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Dearest Husband [Consort AU] Pt. II

FEATURING : PRINCE DAISUKE YUICHI (OC) x CONSORT male reader

Disaster comes to rain on our beloved couple. Feelings, ego and pride crashing together and in the midst of it all Daisuke stands firm to fight for the person of his desires. How would it end? Would he be able to finally declare his affections for his convenient wedded husband? His back turned against the world, (m/n) surpressing his feelings, hidden from sight. Will our prince win in the war of love?

17k words of something. no spoilers, proceed at ur own risk, part 1, profile

Find out more under the cut!

Three months had passed….

And our beloved prince of the Eastern Empire, Daisuke Yuichi, could say he was content with his life. His body was great, the people were well, his preparations for ascension was still ongoing and delayed on his part. His marriage especially, was the highlight of his life.

The moans were not discrete, a sultry (h/c) clinging onto the prince, clenching his outer coat while roughly making out with him. Daisuke held onto his waist, one of his hands slowly cupping his ass as he thrusted his tongue inside the consort. (m/n) sucked his tongue, teasingly biting it as they continued their rough affair. They had been taking a walk, in Daisuke’s private garden in the Grand Palace when one of them randomly decided they needed a fresh face fuck.

Luckily, the Royal Palace itself was massive, holding many estates across numerous acres of land. The highlights were the Grand Palace, where the royals resided, Daisuke’s office, the treasury, the throne hall were located. The second but still as grandeur was the Emerald Palace. Its main function was to act as the living quarters of the emperor’s harem, but after the birth of Daisuke Yuichi, his father, the current emperor had divorced all of his spouses except for the previous emperor.

It holds beautiful castles, the famous greenhouse, small lakes with boats and regularly social outdoor parties was held there, Currently, the lavish consort of the crown prince, (m/n) (l/n) became the sole tenant of the Emerald Palace, to which he had secretly waivered the loyalties of its attendants to his reign, Daisuke had suspicions but he would let his favourite and only consort to do so.

Speaking of the consort, their relationship had improved drastically. (m/n) would visit his chambers every three days, and Daisuke visiting his every two. During the day, the (h/c) could be found lounging in Daisuke’s office, not even bothering him or snooping around but to sleep, read, or doing his own hobbies.

Seeing how often (m/n) would lay in front of the fireplace, Daisuke had a custom maroon sofa, with golden stands and plush armchairs, soft padding and an abundant of pillows so his consort could drape himself over the furniture however he’d like. He was satisfied just watching from his desk, how the (h/c) would munch on sweets, flipping a page from his book and he caught himself smiling so often embarrassingly.

They have yet to own a shared room in the Grand Palace, that was reserved for the position of the emperor and his own spouses, so they resorted to have their enticing affairs in Daisuke’s chambers. He adored making love to the (h/c), they were extremely compatible in bed. With Daisuke’s passion and (m/n)’s lust combined, many pleasurable nights had passed, although at the expense of the passing attendants, Daisuke’s knight hates them now.

The aftermath was sweet, he found the (h/c) would cling to him, desperate for skin-to-skin contact as grounding after their mind-shattering sex and he would provide comfort. Wrapping his arms around the consort protectively before drifting off to sleep.

However, he noted that at times, the consort was cold. Sleeping by facing the other way, and when he inquired the (h/c) would brush him off dismissively and Daisuke would just silently hug him from behind. The day after, (m/n) would pretend like that little bit didn’t happen, acting like his usual self. They didn’t have much pillow talk, (m/n) rejected the idea as he shushed him to enter their slumber.

He wasn’t sure how he felt, something had festered in his heart. After their rough consummation, he would see (m/n) walk around with a medical patch on the back of his neck, where he had bitten his nape. Daisuke felt extremely guilty and would dress him in lavish to satisfy his guilt. Had his guilt dragged behind him for this long?

Every time he’d gazed over the consort, when the (h/c) wasn’t looking, there was a longing in his heart, just to wrap his hold around (m/n) affectionately.

He thought his marriage would only be one of peace, but he didn’t expect himself to fall…

Fallen. Bewitched? He brushed the thought off of his mind, not wanting to be dizzy for much longer as he placed down the quill on his desk.

Stacks of letters, invites from other powerful houses, some foreign, mostly his subjects, and invite to their own parties, social events and some even included details of potential suitors, mostly daughters of dukes and counts. Ever since he married (m/n) (l/n), it seemed that the public thought he was open to a harem, given the fact that him and (m/n) couldn’t produce an heir.

His emotions that once fluttered around the (h/c), brewed fire in his heart as he burned the letters, throwing it into the crackling flame as fuel for the hearth, He looked behind him to see the consort sleeping in his designated sofa, a soft blanket loosely draped over his figure.

Daisuke walked over to the (h/c), his steps silent as he crouched in front of the sleeping consort’s face. His eyes glazed over the consort’s features, his eyes, his lips and even to the bridge of his nose…

He pondered how could such a being could appear so beautiful in his eyes, heavenly, bewitching, distinguished and so many words in all of the dictionaries couldn’t even describe how majestic he was to the prince.

Nightfall was encroaching and usually he would carry the consort in his arms, letting him sleep in his room, but he wanted to be selfish this time. Fully absorbing, sketching and engraving this memory into his mind.

It seemed he had taken too much of (m/n)’s whine, who had awakened, stretching his arms and lazily blinking his drowsy eyes. “…Princey?” Daisuke chuckled, now kneeling on the carpet. “Morning, sleeping beaut’.” “…Is it actually morning?” The consort propped himself, glancing at the uncovered windows before dropping himself back on the sofa, seeing that it was actually night instead.

“You sure took your time.” “I am quite tired today…” (m/n) mumbled, covering his face with his arm. Daisuke raised an eyebrow at his ironic statement. “Tired? And here I was, dying at my desk. If I had been pronounced dead, you’d probably be on your third nap.”

“Not my fault.” The (h/c) groggily whacked his shoulder. “I want to sleep more…” He was in a daze, rolling himself off the couch, the prince calmly catching him in his arms and in the safety blanket of Daisuke Yuichi, (m/n) (l/n) dropped his whole bodyweight on his husband.

“You’re heavy. Have you been gaining weight?’ Daisuke kissed the consort, teasing him and instead earning a slap, playful but the message was received, and he laughed, the (h/c) trying to clamber away from him but the prince held him tight, screaming apologies into his ear.

“I’m hungry.” (m/n) stated, his stomach grumbled following their short wrestle. Daisuke was hugging him from behind, both of them tangled in the blanket on the carpeted floor.

“Want to have dinner? I can call your favourite chef to be on duty.”

(m/n) thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head. “I just want to have a snack. And get drunk.” Daisuke thought back to when the last time the (h/c) got drunk. They ended making out in one of the trees in the garden at the dead of night. How did the consort managed to convince him? God knows. It was probably the profound bias he had for the (h/c).

“…I can take you to my favourite tavern. It’s on the outskirts of town. The place is safe, with good drinks.” “Sold.” “We’d have to disguise ourselves, however. And that means, leaving all your jewellery behind.”

There was a mocking grumble, copying his speech from the consort. Daisuke only rolled his eyes, “This is how you get caught so easily. Come on.” He heaved himself up, pulling the consort with him as they get dressed blandly, hiding under the hood of their cloaks.

Daisuke had remembered something, quickly snatching one of his small wooden boxes and shoving the item inside his vest before joining the (h/c) at the gates, only a few guards accompanying them with a less lavish carriage that carried no insignia of their royalty as they traversed to town.

It took a while for them to arrive, a bustling tavern with customers in and out of its entrance, most of them leaving with a drunken flush on their faces. Daisuke held (m/n)’s hand as he stepped off the carriage, making sure their hoods were intact and waving at his guards, them nodding and getting into position to guard the place. Usually, Daisuke wouldn’t bring so many personnel with him, only him and his knight would do but since (m/n) was with him, a little extra security wouldn’t hurt.

The two entered the tavern, made their way to an empty table and called for a servant for their orders. A woman, who seemed to be in her late 20s and dressed a bit too exposed for the cold night took their orders and winked at the (h/c). A foreigner was always deemed attractive to the commonfolk.

(m/n) just laughed at the annoyed prince as their orders arrived, the consort immediately chugging the big glass of alcohol in front of him. “You said you don’t drink often.” Daisuke placed one of the tidbits into his mouth, staring at the dazed consort.

“I don’t…” His words were slurred. “But when I do, I drink hard.”

“…Whatever that means.” Daisuke stopped (m/n) from slapping his glass off the table as he pulled out the wooden box from earlier. “I thought this would be an appropriate time to present to you something…although I’m not sure you’re even sane enough to interpret my words.”

(m/n) wrinkled his nose, his face heating up from the alcohol as he slammed his fist on the table. “Hit me.” The prince only chuckled at his antics as he placed the small chest on the table, sliding it to the (h/c). “Open it.”

He grabbed the box, fiddling with the lock for a moment before managing to open its contents. The box itself was small, he thought he was about to receive another set of earrings from the prince but instead there was a skeleton key.

A pure bronze ornate key, with red highlights around the stem, a sharp bit and a small gem latched in the middle of the bow. (m/n) scanned the key confusingly. “…Is this supposed to unlock a bigger present or…?”

“You could say that.” Daisuke seemed excited, for his reaction it seemed, as he pulled out a cylinder leather case and (m/n) wondered how multifunctional his garments was. The (h/c) popped the cap off and shook out the scroll inside. He pinched the edges with his hands as he tried to make sense of the wordings of the paper.

“…A deed?” “Your summerhouse is complete.”

The (h/c) raised his hand at the smiling prince, who seemed like a child, giddy to give a present. “Summerhouse?” “The one you wanted. Beside a lake near the borders, took a while for construction to finish. Of course, that is the key to the gates instead of the mansion itself since the furbishing needed to be done along with a stampede of servants for maintenance.”

The villa that (m/n) had requested way back. Even after he received the treasure chest for the prince, he didn’t continue forward with his plans. Not after the whole incident.

“…But why?” The consort seemed confused, examining the key in his hand before Daisuke grasped his other.

“Consider it my first gift to you as my husband.” With that, the prince kissed the back of his hand, pressing his lips gently onto his skin. (m/n) was still stunned. There were so many presents the prince had gifted to him, but this was far more outstanding than any other.

“…I’m so confused.” “Do you not like the present?” “I do. It’s just…”

(m/n) didn’t finish his sentence, instead downing more alcohol into his system as he placed the key back into the box. Daisuke didn’t press further, the (h/c)’s flustered expression was more than enough to satisfy him.

They continued to drink, (m/n) ordering more than he could handle and it ended up with him hugging the prince at his waist as they exited the tavern. The alcohol was a rush, a good chunk of it in their system and it led to the consort whispering to the prince he needed him as they had a frisky amour in the moving carriage.

After sloppily covering up themselves, they continued in Daisuke’s bedroom, the prince thrusting into the consort, both with drunken pleasure. Daisuke held the headboard of his bed, caging the (h/c) under him as he came inside (m/n) missionary. He plopped himself on top of the consort unceremoniously, (m/n) whining about his sensitive hole still clenching around his cock.

The prince rolled off of him, laying by his side, basking in the afterglow of their misdemeanours. (m/n) sighed heavily, feeling full as he pulled the duvet beside him up to his chest. Daisuke turned to his husband and brushed the strands of hair out of his sweaty face. He gently pulled the (h/c) closer to him and closed his eyes, prepared to drift off to sleep.

“…I don’t understand…”

He opened one of his eyes, in the dark room, barely anything could be seen but it was evident the (h/c) was still drunk, Daisuke having a higher tolerance from his poison resistance buildup, and he was mumbling in a daze. “What do you not understand?” He simply entertained the intoxicated fool.

He smoothened the (h/c) hair, tucking it behind (m/n)’s ear as he inched closer to the consort. “…Whether do you have…an attraction for me…or is it to simply keep the peace.”

Keeping the peace? Even Daisuke couldn’t fully fathom what the mumbling consort was trying to transpire. “…Of course I have an attraction for you. Who wouldn’t?”

An idiot. He thought. Only an idiot wouldn’t fall for him.

“…This peace we have…it’s grounding me together…my sanity…”

(m/n) groggily creaked his eyes open.

“If I had truly been your preference, you wouldn’t have scrapped the idea of your beloved fairytale.”

With that, the (h/c) sank his head into the lush pillow, pushed into the realm of dreams. In contrast with the prince, his statement hit him like a brick. “My fairytale…” He thought back to before. There was only once where he had brought it up, but it had been so long back.

He felt restless, something aching in his heart, but he remained silent, drifting away to sleep.

In his mind, he wondered if he was slowly being smitten by the consort. There was a chance of it happening of course, they had been wed together but the impact was strong, he never felt anything like this in his life. And to think he cares so much about his consort.

His hold around the (h/c) remained strong as he subjected his mind into the abyss.

After that night, he found that the consort wouldn’t come to his office as often, distancing himself from the prince albeit his protests claiming that everything was alright. Daisuke felt a cold clench in his chest. As if there was a wall, slowly building up between him and his consort, every time he had become vulnerable, (m/n) would distance himself away. It pained Daisuke to see him hurt. He didn’t want that for both of them.

Maybe if he had spoken more, both of them would be much more open with each other.

Alas, all he could was to wait for the storm in (m/n)’s heart to subside. He had been patient with his bratty behaviour in the past, he can wait for him to mentally recover as long as he’d liked.

It had been a week and a half since, as much as Daisuke would like him to recover, his heart was longing for the consort. So, he decided to visit him alone in the Emerald Palace. The guards stationed there bowed to him, letting him pass with him requesting that they do not announce his arrival, it was a good decision to switch the paladins. Ones that are much more loyal to him.

He had heard that the (h/c) was strategically integrating himself into the Eastern society, mingling with the wives of the powerful, attending balls and parties, as per Ivan had reported to him. Although he was a bit sulky that he wasn’t tagged along, he could invite him to theirs. A ball at the Grand Palace, orchestrated for the holiday in the East. It would be good for him to show off his consort to the nobles.

Cue the yelling and pleadings, snagging Daisuke’s attention as he immediately ran through the halls, reaching (m/n)’s room where there were butlers and maids crowding around the door. The prince pushing himself through and as they noticed him, they all exclaimed, urging him not to enter.

As he pushed the doors open, there were two guards, carefully approaching the (h/c), whose hand was bloody, a stark red in contrast to the mint marble floor. “Your Grace! Please just-!”

“I said LEAVE! LEAVE ME ALONE!!” The knight swiftly avoided an ornament box thrown into his direction, he didn’t hear the shattering of the impact on the floor, so he turned to see-

“You…why are you here…” (m/n) scowled, his teeth gritting, clenching his soaked fist.

Daisuke frowned, his eyebrows furrowed as he ordered the guards to leave. He scanned the (h/c)’s frenzied state, his outer coat tossed somewhere else and his red-coated hand.

“What happened?” He stated firmly, stepping to the consort.

The (h/c) defensively stepped back, behind him was his vanity, broken with a large crack in the middle. The table itself was a mess, he presumed the consort had used it to shoo away the knights. “You don’t need to know.” (m/n) seethed.

“Why are you hurt?” “Leave.” He stepped closer. “(m/n), I’m trying to help-“ “LEAVE!”

“I’m NOT LEAVING! Goddammit (m/n)-!” For every step he took forward, every step the (h/c) backed away, pressing himself against one of the shelves, leaving bloody trails on the furniture from his hand.

It seemed the consort was desperate enough, he started to chuck things to him as well, Daisuke swiftly avoided the barrage of intricate, one of them was a fucking vase holy shit-, and he was closer to the destructive, pained (h/c). “You’re hurt. You’re bleeding for fuck’s sake- I’m not leaving you like this.”

A raw sob tore from (m/n)’s throat, tears slipping down his cheeks as he exclaimed to the prince once again. “Please…I told you to leave!” It was a short altercation, one that involved Daisuke quickly restraining (m/n), holding his wrists together. The consort screamed, kicked and yelled at him, all with his bleeding hand and wet cheeks. This was the worst state Daisuke had ever seen.

He struggled with the consort’s hysteria, ultimately pushing him against the walls, caging him with himself. (m/n) seemed to be out of breath, still crying with his hands held together above his head. Daisuke gazed into his avoiding eyes, worriedly.

“…you’re in pain. Let me help you.”

True to his words, aside from the bloody hand, (m/n) was very much in pain. The (h/c) stared at the floor, silently sobbing. His tears falling from his lower lashes. “…you can’t help me…you’re going to cast me aside…”

“I wouldn’t. I would never.” Leaving the consort was the last thing on his mind. How could he possibly abandon the man he held dear in his heart.

“You will.” (m/n) scoffed, he coughed into the air, his throat aching. “You ought to be a trashy bastard like all the others-!”

“Who?! Who fed this mindset to you?!” He knew (m/n) recently came back from a jamboree, his garments were also an indicator. Did something happen at one of the parties?

“Who dared to ruin you like this!”

“…” (m/n) was quiet, at first. He mumbled nimbly, before finally dropping his bodyweight down, slowly sliding himself to sit on the floor. The prince followed suit, kneeling and sitting onto his own calves, his tight grip was replaced with a gentle hold on the consort’s hands, his eyes silently examining the blood before returning back to the consort who began to tell, confiding in his beloved husband.

(m/n) silently sipped from his wine glass, there were chattering all around at the beautifully lit party. It had been another aristocrats’ gathering, and he was invited so by the host, the Countess, the Earl’s wife and she was a pleasant old woman who treated him like most of the peerage. Curiosity and flatter, complimenting him trying to curry his favour and overall, an attempt to get closer to the crown prince since the emperor was known to be closed off regarding his sole heir.

Many people had gone up to him, either to chat or to tease and (m/n) rebutted it with his own charm, having been used to witty remarks especially during his time in the West. Later in the party, he spent some time alone, drinking to himself, rejecting any company.

Until one of them was bold enough to approach him.

It was an old man, dressed wisely and formally. (m/n) recognised him to be one of the ministers as he bowed his head to the consort. He had a look in his eyes the (h/c) recognised. Something scheming and devious mixed together behind a veil of unconcealed flagrant.

He responded little to the older one’s chat, only speaking when he needed to when a remark slipped out of his mouth.

“You are one arrogant little cunt.”

“…Excuse me?” (m/n) raised an eyebrow, already feeling heated in his head. Who had dared to speak to him in such a manner? The old man only smiled, his slanted eyes glaring at the consort. “I’m sorry, did my tongue slip? I didn’t mean to offend you in any way.”

“…” (m/n) knew what he had heard, and he wasn’t going to accept this disrespect to his face. He wanted to leave until another approached them, and another, and another until there were many men surrounding him, all dressed in similar attires that was forcing him into a corner.

“I want to leave-“

“It seemed the rumours were true.”

“No wonder the Western Emperor despised him.”

They all ignored him, standing firm in front of him as (m/n) felt he got backed into a corner. He gritted his teeth and yelled for a guard, but the barrage of nuisance prevented him so.

Pointed jabs, back handed compliments were passed. He was scrutinized to his face while the men acted like he wasn’t there. As if they were dissecting him down to his bone, judging his background and reputation present in the kingdom.

“What a wicked man.”

“He’d bring only downfall to our kingdom.”

“A pest, rooted in the rich, clean East.”

“Someone needs to cut him down.”

“Slice him.”

“Burn his defences, let him rot in the mountains.”

“What does the crown prince see in him? There’s so many like him in the cathouse.”

Amidst the passing comments, (m/n)’s patience was ripped from his head.

“…you’d think I give a fuck?” He stared at the man who had originally approached him. “I don’t care how much you try to scheme or attempt to intimidate me. I am the consort, husband of the crown prince.”

(m/n) scoffed at them. “Your precious prince favours me and that is a fact in itself.”

The old man stared back at him with a scowling glare. “You’re a pest to the kingdom…I presume you’re aware.”

The (h/c) only scoffed, smirking at him. “And what about it?”

“The harem is open. And you are unable to produce an heir. How long do you think you would be the sole keeper of the prince’s heart?”

And that hit the consort like a brick.

“I- “

“The kingdom needs an heir. The bloodline must be kept.”

“It doesn’t matter-“ He tried to counter but again flooded with remarks.

“It doesn’t matter to you. You are not of this kingdom. You are not our people, but we. We need a monarch. And if it wouldn’t come from you, it will come from another.”

“It’s about time the crown prince expanded his harem.”

(m/n) didn’t know why, but that sentence struck him the most. He had punched the man who had uttered those words, knocking him to the ground. Gasps of shock from other guests and the (h/c) was pulled away by his own guards. The trail of the men previously disassembled into the crowd, feigning innocence and the victim of his fist insisted he was dandy, that he was at fault for angering the consort, painting him as a hot-blooded bastard.

The consort left the party, not in the mood to converse any further despite the countess’ pleas. He returned to his chambers, tugging off his coat and the maids were preparing a bath for him since his return was at a short notice.

The (h/c) stared at the vintage rectangular mirror in front of him, gazing into himself, his furious expression looking back. The servants exchanged looks, some of worry and some of curiosity. (m/n) was too busy in his own thoughts to even reprimand them.

How long had he been the prince’s lover? No. Not lover. He couldn’t possibly be the object of his desires. If at most, then bedwarmer would be a better fitting for a heel like him.

The prince, his touch, his gaze, would he have to share them with someone else? A woman, perhaps. Someone able to carry his offspring.

It doesn’t matter. He thought, a pitiful attempt at convincing himself. It shouldn’t matter. Why would the prince’s love life be a meddling of his own? He’s satisfied with the things they are now. He’s supposed to be.

“How long do you think you would be the sole keeper of the prince’s heart?”

…did he even had a chance to embrace his love? Was there ever a moment that the prince, Daisuke, had shown his affection for him, without him thinking about the setbacks. Barely.

“…that fucking…”

Fairytale. Daisuke’s stupid fairytale. The one he told (m/n), the one where he expressed, he didn’t get to relive. A love story. Weren’t theirs supposed to become the upbringing of one? Was he so demure in the prince’s eyes that he wasn’t worthy of a possibility to fall for him?

“-Your Grace, the bath is read-“

A scream erupted from the girl, and (m/n) realised his knuckles were bleeding, and the mirror in front of him had broken.

“…Get out.”

“But Your Grace-!” “I said GET OUT!”

Not long after, Daisuke had arrived and that was how the whole commotion happened. Currently, they were alone, (m/n) sitting against a wall and Daisuke holding his bloody hand gently in his. He made sure there were no specks of glass in his knuckles.

The (h/c) had told him everything that happened at the party, except the aftermath, he didn’t confide of his troubling feelings regarding the prince.

“Who?” That was his first question uttered to the consort. “Who were they?” His voice bristled with anger, his composure gone with a gaze that was demanding an explanation from the consort, one that (m/n) didn’t return.

The words hung heavy in the air, laced with conflict. “…I don’t want to think about it any longer.” “(m/n), you need to tell-“ “I need to cool off…I need to think to myself.”

Daisuke’s expression slumped into a deep frown. The consort seemed so fragile, as if he could break at any moment. “I’ll-“ “By myself…I need to recollect myself.”

It seemed at the moment (m/n) finally registered the pain in his hand, causing him to wince in agony. As Daisuke gently held his wrist, taking out the cloth from his pockets to wrap around the wound. “If you let a doctor tend to your wounds, I’ll leave you for the day.” He gently kissed the now-wrapped hand. “But I’ll come to see you in the night.”

(m/n) stared at him for a moment, a blank look in his eyes before muttering. “Do what you like.”

And so, the sequence of events unfolded. A healer came to tend to the consort, maids came in to clean up the aftermath and Daisuke left. His gaze fixated at the closing door, but it wasn’t returned, (m/n)’s eyes downwards as he shut the tall doors in the prince’s face. Daisuke lingered for a moment before taking his leave. He requested Ivan to find the list of attendees of the countess’ party and asked him to send a mail to personally request for an audience with the Earl and his wife.

He wasn’t sure what to do. Politicians harassing his husband was the last thing he anticipated, he had let his guard down for too long. Being around (m/n) really made him feel like he had stepped into the heavens and he hadn’t noticed the sinking (h/c) that was descending into what seemed like hell for his husband.

When he stepped into the bath, he stared at the murky waters, and a hazy version of himself stared back. Me with another? He couldn’t possibly fathom the thought or imagine himself being with another. Be it a man or a woman. The second he had shared a bed with his consort, the ideal love story that had envisioned his mind as a kid had been scrapped.

“Fairytale…” Daisuke tried to pull a foggy memory from the back of his head.

(m/n) had mentioned it a few times. Had he been offended back then? It was just a passing comment. Why would the consort care as so, even he himself hadn’t declared any type of romance intentions to the prince-

Romance…The thought sent heat creeping up his neck, as opposed to the chilly water surrounding his body. Glancing at himself in a mirror, he found his face to be completely flushed, rosy hues decorating his pale cheeks. He didn’t even notice when his expression had changed into one of embarrassment. The prince felt bashful for a moment as he cupped his face with his palms sighing into them.

The prince's mind was consumed with thoughts of the consort— the joyful moments spent basking in his smile, his contagious laughter, and his endearing bratty mannerisms. Yet, the most heart-wrenching moments were those filled with sadness, when he witnessed the consort's tears and heard his anguished cries, or when the consort had pushed him away.

Daisuke’s soft cheeks filled the crevices of his rough tattered palms. His upper lashes fluttering, catching small droplets of water.

He was in love. In love with (m/n) (l/n).

And in that very moment, Daisuke realised that the (h/c) was no longer a mere consort he was forcefully wedded to, instead he was his husband, a man he had come to yearn, to love for.

Daisuke made his way to the Emerald Palace again that night. He was dressed more casually, in a long white creamy robe and his mind was free from heavy thoughts as he dismissed his escorts and knocked on the door. He half-expected his husband to lock him out for the rest of the night but to his surprise, the door was pulled slightly ajar just after his third knock.

Footsteps left the door, and he heard shuffles on the bed. He pushed the door open and shut it behind him and upon entering, he found that all of the curtains were closed and the only source of light was from the lit candle on the dresser. On the bed, (m/n) was laying on his side facing away from him. Daisuke silently went to the edge of the bed and climbed over to him. Shifting the blankets under him, he laid and curled himself into (m/n)’s back, wrapping his arm around his husband’s midsection, spooning him from behind.

Seeing the (h/c) was quiet, the prince remained silent as well, rubbing his thumb into (m/n)’s sleepwear before muttering.

“Regarding the fairytale…I never meant for it to represent my desire, my desire of which I want it to come to life..”

“…”

The response from (m/n) was a deafening silence, Daisuke continued.

“I didn’t…plan nor hope for any of it to actually happen. My father, he didn’t have the best relationship with the previous Empress, and I wish for my marriage to be different, to be ideal.” The ravenette thought of his mother that now only existed as a passing thought.

“But I never expected for us to happen. A marriage of convenience. At first, all I wished for was peace with my suitor. But the more I got to know you,” He kissed the shell of (m/n)’s ear.

“I’m happy you were my spouse. And I don’t care about some plot anymore. All I want is you.”

“…you don’t…don’t tell me this…”

(m/n)’s voice was strained and raw. Had he been crying again?

“I don’t want to know…I don’t want to care anymore…”

Daisuke nuzzled his hair with his nose, breathing in the scent of lavender present in his strands. “Why are you so scared?” He whispered softly.

“I’m not scared, I’m being realistic.” (m/n) seemed defiant, hinted with a twinge of shakiness.

“You are. I won’t look at anyone else. Yet you still fret.”

“I keep pushing you away. I’m a selfish man. I’m destructive and you know it.”

His tone sounded dead, like he was tired of it all. The prince’s grip on his husband was firm.

“Even if you are, we’ll persevere. We can work through it.”

“We won’t. You will give up on me. You will forget me.”

His dark eyebrows furrowed, nuzzling more into (m/n)’s nape, frowning at the indication.

“Now why would you even consider that happening…”

There was no universe where he would even think of abandoning him yet (m/n) kept dwelling on the possibility-

“Because that’s what I did to all the others.”

Daisuke became quiet as a heavy silence descended upon the room. His tongue wouldn’t move. The prince was at a loss of words. With that, (m/n) let out a pained sigh as he continued.

“My past lovers…I got bored and left. What if karma comes back to punish me?”

“…It won’t. Not through me.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you.”

The (h/c)’s body went rigid in his hold as the prince took a deep breath, his hands now clammy, growing damp with a nervous sweat.

With a tremulous voice, Daisuke confessed. “I’ve come to realised that I have loved you. For some time now.” He noticed his voice was shaky, and the consort was holding in his breath.

“I have feelings for you. Ones that…I’ve never felt for and unlike any other. And ones that I want to keep. So please… don’t drive yourself to sickness over me…” His hold tightened around the consort, a silent plea. “I won’t leave us. Not now. Not ever.”

The tension was high in the room, the air taut with an undercurrent of unease, even in the comfort of their bedding. Daisuke buried his face into his husband’s shoulder, his heart racing, waiting anxiously for (m/n)'s response to his confession.

“…okay.” And that was all he received before it became silent again. A sense of worry lingered in his heart but he forced himself to sleep, not achieving a conclusion for the night.

But he would find himself awakened to an empty bed tomorrow once more.

The prince stared at the empty spot beside him, with hazy eyes as he rubbed his face with a twinge of annoyance. He ought to lock his husband up if this keeps occurring. He got off the bed and snagged a maroon robe on, a white undershirt and black pants with some casual boots as he exited the chambers to find the (h/c).

Daisuke asked the knights stationed outside where the consort was, and they reported that he went to get some air, accompanied by his own sets of guards somewhere in the courtyard and that’s where Daisuke went.

As his feet led his steps, the heels clacking against the painted concrete, he thought of what to say, how to coax his husband. In his mind there were many things circulating as well, the West Emperor, the Countess’ party, (m/n)’s past lovers…Fuck. He’s already feeling jealous at the mention of an ex-lover.

But now, his marriage is on the rocks. And he would do anything to save his relationship. For the (h/c), for him and for the both of them. He found a pair of paladins, watching over a scenery and he went up to them, asking where the (h/c) is.

They point to where (m/n) is and he sees a lone figure staring into the distance, in the midst of a green field. He steeled his heart for the ultimatum of their marriage.

(m/n) stared at the green open scenery, his arms folded with only a moss green blanket over his shoulders with his previous sleepwear. Despite the tranquil expression on his face, his mind had a storm. And the storm was filled with memories of his life.

The second born of the dukedom. He was raised with the knowledge that he would never inherit the House of (l/n), especially from his relatives. Compared to his older brother, he grew up with spite although his parents showered him with presents and love, he was never satisfied, knowing that he'd never achieve the title of a Duke.

But he was a smart kid, so he studied people, studied psychology, how to manipulate, how to act. So he could use those around him for his own advantage. He used his parents, he used his brother, and it didn't help he developed his own charm so he had lovers, especially those rich ones with the promise of marriage and his unconditional love but all was empty.

As soon as the well was sucked dry, he left, letting them grovel at his feet, begging for him to return but he didn't spare a glance. (m/n) was having fun for himself, although he would get reprimanded by his brother once or twice but a slap on his wrist and he was already on his way to ruin someone else's life.

Deep down inside, he knew what he was doing was terrible, that no one deserved the kind of treatment he was giving, especially seeing those enchanted eyes that were bewitched by him. But he justified himself, saying that he did what he wanted because he had no other prospects due to his heritage, due to his circumstances.

And the one he hated the most...(m/n) never got close to the West crown prince. They had merely chatted once or twice but that was all it took for the Emperor to rain hell against him. His parents had backed him, his father who was still the Grand Duke and that seemed to put him off but alas, the news of his hand in marriage sold to the East for the promise of peace between the kingdoms.

(m/n) felt dread when he received the news, especially when he found out that his family couldn't even accompany his departure to his wedding, mostly hooked up with missions that all linked back to the royals and he knew that old scumbag was against him.

So he went, fooling with a few people before entering into a foreign world, an unpredictable marriage with a foreign prince. He could only bring a couple of maids and footmen that volunteered to journey along with him to the East and truthfully, that made him feel sick. Homesick.

He missed the safety of his home, the comfort of his parents and even the harsh but gentle reprimandings of his brother. They were what had been grounding him all his life.

So he acted out and so many things had happened and he got to know the prince. Was claimed by him viciously in a way that he lewdly enjoyed and for a moment he thought maybe he could have an actual life in the East- until the prince mentioned his stupid fairytale. What Daisuke couldn't experience. Love? Is he not enough?

Then, he realised what his past lovers had said and it seemed that he was in that feeble position he had spat at long ago. The thought of another consort in Daisuke's harem made him sick. So he pushed his feelings deep down, thinking that there would only be pain and disappointment if he were to bring them to light.

Now that Daisuke...his husband had confessed to him in the cold night, he didn't know what to say. How to even act. How to respond. But there was a sliver of thought that the prince didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve him.

But he wanted to cry if Daisuke would find someone else instead, to spend their time together, to sleep in the same bed. (m/n) should be the only one to do so, not anyone else no matter how many people demanded for an heir but he understood the responsibilities of a crown prince but he just couldn't bear the thought of-

"Fuck." He whimpered. It almost seemed impossible but he had fallen for the prince too.

But he couldn't. He shouldn't. He would only drive the prince to despair. He was a bitch to deal with, his mood swings, his temperament, his attitude.

He heard the shuffles of grass, light footsteps behind him. The (h/c) turned around to see the last person he wanted to see, Daisuke walking to him, (m/n)'s robe he had adorned flowing behind him. The cool sun and the morning fog almost made it seem romantic, he always had handsome features befitting of a prince.

Even with despair in his mind, he still found time to admire the prince. When Daisuke stopped in his tracks, they both stood facing each other, (m/n) being quiet and pulling the blanket in closer.

Daisuke was the first to speak.

"I woke up alone. Again." His tone seemed disappointed? Mundane. (m/n) wasn't sure. "I think at this point, I should be the one afraid of being abandoned."

If it had been any normal situation, the (h/c) would think the prince was being cheeky. But even the gardeners knew they were both tense at the moment.

"I needed some air. I brought the guards with me."

"Could've woken me up. I would've accompanied you."

He shook his head. "It'd be a bother." "It wouldn't."

Daisuke was quick to cut his sentence. "I wouldn't mind. I would have enjoyed spending time with you." "Stop pushing this matter."

"What matters? So you admit that there's something wrong with you?" His voice was raising and (m/n) felt mad at the moment. "Your Highness, don't do this to me now!"

"What? I can't call out your bullshit? You're so stubborn when it comes to compromising-" "For fuck's sake, it's still morning, even the fog hasn't gone away and we're already fighting! I don't understand why you think we'd be a good match!"

(m/n) felt his own voice shouting as well, garnering looks from the working servants.

"Of course we're going to fight! It's okay that we fight! Fighting is not necessarily a bad thing. That's just how we sort things out-" "You know I'm the reason we fight most of the time. Hell, I even disrespect you, the crown prince out of all people, yet YOU CALL ME STUBBORN BUT YOU'RE STILL WITH ME-"

"YES! I AM STUBBORN TOO! I call you out when you're being a fucking jackass and you come lashing back at me with a four-second recoil. We're hard to work with. So what?! We'll solve this. I want this and I want you-"

"You do not want me." (m/n) seethed, frustrated with Daisuke who was wiping his face with his hands, equally upset.

"I do. I want you."

"Nobody wants me." The (h/c) shook his head, keeping himself in denial. "Not like you."

Daisuke frowned. He pointed to (m/n), trudging closer to him. "I do. I crave for you. My body is a drought without you- not even the richest of waters can quench this thirst, my heart yearns no one else but you." The prince seemed desperate, desperate to get his message across (m/n)'s thick skull who couldn't fathom that someone could love him this much.

"You shouldn’t want that, you’re the prince for heaven’s sake- this is NOT RIGHT FOR YOU-!"

"And who are you to tell me what is right for me? Ever since you came here all you did was go against me and I persevered! I put up with your bullshit because that’s how much I fucking love you!"

"You do NOT LOVE ME! STOP TELLING YOURSELF THAT-"

"I DO!!" Daisuke screamed at him, something that even (m/n) thought he would never do, rendering him eye-wide and speechless. The prince continued his yelling.

"NOT EVEN THE ANGELS THEMSELVES CAN SING HATRED INTO MY HEART! NOT EVEN THE DAMNATION OF THE EARTH CAN SHATTER THE HOLD YOU HAVE ON MY MIND! I CONSTANTLY THINK OF YOU! YOU ARE A DISEASE TO MY LIFE! A DISEASE I DO NOT WANT TO BE CURED FROM! If I had to be a sick man to dedicate myself to loving you for the rest of my life then SO BE IT!"

(m/n)'s breath was stolen away, stolen by the prince's declaration. His passion for him, out of all people and Daisuke was heaving, his face almost turning red from his long exclamation in one single breath.

"I don’t understand…how can you…how can you proclaim such a thing for me…I don’t deserve this. This happiness. It sickens me. I don’t deserve you." Tears fell from his eyes unknowingly, he sobbed into his hand, confused on how could someone love him this much.

Strong arms wrapped around his figure, Daisuke hugging him and gently touching their foreheads together to comfort themselves. (m/n) was pushing him away again. "We can't...we shouldn't..." He mumbled through his cries.

He might be the most stubborn man Daisuke had ever met and he had enough of his crap.

(m/n) choked when Daisuke tugged his collar, pulling it up and shoving the (h/c) away. The prince glared at him through glassy eyes. "…if you despise me so much then push me away again. I shall leave."

The (h/c) shook his head fervently. "...I can't. I can't possibly-"

"I'm giving you a choice, Lord (l/n)." The use of his last name made (m/n)'s heart drop as he looked at Daisuke, his expression helpless. "A choice to choose between us…or you. If u oh so desire to not be loved by anyone, then say it again."

"Please don't...don't make me-"

"It shouldn't be hard for you. You always knew what you wanted." (m/n) was heartbroken as a tear dropped down Daisuke's cheek.

"And I know who I long for."

The (h/c) couldn't speak, only stammers and cries escaping his throat, his hands clawing at Daisuke's sleeve, begging him to not make him choose. He couldn't make Daisuke suffer, not after what he did, his past sins were haunting him at night, terrified that karma would murder him in his sleep.

But at the same time he wanted to be selfish. He wanted to keep the prince all to himself. He didn't want any other woman to be able to embrace Daisuke like how he would on their passionate nights. Undeniably, he yearned for his husband's touch no matter how much he repressed his feelings.

"I want you...I...I want you, Daisuke."

Daisuke's grip was shaky as (m/n) cried out for him. "I don't want to see anyone else with you...I'm greedy. I want you for myself..." The prince pulled him into his hold, both of them falling to their knees as the prince freely let his tears flow from his eyes.

"I love you. I love you so much." Daisuke sobbed as he hugged his husband. (m/n) nodding and burying his face into the prince's shoulder. "I'm not an easy person to live with." His worry was still creeping in his mind.

"If I have to go to war with you everyday, then I'll fight until my last breath." The ravenette kissed his temple, thanking the heavens in his heart. "I'm no good for you…" A croaky remark came out of the consort.

"Then call me a madman because you are the first thing I want to see in every waking breath and the last thing I want to see with my dying one." He pulled (m/n) to face him, both of their expressions teary. "I love you, (m/n). Not even my father can change that."

Daisuke pulled his husband into a kiss and for the first time, (m/n) wholeheartedly accepted the kiss, his heart opening and slowly filled to the brim. His hands grasped at the prince's back, desperate for comfort as Daisuke deepened the kiss.

Fuck, he actually felt happy at the moment.

They spent their time clinging onto each other, (m/n) crying apologies at the prince, Daisuke muffling his own tears as they laid together in the field. In his heart, he was glad, a burden lifted off his shoulders, that the consort finally opened his heart to him regardless of his constant objections. He was so happy he got to keep his lover with him

"What the fuck..." One of the guards that was watching over them sobbed into his gloved palm. "Our prince...I didn't even know..." The other man elbowed him in his side, he was hiding his own tears as well. "I told you not to fucking *sobs* look, you bastard."

Things were mostly peaceful after the confession. (m/n) resided mostly in his chambers, his hand was healing and he was getting lots of rest from his mania the other day. Daisuke often visits him, sleeping in his bed with him, his father even sent a get-well-soon bouquet and the consort felt embarrassed about the whole shenanigan.

He didn't want to think about those stupid politicians. Just the thought of them makes his blood boil despite Daisuke's pestered to spill their identities so he could 'do something'.

He received a letter from the Earl's wife, an apology from her guests' behalf for his upsetting and invited him for tea for reconciliation.

(m/n) didn't reply, but he suspected she would be coming to the ball tonight. A ball held in the Grand Palace, for a holiday occasion. One where (m/n) wasn't planning to go.

He rejected the idea, not interested in meeting the public again or for another stupid social event. Although Daisuke asked him over and over to come to the ball since he had to attend, he refused nonetheless.

So here he was, standing in the balcony of his room, staring at the lights lit up and the multitudes of horses and carriages surrounding the entrance of the Grand Palace. He wondered if Daisuke would be dancing with someone else at the ball.

He randomly glanced to the left, the far left of the side of the Emerald Palace, where the woods meet the edge of the property and he saw a glint. It was like a glint of metal, a sword maybe? He squinted his eyes to see random movement and there was uneasiness in his heart as closed his balcony doors, sliding into his duvet

Maybe it was the guards patrolling the area, although he knew most of them were stationed at the ball since gatherings of high society required more security.

Something was odd.

He pulled the door ajar, to call for a maid but immediately closed it back once he saw an unknown man dragging a body of an unconscious maid. More came flooding in the hall opening the rooms, all dressed in black carrying swords and he knew his life was in danger.

It was either an ambush or a kidnapping.

This wasn't a peculiar situation to him, he was the son of a duke, there were numerous attempts of kidnapping since he was young for ransom from his rich family. He understood the position of a consort made him a bigger target.

He locked his doors, threw the balcony doors open, grabbed a dagger from his bedside table and slid under his bed to hide. The dukedom had trained him since he was little, how to hide from kidnappers. His fighting skills may have been rusty, but it should hold until the other knights arrive nonetheless.

There were hush yelling outside until his door was kicked open. Three men came flooding into his room and they cursed when they saw the open balcony.

"He's escaped. Target's not in his palace." "Get the ground men to search for the courtyard. He couldn't have gotten far. Kill on sight."

Fuck, it was an ambush. To take his life. He held his breath under his bed as footsteps left his room, until one retracted and stepped towards his closet.

This one is slightly smart. (m/n) thought as his beautiful closet was pulled open roughly by the ruffian. He readied his dagger and stabbed him by the Achilles' heel once he kneeled to check under the bed.

(m/n) rolled out of his hiding spot and kicked the screaming man in his throat, knocking him back onto the closet, rendering him unconscious.

He quickly gathered his bearings as he gripped the bloodied dagger, leaving his room for safety. The consort trudged down the halls and cursed at himself once another assailant spotted him, yelling for his other accomplices as (m/n) ran for his life.

He ran past a few familiar faces, his maids and servants, even his knights were all unconscious and (m/n) rolled his eyes at their hapless circumstances.

He wanted to run down the stairs but eventually clambered up instead when more assailants were coming up. He heard yelling for backup, looks like some of his knights were finally coming to their senses and there were clashing of swords between the paladins and the ambushers.

(m/n) ran down another hall, attempting to exit through the West Wing but he was tackled by an assailant, knocking the wind out of his chest. He punched and kicked the unknown masked man, the man retaliating and swinging his sword to his face but (m/n) barely dodged it, his cheek now bleeding.

He stabbed the dagger deep into neck after a few more punches and the man fell to the floor, choking on his own blood. The consort hissed in pain, his side bruised from the jabbing of a hilt and he hoped reinforcements would just come already but he faltered seeing more assailants at the end of the hall, running to him.

He did the next best thing.

The shattering of a window cut through the air and (m/n) jumped out of the third floor.

His target was the large trees surrounding the palace but his grip faltered and he fell, landing on branch after branch, grunting and cursing after every hit until he fell to the dirt floor in an awkward position.

He huffed, taking in breaths as he hoped the assailants wouldn't find him in the deep shrubbery he had landed in. (m/n) was too tired to get up to find his guards. They should be the one looking for him, not the other way around so he just laid there in the bush like a lazy twat.

(m/n) wondered what Daisuke was doing. That even if he cared that he was in this dangerous predicament. It was him who didn't want to go to the ball, leaving himself vulnerable.

He sighed, not wanting to scramble his thoughts any longer as he ignored the throbbing pain down his leg. Was something broken?

He took a peek and swore to not look down again. He swore something was poking out of his leg. And at that moment, horns were heard and reinforcements finally arrived. (m/n) sighing in relief.

"Fucking finally-" "KILL THEM ALL!!"

His mouth dropped at the familiar voice. In the distance was Daisuke, in his still lavish suit, fresh from the ball, drawing his sword with a face full of fury and a barrage of knights behind him. (m/n) forgot that the prince had been a commander at one point, as per his wedding suit.

"SLAUGHTER EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! THERE WILL BE NO SURVIVORS SPARED UNTIL THE CONSORT IS FOUND! FIND MY HUSBAND ALIVE OR I'M TAKING YOUR HEADS INSTEAD!!"

(m/n) wanted to giggle, because how down bad was the prince to murder the assailants and the knights if he was found dead. The paladins seemed to be pumped as they stormed the Emerald Palace, joining their brothers in the fight and bringing the staff to safety, all in the search of him and he could hear Daisuke screaming his name.

He rolled his eyes as he fumbled for a stone and threw at one of the guards running by, hitting their back plate. "What the-! THE CONSORT!! We found the consort!"

The guard immediately went to him, opting to pull him out of the shrubbery under the trees next to the entrances, how (m/n) was so close to victory, but he hesitated once he saw the consort's leg.

"I don't want to know." (m/n) deadpanned. He still hadn't fully embraced the pain from the adrenaline and he's not in the mood right now. Just in time, Daisuke had arrived at his location, scrambling off his horse and onto his knees, hugging him and spilling tears.

"Thank heavens, you're safe! Are you injured? Are you hurt anywh- OH MY FUCKING GOD?!!!" He grabbed a potion from one of the emergency medics behind him, it seemed that a lot of the guards had surrounded him, some out of curiosity on how the hell the consort ended down there and some were detaining the assailants.

Daisuke urged him to drink the small bottle, apparently as an anaesthetic because the injury was that bad but again he didn't want to know the severity of it.

Him and two other knights carefully lifted up the consort, laying him in an open carriage as Daisuke handed his husband over to his personal knight. "Bring him to the royal infirmary. Now." The knight nodded and sat on the horse, carrying the injured (h/c) to safety.

It seemed Daisuke wanted to deal with the rest of the assailants himself.

"Your Grace, you seem oddly calm. Your bone is sticking out-" "I don't want to fucking know, bro."

(m/n) was sulking, throwing a tantrum as he yelled for the guards to let him pass. It had been a few days since his attempted assassination and he was placed on house arrest or more specifically bed rest since he broke his leg, had a few bruises and the obvious bandage on his cheek.

Well, it wasn't his room he was staying in, instead he was confined to Daisuke's room. The man had gone berserk, catching all the assailants which were shockingly around forty men which was suspicious amount just for the murder of one consort.

He was furious and didn't even let (m/n) voice his thoughts of staying elsewhere as he locked the (h/c) inside his room. The consort couldn't do much, his left leg was in a cast from his ankle up to his knee. (m/n) was annoyed and frankly upset that he had to be placed in a protective lockdown just because someone wanted him dead.

Other than that, he thought he looked like a total loser using crutches because his arm strength was not the best, he’d be stumbling over himself half the time. So he opted for a wheelchair instead. He almost puked seeing the standard boring hospital wheelchair and Daisuke bought him a golden one instead. "It will do." He huffed as his personal maid pushed him down the halls after finally arguing and winning against the paladin to let him get some fresh air.

That came at a price of five knights surrounding him and his maid. All of them were talking military slangs so he was annoyed when they mentioned 'baby eagle has left the nest' but it seemed pretty obvious that they were his guard dogs.

"Don't fret, Your Grace. All will be fine soon." His maid consoled him, pitying at his annoyed state. "These idiots are blocking my view...and this cast is UGLY!" They were outside, (m/n) breathing a sigh of relief, finally escaping containment, still surrounded by knights however.

"And where the hell is the prince??" (m/n) hadn't seen his husband for the past two nights despite him practically living in his chambers. What the hell was he up to now?

Screaming echoed against the moist stone walls, a dimly lit prison with a sconce mounted onto a wall. There was a severely injured man, strapped to a wooden chair with belts around his wrists, ankles and waist. Most of his fingernails were ripped out, a bloody wrench was very effective, the beholder stared down at the impaired prisoner, his guards standing behind him menacingly.

Daisuke spoke, his voice low and commanding. “I’ll ask again. Who is your client?”

“I don’t know!” He sobbed out, tears and snot coated his face along with the occasional blood. “We only received a photo and a fuck ton of money- my men have no idea who employed us!”

The prince had been in the dungeons for a few days, slowly killing the remainder of the infiltrators who dared to step foot into the Emerald Palace, especially the ones who laid hands on his husband. He used a number of tools, screwdriver, wrench, a hammer, even a scalpel and once he found out who was the ringleader, he didn’t hesitate to rid the useless ones.

“How much did that bastard pay you?” “I can’t just- FUCK FUCK IT HURTS!!” One of the guards drove a heated steel rod into the gaping wound of his thigh, the ringleader cursing and screaming at the pain enveloping his body.

“It was five million- THE DOWN PAYMENT WAS FIVE MILLION STOP STOP!”

Daisuke gave it more thought, (m/n) was wanted dead, not kidnapped, someone paid a huge amount of money, enough to buy a palace, as down payment for his head. He racked his head, connecting more dots and gazed over the tattoo on the ringleader’s neck.

“A lion…you’re not from here, are you?”

The ringleader shook his head, wailing over the lack of feeling in his leg as Daisuke left the dungeon. “I’ll need to see a friend next week. Clear my schedule, Ivan.” His secretary who held in his retch, nodded as he walked beside him.

“Oh, and how’s (m/n) doing?” “Well, he’s outside right now. Strolling near the greenhouse.”

Ivan had received an update from one of the footmen spying on the consort, for safety purposes or Daisuke’s paranoia.

“…Let’s prepare a gift for him. Burn the dead ones. We have no need for them anymore.”

(m/n) was still sulking, strolling by the flowers in the wheelchair pushed by his loyal maid. The greenhouse was a beautiful place, often visited by the ladies of the kingdom just for the scenery itself. A big glass dome towering over the fauna that flourished and decorated the place. Endangered, foreign and unique floral bloomed in the gardens that were tended to by the gardeners. The (h/c) would often find peace just by being present in the greenhouse.

“All of you are dismissed.” He must have been daydreaming to just notice Daisuke had walked to them, shooing away his maid and the paladins, although they insisted they could tend to the consort but Daisuke denied it otherwise.

“How are you, my love?” Daisuke pushed his wheelchair, guiding him out of the greenhouse as (m/n) fidgeted with the thin blanket laid across his lap. “I’m fine. I feel fine, I think.” The prince chuckled, brushing his oddly stained fingers against his hair.

“I hope you’ll feel much better after I show you,” He coughed into his fist. “A little something that I made.” (m/n) could hear the teasing tone in his voice and he couldn’t guess what other present Daisuke had in store, considering that he had bought every single riche his kingdom had to offer for the (h/c).

“I’m excited.” He replied sarcastically. Daisuke laughed again and the (h/c) wondered if the prince had gone insane just by the amount of laughs he donned in the span of thirty seconds. “Allow me to…vent for a bit, husband. Monologue even.”

“Do as you like.” (m/n) sank into his seat, gazing at the landscape as they headed to the South Wing of the Grand Palace.

“…At the time of the ball, I felt quite lonely. The Earl came up to me, asking for you but of course I rejected his audience, for your recuperance. Many of the guests mentioned I looked like I was looking for something, someone perhaps…Even my father teased me, said I looked like a lost puppy.”

(m/n) snorted at the thought of Daisuke moping around in the ball, all elegant with his suit.

“I was so used to having you by my side…I couldn’t fathom the thought of you, not being around me. I felt unease…

So when your servant came running in, screaming that your palace had been ambushed…I felt dread and…anger.”

The path they were taking were cobblestones, far from the marble and concrete (m/n) was used to.

“Someone wanted you dead, (m/n).”

The (h/c) felt creeped out by this…side of Daisuke. He stopped fidgeting with his blanket.

“…But I’m not letting them have their way. I’m not letting them take you away from me, not when we have this…this love we harbour.

We’re here.”

They arrived at the barracks, for soldiers and knights of the kingdom. (m/n) never stepped foot here, he didn’t need to dirty his hands like the rest of them, Daisuke pushed his wheelchair into the courtyard that was far different from the ones in his properties.

The grounds were only soil, tattered and unkempt used for training but it was empty for this occasion. He was still scrutinizing the rest of the conditions before Daisuke leaned down next to his ear.

“Look up.”

A quiet gasp escaped his lips, his eyes wide as his palm went to cup his mouth in shock. Daisuke peered at his reaction before glaring back at the bodies before them

Three men were nailed high on a cross. Their stomachs slit open, crows pecking at their guts and entrails, pulling it and gnawing it down their throat.

(m/n) barely recognized a few of them, one was the one who almost caught him hiding under the bed, one was the one who had jabbed his ribs with the hilt of his sword and the middle one...he didn't recognise. He's even surprised at the fact that the other man survived his stabbing attempt.

The blood pouring down their torso was a glaring red. It seemed fresh.

"I left them alive for you. They deserved it." Daisuke whispered to (m/n). "One who entered your room. One who forced you to jump and the ringleader. I had them hung with their stomach torn apart to feed the crows. You should have seen them begging to be killed."

The (h/c) glanced behind him to see the prince sweetly smiling down at him. "I'll protect you. This serves as a reminder to anyone that dares to harm you. I'll never let you get hurt again."

At that moment, any normal person would feel fear, their instincts screaming at them to run from the menacing uncanny danger that seemed to be the prince. But not him, not (m/n). For what was supposed to be terror was replaced with heat in his pants.

"Your Highness..." (m/n) mumbled. This proof of love Daisuke had bestowed upon him only heightened his sense of security, pushing insanity. "...Thank you." A gentle smile at his lipsa he caressed the hand on his shoulder.

A warmth enveloped his heart as he stared at his assailants, satisfied with their violent outcome.

"Urghh- urmm hnnmm Your Highness- mhmm! I haven't- We haven't done it in a while- ahn!" His mouth was cupped shut by the ravenette, Daisuke smirking as he stared down at the struggling (h/c). "Keep quiet, unless you'd like to get caught.

(m/n) nodded shamelessly, his weight shifted onto his good leg, Daisuke holding his waist in place. He was forced to stand up, pushed up a wall behind one of the many buildings in the palace, shielded from many eyes. His wheelchair kicked aside.

The (h/c) whimpered while rubbing their cocks together, both of them had unzipped their pants as (m/n) struggled to masturbate both of their dicks while maintaining balance on his stand.

"Grip it more. Then, clench your fingers- mmn! Thaaaat's it." Daisuke praised the consort, who was mewling into his hand covering his mouth, he bucked his hips more into the (h/c)'s hand, rubbing his tip against (m/n)'s.

(m/n)'s cries were muffled when he came, spurts of semen decorating both their cocks as Daisuke followed, moaning as he rutted up into his husband's hands.

The (h/c) went limp, crashing into Daisuke's chest as he whined for comfort, the prince cooing at him as he cleaned them both up, carrying him into his chambers.

"Huff, huff- ahnnn fuckk meee- mnhaa!"

(m/n) cried out when Daisuke came inside him again, his ass clenching around the prince's throbbing cock, his palms and knees digging into the bedsheets as his front crashed onto the bed, losing his composure.

His cast was weighing him down, tiring him more than usual but that didn't seem to stop Daisuke.

"One more time for me, love." He tapped his ass, pushing him onto his side as he pulled the (h/c) by his waist, slapping his crotch onto his ass. "I can't-" He hiccupped, a raw cry tearing from his throat. "I can't cum anymore...I'm too sensitive." He whined helplessly.

"Shh shh don't say that." Daisuke cooed at the (h/c), adjusting his cock, letting his til kiss (m/n)'s entrance. "Of course, you can. You can make me so happy just this once, right?"

(m/n) groggily propped himself on his elbows, whimpering at the pressing tip on his hole. "I'll buy you more jewellery. Have them made custom for you. You can have any gem you desire." The (h/c) moaned again when Daisuke slipped himself into his wet entrance.

It wasn't that he didn't dislike accepting gifts, but the fact that the prince offered like it was some sort of payment made him feel like a whore. And fuck that felt hot.

He melted more into the prince's touch, who was groping his chest, teasily trailing his hand up neck and gripped his throat. "You're practically an expert already, ain't ya'?"

(m/n) mewled, his drool seeping from his lips as he endured the lustful thrusts from the prince. Daisuke smirked, seeing (h/c) strands swishing every time he pounded into the consort as his grip tightened around (m/n)'s neck.

He pushed (m/n)'s good leg up more, bending it as he pushed his cock balls deep inside his husband who screamed at the stuffing of his ass. He knew he had come, watery cum decorating the sheets and his walls squeezing his wet cock.

Daisuke groaned lustfully as he emptied his sperm inside the consort once again as he dropped himself onto (m/n), making sure to avoid his bandaged leg.

The (h/c) was jittery, eyes glossy as he begged for aftercare from the prince who was more than happy to provide to the crying consort.

(m/n) admired the teardrop earrings which held the Artemis and Apollo Gem for each side on his ears. His maids behind him were also fawning over his growing collection of jewellery, courtesy of the crown prince.

"Get me my shoes." "Yes, Your Grace."

It had been some time and (m/n) could walk again. His cast removed and he finally returned to the Emerald Palace, sighing in relief. Daisuke sulked, asking if he didn't enjoy his time at the Grand Palace.

"You keep bedding me every night! How am I supposed to sleep?!" "But babe🥹."

That was the gist of their banter.

The prince himself had journeyed outside of the capital for a few days and he had sent a messenger beforehand telling him to prepare for another journey.

Apparently, in commemoration with his leg healing, Daisuke wanted to take (m/n) out of the Palaces for a vacation, more specifically finally using the long-awaited summerhouse. He also mentioned having another surprise for him, now with his recent one, (m/n) isn't sure what to expect the range of his presents. It could be the heart of his enemies or more designer shoes.

(m/n) embarked to the mansion first, accompanied by...a platoon of soldiers, per request of the crown prince. He even vented his frustrations to the emperor, the rare times where he would be in contact with Daisuke's old man. All he replied was with a drawing of a four-leaf clover.

The journey took three days, them staying in cabins and whatnot, he was even accompanied by Daisuke's secretary, Ivan and they bonded together with a deck of playing cards. As soon as he arrived at the estate, he whistled to himself in surprise.

Overall, he was satisfied with the lavish mansion, a huge lawn with floral decor, and a port for small cruising boats on the far side. With rows and rows of servants bowing on the sidelines.

Estate by the lake, fully furnished and a stampede of staff, just like he wanted. (m/n) thought he had to give Daisuke a good sucking that night until the prince's carriage had suddenly arrived, stopping beside his.

"Husband! I missed you!" Daisuke enveloped (m/n) with a bear hug, lifting him and spinning them around. "What a coincidence we arrived at the same time!" The prince gleamed.

"We arrived first, he was just waiting for you at the entrance for the whole day." Daisuke's personal knight deadpanned, not impressed with his prince. "Is that so?" (m/n) smirked, as he pinched the ravenette's cheek.

They spent their time together, (m/n) cruising around the mansion, commenting on the interior decor and Daisuke following behind him like an excited pup. The prince had to retire to a makeshift office with his secretary, private matters that even (m/n) couldn't join and he rolled his eyes and went to the master bedroom for that matter.

It was almost midnight and Daisuke still was in his office until (m/n) decided to put the lake to good use.

He sneaked out to the harbor, soothed his eyes with the calming water and stripped himself bare. He dipped his feet first, testing the temperature before fully submerging himself in the body of water, enjoying the cooling sensation.

(m/n) dived under, swimming through the ripples of water, gently rocking against his limbs as he swam further to the middle. He resurfaced and gasped, taking breaths as he swiped his hair back.

The (h/c) looked to the harbor and noticed someone standing over them, he squinted his eyes and perked up when he noticed it was his husband. "Could've invited me." Daisuke smirked, pushing (m/n)'s clothes aside with his shoe as the consort swam to the port.

"Didn't want to bother you. Seem pretty busy these days." (m/n) huffed, still keeping himself floating in the inky water. Daisuke rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms together, not bother to hide his very obvious erection with the wet naked consort.

"And what if someone else catches you like this? Dearest, I might find myself green with envy." (m/n) grinned to himself, pride surging within him as he offered a hand to the prince. "Then, join me." He purred before teasingly swimming away.

The prince laughed as he took off his own clothes, not hesitating to gracefully dive into the lake. (m/n) looked behind him for the prince that was nowhere to be seen before he felt something pulling at his feet.

He yelled in shock before Daisuke resurfaced, laughing at him while (m/n) smacked his chest for scaring him. They played in the water together, splashing each other, casual swimming and they even held a contest to see who could last underwater the longest.

"Crap, that's unfair! You're trained for this!" (m/n) pulled Daisuke's black hair who was still holding his head underwater for more than four minutes already. The prince gasped for air as he pulled the embarrassed consort close.

"I don't stay in my room all day when I was a teen, Your Grace." He teased his husband while (m/n) mumbled something along the lines of 'Yeah, cuz' I was in someone else's room-' before Daisuke dragged him underwater again.

The water was relatively cool, calm under the luminous glow of the moon, with the exception of the couple laughing to themselves, making small waves until Daisuke trapped the (h/c) in his arms.

"I love you, (m/n)."

Daisuke confessed as he kissed the (h/c), slowly trailing his hand below the water. The consort moaned into his mouth when he felt his ass cupped, digging his fingernails into Daisuke's back.

(m/n) held onto the prince as he embraced Daisuke, letting him lick, bite and even suck all over his body, him returning the favor, mostly on Daisuke's chest.

They returned to the port, wet and with a limp in (m/n)'s step as they readied themselves for another day.

There was another reason why Daisuke invited (m/n) to take a vacation at the summerhouse. He revealed that he needed to meet a friend, a contact in the West, and since the summerhouse was at the borders, he figured that it would be a perfect opportunity for them to relax together.

(m/n) first questioned why Daisuke hadn't gone alone, as what he did for all his previous side missions until the prince slid him a letter. The (h/c) recognised the letter, he received a similar one before. It was an invite from one of the famous privileged.

Apparently, Daisuke's contact was famous for his ludicrous events, organised privately for high society which required a partner. Daisuke couldn't go alone, and instead of hiring someone else to be his lover, he opted that the (h/c) could have a little outing.

"It's not that revealing." (m/n) rolled his eyes as he spun around in his outfit, checking himself out in the mirrors. "Dear, look at my pants and tell me otherwise."

The (h/c) threw a shoe at him before they embarked for the party in a black carriage, one without a symbol.

(m/n) was dressed in a two-piece bedlah, his cropped top was a see-through maroon garment that covered only his chest and parts of his arms, pearls and beads decorating the garb. His lower half had a golden waist chain with two long fabrics covering his front and behind that had small gems dangling on his hips. He also donned on a shiny brown mask that curved downward at the front, resembling a hawk, its decor matched his jewellery and arm cuffs all over his figure.

Daisuke wore a dark navy cropped top, only covering his shoulders and arms, draped down to his sides, essentially giving a window to his abs and chest. His jewellery leaned to silver, chains cross his chest and a printed flare pants to style the rest of his lower half. A black and blue masquerade mask tied around his head, complimenting his own set of jewellery.

The venue wasn't far from the borders, it took a couple of hours, half of those time (m/n) spent by groping Daisuke's chest over and over until they reached the mansion. They were ushered inside by servants who had empty masks on into a room with large doors.

Daisuke handed the invite to one of the guards and they were let in and there was a reason why the doors were 4-inches thick. Immediately, the sounds of moaning, squelching, and whipping could be heard throughout the ball room.

It was a refurbished hall, with multitudes of furniture decorating the venue, beds, sofas alike with men and women climbing over each other with similar lavish masks.

The event that Daisuke's contact usually organised was orgies or gangbangs accompanied by drugs and alcohols. (m/n) himself received an invite but he ran out of the hall when lots of people wanted a turn on him.

The (h/c) clutched his pearl as he nudged closer to Daisuke who calmly walked to the middle of the pile, seeing his contact, the only one without a mask.

"Ah! My friend, he has arrived!" A man that seemed to be in his thirties, brown curly hair that reached his shoulders and baby blue eyes with woman cooing over him, one of them on her knees deepthroating his cock. He gave a hand to shake but Daisuke respectfully declined, not risking any diseases.

"Did you receive word from my messenger?" "Of course. A shy one, isn't he?" (m/n) didn't fully grasp the context of what they were conversing but he was surprised Daisuke was speaking his mother tongue, despite the obvious accent.

They continued talking to each other, (m/n) hugging Daisuke's arm as he gazed over someone getting tag-teamed and the abundant of breasts present in the dim room, only lit by the candelabras. Suddenly, Daisuke ushered him elsewhere while the previous man got up from the round bed and headed off elsewhere all in his naked glory.

"What happened?" "He went to retrieve a few things for me. It should take some time, so we ought to lay low until then."

Daisuke was a prince of a kingdom, it would be bad for their reputation if he was to be discovered here, albeit the non-disclosure agreement they had to sign. (m/n) wondered if there were any other royals here, kings or queens even, looking at an old burly man fucking into a lewd girl.

The prince grabbed an unopened bottle of alcohol and pulled (m/n) to sit on a sofa in the far corner. More discreet but still surrounded, nonetheless. "He will take his time, that man." Daisuke scoffed as he popped the bottle open. "You can lay down to relax." The prince patted on the spot next to him as (m/n) sighed and draped himself over Daisuke's lap who began drinking and playing with his hair.

"Did you ever went to one of these?" Daisuke questioned him. "No. Some of my friends invited me but I had the feeling I might run into one of my exes if I ever indulged myself. The last time I entered an orgy, they ripped off my mask so it wasn't exactly the most fun adventure I've had."

The prince hummed as he rubbed (m/n)'s bare thigh between the garbs, warming his hands as he took another swig. "What is this? It's strong but sweet."

The (h/c) plucked the bottle from his hands. "It's native to the West. Really nice brand, but it's forbidden for international export, some beef between the owners." Daisuke took the bottle back and chugged it again. "Fuck, it really melts on the tongue."

(m/n) frowned, seeing Daisuke drinking by himself. "Let me have a taste." The prince took another swig and placed the bottle on the table next to them, beside a lit candle, illuminating the side of Daisuke's face before he leaned down and grabbed (m/n)'s jaw still.

He tilted their heads, knocking their masks slightly together before he pushed (m/n)'s mouth open with his fingers letting the wine flowed down his tongue and into (m/n)'s mouth. The (h/c) choked, squirming in Daisuke's hold as he gulped down the mouth-to-mouth drink.

He coughed as he sat up, wiping his lips. "What the hell-" (m/n) patted his own chest. "You're bold today." Daisuke hummed, grabbing the bottle back. "I'm just in the mood, y'know."

(m/n) frowned, ignoring the lewd moans from behind him as he glanced at Daisuke's pants. "You're not thinking of...doing it here, are you?" The prince pursed his lips. "It wouldn't hurt to have some fun, would it?"

"What if we get caught? What if they see your face?" "They won't. We'll be careful. Everyone's sucking something in this hall." Daisuke grabbed (m/n)'s arm, urging him to sit in his lap as the (h/c) hesitantly climbed over, facing the heated prince.

"I don't know...it just feels uneasy? I'm not sure." (m/n) felt the burn in his stomach, curling in his crotch but he wasn't sure what to make of it. The wine tasted different.

"It's okay, baby. I'm here, aren't I? You're safe with me." Daisuke cooed at him, gently nipping at his bare shoulder, caressing his back. (m/n) grunted as he took the bottle of wine, reading the back of it.

He almost dropped the bottle when he felt Daisuke's erection brushed under him, (m/n) squirming and bucking his hips as the prince pulled him closer, grinding up against him.

"Fuck it." (m/n) downed the bottle, drinking three full gulps as he slammed it on the table, Daisuke cheering at his swig as the (h/c) leaned in to kiss his husband, making out with their tongues.

Their teeth clashed, gums rubbing together while (m/n) was swinging his hips, circling down on Daisuke's clothed cock. "You're so hot. Sexy little thing." The prince purred, his hand inching underneath (m/n)'s skirt as he ripped the (h/c)'s thin underwear.

(m/n) hissed in pain when Daisuke dipped a dry thumb into his hole, rubbing against his walls painfully. He gasped and moaned as the prince's other hands began to grip his ass, pulling at it, stretching his entrance.

He fell forward, his face buried into the crevice of Daisuke's neck who took the wine and dipped it all over his hand, using at as lube as he began to finger the consort.

"You're a bit tighter today than usual. Want my cock or fingers to loosen you up?" Daisuke blew a breath into (m/n)'s ear, two of his fingers stuffing his hole, stretching his rim. "F-Fingers first please." The (h/c) desperately loosen his skirt, pulling at the fabric to release his dripping cock, he was much more sensitive than he normally was.

Was it because they were in public? (m/n) drooled, seeing another man getting his mouth stuffed with two cocks but his attention was stolen by the prince who immediately shoved four fingers in when he noticed (m/n)'s eyes were straying.

"Eyes on me, sweetie. Don't make me mad. I wouldn't want to tear off all your clothes." Daisuke licked a stripe up his neck. "Unless you'd like that."

A shiver ran down the (h/c)'s spine as he unclipped his waist chain, letting the fabric fell into Daisuke's lip. The prince rubbing his digits into (m/n)'s walls, loosening his ass as he rutted his hips up, grinding against his husband.

The ravenette bunched up the fabric, tearing it from the chain and wrapped it around (m/n)'s waist, barely covering his bottom. "If we're going to do it, I prefer if not many are able to see us." "Mmmnn ahn! Are you seriously trying to cover us up? You're the one who started this- ahngg!"

There was a pink flush on Daisuke's cheek, his lips smirking as he wrangled his ass to push him to the brink of pleasure, (m/n) squirting on Daisuke's abs as he almost fell behind, the prince grabbing his arms.

"I'd like to see you cum on my own terms, dearest." "Or what?" (m/n) scoffed. "You'll get jealous?" Daisuke smirked to himself as he kissed the (h/c). "I'll burn down this whole hall if I have to." "That's so fucking hot." (m/n) groaned into his mouth, pressing his wet tongue into Daisuke's.

The (h/c) pushed the prince back, forcing him to sink into the cushion behind him as he leaned into the prince's open chest. (m/n) pressed his tongue flat on his pec, dragging it upwards to the valley in between, watching Daisuke who stared down at him with bated breaths.

His mask was already tilting to the side, it was a bad idea to choose one with a beak. (m/n) kept biting on Daisuke's tits, sinking his teeth, hearing his gasps and moans. He sucked on the pale flesh, admiring the reddening skin as he licked and sucked on his nipple next.

Daisuke bucked his hips up into (m/n)'s bottom as he clumsily pushed his pants down, letting his dick flop out freely, leaking precum. The (h/c) was too busy sucking on his chest, marking his man while Daisuke grabbed his waist, forcing him to sit on his cock.

"Mmnn-" He pulled off of the prince's breast with a pop. "Slowly, slowly..." He whined at Daisuke, sighing as he sank his hole, swallowing his hot dick in one push. (m/n) took his time, throwing his head back in fuzzy pleasure before Daisuke patted his thigh, urging him to move.

The consort took a deep breath before bringing his hips up and slammed himself down onto the prince's lap, yelping as he does so.

He adjusted himself on the sofa, feeling his legs shake as he bounced himself helplessly on the prince's cock. "Up and down, baby." Daisuke kissed his neck, sucking and pulling at the skin making (m/n) squirm and clench around his tip. "Yeah- mmnn! Just like that- anhh!" The prince moaned and licked into his ear as he came inside the consort, shooting ropes of sperm into his hole.

The (h/c) cupped his mouth, resisting the urge to scream as he quickly fucked himself on Daisuke, squeezing around his cock as tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes. "You're doing good." Daisuke cooed at him, rubbing his sides.

"Make a little noise for me, princess." (m/n) gasped as he came on the prince's dick. He had a few hiccups before crying out, Daisuke pinching his chest. "That's it, thaaaat's it." The prince dragged his words, praising the consort as (m/n) cried into his shoulder, whimpering why was he so sensitive at that moment.

He flinched when he felt someone touching him from behind. "Hey, can I have a turn? You have a beautiful man on you, I couldn’t help but be smitten." The man behind him purred, wanting to pull (m/n) before Daisuke swatted his hands away, hugging the (h/c) close to his chest.

"If you want to keep your hands, I suggest you back away." The prince seethed, glaring at him through the masquerade mask before the brunette from earlier came, diffusing the situation. "Hey hey, let's calm down here okay."

He turned to the unknown man. "Apologies but this couple is exclusive, I can have one of my peers entertain you instead." He shooed the stranger away before facing the pair. "Sorry about that. People here don't exactly have manners."

He handed a scroll tied with a felt rope to Daisuke, who took it silently, still holding (m/n) close. "It's all the info you need. I'll be expecting the payment by the day after tomorrow." The prince moved to leave but the brunette stopped him.

"Don't bother, stay here as long as you'd like. We all need to let loose sometimes, y'know." He winked at Daisuke before running off to a girl wearing a kinky BDSM garter. The prince scoffed, examining the scroll before his attention was stolen by the (h/c).

"Princey..." He whined. "I'm still- mnn! I'm still leaking..." (m/n) cried, tears running down his cheeks, his cock still dripping precum, an abnormal amount as Daisuke licked his tears.

"We'll do it as much as you'd like, my love."

The prince recklessly dropped the scroll, letting it roll underneath the sofa as he bent the consort over on the couch, slipping his cock back inside the mewling (h/c).

Time seemed to be a fleeting moment and by the end of it, (m/n) found himself full, his ass leaking, and his stomach painted with semen, a strand connected from his flaccid tip to his stained skin.

His body was marked with teeth indents, some were bleeding, the prince was heaving over him. Daisuke's chest was mostly red, with hickey littering his skin and his pants had been long gone.

It took them five hours to recollect themselves, (m/n) gaining consciousness as he realised Daisuke was still rutting into him mindlessly. He had to slap him sober so they would leave, thankfully there was a section provided to clean up themselves with spare clothes, with payment of course. The two finally left the building with the scroll in hand.

"The wine there was fucking laced! How the hell did you fall into their trap so fast?! That's how people kept coming back!" In a fit of anger, (m/n) scolded the bashful prince who was the one to drink the spiked wine.

"...It hadn't been opened yet..." Daisuke mumbled, a pout on his lips, despite that he had no regrets having sex around others.

Apparently, the supplier of the wine had them custom-brewed, infused with aphrodisiac so people would return to the orgy, a harmful yet successful tactic.

Both of them had returned to their chambers and slept for eight hours and when the (h/c) had woken up, Daisuke was still drooling on his pillow, his body slack in his sleep. (m/n) rolled his eyes and was about to leave the bed to get himself some tidbits but noticed the paper untied on the bedside next to Daisuke.

The reason of why Daisuke had reached out to his 'friend' remained unknown in his mind, curiosity got the better off him as he reached for the scroll and read through its contacts.

It was a long list of people, brokers, clients and at the top of the list were mercenaries with the symbol of a lion. (m/n) hesitated to read the rest of the contents he rolled the paper back up. It was clear that Daisuke was investigating on the motive of the ambush the (h/c) had endured and seeing the remains of those mercenaries, (m/n) knew it was going to be bloody.

Dirty jobs aren't for people like him so (m/n) essentially just minded his own business and let his husband do as he wishes. By the time he had returned to the bedroom, the scroll was nowhere to be seen with Daisuke perching on the bed, happy that he had brought some snacks.

A few more days passed by peacefully and Daisuke finally revealed his surprise. The image of the (h/c)'s family had long appeared on his mind, and he certainly broke down in his mother's arms when his parents and his older brother appeared in the lobby of their mansion.

The prince had arranged an invite for the Dukedom after Daisuke had found out that the reason (m/n) wanted the summerhouse to be located near the borders was so that his family didn't have to travel far to the East Palace to visit him.

(m/n) whined to his parents about how cruel Daisuke had treated him and his brother saw right through his lies, pinching at his cheeks while Daisuke and his father was chatting by the sidelines.

The consort considered this to be one of the most memorable gifts Daisuke had presented to him, waving goodbye to his family after a two-day stay and they decided to spend their last night of their vacation out on the harbor by the lake.

"So, were you able to get all that you needed from your broker friend?" Amidst the glistening waves of the lake, the moonlight was more than enough to reflect light in their eyes, a small picnic with some tidbits in a basket. (m/n) popped a few grapes into his mouth as Daisuke began prepping his self-made sandwich.

"I was. He was more than helpful, more honest after a few bags of gold. But he is a reasonable man." The prince swiped the condiments onto his bread with a butter knife, (m/n) rolling his eyes at his reply. "He conducts orgies, Your Highness. How is that reasonable?" "Everyone's nasty down there one way or another."

A noise of disgust escaped his throat, (m/n) gagging on the thought of going back there again as he stole the sandwich Daisuke made. "Hey, that's mine." The (h/c) took a bite before Daisuke could retrieve it back. "Mediocre at best."

"I'm not your chef, you twat." Laughter could be heard from the couple, both of them eating from the same plate since (m/n) was too lazy to lift a finger and he positioned himself to sit in front of Daisuke, folding his legs as he leaned back into Daisuke's chest, both of them gazing at the moon.

"Do you think it's flat?" "We are not having this conversation."

(m/n) snuggled in further, him holding out his hand to admire his wedding band. "I couldn't believe we are an actual couple now..." He whispered in a hushed voice. The prince looked down to him, his nose nudging against the (h/c)'s cheek.

"We're compatible. I can't imagine myself with any other." Daisuke mumbled, pecking at (m/n)'s cheek. The latter sighed, sinking further into the prince. "...How long do you think we'll last?" The (h/c) inquired curiously.

"When the sun decides to rain fire on us, even then I won't let you go." A chuckle from Daisuke, the consort feeling the rumble from his chest. A heavy confession hung from his heart, a fleeting beat that had the aftertaste of a sweet fruit.

Memories of the prince holding him flashed through his mind. Their adventures, their flashy affairs and their sour harmony in tandem. The (h/c) knew he had fallen for the prince. Once again, he gave up his pride, and it drained his denial. (m/n) fidgeted the end of his shirt as he pulled a loose string, snapping it from his garment.

"I love you."

The prince's eyes seemed to snap wide open, the breeze of the night soothing (m/n)'s growing heat in his cheeks, feeling bashful and flushed. Daisuke kissed his face, peppering them all over as he kissed his lips last.

"I love you as well."

(m/n) buried his face with his hands, shielding his embarrassed expression while the prince was too happy to even notice, showering his husband with affection. Their last night of their long vacation was spent together, holding in each other's arms by the harbor, as the two finally accepted their love for each other.

[END SCENE]

[unedited]

EXTRA CONTENT:

Shortly after their public jerking off with each other...

"Can you move it to the left? That's about right." Daisuke was present with contractors in the greenhouse, after their public rendezvous, the prince decided that they should have a more accessible place to rest.

The workers moved a circular frame, positioning it to Daisuke's desire. It was a foundation for a new furniture. "Yeah, yeah...can you make something of a bed? Or one of those really big cushions you can...rest on. That's definitely the word."

The prince grinned to himself, imagining (m/n) laying on the circular mattress sideways, with petals of roses surrounding the consort. He can't wait to fuck (m/n) on this thing.

It took a moment for him to realise the rest of them were staring at him, unimpressed expressions behind their polite smile. "I'll take my leave now- make sure its STURDY OKAY MANY THANKS!" He ran away as fast as he could, excited to give the news to the consort.

A deleted draft, after their argument/confession on the field...

(m/n) was pulled by his hand, Daisuke guiding him, their feet trudging through the green grass. The (h/c)'s face was puffy, wet from crying as he felt a weigh curling in his crotch.

Why is he dressed so fucking handsome...(m/n) gritted his teeth, staring at Daisuke's ass before he stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" The prince looked back, his eyes had bags underneath them, his sclera red from tears. (m/n) bit his bottom lip before effectively jumping on the prince, Daisuke barely managing to catch him in his arms as they fell to the ground.

"LOOK AWAY- LOOK AWAY I TELL YOU!!" The guards immediately faced the other way, red hues painted on their cheeks.

By the time (m/n) was done humping on top of Daisuke, he had soiled his pants, walking off with a relieved sigh as he left the breathless prince who was now rock hard.

"What about me??" "Take care of it yourself."

The prince gave chase, adamant to wrangle the consort who quickly sprinted away, the two laughing and running in the halls of the Emerald Palace.

Daisuke training...

"I don't get why I have to come here. It's smelly and for sweaty people-" (m/n)'s whinings were cut off when his eye caught the prince, swinging his swords against two knights in a training arena.

Daisuke was in a tight black shirt, his chest hugged by the fabric and (m/n) thought he should start a clothing line specifically for muscular men because damn some of them need a bra.

He bit his nails, seeing his thighs move as the prince quickly evaded the attack by a knight and jammed the wooden sword into his chest, knocking him down. He defeated the other guard in a breeze, the other soldiers clapping for the prince's victory.

(m/n) let out a quiet, deep humming, quickly taking the stairs down where Daisuke was exiting the arena.

"Oh, (m/n)! You're already here-" Immediately the prince was pulled into a corner, (m/n) dropping on his knees, pulling at his belt and grinding on his foot, begging to suck his dick right then and there.

Daisuke had his eyes popped out for a second before pulling the consort back to his feet. "Just a moment, dearest. Wouldn't want to give them a show." He purred, bringing the consort into one of the barracks, kissing the consort as he pushed him down to his knees.

[Afterthoughts]

Guess who’s the flat earther lmao. I never watched Bridgerton. I should do it one day. Arabic poems are great btw. The extras aren’t fully canon, it’s just sexy scenes I had contemplated on adding. I thought of adding Emperor Aurelius’ son for a scene but I didn’t want to because it would go too deep into the non-existent lore.

When Daisuke was yelling at reader how much he loves him, I resisted the urge to write “(m/n) was gagged.”

When I wrote the dialogue, I don’t intend to fully use formal or old English, never took a course for the language except for in high school and I wanted the fic to be more understandable for the readers cuz let’s face it, just get to the damn point, I don’t need a paragraph to know someone is sleeping in a dark room.

THIS FIC IS SO FUCKING SHIT IM AWARE so be nice to me thanks </3

I intentionally used a mix of modern English/slangs/ and formal ones because I had writer’s block recently so things aren’t going the best for me right now.

There's a fun easter egg around the ending, somewhere on the harbor so if anyone guessed it right, props to u!

HUGE shoutout to @jaythes1mp for helping me rewrite some of the parts, I felt so dumb yet so smarter now. And also HUGE shoutout to @kiiyoooo for reading and helping me correct some of the scenes. They didn’t beta read the whole fic, only one part of it (the emotional ones) and if u noticed the shifting quality stfu pls I cant do this rn tq!/srs im sorry

There was a problem with the formatting (i think i pasted it twice and had to manually remove them) so if there is repeating paragraphs, let me know thanks, ill check it properly tomorrow

Daisuke if (m/n) found his ex at the orgy:

(m/n) twice a day:

Taglist:

@tehyunnie @rainnyydaysworld @webwanderer @a-short-ass-disappointment @chikai-k @mello-life25 @miyuuuki @simpsations @sugar-p0p @kiiyoooo @helloanime @garlicforthewin @jaxyy219 @mikahrh @gayaristocrat @m4r13ll @pinxeajin @gyarukitti @syyyy4ever @pato-spoiler-27 @citrusequalsfrogs @animefan106sposts @bensontrechic @partywalker @gaynesspersonified @yanrandom @theorye @jentlesoldier @apotatoishereee @blepp0c @luciusclover @mazunzunne @basketbaal

Only prince daisuke:

@kingcomet

#Spotify #bottom male reader #x bottom male reader #male reader smut #sub male reader #uke male reader #x male reader #oukabarsburg #oc x male reader smut #oc x male reader #oc x reader smut #daisuke yuichi #historical #prince x male reader #prince oc #male reader #oc x reader #male oc #oc smut

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omagpies · 21 days ago

Note

Not asking you to draw them but out of curiosity, what fursona vibes do the characters of Mouthwashing give you?

you activated my trap card omg. anyway!

this was a bit hard for me to think about at first because there's a really cool dog breeds hc floating around, but!

anya would be a mouse because, well, gestures at her. she's quiet and meek. she is the smallest. she has to hide.

curly's diamond face shape pre-crash reminded me of a lion, plus it fits the whole 'cool beloved leader' stereotype. pedestal that man. it won't backfire at all i promise

jimmy still gets to be some kinda canid, i think like a coyote. extremely poorly socialized. nasty.

swansea is a badger because holy shit. a badger will fuck you up and won't even need to be particularly angry about it, but an angry badger? it was nice knowing you

and daisuke gets to be a gecko because a) best boy, and b) you bet that furry!mouthwashing freight ship Does Not have cryopods fit for non-mammals. the guy was screwed from the start

(i accept mouthwashing asks now ig! i also assign fursonas to real people :3)

#mouthwashing #curly mouthwashing #anya mouthwashing #daisuke mouthwashing #swansea mouthwashing #my art

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tgrailwar-zero · 8 months ago

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So little guy, where are you from? Do you live here in the city or are you visiting?

LITTLE GUY: "We sleep in by the Port! It's foggy sometimes, but sometimes it's sunny! We were sleeping, but now we're awake!"

LITTLE GUY: "...Mm..? We're... awake?"

LITTLE GUY: "Hm... I dunno! I dunno!"

KUKULKAN: "Not as much as I'd have hoped... we can talk more once we're done."

KUKULKAN: "...Fair enough, hehe. I guess someone has to be the one to tell Rider. I'll go get the boys."

KUKULKAN: "Oh, it's probably fine! But, just in case, we'll save it for later."

LITTLE GUY: "Bye, bye!"

They waved, wandering off down the Archives.

With that decision made, you got to the fun part. Research.

The Heavenly Divinity had been summoned as a warrior during the Lunar Grail War. One of the 129.

She hadn't been summoned in this way before. An old god, in a newer form. A dragon in the form of a fox. A goddess in the form of a mortal.

Her name was T█████=M██████████.

Was. At that moment, it was.

The stories of humans had weaved together a strange tale, it seemed. But that was fine. She was quite fond of weaving, after all. Her identity was fluid, one that shifted like the water, and danced between the gates of shrines.

'Caster', her Master called her. The maiden of the Hirota Jinja Shrine, a 'Caster'. Humans had called her many names over many years, but that was a new one.

While many saw her as a Kitsune, a simple fox-spirit, this Servant was a Shinko-ō. A divine 'dragon-fox'. A daughter of the heavens. Terrifying and beautiful, she was summoned by a hopelessly hopeful master for a hopelessly hopeful cause, and fought for it with every ounce of her being.

And then, the Titan struck.

She watched as the Servants of the Moon did everything they could, and knew it wasn't enough. She had seen this Titan before. Fought this Titan before-- and knew that the boundless strength of Heroic Spirits were not enough for it. And so, as they fought, she readied herself.

The Titan could only be defeated by divinity. Divinity unchained by humanity, and free to run wild and untamed. And so, the single-tailed fox gathered power, power that she had promised to never coalesce again in another life. -

You continued reading, though it felt like you were slipping further and further into a haze.

It felt more like a conversation. Like someone was speaking to you, gently by your side. The voice, delicate and feminine, seemed to whisper in your ear.

"There's something laughable about the idea of a 'lonely god'. Gods should be worshiped. Respected. Beloved. My Master held a deep contempt for humanity. He hated their contradiction, their twisted affairs, their violent nature. But he accepted it as well, knew that their violence would lead to peace. That if there was something truly terrible in the world, their differences would be set aside, and they would be saved. He could calculate, but understanding was out of his reach. And yet in his struggle, in his constant theorizing and thrashing about, he held something beautiful. A spark. A beautiful soul. Perhaps that is why I was summoned at his side. I am your goddess. I am your God. And, my beloved people of the Solar Cell, I selfishly ask of your forgiveness. Selfishly ask for your hope. Selfishly ask for your acceptance. I cannot tell you the reason, but I selfishly ask for your sacrifice as well."

You eventually reached a passage that held you tight. You could feel eyes on you. Burning, yet cold. Rushing water accompanied by the sound of crackling flames. Violent, yet calming. A contradiction.

'Amaterasu'. 'A M A T E R A S U'?

That cannot be my True Name. Amaterasu is kind. Gentle. The warm rays of the sun, that satiate those that dance under her gaze.

I am violent.

I am powerful.

I am the Great Fox Spirit. The Konjiki Hakumen. The Lady of Purification. The Goddess of Mukoyama. A mere facet of the Sun.

I create life.

I shine with the heavenly bodies.

The Servant of Amaterasu Ōhirume no Mikoto. The wrath of Tenshō Daijin. The flesh of Sume-Ōmikami. I am her untamed nature made manifest.

The waters of the Lunar Sea bow to me as they purge the world of evil. The flames of the Solar Cell burn for me as they purge the world of fear.

The great Titan will be cast into the Lunar Sea, and all shall be well.

Such is the will of--

You heard snapping in front of you, knocking you out of your trance.

ARCHIVIST: "I don't mind you resting your eyes, but the Archives are closing. Best to get a move on, right?"

Looking down, you realized that you had stopped reading at some point, though it was difficult to tell when. The book had been clamped shut, your smoke-like, tendrils (vaguely shaped in the form of hands) clasping it tightly.

#long post #thgw story #main post #thgw: chapter 5 #endless whispers #item usage poll #nasu isn't the only one that can play syncretism tennis

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digitalgate02 · 3 months ago

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[main post about the Rider AU] [the tag tho]

Rider AU's main cast [2/8] - Ken

Yeah, I'M LATE?! Had this getting dust in my folder... Well, here we go. I'll not make promises about the rest getting finished that quickly (I'm working on more stuff at the same time)

Ken in this AU has a small ponytail (because I always wanted to see Ken in a ponytail, but I'm pretty fine with the canon short-haired Ken thanks to it having some Terui Ryu's vibes) but his personality is still the same as canon: he’s kind and polite BUT because he want to, and if you mess with his beloved ones he might become totally sarcastic, salty and hostile towards you.

Daisuke befriended him in the first year of college, but Daisuke quit quickly in order to pursue the ramen business thing. Ken didn’t have many friends at college back in time so he just wanted to keep tagging along with Daisuke. While he’s studying psychology, he hid a secret from everyone which was… He’s a famous gaming Digituber called ‘The Kaiser’.

No one connected the dots about the courteous Ken with the famous gamer who would simply get SUPER COMPETITIVE and FERAL in online competitions and esports events nicknamed Kaiser. The only person who might know this secret is his girlfriend who’s an excellent technician-bar-hacker who manages his accounts (so Ken can have time to be his real-self too) – Miyako. But Later, Miyako and Ken are acquainted with a young boy named Iori, who’s pretty good at taking the hints and then decide to help them out with his own abilities (no he’s not like a hacker, but he got the skill to help cover traces and find clues to stuff)

Ken also met Rui casually and not related to Daisuke at all – at the cafe shop Infinity, where Rui works at. The day they first met, Ken witnessed a digimon running away from some people in the lab getup trying to catch a hornworm digimon called “Wormmon”. The digimon ran into Ken’s way and begged to help him to escape. And Ken, who was a good boy who wouldn’t refuse to help someone in need, took the digimon inside the first shop near them. Which was Infinity Cafe Shop, after all.

At first Rui felt confused about why would someone just take a digimon inside a shop out of the blue, but since it was one of those days with low customers and he was… Alone at the moment, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Wormmon explained to both of those two young adults that those people with scary costumes were trying to capture him and insert something terrible on him. Ken and Rui raise eyebrows and look at each other, as if they were asking each other what to do. They are asked by Wormmon to protect him and both boys just agree with it. Since then Ken and Wormmon drop by to talk with Rui.

And then, on a random day, Ken meets Daisuke again at the same cafe shop and learns that Rui is Daisuke’s childhood friend. Wormmon is still kept as a secret from Daisuke and everyone else, but hey. They don’t need to worry too much about it now, right?

Meanwhile, as the celeb Kaiser, Ken gets in touch with a person named WriterOfHope91 (privately btw) who claims to be from the same college as Ken. He tells Miyako about it and then they start planning what to do. Turns out the person was Takeru, who’s from another course from the same college and had been friends-and-neighbors with Miyako and Iori. While Ken didn’t want his secret to be leaked, he tells Takeru to keep his mouth shut about this. Takeru agrees, and says he didn’t want to do anything bad. The reason he contacted Ken was because his friend Hikari witnessed him getting inside a shop with a digimon in hands. And it was when Ken told Miyako and Iori about Wormmon for the first time.

BUT THE PROBLEMS DON’T END HERE!! The Kaiser is associated with an agency, the 7DM Entertainment —- Which suspiciously has a woman called Layla as its CEO.

Just like Rui, Ken does not know Daisuke is a Kamen Rider recently. But he does know Kamen Rider Lightnimon to some extent via the digimon, and he wants to uncover all the mysteries surrounding the mysterious hero and the cases around Tokyo, as some kind of detective.

(Which would make him want to pursue a career in investigations later)

#kamen rider au; kamen rider lightnimon #ichijouji ken

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elysefz · 7 months ago

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HSHQTASK059: FAREWELL !

when did you join ? what made you join ? what do you remember from the plotlines that were current at the time ? where were you in life when you joined and where are you now ?

i was in college! april 2018. but i was looking for something new to join. i liked the political aspect of the rp, it was still a pairs rp with the alliance system that seemed fun. i was in the middle of my political science major so i liked the idea of using what i was learning. also the main was very pretty. a lot of it was new to me, that's when we were all using icons and i didn't know what the heck small text was.

which characters have you written over the years ?

oh no, let's see: elyse, aslan, michael, daisuke, roxanna, stella, rebeka (i think was her name??) (stella part 1 kinda), ester (remember the pons?), domas (daisuke part 1 lbr), there was a daniel bruhl fc early on rip to him, ming fa (jianguo part 1), jianguo (my sweet boy, i did you dirty), queen of nambia i don't remember your name but you were fun, duchess of brittany i think?

what is your favourite plotline that you've been part of ?

andorra! also layslan my beloved.

what about other people's plotlines ?

the russian plots were always super sexy and the zulus were so good. also england. just all of it.

who is your favourite character from the ones you've played ? why ? what made you love them ? what made them so fun to write ?

elyse, my little nightmare. she grew up with me it feels like. i was studying nationalism and populism in my undergrad degree and i wanted to play with those styles of politics. she's so screwed up but i love her. her insecurity and the way that makes her clings to her choices, even when they are clearly bad. i think we all do that sometimes, we fear something and the create the situation that we fear. honorable mention to my baby michael and my favorite villain domas/daisuke who would just plan fun.

if you could relive a plotline, which would it be ?

i wish i could live in farnauld forever. novel version when?

is there a plotline that you'd edit now if you could ?

probably my early ones, like early prussia. i learned so much in this half decade about writing, storytelling, and working in a group. i am entirely grateful to all of you for teaching me with kindness and love.

what's a plotline you wish you would have been able to finish before closing or just write more of ?

i'm not going to lie, i've had kalyse on my mind recently. but we had a whole thing with michael planned out and northern ireland which would have been fun. and we had some stuff planned for daisuke too that would have been interesting. also, if we had done it, you would have screamed at the mexico/cuba plot

what is your favourite ooc memory ?

all of them but hshqmas is always a delight. also all the april fools admin announcements which got me every year and now this *weeps*

where can others find you if they want to get in touch ?

i'm on discord as ladyjane and my rph is @abbydoesrph. maybe i'll up a 1x1 someday. idk hmu.

what else would you like to say ?

i'm not going to say everything i want to say because i'm in my feelings. i feel like i grew up in hshq; as a person and as a writer. i've joined and left a lot of groups in this time but i always come back here. come home. i want to say thank you. and thank you for your patience and communication and still loving me when i know i screwed up. i can only hope i've left you with as many good feelings as you all have left me with. and thank you in particular to the admins for your care, attention, and dedication to the group. honestly, you're outstanding. i wish i had bosses who would asked for and provided feedback as well you three. all of my love, and i mean all of it, to hshq. xoxo.

#hshqtask059 #i'm sure i forgot something but anyway ily

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dia-souls · 1 year ago

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DIABOLIK LOVERS Imajin Tokuten Drama CD “Secret Party, Drunk Bride!!”

Original title: 秘密のパーティー、酔った花嫁!!

Source: Fanmade Tokuten Drama CD

Story: Admin Afra

Seiyuu: Suegara rie, Takahiro Sakurai, Kimura Ryouhei, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Kishio Daisuke

Author Note: We already had a drama CD of Drunk Sakamakis. I really wanted this version to exist for other brothers, but I am sure drunk Yui is the cutest and most lovable of all. I hope you enjoy this CD. I would like to write the drunk version for all brothers.

_This scene begins in the school corridor.

*Ding dong* *ding dong*

Kou: Pwah..... what a boring day it was. I wish we had more excitement. Ahhhhhhhhh Yuma ...... Please stop it and don't bother me with so many stupid requests. You forgot that I am a famous idol. It is not suitable for handsome Kou-kun to work in the garden.

Yuma: Huh? shut up. How about trying to be useful in your life instead of protesting so much.

Kou: Stop it. I am very helpful. I give people hope and motivation by performing my impressive shows.

Yuma: Ya better tell some stupid girls that you are excited to gather around.

Kou: Don't be so hard-hearted. What useful work do you do?

Yuma: Hahaha... Well, of course. I am doing a lot of useful work by growing vegetables with my valuables. On the contrary, my work is hard and breath-taking and I have to put my heart and soul into it.

Kou: Hey, my work is very hard too, I really...

_The attention of the Kou is drawn to a student who is spreading the announcement of a party among the students.

Kou: What is he doing?

Yuma: It seems to be a party announcement. Does it matter?

Kou: Huh? A party. This is great. At least this party can make this boring day exciting.

_Kou runs to the student to get an announcement from him.

Kou: Can you give me one?

_The student gives Kou a notice.

*Flip*

Kou: Fufu.....thank you very much.

_Yuma goes to Kou.

Yuma: Now when is this party?

Kou: Yahoo! There is a party tonight. What do you think, let's go together?

Yuma: No. I am not interested.

Kou: Oh, stop, Yuma. Don't be so stubborn. We go and have fun together. What is happening?

?????: Kou-kun, Yuma-kun. Are you two here?

_Kou and Yuma notice Yui's presence behind them.

Kou: Hahaha..... Hello, M-Neko-chan. What are you doing here?

Yui: Ruki-Kun is waiting for you two. School is over. We have to go back home.

Yuma: Heh, you're right. Let's go.

Kou: Wait. Before we go, tell me, are you two coming to the party?

Yui: Party?

Kou: That's right. There is a party at school tonight and I really want to go together. But Yuma is not coming with me. Do you want to go together?

Yuma: Hey, don't try to force her.

Kou: By force? Oh no. M-Neko-chan really likes to spend time with his beloved Kou-kun. Isn't that so?

Yui: I'm sorry Kou-kun. But I don't think Ruki-kun will let me come to the party.

Kou: Ruki is not going to understand. We tell him that we are going shopping together and he doesn't understand either.

Yuma: Ya fool, ya want to prank Ruki.

Kou: Fufu... What is wrong Yuma? Afraid?

Yuma: Haaaaaaa? Of course I'm not afraid. I'm coming too.

Yui: What? But didn't you say that you don't want to come?

Yuma: Yes I said that? But it is not possible to leave ya alone with Kou.

Ko: Owo..... Yuma-kun, how kind of you to come with us to a party that you don't like because of taking care of M-Neko-chan.

Yuma: Shut up ya bastard.

Kou: Hahahaha..... Well, then tonight all three of us will go together. Just remember that Ruki should not understand anything.

*TIMESKIP*

_This scene starts in the school banquet hall.

Ko: Ohhhh... it's much more crowded here than I thought. In my opinion, M-Neko-chan, you look much prettier in this dress.

_Yui blushes.

Yui: Oh, thank you so much, Kou-kun. But if I come back home with this dress, won't Ruki-kun be suspicious?

Kou: Don't worry, there is a dressing room here. Before we go home, we go there and change our clothes.

Yuma: Che... I can't believe I listened to ya idiot and came to such a crowded party.

Kou: Stop Yuma-kun. It's okay to have fun.

Yuma: Ahhhhhh... now whatever. Hey Yui, let's go and sit there.

_Yuma takes Yui's hand and they go to the chair.

Kou: Wait, I will come.

_Kou goes to the chair with Yuma and Yui and sits down.

Kou: Are you guys thirsty? Would you like to have a drink?

Yuma: Yes, that's a good idea.

_Kou asks the servant for a drink and the servant goes towards them with a bottle of drink and gives them the drink.

Kou: Thank you very much.

Yuma: Hey Kou, what kind of drink is this?

Kou: I don't know... I think it's new, let's try it.

_Kou pours the drink in the glass.

Yuma: Hey, wait. It is better not to drink this.

Kou: Why?

Yuma: Well..... What if this drink makes us drunk?

Yui: Uh....if that's the case.....I can't drink this.

Kou: Oh, come on. A glass is fine.

Yui: But...

Kou: What's the problem, M-Neko-chan? Don't you think you're still a little kid who has to ask your Daddy's permission for everything? Oh or not, now you have to ask Ruki's permission instead of Dad. Fufu.... He treats you like dads.

_Yui puffs her cheeks.

Yui: Kou-kun stop. I am not a little child.

Kou: So if you are not, drink this. Not even a glass. Drink more than one glass to prove that you are not a child and do not need your Daddy's permission.

Yui:...... but......

Kou: What's wrong, little kid? Where is your daddy?

Yui: Ahhhhhhh ok, I'll drink.

_Yui takes the glass and drinks it to the end.

*Gulp Gulp*

Yui: Are you satisfied now?

Kou: Not yet. You should drink more than one glass.

Yui: Okay.

Yuma: Hey Yui, don't be stupid. What if ya get really drunk?

Yui: ......

Kou: Little baby?

Yui: I'm not a little kid.

_Yui picks up a few more glasses and drinks again.

*TIMESKIP*

_Kou and Yuma who carries Yui on his shoulder are returning to the mansion.

Kou: I had a really good time.

Yuma: Shut up. This is a disaster.

Yui: Fufu.... hahaha..... I'm on the air..... moving..... hahaha.....

Kou: Fufu... she's so cute when she's drunk. Isn't she?

Yuma: Huh? Ya fool, ya know what trouble we got into. What if Ruki finds out?

Kou: Don't worry, Yuma. We sneak into the mansion and before Ruki knows, we take Yui to her room to sleep. Simply. Ruki doesn't understand either.

Yuma: Che.... Ya are really stupid to think that Ruki won't understand.

Kou: Quiet. We arrived.

_Kou slowly opens the door of the mansion.

*Creaaak*

_Kou and Yuma slowly enter the mansion.

Kou: Yuma, we should go to her room very quietly and not make any noise.

Yui: Fufu.... Why is it dark here.....Wow..... This is a haunted mansion....

Yuma: Oh, shut up... no one should hear our voices...

Yui: Who are you?

Yuma: Seriously? I'm Yuma, ya forgot, I'm a vampire.

Yui: Kyaah..... don't eat me...... don't drink my blood.

Kou: Fufu M-Neko-chan, we have sucked your blood a thousand times.

Yui: Ahhhh... Really?

Kou: Yes, you are our bride. The bride of the Mukamis. We are Mukami brothers.

Yuma: Ahhhhhhhhh, both of you shut up. Let's be calm so Ruki doesn't understand.

?????: What should I not understand?

Kou and Yuma at the same time: Ahhhhhhh??????

_Kou and Yuma turn around to see Ruki and Azusa behind them.

Kou: Ruki, Azusa, when did you come here?

Azusa: We... heard Eve's scream ..... and got worried.

Ruki: Yuma, why are you carrying her on your shoulder?

Yuma: Well..... that...

Yui: You....have two....fangs....are you a vampire too?

Azusa: What happened to Eve?

Yui: Who is Eve?..... I am the bride of the vampires.... Miss. Mukami's bride..... Fufu.... hahaha....

_Ruki looks at Kou and Yuma with cold eyes.

Ruki: Kou, Yuma, explain right now what's going on here?

Yuma: Ummmmmm.....explain Kou.

Kou: Huh? Why me? Well.... the story is about this.....

*TIMESKIP*

Kou: And it was like this.

Ruki: I can't believe it. You lied to me and then you forced her to drink a lot to prove that she is not a child and that I am not acting like her dad.

Yui: Fufu.... are you my daddy? Ohh..... don't punish me..... I'm a good girl.....

Azusa: Fufu...she is so cute.

Kou: I'm sorry Ruki.

Ruki: Good grief.....

_Ruki takes Yui from Yuma's shoulder and hugs her like a bride.

Ruki: Just wait until she gets better, then wait to see what will happen to you.

Yui: Fufu........

Ruki: Besides, I don't act like dads. I am the older brother, not the dad.

Kou: Well...

Ruki: When you are talking to me, look me in the eyes. And because of what you did, all three of you will be punished.

Kou: Yes, sir.

Yui: Daddy, I'm a good girl... don't punish me.

Ruki: Good grief.... you are so hot.... you need to rest for now.

_Ruki carries Yui to her room.

Yuma: Well, are you satisfied now?

Kou: It was very exciting. Wasn't it?

Azusa: Eve is so cute when she is drunk. She really acts like children.

Yuma: You two shut up. Kou, do you understand what trouble we got into?

Kou: It doesn't matter. The important thing is that we had a good time.

Yuma: You had a good time, not us. Poor Yui. I hope Ruki won't punish her so hard.

______ The End ______

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #yui komori #komori yui #ruki mukami #mukami ruki #kou mukami #mukami kou #yuma mukami #mukami yuma #azusa mukami #mukami azusa #diabolik lovers drama cd #drama cd

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guiltygearconfessions · 5 months ago

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Unbelievable that overnight I kinda fell in love with the Conclave. On god. I just wanted to see what happens in Vastedge so I can write Baldius dying in my fanfic but now I'm invested in these stupid guys and their stupid plan to bring humanity forward in evolution or whatever. *Kicks rock*

I need to kill all of them! Putting them all in the microwave and the microwave blows up. What's wrong with them !!

I think I'm destined to fall heads over heels for characters that don't have that much screen time. Aughhh. Who are they,,, I need to poke at all their brains and figure out how they came to this method of bettering humanity. God I hope Chronus appears more. What is with that guy. What is with his dead colleagues. Why is there another guy with the world Bald in his name along with my beloved Dr Bald, Daisuke I need to know why you named this guy Baldius. Unless there's like an actual term out there to connect it to. Like. Chronus. Chrono,, like chronological, time,, Axus, like. Axis on a chart.. Libraria, well, y'know. Library. But what about Bald over there. What the hell is his name.

Going insane. I also need to kiss them all and have lipstick marks on their masks btw. I love them dearly. Not beating the loves masked characters allegations.....

#confessions #the conclave #guilty gear

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detectiveichijouji · 5 months ago

Text

Final Case - The Young Prince Detective’s Gambit

[AO3 version]

The enemy who once was a beloved friend of Ichijouji Ken and Akiyama Ryo was Nokita Yuu’s true identity, Hikawa Yuuichi. After hearing Yuuichi’s side of the story and be forced to face Daisuke, who was turned into an unstable Wolfmon, Noel, as Arsenemon, appeared and prevented Wolfmon from hurting Ken. The elusive gallant phantom thief then revealed that Yuuichi’s facts were twisted, and then gave his own witness of the events. Then… something made Wolfmon attack Yuuichi’s body, out of the blue and confusing Ken’s head -- Since Daisuke himself wouldn’t be able to kill a human. Turns out that It wasn’t exactly Daisuke who did that move, and yes the good part inside Yuuichi, which possessed Daisuke’s body. With the damage of Wolfmon’s holy light blade, Yuuchi’s body was damaged, but the corrupted vessel plotted something against them all. Once Miyako and Iori were rescued and healed, thanks to their jogress partners and Soleil & Lune’s help, the group reunited at the rooftop. And witnessed the vessel summon a dormant YukiAgumon in front of them, only to fuse the last two fake shards with the digimon and evolve it into Chaosdramon.

What should we do now…??

“Ken, please… destroy my body quickly, before it uses the portion of that digimon’s power on Chaosdramon.”

“Wait, what do you mean, Daisuke-kun?” Hikari asked, frowning.

“He’s not mon ami Motomiya for a while,” Arsenemon said.

“The good part of Hikawa-kun is within Daisuke right now,” Ken told the others.

“With the remaining three shards it might be a little bit more powerful than the usual, but… I beg you, Ken, everyone… End me now, I’m not even human anymore… And I do not belong here either…”

“...”

“That’s creepy to hear coming from Daisuke’s mouth,” Miyako commented.

“... Are ya sure of that, Yuuichi?” Daisuke was pitying him, “There could be… another way--”

“There’s no other solution,” Hikawa sighed, “I’m not human anymore, I’m just… ‘something’ who once was a human.”

“Man…”

“Just… Promise you all will… Take care of Ken for me.”

“Hey, Ken’s tough. He had witnessed a ton of bad things and he knows we will always be on his side. No need to promise you that, dude. He got our backs, and we got his.”

“Oh might be sooooo easy peasy to beat that critter with a hole in the body” Crescemon smugged, “After all, We’re like, six digimon against one.”

“Didn’t you forget someone…?” the vessel said. And thus, Matadrmon appeared in front of it.

“Ah nice, the annoying vampire…” Daisuke complained with a displeased expression on his face, but outside his body was only glaring at the new opponent.

“Hehe, oopsie…?” Crescemon chuckled nervously…

Youta cracked his fist, “I have a score to settle with that digimon, guys. So stay away from them, they’re mine .”

“Let’s leave Matadrmon to Youta and me ,” Mizuki said, stepping forward, “You guys take care of my nonexistent brother and Chaosdramon.

“M-Mizuki…?” the boy blinked.

“That digimon caused us trouble before and is going to cause even more right now.”

“Alright,” Miyako said, looking at the others, “Everyone ready?”

They all nodded in agreement.

“Do the honors, Miyako” Daisuke chuckled, “I know you’re itching to say that line again.”

Despite not being able to hear Daisuke, Miyako grabbed her digivice and pointed it to the sky:

“Chosen Children… Let’s roll!!”

Ken was still not sure about what to do about Hikawa. Everything said to him right now was too much for his heart and mind. But Daisuke was right about him though.

“Hey, maybe there’s a reason for that! Like, maybe he’s brainwashed or somethin’?? Evil clone? Maybe he’s not gone mad!”

[...]

“Can you really kill a human being, Ken??”

As always… Daisuke’s heart was in the right place. He might not be a talented genius strategist who could come up with a very logical resolve for a battle or a dilemma…

… But Daisuke understands people and their hearts pretty well. His emotional intelligence is over the charts of this group.

“... There might be another way to solve this,” Ken muttered. The digimon (except for Arsenemon) had started their respective fights while the kids watched them. But Ken was just looking at the vessel still struggling with the critical hit caused by Wolfmon’s holy light attribute.

“What do you mean?” Daisuke (Hikawa, actually) asked him, “No, you have to listen to me, Ken! There’s no other option, you have to--”

“Daisuke is right about it, I can’t do that. If I were the Digimon Kaiser, if I still were a cruel cold hearted arrogant brat… But…”

“You never had the guts to do it, right?” Arsenemon completed it.

“... Daisuke knows me well enough. Even if back in time… When we were enemies… If I knew that humans can die for real in the Digital World… I wouldn’t have tried to hurt them at all.”

“You were shocked when you hit me in the face with your whip,” Takeru commented, “So, guess this tracks.”

“... Sigh, yes.”

“Yeah, there might be another way to save you too,” Daisuke said, “I mean… Maybe something… Like, Uhh… Purifying you? Like in some TV shows--”

“I don’t think it’s possible,” Hikawa shook his head, “Having false hopes might make it worse for Ken. I… I already hurt him enough, so I don’t--”

"Ken doesn't want to save you just because you're an old friend, he wants you to have a chance to fix your mistakes and start over, just like he did".

“A… second chance?”

"Yes, you screwed up badly, and I would understand if none of us forgave you. But everyone who shows they're willing to do better and do the right thing deserves a chance to start over.”

“Why… Are you saying that to me?”

“Because… You might be the reason I got to meet Ken in the first place? It’s not Ken who created this new reality. It was you who did it, Yuuichi. And I can’t think about a world where I’m not friends with Ken, or with Miyako, Iori, Takeru, Hikari-chan, Noel, the others… Everyone.”

“...!!”

“And because you’re using my body right now, so please don’t do anything reckless I can’t get another scar for some… Stupid decision.”

Hikawa laughed lightly, and it made Daisuke protest, “Hey, I’m not kidding! This ain’t a joke, dude!”

“I guess I know why Ken liked you, and I’m glad you’re his friend.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Paildramon asked them.

“...” Ken started to analyze the environment, the enemies and their allies. It would be better if they just kept Imperialdramon’s power as backup, but they now have Valkyrimon and Dominimon in their deck.

Valkyrimon has the power of resurrecting fallen allies. Meanwhile Dominimon has the power of healing them. If they have to kill Hikawa Yuuichi’s body -- which is now just operating the vessel for a part of MIlliummon power…

But doing so, would make Hikawa’s good part to cease existing and leave Daisuke’s body…

He's not sure if this could work... But how long can his connection to Daisuke last?

“You got a plan, right Ken-kun?” Miyako asked.

“It’s risky. But we have to try it.”

“Whatever you're thinking of doing, I believe you,” Daisuke said with a smile, but now it didn’t seem to be clear if it was either Daisuke or Hikawa.

“... Arsenemon, can you do a favor for me?” Ken turned to the magician phantom thief.

“Hmm?”

The fighting style Flaremon and Crescemon had was nothing like the 02 group at all: They would just unleash their most powerful attacks and leave no room for counterattacks.

Though they tended to ram, intending to destroy the target, they were also perfectly synchronized. The graceful dance moves of Crescemon covered up the more brutal and insane rampage of Flaremon.

It becomes hard to target one or another when they’re constantly moving. Matadrmon had to keep defending themself from the mad flurry of punches thrown by Flaremon but had no time to dodge all the ice arrows shot by Crescemon.

It was a tragic disadvantage. Maybe if they could make the sun-moon duo hit each other…?

But while they looked like hostile beasts just attacking nonstop, they didn’t seem to be careless. Which was odd for this fighting style.

Matarmon could target Flaremon for being the one in a melee combat with them right now, but Crescemon’s shield was protecting him. There might be an exact moment Matadrmon could exploit and hit one of them.

“It doesn’t matter.” Matadrmon whispered, and then tried their best attempt at taking both down at once -- “Thousand Arrow.”

Then, the enemy fired countless rapiers under their sleeves. Soleil smirked, watching that desperate move, until Lune had a deja-vu.

“They’re NOT aiming at our digimon, they’re…!!”

Yes. Matadrmon knew the only time a digimon partner would let their guard down is the moment their human partner is in danger.

Crescemon and Flaremon backed up to protect the human duo, and with this they got hit by that such reckless move. They would use their own bodies (and Crescemon’s shield) to protect their partners.

The difference between Soleil and Lune and the 02 kids (plus their seniors) is that they don’t seem to care about protecting themselves in a battle. This is why Daisuke and co. snapped at their antics and approach regarding Kayono’s partner. Or even, the possible reason why Ryouma’s Psychemon partner got brutally hurt to the point it returned to DigiEgg state since then.

Tactless.

“Crescemon!!” / “Flaremon!!” They called their partners the moment the digimon shouted in pain.

“You’re still reckless brats. Just like your siblings.”

It was implied that Matadrmon was their enemy. The enemy that had been haunting them since their first digimon adventure with their own group. An unknown enemy who knew about them. But neither Soleil nor Lune knew about them.

Because he came from that old forgotten timeline.

“G-get up, please!” Soleil said to their partners, “We can’t let that monster beat us!!”

“An omen…” Lune whispered, “Is it… because of siblings that we… We’re like this?”

“Get yourself together, Mizuki!!” Soleil snapped, “They’re messing with us like they messed with everyone else before!!”

“... I just realized I had a brother once, and he… committed a mistake. And he was connected to your sister, and Ichijouji-kun. And to whoever this Akiyama Ryo is. We’re fated to fail.”

“It doesn’t matter if this is fate or not! We should go against the odds! We can… We can win, right?!”

“Youta, Matadrmon will keep using this dirty trick because we lack strategy! All of our victories were because we had Noel on our side!”

“...”

“We’re not like the heroes everyone loves and cherishes. We’re the bratty rogue kids everyone wants to disappear.”

“DON’T GIVE UP!!” they heard someone’s voice coming from behind them.

Soleil and Lune looked back, and saw Daisuke-or-Hikawa just screaming at them. But judging from the speech pattern, it wasn’t Hikawa at all.

“Motomiya(-kun)?” the duo said together.

“You have to work together with your digimon, and trust each other!” Daisuke just stood behind them, “It doesn’t matter if you’re a hero or not! Just do what is right, not what you think is right!!”

He put himself at risk just to say that to them, while the entire group was facing Chaosdramon and the evil vessel. He, who was angry at their behavior before… Was just encouraging them now.

“Fight together with our digimon…?” Lune repeated, and looked at Crescemon.

“And trust each other…?” Soleil did the same as well, but glancing at Flaremon.

They then looked at each other and nodded.

“We’re not heroes, but we’re still on the good side” Youta grabbed his digivice, “Can you stand up, Flaremon?”

“Aye, sir.”

“We’re the ones who will make our own destiny now. Go against the odds, Right?” Mizuki took her digivice as well, “We can beat this creep, Crescemon!”

“YEAH!”

Then… a Miracle happened: The digivices just showed the two symbols on their respective screens. A Scale on Youta’s, and a Moon’s reflection on a water surface.

Two lights covered Flaremon and Crescemon.

Flaremon ultimate evolve to… Iustimon ! Crescemon ultimate evolve to… Dianamon !

“... What is this,” Matadrmon wasn’t impressed but didn’t feel they should underestimate those two anymore.

Iustimon was in the form of a two-legged Firamon, wearing armor and wielding a sword in one hand. In the other, he held a mysterious symbol of a scale.

Meanwhile Dianamon was wearing a moonstone colored like armor, wielding a twin scythe-like weapon in her hands.

“This won’t be enough to beat me.”

“Don’t judge your enemies like that, you weirdo!” Dianamon shouted, and dashed against them trying to hit Matadrmon with her blades.

“You still lack intelligence.”

“... No, you do.”

Iustimon seemed to be only on standby, but he was using the scale to measure both sides’ power and abilities.

“Hm?”

“Fair Judgement.” Iustimon said, and then when the scales synced…

“...??” Matadrmon was unable to use their special technique, Thousand Arrows , anymore.

“Whoa, you balanced the game!!” Daisuke exclaimed in awe. That digimon was so cool…!?

“Heheheh…” Soleil chuckled.

“... I’m still able to fight.” the enemy warned the duo.

“We won’t let you beat us this time!” Lune shouted.

The only payoff for turning Matadrmon unable to use that technique is that Dianamon was unable to use her strongest special ability, Crescent Harken , which could finish that fight immediately.

But that didn't change the serious look on Dianamon and Lune's faces.

“You’re done for,” Dianamon said with a terrifying tone.

“Face your judgement,” Iustimon added.

“Never…” Matadrmon replied, and then kept defending themself from Dianamon’s twin blades. The enemy knew if they wanted to beat those two at once they needed to take down Iustimon first. So Matadrmon tried to move faster than Dianamon and exploit any opening in her attack patterns, and then directly attack Iustimon.

And when they finally thought they had found a way to get out from under Dianamon's attacking pattern…

“Divine Slash.”

Iustimon would simply slash them in half very quickly.

“?!?! H-how…?!”

Matadrmon fell on their knees.

“Because you underestimated us,” Iustimon said calmly. His noble composure was so cool in Daisuke’s opinion. Dang it, Youta your digimon is so cool?!

“This was for what you did to Kayono and Ryouma too,” Daisuke noticed Soleil fists clenching as the boy said that.

“...” Matadrmon reverted into a DigiEgg form, in front of their eyes.

“You killed him…?” Daisuke asked, out of curiosity.

“No, he has been purified,” Iustimon explained.

“Aren’t you busy with that thing??” Lune then gestured to Chaosdramon fighting the other three digimon, with an angry face;

“Oh…”

“Don’t ‘Oh’ at us!!” Dianamon snapped, stomping her foot on the floor and clenching her hands.

“You can beat me…!”

“I beat you before, remember?” Ken smirked, “I can do it again.”

“I’d love to watch you try and fail this time.”

“We won’t fail and we won’t let you take Hikawa-kun away this time…!”

Imperialdramon was wrestling with Chaosdramon as they talked, Dominimon was protecting the kids, and Valkyrimon…

… Was on standby?

“How do you plan to beat me without the Digimental of Desire now?” the vessel scoffed, “I’m an anomaly with part of Millenniummon’s powers. You should’ve heard your ex-friend and killed me.”

“We will save Hikawa Yuuichi-kun this time, and I’m sure about it!”

“I asked you a question,”

“I’m not fond of explaining my plans. Sorry, you will have to figure it out.”

The vessel kept being cocky, watching the good guys not doing well… They didn’t attack at any instance…Then, they watched Chaosdramon easily beat Imperialdramon. Dominimon came immediately to heal the Imperialdramon but…

“I think it ends here…”

… Chaosdramon threw missiles against Dominimon, who used their shields to protect themself and the human kids.

“Do you think we can win??” Takeru asked Ken, concerned. At this point everyone was…

“Don’t lose your hopes!” Daisuke came back, and stood in front of Imperialdramon, “You can do it, Imperialdramon!! Everyone!!”

“Valkyrimon, do something!!” Miyako ordered. But the digimon was still on standby.

“Pathetic.”

The vessel was sure he was winning. He laughed loudly , creeping Hikari out.

“Is this your plan? Chaosdramon, end them all already!!”

Chaosdramon was ready to do something when… It stopped moving?!

“..?! What??”

Ken smirk did not leave his face. What did he do?!

“I think you forgot you weren’t only fighting only us ”

Ah yes... they had taken full use of Arsenemon's abilities. What actually happened was that Imperialdramon, Dominimon and Valkyrimon were holding back, in order to distract the vessel and Chaosdramon so Arsenemon could execute his special furtive ability -- Malchanceux -- to steal the shards and then weaken Chaosdramon.

Once the phantom thief was back to the side of the kids, he gave the signal to Valkyrimon, who moved at the speed of the light and attacked Chaosdramon, making it actually step back from Imperialdramon for a moment.

“How…??”

It was when Imperialdramon used their positron cannon on their arm to hit Chaosdramon, who was his guard down.

“Some people here are good at acting,” Ken said with a smug smile while the others chuckled or smiled just like him, “Besides, I’ve lost countless times to my friends that… I’m good at ‘losing’ too.”

“It was… a façade?”

“It’s called ‘gambling’, monsieur imposteur ~ ” Arsenemon answered, with a sensible chuckle, “But I guess this was more likely a gambit, non? ”

“Y-you…!!” ire consumed the vessel, pretty much he LOATHED that stupid phantom thief and that cocky Ichijouji so much.

“We’re NOT over yet!!” Takeru screamed.

“Transcendent Positron Laser!!”

Imperialdramon firmly planted their feet on the ground and charged a very powerful version of their Positron Laser.

“Zero Heavens!!”

Seconded by Dominimon firing their ultra-high-temperature lasers from their shields on their shoulders in Chaosdramon’s direction.

“Laser Javelin!!”

And then finished by Valkyrimon summoning their javelin and shooting a laser from its tip.

The three attacks combined managed to beat Chaosdramon immediately. The opponent digimon reverted back into a DigiEgg in the end of the explosion caused by the chain combo-attack.

“No…!!” The vessel shouted but before it could do something, it felt something piercing its body even further…!!

When it looked back, Iustimon and Dianamon had used their sword and an arrow of ice on the same place Daisuke-and-Yuuichi had stabbed it previously.

“...!!!”

At the same time, Arsenemon destroyed the remaining three shards (yes, Daisuke still had one) which cut the connection between Hikawa Yuuichi and Daisuke. Takeru quickly held Daisuke in his arms, who fainted immediately due to exhaustion.

“W-what…”

“You messed things up for everyone” Soleil and Lune said together, “We won’t allow you to hurt anyone else, not even Noel or Ichijouji(-kun)!!”

The vessel fell on its knees. And then… Valkyrimon came and used their special ability.

“Fenrir Sword.”

They pierced the vessel with their cursed, absolute zero sword to the vital points of the enemy, and then… Killing Hikawa’s body.

Combined with Iustimon’s Divine Slash , which extinguished the evil power of Millenniummon’s shard from Hikawa Yuuichi’s body… There was nothing left there. Except…

Valkyrimon used their special ability to resurrect the fallen, and it brought it back little by little.

Except…

“... Huh… What happened…? Who are you people…? What are those monsters…?”

… Hikawa Yuuichi ceased to exist. The human in front of them had lost memories, he didn’t even know the digimon.

“... I will never be able to know… What does it feel like to have a sibling…”

Arsenemon could notice Lune and Ken were a little anguished by that closure, “... I’m sorry, he couldn’t exist as his original self. This is what would happen in the end…”

“He might not be the same person we briefly met,” Takeru said with a serious tone, “But if Daisuke-kun were awake he would’ve said something like… ‘It gives him a chance to restart anew’, right?”

“Yeah, he would say that,” Ken turned to Takeru and smiled.

“I knew mon ami Motomiya would be important for the closure of this case,” Arsenemon said, “I think… He’s the kind of person able to change people’s hearts for good.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of that,” Ken laughed lightly and gave a soft gaze at Daisuke, still in Takeru’s arms.

And then… The fake shards’ case was finally solved.

Noel Leblanc and the other two, Hino Youta and Hikawa Mizuki, offered to help the boy who once was known as Hikawa Yuuichi to readapt to daily life. Since Hikawa Yuuichi didn’t exist in this reality in the first place, he had to keep the identity of Nokita Yuu instead.

I didn’t hear about them for a while… But I hope they all are okay.

As for us…

“Ya know, being a detective was fun and all BUT! I have a life goal to achieve!!”

… Daisuke went back to his ‘ramen business’ plan.

“Huh, but you clearly were having fun with it,” Patamon blinked.

“I don’t think I can do it for life… I did not catch Arsenemon! Arsenemon who caught me!”

“You mean…” Hikari wasn’t sure if she got what Daisuke had said.

“Like, we became friends. Have you ever seen a detective being friends with the phantom thief?!”

“Hmm…”

Better not tell him that there have been cases in the Phantom Thief genre, according to Takeru-kun and Iori-kun.

“So… We won’t be using that website BBS anymore?” Wormmon asked the others.

“There might be something we can do with it…” Miyako mused, “A-after all Izumi-senpai allowed me to use his own server to host it…”

“Koushiro is always involved with our activities, dagya” Armadimon shrugged.

“Would’ve we survived without him though?” Iori said, looking at his digimon partner, “Most of the apps and devices we used through these activities came from him after all.”

“...” I was still silent, thoughtful. Thinking of all that I had been through in the span of a whole year, almost two years to be exact.

“Hey, are you still thinking about what happened?” Tailmon asked Ken, out of the blue. Everyone turned to him.

“He said Ryo-san… Went after Millenniummon to avenge me… Do you think he’s fine…?”

The group didn’t know what to say, alas.

“He disappeared… And we never had heard about him ever again…”

“Do you want to, like… Search for him?”

The group looked at Daisuke, who had just said he wanted to stop playing the detective role.

“But didn’t you say--” The digimon were asking the same question at the same time.

“I didn’t say I don’t want to keep doin’ this. I said I want to go back to work on my life’s goal!”

“When you said ‘I can’t do it for life’ you were stating you didn’t want to keep doing it” Iori pointed it out, calmly.

“Bingo,” Miyako agreed.

“No, I mean like… If anyone needs me I will not hesitate to come and help! It’s just… I want to do my own thing. And I’m not good at thinking about complicated stuff!”

“So our next case is the whereabouts of that Akiyama Ryo guy?” V-mon asked.

“Only if our mr. Detective Ichijouji Ken wants to!”

I never doubted that Daisuke would deeply care about me, or about the others. He likes to help everyone who’s in need. He saved not only me, but other people before. He’s the glue that keeps this group together.

I wasn’t sure if investigating the mystery of Akiyama Ryo’s disappearance was right. It felt whatever is the closure of that case could end up bittersweet or a tragedy.

Do I want to know what happened to Ryo-san? Or am I afraid of what’s the answer to that question?

“...”

“Maybe you’re not ready for that yet” Daisuke added immediately, “Sorry I thought you--”

“No, you’re right. I admit I’m afraid of what we could discover about that one. If he’s dead it would just… Make what Hikawa-kun said about him going after Millenniummon…”

“I think one day you will be ready to open that case then” Miyako looked at him, “And when that time comes, we all will be with you.”

“Exactly!” Hawkmon added with a nod. The others nodded and smiled at Ken as well, as some sort of agreement and to reassure that they would always be on Ken’s side.

“Thank you, everyone” Ken smiled back, his cheeks turned a bit reddish.

Maybe, someday… I will uncover this mystery. For my own sake, to know what happened to Ryo-san…

For now, I won't take responsibility for what is beyond my control.

This case is officially closed.

…

A tall man, tan skin and hair similar to a Young Gennai just arrived in Tokyo… After spending the rest of his life in a country town since early 2003. It had been a while though, he had just a few vague memories of living in Tamachi since he was born. But…

He couldn’t remember that much. A blurred memory of being in another place with a kid… Them being both children, to be exact… Doing something that felt like a dream adventure.

“Ah, I took a nice nap…!” he exclaimed, stretching his arms.

A digimon was on his side, dragging the luggage. The digimon, a purple-like dragon creature with bat wings attached to the hands (which also had drills as claws-or-fingers), growled, “You can’t be that careless, Ryo! Don’t leave me carrying your stuff all alone!!”

“Ah right, sorry Monodramon.”

Although he looked like a cool, responsible adult, this guy was kind of a carefree type. But his potential was off the charts, and his skills in certain categories were extraordinary.

Not wanting the tiny Digimon to carry the luggage for him, Ryo took it carefully. It was unfair to let his partner (?) carrying that, he agreed with Monodramon with a nod and a smile.

“Now where should we go?” Monodramon asked, curious with Ryo’s plans and intentions to move all back to Tokyo.

“That’s a good question, but first we have to go to our new home and then readapt to the environment. And Then… We will go look for him .”

“That person…? The one that mysterious woman mentioned to you before…?”

Ryo nodded with a grin.

“I wonder who this person is though…” Monodramon shrugged as they walked to the exit of the train station, “You said you don’t know who is either.”

“I will know when I find him for sure!” Ryo chuckled, playfully, “I have a feeling we might meet soon or later.”

Monodramon sighed, it was pointless to argue with his partner (?), sadly.

More and more mysteries have been uncovered and unsolved so far. Not all of those have a closure and will remain unsolved.

But maybe, one day… Some of those will be resolved and closed.

A new gate to the adventure might open again.

#young prince detective ichijouji ken #02 team digimon case files #stabbing tw

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jadecascade · 2 years ago

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Dewprism Interview

It’s from 2020, but below is an interview I translated with Threads of Fate/Dewprism Programmer Koji Sugimoto and Writer Daisuke Watanabe. A link to the original article is below. Enjoy!

https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2020/01/16/126852.html

Looking Back on Twenty Years of Dewprism! Reader Comments, Words of Appreciation from the Development Team—and What Fans Can Do Now. (Interview)

"Dewprism," an action RPG for the PS1, is still beloved by many users to this day. For the game's twentieth anniversary, we asked the development team for their memories and secrets! Please take a look.

Back in 1999 when the universally popular Playstation console was still in its adolescence, numerous beloved titles that have gone down in gaming history made their debut.

Even SquareSoft (now Square Enix) of Final Fantasy fame put all their focus on the Playstation console, and in 1999 they launched several new series like Seiken Densetsu: The Legend of Mana. Another new ambitious IP, the action RPG Dewprism, released on October 14th, 1999.

The story follows the adventures of the kindhearted Rue and Mint, the selfish princess of the East Heaven Kingdom. With two different protagonists as well as two unique storylines, Dewprism's style successfully blended drama and comedy. Each character's special abilities and battle techniques also added to action-based gameplay.

The charming characters, lively 3D animation, and countless heartfelt, memorable scenes have produced a work beloved by many and still discussed on social media to this day. It holds a special place in this writer's heart as well.

Flash forward, and now the delightful Dewprism has reached its twentieth year on October 14th 2019! To celebrate this anniversary, we interviewed staff from the original development team. In addition to questions about the road to Dewprism's conception and fond memories, we delivered fans' honest comments to the staff. Please be sure to read until the very end!

The Birth of Dewprism!

—First, please check out how Dewprism got its start.

Koji Sugimoto: As director, first I drafted a rough proposal. We initially decided on "a casual full 3D action game for children" and build on that as we discussed what kind of game and story to make. Later, since Masaki Kobayashi-san and I were the only programmers, the two of us wrote most of it.

Koji Sugimoto Profile:

Senior Lead Engineer

Works:

· Chrono Trigger

· Xenogears

· Final Fantasy X, X-2, Type-0

· Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

· Schoolgirl Strikers

Masaki Kobayashi Profile:

Lead Programmer (Luminous Productions)

Works:

· Radical Dreamers -Unstolen Jewel-

· Xenogears

· Final Fantasy X, X-2, XV, Type-0

· Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Daisuke Watanabe: I joined the development team when Dewprism was about half a year into production. Around that time, the characters and world setting still involved a lot of trial and error. We wrote the script while working out the details. That's probably why there was still plenty to figure out later. (laugh) However, a lot of good came out of it.

Daisuke Watanabe Profile:

Writer

Works:

· Mobius Final Fantasy

· Final Fantasy X, X-2, XII, XIII, XIII-2

· Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

· Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

—Dewprism struggled to gain a foothold. On that note, how did the opportunity arise?

Sugimoto: Square was developing several big titles at the time, but it was company policy to make even the smallest game a satisfying challenge. Amidst all this, it was a "raise your hand if you're interested" kind of situation. I figured "why not" and jumped on board. We had just finished Xenogears, so they asked the (empty-handed) staff and found about twenty volunteers. We actually had a playable demo for the presentation, which is probably why it was quickly approved.

—So, development was a twenty-person crew. What kind of scale did you work on?

Sugimoto: It was a pretty small scale. There were a lot of minor projects at the time, but twenty people was almost unheard of.

—Games were being released left and right. Front Mission 3 came out a month before Dewprism, Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross came out just a few months later, then Parasite Eve 2.

Sugimoto: Late 1999 was hectic.

—Making a 3D action game with only twenty people sounds difficult. How was it?

Sugimoto: Since Xenogears was also in 3D, we had gained a bit of know-how. I think that helped a lot. We weren't sure how much our limited manpower could handle, so we made two main characters and storylines to maximize our data... Well, that was the idea at least.

—In other words, the story grew bigger.

Sugimoto: I told myself it would all work out somehow. I was young and reckless. (laugh)

—A portion of the story fell to Watanabe-san as the volume increased, right?

Sugimoto: (When Watanabe became involved) Writer Makoto Shimamoto has already planned out the basic synopsis and characters, but the finer details hadn't been finalized yet. This role was gradually transferred to Watanabe-kun.

Watanabe: When I joined the project, Rue and Doll Master were already fleshed out. Rue's basic goal to revive Claire with the Relic was set, but Mint's motives were still undecided. We needed a simple-minded character to break that deadlock, and her objective became world domination. (laugh)

—That IS simple-minded. (laugh)

Watanabe: It's her trademark. (laugh) And that's how Mint became the character you all know and love.

Sugimoto: I feel like we asked a lot of you.

—Doll Master is an important figure to both Rue and Mint, but was the link between Mint and Doll Master added later?

Watanabe: Rue and Doll Master's connection had already been decided, but initially Mint was totally unrelated. That wasn't very interesting though, so we thought maybe they could be from the same hometown. The East Heaven Kingdom was soon born, and that's how Mint went from a treasure hunter to a princess out for world domination. However, once we decided to give each storyline a unique atmosphere, a key character was added as a foil for both protagonists. That was Mint's younger sister Maya.

—Let's talk about Maya's importance.

Watanabe: Maya's aura differs between the two storylines, but she isn't two-faced. People's attitudes often change to reflect their surroundings. We don't behave the same way at work as we do with family. In that way, I wanted to make a game that showed multiple sides of a character that varied according to their situation and those around them.

—Maya certainly seems different in Rue's route than Mint's.

Sugimoto: Maya is the most beautiful character. (laugh) The story came together wonderfully thanks to Watanabe-kun's contribution.

—Many others were involved as well, but Sugimoto-san helped get Dewprism off the ground while Watanabe-san polished the characters and story to a brilliant shine.

Creating a Sense of Motion! The Hard Effort Behind Flowy Clothing

—I'm speaking from personal experience here, but didn't the NPCs in Dewprism look directly at your character? Even if the player moved, their gaze would follow you. Dewprism was the first time I'd seen something like that. It was a huge shock.

Sugimoto: Our thought was to create as much expression as the technology would allow. We did it on a whim since the neck could calculated at different angles, but I'm glad you were pleasantly surprised.

—It really threw me off guard.

Sugimoto: It's almost too small to notice, but both the pupil and eye white textures move as well. I think details like that help the characters come alive. We calculated movement into every part of the body.

—Speaking of "coming alive," it wasn't just characters and clothing. The props and decoration were equally intricate.

Sugimoto: At the time, a lot of characters in other games were empty-handed, so we said, "Let's distinguish ourselves by including detailed accessories and equipment. CPU processors are faster these days, so we can add more polygons!"

Watanabe: Exactly! When I first saw Rue, he had proper footwear and travel gear. I thought to myself, "Wow, this guy is ready for anything. He's not the type to recklessly charge ahead."

—Did the characters seem to evolve as you worked on the models and animation?

Watanabe: Absolutely. I learned a lot about motion in particular.

Sugimoto: While putting together the Dewprism team, I approached Motion Designer Takeshi Kanda first. We had worked together on Xenogears, and I wanted the game to highlight his skill. He was by far one of the best in the business. In addition to the two protagonists, he also handled most of the other characters. The quality visibly improved as a result.

—Next, I took the liberty of collecting reader comments for this interview...

Sugimoto: Wow, look at all these. I'm thrilled!

—Many readers praised the animation, particularly Mint's foot stomp. (laugh)

Sugimoto: The foot stomp was so novel, I doubted anyone else could have thought of it. Kanda-san truly outdid himself. The fluttering (clothes) were his idea too. Just as we were about to calculate and ready the program, he'd already perfected the effect. So, everyone decided it was best to leave any billowing outfits to him.

—So, it was done manually?

Sugimoto: Yes, it was all manual. In the time since Dewprism came out, I feel like billowy movement has grown more popular. Other companies now include it as well.

Mint's Hatred of Pumpkins was an Afterthought?!

—What do you remember most about making Dewprism?

Watanabe: Good question... Everything, I guess? (laugh) It was a pretty hectic time for me. After all, I'd never written a game scenario before. Before then, I was in the publishing business as an editor for Kadokawa's Dragon Magazine and Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. In that industry, stories mostly depend on one writer's grandiose imagination. However, (for Dewprism's development) we had all these ideas but production couldn't keep up. Figuring out what we could accomplish with our limited time and resources while keeping concepts reasonably in check—it was a tall order. (laugh) I became obsessed as I considered how to make things interesting.

—Game development sounds like hard work.

Watanabe: As we discussed earlier, various aspects like Mint's character were finalized. However, the chronological scenario from start to finish was nowhere near completion. For example, since the game didn't have any voiceover, lines could be tweaked even late into production. It was released in October, but if you look at the original data, there are some notes that say, "Modified in July." (laugh)

—If you take distribution and PR into account, that's cutting it close.

Watanabe: It wasn't just about aligning the game with the story either. Sometimes we had to go back into the story while making the game. The biggest example of this...was Mint's hatred of pumpkins added at the eleventh hour.

—Even though it's a huge part of her character?!

Watanabe: While tossing around ideas for low-level monsters with Planner Haruyuki Nishida, rolling pumpkins were brought up. This led to "Wouldn't it be funny if Mint really hated pumpkins?" and it added to her character.

—Isn't her distaste made obvious at the start of the game?

Watanabe: Actually, the opening scene was made towards the end of production. (laugh)

Sugimoto: There's even more hidden history—Character Designer Tsutomu Terada came up with the pumpkin motif on Mint's bag. (laugh)

Watanabe: Oh, yeah. Is it okay that we left it in? (laugh)

—She probably chose it on purpose to help overcome her phobia. (laugh) At any rate, it sounds like working on Dewprism was quite the learning experience.

Sugimoto: Definitely. There's no question I grew a lot over the course of the project.

Watanabe: We didn't wing it, that's for sure.

—It seems like everyone on the development team came up with ideas even while working on other projects.

Sugimoto: Yes, that was especially true in the beginning. We'd all get together and ask each other things like, "How about this for Fancy Mel's stage?" and "Wouldn't stars look cool?"

Watanabe: Oh yeah, like Starlight Duke. (laugh)

Sugimoto: Once everyone gradually grew busier, the design team and I worked out the rest of the details. Speaking of development memories, we buckled down on corny jokes. You know, like "Oh, my boots are untied." (laugh)

—That was when Mint tried to jump kick Rue and missed when he crouched down to tie his boots, right? (laugh)

Sugimoto: Nishida had said something like, "Promises are called 'promises' because they have a definite sense of intrigue." It started out as a silly idea, but in the end we laughed at the actual scene. The game was for kids, but I figured that if everyone else shunned these kinds of jokes, we might be the first. I wanted to keep that energy.

—A lot of comments we received mentioned the boot lace scene. (laugh)

Watanabe: You can't beat the classics. (laugh)

—Incidentally, about half of the comments were from people in their thirties. It's been twenty years since the game's development, so such players were between 10-19 years old at the time. Was that your target audience?

Sugimoto: Yes, we roughly had that demographic in mind. Since our previous game Xenogears had a lot of kanji and a complicated storyline, we were aware that elementary school kids might not enjoy it as much. Dewprism was the result of our desire to attract a new generation of Square fans and create a game that younger children could enjoy. In addition, I thought perhaps Square would appreciate a cheesy fantasy instead of science fiction.

—Dewprism is undoubtedly a fantasy, but unlike the medieval fantasy titles that were widespread at the time, there's a somewhat folksy quality to it.

Watanabe: At the time, Final Fantasy Tactics was the poster child for medieval fantasy, and the team working on Vagrant Story was right next door. In that kind of atmosphere, we had to be original. This influenced Dewprism's artistic direction.

Sugimoto: The East Heaven Kingdom was your idea, right?

Watanabe: I wanted Mint to come from a distant land. I'm an old man who enjoys fantasy like D&D, (laugh) but that wasn't my aim. In the end, I took inspiration from various sources. By the way, I really liked Panzer Dragoon. I was Team (Sega) Saturn.

—Panzer Dragoon also has a unique fantasy vibe.

Watanabe: My girlfriend (at the time) and I bought a Playstation and played FFVII, but she took everything after she dumped me. (laugh) I told myself, "I can't take this anymore!" and "I'm going to live for me!" and applied to Square. After Dewprism was finished, Sugimoto-san bought me a Playstation. (laugh)

—If she hadn't left you, Dewprism probably would have looked very different. (laugh)

Watanabe: You may be right. (laugh)

—The world of Dewprism has a mysteriousness unlike most fantasy titles.

Sugimoto: You can thank our Designer Terada for that. In addition to the main character designs, he did several of the environments as well.

Watanabe: His art direction struck me deeply. For example, the forest wasn't just a row of trees but rather a fitting stage for our protagonists' adventures. The world was born from these environments.

Mint's Influence on Future Characters

—Please tell us more about the two main characters.

Sugimoto: Shimamoto had proposed Mint's character, and her simple innocence really surprised me. She wasn't like many game protagonists at the time, which might explain her popularity among female players. Rather than a damsel in distress, Mint is someone who forges her own path.

—[Our company] Inside focuses on male-targeted games, so our female readership is relatively small. However, the comments we received for this interview were 53% male and 47% female. It's very rare for us to hear from so many female users over a single game.

Sugimoto: I'm glad to hear it.

—At the time, most action RPGs were targeted towards boys, right?

Sugimoto: You're right. In Dewprism's earliest stages, we intended to have one female heroine. But in those days the consumer market was primarily male alongside most game protagonists, so we were told a heroine would be a tough sell. So, we decided to include both.

Watanabe: The overall opinion seemed to be "(Boys) won't want to play as a girl."

Sugimoto: Elementary school boys would probably be too embarrassed. On the other hand, we thought girls who had been playing as male characters up until that point (because there was no choice) would appreciate it.

—Female main characters are much more common these days.

Sugimoto: Indeed. I'm glad the player community has become so diverse.

Watanabe: Also, there's a difference between a heroine that's fun to watch and a heroine that's fun to play as. I've never really liked the helpless type, and when writing a game scenario, you'll get nowhere if the character has no will of their own. No one wants to play a game where you just wait around for something to happen. The player needs to step forward and set off on their adventure. For me, Mint felt like a source of inspiration as I later fleshed out Final Fantasy X's Yuna and Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning. She showed me that heroines can be both endearingly cute, strong, and capable.

—In a way, she was the start of it all.

Watanabe: I'd like to consider it a successful experience.

—Mint's tale is very much about her relationship with her sister Maya. Furthermore, it is also revealed that Rue and Doll Master share a brotherly connection. Is there a reason you included these familial themes in each story?

Watanabe: I honestly can't remember what I was thinking twenty years ago. (laugh) ...I decided to make both Rue and Doll Master dolls, and I also wanted to give Mint a unique quality that was easily understood. Something like "rivals at a magic school" would require significant explanation, but a relationship between sisters is immediately understood. I choose this connection in order to convey the most information in the shortest amount of time. At the time, I felt like a lot of games were hyper-focused on complex lore and thought, "Even if we create an intricate world, we don't have to explain every little detail." That's why Dewprism's terminology is kept simple; there are no big words or katakana. We kept it as short and sweet as possible.

Sugimoto: It was also a huge help that the characters could express themselves in 3D.

Mint's Missing Father Was a Muscular Mage?!

—Can you tell us more about the gameplay?

Sugimoto: (As a player) I'm not very good at action-adventure games, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible. If the player presses a button, the character will automatically turn around and attack, so there's no need for advanced controls. ...Still, that decision probably made some areas more difficult than others. (laugh)

—...I think I know what you mean. (laugh)

Sugimoto: We aimed for a fair balance between Rue and Mint's skills. Their jump height is the same, and even their attack power was mathematically adjusted. I don't recall any discrepancies, but Mint's flying kick was a fan favorite. (laugh) Maybe it just felt satisfying, but apparently some players beat the game with that alone.

—I can understand the desire to specialize in flying kicks. It really became part of her character, didn't it? (laugh)

Watanabe: Mint is a magical girl who knows how to tussle. (laugh) This didn't make it into the final game, but the East Heaven Kingdom has a family motto: "Magicians can't equip weapons or armor. So, what do we do? Strengthen our bodies!" They probably trained in iron clogs or something. (laugh)

—Mint's flying kick must've been the fruit of her labors. (laugh)

Watanabe: It's also why she eats so much. (laugh)

—By the way, I heard Mint's father was supposed to appear.

Watanabe: Yes, as a meathead magician. (laugh) He's probably the one who came up with the family motto.

—What kind of character would he have been?

Watanabe: All brawn and no brains. (laugh) He'd take a swing while saying stuff like, "My FIST is the real magic!" I'm totally kidding though. (laugh)

—I can see the family resemblance. (laugh)

Sugimoto: Like the Bull Demon King [from Journey to the West].

Watanabe: Exactly. A magician who is better with his fists. (laugh)

—I would've loved to see that. (laugh) Speaking of which, both Mint and Rue have their own unique weapons. Most people associate fantasy heroes with swords, but axes (Arc Edge) and rings (Chakram Rings) are practically unheard of.

Sugimoto: Yes, the rings were unusual.

Watanabe: When I first watched Mint wield her Chakram Rings, I thought, "This is awesome!!" Later when I saw Rue, it was more like, "This chill-looking guy sure has a terrifying weapon." (laugh)

Sugimoto: The motion team was incredibly innovative to combine the two rings in one magic attack. Who would've guessed?

Watanabe: It wouldn't have been possible with a wand or staff.

—So, that animation was the motion team's work?

Sugimoto: Yes, the movement at least. The idea for the rings themselves came from Shimamoto.

—Mint can use magic and Rue can transform into monsters. Was it difficult to create such drastically different skills?

Sugimoto: The design team proposed the "transformation" idea, but we decided to have Rue transform and Mint cast magic instead. Nishida always had the best suggestions and provided both magic and post-transformation illustrations, so we quickly implemented everything.

—Spells in most games are independent of each other, but the magic in Dewprism is a combination of "Color" and "Effect." Was it difficult to keep track of them all? I should think so.

Sugimoto: Yes, but at least we didn't need to include every single combination.

—Even so, there are over thirty spells. That was an impressive number for action RPGs at the time.

Sugimoto: I thought it'd be more interesting to combine different effects than just choose one magic and press a button. Our Programmer Kobayashi provided various magic animation.

Watanabe: I saw that one ring spell fly out and thought, "This is like Gradius." (laugh)

—You must mean the blue Ripple magic. (laugh)

Sugimoto: The groundwork for the game's program was pretty much complete by that point. We just had to polish it up, so there was an excited energy.

Reading Fan Comments and a Look Back on Dewprism

—We've received a lot of comments about how Rue's ending left a deep impact on people.

Sugimoto: I see.

—Many were surprised by his realistic reaction. Although he had finally reunited with Claire, he couldn't speak or even look at her.

Watanabe: Even now, when writing a scenario it's my worst fear that whatever I put into words will ring false.

Sugimoto: Cutscene Planner Yaeko Sato would sometimes use both "space" and the camera to create atmosphere without any dialogue. I think it was very effective.

Yaeko Sato Profile:

Planner

Works:

Final Fantasy VIII, XI, XII, XIV

—There were also a number of comments about Mint's threats. (?) Like, right before the final battle when she yells, "Your butt's going to hell!" and Maya joins in with a "We will triumph!" (laugh) You could definitely tell they're sisters.

Watanabe: I like when the same line has a different nuance. She had made constant threats up until that point, but they took on a cool flair. Even for Rue, the curse that once controlled him, in the end, set him free. I suppose you could might call it foreshadowing.

*Translator note: The Japanese line is 「ボコボコ」and remains pretty much unchanged throughout the game, but the English version is a bit more varied. I reflected this in the translation.

Sugimoto: Maya's "We will triumph!" was the end goal, right? A disciplined character like her wouldn't speak out like that.

*Translator note: For context, Maya's line in the JP version, 「ぼこぼこですわ！」is much more out of character for her than the official English "We will triumph!" translation.

Watanabe: The fact she doesn't show that side of herself in Rue's story also adds a layer of interest. I think the fist fight in the hotel was the worst of it, and neither princess admits they're sisters in Rue's story.

—There are surprises if you play Mint's story first then Rue's, and vice versa.

Watanabe: The "zapping" method was popular back then, but it would have revealed half the story. Instead of giving away spoilers in sequential order, we thought it'd be better if each character had their own route.

—Another reason why Dewprism is so unique.

Watanabe: At first, I couldn't get a grasp on Maya's character. However, I wanted her to contrast Mint, and the rest is history.

—Is there a scene in Rue's route that left a deep impression on you?

Watanabe: I only remembered this recently, but Rue and Claire live in a snowy cabin at the beginning of the game. That image reminded me of Moomin.

—Oh!

Watanabe: This is just me personally, but that cozy life deep in the mountains is a lot like the Moomins. Although quiet and naïve, there's an inner fortitude. It feels like a supportive environment and a fine place to grow up.

—Rue does have a rather refined air.

Watanabe: He snaps on occasion, but I agree. (Reading fan comments) Ah, the "Sukatangou." How nostalgic. We chose that name early on. It just felt right. (laugh)

*Translator note: The Pinto, Mint's name for the Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega, in English.

—So, "Scarlet Typhoon Excellent Gamma" came from "Sukatangou." (laugh) Based on the comments, Rue and Mint are easily the most popular characters.

*Translator note: The "Pulsar Inferno Typhoon Omega" in English.

Watanabe: That's great.

Sugimoto: I'm glad there's no obvious discrepancy.

—More than a few Mint fans even call her "Mint-sama." (laugh)

Sugimoto: Among the staff, we always called her "Mint-san" to show respect. (laugh)

—Unsurprisingly, Maya is a close third. There are also those who love Duke. "Starlight Duke's" star is far-reaching. (laugh) Many were also touched by his relationship with Belle.

Watanabe: All the women in Dewprism are tough cookies. (laugh)

—No kidding. (laugh)

Watanabe: Speaking of which, there's a touching scene in Rue's story right before the last dungeon. He goes to Fancy Mel's, and they discuss his resolve. Choices are offered throughout the conversation and the player can answer as they please, but in the end she wishes you good luck. This is right before you head to the last dungeon, so I made sure to include words of encouragement regardless of someone's answers. I've been writing game scenarios for a long time, but ultimately games are supposed to be fun. I love nothing more than cheering the player on and telling them, "You've got this!"

—Motivation is key.

Sugimoto: Still, I can't thank everyone enough for their comments. There's passion in every word.

—Mint is so selfish and conceited that she could have easily turned people off. It's pretty amazing how she's this popular.

Sugimoto: You can't deny her quirky charm.

Watanabe: As I was writing Mint's character, I realized she's honest with herself and others.

—Yes, her words always ring true.

Watanabe: Mint doesn't hide her selfish desires, but she's a good person at heart. I won't hesitate to sing her praises.

—Since there's no pretense, you can trust whatever she says.

Sugimoto: Reading these comments, many have praised the animation. I'm glad to see we achieved our goal. And, of course...there's countless mention of the untied boots. (laugh)

Watanabe: We must embrace the corniness. (laugh)

Sugimoto: The scene was the first one our Planner Sato worked on after finishing up Final Fantasy VIII. She really brought it to life.

Watanabe: I doubt the joke would have landed if we'd only used text and portrait art like in a visual novel. (3D characters) can truly perform and capture the mood. On another note, it was also memorable to walk around town after all was said and done. With the last boss vanquished, it made you want to explore this new, peaceful world and say farewell to everyone.

—Most games will roll credits after the final boss is defeated and the final cutscene plays. Once again, Dewprism is unique in that way.

Sugimoto: Sato, the Planner I mentioned earlier, loves endings and has completed various games on her own. She said, "I want a save point before the ending," so we added one in. Sato was mainly in charge of the final cutscene after the last boss. It was her dearest wish to end the game on a high note.

—I speak only for myself here, but I'm the type who likes to save before an important scene. I was thrilled to find out I could do so right at the end. The Gallery function is more common in games nowadays, but not back then. A manual save was a good substitute.

Sugimoto: In those days, players could only wish there was a Gallery. There was no room for error.

Dewprism, Beloved by Players and Staff Alike

—By the way, how old were you when you directed Dewprism, Sugimoto-san?

Sugimoto: I was 23. Still, I'd been in the business for five years by that point, so I guessed I seemed like a veteran.

Watanabe: Oh right. Back then, five years was veteran status.

—The release of the Playstation ushered in a new era of game development, didn't it?

Sugimoto: I was very fortunate in that regard. There were veterans who had been with the company since the Famicom era, but as 3D became more widespread and the programming language switched from Assembly to C, it felt like everyone's level of experience had been temporarily reset. Thanks to that, a newbie like me could stand at the starting line and still get ahead. I was truly blessed by my circumstances.

Watanabe: It wasn't like we could create whatever we wanted. Rather, it was a matter of doing our best within those limitations. Everything was born of necessity, and we did our absolute best to make it work. The pumpkins were the same way; the idea hadn't been intentional, but other factors contributed to its creation. In that way, the world and characters naturally came together. We were so efficient because there was zero room for error (laugh), but in a way, the amount felt manageable. Like, "Yeah, I can somehow finish this if I pull an all-nighter." (laugh)

Sugimoto: Thanks to Xenogears, we'd gained a lot of 3D experience. In game development, you steadily improve with the second and third titles.

—Dewprism's timing really was impeccable.

Sugimoto: Still, late 1999 was rush season for the entire industry. In that way, it wasn't too ideal. (laugh)

—There was a lot of competition, wasn't there?

Sugimoto: We were a small team, so our expectations were modest initially. The objective was to create a game that provided a decent challenge on a shoestring budget. However, Dewprism drew a lot of interest online and scored a worldwide release when it was included as a demo alongside Seiken Densetsu: Legend of Mana. That led to further development, and expectations for the game gradually rose. It was incredible.

—I'm sure it felt like all your efforts had paid off.

Sugimoto: Exactly! Unfortunately, the sales report after its first day of release was dismal. Although deflated, we weren't too surprised. However, later market research indicated this was due to insufficient promotion. (Because of this) We felt a bit relieved and were just glad to get an international release.

Watanabe: Who would have ever imagined we'd be here talking about it twenty years later?

—It's clear from these many comments that Dewprism is still beloved today. I don't mean to digree, but after Dewprism was finished, what projects did you move on to?

Sugimoto: Unfortunately, we could never make a Dewprism sequel, so the both of us moved on to Final Fantasy X, and others were transferred to Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XI.

Watanabe: Yes, we focused entirely on Final Fantasy X after that.

Sugimoto: Yoshinori Kitase-san thought highly of Dewprism, so it was easy for our team to get in touch with him.

Yoshinori Kitase Profile:

Head of Square Enix's Creative Business Unit I

Producer of Final Fantasy Remake

Works:

Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, VIII, X, X-2, XIII

Mobius Final Fantasy

Others

Watanabe: When I did a live broadcast for Mobius Final Fantasy with Kitase-san, he said, "Aren’t you going to mention Dewprism? You definitely should!" and "This character was inspired by Dewprism, right?"

—It sounds like Dewprism is well-regarded among Square Enix's creators.

Sugimoto: Yes, thank goodness. (laugh) Like I said before, it was impressive that Dewprism saw release despite such a small team and budget. It also looks like those who had specialized in 2D almost seamlessly switched to 3D afterward.

Watanabe: When I was out drinking at an izakaya, I ran into Yasumi Matsuno-san. He called out, "Hey, Watanabe-kun!" and when I recognized him I couldn't believe my eyes. (laugh)

—Not only does Dewprism have countless fans, it has surprised fellow creators as well. Thank you for this opportunity to look back on the past twenty years.

Watanabe: Although we made Dewprism, it's no longer ours alone. It belongs to everyone. Of course, I keep this desire in mind with each project. Two decades ago, I never could have imagined how Dewprism would connect people around the world and elicit so many warm comments. It's only thanks to everyone that we've reached this incredible milestone. Like all those who supported Rue throughout his journey, I can feel their voices of encouragement push me forward. I'm truly grateful.

—Yes, just like Rue's friends, Dewprism's countless fans are cheering you on even now.

Sugimoto: It sounds really cool when you put it like that. (laugh)

Watanabe: Well, I am a writer. (laugh)

Sugimoto: I don't think I can deliver the same flair as Watanabe (laugh), but I'm truly proud to create a game that kids who played our game twenty years ago still remember as adults. I never guessed something like that would happen in a million years, and I'm once again glad that we gave it our all. In commemoration of Dewprism, I'll be on Twitter on 10/14 to keep the momentum going. If you see #Dewprism, be sure to check it out and Tweet.

—Thank you very much!

#threads of fate #dewprism #Japanese Translation #video games #square enix

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