#!event: Royal Resets

[stolen-godhood]

Well ! Good Morning, Tumblr.

I do not believe I have ever been so furious to be so well rested.

[lizzybeeee]

Personal take: One of the weirdest things Veilguard did, outright baffling, in fact, is how it feels like they reset the status quo of the world to Origins - even further back, if anything.

The game avoids (at all costs) meaningfully delving into exploring what these events/lore reveals mean to the world and characters at large. But the entire time I was thinking: holy shit this is bad.

What happens in game has very, very bad implications for the rest of Thedas and how they're going to look at groups like the Elves and Mages. I'm looking at this from the perspective of someone whose played all three previous games, not from the perspective of datv which really brushes over all moral complexity and sociopolitical issues. Of course, it's just my interpretation but its based off what happened in previous games.

Elves

The Elvish Gods of legend came back, blighted, and ended up wiping out the majority of the South - I find it hard to believe that the elves would not be 'roped in' as being responsible somehow.

Elves could sneeze in a previous game and people would blame them for causing a plague and purge the alienage -> life is shit for an elf and the events of datv would have absolutely made life a thousand times worse.

Would there be purges of alienages? Are there groups like the chavaliers or mobs of humans going about an killing elves because 'It's your Gods. It's your fault.'

Obviously, it isn't. But there are plenty of examples in Thedas' history of people acting rashly/cruelly out of terror and anger - and it's the most vulnerable people, like the Elves and Mages, who are targeted.

The Dalish Elves, what remains of them, would likely be perceived as 'Blight/Old God worshipers' - people would chase them off for the 'crime' of living too close to them in the woods in DAO.

Terrified, angry people would not care if the Dalish said they had nothing to do with what's happening - there would be bloodshed.

If anything improved for the elves from the time of Origins -> Mahariel, Tabris, Lavellan, or Briala...it's likely back to ground one as the best possible outcome, and closer to the Exalted March on the Dales at it's worst.

Mages

Mages could, potentially, have been living a life of unprecedented acceptance if Leliana was Divine -> along come the Evanuris, mages, who are allied with the Venatori who are causing devastation in Orlais and the Free Marches specifically.

Missive - Message from the Front -> The Tide Turns "The Venatori and the Orlesian royal armies clash daily in Orlais. Val Royeaux is now under control of the rebels, and from there the Venatori launch attacks as far east as Kirkwall."

The original magisters (evanuris) wielding the Blight and Old Gods 2.0 x2.

Any templars who remained, who had the old mindset and outlook of how mages should be treated, absolutely would be pointing at the venatori and saying "we warned you what would happen without the Order."

Normal people wouldn't give a shit that it's only a 'few' mages -> their entire home is gone, their families are dead, and the people responsible are wielding magic.

Fear of magic would likely be at an all time high - If the Order doesn't exist people would likely be demanding for them to come back.

The mages - whatever goodwill they earned - are likely being faced with suspicion and terror because this is proof of what magic can do in the hands of power-hungry douchebags.

Maybe they help to fight and people don't get so suspicious of them - who knows! This game doesn't want to address the previous games so it's in limbo.

Spirits

Other people have done great posts about how the spirits were completely tossed aside in this game. Three games worth of humanizing spirits, with Justice and Cole, only to go back on it with Solas reinforcing the Veil and...maintaining the status quo?

He so earnestly discussed with us his perspective on spirits and how they're just as 'real' as those on this side of the Veil - we saw it with Cole firsthand. But I guess they can all chill in the Fade till Solas dies or whatever.

I'd argue that the elves and mages are in an even worse position than they were in Origins. It's just not fulfilling, to me at least, to see the World I got so invested in just regress to the status quo after three games of challenging it. For it to not be meaningfully discussed or spoken about in-game, just brushed aside...I may not have liked the decision to do this but it could have been interesting (at least) if they actually discussed it.

Also, people don't just 'band together' because of the Blight - Origins showed us very well that in times of strife and pressure peoples petty/deeply ingrained beliefs, prejudices, and values come to the forefront. Alistair's comment about “You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together" -> was him being snarky about how everybody as Ostagar was on the verge of throwing hands with each other. They were united in cause not in belief - the cause being to eradicate the darkspawn.

It's just so grim, and with how they handled sociopolitical issues and moral complexity in datv (not at all) I have no hope that they'll be able to address this at all, if they even bother to and don't just...ignore it, I guess.

Maybe this is what the devs meant when they said that the 'tone' was similar to Origins - just straight up erasing whatever strides was made in the previous games and setting it back to square one lmao

[yoru-no-seiiki]

DOG BLOOD （狗血）

YANDERE! PROTAGONIST x SADISTIC! LOVE INTEREST! READER

tw/cw: everyone’s gender is up to interpretation. dddne, yandere themes, violence, suggestive content

but what if you were never the villain, but a love interest.

MINORS/AGELESS BLOGS ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN FROM ALL MY POSTS!! LEAVE OR I WILL BLOCK!!

CASSIEL was a bored, lonely person. Through countless of timelines and people they’ve been with, none have piqued their interest in the slightest.

Even you.

But as a love interest, it was your job to keep them well — interested. Engaged. Entertained by the thought of romancing you.

But they never did.

They always ended up completing the game without touching a single person. Not any of the romancable options nor even the concubines offered to them in their conquests. A solitary existence.

You could only smile as a façade to hide your frustrations, as in some timelines they saw it fit to kill you.

“You . . . “

Your lines were as followed,

‘You can use me however you’d like.’

You said it at least a hundred times now. Your diction, tone, gestures were always perfectly replicated. It was the one line you could say that didn’t result in a horrific torture and death.

But this time, you felt nothing. Fear left you long ago. What was the point of being careful when you knew every outcome of every action and decision?

“You’re bored are you not?”

Cassiel’s head swiveled so quickly you were almost worried it would come right off.

You did the same thing you always did. You climbed their lap. Your hand around atop shoulders. Your face next to their ear.

In many other lifetimes, it’d end with them shoving you off. Maybe even, breaking your legs before outright killing you.

And yet this time it was as different. Stiff.

Your pointer finger grazes across their jaw, to their lips, and then their nose bride as you studied their beautifully crafted features. The protagonist was the Gods’ favorite after all, you never truly had the opportunity to savor that perfectly sculpted face.

“Lie down, be good, and we can have some fun. Shall we, your highness?”

The night was long. The two of you were inexperienced, but you weren’t about to let go of such an opportunity — your stamina be damned.

Adrenaline carried you throughout the night. Their highness’s wet eyelashes and swollen lips were another point of motivation. As they came undone underneath you several times, it all ended when curiosity took hold of you once more and your hands reached their throat.

And you squeezed. Wrenched all the air out of their throat.

Finally, a familiar sight greets you as the world collapses. Because what would it be without its protagonist?

[ RESET COMPLETE : BEGINNING CONSCIOUSNESS UPLOAD ]

You awoke again, back to the same place and time. Your eyes flicked to your hands.

Your heart fluttered.

You reached climax after climax with the royal. The protagonist you sought after for what felt like hundreds and thousands of years.

But nothing felt better than the moment you ended their life instead. The power you felt. You were utterly drunk on it.

In any case, after that event, you slowly began realized how soft the protagonist truly was. The conqueror of the world melted like a puddle when you took the charge, and almost evaporated when you’d coddle or pamper them afterwards.

You also slowly began to realize how much more you needed to get that high once more. Simply killing them wasn’t enough. You wanted them to feel betrayed. You wanted them to scream in horror once you flayed them alive. You wanted them to cry out in fear when you’d chase them down and re-create those times when they’d torture you.

But then, you would catch a smile here and there. In moments where it wasn’t supposed to exist. Cassiel moaning during the times you’d cut open his arms in an attempt to study their body’s anatomy better wasn’t something the pleased you at all. It took away the pleasure of your hobby. The joy you’d receive when you had them to play within your hands. The ecstasy of being the one to bring about pain to your torturer’s favorite.

“Stop making sounds you’re distracting me.”

“My . . . hah . . . apologies. It just feels . . . amazing.”

You paused. Your movements frozen as your mind processed what they just said.

Tch. Turn-off.

©️ yoru.no.seiiki - yun | 2023

taglist: @the-dumber-scaramouche @justkouisenough @rxflen

[cirqosmos]

Did I, A Side Character Became the Male Lead's Wife?! : Part 2

2023 | 13+ | ONESHOT | YANG JUNGWON × READER | -> PART 1

SUMMARY the male lead was suppose to fall in love with the female lead, and yet how did he even gain an interest in you?! clenching your fist as determination blazes your orbs as you're now far beyond determined to make him dislike you for once and for all.

WC -> 22.5K *⁠.⁠✧♡・ PLAYLIST -> 💌

🎵...BLUEBEARD

"a lady like you, i'm afraid to say, intrigues me very much..." jungwon shots a kittenish wink right through your heart. "be my wife, milady. i'll show you how good I can be for you."

"b-be your wife?!" your features contorted horrendously, along with immense cringing.

this prince. this fucking prince.. no way did he just ask me to be his wife?! your orbs ogled out as his words chanted within the void of your mind, mocking your very efforts to sway this prince away to his land of fairytale, and to where he rightfully belongs.

screw you?!

"i don't want to dance with you, nor be your wife, or for you to be good for me! get. fucking. lost!"

it's safe to say, that you punched a fist right to his face after him spewing such shitty nonsense. that alone adding an nth time of gasps from everyone in the ballroom.

right now, unfortunately, you were sprinting to the long ass hallway without ever looking back. okay let's say you did look back and fortunately no one or neither the prince were chasing after you.

seriously, what has gone wrong with the male lead?! how in the actual fuck he had taken an interest in you? it seems as if every action you did to push him away only pulls him closer. might as well reset yourself from this world if you can.

whining immensely as you recalled your female lead's precious grin, "liz! what has come to my story?!"

yet to your utter disappointment and shock even, the news of the prince literally proposing to you minus the one punch incident had somehow quickly reached the entire nation, everyone and anyone you could think of has been informed of the incident between you and the prince. confirming it totally as you walked through the market with the female lead.

you’ve come to a final conclusion that the prince must have sealed everyone’s lips that was present at that ball, probably for your sake.

"his royal highness has truly taken a liking towards you, milady." liz pulled up a proud smile which had you cringing. like please don't do that, please don't. you weren't supposed to be smiling like this.

"oh god, kindly refrain from uttering that prince's in front of my face, liz. he's nothing but a—" you immediately stopped yourself from spewing shit about the prince as you don't want to ruin liz's perception on him, which would possibly furthering the already inflicted damage on your original story.

you sigh dejectedly, as your eyes lazily gaze somewhere instead. wanting to take off the stress from your chest for a while.

throwing yourself on your bed after an entire day out with liz, you refuse to attend any noble event since you discarded all the invitation letters with the contents consisting of them congratulating you for being the prince's fiancée which had you cringing to your core.

your deadpan look as you threw all of the letters had the maids bringing the tray of food—mortified to say the least.

how couldn't you? those nobles sending in a bunch of letters obviously had traces of malice and envy engraved in those over exaggerated fonts, they are akin to a predator waiting in patience for you—a little lamb to reveal itself as a free buffet.

buffet? wife? where did my comfy life go? where?!

you've decided to hide in the comfort of your manor till this so-called news of you being the prince's fiancée died out. but how long would it take then? would it take a week? a month? oh god, you're wishing it won't have to take that far as you also need a bunch of fresh air.

groaning again you did as you couldn't possibly hid forever too, as the author of this novel; you are fully aware of how you crafted the prince's character, that despite all of the charms and dazzling traits you moulded into him, you've added one specific thing that had him stood out the most and that was he's beyond possessive and obsessed with the female lead as it was rooted from one of his traits; competitive, dedicated and most of the time, he doesn't like to lose and that he had to get what he wanted or else..

chaos it is, and such chaos coming from the prince himself are not to be underestimated.

you are having such an enormous urge to bang your head on your bed right now as how couldn't you? who doesn't want a male lead to live and die for their lover? of course you and your damn adorable readers!

well, fiction isn't to be confused with reality after all. but damn your life for this is your reality now—here in your own very novel.

screw your novel, screw your life, screw reality, screw the prince! you might just as well fall into your slumber now as you try to plan another way to avoid that very prince you crafted.

"milady? would you like to try the new gown we had customised for you from the town's boutique?"

"what? new gown? since when did i ask for you to customise me one?"

"just.. the head maid had asked for it as another letter had arrived from the royal palace, more specifically, the prince himself had asked for your presence for the upcoming ballroom this week."

"nah uh?!" you emphasised in slight irritation. "don't make me repeat this again, juliet. i'd rather have the cup of chocolate i asked you for just now than attend such pointless event."

"but milady!"

"oh dear heavens, my silky and puffy blankets are to be treasured upon my hands—" burying your head in your pillow as your maid had a defeated expression, pouting slightly. lifting your head almost immediately when your maid left, you muttered endlessly to your void or more specifically to the prince. “inviting me for another ballroom, do you think that i’m stupid? now feel free to dance all by your own!—”

a pair of birds chirped in a melodious, and harmonious tone on the edge of the window.

the sun rays peering through the swaying curtains glints against your fluttering eyelashes, causing your orbs to hid behind the shield of your splayed fingers. stretching your arms upwards, a sense of satisfaction surged through your veins—fueling the corners of your lips to pull up in the widest grin.

it been approximately six days since then, with no news nor an invitation had arrived from the prince himself.

it can’t be that you've successfully overturned your fate by not attending the prince's second invitation, squinting mischievously—he must have lose interest in you for not visiting your manor, doesn't he? with his character, he couldn't have possibly had gone that long! he sure would've been tremendously patient regarding political affairs but never at the female lead!

in chapter 16 of your novel, "blooming romances" where you've written the development of their romance that had your reader's heart evaporating into nothingness as they weep under the comment section over how a single sentence you wrote had made them feel so damn single and why they haven't found a guy like the prince yet:

-> a paragraph from chapter 16 ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

after gaining the heart of lady liz; prince jungwon was beyond ecstatic to have another day out with his lover, however alike the eclipse's separation—royal and political affairs had ripped him away from the comfort of his lover's arms. thus, he had been occupied with so much papers within the palace's quarters.

yet as soon as the grey cloak crawled back over the blue sky, pulling the moon back with it—so does the prince himself, leaving the stacked up papers on his desk and appearing before the lady's quarters after much effort climbing onto the firm tree.

wasting not a single breathe, as the apples of his cheeks serving as a physical form of his infatuation towards the lady—the tips of his tongue mellowed in instinct for her, along with his hand that were accustomed to his sword's handle to enveloped beneath her fingers—pressing a lover's vow on the top of her hand through his faint red lips.

"milady, i fear i no longer have the strength to contain myself from letting out a single breath without your presence." his lips ghosted against his lover's ear, "it had my patience crumbling into nothing when you, milady had reigned over my heart."

— was what the male lead had voiced out rather solemnly to his lover, as he couldn't bear to be stay one more night without her presence.

yet it doesn't seem to be that case in yours! fucking good news, finally!

ah! what a joyous occasion! you plopped on the bed with your gathered strength as you giggled like a child. bliss consumed your entire soul with your surging scream alerting the entire manor.

swaying your pillow in a circular frantic motion as you sprinted towards your hallway, "juliet! liz! i'm the happiest person ever in the world— oh jesus, someone hosts a damn buffet and tell everyone in the manor to join!"

"milady!" your grin only grew wider as the sight of juliet sprinting towards your way greeted your eyes.

"juliet! oh dear, you should—"

"milady!" she panted right after falling on your arms. "the— the—"

"hm? why are you sweating so much? what happened?"

taking a deep humongous breath she did before uttering one sentence that had your head, mind, and soul blasting into the ghost quiet vacuum of space.

"the prince— his royal highness has arrived!"

"what?!" your jaw dropped on the ground with dozens of imaginary gigantic mirrors crashing behind you in a comical way as your expressions darkened into utter horror.

🎵. . .WAKE UP

a chirping bright blue bird with its harmonious song apparently had been crashed by a swerving black velvet bird from the sky, resulting in both of them colliding and falling on top of another on the lush green blades, just a few distance away from where the table you and the prince were at.

"why. are. you—i mean his royal highness doing here again? i'm sure i've made it clear that i simply wanted nothing to do with you, didn't i? prince jungwon?" crossing your arms, holding a firm resolution in your foot before the prince as you two sat down for a tea, in the refreshing garden behind your manor.

there he was in his casual royal attire of white ruffled shirt, dark blue bowtie with tiny gems engraved on it. his lush hair bouncing slightly on top of his eyelashes as he blinked a couple of times, and tiny sparkles within those orbs which made him look like a puppy at times but those feline eye shape stood out even more.

"i assume that you require time to think about this matter, milady." jungwon answered, "that's why i stayed behind, for a while, that is."

huh.

are you hearing this correctly? him, this very prince you crafted with little to no patience for his lover—telling you that he waited and desires to not pressure you? what in the humongous sorcery is this?!

"if you think that's gonna make me feel something, then.." you leisurely caressed your cheek, gazing at him lazily. "that's quite dense of you, your highness."

little dimples emerged from his cheeks as his feline eyes twinkled at you. "that's not the only thing i could do, if you—milady, grant me the honour, then there's plenty things of things about me that you haven't explored yet."

as if! you scoffed in the back of your mind, eyes deadpanning as this guy had no clue that he is nothing but a character you crafted! how could you know nothing about him?! heck, you are the one who wrote him this way!

"you see, your highness." you sighed with a pout, "i'm a very busy person, i do not have such leisure time to explore something that is not centred around my interest."

"oh, does it mean that i perhaps don't interest you then, milady?"

"isn't it obvious by now, your majesty? plus, inviting yourself to my residence is nothing close to good manners. as a prince, manners should've been your priority."

jungwon stayed awfully silent after that, eyes looking down as if he was in a deep thought. your eyebrows knitted together, curious as to what he's trying to pull off next. like just give up already, goddamnit.

"regarding manners, how about we tie a pact then, milady?"

"a p-pact?" you frowned deeply at him.

"yes, milady. a pact that would honour both of us, and our wishes." jungwon continued after taking a sip from his teacup. "i wouldn't be able to sit still without pouring an effort for something i desire, what my heart desires." his feline eyes slowly raised to look at yours. "yet milady doesn't hold the same desire as i do, which is quite unfortunate, that is."

"i seriously have no idea what you find so interesting in me?" you shook your head along with a slight scoff, apparently breaking another bead of sweat, unsure of where this was going—definitely not in the way you've dying for.

"i have yet to know, milady. that's the very reason i had the courage to ask for such a bold request from you."

"and what makes you assume i would agree to that?" you raised your left eyebrow.

"i have yet to resort to such foul actions, which i'd rather not to milady."

your blood surged cold through your veins, "are you threatening me?"

"certainly i do not intend it to sound that way, i prefer to keep this as civil as possible as you—milady, truly does has gained my interest and it would truly be vain if i.. wasn't given the chance to prove my worth to you. all i am asking from you milady, is to give me a chance to prove myself for you."

prove himself..?

shit. you hated to admit it. but those words, the way he chose to string his words akin to woven embroidery that was meticulously sewed to perfection—pierced right through your heart strings, causing your ears to heat up. partly because of how truly sincere he sounds, and partly was.. how the fuck did he made it sound good?! you've never thought of such romantic words even after a hundred cups of coffee in your desk!

"and how would you guarantee the eligibility of this pact? that you won't force me against my will?"

"you have my word, milady. if by any chance, i failed to gain your love—i will gladly retreat. that's my promise to you." jungwon leaned in closer as he placed his chin on his right palm. "however, i'll certainly do my very best in this thirty coming days."

mischievous yet determination blazes within those feline eyes of his, which had you realising just how serious he was at pursuing you.

"fine, i'll give you a chance but as a pact requires rules, i'll share some of my own."

"sure go ahead, milady."

"one, do not call me your wife or specifically future wife in front of everyone."

"may i do it personally then—" jungwon shrugged playfully when you hissed at him.

raising your index finger upwards, "two, stay one meter apart." he obliged with much hesitation, "and three, uh. i haven't think of it yet but i'll surely add a third rule. now how about you, your majesty?"

"yes, milady?"

"don't you have any rules you want to add?"

jungwon emitted a giggle as soon as he processed your words, "oh, i don't think i need one. after all, whatever you may wish, shall i grant."

"then, stop chasing me—"

"except that one." his lips pulled up in a mischievous smirk, the sun places a tender kids on the strands of his hair—dripping honey hues on his cheeks which reflected against his feline orbs. "then shall we start the countdown, milady?"

thirty days, it is; for him to pour his entire efforts to gain your heart, while you greatly adamant in your mission to make him lose interest in you and make him fall in love with your precious female lead, liz!

sighing for the horrendous nth time as you stood before the blinding lights of the chandelier on top of the patterned ceiling, it had you remembering your old trip to a renowned palace in the real world back then, and that it had mesmerised you so much you wish to stay there a bit more.

it was also one of the main inspirations for your novel, after all.

that you kind of wish to be able to stay in such a glorious place, and wear exquisite dress, to attend a tea party and meet your own prince charming.

"i see, that this is the lady our prince had taken an interest for?" a middle aged man along with a young lady appeared before you, clearly trying to get your attention.

but now that you are here, it kind of sucks to be fair.

all of that was a mere desire, it was just a temporary part of you that desires to be in such life, not that you'd really want to be in it as you'd rather stay in your room—indulging yourself in the world of your favourite manhwas, that it had you working on your own very novel. having no matters to attend to except for working on your novel 24/7 was pure bliss, and that you'd rather spent reading all your adorable reader's comments over talking with people way too much in reality.

it was probably a way of the deities to pull you out from your dusty old corner which you definitely and would never appreciate as you gave a deadpan look towards the night sky above the glass panes of the ceiling.

"uh?"

"she truly lives up to the rumour, father." the lady snickered behind her lacy hand fan, her eyes held traces of mockery in it.

"i dare say that his royal highness had quite a special taste.."

you tilted your head at them, sighing as you very well know where this is going. of course why wouldn't you? this was the dialogue you created during a crying session after your favourite manhwa ends on a horrible note. opting to torture your characters in your dusty side novel by using this dialogue on them, and later had a beaming idea to recycle it for the female lead's fateful encounter with the nobles.

"if you'd like to keep your tongue, then i advise you to stick it inside. marquess?" goosebumps raised over the back of your neck when the prince appeared, his feline eyes held irritation in it as he stood beside you. "you had no right to speak to my future wife, don't you?"

"i- ap-pologize, your highness!"

"apologize? they say actions speak louder than words, then would you, dear marquess, cut your atrocious tongue for me then?"

the marquess held the need to tear up as the humongous dark aura the prince emitted caused his knees to turn noodles, trembling pathetically.

they all know, just like you do, obviously cause you write them that way—that this prince had not the slightest mercy once provoked, therefore he was greatly feared and will never cease to be so the more he grew up to be a fine young man, and onto his adulthood.

sneakily getting out of the ball after a few royal officials appeared and the prince had no choice but to entertain them. you took the chance to sniffed in a humongous fresh of air into your burning lungs after spending a torturous hours inside.

with the moonlight rays being your fellow companion as you wandered about the royal garden you encountered, your heels made an audible crack sound which causes something from the distance to rustle, you snapped your head at the source of the noise.

yet none was to be seen except for your presence.

a white silhouette, rather tiny in form sprinted in your peripheral vision and before you can turn your head towards it, it was unfortunately gone. then suddenly, it reappeared and only then you notice what it was as your heart immediately form shape of neon hearts.

you caught sight of the tiny snow bunny hopping along the bushes, your eyes shimmered as you approached as slowly as you can. a snow bunny. how adorable?! you cooed as low as you can to avoid scaring the bunny, and to your utter satisfaction, it hops onto your lap. with the biggest grin on your lips—you patted the bunny, indulging yourself in this form of cuteness.

"milady, you're here?"

the snow creature on your lap flinches and hop out of your lap which causes you to sigh at the prince before you. giving him a deadpan look you were itching to do all this time, and now that he's finally here..

"i'm quite sure one of the rules i stated was that you would refrain from calling me.. your wife? didn't we, your highness?"

"forgive me, milady." jungwon shrugged. "such atrocious acts had to be cut off before it grows, and aside from that, what kind of husband would i be if i couldn't do the bare minimum of protecting my wife?"

the tip of your nose was immediately dusted off with rosy hues. another shitty dialogue that you don't know where it came from, that shoots another cupid's bow to your serene heart once again—gritting your teeth as you pull the imaginary arrow out of your heart before it can grow to something worse.

you sighed at him as you placed your attention on the lush garden around you, getting on your knees as you brushed your finger across the florals. “your highness seems too confident, i fear you’ll be utterly heartbroken later.”

“to pursue something requires risk, it is a risk i am willing to take, milady.” jungwon said. “plus, it is not determined yet that i can’t win your heart.”

“hm, sure your highness. feel free to think so, we’ll see that later.” you rolled your eyes. “make sure not to come back crying later, your highness.” you notice the way jungwon’s lips pulled up in the faintest smile.

your eyes exponentially softened at that sight of him, of course seeing your male lead with your own eyes was once in a lifetime opportunity, to see one of your characters that you created with your entire heart and soul came into life and to utter words with their lips engulfed you with complete bliss. yet your heart moans in fear that this smile shouldn't be for you, it was only for the female lead.

you cannot let it grow more than this.

my precious female lead.. liz. poor her, she's definitely having her well deserved sleep after going about the town, helping people in need and such, therefore you had to get this mission done as quick as possible!

for her to indulge in the romances of love!

clenching your fist in full blown determination, you stood back on your feet—the breeze flowing against your gown as you gaze up the moonlit sky and you've gotta admit that the scattering rays the moonlight bestows upon the silent blooming florals had the image of tranquillity, instantly bringing your heart at ease.

but you would never be at ease as long as the prince had his eyes on you.

you turned your attention back to the prince who had been gazing upon the moon as well. despite the prince's back facing you, you could tell that he was deep in thought, remaining silent for quite awhile.

"but keep your hopes low, your highness." you exclaimed with a mild scoff.

"i do and will keep that in mind, milady." jungwon's lips pulled up in a slight smirk. "however, please do keep it in mind too that I will never give up yet."

taken aback by his sheer determination, you folded your arms— "well, let's see!"

jungwon slightly giggles at you, "alright, milady."

damn, author versus character? what an odd combination of a match. he won't give up? sure bring it on! i knew you better than you do, yang jungwon! a total stare down occurs between you and the prince, with a definite goal at mind.

"may i ask why.. is lady liz here with us too, milady?" dumbfounded the prince was in the presence of the lady, he surely didn't expect that right?!

hah! jokes on you, yang jungwon! you suppressed the need to smirk as the very fact was you sneakily inviting liz without the prince's knowledge which resulted in all of you three seated down for a tea party in this round table; with you in the middle, as you purposely had the prince facing the female lead in the hopes that they could lock eyes and for it to cause immense spark between them!

ah, what a sight! you couldn't help it but fangirl really hard over them, cause how couldn't you?! it's like a matchmaking session and you, obviously the cupid!

"i assume there's nothing to be curious about, as this was the pact, isn't your highness? i could bring whoever i please."

"yes indeed, but.. the pact.." jungwon pauses, then pulls a tiny smile all reserved for you. "never mind it, i had been granted the honour to be invited to the lady's manor, how ungrateful would i be if i couldn't satisfy your wishes, milady." he continues as he turns his fluttering eyes at liz. "lady liz, it's my pleasure to meet you."

"so am i, your highness."

yes! yes! freaking finally, did he turned his damn head over the female lead! you got this, you were beyond sceptical at agreeing with the pact at first but now that you've seen it before your eyes, you could make the prince fall for the female lead whenever it's your turn to invite the prince!

this is truly a blessing in disguise!

make him fall in love with her, bit by bit, till his interest in you slowly divert into the female lead before his eyes. simple it is! just make sure she's always in his line of vision, so that his heart would truly realise who it was beating for this entire time.

oh dear prince, look ahead and see the perfect lady that was meant for you! for if you still refuse to do so, i'll gladly force your damn eyes to look towards her!mission start!

"so, liz." you grin with your chins on top of your interlaced hands. "i heard you're planning to hold a feast banquet for the people in the town, i forgot but perhaps it would be held a week later?" your eyes darted over the prince to examine his reaction, yet his eyes lingered over anywhere but liz, seemingly not paying attention.

your eyes twitches in disbelief. damnit, give me some reaction, will you? liz, our precious is helping the goddamn country. your goddamn corrupted country!

"what do you say, your highness?" you asked with raised eyebrows.

"that's certainly virtuous of you, lady liz." jungwon smiled as he took a sip from his teacup, his eyebrows furrowing for a moment. "the royal nobles couldn't be compared with you, honestly."

"thank you, your highness. you're flattering me way too much."

"no, i say what needs to be said. unlike you, the nobles are greedy and selfish, often catering to their own personal needs. it tends to irritate me that i couldn't do anything yet with my current status."

"that's certainly unfortunate, however i'm sure your majesty could overturn the tables soon." liz sympathised. "what's important for us to do right now is to help more people in need."

"a nation definitely would need a reigning queen like you, lady liz."

liz covered her mouth with her handkerchief, "once again, you're flattering me, your highness. i do not think i'm capable of such a crown."

"yet your humility and kindness surpassed all, i may say. it is certainly the qualities of a queen."

"it is always my pleasure to help people in need.. but if fate persists, then i would gladly take the chance."

jungwon emitted a slight giggle, a tender smile forming in his lips. "that's fascinating of you, lady liz. is there anything you had an interest for other than helping people?"

"hm, i adore looking after birds, they're my precious friends that tend to help me more than i could count, your highness. and at times, i practise the art of embroidery.."

jungwon's eyes beamed at that particular word and it didn't go unnoticed by your eyes forming countless neon heart shapes as you watched them converse with each other, heart quenching in top fangirling mode as if they were truly a match made for each other!

aaah, my favourite couple!

an enchanting frame of them conversing with each other should be immediately turn into them slipping in wedding rings into each other’s finger! what a lovely sight indeed!

"how about you, lady (name)? is there anything you in particular liked about?"

"uh-?" your fangirling mode switches off when both of their attention are now on you.

"i'm curious about you, milady." jungwon tilted his head at you, curiosity glazed across his feline orbs as he leaned back on the chair in a leisurely manner.

you could freaking imagine the long ass arrow of his concentration fixating on you. freak, i thought you were already falling in love with liz!

you held the need to snort, and you actually missed how liz blushed over the prince's gesture towards you, secretly fangirling inside her rampant heart.

"w-what is there else to know about me?" you held the need to cringe.

"like stuff you're interested in?" jungwon added.

"oh the lady loves to—"

"hush, liz!"

the green blades swayed along the soft breeze as the scorching sun grew a tad bit hotter today yet the over-the-top umbrella you had with you—protected you from the rays at least, but you couldn't care any less as you were beyond giddy, as right now you brought the two with you to the bridge behind the manor.

adding a humongous speed on your feet, leaving the two slightly far behind you for obvious reasons.

now, now.. shall we start the plan?

a mischievous, meticulous plan you've crafted since last night, sacrificing your beauty rest for this long awaited encounter of your precious main couple. moving on to the second step of your plan.

of course, being a writer means you could imagine a dozen more ideas of how to develop romance between two characters—easy peasy. spending an unhealthy amount of time into perfecting your craft, you didn't waste your 20/20 vision to have learnt nothing, obviously.

"ah, isn't the heat a bit irritating today?" wiping off the bead of sweat down your jaw, in a slightly exaggerated manner.

"perhaps, it would be best if we return to the manor, milady." liz spoke, concern engulfed her expression.

"hm, you're probably right." sneakily taking a few glances towards the prince standing behind liz, you fake a few coughs.

forgive me, liz, my precious baby! i had to do this to make that damn prince realise his love for you, plus the lake ain't deep for god's sake..

yes, the goddamn lake. you even had to ask the maids over how deep was this lake just for safety measures, certainly you need your female lead to stay alive for your plan (and novel) to work.

and why the lake, you might wonder? oh jesus, just how many dramas had the damn water scene appearing regardless of any form; lake, river, swimming pool, waterfall, you name it—where the female lead crash into, only for the male lead to come and save her for the day?

the exquisite proximity and skin brushing against skin, those pair of orbs gazing into the universe of each other's soul as they stuttered along the line—traces of infatuation fleeting into the empty air, the heavy scent of romances blooming with prolonged gaze—eventually sealing their amour with a deep, passionate kiss.

ah, chef's kiss! massimo paborito, mwah!

upon your mere hesitation, you sneakily bumped against liz; a surging scream emitted from her lips as she fell into the lake, water splashing against your dress in the process.

"lady liz!" you pushed yourself at the edge of the bridge, feigning shock—to be fair, you would've been annoyed by the soaking spots on your dress but your main priority right now is the prince beside you!

"your highness!" it seems as if he didn't need a word from you to dive in through the lake, but oh well, that had you immensely proud at his quick reflex. now have your skin brush against each other, and look deep into each other's eyes! your eyes widened mischievously as liz's face was buried in the prince's neck.

yes! yes! now gaze deep into his eyes and thank him for saving you! seriously you're currently suppressing your rattling feet from taking small giddy jumps over the sight before you; the prince's arms wrapped around the female lead's waist—while her arms around his shoulder, their nose brushed against each other when she lifted her head.

that alone had you turning your back around, cupping your mouth as you squealed in utter fangirling mode.

shit! holy shit! is this what it feels like to see them right before your eyes?! oh dear, oh dear, just get married will you?! you truly felt like a proud parent right now.

now what is it, let me take one more look! ah!— a fat ass bee buzzes out of nowhere, at your face even. your blood run cold at this stinging monster flying around you. seriously?!

your feet stumbles backwards as you kept smashing your umbrella at this hard-headed bee yet it buzzes even louder, dodging every each of your lame attacks. to your utter shock, your entire world turns downwards as your feet stumbles backwards causing you trip over the bridge.

a humongous splash shoots up the air and against the pair at your pathetic fall.

sunken seaweeds tangled round your wrists as you fell deeper, the water rushing into your lungs and nose had your mouth burbling bubbles before you. your eyebrows furrowed as someone familiar had dove back in, swimming towards you.

why is he even bothering? go back to liz, you idiot!

his fingers found it way around your hips, however you pushed yourself up—swaying your hands upwards, causing the prince to follow suit.

"goddamnit, i can swim." instantly mumbling to yourself as soon as the air greeted your nose, rolling your eyes as you slapped the prince's arms, "i didn't take swimming lessons at the ripe age of seventeen for this shit. by the way, where's liz? why did you leave her!" you mumbled repeatedly as you pushed yourself out of the lake, groaning with your soaking heavy dress.

"milady! you were about to drown!"

"bitch—oh god, your highness be for real." you huffed, "i just said i can swim."

"how was i supposed to know, milady?"

all in all, you all ended up soaking in the scorching lake. what a perfect day for swimming, huh? anyways, why did he even leave the female lead? she can't swim for god's sake!

"lady (name)!" liz had seated herself on the grass, utterly drenched yet still you could differentiate it from the tears streaming down her face as she pushed herself up, sprinting towards you, crying over how worried she was for your life.

rubbing her back you did as you comforted her, telling her that all is fine. except it wasn't fine for you that your fucking plan failed because of your careless damn feet.

you flinched slightly when you caught his eyes never leaving your form and more even at how drenched he was, beads of water dripping down his chin, and his royal attire soaking wet along with his once fluffy lush hair dripping immensely.

the maids had given towels and another pair of dresses for now, but you're actually wondering about the prince as this manor surely didn't had an attire for a male, moreover a prince. since you've written the background history of this manor that the duke who had owned it had passed away before his daughter was born, and so since then, only females had lived in these quarters over the past 40 years.

you heard a few knocks on your door, the maid's head slipping in through the edge. "milady?"

"hm?" you didn't bother to pay a glance as you wiped off the excess soaking of your hair, still in your spiral of dilemma over what happened an hour ago. your stupid mistake of your damn foot conspiring to trip into the damn lake in a rare opportunity!

"his royal highness was asking for your presence, milady."

"and what is his royal highness trying to conspire right here, huh? i am not his personal assistant to dress him up." you snorted, "what is this, barbie and ken? barbie girl in a barbie world?"

it's fantastic? this is nothing close to fantastic at all! you were so damn close to having them crashing their lips against each other!

"goddamnit why is this song kept repeating in my mind!" you whined to yourself.

the maid who had been patiently waiting for you to finish your emo session, spoke once again. "but milady, his royal highness had been having troubles since an hour ago. he had only requested for you and no one else."

"oh god, fine!" you smashed your soaked towel on the table, huffing as you went on your way to the guest room. stomping your feet ever so loudly as you pause before the double door, "your highness, may i ask what in the world are going on for you to request for my presence?"

"come in, please."

you didn't think much as you pushed the door open, yet your lungs bursted into flames when his toned chest and down your eyes went to his bunny pack of buns greeting your lazy orbs which had by far rattled into chaos as of now.

he's freaking half naked?! your mind chanted it like an unlimited internet quota. shirtless he was with that pestering smirk on his face as if he did this on purpose. yeah, this bitch definitely did it on purpose.

"milady?" jungwon smirked, "why don't you welcome yourself in? after all, this is your manor."

"no need." you coughed with your fist.

"just come in, please?"

"stop it! this is basic decency, why would you— ah—!" you held the need to breath as he slammed both his hands on either side of your head.

his breath brushing over your cheeks like feathers, "i don't think such terms like 'decency' are needed between us. after all, milady.. you're my future wife."

"w-what are you doing?! liz is right here—"

jungwon frowned, "why is mentioning her important to us?"

"w-well then!" you horrendously blinked a couple of times as you reasoned with him, "t-the pact! this is a blatant violation!"

"i haven't even done anything yet, milady?" he leaned in closer, seductive tone enveloping his voice. "so worked up for nothing, but that's cute. it satisfies me that only i could have such a great effect for you to have this expression, milady."

you couldn't contain the suppressed hiccup inside your lungs anymore as it eventually emitted right through his face, which had you immediately covering your mouth in utter shock. yet relief consumed you somehow when the smirk on his lips dissipated, however concern adorned his feline orbs.

but just as embarrassment left your soul, another emotion surged through your throat when his hand found its way to your cheek, his thumb stroking your cheek in circular motion as his concerned orbs were wholly fixated on it. "milady, can't you just get rid of the lake behind the manor?"

"w-why do you ask?"

"are you serious, milady? the incident awhile ago would certainly grow worse once left unattended."

"you're overreacting, prince jungwon." finally gathering courage as you pushed him away with your palms against his bare chest, gasping like a dying fish with your hands on your chest when you finally got your needed oxygen.

"i'm certainly not overreacting, i don't know what could've happened if i wasn't around if ever something.. endangered your life, milady."

"your highness, i am not as weak as you think of me."

"perhaps i've look down on you a little, milady. my apologies." your breath hitched down your throat when he immediately took your hands to pressed a tender kiss on top of it. "forgive me, milady."

your ears heated up when your eyes fell on his bare torso, realising that he still doesn't have anything on. dripping hair, beads of water down his chest causes your head to combust. pulling your hands away you did as you exclaimed.

"there's no need to apologise!" stomping out of the room, "seriously wear something!"

🎵…DESTINY IS NOTHING

today was the third time you were in the palace, and the prince's second turn in this pact where he had been guiding you around, everywhere but his room since you blatantly ignored his request with a firm resolution after that embarrassing incident you put yourself in a week ago.

jungwon spoke about his interests and stuff which you obviously knew very well, not really bothering to say anything in order to let him know that you weren't interested at all. opting to let him down as many times as it needed for him to fall out of love with you.

yet he just won't fucking give up.

cuisine, art, languages, swordsmanship, you name it; you've made this prince to be almost perfect at all aspects that was needed for him to inherit the throne. not that you've never written about his brothers, or any other princes in the kingdom, but a prominent part of his history throughout his childhood was that he was an illegitimate child of the king, yet he was immensely capable in adapting quick and efficient.

he pushed all through the trials and obstacles with his wits and immense manipulation tactics, overthrowing his opponents and those who dare to target his head were immediately thrown towards the sharp edge of the guillotine as soon as he spotted them within his line of sight.

jungwon was deadly and far more cunning than you could ever think. mercy was never part of his dictionary as a large part of his childhood grew under a knight whose heart was ice cold like freezing winter, therefore he inherited such traits and honed it to his advantage.

yet that ice cold heart instantly melted when his eyes fell on the female lead, his one and only lover. the rest was merely a history, sweet sugary romance that had been utterly messed up due to your existence in this novel.

you truly did never expect such a nonsensical turn of events to happen.

this prince could try anything he can to win your heart with his tactics, but jokes on him—it was you who crafted this very characteristic of him. therefore you, the writer of this very novel—has the upper hand and advantage more than he does.

but this freaking prince just had to fall asleep in the comfort of his arms before you as you two were seated down at the table for another cup of tea, that is. his lush bangs hanging just above his eyelashes, the tip of his nose dusted with cherry hues as he had been rubbing it off awhile ago when you were both in the palace's garden, his lips pouting made him appear to be an innocent child.

scoffing as you rolled your eyes, is he seriously that comfortable with you? this guy with horrendous trust issues even with his own personal knights? frowning, you leaned in a bit closer, inspecting his features.

i get it that you're cute, i mean all props and kudos to me for creating this goddamn hot face of yours but seriously i had matters to settle, and that is resting in my own quarters with my legs sprawled! not in this damn puffy dress that had me sweating for the past few hours!

—and definitely not all while riding a damn horse!

yes fucking indeed, prince freaking jungwon had arranged a horse riding session in the evening after taking a freaking nap, how utterly horrendous this situation is as you found yourself before a pair of horses emitting their very friendly nose according to the prince which doesn't sound the very least friendly to you.

and you might wonder why this situation was nothing but a pure form of nightmare to you? you unfortunately didn't have any experience in horse riding, and that’s no problem at all, actually! considering your well known reputation as a manhwa avid reader on her own flower bed.

the thing is, your dumbass had written this character you were currently in to be a complete master in horse riding and had actually won multiple national championships since she was at the early age of 10 years old!

oh god, dear god, could you just let me flee into dust at this moment? why the heck didn’t you add fantasy powers in your novel? could’ve actually brought you an advantage by smacking the prince to the female lead’s arms instead of this nonsense.

this was a pure nightmare in the physical frame of the prince having a lovey dovey moment with his horse, you cringe at the thought of him offering you for a ride and your back pressed against his chest all while passing through the field—as if this was a sort of la la land of fairytale.

screw this. you definitely don’t wanna have a lovey dovey moment with him. if you could, you would’ve invited liz! there would be no damn problem! but the thing is, he had the upper hand this week!

this bitch is really using every single damn hour without a waste, huh? what should you do?! tell him you are sick or that you kind of have a weak body now? hell nah, you had just stupidly challenged him that day by punching him right in the face, showcasing your not so sick body, unfortunately.

and most important of all, why the heck did he choose horse riding as part of the weekly pact? how did he even think of this? to bond using the method of interests? bullshit. you voiced such a question to him with your eyebrows raising minus the cussing part, as you can't help your expression.

"milady appears to have a taste for adventure and a hint of rebellious judging how you ended up punching me that day.." jungwon tilted his head playfully. "so it naturally came to me to do horse riding, and it just so happens that i heard that you, milady, had an exquisite talent for it. it must be destiny, isn't?"

screw your so-called destiny!

"that doesn't appear to be a compliment, at all. your highness." you emphasised the addressment. “and for your information, i am currently not in the mood to ride a horse. so, your highness. could we just do something else?.”

"hm, but today i wish to show the meadow which was deep in the woods, milady." jungwon sighed as he pouted, “it wouldn’t be fair for the agreement we had, aren’t we? and if you wish not to ride, then you could always ride with me, you know?” a smirk formed within the corners of his lips as he turned his attention towards his horse.

huh.

i fucking knew it! this bitch of a prince is pulling a hidden agenda of initiating close contact with you through this, that thought alone had you fuming in utter rage, clenching your fist as you can’t refuse such an offer.

everywhere you look, there seems to be no escape from this bloody hell of a lovesick prince! inhaling a very deep breath into your nose as you lifted your eyes at the prince who was currently giving a nice goodie boy pat to his jet black horse, giving him a total deadpan look.

“your highness, i really am not in the mood especially when it’s not my own horse-” you gestured towards the other white horse in which it emitted a total annoyance of ‘neigh’ in response, “and i definitely do not want to risk my life again the way i and lady liz did back in the manor.”

“that’s why i was asking for you to get rid of the lake, milady.” jungwon said. “and i could request for your personal horse-”

“don’t you ever touch my lake!” you huffed in which he raises his hands up immediately, sighing in defeat. “and no, quit it. let my horse rest!”

“well then, milady. your wish is my command..” jungwon emitted a tsk all while pushing himself up on top of the horse with so much ease by placing his foot on the saddle, wrapping both his hands at the handle as he ushered the horse to move closer to you. he lets out a breath of satisfaction as he lowered his right hips and extended his right arm for you much to your deadpan look. ��however today is my turn, come and have a ride with me, milady.”

right, you really had no choice!

biting your lip as there was no other way to escape this situation despite your best efforts, you’ll just slam the reality to his face then. “fine, don’t you dare regret it.”

“hm~” he hummed in utter delightment as he pulled you up easily, since you wore this annoying puffy dress; you didn’t face the front, rather your shoulders were pressed against the prince’s chest which apparently worsened the situation as you could see his dangerously close face in this way.

god forbid you punch this prince to death.

"riding a horse is utterly boring now, i might say." you mumbled.

if you actually had applied for horse riding lessons along with swimming lessons, you could’ve and definitely ride a horse all by your own, and even imagining to an extent of ushering all the way out from the palace.

yet all you did in your life was curl yourself in your comfy heavenly gaming chair—that you had to withstand this dangerously close proximity with his breath causing tingles behind your neck. you could sense his chest, his heart beating too loud for your sake, and his lush hair brushing against your ear.

"may i ask why so, milady?"

"it's the very fact that i couldn't ride a horse on my own after some little accident i had back then. you see, your highness."

"ah, so it was that?" his voice made you nervous for no reason, you flinched slightly when he leaned closer, whispering in an almost feathery atmospheric tone. "then it would be my pleasure to give you some personal riding lessons to polish your skills again, milady."

your cheeks heated up at the supposedly double meaning, yet is that even possible?! gulping down your throat, and coughing in attempts to calm yourself down. "never mind it, honestly."

"as you wish, milady." you swore you could sense his mischievous grin behind, you broke a cold sweat at the growing and brave advances this prince is making.

is there really no way to get rid of his so-called interest in you?

“oh, i see your highness and lady (name) are having a pretty little date?” your eyes ogled out at the familiar luminous puppy vibes approaching from the distance, blonde fluffy hair bouncing every couple of seconds as a ‘neigh’ emitted from the horses. “this sight appears to be lovely, i have to say.”

it's definitely not lovely at all, the fuck are you saying?!

you suppressed the greatest desire to roll your eyes at the blonde-haired prince along with the two knights accompanying him.

“prince jake, i wonder what could be the reason to the knights behind you?”

“ouch.” feigning shock by clutching his chest, jake pouted in return. “no hey, how are you’s, or at least how's life? brother?”

right, the history between these two brothers is not the brightest as it seems, as they were birthed from two different mothers; one being the queen, and the latter of nothing more than a worthless prostitute. that rooted history alone had the gap between them growing farther and larger, adding the fact that jungwon managed to soar to the pinnacle in such a short time had not only jake’s position in the kingdom in a thin ice, but also other princes.

the rest was history though, as right now jungwon obviously had the power over each and one of them. the highest in status amongst his half brothers and sisters—the crown prince.

so these seemingly playful words emitting from the other prince don't have the slightest traces of sincerity, rather that of mockery.

“lady (name)?”

you replied almost immediately, “yes, your highness?”

“do look after my precious younger brother, will you? i certainly couldn’t bear once he—”

blah, blah, blah—worthless lies one after another, only nodding your head with the sweetest smile you could afford on your lips in order to appease the prince. right, what’s the point of having such golden vibes if he had such a despicable tongue? it’s such a waste of good looks, to be honest.

well, it was you who wrote him that way though.

conversing with the golden prince lasted for quite awhile much to your inner groaning, and incredibly elated you were when he finally left with his knights—excusing himself for some military affairs, that is. but jokes on him, you knew what was he in for, yet that couldn’t be any of your priority as this prince who had his feline features contorted into bitterness will handle him later according to the original route of the story.

but of course, the original route is pretty nonexistent if he never falls in love with the female lead! ugh! and what’s up with this ugly bitter look on his face? i didn’t spend all of the hours that was meant for my sleep to craft your pretty damn face!

“milady, i’ll only repeat this once.” his feline eyes darkened as it looked into your soul, “do not ever stay even one inch closer to prince jake, he’s not what you think he is.”

gulping down your throat as you broke a cold sweat, this look he was giving you was the very expression you described on him when he felt that he was being challenged or worse, getting on his nerves.

“plus, i do not like it a single bit of how you, milady gave him a smile.”

well yeah, screw it. you gave him another deadpan look, punching his chest with your clenched fist, causing him to yelp in pain.

tap, tap, tap.

you were sure you look like a freaking duck right now as you squinted so hard at the shop before you as it was your turn in this week once again, you had been researching about this particular shop where you could try on dresses and go about the town without paying first. therefore proceeding with your plans as always, you had invited liz again much to jungwon's hidden inner groaning.

silently weeping to himself as to how he could get on with plans in winning your heart, too, if a third party is always presented and a girl, even. if it was a man, not even an ounce of hesitation will he claim you before their eyes. yet he had just to eat his own words by going along with your wishes as now he had a kitty ears on with a cape that was a tad bit colourful for him, only lowering his head down in attempts to conceal his face from the crowd as it was freaking broad daylight.

that’s right, you had chose to cosplay with the two in hopes for them to find each other adorable, at least. yet much to their deep knitted eyebrows over what that word means, you had to think of a petty lie to utter before them.

and that was brushing it off as a rare word you encountered in a goodie oldie book that they could never lay their hands on, (obviously your novel) proceeding to drag them around the town with so much ease without them protesting to match the kitty ears on you as well. you gestured all around like a child with your eyes twinkling immensely at every single object, and rushing into the crowd despite their protests.

and behold, this was your very plan! sneakily getting rid of yourself and leaving them two alone together in the crowd, dumbfounded over your existence, shape, or form-nowhere to be found, this was one in a millionth chance to have them together all by themselves!

rushing out of the crowd from the back, your eyes sparkles in luminous brightness as you observed their frantic form everywhere looking for you. with the widest grin ever on your face and a humongous sparkle on your eyes, you exclaimed within your mind:

enjoy your date, my precious!

watching them from the distance as you took a sip from your orange juice, you squealed so hard as they began to converse with each other and the sight of liz giggling as she covered her mouth, the prince must have been saying something towards her right?!

"w-what? w-what did you say?!"

"yes, milady.."

coughing immensely as you choked on your chocolate drink after your maid, juliet — broke out the news with a pout in her face and her back drooping that the prince wouldn't be able to come today as he had important matters to attend to, however she added that she overheard from the maids that the prince had visited lady liz's manor, and everyone was cooing and swooning over the perfect sugary image of them giggling together.

really? really?! did your plan work out? unbelievably joyous your soul was as it soar into peak euphoria, thanking the deities as you didn't have to go that far anymore! truly, the female lead's charms are irresistible even to the prince, himself! unbeatable indeed, that he could no longer ignore the one and truly one for him.

juliet added that another type of rumours had been escalating over the entire royal court, and it was crystal clear to you how it was causing everyone from peasants to nobles to bet on who was going to hit the jackpot; the status of the crown princess.

"was it any of the three ladies closest to the prince's circle?" was the question lingering like a super duper glue from everyone's tongue.

some wondered that it could be princess violet who had just arrived from the neighbouring kingdom. she had been prince jungwon's supposedly fiancée ever since he was crowned as the prince, the keyword here is 'supposedly' since she was initially thought to be engaged with the prince, yet till now it was never officialised nor an official banquet had been held along those years. however, her arrival after so many years causes rumours to arise that a royal marriage was probably around the corner soon.

while others say that it might not be princess violet, and it was actually noble lady liz from the house of felix; walls are akin to eyes, ears and mouth—and so it soon reaches everyone's peace of mind that she could be a rival to the princess.

yet others also had their mind fixated on another noble lady, you. some of them however, had no guts to say out loud to vote for you—since one, your brazen attitude in the ballroom that day causes a hazardous chaos to everyone's mind, and two—rumours say that even when the prince had initially visited your manor for a couple of weeks, his interest soon dissipates upon lady liz's arrival.

kicking your feet in the air as you stretched your arms with utter satisfaction, you were surely placing your entire bet not on the former, but on the latter. you had never heard of princess violet, sure you had written a princess in your novel but that character was only a minor role. so it kind of bugged you over who is this princess violet?

well yeah, screw it. what is there to worry about when the prince had been pouring his utmost attention to his one and only female lead?

supporting your head with your arms as you gaze upon the silent sunset above the horizon—somehow, someway, it kind of gives you a solemn mood? shouldn't you be happy right now?

weird.

the glowing blush of the moonlight had the clouds dissipating in a rush, showcasing it's rays towards the glasshouse from where you are right now, the scent of fresh lush garden and the sweetened blossoming flora had your mind in a total serenity, yet it doesn't last any longer as a particular someone had made his appearance today.

"hm? what are you hiding behind you?"

you raised your eyebrow as you tried to take a sneaky peek on his left, yet he dodges it efficiently. it has nearly been a week since the prince had last visited you, yet he just had to break the streak by appearing before you today. at night even! you were appalled at first, frightened even that he might do something yet an afterthought struck you that he must definitely end the pact today!

giddy you are, as you spun around with your arms interlaced behind your back. a paper it must be? a paper with an official agreement to end his pact with you!

his feline eyes looking down the ground as his cheeks profusely steamed in rosy hues, obvious to you that this prince surely is being shy for reasons you couldn't think of.

huh.

"if your highnesss think i would keep forcing you then scrap the idea." you hummed as you turned around. seriously the prince surely doesn't think that you would insist right? you've watched too many dramas for this shit, the result of it obviously falling on each other's arms.

"milady?"

with a low sigh, you turn your head towards his way. wondering what could he be saying again, yet something naturally pulls your disinterested orbs onto it.

in his hand, in the grip of his long fingers; a book appeared.

but not just any normal or average book—by the looks of it, even when your eyes fell on it for the first time—you immediately noticed that the book on his hands was a handmade one with a vintage hardcover. your lips hang slightly apart and for some reason, your heart actually mellowed before your brain could process the fact. "i made this for you."

this is dumb, seriously it can't be? this prince is certified dumb but you were even dumber as you took it in your hands, inspecting every corner of it with your tender orbs.

"y-you made this?.. for me?"

"yes, i know it's rather simple—"

"n-no," shaking your head slightly as you unconsciously let out a breathless awkward giggle. "but when did you make this?"

"the first time i was invited to your manor, milady. i didn't mean to peek into your room—"

"what?"

"b-but i swear! i didn't read the papers scattered on the floor of your room, i held myself."

relief engulfed your soul, yet why are you even relying on his words? he could be lying, that it's right? he could be lying. but why can't you rip your orbs away from this simple object?

"yet seeing how your interest was centred along papers, and the ink plate on the farthest side... i thought that you must've liked to write, milady. so, i thought that i could make a handmade book for you."

a couple beats of silence.

"don't you like it?.."

"you didn't have to go that far, seriously—" you reasoned with him, yet your eyes never leave the object on your palms. unable to process this very fact, you don't wanna admit that it does something to your heart.

"no, but i have to." he interrupted, "and this is simply what a lover would—" pausing he did after he recalled your initial distaste over that particular word, letting out the last words from his lips rather low in volume as if he was shy to let you hear it clearly. "what a man would do for the woman he loves."

your stomach grew butterflies at his words.

"you could write anything you wanted in it, pour out everything you felt, your troubles, anything.."

and if i'm lucky enough to be a part of the pages.. i surely would treasure it, milady. those words rang akin to windchimes in jungwon's head as he observed you with utmost intent.

your fingers traced over the engraved leafy patterns on the cover, you suppressed a giggle at the obvious amateur brown threads that woven the entire pages together—sure it appears to be messy at hell, yet you seem to adore this proof of wholly effort. no you absolutely adore it.

it reminded you of that time when you had poured out your inner feelings in a journal for the first time, because you weren't able to let yourself out completely for everyone. it was before you ever had the hobby of reading manhwas, and or even being a writer.

it was the only way you ever had that time.

raising your glued eyes on the book at the prince, "thank you," his shy feline eyes bubbled into bubbly bobas at your gesture, "your highness."

jungwon looks away, avoiding those eyes that he had grown smitten for. brushing his fingers on his lips in the process as he gulped down his throat. "ah, right. i still have another present for you."

"god, it ain't my birthday today though? what's with all this presents—"

jungwon smiled as he turned his head towards the entrance, "bring it in."

the knights stepped in through the entrance, yet the sight of the white tiny creature on their arms caught your interest, and the fact that this frame of the knight's buff form and the creature in his arms seems to be a rather comical, eccentric but comforting sight.

your mouth hangs apart slightly when you finally notice the familiarity of the white creature—it was the snow bunny from the royal ball that night.

jungwon took the bunny in his arms as he approached you, "i have to say it's quite an effort to catch this little bunny, yet milady is—" he pauses with a slight grin, opting not to finish his sentence. "here, from today onwards, this bunny is yours, milady."

"how did you.."

"i have quite a keen observation, milady."

"stalker." you playfully spat out despite knowing this ability of his, in which the prince giggled in return.

your orbs endlessly waver at the lively snow creature on your arms, it's round form making itself comfy and nice which had you giggling at how utterly adorable it was.

🎵...AQUARIUS

suddenly the bunny wiggles in your arms and decides to hop on your face which had your butt hitting the grass in a loud thud, you yelp in pain much to the prince's displeasure. but you brush it off with a smile on your face, opting to lay your head on the grass bed instead as you picked up the snow bunny, lifting it up with your pair of arms.

the dim blue-ish setting of this place blending with doses of lavender hues and the fleeting fragrance of the flowers enveloped your form as the night breeze grew its volume in serenity.

like an image of a violet evergarden.

the prince had seated himself on the bed of the grass as well, not too close to make you feel uncomfortable yet not too far to be able to observe the way your features contorted into silent euphoria, just at an appropriate distance.

jungwon places his chin on his palms, tilting his head sideways with his orbs fixated on yours, watching you in silence as you play with the bunny in your arms, and at the handmade book laid beside you.

you didn't notice this awhile ago but now you did, realising the prince who had seated himself on the bed of grass. "y-you're still here.. i didn't notice."

"of course, but isn't that nice?" a tiny crease emerged from the corners of his cheeks, showcasing his dimples, "that means milady is happy."

your cheeks along with your heart grew warm at his words, placing a chaste kiss on the bunny's forehead as a way to hide away your stuttering. "r-right, thank you for all of this."

a low tone giggle from him sent tingles towards your ears, threatening to push in the cupid's bow a few more centimetres deep into your heart.

in this heaven-like, dimly lit glass greenhouse with the glitters star glazed monochrome sky behind the glass panes on the ceiling serving as your cinematic view, with your silk hair spreading beneath the lush grass bed and your bare skin feeling the sensation of the tender blades, the blossoming violets surrounding you and the prince sitting at the distance had every cells inside you to mellow in comfort.

the moonlight rays shimmering against the glass panes formed a twinkling light, and an imaginary silk fabric of soft beige and black velvet flowed in utter grace above the round patterned ceiling.

you held your breath.

this utterly whimsical and fairytale mood like what you often imagined in your novels, you had never imagine to be able to experience such vivid details with the tips of your fingers, reminding you of that time when you thumbed through the dictionary, studying each root and meaning of a specific word, with a blazing desire to be able to convey your story in utmost descriptive senses to your readers.

ah, this is beyond what you can imagine.

it sort of felt like the lush muted grass bed beneath your bare skin had pulled its borders open, transporting you into another dimension, into another world where it defies gravity and the laws of physics as your soul wasn't held by anything concrete nor anything spiritual.

the snow bunny before you had fallen to its slumber as you laid it on your tummy, purring in a tender melody.

floating and floating amidst the pit patter of the star it was as the weight of the crashing reality from where you used to be, every thought dissipates as your desire to merge yourself within this enchanting dimension grew

you'd imagine the fleeting dust orbs floating above your line of vision were the embodiment of glowing fairies dusting their magical powders on you, that could be the reason for this enchanting serenity.

yet your eyes unconsciously took a glance towards the prince sitting from the distance, you were relieved when he had his eyes shut tight for a moment as if to feel the soft breeze against his face.

a thump. it was supposed to be brief yet with the way his lush hair resembles the swaying motion of the violets had your orbs lingering for a bit more. the hems of his long black coat spreaded out behind him, and his crimson shirt paired with the regency bowtie around his neck which was adorned with ruby rhinestones.

it was as if he was the garden itself.

a shooting star emerges upon the glazed starry night sky, falling across the reflection of your orbs, having you engulfed in amazement at the sight. "a shooting star."

"oh, a shooting star, the old saying goes was to make a wish before it and your wish shall be granted.." with his chin still on his palms, he tapped his cheeks playfully. "i wonder what would be milady's wish then?"

a wish?

no doubt, your wish was for the male lead to return to his original character and story, to the female lead—his lover. so that you won't have to be troubled with all this nonsense, and another wish you had is to definitely return to the real world. there's no doubt as well that you were beyond happy to be able to immerse yourself in the world you created, yet you wish to return home; home where your comfy bed was, kitchen that you often were excited for once you're done with work, your desk with countless papers of poetries you wrote and your glowing laptop with thousands of either unfinished works or complete ones residing in that one folder.

the joy of reading the long ass paragraphs your readers wrote for you once you posted the next chapter, some of them having you teared up due to how expressive and hilarious they were, all of it brought little yet significant bliss into your seemingly normal days.

but.. you had another tiny wish emerging from within, forming a rather solemn sound of windchimes to your heart.

"my wish?" raising your splayed fingers over your eyes, inspecting each unique star twinkling above the splattered paint of glitters. "i would like to be real to myself."

yes, to be real to yourself and to say nothing but truth to the tip of your tongue before everyone. to be a writer, they say, is to be a very sad child, that you have to pour all your sadness to your characters, crafting obstacles for them to fight against, and let them withstand it bit by bit till they grow to be a stronger person than they used to be.

yet to be a writer in your words would also mean to be both a liar and a truthful person, for all the words you convey to your readers were lies crafted in utter perfection and a thousand hours worth of learning—and were also truth stemming from inside you, your very own obstacles where you feel nothing but being fake.

doubting yourself of whatever you say was a daily chore to you in your original life, yet you couldn't stop it no matter how you wanted to. you felt enormous guilt before the people you called your friends, despite putting your best efforts in caring for them, you still felt like you were being fake.

yet in this novel, you poured everything with truth upon a thousand perfected lies. you cared for your characters, to think of them as humans rather than mere descriptions or profile, crafted dialogues you knew would be from them, and such.

therefore, it was in this world where you knew you weren't being fake. it was the world that was a part of you, a world you felt the most realest without punching your hands against your chest.

maybe that's why you also wished to stay a bit more in this fairytale-like world.

"what's yours, your highness?"

the dim lit glass panes glinted against jungwon's orbs as he raised his head to look upon the night sky, "my wish.. is to be a bit more sincere in the things i do."

a few beats of silence.

"—being a crown prince has its fair share of troubles too, lifting a veil of deception before everyone is utterly exhausting. to do everything for the sake of earning something is exhausting."

being manipulative is exhausting, jungwon thought to himself. he'd rather not add that one particular word for your ears to hear, as he definitely wishes not to ruin the mood.

"but aren't you doing all of these to earn my love?"

"that might be the case, milady." jungwon pauses yet again, "but what i'm doing right now is showing my love for you, to let you know that you had made me do something without asking anything in return. i do not yet know if i am completely being sincere right now, since.. the sight in front of me is pretty nice.. that i desire for it to be a little longer, you know?"

you knew what he meant by his wishes, and that was the very reason why he should have fallen in love with the female lead. they were the remedy to each other’s pain, they were the answer to each other’s prayers, they were made for each other just like you intended it to be. it should have been her at this moment, with him.

yet why is it that you can’t help the way your heart grows exponentially warm at his words? avoiding his steady eye contact and his tiny dimples by covering your eyes with your once splayed fingers. "hm.."

it's safe to say that your maids and the prince's knights standing outside the glasshouse immediately cupped their mouths really hard after overhearing the prince's words, some of them squealing and the other smacking each other in attempts to stay as silent as possible.

it had grown silent after that, yet it for sure left a lingering rosy hues on your face and his.

jungwon felt like everything in this space was oddly moving in a slow cinematic motion, with the sight of you laying there with the sleeping bunny on your tummy, your sparkling eyes against the night sky, your hair and your white dress sprawled over the grass bed like dripping honey petals.

his icy cold heart; he felt as if it skipped a thump with every single breath you took, every time your eyelashes fluttered with every blink, the way your toes wiggled as you counted every single star above the universe.

this magical border where it only had you and him, was akin to the drawn images of the fairytale book he read as a child. this scene, this image, this scenery; you stood out the most.

it was as if you were the flower in this garden.

little did you know, that the so called dates he had with liz was after all his request for personal embroidery lessons. liz, herself had been awfully fangirling over you two for the past few days, giving amateur yet adorable advice that he should be away for a couple of days, to give you an air of mysteriousness and wonder over his whereabouts.

"i had to express my thanks to you, lady liz — for helping me."

liz giggled, "all are well, your highness. it appears to me that your highness' present to the lady had been a success, i assume?"

jungwon blushes at the thought of your tomato face.

"lady (name), she's a bit odd sometimes, however she's a kind person! therefore, your highness shall treat her well."

"of course, lady liz." replied jungwon as he remembered the days when he squinted hard, poking the needle towards the handkerchief. yet he eventually gives up on it, opting for another present as he couldn't possibly give you such a horrendous looking present. cussing at himself that even by being the so-called perfect prince, he is unable to be good at some things.

cringing to himself, he pondered immensely. ah, he recalled that you had a particular interest over something his eyes had fallen upon a while ago.

papers, books, inks, poetry.

he deduced that you had the probably an interest on such a particular thing, proceeding with his secret plans in acquiring new books that you perhaps would have an interest in. yet he pauses with a distant thought that you might have read a thousand books more than he did (which you actually did), and discards the idea immediately, wondering how and what kind of present he should get in order to align with your particular interest.

it should be made with pure effort, yet it should also be deemed useful for it to be on your palms everyday it could. jungwon wishes to avoid extravagant presents such as jewellery or dresses as you had expressed dislike over them by the reason "it was too hot and itchy" — plus, you as a noble lady would surely have a wardrobe filled with dozens of such stuff.

therefore, after much thought, he settled with one thing; a handmade book.

jungwon couldn't suppressed his grin as he went back to the palace, or all over the way to his quarters without being seen by the maids doing their respective chores, nobles leisurely wandering about or conversing with their peers, and royal officials that had just passed by from their usual royal meeting.

they wondered what could be the reason for the prince's sweet grin? they would never know as they have never seen beneath the prince’s crafted facade. they would never know how that facade of his crumbled the day his feline orbs softened at your curled form in the midst of the hallway.

jungwon’s intention in approaching you that day was nothing more but to bring a couple more scent of fragrance to his name, as part of his meticulously crafted plans. even when you came to accidentally compliment him that day, it was only a slight waver to his ice cold heart. yet he finds you fascinating in how you carried yourself around him.

at second meeting, he knew you were hiding something to the point you were getting rid of him— yet didn’t bother to dig in as his instincts rendered you to be harmless, and that the thing you could be hiding would be to your own best personal interest. he ain’t no fool, growing up all by his own while encountering all sorts of people had sharpened his mind and polished his skills to the finest. yet he found it interesting to bubble up those panic expressions on your face.

during those days where he chose to wait for you to appear again had him quite of missing those expressions on your features that he decided to enter your residence which marks the third time you met each other. that day, when you made it clear that you do not have any interest in him, it's not that he felt like he was being challenged like he used to—it's just that there was something he couldn't fathom.

that's the very reason he made the thirty day pact, to see how far it will go till he loses this mere interest in you.

yet seeing you was yet another wish that kept burbling up in his heart one after another despite thinking to himself that this will be the last time, and at last he finally found himself wishing to see you one more time, every time he could, as long as he can.

you were definitely not the first lady that had shown lack of interest in him, neither you were the first one he had ever first fallen in love with, nor the first one to had him crumble into this way.

but you are definitely the last one he’ll ever pursue.

your eyes flutter open with the blossom of the sun kissing your hair strands and reflecting it's honey hues within your orbs. a wholly sensation of peace engulfed your heart as you seated yourself up, your eyes falling on the curled form of the white bunny, and at the handmade book beneath it.

"why didn't you woke me up?"

"his highness had spent the entire night watching over you, milady. he left by sunrise."

"oh.. he didn't say anything after that?"

"unfortunately no, milady."

you shrugged, scratching the back of your neck as you stood on your feet. pouting slightly as to how the prince didn't left any message for you before leaving, you sighed a bit.

but hold up? why are you sighing?

your previous thoughts dawned on you a couple of seconds later as you cupped your mouth with your hands, and your ogled eyes threatened to pop out. what is this nonsense?!

🎵…THEIR OWN WORLD

so much about the grinning stuff, here your face and lips were horrendously affected by this grin that never ceases to exist since that day.

seriously? it's just a simple book with empty pages and an obvious amateur embroidery that had threads sticking out front and back, yet as much as simple as you claimed it to be, your actions says otherwise as you had placed it amongst your personal bookshelf where your favourite books were, or the fact that your feet couldn't stop bringing yourself to where it was and for your hand to pull it out for the nth time.

to carefully inspect every little detail of this hand made carved cover, recalling the prince's words that he had poured his utmost effort in creating such a simple yet.. heartwarming gift. it kind of bugged you that accepting this gift probably meant accepting his advances towards you?

no way, that can't be it.

but the fact that you recalled how your heart mellowed in a swift speed when he placed the handmade book on your palms, and how you were sure that your smile that time was pure sincerity could have meant that.. you were falling for him?

nah uh! impossible as fuck! just give this back to him, yes indeed, that's the only plausible way to get rid of these ominous thoughts in your head. you can't be falling for the male lead, the very fictional character you created for your precious female lead.

yet your feet pause on its tracks almost as immediately it started, gripping the book in your fingers—-having a second thought of it.

tick tock, tick tock.

pure irritation engulfed your lungs in a pang as your eyes had been lingering on the entrance for a long, long time. to your utter surprise, the prince had not visited for a week, not even a single day as whole seven days without any sign of his presence. he had missed your turn in the pact, you had initially thought to spend this time with him without liz.

with the lingering desire to ask him something, but when you confront yourself before the mirror's reflection of yourself. what is there even to ask about?! to discuss the book with him? that could be it, right? not that you wanted him all to yourself, right?

right..?

was he busy? was he occupied with the royal affairs? or perhaps someone had caught his eyes now that he's spending his time with them? you are dead serious about giving this book back to him, so your heart would already be at ease, yet why?

you hated to admit it but, you were longing for his presence as you flipped through the empty pages of the book he made, for you. you haven't written anything on the first page as you desire for the words to be something of importance rather than mere doodles.

"—for you."

for you, huh? this prince is horribly romantic for his own good, isn't he?

"bunny." you poke the little creature's nose that had been scratching it's head on the table before you, "your prince, do you know where is he?"

of course, the bunny could only stare at you with it's boba eyes, obviously not capable of understanding your words. yet this bunny got to be the biggest culprit of them all as those boba eyes just had to remind you of him.

resting your chin on your palms as you let out a sigh for the nth time, having the attention of the maids doing their respective chores on you—pouting slightly as they, too—were waiting for the prince's presence.

"milady?"

"hm?"

"do you perhaps.. miss his highness?"

your chin slipped over your palms as it burst into beads of sweat real quick, eyes ogling at the girl before you. "juliet?! seriously? go make me a cup of chocolate!"

"y-yes milady!" the girl disappeared into atoms as soon as she could. you facepalmed yourself as why did you even name her 'juliet' if you couldn't add her romeo at the beginning of the character's introduction, oh god. now she's pestering you with words you'd rather not hear, this girl had been spilling a dozen more words that had stuck to your mind like a super glue.

"i wonder how the prince is doing, though—" smacking your mouth immediately as it sank in your mind over what you just asked, groaning as you went back to your quarter.

you'd rather die than to visit the palace, seeing all the double faced people residing there would only cost your peace of mind and you'd rather not punch another skeleton to ashes again. you'd rather indulge yourself in the comfort of your fluffy heavenly bed than trouble yourself over the prince, right?

right..?

"well screw myself!" standing before the entrance of the palace had you thinking just what is wrong with you, have you gone insane?

probably.

"lady (name)?" a familiar voice had you turning towards that someone, the widest big grin adorned the corner of your lips as you approached her and giddily interlaced your hands with hers.

"liz!"

great! now you will totally have a plausible excuse when you meet the prince, you’d rather die than have him knowing that you came all the way here from your manor just to see his damn freaking face, or that you actually kind of miss him.

"oh, i didn't expect to meet the lady (name) on such a day?" a seductive and mature voice causes your neck to tingle, and definitely not in a good way. "i wonder what could be the lady (name)'s purpose to visit the palace?"

no shit, the princess who you've been quite curious about has finally appeared before your eyes and somehow after looking at her up and down, it irks you that she gives another villain vibes to your keen eyes and you're definitely not in the mood for it. the fact that she knew your existence, your name, and the way she laid out the question had you confirming that she had heard the rumours, and that she didn't receive it very well, didn't she?

you curtsy before her, bowing your head slightly before fixing your posture again. "greetings, princess violet, i was just intending to bring my fellow companion to visit around the royal palace."

"greetings, princess violet." liz curtsied gracefully, that alone had you grinning immensely proud over how her sparkling charms had more of an effect than the not-so-good vibes this princess was emitting before you.

"very well then, i had brought my fellow companions as well, noble ladies that is." stroking her silk lacy gloves she did as she gestured over the ladies behind her, "we're having a tea party in the evening, perhaps would you like to come?"

sounds like an invitation, to be fair, but those who had sharp eyes could see through her malicious plans—rejecting the princess' invitation regardless of what, is deemed as tasteless and atrocious to the palace despite not intending to do so.

there was rumours flying around that one word slipping from her tongue is capable of snapping people's heads into separate dripping flesh, and that could be the reason to her infamous reputation.

huh, that's definitely the reason why the royal family wasn't giddy enough to arrange an official engagement despite all those years, only holding onto the rope as long as they can if by any chance they had no one to depend on.

royal affairs is just that complicated, huh? but oh well, a cup of tea might do wonders to your dampen mood—might as well indulge yourself in such an exquisite tea party all while seeing just how this noble princess would go far.

"it would be my honour, princess."

the tea party is to say the least quite civil for you despite your initial expectations that the princess could turn out to be a total bully, the ladies and liz converse together with numerous topics just like the nobles would, one of the topics being of the princes of this kingdom. one of them squealed over the red-haired prince with the name sunoo that had caught dozens of heart as he waved his hand against the ladies, or the other one that truly live up to his status; icy piercing eyes and a beauty mark on his nose, a total prince charming vibes with the name sunghoon.

"lady (name), so it was you..?"

you paused your inner monologues, "what.. do you actually mean, princess violet?"

"nothing, i had the desire to see what type of a lady the prince had taken an interest in."

or maybe not, you were truly right after all—now would you look at that? this rookie princess is finally getting on with her plans and apparently proceeding with one of the oldest techniques called "putting you down on your place" which had been scattered all over the dramas regardless of era, often effective as it struck hard right to a character's dignity.

"you see, that his highness might have just gone bored, that he had to find a new toy for a short period, that is."

you let the bitch ramble on and on, letting her satisfy her high ego and pride cause you've seen enough, watched enough, heard enough, even had written enough for you to be affected with such basic insults.

but oh dear god, you desired to smash her face on the table yet resisted as your precious female lead is here, you couldn't possibly let her witness such a horrible sight, right?

yet for some reason you can't help the way your eye twitches and the slight pang in your heart at her words despite knowing that she's just another minor character in this very world you created.

"his highness, i fear, would lose his mere affection for you in no time."

"princess violet! i dare say that is not very wise of you to say." liz frowned deeply, shaking her head as she did so.

"it's fine, liz." you rubbed her hands in which her features softened immediately. ah, your precious sweetheart. isn't she just that kind hearted?

you took a couple of sips from your teacup, indulging yourself in the delightment of it. you wondered who could be the talented one that had created such exquisite taste?

"lady (name)!"

"oh?"

"are you listening or what?" visible veins popping on the side of her neck, obviously irritated by your leisure manner.

your lips hang apart, giggling in a low tone as your eyes crinkled in mischievous crescents. "oh princess, i wasn't aware. perhaps you could repeat it again?"

yes bitch, exhaust your despicable tongue.

"oh dear heavens, i was kind enough to invited you to my tea party, and you have not at least basic manners before me?"

basic manners? oh look who's talking! you held the need to spew insults at the bitch for you seriously had more important matters to settle, "then would it be to your own likening if i excuse myself out, princess?"

she scoffed at you, rolling her eyes as she uttered another thing. "oh please, don't tell me you're wishing to meet the prince? do you think i'm an idiot for not realising your plans?"

"what would make you assume that, princess?"

"just saying, even if his highness truly likes you. sorry to say, you would be nothing but a mere mistress. and i—"

your ears literally shuts its ability to hear anything from her any further, sighing dejectedly before your disinterested lazy eyes caught sight of someone behind the entrance. your eyebrows raised along with your lips, a sense of slight bliss surged through your soul as you recognised who it was.

"y-your highness..?" you mentally wanna slap yourself for sounding too excited, "why don't you welcome yourself over here?"

"oh, my apologies." the sight of jungwon in his glowing princely attire approached from the distance had your heart skipping not one beat but two, which had you looking away instantly, your eyes fell on the ladies behind you had their jaws dropping behind the hand fans in their tight grasp.

"oh my, your highness!" they exclaimed, obviously elated by his sudden and unexpected arrival. your eyebrow twitched at their cringy and over the top whiny voice in attempts to get the prince’s heart.

pausing on his tracks, a few metres away from the table and you. he pulled the familiar smile that held innocence in it, quite double-faced if you ask me. these ladies had no idea just how the prince really is beneath that facade. you thought as you side eyed lady violet.

yeah..

recalling those sets of memories puffed with soft pink mist of his fluttering eyelashes looking down as he stretched out his palms with the book on top of it---the way his boba eyes of innocence blended with utter sincerity, and the way he was obviously nervous by how he lapped his tongue on his lower lip.

how you utterly miss those expression, for a reason you couldn't comprehend. it's not like you had grown closer with him, so why there's a sense of warmth enveloping the silent heart behind the cage of your ribs? and with it, a sense of irritation arose within.

it won't hurt.. to teach her a bit, right?

"princess violet." you called out.

"y-yes?" she raised her eyebrow suspiciously at you.

"you were wondering why i don't have basic manners, but have you ever asked yourself if you ever had one?" you took a few steps closer to the prince before you.

"lady (name), what are you trying to imply?"

"hm," you hummed playfully, raising your fingers up to the prince before wrapping your hand around his neck. "what i was trying to imply is, spewing such nonsense before a lady about her man is certainly lacking manners."

"huh?!"

"might as well show you since you couldn't understand." you turned your attention back to jungwon, whose feline eyes were also laced with utter confusion which quickly turned into a full bloom boba when you pulled his long bowtie closer to you—crashing your lips against his.

—inaudible words along with sudden gasps arose and the eyes of the noble ladies, the princess, including the female lead ogling out tremendously hard.

"l-lady (name)?!"

"a-ah~" you lapped your lips on your plump lips before the full blown orbs of the ladies, "now, now.. this prince right here you've been addressing as 'your highness'.. is my man. kindly practise a couple of basic manners, would you, ladies? unless you would be content being his majesty's side mistress?"

jungwon's cheeks flushed into a hot mess, akin to a profusely steaming bun. his boba eyes relentlessly blinked as he tried to process what had happened just now, feeling the previous sensation on his lips before looking back at you again.

"oh my, your highness?" feigning a playful shock, "perhaps you would like to have princess violet as your wife instead?" placing your index finger on your lower lip as you pouted before the prince.

jungwon's feline orbs twinkled, regaining his well composed manner as his fingers tapped your hips—pulling you closer to his chest much to another series of squealing from the female lead, and screw loosening in the princess' jaw.

"i wouldn't dare, milady. didn't i say i would be good for you?" the sun rays kissing his soft lush hair as his eyelashes fluttered, pressing a soft kiss on top of your hand. "if milady desires, i shall announce to the people that you're my woman just as i am your man."

now it was surely your turn to blushed profusely, looking away from his lovesick gaze. what's up with him with these romantic words?!

the female lead, had by far, turned into a full blown embarrassment as well. actually turning into a diehard fangirl at this point, "m-milady?"

oh shit— what the fuck?! what in the actual shit is this?!

how could you even forget that your precious baby is right here the entire time?! kissing the male lead in front of the female lead? you've truly gone insane!

"i-i! i'm going ahead, your highness. if you'd like to follow then please do so." your feet scattered through the paths as you motioned liz to follow suit.

jungwon nodded with visible rosy hues on his cheeks, but immediately paused on his tracks, turning his head over his shoulder. "ah, princess violet?"

"y-yes your highness?" the princess immediately stood up on her feet, gulping down her throat.

"you see.. if you weren't a lady, i wouldn't have let you earn the consequences of spewing nonsense to my wife."

the princess' orbs widened in utter horror, stuttering pathetically. "n-no! y-your highness! this isn't how it looks like p-please listen—"

"next time, if you dare as much as to provoke her one more time, i assure you being a lady or a princess would no longer be enough to keep your tongue intact." with icy eyes seething with blood, the prince then went on—leaving the princess to fall on her knees, eyes darting immensely.

"lady liz, could you let me have the lady to myself for a moment?"

his voice had you immediately pausing on your tracks with your mind still clouded over your actions awhile ago, heart beating rampantly as you turned to face the prince but you keep your head down as you didn't have the courage to look at him.

liz who was still greatly affected with the obvious tomato hues on her cheeks, looks towards you with eyes asking if it's okay, in which you nodded.

the girl hastily excused herself as she cupped her cheeks, and her feet threatened to stumble at the edge of the entrance much to your deadpanning look and sighing over how clumsy she was.

you finally gathered the courage to look into his eyes yet his face alone had you constantly recalling what you did with him. the heavy crushing weight of kissing him before the ladies, and calling him your man. how cute, huh?

an excruciating silence formed between you and him, your eyes darting all around the space but him, while your hands formed beads of sweat as you waited for him to speak first.

"so.. milady? how have you been?" jungwon locks eyes with yours, the way he looks to your soul felt as if he wanted to caress you with his arms at any moment, what is this? “and i have to say i’m surprised that you’ve came all the way to visit me, was.. it for me though, milady..?”

"oh, i’ve been doing absolutely well! h-how have you been too, your highness?" stuttering pathetically, you wish the gods would launch their gigantic mega hand against your face. and it struck you utterly late when you realised his question at the end. “and.. bold of you to assume that way, your highness.”

"right..” he hangs his head low. “however i’m very pleased to hear that you’re doing well, milady. but i'm not.. okay." he raises his feline eyes that was now engulfed with traces of sadness. "i have to apologize for messing up our pact."

"there's no need, your highness. the royal affairs are your duties as the crown prince. what am i, a simple lady has the right to earn any apology from his highness who simply did what he had to do?"

"what you said was true, but certainly do not call yourself as 'simple'. you're just any other lady, you're my future wife." jungwon took a few step closer, "(name)."

silence lingers in the long empty hallway with no one but you and him.

"i have to own it up to you, milady. it is my fault for missing one week of our pact." he looks down, clearly disappointed. “will you give me the chance, lady (name)?”

your lips hang apart, thinking twice as your eyes darted into any other direction other than the prince before you. “how is your highness going to own it up to me, though?”

jungwon’s features lit up like a glowing sunrise, “tomorrow, a fireworks festival will be held at the town. i’ve been planning to bring you—milady for a day out as a way to redeem myself.”

a day out, fireworks festival at the town. you can’t help but be excited for such simple words yet alike magic—it brought the scent of liveliness all the way to you—hugging your form in an oddly comforting way.

"and milady, can we not bring lady liz with us this time?"

"oh, your highness. i have neither agreed nor said anything yet?"

jungwon blushes awkwardly, uneasiness consumed his rampant heart as he didn’t want to screw this over and definitely didn’t want to risk you getting upset or anything, "lady (name), i truly desire to be alone with you for atleast a day."

that surely had you taken aback, clenching your fist in attempts to soothe your heart skipping a thousand beats. you look down, avoiding his ever so passionate gaze. "i- u-uhm, sure? i guess?"

giddily putting on a casual attire, apparently not the first time nor the first hour with the evidence of the scattered dresses on your bed serving as pure mockery to your face at how you’ve been putting too much effort for a simple fireworks festival.

a simple festival, that is.

yet your feet spinning around for you to sway your supposedly casual dark brown dress with a corset hugging your torso seems to not likely be the case.

leaves rustling from behind the window a tad bit loud for you, causes you to flinched as you snap your head with ogled eyes to the source of the noise. unsure if it was a paranormal phenomenon or whether it was the damn wind trying to shake you off.

being the scaredy cat you are, you just couldn't afford to add a horror element in your novel so what the fuck is this ominous bell playing in the background?!

you almost let out a scream after seeing a black silhouette landing right before your rattling orbs, your brain instantly activating fight and flight mode—opting to take your mountain of a dress and throw it at the intruder.

yet your rattled orbs dissipates as it fell on the familiar lush hair and his feline orbs. instantly fell on his attire—which greatly differs from his usual royal attires. you remembered that you drew this particular fit of him when he brought the female lead to the town for a picnic.

"why are you here?!"

"i thought we're going out for the festival, milady?"

"no— what i mean is why did your highness climb through the tree and not visit the manor in a normal, civil way through the entrance?!" you patted your chest in attempts to soothe your cold heart.

jungwon scratches the back of his neck as he avoided your blazing orbs, "since it would be our first time to go out together, i would like it to be only us. no one but us—"

your orbs softened immediately.

"yet the knights would then accompany us as for protection, which would be irritating so i left the palace secretly. and here i am, milady." jungwon said. "i apologise for scaring you, it wasn't my intention."

"u-uh," you horrendously couldn't think of a proper answer, "it's okay, your highness. i just didn't expect it."

jungwon finally pulled up his usual smile, his feline orbs then looks all the way down from your hair till your feet which had you engulfed in embarrassment. "you look gorgeous, milady. i assume you dress up for me?"

"bold of you to assume it." you scoffed in return in which he smirked, knowing very well it meant the opposite.

"then milady," he lifted himself up on the edge of the balcony, extending his arms and laying out his palms for you. you held your breath with the breathtaking sight of him; his fluffy hair flowing along the night sky breeze, twinkling kitten orbs with his lips forming a slight smirk. "let's go?"

you gaze at his extended palms before you, slipping your hands on it as he takes you closer to his chest, wrapping his strong arm around your waist for stronger protection—his touch alone had you looking down abashedly—guiding the both of you down the ground from the rustling tree. landing ever so effortlessly just like the so-called cat he was, you flinched instantly when his lips ghosted against your ears. goosebumps rising on the back of your neck when that happens.

"are you okay, milady?" his other hand is still wrapped around your hips, tight as it can and yet as gentle as it can be.

"uh- i, i'm okay." you pushed yourself away from him, standing a metre apart. "remember one metre apart."

"right."

"lead the way, then! the festival—"

the blasting noise of the town enveloped your ears the more you drew closer, and you looked down after taking a swift glance at the prince lit up smile, what’s up with him falling so much for you? was it really love at first sight? you’d rather that to not be the case, to be honest, you’ve always loathe that trope which serves as a proof in your entire writing career with you avoiding it through and through.

love at first sight; such sight only lasts for a while, its only purpose is to please our eyes and such. nothing more and nothing less. that's all beautiful things are for, isn’t? it gives you false hope, false dreams, false imagination of what things could have been like.

love at first sight; just like its name, alike the blooming florals in the night sky, falling in love can be deceptive, luring you in for such a short-lasting moment that will eventually leave you in this hollow void of velvet night sky for a long long time, with the consequences of it punching a humongous void in your soul, reaching your hand out for that bursting light one more time.

"your highness, could you stop calling me, milady, milady, for now, will you? just call me by my name." you sighed enormously after having your ears blasted with his never ending ‘milady’, it sort of felt to you that he was somehow enamoured in addressing you that way.

jungwon’s boba eyes wavers, dimples emerging from his puffy cheek. "as you wish, milady. however i wish for you to stop addressing me as ‘your highness’ then."

“a—alright, what would you like for me to call you then...?” you exclaimed a tad bit joyful than usual which had jungwon smiling ever so happily.

"jungwon." he shots a playful wink, causing your already hazardous heart to weaken even further. "(name), is it? pretty name for a pretty lady."

you looked away, "we're in public."

"wow, i didn't expect that you would be embarrassed after the spectacular scene you did during the ball back then, (name)?" purposely emphasising your last name, you glared at him.

"well, that was your fault! when a lady asks for you to let go, then you shall do it."

"but then, us right now—wouldn't happen at all, right?"

you didn't expect you would agree with him, but you obviously weren't going to show it. simply shrugging at his playfulness like a child.

"also that kiss was nice."

taken aback, "you—"

"young sir, would you like to buy a single violet for your lover?" your eyes fell upon an old lady in a weary persimmon cardigan and a beige dress reaching down below her knee, and at the baskets filled camellias dangling on her right arm.

taken aback by that chosen word, your cheeks flushed as you stuttered, unbelievably horrid after realising your own reaction. "h-he is not my—"

the old lady's eyes widened, "oh, my apologies!"

"of course," jungwon pulls not one but the entire camellias into one bouquet, smiling as took a few sniff. "i wonder how much a bouquet would be for my wife?"

"your wife?!” you exclaimed with your features contorted into disbelief after he had paid for the whole damn bouquet, “as far as i assume, the pact is still active?”

“hm,” the prince pulled a sly smirk as he caressed the camellias against his rosy cheeks, “you were the one who wished for me to stop calling you ‘milady’, what would be a better way then to call you my wife? (name)?”

"s-seriously? just where did you come up with all these words!" you cupped your cheeks as you turned your back against him. “this is ridiculous.”

jungwon's orbs widened, looking away immediately as he raised his slightly curled fingers up to his cheeks, hiding away his rosy blush. "have you forgotten the kiss? it might have activated this odd magic of well chosen words, my wife.”

“one more time and i’ll leave!”

“alright, alright! here,” jungwon sneakily sways before you, “a bouquet for a pretty lady.”

“you just had to buy the whole thing, seriously.”

“the old lady would surely go about the town, looking for people to sell her flowers. don’t you think it’s a good idea that we could help her quickly?”

upon his words, you shrugged despite wholeheartedly agreeing with him, sniffing the fragrance of the camellias instantly soothes your soul, yet you couldn’t suppress your grin when you recalled his words and his considerate thoughts for the old lady—opting to hide this blooming grin behind the bouquet while you two walked about the town, exploring every bit and bit.

"if i could be bold once more, could i ask you for something again?"

"hm?"

"i had something i wish to give you."

oh please god, no way, if it's the heirloom you've written on page 76 in your novel, you'd rather not as that object is hella important and the particular scene that includes the heirloom was when the prince gave it as a present to the female lead, his lover—on their wedding day.

and you definitely don't wanna be a queen, screw the crown—you'd rather sleep on your fluffy pillows and blankets.

"whatever you're thinking, do scrap the idea." you nonchalantly said, yet the way his eyes looked down in disappointment had you hissing in response all while rolling your eyes. you kind of loathe to see that expression on his face somehow.. "i'm already satisfied with the book you gave me, there's nothing more i wanted than that, do you understand?”

his feline eyes lighted up so quickly as the corners of his faint red lips pulling up in a satisfied smile. “i understand.”

“good.”

🎵... IMMORTAL BIRD

blasting drums and a roaring crowd suddenly engulfed the entire town, causing your voice along with jungwon's to drown alongside it. you caught sight of everyone in a pair regardless of gender or age hopping into a circular pattern in the centre of the street, holding hands together as they spun around, getting closer and then far. their faces adorned with the brightest smiles.

you caught sight of a mother dancing along happily with her two younger sons, a son pulling his father’s hands as they slowly dance in their own world, a pair of best friends from afar as they giddily created their own silly dance, and a sight of two ladies with their hands interlaced as they look into each other’s eyes with traces of tenderness and warmth, and many more you aren't able to mention.

it was a canvas that held love dripping in thousands of hues, and yet it was still in the form of love.

"it's a yearly ritual, milady. to dance together under the night sky as it blooms into fireworks."

"that's wonderful.." you were astounded, yet you somehow don't remember that you wrote this particular ritual. yes, you did wrote about the fireworks festival and that the main couple had their first kiss in that scene. but the dance ritual?.. was there any important memories that you haven’t somehow recalled yet?

"may i then, milady?"

"w-what?" astounded you were at the sight of him standing in front of you with his arms extended, and palms spread before you with sincerity brushing over his faint red lips.

"may i have the honour to have a dance with you, milady?" jungwon asked with hope evident in his eyes, "last time, it didn't end that well for us."

a couple moments of silence grew between you and him despite the gradually increasing volume of the luminous town behind; the dancing pairs, chatters of the elders, murmurs and gasps from the ladies as they go about their day, footsteps of children stomping all across the pathway as they play hide and seek, while some had kites and balloons tied around their wrist—giggling endlessly.

the low volume of musicians playing their respective instruments of accordion, harmonica, and guitar blended accordingly so that it flowed pleasingly to your ears.

a sentient mood of belonging, comfort, and home.

this sight, this atmosphere, the mood this town emitted, this young man before you turning into an innocent young boy whose feline eyes twinkled and blinked slowly for you.

a frame of everly purring garden.

"so.." jungwon raised his palms once again, "may i, milady?"

truly a breathtaking canvas of a man who falls in love.

tugging both sides of your skirts as you lower yourself slightly, curtsying before him. "of course, my prince." you slipped your hands onto his palms, it didn't go past your sight how his feline orbs widened and twinkled a couple of seconds later as the corners of his lips pulled up in a slight grin.

skin brushing against skin and the comforting heat from his chest as he pulled you closer to him, leaning closer he did with his lips brushing against your ear and his warmth voice sending chills down your skin.

"follow my lead, milady."

interlacing his warm fingers with yours, he guided you around the bursting fountain—swaying around in a circular motion just like every other pair did.

the accordion switches to a lively bursting melody, opting to move everyone's feet in a tapping frantic active mode, a goofy grin and giggles emerge from everyone's face as they spin around on and on.

dancing with him feels oddly calming despite everyone’s sudden burst of energy— the lights turning round and round in a circular motion as you danced with the prince had you feeling slight bliss, that is. you shouldn't be enjoying this too much, right?

this town spilling in golden hues like an overflowing sink, yet this prince drips even more in over-saturation with his own colour, splattering its shades across your bare skin.

it feels as if, as if in this very moment that you were the main character with him. as if you were one with him.

his hands lifted your arm as he let you spin around freely for the first time, both your hands and his immediately reattached and he guided your hands onto his shoulder.

two pairs of feet swaying and spinning beneath the ground with golden orbs particles following along as if it had life in it.

and as you spun a couple of times more when he let go of your hand, it didn't go past your vision on how his fingers twirled your hair locks in tender and utmost affection, and the sweetened sugar smile on his faint red lips never ceasing to exist.

as soon as you got back into his arms, jungwon caressed your cheeks in the process—lifting your arm as he turned you around, pulling your back against his chest as you faced the luminous golden town and everything before you. gasping for the nth time when his right arm wrapped around your clothed tummy, and his left hand; two fingers tapping across your bare arms till it reaches your left hand, interlacing your fingers with his as he lifted it up.

hushing in a lullaby-like motion.

shutting his eyes tight as he buried his chin in the side of your neck—he began to guide you to dance in this very intimate position, he whispered, "milady."

goosebumps arise on every cell in your body, as you two indulged in this dance.

the lively instrument along with overlapping voices gradually merging into one, sort of like as if they were a voluminous orchestra, soaring higher and higher with their vocal chords spiralling into utter euphoria with the blasting footsteps on the ground.

yet the man holding you close in his tender pacifying embrace, had you engulfed in solace; the spirited bustling soul of this town and the stark contrast of the serene soul enveloping yours blended in a perfect balance of home.

purring so lovable.

it had you speechless as his strong pair of arms held you up, bringing your feet up and beneath the ground in this hypnotising dance for a couple of times, spinning you gracefully one more time with the frame of your skirt swaying like a blooming flower in its glory— rendering your mind into utter malfunction.

floating and soaring up the air.

he then spun you around to face him, lifting you up with ease like a fairy floating up in the air, "y-your highness—jungwon!" your vision of the crowd all over the space grew hazy and dazed, with only you and him remaining crystal clear in the glowing frame. supporting yourself with your arms on his shoulder, you were about to protest and yet his eyes had such a breathtaking universe within it that it had you sealing your lips.

breathtaking indeed.

like a stone hopping on the ocean causing a butterfly effect of limitless blossoming ripples, it formed a hypnotising image that lured your soul closer to it’s deepest void, rendering you helpless in getting yourself out and yet you wish not to go, but to stay longer, to stay a bit more to see of what would come out of it. floating like a fairy amidst the dreamy ripple within his orbs, you stuttered from this prolonged magnetism gaze.

pit patter of the flowing fountain afar merged with a sudden burst of crackles.

flashes of voluminous sparks exploded within his orbs, your lips hung apart in awe as the dreamy ripples within it bursted into an ocean of light—that instead of a stone, it was like a single marble smashing into it’s void—forming thousands of scattered and shining golden beads of lights within those infatuated orbs, illuminating those engraved words of romances within it.

all solely for you.

you flinched at the exploding thunder-like shooting above the night sky that surpasses what your mind and ears could take, clenching your hand on his shoulder tighter in hopes to find solace, yet you caught sight of his lips mouthing two words that you took a while to process amidst the sound.

“beautiful indeed.. my firework.”

soaring and colourful, the whole city is immersed in the sound of this sea of bursting lights. crowd's roaring in awe surged through your ears, your cheeks met jungwon's chest as he lowered you down, protesting you did yet he hushed you to gaze upon the limitless neon flora blossoming on the starry glazed night sky; the blinding colourful lights illuminated the smile on everyone's face including yours and the prince.

shimmering gemstones rained upon the black velvet sky, forming a waterfall of lights in all sorts of colours and images; crimson petals of roses, aquamarine waves ushering to the seashore, white blanket of scattered snow powders, yellow fleeting dandelions, green blades of the field swaying with the breeze reluctantly slipping down the town, reflecting on the vast water lake.

it was as if the luminous sun had risen upon the town, and another one shooted above on your right side; blossoming its veil-like umbrella that had millions of garden petals on top of it to rain upon everyone. each and one of them had differing images of it representing itself, yet each and one of them was splendid, breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

it showers down the town like fleeting fairy dust.

"it's breathtaking, isn't it? it’s like a shooting star.."

"truly it is—” you flinched at his feline orbs gazing at you in awe, admiring you utterly as if you were the scenery of fireworks itself. you found yourself getting lost in those blossoming sparkles reflecting within his eyes once again.

"stop it."

"why would i?"

"just look at the damn fireworks, will you?" slightly biting your lips as you look away, breaking the prolonged eye contact.

"alright, milady." he shrugged in amusement. it remained in silence for a couple of minutes before he spoke again. "they say, couples who watched the fireworks together had their first kiss under it."

"u-uh?!"

"but milady, you had stolen a kiss from me." he leaned in playfully, flashes of colours illuminating his kittenish orbs and grin. "would you mind if i steal one, too?"

“i-i said stop teasing me!”

jungwon lets out a couple of lighthearted giggles at you attempting to punch him, sprinting and dodging you playfully, and as the both of you were immersed in your little game, the firework festival had wrapped up in one final splendid sight of bursting petals of garden.

glowing golden lanterns illuminating the sidewalk along the way, pit patters of pouring rain dropped on top of your extended palms out the window of the carriage, tender breeze of the night sky blows through your fallen hair locks as your eyes remained glued on the bouquet on your lap, along with his melody chords flowing through your ears like a lullaby.

it has reached past midnight when you two came back from the town, but on the way back home, jungwon had suggested for you to take a look at his quarters first, which you had initially denied due to obvious worrying reasons. yet today, as you delighted yourself in the bouquet of violets, and the sets of memories from the festival, you agreed with little to no hesitation. however along the hallway as you follow behind the prince, despite ignoring these blurbing thoughts—it dawns on you every passing second of what could happen once you step inside his room.

the sight of jungwon’s back facing you had your cheeks flushing immensely as you recalled his bare chest that day in your manor, mentally cussing yourself for even thinking of it. your brain had just got to be your greatest enemy in this moment after your heart, huh?

“y-you see.”

jungwon spun around to face you, yet still walking backwards with his hands interlaced behind his back. you stuttered at the euphoria evident on his cheeks and crinkled eyes, the moonlight from the vast window illuminated on the edges of his divinely sculptured face, and a faint shadow laying beneath his dimples.

“yes, milady?” this guy just really had to play it cool and nice as he sang the addressment in a playful manner.

“remember the pact, okay? i agreed to visit your quarters in order to just take a look, nothing more than that.” your eyes were on the long red carpet as you said that, yet you raise your head finally in order to see his reaction after an excruciating silence that occurs.

"i'd certainly would not dare, milady.. but if you insist." he shots a mischievous wink at your way, causing your already rampant heart to burst in a thousand volts.

shit.

seriously, you couldn't be bothered by this, aren't you? god knows how much filth you've written in the past few years of your life, you could even describe all of it without releasing a few screams or there, which shows how much of a pro you are.

after what seems like an eternity in the hallway, much to your groaning over your aching legs, you and the prince halted before the huge double door with engraved golden swirling patterns all over it.

you were beyond distraught when he pushed the door open to his room, revealing the entire outlook of the furniture, painting, couches, table, and lastly.. the king-sized bed.

bitch, get a hold on yourself. this isn't your first time.

your lips hang slightly apart to feign surprise as if this was your first time to be in his room, cause heck it wasn't obviously not the first time you've seen this place. you were the one who designed his room! this isn't your first time so why were you this nervous?!

“ugh—” you yelp in pain.

“does your feet hurt, milady?”

“no, no, it’s just aching, that is.” mentally cussing once again at how freaking long the hall in this palace was, you could’ve sworn it felt like you were going for the thousand stairs up to heaven. your head grew dazed when your vision slightly floated upwards from the floor, eyebrows deeply knitted together as to how are you up so high? your haze vision caught sight of your legs dangling up the air and slowly at the pair of strong arms carrying your legs, it finally dawned on you as you let out a yelp with the close proximity of the prince’s face against yours.

“wait- put me down! put me down!”

“hush, milady. you got to take some rest.”

“then in the couch! on the couch, right now!” you pleaded within the depths of your mind, oh my god. oh my god please god help me!

“the couch is not ideal for this situation.” he reasoned with you, not even budging nor pausing in his way to the king-sized bed.

🎵...STUCK IN LOVE

“what is not ideal?!” you whimpered as he placed you on the edge of the bed, taken aback at how he simply gets on the floor with one knee, rubbing your feet after pulling out your shoes. the prince poured his utmost concentration in massaging your aching feet, with his long fingers rubbing and stroking your sole in circular motion. to your surprise, he had been doing this for a whole good ten minutes without saying anything.

you didn’t expect this at all, were you that dirty-minded?! groaning within, you weep to the deities to cleanse your mind at least.

“milady is so worked up for nothing, i wonder what could she be thinking about?” you gave him a deadpan look at how he obviously was teasing you to death.

“stop teasing me.”

“hm? why not? teasing you has been my greatest hobby for awhile now, milady.”

“i said stop it, i dare you or else—”

“or else.. what?” your head blasted in utter chaos when he lets your feet down, leaning closer and closer.

“s-stop!”

“or else.. what, milady?” jungwon cooed, tucking your hair locks behind your ear. “i’m awfully curious.." he pushed you on top of the bed, hovering over you as he caged you within his arms on both sides of your head.

"milady."

your breath caught up on the back of your throat with the sight of him on top of you, akin to a predator about to feast on its prey, due to his feline orbs switching to an expression you very well knew what it means.

"that's certainly brave of you, don't you think? milady?" he keeps emphasising the last word as if he adores to call you that very much, adding such a seductive tone had your heart skipping a beat. "kissing me in front of other ladies, that's quite a fascinating trait."

a thousand hazardous beats, actually. you really can't do this. "i mean, i don't know.."

"milady." he whispered. "are you really shy?" giggles emerged causing tingles on your neck. "after kissing me?"

"c-can you just stop messing with me?!"

"as you wish, milady." he pressed a passionate kiss on your forehead, chanting the word a dozen more times as he continued on making you feel so loved.

his affectionate gestures were driving your bones into weakness and your knees to marshmallows as you indulge yourself in his love—the love he bestows only for you.

"milady, come." his lips brushed against your hair, and to your surprise, he grabbed your hand and pulled you on your feet. surprise and speechless you was as nothing had gone past the limits you placed for him, and the fact that he did nothing but simply tease you does wonders to your heart.

your mind floated into confusion as he urged you to take a seat in front of the big round mirror with a golden frame, letting you view yourself and the prince in the glassy reflection.

you sat there in silence; curious, confused, and a bit intrigued blended with tiny traces of fear of what he intended to do. your heart skips a beat when you observe him taking your hair locks on his palms as he feels it against his cheek, it was an eccentric lovesick sight of him. his long fingers wrapped around the handle of the hair brush on the side of the table, he brushes the piece of your hair locks in his palms gently with it.

"i adore it when you call me 'your prince'."

you felt uneasy, a whole new different meaning of uneasiness as his small gesture of brushing your hair had your heart burbling into forms you couldn't understand. what is this feeling? why was he so gentle and loving with you? for what?

after what felt like eternity, he lets your hair down. his fingers brushes against your bare shoulder which had you flinching slightly. he notices this, the corners of his lips pulling up as he caresses your bare skin with the back of his hand, excruciatingly slow and tiny, tremendously affectionate and enamoured.

he knelt down before you, taking both of your hands in his, engaging it—bringing it on his cheeks which causes you to feel the sensation of his skin. then his lips ghosted across your fingers as he pressed a long deep kiss on top of your hand.

the sensation of his lips has your face flushing in utter mess, you wanted to stay calm and yet these tiny gestures he claimed as a lover's vow, had you crumbling into his hands.

his other hand plucks out a single violet from the bouquet, tucking your hair behind your ear as he pushes the flora in. caressing your hair after in such an affectionate manner.

"milady," his feline eyes raised to gaze deep into your crumbling soul, "i wonder if i am worthy enough to be your lover?"

speechless as your tongue tied on its own, gulping immensely. "my lover?.. just why are you so damn infatuated with me? i don't understand, this must be a joke, isn't?"

"i am not joking, milady. just as you called me your man that day," jungwon spoke, as sincerity engulfed his voice, "i myself also desire to call you my woman.. and not just my woman.."

his hand reaches down to hold your hands in his again, grasping it with burning passion.

"..my lover, my wife, the queen of this nation, and if you would like to someday.. the mother of my future child."

after a couple seconds of silence of you being utterly speechless at his words, he then spoke again with his wavering boba orbs, tongue lapping his lower lip in obvious uneasiness. “all i need is your permission, and one word from you, milady.”

those strings of words holding traces, no, a heavy scent and weight of undying love—he basically just professed his love for you, and proposed to you this time in a more appropriate, intimate, and affectionate way.

to you, he was the garden that slowly held you in his lush bed of comfort. to him, you were the flower that made this garden blooming so evergreen. the violet to his eyes.

the choice is all yours, what is your answer, milady?

「 © talesofyuan on tumblr 2023 」 all rights reserved. do not copy or post without permission.

💌 TAGLIST: @rinirou @moonchus @seonushine @nourhan-8 @heeseungsim @positivelyinlovewithjungwon @ineedsomezzz @chaechae-23 @axartia @altgojo

[undertale-fic-librarby]

Any Classic Sans x Reader recs? 👀

Smut is welcomed!

Howdy, thanks for asking! Here are some fics that might fit what you're looking for!

Lonely Eyes by TooObsessedForMyOwnGood (Mature, Complete)

I made this entirely and got up to about chapter 11 before deciding to post it. I've been into undertale since the day it was born and OH MAI GAWD. Excuse me if i happen to make any typos along the way. Hopefully not as I will be editing and reading these over as best as possible. Don't expect frequent updates after chapters 10 and/or 11. Also, i'm sorta new to posting stuff on here, so please forgive me if i'm slow with this sorta thing. The first at least 9 or 10 chapters will be short and more of a slow burn type of thing, but hopefully I can make them longer in the future. here we go guys. ______ It had been at least 15 years since the last human had fallen down. They'd been a mercilious human, one that had dusted almost every monster in the underground. Leaving the rest to lose hope as their king, queen, and all of the royal guard had been taken down by a measley human. A child, at that. Now, the next human to fall was one that had no intentions of such things, but Sans was prepared to put this one down much quicker if they proved to be a threat. Though, they both find out quickly that things were going to be much different then they'd both planned.

You're Not Alone Anymore by alexrun (Teen And Up, Incomplete)

I'm just gonna say this right off the top - I am not entirely sure where I'm going with this fic but if you like fLUFF AND SKELETONS YOu are in the right story!! >w> Uhm I suppose this is a very domestic plot with the whole "monsters living with humans but human don't like 'em" thing, also you are a little bundle of insecurity and anxiety who doesn't have a lot of friends and is just trying to make it through the day ;v; Enojy!?

Integrity (Sans Undertale x Reader) by xylocorpse (Not Rated, Incomplete)

Y/N L/N. A young adult who helps monsters settle in on the surface in your free time and is shit with making friends. On this beautiful day in particular, you happen to be helping two brothers move in and find yourself drawn to them. Thanks to persistent efforts (by you) you find that your life is permanently marked with new faces and new events that you hope will be for the better. .... and what's wrong with having a huge crush on a skeleton along the way? ALL OF THIS IS A HUUUGE SELF INSERT LMAOOOO. i have the fattest juiciest crush on sans and there is not enough love for classic on here. so now i have to do it myself. (but the reader being lowkey a loser is not me i am very cool irl)

Seren(dip)ity by Absent_Enigma (Teen And Up, Incomplete)

Life is pretty swell on the surface, Sans supposes. There have been no resets or reloads for years. No drama or violence from the human populace that monsters now live amongst, but for some minor complaints and scuffles. It’s just a bit lonely at times now that Sans’ friends and brother explore what the surface has to offer. Your life gets a little better when you enter into a tentative relationship with a funny skeleton monster who makes you laugh. It goes well, chip-dip fiasco and all. Five years later and the relationship is going steady, with less cultural misunderstandings now, as you and Sans go about daily life together. [Drabbles of you and Sans, in an established relationship, with little to no angst. It’s self-indulgent fluff, honestly]

Can we stay here? by TiredInBed (Mature, Incomplete)

You just recently moved to Ebott for college; it's nice here. The seasons are varied, the town is lively, and the school you're going to is manageable. The only thing that seems to be missing are friends and lovers. It feels so hard to get involved with anything or anybody new these days. They're all isolated in their own little world, and it's hard to become important to somebody. That's why when you get spontaneously involved with a new group of friends, you're happy! And when you meet a special man in Sans, you're overjoyed to watch your relationship blossom. You slowly forget what life would be like without them, the daily chaos of your new reality becoming very comfortable. You like it here in Ebott; you think you might stay.

[riftfic]

14. Human

Who will save you now?

Warnings: strong language, referenced suicide, violence

Featured Characters: Sans, Chara/Frisk (Reader), Flowey/Asriel, Wingdings Gaster, Asgore Dreemurr

Note: If you haven't read the previous chapters recently (maybe even if you have outside the past few days), I recommend giving it another read. It's definitely not a requirement, but I added some extra details throughout the story and a few more scenes, most notably in Chapters 3 & 9, that should help the ending feel even more satisfying.

Several years later . . . here's the next chapter.

< Load | RESET | Continue >

From a single strip at the Underground’s heart, Waterfall tunneled away into a boneyard mess of caves. In one direction, the passage to Hotland sprawled in mushroom-light mazes and a boulder choke disguising Tem Village. In the other, a quiet bubble harbored a simple mouse, neck deep in plans to retrieve a wedge of crystallized cheese. Between them, from a silver door that had only been there sometimes, Sans stepped out into a flood of bioluminescence.

Though a door latched shut behind him, dark, damp stone replaced the surface he reclined against now. Its cold, unyielding texture met his fingertips, a reminder that there would be no second visit. 

He clutched the spindly metal bars of that unnaturally gray birdcage. He tucked his chin over the iron rung at its peak, hardly dousing the light of the small monster soul trapped inside. 

The task set before him was unconscionable. Even if he managed to survive . . .

“i can’t do that,” he had resisted. “i can’t kill Frisk!”

“They shouldn’t even be alive,” said Wingdings.

The words took Sans by surprise. He set his heels despite the encroaching void and a minute hand nearing his final stroke of midnight.

“oh, but ya want me to take this soul all the way back to asriel, huh?” he said. “make sure he survives? double standard, if y’ask me.”

"I didn't say it was fair,” Wingdings hardly breathed. His eyes gained urgency. “The human . . . might survive, if they're determined enough. But after you pull the lever . . .”

At that, Sans’ anger siphoned away, leaving behind a fear much broader than the fate of one human child. Their mistake had set so many events into motion. Lives had been built and destroyed, paths forged and buried. The machine could rewrite the course of everything as easily as it could leave the butterfly effect intact. They could remain here in the present or be sucked back to the day it all began. With a phenomenon this unpredictable, just about anything could happen . . . but whatever world they left behind, at least it might survive.

“if i do use their soul to run the machine,” Sans said more calmly, “what’ll happen to asriel, then? to me? to the underground? heck, what’ll happen to you?”

It was clear to Sans by the frown on Wingdings’ face that his brother had already considered this question. Despite his ingenuity, the once royal scientist only shook his head. 

“I don’t know,” he said, “but I do know what’ll happen if you don’t.”

In the present, Sans beat his fist against the rock behind him. Why did it have to be so fucking twisted? Why his Frisk? And why did he have to be the one to do it? Maybe it didn’t have to work out like this. Maybe there was more time than Dings thought. Maybe he could find another way. 

His phone buzzed rhythmically at his waist. He pulled it from his coat pocket and looked at the screen. The image of Papyrus illuminated those shadowy cavern walls below several missed call notifications. Sans took a deep, shaking breath, then another, and answered.

“pup . . .”

“SANS!” Papyrus shouted. “I’VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU FOR HOURS!”

“oh.”

“I’M NEARLY TO NEW HOME. A FRIEND HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE HUMAN IS IN TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DANGER! IS THAT TRUE?!”

Sans nearly broke down then and there. Though seeing Wingdings again had restored many of the deeper cracks in his soul, it still felt fragile, even more when considering the path ahead of him. 

“more than true,” he whispered.

A patch of silence followed. Sans dropped his cheek to rest on birdcage bars. 

“tell me it’s gonna be all right,” he murmured into the receiver.

“Sans . . . where are you?” Papyrus asked, more gently than was typical. 

“just tell me, please.”

“It’s . . .” Papyrus sighed. “It is going to be all right. Now, WHERE ARE YOU?”

Hearing the words in his brother’s voice quelled Sans’ fear, enough to return strength to his limbs. He lingered on the phone a moment longer, as if the connection truly placed him at Papyrus’ side.

“meet you there,” he said.

You followed in Asgore’s shadow, watching the folds of his cape sway and collide like cattails in the wind. His silhouette consumed yours. He could hold all of you in one hand, let alone the tiny red soul he sought to claim.

Past the end of that long hallway mirror of the Ruins, the barrier undulated with powerful magic. Its waves of golden white licked the crackled stone as if in search of escapees. It contoured Asgore’s silhouette in a crisp white line as he turned to face you. 

That all-too-familiar smile prickled the fur along his muzzle. Looking up into his apologetic eyes, you remembered his hands on your shoulders, his all-encompassing embrace that threatened to lose you in his fur. The macaroni pictures, the crayon drawings, the sweaters . . . the buttercup pie. You shuddered. 

“Human,” said the king of all monsters. His powerful voice trembled, and the earth trembled with it. “It was nice meeting you. . . . Goodbye.” 

He held his trident firmly in both hands and lowered his head . . . but a stoplight glow kept his chin from falling too far. There you stood, hands outstretched, red soul hovering above your palms. 

“I’m the last one,” you said.

Asgore stared at the heart-shaped spirit as if entranced. Its warmth illuminated your fingers with ruby firelight. It was in the crimson glint of your eyes, however, that he became lost, captured in the clutch of a ghost from years long gone.

“Do I . . . know you?” he asked, bewildered both by the situation and the question itself. 

“Please, take it,” you said. Tears fell down your face. “It’s no good for anything else.”

Asgore’s eyes widened with recognition. “Chara . . . ?”

Intense heat flared in the hallway behind you. Before Asgore could say anything more, a brilliant ball of flame had launched him into the cavern wall. Flecks of gray stone spat out among a field of clouds. 

You swung to face the spellcaster. Toriel stood framed in the doorway, her face scrunched in a scowl like a snarling lion. One smoking arm remained outstretched, clenched in a fist. 

“What a miserable creature,” she growled, “torturing such a poor, innocent youth.”

You hadn’t known what path the timeline had taken or whether your friends would convene . . . yet Toriel had arrived, exactly the same as before. Though you may have jokingly called her “mom,” the name now rang through your head with the purity of a windchime in the breeze. 

Undyne, Alphys, and Papyrus appeared after her, along with a swath of others you had met along the way. You wanted to tell them to turn back, that you did not deserve them, that if they had known the demon you truly were, they never would have wanted to be your friend. 

Your color drained. As they approached, a web of vines crawled after them along the dark ceiling and cavern floors. 

You ran to Asgore, who sat slumped amid rubble and a brand new hallway door in the shape of his back. He grumbled in discomfort. A layer of dust coated his royal robes and golden mane, which he shook like a dog. You slid to your knees beside him.

“Hurry, please!” you blubbered to the stunned monster king. You proffered your soul as if it were on fire. “There isn’t a lot of time . . . !”

Toriel snatched you back by the shoulders. 

“What has come over you, my child?” she demanded. “Do you not know what he means to do with it?” 

“Mom, I . . .” 

“Frisk.” Her eyes had begun scanning the room in fright. “Where is Sans?”

The path to the barrier gave Sans more difficulty than expected. The last time he had attempted these roads with fewer than two shortcuts, he had been a century younger and taking his time, mushroom hunting with young Papyrus. His limbs lagged behind his will. His breath rattled in his chest. Though his fingers slipped against that birdcage no one remembered, he refused to release its colorless patina bars. Everything depended on this.

He took what natural shortcuts he could—river ferries and elevators—but even then, the trip cost more time than he had bargained. At long last, he had reached the innards of Asgore’s home in the capital. He ran, huffing and puffing, down the golden tiles of the Last Hallway. 

Even as he sped past, his heart ached to remember your meeting here. The flare of sunlight on your head, the even brighter smile on your face, the secret passwords on your tongue. . . . The memory of that pure soul compared to the corrupted one he had read beside the rift overwhelmed him, and he paused. He touched a hand to the white pillar that once occluded him.

Who were you now? Frisk? Chara? Both? If Chara truly were your forgotten name, if everything he knew about the tragedy of Asgore’s children had happened to you, such terrible memories weighed down on your tiny shoulders. It did not surprise him, then, that your violence had escalated to remember those horrors. Ferocious thorns had been hiding in the soft petal corona of your soul, and neither of you had known it.

Clinging tightly to the forgotten prison in his hands, he buried his sentiments and tore through vine-swathed hallways into a dark passage. He skidded to a halt just past the silvery stone archway to the barrier, where his bones clattered with shock.

The cavern pulsed in radiant waves like the steady spin of a lighthouse beacon. Twisting, thorny roots filled the cavern like a briar patch, and their position changed with every flash of light. Among the vicious mess of chloroplast, monster figures had been tangled, their souls nearly devoured. 

The dimming pinpoints of Sans’ eyes could not peel away from your small form, crumpled on the floor before a yellow flower. Your red soul snapped among his vines, barely shimmering in a ruby remnant before splitting apart into nothing.

Sans could not stifle the horror that clawed its way out his mouth. He nearly dropped the cage. 

Flowey turned to grin at him. “Trash day already?” he asked, spinning his head in a full circle. 

Sans shook. No. This couldn’t have happened. You couldn’t have fallen to that little heathen daisy so quickly. You couldn’t have lost your determination. If only he hadn’t lingered in the hallway. If only he had kept running . . . !

You blinked at the human soul still hovering in your outstretched hands. It glowed red, though not as brightly as it once did. Still alive. Still yours to give. Not torn to bits by a nihilistic plant.

Only moments ago, you had fallen to a flower, the same flower weaving his way into this chamber of darkness and light. Toriel’s hands rested heavily on your shoulders. Papyrus chattered away, as Asgore pleaded with Toriel to give him a second chance. While they were distracted, Flowey dug his way out of the earth, grinning deviously, ready to spring all over again.

Confusion waltzed with your mind, spinning you gently. You had experienced this rush backward a thousand times before. Just a short step in reverse to let you continue after falling or if you disliked the outcome . . . but you did not have the determination to do it now. You had intended to die. You had meant for one of two creatures to take your power and be done with it. 

It hadn’t been you. 

The world shifted. Time rushed away like the tide, back into the ocean depths. Darkness bled away into golden sunlit tiles and stained glass windows. Birds chirped among a distant rustle of leaves. The air danced with prisms for a fleeting moment before the world reappeared as it had only moments before.

Sans realized suddenly that he stood in the Last Hallway all over again. A glittering pocket of magic danced like a handheld star beside him, where he had touched the pillar and remembered you. It had not been there before.

Air filled his ribcage in jagged gasps. His soul burned as it usually did when you reset time, though somewhat gentler. His hands shook around the bars of that monochrome birdcage with fear, confusion, and exhilaration. 

He had just turned back time. He could feel it. And if that were the case . . .

He ran. He sprinted faster than ever to reach you, but you lay still on the floor again. Though uncertain how, and though it hurt him, he turned back the clock a second time. Then a third. Then a fourth. Every time, the flower tore apart your soul like a horror movie on repeat, until finally, Sans arrived one split second earlier. Your soul spun a circle above you as if hanging from a string, and a ring of white pellets had only begun readying itself to deliver the killing blow.

Before Sans knew what he was doing, he was charging Flowey through a rough shortcut, foot extended to drop-kick the weed down into his roots. That cursed dandelion’s shriek had never sounded so satisfying. Sans’ dragon skulls had already manifested over his shoulders, jaws aflame—but when they blasted blue-hot magic out their mouths, Flowey had already disappeared into the earth.

A whip of green struck the ground where Sans had stood. He skipped out of the way in the nick of time, then again, and again, and again. He punched his free hand to the ground, and a wave of long, white magic bones crashed down through the air like meteorites. They speared into the cave floor with enough force to run cracks through the ceiling. Clouds of rock sprinkled down onto his shoulders. Flowey’s grip on his friends and family slackened just an inch.

Flowey surfaced again, undamaged beyond a few frayed petals. 

Sans panted, his adrenaline quickly plunging. His bones began aching again, though his raging soul burned brightly through its seams. Sweat slipped down his skull into the neck of his shirt. He didn’t know if he could withstand this much longer. He did not know if his soul could survive another time jump.

“Ha,” chirped the little flower. “Looking pretty rough, there, old pal." His eyes glinted red within the skull-like hollows of his face. "Poor, flimsy little monster souls. Why bother trying? Even Chara was no match for me, and they were a million times stronger than you’ll ever be!”

Sans knew he was right. He did not have the full resilience of a purebred human. Even you had to try several times before making it past this bitter herb. Who in their right mind would bet on him: half blind, right arm nearly useless, only one HP? Just like every moment in his life, he would find a way to fuck this up. Just like every other time before, he would be useless to help. 

His hope dwindled down, as did the fire in his soul. He could not find the strength to evade the string of bullets shooting toward him, but they were serendipitously blocked by a fence of small white bones.

“DON’T LISTEN TO HIM, SANS!” said Papyrus through clenched teeth. “YOU. CAN. WIN!”

“We are here to help you,” said Toriel. “No matter what happens.”

“Statistically it’s impossible,” said Alphys, “b-but you’ve beaten the odds before! I know you can do it!”

“Fuck you, Sans,” said Undyne. 

Everyone looked at her. She shrugged.

“Sans,” said Asgore. “Listen to me.”

Sans clung to the bars of the birdcage more tightly, eyes glued to the smirking flower afar. 

“You are not just your father’s son,” said the king of the Underground. “You have more than magic running through your veins. Remember that . . . and stay determined!”

Sans’ white pupils snapped to Asgore’s blue and brown at once. The statement had struck him somewhere deep beyond the monster white shell of his soul, and still more words passed between them unspoken. Sans then dragged his gaze across all his friends, who looked back with steadfast confidence, even Undyne.

Flowey coiled down on himself, pretending to be scared. “Urgh, no!” he whimpered. “Unbelievable! This can’t be happening! I can’t possibly withstand all of you . . . you . . . !” His face contorted into his evilest grin. “Idiots.”

His vines snapped taut around every monster, and yet another thorny coil snatched Sans from the ground as well. Through ropes of green and brown, Sans watched your red soul go down the flower’s throat, sealed behind hungry white fangs within a golden crown. Then, everything became lost in a flash of white. 

Clang.

Sans moaned. Between that blitz of light and now, he had dropped to his hands and knees. His palms felt scorched—and dreadfully empty. Ahead of him, the last withering wisp of gray silver bars dissipated into the air as if made of smoke. Seeing it clawed the magic away from his bones with every mounting breath. His eyes became hollow. 

The cage was gone—really, truly gone. Not even a step backward in time could bring it back, and with it, Asriel’s soul. Sans felt the world bottom out. Had he really failed, after everything?

A voice cackled overhead. “Finally,” it said. “I was so tired of being a flower.” 

Sans looked upward and blanched. Aside from a few drawings you had scribbled out as a child, he had never witnessed this ungodly creature of countless souls. Sans had only been consumed by him, a coal block among many to fuel his hate. Now, Asriel Dreemurr hovered overhead in all his glory, raging with deathly power in a kaleidoscope of energy. No wonder you had nightmares.

Past the wreckage of their earlier fight, your body still lay heaped on the floor among stone and dead vines, seemingly asleep. As Sans crawled close, tears threatened to form. 

He bit them back. No. He needed to hope. He needed to dream. He needed to be determined that he could call you out from the darkness, just as you had done for him a hundred times. It was his turn, now. Everyone would make it to the other side . . . including Asriel. 

“Huh?” Asriel grunted as he caught wind of Sans below. “What are you still doing here? I ate your soul, you dirty lawn bag!”

“grass not,” said Sans as he stood, dusting the dirt from his jacket with his left hand.

“Ugh.” Asriel pinched his muzzle exasperatedly. “So annoying. How many times have you died now? Thirty-five? Thirty-six?” He thrust a rocket’s flare at Sans with a wicked smile. “Thirty-seven?!”

Sans gathered your body into his arms and stepped into a last-minute shortcut, safely away from that raw magical surge. After hiding your figure inside an Asgore-shaped wall hole, he flitted through the blue light of a portal once again. He reappeared in the air, directly in Hyperdeath’s path, only inches from his head. 

“bone apétit, fucker,” he said and threw a handful of small bones at Asriel’s face. Though they caused no significant damage, they certainly got his attention.

Sans landed on all fours and scrambled. Bullets, fireballs, shooting stars, and lightning strikes raged after him. They left craters in the ground and drove deeper cracks into the ceiling overhead. Stalactites fell and shattered. Sans dodged every one of them. His body thoughtlessly followed the part of him that knew how to survive but had no time to ask permission, so begged forgiveness instead. 

As Asriel Dreemurr took a moment to lift his hands, Sans struggled to catch his breath. His hood smelled of smoldering keratin. Holes had been burned through his sleeves. His body felt slick and ashen against his jacket’s cotton interior. The bones he had tossed like a scoop of dog biscuits into Asriel’s face had been the last magic he could muster. Whatever great power the prince of the Underground gathered now, Sans doubted he could survive it.

The world darkened. Sans could no longer see Asriel or the barrier, not even his hands if he raised them. Everything had become silent except the paddle of his own breath. 

A skull three times his size suddenly materialized from the shadow. In appearance, it reminded him of those he and his siblings had mastered, though its horns and features mirrored Asriel instead. It laughed in his face—a grim, bone-chilling sound like grating rocks—but Sans stood firm. Brilliant red rage and determination surfaced among the cracks of his soul. How dare Asriel steal from Papyrus? How dare he turn Sans’ own family magic against him?

Waves of light drew into the open bowels of its snakelike gullet. Debris ran past his ankles, recalling images of a lab in shambles, a brother consumed by a beast of timeless indifference. He braced himself, ready to dive into the darkness as he did then and save the ones that mattered most.

A flash of brightness burst over him once more. This time, it ripped the soul from inside him and shattered it into pieces.

His mind floated through an abyss, bursting with the fireworks of everything at stake. He thought of Papyrus, never seeing sunrise; Toriel, never knowing the love of a new family; Alphys, never seeing the true greatness inside herself; Undyne, never free to explore the world; Asgore, failing his people. He thought of you, swallowed in the belly of the very thing you had sought to save. He thought of the entire world, destroyed by the god of hyperdeath, eaten alive by a hungry rift in time. The pieces of his soul quivered in a glow of crimson, ready to disperse. 

*But it refused.

The shards sewed back together. A burst of bright red coursed through him like a new flame that had waited a lifetime to be struck. He had to live. He needed to live. He wanted to live! The darkness faded away, and soon the pulsing light of the barrier greeted his eyes once again.

He gaped at his shaking hands, eye sockets wide with confusion and amazement and, more than anything, determination. His soul felt aflame with a ruby-red blaze that forged the bleeding cracks of every pain, every hardship, and every sorrow into an armor stronger than the thickest alloy.

Asriel’s final form hovered ahead of him. Giant wings had sprouted from his back, flaring with blues, reds, greens, and purples. His teeth bared in needle points to rival Undyne’s, seething with fury and frustration. 

“YOU . . . GARBAGE BIN SKELETAL FREAK!” he screamed. “WHY? WHY CAN’T YOU DIE?!”

Sans realized very suddenly he couldn’t move. Asriel’s true power had run rampant through the air, cocooning him in a chrysalis of magic he could not escape. He struggled with no result. With no way to resist, Asriel’s attacks barreled into him again, and again, and again. Every time his brightly burning soul rebuilt itself, a little was lost along the way. 

“I can feel it,” Asriel growled with relish. “Every time you die, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you die, your friends forget you a little more. Your life will end here, in a world where no one remembers you.”

Sans thought of Windings, lost in a hell of the same description. He recalled how determined his brother had been to hold that same world together in one piece, forgotten or not. Sans could not fail him again, not here, not now, not after how hard Dings had tried, not when all his hopes were so invested in his success. His brother’s words rang through Sans' head, the last he would speak before the ghost of a gray door had separated them.

“I want you to know,” Wingdings had said, “I believe in you more than I believe in anyone else.”

“heh, yer jus’ tuggin’ my tibia . . .”

“For Tesla’s sake, Sans,” Dings snipped. “Can you just, for a second, let me spoon-feed your imperceptibly minuscule single-cell petri dish of a trait you call your self-esteem?” He took a deep breath and steadied. “I know it might seem like you’re my only option,” he said, “but you’re the best option I could have ever hoped for. My big brother. The one who sticks it out through thick and thin. The one I could always rely on to come through for me. You can do this. You can save everyone. I know you can. So, please . . . 

“. . . don’t give up.”

Sans closed his eyes and reached his heart out to Asriel’s amalgamation of souls. His friends and family were there somewhere. He could save them. They believed in him. Dings believed in him. His determination to save everyone bled through the confines of Asriel’s magic, and deep inside that monstrosity, something began to stir.

Darkness closed in and images of his friends materialized, though their faces could not be seen behind swimming, fragmented blurs of pitch. Toriel, Papyrus, Asgore, Alphys, and Undyne stood like statues in a ring around him. Under their breaths, they mumbled their deepest wounds aloud: loss, rejection, loneliness, guilt, and captivity. 

Sans stared up at his little brother’s towering silhouette, shaken to see him so reduced. 

“hey, puppy . . .” he began. He inched nearer. “‘member me?”

Papyrus did not acknowledge him beyond summoning a few bones, which promptly flew in his direction. They were nothing compared to what Asriel had been punting his way. Sans stood perfectly still to allow a large blue femur to pass harmlessly through his forehead, then teleported behind him. He wrapped his arms around his waist until his face lay cradled in the lower curve of his spine, as if it were fashioned to hold his head.

“is that any way to treat your big bro?” he asked quietly. He searched his head for his worst possible joke and turned to the remaining souls. “uh . . . w-whatcha all starin’ at?”  He whipped out a finger gun as nonchalantly as possible. “never metacarpal of skeletons before?”

A long, silent moment passed. Then, Papyrus groaned. So did Undyne. Toriel giggled alongside Alphys with a snort. Asgore only sighed. 

Sans beamed, then dodged what he saw as a well-deserved barrage of attacks from all five of his monster friends.

“hey, undies,” he said to Undyne past the quick flash of a blue spear. “i liked the tuna your piano. think you can teach me some scales?”

A similar response. Another wave of dangerous magic. 

“knock, knock,” Sans said to Toriel. A hand of fire tried and failed to snatch him off the ground. He brushed off the heat. “i’ll take that as a ‘who’s there’. it’s yer local sentry, sans gaster!”

Toriel mumbled incoherently, but her last words sounded clear: “. . . Sans Gaster who?”

“yeesh,” Sans said, tugging at the neck of his shirt. “and i thought we were friends!”

Toriel laughed, then, revealing her face in a glorious burst of joy. Papyrus groaned more loudly than ever into existence. 

“THAT’S ENOUGH BOONDOGGLING, SANS!” he shouted.

“i think you mean bone-doggling.”

“I DO NOT!” Papyrus stomped his foot.

With that, the rest of his friends returned to themselves, holding their stomachs or their heads in laughter. Sans wiped a joyful tear from his eye. By then, Papyrus had swept him off his feet into the tightest hug he could muster, which might have broken a rib were they more than specters. The remaining crew piled in: Toriel, Alphys, Asgore, even Undyne. In that one gesture, Sans’ soul swelled with hopes and dreams and burned brighter than ever.

“You’re d-d-doing great!”

“We’ve got your back, punk.”

“We believe in you.”

“heh . . . i’m rootin’ for me too, i guess,” Sans agreed bashfully.

“THAT’S THE SPIRIT,” Papyrus said, then lifted his eyes over Sans’ shoulder. “ONLY ONE MORE TO GO.”

As he said it, their images dissipated. Sans turned to follow Papyrus’ gaze. Another figure stepped from the shadow, eyes burning red through a shifting black cloud. A blood-red knife glinted in your hand. Your ruby soul quivered in the pit of your chest, a beacon through the dark. 

“kiddo,” Sans breathed.

You shambled forward and blindly slashed for his neck. He side-stepped the sloppy cut. Your blade lodged into the unseen ground, so deeply it took a few tries to pry it out. Like a marionette, you lolled about to face him.

“It’s all my fault,” you murmured. “All my fault.”

“that ain’t true,” said Sans. He grimaced and ducked another swing. “you’re a good kid. you’ve always been a good kid.”

“I'm sorry,” you mumbled.

“why?” he asked. “you saved us. you saved me. you gave up your resets for it!”

Your razor-edged swipes and stabs began to falter. “My fault . . .”

“the only thing you’re at fault for is trying too bleedin’ hard.”

Though shaking, you continued to jab and swing your dagger with reckless abandon, and he continued to evade its path with infuriating precision. Whipping air and shuffling feet echoed through the dark as if you fought in an empty chapel.

“c’mon, bud!” Sans panted. Sweat had begun to gather on his forehead. “it’s me, sans!”

“Sans?” you replied in a fog. “Sans is dead. I killed him. It’s my fault.”

“i’m not dead. i’m right here.” 

He came close, a breath away. Your knife grazed his cheekbone, revealing a stripe of red that trickled down into his shirt collar. As your arm passed his shoulder, he caught you around the chest and held on tight. He buried his face into your neck. 

“i’m right here.”

At this, you froze. You held your knife shakily over his head, prepared to strike down into his back—but you didn’t. Though the black, jagged strokes of paint shifting about your head did not cease, the red of your eyes had dimmed. 

“frisk. chara.” 

He cradled your hiding face between his hands and looked into your eyes a long, long time. You could feel him reaching through your soul, judging you, reading you from cover to cover like an unlocked diary.

“it’s not your fault.”

As the words sank in, tears sprinkled down from that stormcloud between you, raining over your shoes and his. That dreadful, bloody knife clattered to the ground, and soon you followed. You sat seiza at his feet and clung to his coat, your face no longer shrouded. You sobbed into his t-shirt, broken, yet overjoyed to see him alive. 

He hesitated, then slipped his fingers down into the deep brown thatches of your hair.

“You’re really here,” you said, looking up into his face. 

Sans crouched down to your level and shrugged. “think so.”

“Am I dead?”

“uh.” He scratched the back of his skull and winced. “ya ain’t in yer body, that much is for sure. hopin’ you might join me on the way back, though . . . if you’d do me the honor.”

You hugged him again, even more tightly than before. Conflicted by memories old and new, shame hooked onto your soul with claws sharper than the dagger at his feet. His hand in your hair was all that kept you solid.

“I’m sorry.” Your tears fell faster as you considered the road leading you here. “I made you fall into the rift . . .”

“that one’s on me,” Sans said. “i knew what i might find down there.”

Your face sombered. “Did you find . . . him?”

Newfound brightness ignited his eyesockets. “he’s . . . alive,” he said quietly. He could scarcely believe the words. “trapped between time and space. it’s just like i thought.”

You were never more relieved to be proven wrong. Still, questions encircled your head like stars. Where was his brother, now? If Sans had gone to that place, how had he returned? How had he survived the rift, and Flowey no less? Was he the one turning back the clock? That should have been impossible. 

As you extended a hand to smear the streak of red you had carved into his face, a terrifying thought occurred to you. 

“Determination,” you breathed. “Sans, you didn’t—!”

“no,” he said.

“Monsters don’t bleed,” you said firmly in an attempt to call out his bullshit.

“not full-blooded monsters, no,” he agreed.

Several moments passed in which you digested these words, and what they implied. 

His smile slowly fell into a grimace, a mix of regret and weary sadness. He sat down in the darkness across you. Here, the two of you were truly alone. He breathed in, breathed out. 

“skeletons are kinda hard to come by,” he began hesitantly, “if ya hadn’t noticed. we’re only born under certain circumstances . . . with . . . certain parents.”

He lifted his head to the darkness above as if he might see the sky. A piece of him drifted away into nostalgia on Noctis wings. Bittersweet was the only word you could surface for his expression now.

“hardly look nothing like dad,” he began with a half-hearted shrug. “he was like . . . a dragon made of blue stars, a constellation in a nebula. huge, bigger than asgore. gast clan always was, compared to the dreems. i see him in my magic, though, sometimes. his face in my blasters, even if just the skull.”

You couldn’t find words. Surely he didn’t mean what you thought.

“don’ hardly look like mom, neither,” he said with a partial smile, “but we got her bones. we got her structure. i got some of her determination.”

“You’re half human.”

“i’m all me, thanks,” Sans snipped. Talking about it seemed to crawl over his bones like a spider bake sale. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” you asked, genuinely hurt.

He paused and picked at the healing cut on his cheek. He rubbed the red fluid pensively between his thumb and forefingers. “everyone down here knows what it means to be a skeleton,” he said quietly. “i thought you knew too, at first. we all did. a lot of folks thought it was why you shacked up with us instead of tori.”

Your shoulders relaxed.

“by the time i realized it . . . honestly, i didn’t know how to tell ya, kid. it's a sensitive subject.” He drew his coat around himself more tightly. “we’re the only ones left, y’know; me and puppy-dog. and dings. when the war started, humans went for families like ours first. papyrus was a bean, dings was just the right age for it to hit him later, and i . . . i remember everything, as always.” 

Your guilt ascended all over again. 

“we were just kids," he went on, "but nothin’ scared those purist humans more than a fuckin’ mule.”

“i’m sorry,” you said.

“don’t be,” he murmured. “not your fault.”

“But it is,” you insisted. Your tears began rising again. "I’m human. I’m responsible. After everything humans have done—after everything I’ve done—I don’t deserve any of you. I don’t deserve to be here. You shouldn’t have saved me . . .”

Sans gently wiped your face with his sleeve. “lemme finish, kid,” he said quietly. He heaved a long, drawn-out sigh, as if releasing a toxin trapped inside his ribcage. “i got a reason to hate humans, sure. they drove us down here. they blocked us in. hell, even monsters gave us a hard time for that half of us. papyrus was so bent on catching a human just to prove what side he was on. thought people might like him more.”

You felt sick.

“but,” Sans said, forcing you to meet his eyes, “my human parent sacrificed everything to save us. she stayed behind so we could get away. so many of us are alive because of her. you wanna tell me that was wrong? you wanna tell me she was responsible for everything that happened to us, just for being human?”

Your tears continued to fall. 

“you can’t help where ya came from,” said Sans, “but you can choose where ya go. and boy have you gone to some good places.” 

“Like the dump,” you quipped with a faint smile.

“heh, yeah,” he said. “like the dump.” He hung an arm over your shoulder. “so maybe you’ve made some big mistakes . . . but your heart was never in the wrong place. you want to make up for it. you want to be good. that’s what really matters, right?”

You sniffled and nodded. You had said the same to Alphys. Were you really beneath your own advice?

He gathered you into his arms again. After a long time kneeling there, faces in shoulders, he helped you back to your feet. 

“gonna need you to step in from here on out,” said Sans. “the chances hyperdoofus listens to me are about a million to negative one.” He smirked. “think you can handle it?” 

You took his hand and squeezed. 

“Only if you stand there with me,” you said.

His heart swelled in his chest. “i can do that."

Holding onto one another tightly, you stepped out from the darkness into a rainbow of light.

Notes:

And thus we have arrived at my third and final head-cannon: skeletons are what happen when a monster loves a human. I think my nervousness about dropping that bomb contributed to the delay in a latent sense, haha. Sorry for that again.

The idea of skeleton monsters always puzzled me, because in most folklore and fantasy contexts they have a direct tie to humans. Undead, more specifically. But in the context of the Undertale universe, undead didn't sit right with me. Skeleton monsters that conveniently mimic human anatomy didn't either. Then I had this thought. It explained several things for me: the blood from Sans' cut in the no mercy run, the reason he's so powerful, that "fourth wall" breaking tendency he and Papyrus both share... I massaged things some for the narrative here, but yeah.

I had been building to this a little bit as a possible reveal, then considered sidestepping it, but then as I really hammered out my ending it became an essential fact. I added more scenes and details in earlier chapters to get a little more traction on it, hence why I recommended rereading. :) Either way, I hope you find it at least interesting.

Thank you again to everyone who held on until now. Only three chapters left!

Next Up! Chapter 15: Determination.

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[gallivantingheart]

Use Your Mouth as an Anchor

masterlist | next

🍵 chapter 1: lychee 🍵

who?: soonyoung/hoshi x (f)reader

word count: 834

genre/s: fluff, humour, social media!au

warnings: some course language

genre: social media!au, princess diaries II !au, humour, romance, mild angst

warnings: none, as of yet

**please ignore the timestamps - they are not accurate**

The office after a news cycle was simultaneously quiet and loud. The stress reset before building again. So the coffee in your hand - an order excessively complicated with oat milk - looked like it would actually have time to be consumed today.

Your Head Editor, Minhyuk, points at you with a finger guns through the opening of his office doorway as you come past, his dark hair styled to perfection. He always looks like such a slacker.

“Hey Chon. That piece on Wednesday? Damn fantastic. How did you know?” He marvels with his keen smirk.

You wink and shoot finger guns back. “I have my sources.”

At minimum being the cook’s assistant and the assistant footman - they were old school  buddies of yours. Somehow despite your job, most forget that your family is infamous for their longstanding claim to the Amaide crown. Maybe it’s the fact you don’t mention your name very often or that you live in a rundown cottage on the opposite side of the island. It helps if people forget.

Your colleague, Wonwoo, has a desk that backs onto yours, his long limbs stretching out beneath his desk. He usually runs a portion of the entertainment section and is often rubbing shoulders with the most affluent for the best gossip. It’s surprising, seeing as he’s so quiet, but he’s always had a way of bringing out the most in others. Both of you also tend to overlap in terms of events and sources for articles.

“Another glowing review from our Head Editor.” He says dryly.

“Of course.” You hum as you spin and preen in your chair. “If only I got more than that. With Eunbi on maternity leave I was secretly begging for the assistant editor’s gig. If only for a little bit.” You put your fingers close together and squint through them to see his rolling eyes. “Just a taste.”

“One day, but I’m sure that at this point Minhyuk’s only keeping you in this position because of your Royal contacts. No one could fill your shoes. They made this role just for you, remember?” He’s softly spoken and very mild about it as he adjusts the wire frames of his glasses.

You groan and loll your head back in your seat. “Don’t remind me. I might gain a conscience about it.”

Just as Wonwoo is chuckling at your complaints, the office executive assistant whizzes through the office, dropping off post and internal communications for the day. A heavy, textured envelope lands on your desk from over your shoulder, frisbee-ed haphazardly. The magnolia tinted envelope is serious and makes your stomach swoop. Your name and work address are looped in formal cursive in the available space, along with a singular lemon printed post stamp. The envelope is sealed with navy wax, the Park family coat of arms. Your hands shake and your aren’t graceful at all with the letter from the Royal house. It takes you a few times to scan the writing and take in its meaning. Holy crap.

You spin to face Wonwoo, sitting with your firmly planted feet and legs apart in your dress trousers. He blinks, eyes sparking in surprise.

“What?” He asks.

You lean forward across the walkway, waving the heavy paper under his chin. “This is an invite to the royal family’s welcoming soiree. The King and Queen have been away on business in Korea for at least three months - at least publicly. This will be the night they celebrate their official return.” You getting an invite, of all people?

It’s no secret that your family is weird, unhinged, delusional. Whatever you wanted to call their obsession over the rightful heirs to the Amide royal line. Your uncle led the charge, having always been an eccentric to say the least. Swearing till he was blue in the face that the Chon bloodline were the rightful heirs to the Amaide throne and future of the people. The irony there being that he was a man who had a slim chance of getting within breathing distance of that title and power. Worse is that your whole family indulged his outlandish claims, treating them as gospel. Why else had you split to South Korea for your studies as soon as you could? Protect yourself from that drivel and disgusting brain rot. Unfortunately your studies eventually ended and you had to return to the hellfire that was your family. Landing you here as a Royal Correspondent at Genoa Post, the leading news outlet in Amaide.

So, back to the matter at hand. Why would the Park family invite the heir to their greatest enemy into their home? Was this invite extended to any of your other family?

It felt so much like walking into the lion’s den, vastly different from fishing for next week’s news reel from the back doors and harmless shadows.

“What do I do?” You hiss.

Wonwoo stares for a long moment at the paper between you before shrugging. “I guess you go and find out.”

[silviakundera]

"But I have my reasons."

"So does every other sinner in the world."

It's been quite obvious from the drama for a while now that the Princess Royal screenwriter feels pity for Su Rongqing and considers him a tragic figure. I recall being asked early on if I thought the writers are trying to redeem him. And I said no, not exactly. And I still stand by that!

They didn't give him any out or excuse for his hand in the bloody end of their original timeline: the dirty secrets reveal scene does not soften his actions in any way or reduce Li Rong's disgust. Ronghua still rejects his grand-standing words and his refusal to see that the noble class can't continue like this. He gets his chance to tell his perception of past events but Pei Wenxuan also gets a chance to share competing observations. Li Rong and Su Rongqing still get their philosophical face-off in the throne room. No one is completely wrong or right. There were no heroes in the original timeline.

"Let's not deceive ourselves or others anymore. I understand your stubbornness. Your heart is with the light, yet you dwell in darkness. You refuse to acknowledge your identity, so you can only disort the truth."

We see Li Rong and his brother reach out a hand to him many times, telling him he can still turn back. Li Rong was never in love with him romantically but he accompanied her for years during a dark period for both of them; she's not a heartless person (that's the whole point!), so ofc she would take his hand and pull him back from the edge if he was just willing to grab it. She wants to reach him: that's what the whole throne room scene is about. But she cannot. His last moments in the drama have both Pei Wenxuan and Li Rong calling out to him.

He may be a poisonous snake, but he doesn't have to bite the frog when crossing the river.

He is given chances but he doesn't take them. That's why he's tragic: Because he is right about this ONE THING (Li Chuan isn't suited to be emperor), feeling desperately certain about it while it seems no one else understands the stakes and his heroic mission. But he's wrong about everything else.

This is a story about time travel and what if you could re-do your youth: better support a troubled sibling, stand up to toxic family, fix your marriage, widen your perspective... And Su Rongqing misses all his opportunities because he's not taking his chance to better connect with others, not using the wisdom of all those extra years to better understand the populace and the people around him, and handle his life & relationships with more grace. He just narrow-mindly focuses on the mission - he can't reset, can't let go of the past life and the current system.

So many other people in this tale have been shifted: Shangguan Ya, Su Ronghua, Li Chuan, Qin Zhen Zhen, even the fail emperor has a revelation about how crap he is.

His inflexibility and inability to seize the opportunity of a do-over in life and be a new Su Rongqing acts as a contrast to measure how much Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan have been growing & changing. And it shows us why they triumph and why they deserve their happy ending.

Tragic doesn't mean innocent. It doesn't mean he didn't have a hand in his own downfall.

I know not all readers found him compelling in the text, but I did think he was a neat character and tbh I think the novel would be diminished without him. I can see what the screenwriter was trying to do with him - all that dramatic music is his POV. We get glimpses of the good times & his good intentions that contrast with his failure to live up to any of it. He's given narrative importance as their foil and the writers wanted him to be a full fledged 3rd time-traveler character that the audience is interested in (hoping, like Li Rong & his brother do, that he can be saved). The promise is there in the essential character, I can see it in the text. But in the drama they failed to create investment from the audience in the right way.

imo a big misstep is that the framing early on made viewers feel he was intended to be a valid love interest. In the drama, his romantic interest in her is overt while in the novel it was ambiguous for the first 60% of the story. Writers even added a couple moments that felt OOC where we are in his head and it seems like he is actually intending to win her back romantically (which is contradicted by his novel-compliant speeches in ep 34 & 40 about how he knows they can't be together because as her betrayer he doesn't deserve it.)(now I'm curious to rewatch them, I am really wondering if it was intended to be a slight of hand where he is meaning her return/freedom/rise to power/the life he owes her and the audience is intended to misread as him saying he will become her bf again 🤔🤔) Regardless, in a romance narrative, this will make many viewers reflexively dislike him, protectively wanting him away from their otp. He is perceived as a real suitor who has a chance -- which hits different to a shipper.

The execution was flawed. I do think that casting a magnetic actor who can portray bottled up emotion & inner turmoil, such as Zhang Wanyi, would have made a big difference in mitigating the earlier mis-cues. But on the other hand, I'm fairly satisfied with his character handling from ep 30-40. And it wasn't really badly done, ep 22 and onward. The real problem in his handling was the first 50%.

[pixiecaps]

i hope you're already asleep it's so late for you but on the topic of the finale ending honestly i understand why people are so upset by it, i think it royally sucks, but imo it was created entirely because they really needed some way to wrap things up and i think almost everyone would agree that it shouldn't have and wouldn't have ended that way had things been different and had the server not needed to end so abruptly.

like idk you KNOW i'm a canon compliant guy but for this thing specifically i genuinely don't consider it canon and think it should fully be ignored, and i think basically everyone involved would be fine with that. also honestly in my mind everything purgatory and after is non-canonical in that it shouldn't have happened either and the reset is definitely not canon so that makes it easier for me to ignore it completely. i think what players and admins stated about their characters is canonical within reason and otherwise i don't think any of it matters all that much because of how the server ended. like to me i know the reality is that that is how it ended and we don't have any other ending to go off of but because of the circumstances there's just no way i could consider it canon and i already spend all my time dreaming up ways to rewrite all the shit that happened before then, nevermind a garbage hastily written ending that only wrapped up one plot thread (the eggs) and didn't even do that correctly (it completely retconned so much about the eggs and i know a lot of lore got retconned and changed over time but it's particularly agregious).

idk where i'm going with this insane rant in your inbox i really don't i just wanted to give my thoughts on that ending and how i take it as a fandom creator because i often see people treating it like it was a legitimate ending even though they hated it and i'm like this is fandom!!! we can ignore it entirely!!! in fact many characters' endings explicitly defy that ending, that was just the way to wrap up the idea of the egg event in some way that made sense. i totally get people being upset by it, i was too, but i was also upset by the previous. five months? of stuff so i kind of can't be bothered to be annoyed by this particular thing.

again this is nonsensical i'm just saying i think we should all ignore it and i've been saying that since the day of bc it was just so obviously not the kind of ending that would've been written under different circumstances. let's all make up better endings forever and ever amen.

anyway hi pix if you're reading this in the morning i hope you got beautiful sleep and dreamt of snoopy and roier all night

hiii 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶 i was in fact asleep by the time you sent this:3

that was another point i discussed with someone els where yeah it sucked because they had to wrap it up and “tie everything together” so i agree on that. everything with the qsmp ending wouldve been different under different circumstances.

you’re incredibly real for not considering canon up to a certain point where everything got messy. i think since we’re both very canon compliant people you can understand where im coming from with that frustration and being irked by how everything played out. it was going so well and then 📉📉📉. and heres the thing you know how much i love purgatory okay cause i do but god its truly one of those events where it shouldve been explicitly uncanon i feeeeel. so much of the lore it introduced and everything clashed with everything we had already established and not informing the creators of anything was such a poor choice. but anyways you already know the whole rant.

i do appreciate the reminder of its fandom who cares. i live by that i just get Even More emotional when sleep deprived and was like wow fuck everything and this stupid fucking ending so thats why i made those posts kkkkkkkk. but ye GOOD REMINDERS ITS FANDOM ENDINGS ARE OPEN TO REWRITES AND OUR OWN INTERPRETATIONS!!!!!!!

i did get beautiful sleep ty bell<3333 i hope you got beautiful sleep as well<3333

[stolen-godhood]

Anyway.

Cunt is dead. Welcome home. If I ever see the inside of Shujin Academy as a student again I will hunt down what ever gods are left and shred them into pieces so small they will fit in to a coffee tin. If you need me I will be laying face down in my living room becoming one with the carpet.

[room-surprise]

When does Dungeon Meshi take place?

This is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of my paper, "Real World Cultural and Linguistic Influences in Delicious in Dungeon." Dungeon Meshi takes place in the year 514, however we don’t know how that number relates to anything else in the Dungeon Meshi world, so it isn’t really useful for identifying what era Kui is trying to depict.

It can’t be that the Ancient Cataclysm happened 514 years ago (it was still referred to as ancient history by Thistle and Delgal a thousand years ago), and it can’t be when the current elf queen’s reign began (she’s only 372), so it’s either marking some other major event, like the beginning of the reign of a royal family or the end of a war, or they reset their calendar at regular intervals, such as every two-thousand years for record-keeping purposes.

In the real world, 514 CE would have been the early Medieval era, just after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, which left Europe fractured into many small Germanic kingdoms competing with each other. It was also the beginning of the Asuka period in Japan, and the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty in China.

This has some similarities to the world we’re shown in Dungeon Meshi: the Western elves have abandoned most of their land in the Eastern hemisphere, leaving the local dwarven, gnomish and tall-man people (whose cultures are primarily Germanic) to fight amongst themselves for the land. A massive upheaval caused by a major imperial power collapsing.

However, based on character behavior, culture, clothing and technology, Dungeon Meshi appears to be set in a vaguely Renaissance (1450 CE-1650 CE) time period, with some elements from classical antiquity (800 BCE-500 CE), the Medieval era (476 CE-1300 CE), as well as some hyper-advanced steampunk/magic technology and modern day anachronisms. (Potential spoilers beyond the cut.)

The technological and artistic development of the different cultures is very different, with the long-lived races appearing to live a more modern lifestyle than the short-lived races. In the extra materials, Toshiro implies that Falin might find the Island of Wa “primitive” because they lack the social and technological advancements that come from contact with the long-lived races, and the Western elf Fleki calls the Eastern Continent a “primitive land” while complaining about the quality of life.

Based on this and additional evidence, we can reasonably conclude that the elven lands in the West are probably the most “modern”, followed by the lands in the Eastern hemisphere, with the Eastern Archipelago lagging the furthest behind.

Because of this difference between the races, it makes sense that we see a mix of different eras and styles of technology and clothing. For example, we see characters wearing Neolithic fur garments, Greco-Roman tunics, and Medieval garments as everyday clothes at the same time that other characters wear Renaissance and even 19th century-influenced garments.

Meanwhile, many things in the Dungeon Meshi world have also remained unusually stagnant for far longer than they did in the real world. Realistic oil painting seems to have remained unchanged for more than a thousand years, and Medieval-looking clothing that was worn a thousand years ago is still being worn in the “present” day, virtually unchanged.

There are also some things that are much more advanced than the Renaissance period, like steampunk elevators, and magical communication that works through birds/fairies/crystal balls/telephones and allows for instant contact across the globe… A huge advancement that should impact every element of life and society, thanks to the ability to easily exchange information.

In the real world, instant communication is the foundational element that makes things like precise time-keeping, time-zones, advanced banking, stock markets and news reporting possible… So one can assume that some of these things might possibly exist in some form in the Dungeon Meshi setting.

[inkyu]

Me and my friends were on a discord call yesterday and it ended up with two new sans au's being created

I created this sans called Consent!Sans where he basically just asks consent and gives tw's/cw's everywhere

He's totally not Kankri Vantas in disguise (he is)

He has a huge gun collection and is terrible with magic cause of his skull injury leaking out magic making it look like hair, he's a Plagiarism!Sans apologist

I'd imagine that he only went through 1 true genocide timeline before Frisk felt super bad and went though a reset, also monsters are not trapped in the underground because of a bullshit reason (this au is a joke as well)

under read more for me rambleing about Consenttale

So basically humans and monsters live peacefully because as the war was about to breakout a monster said "I do not consent to war" and a human was like "yeah me too bro" and everyone else was like "yeah we kinda don't wanna do a war either this shit's stupid" so peace was made and everyone lived happily ever after!

So events of classic undertale take place on the surface, there's more skeleton monsters and basically just more monsters in general, Consent!Sans is one of the few as you may know, ofc he has a dad Gaster who's the royal therapist and gives therapy to people, Papyrus is an adventurure (the world isn't that populated so there's a lot of places to discover and see, i'd say there's like 1 million humans and 500 thousand monsters all living in one country, very small population I know but it gives papyrus and the adventureurs guild a reason to go explore the world)

I wanna design Frisk later bc I have an idea and also no, there will be no offical comic of Consenttale as it was made as I joke, i might do a few mini comics here and there but ultimately it's just a joke au made from up from a silly conversation in minecraft of me and my frends saying "I consent" and me asking an enderman "Do you consent to me killing you?" (it was funny)

I'm not sure if i'll offically design everyone else as I don't wanna fully work on this AU, so if I don't feel free to give them designs of your own and headcanons :P

[xsecretkeepers]

Who: open

Where: Fasil Ghebbi Gardens (the night before the Grand Breakfast)

Kekoa and his family had arrived late the night before. In the past Kekoa would have been the one settling arrangement, arriving ahead to scout locations, ensure safety, plan to maximize the impact of the royal family’s arrival. Now he was the one being shepparded around. A prized possession without all the information he needed.

An unwilling King.

He knew the day ahead would be chaotic. Events and mingling. Familiar and unfamiliar faces all melding together. He should be resetting in preparation. Instead it was 2am and he was wandering the grounds. The sound of footsteps behind him broke him out of his musings.

“I have always struggled to sleep in new places. As a child, I think I was just too excited for what lay ahead. Now, I suspect, it is more that my body yearns for home.”

[tearcynical]

There's been a HUGE update to Slasher's lore, so if you're interested strap in for it! It's below the cut, otherwise I have a littttle art.

@meowzcw - A-Sans

Slasher belongs to me and their weird fankid was designed by Meowz too!

(Slasher's au is essentially what base Undertale would be in a better, nicer light. Asriel and Chara are intact, Gaster is still alive and with his two sons, Toriel and Asgore are still together, The rest of the humans (minus Frisk) never fell, so on and so forth.)

Slasher grew up on war stories told by father, Gaster, he tells Slasher what happened on the surface while he was a part of the war since he was alive to see it. It's supposed to be taken as a warning, or a lesson, yet Slasher doesn't take it that way and views the events as fiction despite being real. Slasher grows obsessed with forms of storytelling, movies, writing, etc spawning from these stories told to him. While studying under Gaster to become the next royal scientist alongside their shared assistant Alphys, Slasher takes an eager hobby journaling, although there isn't much to report in the underground. He starts up a side job with the Snowdin Librarby to create a newspaper, which he runs mostly himself. He pines for good stories, and news to report, without much luck.

The insanity that leads to his killings sets in because of his discontent feeling about what he believes to be a mundane life. He's bored with a sense of needing to belong, to be known. Always in his brother and father's shadow (one being the royal scientist and the other being a main member of the royal guard), he grows an odd resentment. Slasher feels disconnected from the reality around him, though that's always been true since he was little, the feeling grows worse. He was born with mental illnesses he couldn't help - but as time progressed his condition took a toll on him, and hating to bother either family member, his problems remained unknown and not taken care of.

He starts killing in the underground very broadly in comparison to his old lore (killing victims slowly, one by one, etc) Slasher kills his first victim using his clever head for things he shouldn't. He makes the murder as terrible as possible. Then, using it as a headline for his newspaper, he reports the murder in detail and acts as a detective to track down himself while journalling and documenting the process. This progresses and he kills more and more for his recognition, all while making headlines up until his thirst for blood goes too far. Then similarly to his past lore, he kills everyone up until Frisk and Chara.

Chara sacrifices themselves to help Frisk make it to the surface in hopes one day they'll be able to return and reset. Frisk has to fight Slasher off in his last ditch effort to catch them in Judgement Hall, and this results in a traumatic head injury that damages Slasher's head and perception. Frisk escapes, and while Slasher is left to rot in the underground they bide their time, waiting to return to fix what he caused.

In a pit of his own self induced negativey, Slasher draws in Nightmare. Nightmare takes him in, and nurses him back to health with the intent to use him for his own personal gain. Slasher lives with him and fills out his orders, quite content with his new freedom and outlet for his storytelling.

(there's more facts and things if anyone is interested! Also, questions are welcome!)

[abhorrenttester]

Alright, so I saw a video today talking about parallels between Homestuck and Undertale, and it mentioned the theory of Deltarune being a post-scratch Undertale, and that got me thinking, so I want to put my theory out there to see if anyone can make anything of it.

The scratch is a thing in Homestuck where, because the characters are kinda inside a video game and their universe is destined for failure, they damage the game's disk enough to essentially get it to crash and do a hard reset. This would replace their universe with a near identical one, and while they should be erased with the rest of the universe, they find a way to avoid that and go to this new universe themselves.

My idea is that Undertale is a post-scratch Deltarune. While there is no game disk to destroy, Ralsei talks about how the dark fountains cause destruction that affects everything. Now, I have no clue how the rest of the game is going to play out (obviously), but I feel like each new chapter is going to involve the creation of a new dark fountain, and even if they are closed, the repeated opening is going to cause stress on the world. Maybe even enough to cause the universe to "crash". This I doubt, but since the game is all about control, it could be a thing where Kris, Susie, and Ralsei realize that the world is to far gone in the end to fix, so their only chance to do anything is to follow the ancient texts, and reset the universe, and there's something about Kris making the choice on their own, without the player's input.

Following this theory, they do so, and the universe is reset, turned into Undertale. But in Homestuck, a group of kids manage to make it through the scratch while remembering the old universe. So who from the Deltarune universe makes it through? Personally, I say three people. Sans, Papyrus, and Gaster. Sans and Papyrus are close, and while I've yet to see anything saying that Gaster is in the game, I feel like he is going to be a large part in the later chapters, so my whole idea is this;

The events of Deltarune happen. As the story progresses, and the world starts to fall apart, Gaster will appear. He is clearly connected to the Skeleton Brothers in some way, and while the main story will be progressing and his backstory will be revealed, he will try to find a way to survive the scratch. However he does, he ends up taking Sans and Papyrus with him. This makes them the only people to survive the scratch. Everyone else (except for the player, who is confusing and difficult to add to most meta theories) gets reset, and lives out their lives in Undertale. Gaster works for Asgore as his royal scientist (I imagine he would be able to manipulate Asgore into giving him the job if necessary). Meanwhile, Sans and Papyrus show up to Snowdin Town one day, and become people who live there. Gaster, motivated to try and get his original universe back, makes a machine. A machine which is intended to make everyone into the versions he wanted, but instead makes him into a part of the universe. That's why his machine which he "fell into" (used himself as a base to recreate his universe) ended up spreading him into pieces throughout the new universe. This is why characters seem to remember bits and pieces through resets. That's the part of Gaster inside of them.

Also, Sans. In Deltarune, although he has some meta moments, they are only for laughs. But in Undertale, after he has witnessed the universe reset itself and what that did to Gaster, he is more aware of the player's resets than anyone (besides Flowey). If he witnessed the UNIVERSE reset, then it would explain how he would be aware of the player's resets, and why he is so intense about it.

Papyrus kinda messes this up, as he is generally oblivious to the escapades of the player, even more than most. But, he isn't coming in until Asriel does, which makes me think that something big is going to happen to him, causing him to be so oblivious.

The only reason I'm giving this so much thought is because of how close Toby Fox is to Homestuck with his stories. I don't think he would steal a major story point straight from Homestuck, but he could use it as a base for what he ends up doing. It's clear that Undertale and Deltarune are intertwined with Homestuck, and the thought that they both end up using the same game mechanics to reach different goals seems plausible.

If nothing else, than this is my guess that Gaster will be important to the later story of Deltarune, and we will find out his backstory, and what the hell happened to him in Undertale.

[moltensmusings]

I have a theory that there was a lot more planed with Raven Tail, but it was cut. It was like hyped up so much to end up being nothing. Also can we talk about how Ivan wasn't arrest. I mean all he did was break rules in a silly little game. That isn't a thing someone would be arrested for. Right? So really Ivan can just show up when ever. I also have the opinion that after the tower of heaven to the S-class trails a lot of things weren't planned out well. The series was supposed to end at the town of heaven. I mean you see this with Lisanna randomly coming back and just nothing being done with her. We don't even see her and Nastu like being besties or bonding again. I have always seen the 7 year time skip as a soft reboot/reset for the series. That's when things were planned out better, but he had Raven Tail built up already. He had to do something with it.

I fully agree on so much, though I think Mashima did have bare bones of early arcs figured out (battle of fairy tail feels like it was intended) but the execution was figured out he wrote it.

Even with tower of heaven I feel like he threw things out there only knowing the ending he wanted. "That was the last time I saw erza smile for a while" is a foreboding line that really has no proper pay of and has always bothered me because the implication (to me) is that erza is badly effected by the event for arcs to come. But by the very next arc she's fine.

I said before that timeskips are one of my favorite part of shounen series. I love seeing how people change with the passage of time. The hype of seeing your favorite characters reappear years later always hits. But fairy tail manages to royally screw it up by not giving us any characters left behind to be properly invested in, and the status quo being pretty much unchanged despite almost an entire decade passing. It also happens so early into the series that Mashima finds time to cram yet another pointless time skip in before the series ends.

I have always felt that he writes based on what interests him and that his interest and change quickly. I say this as someone who has a similar issue of often losing interests in the things I'm working on. His writing style feels familiar. So I'd fully be willing to believe he got overexcited about doing a timeskip even if he hadn't set it up properly and rearranged things to make it work.

I think ultimately though, his flaws with rushing are not as noticeable until we get to post tartaros where you can tell not only does he not know where to go, but he also has lost his drive for the series. I remember when Alvarez/post 1 year time skip was releasing weekly I just didn't actually care about what happened. If memory serves around this same time he was releasing Fairy tail Zero chapters and the stark difference in general vibe between them was so noticeable. It felt like he was excited to write zero and had passion for it that was very much lacking in the core series.

At least in the pretartaros content you could point to some moments of foreshadowing (like tartaros actually being mentioned pre timeskip as one of the guilds in league with Grimoire Heart and Oracion Seis) but Alvarez came out of nowhere at the speed of light to end fairy tail because Mashima needed an end but didn't want to actually go through setting things up since it would take time.

Edit: honestly everything done with raventail was baffling. How exactly does a dark guild get approved to be made official just because they ask nicely????? Like maybe I could believe it if it had been something they'd been working towards for years but the implication being they only joined because makarov and Laxus were there to explain lumen histoire makes me doubt that. Mashima really didn't want to actually deal with them 😭. Arrested for cheating in the gmg is so lame man.