#he gets waited on hand and foot by fancy butlers

[unexpectedbrickattack]

Absolutely adore your little comic with Pepperman. He's one of my favorite characters and I feel like people always characterize him as some intentionally hateful person. He just lacks a filter and comes across as annoying! He's so special to me as someone who struggles from the same unfiltered habit.

Fun fact: Mcpig mentioned a while back that the only reason Pepperman and Peppino aren't friends post-game is because Pepperman struggles to enter the pizzeria due to his massive size. Poor guy :')

This is 🥺💖 I think it is a very fitting personality trait. Its that thing about weaknesses in a character being seen as a strength and vice versa (when ur making ur own characters and getting stuck on fleshing them out). Like he is clearly shown as someone who is self absorbed; obsessed with his own appearance, and can easily be dispatched when seeing even a glimpse of his own visage.

But like on the flipside, that can be seen as a positive by deciding its Not him being obsessed with himself, but rather, him being obsessed w beautiful and wondrous things. Things that get his heart racing and make his artistic drive flare. Shamelessly in love with his own beauty is ALSO him being shamelessly in love with anything that is beautiful. No filter! He just says what he says! And like I do think he would be a bit of an ass and a bully bc I think of him and the noise as spoiledt brats who are just used to getting their way. But i like the idea of Pepperman knowing when hes met his match. Since he cant fight and pay his way to get Peppino to do what he wants, he will try more unorthodox methods. Like. Beg. He is just lucky Peppino is completely disarmed when being praised, bc otherwise baring his wants and still being rejected would probably obliterate his ego 😭

[livingmybestfakelife]

“How was dinner darling? Delicious right?”

“Yes Jack, it was perfect, the chef you hired for tonight is quite talented”

“I’m glad you like Monsieur Jacques because tonight was just a trial run, since you approve he will now be our permanent personal chef, him along with his staff”

“…Jack, are you serious? You’re hiring a personal chef?”

“Of course, we already have a maid and a butler, a driver-“

“Can we afford extra staff?”

He sighs before standing up, taking his foot rest with him to sit on it front of you, after dinner you both had made your way to the nearby living room where you were served a cup of honeyed and lemon tea and Jack smoked his usual after dinner cigar, he rubs your still sore and slightly swollen ankles, all from a long day at work.

“I thought I told you that you can quit that job at the boutique sweetheart, that I’m taking care of you now”

“I know baby, I just feel lazy if I don’t”

“You are far from lazy my love, you’ve been working ever since you were fifteen, it’s time to finally rest”

You moan at the way he’s soothing your feet and ankles that you’ve been on all day, you might just ask your maid to fill up a bucket of warm water to soak your feet before going to bed.

“Okay, if that’s what you feel, then I’m willing to compromise”

“That’s my good girl, women shouldn’t be doing all that hard work anyhow, men, we’re built to work our fingers to the bone, but the rest of you are too delicate for that, especially you babydoll, you need not to scrub and iron no more clothes, make anyone else’s bed, wash anymore dishes, you’re gonna relax you hear me?”

“Yes honey I hear you”

He pecks your lips and walks back towards the kitchen, telling you that he’ll be right back, and while you wait you look at the photos sitting on top of the fireplace mantle, your wedding photo in the middle along with one’s of you as an infant and another of Jack when he was seventeen on both sides of it. You smile at them and get lost in some memories of your wedding day when you’re snapped out of it by his heavy footsteps walking back into the room and towards you, in his hand is a box of chocolates.

“Here you go babydoll”

“Jack, it’s the…”

“The same brand of chocolate that your mama always wanted to but couldn’t get”

Back when your mother and father were newly weds they had barely had two coins to rub together, both of them coming from working class backgrounds and something like a fancy brand of sweets was obviously something that their little bit of hard earned money couldn’t go towards, but that was one of the things that your dad wanted to give her. While on a train ride one day, a man with a refreshments cart made his way down to the third class cabin’s, when asked if they would like anything to snack on or drink, the only thing your father could afford to purchase was a cup of coffee for himself, a glass of milk for your mother and a slice of one of the cheaper and blandest cakes to share, he knew that she was eyeing a box of a expensive brand of chocolates near the top of the cart, but she chose the cheaper option because he couldn’t afford anything more than that.

But the thing was, he would’ve been willing to spend his last bit of cash to get it for her, it would be the most fancy thing he’s always wanted to gift her with, but he didn’t have it like that, and the last thing she wanted to do was to make him feel worst than he already did, so she did her hardest to look more interested in a simple glass of milk and slice of barely sweet slice of cake to save him the embarrassment.

“Oh Jack”

“Your father made me swear to never make you feel how your mother felt that day on the train, even if it’s something as simple as candy, it doesn’t matter what, you will always be provided for”

He opens the box for you and leans it down to your level to take one out, it tasted like heaven, you could tell that it was made with the finest ingredients, that no wonder it was so pricey, he grinned at the way your face lit up and leaned down to kiss your cheek.

“This is your life now baby, you’re gonna have to get used to it”

“Fine by me my darling”

[weelittleweasley]

masquerade (d.m.)

prompt as requested by anon: draco malfoy was your rival in slytherin house. both of you ambitious, bold, and daring. as one of the few pureblood slytherin families left, you promised yourself that you would continue your lineage, but not with scum like malfoy. instead, you would meet a suitor at the annual masquerade ball hosted by the malfoys each year. but what if your prospective suitor is someone you didn’t expect...

pairing: draco malfoy x fem! pureblood slytherin reader

warnings: language

word count: 8.7k

author’s note: let’s say this takes place around 7th year (no voldy) right after the reader’s 18th birthday. also--i took the liberty of naming the reader’s parents just for sake of making things less confusing. 

you guys...would you want a second part to this? i may have an idea for a sequel? depends on how you all like it, but this...kinda went hard ngl

here is a playlist that i found on spotify that works well with the fic! credits to owner! 

Rivalry; nothing like it. It gave you a reason to work harder, faster, and stronger than your rival. You were taught at a very young age that you should never surrender to someone who tries to make you feel inferior. And you took that to heart throughout your time at Hogwarts. You fought wisely with your charisma and charm, earning you the highest marks at school. You were a prefect, one of the top five students in your graduating class, and you were already making plans for your future. 

But that didn’t mean that there weren’t any challenges in your way. Many obstacles stood in your path of achieving greatness. One of those obstacles named Draco Malfoy. The two of you came from pureblood Slytherin families who had been fighting for power that dated back hundreds of years. That only meant that when you both entered Hogwarts in the same year, you had a rival to beat. But Draco wasn’t stupid. He knew how to keep up with you, sometimes surpassing you. Draco was also a prefect alongside you, one place higher than you in your class ranking, and not to mention, Professor Snape’s favorite student.

It drove you ballistic that no matter what you did, you couldn’t outsmart Malfoy. He was always one step ahead of you. He anticipated your every move as if he had studied you for years. But you had something on your side that Draco didn’t expect; divine feminine energy.

You would never fall for Malfoy, not in a million years. But that was exactly the point. Use what you have that Draco wants to your advantage. Your mother always told you that women had the energy of a thousand suns in their eyes and could burn anyone they wanted with just a stare. So that’s exactly what you did throughout Hogwarts. Burn Malfoy.

With just a look in the halls, you would set the boy on fire. With rage, with envy, with frustration, and with passion. You wanted no more but to see the boy fail. But failure wasn’t in Draco’s vocabulary. Needless to say, your time at Hogwarts became full of push and pull between the both of you. A rivalry of the ages.

It was exhausting, being tasked with rivalry at school, but you were thankful when winter break rolled around. You sat in your family’s manor house, the roaring fireplace in front of you as you read an alluring book. The crackling fire warmed up your chilly toes as a green velvet blanket rested over your shoulders. During break, you didn’t have to worry about Malfoy or his every move. You could enjoy yourself. 

As you read, you can hear the footsteps of someone descending the stairs. “(Y/N), dear,” your mother’s voice calls out. 

“In the drawing room, Mother!” you call back.

Soon enough, there your mother was, looking regal as ever as you smiled. Your mother was truly a force to be reckoned with. She stood in front of you, in a beautiful black gown, trimmed with gold and silver, your family crest embroidered above her left breast. Her hair was styled away from her face to reveal her youthful looking face. She was stunning to say the least. “I have news, darling,” she smiles, approaching you before taking a spot on the loveseat that you rested on.

You close your book and smile as you mother sits behind you, combing through your hair, something you always found relaxing. “I hope it’s good news, I could use some,” you tease her, earning a small giggle.

As she combs through your hair with her fingers, she speaks, “As you know, the annual masquerade ball occurs around this time of year.” You remembered watching your parents get ready for the ball as a child. You would sit next to your mother’s vanity and watch her delicately make up her face as her ladies’ maid did her hair. Your mother always wore a beautiful gown from the finest silk, adorned with jewels or lace or whatever she fancied. You remember your father told your mother she could get whatever she liked; your father wanted nothing but your mother to be satisfied. “The ball is open to any pureblood Slytherin who has reached the age of eighteen. And since you’ve have your eighteenth birthday not too long ago, you are eligible to attend,” you can hear the excitement in your mother’s voice. It had always been her dream to see you attend the ball. And yours to attend it.

You smile widely, “I’m delighted. We’ll need to contact the seamstress now if I want a dress in time.”

Chuckling, your mother places her hands on your shoulder. “Yes, yes, dear. But before we talk about what you are wearing, we must discuss the details,” she informs as you sigh. You just wanted to get to the fun part. “The masquerade ball is not just a party, but a tradition. The ball was made for young pureblood Slytherins to meet each other blindly and find a prospective partner for marriage,” you mother reveals as your heart stops.

A partner for marriage? You had just turned eighteen and now you had to think about a partner? You hadn’t even graduated from Hogwarts yet.

But before you can protest the thought of courtship, your mother adds, “It’s how your father and I met in fact. We had danced the whole night and at the end of the ball, he took off my mask and we realized that we knew each other already. He was my partner in my potion’s class at Hogwarts.” She smiles at the memory. “Now, I’m not saying you need to find a fiancé, but it would be nice to be open to it. It’s tradition.”

The thought of finding a fiancé at the ball made your mind reel and your heart race. Sure, the tradition was old, but there was something romantic about it. Especially since that’s how your parents found each other. You nod your head, “Of course, Mother.”

Your mother presses a kiss to the top of your head. She opens her mouth to speak, but instead you hear another voice. “There are some fine suitors attending the ball this year,” your father speaks. He walked into the room a teasing smile on his face as you roll your eyes. “Let’s not overwhelm our daughter with the prospect that she might find her future partner, shall we, Porpentina?” your father tells your mother.

She simply sighs, “Let’s not rule it out though, Samuel. Anything can happen.”

Your father walks over to the two of you, a handsome smile on his face as he shakes his head. Your father was the smartest man you’ve ever met. He always led with logic and had a rational brain. But when it came to you, your father was putty. He loved spoiling his only child, his daughter. “Anyway, I’m glad that you’ve decided to come to ball, my dear,” your father beams as your mother squeezes your shoulders. “I’ll let Lucius and Narcissa know,” he looks to your mother with a nod.

“Wait, Lucius and Narcissa?” you freeze. Malfoy’s. “Are they coming to the ball as well? Will Draco be in attendance?” you interrogate.

Your father chuckles, “Well, I would hope so since they host the ball every year, dearest.” You scoff and let your mouth fall open. Since when was your family alright with the Malfoy's? Last time you were aware, your families despised one another. “I know, it’s strange, but over the last few years, our families have been able to be more level headed with each other. Lucius is still a fucking prick, but he’s been more tame,” your father huffs, making you laugh a bit. “But yes, Draco will be at the ball.”

You immediately rise from your seat on the hardwood floor. “Then I’m not going,” you state as your mother stares at you confused. “You know how much I hate that pretentious, loathsome boy since I stepped foot in Hogwarts. He’s rude and spiteful and inconsiderate and vile. I refuse to voluntarily be in the same room as him whilst I am supposed to be enjoying winter break. I simply refuse.”

Springing to her feet, your mother tries to reason with you. “Think about it, darling. It’s a masquerade ball. You won’t even recognize Draco. He’ll be in costume as well as everyone else. You won’t even know who is who. It’ll be a night to remember, I promise you,” your mother speaks, rubbing your arms. “Besides, I already called the seamstress and she has a beautiful design that she has custom made for you,” she wiggles her brows.

The thought of attending the ball still did excite you. Live orchestral music, beautiful gowns, champagne in golden flutes. It all sounded so regal. How could you let Draco Malfoy stand in the way of your fun? Besides, the chances of you stumbling upon Draco were slim. Sighing, you surrender, “Alright, fine. But if I so much as smell Draco Malfoy, you won’t hear the end of it.”

---------

Meanwhile, Draco stood beside his mother as servants and maids and butlers ran through the Malfoy Manor, carrying fine china, silverware, champagne flutes, and the finest decorations from around the world to decorate the manor in time for the ball. To the common person, this would all be so fantastic to watch. People decorating the manor in golds and greens, preparing for the quickly approaching festivities. But to Draco, this was normal. All the glamor and the splendor was just another day. 

Narcissa holds her son’s arm, linked with hers as she sighs, “Your first masquerade ball. You’ve grown up so quickly, my darling.” Narcissa smiles at her son inspecting his grown face. Where did her child go? All she saw was a fine man. 

Draco smiles kindly at his gentle mother. “I’m not being shipped away, Mother. It’s just a ball,” he laughs, giving her hand a squeeze. “Besides, I don’t expect to find a potential wife at the ball like Father believes...” he trails off.

The thought of marriage made Draco’s stomach churn. It wasn’t like he had a choice. Lucius Malfoy expected Draco to find a wife and a wife soon. Even though the boy hadn’t graduated, Lucius wanted to know that the Malfoy name would continue on for generations to come. He needed to ensure that his boyish son found another pureblood and produced an heir to the Malfoy name. 

Narcissa looks sadly at her son. She wanted nothing but the best for him, but also wanted the same as her husband. “Draco, dear, you know how important this ball is to your father and I. There are some perfectly sweet, beautiful girls in attendance to the ball tomorrow. What about Pansy Parkinson? Pureblood, Slytherin, comes from wealth,” Narcissa starts.

“What about her obnoxious personality or obsessive nature? Parkinson is a hard no,” Draco dismisses the notion. “Who else?”

Narcissa thinks, “The Greengrasses! Daphne will be in attendance since she just turned eighteen. Her younger sister still has a few more years before she can attend.”

Draco shakes his head, “Daphne is a good friend. It would be awkward.” Narcissa sighs and laughs lightly. “Anyone else or am I stuck with Pansy?”

Mrs. Malfoy stays quiet for a while before bringing up the next name, knowing how touchy it is for her son. “Well, I received news yesterday of another pureblood Slytherin who just turned eighteen recently who will be in attendance...” she trails off as Draco looks at his mother, intrigued and curious. “Miss (Y/L/N) will be coming...”

Draco’s face then contorts with disgust. “You invited my biggest rival to the ball?” he exclaims. “Mother, you know how I feel about her! Merlin, at this point let’s invite Potter and his friends to really spice things up shall we?” he scoffs sarcastically.

Narcissa starts, “Draco, please. I know how you feel about (Y/N), but she is a pureblood Slytherin. Her family has money and power and a title. Maybe if something happened between you tw-”

“Nothing will happen between (Y/N) and I, Mother. So don’t get your hopes up,” Draco cuts his mother off who sadly sighs. Draco monitors her sad expression before he feels guilty for his outburst. “I just cannot see myself getting past my feelings for her as they are now,” he reasons with his mother, squeezing her hand as she sadly smiles. “But I did hear that you invited some Beauxbatons to the ball,” he wiggles his eyebrows as Narcissa rolls her eyes.

-----------

Standing in your room in front of the mirror, your ladies’ maid tightened your corset as you sucked in a breath. “Too tight?” she asks, scared that she hurt her master’s child.

“No, Lottie, just fine,” you smile at her as she ties the strings to the corset before taking your gown off of its hanger. “Lottie, can I ask you a question?” you ask as she helps you step into the gown. 

Lottie smiles, “Of course, my lady. What would you like to know?”

As Lottie shimmies the dress up your body, you speak, “When you met your husband, when did you know he was the right one for you? Was there a moment? Or something he said? Or was it love at first sight?”

You hold the dress up as Lottie makes her way to the back to zip it up. “It’s more of a feeling you get in your stomach, my lady. I knew my husband was the one because I felt like my stomach was doing flips and my head was reeling. There’s no feeling quite like it,” she tells you as you smile. Love was so complicated to you. You didn’t understand how it was supposed to work. You loved knowing that there were answers to almost every problem, but when it came to love, you were clueless of its answer. “Take a look, my lady.”

Looking into the mirror, you softly smile. The strapless gown was of emerald silk, hugging your chest beautiful as it came in at the waist as it cascaded down your long legs. It wasn’t puffy or poofy or full of tule. It was sleek and sexy and mature. Your hair was straightened, but pieces fell loosely in your face, framing it. Gold eyeshadow was swept across your eyelids and your lips wore a peachy pink gloss. It was perfect. “I love it,” you smile.

“You look simply stunning,” Lottie added. “Anyone would be lucky to have you as their wife, my lady.”

You smile at Lottie, “Thank you, Lottie. Could you call my mother in please?” She curtsies before leaving you in your room. Nervously, you pace the floor, anxious for tonight’s events. Were you really expected to find a suitor? Who was  coming to the ball? Maybe someone from a different country? A bright, handsome wizard might sweep you off your feet and take you away. The thought made your heart race. 

Interrupting your thoughts, you hear a knock on the door before your mother enters. “Darling,” she sighs as you laugh. “There are no words to describe the way you look.”

You beam, “Thank you, Mother. I feel good, but I’m nervous.” She walks closer to you, concern on her face. “What if there is no one there for me? Even worse, what if there is someone there for me and I miss them?”

She shakes her head, “You cannot think of those things. (Y/N), I raised to be confident, powerful, and smart. And that’s exactly what you are plus more. Anyone with a brain and eyes will see how brilliant you are. No need to fret.” You exhale as she smiles at you. “I came in here to give you one last thing before we go,” she says as she reveals a gorgeous gold mask, adorned with pearls, diamonds, and emeralds. “It was mine when I went to my first masquerade ball. The same mask I wore when I met your father when I was eighteen. I thought that it might bring you some luck,” she tells you.

Tears start to well up in your eyes before you hug your mother tightly. “Thank you,” you whisper as she holds onto you tightly. “Thank you so much, Mom.”

Your mother gives you a squeeze. “I’m your mother. It’s what I do,” she says. “Now let’s put this on you and get ready to go. The ball waits for no one.”

-------------

The ball was already bustling and it had just begun a mere twenty minutes ago. Women and ladies wore beautiful gowns varying of colors and textures, adorned with jewels and precious stones. Men wore suits and capes, perfectly tailored, all very clean cut. But everyone wore a mask to conceal their identity. Each mask beautiful and intricate in design. Some masks covered their whole faces and parts of their head, other just the eyes, and some wore masks that covered their whole head. Everyone was anonymous and that just made your excited anxiety increase.

As you stepped into the Malfoy Manor, you took in your surroundings. Their home was lovely. Beautifully decorated in golds and silvers, accents of black and green. Huge diamond chandeliers came down from the ceilings and twinkled as light passed through it. A large orchestra was settled in the ballroom, playing the finest music your ears have ever heard. You swooned. This all felt like a dream. A very real dream.

At the foyer, you were greeted by a butler who took your coat and another who offered you a flute of golden champagne as you graciously accepted it with a smile and a soft thank you. Your heart fluttered as you examined the manor through your mask. 

“May I escort the two loveliest ladies into the ballroom?” your father speaks as he offers his arms to you and your mother. You smile widely at him before you made your way to the ballroom where the rest of the party was.

The ballroom was enchanting. The walls were golden adorned with the most gorgeous architecture you have ever seen. Painted ceilings of pastel colors with tall candelabras that illuminated them. The orchestra played passionately as couples ranged from ages eighteen to fifty danced across the floor, women’s dresses swaying with each elegant movement. 

Your eyes searched the dance floor, trying to see if you recognized someone’s body language or movements. But everyone looked unfamiliar to you. Almost as if there was a fog over your eyes. 

That’s when your question was answered. “There is a spell cast over the ballroom,” your mother speaks. “To ensure that no one recognizes each other until all masks are removed. When the clock strikes midnight, all masks are removed and everyone sees each other for who they truly are. Exciting, isn’t it?” your mother whispers as you smile.

It was truly a one of a kind experience. You stood and watched those who danced around you, quietly sipping on champagne. Your eyes drifted off to the sidelines as you looked at the people who were your age. Everyone looked beautiful. One girl wore a dress of ruby red and a large diamond necklace that hung gently from her neck as she made quiet chatter with what you assumed was her parents. Another boy wore a velvet suit of navy blue with shiny dress shoes. He quietly stood by himself, watching each and every lady in the room, watching out for who caught his attention. 

Every one of the age of eighteen was on a mission it seemed. These people wanted to find their partner for the night and potentially for their life. The stakes were high. It made your heart race and your adrenaline pump. Your competitive nature was coming over you; you couldn’t help it. You were determined to find someone tonight if it was the last thing you did. 

Suddenly, the music faded away and the sound of a clinking glass filled the room. “Good evening, esteemed guests,” a feminine voice called out. “Welcome to the annual masquerade ball!” she exclaims, earning claps from every corner of the ballroom. “As you all know, the ball is designed for young witches and wizards to find a partner. We welcome each of you with excitement for the journey that lies ahead of you. That being said, the time as come for the eligible witches and wizards to come onto the dance floor and mingle. Wizards, you may approach any witch who is eligible and ask to have a place on her dance card. Remember, do not tell each other of your names! The dances will begin in ten minutes, so get to talking!” Another cling resounds in the ballroom as eligible bachelorettes and bachelors flood the dance floor.

You turn to your parents and give them nervous eyes as your mother and father give you a warm smile. “You’ll be brilliant,” your father speaks as your mother grabs your champagne glass and hands you your dance card. 

With a deep breath, you shake your head and walk out to the dance floor. Your heart was thudding hard against your chest. The moment you stepped onto the floor, someone approached you. “Good evening,” the boy bows as you curtsy to him. “Might I say you look gorgeous this evening,” he compliments you.

You smile, “Thank you very much. You look very nice as well.” He wore a simple black suit and a green pocket square. The detail made you think he was definitely in Slytherin house. Was he in your year? Did you know him personally? Was it Malfoy? No, Malfoy wouldn’t be this kind to you. But then again, he didn’t know it was you. 

The boy speaks, “Could I have the pleasure of having a space on your dance card?” 

He seemed friendly and kind, there was no reason to say no. Maybe as you danced he would become more interesting. “I would be delighted,” you respond as you hand him your card. He strikes the card with two x’s before returning it to you.

“Thank you, my lady,” he bows before walking away quickly to the very next girl he laid eyes on. You were startled at how quickly you moved, but quickly realized he had prepared some sort of script to dance with as many women as possible before his time was up. Clever.

You continue to make your way around the ballroom, chatting to a few more suitors here and there. Some men you found more charming and clever than other, while others you found yourself bored of, politely dismissing their request for a place on your dance card. 

Glancing at the dance card tied around your wrist, you think to yourself about the gentlemen who asked for a space and you granted them the honor of a dance. The first space to the boy who wanted to ask every lady to a dance, the next to a tall, dark, and handsome gentleman with the deep voice, the next to a funny gentleman with a thick Scottish accent, and the last space empty. There was only two minutes left of the mingling before you were to dance with your suitors. 

Too distracted by your dance card, you bump into someone else’s body, making you stumble a bit. “Oh my days, I’m so sorry,” you apologize to the body in front of you.

You look up and meet a pair of ice blue eyes that seem to stare into your soul. Your heart stops in its chest as you suck in a breath. In that moment, it felt like the whole ballroom had stopped moving and it was just you two in time. The two of you said nothing and just looked at each other, deep into the other’s eyes. It was if the man in front of you’s eyes held all the secrets to the world. 

Clearing his throat, he speaks in a low tone, “No, I apologize. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” You politely smile at him. “But in a way, I’m thankful that I wasn’t or else I wouldn’t have stumbled upon you,” he casually flirts making you blush.

The gentleman bows before you as you curtsy, maintaining eye contact with him the whole time. It was like there was some sort of magnet between the two of you. Was this what it was supposed to feel like? You remember Lottie saying it should feel like there were butterflies flying around and your head should be fuzzy, but none of those sensations were happening. You just felt hot in your face and your palms were sweating, thank goodness for your long gloves. 

“I’m glad neither of us were paying attention,” you confess as he smirks. “You are much more interesting than what I was previously focused on.”

The mysterious suitor in front of you chuckles. “I can only hope that you have a spot for me saved on your dance card,” he speaks as you blush.

Teasingly you look at your dance card and fake gasp, “Well, would you look at that? One last spot saved for a special someone...” The gentleman chuckles again as he ticks off the last spot on your dance card.

He slips the card back around your wrist as you suck in a breath as he fingers touch you. “I look forward to our dance,” he bows as you reciprocate the gesture. “Until then, my lady.”

His eyes don’t leave yours until the very last moment as he walks away. You could swoon. He was charming, smooth, witty, and even though much of his face was concealed by his mask, you knew he was handsome. He just had to be. Your face felt hot and your mouth was dry. You knew that you would anxiously await him as your last dance.

With another few clinks against the glass, you are informed that it is time to start the dancing. But before people gather with their first partners, people run back over to where their parents were quietly observing. You excitedly scurry to your mother and father and small smile on your lips dancing as you approach them. Your mother smiles, “Anyone interesting?”

You don’t say a word and take a sip of the champagne that your father offered you. “I know that smile,” he beams. “Which one, darling?” You don’t speak. “Oh, tell us, dearest. We don’t know who any of them are, we are just as clueless as you.”

Sighing, you surrender. “The last gentleman. The one I bumped into.” Your mother scans the room, looking for him. “He has my interest the most out of all of them by far. If the dance goes well, I recon he’ll ask me to promenade outside,” you giggle as your mother joins you.

Your father speaks, “With a chaperone, I assume.” 

You roll your eyes as your mother slaps him on the arm. “She’s eighteen, Samuel. She can walk outside with a suitor. Besides, there is security all around the manor. She will be safe.” Your father sighs as your mother looks at you and hands you your lipgloss to reapply. “Go on. Have fun. Play the field, dearest. Remember what I taught you.”

“Yes, Mother,” you beam before heading back to the dance floor.

There, the first boy is waiting for you, his arm extended. You walk arm in arm to the dance floor as the orchestra begins to play a ballroom waltz. His arm is around your waist gently, his one hand holding onto yours as you begin to dance. “Is this your first masquerade ball?” he asks you.

You nod, “Yessir.”

He smiles, “So you’ve just turned eighteen I presume.” You nod again. “This is my fourth ball. I’m hoping to find my one and only here tonight. Do you think you have met yours?” he asks.

You are taken aback by his directness. “Um,” you stutter, “I’m not quite sure. I mean we’ve just met each other.”

He retorts, “Yes, but sometimes you just know, don’t you. You know what I mean?” His eyes are fixated on yours in a fashion that is full of anxiety and nerves as he anticipates your answer. His eyes have a tired look in them, but behind their exhaustion, there is hope.

You gulp, “Nope.” He furrows his brows. “But maybe another lady here understands what you are saying,” you remain hopeful for him as he sighs.

“I am hopeful,” he speaks. “That’s all we can be.”

Before you know it he spins you away and you land in the arms of your second suitor. The tall, dark, and handsome one. You smile as he smirks down at you. “Good evening, my lady,” he speaks in a deep tone that makes you feel like a school girl. “You are ravishing.” You kindly thank him. “So, are you here like everyone else? To find a partner?”

You speak, “I guess so. My parents would like me to be open to the idea of finding a suitor, but I’m still young. I would like to enjoy my time as a single, free woman of my age and status.”

He nods his head. “I see, I see. My parents want me to find a wife here tonight. Me on the other hand? I really don’t want anything serious. I’m just trying to find someone to shag to be quite honest with you. I’m too young to be tied down quite yet,” he reveals as your eyes widen. His eyes on the other hand remain fixated on yours, but aren’t afraid to wander to look around at the other women on the dance floor. You watch his eyes as they occasionally find another woman’s and he drops one of them into a wink. He was a flirt, couldn’t be tied down type. Bedroom eyes that wandered through several bedrooms type eyes. You’ve dealt with those eyes before and were not looking to deal with them again.

You agreed with him on the part of being free and not finding anything too serious, but just a person to have sex with? That wasn’t what you were looking for either. “I see,” you tell him as he winks through his mask. “I’m not quite sure I want something that casual. I am looking for something more consistent, a little more serious than just a shag. More emotional intimacy as well.”

“Fair enough,” he shrugs. “It’s a shame. I found you quite attractive,” he sighs.

But before you can protest, he spins you away from him and into the arms of your next caller, the funny Scot. “Hello there,” he greets you as you meet his gaze. He wears a gentle smile with kind eyes. His eyes are soft and full of childlike wonder. It makes your heart swell to see someone with such eyes. 

You softly smile at him, “Hello again.” 

The two of you dance back and forth, making light chatter here and there, him sliding in a joke when he can, earning a few giggles from you as he smiles. “How has your night been so far?” he asks you. “Has anyone caught your eye yet?”

You sigh, “The night has been tame so far, but no complaints.” He nods. “As for someone catching my eye, I cannot lie,” you smile as his interest peaks. “There was someone I met who I have my last dance with.”

The Scotsman chuckles, “That’s all you can ask for, isn’t it?”

You join in his light laugher. “What about you? Have you met someone yet?” you ask him as you continue to waltz across the ballroom.

You can see a light rosy hue appear on his cheeks as he smiles. “I have indeed,” he looks across the ballroom as you follow his line of sight. And there she was, dancing with the man you were dancing with before. The same girl from earlier with the gorgeous ruby red gown. “She’s wonderful. And I’ve only spoken to her twice and no more than a total of six minutes.”

Giving his forearm a soft squeeze, you repeat his phrase, “That’s all you can ask for, isn’t it?” He smiles. Maybe you didn’t need a suitor out of the Scot, maybe he was a good friend. 

“In that case, we both don’t mind what I’m about to do,” he speaks.

And then he spun you around and off to your last dance. 

And that’s when your eyes meet.

You inhale sharply when his hand finds the small of your back and he takes your hand in his. His eyes were still that beautiful ice blue that stared right into your soul and made you want to tell him all of your deepest darkest secrets. Eyes that could tempt you into making the most dangerous decision. Eyes that could lure you into a trap, but a trap that you wouldn’t mind being stuck in. 

He breaks the silence first. “We meet again,” he smirks as you blush lightly. The two of you begin dancing as the orchestra swells with music, almost as if they waited to play the most enchanting music right now in this moment. The violins hum a hauntingly beautiful melody as the violas and cellos support the sound. The moment was more than you could ever ask for. “I must tell you, I loathe dancing,” he whispers, making you giggle. “But somehow,” he starts. “You make it feel alright. Not good, but alright.”

You lightly laugh, “I’m glad I can make dancing tolerable for you.” The two of you continue to dance, letting your gown sweep across the floor as the music crescendos. “How has your night been so far? Enjoying yourself?” you ask, curious to know where his mind was at. It had only been minutes but you wanted to know everything about the gentleman in front of you.

The gentleman sighs, “It’s been fine. Not particularly a huge fan of balls or dances. But so far, so good.” He drops his left eye in a wink. “And yourself? How have your other dances been?” he asks you.

You bite your lip and take a moment to think. Now was not the time to play a mind game with him, though you so easily could. But you let your heart get ahead of your head and speak, “None of them as good as compared to this one.” The gentleman laughs, turning away from you in order for you to not catch his delighted blush on his white cheeks. “And your other dances? Did they make dancing more or less tolerable?” you joke with him.

Before the gentleman answers, he looks at the ground with a small smile. He looks up at you and gulps. “I actually didn’t ask anyone else to dance. Just you,” he reveals, making you breath hitch in your throat. That was quite the confession. “No other lady caught my eye like you did.” You don’t turn away when you blush at his flirtations. His eyes stare into yours as your mouth runs dry. “You have the most captivating eyes.”

It felt like you were in a storybook in this moment. The way the orchestra played, how he held you tightly against his body, the way his eyes stared into yours. Your eyes harnessing the power and energy of a thousand suns, but his ice blue eyes able to tame the heat they gave off. Why did this feel so right?

“I don’t know if I should say this,” you start, “but I’m going to anyway.”

He laughs, “I love a girl who can speak her mind. Go on.”

You breathe, “I feel like I’ve known you forever. Like this isn’t our first time meeting. I feel like I’ve known you since the dawn of time.”

You can see him gulp and blink a few times. Did your words scare him? Were you too upfront with him? But before you can think of any more questions, he speaks, “It’s like you can read my mind.” You chuckle as he smiles. “I feel like I was supposed to meet you here, tonight, in this moment. Like this dance was...fate. And I don’t believe in fate.”

For the rest of your dance, no more words are spoken. The two of you just sway and dance to the orchestra that swells with beautiful music. You both gaze into each others eyes and watch the expressions that come across each others faces. With the occasional laugh here and there, absolutely nothing is said. Slowly, everyone around you begins to fade and it is just you two in the ballroom. Why was this happening? You prayed that this was a sign. A sign that this was right, he was right. But you didn’t get the feeling that Lottie was describing to you earlier in your room. Your heart was on fire and you felt like you were about to burst, but no stomach churning or head reeling. Instead, you felt like you were burning. Burning for this man. Burning for his touch. Burning for his attention. You could only hope he felt the same.

Before you know it, the orchestra finishes playing and everyone slowly stops dancing. The ballroom applauds the orchestra and you both join in, but don’t leave each others gazes. Soon enough, people begin to leave the dance floor to partake in other conversations or dance with other people or even promenade outside.

You smile at your gentleman and say, “Thank you for the dance. It was...magical to say the least.” You curtsy to him and turn away to go, but wished you didn’t have to.

Without even taking a step away, you feel him grab your hand. “Wait,” he speaks. “I’m sorry,” he breathes. “Would you...would you like to go for a promenade with me? Outside on the grounds?”

Your heart skips a beat as you sigh and smile, causing him to smile back. He had his answer right there. “I would be more than delighted,” you confess. “One moment please,” you tell him before walking over to where your mother and father watched you in anxious anticipation.

“So?” your mother beams as you nod your head as she smiles. 

You had her your dance card and give your father a smile. “I’m going for a promenade outside with the last gentleman I danced with,” you beam as your father nods his head approvingly. “I will see you later,” you speak before walking back to your gentleman as he extends his arm to you. 

Your father holds onto your mother’s arm, “Porpentina, how our daughter has grown.” They watch you exit the french doors out of the ballroom and into the gardens of the Malfoy Manor.

Still arm in arm, your suitor speaks, “Now, I know we can’t reveal much of our identities to each other, but I would like to know more about you.” You smile at him, holding onto his arm tightly. “What’s your family like?”

Smiling as you think of your mother and father, you start, “They’re wonderful people. My mother has been my sun, moon, and stars since I could remember. She’s passionate and smart and powerful. She’s everything I want to be.” The gentleman smiles as you tell him of your mother. “My father is incredibly kind though many wouldn’t believe that because of what he does for a living,” you laugh. “But he’s my protector. He’s sacrificed so much for me and for my mother. He’s the best man I know.”

He squeezes your arm. “They sound lovely.” You squeeze his arm back to let him know that his sentiment is appreciated. “Any siblings?” You shake your head. “In that case, we are similar. I’m also an only child.”

“What about your parents? What are they like?” you question him next.

This earns a gulp and deep breath from him. “Well,” he starts. “My mother is kind-hearted. Braver than anyone I have ever met. She’s suffered a lot and continues to suffer just to protect me,” he confesses to you. “I’m sorry I know that’s a lot, but-”

“You don’t need to apologize,” you cut him off, placing a hand on his. “She sounds remarkable. Please, continue.”

He smiles. “She is remarkable. The best woman I know.” You smile warmly at him. Your cheeks hurt so much from smiling. The gentleman takes a deep breath in before starting, “My father on the other hand. He’s a complex man. We’re not particularly close. But similar to your father, he protects me to the best of his ability. I’m not sure whether it’s out of love for his son or for some other selfish reason...probably the latter...” he trails off. You look at his face as it falls lightly. You feel for him. “But that’s beside the matter. I want to know more about you. What are your passions? What are your ambitions in life? What do you want to do with our lives that can be so fucking meaningless?” 

You laugh at his joke, crinkling your nose as you do so as he watches you contort your face in delight. He thought you looked beautiful when you laughed. “Well,” you catch your breath. “I want to do something that my family never did. I want to pursue a career when I can help people. Other people. And I have no benefit from it. I just want to help others in any way. When I was a child, I used to want to be a Healer. Then when I was a little older I wanted to be an Auror. But now I’m thinking about being a Healer again or maybe do some form of charity work and philanthropy? I don’t know. I have dreams, but I don’t know which ones to pursue.”

You look at the man beside you and he’s smiling from ear to ear. “It all sounds wonderful to me. You seems so selfless. I’m not used to it, I guess,” he confesses. “But whatever you chose, I know you’ll be brilliant.”

The two of you continue to chat and walk through the gardens, discussing future plans, hopes and dreams, and whatever comes to mind. Talking to this man felt like breathing. It was so easy. Conversation flowed like a channel of water. The conversation seemed never ending and you were perfectly fine with that. You had completely forgotten that you didn’t even know what this man’s name was, but to be honest, you didn’t care. You already knew so much about him from your conversations, you didn’t need to know something as silly as a name. 

You walk further and further through the garden until you come across a small area that was covered in rose bushes. It was a strange sight to see, beautiful roses in full bloom in the middle of winter, but with magic, anything was possible. As you walked closer, the masked gentleman plucked one from the bush and offered it to you as you graciously accepted. You continued to walk as he spoke, “There is a game called Rose, Bud, Thorn where you tell someone of the best part of your day, the worst part of your day, and something you are looking forward to. I want to hear yours.”

You nod, “Alright then. My thorn is having to wear this bloody fucking corset top all night,” he laughs at your comment. “My bud is taking said bloody corset off when I get home,” the two of you chuckle. “And my rose...I guess was meeting you,” you bump into his arm playfully. He smiles. “Your turn.”

He sighs, “Let’s see...my thorn is having to dance tonight.” You scoff. “Although, you did make it better...” he teases as you roll your eyes teasingly. “My rose is having the most beautiful, kind, and intelligent woman at this ball with me right now,” he breathes as you blush. “And my bud...” he turns to you as you take a gulp. His soothing icy blue eyes staring into yours made you shiver. “My bud will be taking off this bloody mask of yours and seeing your beautiful face.”

His face is so close to yours, you feel his breath against your lips. Your mouth his dry as you feel him moving closer and closer to your lips. His eyes look at your glossed lips before moving back to your eyes and inching closer and closer to you. Your heart was thumping out of your chest. This was all happening so fast, and yet you were alright with it?

But before he can kiss you, a guard interrupts. “All ball attendees must report inside as per the hosts’ request. It is almost midnight and time for the unmasking!” 

The gentleman in front of you sighs as he turns to the guard and gives him a dirty look. “So much for a romantic moment,” he huffs as you chuckle. He takes your hand in his as you both walk back to the inside of the Manor, retracing your steps. You are only a few paces away from inside when he speaks, “Those guards always know how to ruin a bloody moment of mine.”

You furrow your brows and chuckle, “What do you mean?”

“They always seem to catch me at the worst time to tell me something important,” he speaks as you remain confused. He notices your confusion and laughs. “This will all make sense in a moment.” You contort your face in confusion, but before you can ask any further questions the same woman who spoke at the beginning of the ball spoke again. “Welcome back! I hope you all had a lovely night full of mystery and romance,” she giggles. “But now the mystery is over.” Behind her, the clock strikes midnight and bongs. “The spell over the ballroom has been lifted and you may all remove your masks! Please reveal yourselves to each other!”

Slowly, people reveal their true identities and you start recognizing people from Hogwarts. The girl with the ruby red dress that the Scot took a liking too was Pansy Parkinson. So many other familiar faces are revealed as you chuckled. This really was a magical moment. 

Beside you, your mysterious man sighs. “Finally.” Your heart beats quickly as you turn to him, anticipating who the man behind the mask was. You hoped he was handsome like you had imagined him to be. Was it someone you knew? Maybe an old classmate? Maybe someone from Hogwarts? Who could it be?

Reaching behind his head, he pulls on the silk strings that hold his mask up. Gently he peels it off and runs his fingers through his styled hair. And that’s when your heart stops and drops into your stomach.

The platinum blonde hair, the icy cold, unforgiving eyes, the pink lips that curled into that smirk. It was all too familiar. All too familiar that it made your chest feel tight with venom and anger. How could you be so naive? How did you not remember those eyes? Those eyes that dug into yours. Those lips that spat such cruel and vile words at you when you were just children. 

It was Draco Malfoy.

You inhale a sharp jagged breath as he laughs. “I know, it’s strange, but I’m assuming things are starting to click for you. Especially with how I know the guards and why they let us into the rose garden. But it’s me. I’m Draco. Draco Malfoy,” he speaks with a smile. You feel like you are about to vomit.

Of course, how could you not notice the guards letting you both through the gardens without interruption or protest? How did you not notice his wave of a finger when you needed to be let through somewhere? How did you let him distract you? How did you let yourself become so captivated by the man you hated most in the world?

“I think it’s only fair if I see you now,” he chuckles, waiting for you to take off your mask. 

But instead of taking off your mask, you wanted to run. Run far away. Run so far and forget this whole night happened. Forget every word exchanged with Draco full of such adoration. This was a sick joke.

Draco notices your horror and he speaks, “Are you alright, darling?”

His nickname for you made your stomach churn. You felt ill.

You couldn’t look at him any longer. You turned away and began to swiftly walk away from him. “Wait, where are you going?” he asks as you weave through the crowd. “Please, don’t go!”

Your stomach was churning and your head was reeling. How could this have happened. Then it all clicks. Lottie’s words. My stomach felt like it was doing flips and my head was reeling. There was no way. This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. You were in love with Draco fucking Malfoy. This was a nightmare.

That’s when his hand grabs your arm and flips you to look at him. “Where are you going?” he laughs as he looks at you. “Are you that surprised?” he asks with a smile as you just stand there, trying to catch your breath. His brows furrow. “Is there something wrong? Do we know each other?” he asks. “Take off your mask so I can see you, darling.”

In pure anger and frustration, you hastily sigh and undo the masks strings quickly before ripping it off your face to reveal your identity. The smile on Draco’s face instantly drops as he recognizes exactly who you are.

And there you were, two enemies standing in front of each other, glaring at each other in the middle of a ballroom, surrounded by other young couples who were falling in love. The two of you just burning holes into the other. The energy of a thousand suns trying to melt the ice that stared right back at it. Two sworn enemies now destined to fall in love. What a conundrum this was.

“Call me darling again and I’ll hex you, Malfoy,” you breath through pants of sheer anger.

Your stomach was still doing flips and your head continued to reel. Your face was flushed. How could Draco Malfoy and your masked gentleman be the same person? It was impossible. Your gentleman was kind and charming and witty and smart and thoughtful. Draco Malfoy was vile and rude and unkind and selfish and self absorbed and loathsome. There was no way you could be in love with a version of someone who you swore you would hate until you took your last breath.

Draco’s face slowly moves into a cautious one. “(Y/N),” he starts. “I swear I didn’t know it was you. I was just as clueless as you. You have to believe that I didn’t do this on purpose.”

You laugh, “I don’t believe a thing that comes out of your mouth. I was stupid to believe that I could fall for a person as disgusting and despicable as you.”

And with that, you march away from Draco, ignoring his calls out for you as you approach your mother and father. Once they see you, their expressions change from excitement to concern. Before anyone of them can ask what was wrong, you demand, “We are going home. Right now. I want to go home. Please. Can we go home?”

You feel a lump in your throat and your eyes become hot with tears. Your mother grabs your hand as your father pulls out his wand to apparate you back home. The last thing you hear before you leave the ball was Draco’s voice calling out for you to come back.

Before you know it, you are back in the comfort of your own home, face stained with tears as you run up the stairs to your room. You ignore your mother and father’s call to tell them what happened. You slam your bedroom door shut and lock it before letting the sob rake through your body, shaking you from the inside out.

You were foolish to believe you could find someone at a stupid ball. Those fucking masks. Making you believe someone was something they weren’t. It was all a lie. Smoke and mirrors. And you fell for it. You fell for Draco and there was nothing that you could do to forget it. 

You fell for a facade and you would have to live with that forever. How you were supposed to face him at Hogwarts was beyond your control.

[lancermylove]

Chaotic Gift Exchange (HC)

Fandom: Obey Me

Pairing: No pairing. 

Warning: Chaos? XD

Requested by: Anon

Prompt: If I could I'd like to request a holiday piece with everyone. It would be platonic. Something with a secret gift exchange and the chaos that ensues. Something fun and fluffy. If it doesn't strike your fancy that's okay. Thanks! (I'm the secret gift exchange request, I meant to ask for Obey Me. Sorry I forgot to put it in the original ask.)

A/N: Sorry, it’s kinda late, but hope your holidays went well! You definitely made this ask interesting by adding in “chaos + fun”. :P 

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Prologue: 

Devildom decided to do a gift exchange for the holidays. To assure complete randomness, Barbatos drew names out of a hat. The holiday party was supposed to be a peaceful event for all, or so everyone thought...

———————————————

Lucifer - Solomon

Lucifer was far from happy to be paired with Solomon, while the wizard was quite content with the pairing. 

When Lucifer opened his present, he saw a book titled How to Get Over Yourself: Pride Edition. On top of the cover was a sticky note with the words: 

If this book doesn't work, then my spells surely will. Don't hesitate to contact me. :)

Meanwhile, Solomon opened his present, and to his shock, Lucifer gifted him a book titled How to Get Over Yourself: Arrogance Edition.

Both the men glared at each other with a 'smile' as visible sparks flew between their gaze.  

Mammon - Simeon

Neither Mammon nor Simeon had any issues with their names being paired. 

Simeon was surprised at how light his present was, and when he opened it, he found an 'I owe you' card. Behind the card was a message from Mammon. 

Lucifer took Goldie again, and I needed money. So, I took your card and maxed it out. 

Simeon chuckled and asked Mammon if he needed more money, much to the demon's delight. 

Mammon opened his neatly wrapped present to reveal a gold bracelet, causing the demon to recall chilling memories. 

"NOT AGAIN!" Mammon quickly handed the bracelet to Simeon and ran away.

The angel flew after Mammon promising that it was a regular bracelet from him, not Michael. 

Simeon managed to grab the demon and slid the bracelet onto his wrist. 

"See, nothing happened." 

After a little hesitation from Mammon, they both shared a good laugh. 

Asmo - Barb

Like some of the other pairs, Asmo and Barbatos had no problem with being paired. 

When Barb opened his present, he was amused to see a pair of killer high heels with a note. 

Everyone needs a pair of these! Also, they double as a great weapon. ;)

Asmo gently opened his present to reveal a gift card to his favorite boutique, along with a basket of freshly baked wicked cupcakes. 

The Avatar of Lust threw his arms around the demon butler and thanked him, earning a chuckle in return.

"Also, Barb, if you are ever in the mood for anything, then you know where to find me." Asmo winked. 

Satan - Luke

As soon as Satan heard his name paired with Luke, he knew the angel's gift was not going to be to his liking. So, he prepared an equally great present.

When Luke tore the gift wrapper, he nearly dropped his gift - a recipe book titled How to Make 100 Delicious Recipes With Tomatoes.

The angel pouted and said, "I hate tomatoes!"

"I know," the demon replied and opened his present to reveal a bottle of demon repellant. 

Frowning, Satan pretended to turn his rage mode on, causing Luke to run away and hide behind Simeon. 

The Avatar of Wrath chuckled in satisfaction. 

Levi - Belphie

Levi was relieved when he was paired with Belphie as he already knew what to get his brother. Belphie felt the same way.

Levi unwrapped the gift wrap to find an I love you, Ruri-chan hoodie while Belphie got Devildom's most comfortable body pillow. 

Both brothers were satisfied with their gift, and after the exchange, they both found a nice corner to sit in. 

As they watched the others exchanging gifts, chasing each other, and getting angry, Belphie yawned loud.

"Wake me up when the party is over." He mumbled, resting his head on Levi's shoulder before falling asleep. 

Beel - Diavolo

Diavolo and Beel smiled at each other when their names were paired. 

Excited, the king of demons quickly unwrapped the paper to find a platter of food...half-eaten food. 

The Avatar of Gluttony blushed and touched his stomach, "Sorry, I couldn't control myself. I got hungry while waiting for the party to start." 

Diavolo laughed and asked Beel to wait for a bit. After a while, the King of Demons returned, carrying a 300 foot Christmas tree. 

"Barbatos wouldn't let me keep this tree in the castle, and I didn't want to throw it away, so this is for you. Do as you please with it." 

Beel graciously accepted the tree, and without a single thought, started munching on the trunk.

Every single demon, human, and angel in the party froze and stared at the Avatar of Gluttony in shock, amusement, or disgust. 

To this day, no one knows how Beel managed to eat a 300-foot tree, and that too, in such a short amount of time.

———————————————

➣Obey Me Masterlist ➣ Buy me a Ko-fi or Commission?

[panda-noosh]

taste test {kaz brekker x reader}

   there are guests today.

    little information was given to you, but you don’t mind; you’re not here to entertain anyone. you’re here to do your job and move on. who the king associates with is honestly none of your concern. 

   you’ll leave the assassins to the royal guards.

    you wake on the day to witness the palace in hysterics. chefs bustle around like headless chickens, maids and butlers ironing uniforms that have not had a crinkle in them since the war. the scent of food - a cacophany of it - rises to the surface, making you crinkle your nose at the onslaught of different options. all you want is a slice of toast to prepare you for the day, but the thought of walking into that kitchen has you cuddling up in bed for a few minutes longer.

    you’ll have to eat that food pretty soon. just a small bite, just enough to get a taste. a hint. 

   you close your eyes.

    the peace doesn’t last long, because it never does. a knock sounds at your door, startling you from your reverie. you roll over, not even bothering to cover yourself when you call out, “come in!”

    a palace guard - rico - peaks his bald head round the door and raises a brow. “still sleeping?”

   “clearly not.”

    “good. you need to be up and at your post in thirty minutes; we have guests today.”

   you pull the quilt over your head. “don’t remind me.” you peak an eye over the top, raising a brow. “who are the guests?”

   rico narrows his eyes. “you haven’t been told?”

   “well, no. i never really asked.”

    “then i’ll leave it as a surprise.” he claps his hands, like you’re some kind of dog. “get ready. i don’t want to come back up here again.”

   “then don’t,” you reply, but he’s already disappeared.

    you drag yourself from bed to do as he ordered. there’s no point arguing with the palace guards - they seem to think they own the place, even though they live basically under the thumb of every other individual walking the grounds. even you, the lowest of the low, can manipulate them into doing what you want if you just try hard enough. a few sweet words and a confident tone, and they’re like putty in your hands.

    but the truth is, you don’t care enough about todays events to put on that confident tone. you pull your clothes on, fiddle with your bow tie, and head downstairs to see what the day has in store for you.

    breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

    a risky day ahead.

    you’re required to be at the kings side long before the guests arrive. you’ve never questioned it. the rules of the palace have never made any sense to you, but you go along with them, because you don’t want to get into any more trouble than you already have. that’s why you find yourself stood by the kings side in silence, hands clasped in front of you, trays of delicious breakfast foods being delivered by hasty, sweaty porters.

    the dining room is swathed in beautiful decor. banners hang from the ceiling, red and gold colours matching the grand wallpaper all around. the fancy carpet has been rolled out, tucked beneath the long, mahogany dining table and stretching all the way to the double doors ready to greet the guests. 

   even the king is dressed well for the occasion, which is another surprise. though the king hardly looks like a peasant, he makes a point to put in as little effort with his appearance as possible, just to show people that he can get anyone to fear him from personality alone. his riches and fancy fabrics have nothing to do with his power.

    but today he wears his finest silk coat, the buttons straining against his round stomach. his beard has been freshly trimmed, and you watch his hand rock back and forth amongst the hairs. a few stray ones float from his chin to the table, and you quickly swipe them away. the king doesn’t even notice; he continues staring at the doors, one dark skinned knuckle tight around the arms of his throne-like chair. 

     finally, after what feels like forever, the double doors up ahead are pushed open. two palace guards dressed in red hold them in place, and a man is ushered in.

    a man you recognise immediately.

    he’s got a cane now, which is different. there’s those gloves on his hands, the sides of his head still shaved, with that shaggy, dark mess still perched on top, a school boys haircut that looks most out of place on someone with blood on his hands. he’s frowning, because that’s what kaz brekker does - the king shows his power through his booming voice and cruel choices. kaz brekker shows his power through his expressions. 

    you don’t meet his eyes, though you don’t look away. kaz has his gaze on the king, not even noticing you standing at his side, and for that you are thankful; you don’t think you want to look into those blue eyes again. you promised yourself you wouldn’t, not before the nightmares disappear.

    the king slowly stands. he rubs his beard one final time for good measure before saying, “you’re late, kaz.”

    “call me mr brekker,” kaz replies, before gesturing to an empty seat at the end of the table - the seat farthest from the king. “shall we sit?”

    you swallow; you’re familiar with this attitude from him, but you’ve been in the kings presence too long now to pretend kaz isn’t on thin ice. 

    the king, however, is clearly in a docile mood, as he nods and sits down. the food in the centre of the table goes unnoticed for a while as the two stare at each other, waiting for the other to crack and begin the conversation. you fiddle with your fingers, uncertain whether kaz has seen you, whether he recognises you, whether he’s just keeping a straight face because he’s kaz, and he’s a professional.

    finally, the king clicks his fingers at you. “stack my plate. you know the drill.”

   you burst into action, bustling round the table, scooping up different assortments of breakfast foods you know the king enjoys; he’s got his bacon, and his eggs, and the bread, pancakes on the side. you slather beans along the rim of his plate and place a single hash brown in the residue, just as he likes it.

   and then you sit down, and pick apart the entire thing.

    you can feel kaz’s eyes burning into you as you work, but you pay him no attention. you have to focus, because this is kind of a life or death situation. you sniff the food first, though this very rarely shows you anything you might need to worry about. it’s too fresh, still warm in your fingers when you lift it to your nose. you can smell only the warmth of it all, but you take the precaution anyway, just to show the king you know what you’re doing.

    and then you nibble the edges, heart thumping with nerves rather than poison entering your body. that’s what you’re looking for - poison, an assassination attempt. even in his own palace, the king is paranoid. his own staff have turned against him before. you’re not entirely surprised.

    you chew, swallow, pause, repeat.

    “all clear.”

   you hand the plate back, tuck your hands in your lap and look down at the table at kaz. he’s staring at you, an eyebrow raised, and you understand immediately that he recognises you, probably knew you worked here before he even entered the premise.

   was he here for you?

   you banish the thought and look away. you wait until the king has started digging in before excusing yourself and exiting, your job for the morning complete. at lunch, you will have to repeat the process, and again at dinner, but until then, you have the morning to yourself.

    you walk through the gardens, because fresh air is all you need right now. your heart is hammering, and you curse yourself for it - kaz brekker has not been in your life for months. he shouldn’t have a grip on you. he shouldn’t even know you are here, and yet he does, because of course he does. kaz doesn’t step foot anywhere until he knows the ins-and-outs of the entire place. he keeps his ducks all in a neat row, and you were a fool to believe you had escaped it.

    it’s not like kaz is a bad man. he’s evil, certainly, with horrible actions under his belt, but you can understand his reasoning. he kills a man, and maybe that’s an overexaggeration, but the man was also seconds away from traumatising a poor woman walking home from work. kaz takes a life, saving the day in the process. it’s how he works, how he’s always worked for as long as you’ve known him.

   and you’ve known him for a while.

   you haven’t been by his side in months, but someone like kaz brekker is someone you never forget. once you know kaz, you never stop knowing him, which is a curse more than anything else. oh, how you wish you could wipe the slate clean, pretend you never got involved with him and his gang in the first place. but that was your decision - your stupid, careless decision - and you need to face the consequences.

    having him here, at your place of work, was a consequence.

    you sit down by the stream just outside the palace grounds. a duckling struts past, paying you no attention whatsoever. a stray lilipad floats gently through the water, spurred on by the tiny breeze ketterdam has for you today.

     you like to come here sometimes, just to clear your head a little bit. nobody else bothers with the nice scenery and the nature; they think it’s a waste of time. if it wasn’t for the gardener, this place would be a wasteland, left to shrivel and disappear into shadow. you’re thankful it’s been kept pleasant, though - it’s a good place for someone who wants to have no thoughts for a little while.

    you lean down and run your fingertips along the water. it’s cold, and a weed gets tangled between your fingers. you lift it from the water with a wince, flicking your wrist to get it off-

    a cane clamps down on your fingers, shoving your hand into the grass.

   you inhale sharply, straightening up but not turning around.

    “so easy to startle,” kaz hums. “you’re losing your touch, y/n.”

    you twist your hand and catch the bottom of his cane, using it to pull yourself to your feet. kaz doesn’t stumble, but you never expected him to; kaz doesn’t stumble. he’s much too stubborn for that.

    you whirl around, and there he is, that frown on his face, his head tilted like he’s analysing you even before you’ve said two words. a heat festers in your belly. you don’t know if you want to hug him or slam your fist into his nose. 

    “so this is where you ended up, is it?” he glances at the grand gardens, the glistening lake, the ducklings swimming past. “you’ve surprised me, i gotta say. i never thought you’d be into such grandeur.”

   you fold your arms over your chest, cheeks heating up. you will admit, the palace is certainly not the place you thought to find yourself, either; after living in the barrel your entire life, you had grown used to dirt stained clothes, weeks without washing, hunger pains. this was different. this was a different type of hell, a hell in fancy clothes.

    “cat got your tongue?” kaz continues, swinging that stupid cane back and forth. “shame. i think we have a lot to talk about.”

   “why are you here?”

   “ah, asking the right questions now!”

   “just tell me, kaz. tell me, and then we can go our separate ways - just like you wanted.”

    his expression falters for a moment, so quick that it’s clear he doesn’t want you noticing the power you still have over him, even just a little. 

    “fine,” he says. “let’s walk.”

   you do just that, hands tucked into pockets, head tilted down. it’s easier to talk to him when you’re not subject to his facial expressions, too - handling both of them is too much. 

    “you want to know why i’m here,” he begins. “i’m here looking for you.”

    your stomach drops, even though that was kind of what you were expecting. 

    he pauses, giving you a chance to fill in the silence with your own thoughts, but you don’t even look up.

    he barrels on. “we had a tip-off from someone that you were working here now. no one else believed it, but me? i know you a little better than them. i was surprised, but i could picture it. you’ve always been irrational when you’re desperate.”

   you wince. “you don’t know me at all, kaz.”

    he smiled at the sky in response, like you had walked into his trap.

    “i hope you didn’t come here thinking you can coax me back to the barrel,” you continue. “that’s not going to happen.”

    his jaw clenches, head still tilted towards the sun. his skin is a little darker now, a little more tan. he’s probably been out and about, you think, causing havok in the sunshine, ruining people’s holidays because he can.

    “i thought you would say that,” he says. “so i’m bringing the problem to you.”

   you nearly stumble. “what?” freezing in the middle of the path, you grab his arm and whirl him around, forcing him to look at you. “what have you done, kaz? what problem?”

    “she asked for you.”

    “kaz-”

   “inej is sick.”

    your breath falters. those words, so simple, yet so . . . unexpected. inej ghafa - the wraith, your best friend, the girl designed to be indestructible. that’s why kaz picked her. that’s why she worked alongside you. that’s what made you the best damn crew in ketterdam.

    “sick.” 

    kaz nods, shrugging his arm from your grip. “sick. ill. not well. poorly. whatever you want to call it. she’s not doing good, and the only person she’s asking for is you.”

    “so where is she?” you whirl around. “is she here?”

   “not walking alongside us, no.”

   you scowl. “i mean at the palace, kaz. is she at the palace?”

   “she will be.” kaz pulls a golden watch from his pocket. “in about three hours. that should give your employer plenty of time to set my room up and make some space in the hospital wing, don’t you think?”

   you close your eyes, trying desperately to steady the thumping of your heart. he could be lying, and you know that, but what if he isn’t? what is inej really is on her death bed, and you never even got to say goodbye?

    the thought terrifies you to the point your hands begin to tremble. when you open your eyes, kaz is staring at them, and you’re almost certain there is something close to pity sparking there.

   you quickly snap your arms behind your back and nod. “fine. okay. i’ll see her. but once i’ve done what i can, you leave. both of you.”

    kaz studies your face. the fire in your stomach burns even brighter, forcing you to look away and keep walking.

    kaz follows, all soft footsteps. “i’m not here to bring up the past, y/n. i hope you know that.”

    “you can understand why i find that hard to believe.”

   “well, yes. but i’m serious. what we had, it means nothing now. you’re a different person, and so am i. we can let it go.”

    you swallow the lump in your throat, trying to pretend those words are exactly what you wanted to hear. but a knot twists in your heart, almost to the point of pain.

   you take a deep breath and glance at him over your shoulder. he’s only a few steps behind, but his presence is so large, so there that you nearly trip. 

   and then you say, “we never had anything, kaz. remember that.”

----

   it’s like you’re trying to hurt each other.

   that’s how it’s always been between you and kaz, but at one point, it felt natural. it was a bit of fun. a few snide remarks here and there, followed by kaz confessing he thinks your eyes are a very pretty colour. a bit of sparring, followed by you telling kaz he’s the most important person in your life. 

   this time, however, the mere sight of him is a torment, one you don’t find fun in the slightest.

    the king tasks you with leading kaz through the palace. this was a job you fully expected to be given, but it doesn’t make it any easier. kaz stops to examine every little thing, tracing his fingers along artefacts you would be murdered for touching.     

   you swat his hand away when he reaches for a bust of the kings father. “stop it. if you knock that over, he’ll have you hanged.”

    kaz raises a brow before touching a gloved fingertip to the stone. you groan and march off, trying to ignore the butterflies at the sound of his soft, hidden chuckle echoing behind you.   

   you show him his room, a beautifully decorated space much grander than any room the king has ever given you. kaz whistles when he walks in, looking at the wine bucket on his chest of drawers, and the freshly made bed with the thick linens, and a view to die for.

    “spoiled,” he says.

   you roll your eyes. “i’ll leave you to get comfortable.”

    “or.” he whirls, catching your arm. his fingers slot in the crook of your elbow, the leather of his gloves sparking unwanted familiarity within you. “you can stay, and we can talk some more.”

   “i have things to do, kaz.” you rip your arm from his grip. “the king will be having lunch soon, and i need to be there.”

    kaz scoffs, slowly sliding the knot out of his tie and slipping it from beneath his collar, like undressing in front of you is no big deal. “so you can do what? potentially die? you know, y/n, i once thought you were a tough son of a bitch, but the longer i’m here, the more i’m realising just how weak you are.”

    ouch.

   “we’ve all got to make a living somehow,” you reply. “you murder people, i keep the king safe.”

    “the same king you wanted to assassinate a few months ago?” he tilts his head, pursing his lips. “what a drastic change of heart.”

   “go to hell, kaz.”

    he raises a hand. “wait for me outside; i’ll come to lunch with you and your king.”

   you pause. “has he invited you?”

   “i don’t need an invite.”

    “you’re not permitted to be there-”

   “i’ll be there.” he starts unbuttoning his shirt. “i want to watch you in action. you’ve always been very good in action.” he smirks, and you know he’s just teasing you, trying to get a reaction. your cheeks heat up, but you quickly turn on your heel and scurry out before he can notice. 

    you don’t wait on him outside. instead, you hurry to the dining hall, where the king is already seated. he looks up when you enter, fingers already tangled in his beard. his wife sits beside him, grand and tall and everything a queen should be. she scowls when you enter, but you ignore her, immediately taking your seat by the king and fanning a napkin over your lap.

    “sorry,” you say. “kaz brekker kept me.”

    “it’s mr brekker,” the queen snaps. “have some respect for our guests.”

   “y/n can call me kaz.”

   you close your eyes, listening to the thump of his feet and cane against the carpet. 

   “y/n can call me kaz,” he repeats, lowering himself in the chair at the head of the table. “mr brekker is a little too formal for them.”

     “mr brekker,” the queen exclaims, fanning her reddening face. “i wasn’t aware you would be joining us for lunch!” 

   you nearly roll your eyes at her flustered state - okay, so kaz is attractive. he’s also half her age.

    kaz leans back in his seat, tapping his fingertips together. “oh, no, i’m not eating. i’m just here to observe.” at the confused silence, he shrugs. “i have nothing better to do, and i’ve always been fascinated with the hobbies y/n takes on. such a talented soul they are.”

    you’ve never heard kaz speak so formal before, and you have half a mind to laugh. instead, you glance over to see his own lips trembling in his attempts to keep a straight face - he finds this just as amusing as you do. messing with the royals, it’s all a game to him. they are the fools. 

    “do you two know each other?” the king asks, handing you his stacked plate.

   “no,” you snap. kaz grins behind his glove, staring at you over his fingers as you hasten to add, “no, we don’t. i just met him today.”

    the king nods slowly, not quite sure whether to believe you or not. you don’t give him a chance to doubt any further before picking up your knife and fork and cutting a small chunk from a slice of tofu. you go through the usual routine with everything on his plate, but all the while, kaz stares. you feel his eyes like a fire sinking into the side of your face, putting you off from paying proper attention. you pop the cut-off’s in your mouth and chew, turning to meet his gaze, as if making eye contact with him is some kind of power move. however, he actually looks a bit. . . worried? concerned? you’ve never seen that expression on his face before, and it makes your stomach flip as you swallow the food.

    you give a final nod, handing the plate back to the king. you repeat the process with the queen before standing, straightening your trousers and excusing yourself.

    kaz’s chair screeches as he stands.

    “mr brekker, would you not care for some lunch?” the queen asks.

    “no.” he turns and follows you out the dining room, catching your arm when you try and run. “what the hell?”

    you spin, snatching your arm away. “can you stop grabbing me?”

    “what happens if their food actually has been poisoned?”

    “then i get poisoned.”

   he raises a brow, skin paling. “and do they have someone on hand for if that happens?”

   “on hand to do what?”

   “don’t play stupid, y/n. on hand to save your fucking life.”

   you scowl; it’s been a long time since you’ve heard kaz curse, and it shames you to feel the same thrill run over you. 

    “i get sent to the infirmary,” you reply. “but it’s never happened before.”

    “never happened-” he shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. “this is the kind of life you want to live? you left the barrel for this?”

    “no life is as bad as the barrel.”

    kaz’s lips tighten, eyes fluttering closed for the briefest moment before he opens them again and says, “you left the place where people loved you, cared about you, and you came here. to this shit hole. you’re risking your life for them, and you have the nerve to tell me this life isn’t as bad as the barrel?”

    even to you it sounds ridiculous, but you refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. 

    “the barrel wasn’t a life,” you say. “the barrel was a beginning for me, but i’ve moved on.”

    “you don’t move on from that.”

   “maybe not mentally, but i can damn well get away physically.” you lean in, lowering your voice. “i just wish you’d let me.”

    his eyes scan your face, drawing attention to just how close you are to him. his breath fans your cheeks. you can make out every line on his lips, every crease in his face. you could lean forward if you wanted to, close that distance.

    you step back, once again straightening your trousers. “tell me when inej arrives and i’ll come meet her in the infirmary.”

    kaz doesn’t say anything. he watches you leave, and part of you - a retched, traitorous part - is disappointed he doesn’t follow. 

   ----

    inej really is sick.

   “so it’s true,” you say, sauntering into the infirmary. “the wraith has been beaten.”

    you’re trying to jest, but there’s little humour to be felt when she looks like that. her dark skin is pale and sickly, warm drops of sweat clinging to her forehead and rolling down her neck. she’s dressed in only a thin night gown, revealing collar bones and stretched skin where her muscles once were. 

   she looks up, bloodshot eyes meeting your own, and even in sickness, she manages a smile when she sees you. that’s enough to have you breaking. you rush to her bedside and bundle her in your arms, nearly sobbing with relief at the feel of her pressed against you, her hands in your hair, her mouth inches from your ear.

   she whispers, “it’s you.”

   you pull away, nodding. “yes. it’s me.”

    “what are you doing here?”

    you pull a chair over and sit down. “that’s not important.”

    “yes, it is.”

   “i’ll explain later.” you lean forward, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. “you talk first; what’s going on?”

   inej coughs into her elbow; something rattles in your throat, and you try desperately to hide your wince. “i just got sick. i fell in the brig a few days ago, and i don’t think the water was very healthy.”

   “of course it wasn’t,” you grumble. “it’s the barrel, you stupid girl. what did you expect?”

    “i cleaned myself pretty well afterwards,” she defends. 

   “clearly not well enough.” you place a hand to her cheek. “has anyone come to see you?”

   “some man in a coat,” she replies, nuzzling down in the pillows. “he checked my temperature and my blood pressure and all that stuff. said he’d be back soon.”

   “and he didn’t seem . . . concerned?”

   inej shrugs. “i didn’t look him in the eye. men like him don’t sit right with me, y/n. i let him do his job, but i’m not looking at him. i’m not giving him ideas.”

   you nod. there is a silence, but those are okay between you and inej. 

    finally, you reach over and take her hand. her palms are clammy, cold, but her grip is strong. 

    “i’m sorry i wasn’t there to help you.”

    her head snaps around, eyes widening. “y/n-”

   “i know you always say you understand why i left, but it’s just. . . i don’t know. i feel guilty about it. i feel selfish sometimes, and you’ve had to travel all the way here whilst you’re in this state all because i wasn’t there to-”

    “has kaz been making you feel guilty?”

   your mouth snaps closed. “i don’t. . . i don’t think so?”

    inej sighs, head dropping back into the pillows. “don’t listen to him. i understand why you left; i always have. kaz just. . . i don’t think he ever got over it when you disappeared. it was like a part of him went with you.” she shrugs. “a part of him did go - you.”

    silence again, because you have no idea how to respond to that. kaz was hurt when you left, and you know that, but he’s kaz. he’s tough. he’s been through everything a person should never have to go through. the thought of his final straw being you is almost laughable to think about.

    “he loved you,” inej continues, even though you don’t want her to. “he really, really loved you.”

    “past tense,” you whisper. “not any more.”

    inej smiles sadly, and that’s all you need to see to understand you’re right - he’s moved on. he’s here with you now, but that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. he’s here on business. he doesn’t care about you, and he said it himself - whatever the two of you had is gone, non-existent. you thought you had come to terms with that, but seeing the confirmation on inej’s face makes you feel suddenly exhausted.

    “well this isn’t about kaz and i,” you say, pulling your shoulders back. “come on. tell me what’s been going on since i left.”

   ---

    you’re trying to sleep when you hear the bang.

    trying being the key word. always. every night, you put your best efforts into drifting to sleep, but it never seems to work how you want it to. you toss and turn for hours on end, drifting in and out of your associative state, but not really falling asleep. time just passes, and then it’s day time, and you’re working again.

   tonight is no different.

   the bang is loud, just next door to your room. your ears immediately prick - the palace guards aren’t moving towards it. you’re already awake, so you may as well see to it yourself.

   you swing your legs out of bed, grab your dressing gown and walk into the hallway. glancing back and forth, you see nothing out of the ordinary.

   the bang sounds again.

   you narrow your eyes, walking further down the hallway. turning a corner, the bang sounds one final time before a pair of shoes flies at the wall and crashes to the floor in a heap.

   you rush forward, eyes wide. “what the-”

   kaz spins, another pair of expensive shoes already in his hand. “oh. did i wake you?”

    dazed, you snatch the shoes into your possession and toss them to the floor. “what the fuck are you doing, kaz? people are trying to sleep!”

    “i was also trying to sleep,” kaz replies. “i am one of those people, so why are you yelling at me?”

   you rub your eyes in frustration - sometimes talking to him is like pulling teeth.

   “oh, come on,” kaz says. “i was just doing a bit of late night cleaning. this room is a fucking shit hole.”

    you raise a brow, sighing. “what are you on about? this room was pristine when you came.”

    “yeah, well, i thought so too. and then i found this.” he motions for you to enter the room, and though you know it’s a bad idea, you do so. he hooks his foot around something beneath his bed, and pulls out a box overflowing with expensive shoes.

   you narrow your eyes. “what’s the problem?”

   “rich men shoes,” he says, like that explains everything. after knowing kaz as deeply as you do, it kind of does make sense.

   you sigh again, kicking the box back beneath the bed. “go to sleep, kaz.”

    “i can’t.”

    “try.”

   “you know i can’t.”

   you pause, overcome with a sudden chill. you wrap the dressing gown tighter around your body, trying to refrain from looking at him - he’s still dressed in the fancy clothes he wore this morning, but the top button is pulled loose, and his hair is a mess. his eyes droop a little, evidence that he really wants to sleep, but genuinely just can’t.

   and you know why.

   “i’m not asking you to stay with me,” he continues, grabbing a pair of socks from the floor. “i’m just saying - you have no right telling me to sleep when you know what it’s like.”

    “are they bad again?”

    kaz purses his lips. “they’ve been bad for a while.”

   a while. that’s how he always phrases it. when he says it’s been a while, he means it’s been a while since you left the crows, left him. 

    you swallow, looking to the ceiling like the intricate design will give you clarity. “i can get you tea or something. a fresh blanket. whiskey.”

    “trying to get me drunk?”

   “kaz, i’m serious.” you meet his eyes. “you look terrible.”

    he laughs, a sly sound that reeks more of danger than amusement. “thank you.”

    “let me get you something.” you turn, but he catches your elbow. you glance back just as he drops his hand like your flesh has burned him, an uncharacteristic redness adorning his cheeks.

   “didn’t mean to touch you,” he mumbles, scratching the back of his neck. “but i’m serious; i don’t need anything. it’s useless anyway.”

    everything is useless. every remedy he’s ever been given has never worked. the only remedy for insomnia that has worked for kaz brekker is you.

   but you can’t do that to him. you can’t do that to yourself. 

    “okay,” you mumble. “just. . . stop making so much noise, alright?”

   “did i really wake you?”

    “i couldn’t sleep either.”

    you stare at each other. it’s like you’re waiting for the other to break. you hate that you kind of want him to break.

    his adams apple bobs. “make yourself some tea, then. i’ll be a bit quieter.”

    you nod. “thanks.”

   “how’s inej, by the way? did you see her?”

    “i did. she seems. . . okay.” you shrug. “the doctors are going to do everything they can to help her get back to normal. then you can go back to the barrel.”

    kaz nods, though his movements are slower this time around, shoulders a little more slumped. neither of you say anything else as you walk out, tugging your dressing gown a little tighter around your body. 

   you don’t take his advice. you don’t need tea, or whiskey, or a fresh blanket; with kaz’s words and his expressions and him, you know there is no way you’re getting to sleep any time soon, no matter what remedy you use.

    ----

     “good morning, royalty.”

    the king looks up from his breakfast, the very breakfast you have just tested for poison. it sits weirdly in your stomach this morning; after a sleepless night, your appetite has deserted you, but you have no choice besides eating.

   kaz strolls into the room, dressed in a suit. his white shirt sits against his chest, and his sleeves are rolled up to reveal the crow tattoo on his arm. you awkwardly rub your own crow tattoo, suddenly very aware of how permanent it is.

    “good morning, mr brekker,” the king says. “again, you surprise me with your presence. we weren’t expecting you for breakfast.”

    “i am just full of surprises.” he sits down in his usual seat and meets your eyes. “how are you this morning, y/n?”

    “y/n was just about to leave,” the king replies, as you knew he would; he likes hearing your voice as little as possible. 

    kaz, however, keeps his eyes on you. “i asked y/n. not you.”

    you stare straight at him, a silent warning. “i’m good, mr brekker. well-rested.”

    “you can call me kaz.” he leans back, grinning. “i’m glad to hear it. maybe you and i can take a walk amongst the duck pond again later on.”

   there he goes, putting on that god awful formal accent that he thinks is so funny. 

    you scowl. “i’m a bit busy today, mr brekker.”

   “kaz.”

   “he asked you to call him kaz, y/n,” the king snaps.

   kaz nods. “i asked you to call me kaz, y/n.”

   you bite your lip, pushing back the retort that so desperately wants to rise. he’s just sat there, grinning with no shame. the king is looking straight at him, and he doesn’t even care.

    “any duties you’ve been given today can be postponed until later,” the king says. “mr brekker is our guest, and if he wants your company, your company he shall receive.”

    kaz’s grin gets wider, and oh, you want so desperately to punch him square in the face. instead, you force a smile, turning to the king to tell him just how honoured you would be to give kaz brekker your company on this fine morning.

   and that’s how you find yourself strolling through the gardens with kaz, yet again.

    “you’re unbelieable,” you mumble, arms folded over your chest like a school kid having a tantrum. 

    “i’m good,” he replies. “you know i’m good, y/n. i don’t know why you act surprised.”

    “he’s the king, kaz,” you hiss. “can you not tone it down a little?”

   “tone what down?”

   “the-” you gesture vaguely, though the only word you can conjure is flirting, and there’s no way in hell you’re letting that slip into the conversation. “the shit. tone down the shit!”

   “i’m not scared of him. i know you want me to be, but i’m not.”

    “oh yes. how could i forget? kaz brekker isn’t scared of anything.”

    kaz scoffs. “kaz brekker is scared of plenty of things - men aren’t one of them.”

   such a kaz thing to say. the most frustrating bit about it was that he was telling the truth.

    “i told inej what your job is here,” he continues after a moment of tense silence.  

   “oh?”

   “she understands. says you’ve always been one to do anything to survive.”

   you shrug. she’s right. 

    “that worries me, you know.”

    “nothing worries you, kaz.”

   “the thought of you in danger does.”

   you shake your head. “don’t start this now. you said it yourself; what we had was nothing.”

    “why can’t i worry about you without it having to mean something bigger?”

    “because everything you say means something bigger.”

   kaz falls silent. he knows it’s true, and so do you. kaz has never been able to speak his full extent, always letting people think less of him so he can take them by surprise when the time is right. you have learned first hand how frustrating that can be, but it was also a part of him you grew to love. it was what made him so intelligent, so cunning. it was what made him kaz. 

 “are you not ever worried you’re going to get unlucky one day?”

   you glance over. he keeps his head ducked down, one hand curled around the head of his cane, the other tucked into his pocket. “i know what i signed up for. getting poisoned was kind of part of the risk.”

    “since when did you even know how to identify poisons?”

   your lips twitch. “jesper taught me.”

   kaz rolls his eyes skyward, running a hand through his hair; the sun glows against his tan skin. “of course he did. honestly, the shit you two got up to when i wasn’t around-”

    “we had fun,” you say. “we could only do that when you weren’t hovering over our shoulders.”

   kaz glares. 

   you look to the floor, afraid to smile at him, afraid to open this conversation into something even mildly pleasant; if you can get through this entire visit without thinking of kaz fondly, maybe it will make all of it a bit easier. maybe you’ll be able to trick yourself into thinking you’ve moved on, grown stronger since your time in the barrel.

        “how is jesper?” you ask, because you suddenly feel like you can’t help it.

   kaz shrugs. “how jesper always is.”

    “worse?”

    “for a while. he didn’t take you leaving very well, but he straightened himself out.” kaz tugs on his lapels. “he always does.”

    “yeah. he does.”    

    you wonder about jesper sometimes. it hurts to know he took your leave badly, though you should have known; jesper has never been one to handle his feelings well. that was your job on his behalf. you would often sit with him at night, just to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. you once handcuffed him to his bed post to stop him heading out into the gambling hall of the hotel you were staying in.

    he was the only one you could ever really properly speak to about what was going on between you and kaz. inej understood kaz, but jesper was kaz’s right-hand man. he was the one kaz would go to about things like that.

    “does jesper know how to make your brew?”

    there is no moment of confusion, like he was expecting the question. “i’m sure he does. i never ask him to make it, though.”

    your nostrils flare. “kaz-”

   “listen, the nightmares aren’t going to disappear,” he says, raising a silencing hand that you swat away before he can think it works. “i don’t need some special brew helping me sleep.”

   “no, you’ll just stay awake until you drop dead.”

   kaz grins, sharp as knives. “that’ll be the way to go, won’t it?”

   you shove his shoulder, suddenly furious. he looks over, still grinning, because kaz has always found your frustration amusing. he used to say you looked like a chipmunk who just got their nuts stolen.

    “for someone so smart,” you hiss, “you’re pretty stupid.”

   “because i won’t indulge in your famous sleep remedy?”

   “because you’ll let yourself suffer before asking for help.”

    his smile fades. “i only ask certain people for help, y/n. it’s not my fault those people keep leaving.”

    your heart drops; there he goes again with the impersonal little jabs, knowing he’s cutting you so, so deep. you don’t even humour him with a response, instead quickening your pace until you begin to feel like he isn’t even there.

    but that’s impossible, because he’s kaz brekker. he’s yours. even when he truly isn’t there, it’s like he’s walking right beside you, and you’re beginning to get very annoyed by the attachment. it’s not fair on you, and it’s not fair on kaz, but neither of you seem able to help it.

   you continue walking until the cold gets a little too much. then you head back to the palace in silence. 

----

    final meal of the day. you will make sure it’s not poisoned, and then you will go to bed.

    kaz is there, as per usual. the king and queen don’t even act shocked any more, simply welcoming him into the dining hall. oftentimes, he’ll stroll in by your side, his cane clicking against the marble and that smug little smile playing on his face. you always ignore him, even though the king says it’s disrespectful to do so. 

   tonight, you do just that. you take your seat beside the king, gather up his food and start the process. the beef is smothered in gravy, making the scent test a little difficult, but you give it a go anyway, because it’s protocol by now. 

   kaz watches from afar, one finger pressed to his lips. he’s lounging back like he’s comfortable, like sitting in a palace is what he does every day. his eyes are narrowed, focused.

    you pop the beef into your mouth and chew; nothing.

   you move onto the potatoes. nothing.

    finally, you dip your fork into the sweetcorn and raise it to your lips.

    kaz slaps the fork from your hand. he makes no noise. one minute he is sat at the head of the table, and the next he is by your side, grabbing your shoulders and pulling you from your seat.

   the queen shrieks as the fork flies directly at her, sweetcorn and all. a glass of wine tips over when kaz pulls you to your feet, your knee slamming against the underside of the table. palace guards run inside, but none of them know what to do - nobody in the room shouldn’t be there, and so they stand by the door, glancing at each other.

   your eyes, however, are trained on kaz.

   “what. the. fuck?” you hiss under your breath as the king tends to his startled wife.

   kaz meets your eyes dead on. “you really need to get better at your job.” he grabs your arm and starts for the door. the king hollers after him, demanding to know what is going on, but kaz pays him no attention, and you have no idea why you’re not fighting any of this. your heart is hammering in your chest at a million miles per hour, and you have so many questions, but it’s just reflex by now to trust kaz. 

    he drags you through the halls until reaching his room, where he pushes open the door and leads you inside. it is only then, when it is just the two of you, that you come to your senses, replaying that scene over and over in your head.

   you whirl around, yanking your arm from his grip so harshly that you stumble back. “what the hell was that, kaz?”

    “how much training did they actually give you before throwing you in to risk your life everyday?”

   “why do you care?”

   he starts pulling his tie loose, not even looking at you. “just tell me.”

   you fold your arms over your chest, trying desperately to keep your attention away from the way his gloved fingers tug and pull at the knot on his tie. “i did a course at the start where i could identify all the different types of poisons.”

   he quirks an eyebrow. “that all?”

   “it was enough.”

   “if it was enough, y/n, you would have noticed the soft spots in the sweetcorn.”

    your head snaps up. soft spots?

   he hums, despite you saying nothing in response. “wilde yolk makes food go soft in certain places. it also kills people in about ten seconds if consumed in even the tiniest amount.” he looks up, flicking his tie off completely. “did you not learn that in your course?”

   you bite your lip and look away. you were so distracted at that dinner table these days, focusing mostly on kaz brekker at the end of the table. you had no idea he was examining your food just as much as you should have been. you had no idea he was keeping an eye out for you.

    “so is this experience enough to get you to move back to the barrel?”

   your eyes snap up. he’s staring right at you. he doesn’t even look fazed by his question.

   and that makes you so, so angry. in seconds, you have gone from grateful to furious; only kaz can elicit that response from you.

   you step back, glaring. “so that’s what this is then? you came all the way here to drag me back to the barrel?”

     “well, no. i came here to get inej help, but she seems to be healing up pretty well with all the goods your people are giving her.” he shrugs, bottom lip protruding. “so i thought i’d try my hand at this.”

     “you are unbelievable.”

   kaz raises a brow. “are you getting mad at me?”

   “you are unbelievable!” you want to throw something at him. you want to break down and cry. you kind of want to go with him. “it’s like you haven’t listened to a word i’ve said. are you that self-centred, kaz?”

    “you know i am.”

    you close your eyes, trying to steady your breathing. maybe you’re overreacting. maybe you really are better off in the barrel, where you were born and raised, where you learned everything you ever knew. but here, with kaz being the one to drag you back - it reminds you so harshly that you’re his. you are his, and that is all anyone will ever see you as, and that thought. . . you don’t know how to feel about that thought.

     “this isn’t the life for you, y/n,” he continues. “you know it isn’t. once the barrel has you, it doesn’t let you go. we’ve all learned that the hard way.”

   “is that what you are?” you spit. “the hard way?”

   he shrugs. “you should be grateful it’s me and not someone worse.”

   “there is no one worse, kaz.”

   his lips twitch, the only sign that your words have actually struck a nerve. “you mean that, do you?”

   “don’t act like you’re the good guy. you know you’re evil. you’re proud of it! that’s why i had to leave. that’s why i’m in here risking my life every single fucking day! i wanted to get away from you!”

   and oh, saints, this isn’t going how you wanted it to go. the words are spilling from your mouth before you can stop them, mind racing too quick for your mouth to catch up. his face continues falling with every word, but you don’t stop. 

    “saints, kaz, when are you ever going to grow the fuck up? you walk around pretending you have everything under control, that you own the place, but you’re nothing - nothing - without the rest of us. you would be dead twenty times over if it wasn’t for that little crew of yours, the people you have under your god damn thumb.” you step forward, teeth gritted. “kaz dirtyhands brekker can’t even take his own fucking gloves off.”

    “is that what you want?” he steps closer, so close your chests are almost touching. his face is red, a line of sweat glittering upon his upper lip that only ever shows itself when he’s furious, out of his mind with anger. “you want the gloves to come off? fine.”

   and then he plucks the gloves from his hands and throws them on the floor.

    his hands. the hands you have seen only twice in the years you have known him, the hands that have never touched your bare skin. suddenly they are in full view, free reign to do whatever you want with them, but all you can do is step back, one hand covering your mouth as you try and process what you’ve said, what kaz has done, how the situation could have taken such a harsh, grim turn.

    but kaz isn’t finished. kaz is never finished. 

    “is this what you want, y/n?” he demands. “you need me to bear myself completely for you to believe i’m in love with you? or is this not enough?”

   “kaz-”

    “what else is it going to take, huh? tell me.”

   “kaz, i’m-”

   “what about this?”

   he’s crazy. he’s crazy, and making mistakes, and you know this because he reaches forward and cups your face in his bare hands, flesh against flesh. shock ricochets through you, eyes widening as kaz lets out an anguished groan, his own eyes slipping closed. you feel his fingers trembling upon your skin.

   you wrench away from him, gasping.

    he immediately spins around, clutching his hands to his chest. he groans low in his throat, pressing his head against the wall. sweat trickles down the back of his neck, disappearing beneath his collar. you catch a single tear run down his cheek that he can’t wipe away because then his fingers will be touching his skin, and he hates that. it kills him. you know it does.

    you rush forward, placing a hand safely on his jacket-covered shoulder. his breathing is ragged and shaky.

   “kaz,” you pant. “oh god, kaz, i’m so sorry. i’m so, so sorry. why did you do that?” you whirl around frantically. “your gloves. where are your gloves?”

   he doesn’t reply. you’re talking to yourself at this point. you spot his gloves on the floor and grab them, immediately handing them back without so much as a brush of your fingertips against his. he’s hurried and distressed when he tugs them back on, clenching his fist over and over again, as if to ensure his hands are safely hidden beneath the leather.

   he doesn’t turn around. you stand behind him, one hand pressed to your chest, eyes swimming in tears you didn’t even feel rising to the surface.

   “kaz,” you whisper. “i’m. . . i didn’t mean. . .”

   “you got what you wanted, didn’t you?” he mumbles, straightening up. “i’m not asking you to return to the barrel with me so you can serve me, or whatever you think this is. i’m asking you to return so i can have you there. so we can be together again.” he glances over his shoulder. “as it should be.”

   you stare at him, wanting to respond, wanting to tell him to go to hell, but you can’t lie. never before have you been able to look kaz in the eye and lie, and maybe that’s why you say nothing. he’s right in every sense - you and him are meant to be by each other’s side, no matter what. barrel born and raised, nobody understands you quite like he does.

   but admitting that, throwing away every barrier you have worked so hard to put up . . . you can’t do it.

    kaz waits a moment longer before laughing half-heartedly, sounding more exhausted than anything else. he lowers his head, black hair falling in his face before he swipes it out of the way, looks at you and says, “get out.”

     “kaz-”

   “stop saying my name.” he turns, tossing his tie onto the bed. “get. out. inej and i will be gone tomorrow.”

    you swallow thickly, pushing away the tears. and then you do as he said, because standing in his presence for much longer is going to send you into a spiral you don’t think you’ll be able to crawl out of again. you’ve been down that road before, and it took everything in you not to be consumed.

    ----

    “why do you look like you’ve been crying?” inej asks. she’s sat up now, a tray of soup perched on her lap. the colouring has come back to her skin, and she stands up whenever she wants to. whatever the palace medics did for her is working wonders, which you suppose is one thing you should be grateful for.

    you lean over and dip a slice of bread in her soup. 

   “are you checking if it’s been poisoned?” inej jokes, and when you don’t respond, she sighs. “you and kaz have a fight?”

    you wince, which is answer enough.

   “what about this time?”

   “he wants me to go back to the barrel with you.”

    inej pauses, eyes still cast to her soup. you look at her, stomach curling in sudden realisation.

   “wait,” you say. “did you know that was his plan this entire time?”

   “no,” she replies, though she looks sheepish. “i genuinely was sick. kaz just. . . came along for the ride when he heard you were here.” she looks up and groans. “you can’t act surprised, y/n. what were you expecting? for him to just walk out and leave you here?”

   “that would have been the right thing to do, yes.”

   “well,  you know kaz better than that. use your brain.” she waves a hand in your direction. “pass me another slice of bread and tell me about this argument.”

   you don’t want to. all day you have been thinking about the feel of his hands on your face, his flesh against your own, the anguished groan ripped from his throat. he put himself through that to prove - what? that he loves you? that’s what he said, but it was only a few days prior he was claiming what you and him had was nothing. it was forgotten, and you were happy about that for the briefest moment. if kaz moved on, you could too. 

    but then he took the gloves off, and it was just. . . messed up again. you were left confused and guilty and pining, and you hated yourself for it. it was as if all that hard work you had put in to forget about kaz had been thrown out the window - trust kaz to come in and ruin everything.

    “i can see what you’re thinking, you know,” says inej suddenly.

   “can you?”

     “take it from me,” she says. “kaz is never going to get over you. he’s never going to let you go. he’s never going to stop trying for you. he’s a stubborn bastard, and a stubborn bastard is even worse when they’re in love - which kaz is. disastrously, madly in love.”

    “he said we were nothing.”

    “he’s a stubborn and prideful bastard.”

    you close your eyes, heart thumping. “i don’t know what to do, inej.”

   “well, do you love him back?”

   your eyes fly open. “what kind of question is that?”

   she shrugs. “an obvious one, but i want to know the answer.”

    you know the answer. your brain screams it at you. you have felt the answer in your bones every day since you left the barrel, and yet speaking it aloud feels like a betrayal of yourself from yourself.

    so you look away, and as inej always claims, she can see exactly what you’re thinking.

    a soft chuckle slips past her lips. “the barrel never leaves a person, y/n. and apparently, neither does kaz brekker.”

    “what are you suggesting?”

   inej shrugs. “kaz and i are leaving for ketterdam in the morning. there’s definitely room for a third person.”

----

   you don’t sleep that night. neither does kaz.

   you can hear him pacing back and forth in his room, no doubt replaying the days events over and over in his mind in the same way you are. his hands against your skin, his eyes piercing your own, those words he spoke that left you tingling all over.

    even now, laying in bed, you can’t get over what he said. i love you. that was the jidst of it, and though you had heard that confession from him a few times in the past, it was different this time around. it was kaz trying to prove himself, which he never did before. if someone didn’t take kaz at face value, he wouldn’t bother. 

    and you have to admit, hearing him say those words was like a shot to the chest. they are the very words that have been on the tip of your tongue for months now, spoken only in dreams when you finally allow yourself to sleep. you can say them to no one else - just kaz. always, always just kaz.

   and maybe this realisation is the reason you find yourself getting dressed at six in the morning. maybe this realisation is the reason you pack all your things into the ruck sack you came to the palace with. maybe this realisation is the reason you tip-toe to the courtyard, avoiding the eyes of the staff who all look at you like you’re some kind of prisoner escaping your cell.

    it’s still dark. the grass is wet beneath your thin shoes, the jacket you have pulled on doing little to protect you from the icy winds coming from the ocean just feet away from the palace’s front door. hovering on the banks is a boat, a boat you recognise as The Mast, one of the many boats kaz has won from different people around ketterdam.

   you nearly cry at the sight of it.

   you don’t waste time waiting on kaz and inej - you don’t want to have this discussion with either of them until you’re safely on the water, until you can’t change your mind. 

   you clamber onto the boat, giving a sheepish smile to the stunned crew member - Daryl, you think he’s called - as he stares at you approaching. he offers you a hand when you finally reach the deck, his eyes never leaving your own.

    “morning,” you say. “i’m y/n.”

   “i know,” daryl replies, before tipping his hat. “it’s wonderful to have you back on board.”

    you smile awkwardly, unsure how to respond; how much do the crew actually know about what happened between you and the crows? how many people bore witness to that god awful aftermath?

   you decide not to wait around to hear the answer. instead, you tell daryl you’re going down to the cabins, and he doesn’t argue. you disappear beneath the deck, finding the first room with a bed and immediately claiming it as your own; despite the lack of sleep, you are not tired in the slightest. you can’t get kaz out of your head, how he is going to react when the boat eventually docks and he sees you strolling off of it, greeted by that rancid ketterdam air. back in the barrel.

    you lay down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. you will fall asleep eventually. you’ll trick yourself into it.

  �� and then the door opens.

    your eyes snap open with it; you must have fallen asleep eventually. groggily, you lift your head and look at the intruder - and your heart immediately falls.

   “kaz.”

    he looks crazed, hair stuck up, eyes wild. behind him stands inej, grinning from ear to ear, though the minute kaz steps into the room, she disappears into the shadows, leaving you and dirtyhands alone.

    his eyes never leave yours as he approaches. he marches to your bedside, grabs your hand and pulls you up.

   “kaz-”

    he shoves you against the wall, gun pressed to your temple. you inhale sharply, though you can’t claim to be surprised or scared. you stare into his eyes, watching his own trace your features, looking for any sign that you are here in bad company.

    “kaz,” you whisper, because it’s always his name that fights past your lips. “it’s me. i’m going home.”

    his grip slackens. the gun crashes to the floor, and before you can say anything, he wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you into him. you are careful to rest your head upon his shoulder, not touching his flesh, but feeling him nonetheless. tears spring to your eyes, dribbling down the bridge of your nose and soaking the shoulder of his fancy suede jacket - one he stole from the kings wardrobe, you notice.

    but you don’t pull away, afraid to go without his touch for another second.

    “is this what you want?” he asks, voice muffled by your hair. “is this really what you’ve decided?”

    “yes.” you pull away, hands sliding down his arms. “you’re right, kaz. the barrel is . . . it’s a shit hole, but it’s where i belong. it’s all i know. and you and me. . . we have to do this thing together.”

    he narrows his eyes. “what thing?”

   “everything.”

   the corners of his mouth twitch. you can imagine kissing those lips, drawing him close and embracing in that way lovers often do. however, you’re content, happy even, with the way things are. you hold his gloved hands, and he says he loves you. you confide in him, and he confides in you, and sometimes you fight like children, but in the end, he will have your back no matter what.

    “everything,” he repeats. “yeah.” he slips his gloved hands into the sleeve of your jacket, tracing his fingers along your crow tattoo, the one he matched, the one everyone matched when they decided to let the barrel take them over. you shiver, biting your lower lip. “you still have it.”

    “i could hardly get rid of it,” you reply. kaz looks up, and you sigh. “i would never get rid of it, kaz. no matter what.”

     he nods, rolling your sleeve back down. he pulls it over your wrist, covering your fingers before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the soft, rain soaked fabric. 

    he looks up at you again. “yes. no matter what.” 

[book-of-yanderes]

Hi! Whenever you're able to, could you write something for yandere Ciel (from Black Butler) with a male s/o who succumbs to stockholm syndrome and basically does anything Ciel wants him to do, just wants to make him happy? Sfw or nsfw, I'm not too picky. Your writing is amazing! Thank you and have a great day. 💕

Hello! I’m gonna stick to SFW since Ciel is a kid and I feel he shouldn’t be sexualized, especially since I’m an adult writing this for you fans. I hope you love this fluff though!

This is Home (Ciel Phantomhive x Male!Reader)

Warnings: Kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome

Word Count: 1079

While you hadn’t expected it, you were enjoying it here at the manor. You were just a few months older than Ciel, but found him to be someone you admired now.

At first, you were terrified when his butler came and took you. You were locked away in a room for a while until you had accepted to talk to Ciel. Much like how he was, he was shy, at first at least. Soon his visits showed how clingy he really was.

Now, here you are, in front of a mirror after Ciel had left you to finish up. He wanted to help you get dressed, and you loved him for his dork ones with tying the bow around your neck. It was lopsided, but you were happy at how he cared for you, even if he had taken you against your will.

Being a young man yourself, you wanted to look decent. Plus you got to enjoy the outdoors for once today. It had been a few months, and last time you tried to run away. This time though, you wouldn’t. You liked Ciel. You and him were meant to be, correct?

You went to find the trousers and suspenders you needed for your tea wear. Unlike Ciel, you slept with pants and a shirt, considering you weren’t a noble, but a simple paper boy before being brought here. The fashion you had now was more extravagant, much better than the pants and shirts you had that carried holes through them.

The ruffles and lace on your button up were fancy, carrying the classic French gothic design that Ciel wore on his own clothing. Your blazer only enhanced the long sleeves and folded elegantly as you combed your hair to look more manageable.

It was the first date with Ciel you were excited for. He was your love, wasn’t he? You enjoyed being here now and wanted to prove to him you were falling for him.

You went to exit, finding Sebastian to guide you to the gardens. Ciel, in his own elegant clothing, sat at a small table with teacups and afternoon tea snacks set out to eat. He hadn’t touched any of the food yet, it made you feel butterflies in your stomach, knowing he was waiting for you.

“Your bow… Why are you wearing it like that?” Ciel questioned as he eyed you.

You looked at the bow around your neck awkwardly, it was the same one Ciel had, but was still tied poorly.

“Well, you tied it. I didn’t want to mess with your work, Ciel,” you spoke.

His eye averted for a moment as a small pink dusted his cheeks. You had to admit, he was even more attractive when flustered.

“Just sit down already!”

You did as Ciel commanded and sat across from him. Sebastian followed then to pour both of you hot tea to go with the sweets and small sandwiches on platters.

“You should eat too, it’s only been recently you’ve been eating. I don’t want you sick.” Ciel was strict with his tone, but it didn’t matter. You wanted to listen and obey him, to show him you cared about him.

You were the first to take a bite of the food prepared. It was delicious, as always. It was one thing you loved about the place. Wonderful food with the person you were falling for.

You were, right? And he loved you? It had to be if he chose to lock you away so only you two would be together.

“Thank you, Ciel, for this.” You gestured to the small tea placement before taking another bite.

“It’s what should happen, don’t you think?” Ciel took a sip of his tea before continuing. “But don’t you dare think of leaving.”

“I don’t want to.”

Ciel’s eye looked at you in shock. He wasn’t expecting that answer after all the defiance you had caused in the last few months. Were you being genuine? He had to know.

“If so, then come sit next to me.” The order you listened to willingly, having your shoulder slightly bump his as you adjusted in your moved seat.

It was like a test, and you’d prove to him that you liked him just like he liked you. Just if only you knew how much he was obsessed with you.

He kept giving you more orders, some being fun to do. Your favorite had to be when he demanded you feed him one of the berry tarts. Seeing him eat it off of your fork made you happy. That moment of trust just made you fall for him more.

But then came the one command from him you didn’t expect:

“Rest with me on the swing.”

Did that mean you could hold him? Clasp his hand? Your heart began to race as you questioned what you two would do.

Of course, you followed him to the rocking swing nestled in where many roses surrounded the two of you. Both of you say side by side and let the swing rock from you two getting onto it. Ciel grasped your hand with his, his eyes closing as you two sat there and enjoyed the breeze and aroma of the flowers.

You yourself relaxed and rested your head against the head cushion on the swing. It was peaceful, and you were enjoying this with the one you wanted to call yours.

And being the taller of the two, you let your foot go back and forth on the ground, helping the swing stay rocking as the two of you drifted in a semi-awake slumber together. It was peaceful, and you didn’t want it to end.

After a few minutes of peace, you felt heaviness on your shoulder. Taking a glance, you saw Ciel with his face slightly squashed against your shoulder, it was also sliding slightly onto your chest and over your heart. A smile graced your features as you looked at him, finding his calm expression adorable.

Soon enough you changed position so Ciel could rest more on top while still staying on the swing. He embraced your form and rested his head on your pecs, ear pressed firmly above your heart. He wanted to hear your heartbeat as he embraced you, you also going to wrap your arms around him, one hand on his head and in his hair.

You enjoyed this.

You wanted to do this more in the place you now call home.

[jaskiersvalley]

so wolves (the animals) show affection to humans in specific and structured ways - if you aren't high enough "ranked" as it were in the pack, you wait until those above you get a chance, essentially. what if witchers are like that and they WANT to show affection to jaskier but they CAN'T because geralt hasn't done it yet and they're like "please tell the bard you like him so i can tease him please i'm going mad" meanwhile jaskiers like "why do they just stand there glaring?"

What a delightful idea, Nonnie! Though I’ll put my hand up and admit I don’t know current theories on wolf pack structure and the like so please brace yourself for a liberal dose of artistic licence that’s about to come.

As was tradition, Jaskier and Geralt went their separate ways for winter. It wasn’t that Jaskier didn’t like Kaer Morhen but he couldn’t spend months on end with four surly witchers in a crumbling old keep that they hated and adored at the same time. No, Jaskier liked his creature comforts and at least his home didn’t have drafts, a library that held more than mouldy old tomes about poisons. Plus, there were people around him, those who appreciated his music, his wit and company. That wasn’t to say that the witchers didn’t but there was a hug difference between a grunt that could mean anything along a spectrum of “play that again and I’ll gut you” to “if you don’t play it again, I’ll gut you”. Jaskier thrived on the feedback of others and quite liked being showered in praise. Then again, who didn’t?

So Jaskier returned home and so did Geralt. He made his path to Kaer Morhen, greeted his fellow wolves as always and settled in for a long, harsh season. The old keep needed a lot of attention and it kept them busy for weeks on end, trying to patch holes in the roof, fill up the cracks in the walls. It was a thankless and never ending task. But at least it was mindless work that allowed them to burn off energy without having to think, no worries or fears about messing up.

On a bland, dark night, Geralt woke from his slumber to a deep rumble and his bed shook. His mind flashed back to the attack of Kaer Morhen and he jumped up, grabbing his sword and igni already warm in his palm as he barged out of his room. He found Eskel backing out of his room, debris in his hair. Before they could talk, the whole keep gave a violent quiver and dust, along with small chunks of stone showered them.

“The keeps coming down!” Eskel growled and, despite all sense, he dashed back into his room.

“Fuck.” Geralt did the same, gathering as much of his meagre possessions as he could. Armour, weapons and potions had to come first. He took a longing look at some of the trinkets Jaskier had given him but knew he couldn’t grab them safely. So he turned, heart heavy and ran, Eskel behind him. They got to the stables for Roach and Scorpion, the horses were panicked and stamping their feet, whinnying in distress.

At least Lambert and Vesemir were outside too by the time they managed to wrangle their horses. From the courtyard, they watched as a tower toppled, crashing through the roof of what had been the pantry and kitchen.

“We need to leave,” Vesemir said. “It’s all collapsing.”

Even as he spoke, cracks appeared under their feet. None of them really remembered much of the next couple of minutes, four witchers and two horses running along a snow laden pass, too focused on surviving to care about twisted ankles or cuts from bramble to cheeks. It was dark, only the moonlight from the clear sky illuminated their way and even with their heightened senses it was a perilous trek. Behind them there was an almighty crack and rumble. Turning as one, they watched the last of Kaer Morhen topple. There was no more home for the School of the Wolf.

“What now?” Lambert asked, sounding more lost than any of them had ever heard before.

They knew they couldn’t stay, winter was too harsh, they didn’t have the resources or the equipment to survive in the remnants of Kaer Morhen. Witchers weren’t welcomed to winter in courts, even taverns were skittish. To house one witcher was almost too much for most. Four of them under one roof was never going to happen.

“Jaskier.” Geralt said and moved to the front of their group, Roach’s rein in hand. “Follow me.”

They walked. Through bitterly cold storms, knee deep snow, pelted by hail, they kept moving. Whenever they encountered a town or village, there was always movement in windows, people curious to watch four bedraggled witchers slog through the elements, dressed in a way a mortal man would have succumbed to winter’s harsh chill already. Yet nobody offered them refuge or even a meal.

When Lambert’s foot got caught on a root and twisted, he ended up being lifted onto Scorpion’s back and they kept going. No mage or healer would see them. Finally, Geralt was leading them down a path to a mansion that looked so warm and inviting, none of the witchers could even imagine going near it, let alone inside. Yet that was where Geralt was headed. He knocked on the fancy door, water frozen into the mess his hair had become. They waited, not daring to hope that maybe someone would answer their call.

The door swung open and a butler looked over them with disdain. However, he stepped aside and gestured them into the warmth.

“Please wait here,” he instructed. “I will fetch you the standards.”

Watching his retreating back, Lambert wriggled to sit down instead of leaning on Eskel. He plopped down with a thump and tipped his head back, appreciating the warmth of being indoors.

“Standards?” Vesemir asked?

“For those in need,” the butler replied as he returned. “We don’t turn anyone away without some help at least. Food and furs.”

“No.” Geralt shook his head. “We’re here to see Jaskier.”

“A lot of people come in the hopes of seeing the master. Everyone wants to bask in his fame.”

“Tell him his wolves are here,” Geralt snapped. He stared down the butler and pulled his medallion from under his cloak, flashing it like some badge.

“I’m afraid that witcher or not, I still cannot permit you more than I would anyone else who comes to ask for help.”

Teeth bared, Geralt lost his patience. He turned towards the stairs and bellowed, “Jaskier! Jaskier get your arse down here!”

There was a clatter from somewhere within the mansion and the sound of rushing feet.

“Geralt! Geralt! You’re here!” Jaskier skidded into the entrance hall, slightly out of breath. “You’re all here! What happened?”

It took Geralt a moment to look over Jaskier, take in how cosy, happy and well he looked. Behind him, the other witchers stared too.

“Kaer Morhen’s gone.”

A hand to his chest, Jaskier took a dramatic step back. “My poor wolves. You had to traverse the continent in such harsh conditions. I am so sorry. Though I offer you shelter and the opportunity to call my humble mansion your new home, you are under no obligation to accept.”

He looked at the other witchers behind Geralt who were all glaring at him and Geralt. That wasn’t a good sign. Maybe Jaskier had missed something or had already managed to offend them within a minute of opening his mouth. That would have to be a new record.

“Geralt,” Eskel wasn’t whining but he was definitely pleading. It was echoed by Lambert who was tugging at Eskel to be helped back up onto his feet.

“Oh!” Jaskier looked over. “You’re hurt. I’ll get a healer over right away.”

Maybe that had been the issue, Jaskier should have been paying more attention. But then even Vesemir joined in with an annoyed “for fuck’s sake Geralt!” that made zero sense.

“What’s going on?” Jaskier asked but didn’t get a verbal answer. However, he was wrapped in two solid arms, still cold from the outside and Geralt was pressing his face into his neck.

“It’s good to see you again,” he murmured to Jaskier and stepped away. Instantly, Vesemir was there, offering his own much more respectable greeting. He was all but bowled out of the way as Eskel and Lambert fought each other like excitable puppies to bundle into Jaskier’s embrace.

It would have been a lie to claim Jaskier understood but he realised that he was Geralt’s first and foremost which gave him some kind of hierarchical right. In the end, Jaskier decided to not worry about it. His concern was making sure his wolves were set up in new, warm and safe rooms, that they were well provided for and Lambert’s ankle was properly healed. While his mansion would never compare to Kaer Morhen, it was maybe the fresh start and a happier place to spend winter for his wolves.

[good-rwbyaus]

honorable-asshole asked:

Au where Whitley has actually been running the bank accounts since he was young and keeping the group financially viable

#Rising Snow AU   - [ first ]  [ next ]- mod lilac

7. Red

The Schnee Dust Company was hemorrhaging money. He would’ve thought it absurd a couple days ago - couldn’t believe the profit margin graphs he saw at first demonstrating worsening debt every year. It was to the point where the company may very well collapse in just a few scant years if the trend continued.

His first thoughts were that the graphs must be all lies. How could the SDC be on the verge of going bankrupt? The Schnee Dust Company was practically a household name - because there was no one else people can turn to for their Dust needs. A monopoly in every sense of the word. They were successful both at home and abroad with branches everywhere, even in Vacuo where the populace outright hated them. Why were they losing money? 

Was this why Father meticulously scoured everything involving the budget? 

He tapped his finger against the table, the milkshake Klein had provided having turned soupy a long time ago. Those fingers moved to massage his temples, eyebags from lost sleep causing his vision to blur. He gritted his teeth and punched the table with a loud bang. 

Why was his father going off taking vacation when there was a very real chance his company was going to keel over and die?!

Why were they still having extravagant monthly banquets, costing millions of Lien when they were on the brink?

How could things have gotten to this point?

Wait, why don’t people know about this? 

Something like the Schnee Dust Company about to go under was big news.

He looked into the glowing computer monitor, gritting his teeth - knowing he’s probably not going to like what he’s going to find. 

____________________________  

8. Trust

“Klein. Is father reachable right now?” said a pale Whitley, breath smelling acrid from the dry retching he did earlier in the bathroom earlier.

“I’m sorry, young master,” Klein replied apologetically, “your father has always been out of contact when he’s on vacation.”

Damn it. He knew that, but he had hoped... It was a stupid hope. Even back when his sisters were around - even when his eldest sister got badly injured from training, his father had never left a method of contact during his vacation. What made him think that would change? He felt like he was going to explode from what he learned.

He needed to talk to someone. This was a problem too big for him to handle, but the only one who he can talk to...

He stared at Klein whose eyes changed to a bright blue, staring him with...concern. Something he’s never seen in his father’s eyes.

“Young master, are you feeling okay?” 

Even the man’s words of care, said frequently, were never said by his father even once. It...was honestly something he’s always taken for granted. Until now.

“Klein, I need to talk to someone.”

“If you nee-”

“You can’t let father know about what I’m about to tell you,” he cut Klein off, staring at him straight in the eyes.

Without skipping a beat, Klein replied, “Young master, so long as you say so, I will not relay a single word to your father without your permission.” 

“...There was never a test, was there?” he let it out there.

The butler hesitated for a moment before nodding his head.

Whitley took a deep breath.

____________________________

9. Downhill

“This company is a landmine with the amount of debt that’s been accumulating,” Whitley pinched the bridge of his nose, “And when it explodes, it’s not going to just affect our family. It’ll affect all of Atlas, maybe beyond that.”

“Tens of thousands of people are going to die when this company folds over. And I can’t figure out how to stop it.”

Whitley agitatedly stalked back and forth as he clenched his fists back and forth, his only audience of Klein quietly but attentively listening.

“And Father’s content on just ignoring the prob- No. He doesn’t care. He’s cooked the books enough to make it look like we’re only barely in the red - enough to demand subsidies from the government to help prop us up instead of causing the state of emergency that would happen if we were to reveal how badly in the red we are now.”

He stomped his foot.

“But that solution is not sustainable. We’re just pouring water into a sieve, and I cannot solve this problem. The only one who can solve it is intent on just getting what jollies he can from the company and leaving.”

He never thought he would say that about his father, but the evidence he perused through several days of scouring didn’t lie. His father, from the very start, only cared about making sure he had all the power but didn’t care about anything else beyond his fancy dinners, expensive vacations, and his appearance. 

Cautiously, Klein made his opinion known.

“Young master, have you ever thought...that this problem may not necessarily require you in particular to solve it? You could always repo-”

He shook his head vehemently at Klein’s suggestion.

“And then what? The Kingdom of Atlas has always been merciless to those that disturb its order - the Schnee’s are only tolerated because we have both the power and the resources to both help and contend with them,” he gritted his teeth, wiping away a dampness in his eyes with a sleeve.

Klein opened his mouth to say something, but he could only cut him off.

“Don’t argue with me on this point. You haven’t attended those high-class dinners. They’re all snakes maneuvering to get the biggest piece of the pie. If we report the SDC’s situation to the government, all those snakes - the government, the biggest of all - will just slice the SDC into bite-sized pieces under the guise of management, and we’ll be left with nothing.”

“Father will probably go to jail. Weiss will likely be asked to leave her school in disgrace. Maybe Winter will be left unscathed, but that’s only because Ironwood admires her skills; she won’t be able to protect us. Mother might even have to join Father in prison, even though all she’s been doing is drinking her days away and doesn’t care about anything anymore.”

He couldn’t help the bitterness in his voice at the last bit. Yeah, she’s a horrible mother, but she’s his mother. 

“Even if father is content to let this company go to ruin, I won’t let it. I can’t. Even if I have to fix every stupid problem from gross corruption to a leaking toilet myself, I will not let our only shield against the world break in my hands.”

“..But I just don’t know where to start,” Whitley finished bitterly, “Or who to trust. I’m smart enough to know when a problem’s too big for me to handle. I’m good at numbers. I’m good at reading people. But I’m not nearly experienced enough to fix the problems that need fixing all by myself. ” 

“I feel like we’re going to capsize and drown, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.” 

[ next ]

[1a-imagines]

A knights promise

[Characters: Izuku Midoriya]

[Overview: He swore to become your loyal knight so he would never have to leave your side again.]

[A/n: I'm not saying Knight izuku has my entire fucking heart but- that's exactly what i'm saying. I love him.]

"Come now honey, sulking in bed wont change a thing." Your father patted your back as you shoved your small head into one of the many silk pillows on your bed. It was a bed that was comically large for a child your size, but that’s the perks of being royalty, you could have just about anything you wished for.

There weren't many things royalty could complain about, there was no doubt you had almost everything a person could ever want! But being a ten year old with no friends, only butlers and maids surrounding you day and night, would make anyone a bit upset. Especially when the servants had jobs to do and no time to play around.

"There's no one else around here that’s my age! It gets really lonely." Came your muffled reply but all your father could do was chuckle at your huffy behaviour.

“What about your brothers?”

The mention of her older brothers made her groan. “They’re boring now too! They never have time for me anymore!”

As her brothers grew older the more duties they had to fulfill, whether it was training to fight or learning the in’s and out’s of being proper royalty they were always busy with something. Which meant they had little free time to spend with their sister. You used to find them annoying, as do most siblings, but now you missed the time you all used to spend together.

“I can’t believe I finally made a friend my age and he lives outside of the kingdom.” You sighed solemnly.

A few years back you and your family would often go into town to talk with the people and help around. The kingdom wasn’t the richest in the lands, nor was it the biggest but life here was happy and your father liked to show you and your brothers how the town worked. Everyone helped each other to live comfortable lives and it was your duty to check up on them and fix any problems in order to maintain peace.

You remembered your father was preoccupied with talking to a bakery owner when you noticed a mop of green hair poking out from the side of a building. Being the curious child you were, you stared at it to see what it was? A person? A fluffy animal? Your imagination ran wild with thoughts until a head poked out to look at you. As soon as the boy saw you staring back he turned red and jumped back into his hiding place.

You smiled at the memory. You were only 6 years old at the time and yet you two were able to form a friendship like no other. You remembered walking over to him and calling him out for spying but it turns out he was just curious about you, having never seen someone dressed so fancy in town before. You two spent the whole day talking and playing pretend around the kingdom. It was much more fun than standing around as your father talked to the townspeople.

The two of you were inseparable from that day forward.

But the sad news was that he lived outside of the kingdom with his mom and only came to town to buy food or sell produce once a week. So you two were only able to see each other when he was visiting and for years it stayed that way. You would wait on the outskirts of the kingdom every Tuesday at precisely midday for them to show up and the two of you would spend the day talking and playing around as his mom took care of chores.

As you grew closer your parents allowed you to stay over at each other's homes every so often too! You would never forget the way his jaw dropped once he set foot inside the castle. The look of awe on his face as you showed him around was nothing short of hilarious! He made such a big deal over every little thing that you were so used to. Like being served the best food in the lands! Or having so much indoor space to run around! Or the amount of servants that were willing to serve him simply because he was your friend!

The first time you went over to his small little cottage you were awestruck too! It was so tiny! You couldn't comprehend how they lived together in such a small space! Your bedroom was bigger than their house!

They even did all the work on their small plot of land themselves! They grew vegetables and took care of animals, cooked their own foods and cleaned their house without any help from servants! It was like a completely different world to yours but you were thankful for the experience! His home life was so cozy,  even if they did not share the same riches as you. You liked to think the whole experience had made you more down to earth.

You realised how thankful you should be for all you had and you swore to yourself that anytime you came over you would help them with their work as much as you could!

You even forced the two royal guards that accompanied you at all times to help them as well.

You two were polar opposites in terms of lifestyle but it made things more interesting. You had taught each other so much in just a few short years! Never did you think you would work on a farm!! It was dirty and sometimes a bit gross but it only made you appreciate all the commoners in your kingdom. They all worked very hard to make a living.

It was safe to say that your friendship had grown pretty strong in those 4 years, even if you couldn’t spend every day together. He had to help his mom with work around their farm and you weren’t allowed outside of the kingdom since there were a lot of dangerous people who would jump at the chance to snag a princess and sell her back for heaps of jewels.

But that didn’t stop you from having guards deliver letters and gifts to him and his mom. You cared for them as if they were your own family now, they had been nothing but kind to you and you wouldn't trade your friendship with him for the world.

He just had a way of making you so happy! His smile alone was enough to cheer you up and you were sure that this was a once in a lifetime sort of friendship.

“Yes, I know. I hear this complaint everytime you miss him- and you miss him a lot.” You could hear the amusement in your father's voice. His tone made you wonder if he knew something that you didn’t? Why wasn't he taking you seriously? Why was he brushing you off and laughing at your misery?

You pulled your head from your pillow and sent him a glare to tell him you weren’t amused. You were in no means a bratty child but you could get pretty grumpy when you hadn’t seen Izuku for awhile.

“Oh don’t give me that look, you’re lucky he misses you too.” Your father gave you one last path to your back before standing up from his seat on the edge of your bed.

“What does that mean?”

Your father opened the large double doors to your room and as soon as you saw that messy green hair that you adored so much, peek through you dashed forward without  second thought. You almost knocked your father over in the process.

You wrapped your arms around him tightly with a smile that could rival the brightness of the sun. “IZU!”

“Y-Y/n-!” You were aware that you were crushing him with your hug but you couldn’t help yourself. You had missed him so much! You let him go and grabbed his hands in yours. “What are you doing here!?”

“I came to see you of course! My mom said I’m allowed to stay here for a few days since I’ve been working extra hard on the farm!!” His smile rivaled your own.

He had been running around all week, trying to be the best golden child he could be and do all the jobs his mom wanted done just so he could spend some time with you.  He was tired and it had been a lot of hard work but seeing your radiant smile made it all worth it to him.

You turned to your dad knowing he must have had something to do with this too. Perhaps he had sent his mom a letter to ask permission for him to stay with them for awhile?

Your father reached down to pat the top of your small head. “Don’t say I never do anything for you. Try not to cause too much trouble you two, and be in bed by 9pm, I’ll make sure to have the guards check on you so no rule breaking!” He warned with a gentle smile and you both nodded enthusiastically. No amount of rules could bring down your spirits! You were going to make every second together a special one.

As soon as the doors shut you began jumping up and down unable to contain the excitement you felt. “I’m so happy!! I can’t wait!! We’re going to have so much fun! We can play games and tell stories and oh! I can even show you some of the magic I've been learning in my magic lessons!!”

Seeing him take the bag he had on his back off and put in on the ground made you feel giddy. It was probably filled with clothes and other necessities. It just made this whole thing feel more real! He wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon and you could spend the next few days making memories and having as much fun as you possibly could!

And so you did just that.

The next few days were spent, baking with the chefs in the kitchen (and ultimately resulting in a food fight and then being scolded for the mess), showing him the new spells you had learned, reading stories together, playing games, having the guards teach you both to spar and pulling pranks on your brothers. Though Izuku was a lot less enthusiastic about the last one, he felt awful for pranking royalty! Even if it wasn’t his idea. Luckily your brothers took it well, though they swore revenge on you two and that scared him more than anything.

You felt like you hadn’t smiled or laughed this much in so long, it was perfect. You wished it could always be this way. That he never had to leave again. The castle just wasn’t the same without him around.

It was the night before he had to leave you again. The moon shone brightly, it was high up in the sky reminding you of how you were both breaking curfew. But neither of you wanted to sleep. The sooner you slept the sooner he would have to leave. You didn't want to sleep and waste those precious seconds with each other.

You were both sitting on your large window, staring out at the beautiful clear night sky as you tried to name all the constellations. Though, knowing this was the last night you two would be together before he disappeared for another week or two, had made you too upset to concentrate on what he was actually saying.

You pulled your legs to your chest with a sigh and that got him to stop talking and turn away from the stars to focus his attention on you. “What's wrong?” his small voice asked, his big green eyes filled with worry. You glanced up at him with a frown, “You know what’s wrong… You’re going back home tomorrow and I won’t be able to see you for weeks! I always have so much fun when you’re around… I feel as if I'm at my happiest with you! But-” you curled up tighter and turned your head away, “But you always have to leave and then I’m left alone again!"

Izuku listened to every word with his mouth partly agape. He understood how you felt. He was always happiest when he was with you too. He missed you every second you were apart, he had never had a friend before you and you were his most precious person. Even if he was too shy to say so out loud. It always felt so surreal that he was best friends with the Princess herself but he wouldn’t trade any of this for the world.

He crawled forward until your legs brushed together. He leaned over to place his small hand on top of yours. It was such a gentle and innocent action that was only intended to soothe a solem friend.

“But no matter how long I’m away for I will always come back to you, and every second we are away I promise to think of you. Maybe if I think hard enough you’ll be able to feel how much I miss you and you won't feel as alone!”

You blinked at his words. “How will I hear if you think about it? If you want it to reach me you will have to yell to the gods and then they will give me the message and every night I’ll yell back so you know I miss you too! But make sure to yell, really, super duper loud. Ok?”

“Ok! I promise I’ll yell as loud as I can!” He nodded so determinedly that you had no doubt that he would keep to his promise. Satisfied with his reply the pair of you fell into a silence as you sat and watched the stars twinkling from the confines of your dark room. It was peaceful, and the way the moon illuminated the two of you and your surroundings seemed magical.

There was nothing in the world that you would trade this moment for.

“You know… the past few weeks we were apart, i’ve been thinking a lot.” You heard Izuku start. You took notice of the way he nervously fiddled with his hands as well as how he seemed to smile like he was content with whatever he was thinking. “I can’t see you more because I have to work and help my mom, and you can’t leave the kingdom because it’s too dangerous..” He continued before suddenly looking up at you and it was only then that you realised how red his cheeks were.

“I want to become your knight!!” He exclaimed.

“Huh!?” You felt your cheeks heat up at the sudden declaration.

“Well.. If I work hard to become your  knight then not only can we be together everyday but I’ll be able to protect you from all the dangers out there too! And that’s all I want in my life! ” He sent you a closed eye grin.

“When I grow up I promise to become the best knight in the land for you. I will protect you with my life and stay by your side forever! Then we never have to be apart again!”

----

Ah what a silly little promise that was made between ten year olds. It had been 13 years since that night and-

You honestly had not expected him to stay true to his words!

“Princess.” Your ever faithful knight bowed down on one knee to you and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes at his formal behaviour. Especially when no one else was around to see it. There was no need to put on a front when you were alone. “You’re guests are awaiting your arrival.”

“What have I told you about formalities? You may be my personal knight but you’re also much more than that.” You crossed your arms and Izuku looked up at you with a playful glint in his eyes. “I don’t say it for formalities, I say It out of love. A pet name if you will? You are my princess after all.” He stood up, enjoying the way your face turned red.

“You’ve gotten a bit bold lately, aren’t you still worried about someone finding out? A princess and her appointed knight dating is a bit taboo after all.” You watched as he stepped forward to take your hand into his. He always held you as if you were the most delicate thing on the planet and it never failed to make your heart swell. Even with just a simple touch he was able to show how much he loved you, how he would never dare let any harm come to you.

"We've been keeping this secret for two years now- almost three. I'm starting to find myself not caring who finds out anymore. I want them all to know how much I love you." His hand came up to gently brush through some of your stray hair. The action made you close your eyes. It was blissful to be able to share these moments with him.

"I wish for that too, but if word were to spread around we could both be in danger. There are dangerous people out there that would use this love against us." It was saddening to know that you two could never be open with your relationship. It seemed that you always had obstacles in your way, and yet your love for each still bloomed and stood strong. You knew this was that true love all of those stories you'd read as a child would talk about. There was no doubt in your mind. Your relationship may have only been going on for three years but your love for each other had been around for much much longer.

"Yes.. I know." It was selfish of him to think of showing his love for you to the world given the dangers but he could at least dream about it, right? "At least I'm able to spend all my time with you and no one dares question it since I am your loyal knight. Even if you hadn't returned my feelings I would have been content just to stay by your side." He leaned down to press a kiss to the back of your hand before holding out his arm for you to take.

"Now shall we? Your guests are still waiting for you."

You let out a groan and hesitantly took his arm. "Fine, let's get this over with." You muttered bitterly, knowing what was waiting for you in the grand hall. "But you know my orders right?"

You saw Izuku nod from the corner of your eye. "I will stay by your side the entire night. You don't even have to give the signal, as soon as any bachelors try to steal you away I will be there to save you. Even if I can't be open with my love for you, I wouldn't dare let anyone steal you from me." He declared as you walked the empty halls. He still kept his voice low even if there was no one else around. All the servants had gathered in the grand hall to serve the royals at the party but there was no harm in being cautious.

"As if they could." You scoffed and tightened your hold on his arm. "No prince from any land could match up to you. You don't just own a piece of my heart, you have all of it. That cannot be changed."

A smile crept onto your lips as you watched his cheeks turn red. He may be one of the top knights in the kingdom- hell, he was known as one of the strongest in the lands! But he was still so easily embarrassed, so easy to tease, he still held a lot of the same traits he did when he was younger, staying true to the shy, sweet boy he was. Although now, he wasn't as weak and you could tell just from holding onto his muscular arm.

He wasn't as innocent either, but that was more your doing. You tried to hide your smirk as you recalled all the times he had to bite down on your pillows to muffle his needy moans from any nearby servants. He had even torn a few of them from how harshly he had to bite them. It may be awful to hide your love but it was very fun to see him try to contain himself. The risk of being caught added a certain spice to it all as well. It was a wonder how you had never been caught after three years of this same routine.

The party was exactly as you expected it to be. Extravagant and filed with royalty. You could already feel the gazes upon you as soon as you entered the room. Kings and princes alike staring you down and hoping to get the chance to talk to you and arrange a marriage so your kingdoms could be united. It made you sick, not that all of them were bad people, but you were already in love and the thought of having to marry another man was what made your stomach churn.

Izuku must have felt you tense up because his hand came up to place itself on top of yours. "Don't worry, I'm here. Just smile and brush them off, they won't dare bother the princess and risk ruining their chances at an arranged marriage." He said with a smile, though the smile was only for show. You could see in his eyes this bothered him just as much as it did you.

You had been doing this song and dance for years, you should be used to it by now but every time proved just as torturous as the last.

"You certainly take your time." You turned to the source of the voice to see your brother standing there. His wife of five years on his arm, they looked happy and you couldn't help but envy the fact he was allowed to be open with his love. Lucky him, falling in love with a princess. He never had to worry about what people would think or worry about losing her. Their love was considered a blessing from the start.

"Brother." You bowed before him and he laughed. "Took you this long to show your big brother some respect huh?"

"Well, you are the king now. It would be rude not to show the king some respect." You replied with a smile. You father had passed away a few years back which meant your eldest brother now took the role of king. He did suit the part well, he was just like your father in many ways and you knew he would make a great ruler.

Your brother chuckled again. "See? She only acts like this in front of other people. Perhaps we should throw parties more often so I can get a bit of respect from her every now and then." He told his wife who laughed with him.

'Oh god please don't throw anymore parties.' You silently pleaded as your brother let go of his wife and stepped forward. "Actually, I have some great news! I've found a prince for you! I know you’ve been picky about it and you’re not all too thrilled about the idea but he has a lot of the same interests as you, I made sure he was down to earth and not a stuck up snob, and he's quite handsome too- not more than me of course but i'm sure he'll fit your low standards just fine." You would have elbowed him for that jab at you had the dread in your stomach not settled in already.

Your brother was not aware of your love for Izuku, otherwise you were sure he wouldn't have bothered with all this. But you refrain from telling him out of fear you two might be separated. The relationship between you two was to stay mostly professional, everyone knew you two were best friends but to be more than that could cause problems. In fact, even being best friends had made a few people worry that he was not fit to be your knight. Feelings could get in the way and distract him from his main duty. The relationship was supposed to be strictly professional so he could focus on protecting you.

Somehow izuku had managed to convince your family he would let no such thing happen, and he stayed true to his word. He never let himself slack off from his job even if you tempted him to. He was always prepared to protect you with his life and he trained hard everyday to make sure he was fit enough to be your protector.

“Ah- brother- about that.. I'm not sure…" but before you could protest further a tall, handsome man with kind eyes was shoved in front of you and you were being introduced to each other. “Why don't we leave them alone for a bit. Come with us, Midoriya.” and thus you were left to helplessly watch as Izuku, your emotional support, was taken away from you. How could you get through this party if he wasn’t there to keep you from losing your mind?!

You ended up being stuck talking with this prince for hours, listening to him talk about his family, his kingdom ect. He seemed nice enough, you had no problem with him. Under normal circumstances you were sure you two would get along just fine!

At least he wasn’t being rude to you like a few other snobby princes had in the past. But no matter how nice he was you could never love him.

Not in the same way you loved your precious Izuku. This was never going to work out for you. You refused to subject yourself to mindlessly talking with a guy you had no interest in. You weren’t even really listening to him, your eyes were glued to Izuku the whole time. He was standing by one of the walls along with a few of the other knights. His eyes never left you either, the rest of the room faded away as you longingly stared at each other, but with your brother's eyes on you, you both felt obligated to stay away.

The more you stared at him the more your heart tugged you towards him. You were unable to take any more of this, you craved to be encased in his arms. To have him pet your hair as he whispered loving words into your ears as he always did when you were upset or stressed. Why did the world always have to keep you apart when all you wanted was to be by each others sides?

You shook your head in frustration. The staring from all the other royals, forcing yourself to smile and act interested, having to be torn away from the one you really wanted to spend your time with. It was everything you hated all at once and you suddenly felt your patience snap in two.

With a sigh you stopped the prince from speaking any further by raising your hand. “I apologise but I need to go now.”

Was all you left him with before walking off, not caring how rude you might have seemed. All you cared about was rushing over to your knight.

You weaved through the endless crowd of people to get to him. He perked up immediately seeing you walk over, pushing himself from the wall and meeting you halfway. “Let’s go Izuku.”

He followed you out of the grand hall and through the long hallways, his step in time with yours as to stay close to your side. The walk was silent, he got worried when he saw that look in your eyes. You looked exhausted, frustrated, upset and he suddenly felt he should have done more to help you back there.  

Though the knight held no authority against a prince and to intervene would be highly inappropriate. Not to mention it would raise suspicions, Especially when the king himself had told Izuku to give you some space so you could converse with your "potential future husband", he couldn’t go against the king! He felt so helpless! The whole time he was staring at you he was trying to think up a way to get you out of there and back by his side.

He would be lying if he said he hadn’t been a little bit jealous of the prince taking up your time but it hurt him even more to see that look of sadness in your eyes as you forced yourself to endure it all.

As soon as the doors to your bedroom closed you turned to him and the spark of determination in your eyes made him freeze up. Your expression had completely changed and it had startled him. You looked so upset a second ago that he had half expected you to cry or rush into his arms for a hug. What was running through your mind?

“Lets run away together.”

“WHAT!?”

“Shh!” you panicked at his outburst, hopefully no one was around to hear it. “I said let's run away together. I can’t deal with this life anymore.”

He didn’t know what to say. Run away? It was so sudden. You had always seemed pretty content with your life here. Especially when he started living in the castle. His room was right by yours and you were able to spend everyday together like you had always dreamed of as children. Not only that but you had a wonderful family and everything you could ever want, and now you suddenly wanted to run away?

“Princess… I don’t think you’ve thought this through- You’re tired from the party and you must feel upset from having to deal with all of that but- running away? That’s a really big deal.” He tried to reason, running away with you sounded like a dream but he couldn’t just agree when it would mean you would be leaving your family and whole kingdom behind. You would be giving up so much to run away with him and it would be selfish of him to jump at the chance.

“Is it? Think about it! I'm never going to become queen or anything- especially since I refuse to marry any of those princes. It’s not like I have duties to fulfill, I’m practically just around for show at this point.” You argued as you brushed past him.

“I know but..” he weakly tried to argue but his feelings were stopping him from doing so. As your knight he had to pull some sense into you, but… as your lover he would want nothing more to be free with you. To love you openly and not have to worry about arranged marriages or sneaking around 24/7.

You grabbed a hold of his hand and smiled up at him with nothing but love in your eyes. “It may seem like some rash decision but this has crossed my mind many times before.” You spoke softly.

Your room was dark with only the moon to illuminate it just like it had the same night he made that promise to you when you were ten years old. The day he swore to become your knight and protect you forever.

“You remember what you said to me all those years ago. Right over there.” You said as your eyes turned to the window, he followed your gaze. Of course he remembers how he could ever forget? “You said all you ever wanted in life was to protect me and stay by my side forever and that’s all I want to. To be by your side. Forever.” You gazed into his eyes and he couldn’t help but admire the way the moon light bounced off your face, it was a breathtaking sight. You looked like a goddess, your skin was shining, your eyes sparkling.

He couldn’t believe that you were really his. That your heart belonged to him.

“Imagine how freeing it could be! We could go on adventures! See the world! Maybe someday settle down somewhere and start a family, but most of all we would no longer have to worry about princes or hiding our love. That’s all I want! Not riches or parties or fancy clothes, none of that matters to me when you’re around. You’re all I need.” You finished.

He must have been trying to hold it back but you still noticed the way his eyes gleamed with tears. You reached up a hand to cup his cheek and his larger hand came up to cover your own. “Then lets run away together.” He finally spoke.

His smile grew with yours as he leaned down to press a kiss to your lips. It was sweet, soft, innocent, a kiss made to seal a promise.

“I will stay by your side, forever and always, My princess.”

[kumeko]

A/N: For the ‘A Lost Ballroom of Gold’ fe3h rarepair zine! I got partnered with the amazing MadamPringle who made the most BEAUTIFUL PIECE to go with this. It’s a masterpiece. Go look at it.

Summary: Lysithea sighed as she stood in the empty ballroom. Once more, her illness had kept her from actually staying for the full thing. Once more, she’d had to retire early. Luckily, Lorenz knew just how to make her feel better. He had saved the last dance for her, after all.

…

…

…

…

The ballroom was quiet. Lysithea stood stock still in the hallway, listening to the quiet murmurs of the servers, the clatter of dishes, the soft strumming of instruments. All of which she’d expected, but there weren’t any of the other accompanying sounds. No matter how hard she strained her ears, she couldn’t hear the swishing of a hundred ball-gowns, the rhythmic steps of dancers, or the gossiping nobles. Especially the gossiping nobles. Their voices were impossible to ignore, no matter how many doors she’d closed and how deep in her blankets she buried herself.

 They’d all been present hours ago, when she’d taken leave for a short rest. Lorenz had kissed her cheek, telling her to go, that it was fine that she had once again had abandoned him to the wolves. It was his territory, after all, and he was as fluent in their meaningless buzzing as she was with her research.

 What she had intended to be only a short, ten minutes nap had clearly ended up much longer. The guests had left. It was the only reasonable explanation. Lysithea glanced at the mask dangling off her right hand, its purple ribbons brushing against her silken dress. There was no point in putting it back on if no one was still around.

 Sighing, she quietly trotted toward the central staircase. Despite Hilda’s many, many lessons, she still couldn’t move as gracefully as she wanted, and maybe it was a good thing the ball was over. Her dancing was lacking in many places and while Lorenz insisted he found it charming, she knew the rumours that ran amok every time she went out in public.

 If it were directed at her, she wouldn’t mind, but at him…

Lysithea snorted. She’d grown soft in the past few years. To think there’d be a day when she actually cared what the nobility thought.

 As she descended the staircase, the view before her confirmed what she’d already known. Most of the small tables were gone now, stored away until the next ball. The long table filled with tasty morsels and sugary sweets was empty, the butlers carefully folding its lilac cloth.

 Only the musicians were still seated on the stage, their instruments out as they softly played a ballad. No doubt they were waiting for their payment before packing up. Maybe she could handle that, if only to make up for everything else Lorenz had covered in her stead.

 Quietly, she crossed the ballroom and headed toward the balcony. A cool breeze hit her bare arms soon as she stepped out and despite herself, she shivered. It was a mild relief after weeks of summer heat, and she rubbed her arms as she moved toward the railing. The Gloucester lands sprawled before her. When she’d first arrived, she’d found the castle lands too expansive.

 They still were, but she felt more fond than annoyed when she took in the candle-lit gardens. A little further out, she could just make out the lanterns of carriages as their guests travelled home, like small fireflies flitting in the dark. Leaning against the railing, she rested her chin on her clasped hands she watched the steady stream.  

 A silken cloth landed on her shoulders, disturbing her musing. Lysithea looked up to find Lorenz smiling tenderly down at her. For once his hair didn’t block her view of his face, all pinned up and back as it were. However, he still wore his mask, though the delicate velvet couldn’t hide the emotions shining through his eyes. “Cold, my love?”

 “No,” she mumbled, feeling hot under his stare. No matter how often he used pet names and showed his affection, she wasn’t sure if she could ever get used to it. Her ears burned from something as simple as this; it was a good thing no one else was around. Lysithea drew the coat around her tighter anyways, breathing in the rose-water scent that penetrated all of his clothes. “But thanks.”

 “Say nothing of it.” His smile grew wider. It was ridiculously easy to make him happy. “Are you feeling better now?”

 “Much,” she reluctantly admitted. When he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close, she leaned into him. They were alone, she could allow herself this weakness. “I needed the rest. I’m sorry I had to leave you like that.”

 “There is no need for apologies.” Lorenz pressed a chaste kiss on her head and she shivered at the touch, at the memories of other, more heated kisses. “Besides, that was as much for me as it was for you. I am just glad that you have recovered.”

 There he went again, shrugging off this as though this was nothing, as though this had only happened tonight and not on a regular basis. For all of his fancy words and lofty ideals, he was surprisingly humble when it came to matters like these. Irritated, Lysithea bit her cheek as she looked up at him. “Lorenz.”

 “Yes, love?” He smiled innocently at her.

 It was hard, sometimes, to argue with him when he looked at her like that: full of adoration, as though her company was all that he needed. It left her feeling unsettled, as though her heart was too full. She had to look over his shoulder to keep talking. “It’s not just tonight. I’ve left you alone at these functions more often than not. I’m…” Lysithea sighed. Removing her second crest wasn’t exactly what she’d thought it’d be—some days, she felt even frailer than she had before the operation. “I thought I’d be stronger by now.”

 “Nonsense.” Despite his stern tone, his expression was still one of warmth. “You are one of the strongest people I know. You have argued with diplomats and nobles without backing down. There is nothing wrong with needing a break. It is healthy.”

 Healthy.

 She should ignore that part of the sentence, focus on his praise instead. It was a warm, summer night, they’d just had a ball, and there was no need to drag in an inconsequential matter. Yet, all she could hear were the echoes of past arguments, all she could see were the nights he spent burning the midnight oil.

 There was a reason Lysithea never worked on the more delicate aspects of diplomacy.

 “Healthy? You want to talk to me about healthy?” Turning in his arms, she reached up to tug the ribbons holding his mask up, careful to avoid the pins keeping his hair together. This was a serious discussion and she needed to see him properly.

 As the mask fell in her hands, he stared at her blankly. His ears were pink from where her hands brushed them. “Lysithea?” Lorenz asked, bemused.

 That was much better. She could see his expressions more clearly now. Pulling out of his grasp, she crossed her arms and frowned. “How long did you spend organizing this ball?”

 Lorenz’s smile dropped a notch, his expression forlorn as he awkwardly dropped his hands. “That…I spent as long as was needed.”

 “And how many nights did you crawl into bed after midnight?” She scowled as he tried to sidestep the issue. “That is not healthy.”

 Lorenz’s brow knit as he finally started treating this seriously. “If that is the case, then I must insist you do not spend your nights in the library. You will strain your eyes if you continue to read by candlelight.”

 “What?” Lysithea gaped, her jaw dropping. Perhaps it was a good thing that even the staff were gone by now: she didn’t have to worry about lowering her voice. “You are the one with a secret pair of spectacles.”

 “That…” Lorenz flinched, his eyes wide with surprise. “Ignatz.”

 “Doesn’t matter who told me.” She rested her hands on her hips. “You spend too much time on your paperwork—don’t think I haven’t noticed the bags under your eyes. You don’t even sleep some days!”

 “When you were sick, you still insisted on reading over my policies.” he pointed out, his normally placid voice rising to match hers. “Despite the doctor’s orders—”

 Lorenz cut himself off, looking away. She cocked her head, not sure how to respond. “Lorenz?”

 After a moment, he chuckled, brushing back a stray hair. His cheeks were a soft red as he quietly admitted, “It’s amazing how much more I can love you, Lysithea.”

 Immediately, she flushed, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish’s. She would never understand how he was able to say those things so easily, the words just rolling off his tongue like a pleasantry. Pressing her cold hands against her cheek in a futile attempt to fight her blush, she squeaked, “What does that have to do with anything?”

 God, it was hard to sound dignified when her body refused to cooperate. Her skin burned as she covered her mouth, humiliated.

 “Everything.” His eyes crinkled as he laughed, gently prying her hand off her mouth. “Look at us, arguing about each other’s safety. Neither of us listening to our own advice.”

 “That’s…” Lysithea stared at his fingers, unable to refute his point. They were both as stubborn as it came, ignoring their own follies for the other’s. “Do as I say, not as I do? When you put it like that…I guess it’s no wonder we keep having this same argument over and over.”

 Lorenz nodded, his shoulders still shaking with amusement. “We are a pair of hypocrites.”

 “I wouldn’t go that far…but, yes.” She sighed. They’d gone far off track from what she’d wanted to say in the first place. Gently, she interlaced their fingers, ignoring his sharp intake of breath at the action. A shudder ran up his arm and her eyes followed it up till she was looking at his bright red face. “I wasn’t planning to argue tonight. Like I was saying before, thank you.”

 Lorenz swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as the blush spread down his neck. She was glad he reacted as badly as she did to physical affection; unlike with his silver tongue, it felt like they had even-footing here.

 “Whatever the reason, I keep leaving you alone for these balls. As silly as they are, I don’t mind them that much when you’re there,” Lysithea explained honestly, squeezing his hand. She kept her eyes trained on his. “I know how useful these are politically…one day…I’ll help you with them.”

 “Lysithea…” Lorenz’s smile was smaller now, but it felt more real too. “I…”

 It was suddenly too much—his expression, her words, everything. God, had she really said all that? Embarrassed, she let go and stepped back. “Well…” She cleared her throat. “We should pay the musicians and let them go.”

As she turned around, Lorenz’s hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her to a stop. Still too mortified to look at him, she mumbled, “What?”

 “There’s one last thing I need them to do before they leave,” Lorenz replied.

 “One more?” Confused, she looked up at him. His mask was back on now—when had he taken that back?

 “Yes.” He let go of her wrist. Bowing forward slightly, he held out a hand. “I did promise you the last dance, remember?”

 “But—everyone’s gone,” she replied incredulously.

 “Then it’s a private dance.” He reached up, tenderly tugging one of her locks free, curling it loosely around a finger. She breathed in sharply as he pulled it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her white strands. Lorenz asked once more, “Shall we, my love?”

 Heart in her throat, she shyly nodded. When he held up her mask, she turned around, closing her eyes as he pressed the soft fabric to her face and gently tied it in place. Her skirt twirled as she turned around and took his hand. “I’ll try not to step on your foot,” she mumbled as he directed them back into the ballroom.

 “I do not mind if you do,” he replied easily, signalling to the musicians to start playing a slow waltz. His right hand slid around her waist, pressing her close as they swayed through the hall. “I love how you dance. It’s charming.”

 “It’s not,” she hotly retorted, resisting the urge to hide and bury her face in his chest. It was only the two of them now, the floor cleared of everyone and everything else. Candles lit the hall, bathing them in a warm gold as they stepped in and out of the candelabras’ and chandeliers’ glow.

 In his arms, she felt oddly graceful as he guided her through the steps. The entire time, he kept a confident grip on her hand, never letting it go for more than a second as she pivoted around him. As they stepped in and out of shadows, spinning further and further away from the musicians, the moon was their only witness. For once, there were no guests watching. For once, the staff wasn’t in the room. It was just the two of them. She hadn’t felt this relaxed since their school days or when he’d first courted her formally.

 It was an excuse, but Lysithea had always needed pretext for embarrassing actions, no matter how much she wanted them. Gathering her courage, she tightened her grip on his hand. Lorenz glanced at her curiously but didn’t say anything. As they stepped into the shadows, she reached up, hooking a delicate hand around his neck and pulling him down. He gasped, lips parting in surprise, and she leaned forward, kissing him softly.

 He tasted like sunlight, like an ever-present warmth. Reluctantly, she pulled away as they automatically stepped into the light.

 “Lysithea…” Flustered, Lorenz stepped on her toes.

 Before he could apologize, Lysithea giggled. “You’re right, that is charming.”

[trashyswitch]

Cold-Hard Eyes, With a Soft Heart

It's Scott's very first night on the job. Though Scott remembers William to be cold-hearted and critical upon first impression, The Entertainment business's main mascot happily shows Scott Mr. Afton's true, soft colors.

I've felt a craving to write more FNAF fanfics for some reason. It's just been hitting me more and more, and I'm finally getting to it!

Also: This fanfic gets into some third-person experiences with Alzheimer's Disease. If you are sensitive to this topic, then click off and find something else to read. I have experienced watching such a thing, and it is sad. But, keeping yourself level-headed and your relative happy, is key to living with a relative with Alzheimer's Disease. Anyone else: I hope you enjoy this fan-fiction rollercoaster!

Scott pulled himself up to the front of the pizzeria, and let out a breath of nervousness as he held onto the car wheel. There was a second car in the parking lot, which told him there may have been a custodian in the pizzeria. Pulling down the mirror flap on the car ceiling, Scott looked in his mirror to make sure his hair was pinned up right. When his hair appeared to be in working order, Scott put the mirror flap back up and removed the key from his car. Opening the door, he hopped out of the car and closed it behind him. The car was a little run down, but it looked somewhat newer thanks to the car wash he got for it a few hours prior. So, Scott looked like an irresistible new worker. Checking to make sure he had everything, Scott felt his pockets and mentally cursed as he felt that his usually-filled pants pocket was empty. Scott opened up his car door again, and took a minute or two to look for his stainless steel flashlight. Finally finding it in the front seat cup holder, Scott slipped the handle around his wrist before closing the door and locking it with a semi-loud *Beep!*.

Scott walked into the pizzeria, and took a few moments to admire the sight that was in front of him. There was a few set up tables with dozens upon dozens of chairs, and a stage with the animatronic robots standing on them. Though the animatronics were often seen moving around and entertaining the kids, the animatronics were shut down from a long day of entertaining kids for their birthday. Scott walked closer to the stage, to look closer at the animatronics. They didn't look metal whatsoever. They almost looked mechanical in their outside anatomy, but the fur covering seemed to mess with Scott's head a little bit. The furry look on the animatronics made them look...cuddly.

Scott frowned as he inspected them. The animatronics were kind of creepy-looking when they weren't moving. They looked dead inside when they were shut down. It was very...nerve-wracking. It almost reminded him of the creepy amusement park characters. It was not nice-looking...Though, these guys seemed a little more...friendly looking. He couldn't tell if it was because of the animals they were based off of, the general design of them, or if it was because they actually had proper-looking eyes implanted into their face. He kind of wanted to touch them...just to feel what the fur-covered front was like...

"Ah! You must be the newbie night guard." someone said beside him.

Scott jumped and yelped in surprise. Scott placed a hand onto his chest to make sure his heart was still beating, and quickly attempted to gain back his composure.

"Yes...I am. Sorry. I'm a bit jumpy." Scott told him.

The shadowy figure came into view and revealed himself to be William Afton. "Don't mention it. Checking out our beauties of the company?" William asked.

Scott mentally winced at the word he used to describe the animatronics. "Uuuh...You could say that." Scott replied. "Would I be allowed to feel it?" Scott asked. William was taken back by the strange request. "I know it sounds weird, but the outer cover...it looks fuzzy. Is it?" Scott asked.

William walked closer and looked up at the Fazbear suit. "Yes, it is." William replied. Scott reached his arm out in front of him, and felt the top of the bear's foot out of curiousity. The foot WAS fuzzy! It was somewhat hard though. It felt like thick felt was wrapped around an electronic skeleton. It was strange...It felt foreign. "Whooooaaa...It's a little like felt. Is it felt?" Scott asked.

"Nope. It's sweatshirt fleece knit fabric." William replied.

Scott removed his hand and looked down at it. "Huh..." he hummed. When Scott looked up, William had gotten much closer to him. He was standing really close at eye level, examining him. Feeling uncomfortable very quickly, Scott attempted to back up a bit. Thankfully, William didn't take any more steps forward to make up for the distance. But, the man did narrow his eyes in suspicion. "...uuuuuhh..." Was all that came out of Scott's mouth.

William looked Scott up and down one last time. "You're too good-looking for a man with this kinda job." William said bluntly in a monotone voice.

Scott was taken back by the strange comment. Was...was it a compliment? Was it an insult? Was it a bit of both? Scott didn't really know how to react. So, as to not risk losing his opportunity, Scott took it as a compliment and smiled back. "Th-...Thank you." Scott replied politely.

"In a good way." William added in a monotone voice. "I could see you being a butler with a good complexion." William added, unintentionally slurring his speech a slight bit.

Scott chuckled at the last part. Then, Scott put on a British accent and held his right hand up on the side, to make it look like he was holding a tray. "Good morning sir. How may I help you?" Scott asked, being a little silly to try and get a reaction out of the stone cold man in front of him. William lifted his chin a small bit and raised an eyebrow in curiousity. "Perhaps I could interest you in a cuppa tea and a biscuit?" Scott asked, even going as far as to lift up his right pinky finger, to make fun of Britain's manners.

William didn't really react at first. But, his lips did perk up somewhat. He even showed his teeth for a couple seconds. Scott had managed to get a small smile on his face for a few minutes. It wasn't a laugh like he was hoping, but it was definitely an indication that Mr. Afton had a bit of a humorous side. If Scott knew him a lot better than he did, then he may have teased him about showing off even the slightest smile. But, this was their first time meeting each other.

Scott slowly lowered his hand down back to his side. "So...what are you doing here? I didn't expect to meet someone else here, besides the custodian." Scott asked.

William narrowed his eyes as he looked at Scott. He crossed his arms. "The custodian comes in the morning." William told him.

Scott opened his mouth to say something, but only let out a quiet "...oh." in reply. All Scott could think about, was how hard this person was to try and talk to. For a business man, he's not much of a people person...

"I was finishing up some repairs." William replied. "Freddy needed a couple parts tightened up." William explained.

Scott's lips perked up into a small smile. "Cool! Sounds fancy." Scott reacted.

"It is a little complicated. But Mr. Emily taught me how to do the simple repairs." William told him.

Scott smiled and looked up at The Freddy Fazbear suit. It was quite big compared to him. But, it reminded him of a big, chubby teddy bear. Cuddly and loving, with a bubbly personality. An animatronic capable of moving its head, opening and closing its mouth and eyes, capable of singing, capable of leaning forward, capable of winking, capable-

Wait...Did Freddy Fazbear just wink at him?

Scott blinked and dropped his smile for a moment. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched all of Freddy Fazbear's movements carefully.

"Scott? You're zoning out." William said. "I don't want you zoning out, especially while you're working." William warned him. Scott mostly ignored William's voice and continued to focus on Fazbear's movements. "Hellooooo?" William asked, waving his hand in front of Scott's face. Scott turned his head a little to the side, and looked at William out of the corner of his eye. "He just winked at me." Scott told him.

William lifted an eyebrow. He looked at Freddy Fazbear. "The animatronic winked at you?" William clarified.

Scott nodded. "Uh huh..." Scott replied, looking back up at Freddy Fazbear. Scott very carefully watched any slight bit of movement. At one point, the hand began spinning, bit by bit. Scott's eyes widened more and more by every twitchy spin motion. Scott pointed at the bear. "His hand! I-It's spinning! Look, Mr. Afton!" Scott said, growing more and more nervous by the second. William seemed unphased. He put his hands on his hips and leaned in a bit. "Is-is he on?" Scott asked.

William looked over at him with a 'really?' expression. "Yes, he's on. He's in resting mode, but he's never truly off unless we store him away for repair or storage." William told him.

Scott began to grow slightly angry. "He's MOVING! His arm is twitching! He WINKED at me!" Scott yelled.

William sighed and closed his eyes as he rubbed his nose. "Why...Why is it always the night guards?" William asked, before looking at Freddy Fazbear.

Freddy stopped his twitching completely, and made himself completely still. William grunted. "Okay, if you're gonna show yourself, you minus well stay consistent with your moving." William ordered, snapping his fingers at the Fazbear suit.

"Wait...you-you know he's moving?" Scott asked, struggling to believe his boss or his own eyes.

"Yup. He doesn't even twitch when he moves. That's just the Freddy persona he puts on when he's hesitant on whether to move or not." William replied.

Scott looked at the animatronic again, to see if it would move on its own again. Suddenly, its whole body started moving! All at once! The animatronic frowned as it looked to its right. "Mr. Afton! Why did you have to spoil it? Getting the night guards' reactions is my favorite part!" Freddy spoke, crossing his arms and pouting like a little kid.

Scott jumped back, pointed at the talking animatronic and shouted in horror and surprise! He walked himself a few steps backwards, and began yelping and whimpering instead of full-blown shouting. Scott, through his panic, dropped his arm and watched as Freddy Fazbear jumped off of the stage and ran up to the scared man. Fearing the worst, Scott closed his eyes and got himself mentally and physically ready for his own demise...

"CUDDLE TIME!" Freddy shouted, before picking up Scott and giving him a big hug. Scott's eyes widened as he felt his whole body get wrapped in metal and fuzz, and let out a low squeak as his lungs were quickly squeezed empty by Freddy Fazbear's arms.

"Ohokay...Um- Freddy..." Scott said as best he could, with what little air he could put into his lungs.

"Freddy, buddy? Let's be careful. This is Scott's first day. Let's...warm him up with your talking first. Then, when you get his permission, you can hug him and maybe cuddle him." William told him.

Freddy opened his eyes and slowly released the newbie. "Awww...Okay." Freddy replied, placing him down carefully. As soon as the newbie was dropped, Scott took in a large breath to make up for the lost air. While Scott was trying to continue existing, Freddy had started running up to William with his arms spread wide.

"That means it's YOUR TURN!" Freddy declared, picking up William and giving him a big, fat hug. William yelped at the sudden surprise hug, but slowly melted into the tight cuddle. Scott's eyes widened. The animatronic was...cuddly and loving? What are the chances?!

"Look at you! You're more cuddly and soft than usual! I can tell!" Freddy Fazbear commented, nuzzling his snout into William's face a little bit. William rolled his eyes, but smiled as his face was squished in a loving manner.

"What's that supposed to mean?" William asked.

"It means you want the cuddles!" Freddy replied. "And you want LOTS!" Freddy specified.

William lifted up his head and lowered his brows at him. "Since when?" William asked suspiciously, wanting to know what Freddy was even talking about.

"Since now!" Freddy replied. William lifted an eyebrow up, puzzled. Freddy gently let him go, spun him around to the front, and hugged William again from the back this time. William's eyes widened at the SECOND hug he was given, but allowed him to hug him. He even patted the top of Freddy's hand with his palm. After a few good minutes of hugging, Freddy smirked as an idea came to mind. "...And I know what else you want." Freddy teased.

William turned his head to the side, and attempted to look at him from an angle. "What?" William asked, genuinely curious as to what he was gonna do. Freddy lifted his chin off of William's shoulder, and moved his right hand from across the man, to William's right hip. William's eyes widened as everything clicked. William began yelping and attempting to squirm out of his grip. "Oooooh nononononono. NO. WAY. Let me go! I'm done with the hug now PLEASE letmego- LET ME GOOO! AAAAAH!" William ordered before pushing at Freddy's hands. Freddy's hand didn't move whatsoever, and only started squeezing his hip. William grunted in fear and fell into an endless swirl of frantic squirming. He did not want to be tickled. He did NOT! WANT to be TICKLED! ESPECIALLY, in front of the new guy!

Scott's fear quickly turned into curiousity as he watched the friendly chemistry between the robot and its co-creator. It was almost reminded Scott of Luke Skywalker and R2D2's friendship. He watched as William struggled, and ultimately failed to stop Freddy from tickling him. Finally, after about 5 minutes of squirming, William thought he had gotten the upper hand. William had Freddy's wrist in both of his hands.

"Finally! I've gotcha now!" William praised himself.

Freddy smirked as he eyed up his free left hand. "I don't think so!" Freddy sing-songed, before wiggling his left fingers under William's left armpit. William gasped and clenched his teeth as giggles threatened to leave his lungs. But, he wasn't going to let him. No way, no how! William attempted to shake Freddy's hand out, but only ended up opening his armpit just enough for Freddy to tickle MORE of his armpit! Scott watched eagerly as the stone cold man that he was talking to, slowly lost his composure right in front of him. If it were himself being tickled, it'd be another story. But since it was his tough and emotionless boss, Scott loved it!

Finally, William's lips spread apart to reveal an uncontrollable, toothy, wobbly smile. "Wow! Look at that beaming smile! This smile could brighten up an entire room! That is, if you actually give it a chance to show itself..." Freddy teased. To make things go a little quicker, Freddy turned his left hand so his palm was facing Will's middle, and began wiggling his fingers on the exposed side of the stomach. William tittered as he lost control of his lungs, and slowly lost his grip on Freddy's wrist. With a little wiggling, Freddy was able to get his hand free easily, and go right back to tickling his right hip.

William couldn't take it anymore. He had to breath! So, he finally broke. "PFFFFFTHAHAHAHAHAhahahaha! HAHAhahahahaha! Cuhuhuhut ihihihit ohohohohout!" William tittered, falling into somewhat softer, but bubbly giggles as the compressed laughter finally left his lungs.

Freddy gasped and cheered! "Yes! I did it! Keep it going, Will!" Freddy said, genuinely excited.

"PRAISE the LORD, he HAS A LAUGH!" Scott cheered excitedly, chuckling at his own reaction.

William pushed against Freddy's hands as much as his weak body could, and struggled as he giggled up a storm. "Scohohohohott! Hehehehehelp mehehehehe! Pleheheheheahase hehehehelp!" William yelled.

Scott smirked and giggled at him. "...Nah. I'm good." Scott replied, waving his hand to signal his refusal. William shot Scott a desperate face. In reply, Scott only shook his head with a smug smirk.

"Now, which ticklish spot is worse? The hips?" Freddy asked, before tickling both hips.

William shrieked and kicked his feet helplessly. "OHOHOHO GAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHONONONOHOHOHOHOHO!" William yelled, hanging his head as he lost himself in his laughter.

"Ooooor the tummy?" Freddy asked, before scribbling his fingers all over William's stomach. William gasped super quickly and threw his head back.

"GAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THAHAHAHAHAT'S SOHOHO MUHUHUCH WOHOHOHOHOHORSE!" William shouted outwardly for the whole pizzeria to hear.

"Who's laughing?" Someone asked.

"I recognize that laugh!" another voice added.

"Is that William?" a third voice asked.

Scott widened his eyes as he began to hear the sound of metal footsteps coming towards him. Scott awkwardly turned himself around and was met by Bonnie, Foxy and Chica.

"Hi." Scott said.

"Hey look! It's a new night guard!" Chica reacted, elbowing Foxy's arm as he looked at Scott.

"Hi. I'm Scott." Scott introduced himself, still getting used to the idea of moving animatronics. "But, I'm not important right now...I think Mr. Afton is the main attraction at the moment." Scott said, pointing at William who was squirming around in Freddy's grasp. Bonnie had already walked over, and was giggling as he watched William get tickled by Freddy.

"Hi Bonnie! Foxy...Chica...Welcome to the tickle Trap! Here, we have a special contestant by the name of William Afton! This man, right here, is the most ticklish man you will ever meet on the planet of the earth!" Freddy declares.

"Hell yeah he is. I've managed to nearly kill him with giggles, without even needing to touch him!" Chica added.

Scott covered his mouth as he giggled at the cuteness of that. "Awww! That's adorable!" Scott reacted, treating William's brand new mannerism like a newborn puppy.

"So this is how this trap works: I hug him," Freddy explained, pausing his tickling and pulling him into another tight cuddle. "I get him all comfy, maybe even nuzzle my nose into his neck," Freddy explained, shoving his bear nose into the side of William's neck. William fell into a small fit of giggles from the nose, and the teases effecting him all in one. "And then I tickle him!" Freddy concluded, tickling his fingers all over William's belly. William's giggles exploded into loud, strong laughter. "GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEHEHEHEASE NOHOHOHOHO! NOHOHOHO BEHEHELLYHYHYHYHYHYHY!" William pleaded, his voice ending up higher-pitched near the end.

Scott, along with the other animatronics, giggled as they watched the silliness unfold. It was very interesting to see a man with a tough wall built up around him, to just crumble to the teasing and the childhood bonding that comes with tickling.

"The best part is that he enjoys this! He loves the attention." Foxy tells him.

Scott gasped and looked at him. "Really?!" Scott reacted.

"Yeah! If you look really closely, you'll be able to notice how much he's enjoying it. If he wasn't enjoying the attention, William would've fought harder, gotten out of Freddy's grip a lot earlier and would've probably threatened us with shut-down. But...He doesn't wanna stop Freddy." Foxy tells him.

Scott looks back at William as he hears William's laughter die down. Freddy was holding onto him under his armpits, while William fell limp into his arms. "You okay William? I didn't take it too far, did I?" Freddy asked.

William lifted up his forearm and gave the 5-people audience a 'give me a second' signal. When he gained back more of his breath, William smiled uncontrollably as he breathed. "Ihi'm...okay *huff* This is *huff* Great. *huff* comfyyyy." William replied, giving Scott the 'Okay' sign and going limp.

Freddy smiled and calmly placed William down onto the ground. When William was comfortable enough, Freddy got back up and looked at Scott. "How do you feel now?" Freddy asked.

Scott placed a finger on his chin as he hummed in thought. Scott's lips slowly perked into a smile when he decided how he thought. "I think this is cool. moving, communicating animatronics? A huge robot teddy bear that hugs you? Count me in!" Scott replied. Foxy, Bonnie and Chica smiled and reacted to the nice reaction. Freddy Fazbear was smiling widely, and trying not to jump around and scream like a toddler, in front of the newbie. Scott giggled at the clear amount of restraint Freddy was using on himself to not turn into a gigantic toddler in a matter of seconds. But, Scott could handle it. William was practically dead on the floor, so he'd have to handle it whether he liked it or not.

"So hugs?" Freddy asked, opening his arms.

Scott gave Freddy a toothy, excited smile. "Definitely hugs!" Scott replied. Scott looked at Freddy's arms, and immediately sensed what Freddy wanted. "Do you want a hug now?" Scott asked.

"I mean, if you're comfortable with it, then absolutely! Freddy's welcoming you with open arms!" Freddy replied. Still spreading his arms, Freddy kneeled down on one knee so he was a bit shorter for the shorter-statured man. Scott giggled as he ran up to the bear and wrapped his arms right around the huge bear. Freddy happily wrapped his own arms around him, and stood back up with the human in his arms. Thankful for the human's quick warm up to him, Freddy gave him lighter squeezes that didn't squeeze the air out of his lungs. Rather, Freddy slightly squeezed the man so that little giggles left his lungs. Scott could still breath enough to let in more air after he giggled as well! I guess Freddy had developed some kind of concept of how fragile and needy the human functions are.

William sat himself up and smiled at the sight. It's honestly incredible how quickly Scott was able to warm up to the robot bear. Perhaps exploiting his weak spots and his laughter somewhat helped in the process? William wasn't sure. But, he sensed the possibility.

"EEEEEEK! Freheheheheddyhyhy! Yohohohohou're tihihihicklihihing mehehehe!" Scott giggled as his neck was tickled with Freddy's nose.

"You have a ticklish neck too!" Freddy declared. Scott nodded his head amidst his giggly mood. Then, Freddy decided to start early with the tickles. "Are you ticklish anywhere else?" Freddy asked. Freddy started wiggling his fingers on the sides for a second, to test the waters.

"EEEEEP!" Scott squealed! He covered his mouth almost immediately after the sound left his lips. Freddy dug his fingers further into his sides. "EEEEEhehehehehehehe! Tihihihickleehehehehehehehehe!" Scott bursted, falling into high-pitched, cute giggles.

William's face slowly developed a pink, light blush. That was the man's laugh? It was so innocent! So cute! So...bubbly! William began to lose control of his lips as they perked up into a wobbly smile from the cuteness overload. It was almost too much for him to handle!

I think it was also too much for the other animatronics to handle as well!

Foxy quickly ran up to Scott and Freddy, and began cooing! "Awww! That giggle is so adorable, I could burst!" Foxy cooed.

Chica was giggling as well as he walked up next. "Awwww! Is someone a widdle tickwish? Is someone too tickle-tickle-ticklish for their own good?" Chica teased, wiggling a finger on his belly to test out the spot.

Scott bursted into actual human laughter, and began attempting to push away Chica's itchy finger. "NAAAAHAHAAAAH! CHIHIHIHICAHAHAHA! NAHAHAT YOHOHOHOU TOOHOHOHO!" Scott begged.

Bonnie walked up to Scott and Freddy last. "You know what? I think this is all you need to get a job at a pizzeria with us: A loving heart and very ticklish nerves!" Bonnie added.

William chuckled. "Maybe to you guys...But it's the bosses that discuss...the daily night-guards." William told him.

Freddy gasped, paused his tickling and waved away Chica's finger before spinning towards William with Scott in his hand. "Can you hire him?" Freddy asked. William lifted both eyebrows up in surprise.

"Pleeeeeeeeaaaaase?" Chica begged.

Scott's entire face was a little red from the tickling, but his cheeks were the most red out of his entire face! The animatronics were really making him blush! And he really didn't know how to handle it.

William lowered his eyes back down and stood up onto his feet. William kept his eyes on Scott as he walked himself up to the man.

"Uuuuhh..." Was all Scott said as he watched William's face get closer and closer. When William's body got as close as it could, William leaned himself in a bit to make up the difference. Scott widened his eyes, and awkwardly looked to his left and his right before looking back at Mr. Afton. Suddenly, William's facial expression softened into a smile. he looked down at Scott's tummy with a smile, and lifted up a finger. Reaching it down towards the new night-guard's tummy, William ignored the wobbly smile and the nervous giggles that left Scott's mouth and focused on poking his tummy with his index finger.

"AAhahahaha! Mr. Afton, wahahahait! Whyhyhy yohohou too? Ihihi dohohon't gehEHEHEhehet ihihihit!" Scott asked, his laughter heightening in volume when William wiggled his poking finger on the man's stomach.

William shrugged his shoulders before retreating his finger. Looking at the man with a genuine smile, William pointed his finger calmly at Freddy. "Can you please put him down?" William asked kindly.

Freddy nodded and let him go, placing Scott onto his feet. When Scott turned himself to look at his potential boss, William's smile got wider as he held out his hand for a shake. "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, Scott." William told him. Scott gasped and eagerly shook his hand. "Call me William." the boss said with a wink.

Scott nodded his head and let go of his hand with excitement spreading through his body. "I will!" I certainly will!" Scott said excitedly.

William's smile remained for a good 5 minutes or so, before disappearing behind the invisible walls of his outer, emotionless self. But, Scott understood it. He didn't feel a need to kick William out of the emotionless void he created for himself. What mattered to Scott was that it's his bosses way of coping, and that he can get him out of it.

Scott ended up getting an extra training day that night. He got to learn how each camera worked, what cameras showed him which rooms, and where his emergency exits were in case of emergency. Though there were day shifts that Scott would need to take, Scott mostly took the night shifts while someone else took the day shifts. Though Scott never really figured out who the day time security guard was, Scott became somewhat close to William as time went on. Scott got to know William from lots of repair visits, and Scott would update William on how the animatronics are doing.

During the night shifts, Scott started out just remaining in the security room. But as time went on, Scott would get visited by the animatronics at least once per day, and would grow to love the animatronics like close friends. When Scott was feeling a little down, Freddy would give him one of his signature cuddles to cheer him up. When Scott was bored, Chica would happily play games with him. One of the times, Scott gave Chica a walkie-talkie and tell him to go hide. When Chica was ready, he would tell him on the walkie-talkie and Scott would start looking for him on the security cameras. When the games ended quicker and quicker, Chica would start risking more and more so that he could get a longer game. Through running from room-to-room alone, Chica had managed to make a game last a good 45 minutes before Scott just gave up and told him to come out.

With all the fun times Scott had with the animatronics, he began to work overtime, just to volunteer and happily play with them! When Scott was technically off work hours, Scott would hang out in the game room with the animatronics. There have been multiple occasions where William has found Scott hiding from one of the animatronics during hide and seek. There's also been silly moments where Scott will be rocking out with the animatronic band! William actually stayed to watch them for a few minutes, before focusing on his task that day.

Though William liked seeing Scott play and hang out with the big robots, William wasn't much of a player himself. William was more of a watcher and an observer who loved saving bits of footage of funny Night Guard moments with the Fazbear suits. William even managed to get a video tape of Scott doing an impression of Freddy Fazbear! Bonnie, Foxy and Chica were laughing, while Freddy was shaking his head with a smirk on his face. That funny moment ended up turning into a one-sided tickle fight between Freddy and Scott. William thought Scott's impressions were absolutely phenomenal! And accurate! William couldn't stop laughing at the amount of bear jokes he made!

So when William and Henry began explaining their plans for a fifth and a sixth animatronic, Scott was ecstatic! He was so excited to meet a couple new animatronic faces and add more animatronic robots to the Fazbear crew! So, Scott offered to meet the new animatronics and introduce them and everything. While Henry was a bit hesitant, William happily allowed Scott to help! He's seen what Scott can do with them. What could go wrong?

Well, Scott's excitement turned into confusion when he saw that the new animatronics were golden versions of Bonnie and Freddy. Scott...didn't know how to react. Though he put on a really good acting face for the introduction, Scott walked away feeling...hurt inside. The new animatronics were...cold. Very cold-hearted compared to Freddy and Bonnie. To make matters worse, it looked like William Afton was trying to replace Freddy Fazbear and Bonnie with golden, upgraded animatronics. Scott was a little hurt by this. He felt like the singer and the guitar player were getting taken for granted, and felt...nostalgic and judgmental of William's choices. Even though the animatronics were going to last longer than the original Freddy and Bonnie were, It felt like a rock band was getting pulled apart. Scott felt like he was witnessing the split of The Beatles band. It was painful to watch unfold. Though Scott tried to create a relationship with the golden Freddy Fazbear, it was a lot harder thanks to its cold-hearted nature. Something about a cold robot that was meant to give kids joy and excitement, seemed to scare him. The animatronics should be able to show emotion! Not sit there like dead animals!

And then came the bite of 87...Turns out, Scott's predictions were unfortunately correct. And oh boy...did that sting...

But through the years, Scott stayed true to his relationships with the original band of robotic animals. As years turned into a decade though, Scott began to watch the happiness fade from their eyes, little by little. Freddy, Foxy, Chica and Bonnie were beginning to forget human faces versus animatronic faces. Eventually, Scott had to start wearing bear masks to keep himself safe from being physically harmed by the animatronics. To add to the sad news, The Fazbear suits began giving off a smell that was sort of...off putting. Scott couldn't explain it. It didn't stop him from visiting them, but it certainly made him question what was going on. Perhaps it was the animatronics getting old? Maybe their brains were getting a little mixed up from malfunctioning wires and parts? Scott couldn't tell you.

What Scott COULD tell you, was that he warned William and attempted to ask for a reason behind this robotic version of depression.

In reply, William only told him this: "They're probably going insane from singing the same songs over and over again. If a human mind can go insane from hearing one single song for too long, I'm sure the Fazbear band can lose their mind as well".

Scott decided to trust William on his judgement. Though the animatronics' version of Alzheimer's got worse, Scott made due with as much of it as he could. He didn't give up on them. He just couldn't. Not yet. When he missed them, Scott would have to ask them for cuddles and tickle attacks to properly remember the more playful times they used to have together. That would sometimes cheer him up. But...it wasn't a long-term solution...

Meanwhile, William had grown quite fond of Scott and his ability to stay committed to the animatronics no matter their strange and worrying behaviors. So when Henry and William's partnership ended, William felt bittersweet about it. William had lost a close friend of his, who meant the world to him. But at the same time, that allowed a new job opening for Fazbear Entertainment. William, knowing how well Scott worked with the animatronics, invited him to come be his new partner in the Fazbear Entertainment company. Absolutely honored to take on such a role, Scott accepted his offer and became a full-time partner in the entertainment industry. Though saying goodbye to the night guard job was very hard to do, Scott told them all that once he gets his new schedule, Scott will find time to visit the animatronics as much as he can.

On the Monday evening, Scott picked up his phone and called the night guard phone line in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. When the phone wasn't picked up, Scott still recorded a message for the brand new night guard:

"Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay? Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced." Blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh...Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll p-most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to...forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort...and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night."

Scott hung up, and sighed into his hands. Please let the animatronics be good for the new guy...

[limenysnocket]

●The Blush Bet●

Pt. II: The Date. . .

Summary: After losing the blush bet by a few points, (Y/N) has to go out on the-- as Taika calls it-- "Worst Date of Her Life" with him. She has no idea what he's going to do, but she does know she's going to be wearing a very pink, very frilly and very short dress on the date tonight.

Request: @honorarytenenbaum

Author's note: This is about to turn into a series and I'm LIVING FOR IT.

Warnings: Alcohol usage, swearing and very unsavory clothing.

●□■●□■●□■●□■●

This was it, wasn't it? This was fucking it.

This was the thing that made sure that Taika was never ever going to be a part of your funeral comitee.

You stood there, looking at yourself in the mirror, your face scrunched up in pure disgust like a teenage girl who just got a ketchup stain on her "perfect" prom dress. But wait, imagine this. You're in the prom dress, for real and it's the UGLIEST thing you have ever seen. You would vomit on it if you could, but this date was going to happen no matter what happened, so you would just have to try and not cry/embarrass yourself any more than you will, the moment you step outside of your door.

The dress itself was pink (extremely pink) and incredibly frilly. This wasn't the thing that bothered you, despite the complete uncomfortableness of the scratchy ruffles, was how terribly short it was. It showed off too much thigh and you swore, if your panties were any longer, they would be showing. You were actually starting to hate yourself again, just by the sight of you in this dress. It was utterly disgusting. So unflattering, so horrible, so uncomfortable that you could call off this entire date right now and you wouldn't be ashamed.

You were on the verge of tearing this dress right off, but a knock at the door and a loud honking of a horn outside stopped you. You let out a long groan and a very sad whine before you even had your hand on the doorknob.

You opened the door and your eyes immediately went to the very (very) old gentleman before you, who looked like he had both feet in the grave and was so ready to lie down in it at any second. He was cheery though, despite his... appearance. He was dressed in a grey vallet suit and a dimpled cap. It looked old, but it suited him well. "Your ride is here, ma'am. He's quite the lively fellow, I must say," he chuckled, scratching his chin with a gloved finger. He turned with you to face the whole limosene, parked just outside, as the horn let out another shrill holler. You knew exactly who was inside the car and honking at her, and she saw his head come popping right up out of the top of the open sunroof.

"(YYYY/NNNNNNNN)!!" Taika yelled, the big dorky grin on his face while he used his foot to honk the horn for each extended syllable of your name.

"What the hell are you wearing!?" You blurted. You should really be saying it to yourself more than him.

"I bought it at Good Will! Are you impressed?" He cackled, bouncing on his heels.

Taika was dressed in a very daddly button up, short-sleeved shirt that was decorated in very blurry and cartoonish, red cherries. You couldn't see it, but he was also wearing tan cargo shorts and a pair of black crocs. So, he was making this embarrassing for both you and him, huh? He had no shame.

"Wow, I've never been so turned on before," you say, the sarcasm leaking out of your voice shamelessly. He only grinned at you and continued waving you over, while people on the street stopped and stared for a minute before walking on, their heads down, and some even quietly giggling over the stupid encounter.

The old driver took you down the steps slowly and opened your door for you, where Taika was waiting with an incredibly cheesy grin. You gave him an up and down look with an extremely horrified look. You still couldn't believe he was wearing that stuff. "I like you better in pineapple print..." You mumble.

Taika laughed, "Too bad."

The car engine started with a very loud complaint from the engine. If you had known any better, you'd up and think that the entire car was about to fall to bits within the first few seconds it made it onto the road. But no, you weren't THAT lucky tonight. There was still a limo to carry you around, which meant that there was still a date. Unfortunately.

"How badly do you plan to make me suffer tonight?" You turn your head and face him, crossing your arms.

"Really badly," he smirked and winked at you.

"Really really?" You said, almost through bared teeth.

"Really really," he repeated and settled himself down into an even more comfort position, spread eagle.

You rolled your eyes and scooted away, almost uncomfortable as his knee came into contact with your thigh. "Do you have to do that? We're the only people in this dumb limo besides Butler Alfred up there," you jacked a thumb at the driver's seat ahead of you, where the pleasant old man was happily bouncing along to the rhythm of the car.

"For your information," Taika butted in, pointing a finger at you and changing his posture yet again, "his name is Robert and he's way cooler than any Batman butler out there. Secondly, yes. The goal is to make you uncomfortable and give you absolutely no breaks, whatsoever."

You groaned, leaning your head in your hand as you watched the average buildings trickle into expensive French and Italian restaurants. Your eyes widen the closer and closer you got to the rich and fancy part of town, still riding along in your old fart limo. "Taika Waititi, this better not be what I think it is. You're not going to make me step out of this car, looking like princess bubblegum and her sidekick poorly dressed dad man, in front of the richest damn side of town!"

He was only giggling beside you, like a kid, and that scared you. Suddenly, the limo stopped and you sunk in your seat. Outside of your window was one of the most richest, fanciest restaurants there is in Los Angeles.

"Suuuuurpriiiiiiise!" Taika grinned at you, running a hand through his curls then quiantly stepping out of the car as Robert the vallet opened his door, then went to open yours.

"M'lady~," Taika smirked and offered his hand out to you as you prepared to get out of the car. You slapped his hand and got out of the car. "Youch," Taika chuckled, hiding the bright red pain in his hand with a grin.

You got out of the car yourself, only giving Robert a nod to thank him. You said nothing to Taika and stood at the front of the car, receiving weird and chortling glances from people dressed up snootily. They all stuck their noses up at you as they walked into the massive two story building, completed with an archway entrance. You didn't show Taika this, but now you were on the verge of a breakdown. You didn't want to go in that restaurant. Not like this. Not on these terms.

You have never been in this restaurant before. Not even close. You thought that you would have to marry a rich, Austrian Lord to get in there. You didn't know, at the time, that Taika was spending a large amount of money for you and this date. The outfits, not so much, but that was simply so he could actually afford to take you to such a place.

You sat on the hood of the limo, your stomach and knots. You could feel Taika's gaze on your skin, mixed in with the many others from passersby. You couldn't feel, however, that it was full of sympathy and regret.

There was another weight added onto the hood and it made you jump. Why, wasn't it the daddly Taika.

"Neat place, huh?" He hummed, looking up at the grand building above the two of you.

You drew in a shaky breath, a grimace spread across your face. "Yeah... It is..." You said, shame dripping from your tongue. This was hurting the poor man's heart.

"Too bad we're not eating there, huh?" He put on a sticky grin and you whirled around to face him and smack his arm.

"Are you seriously telling me that you made me sit out here and get stared at by all of these dumb rich people!?" You yelled and got sneered at by people you didn't know, also ignoring the fact that you, yourself, were infact, rich too.

"I didn't make you sit in front of all these people. I just offered to take you out of the car. Robert likes the building and asked if we could make a pittstop," Taika laughed and fended off your hand with an equally hard slap to your arm.

"Oh, Robert, my good man. I would like to request we get going. No more sight seeing," Taika grinned at the elderly man who was fiddling with an ancient quarter in his coat pocket.

"Oh, but where possibly to, sir?" Robert looked up, dazed and confused. So much for enjoying the sight of the building.

"To the bar, my good chum," Taika got up and you quickly followed in pursuit, eager to get out of the spotlight and stop becoming measly entertainment for the earnings of snooty laughter.

"Oh," Robert seemed a little confused, then took his hand out of his pocket to stop fiddling with the coin. "Alrighty then. Any particular requests?"

"Just something on the less rich side of town, but nothing too on the dumpy side," Taika put in his request while he opened a car door for you to get in, then went in to get in on the other side.

Robert nodded, lifted his cap and scratched the bald part of his head, set his cap back down and got in the limo once more.

You, including Robert, were a little confused when it came to this interaction. Did Taika check to see if Robert had a case of Alzheimer's, or was he pulling a big fat joke on you. You just kept quiet and breathed a deep sigh of relief as the fancy buildings melted away into the more average side of town.

Eventually, the long and very quiet ride was over and the limo pulled up along the curb of a pretty decent bar. It was at half capacity with people the time you arrived and it was quite simple. Simple, neon "Open" lights hanging in the window, simple sign hanging above the door and simple people, dressed in simple clothing heading in and out. You wished you could be a simple person at that moment, but Taika still refused to let you have that.

You stepped out once Robert politely opened the door for you again. You would tip him if your stupid dress actually had pockets. Yet another curse upon this night.

You step up onto the curb and Taika is waiting, extending a hand to you once more. You gulped and stared at it. Even here, you could feel the unworldly stares of those around you. Well, who wouldn't stare? You looked like the human epitome of Pepto Bismal and Taika looked like a dad trying too hard to look normal, but fucking it all up in the end.

"You know how much I hate this, don't you?" You said, hesitantly looking at his hand. His other one was tucked into one of the, what seemed to be, hundreds of pockets in his cargo shorts.

"Yup," he said, letting the P out at the end with a pop from his lips, exaggerating his pronunciation a tad more.

"I feel so spoiled," you sigh and clap your hand on top of his extended one, your fingers tangling with his, and without warning, he was dragging you inside.

A little bell chimed as the door opened again, and the smell of hot wings, booze and heady cologne. It was a smell you recognized and one you'd never forget. You couldn't count how many times you had sat in a bar like this one before you were a Hollywood success like you were now.

Taika guided you over to a secluded booth that had one, red wax colored light dangling above. If either one of you were to lean too far across the table, perhaps to steal a fry or grab the salt, your forehead would collide against the damn thing and leave a mark purple enough to make someone think that your secret lover had left a hickey smack dab in the middle of your head. You took a mental note of the light, and you were sure Taika did too.

"Allowed to spoil any plans?" You said, a grin perking up on your face since you were finally away from prying eyes and listening to Lynrd Skynrd play their hearts out over the speaker system hooked into the ceiling.

"Nope. All the plans are exclusively meant for me to know," he tapped his temple with his index finger and gave you a wide grin. You knew how much of a fib that was, for sure, just by the smile.

"You have no idea what's going to happen, do you?" You say bluntly, folding your arms. Taika's smile gets even wider and he lets out a very breathy laugh.

"Totally!" He cackled. It was a goofy enough laugh to even make you start laughing a little too. He was such a dork. You couldn't help it, honestly.

A waiter eventually came and took your order and both of you started laughing and joking about how they had looked at the two of you so strangely. There was a big debate on whether the two of you should leave a big tip for putting up with your guys' shit, or leave a small tip since they had secretly questioned your morals and the way you were dressed with just one look.

Taika took a hearty slug of pint, cheeks pink and dazed with his slight drunkness. Rock bands had been playing all night. Metallica, Lynrd Skynrd, Guns N' Roses, System of a Down, Nirvana and any other daintily old, yet popular group. You never took the time to look into Taika's music interests, and that made you all the more oblivious to the fact that he liked a few songs from the band Aerosmith.

"Oh God, I love this song," he groaned sodtly, his whole body starting to sway just as 'Crazy' by Aerosmith began to play and he closed his eyes like a weeping, dedicated fan. His eyes suddenly shot open and looked directly at you, "You have to come dance with me."

"Excuse me?" You said, just as you took a sip of your own pint. "I don't dance."

"Yes, you do. Now, come on!" He smirked, grasping your hand from across the table and dragging you, once more, out and in front of a bunch of slightly drunk people that you don't know.

"Taika, really?" You look up at him and whine. He hushes you without a second thought and pulls you up close to him and your nose buries into his chest. His arms slither and wrap around your waist. He has you wrap your arms around his neck.

"Damn you, Waititi," you whisper, your cheeks ablaze with color as he sways you around the dance floor.

"Love you too, babe," he hums, closing his eyes and grinning with glee as other drunk couples came out and danced along with the music. To be the little bit extra that he was, Taika took the liberty to even do a little fancy spin and a tiny dip. You giggled the entire way through, and nothing could have been a better sight than that to Taika.

The night ended with much more slow dances, lots more drinks, and a bill piled up high. You paid for half of everything and he paid the other half before the two of you left. Robert was waiting outside, chatting up this lovely little old lady that appeared to be close to his age. She scampered off once she realized Robert's customers had come back from their randevou.

"Did you find yourself a date, Robert?" You giggled, walking right up to the now open door that the old man was holding open for you.

"Nah. She was way outta my league. Pretty, though," he grinned and you couldn't help but laugh as you ducked your head and climbed back into the limosene while brushing off the crumbs from fries from your dress. Taika sat right next to you and pat his stomach, full from a night indulging on junk food.

Robert was the last one in and he took the limo away from the curb and joined in with the traffic.

It was a lit slower getting home, and yoh felt yourself getting sleepier and sleepier. Your eyes drooped and your body began to lean in the direction of your door, but as the weight of your body began to fall, it was redirected by a gentle hand, and your head was soon rested against a warm body. You looked up and saw Taika with that classic grin. That cheeky little shit. You laughed, "Thanks," and just kept your head there, seeing as Taika's shoulder actually was more comfortable than the cold window or scratchy seatbelt.

"No problem," Taika whispered back to you and let his body relax to the sound of faint honking horns from outside the window and the blasting air conditioning. He kept you warm all throughout your delivery back home.

You couldn't help but feel a little sad whenever you felt the limo come to a stop and you slowly lifted your head from Taika's shoulder. You refused to let the kiwi see your disappointment, however.

Robert came and opened your door, again, and you actually gave the sweet man a tip this time with quite a bit of the change left from paying at the bar. He was happy with what he got. Taika stepped out too and walked you right to your door, like a gentleman. You turned to him to say goodbye.

"You know," you started with a soft laugh, "I was kinda expecting this date to be a lot worse."

"It could have been," Taika said, "But I have a heart, you know. Always so sympathetic."

You punched his arm playfully and he did it right back, only softer. "I'm actually quite curious," he said suddenly after the both of you sat in comfortable silence, "If you had won the bet, what would you have done?"

You winced and giggled at this, biting the inside of your cheek. "I was going to bedazzle your mustache and have Pedro help, since he seems to know a lot about it. I was going to put glitter in it and everything. Like Twilight," You cheekily quoted "What We Do in the Shadows" in front of him and that put a happy little grin on his face.

"You wouldn't dare," he said right back, not thinking of a snappy enough comeback.

"Oh, but I do..."

The silence settled in again and your cheek remained between your teeth. You drew in a deep breath and Taika took a step closer. "You know," he said in a very low voice, "I can take you out on another date sometime..." He started to lean in, his face drawing closer to yours and his lips only mere inches away. "Next time... possibly as something more than friends..."

His lips were expected to come into contact with yours, but they only came into contact with something less intimate. Your thumb.

"You forgot the one rule of this date," you said in a very hushed whisper. "I'm not allowed to fall in love with you..."

You pulled your thumb away from his lips slowly, admiring how his bottom lips stuck against it and slipped so silkily over it. "Goodnight, Taika," you said, internally kicking yourself for not kissing him in that perfect moment.

He didn't say anything back. He merely watched as you unlocked your door and slipped inside, leaving him wanting and yearning on your step. He let out a heavy sigh as the porch light flickered on and he raised his hand, as if to knock on the door and plead for you to come back out again, but he stopped himself and turned to Robter, who was just getting off of the phone.

"Mr. Waititi, the big restaurant you and the Miss were supposed to go to just called to tell you that they canceled your reservation, since you didn't show up. Do you want me to call them back?" Robert said, holding up a phone.

"No, Robert, that won't be necessary," Taika sighed.

"Oh," Robert shrugged, "where to now, sir?"

"Home, if you wouldn't mind it, sir," Taika said and slipped back into the seat of the limosene, the seat still drifting with the scent of your perfume.

[storysofmyown]

Obey me! You shine brighter A Diavolo x Asmodeous fan fic

Plot: The first time Diavolo and Asmodeous saw each other was on the Celestial Realm, the next, was in the Devildom, where both were now demons. As the years went by, their relationship slowly shifted from that adoration they have felt the first time they saw each other.

Trigger warning: None

Word count: 4362

It was a hectic day for the two realms. The Celestial realm was left and right, up and down, packed with angels preparing everything for the arrival of the visits. Everything had to be perfect...that way if anything happen, they could easily blame The Devildom, saying they were at fault. Of course, Diavolo knew that. Being the Prince, he was thought about the hate between the realms and the way their interactions have been since millions of years. But today was different. The Demon Lord had been asleep for a few centuries, and it had made the Celestial Realm quite uneasy. Thinking they were planning something against them, so as it was his duty, he had to go up to their Realm and explain the situation. Everything to avoid a war. Being quite honest, Diavolo was both excited and nervous. He would be going with nothing more than his trusty butler Barbatos, unarmed and ready to talk, it was nerve-wracking thinking the Celestial Realm may think this was a trap and attack him. The lower angels would not be able to get them both but if the high-ranking angels, such as a group of siblings that represented virtues were to attack him, then he might be doomed, and a war would take place. So, he hoped that the Celestial Realm saw sincerity in his words. 

On the other hand, he was excited. Not even his father had set foot on the Celestial Realm, whenever the two worlds needed to discuss they would meet on neutral ground. The Human World. It had only happened maybe three times, so, being one of the only ever demons to visit The Celestial Realm, he was quite excited. Once there, he had been absolutely stunned at the sight of the realm. The whole place looked like one fancy castle, covered every corner in beautiful intricate designs of gold and silver, a blinding white representing the purity of it all. And in the middle of it. The group of angels meant to keep him company (or, as Barbatos had said on the way, the angels meant to kill him if he misbehaved. While that was probably an exaggeration, he did want to make a good impression. So, the moment he stepped into the Celestial Realm, and all the angels starred at him, he only smiled politely and started to walk towards the group of angels who, as he like to think of them, would become his future friends. As he approached the group of angels, he noticed the glistening armor of one of the angels under the eternal sun. He would give it to the Celestial Realm, they knew how to make something look pretty. Diavolo extended his hand at who must be the one known as the Morningstar. Who did not seem to pay any mind, for he only started walking in a direction, having only muttered "follow me". Diavolo noticed how two angels immediately followed Lucifer, as one of them had called him. He looked back at the remaining 4 angels and his eyes fell on one in particular.

Diavolo had heard before about those 7 angels. The oldest, being one of the most powerful beings to ever existed, 3 siblings that were made by the hands of God at the same time, with them the only female angel in the family. And an angel so beautiful it had been given onto him the nickname The Jewel of the Celestial Realm. Diavolo was sure there were others, but the moment his eyes fell on the so called "Jewel of the Celestial Realm" his entire train of thought stopped. He could not help but stare at the angel for just a couple more instances. In the briefest moment he had ever experienced, his eyes had melted into the angels. And for a moment he forgot what he was meant to do, for he had no other need than to take in the beauty of the angel. Upon their eyes meeting, Diavolo smiled, ever so slightly for he knew the angel was scared of him, for some reason, the angel also smiled at him before turning away, and before a second had pass they were in their way to whatever place he needed to be. He was going to give it to the celestial realm, they really knew how to make beauty. Meanwhile, a certain angel was filled with dread ever since the day had started. The moment they were told a few days ago that the literal Prince of the Devildom will be visiting Asmodeous felt this fear inside of him for some reason. He knew he shouldn't be worried, as Lucifer had said "if they are smart, they will explain what is happening and go on their merry way. Nothing bad needs to happen..." And he was probably right...but then again...who knew how demons acted. And then the day had arrived. Every single angel had been assigned a role just in case. There were angels behind every door and all the windows, flying around and some inspecting rooms. Everyone had halted what they were supposed to do just to make sure those demons did not try anything. Everyone was so focused on what might go wrong at their arrival, already writing them as dangerous that no one showed any type of hospitality. It made Asmodeous feel a little...unease. But then they arrived. The Prince of the Devildom and his trusty manservant. And fear consumed every inch of Asmodeous being, so much that the moment they were announced he instinctively hid behind Beelzebub, who gave him a reassuring look. Asmodeous felt himself shrink as the demon spoke. He had a beautiful voice, even if he did not want to admit it, it captivated him the way this demon could work his way with words, before he could even realize it, he was staring at a demon.

No, not just any demon. He was staring at the Prince of the Devildom. The future king. The demon exchanged pleasantries while Lucifer totally ignored him. Lucifer started walking, the brothers following close behind him, Asmodeous was going to say something to Beelzebulb, but as he did, his eyes were caught by those of the prince. There was something about that demon. Demons were supposed to be those creatures full of nightmares, dark, and terror in them, but that one…that one had inviting eyes and a welcoming smile shot in his direction. Asmodeous could feel himself blush slightly, being under the gaze of such being. He also smiled, he wasn’t sure if it was out of politeness or something else.

After an eternity comprehended in a second, Asmodeous moved with his brothers and sister. The Prince was following him with what Asmodeous had assumed to be his manservant. While Beelzebub and Mammon were behind them, making sure there was nothing he could try. Asmodeous felt the gaze of the demon on himself, he felt awkward while walking, wanting to glance behind but being unable too. He was following close behind Leviathan, but he was paying no attention to anything at all, his mind was still replaying that one second in Asmodeous head.

The whole meeting had gone without any problems, The Prince had explained why there were no knews of his father, the king, and presented proof of his fathers state. The angels had believed them, or maybe they just wanted to cut this meeting short. They were about to leave, waiting for some angels to escort him and Barbatos, meanwhile, the Prince was trying his best to avoid looking at the angel with such an ethereal beauty that it had taken his breath away. And so was Asmodeous. Neither of them dared to glance at each other, it was weird. Diavolo had seen such wonders toda, yet his mind could not care about that. He had been captivated by the angel’s beauty and all he wanted to do was keep staring at him.

The angel on the other hand, felt this immense sense on dread set in his stomach, he wasn’t sure why. But every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the face of the demon. And it made him feel all kinds of wrong, was it wrong? Asmodeous didn’t knew, and he wouldn’t know for hundreds of years, because the angels that were meant to escort the demons out had arrived. They bid farewell, and as the demons walked away, Asmodeous dared to glance one final time, only to be meet by the prince doing the exact same thing. Their eyes locked for less than a second. The butterflies in Asmodeous stomach revolting, absent every single logical idea he could have. Asmodeous saw the demon smirk slightly, and he turned around, forcing himself not to look back at the demon.

Diavolo was satisfied, he was not going to tell anyone but even if the whole trip had ended up being a waste of time, he had been able to see what the celestial realm looked like, and not only that, he saw that angel. Later on, he would learn that that angels name was Asmodeous, and it rolled in his mouth like the purest nectar made out of the holiest of foods. Hundreds if not thousands of years passed since that the one and only time Diavolo and Asmodeous saw one another.

From time to time, both of them found themselves thinking about the other. It was on quiet nights, when Diavolo glanced and the stars around and wondered what that angel was up to, or if he even remembered him. His mind replayed the image of the beautiful eyes the angel had. Diavolo wondered if he would ever see him again.

It was during the busiest meetings, where Asmodeous stopped paying attention to whatever details his father was speaking, and his mind fell on that memory, it had been only one second. But it had been enough for that smile to stick with him for so long. He ignored the feelings that memory evoked on him and prayed to never encounter the demon again. Sadly, his wish was not to become true.

Diavolo found out about the war, a war between some angels and God. At first, he didn’t know the details. Later on, he learned that the war was between the seven siblings he had meet that time in The Celestial realm and God, they were fighting to keep their sister alive. Diavolo admired how much care those siblings had for each other. He didn’t know what their fate was going to be, but it would not end well, after all, no angel that rebelled agaisnt God ended in good terms.

The night came, where the angels fell, and one had died. He found Lucifer, the oldest of the brothers beside the dying body of his sister. He wanted to help, to offer aid, but he knew the ex-angel’s pride was too big for him to just receive help. So, he made a deal with Lucifer. Surprisingly the ex-angel accepted. He offered the family shelter for the night, assuring them soon enough they would have their own place to stay.

Asmodeous was staying in one of the rooms with Beel and Belphie. The ex-angel had woken up from a nightmare, the memories of how his wings burned and the pressure of the fall, the way he felt his father’s love banished, and the memories of Lilith, he woke up, crying and breathing rapidly. He refused to wake up any of his brothers, they had gone trough enough as well. So, he opted to walk around and try to clear his head. Asmodeous walked aimlessly. Not knowing where he was or where he was standing, the total darkness only being barely illuminated by the dim light of the moon. He was lost in his own thought, so far that he hadn’t even realized that he was also lost in the Demons Lord Castle.

He wasn’t sure where he was, nor where he had come from. So, he opted to keep walking, after all he was bound to find an exit of sorts. And one could argue he did, just not the exist he wanted. Turning right, he noticed a figure standing in front of a window. The curtains of the window had been pushed to the side, so it was the only part that was better illuminated in the whole castle. Asmodeous noticed that the man starring out the window was Lord Diavolo, the prince. The way the moonlight interacted with The Prince red hair and his eyes were illuminated by the parking lights made Asmodeous stop in his tracks. He wondered if he should turn around. But, part of him knew that if anyone could take him back to his room was the prince.

“Um…Lord Diavolo, was it?” The prince turned around immediately, confused at a voice he had never heard before, the moment his eyes fell on the obscured figure of the ex-angel his features changed to a softer look. The angels voice was just as beautiful as he was, it was fitting. The Prince smiled tenderly at Asmodeous, fully facing him now, he knew what the ex-angel had gone through and it broke his heart that anyone in the family was feeling hurt. But there was something in the features of the ex-angel that made Diavolo not want to see him this sad ever again.

“Yes. You can call me Diavolo. You are Asmodeous, right?” The ex-angel nodded; he was standing still, not knowing what to do. This was the first time he and a demon had ever interacted. And that demon was no other than the Prince of the Devildom. He was avoiding at the demon in front of him. But the tension of the room and the dread he felt made him look, just a glance, to make sure the demon was not going to attack him. But the moment he did, he couldn’t stop starring. That was partly because of Diavolos extended hand, inviting Asmodeous to stand beside him. And so, Asmodeous did.

Asmodeous stepped closer to the demon, who had a warm smile on his lips. But still, Asmodeous felt like a prey, the demon was watching his every move. Asmodeous got as close as he dared to, close enough to be able to also look out the windows. Diavolo felt bad for this, but the moment Asmodeous was bathed in the light of the mood, the demon could not help but feel his breath leave. The way the moonlight made the ex-angels skin look like it was glowing was the moment Diavolo realized that his mind had lied to him.

His memories did no justice to the person that was standing no more than a few feet away from him. He knew the ex-angel was in pain, but he couldn’t help but admire his beauty. He cursed himself and forced his eyes to look out the window, in the same direction the ex-angel was looking.

“How…how are you feeling?” Diavolo asked, after several minutes of silence. Asmodeous felt his chest tighten, and he wanted more than anything to scream and cry. But he needed to be strong. He sighed.

“I...don’t know.” He answered, as quietly as possible. Perhaps that way the demon would not hear him. “I had a…a nightmare. That is all.” Asmodeous had his eyes glued at the night sky. It was covered in stars and the moon…it was beautiful. In the Celestial Realm there is never night, only day. In here it was the other way around. This was the first time in all his life he saw the stars and the moon, and he thought that perhaps in the Devildom there was also beauty. But it was hard for him to appreciate, because in his mind all he could hear was the voice of his little sister screaming for help.

Diavolo noticed the sadness in the ex-angels eyes. It was hard to see him that way, even if they had only seen each other once before he wanted to help. So, he did what he thought could keep the ex-angel get distracted. Offered a tour of the castle. Asmodeous was hesitant about it, but he agreed. Even if the prince was a demon there was a sincere lack off evil in his eyes. And Asmodeous thought it will be good to look around the place. So, they did, they walked around and talked, not much, but enough from time to time so that neither of them felt that awkward.

They reached the garden, Asmodeous was shocked to say the least. How come so many beautiful flowers of so many colors grow in such a place? His eyes were full of wonder, and for a moment he forgot the pain he felt. The smell of the flowers perfume was enough to put him at peace if even for a second. Asmodeous took a deep breath, feeling himself being washed by the moonlight. His eyes were closed as he took deep breaths. A small smile plastered on his lips as for a second he forgot everything that had happened and where he was.

Diavolo stood close by. He didn’t want to step so close to the ex-angel as not to make him feel uncomfortable. But seeing Asmodeous have a sense of peace made the demon smile as he watched the ex-angel. He wondered what it had been like. Having fallen and losing every bit of self that he had, and on top of that, lose family. Diavolo smile fell from his lips as he watched Asmodeous eyes open. It was a quiet night, and cold as well.

Asmodeous opened his eyes, awakening from the trance he had been on moments ago. He looked at the garden in front of him, the smile that was on his face asecond ago disappeared for a more serious expressiion. It downed on him, all this time he had been trying not to think about it, but this was their home now. No more light and sun, just an eternal darkness and the absence of their sister while trying to build themselves up. For the first time ever Asmodeous cried. It started slow, he felt the tears accumulated and tried to hold them on, his vision getting blurry, but he couldn’t hide them forever.

The tears started falling, they were consistent and Asmodeous started to feel a lack of air in his lungs. He felt a hand on his shoulder, which made him look at it. It was Diavolo. The demon had a sympathetic look on his face. Asmodeous started crying even harder, full on sobs, and at some point, he was entrapped in the larger demons arms. Being hugged and supported. One would even dare and say…safe.

After that night, Asmodeous found himself trusting the Prince. And as the years went by that trust became into a friendship. Diavolo saw Asmodeous change, from this innocent lamb to this confident guy who loved attention. He not only saw Asmodeous change personality wise, he also saw the struggles the young demon had gone through. Because Asmodeous trusted him with them, and as years went by, and they only became closer, it was clear to Diavolo, that he had fallen in love with the once angel.

And Asmodeous had fallen in love with the Prince as well. If you looked closely, it was evident. The way both always starred at the other, the jokes, the smiles, the closeness in which they would always stand beside each other, almost holding hands. But still, they weren’t together. Even if they knew about each other’s feelings, and how could they not?

Asmodeous would often make an excuse about a party he would be going to, only to sneak into Diavolos castle and the prince and the younger demon would have a movie night. It was full of cuddles and laughs. How could they not fall in love? There were times in which the movie was only on for noise, for they were too busy starring at one another. Diavolo was usually the one who would start the starring. His eyes would just slowly move from the movie to Asmodeous, and simply stay there.

Asmo would notice, sooner or later, a small pink blush appears on his cheeks as he smiled at the demon. Diavolo would scoot over and hug the younger demon as they just gazed at each other and talked about nothing for many hours until it was time for Asmodeous to leave.

One specific night, Asmodeous was the one doing the starring. He watched as the face of the man changed from laughter to serious and so on. The room was only illuminated by the soft blue glow coming from the movie. Diavolo glanced at Asmodeous, to find the younger demon staring at him, and his heart started to beat faster than it already was. Diavolo took Asmodeous hand on his own. Intertwining their fingers, they got close, foreheads touching. Asmodeous was the first one to close his eyes as the demon prince starred into his delicate features.

“What do I have to do for a kiss of your lips?” Diavolos voice was a mere whisper, one that if Asmodeous had been a few more inches apart he wouldn’t have heard. His heart yearned for it. But his head knew better. 

“We can’t.” Asmodeous responded in the same tone. He thought of his family, specifically of Lucifer. The man had lost a sister and immediately had been forced into a loyalty by Diavolos side. And although Diavolo had never been anything but kind to the brothers, to the point where Lucifer considered Diavolo a friend, he wasn’t sure how his brother would take it.

“I know.” They stayed like that for a few minutes. Their lips aching for the sensation of one another. Diavolo inched closer, and Asmodeous thought his heart would give out for how fast it was running. A wrong movement and they would be kissing. But they didn’t, Diavolo moved his head towards Asmodeous shoulder, resting it there, while Asmo passed his hand trough the older demon’s hair.

Their relationship stayed like that for a while. The yearn and the longing, the tenderness of touches. The ache to finally be allowed to love one another grew. At some point it hurt. It hurt to stand so close to one another. It hurt Diavolo being able to smell Asmodeous hair yet not being able to taste his lips. It hurt feeling Diavolos hand take his own, and not being able for them to run trough his body as they kissed. It hurt not being together. But that is how it had to be. And they were getting tired of those rules.

There was a ball at the Demon Lord Castle. The celebration of Diavolos birthday, a big party with all the demons from all across the Devildom invited. There was dance, food, gifts, people cheering for him and asking him to dance. Diavolo tried to be polite, but none of this mattered to him. If it was up to him, Diavolo would have preferred a more private party with his closest friends…and with Asmodeous. He was extremely bored, as his eyes scanned the room and then…he found Asmodeous. Entering the big room in the most beautiful clothes he had ever seen him wear.

Diavolo could come up with a thousand words to describe how Asmodeous looked that night. Bewitching, enchanting, ethereal, alluring, haunting, entrancing, otherworldly, and much more, but none of them would make justice of the way Asmodeous looked. And all of that could be ignored by just a glance at the younger demon’s smile. Diavolo wanted to get away from everyone and just dance all night with Asmodeous. And they did dance, but just one piece to keep the appearance up, and by all the previous kings, if Asmodeous looked absolutely stunning from a far, up close Diavolo could barely even resist the urge to express the demon how in love he was.

But he waited, and waited, and waited. The gifts had been exchanged and the demons were already leaving. When everyone was distracted Diavolo took Asmodeous hand and they ran trough the halls of the Castle, until they found that very same window in which they had talked that night so many years ago. The music was a distant sound in the background, and with no one around, they danced again. Slower, closer, even more in love than a few minutes ago. Illuminated by the stars and the moon light.

“You look simply, absolutely, totally gorgeous.”

“Thank you. You look almost as good as me.” Asmodeous joked, and they both stopped dancing for a moment as Asmodeous got even closer to Diavolo. He sighed. “No. You look even better than me.” Diavolo saw the blush on the younger demon’s face. Against all logical thought in his body, he put a hand on Asmodeous face. Asmodeous looked up at Diavolo, lips slightly apart, and he inched closer.

At this point none of them cared at all about whether it was right or wrong, didn’t care about the repercussions or the reaction of anyone. They just cared about each other’s feelings. Foreheads touching, barely one inch apart. Diavolos nerves were betraying him. Was Asmodeous okay with this? So many times, before Asmodeous had been the one to say no, it wasn’t the time, it wasn’t okay, but now, he was waiting for Asmodeous to back down and leave once more. They are looked at each other’s eyes once more, Asmodeous put his hand on top of Diavolos. Giving the larger demon a reassuring smile. That was all Diavolo needed.

They kissed. It was soft and it tasted sweet and it was completely intoxicating. Neither of them wanted the kiss to end as they got lost on the others lips. After who knows how much time had passed, they finally parted, just slightly to be able to breath. Diavolo still had Asmodeous face cupped in his hands and Asmo still had his hand resting on Diavolos hand. Diavolo laughed, the most heart felt laugh Asmodeous had ever heard the demon emit, they were both happy. They didn’t care what anyone had to say, they were in love, and as the kissed during the night, and moon illuminated their love, it was just evident how much they loved one another.

Aight...so...i wrote this, i took a small brake from  writing my other fic and this was born. This is kind of like the long version of that one headcanon thingy I wrote a while ago.  I am, for one, absolutely in love with this ship so...nonetheless, i hope the five people who read this rare pairing fic enjoy it and yeah, see y’all on my next work lmao.

[dakotacrisis]

Transferred (15)

In this house we love and appreciate Marinette Dupain-Cheng!

This the end of the official story but there is a bonus spin-off chapter I’m gonna be posting later that is pure Kagaminette (or is it Marigami?)

---

“Kagami!” Marinette was shoved into the limo. “What do you mean? I can’t go! Look at what I’m wearing!” Marinette gestured to her overalls, Chat Noir t-shirt, and converse. “This is a fancy fashion fundraiser!”

“I know. We have something for you to wear at the venue which is why we’re getting there early. Calm down, we got an entire outfit and we’re gonna do you up with hair and make-up. You’re gonna be the belle of the ball.” Kagami was trying to calm down a frantic Marinette.

“You were supposed to be--”

“Shush.” Kagami chuckled, “It’s fine. It’s gonna be great.”

“You’re killing me.” They pulled up to the back of the hotel. The girls rushed inside and were met with Aurore waiting for them. She was wearing a lilac dress with ivory flower embellishments around the bust.

“Hello girls,” Aurore was beaming, “Kagami, you look great! Marinette, you are going to look fantastic. Come with me.”

“Treat her well!” Kagami called to them as Aurore dragged her away. “I’ll see you in there, Marinette!”

“Aurore, please tell me what is going on.” Marinette begged as she was pulled along and into the elevator. Aurore didn’t let anything go as they sailed up and up and up. They finally stopped and Aurore dragged her up to a door. She knocked on it and the door was opened by Sabrina. She was in a simple turquoise tea length dress and had her hair curled and pinned.

“She’s here!” Sabrina pulled Marinette and Aurore inside what Marinette realized was Chloe’s room.

“About time.” Chloe stood in the center of her room in a long high neck black and white dress with twin high slits. Her hair was loose from its usual ponytail but pinned back away from her face with a little golden hair comb.

“Chloe, what is--” Marinette was cut off as the trio pushed her into the bedroom part of the room. Hanging up was the outfit Kagami had mentioned.

“I don’t know how you got that but don’t you think it’s a little much?” Marinette said.

“Not for what you’re gonna be doing.” Aurore was hopping from one foot to the other.

“But what are we doing?”

“Stop wasting time, Dupain-Cheng. We got an event to get to.” Chloe and the other two were practically pulling her out of her clothes before Marinette kicked them out to get dressed herself. After she was dressed Aurore pulled her away to do her makeup while Chloe tackled her hair.

“And she is perfect,” Aurore held up a mirror, “What do you think?”

“I look nice but I would love to know why I’m here in the first place.” Marinette was getting impatient.

“Recognition, Dupain-Cheng.” Chloe smirked, “This is the most covered charity event of the year and you are a walking centerpiece in this dress. So go down there, head held high, and let everyone know who you are. Got it?”

“Got it.” Marinette wasn’t gonna argue with Chloe about this.

Together the girls rode back to the ground floor. Chloe explained what Marinette would be doing and left her in the hands of the butler while the three others went out to a limo to take them around to the front of the building. Marinette waited behind the little stage that was set up in the hotel ballroom, occasionally she would peek out to look at all the guests. She spotted the table where Kagami and Adrien were sitting. Chloe, Sabrina and Aurore were also at the table. The parents: Mrs. Tsurugi, Mr. Agreste, Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois, and even Marinette’s parents were sitting together at a table right next to the teenagers.

What were her parents doing here? They didn’t mention any of this! They were gonna get an earful when they get home.

After everyone was seated and comfortable, Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois got up and came onto the stage. Marinette stepped back into the shadows as they welcomed the guests and talked about their hopes for tonights fundraiser.

“Now, this program is not just to fund the arts but to bring prominent artists and designers of the next generation into the light. Around the venue you will find many pieces that our young creators have been meticulously working on and will be able to continue to create thanks to your generosity this evening.” Mayor Bourgeois said. “Every year we choose one of these young upstarts to highlight as our next big name in the industry. Many high profile names today I would say, owe their jumpstart to success to this award. Clara Nightingale being last years winner and even our own Gabriel Agreste having received this honor back in the day.”

“To announce this years next big name of the arts is Gabriel’s son, Adrien Agreste.” Mrs. Bourgeois said. Everyone applauded as Marinette assumed Adrien stepped onto the stage.

Was this…

“Thank you everyone for being here tonight.” Marinette recognized Adrien’s voice speaking over the microphone now. “As Mayor Bourgeois already explained, this honor is more than just a title. It is a starting point to a road paved with opportunities. One that with hard work, an open mind, and eyes full of creativity will lead to a successful career.”

“That is why it is my very great honor to introduce our choice for this year’s Next Big Thing, Paris’ own Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

“I--I--”

“Go, Marinette!” Tikki chided her.

Marinette regained her wits and walked onto the stage. The entire room was applauding her.

Adrien stood at the microphone with a proud smile and a hand extended out to her. Nervously she took it and he pulled her closer towards him. “Did we surprise you?”

“Yes, I think it’s safe to say you did.” Marinette didn’t know whether to blush or cry. “Why though?”

“Cause you deserve it. More than anyone I know.” His smile softened into something sweeter that made Marinette’s insides melt.

Adrien turned back to the microphone. “Marinette is wearing a ballgown that she designed and constructed herself. Just one of many creations that she’s made. But her talents don’t end there. I could go on and on about how she is Jagged Stone’s preferred designer for accessories, posters, and album covers. How she created the stage outfits for the up and coming band, Kitty Section. Heck, it would take me all night to list how kind and creative this girl next to me is.”

Marinette was definitely gonna start crying.

“Marinette, things between us may have gotten off to a rocky start but I am glad that we are such great friends today. You are always putting yourself out there for your friends, your family, for justice, for creativity, even for strangers. Life can be tough but you push forward and soldier on with a smile on your face and a can-do attitude. In this day and age, when evils like Hawkmoth and corrupt politicians and everyday jerks have dragged the morale of the population down, having someone like you that chooses to see the beauty in the world is something we need now more than ever. There are many kind and creative people in the world but there is only one Marinette Dupain-Cheng and she will never be able to be recreated.”

And the tears were falling. No stopping it now.

The crowd erupted once more into applause while Adrien handed her a tissue. “Kagami told me to bring this up with me. Good thing she thought ahead.”

“Yeah,” Marinette let out a bark of laughter between her happy sobs. “This is--that was--I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ladies and gentlemen.” Adrien gave her one final moment to soak in the undivided adoration before escorting her back to his table. She stopped by to hug her parents and thank the adults for choosing her before settling in with her peers.

“Surprise,” Kagami smirked.

“I can’t believe you guys,” Marinette was still trying to calm down, “How did you even do this?”

“Lots of careful planning.”

“And my dress?” Marinette gestured to her ballgown, the one Lila had gotten her miscredited from in the newspaper, “I put it in storage after the Lila incident.”

“We explained the situation to your parents and they gave it to us with the promise that we would treat it with the utmost respect.”

That would explain why she seemed to have more space in her closet.

A small dinner was served and then a couple more people came up to speak about the night. More young artists were highlighted before everyone was encouraged to go and take a look at the pieces around the room. There seemed to be art of all kinds there. Paintings, sketches, sculptures, clothing, short movies, music samplings. There was a table lined with story excerpts people could read from young authors. Journalism articles hung on the walls like pieces in a museum. There was even a part of the room dedicated to carpenters and the amazing furniture, instruments, and wooden toys they made.

Several people during the night came up to Marinette inquiring about her dress and possible other designs she had created. Kagami was quick to show off her own dress and brag about Marinette’s skill in making it.

Many of the people at the event were critics and renowned fashion designers that handed Marinette business cards with promises to make her their protege. Things got a bit heated when two designers started trying to outdo the other with their offers forcing Adrien to swoop in and politely extract Marinette.

Eventually the party started to wind down and people were making there way home. Mostly the older adults that couldn’t quite keep up with the number of young people in the room.

“Hey, Marinette,.” Adrien approached her. At some point in the night he had ditched the jacket and tie and was walking around with his vest open and top button of his shirt undone. “I saw your parents head out. You didn’t join them?”

“Not yet. I wanted to enjoy the party a little longer.” Marinette looked around the room, “What about you? I don’t think I’ve seen your father around.”

“He had one wine glass too many and headed home. I figured he wouldn’t notice if I showed up a little later than when I was supposed to.” he grinned in a not so innocently Adrien way. “That being said, are you doing anything after this?”

“Seeing as how my original plans for tonight was to veg out in my room binging old romantic comedies I’m gonna say no. Why?”

“Well, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go to that bowling alley we went to before. It’s open till two AM all week so I thought that you and I could go for some late night, over-dressed, bowling catastrophe fun.”

“That sounds great--”

“Sorry Adrikins, but we already have plans tonight.” Chloe cut between Adrien and Marinette.

“We do?” Marinette stared at her.

“The sleepover.”

“Sleepover?”

“What are you, a parrot?” Chloe scoffed, “We’re having a girls night in my suite. No boys allowed.”

“But--what--when was this?” Marinette sputtered as she was pulled away from Adrien by Chloe.

“Oh. Bye, Marinette!” Adrien waved to her, “Have fun! I’ll text you later!”

“Bye!” Marinette squeaked out as she was whisked out of the ballroom.

They went back to the elevator and up to Chloe’s room. “Are there any more surprises that you have in store for me tonight or is this the last one?” She asked.

“You love it.” Chloe smirked. Kagami, Sabrina, and Aurore were also in the elevator. Sabrina and Aurore weren’t a surprise but Marinette hadn’t expected Kagami to be with them.

They entered the suite and the girls started to dress down removing their heels and accessories. “Makeup wipes in the bathroom and pajamas on the bed.” Chloe said, “I got foot massagers by the couch and room service on speed dial.”

Marinette went to the bed and saw that there were matching silk pajamas for each girl in their favorite color and monogrammed with their initials. Red for Kagami, teal for Sabrina, sky blue for Aurore and honeycomb yellow for Chloe. Marinette’s was a nice powder pink with the initials MDC stitched across the pocket in cream threading.

Marinette waited her turn to change into her new cozy pajamas and joined the rest of the girls around the couch. Kagami and Aurore were deciding what movie to watch while Chloe had Sabrina make a list of what they wanted room service to bring up.

“Hey,” Marinette approached Chloe. “Can we talk?”

“Sabrina, you know what I like. Finish ordering. Also, make sure those two pick a decent movie.” Chloe told Sabrina before standing to talk to Marinette. “Yes?”

“I know we’ve rarely seen eye to eye and I would be one of the furthest things from a friend in your opinion but I wanted to take a moment and say thank you. Not just for the fundraiser and this deluxe sleepover but for going above and beyond with your takedown of Lila. It was incredible and to think you did that for me--”

“And an amazing grade.”

“And an amazing grade.” Marinette agreed, “It means so much. I don’t know what all of this makes us, not friends exactly, but maybe not enemies? Playful adversaries?”

Chloe’s holier-than-thou smile softened. Her walls dropping just for a moment. “We’re allies. Not always but I wasn’t just going to let one of the few people I respected be disgraced by a knockoff mean girl with dead anime mom hair.”

“What hair?”

“Nothing. Something Adrien told me. It doesn’t matter.” Chloe huffed. Her walls going up again. “I may not have my miraculous but that doesn’t make me any less the superheroine I am.”

“I know it doesn’t.” 

Chloe smiled.

Marinette wished she could give Chloe her miraculous more often. With her identity being outed it was just too dangerous. But maybe she deserved a new miraculous. Nothing would fit her as perfectly as Queen Bee but Marinette had hope that she would do well with a new power. So long as she didn’t advertise her identity to all of Paris again.

A knock at the door drew their attention. “Room service!” A voice called from outside.

“I’ll get that. You go make sure Tsurugi and Weather-Girl chose a good movie.” Chloe flipped her hair and sashayed over to the door.

Marinette hopped the couch and sat down. The buffett of luxury junk food was laid out before them. They all got comfy in their seats and pressed play on the movie. Kagami leaned against Marinette as the movie played and ended up falling asleep halfway through. Marinette didn’t have the heart to move her so stayed put. Not that Hawkmoth himself could get her to move from that spot. Who knew Kagami was a cuddler?

As excited as everyone had been earlier once the movie started playing everyone started dropping like flies. Marinette had nodded off as well at some point and only woke up again when she felt something being draped over her. She squinted her eyes open and saw Chloe walking around putting blankets over the other girls.

She could pretend all she wanted but there was a good person inside Chloe. She rarely came out and even then most of the time it was to help make herself look better. But there were times, behind closed doors, with no witnesses around, that Chloe was kind just because she wanted to be. Maybe it was those moments that Adrien always got to see that helped the friendship he held with her. Maybe Chloe would become even nicer. Maybe she would continue on her little tirade of pompous superiority. It was anyone’s guess.

Marinette was glad that the chance for Chloe to become someone even better than she is was still an option. A year ago she would have thought it impossible. Of course a year ago there wasn’t a butterfly terrorist and people getting turned into monsters every other day. So it seems a lot can change.

Chloe was nice, Lila was gone, Marinette had loving friends, and Kagami was softly snoring on Marinette’s sternum. It was about as perfect as she could hope.

Tomorrow may be uncertain but it wasn’t for her to worry about. Not when she had people she loved to stand beside her…or sleep on her. Marinette readjusted the blanket and stretched herself into a more comfortable position without waking Kagami and went back to sleep.

---

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14)

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@northernbluetongue @ladylb @immatureidiot101 @lady-flora-of-slytherin @zazzlejazzle @shamefullove @heredemaquam @kristycocopops @schrodingers25 @sublimemagazinestarlight @crazylittlemunchkin @daydream-wannabewriter @trainflavor @never-neverland @mochinek0 @persephonebutkore

[lu-undy]

Chapter 14 - SBT

Here it is!

The Australian had taken a few short naps in his van. He woke up and stretched his legs and arms. After a few seconds blinking and landing back in reality, Mundy looked over in the direction of the restaurant. The sky had gone completely dark now but thank God there were lots of lights on and around the impressive building. 

Mundy grabbed the binoculars he had borrowed from his friend and had a look. He wasn't interested in who was coming and going, nah. Seeing a herd of snobs in absurdly expensive clothes and even sometimes wearing bits with real animal fur did nothing but infuriate him. 

His line of sight moved to the side of the building. Ah, he needed to go somewhere else to get a better view. He grunted. There was nowhere he could park the van to see better. Thus he left his van and went on foot. 

The point was to have the back of the restaurant clearly in sight. Why? Because here is what Mundy had thought: whoever had lost that button came from that place. As the butler told him, they were way too well enough to care and would surely not even bother fixing the thing, but rather replace it altogether. Now, add to that what the tailor said, that he embroidered the name of the owner of the jacket directly on it: the Aussie's mind was set. He needed to get his hands on that bloody jacket!

With all that in mind, where would it be? Where Eddy had pointed to, namely, the bin. 

This whole reasoning was the motivation for Mundy half hiding in a dark alley where he could see the back of the restaurant. It was now the early hours of the morning and he saw the restaurant had more people exiting than coming in. Closure time was imminent. All he had to do was to wait for anyone to take the trash out to the big bins outside. From that, Mundy would only have an hour and a half, maybe two before the trash would be collected. He hoped that he would have enough time to rummage through them and find the jacket.

Mundy put a hand in the pocket of his jacket and took a pack of cigarettes. He lit one and waited without complaining. His past life as a hunter had taught him patience long and through. And so before his eyes, he saw the successive smoke breaks of the staff, people opening the first few buttons of their jackets and easing their shoulders for a few minutes before adjusting it all and going back in. 

It lasted what other people might call an eternity but the Aussie didn't mind much. It could be worse, much worse. He could have been waiting to ambush poachers on a cold night of November, lying on the floor, on his stomach and looking through the scope of his infamous rifle...

Mundy shivered and shook his shoulders. He blinked a few times to shoo away these thoughts. 

Two men finally exited with big black bin bags. Mundy's eyes opened wide. They threw it all in the large dark bin boxes and slipped back in the restaurant. The Aussie waited to make sure no one would catch him. He saw all the staff exit the place little by little. The flux of people gently calmed down until the last person locked the backdoor and left. He followed them with his eyes and made sure they were long gone before approaching. 

Mundy looked up and around. There were a few security cameras but he was lucky enough as most were turned such that they watched over the back door but not in the direction of the bins. 

He got closer and opened the large box. He winced at the smell and coughed a few times… 

Roight, gotta open these. 

He took his van key and slashed through the bags. Their content, and stench, spread quickly. Mundy held his breath and lit up the small light he had on his keyring. 

He realised that the first few bags must have come from the kitchens as it was mostly organic waste and food packages. The next few ones were mostly paper and cardboard… 

Ah! 

Mundy saw some dark blue cloth. He grabbed it and pulled. 

Yes!

It was indeed a jacket! He looked at the buttons of the front but his smile vanished when he saw that they were all there. 

Bloody hell… 

He rummaged more and more impatiently but it was the only piece of clothing that was dark blue and golden. Mundy was about to throw it away when something caught his eyes. 

Those snobs, they even have buttons on their cuffs…

He looked at the other sleeve and couldn't see the button. 

"Crikey! It wasn't a front button but one on the sleeve!" 

The Aussie eagerly took the jacket in his hand and checked the name on the tag. 

Antonio Sanchez.

"Gotcha, ya mongrel!"

After searching the pockets, he tossed the jacket back in the bin and left. He needed a good night of sleep and a good wash to chase that smell away before the next steps. 

---

The next morning, the Aussie woke up next to the lake. He grabbed his bar of soap and washed himself thoroughly before slipping in clean clothes. 

Mundy then jumped in his van and drove off. There was one person who might know who this Antonio Sanchez was and how to find him. 

He left the forest and arrived in town. Ah, he wished his old friend would remember him. Thinking about it, the same anxiety as before meeting Phil and Matt seized him. He was unsure about it all and he was unsure of knowing his own self anymore… 

Mundy took a deep breath. He needed his friend and despite him repeating to Eddy that he worked alone, it wasn't exactly true. He had a well-filled address book of contacts. Well, he had one a good decade ago. It was a miracle that those people were still around and in the same line of business. A lot can change in ten years, as the Aussie had started to realise only recently.

Mundy looked in front of him. He knew where he needed to go, he had better go on foot so he parked the van as soon as he entered the right neighbourhood. 

The sound of his old heeled boots resonated on the dirty pavement as he walked. Curious eyes emerged left and right, creeping out of the walls themselves. Mundy was in the poorest and gloomiest neighbourhood of the city and even in broad daylight, the whole place was strange. The people who lived and hung out there were not the same bunch as those he had seen a few hours ago at the Queen Victoria. 

Fancy suit and ties versus rags. 

People here mostly lived at night but they never slept entirely either, like fearful preys whose predator was life entirely. They kept their ears pricked for any noise and their eyelids never closed.

The million eyes followed the tall and slim silhouette of the man in the washed out red polo-shirt walk along the dirty streets and alleys until the boots stopped. 

"Old brown boots. Worn out more than when I saw them last time, but they are the same, there is no mistaking it."

A voice said. It came from a man sitting on the pavement. His clothes were also old and brown, but the colour had faded much more on his rags than on the Aussie's clothes. 

"G'day, M." 

"And to you too, Mundy. Glad to see you remember my name." The dirty beggar answered, his head still low and his voice as fragile as ten years before. He hadn't quitted smoking.

"Yeah well, you seem to remember mine too."

"You sound surprised." The man sat on the floor calmly said, still looking at Mundy's boots as if he was talking to them more than to the man himself.

"It's been 10 years. You could have forgotten." 

"No, I can't. We are too similar for me to forget." The beggar stood up and his ragged coat flowed after him. "Follow me." 

They walked through some alleys and Mundy noticed how intrigued the million eyes now looked. Who was that man under the hat following M? 

"Still have yer business I see?" Mundy asked the man who was a few centimetres taller than himself. 

"And I see you have come back to yours." 

"Sort of." 

"Your presence here tells me that you have. There is no doubt about that."

They passed a few streets until M went in an alley, Mundy on his heels. The alley was very large such that people were lining up left and right against the walls. Most of them nodded and greeted M as both him and Mundy passed, and those people were dressed in a similar fashion as M's. Beggars too, no doubt. In the middle there was an additional long queue. Both M and Mundy walked up along it until they arrived at a table. A few people were serving what Mundy guessed was some soup. 

"These are all the people that the city throws away. Rejects they call them. They don't fit, you see. This one is a drug addict, that one lost his job, that one was crawling in debt… Instead of helping them out, the city pushed them into misery head first."

"I don't remember that you were feeding people. And I don't remember there were that many."

"Time has passed, Mundy." 

"Looks like it, yeah." 

Both men arrived at a dead end. M kicked the lamp post and it switched on. 

"So, what do you want to know?" He asked as both took a seat on the crates there. 

"You're willin' to help me?" Mundy asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" 

"It's been ten years and I've left the business without saying anything to anyone. You might have thought I was dead. You also might not want to work with me."

"I might have thought you were indeed dead, caught by the last poachers you were after, but I knew otherwise. And why wouldn't I want to work with you?"

"It's not like I'm payin' you or anything to help me and I disappeared without even letting you know. Not very professional."

"Yes, it's true. But you're doing a job only you can do and you're doing it in the best way. I can't come between you and your mission."

"What?" Mundy asked, confused. 

"I knew you were not working anymore." M answered. "You see, as much as your campervan is your dwelling, mine is the streets. I have eyes and ears everywhere. I knew and I know."

"D'you know why I decided to stop workin'?" 

"I have my doubts and suspicions. But I won't burden you with them. In the end, and even if I'm surprised, I am glad to see you back." 

Mundy smiled faintly. He was happy to be back too. 

"Tell me what you want to know." 

"Antonio Sanchez. He's a waiter at the Queen Victoria, I need to know more about him." 

"Hm. The name does not ring a bell but I will see what I can find. Why do you ask?" 

"He's robbed some alligators off a rich bloke."

"You came back for some rich man's crocodiles?" M asked and Mundy didn't know if there was disdain in his voice. He raised an eyebrow. 

"Don't take it badly, I am just curious. As you said, you went away and tried to hide for ten years. Today, you come out of your hiding, with clothes that almost look older than mine, and you enquire about the whereabouts of a man who stole alligators as if those ten years did not exist."

Mundy sighed. 

"Yeah."

M raised an eyebrow. 

"I… I came back for the 'gators. They're the last of their kind. But anyway, I'll go back to town. Got stuff to do. Y'know where to find me." 

"Indeed. And you know how to spot my boys still?"

"Unless it's changed, green soles, isn't it?" Mundy asked. 

Maurice smiled and nodded. He extended his hand to his old partner now coming back to the business. The Aussie shook it. 

"Ah, before you go, Mundy, you should know this." 

"Yeah?" He asked. 

"The Queen Victoria seems to be attracting an awful lot of attention as of late. Tread carefully." 

The Aussie frowned for a second. 

"What d'you mean?" 

"The kind of attention that could bring trouble to you. Or stop your career, for good." 

Mundy's jaw clenched. 

"What's happenin'?"

"Even I am not sure. But more and more rich people are pouring to town. Rich people who didn't get their money by playing it fair. But those aren't the most dangerous. Keep your eyes open and your guards up, Mundy." 

The Aussie's eyes went to the floor and he frowned further. 

"What are you tryin' to say?" 

The tall beggar headed out of the dead end and left the hunter alone without adding a word. 

"Christ's sake…" 

Mundy jumped off the crate and walked out into the streets. He made his way back to his van with his hands in his pockets, his eyes locked on the pavement which rolled below his feet. No, M knew more than what he said, that was sure. But what he meant and the serious tone with which he did say it stuck in the Aussie's mind. 

He jumped in his van and drove off. He needed somewhere calm to think. He grabbed a sandwich and let the van guide him. She led him all the way back to the lake. When he arrived, he kicked his boots away and walked barefoot on the grass up until the calm water hugged his feet rhythmically, lazily. 

He looked at the water come and go, the cold and wet sensation invading his toes and the space between them. He stared emptily. 

Mundy knew that he could trust M but something was tickling him on the inside. If M knew why he had left, what was he thinking of him and his return?

[thepalace]

In The Royal House.

➳  As the royal doctor, Aera was in charge of treating all the people in the royal house. What happens when the Prince has eyes on her from the start?

characters ➵ Lee Aera, Mark Tuan

warnings ➵ none.

All of the women in the royal house wear gowns, except for Aera.

She was wearing a white coat, white button up shirt and white pants, black business heels, and a stethoscope hanging on her neck.

Everyone bowed towards Aera slightly, whenever they walked past her.

Aera was not involved with the royalties, but her parents are a King and a Queen in the next kingdom.

Aera was sent to her parents' bestfriends' kingdom, as they are lacking staff in treating the sick ones in the royal house.

So basically, Aera is a princess but she doesn't want to be involved. 

No matter how much her siblings remind her she is still a part of the royal family, Aera is stubborn enough to deny.

The only one who know that Aera is a princess are the King and Queen of the Tuan Kingdom.

Aera made her way towards the room where all of the patients stayed in bed. 

There were servants who helped Aera, working together to treat others.

"How is everyone?" Aera asked one of the servants as they bowed to her slightly.

"They are getting better, Doctor Aera. It is thanks to your skills."

Aera smiled a little. "Thank you. With that, I think I'll go now. Call me if there is anything."

The servants nodded, as Aera looked towards the patients one last time, before leaving the big room.

Aera walked towards the hallways, her heels clicking as she went down the staircase. She stopped halfway, as she turned towards the window to see someone riding a horse.

Aera smiled a little, knowing who it was.

She would usually see Prince Mark, riding a horse with a sword on his hand, challenging the royal butlers as a game.

She would also cross paths with him, and Aera would always be the first one to bow at him in respect whenever they walk past each other.

She was a little sad that he didn't recognize her ever since Aera stepped foot on his royal mansion.

Both of them were childhood friends, they would always play together but as soon as they turned 10, both of them were forced to spend time with other people, afraid that there were unnecessary rumors.

I wonder if he still remembers.

"I don't want to!"

"C'mon Mark! If you drink this, you will get better!"

"But it's so bitter!"

"But Mark.... I will get scolded if you didn't drink this...."

The small girl already started sobbing, making the older boy to be flustered.

"Okay! Okay! I'll drink it! I'll drink it! See! I finished it!"

"Your majesty!"

Prince Mark widened his eyes as he fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Your majesty! Are you okay!?! I'll call the doctor—

"No! You don't have to—

The prince groans as he stands up slowly.

"I'm okay. Just a little back pain. I'm getting old anyways." Prince Mark smiled a little as he threw the sword away.

His eyes turned towards the mansion, to see a familiar figure walking down the hallway. 

Her hair was tied into a ponytail, her side profile shows her slightly sharp jawline.

Prince Mark always sees the royal doctor walking around the royal mansion, with servants by her side, with trays on their hands.

"The royal doctor is always busy, isn't she?" The butler commented, making the prince shaking away his thoughts.

"Y-Yeah. I saw her running around the hallway yesterday."

"Very observant, your majesty." The butler said with a hint of cheekiness. 

Prince Mark glanced towards his way as the butler was staring towards where the royal doctor was walking.

"I'm observant with everything that is going on in the royal mansion." The prince mumbled as he made way towards the royal house.

"Take this medicine 3 times a day. Only take this after you finish work or else you will be sleeping halfway when you are doing your work."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Aera nodded, as she pats the patient's shoulder before leaving the room. 

She sighs in relief, knowing that she finished her work today.

Aera took out the stethoscope that was hanging all day on her neck while fastening her walk, to go back to her own room.

"Princess Aera!" A feminine voice called, making Aera turn behind quickly, to see the Queen running towards her way, while holding onto the tip of her big gown.

Flustered, it makes Aera run towards the Queen.

"Your majesty!" Aera bowed alittle, seeing the Queen catching her breath.

"Gosh, you walked so fast, Princess. You could win Prince Mark in a challenge." The Queen giggled, making Aera to smile a little.

"Is there anything I can help, your majesty?"

The Queen grinned towards Aera, as she took out a red envelope, handing out towards Aera.

Aera confusingly looks towards the envelope then towards the Queen.

"C'mon." The Queen extended her hand as Aera took the envelope.

"What is this?"

"Open it, Princess."

Aera looked at the Queen as she smiled widely. She cocked her eyebrows as she opened the envelope, to see a very familiar invitation card.

Aera closed her eyes, letting out a sigh.

"Your majesty! Can I not—

"Princess Aera, your parents asked me to convince you to come, knowing you will reject the invitation for the 5th time." The Queen explains, pouting a little.

Aera bit her lips, as she opened the invitation card 5th time.

It was an invitation of a masquerade of the royal Lee kingdom, which is Aera's kingdom.

"I still don't know why my mother and father make these useless events."

"It's not useless, Princess. In fact, it is a benefit for you youngsters, finding your future King." The Queen winked.

"I don't think you need to find one. Your parents already had someone in their mind." The Queen added with a giggle, and Aera frowns a little.

What is that supposed to mean?

"So, are you coming, Princess?" The Queen questioned with a teasing look and Aera looks at the card.

"I have no choice do I?"

"Princess Aera. You look beautiful."

One of Aera's closest servants commented with gasp, seeing her in a beautiful lace poofy ball gown with flower designs on it.

The back of the gown was exposed, as Aera felt the breeze hitting her back.

"I feel exposed and it's.. so.. damn.. poofy." Aera was kicking the gown, making the servants to stop her.

"Poofy and extravagant, Princess. The King and Queen of the Lee Kingdom purposely made your gown like this, since you are the talk of the royalties." The servant explains as Aera sighs heavily, leaving the room.

"Princess, don't forget your mask. Have fun tonight, your highness." The servant bowed as she quietly scoffed.

"I'll try. I'll see all of you tomorrow." With that Aera left the room, as she made her way towards the hallways when suddenly, Aera saw a figure walking out of a room.

It was Prince Mark.

Gosh, why?!? Out of all the timings, why now?!! Okay Aera. Calm down, and just look downwards and be lowkey.

As much as she wanted to be lowkey, Aera's heels were clicking through the hallway, as it made an echo.

It caught Prince Mark's attention as he turned towards who it was, his eyes slowly widened.

"Doctor Aera?" The prince muttered under his breath, as he was staring at the royal doctor who was looking down while walking ahead.

It was the first time that he saw the royal doctor wearing a gown. 

In the Prince's eyes, the royal doctor was gorgeous - beautiful.

She was the only one who caught the prince’s attention out of all the royal women.

There was something different about the royal doctor.

The royal doctor was about to cross paths with the Prince.

"Doctor." Prince Mark called, making Aera to stop at her tracks, as she bowed slightly, then looking up.

Prince Mark's eyes widened, to see her features clearly. Isn't she.. Princess Aera?

"It can't be." Prince Mark mumbled.

"Your majesty? I'm afraid I have to go. I'm sorry." Aera bowed quickly, before running passed the confused Prince Mark.

"Hey! Doctor!" Prince Mark called, making Aera already on her feet, as she jogged her way down the staircase.

The prince followed where she was going, his eyes was onto her from the second floor. The royal doctor pushed the big main door, a car was already waiting outside.

From far, Prince Mark could already see which car it was from, judging by the logo from the front and the back of the car.

The Lee Kingdom.

"So it's true then. The royal doctor is one and only Princess Aera. But why didn't I recognize her from the start?" Prince Mark mumbled, as he too made his way downstairs.

Aera watches the royal car drive off, as she sighs while her grip on the mask tightens.

She looked up to see colourful lights shining to the sky, knowing it was the masquerade party. Everyone knows about the party.

Even the villagers that Aera drove past know about it as they celebrated while wearing fanciful outfits, kids were little suits and little dresses, as they celebrated their own.

She was happy to see her own villagers being happy.

Aera made her way through the stairs slowly. She purposely asked the driver to park the car quite far from the entrance of the royal mansion.

As Aera reached the entrance, she just entered the mansion, knowing no one was there. She decided to come slightly earlier from the timing that the invitation stated.

"Princess Ela Aera."

Aera looked behind to see her mother, the Queen standing with her usual gown. Aera walked towards her with a slight bow.

"My youngest one." The Queen caressed Aera's cheek. The mother stared at the younger one with loving eyes before hugging her tightly.

"Mother, people could see you."

"Why do they have to care? I'm your mother."

The Queen frowns, earning a chuckle from Aera.

"Why didn't you show up for the last 4 invitations? Does the Queen of the Tuan Kingdom bribe you, hmm?" The Queen joked and Aera rolled her eyes.

"Mother, the Queen of the Tuan Kingdom didn't bribe me. She looked desperate so I decided to show up since they are coming." Aera shrugs, earning a satisfied nod from the Queen.

"Come on, let's go in. The guest will show up soon." The Queen holds onto Aera's back, leading her.

"Is there any reason why you seem desperate to come, mother?" Aera questioned as they walked side by side.

The Queen looked towards Aera, seeing her gaze focus to the front. The Queen was proud of how Aera grew.

She was different than how she used to be. She was rather stuck up and just a 'no' type of person. Ever since she was in the Tuan kingdom, reports were being given to the Queen and King of the Lee kingdom about Aera.

She made good progress in the midst of her job, being a royal doctor in the royal house of the Tuan kingdom.

"You do know that your siblings are already married right?" The Queen questioned and Aera looked down as she nodded.

"Is it my turn now?"

The Queen widened her eyes, as she gulped nervously. So she is aware.

"Aera..."

"I know. I mean, The Queen of the Tuan Kingdom hinted to me about it." Aera mumbled as she looked towards her mother.

"So, this party is for me to find my potential king?"

The Queen nodded. "No rush, my dear one. You still have 2 more masquerade parties to attend to. By the last masquerade party, you should have chosen your future king."

Aera sighs, as she folds her arms. "I thought I could have a rest which is just enjoying the food, it seems I have to keep an eye on the guys too." Aera mumbled, earning a chuckle from the Queen.

"Your father and I will help you too, if you need any guidance, dear one."

"The bride-to-be has arrived."

Aera looked behind to see her sister wearing a mask, walking towards her. Of course, even though Aera was wearing a mask, her biological sister could recognise her.

"Nice gown." Aera commented with a smirk, seeing her sister's gown was very alluring and sexy too.

"Yours is elegant, sister." Areum commented while standing next to the younger one.

"Mother should have told you by now on what is the purpose of this party." said Areum and Aera nodded while her eyes were on the first floor, seeing people with suits and gowns, knowing they are princes' and princesses of other kingdoms.

"I can't believe I'm next."

"You are the last one, Aera. So don't worry. Just chill. The youngest are the ones who doesn't have to worry." Areum jokes, earning an amused chuckle from Aera.

"And I'm guessing you are next in the throne."

Aerum nodded, and Aera smiled proudly. "You deserve it."

"And you will be the next general of the doctor's here."

"Hell no!" Aera frowns, earning a laugh from Areum.

"Your highnesses!" A shrieking voice was heard, making Aera and Aerum to be flustered as they covered their mouths.

"Let's run!" Aera pulled the older's hand downstairs, running away from the discipline royal, getting away from their naggings.

"That was fun." Areum was catching her breath, earning an amuse smile from Aera.

"I do this everyday, without wearing this gown of course. It's stuffy." Aera mumbled, earning a disapproval and a mixture of amused looks from the older princess.

"Still the same as usual.." Areum jokingly scolded the younger one as Aera sticks out her tongue to her sister.

"My beautiful daughters has arrived."

Both Areum and Aera looked towards the voice, to see a man wearing a suit with badges on his right chest.

Both Areum and Aera bowed towards him.

"Aera, it's good to see you. I missed you." The King smiled softly and Aera awkwardly smiled towards him.

It was awkward because there were people walking here and there, walking past them.

The King looked towards Areum with a knowing look, as she excused herself. Aera frowns to see her older sister walking away.

"Aera, you do know that you are the star of this masquerade party right?" The King walked beside Aera as she nodded.

"Have you eyed on someone?"

"No, father. I mean, I have 2 more parties to attend right? By the last one, I'll probably think of someone." Aera bit the bottom of her lip, earning a proud smile.

At the same time, the door of the ballroom opens, to reveal the Tuan family's arrival. Both the King and Aera looked towards the commotion, earning whispers here and there.

Aera's jaw widens, to see Prince Mark dress in a dark blue suit, a few badges can be seen on his right chest.

"I'll excuse myself. You should start a conversation with one of the gentlemen's here." The King stated and Aera bowed, then seeing her father walking towards the King and Queen of the Tuan Kingdom.

At the same time, Aera hides herself in the crowds, hoping that she won't bump into that someone she is trying to avoid.

Prince Mark.

The scenery changes as well as the lights too. Aera knew that it was slow dance time since the music changes too.

Couples were already walking towards the middle of the ballroom, as they began to slow dance.

Aera just watches them in the corner with glass on her hand.

"I knew you would be here."

Aera jumped, hearing the voice, looking towards the voice. Her eyes widened to see Prince Mark. Even with the mask. He could recognize him.

"Prince Mark?" Aera whispered.

"Princess Aera?"

This time, Prince Mark turned his body towards the flustered princess. She was frowning while looking towards the Princes' face.

"So you are a royal doctor too." Prince Mark said with a smirk and Aera scoff as she looked away.

"Took you long enough to figure it out." Aera said sarcastically, earning an amused smile from Mark.

"Well, you were busy with treating everyone."

"And you are busy with your royal duties." Aera fired back. Mark frowns a little.

"Now, now, let's dance, shall we?" Mark glanced towards the slow dance area while letting out his hands to the princess. Aera sighs heavily as she takes his hand.

The prince guided the princess to the middle of the ballroom, his hands already placed on her waist.

"I heard you are next in the line to get married." Mark brought up the question and Aera's eyes locked with the prince's eyes.

"Yes, and I wish I could not get married."

"Why didn' you just say no?"

"I know the King and Queen would be mad. So I just let them be."

Mark's gaze softened as he stared at the younger one.

"Hey." Mark called out, his hand brought Aera to lean closer against him, as they were inches from each other.

"Everything is going to be fine, I promise."

➳ masterlist