you?’

‘you don’t know me, y/n,’ he frowned. ‘as much as you’d like to believe you do, you don’t. family comes first for me, and now that you’re part of my family, you come first. i don’t want to risk ruining you or us, so i’m doing the right thing. i’m sorry for spending my days of freedom doing the things i wanted before i would be inevitably made king of two kingdoms.’

‘freedom?’ you rolled your eyes. ‘and what freedom will you be losing as king? i, on the other hand, now belong to you. i belong to you. i’m your wife, i’ll mother your children, i’ll greet the townspeople everyday while you make all of the important decisions, and i’ll never get to experience love.’

‘oh, please,’ he dropped his head back against the seat, closing his eyes. ‘i’m done arguing with you.’

‘because you know i’m right and i’m winning,’ you had to get the last word in. ‘because you know everything i said to be true, and you can’t deny it.’

the first thing you noticed was that it was muddy. yeonjun had dropped down from the carriage already and was holding a hand out to you, but you only stared at the ground and then back at your dress. he groaned and lifted you from the carriage into his arms, before placing you down on solid ground. the women audibly gasped and cooed at the sight.

‘thank you,’ you smiled. yeonjun left your side to reach for the basket, before placing it in your arms.

‘prince yeonjun, and princess y/n,’ the carriage driver introduced, bowing as he did so. the two of you smiled and bowed too, before the townspeople came excitedly towards you. yeonjun watched as you were practically swept off your feet and brought into the village.

the carriage was parked elsewhere. you handed out the food and clothing while yeonjun gave hefty donations to each of the market stalls. the children swarmed around you and tried to play, some of the girls reaching for your hand and asking for you to dance with them. it was a fun interaction complimented by the live band that played jolly music. for once, you enjoyed the obligation. the people loved you and were thankful for you, and that made you feel so good inside. becoming queen was something you definitely didn’t want to do, but you thought it’d be a little bit easier now that you were loved and respected by your people. well, they were currently yeonjun’s people as you were visiting around his kingdom.

‘i think the queen would like to rest now,’ a woman spoke, placing her hand on her daughter’s back to pull her away from the crowd. the rest of the children began to space out, and you looked at yeonjun for help. ‘i can take you.’

‘oh, thank you very much,’ you smiled at the woman, and began following her through the village. yeonjun caught up with you and offered his arm, you wrapped your own arm around his and held onto his bicep for support. the ground was very uneven, that was the only reason.

the sun was starting to set when you were left alone in the room you’d booked for the night. yeonjun began undressing, unclipping his cufflinks and unbuttoning his waistcoat. you choked out a sound of surprise and spun around.

‘what’s the matter, princess?’ he pried as he shrugged off the waistcoat and placed it on the bed. ‘do you want me to step outside to change and raise suspicion?’

‘you could have warned me,’ you huffed. ‘watching you strip wasn’t part of the deal.’

‘these people have to really believe we’re in love,’ he began with the excuses. ‘for all we know, they could be peeking through our window right this second. and i can guarantee they’ll all be listening out for some bed squeaking tonight.’

‘shut up, choi,’ you snapped. ‘you can’t manipulate me into sleeping with you ‘for the people’.’

‘you can’t keep using my surname against me,’ he joked. ‘it’ll be yours in a matter of months.’

‘stop,’ you were furious now. ‘you’re being mean. i’m having my name and my freedom stripped away from me by you, and you think it’s all fun and games because you get to be king. the reality will hit you hard when you figure out that ruling isn’t as easy as you think it is. and i’m not going to become your wife, i’ll be the queen who stands just as tall as you will.’

‘and how easy will that be for you?’ he pressed. ‘you hate responsibility. you love drinking until you pass out and sleeping with the men who fall at the knee in front of you as soon as they hear of your status. you’re no better than me, in fact you’ll be a worse queen than i’ll be king.’

‘if i’m no better, why do you think so highly of yourself?’ you argued, and yeonjun had already spun around to start unbuttoning his shirt. that pissed you off. you ripped out the bows in your hair and set them down, before undressing yourself down to your undergarments.

the bed was going to be yours. you stomped around and huffed as you picked up yeonjun’s neatly folded clothes and tossed them to the ground. he spun around in disbelief and his eyes widened at the sight of your barely-clad self. you got under the sheets and pulled them up over your head, leaving yeonjun half-dressed in the middle of the room. he sighed heavily and moved to blow out the lamps around the room.

‘i wish you would stop fighting me,’ he spoke softly. ‘i don’t want to spend the rest of my life fighting with you.’

the rest of his life. the rest of your life. you were going to be trapped in a marriage with no love and no affection. you’d never get to experience sleepy morning kisses or intimate nights, you wouldn’t be introduced to his friends at parties as the woman he loves, your children would never tell stories of how dearly their parents loved each other. he wouldn’t hold your hand or kiss you goodbye, he wouldn’t fix together a poorly made soup when you’re sick or hold you when you’re struggling. a loveless, cold marriage doomed for eternity.

‘excuse me,’ you rushed out of bed and through the room until you were pulling open the door and leaning against it from the other side. yeonjun took a seat at the foot of the bed and he felt his heart ache. both for you and for himself.

it was miserable. you’d never get to be happy, and neither would he. your lives were dedicated to reuniting two rival kingdoms and combining them into one. the whole point of your trip was to convince everyone of your love and help them adjust to the collaboration, not a romantic getaway to test your love. you lived to serve your parents and your people. it was either you spent everyday feeling hopeless and miserable or you sucked it up and learned to be happy in an environment not built for happiness.

you let the tears fall. it didn’t matter. you sobbed and wiped furiously at your eyes, your vision turning blurry after the amount of tears filling it.

‘why so glum, princess?’ a man’s voice, and you gasped. he placed his hand over your mouth and held your arms behind your back in an attempt to keep you quiet. ‘make a sound or scream and i’ll kill you.’

your mother had taught you what to do in this situation. he’ll kill you even if you’re quiet, so you need to kick and scream and cry for help. and when you’re free, go for the weak spots. eyes, nose, stomach, and you know where. you squirmed aggressively and freed your arms, reaching forward to grab his hand and rip it away from your mouth.

‘yeonjun!’ you cried, still flailing around in the man’s arms. he reached into his pocket and pulled out a dagger, holding it up to your throat as a warning.

‘i mean it, princess,’ he spat. ‘i was sent here to snatch you, dead or alive. your father’s stupid for trying to get us to join him, i know hundreds who won’t do it.’

‘that’s not her doing,’ yeonjun interrupted. ‘get your filthy hands off my fiancée.’

‘what are you going to do?’ the man snorted out a laugh. ‘i’ve raised chickens with more muscle than you’ve got.’

you took the distraction as a chance to elbow the man hard in the stomach. his dagger sliced across your arm as he dropped the ground, and you winced momentarily. yeonjun grabbed you but you pulled your arm back and placed your foot firmly on the man’s hand. he groaned while you reached down to slip the dagger out of his grasp. once again, yeonjun reached for you and pulled you back, but you only slipped out of his hold again and returned to the bedroom.

you grabbed your cape and fastened it over your shoulders when you heard more disturbance outside of the room. when you stepped outside, the man had grabbed yeonjun by the collar and was holding him against the wall. you looked around for a solution, and noticed a table holding a single lamp. you blew the flame out and tossed it aside, spilling wax all over the wooden floorboards. as you lifted the table, you thought that maybe the hot lamp would have been a better choice.

still, you lifted the small table above your head and used your strength to throw it towards the man. it hit him over the head, and yeonjun quickly ducked out of the way onto the ground. the man dropped silently to the ground and blood trickled out from the small wound in his head.

‘we should go,’ you breathed out, feeling the ache in your arms. not to mention the sting of the slice you’d endured from his dagger. ‘quickly before another shows up.’

‘thank you,’ he cleared his throat, his eyes full of worry. ‘y/n, you’re bleeding.’

‘don’t pity me,’ you rolled your eyes. ‘i don’t need your pity, and evidently i don’t need you to come and save me.’

‘why’d you call for me?’ that same smirk was on his lips again. the sight of it made your blood boil and your body tremble slightly with anger. ‘if you don’t need saving.’

‘you seriously need a reality check,’ your eyes narrowed. ‘i can’t wait for the day somebody finally ruins your confidence.’

the sound of a door slamming cut you off, yeonjun grabbed your uninjured arm and began dragging you down the unstable stairs. if it wasn’t for the current life or death situation, you would have fought him on his need to act a hero once again. instead, you just followed along.

outside of the inn, a few more men were waiting. yeonjun began to run, but when he noticed the arrows flying towards you, he shoved you aside and ordered you to hide. you caught yourself before you fell face first into the mud, and ran towards the stables. the bottom of your white slip dress was now dripping and drenched in mud, and you had smudges of blood ruining the upper half.

you looked for your family horse in the stables, a smile lighting up your features when you spotted her. in a struggle to unlock the gates, you noticed hurried footsteps approaching you. but much to your delight, it was only yeonjun catching up with you. no words were exchanged as he squeezed his way past you and opened the gate easily. the usual huff or groan that you’d respond with was nowhere to be found, you simply looked at him with thankful eyes as he guided your horse out.

‘you first,’ he ordered, holding a hand out for you. you nodded and climbed up onto the horse. you grabbed hold of the reins as yeonjun sat comfortably behind you. your breath hitched when you felt the warmth of his body surrounding yours, and his firm chest pressing against your back. ‘we’ll be best off going through the woods if we want to lose them.’

you nodded in agreement and pulled on the reins, sending your horse into a hurried run towards the thick woods. the men followed the sound of her hooves hitting the ground, still clutching onto their bows as arrows repeatedly zoomed past you. it was unnerving, the whipping sound of arrows and the thump as they pierced into trees all around you. yeonjun tightened his hold on you in order to calm your nerves. the woods were getting thicker and thicker, branches scratching against your bare skin and tears beginning to form.

‘i won’t let anything happen to you,’ yeonjun whispered beside your ear, but his voice was shaky and unsure. ‘i promise.’

the moment was ruined when your horse stopped and began to refuse to move. you held on tightly to the reins, despite her insisting on throwing you off.

‘over there!’ a man’s voice announced, followed by the sound of more arrows flying past.

the tears began to fall. the horse finally agreed to move, but the amount of arrows in motion was becoming dangerous. you could hardly see due to the speed, the darkness, the amount of greenery and now your tears.

‘let go of the reins, y/n,’ yeonjun wrapped his arms around you waist and pulled you flush against him. you shook your head, letting out a sob. ‘let go!’

it was an order now. the reins slipped from your grasp and yeonjun dragged you down the floor with him. you landed harshly on a mess of twigs and mud, but yeonjun took most of the fall. he coughed, having been winded. your horse began to throw a fit once again, before a pained sound that you’d never forget echoed throughout the trees.

‘no,’ you whimpered. ‘please, no!’

yeonjun couldn’t stop you. you picked yourself up and began to run towards your horse. her beautiful white fur began to turn red from the multiple injuries she sustained from the arrows. she laid motionless on her side, and you couldn’t hold back the sobbing and screaming. blood soaked through your dress and began to paint your hands and arms, and then your face when you tried to wipe away your tears.

‘we have to go, y/n!’ yeonjun grabbed you by the arms and pulled you back, but you shrugged him off and went back to stroking over your horse’s lifeless snout. ‘if we don’t leave now, we’ll both be dead!’

as irrational as you wanted to be, he was right. you felt numb as he grabbed you and pulled you to stand. you didn’t really understand what was going on, your mind was hazy. yeonjun held you behind a tree while you tried to calm down, a hand placed over your mouth to silence your cries. you only snapped out of it when you heard him wince in pain, and noticed the arrow that had just skimmed past his arm.

this time, you grabbed his hand and began running with him. you had no idea of which direction you were running in, just that you wanted to get far away from your attackers. you began to grow hopeless after running yourselves to exhaustion, when you spotted an old, small house not too far away. the coast seemed clear, so you silently agreed on the plan with yeonjun and made a run for the house.

he tried the door handle first while you scanned the area in a paranoid and erratic manner. it was stiff, but he managed to nudge the door open. he grabbed your hand and dragged you inside before slamming the door behind you.

‘close all of the curtains,’ he ordered, and you did so happily. you liked this side of him. he was assertive and put-together. ‘i’ll block all of these doors off so they have no chance of getting inside, but we have to be quiet.’

it was almost half an hour of making sure they wouldn’t be able to break in, and all you could think of was wrapping up yeonjun’s wound. that thought made you feel stupid, because you knew the slice on your arm wasn’t bothering him in the slightest. still, you began searching the cupboards for anything to wrap it up. of course, it was practically bare. but if by magic, there sat some gauze on a high shelf. you climbed up until you could reach it, as well as grabbing the only knife left behind by whoever used to reside here.

‘come here,’ you called softly. ‘we need to wrap that wound up before you bleed out.’

you pulled out a chair and took a seat at the small table. it was incredibly dark, but your eyes were adjusting enough for you to make out the objects in your hands. yeonjun pulled out the only other chair and sat close to you. he grabbed your wrist and turned your arm over.

‘and what about you?’ he sounded tired, the sound tugging at your heart. ‘you’re grieving, y/n. i’ll wrap your arm up and you’ll go to bed, and i’ll take care of myself.’

‘yeonjun, please,’ your voice broke. ‘i’m too afraid to sleep.’

he ignored your words and went straight to wrapping your arm up in the gauze. when he got to the end, he held the material between his teeth and sawed away at it with the knife. then he tied it into a dainty bow, making sure to keep it pretty as he felt you deserved.

‘now—’ he tried to speak, but you cut him off immediately.

‘i’m not tired,’ you reminded. ‘let me do the same for you.’

yeonjun didn’t want to fight. he’d lost all desire to rile you up. he’d seen a new side of you, and his opinion was starting to change. you weren’t heartless, you cared so much about everybody and everything. he’d seen you break down over a horse you’d loved throughout your childhood, you saved his life, and you were begging for him to let you help him.

he didn’t see you as a person, that was his problem. as children, you were an annoying little girl who always wanted to be in his space. as teens, you were rude and could never see eye-to-eye with him. and as adults, you made it as clear as possible that you wanted nothing to do with him. it was rejection after rejection. you’d glare and roll your eyes, scoff and groan every time he spoke. he wasn’t invited to join you and your friends, he only ever saw you at formal events. you were cold towards any man in your path, including close friends of his that he’d grown up with. all of this just painted you as a dark, looming presence in his life. you always had something sarcastic to say, you snapped and broke character easily around him, you always had the perfect insult to throw his way and you wouldn’t dream of viewing him in any way other than the opinion you’d created of him in your mind.

you wrapped the fabric tightly around his arm, and he tensed his arm in pain. he looked down to meet your concerned gaze and he relaxed again, but he was hoping you hadn’t noticed.

‘you’re so full of surprises, princess,’ he whispered.

‘what’s that supposed to mean?’ expecting an insult, you pulled tightly on the bandage again. yeonjun grunted in pain, and you felt your body heat up.

‘perfect self defence, stamina for running, you can control a horse, you’re strong, and you know how to wrap gauze,’ he smiled, ignoring that you were totally taking everything he said the wrong way. ‘i was thinking you were just a girl dressed in bows and lace, dreaming of owning a castle.’

‘well, you don’t know me very well,’ you tied off the end of gauze, your hand lingering on the sleeve of his shirt for a little too long. your eyes dropped to the area of his chest visible due to the first few buttons being left undone. you guessed he didn’t find time to fix himself in between all the running and trying not to die. ‘i never wanted to be queen. i love bows and lace, but the new castle will be too lonely and too large.’

‘you have a point,’ he agreed. ‘it was built way too far away from the centre of the kingdom. and what will they do with the two empty castles?’

‘don’t you mean, what will we do?’ you sighed and stood up, placing the knife down onto the table and approaching the bed. ‘don’t you wonder who used to live here? and how come they left all of this behind?’

‘all of what?’ yeonjun followed you, stopping in front of you. you were only inches apart, but he stood taller than you. ‘it was poorly built, it’s cold, and it’s in the middle of nowhere.’

‘it’s quaint and beautiful,’ you whispered, realising there was no need to speak when you were this close. ‘much less lonely than a large castle with too many rooms to count.’

yeonjun grabbed your hand, interlocking your fingers. the both of you watched your hands before locking gazes.

‘what would you do?’ he whispered back. ‘with the castles.’

‘schools,’ you felt your body forcing you to step closer to him. ‘education for everyone, no matter their status. every girl—’

his lips pressed against yours. only for a moment, and it was the lightest touch, but it made you feel warm inside. when your lips parted, he was still only inches away from you. he dropped your hand and placed one hand in your hair in order to pull you in again. you moaned into his mouth and let yourself melt into the kiss.

‘i’m sorry,’ you pulled away, eyes closed and lips pursed. ‘i’m so sorry, i don’t know what came over me.’

‘why are you sorry?’ he leaned to place his forehead against yours, his eyes also falling shut. ‘it’s just you and me, princess… it’s just you and me for the rest of our lives.’

yeonjun didn’t sleep. you’d passed out with your head on his chest hours ago, and he laid thinking about you and the kiss you’d shared. never in a million years did he think he would fall in love with you, but now he was realising he just wasn’t allowing himself to fall. why did it bother him that you paid him no mind? and why did he enjoy poking and prodding at your nerves until you inevitably snapped? because he wanted to be something more to you.

the sun shone intensely through the gaps in the curtains. you whined and buried your face into yeonjun’s chest without realising what exactly you were doing. he lifted his hand and held it over your eyes, protecting you from the sun. he wanted you to keep sleeping, he wanted to keep thinking, he wanted to stay in this small space alone with you forever.

alas, your eyes opened and you were met with yeonjun looking down at you. immediately, you sat up and apologised. he just smiled and stretched his arms above his head, making his shirt ride up above his hips.

‘you look terrible,’ you commented. ‘you’re covered in blood.’

‘i could say the same for you, princess,’ he gave you a lopsided, half smile. ‘your mother is going to hate me.’

‘my mother loves you,’ you laughed shortly. ‘you could set a village alight and she would still defend you.’

‘we should set off to get home before nightfall,’ he suggested. ‘i’d rather deal with our parents now rather after two nights of us fighting for our lives.’

the walk home took several hours. it was easier once you’d made it onto the path, and once yeonjun had insisted on holding your hand so that you wouldn’t fall behind. walking into the castle grounds was terrifying, the stall keepers whispered amongst themselves and mothers covered their children’s eyes. who could blame them? the future king and queen were walking hand-in-hand, covered in blood and in clothing that had been ripped and stained black and brown. not to mention that you were both barely clothed, having had to flee from the inn mid-preparation for bed.

word spread like wildfire and your mother came running out of the castle to see if it was true. she pulled you away from yeonjun and into her arms, checking you for injury. then she ushered the both of you inside as quickly as possible.

you were taken away by servants to be bathed, treated and dressed in appropriate clothing. for the next few hours, all you could think about yeonjun. the way his lips felt, the way his fingertips rubbed against your scalp to send you to sleep, his warm hand in yours, the skin showing beneath his shirt, the way his gaze now softened whenever he looked at you. it made you feel giddy and childlike, and you were kind of thankful for the men who’d tried to hunt you down.

yeonjun didn’t seem to be around. he wasn’t seated at the table for meals, you didn’t see him walking around the castle, and you hadn’t heard anyone else mention his name. a part of you wondered if it had all been a dream.

that was, until nightfall.

the shock of everything you had experienced and the pain you felt every time you relived the memory of your horse being shot down had kept you inside. not just inside the castle, but inside of your room. so when it came to the night, you were finally free to walk around the castle.

you peeked through your door before opening it fully, and began walking towards the servant’s entrance into the kitchen. it was no longer mandatory for use, per your mother’s request, but you loved how quickly it took you into the kitchen. you stepped down the steep staircase and pushed open the door at the bottom, only to be met with a figure standing by the sink. they turned back at the disturbance and you realised that, in all his glory, it was yeonjun.

‘y/n,’ he practically sighed. it was obvious, even under the candlelight, that he was tired. he’d had no chance to sleep, not that you knew it yet, and was too shaken up to do so even if he’d had the chance. ‘i didn’t mean to disappear on you.’

‘i’m not upset, yeonjun,’ he loved the way you said his name when it wasn’t coming out as a snarl or mid-insult. ‘i was worried about, if i’m being honest.’

‘i had to talk with our fathers,’ he placed his cup down. ‘they’re going to put in a new law surrounding treason.’

‘and that is?’ you came towards him, stopping just a few feet away from him.

‘punishment of death,’ he sighed. ‘i don’t have hope.’

‘that’s awful,’ you agreed. ‘but we don’t have much choice, do we? it’ll either do well to scare them off, or we’ll be sentencing hundreds of men to their deaths.’

‘i’m worried that it won’t work,’ he admitted. ‘that they’ll come back for you and you won’t make it out alive this time. then does it really matter if they’re killed for their crime?’

‘we’re protected here,’ you reassured. ‘the world won’t take me away that soon, i’m not done bothering you yet.’

yeonjun couldn’t take it anymore, he’d been going crazy thinking about you all day. he placed his hands on either side of you and kissed you hard to try and portray at least some of the emotion he felt towards you. you wrapped your arms around his neck and reciprocated the kiss, no longer feeling the need to apologise for wanting to be this close to him.

‘and i’m not done loving you yet,’ he mumbled between kisses, making you pull back with a smile.

‘don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with me over the past twenty four hours,’ you smirked. yeonjun felt his heart skip a beat at this new flirty side of you.

he didn’t feel the need to answer, it was obvious that you were right about his feelings. he lifted your chin and placed another tender kiss to your lips. finally, for the first time, you actually felt at peace, and you didn’t feel like disrupting it.

#tomorrow x together #txt #txt x reader #choi yeonjun #yeonjun #choi yeonjun oneshot #choi yeonjun angst #choi yeonjun au #choi yeonjun fluff #yeonjun oneshot #yeonjun angst #yeonjun au #yeonjun fluff #txt oneshot #txt angst #txt au #txt fluff

223 notes · View notes

kateofthecanals · 4 months

Text

A Little Ditty About Jack and bi-Anne...

Welp, it's been nearly a decade since I discovered my last big ship hyperfixation -- shoutout to my aunt for texting my mom and me and telling us we HAVE to watch "Black Sails" on Netflix. So we did and WHOOPS, new OTP! And of course, as always with my OTPs, it's a ship that comes with some controversy. It just wouldn't be a ship of mine if there weren't some other, annoying competing ship that I constantly have to side-step in fandom spaces like a freaking minefield. What sets this one apart from those other ships, though, is the not insignificant number of posts I see from people claiming to be JackAnne shippers but who say things like "I love them they're just such good friends!" or calling them "platonic" or closing their eyes to ANY romantic aspects of their relationship. To which I have to say... well, A LOT.

For starters, I need to point out a very telling moment from the very first episode of the series. Jack and Anne are hanging out at the inn on Nassau when Max slinks over and sits on Jack's lap. Anne immediately reacts out of jealousy, rising from her seat and grabbing for her daggers, but Jack holds her off. (Max is not soliciting Jack for sex; she is trying to sell him the schedule that John Silver stole.) This seems to make it very clear that one of both of them considers themselves an exclusive couple. Apparently, Jack is not even allowed to partake in meaningless sex with the many prostitutes that populate the island! But that seems just fine with him, because, throughout the entire 4 seasons of this series, we never once see him even come close to hooking up with someone else. Like, he does not even entertain the notion. Even when he and Anne are on a "break" at the beginning of Season 3 when she is shacking up with Max, Jack has every opportunity to find himself another lover too, but he doesn't. The closest he gets is employing a prostitute to play cello for him while he takes a shit, lol. We later learn that Anne met Jack when she was 13; she's about 25 or so during the show, so they have been together for at least a decade (when they actually became lovers, though, is not clear). So, the fact that they are apparently in some form of a long-term monogamous relationship at the start of the series is a very important detail to keep in mind.

Now, my hot take (which I'll probably get hate mail for) is that Anne either (a) had always been openly attracted to women but never bothered to act on it out of her duty & loyalty to Jack, or (b) wasn't particularly interested in women at all prior to Max. Either way, I do not think Anne was "repressed" or anything and needed Max to, like, coax it out of her, because I don't think it was about that at all. It is clear that Max's particular gift of persuasion and seduction, coupled with their shared trauma and Anne's increasing need for intimacy and connection (which she was obviously lacking with Jack) is what led to their affair.

It's essential to look at Anne's arc through the lens of her backstory in order to properly contextualize it. She was a child bride, physically and sexually abused, with no real power until Jack gave it to her by killing her husband. (Note how she knows how to properly and gently administer the anti-pregnancy treatment to Max -- something she no doubt learned to do during her marriage.) It perfectly explains why Anne was so upset by Max's treatment on the beach and her willingness to go to such extreme lengths to free her. Even Jack -- who Anne insists would have backed her up even if he had known about it -- does not quite understand the effect the situation had on Anne. He outright says this, but is also still a bit dismissive of it. In fact, we frequently see Jack be quite insensitive toward Anne's feelings throughout Season 1. (Though, tbf, Anne herself is a bit inconsistent here -- she admonishes Jack for calling Max "the whore" but she herself refers to her as much... even after they started sleeping together!)

And this kicks off an increasing pattern of Jack seemingly becoming more and more dismissive of Anne on the whole. He stops including in her plans, and he is unable to remain aroused while having sex with Anne. She's angry, frustrated, and feeling unseen. Then there is Max, who is aggressively pursuing her. (There is a conversation to be had about the optics of Max's constant disrespecting of Anne's wishes to be left the fuck alone if she were a man but we won't go there now...) She not only offers Anne fulfilling sex but also something else that has been missing in her life -- intimacy. It's worth noting here that every sexual encounter between Jack and Anne that's on-camera is initiated by Anne. (Yes, even the tied-to-the-bed one, because she's topping and she's frustrated by his lack of interest, so it was most likely her idea.) This isn't someone who's, like, just laying back and thinking of England out of some sense of duty, like she probably did with her husband and his friends. She has an appetite and Jack is a willing participant. However, despite their love for and devotion to each other, it apparently kind of stops there. So it's no surprise that Anne finally gives in to Max. But when she finally does show up to Max's door, she looks like this:

This is not the face of someone who's anxious to start an affair. This is not the face of someone anticipating some world-changing discovery about herself. This is a face of... shame. This is the face of someone who knows they are about to betray someone else. Tbh if someone showed up to my door for a booty call looking like that, I'd tell them to just go back home.

But to Anne's surprise, Jack is... well, not exactly okay with it, but he accepts it, because it's clearly something Anne needs -- an itch she needs to scratch, as he puts it. And he's willing to give her that space rather than lose her completely. (Though Anne probably has mixed feelings about this too -- on the one hand relieved that Jack is accepting of it, but also partly wishing he would fight a little harder for her, that he didn't fly into a jealous rage... We all wanna be fought for, right?)

So Max opens up this whole new world for Anne, one where fucking can be something MORE. And whattyaknow, she wants to share this with Jack! Just because she is with Max doesn't mean she still doesn't want to be with Jack too. She could not be any more clear (save for actually SAYING so) that she wants to share this intimacy with him. The point is even driven home after their first threesome, when it's with JACK that she is doing her post-coital cuddling. Like DUDE she is trying to tell you something, PAY ATTENTION!

Just a coupla bros snuggling after sex ☺️

Meanwhile, Max is coming to the very swift conclusion that she will never truly have Anne all to herself, so she tries to further drive a wedge between them by initiating a little "moment" with Jack during another one of their trysts. This after Anne had told Jack that she's aware Max is probably playing her, so she needs Jack close by to make sure Max does not succeed in driving a wedge between them.

Anne: "I need you to watch my back in there, Jack."

Jack: "SAY LESS."

The ultimate wingman 👍

We also see Jack putting 2 and 2 together when he hears Max explaining to Idelle the difference between fucking and seducing (though he doesn't seem to take this hint for HIMSELF... sigh). So now another strike against Jack -- actually engaging with Max while in bed with her and Anne.

The NERVE!!!

Then comes the straw that breaks the camel's back... the ultimate betrayal. When Jack's new crew gives him an ultimatum between Anne and Max, he chooses Max (for business and financial reasons). This sends Anne into a spiral. She even tries to join another crew but they tell her that if even Jack Rackham doesn't want her any more, why would they? She then has a full-on mental breakdown. She murders two innocent people (one of which is a member of Captain Flint's crew) and instead of trying to flee, she stays at the scene of he crime and waits to be discovered, and face the inevitable consequence -- her own death. Luckily, Max finds her and tries to help her, and it's here that we (and Max) learn Anne's backstory. Anne laments that she doesn't know who she is without Jack and wonders who she could have been if they had never met, if she could have found a way to save herself instead. Then Max gives her an oversized dress to wear and Anne basically reverts to her previous self before she met Jack -- a scared little girl silently following a strange man into the bedroom. Freaking heartbreaking!!!

But Max affords Anne an opportunity to exist and operate outside of Jack by giving her a little spy assignment in another port. It's the longest period of time and furthest she has ever been separated from Jack and it gives her time to put things in perspective. She even at one point considers just taking off on her own somewhere entirely. But ultimately she decides to return to Nassau and to Jack, telling him that it was an impossible choice he was given. The way his eyes are all glassy and his voice cracks when they are reunited UGH....

He wants SO BAD to hear Anne say that she came back to be with him (and possibly make it official?) and even presses her about it the next day. Thus comes Anne's infamous "I can't be your wife" line, which always makes me 🤨 because uhhhhh you WERE his wife, gurl lmao. But in the context of everything that just happened, it makes sense -- she wants/needs an identity outside of Jack. However she still wants to be by his side until the day they die. Kind of the king of mixed messages there...

The tear!!! 😭

Following this, Anne enters her "Have Your Cake and Eat It Too" Era. She wants to continue her affair with Max, but she also wants to keep Jack near… ish. After returning to Nassau, she even moves out of Jack's room and into Max's(!!?). The threesome is over. She completely takes for granted that Jack will just always be there when or if things go sideways with Max (and lbr she’s right; he would 100% take her back no questions asked.) Jack complains that he barely even sees Anne anymore but he just has to suck it up and take it, even when it's being constantly rubbed in his face. Even so, it's never far from Max's mind that eventually Anne is going to have to choose between her and Jack and she will inevitably be left out in the cold. She even tells Jack this, even though he has his doubts. Anne resists the idea of breaking things off, but Max soon convinces her that they might as well call it sooner rather than later. And after all that initial hemmin' and hawin' and whimperin', Anne moves on pretty quick. Jack left her out of ONE sailing expedition and she became SUICIDAL, but she breaks up with Max, whom she is supposedly in love with, and she's sad for like a day, lol. Just sayin...

So now Jack and Anne are officially back together and making a clean break from Nassau to start a new life somewhere else with their cache of jewels. But of course, Jack being Jack, he's like "on second thought nah Imma go back get myself a pardon so I don't have to change my name brb!" He's obviously arrested immediately, setting off a whole insane chain of events that the entire rest of the series hinges on. (istg Jack is the Peter Quill of "Black Sails" lmao)

Now here is when Anne's declaration about not being Jack's "wife" enters shaky ground. This is also a good time to address the term "partner". This is a word bandied about and bounced around between several characters and dynamics throughout the course of the series, usually in reference to a financial or business alliance. Jack and Anne are frequently referred to as partners too, but when it comes to them, the term takes on a whole other more nuanced and deeper (and some might even say co-dependent) meaning. They are partners in every conceivable sense of the word -- they are partners in piracy, they are partners in companionship, they are partners in the bedroom, and they are partners in life. What is Jack's is also Anne's and vice versa. Any conversation about their futures is always intertwined with each other. After being captured by Woodes Rogers, Jack basically refers to Anne as his "wife" when positing a hypothetical scenario to Rogers in which their predicaments are switched. Meanwhile, Anne tells Flint that, in their plan to rescue Jack and recover the cache, Jack means more than the money or Flint's war, because "what I got to lose ain't so easy to recover from." So, you know, she can sit there and SAY she can't be his wife, but lbr.... SHE IS.

This point is driven home when she discovers Jack still alive in the wreckage of the carriage, she scrambles breathlessly inside, grabs him, and plants the biggest damn kiss on his lips. Yeaaahhhh Max WHOMST? ;-)

Just a coupla bros high-fiving… with their mouths ☺️👊

Now, it’s conceivable, though perhaps unlikely, that this is the first time Jack’s ever had a real brush with death, or the first time Anne has faced such a situation. Either way, things seemed to have changed from this point on. Because this is the first time we've seen them kiss! Again, unlikely they've never kissed before but this is the first time WE have seen it, so it must be significant... right?

So what changed? My best guess is that, with Max now out of the picture - and she having lied to Anne's face about Jack being tortured while under arrest to manipulate her into giving up the cache - and with their futures currently on extremely shaky ground now that Nassau has been taken over by Woodes Rogers, Jack is really the only stable thing in her life at this point. No matter what else happens in the world, they at least have each other, and that is the one thing she knows she can count on. And having faced the very real possibility of his imminent death (either by the noose in Port Royal or in the carriage crash), Anne is realizing that he is her world, and she is determined to hold onto that for dear life.

Soon the roles are reversed, when Jack and Anne are captured by Rogers while fighting on Blackbeard's crew. After brutally keelhauling Blackbeard, the rest of the crew are chained up in the hold and Jack forced to choose crewmembers to fight one of Rogers's thugs. One by one, the crewmen are picked off, until Anne convinces Jack to let them take her next, which he is obviously NOT about but reluctantly agrees. Indeed, she gets absolutely pummeled, and she severely injures her hands while attacking the thug with broken glass shards. She's able to get a hold of the keys and toss to the crewmen to break free, and they subdue/murder Rogers's thugs. But Anne is severely, almost fatally, injured. Jack cares for her as best he can with their meager resources on the ship.

Here, have a Renaissance painting.

When they get back to Nassau, Max confronts Jack and tells him that the best way to defeat Rogers is by going to Philadelphia and appealing to the now-dead Eleanor Guthrie's grandfather for help. Jack agrees to the plan, and even invites Max to come with him. Which made me wanna pull my hair about because DUDE, you JUST got Anne back to yourself and were THIS CLOSE to leaving Max completely behind y'all and now you want to reintroduce her into Anne's space again?? Either he's feeling super secure or he's an idiot. (Since it's Jack, I'm opting for the latter...)

As expected, the first thing Max wants to do when she gets on the ship is see Anne, which Jack allows (duuuuuude!!!!). Luckily, Anne tells her to get the fuck out, and AS ALWAYS, Max initially refuses. But Anne insists so she finally leaves. The next time Jack goes to tend to Anne, all of her mixed emotions are stirred up again, which is honestly the last thing she needs. Jack confirms that he told Max to not visit her again and says "You can murder her another day." Which confirms for me that he really does think he's sitting pretty with Anne now, because it seemed clear to me that that was not what Anne was thinking at all. She just didn't wanna deal with it.

So they get to Philly, and poor tropical-blooded Jack is completely ill-prepared for northern weather. He tells Max to stay on the ship because he's pretty sure she will double-cross him and serve him up on a platter for prosecution at the first opportunity. When Jack finally gets in to see Grandpa Guthrie (but not before telling Featherstone to find a proper doctor in the city to tend to Anne), he blows Jack off, but his wife takes him aside and presents herself as the real brains behind the operation and is intrigued by the proposal. So, new plan: Jack brings Max to the followup meeting hoping to appeal to Granny Guthrie's feminist ideals or whatever. It seems to work, and Granny agrees to the plan, but with one caveat -- she wants Flint dead, and she wants Jack to pull the trigger.

Soooo at this point, I'm pretty much convinced this is a death sentence for Jack, because, well, Flint is the main character, there's no way that, if Flint does die, it's gonna be at Jack's hands. Jack seems to be feeling the same way, as he returns to the ship as if condemned. Anne, who is now up and about (and looking very Virgin Mary-esque), greets him on the deck where he tells her what he has to do. She doesn't seem to doubt that he can accomplish it -- she is more worried about how he will be able to live with himself after. But he reminds her of why he is doing any of it in the first place -- for them. He prepares to leave, and they share the sweetest frickin' kiss in the history of mankind.

Just a coupla bros sharing a tender kiss

When I first saw this, I was nearly sobbing, because I was convinced this was the last time they would see each other. Jack may have thought so too, even if Anne didn't.

So Jack sets off to his fool's errand, leaving the door wide open for Max to turn Anne's head again. In the meantime, Anne, for some reason, enlisted Idelle to find her a list of other ships leaving Philly, because Anne intends on just peacing out, even though, as she tells Idelle, she's sure Jack will return. Sooooo, what, then Jack gets back, and she would just be gone?? Kind of a dick move! I have no idea why Anne was wanting to leave. There's a moment preceding Idelle's entrance where Anne attempts to slice a piece of bread but her injured hands won't work -- does she want to leave because she feels she would be useless now or something? That she would be some sort of hinderance to Jack? That she doesn't want to have to rely on him any more than she already does if it turns out she has lost some if not all of the use of her hands? And that she wants to leave while he's out to sea so that he doesn't have the chance to talk her out of it when he gets back? That is honestly all I can think of.

At any rate, Idelle then jumps into this whole dumb speech about how amazing and wonderful Max is, and how she wants to share all her successes and spoils with Anne. It's fucking annoying but LOOK, it seems to have kept Anne from getting on a boat and leaving Philly, so fine, whatever.

Meanwhile, Max has another meeting with Granny Guthrie, who has another caveat, this time for Max -- she wants her to marry the man she has picked out to be Nassau's next governor. It would be a completely political marriage, in name only. Max refuses. Why? Because it might interfere with her chances of getting back together with Anne.

CUE ALLLLLL THE EYE ROLLS.

Like GURL, did you not hear her?? She said SHAM MARRIAGE. Meaning, do whatever the fuck you want behind closed doors. Now, call me crazy, but I would have thought that Max would refuse this arrangement because, you know, she comes from slave culture where white men took advantage of brown girls in this way all the time? Max herself even gives this big speech at one point about how she had to sit back and watch the master of the plantation where she was a slave, who was her father, play with and dote on his other (white) daughter. You'd think THIS would have played a bigger role in her decision. But no. She's just really concerned about the minor possibility that she and Anne will hook up again. (Even Anne doesn't see an issue with the marriage proposal.) So, Max whimpers and whines all this to Anne, who doesn't say anything but holds out her hand to Max. Which was nice and all, but it really doesn't tell us much about Anne's intentions here. But it seems like Anne is indicating that she forgives Max for lying to her and that she at least is willing to be friends again.

Meanwhile, Jack finally reaches Skeleton Island, but instead of killing Flint, he rescues him, and together they decide to engage Rogers in one final battle. Indeed, they end up double-teaming him and defeating him and his crew. Jack refuses to kill him, though, deciding that getting Granny Guthrie to purchase and then default on Rogers's debts will be a fate worse than death for him.

And so, Jack returns to Philly, and Anne is right there to greet him, running through the busy streets and right into his waiting arms.

Just a coupla bros hugging it out.

The moment is slightly ruined, though, when Max comes out and stands watching from a distance with a pouty look on her face. Jack catches her eye and suddenly looks... guilty? For WHAT?? For having the love of his life wrapped out him like a shroud cuz she's so freaking happy to see him again?? GO AWAYYYY.

Anyway, this is the last time we even see Anne and Max in the same space together. The series, and the story of Jack and Anne, wraps up when we see Jack back in Nassau, now out of English hands again and being governed by Featherstone -- but with Max the true power behind the throne -- insisting to a young recruit named "Mark" Read that piracy no longer exists in Nassau but okayitkindadoesbutshhhh. He invites "Mark" onto his ship, where "Mark" is introduced to Anne, who clocks “him” immediately (of course it's Mary Read, y'all!). She and Jack then take stock of the new and improved flag for their ship, which turns out to be the now infamous and iconic skull-and-crossed-swords emblem we all now associate with pirate ships. Cue credits! The End!

So, WHEW, Jack and Anne both made it out of this series alive, which honestly I didn't see coming. AND they ended up together again, as they should be. Of course, it's kind of bittersweet, because if you know anything about the real Jack and Anne, you know that the introduction of Mark/Mary Read means the beginning of the end for them. Still, the series ends on a perfect note, and you cannot convince me that, after everything we saw just in Season 4 alone, that these two won't rekindle their romance at some point -- if they haven't already. Because they just aren't the same people that they were when the series started, and their relationship is on a different footing now too. And even if Anne does decide to restart things with Max, or anyone else for that matter, the fact is, that person will never have all of Anne. It was always be Anne and Jack; they are a package deal. I'm not talking about a throuple situation here (even when Anne was sleeping with both Max and Jack, it was never an actual threesome, because Jack and Max didn't really like or trust each other); I mean that that 3rd person is always going to have the knowledge looming over them that Jack is #1 in Anne's life. Even Max knew this, and she decidedly not to delay the inevitable by breaking things off with Anne prematurely ("you can't fire me, I quit!"). And that's how it will always be.

#black sails #jack rackham #anne bonny #jackanne #sorry i have a lot of THOTS #hope i didn't forget anything.... ;-P

17 notes · View notes