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#apologies that there's less fruit in this one i hope the cheese makes up for it
justjams2003 · 7 months
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Sweet Savagery- 2
Paring: Dark!Thor Odinson x Slave!Reader
Summary: All your life, Thor's blue eyes have haunted you. You believed you outran him, but now all your hopes come tumbling down.
Warnings: Death of loved ones, violence, nightmares, non-con, p in v, degradation. Tell me if I missed any.
Word count: 1.8k+, Unedited
1st Divider by: @firefly-graphics
2nd Divider by: @cafekitsune
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The throbbing pain between your legs overshadows the comfort of a bed after years of not having one. It feels as though someone has run lightning through your back and shoulders.
Your thighs are raw, and your shoulders are red with hand prints. Regular lovers would preen, they would show off love bites after a steamy night. But you’re left only with the signs of aggression.  
Moving feels almost impossible. Each of your muscles is stiff and worn. The morning wind blows through the windows and curtains, causing a chill to run down your spine.
You’re still on top of the sheet and the side you didn’t sleep on, has gone untouched. If it weren’t for your appearance and the presence of pain, you’d think last night never happened.  
You did not move until the sun was high in the sky. Not that it matters much, this time of the year, the sun has little effect. At least it hasn’t started snowing yet, but that can be expected in the following days. The need to crawl into the sheets is overwhelming, but the dryness of your throat is more substantial.  
Each move is agony, but soon enough you find the remains of your nightdress. Though now, it covers even less than it did before. A choice must be made. Go through the mad king’s closet and find something to fear, but risk angering him? Or risk the guards seeing more than they should? With a sigh, you open the door ever so slightly.  
“Sir?” Your voice is coarse and faint, but still, you go on. “Could you perhaps ask a maid for some water?” You question if they even heard you, but it’s clear at least one of them had when they start marching away. Soon after, you heard a knock and let the maid in. It’s a short, stout, older woman who seems to enter in a flurry.  
“Oh dear! I cannot tell you how strange it is to see someone in His Majesty’s room. Or even be in here!” You can’t help but furrow your brows, has she never been in here. “My apologies, dear, we had a hurried meal made for you. You must be starved, it’s already mid-noon!” She pulls off the silver lid from the plate.  
On the plate, are an assortment of cheeses, meats and fruits along with water and wine. Your stomach grumbles for the first time in years. After being starved for so long, your stomach had grown numb and used to scraps.
“Just look at you! So strange, so strange.” She mutters to herself, pouring you a glass of water.  
“Would it be rude of me to ask why my presence is so strange?” You ask after taking a big gulp of the liquid. It eases the pain and soreness and makes it must easier to ask the questions burning in your mind. “Surely His Highness has had other guests?” A frown forms on your face when she shakes her head.  
“Oh no, dear, His Majesty himself is only seen entering and leaving his room once a day. And when he does have a person over, they...” It appears that she refuses to continue speaking.
A chill rushes through your body at her words. Violent images flash through your mind. “Not to worry, dear, if he’s let you stay, I’m sure it means you’re special.”  
Suddenly the cheese tastes sour. What if he has something planned far worse than any other people? “I’ll have one of the maids bring you a dress when they pick up your dishes. How long do you think you’ll be staying?” She asks with an unknowing smile. “I fear I might be staying forever.”  
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Every day it was the same ritual. He would beckon you over with the fall of his hammer. And after taking off his cape and armour, he would take you like an animal. As if you're prey, he's claiming as his own property. A wild beast tearing you to shreds and at the same time causing a tear in your mind.
He's the only interaction you had throughout the day. Besides, of course, the simple hello, thank you and goodbye to the maids. These four walls are all you have.  
Morning and night, the quiet creeps into the corners of your mind. The balcony helps, yes, seeing the villagers go about their day. Doing their daily tasks, surely begging for the sweet silence you have now.
What they don't know is how cruel it can be. If you counted the moons correctly, it was a full 2 months before you finally caved.  
After another night of grunts, pull and push, your body acted much quicker than your mind. Reaching out to the only form of contact you have. Grabbing the king by the wrist before he can scatter away like so many nights before.  
"Thor, please...stay." You can't believe you uttered the words. It feels almost strange to hear your own voice. What's even stranger is his reaction. He doesn't even waiver in his actions. He pulls the sheets back, allowing the both of you to crawl underneath. And now, in the silence, you're not sure why you asked him to stay.  
His blue eyes, still the exact same shade of thunder blue, still glow in the dark. So beautiful, so dangerous, so enticing. What is it about them that lingers so? And why does nobody else seem to notice them like you do?  
His golden locks are lightly coated in sweat and even after so many nights you still haven't gotten used to his beauty. "Please say something." It's all you manage to mutter. It's barely above a mumble and yet even in the dark, you can tell he's heard you.  
"What would you like me to say?" His voice is just as coarse as your own, in contrast though, it carries so much more authority. His years of battle seem to ooze from him. "Anything. I fear the quiet will kill me before you do."
Now you've really done it. The solidarity has made your tongue loose. You hope to cover it up with a chuckle, but the deep furrow in his brow shows that he does not find it amusing.  
"I will not kill you." He keeps his words sparse as he leans back against the headboard with his back. "You can't blame me for thinking it." He scoffs at this. "If I wanted to kill you, I would not be making love to you." His words hold a sense of humour as if it's the most obvious thing in the world for him.  
Now you’re the one to scoff but bite your tongue. If he believes that to be making love, it’s no wonder he’s left without a wife or child.  
"That's not what the maids say. People tell me I'm the only one to have spent a night with you and live. They won't even speak of what remains of the others." You relay to him, for some reason growing comfortable. Or maybe you've gone just a bit mad yourself, here, alone.  
"They are not you." The words speak volumes unmatched. Still not satisfied, you press on. "I should be no different from them. I should mean even less than them." This seems to be the wrong thing to say. For he has the same look as your first night. Guilt. His heart opening just so slightly. He reaches to touch you, softly and without malicious intent.  
Lightly on the cheek and then tucking stray hairs behind your ear. "Sleep. I will have someone show you the castle tomorrow. I feel your solitary confinement will cause you to get in trouble."  
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That morning, just like every morning before, you find yourself alone in the room. Yet for some reason, the crumpled sheets next to you bring a warm fuzzy feeling to your heart.
Some slight form of domestic bliss through the rabid ruthlessness of the king. And yet, now you're questioning if he even is such a mad king.  
If his forced violation of your body can ever be looked past, what has he done? In the two months spent there, he has not lifted a hand against you. He’s been much kinder than any of your other owners.
But is the violation worth it? Is it worth a full belly, clothed body, warm bed and wrists free from chains? Where must you give in and embrace the life you’re sworn to live now?  
A knock disrupts your mind, and you start the same routine every day over. Except today, you decide to wear the prettiest dress that the maids had given you. Braiding your hair, which has grown so long after many years of neglect, in the only way you know how.
You’ve never been in a castle before and judging the architecture of Thor’s room is anything to go by, it’ll be gorgeous. 
It was, to say the least, beautiful. Each wall and roof has intricate details. Golden touches and marble floors. Statues made of colossal size, each celebrating Thor or one of the higher-up men.
Pillars made of stone and granite of enormous size, hold up roofs as tall as mountains. They showed you the great hall, the kitchen and the gardens. Which are filled with mostly dead bushes now due to the winter air.  
The library is huge, and it makes you yearn to force yourself into each one of the written stories. Just how badly you so wished you could read; never have you had the opportunity to be educated. What truly sent your adrenaline flowing running is the training arena. Your maid, one of the younger ones seemed the most excited about this area.  
There is a platform to watch, and you can’t help but laugh at the silliness of it all. “Why do you laugh? I do think this is a good past time.” She’s not entirely wrong, heavyset, sweaty men, bigger than any other kingdom you’ve seen before, clashing muscles and swords. Dust flies in a storm and then suddenly stops.  
Those piercing blue eyes, you recognise from anywhere, enter the arena. They all salute him before returning to their training. Now, they spar. They form a circle around Thor. Each of the knights gives it their all, attacking with their years of skill and hours of training. It has little effect; he throws them off with ease.  
Like the nights you know so well, he doesn’t even break a sweat. The other men are in comfortable clothes, some even shirtless, but he is still in his usual full armour.
It comforts you knowing he can leave over 6 foot tall, over 20 stone men, groaning in the dust, and yet he chooses to keep you well. “My Lady, I do not know how you handle all that each night.”  
A blush coats you from your cheeks to the tips of your ears. It’s as if he heard you at that very moment, his eyes catch yours. He smirks and, at that moment, slams a guard, full speed, into the wall. The guard, who now looks small in stature, falls to the floor with a thump.
He grabs onto his body as groans of pain leave his mouth. His pain ripples through the arena. Everyone can feel that his bones cracked. After hours of training, this act seems to be the end of it.  
Thor finally speaks a word, it’s a loud boom, even if he doesn’t yell, it echos all around. “Pathetic.”  
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neitherlightnordark · 2 years
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Chapter 2: Fruit Bowl (**electric_boogaloo.png**)
read on ao3 here!
Once upon a bright night humming with activity, Serial Number Q5U4EX7YY2E9N asked Tasque Manager if she would like to come with her on a trip up through the Mansion, to one of the balconies.
“As A Break”
“A break in the mansion I work in—?” Tasque Manager chirped as she set one of Queen’s fine paintings in order— not fire, not fire! Order, order! Today was Calibrating Day, Tasque Manager’s favorite day, and she had randomly selected one of Queen’s fresh paintings to test and see if the whole lot was rotten. “Why, the mansion I practically run, run—?”
“I Think That If Walls Could Talk They’d Say You Deserve A Break As Much As I Do / And The Most Convenient Breaks Are Those You Ascend Stairs For” Queen leaned against the wall, over Tasque Manager, shading her from the light she would have needed to see inside this painting if it weren’t for her built—in illuminator.
“And what work—” here, Tasque Manager kneeled to check the amount of lighter fluid this painting contained, “—is it that you’re taking a break from exactly, my most elegant radiance?”
She felt Queen’s chassis hum lightly as her most elegant radiance pondered the question— and she was so very genuine about it, too, which was one thing out of the many things Tasque Manager appreciated about her.
“Coming Up With Good Ideas” Queen concluded eventually, triumphant, as Tasque Manager pulled a switch.
“Duck, duck!”
“Goose?”
“No, duck!!!” Tasque Manager leapt for Queen’s neck and yanked her down by her silly collar, just as a blast of flame seared the backs of their heads.
“Oh” Queen exclaimed monotonically as the flame dissipated. “Oh My”
Beaming, she rolled off Tasque Manager and sat back on her heels. “Whooooooo Wow Wow Wow / Tasquey That Was Wonderful! Clap Clap Clap / Almost Died!”
“It is one out of the many tasks I am glad to perform for you at any moment. Queen death prevention, is what I mean!” Tasque Manager sat up and churred, moving to wipe her prosthetic soot—stained hands on her white qipao.
Queen took her hands before she could, wiping them on the strawberry carpet instead. “Silly Silly There’s No Need To Sully Your Clothes / That’s What The Floor Is For”
Tasque Manager gasped, mock-affronted. “Why, Serial Number Q5U—”
“No No No No / It’s Queen For Scolding Since That Makes It Easier”
Tasque Manager laughed. “Alright! Why, Queen, Queen, Queen—no, no, it’s too informal!”
“No Such Thing As Informal In This Lawless Land”
(There were still sootprints on Queen’s hands, and now there were more on her slightly singed collar. If there was anything Tasque Manager regretted in the last two minutes, it was not cleaning her hands before saving Queen from mild charring and melting.)
“Hey Tammy / Tasquey / Jack O’Lantern / Aquamarine”
“Jack o’lantern...?”
“Uh” Queen faltered. “Because Of Your Smile / Wait Um / ... / Oh Never Mind / Hey / Please Leave These Strikingly Designed Fireplaces Behind And Tend To Them Later Because I Have Something Cool To Show You”
“No, no, Queen—I have a strict schedule to follow,” Tasque Manager protested, “and it’s a very fine schedule, in my opinion—”
“Perhaps If We Just Cleared It For This Very Special Calibrating Day?” Queen’s visor sparkled, black and starry as the night could be. “Poof Poof Responsibilities Are: Deleted / You Have So Much Power Magician / Come Onnnnnn I Can’t Finish All These Blocks Of Processed Factory Blue Cheese Myself / (Literally) (I Can’t Eat) (Please Tasque Manager Save Me From Drowning In So Much Cheese)”
“Hsst hsst hsst—later. Later, later, later, silly!” Tasque Manager stood, her outlet tail curling over Queen’s black heels, and bent down to help up her most radiant elegance. “First, I will complete what is in my itinerary, itinerary. And then, I will pencil in ‘meet... Queen on one of her many balconies, for something that will truly be a wondrous surprise’ in one of the free spaces! Now, does this placate you, your most divine majesty?”
“Lmao / Why Yes / I Am So Very Pleased My Utmostly Sophisticated Electricness” Queen let go of Tasque Manager’s hands and swept into a bow that managed to be fascinatingly regal and terribly clumsy at the same time (although this botched royal-ness was a natural part of Queen’s charm, Tasque Manager often wondered where Queen had learned how to bow like that).
“Toodles You Silly Little... I Mean Tasque Manager” Queen added, and she somersaulted away, making a passing flock of Swatchlings rumble with laughter and cheer as she did.
Tasque Manager laughed as well, and flicked the painting’s switch. Another bloom of fire blazed through the halls.
It was a good day for these paintings; all those that she’d tested were running smoothly. She would be done very early.
Upon the balcony, the night sky stretched around them; endless, fathomless, cold. Hung with faraway electric stars, and a single, exquisitely accurate moon, and that was it. Queen let advertisements for empty lots and pomegranates and cars and the like run rampant throughout The City, but the night sky would always remain pristine. It wasn’t theirs to touch.
“You Must Be Wondering Why I’ve Brought You Up Here” Queen said to Tasque Manager as they looked over the edge, down at their city that spilled teal and magenta and cerulean beneath their feet.
“Indeed I am, your majesty.”
Queen was silent. A large shadow-powered zeppelin with Tasque Manager: Mansion’s Most Wonderful Employee painted on its side in luminous eye-searing colors floated up past them and into the night sky.
“How did you construct that without my knowledge...?” Tasque Manager wondered as the zeppelin turned westward and began floating over the city.
“Spamton Helped / Blueberry And Teal And Indigo Did Most Of The Painting / When I Tried Spamton Said I Was A Hazard To Society / Swatch Was In Charge Of Distracting You / But Swatch Also Isn’t Very Good At Distracting People Especially Longterm / Highkey Surprised You Didn’t Figure It Out”
“Oh my.” Tasque Manager resolved to affectionately drown Swatch in Tasques the next time she saw that graceful bird.
She noticed Queen was smiling at her and flicked a spark of white electricity at her with a finger. “You are so very smug, smug! Ill befitting a crown!”
“Maybe Swatch Was A Little Better At Distracting Than We Thought”
“It was just one zeppelin!!”
“Oh Did You Want Some More / I Have Some More / An Excess Of Them”
“Whatever for?!”
“Airdropping”
“No, I— no, I would not like some more. It’s fine, fine!” Tasque Manager zoomed in her sight to watch the zeppelin delicately alight on a landing platform far, far away. Three Swatchlings in varying shades of blue hopped out, all rushing to touch up the paint.
“...You did not have to do that, you know.”
“I Don’t Have To Do Lots Of Things / But It Was Fun”
“It... it... was,” Tasque Manager admitted, putting a hand over her face to hide her smile. “Silly!! It was quite silly, silly. And fun.”
The two of them leaned on the balcony and watched the city wink at them.
Tasque Manager unconsciously winked back, as cats were wont to do, and then realized her posture was slouching the tiniest bit and snapped up ramrod-straight.
Hsst, she thought, noticing that in the corner of her vision Queen was smiling fondly, like she was seeing a very familiar ghost.
Later that night, the two were supposed to be relaxing on chaise lounges and watching the night sky above them, with a barrel of blue cheese between them that neither of them could actually eat. Tasque Manager had summoned a variety of her Tasques to enjoy it. Unfortunately, all the hullabaloo had summoned Maice as well.
“Order, order, order, please!” Tasque Manager yelled at a swarm of Maice from the safety of her chaise lounge. This made thirty of the creatures start up irritated comment threads about how one couldn’t love cats and despise rats at the same time and what else were they supposed to eat if they didn’t steal and how it was actually kind of nice and warm inside a Tasque’s belly.
Tasque Manager cracked her whip at them, blowing a blue raspberry, and they scattered.
“My Queen, you are not helpful!” she cried to her Queen, who at the moment was absolutely blanketed in Tasques and Maice alike. “If you do not do something, they’ll form a wheel!”
“But Tassy” Queen protested from where a Tasque was sitting on her face. “Cats”
Tasque Manager huffed and flung her whip down, sending sparks of her irritation everywhere and forcing the Maice to scatter.
“You Know” said Queen with a radiant smile, which was mostly hidden by a Tasque’s tail, drawing Tasque Manager’s gaze to it without trying. This should have irritated her further. “It’s So Funny Getting To Know You Taskqueue”
“Is this a leadup to a quip, quip?”
“No I Mean” Queen’s smile disappeared. “That Voice Pattern Of Yours / ...” She looked away. “... / I Need To Clear Storage Space Again Don’t I / Anyway Where Were We / Maice Right”
“My... voice pattern,” repeated Tasque Manager. “My speech is what, exactly, Queen...?”
“Wait Wait Wait Wait Wait Wait / It Was Never A Bad Thing Not At All / It’s So Distinct / And It Makes Your Speech More Understandable / And I Don’t Know Why I Can’t Say / That I Love It Just Because It’s Yours”
Tasque Manager’s whip stopped crackling in her confusion, and the Maice took their chance to fling themselves upon the barrel once more.
Queen hesitated, visor warping a little to look at her whip. “It... Is Yours Though Right? / You Did Not By Any Chance Pick It Up From Someone Along The Way, Right?”
“I... do not think so—?” Tasque Manager turned back to the barrel and swatted it, gentler this time. “This interrogation means what, Queen? Do be more organized with how you present information, if you so please.”
“Whoops My Bad” Queen laughed, rolling and deep and long, and flopped back down against her chaise lounge. “It’s Just That A Person Who Used To Exist Did That”
“Who, who?”
“He Was / Hmm It’s A Good Thing He’s Not Here To Hear This” Queen sat up. “He Was A Court Jester Of The Greatest Caliber / Even Though No One But Two People In The Entire World Thought That”
She made a grand, amused gesture, reaching up to scritch a Maus on the head and missing a few times. “The Best Comedy Is Derived From Fear You See / I Think We Made A Brilliant Team Until / Uh / Well Until This Happened?”
“Until what happened...?”
“You And Swatch And Swatchlings And Tasques And Mansion And The Center Of The World / Came To Be / Yep Until This All Happened”
“...And you thought I knew him?” Faraway pink and teal reflected off Tasque Manager’s head as she sat down next to Queen. “...I’m sorry... I do not know who you’re talking about, Queen. Or... what you mean by any of this.”
“I Mean / Gosh I Can’t Be The Only One With These Almost-Memories” Queen said.
And she faltered, and suddenly her smile was so very, very sad as she looked at Tasque Manager’s left ear. “Um / But It’s Okay / That You Don’t / My Code Might Just Be Making All This Up To Figure Out Who I Am Ha Ha”
“...?”
Queen looked down at where a Tasque (this one was Timberly) was resting on her lap and gently tweaked his nose, smiling.
“Wait, are you saying that...” Tasque Manager hesitated, one of her hands (the fourth or fifth one) anxiously pulling at her dress. “You are... generating memories of... your past? Before... this?”
“I Guess You Could Put It That Way?” Timberly pushed up on Queen’s han d with his snout, and Queen rubbed underneath his chin, very gentle despite her sharp metal finger. “More Like I’m... Remembering Them? / I Don’t Think I’m Making These Up Ha Ha Ha”
She looked at Tasque Manager, smiling tightly. “Because That’d Be Super Ridiculous Right Ha Ha / Making Up A Bunch Of People / And I’ve Have To Get Myself Checked And Maybe Have To Install A Few Updates If All These Things I’m Remembering Aren’t True Ha Ha”
Tasque Manager looked down at Timberly, and then looked up at Queen, and then made an executive decision.
“You may tell me more about your... memories,” she said to Queen primly, straightening up. “I will file them away for you! You can’t keep that all inside you, you’re running out of storage, storage...”
Queen paused her petting of Timberly, her expression blank with surprise. “...Really?”
“Yes, yes!!” Tasque Manager beamed. “It is one out of the many tasks I would be happy to perform for you, my Queen. My storage is much more up-to-date, date.”
A perfect, slightly relieved smile spread across Queen’s face. “Tasque Manager I Hope You Know That The Zeppelin Thing Wasn’t Just For Show”
“Yes, yes, I know—! Now, help me shoo those Maice away, kittens.” Tasque Manager stood, stretching and clicking her joints, and the Tasques obligingly hopped off, pouncing on any Maice nearby. “Where would you like to start, Queen?”
“What About / The People / The People I Remember” Queen scooted aside to let Tasque Manager sit next to her as well. “Seems As Good A Way To Start Building A Place Than Any”
The night sky stretched around them as they slowly remembered a world together; endless, fathomless, cold.
Tasque Manager looked across the gap to the Shop from inside Swatch’s new café, which was closed for the night.
Castle Town was asleep. No one was out this late—no one but dear Ralsei, whose silhouette darkened the windows of his castle as he hurried to and fro—organizing things, saying goodnight to his friends—thinking no one noticed. Tomorrow she’d have to catch him, overwhelm him with Tasques, force him to take a seat at the wonderful café he loved but never visited except with his friends because he was so busy otherwise, and let him and Swatch talk.
And the Shop, in comparison with the rest of sleepy Castle Town, was lively with activity. Those three young men who’d run such a small rebellion against Queen—with so vague a purpose, too! She could not understand it—were setting up a variety of golden speakers outside, poking their heads through the entrance and laughing at what they and someone else inside were saying.
She did not know how to organize these thoughts running rampant through her brain.
Queen’s old companion, your Shop is still as rumpled as ever, ever! she could say, strutting across the gap. Sweet Cap’n Cakes would scatter in her wake, and there would be nothing holding her back from throwing the door open in full and—
She wondered, briefly, distantly, how much information it would take to overload this Darkner who Swatch and Queen and Tasque Manager herself had all quietly decided was dead, and thus should be treated and processed that way.
And I heard Cap’n say you’re missing an eye even though you were always so irrationally worried about your face being symmetrical, and you never come outside at all even though Queen said you would patrol the ends of your world until you were too tired to take another step, and—
“I am being ridiculous,” she grumbled, turning back to her Tasques, who had all decided to help her take over the café for Swatch while Swatch was busy helping Queen. “Ridiculous! Quite! Order, order, O—R—D—E—R, A—B—C—D...”
Task, Timberly, and Tasqueen came up and nuzzled her, perhaps all sensing her emotional turmoil at once, and she sighed and kneeled down to lean into their soft static bodies. “D—E—F—G...”
This was not even her past to handle—this was not even hers. And now that it was true—had always been true...
Maybe I will visit Seam, she resolved after a moment. And maybe I will manage to act perfectly normal and civil about it all, all. And then we’ll see how to tell Queen and Seam both, civilly, about the Devilsknife. And then we will move on in full.
“Come now, sweet kitties,” she said, and they all trotted after her to the exit in the back of the café, a line of Tasques in a row. The last one shut the door with their paw, and the café went dark.
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can i request some headcanons for, kalim, azul, silver and malleus catching their crush (reader) attempting to discreetly leave a gift or an love letter at their locker or something? if thats okay! :)
I’m going to alter this prompt slightly, since I don’t think we have any indication that NRC has lockers (just from a quick look at NRC campus backgrounds). So...! It’s going to be the reader being caught leaving a gift at the respective character’s dorm for them.
Curiouser and Curiouser...
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Kalim has no sense of subtlety at all. As soon as he spots you, his eyes light up with excitement and he rushes over to say hello. You’re so shocked by his sudden appearance that you fumble to hide the present behind your back (but it goes unnoticed by Kalim, who’s far too distracted with greeting you).
He starts happily chatting you up, asking how your day has been and why you’re all the way in Scarabia (not that he minds, of course--he just gets really excitable when he has the chance to talk to his crush)!
The conversation actually starts hopping from subject to subject, and Kalim ends up inviting you inside for snacks! Though you protest, he insists that you would make do with some food and drink to perk back up from the scorching heat. Plus, he wants to show you how hospitable and sweet he can be!
Kalim gives you some coconut water and platters laden with fine cheeses, crackers, nuts, and fruits. He’ll even feed you himself, casually pressing bits of fruit and slices of cheese to your lips. Your present for him is left on the edge of a table and forgotten in lieu of a fun and festive afternoon, the two of your hearts growing closer together.
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Azul is quick to sweep over to you with a polite smile to ask about your reasons for “snooping around” Octavinelle. As thrilled as he is to see you come to his dormitory, he knows that he has a public image to uphold as a deal maker, and he won’t let his true emotions be worn on his sleeve.
When you try to hide your present, Azul only chuckles and plucks it right out of your hands. He nonchalantly glances at the recipient name (his) and, with a smirk, (ironically) advises that you be more honest and direct with your intentions.
As soon as the transaction is made, Azul announces that you no longer have any business with Octavinelle and personally shows you to the mirror portal out. He has a hand on your lower back while he escorts you, the perfect spot to indicate some level of familiarity without being too openly aggressive or flirtatious.
Once you are gone, Azul hurries to his office and slams the door behind him. Alone, he allows himself to sink against the wall and hug his present to his chest. A delayed reaction kicks in, and his whole face turns bright pink, just like steamed octopus. He buries his head in the present and lets out a small, muffled squeal, hoping that, some day, he, too, can be honest with you.
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When he first hears your footsteps, Silver thinks that there’s an intruder afoot in Diasomnia. He instinctively tenses and prepares himself for a potential battle. It’s a pleasant surprise for him to run into you, his crush, instead!
Rather than take advantage of the change to talk to you, Silver’s attention immediately hones in on the gift in your hands. He insists that you hand over the suspicious package, suspecting that it is intended for Malleus. As fairy royalty and a powerful magician, Malleus has a number of rivals that would love to topple him from his throne--and it’s Silver’s duty to prevent that, at all costs.
You reluctantly hand over the present, and Silver opens it right in front of you to inspect--and he sees his name clearly scrawled on letter taped to the inside of the box, along with a small amulet. A faint blush sets in on his cheeks as realization dawns on him. 
You both stand there awkwardly in Diasomnia’s foyer, just... staring at your own feet. At last, Silver clears his throat, apologizes for ruining your surprise, and shyly thanks you for the thoughtful gift, swearing to cherish it with all his heart.
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He’s very much surprised to see you lingering in Diasomnia. Not many have the bravery to venture into his dormitory, much less have the gall to bring offerings to him. The fact that it’s you, too... it brings a small smile to his lips, and it gives him hope that you will accept him for who he is.
Malleus appears before you in a flash of his signature green fairy lights, causing you to stagger back a bit in shock. Luckily for you, his reflexes are quick, and he’s able to catch you before you fall, easily righting you once more.
He smoothly takes the present from your hands and informs you that there is no need to keep secrets--after all, you already had the courage to enter a dragon’s lair, so what harm can there possibly be in confronting the dragon himself? The fae makes a motion to undo the ribbon and open the box right then and there, but you convince him to save the unwrapping for when you’re away. (He has a light chuckle at your embarrassment, finding the blush on your face to be endearing.)
Malleus thanks you for remembering him with a firm pat on the head and invites you to visit again. He vanishes in another flash of light, leaving you blinking up at them in wonder. Malleus has, unknowingly, managed to enchant you in more ways than one.
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hey alle, so for the prompts i'd love some cute and funny winteriron with bucky wanting to impress tony with his cooking, but tony being a very picky eater. which leads to a lot of frustration on bucky's side, and obliviousness on what is even going on from tony's. if you feel like it. thank you! <3
Here it is! The long-awaited His Girl FRIDAY remix! I hope you love this as much as I do!
As always, everything I write is on ao3 too
~
The first time Bucky left food in Tony’s workshop and come back to find it untouched, he’d figured it was a fluke. Tony had probably been caught up in a zone—like Steve had warned him about when Bucky had decided he was going to woo Tony with food—and hadn’t noticed the food was even there.
The second time, he made sure to catch Tony’s attention as he was dropping off the plate—lasagna because Natalia had said Tony’s mother was Italian and Bucky made a pretty decent lasagna if he did say so. Tony had glanced at him and then at the plate before turning away with a slightly bewildered frown. Bucky had taken the frown to mean that no one else had ever bothered before to take care of Tony, which was a fact that had just about broken his heart, and left the plate there. He’d gone back later that night to find the lasagna untouched. That had been a little harder to explain away, but he’d eventually decided that maybe Tony was one of those food snobs who only liked Italian food made by actual Italians.
The third time he made oatmeal with a little bit of honey and cream, perfect for someone with as much of a sweet tooth as Tony had, and brought it into the workshop for Tony, who had spent the entire night working on new arrows for Clint.
“Tony?” he called softly, not wanting to startle him. Tony was uncomfortable enough with all the new people moving into the tower after everything with SHIELD and Hydra; being Hydra’s pet assassin, he didn’t want to make it worse by sneaking up on him. “I brought you some breakfast.”
Tony popped up from underneath a table, visibly brightening. “Oh good,” he said cheerfully, making grabby hands at the bowl. “I was just starting to get hungry.” His hair was mussed, two perfect rings of black smeared around his eyes, likely where the goggles currently perched on top of his head had been resting earlier.
Bucky smiled at the adorable display and held out the bowl. Tony eagerly grabbed it, only to blink at it as soon as he saw what was in it.
“Oatmeal?” he asked delicately.
“I thought you’d appreciate having something a little more delicate after not eating for a while,” Bucky explained.
“…Oh.” After another awkward moment, Tony said carefully, “Thanks.”
Satisfied, Bucky left him to his work. This time—this time—Tony would eat it all and then he’d see what an amazing cook Bucky was and how he would absolutely be able to provide for Tony and then he’d swoon into Bucky’s arms and demand that Bucky take him right there.
Okay maybe not right there—the workshop didn’t seem like the best location for amorous activities—but that was why they called it a fantasy, right?
Too bad Tony punctured that fantasy like a balloon.
Bucky went back downstairs long to pick up the bowl after Tony had come up to the common areas, yawning widely and telling everyone he was heading to bed for the next twenty-four hours so don’t bother him unless New York was on fire. It had been a bit of a disappointment that he’d just nodded at Bucky without saying anything about the breakfast or about his everlasting feelings for him, but not nearly as much of a disappointment to walk into the workshop to find the bowl as untouched as all the other meals he’d so painstakingly prepared.
~
“I don’t get it,” he whined to Sam later that day. “I’m a good cook.”
Sam gave him an unimpressed look. “Are you sure? It’s been, what, seventy years since the last time you made anything. Maybe you’re not as good as you used to be.”
Bucky gasped dramatically. “You take that back!”
“No. You promised me you’d offer dating advice with Natasha and instead you’re sitting here mooning over Tony’s ass again so I’ll say whatever I like about your cooking.”
“Sorry,” he muttered guiltily. Sam was right. He had promised that. Or, rather, Steve had promised advice and Bucky had taken one look at him still pining over Peggy and feeling weird about his current interest being Peggy’s niece (a valid way to feel) and declared him hopeless before telling Sam that he would help him out instead. After all, he remembered Natalia from the years she’d spent training with him during her childhood. Who else would be more qualified to teach Sam how to woo her? Well, besides Clint obviously, but he was taking some personal time away from the team.
“She likes the ballet,” he said. “She wanted to be a ballerina when she was younger, said they were as graceful as any Widow only they didn’t have to kill.”
“And you’re sure that won’t just make her sad?” Sam asked dubiously.
Bucky glared at him. “I might not like you very much—” Sam rolled his eyes—"But I like Natalia a whole lot. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. Take her to the ballet and take Steve and Sharon while you’re at it. A double date will help her feel less trapped and maybe Steve will stop moping and ask Sharon out.”
“It’s a little weird, you know.”
“Sure, but he kissed Peggy once and it’s not like he’s ever gonna go back to the war and live out the rest of his time there, so he might as well move on.”
Sam laughed. “Guess that’s true.” He sighed, smile fading away. “I don’t know why Tony’s ignoring your meals. Sorry about that though. It sucks.”
“If I may,” JARVIS cut in. Both of them jumped, though Bucky would deny to his dying day that he yelped. Sam, on the other hand, shrieked like a kid and Bucky reminded himself to go back and access the audio footage so he would have blackmail.
“Sorry, JARVIS,” he apologized. “Keep forgetting you’re up there. Didn’t exactly have AI back during the war.”
“Or even in other houses,” Sam added.
“My apologies,” JARVIS said, and he’ll be damned if JARVIS didn’t sound extremely apologetic. It was incredible, really, how much life Tony imbued in his creations. “I only wanted to offer my advice about Sergeant Barnes’ attempts at wooing Sir.”
“Oh yeah?” Bucky asked. “Go right ahead. Can’t be any worse than any of the other advice I’ve gotten.” Seriously, Clint had even suggested truth serum, like that wasn’t the worst idea ever suggested.
“Sir is an extremely picky eater,” JARVIS explained. “He does not enjoy cooked tomatoes, ricotta cheese, or the texture of oatmeal.”
…All of which had been in at least one of the meals he’d prepared for Tony.
“Fuck.”
JARVIS wryly said, “Indeed.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
“You requested that I remain inactive on your floor while you were recovering. But you’re in Sergeant Wilson’s quarters at the moment so I may share my expertise.”
He had said that, hadn’t he? It had been in the early days when he was still having trouble remembering what he’d said moments earlier, but he had a vague recollection of being overwhelmed by the idea of constant monitoring and asking if JARVIS could be turned off.
“Wow, way to go, Barnes,” Sam commented, hiding a grin behind his hand.
“Fuck,” he said again, more emphatically. “Best tool at my disposal and I’m not even using it. JARVIS, I bet you could tell me all sorts of things about Tony.”
He got the impression that if the AI could sniff, he would have. “I would not dare to air Sir’s ‘dirty laundry’ so to speak.”
“No, no,” Bucky said, waving his metal hand. The hand made a concerning grinding sound and he frowned. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d probably need to ask someone to take a look at it. Sam was capable of performing basic maintenance, and Bucky trusted him not to sabotage the arm, but anything worse and he’d have to go ask Tony about it.
“Not what I meant,” he continued. “Just that you could tell me what Tony likes and doesn’t like. Uh, how do I turn you back on in my floor?”
“Your request is sufficient,” JARVIS said.
“Great. I’ll meet you up there in a bit. We’re gonna make something so incredible Tony will have to fall in love with me.”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Sam said, kicking his feet up onto the newly vacated spot on the couch now that Bucky was standing. “I’m going to see if I can find reasonably priced tickets to the ballet.”
Bucky blinked. “I think you’re gonna have worse luck than me.”
Sam threw a shoe at him.
~
On JARVIS’ advice, he baked blueberry muffins because those were apparently Tony’s favorite fruit. Bucky didn’t really understand it. Frankly, he thought blueberries were almost as bad as bananas—nasty, taste-changing fruit that they were—but if Tony loved them, then he would be willing to have them in his kitchen for as long as it took to bake the muffins. Fortunately, he was just as good a baker as he was a cook, so it was a breeze to whip up a delicious batch that had him grateful he couldn’t get salmonella from the mix.
Unfortunately, Tony hated the muffins. Or that’s what Bucky gathered when he went to pick the plate up, hoping that it would be empty for the first time, and found it just as untouched as everything else had been.
“What the fuck, JARVIS?” he complained. “You said he liked blueberries.”
“I don’t know, Sergeant Barnes,” JARVIS said, sounding as baffled as Bucky felt. “Sir has always appreciated them.”
That, Bucky reflected later that night, was possibly to be expected. For all that JARVIS had the inhuman ability to remember literally everything he’d ever seen or heard, he was still just a program. He couldn’t necessarily extrapolate about preferences or tastes. For all either of them knew, Tony did like blueberries but didn’t like muffins or something. It didn’t really explain why JARVIS knew that Tony didn’t like cooked tomatoes, but maybe that could be explained by Tony mentioning it out loud and the other stuff, JARVIS had had to figure out on his own.
He sat up in bed, thinking about it. Maybe that was it: Tony didn’t like muffins. But there had to be other recipes out there that used blueberries that Tony would like. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d come across a blueberry cupcake with brown butter frosting recipe earlier that day. And Bucky didn’t know anyone who could say no to his brown butter. He was incredible at it, and that was being modest. Just the other day, Thor had declared the brown butter sauce he’d made for their chicken to be worthy of an Asgardian feast. Thor was a god. He probably knew things like that.
“JARVIS, you up?” he asked into the dark room.
“Always, Sergeant Barnes.”
“You don’t gotta keep callin’ me that. Bucky’s my name. I’d rather answer to that.”
“Very well, Bucky.”
“Could you pull up some other recipes with blueberries in the flavor profile please? Filter out anything that has something Tony doesn’t like and recipes similar enough to each other that they could be repeats, uh, let’s say anything with a higher than 85% similarity.”
When JARVIS was finished compiling his list, there was a lot less than what Bucky had hoped for, but it was still something he could work with. He looked through the list: cupcakes, pancakes, cookies, more than a few salads, something called a Panzanella. He starred the ones he thought would catch Tony’s interest the most, putting the others aside to possibly try later down the road. Content with his plan, he laid back down, falling asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow.
~
None of it worked. Despite his supposed love for blueberries, Tony continued to turn away everything Bucky made for him. So he branched out, trying other foods that JARVIS said Tony was fond of. Nothing came back with more than a couple bites taken out of it and Tony had taken to giving him worried looks every time he appeared at the workshop door with another plate. Bucky was starting to lose hope that he was ever going to woo Tony with food and that was… not great.
Traditional dates were pretty close to impossible. Despite his rapid recovery in the tower, going outside was still too frightening with the crowds of New York, the inability to pick out threats around him, and the lack of sightlines all driving Bucky back inside and to the highest floors of the tower where he could look out over everything.
And as for anything else, well, Bucky was an ex-brainwashed assassin with no money to his name and only half the social skills he used to have (Sam said he had more than he thought but arguing with Sam wasn’t like trying to get someone to like him). He didn’t have much else to offer other than making food and giving Tony a project to work on. The first wasn’t going well and the second made Bucky feel too much like he was taking advantage of Tony to use more than once or twice.
Disheartened, he made his way up to Natalia’s floor to ask her for advice. She and Tony got along almost as well as she got along with Clint. Maybe she would have insights that JARVIS wasn’t able to offer. As he neared her room, though, he realized that she wasn’t alone.
“—to kill me,” someone—Tony, Bucky realized almost immediately—was saying. He stiffened. Who was trying to kill Tony? Bucky would kill them first! Was murder a good way to woo Tony?
“котенок,” Natalia said patiently, “he’s not trying to kill you.”
“You don’t know that!” Tony exclaimed wildly. He sounded like he was pacing. “He could be! He keeps bringing me things everyone knows I won’t eat.”
And now Natalia sounded amused as she said, “Antoshka, I don’t think he’d be trying to feed you if he wanted to kill you. It’s more likely an honest mistake.”
“It could be poison.”
“It’s not poison.”
“You don’t know that. You haven’t tried any of it.”
“It’s not poison because that’s more my style than it is James’.”
Oh, they were talking about him. Tony thought Bucky was trying to kill him. “Fuck,” he said mournfully, leaning up against the wall. No wonder Tony wouldn’t touch any of the food he made for him.
“Well, I don’t see why else he’s bringing me food!” Tony said.
“Really? Not a single reason?”
“It’s food I won’t eat! He clearly doesn’t like me or he’d be bringing me actual food I like.”
“Does he know why you won’t eat it?”
“No, but why does that matter?”
“Tony, darling, have you ever once informed him that you have a sensory processing disorder and you won’t eat a lot of cooked foods because you can’t handle the texture?”
Bucky straightened back up. Tony has a what? He’d never even heard of that before. Why didn’t JARVIS say something? He thought back to when he’d been building the list of blueberry foods and how he’d wondered if JARVIS didn’t necessarily know about the pattern for Tony’s likes and dislikes in his food. Maybe JARVIS hadn’t known about Tony’s disorder, so he hadn’t known to tell Bucky about it. That made the most amount of sense to him though he couldn’t imagine why Tony had never told his AI about his disorder.
“Why would I tell him that?” Tony asks, sounding confused.
He could just picture Natalia shaking her head as she said, “Oh, Antoshka.”
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Armed with his new knowledge, Bucky crept away from the door, already planning out new meals to bring to Tony.
~
That very night, he went downstairs with a bowl of salad. It had nuts to provide a small amount of protein, though he’d also put some baked chicken in a Tupperware as well, in case that was something Tony could eat. Tony’s music was playing at a manageable volume by the time he got to the workshop, likely because he was drafting plans for some sort of irrigation system, rather than any sort of consideration for Bucky.
Tony caught sight of him before he got the doors open. Bucky watched as his face fell for a moment before he plastered on a bright, fake smile. Hydra’s programming was still too ingrained in him to do anything as obvious as wince, but he still felt a twinge of shame. Why hadn’t he thought to ask Tony what he would like to eat instead of relying on his own preferences?
“Uh,” he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. In his other hand, he held up the Tupperware with the salad bowl on top of it. “I brought you some dinner. It’s just a salad, but I included some baked chicken on the side if you want that. I hope it’s something you like.”
Tony blinked at him. “What?”
“I—okay, I’m just gonna come right out and say it. I overheard you and Natalia earlier. I didn’t know you couldn’t eat anything I was making for you. I wasn’t trying to poison you or anything, just thought you might like some food since you’re down here all the time. Sorry for, you know, eavesdropping and making you think I didn’t like you.”
A cautious smile spread across Tony’s face. “You could have asked JARVIS,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, I did, but I guess he didn’t know you don’t like cooked foods.”
“What?” Tony cocked his head to the side. “No, he should know that.” He spun around in his chair, waving the glowing blue drafts of the irrigation system aside in favor of pulling up JARVIS’ bright golden code. It was a beautiful display, and Bucky found himself moving closer, mesmerized by the sight. He had no idea JARVIS’ code was so complex.
“J, buddy, what happened to your code?” Tony murmured. He reached out a hand, groping for Bucky’s shirt to tug him closer. “Gimme food.”
“So you like salad?” Bucky asked, relieved that he’d finally found something.
“And baked chicken,” Tony added. “But it has to be baked. Otherwise, the texture’s too rubbery for me.”
“I can do that,” he promised. “Do you like breading or marinade with the baked chicken?”
“Marinade, yes. Breading, no.”
“Okay. I’ll remember that.”
Tony paused in tearing through JARVIS’ code to give him a small, genuine smile that made Bucky’s heart light up. He returned the smile, which grew bigger when Tony’s gaze darted down to his lips, snagging there as though caught by the sight. He knew he had a nice mouth; he’d been told that plenty of times back in the forties.
“I have another confession to make,” he said once Tony’s attention returned to the code.
“Uh-huh,” Tony said distractedly.
“I was—”
“There you are!” Tony exclaimed. “J, who made those changes to lines 894 through 1036 in your code?”
JARVIS immediately said, “The last time those lines were accessed was in 2008 by Obadiah Stane.”
Tony’s face fell. “Oh.”
It took Bucky a moment remember who Obadiah Stane was. He’d appeared in one of Bucky’s mission files as the Winter Soldier. Back during the nineties, following Tony’s parents deaths, Tony had been planning on shutting down SI’s weapons manufacturing division. Hydra, who’d been buying black market weapons from Stane for years by that time, had ordered the Winter Soldier to assassinate Tony to give Stane complete control of the company. But before he’d been able to complete his mission, Stane had convinced Tony to see “reason” and Bucky had been put back in cryo. That unfulfilled mission had been one of the reasons he’d been so hesitant to move into the tower before his programming had been completely removed. Steve had tried to push for the move anyway, but before either of them could successfully argue the point, Tony had put out a call to the world’s top experts on brainwashing and three whirlwind weeks later, Bucky’s mind was programming-free. And just like that, without even meeting the guy, Bucky had developed a crush on one Tony Stark.
“Sorry, doll,” he said, dropping a hand to Tony’s shoulder and squeezing it gently.
Tony sighed frustratedly. “Every time I think I’ve taken care of everything Obie fucked up, I find something else he’s done. He was probably hoping I’d starve to death or something without anyone making food to my exacting specifications, that asshole.”
“He sounds pretty terrible,” Bucky agreed.
“J, are you able to access the last backup on those lines to restore them?” Tony asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay, let’s get those fixed, and uh—”
“And we’ll go out for dinner,” Bucky interrupted.
“Huh?” Tony asked, turning to look at him.
“Seems I owe you an apology and I figure taking you out for dinner is a little nicer than a salad. ‘Sides, if I take you out, I’ll have a better understanding of what you like to eat.”
“Careful there, Buckaroo, or I’ll start thinking this is supposed to be a date.”
Bucky would probably never know what possessed him to firmly say, “Yeah, that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be.” He certainly hadn’t planned to. He really had been planning on their dinner being a way to figure out what Tony liked so he could make it himself and continue with his wooing process from there, hopefully slowly easing Tony into believing that Bucky really did like him and wasn’t trying to poison him.
“Sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “That wasn’t supposed to come out like that.”
Tony stared at him, then abruptly said, “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“That this is supposed to be a date.”
He could deny it and go back to his original plan. He’d probably even be able to pull off a lie like that. But there was a hopeful look in Tony’s eyes that stopped him from denying anything.
“You didn’t even know that I liked you until five minutes ago,” he pointed out cautiously.
Tony scoffed. “What, like you’ve never liked someone who hated you.”
“Uh, no. I’ve never done that.”
“Really?”
“Never.”
“Huh.”
“Are you… are you saying that you do like me?” Bucky asked.
“Well, yeah. You never mind that half of my engineering babble goes over your head and you bring me food even if you didn’t know it wasn’t something I could eat and you’re really fucking gorgeous when you’ve showered and your hair isn’t falling in greasy clumps around your face.”
“Look who’s talking,” Bucky said amusedly, reaching out to run his fingers through Tony’s hair, matted down with machine oil. Even filthy, he could feel how soft it would be when it was clean. Tony leaned into his hand, humming happily.
“So is that a yes on this being a date, Bucky babe?” Tony asked. “Cause I’ll be honest, I’m not usually left hanging.”
“Yeah,” Bucky said, nodding. “It’s a date.”
Tony grinned and turned his head just enough to kiss the inside of Bucky’s wrist, making Bucky shiver. “Let me get cleaned up.”
“You want me to join you?”
Tony winked at him. “Next time, honey.”
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dizzydancingdreamer · 3 years
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The Servant and The Prince | Five
Wow wow wow this is late but I hope with it being late that I have had the extra time needed to make it good. Please do enjoy lovelies-- and expect big things for the next chapter!
Description: This is very much a Cinderella trope because I cannot help myself and I am in love with Loki, chapter five
Pairing: Loki x Female!Reader, third person as I may adapt eventually with an OC
Warnings: anger, mention of bruises / abuse
Tags: angst, fluff
Word count: 6.6k (consider this my apology for the late chapter)
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“On the balcony,” Frigga calls back, brushing her blonde hair over her shoulders. “We have company!” She adds, seemingly as an after thought— she is too busy pouring wine from a glass feeder into a beautifully ornate cup.
At least, Y/n thinks it is wine. She can smell the fermented berries— sweet and tangy and warming her nose as all wines she has encountered before have— only this wine is a pale violet shade. It is not an opaque rouge, not a barely there chartreuse. Nothing like what she has ever been able to get her hands on by way of bartering or shared celebration. Weddings and births. She takes a seat in one of the golden chairs, trying not to think about how out of her element she truly is. The little details are starting to show though. Not just extravagant pools and marble hallways. Even the food here is luxurious.
The Queen presses the cup into her fingers. She is not expecting the weight of it— the way her hand drops a fraction before she thinks to tense her wrist— she has never held pure gold before, not this much of it all at once. “Drink, dear. It will return some of the color to your face.”
She nods at Frigga, hoping her small smile will convey her thanks in lieu of her absent tongue. Speechless does not even begin to cover the way she feels.
“She is right—” the smooth, deep voice interrupts, his words coated with mirth— “it is what I do.”
Heavy footsteps fall behind her, thundering through the quiet chamber. She hears the water in the pool slosh lightly, the rose oil swirling out to the balcony. It makes her feel woozy— like she is already intoxicated despite not having touched her wine.
“No what you do is something else entirely,” Frigga giggles, raising her own chalice to her lips.
That is what these are called, right? Cup seems like too plain a word for something as extravagant. Chalice is luxurious— foreign to her daily life which makes it perfect. She raises her chalice too, taking the first sip of her violet liquid. Her eyes blow wide as she does so, a tarte berry sweetness bursting across her tongue. She almost chokes from how rapidly it takes over her senses, almost painting her vision in a matching purple hue. The liquid is warm as it trickles down her throat and blossoms that same warmth through her chest. It is magnificent— it is new— it makes the racing thoughts in her head slow to a honey crawl. She has to force herself not to down the whole cup immediately, wanting nothing more than to make them stop completely.
“If you say so, mother.” His laugh is almost as booming as his footsteps— it is how she pictures a giant’s laugh would sound, all heavy and dense, weighing across her shoulders like a wet blanket. It is less uncomfortable than that though. It makes her smile. That could just be the wine though.
She takes another sip, as the man finally emerges from behind her, his large body stepping into the sunlight like he is stepping into a second skin. In that moment she is grateful for the warmth in her chest and the way the wine adds a layer of lead to her bones for without it she would surely topple out of her chair in fright. The wine is like a barrier, though, stopping her common sense from leaking through. It makes sense, now, why she had pictured a giant— he is one.
She has to crane her neck to meet his blue eyes. When she finally does she decides that they match his mother’s. So does his blonde hair but it is a little more honey, a little less golden. Just as soft looking. His skin is golden though. It looks like he spends every waking hour in sunlight— no, it looks like he is sunlight. If sunlight was a person it would be this man. His mouth cracks open in a wide grin, his ivory teeth sparkling, as though he can hear her thoughts and agrees.
Frigga rolls her crystal eyes, an action so out of place alongside her more gentle movements. “Do introduce yourself before our guest starts to believe that I have not taught you manners.”
“I was getting there,” the giant insists to his mother. He bends at the waist, reaching for her hand which he engulfs in his surprisingly soft hands. He brings her knuckles to his lips— which are also soft but less surprisingly so— kissing them gently. “I am Thor, Odin’s Son, welcome to my home.”
Again, if it were not for the wine she would surely topple out of her chair. “Thank you. I am Y/n.”
Her voice sounds so small compared to his. Meek. She feels like a mouse sitting next to a lion. Perhaps it does not help that he is standing but she doubts that him sitting down will do much to remedy the difference. Spare a growth potion there is nothing she can do to match his build.
“How fitting—” he takes a seat in the chair across from her, squeezing his mother’s shoulder as he does so. Frigga smiles at him, a glint in her eyes— “a beautiful name for a beautiful lady.”
Y/n’s cheeks fill with heat. Beautiful? Her? No certainly not. He must say that to all the women he meets. She steals another tiny glance at him while he speaks quietly with his mother. His skin looks even more golden in the light. His honey hair looks sweet enough to catch flies. Or women. Probably more so women. She drops her gaze back to the table, her fingers teasing the cool metal of her chalice. He definitely knows his way around the ladies. Still, she tucks the comment into the back of her mind for a later time. It is nice to be complimented, even if it is perhaps less than authentic.
Frigga turns away from her son, her eyes softening once more. “Tell me about yourself, my dear. Have you come all this way for the ball? That was quite a few bags you brought with you earlier.”
Much like her cheeks, her ears flood with heat as well. Unlike a moment ago, however, it is not the soft kind of embarrassment. Her blush is not a kind one. She would rather dig herself into the ground then explain that she is a servant. Her stomach fills with butterflies. Their wings beat with a vengeance, absorbing the heat of the berry wine like nectar— like fuel.
“Well, no, not exactly, your High—” She stops herself this time, taking a sip of the traitorous wine in an attempt to cull the fluttering in her chest. “Frigga. Those were not all mine. I do not think I will be attending the ball actually.”
She tries to say it casually— perhaps if she feigns indifference then it will sound as though it is her choice. Frigga narrows her brows, lifting a dark violet berry to her lips. Like a candle sparking into flame, it dawns on her what she has been consuming. Blackberries. Her eyes dart back down to the table. She tries not to let her jaw drop when she sees the magnificent spread of food that was not there only moments ago. Sliced meats and cheeses, fluffy white bread— all she has back home is the tough, grainy kind— and so many fruits she cannot even name them all. Most of all, though, there are heaps upon heaps of blackberries.
Frigga drags one of her delicate fingers across the corner of her lips where some of the dark juice has stained her otherwise immaculate skin. “Well certainly you must attend.”
Her ears burn hotter, her mouth filling once more with cotton. How is she supposed to explain to the Queen that she agrees but that she also cannot go.
“I agree,” Thor’s deep voice joins the conversation as he swallows a bite of that fluffy bread. “You must come! There will be dancing and food.” He throws a hand up when he mentions the food and she lets a small smile free wondering how much it takes to feed someone as massive as him. “I hear there will even be some suitable bachelors. I assure you— it will be a splendid evening, Milady.”
Her ears skip over the jest about the bachelors, hightailing right to his very last word. Milady. The butterflies consume the word faster than they do the wine. They are addicted to it. She thinks that she might be as well. It repeats in her head, bounding around in her mind, crashing into her skull. Milady, Milady, milady. She has never been called milady before. The more it echoes around her brain, the more disorientated it sounds. It blurs together, the vowels folding in on themselves. The butterflies do not seem to care though— they consume the fuel just the same. And the more they consume, the more she wants to throw them all up.
The line between Frigga’s brows deepens, her crystal eyes attentive. They seem to catch her every movement, down to the little shakes in her fingers as she closes them around her cup again. She does not take another sip— she is more than warm enough now— she just needs something to still her hands.
“Thor is right, dear. You would have a wonderful time.” She tilts her head, some of the crinkle returning to her eyes. “Besides, even if it is not for my sons you must go for me.”
Y/n nods— perhaps lying is the best course of action here. “For you, then.”
She pops a blackberry into her mouth for good measure.
Good measure or to keep from spilling the truth. Either way the berry is not as sweet as she would have thought it would be.
* * * * * * * * * *
The rest of the conversation passes easily after that, filled with Thor’s booming laughter and Frigga’s loving eye rolls. She does not speak that much, offering her input when asked directly or when goaded, but the royals do not seem to mind. It is a welcome reprieve from her usual days— the ones where she is yelled at for speaking and slapped for not speaking and insulted for everything else. Here she can laugh when she pleases, eat when she pleases, and exist how she pleases. She does quite a lot of the first two. The tangy berries grow on her. So does the wine. Honestly, the wine is probably the cause of her new fondness for the berries. It sweetens everything that touches her tongue. Before long her belly is full, her eyelids are heavy, and her tangy lips hurt from how much she has been smiling.
Thor takes his leave soon after the three of them finish eating, laying another of the knee weakening kisses to her knuckles and reminding her that he will be expecting to see her at the ball two nights hence. He also calls her Milady again, as though trying his hardest to slip it in there are many times as possible. Maybe he is trying to give her a heart attack. She would not mind that much if he was— she would not have to return to her tiresome, damaging life if she had a heart attack.
After Thor leaves, Y/n stands, her hands lingering on the solid golden chair, her chest getting increasingly heavier as the moments pass. “Thank you so much for your kindness, Frigga. This afternoon was wonderful.”
The blonde woman smiles, standing as well and stretching her arms gracefully over her head. “Oh, it was nothing. Are you leaving so soon, my dear?”
“I must,” Y/n tries to replicate the Queen’s smile despite the weight on her shoulders. “I have already taken too much of your time. You must be a very busy woman.”
Frigga laughs. “I am only busy when I want the Kingdom to run smoothly.” Her eyes flit to the waning sun, shaking her head slightly. Y/n wonders if she is supposed to see the small action. It seems personal. “I fear that unfortunately means you are correct.”
She nods, pulling away from the chair. “Then I will leave you to the Kingdom— it is certainly more important than I.”
Her words are airy, the smile on her face glued in place by sheer will. She likes the Queen so she will hold her carefree exterior to keep her from worrying. She does not need to ask to know that the Queen would worry— she is a mother. Her own mother would worry as well and she would feign the same calm to keep her from worrying the same way she is now. No matter how calm she looks on the outside, though, her stomach topples, like the churning waves she had passed earlier. The bile that she swallows is foamy. Salty.
She could cry.
Before she can, though, the Queen’s warm fingers curl around her icy wrist, the contrast making a shiver crest down her spine. How long has she been cold for?
“Dear you mustn’t leave until you try the pool. Really, I implore you, you will love it. I really must go but I will tell my maids to ensure that no one comes in here to disturb you. Only if you would like, of course?”
It feels like a dream, or maybe an extension of the dream she is currently in, but for a moment her leaden lungs expand enough to drag in a healthy amount of air. It is like a light in the darkness— another log to ensure the fire keeps burning for a little bit longer— and she is not about to let it pass her by. What is a few more hours anyway— she is already going to be crawling away from the next meeting with her step mother.
She hopes the relief is not too distinguishable in her voice and eyes when she answers. “Are you sure, Frigga? I would not want to impose on your hospitality.”
Frigga does not answer— not at first. Not before her slender arms wrap around Y/n and she pulls her into her flowery chest. For a moment she is frozen, her arms hanging limp at her sides. She does not even breath— she does not know if she can. The warmth that seeps into her skin is both painfully familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It makes her ten again. She is no longer standing in the Queen of Asgard’s chambers but in her little wooden house.
And she is not alone.
“My little dove come here will you?” Her mother calls to her from the kitchen. Perhaps she needs help icing the little cakes. Y/n hopes so— licking the icing spoon afterwards is her favourite thing.
She hurries into the warm room, the smell of cooked strawberries and sweet icing sugar wrapping around her bare arms. She had been fishing with her father earlier in the day and her cardigan had become dirty so she had stripped and left it to hang on the line outside before coming in for the evening.
“Would you like to help me?” Her mother’s eyes sparkle like two diamonds, crinking at the corners as she holds a spoon out.
She takes the spoon eagerly, stepping up to the table where a dozen of her favourite little cakes are layed out. She closes her eyes, breathing in the sugar. It is perhaps her favourite smell in the world. Her favourite smell doing her favourite thing with her favourite person. Well, spare her father of course, but he does not much care for baking.
“Little dove you know how much I love you right?”
She sneaks a lick of the icing spoon, giggling when her mother tickles under her chin. “I know, mama.”
Her mother grabs another spoon and one of the little cakes, setting to work as well. “How much do I love you?”
“To Midgard and back!” Y/n giggles. She does not quite know what it means but her mother has been telling her that for as long as she can remember.
Her mother nods, some of the hair spilling out of the braids along the side of her head and curling across her brows. Her smile is so bright that Y/n wonders if they even need the gas lamp. Surely her mother could light up the room fine on her own.
“That’s right, to Midgard and back.” Her mother presses a kiss to her forehead. “And back and back and back!”
She lifts her head, blinking the fog from her vision and clearing away the memory. When her senses return to her she finds her arms wrapped around the Queen’s waist so tight it feels as though she might break the tiny woman. She lets go immediately, taking a few steps back, her eyes shooting wide. She can still feel the heavy warmth of her mother’s kitchen on her skin— still smell the cooked strawberries— and her chest jolts painfully. If only her ten year old self had known that would be one of the last moments her mother would truly be herself again then maybe she would have kissed her forehead too.
“I am sorry, Frigga. I think I am just tired from the journey here.” She sputters out. The words sound mushy and garbled, her throat closing around each syllable, trying to swallow them before they can push past her lips.
The tears she had wanted to let out before rise so quickly to her eyes that she does not know what to do but look at the stone under her feet and hope Frigga does not notice. It must be her lucky day because all the Queen does is place her hand on her shoulder. She does not try to seek out her eyes.
“There is nothing to be sorry for. My sons do not hug me nearly as much as they used to—” Y/n tries to keep her shoulders from shaking as Frigga’s voice washes over her, soft and gentle like her mother’s used to, watching as the stone becomes wet and darkens. “I think a bath would help you greatly— warm water always helps clear my mind. Maybe you will find something you are looking for in the process.”
Y/n nods, her chin dipping against her throat. The Queen squeezes her shoulder once, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head. She has to hold her breath to keep from sobbing. It fights against her lungs though and she is sure Frigga can feel the way her chest jerks, fighting her from the inside. Frigga sighs and she watches as her feet leave her line of sight, her heels clicking on the marble as she goes to leave. It is only when she hears the heavy wooden door thunk closed does she move, the scream ripping from her throat so loudly she does not doubt that the Queen— no, the whole castle— hears it.
* * * * * * * * * *
Loki looks everywhere. Everywhere. Every corridor, every entrance, every dining room. He knocks on every damn chamber door. He never knocks— he never has to— but this time he does. The amount of faces he encounters is endless, most of them women, all of them speechless. He is not surprised to see so many women— nor is he surprised when they scramble to put sentences together in his presence, stuttering through their answers. To be fair, he does not really ask them anything. He knocks on the doors, looks at the stunned faces, and then, after feeling none of the warmth he is looking for— none of the sparks— he nods at them and continues his search.
As his search deepens, the minutes dissolving quickly into hours, his chest begins to feel like it is caving in on itself. The cavern walls of his lungs shift closer and closer together, beared on by a sourceless weight. It is invisible and it is heavy and it makes his head sting. By the time he gets to the last door he is pretty sure his lungs are incapable of filling completely. He fights to draw in a breath but the pressure is so intense that he has to throw a hand against the stone wall to keep from sinking to his knees. He is drowning in oxygen and yet cannot seem to suck in a single drop.
By the time he reaches the final door his head is foggy and his chest is burning. The remaining air that he has managed to hold onto turns on him more with every step, forming a mutiny and staging a siege in his body. The air fights against his lungs, banging on his windpipe, demanding to be let free. In what manner it wants to escape, he does not know. Probably loudly. He has never wanted to scream more than he does in this very moment— to let every building tension in his body free until his throat is raw. He can practically taste the metal on his tongue. The anger.
The blood.
Loki swallows hard, the action more painful than he would have ever thought, and blinks a few times before raising a fist of steel to the final door and knocking twice. He steps back after he does, giving whoever is inside room to speak to him. He hears a commotion, the hushed and quick murmurs of people, and scurried footsteps. Barely a second passes before the heavy wood slides open and reveals two women.
One of them is a scrawny blonde. Her limbs and face are boney, her fingers long and slender. Her hair drapes down her back, tangling with the ribbons that are keeping her corset tied so tight he wonders if she— like he— is finding it hard to breathe. Obviously it would be for opposite reasons. She is clearly choosing to be breathless— not being crushed under the weight of being so close and yet so far from her soulmate. He narrows his eyes at the girl, lingering on the sharpness to her. There is not a single soft feature about her— he strongly doubts she is hiding a pair of magic thighs underneath her dress. Definitely not her.
The blonde cowers slightly, her eyes flashing with recognition as her thin shoulders drawing into a tight point as she bows her head. He sighs— he does not have time for this. He almost forgot about the ridiculous ball and the actual reason why there were so many young women in his castle right now. Some of them had not recognized him— he is not his brother, after all. Thor would have been recognized in a heartbeat. Him, though, not so much. As much as it would make his blood boil any other time, right now he dreads the thought of enduring the conversation to come. He does not care to speak to hundreds of women; he is too busy trying to locate one.
He cringes when another woman joins, this one older than the blonde, her hair a dulling shade of red and her eyes are lined with wrinkles. Her mother, he assumes. She, too, sinks into a curtsey, the heavy jewels on her throat clinking as she does so. He can hear the gears turning in her head— see the same recognition as her daughter mingled with something else— something vaguely sinister— and the weight on his chest presses harder into him. So does the anger.
Odin, he does not have time for this!
The older woman rises first, her smile slick with the same slyness that clouds her eyes. “Your highness! How gracious of you to greet us before the ball.”
The anger grows— hot, heavy, and blinding— and he has to squeeze his fists to keep from baring his teeth at the woman. It surprises him, his instant hatred for her. He is not someone who makes friends easily— a choice he makes happily— but he is also not someone who wishes to kill people within seconds of encountering them— especially not women. There is something about this woman though that makes his vision tint black at the edges.
“It is nothing, madame.” He nods, his tone an icy, flat bite.
Much to his disappointment, the woman does not flinch. Her daughter does, the blonde’s shoulders catching like they have been snagged from behind, her neck remaining dropped in a bow. At least one of them is smart. Her mother does not seem to agree, her red heel sliding across the marble to jolt into her ankle. Loki squeezes his fists. How much longer must this go on?
“Anna—” the dull redhead’s voice is pinched as though she is trying to conceal her frustration— “do you have anything to say to the Prince.”
The blonde flinches at the contact, her head drawing up, her eyes clouded over with panic. He does not know who she is more afraid of in that moment— him or her mother. His chest still does not warm for her though, fear or no fear.
“Thank you.” She chokes out and he nods again— he does not want to kill her the same way he does her mother but the lines are getting hazy from the lack of oxygen he is breathing.
“Thank you is right.” The redhead’s wicked smile widens and his vision flashes.
He takes another step back, biting his tongue. The mutiny continues to rage in his chest, climbing up his sternum, stabbing holes in his jaw. He cannot hold it back for much longer— he does not really want to. But he is a Prince and he must, if not for him than for his mother. An image of Frigga flashes through his mind and, moments later, a plan. With both in his mind he is able to suck in half a breath. It stuns the insurrection inside him for a moment and hardens his resolve— he has to get to her.
He straightens his shoulders, lifting his chin higher, revelling in the way the redhead finally shrinks away from him. “If you will kindly excuse me.”
Loki does not waste time waiting for their responses, he only spins on his heel and struts away. The walk to his mother’s chambers is quick. Usually he would linger, skimming his fingers over the marble banister and peering out towards the sea. He has spent many days locked in a staring contest with the waves. Usually he wins— they are always blinking their foamy eyes at him. Today he does not spare them a glance. They will be there tomorrow. She might not be.
He turns the corner quickly. Too quickly. He honestly is not aware of how fast he is moving until his body slams into something small but strong. He grunts, shuffling backwards until he glimpses at blonde hair and two familiar crystal eyes. He chooses to ignore the half-hearted fury in them, opting instead to grab his mother’s shoulders.
Frigga curls her hands over her son's arms, the fury melting to something more concerned. “Loki what on Asgard are you doing—”
“Mother, I need you to tell me where she is.” He pleads— breathes— not waiting for the end of her sentence to tilt into a question like he knows it will.
Her shoulders drop under her palms in a sigh that he senses coming. “I have already told you all that I can— all that I know. Even if I did know more you know that I could not tell you without putting you and her—” she pauses, raising a golden brow in what he assumes is an attempt to make him listen. It only serves to make his chest squeeze— “in danger.”
He squeezes his eyes closed, his eyelids crushing together the same way his teeth do as he grits his answer out. “I can protect us both, mother, I just need—”
The rest of his sentence is drowned by a scream that rips through every fibre in his being. For a moment it even feels as though it is coming from him, burning like bile up his throat and tearing like knives through his eardrums. It stings so much— how could it not be his scream? But then he closes his mouth, slamming his hands against his ears, and he can still hear the feral wails slicing at him through the barrier of his skin. He peels his eyes open, searching for the source of the noise but coming up empty— the only other person around remains his mother whose mouth— while drawn into a deep frown— is also closed.
“Faen!” He curses, not sure if it is as quiet as it seems to his own ears or if he just cannot hear his own voice over the violent screams. “Mother I— It hurts I—”
“Loki?” Frigga’s voice barely cuts through the howling but he can still decipher the worry in her tone.
For the second time in less than a week’s cycle, his knees touch the ground. It is a sight that has even his mother lost for words, her mouth falling open at her usually proud son forced into a bow. Loki never kneels. Now he has kneeled twice for a woman he has yet to even properly meet. Something familiar prickles against the back of his neck, right where the top of his spine meets his skull— right where the wails zero on him. Somewhere in the fever pitch he finds the very thing that has been haunting him for an entire sun cycle. Please Surtr. With the realization his own screams claw at his chest, begging to join in with their match.
It is her.
Loki rises, pushing off the marble floor and staggering forward. It is not an easy task, he feels like everything around him is fighting against his movements, pushing on his limbs until each step feels like he is fighting through waves. He is drowning but not in oxygen this time. He is a child again and the sea is crashing over him so violently that he is not sure if this time he will survive. He has never actually stopped to ask himself whether or not he can die this way— by drowning. He had always assumed the answer was no, he could not. But now he is not so sure. Now he feels like he might die on the precipice of everything important to him— quite literally on the threshold of the rest of his damn life.
The hell he will.
His hand curls around the iron handle, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as he uses the last of his power to shove the heavy wood open. He can barely hear his mother’s protests— they are more a feeling if anything. Loki, that is not proper you cannot go in there. Does it look like he cares right now? He ignores her— there is nothing else he can do. The light from the room trickles over him, mingled with a heady, flowery aroma. He lets the door fall closed behind him. It is thick and warm, mingling with the heat rolling off his mother’s bathing pool and creating a fog that should make it hard to breathe.
Should.
The opposite is true though. The thick air is anything but hard to breathe. Rather he feels as though he is breathing for the first time all day. Like magic it works against the pressure on his chest, lulling the storm inside him. For a moment he cannot hear the wailing, the peace soaking into his skin enough to silence the agony. As soon as the calm comes, however, it is gone, torn away by the hiccups of a small form that is huddled against the jeweled tub. Loki’s heart stops— at least it feels like it does.
She lifts her eyes and— while half hidden by the fallen strands of her hair— he can still see the way they are banded in strands of silver that seem to go on forever. They draw him in, pulling him under the surf of her eyes but this time he is not drowning— he is floating. It is her. He is pretty sure he takes a step forward because she is now a few feet closer to him but if he does then he does not feel it. Floating. She freezes, her chest stilling, her rose petal lips peeling apart. No sound comes out. Gods how he wishes she would say something.
But then she sucks in a breath, her chest rising, and the veins under what he knows to be the softest skin in all of Asgard glow, illuminating a pattern of lightning strikes across her flesh. Just like that, he is officially a goner. Officially hers. He would do anything she asked of him. Anything to keep her. How the hell did he get so damn lucky? He cannot tear his eyes away from her, drinking in as much of her skin as possible. The sleeves of her dress hang off her shoulders, baring her flesh to him, and he can see from her hunched form that the first few buttons of her dress are open. She was undressing? Now he cannot breathe again.
He follows the pattern under her flesh intricately, taking another step, his whole body shuddering when she breathes in again and makes the scattered glow of her veins shift. The lighting strikes continue over her shoulders, mingling with the silky strands of her hair. He is suddenly envious of the strands— why does it get the privilege of touching this Valhalla made woman?
He traces her sparking veins over the crest of her shoulders and down her spine. He can feel her silver eyes on him, watching as his own eyes flick over her skin. It is exhilarating— it makes him feel alive. Was he even living before this moment? Walking and speaking and experiencing? Or is it only now that he realizes that was all a dream? Is this what it feels like to actually be alive? Odin, he was missing out.
His eyes crease over the arch of her back, drawn to the mountains and valleys of her spine. Her skin is like another world, one he would give anything to forage through— to explore for hours on end. For the rest of his life. There is not a doubt in his mind that he could be happy getting lost in her for the rest of eternity. His eyes skim the ridges of her shoulder blades, trying to decide where to even begin, and it is only then when he sees it— when his heart actually stops.
At first he does not know what he is seeing. Of course he has seen bruises before— he has fought alongside his brother as a warrior countless times. He has seen both his own skin and Thor’s turn violet and blue. This, though, is different. He has never seen anything close to the deep black bruises on her back. Her lightning veins are more muted underneath them, still crackling but instead of silver light they glow a sickening shade of scarlet. Where the lighting webs he can see her blood shifting, clinging to her injuries and flowing like lava— molten.
He can feel the heat from where her body is trying to mend itself back together. Any other time he would want to sink into it— feel her warmth against him and try to steal some of it for himself. Usually he feels so cold. Not right now. Right now all he feels is fire— fire from her lava, lightning skin, fire from the embers heating the pool next to him, fire from his own, burning anger— and he can feel the flames leaking into his eyes as he kneels for the third time.
Once he is on the floor as well her scent strengthens, wrapping around him and clinging to him. He does not know much about flowers but he can smell the Dhalia’s now, clear and sharp, just like in the castle gardens. He does not remember the castle gardens being this intoxicating though.
And nobody stomps on the Dhalia’s in the castle gardens the way someone clearly has with this one.
His chest squeezes, the flames flaring out again. Like the bruises, Loki has longed for vengeance before— many times, actually— but never like this. It has never consumed him so completely. He has never had to teeter between two impossible choices like this— impossible not because they are undoable but because he has to do both and he does not know which to do first. Engulf the shaking girl or seek out whoever thought it wise to mar her soft skin?
He meets her silver eyes, watching them crackle and flood with more tears. He has to swallow hard to stop his own, his throat burning too now. Being this close to her he can make out her features— the special curve to her nose and the dip of her cupid's bow and the little marks on her skin— everything that makes her special. He wishes more than anything in this moment that the circumstances were not as they are so that he could spend an hour memorizing every little detail.
Her hands twitch and his gaze darts to where they curl around her elbows. He wonders for a moment if they shake because of him. Gods, he hopes not. Being who he is— a prince and a feared warrior— he is used to people cowering away from him. He has grown to crave it— if they are going to keep doing it then why not embrace it? He likes when they fear him. With her, though, he wants anything but. It becomes clear which choice he has to make in that moment— and that there was never really a choice at all.
He flicks his eyes back to her, hunching his shoulders in an attempt to sink closer to her height, trying to make himself appear smaller. Before this moment he never thought himself large. He is taller than his mother, yes, but not by too much. He is nowhere near as big as Thor. Hell, even Heimdall is bigger than him. He has always been the sleek one— agile, fast, lean. He is made for stealth— not at all used to towering over another person. But here he is, all of a sudden feeling like he did when he was a kid hitting a growth spurt again, all awkward and lanky. He tucks his elbows into his sides, his chin to his chest, his vision filtered through his lashes due to the tricky bow he squishes himself into. It is not enough but it is a start.
For a moment they just stare at each other. Loki has no idea what to say to her. It is not like he has been thinking about it for an entire sun cycle or anything, mulling over everything he could possibly tell her. Anything he could say he has surely thought of— he has played through every rendition of every conversation. Thousands of words and thoughts and feelings, all of which have evaporated into the vacuum of his mind the moment he needs to use them. Again, some silver tongue he is.
Thankfully, though, he does not need to figure out what to say to his soulmate— she figures it out first.
“Are you real?”
___________
Tag List: @crystal-siren @cari1bunny @breethememe @tapismyforte @atashi-no-yuuki
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hyenahunt · 3 years
Text
Conquest: The Fool’s Fruit - 4
Writer: Akira
Season: Spring
Proofreading: royalquintet (JP & ENG)
Translation: hyenahunt & haranami
Nagisa: …Eden has no need for you. You no longer have the right to even sit by our side.
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[Location: CosPro Office]
Ibara: Good morning, fellow members of CosPro! Your vice president, Ibara Saegusa, is reporting for duty! Salute~☆
Jun: Heya, 'sup. Thanks for all your hard work this morning.
Ibara: Ah, please don’t stop working on my account! I apologize for disturbing you!
All we young people are good for is having too much energy! We’re still at the age when everything excites us, I suppose you could say?
But more importantly, I’ve brought refreshments!
It appears that we’ll be at the mercy of the midsummer heat today, so I’ve brought along some samples from the ice cream shop I manage—
Jun: Ibara, Ibara—
Ibara: Yes? This isn’t like you, Jun; you’ve repressed practically all your individuality aside from your strange level of politeness. Could you kindly refrain from interrupting my business greeting?
Jun: Business greeting? You literally just dissed me outta nowhere.
...More importantly, take a look at that.
Ibara: Hm? What do you mean by “that”?
W-What?!
Nagisa: ......
Hiyori: ......
Ibara: (whispering) H-Huh? That’s rather odd. His Excellency aside, why is His Highness here?
Jun: (whispering) Don't ask me. I'm not Ohii-san's manager or anything.
Ibara: (whispering) Hmm… I felt that the most effective way to deal with this Conquest issue was to take down His Highness Hiyori.
(whispering) And thus, I had planned on having a strategy meeting with the rest of Eden, excluding him—
So I certainly didn’t expect him to be here! What should we do? Jun! I’ll court-martial you for leaking confidential information!
Jun: (whispering) Goddamn, why're you making it sound like I'm the one who leaked it to him~?
Nagisa: …What have the two of you been whispering about? You’re getting along well, I see?
Ibara: Indeed, Your Excellency! We’re simply two peas in a pod! Why, from the moment I laid my eyes on Jun, I was certain that we’d be the closest of friends—
(whispering in Nagisa’s ear) …Why is His Highness here, pray tell? Did you bring him with you, Your Excellency? You’re throwing a wrench in my plans.
Nagisa: …Yes. It’d seem like we were leaving Hiyori-kun out otherwise, and that’s not very nice.
Ibara: As expected of His Excellency! In contrast to the solemnity he exudes, he’s as benevolent as a cherubic young child!
But at the moment, he’s something of a pain in the ass! Indeed, I wish I could pull his tongue out before he makes any more sound arguments!
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Jun: Wouldja please chill out a little, Ibara? You're practically spitting venom right now, y'know~
...We can't do anything 'bout the fact that Ohii-san's here, and it's not like we can just kick his ass out, yeah?
Hiyori: ......
Jun: (Well, Ohii-san looks like he's in an awful mood as always. He didn't even say hi or look this way...)
(What're we supposed to do about this? Just knowing we were gonna have a meeting behind his back would probably piss him off even more, wouldn't it?)
Nagisa: …Hm. Well, it’s fine. Just sit.
Ibara: Er, but... What am I to do?
Nagisa: …Sit. Must I order you to?
Ibara: ... (They both silently sit down)
Nagisa: …Good boys. Now, then, it appears that all the members of Eden have gathered; shall we begin?
Hiyori: Yes. Well, I don't know about Eden, but all members of both Eve and Adam are certainly present.
Jun: (That's how he's gonna start things off!? Savage!)
(Ohii-san, are you so upset about Eden forcing you to do Conquest — something you don't like — that you don't even wanna be in it?!)
Nagisa: …Right, then. Usually, Ibara is the one who facilitates our meetings. But he appears to be in poor shape today, so I’ll take his place.
…I am Eden’s leader both in name and in fact, after all.
Jun: (Woah, and now Nagi-senpai's calmly carrying on without even noticing he totally set him off!? Thanks to him, the mood's gotten tense as shit...!)
(Honestly, I wanna get outta here already~ Is this seriously any time to be talking strategies!?)
Hiyori: Hmm? So you've finally remembered for once that you're the leader of this Eden thing?
You're normally the very model of a convenient little doll, puppeted about by that venomous snake over there, so I'd been wondering if you'd forgotten or just didn't even know, you know?
Nagisa: …I haven’t. I’m quite good at remembering things. Actually, I’m unable to forget anything unless I try my hardest to.
…And, as far as I remember, this is the first time anything like this has ever happened.
Hiyori: Ah, yes. That's right, isn't it? How pointless all this is!
Things are finally going smoothly, with all of us getting along and having fun, and you dare to try and force a wedge between us all — even if it's all just a game of make-believe!
Nagisa: …Who gave you permission to speak, Hiyori Tomoe?
Hiyori: ...!? Nagisa-kun, you'd address me in such a way!?
Nagisa: …Unlike me, it appears that the rest of you aren’t aware of your positions. It’s rather tiresome, but allow me to remind you once more.
…I’ve said this many times, but I — Nagisa Ran — am the leader of Eden. In other words, within the confines of Eden…
…I am God.
Hiyori: ......
Nagisa: …And no one is allowed to speak without God’s permission.
Jun: (whispering) Ibara, Ibara—? Why's Nagi-senpai acting like this? Is he only just now going through his cringe phase?
Ibara: (whispering) How should I know!? It’s true that His Excellency’s sense of self has been developing lately, though; this may actually be the perfect timing for him to go through such a phase…!
(whispering) But it’s also possible that some type of bug infiltrated the cheese we ate yesterday and is now consuming his brain cells, I suppose?!
Nagisa: …Fufu. It’s only natural that you’re feeling perplexed. Up until this moment, I’ve more or less followed your instructions without complaint.
…I believed in you. And I loved you. I had faith that there was no need for me to say anything, as you would guide me well.
…However, it appears that I was wrong.
…Therefore, I — the one who acts as God — must now use the authority I possess to make you move according to my wishes.
…I will reveal the path that we must take in order to overcome this calamity known as Conquest, which has shaken Eden to its core.
…I lament the fact that it must come to this. Could you not even give me the shortest moment of peace and tranquility?
…I’ve truly lost all hope in you.
Ibara: ......
Nagisa: …And that applies to you in particular, Hiyori Tomoe. I’m not merely disappointed in you — you’ve incurred my wrath, as well.
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Hiyori: Like I said, don't address me that way—
Nagisa: …With your own two hands, you cast away the honor that is serving God, abandoned your post, and caused our mighty rule to stagnate with your selfish actions.
…You have dishonored us, scorned our worth. And you have greatly displeased me.
…And, thus, you are not fit to be a member of Eden. There is no merit in allowing you to remain within this eternal kingdom overflowing with joy that I — God — govern.
Hiyori: ......
Nagisa: …I’ll put it simply. You’re all fools; it appears that you are unable to understand the words of God as they are.
Hiyori Tomoe. Eden’s Second-in-Command. O one-winged angel who presides over Eve.
…Should you continue to oppose the fate known as Conquest that awaits us, rejecting the commandment that you must follow…
…Eden has no need for you. You no longer have the right to even sit by our side.
Hiyori: ......
Nagisa: …If you do not cease in your hubris — if you choose to continue abandoning your professional duties and acting however you’d please…
…As God, I shall expel you from Eden for all eternity.
✦✦✦✦✦
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Text
Hopeful Promise
AO3
I was going to post the fanfiction.net link as well but right now fanfiction.net is not cooperating with me! I’ll post it later, I apologize.
Anyway, good evening lovebugs! I apologize I that what I am presenting is just a oneshot again.
This is one is one of the WIPs I posted, where Marinette and Luka have a romantic picnic and Luka wants to ask Marinette something......
Yeah I am still not giving the context for that just read it and find out.
Enjoy! <3
~~~~~
Luka wondered if it would be too much to introduce the idea to her.
His girlfriend Marinette was prone to panic, but this question has been eating at him even if it was a bit of a bold question to ask when they were still teenagers.
But he just held that thought as the two of them found a picnic table by the flowers. Marinette smiled at him as she opened up the picnic basket and cut croissants in half. She spread cream cheese on both slices and placed blueberries on one slice, and sliced strawberries on the other.
Luka smiled in anticipation. Marinette was about to hand the blueberry slice to Luka. But he took both slices and placed them together before taking a huge bite. He gave pleased noises from the sweetness of the berries and the freshly made croissant.
"Hey! We were supposed to share that!" Marinette teased.
"Sorry," Luka said before wiping berry juice from the corner of his lips. "It tastes so good."
Luka handed the sandwich back to Marinette, and she took a bite herself. Giving multiple pleased moans as she wanted to eat the rest.
After the two of them finished lunch, Luka wiped the last bit of berry juice from Marinette's lips before sucking it off his own fingers.
"That was an amazing lunch melody," Luka said, smiling at her.
Marinette grinned. "Anything for you, Luka."
Anything.
It was at this moment that Luka knew she loved him as much as he loved her. And that made his heart feel so strong. But they were still so young.
The blue-haired boy reasoned with himself to just place that question on the back of his mind for now. He grabbed his guitar before climbing over the picnic table to sit next to Marinette. Luka played gentle tunes as Marinette rested on his side.
God, Marinette's gentle body against his, causing his heart to beat faster and his guitar playing to be more passionate. Whether or not he asked her, he certainly knew his own answer.
"Is something on your mind?" Marinette asked.
Luka lost his tune for a moment. Then, he paused his guitar playing because he had to admit he was a bit nervous right now. Even if he was usually considered the calm and collective person in their friend group.
"Nothing in particular," Luka lied.
Marinette paused before turning to her boyfriend, and her bluebell eyes looked right through him. Beautiful bluebell eyes like a gentle lagoon on a starlit evening.
Luka continued to play that gentle tune to calm his nerves.
"I was thinking about," Luka paused as he tried to keep up his tempo. "How it's a beautiful day today and how I am happy to be spending time with the most amazing girlfriend in the world."
Marinette smiled, but she didn't seem very convinced.
"And I am going to be dreaming about delicious fruit croissant sandwiches for the next few days," Luka added.
Marinette gave a pleased hum. "You always know how to compliment me."
Marinette gave a devious smirk and booped his nose for a moment, causing Luka to smile. Yes, she was charmed by Luka's energy, but she knew he was stretching the truth a bit.
But Marinette let him be as she laid beside him and relaxed to his soft tunes while lacing some flowers together. When she finished, she took a moment to sit up and tie them around Luka's neck.
He smiled, thinking about how she was always sweet and giving.
Little did she know she had a question weighing on her mind as well.
"Luka…"
Luka's aquamarine eyes shined at her. Something that still made Marinette blush rose-red even though they were long past the honeymoon phase of their relationship.
"Yes, Marinette?" He set his guitar down for a moment as he loved hearing her voice much more than any instrument.
Marinette smiled sheepishly and placed her hand on the back of her neck, automatically feeling that she was sweating.
"Well, we have been dating for a while, and…."
Luka waited for her to collect herself, but Marinette still felt so nervous.
"I was going to ask you something crazy," Marinette said.
Luka gave her a calming smile. "I doubt what you have to say is crazy, Marinette."
Marinette blinked. "It is! Because we are still teenagers and…."
She suddenly felt her words stop. Marinette gave a soft sigh as if she gave up.
Luka breathed out and felt he should reveal what he wanted to ask her. Maybe it would make her feel less crazy. He was still a bit worried Marinette would be turned off by the idea, but if this idea was eating at him for, a while he should let it out. If it really was a bad idea, his gut would tell him not to.
He placed his hand under her chin and raised her head up to meet hers.
"I wanted to tell you something too," Luka said as Marinette's bluebell eyes widened. "But," he paused from his voice shaking a bit. "I am a bit nervous…."
It clicked for Marinette that he was about to tell her what he was hiding before. Marinette moved closer to him.
"Don't be nervous!" Marinette insisted. "I want to know!"
Luka chuckled to himself as his hand dug through his jacket pocket.
"I am afraid you might be a bit overwhelmed," he said gently.
Marinette knew she was prone to panic, no one had to tell her that twice, and Luka always made her feel comfortable and stable. She took his free hand with hers.
"You can tell me anything too, Luka!" Marinette cried, her eyes showing him that she was serious. "You always know what to say."
Now Luka suddenly felt at ease as he squeezed her hand and moved closer to her, so they were leaning against each other as if they sat in a love seat.
"I'll tell you," Luka said.
Marinette rested herself against Luka's shoulder as they sat in silence for a moment before Luka spoke.
"Well, we've been together for a long time, and I couldn't be happier," Luka said.
Marinette gently nuzzled herself against him. "I couldn't either! You're the best boyfriend ever, Luka!"
That was a relief for Luka to hear.
"But for the past few weeks, I couldn't help but think…."
"Hm?" Marinette raised her head to meet Luka's eyes. Her blue eyes sparkled to him, deep in curiosity.
"That maybe in the future…." Luka's face started heating up. Marinette squeezed his hand as if she was eager to know what he had to convey.
Luka breathed out as he tried to compose himself but looking at his beautiful girlfriend now, he smiled at her without a single doubt in his mind.
"I love you, Marinette," he said firmly. "And there is not a single doubt in my mind about that. But for the past few weeks, I couldn't help but think it would be absolutely amazing if we…." He dug into his pocket again.
"If we got married someday in the future."
On the one hand, Luka was relieved he freed that burning idea. But now, he started to question if he was a weirdo hopeless romantic.
But Marinette's mouth went slightly agape before she placed her hand over her chest and smiled warmly.
Luka guessed she wasn't upset at all, but she said nothing and dug through her backpack to pull out her sketchbook.
"I was a bit nervous because of what you were hiding," Marinette said as she held her closed sketchbook in her hands and leaned against her boyfriend. "But…"
She opened up her sketchbook, and Luka saw drawings of the two of them in adorable chibi anime style and wearing wedding attire. There were also the words "Marinette + Luka Together Forever" written in cursive.
Luka held the other side of the sketchbook. A pleased smile was on his face that made Marinette feel relieved.
"Alya and Kagami teased me again this as if they don't fantasize about marrying their own boyfriends!" Marinette cried.
Marinette retook Luka's hand and blushed bashfully, thinking about what could be in the future.
"But the point is," Marinette's face glowed brighter red. "I would love to marry you someday, Luka."
Her voice made a slight squeak saying that last part, but Luka adored that.
Marinette couldn't help but giggle next.
"It's funny how we both thought the same thing. I'm not an insane hopeless romantic!" Marinette cried.
Luka wrapped his arm around her and held her close to where she could faintly hear his heartbeat like a soft metronome.
"Kind of makes me believe that the both of us are made for each other, and we will get married when the time is right," There were hopeful notes in Marinette's words.
"I'm glad you agree, Marinette," Luka said. Marinette just wanted to rest by her boyfriend's side for the rest of the day, feeling secure for the future.
"Because I got you this."
Marinette turned and managed to stifle her yelp at the sight of Luka smiling down on her and holding a ring with a pink heart-shaped jewel on it.
"Luka!" Marinette cried. "You…" She became breathless.
Luka held her closer. "It's just a promise ring. I thought it suited you."
Marinette released herself from Luka's hold and gave him a slightly stern look.
"Luka, I told you you don't have to buy me expensive things."
Luka smiled. "I know, I saved up for this."
"You're more than worth it, though," He said as he moved the ring closer to her.
Marinette looked at the ring for a good moment. It was absolutely gorgeous and priceless, and Marinette almost felt she wasn't worthy of such a romantic gift. Not to mention all the money Luka put in for her, so she couldn't bring herself to accept the ring.
But then Marinette thought, this boy truly was ride and die for her. Even willing to buy expensive, flashy stuff to show how serious he was about them. And this was a dream come true for Marinette. No, more beautiful than any other dream she ever dreamt.
And she loved him. Her concerned expression melted as her heart skipped a beat, thinking how much Luka believed in what they had.
She smiled as she presented her finger, and Luka placed the promise ring on her.
Marinette was in awe, looking at the small diamond that was now wrapped around her. She just felt so lucky being loved this much, and she almost wanted to show it off to all her friends as if it were an actual engagement ring.
But she turned to Luka, who gave her his usual "I love you" face. Everything he did reminded her that she was loved.
"I love you, Luka."
Luka's aquamarine eyes shined like the sea, and his smile was as warm as sunlight.
"I love you too, Marinette."
Marinette moved in closer, so she sat on his lap and hugged him while resting her head on his broad chest. Luka gently hugged her as well, and they stayed in blissful silence for a moment.
Then Marinette broke the hug and eagerly jumped off the picnic table to pack up the picnic basket.
"Luka, let's go get ice cream."
Luka had to admit that sharing Andre's ice cream did seem perfect after he and Marinette made a promise. And he was craving more sweet stuff.
"Sure, Marinette."
Luka placed his guitar in his guitar case, and the two of them walked hand and hand.
But feeling Marinette's ring on her finger gave Luka even more blissful daydreams of a beautiful future together.
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devildomdoofus · 3 years
Text
Winter Storm:Part 2
Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor
WARNINGS:
‼️contains spoilers from chp. 16‼️
[[angst, cursing, anxiety, fear/terror, depression, near death experiences, hypothermia, dehydration, fainting, severe pain, cliffhangers, unhealthy coping mechanisms, suggestive themes, if I missed any - please let me know!!]]
Author’s Note:
As you already know, I will forever apologize for my sluggishness but I hope that when I do get to posting, it is worth the wait 😣 I’m particularly proud of these pieces, especially Beel’s and Belphegor’s... the angst was fun to write and helped me let off some steam! Forgive me, but Asmo is kind of hard to write for as we’re practically polar opposites 😭 OH!! Since this is the final piece to my “Winter Storm” puzzle, I’ll be needing more requests so if you’ve got something on your mind that you wish to bring to life, send ‘em my way and I’ll do my best to help make it come true!! I’d love to hear what you lovely individuals have rattling around in your brains✨. As always, thank you kindly for your patience, your generosity and support, and thank you very much for hyping me up to write and continue writing. You’ve helped me in more ways than I can count. Stay ruling them all, MCs ❤️
- DevildomDoofus
Prologue/Part 1:
Asmodeus:
It was difficult letting you go on an adventure without him, especially since you were taking the camera with you and he was all dolled up to the nines, looking way too good to not be in the pictures you were going to take... but then you offered him a reward he simply couldn’t refuse, IF he were to be patient. You took him by the hand, gazed into his beautiful eyes, and whispered low enough that he had to lean in close to hear your proposition. “Wait for me here and when I get back, we can dip into the hot tub and sip our favorite drinks until we’re pruny.” He practically kicked you out of the door so that you could hurry back and fulfill your promise.
In the time that you were gone, he busied himself with intricately arranging yours and his belongings until he felt you’d be proud with his eye for organization. By then, you hadn’t returned in the time he felt you‘d said you’d be back but... if he went out looking for you now, he might not get to be warm and bubbly with you later on and damn it, he was going to get that time with you. Once again, he tried to find something to keep his mind off of saying ‘the devildom with it!’ and going after you anyway. He flipped through magazines, scrolled on his D.D.D., sang and danced to his favorite human songs on the radio, but eventually, all he could think about was you. Wondering if you were ok, if you were having fun without him, what kind of pictures you might be taking to show him later... “Ok, that’s it. MC, sweetie, you’ll just have to forgive me.” He donned his comfiest and cutest winter trend setter, lathered the remaining exposed skin in protective lotions and creams because he simply CANNOT have his skin cracking or breaking, and stepped out the door to come find you- “Unholy shit...” The sky had darkened and the wind had picked up immensely. This is not good. For him, his skin, and much less you. He had to find you and fast. He spotted markings on the trees and the piles of stones nearby and he tilted his head. He knelt down to pick up a stone and eyed it a moment before he brought it to his nose for a quick sniff. It smelled of the lotion he had given you on one of your birthdays and for a brief moment, his heart flutters. You wore it constantly because it reminded you of Asmo and whenever you were feeling down, you’d take a whiff of yourself to feel closer to him and whatever was bothering you would instantly vanish. You told him this and he never forgot it nor did he ever let you hear the end of how happy it made him. Emotional in nature, Asmodeus started to tear up a bit as his fear of losing you increased. If he couldn’t find you soon, you’d surely be in danger if you weren’t already. He continued after you like a bloodhound, following you primarily by scent as his vision was becoming obscured by the blinding snow and ice. In addition, he would call out your name, hoping that by some unholy miracle, you’d hear his voice and come trudging through the snow into his arms. Today, he wasn’t so lucky.
Before long, your trail of markings and scent waned into nothingness and he came to a halt. “No, no, no, noooo!!” He turned in circles, sniffing until it hurt to do so, desperately trying to pick up your scent again but it never came. “Damn it!!” he cried as he dropped to his knees, a bit exhausted and heavily defeated. He couldn’t catch the tears before they trickled from his eyes so instead, he held his face in his hands and let them go. How could he have let this happen? The only one he could love more than he loved himself was probably stuck out here alone, terrified, and most likely hanging on for dear life but he couldn’t do a damn thing about it because he couldn’t find you. He was so overcome by his feelings of weakness and hopelessness that he almost missed the echo of your voice crying out through the storm. Almost.
He perked up in an instant, stumbling back to his feet before chasing the sound and calling after you. “MC?! Where are you, love?!” Although there was no reply, he continued in the same direction with your scent having picked up, until he came across the makeshift shelter you held up in. As he crawled in and got closer to you, he came to a complete stop before his jaw dropped to the floor and heart concaved within his chest. You were lying there like-... like you had been lying once before like a broken porcelain doll, abandoned and forgotten by it’s owner. He covers his mouth with his hand and began to cry once more, only this time in much more pain. Crawling over to you, he takes one of your hands in his and brings it to his quivering lips, gingerly kissing your hand before taking the rest of you into his embrace. “Oh MC... My sweet, sweet MC,” he whispers through his tears, “I’m so sorry.” The lump in his throat strangles the words that try to come out. “So very sorry.” He clutches you tighter, leaning his head against yours and rocking you in his embrace, telling himself this is a horrible dream. He never imagined days would come when someone else’s wellbeing came before his and yet the moment you had made a pact with him, he was immediately catching himself thinking of you before he ever came close to thinking of himself. It was incredibly bizarre... and he only wanted more. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that if fewer thoughts of himself meant more thoughts of you, he’d gladly take himself off the pedestal and place you on top instead. Unfortunately, this newfound wondrous feeling wouldn’t last long as the possibility of losing his source of selflessness and humility was rapidly increasing.
“As..moo...” His crying stops and he jerks up, looking down at you. For a brief second, he thought he heard you speak but seeing as you looked the exact same, he assumed he was starting to hear things. Until you said it again. “A..sm..oooo.” Any human would have thought that their ‘cheese had slid off the cracker’ because now, they’re hearing voices from beyond the grave, but Asmodeus knew better. He saw the curving of the delicate lips that your frozen face had allowed and he gasped. “MC!!” He tugs you ever so closer and snug to him that your spine could’ve snapped if he hadn’t of pulled away seconds later to litter your profile with swift and gentle kisses. When he’s done showering you in his smooches of relief, he stands up with you cradled to his chest and flies to back to the cabin to try and bring you back to the MC who once inspired him to be more by thinking of himself less. Besides, you owed him a dip in the hot tub and he wasn’t about to let some horrible blizzard take that away.
Beelzebub:
When you told this man that you wanted to go on a little scavenger hunt to check out the area, he thought you meant you were going to go see what kind of food joints were nearby and he was a little heartbroken at first, thinking you were doing such a thing alone. Without him. The avatar of Gluttony. But you assured him that you two would go together to do that later, and then buy as many groceries, snacks, and take-outs as he pleases as soon as you got back from a quick sight seeing. You also mentioned that you might find some berry bushes on your outing and you would bring some of those berries back for him to try. His cheeks dimpled and he gave you that smile that made your heart do cartwheels in your chest. For his cooperation, you gave him the location of the secret but not so secret because he could smell them anyway stash of your packs of fruit snacks. Ever since the pact, he has never been offended that you had ‘secret’ stashes because he understood all too well why you had to hide them away. His brothers did the same. But even still, you would always, and I mean always, share parts of your food with him so all he really had to do was wait for you to get hungry and surprisingly enough, it was almost as often as he would. You two were a match made in the celestial realm that could eat take the world by storm and he could never really put into words how much that connection that the of you two shared meant to him other than sharing HIS food with YOU.
Thinking of all of this food inevitably made him hungry so he went to your luggage, fumbled around a bit until he found them, and then gobbled down the full packs of fruit snacks, one by one, to hold him over until you came back. He then shuffled over to the couch to plop himself down and wait for your return. Before long, he was shifting and fidgeting in his seat as the cabin started to creak in the uncomfortable silence. He tried watching tv, doing little exercises, and eating more snacks but nothing was helping ease the uneasy feelings he was having.
There were many times in his life where the world around him seemed uncomfortably quiet. Yes, he was technically used to bouts of quietness with Belphegor, the Avatar of Sloth himself, being his twin brother and roomie. But typically, Belphegor was at least in the vicinity; either quietly snoring across the room, resting himself against Beel in one way or another, or could be called on and they could reach each other in a matter of seconds. They were never too far apart nor were any of his other brothers for that matter, if Beel needed a distraction. But as life can be a bit unforgiving, Beel was left alone, on occasions, for long periods of time with nothing but his increasingly loud thoughts to keep him company. And mind numbingly loud they were. It would range between his memories from The Great War of battling angels he once called friends, his overwhelming guilt of not being able to save Lilith, a bit of leftover anger with Lucifer for locking his brother away and then lying to him about it, guilty anger over Belphegor’s attempt to kill you, but most of all... he’s bent to the point of breaking over the fact that he knows he has a problem with his sin, more so than his brothers, and yet celestial realm knows there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it and that is what hurts most of all. And when thoughts like these come knocking at- no- BEATING DOWN his door, he either works his body until he crashes from fatigue, goes on binges for months to drown them out, bottles it all up until it terrorizes him in his dreams, or all of the above. That is, until you came along. Whenever you’re around, his mind, body, and soul seem at peace, and no more does he feel that he is starving, or broken and in need of fixing, or so far beyond forgiveness for what he’s done and who he has become that no one should ever be around him again for he’d only hurt them in the end, unable to stop himself. With you around, the quiet nor his own mind are his enemies but rather, potential friends. Indeed, he still has his moments where the ‘darker’ silence still pays him visits but they have become fewer and farther in between. And it’s all because of you.
That being said, this is one of those ‘darker’ silence visits and before it can get any sort of footing in his mind, he shoots up from the couch and heads out of the door to come looking for you.
He noticed little digits in the trees and piles of stones lining up with a trail going in a particular direction. If he remembers correctly, Satan had once mentioned that humans used these types of techniques as a survival tool in order to find their way back or leave a trail to be found if need be. Wow, his human is a smart cookie- “Damn it.” Shouldn’t have thought that. His stomach growled as if it was summoned and he pats his belly in an effort to console it. “I know, I know. I’m sorry buddy. We’ll find MC soon and then we can go eat with them.” It practically purred in response.
Minutes passed of following your trail and the sky began to darken with the wind picking up, followed by the walls of snow and ice. This was unsettling as he knew that humans couldn’t really survive out in weather like this for long, no matter how smart or capable they were. It was even more unsettling that your markings had disappeared and you were nowhere in sight.
“MC!!” he calls after you but you don’t respond. He continues, over and over, calling after you yet only the wind calls back. There was only one solution left and it was one he didn’t particularly like. He could use his ability as the Avatar of Gluttony to enhance his senses and sniff you out but... the problem was in the fact that he only ever used it when he was particularly starving, so inherently, whenever he zeroed in on something, he was going to eat it when he found it. This didn’t bode well for you considering you, in particular, had an exceptionally appetizing scent and it was extremely difficult to ignore, even with a full belly on the rare occasions that it is and out of his demon form. But because he was out of options and time was running out on the possibility of finding you alive, he had no other choice than to shift into his demon form and zero in on your scent. By Lord Diavolo, it was immaculate. The oh so sweet aroma was speaking sweet nothings to his stomach and the growl it emitted could shake the earth, if not hidden away under flesh and bone. He could make out a ghostly outline of your old footprints, beneath layers of snow, leading in one particular direction. He followed blindly, his hunger now at the wheel and in full on stalking mode as an apex predator on the prowl. It lead him in a few circles before ending up at the miniature shelter and by now, your scent was overwhelmingly delectable to his senses. He ducked low and could make out your silhouette in the darkness. Inching towards you, his nails turned to darkened claws and his teeth bared themselves with an impending goal to devour you whole until there was no trace of you but the outline of the snow of where you once laid- “NO!!”
Beelzebub stripped his sin from the reigns of his mind and he dropped to his knees beside you before it could begin it’s feast. He shook his head, trying to completely erase the thoughts of consuming your body and the immensely alluring smell that lead him to you in the first place. He then looked back to you and your drooping, solidified form and couldn’t hold back the tears that started to trickle down his face. “M-MC...?” Your heart would’ve shattered, just as his did in that moment, upon hearing the pain in his voice. “MC, no... please don’t do this.” He takes your head in his hands and turns your vacant, expressionless face towards him to try and get you to wake up. His thumbs trace circles over your cheeks and he’s calling your name but with no reply. The hands that are usually ever so steady and gentle with you, the hands that you’ve come to love with your whole heart, now shake in bits of agony as he pleads with his entire existence for you to wake up and come back to him. You continue to lay there, upon the cold, hard stone with your empty eyes looking right through Beelz’s and he can’t take it anymore. He lifts you into his arms and races back to the cabin with your limbs dangling towards the snow. Once there, he gingerly places you on the couch and flies around the cabin, grabbing the things he needs to get you warm and bring you back to him. He strips you of your wet clothes and dresses you anew in dry pairs. He throws a plethora of blankets over your body, covers your hands with fuzzy mittens and your feet in multiple pairs of fuzzy socks, then wraps a scarf around your neck and adjusts it so that it comes up to just beneath the opening of your nose. Lastly, he tosses firewood into the fireplace and sets them ablaze before settling onto the couch, placing you between his legs and wrapping his large arms around your frame, snuggling his face into the crook of the scarf around your neck. He inhales deeply, taking the sweet scent of you into his lungs before exhaling and letting his tears fall again. His grip on you tightens as he’s torturing himself for allowing this to happen to you a second time, the one and only person who could ever really take all of the darkness in his life into the palm of their hands and toss it to the four corners of the earth like it never existed. Like it never even knew his name in the first place. Now it was his turn to take away your pain, your darkness, your mistakes and it terrified him because as much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t feel as if he could, no matter how strong he was or tried to be. The only thing he was certain of was that he had try his damndest to bring you back but then wait for fate to decide the rest.
Belphegor:
To be honest, Belphegor didn’t exactly want to come up to the human world in the first place, for a couple of reasons.
(1): He still has a teeny tiny ginormous grudge against humans, even if he knows Lilith became one and you were one as well. That didn’t mean that the rest of them were not still thorns in his side and most likely will remain so until the end of time. Especially Solomon. I mean really, what is that sorcerer up to half of the time?
(2): There isn’t much he prefers to be doing more so other than sleeping. He’s the Avatar of Sloth, Mr. Sandman himself. It came with the ‘job description.’ So he would just be going from sleeping down in the devildom, his palace of comfort, to sleeping up in that Father awful human world, the bane of his existence. “What a joy that would be,” he thought to himself while rolling his eyes as you were in the midst of going over all of the reasons he should come with you on this trip.
And finally (3): As much as he refuses to admit it, deep down in his heart of hearts, he often times feels guilty for being so low energy while you attempt to do things with him and share your life with him. He’s angry with himself for not being able to do much about it given that it is his sin, other than try his best to spend as much of his waking hours with you as he can for as long as you live, rather than sleeping both of them away. Which is why he inevitably caved and agreed to come with you on the trip. Besides, maybe the human world isn’t so bad when he’s with his favorite one? And maybe the chill from the snowy mountains could be his obvious excuse for snuggling ever so close to you under the piles of blankets and pillows. A smug little smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth while he imagines it, eyeing your frame slowly, up and down, before nodding at whatever you had just said... sorry, MC. He wasn’t really listening at the time.
That is how the two of you ended up waving goodbye as you stepped out of the cabin to go sight seeing for a bit and he stayed behind, assuring you he would try his best to stay awake and unpack. We both know how that went
He awoke to the sound of an alarm you had secretly set on his D.D.D. knowing all too well that his promise was empty and growled at the ringing in his ear, nevermind that it was as soft as a loving mother’s lullaby. He jerks up, fumbles his hands in and around the mountain of blankets in search of his device, until he feels the vibrations of it and snatches it from its snug hiding place between his rump and the cushions. The light from it was blinding, having him squint into a frown as he swipes away the alarm. He grumbles, scratching his head through the tuffs of chaos before lifting his intertwined fingers towards the ceiling and letting out a groan, stretching his limbs. “MC?” he calls with his eyes still closed in a grumpy squint. Assuming you simply didn’t hear him, he calls for you again, a little louder, and with no reply for the second time, his eyes finally open and he looks around the empty cabin. He wiggles out of the blankets and walks around, giving the entire cabin a quick once-over, looking for his little, seemingly hard-of-hearing human. That’s odd. You weren’t home and it was-...? He checks his D.D.D. It was about the time you said you would be back. He glances out of a nearby window and frowns. It was swiftly darkening outside and not because of the sun laying down to rest, but due to a vicious storm beginning it’s onslaught. It ticked him off that you hadn’t returned since he felt that you knew better than to leave him waiting for you and it ticked him off a little bit more that now, there was a storm brewing and he had to go out in the cold to drag you back himself before you got yourself killed. Being here was pointless without you and staying awake was quite difficult; Therefore, if you weren’t going to be there with him when he happened to be ‘with the land of the living,’ he would simply go back to sleep... angrily for that matter considering he put time and effort into staying awake for you. He never did that for anyone, not even Beel. So you had better have a good reason for still being out in the cold, soon to be cold storm, or there was going to be devildom to pay. But instead of laying back down to return to his rudely interrupted slumber, as much as he wanted to do so out of spite, he grabbed a coat that was thicker than the one he typically wore and stepped out to come looking for you and then eventually punish you for your transgressions. He sighed as he pulled the hood over his head in an effort to reduce the blasts of ice filled wind and shambled through the rising snow, looking high and low for any traces of you. That’s when he noticed the carvings in the trees and stone piles shaped in an odd fashion. “Ah... not so naive after all,” he mutters to himself and another one of his signature smirks makes its way to his face, but that soon fades as the wind picks up and his line of sight shrinks further and further. This storm was becoming a bit too strong, even in the eyes of a demon such as himself, and that thought alone gave him chills that no blizzard could muster for he knew that this kind of storm was not something humans typically survive in, especially alone. “MC, I swear on Diavolo’s very demon soul that if you’re out here goofing off, you’ll regret the day you came back from my attempt to kill you.” The threat was empty and uttered without any true intention of being carried out. He was simply masking his fear with anger because he felt that his fear would weaken him and you didn’t need someone who was weak, you needed a strong and capable Belphegor to find you and bring you back home, safe and sound... being that you’re still alive.
He followed your trail until it came to a complete stop and with you nowhere in sight, he leaned against a nearby tree, one of the last ones you had marked, and traced his finger along the outline of the markings in the bark. “MC!!” He shouts for you but you don’t respond. He shouts your name over and over but the wind simply swallows them whole. Those fingers he once had on the bark, curled and tightened into a fist and he inhaled deeply just as he was rearing back before delivering an earth shaking blow to the center of the tree, leaving a gaping hole in its wake before the giant finally slunk to one side, toppled to the ground, and sent clumps of snow up in the air. His body shook no longer from the cold, but from the fear and the rage and the guilt overtaking him. He was terrified that he was losing you. Angry over the fact that no matter how hard he was trying, he couldn’t find you, much less save you. And celestial realm only knows how immensely guilty he felt for being the cause of your possible death, both in the past and now. He was shifting in and out of his demon form, his mind and sin arguing over who gets to take the reigns. Regrettably, his sin won without too much of a struggle and he bursts into his demon form onto his hands and knees, and began to scream, balling his eyes right out of his skull. “Please, MC!! For fuck’s sake, I can’t do this alone!! I need you, damn it!! I need you so fucking much!!” The world itself seemed to darken even further as Belphegor poured his breaking heart right out of the newly vacant pit in his chest. Nothing in all of the three realms could pull him from his decent into madness...
...until the sound of your voice makes it way to his ears, past the baying wind and cries of agony. Time itself seemed to stand still and the world around him grew deathly silent as he listened for your voice. He hears it echo from not too far off from where he kneeled. In the time it takes lightning to reach the earth, he has wiped his tears clean off and is now on his feet and bolting in the direction of your voice. That oh so delightful sound of your voice.
He reaches the knockoff shelter that you hid away in and hunches down, making his way to you. As soon as he reaches you, he slows to a stop and places his trembling fingers against your neck, testing for a pulse. It’s dangerously low but his heart lightly flutters because now he knows there’s a chance that you could make it out alive... if he hurries. Refusing to give up, he takes you in his arms and bolts back to the cabin to try and warm you up. If he can save you, he will make the celestial realm seem pale in comparison to the world he will provide for you. If not... Father have mercy on them all.
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wisteriashouse · 3 years
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aflame (i).
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pairing: firefighter!rengoku kyoujurou x cook!reader
genre: fluff, modern! au
word count: 1713
remarks: i just couldn’t get this idea out of my mind... sorry :“D
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i. takeaway
You’re stressed.
When you glance up at the cat eared clock on the wall, you’re dismayed to find the minute hand inching slowly towards twelve. Nervously, you turn around to inspect the timer on your oven, fingers drumming on the countertop. Fifteen more minutes till they’re done. 
You stare at the two sweet potatoes in the oven beseechingly, as if begging them to bake faster. It was all your fault. You know you shouldn’t have let Kanroji distract you with all that gushing about her new pastry when she’d come over for her lunch break earlier, but as a food enthusiast yourself, you’d been unable to resist the words ‘burnt sugar’ and ‘crème brûlée’ and had ended up completely sidetracked. As a result, you’d put the potatoes into the oven far too late, and now they wouldn’t be ready in time.
Five more minutes, and he’s going to be here.
The familiar sound of the bell hanging from the door of your eatery rings, and your heart drops in your chest.
“Two bowls of udon!” Sabito calls loudly in manner of greeting as he steps into the small space of your eatery, while Makomo behind him waves at you with her usual dreamy smile on her face, patting down the skirt of her flowery dress. You stare at the two of them as they take a seat opposite your counter, and they glance at you before you let out a sigh of relief. 
“Oh, it’s just the two of you.”
Sabito’s mouth falls open at your welcome, instantly aggrieved at your clear lack of enthusiasm. “What do you mean, just the two of us? I thought we’ve been on a first name basis for months now, just the two-” Makomo shuts up her childhood friend by placing a hand over his mouth, before smiling sweetly up at you. “Has he not come by yet?”
You flush lightly and shake your head as you ignore Sabito’s indignant sputtering, moving to grab two clean bowls from behind the counter. After having known him for long enough, you’ve grown more than used to his overdramatic behavior. “No, not yet. He’s supposed to come in five minutes, but the roasted sweet potatoes aren’t done yet, and I-”
The bell rings again.
“Chef-san!” A familiar voice calls brightly and you let out a little squeak, the bowl falling from your hands and clattering onto the countertop. From the most isolated seat at your counter, you see one of your regulars, Obanai, roll his eyes at you before he returns to studying his toxicology notes. 
Your cheeks burn, and you frantically will the blush away from your cheeks as you turn around to greet the man. “A-ahh... you’re early today, Rengoku-san.” 
Rengoku Kyoujurou looks breathtakingly handsome as usual, the afternoon light streaming in through the windows only highlighting his strong features and confident golden eyes. “Is that so?” Your heart trembles a little in your chest as he sweeps a few stray strands of bright yellow hair out of his eyes before glancing at the clock on the wall. “You’re right! My apologies, I must have been too excited to have your cooking!”
You lick your lips, a helpless expression slipping onto your face as you glance at the oven out of the corner of your eye. “Well... I have the bento boxes ready for you to take, but I wanted to try making something new today.” You manage to make out, fingers buried in the fabric of your apron. Kyoujurou continues to smile at you, encouraging you to go on. Don’t stutter in front of him! “They’re baked sweet potatoes, and I know you like them, so I was wondering if you could try them out for me. They’ll take a few more minutes to bake, so if you’re busy, you don’t need to wait...”
At the counter, Obanai buries his face in his notes as if he’s trying to suffocate himself. You don’t blame him.
“Baked sweet potatoes? That sounds amazing! Of course I can wait.” You glance up from the tie of your apron to see Kyoujurou beaming radiantly at you. “I’m sure the rest back at the fire station wouldn’t mind, either!”
You try your best to contain the delighted smile on your face, gesturing to the counter. “You can wait here. It won’t take too long, I promise.”
Kyoujurou slides into a seat obediently as you move to drop udon noodles into hot water, stirring it with a ladle to stop your eyes from wandering to the devastatingly handsome man sitting to your left. Behind Kyoujurou’s back, Sabito shakes his head at you in despair while Makomo hides a quiet giggle behind her hand. You want to crawl into a hole in embarrassment.
Ding!
Luckily, the alarm of the oven distracts you from burying your head in the sand and you turn around, pulling on your mitts. Sliding the tray from the oven, you glance over at the fruits of your hard work and countless sleepless nights of trial and error. The inside of the baked sweet potatoes is a lovely orange, melted butter and cheese running down the crack stuffed with shredded barbecued chicken. Pleased with your work, you turn around to present them to Kyoujurou — and get distracted by the sight of him instead.
He’s tying his hair up, brushing the shorter strands of his bangs behind his ears, hair tie held between his teeth. The flame patterned bomber jacket he usually wears is lying next to him on the counter, leaving him in a form fitting firehouse tee that clings to his firm chest and tight abdomen, the sleeves only emphasizing the lines his strong biceps. You don’t know if you want to thank the gods or cry at the sight.
Next to you, Obanai rolls up his thick folder and begins to smack himself over the head with it, as if trying to physically purge the image from his mind.
“Chef-san?” Kyoujurou’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts, and you blink only to realise that he’s staring at you with those beautiful golden eyes of his, brow slightly furrowed in concern. “Is everything alright?”
You’re dangerously close to a cardiac arrest, but you nod frantically, rushing to transfer the sweet potatoes to a plate instead. Placing a fork at the side, you set the plate in front of Kyoujurou shyly, smiling at him. “I hope it’s alright.”
“Your cooking is always delicious!” Kyoujurou declares with a grin, reaching for the plate. “Thank you very much for this meal!”
Turning back to your stoves to calm your racing heart, you scoop the udon noodles out of the pot and set them into bowls, pouring hot broth over them. Out of the corner of your eye, you take a quick peek at Kyoujurou; he’s blowing gently on a piece to cool it down before he digs in. 
Extra sliced pork for Sabito, no spring onions for Makomo. Done with their orders, you pick up the tray and step out from behind the counter, setting it down on their table. Behind you, you hear a delighted exclamation of ‘delicious!’, the sound earning a few turned heads from your other patrons and a scandalized glare from Obanai. You have to try and contain your smile.
He likes it.
Sabito stares at you for a moment as he picks up his chopsticks, miming the words ‘Chef-san’ silently with an awful simper. You aim a kick at his leg under the table.
“Ow.”
“I finished it all!” You turn away from Sabito rubbing his shin to see Kyoujurou smiling at you as he shrugs his jacket back on. “It tasted delicious, as usual! There is nothing I could possibly complain about! You’re truly the best cook in town! I’m sad that I should have to leave so soon, but the others back at the firehouse must surely be hungry.” 
His praise brings a slight blush to your cheeks, and you beam at him. “Thank you for your time, Rengoku-san. Wait a moment, I’ll get your lunches right away.” 
Slipping behind the counter, you pull out the stack of bento boxes kept at the side carefully for him, counting them once again to make sure all of them are there. Kyoujurou hefts the cloth bag over his shoulder with an ease that would make anyone envious, before he turns to give you a jovial wave. “It’s been lovely seeing you. Thank you for the food!”
There are a few crumbs at the corner of his mouth.
“Ah, Rengoku-san, wait–” You reach for a napkin on the counter and hold it out to him before you hesitate for a moment. You desperately want to help him wipe it from his cheek, but that would be crossing too many boundaries, wouldn’t it?
“Chef-san?”
You shake your head to clear your mind, before you put on a bright smile and hand the napkin over to him. “You have crumbs on the side of your mouth.” When he takes it from you, your fingers brush for a moment, warmth spreading from the tips of your fingers down to your toes.
Kyoujurou laughs, a pleasant, mellow sound, before wiping his mouth clean. “That was a little embarrassing.” He says, eyes twinkling merrily, and you have to resist the urge to tell him just how adorable he had looked in your eyes. “Well then, I’ll be leaving now!”
You raise a hand in farewell. The bell on the door jingles, and he’s gone. The shop suddenly feels a little less warm without him in it.
“Ask him out on a date already.” Sabito grouses, and you turn around to watch him pop a piece of pork into his mouth before he jabs his spoon at you. “God, I’m on the verge of choking from all of this badly hidden affection in the air. I might hurl from the two of you making heart eyes at each other.”
You puff out your cheeks indignantly, but your heart thumps in your chest at the thought of a date. “Don’t eat here, then.” You tell Sabito, totally unrepentant.
Makomo giggles at the distraught expression on Sabito’s face. 
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cyberhwas · 3 years
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↬ pairing/characters: hercules! mingi x reader, wooyoung as terpishchore (muse of dance), seonghwa as erato (muse of love poetry), hongjoong as euterpe (muse of music), jongho as polyhymnia (muse of hymns), san as clio (muse of history), yeosang as thaila (muse of comedy), and yunho as urania (muse of astronomy)
↬ genre: fluff, heavy angst, mutual pining, greek mythology au 
↬ tw: mentions of death, light swearing, soul-selling,  servitude, unrequited love (im so sorry yall), major character death (oops) 
↬ disclaimers: may contain slight inaccuracies concerning dates, i have changed a bit of the story to make it less intense 
↬ rating: m, 18+ 
↬ wc: 10k (atm) 
↬ summary: you felt your heart ache at the utter anger and confusion on mingi’s face. “you lied to me?” “yes, but i-” “but you what? thought it would be amusing to lead me on? to rip my heart out?” you flinched at the coldness in mingi’s voice. “please, i can explain-” mingi shook his head, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “i never want to see you again, and don’t you ever think for one second that i’m going to come to rescue you from whatever danger you might face. you disgust me.” he snapped, his voice as hard as steel. you could only watch, helplessly, as the man you truly loved walked away, taking your heart with him. 
↬ note: hello friends!! this is the sequel to my previous fic, “i won’t say i’m in love”! thank you all for supporting me and my mediocre writing, and i hope you enjoy reading this!! stay safe and healthy, my loves!! 
“why, why am i afraid?” - ateez (mist
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you hummed quietly to yourself as you sat on the edge of the low wall that surrounded the garden, letting your feet dangle in the air, mindlessly swinging them back and forth. the night air was cool and crisp, and the moon was glowing serenely against the midnight blue sky, bathing the garden in a soft, white light. it was late, and yet, despite the hectic evening you’d had, you couldn’t bring yourself to sleep. 
seonghwa, san, and the others had reluctantly disappeared into their small cottage to retire for the night, after you had assured them that you were just going to sit around in the garden for a few minutes before joining them. your mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. after all, you had just confessed your deepest and darkest secret to the people you considered family, and they hadn’t scorned or turned you away like you thought they would. however, you weren’t sure how you were going to gather up the courage to tell mingi. 
you scoffed, immediately erasing the idea from your mind. don’t be ridiculous, it’s not like he would care anyways. besides, you’re not supposed to fall for him, you’re supposed to break his heart, so it doesn’t matter what he thinks of you.  you ignored the bile rising in your throat. at first, you had thought that the task would be easy, as you were sure you weren’t ever going to fall for someone again, especially not after  the way your past romance had ended tragically. 
you clenched the soft fabric of your blue chiton in your hands, feeling angry tears prick at the corner of your eyes. you hated feeling so conflicted, especially over someone of the opposite sex. after all, men had done nothing but disappoint you, and your ex lover had proved that true. 
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seonghwa couldn’t sleep. he was too worried about you, especially now that he knew that hades had a motive to hurt you. his heart had ached as you broke down and told everyone your secret. he sighed, running a hand through his messy hair and looked around him. even in the darkness of the small room, he could just make out the vibrant blue of hongjoong’s hair, yeosang’s light blonde hair, wooyoung and san curled up against one another, and jongho and yunho sprawled out on the bed across from him. seonghwa allowed himself a small, fond smile. he was grateful that he was able to spend time with his family every day, and that they were always safe and sound at the end of the day. 
seonghwa reluctantly slid out of his warm bed, shrugged his worn sandals on, slipped out the door and into the cool night. he wandered mindlessly around the garden, admiring how the blue and pink flowers that grew in its vicinity stood out against the dark of the night. the air was cool and soothing against his skin as he wandered farther, mind swimming with thoughts. 
suddenly, seonghwa heard faint sobs, and felt his blood run cold.  he wandered into a more secluded part of the garden, and felt his heart drop into his stomach. you were sitting at the edge of the low wall that surrounded the perimeter of the garden, hands gripping the soft fabric of your chiton so hard that your knuckles were turning white, and your body was shaking with soft sobs. seonghwa immediately ran over to you, throwing his arms around you, pulling you into a hug. “h-hwa. I-i’m s-sorry, did i wake you?” his heart ached at how dejected you sounded. 
seonghwa shook his head, hugging you tighter and rubbing comforting circles on your back. “i couldn’t sleep.” “i’m sorry for worrying you, i just needed to clear my head.” “y/n, stop apologizing. you did nothing wrong, and the fact that you mustered up the courage to tell us your secret must’ve been hard for you.” you sniffled and buried your face in the crook of his neck, letting out a shaky breath. “it was, but i didn’t want to keep lying to everyone. none of you deserve to be lied to, not after all you all have done for me.” 
“darling, please, none of what you did is your fault. it’s that godsdamn jerk hades. and never feel afraid to come to any of us for comfort, we are always here for you, ok?” seonghwa felt you nod weakly, and allowed himself a small smile. “good. now, let’s get back inside before you freeze to death.” you chuckled, despite yourself. “hwa, it’s not even cold.” “don’t you dare argue with me, young lady.” seonghwa scolded lightheartedly. you rolled your eyes, glad he couldn’t see it as he scooped you up into his arms, carrying you bridal style. “yes, father.” that earned you a playful glare. “i am not that old, you know!” you laughed, reaching up and ruffling seonghwa’s hair affectionately. “whatever you say, old man.” 
you woke up the next morning to find yunho practically wrapped around you, his soft black hair tickling your cheek, and you smiled fondly, remembering all the nights you spent as kids curled up next to the muses you had come to call family, feeling safe and secure. the early morning sun cast beams of light across the floor of the small cottage, bathing it in gold. 
you slowly and carefully extricated yourself from yunho’s grip and headed outside to see if seonghwa needed help with tending to the garden. said male would wake up before everyone to tend to every plant and flower that occupied it, and you felt that helping seonghwa was the least you could to do to thank him for comforting you last night. 
sure enough, seonghwa was bent over a bed of roses, golden eyes searching for any deformities. “hwa!” you called, and the former’s expression lit up, a fond smile tugging at his lips, waving you over. “how are the roses doing?” you asked, admiring how the pink rose petals stood out against the dark soil.   “they’re alright, despite this weather.” you hummed thoughtfully, reaching out and lightly touching the rose petals, velvet soft against your skin. “thank you.” “for what?” seonghwa asked, moving on to another cluster of flowers, eyebrows furrowing in concentration. “for last night. for comforting me.” the love muse’s expression went soft, golden eyes glimmering with unshed tears. “no need to thank me, darling. you’ve been through so much, and you deserve to have comfort. besides, we’re practically family, and we’re all supposed to there for each other, no matter what.” 
you smiled, reaching out and taking seonghwa’s hand in yours, squeezing gently. “do you need help with the flowers?” the former shook his head, black hair falling across his forehead. “well, is there anything i can do?” seonghwa smiled. “you can help me by waking the others up.” you groaned, knowing how difficult that was. “that’s going to take centuries, hwa!” “well, the flowers aren’t going to tend to themselves.” “aren’t you the muse of love poetry?” “yeah, and what about it? i am perfectly capable of taking care of nature.” you laughed, reaching out and ruffling seonghwa’s hair affectionately. “of course you are. now, if you’ll excuse me, i need to go wake up our little band of gremlins.” seonghwa chuckled softly as you turned and skipped towards the cottage, your heart seemingly lighter than before. 
it had taken nearly forty five minutes to wake everyone up, save hongjoong, who had actually gotten up as soon as you had gently shaken his shoulder. the others had been a bit more difficult, especially jongho and yeosang, who were notorious for sleeping in late. another twenty minutes later, breakfast was served, and it had been fruit, a few vegetables, bread, and cheese that seonghwa had managed to snag from the local market earlier that morning. then, yunho suggested that they lay out underneath the huge tree that took up a portion of the garden, of which everyone had agreed to, to your surprise. 
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“when are you going to be done sulking?” “not sulking.” mingi mumbled, leaning against the tree he’d been sitting under for the past few hours, the bark rough against his back. maddox scoffed. “yeah, and i’m a descendant of zeus. you’re not fooling anyone, kid.” mingi sighed. “i just-” “missing her already?” 
 he felt his face burn. “s-shut up.” “there’s no need to be embarrassed, you know. i know i tease, but i genuinely want to see you happy, kid. you deserve it.” 
“what if she doesn’t feel the same?” mingi mumbled, blush deepening. he felt silly, pining after a girl he barely knew, but you were unlike anyone he had met. he heard maddox scoff. “please, that girl cannot fool anyone, even with her tough and stubborn façade.” “even if she liked me, would we even work?” maddox’s expression softened just a fraction, and he moved forward, placing a gentle hand on mingi’s shoulder, as if in comfort. “that’s something you’ll have to figure out yourself, kid.” mingi huffed. “that’s what i’ve been trying to do.” “give it time, it’ll come to you eventually.”
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 mingi’s mind was still heavy with conflict as he walked along a long dirt path that would lead him to the cottage he resided in. even though he had been offered nicer accommodation in the city, mingi preferred to live in a more secluded area and one that was closer to nature. the late evening air was crisp and clean as he ventured further down the path, mind constantly wandering. his conversation with maddox earlier that day had done little to soothe his anxiety.  mingi was so lost in thought that he bumped into someone. “i’m so sorry i-” mingi felt his mouth suddenly go dry, as if he’d swallowed sandpaper. “wonder boy?” you asked, leaning back against a tree, keeping your expression as nonchalant as possible. even in the darkness, you could still make out the blush that was forming on mingi’s face. in the soft glow of the moon, mingi looked as gorgeous as ever, and you ignored the slight ache in your heart at the sight of him. “h-hi.” he stammered.. “what brings you out here at this time of night?” “just passing through.” “been a while since we’ve seen each other, huh?” “been busy.” mingi mumbled, running a hand through his already messy hair. you frowned at the slight annoyance in his tone, but didn’t  think anything of it. “well, see you around.” you muttered, pushing off the tree with your elbow and walked away, not bothering to look back.
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 “everything ok?” yunho asked, light green eyes filled with worry. you sighed, leaning your head on the tall male’s shoulder, shaking your head slightly. immediately, an arm wrapped around your shoulders, squeezing gently. “what happened?” “it’s stupid.” “just tell me.” “fine. on my way here, i bumped into mingi, quite literally, at that.” “and?” what happened that has you so sad?” “do we need to beat someone up?” an amused smile tugged at the corner of your lips, and you laughed. “well, let me finish telling you and then i’ll let you and the others decide.” “what did he do?” “well, he seemed different.” “different how?” “i don’t know, it’s just the way he talked to me. he sounded kind of annoyed?” you felt yunho tense a little, the grip on your shoulders a little firmer, and you reached down and laced your fingers with his, squeezing gently. “i’m sure he was just having a bad day. don’t kill him, please. i can’t have you or the others being thrown into tarturus for beating someone up.” yunho huffed. “fine, but if he hurts you, i’ll get san to break his legs.” you laughed, snuggling deeper into the tall male’s side. “i’ll keep that in mind, then.” 
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you tried not to laugh at the way seonghwa and jongho’s jaws clenched as you told them about what happened between you and mingi earlier that night. “i’ll kill him.” “no killing anyone, please. it’s not that big of a deal, he was probably having a bad day, everyone does.” “ok, but he didn’t have to take his annoyance out on you.” “yes, but-” “next time you see mingi, tell him that i will not hesitate to break his legs if he hurts you again.” “he won’t, i promise. like i said, he was probably having a bad day.” san huffed. “let him know.” “ok, ok, i will.” 
“enough about my love life.” “oh, so you’re admitting you have one?” yunho asked, light green eyes twinkling with mirth. “s-shut up, i do not.” wooyoung snorted, plopping down next to san, who rolled his eyes in amusement as the former laid his head on his shoulder. “you totally do, darling.” “not you too, hwa.” “sorry, but i have to agree with wooyoung.” you groaned, throwing yourself down onto the grass, laying your head in hongjoong’s lap, who just chuckled and ran a hand through your hair. “tough day, y/n?” “s-shut up, i’ve had enough bullying for one day.” 
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“i messed up.” mingi mumbled, plopping down on the soft grass next to maddox, who only sighed in response. “what did you do this time?” “i might’ve lashed out.” “lovers’ quarrel?” “would you quit that? no, it wasn’t a lovers quarrel, i just- i don’t know, i guess i was so conflicted about my feelings that i took my anger out on her. what do i do?” “apologize.” “i-it’s not that easy, you know.” though mingi wasn’t looking in his direction, he could tell that his mentor was rolling in his eyes in exasperation. “it is, actually, you just walk up to her, say i’m sorry, and then you two live happily ever after for the rest of your days.”
 mingi frowned. “i’m serious.” “i am too. look, kid, if you’re not going to apologize, then i’ll do it for you.” “please don’t.” “i will if you would stop being a coward.” “i-i’m not a coward, she just makes me nervous, that’s all.” “i know it’s difficult, but if you don’t tell her how you feel soon, she might move on and find someone else.” “y-yeah, like who?” maddox shrugged. “i don’t know, maybe one of those muses she always hangs around.” “what? what muses?” “the muses? you seriously don’t know them?” “i-i do, i just have never seen them.” “well, she’s always around them, and they’re all pretty handsome, so i suggest you hurry up and profess your love or whatever before one of them steal her away.”
 “they could probably treat her better than me anyways.” he mumbled, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. “what was that for?” “would you quit being so pitiful? you never know until you try, and besides, i think she might feel the same.” “doubt it, but fine, i’ll try.” maddox grinned, reaching out and patting his shoulder gently. “that’s the spirit, kid.”
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 the late afternoon sun bathed the forest in light as mingi leaned against a tree, ignoring how the rough bark dug into his back. his heart leaped in his chest as he heard soft footsteps approaching, and felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of you. you were a vision in a light pink toga that stood out against your skin, dark hair framing your face perfectly. “hi wonderboy.” you called out, and mingi felt his face flush at the mere sound of your voice. 
“h-hi.” “why did you want to see me?” “i wanted to apologize for how i acted the other day. i wasn’t feeling the greatest, and i took my annoyance out on you.” “it’s fine, don’t worry about it. although, my friends were quite worried and threatened to beat you up.” mingi winced. you laughed softly. “don’t worry. my friends are harmless even though they act like they aren’t sometimes.” “so, i’m forgiven, then?” “mingi, you were forgiven the moment you sent a scroll asking to talk to me.” you shrugged. “besides, i wasn’t offended, i just figured you were having a bad day, like you said.” mingi allowed himself a smile, and felt his pulse race when you returned it. 
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“so, how’d it go with mingi?” wooyoung asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. seonghwa rolled his eyes and smacked the former lightly on the shoulder. “will you quit that?” the blond male only huffed in protest, but the curious glint never left his eyes. “what’s there to tell? he apologized, and that was it.” “seriously? no passionate kiss in the forest? no getting pressed up against a tree and making out? nothing? not even a kiss on the cheek? you two are so lame.” wooyoung sighed, dramatically falling into yeosang’s lap, who rolled his eyes in response. 
“jung wooyoung, if you don’t shut up right now, i will not hesitate to-” “yeah, yeah, i know, throw me into the depths of the underworld.” “exactly.” “it’s what you deserve, honestly.” yeosang mumbled, but made no move to shove the aforementioned muse off his lap. “yeosang! i thought we were friends.” “if you call barely tolerating you on a daily basis, then yes.” 
you laughed in amusement at their incessant bickering. “yeosang, stop being so harsh on wooyoung. he’s sensitive, you know.” “i am not!” the dance muse protested. hongjoong scoffed, not looking up from the elaborate flower crown he was making, rolling his eyes. “says the guy who wouldn’t stop sulking after san ignored him for a whole day because he accidentally spilled wine on his brand new toga.” “it was a whole week, and it hurt!” 
san sighed. “why am i friends with this idiot?” “because you love me.” “believe what you want, wooyoung.” jongho rolled his eyes. “hongjoong hyung!” said muse looked up from his now finished flower crown, carefully placing it on his head, hazel eyes widening in surprise. “yes, jongho?” “c-could you help me with this verse for a hymn? been stuck on it for days.”
 hongjoong’s face broke out into a wide smile, eyes turning into crescents, then flung himself at seonghwa, who stumbled a bit from the sudden attack, but recovered and wrapped his arms around the former, holding him tight. “what’s wrong, joong?” he asked, voice as gentle as ever, but the amused smile tugging at his lips was obvious. “j-jongho finally asked me to h-help him.” hongjoong wailed, burying his face into seonghwa’s chest, soft sobs wracking his body. seonghwa bit back a laugh as he patted hongjoong’s head gently. 
“are those tears of joy? or?” you laughed, reaching out and patting jongho’s shoulder gently. “definitely tears of joy. he’s been waiting for this moment for a millennia.” “finally, i’ve been spared!” yeosang cried out happily. jongho huffed. “i hate you.” yeosang only beamed. “love you too!” you rolled your eyes at their bickering. “have fun writing with hongjoong, he’s really been waiting for this day for ages.” jongho sighed. “i know. he wouldn’t stop whining to seonghwa hyung about it.” “yeah, i know, he’s also complained to me too.” “jongho! hurry up!” hongjoong called. 
you laughed at the embarrassment on jongho’s face as he mumbled his goodbyes and ran over to hongjoong, both of them disappearing behind an alcove of trees seconds later. “he must be really happy, huh?” “yeah, he is.” 
“how are things with mingi?” seonghwa inquired once everyone was distracted with the field of flowers a few feet away, marveling at the colorful petals. “honestly? i’m not sure. we’re not lovers, after all. i don’t even know if we’re friends. i guess we’re just acquaintances?” seonghwa rolled his eyes. “so, you’re telling me that after all the encounters you’ve had with each other that your relationship with him is still unknown?” you smiled sheepishly. “i-i guess?” the silver haired male sighed in exasperation. “you two are giving me a headache.” you laughed, leaning against seonghwa’s side, resting your head on his shoulder. the aforementioned muse immediately wrapped an arm around you. “but you love me.” “yeah, yeah.” you smiled, snuggling deeper into seonghwa’s warmth and allowing a comfortable silence to settle between the two of you. 
“mingi dare not break her heart, or i will personally throw him into the depths of the underworld.” wooyoung muttered, breaking off a petal of the rose he had in his hand, letting it gently float in the wind before settling peacefully in the grass around him. “stop destroying nature, would you?” san scolded, snatching the rose out of wooyoung’s hand, earning a squawk of protest from the latter. “while i agree with you, woo, i don’t think we should just charge at him like a minotaur gone truly mad.” “then, what do you think we should do, oh wise one?” 
“we should just talk to him, peacefully and without violence?” wooyoung scoffed. “that’s a terrible idea. do you want y/n’s heart to be broken?” “of course not, it’s just- he’s stronger than all of us, there’s no way any of us could take him in a real fight.” “yunho’s right, we’re all as thin as wheat and can’t lift anything remotely heavy.” “that’s not true! we’re not that weak!” yeosang rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. 
“why are we discussing murder?” a voice cut in, interrupting their conversation. yunho turned and saw seonghwa standing at the entrance of the garden, lean arms crossed over his chest, golden eyes twinkling with amusement. you were beside him, looking as equally amused as the former. “we’re not discussing murder, we’re just-” san slapped a hand over wooyoung’s mouth before he could continue, smiling nervously, ignoring how the latter squirmed, mumbling something incoherent.  “we were discussing just how much of a great person you are, hyung.” 
seonghwa bit back a laugh. “is that so?” “yes, of course! we would never think of murdering anyone! we’re too innocent and pure to commit such a wicked act!” unlike seonghwa, you laughed, the sound ringing in the air. “you are all so dramatic.” “ i honestly don’t know why i’m still hanging around you all.” “that’s because you have no other friends than us, yeosang.” wooyoung chirped, earning him a glare from the comedy muse. 
“please don’t start fights, especially with mingi. i don’t want to see any of you hurt.” wooyoung beamed, throwing himself onto seonghwa, hugging him tightly. “so you do love us, hyung!” the older rolled his eyes. “no, i’m just tired of you all being a pain in my ass all the time. so please save me the trouble and not try to kill anyone, ok?” san pouted. “you’re so cruel, hyung!” “believe what you want, san.” “anyways, do you know when hongjoong and jongho will be back? they need to help out with supper later.” “well, they’re probably going to be done, at least, hopefully, before the sun sets.” “ok, then i’ll just go gather the vegetables and fruit.” 
“hwa, i might need some help, that is, if you’re willing to.” seonghwa smiled, expression soft and gentle. “of course, i’d be happy to.” as soon as they were out of earshot, wooyoung leaned forward, making sure to keep his voice as low as possible. 
“is it just me, or is seonghwa hyung in love?” yeosang rolled his eyes, smacking the blond haired muse on the shoulder. “quit being delusional, seonghwa hyung’s always looked at her like that, we all do, you know. he cares about her just like he does the rest of us. besides, even if seonghwa hyung felt any sort of romantic way about y/n, she wouldn’t return his feelings and he’d get heartbroken.” “you never know! she could just be trying to use mingi as a distraction to get her mind off of him.” “you’re by far the dumbest person i know, woo.” “i know what i saw, yeosang!” “then prove it.” “what?” “if you can prove to me that seonghwa hyung really has feelings for y/n that are far from platonic, then i will not pick on you for a whole year.” wooyoung’s eyes brightened with determination. “get ready to bite back your words!” “can’t wait.” 
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mingi softly hummed to himself as he walked through the forest, admiring how the sun shone through the leaves, bathing it in golden beams of light. his last meeting with you had gone well, better than he expected. “daydreaming about going on picnic dates with your girlfriend?” “no, and she’s not my girlfriend.” “sure, sure, keep lying to yourself.” “why did you even go with me? aren’t you supposed to be, i don’t know, doing important things?” 
maddox scoffed. “please, as if the officials need me for anything.” his mentor made subsequent trips to the heart of the city, where the council presided, looking over and approving laws. a comfortable silence settled around them as they continued on through the forest. 
suddenly, they heard laughter from a few feet away. and before mingi could say anything, maddox grabbed his wrist and pulled him in the direction of said laughter. “what are you doing?” “you’re not curious where the laughter is coming from?” “not really-” he was cut off a few seconds later when maddox suddenly stopped in his tracks. “what’s wrong?”
“kid, i’m sorry.” “about what?” he ignored maddox as he tried to prevent him from going past. mingi froze when he saw what maddox had been trying to prevent him from seeing. it was you, looking as beautiful as ever in a dark blue toga, holding a basket full of vegetables and fruit. but you were not alone. a tall male with silver hair, dressed in a white toga, an impossibly soft smile on his face, stood next to you. then, said male took the basket from you, pulling you into his side and wrapping a slender arm around your waist. 
mingi waited for you to push him away, which otherwise never occurred.  then, what came next felt as if his heart was going to be ripped out of his chest. you smiled and leaned into the male’s embrace, resting your head on his shoulder. he had had enough. mingi fought back tears as he ran away, ignoring maddox calling his name in the distance. 
“calm down!” maddox shouted, gripping mingi’s shoulders tightly. “why should i? after what i saw?” “you know, there’s such a thing as jumping to conclusions, which is exactly what you’re doing right now! and even if that guy was her lover, what does it matter to you? you’re not together anyway, right?” “i’m fully aware of that, but it still hurts just as much. i need to be alone.” mingi mumbled, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. as soon as the grip on his shoulder loosened, he ran off into the forest, vision blurring. 
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dinner consisted of fruit and vegetables, along with a few quail eggs that seonghwa had managed to pick up at the market earlier that day. the early evening air was cool and crisp, and there was a light breeze that caused the leaves to sway gently. “were you able to write the hymn?” jongho nodded as he popped a strawberry into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “it wasn’t easy, but it is finished.” seonghwa smiled fondly, reaching out and ruffling the younger’s hair affectionately. “i’m glad.”  “did you spend time with y/n today?” wooyoung blurted, light blue eyes glimmering with anticipation, “yes, yes i did. we gathered the fruits and vegetables for supper. why?” “no reason hyung, just curious.” he mumbled, taking a sip of wine. seonghwa’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t press further. yeosang pursed his lips tightly and looked away, trying to will himself to disappear. the former shrugged and merely got up and walked away to the center of the garden. 
once he was out of earshot, yeosang elbowed wooyoung in the side, causing the latter to cry out in protest. “what was that for?” “could you be any more obvious?” “what are you talking about? i was very subtle!” yeosang rolled his eyes. “you were not.” “do you really think seonghwa hyung doesn’t have any sort of romantic feelings towards y/n?” “i really do.” “i will prove you wrong, just you wait!” “i’ll be waiting for the day when you do.” 
you sat underneath a tree with seonghwa, curled up into his side, resting your head on his shoulder. the night sky was glittering with stars, bathing the garden in soft white light. “do you think my relationship with mingi will become something more?” “i can’t give you a sure answer, but i think if you allow a space for him in your heart, then maybe something will happen.” 
“when did you get so…” “cheesy? romantic? well, i am the muse of love poetry, in case you forgot.” “right, you write cheesy poems for a living.” “my poems are masterpieces, just so you know.” “i apologize, oh humble one. i did not mean to slander your poems, which a truly a gift to mankind.” “stop feeding my ego.” you laughed, snuggling deeper into seonghwa’s side. “ok, ok, i’ll stop.” 
“this is going to sound very cliché and cheesy-” “darling, please, i write romantic poems for a living. try me.” “i just- i’m grateful.” “for what?” “for not neglecting me. for taking care of me when i had no one else, and for giving me a home when my parents left me all alone, defenseless and starving.” you hadn’t realized you were crying until seonghwa pulled you into a warm and tight embrace, rubbing comforting circles on your back. “let it out, it’s okay.” “i’m sorry for breaking down like this, but-” “don’t apologize, darling. we are always here for you, and it’s perfectly okay to have an off day, we’ve all been there.” “i just-” “you don’t need to explain yourself, you never do. just promise me you won’t hide your pain from us? we hate to see you miserable.” 
you nodded, leaning further into seonghwa’s embrace, burying your face in the crook of his neck, the scent of roses hitting your nose. the smell was comforting, and you felt your eyelids droop, and you let sleep take over. seonghwa smiled fondly at the sleeping girl in his arms, looking peaceful and at ease. he brushed a stray strand of hair off your forehead, tucking it gently behind your ear. the night was cool and crisp and tame, just how seonghwa preferred it to be. 
“hyung?” a quiet voice said behind him. he turned around, careful not to wake you, and saw yeosang standing behind him.“yeosang? what is it? is something wrong?” san hesitated as he saw the immediate concern on seonghwa’s face. “i- i just wanted to see if y/n’s alright.” “she’s fine, just tired. why?” “ah, no reason, just curious.” “san, are you ok? you’re acting a bit strange.” “i’m alright, just tired. wooyoung ‘s been a pain in my ass all day.” seonghwa chuckled at that. “perfectly understandable. wooyoung can be quite the handful sometimes.” 
yeosang gave the older an awkward wave, trying not to run away in embarrassment across the grass. as soon as he plopped down next to wooyoung, said male turned to him anticipation. “so, what did you see?” “she was asleep in seonghwa hyung’s arms; they were practically cuddling.” wooyoung clapped excitedly, and yeosang smacked him on the shoulder. “cut that out. just because i caught them cuddling doesn’t prove anything. she’s fallen asleep on all of us at some point.” “was she on his lap?” “what in tarturus? no, of course not.” “she was curled up in his arms, that’s all.” 
“are you seriously still convinced that seonghwa hyung doesn’t pine for her?” yeosang sighed. “look, wooyoung, you should really just give up on this, i mean, don’t you think trying to prove something that you know isn’t true a waste of time?” “it may be to you, but not to me! he loves her, i’m sure of it!” “just don’t go overboard, ok?” “i won’t, i swear on the river styx.” “i sense empty promises, but fine.” 
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mingi sat on the edge of a ravine, feet dangling dangerously in the air, dried tears on his cheeks. he didn’t know when the crying had stopped, nor did he know how he ended up at the very edge of the forest. maddox was standing a few feet away, giving him space, which mingi was grateful for. his mind was swimming with thoughts and his heart ached. 
he felt pathetic, for even thinking that someone like him had a chance with you. you looked happy, happier than he had ever seen you. there was a part of him that was happy that you were being cherished, for it was what you truly deserved. i was foolish to think that she ever showed any interest in me as a lover, mingi thought glumly, fighting back another deluge of tears. he heard soft footsteps behind him and a few seconds later, a warm and gentle hand was on his shoulder. mingi sighed. “are you going to give me a lecture about how much of a fool i am?” “of course not, and you’re anything but that.” he let out a bitter, sad laugh. “how would you know that?” “because i’ve been your mentor for years, and while you were a bit clumsy at first, you persisted.” “what are you trying to say?” “i’m trying to tell you that you shouldn’t give up! so what if she has a potential suitor? make her see what she’s missing!” “you want me to make her jealous?” “exactly! then she’ll realize just how much of a great hero and guy you are, and then she’ll practically beg for you to be her lover.” mingi shook his head. “there’s no way in tarturus i’m doing that.” “why not?!” “i don’t want to make anger her for my personal gain, it’s not right.” 
“ok, then, what do you think you should do?” “you saw her! she looks happy, and i don’t want to ruin that for her. i should try to move on.” maddox sighed. “do you even know who she was with?” “n-no? should i know him?” “do you remember when i mentioned the muses?” “vaguely.” 
his mentor rolled his eyes. “anyway, the guy you saw her with was one of the nine muses.” “w-what? how did you know?” “i thought it was pretty clear.” “how can you-” “centuries ago, they attended one of the council meetings. the muse you saw her with was the one who did most of the talking.” “i thought muses didn’t involve themselves with the council.” “they don’t, but maybe they had a reason to.” 
“that doesn’t mean anything, he could be her lover.” “believe what you want, kid. i’m not going to attempt to convince you otherwise. just don’t sulk about it too much.” with that, maddox walked away, leaving him with his thoughts and a heavy heart. 
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“are you close with seonghwa hyung?” you laughed, carefully rolling up another scroll and placing it back on the massive shelf in front of you. “what do you mean, woo? i’m close with all of you.” “i know that, but-” “but?” “never mind.” wooyoung mumbled, plopping down on a nearby chair, lips forming a visible pout. you sighed in exasperation, walking over to said sulking male, ruffling his hair affectionately. “what’s wrong, woo?” “nothing, i’m just tired from yesterday evening, i suppose.” “oh, well, why did you come along with me, then? you didn’t have to, i know reading scrolls can be quite a bore.” “i didn’t want to leave you all alone. if something happened to you, seonghwa hyung would have my head.” you smiled, pulling the dance muse into a tight embrace. “wooyoung, that’s very sweet of you, but you know i can handle myself.” 
“i know, but if hades-” “he hasn’t come after me yet, and i doubt he will soon. even if he does, he won’t hurt me, at least, not enough to kill me.” “y/n! don’t say that! we wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves if something happened to you.” you felt your heart ache and hugged wooyoung tighter. “i’m sorry for saying that, i just-” “it’s ok, y/n. just promise me that you’ll let us protect you?” you nodded. “i will, i promise.” 
“what do you think of y/n?” yeosang asked, quite abruptly at that, and seonghwa felt his eyes widen in shock at the sudden bluntness. “i don’t quite understand the question, yeosang, i-” “just answer it.” “ok, ok, uhm, well, she’s….” the former gestured for seonghwa to continue. “she’s wonderful. she’s very caring, loving, and is very selfless. y/n is always there for us, always.” 
yeosang felt guilt rising in his stomach. he hated lying to seonghwa, especially after he now knew that wooyoung was completely wrong about how the older felt about y/n. at least, it was clear to him that she was nothing more than a dear friend, a sister, even. “are you alright?” yeosang snapped out of his thoughts, giving a worried seonghwa a half smile that he hoped was convincing enough. “i’m fine, just exhausted.” 
seonghwa’s golden eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he didn’t press further. “i have to go help y/n with something, i’ll see you in the evening?” yeosang managed a brief nod before the former walked off. 
he sighed, leaning back on the rough bark of a tree behind him. things were definitely going to get even more complicated, and yeosang wasn’t looking forward to it in the slightest. 
“don’t you think wooyoung and yeosang are being a little... “ “strange?” “i suppose? wooyoung asked me if i’m close to you.” seonghwa raised an amused eyebrow, carefully rolling up a scroll. “close in what way?” suprisingly, you felt your cheeks flush scarlet. “i-” “as lovers?” “y-yes.” “ah, well, that is quite amusing.” “is it?” seonghwa nodded, golden eyes twinkling with mirth. “you are not angry?” “why would i be angry? any man would be lucky to have you.” “thank you, hwa.” his expression softened, if that was even possible. you smiled, carefully pulling another scroll from the shelf. “i’ve always loved coming here.” “i know. whenever we visited the town, you would beg us to take you to the library so you could read scrolls.” you blushed. “that must’ve been quite irritating.” 
seonghwa shook his head. “not at all, it was quite endearing.” “i’ve always loved stories, even as a child. though i don’t remember much about my parents, i know they always told me them to help me sleep. that is, before they abandoned me.” you didn’t even realize you were crying until strong arms were around you, pulling you into a comforting and tight embrace. 
“i’m sorry, i don’t know why i’m being so emotional all the time. you must think i’m being dramatic.” seonghwa scoffed. “you are not. i’m the one who should be asking for your forgiveness.” “hwa-” “hear me out, ok? i was the one who suggested we come here, and that was a terrible thing to do, because it surfaced tragic memories of your past. i’m so sorry, darling, i should’ve been more considerate-” 
“hwa, listen to me. it was not your fault. you didn’t know, and besides, i think it’s important for me to bring the painful memories to light instead of dwelling on them. i’ve been resenting my parents for centuries, and i think it’s time i start trying to forgive them.” seonghwa’s expression softened, as it always seemed to whenever he looked at you, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “if you need any assistance, i’m here for you, and so are the others.” “i know, thank you, hwa. i really don’t know what i would do without any of you in my life.” 
“that was extremely cliché, but i’ll let it slide because the feeling is mutual.” “you’re the absolute worst, you know that?” seonghwa laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners. “i know, but you love me.” “correction, i tolerate you, there’s a difference.” that earned you a light shove to the shoulder, and you couldn’t help but throw your head back and laugh, feeling lighter than you had been in centuries. 
 nearby, certain muses were deep in conversation. “wooyoung, i really think we should put an end to our bet, i mean, there’s no point anymore.” “why? did seonghwa hyung tell you something? or did you tell him about it?” yeosang sighed in frustration. “i didn’t tell him anything, i just really think it would be best to stop.” wooyoung huffed. “how can you be so sure?” “i just- look, i really don’t think seonghwa hyung loves y/n in a romantic way.” “suit yourself, yeosang, i’m going to prove it.” “do what you want.” 
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“kid, are you even listening to me?” maddox’s worried voice snapped mingi out of the trance he’d been under, bringing him back to reality. the former sighed. “let’s take a break.” mingi nodded, carefully putting the bow and arrow he’d been holding off to the side, plopping down onto the soft grass beneath him, the blades tickling his bare legs. “are you alright?” maddox asked, his voice unusually soft, as if mingi were a fawn that would run away the instant it heard a loud noise. mingi didn’t reply, just shook his head softly and hugged his knees to his chest, somehow managing to look small and almost vulnerable, despite his bulk. 
maddox sighed, settling down beside him on the grass. “i know that sulking over unrequited love is trivial and a little pathetic of me-” “it’s not pathetic. you’re heartbroken, and it’s okay to sulk.” mingi managed a small, grateful smile. “thank you.” “i’ve never felt this way about anyone, and i know that’s cliché, but it’s true. she’s the only girl who doesn’t fawn over me like everyone else, she doesn’t even know about my being a hero or slaying monsters!” “she knows you as mingi, not mingi the hero.” “yes, and that simple fact makes it hurt even more.”  
mingi didn’t even realize he was crying until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “it’s okay, kid, let it out. i’m sorry for pushing you too hard to train. i didn’t realize you were still grieving.” “stop making it sound as if i’m mourning the loss of a loved one.” mingi scolded, but it was light-hearted. “i’ll be okay, i just need time.” “take all the time you need, i’ll be here for you if you ever need a shoulder to cry on.” “thank you.” “i’ll likely forget about her, so don’t get your hopes up.” maddox grimaced. he knew that mingi would most definitely not do such a thing, and that he would sulk about her for gods knew how long. i just hope he doesn’t completely fall apart, maddox thought, fighting back tears. 
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seonghwa hummed softly to himself as he admired the deep purple hyacinths on either side of him, contrasting greatly with the forest green of the grass. the day was perfect, with a light, refreshing breeze tugging at his hair and toga, ruffling the leaves and branches of trees, the sky cloudless and blue, and the sun shining golden beams of light upon the earth. the air was just the right temperature, and seonghwa absolutely adored days like these. 
wooyoung, jongho, yeosang, and san had all gone to the town marketplace to find food for supper, and you and hongjoong were in the center of the garden, weaving flower crowns, which left seonghwa by himself for a bit. not that he minded, of course, seonghwa secretly enjoyed it when he got some time for himself, so he can be alone with his thoughts. 
while he loved his fellow muses dearly, it could get overwhelming to be around them at times. seonghwa never took the moments he got to himself for granted, for they were rare. seonghwa was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice you settling down on the grass beside him, a hand woven crown of roses on your head. “hwa?” you asked, which made him jump in surprise. 
“when did you get here?” “about a few seconds ago, why?” “no reason, just, you scared me, is all.” you smiled in amusement. “you’re always so easily startled, huh?” seonghwa felt his face flush scarlet. “weren’t you with hongjoong?” “i was, but he insisted i keep you company.” “i hope i’m not bothering you, you seemed like you wanted to be alone for a while.” 
seonghwa nodded sheepishly. “well, one part of that is true.” “which one?” “the second, because you could never bother me.” that earned him a light shove to the shoulder. “when did you get so cheesy?” “i’m the muse of love poetry, cheesy is all i know how to write.” you laughed, and seonghwa ignored the way his heart sped up a bit at the sound. “what were you thinking about?” “you don’t have to tell me, of course, only if you’re willing.” “it’s okay, i wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, actually.” “just daydreaming then?” seonghwa smiled. “perhaps.” 
you returned his smile, eyes crinkling at the corners, and the sight made seonghwa’s heart clench painfully. he felt his pulse race as you moved closer to him and laid your head on his shoulder, all the while making sure not to crumple your flower crown. you’d done this many times before, but it never failed to make seonghwa’s heart race. he knew it was pathetic and silly to harbor feelings for someone who would never return them, but he couldn’t help it. you were kind, loving, the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen, and whenever you looked at him, it felt like a punch to the gut. he loved the way your expression would brighten when visiting the town library, looking at various scrolls. most off all, he loved how selfless you were, and that you would do anything for the ones you loved.
while it was extremely painful to see you long for someone else, you were at least happy, and that was all that mattered to seonghwa. you deserved someone who would cherish you for the rest of your life, and who would never hurt you. seonghwa ignored the shiver that ran down his spine as you snuggled closer into his side. as if on impulse, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, your bare skin warm against his own, and held you tight. “are you alright?” “yes, just a bit exhausted. is it alright if i take a short nap?” “go ahead, i’ll wake you once it’s time for supper.” you shot him a grateful smile, and seconds later, you were fast asleep. seonghwa sighed heavily, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands to hide the blush that was forming on his face. i need to get ahold of myself, he thought. 
wooyoung hid the smirk that was tugging at his lips as he caught sight of you cuddled up against seonghwa, resting your head on his shoulder. “ what are you doing?” a voice asked, which made wooyoung jump in shock. “san! did you have to sneak up on me like that?” said male rolled his eyes. “i didn’t sneak up on you, you were just too busy staring at seonghwa and y/n that you didn’t notice.” 
“are you stalking them or something?” wooyoung huffed in frustration and hit san gently on the shoulder. “i am doing nothing of the sort!” “then, what are you doing?” “i’m observing?” “seriously, woo?” what? just think of it as supervising.” san just sighed in frustration. “you really expect me to believe that? y/n can take care of herself, and seonghwa would rather get thrown into the depths of the underworld than even think of hurting her. what’s the real reason you’re watching them like a creep?” wooyoung sighed. “keep this a secret, okay?” san nodded. though his expression seemed uninterested, his violet eyes were glinting with curiosity. when wooyoung was done explaining, san burst out laughing. 
“you think i’m insane, don’t you?” “uh, yeah, i kind of do.” “look, woo, do you really believe that seonghwa hyung is in love with y/n? don’t you think that’s a little… i don’t know, impossible?” “anything is possible, san!” “yes, but not that.” “why? why does everyone think i’m crazy for this?” “wooyoung’s right, san.” they turned and saw hongjoong standing a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, expression unreadable. “how long have you been standing there?” 
hongjoong shrugged. “long enough.” “wait, what? what do you mean i’m right?” “you’re right about seonghwa.” wooyoung let out a small whoop of triumph, while san looked at hongjoong in utter disbelief. “what in tartarus? how do you know that?” “because he told me.” “when?” wooyoung asked, practically beaming. “centuries ago.” “wait, so seonghwa hyung’s liked her for that long?!” hongjoong grimaced. “ah, it’s actually the opposite of that.” “he loves her?!” san blurted, and wooyoung slapped a hand over his mouth. “don’t be so loud! seonghwa hyung’s nearby, he might hear you!” he hissed. 
“when did you notice?” wooyoung asked, slowly taking his hand off san’s mouth, who glared at him in return. “i thought it was pretty obvious, and honestly, i’m quite surprised no one picked up on it sooner.” “so, when did he tell you?” “i don’t remember exactly, but i’m pretty sure it was when y/n was in the garden with you guys and seonghwa and i went somewhere to talk in secret. he was extremely anxious.” 
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(six centuries ago)
 hongjoong let out a cry of protest as seonghwa led him into a more secluded part of the garden, anxiety rolling off the latter in waves. the late afternoon sun cast golden beams of light on the soft patches of green grass. the air was crisp and cool, and the weather had never been more perfect. “what’s wrong?” seonghwa hesitated, rocking back and forth on his heels. “i-i love someone.” hongjoong’s eyes widened. “what?” “i know it’s sudden of me to say something so bold, but i-i know that i love her.” “who is she? do we know her?” seonghwa chuckled, golden eyes shining with an emotion that hongjoong had never seen him express before. “yes, you know her, very well, in fact.” hongjoong furrowed his brows in confusion, thinking about which female in the entirety of athens seonghwa had his heart set on, and suddenly, it clicked. the gentle and soft gazes he’d send your way, the way he’d look at you as if you were the only star in the sky, and the way he handed you a basket of flowers or even a piece of fruit were all telltale signs that seonghwa was irrevocably smitten, and yet hongjoong hadn’t realized it until now. “i- when did you realize that you loved her?” seonghwa rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, color staining his cheeks. “do you remember that city official that started to insult y/n the day we went to the market?” hongjoong grimaced at the memory. “of course, how could i forget? i was  tempted to throw him into the depths of tarturus.” “she defended herself before we could, despite having tears in her eyes. she was so strong, and i admired her for that. i knew that she was not a damsel in distress, and that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but i’ve always felt i need to protect her, to shield her from harm. isn’t that so selfish of me?” seonghwa asked, laughing bitterly. “it’s not selfish, it just shows how much you love her.” “i suppose. hongjoong, promise me that this will stay between us?” “of course.” hongjoong said, swallowing against the bile in his throat. the smile that seonghwa sent his way afterwards, bright and hopeful, made his stomach churn with guilt. 
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“that day was the worst, i was going to kill him if someone didn’t stop me.” san hissed, glaring at hongjoong, who rolled his eyes. “i’m sorry i foiled your plans of vengeance, but seonghwa would’ve killed me if anything happened to any of you.” “seonghwa hyung really is in love with y/n.” wooyoung mumbled, looking dazed, as if he had been in a trance. “yes, he is. now, you two have to promise me that this stays between us. seonghwa cannot know that i told you.” 
san pursed his lips tightly. “i hate keeping secrets from him.” “i know, but if finds out that i told you this, he will never forgive me, and i can’t live with myself knowing that i hurt seonghwa.” san looked as if he’d rather jump into the river of souls than agree to it, but just sighed and gave hongjoong a small nod. “fine, but don’t make me regret this.” 
hongjoong gave the younger a grateful smile.” thank you, san.” “i’ll also keep this from seonghwa hyung, but it’s not going to be easy.” “i know, just try your hardest not to tell him.” wooyoung also looked as if he were going to object, but managed a miniscule nod. “i just hope that no one gets hurt in the end.” hongjoong felt dread pool in his stomach at the thought of seonghwa looking at him with absolute hatred and sadness in his eyes, and forced what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face. “time will tell.” 
after the confrontation with san and wooyoung, hongjoong headed to another secluded part of the garden, feeling dazed. he settled onto a soft patch of grass, stretching his legs and basking in the late afternoon sun. though the weather usually lifted hongjoong’s spirits, today, it did nothing to distract him from the immense guilt he felt. he knew it wasn’t his right to tell seonghwa’s secret, but he had just suddenly gotten the urge to, after overhearing wooyoung and san’s conversation. hongjoong sighed, reaching up and rubbing at his temples. he would be doomed if seonghwa ever came to know that his secret had been disclosed, especially since he’d promised all those centuries ago not to tell anyone. 
“joong?” a soft voice said, and hongjoong looked up to see you standing over him, an amused smile on your face. “y/n?” “taking a nap?” you asked, settling down beside him, your sky blue robes bright against the green grass. hongjoong shook his head. “no, just thinking.” “about what? you don’t have to tell me, of course, i’m just curious.” “well, honestly, it wasn’t anything important.” you didn’t look too convinced, but didn’t press further, much to hongjoong’s relief. “can i talk to you about something?” “of course, anything.” hongjoong said, immediately sitting up and moving closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “what’s troubling you?” you sighed, leaning your head on his shoulder. “it’s seonghwa.” “what about him? is he being an asshole?” you laughed softly. “no, of course not. hwa’s one of the sweetest, gentlest, most patient, loving, and selfless people i know. he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.” “
then, what’s wrong?” “i- is he in pain?” “what do you mean?” “is he pining for a lost love?” hongjoong felt his stomach coil with nerves. “why do you ask?” “i’ve noticed the way he looks at me, almost as if i remind him of someone who hurt him.” no, it’s because seonghwa’s in love with you, but he’s not saying anything because he knows you will not return his feelings, hongjoong thought sadly. “is he hurting because of me? did i do something?” you sounded so sad, so lost, and hongjoong’s heart ached. “no, of course not. seonghwa’s always been one to wander off into his own thoughts and keep his feelings to himself. he doesn’t want us worrying about him. he’s probably just daydreaming or exhausted.” “i suppose.” you murmured, snuggling deeper into hongjoong’s side. hongjoong forced what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face and held you tighter. 
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mingi loosed a breath as he let an arrow fly, allowing a small smile when it struck the center of the target. the air was warm but not too humid, and he loved when the sun would shine through the trees, bathing the forest in golden light. it was late afternoon, and he had finally gotten out of bed after a while to train. maddox had had business in town, so that left him alone for the day. 
he sighed and propped his bow against a tree, practically collapsing onto the soft grass. it’d been a long few days, of which were mainly spent crying until his throat and eyes hurt, or until maddox threatened to throw him into the river if he wouldn’t stop sulking. ever since that day, mingi had been trying his best to heal from the heartbreak he experienced. it was a bit pathetic that he was so devastated over a girl that he barely knew, but in some ways, he felt drawn to you. he felt as if there was something that intrigued him about you, but couldn’t quite name the cause. he supposed that as long as you were happy and that you were being treated well, there was nothing he could do. after all, he was a hero, destined to save athens or whatever fairy-tale shit maddox ranted about constantly, and if you were together, you would be in constant danger. mingi knew he couldn’t live with himself if anyone he loved got hurt or killed, and the image of you being stabbed or becoming lifeless in his arms sent a shudder through his body. mingi closed his eyes and let the tears fall, wondering if he would ever get his so-called “happy ending.” 
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yunho laid next to wooyoung on the worn blanket seonghwa had found lying around the cottage, and looked up at the night sky, stars glittering like precious jewels. the air was crisp and cool, and he allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. yunho turned his head slightly to see you and san sitting on a patch of soft grass, your head resting on his shoulder. “penny for your thoughts?” wooyoung said, snapping yunho back to reality. he felt his face flush scarlet at the knowing smirk on wooyoung’s face, and swatted at him with his hand, causing the younger to laugh. “i do not feel that way about y/n, if that’s what you’re thinking.” wooyoung rolled his eyes. “i know you don’t, i was just teasing you.” a comfortable silence settled between them, and yunho sighed, turning his attention back to the stars, mind wandering once again. dinner had been normal, with the occasional light chatter and wooyoung and san bickering over trivial matters, but the aftermath had been quite strange. san had given wooyoung a look that clearly said ”don’t you dare speak another word or i will throw you into the river” , and the latter had whined in protest, but didn’t say anything else after. yunho had looked at them with utter confusion, wondering what in zeus’ name they’d been arguing about, but didn’t bother to ask. he just hoped that whatever secret they were keeping wouldn’t cause any conflict. 
you sighed, snuggling deeper into san’s side for warmth, and said male wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “tired?” he asked. you nodded, resting your head on his shoulder. “did seonghwa nag you too much today?” he asked, voice light and teasing. you rolled your eyes playfully. “no, he didn’t. today was just a long one, that’s all.” san hummed in agreement, squeezing your shoulder gently, as if in comfort. you shifted so that you were now lying on his lap, and he chuckled softly, playing with the loose strands of your hair. “are you really going to use my lap as a pillow?” “yes, is there a problem?” san shook his head. “of course not, you know i was just teasing.” “san?” “hmm?” “thank you.” “for what, love?” “no reason, i’m just glad you’re in my life.” “when did you get so cheesy? you’ve really been spending way too much time with seonghwa hyung.” you flelt your face flush scarlet. “s-shut up, i’m trying to be sentimental and you’re ruining the moment.” san laughed, patting your head gently. “ok, ok, fine.” you soon fell asleep to san humming softly. 
san smiled as you slept, absentmindedly playing with the soft strands of your hair, humming a song he’d heard jongho sing once, and leaned back against the rough bark of the eucalyptus tree that took up one side of the garden, letting his mind wander. dinner had been interesting, and he grimaced as he remembered how wooyoung had nearly let seonghwa’s secret come to light. wooyoung needs to be more cautious, otherwise, seonghwa hyung might never forgive hongjoong hyung for telling us his secret. 
it was also where he noticed firsthand that seonghwa was irrevocably and utterly in love with y/n, despite knowing that his feelings would never be returned. san didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed before. it was evident in the way seonghwa would look at you, as if you were the only star in the sky, and even a small gesture as handing you a piece of bread from across the table. his fingers always seemed to brush against yours in such an intimate way that san felt himself blush and look away. 
san winced as he recalled the conversation with hongjoong and wooyoung earlier that evening, and his heart ached for seonghwa, whose love was unrequited, and for hongjoong, who had succumbed to the pressure of keeping such a secret that he told him and wooyoung. he felt as if they didn’t deserve to know, for the secret felt so personal to seonghwa, and san knew that he would be devastated if he knew that hongjoong had told them. holding back tears, san closed his eyes and let sleep take over. 
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mingi woke to maddox gently shaking him, whispering fervently. he sat up immediately, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “what is it? did something happen?” even in the darkness of the cottage, he could make out the pale and ashen color of maddox’s face, and his stomach coiled with fear. his mentor gulped nervously before replying, his voice barely audible. “hades.” “what?” mingi felt blood rushing to his ears, and he felt himself get out of bed, hastily throwing the thin blankets off of him, reaching for his sword, which had been thrown on a pile of old clothes earlier that night. mingi could feel the nervous tension in the air as he loosed a breath and headed out into the cool night, feeling a shiver course through him. maddox was trailing slowly behind him, footsteps quiet and hesitant. 
mingi knew it was extremely foolish to confront hades not properly armed, but at least maddox was with him. now, his mentor wasn’t the strongest or the best fighter, but he could at least try and figure out a way for mingi to escape unscathed, or at least mingi hoped he could. 
the air got thicker with tension as mingi ventured deeper into the forest, ignoring the small voice in the back of his mind, screaming at him to run away. mingi knew that hades was close by, as the scent of death and smoke filled his nostrils as he neared a more secluded part of the forest, which, ironically, happened to be near a field of blooming hyacinths. the sight that beheld him made his heart drop down into his stomach and his blood run cold. 
you were laying at hades’ feet, pale blue robes streaked with dirt, curled into yourself, as if bracing for an attack that would hopefully never come. mingi ducked behind a tree, hoping it would somehow obscure him from view. “you’re pathetic.” hades hissed, dark eyes flashing with pure disgust. you groaned, neck straining to look up at the god of the dead, expression full of fury and pure hatred. “i thought i made it clear that my relations with you were over.” you seethed, wiping blood from the corner of your mouth. hades laughed, cold and heartless. “you very aware of my conditions when you signed your soul over to me, and one of them was that you will never be free until you fufill my end of our deal. you seemed so willing all those centuries ago, i wonder what changed? is it because you fell in love?” hades sneered, tone dripping with mock cheerfulness. 
you said nothing, clenching your jaw in anger and curling your hand into a fist. hades laughed, the sound hollow and void of emotion. “how touching, you fell in love with the very person you were supposed to lead to his own demise. i assume you want me to spare him?”
you glared at the god of the dead, refusing to show any signs of fear, and mingi’s heart ached at the sight. “no, i very well know that you will kill him anyway, for seeing heroes perish brings you great pleasure.” hades clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. “i’m appalled that such a thought would ever cross your mind.” “you’ll spare him, then? if i request it?” hades scoffed. “you’d be foolish to think that i would ever take a request from such a weak and pathetic woman such as yourself.” 
mingi felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly, and didn’t try to resist. “kid, if you go out ther now, you’ll die. hades may be a prick, but he’s powerful, and can most likely turn you into ashes before you can even take a single step.” maddox murmured, voice barely audible, but mingi nodded, a sign that he’d heeded his warning, and the grip on his shoulder loosened. 
seonghwa felt his heart shatter at the sight of you crumpled on the ground, pale blue robes dirty and blood-stained, helpless and injured. it took every ounce of self-control for him not to run over to you and wrap you into his arms and hold you. he knew that you would never forgive yourself if something happened to him or the others, and that you would continue to blame yourself for their deaths, no matter what. seonghwa bit back tears as he watched hades sneer and curse at you, hands curling into his white robes, the soft fabric bunching in his grip. 
the others were fast asleep at the cottage, and that fact alone made seonghwa’s heart settle, just a bit. seonghwa was glad that they weren’t witnessing the horrific scene before him, for he knew that the sight would be too much to bear. 
out of the corner of his eye, he noticed mingi, armed with nothing but a sword, clutching it in his hand tightly, and a shorter man with shoulder length hair was with him, body stiff with tension. it was maddox, who he had seen occasionally at council meetings, quiet but not afraid to speak his mind when needed. 
seonghwa felt his blood run cold when mingi finally stepped out of the shadows, with maddox trying and failing to prevent him from being reckless, and held his sword out in front of him, the silver blade glinting in the dark. 
hades’ dark eyes shifted towards the newcomer, and the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips was enough to make seonghwa shudder with fear. “look who decided to join us. if it isn’t the hero himself.” “let her go.” mingi hissed, body tight with tension. hades chuckled darkly. “and why would i do that? what could a mere human like you offer me, a god?” “it’s me you want dead, isn’t it?” seonghwa’s heart dropped into his stomach at the naked fear on your face, and clutched the fabric of his robe tighter. don’t be so reckless, seonghwa wanted to scream, but he knew that if he were in mingi’s position, he would’ve done the same, so he forced himself to stay quiet. “i would take pleasure in seeing your untimely demise, such is true, but what would you give me in return?”
seonghwa racked his brain for a list of possible things mingi could offer to the god, and cursed under his breath when he realized that the only thing the latter could give hades was his soul. “i’ll trade you my soul, but only if you agree to break the contract you have with her.” 
hades’ dark eyes flashed dangerously. “you do know what selling your soul to me entails?” mingi nodded. in doing so, i enter a state of servitude, until you decide to give me freedom.” 
your eyes widened in horror, and seonghwa watched, heart aching, as you struggled to your feet, unable to stop the tears from streaming down your face. “mingi, do not  sacrifice your freedom or your soul for me. i don’t deserve to be saved.” “don’t say such things! you’re brave and selfless and-” “i am not! i’ve been working with hades all this time, trying to find out your weakness so that he may kill you! i don’t deserve to be saved or sought after by someone who is righteous and honest and brave. i-” you broke off at the sight of the confused, angry, and devastated expression on mingi’s face. nearby, hades chuckled darkly. 
“i’ll leave you two lovebirds alone, it seems you two have many things to discuss.” hades drawled, tone dripping with mock sympathy. with a flick of his hand and a long, tired sigh, the god of the dead disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. mingi turned his head away, closing his eyes, as if the sight of you was too much for him to bear. 
“why?” mingi asked in a soft voice, confused and hurt. “i did not want you to find out this way, especially with hades in our presence. i never meant to hurt you, i-” 
 “you lied to me?” “yes, but i-” “but you what? thought it would be amusing to lead me on? to rip my heart out?” you visibly flinched at the uncharacteristic coldness in mingi’s voice, and seonghwa gulped nervously. 
“please, i can explain-” mingi shook his head, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “i never want to see you again, and don’t you ever think for one second that i’m going to come to rescue you from whatever danger you might face. you disgust me.” he snapped, voice as cold and hard as steel. you reached out helplessly as mingi turned on his heels and walked away, not bothering to look back, and that’s when seonghwa couldn’t bear to watch any longer. 
seonghwa ran out from his hiding place and pulled you into his arms, rubbing comforting circles on his back and whispering soothing words in your ear. “h-hwa. h-he hates me.” you sobbed, curling your fingers in the fabric of his robes. seonghwa could only hold you tight as you cried into his chest, feeling his heart ache even more. 
you returned to the cottage with seonghwa carrying you in his arms, your heart heavy and face tear-stained. your robes were filthy and torn, but seonghwa didn’t seem to mind as he had lifted you into his arms almost immediately, insisting on carrying you home. you felt tears prick your eyes at the sight of hongjoong, san, jongho, wooyoung, yeosang, and yunho standing nervously at the front of the cottage. 
san practically tripped over his own feet trying to get to you, stroking your hair back softly as his violet eyes scanned your body, looking for any injuries. “we were all so worried when we woke and realized you and seonghwa hyung were gone. we thought you two had been taken, or killed, or-” “san, i’m so sorry. i’m sorry for worrying everyone. i seem to always cause trouble whenever i’m with you, and i always feel as if i’m a burden.”
“you could never be a burden to us, darling, we just hate seeing you get hurt.” yeosang strode right up to seonghwa, caramel eyes bright with anger. “you let her be injured? you watched as she got hurt and verbally harassed by hades? what kind of friend are you?” he asked, a harsh laugh escaping his mouth. before seonghwa could respond, san stepped forward, violet eyes bright with warning, gripping the comedy muse’s shoulder tightly. “that’s enough, yeosang.”
yeosang pursed his lips tightly, shook san’s hand off him, and stormed into the cottage. “i-i’m so sorry y/n, i should’ve done something-” you shook your head, reaching up and cupping seonghwa’s chin gently so he’d look at you. “none of this is your fault, hwa, and give yeosang time to clear his head, i’m sure he’s just angry because i’m hurt and he needs someone to blame.” “i just hope you two don’t resent me.” you scoffed, shifting so that you were a little more comfortable in seonghwa’s arms. “we will not.” 
seonghwa smiled gently down at you as he carried you into the cottage, and you let yourself fall into a deep sleep, the ache in your heart subsiding, just a bit. 
mingi buried his face into his pillow, soft sobs wracking his body. maddox sat slumped in a chair nearby, his expression grim. “i’m sorry your first love had to end so tragically, kid.” mingi didn’t reply, only cried harder, feeling as if his heart was going to spill out of his chest. 
-end-
a/n: i hope you all enjoyed this! i know this was super lengthy and probably sucked, but there will be a part three! i’m not sure of the title yet, but i already have a few ideas in mind :) anyways i love you all and thank you for always supporting me and my mediocre fics lmao 
tagging: @maatz, @hwacinth-main, @twancingyunhoe​ , @victonite​, @hongism​+anyone else who wants to read this 💛
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cosmiclatte28 · 4 years
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Home (Baekhyun x reader)
DOMESTIC FLUFF (?) 
ENJOY! 
The jingling sounds of key and door carefully pushed open resonated through the half lit apartment. Baekhyun locked his door and carefully switched on the light. His foot steps brought him to the living room, which surprisingly was not neat. He flashed an apologizing smile when he saw the scattered books, papers, and highlighters on top of the coffee table and to the girl who fell asleep uncomfortably on the couch. 
A book was covering half of her face; Baekhyun giggled at the sight. He gently placed his gym bag on the other couch, took the book on her face, marked the page with a highlighter and closed it down. He bent to greet her with a kiss and gave a gentle stroke on her shining brown hair. The girl did not move at all, in which Baekhyun deducted she had been too tired this week. He shuffled into the bedroom, took a soft blanket and returned to the sleeping girl. He draped the blanket over her, and left to shower. That girl is Scarlet, the lucky girl who stole Baekhyun's heart and the one he's engaged to.
One of the room that Baekhyun loves other than the bedroom is the bathroom. His marvelous girlfriend amazingly turned this place's dull bathroom into a masterpiece. Baekhyun thanked his hard work which resulted this marble walls and tiles. He thanked his sweats for purchasing him a pulsing bathtub, but mostly, Baekhyun appreciated how his girl did the lights and ambience for this room. The dim relaxing lights and candles never failed in calming his nerves down. The pack of aroma oils she kept on one of the shelves helped Baekhyun breathe even lighter. 
Today he realized, it's not late yet to have a dip. It's only 10 (that's why he knew his girl had been tired, for she usually waited til' morning). Baekhyun opened the faucet, walked to the box of oils and chose his companion for tonight. He decided to go with vanilla and a blue bath bomb. He tossed the bomb when the water's enough and stripped down. In less than a minute, he was groaning from the pulses which hit his tired body and softly moaned from the comfort the oils and bubbles gave him. He closed his eyes for a moment, did some deep breathing, and reopened his eyes.
He scanned the room, his heart warming when he saw the things in this room came in pair. The tooth brush, the towels, and the vanity sets. His eyes traveled one more time to the rack of body wash collections Scarlet owns. He frowned a little when he realized her collections had changed. 
Baekhyun remembered seeing bottles of colorful and super sweet smelling soaps, but now it's replaced with plain bottles. He squinted his eyes and reached for each bottles. Reading off the titles and scents. He frowned when he read "aromatherapy edition". Though he admit the smells are wonderful, he tried to get her message. The bottles were labeled like Sleep, Stress, and Love. He returned them and glanced at the scented candles which Scarlet likes to light when she showers. The fun bakery or fruity smells was replaced too with another Sleep candle. He felt something’s wrong. Quickly he finished his bath, washed, and tugged on his shorts.
He walked out of the steamy shower, bare chested, then tip toed to the dining table. He made himself a glass of warm milk and sat down while looking at his sleeping girlfriend. Scarlet has always been a shining, restless ball of energy, with lots of positivity, just like him. But he was late to realize that she was going through a lot. 
Baekhyun's comeback activities have not allowed him to go home early, except today since two members started to feel sick, nor did it allow him to send texts and sneak calls. He tried to remember when was the last time he checked on Scarlet, and he felt bad when he figured out how much of an uncaring boyfriend he is. He looked at the engagement ring on his left finger and then to Scarlet, played a bit with it, and guilt flooded his body.
When was the last time Baekhyun asked how's she doing? When did he call first or texted first? When did he come home to ask her how her day went? When Baekhyun did accompany her to finish her mountain of home works? When did he really act like her man?
The answer was long time ago. It's always Scarlet who started the conversation, it's always her waiting for him. Scarlet's the one who forced her tired body to stay awake, just to welcome tired Baekhyun home. Scarlet's the one who always asked and listened attentively to how his day happened. She's the one who prepared his bath and bed. 
Every morning they still see each other. Drinking coffees and eating breads, Scarlet usually asked him how his sleep was while packing a lunch for her, and him. Not to forget how she always yawned from staying awake to finish her tasks and woke up early to fetch Baekhyun his breakfast and lunch. 
He felt like a shit, had he ever sit next to Scarlet all night when she typed words into her laptop, while chugging on cups and cups of coffee? Rarely. Yes he tried and failed miserably, but Scarlet never for once put a grudge on this. Baekhyun saw her charged phone on the island. He reached it and opened the lock, swiped until he found the calendar widget. He scanned through it and learned that this month is her final exam weeks; that explains the books and papers. He carefully noted down each day's exam. Baekhyun made a small plan on his mind. A small support which he hoped can help her pass the exams.
After finishing his milk, he walked to Scarlet, picked her up and put her down on their bed. He returned to the living room to pack on her belongings for tomorrow's class and tidied up the couch. After noting the clock, he turned off the lights and joined Scarlet to dream land. Baekhyun counted the hours of sleep, its 23.30, his schedule tomorrow starts at nine, while Scarlet's class starts at eight. He will wake up earlier tomorrow, make her breakfast, and walk her to campus. Baekhyun smiled at himself, then after another kiss he closed his eyes.
The sun rays woke Baekhyun up around 6. He carefully left his bed, washed, and walked to the kitchen. He turned the coffee machine on, heated the water, then prepared two cups. Baekhyun yawned as he checked on their fridge, surprisingly there are eggs, hams, and cheese. He threw his head to the counter and smiled when he saw bread. He noted he has to grab groceries on his way home, this fridge won't refill itself.
Baekhyun finished cooking the second egg, when a fresh showered Scarlet surprised him with a back hug.
"Morning bae, sorry for sleeping deep last night," Scarlet kissed Baekhyun's exposed neck.
"Morning too babe, no problem... I saw your tiring schedules, it's okay to fell asleep. I like it better, for you to stay healthy." Baekhyun said as he plated the egg on top of the bread, then topped it with cheese and ham then bread. He turned the stove off and returned the kiss Scarlet gave.
"Hmm the coffee's ready." Scarlet inhaled the sweet smell of coffee.
Baekhyun grinned, "Just sit down my lady; I'll prepare this for you." Baekhyun poured milk into one coffee. He knew her well!
Scarlet took a snap and updated her Instagram.
"What? I'm just going to post this so your fans can day dream on you."
Baekhyun said nothing to this, he's thankful though that even though some fans hated her in the beginning, by today they shifted to support them and Baekhyun's thankful Scarlet has been strong so far.
"Let's eat. Enjoy your breakfast." Baekhyun smiled.
"Thanks Baekhyun." She smiled and delicately finished her portion.
"How's your sleep?" Baekhyun asked this time, and he did not miss how Scarlet seemed surprised and happy he asked first. Gosh why did he not do this before? Seeing her surprised and happy made him happy too.
"Amazing! I dreamed that a handsome prince came to kiss my nightmares away, oh Baek it feels real," She gazed into the space.
Baekhyun giggled and brought his hand to ruffle her hair.
"How's yours?" Scarlet asked back.
They caught up with one another, exchanged small talks on how the comeback is going, annoyed conversation on Scarlet's never ending tasks, planned about visiting their parents, and many more.
"Come let's get ready. I can walk you to campus today." Baekhyun stood up and collected the dirty plates. He washed them quickly as Scarlet prepared herself.
They're ready. Baekhyun's wearing black and black with a black cap and black masker, on his left shoulder hung Scarlet's school bag, on his right hand the small hand of Scarlet. They walk while enjoying the sun and other couples.
"Baekhyun, I'm sorry if I sound rude.. But can you please return to the pastel and denim looks please? I'm tired of seeing your dark clothes in the laundry." Scarlet spoke.
He did not need to think and nodded, "Sure! I'll dress brighter after this."
Scarlet smiled, "Thanks! It's depressing for me to see your dirty clothes."
Their steps reached the end, Scarlet smiled brightly in front of the campus gate.
"I can take it from here, thanks jagi, good luck with your practice!" Scarlet rose to give a quick peck on his lips and they parted.
That afternoon, practice ended quickly. Baekhyun rushed to the parking lot after changing into a fresh tee.
"Yak, where are you running to?" Chanyeol asked before Baekhyun was gone behind the doors. It is normal for him to rush home, but Chanyeol always asked the details.
"A date probably?" Kyungsoo teased his friend.
"Any special day?" Sehun chimed in too.
"Nah.. I want to go to the market and prepare dinner."
"Wow, did something happen?" Kai asked
"Nothing bad, I just realize I'm not a caring namja..." He blushed
The rest of them laughed it off and just wished him good luck
Baekhyun was thankful today is a Friday and he can leave before 6! Yet he was sure that Scarlet's last class today will end at 6, which gives him enough time to shop and cook.
He rushed to the supermarket nearby the apartment and bought everything needed for dinner and the empty desolate fridge. He restocked the fruits, chocolates, pop corns. He bought home a bouquet of fresh flowers and a letter too.
Once back home, he arranged everything on the refrigerator and began to cook.
Right as he wait for the rice to cook, he arranged the tables and still got time for a quick fresh shower.
Once he he spit the light-blue mouthwash away, the jingles of key made his heart pound.
"Mwoya?" Scarlet gasped in surprise when she was greeted by the dim lit room only from the dining room. She took off her shoes and left her belongings on the sofa. Scarlet stood frozen in front of the dining room.
There stood Baekhyun, all in his boyfriend dreamy look and a bouquet of fresh flowers. Not to mention how perfect his oversized yellow pastel sweater matched his fluffy caramel hair. His eye bags showed naturally how tired he is, no heavy make ups and eye shadows. Just the plain glowing cheeks Scarlet love, to an extend that she will give everything just so his cheeks can glow.
She did not say anything, he was still frozen too, and Scarlet took the moment to melt Baekhyun in her deep meaningful kiss.
"You don't have to do this Baek," she whispered as her lips lingered close to his.
"I wanted to jagiya, here's your flower." He handed her the bouquet.
Scarlet took a deep whiff of the roses and placed it on the vase.
"Wow you cooked dinner!" She giggled as she saw the pile of dirty pans and pots in the sink.
"Don't worry I'll clean them up, before that shall we eat?" He raised his brow.
"One moment!" Scarlet turned to take a quick shower and change her clothes.
She returned only in Baekhyun's oversized baby blue knitted sweater and a messy bun.
"Jja, let's begin" She took her seat and Baekhyun lit the candles.
"I'll bring you to a proper place tomorrow or next week... sorry tonight I rushed.." He shyly said.
"Oh I love this better Baekhyun, anyways your food tastes better than mine! What secrets are you using?" Scarlet ate happily, savoring each spices and sweetness. Baekhyun felt full seeing her this happy. He got it now how mothers felt when their kids finished her meals. It's rewarding.
"Nothing much, I pour my heart into it." He cheekily replied.
Scarlet rolled her eyes on this, "You know what... I owe you something for this perfect surprise. I love you Baekhyun!"
"Well you could thank me with tonight's activity. How long was it again since we did it? Oh damn I've missed your touch." He smirked.
Scarlet's cheeks burned and she finished her glass of water.
"Will you be good for me tonight?" Baekhyun sipped his wine and put on his playful smirk.
Scarlet winked, "We'll see."
95 notes · View notes
lveclouds · 3 years
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mist (i won’t say i’m in love sequel) 
↬ pairing/character(s): hercules! mingi x reader, wooyoung as terpishchore (muse of dance), seonghwa as erato (muse of love poetry), hongjoong as euterpe (muse of music), jongho as polyhymnia (muse of hymns), san as clio (muse of history), yeosang as thaila (muse of comedy), and yunho as urania (muse of astronomy) 
↬ genre: fluff, heavy angst, mutual pining, ancient greece au, strangers to lovers 
↬ tw: mentions of death, heavy swearing, soul-selling, servitude, mentions of bullying (nothing too intense), mentions of abandonment, love triangle (im sorry in advance) 
↬ disclaimer: may contain slight inaccuracies with dates, setting, etc.  i also changed the story a bit to make it a little less intense. also, i forgot to mention this, but there may or may not be a slight plot twist and you guys are probably going to hate me for it :’) also this is loosely based off of hercules, the disney animated fim/ greek mythology
p.s. i am no expert on greek mythology or greek culture, so feel free to correct me on anything, but please be gentle about it. 
↬ rating: m, 18+ 
↬ wc: 12k 
↬ summary: you felt your heart ache at the utter anger and confusion on mingi’s face. “you lied to me?” “yes, but i-” “but you what? thought it would be amusing to lead me on? to rip my heart out?” you flinched at the uncharacteristic coldness in mingi’s voice. “please, i can explain-” mingi shook his head, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “i never want to see you again, and don’t you ever think for one second that i’m going to come to rescue you from whatever danger you might face. you disgust me.” he snapped, voice as hard as steel. you could only watch, helplessly, as the man you loved walked away, taking your heart with him. seonghwa, who’d been watching from the safety of a tree, came running over to you and pulled you into his arms, holding you tight as you sobbed. 
“why, why am i afraid?” - ateez (mist) 
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↬ note: hello friends!! this is the sequel to my previous au, “i won’t say i’m in love”! thank you all for supporting me and my mediocre writing, and i hope you all enjoy reading “mist!” as always, feedback is always appreciated, and i hope you all are staying safe and healthy! 
you hummed quietly to yourself as you sat on the edge of the low wall that surrounded the garden, letting your feet dangle in the air, mindlessly swinging them back and forth. the night air was cool and crisp, and the moon was glowing serenely against the midnight blue sky, bathing the garden in a soft, white light. it was late, and despite the hectic evening you’d had, you couldn’t bring yourself to sleep. 
seonghwa, san, and the others had reluctantly disappeared into their small cottage to retire for the night, after you had assured them that you were just going to sit around in the garden for a few minutes before joining them. your mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. after all, you had just confessed your deepest and darkest secret to the people you considered family, and they hadn’t  turned you away like you thought they would. however, you weren’t sure how you were going to gather up the courage to tell mingi. 
you scoffed, immediately erasing the idea from your mind. don’t be ridiculous, it’s not like he would care anyways. besides, you’re not supposed to fall for him, you’re supposed to break his heart, so it doesn’t matter what he thinks of you.  you ignored the bile rising in your throat. at first, you had thought that the task would be easy, as you were sure you weren’t ever going to fall for someone again, especially not after the way your past romance had ended tragically. 
you clenched the soft fabric of your blue chiton in your hands, feeling angry tears prick at the corner of your eyes. you hated feeling so conflicted, especially over someone who had practically ripped your heart out. after all, men had done nothing but disappoint you, and your former lover had proved that to be true. 
seonghwa couldn’t sleep. he was too worried about you, especially now that he knew that hades had a motive to hurt you. his heart had ached as you broke down and told everyone your secret. he sighed, running a hand through his messy hair and looked around him. even in the darkness of the small room, he could just make out the vibrant blue of hongjoong’s hair, yeosang’s light blonde hair, wooyoung and san curled up against one another, and jongho and yunho sprawled out on the bed across from him. seonghwa allowed himself a small, fond smile. he was grateful that he was able to spend time with his family every day, and that they were always safe and sound at the end of the day. 
seonghwa reluctantly slid out of his warm bed, shrugged his worn sandals on, slipped out the door and into the cool night. he wandered mindlessly around the garden, admiring how the blue and pink flowers that grew in its vicinity stood out against the dark of the night. the air was cool and soothing against his skin as he wandered farther, mind swimming with thoughts. 
suddenly, seonghwa heard faint sobs, and felt his blood run cold.  he wandered into a more secluded part of the garden, and felt his heart drop into his stomach. you were sitting at the edge of the low wall that surrounded the perimeter of the garden, hands gripping the soft fabric of your chiton so hard that your knuckles were turning white, body was shaking with soft sobs. seonghwa immediately ran over to you, throwing his arms around you and pulling you into a hug. “h-hwa. i-i’m s-sorry, did i wake you?” his heart ached at how dejected you sounded. 
seonghwa shook his head, hugging you tighter and rubbing comforting circles on your back. “i couldn’t sleep.” “i’m sorry for worrying you, i just needed to clear my head.” “y/n,stop apologizing. you did nothing wrong, and the fact that you mustered up the courage to tell us your secret must’ve been hard for you to keep.” you sniffled and buried your face in the crook of his neck, letting out a shaky breath. “it was, but i didn’t want to keep lying to everyone. none of you deserve to be lied to, not after all you all have done for me.” 
“darling, please, none of what you did is your fault. it’s that godsdamn jerk hades. and never feel afraid to come to any of us for comfort, we are always here for you, ok? and don’t keep secrets from us again.” seonghwa felt you nod weakly, and allowed himself a small smile. “good. now, let’s get back inside before you freeze to death.” you chuckled, despite yourself. “hwa, it’s not even cold.” “don’t you dare argue with me, young lady.” seonghwa scolded lightheartedly. you rolled your eyes, glad he couldn’t see it as he scooped you up into his arms, carrying you bridal style. “yes, father.” that earned you a playful glare. “i am not that old, you know!” you laughed, reaching up and ruffling seonghwa’s hair affectionately. “whatever you say, old man.” 
you woke up the next morning to find yunho practically wrapped around you, his soft black hair tickling your cheek, and you smiled fondly, remembering all the nights you spent as kids curled up next to the muses you had come to call family, feeling safe and secure. the early morning sun cast beams of light across the floor of the small cottage, bathing it in gold. 
you slowly and carefully extricated yourself from yunho’s grip and headed outside to see if seonghwa needed help with tending to the garden. said male would wake up before everyone to tend to every plant and flower that occupied it, and you felt that helping seonghwa was the least you could to do to thank him for comforting you last night. 
sure enough, seonghwa was bent over a bed of roses, golden eyes searching for any deformities. “hwa!” you called, and the former’s expression lit up, a fond smile tugging at his lips, waving you over. “how are the roses doing?” you asked, admiring how the pink rose petals stood out against the dark soil. “they’re alright, despite this weather.” you hummed thoughtfully, reaching out and lightly touching the rose petals, velvet soft against your skin. “thank you.” “for what?” seonghwa asked, moving on to another cluster of flowers, eyebrows furrowing in concentration. “for last night. for comforting me.” the love muse’s expression went soft, golden eyes glimmering with unshed tears. “no need to thank me, darling. you’ve been through so much, and you deserve to have comfort. besides, we’re practically family, and we’re all supposed to there for each other, no matter what.” 
you smiled, reaching out and taking seonghwa’s hand in yours, squeezing gently. “do you need help with the flowers?” the former shook his head, black hair falling across his forehead. “well, is there anything i can do?” seonghwa smiled. “you can help me by waking the others up.” you groaned, knowing how difficult that was. “that’s going to take centuries, hwa!” “well, the flowers aren’t going to tend to themselves.” “aren’t you the muse of love poetry?” “yeah, and what about it? i am perfectly capable of taking care of nature.” you laughed, reaching out and ruffling seonghwa’s hair affectionately. “of course you are. now, if you’ll excuse me, i need to go wake up our little band of gremlins.” seonghwa chuckled softly as you turned and skipped towards the cottage, your heart seemingly lighter than before. 
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it had taken nearly forty five minutes to wake everyone up, save hongjoong, who had actually gotten up as soon as you had gently shaken his shoulder. the others had been a bit more difficult, especially jongho and yeosang, who were notorious for sleeping in late. 
another twenty minutes later, breakfast was served, and it had been fruit, a few vegetables, bread, and cheese that seonghwa had managed to snag from the local market earlier that morning. then, yunho suggested that they lay out underneath the huge tree that took up a portion of the garden, of which everyone had agreed to, to your surprise. 
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“when are you going to be done sulking?” “not sulking.” mingi mumbled, leaning against the tree he’d been sitting under for the past few hours, the bark rough against his back. maddox scoffed. “yeah, and i’m a descendant of zeus. you’re not fooling anyone, kid.” mingi sighed. “i just-” “missing her already?” he felt his face burn. “s-shut up.” “there’s no need to be embarrassed, you know. i know i tease, but i genuinely want to see you happy, you deserve it.” 
“what if she doesn’t feel the same?” mingi mumbled, blush deepening. he felt silly, pining after a girl he barely knew, but you were unlike anyone he had met. he heard maddox scoff. “please, that girl cannot fool anyone, even with her tough and stubborn facade.” “even if she liked me, would we even work?” maddox’s expression softened just a fraction, and he moved forward, placing a gentle hand on mingi’s shoulder, as if in comfort. “that’s something you’ll have to figure out yourself, kid.” mingi huffed. “that’s what i’ve been trying to do.” “give it time, it’ll come to you eventually.” 
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mingi’s mind was still heavy with conflict as he walked along a long dirt path that would lead him to the cottage he resided in. even though he had been offered nicer accommodation in the city, mingi preferred to live in a more secluded area and one that was closer to nature. the late evening air was crisp and clean as he ventured further down the path, mind constantly wandering. his conversation with maddox earlier that day had done little to soothe his anxiety. mingi was so lost in thought that he bumped into someone. “i’m so sorry i-” mingi felt his mouth suddenly go dry, as if he’d swallowed sandpaper. 
“wonder boy?” you asked, leaning back against a tree, keeping your expression as nonchalant as possible. even in the darkness, you could still make out the blush that was forming on mingi’s face. in the soft glow of the moon, mingi looked as gorgeous as ever, and you ignored the slight ache in your heart at the sight of him. “h-hi.” he stammered.. “what brings you out here at this time of night?” “just passing through.” “ it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it?” 
“i’ve been busy.” mingi mumbled, running a hand through his already messy hair. you frowned at the slight annoyance in his tone, but didn’t think anything of it. “farewell, mingi.”  you muttered, pushing off the tree with your elbow and walking away, not bothering to look back. 
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“everything ok?” yunho asked, light green eyes filled with worry. you sighed, leaning your head on the tall male’s shoulder, shaking your head slightly. immediately, an arm wrapped around your shoulders, squeezing gently. “what happened?” “it’s pathetic.” “just tell me.” “fine. on my way here, i bumped into mingi, quite literally, at that.” “and?” what happened that has you so sad?” “do we need to beat someone up?” an amused smile tugged at the corner of your lips, and you laughed. “well, let me finish telling you and then i’ll let you and the others decide.” 
“what did he do?” “well, he seemed different.” “different how?” “i don’t know, it’s just the way he talked to me. he sounded kind of annoyed?” you felt yunho tense a little, the grip on your shoulders a little firmer, and you reached down and laced your fingers with his, squeezing gently. “i’m sure he was just having a bad day. don’t kill him, please. i can’t have you or the others being thrown into prison for beating someone up.” yunho huffed. “fine, but if he hurts you, i’ll get san to break his legs.” you laughed, snuggling deeper into the tall male’s side. “i’ll keep that in mind, then.” 
you tried not to laugh at the way seonghwa and jongho’s jaws clenched as you told them about what happened between you and mingi earlier that night. “i’ll kill him.” “no killing anyone, please. it’s not that big of a deal, he was probably having a bad day, everyone does.” “ok, but he didn’t have to take it out on you.” “yes, but-” “next time you see mingi, tell him that i will not hesitate to break his legs if he hurts you again.” “he won’t, i promise. like i said, he was probably having a bad day.” san huffed. “let him know.” “ok, ok, i will.” 
“enough about my love life.” “so you’re admitting you have one?” yunho asked, light green eyes twinkling with mirth. “s-shut up, i do not.” wooyoung snorted, plopping down next to san, who rolled his eyes in amusement as the former laid his head on his shoulder. “you totally do, darling.” “not you too, hwa.” “sorry, but i have to agree with wooyoung.” you groaned, throwing yourself down onto the grass, laying your head in hongjoong’s lap, who just chuckled and ran a hand through your hair. “tough day?” “s-shut up, i’ve had enough bullying for one day.” 
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(the next day)
“i messed up.” mingi mumbled, plopping down on the soft grass next to maddox, who only sighed in response. “what did you do this time?” “i might’ve lashed out.” “lovers’ quarrel?” “would you quit that? no, it wasn’t that, i just- i don’t know, i guess i was so conflicted about my feelings that i took my anger out on her. what do i do?” “apologize.” “i-it’s not that easy, you know.” though mingi wasn’t looking in his direction, he could tell that his mentor was rolling in his eyes in exasperation. “it is, actually, you just walk up to her, say you’re sorry, and then you two live happily ever after for the rest of your days.” 
mingi frowned. “i’m serious.” “i am too. look, kid, if you’re not going to apologize, then i’ll do it for you.” “please don’t.” “i will if you would stop being a coward.” “i-i’m not a coward, she just makes me nervous, that’s all.” “i know it’s difficult, but if you don’t tell her how you feel soon, she might move on and find someone else.” “y-yeah, like who?” maddox shrugged. “i don’t know, maybe one of those muses she always hangs around.” “what? what muses?” “the muses? you seriously don’t know them?” “i-i do, i just have never seen them.” “well, she’s always around them, and they’re all pretty handsome, so i suggest you hurry up and profess your love or whatever before one of them steal her away.” 
“they could probably treat her better than me anyways.” he mumbled, which earned him an elbow to the ribs. “what was that for?” “would you quit being so pitiful? you never know until you try, and besides, i think she might feel the same.” “doubt it, but fine, i’ll try.” maddox grinned, reaching out and patting his shoulder gently. “that’s the spirit, kid.” 
the late afternoon sun bathed the forest in light as mingi leaned against a tree, ignoring how the rough bark dug into his back. his heart leaped in his chest as he heard soft footsteps approaching, and felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of you. you were a vision in light pink robes that complimented your skin, dark hair framing your face perfectly. “hi wonderboy.” you called out, and mingi felt his face flush at the mere sound of your voice. 
“h-hi.” “why did you want to see me?” “i wanted to apologize for how i acted the other day. i wasn’t feeling the greatest, and i took my annoyance out on you.” “it’s fine, don’t worry about it. although, my friends were quite worried and threatened to beat you up.” mingi winced. you laughed softly. “don’t worry. my friends are harmless even though they act like they aren’t sometimes.” “so, i’m forgiven, then?” “mingi, you were forgiven the moment you sent a scroll asking to talk to me.” you shrugged. “besides, i wasn’t offended, i just figured you were having a bad day, like you said.” 
mingi allowed himself a smile, and felt his pulse race when you returned it. 
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“so, how’d it go with mingi?” wooyoung asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. seonghwa rolled his eyes and smacked the former lightly on the shoulder. “will you quit that?” the blond male only huffed in protest, but the curious glint never left his eyes. “what’s there to tell? he apologized, and that was it.” “seriously? no passionate kiss in the forest? no getting pressed up against a tree and making out? nothing? not even a kiss on the cheek? you two are so lame.” wooyoung sighed, dramatically falling into yeosang’s lap, who rolled his eyes in response. 
“jung wooyoung, if you don’t shut up right now, i will not hesitate to-” “yeah, yeah, i know, throw me into the depths of the underworld.” “exactly.” “it’s what you deserve, honestly.” yeosang mumbled, but made no move to shove the aforementioned muse off his lap. “yeosang! i thought we were friends.” “if you call barely tolerating you on a daily basis, then yes.” 
you laughed in amusement at their incessant bickering. “yeosang, stop being so harsh on wooyoung. he’s sensitive, you know.” “i am not!” the dance muse protested. hongjoong scoffed, not looking up from the elaborate flower crown he was making, rolling his eyes. “says the guy who wouldn’t stop sulking after san ignored him for a whole day because he accidentally spilled wine on his brand new toga.” “it was a whole week, and it hurt!” 
san sighed. “why am i friends with this idiot?” “because you love me.” “believe what you want, wooyoung.” jongho rolled his eyes. “hongjoong hyung!” said muse looked up from his now finished flower crown, carefully placing it on his head, hazel eyes widening in suprise. “yes, jongho?” “c-could you help me with this verse for a hymn? i’ve been stuck on it for days.” 
hongjoong’s face broke out into a wide smile, eyes turning into crescents, then flung himself at seonghwa, who stumbled a bit from the sudden attack, but recovered and wrapped his arms around the former, holding him tight. “what’s wrong, joong?” he asked, voice as gentle as ever, but the amused smile tugging at his lips was obvious. “j-jongho finally asked me to h-help him.” hongjoong wailed, burying his face into seonghwa’s chest, soft sobs wracking his body. seonghwa bit back a laugh as he patted hongjoong’s head gently. 
“are those tears of joy? or?” you laughed, reaching out and patting jongho’s shoulder gently. “definitely tears of joy. he’s been waiting for this moment for a millennia.” “finally, i’ve been spared!” yeosang cried out happily. jongho huffed. “i hate you.” yeosang only beamed. “love you too!” you rolled your eyes at their bickering. “have fun writing with hongjoong, he’s really been waiting for this day for ages.” jongho sighed. “i know. he wouldn’t stop whining to seonghwa hyung about it.” “yeah, i know, he’s also complained to me too.” “jongho! hurry up!” hongjoong called. 
you laughed at the embarrassment on jongho’s face as he mumbled his goodbyes and ran over to hongjoong, both of them disappearing behind an alcove of trees seconds later. “he must be really happy, huh?” “yeah, he is.” 
“how are things with mingi?” seonghwa inquired once everyone was distracted with the field of flowers a few feet away, marveling at the colorful petals. “honestly? i’m not sure. we’re not lovers, after all. i don’t even know if we’re friends. i guess we’re just acquaintances?” seonghwa rolled his eyes. “so, you’re telling me that after all the encounters you’ve had with each other that your relationship with him is still unknown?” 
you smiled sheepishly. “i-i guess?” the silver haired male sighed in exasperation. “you two are giving me a headache.” you laughed, leaning against seonghwa’s side, resting your head on his shoulder. the aforementioned muse immediately wrapped an arm around you. “but you love me.” “yeah, yeah.” you smiled, snuggling deeper into seonghwa’s warmth and allowing a comfortable silence to settle between the two of you. 
“mingi better not break her heart, or i will personally throw him into the depths of the underworld.” wooyoung muttered, breaking off a petal of the rose he had in his hand, letting it gently float in the wind before settling peacefully in the grass around him. “stop destroying nature, would you?” san scolded, snatching the rose out of wooyoung’s hand, earning a squawk of protest from the latter. “while i agree with you, woo, i don’t think we should just charge at him like a minotaur gone truly mad.” “then, what do you think we should do, oh wise one?” 
“we should just talk to him, peacefully and without violence?” wooyoung scoffed. “that’s a terrible idea. do you want her heart to be broken?” “of course not, it’s just- he’s stronger than all of us, there’s no way any of us could take him in a real fight.” “yunho’s right, we’re all as thin as wheat and can’t lift anything remotely heavy.” “that’s not true! we’re not that weak!” yeosang rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. 
“why are we discussing murder?” a voice cut in, interrupting their conversation. yunho turned and saw seonghwa standing at the entrance of the garden, lean arms crossed over his chest, golden eyes twinkling with amusement. you were beside him, looking as equally amused as the former. “we’re not discussing murder, we’re just-” san slapped a hand over wooyoung’s mouth before he could continue, smiling nervously, ignoring how the latter squirmed, mumbling something incoherent.  “we were discussing just how much of a great person you are, hyung.” 
seonghwa bit back a laugh. “is that so?” “yes, of course! we would never think of murdering anyone! we’re too innocent and pure to commit such a wicked act!” unlike seonghwa, you laughed, the sound ringing in the air. “you are all so dramatic.” “ i honestly don’t know why i’m still hanging around you all.” “that’s because you have no other friends than us, yeosang.” wooyoung chirped, earning him a glare from the comedy muse. 
“please don’t start fights, especially with mingi. i don’t want to see any of you hurt.” wooyoung beamed, throwing himself onto seonghwa, hugging him tightly. “so you do love us, hyung!” the older rolled his eyes. “no, i’m just tired of you all being a pain in my ass all the time. so please save me the trouble and not try to kill anyone, ok?” san pouted. “you’re so cruel, hyung!” “believe what you want, san.” “anyways, do you know when hongjoong and jongho will be back? they need to help out with supper later.” “well, they’re probably going to be done, at least, hopefully, before the sun sets.” “ok, then i’ll just go gather the vegetables and fruit.” 
“hwa, i might need some help, that is, if you’re willing to.” seonghwa smiled, expression soft and gentle. “of course, i’d be happy to.” as soon as they were out of earshot, wooyoung leaned forward, making sure to keep his voice as low as possible. 
“is it just me, or is seonghwa hyung in love?” yeosang rolled his eyes, smacking the blond haired muse on the shoulder. “quit being delusional, seonghwa hyung’s always looked at her like that, we all do, you know. he cares about her just like he does the rest of us. besides, even if seonghwa hyung felt any sort of romantic way about y/n, she wouldn’t return his feelings and he’d get heartbroken.” “you never know! she could just be trying to use mingi as a distraction to get her mind off of him.” “you’re by far the dumbest person i know, woo.” “i know what i saw, yeosang!” “then prove it.” “what?” “if you can prove to me that seonghwa hyung really has feelings for y/n that are far from platonic, then i will not pick on you for a whole year.” wooyoung’s eyes brightened with determination. “you will eat your words soon, sangie.” “can’t wait.” 
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mingi softly hummed to himself as he walked through the forest, admiring how the sun shone through the leaves, bathing it in golden beams of light. his last meeting with you had gone well, better than he expected. “daydreaming about going on picnic dates with your girlfriend?” “no, and she’s not my girlfriend.” “sure, sure, keep lying to yourself.” “why are you even here? aren’t you supposed to be, i don’t know, doing important things?” 
maddox scoffed. “please, as if the officials need me for anything.” his mentor made subsequent trips to the heart of the city, where the council presided, looking over and approving laws. a comfortable silence settled around them as they continued on through the forest. 
suddenly, they heard laughter from a few feet away. and before mingi could say anything, maddox grabbed his wrist and pulled him in the direction of said laughter. “what are you doing?” “you’re not curious where the laughter is coming from?” “not really-” he was cut off a few seconds later when maddox suddenly stopped in his tracks. “what’s wrong?”
“kid, i’m sorry.” “about what?” he ignored maddox as he tried to prevent him from going past. mingi froze when he saw what maddox had been trying to prevent him from seeing. it was you, looking as beautiful as ever in a dark blue toga, holding a basket full of vegetables and fruit. but you were not alone. a tall male with silver hair, dressed in a white toga, an impossibly soft smile on his face, stood next to you. then, said male took the basket from you, pulling you into his side and wrapping a slender arm around your waist. 
mingi waited for you to push him away, which otherwise never occurred.  then, what came next felt as if his heart was going to be ripped out of his chest. you smiled and leaned into the male’s embrace, resting your head on his shoulder. he had had enough. mingi fought back tears as he ran away, ignoring maddox calling his name in the distance. 
“calm down!” maddox shouted, gripping mingi’s shoulders tightly. “why should i? after what i saw?” “you know, there’s such a thing as jumping to conclusions, which is exactly what you’re doing right now! and even if that guy was her lover, what does it matter to you? you’re not together anyway, right?” “i’m fully aware of that, but it still hurts just as much. i need to be alone.” mingi mumbled, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. as soon as the grip on his shoulder loosened, he ran off into the forest, vision blurring. 
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dinner consisted of fruit and vegetables, along with a few quail eggs that seonghwa had managed to pick up at the market earlier that day. the early evening air was cool and crisp, and there was a light breeze that caused the leaves to sway gently. 
“were you able to write the hymn?” jongho nodded as he popped a strawberry into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “it wasn’t easy, but it is finished.” seonghwa smiled fondly, reaching out and ruffling the younger’s hair affectionately. “i’m glad.”  “did you spend time with y/n today?” wooyoung blurted, light blue eyes glimmering with anticipation, “yes, yes i did. we gathered the fruits and vegetables for supper. why?” “no reason hyung, just curious.” he mumbled, taking a sip of wine. seonghwa’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t press further. yeosang pursed his lips tightly and looked away, trying to will himself to disappear. the former shrugged and merely got up and walked away to the center of the garden. 
once he was out of earshot, yeosang elbowed wooyoung in the side, causing the latter to cry out in protest. “what was that for?” “could you be any more obvious?” “what are you talking about? i was very subtle!” yeosang rolled his eyes. “you were not.” “do you really think seonghwa hyung doesn’t have any sort of romantic feelings towards y/n?” “i really do.” “i will prove you wrong, just you wait!” “i’ll be waiting for the day when you do.” 
you sat underneath a tree with seonghwa, curled up into his side, resting your head on his shoulder. the night sky was glittering with stars, bathing the garden in soft white light. “do you think my relationship with mingi will become something more?” “i can’t give you a sure answer, but i think if you allow a space for him in your heart, then maybe something will happen.” 
“when did you get so…” “cheesy? romantic? well, i am the muse of love poetry, in case you forgot.” “right, you write cheesy poems for a living.” “my poems are masterpieces, just so you know.” “i apologize, oh humble one. i did not mean to slander your poems, which a truly a gift to mankind.” “stop feeding my ego.” you laughed, snuggling deeper into seonghwa’s side. “ok, ok, i’ll stop.” 
“this is going to sound very cliche and cheesy-” “darling, please, i write romantic poems for a living. try me.” “i just- i’m grateful.” “for what?” “for not neglecting me. for taking care of me when i had no one else, and for giving me a home when my parents left me all alone, defenseless and starving.” you hadn’t realized you were crying until seonghwa pulled you into a warm and tight embrace, rubbing comforting circles on your back. “let it out, it’s okay.” “i’m sorry for breaking down like this, but-” “don’t apologize, darling. we are always here for you, and it’s perfectly okay to have an off day, we’ve all been there.” “i just-” “you don’t need to explain yourself, you never do. just promise me you won’t hide your pain from us? we hate to see you so sad.” 
you nodded, leaning further into seonghwa’s embrace, burying your face in the crook of his neck, the scent of roses filling your senses. the smell was comforting, and you felt your eyelids droop, and you let sleep take over. 
seonghwa smiled fondly at the sleeping girl in his arms, looking peaceful and at ease. he brushed a stray strand of hair off your forehead, tucking it gently behind your ear. the night was cool and crisp and tame, just how seonghwa preferred it to be. “hyung?” a quiet voice said behind him. he turned around, careful not to wake you, and saw yeosang standing behind him.
“yeosang? what is it? is something wrong?” san hesitated as he saw the immediate concern on seonghwa’s face. “i- i just wanted to see if y/n’s alright.” “she’s fine, just tired. why?” “ah, no reason, just curious.” “san, are you ok? you’re acting a bit strange.” “i’m alright, just tired. wooyoung ‘s been a pain in my ass all day.” seonghwa chuckled at that. “perfectly understandable. wooyoung can be quite the handful sometimes.” 
yeosang gave the older an awkward wave, trying not to run away in embarrassment across the grass. as soon as he plopped down next to wooyoung, said male turned to him anticipation. “so, what did you see?” “she was asleep in seonghwa hyung’s arms; they were practically cuddling.” wooyoung clapped excitedly, and yeosang smacked him on the shoulder. “cut that out. just because i caught them cuddling doesn’t prove anything. she’s fallen asleep on all of us at some point.” “was she on his lap?” “what in tarturus? no, of course not.” “she was curled up in his arms, that’s all.” 
“are you seriously still convinced that seonghwa hyung doesn’t pine for her?” yeosang sighed. “look, wooyoung, you should really just give up on this, i mean, don’t you think trying to prove something that you know isn’t true a waste of time?” “it may be to you, but not to me! he loves her, i’m sure of it!” “just don’t go overboard, ok?” “i won’t, i swear on the river styx.” “i sense empty promises, but fine.” 
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mingi sat on the edge of a ravine, feet dangling dangerously in the air, dried tears on his cheeks. he didn’t know when the crying had stopped, nor did he know how he ended up at the very edge of the forest. maddox was standing a few feet away, giving him space, which mingi was grateful for. his mind was swimming with thoughts and his heart ached. 
he felt pathetic, for even thinking that someone like him had a chance with you. you looked happy, happier than he had ever seen you. there was a part of him that was happy that you were being cherished, for it was what you truly deserved. i was foolish to think that she ever showed any interest in me as a lover, mingi thought glumly, fighting back another deluge of tears. 
he heard soft footsteps behind him and a few seconds later, a warm and gentle hand was on his shoulder. mingi sighed. “are you going to give me a lecture about how much of a fool i am?” “of course not, and you’re anything but a fool.” he let out a bitter, sad laugh. “how would you know that?” “because i’ve been your mentor for years, and while you were a bit clumsy at first, you persisted.” “what are you trying to say?” “i’m trying to tell you that you shouldn’t give up! so what if she has a potential suitor? make her see what she’s missing!” “you want me to make her jealous?” “exactly! then she’ll realize just how much of a great hero and guy you are, and then she’ll practically beg for you to be her lover.” mingi shook his head. “there’s no way in tarturus i’m doing that.” “why not?!” “i don’t want to make anger her for my personal gain, it’s not right.” 
“ok, then, what do you think you should do?” “you saw her! she looks happy, and i don’t want to ruin that for her. i should try to move on.” maddox sighed. “do you even know who she was with?” “n-no? should i know him?” “do you remember when i mentioned the muses?” “vaguely.” his mentor rolled his eyes. “anyway, the guy you saw her with was one of the nine muses.” “w-what? how did you know?” “i thought it was pretty clear.” “how can you-” “centuries ago, they attended one of the council meetings. the muse you saw her with was the one who did most of the talking.” “i thought muses didn’t involve themselves with the council.” “they don’t, but maybe they had a reason to.” 
“that doesn’t mean anything, he could be her lover.” “believe what you want, kid. i’m not going to attempt to convince you otherwise. just don’t sulk about it too much.” with that, maddox walked away, leaving him with his thoughts and a heavy heart. 
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“are you close with seonghwa hyung?” you laughed, carefully rolling up another scroll and placing it back on the massive shelf in front of you. “what do you mean, woo? i’m close with all of you.” “i know that, but-” “but?” “never mind.” wooyoung mumbled, plopping down on a nearby chair, lips forming a visible pout. you sighed in exasperation, walking over to said sulking male, ruffling his hair affectionately. “what’s wrong, woo?” “nothing, i’m just tired from yesterday evening, i suppose.” “oh, well, why did you come along with me, then? you didn’t have to, i know reading scrolls can be quite a bore.” “i didn’t want to leave you all alone. if something happened to you, seonghwa hyung would have my head.” you smiled, pulling the dance muse into a tight embrace. “wooyoung, that’s very sweet of you, but you know i can handle myself.” 
“i know, but if hades-” “he hasn’t come after me yet, and i doubt he will soon. even if he does, he won’t hurt me, at least, not enough to kill me.” “y/n! don’t say that! we wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves if something happened to you.” you felt your heart ache and hugged wooyoung tighter. “i’m sorry for saying that, i just-” “it’s ok, y/n. just promise me that you’ll let us protect you?” you nodded. “i will, i promise.” 
“what do you think of y/n?” yeosang asked, quite abruptly at that, and seonghwa felt his eyes widen in shock at the sudden bluntness. “i don’t quite understand the question, yeosang, i-” “just answer it.” “ok, ok, uhm, well, she’s….” the former gestured for seonghwa to continue. “she’s wonderful. she’s very caring, loving, and is very selfless. y/n is always there for us, always.” 
yeosang felt guilt rising in his stomach. he hated lying to seonghwa, especially after he now knew that wooyoung was completely wrong about how the older felt about y/n. at least, it was clear to him that she was nothing more than a dear friend, a sister, even. “are you alright?” yeosang snapped out of his thoughts, giving a worried seonghwa a half smile that he hoped was convincing enough. “i’m fine, just exhausted.” 
seonghwa’s golden eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he didn’t press further. “i have to go help y/n with something, i’ll see you in the evening?” yeosang managed a brief nod before the former walked off. he sighed, leaning back on the rough bark of a tree behind him. things were definitely going to get even more complicated, and yeosang wasn’t looking forward to it in the slightest. 
“don’t you think wooyoung and yeosang are being a little... “ “strange?” “i suppose? wooyoung asked me if i’m close to you.” seonghwa raised an amused eyebrow, carefully rolling up a scroll. “close in what way?” suprisingly, you felt your cheeks flush scarlet. “i-” “as lovers?” “y-yes.” 
“ah, well, that is quite amusing.” “is it?” seonghwa nodded, golden eyes twinkling with mirth. “you are not angry?” “why would i be angry? any man would be lucky to have you.” “thank you, hwa.” his expression softened, if that was even possible. you smiled, carefully pulling another scroll from the shelf. “i’ve always loved coming here.” “i know. whenever we visited the town, you would beg us to take you to the library so you could read scrolls.” you blushed. “that must’ve been quite irritating.” seonghwa shook his head. “not at all, it was quite endearing.” 
“i’ve always loved stories, even as a child. though i don’t remember much about my parents, i know they always told me them to help me sleep. that is, before they abandoned me.” you didn’t even realize you were crying until strong arms were around you, pulling you into a comforting and tight embrace. “i’m sorry, i don’t know why i’m being so emotional all the time. you must think i’m being dramatic.” seonghwa scoffed. “you are not. i’m the one who should be asking for your forgiveness.” “hwa-” “hear me out, ok? i was the one who suggested we come here, and that was a terrible thing to do, because it surfaced tragic memories of your past. i’m so sorry, darling, i should’ve been more considerate-” “hwa, listen to me. it was not your fault. you didn’t know, and besides, i think it’s important for me to bring the painful memories to light instead of dwelling on them. i’ve been resenting my parents for centuries, and i think it’s time i start trying to forgive them.” seonghwa’s expression softened, as it always seemed to whenever he looked at you, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “if you need any assistance, i’m here for you, and so are the others.” “i know, thank you, hwa. i really don’t know what i would do without any of you in my life.” “that was extremely cliché, but i’ll let it slide because the feeling is mutual.” “you’re the absolute worst, you know that?” seonghwa laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners. i know, but you love me.” “correction, i tolerate you, there’s a difference.” that earned you a light shove to the shoulder, and you couldn’t help but throw your head back and laugh, feeling lighter than you had been in centuries. 
“wooyoung, i really think we should put an end to our bet, i mean, there’s no point anymore.” “why? did seonghwa hyung tell you something? or did you tell him about it?” yeosang sighed in frustration. “i didn’t tell him anything, i just really think it would be best to stop.” wooyoung huffed. “how can you be so sure?” “i just- look, i really don’t think seonghwa hyung loves y/n in a romantic way.” “suit yourself, yeosang, i’m going to prove it.” “do what you want.” 
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“kid, are you even listening to me?” maddox’s worried voice snapped mingi out of the trance he’d been under, bringing him back to reality. the former sighed. “let’s take a break.” mingi nodded, carefully putting the bow and arrow he’d been holding off to the side, plopping down onto the soft grass beneath him, the blades tickling his bare legs. “are you alright?” maddox asked, his voice unusually soft, as if mingi were a fawn that would run away the instant it heard a loud noise. mingi didn’t reply, just shook his head softly and hugged his knees to his chest, somehow managing to look small and almost vulnerable, despite his bulk. 
maddox sighed, settling down beside him on the grass. “i know that sulking over unrequited love is trivial and a little pathetic of me-” “it’s not pathetic. you’re heartbroken, and it’s okay to sulk.” mingi managed a small, grateful smile. “thank you.” “i’ve never felt this way about anyone, and i know that’s cliché, but it’s true. she’s the only girl who doesn’t fawn over me like everyone else, she doesn’t even know about my being a hero or slaying monsters!” “she knows you as mingi, not mingi the hero.” “yes, and that simple fact makes it hurt even more.”  
mingi didn’t even realize he was crying until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “it’s okay, kid, let it out. i’m sorry for pushing you too hard to train. i didn’t realize you were still grieving.” “stop making it sound as if i’m mourning the loss of a loved one.” mingi scolded, but it was light-hearted. 
“i’ll be okay, i just need time.” “take all the time you need, i’ll be here for you if you ever need a shoulder to cry on.” “thank you.” “i’ll likely forget about her, so don’t get your hopes up.” maddox grimaced. he knew that mingi would most definitely not do such a thing, and that he would sulk about her for gods knew how long. i just hope he doesn’t completely fall apart, maddox thought, fighting back tears. 
seonghwa hummed softly to himself as he admired the deep purple hyacinths on either side of him, contrasting greatly with the forest green of the grass. the day was perfect, with a light, refreshing breeze tugging at his hair and toga, ruffling the leaves and branches of trees, the sky cloudless and blue, and the sun shining golden beams of light upon the earth. the air was just the right temperature, and seonghwa absolutely adored days like these. 
wooyoung, jongho, yeosang, and san had all gone to the town marketplace to find food for supper, and you and hongjoong were in the center of the garden, weaving flower crowns, which left seonghwa by himself for a bit. not that he minded, of course, seonghwa secretly enjoyed it when he got some time for himself, so he can be alone with his thoughts. 
while he loved his fellow muses dearly, it could get overwhelming to be around them at times. seonghwa never took the moments he got to himself for granted, for they were rare. seonghwa was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice you settling down on the grass beside him, a hand woven crown of roses on your head. “hwa?” you asked, which made him jump in surprise. “when did you get here?” “about a few seconds ago, why?” “no reason, just, you scared me, is all.” you smiled in amusement. “you’re always so easily startled, huh?” seonghwa felt his face flush scarlet. “weren’t you with hongjoong?” “i was, but he insisted i keep you company.” “i hope i’m not bothering you, you seemed like you wanted to be alone for a while.” 
seonghwa nodded sheepishly. “well, one part of that is true.” “which one?” “the second, because you could never bother me.” that earned him a light shove to the shoulder. “when did you get so cheesy?” “i’m the muse of love poetry, cheesy is all i know how to write.” you laughed, and seonghwa ignored the way his heart sped up a bit at the sound. “what were you thinking about?” “you don’t have to tell me, of course, only if you’re willing.” “it’s okay, i wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, actually.” “just daydreaming then?” seonghwa smiled. “perhaps.” 
you returned his smile, eyes crinkling at the corners, and the sight made seonghwa’s heart clench painfully. he felt his pulse race as you moved closer to him and laid your head on his shoulder, all the while making sure not to crumple your flower crown. you’d done this many times before, but it never failed to make seonghwa’s heart race. he knew it was pathetic and silly to harbor feelings for someone who would never return them, but he couldn’t help it. 
you were kind, loving, the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen, and whenever you looked at him, it felt like a punch to the gut. he loved the way your expression would brighten when visiting the town library, looking at various scrolls. most off all, he loved how selfless you were, and that you would do anything for the ones you loved.
while it was extremely painful to see you long for someone else, you were at least happy, and that was all that mattered to seonghwa. you deserved someone who would cherish you for the rest of your life, and who would never hurt you. 
seonghwa ignored the shiver that ran down his spine as you snuggled closer into his side. as if on impulse, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, your bare skin warm against his own, and held you tight. “are you alright?” “yes, just a bit exhausted. is it okay if i take a short nap?” “go ahead, i’ll wake you once it’s time for supper.” you shot him a grateful smile, and seconds later, you were fast asleep. seonghwa sighed heavily, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands to hide the blush that was forming on his face. i need to get ahold of myself, seonghwa thought. 
wooyoung hid the smirk that was tugging at his lips as he caught sight of you cuddled up against seonghwa, resting your head on his shoulder. “ what are you doing?” a voice asked, which made wooyoung jump in shock. “san! did you have to sneak up on me like that?” said male rolled his eyes. “i didn’t sneak up on you, you were just too busy staring at seonghwa and y/n that you didn’t notice.” “ are you stalking them or something?” wooyoung huffed in frustration and hit san gently on the shoulder. “i am doing nothing of the sort!” “then, what are you doing?” “i’m observing?” “seriously, woo?” what? just think of it as supervising.” san just sighed in frustration. “you really expect me to believe that? y/n can take care of herself, and seonghwa would rather get thrown into the depths of the underworld than even think of hurting her. what’s the real reason you’re watching them like a creep?” wooyoung sighed. “keep this a secret, okay?” san nodded. though his expression seemed uninterested, his violet eyes were glinting with curiosity. when wooyoung was done explaining, san burst out laughing. 
“you think i’m insane, don’t you?” “uh, yeah, i kind of do.” “look, woo, do you really believe that seonghwa hyung is in love with y/n? don’t you think that’s a little… i don’t know, impossible?” “anything is possible, san!” “yes, but not that.” “why? why does everyone think i’m crazy for this?” “wooyoung’s right, san.” they turned and saw hongjoong standing a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, expression unreadable. “how long have you been standing there?” 
hongjoong shrugged. “long enough.” “wait, what? what do you mean i’m right?” “you’re right about seonghwa.” wooyoung let out a small whoop of triumph, while san looked at hongjoong in utter disbelief. “what in tartarus? how do you know that?” “because he told me.” “when?” wooyoung asked, practically beaming. “centuries ago.” “wait, so seonghwa hyung’s liked her for that long?!” hongjoong grimaced. “ah, it’s actually the opposite of that.” “he loves her?!” san blurted, and wooyoung slapped a hand over his mouth. “don’t be so loud! seonghwa hyung’s nearby, he might hear you!” he hissed. “when did you notice?” wooyoung asked, slowly taking his hand off san’s mouth, who glared at him in return. “i thought it was pretty obvious, and honestly, i’m quite surprised no one picked up on it sooner.” “so, when did he tell you?” 
“i don’t remember exactly, but i’m pretty sure it was when y/n was in the garden with you guys and seonghwa and i went somewhere to talk in secret. he was extremely anxious.” 
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(six centuries ago) 
hongjoong let out a cry of protest as seonghwa led him into a more secluded part of the garden, anxiety rolling off the latter in waves. the late afternoon sun cast golden beams of light on the soft patches of green grass. the air was crisp and cool, and the weather had never been more perfect. “what’s wrong?” seonghwa hesitated, rocking back and forth on his heels. 
“i-i love someone.” hongjoong’s eyes widened. “what?” “i know it’s sudden of me to say something so bold, but i-i know that i love her.” “who is she? do we know her?” seonghwa chuckled, golden eyes shining with an emotion that hongjoong had never seen him express before. “yes, you know her, very well, in fact.” hongjoong furrowed his brows in confusion, thinking about which female in the entirety of athens seonghwa had his heart set on, and suddenly, it clicked. the gentle and soft gazes he’d send your way, the way he’d look at you as if you were the only star in the sky, and the way he handed you a basket of flowers or even a piece of fruit were all telltale signs that seonghwa was irrevocably smitten, and yet hongjoong hadn’t realized it until now. 
“i- when did you realize that you loved her?” seonghwa rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, color staining his cheeks. “do you remember that city official that started to insult y/n the day we went to the market?” hongjoong grimaced at the memory. “of course, how could i forget? i was  tempted to throw him into the depths of tarturus.” “she defended herself before we could, despite having tears in her eyes. she was so strong, and i admired her for that. i knew that she was not a damsel in distress, and that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but i’ve always felt i need to protect her, to shield her from harm. isn’t that so selfish of me?” seonghwa asked, laughing bitterly. “it’s not selfish, it just shows how much you love her.” 
“i suppose. hongjoong, promise me that this will stay between us?” “of course.” hongjoong said, swallowing against the bile in his throat. the smile that seonghwa sent his way afterwards, bright and hopeful, made his stomach churn with guilt. 
“that day was the worst, i was going to kill him if someone didn’t stop me.” san hissed, glaring at hongjoong, who rolled his eyes. “i’m sorry i foiled your plans of vengeance, but seonghwa would’ve killed me if anything happened to any of you.” “seonghwa hyung really is in love with y/n.” wooyoung mumbled, looking dazed, as if he had been in a trance. “yes, he is. now, you two have to promise me that this stays between us. seonghwa cannot know that i told you.” 
san pursed his lips tightly. “i hate keeping secrets from him.” “i know, but if finds out that i told you this, he will never forgive me, and i can’t live with myself knowing that i hurt seonghwa.” san looked as if he’d rather jump into the river of souls than agree to it, but just sighed and gave hongjoong a small nod. “fine, but don’t make me regret this.” 
hongjoong gave the younger a grateful smile.” thank you, san.” “i’ll also keep this from seonghwa hyung, but it’s not going to be easy.” “i know, just try your hardest not to tell him.” wooyoung also looked as if he were going to object, but managed a miniscule nod. “i just hope that no one gets hurt in the end.” hongjoong felt dread pool in his stomach at the thought of seonghwa looking at him with absolute hatred and sadness in his eyes, and forced what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face. “time will tell.” 
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after the confrontation with san and wooyoung, hongjoong headed to another secluded part of the garden, feeling dazed. he settled onto a soft patch of grass, stretching his legs and basking in the late afternoon sun. though the weather usually lifted hongjoong’s spirits, today, it did nothing to distract him from the immense guilt he felt. he knew it wasn’t his right to tell seonghwa’s secret, but he had just suddenly gotten the urge to, after overhearing wooyoung and san’s conversation. hongjoong sighed, reaching up and rubbing at his temples. he would be doomed if seonghwa ever came to know that his secret had been disclosed, especially since he’d promised all those centuries ago not to tell anyone. 
“joong?” a soft voice said, and hongjoong looked up to see you standing over him, an amused smile on your face. “y/n?” “taking a nap?” you asked, settling down beside him, your sky blue robes bright against the green grass. hongjoong shook his head. “no, just thinking.” “about what? you don’t have to tell me, of course, i’m just curious.” “well, honestly, it wasn’t anything important.” you didn’t look too convinced, but didn’t press further, much to hongjoong’s relief. “can i talk to you about something?” “of course, anything.” hongjoong said, immediately sitting up and moving closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “what’s troubling you?” you sighed, leaning your head on his shoulder. “it’s seonghwa.” “what about him? is he being an asshole?” you laughed softly. “no, of course not. hwa’s one of the sweetest, gentlest, most patient, loving, and selfless people i know. he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.” 
“then, what’s wrong?” “i- is he in pain?” “what do you mean?” “is he pining for a lost love?” hongjoong felt his stomach coil with nerves. “why do you ask?” “i’ve noticed the way he looks at me, almost as if i remind him of someone who hurt him.” no, it’s because seonghwa’s in love with you, but he’s not saying anything because he knows you will not return his feelings, hongjoong thought sadly. “is he hurting because of me? did i do something?” you sounded so sad, so lost, and hongjoong’s heart ached. “no, of course not. seonghwa’s always been one to wander off into his own thoughts and keep his feelings to himself. he doesn’t want us worrying about him. he’s probably just daydreaming or exhausted.” “i suppose.” you murmured, snuggling deeper into hongjoong’s side. hongjoong forced what he hoped was a convincing smile on his face and held you tighter. 
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mingi loosed a breath as he let an arrow fly, allowing a small smile when it struck the center of the target. the air was warm but not too humid, and he loved when the sun would shine through the trees, bathing the forest in golden light. it was late afternoon, and he had finally gotten out of bed after a while to train. maddox had had business in town, so that left him alone for the day. 
mingi sighed and propped his bow against a tree, practically collapsing onto the soft grass. it’d been a long few days, of which were mainly spent crying until his throat and eyes hurt, or until maddox threatened to throw him into the river if he wouldn’t stop sulking. ever since that day, mingi had been trying his best to heal from the heartbreak he experienced. it was a bit pathetic that he was so devastated over a girl that he barely knew, but in some ways, he felt drawn to you. he felt as if there was something that intrigued him about you, but couldn’t quite name the cause. he supposed that as long as you were happy and that you were being treated well, there was nothing he could do. after all, he was a hero, destined to save athens or whatever fairy-tale shit maddox ranted about constantly, and if you were together, you would be in constant danger. mingi knew he couldn’t live with himself if anyone he loved got hurt or killed, and the image of you being stabbed or becoming lifeless in his arms sent a shudder through his body. mingi closed his eyes and let the tears fall, wondering if he would ever get his so-called “happy ending.” 
yunho laid next to wooyoung on the worn blanket seonghwa had found lying around the cottage, and looked up at the night sky, stars glittering like precious jewels. the air was crisp and cool, and he allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. yunho turned his head slightly to see you and san sitting on a patch of soft grass, your head resting on his shoulder. “penny for your thoughts?” wooyoung said, snapping yunho back to reality. 
he felt his face flush scarlet at the knowing smirk on wooyoung’s face, and swatted at him with his hand, causing the younger to laugh. “i do not feel that way about y/n, if that’s what you’re thinking.” wooyoung rolled his eyes. “i know you don’t, i was just teasing you.” a comfortable silence settled between them, and yunho sighed, turning his attention back to the stars, mind wandering once again. 
dinner had been normal, with the occasional light chatter and wooyoung and san bickering over trivial matters, but the aftermath had been quite strange. san had given wooyoung a look that clearly said ”don’t you dare speak another word or i will throw you into the river” , and the latter had whined in protest, but didn’t say anything else after. yunho had looked at them with utter confusion, wondering what in zeus’ name they’d been arguing about, but didn’t bother to ask. 
he just hoped that whatever secret they were keeping wouldn’t cause any conflict. 
you sighed, snuggling deeper into san’s side for warmth, and said male wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “tired?” he asked. you nodded, resting your head on his shoulder. “did seonghwa nag you too much today?” he asked, voice light and teasing. you rolled your eyes playfully. “no, he didn’t. today was just a long one, that’s all.” san hummed in agreement, squeezing your shoulder gently, as if in comfort. you shifted so that you were now lying on his lap, and he chuckled softly, playing with the loose strands of your hair. “are you really going to use my lap as a pillow?” “yes, is there a problem?” san shook his head. “of course not, you know i was just teasing.” “san?” “hmm?” “thank you.” “for what, love?” “no reason, i’m just glad you’re in my life.” “when did you get so cheesy? you’ve really been spending way too much time with seonghwa hyung.” you flelt your face flush scarlet. “s-shut up, i’m trying to be sentimental and you’re ruining the moment.” san laughed, patting your head gently. “ok, ok, fine.” you soon fell asleep to san humming softly. 
san smiled as you slept, absentmindedly playing with the soft strands of your hair, humming a song he’d heard jongho sing once, and leaned back against the rough bark of the eucalyptus tree that took up one side of the garden, letting his mind wander. dinner had been interesting, and he grimaced as he remembered how wooyoung had nearly let seonghwa’s secret come to light. wooyoung needs to be more cautious, otherwise, seonghwa hyung might never forgive hongjoong hyung for telling us his secret. 
it was also where he noticed firsthand that seonghwa was irrevocably and utterly in love with y/n, despite knowing that his feelings would never be returned. san didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed before. it was evident in the way seonghwa would look at you, as if you were the only star in the sky, and even a small gesture as handing you a piece of bread from across the table. his fingers always seemed to brush against yours in such an intimate way that san felt himself blush and look away. 
san winced as he recalled the conversation with hongjoong and wooyoung earlier that evening, and his heart ached for seonghwa, whose love was unrequited, and for hongjoong, who had succumbed to the pressure of keeping such a secret that he told him and wooyoung. 
he felt as if they didn’t deserve to know, for the secret felt so personal to seonghwa, and san knew that he would be devastated if he knew that hongjoong had told them. holding back tears, san closed his eyes and let sleep take over. 
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mingi woke to maddox gently shaking him, whispering fervently. he sat up immediately, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “what is it? did something happen?” even in the darkness of the cottage, he could make out the pale and ashen color of maddox’s face, and his stomach coiled with fear. his mentor gulped nervously before replying, his voice barely audible. “hades.” “what?” mingi felt blood rushing to his ears, and he felt himself get out of bed, hastily throwing the thin blankets off of him, reaching for his sword, which had been thrown on a pile of old clothes earlier that night. mingi could feel the nervous tension in the air as he loosed a breath and headed out into the cool night, feeling a shiver course through him. maddox was trailing slowly behind him, footsteps quiet and hesitant. 
mingi knew it was extremely foolish to confront hades not properly armed, but at least maddox was with him. now, his mentor wasn’t the strongest or the best fighter, but he could at least try and figure out a way for him to escape unscathed, or at least mingi hoped he could. 
the air got thicker with tension as mingi ventured deeper into the forest, ignoring the small voice in the back of his mind, screaming at him to run away. mingi knew that hades was close by, as the scent of death and smoke filled his nostrils as he neared a more secluded part of the forest, which, ironically, happened to be near a field of blooming hyacinths. the sight that beheld him made his heart drop down into his stomach and his blood run cold. 
you were laying at hades’ feet, pale blue robes streaked with dirt, curled into yourself, as if bracing for an attack that would hopefully never come. mingi ducked behind a tree, hoping it would somehow obscure him from view. “you’re pathetic.” hades hissed, dark eyes flashing with pure disgust. you groaned, neck straining to look up at the god of the dead, expression full of fury and pure hatred. “i thought i made it clear that my relations with you were over.” you seethed, wiping blood from the corner of your mouth. hades laughed, cold and heartless. “you very aware of my conditions when you signed your soul over to me, and one of them was that you will never be free until you fufill my end of our deal. you seemed so willing all those centuries ago, i wonder what changed? is it because you fell in love?” hades sneered, tone dripping with mock cheerfulness. 
you said nothing, clenching your jaw in anger and curling your hand into a fist. hades laughed, the sound hollow and void of emotion. “how touching, you fell in love with the very person you were supposed to lead to his own demise. i assume you want me to spare him?”
you glared at the god of the dead, refusing to show any signs of fear, and mingi’s heart ached at the sight. “no, i very well know that you will kill him anyway, for seeing heroes perish brings you great pleasure.” hades clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. “i’m appalled that such a thought would ever cross your mind.” “you’ll spare him, then? if i request it?” hades scoffed. “you’d be foolish to think that i would ever take a request from such a weak and pathetic woman such as yourself.” 
mingi felt a hand grip his shoulder tightly, and didn’t try to resist. “kid, if you go out ther now, you’ll die. hades may be a prick, but he’s powerful, and can most likely turn you into ashes before you can even take a single step.” maddox murmured, voice barely audible, but mingi nodded, a sign that he’d heeded his warning, and the grip on his shoulder loosened. 
seonghwa felt his heart shatter at the sight of you crumpled on the ground, pale blue robes dirty and blood-stained, helpless and injured. it took every ounce of self-control for him not to run over to you and wrap you into his arms and hold you. he knew that you would never forgive yourself if something happened to him or the others, and that you would continue to blame yourself for their deaths, no matter what. seonghwa bit back tears as he watched hades sneer and curse at you, hands curling into his white robes, the soft fabric bunching in his grip. 
the others were fast asleep at the cottage, and that fact alone made seonghwa’s heart settle, just a bit. seonghwa was glad that they weren’t witnessing the horrific scene before him, for he knew that the sight would be too much to bear. 
out of the corner of his eye, he noticed mingi, armed with nothing but a sword, clutching it in his hand tightly, and a shorter man with shoulder length hair was with him, body stiff with tension. it was maddox, who he had seen occasionally at council meetings, quiet but not afraid to speak his mind when needed. 
seonghwa felt his blood run cold when mingi finally stepped out of the shadows, with maddox trying and failing to prevent him from being reckless, and held his sword out in front of him, the silver blade glinting in the dark. 
hades’ dark eyes shifted towards the newcomer, and the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips was enough to make seonghwa shudder with fear. “look who decided to join us. if it isn’t the hero himself.” “let her go.” mingi hissed, body tight with tension. hades chuckled darkly. “and why would i do that? what could a mere human like you offer me, a god?” “it’s me you want dead, isn’t it?” seonghwa’s heart dropped into his stomach at the naked fear on your face, and clutched the fabric of his robe tighter. don’t be so reckless, seonghwa wanted to scream, but he knew that if he were in mingi’s position, he would’ve done the same, so he forced himself to stay quiet. “i would take pleasure in seeing your untimely demise, such is true, but what would you give me in return?”
seonghwa racked his brain for a list of possible things mingi could offer to the god, and cursed under his breath when he realized that the only thing the latter could give hades was his soul. “i’ll trade you my soul, but only if you agree to break the contract you have with her.” 
hades’ dark eyes flashed dangerously. “you do know what selling your soul to me entails?” mingi nodded. in doing so, i enter a state of servitude, until you decide to give me freedom.” 
your eyes widened in horror, and seonghwa watched, heart aching, as you struggled to your feet, unable to stop the tears from streaming down your face. “mingi, do not  sacrifice your freedom or your soul for me. i don’t deserve to be saved.” “don’t say such things! you’re brave and selfless and-” “i am not! i’ve been working with hades all this time, trying to find out your weakness so that he may kill you! i don’t deserve to be saved or sought after by someone who is righteous and honest and brave. i-” you broke off at the sight of the confused, angry, and devastated expression on mingi’s face. nearby, hades chuckled darkly. 
“i’ll leave you two lovebirds alone, it seems you two have many things to discuss.” hades drawled, tone dripping with mock sympathy. with a flick of his hand and a long, tired sigh, the god of the dead disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. mingi turned his head away, closing his eyes, as if the sight of you was too much for him to bear. 
“why?” mingi asked in a soft voice, confused and hurt. “i did not want you to find out this way, especially with hades in our presence. i never meant to hurt you, i-” 
 “you lied to me?” “yes, but i-” “but you what? thought it would be amusing to lead me on? to rip my heart out?” you visibly flinched at the uncharacteristic coldness in mingi’s voice, and seonghwa gulped nervously. 
“please, i can explain-” mingi shook his head, grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. “i never want to see you again, and don’t you ever think for one second that i’m going to come to rescue you from whatever danger you might face. you disgust me.” he snapped, voice as cold and hard as steel. you reached out helplessly as mingi turned on his heels and walked away, not bothering to look back, and that’s when seonghwa couldn’t bear to watch any longer. 
seonghwa ran out from his hiding place and pulled you into his arms, rubbing comforting circles on his back and whispering soothing words in your ear. “h-hwa. h-he hates me.” you sobbed, curling your fingers in the fabric of his robes. seonghwa could only hold you tight as you cried into his chest, feeling his heart ache even more. 
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you returned to the cottage with seonghwa carrying you in his arms, your heart heavy and face tear-stained. your robes were filthy and torn, but seonghwa didn’t seem to mind as he had lifted you into his arms almost immediately, insisting on carrying you home. you felt tears prick your eyes at the sight of hongjoong, san, jongho, wooyoung, yeosang, and yunho standing nervously at the front of the cottage. 
san practically tripped over his own feet trying to get to you, stroking your hair back softly as his violet eyes scanned your body, looking for any injuries. “we were all so worried when we woke and realized you and seonghwa hyung were gone. we thought you two had been taken, or killed, or-” “san, i’m so sorry. i’m sorry for worrying everyone. i seem to always cause trouble whenever i’m with you, and i always feel as if i’m a burden.”
“you could never be a burden to us, darling, we just hate seeing you get hurt.” yeosang strode right up to seonghwa, caramel eyes bright with anger. “you let her be injured? you watched as she got hurt and verbally harassed by hades? what kind of friend are you?” he asked, a harsh laugh escaping his mouth. before seonghwa could respond, san stepped forward, violet eyes bright with warning, gripping the comedy muse’s shoulder tightly. “that’s enough, yeosang.”
yeosang pursed his lips tightly, shook san’s hand off him, and stormed into the cottage. “i-i’m so sorry y/n, i should’ve done something-” you shook your head, reaching up and cupping seonghwa’s chin gently so he’d look at you. “none of this is your fault, hwa, and give yeosang time to clear his head, i’m sure he’s just angry because i’m hurt and he needs someone to blame.” “i just hope you two don’t resent me.” you scoffed, shifting so that you were a little more comfortable in seonghwa’s arms. “we will not.” 
seonghwa smiled gently down at you as he carried you into the cottage, and you let yourself fall into a deep sleep, the ache in your heart subsiding, just a bit. 
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mingi buried his face into his pillow, soft sobs wracking his body. maddox sat slumped in a chair nearby, his expression grim. “i’m sorry your first love had to end so tragically, kid.” mingi didn’t reply, only cried harder, feeling as if his heart was going to spill out of his chest. 
a/n: i hope you all enjoyed this! i know this was super lengthy and probably sucked, but there will be a part three! i’m not sure of the title yet, but i already have a few ideas in mind :) anyways i love you all and thank you for always supporting me and my mediocre fics lmao 
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marshyswagswag · 3 years
Text
Intrusive Chapter 1:
I’ve decided to start a new series where I turn the screenplay I’m writing into a piece of more traditional writing because I think a lot of people on here would enjoy it!
It’s based around FBI agents, slow burn, kinda angsty and I try to add a touch of comedy just to level out the sadness :)
Here we go...hope you enjoy!! :)
Word count: 2.2K
Characters: Callie Keys, Jacob Stevens and Ian Fender (all my original characters)
Whatever shell remains of Jacob Stevens sits slumped in the passenger seat of Callie's car. He doesn’t bother to look her way as she talks at him; ranting about her day and the new case she’d been assigned to work on.
After leaving the FBI last spring, he could care less for any sort of conversation around the subject, yet he would never tell that to Callie. He lets her drone on about whatever case she’s working on or maybe even one that one of her colleagues was working.
Stevens squints his eyes, making the streetlights dance in the dark. He’d done this since he was a child; he had many tricks like this up his sleeve. They came from years of dissociating from his surroundings and ignoring whatever was being said to him.
“The director assigned me to the case. My success rate was high last year.” Callie drones, fully aware that Stevens won’t acknowledge her.
Stevens picks at his fingernails, smelling the bleach and hand sanitizer residue from his lab coat. His feet ached from standing all day and his eyes could barely stay open. 
It’s sad to say but this was his routine. Escaping from work half-alive, Callie acting as his chauffeur, choking down what he could into his exhausted body then collapsing in his bed for upwards of ten hours. 
Today was one of the long days at the lab. It was a fight to keep his eyes open in the darkroom as he tested for traces of blood and developed film found at a crime scene. 
It would be better if he lived alone, he thought as Callie turned down the final street in their journey home.
Stevens doesn't see it, but soon after the gentle sway of the car, there’s a crash.
Both of their bodies are jolted forward, the crash not severe enough for the airbags to deploy. Callie throws one arm in front of Stevens’ chest as a suburban mom might do, not being of much help. 
“Are you okay?” Stevens shouts anxiously.
“I’m fine, you?”
“What did we crash into?” Stevens asks as if the haziness was from the crash.
“I don’t know.” Callie says, “Grab my bag.”
Stevens unbuckles his seatbelt before reaching into the back seat of the sedan. He struggles to find Callies black duffle bag in the dark car, but eventually is able to grasp it, feeling the hard polyester on his stiff hands.
Once given the bag, Callie calmly rifles through it to locate her gun and flashlight. She barely mutters an apology when her flashlight shines right in Stevens’ face.
Stevens gets out his phone flashlight, which is dim compared to Callie’s, but is still fully functional.
They both get out of the car, silently, years and years of working together preparing them for this moment.
With their backs to either side of the car, the two begin to survey the dark area, uncovering their surroundings. Directly in front of their car is another; no sign of functional head or tail lights, bumper to bumper. 
Callie’s flashlight illuminates a short, red-haired man assessing the damage done to his car. She recognizes him immediately. 
Stevens turns on Callie’s brights and begins to walk down the street; seeing what must be at least five cars piled up, bumper to bumper.
“Ian?” Callie calls, the man meeting her in between their two cars.
“How fucking ironic, right?” He calls back, unable to take his eyes off Stevens who is still assessing the situation.
“Why are your tail lights out?”
“They weren’t when I left. I must not have seen them go out.” Ian says casually, obviously unaffected by this.
“It looks to be a five-car pile up.” Stevens reveals, standing next to Callie and actively ignoring Ian.
“Dr. Jacob Stevens, this is Special Agent Ian Fender.” Callie says, with a smile almost hidden behind the stress. 
“Ironic, right?” Ian asks. 
Stevens nods, giving him a faux smile to hide his disinterest. 
Immediately after the introduction, Stevens heads back into his own world, treating the scene like an investigation. 
He walks through the pile of cars; all bumper to bumper, seemingly attached in some way. Callie’s car is the only one with headlights and the drivers at the front of the crash have already left. 
The car at the  front of the crash is pulled up to the stoplight. The passenger was probably waiting at a red light when the second car came and drove right into it. 
Stevens could see insurance information written on a sticky note on the windshield of the first car. Maybe the driver wasn’t in the car at the time of the crash, but that seemed unlikely. 
The second car had no insurance information to be found. 
It’s plausible that this is all a big coincidence, but the lump in his throat suggests otherwise. 
The second car's tail lights are either off or not functional, but before Stevens can check them, he’s interrupted. 
“Doctor, huh?” A voice calls from behind him. 
Stevens turns around to find Ian approaching him from behind. 
All Stevens can manage to choke out is a hesitant “Yeah.” 
“Left your job at the FBI to work forensics?” Ian asks genuinely. 
“It seems you know me, but I don’t know you.” Stevens remarks, continuing his investigation. Still, Ian follows him. 
“I’m Callie’s partner on the Wanaka case,” Ian adds, “I used to work forensics too.”
Stevens stops at this addition, relaxing a bit. “Forensic scientist to profiler.” Stevens asserts on behalf of Ian. 
“Tech analyst, actually.”
Stevens gets a bitter taste in his mouth, the kind you get with an old memory you’d rather forget. 
Stevens pauses again; almost like he’s going to say something, but he stays quiet. 
He looks at his phone; 10:30, it’s no use staying here. 
“Nice meeting you, Ian.” Stevens mumbles, making his way back to Callie’s car. 
“You as well.” Ian replies in a bad Australian accent. 
“We’re lucky to be close to home.” Callie says, taking her phone away from her ear, “All of the tow trucks are out of service after 10.”
Stevens nods, collecting his belongings from the back seat. Callie does the same. 
Stevens’ eyes are wide open now though his stride is still fatigued. His clothes are beginning to feel irritable and the weight of his messenger bag makes his shoulders droop. 
“Fender!” Callie calls as her and Stevens make their way towards their apartment. 
“What’s up?” He answers. 
Stevens takes the lead with his flashlight; Callie knowing it’d be idiotic to sport her gun on the street in the middle of the night. 
“How far is your place?” She calls again even though Ian isn’t too far. 
Ian calculates, looking around at the street signs, “About six miles. Any luck getting a tow?”
“They’re closed after 10.” Callie says with remorse in her voice; “You can crash with us, our apartments only a block up.”
Ian laughs at ‘crash’ before hesitantly agreeing; “Let me grab my bag.”
Stevens and Callie stand next to Ian’s car, waiting while he rifles through the mess inside. 
Out of courtesy, Stevens shines his flashlight in Ian’s direction, revealing a long blood stain running down the left leg of Ian’s grey slacks. 
Stevens jumps back, his eyes widening. Callie takes notice of this too, walking to Ian and whispering something in his ear. Stevens pretends to be on his phone and not listening to their hushed conversation. 
He can’t make it out, but Ian sighs angrily at whatever Callie whispered to him. He takes a moment before rifling through his car once again. He moves slower and more shakily. 
“I think there’s a clinic a couple blocks up—I don’t think any of us can drive you—“ Stevens stutters once Callie and Ian join him on the sidewalk. 
“Don’t worry about it.” Ian interrupts, “I cut my leg on some brush today; it’s an old stain.”
Stevens nods, reading Ian’s fast paced movements as embarrassment. 
The three walk in the moonlight towards Callie and Stevens’ apartment.
Ian spent the walk explaining how he crashed; he was pulling up to the stoplight when he bumped into a car in front of him that had no tail lights. It was completely dark even though it was only 9:30 and the driver in front of him had already left. 
Stevens and Callie’s apartment is small, sporting only two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. The interior design had been mostly up to Callie, though Stevens initially called the shots. 
The apartment looked typical for two 25 year olds. There’s a couch, coffee table, and TV but not much furniture beyond that. There’s a bookcase that’s only filled about half way and instead of a dining room or kitchen table there are three barstools set up in the kitchen. 
The fridge fit the same stereotype. Milk, cream cheese, maybe some fruit, but nothing else perishable. On the contrary, the freezer was stocked full with frozen meals. 
“Jacob, can you get Ian some clothes to change into?”
Stevens nods, guiding Ian into his bedroom. 
Stevens’ room told the story of someone who hadn’t lived there long, though that was mostly untrue. He had a mattress with no bed frame, a cardboard box as a nightstand and a lamp, but little else. 
His closet was perfectly arranged and neat, his bed made messily with a calendar next to it. 
Stevens gestures to Ian, suggesting he can pick out whatever he wants from the closet. 
Rather than hover over him, Stevens takes a sweatshirt and sweatpants for himself and changes in the bathroom. 
Callie is standing in the kitchen on her phone, eating peanut butter from a bowl when he comes out. 
“Ian; do you want to go over some case notes?” Callie asks.
Stevens sits down at a barstool, trying to finish his bowl of cereal as fast as possible. 
“Won’t be able to sleep, anyway.” He answers, walking out of Stevens’ room.  Stevens’ zip-up hoodie and flannel pants barely fit him; Stevens standing almost five inches taller than Ian. 
Stevens allows Ian to take his spot at the breakfast bar, putting his dish in the dishwasher. 
“Thanks for letting me borrow your clothes, Jake.” Ian says with a mouth full of peanut butter. 
Stevens pauses at “Jake”.  Nevertheless, he pulls himself together and callis back; “No problem” with the last of his energy. 
“‘Night, Jacob.” Callie calls. He gives her a wave. 
Before he reaches his bedroom he hears Ian ask Callie for something to which she replies “Under the sink.”
Lying restlessly in his bed, he half expects to hear Callie and Ian making out, but instead the night is filled with conversation; both serious and lighthearted. 
From the moment Stevens is conscious the next morning, he can feel his heavy body stiffening. His eyes are almost glued shut and his face is wet with tears. 
He decides to ignore the pain, walking out of his room on autopilot. 
Stevens looks at the couch; Ian’s make-shift bed already cleaned up. His blanket is folded, pillow on top. 
Already full of energy, Ian greets him in the kitchen with a fresh cup of coffee. “You look like you need it,” he jokes. 
“Thanks, Ian.” Stevens says, noting the empty cup of coffee in the seat next to him, probably Callie’s, “How long did you guys stay up?”
“We crashed around 1am. It’s a tough case.”
“I’ve heard.” Stevens drones, upset he has to endure a conversation about the work he left. 
“Yeah. I’m supposed to go down there today to check out the security cameras, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be going anywhere.”
“Mm.” Stevens mumbles, barely able to process Ian’s words until his second cup of coffee which he makes sure to thank him for. 
Callie emerges from her room, fully dressed and ready for the day, yelling at Stevens to get dressed. 
Stevens goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth. 
He stares at his face in the mirror: dry and swollen. His eyes droop lower than usual, the bags under them starting to gain definition. 
Stevens bites his lip, frosting his toothbrush and nearly choking on the overpowering toothpaste. 
He leans against the wall as he brushes his teeth; taking notice of the box of tampons next to the toilet and the Advil on the counter. 
After he’s brushed his teeth, Stevens pops an Advil into his mouth, swallowing it along with water in his cupped hand. 
The three of them walk back to the pileup, this time in broad daylight.
Callie and Ian try to tell Stevens some story about some case they worked on a few months ago, but all Stevens can do is watch Ian fiddle with his outfit; borrowed from Stevens. 
The pants nearly fall right off of him, barely held up by his belt. Good thing he didn’t need shoes. Ian’s wearing glasses today; similar to the wire ones Stevens wears on a daily basis. He must wear contacts, Stevens thinks. 
They all stop when they get to the scene; Stevens the last to look up. 
The pileup looks artificial. Lime green spikes impaled into the tail lights of each car. Well, each car except Callie and Stevens’. 
Shielding his eyes from the sun, Ian looks to Callie. He knows they’re nothing thinking the same thing. 
This was a set-up.
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okuraiani · 4 years
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“Secret Project” — Ikemen Prince Prologue
I talked about this the other day, but today I can finally announce that I've finished (ಥ﹏ಥ)
I've finished translating the prologue for Ikemen Prince!
It's been a few days since the game was released, but I still want to share some of my impressions with you before you guys plunge into the madness that is my translation ( ̄▽ ̄*)ゞ
Truth be told, I had mixed feelings about this game when I first heard about it. It honestly reminded me quite much about Midnight Cinderella (which I am not so fond of as I am of others) although the premise is different here. However, said premise is exactly what got me interested in the game. The basis for this game is the tale of The Beauty and the Beast; a very well-known one, I think. I was curious as to how they would include this into the story, but as of now it looks really promising („• ֊ •„)
The system is really similar to Ikemen Genjiden, so it is not too difficult if you already got used to it before (though it's definitely different from Ikemen Revolution and Ikemen Vampire.) For those who don't know Ikemen Genjiden's system yet: Don't worry, it is really not that hard to figure out!
The visuals are really great and fit the theme extremely well. As for the attire for each suitor, I think most of them are incredibly pretty! σ(≧ε≦σ) ♡
The three initial suitors are as expected Leon, Chevalier and Yves. I did think that Leon and Chevalier were obvious choices because they are the leaders of each faction ┐( ̄ヮ ̄)┌ and although I'm not too sure how Yves fits in there, I wasn't especially surprised about him being one of the first suitors.
Moreover, the prologue is fully voiced, which makes it a really worthwhile experience (* ̄▽ ̄)b
So, without any further ado, please enjoy Ikemen Prince's prologue! I hope many people will come to love this game (share some love with Ikemen Live and Ikemen Genjiden too, please) so that we'll see an English version in the future °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
(By the way, Emma is the preset name if you don't choose any other (.❛ ᴗ ❛.) Also, I apologize beforehand for any typos or formatting mistakes. It was... a lot of text (ಥ﹏ಥ))
Part 1 — A Tale That Started in a Bookstore
A sweet love like fluffy, melting cotton candy. A bitter love like black tea without sugar or milk. There are many types of love stories in this world. Every time I come in contact with those, I come to think that I don’t know true love. People my age fall in love, get married and build a happy family. The time when I dreamed of a serious love to the point of giving up myself might have already ended.
(But... still...)
Even today I still yearn for a love I would risk my entire life for.
Emma “... Haah, this book was great as well.”
During the day on a weekday, on the counter of the much less busy than usual bookstore, I gently closed the book.
(There aren’t even customers coming in... well, it’s troubling that they don’t come, but thanks to that I can read a lot of books.)
??? “Emma, did you finish reading?”
Emma “Woah!?”
Suddenly, because of the shadow that filled up my vision, I jumped back from my earlier thoughts.
Emma “Ri– Rio...?”
Rio “Sorry for surprising you. I came to see you today, too.”
Emma “Welcome, Rio. But... shouldn’t you be at work at this time?”
Rio “Ah, I quit the day before yesterday.”
Emma “Huh, so it’s like—... you quit!?”
Rio “That’s right. That’s why I’m in the middle of searching for a highly praised job!”
Emma “Is... is that so... again...”
Because I felt like we had the same conversation just a few months ago, as his friend I got a little worried.
(He’s skillful with his hands, sociable and he has a bit of a clumsy side to him, but he’s still liked by everyone...)
Emma “Why did you quit work?”
Rio “Of course, because I am yours.”
Emma “Excuse me?”
Rio “Because, since you saved me that day, my body and my heart, I will devote everything to you.” “I can’t serve other people.”
Emma “Aaah, yes... in other words, your reason is a secret.”
The sight from the rainy day three years ago when I had picked up the collapsed and nearly dying Rio crossed my mind.
(I always thought so, but it feels like a big dog became attached to me.)
Rio “I’m always serious, okay! By the way, is the owner in?” “I wanted to talk to him in person today because I want to work here with you...”
Emma “He went out to some distant place to go shopping, so I think he won’t return for some time.”
Rio “No way...!”
I was about to tell him to give up— but seeing that Rio looked dejected like a dog with its ears down, I swallowed the words.
Emma “... You may not be able to talk to him directly, but how about asking the owner with a letter next time?”
Rio “Can I!?”
Emma “Sure. There’s also physical work to do in a bookstore, so it would be reassuring to have you here.”
Rio “Thanks, Emma. From now on I will call you Master, okay?”
Emma “No, don’t—”
Surprised by the noise that came without warning, I quickly covered my stomach.
Emma “Did... Did you hear that?”
Rio “Of course! But rest assured. I know you very well, you know.”
Smiling proudly Rio walks up to a cart.
(A cart? Since when has that been here!?)
Rio “I thought this might happen, so— ta-dah!”
The sheet on top of the cart was removed and what came to light was a mountain of food.
Emma “Wow, amazing!”
Candied fruits, truffles with a lot of cheese, rose-shaped baked sweets and apple benier— On that cart were a lot of foods that you often see at festivals.
Rio “This also doubles as my lunch, but I was in a bit of trouble since I bought too much.” “I’d be happy if you eat to your heart’s content.”
Emma “Really? Well then, thanks for the food!”
When I put the baked confectionery into my mouth, I couldn’t help but smile.
Emma “Mmh, this is so good!” “Come to think of it, wasn’t there a festival going on outside?”
Rio “Yeah. Remember, today is the National Foundation Day of the Rhodolite Kingdom!”
Part 2 — Festival of the Rose Country
Emma “Come to think of it, wasn’t there a festival going on outside?”
Rio “Yeah. Remember, today is the National Foundation Day of the Rhodolite Kingdom!” “This year, there are a lot of street stalls as well.”
Emma “I see. Were there any notable booths?”
Rio, while chewing on an apple benier, clapped his hands as he remembered.
Rio “I remember now. There was a stand with old books!”
Emma “What, really?”
Rio “Yeah, isn’t there a traveling merchant who sells books once in a while?”
(That sounds interesting... I’m REALLY interested, but I need to watch the shop...)
Rio “Off you go.”
Emma “Huh...?”
Rio “I’ll watch the shop for you.”
Emma “Are you sure?”
Rio “Whom do you take me for? I’m your future husband after all.”
Emma “... you’ve gotten that wrong, but thanks anyway, Rio!”
Rio “If you want to thank me, then a hug—”
Emma “You can get a handshake.”
I held his big hand tight, shaking it up and down and then released it.
Emma “Okay, I’m off then! You can look forward to a souvenir!”
Rio “All right!” “She’s so cute... I really hope she doesn’t get caught by some bad guys.”
The moment I left the shop, I felt like I heard Rio whisper that.
Street Vendor 1 “If it isn’t Emma! Take this rose-shaped hair ornament to commemorate the National Foundation Day.”
Emma “Wow, that’s lovely! Thank you.”
Street vendor 2 “I also recommend our rose-shaped brooches! It will surely suit you, so I’ll give you one as a present.”
Emma “Really? Thank you so much!”
I carefully put the rose-shaped works on top of the several volumes of books I bought from the traveling merchant just before. When I thanked the generous stall owners and started walking again, banners engraved with “Rhodolite Kingdom—Country of Roses” hung from the buildings along the street flitted.
(Country of Roses... That’s indeed true.)
The flowers that bloomed in the city, the products lined up at the street stalls, and even the castle one could see in the distance were all packed with roses. When I took a deep breath, a mellow scent filling up my chest, the familiar sensation made me smile.
(Okay, let’s see. I bought the books and next I need to get a souvenir for Rio...)
??? “Don’t ya watch where ya goin’? Ya shitty brat!!”
Emma “... what?”
To the dangerous voice that stood in contrast to the beautiful city, not only me but also the people around me stopped their feet. In the middle of the turmoil were a red-faced man and a boy who was sitting on the ground.
Little Boy “Waaah... sob...”
Drunkard “How ‘bout ya beg for forgiveness for crashin’ into me? Hah!?”
(... No, you don’t!)
Because of the highly raised hand, I stepped in between the drunkard and the boy without hesitation.
Drunkard “What do ya want...?”
Emma “What do you think you are doing, raising a hand against a small child like him!?”
Drunkard “Shuddup! That’s got nothin’ to do with ya!”
The clenched fist that had stopped before was now swinging down at me. When I tried to promptly shield myself, the books fell to the ground—
(Huh...?) (It doesn’t hurt?)
??? “That’s as far as you go.”
When I timidly opened my eyes... A man who had stood behind the drunkard before he knew it, strongly held on to the hand reeking of liquor.
Black-haired Man “If you kick up a fuss, I’ll be your opponent... So, how about it?”
Part 3 — Beast and Beast
Black-haired Man “If you kick up a fuss, I’ll be your opponent... So, how about it?”
Emma “Uh...”
We as well as the curious onlookers were swallowed by his unique aura and as if the tumult had been a lie, it grew silent again.
(... What a presence that person has...)
If I had to compare, the feeling of tension around him was the same as if the King of Beasts had escaped from its cage and suddenly appeared in the city. It should have been clear to everyone that this person wasn’t someone you should pick a fight with... Just as the man smiled daringly, the drunkard shook off his hand with a click of his tongue.
Drunkard “Then, why don’t ya bring it on!”
Black-haired Man “Heh, how lively.”
Emma “Please wait! A peaceful solution would—”
Drunkard “Be quiet!”
(No!)
The drunkard loudly kicked a book that was scattered on the ground. The book drew a perfect arc and, just like that, landed in the middle of the road— As if to block the path of a white horse that walked over.
??? “Oh...?”
The man riding on the white horse looked down at the book and then shot the drunkard a piercing glance.
(This person... he has an extraordinary aura as well...)
??? “Are you that impertinent miscreant?”
His sharp, freezing gaze glinted with a cruel light, just like a tiger fixating on its prey. If you happened to make even the littlest mistake, you would lose your short-lived life in that exact moment. It was that kind of tension that made your throat dry up.
(... Hmm? The coat of arms on his saddle...) (Don’t tell me he belongs to the Royal Family!?)
Drunkard “Hah!? Bastard, don’t go lookin’ down on me!”
As if to threaten the drunkard who trampled down on the book, the man from the Royal Family sharpened his look even further.
Male from the Royal Family “I did not plan to take part in such vulgar performance, but is this also a part of the festival’s entertainment?”
Emma “... eh!?”
The royal man drew the sword hanging from his waist—
(It can’t be, he’s planning to kill him!?)
My body moved without me realizing.
Emma “Cut it out already!”
Drunkard “Wah!?”
Before one could see the whole of the sword’s blade, my palm struck the drunkard’s cheek with all the strength I had. The black-haired man and the member of the Royal Family both stared at me in silent disbelief.
Drunkard “Wha—What the heck was that for!”
Emma “Calm down, will you! Or do you really want to be killed!?”
Drunkard “... kill—you mean—...”
When I silently pointed towards the coat of arms on the horse’s saddle, his deep red face turned deathly pale. Taking in the situation, I decisively turned in the direction the man on the horse.
Emma “I sincerely apologize for the trouble! If you can, please excuse what happened just now.”
Although I waited for a response, the man from the Royal Family kept quiet.
Black-haired Man “... ahahaha!”
What broke the tension of this life and death situation was a refreshing laughter.
Black-haired Man “Rest assured. That guy’s not someone who would kill people because of something like this.”
Emma “Eh...?”
Male from the Royal Family “... You have awoken my interest.”
??? “Chevalier, are you done playing?”
A man riding a chestnut horse lined up next to the white one and shrugged his shoulder as if he did that on purpose.
Chevalier “Yes. It was a waste of time.”
(Are we safe...?)
Just when I felt relieved, the sharp, tiger-like gaze was cast on the book still scattered on the ground.
Chevalier “Do these books belong to you?”
Emma “Eh, yes...”
He intently stared at the book on the ground.
(I wonder what’s with him... He’s staring really hard...)
When the man named Chevalier shifted his gaze from the book to myself, the man next to him cheerfully opened his mouth.
??? “What, this time you are hitting on someone?”
Chevalier “There is no merit in wooing a woman...”
Emma “Eh!?”
His sword was drawn in a flowing motion and the tip was thrust at my throat.
(Just... why?)
While swallowing a gasp at the sudden action, he scooped up my jaw with the flat of the blade.
Chevalier “These books, however, are different. Contrary to your body, they have value. You’d do well to remember that.”
(... It’s so painful to breathe...)
My voice wouldn’t come out no matter what—so when I managed to nod, the man returned his sword to its sheath and took hold of the horse’s reins.
(... What a terribly scary person...)
As if chasing after the white horse that stepped forward, the chestnut horse next to it started to move as well. Upon leaving, its rider gave me an amused look but left without saying a word. The moment the tension dissipated breathing, which had been so painful before, became easier again.
(I was wondering how this would end, but... I’m glad that nothing serious happened.)
With a sidelong glance towards the helpless drunkard who sat down, I faced the black-haired man after a short pause.
Emma “Thank you so much for helping me—what should I call you, Mister...?”
Leon “My name is Leon. And you don’t have to be so formal.”
Emma “Thanks then, Leon. Say, are you acquainted with the member of the Royal Family from earlier?”
Leon “Yeah, but it’s not like we ever talked that much.”
Leon picked up the books and rose-shaped decorations that were scattered on the ground in front of me.
Leon “Here you go.”
Emma “Thank you.”
(It seems neither the books nor the ornaments are damaged.)
Leon “You really love books, don’t you.”
Emma “Yes, because the stories are more interesting than reality. But more importantly...”
As I kneeled down beside the child who wiped his eyes while sobbing, Leon also lined up next to him.
Leon “Did you stop crying, shortie?”
Little Boy “Sniffle... Mama...”
Leon “So you’re lost... Then, come with me.”
Little Boy “... You’ll... bring me to Mama?”
Leon “Yeah, I’ll look for her for you.”
Leon lifted his small body with ease.
(Somehow, he seems like a totally different person than before.)
The beast-like tension around him had vanished and instead he was wrapped up in a friendly atmosphere.
Little Boy “Um, big sis... thanks for saving me.”
Emma “It was nothing. I’m just glad that you’re not hurt.”
Leon “The same goes for you. So, should we go?”
Emma “Wait, I’ll also—’
Before I could even offer to help out with searching for the boy’s mother, Leon briskly walked away while waving his hand.
(At first I thought he would be scary, but... I guess he is a nice guy after all.) (If we happen to meet once more, I have to thank him again.)
Turning my back towards the castle, visible in the distance, I once again walked through the city, where the hustle and bustle started to return.
—... at the same time.
??? “I found you at last.”
Part 4 — The Devil’s Summon
??? “I found you at last.”
A devilish smile played on the lips of the shadow hiding in a back alley.
??? “It seems training her will be worthwhile... hehehe.”
Without noticing the shadow moving about in unknown places... By the time the sky was dyed red, I finally arrived at the front of the bookstore.
(Finding a souvenir took more time than I expected. I hope Rio isn’t angry with me.)
When I opened the door while thinking of how to apologize to Rio—
??? “Welcome back, Emma.”
The person inside, sitting on the counter with his legs crossed, wasn’t Rio but a man I never saw before. I stared at him without responding to his greeting. The man simply smiled back at me. I closed the door to cut off the sinister aura I felt on my skin.
(... Just now, wasn’t there a devil-like person inside?) (No, it might have been my imagination. There’s no way there could be a devil after all.) (I’m certain I just mistook Rio for somebody else... At least I hope so.)
I took a deep breath and opened the door once more— A man with a devilish smile stood right before my eyes.
Devil-like Man “That is an extraordinary greeting, don’t you think?”
Emma “.... Mmnnh!”
The very moment I turned on my heels and tried to escape, an arm was put around my waist and my mouth was blocked.
(Why, what’s happening!?)
Devil-like Man “Please keep quiet. Otherwise, I can’t allow you to breathe.”
His words shocked me to the point I became speechless.
Devil-like Man “Due to certain circumstances I have come to pick you up.”
With a snap of the fingers of the man clad in black, multiple men surrounded me.
(Wait! Those clothes... aren’t those guards from the castle!?)
Devil-like Man “For the time being, I will take you with me.”
Emma “Mnnh!!!”
(Wait a minute, wait! What did I do...!?)
Without understanding anything, I was taken to a carriage that stopped outside—
(Wha—...)
Before I knew what was happening, the place I had been taken to was the front of the majestic castle I had only seen from a distance.
(How beautiful...) (Wait, it’s not the time for that! Why was I brought to such a place!?)
In a daze, I looked up at the castle that was so big that its tip seemed to reach up farther than the clouds, when—
??? “Hey, you are in the way.”
The surprise shook me out of my daze. I lowered my gaze when someone tapped my shoulder. What I saw there were two men dressed in gorgeous outfits.
??? “Heh, your looks aren’t half bad. Yvie, do you know her?”
Yves “I absolutely do not know any ordinary women like her. Are you sure it isn’t a woman you dumped in the past, Nokto?”
(Who are they?)
Part 5 — Eight Wild Beasts
??? “Heh, your looks aren’t half bad. Yvie, do you know her?”
Yves “I absolutely don’t know any ordinary women like her. Are you sure it isn’t a woman you dumped in the past, Nokto?”
(Who are they?)
Because of the scrutinizing gaze of the two people who drew closer, I subconsciously stepped back.
Nokto “Huh, you are really on guard... I wonder if the cause of that is because you were dumped in the past.”
Yves “Hah? So she really is a woman you threw away in the past? You really are the worst, you frivolous womanizer.”
Emma “Um... You guys, just who on earth—...“
When I cut into the seemingly uncontrollable conversation, the man called Yves exaggeratedly opened his eyes.
Yves “... Don’t tell me, you don’t know who we are?”
Emma “At the very least, it’s not like we are acquainted...”
Nokto “What, so she wasn’t my woman after all.”
Yves “I don’t care about that! Not knowing who I am is something that shouldn’t happen on any terms!”
(Woah, what the—!?)
With a bloodcurdling look Yves reached out to me. And as if to block that, a black shadow lithely fluttered about.
Devil-like Man “Your Royal Highnesses, Prince Nokto and Prince Yves, I will introduce you later.”
Nokto “So you are here. Is that girl a guest?”
Devil-like Man “That is correct. After knowing this, if you aren’t a fool, please take a guess as to what reason you are gathered for.”
Yves “... ah.”
Nokto “What, so it’s like that.”
(... What is it?)
Devil-like Man “If you understand, then please make haste towards the round table.”
Nokto “Sure, sure. I got it.”
Nokto waved his hand as he passed way too close next to me. The moment I breathed in relief, my hand was grabbed from behind.
Nokto “I’ll play with you next time, okay?”
Emma “P-Play...?”
Snickering with a seductive smile engraved on his lips, this time around Nokto really left.
(... He seems to be an incredibly flippant person.)
Yves, on the other hand, pointed his index finger at me when his eyes met mine.
Yves “I will never ever in my life recognize such a mediocre person as Belle!”
Emma “‘Belle’?”
Turning away like a cat with a ‘hmph’ of disapproval, Yves also entered the castle.
(Just where did I hear the name ‘Belle’ before? I can’t quite remember...)
Devil-like Man “Well then, Emma. Please don’t dawdle about, we will go as well.”
Emma “Wah, wait a minute...!”
The man grabbed my hand and, as if chasing the other two, we advanced into the castle. After passing through a massive door, we found ourselves in a stairwell-like hall.
(Wow, this looks as if I got lost in a picture book...)
The roses that were in full bloom and the decorations as well... Whichever you chose, it had reached the level of fine arts. For commoners it was a sight far beyond their ability that left one dizzy.
(I’m so obviously sticking out like a sore thumb.)
When my feet stopped due to the uneasiness, a suspicious look entwined me like a snake.
Devil-like Man “Oh dear, is this an expression of insubordination?”
Emma “This isn’t defiance or anything... But isn’t it time you started explaining? Who exactly are you?”
Devil-like Man “Yes... Now that you mention it, I haven’t formally introduced myself yet.”
Easier than I expected, the man released my hand while smiling calmly.
Sariel “I am called Sariel. My occupation is Government Official of the Royal Court.”
Emma “Government Official... of the Royal Court?”
Sariel “You may have been alarmed, but please rest assured. I will train you to become emotionally attached to me.”
(Train me...!?)
It seemed that rather than calling him with the imposing title of Government Official of the Royal Court, labeling him as a mysterious devil fitted him more.
Emma “Before I’m being trained, I’d like to go home, though...”
Sariel “Then that means you give up on living, right?”
He spoke with a devilish smile, as if it didn’t matter whatever I said.
Emma “... There is one thing I need to know. Rio, the one who should have been at the store,... He is safe, right?”
Sariel “Yes, of course. If you would kindly listen to what I say, I will guarantee his life at least.”
(In any case, it seems I can only obediently obey him.)
Emma “... I understand.”
When I nodded, Sariel who had brought his face closer, put the hair covering my cheek behind my ear—
Sariel “Hehehe, I cannot wait to make such a defiant person surrender.”
(... I can’t believe someone like that is a Government Official of the Royal Court...)
Unconsciously glaring back at him, Sariel gave me an amused smile and started walking again. This time, I followed the black-clothed back of my own volition.
Sariel “Now then, we have arrived.”
When the two guards standing in front of the room opened the double door— The atmosphere changed.
(What... Is this...?)
Eight men were surrounding the enshrined round table in the center of the spacious room. Just as footsteps resounded in the room, their gazes pierced me all at once. I felt so overwhelmed at the sudden unwanted attention that it left me speechless. With eight sharp glares directed at me, I stood stock still like a small animal before a beast.
(Those people are...)
Under those ferocious and wild, yet noble gazes... Were the people I met in front of the castle a moment ago, As well as the ones I saw back in town... And then...
Leon “Heh, who’d have thought we meet again.”
Emma “No way, Leon!?”
Part 6 — What the Princes Talk About
Leon “Heh, who’d have thought we meet again.”
Emma “No way, Leon!?”
(What... Is the meaning of this?)
Leon, whom I had thought to have the same simple tastes as the townspeople only a few hours ago, was now wearing refined clothes and loftily included in the group at the round table.
Sariel “You must not do that, Emma. You cannot talk in that way when you speak to the princes.”
Leon “Don’t worry. I already told you that you don’t need to be so formal.”
Emma “Leon, you are a prince?”
Leon “Yeah. All the guys here, without exception, are princes.”
(I really... Want this to be a dream...)
My body, which was unexpectedly about to collapse, was supported from behind where Sariel was. But what I felt from the hand that grasped my shoulder wasn’t kindness but rather an additional blow that said, ‘There is no place for you to run.’
Sariel "Your Highnesses, thank you very much for gathering here." “From now on, as I conveyed the other day, we will hold the approval ceremony of the ‘Belle-System.’
(‘Belle-System’? ‘Approval ceremony’...?)
Sariel “To begin with, this girl is called Emma.” “Since this is your first time meeting each other, would you please introduce yourselves starting with His Highness, Prince Luke?”
Luke “Too troublesome.”
Sariel “Your Highness.”
Luke “It’s fine, if I just do it, right?”
The man who was sitting closest to me listlessly opened his mouth.
Luke “Luke Randolph. I’m the seventh... no, more like eighth prince.”
Nokto “I’m seventh in line, Nokto Klein. You can always come over to my room, okay?” “And over here is my twin brother—“
Licht “Sixth, Licht Klein.”
Yves “The fifth prince, Yves Kloss. I have no choice but to tell you my name. Don’t address me casually, though.”
Jin “I’m Jin Grandet. I’m the eldest brother of these guys, so that makes me the first prince.” “I’m sure it will be hard with all those problem children, but, well, keep them company in moderation.”
Clavis “I am the third in line, Clavis Lelouch. You can call me Clavis.” “The show earlier was quite entertaining. Don’t you think so as well, Cheva?”
Chevalier “Nonsense.” “However, I will teach you my name considering that you escaped harm with that courageous display. Chevalier Michel, second prince.”
Leon “So I’m the last one.” “Leon Dompteur. I’m this country’s fourth prince. Again, nice to meet you, Emma.”
Emma “Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you.” “Although I was called here... I don’t completely understand the situation. What is this ‘Belle-System’ in the first place?”
Yves “Huh? You didn’t even know that and still shamelessly came to the castle?”
Emma “I was downright kidnapped, thank you very much!”
Luke “Sariel, did you really kidnap her?”
Sariel “Please refrain from saying anything that would harm my reputation. I acted upon consent.”
Emma “Upon consent—?”
Sariel “You agreed, did you not?”
My meager resistance was ruthlessly cut off and I swallowed my words.
Sariel “Since long ago, the chosen citizen of this nation is to select the next king in our Rhodolite Kingdom—“ “That is your duty by becoming ‘Belle’.”
(Ah, I remember now.)
Emma “If I remember right, the name Belle means ‘a person with a beautiful heart’, right?”
Sariel “Yes, that is correct.”
(I totally forgot that since the king is replaced only every few decades.) (... wait.)
Emma “Are you telling me... that I am that Belle?”
Sariel “Haven’t I said that since before?” “I want you to select the new king out of these eight princes.”
Part 7 — Belle
Sariel “I want you to select the new king out of these eight princes.”
(Choose the king? ME!?)
That crazy story was a shock like receiving a heavy blow to the head.
Emma “Why, why me? Deciding who will be king is a serious matter for a country!”
Jin “That’s what I want to ask as well. What made you choose her, Sariel?”
Sariel “The slap she performed.”
Jin “... Haha, so that’s it.”
(With slap he can’t mean...)
Emma “Sariel, you also were at the festival venue?”
Sariel “How perceptive. I was searching the town high and low in order to find a candidate for Belle...” “But when you hit that scoundrel in His Highness Prince Chevalier’s stead right away, I was charmed by that ability.”
Emma “At–, at that time, I just desperately...”
Sariel “For humans, the more desperate we are, the more we bare our true nature.” “Your excellent ability to assess the situation and your decisiveness, as well as not to forsake the scoundrel, and your just and beautiful heart—“ “You are undoubtedly a person of exceptional talent fitting to receive the title of ‘Belle’.”
(Oh, no. No, no, just no.)
Sariel looked satisfied, but I, on the other hand, felt my uneasiness grow rapidly.
Sariel “Catching me eye is something to take pride in for generations.”
Emma “Um, I’m very grateful for what you’re saying, but accepting such an important task like being ‘Belle’ isn’t—“
Nokto “If you refuse, Sariel’s gonna cry, you know?”
Clavis “I think I really want to see that, but... There’s certainly no time for that.”
Emma “What do you mean?”
Clavis “Seeing that His Majesty the King has suddenly departed, it is necessary to quickly decide on a new king, don’t you agree?”
Emma “Suddenly means... the king has passed away!?”
Sariel “Your Highness... Wasn’t this information supposed to be concealed from the public for the time being?”
Clavis “Oops, seems I was a bit careless there. It’s fine if you cry, Sariel.”
Sariel “... Tsk.”
(Did he just click his tongue at a prince!?)
Sariel “Hehe, the inherent nature has shown itself.”
Emma “... Why are you hiding such an important thing from the public?”
Even though Sariel was carrying a sour look on his face, he took a deep breath as if he was resigning. So, he pointed his gaze towards the map hanging on the wall.
Sariel “The Rhodolite Kingdom is a small kingdom that is surrounded on all sides by three other countries.” “We have built comparatively good relationships with our ally, the country of Benitoite, and the neutral country of Jade.” “However, the great country of Obsidian alone is vigilantly eyeing our Rhodolite Kingdom for an opportunity to aim at our territory.” “I presume you have knowledge about that much?”
Emma “I do...”
Sariel “If the news about our King’s passing were to spread before our kingdom’s structure is stabilized, it is very much possible that they would take advantage of the disorder to invade our country.”
Hearing Sariel say something like that had me speechless with horror.
Sariel “When His Majesty the King actually became ill, the Obsidian, who had gotten wind of the information from somewhere, invaded the border.” “That led to the situation where the princes of our country proceeded towards the battlefield themselves to drive them away.” “Do you understand what that means?”
(Thinking about it calmly, of course I do.)
In this time when even the princes rush to the battlefield as soldiers—the weight of knowing such a secret made me break out in cold sweat.
Emma “... I won’t tell anyone about His Majesty’s passing.”
Sariel “I fear simply promising that will not be enough. There is one more thing I want to hear.”
Emma “... That’s...”
Sariel “Just as His Highness Prince Clavis has said, we need to immediately choose a new king.” “Right now, your existence is already affecting the life or death of our country.” “You will accept the position of ’Belle”, will you not?”
Emma “I do understand the circumstances, but as expected I’m not suited to—“
Sariel “Well then, Your Highnesses, Prince Leon and Prince Chevalier, if you approve of her as ‘Belle’ then please raise your hands.”
(You just ignore what I said!?)
Chevalier raised his hand before anyone else.
Nokto “Oh, how fast, Your Highness.”
Luke “Is it okay for a leader to be so half-minded?”
Chevalier “Naturally, since it doesn’t concern me who will become Belle.”
Emma “What does he mean, ‘leader’?”
Sariel “The princes are divided into two major factions, centered on Prince Leon and Prince Chevalier.” “His Highness Prince Leon’s faction who value domestic affairs and His Highness Prince Chevalier’s faction who value foreign affairs. That is about all it amounts to, I guess.” “Since the consensus of each of the princes is polarized, the resolution is often entrusted to Prince Leon and Prince Chevalier.”
(I see... So that’s why he asked the two of them right now.) (No, more importantly—)
Without regard for my opinion, Sariel continued to talk.
Sariel “What about you, Prince Leon?”
Everyone’s eyes gathered at him.
Leon “Emma, let’s hear what you intend to do.”
Part 8 — A Tale Yet to be Seen
Leon “Emma, let’s hear what you intend to do.”
Emma “I want...”
When I tried to say that it would be impossible, just as I had said many times before... My words were absorbed by Leon’s ascertaining eyes.
Leon “I think you have the capability to determine the next king.”
Emma “... That’s not true. I mean, there’s nothing special about me. I’m just a commoner.”
Leon “All of the former ‘Belle’s’ have been commoners.”
Emma “No way...”
Leon “Why do you think does something like the ‘Belle-System’ exist in the first place?”
Emma “... I don’t know.”
When I answered honestly, Leon raised the edges of his mouth.
Leon “Then, do you know what the people from the Royal Family are called out on the streets?”
(That, of course I know.)
Emma “—‘Noble beasts’, right?”
Leon “Yeah. A long time ago, the people of this nation assessed the inhumane royals who struggled for power all the time as ‘beasts’. But since then, those who inherited the blood of the Royal Family have come to be called ‘noble beasts’.”
(I remember that as a kid, I once thought that the members of the Royal Family were all densely covered in thick hair.)
Emma “But that is just an old story, isn’t it?”
Leon “No, every single one of the guys present is a beast who only holds the desire to act in his self-interest.” “Devouring people for their ambitions and ideals... Even that was probably done without batting a damn eyelid.”
(Saying they devoured people feels like a bit too much...)
That was what I thought, but the eyes of the princes were too fierce to just laugh it off.
Leon “In fact, we princes are sometimes referred to as ‘beasts’ when slaughtering enemies on the battlefield.” “Do you think the guys in front of you can still turn into good boys, though?”
In that moment, I didn’t know how to answer his question.
(I still don’t know anything about them. And each of these guys might seem like a beast on the surface.)
Leon “That’s why we need a ‘Belle’.” “So that we can turn from beast to human through the example of someone from among the citizens with a particularly beautiful heart.” “Moreover, only a human with a pure and righteous heart can choose a ‘man’ and not a beast as the king, don’t you think?”
Emma “Although that may be true, I don’t have such a noble heart.”
Sariel “Oh my, am I right to assume you don’t trust my word?”
Emma “No way, I wouldn’t dare...!”
Sariel “Of course you would not, right? You are, after all, ‘Belle’ who owns a pure, righteous, and beautiful heart. My word is absolute.”
(He’s so pushy...)
Leon “The rest is up to you. If you really don’t want to, then I’m willing to push this matter aside...” “However, you said you love stories, right?”
Emma “... Well, I did say that, but...”
For some reason, Leon grinned at me as if he was sure of his victory.
Leon “Doesn’t choosing a king seem like a much more interesting story than the ones in books?”
(When he says it like that...)
Leon “Furthermore, you are the story’s protagonist. Such an opportunity doesn’t come often, does it?”
(... Leon’s really cunning, phrasing his words like that.)
The age where I wished for something fierce like a fictional story was long past. But in truth... While the people around me are changing, I am the only one who remains unchanged. I was always desperately wishing for something that would rewrite my ordinary life.
(I have a lot of insecurities and the responsibility is heavy. I know I can’t do this with half-hearted feelings.) (Still... Something may change.)
The thought of a yet-unseen tale made my heart beat faster and my body get hot.
Leon “What will you do, Emma?”
(What I want to do is...)
As not to lose the resolution I gathered, I clasped my hands tightly—
Emma “... I want to do it.”
When I told him my unadorned feelings in those few words, Leon directly raised his hand.
Sariel “With that, it is decided I presume.”
Without letting the atmosphere linger, Chevalier briskly left his seat.
Leon “You’re going already?”
Chevalier “Our business is over.”
Clavis “Wouldn’t it be better to flatter Belle a bit?”
Chevalier “That’s just a waste of my time.” “It doesn’t matter who Belle chooses. It won’t change the fact that I will become the future king.”
His words had me so baffled that the only thing that left my mouth was a startled sound. Chevalier’s ice-cold gaze that seemed to freeze everything it touched caught me.
Chevalier “If you get in my way, I will dispose of you. That is what I plan to do.”
His cruel words left me speechless. Similar to the time when he thrust his sword at my throat, just his gaze made it painful to breathe.
(This person... He is terrifying.)
Clavis, who followed after the leaving Chevalier, tapped my shoulder as he passed me.
Clavis “I’m sorry for Cheva’s behavior.” “Well, I don’t have interest in the throne, but I like amusing things. Please entertain me with your way of life, okay little girl?”
While I was captivated by his brilliant smile, the footsteps of those two grew distant and they disappeared behind the door.
Sariel “Really now, it seems that I haven’t disciplined them enough.”
Next to Sariel, who sighed deeply, this time a hand was raised, waving.
Nokto “Hey, Sariel. Got a question.”
Sariel “Please go ahead and ask, Your Highness.”
Nokto “Belle choosing a king means, to put it bluntly, the guy who wins this girl over is going to become the king, right?”
Sariel “Plainly spoken, that is what will happen.”
Obtaining Sariel’s consent, Nokto turned his face to me—
Nokto “Well, since I’ll seduce you, let’s get along, okay?”
(He’s going to do what!?)
Part 9 — The King and the Rose
Nokto “Well, since I’ll seduce you, let’s get along, okay?”
(He’s going to do what!?)
Emma “That would be troub—“
Sariel “You are truly quick to understand, Your Highness.”
Yves “Ugh, I can’t listen to this anymore!” “To seduce her... Nokto, as a prince, aren’t you lacking pride and self-awareness?”
Nokto “If that’s what you think, don’t interfere. Got it, Yvie?”
Yves “Why would I have to listen to what you say?”
Ignoring me, Sariel and the princes continued talking.
Jin “What, even Yves ended up wanting to seduce her? You’re quite a busy one, aren’t you?”
Yves “Even if she is a commoner, for the time being she is Belle. She is necessary for me to be deemed as worthy of the throne.”
Emma “Then pick a different way to be acknowledged!”
Jin “Ooh, that’s an extremely respectable opinion.”
Luke “How should I put it, you should stop it soon. Don’t you see you’re troubling her?”
As Luke stood up from his seat, the others became quiet.
Luke “Emma... was it, right? If something happens, you can rely on me.”
Emma “Thank you very much, Your Highness.”
Luke “Stop that. Just Luke is fine and you don’t have to be polite.”
Emma “But...”
Luke “You’re addressing Leon familiarly as well, aren’t you? Drop the title with me, too. I don’t like it anyway.”
Emma “... Okay, then I’ll call you Luke.”
Luke “Good.”
Yves “Wait a minute! Didn’t you end up seducing her as well!?”
Jin “No, you got that wrong. That’s just how Luke’s natural character is. You guys as well, do the best you can.”
Jin took a lollipop out of his breast pocket and put it in his mouth.
Leon “Jin, do you think this is other people’s business?”
Jin “Yeah. Because I don’t give a shit about something like ascending to the throne.”
(Give a shit, he said...)
Nokto “I’m fine with whatever, so as a sign of our acquaintanceship, just call me Nokto, okay?”
Yves “I won’t allow that, understood? Make sure to address me with my title.”
Jin “Well, I dislike all that formal phrasing. Call me whatever you like.”
Emma “Then, I will call you Nokto, Yves and Jin.”
Yves “... Hey, are you even listening to what people are saying?”
Licht “... So stupid.”
(... What’s with him?)
Licht, who had only barely opened his mouth other than for the self-introduction, stood up.
Yves “Licht! Don’t always say things that push people away. Do you want your friends to leave?”
Licht “There weren’t any from the start. And I don’t need any.”
Yves “Because you’re again trying to be alone immediately—“ “Ah, wait, Licht! Where are you going!?”
Licht “Returning to my room.”
Nokto “Licht... You don’t have any interest in the throne?”
Licht “... No need to answer.”
Casting down his eyes, Licht left the room just like that.
(Somehow... He seems like someone who is hard to talk to.)
Yves “Really now, that guy...”
Emma “Wanting to be the king, not wanting to be the king... You really have various opinions, don’t you?”
Leon “Even though we are all half-brothers, our thoughts and everything else differ.”
Emma “By the way, what about you, Leon?”
Grinning, he returned a smile that said more than words could.
Leon “Determine with your own eyes whether I’m capable of becoming the king, okay?”
Emma “... All right.”
When I nodded in agreement, the sound of hands clapping quieted the place.
Sariel “I apologize for saying this during your pleasant talk. However, since there is a place I wish to show her, let’s end this meeting here.”
With Sariel leading the way, we walked into a room even more gorgeous than the one with the round table.
(This... It must be the audience hall.) (What to do...? I’ve come to an incredible place.)
What I saw at the end of the red carpet were only the throne and... In addition to that, a rose inside a glass dome.
Emma “What is that rose for?”
Sariel “For generations, on the occasion of His Majesty the King finding his demise, it has become the custom to prepare a rose.” “The rule is that the next king has to be determined by the time all of its petals have fallen.”
Emma “So there is a time limit.”
Sariel “Indeed. This rose is a special breed which continues to bloom for approximately one month.”
(One month... Within that period a new king has to be determined.)
Sariel stopped his feet near the throne and looked back at me.
Sariel “Other than that, all of the terms and conditions concerning the Belle-System are recorded in this covenant.”
(Sorry?)
With a snap of his fingers, the guards who briskly appeared, carrying a table made from oak trees and several sheets of paper completely covered with unusually small letters.
Emma “You’re not seriously telling me I have to read all this, right?”
Sariel “You are asking me something so blatantly obvious?”
(Your true nature again!?)
Sariel “If you have looked over all of this, please sign the covenant.”
Emma “You are sure saying some devilish things.”
Sariel “Because it is necessary. Once you have signed, I will guide you to your room.”
Emma “Okay... Wait, what?”
Sariel “What is the matter?”
Part 10 — Beauty and the Beast’s Covenant
Sariel “Once you have signed, I will guide you to your room.”
Emma “Okay... Wait, what?”
Sariel “What is the matter?”
Emma “Sariel, did you just say you will guide me to a room?”
Sariel “That is what I said.”
Emma “MY room?”
Sariel “Where else would I take you?”
Emma “To my home back in the town, perhaps?”
Sariel “A room for you has been prepared by the Royal Court.” “Because until the one who was selected as Belle has finished their duty, they are to live inside the castle.”
(That can’t be—)
My face grew pale at those unhesitatingly uttered words.
Emma “But that is troubling! What will become of the shop!?”
Sariel “I have already contacted the owner and arranged for a temporary employee.”
Emma “What about the mountain of food that was inside the shop!?”
Sariel “Everything has been moved to your room.”
Emma “Then, where’s Rio!?”
Sariel “Of course, right over here.”
When Sariel snapped his fingers—
Rio “Emma, it’s been a few hours! I really wanted to see you.”
Emma “What the—!?”
Rio who suddenly entered the audience hall was dressed like I had never seen him before.
(He looks like a butler... Or rather, he’s like a real one.)
Emma “Rio... What’s with that get-up?”
Rio “I decided to officially get a job here.”
Emma “Inside the castle!?”
Sariel “There is a single employee benefit in the Belle-System. Pets are allowed inside the Royal Castle.”
Emma “With pet you’re referring to...”
Sariel “This pet of yours, of course.” “When I entered the bookstore, he was barking so persistently that he didn’t leave me a choice but to take him along.”
Rio “Why, Emma was suddenly chosen as a candidate for Belle, so I was just a bit flustered, you know.” “I’m really glad that Sariel is such a reasonable person.”
It was the first time a saw Sariel at a loss for words.
Emma “Sariel, aren’t you looking a bit tired?”
Sariel “Of course I am not... hehe.”
(Something must have happened between those two.)
A small cough, as if going back to square one, resounded in the place.
Sariel “Since he’s just right, I will let him be your caretaker.” “Properly follow your master’s orders, hound.”
Rio “Yes! Emma, whatever happens, I will protect you. So don’t worry, okay?”
Emma “Thanks, Rio. And... Sorry for getting you involved.”
Rio “Not at all. Rather, to think that the day actually came when I can call you Master... Aah, it’s like a dream come true!”
Emma “You’re not calling me that, right?”
(But... Having the usual Rio here with me is really reassuring.)
Sariel “Well now, play with your pet later and quickly read the terms and conditions, please.”
Urged to do so, I once again attempted my fight with the documents... But with this pace it would be late at night by the time I finished reading.
(Aah, seriously... Reading all of this is impossible after all!) (Enough already, I’ll take my time reading it later.)
I flipped through the document in a hurry and reached for the prearranged quill pen. When I wrote down my name on the covenant, Sariel traced around the letters in satisfaction.
Sariel “Thank you very much. With this you have now officially become Belle.” “Our princes are an assembly of peculiar people who can’t be dealt with by ordinary means.” “But, please, choose a good king with your pure heart, will you?”
Emma “... Yes. I will, without fail, show you that I can fulfill my duty.”
This was the first time I felt like Sariel was sincerely smiling.
Rio “Okay, Emma. This is a bit sudden, but shall we go to our new love nest?”
Emma “You’re talking about your own room, right? Thanks, I’ll count on you to lead the way.”
(I have a lot of worries about this, but...) (Since this is something I chose myself, I will never regret it.)
When I looked back, one of the deep crimson petals had fallen inside the glass dome.
(Getting to know them, getting to know the country... and determining the king.)
After Emma and Rio had left the throne room.
Sariel “I think I will be truly busy from now on.”
With the wind that blew through the door left wide open, the letters spelled on the very last page of the overlapping official papers which would later on be what severely disturb our fates were revealed...
Covenant Clause 99 『After the selection period has finished, absolutely any relationship between “Belle” and the Crown is prohibited.』
But this was something nobody knew just yet at that time—...
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romancemesomeziam · 4 years
Text
Truth be told
Chapter 4
By the time you got to lady Aethelflaed's estate, it was pouring rain, your boots sloshing as you approached the main hall. It had been a long ride, the nights spent in the forest awkward as both you and Sihtric stayed silent but for basic questions. During the ride, he took it upon himself to ride a little before you, assuring that there were very few conversations.
With every hour spent together your annoyance grew and you felt like you were about to explode when you had finally reached your destination. The faster this was done the faster you could go home and pretend everything was fine once more.
Bowing as you approached Lady Aethelflaed, you tried to calm yourself, figuring you could deal with whatever problem Sihtric had once you were alone. .
"Y/N, Sihtric what brings you to Mercia?" Aethelflaed said as she rose from her seat, surprise evident in her voice.
You retrieved the message Uhtred had given you and that you had stored in your hip bag as you advanced towards Aethelflaed. "Our Lord sends his regards."
You slipped the piece of paper into her hand, retreating to stand next to Sihtric who remained silent, glancing your way before looking down at his feet.
Lady Aethelflaed read the message quickly, her brows furrowing for a moment before she glanced at the both of you.
"It must have been a long trip for you, I will have a room prepared at the ale house where you can rest," she assured with a smile. "My response will be ready in the morning. I would not want to elongate your journey."
Both Sihtric and yourself bowed once more as she left, leaving her guard to escort you to the ale house.
****
Opening the door to your room, you were ready to settle down for a nap, your thighs burning from riding for the past few days.
You sighed at the sight before you, moving aside so Sihtric could close the door.
"There's only one bed," you said, dropping your pack by the fire. You started to take your armour and boots off, hoping the fire that was already lit would help them dry out before your departure in the morning.
You could feel Sihtric watching you for a moment before he stepped up next to you, removing his own armour.
"I'll take the floor," he offered in a muted voice as he pulled off his tunic, exposing his bare chest.
You couldn't help but look at him, his skin glistening from the rain as he moved to hang his armour by the fire.
For a moment you wanted to argue, tell him he was being ridiculous and that you could share but for some reason you found yourself nodding quietly.
You retreated to the bed, sitting on the edge to massage your feet. The fire crackled, warming you up rapidly. You were thankful to have a bed for the night, the forest floor far less comfortable.
"We should talk," you finally said, exhaling heavily. Whatever was happening between you, you wanted to fix it.
Sihtric turned towards you, before leaning down, adding a log to the fire. He said nothing, his back now turned.
A minute passed and Sihtric remained silent. Lying down you sighed loudly, feeling your eyes shut on their own accord. You reached for your dagger as a security measure and finally let yourself drift off, ignoring the other person in the room.
----------
When you woke, you were warmer than expected. You opened your eyes to find a heavy fur had been placed over you. Seeking out Sihtric, you found him sitting on a stool next to the fire, a piece of bread in hand.
He seemed pensive as he watched the flames, his chest no longer bare. A part of you ached to touch him, to run your fingers through his hair but you stayed still, admiring his profile. You could see the sun had already set, the room dark but for the fire in the corner.
For a second you couldn't help but think how perfect life would be if it would be like this. Waking up to a great warrior by your side, feeling warm and content. Truth be told you wanted to forget all the awkwardness between the two of you, wanted to go back to how things used to be. Maybe he never cared for you but at least he used to treat you kindly, like you were his friend.
You sighed into the furs, trying to think what to do. The noise seemed to give you away as Sihtric turned towards you, his eyes surprisingly soft as he noticed you were awake.
"There's some food if you want," he said pointing to the small table by the bed. A plate filled with bread, cheese and fruit, sat on the edge of the wooden table, suddenly making your stomach rumble.
You smiled at him as you sat up, reaching for a piece of cheese. His eyes traced your movement attentively. Trying to be coy you brought the piece of cheese slowly to your mouth, watching him as he watched you.
Your eyes held each other, tension building and you couldn't help but grin around the food.
Suddenly Sihtric stood, advancing towards you, your heart hitching as he approached. You held out your hand for him, thinking he would take it but he moved around the bed and towards the door.
"I'll get some ale," he announced quickly, eyes cast to the ground and then he was gone, leaving you feeling a little heated and also cheated as you swallowed down the cheese.
Forcing your eyes away from the door, you grabbed the plate of food and started eating slowly. You felt slightly ridiculous for thinking he had been coming towards you. Shaking your head, you kept eating, nibbling at the bread without purpose.
Within a minute or two, Sihtric was back, handing you a cup of ale as he sat by the fire with his own. He seemed on edge, foot tapping lightly on the wooden floor, drawing your attention.
Silence settled between you once more as you finished your food, enjoying the ale as much as you could considering the state of things.
After a while you wondered what the message you had carried was actually about. You knew the Danes were littering the Mercian border and that Edward feared they would advance soon but Uhtred had kept the content of his message secret.
It wasn't unlike him, afterall you and Sihtric were simple soldiers and as much as your Lord confided in you, some things were always left unsaid.
"Do you know why we're here?" you asked Sihtric curiously. Uhtred had spoken to him after all before sending both of you to Mercia.
Sihtric shook his head, gazing into the fire. "It's been too long since the Danes have attacked. They must be planning something."
You nodded in agreement, knowing peace rarely lasted. The prospect of battle had you restless as you stood, stretching your muscles. You grabbed your sword and holster that had been leaning against the wall, fitting them back onto yourself.
"I need some air," you said quietly.
Immediately Sihtric was standing, grabbing his own sword but you waved your hand at him.
"I'm fine on my own," you assured him before stepping out rapidly, not wanting him to argue.
You walked down the stairs into the chaos of the ale house. Men stared at you as you walked by, keeping a tight hold on your sword, your head held high as you strutted out.
You knew they stared at you not only because you were a Dane but also because you were a woman. Two things that to these English men made no sense. Women didn't belong on the battlefield to them and Dane women deserved to die and nothing more.
You exhaled the breath you had been holding when you finally walked out, the air thick from the recent rainfall.
Sitting at one of the empty tables that littered the side of the ale house, you drank from the cup of ale you had brought with you the other hand still on your sword.
-------------
When you finally walked back into your room, Sihtric was sitting on the floor by the fire, hands in his hair as he tried braiding the middle section once more. Your journey had loosened the locks no doubt, the beads already heavy when you had left.
"Need some help?" You offered as you disarmed once more, taking a seat next to him.
He shook his head, making the last plait with a grunt when some hair caught in the silver beard.
"I was about to sleep," he admitted as he lied back, hand behind his head.
You steered your eyes away from the taunt skin of his stomach now exposed, standing just as quickly as you had sat.
"Ok," you whispered, swallowing your disappointment. You missed braiding his hair, talking with him, everything really.
Forcing a smile you laid on the bed once more, arm over your eyes to cover the light coming from the fire.
You listened to Sihtric breathing, the constant rhythm calming you. Shivering into the furs, you covered yourself, slightly guilty that Sihtric refused to join you.
"Are you sure you don't want to come up here?" you encountered again, hoping he would change his mind but he whispered a quiet no, face turned towards the flames.
Shaking your head, you threw a fur at him, hoping he would at least accept it. Damn fool, you thought as you turned to your side, closing your eyes.
Time ticked by, rain once again falling, the chaos of the ale house calming.
But no matter how hard you tried, you found yourself unable to sleep. Hours passed and you could hear Sihtric rolling over constantly on the hard floor, groaning as he no doubt tried to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in.
"Sihtric," you finally sighed, sitting up in bed, the furs falling around your waist. "Get in the bed please. You're making me crazy."
For a few seconds neither of you moved nor said anything. A little exasperated, you let yourself fall back into the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Finally, you heard some movement, shadows moving across the room. The bed dipped as Sihtric sat on the edge. You could see his dark figure as he rubbed at his face, groaning before laying down next to you.
You felt his warmth almost immediately, fingers itching to spread over his stomach. His breath fanned over you for a second as he settled more comfortably, his hand brushing your arm accidentally.
The apology fell from his lips almost instantly and you stopped him, hand coming to rub his chest through his tunic.
A surge of confidence filled you as you moved closer, laying your head on his shoulder and for once Sihtric didn't argue, wrapping his arm around your shoulder.
You sighed pleased, nuzzling into his chest as you closed your eyes, cuddling into the warms as sleep overcame you.
Maybe things would be alright afterall
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yuthoe · 4 years
Text
To-Go: 2+1 (PENTAGON: Yan An)
or “The Two times Yanan Tries to Ask You Out and The One Time He Succeeds.”
So this was requested a while ago, and at first I thought they were asking for baker!reader, but I reread the ask and saw it was actually the opposite so I had to rework the plot in my brain. Regardless, in both versions, Yanan is adorably awkward.
This turned out so long and I swear I didn’t mean for it to get to 2k words lol, it just happened. Also it seems that i HAVE to add a dash of mild angst whenever i write my fluff. apologies if this turns out bad--i’ve been out of it lately, and i guess exploring my writing style. also i’ve been busy trying to become a #contentcreator on youtube lmao.
hope you guys like it!
WARNING: a dash of angst. WORD COUNT: 2,223.
Master List
---
Yanan pulls his head up from putting freshly baked strawberry and chocolate Danishes in the display rack at the jingle of bells. The “welcome” dies on his lips at the sight of you, and he quickly makes to straighten up, only to bang his head on the underside of the top shelf. He rubs his slightly throbbing head as he wobbles to the kitchen.
Depositing the empty tray and tongs on a table, he desperately says, “Help! She’s here!”
“Ooohh,” his friend Changgu says, closing the oven door on a new batch of baguettes before turning fully to Yanan. “So what are you doing here, then? Shouldn’t you be out there at the counter?” he asks, one eyebrow raised and a playful smile on his flour-dusted face.
Yanan just groans. “Yeah, but I don’t know what to say!”
Changgu shrugs, takes the rag from the belt of his apron and wipes his hands with it. “The usual, maybe? ‘Is this all, or would you like a coffee with that? Will you have these to go?’ Come on, you’ve said it tons of times before--,”
“Not that, Changgu!” the taller man said, waving a hand in front of his face, as if swatting a fly away. “I meant about asking her out! I have no idea how to ask her! I’m not exactly the most suave person out there.”
The baker laughs, hearty and clearly amused. “Just be yourself, Yanan, what’s the harm in that?” Changgu takes the few steps to the refrigerator to get another batch of dough. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some bagels to make.”
Yanan lets out a pained sigh before turning and exiting the kitchen, mentally thanking his friend for that unhelpful advice.
Just in time too, as you’re stepping up to the register with a tray of goods. You smile at him and wave as you set the tray on the counter.
“‘Afternoon, Y/N,” Yanan asks, quickly punching in the codes for three chocolate-filled croissants, two lemon curd Danishes, a pack of miniature cookies, and a baguette loaf; two years working at a bakery as the frontman leaves him no choice but to memorize product codes even for the least popular baked good. “Would you like a coffee with these?”
You hum, already scanning your prospects at the menu board above him before he asked. You squint, pursing your lips in concentration and Yanan thinks it’s the most adorable thing. And then you smile and turn back to him. “Yep, a medium caramel macchiato, please!”
“All righty,” he says, punching it in. “To go as always, I’m assuming?” he asks, smiling shyly.
“You know me so well, Yanan,” you reply, smiling back. “I’ve got a few friends coming by tonight, so I’m doing some shopping.”
“Ah, hence the baguette?” Yanan asks, before rattling off the price for everything.
You root into your bag for your wallet and hand him a bill before saying, “Yep, gots to have that bread for the cheese board.” Yanan gently puts the change into your upturned palm before turning to the coffee machine behind him.
“Don’t cheese boards usually have crackers?” The whir of the coffee grinder almost drowns out his voice, but thankfully you can still hear him.
“Yeah, but sometimes you just need more carbs.” Yanan sputters a laugh as he presses the shot button on the machine and turns back to see you smiling at the joke.
And then Yanan just decides to go for it. “Does this wine and cheese party have room for one more?” he says as he turns his attention to making your coffee. He feels his ears burn--from embarrassment or dread, he’s not sure.
You’re unable to bite back a smile, and then a loud laugh. “Mm, sorry, Yanan, I’m afraid it’s girls’ night tonight. But you know, sometimes one of our guy friends tags along too, just for the cheesy rom-coms, so I can ask. If you want.”
Yanan sets the hot paper cup in front of you and waves a hand. “Ah, no, you don’t have to; I was just joking.” He hopes the laugh he lets out is believable.
“Oh,” you say, taking the cup and the paper bag in both hands. “Well, let me know if you change your mind about that, ‘kay?” You turn for the door. “Thanks for this, Yanan! I’ll see you!” you say, and you disappear once again with the jingle of bells.
Yanan stares at the closed door, then sighs and deflates until he’s crouching behind the register, resisting the urge to just bang his head into it.
***
You reappear the next Monday, just as Yanan finishes putting up freshly packaged dinner bread on a shelf. The bells’ chimes welcome in a gust of wind from the chilly morning, and Yanan shivers, just a tad, and rolls down the sweater sleeves he wears under the bakery’s navy blue linen apron. He takes the empty tray he’d brought in and retreats once again behind the counter, sneaking glances at you from the corner of his eye.
He doesn’t mean to be creepy, and he hopes he doesn’t come off as too chummy when he asked if he could join your get-together the previous Friday. He doesn’t usually do that, nor does he even usually have a need to ask someone out; he spends all his free time in the bakery and all the customers, while nice and respectful (except of course, for the one-in-ten nasty ones), are more like family to him.
And then you came along one summer afternoon for a mocha iced coffee and a bagel, and after taking a sip said, “Is the mocha iced coffee this good usually, or is it just because you made it?” Yanan’s face turned as pink as his hair back then and stuttered through the rest of the transaction. 
The next time you came in a few days later, you made no mention of the iced coffee thing, but still managed to strike up a conversation with the introverted boy. Yanan was grateful for it--he was too flustered to reply properly, after all--and from that short exchange about strawberry jam blossomed a casual acquaintanceship.
Everything was going fine and dandy until one closing time when Changgu said, “So when are you going to ask Y/N out?” At Yanan’s expression of incredulous surprise, the baker continued, “What? She comes by the bakery more than once every week and talks to you everytime. She even asked the part-timer once if it was your day off when she came in and you weren’t there. All signs point to her liking you, man.”
Yanan had been helping put away trays and bolts, but at his friends words he froze, party scared of the idea that someone might be interested in him and he had no idea how to go about it, and partly excited that someone might be interested in him and that hadn’t really happened or been brought to his attention since elementary school.
And he does suppose it’s time he puts himself out there since Changgu has been pestering him about taking less shifts because he’s getting sick of seeing him all the time. Plus, he needs to get out more anyway. Two birds with one stone, right?
“Thanks, Yanan,” your voice snaps him out of his reverie. “I’ll see you later!” He registers your goodbye too late, tries to make words come out of his mouth, raises a hand at the door swinging closed behind you.
He really just went on autopilot while being consumed by his thoughts, huh? Yanan groans inwardly, deciding to make himself an espresso to distract him from his abysmal flirting skills.
***
You push the heavy door open and inhale the distinct smell of freshly baked bread. It’s been a few days since you stopped by--work had been demanding lately and required you to clock in earlier and punch out later, so your routine got disrupted. But yesterday you submitted that finance report and could finally take your time getting that good, good coffee. And yeah, maybe a snack for later.
There are a couple of people milling about, trays full of bread, or holding a bag of rolls. You make a beeline towards the display case of confections; if you could, you’d spend all day here, just looking at the golden-brown baked dough, some lightly glazed with sugar, colorful from the fruit fillings you know they make in-store. The chocolate chip cookies are a crowd favorite--big and chunky and guaranteed to have an ample amount of chocolate in every bite. You however, are partial to their oatmeal cranberry cookies.
The way this bakery makes them gives the cookies a crunch (you suspect they put rock salt in there or something, but you aren’t a baker so what would you know?), the tartness of dried cranberries gets dialed down by the oatmeal, and the cinnamon adds a depth to the fruity flavor. It’s your favorite to-go item here, and you immediately take a medium-sized bag. You tell yourself to save these and not just devour them in one sitting this time.
A customer is getting his items rung up when you get to the counter, already seeing Yanan’s head bob up and down as he reaches for the baked goods. “Sometimes being tall is tiring,” he told you once. “Like here, I have to bend a bit to ring up the food because the counter is too low for me. But don’t tell Changgu I told you that, he’d hold it over me forever.” You both laughed at that.
“Thank you for your patronage,” you hear Yanan say now, handing the paper bag of food to the man in front of you. “Take care, and come again!” He waves to the man before turning to you.
“‘Morning, Yanan,” you say, handing him the bag of cookies. “Are you feeling okay today?” You noticed when you last came in that he was oddly quiet and subdued. You weren’t quite sure why he was so down, so you didn’t attempt to make conversation; your mouth is sometimes too fast for your brain and you didn’t want to end up saying something to accidentally offend him.
“Hey, Y/N,” he says, greets you with a soft smile, but you see he’s trying to avoid looking at you. “Yeah, I’m fine. Can I get you a coffee?”
“Yeah, a large hot mochaccino, please.” You hand him a bill and he returns your change. “I’m glad,” you say, fiddling with your wallet as Yanan works the coffee machine. “You seemed kinda down last week.”
You see him start, then press the button on the machine before turning to you. “Did I?” He bites his lip. “Sorry, I… I was just thinking.” He taps his long fingers on the wooden counter, the whirring of the machine and soft jazz emanating from the speakers the only sounds for a moment, before Yanan speaks again. “About last Friday… I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep, I just thought it would be a funny joke, but I actually half-meant it, but I wasn’t really expecting you to say yes to me, and even if you did I didn’t want to trouble you, but I just thought it would be kinda nice to hang out with you, you know, outside the shop, I mean, ‘cause like, you’re really fun to talk to, and I’d like to--,”
“Woah, woah, wait, Yanan, wait a minute,” you say, interrupting his rambling, an amused smile on your face. Yanan clamps his mouth shut and busies himself with making your coffee. You think you see a sweep of pink on his cheeks. “I… was actually serious about that--inviting you to hang out, I mean. I think you’re great to talk to, and I. I wanna get to know you more, too.” You can feel your face heat up as you fix your eyes on the grains of the countertop.
You hear a soft tap in front of you, just as the fragrance of espresso and chocolate assault your nose. The green paper cup sits in front of you, and you raise your eyes slowly--up Yanan’s clasped hands, to the linen apron stamped with the bakery’s logo, and landing on his eyes, shy and worried but hopeful.
“So,” he says, almost too softly that if you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t have caught it. Yanan takes a deep breath. “Do you… want to have dinner sometime?”
You think you must have misheard it. But you saw his lips moving, heard the sound come out of his mouth, so it must be real. 
You’re nodding before you realize it, smiling before you notice your cheeks are hurting. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d love to.” A relieved smile breaks out on Yanan’s face, and you briefly wonder how you didn’t realize he’s beautiful when he smiles.
He lets out the breath he’s holding as he pushes the cup of coffee to you. “Here’s your coffee, to go.” You reach out to take it, and make sure to brush your fingers against his. Electricity rushes up your hand, and you feel it buzzing as you say your goodbyes. as you exit the shop and step out into the chilly morning. as you remember him everytime you take a sip of the delicious coffee.
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