#WAIT I THOUGHT FONG WILL ENDED WITH OHM BUT TURNS OUT HE WILL WITH EARN?!

[thebvbbletea]

"Walking past people, they were merely strangers

This was how I felt whenever I look at them, everytime. All the time

Looking back in the memories I had, there used to be just me

The only one I knew there.... was me, always me. Always me

Time used to be nothing more than a passing breeze

But a person has made my time become more meaningful

A person has changed everything in my life

That person can make me smile, no matter how sad I am

You are that person who has changed my view on love

I may not totally understand why. Maybe we are meant to be together"

— Together

I am so happy to be here again. I was here once looking for someone. But I didn't find him. He is also here today, but I don't think he can make it here on time. That's okay though. No matter how far apart we are, our feelings are always together.

[patovpran]

Celebratory night (Ohm x Fong)

Here it is, as promised, an Sarawattine, Earnpear and Ohmfong fic. There's more of the last two but oh well. I also tried mentioning Man and Boss cus i felt bad I was excluding them from this.

The group aka Sarawat, Tine, Pear, Ohm and Fong gathered in front of the architecture building, waiting for Earn to check the grades of her final exams. The boys were sat on the stairs while Pear chose to sit at the end of the concrete fence next to them. The plan was that if everyone passed, they'd go out drinking tonight and now it was only Earn who was left to find out if she passed or failed.

"Pass!" She screamed as soon as she came through the door, other students immediately turning to see who it was while the group cheered. Pear immediately jumped off of the fence and run to hug her meanwhile the rest got up.

"Proud of you!" She gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and Earn's smile got even bigger.

"I knew you'd do great." Sarawat smiled and put an arm around her shoulders before turning to the group. "We can drink!"

Another cheer erupted from them before they laughed. Earn and Sarawat high fived before Sarawat walked down to Tine's side.

"We need to go grocery shopping so we'll meet you later at the usual spot."

"Sounds good." Pear said and took Earn's hand. "Do you have any plans or do you want to go to the new cafe with us? I heard they have amazing coffee and cakes."

The pair she was referring to was Ohm and Fong who stood next to each other, unnecessary close but no one commented and neither seemed to mind. Tine smirked to himself when he had noticed. He wondered how long was it possible for them to stay oblivious of the other's crush. There was also a bet going on between the group that started about three months ago when they all realized the rest also noticed that the two were overly friendly with each other. Even Man picked up on it and he hasn't spent as much time with the two as the rest.

"I could go for it." Fong nodded.

"Sure. Why not?" Ohm shrugged, seemingly nonchalant but they knew he was happy to get a chance to spend more time with Fong.

"Awesome!" Pear jumped once in her spot before waving at Sarawat and Tine. "Bye."

They said quick goodbyes before they went two separate directions. The cafe was only a five minute walk away from the architecture building but with the hot weather outside, they all let out a breath of relief as soon as the cool air from the AC hit them. Even though the cafe was new it was buzzing with people but they managed to find a table to fit them all.

"Oh, look! The strawberry one is on sale today." Pear turned the menu to Earn for a glance before putting it down, her mind quickly made up. She took the rest of the time to watch Ohm and Fong. They had they heads leaned into each other, almost touching while they debated what should they try.

"Triple chocolate one is a classic." Ohm said, pointing at the picture if it.

"Yeah but it's really hot out and you might feel nauseous later. It's hard on the stomach." Fong looked up at him for a moment, slightly moving back as the blush appeared on his face. He probably didn't even realize how close they sat. "There's one with a chocolate pudding if you want chocolate. That shouldn't be too bad."

"That sounds good too." Ohm nodded as he flipped the page. "They have raspberry cheesecake!"

He said with a smile, happy because he knows Fong loves that. Fong hummed in approval and they leaned back in their chairs, turning their attention to Earn and Pear.

"All set?" Ohm asked before calling for the waiter after everyone confirmed they have their order. They chatted about their finals and the results for a while before their cakes and drinks came to the table.

"Want a bite?" Earn asked as she held a piece of her red velvet to Pear.

"Noup, just you eat." She said before taking a bite of her cake. "How are yours?"

"Really good." Fong responded while Ohm finished his bite.

"Fong was right." Ohm nodded to himself before looking up. "This one is not as heavy."

"I'm brilliant." Fong joked.

"You are." Ohm said seriously, focusing on his cake that they weren't even sure he realised he had said it. Fong stared at him for a moment while Earn and Pear exchanged a knowing look, smirking.

"I'll win." Earn leaned in to whisper to Pear who just rolled her eyes.

The four of them sat and talked for about an hour and a half before they decided they should go home and get ready for their night out. Their dorm buildings were in different places so they had to say goodbye when they left the cafe.

"Ohm will confess first." Earn said as soon as they were far enough so that the two couldn't hear them.

"Additional bet?" Pear raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, stopping and holding a hand out to her.

"Additional bet. Winner gets one wish." She added before they shook their hands. Earn was confident she'd win this one if not the one with the group. It was just a matter of time before Ohm slipped.

Two hours later Earn was getting ready to do her make up when her phone rang. She was sure it was her girlfriend and got surprised when she saw Ohm's name written on the screen. Curious, she was quick to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, uhm…do you have time?" Ohm sounded nervous, she noticed. She got up from the floor amd sat on the edge of her bed.

"Is everything ok?"

"No, i mean yeah, everything's fine. I just, uhm, I need an advice." She raised her eyebrow, leaning back on her arm waiting for him to continue. "So I've thought about trying something different…fashion-wise."

"Ohh..I'm listening." Ohm wasn't a much of a fashionista. She only saw him wearing very casual clothes and their university uniform and that's about it.

"Could you maybe come over? It'd be easier and you can go through my closest too and match something I didn't even think of." She smiled at how adorably nervous he sounded.

"Of course. I'll be there in 20 minutes." She had already got up and went to pick up her make up bag. That is getting postponed until she helps Ohm. After getting everything she needed, she texted Pear she'll meet her in the club before walking over to Ohm's dorm building. When she got there, Ohm was leaning against the wall and scrolling on his phone. He immediately turned his attention to her when he noticed she came.

"Hi." He pulled the door open for her and they continued to his room. Earn wasn't sure what to expect but his room wasn't necessarily clean and orderly but it wasn't overall too bad either. Probably the messiest room she ever entered was Boss' but he was quick to somewhat clean it so she and Pear could comfortably walk around if they wanted.

"So what were you thinking?" She dropped her purse on the table before walking over to Ohm who stood by the closet.

"I have some dress shirts that I never wore. I mean, they're not that fancy but still…I'm not sure I'd suit them." He answered truthful, already reaching to take them out.

"Everyone suits a button up." She said as he looked at them. "Let me rummage through your clothes a bit and I'll give you few outfits and you can see if you like any."

"Sure." Ohm what down and watched and Earn picked out clothes, throwing them on the bed and occasionally saying something to herself. "Ohh?! Why did you hide this one from me?"

Ohm looked up as she took out a one side black, other side white button up and hold it up with an amazed face. He shrugged as he touched it gently.

"I honestly forgot I have it." He brought it once when he had sudden urge to try something different but never actually got around to wear it.

"You're wearing it." She said firmly. "Freedom of choice revoked. I'm sorry."

He barely had time to react when she threw the shirt at his face and turned around to find long black jeans plus shoes that match.

"Go dress." She pointed at the bathroom while going to grab her make up bag. When she still saw him in the same place when she turned, she shook her head. "Well?"

"Oh, yeah. Ok." He quickly checked if he was holding everything Earn had thrown at him before leaving and letting Earn to do her make up. Some time later he got out and she turned, mascara in hand, and smiled.

"You look great!" She closed the tube and rushed to him.

"Isn't it a bit too much?" He asked, checking himself out in the mirror. "Maybe I should just change. Yeah, I'll do that."

He tried to escape back into the bathroom but Earn was faster to push him and he fell on the bed. After that she disappeared into the bathroom before waking out with hair gel in her hands.

"Today you're dressing to impress and I can promise you, Fong will be impressed." She sat next to him and turned him to face her. "Besides, I can be seen as overly dressed too but who cares? Sometimes you feel the need to."

"F-Fong? That's not…I'm not.." Ohm shook his head and blinked way too many times for it to be necessary.

"Don't ever try to fool me." She said casually, opening the packaging and scooping a bit of gel. "Now sit properly so I can help you look even hotter."

Ohm done as he was told and they sat quietly as she styled his hair. In the end, his hair was slicked back with just one strand falling over his forehead. She checked him out completely, nodding proudly before moving out of the way so that he could see himself.

"Oh shit…" His eye went once he saw himself. For finishing touches she tucked only one side of his shirt in, rolled up his sleeves and gave him other earrings that better matched the vibe.

"See? You look stunning. Everyone in the club will be drooling over you." She joined him by his side abd they looked together at his reflection in the mirror. "Fong might get a heart attack."

"He doesn't like me like that." She watched as his mood instantly dropped and she wanted to scream that Fong most definitely felt the same as him but she didn't want to overstep.

"You never know." She smiled up at him. "Don't give up just yet."

"Thank you." He gave her a side hug while giving himself one last look in the mirror.

"You're very welcome." She smiled before sitting down on the floor. "Now just let me finish my make up and we're ready to go."

"Sure thing."

~

"Don't be dramatic, you'll be fine." Tine said as he watched Fong panic over a video call.

"You know how I am drunk." Fong pointed out. "The chances of me accidentally confessing or worse, kissing him, while intoxicated are high."

"If it happened, I'm sure the outcome wouldn't turn out to be so bad." Tine said just as Sarawat exited the bathroom.

"What's going on?" He asked, dropping next to Tine on the bed.

"He's worried that he'd drunk confess." Tine filled him in.

"It's not too bad." Sarawat shrugged. "I mean I did it."

"Shut up." Tine laughed before focusing back on Fong. "I mean you can also not drink."

"Yeah right...as if any of you would let me get away with not drinking." Tine rolled his eyes while Sarawat made a face, showing that Fong was not in the wrong.

"Don't stress over it. You'll be fine." Tine reassured. "Now go get dressed and don't forget to meet up with Pear first."

"Mhm, I know." He nodded, muffled shuffling coming from the speakers as he got up from the bed. "By the way, how come Earn and Ohm are coming together?"

"No clue." Tine turned to Sarawat for an answer but he shrugged, also not having a reason.

"She didn't say anything to me besides the message in the group chat."

"Hm...well, anyway, I'll see you guys later. Bye!" They said their goodbyes and both Fong and Tine went to get dressed before leaving to meet up at their usual place before going together to the club. The club was 15 minutes with car and the four agreed to take one taxi and find a table for everyone while Earn and Ohm took another one, notifying them they'll be a bit later than usual.

"Did she tell you anything?" Tine asked Pear as they sat down. Sarawat and Fong disappeared to get the usual starting drinks.

"Nothing much. She just said she had to help him with something." Earn and Ohm didn't usually hang out alone so she was very curious what the thing was but didn't want to pry.

"Appetizers are served." Sarawat and Fong placed them around and sat down. Tine checked the messages and noticed one new in the group chat.

"Just in time. They're here." Tine said and pocketed his phone just as the two walked into their field of vision. It was little to say that everyone was shocked. The two were a sight to see.

Earn's hair was curled and she wore a short red dress along with heels and finished her statement with blood red lipstick. Next to her was Ohm who never looked as styled and the two were quick to catch attention.

"Holy shit." Fong said with his mouth wide open, very obviously checking out Ohm. The latter sat down casually next to him seemingly oblivious of everyone's dazed expressions. Earn joined her girlfriend's side, very proudly smirking as he looked around and, more specifically, at Fong's expressions.

"I feel very underdressed right now." Tine spoke up, staring at him for moment longer before turning to Earn. "Your doing I'm guessing."

"He asked, I delivered." She shrugged, pulling the drink closer to her. "What do you think, Fong?"

Everyone immediately turned to him who still stated at Ohm dazed. They locked eyes and Fong felt as if he could pass out any time soon, his heart was beating fast and he felt a little weak. If he had panicked before, he sure as hell isn't holding up well now. Not knowing what to say, he quickly grabbed the glass of tequila and downed it before giving Ohm a times up.

"...-look great." He swallowed the 'you' but Ohm seemed satisfied with the answer. Earn and Pear, Sarawat and Tine exchanged looks before smiling and following Fong's lead. Soon enough, Ohm being last, everyone's first round was quickly gone.

It was safe to say that that night was a wild night. After few drinks, Fong got very confident and started openly flirting with Ohm, his new look apparently tugging his last string that was holding Fong back from doing so. Ohm wasn't sure how to react at first, thinking Fong was messing with him, but as the night went on, he started flirting back. The group found the whole ordeal very entertaining and most importantly, they were sure that now both knew the other liked him which meant the bet was done.

"And as expected…I'm right." Pear grinned, her pride even bigger drunk. She slammed her hand on the table before gesturing to everyone to pay up while the duo disappeared somewhere, doing who knows what but most likely the very obvious thing. The group groaned but reached for their wallets and threw bills into her hand. "And you…" She pointed at Earn. "...that is yet to be seen."

Pear put the money in her bag just as the two returned to the table. Everyone noticed the messy state they were in but instead of commenting, Sarawat held up his glassed and yelled.

"Celebratory drink!"

"Cheers!" The group added after him and slammed their glasses together. Their group officially had another couple.

[aylinaliens]

One invisible gold thread (tied me to you) — Chapter 1

Fandom: 2Gether

Pairings: Earn/Pear, Pear/Air, Sarawat/Tine, Ohm/Fong

Summary: Soulmate did not always equate to romance, most spend their lives together as platonically. That is exactly what Earn thought would happen with Pear—but as they spent more time together in person, Earn struggles to calm the raging storm of emotions in her heart. Soon enough, Earn finds herself drawn in like a moth to a flame, Pear’s soft bubblegum pink cardigan and bright eyes serving as balm to her soul. At first, Earn just denies what she feels inside, claiming that the only reason her throat closed up when she was in the proximity of the soft-spoken medical student was because of indigestion. As Earn spends more time with her soulmate, she begins to struggle with understanding the intricacies of her own sexuality, but realization never actually dawns on her until she finds out someone was actively pursuing Pear. That was when Earn starts to come to turns with her feelings...but it was too late now. Right?

Word Count: 1779

Notes: in honor of 2gether the movie being announced i have decided to finally post this because let’s be honest...gmmtv is going to clown on us earnpear shippers again. i typically hate love triangles but dear uranus has made me realize that wlw!love triangles are God Tier so thus this fic was born. hope you like tropes because !! this fic will have it all. soulmates? roommates? fake dating? mutual pining? friends to lovers? unrequited love? bed sharing? friends with benefits? it’s what these sapphics deserve

Read the first chapter on Ao3 or down below!

+

Curiously, Earn lifted her arm and brought it closer to her face so she could examine it. Sarawat obviously understood what was happening, also recently finding his soulmate, so he just leaned back in his seat, sipping on his drink, and quietly observing the own messages on his forearm.

After nearly seven minutes of waiting Pear was done and it was...definitely not doodle of a cat. No, it was something else.

“Oh god. Did she draw a penis?”

Sarawat choked on his drink in surprise. “What?” He gaped. “What did you just say?”

“I said my soulmate just drew an anatomically correct penis on my arm.”

A familiar fluttering sensation cursed through Earn’s body, signaling another message has appeared. She was mid conversation with Sarawat in the process of telling him what time their gig for tomorrow was but never got to.

Full of excitement and butterflies Earn quickly yanked her sleeve up—it’s been thirty six hours since her soulmate last sent a message. It was normal for Pear to disappear for days on end so Earn was used to the delayed reply.

As she glanced down at her forearm she expected to see a reply to the conversation she asked a few days ago but instead it was a drawing.

Once again no big deal—Pear was artistic. She had always sent doodles to Earn.

However, this drawing was not simply just of animals or flowers. She couldn’t exactly tell what it was right now because Pear was still drawing it.

Curiously, Earn lifted her arm and brought it closer to her face so she could examine it. Sarawat obviously understood what was happening, also recently finding his soulmate, so he just leaned back in his seat, sipping on his drink, and quietly observing the own messages on his forearm.

After nearly seven minutes of waiting Pear was done and it was...definitely not doodle of a cat. No, it was something else.

“Oh god. Did she draw a penis?”

Sarawat choked on his drink in surprise. “What?” He gasped. “What did you just say?”

“I said my soulmate just drew an anatomically correct penis on my arm.”

Sarawat looked shocked and positively scandalized but he was not the only one. Earn was just as confused. She held her arm up for him to see and after a few seconds of studying it he came to the same conclusion.

“She drew an anatomically correct penis on your arm. With labels. Why did she send you an anatomically correct penis on your arm?”

Earn lifted her shoulder up in a shrug, leaning down to rummage through her bag to find a pen. Once she did she yanked the cap off and scribbled a quick message.

um...is there like context or a reason that you drew that?

She waited awhile for a reply, staring intently down at her arm for any new piece of ink. It did not matter how long she waited it never came. At least a reply to that question never came. As she studied her arm for what seem like forever the conversation with Sarawat died away.

He knew she was far too preoccupied with with waiting for a message to appear. He was probably the only one in the band who could truly understand what Earn was feeling since he was the only one who had recently discovered his soulmate mark.

Tine was terrible, if not more so, at replying in a timely matter. Sometimes Tine would wait hours just to answer back with a single letter, either forgetting to reply or simply not noticing it.

So Earn waited. Minute after minute. Nothing. Just as she was about to give up that familiar fluttering sensation came back, making her heart soar.

But it was not a reply to Earn’s question. No. It wasn’t even a word.

It was just a smaller anatomically correct penis that was colored in instead of labeling.

Earn pursed her lips in bewilderment but decided that she obviously would not get a reply any time soon.

“I don’t know.” She admitted, shrugging once more. “I really don’t know.”

The first Earn noticed her soulmate mark she was seventeen. She had gym during school today so in between classes she hoped in the shower for a quick rinse off. She didn’t notice any ink nor did she feel abnormal as she scrubbed the dirt and sweat away.

It was afterwards, when she was towel drying her body and trying to slip back on her uniform that she saw pink ink near her wrist.

Confusion coursed through her as she brought her arm toward the light for a better look. She didn’t remember writing anything on her arms.

At first Earn didn’t quite understood what it said due to how faint it was but the longer she stared the more she could understand it.

Mitochondria is the powerhouse cell.

She was shocked, that was sure, but she didn’t have time to think too critically about it because the bell signifying her next class was about to begin snapped her out of it.

Earn forgot about that day in the shower for a few weeks. She knew that soulmates and soul marks were real but it never registered to Earn that was what it was. She didn’t have a soulmate. No way did she have a soulmate. Earn just...forgot that she wrote that. Yeah. That is exactly what happened.

It wasn’t until she was laying in bed one day, laptop perched on her lap as she hummed along to her favorite band, that the memory of that day came flooding back.

A stinging sensation started at the base of her spine and slowly traveled up until her fingertips were tingling and her her throat was constricting. Soon enough the sensation had made its way all over he body, from her fingertips to her toes Earn felt it.

It didn’t hurt, quite the opposite, but it was enough to pause what she was doing.

Then the stinging feeling evaporated into thin air. It was like it never happened. Instead it was replaced by something akin to butterflies but vastly more intense.

A half done math equation appeared near her elbow. A math equation Earn never even learned.

A few beats of silence passed before more ink appeared. It was of a cartoon bunny holding up a sign that that had a phrase on it: Susu Pear!

Earn could no longer pretend like she forgot about writing on her arm. No. This was a soulmate mark.

She practically threw off her laptop off and hastily scrambled out of bed to her desk to grab a pen. Once she found one she tore off the cap and scribbled out a word, feeling as if her heart would leap out of her chest.

hello?

Earn waited for a reply what seemed like years but in reality it was only half a minute.

...hello?

Oh god. Oh my god. She had a soulmate.

None of her friends of family got their soulmate marks yet so she was utterly confused on what to do next. She could search the web for answers but she was scared that her soulmate would disappear.

cute bunny drawing. is your name pear?

The reply was almost instantaneously, showing up before Earn even finished her own message.

thank you! yes, my name is pear. what’s your name?

Before Earn could reply again Pear wrote something else back, just below her previous message.

you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to! i know that some people ignore their soulmate marks.

Butterflies erupted in Earn’s stomach once again but this time it was not because of the ink. Soulmate. Pear just confirmed it. There was no backing out of it now.

my name is earn and...i don’t want to ignore this. unless...you want to?

no! i don’t want to ignore this. i want to um, get to know you. can we do that?

of course. what do you want to know?

everything.

That’s exactly what Earn did, she told Pear everything. Not that night but over the next few years they essentially bared their souls to each other in every sense of the word. Sometimes they would write whole entire essays to each other, forced to erase the earlier conversations or come up with new creative places to write. Sometimes they would send doodles back in forth.

After a few months of talking when the two settled into a comfortable routine, somehow becoming each others biggest supporters. Before every exam, Pear would send Earn the same little cartoon bunny cartoon drawing. Every time the message on the poster was different.

susu earn!

you can do it.

good luck!

earn! you got this!

i'm always rooting for you!

you got this, babe!

Sometimes the messages were so cheesy that Earn felt color flood her cheeks and often never replied because she didn’t know what to say. She would feign innocence when this happened, claiming she was just so nervous about her exam that she forgot to reply.

It was ridiculous—she was so tongue tied and bashful over the same messages you would find on motivational stickers. If anyone else drew these things Earn would think it was dumb but because it was from Pear she thought it utterly adorable.

Earn in return took up to expanding Pear’s musical knowledge and interests. She would use her arms to write down random bits of lyrics she thought of instead of on paper. Pear always took care to never erase those lyrics until Earn gave her the green light.

However, most of the time they just talked. About anything. About nothing. After a few years went by of this Earn grew fond of the soulmate she knew virtually everything yet nothing about.

Unlike most people who got soulmate marks she dated. It was nothing serious, it never was, but she got to experience many different firsts.

Pear, on the other hand, apparently never dated—before or after the soulmate mark appeared—swearing she was far too busy with trying to get into college and than medical school to date. Besides, she wrote one day, I have you. That’s enough.

Messages like that always left Earn melting into a puddle of goo. The thing with soulmates is that they didn’t exactly have to be romantic. Hundreds of thousands of soulmates got their mark but decided to just stay platonic. That’s exactly what Earn thought would happen to them.

It’s not as if she never thought about them in a romantic sense, Earn did more than she cared to admit, but she would always quickly shake out of when she realized that it would never between them too like that.

It has been almost four years and neither of them has asked to meet yet. Surely if they wanted to meet each other they could of. At the start they found out that they only lived three hours apart. After they began college, Earn and Pear found out that they were even closer to each other.

Yet they always managed to skirt around that topic. It would happen one day or it never will Earn wrote one day either way let's just stay like this while we wait for that day to come.

[cosmicdes]

Still2gether: It's a yes

Tine would've never thought his life would be like this, his fake boyfriend from college is now his real boyfriend while they are about to graduate college. Tine looked at what to wear as Sarawat texted Tine saying they were going to go out to eat. Sarawat has been acting strange, whenever Tine walked close to Wat and his friends they all ran away. Tine just thought it was because of the music club or finals. They both knew finals were a hassle but at the end when Tine finished his finals he knew Wat was waiting with his favorite drink. 

Tine went to the closet and looked at the clothes, he didn't know if he should dress formal or no. He just grabbed a black tshirt, jean jacket, and jeans. He looked at himself in the mirror, catching the post it notes that littered the walls. The most recent one was on that said they would grow old together. Tine imagined that for a quick second a old Sarawat saying a quick one liner that he always says. Tine shook his head as he laughed at that image. He grabbed his phone and keys and went out to meet his friends.

Tine went into the cafe to see these idiots he calls friends, they jumped a little as he walked to them. "Is everything all right". Tine asked them as he sat down. "Yes, everything is all right". Fong and Ohm said at the same time. They both looked at each other. Tine looked at them "You are acting suspicious what's up". Fong looked at Ohm and gave a look to tell him not to talk "It's finals. I have one tomorrow and I don't know if I'll pass". Ohm laughed "You've been studying all night of course you'll pass". Tine looked as Fong blushed a little. The rest of the time they had small talk as Fong and Ohm kept exchanging small looks at each other. 

They all left together from the cafe, they started to walk around the campus. Fong got a text message and showed it to Ohm. They both nodded as Tine was too engrossed on the trees. "I heard the college is opening a new cafe, we should go". Fong said, Tine nodded as his friends grabbed on to him and ran to the cafe.

Tine heard music from a distance, he stood outside of the small cafe. It looked empty from the outside. Ohm and Fong opened the door and held it open for Tine. He was amazed by what he saw. Lights littered the ceiling of the cafe, their was a small stage on the corner. Tine waved at the people that were their, it was mostly people from the music club and the cheerleadering squad. He sat down on the only empty table right at the center of the cafe. The music stopped and Earn and Pear went up on stage. "I'm glad everyone is enjoying our new cafe. Tine looked at the table, little cartoons of Pears were on the tables. Earn and Pear went down and went to the back of the small stage. Tine ate the small bakery stuff they had and didn't notice that a chair was on the stage. 

Tine looked up to see pictures start to show on the wall, a projector at the ceiling of the cafe. It showed all his friends and Wat's friends. It showed a small interview of Earn and Pear holding hands as they talked about the cafe, how they kept it a secret until they were finished. The pictures slowly disappeared and slowly turned to the couples of the group of friends. Earn and Pear at the beach smiling at each other. Then Man and Type had pictures some of them from when they facetimed. Then Mil and Phukong were next them holding hands as they walked. Then ohm and fong showed up it was a blurry picture but you could still feel the love in the picture. Even Green and Dim had pictures. Then it went to Sarawat and Tine. It started from when they started to fake date and slowly to when they confessed to each other. To when they did start to date for real. To them getting the apartment and even some lq pictures that Sarawat took of Tine. The screen started to fade as the post it note let's grow old together was the last picture. 

The lights turned off and Tine was a little nervous but everyone seemed fine so he calmed down a little. He saw someone sit on the chair, shaking his leg a little Tine could tell the person was nervous. The lights turned back on and Tine gasped as he saw Sarawat sitting on the chair. Sarawat wore a dressy black shirt and jeans. Sarawat smiled and cleared his throat "When Earn and Pear asked me to sing at their opening day for the cafe I said yes immediately although Earn did threaten me a little. I'm a little nervous but here it goes". 

Sarawat started to sing and Tine felt himself melt, he loved how Sarawat was like when playing the guitar. He almost shined, as the lights in the ceiling glistened. Tine didn't even notice that slowly by slowly his friends were taking out their phones to record. Sarawat looked at Tine and stopped playing. "Tine can you come up here". Sarawat said into the microphone as Tine felt Ohm and Fong push him a little to the stage. Tine walked to the stage, a little nervous as Sarawat held his hand for Tine to grab it. Sarawat spoke into the microphone about Tine and turned to Tine "This is for you". Sarawat started to play and Tine noticed it was a medley of Scrubb songs. Tine started to sing along as Sarawat kept playing. Sarawat then started to sing a song Tine didn't know. Tine heard the lyrics and smiled as Sarawat sang about them and their relationship. The song was ending and Sarawat stopped playing to get something in his pocket. He put the guitar down amd started to get off the chair. He breathed in as he got on one knee. "Tine you have made me so happy and although some people might think this is too early, as the post it note says let's grow old together. So Tine would you do me the honor of being engaged to me and we can grow old together". Tine started to cry as he shook his head yes. The cheers of his friends and everyone cheering. Tine looked at Sarawat, even he was crying a little. Sarawat and Tine hugged each other and kissed each other. They grabbed each others hands and held them up, their engagement rings glistening just as they were.

Thanks for everyone reading this

[patandpran]

The Nuisance and the Handsome Prince - A Sarawatine Medieval AU - Chapter 3

Tine is an aspiring Squire who has been training his whole life to work alongside the Kingdom's finest Knights. Sarawat is a Prince who, on the outside, seems fierce and unapproachable. He is disinterested in any of his royal duties, namely his Knight training.

What happens when Tine is assigned to be the fierce and handsome prince's Squire?

Aka The Medieval AU that I can't get out of my head.

Read on Archiveofourown here, Read the prequel by the lovely @sarawatism here

The Prince stood mere feet from Tine and Tine was suddenly pulled back into the memory of their first and only proper meeting. The look of disappointment that had been etched across Prince’s face was enough to make Tine cringe in the present. Tine currently had two options: follow the order of propriety and bow to Sarawat or follow his upbringing and stick it to tradition with a more equalizing approach. Both could potentially get him in trouble, depending on how the Prince was feeling that evening but Tine decided to follow his instincts.

“I did not mean to offend with the critique but this feels more like a dungeon than a study.” Tine expressed boldly, bowing his head slightly. “Thank you for the invitation nonetheless.”

Sarawat seemed slightly taken aback by the lack of decorum but did nothing to make Tine worried that he might take any action on the matter. Sarawat’s expression was closed but there was a slight twinkle of something in his eyes that mirrored how he had regarded Tine during their first encounter ten years earlier. While Tine doubted that he would ever win Sarawat over as a friend, especially according to Fong’s report of how selective Sarawat was with his socialization, but he thought that they could at least have the base of a civil working relationship.

“Your feedback is duly noted.” Sarawat answered before leaning against the stone wall in a very unprincely and casual fashion. “But we should get down to business. I didn’t invite you up here to give you a tour of the tower, I wanted to meet with you before training begins tomorrow to be clear that about my complete lack of interest in becoming a Knight.”

Something twisted violently in Tine’s chest and he clenched his fists involuntarily. How could Prince Sarawat have such complete disregard for his duties as a member of the Royal Family? It astounded and enraged Tine beyond belief as it had always been his dream to work beside a strong and passionate Knight and the reality that had been paired up with someone who wanted nothing to do with the Knight training was such an utter slap in the face that it had Tine internally fuming.

“Squire Tine, it doesn’t seem like you are happy with that response.” Sarawat lifted one eyebrow as he regarded Tine with an air of complete indifference.

Tine had never been skilled at keeping his emotions at bay and this exchange was not an exception to that. Tine flinched when Sarawat said his name and put his hand defensively on his hilt as the tension in the room grew. He knew that if he tried anything, his head would displayed on a post on the castle wall by morning so, for his mother’s sake, Tine took a deep breath and collected himself. It was no doubt that the Prince was just trying to get a rise out of him but he wasn’t going to let Sarawat win this round.

Tine straightened his spine and stood with purpose. “My duty as your Squire is to support you in your training and protect you on the Field. Whether it be in battle or during competitions, I will be at your side. Whether you are passionate about your Knighthood or not, I will do my very best to support you in becoming the best Knight you can be and when you become King..”

“Enough!” Sarawat interrupted Tine in a tone that resembled a growl. He matched Tine’s stance and the intense stare in the Prince’s eyes mirrored the flickering flames of the candles that lit the room.

The sudden ferociousness that emanated from the Prince was startling and though Tine did not fear much, he found himself afraid of Sarawat in that moment. For someone so fierce to deny the chance to learn the skills of Knighthood seemed like a complete waste to Tine. Sarawat would not doubt be a King to be feared when he someday took the Throne from his father. These were thoughts that Tine knew could get him killed so he kept them to himself just as his own Father had taught him. Having forbidden and treasonous opinions was one thing but sharing them aloud outside of the confines of your own home got you killed.

“I apologize, my Prince.” Tine murmured and whatever semblance of a budding connection between them was instantly shattered. “I will take my leave and see you at training tomorrow.”

Sarawat turned swiftly and stalked toward the sole window in the East tower. He put his hands down on the edge and clenched the windowsill. The moon was in full force that evening and the silence that filled the room was consuming. Tine wondered if it was possible to drown in the absence of sound.

Tine watched in fascination as Sarawat’s breath seemed to steady slightly. He knew he should leave before he earned himself an injury but there was something about the Prince that froze Tine in place.

Sarawat did not turn but he cleared his throat before muttering, “Do me one favour, Tine, please never call me ‘Prince’ or ‘Your Highness’. If we are going to somehow be able to tolerate one another, just call me ‘Wat’.”

The intimacy of the exchange was not lose on Tine. He knew that this was not technically a royal decree or order but the least that he could was respect the Prince’s request, regardless of what the possible implication of it might be. Tine would just have to avoid addressing the Prince in public lest someone overhear someone of a lower rank calling Sarawat by a nickname.

“I think that can be arranged.” Tine responded softly, studying the way that the moon danced off of the Prince’s dark locks. “Good night, Wat.”

Tine raced down the stairs before Sarawat even had the chance to respond. Tine was not sure if this exchange had gone any better than their first but he knew that this whole experience was truly going to test him and his dedication to his mission.

Once he made it back to his room, Tine fell into the deepest sleep that he had ever experienced.

*******

“Tine…. Tine. You really have to wake up now.”

Tine heard a voice coaxing him awake and as soon as his eyes sprung open, he saw Fong hovered above him with a concerned look on his face. Tine immediately bounded out of bed, pulled on his training garments that Fong had laid out for him and stuffed his face with food.

“You’re expected on the training field in ten minutes.” Fong explained with an amused look on his face. “I suggest you run a brush through that hair of yours before you let anyone else see you.”

Tine grumbled but did as Fong suggested. He had never been one to care too much about his physical appearance but it wouldn’t hurt to try to at least appear presentable on the first day of training. After he was finished, Tine shared, “You can have the rest of my breakfast, Fong and I will see you at the end of the day.”

“Good luck, Tine.” Fong greeted as he sat down to finish the remaining food. “With the mood that I heard the Prince is in this morning from some of the other staff, you will definitely need good fortune on your side.”

Tine knew that some of the Prince’s poor mood was likely his fault but he charged through the halls with confidence nonetheless. Tine wasn’t going to let Sarawat’s bad temperament ruin the experience that he had been working his entire life toward.

Tine made it to the training field in a timely fashion and quickly began to set up Sarawat’s armour and horse. Some of the other Knights in training had already arrived like Sir Man and Sir Boss. Tine was in the middle of sharpening Sarawat’s sword when his heart lurched at the sight of another Knight in training approaching the field: Lord Mil, the son of the Head Knight and the sole reason that Tine’s father had been attacked.

Hatred suddenly consumed Tine entirely and though he had never met Lord Mil personally, Tine found himself seething. Tine did not loathe many but the feeling that he was currently experiencing was beyond his control: those who hurt his family deserved to be hurt in return. Tine would have to patient about exacting his revenge but seeing Lord Mil was enough to spark the flame of his purpose again.

Lord Mil passed by Tine and as he did, he made direct eye contact and nodded curtly at Tine. The interaction was shocking in itself as Lords usually did not interact with lower ranks but Lord Mil seemed to be a bizarre exception to this rule which suddenly made Tine feel conflicted about his feelings toward the young man.

The confusing emotions quickly dissipated when he saw the Squire that was trailing after Lord Mil: it was Ohm!

Tine was delighted beyond belief to see his childhood friend and while it would be improper to celebrate in that very moment, when Ohm saw Tine, he winked at his friend and continued on his way. Tine was beyond relieved to have another ally within the castle walls even if he was working with the enemy but that was obviously out of Ohm’s control.

From afar, Tine could see Ohm helping Lord Mil into his armour and Tine couldn’t help but wonder what was taking Sarawat so long to show up to the training field. He wondered if the Prince would even bother to show up at all. Ohm gave Tine a sympathetic look as Tine finished fitting Sarawat’s horse with its protective equipment. Tine noticed that all of Sarawat’s gear bore the same wolf insignia as the East Tower had featured. There was something about the beast that reminded Tine of the fierce side of the Prince. It was a very apt symbol.

The Head Trainer stepped onto the field and cleared his throat. Tine had only ever seen the man from afar and heard stories from Ohm’s father about the Trainer and Tine could not wait to hear what he was going to say, although Tine wasn’t sure how long he was going to be allowed to remain on the field without Sarawat present - a Squire without a Knight was just another body taking up room on the field. Tine cursed the prince internally to have already ruined their first day.

“How lovely of you to join us at the eleventh hour, Your Highness.” The Head Trainer boomed from his position on the raised platform at the south side of the training field. He was likely the only person in the kingdom who could get away with addressing the Prince with such disdain in a public manner.

Tine turned to see Sarawat strolling onto the field looking as bored as ever and completely unapologetic for his late entrance. He completely ignored the Head Trainer’s comment and made his way toward Tine. Tine’s face burned with an embarrassed flush but he masked it by turning away from Sarawat and busying himself with last minute prep.

“Good morning, Tine.” Sarawat addressed Tine cooly as he approached his horse.

Tine turned to see Sarawat nose to nose with his horse, humming what sounded similar to the melody from the evening before in the creature’s ear. It surprisingly seemed to soothe the animal and Tine’s breath hitched at how gentle Sarawat was with the horse. It seemed like they had quite a deep connection which always made for a reliable steed in competition or even battle.

“You look surprised to see me.” Sarawat shared, looking to Tine suddenly. “If you want to know a secret, I only showed up because I knew how ashamed you would have been if I didn’t. I didn’t want to have to bear the guilt of that.”

Tine’s eyes widened at Sarawat’s words but wasn’t sure if he could trust the honesty of them or not. It could be another game that the Prince wanted to play with him to test him in some way. He wasn’t sure how to acknowledge it other than to mutter out a stifled, “Thank you, Wat.”

It was the Prince’s turn to look surprised as he heard Tine actually use his nickname. But before he could react, his Squire was back to business and was outfitting him with his training armour. It was incredibly uncomfortable and restrictive but was at least a little bit lighter than his usual armour which made it easier to move in for training purposes.

While Sarawat was being outfitted, the Head Trainer had moved forward with the practice by reciting the duties of Knights and Squires. As he helped outfit Sarawat, Tine murmured them along with the Head Trainer as he had memorized them as well as his own name. After the declaration of duties, it was time for some sparring practice so the Head Trainer paired each Knight in training with another to practice their sword skills.

Sarawat was paired with Lord Mil and Sir Man and Sir Boss were paired together. The Head Trainer had some more experienced Knights demonstrate the skills that they were to focus on during their sparring and Tine watched in horror as Sarawat continued to ignore the Trainer’s words.

“You know, if you don’t focus, you are going to get hurt.” Tine whispered to the Prince.

Sarawat got a smug look on his face and he murmured, “While I am flattered that you already care so much about me, Tine, there’s no need to worry. Lord Mil and I have an understanding. He won’t hurt me as long as he gets to look good when we spar.”

Tine’s jaw dropped in surprise. While he knew that Lord Mil and Sarawat had grown up together in court, he didn’t think that Fong’s words about their friendship had been true. He had hoped that part of the gossip was not real but it seemed he was to be proven wrong.

Before Tine could respond, Sarawat took off to meet up with Mil on the training field. The Lord clapped a hand down on Sarawat’s shoulder and gave the Prince a friendly smile before backing away and getting into fighting stance. Tine watched in awe as the two knights in training began to circle one another, their swords raised. Tine had all the necessary equipment at the ready if the Prince needed anything during his training.

“Looks like our two Knights are as thick as thieves.” Ohm shared in a quite voice, hands full of the same equipment as Tine if Lord Mil needed anything. “Kind of reminds me of us.”

“Don’t ever compare me to Lord Mil.” Tine glowered in a grumpy tone. “And don’t distract me while they’re training. We have as much to learn as they do.”

Ohm rolled his eyes fondly at the seriousness that his friend was already bringing to his duties as a Squire. Ohm put on a mocking tone, “Yes, Ohm, it’s really nice to see you too. Congratulations on your appointment with such a high Lord. You deserve it and I’m really proud of you too.”

Tine realized how rude he was being to his best friend and turned to Ohm, “I’m sorry. This has been a bizarre transition and I am so relieved to see you. It’s so nice to see a familiar face on this field.”

“I will keep an eye on Mil for you.” Ohm remarked, instantly accepting Tine’s apology. “I suspect he is very different than his father but no matter how he is, I keep my allegiances to those I share kinship with, not those who I serve by duty.”

At that very moment, Lord Mil struck the Prince with immense force in the perfect technique that matched exactly what the Head Trainer was envisioning. Sarawat stumbled backward a few paces but recovered quickly. He advanced upon Mil with an intensity that reminded Tine of the ferocity that he had showcased the evening before. It quickly made Tine realize that while Sarawat remained entirely disinterested in the notion of battle, he had natural knack for the art of Swordmanship.

“You are an equal opponent, Your Highness.” Lord Mil remarked with a hint to sarcasm to his tone as he regained his composure.

Sarawat furrowed his brow before throwing his sword to the ground. He had a frustrated look on his face and before responding to Mil’s comment, he stalked toward Tine and muttered, “I am done with training today, Squire. Let us take our leave.”

Tine felt a jolt of annoyance rush through him as Sarawat breezed past him back into the confines of the castle. Tine nodded in departure and got a sympathetic look from Ohm. Tine followed after Sarawat with a hint of reluctance but knew his duty was more important than his personal opinion on the matter.

Sarawat walked into a set of stalls that were meant to house the Knight’s armour and quickly shed the layers of uncomfortable chainmail before collapsing down onto a wooden bench. Tine watched as the Prince held his head in his hands, looking utterly exhausted.

Tine let the silence hang for a moment before questioning, “Is there anything that I can do for you? If it means anything, you were a strong opponent today on the field, although my opinion might not mean much.”

Sarawat lifted his head and Tine saw a completely unguarded and vulnerable look on the Prince’s face. “I saw you fight during the Squire Trials. Your opinion means more than you think it does, Tine. You are quiet the skilled fighter.”

Tine busied himself with the storage tasks for Sarawat’s armour and tried desperately to keep his composure. He did not understand how the Prince operated. He ran cool and then scaling and there was no in between. Tine did not know how to react to the compliment that had he had been given.

“You have a natural talent for sword skills yourself, Wat.” Tine turned back toward the Prince, his arms heaving with amour to be stored. “You know, I could help you to improve those skills if you would let me.”

Sarawat seemed to chewing over the idea for a moment before responding, “I know it means a lot to you to work alongside a prolific Knight so I am willing to train with you if it would make you more agreeable on the training field.”

For some reason having more alone time with Sarawat did not terrify Tine as much as it had the evening before. Tine seemed to be slowly chipping away at the stone walls that Prince Sarawat had erected to protect himself.  

Tine answered, trying to keep the satisfied smile from his lips. “As you wish, Wat.”

[patandpran]

The Nuisance and the Handsome Prince - A Sarawatine Medieval AU - Chapter 4

Tine is an aspiring Squire who has been training his whole life to work alongside the Kingdom's finest Knights. Sarawat is a Prince who, on the outside, seems fierce and unapproachable. He is disinterested in any of his royal duties, namely his Knight training.

What happens when Tine is assigned to be the fierce and handsome prince's Squire?

Aka The Medieval AU that I can't get out of my head.

Read on Archiveofourown here, Read the prequel by the lovely @sarawatism here

In the days that followed, Tine started to feel like there was somewhat of a routine in place that he could get used to that followed as such:

Breakfast with Fong, morning training with Sarawat showing up late and earning an earful of threats from Head Trainer Dim, lunch with Ohm where the two friends would try to decipher the inner workings of the complicated relationships between members of the court, attending some sort of social engagement with the Prince that Tine always used as time to take stock of what they had learned that day, an evening meal with Fong where they recapped the day and Fong filled Tine in on the days gossip and each evening closed with a private training session with Sarawat where Tine was slowly starting to see subtle improvements in the Prince’s technique...

Tonight was no different with the arrival of a silver tray heaped with food and a folded piece of parchment containing the meeting place of tonight’s training session enclosed with the Wolf wax Insignia. Tine found himself looking forward to his time alone with the Prince, if only to know that it seemed to be the only time that Sarawat seemed to let his guard down and actually take his training somewhat seriously.

“Where are you slinking off to tonight?” Fong asked with an amused curve to his lips.

“Looks like we’re meeting at the stables.” Tine responded.

He had filled Fong in on his extra training sessions with the Prince. Tine knew it was a bit of a risk to trust someone he had known for such a short time but he just had a good instinct about Fong.

“Maybe you’re going for an evening ride.” Fong waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Tine felt his cheeks flush involuntarily at Fong’s teasing but covered it by giving Fong a playful punch in the arm. “I should go. Do you mind cleaning this up?”

“It is my duty whether I want to or not.” Fong remarked dryly and Tine gave him an appreciative nod before running off to the stables.

The need for discretion about their after hours meetings had been Sarawat’s request which is why the location changed every day. He did not want the news of him doing extra practice to be shared with anyone in the court as he wanted to keep up his aloof appearance. This confounded Tine to no end but he respected the Prince’s wishes.

When he arrived at the stables, it seemed like Sarawat had yet to arrive so Tine made himself busy with grooming the Princes horse. He almost leapt out of his skin when he heard a ruckus coming from a few stalls down. Without a second thought, Tine pulled out his sword and advanced upon the stall to investigate.

“Who’s there?” Tine called out as he neared the source of the sound.

A silence loomed before two sets of giggles erupted from the empty stall. Tine relaxed as he saw Sir Boss and Sir Man’s heads pop into view. From Fong’s gossip sessions, Tine had quickly learned that The Princes closest confidants were less members of the court and regarded more as court jesters with the type of ridiculous antics that they got up to.

They were surprisingly quite talented in their training but took little else in their lives seriously. Tine envied how carefree their lifestyles were due to the security of their families being members of the court. They had time to enjoy themselves because they did not need to busy themselves with chores and other housework like Tine had when he was growing up.

“Sir Man, Sir Boss.” Tine sheathed his sword and nodded at the two men in front of him. “What can we attribute your presence this evening to?”

“We’ve seen Wat sneaking away from his quarters every night and we knew we had to launch an investigation into his shifty behaviour.” Man explained plainly before Boss chimed in, “We thought he was trying to woo a maiden in secret but, as it turns out, maybe he’s trying to woo his Squire instead.”

Tine thanked the Gods that it was such a late hour and there were not many candles lit in the stables as his cheeks were quite flushed due to Boss’s suggestive comment. He was sure that Boss meant nothing by it other than to get a rise out of Tine.

“Sorry to disappoint but we are just meeting up for a training session.” Tine answered cooly and made his way back to Sarawat’s horse to finish the brushing regiment. “How did you find out about this anyway?”

“We overheard a rather loudmouthed caste servant talking about it on his way to the kitchen.” Boss answered and both he and Man made their closer to the stall that Tine was working in.

Tine silently cursed Fong’s loud mouth but continued to give all of his focus to Sarawat’s steed. In some ways, Tine hoped that Sarawat did not bother to show up because the situation was already humiliating enough.

“What are you two blockheads doing here?”

The three young men looked up to see the Prince walk into the table after he asked his question. He was leading a horse that Tine was not familiar with into the stable and Tine wondered what the intention behind it was. Sarawat’s question inspired both Man and Boss to fall into a fit of laugher so intense that Tine worried for their health.

Sarawat shook his head at his idiotic friends and continued toward Tine, “Sorry to keep you waiting but I had to collect my brother’s horse so that we could ride together.”

“Oh.” That was all that Tine could put into the words as the situation was just too bizarre for him to navigate.

“Don’t worry, Tine.” Sarawat faced out toward his friends and passed the lead for the horse to Tine. “Sir Man and Sir Boss will not be joining on us this evening. In fact, I don’t remember inviting them along in the first place.”

Man and Boss shared a look of mischievousness between them before Man blurted out, “We chose to invite ourselves. I am not about to apologize for being worried about a friend’s wellbeing considering his rather out of character behavior.”

Sarawat shot a glare toward Man and Boss before mounting his horse. He nodded for Tine to do the same so Tine followed the silent order of the Prince. “You two will not follow us or I will have your heads.”

This inspired Man and Boss to fall into another fit of laughter which distracted them for long enough for Tine and Sarawat to take off into the night on their horses. Tine could heard the echo of the Prince’s closest friend’s laughter from over a mile away as he followed Sarawat into the chill of the evening.

Sarawat had his horse at a quick clip and Tine’s own horse seemed to be struggling to keep up. Tine wondered if this was due to the fact the the Prince had such a strong connection with his steed while Tine had only met the horse he was riding mere moments before. Tine called into the wind, “Wat, where are we going? What skills are we working on tonight?”

“We’re not training tonight.” Sarawat yelled in response, his hair whipping in the current of their gallop. “We’re doing something that is entirely foreign to you, Tine, we’re going to have fun.”

Tine tried not to be deeply offended by the accusation but he understood where the Prince was coming from. He was all business and while he had sometimes let his seriousness slip slightly, Sarawat had really only seen the determined and focused Squire side of Tine and nothing else. He understood why Sarawat might have the impression that Tine had an ‘all work and no play’ approach to life but Tine was going to show Sarawat that he was wrong.

Tine leaned forward and gently clicked his heels to the horses’s side to encourage his horse to catch up with Sarawat’s. He quickly passed by Sarawat and began to increase his speed incrementally.

“Are you trying go race with me, Tine?” Sarawat questioned, a twinkle of amusement in his tone.

“Wat, don’t you know if it is not considered a race when you know who is going to win?” Tine called back to the Prince and encouraged his horse to go even faster.

“Good thing I am a born winner!” Sarawat cried out and seemed to accept the challenge without a second thought.

Tine heard the hooves of Sarawat’s horse getting closer and tried desperately to get his own horse to keep up the speed they had set but the steed seemed to be slowly losing momentum. It did not take long for Sarawat to gain on Tine and Tine chanced a look over at the Prince and his breath was stolen away.

Sarawat was completely in his element. The Wolf Prince was riding under the full moon in all his lupine glory.

Tine couldn’t look away as the image was so entirely captivating. It made Tine even more aware of what a waste it was for Sarawat to be so disinterested in his royal duties and yet, the contradiction was exactly what made Tine so drawn to the Prince. He wondered how different the world would be when Sarawat took the throne and hoped that his predictions were right about the future king. It made Tine momentarily question his mission of vengeance but Tine’s commitment to his cause would always overpower a fleeting sense of contradiction.

The kingdom was corrupted. The attack on Tine’s father had proven what he had always instilled in Tine. Question power - challenge authority. Just because Tine was so immersed in the world of thrones and crowns did not mean that he would change his plan to burn it all down to ashes to make up for what the royal family had done to his.

The realization made Tine bring his horse to an abrupt halt. Sarawat surged on and as much as Tine had enjoyed the moment with the Prince, he could no longer engage in this kind of exchange with him. It had to be business from now if Tine was going to turn the Prince into a strong enough fighter to become a true Knight. Tine needed the promotion so that to could also rise to the station where he could challenge the Head Knight. Without a shift in class, the proposition of a match would never be taken seriously and, without that, Tine could never avenge his fathers attack.

It took a moment for Sarawat to realize that Tine was no longer beside him and when he did, Tine took off back toward the stables to put distance between the two of them. He could not explain to the Prince what was going on without revealing his secret.

Tine heard Sarawat calling after him in confusion but he had to ignore the pull that he felt toward the Prince. Tine was shocked to find his eyes filling with frustrated tears but he attributed their presence to the wind whipping in his face. Tine left Sarawat yelling after him, his only goal to keep moving away from the Prince and the power he held over Tine.

The Prince was left alone in the night, wondering why his Squire had seemingly begun to let down his walls before quickly throwing them back up. He was left behind.

…A wolf howling in the wind.

*********

Sarawat was colder than usual over the next few days during their scheduled training sessions and Tine had yet to receive another message from him at dinner. Fong regarded Tine sympathetically every evening that passed without a letter but Tine played it off as if it meant nothing to him. It was better this way anyway. Tine overheard Sir Man and Sir Boss giving the Prince a hard time about the encounter in the stables but with one sharp look, the teasing came to an end and was never brought up again. Sarawat and Tine’s interactions were brief and not many words were shared between them. Tine tried not to take it personally considering he was the one that had caused the wall between them to be erected in the first place.

One morning, before training, Tine was tending to the Prince’s horse when he felt a sharp tap on his shoulder. He turned, expecting to see Ohm or even Man or Boss to give him a hard time about one thing or another. Instead, Tine was faced with Lord Mil shining a broad grin at him.

“Squire Tine.” Mil addressed Tine and Tine had to fight to keep his composure. The Lord continued, “I just wanted to check in with you. It seems like the Prince has been treating you a bit coldly lately. Did something happen between the two of you?”

Tine was at a complete loss of words but Mil was patient enough to wait for him to find his thoughts. The Lord seemed genuinely interested in Tine’s response and despite his instincts to punch Mil in the nose, Tine got himself together and answered, “Lord Mil, I appreciate your concern but the Prince and I are just fine, despite whatever rumours seem to be circulating…”

“I know the Prince well. He is probably just being stubborn because he is not getting what he wants. I think that it is good of you to be pushing him the way you are. He needs someone that doesn’t just tolerate his behaviour.” Mil remarked, taking out his hard and practicing some sword handling skills. “I know that we are not as familiar with one another but I have heard quite a bit about you from my own Squire and I saw your skills during the Squire Trials. You are quite talented in your own right.”

Tine didn’t know how to process a compliment coming from the person who was supposed to be his enemy. He so wished that Ohm was present to interrupt the interaction but his friend was nowhere to be seen, probably sent away by Mil to collect materials for that very reason.

“T-thank you.” Tine managed to choke out despite his better judgment.

Lord Mil seemed satisfied with this response and held out his sword in a manner that suggested that he wanted Tine to take it. The last thing that Tine wanted to do was hold the very weapon that his father had forged that inspired the attack in the first place. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach and started to back away slowly from Mil, earning himself a concerned look from the Lord.

“Tine, are you feeling all right?” Mil asked as Tine clamoured backward, dust kicking up in his wake. “Are you dehydrated? Do you need water or something else? I can call a servant to fetch some…”

This was too much to handle. He had been able to tolerate Mil’s presence when he was at a distance but without someone or something to serve as an excuse for his escape, Tine felt like he was utterly drowning. The worst part of it all was that Mil seemed to actually being quite a decent person despite his relation to his evil father.

“Why don’t you just give him some space, Mil?”

The Prince’s voice cut into Tine’s awareness and even though his vision was blurring slightly due to how overwhelmed he felt, he was incredibly thankful for Sarawat’s presence, even though the tension between them was still so high.

Sarawat had inserted himself between the Lord and Tine in an effort that was perplexingly protective. Tine had never anticipated that Sarawat would act in such a manner, especially considering the unresolved conflict between them. Tine found himself at a crossroads about how he should feel but was innately comforted by the Prince’s intervention into the matter.

“I didn’t mean any offence.” Mil expressed in a seemingly innocent tone and quickly put his sword away. “I’ve never known a Squire to be afraid of Knight’s sword.”

Tine shivered at Mil’s response. He so wished that he had the courage to stand up for himself but because of the complexities of the situation, his head was reeling too much for him to properly form a response.

Sarawat studied the expression on Tine’s face momentarily before turning back toward Mil and spitting out, “Maybe it is the Knight and not the sword that he is afraid of.”