#Royal Seals {Answered}

[casuallyanidiot]

Yandere knight who wants you instead of the princess.

Dead dove Do not Eat Tw. For noncon, MDNI, Fem pov

Yandere knight who has been training in the palace for a very long time. It's an honor for a commoner like him to even set foot into the castle walls, so he works earnestly.

Yandere knight who's been catching glimpses of not only the lovely princess throughout the years, but her handmaidens as well. You're a daughter of a somewhat lesser noble house, and therefore you have essentially been given to the royal family until you're eventually married off to another courtier.

But of all the noble ladies, who often ignore him, he finds you to be the most approachable and kind to him and the other squires. He's developed a bit of a crush on you over the years, and he eventually found it in himself to express his feelings. They were innocent and pure then, and he stood there blushing and awkward waiting for you to accept or deny. He would've taken a no from you. Really, he would have.

But then that pompous bitch got in the way.

The princess had you pulled away by her other attendants before you could answer, and she all but sneered at him.

"My maids are not for common rife like you to sully," she spat, a look of disdain carved on her delicate features.

Yandere knight who was deployed to the battlefront soon after. He spent years in misery knowing it was that royal woman's meddling that had both sent him here and stopped him from knowing how you truly felt.

Yandere knight who carved through foe upon foe with the flash of his sword while thinking of you. He would wipe blood from his face and wonder what it would take to have you. He resolves to become so renowned that he could have you and the respect he deserved all those years ago anyways.

Yandere knight who comes back as the hero of the nation. A parade is thrown for him upon his return, and flowers are thrown at his feet by the masses of people. He is awarded a noble title, a duke (impressive), a territory of land to manage, and the blessing to have the hand of any eligible lady in the land from the king.

The implication was for him to go for the princess, sitting there in a gown befitting of an engagement party. She wasn't the heir to the throne, and having a young, impressionable Duke to have and father a potential crown prince or princess was certainly a draw for her to act so sweet and lovely despite her previous attitudes. He had to use all the will in his body to hide his disdainful glare towards her. Instead, he strode up with a near giddy grin, breezed past the waiting royal, and knelt before you.

"[Name], I shall have you as my wife," He says with a beaming smile. You try to protest, but he's already sweeping you into his arms. The king seems surprised by his choice, but as he stares between Yandere Knight, lovestruck and beaming, and you, squirming and utterly shocked, he realizes that he cannot simply go back on his word. The king waves his hand, and your fate is sealed.

Yandere knight feels bad for not giving you a proper wedding. In fact, he feels bad about not taking you to your new home before he's pulling up your skirts. He's a dog, he knows, but you're just so tempting now that you're all his. He shoving you down onto the plush upholstery of the carriage seats, and you let out a startled cry.

Yandere knight who cannot claim he's chivalrous. He wishes he could, but he loves the way your breasts look pushed up so tightly in the laced bodice of yours. He lets out a groan, petting your hair and shushing you as you whimper under his wandering touch. Button after button becomes undone.

"Love, you'll never wear such stifling clothing again. You hear me? All robes and lace from now on. None of this nonsense," He murmurs into your skin. He pulled your corset and chemise from your body, and he pressed fervent kisses to the crook of your neck. He grasps at your breasts, kneading them experimentally. He's had time to experience women on the battlefield. A fling or two in some field on the outskirts of a freshly liberated village. He would think of you the whole time and imagine what he was latching his lips around the stiff peak of your nipple while a random girl cried out underneath him. But this was real. Your warmth beneath his much heavier form was on of the most beautiful feeling he had ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

He parted your legs, and he could feel you shy away from him. He laughed. As if you had a choice. He knew you would love him eventually, but for now you can't blame him for how ravenous he was as he felt between your shaking, parted legs. He smirked as his lips met yours. His fingers slid against your folds, gathering slick arousal on his digits with a curious hum. He grinds his thumb against your clit as he slowly pushes his way into your warm, spongy walls.

"Oh? Is it good there? Or here? Where, love? You gotta use your words," He teases and licks the tears rolling down your cheeks, peppering your soft skin with kisses. He feels you pulse and stretch around his hand, and he relishes the way your back arches when he curls his fingers just right against that sweet little spot. Desperate noises tumble out of you, and he smiles.

He pulls his fingers out, and you cry out at the sudden sensation. Your chest is heaving with small moans, and your pretty pussy is drooling onto the carriage cushions. He pushes your legs up to your chest for a better grip, and his shudders at the way your twitching feels against the head of his cock.

Yandere knight knows that, as he thrusts into you, he's going to enjoy the luxury of finally having you both under his body and under his control.

[shaevilux]

People knock on Rhoam for being a bad dad cuz he's distant and stern to little Zelda and say how Rauru is the goat (heh) for taking her in like his own daughter. Like Zelda had her real parental connection with Sonia and Rauru. But frankly that's a little reductive.

Rauru literally descended from the heavens, married a priest, started a kingdom. Man didn't really know much strife yet. There's no looming threat of calamity or prophecy yet. Things are peaceful. Things are fine. Things are great. Zelda dropped in during this time, talking about a doom that's going to happen tens of thousands of years in the future.

This sad, lost princess.

Of course any reasonable person would take her in and calm her and tell her she is fine and listen and support her.

Rhoam not being able to be this kind of figure for Zelda is tragic. Just read this poor man's journal entries:

"It has been a year and three months since her mother passed. Perhaps she is held back by heartache too deep to heal. If the Ganon prophecy wasn't looming over our heads, I would tell her to take her time... To wait until she is ready. But our situation is dire and leaves no room for weakness—even on behalf of my beloved daughter. My heart breaks for Zelda, but I must act as a king, not a father. I must order her to train relentlessly at the fountain." Pg 4.

"In truth, I understand Zelda's feelings. Painfully so. She lost her mother, her teacher, before she could learn from her. Ten pointless years of self-training, without so much as a book or note to help her find her way... Those in the castle talk behind her back. And I, her only family, scold her for her shortcomings. No wonder she wishes to hide away in her beloved relic research. I'd love nothing more than to console her... But I must stay strong. She MUST fulfill her duty, just as we all must. Even if she comes to despise me." Pg 6.

"I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost. If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now. I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way. Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide. For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return." Pg 7. (He fucking dies and never gives Zelda this bit of closure uuuugggghhhhhhh Zelda I'm so sorry Rhoam I'm so sorry)

It sucks because most people remember the cutscenes (duh it's more immersive and important) and in the cutscenes of the first game Rhoam was mostly shown as being stern and mean to babygirl Zelda, who is closed fists explaining herself to him at the verge of tears. And in contrast everyone in the first royal family of hyrule in the second game treated her with such kindness and we can see how happy she was being there with them.

Rhoam was shackled by duty. By prophecy. By the looming calamity. And from the day he named his daughter 'Zelda' he shackled her as well.

And what does Zelda do with these shackles? She accepts them. She tolerates them. Because she loves her father and her kingdom and knows there's a power dormant in her that can stop the calamity that she must do her best to unlock. She does this dutifully. She does all the training, she does everything that is required.

But it still doesn't unlock. So she tries other ways. She isn't just going after the 'relics' because she's scholarly and nerdy and wants to learn about them. She does it because she's pragmatic. She knows her sacred sealing power isn't present in her. She knows she might not be able to control it or even unlock it in time.

So she tries this alternative approach. The Divine Beasts, the guardians. Ancient tech that was used to prevent the calamity of their time. And she awakened the tech. And her father chose the champions for each divine beast. And they were all prepared. And it's all thanks to Zelda.

And then... Fucking tragedy again. Ganon probably learned his lesson from the last time he was thwarted and immediately went for the tech, corrupting it and turning it against the new users. Against Zelda.

It's never really stated how fast it all turned to shit when the tech betrayed them (or maybe I don't remember) but every account points to it being almost overnight. The champions died. Rhoam died. And suddenly, suddenly Zelda unlocks her sealing magic.

I always always hate the literary trope of using tragedy to unlock a great power that could've actually stopped the tragedy from happening in the first place.

And it's no different in BOTW. I hate that Zelda had to go through all this to unlock her powers.

And then what happens next?

She's stuck in limbo (in an almost mocking parallel to Rauru in the next game with his imprisoning arm) holding Ganon back. For a hundred years.

This young woman had gone through so much only to be trapped with a calamity seeking to destroy Hyrule for a century.

Does she know her father died in the war? Does she know the champions died in battle? Would she know Link would survive in the Shrine of Resurrection? Would she know how long it would all take? The century she would have to wait?

I think she didn't. I think it all happened too fast. I think ultimately, she decided a stalemate with ganon was an agreeable outcome. I think in her mind she probably thought she failed Hyrule. When the divine beasts turned she must have been distraught. Distraught might not even cover it tbh. But at least... At least when the kingdom was brought to it's knees by the corrupted tech and was waiting for the final blow, she had the ability to ensure the final blow never came.

And oh boy I have a looot more to talk about regarding Tears of the Kingdom. But I do want to have a couple of more playthroughs of it to really formulate what I want to say.

[zaldritzosrose]

Sanguine Obsession (Vampire!Aemond x Human!Reader)

Before I got into my usual summary, this fic is part of a collab with a bunch of my lovely moots! @lady-phasma came to us with an ask about period sex and Daemon and being as lovely as she is, she offered us all the chance to collab on it. Choosing our own characters and how to play the story.

Please find the masterlist of everyone's fics here.

All boards included are made by yours truly!

Summary: The Targaryens are well known for their supernatural existence, and you are one of many brought into the service of Prince Aemond - a vampire. When you moon's blood surprises you, the Prince acts in a way you could never have expected.

TW: MINORS DNI, she/her pronouns, afab reader, mentions of vampiric feeding, mentions of blood, menophilia (period kink), oral (fem receiving), p in v sex, Aemond as a vampire (could be a warning in and of itself), period sex.

Words: 3088

Serving Prince Aemond Targaryen was an honour, to you and your family at least. On the outside, the Targaryens were ordinary royals, save for the dragon riding, of course.

But there was something deeper and darker within the family. Like a dark shadow that hung over the Red Keep, an apt name for the home of supernatural beings. The Targaryens had ruled through blood and immortality for centuries, and you were not the first to serve the One-Eyed Prince. Not all the dragon-blooded royals were vampiric, though each one of them was not entirely human.

The call had come just less than a month ago. A letter bearing the seal of House Targaryen arriving to your father. Though it was phrased as a question, it was clear there was only one answer to the request.

We request your eldest daughter to serve at the side of Prince Aemond, as have many that have come before her. She will be well cared for and protected whilst in the Prince’s service.

Your father had not hesitated. Informing you immediately that preparations were to be made for your travel to the capital.

Now, it was almost two full months since you had arrived at the Keep. Prince Aemond was stoic, but not unkind. In fact, you had soon found his presence an odd comfort. Sitting with him in the library as he read, fetching whichever book he needed. Watching him train under the shadow of the evening, becoming his most fervent supporter every time.

You had known what the Targaryens were before you came into the Prince’s service. Every citizen in Westeros knew, it was not a secret they kept hidden. The family mostly kept stores of blood within the Keep, preferring the convenience of it over hunting. Others, however, chose to hunt, choosing their prey and hunting ground carefully to avoid large populations.

Prince Aemond was the latter. Choosing to hunt wherever he could but there was one task he had never forced upon you. There were times when the Prince was unable to hunt, and he always seemed dissatisfied with drinking stored blood from a goblet. He never said it openly, but the prince enjoyed the chase, the feeling of bringing down his prey and feeding fresh.

In those times, you could see the war in him. When he would look at you with a hunger, or more specifically your throat. Watching the pulse of your veins when you would lean close to hand him his next cup. And eventually, you had picked up the courage to ask.

“My prince, if there is something else you need of me, please say?” you had asked softly, trying to keep your nerve.

Aemond had only hummed low, a sound you were so used to hearing, but you knew he was avoiding answering you.

You had knelt at his side, hands resting on the arm of his chair.

“Please, I feel I know what it is you need. You have not been able to hunt for weeks…”

That had been the push he had needed. From then on, when he could not hunt, he would ask to feed from you. And you agreed, every time. Finding yourself often curled in the Prince’s lap as he sank his teeth into your flesh and drank his fill. He was always gentle during these times, the way he would hold you as he fed bordering on romance. Always in his embrace, bodies pressed impossibly close.

Even the Prince would eventually admit, you were the first of his servants that had ever offered their blood to him, an act that had both shocked and enamoured him to you. But he had never admitted that this act of service had, without a doubt, furthered the desire he had felt the moment he saw you.

For the first month of your service, you had managed to avoid the Prince during your moon’s blood. Seemingly coinciding with his hunting routine. His mother and sister had helped you stay out of his presence by claiming to need you for other tasks. He had never questioned it, with his mother explaining that he knew the reason, and understood why they took such measures.

This month, however, you were unprepared. The Queen and the Princess were visiting their Hightower kin in Oldtown. There was no one around to help you with the unexpected surprise. You tried your best to complete your tasks for the Prince while spending as little time in his presence as possible. Something he noticed immediately.

Every morning you would hide spare smallclothes within your gown, knowing that at any point in the day you might need them. Taking extra rags from the Maester to make sure you did not risk leaving the blood-stained cloth on your body too long.

But what you did not know was that Aemond had noticed. In reality, he could smell it days before you bled. A small change in scent that told him what was to come. He did his best, this time, to ignore it. Knowing you had no choice but to remain at his side. He was not due to hunt for another two days. But the scent of you was becoming more and more tempting.

It all came to a head when you did not appear in the library that morning. Aemond always read during the daytime, the library drapes heavy enough to block out all the sunlight. He gave you a little time, knowing from his books that a woman’s bloods could take a toll physically and he knew better than to expect you to ignore your own health for his sake.

But when another hour passed, he felt concern gnawing at him. Closing his book, Aemond made quick work of the walk to your chambers. He had not even reached the door before he could smell it.

The coppery scent filling his nostrils and making his mouth water. He stood stock still at your door, his thirst begging him to enter and take his fill. But his concern for you demanded he find a way to fix whatever had made you late.

“My lady?” was all he could muster, his hand resting on the handle.

Inside, you froze. That morning you had woken to what could only be described as a bloodbath. The deep red liquid having stained your sheets and nightgown through the night. Cleaning up the aftermath was taking far longer than you expected.

“M-My Prince, I…Please do not come in,” Your voice was frantic as you folded the soiled sheets and stuffed them into the sack you would take down to the washroom.

Just the tone of your voice had Aemond even more concerned. The need for politeness soon lost to his concern as he pushed the door open despite your protests. When he entered, the scent near overtook him. And not just the blood. A smell akin to fear on you.”

“I…” You could not form a single word. There seemed to be no connection between your mind and your mouth.

Aemond’s jaw locked tight, doing everything he could not to inhale if he did not need to. His eye scanned the room. The scent lingered at the sack by the door, which he assumed held your sheets. But the copper tang was greatest around you, and he could see the scrubbed spots where you had tried to clean your stained skin.

“You are…bleeding.” He said, barely forming it as a question, his voice tight with restraint.

You could see the faint push of his fangs against his lip as he spoke. A sight you only saw moments before he would feed from you. In this moment, it was the first time you seemed to fear him.

“I apologise…I..I tried to clean it but…”

The words died on your lips when you saw Aemond staring only at your stained nightdress. The memory of your conversation with his mother ringing in your mind.

“One thing you must know, my dear, your moon’s blood will smell far different to the blood that flows in your veins. It will be much more intense of a scent. More enticing,” the Queen explained before continuing on with the plans they had in place to help female servants of the family during that time of the month.

Now, it all made sense. You had never seen Aemond like this, except when his teeth were pierced deep into your neck, or any other flesh he had chosen for a feed. Yet, you still felt no true fear. Nothing about the Prince had ever caused that feeling in you.

Aemond however, had no thought in his mind except your scent. The deep red that stained your skin. The points of his fangs almost piercing his teeth in preparation of drinking.

“Is this why you were late this morning?” he asked, his eye finally meeting yours, the pupil blown wide, eclipsing the ice blue of his iris. All the air left your lungs and your hesitation seemed to frustrate him.

“Answer me,” he growled, taking a purposeful step towards you.

“Yes, my prince. It was unexpected, and I could not leave behind such a mess and there was no time to clean...”

You were stopped short when Aemond closed the distance between you. You would often forget he was not human, but the speed at which he appeared in front of you abruptly reminded you of it. You held your breath as his head dipped to press his nose against your neck. You could feel the puffs of air on your neck as he seemed to fight himself for control.

“I could smell it. Every moment for the last three days…”

The curve of his nose pressed against your neck, nuzzling over the spot he had bit you so many times before. And you could not hide your shiver as he growled again.

“You smell so sweet…”

You wanted to move, to back away and put as much space between you and the Prince as you could. But your body was working against you. Instead, leaning closer into his form as he breathed you in again.

It was only when you whimpered as the sharp, cramping pain in your lower body reared itself again, that Aemond snapped out of his reverie.

“It hurts, does it not?” he asked, and you could only nod, feeling Aemond smile against the skin of your neck. His entire presence was intoxicating, and every ounce of self-preservation had long left you.

“There are ways to relieve the pain. I read about them, fascinating really,” he mused, and you opened your mouth to ask what he could possibly mean.

You had an inkling, having read some books yourself. And the implication of what he was referring to had your heart hammering in your chest.

Aemond’s arm snaked around your waist and pulled you flush against his chest. The bloodthirst inside him threatened to take over with every second he was close to you. You were almost hypnotised by him, wondering if this is how his victims felt when he hunted them down. Hazy, drawn into his embrace without any control of their actions.

Your silence made him chuckle, and he could already smell not only the blood but the slick that pooled between your thighs at his touch.

“Do you want me to help, sweet girl?” Aemond whispered, his lips now brushing against the skin of your ear.

You nodded gently but that was not enough for him.

“Words, I need your words,” His tone now a little more of a command than before.

You swallowed loud before answering, your voice barely more than a breathy sigh.

“Yes, my prince.”

That was all he needed. His hands were surprisingly gentle as he walked you back towards your bed. The sheets had been hastily changed moments before Aemond had entered your room, but that seemed to matter little.

Aemond made quick work of your nightdress, making your breath hitch when he pressed his nose into the sanguine stains. And the groan he released at the heady scent had your thighs clenching together. The dress was quickly discarded as Aemond returned his attention to you.

It was only then that you became quickly aware that you were entirely bare whilst Aemond was still fully clothed. Before you could even reach out for the clasps on his leather tunic, Aemond had the garment tugged open and on the floor, leaving him in only his light shirt and breeches. It was not the first time you had seen him dressed more casually, there were times you would enter his chamber of a morning or after he had trained to see him dressed quiet casually.

But this, without a doubt, was different.

“The books say,” Aemond began, using some of his vampiric strength to move you with ease up the bed, “that finding your release helps with the pain of a moon’s blood…”

You bit back a moan as he spread your thighs, the coolness of his skin quickly soothing the warmth in your body that was always brought on by your monthly bleed. Aemond hummed to himself as the full scent of you was revealed to him, his mouth watering as he saw the sticky trails of your bleed on the skin of your thighs and the flesh of your core.

“My prince…” you whined, not really sure anymore what you were asking for.

You wanted to hide yourself from his gaze, feeling like prey trapped in the claws of a predator, that singular blue iris staring you down as he took a deep inhale. Just his closeness was enough to distract you from the dull ache of the muscles in your hips and down. Aemond, on the other hand, was drunk on your scent alone, the sweet, metallic tang filling his nostrils and making his head spin.

You gasped at the cool touch of his fingers against your slit, tensing as he dipped an experimental finger in between your folds. Taking his time and letting your body relax into the intrusion. It went against everything he was to not devour you there and then. His mouth watering the closer he got.

His fingers pushed inside you slowly, his eye staring intently as the mix of your blood and slick pooled around his fingers with each movement. Aemond could already feel you relaxing, the muscles in your thighs already less tense on either side of his head.

But he needed more. The beast within crying out for a taste. Warring with the human need to bring you as much pleasure as he could. He had always found you beautiful and the dutiful way you served him was simply an extra boon.

“Will you allow me a taste, sweet girl? Let me bring us both satisfaction?”

His voice was so low and so smooth it had you sighing out in pleasure. Your hips already canting themselves closer to him.

“Yes, please,” you said softly, eyes already closing as Aemond’s fingers trailed small patterns either side of where you needed him most. Never close to where you needed him.

His eye found yours, and the look told you that he needed something else.

“My…my prince please, I need it...I need you…” you begged, the only thought in your head now was feeling him.

You felt him smirk against your skin as his title fell from your lips. He could get used to hearing it that way, so soft and breathy with pleasure.

You had anticipated either the return of his fingers or even the feel of his tongue. Instead, you felt the push of his face against you, burying his face as close as he could get. As if he wanted nothing more than to inhale the scent of you. But you could not hide the depraved moan that slipped from your lips when his tongue finally breached your entrance.

Aemond groaned against you. He had tasted your blood before, but nothing like this. It was like he was consuming the very essence of you. Everything tasted stronger and it took every ounce of control he had to not sink his teeth in as well. The wet sounds of his tongue between your folds should have made you blush, but you were too lost in your pleasure. His hands held your hips tight, planting you to the bed as he devoured your bleeding cunt.

“Yes, oh, my prince…oh…” Your words verged on incoherent but every time his title spilled from you, Aemond growled and renewed his movements with even more vigour.

Soon you were arching your back, pushing your hips down towards him before Aemond’s hands planted you back to the bed. His grip was strong, tugging you down and burying his tongue as deep as it would go. Lapping up everything you gave him. He could feel your blood and arousal spilling down his chin as you reach your peak, soaking into the fabric of his undershirt. But he could not get enough. Only when he could feel you desperately try to pull away did he slow himself down.

“That’s it…oh my sweet girl…” he cooed, pressing blood tinted kisses to your thighs before pulling away.

You were lost. Head hazy and heart hammering as you slowly came down from your high. And your cheeks flushed as you locked eyes with your Prince. His icy iris staring up at you, pale skin stained the deepest red with the mix of your blood and your juices.

Aemond softened when he saw your body relax. He was as satisfied as you were now. His pleasure was your pleasure. His fingers were quick to bring the wayward drips from his lips and chin to his mouth, not wasting a drop. Your taste was like nothing he had experienced, even now. He had never fed this way before, and he was already desperate to do so again.

“Do you feel better?”

The question made you sit up on your elbows and you could not help but smile down at him. The ache in your thighs and stomach was gone. Your body flushed but relaxed.

“Yes, my prince, thank you,”

Aemond crawled up your body, bringing you close and urging you to curl into him. Now, it was his turn to serve you. His loyal servant, more than deserving of the same care in return. And he internally vowed to keep you at his side, especially during your bloods. He could not deny it.

He was obsessed.

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[yandere-sins]

Monstober - Day 1: Chimera

I had a daydream similar to this for a while and since I recently watched "Damsel" I thought human sacrifice was the way to go for day one of my challenge (Words you can only say on the internet, not in real life--) ♥ Enjoy!

Prompt: Chimera | Mixed // Misunderstood // Insanity Warnings: (Monster!)Yandere, Fem!Reader, Stabbing, Blood Mention, Dying Mention (no character death), Human sacrifice, Mention and Description of Monster (obviously), Long Post

"No... no, no, please no!"

"It is necessary for our future. For the kingdom."

There was reluctance in his voice; his eyes that he kept forward were fogged with inexplicable horror, his hand trembling around your wrist. But his grip didn't loosen, no matter how much you shook, tore, pulled—he didn't give you a chance to escape the fate he had sealed for you.

"Father..." you sobbed, stumbling over your own feet, your heels dragging the carpet with them as you planted them firmly into the fabric ground. You wanted to believe in the pain you had seen in his eyes when the clerics told your father what to do. Tried to believe he didn't mean to do this cruel thing to his one and only daughter, the last family he had. But you also remembered how his face hardened after the initial shock, how he made peace with this decision that he claimed was unavoidable, no matter how much it pained him.

"There will be no one left! If you continue like this, you'll be all alone!" you cried, the guards lowering their heads shamefully as you two passed them in the hallway in an unfit manner for royals. They wouldn't even lift a finger to save you or stand in the king's way to do their duty towards the princess they had protected all their life. You knew each of their names, the helms they were ordered to wear to hide their shame, not sparing them from being recognized.

"Brother is gone, Mother is gone! You'll have no one! There must be another way! There must be something we can do against this monster!"

No one would meet your gaze as you pleaded for your life.

Your fate was sealed.

Crying even harder, you collapsed to the ground, being pulled forward only by your father, whose eyes drooped heavy with tears. The years had worn him down, and the rising of an ancient creature had been the last thing his poor heart could take. Before you wasn't the king you once knew, the father you adored. It was but a poor, old man who had lost everything to one misery after the other.

And yet, he didn't waver, didn't stop. He turned around only to pick you up from the ground, setting you back on your feet, giving your pain no ounce of attention before continuing to drag you to the monster's cave. Down, down below the castle, until you were both drowning in the darkness and your sorrow. It was hard to hate your father, hard to hate the people that once loved you, when all they knew now was fear of a force no one had ever witnessed but the clerics had deemed to be the wrath of the gods.

"It's your duty," your father choked forth, a third down the endless staircase where it was as dark and suffocating as you imagined death would be.

"And who will you sacrifice next? Another noble? Another child? When will it end, Father?"

Coming to a standstill on the stairs, you heard your father gulp. It was the only moment of respite he granted you, and you should have used it to break free and run away. He was old, and you were not; he might have let you go, seeing as you were the last of his family left. But you didn't. Both of you were duty-bound, even if that meant killing you. You knew the answer to your own question, unable to bear the truth and the misery your escape would cause upon the kingdom you loved almost as much as your father did.

"When the monster is satisfied," he replied sorrowfully, unable to give you the exact amount of sacrifices it would need. No more words needed to be spoken, and as you two descended the staircase, his hand slipped from your wrist, but your legs didn't stop.

Truthfully, your knees were nearly collapsing from fear, and your instincts screamed at you to flee. But when you embraced the country as the future ruler after the disappearance of your brother and your mother, you swore to protect it. You swore to be who they needed, and what they needed was this. A sacrifice.

You had to catch yourself a few times on the stone walls that encased you on your descent. A few times you considered abandoning everything. But what would happen to your people? What would happen to everyone you held dear, who believed in you all your life and supported you unconditionally?

The betrayal of your own father, willing to sacrifice you, was worse than any assassination attempt and hurt more than the wounds of loss inflicted on you by the very same man who promised you to do everything to unite your family again. But you weren't that stupid, never believed a word when he told you they ran away, abandoned you two. As you walked down these stairs, it became abundantly clear that he had lied. That everyone had lied. The more you thought about it, the more it was obvious what happened.

You were not the first in this long line of sacrifices.

But when the soldiers announced the beast was ravaging the villages again, the people demanded a solution, and the clerics swore that only a noble sacrifice could satisfy the beast's hunger. Another one. And now, another one. What was your father supposed to do? How could he refuse? How could you?

Two lamps welcomed you in front of the sturdy doors, the only way to keep the monster out. The stale air choked you as you stood before them. They showcased an impressive number of ancient runes carved into them for protection. The handles were clean, and the runes seemed to have been re-carved recently. You began to shake uncontrollably at its sight, your mind unable to comprehend it was going to die but knowing that these stone doors were all that separated you from your fate.

Only now did you hear your father's sobs and watched him come undone as you two stood in front of the entrance to the cave that housed this terrible creature for centuries. Without thinking, you reached out your hand, wanting to rub his back, perhaps find comfort for yourself in the touch. But at the last second, you withdrew, the betrayal too tremendous, and this gesture not changing anything besides making it harder to let go.

He pushed onwards as if driven by an invisible force. Your heart couldn't understand the dissonance between his actions, the crying yet complying. But your head did. And as much as fear was gripping you, as much as you wanted to flee, you followed him warily, driven by the same force whilst harboring the same tears in your eyes. You were both mourning the now, past, and future. The pain was almost too much to bear.

With all his strength—which seemed like none in this haggard, old body of his—your father grabbed the handle of one of the stone doors, the grating sound of it shaking you to the core as he pushed it open just a gap. He couldn't and wouldn't open it further, not risking more than he already did by offering your life in exchange for peace.

"Go," he ordered, sounding tired of life, as if it was his turn to go. "Go, I'll bear witness."

You noticed the chair by the lamp, the wood new and the cushions still whole. How many hours, how many days, had your father sat here, listening to the monster? Making sure the door was locked after sacrificing his family one by one? Witnessed the horror, the screams?

Something inside of you told you he sat there for many days and would sit for many more, as was his duty as the king who sacrificed his people. You couldn't place his pain above yours but knew you couldn't run either. Was this how your brother and mother felt as well? Did they want to leave but couldn't, despite feeling so, so hurt and betrayed? Your father did it for the greater good, but did he have to be so heartless about it?

You stood before the gap, only darkness awaiting you, suddenly frozen when you felt his hand at the small of your back, still warm, still caring. For a moment, he was your father. For a moment, you wanted to believe he acted in your best interest, not the kingdom's. For a moment, you still loved him more than anyone else.

"Forgive me," your father whispered, and you dared to look back over your shoulder when you felt the sudden pang of pain in your side, the betrayal so loud it overtook all your senses with the sound of your body being sliced open.

With a knife in your side, you were pushed forward, gasping and sputtering as the pain zapped through your veins. More tears welled up in your eyes as you collapsed to the ground, feeling the rumble of the door being shut behind you. This time, you did look back, but all you could see was the red light of the torches through your tears before you were plunged into darkness, the grating of the stone doors echoing from all around you.

So much anger, so much frustration welled up in these last moments of your life. The betrayal made you scream, but as the sound left your throat, you realized the strength you had gained from the pain. Although unsteady and frantic, you got to your feet, your hand catching onto the wall to your right, guiding you through the entrance. You were driven by nothing but betrayal and anger, even as the pain weaved its way through your body, making every step harder to endure.

Logically, you knew it was mercy. That the intention had been for you to die before the monster could get to you. A monster no one had ever seen, ever survived to tell the tale of. And although it was the only explanation for all the misery your country had to endure, if you ever wanted to forgive your father and die honorably, you had to see it for yourself, witness its existence before your death. You grabbed the knife, but you realized it hurt too much at the first miserable tug. That you couldn't possibly get it out. Even though you had nudged it a little, you decided to leave it there, allow it to give you some time.

Finding light at the end of the tunnel was a surprise you didn't expect. Stepping out into a cave without a roof, showcasing the gray sky, and bathing you in a light drizzle was not the scenery you expected to die in. There was no way out but through the hole in the ceiling, yet you didn't remember where this place could possibly be in the kingdom, just that it was impossible to escape. How could anything survive here, with walls too smooth to climb out and just a carved-out pit to hide from the weather?

You noticed there was hay in the pit, still dry, but not much else except for dirt and stone all around you. You expected bones and clumps of flesh, gore, and vile. The hallway you had come from was shrouded in darkness, but there was no going back, that much you knew. You took another step forward, into the light, and immediately, you were hit with dizziness, your body falling forward, but you caught your balance just in time. Seeing your own blood dripping onto the wet floor, robbed you of the last bits of strength you had gathered, and ultimately, you sunk to the dirty floor, hitting it on your side.

So this is it, you thought as you lay there, realizing there never had been a monster. No monster could have escaped from this inescapable place and caused havoc. It was simply a place to get rid of people in the name of sacrifice. All this time, part of you had defended your father in your mind, but you had been wrong in the end. And it had led to your doom, your death so unfitting of you. Had you not been a good princess? Had you not offered help and support wherever you could, gotten your hands dirty for those in need, and lived humbly while being kind? Was that the reason they had to get rid of you? Because you just had not been the kind of person they wanted to give the throne to, not as ruthless and stern as your father?

The ground shook around you, but you were too tired to flinch, to even react. It was strange; the continuous pattern of rain had been interrupted as the day seemed to darken above you. You tried to twist your head, focus your gaze, and make out what happened, but it was hard to understand what you were seeing.

"So what would you do if you could do it all over again?" a voice asked. It made you wary, even if you barely had the strength left to care. Deep and gravely, you felt the ground shake under your barely conscious mind. Was it a man? A woman? Were they talking to you? Where did they come from?

"Wouldn't you hunt them down, kill them for what they did to you, destroy every bit of the land they cherished over you?"

Someone—something—completely blocked out the light shining down from above. A shadow so dark it turned day into night. The rain stopped completely just as your breathing began to be labored, shallow. You tried to focus, tried to make it out. The shapes of the body made no sense. Round, triangle, rectangles. A face, wings, paws. It smelled wet and rotten next to the stinging metallic of your own blood. Foul, yet sweet. The body reminded you of a beast, but when its face drew closer, it was that of an angel whose expression was not right yet so familiar in its pain.

Oh, god, you thought. It's real. The monster is real.

"Wouldn't you return their gestures? Take the same things away from them that they have from you? Their food, their freedom, their family? Tell me, little princess, would you not destroy the very things they worked so hard for, build on top of the corpses of those you love?"

It leaned down a little more, and you couldn't help but hitch a breath. Razor-sharp teeth and slitted eyes, their glow so harsh with all the darkness around you. You felt the breath of the creature wave over your throat—it was this close. Close enough to bite, crunch, and break through your pitiful bones. And yet, despite the venom it spewed, you heard only the miserable truth of those who were wronged. This thing, whatever it was, in all its gruesome, beautiful features, was the same as you were. Mourning the same things, raging for the same reasons.

But as you used the last bits of your strength to think about it, you realized you couldn't agree. You were angry and betrayed, but whatever this creature was, so strange, so different, it was real. You had not been lied to. And it must be deadly, just by the looks of its teeth and claws, so naturally, people would fear it. Naturally, they'd do what they could to get rid of it. How could you blame them for being afraid when you, most of all, knew how terrifying it was?

"Maybe..." you croaked, forcing the word from your throat. "Maybe I'd try to change things next time. No more betrayal. No more sacrifice. Peace. Understanding."

Your father would have called you his sweet, gentle daughter had he heard you. But you were dying, so why should you care if your answer was a bit naive? You didn't want anyone to go through what you had to go through; feel what you felt. Not even the monster. And who knew? Maybe it was no monster at all, just because it looked different.

"Hmm?" the voice coaxed, withdrawing in movements that were too sharp for its human parts, its manners so bird-like and not just because of the wings that fluttered and puffed expectantly. You realized it wasn't just one thing as you heard claws scraping impatiently over the ground. Huge paws settled on either side of your body as the creature hovered above you. It could crush you with the immense size of its body, but you couldn't help but reach out, feeling the soft fur of its leg against your fingertips.

"Because next time, I'd not be helpless. I'd not fear you more than I fear my father. Next time, surely... I'd try to do better..."

"Hmm? Hmmm?" The creature kept coaxing more from you, not realizing that you lost conscience by the fading of your voice.

"Interesting," it chittered after a moment of silence. Ears perked to hear your heart slowing while your hand fell off its paw. Its own hand reached out, the round of its claws brushing up your palm until it could intertwine your fingers, your hand barely big enough to meet the requirements to be held by theirs.

It sniffed the air, the smell of blood pungent.

"Interesting," it repeated, chuckling as it grabbed you by the arm, its free hand dedicating two oversized fingers to grab the knife. It wasted no time lifting you high into the air at its eye level before pulling the knife out of you and discarding it over its human shoulder.

"I'll hear what you have to say, little princess. Wish to learn if you could be different from all of us. But first, you must heal. Must stop the bleeding. Humans are so fragile."

It tutted as it carried you over to its resting space, and your body jerked as the blood gushed from the stab wound. It truly seemed to be the end for your bloodline as you were laid safely between the monster's paws, settled to be either tended to or eaten. But at least you wouldn't have to witness it.

You'd not die a monster like everyone else.

»»———————— ♡ ————————««   

"Is it done?"

Despite your senses only partially having returned, you recognized the voice that woke you from slumber. It was the same exhausted, whiney voice that had fooled you into obeying. Your father. The king.

You felt like you were still dying, wetness spreading over your back as pressure rubbed it all over your skin. It almost felt like a massage, but it was nowhere as relaxing, not with your body still in a state of deadly distress. Even if you weren't dying, it sure felt like it all over again.

"It sure is, my king. You finally managed to satisfy me with your puny sacrifices. This one is much better than the last."

This time, the voice was much closer, so cut-throat close, in fact, it raised goosebumps on your skin. The "massage" stopped, and you heaved a breath, but your body barely moved. The sarcasm in the voice, however, didn't go unnoticed. You were witnessing a conversation, much more than participating, but undoubtedly, the topic was you.

"By the gods... don't tell me you plan to--"

"Eat her?"

You remembered now. It was the voice of the monster. Memories flooded back to the forefront of your thoughts, memories of the questions it asked, memories of what it looked like. It hurt to think about it. The fear that returned made it all the more painful.

"No, I will not eat her," it laughed gently as if it was careful not to wake you. "I only eat the corrupted. Minds like yours that would sacrifice his whole family. Minds like mine that want only what is equal to me. You wouldn't understand. You are just human."

"I don't understand, you made me do this! I only did what you forced me to! You wouldn't stop killing even when I begged you to! It was you who forced me to sacrifice my family!"

A shiver went through the creature. You felt it all around you, making you realize it was all around you. Slowly, you managed to open your eyes. The thought of why am I not dead crossed you as you laid still, barely able to see through the gaps between your lids. All you witnessed was the soft light barely grazing you, the shadow of the king interrupting it even though you could barely see over the massive paw that secured you in place.

"Do not blame me for your doings, human. Have you forgotten what those gods of yours did to me? What your ancestors begged them to do to me? I am only giving back to those who wronged me, and you are to appease me if you wish to live. I made you this; a man, a king. I can take it from you as I please."

Arms snaked around you, human in shape but too long, wrapping around your body in ways you had never been hugged before. Lifting you, cradling you, a fully-grown adult, like a child. Your eyes fell close again as you were nestled against soft fur, with a sturdy body beneath, but the hold on you was so gentle that it made you want to fall asleep again.

"But you are lucky, for I am finally appeased by this little one," the creature purred, and you breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief. You did it. Your sacrifice had not been in vain.

"It will satisfy me for a while, as did you when you were but a wee little farmer's boy. Still innocent, still hopeful, and wishing for change. She will have to claw her way out of here, and I will feed on her despair, her corruption. And once she is ready, I will send her to you so she may end your pitiful existence. Only then will you be ripe for eating, and she will continue humoring me as is the destiny of the strong-willed. I am eager to see how she will struggle after your passing, how she will break. I hope she will fare better than you, who became but a boring toy the moment I gave him the freedom to act in my name. You were not nearly the tyrant I made you to be."

"Please," you heard your father whimper, and it wasn't long before sobs echoed through the cave. "She's my daughter. She doesn't deserve this. All this pain and suffering to amuse you..."

"Neither did I."

You felt the brush of a hand against your cheek as if to wipe away tears that you hadn't cried. Even when you remembered the claws, the touch was careful, adding no more hurt.

"Now leave," the creature ordered, and the hand fell from you as you were laid down again. "She is no longer yours. And she might just have become my favorite toy ever since this existence came to be. But she needs to heal, and she is so close to waking up from your nagging. If you wish to settle your affairs, now is the time. Before I have broken my toy enough to send her after you, King."

The sobs grew louder for a few moments before they turned into sniffling. Steps crunched over the ground, but they suddenly halted. "I hope this time, your sacrifice kills you, you vile thing. You are no human anymore, but you are too clever for a beast. Like a corpse, refusing to die."

"Oh," the monster chuckled, but the laughter grew louder, and it seemed the creature was unable to hold it back. "Look at you, almost like you once were! It's a pity you are so old and worn. But contrary to you, my game won't die, and more will suffer before your wish will come true!"

You barely heard the steps disappearing back into the castle over the creature's laughter, but it soon stilled as the heavy stone doors closed shut, leaving you behind once more. Your heart ached. It was too much to bear, but you grew uncomfortably rigid in the creature's hold, its breath grazing your skin.

"You're awake, you should have told him what you feel. Are you mad now, little girl? Scared? Angry? Don't worry, you'll get to tell him all that is bothering you soon. We'll have so much fun devising your downfall. You'll be the most corrupt ruler of them all. I know it."

"W-" your voice failed as you tried to speak, and the creature chittered at your weakness.

"Why? It's lonely. So lonely to be cursed. But not when more people are suffering. You think you can make a change, but you are wrong. It's my destiny to be cursed, and now it is yours, too. As was it the curse of the king before you, the queen before him. I break them, reshape them, and when their time comes that they forget about me, I curse them with the same loneliness. The circle will be endless, but it will be fulfilled nonetheless."

Skin smushed against yours, a cheek pressed against your cheek, forehead, and face. Like a parent to a child, affectionate, sweet. Different from the truths the monster was revealing. Finally, you managed to open your eyes and stared into the strange face as an unsettling grin split its features.

It was even less human than you thought it to be, its face like what a human bird would look like—sharp eyes, aquiline nose. Feathers are sprouting instead of hair, framing its face and all over its arms. The sharp horns of a goat broke through its feathery fur on top of its head, and its torso changed into that of a lion, four more paws added to its limbs, with its scaled tail snaked around one of the hindlegs. Wings rested leisurely over its animal body, flinching occasionally as it watched you with more interest than anyone had ever before. It was beyond comparison; there was nothing you could describe without sounding like you had gone absolutely insane. So many things mixed into one body, it was a wonder it could even live. A mad experiment.

Death incarnated.

"So, fight me, little princess. Make me forget this loneliness for as long as possible, so I may not resort to what I do when I get lonely—ravage, take, eat. Challenge me, escape me, try to kill me, so I can do what I do best to you, corrupt and fill you with the despair of realizing you are nothing compared to me. That you will always have to live in fear. That you are always mine."

You gulped, your throat slowly coating with saliva again, smoothing your poor vocal cords, returning the ability to speak again.

"I refuse," you croaked. "I'll never be the monster you want me to be."

"Mhm," it hummed, but it was a sound of pleasure. "Just like that, little princess.

"I knew you'd not disappoint me."

[harunayuuka2060]

MC's stepmother: MC, I told you to clean the bedrooms! What are you still doing there?

MC: Cooking.

MC's stepmother: How dare you answer to me!

MC: 'Cause you're asking.

MC's stepmother: Hmph! Clean the bedrooms! And stop being lazy, you pitiful brat! *walks away*

MC: 'You pitiful brat' *while making a face*

Their father: *walking into the kitchen* *chuckles when he sees them*

Their father: I've heard your mother—

MC: She's not my mother.

Their father: Okay. I've heard my second wife yelling. Don't mind her. She doesn't know any better.

MC: I've got used to it. And I still despise you for marrying again. You should've stayed single.

Their father: Come on. We're not talking about this again.

Their father: Anyway, I have a good news for you. *shows them an invitation letter*

MC: What's that?

Their father: An invitation to enter Night Raven College~! Haha! I knew you would be chosen!

MC: ...

MC: You know I don't have magic.

Their father: You do! It— It hasn't awaken yet, but you do!

MC: I'm 16 years old, Dad! I went to different schools of magic, had undergone trainings to awaken this "magic" which I didn't have.

MC: That invitation must be fake.

Their father: No, it's not! It has the official seal and your name on it!

MC: *looks sternly at him* Did you use your connection?

Their father: *guiltily* No.

MC: Dad—

Their father: You should hurry! The carriage will be arriving any moment! *pushing them out of the kitchen*

MC: How about the food?!

Their father: My second wife will do it! Quick! Quick! Run along! Enjoy your youth!

MC: Seriously?!

Their father: I'm gonna miss you. *sniffles* Don't forget to write!

MC's stepmother: *hands them her credit card* Use that.

MC: I don't need it. I have my own money.

MC's stepmother: Just use it, I'm telling you.

*The carriage has arrived.*

MC's stepmother : That child is claustrophobic. Is it okay if you not ask them to be inside that... *looks creeped out with the "gate"*...thing?

MC: They'll put me to sleep. I won't even know.

MC's stepmother: ...

MC's stepmother: I slipped an axe into your bag.

MC: ...

MC: Are you crazy?

MC's stepmother: What?

Their father: Enjoy your trip! Me and my second wife will be fine here!

MC: *rolls eyes and gets into the gate*

MC: *on their first arrival*

MC: *sigh*

MC: Can I drop on my first day?

Professor Trein: Not possible.

MC: But I don't have magic! And you didn't have to give my dad a refund if that's what you're worried about.

Professor Trein: You might be a late bloomer and we're not giving up on you.

MC: Ugh...

Crowley: Is this our new student? *has approached them*

Professor Trein: Yes.

Crowley: Welcome to Night Raven College. What do you think of our school so far?

MC: Just like any other schools I've been from.

Crowley: *gasped* I don't think I can accept that. Night Raven College is the most prestigious school in all Twisted Wonderland!

MC: There's Royal Sword Academy.

Crowley: They're our rival! *clears throat* We promised to your father that we will awaken your hidden magic. You need to trust us.

MC: You accept nepo-babies. Why would I trust you? *their father is a well-known movie producer*

Crowley: ...

Crowley: Let's go to the Mirror Chamber. Follow me.

MC and Professor Trein: ...

MC: He's not trustworthy.

Professor Trein: I can't disagree with you.

MC: *ends up in Ignihyde*

Idia: ...

MC: ...

Idia: Do you have any questions?

MC: No. I just want to go home.

Idia: Mwehee! Me too. *clears throat* Sorry. No one will bother you in Ignihyde. I can assure you that.

MC: Thanks... I can see that all of you here are minding your own business.

[underlove-official]

What is UnderLove?

"UnderLove" is an AU created by Radicalrainbow, based on the renowned role-playing game Undertale. In the universe of UnderLove, the struggle between love and hate shapes its story. It introduces a unique twist with love-centric magic and the contrasting power of hate. Characters’ appearances are heart-themed, adorned in shades of pinks, reds, and whites, with frilly trims, fluffy details, and prominent heart motifs embracing a Valentine's/Lovecore theme. Yet, this AU can show more than just one side of the coin.

Underlove's history

History of the Underground: Long ago, humans and monsters lived separately and in disarray upon the surface. Humans were known for their ruthlessness, hostility, and HATE, which led them to push the kind and loving monsters away.

Tragedy struck one night when the king’s life was brutally taken, leading Asgore to ascend to the throne. Blinded by his own growing anger, Asgore sought to avenge his father, and the once kind and loving monsters turned hostile as war was declared against the humans.

The war raged on, with magic clashing and bodies falling. Eventually, humans emerged victorious, and with the help of a powerful mage, they sealed the monsters underground. The Underground was filled with despair and darkness, but the magic of LOVE gradually began to bloom again, restoring harmony among the monsters.

The royal family made certain that their people remained full of LOVE, fearing the resurgence of HATE that had swept the surface. Royal guards were tasked with protecting the Underground by preserving love and happiness, removing those who began to corrupt with hatred, and dealing with any humans who entered their realm.

Chara’s Arrival: After many years after banishment, their peace was interrupted when a human named Chara fell into their midst, seeking refuge from human cruelty. The Dreemurr family adopted Chara despite their initial wariness, it came to be the best decision of their lives as the two kids grew up together.

Tragically, Chara fell terminally ill from consuming red rose seeds, causing them to cough up petals and roses. Before the illness could fully silence them, Chara expressed a dying wish to see the surface sky one last time.

Asriel, their adoptive brother, absorbed Chara's soul and carried them through the barrier that separated their world from the humans. However, upon reaching the surface, they were met with misunderstanding and rage, resulting in the tragic demise of both Asriel and Chara.

The Dreemurr family, torn apart by the loss of their beloved children, decreed that any human who fell into their realm would be imprisoned in the depths of their castle dungeon.

Official Character Illustrations

FAQs [to be updated]

Question 1: What inspired "UnderLove"? Answer 1: [I've always favored the theme of Lovecore and the holiday of Valentine's Day!]

Question 2: How is "UnderLove" different? Answer 2: [UnderLove started off as a simple theme overhaul, with the characters and locations falling into its theme. Yet I wanted it to be unique, so the story follows a different path from Undertale and other AUs]

Question 3: Can I create fanart for "UnderLove"? Answer 3: [Yes! Absolutely! I'd love to see artwork done of these characters! Just make sure to tag me or use the hashtag #UnderLovefanwork so I can see it!]

Question 4: Can I draw my OC depicted in "UnderLove"? Answer 4: [Of course! I'd love to see what their designs turn out to be and how they'd interact with the cast of characters.]

Question 5: Does "UnderLove" have a wiki page? Answer 5: [Yes it does! I created it a while back and I intend to keep it as updated as possible for UnderLove]

Ask Guidelines

Respect: Be kind and respectful in your questions. Any asks that reflect HATE or are disrespectful will be ignored. No NSFW Content: Please refrain from submitting any NSFW content or questions as this blog and AU are intended for all audiences to enjoy.

Topic: Try to keep asks relevant to the blog and UnderLove in general. Any asks that are off-topic may be passed over to my main blog @radicalrainbow

Repetition: Before submitting your ask, check if it has already been answered via the hashtag on the blog #AsksofLove

No Roleplay Asks: While I love the enthusiasm for the characters and its story, this blog is not set up for roleplaying.

Patience: I try to respond to asks as quickly as possible, but response times may vary depending on the volume of questions and the progress of the story. If your ask doesn’t receive an immediate response, please be patient!

UnderLove's story

The official story of "UnderLove" will be told as a written narrative across multiple chapters. Each chapter will feature illustrated titles, and the written story will be accompanied by drawings that bring key scenes to life. These illustrations will help you better visualize the scenes that are being told. Artist Collaboration While I will be the main artist creating these illustrations, I’m excited to announce that other artists can collaborate on this project! If you’re an artist and would like to contribute: Contact Me! Reach out via my Discord handle or send an ask to the blog (please note that anonymous asks won’t be considered). We can discuss how you can get involved and the specific scenes you might illustrate.

All contributing artists will be fully credited, and I’ll link back to your social media profiles so the community can see the amazing work you’ve contributed!

Written Story chapters

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

Chapter 2:

Chapter 3:

There's alot more to come to Underlove, so stay determined and keep an eye on this blog for the upcoming story, official artwork, fanart, and updates! Your support and love fuels this story's creation!!

In this world it's Love or be Loved!

[invisibleicewands]

‘I wanted to be seen as the greatest actor of all time. Then I realised that was nonsense’: Michael Sheen on pride, parenting and paying it forward

He’s the feted star who cracked Hollywood, but it was only when he swapped LA for his home town in Wales that he was able to do his most meaningful work yet

By Simon Hattenstone

Michael Sheen has been fabulous in so many TV dramas and movies, it’s hard to know where to start. But perhaps his most memorable appearance came earlier this year in a TV show that didn’t require him to do any acting at all. The Assembly was a Q&A session in which he took questions from a group of young neurodiverse people. Sheen didn’t have a clue what would be asked, and no subject was off limits. It made for life-affirming telly. The 55-year-old Welsh actor was so natural, warm and encouraging as he answered a series of nosy, surprising and inspired questions. I watched it thinking what a brilliant community worker Sheen would be. And, in a way, that’s what he has become in recent years.

“The Assembly’s had more response than anything else I’ve ever done,” Sheen tells me. “Almost every day someone will come up to me and mention it, particularly people who have children with autism. They say it was just so lovely to see something where the interviewers were empowered. I had a fantastic time.” He replays some of his favourite moments: the young man Leo who took an age to start talking, and then delivered the most beautifully phrased question about the influence of Dylan Thomas on Sheen’s life; the woman who asked what it was like to be married to a woman only five years older than his daughter; and the question that came at the end: “What’s your name, again?” He smiles: “And Harry with the trilby on. Just the nicest man ever.” You came across as an incredibly nice man, too, I say. “Aw well, it’s hard not to be when you’re among all those amazing people, innit.”

Today we meet in London, ostensibly to talk about A Very Royal Scandal, a gripping mini-series about Prince Andrew’s infamous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis – the disastrous attempt to defend his honour that sealed his fall from grace. But we don’t get to the show till it’s almost going home time. Sheen’s too busy discussing all the other stuff that matters to him, away from business.

Six years ago, he swapped life in Los Angeles for Port Talbot, the steel town where he grew up. These days he calls himself a not-for-profit actor – a term he happily admits he’s invented. “It means that I try to use as much of the money I earn as I can to go towards developing projects and supporting various things. Having had some experiences of not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises, I realised that’s what I want to do with my business. And my business is me.” He grins. There was a suggestion that he might stop acting in order to do good works, but he says that never made sense; only by getting decent gigs can he earn money to put back into the community.

It has to be said he’s got the air of a not-for-profit actor today – scruffy black top, sloppy black pants, black trainers. With a bird’s-nest beard and a thicket of greying curls, he looks nicely crumpled. But give him a shave and a trim, allow him a flash of that electric smile, and he could still pass as a thirtysomething superstar.

Sheen is best known for transforming into household names – Brian Clough in The Damned United; Chris Tarrant in Quiz; David Frost in Frost/Nixon; a trio of films as Tony Blair (The Deal, The Queen, and The Special Relationship); Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa. His Prince Andrew is compelling; by turns petulant, pathetic, monstrous and poignant. He has a gift for inhabiting famous people – voice, body, soul, the works. He’s equally adept as a regular character actor – the dapper angel Aziraphale in Good Omens, pale and pinched as spurned suitor William Boldwood in the 2015 film of Far From the Madding Crowd, the tortured father of a daughter with muscular dystrophy in last year’s BBC drama Best Interests. He even plays a winning version of himself alongside David Tennant (and their respective partners Anna Lundberg and Georgia Tennant) in the lockdown hit TV series Staged.

But the work that changed his life was his 2011 epic three-day reimagining of The Passion on the streets of Port Talbot, involving more than 1,000 people from the local community. It was years in the making, and during that time he decided he would leave Los Angeles to come home. Initially, home just meant Britain, probably London. But the longer he spent with his people, the more it became apparent to him that home could only mean one thing – returning to Port Talbot, and helping the disadvantaged town in whatever way he could.

He admits that for many years he didn’t have a clue about the reality of life in Port Talbot. He had always lived in one bubble or another. His parents were hardly flush, but they had decent jobs – his mother was a secretary, his father a personnel manager at British Steel, and both were active in amateur dramatics. Sheen was academically gifted (he considered studying English at Oxford University before winning a place at Rada), a talented footballer (he had trials with Cardiff and Swansea) and an exceptional young actor. Then came the bubble of Rada and London, followed by the bubble of LA.

It was only when he started to work on The Passion that he began to understand his home town. One day he was rehearsing with a group in a community hall when he was approached by a woman. “She told me she was the mother of this boy who’d been in my class at school called Nigel. When I was 11, he fell off a cliff in an accident and died. It was the first time I’d known someone to die. She said, ‘I’ve started up a grief counselling group here. I have a little bit of money from the council because there is no grief counselling in this area.’” She’d had no counselling when Nigel died, nor in the 31 years since. “And all these years later, she’d set up a little grief counselling thing with a bit of money, so that was extraordinary to hear.” Next time he returned he discovered that the group no longer existed because of council cuts.

Every time he went back he discovered something new. He met a group that supported young carers. Sheen doesn’t try to disguise how ignorant he was. “I said, ‘All right, what are young carers?’ And they said, ‘They’re children who are supporting a family member.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, this is a profession, they get paid, right?’ And I was told, ‘No, they don’t get paid and our little organisation gives them a bit of respite – once a week we take them bowling or to the cinema.’ I went bowling with them one night and there were eight-year-old kids looking after their mother and bringing up the younger kids. This one organisation was trying to take these kids bowling one night a week, and then that went. No funding for that, either. That kind of stuff was shocking.”

As a child, SHEEN says he was oblivious to struggle because he was so driven by his own dreams. First, it was football. By his mid-teens it was acting. West Glamorgan Youth Theatre, which he calls “one of the best youth theatres in the world”, was on his doorstep. “The miners’ strike was on when I was 15 in Port Talbot and I wasn’t really aware of it at the time. That’s how blinkered I was, because I was so obsessed by acting at that point.” Acting wasn’t regarded as a lofty fantasy in Port Talbot as it may have been in many working-class communities. After all, the town had produced Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins.

In his late teens, heading off for Rada, Sheen feared he would be surrounded by giant talents who would dwarf his. When he discovered that wasn’t the case, he suffered delusions of grandeur. “I wanted to be recognised as the greatest actor in the world,” he says bluntly. In the second year, the students did their first public production: Oedipus Rex. “I thought, well obviously I’ll be cast as Oedipus, then we’ll perform Oedipus to the public and when the world sees me for the first time I’ll be carried shoulder-high through the streets of London and hailed as the greatest actor of all time.” I look for an ironic wink or nod, but none is forthcoming.

Sure enough, he was cast in the lead role. “We did our first public production and I thought I was brilliant.” But nothing changed. It didn’t bring him instant acclaim. By the third night, he could barely get through the performance.

Were you a bit of a cock back then, I ask. He shakes his head. “No, I was having a breakdown. I was crying most of the time. I just fell apart. I spoke to the principal of Rada and I said, ‘I can’t continue at drama school, I have to leave.’ And he said just take some time off, which I did, and two or three weeks later I slowly came back and then completely changed the way I acted.”

Until then he believed acting was just about what he did. “I thought you just worked out how to say the lines as cleverly as you could; it had nothing to do with responding to other people or being in the moment. It was showing off, essentially. And there’s a ceiling to where you can get with that. That breakdown I had was because I’d reached the ceiling and didn’t know how to go any further. That’s why I fell apart.”

He gradually put himself and his technique back together. Was he left with the same ambition? “No. The idea of being considered the best actor of all time becomes nonsense.” In 1991, Sheen left Rada early, because he’d been offered a job he couldn’t turn down. He made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in a West End production of Martin Sherman’s When She Danced. Theatre was Sheen’s first love, and his rise was meteoric. From the off, he was cast as the lead in the classics (Romeo and Juliet, Peer Gynt, Henry V, The Seagull) and the 20th-century masterpieces (Norman in The Dresser, Salieri and Mozart in Amadeus, Jimmy Porter in Look Back In Anger).

Sheen was doing exceptionally well when he and his then partner Kate Beckinsale moved to LA for her work in the early 2000s. She was four years younger than him, and already a movie star. Their daughter Lily, now an actor, was a toddler. He assumed that his transition to stardom in LA would be as seamless as it had been in Britain. But it wasn’t. His theatrical acclaim counted for nothing. In 2003, he and Beckinsale split up, but he stayed in LA to be close to Lily.

The first few years, he says, were so lonely and dispiriting. “I found myself living in Los Angeles, there to be with my daughter but just seeing her once a week. I had no career there – it was essentially like starting again. I had no friends and spent a lot of time on my own. It was tough. Slowly I realised how it was affecting me.” In what way? “I remember coming out of an audition for Alien vs Predator, to play a tech geek computer guy with five lines and really caring about it, and then thinking: ‘I can be playing fucking Hamlet at home, what am I doing, what’s this all about?’” He says he’d been so lucky – always working, never having to audition, getting the prize jobs. And suddenly in LA he was an outsider; a nobody.

He and Beckinsale are often cited as role models for joint parenting by ex-couples. In 2016, Beckinsale, Lily and Sheen staged a hilarious photo for James Corden’s The Late, Late Show, recreating the moment of giving birth 17 years earlier. Beckinsale reclines on a kitchen table with Lily sitting between her legs, as an alarmed-looking Sheen stands to the side. Have they always got on well since splitting up? “We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re very important in each other’s lives. It would be really sad if we weren’t – like cutting off a whole part of your life. I’m not saying it doesn’t have its challenges, and I’m sure it’s been harder for her than for me.” Why? “Because … ” He pauses and smiles. “Because I’m more of a twat!” In what way? Another smile. “I’m not going to tell you that, am I?”

Sheen’s break in America came when he was spotted by a casting director who told him he would be perfect for a new project. Ironically, it was to play former British prime minister Tony Blair in a British TV drama called The Deal, directed by British film-maker Stephen Frears and shot in Britain. The Deal led to Frears’s The Queen, about Elizabeth II’s frigid response to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales leading to a crisis for the monarchy. Again he played Blair, this time riding to the rescue of the royals. The movie was nominated for six Oscars (Helen Mirren won best actress) and he never struggled in America again.

The longer he lived in LA, however, the more rooted he felt to Port Talbot. And the further he travelled, around the world or just in Britain, the better he understood how disadvantaged it was. “If you’re in Port Talbot one day and then the next you’re in a little town in Oxfordshire where David Cameron is the MP, it’s fairly obvious there are very different setups there. And that was connected to a political awakening.” He started to read up on Welsh history. In 2017, he returned his OBE because he thought it would be hypocritical to hold on to an honour celebrating empire when he was giving a Raymond Williams lecture on the “tortured history” of the relationship between Wales and the British state.

He began to reassess his past. “I became more aware of the opportunity I’d had in an area where there wasn’t much opportunity. At a certain point you go, Oh, people are having to volunteer to make that youth theatre happen that I’m a product of.” You’d taken it for granted? “Completely. I was happy to think everything I was doing was because of my own talent and I was making my own opportunities, and as I got older I thought maybe that’s not the whole story.”

In 2016, the long-running American TV series Masters of Sex, in which Sheen starred as the pioneering sex researcher William Masters, came to an end. Lily was now 17 and preparing for college. “I suddenly thought, Oh, I can go home now.” And six years ago he finally did – to Baglan, a village adjoining Port Talbot. Since then he has been involved in loads of community projects.

He mentions a few in passing, but he doesn’t tell me he sold his two homes (one in America, the other in Wales) to ensure the 2019 Homeless World Cup went ahead as planned in Cardiff. Nor does he mention that a couple of years ago he started Mab Gwalia (translating to “Son of Wales”), which proudly labels itself a “resistance movement”. On its website, it states: “Mab Gwalia believes that opportunity should not only be available to those who can afford it. The ambition is to build a movement that makes change.” Its projects have supported homeless people, veterans, preschool children on the autism spectrum, kids in care, victims of high-cost credit, and local journalism, which is a particular passion. “In the early 1970s in Port Talbot, there was something like 12 different newspapers. There are none now. None. Communities don’t feel represented, don’t feel their voice is heard and don’t know if the information they’re getting about what’s going on in the community is correct or not. Those are terrifying things, and without local journalism that’s what happens.”

Perhaps surprisingly, he’s even found time for the day job. Earlier this year, he played Nye Bevan in Tim Pryce’s new play about the founding father of the NHS. He also made his directing debut with The Way, a dystopian, and prophetic, three-part TV drama about the closure of the Port Talbot steelworks that results in local riots spreading across the country. How does he feel about the rioting that has scarred the country in recent weeks? “I feel the same way I think most people do. It was awful and terrifying. I worry about how much a hard-right agenda that has been growing for a long time has moved further and further into the mainstream and has clearly got more connected. It’s frightening.” Does he think the new Labour government can deliver the positive change it promises? “Pppfft.”He exhales heavily. “More optimistic than the Conservatives being in power.” Who did he vote for? “That’s my God-given right to remain a secret, isn’t it? It wasn’t the Tories!”

I ask if he’s in favour of Welsh independence. “I don’t know how I feel about it one way or the other, but I would like there to be an open discussion about everything that entails. The problem is when it gets shut down and you don’t get to talk about it.”

Would he ever go into politics? He looks appalled at the idea. “Oh God, no. No! I’d beawful.”Why?“Because I don’t want to say what other people are telling me to say if I don’t agree with it. Look at all those people who voted against the two-child benefit cap and had the whip taken away from them. That’s bollocks. People say I should go into politics because I’m passionate about things and I speak my mind. But then you get into politics and you’re not allowed to do that any more. I’ve got far more of a platform as myself. I can say what I want to say.”

Fair enough. I’ve got another idea. A couple of years ago he gave an inspired motivational speech for the Wales football team before the 2022 men’s World Cup, on the TV show A League of Their Own. Would he take the job as Wales manager if offered it? He looks just as horrified as the idea of a life in politics. “No!” Why not? “Because it’s a completely different profession. You need to know about football. I played football when I was younger, but I wouldn’t have a clue. Wouldn’t. Have. A. Clue. Just because you can make a speech doesn’t mean you’d be any good at that sort of stuff.” He says he was embarrassed about the speech initially, but now feels proud of it. “Schools get in touch and say, ‘We’ve been studying it with the class.’ I put hidden things in. There are rabbit holes you can go down.” He quotes the line, “You sons of Speed” and tells me that’s a reference to the idolised former manager and player Gary Speed who took his life in 2011. You can hear the emotion in his voice.

I’ve been waiting for Sheen to mention the new TV drama about Prince Andrew. Most actors direct you to the project they’re promoting as soon as you sit down with them. Let’s talk about the new show, I  eventually say.

This is already the second drama about the Andrew interview. Did he know that Scoop, which came out earlier this year, was already in the works? “Yes, I knew before I agreed to do this.” Was it a race to see which would get out first? “There was no race, no. We always knew ours would come out after.” What would he say to people who think it’s pointless watching another film on the same subject? “Ours is a three-part story, so it’s able to breathe a lot more. There’s a lot more to it. In our story, Andrew and Emily are the main characters whereas they were very much the supporting ones in the other one.”

Did it change his opinion of Andrew? “No. It showed the dangers of being in a bubble, having talked about being in a bubble myself! The dangers of privilege.” He talks with sensitivity about Andrew’s downfall. “The thing that really struck me was when Andrew came back from the Falklands there was no one more revered, in a way. I didn’t realise his job was to fly helicopters to draw enemy fire away from the ships. I couldn’t believe they would put a royal in that position, so he was genuinely courageous. He was good-looking, a prince, and had everything going for him. Since then everything has just gone down and down and down.” He’s had so little control over his life, Sheen says. Take his relationships. “He was told he couldn’t be with [American actor] Koo Stark any more because of the controversy. He was essentially told he had to divorce Sarah Ferguson because the royal family, particularly Philip allegedly, was concerned that she would bring the family into disrepute.”

Did he end up feeling more empathetic towards him? “No!” he says sharply. Then he softens slightly. “Well, empathy? I felt I understood a bit more – because that’s my job – about what was going on. But he’s incredibly privileged and has exploited that. It seems like he has a lot taken away from him but probably rightfully so.”

A Very Royal Scandal is like The Crown in that it’s great drama but you’re never sure what’s real. Are Andrew’s lines simply made up? “It’s a combination of research and stories out there, and little snippets and invention.” While Emily Maitlis is an executive producer, Andrew most certainly is not. “Well, that’s the real difficulty for our story,” Sheen says. “On the one hand, you’ve got Emily as an exec, so you know everything to do with her is coming from the horse’s mouth. But everything to do with Andrew, not only is it really difficult to get the actual stuff, also we don’t know what he did.” He pauses. “Or didn’t do.” He’s talking about Virginia Giuffre’s allegation that Andrew raped her, which he denied. In the end, Giuffre’s civil case was dropped after an out-of-court settlement was reached on no admission of liability by Prince Andrew, with Giuffre reportedly paid around £12m.

I had assumed Sheen would be a staunch republican, but he doesn’t feel strongly either way. “There are lots of positives about royals, and lots of negatives.” His bugbear is that the heir to the throne gets to be Prince of Wales. “Personally, I would want the title of Prince of Wales to be given back to Wales to decide what to do with it, and I definitely think there’s a lot of wealth that could be used better.”

The biggest change for Sheen since returning to Wales is his family life. In 2019, he revealed that he had a new partner, the Swedish actor Anna Lundberg, that she was 25 years younger than him, and that she was pregnant. They now have two daughters – Lyra who is coming up to five, and two-year-old Mabli. As well as Staged, the couple have also appeared together on Gogglebox. They look so happy, nestling into each other, laughing at the same funnies, tearing up over the same heartbreakers. She also seems naturally funny. Given that two of his former partners (Sarah Silverman and Aisling Bea) are comedians, have all his exes had a good sense of humour? He thinks about it. “Yes. Yeah, you’ve got to have a laugh, haven’t you?” And he’s always got on well with them after splitting up? “Yeah, pretty much.”

When asked about the age difference between Lundberg and him on The Assembly, he acknowledged that they were surprised when they got together. “We were both aware it would be difficult and challenging. Ultimately, we felt it was worth it because of how we felt about each other, and now we have two beautiful children together.” He also said that being an older father worried him at times. “It makes me sad, thinking about the time I won’t have with them.”

Does being a dad of such tiny kids make him feel young or old? “Both,” he says. “My body feels very old. But everything else feels much younger. I’m 55 and it’s knackering running around after little kids. Just physically, it’s very demanding. And I’m at a point in my life where I’m aware of my physical limitations now. But in other ways it’s completely liberating, and I’m able to appreciate it more now.”

Has he learned about fatherhood from the first time round? “Yeah, I think so. I’m around more now. That’s a big part of it. When Lily was young, I was in my early 30s and doing films for the first time, so Kate would stay in Los Angeles with Lily and I would go off and do whatever.” Did Beckinsale resent that? “I don’t know that she resented it. Kate was doing better than me in terms of profile at the time, so it was different. Given that we then split up and I saw Lily even less, I very much regretted being away as much. So this time I wanted to make sure that wasn’t the case. That’s partly why I’ve set up a Welsh production company. I don’t want to work away from them as much.”

Talking of which, he says, what’s the time? “I’ve got to get back to my kids.”

On his way out, I ask what advice he would give his younger self. He says he was asked that recently and gave a glib answer. “I said buy stock in Apple.” What should he have said? He thinks about it, and finally says he’d have no advice for his younger self. He’d rather reverse the question, and think what his younger self would say to him if he tried to advise him.

“I saw an amazing clip of Stephen Colbert saying your life is an accumulation of every bad choice you’ve made and every good choice you’ve made, and the great challenge of life is to say yes to it. To say, ‘I love living, I embrace living.’ And in order to do that you have to embrace all the pain, all the grief, all the sadness, all the fucking mistakes because without that you don’t have all the other stuff.” He’s on a roll now, louder and more passionate by the word. “And I’d hate it if someone came and went, ‘Don’t do this, no do that.’ Then you just sail through your life. It would be death, wouldn’t it? So I’d tell my older self to go fuck himself.”

[mytheoristavenue]

MHA Commoner!Eijiro Kirishima x Princess!Reader - So This is Love? - I

Summary: You, the princess, surprise a poor village boy with an invitation to the royal ball.

Warnings: Reverse harem, fluff, angst, quirkless!au, royal!au, love at first sight, social class difference, princess x commoner trope

The carriage came to a sudden halt, making your body rock forward in your seat. Patiently, you awaited the footman to open the door and help you out. When you were standing, you couldn't hide the eager grin on your powdered face.

"Is this the correct place, m'lady?" the footman asked, glancing around with a haughty expression. "Looks a tad...dingy."

"Nonsense," you laugh him off, stepping forward, expensive heels digging into the mud. "I'm sure this is the correct address."

Noticing the way your heels sink, he promptly offers his arm, helping you to the door of the humble cobbler's shop. Stepping into the threshold, you smile fondly, finding a short, plump woman sitting at a desk in the corner. "Afternoon!" She calls, focused on her task. "What can we do ye for?" When she finally turns to face you, her smile drops and her already fair skintone becomes all the more pale.

"Y-Your Majesty!" She bows nervously. "T-To what do we owe the pleasure?"

You smile warmly, stepping closer, bowing to her as well. "I was hoping to have a word with a man I'm told works here," you answer, presenting a letter with a red wax seal. "I've come to deliver him an invitation. Eijiro Kirishima, is he here, ma'am?"

"My son?" The woman asks, tilting her head before nodding and turning to enter another room of the shop, dipping under half curtain that served as a divider. Moment's later, a young man with bright red hair and matching eyes peers out, scanning the room curiously.

His back straightens instantly when his eyes fall on you, standing in the front room of his family's shop, clad in an elegant day gown, eyes peeking over an equally ornate handfan. "Y-Your Highness!" He gasp, eyes blown wide as he stands up straight, akwardly hitting his head on the doorframe.

With a hiss a rub to the crown of his head, he steps out, kneeling in front of you. "W-What are you doing down in the village?" He asks, clearly flustered.

You simply giggle behind your fan, extending a hand down to him to kiss. His Adam's Apple bobs when his eyes fall on your perfectly manicured nails and blushed knuckles. Hestitantly, his calloused hands cradle yours, which has never known labor. With a sharp exhale, he brings your hand up to his lips, eyes flickering to yours as he plants a ghostly kiss on your knuckles. His gentle nature puts a glow in your cheeks as you giggle at his bashfulness.

"I can to visit you, good sir," you finally reveal, a sweet mystique in your tone.

"M-Me?" he repeats in disbeleif. "F-For what reason?"

You offer him the envelope, fingers brushing against his as he takes it from you. "I would like to cordially invite you to the royal ball this evening," you explain, collapsing your fan and resting it against your chest, batting your lashes at him. "As my personal guest."

"I-I'm speechless, You Highness..." He pauses, deicately opening the letter and reading over the cursive words within. "W-Why me?"

"Say you'll attend," you insists with a warm smile.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he mutters timidly, folding the letter very carefully back into the envelope. "I have nothing but the clothes on my back, I haven't the proper dress to attend a royal gathering."

"I worried as much." You admitted sadly before smiling again. "Which is why I took the liberty of having the royal seamstress tailor a custom suit for the occassion."

"J-Just for me...?" Kirishima gasp, eyes glossy at your gesture. You nod, confirming his assumptions.

"Please accompany me, it would mean the world to me..." you beg one last time, leaning in slightly.

"I-I'd be honored, Your Majesty..." He finally relents, still in disbelief before a childish grin cracks across his face. "Yes, of course I'll go!"

"Oh, that's fantastic news!" you exclaim with delight, reaching out and capturing his hands, holding them to his hands. "I'm overjoyed." You beam, letting him go, preparing to take your leave. "A carriage will send for you an hour before sunset, no need to make ready ahead of time. You'll have a warm bath and a private room awaiting you at the castle."

Kirishima once again finds himself silenced by your generousity, only uttering a small: "T-Thanky you, Princess..." as he watches you leave the shop, waving with fan in hand.

[siconetribal]

Sick Day

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Warnings: Illness, feeling sick, alone, fluff, care

Request: I was hoping for a fluff/ comfort one shot fic with the reader suddenly gets sick and loki takes care of her

A/N:

This was a request made by an anon, and I'm hoping I did a good job. I'm sorry it took longer to post this than I anticipated. I hope you like it!

The lovely banners used in this fic are from @cafekitsune.

You can find this story and my other works on my master post.

Everything hurt, her body felt like lead with an intense gravitational force that kept her plastered to the mattress. A constant throbbing pain slowly pounding in her head, starting from the swollen pressure in your eyes to the rest of her cranium, which felt as if it were waterlogged. The room felt like an icebox, but her body was a furnace running at max, with fuel poured in to keep it blazing hot. The icky clammy sweat was the icing on the cake that made it clear that she was not ok, and would need to call out of work today.

Great, just what I needed on top of everything else. Y/N felt the sting of tears start. She wanted to wish them away or somehow distract herself, but she had not the energy or the drive. After a hellish week of mishaps and terrible luck, she was exhausted. And now, here she was laid up in bed in her apartment, unable to go to the one place that helped keep her hands and mind busy enough to not count the series of unfortunate luck she was having. A good cry could possibly be helpful, she deserved it. Taking a deep breath failed miserably as a series of bone rattling coughs left her more breathless than before and forced her to turn over. Her nose burned, and her sinuses were sealed off. Laying boneless on her mattress, she let out a low whimper. Added to her list of ailments was the inability to use her nose nor have a good cry. Forget icing, the icing ran the cake over with a bulldozer before catapulting it into the next galaxy.

Y/N grabbed her phone and dialed her boss. As much as it hurt to talk, she needed them to hear just how dead she was to know she was faking any of this. With the approval of her sick day, she rolled over and threw off her blanket before her hazy mind slipped back into the depths of sleep.

“What’s the matter, Loki? That’s the tenth time you’ve looked at your phone in the last hour.” Steve raised a brow at the odd behaviors of the odd royal that came to join them. He braced himself for a snippy remark, mentally reminding himself that any reaction would only encourage the ex-villain, but nothing came. He sat back and silently watched the prince. Had he not heard him speak?” Loki, is everything ok?” Still nothing. “Loki.” he called a little louder.

“What?” The younger prince finally looked up to see who was speaking to him. Normally he would show his disdain and reluctance, but that was not important right now. There was something more pressing on his mind that even the brown nosing of the super soldier meant little to him.

“Is everything ok? You keep looking at your phone.” Steve pointed to the device that was face-up on the table. The fact that it was on the table for all to see was a shock in and of itself, since everyone knew how much he disliked the device, considering it a leash for them to keep tabs on him only. 

“Hm, yes,” he absentmindedly mumbles the answer as his gaze fell to the device. He tapped it awake once more and frowned.

“Are you waiting on something?”

“Hm?”

“On the phone, are you waiting for some sort of communication?”

“The mission won’t be an issue. You needn’t worry so much.” Steve let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. Reaching over, he tried to grab for it, but Loki reacted faster. He snatched it off the desk and glared daggers at him, startling the New Yorker. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, you can, by answering what I’m asking you. You’ve been hung up on it for the last hour, and you never pay that much attention to it usually. What’s going on?”

“It’s a personal matter, none of your concern.” Loki coolly responded as he pocketed the device for safety. “If you’re concerned about the upcoming mission, you needn’t worry. I’m fully capable of focusing when required. If you’ll excuse me, I've got somewhere to be.” Before Steve could even respond, he was out of his seat and vanished from sight.

The Trickster reappeared in the legal department, walking down the halls until he reached a door with a name engraved into a plaque beside the door, with the title of a lead attorney just below it. Without even knocking, he walked in to see a young woman engrossed in a document on her computer screen.

“Leave the file in the bin, I’ll look at it later. Thanks, Ricky,” she waved to the mesh desk organizer that was already filled with other manila folders.

“Meredith, have you heard from Y/N?”

“Loki?!” She napped her head, shocked to see him. “How many times have I told you not to just appear in my office?”

“I didn’t, I walked in through the door. Now, Y/N, have you heard from her?” He pressed on, taking a seat without her invitation. Normally the annoyance that brought her was pleasant to him, but his focus was elsewhere. The normal treasures of his days were dull and meaningless, painted grey at the concern that gnawed at his mind.

“Y/N, no, not particularly, why?” She frowned, pushing her glasses up to rub her eyes. “Why do you ask, did something happen?”

“She has not answered my text. Granted, she is not always readily available, but she usually replies by noon. If anyone knows anything about her, it would be you.” His matter-of-fact town earned a small twitch from the lawyer.

“Let me check my phone,” she knew better than to argue with him, and Loki smiled in appreciation. He had little time to deal with menial things. Y/N was not answering him, and that was of the utmost importance. Y/N, she was a beautiful and brilliant young woman who found a way to thaw his icy heart and show him that he too deserved kindness and love. That he was not simply a monster because of what he had done. He was flawed, and it was perfectly fine to be flawed. If anyone were to ask him, saying he loved her was far too little. It barely scratched the surface of the many ways she brightened his world and brought color back into his life. It would take ages for him to count the various facets of her that made him smile and feel anything. She was his person, a far off dream that he had long forgotten.

“Yeah, she’s not picking up, one second.” Those words struck sharp and true, giving strength to the fear of the worst.

I have been extremely careful in my meetings with her to avoid any unnecessary attention. I doubt anyone outside of Meredith even knows of our relationship, since she is how we met. What if she came across a thug? Bank robbers infest this city like the rats. There’s a high chance there was some terrible driver who paid no attention in a fit of stupidity. Hasn’t she said that there have been stalkers? Mongrels that leer at any female? Once the thoughts started, they quickly poured out like floodgates ripped open. He watched Meredith as she spoke on the phone. He could see her mouth move, but his thoughts drowned out her voice. What if Y/N is hurt, and I am simply sitting her idly waiting for a text? His right leg began to bounce, the chair softly squeaking from the speed and force. 

“OK, she’s not at work,” he leapt from his seat. “But that’s ok. She is safe.” She quickly and firmly stressed, pausing to watch the words register. “She’s home sick for the day. According to what the boss said, she sounds pretty bad but,” before anymore could be said, Loki was gone in a flash. “She’s probably just tired.” She rolled her eyes at his lack of listening to what else she had to say. “Oh, thank you, Meredith, I’m so glad I came to you for help. Nonsense, Loki, it was my pleasure. She’s my dear friend, after all. Indeed, Meredith, had it not been for you, I would’ve never met her. Oh stop, it was a coincidence!” She grumbled out the imaginary conversation with herself as she put on her glasses as she got back to work.

A cool sensation earned a soft sigh of relief from Y/N. She had been warring with her body temperature on and off for several hours now, but she nothing seemed to work well or long enough. Whatever she had done the last time was clearly the right thing to do. What did I do again? Her sluggish brain tried to recall what she put on her forehead, but she was drawing blanks. Wait, that’s right, I didn’t put anything. She forced her heavy lids open, blinking a few times to get the function working properly. She notices the blinds were down, and her fan was oscillating on a low setting. Her comforter was off to her right, but a light blanket was over her body. 

She carefully reached up to feel a wet towel placed on her forehead and a basin with water was on her bedside. What caused concern was her desk chair. It was not beside her bed instead of across the room. Had she moved it in her feverish state of mind? She slowly sat up, her body groaning in painful protest. The world began to spin, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Breathing from her mouth, she tried to regain some stability.

“Darling, you should not be sitting up so soon. You need to keep the towel on your head.” The distant voice slowly grew louder as a pair of arms helped ease her back, but she resisted. There was only one person who called her darling, and she felt torn.

“No, I don’t wanna.” Y/N mumbled, leaning against him. “Loki, you shouldn’t be here, I’m sick.” She sniffled, one of her sinuses considering this the perfect time to drain itself. Great, I look disgusting, and he’s here to see it all! She tried to pull away, but his grip was stronger.

“Nonsense, whatever diseases you Midgardians carry has no effect on me. I am a Frost Giant, I lack the temperature necessary for such weak viruses to grow. Most importantly, you need someone, and I would be a fool to allow someone else near you in such a vulnerable state! Now, lean back against the pillows. I’ve brought some medicine from that shop a few streets down, and I’ve ordered your favorite soup. According to your precious internet, when someone is sick they must stay well hydrated, take proper medication, rest, and eat. You seemed to have been locked up in your room with no form of air circulation. So I did the best I could without opening your window and possibly worsening your pain.”

“You searched what to do online? On your phone? The ‘brick of uselessness’?” Y/N raised a brow at this sudden deluge of information. Equal parts shock and warmth pooling into her stomach, tugging a smile from her chapped lips. “You didn’t have to come here, it’s fine. I could’ve just ordered food and medicine from the app.”

“You could have, yes, I would never argue that. You are quite capable and very self-sufficient. You live in this tiny hovel and are well-fed through your dedication and hard work. There is no doubt in my mind about what you could have or would have done. I am here because you do not have to. You have me and I, for the first time in my life, want to do for someone else…for you, Y/N. I was a sick with worry when you never messaged me back, and when I learned of your falling ill, I came as quickly as I could. To see you here, so frail and alone, my heart felt as if it would twist right out of my chest. Majority of the day I wasted doing nothing while you were here, suffering alone. Please, do not turn me away. Let me help you, be of some use to you.” He lightly nudged the tissue into her hands.

“Ok,” she softly whispered. It was the only word she could think of saying. How long had it been since someone last cared so much for her? Worried about her and when out of their way to be here? And he even thought highly of her and her occupation, which everyone else probably thought nothing about. Even her own family made remarks from time to time about what a waste it was, or that she should simply marry and stay at home. It was nowhere near as grand as his, and yet he did not belittle her. Her eyes stung with tears that she blinked back and blew her nose.

“Thank you, love. Now, I am no physician, but I’ve managed to gather necessary medications for the most likely ailments you may have.” He pulled up a plastic shopping bag filled with all sorts of syrups and pills, a mix of brand name and store brand. The long receipt tumbled out as he fished through it, unfurling into a large mess beside him as he pulled out the necessary painkillers and fever reducers. An image of him standing in the aisles, seriously reading through every single item flashed through her mind and she giggled. He was about to open every single one of the boxes when her hands shot out and grabbed his.

“I don’t need to take all of those, that’d be a different issue of overmedicating. I’ll take some cough syrup and maybe one of the painkillers when I eat. Better to have something in case my stomach is a bit sensitive.” She explained, grabbing the brand she normally used.

“Is that so? No one said anything about that when I was looking online. If such a thing is possible, they should be more mindful and make it clear that everything can be dangerous to your kind.” Loki frowned, eyeing the bag suspiciously as she took it.

“Everyone knows it, so it’s not something normally.” Y/N lightly shook her head, wincing at the taste and pain from swallowing. “I just hope this fever breaks soon.” She leaned back into the pillows.

“Yes, they said a cold towel to the head would be useful, but perhaps I can offer something better?” She let her head roll to the side to look at him. There was a glimmer in his blue eyes, a glimmer that normally screamed danger, and he should be stopped at all costs. 

What could he possibly suggest that would be dangerous? I’m sick in bed anyway, not like I can physically stop him. “And your idea is?” She hesitantly asked, unsure if it was wise to given even this small inch of an opening. He remained silent, eyeing her for a moment before standing up from his seat. To her surprise, he untucked his shirt and undid the top two buttons before climbing onto the bed with her and wrapping her up in his arms. Alarm bells blared in her mind, screaming danger and telling her to run, but she was a deer caught in the trap with no way or nowhere to run.

“This, I will be your personal cooler until you feel better. It’s certainly far more efficient than a silly little towel, and I get to hold you. It is what you call a win-win. Ah, ah, before you protest, I do not get effected by the pathetic weak viruses of your race. Now, be a good girl and let me take care of you.” He pressed his lips to her temple.

The danger is him and to my heart! I’m going to be even more overheated than before! She quickly hid her red face from his sight. Perhaps my luck isn’t so bad after all. She snuck a peek at him to see his eyebrows furrowed together as he intently read the cough syrup information. I get to spend time with him. She smiled to herself as she rested her weight against his cooler body. “Best sick day ever.”

Tags: @queenofstarsign85 @vbecker10

[theglamorousferal]

Things I want in one fic:

Redeemed Vlad, Good Fenton Parents, Fentons/Vlad polycule

Liminal Amity Park

Redeemed Dark Danny, weird cousin?

Ellie as part of the family, sorta step sibling?

Defect quartet

The Class as a team deferring to Team Phantom

Jazz is Big Sister

Amity Park knows the secret

The Class moving to Gotham for college

Vlad giving them enough money to purchase Drake Manor

Tim has closed off the tunnel between the Manor and the Batcave

Tim was the one to hand the keys over to Danny, whose name was on the deed, courtesy of his new step-dad

They end up keeping in touch and Tim is a frequent visitor at the manor and befriends the majority of the Class

They all still keep up with their training, Sam and Valerie put together an obstacle course with the help of the jocks and every Saturday is a free-for-all battle royale with ecto guns set to their lowest setting across all of the grounds.

The last one standing gets to pick what restaurant dinner is from that night and the movie for movie night.

Tim does find all of this rather unusual, but mostly he finds that they remind him of all his hero friends.

This, more than anything else they do, makes him very concerned.

Why do these random midwesterners train like heroes? Why do they have a camaraderie he’s only seen forged on the same battlefield? He’s noticed they mostly defer to a group of five individuals. The pair of siblings who now own the Manor and the partners of one of said siblings. More than that, they all defer to Danny, the one he gave the keys to.

Luckily for him, Two Face happened to attack the bank that Danny was at and Danny did something he’d only ever seen Bruce manage to do and talked the villain down from the attack.

When asked, Dent just said that he saw a kinship in the kid, said he’d understood duality in a way that resonated with him.

Later that night Red Robin reopened the tunnels and paid one Daniel Fenton a visit. Tim found him in his father’s old study, using a brand new telescope through the window. He knocked and waited before entering.

“Ah, I expected one of you to show up. It’s why I decided to stay up tonight actually. We have a lot to talk about if you’ll take a seat? I’ll get us some energy drinks. You’ll be able to confirm they’re sealed and not poisoned that way. What’s your favorite flavor? Between the fifteen of us we’ve got to have the right flavor.”

Red Robin stood there for a moment, processing before following the man to his pantry. Once there he opened a new package of his favorite energy drink and opened it himself; not once did Danny make a fuss about him opening a whole new package. He grabbed a second one to bring with him back to the office. Danny grabbed a couple himself.

Once back in the office, they sat in two chairs across from each other. Danny leaned on his elbows with his fingers steepled. “What I am about to tell you is an incredible risk to everyone in this house, and likely yourself included. I need you to promise me to listen to everything I tell you before you start asking questions. I will answer them to the best of my ability after I have gone over the basics. What I am about to tell you is going to sound unbelievable, but I’m banking on the fact that you have likely frequently experienced impossible things and therefore may take me seriously.” Danny stared at the mask. “Now, what do you know about ghosts?”

Tim’s hair trigger was of disbelief, but then he paused and considered. Clark’s an alien, Diana’s a god, Conner’s a clone, at least half the family has come back to life. Why couldn’t ghosts exist? “Not much besides fairy tales.” He braced himself for what was to come.

Danny narrowed his eyes appraisingly. “Hmm. Well. They are, in fact, real. I’ll show evidence in a little bit. A Ghost as we know them is generally formed when a person’s emotions during death produce enough ectoplasm to give their sentience form. They then become residents of a place known by two names; the Ghost Zone, or the Infinite Realms. The Ghost Zone is what it’s known as on Earth, and the residents of the place itself call it the Infinite Realms.” Danny pauses here for a moment and then claps his hands. “Now, all ghosts are members of the Infinite Realms, but not all beings of the Infinite Realms are ghosts. The Realms is a dimension mirroring our own that is entirely made of ectoplasm. It’s where the residue from the emotions of all beings in our universe go and then are given form. There are beings there that are basically gods and are aspects given form. I can go on and on about the Realms later. What’s important is that throughout history there have been unstable naturally occurring portals between the two dimensions, but around five years ago, a pair of scientists managed to open a stable portal to this dimension. A few months later, a former college friend of theirs made a second stable portal, but I’ll get to him in a minute. Once this portal was established, it made it so that ghosts could now freely come into our world. A young hero took up protecting the city, but his first few attempts had quite a bit of misunderstanding to them and so he was villainized for a while. This resulted in the government establishing an agency to combat these threats. All well and good, right?” He raised an eyebrow at Tim. “You would think so. However, the laws passed to make this agency had some clauses that are questionable. I’ll just hand you a copy of the documentation so that you can read it.”

He handed Tim a folder labeled “Anti-Ecto Acts”. He began to peruse them and came upon the clause that declared any being that can process or contains ectoplasm is considered non-sentient or sapient and called for the capture, eradication, or experimentation of all such “ecto-beings”. “This, can’t be right. This is a blatant contradiction to the Meta Protection Acts.”

Danny smirked a sad smile. “You’d think, right?” He gave him a moment to process that. “You can read up more on that later. I have other things to say.” Tim set aside the folder and took a deep chug of his energy drink.

“Alright, hit me.” he said as he leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees, giving Danny his full attention.

“Kay, so, you notice the ‘any being that can process ectoplasm’ bit? Yeah, well that can apply to some humans too. Humans that are considered death-touched or Liminal. People who have been surrounded by death, have died even if momentarily on the operating table, but especially people who have been exposed to high levels of ectoplasm. Here’s the thing about living in a town with a stable portal to effectively the afterlife: it kinda does some stuff to you.” He flashed his eyes a Lazerus green as he set his right palm on the desk. He’s quiet for a moment before he leaned back with a sigh, then closed his eyes so they returned to their normal blue. 

“Every individual in my hometown is ecto-contaminated.” He said quietly, like, Tim supposes, he was telling a secret. Tim guesses he was. “Every person there is death-touched. Every person there is Liminal. Every person pings as an ecto-entity to the GIW. We’re all at risk. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the heroes would ping too. I need your help.” Danny turned begging eyes upon Red Robin. “I need your help, and you need this too because I noticed it when we first met, Tim, that you are too.”

Tim reeled, he stood and knocked his chair over. “Wh-what do you mean?” 

“How many times have you been near-death? How many times have you been around the dying? That sort of stuff leaves a mark on people. They begin to metabolize ectoplasm. I reckon that the majority of the Justice League apply. I’d argue that soldiers who have seen active combat would register on some sensors. According to those laws, you can be captured and experimented on. They’re luckily focusing on ghosts and have been ignoring people, but it’s only a matter of time. I need you to bring this to Batman, to the League. I need these Acts removed. They call for the eradication of my People” His eyes flashed a green again as the word resonated. “This calls for the eradication of an entire dimension, they’ve already tried it once, and if they had, it would have torn this universe apart. Luckily the nuke they had was a dud.” 

Tim swallowed at that. “Nuke? They tried to nuke an entire dimension?” Tim picked up the chair and sat heavily in it. “I’m going to guess that this somehow gets worse?”

Danny nodded solemnly. “You see, the Infinite Realms has a council and a king. A good majority of the council rightfully believes that these Acts are calling for the genocide of our people. The king has kept them at bay for now, but they’re calling for war.” 

Tim put his head in his hands and groaned. “And the king?” Danny looked at him, debating something for a moment. Then he stood and there was a flash of bright light. Stood in front of Red Robin could only be the King. Danny now had bright white hair and eyes that glowed with a familiar Lazarus green. He wore a cloak of stars and his crown looked like the Northern Lights. He wore armor that seemed to be a combination of the ancient Norse and Greeks. “I just want my people safe.”

[doitforbangchan]

Ever Lovely - 4

Pairing ~ Faeprince!Bangchan x reader (afab/fem) x Faeprince!Lee Know

Warnings~ Cursing, angst, oral, light mxm smut, crying, teasing

WC~ 6.8k

masterlist // series masterlist

previous ~ next

Your head was pounding and you felt groggy as you opened your eyes. Muffled voices were the first thing you noticed as you came too. The second thing you noticed was that somehow you were back in your bed, with the knitted quilts pulled up to your chin and it was now dark out. 

Your bleary eyes scanned your bed chamber and saw that you were alone, but there was a glass of water next to your bed that must have been left for you. As if you were dying of thirst (you felt like it from how dry your mouth felt) you hastily grabbed the glass and drank down the cool water. 

Feeling much better after having that water you sat up and stretched your limbs. You were still in your going out dress from this morning but all the ties have been loosened and your heavy layers were removed, leaving you only in your base dress. You were thankful for whoever derobed you but also extremely embarrassed. 

How could you have fainted like that in front of not only your judgmental mother but also the Queen of the Southern Isle?! You just knew you would never hear the end of this from your mother- and that’s to say if you haven’t been utterly disgraced by Jeon family, if that happened you might just be exiled by her. 

The intense stress and exhaustion must have finally caught up with you in that moment, and as unfortunate as it is that it happened when it did you were at least grateful to be back in your own space currently. You then remembered the voices and your ears picked up the sound of your fathers voice and another man outside your closed door. It sounded like your father was upset but you couldn’t make out his words. 

Swinging your legs over the side of your bed you went to stand up, but a flash of movement to the right of you sent you back in shock. You were not as alone as you had thought.

A figure was crouched on the seal of your open window, his catlike eyes zeroed in on you and his posture rigid. He was unblinking as he took you in silently, a tinge of worry etched on his features. 

“Minho..” You breathed, looking at him in shock. Is this real? Or am I hallucinating once again? 

Minho slowly raised a finger to his lips, “Shhhh,” then he nudged his head in the direction of your door. 

Just after he did so your door opened to reveal your father and the royal physician coming in to check on you. Your head swiveled from them and back to Minho but when you looked at your window he was gone. 

Father was the first to notice you were conscious and he rushed to your side. “Y/n, my lovebug, how are you feeling? You had us all worried sick.” 

“I am fine now, Father.” You answered, your tone timid and you did not want to meet his eye. “I apologize for worrying you.” 

“Your highness really needs to be more careful.” The physician, Wonwoo, wagged his finger at you. He was still relatively new to your castle but he was very knowledgeable. “I was informed you did not eat much for breakfast this morning nor did you receive much sleep. This along with the added stress of wedding planning must have sent your highness into a fainting spell.” 

“Forgive me, I had not even thought of my own health lately. All the..wedding jitters and what not.” You offered a tight lipped smile. “I will do better about it from now on, I assure you.” 

“I am going to speak with the cooks to have you on a strict vitamin rich diet from now on, and I am going to put together a serum to help with your sleep.” The physician nodded thoughtfully as he prattled off your new regiment. 

‘Great, another diet to make me even more miserable.’ You thought bitterly. 

“Thank you, Wonwoo. We appreciate your help. And also your sensitivity about this matter.” Father tilted his head at the doctor and in return Wonwoo nodded in understanding- Tell no one of this.

“Of course, your majesty. It is my pleasure to serve the royal family.” He bowed quickly to your father then to you. “I will check on you tomorrow, your highness. For now I shall bid you both goodnight.” 

Father nodded and sent a small smile to the doctor and you both watched as he left the room. Then your father turned to you. “How are you really feeling, sweetheart? It is so unlike you to be this unwell.” 

With a sigh you ran your hand over your face and leaned back against your head board.Your eyes looked to the window quickly, still seeing nothing there. “I do not know. This is all very overwhelming and so sudden, I just feel so exhausted and the planning has only just begun.” 

Your father took a seat beside you on the edge of your bed and took your hand in his, “Dear, I know this is not what you wanted nor expected, and I myself never wanted this life for you, but arranged marriages are not all that bad. Look at your mother and I for instance.” You gave him a look that said ‘are you kidding?’ and he offered a humorless chuckle, “Yeah bad example I suppose. Though I will say there is one wonderful thing to come from it.” 

“And what would that be?” 

“You. My greatest achievement was making and raising an incredibly caring and talented young woman.” He squeezed your hand to emphasize his point. “I could not think of a better person to lead this kingdom one day. And Jungkook has a wonderful reputation. His people seem to think highly of him. It is a good match.” 

“Father..” You wanted to cry. He was always the softer of your two parents but he usually was not so open with his feelings. But even with his sentiment you still felt uneasy. “No matter how good the match is, I do not love him. I still cannot stomach the thought of marrying a man I do not love. I cannot be stuck in a loveless marriage.” 

“It does not have to be loveless. Love can grow if you nurture it.” He urged, trying to make you see reason. 

“And did love grow for you? Can you really say that mother is the person you love?” 

He hesitated for a moment, “There are certain aspects of your mother that I do love. She has an incredible singing voice, when we first married she would sing all over the castle. And her smile.. One could die a happy man after seeing that dazzling smile.” You noticed the distant look in his eyes and the shadow of a grin that graced his lips. He shook his head as if coming out of a daydream. “Not everything is bad, I mean to say. There is pleasantness in company.” 

You had not thought of it that way, nor had you ever heard your mother described as ‘pleasant’ in any way, but even so your fathers words did little to quell your fretfulness. Though you supposed you could see it the way that he does, that sometimes feelings can grow. Maybe giving Jungkook a chance would not be the absolute worst thing in the world. Perhaps you could find that pleasantness. Even still, the notion alone makes you incredibly uneasy. 

“Do you think he will be kind to me?” The break in your voice was involuntary but you could see how heartbreaking it was for your father. 

The elder man pulled you into a crushing hug, “I certainly hope so, my dear. I only ever wish for you to be happy.” 

“I want to be happy, more than anything I want it.” Should I tell him how I feel like I’m on the verge of losing my sanity? Like I’m a hair away from a mental break? No, he wouldn’t understand. It is not like I can tell him I was possibly whisked away to an otherworldly land. It is better to let him remain blissfully unaware, no matter how badly I need to vent about it. “Thank you Father. I do feel much better.” 

The king gave your hair an affectionate pet and a gentle kiss to your forehead as he stood up, “I am glad. You must be getting your rest now, doctor's orders. I love you, sweetheart.” 

“I love you too, father.” 

He gave you a smile then he left your chambers, softly closing the door behind him. With a deep sigh you fell back into your pillows, running a hand down your face as you gathered your thoughts. He meant well- he always did- but still it was not what you wished to hear. Suddenly you remembered the figure that had been crouched upon your window. 

With a swivel you looked over to the window and once more there he was. Minho looked how you remembered him to be when you first met him, more human looking than when he’s in his own world. The fae man's head was tilted slightly as he took you in, his unnerving eyes burning holes into you as they scanned your form. 

It was silent for a second, but your heart was beating so wildly in your chest that you were sure he could hear it. After another moment Minho broke the silence. “Are you alright, Y/n?” A response would not find its way out of you, your tongue feeling like it was tied in knots as you nodded instead. As quickly as a blink he was instantly crouching directly in front of you, making you gasp at the sudden movement. Minho narrowed his eyes as he searched for injury on you, but after seeing nothing physical he relaxed a little, giving you a touch of breathing room. 

Before he could fully lean away your hand shot out and touched his arm, making him freeze in his place. You hadn’t meant to, but you just needed to know if he was real. That he was not just a figment of your imagination. “Y-your real.” You whispered.

Minho cocked his head to the side in confusion, “Of course I’m real. I am just as real as you are.” His arm burned where you were touching him; like an electric current that funneled through his skin and into his bloodstream. He could see how addictive it could be. “Now tell me, are you alright? And do not lie to me. I have seen you faint.” 

“Wait, what do you mean you have seen it? Were you there?” 

A slight pink tint appeared on his cheeks as he cleared his throat, looking away from your awaiting eyes. “I uh, I saw it in a vision right after I brought you home. I have been worried about you.. So I have been checking in on you every few weeks.” 

It was starting to click in your brain; how you saw him in your glass at breakfast and in the street in town. You remembered how he had said time worked differently in his world- that every hour here was a week for him. 

“That was you this morning.” He nodded. “And in the street this afternoon.” He nodded again, still feeling sheepish. “Minho, I thought I was losing my mind.” You admitted to him. “I thought I had made you up and that everything was a figment of my imagination.” 

He shook his head this time, “No, it was real. I am real.” Minho rested his hand upon your covered leg. 

Your shock turned quickly into anger, “Then I see that this is some kind of game for you.” You ripped his hand off of you. “It must be, since you keep toying with me.”

The fae scrunched his face in confusion, “Princess, I am not playing with you. I was merely worried.” 

“Worried?” You scoffed, “Your kind do not care one lick for mine, Minho, do not lie to me. If this is not a game then why didn’t you come to me? Why skulk around like a phantom and make me feel utterly insane?” 

He rubbed the back of his neck, “I was not sure you wanted to see me after how everything ended that night. It was never my intention to screw with your mind so heavily. I am not one to do that, not anymore. All I wanted was to ensure you were ok.” He touched you again, this time laying his hand upon yours. “After I had a premonition of your fall, I have been keeping tabs on you. I never meant to cause any harm.” 

You picked up on his wording, “When you say premonition, do you mean you have visions?” 

Minho gave a curt nod, “After assuming a royalty position at the Court of Stars I was granted one of the powers of the court. I sometimes get glimpses into the future. It is how I knew you were going to faint, I just did not know when.” 

“You knew.. Have you had visions of me before?” Your head was beginning to hurt again, the new information that is ability allowed him to see your future.. It was a whirlwind. 

He shook his head, then tossed it back and forth in contemplation. “Only one other time, back when you visited us, I saw you in the ballroom with Seungmin. I couldn’t save you then and I guess I couldn’t save you today either.” His gaze hardened as he mentally chastised himself. You could see the internal battle that dwelled within him. “For that I apologize.” 

Your heart swelled with an appreciation that you couldn’t place. Why was he apologizing? Does he feel guilty for your potential harm? You thought fae did not care for human lives at all? 

“Minho, it is not your fault-” 

“Yes, it is.” He cut you off, still not making eye contact. “ You never should have been left alone in the first place, and now because of us you aren’t even taking care of yourself.”

An incredulous look glazed across your face, “I am taking care of myself just fine. Today was just an accident.” Now it was his turn to give you a look that said he did not believe you. “It is true! I am completely fine, you do not need to worry about me.” 

“We both know that’s not true. Knowing about the fae wild- seeing its luster and mischief first hand can be overwhelming for mortals. I should have known it would be too much for a fragile mind to handle.”

A scoff left you involuntarily, “There is nothing fragile about me! I am capable of maintaining myself just fine. And anything that life throws at me.” 

The faes lips curled up ever so slightly into a smirk, “then come back with me.” 

Silence

You stared at him in what could only be described as derision; he was making a mockery of you once again but this time you knew better. “Do not jest with me, Minho. We both know I cannot return to the wilds, I cannot face those.. Boys once again.” 

“Seungmin and Jeongin have learned better than to terrorize you, I can assure you. And I would protect you, I have also learned my lesson about leaving you alone.” He assured, a seriousness to his features, no hint of a lie anywhere. 

There was a pull in your chest- more like a deep calling within you that yearns to return with him. You didn’t understand it and frankly it scared you. A lot of things about the fae scared you. 

With a slow shake of your head you declined, “I cannot. It would be unwise of me. I have duties I cannot run from.” 

“Hmpf.” He rolled his eyes, “You seemed pretty keen on escape last night. What has changed since then?” 

“My father was right, I need to look for pleasantness in the company I must keep.” You recounted your fathers previous words, a tightness within you even as you utter the words. “It is for the good of the kingdom.” 

“Spoken like a true royal,” Minho was about to say more, then he paused, his head perking up and tilting. “Lay back down.” 

“What?” 

Before you could demand his explanation your door burst open, hitting the wall with a bang. “You insolent little brat!” Your mother had come stomping into your room screeching. You gasped at her entry and for that split second your attention was taken away from Minho, and when you looked back he was once again gone, disappearing in an instant. “How dare you embarrass me like that!” 

“Mother, I -” 

“Do you know the kind of groveling I had to do today after that little stunt you pulled?” She screamed, “Now the King and Queen of the Southern Isle think you to be damaged goods! An invalid! All because you're throwing a temper tantrum at having to do your one job- what you were born to do!” 

“Mother, I had no intention of-” 

“It took me hours to convince them not to rescind their proposal! How could you do this to me? To your kingdom?” 

“How could YOU do this to ME, Mother?” You screamed back, finally hitting a breaking point. You had never, ever, talked back to her before and the shock on her face would have made you laugh if this was any other circumstance. “How could you, my own mother, force me into a life I do not want- that I have never wanted? I have never wanted to be a ruler! I have never wanted to be Queen!” 

“You do not know what you want, Y/n. You are just being dramatic like you always are.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

You shook your head, angry tears welling up on your lash line and threatening to fall, “Even now, after I have fainted you cannot find it within yourself to care about me at all. Have you even worried about me at all this whole time? Have you thought to ask the doctor if I am well even once?” 

“Do you even hear yourself? You sound like a child. It is time to grow up, you’re too old to make a scene like this.” 

There she was deflecting again instead of addressing the real problem. Was this really the woman that your father told you about? How could he find any resemblance of happiness with such a rotten person? Sensing exactly how this conversation was going to remain you began to shut down, deciding the fight isn’t even worth the effort. She’ll never see you, only who she wants you to be. 

“Okay, mother.” You relented, visibly deflating back into your bed. 

She huffed, “Okay? Now you have nothing to say?” 

“I concede. You win. I’ll grow up.” The hurt was evident in your voice but of course the Queen chose to ignore it. 

“That is good. Nice of you to finally see it my way.” She leaned forward and patted your face, not affectionately but more like as if she was petting a dog. “Now I expect you up bright and early tomorrow morning with a smile on your face, ready to take on the preparations. Jungkook will be joining us for meal planning and you need to fix your bad impression.” 

With that the Queen walked out of your room without another word. A pained sigh of defeat left your lips as you sunk into your pillows and dried your eyes with your hands. That situation felt way more intense than it had to be. She was way more intense than she had to be. Usually you would be able to brush off her harsh words and abrasive attitude but not this time. No, you were not just going to sit here like a wounded dog and take her abuse. 

Without truly thinking your mouth opened, “Minho.” 

The faerie was quick to appear next to you once again. “Yes, Y/n?” Minho had silently observed that whole confrontation, and while it was pretty tame for fae standards he still felt incredibly bad for you. 

Giving him a serious stare you grabbed his hand with both of yours. He could almost feel your fury that burned within you. 

“Minho.. Take me to the wilds with you.” 

Now he was slightly taken aback, but even so a grin quirked up on his face, “ What happened to having ‘duties you cannot run from’, hmm?”

A snide grimace appeared on lips, “I’ve changed my mind. I no longer want to remain here, I wish to go with you.” 

Minho found himself nodding before he could mentally compartmentalize your request. He stood up to full length, hauling you up with him as he held onto your hands. “You don’t have to wish with me, Princess. I’m not Chris, a please will do just fine.” He sent you a cheeky wink. 

Your face began to burn and you cleared your throat, “Please, take me away from here Minho.” 

You squealed when you were suddenly lifted into his arms. Honestly at this point you should be used to it, seeing as this was the second time in twenty four hours. He let out a deep chuckle, his bunny teeth making him look extra youthful and making your heart beat faster. “Anything for you, Princess. Hang on tight.”

Minho held you in his arms as he sprinted faster than humanly possible to the portal of the fae wilds. So fast you could barely blink before you found yourself back at that mystical tree. Your nerves were on fire as he set you down by the tree and you found yourself doubting your decision. Was this the right call? Running away? Would you even be safe there? 

You steeled your nerves when you remembered Minho's presence with you. That’s right, you were safe. Minho promised he would be here for you. For some reason you can’t explain you trusted the fae man. A deep settled longing told you he was trustworthy. You only prayed your instincts didn’t let you down.

“Ready, Princess?” 

“Yes. Let’s go.” 

The sharp tingle had returned as well as the blinding array of colors that you had seen last time. Minho held onto you tightly as you were both transported into the next world. This time instead of landing on the path leading to the castle, you were now standing in the gardens beyond the castle. 

It was as dark and dazzling as you remembered it to be. The vibrant swirls of pinks, purples and blues lit up the otherwise black sky as billions of stars twinkled above. Now you knew this was not a dream. There is no possible way you can conceive something so spectacular and beautiful within your own mind alone. 

Peeling your eyes away from the splendor you looked back at Minho. He was also back to his more natural- more feral- form. The slitted pupils glowing and illuminating his features. Seeing him like this once again you’re beginning to think you prefer him like this. 

The fae had never looked away from you during all of this and caught the way you raked your gaze over him, smirking at the wonder that dazzled in your stare as you looked at him. “Something caught your eyes, Princess?” 

The embarrassment at having been noticed made your face feel inflamed and you turned away from him. “Of course, the sky is quite beautiful.” 

“Hmpf.” He chuckled, willing himself to not reach out and touch the heat in your cheeks. “It is, I suppose.” Instead he offered his arm and you accepted. “Would you care to see the gardens?” 

You nodded at his suggestion and he led you further into the grounds. Though it was dark here- naturally, of course, due to the court practically being a void in space-  it was lit beautifully by not only the constellations but also little twinkling lights that floated above the path, illuminating the many topiaries that littered the gardens. You remember getting a glance at a few of them from afar last time you were here but seeing them up close was a whole different experience. 

Each bush and tree were shaped and carved into magnificent creatures. Some you were familiar with; such as an elephant and a large wolf. Others not so much. These other animals were fierce looking, some even seeming like crossbreeds of different species, and other ones being completely new to you. 

Minho gave you small facts about some of the sculptures as you passed, telling you about the creatures they were modeled after and which court they hailed from. A few of your favorites were the Owlbear from the Spring Court and the Dragon from the Court of Flint and Flame- both being larger than life animals that you were fascinated by. 

A chill ran down your body due to the cold and you mentally cursed yourself for not bringing a cloak. You were only wearing the base layer of your dress, the material being thin and not suitable for the coldness of this court. Even though you were cold you chose not to bring it up, not wanting to appear weak or stupid to the fae.

Minho noticed how you began to shiver almost immediately. His senses were able to pick up on the subtle shaking, the vibrations in the air making his own hair stand up. He wanted to help you- to warm you- but he couldn’t place why. He has never given a shit about a human before, only seeing them as blundering fools and heathens. So why does he care now? Why did he bring you back here? Why did he promise to protect you? 

For the man it was unexplainable; the pull he felt towards you was incomprehensible. And while it bothered him to no end… he also kind of liked it. He would definitely need to unpack this inner turmoil later, but for now he had something else to occupy him. 

Silently the fae un-clipped the front of his dark cloak, swiftly throwing it over your shoulders. You were surprised by his sudden display, “Oh uh, why..?” 

Minho shrugged in nonchalance, putting his hands behind his head as he walked. “You were cold, were you not?” 

“Well, yes, but I canno-” 

“It is no trouble. My blood is naturally on the warmer side; a perk of being from the Summer Court. I am fine without the cloak.” When you opened your mouth to protest once again he put a finger to your lips and leaned in a little closer, making your heartbeat quicken substantially. “Hush now, just be grateful, yeah? I believe the words you're looking for are ‘Thank you Minho’,” 

His lazy grin and slightly condescending words were contradictory of each other and it made your head spin. A part of you wanted to snap back at him but the other part of you wanted to go along with him in spite of yourself. 

You found yourself nodding, “Thank you, Minho.” A flicker of embarrassment on your face. 

He gave your cheek a teasing pat, “You’re welcome.” Then he continued walking through the grounds. You glared slightly at the back of his head then scurried to keep up with him, not wanting to be left out here by yourself. 

“May I ask you a question, Minho?” You inquired, now keeping step with him. 

“You may.” He permitted. 

A reminder of Mara’s previous warnings rang through your mind, remembering how she said they may not be completely truthful. Even though ignoring the advice was most likely a mistake, you did not think Minho would twist his words with you. For some reason you trusted him. And you knew that would inevitably be your downfall. 

“I was told you all hail from different courts. I know Chris and Felix are from this court, Jisung is from the Court of Storms, and now you’ve said you are from the Summer Court. What about the other four princes?” 

Minho nodded, “Yes you remember correctly. Other than the crown princes we are all different. Hyunjin is from the Court of Flint and Flame. Don’t let his cool playfulness fool you, he can be quite hot headed when he wants to be. Seungmin is from the Autumn Court, a nosey bunch of fae that have an act for tricks.” He poked your nose playfully to prove his point, chuckling when you scrunched up your face. “Jeongin comes from the Sea foam court.” You recalled the shimmering scales that laid upon his cheeks and his serpent like pupils. “And Changbin is from the Spring Court. I don’t think you’ve met him yet. You’d like him, he's incredibly easy going. Spring fae usually are though. Sometimes to an annoying degree.” 

It was a lot to wrap your head around. Seven courts all coming to rule under one together. “How did so many of you come together to rule? If you're not from this court why are you now princes of it and no King?” 

“Chris and Felix did quite a bit of traveling back in the day. A few millennia ago they stumbled into our courts on their search for adventure. I met Chris when I was a part of a pirate crew created by the Crown Prince of the Summer court, the idiot almost caught the sharp end of my sword.” He snorted as he remembered it like it was yesterday. “After the death of the previous Queen, Chris was desperate to share the load that came with ruling. So he summoned his very best friends from across the wilds to come help him. It has only been a couple hundred years since then, though it seems like it was much longer.” 

 Minho stopped to gaze upon a large sculpted bush that again looked like nothing you had back in the mortal world. He looked deep in thought, a pensiveness gracing his features as he brushed the leaves slowly. From what you could see in his face, he looked kind of somber, like a well hidden sorrow was cracking though his hard shell ever so slightly. You looked up at the bush, understanding from context clues that this one had to be from the Summer Court.

“This beast seems very formidable.” Your voice broke him of his daze, making him drop his hand. 

“Yes, it is.” He smiles fondly at the sculpture. “Chimeras are one of the most fearsome creatures in all of the Summer Court. The deserts where I grew up were crawling with them.” 

“That seems like it would be terrifying, if I’m honest.” You replied, twisting your dress in your hands. 

Minho clicked his tongue and shrugged, “They can be. Head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a snake- quite a monstrous combination, hmm?” You nodded when he peered at you cheekily. “Every faerie dreads the day they come across the Chimera. Though being around them so much as a child I learned how to respect them. And how to tame one.” He winked, making you avert your eyes. He laughed at your reaction then reached for your arm again. “Let us continue.” 

You looped with him once more, “How would one go about taming a beast such as that? I cannot imagine it would be an easy feet.” 

“It certainly is not easy,” He began to explain while we turned a corner, “ It requires much patience and a shit ton of-” 

“Nggghhh, fuck.” 

Minho was cut off when you both had unknowingly walked into the most salacious situation. Your eyes grew wide as you took in the scene in front of you. Leaning against the hedges was a fae you had never seen. He had light fluffy pink hair and rosy cheeks, and his tunic was pulled up and the hem was held between his teeth. Kneeling before him was Hyunjin,the red haired fae’s face was buried into the pelvis of the pink haired man, drool dripping down his chin as he engulfed the man's member. The pink man was moaning and thrusting into Hyunjins mouth as he fisted the bright red locks. 

What the hell is he doing? 

At first you didn’t quite understand what you were seeing. Though by the lewd sounds emanating from them both you were beginning to. With a loud gasp you spun around quickly and your hands shot to cover your eyes. “Oh my god.” 

Minho gave the two an unimpressed look, a hand on his hip and his head cocked. “Thrice in a day is crazy, even for you two.” 

Hyunjin popped off of Changbin, wiping his face with the back of his hand, the other coming up to keep stroking the elder. “Hi Min,” He giggled then saw you standing there, albeit turned around. “Ooooo, hi pretty human! Welcome back.” 

“The human is here?” Changbin looked over at you and dropped his shirt. 

“Mmhmm,” Hyunjin hummed, “Isn’t she a cutie pie, Binnie?” 

“Can’t tell, she’s turned around.” He huffed, a light moan escaping him. 

You kept your front hidden, much too ashamed at what you had witnessed to turn around. You felt hands on your shoulders spin you around but you still hid your face. 

“Princess, what’s wrong? Are you ill?” Minho asked. He did not know the reasoning for your sudden shock. 

You shook your head violently, still refusing to meet anyone's gaze. “N-no I am not ill. Though I think I might be after witnessing that.” You mumbled that last part. 

Minho took your hands and almost forcibly brought them down, his stare scrutinizing and the glow getting brighter. He didn’t know what was wrong with you, why you were behaving so strangely all of a sudden. The fae racked his brain trying to determine what the issue was when it finally occurred to him; humans are shy when it comes to sex. 

“Oh I see,” He cooed, finding you more adorable than ever before. He cupped your cheeks making your head tilt up to look at him, “It’s ok, Princess. The boys were just messing around.” He snapped his head over to look at the two younger boys, “Bin, pull your pants back up, have some fucking decency.” 

The two rolled their eyes but did as Minho requested. Hyunjin stood up and dusted his knees off, then sauntered over to you, pulling you from Minho and into his embrace. You yelped at how hot his touch was, the heat burning your skin slightly. “Come here! Meet Bin!” 

You didn’t have a choice as you were tugged along by Hyunjin, your whole body a flame now. If you were cold before that was long gone. 

“Channngbinnn, this is Y/n. Now isn’t she cute?!” He pushed you into Changbin, who caught you with a laugh. 

“She sure is! Hi dear, I’m Changbin. I’ve heard soooo much about you.” You did not miss the sly smirk he sent towards Minho. 

Minho felt a delicate fury begin to form within him as he observed the other princes handle you and tug you along, their hands on you making his own ball up. He did not like the idea of anyone else touching you or making you uncomfortable. Another thing he needed to work through mentally. 

Small shakes were wracking you still, as you could not get over your embarrassment at walking into something so intimate. “I am so sorry.” You couldn’t help but apologize, bowing your head deeply in shame. 

Hyunjin and Changbin exchanged confused looks, “Uhh, for what?” 

You balked at them, “ For witnessing your private intimacy and for seeing your..” 

“My dick?” Changbin finished for you, making you wince at his crude language but nod nonetheless. All three of the men laughed at your expression, making you feel incredibly self conscious under their scrutiny. Thankfully Changbin had at least put his trousers back on. He bopped you on the nose. “You’re a funny little thing, acting like you’ve never seen a dick before.” 

“Well I-” You stammered, unable to meet his warm brown eyes, “Of course I have not. That would be most improper for a woman to bear witness to a mans.. Genitals. That is saved for a marriage bed exclusively.” 

Hyunjin snorted from beside you, “What does marriage have to do with sex?” 

“Everything. It is sinful and immoral to engage in such activities before marriage. What would your future spouse think when they find out you are tainted?” It certainly had not occurred to you how harsh and judgmental you were being but the slight narrow of Hyunjins eyes at you had you rethinking it all. 

“Sinful and immoral, huh?” The red head slinked closer to you and leaned in close to your face, making you lean back into the muscle-y fae behind you. “If that is what you boring little mortals think then I must just be the devil to you huh?” The magenta hue of his irises were shining with mischief. 

“No, that is not what I meant.” You tried to protest, being sincere with him but it did nothing to quell the small touch of fright. You were starting to remember how scary these beings could be, your heart picking up in speed and thumping in your chest quickly. 

Changbin tsked and ran his fingers along your spine, “Ease up, Jinnie. She didn’t mean any harm, right lovely?” 

“Of course not.” You agreed with him but Hyunjin was not deterred. 

“Mm, I don’t knooooooow,” He dragged on, “I think she’s being a little fucking rude, a little too bold for a measly little human.” Hyunjin acted like he was going to nip at your nose, making you shriek. 

Before he actually could though, Minho had had enough of your turmoil, swooping in and effectively pulling you away from the two boys, “And I think you need to cool off, Hyune.” Minho flicked him on the forehead. Minho held you to his chest, away from the other two. You clutched his shirt tightly in your fists. 

“Ouch!” Steam blew out of the red heads' nostrils in anger. 

Changbin could see how worked up his fellow prince was becoming and as a lover and not a fighter he used one of his gifts from his court to produce a flower from behind Hyunjins ear- a dainty orange poppy. “Here Hyunnie, for youuuu.” 

You watched in awe as the fury melted off of Hyunjin instantly, his bright smile coming back as if it had never left in the first place. “Aww Binnie, thank you!” He then smothered the pink haired man in heated kisses. 

“See what I mean about Jinnie being a little hot headed?” Minho whispered to you, already leading you away from the obscenity that was starting again. You were grateful for Minho, saving you from another unsavory situation. His presence was comforting to you.

You nodded, refusing to look back as you heard the slick sounds and groaning pick up again. “Do they do that a lot?” 

“Sexual intercourse is not frowned upon here like it is where you are from. Princess.” Minho shrugged, you noticed he did that a lot. “The fae take great pride in their sexual prowess. It is not as serious as you make it out to be.” 

That is what you could not wrap your head around. “How is giving yourself wholly to another person not serious?” 

“It can be, if you’re in love with the being your fucking.” There was that crude language again, though from Minho it didn’t make you feel gross like it had from Changbin. No, it made a slight tingle alight within you. 

“And are they? In love, I mean.” 

“More than they let on.” He hummed. “Those two love each other with their whole being yet I do not believe either has said it explicitly. Instead they show it by dirting every part of this castle.” 

“Just out in the open like that?” The cringe on your face made him chuckle and pat your head.

“Faeries usually do not care where they are or who’s around, if the urge strikes they give in to their temptations. And that does not just apply to sex, I’m sure you can assume some of the other ways.” 

You knew he was referring to the human torture, a shudder making you pull your cloak closer. Your mind went to Seungmin and Jeongin, how they laughed at your fear. Your mind also went to Chris and how he said human lives are unimportant. A part of you wished to see him again, another did not. 

Minho led you out of the gardens and to a back entrance to the castle. As if hearing your thoughts, there was a figure standing at the top of the stairway leading into the building. His face was soft and he looked like he was starstruck as he saw you here, in his court. 

“Princess.” He breathed. 

as always comments and reblogs are encouraged and appreciated 💖 please share your thoughts i love to hear them

beta read by my loves @jehhskz and @athforskz 💜

©doitforbangchan 2024

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[nonexistent-alfa]

So it's basically confirmed that the Thames household and the Archduke's House of Snow are related? Because I 200% believe they are. Dennis basically confirms it when he recalls the portraits of the last Archduke's family. The youngest young master of that family was speculated to have survived and gone into hiding and continued his lineage somewhere. Now, that happened 200 years ago.

What if the youngest young master of the Archduke's House of Snow fled to a different dimension when his family was annihilated by the Purple Bloods. A dimension which we know as Nameless 1? Of course a fugitive like him wouldn't have continued with the Snow family name. So he started his family of Thames. (Gasp- what if the youngest young master's name was Thames Snow? Or maybe someone else in his family was named Thames whom he named his new family after?) It makes sense because we don't know exactly how far the Thames family's history goes. All the noble households in the kingdoms don't necessarily have to have a history as old as the royal family. The Thames and Snow families both being famous for their red hair is a detail that I don't think Yoo Ryeo Han-nim would have included without deeper intentions.

With that in mind I went back to the chapter where Cale exchanged words with fake Hilsman and... It kinda shook my belief that the Thames are the Red Bloods. Even though I thought before that it's gonna be the same as the Dabi-Touya reveal. But Fake Hilsman admits that he is not a Hunter and seems to have grudge against the Hunters.

In fact he says "anyone with Thames blood should loathe the Hunters". That it'd be a shame if Cale didn't have the drive to annihilate the Hunters. If we think of it in relation to the Archduke's House of Snow and go with the theory that the House of Snow is the predecessor of House of Thames, then it makes sense for the Thames to loathe the Hunters (Purple Bloods) who almost wiped out their ancestors.

Okay, let's make a list of things we know so far in relation to this topic

The Thames household perished when Jour Thames was young. The young Jour, the conscience in the half of Jour's ancient power presumed to be in her mid teens by Cale, says "so I really did end up alone" when she reads the diary of her older self. Which means the Thames household perished sometime after that, but still before she graduated from Academy because that's where she met Deruth and Deruth says the Thames had perished since before he met her. So within that short timeframe of Jour's mid-to-late teens, the Thames household perished (or went into hiding more likely).

Zed Crossman, who became king at a young age, helped erase the records of the Thames household. It's also speculated that Alberu's mom died because of the Hunters. Well, it's only Cale's speculation but it's a highly likely possibility.

After disappearing from the royal palace after it was attacked, Zed has been dimension hopping??? Because God of Death can't track him down because his location keeps changing. Is he the one chasing or being chased? Whichever it may be, I think the answer is pretty clear as to who his enemy is.

I think it's the Five coloured household. They're the only ones who don't have a home base unlike the other households so if Zed is the one doing the hunting then it makes sense for him to be running around. The Black Bloods patriarch said the ones responsible for the incident at the royal palace were the Five-coloured before dying. So if Zed is the one being hunted, it also points towards the same household.

Additionally, Fake Hilsman said there were Hunters present at the Puzzle city battlefield where the Sealed God's temple appeared. Cale noticed a couple of strong individuals recruited by his father were missing at that point. Safe to conclude those were also the wanderers of the Five coloured household.

The Hunter household known as Red Bloods which is thought to be perished is extremely important in all of this since (and this is a spoiler even to myself) Jour's presumed brother (the fake Hilsman), who is a Thames himself, and Cotton (God of War's holy maiden) are looking for them. Choi Jung Gun also told Cale to look for them in the Sloth test.

Which reminds me of the other source of information in Cale's inventory. The white mask worn by the White Star. His ancient powers were Embraced in that mask by Cale. If he only wishes, he could talk to White Star's conscience in the ancient powers, which I don't believe would have disappeared with his soul. He could ask White Star about how the Thames perished.

But, from what we can gather from all this is that the Thames (and Snow) are likely not Red Bloods.

[afterartist]

HELICALTALE MAIN CAST LINEUP!!

(Not ll of the characters but the most important ones to the plot)

‘And now: AU Infodump

BUT BEFORE ANYTHING!!

I will be answering any questions (within reason) any of you have about the au, even if it’s about some random side character only three people have ever heard of before

I live world building and any chance to expand on this world are treasured

I’ll probably answer with fun little doodles as well lol

So ask away :D!!

Basic AU overview:

Helicaltale is NOT a classic based Timeline.

The AU is set in a world where Mt Ebott was destroyed during the war, leaving a desert crater in its place, no protection for the Monsters to retreat and nowhere to seal them underground. In response, the Human mages put a spell on Monster kind, ‘Helios’ Curse’, forcing them to be unable to touch sunlight or else they’d burn (think Vampires or Minecraft Mobs)

The main story takes place 87 years after the war ended and 29 years after friendly communications between the two races begun, with the Monsters settled in a camp like city, made of tents and canvas buildings, around the oasis that formed in the desert that was now known as Ebott crater. Humans and Monsters have achieved peace between the races, regular trading routes and communications set up between the two cities.

Now all that was left was for both Humans and Monsters to find a way to break Helios’ Curse for good.

(None of them can touch Sunlight (minus the humans) but the ones more lightly dressed (Gaster, Alphys, Asgore) all live in the city, with proper buildings not at risk of being blown over at any second so can afford to not be covered up 100% of the time)

Locations:

Ebott City-

The capital city of the country, Ebott is a massive human settlement, overshadowing old ruins left by the war. It’s currently the main base of conferences between human and monster relations.

The Oasis-

The Monster settlement, made from tents and interconnecting canvas sheets, from above it looks like a colourful cluster of a campground, large sheets stretched over the streets. From within it’s only lit by lamps and magic, the sky completely blocked out by tarps and canvas to avoid accidentally getting burned by sunlight, to those not familiar with the city it’s a labyrinth, others, its home.

(A major inspiration for the Oasis is the Kowloon walled city, for those interested in a more accurate visual of the Oasis)

The Great Fence-

While the name conveys grandeur, the fence is a simple chain link fence acting as the border around the entire Oasis, topped with barbed wire and adorned with tarps, it’s designed to protect the residents against wild animals like Coyotes and be a barrier against sandstorms more than it is to keep people out, one of the most regular jobs for the Royal guard other than being general peace keepers is to uphold the fence, often sending patrols out after heavy storms to keep everything in order.

Central Oasis-

A mix between Newhome and Waterfall, it’s the main hub of the town, the Royal family living there along with the majority of schools and recreational areas, most Water based monsters (ie: Shyren, Aaron ect ect) also live in this area, a large lake of water being the centerpiece of the city.

Lights district-

To the west side of the city is the main shopping hub, while much more open than the majority of the Oasis, many stores foregoing walls on their tents entirely, its full of stores and restaurants, the most well known being Grillby’s and Muffets joint restaurant, many visitors to the Oasis come for the night life of the lights district, the monsters that live in that area making the camp around them as flashy and attractive as possible, neon lights and dancing flames lighting up the darkness of the district, the Celebrities Mettaton and Nabstablook have also been alluded to frequent the region and perform for onlookers.

Sandbank-

The Snowden equivalent of the AU, having gotten its name due to its position at the east side of the city, being the least protected by the walls of the crater, Sandbank often gets the brunt of the sandstorms that hit the desert, leading many of the Royal Guards live in this area in case of an emergency during the storms.

Southside (the Black Market)-

Technically not its official name, the Southside of the Oasis is whispered about in the dark of night, rumours telling of an illegal market place and shady monsters working in the south, many a monster wandering in and never coming out. While most likely just old wives tales, its best you keep your distance, just in case.

(Yeah I made the Black Market an actual real marketplace because that will never not be funny to me)

Hotlands-

The north most section of the Oasis is best known as Hotlands, given the name as it’s the highest section of city but also the most shielded by the crater walls, leaving it boiling without any wind to seep out the heat’. There’s been speculation that Hotlands actually sits over an underground chamber of magma, adding to the blistering temperature.

Characters:

The Dreemurrs:

Frisk- (Any Pronouns)

Frisk is an 11 year old kid, a runaway from one of Ebott City’s Orphanages, known for its less than legal treatment of the children. Having joined Chara as the eldest helped them both escape, Frisk followed Chara into the desert, looking for shelter from CPS.

During the trek however Frisk falls sick with an illness, most common in Monsters but able to infect anyone with strong magic, called Icarus syndrome.

With Icarus syndrome being effectively Hyperthermia of the soul, any physical treatment is ineffective, needing a particular medication to have any hope of survival, leaving the crater as not just refuge but possibly their only chance of survival.

Chara- (They/Them)

Chara is 16 and the orchestrator of the escape from the Orphanage with Frisk, after having been in contact online with a kid from the Monster camp that offered assistance. During the escape Frisk fell ill, forcing Chara to locate and purchase the rare medicine. Ending up in the Monster equivalent of the black market, Chara found a monster begrudgingly willing to help, trading a magical glass eye, a prosthetic their grandfather made for both humans and monsters during the war, for a small vial of medicine. The trader warning them to keep out of the black market before dropping the two kids off safely at the center of the Oasis.

Asriel- (He/Him)

Asriel is the firstborn son of the Dreemurrs and heir to the Royal throne, at 16 he made contact and became friends with a kid online, the other telling him of the danger they and their sibling were in at the Orphanage. Quickly offering up his home, knowing both his parents had fostered and cared for many children in the past and wouldn’t turn away two more. Upon meeting them in the Oasis he makes fast friends with both Frisk and Chara, practically adopting them as siblings on the spot.

Toriel- (She/Her)

Queen of the Oasis at 143 years old, Toriel has seen her fair share of bloodshed and peacetime, giving her the knowledge to recognise that protecting young children is the best way to ensure their future, guiding them to Mercy and pragmatic solutions instead of Fighting. One of the first things she did after Monsters had finally settled into the Oasis being starting up a school, becoming the primary teacher for a good few years before other parents eventually began to join her staff. Though, with the two new children her son had brought to her doorstep, she’s begun to realise it’s not just the children of Monster kind that need protection.

Asgore- (He/Him)

King of the Oasis and 146 years old, Asgore grew up at the front lines of the war, the heinous acts shaping him into the pacifist he is today. Currently away from the Oasis, Asgore has turned his sights on communications with the Humans, staying at the city while conferences with the city leaders on trade routes and transportation commence. He is also overseeing the Monster half of the Science team, working closely with the Royal Advisor and Scientists Gaster in developing a cure to Helios’ Curse. He remains in frequent contact with the Oasis, making the trip back every weekend to see his now growing family and make sure Toriel isn’t overwhelmed with responsibilities.

-

The Fonts:

Dr. Gaster- (He/Him)

At 140, Gaster has spent his life developing weapons for war (the Gaster Blaster being his pride and joy) and perseverance for Monster Kind, having a massive distaste for all Humans and most Monsters. The sudden change from war efforts to restoration efforts throwing his life in disarray. Jumping at the chance to use Human equipment on government funded experiments, Gaster didn’t hesitate to leave his sons Sans and Papyrus (9 and 4 at the time) back at the Oasis to move to the city and begin work. He’s had a hand in creating many inventions helping Monster kind (both helping with the medicine for Icarus Syndrome and a magic Sunscreen that can briefly minimise the effects of the sun) and the head of the Selene Project, the project to break the curse.

Sans- (He/Him)

28 and thriving, Sans has made a name for himself as both the comedic slacker of the Royal guard and the savvy businessman as one of the Black Markets best traders. Having been forced to raise both himself and Papyrus from a young age, Sans became intwined with the black market at the age of 12, after Papyrus caught Icarus Syndrome and receiving no help from Gaster off in the city, Sans was forced to find his own way of getting medication. At the age of 12 he found his way into the black market, ending up trading his right eye, and subsequently some of his shortcut abilities with an underground doctor in exchange for the medicine, to this day he hasn’t told anyone what happened to his eye. From then on he found himself going back and getting into trading as a way of making money as a side job while both he and Papyrus worked to get into the Royal guard, quickly becoming infamous in the criminal world of the Oasis, though he had a rule that no kids were to ever be found trading in the market. A rule that quickly got broken when a young human kid stumbled into his shop, begging for help, offering a magic glass eye as payment. Unable to send the kid off without help (or turn down the irony of selling the meds for an eye) he made the trade before guiding the kid and their sibling to the Oasis center.

-

(Bonus:)

After dropping the kids off, Sans makes an attempt to use the prosthetic eye, yet upon fitting it into his socket, the magic activated and bonded with his soul, causing the eye to become fused with his being, immovable. Along with the eye he’s suddenly able to see things he, by all means, should NOT be able to see, including text bubbles from the creators (similar to error sans)

He also finds, magically in his pocket, a small golden key, only figuring out its use after stumbling across a door in the middle of nowhere, upon using the key on the door he finds himself in an entirely different AU, door closing and disappearing behind him.

This is what leads him to discover the Multiverse and travel between AUs (inconveniently ending up in Nightmares Castle more times than he’d care to count)

-

Papyrus- (He/Him)

The Great Papyrus, second in command of the Royal guard at the younge age of 23 (you may applaud now)

Having grown up with just himself and Sans, Papyrus always wanted to become something great to make his brother proud, despite Sans’ insistence that he’s already proud of him. When he was 13, while Sans was out getting food, Papyrus had been targeted and hunted down by a group of bullies from the Southside of town, the group of teens taking turns in beating him up, eventually escalating to the point where one of them pulled a mirror from their pocket and used it to reflect a beam of sun directly onto his face, leaving a permanent scar,

He was saved however, when a teen he recognised from the Oasis center came charging out from one of the nearby tents, picking up handfuls of sand and hurtling it at the other kids before beating them up with her fists alone. Once over, the girl had turned, helped Papyrus up and took him to see her grandfather, the current head of the Royal Guard, a job she loudly proclaimed she was going to have one day,

Ever since then he attempted and eventually got into the Royal guard, along with Sans and the teen, Undyne.

-

Gersons:

Undyne- (She/Her)

29, Captain of the Royal Guard, Wife of the best woman around, living the high life! Having been raised by her grandfather Gerson for longer than she could remember, she’s always looked up to the Royal Guard, no matter how her Grandfather told her it wasn’t all glory. She’d been sneaking out and training with one of the Royal Guards for 8 years by the time she was 19, stumbling across a fight, six of her classmates beating down on a young skeleton. She’d jumped to defense before she’d even registered it, helping the kid up and getting him patched up where eventually the kids brother, Sans, one of Alphys’ friends found them and thanked her profusely.

The three became fast friends, practically siblings, both of them there at her and Alphys’ wedding and her promotion to Captain of the Royal guard.

Alphys- (She/They)

27 and already one of the best Scientists in the whole country. Alphys’ having grown up in Hotlands would have never dared to dream she’d be working with a whole team of like minded scientists, especially not in the human city, though not being able to see her Wife as often was a dampener. Dr. Gaster was also a bit, overzealous, with the project, it was only a matter of time before the madman created some temporal superflux that blew up half the block, even if she wouldn’t be anywhere near as prestigious without his guidance, despite Sans’ reservations for letting them near him.

(I will be adding more to this AU btw, it’s in my top 3 faves lmao)

Bonus:

Animation I’ve done for Helical Sans to explain how his AU hopping works

[mh073099]

Can I please give some advice for these tags?

Recruits don’t get to just work with highly specialized tasks forces okay? Recruits are people who are new to the military as a whole, in boot camp, they aren’t even considered to be in the military by other personnel until AFTER they graduate boot camp. And then there are special schools and more training for their specific jobs. A recruit is a baby in the military they know nothing! These men wouldn’t ever look twice at anyone lower than an E4 rank, let alone a recruit and E0… recruits are rats. Trash. Nothing. I mean yes they are people but recruits are stripped down to nothing and built back up into self disciplineed highly motivated people. That’s the process a recruit goes into. Then it’s onto schools and more training and experience before EVER getting picked for something like this. So when I constantly read X reader where reader is a recruit trying to get into a HIGHLY COMPETITIVE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TASK FORCE THAT IS BASICALLY THE EQUIVALENT OF A BRITISH SEAL TEAM 6 ….well let’s just say I cringe and chuckle.

A task force like this would only have NCOs, non commissioned officers and ranks higher, that’s a minimum E4 (ranks start at E1- and E0 is a recruit) and even E4s are unlikely. Gaz and Soap are E5, seargents. A minimum 6 years already dedicated to the military before jointing the task force. also lieutenant and officer ranks star with O, like O1 which is a second lieutenant O2 which is a 1st lieutenant, John price himself is an O3, a captain.

A task force is looking for experience and special skills learned in special training schools. When the Reader in this fic is training to be in these task forces, they should be already in the military, and have experience at least a corporal or a specialist, or a petty officer(im from the US though) In the British royal army, it goes private then lance corporal then corporal then sergeant. I read somewhere it takes 6 to 8 years to make sergeant in the British royal army, is to keep these fics factual, the reader training to be in the task force should already have years of training, working in a special training school to join the task force and should be a higher rank then a recruit.

I love all the writing here, I honestly do. But I also like writing that is factually correct. And it’s small thinks like this that can improve our writing skills, just trying to understand and research more about what you’re writing. Honestly, if anyone has more questions on how the military works I can answer them.

And before y’all come for me about being pro military, I’m a military brat. I grew up on bases my whole life, my personal opinions on it are my own, but I was definitely exposed to this environment and have a unique perspective to an enlisted life as a child of a service member. I’m just trying to help and let y’all know…

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Rsa vs Nrc

Riddle vs Alex ( twst Alice Leddle )

Crewel daughter and Riddle are together in town and talking about something they both can relate, as in art and history and Crewel stay closed to Riddle

Malleus + Disomia vs Price Phillips ( twst of that price from sleeping beauty)

Crewel daughter invited Malleus and his friends/bodyguards as she needs help as she have a client of a foreign land to asked to restore agroot ( decorative gargoyle) and needed his help on stone materials that are uncommonly used and she feels very uncomfortable around the human prince for obvious reasons

Idia vs Heracles ( twst of Heracles)

Crewel daughter and Idia are getting some new video games to play together ( legs say Crewle daughter is a secretly a gamer and otaku because y not? ) And she is off putting with Idia cousin and prefer to hangout with the recluse as he's more interesting to be around

RSA vs NRC w/ Crewel Daughter | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

Riddle Rosehearts vs Alix Lidwelle

“As the rules state: on the designated day we shall be in attendance of the latest additions of Art in all of Twisted Wonderland.”

“And as the rules state: on the designated day we will devote are time to one another and our enjoyment to Art!” 

This is the closest Riddle equates to being a fan of anything

Its one thing to have a textbook based knowledge on images

Than to be with (Y/n) Crewel as she tilts her head at world renowned paintings

“Based.”

“Based? Why?”

“I don’t like the vibe I’m getting.”

There was nothing he loved more than looking at art with you

So much so that he even made it a rule that you two travel to different art museums together

If anything this was his day

That is until he sealed the deal…but until then this a thing

Our thing 

Now its almost ruined when the blonde comes skipping in you two’s direction

“What’ya guys doing?”

He can explain or rather you can since the student isn’t even looking at him to answer

“We are carrying out a tradition that we have done for years.”

“Tradition? That sounds..kindof boring? But you can join me for some tea if you want a break at least.”

“Tea but it isn’t even ti-”

“Come on (Y/n)!! Besides why would you want to follow the rules on a lovely day like this?”

HOW DARE HE!?

If his respect for the arts and your non reaction he would have lit the blonde on fire

Better yet behead that arrogant, stupid, idiotic–

“No. I enjoy traditions and its a shame you don’t seem to respect that.”

“W-what?!”

“Come on Riddle we have seven hours left on our ticket. Let’s not waste anymore time.”

“I agree.”

Riddle delights in the red that over takes Alix’s cheeks

And the stomping feet as he prepares to throw a tantrum

The prefect sticks a tongue out from behind your back

Smirking as he offers his arm

“Shall we commence on our adventure on the designated day?”

“As the rules state it, we shall.”

Malleus Draconia vs Prince Paul w/ Restoration Crewel Daughter Reader

You are quieter soul 

Opting to work in the silence as you restore and refurbish antiques

That’s probably why you get nervous about accepting a job at the Royal Sword Academy

So you bring support 

And who better than the one fae who enjoys gargoyles and you+

So you’ll invite him with you and he’s glowing with happiness

An invitation!

From his beloved no less 

You selfishly are quite grateful that he’s a people deterrent

Able to work on your work in peace 

That is until Paul comes

“The sound of such lovely sounds!”

“W-what?”

“Ah, and a beauty is the maker! You’ve entranced me with your sounds–”

“Sir, I don’t really–”

“But alas I have yet to introduce myself! Woe is me! The me being Paul Phillip, it has been to long since I–”

“Oh and your just going to keep talking, great.”

But leave it to your resident guard dragon to swoop in and save you

“Ah the Prince of Briar Valley what a surprise to see you here!”

“My mate…friend is uncomfortable with your presence.”

“But she hasn’t-”

“Go now.”

Be sure to convince him not to go full dragon on him

Smile and thank him 

And he’s happy 

Gargoyles, (Y/n), crushing his rivals, and courting (Y/n)

Its all the great and good times

Now you know you can trust him to protect you

Lilia says that will be enough to proves you

Aww and he was looking forward to deliver a blooody head

Idia Shroud vs Huckman  

You’re no gamer 

But your naturally skilled at everything you touch 

A perfect accessory to Idia’s high-level for multikills 

“You have three hours to beat the level, Idia don’t waste it shuddering in the corner.”

“Y-Y-YES MISTRESS!”

Once he gets in his groove your plowing through 

And since your actually lasor focused on the game

You don’t notice the way he focuses on your features

Just inches away the lips he’d dreamed of being graced with touch at the very least was so close

If he could just pretend to–

SLAM

“Whoops sorry cousin about your door.”

“Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!”

“Quiet! I’m nearly there!”

He’ll play possum as his cousin insistently shakes him

“Hey i know your not actually dead. Idia? Idia?”

Its you that intervenes making his heart go: Doki doki!

“Retriever boy leave for now I’ll deal with you later. I need him in peak condition for the next hour I’ve granted him.”

He snaps to your side immediately

Keeping his eyes glued to the screen as his cousin let’s himself out

"T-thanks!"

Now which tech-terror will he send to make sure ‘later’ never happens

[jungle-angel]

A King's Home Is His Castle (Admiral!Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: You and Bob have worked so hard to build lives for yourselves and for your family and despite what others say, home will always be a special place for you, Bob and your little ones.

Warnings: Misogynistic remarks from a Naval officer, language, Admiral Bob popping off and pulling rank etc.

Tagging: @bradleybeachbabe @sebsxphia @floralfloyd and any other mutuals who have kept me going since day one. Guys, this is for you

Bob couldn't really stand having to go to half of these Navy functions, especially now since the weather was shitty and everyone was coming down with seasonal illnesses. Already he could feel the onset of it, the scratchiness in his throat, the body aches and pains, the swollen nodes in his neck and the achy wetness that had settled in his chest.

The last place Bob had wanted to be was at the Seaport Hotel, his clammy skin pricking with goosebumps under his Navy dress blacks as the snow had begun to fall. In he went, heading to the ballroom where all the other Navymen and women had gathered to celebrate Cyclone's birthday. Good God he felt terrible, just plain sick and terrible.

"Admiral Floyd!" boomed a gravely, deep voice. "Good to see you."

"Admiral Hauser," Bob greeted, shaking his hand. "Likewise."

"How's the family?"

"Never better," Bob said with a smile. "(Y/N) and I are excited, we've got a new little one due in a month."

"Good on ya kid," Admiral Hauser replied. "I'll see if I can bring back a case of cigars from Southeast Asia when my carrier crew ships out for duty."

"Oh that's right," Bob said, suddenly remembering. "You're training with the Royal Thai Navy SEALS aren't you?"

"None other," Admiral Hauser chuckled. "Admiral Nataya said he wants his units in shape for duty and that's what we're gonna do."

Bob and Admiral Hauser shared a few good laughs, but it couldn't do much to suppress the annoying tickle in his throat.

"Jeez Bob, you look like hell," Jake remarked.

"I feel like it," Bob answered, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "I think Auggie caught something at school and brought it home."

"Uh oh, speaking of diseases," Jake muttered under his breath. "Here comes one right now."

"Oh God no," Bob whispered.

Sure enough it was, Admiral Terrance Hamilton, the bane of the unit's existence. Bob couldn't stand the prick for the life of him let alone work with him. The shithead had already gone completely grey, the results of self-induced stress and problems that had been of his own creation. A bore to the enth degree, Admiral Hamilton talked excessively of finance, a hobby of his that seemed to overtake his mind, a man unable to understand the outside interests of others. He had profusely made fun of Bob for enjoying books that weren't about hard, cut and dry facts and couldn't stand the fact that Bob and the other Daggers had chosen to send their children to a school where creativity and imagination were the prime focus of the curriculum. Hell, Hamilton had even gone so far as to make lewd and rather unseemly jokes about (Y/N) Floyd, Bob's beloved wife and the mother of his children. Bob could practically smell the arrogance radiating off the man as he approached, the self-righteous gleam in his eyes and the stiffness of his perfectly pressed Navy dress blacks.

"Admiral Floyd," Hamilton greeted, shaking Bob's hand.

"Admiral Hamilton," Bob said with a rather curt politeness. "How are you?"

Hamilton replied with only a scoffing chuckle. "How do you think I'm doing?" he questioned. "I've been dealing with a passive aggressive woman who can't seem to wrap her head around what's going on lately."

Bob only nodded and gave him a polite smile. He could feel the cold negativity creeping in under his skin. "Sorry to hear that," was all Bob said.

"Ah, there's nothing that can be done," Hamilton answered with a wave of his hand. "How about the wife?"

"We're uh.....we're getting ready for a new baby in the family," Bob told him. "This is our fourth."

"Hah!" Hamilton laughed. "Must be doing something right if you can keep her full of you."

Bob and Jake cast a glance at each other, scrunching their eyebrows together. "I beg your pardon sir?" Bob asked.

"Can't keep her off you huh?" Hamilton said with a chuckle. "Sweet and demure on the outside but a fiend in the bedroom?"

"Sir I'm sorry but I don't....."

"It's a joke," Hamilton cut in.

"Doesn't seem like a joke to me," Jake said rather coldly.

"Oh c'mon Seresin," Hamilton chuckled. "Laugh a little bit. That's not the worst you've heard I'm sure."

Bob could feel the heat filling his face and something coiling in his chest. The audacity of this man.....the pure, sheer audacity to make those remarks and in public of all places!

"So I hear the boy's in school huh?" Hamilton enquired.

"Yes," Bob answered, swirling the amber whiskey and half melted ice cubes in his glass. "Just started the kindergarten program at the Waldorf school near where we live. The rest of the squad's kids are in his class as well."

"One of those hippie schools I presume," Hamilton said, scoffing a little. "If I had kids I wouldn't pay to have them waste their education on art and music."

Oh now he was getting mad. Bob knew that there was nothing worse in the world than feeling sick and angry all at once. He couldn't tell if it was heat from his sore throat or from the anger that boiled in his blood, but something was about to boil over.

"You said your on what? Your fourth kid too?"

"Yes."

"Jeez," Hamilton sniffed. "I'd have no patience for that, a bunch of kids running around the house screaming, talking back and being undisciplined. And let me guess, your little wifey wants a whole baseball team?"

That was it......that was officially the straw that had broken the camel's back. Jake saw a flash in Bob's eyes as Bob calmly took a sip of his whiskey, never once breaking eye contact with the slimy little twerp.

"Let me tell you something Admiral Hamilton.....Sir," Bob said, sharply emphasizing the last word. "Do you have any idea what family actually means or are you just that blind and ignorant?"

"Sorry?"

"You have no idea what (y/n) and I have been through in our eight years of marriage so far," Bob said icily. "You don't have a clue what we've both given up to be together and to build the lives we have now. In fact I think you might be a little bit jealous."

"Jealous?" Hamilton questioned.

"Yes, jealous," Bob answered sharply. "Because you walked all over the people who have tried to help you, the very same people you deemed to be out to get you because you always thought you were in the right about everything."

"Admiral Floyd, I....I never...." Hamilton chuckled nervously.

"And another thing too," Bob interrupted. "You've always been jealous of what everybody else has. I've heard you, day after day complain about people that are married, have kids or have this or that. Don't think I haven't heard you complain about Lieutenant Avery and her wife celebrating fifteen years together or Lieutenant Parker and his husband finally adopting a kid they've been fighting for, for the last year and a half or even Admiral Seresin and his wife, Rachel, celebrating their own wedding anniversary."

Admiral Hamilton simply froze, a dead look in his eyes and unable to speak.

"One more thing," Bob said, the heated hardness in his tone becoming obvious. "If I ever and I mean ever.......catch you making unseemly remarks about my wife or any of the other Navy wives every again, I'll make sure that your Navy career is ruined and that your reputation has a huge yellow stain. Hell, that might even be a good nickname for you, now that I think about it. How do you like that Admiral Seresin?

"I'm starting to think that's not such a bad idea," Jake said with a huge, shit-eating grin crawling across his face. "Old Yellow-Stain....it's got a nice ring to it."

He could see that Hamilton was fuming, Bob having hit him right where it hurt the most.

"You think you're better than everybody else don't you?" Hamilton fumed. "If it's one think I can't stand it's privleged little pricks who think they're better than everybody else."

"So you?" Bob questioned, raising his eyebrows.

Hamilton's face began to turn bright red.

"Sorry Admiral," Bob said, his cheeky, lopsided grin forming on his face. "But the only person you're hurting is yourself."

Oh could he feel the anger beginning to radiate from the insulted Admiral, his eyes were like ice, his eyebrows turned down in a scowl that would have a brand new seaman running scared.

"So might I propose a toast," Bob said. "To Admiral Hamilton, the greatest insult to the Navy since Admiral Richmond K. Turner."

It was a split second before Bob flung the remaining whiskey in his glass into Hamilton's face, the slimy gimp's jaw hanging open in shock as the amber liquid ran down his face and dripped onto his dress uniform. Admiral Hamilton huffed and stormed off, leaving the ballroom and the two other higher ranking Admirals in his wake.

"Well that went over like a fart during Christmas Mass," Jake laughed.

Bob laughed but it was interrupted by a bone cracking wet cough.

"Alright," Jake said. "What do you say we stay for the cutting of the cake and then go home?"

Bob grimaced and nodded, trying to take in a breath. They stayed just a little while longer before at last, they were able to jump in Jake's truck and head for home.

The snow was coming down a little bit harder, the plows just having gone by and the heat blasting as music played from Jake's phone in the cupholder.

"Nice pop-off by the way," Jake chuckled.

"That actually felt really good," Bob laughed.

"You got nasty though! I'm proud!" Jake exclaimed.

They laughed the whole way home until Jake pulled in the driveway, the two huge Victorian homes side by side in what was known as "Admiral's Village". Bob gathered his cap and walked along the sidewalk, up the path and onto the front porch where he lived with you and your children. Much to his surprise, the lights were still on inside which meant that the babies would still be awake, more so if school was called off the next day.

He opened the door and headed inside, the house warm and cozy and the smell of a fresh dinner wafting from the kitchen. The scritching of nails on the hardwood floor signaled the arrival of the family dogs, Tank, Bandit and the two newest additions to your family, a little black Scottish terrier that Auggie had named Jock, and a little Pekingese puppy you and Bob had named Dolly after she had been found outside the Dolly Madison house in DC. She was still so tiny, only half the size of Jock and dwarfed in comparison to the others.

Bob gave them all the scritches they could possibly ask for, scooping Dolly up off her stubby little legs and into the curve of his elbow before he made his way into the kitchen.

There you were, just having seated Auggie, Patrick and Diedre at the table, the smell of a warm, freshly roasted chicken out of the oven and resting in the pan on the stove while the smell of your homemade cinnamon spice cake cooling on the counter.

"DADDY!!!!!!" The babies chirped as they practically jumped off their seats at the table.

"Come give me hugs babies!" Bob laughed as Dolly sprang to the floor, leaving him to throw his arms around your children and litter their cheeks with kisses.

"Baba! Baba I want kissy!" Diedre demanded as she tried to push past her brothers.

"C'mere princess," Bob chuckled, scooping her up off her feet and pressing a big, wet kiss to her cheek which made her giggle.

Bob looked over at you in your burgundy colored shawl sweater, He could almost feel the hot flush himself, though it might have been due to the burning clump of mucous in his throat more than anything else.

"There's my handsome king of the castle," you teased as you took each other in your arms.

Bob pressed a sweet kiss to your lips before nuzzling your cheeks. "Sorry sweet cheeks," he said. "I think I'm getting sick."

"I'll say," you remarked, holding the back of your hand to his forehead. "You're warmer than usual. Auggie must've brought something home from school."

"Sorry if I get you sick sweetheart," he apologized.

"Oh Bob c'mon," you assured him. "I teach at that same school and my first graders this year still don't know how to cover their mouths."

Bob laughed a little before the coughing caught him again. You called the babies back into the kitchen to come and get their plates, plating everyone's dinners before you, Bob and the little ones were all seated in the dining room. Once grace was said, the five of you dug right in and went back and forth about how the day and evening's events had gone.

"How was the birthday celebration for Cyclone?" you asked him.

"Well," Bob said before finishing the last bite of asparagus. "Funny you should ask that."

He explained every little bit about what had happened, even the parts that he knew might upset you. Yet despite the awful remarks made by one of the naval commanders, you remained level headed and calm.

"You watch," you chuckled. "He'll say the wrong thing at the wrong time and Hamilton's Navy career will be over."

Once dinner was eaten, you loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, cleaning up and putting away the leftovers for the next day while Bob lit a fire in the living room fireplace. He went away upstairs to switch into something more comfortable, the flannel pjs you had gotten him for Christmas the year before.

You made him a hot green tea, slipping in one of your herb packets for seasonal illnesses and let it steep before handing it off to him. "Mommy! Mommy!" Auggie chirped, bouncing with excitement as he tried to hand you one of the books off the shelf. "Can we read a story?"

"Go right by the fireplace and we'll read a story before bed ok?" you told him. "I've gotta get Daddy settled first."

Auggie giggled and ran off to get nice and warm by the fireplace, all three of the kids having just slipped into their pjs and dragging a blanket and their favorite stuffie down from their bedrooms.

“Chivalry!---why, maiden, she is the nurse of pure and high affection---the stay of the oppressed, the redresser of grievances, the curb of the power of the tyrant ---Nobility were but an empty name without her, and liberty finds the best protection in her lance and her sword.” You read.

You, Bob and the babies were completely engrossed in Ivanhoe, the strange and wonderful tale of a Saxon knight and his adventures during the reign of Richard The Lionheart. He loved the way you read, your voice comforting and soft, like the cozy wool throw blanket he had wrapped himself in. Bob didn't care what anyone said. He loved nights like this, when you and him would gather around the fire with the babies to read to them before bed, losing yourselves in the adventures, fantasy and fun of it all.

It wasn't long before the babies had all fallen asleep with Bob carrying them upstairs, one at a time and not wanting you to hurt yourself since his sister had insisted on no heavy lifting at all. Once they were all asleep, it was just you and him, the two of you on the comfy old sofa in the living room, warming yourselves by the fire and his big, gentle hand rubbing soft circles on your obvious bump.

"Jeez (y/n) he's going nuts," Bob chuckled, feeling the tiny little feet kicking against his palm.

"He knows it's you," you hummed happily, a lazy smile worn on your face as you leaned against Bob and relaxed into his touch.

Bob bent a little lower and pressed a loving kiss to your bump. "I love you my precious boy," he whispered. "You, your momma and your brothers and sister mean everything to me."

You both snuggled close together, letting the troubles of the day run off like rain on a roof. The snow kept falling hard outside, but the warmth and coziness of your home enveloping the two of you fully as you and your husband fell asleep with the fire crackling away through the night. When you woke up the next morning, greeted by the look of pure love on Bob's face, you were both grateful beyond words for each other and the life you had built.