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tigersharkapologist · 29 days ago

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Marcus Acacius Headcanons

headcanons and some au stuff dump⊹ ࣪ ˖

TW: mentions of child abuse and murder 𓃦

General Marcus Acacius 𓅂

- Please get this man a vacation. He’s exhausted, he’s tired. Physically, mentally and emotionally.

- He has a broken toe he never addressed because it just?? stopped hurting??

- He has a very bad habit. When he does get these vacations, he tends to abuse them and literally does nothing but bedrot, like he literally wont even bathe unless Lucilla hounds him.

- Burnout induced procrastination and laziness final boss

- He grew up in a relatively larger household, four siblings including himself. All were sisters (this is largely why he knows how to be a decent and faithful husband).

- He actually heavily disliked Lucilla at first. It was mostly because Lucilla was, understandably, still grieving Maximus and her son, but often times that anger was directed towards him.

- they worked their difficulties and misunderstandings out through the wonderful mystical skill that is critical thinking and communication. You know. Like adults. (the rest of the Roman elite cannot say the same, I fear).

- Acacius always wanted children with Lucilla, but Lucilla always refused because she was still torn and ruined from the loss of her son.

- Of course this saddened him greatly, but he understood. He could only imagine what that kind of pain is like—probably far more than what he’s feeling.

- Lucilla is beefing with his sisters. Why? Acacius doesn’t know and frankly he doesn’t really want to? He’s far too stressed, which is understandable. You try not being haunted by the wails of grieving “barbaric” mothers and fathers watching the corpses of their sons being burned by Roman soldiers under your command. You probably wouldn’t sleep well, either.

- The General has great respect for Julius Caesar, he ordered the Medusa head to be molded into his cuirass in honor of him and his successes as one of Rome’s finest generals to ever live. (In one of his busts, Julius Caesar’s cuirass had Medusa on it so this fanboy got inspired).

- Acacius is a reader. Loves to read fiction, especially. It allows him to escape the stresses of his life and become immersed into the world of whatever genre he’s reading.

- Astronomy as a hobby! He likes the stars, he thinks they’re pretty. A petname he has for Lucilla is Stella.

- He’s very intelligent and extremely educated. Sure he was technically a nepo baby, like most of Rome’s elite, but he genuinely used his academics and intellectual prowess to get to where he is. He somewhat regrets his position now.

- As much as he just wants to ring the young twins by the neck some of the times—most of the times— he can’t help but feel extremely bad for them. Everyone close to the Septimius household knew of the horrors those two had to go through in their most vulnerable, innocent years. They are lacking in love and mercy because they were not given that by their parents. They lack education because of that same reason. Education is very important to Acacius (if he were emperor, all citizens of Rome would be given an education), and he strongly believes if they were to only receive a solid education, they wouldn’t be making half of the mistakes that they are making now. And the lack of parental love? It hurts him personally as someone who wants children desperately. He couldn’t fathom how someone could neglect their children, their own blood in such a way. (he does not know about the chronic beatings, all he heard about was that they were ignored). Acacius will never defend the emperors’ wrongdoings ever, but looking at their lives every now and then is a nice reminder of how blessed he was to grow up in a loving household. The part that really breaks his heart is how young they are to be suffering like this. However, they are adults now, they are expected to act and behave a certain way, to make the right decisions with the power they hold.

- Regardless, he fights for Rome and her people, and the two have been a threat. You can’t blame him for trying to start a coup against the Septimius twins, even if it was done with a heavy heart.

- Like the emperors, Acacius has always been antsy around the Praetorian Guard. Something about them irks him. To be honest, those freaks creep out the majority of the Roman elite, even the Senate who seem to favor them. All they do is stare and watch from the shadows. Acacius swears they’re incapable of blinking. Sure they’re physically weaker and shorter than the cavalry he commands, but that didn’t matter when he was sure they could kill you with only a single stare. He doesn’t believe in ghosts but he wouldn’t be surprised if the Praetorian were just made up of vengeful spirits. And if not spirits, the offspring of mars himself.

- Acacius was there in the audience when the Praetorians betrayed Caesar Commodus under Praefectus Quintus’ command. Now, he thought it was a very noble act (as Commodus was a man who should have never been given power in the first place), but the way they were so detached and how easily they just let their emperor die spooked him a twinge. Do they simply not care about who they’re supposed to protect? If they were so easy as to let the emperor die in the ring, what does that say about their loyalty to the Roman people? He knows Quintus personally, he’s a good man with a solid head on his shoulders. But what of his guard? Acacius isn’t too sure about them. As a highly respected General, it would only be his duty to keep an extra eye on them

- Those who speak poorly about the Praetorian best wish that they weren’t being listened to by them. Like corvids, they hear one bad word, one little slight, and the entire guard 400+ strong will know about it by the end of the night. They like to gossip and protect their own. Scary Alt Kid Mean Girl Gang who will Probably Kidnap You. Being on the Praetorian’s radar is quite bad for your health.

- Just in case they might be listening to his prattles to senators where they would discuss the Praetorian, which chances are they were, he refers to them as “aureus”. A fitting name, well, insult. Not as strong and mighty as his wolfish cavalry, but deadly and crafty in their own right. And if those jackals were listening, they’d probably confuse “aureus” as “Aurelius”, Commodus’ father. Hopefully. Maybe. Yeah probably.

- Enough of those spooks, Acacius can play instruments!! And he often does for his lady. He’s rather exceptional with the lute!

- He’s not the only general who’s sick and tired of the warring. There are people to feed, homes to build. They need the tax money that the twins are spending for their Golden Parties and Colosseum events. Unfortunately, Acacius was the only one with enough mettle to try and do something about it.

- He miraculously survived the arrow strike brought on by the Praetorians (SHUT UP he lived lets just say his cuirass was actually made out of freaking titanium LET ME HAVE THIS Vomits Cries Sobs Commits Third Degree Arson Eats You Chews You Spits You Out)

- Yeah it was that day forward he developed a permanent dislike toward the Praetorian. He didn’t care if they were “just doing their jobs” if it were him he wouldn’t have fired that arrow. Either the Praetorian were literally sheep or they had cracked out that “aureus” referred to them. Regardless Acacius KNOWS that they aren’t afraid of the twin emperors. They could kill the two in their sleep easy. Who’s going to arrest the praetorians if they disobeyed the emperors’ command to fire? Themselves? Acacius is hellbent that it was personal because they had all authority to not fire those arrows.

- Acacius may be becoming a sort of conspiracy theorist?? An attempt at your life that nearly succeeds would make you paranoid, too. He thinks the twins and the Praetorian had it out for him before the coup attempt even happened, that all they needed was a reason to get rid of him.

- He was going to confront Quintus about it because why would he ever let that happen under his watch? Apparently Quintus was literally outside of Roman boarders to visit family in Graecia (Graecia is its own country in this au, Caesar Aurelius gave them full freedom from Rome temporarily. Aurelius only kept Graecia absorbed by Rome because he thought their people would do better under Roman rule, but gave them that temporary freedom of power just to see how they would do (he’s rather fond of them and their culture, also the Graecian senate convinced him to). But eventually, following his death and the rise of Commodus, that deal was forgotten. And Commodus didn’t really care about Graecia as his attention was on his own Senate. And after he died, Septimius was going to reabsorb Graecia but got murdered. And after he died, Caracalla and Geta both have no idea Graecia isn’t apart of Roman rule anymore—they are solely focused on southeastern conquest. So Graecia is just its own thing for now.).

- So yeah Acacius hates those black and purple blue bloods.

- So does Lucilla because these two are power couple to the max. She trusts her husband’s instincts far more than some armored fellow in a dark corner staring into space while listening to everyone’s conversations.

- Acacius likes flowers! His favorite are Gladiolus, as they remind him of his Lucilla. Whenever he sees them on boarder patrols, he’ll pick some for his lady.

- It was these same flowers that Lucilla put in a vase for him on his nightstand when he was in the Medicus’ office. Out of distrust in the emperors, they used the office far away from the palace. Many had come to pay their respects and thanks to their hero General. It made him regret his job just a little less. Just a little.

- Lucilla stayed by his side until full recovery, telling him about how he’s technically the step-father to Lucius. (Oh yeah Lucilla lives too because Geta’s death didnt occur in this au)

- He was actually very excited because Lucius is the biological son of Maximus, someone Acacius respects fully. But he’s worried that Lucius would never accept him to fill in that role, which is understandable. Lucius has been hurt by Rome too many times, the last thing he needs is a constant reminder of what was taken from him in favor of a cheap replacement. These are the things Acacius would think about in and out of consciousness.

- Poor Acacius has been very cruel to himself lately, as you can see.

- Lucilla would often sing to him to cool his thoughts. He loves his scary wife.

- They own two Borzois. One is named Gelu, the other is Nivis. They are sisters! They’re very good girls and are loyal to their owners. Gelu is far nicer than her sister, as Nivis is rather wary of others. They like to run along the palace walls in a blur. They are very polite but don’t let that fool you, they just want whatever snack they think you have.

- Acacius is very fond of Gelu and Nivis, he considers them the children he’s never had.

- Before this whole fiasco and all of the life threatening drama (the first year of the twin emperor’s ruling, so when the two were 17), Gelu and Nivis were given freedom to run around the whole palace, including the Executive Floor (where the emperors roam). Unfortunately, Acacius had no idea about Caracalla’s apparent crippling fear of dogs, because when Caracalla saw the two white blurs charging toward him, their tails wagging and barking playfully—he had a full blown panic attack and mental breakdown. He almost had a heart attack, too. Completely. Everyone on the Executive Floor made a b-line towards the shrill cries of horror. Geta was FAST, say what you want about him but this guy can sprint. He got there first. He expected to see pools of blood and gore, but only saw Gelu and Nivis licking Caracalla’s fingers while he was screaming. It may be funny to you but it was terrifying to Caracalla. His brother ushered the dogs away so the Medicus could get to him. When the Medicus, with the help of Dondas, calmed down the shaken emperor, Caracalla demanded that both dogs be put down by their owner effective immediately. Acacius was heart broken, but Geta stepped in. He deemed that the dogs were not at fault whatsoever, there was no attack and it was all a misunderstanding. Gelu and Nivis have been pardoned, however, they were strictly prohibited from ever leaving Acacius’ part of the Palace. To Geta, Caracalla’s health comes first, always.

- Acacius wonders if that incident caused a permanent mistrust within Caracalla. He remembered how quick the twin was to arm himself with a gladius and charge at him to protect his brother when the secret about Acacius’ coup came out. Poor kid. But Acacius didn’t feel bad about that coup attempt at all. In fact, looking back. he probably should have used Gelu and Nivis to scare off Caracalla and separate two. Sure, they couldn’t fight at all, they had zero fighting skills. But if they were apart, it would make the attempt much easier, and possibly successful.

- These are the thoughts he would have while in recovery. What he could’ve done differently. What could have changed? Well, as far as he was concerned, the twins were still in power. But at least he had his queen.

- Acacius has many different cuirasses and uniforms all for different occasions (also he likes many different color pallets). His second favorite is the ceremonial white and gold, but his first favorite has colors that Lucilla said complimented well. And, boy, does Lucilla have a fine taste. This uniform is mostly starch black, with cherry red as a secondary color and gold highlights here and there. It’s bold, it’s intimidating and it’s beautifully handsome on him. He likes to wear it in his spare time :)

- Sort of kind of separate from Acacius. Higher ranking guards, cavalry, Generals, Captains, Praetorian/Praefectus and, of course, Emperors have full design authority over their cuirasses. They can choose any molding they want on there, usually done to represent themselves and their personality. Acacius chose Sphynxes because they represent wisdom and strength, things he needs—well he hopes he has—as a general. The Sphynx is also a nod to Maximus, as the Medusa head is a nod to Julius Caesar. Maximus chose horses to represent his ability to endure and stand for justice; a noble and strong beast. Etc. Some of the more boisterous men enjoy keeping it plain as to not distract from the abs. Very classy.

- Yes, they get full design authority on helmets, too

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manawari · 1 year ago

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What is Love?

Cha Hae-in knew what was it like to let someone know how much they meant to her. The problem? She didn't know how to express it without feeling embarrassed or being worried that she might mess up. She was quite timid, yet once she let her heart out, she made sure those she loved or cared for would be safe from harm.

She always saw herself as a protector. A guardian for those who strayed from the path of hope. And most of all. . . She was someone who wished to share her heart to those around her.

"Love" was a word who was as big as the universe. No one could be able to tell where was it. You just. . . Feel it. Love could be the warmth brought by an embrace. Love could be receiving something that brought joy. Love was like seeing the daylight for the first time.

To her, Love could be anything.

From making her parents proud and smile to achieving her goal in the field — those were her happiness. And happiness became love.

But how far could she be able to express the dearest word in the universe?

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— Gift Giving —

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"Oh, wow! This tastes so delicious!" Park Hee-jin, one of her classmates, gushed as she held a half-bitten cookie in her hand. The cookie had chocolate chips and was coated in powdered sugar.

Hae-in flushed. "You think so?"

"Of course!" Hee-jin exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you have such a talent in baking?"

"I don't exactly have a talent in baking. I was hungry and found some ingredients in the shelves, and since I didn't have the energy to go out, I decided to make some snacks for myself." Hae-in explained. "And since I made quite a lot, I decided to bring them and offer them to you."

"Aw! You shouldn't have!" Hee-jin giggled. She took another bite and kept her smile at the taste. "God, you baked so good for a first timer."

Apparently, Hee-jin didn't bring the container with her. There were only seven cookies left. Hae-in rolled her eyes at her friend for saving such an amount. So, she placed it back inside of her bag and left the classroom with Hee-jin, chattering about today's class.

Hee-jin soon waved her hand in farewell before taking off to the car that was waiting for her in the entrance of the campus. Unlike her, Hae-in usually walked alone. She liked that going home meant giving her some time for herself to ponder and soothe her mind from the stress she had endured just like any other student.

However, as she neared the exit, Hae-in had to pause her tracks when she noticed a familiar presence standing beside the gate. The uniform was dark blue, which was very unlike to the male students in her school. But the light smile on her face could tell whom he exactly was.

So, Hae-in continued her way toward the gate and was eventually met by a pair of dark eyes. If one stared at them longer, it would be as if the abyss was staring back. But that was just a metaphor she often had in her mind whenever she thought about it.

"You're here," she said to him. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not quite. But hey, it's my turn to pick you up from school." Jin-woo smiled. "Want to hit the cafe and do homework together?"

Hae-in hummed. After making up her decision, she nodded. "Okay! Let's go."

Then, just as she was about to take another step, she caught his hand stretching out to her. She blinked at him questionably.

Jin-woo was silent for a second, but then he cleared his throat. "Do you want me to carry your bag?"

"Uh. . . Sure thing." Hae-in nodded and took off her bag from her shoulders to hand it to him. Though, a small part of her reckoned that he had a prior idea before speaking those words.

Nonetheless, Jin-woo was a someone who was surprisingly. . . Which word should she use? Unique? Different?

Literally. She met him outside of the stadium where she was worrying about her injured foot. Then, he came and kneeled down to heal her foot by his hand in an absolute magic and invited her to run with him. Hae-in still wondered how in the world did he possessed such a skill and why was she not speaking a single word about it — sure, she was thankful that she could still run in the field, so that was something she felt indebted to him

Sung Jin-woo. The name sounded like she had it before, but she couldn't tell how. Had she met him in some point in her life? Was he someone she had accidentally bumped with before?

Despite of these speculations, Hae-in couldn't help but feel at ease around him. He was kind, funny, sometimes childish, genuine, and clever too. Jin-woo acted as if he had known her for a long time because of how loose he was around her since the second time they had met. Meanwhile, Hae-in was still shy toward him, though it he never said that it bothered him.

She wanted to get to know him more.

. . . Especially when they made a deal together.

"Now, subtract these two together and get the square root, then you'll have your answer."

Hae-in snapped out of her daze. "H— huh?"

"You okay, Hae-in?" Jin-woo asked beside her.

"Uh— yes! I'm sorry. I suddenly got distracted." Hae-in apologized.

Jin-woo smiled in understood and placed his pen aside. "It's alright. I think we should get a break for a while. Do you want to something?"

"You don't have to, Jin-woo," Hae-in shook her head. She reached to her bag and pulled the zipper open to bring out the plastic container. She placed it on the table and peeled the lid open. "I made some cookies last night and since I was worried that they might become stale, I brought them with me. You can try them if you want."

Jin-woo grabbed one and brought it between his teeth to crush a small piece of it for him to nibble. Hae-in watched him intently. Sure, Hee-jin liked it very much and so did she, but who knew if Jin-woo had a sweet tooth as well?

A familiar glint appeared in his eyes and his lips stretched into a broad smile. He stared at the cookie and took another bite until he finished what was left in his hand.

"It tastes wonderful!" He looked at her. "Thanks for bring these cookies, Hae-in."

Hae-in let out a chuckle. "I'm glad you like it. A friend of mine told me that I baked good for a first timer."

"Then that person is right," Jin-woo concurred and grabbed another cookie. "I hope you'll bake next time. I'm sure they'll be as delicious as this one!"

Her heart was as big as her smile.

Jin-woo was a quiet person. Usually, he wouldn't start a conversation, but when he did, he was one of the best people to talk to. Even in simple words, it made a huge affect on Hae-in. He indeed had a sweet tooth. But most of all, he liked the cookies she had made.

Hae-in learned another thing about her close friend.

Come to think of it, she hadn't done anything for him ever since he healed her foot. Jin-woo wasn't even asking for anything in return, but Hae-in thought she should repay for everything he had done for her — he did nothing but show kindness and generosity wholeheartedly. He was such a good friend to her.

If only there is a way I can do for him. . . Hae-in mulled as she hid under her covers.

What did he like? Should she buy him those comics he often raved about? No, there had to be something else. Something that would impact him the way he had to her.

Then, an idea finally came to her.

She sprung from the mattress and her mouth parted into a vast smile. I know!

Jin-woo was probably set to have his exams today. She knew how hard he had been preparing for the midterms to pass every subject in school. So, the moment the bus stopped, Hae-in practically rushed out the vehicle and headed to the sidewalk that led to the school.

The paper bag dangled furiously on her hand as she raced toward the students who were going inside of the campus. She had informed Hee-jin to cover for her in case a teacher asked for her presence, so she wouldn't have to fear being late, but what mattered to her was getting to Jin-woo before he disappeared into the crowd.

"Jin-woo!" She called out.

Some eyes were drifted toward her direction, but her main focus was Jin-woo, who stopped his tracks to meet her gaze. He was surprised to see her so early. Hae-in panted as she finally reached him, her bangs had plastered on her forehead due to the sweat beading on her head.

"Hae-in. . . ?" Jin-woo spoke. "What are you—"

Hae-in handed him the paper bag with her two hands. "This is for you, Jin-woo. I'm sure you will do well in your exams!"

Jin-woo accepted it and peered on the bag's content. His mouth curved into a smile. He looked up to her warmly.

"Thank you," he said to her.

Hae-in tucked her hands to her back as she reciprocated the smile. "Good luck!"

"I will."

With that, Hae-in turned around and walked away. Her smile never left her face. Inside of the bag was a pack of brownies sprinkled with crushed almonds and on top of the lid had a sticky note that said 'do your best! ♡'. It may be a short message, but Hae-in poured her heart into those brownies when making them.

Thankfulness. Adoration. Happiness.

Things that Jin-woo had made her feel over the past few months of friendship. Hae-in could only hope that he would get the message.

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— Words of Affirmation —

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Cha Hae-in was not good with words. She often thought of them carefully before opening her mouth. Words could be the sweetest things to hear and absorb, but words could also be the most bitter and sharpest to tear someone apart. And Hae-in didn't want that.

She didn't want to hurt someone unless it was in retaliation.

Hae-in always did her best to speak out her feelings. She congratulated Hee-jin when she learned that her friend got a scholarship overseas. She cheered when she came to watch Tae-gyu's tennis match. She comforted those around her. She made handwritten letters to her parents in their anniversary when she was a kid.

Words had the power to affect one's life. So that was why, her grandfather reminded her to choose her words carefully. Her choices of words could make someone's day or leave a scar on their heart.

Hae-in was shy anyway, so it would not be easy for her to voice out all the time. She wouldn't even talk unless someone started a conversation. Sometimes, she was frustrated at herself for it, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

She entered her bedroom with a clean towel over her shoulders as she scrubbed her cheek with it. The night shower was refreshing. After hours of studying, she could finally get some sleep to end her day with, but that was until she heard her phone ringing on her desk.

Curious to know who could be calling her at 10 PM, Hae-in headed toward the table and picked it up.

It was Jin-woo.

He doesn't seem to be the type to call in this time of the night. I wonder why he's calling me? She wondered and answered it.

"Hae-in?"

His voice was quite groggy. It made Hae-in ask. "Are you asleep?"

"Yeah," replied Jin-woo from the other line. "Are you— uhm. . . Are you about to sleep?"

"Not at all. What is it, Jin-woo?"

He sighed. "I. . . I just had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?" Hae-in raised an insiqutive brow and sat down on the mattress. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure. . . It looked way too complicated. And this is the second time I had it. I just don't know— maybe I got scared for real?"

"Jin-woo, it's okay to be scared, you know? You're human. Humans are made to feel any kind of emotion."

"Thank you, Hae-in. It means a lot."

Hae-in nodded her head in response even though he wasn't there in front of her. She tucked her knees to her chest and realized this was the first time she witnessed Jin-woo being afraid. Or admitting that he was afraid. He was always composed and almost nothing could surprise him.

Perhaps this time was one of those rare moments.

"Hae-in?"

"Yes?" Hae-in realized that she was still on call with him.

"Nothing. . . I just want to your voice." He said. "It gives me comfort."

It brought a smile to her face. "You think so? Who knew that the brave and mighty Sung Jin-woo is afraid." She jested at the last sentence.

Jin-woo laughed airily. "Does it weird you out?"

"No. Fear is normal." Hae-in told him. "Even the strongest walls can crumble, but you can always build them up. If you aren't ready to tell me about your nightmare or don't want to tell it at all, I understand and respect your choice."

"But. . . Do you think I can hurt you?"

"Hurt me?" Hae-in was partially taken aback at the question. "Does this has something to do with your nightmare?"

"It is. I— I saw myself wrecking everything on my path and hurting the people around me." Jin-woo mumbled. "I guess that's when I knew I had to reach out to somebody."

"You can still reach out to me or someone else if you are feeling this way, Jin-woo," said Hae-in. "You don't have to carry this weight with you all the time. I'm here to listen no matter what it is."

"Thank—" she heard Jin-woo swallow. "Thank you, Hae-in."

She smiled. "What friends are for?"

"I know." Jin-woo's smile was evident in his voice.

Jin-woo was her friend. Her best friend. She would always be there for him whenever he needed someone to vent his feelings out. Hae-in liked it when someone was open to her — she felt like they trusted her and that trust was one thing she could never break.

Jin-woo. . . He was someone who had walls around him to protect himself. Everyone had inner wounds and so did he. Hae-in didn't know every pain he had gone through as she hadn't known him since he was a kid, but she promised herself to show him that he was not alone this time. He had someone to share his pain with.

Hae-in found herself getting better at words. In times when she wasn't vocal, she was able to express it to let Jin-woo what he needed to hear.

"You're one of the best people ever." She told him one time. When he looked at her, she just shrugged a shoulder and smiled. "I just wanted to let you know."

His reaction? Priceless.

Hae-in realized that Jin-woo needed to be reassured. No matter how much he hid it, Hae-in liked to think that she had mastered the skill of seeing through his walls. She read him like a book.

When they started dating, Hae-in aimed to be expressive. Every time she was about to go to sleep, she'd send him a sweet message and didn't have to wait for his response. She knew what would he reply even though there were no exact words in mind.

Because sometimes, words were everything a person needed to hear and remember, especially when it was felt right from the heart.

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— Acts of Service —

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"How about this, Jin-ah?" Hae-in offered the spoonful of stew to Jin-ah

The younger girl hummed and took a sip on the soup. Her eyes lit up. "Mm!" She swallowed. "Yes! That tastes delicious!"

Hae-in chuckled. She placed the spoon down and continued to stir the ladle around the pot to keep mixing the ingredients together.

"Noona? Why did you decide to cook dinner again?" Jin-ah asked. "We could've waited for my brother to come home and let him do the task."

"Your brother might be tired," said Hae-in.

Jin-ah huffed. "Oh please! I've never seen him become exhausted before. Although he can, but that's just once in a blue moon!"

"You'll never know, Jin-ah," Hae-in winked.

"Damn. How did my brother get you to fall for him again?"

Jin-woo came home a few moments later. He knew that he had invited his girlfriend over to have dinner, which was why he teleported himself in front of the door after his class was over. But to his surprise, he found the two girls settling plates on the table. He didn't remember having leftovers in the house when his sister complained that there was none.

"Hey!" Hae-in greeted him.

"Brother!" Jin-ah said. "Noona made some food!"

"Wait, what?" Jin-woo blinked and turned to Hae-in. "You cooked dinner?"

"Yep! I just thought I'd do it since it might be shameful of me to let you cook when you must be tired from the university." Hae-in said.

Jin-woo rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "You don't have to be worried about me, Hae-in. I'm the one who invited you anyway."

"Who cares? I can't let you move around when you are supposed to be resting." Hae-in shrugged. "Now come here before the stew gets cold."

"Yes, ma'am."

Hae-in didn't think she could be a doting girlfriend, but she wanted to keep her relationship with Jin-woo equal. There was no way she was going to let him do everything all the time. Regardless of being in the Sung household where she was welcomed, Hae-in didn't see herself as the type of person who would sit still.

She helped around as much as she could. She'd help Kyung-hye do the dishes and other times if Jin-woo was on laundry duty, she would walk over and didn't accept his refusals as an answer to her helping him. She was stubborn and there was nothing he could do once she had set her mind on something. In the end, they both enjoyed doing chores together.

Jin-woo was a man who never run out of energy. Even if he might do a hundred or more push-ups, he'd be drenching in sweat, but wasn't utterly exhausted. It was unbelievable. It was as if he was built different. Hae-in didn't think she could do a lot of push-ups, but the only time she was on sync with him was when they were jogging together.

Their weekend mornings were spent with meeting up at the park to run around to exercise their stamina. With Jin-woo no longer being part of the track and field, running was just an exercise for him whereas Hae-in would continue her passion to become a successful runner in the future.

The pair soon returned to the spot they had started and was also the place they had kept their bags. Hae-in had grown used to leaving their belongings behind the tree since nobody had dared to steal anything from the inside.

She was the first one to go to their hiding place and headed to Jin-woo's bag first to take out a clean towel and his water bottle. Hae-in handed him the latter while she chose to hold the towel.

"Lean down for a bit," she ordered him.

Jin-woo obliged and lowered his head where she began scrubbing his hair with the towel and wiped it across his sweating forehead. Yes, he had hands, but was it wrong for her to show her affections through actions?

"All done." Hae-in stopped her ministrations after finishing wiping the back of his neck.

"Thank you," Jin-woo smiled and twisted his bottle's cap open to drink the refreshing liquid to cleanse his lungs. "What about you?"

"I'm good." Hae-in smiled back. As she got her own towel to absorb her swear, she brought out a blanket from her bag to sprawl it across the ground for the both of themselves to sit. She also grabbed a peanut butter sandwich and unwrapped the tissue covering so she could take a bite on it. Meanwhile, Jin-woo settled next to her and fanned himself using the collar of his hoodie.

She offered him her sandwich. "Want some?"

Jin-woo glanced at it and as if without having a second thought, he swooped down to take a large bite on the sandwich.

"Jin-woo!" Hae-in exclaimed. "I brought two! You could've just said yes so that I gave you the other one in my bag."

"You didn't tell me beforehand," Jin-woo said, still munching on the portion in his mouth.

Hae-in rolled her eyes. "What an idiot."

"You love me anyways!" Jin-woo grinned brightly.

"I can't even tell how why I do," Hae-in chuckled. She eyed her sandwich that was now bitten by her boyfriend and offered it to him again. "You can have this if you want."

"Ah." Jin-woo opened his mouth.

Hae-in resisted her every urge to facepalm despite finding the situation adorable. Jin-woo truly had his own childish moments. No matter how ridiculous he looked, it didn't stop her from seeing him cute. It made her wonder if he was too used to his mother feeding him as a kid or he did it because he was being himself.

Big baby. Hae-in giggled.

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— Physical Touch —

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Sung Jin-woo, no doubt, was the most handsome man she had ever encountered. Not just for his looks, but for the way she fell for his kind heart and brave spirit. He had arms who could crush someone to death, but those were also the same arms who held her tenderly to his chest and listened to his heartbeat. He had eyes who were twin pits of darkness and had the power to intimidate someone just beneath his gaze, but those were the same eyes who cherished every part of her.

People might be quite unnerved in his presence, but to Hae-in, he was a man whom she held so dear in her heart.

Hae-in was the only one who knew how clingy Jin-woo could get. He would curl up to her side or drape his body over her, snuggling his head on her chest and the junction between her neck and shoulder. In turn, Hae-in would card her fingers through his soft, unruly hair and let his breaths fan over her skin.

She knew he liked it when she touched his hair.

Sometimes, Hae-in would lean to plant her lips on his forehead and watch him smile afterward. Things like that usually ended him dozing off while she was trapped in his arms until he awakened.

Hae-in had no clue how much she loved this side of him.

Though, she received her answer when they said their vows in front of each other and lived under the same roof. She wasn't just turning a blind-eye to how he healed her injury, she wasn't just cherishing the moments of being alone together, and she wasn't just loving how their bodies were close to each other. There was a reason.

They were lovers.

Well, not necessarily in a way Hae-in should see it after having her memories from the erased history, but judging the way Jin-woo acted since the moment they met. . . It all made sense now. He loved her since the beginning and she loved him the same way back. Jin-woo was making up for the lost time they could've had if it weren't for the Monarchs. . . And Hae-in wished to do the same.

She wondered how long he must've been holding himself when they were friends. The answer? The way he always snuggled to her.

"I didn't know the Shadow Monarch can be such a big baby," teased Hae-in, who sat on the couch with Jin-woo's arm over her stomach.

He grumbled something in response.

She chuckled, finding it adorable.

And sometimes, Hae-in craved for his warmth.

If he wasn't snuggling to her side, Hae-in would move toward him and press her cheek on his chest. Other times, she'd crawl to his lap and settle there whilst he wrapped his arms around her frame, it always made her smile and sink into his embrace.

It was not easy for her to speak out most of the time, so she expressed it through actions instead.

The living room was dark when she had climbed down the stairs. But over the kitchen table, she found a light coming from the laptop her husband had his attention on. His eyes were trained on his work as his fingers clicked the keys and rested his jaw on his palm to analyze it. She had been waiting for him in their bed until she decided to fetch him herself.

She headed toward him and went to his back and slid her arms over his shoulders, securing it with a hand on her wrist. Hae-in placed her chin on top of his head.

"Have you finished it already?" She asked, glancing at the screen where a report was presented in the center.

Jin-woo hummed and planted a light kiss on her arm. "Don't worry, I'm almost done. You can get some sleep."

Hae-in whined and craned her head to bury it on his neck, smelling his tender scent that she had always loved. It was not usual for Jin-woo to stay up on his work, but when he did, it would take some time for him to finish.

"Can I stay with you instead?" She murmured.

"Okay," Jin-woo nodded and stretched his left arm to give her a way to his lap. Hae-in obliged and moved over to to his left leg to sit on while hers were between his.

Hae-in wrapped her arms around his torso. The oversized shirt, which likely belonged to her husband, fell on her hips, thus making the rest of her skin pressed against the rough fabric of his jeans.

"Is there something wrong, love?"

Her heart almost skipped a beat at the endearment. To hide her cracking smile, Hae-in buried her face into his shirt and tightened her grip around him.

"Nothing. I just like being with you." She answered.

Jin-woo curved up a smile and moved his left hand to her thigh, squeezing it, then he pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Just hang in there, as soon as I finish this, we'll be in bed in no time."

"You mean, you'll just be using your powers again."

"Well, if my wife is that sleepy, so why not? Unless you want me to carry you—"

"Shut up!" Hae-in laughed. She raised her hand to trace his jawline and leaned up to peck his cheek. "Have you always thought that we'd end up this way, Jin-woo?"

"Yes." It was an instant answer. Jin-woo scrolled down his screen as he continued. "After our last call together, I did picture ourselves somewhere. . . Peaceful. Remember that time when we were gazing at the stars? Yeah, something like that."

"Likewise," Hae-in smiled softly. "Amazing how you still managed to find me even if I didn't know you back then."

Jin-woo chuckled. "I'd be a fool if I let you disappear in my life forever."

Oh, how he always knew his words. . .

When words were not necessary, Hae-in would do things such as embracing him and Jin-woo immediately got the message. The thing about their relationship was that both of them knew what each other wanted to say even in silence. She'd kiss his cheek to mean simple words — thank you.

Hae-in would kiss his forehead to remind him that she was there and she was not going anywhere.

She'd squeeze his hand and let their fingers intertwine together. How big and calloused his hand was compared to her, which was the product of the battles he had faced with his army alone. The weight he carried on his shoulders throughout his whole life. . . She wished she could make them all disappear.

She made sure that her love would overpower the pain he hid within.

Jin-woo always wore a glove to cover the wound he had on his left hand after his battle with Antares in the dimensional gaps. Back when she hadn't gotten her memories back, he'd tell her that he got the wound from a terrible accident when he was a kid. But now, he was quite shy around her when it came to his hand.

He immediately clothed it with his glove every time she was around. Hae-in could tell he was insecure no matter how he tried to hide the feeling. It was normal for someone to be ashamed of anything, especially when it was the body.

"Are you just going to wear your glove even though you're in our home?" She said to him when she spotted him staring at his naked left hand as he sat on his side of their bed.

He sighed. "I just thought it might make you uncomfortable."

"How so?" The corner of her mouth twitched. Hae-in crawled closer to him and placed her two hands over his. "Your wound won't change the way I see you, you know? You've fought the monarchs to prevent the world from turning upside down. It's almost unbelievable."

"Well, I am also a Monarch, remember?" Jin-woo said.

Hae-in let out a chuckle. Sometimes, she forgot that she was married to a Shadow Monarch. "Right. But no matter, you'll always be the hunter I've always known. Monarch or not." She took his left hand and intertwined their fingers, its texture made his skin rougher than the other one. She leaned her hand on his shoulder. "How did it feel?"

"It feels. . . Nice." Jin-woo spoke.

"Does it make a difference when I was holding it with your glove on?"

Jin-woo paused. His thumb rubbed the smooth surface. He replied. "Not at all. But does it annoy you? It isn't as clean as my right one."

"No, it doesn't bother me," Hae-in shook her hand. "Now, do you get my point?"

She wished to see her lover overcoming his worries and for once, move around without any wound to hide from her. He was imperfect, but that was what made her love him. Jin-woo wasn't awakened into an S-Rank, rather he was the weakest of all hunters, and it never once bothered her thoughts.

E-Rank or S-Rank, wounded hand or not, an ordinary hunter or a Monarch, Hae-in would love him the same.

She lifted his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing the wound that had been cloaked for a long time. Jin-woo must've had a lot of scars before he healed them himself, but if he still had them, Hae-in would kiss them each as to tell him that he was a work of art.

. . . Because love made every imperfection to perfection.

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— Quality Time —

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If she was born in an ordinary world, Hae-in would say that her life was complete. But since she lived as a hunter in the former timeline, Hae-in had this feeling that there was something missing. . .

New memories.

Whenever she was alone, she would think back to her old life. How little were the joyful moments in her life when she was too focused on ensuring everyone's safety. The responsibility of being a hunter weighted on her shoulder. Nonetheless, Hae-in managed to create time for other things such as joining her guild members to dinner and having coffee with her fellow S-Ranks.

Such moments were worthy enough for her to hold close to her heart. After all, before she became a woman who needed to fight for humanity, she was a girl who liked to create memories as long as she lived.

And Jin-woo was one of those memories.

Like her, he was a hunter whose days which were supposedly spent resting had been replaced with pouring himself into various tasks. She remembered how her heart fluttered when he called her through the phone to go with him to the amusement park. Being with him felt surreal. She thought her bond with him was the same as the ones she had with hunters like Jong-in and Yoon-ho, but instead, it was something she could not describe.

When they were trying out the rides, even though she didn't let out a scream once, it didn't hinder her day with him. Hae-in liked being with him no matter what.

. . . But little did she know was that their day together didn't simply end there.

He took her on a flight with his shadow wyvern, Kaisel. And that was actually the first time he heard her scream. Her adrenaline rose higher than facing a gigantic monster, thus pulling her to hold him tightly. Eventually, she calmed down and looked at the scenery around her, taking her breath away and allowing the sunset paint her face in amazement.

It was a memory she must never forget.

Jin-woo was indeed a man full of surprises. The fact that she wasn't able to determine what were under his sleeves made it more exciting. He too never failed to take her breath away.

"What are you thinking about?"

Hae-in stared up to her paramour, whom she was watching television with until her thoughts shrouded her mind. "Oh, nothing."

"Nothing, huh?" Jin-woo squinted his eyes at her.

"Yeah, why— kyah!" Hae-in yelped when his finger poke her waist.

Jin-woo grinned devilishly. "So what is it?"

"Oh my God! Are you that invested in my thoughts?!" Hae-in exclaimed as she pried his hands away, yet he kept persisting.

"Hmm. . . Maybe?" Jin-woo smirked and jabbed her waist again. Hae-in laughed and squirmed. "Don't tell me you are thinking about other men."

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, Jin-woo!" Hae-in snorted and clutched on his wrist as firm as she could get. "And please, where did you get such an idea?"

"Answer my question first!"

"No— puhahaha— JIN-WOO!" Hae-in burst out again and began to use her feet, but he was too strong, especially when he had his mind on something and that was torturing the heck out of her. "Fine! I'll tell you!"

Jin-woo faux pouted. "My, are you surrending yourself so quick?"

"Idiot!" Hae-in jabbed his shoulder. She was about to make a move when she realized she was basically trapped in his arms on the couch. "I just remembered our day together at the amusement park!"

"You mean, our first date?"

"That was a date?"

Jin-woo glowered at her and jabbed his finger at her ticklish spot again. Hae-in guffawed again.

"I'm just joking!" She exclaimed. "Stop! I already gave you the ans— please!"

Jin-woo laughed and obliged. He reached up to run his fingers through her soft tresses before leaning over to peck her forehead. "So, are you going out today?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing much. Didn't you mention last night that you will be meeting the beginners?"

"Oh, that!" Hae-in chuckled. "Well, most of them had important matters to attend to, so I told them to meet up on Monday. And besides—" she enclosed her arms around his neck. "I'd like to be at home with you anyway."

She loved being with him. Jin-woo was that one person she'd rather spend the rest of her days with. He was funny, annoying in a good way, and he had this side of him that she never thought he would have. He knew which buttons of hers to push if he was in the mood to tease her or hear her laughter.

If she left her work early, Hae-in would head to the precinct and wait for him outside. Just like what they did when they were in high school. But if she saw him heading out of building, Hae-in would rush toward him and surprise him by jumping up to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Hey!" She beamed.

"Woah! Easy there!" Jin-woo chuckled. "You're lucky that I'm all by myself. If I have the guys with me, who knows what will happen."

Hae-in huffed. "Who cares? You're the one who's going to suffer from them anyway."

"How evil."

"More evil than you!" She laughed. Hae-in grabbed his wrist. "Let's head home."

"Alright— ah, wait! Let's stop by at the grocery first. What do you say if we should have japchae for dinner?" Jin-woo suggested.

Hae-in nodded. "Okay. Mind if I help as well?"

"Of course," smiled her husband.

Jin-woo was a better cook than her, but she always helped him around whenever she could and learned a thing or two about cooking. And not just the aspect of learning, it was one of the things they liked to do together — they would ask each other about their day and other things to keep the air warm and cozy.

Hae-in cherished every second she spent with him.

She couldn't ask for a better lover when Jin-woo was everything she could ever find in a person to set her heart aflutter. When something was bugging her, she'd reach out to him. When Jin-woo needed to make a decision, he'd ask her for an advice. They were straightforward to each other.

Now that she thought of it. . . Hae-in was thankful for the reversal of time.

She got to do things she had never gotten to do as a hunter. Live up to her dreams, meet people without a hindrance, and build moments with the ones she loved with all her heart.

Her gallery was filled with precious photos she captured. They served as the key to her memories. And of course, the ones she had with Jin-woo were kept in a separate album — it featured selfies of them together on their dates, some were tender moments whenever they were laying next to each other, that one time Jin-woo covered her eyes and was facing the camera with the brightest grin on his face whereas hers was a shocked one, and other handful of shots.

When Hae-in was tired during her work, she'd head straight to her favorite album and wait as her exhaustion drifted away.

Call her cheesy, or a lovesick woman, but Hae-in would never apologize for it. But who could blame her? If anything, Jin-woo was worse when it came to showing affections.

Jin-woo pulled the covers up and crawled his way under them. He looked over and heard his wife giggling at something on her phone. Curious, he moved closer to steal a peek over her shoulder and found the messages with his sister. It had been a few months since Jin-ah got wedded to Jin-ho and were now living in one of the Yoo's vacation houses in the countryside.

"Jin-ho got drunk and proposed to her for the second time, huh?" Jin-woo said once he got the gist of the conversation.

Hae-in chuckled. "I don't think Jin-ah will let him near any alcohol if she's not around."

"Good thing I can't get drunk," Jin-woo huffed in pride of himself and lowered himself into the pillows.

"And that is why you are always get chosen to take wasted people to their houses!" Hae-in grinned. "Remember that time you came home with vo—"

"Ah! Ah! We shall never speak of that!" Jin-woo put his index finger between her lips. "I still have a grudge against Tae-gyu about that, so don't remind me again."

"Well, Tae-gyu always has a bad stomach for beer, but that won't stop him. I think it happened to Jong-in also when the guys and I were out for dinner at a restaurant."

"Dear!"

Hae-in snorted and placed her phone under her pillow. "Okay! I'll stop!"

"Thank God," Jin-woo sighed and snaked his arms around her to pull her to his chest and nuzzled her head with his nose. "I don't want to have dreams about that either."

"What do you wish to dream about then?" She asked as she snuggled comfortably into his embrace, jutting her chin a little to meet his eyes.

"Us." It was a simple response, yet spoke a lot of meanings. Jin-woo smiled. "I have everything I ever wanted, so I don't think I can dream of something else."

Hae-in hummed softly and moved her head underneath his chin. Jin-woo was truly content. She remembered him telling her about all the things he wanted in his life when they were under the stars together, two of which included having a peaceful life and love without boundaries. He was vocal about the things he desired.

"My Liege? I apologize for the interruption." Igris spoke up after ascending from the shadow. "The Little Lord is outside."

Hae-in raised her head from her beloved's chest as she and Jin-woo looked at the door of their bedroom. Igris bid his dismissal and disappeared. They watched as the doorknob was being fumbled from the outside and was pushed open by none other than their four-year-old son, Sung Su-ho.

"Mama? Papa?" The little boy said and clutched his bear stuffy to his chest. "Can I sleep here?"

Hae-in let out a smile.

"Of course. Come here, Su-ho." Jin-woo nodded and peeled the covers off him for his son.

Su-ho let out a beaming smile and pushed the door closed behind him with his small hand before rushing to his parents' bed. He tossed his teddy bear to the mattress first and grabbed onto the blanket to hold onto while he climbed up to the bed.

"Did you have a nightmare, sweetie?" Hae-in asked her son.

Su-ho crawled over his father so he was settled between his parents. He answered. "Nope! I just want to sleep with you and papa!"

"Is that so? Then why do I get a feeling that something might've scared you?" Jin-woo jested.

"No, I'm not! I am a brave boy." Su-ho exclaimed. "Nothing scares me!"

"What about ghosts?"

"Beru will always chase them away!"

"Hm, but can Beru chase away this?" Jin-woo pulled Su-ho close and started tickling him on his sides. It burst his child into laughter.

"M— mama! Save me!"

Hae-in laughed. Instead of 'saving' her child, she joined her husband. Now, Su-ho was trapped in his parents' tickles throughout his body; his laugh was contagious that the couple didn't even hold theirs back.

"Who's our brave little boy?"

"Me!" Su-ho let out, then Jin-woo raised the hem of his shirt to blow a raspberry on his belly. The boy whined in protest. "Papa!"

"More like our cute little boy~" Jin-woo embraced his son and started rocking him sideways gently. "Now, try not to grow up so fast. Your mama and I are not ready yet!"

Hae-in watched the two most important boys in her life. Not even her smile could express the love that was overflowing in her heart.

I have everything I need.

A loving husband and a precious child, Hae-in's life was now officially completed.

Who knew she'd end up like this?

This was what love felt like. The feeling that every second mattered and the realization that what was in front of her was enough. Su-ho would grow up knowing that his parents loved each other and that he was given such a wonderful childhood. And that was something Hae-in felt successful at achieving.

Once, she was a hunter. Her country's only female S-Rank hunter and a formidable swordswoman. For her whole life, Hae-in had this sense of responsibility in her that she must never break, otherwise she'd fail her duty as a protector. But now. . . She had the peace she always wanted.

To cherish her loved ones without fear. To feel free. To love without anything holding her back. Hae-in didn't know what she could possibly done to deserve such a life where she would have a family of her own and someone to share her heart with.

Love came in the most unanticipated time.

#hae-in expressing her love to jin-woo through the five languages 🫶#a companion piece to “Osmanthus” on ao3 #solo leveling #cha hae in #sung jin woo #jinhae #rei scribbles

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