#She would be the type to over work herself and Prince Charming would have to step in | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

impossiblesuitcase · 8 months

Text

Fighting, and Loving

“Do you ever take those off?”

Cinder’s hands were hauled up at her chest and gloved. The thin fabric was white, though it was hard to tell when they were so heavily stained with grease and soot. He didn’t think he had ever seen her without them, but then again, she had always been working in the few times they had met.

Few times?

Kai realised, with surprise, that they hadn’t spent even a whole hour together since meeting. It felt much, much longer.

Startled but defiant, she clocked him dead in the eye. “No.”

Huh. This girl got more mysterious by the second, yet simultaneously felt like the most honest person he’d met in years.

Plus, she was pretty cute.

It was warm in the elevator—or that could just be him. He was already simmering all over from watery grief and rage that morning when Levana stood on his balcony and cast her control over his people. Manipulating them. Brainwashing them.

His eyes were now barren, stickiness dried on his cheeks. If Cinder had noticed, she hadn’t said anything. She regarded him with a quiet tenderness; a condolence, but not surface-level like that of so many other staff and guards and representatives.

Stars, he wanted her to come to the ball. Needed her to, now that he knew the filthy Lunars had planted the chip in Nainsi to extract information.

He was a prince. He rarely faced rejection. While he did respect her right to decline, something in him was convinced that her rejection wasn’t completely true. It never reached her eyes, as though some force was drawing the words from her mouth. Why did she hesitate if she seemed so comfortable with him? From the little he knew of her, she did not strike him as the type to indulge someone’s feelings if she did not reciprocate.

What was holding her back? He was a prince. He had resources. He could make those obstacles disappear.

“I think you should go to the ball with me.”

Cinder’s eyes widened. “Stars. Didn’t you already ask me that?”

“I’m hoping for a more favourable answer this time. And I seem to be getting more desperate by the minute.”

“How charming.”

That wasn’t the cadence of a voice that was about to accept.

“Please?”

They went back and forth; Cinder’s responses were still vague, never giving him an idea of why she refused. Until:

“Well there are about 200,000 single girls in this city who would fall over themselves to have the privilege,” she reasoned drily, glaring at her feet.

Wait, was she rejecting him because she thought herself unworthy?

“Cinder,” he started, softly. Soothingly. “200,000 single girls. Why not you?”

Cinder looked torn. Insecure. “I’m sorry. But trust me—you don’t want to go with me.”

Trust me, I do.

The doors parted, she scrambled outside, and Kai internally whooped when he saw the audience.

If she thought she was unworthy, he wouldn’t hesitate to prove otherwise.

“Come to the ball with me,” he declared.

Cinder froze. The staff froze. Kai could practically already read the hundreds of gossip posts that would emerge from their gospel testimonies.

Let the whole world know that Cinder was worthy of his attention. Then maybe she’d believe it too.

She turned around with a sharp expression, oddly reminiscent of his mother when a seven-year-old Kai shattered her crystal lamp copying Taekwondo moves from a netdrama. The expression warmed him.

Cinder manhandled him back into the elevator—which would kindly exacerbate those rumours.

The doors shut incriminatingly and she sighed. “Listen. I’m sorry. I really am. But I can’t go to the ball with you. You just have to trust me on that.”

He studied her. Her scowl spoke of irritation, but the firmly planted hand on his chest was at ease.

She noticed his gaze and retrieved her touch.

“Why?” he appealed, almost whining. “Why don’t you want to go with me?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go with you, it’s that I’m not going at all.”

Aha. “So you do want to go with me.”

Kai was certain that he was seconds away from finally getting through Cinder’s barrier—assuring her that it didn’t matter if she couldn’t dance, trying to allay her doubts—when something…changed. Her whole body deflated as though he’d just delivered some terrible diagnosis.

“It’s my sister.”

“Your sister?” he questioned, puzzled. Was this sister selfishly barring Cinder from attending the ball due to some slight?

“Yes. My little sister. She has the plague. And it just wouldn’t be the same without her, and I can’t go—won’t go.” Then, like it was the truest admission of them all, she murmured, “I’m sorry.”

The weight of his insensitivity pressed into him. Great going Kai, he thought, you got so caught up in yourself that you forgot people have lives. All that flirting and pushing, even in front of a crowd! And the whole time, he’d been disturbing her.

He took a step back, reconsidering.

If she didn’t come, that meant that the ball would proceed as dreaded. Entertaining Levana, disappointing the world with his announcement, feeling the final tattered shreds of hope slip through his hands.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

He nodded, but it was a lie. He had no incentive to lie to her. “Levana thinks she can play me like a puppet. And it just occurred to me that she might be right.”

Nothing he did would change anything.

The warmth in Cinder’s gaze bandaged his wounds. He wanted to change everything.

“Imagine there was a cure,” slipped out unbidden, “but finding it would cost you everything. It would completely ruin your life. What would you do?” He leant closer, seeking some sort of surreptitious pardoning. An intimate assurance that, no, he didn’t have to marry Levana. It was completely fair for him to refuse and spare his own life.

Her face showed no hope. “Ruin my life to save a million others? It’s not much of a choice.”

Of course. Why was he even seeking that assurance? Cinder was a good person. Cinder was logical, as was he.

He would do the right thing.

The right thing,

the right thing,

She glanced at his lips and soon, he was doing the same.

An inner voice screamed at him. Now is not the time! You barely know her! Your country is on the brink of war and you have to find an antidote. Priorities!

But, being a teenage boy and all, priorities weren’t his friend when it came to pretty girls.

“I’m sure this is horribly inappropriate, but… it seems that my life is about to be ruined.”

He couldn’t have changed his mind now even if he tried. Kai gently guided her elbow to have her facing him. He craned his head. It had been a long time since he’d kissed a girl and yet, he didn’t recall the thrumming of his heart ever being this loud. Cinder closed her eyes and tilted her head up. She thought this was the right thing too.

His pulse leapt up to his throat as they inched closer to each other. Her breath fanned his mouth, so hot her lips could already be on his own.

Then Cinder cried out and crumpled in on herself.

The band of tension snapped. Romantic distractions would turn into worried distractions, it turned out.

———

Kai could do with more distractions, he decided.

Despite the roughly eighty million pressing issues all demanding his attention, his thoughts kept sprinting away to Linh-mèi. Linh Cinder, who still wasn’t coming to the ball, who was still subject to some unspecified illness.

Distraction. He pulled up his non-work related comms, hoping for a brand new alert that would pull him into something, anything. A ‘how are you?’ or ‘check out this vid’, or ‘dude, that levana chick be crazy. Stay away.’

His inbox was a barren desert.

Prince Kaito was loved by the world. Kai had no friends.

Cinder was a friend now, right?

Parted lips, her palpable jolt of surprise. Her scrunched eyes and tilted head.

Irrational disappointment gnawed at his chest. It was for the best. Kai had obviously been grief-stricken—no state in which to deliver a meaningful first kiss. Especially when for a whole second he’d looked at Cinder lying on the ground and found her face piercing and hypnotising and something was very clearly wrong.

She’d set her head in her hands, the spell broke, and he still had no idea what had come over him. Probably his sanity doing cartwheels.

Cinder hadn’t reached out. Still, he couldn’t resist shooting off a comm when he yearned for a friendly voice.

Hey, Cinder. I hope you’re recovering well. Like I said, if you need any tests done, feel free to come to the palace. We can’t have the city’s best mechanic in poor shape. Yours, Kai.

A day passed, and nothing. She was probably resting. But an extra comm never hurt, right?

Hi Cinder, how’s things today? Any more malfunctioning androids? I’ll let you know if there are any in the palace—hopefully none of them are befalling the same fate as Nainsi. You know what I mean.

Three comms in, Kai realised he was a touch presumptuous.

“Your Highness?”

Kai startled and flipped around to see a palace official in the doorway, head lowered in a bow.

“Ah yes, Park-dàren, a pleasure to see you.”

The woman extended a portscreen. “I have the final details for your coronation security checks. They require your approval.”

Kai shook off his distraction and strode over, once again falling into the skin of the responsible royal. When the official gave her condolences for his loss, he remembered that he would be assuming that role indefinitely.

He was professional with guards and servants, even Torin now. He wasn’t himself with anyone anymore. The Kai he’d been with his parents and classmates would be locked up somewhere in his mind. He didn’t know when he would see that Kai again.

“As you can see outlined in section eight, we are taking strict measures to ensure your safety. Once 80% of guests have arrived, we will instigate a cut-off time, in which no further guests can be allowed to enter. Citizens under criminal restrictions will doubtless attempt to enter under the guise of being late, assuming the name of someone who failed to attend—”

“Wait,” he interrupted. Clenching his fingers around the port, he deliberated. “Remove the cut-off time.”

A slow blink. “...I beg your pardon?”

Kai couldn’t help but imagine Cinder on the day, debating with herself if she would or wouldn’t come. What if she vowed to stay home, only to regret it more and more with the ticking of the clock until she raced over to meet him?

“It’s just, erm, with this time of mourning, many of the guests may feel overwhelmed at the thought of attending without my father present. But perhaps they may change their mind that very evening?”

The woman considered this—or perhaps was thinking of a way to gently inform him that that was a stupid idea.

“Of course,” she corrected finally. “Please accept my apology on behalf of our department. We had not considered that. I shall amend the protocol to allow for at least an extra hour.”

A smile tickled his cheeks, but understanding followed it, and at once he berated himself. Did he really just compromise their security for a girl?

As he handed the port back to the woman he noticed her hands, well-kept and uncovered.

There was one person, recently, that he’d been himself with.

“Excuse me,” he said before he could stop himself. “May I ask you a question?”

“Certainly, Your Highness,” she exclaimed eagerly.

He did not allow himself to back out now, despite the embarrassed tension caging his spine. “Do you ever…wear gloves?”

Her eyes widened. Her hands folded over one another as though self-conscious, and he studied their complexion. It was impossible to imagine Cinder’s scrappy gloves on such pristine knuckles and cuticles.

“Uh, not often, Your Highness. On formal occasions, mostly. I have a pair that I wear to the peace ball. I’ll be wearing them this year.”

He nodded, pursing his lips. “Thank you. I realise it’s a strange question. I just wondered if they would make a nice gift for someone.”

An amused smile. “Any gift from Your Highness would be an appreciated one.”

Once she had left, Kai paced over to the window to ruminate on this new idea. He was used to being welcome in any room he entered. He was certainly used to girls admiring him endlessly, and he’d grown skilled at politely declining their advances whilst secretly basking in the feeling of adoration.

But Cinder wouldn’t be so easily swayed. She seemed stubborn and grounded and unwilling to betray her values, no matter who asked it of her.

Kai unclipped his port from his belt and checked his comms. Still no responses.

What was he trying to achieve by this? Would she even like gloves? Or would that send the message that he was so clueless about women that her workwear was all he could think to buy her?

But these would be formal gloves, no, ballroom gloves. For the ball. He would give them to her, kiss her gloved hand and lead her down the ballroom steps. He remembered how that surprisingly petite hand had been so stiff when he’d kissed it in Dr. Erland’s office, as though his very touch had turned it to metal.

He liked to think that she’d been romanced by it. He liked to think he had an effect on her.

Her hesitant glance at his lips. Her pull towards him in an unconscious magnetism.

Maybe she would like gloves, so long as they were from him.

———

He’d made up his mind by the time his seamstresses were fitting him for his coronation garb. They would give him the best advice.

“Say,” he wondered aloud, aiming for naturalness. “Where could I find some gloves for a formal event, perhaps, the ball?”

One of the older women, Kaminari, pulled a pin from her mouth without a glance his way. She had scolded a five, ten, even fifteen-year-old Kai many a time for wriggling during fittings. “You have a collection of gloves in your closet, Your Highness.”

“No, ah…” Treacherous heat covered his ears. “I was referring to women’s gloves.”

Now she looked at him over thin-framed glasses. Her eyes were scrutinising yet she graciously answered after a brief hesitation. “Well, the city’s department stores have the largest collections. You’ll find many fine pairs there.”

Kai enquired further, lacing his voice with casualness as though he was barely interested in such a trivial topic. Not because he feared rumours would erupt—Kaminari was a shrewd woman—but because that shrewdness enabled her to read him easily. There begged a question of why the prince would want women’s gloves, and ultimately, the most plausible conclusion was as a gift for a lady.

———

Kai sent Cinder another comm that night. She would be finished her workday, he assumed, and he recalled her mentioning a sister and a stepmother, so he waited until it was late enough that any family responsibilities would be completed.

It was also late enough that sending a comm would glaringly imply that he was thinking of her, now, at this late hour.

His previous messages were admittedly quite formal. This time, Kai hoped a laid-back approach would soften her digital wall of silence.

Just a thought, if you feel like taking up dancing—for no particular reason at all—I’d be happy to be your instructor. I can practically see you rolling your eyes from here, but hear me out. You never know when those skills may come in handy.

The sent icon blipped on the right side of the screen. He stared at the left, drumming his fingers, waiting for the icon showing that she was responding. For the next five minutes, there was none.

Okay Kai, baaack it up a bit.

Sighing, he slid out of the app onto his netlink. Holding two fingers down, he flicked them away from himself so the feed appeared—lifesize—on the holographic projector before his bed.

Kaminari’s recommendation was scrawled on his hand with one of her pattern markers. Saying it aloud brought an array of fashions to life, cycling one by one a carousel.

Kai’s back straightened. He shuffled closer on the bed. “All right. Display: gloves.”

He knew immediately that the particularly flashy ones that passed by would not work. Nor did peacock feather accents quite seem that of a modest mechanic.

He specified some criteria. Ballroom, elbow length, and then, classic. The pink and frills were replaced with simpler options. With no idea what colour dress she would be wearing* (if she was even coming*) a neutral colour would be the safest. With white, some were toned with ivory, rose gold or pink, and others a stark white. He liked silver best.

One instantly caught his attention. Elbow length, silver white, not gaudy but not as plain as her work gloves. The hem was rimmed with pearls for a touch of elegance. Cinder wasn’t elegant per se, but she did have a sort of unmatchable grace, uniquely characteristic to her.

Something about them felt…familiar.

Leaping out of bed, Kai tossed the port from his lap and jogged over to his closet. The lights flickered on as he opened the door, illuminating the long room that seemingly extended almost to the other end of the palace. The eighth cupboard down, third drawer on the left.

Laying neatly folded in lush velvet casing were three pairs of gloves. Kai fished past the navy and gold for the white pair underneath. He pulled them out, holding them up and inspecting them under the light.

They were ivory instead of silver, with diamonds instead of pearls. His mother hadn’t been all that fond of gloves. She always said a hand was better to hold if you could feel the touch of it in yours.

They still smelled vaguely of her perfume.

Kai held it to his face, inhaling the only remnant he still had of warm hugs and soothing lullabies and innocence. He had vowed as a child that he would never forget her scent or her voice or her smile.

No image of wide-spread teeth could come to his mind. He usually had to reference old home vids for the singsong murmurs.

Kai set them back in the tray, folded to match the others, and trudged back to his bed.

How would Mum feel to know that he would be forced to marry Levana?

His portscreen was still there on his covers, glowing in the dimness. He bookmarked the tab of the department store and shut off the holographs so the blue light wouldn’t keep him awake. In vain, of course. His sleep had fled weeks ago.

Kai settled back into his bed sheets, closing his eyes and willing himself to rest. Instead, his mind fixed on Cinder, and he indulged in a brief, fleeting fantasy of her reaction when he delivered his gift. Would she smile? Turn red in the cheeks and stammer out gratitude?

Or, considering her clear vehemence against attending, would she scoff and toss them away?

No, that wasn’t the Cinder he’d come to know.

Kai turned from his back to his side, smushing his cheek in his pillow. Even if it didn’t sway her a single bit on his offer, her smile would be repayment enough. It probably wouldn’t work. Really, he didn’t know why he was so determined to buy her a gift, but the best reason he could come up with was that he simply wanted to.

———

Imagining her reaction became a hobby of his.

Kai woke the next day, quickly dressed and ate a lonely breakfast in the empty dining hall. He distracted himself by checking his schedule. A blank hour between meetings and preparations piqued his interest. It would be prudent to use that time to practise his speech for the coronation or catch up on his father’s unfinished work or spend time groaning over his next meeting with the Lunar Queen.

Instead, he decided that if Cinder was willing to go out of her way to return Nainsi to him herself, he should return the courtesy. It would take ten minutes to get to the store by hover, around thirty to weave through the crowds in the rush hour and purchase the gloves (fifteen, if he played the prince card), and another ten minutes to return. If he did play the prince card, he might even have time to deliver them now, but if not today, he would make the time.

Kai scheduled a hover to be posted at the palace entrance at 12:00 and set an alarm to give him notice.

Right. Now he would…work.

Time passed agonisingly. Kai had no office and was adamant that he’d stay out of his father’s for as long as possible. It belonged to the emperor, and that was his father. It wasn’t his yet. Never would be.

Instead, Kai worked in one of his sitting rooms where Torin could locate him and inform him of his burgeoning reminders. But Kai knew his father’s—his adviser was refraining as much as possible, for his sake.

09:15. Reviewing the classified strategies the Earthern Union hoped to employ to gain control of Levana.

09:21. Realising that the strategies summated to ‘We don’t know. Let’s wing it.’

09:27. Cupping his chin, eyes wandering to the window, trying to recall exactly where he’d last left his sweatshirt.

09:30. Work. Memorising the final itinerary for the coronation.

10:00. Trying to recall if he’d washed the sweatshirt that had been worn in stifling humidity and he’d definitely been sweating—

10:11. Skimming the newest report on Letumosis figures. Heart dropping to his stomach at the figures.

10:29. Thinking of the gloves.

10:40. Work!

11:12. Mapping out the fastest route to Cinder’s booth.

Kai rammed his fist into his forehead, steeling his thoughts into obedience. His wished his brain were a limb; his arm—he could force it down with the other. His foot—he could weigh down to stop movement.

His brain was where the old Kai lived, and like an infectious tune, she was what it strayed to.

Now that the Lunars were around, Kai wasn’t so enthusiastic about the words mind and control being in the same sentence, so instead he commanded his fingers. Pick up the stylus, put it to the port and work.

It obeyed. Kai managed to concentrate until the beautiful, blessed alarm chimed through the air.

He sprang up, beaming.

Torin entered, apology pencilled on his brow.

“What.”

“Your Highness, the queen has requested an audience with you.”

All the gravity in the room dialled up to eleven, dragging every molecule of his body down with it. Kai flopped back onto the chair, grumbling. So much for that idea.

———

Kai’s schedule remained unforgiving. An extra two comms to Cinder were fruitless, and no other free hours appeared. The gloves slipped to the back of his mind.

Two days before the coronation, Kai was closing the tabs on his port and saw the bookmarked gloves. He jolted upright, knocking the underside of the coffee table and startling the china vase.

Kai gnawed at his lip, pulling up his schedule and flipping over meetings and duties in hourly and bi-hourly increments. There would be something, he convinced himself as Nainsi rolled in with a tray of hot matcha tea.

“Thank you, Nainsi,” he mumbled as he took the cup and sipped. The scalding water sloshed over the rim onto his fingers and he thrust it down, hissing.

“Are you injured, Your Highness?”

He tucked his hand beneath his thigh. “I’m fine.”

Her sensor glowed yellow—what he’d always thought of as her version of a nod—and she began to roll away.

“Wait.”

Nainsi stalled and swerved her cylindrical body around.

“Nainsi, could you make an order for me?”

“I would be honoured, Your Highness.”

Kai sent her the details of the purchase which she processed without delay. “Where should I have it sent to?”

Kai had been busy reexamining the gloves, even when it was too late to change his mind. “Pardon?”

“I assume they are to be a gift since they would not fit you,” she observed in that ever-neutral robotic tone. “Should I have them delivered to the recipient?”

“No,” Kai blurted. Hesitated. “I’m sure I can find some time…”

He raced through his schedule for any open slot, knowing there was none. Every meeting and hour was dedicated to some very noble, very unavoidable cause. Except, he thought as his eyes stopped on an extra coronation rehearsal mere hours before the ceremony. He’d be fine, so long as he didn’t throw the crown like a frisbee at Levana’s head.

“Have it sent to me,” he decided, clicking the timeslot and sending out a note to cancel it. “I’ll deliver it myself.”

“Certainly, Your Highness.”

As he closed his calendar the screen was replaced with a newsfeed—article after article on the protests in the Commonwealth. Guiltily he clicked on one and was instantly rattled to see the vitriol on their faces, but also the fear. They were right. Levana shouldn’t be here. He should be able to fix it.

“Would you like the gift to be wrapped in advance, Your Highness?”

“Ah, no, that’s fine,” he murmured distractedly. Nainsi’s sensor glowed green with confirmation and she ambled away.

He picked up his tea, now cooler, and sipped as he looked through the feeds. The hysterical cries, scathing posters and critical journalists weren’t just a blow to the regal, world leader Kaito. They hurt the Kai locked away, too.

———

When his coronation day arrived, Kai was so overrun with visitors and preparations that he genuinely blanked when Nainsi informed him his purchase had arrived.

The knock at his door jolted him out of his confusion. Kai sprung into action, rifling through his closet for the grey hoodie and wrestled himself into it.

The courier blinked in surprise when Kai came to the door to pick up the package, but all the same bowed and handed him the box as though it held the crown jewels. He had probably expected a servant, and certainly not one dressed for a winter marathon.

“Thank you.” Kai paused. It was a plain brown box. “Uh, was there any wrapping paper for it?”

The courier’s mouth hung open. “...You requested it unwrapped, Your Majesty.”

Kai almost instinctually corrected him on the honorific but refrained. Technically, he would only be His Highness for a few hours more.

“Of course. That is my mistake. Thank you. Never mind it.”

The man ignored this, rummaging through his bags and producing a selection of paper and ribbons. “Do you like any of these?”

Kai picked out a gold foil and noticed a sturdy-looking white bow in the man’s bag. He pointed at it. “Do you have any more like that?”

The man cut a sheet of the foil and handed it over gingerly, avoiding crinkles. When he pulled out the bow, Kai saw it was already wrapped around a gift. Without hesitation, the courier unwound the ribbon and flattened it out.

“Oh no,” Kai attempted, shaking his head, “please don’t take someone else’s—”

The bow was forced into his hands.

The right thing to do would be to insist he couldn’t possibly accept it. Conscious of the ever-dwindling time, Kai buried his courteous instincts, thanked the man, and rushed briskly past him.

As the elevator descended, Kai ran over his plan. He could always wrap the gift in the hover, except he would need scissors and tape. He didn’t even know where he could find them. Paper was scarcely used anymore, so scissors were solely for cooking or cutting hair or clothes making or essentially any activity that a prince never did. There was always a maid or servant delegated to that task.

It was very important to Kai that something for Cinder was something he did himself.

He quickly thumbed the doors-open button, landing him five floors above the ground level. As he emerged, the adjacent elevator opened to a group of maids. Seeing him, the man and two women bowed respectfully. Kai returned a kind nod. But when their backs turned, he called, “Wait.”

They turned around.

“Pardon me, but would any of you know where I could find some scissors and, uh, some tape?”

The other two exchanged some surprise, but the shortest woman bowed again with confidence. “We can certainly locate some for you, Your Highness.”

It turned out that the servant supply rooms had everything a person could ever need, including a large, paint-flecked table. Kai assessed the supplies and got to work. He took his time, trying and failing to get a meticulous seal and clean fold. It was shabby but functional, so he moved onto the bow. One loop was larger than the other—his bow-tying abilities were strictly limited to shoelaces.

Kai remembered how his father would wrap gifts for his mother himself. It was never the finest job, and neither was Kai’s, but that didn’t matter.

Satisfied, Kai abandoned the supplies on the table and took the wrapped gift to the palace gate where the hover was waiting for him.

———

Cinder looked completely baffled when he presented the box to her. He might as well have brought her a strangled puppy for her horrified expression.

“What?” he protested. “I can’t buy you a gift?”

Cinder’s nose scrunched in disbelief. “No. Not after I’ve ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?”

Any regret for sending those comms dissipated. “So you did get them!”

Cinder huffed, turning away. “Of course I got them.” Her tone wasn’t angry. Of course I got them; Of course I read them. Enough, evidently, to know specifically that he’d sent six comms.

Hope awoke in his chest. “So why are you ignoring me? Did I do something?”

There was a haze over her, some kind of veil, and he just needed to lift it. “It’s just that I…” Cinder fingered the hem of her gloves contemplatively. Her mouth parted. She ducked her hands under the table and blurted, “Because you kept going on and on about the stupid ball!”

Oh.

She was nothing if not obstinate.

Kai glanced down at his gift, startled. A laugh tore out of him at the irony of it all. “Stars, Cinder, if I’d known you were going to embargo me for asking you on a date, I wouldn’t have dared.”

Cinder looked away, grumbling.

He would be reasonable; asking a girl to be your personal guest at the most documented event of the year was more of a tenth-date level of request. This girl was mesmerising; intelligent, snarky, comfortable in her grease-spotted skin. But Kai knew how to read people. There was hesitation below that: anxiety, self-doubt.

It needed to be non-committal. Casual. A first date.

He unleashed his winning smile. “Might I have the honour of treating you to lunch?”

As though she had a specific ‘reject any non-work-related activity involving Kai’ vendetta, Cinder continued to rebuff him.

She was deflecting, so he fought back. Ask the other vendors to tend to your booth. Ask your android. That last one seemed to irritate her the most.

His public speaking instructor would have told him here: when you’re at an impasse, there’s always something else to say. Another angle to convince them.

Cinder didn’t seem annoyed with him, but she wasn’t convinced, either.

It was all right. If she wasn’t coming to the ball, or she wouldn’t go to lunch with him, there would be other times.

Cinder regarded him in a way he thought—hoped—was almost regretful.

Could there be?

In a few hours, he would be emperor. If he were busy as a prince, he would have no time for respite now. And Cinder was…nothing more than a subject. A mechanic he sought a service from. She may have been willing to kiss him, but to let him court her?

One day—in the future. Maybe.

“Come on. I can’t take you to the…B-word; I can’t take you to lunch. Short of my unplugging the processor on one of my androids, this could be the last time we ever see each other,” he said nonchalantly, hoping there was no obvious tinge of disappointment.

Cinder stared at her toolbox. “Believe it or not, I’d actually kind of resolved myself to that fact already.”

Her words cemented it. No, he would not be able to escape his fate of marrying Levana. No, he would not be free to pursue a relationship with the only person left who made him feel like more than just a figurehead.

He didn’t allow her to give him back the gloves. All the same, he would treat her with kindness, and show his gratitude, and then perhaps she wouldn’t forget about him.

Pushing the box to her, he requested, “Take it. And think of me.”

He smiled sincerely at her, hoping it would leave a lasting mark in her memory. Something just as indelible as she had become to him.

His mood soured when Cinder’s stepsister arrived, spoiling what may be his last interaction with her. And yet as he stepped back into the crowd, he turned once more to watch. The messy hair and grease-stained clothes and magnetising charm. That was what he'd remember.

———

Kai was an idiot.

Grade A idiot. World-class idiot. All his fans who called him charming and kind and benevolent were wrong.

At first, seeing Linh Pearl at the ball was just another nail in the coffin of the awful day that was his coronation. But her news struck an unexpected chord in his chest.

Cinder’s stepsister had died. The one she had mentioned in the elevator. The reason she hadn’t come to the ball.

Kai had completely forgotten that the girl was ill. And he’d marched up to Cinder’s booth, attempting again to get her to come to the ball; he’d even nagged her for ignoring his comms! Was he so dense?

Idiot.

For all the guilt, there was also a twinge of hope. Because if Cinder was in mourning, perhaps she wasn’t rejecting him. Perhaps it had just been the wrong time. So then if…

No. It was wishful thinking. Cinder hadn’t shown up to indicate anything. And tonight he had to announce his plans to wed Levana.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” said Kai to the girl, genuinely meaning it.

Pearl sniffed, though it was more haughty than mournful. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I know you truly do feel that in your heart. I can’t say the same of my awful stepsister.”

He blinked. “Pardon?”

“Oh, she is a monster. If only you knew what she’s really like. And don’t worry, I made sure she wouldn’t taint your generous gift with her filthy claws.”

“What do you mean? Those were a gift for her to use.”

Pearl’s sneer was frighteningly sincere. “Trust me, a creature like her doesn’t deserve them. You see, that awful, ungrateful wretch is a cy–”

A voice boomed over the speakers, spreading commotion amongst the joviality. Kai frowned at the interruption, too busy waiting to correct whatever nonsense Linh Pearl was about to spew. Then he heard the announcement.

“Please welcome to the 126th Annual Ball of the Eastern Commonwealth, a personal guest of His Imperial Majesty: Linh Cinder of New Beijing.”

Kai’s breath snagged, heart tripling in size. At the top of the stairs, Cinder stood in all her crowning glory. That being her version: a muddied, wet dress, mussed hair and—

Holding up the dripping silver skirt were silk-gloved hands.

Every mouth hung as she descended the stairs. Heat rushed to his cheeks, then laughter to his heart. Cinder had come to the ball. She was wearing his gift.

That had to mean something.

Cinder’s fierce eyes were trained on him as she marched forward. It didn’t even seem to bother her that her ballgown looked half dragged out of a sewer, the crowd around her staring blades and ice shards into her back. He didn’t know if she didn’t notice, or if she didn’t let herself. Kai rushed forward, blessedly excused from his delightful conversation partner. He was just preparing to meet Cinder halfway when she was intercepted by a woman. His feet stopped beneath him.

The two argued. Pearl scurried next to the strange woman to hurl accusations of her own. Cinder’s nostrils flared, and even the guards looked perplexed at whether they should intervene.

The woman raised a flat hand, Cinder flinched, and Kai saw scarlet red.

“Your Majesty!” the woman gasped out, as his firm hand locked around her wrist.

“That is enough,” he disciplined. He kept his fury contained, lest any shows of anger make Cinder even more afraid.

Pink filled the woman’s cheeks. “I am so sorry, Your Majesty. My emotions—my temper—this girl is…I am sorry she has interrupted…she is my ward—she should not be here…”

Her stepmother. “Of course, she should. She is my personal guest.” His tone was light, but commanding all the same. His eyes darted to Cinder. Traced over the shock on her face. The defused fear. The arms wrapped around her waist, cradling—or caging—herself.

He wished so fervently to strip that pain away.

Kai released the woman and ordered the merriment to resume, which everyone attempted half-heartedly. Then he pulled Cinder into his arms and into the most socially acceptable method to have a private conversation amidst a crowd: dancing.

Once having guided Cinder away, Kai was finally able to give her a closer inspection. That’s how he noticed the dark smudges on the silver silk gloves.

Okay. Maybe she had defaced his gift, but she was still wearing them. How could he expect anything else from the girl who had been so exponentially unlike anyone he’d ever met before?

Cinder gaped up at him, and while the damp glove was seeping cold into his shoulder, her waist was warm under his hand. It took only a heartbeat for him to realise that she was not experienced in the ways of waltzing.

He chuckled. “You have no idea how to dance, do you?”

“I’m a mechanic,” she hissed, and it stirred a louder laugh under his sternum.

“Believe me, I noticed. Are those grease stains on the gloves I gave you?” he teased, because really, he couldn’t even make himself mad about it. He expressed that by twirling her under his arm, to which she stumbled and toppled into his chest.

A grin overtook him. Cinder cringed. She was wholly out of her element, and clearly uncomfortable by all the scrutiny. And yet, this flustered and dishevelled version of Cinder had come all the way to the ball for him, despite the opposition from her guardian. Despite her own self-doubts.

Then he remembered the other reason she hadn’t wanted to attend.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he started softly.

He momentarily thought that she might start to cry. “I didn’t know how.”

“I would have understood.”

The more he apologised, the more at ease she seemed. It was as though he was pardoning her, assuring her that being here would not dishonour her sister’s memory. She looked at him like she was seeing his face in whole for the first time; not just in pieces.

A voice came to him, Torin this time, lecturing him that this was a foolish pursuit; that he would still have to make his announcement of his betrothal to Levana. But it was a small heartache he didn’t dwell on it. Because something else Torin had once said came to him.

“Perhaps you’ll meet a girl at the festival. Have a whirlwind romance, a happily ever after, and have no more worries for the rest of your days.”

Cinder tied her fingers in the hair at his neck. She was here. Reasons she had rejected him didn’t matter now. He liked her. She liked him. There were no other reasons needed.

Somehow, ludicrously, Cinder being here meant everything.

As long as Cinder was around, he knew that the Kai locked away inside of him would stay alive. And, one day, return.

Fighting, and loving.

Notes

…And then everything crashes and burns spectacularly :D

Writing Kai at this stage is so interesting because his life is falling to pieces and yet he is so effortlessly flirty with Cinder, making it appear that he's coping. Then you get to his povs and he is not coping, and when you read 'The Mechanic' you see how he wants to sound "witty" to impress her. He was holding in all those emotions so he could flirt effectively lol. Anyways I recommend reading these scenes in the actual book because I didn't include all the dialogue, just snippets to highlight Kai's perspective.

I am most indebted to @spherical-empirical for the line, "I can practically see you rolling your eyes from here, but hear me out." It was from a post from a long time ago, but I started this fic a long time ago. I am VERY happy that this is finished after TWO YEARS of it sitting in my drafts.

@cindersassasin @hayleblackburn @spherical-empirical @salt-warrior @just2bubbly @gingerale2017 @icarusignite @kaider-is-my-otp @slmkaider @luna-maximoff-22 @cosmicnovaflare @kaixiety @snozkat @mirrorballsss @skinwitch18 @vincentvangothic @bakergirl13 @wassupnye @linh-cindy

#the lunar chronicles #tlc #lunar chronicles #linh cinder #kaider #prince kai #emperor kai #emperor kaito #kaider fanfiction #lunar chronicles fanfiction #konn torin #nainsi!#she's probably never been tagged before

86 notes · View notes

animatorweirdo · 1 month

Text

The White-Scaled Dragon Princess Part 2

Part 1

You have found yourself a home in the new land, far away from Westeros and those who would wish harm upon you and your dragon. But then you face new types of challenges when you befriend a Noldor prince. Can you trust him and find a long-lasting friend in him? Will you ever overcome your fear of the world around you? Will you ever share your painful past with him? And could you possibly even find yourself in love with the said prince?

Warnings: mentions of injuries, passing out, Meraxes frightening people, reader being socially awkward, fear of people, Fingon being a tease and charming, Meraxes trying to kill Fingon a couple of times, heavy angst, anxiety, self-hatred, self-harm, reader needs serious therapy, reader trying to overcome her fears, adventuring, comfort, Fingon being caring, mentions of depression, and a happy ending.

(Note: I tagged those, who wanted to be tagged in the previous part)

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

- Three years had passed since you arrived in Middle Earth.

- You had found a new home with an elderly woman named Ioreth, who had saved your life when your injuries from your fall became too much for you, and you lost consciousness.

- Meraxes was the one to find her after you fell unconscious and possibly scared her into helping you. Luckily, Ioreth did not seem to mind treating you even though the dragon kept a careful guard and growled if she made sudden movements.

- You were first scared of her when you woke up, thinking she saw you as a monster and prepared to leave as soon as possible, but Ioreth then fed you and asked for your story, showing no sign of hatred or fear toward you.

- Feeling somewhat hopeful and trusting, you told her your story and how you got injured during a fall. To your surprise, she showed sympathy, and despite having been threatened to help you by your mountain-sized dragon, she offered a place in her home for you.

- She had seen stranger creatures, so she was not much phased by your scales. And you were nearly the same age as her granddaughter, so she would only feel awful if she sent you away.

- You nearly wanted to cry for her kindness. For your whole life, you believed no one would think twice before chasing you away and calling you a monster. And here was this elderly woman, who offered you a place in her home despite having been threatened by your dragon and knowing you only for a day.

- And thus, you began to help her with the everyday chores, wanting to make yourself use for her. You would help her with the cleaning and the gathering of herbs as she was an experienced healer.

- You might have shown over-eagerness to help her with everything as she snapped at you that she was not so old that she needed someone to gather her every need.

- You felt ashamed, thinking you had overstepped and annoyed her, but then she comforted you and calmly explained that you could leave the house chores to her while you could deal with things that needed walking and traveling. You agreed to the arrangement, and you began to get comfortable with your new life.

- You did find her home interesting since her house was built in the mountains, away from the nearby town. Ioreth explained she was not very fond of people and liked the peace of the mountains, which you partially understood, and it also worked for you since it meant you could stay near Meraxes.

- When you recovered and decided to live with Ioreth, Meraxes found herself a cave in another part of the mountains, away from the town, but not too far that you wouldn’t be able to come visit her.

- You incidentally made friends with Ioreth’s grandaughter, Freda, who was one of the only ones in their family eager to visit Ioreth whenever she liked.

- You first tried to avoid her when she came to visit Ioreth. You did not want to cause Ioreth trouble by frightening her grandaughter and making the townspeople think she lived with a monster. But then you accidentally dumped on Freda without your cloak, and her reaction was not what you expected.

- She reacted to you surprisingly well. She marveled the white scales that adorned your scales, touching them and tracing each line with her fingers. It was slightly overwhelming as you are not used to someone touching your scales like that. She stopped when Ioreth smacked her in the head and called her out for touching you without your permission.

- She apologized and then started asking questions. You couldn't quite keep up with her questions but tried your best to answer all of them.

- She then declared herself as your friend when you told her you did not have any friends in the mountain besides Ioreth. You were baffled by her because you had never met someone who just decided to be your friend after knowing you only for a day, but soon you became happy about it as she became one of your best friends.

- You adored her eccentrics and how many things she had to say. She was so full of life, and you do not think you ever had a friend that was someone of your age. Even the new maids you were given did not talk so much to you. On the contrary, they never spoke more than three words whenever you tried to converse with them.

- But despite your newfound friendship with Freda, you decided not to introduce her to Meraxes. She might have accepted you, but you did not want to risk her getting scared by your beloved dragon and have the whole town chase you away. Ioreth promised to keep it a secret, understanding your fear.

- But you did agree to visit the town with Freda’s encouragement.

- She wanted you to meet the rest of the family. You felt fearful of the idea of being seen by the townspeople, but you agreed as long as you got to keep your scales hidden by your cloak and the gloves she had gifted you.

- It was unnerving to have so many eyes on you when you walked through the town with Freda. You followed her like a lost child, but you tried to push yourself and see things you never allowed yourself to see outside the walls of your home.

- Freda’s family was kind to you and showed gratitude when they heard you decided to keep company to Ioreth, the stubborn woman refusing to live in the town with them after her husband's death.

- Their welcoming presence felt comforting, and to your surprise, they did not get upset or pressure you to uncover yourself when you told them you felt more comfortable being covered by your cloak. They were respectful and assured you they would patiently wait until you felt comfortable showing yourself to them.

- You honestly did not know what to make of it, but their assurance made you eager to visit them more often.

- After two years of getting to know Freda’s family, you decided to take the next step and show yourself to them. With your permission, Freda told them of your unique condition, and with enough prepping, you finally revealed your scales to them.

- They were surprised when you showed them your white scales, and for a moment, you prepared to face rejection and run out of the house, but then you were surprised by their acceptance. They welcomed you wholeheartedly and praised the beauty they did not expect you to have.

- Their constant praising left you flustered as you had never heard anyone call you beautiful— you were used to people staring at you and calling you unnatural. But, you rejoiced in their acceptance and now felt like you were part of the family.

- They even offered you to stay with them. You felt touched by the offer but expressed your desire to remain with Ioreth, and they respected your decision. But you became comfortable showing yourself inside their home.

- After three years had passed, you found yourself happy and having learned much about the world around you.

- It was shocking to realize that no one knew about Westeros and that creatures such as orcs and gods called the Valar existed. The three imposing mountains you saw in the distance were called Thangorodrim, and the graceful beings you encountered were called the Elves. It was a lot to take in, but the only reasonable explanation you could muster was that you had somehow traveled to another world.

- You would have deemed yourself mad if you hadn't experienced your new life. Feeling a kind of happiness knowing it meant safety from Jaeherys and those who sought your demise, yet also a tinge of sadness, realizing you would never know the fate of your father.

- You could only guess he had either been killed or executed.

- After three months into the new year, Meraxes suddenly fell ill. She exhibited reduced energy, ate less, and appeared noticeably grumpier than usual. Perplexed by the sudden change in behavior, you sought advice from Ioreth, who suggested that she might have ingested something that caused her illness, having seen similar symptoms in animals like pigs and cows.

- Ioreth had a medicine, but since Meraxes was bigger than any pig or cow, she would need to take a larger amount.

- You were worried for Meraxes, and around the corner was a celebration held by the town.

- Freda had urged you to join in. Despite your hesitation, you didn’t have the heart to deny her invitation, especially when Ioreth was joining the party too. It was somewhat exciting as you had never attended a party that wasn’t held in your home or by your father.

- It was a type of celebration where the people would dress up and put paint on their faces to pay tribute to the Valars, so Freda suggested you would come to the party with your scales and additional paint.

- You didn’t feel comfortable with the idea, but when her younger siblings asked if they could do your hair and put the pain on you, you couldn’t bring yourself to refuse them.

- Freda and her mother seized the opportunity to pick out a dress for you, leaving you with no room to refuse as they were eager to dress you up for the occasion. It was a lovely dress that complemented well with your red cloak, which Freda insisted you wear instead of your usual green one. The combination popped out your scales, and Freda’s siblings did a wonderful job on your hair.

- They had also painted your face with beautiful white lines and designs that perfectly complemented the scales on your skin.

- You nearly mistook yourself for a mystical being and even found yourself beautiful. Freda and her family did not waste the opportunity to dress you for the celebration.

- You were still nervous when the night of the party arrived, but as Freda said, most of the town people had dressed up and painted their faces with colors. No one seemed to have suspected a thing when you walked outside with Freda, your scales showing and everything. On the contrary, you received many compliments and admiring looks when people realized you were Freda’s strange hooded friend.

- For the time in your life, you had fun at a party, watching people dance, playing songs, and eating a large variety of foods.

- You mostly stuck with Freda or any of her family members during the celebration as you didn’t possess strong social skills to talk with people.

- You then noticed there were also elves in the party. It was a rare sight since elves did not often visit human towns.

- Freda explained they were part of the Noldor. The age of peace had flourished since Morgoth had hidden himself away in his northern fortress, so the elves would always join a party whenever a chance occurred.

- You curiously observed the partying elves. It was curious to see them, and for a moment, your attention was taken by an elf who had braids and what seemed to be golden ribbons in his hair. He was quite handsome. His raven locks were nearly as dark as the night sky above you, and it seemed he enjoyed the party the most out of his kin.

- When it was time for a dance, you stood on the sidelines and watched. You liked it that way since you had never been lucky to be asked to dance before, so you never truly learned how to dance. Unknowns to you, you had caught the attention of the elf with the golden ribbons.

- Fingon, the energetic Noldor prince, had joined the party upon change, wanting to escape the court and his duties for one night. He enjoyed parties, and the Edain always knew how to throw an interesting one. He felt pity he couldn’t celebrate it like he used to with his siblings and cousins, but as long as it took his mind away from the darker things of the world— it was enough.

- He was in the midst of conversation and drinks with some friends till his gaze landed upon you. He nearly didn't believe his eyes. To him, you were drop-dead gorgeous. The red cloak made you stand out, but the white paint and the scale resembling stones that adorned your skin sparkled like diamonds. It was like Aule himself had dressed you in the earth’s finest jewels, and if it weren't for your rounded ears and your somewhat ordinary demeanor, Fingon might have mistaken you for a beautiful princess or even a Maia.

- Fingon was teased when his friends caught him staring at you and told him to go talk to you since he was clearly captivated by you.

- He only laughed them off but decided to follow their advice and approach you.

- You were startled when he suddenly came to you, and with his gentle yet teasing voice, he started talking.

- “Now, what would a lovely maiden like yourself be doing here all alone while others have fun dancing? Is the party not to your liking?” Fingon questioned teasingly.

“No… it's just,” you hesitated to answer. Fingon was captivated by your quiet yet soft voice and even more when he saw your violet eyes.

“I’ve never been much of a dancer, and I enjoy watching others having fun,” you finally answered.

- Enamored, Fingon continued conversing with you, complimenting your appearance. While you were somewhat charmed by his praise, you couldn't help but tease him. He was one head shorter than you, something you didn't expect when he approached you. He seemed a lot taller in the distance.

- Fingon found your shyness and wit endearing, and he continued to keep you company. He introduced himself, mentioning that he was the first prince of the High King Fingolfin.

- “I’m (Name), the daughter of the ki—” you quickly stopped, realizing what you were about to say. Fingon introduced himself in a manner familiar to those in the court that the etiquette came back naturally to you.

Fingon looked at you curiously.

“Just (Name), daughter of a simple man,” you fixed yourself with a fake smile.

- Luckily, Fingon seemed to have bought it, and you two then spent a fun night together, talking and joining some games. It was perhaps one of the only times you did not wish for a party to end.

- When the night came to an end, you two bid farewell to each other. Fingon felt shame that he had to leave so soon after meeting you. He would have enjoyed getting to know you more and then placed a kiss on the back of your hand as a goodnight. Your poor heart nearly exploded out of your chest by the act. You had never received such courtesy before, and you felt slightly ashamed that he was not kissing mere decorations on your hand but your actual scales.

- Freda teased you endlessly when you told her what had happened and how much fun you had talking with Fingon. You tolerated her jests through the night until the morning arrived.

- You considered going to the place where you had heard the elves spend the night in hopes of seeing Fingon again but decided to go to the mountains when Ioreth told you that she had prepared the medicine for Meraxes.

- You took your red cloak as your green cloak was at Ioreth’s house, then made your way to the mountain with Meraxes’s medicine. You two decided you would try to give Meraxes her medicine through a piece of meat since food was one of the only ways to convince someone to take their medicine.

- When you reached Meraxes’s cave, she was already waiting for you there. You greeted her, then handed her the meat you carried in your basket, letting her eat it from your hand and watching as the medicine seemed to have taken effect. She looked more lively and even asked for more.

- Relief washed over you as you gave her pets, but unknown to you, someone had followed you to her den.

- Fingon, who was preparing to leave with his kin, wanted to try to see you one last time before he had to return home. However, when he saw you leave your friend's home and make your way toward the mountains, he became worried since orcs and other creatures alike could be found hiding there. So, he followed you, only to be startled when he found you standing in front of a giant silver-scaled dragon.

- It had been ages when he last saw the ferocious golden dragon, Glaurung, and the fact that this dragon was bigger and had wings was enough to make him call out to you and draw out his bow.

- Meraxes was quick to go defensive and roar at the intruder.

- You were momentarily stunned as you had no idea someone had followed you to the mountain.

- Meraxes lunged at Fingon with her jaws open, but Fingon was quick to roll to the side, narrowly avoiding being bitten whole. Recovering swiftly, he drew his bow again, ready to aim for her one remaining eye.

- “No!” You yelled, pushing his bow away so that his arrow only struck Meraxes in the snout, aggravating her even further.

- You then saw how Meraxes’s jaws began to glow with the familiar fiery glow. She was intending to burn Fingon alive.

- Meraxes was protective and stubborn enough to ignore your orders, so the only thing you could come up with to save the elf was to grab him and run to the edge of the cliff. Meraxes released her flames, but luckily, you were quick enough to jump over the edge and slide down the hill before her flames could touch you. However, now you were sliding hard against the cliff wall with a far drop beneath you.

- Your claws helped you keep a tight grip on Fingon and slow down your fall, but then you lost your hold, and you both rolled down the hill before you finally reached the bottom, surrounded by forest.

- You both groaned in pain as you both suffered some cuts and bruises, but then you recovered when Fingon picked himself up and urged you to come with him before your dragon could find you again.

- You were quick to explain that she was your friend and she only attacked because he was an intruder to her territory. Fingon was confused, and you had to go into details about how she was your steed and that you had her since childhood.

- He only seemed more confused, questioning why you would want to harbor a creature of Morgoth.

- You then explained that she was not one of Morgoth’s creatures and that you both were from somewhere where dragons were common and could be received as steeds. You then revealed that the scales on your skin were no decor but actual scales, things you had been born with.

- Fingon seemed to believe you since he did saw how you used your claws to slow down the fall.

- To your frustration, you found yourselves on the other side of the mountains, far from the town and other people. Fortunately, you were gifted with a keen sense of smell, so you began leading Fingon back to the other side by following the scent of people. Despite the long walk and climbing, you didn't deem it safe to summon Meraxes. She would most likely try to kill the elf again if you did.

- Fingon started questioning about your origins and everything related to Meraxes and your scales.

- You tried to answer all his questions and assure him that you were not in league with Morgoth and that you came from a different place, a place he would most likely not find on maps.

- It took you half a day to finally find your way back to the other side, but before Fingon could leave to join his kin, you stopped him and pleaded with him to remain quiet about you and Meraxes.

- Fingon felt conflicted as it was one of his duties to tell what was happening on his father’s lands, but then you told him how you and your dragon had already lived three years without an incident and that you had nowhere else to go if you and Meraxes got chased away.

- You begged and even told him you would do anything as long as you could stay in your new home.

- Fingon felt a tug in his heart as you were sincere and looked like you were on the brink of tears. You saved him from the dragon but also loved the said dragon enough that you would choose to leave with it rather than abandon it.

- It was a complicated situation, and all he could tell you was he would let you know what he would decide to do with the knowledge and then left.

- Anxiety and troubled thoughts had haunted you ever since that day.

- It had only been three days since the incident, and you were already considering packing your things and leaving with Meraxes while you still had the chance. Ioreth tried to comfort you after hearing about the incident, but nothing seemed to work to calm down the paranoia that cribbled you from within.

- The thoughts became more terrible, and you started beating yourself for allowing such a mistake to happen.

- It even got to the point where you ended up with a manic panic attack and started scratching the scales off your arm, trying to trim them away.

- The lingering hatred you felt towards the scales resurfaced, driving you to scratch at them until the ground was covered in white, bloodied scales, and your arms were left bleeding from the numerous cuts and spots where the scales had once been.

- You would then silently cry and then clean up the mess before Ioreth could notice and get worried for you.

- With Fingon, he struggled to decide what to do. On one hand, he knew he shouldn't keep something like this hidden from his father and people. However, upon further reflection, he realized he didn't want anything bad to happen to you. Dragons were primarily associated with Morgoth, and given your half-dragon nature, it was likely that you would be ostracized or even chased away if the people learned about you.

- Fingon could tell that you were not lying about the things you said, and he felt a little awful when he remembered the desperate look on your face. Would he only be damning your life if he told your secret? You had not done anything suspicious yet, so maybe…

- Shaking his head, he then came to a difficult decision.

- After the fourth day, as you were helping Ioreth do some stitching, Fingon came to visit you. You were surprised as he had come alone and not with a mob of people like you had first expected.

- Fingon suggested a deal since you did save him from your dragon’s flames and helped him return to his kin. He would keep silent about you and your dragon, but to ensure nothing unexpected would happen, he would come to visit and monitor you.

- You accepted the deal without a second thought. It felt reasonable to you and it meant you got to stay with Ioreth.

- Fingon then began asking questions. He inquired about your homeland, your parents, and the reason for your stay in Hithlum. You answered honestly, sharing details about your background but omitting the parts about Westeros being in another world, your royal status as a former princess, as well as the circumstances involving your cousin and your need to escape.

- He also had strange questions, like if you could breathe fire and fly. They were the only questions that baffled you, but since Freda had asked similar questions on your first meeting— you were not bothered by them.

- You could not breathe fire to your knowledge, neither were you born with wings. The only special features you had were that you could see very well in the dark, had a keen sense of smell, and were physically stronger than an average man.

- The day went by quickly, with you answering his questions about you and Meraxes until it was time for him to depart. You thanked him continuously, trying to show gratefulness for his decision to keep your secret.

- He seemed sincere and told you to expect him to come for another visit soon enough before sending him off.

- The heavyweight from your mind was momentarily lifted. You were good at telling when people were lying, and Fingon was sincere through and through, so you did not have to worry if you could trust him.

- He visited once a week. Fingon questioned a lot about Meraxes and then about you. It seemed like he was trying to monitor your every move, but he quickly softened up, and you two started talking about yourselves. Well, you mostly listened to him talk about his life and what his family was like. You had very few good things you wanted to share with him, and you did not want to ruin the good mood he often brought with your sad life.

- You did fill out his curiosity when he asked about Meraxes and why she was so protective of you, and he seemed to have possessed some pity for the dragon when you told him how her previous rider died on her back.

- However, you decided letting the two meet each other again wasn’t a good idea, especially after what happened last time. You did suggest that Fingon would leave you a glove or something with his scent on it so you could try to get Meraxes used to it and avoid further incidents. Reluctantly, he agreed to the plan for the greater good. Unfortunately, Meraxes proved to be difficult, only growling at the scent and huffing away when you tried to tell her not to harm the elf next time.

- An unusual friendship was born between you and Fingon. His warm and forward nature made you eager for his visits, and you started asking more about Middle Earth and news around the world.

- One day, you dared to ask him if he could bring books and teach you his language. You held love toward languages and thought his people’s language sounded beautiful.

- When he agreed, you were gleaming with joy. It was perhaps the first time Fingon saw you smile openly, and he thought your excitement was adorable.

- You immediately started reading and learning when he brought you the books and took it as a little personal challenge to surprise him with your linguistic skills. You have always been a quick learner when it came to languages.

- Then Freda suddenly came to visit when Fingon was there. She was quick to take a protective stance when she saw him and realized he knew about your scales and even threatened to beat him up if he dared to do anything foul to you.

- You had to calm her down, though you felt touched that she came to your defense. She then gushed and teased you about your new friendship with the elf. She even teased if you had a growing crush on the elf.

- You profoundly apologized to Fingon for the encounter, but he only smiled. He found it admirable and complimented you having a good friend. It made you somewhat happy because it proved Freda was one of the first true friends you ever had.

- When you told him you had never seen much of the world around you except on Meraxes’s back, he suggested you two would go on an adventure together.

- The idea made you fearful as you had never dared to venture the lands on foot. You also felt a bit embarrassed since you had flown for most of your life and didn't know how to ride a horse.

- Fingon did not tease you when you told him. He encouraged you and assured you that you would be fine with him around. No one will dare to harm you in his presence.

- The voices in your head said no to the offer, but wanting to see the world at least once, you agreed.

- Your body was shaking and nearly refusing to leave the house when the day arrived. Ioreth helped you pack necessities, but it was like your conscious and body wanted to stay in the safety zone, pushing all kinds of thoughts into your head. You nearly changed your mind until Fingon arrived on his horse, and you managed to compose yourself somehow.

- You felt excited when you climbed behind him on his horse, and he took you farther from the town. It became easy letting him ride you around, and you finally saw things beyond the borders of the town.

- Fingon showed you all the beautiful sights of Hithlum. The fear and the blood rush calmed down as you were awed by the sights and things you never saw in the sky.

- However, you would start shaking when Fingon would pass some other towns, and people would look at you. You were covered in your cloak, so they most likely looked at you because of the height difference between you and Fingon. You were one head taller than him. You might have also held a bit too hard on him during your shaking episode and felt embarrassed when he gently asked you to ease your grip around his waist.

- You two then arrived at a good picnic spot and challenged each other in fishing. Fingon dared if you could catch a fish with your bare hands, and you accepted since you did have a quick reaction and keen senses.

- However, when you pulled up your sleeve and focused on the small shadows in the water, Fingon noticed the state of your arm. He saw how it was covered in small cuts and appeared to have missing scales. The redness of your skin concerned him, as your arm looked like something had scratched it hatefully.

- You then tried to snatch the fish from the water. You got a hold of the fish and pulled it out, but it then slipped out of your hands and fell into the water.

- You two laughed about it, and then Fingon tried to inquire about your arm. Your behavior changed as you explained you had a little incident and covered your arm. Nothing he needed to worry about.

- Fingon felt suspicious of your words but pushed it back as you two then had a picnic and watched the stars when the night arrived, having planned to stay the night outside.

- Fingon introduced you to most of the constellations and explained how Varda was the goddess who created the stars. You listened attentively, enjoying the stories and the sound of his voice.

- When Fingon mentioned the life he still had with his family in Valinor, you felt a small rush of courage and decided to share more details about your past life.

- You shared what kind of person your father was and how you were abandoned at birth by both your father and birth mother, and the only person who took you in and raised you was your father’s first wife. How most people treated you and how you were always known as your father’s half-monster daughter and the only surviving child out of all his other dead half-monster children.

- Fingon was first surprised to learn you used to be a noble lady, but then he threw a few jokes and called you ‘my lady’

- You did not correct that you were actually a princess and found humor in his jokes.

- You then revealed the true reason why you left your home, and Fingon felt sympathy for you, sorrowed how much hardship you had faced even though you were one of the most gentle-hearted people in his eyes.

- He comforted you, and you found yourself surprisingly relieved for sharing. You two then spent the night sleeping against the tree till morning finally arrived. Unfortunately, trouble arrived right at the crack of dawn.

- Fingon was still soundly sleeping till his ears picked up growling above him. He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing Meraxes snarling and glaring down at him with fury in her golden eye.

- “Well, I hope you are here to apologize for the last time,” Fingon said before closing his eyes again.

- You woke up to Fingon’s screams as your dragon dragged him by his foot.

- You quickly acted, running up to him and grabbing his hands before Meraxes could pick him up and swallow him whole.

- “Meraxes! Let go!” You yelled as you ended up playing tug war with your dragon, your elf friend being the rope.

- Meraxes ignored your orders, even when you tried to yell in high valyrian, so you then took out your claws and smacked her hard enough in the snout that she finally let go of Fingon’s foot.

- You both fell to the ground, but you quickly stood protectively in front of Fingon when your dragon tried to attack him again. You prevented her from getting past you and tried to tell her off.

- She growled at you. You finally had enough and snarled back at her, revealing your teeth and warning her off. Meraxes finally took you seriously and backed away, releasing crumbles and glaring at Fingon.

- You sighed in relief and started apologizing to Fingon for the mess. You were so eager to go on a trip with him that you had completely forgotten to tell Meraxes. She most likely thought he was trying to kidnap you or something.

- Fingon tried to calm you down and assure you he was not angry, but you dismissed it, having been unable to keep Meraxes out of trouble and nearly getting him killed for the second time.

- You then decided it was for the best that you two went home and flew back on Meraxes, feeling upset about the whole ordeal.

- The next week felt excruciating, and you started dreading the next day when Fingon was supposed to visit. What if he hated you now? What if he deemed you were unsafe to keep around, and now he would bring people to chase you out? Why can’t you do anything right?

- Those questions kept haunting you and nearly drove you mad. You did not dare to face Fingon again, but you also wanted to have some kind of answer to what he thought of you now. You did not want to lose the friendship you had with him. You liked being with him, and the thought of him hating you made the feeling worse.

- You looked at your scales, and the looming sense of self-hatred returned. If only you had been born without them, perhaps you could have lived a normal life.

- Your heart began to pound painfully against your chest, and your breathing became frantic as you started scratching the scales again, desperate to remove them from your skin.

- The scales dropped to the ground, and your arm began to bleed from the cuts you gave yourself from your claws. Your arm was burning with pain, but you ignored it and even started scratching your other arm out of its scales. You were too deep in your panic to notice someone approaching you.

- Fingon tried to call out to you, but when you ignored him, he then grabbed both of your hands, forcing you to stop and look at him.

- He gently calmed you down from the panic attack, but you looked away, pleading him not to look at you.

- He comforted you and then begged you to tell him what drove you to hurt yourself. He continuously assured you he was there to help, but he wouldn’t be able to if you didn’t tell him. You couldn’t take it anymore and started sobbing, confessing to everything.

- You told him what kind of life you lived as the half-monster princess, how you lost your beloved mother when you were sixteen, how you killed the knight who killed her, how uncaring your father was of her, and how you were punished living in isolation, how your birth mother isolated you from your only friends, how your father committed more atrocities and how he was the reason you were born like this. And the last thing he did was to tell you to run away before your cousin could find you and kill you for being a monster.

- You had no one else to turn to, and your half-monster side still prevents you from finding happiness.

- Fingon listened to you while caring for your arms, cleaning them, and adding healing ointment given by Ioreth after telling her what had happened. He gently bandaged your arms.

- He was nearly driven into tears by your story and how you possessed such self-hatred that you would even harm yourself.

- He now understood why you were so scared of the world around you and why you always wanted to keep yourself hidden.

- You then asked him not to hate you, as you genuinely liked him and wanted to keep him as a friend. He was one of your only friends besides Freda.

- He comforted you that he never hated you in the first place and that what happened with Meraxes was an accident. Maybe the two were never fated to get along in the first place.

- He then did something surprising and embraced you. He comforted you and assured you that he would never hate you just because your dragon doesn’t like him. He then kept telling you that being born unique did not make you a monster and that you were deserving of love and friends.

- He also told you he knew people who looked normal yet were just as terrible as monsters. Compared to them, you were innocent as a dove.

- You nearly couldn't understand his words, but the feeling of comfort in his arms was enough to make you hold on to him and cry.

- Fingon then held you and did not allow you to leave till you had shed all the pain and tears you needed.

- Fingon shared what happened with Freda, and the latter then forced you to live in the town with her family for the time being. The two believed you needed company and care so that you would not try to hurt yourself again.

- It helped a little to improve your state of mind, and Freda’s family refused to let you go out, insisting you stayed inside until your arms were healed.

- Fingon started visiting you more often, bringing elven remedies and helping you care for your arms. Even though you had the qualities of a dragon, you were still very human and thus vulnerable to infections. Fingon wanted to make sure you recovered without falling sick.

- But since you opened up about your past and cried all the bottled emotions you had held back over the years, you became lethargic, thus making you smile became more challenging.

- Fingon asked Ioreth and other healers what he could do to help you recover in mind and spirit, and one thing he learned was that music was a good remedy to heal someone from a depressive state of mind, so he decided to sing to you.

- You became captivated by his singing voice and music, and it did help you become more lively.

- Under his care, you started to look after yourself more, and to ensure you would not scratch yourself again, you trimmed your nails and claws. They would grow back, and that way, you assured Fingon you would not try hurting yourself again.

- Although you still had the habit of picking scales off your skin, but not bad enough to cause injuries.

- You even started going out again, mostly to visit Ioreth and Meraxes, though you were still upset with her for the incident.

- You even started ignoring your beloved dragon, confusing her. She once came near the town to see you and was startled when you angrily told her to return to her cave. However, you soon felt awful for snapping at her and apologized to her.

- You felt a little ashamed from the constant care by Freda and Fingon. In your home, such attention might have labeled you as short-tempered and overly emotional. Those were the traits you did not like sharing with your father.

- But then you began to notice something within yourself when you continued listening to Fingon’s music or looked forward to his visits.

- Your arms had gotten better thanks to him. The cuts had healed, and by the next month, your arms began to grow new scales.

- Fingon was gentle with you and was always happy to play you a new song. His care and willingness to still come visit sparked something within your heart.

- You two even got more things to talk about when you had told him your past, and the elven prince seemed not to have changed much, even throwing jokes and treating you like royalty.

- It felt too weird to be regarded as a princess again, so you asked him to treat you normally, and he respected your wish. Although he did boast how he was right since you being a princess was his first impression of you.

- Fingon somehow managed to keep you flustered, and it soon became obvious enough that you were falling for him.

- You denied it at first. You did adore him as a friend, but falling in love with him was too far of a stretch. You were blessed enough not to have him hate you for his two near-death experiences, but having him fall for someone like you was simply an impossible fever dream.

- Freda became excited when you shared with her about your feelings for Fingon and regretted it because now she was pestering you to go forward with them.

- You refused, and she said you were taking things too pessimistically. You should at least try to see if he had an ounce of interest in you.

- Freda had a good way with words, so you became haunted by the thought and started observing Fingon when he visited you.

- He seemed like always, and when you started taking walks outside the town, he was gentle with you and tried to keep up a good mood. You always listened because you enjoyed hearing him talk about random and mundane things, and he also started saying positive things about you.

- He continued how you had many useful perks, such as a keen sense of smell, so you could always find misplaced things, could see in the dark so light was a never problem for you, and the scales being a natural armor for you, protecting you from small things like flies and mosquitoes who loved to bother everyone. That part made you laugh because you never really had a problem with mosquitoes.

- His positive talking helped you to see yourself in a better light, though not fully removing the years of hatred you accumulated.

- And to your startle, you noticed signs that he might be interested in you romantically.

- You didn’t know how to handle that information. In a small part of your mind, it made you feel happy, but in others, it gave you new fears.

- After being constantly pestered and advised by Ioreth that you should grasp happiness when it's offered to you, you decided to make a bold move and ask Fingon if he could take you on another adventure.

- You reasoned that revealing your past to him helped relieve the heavy weight from your chest, and you were also tired of living in fear all the time. You wanted to experience all that life had to offer before the end of your time.

- Fingon excitedly agreed, but he questioned if you were comfortable with the idea as he wanted to avoid pushing your limits.

- You assured him that you wanted it. You did not want to keep hiding all the time. You just needed to assure Meraxes this time and ensure she would not jump to conclusions.

- Fingon then insisted he would come with you to see her, to show her he was not a threat to you. You felt hesitant, but to your surprise, your dragon did not try to kill him in sight when you two came to visit her.

- She did glare at him and crumbled while you told her of your plans, but she didn’t try anything and allowed you to leave without an issue.

- It was a surprising change, but then you figured she must have changed her attitude so you wouldn’t get upset with her and ignore her like last time.

- She was a stubborn old lady, but she always cared deeply for you. She was perhaps that overprotective, stubborn mother figure in your life– wanting to keep you safe from everything and making it hard for you to try new things.

- You and Fingon then went on another adventure. You still became nervous at the sight of people, but now you felt less afraid at the thought of traveling.

- Fingon showed you new places and even took you to see his home, which you thought was beautiful.

- At the end of the day, when Fingon escorted you back home. You had contemplated about your feelings for him and finally decided to confess. You believed it was best to let him know than to hide them since you had done it for most of your life.

- You stopped Fingon beneath a tree and told him of your feelings. How you had grown to adore his free yet gentle nature, how he had helped you see good in yourself, and how you had become less afraid of the world thanks to him.

- You loved the sound of his voice, and his presence was like that of a warm sun. The world had become less dark to you when he arrived in your life.

- You understood if he only saw you as a friend and then prepared to face rejection.

- But instead of rejection, Fingon smiled and told you he accepted your feelings. He confessed that he had loved you since day one.

- He then went far as to kiss the back of your hand like he did when you first met, making your poor heart pound with fluster before telling you he would be honored to court someone like you, a maiden with diamonds embedded on her skin.

- You began crying, not out of sorrow or anger, but for the first time, in joy. You had found someone who loved you in return.

- That night went like a breeze, but it was one of the happiest nights of your life.

Taglist: @foggyturtleknightangel @carlgrimessimp

#silmarillion x reader #middle earth x reader #silm fic #hotd #middle earth #silmarillion imagines #maegor the cruel #targaryen reader #the white-scaled dragon princess #tolkien #fingon #fingon x reader #silmarillion x targaryen reader

26 notes · View notes

romerona · 11 months

Text

War Of Hearts

⇢ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ. ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ’ᴍ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀʀ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ

Selene Maltheon never thought of herself to be a puppet, she thought she'll live her life free and happy, there was no denying that she was a big dreamer and hopelessly naive. Selene thought she'll grow up to live one of those happily ever after lives like the ones from the books she reads so much... however, the inevitable happened, she grew up and came to the realization she was yet just another pawn in the big game.

Jacaerys Velaryon x Oc // Aemond Targaryen x Oc.

A/N: A bit of an AU. Rhaenyra and her sons are still in Kingslanding but they (The greens and The blacks) still hate each other.

[UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HIM]

Masterlist

1 - 2 -

Prince Jacaerys isn't someone to flush easily, not out of something as mundane as seeing a beautiful girl. He sees pretty ladies every day, the court is full of them after all and some are also rather salacious whenever he speaks to them but the point still stands, Jace is constantly around them and accustomed to them. He was actually rather a 'smooth talker' as Daemon likes to tell him when it comes to women, whoever they are, ladies, maids, common women, whores, Jace was never one to flush at the sight of even the prettiest of them, so, he couldn't for the life of him understand why he always freezes at the sight of Selene Maltheon.

Selene was the only lady of House Maltheon, the most powerful house in New Valyria. She, her father, Lord Alexios and older brother, Lord Crater arrived a couple of months ago at the call of his grandfather, King Viserys. The King was appointing Lord Alexios as his new hand --Jace doesn't know the details as to why Lord Otto Hightower is no longer his hand but honestly, he didn't care, he, his daughter, Queen Alicent and her sons, Aegon and Aemond always look for a moment to strike action against his family-- And since the Lord of House Maltheon and his family arrived to Red Keep, Jacaerys found himself smitten by the Lord's daughter.

Anyone with working eyes could see just how beautiful the girl was, it was the type of beauty you could never find anywhere in the realm, not even if you go knocking door by door, woman-to-woman would you ever come across such beauty in all of the seven kingdoms and sure, her beauty was the first thing he noticed about her but he's been observing her -- because he does that instead of having a normal conversation -- and Jacaerys has noticed that the beauty outside reflects the beauty within. Lady Selene is quite generous to everyone around her, maids, guards, children, lords and ladies, no matter how disdainful some tend to be, hell, even the common folks in her short time of residing in Kings Landing know about her kind nature. Jacaerys is also aware Lady Selene must have a rather brilliant mind for when she is not charming the realm with her smile, she is often found sitting somewhere with her nose stuck in a book... just like right now.

She was sitting on a bench in the garden, the sun of the late afternoon shining over her, she was surrounded by hundreds of flowers, some still flourishing others at the peak of their beauty, she looked like a living painting.

"Are going to keep staring like a madman or are you going to speak to her, Jace?" Baela's voice snapped him out of whatever trance Selene usually puts him on.

Jacaerys turns his head to her, Baela had a borderline teasing smile on her face while leaning against a long pillar, he clears his throat and shrugs. "I do not know what you speak of,"

"Of course, you don't," Baela's teasing smile become more evident, her eyes were glimmering with amusement. "Anyways, I was here because your mother ask me to remind you about your Valyrian studies with the Maester."

"Ah yes, of course, I haven't forgotten, thank you Bae-"

"But that can wait, today is quite a lovely day, isn't it? How you fancy a stroll through the gardens, huh?" Baela put her arm around his and started to make her way down the stairs towards the rich greens and blooming flowers but before she could go any further into it, Jace holds into his ground.

"Wait, Baela" Jacaerys pulls her back, he sends a quick glance to where Selene is sitting, still very much into her book. "I don't feel like going for a walk at the moment,"

"Oh, pray tell? Baela questions tilting her head, her hand clasped in front of her giving her a look of innocence, but Jace knew better than to fall for it, the glint in her eyes told him as much.

Jacaerys narrows his eyes at his cousin, she was always delighted to tease him in any way she could, "I don't think it's wise for me to miss my studies... my high valyrian is rather terrible if you hadn't noticed."

"Oh, we all have, Jace," Baela smirks ignoring Jacaerys sending her a glare, she fakes a sigh "But since when have you ever cared about missing your studies? Today seems like a wonderful day to be out in the sun, I don't really see a reason for you not to want to go for a quick walk... Unless there's something keeping you from it or someone?"

Jacaerys huffs, rolling his eyes, "This is not amusing, Baela."

"Oh, I think it rather is," She took hold of his arm again, and pull him with her, "Is not every day a lady manages to capture Prince Jacaerys Velaryon's attention."

Jace kept silent, he knew better than to lie to her or evade the subject with her, not to mention Baela’s words are true, he was infatuated with lady Selene and there was no denying it. "So, what? Half of Red Keep is taken with her as well."

"But you aren't like half the castle, are you?" Baela told him, stopping to pull a lilie out of the ground. She sniffed it and handed it to Jace."You are a prince, Rhaenyra's son and future heir to the throne"

Jace took it and also sniffed it, the sweet scent evolving him. "Sure but that's until my mother passes and that won't happen for a long while"

"You still a prince, are you not?" Baela rolls her eyes at his temporary incompetence. "Put that Velaryon courage to work and talk to her, for the seven's sake. Seriously, I have never seen you act shy before, it is unsettling."

"Baela..." Jacaerys sighed, he tried to come up with a plausible reason as to why he hasn't spoken with her other than his uncharacteristically fear of performance, for lack of better words but came up with nothing.

Baela stops, she turns to him and places both hands on his shoulders, to make him look at him, "You are a prince, you have a dragon, and you will be sitting on the iron throne one day, what are you so frightened about?"

"Nothing," Jace scoffs, his jaw set with light annoyance at the thought his cousin thought he was scared of talking to a girl, he wasn't he is simply... Not ready yet.

"Well, good, because you are about to talk to her right now,"

Jacaerys frowns in confusion and wariness, he glances to the side, finally noticing Baela took him on an alternative route but with the same destiny. He quickly turn to his cousin who unsurprisingly was grinning like mad. "Baela, don't you dare-"

Baela pushed him in Lady Selena's direction.

Jacaerys froze again, she hadn't noticed him yet but the fact that she was just a few paces away was enough to make him cease any movement. His heart beats fast and hard as it usually does when he's anxious, it is a miracle she hasn't heard it.

Jace turns to leave but catches Baela's eyes, she mouthed "Go on"

Jacaerys clutches his jaw but sighs before turning. Baela was right, of what he was so afraid of? She was just another lady, how different can it be? And honesty, all that freezing and gazing was getting a little pathetic.

Jacaerys took a few steps forward, hoping by then she finally gave him her attention so he can casually start a conversation but much to his dismay, she never look up from her book.

He awkwardly clears his throat but not even then she looks up, Jacaerys stands awkwardly for a second or two before clearing his throat a bit louder. "Lady Selene, I presume?"

Selene finally looks up at him, she seems startled at his sudden appearance, which actually wasn't sudden at all but to her, it might have been. Her eyes widen for a second when she took notice of who was speaking to her. She instantly stood up.

"Oh, Prince Jacaerys, you gave me a fright." Selene softly chuckles, trying to bring lightness into the situation.

He smiles at her, ignoring his beating heart. "I apologize, I didn't mean to. And please, just call me Jace."

"Oh, no I could never--

"Please, my lady, the prince thing is just for show in front of older nobles." Jace was quick to assure her. He thought it sounded way too formal from her. Way too polite.

"Vey well," Selene nods, and she sends him a smile. "However, I believe it's only fair that if I get to call you only by name you ought to call me just Selene."

Jacaerys felt the muscles of his cheek had already moved the way he wanted them to before even realizing it. "Selene, then."

There was a second of uncomfortable silence. Jacaerys noticed it was his fault after she looked away from him. He hadn't stopped smiling (and staring) Jace clears his throat "Anyways, I noticed you reading earlier, and you look like you wanted to be alone, so, I figured I'll come and ruin it." Jace jokes, hoping to get rid of the small tension and if he's lucky, to get a smile out of her as well. Even from afar, he had enjoyed watching her eyes when she laughed. The way her eyes widen, the way her smile looks on her face... It was absolutely captivating.

"Oh, nonsense, I was just hoping to avoid my brother. He's a dread to be around." Selene chuckles, looking down at the book she was holding, a finger in between pages to keep her from losing the page. "And uhm, it's just a silly book about two lovers from the north."

"Ah," Jacaerys nods with amused acknowledgement, he grins at her, once again struck by how beautiful she was as the late afternoon light reflects off of her green eyes. They look like emeralds. "I'm assuming it's a tragic love tale? The north is not very well known for a warm heart after all."

Jace was not much of a reader if he was honest, but when he did read he usually enjoys more historical Westorian tales and the wars people ack then face rather than romance.

Selene sighs and nods looking down at the book. 'The Lover and the Road' "Sadly, the main character's lover was forced to marry another and couldn't take the pain of losing her, tragic really."

Jacaerys frowns a little when he notices the slight change in her poise. He wanted her to look at him but she continues to stare at the book. "Are you all right? You seem a bit doleful."

"Oh, yes, of course," Selene snaps her eyes back at Jacaerys, however, they were not as bright as he would have hoped.

"What is it?"

Selene purses her lips as if she was hesitant to talk to him, much to Jace's dismay. It took her a second and a nod of encouragement from Jace for her to speak. "It's just that... that kind of situation tends to happen more often than not in real life, wouldn't you say?"

Jace sighs, "Indeed, it does. Sometimes I wish everyone could marry for love. But that's nothing more than a childish hope, I suppose." He shrugs and smiles at her.

"It's not childish to hope for love, Jace, It's in our human nature to desire to love and be loved." Selene smiles warmly at him and Jace felt his face heat up. He looked away to keep her from noticing it, and he quickly clears his throat. "Tell me, Selene, if you weren't constrained by duty, what would you be doing?"

Selene's hair was with the light breeze, she had to move it out of her face, "I would be..." she thought for a moment before letting out a chuckle, shaking her head. "I would like to travel to the citadel and learn with the Maesters, but that's just a feeble dream, a woman in this society can only do so much, you know?" Selene sounded slightly sour at that last comment, and if it hadden for how close they were standing, Jacaerys would have missed the light sneer on her lips.

He hums and nods, his eyes still fixed on her. "What would you study at the citadel? I'd assume history, but perhaps theology? Or even some old text they have there?" Jace smiles, thinking about how much more she would be allowed if her gender wasn't a limitation. "There might be a way you could study, even as a woman. You do seem to have a rather clever mind."

"I would love to become a healer. Make people feel better." Selene sighs, she walks to a nearby railing where the view of the city and its citizens could be admired and lean on it. "And yes, I suppose there could be a way for me to study but it still wouldn't change the fact that people would look down on me for trying to be something they don't deem as ladylike. My father certainly would... "She lightly rolls her eyes, looking at the city below. "He believes there's no room for cleverness in a woman, that we ought to sit there, keep silent, look pretty and make babies."

Jacaerys listens intently, his eyebrows furrowing as Selene speaks, feeling apologetic for her. He already knows how much his mother has to deal with it and Jace could tell from the little they have talked about that she was such a bright person and for her to have to suffer through such nonsense because she was a woman was unacceptable to him.

"What if there was a way to get around that?" Jacaerys takes the view in with her as he speaks carefully." There certainly are people that would take to teaching you. It might not change the fact that your father disagrees, but you wouldn't be alone." He turns to her, with sincere eyes "There are many that wouldn't be so quick to judge solely because you are a woman."

Selene chuckles and turns to him with a fond smile, one he hadn't seen on her. "You have a good heart, Jace. If only more people thought like that... what a dream that would be."

Jace smiles back, looking away from her and back to the city hoping she hadn't noticed the blush that he was sure covered most of his face. "Do you think it is impossible to archive? To have those in power think more like myself? To make a world where anyone can be anything, no matter what they were born as?" He looks into her green eyes with determination, as if he was making a promise to not only Selene but himself too. "Because if it is, then I'm going to work my damndest to make it possible."

Selene tilts her head, a smile of admiration painting her face but it didn't reach her eyes. "As admirable as your intentions are, Jace, one cannot build a new world alongside men who are loyal to the old one."

Jacaerys expression sours, his smile fading from his face. "What do you think the best course of action is? Surely there must be some path forward, no? I can't stand for them telling you that you are a lesser person because you are a woman. It's absurd and I won't let it stand."

By the time he was done, Jacaerys felt his shackles rising. Mad at society in itself, at the old kings, at the people in power...

"Perhaps... Once your mother becomes queen? She can certainly create a new order of things, I mean her being the queen of the seven kingdoms is already incredible in itself, that alone changes many things." A hopeful smile made its way to Selene's face. "I have faith your mother, Jace, would be a brilliant queen,"

Jacaerys smiled back, glad to see that Selene believes in his mother as the future queen of Westeros, despite all the opposition. "My mother would be a great queen, yes, but she'd still be constrained by all the rules put upon those of us with the blood of the dragon." He notices the way her smile faded and quickly added. "There must be something we can do, there has got to be some way to change it." Jace takes a deep breath, thinking, and then he suddenly gets an idea. He snaps his head towards her with a large smile which causes Selene to mirror it. "Maybe we can write a book, as an argument of why things should change. It's certainly worth a shot, I'd say."

"A book?" Selene giggles, just as she was about to give her opinion on said book another voice cut through the conversation.

"Selene, here you are." Both, Jacaerys and Selene, turn to face the person who interrupted their chat. It was Lord Crater, Selene's older brother. Lord Crater was a tall, bulky man, similar to what an elite knight was supposed to look, his features were assuredly similar to Lords Alexios however the only thing he resembled of Selene was his eyes. Crater's gaze turns to Jacaerys, he was surprised for a moment to see him there but quickly recovered. He did a small polite courtesy. "Prince Jacaerys, what a surprise to see you here."

Jacaerys couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that he'd gotten so caught up with Selene and their conversation that he had stopped watching his surroundings. He straightens up, his royal prince mantel on. "Lord Maltheon, the feeling is mutual. May I ask what brings you to seek your sister out?" He flashes Selene a smile, hoping that she can still see the sincerity in his eyes before turning back to her brother. "Perhaps you could join us? I find your sister to be a particularly engaging conversationalist."

Selene threw him a shy smile, chuckling a little.

"You say that now, your highness, but then you won't get her to shut up." Crater chuckles, there was a patronizing tone in his laugh. Selene purses her lips and settles her gaze downward, clearly not enjoying the subtle insult towards her.

Jacaerys could recognize the slander behind the 'joke' towards Selene and felt a twinge in his chest. Though, in the position he is in, all Jace could do was smile, and fake a chuckle alongside Crater. He only hopes Selene doesn't takes it to heart. "That seems only to make her more appealing to me, my lord, to be so talkative." His eyes glance towards Selene, making sure she knows the lightness of the situation.

However, Selene had a cold look in her eyes as she looks away, from him and back to the floor. She evidently didn't enjoy the exchange between the Prince and her brother.

Jace's heart drops as he takes in her demeanour and knows that he messed up.

Lord Crater laughs again with the same condescending chuckle. "Well, you'll be a saint for it then, my dearest sister is nothing but a bother most of the time."

Jacaerys tries to lighten the situation by making a joke. "Well, I am the prince of Dragonstone, I am not as pure as some may think." He chuckles slightly awkwardly, hoping that it isn't as noticeable as he continues. "And if I have to be a saint, so be it, for a woman as kind and as brilliant as Selene."

"Brilliant?" Crater chuckles. He looks back at Selene, his eyes shining with amusement, "What lies have you been feeding the Prince, Selne?" He shakes his head before his eyes widen as he remembered something "Oh, Father is summoning you, sister, he needs to speak about some important matters to you."

Selene spares Jacaerys a glance, she purses her lips before turning to her older brother. "Where is father?"

The Prince watches as Selene exchanges words with Lord Crater, his heart sinking further at the tension in the voice and face. He tries his best to stay relaxed but it doesn't seem to help as he feels the guilt in his stomach reach his chest. He sighs, knowing that his attempts to make the situation lighter have been failing and speaks up. "Is this matter important? I wouldn't want you to have to leave if it isn't absolutely necessary." Jace tried his best to sound convincing, wanting nothing more than have Selene stay, to make sure he can make things right. Things were going so well until her brother interrupted.

"Unfortunately, my prince, it does seem to be a rather important issue my father wishes to discuss with Selene." It was Crater who answer his question, Selene only turned in Jacaerys direction ever so slightly but did not meet his eyes.

He sighs, trying not to let his disappointment show. "Very well, I understand. Then I wish you a good day, Selene. I hope your father doesn't keep you long and perhaps we will get to converse again soon?" Jace bows his head to his lady, he was asking in hopes she accepts his request.

Selene finally raises her green eyes to meet his, she did a courtesy "It was an honour to speak with you, your highness but I must take my leave now." When Selene said his title it made Jacaerys stomach turn inside out.

He sighs as he hears the formality in her voice, knowing that he has failed. His eyes linger on her, trying to make up for what he did. His heart breaks as he watches her walk away. He gives one final bow, then makes his way up to his room... He sits alone for a few minutes, trying to calm himself down before he gets a knock on his door. He opens it, and there stood his mother, her face looking angry...

Part 2????

77 notes · View notes

sapphire-weapon · 7 months

Note

Ok after I played SW, seeing EagleOne from Ada's pov makes it even more obvious fr, clearly she recognizes the bond they formed unlike many of people in the fandom

And the way she encountered Ashley at the end is so interesting, this scene wasn't in the OG and it's there for a reason in this remake timeline. The framing, like you said, is very romantic like something out of an old fairytale. Ada seems to accept their relationship, even if she might not like it.

Do you think she compared her relationship with Wesker and their mutual distrust to Ashley and Leon's which is the exact opposite?Maybe she reflected on that when she saw them on the jetski?

Do you think she will get a redemption arc?

Ada doesn't need a redemption arc because she's not evil. the only reason why we used to talk about a possible Ada redemption arc on here is because we were thinking about her in the context of OG, where her motivations are unclear and it seems like she defaults to working with the shittiest, scummiest, most comically evil men in the series.

but Remake Ada is Chaotic Neutral. there's nothing to redeem there. TV Tropes probably has the best description:

I would say that that is Remake Ada.

and no, I don't think that her reaction to Ashley had anything to do with her own relationship with Wesker. there was probably a lot going through her head at that moment, but I feel like both Leon and Ada project onto Ashley somewhat at different points of RE4make; they both look at her as what they could have been/become if things had been different.

Ashley has the positive change arc that was denied to Leon in RE2make, and he looks at her positive change and the strength and courage that she's found as what he could've been if only things had gone differently for him in/after Raccoon City.

and when Ada encounters her during the Saddler fight, the romantic imagery and Ashley's foremost thought being Leon's safety, I think, causes Ada to reflect on how much this was not how she, herself, was back in RE2make, and how much different her life could've turned out if it had been. if only Ada had loved and trusted Leon in RE2make the way that Ashley does in RE4make, none of this would be happening -- and, together, they probably would've had Wesker on the back foot, and his complete. global. saturation. would've been nothing more than a fever dream.

but Ada prioritized herself and her own interests and her own needs because Wesker's dick was just too bomb, apparently, and now look at what a fucking mess it's caused.

but Ada also knows that thinking that way isn't realistic. things didn't turn out the way they did for no reason. she's never been the type of person to have prioritized Leon over her own self-interest, and she never will be. at most, she would've concocted a way to let Leon escape the city with the G-sample, but there was never any version of reality in which they'd escape together -- and she certainly wasn't going to let him arrest/apprehend her like he said he was going to, either.

so instead of dwelling on that and feeling bad about it, Ada just says "On it." as a response to Ashley's order plea to help Leon, because this time around, she can have her cake and eat it, too. she can help support Leon while also looking out for herself.

I do think there's a slight element of envy/jealousy that she has towards Ashley, which is where the invitation to Leon at the end comes from. Ada doesn't have any personal resentment towards her, but at the same time, she's envious that Ashley gets to hold onto this fairytale and watch the bad guys get defeated and run off into the sunrise with her Prince Charming. Ada knows better; she knows the world doesn't really work that way, so inviting Leon to come with her at the end is her own petty way of trying to take that from Ashley/teach her that lesson, while also getting the benefit of riding Leon's dick for a night LMAO

but like. again. she's realistic. she knew she was going to get turned down.

#resident evil 4 #leon kennedy #ashley graham #ada wong #meta analysis

18 notes · View notes

taylortruther · 1 year

Note

Alright this is gonna be wordy and a little all over the place but I love seven so much I will never pass an opportunity to talk about it (this is the first anon, btw)

first, I love anything piano based (my fav insturment <3) and I'm also a big fan of Taylor's head voice.

I think seven is the most unique song she's ever written. In terms of production, lyrics, storytelling and the subject of the song. She's never written anything remotely like this and probably never will. I don't think I've heard anything like it from any other artist as well. The song has a certain type of wisdom in it that everyone knows but few can articulate so beautifully.

I love the fact the production sounds like summer. I wish I had more knowledge in music to properly explain it, but something about that piano-based upbeat melody really takes you back in time to your first summer vacation from school.

I'm a big fan of words, storytelling and poetry so the main reason I love it so much is the lyrics

The "please picture me in the trees" to "please picture me in the weeds"

"I hit my peak at seven" and the little pause before "feet in the swing" because it's both literal and metaphorical. She swung so high she reached seven feet (obviously not really, but she was a kid and they only speak with hyperboles), but she also peaked emotionally at that age - she was the freest she's ever been, a ferocious child not bound by expectations and social norms and voices that implore she should be doing more. Everything in this sing is both literal and metaphorical.

I am so in love with the lyric "are there still beautiful things?" I want to tattoo it. I feel like this lyrics is the thesis of The Catcher In The Rye and I enjoyed the book and I love it when works of literature parallel. It's one of the most relatable lines she's written becasuse are there still beautiful things? Is there anything beautiful in adulthood? Is there still beauty in the world when you can no longer swing so high you fly above your hometown, or when you realize that fairytales and prince charming don't exist? When your life expand beyond the simplicity of drinking sweet tea and braiding your friend's hair, could you ever find this simple, unfiltered joy again?

I have a tattoo referencing "I love you to the moon and to saturn" it's just a very wholesome lyric.

I think knowing Taylor and what she's being through helps appericate this song more because "I used to scream ferociously anytime I wanted" hits different when it comes from the woman who had to sit quietly and politely, and be a good girl as people made jokes on her expense. It's also something she talks about in Marjorie, "Never be so polite, you forget your power / Never wield such power, you forget to be polite" I love the way this part of the song is phrased, the fact it's both "please picture me running through the fields as a child" and "when I was a child I could throw a tantrum in the grocery store". (I just love when Taylor does this, like with the line "your hometown skeptics called it - champagne probelms" it tickles something in my brain). She wants to be remembered in her freest form, rather than what she was forced to grow up into.

And then, obviously, there is the verse discussing child abuse. I know that spoke to many people and I find it beautiful.

I love that even this story within the song helps demonstrate her naïvete. She was so young, she couldn't fathom the idea that a father could be cruel to their child, she had to find another reason and the most logical one was ghosts. And that brings me back to "are there still beautiful things?" because when she was a child the thing that bothered her the most was whether snow white's house is near or far away, and now the questions she asks herself are more like "will I survive this?" "Would they believe me if I come forward?" "Will it be ok?" There is no going back once you learn and experience these kind of things.

I'm obsessed with "I think you should come live with me and we could be pirates, then you won't have to cry" because a. I love pirates and b. It's just so adorable! This lyric makes me wanna eat drywall.

I also really love "though I can recall your face, I still got love for you // just like a folk song, our live will be passed on" It's been so long since she's seen her friend she doesn't actually remember them but this love is still deep inside her and it's passed down onto everything, it's in the sky and in the trees and in the sun. It's the kind of love that never fades. I especially like when she sings "and just like a folk song, out love will be passed on" because I really love the way she sings it.

I've had a blast writing this lol

and i had a blast reading it! thank you so much for sharing, you articulated all of this very beautifully and i think captured why so many fans love it. hugs to you anon :*

#seven #this is probably one of my favorite anons ever #big brain

21 notes · View notes

h0wv3ry · 11 months

Text

miss americana and the heartbreak prince - chapter 2

overview

chapter 1

chapter 2

also available on ao3 and wattpad

༄

Ariel walked to her dorm room, fumbling with her key chain. She found her dorm room key amongst the miscellaneous charms and plunged it into the lock. Ariel twisted the lock, opening the door but hearing an “oh!” as she opened the door. A pale, brunette girl that was the same age as Ariel, revealed herself while Ariel walked into the room.

“Vanessa!” Ariel said as she shut the door behind her. “I’m sorry. I thought you had class during-”

Vanessa shrugged. “Professor was sick, so I stayed behind here to do some work before I went out. Want to join?”

Ariel liked her roommate, even though some of her friends disagreed. Scuttle heard rumors around the school that the previous semester she got the lead hurt so she can play but Scuttle exaggerated most of the time. Flounder was in between because he heard the great things from Ariel and the rants from Scuttle since they were roommates. Sebastian though didn’t care but supported Scuttle’s rumors with other theater stories. Sebastian was a music major, and a lot of the theater kids crossed over with them. Ariel, on the other hand, had no problems with Vanessa. She kept her side of the room clean, greeted Ariel in the morning and would check in on her.

Ariel sighed. “I would but I have to write some lyrics.”

“Got a new song?” Vanessa smirked.

Ariel laughed. “I wish, but Sebastian wants a new one by next week because we can’t keep repeating the same ones since we are getting bigger. Oh, also are you coming-”

“Friday night? Of course, it’s Victorian theme.”

Vanessa smiled before she waved goodbye and left the room. Ariel sat down at her desk and opened her laptop. She stared at the blank word document with the cursor taunting her. Ariel tucked one of her red locs behind her ear before putting her fingers on the key. She strengthened her shoulders and breathed in, ready to type. However, no thoughts were coming to her. She sighed, lowering her head to the desk.

Her phone dinged and she quickly looked at it to get her mind off not having any ideas. Ariel scanned her phone notifications to see an email from “Eric Tirulian”. The last name seemed familiar to her, but she couldn’t figure it out. She read the subject line for “Tutor?” and instantly know what the email was for. However, she tapped the notification, and her phone opened the email.

Tutor? Eric Tirulian <[email protected]> To: Ariel Atlantica Hello Ariel, I’m Eric Tirulian and Professor Grimsby recommended you to me for an archology tutor. Let me know if you’re up for it and what times you’re available.

Ariel bit her lip and started writing her email. Unlike her song in progress, she instantly knew what to write.

Re: Tutor? Ariel Atlantica <[email protected]> To: Eric Tirulian

Hi Eric! Thank you so much for your email. Professor Grimsby had mentioned someone looking for a tutor. I’m still up for it. I’m available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday during the noon hour or after four o’clock. Do any of those times work? Thank you, Ariel <3

Ariel tapped the “send” button and heard the swoosh sound coming through her speakers. Her phone rang again to see her text from Sebastian:

Have you started the new song yet?

Ariel sighed and banged her head lightly against the desk.

༄

Eric ruffled his dark hair out of his face as he sat up from his bed. He stared at Max who laid down at the edge of his bed. The old sheepdog perked his head up when he saw Eric move. The fading sunlight shined onto the dorm room carpet.

Most would think it would be isolating to have a single dorm room, but Eric didn’t mind it sometimes. There were times that he desired to be alone, especially during one of his panic attacks and when Max had to lay on him to calm him down. And he had heard horror stories of living with someone. But, sometimes, he missed having human interaction. As much as he loved Max, he wanted to talk to a human about his feelings and emotions rather than his dog.

Eric looked around for his phone. The last time he saw it, he tucked it under his pillow. But the day got to him, and he took a nap longer than expected. Usually, he remembered to set a twenty-minute alarm, but he was so tired from classes, studying and being social that he collapsed on the bed.

He was about to ask Max which made him laugh but he noticed his phone poking out from under his bed. Eric guessed that he rustled too much that his phone fell. He stretched his arms down and picked up his phone.

His finger clicked the side button to reveal the notifications he missed. A text from his mother confirming their reservation for Friday dinner, a calendar reminder for his therapy session later in the week and then an email from Ariel Atlantica. Eric perked up, seeing the preview of the email. He quickly clicked it and read it to himself.

Eric looked over on his wall calendar. Through most of the calendar was filled with his classes and activities, there was a space in between his morning class and afternoon class. That was when he usually got lunch. He hoped that she wouldn’t mind if he snacked on something while she tutored him. Eric typed on his phone a response.

Re: Re: Tutor? Eric Tirulian <[email protected]> To: Ariel Atlantica Hello! Thursday at noon hour sounds good. Would you be okay if I snack during that time? That’s usually my lunch time between my classes.

He clicked the send button and got out of bed. His phone vibrated, causing him to look at the screen. Ariel had already written back.

Re: Re: Re: Tutor? Ariel Atlantica <[email protected]> To: Eric Tirulian

Hi Eric! That is totally fine. I’ll probably be snacking too don’t worry. It’s supposed to be a nice day on Thursday so we can study outside. I’ll be by the big oak tree with a picnic blanket. You can’t miss me. See you soon! Ariel <3

Eric couldn’t help but smile. Not only because she got back to him quickly, but she always signed with a heart next to her name. His phone vibrated in his hand. He didn’t know why but he hoped it was another email from Ariel. Instead, it was an email notification that Grimsby gave him a D on his first essay.

“Shit.”

#ariel #miss americana and the heartbreak prince #miss americana and the heartbreak prince au fic #princeeric #little mermaid #the little mermaid #little mermaid au #little mermaid 2023 #the little mermaid 2023 #little mermaid live action #college au #ariel x eric #halle bailey #jonah hauer king

15 notes · View notes

lil228 · 3 months

Text

Red White and Royal Blue Wrap Up

Wrap Up

Rating: 9.5/10

Prediction Points: 7

Who I would recommend this book to: Any young people who are queer, or queer allies, those who like happy endings, people who like romance and don’t mind a little bit of cheese.

Quick Thoughts

It’s books like these that remind me why I read. I read to feel less alone, I read for enjoyment, I read to feel emotions. I read to connect with other people, and I read to become a better writer. This books did all of those things for me. I giggled and held back tears. It is books such as Red White and Royal Blue that make me feel like there is a place for queer romance in mainstream and literature and pop culture. The characters are well rounded, the plot is original, the romance believable and compelling. In short I love this book.

Characters

Favorite Character: Prince Henry and Amy.

The characters in this book were each unique and felt like real people. They spoke and acted like real people. The young 20 somethings behaved like real 20 somethings. They never used outdated slang, or acted like 45 year olds. All of the character who were supposed to likable were, and they were easy to root for. The book did a really nice job with Helen who could have easily been written as another workaholic parent who no time for her children, but she isn’t. It’s clear that she cares about her children, and views herself as a mother first and then the President. She is a realistic depiction of a mother who both loves her children, and can be frustrated by them at times. Each character felt unique, and everything they said (or typed/texted) and did felt real. Each character had a unique voice. I do wish we had either gotten more Pez, or that the author had cut him entirely, apart from the youth shelters he seemed to have little to no impact on the plot or other characters much- especially compared to June, Nora and Bea. I also wish that we had gotten mention of Amy having a wife or being trans a little earlier as I think it would have made the representation a bit more impactful.

Plot

I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I heard the premise. I don’t normally read romance because I don’t enjoy reading about conflicts within a relationship, and I usually end up thinking one of the parties at least a little bit on an ass. However I adore forbidden/secret romance stories. I like these stories because the source of conflict comes from outside the relationship, rather than from within the relationship. This book also handles the enemies to lovers aspect really well. The characters have a genuine, honest conversation about what has caused the atomicity, and are able to work through it, and genuine apologies are given. I also like that the reason Alex doesn't like Henry isn’t something Henry did with malicious intent, but Henry still apologizes. I also really like that both Henry and Alex’s immediate families (minus Philip) were supportive. The spicy senses were implied in a tasteful way, but I was still a little uncomfortable reading them, but I really think that this comes down to the fact that I was reading the book at work, and that I am still new to reading books with that type of content.

Final Thoughts

This book was amazing. I know that it can be cheesy at times, but I think that’s part of why I like it. Not every queer love story has to end in disownment or disaster, sometimes the romance works out, and the characters are happy by the end. This book made me fall in love with reading all over again. The humor is great, and the serious moments do a great job at invoking emotions. This book was chalk full of distinct and likable characters. Both Alex and Henry are likable and charming in their own ways, both they and their romance was easy to root for. This book also dose a nice job at exploring some difficult topics such as homophobia, invasions of privacy, coming out, politics discovering ones sexuality, being outed, and public vs private images of public figures. It manages to handle of these topics while still managing to be a lovely romance. I love this book and have a feeling it will be one that I re-read at least a few times.

#books and reading #red white and royal blue #rwrb #book thoughts

4 notes · View notes

adrianasunderworld · 1 year

Note

Hello! About your TWST cast being romantic partners the Disney Princesses, I'm so in love with that idea and I'm already onboard with it! In fact, I already have ships of my own concerning their respective stories. This is kind of long, so I apologize.

So first off, I love the idea of Riddle x Alice. (I know Alice isn't exactly a Disney Princess, but still...) Sure, she may have some issues with the rules of the Queen of Hearts, thinking of them as plain pointless and whatnot like Ace does, and Riddle would argue with her a lot, but they say that opposites attract.

Alice would grow more curious about Riddle and the way he does things and try to get to know him better while Riddle, in turn, would be charmed by her cute looks, kindness and politeness. Plus, they're both too curious for their own good, so they would click after some time together.

Next, we have Leona x Belle. Belle, as you say, is super nice and sweet, but doesn't hesitate to call anyone out on their BS. There would be a lot of banter between them at first, but after some time getting to know one another, Leona would let the walls around his heart crumble every time he's near Belle and trust her with his secrets. I think that ship is sweet and lovely.

Now, about Azul x Ariel. I ship those two so hard. I think their relationship would be a "enemies to friends to lovers" trope. Azul, being the crafty businessman that he is, will try to sweet-talk Ariel into signing a contract with him as a lounge singer since she's got a beautiful voice and all, so their relationship would be quite rocky from the start.

But once Ariel learns of Azul's past, and how he works hard to better himself, she would be very empathetic towards him and convince him as a friend that some things in life don't require a price. The more they get to know each other and befriend each other, the more Azul would start to trust her more and fall in love with her. He'd even be comfortable enough to show her his octopus form and swim with her together in the Coral Sea. Again, like I said, opposites attract.

Now, with Jasmine, I'd ship her with Jamil. Jasmine may be pretty, sassy and energetic, but unlike Kalim, she's also down to earth and hardworking. If she was Jamil's girlfriend, she'd try to make things easier for him by helping him out with his duties and respecting his wishes of wanting to be free. Jamil would totally love her for that.

And Jasmine, in return, would love Jamil and his skills and talents, even his flaws. She would see him as more than just a servant to the Al-Asims, and a student. She would see him as himself: Jamil Viper. There's a saying I learned: "If you don't accept one of us, you accept none of us." Love every single bit of that person, even their flaws. (And whenever there's a bug nearby, she'd happily remove the bug for him, unless she herself is afraid of bugs, too.😛)

For Vil, I 100% ship him with Snow White. Vil, of course, would start off disliking Snow White for being prettier than him. And Snow White, being the sweet, kind little dove she is, would try to befriend him through patient understanding, words of encouragement and little gifts of friendship. Over time, Vil would fall for her charms and any feeling of resentment he had towards her would disappear and feelings of affection would take place.

I also ship Idia with Megara and Malleus with Aurora. Those are just my opinions. Your opinions are great too. I also have a story on Wattpad where these ships take place. It's called: "Twisted Wonderland: Crystal Hearts." I'm sure you'll love it! Enjoy!

These are all great tbh. Honestly there's just a lot of fun in shipping the princess with the variant of her villain counterpart, or the closest thing to her male counterpart. It's part of why I ship Leona and Belle lol. Partly because they're my personal favorites, so obviously they should kiss. But also putting Belle with the residents "beast" prince feels only natural. I refuse to believe she does not have a type. lol.

With Jasmine and Jamil, you can play around with Jamil maybe liking her but not acting on it. Or the fact that before the events of Aladdin, Jasmine had never left the palace walls, and now she's in this situation that is the exact opposite. And because the Scarabia duo feels so familiar to her, she relies on them to help learn about this world. Maybe Jamil respects her, because despite obviously being out of her element, Jasmine is willing to learn and picks things up very fast, so Jamil doesn't have to babysit her. And of course, it has to be said. The Overblot, we can have the Jasmine kisses Jafar scene to distract him, but this time with someone age appropriate that she actually likes.

But yeah, there's a lot of fun combinations to be had here. So much potential.

#twisted wonderland #disney princesses

35 notes · View notes

niragixpsych · 1 year

Note

It didn't take long until 7 PM finally rolled up and it was time for Kukki's big date with her dear Niragi. She'd been looking forward to this all day and she could barely contain her excitement any longer. It was even a miracle that she'd managed to catch some shut eye during the night (or maybe the sleeping pills she eventually took had a merit in this too) and even more so that she could focus on successfully getting some of her University work done, but now she was readier than ever to impress her beloved and make that night as special for him as it was going to be for her. Kukki was determined to build some unforgettable memories and nothing was going to prevent her from doing so!

So with a very eager excitement, Kukki started getting ready right as the clock hit 5 o'clock on the spot, so that she'd have enough time to prepare herself to be and look the best she ever did. After a long shower in which she made sure to use the shower gel and shampoo that had his favorite scent, the silver haired woman then carefully picked out from her wardrobe the outfit she'd been looking forward to wearing, consisting of a beautiful and sexy long, black strapless evening dress with a slit on the side that gave view to her leg and thigh, putting it on and assuring herself that there was no room for any flaws. Finally, she did her hair and make up and added a touch of discrete perfume. For the hairdo, she tied her long locks into an elegant bun so that the raven haired man would have full view of her beautiful neck, to which she adorned a pearl necklace and her usual crystal pendant, and for her make up she went with a natural look that would suit her complexion and a bright red lipstick for some added spice. All that was left now was to wait for her 'prince charming' to come pick her up and take her to whatever he'd prepared for their date tonight.

Niragi had put a lot of thoughts into the date he would take Kukki on, wanting it to be something special and something she would never forget. A friend of his owned a rooftop restaurant and he had managed to have it all for himself and his date for the night. The dark haired wanted her to feel like they were the only two people in the world for the time of their date, wanting them to be in their own little world. He had even made sure they could play some music in case Kukki wanted to dance with him. He wasn't the best at being romantic but he was determined to woe her as much as possible.

He also wasn't usually the type to wear suits, but for this occasions he had gotten himself a new suit. It was black and the tie was a slim one and the whole cut of the suit was rather modern. He had made sure his hair looked nice and he was wearing a good smelling aftershave. And as he made his way over to the place where she lived he was bringing one single dark red rose with him. Once the male had arrived at her apartment complex he made his way over to the front door and knocked on it. And as she opened the door he held out the rose for her to take.

#ask niragi #answer #your sweet cookie #kukki.#niragi interaction #wildcat.

7 notes · View notes

safespaceshapes · 10 months

Text

OC Tag Game!

Tagged by @voidendron! (Thankee :0c)

Uhhhh I... don't know anyone else to tag?? So whoever spots this and wants to do it, consider this your unofficial tag! :3c

I have so many OC AUs and not a single consistent one sssooooo,,,, you may see some familiar faces in different environments owo

NOTE: These lil critters are *my* personal OCs, I'm not sure why I developed an aversion to FCs, so what may technically have been my Oldest OC will not be as such on this list.

I think this means Mumble won't make it... I should make a whole new list for FCs :'>

Aneeways--

Let's-a go!

Favorite OC: Dare

This was a HELLA toughie run between Dare and Burrow, but ultimately, I fantasize about Dare the most. She's got a pretty conflicting moral compass and is always at odds with herself and the world. Plus, it's super fun to imagine her in different scenarios!

Newest OC: Syrup/Nightshade

Syrup's relatively new! She's a catfolk with a knack for taming wild animals. Her story's still all over the place, kind of, but it's being worked on! Mainly fantastical.

Oldest OC: Princess Acacia

What I believe to be my first ever actual OC, Princess Acacia -- daughter of Betula, Queen of the Charmed -- came to be when I was contemplating on a sort of prince and princess swap plotline. Still heavily under works, but when do I never have anything under works? :'>

Meanest OC: Glowstrike

A mysterious villain hidden behind a visor and under a mechanical suit. Sleek, strong, and powerful. Nobody but those that trained and molded them know their true identity.

They've done awful things, but heroes have noticed they've been... holding back? Something's off.

Softest OC: Black Rosen

This boy just wants to try and make the most of his situation involving demons in his suspiciously-cheap-yet-proved-why home. He's non-confrontational in the slightest, looks like a sleep-deprived vampire, but is an absolute sweetheart that cherishes his suspiciously-smart cat and will take in any strays he finds in need of help.

Most Aloof/Standoffish OC: Syrup/Nightshade

During the day, she's Syrup: A young catfolk with no family to call hers. During the night, she's Nightshade: A vigilante-type character with no mercy. She's currently working day and night to find a certain someone. She doesn't trust anyone save for her loyal companions.

Dumbest (Affectionate) OC: Jackie Vera-Alvin

It's gotta be Jackie in any universe. She's just a girl who wants to make friends and sees past the obvious red flags that scream "Stranger Danger! WILL most likely gut you!"

Somehow, things still work out in the end. 🤔

Smartest OC: Coy Paxton

In a world full of superhumans, those that have no superpowers to call their own would mostly live in the support roles. Some end up working office roles, others genuinely enjoy the coziness of local business-owning. Coy, however, began working on his own inventions that could mimic the more 'iconic' powers: flight, invisibility, and speed. (Super strength is a WIP right now). His knack for technology actually got him into the city's hero academy!... But some say it's to keep a closer eye on him...

Horniest OC: Uuuhhhhh

OC You'd Bang: UUUUHHHHH

OC You'd Be Friends With IRL: Kolin/Pup

He's just a timid lil guy!! But such a sweetheart!! Just wants to prove himself!! Plus I remember (cringe) when I was but a smol I wanted to be a shapeshifter as well. Pup's eager to help and while it may take some coaxing to get out of his shell, he's a nice guy you can relax and joke around with!

#OCTag #Tag Game #OC Tag Game #WHEEZE it only took me #what #a month?#Smartest OC was tripping me up #Most of my OCs are DUMDUMS #but I love em #Smooch

2 notes · View notes

princessdreamie · 8 months

Text

DBH part8

Character references: C: Chance, Fa: Fabian (one of C’s friends & an actor from Na’s favorite show), Br: Chatty/Bratty (N's & Ct's Daughter, but bratty fits her way better if you ask me lol)

New Character/s: Mel: Melody (Fa's girlfriend), Cl: Collin (C's personal driver)

Ofc there are other family members as well but i will include them whenever they actually play a bigger part in the story parts. I highlighted the 2 names since there aren’t many colors I Could choose from lol. So that’s why I picked the current most important ones

At the big kid's school

Br saw C's message in the morning. She thought that he was going to apologize to her on a coffee date. She was very pleased with herself, thinking that he had a change of heart. Maybe even resume their relationship as it once was. In other words, him being the nice timid boy she knew, and she could ask for anything if she acts sweet. She would try to take advantage of his 'guilt' to see how sorry he was. Even bragging about it to her friends at their lunch table. Some of her goons asked if she is going to date him. As much as she likes to think of him as a cute boy, he wasn't her type. She was more into his actor friend, Fa. The girls giggled to themselves.

Fi & Br used to date for a short time but the girl broke up with him bc she felt bored after some time dating her childhood friend. Fi felt defeated for quite some time but hasn't stopped trying to get back with her. Which would have become pretty difficult since he was now studying at a school where his parents work nearby. He had to take over their work eventually so thats why he only gets to visit them every once in a while.

Br was considering his confessions but always turns him down every time. But she was promising him that she might be his Gf when they finish school. But since meeting the cool and easygoing Fa, she couldn't pass off this opportunity. Sure, he was working for a kids' show, but he was still one of the most popular boys in school.

If rumors would go around of them dating, her popularity of being N & Ct's daughter would just increase. She learned from her mother that status is one of the biggest rewards they could have aside from finding love. So that's why she was striving to be the new rising star in her circle and find her true prince charming.

A few tables away, C was eating with his pals, goofing around. Fa's phone started to ring and quickly picked up the phone. He started to talk all sweet and nice. Which was not like him when he was around his friends.

The Ferguson boy then remembered that in one episode, his character had a gf. So he began teasing him out of boredom. Fa was astounded that his buddy knew about this character. C eventually admits that he started to watch it after his lil brother begged him to watch the show.

He liked it but it wouldn't be on the top of his recommended watch list anytime soon. The table laughed and the rest began to tease their Actor friend as well.

C mentioned passingly that he used to watch a different kid's show. Ultraman. To which Fa scoffed at him: „That old dinosaur? Please, they have been Competing against us from the start. They realized they were losing their audience to our show, so they try every kind of movie trope in the book to keep the old fans to themselves.“

Thinking back, C was a big fan of the superhero show. But as Fa said, the franchise has been slipping in popularity. Meanwhile, the fantasy adventure was skyrocketing in the media. Some adults seem to enjoy it as well. The demographic stayed for the kids still.

Fa's character was supposed to stay single throughout the show. The producers changed it sometime later after meeting his real partner, Melody (Mel). Being offered a tryout, Mel was unsure of herself from the start. She was a jewelry designer. Not a movie star. But the ppl loved her performance so much that they begged the couple to let her play a character.

It took some time but Mel started to like the atmosphere and the cartoon itself. She usually records her lines at home so that she could still work on her designs. It takes a lot of effort to get her lines just right but she was happy to help her S.O. in any way.

She agreed to keep playing her character if she stayed anonymous. She wanted to be known for her accessories. She hasn't gotten a huge following yet. But her family supports her to reach her goal.

Another boy on their table asked how a C has still not asked anyone out yet. His response was: „If you would have asked 8-year-old me, I would have had a girl in mind. But now I am just trying to get my grates as good as possible.“

Br would have been an easy choice at the beginning, but like all things in life, people change. And after hearing about the breakup between her and Fi, he certainly was glad to be over the small crush that he had for her.

After school ended, C ordered his driver today to get him to the coffee house. While they drove, C and his driver, Collin (Cl), talked over some basic things from today. He was a middle-aged guy with a slim build to go with his resizing hairline. E hired a driver for his son so that he could go anywhere if he needed to. His background was clean and his recommendations coming from his previous clients had the CEO finally let to hire him.

C and Cl got along pretty well, and the man had always some good advice if he was asked.

Finally arriving at their destination, C tells Cl to wait for him to bring him home. As he entered the building he could already see his cousin sitting with an iced coffee, reading something on her phone.

Finally meeting at the table, they went down to business. Disappointingly for the girl, he was NOT talking with her for an apology but to warn her. Advised that the next time he sees her brother or his pal at any event/party they were hosting or attending, he would make sure that they would be alienated by the people around them for anyone's safety.

#chance #dbh #divorced billionaire heiress #eric #eric ferguson #ferguson #billionaire heiress #better ending #alternative ending #altenative

1 note · View note

venusianbbaby · 2 years

Text

Short Basic Observations Part 1 <3

Mostly observations of signs in general !!!

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

1. libras, virgos, and taurus can be the classiest people. would definitely add most cancers here too.

2. sagittarius placements have a natural bad bitch aura i cant explain, i definitely feel like most just have good vibes while some can have more bad vibes depending. my sister is a sag sun and is funny but has many scorpio placements so she can be very very moody also lol

3. ive seen this on another post but sagittarius and THE TOUCHING. they just love to touch people in any way and i can vouch for myself and others on this one.

4. virgos and leos are boujee. they just are.

5. libras do love love. i think thats why they keep going through many relationships that fail. definitely want the fairy-tale ending with the prince charming.

6. most aries i know are loud in general, they are the type to not use their inside voice at all and can be screamers.

7. aquarius is sometimes known for being sociable but you can get the opposite. the sign is usually friendly but distant.

8. capricorns are so hard working that it can drain these individuals, they dont know how to take breaks lol

9. not all taurus obsess over food, just some! i personally know a few that can have eds or have problems with eating.

10. ^ my taurus sister kept getting in the fridge and i told her to stop because she had already eaten multiple things while i was trying to clean the kitchen, she literally cried herself to sleep because of that. so it really does just depend.

11. maddy on euphoria is literally a perfect example of a leo. they can be seen as bitches but they have the biggest hearts and can be so sweet.

12. geminis are known for talking. they are great people to just have hour long conversations with.

13. if you havent noticed, virgos can be naturally critical. i know two people in a relationship with virgo mercuries and one of them said "i really dont need the criticism right now" to the other one, i was just like oop well.

14. do not under any circumstance have a libra placement, myself included, make the decisions. very indecisive. unfortunately, people still make me choose things 😔

pls leave your thoughts if you have any :) thank you for reading

289 notes · View notes

davekat-sucks · 2 years

Note

Why is EriRoxy so good...

Both have an interest in wizards and science, though Eridan would try to deny this. It would be funny and cute to see Roxy playing around with this interest to let him open up. Fakey magic or otherwise. The two are also people who hates being lonely and wants to get closer to others. Eridan tries to fill in his quadrants because it is what his kind must do or they will be killed for it. His advances are often seen as creepy, but it is not often his intention as he plays the role of the highblood that he believed he is meant to be around others. Roxy had been fighting against The Condesce to save the Earth and the Carapacians. Her friends are far away, likely has some complicated relationship with Alpha Mom Rose Lalonde, that she drinks her sorrows away. The two could work each other out to help express these emotions better not only to each other, but also to connect and mend friendships around them. Though Eridan may be haughty, he can at least be direct and honest at what he feels. This could help give Roxy the push to be upfront of how she feels around people like Jane, Dirk, and Jake. Roxy too, could pull the violetblood from his high seahorse to the ground. Show that despite all his talk of killing land dwellers, point out that his hypocrisy that he wouldn't do that in fear of losing his friends that are that type. That land dwellers are not bad. Land and sea could definitely work together. With going against The Condesce in mind too, Eridan could open up his eyes to see that even after taking advantage of the luxurious lifestyle he was born with, the life and customs of Alternia were not as great as he once thought. Pink and violet is also a nice color pallet mix together. The two also got some cool matching scarves. I can see them playing around with that accessory. Two ends of it tie together or forming to shape of a heart are also a cute image. Something about a genki girl next to a brooding grumpy boy is also funny. He would try to act all prince charming to Roxy, but something like him acting like a dork or his suave move gets messed up be something, would just make Roxy tease him and laugh for trying to act all cool. But hey, maybe there is a moment where his actions made him look like a decently nice person that she would be speechless to tell him. Eridan himself would be oblivious to realize that what he did had made her fall for him. Part of me also imagines that once she hears that it was Eridan who destroyed the Matriorb in the first place, which foiled Her Imperious Condesce's plan in the first place to take over the Earth...she would probably high five him and be happy for him that he did what he had to do. I mean, when you think about it, she knew Alpha Mom was fighting against HIC and died for it. Roxy had been taking down her drones after her death. To hear that she has to materialize the same object that would help the enemy, how do you think she would have felt? She barely knows much about the trolls besides The Condesce, who is out to kill her and had killed her mother in that Alpha timeline. How can she truly trust Kanaya with her sister/mother that easily? Maybe that is why she doesn't try to object or stop Jane's genocide of trolls in Homestuck^2, because it is her passive way to get rid of them without doing the dirty work herself.

#EriRoxy #Eridan x Roxy #EridanRoxy #Roxidan #Homestuck #Roxy Lalonde #Eridan Ampora #wwixards #wwizards #Homestuck 2 #Homestuck^2 #HS2 #Homestuck2 #HS^2

26 notes · View notes

gyllenhaalstories · 3 years

Photo

HIGH HORSE — QUENTIN BECK

request: what about fighting with quentin beck for the first time, after he's been all smug and acting like he doesn't care about the reader and him realizing after they leave that he needs them in his life real bad - so he gets off his high horse for once and admits he cares about the reader?

warnings: canon divergent quentin (set in an alternate universe where quentin survived far from home), mentions of janice, guterman and a very out of character victoria, throwback scene (including violence, knives and manipulation), 18+, MINORS DON’T INTERACT.

word count: 1525

gif credit: winterswake

notes: i was listening to dark horse by katy perry, high horse by kacey musgraves, save your tears by the weeknd and the raya soundtrack? weird mix, but it takes what it takes to get the angst juices flowing. thanks for reading, remember to reblog!

“Next time you want to come up with a lame apology, I’d advise against asking Guterman to write it for you.” You finally broke the silence.

Quentin had just dismissed Janice for the next couple of hours, asking her nicely to change some part of his collar. You overheard her say something about knowing how to make the cape even more dramatic, and that was all the sweet talk Quentin needed to soften up and let her do her job without micromanaging.

You would never create a scene in front of Janice, she was sweet as pie. The fact he treated her with more kindness, patience and respect than he treated you made your blood boil. You blamed it on the piling up, the lies and the secrets. Your hands were deep under the water, in the sink. You toyed with your wedding ring, loosened up by the water.

“I don’t want to have this conservation again,” he scoffed.

“Again? You never let me finish it the first time.”

*~*~*

It was Victoria, another of his evil sidekicks, who had broken the news to you. He did not make it. His plan backfired, some kid had shot him.

You don’t remember much from this day, aside from Quentin insisting you did not follow them to London. Aside from Quentin renting a beautiful villa in Greece, where you were at that very moment. Aside from Quentin’s last promise to meet with you, after he shook the Queen’s hand of course.

You were so hopeful, you wanted nothing more than to see his pretty face. Instead, when you ran to open the door, it was Victoria who gave you one of her compassionate smiles. She was as great a liar as Quentin, as you. You could see right through her, although Quentin refused to believe that she was as twisted as him.

“They won.” She had told you, twisting the blade in the wound. It was just a game for her, for all of them. Except, for you, it was not. It was the life of your husband that was at risk (that part out of his origin story was true, it was the part both Hill and Fury fell for), the life of millions of innocent people who ignored just how far he would go to make his own dreams come true. “He fought like a King, it’s truly unfortunate he had to die a martyr.”

You squinted, taking in Victoria’s features. Her smile was turning into an evil smirk. She had one hand on your shoulder, the other one behind her back and before she could move any further, you shoved her against the wall. You saw a knife sliding on the tiles of the villa’s foyer, you rushed to grab it and point it towards her while you walked backwards, hoping the reach the balcony.

“You made him weak. He lost focus. We would be the masters of the world if you did not walk into his life and ruined everything for us. He was just a pawn for all of us, well, all except Janice.” She escaped her villainesque speech to roll her eyes, facepalming herself at the desperation of Janice to always check up on everybody and take care of everyone. Janice had loved you since the beginning, and it rubbed Victoria the wrong way.

Your back reached the railing of the balcony and you looked over your shoulder. You took a deep breath, your knuckles turning white from your grip on the knife. “I understand you, Vicky.”

The brunette frowned, snapped back to reality.

“He’s the charming type, isn’t he?” You noticed her repress a wave of laughter. “He sweeps you up, promises you to fly on a magic carpet and to show you a whole new world. You always wonder... Does he mean it this time? Is he being honest? Or is he smarter than we think?”

Her traits appeared softer.

"You say he’s a pawn, I say he’s the rook, except his ego gets in the way of the Queen. He’s quick and witty, though, can’t take that away from him. And next thing you know... He pulled out a checkmate behind your back.” You walked towards her, still the knife in hand. “I understand you can’t always get what you want, even if that’s all your heart desires.” You walked around her, so that she was now the one aiming towards the balcony.

“He doesn’t deserve you.” Victoria said. “I could have given you the whole world.”

Your jaw clenched. You stepped even closer, so you could feel her breath on her skin. “Too bad I want the whole universe.”

With one swift movement, you pushed her off the railings and watched her as she fell practically in slow motion. You shook your head, deciding to deal with this turn of event later and rushed out of the villa. You could take the car she drove to the house with, and see for yourself if Quentin was the idiot they all believed he was. Dead because of a kid who’s obsessed with spiders? What was next, he would have consented to let Tony name his technology BARF? You knew him better than that. You knew him better than he knew himself.

By the time you reached the door, you heard the splashing sound of Victoria falling in the infinity pool, down there in the courtyard and let out a sigh. The knife, you left it on the bench and let your adrenaline guide you to your final destination.

*~*~*

“I was terrified. I was sick. I was losing hope.”

He looked in your direction, swallowing thickly.

“I waited months to see you, Quentin. To find you.” You washed another dirty glass, paying attention to the noise of his heavy costume squeaking and dragging on the floor while he approached you. You shook your head, and he listened, taking a seat by the kitchen island. “You left without hesitation. You left me without any hesitation.”

“I didn’t leave you.”

You chuckled and turned around, soap dish foam flying around as you spinned on your heels. “Oh, really? Then how come you didn’t even text me where you were hiding? How come you ignored all of my calls? How come you made Janice lie to me? Why were you avoiding me?” You dried your hands with a towel and approached him. “Why were you not searching for me all these months?”

These months he wasted trying to hide from everything, to play dead so that his plan would work out. These months he wasted putting his mission before his emotions first. These months he wasted waiting for the phone to stop ringing while you called him. These months he wasted stepping on his own pride and searching for help, for shelter, which he found in some abandoned head quarters of Stark industries that Tony and him used to build BARF years ago. The months he wasted trying to fix the broken pieces so you could see him as a hero again.

“I know I promised to be there for you through thick and thin, but some promises are meant to be broken.” Your voice cracked and words got stuck in your throat. The sight of his costume disgusted you, but the pain in his eyes made your heart skip a beat.

“I love you.”

You forgot what these three words sounded like when he spoke them.

“I love you so much. More than this,” his arms gestured to show his costume, then moved around his head, meaning something bigger than the two of you. “All of this. It took me all this time to realize it.”

Checkmate.

“You deserve so much better. You deserve safety. You deserve comfort. You deserve to go out and not wonder if there’s a witch hunt trying to take you down.” He did not dry the single tear that was falling from his eye. “You deserve that stupid married life we always made fun of. The wine, the cardigans, the annoying kids running around. The only spider you should worry about is the one creeping on our ceiling.”

He was wrapping his arms around your waist, you helped him tighten his embrace.

“I’m sorry, for all the pain and danger I put you through.” You knew it came from his heart, and not from one of his rehearsed scenarios and speeches. “I’m sorry I failed you. You need a prince charming on a white horse and I’m just the royal buffoon.”

You chuckled, the sight alone lit up his whole face. “What I need is for you to get down your high horse. Go out, get some sun. Maybe you could shave, wear a cap and sunglasses. No one will recognize you, that’s how it works when you’re an undercover hero, right?”

“I don’t want to play the hero anymore.”

“Then, stop. Use those fish bowls you wear on your head to adopt gold fishes. Use the cape as a carpet. Kill Mysterio so that Quentin can live.”

He leaned against your hand, which was stroking his cheek.

“So that I can live with my Quentin again.”

#quentin beck imagine #quentin beck x reader #jake gyllenhaal imagine #jake gyllenhaal x reader #jake gyllenhaal angst #jake gyllenhaal #quentin beck

193 notes · View notes