#and then for ‘doing the expected’ and ‘saving his majesty as if that wasn’t what he’s suppose to do’ so ‘why should he be rewarded for it’

[arzuera]

Danny thought his most bizarre experience is being summoned by cultists as the Ghost King. Turns out his current predicament beats it by flying colors as he is currently bound as sacrifice for his own summoning circle.

He knew that his luck was bad but he didn’t think that it would be THIS bad. Dozens of cultists circled the raised ritual table and he was beginning to wonder if there would be an opportunity to free himself or not. Was it possible to die in his own summoning circle? Or would it just create some sort of endless paradox of life and death as he arose in his ghost form only to be sacrificed in his human one? This was something that had never been encountered before. There was no one to ask. Clockwork might know the outcome but unless it horrendously affected the time stream, odds are the ancient wasn’t going to interfere. So that left Danny with only one option. He had to get out of this himself.

But how was he going to do that without outing his alternate identity?

Just as he was pondering on using some of his ghostliness to freeze everyone in place, there was a loud explosion that shook the entire room. Several of the cultists scattered but the core ones remained in their spots so that the ritual wasn’t broken. The circle had begun to glow an ominous green as the ritual began to enter its beginning stages. Shouts and flashing lights followed as the newcomers stormed their way up the stairs toward the summoning. Danny sighed to himself in relief.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to do anything after all.

“Alright, you bloody show ponies. Step away from the circle and no one gets… Oh, bloody hell.” A familiar blonde man in a trench coat knocked anyone who tried to stop him out of his way. Only to stop when he saw the circle and the sacrifice who rested upon it. “Don’t you think this is a bit much? If you wanted to get my attention you have my fucking cellphone number for Christ's sake.”

Danny gave the man a wicked grin. His eyes lit up at the newest arrival. “But you know I have a flair for the dramatics, Constantine. Someone has to shake things up once in a while.” This was too good. The halfa flopped his head back against the table and wiggled in his restraints. “Please, save me! I am just a poor innocent young lad about to have his life cut short too soon to bring upon the end of the world.”

Constantine rolled his eyes at the theatrics. “Only one of those things is true and here I was calling these guys the show ponies. Hang on, your majesty. I’ll get you out in a minute.”

“Your majesty?” One of the cultists in the circle looked at the magician as he spoke. Only to be blasted off the circle by a fireball.

“Yep. I was told someone was trying to do something stupid and when I get here I find that they are trying to sacrifice someone stupid.” The magician sent several more of the cultists sprawling out of their positions with the lights of the summoning circle began to dim. “How did this even happen?!”

Danny hummed to himself as lights of magic flashed around him with the screams of cultists following soon after. “Well, it’s kind of a funny story actually. You see I was on a field trip to one of those ancient catacombs… you know… the ones where they have the bodies in the mass graves under the city?”

Another cultist was knocked out of place and the circle’s power diminished further. “Yeah, the Catacombs de Paris? Didn’t know that they did field trips to places like that.” Constantine walked up to Danny and waved his hand over the restraints. The ropes loosened and the teen sat up rubbing the spots where the skin was rubbed raw.

“Yeah, that place! And what did you expect from a school trip for Amity Park students? Our town is literally a portal to hell at this point. Why not see what other creepy places have to offer? We gotta broaden our horizons somehow.” Danny said and wiggled his toes. He ducked his head when a cultist went to grab him and Constantine sent another fireball sending them flying.

“Okay, and how does that lead you to become a sacrifice for your own circle?” Constantine asked once the last cultist was no longer within earshot. He grabbed the kid and started chanting a teleportation spell to get them to a nearby safe haven.

Danny allowed himself to rag doll in the adult's grip with a chuckle. “Oh! Well, apparently I give off a massive death aura when I come into contact with sites that contain a lot of death and tragedy. Some of the culty guys here were able to pick up on that and long story short… I’m posing pretty for you on a cool Gothic table.”

With a brilliant flash of light, the two were transported to the roof of a nearby hotel. Constantine released the boy, who fell to the ground with an ‘uff’, to pull out a cigarette and take a long drag from it. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you if they had succeeded?”

“Honestly? No. In all of the Infinite Realm's history, there has never been a halfa as king. So there has never been an instance of mistaken identity like this before. However, thanks for the save. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of that without revealing who I was and it’s not like I could kill them.” Danny gave a small smile as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. That was a lie. He could kill them easily. But that was a line that he wouldn’t cross if he couldn’t help it.

Constantine remained quiet for a moment. Just allowing himself to finish his cigarette before speaking again. “So do you need me to bring you back to your class or…?”

“Oh no! No no! I don’t think the teachers even noticed I’m gone. So I’ll just pop back into my hotel room.” Twin rings of light washed over Danny as he spoke and he gave the magician a bright smile. “And don’t worry, now that I know this can happen, I’ll have a plan to escape for next time. C’ya later, Constantine!” Turning invisible, Phantom flew off using the GPS in his phone to take him back to his hotel.

Sam and Tuck were going to be so mad about this.

#dp x dc #danny phantom crossover #danny phantom #john constantine #ask game

[secretwhumplair]

Rescue

1,147 words | Heir apparent

Content | Captivity, kidnapping, exhaustion, broken bones, whumper turned caretaker, past parental abuse, implied: beating, whipping, sleep deprivation

Notes | New series! How exciting! Meet an unfortunate kidnapped princeling and their shitty sorcerer parent!

(To be clear, they're shitty at parenting. They are VERY GOOD at sorcery.)

It had been days of a never-ending nightmare.

Sharru had barely hoped for his parent to come save him in any sort of a hurry to begin with, and with every hour, every blow, what hope he had faded further. It was his own fault, they would think, for being so weak and foolish as to be taken. It would do him good to learn a lesson at the hands of his captors.

His kidnappers had told him they had given their demands, but even they knew. »How long do you think their Majesty is going to leave you to us?« they’d laugh, clearly thrilled to have the son of their beloathed ruler at their mercy. »Best not waste our time together, huh?«

And they certainly didn’t.

He had at first tried to hold himself together, be as dignified as the heir apparent was expected to be, but that mask fell all too soon. He was used to pain, but not like this.

He was so exhausted - he could not even tell whether from sleep deprivation or pain - his head wasn’t working right, at any rate, so that he couldn’t figure out what it was that finally drew them away, he could only whimper in minimal relief. If only they hadn’t left him chained up to the walls by his wrists, his back bleeding from the last whipping.

There were screams, but they weren’t his screams, for once.

It didn’t last long. Someone entered the cell, and he knew his reprieve had come to an end. He couldn’t even be bothered to look up, he just attempted one more useless »Please…«, unsure if it was audible at all.

But no - he recognized that step.

He was sure who it was when he felt the pulse of heat of his parent’s magic at his wrists. The manacles fell away as if he hadn’t already tried everything to make them. He had never been able to reproduce the magic that flowed so amply through their veins, just one of the many ways in which he was a disappointment.

He collapsed.

He didn’t expect to be caught; he never had been. If anything, he would be punished for being so weak - so stupid as to be kidnapped, so helpless as not to escape, so weak as to now collapse at their feet.

Yet somehow - somehow - a pair of warm arms closed around him and prevented him from hitting the ground. His body screamed out in pain regardless.

Crying wasn’t allowed either, but he couldn’t help it, and what difference would it make now that they’d seen what had become of him?

* It had been over twenty years since Taba had held their son, before he learned how to walk.

They hadn’t expected to do it now, despite everything. They hadn’t - they shouldn’t go soft on him. But then, and they were still reeling with the violence of the realization, it hadn’t done much to protect him, in the end.

And he certainly couldn’t walk now.

There were many things they hadn’t expected. They hadn’t expected the sheer magnitude of the terror that washed through them when they heard their son was gone. They hadn’t expected the irresistible force of rage when they were sent the demands.

It took eight days to find and reach him, accompanied by their bodyguard.

They had exhausted most of their magic in the fight, but there was enough left to set this place on fire-

But no.

They would need it to heal their son.

Their precious little son now lying in their arms.

They had always found him frail, but they- they had never-

They had told themself they were teaching him to protect himself.

They had, they realized, taught him nothing.

They lifted him up into a bridal carry, getting a pained whimper in return; his back was a bloody mess, and that wasn’t half of it. He was crying. They had often forbidden him to cry, and always he would eventually fail.

They hoped he knew he wouldn’t be punished this time.

»Round up all that are still alive,« they ordered the nearest guard on the way out. »And then burn this whole place down.«

* In the state Sharru was in, he had barely managed to comprehend that it was, in fact, his parent carrying him before he was set down.

Of course he hadn’t expected it to last; he was more bewildered it had happened at all, that he hadn’t been made to crawl out after them - a valuable lesson - or at least carried by some random guard. Maybe they wanted to make sure his shredded back, his cracked ribs ached exactly the way they wanted.

Despite all this, he couldn’t help himself. It was ridiculous, and he would likely be punished for such a blatant display of weakness, and he didn’t want it to be them, he wanted it to be someone who actually cared about him - but he nuzzled into their arm, weeping into the fabric of their shirt.

But of course, he was set down soon enough. He tried to pull himself together, to get his wits about him, like he should.

If only he wasn’t so exhausted. His eyes were burning as he tried to focus on his parent, sitting right next to him, doubtlessly disappointed beyond measure, as usual. They were in one of the army tents. With what strength he had, he tried to push himself up, half because he was supposed to, wasn’t he, half to keep his weight off his back. »I’m sorry-«

Their hand caught his shoulder and easily pushed him down. »Stop. Rest.«

He couldn’t hold back a whine, or more tears rising to his eyes. The salty liquid seeped into the cut one of them had drawn across his cheek, burning worse. There was no point in arguing, so he laid back and tried to ignore the pain, all the pain, and give in to the exhaustion and just finally sleep.

He couldn’t. They took his hand and - most of his fingers had been broken under the cruel heel of a boot - he only didn’t wail because he hadn’t the strength any more - it hurt.

Then he felt the familiar sting of heat again. Not enough to burn him or even really hurt, but only just. It took him a moment before he realized - they were healing him.

He had never gotten more magical healing than what was necessary. His parent believed there was a lesson in suffering from the consequences of one’s mistakes.

So this could only mean - oh, no. Please, no. He would be expected to resume his duties as heir at once.

He couldn’t. He couldn’t.

But he couldn’t argue. He couldn’t even beg - it hadn’t worked on his captors, and his parent would despise it. He could only lie back, bleeding and hurting, and quietly weep.

#whump #whump writing #captivity #parental abuse #whumper turned caretaker #royal whump #my writing #heir apparent #sharru #taba #taba how is he supposed to know that #as always there will be a happy ending and in this case it *will* involve sharru getting (mostly) away from taba #... eventually

[nyoomfruits]

For the kiss thingy again....... the mctwinks 36 ....!

i uh. went a bit rogue with this one and now it's like. 1,4k of really weird medieval crack fic i guess??? but uh. it has a dragon! so.

36. kiss to give up control

The throne room hadn’t changed much since he’d last seen it, Lando mussed, as the guards led them through the big wooden doors. The curtains along the walls were still the same gross green color, the chandelier on the ceiling still had a broken chain, making it ever so slightly crooked, and the carpet leading up to the throne was still fraying at the edges. Maybe even more so.

The throne had gotten a new coat of paint, at least. But the king sitting on it had hardly changed anything at all. He was watching Lando with a carefully neutral expression on his face, much unlike the noblemen gathered at the edges of the room, who were looking at Lando, and subsequently Oscar, with clear disdain in his eyes.

Lando figured it had probably something to do with the fact they were absolutely covered in dirt and muck, and were trailing a steady trail of mud behind them.

“Your Majesty,” Oscar says, when they finally reach the front of the throne room, bowing deeply. He looked relaxed, at ease, but Lando knew him better, now. Could see the tight way he was holding his shoulders, the way his fingers twitched ever so slightly. He wanted to reach out so badly, run his fingers over Oscar’s back, pull him in for a hug, tell him it was all going to be okay.

But now was not the time, or the place.

“Dad,” Lando says, doing a little mock salute, and the king rolls his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching up ever so slightly.

“When my scouts returned with news of your freedom, I didn’t quite believe it. Especially not when I then did not hear anything for months. I am glad to see you are well, son,” he says, nodding at Lando.

Lando nods back, and feels. Well, he’s not sure what he expected, perse. Maybe a little more enthusiasm. A tear would be nice. Maybe even a hug. He had been locked in a tower for the past five years, after all. But he should’ve known better. His father had never really been a caring man. Especially not since Lando wasn’t the successor to the throne.

“Sir Piastri,” the King addresses Oscar, “I want to-“

Oscar clears his throat. “Just Oscar, Your Majesty.”

The King looks surprised. “Excuse me?”

“Just Oscar,” Oscar repeats, fidgeting with his hands a little. “I am not a knight.”

“Oh,” the King said, frowning. “Duke, then? Earl? Baron? Lord?”

Oscar shrugs a little helplessly. “Really just Oscar, Your Majesty. I uh. I’m a Blacksmith, so. Those generally don’t have titles.”

“He does have a sick ass hammer,” Lando pipes up. By the look his father gives him he concludes it’s probably not helpful.

“But you are the man who saved my son from his entrapment in a tower guarded by an evil dragon, right?” The King asks, looking at Oscar a little suspiciously.

“Uh, sort of, I guess,” Oscar says, shrugging a little bashfully.

“What do you mean, sort of?” The King asks, and he’s starting to look pretty exasperated.

“Well, first of all, the dragon wasn’t evil. She was quite nice actually. Turns out she was just really lonely. Managed to convince her to let Lando go by giving her one of the swords I’d made. She was very excited. Told me she was going to use it to impress the other dragons, try and make some friends and all that,” Oscar explains, looking a little sheepish.

The King looks a little baffled. “You traded my son… for a sword?”

“It was a very pretty sword,” Lando pipes in. “With like. Emeralds and stuff. Was almost a little jealous of the dragon, really.”

Oscar rolls his eyes. “I told you, I will make you another sword when I get back to my workshop.”

Lando beams. “With emeralds and stuff?”

Oscar looks at him, and a bit of the tension has fallen of his shoulders, there’s little crinkly smile lines by his eyes, and Lando has to suppress the insane urge to like. Kiss his nose. “With emeralds and stuff.”

The king clears his throat, shaking them out of their little bubble. “Send it to the castle when you do, Mr… Oscar.” He says, eying Oscar a little unsurely. “I will make sure it gets to prince Lando.”

“Oh,” Oscar says. “Yes, sure. Of course, Your Majesty,” he does a jerky little bow as he says it, and the tension in his shoulders comes back in full force. He’s very purposely not looking at Lando, instead focusing somewhere on a spot right above the king’s shoulder.

Lando frowns. “Dad, I was thinking, uh, maybe I could go with him? To his workshop, I mean. For a while. Preferably like, a long while. ”

The king raises an eyebrow. “Why?” He asks, confused.

Lando glances at Oscar, who still isn’t looking at him, but who’s shoulder have moved back down an inch again. He thinks back to the first time he saw Oscar, in the door opening of his little tower room, bathed in the light coming through the tiny little window. Remembers the soft smile on his face, the warmth in his eyes as he said. “Prince Lando. Let’s get you home, yeah?”

Home, back then, had meant the exact castle they are standing in right now. But things had changed, over the two months it took them to get here. Home became a person, instead of a place. Home became calloused hands that wiped Lando’s tears, treated his wounds, that one time they got ambushed by savages and Lando got stabbed.

Home became two arms that held him on cold nights, when making a fire was too dangerous and the only way to keep warm was to cuddle close. Home became a mouth that twitched up into a smile every time Lando said something stupid, a mouth that had kissed him for the first time not even two days ago, when Lando had nearly lost his life to a particularly persistent mountain troll.

Home became two eyes that were currently still fixed on the spot just above the king’s shoulder, but that were usually looking at Lando with so much love Lando occasionally felt like he was going to explode from the intensity of it.

“We fell in love,” Lando says, simply, grabbing Oscar’s hand as he says so, letting the rough feeling of his fingers ground him.

The king pinches the bridge of his nose. “Lando,” he says, voice exasperated. “You know you can’t go with him. You can’t marry a commoner,” he says the word like it’s something dirty. “You would have to give up everything. Your life, your place in the castle. Your title.”

“Okay,” Lando says.

“What?” The king says. It’s a word he seems to be repeating a lot today. Lando almost feels a little bad for him.

“Okay,” Lando says. “I can do that.”

“But,” The king frowns. “You would just give up your family like that?”

Lando suppresses the urge to snort. His family left him stuck in a tower with a dragon for five years. He used to dream, up there, that his brother would come bursting to the door to rescue him. Or his sister. His father. None of them ever did. He’s not sure he’s the one doing the giving up, all things considered. After all, they gave up on him, first.

“Yup,” he says, popping the p.

The king’s frown deepens, and he rubs his hand over his mouth. “Are you sure?”

Lando glances at Oscar again, who’s looking back at him now.

Oscar, who actually showed up for him, negotiating with the dragon and bursting through the door of Lando’s stupid tower room. Oscar, who kept showing up for him time and time again, after. Oscar, who is looking at him with an almost surprised, slightly starstruck look, like he can’t quite believe Lando is choosing him despite everything they went through.

Lando tightens his grip on Oscar’s hands and lifts it to his face, presses his lips against Oscar’s fingers, which are rough and callused and will hold Lando like he’s something precious. Oscar’s eyes never leave his face, and Lando slowly lowers their hands again, before turning back to his father.

“Yeah,” he says, trying not to sound too giddy about it all. “I am.”

#landoscar #mcwtinks #twinklaren #absolutely no period accurate speech whatsoever #or anything period accurate actually #truly dont even know which period this is supposed to be #drabble #what even IS this

[anonymousewrites]

One Hell of a Love (Book 1) Chapter Fifteen

Sebastian Michaelis x Demon! Reader

Chapter Fifteen: One Hell of a Curry

Summary: (Y/N) and Sebastian find humans infected by hate and a strange butler to the Queen.

            “Thank you for waiting!” said the announcer to the crowd of spectators at the Curry Festival. Soma, Ciel, Lau, (Y/N), and the rest of the Phantomhive servants stood in the front row as they watched Sebastian and the other chefs come onstage to create their curries. “Welcome to the Curry Festival for the pride of London’s curry shops!” The judges waved.

            And there was Viscount Druitt, yet again. Quite the pest.

            “Oh, he’s here again,” observed Lau.

            “The show off,” said Ciel.

            (Y/N)’s nose twitched in irritation.

            “Well, then let us begin coo—!” The announcer was interrupted by trumpet fare.

            A long red carpet was rolled out, and the crowd parted. Ciel’s eyes widened as he saw a veiled woman in black beside a butler dressed in white.

            “Her Majesty,” he said.

            “England’s Mother, our beloved Queen Victoria, has graced up with her presence!” said the announcer, bowing with the rest of the people.

            “God save our gracious Queen!” declared Druitt as the Queen walked down the aisle. Her butler escorted her as the people sang “God Save the Queen.”

            As the Queen and butler passed (Y/N), the butler glanced down at them, and violet eyes met (E/C). Instantly, (Y/N)’s eyes narrowed. Their instincts were on edge the moment he looked at them. It was over in a moment, though, and the Queen sat on a makeshift throne overlooking the room.

            “Her Majesty declares, ‘We have not seen you in some time and are sorry to have concerned you. However, our constitution has improved remarkably, and now we are even able to come and sample curry. We wish everyone well and hold great expectations for this food that my late husband loved so much,’ ” said the butler.

            The crowd applauded wildly.

            “Well then, to the cuisine!” declared the announcer.

            The people watched in admiration as the cooks began working, adding spices and flavoring to their curries, delicious aromas mixing in the air around them. Agni and Sebastian were already miles above the other competitors in terms of skill, showing their abilities with their usual gracefulness. Agni’s right hand moved with its own mind, adding spices without even having to consider the taste. He knew it by heart. However, Sebastian wasn’t to be outdone, and the aroma of his curry was as delicious as Agni’s. And then…

            “Hey! What is he doing?” cried one man in the crowd.

            The crowd’s eyes widened, and murmurs ran through the crowd as Sebastian placed bits of chocolate in the curry, just as he told (Y/N) he would. West and several other were quite skeptical and derisive, but (Y/N) could see Agni’s eyes widen. He knew that the taste could work if done right.

            “How did you, an Englishman, ever come up with such an idea?” said Agni.

            “It was by my Master’s order,” said Sebastian.

            (Y/N) grinned playfully as Ciel’s eye twitched.

            “As long as my Master gives an order, I will make it happen, no matter what it may be,” said Sebastian. He smirked. “After all, I am one hell of a butler.”

            “He has a way with words,” remarked Lau.

            “Is that supposed to be sarcasm?” said Ciel.

            “He certainly likes to play with his words,” said (Y/N), amused. “How dramatically vague he is.” Sebastian smirked at them from on stage, and (Y/N) rolled their eyes fondly.

            Agni’s eyes widened as he saw them interact. To him, he saw Sebastian having someone to cook for. And him…Soma was nowhere in the crowd. Agni was alone. He shook his head and focused, picking up a basket with his next ingredient.

            “A blue lobster!” gasped Druitt. “The legendary lobster said to live only off the coast of Brittany. The deep cerulean that even compares favorably to Chartres Cathedral! Wrapped in its delicate, colorful shell, it’s just like a fine lady in a blue dress.” Somehow, Druitt had a blue lobster hat on his head. “Hidden underneath that dress is a delicate sweetness of the highest quality, said to lead people to delirium!”

            “As you can see, that is the highest quality ingredient for a curry,” said West in condescending satisfaction. “It is not merely some cheap little additive.”

            But even as Agni worked furiously to prepare the lobster, Sebastian calmly continued cooking. He would not be shaken. So through the entire countdown, he worked gracefully until time was called.

            “Time’s up! Now the judging with commence!” declared the announcer. “First up is the Persian Tub’s Beef Curry.”

            “There are large pieces of beef generously mixed in,” observed one judge.

            “Flavors are rather balanced, if a bit missing proper kick,” said another.

            “Rather unappealing,” sighed Druitt.

            “Next up, Doll Company!” said the announcer.

            “This is your own home spice, isn’t it?” asked Druitt as he tasted the curry.

            “Y-Yes,” stammered the nervous chef, and (Y/N) raised an eyebrow at the obviously lying man.

            “What is it? One thing alone stands out, producing an amazing fragrance,” said Druitt.

            “But the overall balance is poor, and it’s overpowered by the fragrance,” said a judge.

            “Well, I’ll give you points for trying,” said Druitt.

            “Next up is Chef Agni from the Harold West estate,” declared the announcer.

            “May I present my curry,” said Agni, taking the lid of his tray off. “Lobster and a seven flavored sauce.”

            (Y/N) blinked. He had made seven flavors to be served with the blue lobster. Now that was a feat.

            “What amazing brightness!” cried one judge. “D-Delicious! The tender meat spreads a delicate sweetness throughout your mouth the moment you bite into it.”

            “Moreover, with a seven-flavored curry, each flavor blends harmoniously with the blue lobster,” exclaimed another judge.

            “Ah!” Druitt was damn near moaning. “This is…The graceful beauty I met at the ball. Like seven jewels adorning your overwhelming elegance. A heart-shaped, golden brooch, a sapphire and pearl bracelet, a garnet necklace, a cameo cut pin, and on your fingers a diamond and emerald ring! All of them bring out your beauty even more! I had my heart stolen by you!”

            The crowd gasped in amazement at his analysis. (Y/N) was just glad he wasn’t referencing them again.

            “Such high class!” cried the announcer. “Will the winner be decided just like that, or will we see an even better appraisal? Our final contestant is the Funtom Company!”

            “I humbly present my curry,” said Sebastian, taking the lid of his tray. Three balls of a doughy substance were revealed within.

            “Are you toying with us?” huffed a judge.

            Sebastian just smiled as he took tongs and dipped the dough balls into a frying pan and allowed the outsides to turn crisp.

            “He’s frying it?!” cried the judges. Whispers started up in the crowd.

            Leave it to Sebastian to get people talking. Still, when Sebastian glanced up at them in the crowd, they had nothing but pure support for whatever the hell his plan was resting in their eyes.

            “It is complete. This is our company’s curry,” said Sebastian, placing the fried dough (with hopefully curry somewhere) on the judge’s plates.

            “And I’m saying, where is that curry?” demanded a judge.

            “Wait just this second, this is—!” Druitt’s eyes widened as he cut into the dough. Curry, aromatic and beautiful, spilled out from within the fried dough. “From the inside, the curry is—!”

            “This is the curry that our company proudly presents,” said Sebastian. “It is called a Curry Bun!”

            The judge’s eyes widened as he tasted the dough and curry. “This is-This is delicious! The fried bread’s crunchy and fluffy crust creates a superb gradation together with the thick curry, which is perfectly formed!”

            “What’s more impressive than anything else is the architecture that keeps in the taste and fragrance of the curry,” said another judge. “The moment you pierce it with a knife, it is all released!”

            Druitt gasped as he tasted it, a blush appearing on his cheeks. He was rearing up for another poetry session. “This is the alluring person I met at the soiree! By day, a beauty wrapped in raven wings, smiling and elegant as the birds, but by night, the true face is revealed, and the teasing raven is wrapped in darkness of sinful perfection!”

            (Y/N) had really spoken too soon about nothing being about them.

            “I want to embrace you!” cried Druitt to his fantasy. “And yet you are always one step out of reach!”

            He needs help, thought (Y/N). They deadpanned as Sebastian raised a teasing eyebrow in their direction.

            “Once again, what is this high praise?” said the announcer. “Has the victor become less certain? Now we shall allow the judges time to deliberate on their verdict! During that time, everyone, please help yourself to whichever curry suits you.”

            People were instantly heading to the buffet tables to try the delicious curries. Most ate either Agni or Sebastian’s creations, but people still tried the other two companies’ curries out of curiosity.

            “Oh, yes, the Queen didn’t try any,” remarked Lau. “Isn’t she going to judge?”

            “She probably isn’t judging out of consideration for her health,” said Ciel. “However, there is a possibility she will try a curry she is interested in. Depending on that, the judges’ impressions will change. The bestowal of the Royal Warrant is down to Her Majesty.”

            “Well, well, well,” said (Y/N), smirking. “Look who’s being approached.”

            Ciel’s head snapped to the stage. The Queen’s butler had approached Sebastian and spoke to him. The crowd murmured as Sebastian bowed and gave a plate with a curry bun to the butler to give to Her Majesty. There was silence as she took a bite.

            “Her Majesty declares, ‘A good that is easy for even children to eat, requiring neither knife nor fork, fulfilling both the rich and the poor, allowing both children and adults to partake of it equally is commensurate with my goal of creating a kind and pure country,’ ” said the butler. “Treasuring children and the future, this kind stance moves Her Majesty greatly.

            “Don’t make me sick!” cried a woman’s voice angrily, cutting through the respectful silence. An Indian woman ((Y/N) surmised it must be Mina since Agni’s eyes widened as she spoke) stood, glowing with malevolence. “That’s too sugary. Equality? The future? For this bountiful country, where there are no hardships, what a pretentious queen!”

            “Mina, stop at once!” said West. “You’re in Her Majesty’s presence!”

            “Get lost!” Mina elbowed him, and West went flying back from her empowered strength.

            “Restrain her!” said a constable.

            “Shut up! Curry is rough and spicy!” declared Mina as she easily fought off the policemen.

            “Ah!” cried Druitt as he watched. “With her flowing legs carrying her and her inviting hip pose…She is truly like the Kali statue!” He was giggling happily until a constable was thrown on top of him.

            “He and Grell should meet one another,” murmured (Y/N) as they readied for a fight. Around them, more people were beginning to glow with malevolent power and try to force their way towards the Queen.

            (Y/N) and Ciel moved towards the dais, but several men blocked their way. “They smell…They smell of hatred and desire!” All the infected people turned towards them.

            (Y/N) raised an eyebrow. So, they can smell demons and contracts…Interesting.

            “The stench of filth,” spat a man.

            (Y/N) chuckled darkly. “Filth? Darling, I am sublime.” They took the man’s arm and threw him into another few of the infected.

            Sebastian leapt into the crowd with a ladle and fought off several people going for his master and (Y/N). “Are you trying to become like Asura, the one who faced Kali?”

            “I’m not a demon who’s going to get killed,” scoffed (Y/N). “I intend to rewrite the legend. Join me?”

            “With pleasure,” said Sebastian.

            “Stop messing around and stop that Kali,” ordered Ciel, eyebrow twitching at the demons’ dramatics.

            “Yes, my Lord,” said Sebastian, and he and (Y/N) jumped into action.

            Mina was ferocious as she attacked, moving so quickly she truly did seem to have four arms. (Y/N) and Sebastian matched her, though. She was still but a mortal. The rest of the infected continued attacking people until Agni, reunited with his prince, began defending the people scrambling to escape.

            “I shall support you!” said Agni.

            “You have become even more powerful. Has something happened?” said (Y/N).

            “Yes. Right now, I’m invincible!” said Agni.

            “Excellent,” said (Y/N).

            “Yes, yes, let’s finish this, now,” said Sebastian, interrupting Agni and (Y/N) speaking.

            The three attacked the approaching infected before they reached the Queen. Ciel, the Queen’s butler, and the Queen watched.

            “You have most splendid servants, do you not?” remarked the butler. “It seems there will be no need for me to make an appearance. But do you not think this peculiar? If that was the power of the spice, then why is it that just one group of people was affected? If that were the case, there should be many more going out of control.” His gaze darkened. “After all, there is no one in this world who is truly at peace with themselves.”

            Ciel made the connection with the curries at the precise moment Mina broke past Agni, Sebastian, and (Y/N) as they fought off the other humans. She ran at the dais angrily, shouting at the world.

            “Wait, Mina!” Soma threw himself in front.

            “The idiot!” cried Ciel.

            Agni’s eyes widened.

            Mina slipped on a piece of blue lobster and crashed to the floor. Very anticlimactic.

            “Forgive me, Mina!” said Soma, pressing a foot down on her back.

            “Sebastian, (Y/N)! The curry buns!” shouted Ciel. “Make them eat the curry buns!”

            “Understood,” said Sebastian, picking up a platter. “A kind curry created by a demon.” He tossed several curry buns into infected people’s mouths, and (Y/N) joined him with precision.

            How absolutely like him. A completely ironic joke, though Ciel. However, if he has decided to imbue it with kindness, then its power is perfect.

            As the infected people were forced to eat the curry bun and taste the sweetness and “kindness” of it, the malevolent aura faded, and they were left looking confused at their own actions.

            “M-Mina?” asked Soma.

            “Soma? You really are the worst…” she said in quiet disappointment before falling unconscious.

            “Her Majesty declares, ‘The kind curry bun is able to subdue evil spice and appease the soul of those in the grip of evil. The Royal Warrant’s destination is clear,’ ” said the Queen’s butler.

            “What will happen to them?” said Ciel, watching as the infected, exhausted from the ordeal, were lifted away by doctors and constables called in front outside.

            “They will not be mistreated,” said the butler. “Master Ciel, you did a sterling job today. Also, for obtaining the Royal Warrant, I, Ash, congratulate you sincerely. I have a word of appreciation from Her Majesty. Her Majesty declares, ‘I have put you through a great deal of trouble. I am ever watching over your work. I am the light and Master Ciel is the shadow.’ ” Ash bowed and delivered a personal message. “Our positions may be different, but I believe our wishes are the same. Please continue to use your strength for Her Majesty’s benefit in the future.”

            “I shall,” said Ciel.

            Ash bowed his head once more before turning to Sebastian, (Y/N), and Agni. “And to my fellow servants, thank you for your excellent work in protecting the Queen.”

            Agni bowed respectfully, and Sebastian put his hand to his heart. “Of course. What butler would I be if I didn’t?” Sebastian said it with a smile, but (Y/N) could see the same wariness in his eyes. Whatever it was about Ash that set them off was kept carefully guarded. Even Angela had given off more of an air of inhumanity that Ash.

            “We are here in service, after all,” said (Y/N), putting a curated smile on their face.

            “Quite,” said Ash. He bowed, took (Y/N)’s hand, and kissed the back.

            (Y/N)’s nose twitched in annoyance at the touch, and Sebastian’s eyes narrowed.

   ��        “Well, then, I shall take my leave,” said Ash, turning and walking back to the Queen’s side.

            “Thank you, Ciel,” said Soma. “If I hadn’t met you, I would have remained an ignorant, selfish child. From now on, I’ll learn lots more and travel all over England…No, the world, and become a fine enough man not to lose face to anyone!”

            “Master Sebastian, (Y/N),” said Agni. He bowed to them. “The Prince and I have gained so much from you all. I could not begin to thank you.”

            “Please, raise your head,” said Sebastian. “I merely fought on my own behalf.”

            “We have done nothing to be thanked for,” said (Y/N). “Just as the gods you believe in, Kali and Shiva, could take the pain they held and see their mistakes, so it is with both of you.”

            Sebastian’s smile turned cruel as he saw Agni’s eyes shining as he looked at (Y/N), and Sebastian took his attention away from them. “Besides, I doubt a bonding experience without pain would be a fruitful one.”

            “To be taught my country’s teachings by an Englishman…I am truly humbled,” said Agni.

            “Nationality does not matter. Wherever and whenever you are, there are always similarities,” said Sebastian.

            “You are all humans, after all,” said (Y/N).

            “That’s true. Just as the sunset by the bank of the Ganges and the sunset of England are both beautiful,” said Agni, staring at (Y/N) and Sebastian as the setting sun shone behind them.

            Soma’s eyes turned teary at the beautiful scene and words, and he hugged Ciel tightly. “Oh!”

            “Let me go!” complained Ciel.

            “I am so glad we came to England,” remarked Agni, smiling at the scene. He turned to Sebastian and (Y/N). “The prince and I have both made friends.”

            Sebastian’s eyes widened slightly, and (Y/N) blinked.

            “Friends, you say?” murmured Sebastian. “That is the first time someone has called me that.

            “Friends…” (Y/N)’s eyes went to Sebastian.

l

            “I hadn’t expected a curry festival to be quite so exciting,” said (Y/N) with a chuckle as they finished cleaning the curry pot beside Sebastian. “I’ll say it again, your contract is a magnet for trouble.”

            “When it is a soul such as his, trouble is bound to appear,” said Sebastian. “But that is what will make the end all the more satisfying.”

            “I suppose so,” said (Y/N).

            Sebastian glanced at them. “I forget that you prefer your fun to be with those your contract competes with.”

            “ ‘Compete’ is a tame word,” said (Y/N). “But yes. I find my satisfaction in tearing my contract’s enemies apart. And then, once my contract feels the power and has satisfied their own cravings, they satisfy mine.”

            “I wonder, would the humans consider my way or yours more humane?” remarked Sebastian coyly.

            “There are reasons different demons are drawn to different summoners,” said (Y/N). They smirked. “But I’ll humor you. Let me ask a question instead.”

            “Oh?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow. He had no doubt this would be interesting. (Y/N) never failed to be.

            (Y/N) grinned and picked up a curry bun left over from the buffet. “Which one of us created a curry bun imbued with kindness?” They took a bite as they smirked at Sebastian.

            His eyes flashed in enjoyment. He had been correct; once again, they did not fail to match wits and come equal to him. Sebastian leaned forward. “I did. But who enjoyed the sweetness?”

            (Y/N)’s smirk turned to a smile, and Sebastian faltered for a moment. “If I were to follow a human’s logic, I’d say a ‘friend’ did.”

            Sebastian was silent for a moment as he stared at them. There was a challenging look in their eye, although it disguised something else he couldn’t identify, something he had never seen in (Y/N)’s gaze. When he spoke, his words came slowly as if he was considering them carefully.

            “A friend…Yes, I suppose that would be true,” said Sebastian. A slight smile quirked the edges of his lips, genuine. “Friends. Yes.”

            (Y/N) leaned their head on a hand and smiled at him. Their heart fluttered. “Friends.”

            Two demons, friends. Two demons, whose “non-existent” hearts sought just a bit more.

Taglist:

@technikerin23

@im-making-an-effort

@izzieg3987

@jinxxangel13

@alexpangender

@otomyoli

@neenieweenie

@nex-crowley

@anxious-chick

@bellacastiel

@v1l-ismissing

@agentdedf1sh

@idkhowtoplayhoyoversegames

@iamsexytrash

#one hell of a love #x reader #gn reader #x gn reader #x nb reader #nb reader #demon!reader #demon reader #sebastian x demon!reader #sebastian x reader #black butler sebastian #sebastian michaelis #sebastian michaelis x reader #black butler x reader #black butler fic #black butler ciel #black butler #kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji x reader

[archiveikemen]

'Black Wedding' Story Event: Chapter 1

Roger's Route

I do not own any of the Ikemen Series content being uploaded on this blog, everything belongs to CYBIRD. Please support them by playing their games and buying stories. Not 100% accurate, expect mistakes.

read this before interacting with my posts

Things were getting busy at the laboratory in the basement of Crown’s castle.

Jude: Be more careful, you quack.

Roger: Then avoid knives if you don't want to receive medical attention from a quack, you sinister looking man.

Jude: What!?

Ellis: I think the way Jude gets a knife wound every three days is very bad.

Roger: Right? You should say that to him more, Ellis.

Jude: Ellis, don't you forget who you’re working for.

Roger: Hm? Ellis, you’re injured too. You’re after Jude.

Ellis: Sorry. Thanks, Roger.

Liam: Roger, you in?

Roger: What is it this time?

Liam: Sorry for telling you this when you’re so busy. Ahaha, I got myself hurt.

Liam smiled while blood dripped from his arm.

Roger: Hey, Kate. Stop the bleeding on that stupid cat’s arm with the clean cloth over there. Raise the wound—

Kate: Above the heart, yes?

Roger: Correct.

(Hang on, why am I acting as his assistant?)

However, hanging around Roger was beneficial to me because he was conducting research on curses.

Moreover, I noticed recently that I had gotten used to assisting him with his work.

— But to be very honest, from the bottom of my heart, I wasn’t too fond of being treated like a dog.

???: Roger, are you here?

Roger: Darn it, who is it now?

Someone unexpected had come to the basement—

William: Hm?

...

Roger: You’re not injured, so the reason why you were looking for me must've been for a mission.

Roger: You almost never end up in the infirmary due to an injury, so it surprised me to see you there.

Kate: I was surprised too. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you.

William: Fufu, I’ll be sure to meet your expectations and lose an arm before heading to the infirmary next time.

(If there’s anyone who can cut William’s arm off, I’d love to bear witness to that.)

Roger: — Anyway, what’s the mission about?

William mentioned that he had something he wanted to discuss with Roger and I.

William: Recently, there has been a certain rumour spreading around amongst couples in London.

William: Rumour has it that if a couple has their wedding ceremony with an organisation by the name of “Amour”, their love would last forever.

William: However, the couples who visited that organisation never returned. Not just one couple, but a few of them.

When they heard about it, William and Victor conducted an investigation into the matter.

They found out that a man who identified himself as the “Leader” of the organisation was behind those disappearances.

It seemed that he killed the couples, and stole the money that they had saved to start their new life together.

Roger: If that much has already been made known, then why hasn’t he been punished?

(Roger is right, there's no way William and Victor would let that man get away with his deeds.)

William: Ah, that man only shows himself during the wedding ceremony.

(During the wedding ceremony? That means…)

Kate: You want Roger and I to infiltrate the organisation, disguised as an engaged couple.

Kate: And lure that “Leader” out?

William: Correct. After that, it will be up to you to decide how you want to punish him.

Roger: I get what the mission is about, but why me? There are other guys suitable for the role.

Roger: … There’s so many people coming to me injured that I even need Kate to assist me.

William: Her Majesty said that your ears with extraordinary hearing abilities will be useful for the mission.

William: Also…

William: I have a message for you from the Queen’s aide. “The reward for this mission is a Legend Beer”.

Roger: Hey, hey, really…?

(The look in Roger’s eyes changed immediately!?)

Kate: Legend Beer?

Roger: It’s a very rare type of beer produced in Germany, and I’ve always wanted to try it.

Roger: Then it’s settled. Will you marry me, young lady?

Kate: What…!

Roger: If you’re willing, then there's one thing we need to do. Come with me.

Kate: W-Wait!?

While I was still puzzled, Roger dragged me to the common room.

If we were to fail to convince the organisation that we were an engaged couple, we would not be allowed to enter the premises, let alone have our wedding.

In order to avoid such an outcome, it was suggested to us that we come up with a plan on how we were going to prove that we were a real couple.

(... I feel like I’ve just lost to some beer, but I still have to do the mission anyway. I’ll do my best.)

Roger: My current profession won’t do, so I’ll be posing as a boxer and you’ll be a… postwoman.

Kate: I understand that my role is a postwoman because that’s what I worked as before, but why are you a boxer…?

Roger: Hm? Oh, I haven't told you? Boxing is a hobby of mine.

Kate: I didn't know that.

I thought that Roger having boxing as a hobby finally explained his muscular body.

(Seriously, the more things I know about him, the more gaps appear.)

Roger: And that’s for our professions. Lastly, we’ll have to agree on how we met each other. Any ideas?

Kate: Uh… how about I got into some trouble while doing my deliveries, you saved me, and so we started dating?

Roger: Oh, so you’re into that sort of thing?

Kate: That’s not true!

Roger: Okay, okay. Let’s go with your idea.

Roger: What else is there… we might be asked about the things we like about each other.

Roger: Crying is one of your hobbies—

Kate: Wrong!

(I need to correct him or he’ll misunderstand.)

Kate: Watching plays is one of my hobbies. I also enjoy eating delicious food.

Roger: Plays, huh. Your hobby is the complete opposite of mine.

Kate: Really?

Roger: Yeah, I’m quite unfamiliar with the arts and anything related to them. It's just not my thing.

(I thought that I already knew a lot about Roger, but it looks like there are still things I don't know.)

Roger: Anyway, we should talk about what we like about each other.

Roger: Say, young lady, what do you like about me?

Kate: Um…

Roger: Hm?

Seated in front of me, Roger locked his eyes on me as if he were testing me.

His gaze felt strangely alluring, making it hard for me to respond immediately.

Roger: Oops, since you can’t answer that question, I’ll just have to let you know—

Kate: L-Let me know?

Roger: I’d love to bed you right now, but we that would lead to both of us not getting enough sleep in preparation for tomorrow's mission.

Kate: B-Bed me…?

Roger: Pfft, hahaha! Hey, you won’t look anything like my fiancée if you get all upset because of that, young lady.

Roger: Come on, you can just say what you think my strengths are.

Roger laughed in satisfaction, seemingly enjoying seeing my frustration.

(Ugh… I’m always being led on by Roger.)

It felt frustrating to have him pushing me around, so I started thinking about the traits Roger would possibly look for in a potential partner.

Kate: You would like a woman who… has a mind of her own, and looks good when she cries… I guess?

Roger: Heh, you know me so well. I’m impressed.

Roger: Alright, we’ll definitely get through this smoothly. Let’s work well together tomorrow, yeah?

…

— The next day, we arrived at “Amour” and were greeted by several believers dressed fully in white.

Believer: Welcome to Amour. From this moment on, you will be put through a series of tests for us to determine whether you are truly in love with each other.

Believer: Only couples who are truly in love will be allowed to get married and meet our Leader.

(Everything will be fine, as long as we go according to what we discussed yesterday. Alright, let's do this!)

#ikemen villains #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #otome #ikevil story event #niki translates

[kiryoutann]

Before reading, please check series masterlist to read the warning(s), disclaimer, and to make sure you’re on the right chapter. Minors do NOT interact.

An oracle does not dream.

News of the birth of the Liyue imperial family's second child reached not far beyond the high walls of the palace. Under the eclipse of the sun outside, a princess was born and wrapped in a blanket after the blood was cleaned from her body.

"It's a princess, Your Majesty!"

Carrying her child in her arms, the Empress then turned to the so-called oracle. He had been the one to recite fortune-telling on the fortunes of the imperial family's newborn babies, a tradition they had passed down each time there was a new addition to the family. Under her gaze, the person advanced toward the newborn princess.

His hand rested on the forehead of the still crying baby. He closed his eyes, his lips pursed into incoherent words that could either be spells or prayers to bless the newborn. They waited for the oracle to say his prediction.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he had an expression that the Empress hated so much. He lowered his hands, tucked them into the sleeves of his traditional hanfu while holding back his silence. His eyes glanced at the newborn for a while as if composing a sentence before saying something he didn't expect would bring him to his doom.

"From my prediction, the Princess will go through many misfortunes during her lifetime, Your Majesty." He said quietly.

However, from the silence of the room, those who were still there could hear him even though he tried to hide it. They gasped, whispering about how he dared to say that. Even if he hadn't lied, he should have saved his life—because now, Her Majesty's glare landed on him.

"What did you say?" The Empress wasn't asking for a repeat but, a last chance at life for him.

The oracle bit his lower lip, "..the Princess will have misfortune—"

"How dare you to wish my newborn daughter such bad things!" Her loud voice echoed, not caring if she made her baby cry worse.

"N-no! That's not it, Your Majesty! I was just relaying my prediction!"

Whatever his defense was, it was too late as the Empress only saw red. There was nothing she wanted but this oracle to be dragged and hung from his tongue. With one flick of her finger, the guard guarding the corner of the room carried out her orders.

The Princess' first misfortune was the death of someone from talking about her.

Not only was the Empress reluctant to accept the prophecy of the dead oracle, she was also reluctant to admit that it had influenced her mind. Therefore, once a week her daughter named (Y/N) gets a ritual that is believed to wash away her sins and misfortunes—at least until it is proven that the prophecy could not be further from the truth.

At an age when you can string enough sentences to communicate with other people, you begin to tell the dream you had after sleeping. Which, coincidentally or not, always came true soon after.

You proved something about yourself.

One night, the old oracle came by order of Emperor Sile. The guard assigned to pick him up immediately took him to the room where you and your parents were waiting. He greets, then glances at you sitting at the end of his bed and notices something.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties! The Princess is definitely an oracle with the ability to see the future!" He said loudly.

Emperor Sile raised his eyebrows, turning to his wife as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "The ability to see the future?"

"That's right, Your Majesty. Her Highness has been blessed by the gods and is entrusted with this ability."

The Empress brought her daughter closer to her, "So, the dream she was telling me all along was actually the future she managed to see?"

The old oracle nodded, "That's right, Your Majesty," He looked up, "or if I may say so, oracle doesn't have the ability to dream like an ordinary human."

Hearing this, the Empress let out a scoff while stroking the top of your head. "And that dead oracle dared to say that my (Y/N)’s life would be full of misfortune." She said triumphantly. If possible, your mother would like to spit in his face.

After the old oracle left the room, the Emperor knelt down to align his face with yours. The color of your beautiful eyes that glittered in the pale moonlight, one of the features you inherited from your mother besides the color of her hair. He thinks its unfair that none of his children inherit his black hair, luckily Shiva got his eyes.

"You hear that, Baobei? You are an oracle. You will predict everything about this empire and lead us to another century of our glory."

You bit your finger which was then gently brushed away by your mother. "Would you like it if I did that?" You ask, your eyes widening with curiosity as you wait for an answer from the smiling emperor.

"Of course. You will become the most precious treasure in this empire." He takes you in his arms.

News of you becoming an oracle and being given a miracle to see into the future was considered by the Emperor and Empress to be a blessing. You become a weapon to predict what will happen in the ongoing war. Therefore, they always remind you to tell them whatever ‘dreams’ you saw.

An oracle does not dream.

The words repeated like a spell, seeped in and settled in your head.

The ability to see the future develops later. You no longer just get clues about what will happen in your sleep, you can even suddenly receive visions when you are sitting or touching someone's head. But, somehow as you progress, your misfortunes seem to spread like the roots of a banyan tree.

Your father really made you an imperial weapon by bringing you to the frontline. As if he didn't care if his daughter was more familiar with the smell of rancid blood than flowers, he did it over and over—claiming it was for Liyue's victory.

So is it worth the little fright you feel every time you hear a loud noise?

Such a contrast knowing a princess who grew up in a palace, lived in a place guaranteed to be free of shards and nails, is now on a battlefield where people risk their lives to kill each other. Plus, you are really treated as a strategist here.

No matter how many drops of blood drip from your nose from exhaustion, the Emperor will always find a way for you to endure it.

Because you’re the key to Liyue's victory, because only you can cheat fate.

Contrary to what your parents believed to be a blessing, in reality this is your second misfortune. At a young age, instead of being familiar with tea parties and dolls, you have memories of corpses strewn on the ground as gifts you can't get rid of.

Until one day, your father took you to Liyue's second capital—Morax—after taking over another territory. After a long journey, the horse carriage you both were in stopped at a large house. The building was luxurious enough that at one glance, you infer the possibility of a Duke inhabiting it.

Your father was the first to come out. He holds you by his side while the guards take up formation. As you approach, you can see the figures of two figures who have been waiting even before the carriage arrives—a man your father's age and a boy who appears to be two or three years older than you.

"We greet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness Princess (Y/N). May prosperity and health always be upon you." The man bowed respectfully and was mirrored by the child beside him.

The Emperor turned to you, "(Y/N), this is Duke Zhen Xiang and his son, Zhongli." At the mention of the latter's name, you set your sights on the boy. "If I'm not mistaken, Zhongli is your age."

My age? You thought.

Observing Zhongli, you notice that he has brown hair color with golden tips. Amber eyes with golden pupils instead of black. He wore traditional Liyuean clothes that were more luxurious than people, no wonder since he was the son of a duke.

"Say hello, Baobei." Your father told you.

You subconsciously gripped the side of hanfu. “Hello." You thumped, afraid that your father would reprimand you like your mother every time you stuttered.

But the anger didn't exist and instead was replaced with Zhongli who returned the greeting. "Welcome to our humble abode, Your Majesty." He is very polite even though he looks younger than Shiva (who often fails in manners class).

The Emperor let out a laugh, "Zhongli, how about you giving my daughter a little tour around the house? Your father and I have a lot to discuss."

The suggestion (which was actually an order) was agreed by Zhongli with a nod. "Your Majesty, allow me to do the honor of taking you around." He reached out while looking into your eyes, adorning his calm face with a faint smile.

Surprisingly, once you compare this duchy with the palace you live in, you find this place more comfortable and lively. Although not bigger and wider, the caretaker makes sure to put flowers on several sides of the room. You don't know how to put it but, if they offered to exchange the palace for this, you wouldn't object.

You turn your head when you think you hear something, "What’s that noise?"

Zhongli stopped walking for silence which gave him a chance to listen too. His amber eyes lit up as he knew exactly what and which creature was making a low 'meow' sound.

"My cats." He answered.

You turn your head quickly almost assuring him you're going to get whiplash from it. "Cats? You have cats?”

“Yes,” Zhongli noticed the curiosity in your eyes. “Would you like to see it, Your Highness?”

Your lips were bitten from doubt. In the back of your head rang your mother's voice saying that animals are dirty and disease-carrying every time you want to pet the imperial guard dog. Luckily, Zhongli had eyes sharp enough to catch that, then stretched out his hand like he did earlier.

"I'm sure Your Highness will like them."

You looked up to meet his eyes. "Will.. will they bring disease to me?" You ask and then regret it when you realize it has the potential to offend him.

However, instead of being gloomy, Zhongli chuckled. "I assure you my pet is cared for in the best possible way."

“I'm sorry,” you almost mumbled before getting a little louder, “I didn't mean to offend you. It's just, my mother always says that every time I ask for a pet."

"You didn't offend anyone." He said, glancing at the hand you haven't yet taken. "I won't force the Princess if you don't want to."

Hastily you put your hand on his. He smiles, cupping it before leading you to a door. The room that is now open to you is filled with about three cats. As he says, they look clean and well-groomed.

“They're so cute!”

You let go of Zhongli's hand to run to the gray fur cat. As if knowing you are a guest of its master, it rubs its head against your dress, scaring you a little at first, but subsides when you know it means no harm.

“Would you like to pet them?” Zhongli offers.

You looked up at him, "Is it okay?"

"Of course."

After getting his permission, you slowly use your index finger to stroke the cat's fur. You gasp from how soft it feels against your skin. Once it's comfortable and confirming it won't bite, you stroke it with the palm of your hand.

“O-oh! It made a purrrrr sound!!”

Zhongli laughed at your attempt to imitate his pet. "Her name is Ming Ming." He says.

Your cheeks lift as a smile spreads across your face. "Hi, Ming Ming!"

The brunette pointed at another cat who started to approach you because it wanted to be petted too. "This one is Chen, this is Po." He mentioned the names of the white and brown cats.

“They are all so cute!”                        

Zhongli couldn't miss how your face lit up from happiness, replacing the gloomy expression that you carried with you for some time. He loves how your cheeks turn red from enthusiasm, reminding him of an apple from a fruiting tree in the back garden.

“Must be nice to have them.” You said, followed by a sigh.

Whatever you are thinking now, it has erased your smile. He doesn't like this, why do your eyes seem to lose their shine?

"Your Highness can say that until they mess up the house." Zhongli said in the hope that it will cheer you up.

It worked because now you seem enthusiastic about the story. "They did that?"

The boy nodded slightly, "That's why father put them in this room." He answered.

"Ha ha! They are still cute in my eyes!”

That's the smile. He puts up his own and prays that you don't lose it again. With such beautiful eyes, it would be a pity if you used them only to lower your head and stare blankly at every part of Liyue.

Zhongli turned to look at the window that showed the bright sky outside before returning to you. “Does the Princess want a tea party?”

You looked up from his new offer, "Tea party?"

You ask that question even though you don't wait for an answer. In your mind, you remember the last time you tasted the sweetness of your favorite tea under sunny weather. You remember enjoying it with your older brother, you were about to laugh when you remember Shiva spilling his cup from his negligence. But you locked it up knowing it was just a memory, because now you're traveling with your father with the war he brought.

Zhongli's hand that he stretched out in front of you again brought you back to reality. Where then you look at him with wide eyes.

" Zhongli?"

Amber eyes looked back at you, "I don't think we should miss this beautiful weather."

You haven't accepted the offer yet, Zhongli spoke as if you had said yes to him. However, you don't find it in yourself to be angry about it. How can you be mad to him who always reaches out his hand to invite you to discover new things? Things that feel appropriate for a child your age to enjoy, things that aren’t swords, arrows, shields, wounds, blood, death, and fate.

And so, you smiled at his invitation, letting him take you to his garden.

Zhongli was right about the beautiful weather. At the table where you two enjoy tea and Dim sum, you wish time would pass slowly.

The petals of the cherry blossom tree flutter when the wind blows, informing you of its existence. You haven't even realized that spring has arrived, where your country will show off its natural beauty to the fullest. However, from the five spring years that you have passed, you have faith that this will be the most beautiful.

You smiled so broadly, as if the palace gardens were no more beautiful than the dukedom. So even though he doesn't dislike it, Zhongli feels that your expression is out of place.

"Your Highness?"

You turned to him, "Yes?"

Zhongli scanned your face for a moment before asking, “Forgive my rudeness but, I heard His Majesty came here straight from the battlefield. How did you come along?”

The question he asks freezes you in place. Zhongli seemed smarter than kids his age, of course he would pick up on small details like that. Then, would it be good if you told him the real reason? That His Majesty brought you to the battlefield because of your misfortune being an oracle?

Will Zhongli see you differently in the future? Or worse, treat you the same as those who use you for their own purposes?

You stare at his beautiful amber, hoping to find the answer to your doubts. "Father took me to the battlefield."

From that, his eyes widened. “But, the battlefield is a very dangerous place. You shouldn't be there." He said, wondering what the reason for a little girl in a place where people raised swords and archery to kill each other.

Your gaze shifted as you gripped the fabric of your dress. “Father said I can bring victory to Liyue with my prophecy.” You told him and Zhongli still kept his silence.

Now that you said it, what kind of reaction would he give?

You took the heaviest breath, “I can see the future.” By the time you rediscover his eyes, the evidence of shock is on his face.

Even though his jaw isn't hanging down, you know a lot is going on in his mind. Only this time, Zhongli's gaze made you uncomfortable to choose to look the other way. You're trying to understand though, knowing that even though oracles are believed by their words, oracles who can predict and change the future from their actions are different things.

Zhongli blinked after processing everything. “Are you comfortable with it? Being on the battlefield?”

That's weird. Instead of asking what you can see or begging for his future to be predicted, Zhongli said the things that failed to come out of your parents' lips.

"Father said I could help a lot by being there." On purpose, you avoided what Zhongli hoped to hear.

"Isn't drinking tea and playing with cats more fun than standing in the middle of adults fighting each other?"

You're surprised by how gently he says that. Amber eyes stare at you with lips curled into a smile, Zhongli looks at you while telling you that you shouldn't go through things like that at this age.

“…He is the Emperor.”

“However, he is neither a saint nor an oracle. He won't see past your lies if you say your miracles disappeared." Zhongli countered, slightly enjoying your parted lips from his suggestion.

"Isn't lying a bad thing?"

Zhongli laughed at that, “Small lies won't hurt a person as great as the Emperor.”

You can't deny that he has a point. People knew that an oracle could lose their miracles once the gods felt they no longer deserved to be blessed. Maybe this lie will save you later.

From that day, you took Zhongli as your first friend.

From that day, you answer your mother's questions about your predictions by saying you don't see anything in your sleep. You repeated the same thing whenever she brought it up, so often that they concluded you had lost the miracle, which makes you no longer treated more special than the crown prince.

After they thought you were nothing more than an imperial princess, they set you up with the crown prince of the Snezhnaya kingdom after the war ended.

Ironically, despite being stuck in an engagement you didn't want and people no longer treating you as if they were willing to kneel at your feet, you find your new life more serene—as an oracle thought to have lost her ability to see the future.

Because you believe that in the end, everything will be fine.

Because you believe Prince Childe will call off the engagement after years of not seeing you and you'll find the happy ending you've always dreamed of.

However, the world is not as beautiful as expected, thus heaven was created.

In the year that you are about to reach the coming-of-age, a high fever hits you who is lying weak. The doctor who couldn't find the cause also advised your ladies-in-waiting to apply a compress in the hope that it would relieve the heat.

You're in a dream—no, you remember what they used to say about the oracle having an inability to dream. However, with the plumes of smoke covering the sky and the roof of the imperial palace burning in flames, you believe this is the most terrifying prophecy of all you have received.

Because in your arms is Zhongli. His armor is stained with his own blood.

Meanwhile, not far away was a soldier who had planted his proud flag—which you remember as belonging to the Snezhnaya kingdom. He was the one who managed to stab Zhongli with his sword after ordering his men to release their arrows.

"It's a shame to see a duke as great as you fall like this." He said, venom in his voice.

You gritted your teeth but chose to ignore him away as your priority was to hold Zhongli tightly so the soldier wouldn't have a chance to touch him again.

That soldier was so brave now that he knew the Liyue empire had collapsed, and you became the only remaining member of the imperial family. He laughs, finding solace in your vigilance and the man who will die in your arms.

"If the marriage hadn't been annulled, we might have become allies." This time, he did not hide his ridicule.

In that vision, you couldn't take your eyes off of Zhongli—which left an invisible wound on your heart seeing him in this state. He uses what little energy he has left to cup your hands, rather than the warmth, coldness he gives you.

You wake up from your sleep covered in sweat. The memory of what you saw—what will happen in the future—still vivid. Your noisy thoughts block out the worried voice of your ladies-in-waiting.

What happened? You thought. All this time, my vision of the future had been Prince Childe insisting on forcing the marriage to me to kill me after making me his bait to a war. Then, why this time it was Zhongli who died instead of me?

You brushed off the hand of the waiter who brought you water. The ringing in your ears hasn't gone away yet, as if it were there forever. All this time, you've been avoiding Prince Childe in hopes that he'll get tired of you and have the wedding annulled. Was Zhongli's unexpected death an effect of your efforts to avoid your death at Childe's hands?

You put lines on your mind. Then you blink when you realize what you have to do—do your best to make the marriage happen, even if it means entering the lion's mouth. But, you think it's better than witnessing Zhongli's death for real, you thought you'll find a way to change your destiny again later.

With trembling legs that almost tripped you down the second after getting out of bed, you ran outside. The dark corridors of the imperial palace doesn't stop you from finding your way to your parents' chamber.

You stop only when you reach a large gold-carved teak door. On each side, the palace guards bow to you.

The door is opened after one of your mother's ladies-in-waiting informs you of your arrival. Now, the Emperor and Empress stood with their bewildered faces. You know there's a lot of questions in them but, you're the one to make requests.

“Baobei, what are you doing here? Your maid said you—"

“Father, Mother,” you cut him off even though you know it's rude but, you don't really have much time.

A breath you take. Oh, you swear this is the heaviest breath you'll ever take.

Opening your eyes, you look them straight in the eye before saying: “Please let me go with you to Prince Childe's coming-of-age banquet.”

An oracle does not dream. Now, you're the one who makes sure you'll always remember that.

Which means, in the distant future, Zhongli's death is real and will happen if you don't put in your efforts to change it.

@thelovelydiviner @r0ttenhearts @tsunotaro-san​

AUTHOR NOTE: hope i didn’t confuse anyone about y/n’s ability to see the future and how zhongli ended up ‘dead’ in her recent vision! if you want to join the tag list, you can leave a comment and i’ll write u down on the next chapter. hope you enjoy!

#childe x reader #childe x you #childe x y/n #zhongli x reader #zhongli angst #childe angst #childe fluff #zhongli x you #tartaglia #childe #tartaglia x reader #tartaglia x you #tartaglia x y/n #genshin impact childe x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact fic #genshin impact fics #genshin impact x reader #genshin imagines #genshin fluff #genshin fanfic #ajax x reader #ajax #ajax fluff #ajax fic #childe fic #tartaglia angst #tartaglia fluff #tartagalia x reader #tartaglia fic

[acciotherapists]

The Throne Room

Loki x Reader

Summary: Loki introduces you to his parents and things don't go as planned

Warnings: Smut (alternate ending), angst (Odin is an asshole), fluff, Jotun Loki, 18+, reader has a bad dating history, abusive past (nothing in explicit detail but it is mentioned)

*If I've missed anything please let me know*

NSFW under cut

Loki’s hand gently pushed my hair out of my face as we waited for the door to the throne room to open. I took several slow, deep breaths to calm my nerves as Loki did his best to soothe the worries clouding my mind.

“They’ll love you, darling. Just as I do.”

I smiled, pressing my face into his hand as the guard informed us the king and queen were ready for us. I nodded and Loki removed his hand from my face, dropping it to my lower back as the doors opened.

“Welcome back,” an older man greeted as the woman beside him smiled kindly.

“Mother, father, this is Y/n, the woman I told you about,” Loki introduced before turning to me. “Y/n, this is my father, Odin, and my mother, Frigga. King and Queen of Asgard.”

The man nodded in greeting, though his face remained mostly expressionless apart from the strange twisting of his mouth as he pursed his lips. The woman smiled warmly, descending from the throne and engulfing me in a warm embrace. I breathed a sigh of relief before returning the hug. She pulled away and Loki squeezed my hand before turning to his father, who still hadn’t said a word. He cleared his throat before finally speaking.

“This is who you’ve chosen? This?” He looked back and forth between Loki and I, his expression holding nothing but disdain.

“Father,-” Loki began but I stopped him, my voice shaking as I spoke, trying to steady myself.

“I-I know I’m not what you expected, your majesty… but-.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, child,” Odin interrupted. “Honestly, of the two of my sons you’ve chosen Loki?”

My eyes widened as he spoke, realizing what he meant.

“Excuse me?” I hissed. The queen looked down, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room. I imagined this must’ve been a difficult position for her to be in, stuck between her son and her husband, but I refused to let Loki be spoken about this way.

“How dare you!” the king exclaimed.

“No, how dare you!” I spat as he stood up, trying to intimidate me but I held my ground. “He’s your son!”

He scoffed, his gaze falling on Loki. “You really haven’t told her?”

Loki glared at his father, who returned the gaze with a sickening smile.

“He’s a monster, my dear. You’re far better suited for my other son, Thor.”

I scoffed, laughing at his stupidity, before regaining my composure. “Go to hell,” I spat.

“Tell her, Loki. Tell her what you are.”

“I know what he is!” I hissed. “But more importantly know who he is! It’s clear to me he got his kindness from his mother and not from you! Have you ever even seen his Jotun form?”

Silence.

“Well, I have,” I continued. “And he’s beautiful. I feel sorry for you that you’ve lived with him his whole life and have never cared to see him as he is.”

“I found him as a Jotun child!” he spat. “I saved him from the frozen rock!”

“And you’ve hidden his true form since then! You’ve never bothered to ask him how he feels about any of it!” I yelled.

“I truly had such high hopes for you,” Odin said, changing the subject. “You could’ve ruled this realm.”

“She will rule it,” Loki hissed. “Side by side with me.”

Odin scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’ve brought her here under the impression she will be your queen.” He turned to me. “Oh, my dear. It appears he’s lied to you. He’s not in line for the throne, nor has he ever been. If your interest is in being queen, you’re far better suited for Thor.”

“Fuck you!” I hissed before turning to Loki.

“Y/n, I-,” Loki began but I stopped him.

“We’re going to talk about the lying, but you…” I turned back to Odin. “You have no right to speak about him that way. No wonder he feels he has to lie! All you’ve ever done is make him feel like he would never be worthy of anything! I feel sorry for you! It must be a very lonely life when your only purpose is making your son feel like shit!”

“My purpose is making sure my kingdom is safe and provided for! My eldest son, Thor, has proven he can handle these matters where Loki cannot. I’m sure he could provide for you as well.”

“Are you serious?” I scoffed.

“All I’m saying, child, is you could rule Asgard… be queen at his side.”

“Go to hell,” I spat.”

Odin sat back, a small smile playing over his lips as he said the last thing I ever expected him to say: “Right answer.”

“What?”

“Darling, I’m so sorry,” Loki whispered, taking my hands in his. “This was necessary and I had no choice.”

“Loki, what the hell is going on?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, my love… when I told my father I was bringing home a woman who wasn’t royalty, he…”

“He thought I was a gold digger,” I finished.

“No, that’s not what I meant!” Loki rushed to explain. “He just… needed to make sure you were in it for the right reasons… and I suppose I did too.”

“So you lied to me,” I said.

“No… Thor doesn’t want the throne and the responsibility has fallen to me but-.”

“I don’t care about the throne, Loki! I never cared about the throne! All I wanted was you and if being queen was the price I had to pay then so be it! But I never wanted it!” I looked to Frigga. “I mean no disrespect, your majesty, but I’m not cut out to be queen.” I turned back to Loki. “All I wanted was you.”

“Was?” he murmured, his eyes searching mine.

“You know how I feel about lying… you knew what happened before and… I told you I couldn’t do the lying. I won’t do that again, Loki.”

“It was just a little white lie, darling.”

“That’s how it starts, Loki! A white lie here, a mistake there, a promise it’ll never happen again, until next thing you know you’re in the hospital telling the doctor’s you just fell and everything’s fine!” I spat.

His eyes widened in realization as he pulled me closer. “Darling, I’m so sorry… I had no choice. It was the only way.”

“I won’t go through that again,” I murmured into his chest.

“You never have to go through that again, my love. I’m so sorry… I had no choice. I promise you I will never hurt you like that.”

“My dear,” Frigga interrupted. “If I may… Loki hasn’t stopped talking about you since the two of you met. I’ve never seen such passion in the way he talks about anyone or anything than when he talks about you. He tried to convince my husband not to go through with this but he insisted.” She glared at Odin as she spoke and he rolled his eyes. “I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through, dear, but you are safe here… and we would be honored to have you as our queen.”

Loki pulled back slightly, holding my face in his hands as he wiped my tears with his thumbs. “Please forgive me, sweet girl,” he whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead.

“Don’t ever do that to me again, Loki,” I replied. “I was ready to throw hands with your father!” I exclaimed. “I sort of wanted your parents to like me.”

He chuckled as I spoke. “They love you, darling, as do I.”

Alternate Ending

*Smut*

“Tell her, Loki. Tell her what you are.”

“I know what he is!” I hissed. “But more importantly know who he is! It’s clear to me he got his kindness from his mother and not from you! Have you ever even seen his Jotun form?”

Silence.

“Well, I have,” I continued. “And he’s beautiful. I feel sorry for you that you’ve lived with him his whole life and have never cared to see him as he is.”

“I found him as a Jotun child!” he spat. “I saved him from the frozen rock!”

“And you’ve hidden his true form since then! You’ve never bothered to ask him how he feels about any of it!” I yelled before turning to Loki, taking his hand in mine. “We’re leaving.”

I pulled him out of the throne room and down the hall, ignoring Odin’s protests. A small smile spread across my face as I heard Frigga silencing Odin before the doors slammed closed. I pulled him into a nearby hallway, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I’m so sorry, Loki,” I whispered, burying my face in his chest.

“No, my darling, you have nothing to be sorry for. That’s just the way he is… the way he’s always been.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s okay, Loki,” I murmured, leading him to the guest room I was staying in. “How long before your parents leave the throne room?”

“Maybe a few hours… why?”

I smirked, pressing my lips to his cheek. “You’ll see.”

****

I led Loki down a dark hallway, several guards nodding as we passed, but not paying much attention to us otherwise. We reached the unguarded throne room and I pushed the doors open.

“What are we doing here, darling?” Loki asked as I pulled him forward.

“You’ll see,” I replied as we reached the throne. “Have a seat, baby.”

He looked confused but obliged nonetheless, taking a seat on the throne that would soon be his as Thor had renounced his claim to the throne, leaving the burden to Loki. I slowly slipped off the cloak I’d been wearing, revealing green, lacy lingerie. He licked his lips as I straddled him, his eyes moving up and down my body, trailing along every inch of exposed skin through the sheer fabric. 

“What are you doing, little minx?” he asked.

“No one talks about my Loki like that,” I hissed. “I’m going to fuck you on Odin’s throne. I want to ride your cock until all of Asgard hears you screaming for me.”

Loki’s eyes widened and he gripped my hips tighter, his cock growing hard beneath me as I began slowly grinding against him.

“You like that idea, my handsome boy?” I asked, slowing my movements. “You like the idea of the guards hearing us, telling Odin what we’ve done in here?”

“Yes, my queen,” he whimpered. “Such a naughty boy, aren’t you?” I chuckled before ordering him to take off his clothes, which he quickly magicked away. His bare cock pressed into me as his clothes disintegrated beneath me. He hissed at the contact, his fingertips digging into my skin.

“Want me to sit on your pretty cock, baby?” 

He nodded, looking down at my breasts, barely covered by the lacy fabric.

“Go ahead, love. Take them out,” I said. He wasted no time in undoing the bra, being careful not to rip the fabric.

“Want to see you in this again,” he mumbled, tossing it to the floor before running his hands along my collarbone and down to my breasts, his thumbs circling my nipples.

“Can I suck on them?” he murmured and I nodded, guiding his head to my hard nipples. He began running his tongue over my left nipple, his hand squeezing my right one. I moaned as his hot tongue flicked over the nipple before moving to the other, giving it the same attention.

“So perfect,” he whispered before continuing to suck. His cock was twitching beneath me and I knew he desperately needed release but as I tried to slip my underwear to the side with his cock, he stopped me.

“No, let me taste you first,” he whimpered. “Please.”

How could I deny him when he asked like that? I nodded and he lifted me up, turning us around, before placing me on the throne and kneeling in front of me, quickly slipping my underwear off.

He licked a long strip up my slit before circling my clit with his tongue.

“Oh, fuck, Loki,” I moaned, grabbing his hair.

He growled as I tugged on his hair and dived into my dripping cunt, happily sucking everything I had to offer him. It wasn’t long before I felt my orgasm approaching, his skilled silver tongue working wonders on my aching clit. He moved his tongue down, slipping inside my hole and I clenched around it. He chuckled darkly as he thrusted in and out of me with his tongue before sliding back to my clit. “That’s right, darling. Let go for me,” he murmured before returning his warm tongue to my clit. I moaned loudly, screaming his name as I came on his tongue. 

“So beautiful,” he whispered, before picking me up. “Still think you can ride my cock, sweet girl?”

“Sit down and find out,” I retorted, smirking as he sunk into the throne and I slipped his cock inside me. He groaned as his cock entered my cunt, stretching around him.

I slowly began moving and he grabbed my hips, more to steady himself than to control my movements. I gripped his shoulders and began moving faster, moaning his name, before a thought occurred to me.

“Baby,” I began, slowing my movements. “I-I need your Jotun cock… want you to fuck me in your true form,” I said in between moans as his cock hit beautiful places inside me.

He furrowed his brows and I could see a few tears forming in his eyes. “You want me like that?”

“Yes, Loki. I want Odin to know you fucked me in this beautfiul form. I want all of Asgard to hear how a Frost Giant fucks his queen.”

His cock twitched at that and suddenly I felt his skin grow cold. I looked down, seeing his skin turning blue as the familiar markings formed along his skin. He’d shown me this form before but I’d never asked for him to take me this way and the thought excited me. His cock grew cold inside me and I whimpered at the feeling.

I ran my fingers across the markings along his arm, gently touching the raised skin.

“Please, Y/n,” he whimpered. “You have no idea how amazing your cunt feels right now… so warm.”

Instantly I understood. The sensation of his cool skin hitting mine felt amazing but for him the sensation was entirely different. His body was used to the cold, needed it to survive, and the feeling of warm skin against his was a heightened sensation for him. I knew he wouldn’t last long as I began riding him, gripping his hair with one hand, holding his shoulder with the other. 

“Yes, Y/n!” he moaned as I tugged on his hair.

“Fuck, baby… I’m gonna cum,” he whimpered. 

“Go ahead, baby. Cum inside me.”

He brought a cold hand down to my clit and began rubbing, bringing me closer to my orgasm as his cock twitched inside me. I could see him holding back, trying to bring me to my orgasm first.

“So good for me,” he murmured. “Such a good girl. Cum for me darling. I need you to cum for me.”

The praise sent me over the edge, my body spasming as the orgasm washed over me just as his cold cum shot into me, coating my walls. I collapsed onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around me.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Loki.”

Suddenly the doors burst open and Loki magicked a blanket around us as his cock began to soften inside me.

“What is the meaning of this?” Odin’s voice boomed through the throne room.

“Thought I’d introduce my queen to where she’ll be sitting,” Loki answered.

“What are you… why are you…” Odin sputtered, looking at Loki.

“I told you he was beautiful in this form,” I interrupted. The glare on Odin’s face was priceless and I chuckled as the door slammed and Odin left, though not without booming an order: “clean off that throne and return to your rooms!”

#loki of asgard #loki x y/n #loki laufeyson #lokixreader #loki odinson #loki friggason #loki x reader #loki smut #smut #jotun loki #loki of jotunheim #smutty

[konigsrose]

Part 2 Of König’s Rose 🌹

Rose did not see her handsome neighbour, König, again for what felt like an age. She found herself scanning the corridor, the lobby, and the elevator for him every time she left her apartment, and each time was disappointed when his huge form wasn’t there. She knew she was being stupid; this was a crush, like she was a silly little teenage girl. She didn’t know the man, only part of his name and some vague notions of his line of work, but Rose found herself desperately wanting to know more. It was as though she’d been infected with some disease, or gotten hooked on some drug; she couldn’t help thinking about him all the time, wondering who he really was, where he was, what he was doing. On more than one occasion she had lain in bed at night imagining his massive arms around her, thought about how strong and powerful he looked, and how very, very sexy that could be in the right circumstances. 

Six days after he had helped her with her books, she had been paid, and although she only had €70 after her bills to last the whole month, she decided to splash out and make good on her promise to König of a beer to say thank you. When she did her meagre grocery shop, she chose a mid-range bottle of beer that she hoped would make an acceptable thank you gift, and after checking her makeup in the mirror, took it to his door. She was disappointed when he didn’t answer, and wondered if he was at work, maybe even deployed. Rose didn’t know what he did, only that he was military, and came and went at all times of the day and night sometimes. She had seen him going out late at night when she was coming back from a late study session in the library, or sometimes coming home in the early hours of the morning when she went on her morning run. Sometimes she didn’t see him for weeks at a time. She guessed it might not be too easy for her to catch him when he happened to be home, and worried that if he was in, she might wake him when he was sleeping after a night shift. She went back to her flat and penned a note, in her best German. Thankfully, her reading and writing of German was pretty much perfect, now; it was only her confidence in speaking that let her down.

“Your Majesty, König. A little something to thank you for saving the damsel in distress, even if she did use language not befitting a princess. Prost!” Rose added her name at the end, then drew a little cartoon of a big stick man with a crown and exaggerated biceps, and a little stick woman in a dress with a sad face. She went down to the hallway where she slipped the bottle and the note into his mailbox. Rose felt nervous about it; it was silly, and probably he would find it completely weird… But if he did he could just ignore it, and never speak to her again. If he liked it, thought it was funny or cute… Well, he knew where to find her. 

Two days later, Rose checked her own mailbox when she got in from the university, and found a small, unwrapped parcel of fabric she wasn’t expecting. She unfolded it, and found it was a bag; made of some strong, black, nylon-type material with lots of pockets and compartments in it. The handle was a wide, heavy-duty woven one and her forehead creased a little in confusion as she looked at it. She rummaged through the compartments until she found a note.

“Military grade. Might just survive holding all of your books for a week. K” The K had a little crown drawn on top of it. Rose grinned from ear to ear as she made her way back to her apartment, trying to think of ideas for what to give him in return. 

The very next day, as she arrived home again, he was finally there when she scanned the lobby. Rose tried not to let herself smile too wide, but it was hard to keep her excitement inside at finally seeing König again. She stood next to him, waiting for the lift, the bag he had given her over her shoulder. He nodded politely, but didn’t say anything, and she felt suddenly nervous, unsure of what to say under his piercing blue-eyed gaze. 

“Um… Hi, König… Thanks for the bag. Haven’t broken it yet!” She smiled shyly, and shrugged her shoulder to gesture at the bag on it. He smiled in return, and Rose’s heart pounded in her chest at the sight of it.

“Thank you for the beer. It was good. I liked the drawing, although I did not like your sad face in it.” They stepped into the lift together, and he reached forward to press the 3 button.

“I should have done two, a sad face, then a happy face after you helped me.”

“Ja, that would have been better. It looks like I am the one making you sad, otherwise. You are having a better day today? No bag of dicks to suck?” Rose giggled, then lifted both hands to hide her face in embarrassment at the memory of her rather rude words last time, and her cheeks flushed pink. The giggle was very cute, and König felt his face breaking into a grin; then she groaned, a low moan that made König’s stomach flip at the thought of her making that sound in a very different context. 

“Please don’t remind me that I said that, I’m such an idiot.” The lift dinged, and Rose removed her hands from her face, revealing how beet red it was.

“I think you are very clever actually, with all those books, not an idiot.” König said matter-of-factly as they stepped out of the lift, where the pair stood for a moment in the corridor, neither wanting the moment to end.

“You’re sweet, König,” Rose smiled up at him, looking into those kind blue eyes. “From looking at you I always thought you’d be… Scarier, meaner.”

“I can be both when I need to. But I do not need to be mean, or to scare you, little Rose.” The “little Rose” had Rose’s knees weak, and for a moment she seriously considered trying to find the courage to ask him out for a drink, if she could only find the words. Her brain seemed to have disconnected from her mouth, though, and instead she was just staring silently at him, her eyes wide. König too seemed suddenly nervous, as though he had said something he shouldn’t. He turned with a mumbled “Guten Abend,” walked to his door, and was inside before Rose had managed to work up the courage to speak again.

That night, she lay in bed once more thinking about König, this time imagining his voice close to her ear calling her his “little Rose.”

#konig x oc #konig #konig cod #cod fanfic #konig call of duty

[incognito-lionbeast]

Asking Nicely (Or The Lack Thereof)

I originally posted a different version of this here, decided I wasn’t satisfied with it. Edited & added like 400 additional words, and then posted it to Ao3. So now it’s finally coming back home, yay.

Series: Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System Pairing: Shang Qinghua/Mobei-Jun Ao3 summary: Help sometimes comes from the most unexpected places, and it's a shame that "those places" happen to feel like you just stuck your dick in a refrigerator.

**explicit content ahoy** --------------------------------------------------

Relationship caught in a bizarre state of limbo, things between them were incredibly awkward, uncertain, officially non-officially... what, exactly? Shang Qinghua had no idea, and getting a real conversation out of Mobei-Jun wasn’t so simple. Needless to say, he didn’t expect any help. So, when possessed by the urge—as he occasionally was—Shang Qinghua promptly decided to live up to his pseudonym, hide away in his room, and jerk it. There wasn't any shame in practising a little self-love, after all... except it so happened that the moment he decided to share a little personal time with himself was the exact same moment Mobei-Jun decided that he was in need of Shang Qinghua’s company.

It wasn't that Mobei-Jun wanted anything in particular (though he could surely think of something if he had to). Yet, imagine for a moment, Shang Qinghua leaned up against the headboard of his bed, legs spread slightly, robes hanging limply around his shoulders - fully exposed, hand on his cock, enjoying himself all by his lonesome, not an ounce of shame to be seen.

Then came Mobei-Jun. He didn’t knock, didn’t announce himself. Why would he need to?

It took less than a moment of staring for Mobei-Jun to promptly shut the door behind him. Surely, no one else was allowed to see his whatever like this. Frankly, he'd beat them senseless or worse if anyone even dared think of such lurid things. Yet, with that potential situation taken care of, Mobei-Jun kept staring. Thinking. He considered the scene laid out before him intently for some time, ignoring Shang Qinghua’s several embarrassed attempts to call out to him. My king? Mobei-Jun? Your majesty???

Shang Qinghua shifted, inadvertently inching closer to the edge of the bed and trying very awkwardly to hide the very obvious erection with his legs. To say he was afraid wouldn't necessarily be true; "hesitant" was a better description, not to mention flushed to hell and back. He'd been caught red-handed, and one of the most, if not the most attractive man he’d ever met was standing in the doorway eying him like a piece of meat. Or maybe he was overthinking things. All he knew for sure was that he was horny, and Mobei-Jun was doing nothing to alleviate that feeling.

Yet. Having seemingly reached a decision—and rather satisfied with it—Mobei-Jun approached Shang Qinghua, ordering him in a clear voice: “Move.”

Placing a hand on one of Shang Qinghua’s knees to emphasize the point, he wasn’t going to ask twice, either. The options were either expose himself voluntarily or Mobei-Jun would do it for him, and he'd be far less gentle about it. Rather, Shang Qinghua felt like he ought to protest for the sake of it, but what the fuck would he be protesting?? So, he obediently spread his legs, allowing Mobei-Jun to get a better look at his average, albeit incredibly aroused, cock. It certainly wasn't impressive, especially compared to the one he knew he'd given Mobei-Jun, but it was enough.

Mobei-Jun was pleased.

So, between mutterings of 'holy shit, holy shit' to himself internally, Shang Qinghua mused dimly that he was gonna have to develop a Temperature-Play kink and fast if he wanted to be able to enjoy this in the long-term... Mobei-Jun’s hands were cold as they traveled across his thighs, crouching to settle between them, drawing ever closer to his most sensitive areas. He nearly cursed; that little detail wasn’t one he’d considered when creating the character, but it was a bit like being felt up by an ice pack. Though, if Mobei-Jun’s hands were cold, then his mouth was-! The shock, both from the temperature and the simple act of Mobei-Jun's mouth on his cock, was enough to make Shang Qinghua shiver.

This was, of course, taken as a good sign. Shang had never been so conflicted in his life, caught between the pure indulgence of being touched by another person, that person being Mobei-Jun, how frigid the experience was, and— the encroaching fear of his partner’s teeth. Tepidly, Shang Qinghua mumbled a quiet plea to be careful, but he couldn’t honestly tell if his king was even listening. Though, he growled. Was that a demon thing or an annoyance thing?

Possibly both. Definitely both.

Yet, just as Shang Qinghua began to adjust to how his king’s mouth felt—the lips pressed flush against the head of his cock, cold yet still inviting, those steady, deliberate movements that made him want to squirm in place... Mobei-Jun quickly lost all patience. He tried to be good. He really tried. Yet, he couldn’t stand it any longer. Without question, this person was special. Still, even the most special person in all three realms wasn't enough to soothe his quick temper, even if this was all his idea in the first place. Oh well, this would be better, anyway. He wouldn't hear any complaints.

As such, Shang Qinghua scrambled to pick up his scattered thoughts, roughly manhandled into a laying position. Mobei-Jun hovered over him menacingly, undressed in a matter of moments. Despite his excitement, it still took all of Shang’s determination not to flinch, mustering his courage to stammer out a few directions instead—lube! Please, please don’t do this dry. Fuck. He groaned, caught somewhere between lust and fear of the inevitable. Thankfully, though a demon, Mobei-Jun wasn't completely inconsiderate this time. Although, he admittedly had to be guided somewhat through the ordeal of preparation, no less impatient than he was moments earlier whilst knelt between his thighs. As his partner worked, Shang Qinghua dared touch himself, taken completely off-guard by the snarl that caught in Mobei-Jun's throat. Again, he wanted to protest, but soon found the offending hand pinned to the bed by an aggressive demon's claws. If nothing else, Mobei-Jun was determined to pleasure his partner single-handedly. No touching, no fondling, no whining, and definitely no pretenses of modesty. U-Understood. Well, not really, but he got the message! Though—Shang Qinghua gasped—no matter the determination or intent, even through the haze of arousal... the An Ding Peak lord couldn’t help imagining that he’d just been speared by a popsicle when Mobei-Jun finally entered him.

They were both gonna have to train themselves Pavlovian-style to really enjoy this, Shang thought to himself grimly, hearing his king hiss at how warm he was inside. Well, what was he expecting??

Thus, their first time was marked by desire, frustration, teeth on flushed skin, the desperation of one and the impatience of another. Still, Shang Qinghua clung to Mobei-Jun’s icy form as best he could, fingers caught in a mess of stark black hair. This was far better than anything he could have hoped for. Mobei-Jun was big, but with enough lube..? Shang Qinghua made sounds that no one from either world had ever heard him make before, eyes shut tight and breathing heavily. Was it really okay to just lay there and take it? He wondered, though Mobei-Jun showed no signs of stopping, either way; attention rapt on the smaller, average figure below him, he marveled at every sound and twitch. Then, pressing himself in to the hilt, a single word passed his lips: "Mine."

That was his undoing. One word.

He was wanted.

And he was never going to live it down, okay??  

Mobei-Jun's name caught on his lips, unsaid, gasping as a familiar warmth overcame him. His cock throbbed, moisture pooling and—ahh!—dripping down his length in sticky, translucent rivulets. He wanted to bury himself in Mobei-Jun's embrace, seeking that pale, cool skin as his release overcame any inhibitions he'd once had. Please. And perhaps it was Shang Qinghua's death grip leaving nail-marks down his back or perhaps he, for one lucid moment, really could understand his beloved human partner. Either way. Mobei-Jun leveraged the poor, disheveled man up onto his lap, still buried deep within him, to finish things that way.

As the thrill faded and Shang Qinghua finally realised the wetness between his thighs, on his stomach, everywhere... he still dared to be selfish, feebly pulling his king in closer for a kiss—the first proper lip-lock of the evening. For his trouble, he was rewarded with fangs biting into his lower lip, but Mobei-Jun didn’t pull away. There would be no punishment. Yet, there was a time and place for everything, and eventually Shang Qinghua’s time was up. Completely remorseless, Mobei-Jun pried himself away from his partner and righted himself.

Then there was another pause, staring. Again thoughtful, if unreadably-so.

In all honesty, Mobei-Jun still had no idea how to handle humans. Not really, and perhaps he’d never truly grasp the concept in its entirety. Yet, his newest tactic in his attempt to understand was to imagine what he thought Shang Qinghua might scold him for. Right then, watching his partner struggle to sit up, Mobei-Jun imagined him yelling in a voice possessed by ridicule: ‘My king, you can’t just fucking use me as a human fleshlight and leave!’

A perfect recreation, he thought. Though, Mobei-Jun wasn’t quite sure what a “fleshlight” was — only that he’d heard Shang Qinghua use the term before. Despite that, he was pleased with himself, decisive in exactly what he had to do now.

Leave!

But come back! That was the important part. Leave and come back... with a damp towel... to help his lover clean up. That’s the thing he’s supposed to do. He was sure of it!

#Moshang #Shang Qinghua #Mobei Jun #SVSSS #the joke's on me #I already have a non-porn sequel to this halfway planned out #because of course I do #also I'm still using the old post editor so apparently I couldn't mark this Mature even if I tried lmao

[artzychic27]

Ooh, here's a fun request. Nath of Hearts inviting all his friends to witness hero and neutral kids fight to the death for their amusement and singing "Give the People What They Want".

The arena fell deathly silent, save for the occasional coughs and lingering cheers when the white rabbit came into view. He hopped onto the ledge of the marble balcony that overlooked the arena and hastily unfurled a scroll. Unbeknownst to him, Kim, sitting with his classmates in the row of seats adjacent from the balcony sneakily pulled out his crossbow. Alix promptly smacked it out his hand with her tail.

A bird native to the strange land with a megaphone-like beak perched itself on the ledge, just in front of the white rabbit. “Presenting, His Royal Highness!” The double doors just behind him opened at several card guards trotted through, all adorned with hearts. If the arena wasn’t silent before, it definitely was now. “His Eminence, his Majesty, The Mad King of Wonderland! Kind Nathaniel Wild-Card Hearts, and his esteemed boyfriend, the Fairest of All Lands, Poison King Marc Anciel!”

The Card Guards parted in perfect symmetry to reveal the villainous couple with their arms linked. No one, other than a few of the villains, dared to make a sound as Nathaniel strolled up to the ledge. Giving the Heroic and Neutral students a quick taunting look, he speaks through the megaphone-beaked bird. “You may clap.” The arena burst into cheers and applause as the redhead soaked up the praise. “Okay, that’s enough.” The cheering continued, and he began to get annoyed when no one listened to him. “Enough!” Everyone still cheered. “… CEASE THIS OR I WILL BEHEAD EVERYONE IN MY LINE OF SIGHT!”

That time, he didn’t need to use the bird as his voice naturally projected itself all throughout the arena. It was deathly silent once again.

“Much better,” he chirps before glancing down at the students. “Well, well, it’s true what they say. Heroes truly are idiots!” He and a few others cackle. “You morons should know better than to trust any drinks Alya and my dear bandersnatch serve to you. For all you know, that could have been poison. But! Lucky for you all, I’m a decapitation-type of guy.”

“You’re a demented creep!” Roared a student Jean knew all too well. The crab hybrid stroked the stone-carved hook in his claws and smirked, flaunting the slight chip in his tooth.

Nathaniel countered, “And you have fake tattoos.” He didn’t care to listen to them yell about how no tattoo artist would give a minor tattoos and continued, “Oh, you!” He points to a male student in casual attire with a slight ballet theme. “I almost forgot to even invite you. Who are you again?”

“Your worst nightmare!” He snarled.

The Mad King only laughed. “You’re not a porcupine disguised as a hedgehog!” That’s when his gaze zeroes in on Xavier, trying to go unnoticed along with Lila and Félix. “And, you. Mr. ‘Oh, I’m gonna paint some WHITE roses RED!’” With that, he slammed his fist against the ledge, making cracks form along the surface.

“Dearest, remember your blood pressure,” Marc reminded him as he began seething through his teeth.

He sucked in a breath and retained his regal composure once again.

“Let us go, now!” Louis snarled and bared his teeth. Though, due to him being a poodle hybrid, he didn’t look the least bit intimidating. “You bloody bastard tyrant!”

“You kiss your mother with that mouth?” Nathaniel rolled his eyes, his impatience showing.

“Why are you doing this?!” All eyes eerily zeroed in on Xavier. Everyone knew of his history with the Mad King, so it was strange to see him boldly speak out against him. Many expected the redhead to lash out and order for his beheading… But instead, he just smiled.

He smiled, and said, “Why, Xavier… I thought you’d never ask...”

You're probably wondering what you're doing here!

I bet you're dying to know!

Oops, bad choice of words!

Who's this stylish lad with the regal King gear?

Let me explain before the show, eyes on me!

I am ruler of these masses!

My dead mommy and my dear dead daddy were unfit- Rest their souls, NOT!

The card guards brought out framed portraits of the deceased King and Queen of Wonderland, Maison and Aya. Nathaniel gazed at them fondly for a moment before punching holes right through the canvases.

So, I’ve taken up the mantle!- Prepare to clap!

Invented a game, it keeps me sane!

And allows me to stay on top!

I give the people what they want!

And what they want's a little shocking!

The hero students had the faint suspicion he wasn’t talking about his subjects. Many of them looked like they didn’t even want to be here, no doubt they were forced to attend as react however the king pleased with the threat of decapitation.

The bigger the knife, brings light to their life!

And much to their delight!

I give the people what they want!

And what they want's a fight, HA!

The villains, meanwhile, watched in anticipation as the redhead taunted their schoolmates in a lavish and slightly demented musical number. Perfect for the Mad King of Wonderland. While Jean could appreciate such theatrics, he really wanted to watch his nemesis get what was coming to them.

Kim let out a long groan. “I wanted to see some action!”

“He really likes to hear himself sing,” Alix snarked and eyed the white rabbit with hunger in her eyes, making him scamper away.

Lacey quirked an eyebrow with a faint smile. “Yeah, but he has talent, I’ll give him that.”

“Voice of an angel with the heart of a devil,” Marc cooed.

You see the way the screaming hordes demand it?

This spectacle says, "Disobey me, or perish!"

As I recall, I caught one of you red-handed!

Doing something very bad

Xavier pales as the Mad King locks eyes with him. They were only children at the time, yet he still held that grudge. Suddenly, the audience comes to life once again as the iron gates leading into the arena begin to open. Emerging from the dark depths came a talon-like hand that swiped at the unsuspecting students.

It’s I who shelter them from evil!

Unlike my daddy and my daddy's daddy -it shows which King is best!

Nothing here is even illegal!

We’re entertained, no one complains!

If they want to keep their head!

The heroic students searched in all of their hidden pockets for their weapons, but it seems that the Mad King thought ahead. None of them found themselves prepared for the massive chimera-like monster and hurried to get the students without fighting experience to safety.

I give the people what they want!

And what they want is to feel safe here

The world is dull outside my walls, within is such bliss!

I give the people what they want!

And what they want is this!

I give the people what they want!

I give the people what they want

They obey my crown, my parents are proud, they worship, I provide

I give the people what they want

And they… want you… to DIE!

Buh-bye!

Without warning, the Jabberwock captured on of the students in its gaping maw. It took a moment for that to settle in before the students ran all around the arena, knowing it was fruitless as the Mad King had the whole thing rigged against them.

“Hey, what gives?” Alya asked with a slight pout. “I wanted to see the losers tear at each others throats!”

“Oh, just a little pre-show entertainment,” Nathaniel beamed as he sat at his throne. Marc leaned over from the one he had custom-made for him and kissed his cheek. “Besides, I haven’t fed that thing in weeks.” His lips curled into a smk with each scream of anguish.

@msweebyness @imsparky2002

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous #nathaniel kurtzberg #marc anciel #answered ask #ask me stuff #class of villainy #mlb au #Disney villains #Queen of hearts #songfic

[jiminicus]

The Emperor's Flower

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 3

ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱʏ 🔮

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴛᴀᴇʜʏɴɢ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ᴡᴏʀᴅᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 5.4ᴋ

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ᴘɢ

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏʜɪʙɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ ɪꜱ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɪᴅᴇᴀ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴꜱ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴜᴛʜʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴀʟ ɪɴ ᴍɪɴᴅ?

One moment she was in the Imperial Palace, the beating heart of the kingdom. The buzz of life echoed throughout the palace and everywhere she looked there was some busy person running around, completing their tasks.

The other moment there was violence. She felt herself get dragged on the expensive carpet and her bag taken away from her. No matter how much she tried to explain or scream nobody wanted to hear. She couldn’t see where they were taking her from the tears running down her face.

Now she was alone. Somewhere in the cold dungeons of the palace, staring at the black stone wall. She only assumed it was black as that’s the only color one could see down here. Her tears had dried and only a few tearless sobs could be heard from her cell. Maybe it was a trap after all.

⚜

Someplace not far away from her, in the lavish Gardens of Fire, a young gentleman was just finishing his daily bath. He had to admit, it often felt awkward having so many people watch him swim. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed, the water was quite opaque after all. What bothered him was how pathetic they looked while “guarding” him. It’s not like they could save him from drowning. It was one of those rituals that have been in place for centuries.

It’s fair to say he hated traditions. He especially hated when those traditions attempted to control his life or intrude in his personal space. He couldn’t imagine how his ancestors took their baths in front of strangers. Ever since Taehyung was little his life has always been public. Everyone he spoke to, everyone he looked at, everyone he was close to, all of them were in the mouths of the people outside the walls. It infuriated him. When he became an Emperor he decided to live his life like he wanted to. His word was law after all.

“Looks like our little guest decided not to bless us with her presence today.” He said sitting on one of the rocks near the deep end that formed a comfortable bench. He let his head relax back onto the crystals outside the lake, chest exposed to the warm sun, glistening with droplets.

“She got what she wanted and ran away.” Seokjin, his right-hand man, spoke. “We can find her within a day if you wish, Your Majesty.”

Taehyung chuckled. “Do you think I am a good person, Jin?”

He didn’t expect this question. Even Seokjin, his childhood friend, never quite had the freedom to express himself however he wanted. Although he knew Taehyung would never hurt him, he had a feeling that a few wrong moves could cost him a lot. And with Taehyung, one could never know what a wrong move was.

“I believe you are a fair person, Your Majesty.” It wasn’t a lie.

“A good person would let her have the flower. A fair person would punish her for breaking her promise.” His body was completely relaxed. Head thrown back; eyes closed. Seokjin felt that the decision was on his shoulders.

“I think you should be a good person in that case.” He understood the pain the girl was going through. He had seen his own family die and he didn’t want anyone else to feel that pain.

When Taehyung didn’t reply, Seokjin felt the need to explain himself.

“You are a good Emperor. Be good to your people.”

Taehyung’s body tensed and he lifted his head.

“Why is a good Emperor hated then?” He stared at the distance without looking at his assistant.

“Because he is fair.” He completed his own sentence before Seokjin had the time to reply.

“Ungrateful people are the ones that I hate the most.” His eyes finally met Seokjin’s. “I was good. I broke the rules and gave her the flower. And what I get in return is ungratefulness.” He signaled to one of the guards to bring him his towel, slowly rising from the water, and wrapping it around his waist.

“Being good is weak. Being fair is what makes you respected, even if that means being cruel.” He finally said with his usual arrogance when being at eye level with Seokjin.

Seokjin only nodded when Taehyung passed by him.

“You have one day.” These were the last words he said before he headed for the palace.

⚜

Later that day, Seokjin got an unexpected visit from the headmistress in his personal study room.

“Good evening Your Honor. I hope I am not disturbing you at this time.” She made a little bow.

“Lady Aliya, is something wrong?” The Master lifted his head from the papers he was studying.

“We spotted an intruder today. They were trying to get to His Majesty, but luckily, they were detained quite easily.” She said with a proud look on her face.

“So what’s the issue?”

“We seized their bag and found… an Amaryllis inside. I am not aware of how they got their hands on it, but-” She tried to explain nervously.

“Was it a young lady?” Seokjin replied calmly, something the headmistress wasn’t expecting.

“Yes, Your Honor, a lady from the lower classes.”

“Where is she now?” He said getting up from his seat.

“We imprisoned her till we have your verdict, as per the procedure.” Her tone was calm and typical once more.

“Very well. You are free to go. I will take care of her.”

With that, the headmistress bowed once more and slowly headed to the door with the help of her cane. Before she could open it, the sound of Seokjin’s voice sounded once more.

“And next time, please let me know if anyone is looking for the Emperor before putting them in jail.”

⚜

Finding the girl was easier than expected, he had to admit. That night, when he was done with the rest of his work, he descended the stairs to the dungeons. Holding only a candlelight, it has hard to see far, but he could make the silhouette of a rather small girl, curled up in the corner of her cell. The guards told him that she had cried herself to sleep. She was probably cold and hungry, dirty and bruised. How was this fair?

It was fair for her to be there; she came in uninvited to the palace. And it was fair for her to be punished; she didn’t come to meet the Emperor. But in all that… she had no blame. He often didn’t understand fairness.

He didn’t really have a plan, but he knew he wanted to help the girl.

“Tomorrow morning, I want her clean and well fed. I will wait for her in the East Gardens.”

⚜

In the morning she woke up with a pounding headache and an overwhelming feeling of anguish. It took her some time to understand where she was and remember what happened yesterday. Just as she was realizing her situation and tears were about to flow again from her cheeks, a guard opened the cell and ordered her to get out.

The guard didn’t say anything besides a simple “follow me”. Her bones and bruised legs hurt as they ascended the endless stairs of the dungeon. Once they reached the top, and the door opened, she was met with the bright sunrays of the windows around the corridor. The setting here was so different than the one underground. The ruby red walls were decorated with black wall sculptures of phoenixes, embellished with gold flames. The windows had black frames in the shape of intricate swirls. But clearly, the showstopper was the domed gold ceiling, adorned with giant paintings of historical scenes.

She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until the guard grabbed her arm, pulling her to move with him and she let out a gasp. She might have been impressed by the other corridor, but this one overshadowed it. In this beauty, she had forgotten about all her pains and troubles.

They soon reached another door which lead to an area with sandstone walls. The guard spoke with one of the maids and she instructed Erin to follow her to a small room. The maid took Erin’s clothes and gave her a bathrobe and wooden sandals to wear. It appeared that this was where they took baths. Exiting, they entered the outdoor area where there was a big oblong pool filled with hot water. Along the far side of the pool, there were statues of deities acting as fountains and pouring water. Men and women enjoyed their time both in and around the pool, on the grass.

“It’s only for the noble. You can wash here.” The maid informed her, stopping in front of a wooden door. Erin entered and locked the door behind her. It was a small room with a bench and two buckets of water. The only light came from the small windows placed on the very top of the walls. It didn’t look much different than the one they had at home. They treated their prisoners well.

When she was finished, she exited, and the maid took her to another room where she dressed herself and groomed her hair. The dress had really been ruined. It was dirty and dusty from sleeping on the floor all night. It was also torn in a few places. When she put it on herself, she no longer recognized its previous beauty. Not that she cared right now. This was probably the last dress she was going to wear.

She was lost in thoughts as they exited the baths. Everything happened too fast. Yesterday everything was wonderful. Her mother was saved, and she could see their lives going back to normal. Today, she is a prisoner of the palace, and she didn’t know if she would be able to see her family again. Her mother must be so worried. Erin never spent the night away from home.

"Have a seat with us." Said one of the maids. They were now in some sort of a lunchroom. There were about twenty long tables placed on both sides of the room, forming a corridor in the middle. Erin took a seat on one of the chairs. Around her, there were people dressed like maids which were eating quietly.

There was a lot of food on the table. Pastries, eggs, bread, fruits, and even sliced meats. She didn’t doubt they were eating well in the palace. She wondered if all this food was for the dozen people seated at the table. She got a slice of bread along with some ham and an egg. This was the portion they were allowed at home. The maids must work hard because most of them had twice or three times as much food on their plates. Why was she eating with them in the first place?

People kept sitting and standing up from the table. Quiet gossip could be heard in the room.

“We either made a big mistake or you made a big mistake.” A ginger girl with light blue eyes sat across her. She recognized it was the maid that took her into the palace yesterday. She had a kind smile on her face.

“What do you mean?” Erin asked in worry.

“Well… the headmistress informed me this morning that Master Seokjin wanted to meet you in private." She stated as she started eating her tart.

“Who is Master Seokjin?” Erin replied, wanting to know more.

"His Honor is the second most important person in the Empire. He is in charge of pretty much everything His Majesty doesn't want to be in charge… Something like his right-hand man." She took a break to take one more bite and then continued. “You should watch how you talk with him…”

“We need to go.” The maid that was taking care of her all morning interrupted and stood up from the table. Erin immediately followed and started gathering her used plates.

“Just be polite and ask for forgiveness if anything happens.” The ginger girl said at last before Erin was back in the corridor of the maids. After some more turns and corridors, which Erin didn’t have enough time to stare at, they found themselves outside.

More gardens. From the outside, this place didn't look like it had one garden, let alone three. While the Imperial ones looked more like a little jungle, and the ones on the palace’s perimeter were very well organized with selected flowers, these ones had a lot of trees and bushes. As they walked around, she could spot through the gaps, hidden places with statues and enclosed areas of flowers. There was a wide central path and then smaller mazelike bushes that she assumed led to these secret places. She tried to follow the maid closely, so she didn’t get lost as they entered one of the openings in the bushes. It seemed sketchy that the Emperor’s best man wanted to meet her in a place this secluded.

She tried to remember the turns they took, but it was simply impossible. Soon they reached a small area that hosted a circular pavilion surrounded by blooming flowers that acted as a gateway to another part of the gardens.

“His Honor should be waiting for you.” The maid said as she signaled towards the entrance.

Erin cautiously went inside the pavilion. She could hear voices and the sound of flames. Soon in front of her eyes, she could make the circular shape of a traditional fighting ring, laid with black stones and surrounded by a fire dissipating spell. Having her guard up, she exited the pavilion.

Contrary to her beliefs, nobody attacked her. She looked around and saw five rings spread throughout the square. Most of them were occupied by adolescent children practicing their spells or dueling each other.

She headed for the group of adults talking in one of the corners. Passing next to the rings was quite scary. One could feel the burn of the fire on their skin from the proximity. She was glad the protective rings existed and didn't allow the fire to escape the ring. Even though she had those powers herself, she had to admit having fire directed toward her wasn't something she was used to.

Seokjin noticed her uneasy presence and left the group of teachers and coaches.

“Want to duel too?" He said as he stood beside her and made her jump in surprise.

“No… thank you. I was never the best fighter.” She admitted, hoping he would feel bad for her and not challenge her.

“The children are young, I am sure you can take on one.” He insisted, pointing at one of the girls. Erin looked at a girl that couldn't have been more than twelve, producing a fireball about twice her size. She was certain that she hadn’t produced a fireball this big in her whole life.

“She looks quite skilled… I haven’t practiced ever since I graduated.” She looked around for someone to help her escape the duel.

“These girls are the best of the best in the Royal School. They are training to become part of the Royal Guard. Half of them are already masters of the element.”

“That doesn’t make my case better I guess.” She laughed bitterly.

“I don’t think your case can get much worse.” He said turning to face her. “Can you remind me of your name?”

“It’s Erin.” She said avoiding eye contact.

"Well, Erin… I am supposed to be on the hunt for you right now with these girls. His Majesty wasn’t very pleased with you not showing up yesterday.”

“I did show up.” She interrupted, raising her voice. She did everything she could to make things right and instead got thrown into jail. She had every right to be angry.

“Frankly, you didn’t show up. You tried to.” He said trying to keep his tone calm, but getting irritated by her attitude. “And that means nothing here. This isn’t your village where you are friends with everyone, and everyone is willing to help you. Here you are alone. And for most people behind these walls, you are a threat. Even the lowest servant here is of noble blood. They come here in hope of catching the Emperor’s attention and bringing honor to their families. You, on the other hand, are a village girl who sneaked in, talked to the Emperor, was allowed to take one of his sacred flowers, and is not only alive, but invited back. Your presence threatens the core structure of this court.” He said sharply.

“All I want is to help my family. I threaten no one.” Erin replied looking at the ground.

“I am saying this to warn you. I used to be a village boy too. You kind of remind me of myself.” He made a small pause, his voice was now softer. "Keep your head on your shoulders. I will arrange for you to meet His Majesty today if he is willing to.”

“I appreciate your help. I just… need to go back to my village. They probably think something bad happened to me.” She was tired of all the drama and troubles. She really wanted to be at home right now.

“Miss one more meeting and I will be coming to your village with these girls looking for you.” He said in a threatening tone as he turned around and walked away. His change of attitude was scary. But not as scary as the thought of facing one of the little girls.

⚜

Through the grand corridors of the south wing of the palace, the Emperor and his assistant, the Master of the court, were taking their typical daily walk from the Emperor’s apartments to the chamber of the council of ministers, in the east wing. The walk usually took a little less than half an hour and it gave the two the opportunity to talk about the latest court matters. On many days, due to their tight schedules, it was the only time the two could talk like friends. Today’s conversation was mostly occupied by boring political matters and gossip about the cheating wife of the Minister of the Arts.

“I can’t blame her, I am sure at this age he isn’t doing great at pleasing her.” Taehyung said laughing, as he thought of the seventy-two-year-old minister and his forty-something-year-old wife.

“I don’t know how well he pleases her, but I think I have something that would please you.” Seokjin implied in a flirty tone.

“Oh, I would love to have you please me.” Taehyung continued the joke, winking at the man walking next to him. It was a weird dynamic they had going on, but they sure both enjoyed it.

Seokjin pulled out a crumbled flower from the inside of his coat.

“Hope that’s enough.”

Taehyung took the flower in his hands, gently caressing the petals which were barely holding onto the stem. A sense of sadness and sorrow washed over him.

"Did you find her?" His tone now did not have a hint of lightness in it.

“The headmistress notified me of an intruder. She tried entering the palace and was detained.”

“What does that mean, Jin?” His voice was ice cold.

“She actually tried making it yesterday,” Taehyung’s eyes softened a bit. “but it seems that the maids didn’t believe her.”

“And who are the maids to judge who can make it into the palace? Why weren’t you notified?” This was a major concern for him. It shouldn’t be in the servant’s hands to dispense justice.

“It’s not often that we have guests of her… origin. I have trust in the people working here.” Seokjin stated, trying to calm his friend.

“Are your trusted people still keeping her warm and cared for underground?” Taehyung replied in a sarcastic tone.

“Of course not. As soon as I was made aware, I ordered for her to be released. She is resting somewhere in the gardens right now.” Seokjin had ordered the maid taking care of Erin to show her around the gardens and feed her throughout the day. Little did he know that she was actually helping one of the other maids with the gardenwork and eating in the maid’s lunchroom. “I thought you would still like to meet her.”

“I guess it’s the only appropriate way to apologize to our guest.” Taehyung said, returning to his light self.

“I know you for some time, Tae. Making deals you win nothing out of is not something you do. What’s the motive?” Seokjin tried pushing.

"Oh, nothing. I just feel that I need to personally apologize to our guest. Maybe we can have lunch together." Taehyung tried escaping the question but that didn't sit well with Jin, who was patiently waiting for the Emperor to continue.

“I will be lunching in the small dining room today. Please let the lady know I will be expecting her.” He said to fill in the silence.

“Just you and her?” Seokjin asked puzzled.

"You can join too, if you are that jealous." Taehyung said in a humorous tone, as he entered the chamber of ministers, leaving Seokjin behind.

⚜

After the meeting, Seokjin informed the headmistress about the lunch and ordered her to personally make sure the guest was appropriately educated on the dining etiquette. It was important to be proper in front of the Emperor. However, when Erin was brought to her, she quickly realized she had to deal with a much more obvious problem than which spoon one had to use.

She found a girl that looked more like a peasant than a guest at the palace.

“Bring me five more girls.” Was the first thing the headmistress said, after taking a seat on one of the chairs, trying to stabilize her blood pressure. Thirty minutes to turn a peasant into a court lady was going to be a challenge even for someone with her experience.

The lunching table she had prepared, was soon turned into a beauty table and a bunch of maids flooded the room. Erin’s hair was brushed and styled half up, and her cheeks were blushed with rose dust, all the while the maids were trying to find an appropriate dress to substitute the one she was wearing. Erin didn’t get to enjoy any of the pampering though because the headmistress was giving her a lecture the whole time about the customs in the palace and how unacceptable her appearance was.

Just ten minutes before the lunch, when the headmistress thought she would have to bear the shame of sending a girl to the Emperor with rags, one of the tailors found a dress that could fit her proportions. It was a red royal gown made from light fabrics that was meant to wrap around an underdress and give it a flowy look. It was perfect in that it didn’t require special fitting for it to sit properly and the maids quickly put it on top of Erin’s old underdress, which somehow escaped from the majority of the abuse. The overdress covered all of the bottom part, where the underdress was damaged, allowing the old dress to peak a little just bit at her chest.

Only when everything worked perfectly and the last piece of fabric was fastened, the headmistress allowed herself to breathe normally. It was beautiful.

From there, it was a just walk along some of the prettiest hallways one could see in the whole empire. Statues, paintings, and a lot of gold and rubies decorated their path. Soon they stood in front of a grand door with the Emperor’s emblem on it. Only the headmistress and the Emperor’s guest were allowed to enter.

As the doors opened, they revealed a big area with a massive curved staircase inside. Immediately one’s eyes were drawn to the glass dome that covered the space, and the luscious paintings on the walls supporting it. From the dome, a chandelier made from red and pink crystals hung, making the light refract across the room, leaving rainbow specs on the surfaces it touched. As they entered deeper into the room, Erin noticed that the two walls on her sides were filled with books and there was a small sitting area in front of each one.

“This must be his library.” She thought to herself. As much as she didn’t want to, she had to draw her eyes away from the walls and ceiling as they climbed the stairs. Being extra careful not to slip, she almost didn’t notice the view from the large windows in front of her. Before her, stood the Imperial Gardens. They were even more beautiful from above as one could see how the vegetation wrapped and developed around the Grand Lake of Fire. She took her time to study it, but then she heard the cane of the headmistress knocking on the top stair, giving her a sign to continue her ascend.

She had one last chance to look at the majestic room from above as they walked along the balcony on the second floor.

"Stop staring." The middle-aged woman said in a sharp whisper, as she stopped in front of a door.

“His Majesty should be either be inside or he would join you shortly after.” She continued whispering. “Don’t look around, don’t stare at the ceiling, and most importantly be polite and don’t mess up. You are allowed to speak to him as long as he initiates the conversation.” She said looking directly in her eyes, with her icy blue ones. A sudden sense of nervousness overtook her as she realized the seriousness of the situation.

“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”

She kept repeating in her mind as the doors opened and she entered a rather small room with a table in the middle.

“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”

Even though her eyes were glued to the floor, she noticed a person sitting on one of the ends, which she assumed was the Emperor, and she headed for the other end.

“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”

As she was about to pull her chair with shaking hands, a maid came rushing to pull it for her. And then it hit her. She messed up. She forgot to bow.

Taehyung carefully watched the frozen young lady enter the room and walk to the chair completely ignoring his presence. He found amusing how oblivious she was to court culture. He saw very clearly the moment she became aware of what she just did, or rather, what she didn’t do. She tried to make a small bow as her chair was being pulled, almost sitting in it as she remembered she first needed permission and frantically stood up again. He found it quite entertaining.

“Please take a seat.” He said with a smile, trying to save her from more uncomfortable situations.

Erin quickly sank into the chair and glued her eyes to the plate in front of her. She couldn't have forgotten more things, and she prayed to all divine beings she didn't get in trouble. She didn't remember a situation in her life where she felt this tense.

“May I offer you some wine?” Taehyung said as a maid filled his glass.

���Yes, please, Your Majesty.” She said in the most appropriate way she could think. She had only heard of wine, but never had the chance to taste it. The people in her village abstained from any alcohol and she was shocked when a blood-like liquid was poured into her glass. It didn’t look very appealing to her, but she decided to try it anyway.

It smelled like poison, and she had second thoughts, but when she lifted her gaze and was met with the Emperor’s intimidating eyes, she quickly swallowed a big gulp, trying not to mess up any further. It was a big mistake. She thought she was being poisoned judging by the burning sensation in her throat. There was no way people drank this voluntarily. She lifted her teary eyes trying to understand why he would poison her, but instead of a devilish smirk, he was looking back at her with concern.

“Is everything alright? Is the wine not of your taste?” He said as one of the maids poured her a glass of water.

She drank the glass of water as fast as she could in order to remove any remaining taste. After a few deep breaths, she realized she had no trouble breathing. She also didn’t feel any pain or dizziness. She looked around as the Emperor had a confused look on his face.

Maybe she wasn’t poisoned.  

She was a complete idiot for thinking she would be poisoned. And she was a complete idiot for acting like she was poisoned from just a sip of wine.

“I am sorry… I have just never had wine before.” Her cheeks and ears were red and all she wished for was the earth to open and swallow her. She wanted to curl into a corner and cry, but she knew she had to stay there and bear all the humiliation. Out of all the times her brain could stop functioning, this was the worst one.

“I suppose wine does have an unusual taste.” He said amused. “Maybe you are more familiar with tea or juice?” He offered, trying to sound warm and welcoming.

“I will just drink water, thank you.” She said drinking some more.

“This is going to be so much.” Taehyung thought to himself, taking a sip from his wine glass. Soon appetizers were served and they both started eating.

The comfortable silence was finally broken by Taehyung’s voice.

“So, tell me, how did you find your way to the Lake of Fire?" Erin took a few seconds to swallow her food and collect her thoughts before she spoke.

"My mother is very ill. We have tried all methods of cure, but nothing seemed to work. A few days ago, a famous doctor from far away was passing by our village and he examined my mother." She made a small pause looking at the food on her plate, not daring to look at the person sitting in front of her. "He gave her a recipe for a decoction that included the Amaryllis flower." Another small pause was made so she could find the right words. "I had no other option but to come. I can't let her die." Emotions started flooding her when she said those words out loud, but she tried to suppress them.

Taehyung however was more intrigued by the mysterious doctor.

“Do you know the name of that doctor?”

“No. I didn’t even see him.” Erin replied, drinking some water to cool her mind.

Taehyung took a few moments to study her. Seeing her distressed like this told him she wasn’t lying. A doctor who knows recipes with the amaryllis flower… The books containing those were burnt a long time ago. He wondered… Could this person have the book? No. Can't be. He is probably some impostor. The decoction can't work. There are way too many fake recipes out there.

But there was only one way to know for sure…

“Your mother’s story is very touching. As an Emperor it’s my duty to take care of my people. I would like to have your mother here in the palace so she can be treated by the best doctors. It’s also easier to take care of the flowers.” Taehyung stated. Erin’s eyes lit up and for the first time she found the courage to look up and meet the Emperor’s gaze. His eyes were serene and he had a small smile on his face. Being able to take care of her mother was everything she wanted, but somehow moving her to the castle wasn’t what she imagined. She wanted to be with her through this.

“I can’t thank you enough for your offer, but I can’t leave my mother here alone and I have to work in my village.” She was hoping he would let her stay in the village. "I am happy to be coming here every day, if you would allow her to stay at home."

“She would be treated the best way here. As for you, your stay can be arranged while your mother is healing. I heard the headmistress is looking for new girls.”

“You are offering me a job here?” Erin replied surprised.

“It’s the least I can do after the horrible treatment you went through.”

#kim taehyung #bts #fantasy #fluff #reader #emperor taehyung #fire #historical #flower #beauty and the beast #prince #king of fire #kim seokjin #royal au #king #tae #taehyung x reader

[starkslove101]

CHAPTER 19: "King Ahmed Ameen of Avelora"

Tony. 

“Show yourself!” I yelled. I stuck my hand out as the glove in my hand lit up. I wished I wore more of my suit than just the glove. Who knows what these people were capable off. 

“We mean no harm” A big man stepped out from the shadows. I didn’t drop my arm. Just in case they would pull something funny like that. 

“Who the hell are you?” I spit. I looked him up and down inspecting the weapons he was carrying. Their clothing resembled something you’d see like in Lord of the rings. The man smiled and raised his hands. 

“My name is king Ahmed Ameen from Avelora” My eyes widened. He looked at me with a friendly face. He body language didn’t seem hostile and he looked at me with kind eyes. I decided to drop my arm and hoped that he wouldn’t suddenly turn hostile. “And you are?” 

“I’m Tony Stark. I live here” I said and the man nodded. I stepped aside. “Please come in” I pointed to my desk area and as I stepped aside, I noticed that there were more soldiers than just two. The room was a mess, glass still scattered everywhere. 

“I’d offer you a drink your majesty but ehm this isn’t the best time” I tried to lighten the mood but I was still in pain, as my head was pounding. It felt like my brain was about tot fall out of my skull. 

The King had an understanding look on his face as he nodded. “No need to. We assumed that the signal was sent to call for our help” his thick arabic accent coming through when he ended his sentence. “We didn’t expect to receive said signal. This device is over 70 years old” he said as he grabbed it of the desk and and tried to put it back together. 

I looked at his hands a bit flabbergasted as the beeper started to light up again. There is no way this man just fixed this thing in 2 seconds. It made me feel totally incompetent. And I’m Tony Stark. I do not feel incompetent. 

I looked around to see if they could sit down somewhere. But everything was soo trashed that it was no use to come and sit down. “You know what let’s take a trip” I just said. They all looked confused. 

“Just trust me. I also mean no harm at all. I just want my friend back” I felt this desparete feeling in my chest again. 

The man seemed to catch up on it and he looked at me undrestandibly. “Mr. Stark I assure you we’re here to help get your friend back.” he reached out and grabbed my shoulder. “It seems we’re sharing an interest in saving this ‘Friend’, you’re talking about” his fingers making bunny ears when he said friend. 

I assumed they were talking about Ransom. They were here for her. “There’s something you need to see. Please come with me” 

It was only 2 hours later when we finally made it through the doors of the hospital. The king and two of his soldiers pulled uncomfrotably on their shirts and pants that they borrowed. If the situation wasn’t soo serious I’d laugh. 

We made our way to Vivians room, trying to ignore the weird looks of the nurses and doctors we were getting. They were all walking behind me, their footsteps heavy on the floor. “Mr Stark” The king called out, his accent still thick. “Where are we going?” he asked. 

I ignored his question and just opened the door to Vivians room. She was still hooked up to the machines, badly battered. I felt guilty seeing her like this. “Oh dear God, layla” The king sighed with a heavy chest as he made his way to the hospital bed she was laying on. 

He placed his hand on her forehead as he squated down next to her. I could hear him cry. I looked down with remorse. Not like it was my fault that she was laying there half dead on the bed. “Layla?” I asked. “Is she Ransoms mother?” The king was holding Vivians hand in his and held it against his lips as he slowly kissed it. 

“No” he said. “She’s her aunt” I sighed as I put my hands in my pockets. I wanted to ask more questions, but seeing him like this made my heart ache. I just decided to let it slide for now. “Who did this to her?” he asked as he place her hand back down on the bed and stood up. He walked over to me, wiping his face. 

“We suspect it’s someone called Malick” I looked him in the eye as i tried to read him. It was very easy, as his face was filled with panic and terror. 

“He did this?” his voice was deep, laced with anger. I nodded, apologetically. 

“Ransom and I found her this morning barely holding on to life” he nodded, a sad look on his face. 

“You didn’t just bring me here to show her to me.” he stated. I shook my head. 

“This malick kidnapped my friend and her life is in danger” My voice was hoarse and tight. I was terrified. “He also has help from this man called killian aldrich. He’s after her powers.” I said. The man nodded again and the puzzle pieces slowly fell into place. “I think you’re her father” He looked up and put down Vivians hand. A sliver of hope in his eyes appeared. 

“Ayla is still alive?” he asked, in disbelief. I frowned. I didn’t know who Ayla was. But I assumed he was referring to Ransom. It would make sense she would be born with a different name. 

“Is that her real name?” I asked as I pulled out my phone looking for a picture I took of her. Once I found one I showed it to him. His lip quivered as he breathed. 

“Oh God, that’s her. That’s my daughter” He sighed softly as he sobbed. “We’re to late” He said as he covered his mouth to block out the sobs. He fell down on his chair again. 

Next part

#avengers #love #fantasy #my writing #fic writer #marvel mcu #new page #drama #infinity war #iron man 3 #steve rogers #captainamerica #tony stark drabble #tony stark imagine #tony stark fanfiction #tony stark fic #tony stark smut #tony stark x reader #tony stark x y/n #tony stark x you #tony stark

[twilightmalachite]

Hinata Aoi - Daybreak Heliolite 1

Author: Umeda Chitose

Characters: Hinata, Wataru, Leo, Anzu

Translator: Mika Enstars

Proofers: meteorgreen

"(…There has to be something, but… everything that comes to mind reminds me more of 2wink than it does of me…?)"

Season: Autumn

Location: Cafe COCHI

⚠️ This chapter is not yet JP Proofread!

Hinata: I had no idea that coming up with our personalized outfits would be such a pain…

You were surprised too, right, Anzu-san? We came up with our ideas completely separately, yet they were still identical, save for the colors![1]

But doesn’t this also mean that Yuuta-kun and I’s minds are connected? Could this mean we’re always communicating~? ♪

…Kidding, kidding~. I’ve got to start over from scratch, so it’s no time to be joking around.

After all, our last attempt was a failure. We weren’t able to turn our own uniqueness, those characteristics only we have, into a personalized outfit.

Now that I’ve had time to think on it, I know that, of course, I want it to be something that’ll make my fans happy…

And Yuuta-kun happy, too. We wanna make something that will make us both say, “Wow! It suits you perfectly!”

And that’s why I decided to reach out to you, Anzu-san! I’m sure right now, Yuuta-kun’s doing his best to come up with something, too.

I bet he’s all hyped up over the thought of being able to wear something different than his Aniki… So I gotta hype myself up too, and get to work!

Basically, a personalized outfit means having something tailored for me, right? Not like a 2wink unit outfit; something for me and only me.

So if it doesn’t scream “Aoi Hinata” at first glance, it’s no good…?

(Hmm… Figuring out what makes me “me” is surprisingly hard. “Bright, flashy, and cunning!” maybe?)

(No, no, that sounds like 2wink’s introduction on the official site. I’ve built up a stronger identity for myself over time.)

(…There has to be something, but… everything that comes to mind reminds me more of 2wink than it does of me…?)

Ah, sorry, Anzu-san. I’ve made you come all the way here, but I’m mulling over everything on my own anyways—

Wataru: On behalf of Miss Anzu, greetings! It is I, your very own Wataru Hibiki...☆

Hinata: Wh… Whaa?! Hibiki-senpai?!

What’re you doing here? No, I mean—wasn’t Anzu-san in that seat just a second ago?! Where’d she go…

Wataru: Why, right behind you, of course. Go ahead, go on and look and see for yourself!

Hinata: Behind me…?

Leo: Wahahah, now the one pretending to be Anzu is me! Uchuu~☆

Hinata: Uwah!? Now she’s Tsukinaga-senpai?!

…Wait, she’s back in the seat across from me again. She doesn’t look like she was expecting to be teleported around…

Wataru: Wonderful reactions, both of you~♪ A pinch of wonder was just what we needed to spice up this rendez-vous, don’t you think?

Leo: You call that a pinch~? I can’t imagine what would happen if you spiced it all up beyond recognition, then…♪

Hinata: Glad you’re getting a thrill out of this, but… What brings you guys to COCHI?

Leo: I’d collapsed from hunger, but Wataru found me and picked me up! I was lost in composing and hadn’t eaten anything in a while, so…

Wataru: And thus, when I brought His Majesty to this cafe for food, I encountered you and Anzu-san.

Leo: Y’see, I got all curious ‘bout what you two were talking about~! Personalized outfits, was it?

Hey, if you two are having trouble, how ‘bout you try askin’ me and Wataru?

Hinata: You guys are willing to help me with my personalized outfit…?

Umm… I do think you guys are amazing senpai, so I appreciate the offer, but…

Why’re you offering to help me? I’m not a junior in either of you guys’ units, and it’s not like we share the same agency or attend the same circles…

Wataru: You wish to know why?

Hinata: Yep. And Anzu-san looks like she wants to know too!

Riiiight, Anzu-san?

Leo: …Ooh, Anzu’s nodding to your words!

Hm… The reason’s nothing profound, really. We wanna help a junior out with their personalized outfit!

Hinata: …Ok, and…?

Wataru: Other than Anzu-san, most people turn to fellow unit members, close friends, or perhaps a dependable senior when they have trouble with this outfit, no?

But, alas! We have yet to have anybody turn to us for help~!

When Tomoya-kun was at his wit’s ends, I only just happened to be there to meddle in his affairs!

Leo: I thought I helped with Mittsu’s outfit… but after thinking about it, all he did was just ask me about superstars, really~!

I didn’t even know about Suo~ and Naru’s outfit designs ‘til after they were finished! Well, luckily, the outfits suit ‘em both perfectly, though! ♪

Hinata: Hmmm… So basically, it really is just as you said earlier—you really just wanna help a junior with their personalized outfit, huh?

Although it’s beyond me why you want me to be that junior… Alrighty!

Please, help me create my very own personalized outfit!

Leo: Didja hear that, Wataru?! Hinata’s letting us help him out! ♪

Wataru: Fufufu, now, allow us to make all your troubles magnificently disappear…☆

Hinata: …Hmm? Anzu-san, what’s up?

Is this ok with me? Yeah, ‘course it is! It’s not every day you get to receive advice from Hibiki-senpai and Tsukinaga-senpai, don’tcha think?

They’re the ones who approached us, so I say let’s go for it!

I’ll get to hang out with my seniors and maybe get to know ’em better too…♪

story directory | next →

A scene from Twilight Malachite, Yuuta’s feature scout story. I recommend reading it before reading this story! Here’s a link to the story.

#hinata aoi #wataru hibiki #leo tsukinaga #scout #daybreak heliolite #translation #anzu

[athenswrites]

Knight of Dawn, Chapter 8 [Not Your Typical Fairytale]

TW: Transphobia

The meeting lasted much longer than expected. It was 6:30 pm, before anyone could escape. Piers’ shirt was soaked through with sweat. As they stepped into the hallway, they took off their jacket and slung it over their shoulder. The cool air was more than welcome after the stuffy environment of the conference room.

They stood at the door and shook hands with everyone else left. At last, Grady came walking out, alone.

“Why’d you wait?” She asked them, and they matched pace with her, walking towards the main part of the Palace.

“I don’t want to walk alone.” 

“Well you’re going to have to. I got a meeting tonight with Benj, Sei, Gavin, and the miraculously appearing Lopez tonight for dinner. We’re going over everything you said. I’m so excited.” She drawled, rolling her eyes, “Please save me. Dad’s gonna ask me so many questions about that meeting and in all honesty I wasn’t paying attention for the majority of it.”

“Good luck then. I’ll see you tonight.”

With a mock salute, the duo split up, heading towards what they needed to do. As soon as Piers was on their floor, alone, they tugged off their sweaty clothes, tossing them in the hamper. Their dinner outfit was practically the exact same, but they traded their white shirt for a black one, so they wouldn’t stain it by accidentally spilling soup. They changed in record time, making sure they looked presentable and even putting in the effort to gel their hair back a little. They wiped the sweat from where their mask had been, and found a new gray one which wouldn’t get in the way while they ate, even if it did expose a little bit of the scarring on their face.

Then, Piers got distracted and finished the chess game with Constance they’d left halfway done. (They won, even with the AI setting cranked to the maximum difficulty.)

When Piers finally arrived downstairs for dinner, without their better half at their side, they found themself fashionably late, as always…but not too late. Pausing in the doorway, they scanned the crowded parlor room, taking notes on everyone who’d shown up for dinner.

President Kritzer from South Carolina. New Orleans Parish Commissioner Broussard and Baton Rouge Parish Commissioner Afar, but not their Queen, who hadn’t even come, as predicted. One notable face was missing from the room, which disappointed them; President Dubois was nowhere to be seen. 

Across the room, Piers spotted the man with ginger hair, the one who Grady had been sitting with. He was the only secretary or bodyguard or whatever he was present. Stepping further into the room, they pulled their jacket closer around them, as bodies pressed against them. They tried to blend in and not disturb anyone as they worked their way through the crowd, to where the man stood in the far corner.

“Hello! I don’t recognize you from the table earlier today.” 

He looked up from the floor at Piers, the slightly shocked look on his face morphing to more obvious discomfort.

“Your Majesty.” He gave a tight lipped smile, “I’m Sec. Darcey Olson. Dubois has a horrible migraine at the moment, so I’m filling in for him. He said you’d probably be looking for him, and he’s still willing to speak after dinner.” Piers offered him a hand to shake, and he did so, but not without a little hesitation. They already knew exactly who he was but, they just had to check- 

“Your last name, Olson.. any relation to Marcie?”

“She’s my older sister. We haven’t spoken in a while. I don’t know how we have the same parents.” 

“Marcie can be a bit…bossy.”

He eased, uncrossing his arms a little bit, “She’s been like that since before I can remember. We have a decent age gap between us, so we didn’t grow close as kids. Marcie seems to have forcibly made Hansel and Gretel do sibling bonding.”

“Hey! I see you’ve met Piers.” Councilor Johnson came up behind Piers, knocking playfully into their shoulder, before greeting Darcey with a joking military salute.

Darcey laughed, “Yeah. It’s strange.” 

What the hell do you mean strange?

Johnson and Darcey began to chat, and Piers zoned out, listening to a conversation behind them between Councilors Mason and Miles. They angled themself just a little bit so they could see the edge of Mason’s face as she spoke.

“...a threat. We all saw the video, with the effigy. With Adele gone, they think the monarchy and by extension the government is weak. We’re all doomed if Jillian Piers can’t stop being so fucking wishy-washy and take an actual stance and do something. We’ll be better off throwing her to the wolves and letting the monarchy end.” Mason whispered, but she was definitely being a little loud on purpose.

Miles scoffed a little, keeping their voice low, “Fantasia, please. That kid is our only chance. If Piers dies, we’re all doomed. We gain more from keeping them around. Adele abdicated. Piers is Monarch. It’s a new era, and I honestly think they’re gonna do better than most of us give them credit for. I’m gonna make the best of it, and retire comfortably in a few years…

Damn. they’d never heard Miles say anything good about them. Ever.

“For fucks sake Shanna, Adele’s dead. You don’t have to suck the ‘queen’s’ dick anymore-”

Piers whipped around, but Miles was already down Mason’s throat, raising her voice. “I may let you slide misgendering me, but the moment you imply Adele was not a woman, I will say something. She may have been a bitch, and I may not have liked her, but at least I respected her.”

The surrounding people, including Piers, were shocked into silence. Councilor Mason rolled her eyes with a huff, and stormed off into the crowd. The paused conversations resumed.

“I didn’t think you’d do that.” was the first thing Piers could think to say to Miles. 

She stiffened a little, as if she was going to make a rude comment, before letting out a long sigh. “It’s…You understand. I’ll stand up for others before I stand up for myself. I’ve only ever presented as female while serving in government positions, and Mason still makes purposefully transphobic comments.” 

Piers nodded, “I appreciate it. And if Mason ever gives you issues, please let me know.”

“Thank you.” Miles actually smiled at them, before changing the topic, “I guess it’s time to let everyone in. Marcie’s daughter told me it should be ready at 8:15 and it’s 8:20 now.”

“I’ll help you with the doors then.” 

Piers and Miles squeezed through the crowd, to the doors leading to the formal dining room. In sync, they opened the doors, and a gust of cool air blew into the parlor. Like cattle, the crowd followed the herd through the doors, flooding into the dining room. They took their places at the long table, their spots assigned with tiny nametags. Piers gestured for Miles to head to the table, and she thanked them, before letting the heavy door fall shut behind her.

The room’s loud chatter died down as Piers approached the table, standing behind their seat like everyone else. Once again, they sat at the head. Every set of eyes were latched upon them, waiting.

“My esteemed guests, I’d like to thank you for joining me these few days in celebration. Yesterday marked the beginning of a new era for this state. You’ve heard me talk enough earlier today, so with no further adieu, let’s eat.”

Piers took their seat between Councilor Johnson and Councilor Sidney. Chairs scraped and voices rang as everyone took their own seats, ordering food and chatting with old friends and new enemies. Waiters came and went, taking orders, pouring drinks, delivering plates, and clearing the table. Guests ordered whatever they wanted off the digital menu, as many servings as they wanted. The table stayed full of plates and drinks.

Councilor Sidney ordered four large bowls of the vegan corn chowder right off the bat. Gretel was the one to deliver their food, and she put a hand on their back, whispering something in their ear. Sidney flushed red. 

Prime Minister Cohen got a platter of roast beef dropped in her lap, and she profusely apologized to the poor waitress, instead of the other way around.

Councilor Miles went through three glasses of sweet tea, before one of the waiters just brought her a whole pitcher, which she finished off in record time.

Darcey played with his food and separated it into piles, but he seemed too nervous to eat anything. He excused himself from the table after a few moments, his face green.

Councilor Mason stirred the pot, towards the end of the table, starting arguments for no reason other than to start them.

Gretel tapped Piers’ shoulder as she sat a steak in front of them, accompanied by roasted asparagus.  

“Watch your food.” She warned, and they thanked her. Piers nudged the asparagus to the side with their fork, then cut up the steak. It was so raw it still bled (perfect), and they grabbed a roll from one of the baskets, soaking up the juice.

Piers didn’t want to look like a heathen, but they were starving. They could eat anything and everything put in front of them. 

Well, unless it was green beans. 

They hated green beans. 

And they didn’t eat shellfish either, because that would send them to the emergency room.

As dinner dragged on, and the alcohol started to flow for real, tongues finally began to loosen.  People tended to talk a little bit more, and spill their secrets. King Chastain had a new mistress. Tennessee’s lieutenant governor had been found killed, a shotgun blast to the head. Louisiana was beginning preparations to remove Queen Consort Gauthier from power, due to her excessive absence. President Dubois supposedly got married.

“President Dubois got married?” Piers whispered to Councilor Johnson, who shrugged, before speaking down the table a little bit.

“Hey Darcey, did Dubois get married? That news didn’t make it up here?” He sounded shocked. 

Darcey choked a little on whatever he was eating, and took a long sip of his wine, before he finally spoke. “Uhhh…yeah, after his last election. He and his partner are both pretty quiet about it, to protect the both of them…plus his partner is just as shy as he is.”

“Is he really shy, or does he have something to hide? That guy ain’t normal. I met him years back and he’s fucking weird.” Councilor Miles drawled as she leaned back in her chair, saying almost exactly what was on Piers’ mind.

Collective sounds of agreement sounded from around the table; it seemed like Piers wasn’t alone in their curiosity. Darcey’s hands shook so bad, he almost dropped his glass.

“H-He’s just…he has issues, with people…”

“That’s why he’s not here? Does he actually go to anything? Or did he make you come to dinner because he’s too good to eat with the other leaders? He’s been invading half our borders.” Councilor Miles continued, going a little past teasing as she leaned on the table. Darcey sunk into his chair, face bright red. Piers wasn’t sure how much more they’d be able to stand themself, from the second-hand embarrassment.

“Shanna, that's enough.” Councilor Johnson intervened, thumping his fist on the wooden table to get her attention. She slid back down into her seat, muttering curses at him, and the room awkwardly went back to talking. Darcey excused himself from the table for the fourth time that night, but this time, he didn’t come back.

Once most had finished dessert, and a few more people had started to leave, Gretel slipped a piece of foil-wrapped cake into their hands. “My uncle wants you to take this to Dubois. Apparently, the cake is Dubois’ favorite and he’s already waiting in the Rooftop for you. I’ve got this from here.”

Piers thanked her, again, before standing and addressing the group one last time, telling them to enjoy themselves and that they were retiring for the night. A chorus of faint goodbyes wished them farewell as they left, slipping out of the dining room and into the Palace. Moonlight streamed through the large windows to their right, which overlooked ATLZoS. It was dark, but the city was visibly alive. Spitting in the face of an apocalypse of the undead, it was alive. 

The halls were eerily quiet as they approached the center of the Palace, heading towards the main elevators. This dark didn’t scare them, like the Lab. This was home. These were the halls they’d slid down in socks since they were young, and the same halls they’d probably die in.

Seconds after they pressed the button for the elevator, the doors opened. Piers stepped in, hesitating for a second, before bumping their wrist against the scanner and selecting the top floor. The Rooftop was a common room, just for the Royal Family and their most favored guests. It was a strange choice, in Piers’ opinion. They paced back and forth as the digital numbers ticked up.

When it stopped, they readied themself once more, shoulders back, head tilted up, feet firm on the ground.

Nothing was going to go wrong. Piers was going to make sure of it.

TAGLIST (dm to be +/-) @author-a-holmes @soul-write @flowerprose @ceph-the-ghost-writer @theglitchywriterboi @when-wax-wings-melt @thechaoticflowergarden @lyralit @penspiration-writing @samatedeansbroccoli @charlesjosephwrites @italiangothicwriteblr @thetruearchmagos @pineapple-lover-boy @unilightwrites @sanguine-arena @bardic-tales @joshuaorrizonte @blind-the-winds @circa-specturgia @hymnonlips @aloeverawrites @the-stray-storyteller @writeblrsupport @starlit-skys @kyuponstories @guessillcallitart @magic-is-something-we-create @talesofsorrowandofruin @writingonmymind @imslowlydisintegrating @worldsfromhoney

NYTF WIP PAGE

#writing #writeblr #excerpt #wip #athenswrites #nytf #piers hall #grady yensey #shanna miles

[aisururuby]

The wounds that led to a fateful encounter part 2

Here's part 2 of this mini fanfic I guess

Remember this is a crossover between Who made me a princess and The twins new life. This takes place two years before canon.

“Oh honestly! How am I the one who’s ‘not doing their job’?!” a maid with teal hair complains as walks within the halls of Derolina castle. “Oh Eden, you came back? How was your meeting with the headmaid?” the maid with teal hair or whether Eden turned around to a fellow maid snickering at her. “That’s none of your business, shouldn’t you be cleaning the rooms?” Eden replied looking tired. “Why bother? It’s not like Lady Rurahelle cares. The emperor abandoned her and her illegitimate brats so why should we bother?” said the maid with a condescending tone. “I’ll never understand why you women insist on treating those children poorly? Do you lack empathy?” Eden snapback. “Oh temperamental, are we? Care Eden, you’re lucky I haven’t told Lady Rurahelle around you actually caring about those brats. She told us to only care for the little lady.” Threatened the maid.

“Why do you care about me actually caring for our masters? His majesty sent us to this castle to serve them.” Said Eden. She really wanted to check on the twins as she feared one of the maids would attempt to harm them in her absence. “Is that a serious question? Everyone knows illegitimate are a sin!” exclaimed the maid. “And all I’m hearing is that you’re a bitch.” said Eden, clearly not caring for her words. “Why you- how dare you! Maybe I should expose you!” shouted the maid, thinking she had the upper hand. “Then do it. I'm tired of you and Lady Rurahelle.” Replied Eden. She then walked off in search of the twins.

“The only reason I’m still here is for my nieces and nephew. Not you, Rurahelle” mumbled Eden. Unknown to the others, Eden is Rurahelle’s younger sister. They were separated for years after a raid brought upon their village by hunters. Eden escaped with the other heibis and her mother who managed to flee. Afterwards, the remaining heibis went into hiding and tried to rebuild their homes. Years later, Eden and a group of other heibis left their new village in search of heibis in hiding. However during her search, Eden could never find a trace of Rurahelle.

Eventually, Eden landed in Yuriana after running out of money due to her travels. Having no money she decided she would try to work as a maid until she had enough money to keep searching for her missing. She found work at the imperial palace and was informed she would be working in Derolina due unexpected circumstances. What she wasn’t expecting to meet Rurahelle again. . . . . She’s an aunt now?

When she and the other maids were introduced to Rurahelle, she was surprised to see a little girl with light blue and purple eyes. Apparently, she was her daughter, her niece and Rurahelle had the emperor’s children, her other niece and a nephew. Well this was a surprise but wait something feels off. If Rurahelle had the emperor’s children, would that not mean she was his lover? Then why is she being abandoned? Where’s the first niece’s father? Does the emperor know about her? She also noticed Rurahelle didn’t seem to recognize her?

At first, Eden thought Rurahelle was rightfully upset that the emperor abandoned her and her children but she didn’t expect her to take out her anger on her own children.

She resented her for that.

How could she?

So she decided she would be the one to mother the Rurahelle ‘s children instead. They deserve a proper mother-figure afterall. Since that day, Eden has been trying to save up enough money for all of them to leave the hell that is Derolina Castle and bring them back to the heibis’ village.

“Did you hear what happened?”

“Something happened today?”

“Yes, Apparently someone threw glass at one of those brats!”

Eden froze. ‘Threw glass at one of them?!’

Eden wasted no time and went straight to the twins’ bedroom only to find no one. “Arhen, Arienne? Where are you hiding again? Please come out!” exclaimed Eden after she closed the bedroom doors. She got no response. She checked after their bed, looked behind the curtains, inside the closet and the small hideout she made for the twins and Verbena in case of emergencies. Nothing.

She left the bedroom to keep searching until she heard a scream from outside. Startled, She went downstairs to see the commotion and saw the maids trying to hit what looked like a red tiger cub, and a maid crying on the grass with a bloody bite mark on her ankle.

“What is going on here?” asked an obviously puzzled Eden. Everyone stopped and turned to see Eden with a puzzled yet frantic expression. “Eden, come get your stupid cat!” Shouted a maid holding a broom. With everyone distracted, the tiger cub took notice of Eden and jumped straight into Eden’s arm. “Oof, eh hello So-won?” said Eden. “Good now take your wild beast out, can’t you see what it did to poor Maycin?!” Shouted a maid holding a duster.

“Fine but have you seen their highnesses?” said Eden. She’s well aware they don’t like her niece and nephew but still. “You still see those illegitimate brats as royalty? I was unaware you’ve been hypnotized to believe that.” said a snickering maid. “Just ask the question!” Eden shouted angrily. She was beginning to lose her patience with these women. “Shush, Eden, you care that much? No one has seen them since Maycin threw glass at one of those bastards two hours ago. There, happy?” said a maid holding a knife.

Eden looked down at the crying maid, Maycin, and was fuming with rage. “That was you?! Have you lost it?! They’re only three!” shouted Eden. “Why does it matter? Neither the emperor or Lady Rurahelle care fo-”

‘Slap’ The maids in the area flinched as Eden left a red handprint on Maycin’s cheek. Maycin’s eyes shook as she stared at Eden in shock with her hand on the cheek that had been slapped. “I don’t care with the emperor and Lady Rurahelle doesn't care for our masters! I DO and that’s more than enough!” Exclaimed Eden. Without letting anyone have the last word, Eden walks into the forest with So-won in her arms.“I am at my whipsend at that castle! Once I find Arhen and Arienne, I’ll patch them up and prepare to leave that damn castle once Rurahelle comes back with Verbena. There’s no way I can leave her here.” said Eden, voicing her plan to So-won who looks surprised by Eden’s declaration. Eden has been walking through the forest for 5 minutes after feeling a pool of mana somewhere in the forest. She found a portal in a clearing of the forest and walked though feeling the twins maybe had walked though due to curiosity. Eden found herself in a hallway of a building, she almost assumed it was Deorlina Castle until she noticed just how clean it was. “Hm, who are you? I don’t believe anyone else should be here?” a voice appears behind Eden. She turned around to see a woman with her arms crossed who appeared to be in her early twenties, the woman had curly black hair and brown eyes that were jeweled. Wait, jeweled eyes? There’s only one family in the continent who has jewel eyes, the imperial royal family of Obelia. And she knows of this woman since she heard rumors about her when she passed though Obelia during her travels. ‘You heard the nobles claiming the 1st princess is defective?’ ‘Defective? How so? She was born with the imperial family’s jeweled eyes, wasn’t she?’ ‘Not exactly, apparently she was born with jeweled BROWN eyes instead of blue like the emperor.’ ‘Wait that’s true?’ but coming face to face with the real deal was shocking enough. Eden immediately bowed to the first princess, “Forgive me, your imperial highness!” said Eden. “You don’t have to do that. Just explain why are you here in this villa and how did you get here? Only members of the imperial family are allowed here.” Replied the princess. Eden looked to see if the princess didn’t look upset by her intrusion. Why is that? “Your highness, if I may? I was searching for my niece and nephew as they have gone missing.” Said Eden. “Your niece and nephew went missing? How odd. Just a while ago two children were found here with my niece. The boy was bleeding when I found them.” Said the princess. “Arhen bleeded?! How’s Arienne?!” Exclaimed Eden. “Ah so they’re yours? Then please come with me to the infirmary.” said the princess.

~~~

“Arhen! Arienne!” The two women enter the infirmary to see a sleeping Arhen on one of the beds with bandages wrapped around his little arms. Next to him was a sleeping Arienne by her brother’s side with tears marks on her cheeks.

“Oh my poor babies! I’m sorry I wasn't there!” said Eden who had started to tear up at the sight of Arhen’s arms. The princess looked at Eden and then the twins. “Miss, can I ask why the children of Emperor Alistair are in this state?” said the princess. Eden turned to the princess who looked back at her with confusion. “What? Were you not expecting me to ask? When the doctor examined the young prince, he said his body was trying to slowly heal itself. The only person I know who can do that are the Yurianas. Care to explain? I didn’t know the emperor had remarried.” said the princess.

Eden gulped. “Well about that, your highness- Ah I don’t wish to be in trouble for telling a royal from a different empire the affairs of the Yuriana imperial family.” said Eden. The princess looked surprised at Eden’s reply. “Well regardless, until the children are returned to Yuriana, they are under my care. That goes for you, too.” said the princess.

“If you say so, your highness. Well three years ago-”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And that happened- your highness?” Eden looked at the princess who looked like a blood vein was about to blow from her head due to anger. “First to Claude, and now Emperor Alistair?! Can no one take responsibility?! I thought he was decent!” said the princess who was absolutely fuming at the news of the emperor she respected abandoned his own children like her brother.

After calming down, the princess turned to Eden who was surprised to see a princess react in such a way. “My apologies, Eden was it? You didn’t need to see such an unsightly scene. My anger got the best of me.” The princess sincerely apologies to Eden. “It's no issue, your highness. I was just caught off guard.” Eden replied shyly. “Um your highness, when do you think Arhen will fully recover?” Asked Eden. “Oh the doctor was unable to tell due to the prince’s magic slowly healing him. If the prince was a normal person, his wounds would have healed within weeks but with the yuriana blood in his veins he shoulda been healed by now. However that isn’t the case for some unknown reason. I’m sorry I don’t know about their family’s healing ability.” Said The princess.

“Oh” said Eden sadly. The princess looked at Eden sadly until an idea came to mind. “Miss Eden, you did say you wanted to leave Yuriana for the sake of your nieces and nephew, correct?” asked the princess. “Huh? Yes but I don’t have enough money for all 4 of us to leave together.” Eden looked at her puzzled by her question. “Well would you like to live here in the villa?” asked the princess with a smile. “W-What?! I-I can’t no we can’t! We can’t live here on another royal’s property!” exclaimed Eden. Eden was baffled at this resolution. First princess of Obelia, Selena de Alger Obelia and younger half-sister to the current emperor, was asking her if she and the twins along with Verbena wanted to live in her villa. Was this a joke?

“This isn’t a joke. I’m being sincere here and besides we got plenty of rooms while housing my brother’s ex-concubines and his children!” said Selena

Eden pondered this. ‘Is this a good idea? I don’t have any other options.’ Before she accepted the offer, a question came to mind. “But your highness, what of the emperor? As well as Emperor Alistair? Will we not get in trouble if this is revealed?” Eden asked in concern. “That’s why I will be handling that issue. I won’t allow my brother to lay a hand on any of you, I promise.” Said Selena. Selena meant it just as she promised the ex-concubines she will protect them and their children from Claude.

‘Sigh’ “Okay I accept your offer, your highness.” Eden had a timid smile as she responded. Selena smiled back at her and shook her hand. “Good, tomorrow I will send a maid of mine with you to get your other niece the way you came.” Said Selena. “Thank you, your highness!” Eden exclaimed. ‘Giggles’ “You can just call me ‘Selena’ it’s fine.” said Selena. “Okay your- eh Selena.” said Eden.

Underneath Arhen’s bed laid So-won was silently listening to Eden’s and Selena’s conversation. ‘Hm look like I didn’t have to do anything this time’

#the twins new life #the twins siblings new life #manhwa crossover #arhen yuriana #arienne yuriana #who made me a princess #wmmap oc #selena de alger obelia #ttsnl oc #Eden #wmmap

[chenziee]

Like the sun...

First of my pieces for the amazing @opluffyzine :D First time writing Reiju but I quite like how she turned out (she's a Luffy fan like the rest of us now #canon)

The zine's aftersale's are open right now so go check it out and give yourself a Christmas present (or you know... just treat yourself, you deserve it) <3

[ Read on AO3 | Ko-Fi | Zine Store ]

----------

Reiju couldn’t believe it. When she had seen Sanji arrive at Whole Cake Island, she had thought it was all over for him, that his hard-earned years of freedom were finished. All because of their father’s ridiculous ambition. But what neither she, nor their father and brothers—and obviously not even Sanji—had expected, were people chasing after him.

She was honestly surprised when she and Yonji ran into the Straw Hat crew out at sea on the outskirts of Totto Land, and even more surprised at the state their captain was in. She had to wonder how he even managed to ingest that much armored stone fish poison, nevermind surviving it. She could only silently marvel at this boy’s luck in meeting the one person who could save him at that point.

However, she was sure that if the Straw Hats didn’t turn back, their luck would run out very soon. There was a limit to such fancies of fate and they would need nothing short of a miracle to get as deep into Totto Land’s territory as they had intended.

Even while they were riding the carriage taking all the Vinsmokes over to Big Mom’s castle, everything still seemed hopeless. No way out, no means of escape, no room to hide; not even a will to run. Not until their coachman pointed out the large figure charging at them from the direction of the forest.

“Your majesty, something is approaching!”

Reiju frowned slightly, leaning forward to see past her father. Was that… a tree? And someone waving from the top of it?

“Hey! Sanji!” the person shouted right then. “Haven’t seen ya in a while!” 

Reiju could barely believe her ears. It definitely sounded like Straw Hat Luffy, Sanji’s cute little captain. It seemed like the man’s luck and determination ran deeper than Reiju had given him credit for and she felt a smile pull on her lips. It was quite refreshing.

But then Sanji spoke up behind her, his voice weak and shaky, “What are they doing here?”

With that simple sentence, it was obvious what Sanji’s answer was going to be. Still, that knowledge didn’t make hearing Sanji speak like a Vinsmoke any easier, any less devastating, and Reiju only hoped Straw Hat wouldn’t blame Sanji.

Unfortunately, it would probably take yet another miracle for that. Reiju didn’t want to watch the following fight; she could see Sanji’s heart breaking with every kick he threw Straw Hat's way, yet, for some reason, she couldn’t look away either. The way Straw Hat took every hit, not even trying to block a single one, the way he refused to back down, saying he wasn’t going to fight Sanji… It was something Reiju had never seen in her life.

She had witnessed countless fights, fought countless people herself, and she had met countless pirates. But this boy was simply something else entirely.

And, as shocking and painful as this scene was to witness, her smile widened the slightest bit.

"You can kick me all you want but you're the one feeling the pain!" Straw Hat screamed after the retreating carriage.

Reiju couldn't even say she was surprised by Straw Hat's words in the end. Yet, she was still incredibly happy to hear them—happy Sanji got to hear them. Happy her little brother had found people who loved him this much and had the power and will needed to act on it.

And even with the gates of Whole Cake Chateau closed tightly shut behind them, Straw Hat's words still echoed around them. "Come back, Sanji! Without your help I can't become the King of the Pirates!"

They were inside the castle now, but Reiju still felt the dark skies above part just a little bit. 

There was yet a small ray of light above.

----------

Listening to Sanji retell what he had seen and heard in Pudding's room, Reiju was surprised by the feeling of relief that washed over her. For one, Sanji finally had no reason to stay. There would be no wedding, no alliance, and no threat to the hostages come tomorrow. There weren’t even any bombs on his wrists.

And two, Germa 66 was as good as dead.

The only problem was Sanji’s kindness. How do you convince someone selfless like Sanji to let people die? Reiju didn’t know. She had tried and tried but she knew it was hopeless. For her, anyway.

She had to leave it to the person who appeared to have the power to sway the tides of fate itself.

As if on cue, there was a loud crash outside the medical room, followed by shouts that got louder and louder with every passing second. What did she say about luck and fate? It was honestly so incredible that it was absurd.

It didn’t take Straw Hat very long to speed past the door Reiju was hiding behind. Quickly dragging him inside, Reiju took in the state he was in; ragged clothes, wounds and dirt all over, a missing tooth, cheeks hollow as if he hadn’t eaten for days. A complete mess, yet so desperate to reach Sanji—and not even being quiet about it even though he was running all over the Chateau, Big Mom’s very own castle.

“We’ve been tricked, Pudding lied to us! The very girl Sanji’s getting married to said she’s going to kill him—” Straw Hat stopped suddenly, blinking at Reiju with a slight frown on his face. “Are you okay? You got hurt?” he asked then, gesturing to her thigh.

Reiju chuckled at the concern. “I’m fine,” she said, dismissing him. You really should worry more about yourself right now, she added to herself as she shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “And don’t worry, my brother knows about Pudding.”

“What?! He knew?” Straw Hat cried.

The genuine shock on his face got quickly replaced by rage, however, when Reiju explained the situation Sanji was in—or the situation he thought he was in.

“Hostages? You mean the Baratie?! I know them!” Straw Hat said, nearly shaking in anger. “If they’re really in danger, I’ll go back to the East Blue to fight if I have to!”

Reiju blinked, taken completely aback by the declaration. But before she could so much as ask if he was serious, a loud growl came from Straw Hat’s stomach. 

“Do you… need something to eat?” she asked uncertainly.

“N-No, I’m fine!” the boy replied immediately, a bit too loud and a bit too forceful. Like he was trying to convince both Reiju and himself that he wasn’t hungry after all.

His words from the day before echoed in Reiju’s mind. ‘I won’t eat anyone’s food but yours anymore!’ When he had said it, Reiju had thought he was exaggerating but looking at him now, weak and tired and with stomach empty, she could tell he had been dead serious. And she found she couldn’t say anything in that moment; not about his hunger and not about Sanji. Both of those were now fully in Straw Hat’s hands. And so, she only watched silently while the pirate gathered himself, breathing heavily as he tried to calm his complaining stomach.

Finally, after a few moments, he got up to his feet. And whatever it was that Reiju expected to see, to hear, it certainly wasn’t this wide, happy smile or the relieved tone of his next words.

“But at least now I know Sanji’s aware what Pudding’s up to! As long as he’s not being tricked, I’ve done everything else I can!” he announced, looking perfectly satisfied with everything.

“Wha—” Reiju only managed to say before getting interrupted.

“Thanks, Sanji’s sister!” Straw Hat called, his hand raised in a wave even while he turned on his heel and started running towards the window.

Reiju’s eyes widened at the suddenness of the situation. And why the window?! “Where are you going?! That’s not—”

She was cut off again, this time by the loud crash of glass breaking, and she could only stare with an open mouth after the man. Did he seriously just jump out of the window, at this height?!

“I made him a promise, but it’s not here!” 

His last words repeated themselves in her head over and over while she tried to process what just happened. It was only when people started screaming all the way down at the foot of the Chateau that she finally broke out of her stupor.

And Reiju… laughed.

Laughed, because of the absurdity. Laughed, because she didn’t know what else to do. Laughed, because of the relief. This man, this pirate, was certainly something; a raw force of nature, maybe. Sanji truly was in good hands now.

Letting her head fall back, Reiju stared at the ceiling above, wondering when exactly the dark clouds disappeared.

#one piece #luffy #monkey d. luffy #strawhat luffy #reiju #vinsmoke reiju #reiju & luffy #reiju & sanji #luffy & sanji #canonverse #reiju pov #whole cake island #whole cake island arc #luffy zine #zine stuff #katie pretends to fic #like the sun #zines