#and the plot is to kidnap the prince
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trying real hard to ignore the new story concept that just popped into my head but man am I failing
#listen. listen. little mermaid where she turns human and gets found by a band of pirates.#they promptly adopt her and make her feel right at home#someone comes to these pirates and says hey. I've got a job for you. and it includes money. and the pirates are like HECK YEAH MONEY#and the plot is to kidnap the prince#the prince that the mermaid girl may or may not have saved once I'm not sure yet#so they kidnap the prince and obviously he's very mad about this whole thing#but he's ... intrigued ... by the silent pirate girl#and then they start to bond#the pirates notice. oh boy do they notice#they are both the worst and the best matchmakers either of these poor souls have ever seen and they're not sure what to do about it#that's all I've got#wow I did not ignore this new story concept#I sure hope someone reads these tags#little mermaid gets adopted by pirates
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*đđđ đđđđđđđ, đđđ đđđđđđ, & đđđ đđđđđ đđ.đ.
Title:Â The Seizing of Lady Oleander Type:Â Angst, Brief Fluff Ship:Â Jaegor Waters (oc) x Vivienne Oleander (oc), ft. Rhaerion Targaryen (oc) Word Count:Â 2,611 Summary: Ser Jaegor Waters and his paramour, Lady Vivienne Oleander, finally succeed in running away to be together. Little did they know that a vile plan would soon cut their hours of bliss short.
Taglist::@nikosasaki @erraticrandomficwriter, @jewishbarbies , @sgtbuckyybarnes ,  @decennia , @veetlegeuse, @arrthurpendragon , @raith-way , @scootermcooter , @stanshollaand , @chrissymunson , @foxesandmagic , @eddiemunscns ,  @waterloou , @endless-oc-creations, @kingsmakers, @https-svnshine, @daughter-of-melpomene,@dyhlanobrien, @fragilestorm , @nolanhollogay , @carmens-garden , @impales , @emilykaldwen, @darkwolf76, @princessmadelines, @iloveocs, @nectarinesrule , @nyrafireheart , @rebloggingocs , @conaionaru , @eddysocs , @xoteajays, @thatmagickjuju
A breathless Ser Jaegor Waters and his paramour, Lady Vivienne Oleander, lay in each otherâs arms.Â
They were alone, shut away from the rest of the world inside a modest shelter for the past couple of days. In those moments, the two of them seemed to exist completely within their own realm, free from the worries and expectations of the outside world.
Their bodies were tangled together, her limbs wrapped around his as their breaths mingled in the air between them. Her body felt warm and soft against his, the feeling of her skin sending shivers through him.
Vivienneâs honey tinted locks were spilling down Jaegorâs chest, just below his own icy blonde waves of hair as he breathed in the scent of her.
Her hands moved slowly along his back, tracing the lines of his muscles as she continued to move closer to him. He could feel his pulse quickening as she moved, his skin heating up as she continued her touch.
She moved her lips to his neck, his back arching instinctively as he felt her lips softly trail against him.
"I wish we could remain this way forever. Just laying in each other's armsâŚ" Lady Vivienneâs words broke the silence, her voice soft and airy. She shifted slightly again, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck.
"I desire the same, my dearest love."Â
The thought crossed the knightâs mind as well, and he couldn't help but dream of the same fate.
Could this truly be what the rest of their future might look like? Him in her arms, her in his? The thought filled Jaegor with a sense of warmth and calmness, making him feel at ease for the first time since the two ran off together.
He hugged her a bit tighter, his fingers running through her long hair. His grip turned into an affectionate squeeze as he spoke.
"It can be, if you want it to." He smiled, his voice soft and gentle, despite the heat rising within him.
"We have more than each other's love, you know. We have loyalty, trust." His muscles quivered slightly as his breath caught while he spoke.
"Together, we can have all of it." He assured her.Â
âI can't imagine a life without you..." Vivienneâs blurted words were filled with an intensity that stirred up something deep inside him. The heat he felt before grew stronger, his thoughts swirling with feelings of loyalty and devotion, of love and desire.
He spoke gently, his tone carrying the hope of a future together. âAnd I never want one. My heart is yours, and always will be."Â
The Targaryen bastardâs words came out firm, unwavering, with a determination that would never falter. "No matter what happens, no matter where we go or what we face. My heart will remain by your side."
He smiled, his grip tightening around her once more as he felt her body press against his.
"I swear this to you, love.â Jaegor whispered into her ear with a proud smile.Â
âIn fact, I swear on everything that I love and all that is good, that you will always have my heart." His tone was intense as he spoke, filled with the determination of someone who has just made a solemn vow.Â
He paused for a second, his breath becoming quicker and heavier.
"And I swear if anything tries to tear us apart, I'll fight it every single way I can until my dying breath." Jaegorâs grip eased only slightly, the intensity of his words still laced in his voice.
"Nothing will interrupt my love for you.â His voice softened slightly as he spoke, the heat in his blood fading away as his words filled with tenderness.
He couldn't help but smile down at her, a feeling of joy rising in his chest as he continued on.
"And I'll be loyal and faithful to you and no other. You're all that I need in this world." His grip tightened slightly, but not in anger, just in a simple desire to hold her tight.
ââââââââââââââ
Jaegor and Vivienne laid together in their little hideaway for hours, simply enjoying each other's presence.Â
They spoke of many things, from the moments leading up to when they ran away together to their dreams for the future. The hours flew by as they chatted and laughed, forgetting about the world and any worries they might have had.
They both lost track of time, but neither dared to think of anything outside of their paradise. It was blissful and peaceful with just the two of them, free to be whoever they wished.Â
Free to love one another.Â
The couple fell into a rhythm of chatting and jesting, of laughing and loving, of being together without any worries or expectations.Â
Eventually, the room fell silent, but the silence was a welcome one. Both of them felt at ease, comfortable with the silence and mere presence of one another. So much that they neednât speak at all. Their gazes said enough.Â
It was almost like the world around them stopped moving and time slowed to a standstill, so they could live in this moment forever.
A sudden knock at the door jolted them both out of their trance, the serenity of the moment immediately shattered. The sound was jarring in the tense silence of their sanctuary.
Their bodies were still intertwined, their arms, legs, and bodies still tightly pressed together.
They were both startled, but Jaegor rose to his feet and reluctantly slipped on his breeches, his heart beating quickly. He glanced towards the door, hesitantly approaching it, his thoughts running rampant with ideas of what may be awaiting him on the other side.
Sensing what was about to come, the young knight swiftly eased out of the way as the front door was rammed down, immediately turning back as if to warn his beloved to remain calm.
His violet eyes fell upon his cousin, Prince Rhaerion Targaryen, standing in the crushed doorway, a smug look on his face. He was in the company of a group of royal guards standing behind him. They all glared at the pair as if they had committed the gravest of crimes.Â
Jaegor blinked quickly, his mind now fully back in the moment. He was in the midst of a dangerous situation against âThe Dead-Eyed Dragonâ that he had not been expecting.
The tension between the two lovers and the apparent suitor was palpable, the air thick with the unspoken animosity between them.
Jaegor turned to Vivienne, his voice sharp and serious. "Itâs alright, love. Get dressed."
He stared at the open door, his heart pounding at the sight of what was waiting for them.
Rhaerionâs eyes were filled with an intent that Jaegor could recognize instantly. The Prince was here for one thing, and that was to take his love away from him.
Jaegor felt the temperature in his blood rise, a fire boiling beneath his skin. His hands balled into fists as he stepped in front of her.
"Lady Vivienne and I are now one beneath the eyes of The Seven. She belongs to me.âÂ
The royal guards beside him were silent, staring at the two of them with confused or emotionless faces. Meanwhile, his rival's gaze remained on his paramour, analyzing her every feature while ignoring Jaegor.
There was no other sound than the heavy breaths of the guards and the quiet thuds of their armor, everything else was still, as if waiting for somethingâŚ
Without warning, the silent guards suddenly charged forward, moving with a swiftness and aggression that could only come from being trained knights.
Jaegor moved quickly however, dodging the first wave of soldiers and pushing another backward to defend himself and Vivienne. His jaw twitching slightly with rage as his rival gave the order to his guards.
The Targaryen bastard let out a grunt as he blocked a strike from one of the guards, the tension in the air growing ever higher as his rival moved to a panicked Vivienne's side.
Jaegor was outmatched in terms of numbers, and despite his amassed skills as a knight, he knew he would ultimately be subdued by the sheer number of men surrounding him.Â
They moved with practiced skill, each knowing which part of his body to hit without even thinking about it. There was no way he could fight them all off alone without his weapon.Â
Nevertheless, he scuffled against them until his defenses were overwhelmed and they slowly wore him down. He had put up a tough fight, but Jaegor was seized, held tightly by the guards as Rhaerion finally approached Vivienne.
The young womanâs screams filled the room as the reality of what was happening sunk in. She saw the guards seize her lover, saw how they overpowered him so easily despite his skill, and she felt fear begin to grip her heart.
Vivienne screamed and cried out, begging the frightening Prince to leave him alone, to stop this and let them be. Rhaerion, however, ignored her pleas, his cold gaze fixed on her.Â
With his eyes bearing into hers, she felt the weight of it more and more with each second, causing her to shiver. There was something else to it now, something darker, something more intense.
She cried out again, her tears growing in intensity, but no words could escape her lips as the fear engulfed her.
Without an ounce of remorse, Rhaerion turned back to the guards. "Seize her,"
The guards immediately sprang into action, moving forward to seize her.
Vivienneâs screams turned to wails as she suddenly realized the fate that awaited her as the guards grabbed her, holding her as she struggled and wriggled, attempting to break free.
Her eyes flitted back and forth, searching for Jaegorâs gaze, searching for some hint of hope in it, but finding none.
The guards dragged her out of the room, her desperate screams filling their ears as she was carried away.
There was nothing Vivienne could do to get free, the guards held her firmly by the arms, dragging her away despite her struggles.
Her last glimpse of Jaegor was of him bound up and defeated, tears welling in his eyes while her new suitorâs men snatched her away.Â
Her beloved watched as she was taken from him, his pale violet eyes glued to the scene, his pulse racing and his muscles quivering. Jaegor didn't say a word, didn't move a muscle, didn't breathe.
In that moment, he felt utterly defeated, the light and joy that had filled his world now vanished. He felt numb as she was taken away, unable to do anything but watch her leave.
Rhaerion slowly closed in toward his rival, a calmness washing over his features as he loomed over him.
Jaegor's jaw clenched, anger flooding through him as he saw the smug, satisfied smile on the Princeâs face.
"Vivienne is mine now, do you hear? Mine." Rhaerion spoke coldly, his grip tightening around his foe's hair. He lifted his head, his expression now filled with a sense of victory, pride, and smugness.
"And all due to my calculated efforts." The long haired man scoffed, his smile growing wider to show off his arrogance.
"She will forget you and marry me, and in time she'll realize how much better I am than a simple bastard like yourself." He spat. "And she will be mine in front of the court."
Rhaerion gripped his hair more tightly, lips curled into a mocking smile. He then leaned down close to Jaegor, his face just a few inches away.
"I will have her, and you will be forgotten. Forgotten and erased. And you will be cast away like the insignificant bastard that you are!"
His words stung Jaegor, as he felt his anger building. This rival of hisâŚthis man coveted something he had and would take it without regard for anyone else. Not even Vivienne herself.
Jaegor let out a grunt as he tried to pull free to no avail. This couldnât be happening. This couldnât be how it all ended.Â
"You are nothing, you hear? Nothing compared to me and she will know it too!âÂ
Rhaerion shoved him away harshly, kicking him as hard as he could.
Jaegor could feel the pain as he hit the ground from the impact.
"You never deserved her to begin with."
Another kick to his side.
"But I will take her, and you will never lay eyes on her again, bastard!â
Rhaerion kicked Jaegor one final time, sending him stumbling to the floor out of the guardsâ hold. His face twisted into a cruel smirk, the satisfaction of his victory plain to see.
This man, this wretched cousin of his...heâd had it all planned out. He had stolen Vivienne away, and he would present it all as an act of kindness. As if he had saved her.Â
"I'll make sure the King knows the full tale... I'll spare no details of your crimes. In fact, you're lucky I even came here myself." The man's voice dripped with condescension, mocking the younger knight without restraint.
"I'm doing you a favor at this point. At least you won't have to physically stand there and watch her marry someone else."
Rhaerion's attitude had changed, becoming playful as a cruel grin twisted his lips.
"But you'll still be amongst the first to know that you will be punished for kidnapping my bride-to-be. I'll make sure that not a single soul sees you as anything other than the monster you are."
His gaze remained on him as a cold, cruel grin spread across his face.
"And no one will ever question it, because I'll make sure no one will ever remember you existed."
Jaegor felt numb, his body wracked with the realization that his love and life was about to be swept from him within an instant.
He watched as his rival walked toward the door, the guards trailing close behind him.
"Everyone will know just how vile and repugnant you are."
Rhaerion's words hit Jaegor, the pain and betrayal and anger burning through his mind like fire.
But he could do nothing but lay there and seethe, as his mind replayed his rival's words over and over.
Rhaerion's words were like a torment to Jaegor, the mental image of what he might do to Vivienne flooding his mind. It was more than he could endure.
He tried to lunge forward again, wanting to tear out Rhaerion's throat and crush his bones beneath his bare hands. But his attempt was futile.
The guards were swift to subdue him, grabbing his arms and dragging him away as he screamed the name of his beloved.
"I'll take my time, savoring every little moment during the consummation!"
His words came out in twisted, vulgar descriptions, the way he intended to treat her on their wedding night.
Jaegor felt the anger building, the disgust and the pain of his words burning a hole through him. He struggled again, letting out a grunt as he attempted to free himself, as the guards continued to hold him down.
"I'll take her, and I'll make her love me...I'll change her, and she'll never look your way again."
The words stung, the thought of a once loyal, loving woman turning against him due to this vile man's lies.
He struggled again, his voice becoming hoarse as his rage flared up.
"I'll make her love me, you'll see!"
Rhaerionâs smug grin broadens, feeling that his victory is soon to begin.
He leaned down, staring Jaegor directly in the eye.
"And she will come to hate you, knowing that we'll be together while you lie exiled and alone."
#ocappreciation#fyeahhotdocs#fyeahasoiafocs#fyeahgameofthronesocs#dynamic:jaegor&vivienne#hotd fanfic#hotd oc#oc:vivienne#oc:jaegor#oc:rhaerion#targaryen oc#*mine#allaboutocs#occentral#ochub#oc community#plot bunny#do not steal or repost#angst#tw kidnapping#tw violence#fic:veins of fire#the bastard the prince and the prize#oc x oc#fanfic
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by the way would you guys believe me if i told you I am in the process of literally rewriting the Cold War alongside with World War 1&2 and the French Revolution... for a modern royalty au of rivalsduo + dnf centered fanfic?
#dreamblr#rivalsblr#dreblr#dtblr#rivalsduo#rivals duo#i wanted to make a modern royalty au but it was so hard to worldbuild right#so i accidentally created an alternate universe where everything is the same except#the british monarchy alongside other monarch systems were never constitutionalized#therefore the cold war happened so much differently with a tripolar power structure undergoing ideological rivalry#instead of bipolar#capitalism bloc lead by the US#communism bloc lead by the Soviet Union#and absolutism/conservatism/monarchy (no idea what to call it yet) bloc lead by Britain#gnf & techno were previously from the monarch bloc#gnf being the prince of england#techno created a rebellion group to take down the monarchy#the US secretly funds them bc they're just like that (literally did this to multiple countries like Indonesia for example)#techno doesnt know where the money comes from but money's money & its support for taking it down#he doesnt support capitalism or any type of government though#fully anarchist#and george is like. he gets an assassination plot so he gets kidnapped but then he was taken in by techno & the gang#so hes basically their sniper 404#dream & sapnap were george's royal guards before#yk where this is going
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w x d
W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.
theres not rlly any one trope i think i hate wholesale but i dont like tropes where they make everything same-y or tend to warp the characters. coffee shop aus arent fun for me usually bc its often the same plot ive been seeing since forever. i can find thousands of fics with the same plot in 50 different fandoms across 10 different sites going back like two decades and just bc its all different characters in name doesnt mean its that different. same with fake dating or royalty aus or fantasy aus. its not fun for me it just strips away whats interesting about the og work imo
anyway i am reallyyyy picky dont take me seriously
X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.
time travel <3 alwaysss love a good time travel fic. does it fix things? doesnt matter theyre just sooo funn
D - A pairing you wish you liked but just canât.
um. i dont know if there are ships i wish i liked, more like just ships i'd like to stop fucking seeing lmao
ask game!!
#there are sooo many tropes i tend to dislike but they all tend to be ones that lend to reallyyy hard ooc or change the setting too much#UNLESS its funny. loony tunes logic okay#askask#friend tag#yuki-mxivo#but yeah i just want them to not have the same-y plot or world#basically any royalty au is the same vaguely european middle ages world and someone is a prince and i bet someone else got kidnapped and#bro i do not careeeee#and fake dating is just i bet they had a thing in high school and now theyre all grown up and have to attend a wedding/hs reunion/event#and theres a misunderstanding maybe one bed idk but i bet they kiss at the end maybe someone cries who cares one of them should be a hitman#which is why sxf works and nothing wlse#god im so salty lmao sorry
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Wait what the fuck do you mean they made a Rainbow Magic Fairy based on King Tampon-
#'charles the coronation fairy' please take him back#i can almost forgive the existence of the other royal events themed fairies#(especially as the meghan fairy is really nicely designed)#but not this one nooo#also the plot is he gets kidnapped with his magic item by jack frost and just#damn may have to let jack frost have this one#just may have to let him#also apparently the coornation in this book is prince arthur and just#dont get my hopes up book#we still awaiting him to show up with the steel chair
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the thing I love about the barbie movie hype is that itâs revealing how people played with barbies when they were a kid. I only had Barbies so typically I chose the lesbian affairs and murder plotting route, but if I was at a friendâs house and they had a Ken, Iâd often go bisexual marital troubles. hey sound off how you played with your barbies Iâm curious now
#tags from dragonomatopoeia#barbies#i had the historical and geographically various ones like morocco and chile#it was all big fantasy plots with kidnappings#i had the Pocahontas guys and a nightmare prince eric but didn't use them much#also rudolph the reindeer helped out#tag addition
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Working through the bad ends and I just got his second bad relationship end anddddd im losing my mind a bit with this one..... what do you MEAN I ended up here????
#Prince's gaming tag#Why am i here????? Can i take this as failing another story COULD lead to the main story???#Or is it a cue that MC's gotta enter the morphogenetic field and choose better options?#I know that's not a thing in this game but it sure feels like it sometimes#Like i get this ending by NOT participating in the chats. Why bring me to the heart of everything#Am i Rika?? No i dont think so but that'd be funny#Maybe im not supposed to think so hard but HMMMMMMMMM#Feels like something id encounter in a certain game with multiple timelines and i have to jump to different ones for the full story#WAIT HE SAYS HE DOESNT KNOW WHO HE IS!!! HE'S UNKNOWN#AAAAAAAAAA#tho i just realized unless everything including seven's kidnapping resets it cant actually lead into it. damn#i thought it was like the z/t/d where one of the endings leads into the plot of the second game bc that game has to happen in one of them#like how cool would that be???
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Well Iâm 7 chapters in and all hell has broken loose⌠this feels like final chapters of a final book not first introductions to a three more book series⌠things are gonna be crazy arenât they⌠here we go Empire of Storms
#Empire of Storms#EoS#first read#currently reading#read with me#read along#reading reacts#TOG#TOG series#Throne of Glass#Throne of Glass series#Sarah J. Maas#Maasverse#SJM#no spoilers please#here we go again#interesting plot already#worried excited and all of the above#I love Lysandra more by the second#Rowaelin is shipping so hard#I need Dorian to be okay#we Stan has a heart manon#how did ren get those scars#crying over bb Evangeline#why is everyone so hard on bb aelin she was kidnapped as a child#also the lil folk precious faerie babies which btw I have fae questions so#Iâm just glad Emrys and Florine are out and can come back to be artsy safely later#oh and skulls bay oh boy#chaol howâs the adventure going buddy#come on 13 and bird boy go get our fav prince back to lava girl and ghost leopard and the fam so it can all be happy again
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please help me- i used to be pretty smart but iâm having so much trouble grasping the concept of diegetic vs non-diegetic bdsm!
gfkjldghfd okay first of all I'm sorry for the confusion, if you're not finding anything on the phrase it's because I made it up and absolutely nobody but me ever uses it, but I haven't found a better way to express what I'm trying to say so I keep using it. but now you've given me an excuse to ramble on about some shit that is only relevant to me and my deeply inefficient way of talking and by god I'm going to take it.
SO. the way diegetic and non-diegetic are normally used is to talk about music and sound design in movies/tv shows. in case you aren't familiar with that concept, here's a rundown:
diegetic sound is sound that happens within the world of the movie/show and can be acknowledged by the characters, like a song playing on the stereo during a driving scene, or sung on stage in Phantom of the Opera. it's also most other sounds that happen in a movie, like the sounds of traffic in a city scene, or a thunderclap, or a marching band passing by. or one of the three stock horse sounds they use in every movie with a horse in it even though horses don't really vocalize much in real life, but that's beside the point, the horse is supposed to be actually making that noise within the movie's world and the characters can hear it whinnying.
non-diegetic sound is any sound that doesn't exist in the world of the movie/show and can't be perceived by the characters. this includes things like laugh tracks and most soundtrack music. when Duel of Fates plays in Star Wars during the lightsaber fight for dramatic effect, that's non-diegetic. it exists to the audience, but the characters don't know their fight is being backed by sick ass music and, sadly, can't hear it.
the lines can get blurry between the two, you've probably seen the film trope where the clearly non-diegetic music in the title sequence fades out to the same music, now diegetic and playing from the character's car stereo. and then there are things like Phantom of the Opera as mentioned above, where the soundtrack is also part of the plot, but Phantom of the Opera does also have segments of non-diegetic music: the Phantom probably does not have an entire orchestra and some guy with an electric guitar hiding down in his sewer just waiting for someone to break into song, but both of those show up in the songs they sing down there.
now, on to how I apply this to bdsm in fiction.
if I'm referring to diegetic bdsm what I mean is that the bdsm is acknowledged for what it is in-world. the characters themselves are roleplaying whatever scenarios their scenes involve and are operating with knowledge of real life rules/safety practices. if there's cnc depicted, it will be apparent at some point, usually right away, that both characters actually are fully consenting and it's all just a planned scene, and you'll often see on-screen negotiation and aftercare, and elements of the story may involve the kink community wherever the characters are. Love and Leashes is a great example of this, 50 Shades and Bonding are terrible examples of this, but they all feature characters that know they're doing bdsm and are intentional about it.
if I'm talking about non-diegetic bdsm, I'm referring to a story that portrays certain kinks without the direct acknowledgement that the characters are doing bdsm. this would be something like Captive Prince, or Phantom of the Opera again, or the vast majority of bodice ripper type stories where an innocent woman is kidnapped by a pirate king or something and totally doesn't want to be ravished but then it turns out he's so cool and sexy and good at ravishing that she decides she's into it and becomes his pirate consort or whatever it is that happens at the end of those books. the characters don't know they're playing out a cnc or D/s fantasy, and in-universe it's often straight up noncon or dubcon rather than cnc at all. the thing about entirely non-diegetic bdsm is that it's almost always Problematic⢠in some way if you're not willing to meet the story where it's at, but as long as you're not judging it by the standards of diegetic bdsm, it's just providing the reader the same thing that a partner in a scene would: the illusion of whatever risk or taboo floats your boat, sometimes to extremes that can't be replicated in real life due to safety, practicality, physics, the law, vampires not being real, etc. it's consensual by default because it's already pretend; the characters are vehicles for the story and not actually people who can be hurt, and the reader chose to pick up the book and is aware that nothing in it is real, so it's all good.
this difference is where people tend to get hung up in the discourse, from what I've observed. which is why I started using this phrasing, because I think it's very crucial to be able to differentiate which one you're talking about if you try to have a conversation with someone about the portrayal of bdsm in media. it would also, frankly, be useful for tagging, because sometimes when you're in the mood for non-diegetic bodice ripper shit you'd call the police over in real life, it can get really annoying to read paragraphs of negotiation and check-ins that break the illusion of the scene and so on, and the opposite can be jarring too.
it's very possible to blur these together the same way Phantom of the Opera blurs its diegetic and non-diegetic music as well. this leaves you even more open to being misunderstood by people reading in bad faith, but it can also be really fun to play with. @not-poignant writes fantastic fanfic, novels, and original serials on ao3 that pull this off really well, if you're okay with some dark shit in your fiction I would highly recommend their work. some of it does get really fucking dark in places though, just like. be advised. read the tags and all that.
but yeah, spontaneous writer plug aside, that's what I mean.
#I found their original stuff while I was researching various waterhorses and their folklore for no reason#because one of the characters in their original work happens to be an each uisge#and then it turned out it ALSO included a lot of figures from welsh folklore in general#so yknow if you happen to have my incredibly specific hyperfixations you'll love it but even if you don't it's great#I didn't mean to bring up phantom of the opera so much it just happens to be very relevant to a lot of my talking points#I haven't actually seen it in years
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I just love Secretive Plotter.
He's a walking, talking dumpster fire. Trash fave. He's the biggest loser in the entire book. He's been hanging around Kim Dokja's channel from the very start and yet still somehow thought it would be a good idea to send Kim Dokja to assassinate Yoo Joonghyuk. He has no idea what he's doing. I guarantee you he himself didn't know why the hell he kidnapped Kim Dokja, so he just went "You're smart, figure it out" while internally going "Nailed it!". He spent pretty much the whole book wearing Kim Dokja's white cloak and a veil waiting for his prince on a white ferrarghini. He made a deal with the devil, then found out he'd sold his soul to himself, fucking up twice and earning a headache that would last 40 000 years. He's one of the very, very few characters to earn an unambiguous happy ending.
Dude's nickname is Secretive Plotter. He is terrible at being secretive and he's shit at plotting.
I'm lowkey pissed we'll never find out what would have happened if Kim Dokja had accepted his sponsorship offer back after the first scenario. Schrodinger's Ouroboros. The disaster that we've lost.
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Her Sacrifice
Summary: The assassins had no such luck finding Prince Aemond but what were they to do when they stumbled upon the beloved wife of King Aegon instead? Her belly swollen with his heir.
Warnings: Blood & Cheese/murder/gore & blood/cursing/threats/blades/pregnancy/kidnapping/funeral/incest (reader is helaena's older twin)
Word Count: 2236
"The other lords will be accompanying me for a drink in the Throne Room. Shall you join us, Wife?" Aegon asked, a slightly eager smile on his face, anticipating your agreement.
You sighed as you began to undo the braids in your hair, "The hour is late, Husband. I must rest."
Aegon pouted, "Just a cup! We've attended to our royal duties all day, have we not earned a bit of respite?"
"Respite is what I shall get with a good night's sleep. Not drinking until sunrise with you and your comrades," you teased. You stood from seat at your vanity, walking over and placing Aegon's hand on your growing bump, "Besides, do you not wish for our babe to be born healthy? So that they may grow into formidable dragon riders like their parents."
He smiled softly at your belly before kissing it sweetly, "You make a good point, my dear. Mayhaps I should stay in with you."
You shook your head, smiling down at him, "Do not let me stop your fun. You are right. The King deserves his respite. Besides there may not be many more nights where we get to enjoy ourselves," motioning to your bump.
"You are going to make a wonderful mother," Aegon stood from his seat, "I shall allow you to enjoy your last moments of rest then." He planted a soft kiss on your lips, "I love you, Y/N."
You stroked his hair, "I love you, Aegon."
Aegon kissed you once more before giving your belly a playful squeeze and disappearing from your chambers. You summoned one of your ladies to help you finish getting ready for bed. Thanking her as you got yourself comfortable between the silk sheets of you and Aegon's bed. Finally bidding her good night as she blew out most of the candles, leaving a few on for Aegon's drunken return.
You could not be sure of the hour when you heard your chamber doors creak open followed by the shuffling of feet. You did not even bother opening your eyes, assuming you'd feel the bed indent as Aegon stumbled towards it.
"Back so soon?" you teased, "I was only being half serious about the sunset-"
Suddenly, a large hand clamped over your mouth. Your eyes shot open as two men loomed over you. You screamed and panicked as the larger man used his other arm to keep you pinned to the bed.
"Quiet!" the smaller man pulled a blade out, pressing it to your throat, "Unless you want me to bleed you like a pig."
You nodded, terrified of what these men could do, "W-Who are you? What do you want?"
"Its not our wants you should be concerned with, Your Grace."
"Who sent you? What do y-you want from me?" your voice shook.
"A life is owed. It wasn't supposed to be you. A son for a son we were told," the smaller man shrugged, "But it seems Prince Aemond isn't in the castle tonight."
Of course, you thought. This was about Lucerys. Your younger brother had taken the boy's life and that was a deed that could not go unpunished. You knew how deeply your eldest sister loved all of her children. The loss of one would be devastating. Taking Aemond's life made sense. But taking yours? And the life of your unborn child? That was not in Rhaenyra's nature. This was plotted by someone far more sinister and dark.
"My uncle sent you, didn't he?" you spoke up. They both sent stares to the other, "Daemon Targaryen. He sent you to kill one of us."
The large man scoffed, "Aren't you a smart one?"
"Shame those smarts won't do you any good now, will they?" the smaller one mocked.
"Please," you tried to beg, "Do not do this. No good will-" The large hand came down on your mouth again.
"That's enough," he grunted before turning back to the smaller man, "I'll hold her down and you cut."
Your blood ran cold at his words. Not only were they going to kill you but they were going to tortuously cut out your unborn child. They both yanked you further down the bed until you were flat on your back. You tried to kick, scream, bite, thrash as much as you could but the man proved to have almost inhuman strength. The smaller man raised his blade, that same sadistic grin plastered on his face before he began to dig it into the lower part of your abdomen.
White hot pain seared through your body as he continued to slice into you. Your vision was blurred with tears and you could have sworn your throat was raw from your cries. Though the pain was so intense that you could not process the sounds that might have been leaving you. Warm blood pooled all around you, the once ivory sheets now a deep crimson. One last gasp left you as they pulled your child from your body.
Suddenly you had remembered your mother telling you about the pains of childbirth when you first married Aegon and all anyone could talk about was you producing his heirs. She had a rather negative approach that utterly terrified you. So, you decided to find comfort in Rhaenyra's advice instead.
"I will not withhold the truth from you, it truly is the most excruciating pain a woman must go through."
You groaned, "That is not what I had wished to hear, Sister."
"You did not let me finish. The process is hard, yes. And you will feel the urge to curse the Gods or even your husband and swear to never bear anymore children," you both laughed, "But the moment you hear those sweet cries and your babe is placed upon your chest, the pain is forgotten. And nothing has ever seemed so worth it. Then you will know, right then and there, that you would do it all over again if it meant you could finally find that purest form of love."
And yet, you would never discover that beautiful feeling your sister had painted so clearly. The room was almost eerily silent besides the dripping of blood onto the stone floor.
"What do you know?" the man panted as he held your lifeless infant, "A son. Congratulations, my Queen."
You could not speak as you felt your body numb itself. Tears falling with no cries as they stuffed your son's body into a sack. It was as if you could feel your heart shatter. The men finished their sinister act before fleeing through a secret passageway. You tried little to fight the heaviness in your eyes. Perhaps this was all a horrible dream and if you shut your eyes, you'd open them to find yourself in bed with Aegon's arms wrapped securely around your belly. The last thing you could muster was a small smile at the sentimental image as your vision faded out completely.
"Sister?" Helaena called out into your bed chamber, "I did not wish to wake you but Aegon is being so loud and I cannot sleep with him-" Her voice caught in her throat at the sight of your mangled body lying on the bed. Your figure lifeless and your eyes vacant as you stared at the canopy. She approached your body, a shaky hand reaching out to touch your face to be met with utter stillness. Helaena backed out of the room slowly, tears flowing down her cheeks before sprinting to find some sort of help. As if anyone could undo what had already been done.
"I-I don't know what happened. I came in and she...she was..." Helaena's voice cracked with sobs as various people filed into the royal bed chamber; the Kingsguard, the Dowager Queen, the Hand, and lastly, your husband.
They all stopped at the sight before them, their eyes welling with tears and their stomachs churning. The Dowager Queen let out a heavy sob as all their attention turned to the King. Aegon approached your body cautiously.
He fell to his knees, his hands cradling your bloodied face as he sobbed, "My wife, my dearest-"
Nobody dared say a word as Aegon mourned over you. His sobs heavy with grief as he called out your name over and over again. The Queen Mother clutching Helaena's arm as they cried with him. The Kingsguard hanging their heads low in shame at their failure to protect their Queen. Otto Hightower, known to be quick with his word, said nothing.
The council meeting that followed was one full of dread and grief. Most of the council mourned, the Hand schemed, and the King could do not but curse the Gods and swear revenge.
"Your Grace, perhaps we should speak of the funeral arrangements for the Queen-"
"No," Aegon was quick to stop the Hand, who raised a brow at his grandson's denial, "I will not have my wife's body dragged through the streets like a dog!"
"Not dragged, honored!" Otto corrected him before lowering his tone as he spoke to the King, "Y/N was my granddaughter and I loved her. She deserves the funeral of a Targaryen princess, a Targaryen queen. The small folk wish to mourn their Queen and the heir she carried. And they need to know who is responsible for this."
Aegon's face twisted in disbelief, "How could they not already know?! Who else would do this save the bitch queen of bastards?!"
"We must know for certain, Your Grace," Lord Jasper suggested, "If it was not your sister, this may prove to be an even bigger threat to the crown, to you, my King."
Aegon scoffed, "I do not care what threatens me. My wife is dead. And my child," he stifled a sob, "That cunt did this, I know it. Her and her kingdom of traitorous bastards will burn for it."
Before anyone could speak, the doors of the council chamber opened as Lord Larys entered. He bowed meekly as all eyes turned to him.
"My lords, Your Grace," he greeted the council.
All stood still, "State your purpose, Lord Larys," the Hand spoke.
"We have apprehended one of the assailants. A gold cloak, known for his brutal nature. The guards caught him fleeing the Gate of Gods. He carried the child's body in a sack."
The King hardly wasted any time, stomping over to the doors, "I shall kill him myself."
"We might retrieve further information about who is to blame for this tragedy after questioning," Ser Criston stopped Aegon from leaving as Otto spoke, "I trust in your skill set, Lord Larys."
The Strong Lord bowed before exiting the room. All eyes turned once again to the King and his Hand.
"We will hold the service for both the child and mother-"
"I said no," Aegon grunted, "My wife and child will not be put on display for the Realm."
"Your Grace, we might use this to our advantage in the war you wish to march into. Your people need to know the depravity that Rhaenyra is capable of. The great houses of Westeros will see that she is not fit to rule given her cruel nature. They will flock to your side and with them, their armies and bannermen."
Aegon continued to shake his head. He could not just let them see you or your child like that. They did not deserve it.
"Mother," he turned to the Dowager Queen for support.
Alicent approached Aegon's chair, "The Hand sets on a difficult path, my darling, but it might be the right one."
The King could not muster anymore fight, "Have the Silent Sisters prepare the Queen and child for their journey. Behind them will be Princess Helaena and the Queen Mother."
"No, I do not wish to be a spectacle," Alicent argued but her father would not hear it.
Your husband visited your body as the Silent Sisters began to prepare it. They had cleaned the mess and dressed you in one of your favorite dresses, the emerald color complimenting your skin and hair.
"Your Grace, it is ill-fated to look upon the face of death," Maester Orwyle warned.
"That is not the face of death, Maester. That is my wife," Aegon spoke, "Leave me with her."
Maester Orwyle and the Silent Sisters bowed before leaving the King with your body. He softly stroked the hair from your face as he broke into sobs once again.
"I am so sorry, my love," he cried, "I-I should have been there to protect you. And our son." Maester Orwyle had informed His Grace that the child you carried was a prince, a perfect heir, "You truly would have been the most wonderful mother. You were already a perfect wife and Queen. Motherhood would have come naturally."
Aegon recounted how well you did with Rhaenyra's last two babies, the ones she had with his uncle Daemon. As much as he did not care for his half-sister, he knew you did. Always quick to defend her, even against your own family. So, he was forced to ask himself, how could she do this to you? To your child?
"They will pay for what they have done," your husband muttered to you, "I will win this war. I will win it for our child. I will win it for you. With fire and blood. Your sacrifice will not be for naught, my Queen."
#aegon ii targaryen#king aegon#aegon the second#aegon targaryen x reader#hotd aegon#fem reader#angst#house of the dragon#house of the dragon fanfiction#house targaryen#house hightower#fire and blood#helaena targaryen#alicent hightower#otto hightower#ser criston cole#blood and cheese#fanfiction#team green#team black#green council#king's landing
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Trash Novel Chronicles: I Want to Retire - Idia Shroud x reader
You write a novel that reads like a dumpster fire and while trying to delete the draft, you accidentally get isekaiâd into it. Now, as the villainess you have to get Idia Shroud on your side as well as survive high society. You have your work cut out for you.
Series Masterlist
Youâve lived a life. A noble life, full of honor, glory, and caffeine-fueled late-night writing sessions.
You're an aspiring author.
An aspiring author who, unfortunately, just created the most stupid novel plot of all time.
At least, thatâs how it feels. You sit back, staring at your screen, utterly defeated as your latest creation flickers mockingly before you.
Youâve named it: "The Battle for Genius Prince Idiaâs Hand" (working title, donât judge). And wow, itâs a mess.
Hereâs the breakdown of your disaster:
Youâve got your heroineâa girl so sweet sheâs practically made of sugar, like one of those cookies that look good but crumble the second you bite into them. Naturally, sheâs fighting for the affection of your male lead, Prince Idia, who is a socially awkward, genius mechanic prince (because you thought itâd be fun to make him hot and bad with people).
Then thereâs the villainess. Ah, the villainess. Sheâs smart, sharp-tongued, and has enough sass to level a small city. Her entire personality? Sabotage. And sheâs also after Idiaâbecause apparently, thatâs the only thing women in this story care about. (You regret this immensely.)
But oh no! Plot twist! Idia gets kidnapped by some unnamed evil force (youâll figure it out later). The heroine? Well, instead of rescuing him, she falls for some Bland Prince. You donât even know why. You think his name might be Greg. Or Gerald. Honestly, heâs that unremarkable.
Meanwhile, the villainess doesnât even care anymore about Idia. Instead, sheâs full-on dedicated to ruining the heroineâs new, bland romance because⌠well, thatâs her whole schtick.
Itâs⌠awful.
You sit back, hands in your hair, groaning aloud. âWhat is this? Who would even read this?â
You glance at your notes. Theyâre a chaotic mess of random scribbles: âIdia = genius, but hates people,â âVillainess needs more fire,â and âHeroine? Too boring. Spice her up. Maybe dragons?â
Yeah. This isnât working.
You slump in your chair, utterly defeated. The characters are good, great even! But the plot? Oh, the plot is a dumpster fire. No, worse. Itâs a flaming dumpster floating down a river of bad decisions. You canât believe you spent hours writing this.
Thatâs it. Youâre scrapping the entire thing. Youâll keep the characters, sure. But the story? Gone. Deleted. No one needs to suffer through this mess.
Determined, you crack your knuckles and reach for the keyboard, ready to hit the big red âDELETEâ button on your disasterpiece.
âSay goodbye to this trash heap,â you mutter, âand hello to some actual good writing.â
But, alas, the universe has other plans.
Just as your finger hovers over the delete key, the worst possible thing happens. Your elbow, as if possessed by the forces of chaos itself, nudges the precariously balanced coffee cup on your desk. The liquid inside, which you had so carefully placed right next to your laptop like a ticking time bomb, tips. In slow motion, you watch the dark, caffeinated doom spill over the edge and land directly onto your keyboard.
âNo, no, no, no, NO!â you shout, lunging forward, but itâs too late.
The coffee floods your keys like a tidal wave of misfortune. Your laptop makes a sickening little noise, a soft bzzt, and the screen flickers ominously. You sit there, frozen in horror, watching your computer sizzle as if itâs been cursed by the gods of terrible life choices.
And thenâjust when you think it couldnât get worseâit gets worse.
Thereâs a small, but very real, spark. You flinch back, because nothing good ever comes from sparks. The screen flickers violently, the keys start to buzz, and thenâbefore you can even process whatâs happeningâyou feel it.
ZAP!
Electricity courses through your body. Your vision flashes white, your muscles seize, and in one horrifyingly comedic moment, you realize youâre being electrocuted by your own laptop.
Youâd scream if you could, but all you manage is a high-pitched whimper before everything goes black.
Dead. Youâre dead. Killed by your own coffee and a poorly thought-out novel. Fantastic.
You blink your eyes open, your head pounding like youâve been hit with a ton of bricksâor, more likely, an electrical charge. Slowly, your vision clears, and you find yourself⌠staring at an unfamiliar, ornately decorated ceiling.
Where the hell are you?
You sit up with a groan, and thatâs when it hits you: the bed. Itâs massive, plush, and absurdly luxuriousâdefinitely not your usual ratty mattress. Panic sets in, and you scramble out of bed, only to catch your reflection in a nearby mirror.
Itâs not your reflection.
Oh.
Oh, Shit.
Staring back at you is her. The villainess. The sharp-tongued, drama-fueled antagonist of your novel. The one with a penchant for ruining lives and stealing the spotlight. The one you made up.
You gasp, gripping the sides of the mirror. âNo. NO.â You stare at the dark hair cascading over your shoulders, the perfectly arched brows, and the terrifyingly intense smirk that seems to have a life of its own. âWhy am I her? Why this of all characters?â
You step back from the mirror and slap your cheeks, half hoping thatâll wake you up from this fever dream. It doesnât. Youâre still stuck in the body of the villainess, and with each passing second, realityâor whatever twisted version of it this isâsinks in deeper.
âOf course,â you mutter, throwing your hands up in frustration. âOf course this is my life now. I write the dumbest novel in existence, and this is what I get.â You pace in front of the mirror, ranting to no one in particular. âWho even thinks itâs a good idea to make me the villainess? Me?! I didnât sign up for this!â
After a few minutes of thoroughly berating yourselfâand by extension, the cosmic forces that brought you hereâyou finally stop, resting your hands on your hips.
âOkay. Fine. FINE. Iâll play your stupid game, universe.â You throw one last glare at your reflection. âBut Iâm not tormenting the heroine. Nope. She can have her stupid one-sided rivalry for all I care. I want nothing to do with this mess.â
The decision made, you shake your head and take a deep breath. âAlright, whatâs next?â You glance around the villainessâs extravagant room, trying to figure out your next move. And then, a lightbulb goes off in your head.
Prince Idia.
In your novel, heâs socially awkward, reclusive, and definitely doesnât deserve to get caught up in this disaster. Heâs just collateral damage in your sorry excuse for a plot, and honestly? You feel kinda bad about it.
You snap your fingers. âThatâs it. Iâll find Prince Idia. Save him or something. Maybe I can even get a reward for rescuing a royal!â Youâre feeling pretty good about this planâmuch better than sticking around and causing drama with the heroine, at least.
With a dramatic flourish (you are still the villainess, after all), you head for the door, ready to track down Idia and redeem yourself in whatever twisted way you can manage. Who knows, maybe this whole situation wonât be as bad as you thought.
Or⌠maybe itâll be even worse. But youâll cross that bridge when you get to it.
After what feels like hours of arguing with your stubborn, uptight butlerâwho is absolutely convinced that your decision to head straight for the abandoned palace at the edge of town is the worst idea youâve ever hadâyou finally break free.
âIf anyone was kidnapped, thatâs where theyâd be!â you shout over your shoulder as you march toward your carriage, ignoring his protests about "safety" and "reckless behavior."
Butler or not, youâre on a mission. And after a bumpy ride to the palace, here you are, standing at the entrance, waiting for the traps or menacing guards to pounce.
...Nothing.
Itâs strangely anticlimactic, actually. You push open the door, expecting maybe a cackle or some ominous fog. But no, just dust and an eerie silence. You frown, stepping cautiously inside.
âWhat kind of royal abduction is this? Budget cuts?â
Just as youâre about to chalk this whole thing up to a monumental waste of time, you hear itâa low curse, followed by the distinct sound of tinkering. You freeze, listening closer.
Definitely someone messing with something.
Your hand instinctively reaches for your trusty gun (bless past-you for deciding guns belonged in this novel), and with practiced ease, you pull it out and slam open the nearest door.
"Hands up!" you yell, pointing the barrel directly atâ
A very, very scared Prince Idia, crouching beside what looks like a half-assembled mechanical gadget. His wide, shocked eyes meet yours, and he lets out a startled yelp, nearly knocking over the tools scattered around him.
"Wh-What the hell?!" you blurt, lowering the gun slightly. This was not the daring rescue scene you imagined.
Idia flinches, awkwardly raising his hands. âIâuh, I donât know who you are, but how did you even find me?!â he stammers, looking at you like you just kicked his favorite gaming console.
"How did Iâ? Are you kidding me?" You gesture dramatically with the gun, still in shock. "Iâm one of the people you were supposed to choose from! Remember? The whole âBattle for the Hand of Prince Idiaâ thing?â
He blinks at you, deadpan. âOh⌠Oh, no,â he mutters, more to himself than you. âAbsolutely not. Iâm not going back. I staged this whole thing for a reason.â He crosses his arms, stubborn. âIâll just stay here with my gadgets. You can go back to⌠whatever you do.â
You stare at him, flabbergasted. âWhat do you mean you staged this?â You glance around the dusty, decrepit palace. âThis is your brilliant escape plan? Hiding out in the palace equivalent of a haunted IKEA?â
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. âLook, itâs quiet, itâs out of the way, and no one bothers me here. I didnât get kidnapped, okay? I justâdidnât want to deal with all the royal court nonsense.â He shrugs, as if staging a fake kidnapping is the most logical thing in the world.
âYou do realize that Ortho is still at the palace, right? Your little brother? Alone? Without you?â You raise an eyebrow, watching the slow dawning horror creep across Idiaâs face.
âYeah, so?â He huffs. âHeâs the Crown Prince now. Iâm sure heâs fineâ"
âBro,â you interrupt, âhave you seen high society? Orthoâs gonna get eaten alive. Not to mention the other princes arenât just gonna let him waltz around with a crown on his head without making his life miserable.â
Idiaâs eyes go wide, his brain clearly working overtime as the realization hits him like a ton of bricks. âOh⌠Oh no. I didnât think of that.â
You nod sagely. âYeah. Big oops.â
He stares at the ground, looking like heâs physically shrinking under the weight of his own bad decisions. And thenâsomething unthinkable happens.
âHelp me,â he says, his voice desperate. He looks up at you with pleading eyes. âPlease. IâllâIâll make you anything you want, build you gadgets, whatever you need! Just help me navigate high society while I⌠hide in the shadows or whatever.â
You stare at him in disbelief. âAre you⌠Are you asking me to pose as your fake fiancĂŠe?â
Idia flushes crimson, his hands flailing. âN-No! Well, maybe? Yes. I mean, yeah, but itâs not like I want toâ" He groans, burying his face in his hands. âJust⌠ugh. Yes. Please.â
You cross your arms, tapping your chin. âHmm. Fake engagement, huh? Alright, but only if you give me a beach house when this farce is over and Ortho officially takes the crown.â
Idia looks up at you, blinking in surprise. âA beach house? Thatâs your condition?â
You smirk. âHey, I know what I want. So, do we have a deal?â
He hesitates for a moment, but then sighs, defeated. âFine. You get the beach house. Just⌠make sure no one talks to me. Or atleast, you have to handle almost all the talking.â
With a satisfied nod, you extend your hand. âDeal.â
Idia, still red-faced and awkward, shakes your hand. You canât help but wonder what sort of chaos youâve just agreed toâbut at least youâre getting a beach house out of it.
Sneaking Idia back to your manor wasnât the most glamorous affair. He insisted on wearing a cloak, âfor dramatic effect,â even though the streets were practically empty.
"You know, for a guy who's supposed to be a genius, you're real bad at blending in," you deadpan as he stumbles over his own cloak.
"Itâs supposed to make me inconspicuous," Idia mutters, pulling the hood down further. "People see a cloak, they assume youâre some weirdo and leave you alone. Itâs basic stealth mechanics."
âUh-huh. And tripping on it helps too?â
âShut up.â
Once inside the manor, you sit him down to discuss the details of how youâre going to spin this whole ârescueâ thing. Idia, now a little more at ease, starts fiddling with some gadget he pulled from one of his cloakâs hidden pockets. You can't tell if he's actually paying attention, but you figure youâd better get started.
"Okay," you say, leaning in like youâre about to hatch the greatest scheme of your life. "We need a story. Something grand. Heroic. Full of intrigue, mysteryâ"
âOr we could just say I, uh, got lost?â Idia offers halfheartedly. âAnd you happened to find me by accident. That sounds more plausible.â
You shoot him a look. "Idia, this is high society. No one âjust gets lost for 3 months.â We need something more exciting. Like, I fought off a band of rogue kidnappersâ"
âDid you now?â
âAnd there was this epic battleâ"
âWith what? Your sense of direction?â
You glare. âFocus. We need an alibi."
Idia sighs. âFine, whatever. Make it sound cool, but not too cool. If itâs too impressive, people will start thinking I owe you something.â
âOh, donât worry. I already have an idea of what you owe me,â you say, smirking.
His eyes narrow in suspicion, but you move on.
"Alright, so I 'bravely' tracked you down to the abandoned palaceâ"
"Because obviously that's where I'd be hiding," Idia interrupts sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"âand I singlehandedly defeated a gang of ruthless kidnappers, saving you from a life of captivity. You, overwhelmed by my gallantry, are forever in my debtâ"
Idia snorts. "Forever in your debt? Yeah, right. You're more likely to find me dead than in your debt."
âJust go with it. Itâs a good story.â
Eventually, you both settle on a suitably ridiculous tale where you, after days of tireless investigation, heroically rescued him from an evil plot to overthrow the royal family. It's unnecessarily elaborate, full of conveniently absent witnesses and a dramatic escape from a non-existent dungeon. The whole thingâs so ridiculous, you almost feel bad for making anyone listen to it.
âRight,â you say, standing up. âNow we just need to sell this at court.â
When you arrive at the palace, Idia hangs back while you step forward, playing your part as the "heroic rescuer." Orthoâs the first one to spot you, and when his eyes land on Idia, they widen with shock and excitement.
âBrother!â Ortho shouts, practically flying over to tackle Idia in a hug. âI knew youâd come back!â
Idia, not really one for public displays of affection, awkwardly pats Orthoâs head. âYeah, yeah, donât make a big deal out of it,â he grumbles, though you can see the tiny smile tugging at his lips. âI was, uh, working on some top-secret stuff. Yâknow, important genius-level projects.â
Ortho beams. âThat sounds just like you!â
You have to hold back a snicker. Yeah, real âtop-secret.â Like avoiding social interaction at all costs.
Soon, youâre ushered into the royal court. The kingâwho clearly knows something is upâdoesn't look remotely surprised by the "revelation" that Idia was never actually kidnapped. But, because royal politics are weird, he plays along.
âSo, Prince Idia,â the king says, raising an eyebrow, âI suppose youâll want the Crown Prince title back now that youâve returned?â
Idia freezes, panic flashing in his eyes. "Uh, absolutely not. Hard pass. Nope. Orthoâs got it handled, right? He can keep the whole⌠crown⌠thing.â
Ortho nods eagerly from behind him. âIâve got it covered!â
The king sighs but nods. âVery well. And what about you?â He turns to you. âSurely, a brave soul such as yourself deserves a reward.â
Here it comes. Youâve rehearsed this with Idia, but now that youâre on the spot, you canât help the dramatic flair in your voice as you clasp your hands together and say, âAll I ask⌠is for Prince Idiaâs hand.â
The king looks thoroughly amused, while Idia, beside you, is turning a very interesting shade of red.
âWhat?â Idia hisses under his breath. âThat was not the line.â
You grin, leaning closer. âYeah, but you have to admit, itâs funnier this way.â
To his credit, Idia doesnât collapse on the spot, though he does look like heâs reconsidering his life choices.
Meanwhile, from across the room, you catch the third princeâyour so-called "male lead"âglaring daggers at you. He looks like he's about to burst a blood vessel, while the heroine next to him is scandalized beyond belief.
âB-but Idiaâs hand was supposed to be won!â she protests, clearly flustered.
You tilt your head innocently. âOh? Not satisfied with the third Prince?â you ask, batting your lashes at her.
Her face goes red, and the Bland Princeâwhoever he isâlooks equally scandalized.
Next to you, Idia quietly high-fives you behind his back.
âNice one,â he whispers.
As you both walk away from the court, Idia glances over at you, his usual sarcasm softened by relief. âYou know, I really thought Iâd end up hating this whole scheme, but youâre not bad at playing the part.â
You chuckle, nudging him. âTold you itâd be fun. And now I get a beach house, so itâs a win-win.â
Idia sighs but canât hide the smile tugging at his lips. âYeah, yeah. Just donât make me go to any more parties, okay?â
âDeal.â
Youâre sitting across from Idia in the study, supposedly "spending time together" to prove to the world how deeply smitten you both are. In reality, though, youâre plotting out your beach house retirement plan, while Idia is hunched over his latest gadget, muttering like a mad scientist.
"Okay, so if I tweak thisâboom, self-repairing AI drone. Easy. The idiots at court would never get it," he whispers to himself, eyes glued to the wires and gears he's fiddling with.
Youâre busy doodling floor plans of your dream beach house, adding an extra pool for fun. âYeah, totally, sweetheart,â you mumble, pretending to listen. This fake relationship thing is going swimmingly.
Thatâs when the door flies open, and in waltzes the male leadâof course he doesn't knock. The guy practically drips entitlement as he saunters in, admiring himself in the reflection of a spoon heâs for some reason carrying.
Without missing a beat, you and Idia scramble to look like actual lovers. You slide closer to him, casually tossing an arm over his shoulders, and heâalready flusteredâjust stiffens like heâs been caught in a trap.
âI see you two are enjoying each otherâs company,â the male lead says, not even looking up from his spoon reflection. âI came to invite you to the tea party. You know, with all the nobles. The whole âIdiaâs too traumatized to socializeâ excuse isnât gonna fly anymore. Itâs been three months.â
Idiaâs eyes widen, and you can practically hear his soul leave his body. You give him a reassuring nudge.
âDonât worry,â you whisper. âIâll do all the talking. You just have to sit there, sip tea, maybe nibble on a pastry, and nod at Ortho. Iâve got the rest covered.â
Idia doesnât look convinced, but he nods anyway. âSure, sure, as long as I donât have to, like, interact.â
The two of you arrive at the tea party, and the moment you step into the garden, you realize you're absolutely screwed. Itâs not a tea party at allâitâs some weird medieval Olympics with archery targets set up, and a bunch of nobles are taking turns shooting arrows while their wives cheer them on.
âWhat⌠is this?â you whisper, horrified. âWhy are there archery targets at a tea party? Is this... a misogyny power trip?â
Idia looks like he wants the ground to swallow him whole. Heâs already backing away slowly, trying to make his great escape, but you grab him by the back of his cloak before he can bolt.
He shoots you a look like youâve just committed the ultimate betrayal. âThis... is not a tea party. You said tea and pastries. Where are the pastries?!â
âI didnât know!â you hiss back. âI thought weâd just sip tea and gossip about whose cousin married whose horse!â
Before either of you can make another move, the heroine spots you and immediately latches onto your arm, dragging you to the tea table. At the same time, the male lead grabs Idia and hauls him over to the archery side.
"Waitânoâuhâ" Idia stammers, but heâs already been thrown into the testosterone-fueled chaos of nobles trying to outdo each other.
Thinking fast, you impulsively declare, âIâll be the one doing the archery! For my fiancĂŠ, of course. You know, because those thugs that kidnapped him? They had bows too!â
Idia, catching on, immediately puts on his best terrified expression. âY-Yeah! Bows! Iâm⌠Iâm still traumatized! Please donât make me relive it.â
The crowd collectively gasps, and you inwardly pat yourself on the back. Nailed it.
Somehow, despite knowing absolutely nothing about archery, you end up winning the whole thing. Turns out, none of the nobles have actually seen a bow before. You didnât even hit the bullseyeâyou just got the arrow near the target, which was apparently enough to impress them.
The prize? A complex-looking mechanical device, something straight out of Idiaâs dream workshop. You look at it, completely clueless, before handing it over to him.
âUh, here. I have no idea what to do with this.â
Idia stares at the device, his eyes wide in disbelief. âYouâre⌠giving it to me?â He looks touched but also suspicious. âYouâre not gonna ask for some crazy favor in return?â
You shake your head. âNah. Itâs all yours. Consider it a thank-you for not leaving me to deal with this disaster alone.â
He blinks, clearly not used to receiving gifts without strings attached. âWell⌠uh, thanks. And⌠good job on the archery. You, uh, really sold the âtraumatized fiancĂŠâ bit.â
Before you can respond, the rest of the nobles start talking about "true love," and you can practically feel the heroineâs eyes boring holes into you. Sheâs fuming, glaring at the male leadâwho, by the way, didnât winâand looks like sheâs about five seconds away from tearing out her hair.
You shoot her a smug grin, thoroughly enjoying her frustration. Idia, whoâs been watching the whole thing with mild amusement, lightly bumps you with his elbow.
âThanks for⌠you know, saving me from whatever that was. And for giving me this⌠thing,â he says, holding up the device.
âNo problem,â you reply, smirking. âI think weâre pulling off this whole âsmitten loversâ thing pretty well.â
Idia snorts, trying to suppress a smile. âYeah, well, if you keep dragging me to âtea partiesâ like this, weâre gonna need to come up with a better plan. Preferably one where I donât have to socialize with archery-obsessed nobles.â
âDeal,â you laugh. "Next time, I'll find a real tea party."
"Please don't."
Youâre lounging on a comfy chair, lazily chatting with Ortho, whoâs happily explaining some new contraption he and Idia worked on. Youâre half-listening, more focused on sipping tea and enjoying the rare moment of peace in this chaotic castle.
That is, until Idia suddenly appears in front of you, looking unusually determined. He stands there, awkwardly shifting his weight, before thrusting his hand out in front of you.
Without thinking, you blink up at him and, in your confusion, place your chin on his outstretched palm. You give him a questioning look, waiting for further instruction.
Idiaâs face immediately flushes a deep red. âW-What are you doing?! Thatâs notâI didnâtâgah!â
Orthoâs trying not to laugh, but itâs clear heâs barely holding it together.
âWhat?â you ask innocently. âYou held out your hand, so I thoughtâŚâ
Idia runs a hand through his hair, clearly flustered, before spluttering, âIâno, I was asking for your gun!â
âOh. Right.â Without hesitation, you hand him the trusty weapon you always keep on hand, because at this point, youâve learned to never question what Idia needs. Itâs always better that way.
âThanks,â he mutters, grabbing it like heâs on a mission and rushing off to whatever secret lair he retreats to.
You glance at Ortho, whoâs giggling to himself. âDo you think I should be worried about that?â
âNah,â Ortho says with a cheerful shrug. âHeâs probably just making modifications. Heâll be fine!â
The next day, your luck runs out. Just when you were hoping for another peaceful afternoon, the heroine arrives for a surprise visit, dragging along her little posse of noble followers. Youâre seated in a stiff parlor chair, forced to endure the barrage of small talk and fake smiles, feeling as if the universe is punishing you for all the nonsense you wrote in that novel.
One of the heroineâs cronies leans in with a sickeningly sweet voice, âOh my, Lady Heroine, I just love your new gown. You look positively radiant. Unlike some people who seem to⌠dress for comfort, I suppose.â
You shoot her a withering glare, but itâs hard to focus when the heroine herself joins in, adding with a falsely sympathetic tone, âIt must be so difficult for you, pretending to fit into high society. I canât imagine how exhausting it must be, keeping up appearances.â
Youâre just about to snap back when, suddenly, the door bursts open. In comes Idia, holding your gun, looking both determined and completely out of his element. For a brief, terrifying moment, you wonder what kind of chaos heâs about to unleash.
Before you can ask, he walks straight over to you and hands it to you, his expression serious. âHere. I finished the modifications.â
Your jaw drops as Idia starts rattling off a list of improvements. âSo, I increased the firepower by 30%, added a cooling mechanism so it doesnât overheat, and now itâs got an auto-targeting system that can scan multiple threats at once. Oh, and I swapped the trigger to be more responsive, so you wonât have any lagââ
You canât help but notice how animated he looks. His usual deadpan expression is replaced by a lively spark in his eyes as he talks about all the intricate details. Heâs completely in his element, and you find yourself enchanted by the way he speaks. Itâs rare to see him so passionate, so alive.
The moment is shattered when he finally notices the others in the room. His face drains of color, and he gives a forced smile that screams I don't want to be here. Without another word, he turns on his heel and flees the room. But you notice something strangeâhe had been holding your hand the entire time. His grip, tight and warm, leaves a lingering sensation even after heâs gone.
Youâre left holding your newly modified gun, your face heating up as you process what just happened. The heroine's entourage are all staring at you with wide eyes, as if theyâve just witnessed the most romantic moment of the century. Even the butler, whoâs usually the epitome of professionalism, is grinning like heâs just uncovered the secret to eternal happiness. The maids nearby are giggling behind their hands, clearly entertained.
You glance down at the gun, then back to where Idia disappeared. Great, you think to yourself. How am I supposed to survive this?
As if reading your mind, the heroine gives you a smug smile. âIt seems your fiancĂŠ is quite⌠attached. How charming.â
You roll your eyes, trying to ignore the sudden rush of blood to your cheeks. âYeah, heâs a real romantic,â you mutter sarcastically.
But even as you try to brush it off, your thoughts keep returning to that sparkle in Idiaâs eyes, the way he had held your hand, and the way his enthusiasm had made your heart skip a beat. Maybe this royal con is going to be more complicated than you expected⌠but also, maybe not as bad as you feared.
Dragging Idia to get fitted for the imperial ball is like trying to drag a cat into a bathtub. Heâs actively resisting, feet planted as you haul him toward the tailor with all the enthusiasm of a man being led to the gallows.
âWhy do you keep doing this to me?â he groans, leaning back so far you think he might just throw himself on the floor in protest. âAn angel loses its wings every time you make me do this. Do you want heaven to be wingless? Is that what you want? To singlehandedly destroy heaven?â
âIâm aiming to open a black market for wings, yes,â you say, deadpan, yanking him forward. âThe profits will be incredible.â
âYouâre a menace,â he mutters, shuffling along behind you, still resisting like a particularly stubborn mule. âJust put me in a broom closet with a bag of chips and leave me there. I donât need to go to this ball. No one wants to see me.â
âI do,â you quip. âIâm dragging you into society, one unwilling step at a time.â
By the time you actually manage to get him dressed, you feel like youâve aged five years. But when you take a step back to admire the result, itâs worth it. Idia looks stunning, even if heâs fidgeting like his clothes are secretly made of fire ants. Heâs basically the human version of a rare collectible: usually hidden away, but absolutely jaw-dropping when you finally get to see him.
âAlright, Prince Drama,â you say, exhaling, âIâm going to get dressed. Try not to set anything on fire while Iâm gone.â
When you return, you immediately notice somethingâs up. Orthoâs whispering something to Idia, and whatever it is, itâs causing a nuclear-level blush to spread across his face. Heâs stiff as a board, and when he turns around and sees you in your ball attire, he goes straight from âmildly panickedâ to âcatastrophic system error.â
Without warning, he chucks a flower at you. Just full-on throws it like itâs a projectile weapon.
âHere,â he croaks out, his voice cracking halfway through.
You blink, catching the flower mid-air with one hand. âUh, thanks? Were you... trying to plant this on me?â
Idiaâs face somehow manages to get even redder. âNoâI mean yesâI meanââ He looks around for help, but Ortho just gives him an unhelpful thumbs up from the corner.
You grin, deciding to help the poor guy out. âWhy donât you pin it in my hair instead?â
His hands shake as he fumbles with the pin, and youâre pretty sure heâs using every ounce of self-control not to stab you in the scalp. You bite your lip, trying not to laugh, but the whole situation is just too funny. Especially when Ortho gives you a conspiratorial wink from behind Idiaâs back like heâs this close to winning a bet.
The ball itself is, as expected, a social hellscape. You and Idia survive by sticking together like conjoined twins, fending off the waves of nosy nobles and fake smiles. You can practically see the stress radiating off of Idia, his expression one of pure misery.
And then, the king makes his grand address, signaling the start of the first dance. You feel Idia stiffen beside you.
âOh no,â he mutters, âOh no. This is where it all goes downhill. Iâll trip, Iâll break my leg, and then theyâll throw me in the royal dungeon for embarrassing the family.â
âRelax,â you say, squeezing his hand. âItâs just one dance. Iâll lead, you follow. Easy.â
âI hate this,â he mumbles as you drag him onto the floor. âI hate everything about this. I should have just set myself on fire and gotten out of it that way.â
But despite his protests, you manage to lead him through the first few steps of the waltz. To your surprise, heâs not completely hopeless. He stumbles a little at first, but with you guiding him, he starts to get the hang of it.
âYouâre doing great,â you say encouragingly.
âStop lying,â he grumbles. âIâm one misstep away from taking us both out like a bowling ball hitting pins.â
The music continues, and with every turn and spin, you notice the room around you fading into the background. For a moment, itâs just you and Idia, navigating the intricate steps of the dance together. Heâs still anxious, but heâs keeping up, and more importantly, you can tell heâs starting to trust you. Heâs letting you take the lead, and for someone like Idia, thatâs huge.
From Idiaâs perspective, this entire ball is a waking nightmare. Heâs completely out of his element, surrounded by people heâd normally go to great lengths to avoid. But then thereâs you. Youâre handling everything with this... ease, this grace that he canât even begin to comprehend. Youâre not just dancing with him, youâre actively navigating the minefield of court politics like itâs no big deal.
And you donât need to do this. This isnât your problemâitâs Orthoâs succession, not yours. But youâre here, by his side, going all out to make sure Orthoâs future is secure. Idiaâs heart twists in his chest. He doesnât get it. Youâre way too cool for this. Too cool for him. You wink at him mid-spin, and he feels like his brainâs short-circuiting.
"Oh no. I like them. Like, really like them. And soon, theyâll be gone. This whole engagement is just for show. After Orthoâs investiture, weâll go back to our separate lives, right?"
He swallows hard, trying not to freak out, but itâs too late. Heâs in way too deep.
After the dance, you lead him off the floor and start mingling with the other nobles, making alliances and doing your whole âpolitical mastermindâ thing. Idia stands awkwardly to the side, trying to blend into the wallpaper, but his eyes keep following you. You donât have to do all this for Ortho, but you are. And thatâs... thatâs really cool. He admires you, he canât help it.
And thenâoh no. The lower nobles. They spot him and beeline toward him like sharks smelling blood. Before he can make a break for it, they swarm around him, throwing party invitations at him like confetti.
âPrince Idia, you simply must attend our garden soirĂŠe next week,â one of them gushes, eyes sparkling.
âAnd our evening gala!â another pipes up. âYouâll be the guest of honor, of course!â
Idiaâs face goes pale, and he shoots you a look that screams, HELP ME.
You swoop in like a knight in shining armor. âAh, yes, well, unfortunately, Idia canât attend. Heâs... uh... allergic to sunlight.â
The nobles stare at you, blinking in confusion. Idia stares at you too, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement.
âAllergic to... sunlight?â one noble repeats, frowning.
You facepalm. Smooth. âI mean... itâs a joke! Ha! Obviously! What I meant to say is... uh...â You scramble for an excuse. âI need a nap.â
Thereâs a beat of silence.
âIâuhâcanât sleep without him,â you blurt out. âItâs, uh, a couple thing.â
The nobles blink at you again, thoroughly bewildered.
You grab Idiaâs arm, muttering, âWeâre leaving,â and make a quick exit, practically dragging him behind you.
As soon as youâre out of earshot, you let out a groan. âOh my god, I canât believe I said that. âAllergic to sunlightâ? Really?â
Idia is doubled over laughing, completely losing it. âYou what?!â he howls. âYou need a nap? And you canât sleep without me?!â
âShut up!â you say, cheeks burning. âI was trying to save you!â
âYou saved me? More like doomed me!â He wheezes between laughs, clutching his stomach. âOh man, you are terrible at this. You make me look good, and thatâs saying something.â
You glare at him, but his laughter is so infectious that you canât stay mad. And honestly? He looks free. Unbridled, even. Itâs the first time youâve seen him laugh so openly, so without reservation, that it almost makes you forget how embarrassing the situation was.
Almost.
It's finally time for Ortho's investiture, and to say you feel unprepared would be an understatement. Not for any political reasonâyou've long since mastered the art of navigating court intrigue. No, the issue is far more personal, far more heart-wrenching. After today, once Ortho is declared Crown Prince, Idia will no longer have any excuse to stay in the spotlight. He'll retreat, back into the shadows, probably even fake his own kidnapping to get out of any future public events. And you?
You'll finally get that peaceful beach house youâve been dreaming about.
But the thought doesnât feel like a reward. It feels bitter. You donât want that beach houseânot if it means losing Idia. The man whoâs wormed his way into your heart with his sarcasm, awkwardness, and hidden kindness.
But you know heâs not someone you can tie down. Idia doesnât do well with permanence. And as much as your heart begged to hold on to him, you also know heâd likely slip through your fingers if you tried.
So you do what any self-respecting person would in this situation: put on a brave face, slip into your formal attire, and prepare to smile your way through heartbreak.
When you walk out to greet Idia, heâs already dressed in his formal robes, looking every bit the reluctant royal. His eyes widen slightly when he sees you, but he says nothing, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve.
You muster up the strength to smile and reach for his hand. âReady?â
He nods, but neither of you can meet the otherâs eyes.
From Idiaâs perspective, today should feel like a victory. Heâs been planning for Orthoâs investiture for months, and now that the day is finally here, he should be feeling nothing but relief. But noâheâs filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. Itâs not about Ortho. His little brother is brilliant, and Idia knows the kingdom is in good hands.
No, what heâs not ready for is letting you go.
If someone had told him a year ago that he would care about someoneâwant someoneâso desperately, he wouldâve locked them up in a mental facility. But here he is, standing on the precipice of his worst nightmare.
You, who shine in every public setting, who effortlessly charm everyone around you, are going to move on. He knows he canât tie you down with his reclusive lifestyle, his constant desire to escape from the world. How could he? Youâre everything heâs notâbright, resplendent, beloved. He canât ask you to give up your life for him.
But when you come out and take his hand, his heart skips a beat. Neither of you are able to look each other in the eye, but the gesture says more than any words could.
The investiture itself goes off without a hitch. Orthoâs speech is flawless, full of the hope and wisdom of a ruler who will no doubt lead the kingdom into a golden age. Youâre so proud of himâof the boy whoâs become like a little brother to you.
But even as you smile and clap with the rest of the court, you feel a heaviness in your chest that has nothing to do with the political spectacle unfolding before you.
A few tears slip down your cheeks, and you donât even know if theyâre from the overwhelming pride you feel for Ortho or the quiet heartbreak youâve been trying to suppress all day.
Before you can wipe them away, Idia silently hands you his handkerchief. He doesnât say anything, doesnât even look at you, and that just makes the ache in your heart a little worse.
You take it with a quiet, âThanks,â dabbing at your eyes, and you both stand there in tense silence, watching as the formalities continue around you.
Once the investiture concludes and the guests filter out, you and Idia retreat to a balcony to catch your breath. The sky is darkening, and the cool evening breeze does little to soothe the heaviness you feel in the pit of your stomach.
Idia breaks the silence first. "I've, uh... already arranged the beach house. Itâs in your name now."
You blink, looking over at him. His voice cracks slightly, and when you finally turn to face him fully, you realize that he looks like the very picture of heartbreak. Heâs not meeting your eyes, staring out into the distance as if itâll keep him from falling apart.
You swallow hard, trying to keep your voice steady. âIdia... do you want me to leave?â
He freezes, still not looking at you. "I... I want you to be happy. I mean, that's the whole point, right? The beach house, everythingâyouâve been wanting that for ages."
âI didnât ask if you wanted me to be happy,â you say quietly. âI asked if you want me to stay or go.â
The silence between you stretches, heavy and suffocating. You hold your breath, waiting for him to answer. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.
âI... I donât know what Iâm gonna do if youâre not here anymore.â
Thatâs all the confirmation you need. Before he can say anything else, you step forward, cupping his face and pulling him into a kiss. For a split second, he stiffens, shocked, but then he melts into it, his arms wrapping around you like heâs afraid you might disappear if he lets go.
Itâs everything you needed and moreâsweet, desperate, and filled with all the words neither of you have been able to say. When you finally pull away, you rest your forehead against his, both of you breathing heavily.
âCome with me,â you whisper. âTo the beach house. We can... we can figure everything out from there.â
Idia lets out a watery laugh, one thatâs half-disbelief, half-relief. âYou really want a shut-in like me hanging around your dream house? Youâre gonna get sick of me in a week.â
You smile, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. âI donât think I could ever get sick of you. So... what do you say?â
He hesitates for a moment, then gives a small nod, his eyes shining with unshed tears. âYeah... okay. Iâll come with you.â
And just like that, the weight thatâs been pressing down on your chest all day lifts. Itâs not the endâitâs a new beginning. One where you and Idia donât have to part ways, where you can move forward together.
As you both stand there on the balcony, holding each other close, the world feels a little less daunting, and the future a little brighter.
The grand hall is slowly emptying out, nobles drifting away after offering their congratulations to Ortho. You and Idia maneuver through the lingering crowd, dodging overly-friendly dukes and avoiding eye contact with barons hoping to extend the festivities.
Idia clings to your arm like a cat being dragged to the vet, mumbling, âPlease tell me weâre not about to be emotionally ambushed again.â
You smirk. âRelax. Itâs just Ortho.â
âYeah, thatâs what you always say before things get sentimental and I have to deal with âfeelings.ââ
You spot Ortho standing near the dais, still wearing the ceremonial robes from his investiture. Despite the long night, he looks bright-eyed, waving cheerfully at some departing courtiers. When he catches sight of you two, his face breaks into the biggest grin, and he hurries over like an eager puppy.
âThere you are!â Ortho beams, practically glowing with excitement. âI was worried you left without saying goodbye.â
âUs? Leave without saying goodbye?â you tease. âWhat kind of villains do you think we are?â
âExactly the kind who would sneak away in the middle of a banquet,â Idia mutters under his breath. âAnd you know what? That plan still sounds great.â
Ortho rolls his eyes fondly. âYouâre impossible, brother.â
âOnly when Iâm awake.â
âAnyway,â you cut in, shooting Idia a playful glare before turning back to Ortho, âwe wanted to talk to you before we go.â
Orthoâs smile falters, just a bit. âYouâre leaving already?â
You nod, squeezing Idiaâs arm. âYeah. Weâre heading to the beach house.â
Ortho tilts his head, curious but not upset. âYouâre moving there?â
âFor a while, yeah,â you explain gently. âIdia and I need a break from all the court politics. But donât worry. Weâll visit you. Often.â
Idia shifts beside you, scratching the back of his neck. âYeah, uh... Itâs not like Iâm leaving forever or anything. Just... you know, temporarily escaping society.â
Ortho laughs, but thereâs a softness in his gaze now. âI get it. I donât blame you for wanting to leave all this behind for a bit.â
You take a step closer, voice lowering. âAnd hey... I know youâve got a lot on your plate now. But weâre still family. If you need anythingâanythingâweâll be here for you.â
Orthoâs grin returns, full force. âI know. Iâm really glad you two have each other. Honestly, I was worried for a long time that Idia might never find someone willing to put up with him.â
âGee, thanks,â Idia deadpans. âGlad my personal development arc has been so inspiring for you.â
âBut seriously,â Ortho says, his expression softening again. âThank you. Youâve done more for us than you had to. I know you could have just... gone back to your world or left things as they were. But you stayed. And you helped him.â
Oh no. Not this again. That suspicious prickle starts in your eyes, and you blink rapidly to fend off the tears. Not now. Not in public.
âYouâre not... making me cry,â you insist, even as your voice wobbles. âThis is just... allergy season.â
âOh no, itâs happening,â Idia groans dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose. âPlease donât cry. If you cry, Orthoâs gonna cry, and if Ortho cries, the nobles will definitely blame me.â
âShut up, you big baby,â you sniffle, swatting his arm before pulling Ortho into a hug. âCome here, you. Group hug, now.â
Ortho barely has time to react before youâve wrapped him up in your arms. He laughs, squeezing you back. You reach out blindly and grab Idiaâs sleeve, yanking him into the fray.
âWaitâwait, whatâ!â Idia stumbles forward, sandwiched awkwardly between you and Ortho. âThis is... I donât...â
âShhh,â you whisper, patting his back. âFeel the love.â
âThis is emotional ambush!â Idia protests, voice muffled against your shoulder. âI want it on record that I was forced into this.â
âNoted,â Ortho says with a laugh, hugging both of you tighter. âBut youâre not getting out of it.â
For a moment, the three of you just stand there, huddled together in a ridiculous knot of limbs, nobles glancing your way but tactfully avoiding comment.
Idia mutters into your ear, âThis... this is basically treason against introverts.â
You grin. âConsider it penance for being emotionally stunted.â
âYouâre both the worst,â he grumbles, but his arms stay wrapped around you.
Eventually, you pull back, wiping your eyes with the heel of your hand. âWeâll be back soon, Ortho. I promise.â
âI know.â Ortho smiles warmly, giving you one last squeeze. âAnd when you do, Iâll make sure you never have to attend another dull court event again.â
Idia perks up at that. âOh. Now thatâs what I call incentive.â
With one last shared laugh, the three of you break apart. Ortho steps back, standing tall and proud in his new role, though his smile still holds all the warmth of a little brother seeing his family off.
âTake care of him,â Ortho says quietly, glancing meaningfully at you.
âI plan to,â you reply, meeting his gaze with a small, reassuring smile.
âAnd you,â Ortho adds, looking at Idia. âDonât screw this up.â
Idia gapes, indignant. âIâwhy does everyone assume Iâm the one whoâs going to screw it up?!â
You and Ortho exchange amused glances before both of you answer in perfect unison:
âBecause you will.â
Idia groans. âYeah, okay. Fair.â
With that, you bid Ortho one final goodbye, tugging Idia along before anyone else can rope you into small talk. As you leave the grand hall and step out into the cool night air, the weight on your shoulders feels a little lighter.
Idia sighs in relief. âWell, thatâs over. Time to hibernate for the next decade.â
You chuckle, lacing your fingers through his. âHibernation in the beach house?â
âHell yeah.â
And with that, the two of you set off into the night, leaving the court behindâfor now.
Oh, what happened to the heroine and the male lead, you ask? Letâs rewind a few months before Orthoâs investitureâback when they were still blissfully unaware of the elaborate downfall that awaited them.
You knew that the heroine and the male lead would try to make a spectacle of themselves during Orthoâs rise to power. The way they pranced around, flaunting their superficial charm and good looks like they owned the placeâit was insufferable. And, of course, they were always scheming in the background, hoping to secure power and glory for themselves. You couldnât stand it.
So, you set up the perfect trap.
It began at a lavish gala, one of those unnecessarily extravagant events where nobles gathered to network, gossip, and throw subtle insults at each other. You arrived fashionably late, as any proper duchess would, with Idia reluctantly in tow, mumbling under his breath about how every social event felt like âone of those long quests with zero rewards.â
âThe rewards are emotional, Idia,â you whisper, linking arms with him.
âYeah, emotional damage,â he mutters.
You suppress a smile, but your mind is elsewhere. Tonight is the night. You had planted the seeds weeks ago, a few well-placed rumors, some whispered insinuations, and a letter youâd accidentally left behind in a well-trafficked corridor. It was all coming together like a beautifully chaotic symphony, and now, the climax.
You spot the heroine first, her radiant smile masking the venom beneath. Sheâs making a grand entrance, arm-in-arm with the male lead, who, as always, looks like heâs stepped straight out of a romance novel. His hair is perfect, his jawline sharp enough to cut through glass. But you know better. Theyâre both so predictable.
âTheyâve arrived,â you murmur to Idia.
He gives you a blank stare. âYeah, cool, Iâm just here to not die of social exhaustion. Whatever youâre planning... donât tell me. I donât wanna be involved.â
âSuit yourself,â you reply with a grin.
You watch them mingle, waiting for the right moment. And there it isâthe heroine, attempting to cozy up to the king, laughing a little too loudly at one of his mediocre jokes. You slip through the crowd, making your way to where a certain nosy noblewoman is holding court. A noblewoman known for her love of gossip and her even greater love of ruining peopleâs lives with it.
Perfect.
You lean in, feigning concern. âOh, My Lady... I probably shouldnât say this, but I heard the strangest thing about the heroine. You wonât believe it.â
Her eyes gleam with curiosity. âDo tell, my dear.â
âWell,â you drop your voice to a whisper, âthereâs talk that the heroine and the male lead are involved in some... unsavory business dealings. Something about embezzling funds from the royal coffers for their own gain? I donât know how true it is, of course... but it would explain some things, wouldnât it?â
You leave the rest unsaid, letting her imagination do the rest. The best part? Itâs all technically true. You had orchestrated it so well, the heroine and the male lead had no idea that their âprivateâ meetings and âinnocentâ financial maneuvers were anything but secret.
She gasps, her fan snapping shut. âI knew there was something off about them! Oh, the gall! I must inform the king immediately!â
And just like that, the gossip spreads like wildfire. Within minutes, the entire room is buzzing with scandalous whispers. The heroine and the male lead notice the shift, the way people start looking at them, and for the first time, theyâre on the back foot. They try to smile, but their unease is palpable.
You sit back, watching the chaos unfold, sipping your wine as nobles begin to distance themselves from the pair, shooting them suspicious glances.
Idia sidles up next to you, looking around at the suddenly tense atmosphere. âWhat... what did you do?â
âWho, me?â You bat your eyelashes innocently. âI have no idea what youâre talking about.â
He gives you a side-eye. âYouâre terrifying.â
âYou knew that when you asked me to be your fake fiancĂŠe.â
The next day, official inquiries are launched into the heroine and the male leadâs finances, and though they try to clear their names, itâs no use. The damage is done. Their reputations are ruined beyond repair, and theyâre forced to withdraw from court life entirely. A fitting end for their ambitions.
Which brings you to the present...
Itâs a peaceful morning in your beach house, and youâre sitting on the veranda, enjoying your coffee while the sun rises over the horizon. The sound of waves crashing against the shore is your only company, and for once, thereâs no looming political intrigue or royal drama to worry about.
That is, until Idia stumbles out of the bedroom, his hair a messy blue cloud, his eyes half-closed with sleep. He groans as he sees you, one hand on the wall to steady himself. âWhy are you up so early? Itâs like... the middle of the night.â
âItâs 10 AM,â you reply with a laugh.
âExactly,â he grumbles, shuffling over to you. Without another word, he flops down beside you, his head immediately finding its way to your neck. He nuzzles into you, muttering something unintelligible, and you chuckle softly, patting him on the cheek.
âYouâre such a big baby in the morning,â you tease, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
Despite being married for the past two years, Idiaâs face turns tomato-red every time you do something affectionate. He blushes furiously now, burying his face in the crook of your neck to hide it.
âY-Youâre unfair,â he mumbles, voice muffled. âSaying stuff like that... itâs embarrassing.â
You grin. âBut youâre so cute.â
âIâm not cute. Iâm a grown man. And youâre a villain for making me get up before noon.â
You laugh, running your fingers through his messy hair. âMaybe, but Iâm your villain. So deal with it.â
Idia groans dramatically but makes no effort to move away, too comfortable where he is. You continue sipping your coffee, enjoying the moment of peace, when he finally speaks again, a little softer this time.
âYâknow... you really did a number on the heroine and the male lead. Theyâre still laying low, huh?â
âMaybe the rumor I spread was truly a masterpiece,â you say with a smirk, remembering how perfectly everything had gone according to plan.
Idia snorts. âA masterpiece of destruction, maybe.â
You chuckle, pressing another kiss to his forehead. He sighs contentedly, the two of you basking in the quiet comfort of your shared life. Itâs moments like this that remind you just how far youâve come together, from court intrigue and scandal to peaceful mornings at your beach house.
And honestly? You wouldnât have it any other way.
Series Masterlist ; Masterlist
For the next part,
#twst x reader#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland x reader#twst#idia x reader#idia shroud x reader#idia shroud x you#idia shroud#idia#idia x you#trash novel chronicles
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Hey, can I request zoro x reader (established relationship) where the Strawhats end up going to readerâs home island (unknown to anyone in the group aside from reader), and the reader is super nervous and refuses to leave the boat, so the crew goes out and walk around and they find a missing/wanted poster of the reader and find out sheâs a run away princess that needed to be. Later they coke to find out that reader ran away cause her parents and the servants mistreated and was about to marry her off to a violent prince
opla requests are: open
lips on every cross
opla!zoro; 5,989 words; fem!reader, semi-established?? relationship, posessive!zoro, strawhat!reader, no "y/n", reader gets kidnapped, fluff and angst, very brief! mentions of past familial abuse and trauma, nicknames ("Princess"), slow-ish burn???, more plot than not
summary: zoro has never thought himself a holy man. but he'd kiss every cross if it meant finding his way back to you.
a/n: idk why every opla fic i write is like... more plot than i bargained for but here we are. literally, this fic was just supposed to be "zoro calls the reader 'princess'".
01. when love arrives
(âHey Princess ââ)
The nickname starts, as almost all things do on the Going Merry, as a joke. And, as with most jokes made amongst the rag-tag crew, it sticks. Heâd said it because heâs sure youâd mentioned your name once or twice already, but heâd been napping or eating and he didnât feel like looking like an asshole right that moment.
The ribbon in your hair had caught the light in just the right way, pale pink satin â such a strange, soft color amidst the careening, careless ocean, and the word just⌠slipped.
âWhyâdyou call her that?â Luffy asks, lounging back against the main mast as Zoro works through the umpteenth rep of single-armed pushups.
Zoro puffs out a breath and switches arms.
âDunno. Seemed like it fit.â
Luffy slates you a long glance, blinking owlishly.
âReally? Eh â I guess⌠well, she is really pretty.â
Zoro only grunts, jumping up and stretching both arms over his head with a long, steady breath. His eyes flicker towards you as well, laughing with Nami on the foredeck, sipping on cocktails, Sanji probably simping somewhere nearby.
He thinks back to where theyâd found you, hood pulled low over your eyes, the tell-tale signs of distress carved into every line of your body, from the curve of your spine to the bend of your shoulders.
Luffy hadnât asked questions, so Zoro hadnât either.
Curiosity, the fatal flaw that runs so sharp and obvious through the entirety of Luffyâs being, hasnât always been rewarded well in Zoroâs experience. And heâs learned by now that âtruth will outâ, or so they say.
(âCâmon, Princess, I thought you said you could drink.â)
Caution, on the other hand, is Zoroâs oldest friend. You are cautious, if nothing else, and the first time he sees you relax in his presence, he wonders to himself if thereâs a drug in this world strong enough to induce this feeling.
Later, he would learn that this is simply called falling in love.
He isnât the only one who notices how you casually dip a silver fork or knife into every single drink before you take a sip, or that sometimes, you blurt out the word ânoâ like a promise to yourself, and âsorryâ like a plea for help.
And heâs spent long enough being a hunter to know what being hunted looks like. So he doesnât ask, and you donât answer, and somehow, you still manage to make yourself a home in the dark caverns of his chest, curling up there till he canât count his heartbeats without it sounding like the shadow of your name on the midnight wind.
02. a study of light and dark
The drinking game starts off innocently enough (and donât they always), but it takes half a round for the questions and subsequent answers to devolve into loud laughter and debauchery, delirium and debasement.
âAlright, alright ââ Sanji holds up a hand, tossing back his shot to raucous cheers, âworst thing youâve done in a closet. Go ââ
Zoro rolls his eyes and takes the shot, foregoing his answer. Nami simply grins, catlike, swirling her own drink around her glass.
âIn your wildest dreams, cook,â she says before taking her shot as well. Sanji lets out a contemplative whistle, followed by a good-natured wink.
âDefine worst, cause⌠I mean, Iâve puked in like⌠most of them back in Syrup Village,â Usopp says. Sanji only chuckles, shrugging.
âWeâll take it, weâll take it.â
Luffy hums, frowning for a second before smacking a fist into his open palm, grinning, âI took a nap!â
Everyone laughs, helpless and buoyed up by the casual effervescence of a night like this â when the moon is dark and the stars are bright and thin wisps of silver clouds mar the sky like tendrils of lost daydreams, caught on the wrong side of sunset.
When the laughter settles down, everyone turns to you.
You purse your lips, feeling the weight of your answer pressing down on the tip of your tongue â I hid. And I waited. And I tried not to listen.
As the silence stretches on, Zoro leans forward and uncrosses his arms, reaching out to nudge a full shot glass towards you.
âTimes up, Princess â drink,â and though thereâs nothing soft or even forgiving in his voice, but you feel yourself relax as everyone boos and you take your shot.
The heat of Zoroâs gaze only lingers on your skin for a moment longer before he leans back again, that familiar almost-grin tugging lazily at his lips as he turns half-lidded eyes towards the rest of his crew.
(âTalk to me, Princess.â)
When you find him later, fumbling in the dark of the hallway just outside his room, you kiss him without saying âthank youâ and he doesnât question it when, pressed beneath him on the rough linen of his sheets, you ask to keep the lights on.
03. etymology
Princess â itâs a nice word, Zoro muses to himself. The light pop of the âpâ rolling into the warm, round ârâ, thinning out into the sensual layering of the double âsâs, till youâre left with nothing but a hiss, a shadow, a memory.
Itâs a regal word; a pretty word. Though its origins might be anything but.
From the Latin primus âfirstâ and cept âcatcherâ, or so Robin had told him over the pages of an ancient book he hadnât bothered to ask the name of, because Princes and Kings have always obtained their powers through taking, and never asking. Reaping, and never sowing.
Zoro thinks then that this, too, is a form conquest â you over him. The totality of your power stunning to behold, if only because he has to let you take it in the first place. And he does so willingly.
He wonders if you, too, are as multifaceted as his nickname for you â delicacy and desire wrapped around a darker something, lace laid over a knifeâs unforgiving edge.
The first time he dares to kiss you, he feels you kissing him back, the sharp canines of your teeth catching on his lower lip, drawing out a soft grunt from him. Youâd paused, and then youâd bitten down harder just to hear him gasp into your mouth.
He knew then, without ever having to ask, that you are.
04. tip of the iceberg
It is winter when they arrive â but then again, it is always winter here. Here, the cold runs so deep it drives frost crystals into the marrow of your bones. Here, the wind howls like a wounded animal and the night falls with a savage, carnal vengeance, all black velvet and a blood-tinted moon.
Here, the snow storms turn living, breathing heroes into song lyrics and poetry rhymes.
You inhale a single breath before turning and heading back below deck.
Zoro frowns, and at a single look from Luffy, he follows you beneath, only to find you rummaging around the kitchen, tugging a bottle of moonshine out from under the sink.
âWhoa,â Zoro says, reaching out to stop you from uncorking the bottle, an eyebrow raised. He doesnât miss the way you shiver, âbit early, isnât it?â
âBit rich, coming from you,â you snap, eyes sharp, voice stinging.
Zoro only cocks his other eyebrow in tandem and pulls the bottle from your hands before turning and grabbing two glasses from the cupboard. He takes his time filling them both with ice, and then pouring a finger into each glass.
You donât meet his eyes as you reach out for your glass, but he catches your wrist.
âA drink for an answer,â he says.
You pause, your lips pressed into a thin, white line. And he knows itâs unfair, to turn this game around on you, because he can tell from the hard set of your shoulders that this is so much more than a drinking game but if this is what it takes to get the truth â then so be it.
âFine,â you say, glancing away, voice clipped.
You move to take a sip, but Zoro pushes down your hand again.
âNo lying.â
You scoff, narrowing your eyes, âObviously.â
He eases off, picking up his own glass and clinking it against yours before taking a light swig, âYou know this place.â
This time, youâre the one who turns around with a cocked brow.
âGot a question in there somewhere?â
Zoroâs lips twitch, âYes, or no.â
You sigh, tapping a finger against the edge of your cup, âYes.â
Zoro hums, âYour turn.â
You chew on your lips before taking a sip, âWhy do you care so much?â
Zoro ticks his tongue against his teeth, âStupid question. Next.â
You huff, âThatâs not how this game goes.â
Zoro swirls his glass before setting it down on the counter with a loud clack, âBecause I care about you.â
You pause with your own drink halfway to your mouth and look up. Zoro doesnât shy away from meeting your gaze and for a moment, time statics to a halt around you.
Then, Zoro sighs, unclenching his jaw as he attempts a lopsided smile.
âHey, talk to me,â he reaches out to trail a finger along the high of your cheekbones, up to the shell of your ear.
The âpleaseâ hangs silent in the air between you; the âPrincessâ is implied.
And for the first time, he thinks he sees you flinch. He makes to pull back but you tug his hand forward, pressing your cheek against his palm.
âThis island,â you say, finally, the tremor in your voice like a hairline fracture snaking through a porcelain vase, âitâs⌠well, it used to be⌠my home.â
05. the secret history
It is the most beautiful place any of them have ever been.
The castle is made entirely of ice, the cold winter sun refracting the light into a million and one unseen colors. Giant ice-carved sculptures dot the crystal-flower gardens, and it takes them all a few minutes to realize that the gorgeous, delicate blooms are made of glass, blown and shaped to mirror real-life snowflakes â each unique, glittering, and eternal.
âDude⌠how long do you think all this took to make?â Usopp asks, his head turning as if on a swivel, his jaw hinging off his face in awe.
Robin sighs, âToo long, perhaps.â
Zoro stays quiet, and beside him, so does Nami.
Youâd insisted on staying back, to guard the ship, youâd said. But the space you usually fill in the group hangs solid in the air, a gaping hole of lack when there should be none.
Luffy hums and he marches out in front of them, ever the dubious, fearless leader. Though most of the crew has now come to terms with the fact that âcourageâ and âsheer bull-headednessâ are often two sides of the same coin for him.
Itâs Sanji who pauses first, causing Chopper to ram into the back of his knees.
âOuch! Whatâdyou do that f ââ
âLook,â Sanji says, pointing at a poster pasted to the slick outer wall of the castle gates.
And they do, leaning in, crowding too close. Zoro grunts as Chopper jumps and scrambles up his back to peer over his shoulder at the face plastered on the dew-soaked poster, the words LOST PRINCESS: 120,000,000 FOR ANY INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO HER WHEREABOUTS printed in giant, familiar block letters along the bottom.
Beside him, Zoro can feel Nami swallowing. Hard.
âA hundred and twenty million berryâŚâ she murmurs, her breath going shallow as they all stare, dumbfounded at the poster of what is unmistakably you.
You, with your exquisite features schooled into something like solemnity, your usually wind-swept hair twisted up into a tight braid across the crown of your head, a diadem of ice-white silver and light-cut jewels jutting up from your severe updo like so many broken teeth, sharp and unforgiving as stalagmites.
If none of them had known, itâd be impossible to reconcile you with this cold, distant portrait, your eyes rendered lifeless and dull by the depthless black ink.
Luffy, however, only blinks and turns to stare at Zoro.
âDid you know?â
âWhat?â
Luffy continues to stare, âWhen I asked why you always call her âPrincessâ.â
Zoro sighs, turning his eyes back to the WANTED poster before shaking his head.
âNo. Like I said⌠I thought it just⌠fit.â
06. eternal day
Zoro is itching to get back to the ship. Thereâs a fish-line sliver of worry tugging at the place behind his chest where his heart should be, and he knows implicitly that something is wrong.
âDonât worry, she can take care of herself!â Luffy says, smiling bright, his confidence unwavering.
âNo Luffy, Zoroâs right â someone should be with her. What if ââ and here, Nami glances at Zoro before turning her attention back to Luffy, ââ she might need the backup,â is what she finally settles with. And to Zoroâs great relief, Luffy agrees.
And then, to everyoneâs horror, off in the distance, your voice rises over the wind in a blood-curdling scream.
07. endless night
By the time Zoro makes it back to the ship, you are already gone.
08. torn asunder
Gone, gone, gone. The word echoes like an ill-fated alarm bell, ringing through Zoroâs entire body as he catapults himself through the ship, slamming open every door, checking every nook, corner, and crevice. Signs of a struggle, that much is clear, scuffs on the freshly waxed planks of the aft deck, nail marks along the railings, and â
Zoroâs breath freezes in his chest.
A smear of blood that drips over the side of the ship, trailing down the ladder.
A flash of pale pink catches his eye.
Your satin hair ribbon lies abandoned on the wharfsâ boardwalk, the faintest splatter of red soaking its ends.
He picks it up between gentle fingers and tucks it deep into his pocket.
His vision blurs red as he thinks about the things your captors mightâve done to you before dragging you off. Heâs seen you fight and it wouldnât have been easy to bring you down.
And by the time the rest of the crew reach him, heâs already sprinting back towards the castle, his jaw set, his teeth gritted.
It takes the combined effort of Sanji, Luffy, and Robin to stop him from charging through the castle gates and tearing the whole place down.
âRunninâ round like a headless chickenâs not gonna do her any good, mate,â Sanji says, a smoke already caught between his teeth. A pre-fight ritual of his.
Zoro jerks his arm out of Sanjiâs grasp, stalking down the street with a huff.
Robin strolls after him, somehow keeping pace, looking unhurried as Zoro tamps down the blind urge to slash the entire island in half.
âWeâll find her,â Robin says, her voice level, even as her sharp eyes scan the white-specked horizon, the usually amused half-twist of her lips laid flat by worry, âand sheâs stronger than you think.â
At this, Zoro whips around, âI know ââ but he bites down the venom threatening to surge up the back of his throat with a sigh. Robin doesnât flinch, and Zoro attempts a steadying breath before repeating himself in a slightly softer tone, âI know⌠Iâm justâŚâ
Robin nods, and Zoro is thankful that he doesnât have to finish his sentence.
09. the tower and the throne
The cold greets you like a scorned loverâ a spiteful, savage mistress. Tendrils of frost creep along the walls of your old bedroom to caress your cheeks. You shiver and wrap your arms around yourself, sitting on familiar satin sheets.
âDinner is soon, darling,â your motherâs cool voice calls from outside your bedroom door, âand make yourself presentable â weâve got guests.â
The sadistic lilt of her voice as she says the word âguestsâ makes you jerk your head up, staring at the door as if you might be able to bore through the thick wood with nothing but your eyes. And, almost as if she can feel you staring, you hear your motherâs cold, tinkling laughter.
âHurry now⌠I had your favorite dress put out for you. It should still fit â and we donât want to keep them⌠waiting.â
The slow, sanguine pause before her last word makes you want to rip out your hair and scream into the wind till your voice gives out.
Instead, you push yourself up and reach for the dress laid out at the foot of your bed with shaking fingers.
The dress fits you like a second skin, the delicate lace trim barely sweeping the floor as you adjust the bodice, grimacing at your reflection in the large, floor-length mirror. It is as if the last ten months had never happened, as if youâd never escaped this terrifying hellscape of a winter wonderland. As if youâd simply dreamed every single sun-filled afternoon, every star-strewn night spent laughing and singing amongst your new-found crew.
Here, in the fragile glass reflection, you are once again a girl trapped behind her own ribcage, with a destiny carved into stone and ice, with no hope of summer in sight. You take a long breath and tighten the ribbons of your dress.
You are still and silent as the maid slips in through the door after a single knock and begins to twist up your hair. Tighter and tighter, till it sets your teeth on edge. When she pins the crown in place, it takes everything inside you not to fall apart, to shatter at the weight, the sight of it sitting on your head. You swallow as the maid dips her head and backs out of the room with a murmured dinner is served, Princess.
For the first time, you wince openly at her words.
10. waiting for the rain
The hall is just how you remembered it, huge and cavernous, gaping like the empty maw of some petrified monster, the ceiling hanging with so many cold, sparkling chandeliers, ice-carved statues jutting up from the floors like teeth.
Youâre marched in like a show animal, the great marble doors swinging open before you as you step forward and feel your breath freeze in your chest.
There, strung up on a massive statue of some long-forgotten saint, is Zoro, cuts and bruises marring his already scarred and puckered torso. But he smirks as he sees you come in, his eyes bright as he spits a mouthful of blood onto the seemingly endless white floors. Around him, the rest of your crew sits, tied and slumped over in chairs like so many sleeping mannequins.
âHey there, Princess. Just in time for dinner.â
You nearly wince at the raspiness in his voice, the faint trickle of blood that leaks out the corner of his mouth.
âSilence,â your fatherâs voice echoes out from the high-backed chair at the head of the ludicrously long table. You donât have to see to know his face is as smooth as just-applied plaster. But Zoro only has eyes for you â and he continues to talk as if he hadnât been interrupted.
âIf youâd told us weâd be welcomed like this, we mightâve packed differently.â
You bite down on your bottom lip so hard you almost taste the metallic tang of blood.
âOur daughter has always been a skillful liar â though itâs a habit we tried to⌠rid her of in her youth. The lesson never seemed to have stuck.â Your mother this time. And now, you can see the muscle ticking in Zoroâs jaw as he scoffs.
âReally? And here I always thought she was shit at lying.â
You swallow down a whimper as the maid wordlessly leads you to the far end of the table, where Zoro is still tied. You drop into the seat between a snoring Luffy and an eerily still Nami, and itâs all you can do not to turn around and retch onto the silk embroidered rug.
âBe that as it mayâŚâ your motherâs voice drops a few degrees â an admirable feat, as her voice is usually just on the other side of frigid, âitâs bad luck to kill on the eve of a royal wedding.â
At this, Zoroâs head snaps around and you shrink back in your chair, your eyes fixed on your fists, clenched in your lap.
âMother,â you grind out, finally forcing your head up so as to meet her piercing, blizzard-bright gaze, âIâve told you, Iâve no intention of getting married. At least not to the mongrel youâve decided to set me up with.â
You spit out the last sentence, trying to remember all the snark, all the confidence thatâd built up inside you over the past weeks and months. Away from this dreaded castle and on the sun-soaked bow of the Going Merry, it was the first time youâd begun to discover who you are â the things you liked, the ways of life that you yearned for.
Your father slams a hand on the table at the same moment that Zoro lets out a bark of laughter.
âInsolence!â
âDamn, Princess â you never told me you could bite.â
And, to your horror and perhaps deep-seated pleasure, a blush works its way into your cheeks at Zoroâs words. Your eyes snap towards him, catching his gaze as he smirks at you. And even though his shirt is slashed, his sword hilts hanging woefully empty at this hip, his hands twisted painfully behind him on the statue, he still manages an easy, condescending air.
You seize at this tiny tendril of normalcy as you force a wane smile.
âI might be persuaded to do more than that⌠if you ask nicely.â
Zoroâs snicker is drowned out by your motherâs sharp gasp. But you donât look away, holding Zoroâs gaze for as long as you dare â in it, you find an entire abyss of barely concealed rage (and is that⌠amusement?), his entire body straining against the shackles that hold him. Then, his eyes slip from you to a point just over your shoulder.
Itâs then that you realize: Luffyâs not snoring anymore.
11. to reap and to sow
Youâre never quite certain of how the Merryâs crew seems to always just wriggle out of frankly gruesome and untimely deaths, but here you are, racing for the docks like your lives depended on it. Because, well, it kind of does.
âRemind me ââ you shout between pants, one hand clutched firmly in Zoroâs, the other doing its best to lift the ridiculous dinner dress theyâd put you in â a confection of lace and tulle, the bodice laced with pale pink satin ribbon, âhow the hell did you guys manage to trick my parents into thinking youâd eaten the spiked food?â
Sanji flashes you a toothy grin, âAh love⌠you know how it is â ask us no questions, and weâll tell you no lies!â
Luffy, however, whoops as he launches himself from a pair of solid brick buildings, catapulting himself over your sprinting crew.
âWe just â pretended to eat! I mean â I did kinda actually eat a bit â but â it wasnât that bad!â
You resist the urge to pinch your nose bridge at the nonchalance with which Luffy is talking about consuming poisoned food, but youâve only got two hands and both are equally occupied at the moment. You settle for an exasperated sigh.
âThat was â really stupid! â What if â theyâd â poisoned the food â with something â other than â sleeping medicine?!â you ask, forcing air into your lungs as finally, you all round the bend onto the bustling pier, the Going Merryâs unmistakable shape silhouetted against the misty horizon.
âWe can talk when â weâre all back â on the ship!â Nami calls as she sprints passed you, reaching out a hand for Luffy, whoâs elongated arm grabs her and slings her onto the deck of the ship. You barely have a second to breathe before Zoroâs arm loops around your waist and youâre being pulled tight into his side.
His breath is hot against your collarbone as he smirks, âHold on tight, Princess.â
Itâs all you can do to listen as youâre suddenly whipped through the air like a doll on a drunken marionetteâs string. A bright peal of Luffy-tinted laughter later, you thud onto the deck of the Going Merry, the breath knocked clean from your lungs as the world spins and spins. Youâd expected to hit solid wood, or maybe even the railing or the mast but â
Zoro groans beneath you, and it takes you a long second to realize that heâd cushioned your fall, your bodies pressed chest to chest, hip to hip, your arms still wrapped around his shoulders, his still steady around your waist.
âO-oh! Sorry ââ you try to pull away but Zoroâs grip on you only tightens.
You freeze as he blinks up at you, eyes slightly narrowed.
âCrownâs crooked,â Zoro finally says, that tell-tale smirk twisting the edge of his lips as his gaze flickers upwards. Your hand jumps to the crown, somehow still clipped into your now disheveled hair, lopping to one side as the braids start to come loose. You purse your lips.
âI never liked it anywayâŚâ You make to tug it out but Zoro reaches up to right it, though he lets his hand linger as he falls along the side of your face.
âNah, looks good on you.â His voice is so low, and suddenly, air is such a language that youâre certain youâd forgotten how to speak. Slowly, he pushes up till youâre both sitting, you still pressed against him and him still pressed against you. Distantly, you can hear shouting, Usoppâs voice raised high over the wind as the Merry careens out of port and towards the open sea.
But strangely, no one makes to pull you away from him, or him from you.
âI shouldâve told you guysâŚâ you say, eyes casting down as you rest your palms against his chest. Beneath it, you can feel his heart â pounding, pounding, pounding. Thereâs a light sheen of sweat glimmering on his honeyed skin as you swallow, looking back up even as he chuckles.
âSure, but we shouldâve asked.â
You bite your lips, âI think you did.â
Zoro grins, shrugging as he helps you up, somehow managing to keep his arm slipped around your waist.
âWell. Shouldâve asked better, then.â
12. lost stars
It takes you a while to tell them the story â the real story, the whole story. And thereâs drinking involved, but itâs mostly just you clutching at your half-filled glass, Zoroâs knee pressed comfortingly against yours, even though his eyes are closed, his head leaned back, his arms crossed loosely over his chest.
You tell them about the dark underbelly of royalty that everyone knows but no one wants to talk about â the blood and teeth beneath the silk and silver. You tell them about being raised a bargaining chip, of being sold and promised like a prized heifer on auction day.
You tell them about the moonless nights when the only thing you had to keep you company was the cold, about the âlessonsâ your mother would teach you, about how the maids would be instructed to hide the bruises just so, about the Prince who you were set to marry and the rumors that plagued his castle â
âThey say that heâd take the prettiest girls from the surrounding town as his maids and that none of them ever walked out of his castle again,â you say. The moonshine burns on its way down your throat as you finish your drink.
Wordlessly, Zoro reaches over to pluck the glass from your hand and set it on the table. Itâs only then that you realize your fingers are white and trembling.
âDid he hurt you?â
Zoroâs voice is not loud, but everyone turns to look at him. You shake your head, clasping your hands in your lap.
âNo. I only ever⌠met him once, at a dinner party. It was after that that I⌠ran away.â
Zoro hums, leaning back again, âGood.â
Across the room, Sanji blows out a series of smoke rings and frowns.
âWere you about to offer to hunt him down?â Robin asks, sounding amused.
Zoro shrugs, âWouldnât have offered â wouldâve just done it.â
âHe sounds like the kinda guy we should hunt down anyway, no?â Luffy asks, cocking his head as he looks back at you, âI mean, Iâm glad he never hurt you but⌠heâs still hurting people!â
âLuffyâs got a point,â Sanji says, stubbing out his cigarette.
âFor once, I agree with Sanji,â Nami says.
Thereâs a light squabble during which Sanji makes an aggrieved noise and Nami rolls her eyes, and then everyone is laughing and chatting and more drinks are being poured. Next to you, Zoro reaches out to wrap his arm around your waist again. Itâs something heâs been doing more lately, and you canât honestly say that you mind it much at all.
âWe donât have to,â he says, leaning forward, almost as if to brush his lips by your ear, âif⌠if you donât want to.â
You shiver at the base rumble of his voice, at the way his eyes are so warm and full of some uncertain promise.
âNo, I⌠I do want to. Itâs justâŚâ
Zoroâs fingers trace small, absent-minded circles into the skin of your waist and you fight down another shiver.
âI donât plan on letting you get kidnapped again, Princess.â
Your gaze snaps up to meet Zoroâs, and thereâs a faint smile kissing the line of his lips. And suddenly, the lightness of his touch doesnât feel so thoughtless as heat curls out from the place where his palm meets your skin, radiating out till youâre breathless with it.
âOh?â
âNever liked people trying to take whatâs mine.â
And the dark possessiveness with which he says mine leaves little room for interpretation, even as you lick your lips and try to think of something witty to say.
âI donât remember agreeing to be yours.â
Itâs the best you can come up with; Zoroâs only response is a soft, contemplative grunt.
âWhatâs that saying? âActions speak louder than wordsâ?â he flashes you a satisfied grin as you narrow your eyes at him, swatting at his chest as he laughs.
âI meant it though,â he says, a moment later, as the rest of the crew all chatter around you, âabout calling it off if you donât want to. ButâŚâ he reaches up a free hand to tug a strand of your hair free from the ponytail itâs tied up in.
âFigured you might sleep better at night knowing heâs gone.â
You let out a breath you hadnât been aware you were holding, your whole body softening as you lean into him, pressing your palms to his chest as he looks at you.
âYeah⌠I think I might. And⌠like you said⌠itâs not like Iâm gonna get kidnapped again.â
You smile, letting your eyes flicker down to Zoroâs lips. His smile is pleased and just a little jagged as he tugs you up by the hand and the pair of you slip from the room.
Above deck, the sun is setting, and the warm, slanted light casts the entire ship in a glaze of gold that looks almost gilded. You lean against the railings, closing your eyes and letting the warmth of the sun seep into your skin, chasing away the chill thatâd been lingering at your fingertips since youâd all made your spectacular escape from your home island.
You feel rather than hear Zoro join you. You take your time breathing in the salty tang of the humid sea air before opening your eyes and slating him a side-long look.
âThank you,â you say.
âFor what?â
âFor coming after me.â
Zoro scoffs, turning away from the roiling waves to lean back against the railings, his head cocked as he looks you over.
âLike I said⌠I donât like it when people try to take whatâs mine.â
But this time, you laugh, nodding, âSo youâve said. But still⌠thanks.â
âHn.â
Zoro closes his eyes, seemingly enjoying the last vestiges of the setting sun as it sinks ever-lower along the horizon. Then, he opens one eye to peer at you.
âThough Iâve been meaning to ask ââ
âHm?â
âWhatâs this about doing more than biting⌠if asked about it nicely enough?â
You try to duck your head but Zoro catches your chin in his fingers.
âI â I just⌠knew it would piss off my mother if she ââ
âMm, sounded like more than that to me.â
Your breath hitches as Zoroâs thumb traces a rough line along your bottom lip.
âHow about⌠I show you?â and the offer is barely out of your mouth before Zoro is kissing you, his mouth seeking out yours with a soft groan that betrays all the lightness in his touch as he trails his free hand down your arm to pull hard at your waist.
And itâs not the first time youâve kissed. Itâs not even the first time a kiss with Zoro has become more than just a kiss, though youâd always been careful before to make sure that he knew (though thinking back, it mightâve just been an ill-fated attempt at lying to yourself) that the pleasure shared between bodies was just that â pleasure and bodies.
But this â this kiss becomes, and becomes.
It becomes breath and heartbeats, pleasure and heat. It becomes truth and promises and the tantalizing taste of fairy-tale endings.
âZ-ZoroâŚâ
âYes Princess?â
You hiss as his teeth grazes along your pulse point and your fingers fist in his hair.
âYâknowâŚâ your voice comes out as nothing more than a soft pant as Zoro tugs you over to one of the reclining chairs beneath the orange trees and pulls you over his hips, âIâve never liked being called that butâŚâ
âBut?â his thumbs inch beneath the material of your shirt, circling your hipbones as he smirks up at you.
âI donât mind it when itâs you.â
Zoroâs grin goes wide and wolfish. Above him, the first stars spark into being as the sun finally sinks beyond the far horizon. For a second, his smile softens as he reaches up to toy with the end of the pale pink ribbon in your hair. Then, he gives it a single, solid tug, and your hair falls open around your shoulders, tumbling down in waves.
Zoro leans up to press a light kiss to the blood-stained satin before letting it flutter off in the wind, twisting into the rapidly darkening night.
âGood⌠cause I ainât about to let anyone else call you that either.â
#one piece#one piece x reader#one piece live action#one piece scenarios#opla zoro#roronoa zoro#roronoa zoro x reader#roronoa zoro x you#x reader#opla#one piece netflix#opla zoro x reader#one piece live action x you#one piece live action x reader#roronoa zoro fluff#one piece fluff#roronoa zoro imagines#roronoa zoro scenarios#floofy floof floof#angst mcgee#scheduled post
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from foe to forever
pairing: prince!jake x pirate!reader, ft jungwon
synopsis: when prince jakeâs wild behaviour leads to his capture by you, a daring pirate, you think it's just another ransom job. but as jake discovers the excitement of life at sea, your initial plans start to unravel. amidst adventure and unexpected feelings, both of you must navigate a complex web of desires and duties, ultimately facing a choice that could transform your lives forever.
genre: enemies to lovers, adventure, humour??
warnings: suggestive content!! kissing, drinking, bratty!jake, reader is mean at first(she's a pirate so duh) but character development trust! , kidnapping, pirate behaviour, constant mentions of being thrown overboard, looting, a bad storm, angst
note: i went overboard with the writing because i just love this plot so much! and my love for strong female leads also fuelled this hehe. enjoyy~
word count: 22.2k(sorry!)
royally yours masterlist | prev:jay | next:sunghoon
if you liked it please reblog or comment to give me your feedback! <3
the scent of saltwater and the faint hum of night creatures drift through the open windows of the castleâs grand hall, mingling with the rich perfume of flowers and candle wax. but despite the settingâs elegance, the tension in the air is palpable.
âyou will marry her, jake,â the king says, his voice a low, commanding rumble that reverberates through the vast chamber. âthe alliance with her kingdom will secure our borders and ensure peace. this is not up for debate.â
jakeâs heart pounds in his chest, anger and frustration boiling over. âitâs always about the kingdom, isnât it?â he snaps, his voice cracking under the strain of suppressed emotion. âwhat about what i want? have you ever thought about that?â
the kingâs eyes harden, his mouth pressing into a thin line. âwhat you want is irrelevant. you are a prince. you have duties, responsibilitiesââ
âduties?â jake interrupts, his voice rising. âyou mean being a pawn in your political games? iâm a person, not a piece on a chessboard!â
âenough!â the kingâs shout echoes off the stone walls, silencing the room. the courtiers and advisors standing along the edges glance away, uncomfortable witnesses to the familial strife. âyou will do as you are told, or you will be stripped of your title. is that what you want?â
jakeâs breath hitches, the threat striking deep. but instead of backing down, it fuels his rage. he turns sharply, storming out of the hall without another word, the heavy doors slamming shut behind him.
he needs to get out. away from the suffocating expectations, away from the life that feels like a gilded cage closing in around him. without a second thought, he heads for the stables, saddles his horse, and rides hard toward the port.
the port is alive with activity, even at this late hour. lanterns flicker along the docks, casting dancing shadows over crates and barrels stacked haphazardly on the cobblestone streets. the mingling scents of saltwater, fish, and the faint aroma of cooking food fill the air, blending with the murmur of voices and the occasional shout.
jake dismounts, his legs unsteady beneath him, and stumbles toward the nearest tavern. he pushes through the door, the sudden warmth and noise hitting him like a wave. the place is packed with sailors, merchants, and travellers, all jostling for space at the bar or crammed around rough wooden tables.
he makes his way to the counter, slamming a few coins down with a defiant thud. âwine,â he orders, his voice clipped, already half-regretting coming here. but the thought of returning to the castle, to the cold, judgmental eyes of his father, is unbearable.
the bartender, an older man with a weary expression, gives him a sceptical look before pouring a generous glass of deep red wine. jake downs it in one gulp, the liquid burning a path down his throat and settling like a lead weight in his stomach. he signals for another.
it doesnât take long for the alcohol to take hold, dulling the edges of his anger, turning his thoughts sluggish and blurred. he drinks more, his head buzzing, the world tilting and swaying around him. the tavern becomes a haze of laughter and music, the faces around him blurring into a confusing swirl.
jake stands, the room spinning as he lurches toward the door. he needs air. the port outside is cooler, the breeze off the water sharp against his flushed skin. he staggers down the street, past warehouses and shipyards, the distant calls of sailors and the creak of wooden hulls filling the night.
heâs barely aware of his surroundings, his thoughts a tangled mess. his fatherâs voice, cold and unyielding, echoes in his mind. you will do as you are told.Â
his grip tightens around the empty bottle in his hand, a surge of bitterness rising in his chest. whatâs the point of being a prince if he has no freedom, no say in his own life?
a sharp laugh escapes him, bitter and hollow, as he sways dangerously close to the edge of the dock, peering down at the dark water below. maybe he should just jump. see what the sea has to offer. it canât be worse than the life heâs stuck in now.
âprince jake, making a scene again,â someone mutters, and jake spins toward the voice, nearly tripping over his own feet.
âwhat did you say?â he demands, his voice slurred, wavering between arrogance and vulnerability. but the speakerâa grizzled old sailorâjust shakes his head and turns away, clearly not interested in a fight.
jake scoffs, tipping his bottle back for another long gulp. the wine burns down his throat, but itâs a good burn, a grounding one. the kind that keeps him from thinking too much, from feeling too much.
his fatherâs words echo in his mind, and he takes another drink to drown them out. itâs not fair. none of it is fair. heâs supposed to be a prince, not a puppet. heâs supposed to have choices, damn it.
somewhere in the fog of his thoughts, he hears someone calling his name. a guard, maybe, or a servant sent to drag him back to the palace. jake ignores them, staggering away, further down the docks, away from the prying eyes and the whispered gossip.
he stops near the end of the pier, where the water laps quietly against the posts, dark and deep beneath the pale moonlight. the waves are hypnotic, soothing in their endless rhythm, and for a moment, he closes his eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over his heated skin.
âi donât know what i want,â he mutters to the empty night. âi donât know what iâm supposed to doâŚâ
from the deck of your ship, you had been watching the entire scene unfold with growing amusement.Â
your ship had been docked for the past few days at the kingdomâs bustling port, quietly resupplying while avoiding any unwanted attention from the royal guards or port authorities. it was a place of wealth and opportunity, perfect for pirates like you to slip through the cracks and gather supplies, crew, and sometimes, new opportunities.
and tonight, an opportunity had wandered right into your line of sight.
âcaptain,â jungwon said quietly, his eyes also fixed on the drunken prince below. your first mate, always alert, always sharp. he stood beside you at the bow of the ship, arms crossed, the shadow of a smirk on his lips as he glanced at the scene below. âisnât that the royal brat weâve heard about?â
you didnât answer at first, too busy studying the scene unfolding at the dock. prince jakeâdishevelled, clearly intoxicated, and seemingly aloneâwas making a spectacle of himself. despite the late hour, there were still enough people around to whisper and mutter as the prince stumbled about, oblivious to their stares.
âlooks like heâs having himself quite the night,â you remarked, a sly grin curling across your lips.
jungwon raised an eyebrow. âseems like heâs also forgotten heâs the heir to the kingdom. iâd bet heâs about to make a fool of himself before sunrise.â
you chuckled softly, your mind already working through the possibilities. âor⌠we could help him make an even bigger fool of himself.â you glanced at jungwon, your eyes gleaming with mischief. âhow much do you think a prince is worth in ransom?â
jungwonâs smirk widened. âmore than enough to keep us comfortable for a while.â
your gaze flicked back to jake. the wine had clearly taken hold of him, his steps becoming more erratic, his words slurred and aimless. his father had likely forced him into some political arrangementâprobably that marriage youâd heard whispers of. how fitting that the prince, buckling under pressure, would run to the one place where a pirate could take advantage of him.
the idea of holding a prince for ransom made your fingers twitch with greed. the thought of the king, scrambling to rescue his son, made your heart race with anticipation. and besides, the prince was practically serving himself up to you on a silver platter.
âget the crew ready,â you ordered jungwon, stepping back from the railing. âi think itâs time we gave the good prince a proper introduction to life at sea.â
jungwon nodded, already slipping into action. the rest of the crew moved with quiet efficiency as they prepared for the impromptu kidnapping. there was no need for loud orders or clumsy manoeuvresâyour crew knew how to handle this. youâd done it before, and youâd do it again. but this time, the stakes were much, much higher.
your boots clicked against the wooden planks as you descended the gangway, your crew flanking you. the night air was cool and sharp, the faint scent of seaweed and brine mixing with the distant aroma of the city behind you. as you approached the drunken prince, you couldnât help but smile. he was still mumbling to himself, oblivious to the danger that had begun circling him.
âgood evening, your highness,â you said, your voice low and dripping with mockery.
jake turned, blinking at you with bleary, confused eyes. he was handsome, you had to admitâhandsome in that polished, princely way that marked him as soft, unused to the real world beyond his royal walls. his tousled hair fell into his eyes as he squinted at you, trying to make sense of your presence.
âwhaâwho are you?â he slurred, swaying slightly. his gaze flicked to the men behind you, then back to your face, the confusion deepening. âwhat⌠what do you want?â
you smiled, taking a slow step closer, letting him feel the weight of your presence. âoh, nothing much. just a little ransom. you know how it goes.â
jake frowned, trying to comprehend your words through the haze of alcohol. âransomâŚ?â
âyou, my dear prince, are coming with me,â you said smoothly. âdonât worry, itâs nothing personal. just business. you understand business, right?â
he stumbled backward as your crew moved in, panic flashing across his features. âno, waitâwhatâwhat are you doing?â his voice rose, but it was too late. jungwon had already seized him by the arm, the princeâs drunken protests falling on deaf ears as your crew quickly subdued him, binding his wrists.
âyou can struggle all you want,â you said, your voice calm, almost amused. âbut it wonât do you any good. youâre coming aboard my ship now, your highness. congratulations, youâve been promoted from prince to captive.â
jake cursed under his breath, his attempts at resistance clumsy and ineffective. the sight of him, so out of his element, so thoroughly unprepared for the world you inhabited, made your grin widen. he had no idea what was in store for him.
jungwon gave you a brief nod as the crew hauled jake toward the ship. âthis is going to be interesting.â
âvery,â you replied, your eyes still on the prince. the ransom youâd demand would be enough to keep your crew well-fed and supplied for a long time. maybe even enough to retire somewhere warm and far away.
the thought of the kingâs panic when he realised his son had been taken made your blood sing with excitement. this was going to be a payday worth remembering.
jakeâs head felt like it had been split in two.
groaning, he slowly blinked his eyes open, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his skull. everything hurtâhis temples throbbed, his mouth was dry, and his stomach churned in protest against the excess of wine from the night before. it took a moment for his vision to clear, the blurred shapes around him slowly coming into focus.
he was lying on a rough, uncomfortable mattress, a thin, scratchy blanket draped over him. the room was dim, lit only by a thin sliver of sunlight seeping through a small, grimy window high up on the wall. wooden beams crisscrossed above him, the ceiling low and oppressive. the walls were bare, made of dark, weathered wood that creaked softly as the entire room seemed to sway and shift.
jake sat up with a start, his head spinning from the sudden movement. he clutched his forehead, trying to piece together the fragments of last nightâs memories. the port, the wine, his fatherâs angry voice ringing in his earsâthose memories were clear enough. but everything after that was a blur.
he tried to stand, but his legs felt unsteady, his balance thrown off by the gentle rocking beneath his feet. the floor tilted, and jake stumbled, grabbing at the wall for support.
âwhere the hellâŚ?â his voice came out hoarse, and he swallowed painfully, his throat raw. the last thing he remembered was being at the docks, stumbling around like an idiot. and then⌠he closed his eyes, trying to recall. there had been a voiceâa mocking, lilting voice. heâd seen a shadowed figure, someone whoâd grabbed himâŚ
his eyes flew open as realisation dawned.
âpirates,â he whispered, the word sending a chill down his spine.
he looked around frantically, trying to get his bearings. the room was small, the only furnishings a rickety wooden chair and a small table bolted to the floor. there were no decorations, no signs of luxury or comfort. this wasnât some nobleâs estate or a secluded innâthis was a ship. he was on a ship.
panic flared in his chest. he had to get out, had toâ
the door creaked open, interrupting his frantic thoughts. jake whirled around, his heart pounding as a figure stepped into the room.
when jake laid his eyes on you, standing in the dimly lit cabin, he couldn't help but stare. despite the circumstances, there was an undeniable air of confidence and danger that drew him in, like a storm you couldn't look away from. your sharp eyes, steady and calculating, seemed to glimmer with mischief beneath the low light, framed by wild strands of hair that escaped the loose tie holding it back. the leather jacket you wore clung to your form, tough yet graceful, and with each step you took toward him, he felt a mixture of intimidation and awe. you were no princess from some royal court. you were realâstrong, commanding, and utterly breathtaking in a way that made his heart race for reasons he couldn't quite name.
you leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, an amused smile playing on your lips. âgood morning, your highness. sleep well?â
jake stared at you, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find words. it was youâthe pirate from last night. the one who had taken him. the one responsible for this entire nightmare.Â
âwhaâwhere am i?â he demanded, his voice shaky but edged with anger. âwhat the hell is going on?â
you raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained by his confusion. âyouâre on my ship, prince. welcome aboard.â
âyour ship?â he took a step back, his eyes darting around as if expecting to find some hidden exit. âyouâwhy did youââ
âkidnap you?â you supplied helpfully, your grin widening. âi thought that much was obvious.â
he glared at you, the fear and anger in his eyes warring for dominance. âyou canât do this. do you have any idea who i am?â
you chuckled softly. âof course i do. youâre prince jake, heir to the throne, soon-to-be husband to some poor girl youâve never met. or were supposed to be, anyway.â
jake bristled at your words, the reminder of his unwanted engagement fueling his anger. âthen you know my father will have your head for this. youâre making a huge mistake.â
you shrugged, clearly unconcerned. âmaybe. but itâs a very profitable mistake. you see, your highness, youâre worth quite a lot of money. iâm sure your father will be more than happy to pay a hefty sum to get you back.â
jakeâs jaw clenched. he could feel his heart racing, the situation spiralling further out of his control with every word you spoke. âyouâre a fool if you think heâll give in to your demands. he doesnât negotiate withââ
âpirates?â you interrupted, your voice mocking. âno, i suppose he wouldnât. but weâre not just any pirates, prince. weâre very persuasive.â
jakeâs eyes narrowed. âwhat do you want?â
you tilted your head, considering him for a moment. then you pushed yourself off the doorframe, taking a few slow steps toward him. âlike i said, a ransom. nothing too extravagantâjust enough gold and jewels to make this little detour worth our while.â
he straightened, drawing himself up to his full height, his chin lifting defiantly. âand if i refuse?â
you laughed then, a light, almost playful sound that made his blood boil. âoh, your highness, you really donât have much of a choice in the matter. weâre going to contact your father, and heâs going to pay us. if he doesnâtâŚâ you shrugged again, the gesture casual, almost careless. âwell, letâs just say there are plenty of other kingdoms that might be interested in buying a prince.â
jakeâs blood ran cold at the implication. he had no doubt you were serious, the casualness of your threat only making it more chilling. he clenched his fists, feeling a surge of helpless rage. he hated thisâhated feeling so powerless, so trapped.
âwhy me?â he asked, his voice low, almost a growl. âwhy did you choose to kidnap me?â
you smirked, leaning back against the table, crossing your arms again. âwhy not? you were practically begging for it last night. drunk and stumbling around the docks, without a guard in sight. you made it too easy.â
jake glared at you, his face flushed with anger and shame. he had been stupid, reckless. he knew that. but to hear you say it, to see the amusement in your eyesâit made his humiliation burn even hotter.
âand besides,â you continued, your tone more thoughtful now. âthereâs something⌠interesting about you, prince. most royal brats would be crying by now, begging for mercy or trying to bribe their way out of this. but youââ you looked him over, your gaze sharp and assessing. âyouâve got a bit of fight in you. i like that.â
he swallowed, his throat dry. âif you think iâm going to just sit here and let you ransom me off, youâre mistaken.â
âoh, i donât expect you to sit quietly, jake,â you said, his name rolling off your tongue with a teasing lilt. âbut you will stay here. and you will do exactly as i say. because if you donâtâŚâ you leaned in close, your voice dropping to a whisper. âthings could get very unpleasant for you.â
jakeâs heart hammered in his chest, the threat hanging heavy in the air between you. but he refused to back down, refused to let you see just how scared he was. âyouâre a coward,â he spat, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. âhiding behind threats and chains.â
you straightened, your smile fading slightly, replaced by a cool, calculating look. âmaybe. but iâm the coward whoâs holding you prisoner, and youâre the one locked in this room. so who really has the power here, prince?â
jake didnât have an answer to that, the reality of his situation crashing down around him. he was trapped, alone, at the mercy of a pirate who seemed to find his struggles more amusing than anything else.
you watched him for a moment longer, then turned, heading for the door. âiâd get comfortable if i were you. weâll be sending your father a little message soon. until then, try not to get into too much trouble.â
with that, you slipped out of the room, the door closing behind you with a decisive click. jake was left standing there, his heart racing, his mind whirling with a thousand unanswered questions.
he took a deep breath, his eyes darting around the small, cramped space. there had to be a way out of this. he wasnât going to let youâlet anyoneâcontrol his fate. he was a prince, damn it. and he would find a way to take back control, no matter what it took.
jake spent the next few hours pacing the confines of his makeshift cell, frustration bubbling in his chest like a pot set to boil. every creak and sway of the ship was a reminder of where he wasâtrapped on a pirate vessel, of all places. he had never felt more out of his depth, more powerless, and it infuriated him.Â
the room was small and sparsely furnished, nothing like the opulence he was used to in the palace. he had grown up surrounded by luxuryâplush carpets, gilded furniture, and servants who attended to his every whim. here, there was only the harsh creak of the wooden floorboards and the faint smell of saltwater seeping through the cracks in the planks. it was a stark, unpleasant contrast, and jakeâs sense of indignation grew with every second.
he tugged at the bindings around his wrists for what felt like the hundredth time, hissing in irritation as the ropes bit into his skin. âunbelievable,â he muttered under his breath, his voice dripping with disdain. âkidnapped by a bunch of filthy pirates. my father will have their heads for this.â
his thoughts whirled, oscillating between anger and disbelief. did you really think you could get away with this? he was a princeâhe wasnât supposed to be treated like some common prisoner. yet, here he was, bound and helpless, his only company the relentless thrum of the shipâs hull cutting through the waves.
the door swung open suddenly, and you sauntered in, a smug grin on your face. âgood to see youâre making yourself at home, prince.â
jake glared at you, his eyes blazing. âyou think this is funny?â
you raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in your gaze. âi think itâs hilarious, actually. you shouldâve seen yourself last night, stumbling around like a newborn foal. if it werenât so pathetic, i mightâve felt sorry for you.â
jake bristled at your words. âmy father will crush you for this,â he spat, his voice tinged with the haughty arrogance of a nobleman used to getting his way. âdo you know what happens to people who cross the crown?â
you chuckled, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed. âiâve got a pretty good idea, but thanks for the warning.â you glanced at the bindings around his wrists, then back at his face. ânow, are you going to behave, or do i need to tie you up even tighter?â
he scoffed, his eyes narrowing. âyou really think you can intimidate me with your crude threats? iâve dealt with far scarier people than you.â
âoh, really?â you said, your voice dripping with mock interest. âand who might that be? your etiquette tutor?â
jakeâs cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. âthis isnât a joke! iâm not some commoner you can push around. i have rights, and youââ
ââhave no leverage here,â you finished, your voice firm and steady. you stepped closer, your gaze locking onto his. âyouâre on my ship, prince. your rights are whatever i decide they are. and if you keep up this bratty behaviour, youâll find out just how limited those rights can be.â
jake stared at you, his pulse pounding in his ears. he was used to people deferring to him, used to his word being law. this was⌠humiliating. he opened his mouth to retort, but the words stuck in his throat, his outrage tangling with something elseâfear, maybe, or the uncomfortable realisation that, for now, you were right.
he turned away, biting down hard on his lower lip. âthis is ridiculous,â he muttered, more to himself than to you.
you watched him for a moment, your expression softening slightly. âyou might as well get used to it, your highness,â you said, your tone less mocking, more pragmatic. âweâre going to be at sea for a while. unless youâd rather spend your days tied up in this cabin, iâd suggest you start cooperating.â
âcooperating?â he whipped around, his eyes flashing. âwith you? never.â
you shrugged, seemingly unfazed by his defiance. âsuit yourself. but just so you know, itâs not going to be as bad as you think. you might even enjoy it, if youâd pull that stick out of your royal ass.â
he made a noise of disbelief, shaking his head. âenjoy being a prisoner on a pirate ship? are you mad?â
ânot mad, just realistic,â you replied, your smile returning. âyou could sit here sulking, or you could make the best of it. who knows? maybe youâll learn something.â
jake let out a sharp, humourless laugh. âlearn something? from a bunch of lawless thugs?â
âyouâd be surprised,â you said lightly. âyou might find thereâs more to life than being a spoiled prince.â
the words struck a nerve, and jake bristled, his shoulders tense. âyou donât know anything about me.â
âi know enough,â you said, your tone thoughtful now. âi know youâve spent your whole life being told what to do, where to go, who to marry. must get tiring after a while, huh?â
jakeâs jaw tightened, but he didnât respond. because you were right. the constant expectations, the endless dutiesâit was exhausting. but heâd never admit that to you.
you watched him, your gaze assessing, then straightened, pushing off the wall. âwell, when youâre ready to stop being a brat and start acting like a human being, let me know. maybe we can talk like adults.â
he glared at you, his pride refusing to let him back down. âi donât need your pity, pirate.â
âitâs not pity,â you said calmly. âitâs a chance. take it or leave it.â
with that, you turned and left the room, the door closing behind you with a soft thud. jake stood there, staring at the closed door, his mind racing.
he hated you. hated the way you talked to him, the way you looked at him, like he was some petulant child who didnât know any better. but more than that, he hated the way your words made something inside him twist uncomfortably, the way they hit just a little too close to the truth.
because the truth was, he was tired. tired of being the perfect prince, the obedient son, the pawn in his fatherâs endless political games. and in a strange, twisted way, there was a part of him that almostâalmostâwanted to see what you meant. to understand what life was like outside the confines of the palace walls.
but he wouldnât give you the satisfaction of knowing that.
not yet, anyway.
jake spent the next day doing his best to test your patience. he may have been stuck in this small, grimy room, but he wasnât about to let you think he was going to cooperate. no, he was a prince, and he would find a way to make you regret kidnapping him.
the first signs of trouble came early. he knocked over the water pitcher, letting the liquid spill across the floor, then stood back, crossing his arms as if daring someone to come clean it up. a little while later, he took the plate of bread and fruit jungwon had brought him and tossed it out the small window, watching as it splashed into the sea below.
when you walked in, you found him lounging on the chair, arms behind his head, a smug smile on his face.
âcomfortable, your highness?â you asked, your tone dry.
âquite,â jake replied, his smile widening. âjust thought iâd redecorate. this place is rather⌠drab.â
you glanced at the puddle of water spreading across the floor, the broken plate shards glittering near the window, and shook your head. âright. very tasteful. i see why you were forced into diplomacy and not design.â
jake's expression hardened. âi was trying to make a point.â
âand what point is that?â you asked, leaning against the doorframe, amusement dancing in your eyes. âthat you have the maturity of a toddler?â
before jake could respond, jungwon entered the room, a look of mild exasperation on his face. he glanced around, taking in the mess, then turned to you.
âcaptain, you need me to deal with this?â he asked, jerking his thumb toward jake. âor should we just toss him overboard and be done with it?â
jakeâs eyes widened slightly at the suggestion, but he quickly schooled his expression back into one of defiance. âiâd like to see you try.â
jungwon smirked, folding his arms. âyou wouldnât last a minute, prince. trust me.â
you chuckled, shaking your head. âno oneâs getting tossed overboard. but it seems our guest needs a lesson in respecting his hosts.â
jungwon raised an eyebrow. âyou want me to teach him some manners?â
jake bristled. âi donât need to be taught anything by you.â
âoh, this is going to be fun,â jungwon said, his grin widening. he stepped closer to jake, who leaned back slightly, clearly trying not to look intimidated.
âwhat are you going to do?â jake asked, his voice trying to sound brave but betraying a hint of nervousness.
jungwon looked at him thoughtfully. âwell, i could make you swab the deck, or clean the bilge. but honestly, you look like youâve never worked a day in your life. so maybe iâll just take you to the galley and see if you can peel potatoes without whining.â
jake blinked, caught off guard. âpeel potatoes?â
âyep.â jungwon clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. âyouâll be the galleyâs new assistant. keeps you busy and out of trouble.â
jake glanced at you, then back at jungwon. âyou canât be serious.â
âoh, iâm very serious,â jungwon said, his smile turning almost wicked. âweâll see if you can hold a knife without crying about your precious hands getting dirty.â
jake opened his mouth to argue but seemed to think better of it. instead, he turned back to you, his expression defiant but wavering. âyouâre really going to make me do this?â
you shrugged nonchalantly. âwell, you did say you were bored. and i think itâs about time you earned your keep, donât you?â
before jake could respond, jungwon grabbed his arm and started hauling him out of the cabin. âcome on, your highness. letâs see what youâre made of.â
âheyâwait!â jake protested, stumbling slightly as jungwon pulled him along. âiâm not going toââ
âoh, but you are,â jungwon said cheerfully. âand if youâre lucky, i might even let you eat some of what you cook. assuming itâs not completely inedible.â
as the two of them disappeared down the corridor, you couldnât help the smile that tugged at your lips. jungwon was good at handling difficult captives, and jake was certainly proving to be a challenge.Â
the galley was a bustling, cramped space filled with the clatter of pots and the smell of cooking food. jake stood in the middle of it all, looking utterly out of place and thoroughly miserable.
âthis is ridiculous,â he muttered as jungwon handed him a bucket of potatoes and a small, worn knife.
âmaybe,â jungwon agreed, a teasing smile on his lips, âbut itâs also your job now. so get peeling, prince.â
jake scowled, holding the knife awkwardly as he fumbled with the first potato. âi donât know how to do this.â
jungwon rolled his eyes. âof course you donât. here, let me show you.â he took the knife and a potato, demonstrating the quick, efficient motion of peeling it. âsee? easy.â
jake watched, his pride clearly stinging, but he took the knife back and attempted to mimic jungwonâs actions. he managed to slice off a decent chunk of the potato along with the peel, grimacing as he looked at the uneven result.
jungwon snickered. ânot bad for a first try. now you only have, oh, about a hundred more to go.â
jake glared at him. âi donât see why i should be doing this. iâm not some servant.â
âno, youâre a captive,â jungwon reminded him, his tone light but firm. âand captives who donât cause trouble get treated well. those who doâŚâ he let the sentence hang, his grin turning sharp.
jake huffed but turned his attention back to the potato, muttering under his breath about the indignity of it all. jungwon watched him struggle for a moment, then, with a sigh, grabbed a knife and started peeling alongside him.
âjust try to keep up,â jungwon teased, effortlessly skinning a potato in record time.
jakeâs face burned with frustration, but he forced himself to focus, determined not to let the pirate best him. it was a small, ridiculous battle of wills, but for some reason, it mattered.
despite himself, jake found the rhythm of the work strangely calming. it was mindless, but in a way, it gave him something to focus on other than the fact that he was a prisoner on a pirate ship. and, to his annoyance, jungwonâs casual, bantering presence made it a little less unbearable.
by the time they finished, jakeâs hands were cramping, and there was a pile of poorly peeled potatoes at his feet. he looked at them with a mix of pride and disgust.
ânot bad,â jungwon said, his tone surprisingly genuine. âfor a beginner.â
jake looked at him, surprised. âyouâre not going to mock me?â
jungwon shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. âiâll save it for when you actually deserve it.â
jake snorted, shaking his head. âi still donât see why i have to do this.â
âthink of it as character building,â jungwon suggested with a grin. âbesides, itâs better than sitting in that room, sulking.â
jake glanced at the pile of potatoes, then back at jungwon, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. âi suppose there are worse things.â
âthere definitely are,â jungwon said with a laugh. ânow, letâs get these to the cook before he decides to use us for stew.â
as they headed toward the galley, jake couldnât help but feel a strange sense of camaraderie with the pirate beside him. it was confusing, unsettling even, but for the first time since heâd been taken, he didnât feel quite so alone.
maybe, just maybe, he could survive this.
and, who knows? he might even learn a thing or two along the way.
as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the ship, the crew gathered on the main deck for dinner. the air was filled with the scent of grilled fish and freshly baked bread, the sound of laughter and conversation creating a lively atmosphere that was a stark contrast to the tension of earlier in the day.
jake, still somewhat dazed from his unexpected kitchen duties, found himself standing awkwardly on the edge of the group. he glanced around, taking in the relaxed, almost familial vibe of the crew as they ate and joked with each other. it was strange, seeing these hardened piratesâpeople heâd been raised to think of as ruthless and bloodthirstyâsharing food and stories like any other group of sailors.
he felt completely out of place.
âyou gonna stand there all night, or are you actually going to eat something?â jungwonâs voice pulled him out of his thoughts. the first mate appeared beside him, holding a plate piled high with food.
jake hesitated, glancing at the plate and then back at jungwon. âis this⌠for me?â
jungwon rolled his eyes. âno, itâs for the seagulls. yes, itâs for you. now, sit.â
jake took the plate gingerly, his stomach growling in response to the smell. he hadnât realised how hungry he was until now. he followed jungwon to a spot near the railing, where they both sat down on the wooden deck.
the food was simple but delicious: grilled fish, a slice of bread, and a generous portion of roasted vegetables. jake ate slowly, savouring each bite, his earlier defiance momentarily forgotten in the face of genuine hunger.
âyou know, iâm surprised you didnât just throw this overboard too,â jungwon remarked, his tone teasing but not unkind.
jake shot him a look, but there was no real heat behind it. âi might be a little spoiled, but iâm not stupid. i know when to appreciate a good meal.â
âglad to hear it,â jungwon said with a grin. âour cook might have thrown you overboard if you wasted his food.â
jake raised an eyebrow. âis that a joke?â
âmaybe,â jungwon replied, winking. âbut you donât want to test him. trust me.â
despite himself, jake chuckled, shaking his head. âyouâre all crazy.â
âwelcome aboard, then,â jungwon quipped, earning another small laugh from jake. it was strange, this easy camaraderie they were developing, but in a way, it was a relief. better this than more conflict.
as they ate, the conversation flowed easily between them. jungwon told a few stories about the crew, pointing out various members and sharing their quirks and histories. he spoke of the time heâd joined the crew himself, how heâd been just a reckless kid looking for adventure, not unlike jake in some ways.
âand then thereâs the captain,â jungwon said, his tone shifting to something more thoughtful. âsheâs the reason most of us are here. tough as nails, but fair. she sees things in people, you know? things they donât see in themselves.â
jake glanced over at you, where you were standing near the helm, talking quietly with another crew member. he thought about how youâd handled him earlier, firm but not cruel, refusing to rise to his provocations. there was something about youâsomething he couldnât quite figure out, but it intrigued him.
âshe certainly has a unique recruitment strategy,â he said dryly, taking another bite of fish.
jungwon snorted. âyeah, kidnapping royalty isnât exactly standard procedure. but youâre a special case.â
jake frowned. âspecial how?â
âyou really donât know, do you?â jungwon asked, tilting his head. âi mean, iâm sure youâve heard the rumours about your own kingdom. the unrest, the protests. people arenât happy, and your fatherâs trying to patch things up with that marriage alliance. heâs desperate to secure his rule.â
jakeâs expression tightened. he knew all of this, of course. it was why heâd been so frustrated, so angry. he didnât want to be a pawn in his fatherâs political games, married off to some princess he didnât even know just to keep the peace. but hearing it laid out like this, from a pirate of all people, made it feel more real, more urgent.
âand what does that have to do with me?â he asked, his voice tense.
jungwon shrugged. âit means youâre valuable. not just as a prince, but as a symbol. people see you as the future of the kingdom, for better or worse. and if youâre here, with us⌠well, it changes things.â
jake stared at him, his mind racing. he hadnât thought about it like that. heâd been so focused on his own feelings, his own desires, that he hadnât considered how his actions might affect others.
before he could respond, you approached, a wry smile on your lips. âare you boring him with pirate politics, jungwon?â
jungwon grinned up at you. âjust making sure he knows what heâs gotten himself into.â
you looked down at jake, your gaze sharp but not unkind. âand do you?â
jake met your eyes, feeling a strange mix of emotionsâdefiance, curiosity, even a hint of respect. âiâm starting to.â
âgood,â you said, nodding approvingly. âbecause youâre not going to get any special treatment here. if you want to survive, youâll have to work like everyone else.â
jake bristled slightly, but there was no real anger in his voice as he replied, âiâm not afraid of hard work.â
âglad to hear it,â you said, your smile turning almost mischievous. âbecause tomorrow, youâre on cleaning duty. i expect the deck to be spotless.â
jake groaned, and jungwon burst out laughing. âwelcome to pirate life, your highness.â
despite his grumbling, jake found himself smiling, a strange sense of relief washing over him. for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was in control of something, even if it was just his own response to this bizarre situation.
maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make this work. and if he was going to be stuck here, he might as well make the most of it.
âfine,â he said, lifting his chin slightly. âbut donât think iâm doing it for free.â
you laughed, the sound warm and genuine. âoh? and what do you want in return, prince?â
jake thought for a moment, then smiled. âa chance to prove you wrong.â
you raised an eyebrow, intrigued. âabout what?â
âthat i can handle whatever you throw at me,â he said, his voice steady and sure. âiâm not just some spoiled royal. i can be more than that.â
you considered him for a moment, then nodded, a hint of respect in your gaze. âweâll see. but iâll hold you to that.â
as the crew continued to eat and talk around them, jake felt a strange sense of anticipation building inside him. maybe this was his chance to figure out who he really was, beyond the title and the expectations.
the following days saw jake throwing himself into work with a single-minded determination, his initial resistance shifting into a genuine desire to prove himself. the crew, initially sceptical, began to warm up to his efforts. they watched as he took on every menial task without complaint, his posture growing less rigid with each passing day, his movements becoming more confident.
and then there was youâalways watching, always testing.
one afternoon, after an exhausting morning of scrubbing the deck and assisting the crew with their duties, jake approached jungwon, who was busy adjusting the sails.
âi want to learn,â jake said, his voice steady despite the sweat beading on his forehead.
jungwon glanced at him, a glimmer of surprise in his eyes. âlearn what, your highness?â
âeverything,â jake replied, determination evident in his tone. ânavigation, sailing, sword fightingâwhatever it takes.â
jungwon raised an eyebrow, then nodded slowly. âalright. but donât expect us to go easy on you. if you want to learn, youâll have to earn it.â
jakeâs gaze shifted to you, where you stood near the helm, a confident presence that seemed to command the very winds. âiâm ready.â
jungwon smirked, but there was a hint of approval in his expression. âweâll see.â
jakeâs training began with the basics: tying knots, handling the rigging, learning the different parts of the ship. he was clumsy at first, his hands unused to the rough work, but he was quick to learn, his determination driving him forward. you watched from a distance, your eyes sharp, taking in every stumble, every success.
as the days passed, jakeâs confidence grew. he started to understand the rhythms of the sea, the subtle shifts in the wind, the way the crew worked together like the well-oiled parts of a single, living entity. and he found himself drawn to you, despite his best efforts to keep his distance.
there was something about the way you moved, the way you spoke to the crew with a mix of authority and respect, that both fascinated and frustrated him. you were nothing like the people heâd known at courtâno politeness masking cruelty, no false smiles. just raw, unflinching honesty.
one evening, after a long day of work, jake found you alone on the quarterdeck, studying a weathered map spread out on a small table. the sky was awash in shades of pink and gold, the sun sinking slowly into the horizon.
âcaptain,â he called out, his voice tentative.
you glanced up, your expression unreadable. âyes, prince?â
he hesitated, then gestured to the map. âi was hoping you could teach me navigation. i know the basics, but⌠i want to know more.â
you studied him for a long moment, your gaze searching his face as if weighing his sincerity. finally, you nodded. âshow me what you know.â
he stepped forward, standing close enough to feel the warmth of your body, the subtle scent of salt and sea air that clung to your clothes. you handed him a sextant, and he took it, his fingers brushing against yours for the briefest secondâa touch so fleeting it could have been an accident, yet it sent a strange jolt through him.
âuse this to measure the angle of the sun,â you instructed, your voice low and calm. âcompare that to the time of day, and you can find our latitude.â
he did as you said, holding the instrument up and adjusting it carefully, his brow furrowed in concentration. you watched him closely, stepping closer to adjust his grip. your fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary, the contact sending a shiver down his spine.
âlike this,â you murmured, your breath warm against his cheek.
jake swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. he nodded, his voice coming out a little too rough. âgot it.â
you stepped back, watching as he took the reading and compared it to the chart. when he got it right, he felt a surge of pride. he glanced at you, half-expecting to see you dismissive or indifferent, but there was a hint of a smile on your lips, a glint of approval in your eyes.
ânot bad,â you said, nodding. âkeep practising.â
âthanks,â he said, his voice softer now. he hesitated, then added, âi appreciate you giving me a chance.â
you shrugged, turning back to the map. âjust donât make me regret it.â
that night, he lay in his hammock, staring up at the ceiling of the small cabin. he couldnât stop thinking about the way youâd looked at him, the way your touch had felt against his skin. it was maddening, this pull he felt toward you, this mix of admiration and frustration, desire and defiance.
the next day, jakeâs restlessness found an outlet in a sparring session with the crew. he watched as you and jungwon faced off on the deck, your swords clashing in a blur of silver and steel. the crew gathered around, cheering and laughing, but all jake could focus on was youâthe fierce, almost predatory grace of your movements, the way you seemed to anticipate jungwonâs every move.
in the end, you disarmed him easily, your blade pressing lightly against his chest.
âyield?â you asked, a playful glint in your eye.
jungwon grinned, stepping back with a mock bow. âyield, captain. for now.â
you lowered your sword, turning to jake. âwhat about you, prince? care to try your luck?â
jake felt his heart skip a beat. heâd been wanting thisâcraving a chance to prove himself, to push back against the tension simmering between you. he picked up a practice sword, testing its weight.
âiâm ready,â he said, meeting your gaze head-on.
the crew fell silent as you took your positions. you watched him, your expression unreadable, and then you moved. jake barely had time to react, his blade clashing against yours with a jarring force that sent vibrations up his arm.
âtoo slow,â you said, your voice almost a purr.
he gritted his teeth, pushing back. âiâm just getting started.â
you smiledâa real, genuine smile that was somehow more dangerous than any glare. you stepped back, feinting to the left before striking right. he blocked, his movements instinctive, adrenaline singing in his veins.
âgood,â you murmured. âbut not good enough.â
you moved like water, slipping past his defences, your blade coming to rest against his throat. he froze, his breath catching. you were so close now, your eyes locked on his, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of you.
âyield?â you asked, your voice soft, almost teasing.
jake swallowed, his pulse pounding in his ears. he wanted to say something clever, something to break the tension, but his mouth felt dry. ânever.â
you held his gaze for a long, intense moment, then lowered your sword, stepping back. âweâll see.â
as the crew began to disperse, jake remained where he was, his heart still racing. he watched as you turned away, your expression unreadable, and felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment.
later, as the evening settled in and the crew gathered for dinner, jake found himself once again at the edge of the group. jungwon, catching sight of him, waved him over.
âhey, prince. you did good today,â he said, offering jake a plate of food.
jake took it, still slightly dazed. âthanks. i justââ he glanced over at you, where you were talking quietly with one of the crew. âi canât figure her out.â
jungwon followed his gaze, then shrugged. âsheâs the captain. sheâs not supposed to be easy to figure out.â
jake frowned. âbut thereâs something else, isnât there? itâs like⌠sheâs testing me. but for what?â
jungwon chuckled. âmaybe sheâs trying to see if youâre worth all the trouble youâve caused.â
jake considered that, then shook his head. âno, itâs more than that. i just⌠i want to prove myself.â
âto her?â jungwon asked, raising an eyebrow.
jake hesitated, then nodded slowly. âyeah. i guess i do.â
jungwon grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. âgood luck with that. sheâs a tough one to impress.â
jake glanced over at you again, feeling that familiar pull, that mix of challenge and fascination. he didnât know what he was trying to prove, or even why it mattered so much, but he knew one thing for certain:
he wasnât going to give up.
the next day, jake found himself at the helm with you again, the map spread out between you. you were showing him how to chart a course, your voice calm and patient as you explained the intricacies of navigation.
he watched you, your profile sharp and focused, the way your fingers traced the lines on the map with practised ease. he wondered what it would be like to know youânot just as the captain, but as the person behind the title.
âdo you ever get tired of it?â he asked suddenly, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.
you glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. âtired of what?â
âthis,â he gestured around, at the ship, the sea. âthe constant moving, the danger. donât you ever want something⌠more stable?â
your eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, he thought heâd overstepped. but then you shrugged, your gaze turning distant.
âstabilityâs a cage, prince. iâve been there, and iâm not going back.â
jake felt a pang of somethingâsympathy, understanding. he nodded slowly. âyeah. i guess i know what you mean.â
you looked at him then, really looked at him, and for a heartbeat, he thought he saw something soften in your eyes. but it was gone in an instant, replaced by your usual guardedness.
âfocus on the map, prince,â you said, your tone brisk. âyou still have a lot to learn.â
jake smiled, despite himself. âyes, captain.â
and as the sun set on another day, he felt that spark of determination flare brighter. he would learn. he would prove himself. not just to you, but to himself.
because, whether he liked it or not, he was starting to realise that out here, on this ship, with you and this crew, he was beginning to feel something heâd never felt before.
he was beginning to feel like he belonged.
the days passed in a blur of new experiences and hard work. jake found himself adapting to life on your ship quicker than heâd expected. there was something strangely liberating about the simplicity of itâno formalities, no expectations to be anything other than himself. but he couldnât deny that his eyes sought you out constantly, intrigued by the way you commanded respect and moved with an easy confidence that spoke of years at sea.
heâd thrown himself into learning as much as he could, from tying complicated knots to reading the winds and stars. jungwon, patient but merciless in his training, guided him through the intricacies of navigation and combat. the crew had begun to warm to him, and he even caught you watching him with something that looked almost like approval.
one evening, after a long day of training and chores, jake wandered onto the deck, his muscles aching but his mind clear. the sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the sea, and a peaceful silence had settled over the ship. most of the crew were below deck, resting or eating, leaving the upper deck quiet and empty.
he found you at the helm, hands resting lightly on the wheel as you guided the ship through the gentle evening breeze. you glanced over as he approached, a slight smile tugging at your lips.
âshouldnât you be resting, prince? jungwon tells me heâs been working you pretty hard.â
jake shrugged, leaning against the railing beside you. ârestingâs for people who know what theyâre doing. i still have a lot to learn.â
you raised an eyebrow, your smile widening slightly. âi didnât think youâd last this long.â
âneither did i,â he admitted, laughing softly. âbut iâm starting to get the hang of it. you know, itâs not so different from court politics. a lot of manoeuvring, knowing who to trust and when to watch your back.â
you snorted, shaking your head. âexcept here, if you mess up, you end up overboard.â
he grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. âsounds like dinner at the palace.â
you chuckled, the sound surprising him. it was rare to hear you laugh, and he found he liked it more than he expected. there was a softness to it that contrasted with your usual sharp edges, making him wonder what other sides of you lay hidden beneath your tough exterior.
âmaybe youâre not so different from us after all,â you said, your tone thoughtful as you looked out at the horizon. âyouâve held your own better than i expected.â
jakeâs smile faded slightly, a serious look crossing his face. âi want to be more than just a prince who got kidnapped. i want to prove that i can do this, that i belong here.â
you turned to look at him, something unreadable in your eyes. âwhy? you have a whole kingdom waiting for you. whatâs the point of trying so hard to fit in here?â
he hesitated, then sighed, his gaze dropping to the deck. âbecause i donât know if i belong there anymore. i spent my whole life being told what to do, what to be. i thought i knew what i wanted, but now⌠now iâm not so sure.â
you were silent for a long moment, watching him carefully. âthis isnât an easy life, jake. itâs not just about adventure and freedom. thereâs danger, uncertainty. every day is a fight to survive.â
âi know,â he said quietly, meeting your gaze. âbut at least here, i get to decide who i am. even if itâs hard.â
you studied him, your expression softening slightly. âand who do you want to be?â
he swallowed, his heart pounding. âi donât know yet. but i think i want to find out.â
you nodded slowly, something like understanding flickering in your eyes. âwell, as long as youâre on my ship, youâre one of us. and that means you pull your weight, no special treatment.â
he smiled, relief and gratitude flooding him. âi wouldnât have it any other way.â
the two of you stood there for a while, the silence between you comfortable, almost companionable. the sea stretched out before you, dark and endless, the stars beginning to peek through the twilight sky. for the first time in a long while, jake felt a sense of peace, of purpose. he wasnât sure where this journey would lead, but for now, he was content to take it one step at a time.
âhey, captain,â he said after a while, his voice soft. âthank you.â
you glanced at him, your expression guarded. âfor what?â
âfor giving me a chance,â he said simply.
you looked away, your fingers tightening slightly on the wheel. âjust donât make me regret it, prince.â
jake smiled, a small, genuine smile that made something inside you twist uncomfortably. âiâll do my best.â
and for the first time, you found yourself hoping that he would.
after that conversation, jake threw himself even more fervently into life on the ship. he wasnât just trying to prove himself to you anymore; he was trying to prove it to himself. he took on every challenge with a stubborn determination, even managing to outlast jungwon in a sword-fighting session one afternoon, much to the crewâs amusement.
the more he learned, the more he began to understand the unspoken bonds between the crew members, the camaraderie and trust that held them together even in the face of danger. he found himself laughing more, his shoulders relaxing, the constant tension that had defined his life at court slowly melting away.
one evening, as the crew gathered around for dinner, he found himself seated between you and jungwon, the three of you sharing a rare moment of peace. the crewâs laughter echoed around the deck as they traded stories and jests, the firelight casting warm, flickering shadows across their faces.
jake glanced at you, noting the way your shoulders had relaxed, your usual sharp gaze softened. he felt a strange, almost uncomfortable warmth in his chest at the sight of you like this, at ease and unguarded, if only for a moment.
âyou know,â he said quietly, leaning closer so only you could hear, âi think iâm starting to get the hang of this whole pirate thing.â
you raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing at your lips. âdonât get too cocky, prince. youâve still got a long way to go.â
he laughed softly, the sound genuine. âi guess i just have a good teacher.â
your gaze flicked to his, and for a moment, something passed between youâan unspoken understanding, a connection that neither of you could quite put into words. it was there in the way your eyes held his, in the faint curve of your lips, in the way his heart seemed to skip a beat, his breath catching in his throat.
before he could say anything more, jungwon, who had been listening in with a grin, leaned over, nudging jake with his elbow.
âcareful, prince,â he said with a wink. âthe captainâs not someone you want to cross.â
jake grinned, feeling more at ease than he had in a long time. âoh, i think iâve learned that lesson already.â
you rolled your eyes, but there was no real heat in it, your expression softening as you looked between them. âjust donât expect any special treatment. youâre still part of this crew, and that means pulling your weight.â
jake nodded, his smile fading into something more serious. âi will. i promise.â
and as the night wore on, the three of you talking and laughing beneath the stars, he realised that, for the first time, he wasnât thinking about what heâd left behind or what waited for him back at the kingdom. for the first time, he was simply here, in this moment, and it was enough.
the night was calm, the ship gently rocking as it sailed through the endless stretch of sea. above, the sky was a canvas of shimmering stars, scattered like diamonds against the black expanse. you leaned against the railing of the ship, the cool breeze brushing against your skin, a welcome contrast to the warmth radiating from the dayâs work. the crew had long settled down, their laughter and banter from earlier now replaced by the quiet hum of the ocean. it was peacefulâalmost too peaceful for someone like you, used to the chaos and unpredictability of life at sea.
you glanced over your shoulder, seeing jake making his way toward you. he had fit in surprisingly well with the crew, his bratty resistance from the early days replaced by curiosity and, dare you admit it, excitement. his princely demeanour had given way to something more natural, more at ease, as he took to the tasks with a sense of wonder. there was a certain boyish charm in the way he admired everything around him, whether it was the workings of the ship or the loyalty of your crew. and yet, beneath that, something more dangerous was brewingâsomething between the two of you.
âcouldnât sleep?â you asked as he reached your side.
he shrugged, leaning against the railing next to you, his shoulder brushing yours. ânot with a view like this,â he said, his voice softer than usual as he gazed up at the stars. âiâve never seen anything like it. the stars⌠they feel so close out here.â
you nodded, glancing up as well. âout here, you realise how small you are. itâs humbling.â
jake didnât respond right away, and the comfortable silence between you stretched. you were both just standing there, side by side, watching the stars and listening to the waves. the night air was cool, and the proximity between you sent a spark through your skin. there had always been something electric about jakeâsomething about the way he looked at you, with that mixture of defiance and admiration, that made you uneasy. and tonight, it felt stronger, like the space between you was filled with unspoken words and a tension you could no longer ignore.
finally, he spoke, his voice low and contemplative. âi donât get it,â he began. âwhy⌠why choose this life? you could be anywhere, doing anything, and yet, youâre out here in the middle of nowhere, living on the edge. why?â
you let out a breath, your hand gripping the railing a little tighter. youâd always avoided these kinds of conversations, especially with people who didnât understand the choices youâd made. but there was something about the way jake askedâlike he wasnât judging, just genuinely curious.
âi didnât choose it,â you admitted quietly, your gaze fixed on the horizon. ânot at first, anyway.â
jake turned to face you, waiting for you to continue.
âi grew up in a port town, one that was constantly ravaged by raids. pirates came, took what they wanted, and left nothing but ruin behind. my parents... they were honest traders, working to build something. but when the raids became too frequent, we lost everything. one day, they came back, and this time, they didnât leave anyone alive.â you swallowed hard, forcing the lump in your throat down. âi survived. i hid while my world burned. after that, i realized that the only way to survive was to become stronger. to become one of them.â
jakeâs expression softened, but he said nothing, letting you continue.
âi joined a crew, learned the ropes, and eventually made my own way. it wasnât about money or fameânot at first. it was survival, pure and simple. but after a while, it became about more than that. it was about freedom. about having control over my own life.â you glanced at him, your voice wavering slightly. âout here, no one can tell me who to be. i make the rules.â
the silence that followed felt heavy, but not uncomfortable. jake absorbed your words, his eyes searching your face, as if seeing you in a different light. he opened his mouth to say something but then hesitated, his gaze dropping to the railing. when he finally spoke, his voice was laced with a vulnerability you hadnât heard from him before.
âi never had that,â he said softly. âcontrol, i mean. every part of my life was mapped out before i even had a chance to think for myself. itâs always been about duty. about whatâs best for the kingdom.â he let out a short, humourless laugh. âand here i am, kidnapped by a pirate, and itâs the first time iâve felt free.â
you turned to him, studying his face as he stared out at the sea. there was something raw in his words, something that resonated with you in a way you hadnât expected. he wasnât just the spoiled prince youâd thought he was. there was a depth to him, a quiet yearning that mirrored your own.
for a moment, you both stood in silence, the tension between you building with every passing second. the gentle sway of the ship seemed to bring you closer, and when jake finally turned to look at you, the intensity in his gaze made your heart race. his eyes locked onto yours, and you felt something shiftâa magnetic pull drawing you closer, making it hard to breathe.
ây/n,â he said, his voice barely a whisper.
you could feel the warmth radiating from him, the proximity of his body sending a shiver down your spine. his gaze flickered to your lips, and before you could stop yourself, you stepped closer, your body betraying the caution that usually ruled you.
he reached out, hesitating for a moment before his hand gently cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing against your skin. the touch was light, almost hesitant, but it set every nerve in your body alight. you swallowed hard, your heart pounding in your chest as you felt the space between you evaporate.
âjakeâŚâ you whispered, unsure of what you were about to say, but it didnât matter. he was already closing the distance, his lips hovering inches from yours. and then, in one slow, inevitable moment, he kissed you.
it was soft at first, tentative, as if testing the waters, but then it deepened, the intensity of everything youâd both been holding back pouring into the kiss. his hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, and you melted into him, feeling the warmth of his body against yours.
when you finally pulled back, breathless and dazed, you stared at each other, the weight of what had just happened hanging between you.
âjake⌠i-â
âshh,â he murmured, his forehead resting against yours. âwe donât have to say anything. not right now.â
for the first time in a long time, you felt exposedâyour walls crumbling in front of him. and yet, instead of fear, all you felt was relief. maybe, just maybe, there was room for something more in this chaotic, dangerous life. something real.
as the night stretched on and the stars twinkled above, you knew that whatever happened next, this moment had changed everything.
the days following that night under the stars felt differentâcharged with an energy neither of you could ignore. it wasnât just the kiss, though that memory lingered like a spark waiting to ignite at the slightest touch. it was the way jake looked at you now, with a quiet intensity, a hunger in his eyes that made your heart race every time you caught him staring. and it was the way you felt drawn to him, despite the walls youâd built so carefully over the years.
every interaction felt loaded, every conversation laced with a tension that simmered just beneath the surface. yet neither of you spoke about itânot directly. instead, you let your actions speak for you. jake began spending more time by your side, asking questions about the ship, the crew, the sea. his bratty demeanour had all but vanished, replaced by a genuine curiosity, an eagerness to learn.
one afternoon, as you worked side by side on the deck, showing him how to properly tie a sailorâs knot, you felt his eyes on you again. the sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow across the ship, but it was the heat of jakeâs gaze that made your skin tingle. he was closeâcloser than he needed to beâhis arm brushing yours as he tried to mimic the knot youâd just demonstrated.
âyouâre not paying attention,â you teased, a smirk tugging at your lips.
jake blinked, startled, his focus snapping back to the task at hand. âi am! just⌠distracted.â
âby what?â you asked, though you already knew the answer.
jake gave you a sidelong glance, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. âyou.â
the simplicity of his answer caught you off guard, and for a moment, you didnât know how to respond. instead, you dropped your gaze back to the knot in your hands, suddenly aware of how close he was, of the warmth radiating from his body. you could feel your heart beating faster, the tension between you thick enough to cut.
âyouâll never get this right if you donât focus,â you said, trying to keep your voice steady, though it betrayed you with a slight tremor.
he grinned, leaning in just a little closer. âmaybe i like the distraction.â
you shot him a look, a warning in your eyes, but there was no denying the thrill that shot through you at his words. you couldnât afford to let this get out of hand, not when your life was already so unpredictable, so full of danger. but with every passing day, it was getting harder to resist him.
later that evening, you found yourself on the shipâs bow, staring out at the horizon as the sun dipped below the water, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold. it was a rare moment of peace, and you savoured it, breathing in the salty air, your mind wandering back to jake. you couldnât help but think about how heâd changed, how heâd adapted to life at sea, how he no longer seemed like the pampered prince whoâd stumbled onto your ship. he was different nowâstronger, more capable. and more dangerous to your heart.
âcan i join you?â
his voice broke through your thoughts, and you glanced over to see jake standing there, his eyes soft but serious.
you gave a small nod, and he came to stand beside you, his shoulder brushing yours in that familiar way that made your pulse quicken. for a few moments, neither of you spoke, the quiet between you comfortable, yet charged with the unspoken feelings that lingered just beneath the surface.
âiâve been thinking about what you said,â jake began, his voice low. âabout why you chose this life.â
you stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
âi get it now,â he said, his gaze focused on the horizon. âwhy you need to be in control. why freedom means so much to you. i never understood it before, but now⌠after being here, after seeing what itâs like to live by your own rules, i do.â
you felt a flicker of something inside youâpride, maybe. or was it something more?
âi thought i had it all figured out,â he admitted, turning to look at you. âthe throne, the kingdom, duty⌠it all seemed so clear. but being here with you, seeing this world, i donât know if i can go back to that. not anymore.â
his words hung in the air between you, heavy with meaning. you met his gaze, searching his eyes for the truth. there was something raw there, something vulnerable that made your heart ache.
âjakeâŚâ you began, unsure of what to say, but he shook his head.
âyou donât have to say anything,â he said softly. âi just⌠i wanted you to know.â
for a moment, you let the silence wash over you, the sound of the waves filling the space between your words. youâd been so careful with him, so wary of letting your guard down, but every day, jake was breaking through the walls youâd built, piece by piece. and now, standing here with him under the setting sun, you werenât sure you could hold those walls up any longer.
without thinking, you reached out, your hand brushing against his. it was a small gesture, but it felt monumental, like the beginning of something you couldnât take back. he turned his hand over, his fingers lacing with yours, and the simple act made your chest tighten.
âiâve never felt like this before,â he said, his voice barely above a whisper. ânot with anyone.â
your heart skipped a beat, and before you could stop yourself, you looked up at him, the weight of his words sinking in. the intensity in his gaze was unmistakable, and for the first time, you let yourself acknowledge what had been growing between you all along.
âi donât know where this is going,â you admitted, your voice quiet but steady. âbut⌠i donât want to lose it.â
he smiled then, a soft, genuine smile that made your heart ache. âneither do i.â
the moment stretched between you, fragile but full of promise, and as the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, you felt something shift. this wasnât just an adventure anymore. this was something real, something that neither of you could walk away from easily.
the days that followed were filled with a growing sense of companionshipâa rhythm that had started to form between you and jake. he worked alongside you, learning the ways of the ship with more ease than youâd ever expected. he was no longer the prince youâd kidnapped for ransom; he was becoming something more, something you couldnât quite define.
and in the quiet moments, when it was just the two of youâwhether it was a shared glance across the deck, a fleeting touch as you passed each other, or the way heâd sit beside you in the evening to watch the starsâyou could feel the bond between you deepening, becoming something you couldnât deny.
but with that closeness came a growing fear. you knew what you were, what your life entailed. could someone like jake truly leave behind everything heâd ever known? could you let him?
those questions weighed heavy on your mind, but for now, you pushed them aside. because in these moments, with jake by your side, nothing else seemed to matter.
the early morning sun was barely cresting over the horizon when you called the crew to attention. the crisp sea breeze was laced with anticipation, the crew bustling with a mix of eagerness and nerves. youâd spotted a merchant vessel the day beforeâheavily laden, from the look of it, and poorly defended. an easy mark.
jake stood on the periphery, watching with a furrowed brow as you barked out orders, your voice carrying over the creak of the shipâs rigging.
âjungwon, take the helm. weâll come up on their starboard side, quick and clean. no unnecessary risks.â
âaye, captain,â jungwon replied, his usual easygoing demeanour sharpened with focus. he threw a quick, reassuring grin at jake as he moved to his post. âdonât worry, pretty boy. weâll be in and out before you know it.â
jake forced a smile, but his unease was palpable. he hadnât quite reconciled the thrill of adventure with the reality of what you did to survive. watching you prepare for an attack, your face set in a mask of steely determination, twisted something in his chest.
the attack was swift and efficient. your crew moved like a pack of wolves, swarming the merchant vessel with practised ease. jake watched from the deck, his heart pounding in his chest as he took in the scene before him.
you were at the forefront, your sword gleaming as you faced down the terrified sailors. âsurrender, and no harm will come to you!â you shouted, your voice carrying over the chaos. the merchant crew hesitated, their eyes darting between you and your men, before they dropped their weapons, their faces pale with fear.
jakeâs stomach twisted as he watched the exchange. this wasnât some grand adventure. this was real, and it was brutal. his hands gripped the railing, his knuckles white. heâd never seen you like thisâso fierce, so commanding. and it scared him.
your crew moved quickly, securing the cargo and transferring the goods back to your ship. jake felt sick as he watched, a deep, uncomfortable knot forming in his gut. these werenât just nameless strangers; they were people whose lives you were upending, and you did it with the kind of ruthless efficiency that made his blood run cold.
when the last crate was loaded, you ordered your crew back to the ship, your eyes scanning the merchant sailors one last time. you caught sight of jake watching you, his face a mask of barely concealed horror. you felt a pang of something you couldnât quite nameâregret, maybe? but you pushed it aside, reminding yourself that this was the life youâd chosen. the life youâd built.
back on your ship, the crew erupted into cheers as they inventoried the haul. gold, spices, fine fabricsâit was a good dayâs work. but jake was silent, standing apart from the celebration, his expression closed off.
you approached him, a hint of unease curling in your stomach. âwhatâs wrong? i thought youâd be happy. we didnât even have to draw blood.â
he looked at you, disbelief etched across his features. âhappy? you think iâd be happy about this?â
your brows furrowed. âwe got what we needed without anyone getting hurt. thatâs a win in my book.â
jake let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. âa win? you call this a win?â he gestured towards the merchant ship, now a shrinking speck on the horizon. âyou just robbed them off everything. and youâre acting like itâs just another day.â
âit is just another day,â you shot back, irritation flaring. âthis is what we do. this is how we survive.â
âsurvive?â his voice rose, drawing the attention of the nearby crew. âyouâre a pirate, not some misunderstood hero! you kidnap people, you steal, and youâre telling me this is survival?â
your temper flared at the accusation in his tone. âwhat did you think this was, jake? a fairytale? youâre the one who got himself into this mess, stumbling around drunk at the port. did you think pirates were just misunderstood adventurers?â
he glared at you, his hands shaking with barely contained anger. âi didnât have a choice! you kidnapped me, remember? i didnât ask for any of this.â
you scoffed, folding your arms over your chest. âyou didnât seem to mind when you were running around the ship, trying to fit in. what, did you think this was some grand adventure for you to play at being someone else? wake up, jake. this is real. this is my life.â
his eyes flashed with something like betrayal. âi thought⌠i thought you were different. i thought there was more to you than this.â
you felt a sharp pang at his words, but you pushed it down, your expression hardening. âthis is all there is. iâm a pirate. this is what i do. what did you expect?â
âi donât know!â he shouted, his voice cracking. âi just⌠seeing you like that, taking everything from those people, itâs not what i thought you were.â
you took a step closer, your voice low and tense. âand what did you think i was, jake? some poor soul forced into this life against my will? i chose this. every bit of it. iâm not some damsel in distress waiting to be saved. iâm the captain of this ship, and i do what i have to do to keep us alive.â
he looked at you, his eyes searching your face as if trying to find something heâd lost. âi donât know. i just⌠i thought there was something good here. something more.â
your heart ached at the raw honesty in his voice, but you forced yourself to stay firm. âmaybe there is, but itâs buried under a lot of bad. and if you canât accept that, then maybe you donât belong here.â
his face went pale, his mouth opening and closing as if he couldnât find the words. finally, he turned on his heel and walked away, his shoulders stiff with barely suppressed anger.
you watched him go, the ache in your chest growing with every step he took. youâd known this moment would come eventuallyâthat heâd see the darker side of your world and struggle to accept it. but seeing the disappointment in his eyes, the way he looked at you as if you were a stranger, was more painful than youâd expected.
the days that followed the raid were tense, the air thick with unresolved tension. jake remained distant, his demeanour cold and closed off. he threw himself into the work, no longer seeking out your guidance or approval. it was as if heâd built a wall around himself, one that you werenât sure how to break down.
you found yourself watching him more often than you cared to admit, hoping that somehow, some way, you could find your way back to each other. your heart ached with the weight of everything left unsaid. he was different nowâhis boyish enthusiasm had been replaced with a grim determination that made your chest tighten. he still did his part, working alongside the crew, but there was no spark in his eyes, no hint of the person whoâd once looked at the world with such wonder.
jungwon, ever perceptive, noticed the shift as well. he caught your eye one evening as you stood at the helm, the setting sun casting a golden glow over the deck.
âheâs still not talking to you?â he asked, his voice low enough that only you could hear.
you shook your head, your gaze fixed on jakeâs distant figure. âno. he barely even looks at me.â
jungwon frowned, glancing over at the prince, who was helping tie down some loose ropes with a mechanical precision. âheâs hurt. you can see it in the way he carries himself. heâs not used to this life, and heâs struggling to find his place.â
you sighed, rubbing a hand over your face. âi know. i just⌠i donât know what to say to him. i tried explaining, but it just made things worse.â
jungwonâs gaze softened as he looked at you, his voice gentle. âheâs not just angry about the raid. heâs angry because he feels like he doesnât belong. and maybe⌠maybe heâs starting to realise that this life isnât what he thought it would be.â
âor maybe heâs starting to realise that he doesnât want to be here at all,â you murmured, the words tasting bitter on your tongue.
jungwon reached out, his hand brushing lightly against your arm in a gesture of comfort. âgive him time. heâll come around. he cares about you more than you think.â
you managed a small smile, grateful for his support. âthanks, jungwon.â
unbeknownst to you, jake had been watching from the shadows, his jaw clenched as he took in the easy rapport between you and jungwon. he couldnât hear your words, but he saw the way jungwonâs hand lingered on your arm, the way your expression softened when you spoke to him.
something ugly twisted in jakeâs chest, a hot, burning sensation that he couldnât quite name. it wasnât just anger or hurtâit was jealousy, raw and unfiltered. he hated the way jungwon looked at you, the way he seemed to understand you in a way that jake couldnât.
jake tore his gaze away, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. but no matter how hard he tried, he couldnât shake the image of you and jungwon, couldnât rid himself of the gnawing sense of inadequacy that clawed at his insides.
later that evening, as the crew gathered for dinner on the deck, jake sat apart from the others, his shoulders hunched and his eyes downcast. you glanced over at him, your heart aching at the sight of his isolation, but you didnât know how to bridge the gap that had grown between you.
instead, you turned your attention to jungwon, who was recounting a particularly wild story from your early days on the ship. he had the crew laughing, their voices mingling with the sound of the waves, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to relax, to forget about the tension that lingered between you and jake.
jake, however, couldnât take his eyes off you. the sound of your laughter, the way your eyes sparkled when you looked at jungwonâit was all too much. he felt like an outsider, like he didnât belong here, and the realisation hurt more than heâd expected.
he stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the deck. the sudden movement drew everyoneâs attention, and the laughter died away as the crew turned to look at him.
âiâm going to get some air,â jake muttered, his voice tight.
he didnât wait for a response, pushing past the crew and heading towards the bow of the ship. you watched him go, your heart sinking. you wanted to follow, to talk to him, but something held you back.
âgo after him,â jungwon said quietly, his eyes understanding.
you hesitated, your gaze flicking between jungwon and jakeâs retreating figure. âhe doesnât want to talk to me.â
jungwon shook his head. âheâs hurting, captain. he needs to hear it from you.â
with a deep breath, you nodded, standing up and making your way across the deck. jake was leaning against the railing, his back to you, his shoulders tense.
âjake,â you called softly, your voice almost lost in the sound of the waves.
he didnât turn around. âwhat do you want?â
you winced at the coldness in his tone, but you pressed on. âi just⌠i wanted to check on you. youâve been distant.â
he let out a bitter laugh, finally turning to face you. âdistant? what did you expect, captain? you kidnap me, drag me onto this ship, and now youâre surprised that i donât want to be here?â
your heart sank at the pain in his voice. âi know you didnât ask for this. but iâm trying toââ
âto what?â he interrupted, his eyes flashing with anger. âto make me feel better about being a prisoner on your ship? to make me forget that youâre a pirate who steals and kills for a living?â
you flinched, the words hitting harder than youâd expected. âi never said i was perfect, jake. i told you from the beginning what this life was.â
âand i was stupid enough to believe that there was something more!â he shouted, his voice raw. âi thought i could be a part of this. i thought maybe, just maybe, i could find a place here. but all iâve done is fool myself.â
you took a step closer, your voice trembling. âjake, pleaseââ
he held up a hand, cutting you off. âdonât. just⌠donât. i canât keep doing this, pretending that iâm okay with everything. iâm not like you, and i never will be.â
the truth of his words stung, and for a moment, you couldnât find your voice. when you finally spoke, it was barely more than a whisper. âi know. and iâm sorry.â
he looked at you, his eyes filled with a pain so deep it made your chest ache. âwhy, then? why did you take me?â
you hesitated, the truth hovering on the tip of your tongue. because i needed the ransom. because i thought i could use you.Â
because i didnât know iâd fall for you.
but you couldnât say any of that, not now. not when the wounds were still so fresh.
instead, you looked away, your voice hollow. âi donât know.â
jake shook his head, a bitter smile twisting his lips. âof course you donât.â
he turned away, leaving you standing alone, your heart heavy with the weight of everything unsaid.
for the rest of the evening, jake kept his distance, his eyes avoiding yours. and every time he saw you with jungwon, his jealousy flared anew, the bitterness and hurt twisting inside him until he didnât know how to feel anything else.
he hated that he cared so much, hated that he couldnât just turn off his feelings and move on. but no matter how hard he tried, he couldnât stop thinking about you, couldnât stop wanting to be the one who made you smile like that.
and that, more than anything, was what hurt the most.
by the time the storm hit, the ship was already teetering on the edge of chaos. the sky had darkened to an unnatural shade of black, casting an eerie glow over the sea. you could feel the tension in the air, thick with the scent of saltwater and the low rumble of thunder in the distance. the crew moved with swift precision, tightening ropes, pulling down sails, and preparing for the onslaught.
âcaptain!â jungwon shouted from the helm, barely audible over the howling wind. âitâs coming in fast!â
âi see it,â you yelled back, your grip on the wheel tightening. the waves were already towering above the ship, slamming into the hull with relentless fury. the sea had turned into a churning monster, eager to consume you all.
you barked out orders, your voice cutting through the wind. âsecure the cargo! bring down the main sail! everyone, brace yourselves!â
the crew scrambled to follow your commands, each member pushing their physical limits to keep the ship afloat. jake, amidst the chaos, worked alongside them, gripping onto ropes and securing what he could, his body soaked from the torrential downpour. every crack of thunder seemed to echo in his head, louder than the storm itself. but it wasnât the storm he feared mostâit was the words he'd spat out at you the day before.
he hadnât meant to be cruel. but he was frustrated, confused, and angry at the life heâd been dragged intoâkidnapped, held for ransom, now caught in a dangerous storm that could end his life. jakeâs privilege had always shielded him from real danger, but now it was all crashing down.
and yet, as the storm raged around him, none of that mattered. all he could think about was the last thing heâd said to you. he had lashed out, criticising your life, your choices, the very thing you were good at. heâd pushed you away when all you had done was show him the kind of freedom heâd never known.
lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the deck in a blinding flash, and for a moment, jake lost his grip. he stumbled, caught by jungwon before a wave could sweep him away.
âfocus!â jungwon snapped, his voice firm, though concern flickered in his eyes. âwe need everyone working together if weâre going to survive this!â
jake nodded, shaking off the dizziness as he grabbed hold of the rigging once more. the storm was relentless, tossing the ship like a toy. but even as he fought through the wind and rain, all he could think about was youâwhere were you? were you safe? had you forgiven him for what he said?
the minutes dragged into hours, the storm refusing to relent. the crew battled through every wave, every gust of wind, holding the ship together by sheer force of will. you stood at the helm, drenched to the bone but unyielding. you steered the ship with a deft hand, navigating through the chaos like you had done so many times before. but even in the middle of the storm, your thoughts flickered back to jake. his words still lingered, stinging more than you cared to admit. you had grown used to resistance, to judgement, but hearing it from himâit had hit differently.
just as you thought the storm might break you, the winds began to ease. the rain slowed to a steady drizzle, and the waves, while still rough, were no longer threatening to capsize the ship. you gave a sigh of relief, wiping the water from your face, and began issuing new orders to your crew. âjungwon, check the sails. everyone else, assess the damage!â
but jake had only one thing on his mind. as the crew scattered to settle the ship, his eyes darted around the deck, looking for you. his heart pounded in his chest, panic rising when he couldnât immediately spot you.
âwhereâs the captain?â he demanded, his voice frantic as he grabbed the nearest crew member by the arm. âwhere is she?â
âi saw her near the helm last,â the man replied, but that didnât quell jakeâs fear. he pushed past the others, slipping on the slick deck, his stomach churning not from the storm but from the thought of losing you without making things right.
âcaptain!â he called, voice hoarse. âcaptain!â
the ship creaked and groaned underfoot as jake searched every corner, every shadowed space, his heart sinking deeper with each second that passed. he cursed himselfâwhy had he let his pride get in the way? he was stupid, reckless, and now he feared he might never get the chance to apologise.
finally, as he rounded the corner near the aft deck, he saw you. you were there with jungwon, overseeing the crew as they worked to fix the sails, your face set with focus, exhaustion evident in the lines around your eyes. relief flooded through him, but it was quickly overshadowed by concern as he noticed the strain in your posture.
without thinking, jake rushed toward you. his presence startled you, and you turned quickly, eyes widening at the sight of him approaching you with such urgency.
âjake?â you asked, surprised. âare you alright?â
he didnât answer right away, his eyes trailing over your figure as if making sure you were unharmed. then you noticed the gash on his forearm, blood trickling down his skin.
âgod, what happened?â you immediately stepped closer, grabbing his arm to examine the wound. âyouâre hurt.â
âitâs nothing,â jake muttered, brushing it off. but he couldnât hide the way his voice cracked, the emotion catching in his throat. âi⌠i was so scared iâd lost you.â
your hands paused, and you looked up at him, taken aback by the raw vulnerability in his voice. âiâm fine,â you reassured him, though your heart hammered in your chest. âi can take care of myself, jake.â
âi know,â he breathed, his voice thick with regret. âbut iâve been an idiot. i said things i didnât mean. i didnât realise how much i need you⌠until i thought i might never see you again.â
before you could respond, jake stepped closer, his hand slipping behind your neck, pulling you toward him. the tension between you snapped, and without warning, he crushed his lips against yours in a fierce, desperate kiss. the world around you seemed to still, the aftermath of the storm disappearing as your body pressed into his. his kiss was filled with all the words he hadnât said, all the regret and longing, and you found yourself kissing him back with equal fervour.
when he finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, his forehead resting against yours. âiâm sorry,â he whispered. âfor everything.â
you stared up at him, your heart pounding in your chest, unsure how to respond. but one thing was clearâdespite everything, the bond between you was unbreakable.
with the storm finally behind you and the ship no longer being tossed like a toy in the waves, you took a deep breath. jake was still standing beside you, a stubborn presence even as you directed the crew to restore order. his earlier kiss lingered in your mind, a distraction that you couldnât afford to indulge in just yet.
âjungwon, see to the crew. make sure the rigging is secure and check the hold for any water,â you instructed, your voice carrying across the deck.
jungwon gave you a nod, casting a brief, assessing glance at jake before turning away to rally the crew. you turned back to the prince, his forearm still marked by the cut from earlier, a thin line of blood staining the makeshift bandage.
âyouâre hurt,â you stated, gesturing to his arm. he glanced down at it as if only just remembering.
âitâs nothing,â he dismissed, though his voice was softer now, lacking the earlier bravado.
âcome on,â you said, leading him below deck. he followed without argument, and you found yourself acutely aware of his presence behind you, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering tension.
once inside your small cabin, you gestured for him to sit. the room was dimly lit, the single lantern casting long shadows on the wooden walls. you rummaged through a chest, pulling out a clean cloth and a small flask of rum. âthis is going to sting a bit,â you warned.
âiâve had worse,â he muttered, but his eyes never left you as you approached. you wet the cloth and began to clean the wound, your fingers brushing his skin lightly. despite his attempt at indifference, you saw the way his jaw tightened, his breath hitching slightly as you worked.
you tried to focus on the task at hand, but it was impossible to ignore the heat radiating from his body, the way his gaze seemed to burn into you. his closeness was overwhelming, and you found your hands trembling slightly as you wrapped a bandage around his arm.
âthere,â you said, your voice barely above a whisper as you tied off the bandage. you looked up, meaning to step back, but he caught your wrist, his touch gentle but insistent.
âthank you,â he murmured, his voice low. his eyes were dark, filled with an intensity that made your heart race.
you nodded, trying to pull away, but he didnât let go. âitâs just a bandage, jake.â
âitâs more than that,â he insisted, his thumb brushing over your pulse point. âafter everything i said⌠you didnât have to help me.â
you shrugged, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. âyouâre part of my crew now. itâs my job to keep you safe.â
his lips quirked up in a small, almost sad smile. âam i really just another crew member to you?â
you opened your mouth to respond, but the words wouldnât come. the truth was, you didnât know what he was to you anymore. he was supposed to be a means to an endâa captive, a ransom. but somewhere along the line, things had shifted, and now you were standing here, your heart hammering in your chest as he looked at you like you were the only thing that mattered.
âjakeâŚâ you started, but his name died on your lips as he pulled you closer. your knees bumped against his, your hands coming to rest on his shoulders instinctively. his grip on your wrist loosened, his hand sliding up to your waist, pulling you between his legs. you could feel the heat of his body, the steady beat of his heart beneath your palms.
âiâve been an ass,â he admitted, his voice raw, filled with regret. âi didnât mean what i said before.â
you swallowed hard, your gaze dropping to his lips, so close, so tempting. âyou were right, though. i am a pirate, jake. this is what i do. i donât⌠i donât know how to be anything else.â
he shook his head, his eyes never leaving yours. âyouâre more than that. youâre⌠incredible.â
your breath caught at the sincerity in his voice. you opened your mouth to say something, but then his hand was cupping your cheek, his thumb brushing over your lips in a feather-light caress.
âiâve been thinking about you,â he confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper. âabout this⌠since the first night.â
you couldnât find the words to respond, your heart pounding in your ears. the air between you felt electric, every nerve in your body screaming for you to close the distance, to give in to the desire that had been simmering between you for weeks.
âjake, we shouldnâtââ but your protest was cut off as he leaned in, his lips brushing yours in a tentative, almost hesitant kiss. it was so different from the heat and passion of before, soft and searching, as if he were giving you a chance to pull away.
but you didnât want to pull away. you kissed him back, your hands tangling in his hair as you pressed closer, your body aching for more. his hands tightened on your waist, pulling you into his lap, and you went willingly, your legs straddling his as his mouth moved against yours with growing urgency.
the kiss deepened, his tongue teasing against yours as his hands roamed over your back, your sides, his touch leaving a trail of fire in its wake. you gasped into his mouth as he pulled you tighter against him, your bodies fitting together perfectly. the cabin seemed to shrink around you, the world narrowing to the feel of his hands, his mouth, the way he held you like he never wanted to let go.
when you finally broke apart, both of you breathing hard, he rested his forehead against yours, his hands still cradling your face. âtell me you want this,â he whispered, his voice rough with desire. âtell me iâm not the only one.â
you could barely catch your breath, your heart pounding so loudly you were sure he could hear it. âi⌠i donât know what this is, jake. but i want it. i want you.â
his smile was pure relief, his arms wrapping around you as he kissed you again, slower this time, savouring the moment. and as you melted against him, your fingers tracing the line of his jaw, his neck, you knew that whatever came next, you were in this together.
the ship rocked gently beneath you, the storm outside a distant memory as you lost yourself in him, in the taste of his lips, the feel of his hands. and for the first time in a long while, you let yourself believe that maybe, just maybe, you deserved thisâdeserved him.
when you both finally stilled, breathless and spent, the world slowly came back into focus. you stayed there, wrapped in each otherâs arms, the cabin filled with the soft sounds of your breathing. for a long moment, neither of you spoke, the aftermath of what had just happened settling over you like a warm blanket.
jakeâs hands traced lazy patterns on your back, his forehead resting against yours. âi didnât plan on this,â he murmured, a smile tugging at his lips.
you laughed softly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. âneither did i.â
he pulled back slightly, his eyes searching yours. âbut iâm glad it happened.â
your heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice. you nodded, your hand cupping his cheek. âme too.â
the storm outside had passed, but you knew this was just the beginning of another, one that was brewing between the two of youâa storm you were more than willing to weather.
the first light of dawn filtered through the small cabin window, casting a soft, golden glow over the room. you stirred, the warmth beside you a comforting reminder of the night before. slowly, you opened your eyes, turning your head to find jake still asleep beside you.
his hair was tousled, a few strands falling over his closed eyes, and his lips were slightly parted, a peaceful expression softening his features. in the quiet stillness of the morning, he looked almost boyish, a stark contrast to the fierce, determined prince youâd come to know. you couldnât help but smile, your heart swelling with a mixture of affection and something deeper, something that scared you more than you cared to admit.
you took a moment to drink him in, tracing the lines of his face with your eyesâthe strong jaw, the curve of his mouth, the way his lashes fanned out against his cheeks. it was a rare thing to see him like this, so unguarded, so vulnerable. heâd given himself to you completely last night, in a way that went beyond just physical closeness. heâd trusted you, opened himself up in a way that left you feeling raw and exposed.
but as you watched him, the warmth in your chest began to cool, replaced by a creeping sense of dread. what were you doing? what had you done?
jake was a prince, destined for a life of duty and luxury, a world so far removed from the rough, uncertain life you led. he had responsibilities, people who depended on him. and you⌠you were a pirate, an outlaw with blood on your hands and a past you could never escape. what kind of future could you offer him? a life on the run, hiding from the law, facing danger at every turn?
you bit your lip, a knot forming in your stomach. no matter how much you cared for him, how much you wanted to keep him close, you couldnât ignore the truth. jake deserved better than this. better than you. he deserved a life where he didnât have to look over his shoulder, where he could live freely, surrounded by those who loved and respected him.
a pang of guilt shot through you as you remembered the way heâd looked at you last night, his eyes filled with something you were afraid to name. youâd seen that look before, on the faces of those whoâd dared to care for you, to get too close. and every time, without fail, youâd ended up hurting them, pushing them away for their own good.
you couldnât do that to jake. heâd already given up so much, already risked so much. he needed to go back, to the castle, to his people. even if he didnât want to, even if it meant breaking your own heart in the process, you had to let him go.
a soft sigh drew your attention back to him as he stirred, his eyes fluttering open. for a moment, he seemed disoriented, his gaze unfocused as he took in his surroundings. then his eyes found yours, and a slow, sleepy smile spread across his face.
âmorning,â he murmured, his voice rough with sleep. he reached out, his fingers brushing over your cheek, and you felt your resolve waver. âdidnât think iâd ever wake up to see you looking at me like this.â
you forced a smile, your heart aching as you leaned into his touch. âyou make it sound like iâm some heartless pirate.â
he chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down your spine. âwell, you do have a reputation to uphold.â
âdonât remind me,â you muttered, trying to keep your tone light even as the weight of your decision pressed down on you. you couldnât let him see how much this was tearing you apart. if he knew, heâd never leave, never let you push him away. and that would be the worst thing you could doâto both of you.
he shifted, propping himself up on his elbow, his gaze never leaving your face. âyouâre quiet this morning. something on your mind?â
you swallowed hard, forcing yourself to hold his gaze. âjust⌠thinking about everything thatâs happened. the storm, the crew⌠us.â
a flicker of concern crossed his face, but he quickly masked it, his hand moving to rest on your waist. âare you having second thoughts?â
âno, iââ you broke off, struggling to find the right words. how could you explain what you were feeling without giving too much away? âi just⌠i donât want you to regret this. any of this.â
he frowned, his brow furrowing as he studied you. âwhy would i regret it?â
âbecause youâre not supposed to be here, jake,â you said, your voice thick with emotion. âyouâre a prince. you have a duty, a life back at the castle. thisâusâitâs not⌠itâs not real.â
his grip on you tightened, his eyes darkening. ânot real? after everything weâve been through, everything iâve feltââ he shook his head, his voice rising with frustration. âhow can you say that?â
âbecause itâs the truth,â you whispered, tears stinging your eyes. âyouâre only here because i took you. youâre supposed to be at the castle, marrying some princess, doing whatâs best for your kingdom.â
âis that what you think?â his voice was low, dangerous, the intensity in his gaze almost too much to bear. âthat iâd rather be locked away in some castle, living a life thatâs been decided for me?â
âitâs where you belong,â you insisted, hating the way your voice wavered, betraying the turmoil inside you. âyou deserve a life of dignity, of safety. not thisââ
âi donât care about that!â he burst out, his frustration giving way to desperation. âdonât you get it? i donât want that life. i want to be here, with you. i donât care about the kingdom, or the title, or any of it if it means losing you.â
you closed your eyes, his words cutting through you like a knife. this was exactly what youâd been afraid of. he was willing to throw everything away for you, and you couldnât let him do that. you had to be the strong one, had to protect himâeven if it meant breaking his heart.
âjakeâŚâ you began, your voice trembling. âi donât want you here. youâre just⌠a reminder of what i can never have, of the life i can never give you.â
his eyes widened, shock and hurt flashing across his face. âwhat are you saying?â
âiâm saying you need to leave,â you forced out, the words tasting like ash on your tongue. âyou need to go back to your world and forget about me.â
he stared at you, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he processed your words. âno. i wonât do it. i wonât leave you.â
âyou have to,â you insisted, your heart breaking with every word. âplease, jake. itâs better this way.â
âbetter for who?â he demanded, his voice shaking. âfor you? because it sure as hell isnât better for me.â
tears spilled down your cheeks as you shook your head, your vision blurring. âyouâll understand one day. youâll see that iâm right.â
âno,â he said again, his voice firm. âyouâre wrong. youâre wrong about everything. and iâm going to prove it to you.â
before you could respond, he stood up, turning his back on you. the door to your cabin slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing in the silence that followed, leaving you alone with your shattered resolve and the aching emptiness where heâd been.
the days passed in a blur, each one bringing you closer to the inevitable. jake, true to his word, threw himself into life on the ship, trying to prove his worth. he took on every task with determination, learning the ropes, quite literally, and working harder than youâd ever seen him work. he pushed himself, and when the crew tried to tell him he didnât need to, he pushed harder.
you watched him, your heart breaking a little more each day. he was trying so hard, trying to show you that he belonged here, that he could be part of your world. and every time he looked at you, with that stubborn, desperate hope in his eyes, it took everything in you not to break down, not to tell him the truth.
he didnât know, couldnât know, that it was too late. your course was already set, the ship heading back to his kingdom. youâd made your decision, and nothing he did would change it. youâd see him safely home, even if it meant tearing your own heart out in the process.
each night, when the crew had gone to sleep and the ship sailed through the quiet, dark sea, you stood at the helm, gripping the wheel tightly, your knuckles white with the force of it. jungwon had tried to talk to you, his eyes full of worry, but youâd brushed him off. there was nothing he could say that would make this any easier.
you were doing the right thing. you had to keep telling yourself that.
the day you saw the outline of the kingdom on the horizon, your heart clenched painfully in your chest. the castle loomed in the distance, its towers stark against the morning sky. you took a deep breath, bracing yourself for what was to come.
jake was below deck, sleeping in your cabin. heâd pushed himself to exhaustion the night before, working late into the night, and you knew he wouldnât wake for hours. it was better this way. he wouldnât fight you, wouldnât try to stop you.
you steered the ship into the harbour, the crew working quietly, their usual banter subdued. they knew what this meant, what it would cost you, and they respected your decision, even if they didnât fully understand it.
âcaptain,â jungwon said softly, coming to stand beside you. his eyes were full of unspoken questions, his expression a mixture of sadness and concern.
you nodded, your throat tight. âget him ready to disembark.â
jungwon hesitated, then sighed, turning away to do as youâd asked. you watched him go, your heart aching. this was it. there was no turning back now.
when you went down to the cabin, jake was still asleep, his face peaceful, a small frown creasing his brow. you stood in the doorway, your chest constricting painfully as you watched him. you wanted to remember him like this, wanted to etch this moment into your memory, because you knew it was the last youâd have.
carefully, you knelt beside the bed, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. he stirred, murmuring something in his sleep, and your heart twisted. you leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his temple, your lips lingering for just a moment.
âiâm sorry,â you whispered, your voice barely audible. âiâm so sorry, jake.â
then you stood, turning away before the tears could fall. you couldnât let him see you like this. you couldnât let him see how much this was tearing you apart.
by the time jake woke, the ship was docked at the harbour, the kingdom spread out before him. he sat up, confusion crossing his face as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. he swung his legs over the side of the bed, his movements sluggish, still groggy from sleep.
âwhereâŚ?â he trailed off, his eyes widening as he realised where he was. âno, no, noâŚâ
panic seized him as he stumbled to his feet, rushing to the door. he burst out onto the deck, his eyes wild as he looked around, searching for you.
you were standing near the gangplank, your back to him. jungwon was beside you, his expression tense as he spoke in low tones. jakeâs heart pounded in his chest as he took in the scene, dread pooling in his stomach.
âwhat is this?â he demanded, his voice hoarse. âwhatâs going on?â
you turned at the sound of his voice, your face carefully blank. his heart clenched at the sight of you, the pain in his chest almost unbearable. âweâre at your kingdom,â you said, your tone calm, too calm. âyouâre going home.â
âhome?â he stared at you, disbelief and betrayal warring in his eyes. âi donâtâthis isnât my home!â
âitâs where you belong,â you said quietly, your gaze unwavering. âitâs where you need to be.â
âno,â he said fiercely, taking a step towards you. âno, you donât get to decide that. you donât get to justâjust drop me off like someââ
âjake,â you interrupted, your voice soft, almost gentle. âiâm doing this for you.â
he froze, his jaw clenching as he fought to hold back the anger, the hurt that was threatening to overwhelm him. âfor me? you think i want this? you think i want to go back to being a prisoner in my own life?â
âyou have responsibilities,â you said, your voice firm, but he could see the cracks in your composure, the way your hands trembled at your sides. âpeople who depend on you. a kingdom that needs you.â
âwhat about what i need?â he shouted, his voice breaking. âwhat about what i want? doesnât that matter to you?â
you flinched, the words hitting you like a physical blow. âit does,â you whispered. âit matters more than you know.â
âthen why?â he demanded, his voice desperate. âwhy are you doing this?â
âbecause i love you,â you said, the words tumbling out before you could stop them. âand thatâs why i have to let you go.â
jake stared at you, shock and pain etched on his face. for a moment, neither of you moved, the world around you fading away. then, slowly, the realisation dawned in his eyes, his expression hardening.
âno,â he said, his voice cold, distant. âno, you donât love me. youâre just like everyone else. youâre just getting rid of me because iâm not worth the trouble.â
âjakeââ you began, but he shook his head, his eyes blazing with anger.
âsave it,â he snapped, turning away. âi donât need your pity.â
you watched, helpless, as he strode down the gangplank, his back rigid, every line of his body radiating hurt and betrayal. he didnât look back, didnât give you a second glance as he disappeared into the crowd, leaving you standing there, alone, the pain of his words cutting deeper than any blade.
youâd done what you had to, what you knew was right. but as you watched him go, your heart breaking with every step he took, you couldnât help but wonder if youâd just made the biggest mistake of your life.
as the ship began to pull away from the dock, the distance between you growing with every passing moment, you forced yourself to look away, to turn your back on the sight of him disappearing into the crowd. this was for the best, you told yourself. for both of you.
but the hollow ache in your chest told a different story.
as jake stood alone in the opulent chambers of the royal palace, the silence was deafening. the familiar surroundingsâgrand tapestries, polished marble floors, the scent of the garden wafting in through the open windowsâfelt foreign, hollow even. he clenched his fists, a bitter knot tightening in his chest as the events of the last few hours played on a loop in his mind.Â
you had brought him back. without a word, without a goodbye, you had returned him as if nothing had ever happened between them. had it all been a lie?Â
his throat tightened with the weight of his suspicions. the thought clawed at himâmaybe, just maybe, all you ever wanted was the ransom. perhaps every stolen glance, every shared laugh, every tender moment under the stars had been part of the game, just another ploy to keep him content until you could cash in on the prize. he tried to push the idea away, but it clung to him like a shadow, deepening his resentment. he felt foolish now for believing there had been something more, something real.Â
the ache in his chest wasnât just from the loss; it was from the sting of betrayal, the sinking realisation that maybe he had been nothing more than a tool, a pawn in your world of gold and greed. the woman he had begun to fall for⌠did you ever care for him at all? or had he been blinded by his own desires, seeing love where there was only cold calculation?
when he agreed to his fatherâs demands to marry the princess, heâd done it not out of duty but out of sheer numbness. if he couldnât have the life he wanted, if you had rejected him and the world he longed for, then what was the point? it was easier to go through the motions, to let himself be swept along by the tide of duty, than to fight for something he thought was never real.
but everything changed a week before the wedding.
jungwonâs letter arrived without warning, delivered to him by a messenger under the cover of night. jake had almost dismissed it, almost crumpled it up and tossed it aside, but the familiar scrawl of the handwriting stopped him. he sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the sealâyour crewâs sealâfor what felt like an eternity before finally opening it.
the words inside shook him to his core.
jungwonâs letter was raw, honest, describing in painstaking detail how lost youâd been without him, how youâd thrown yourself into your new venture with a desperation that worried everyone around you. you were no longer the pirate captain theyâd known, but a driven, almost frantic version of yourself, working relentlessly to turn over a new leaf.
âsheâs doing this for you, jake, iâve never seen her like this. she didnât even bother about the ransom part of the dealâ, jungwon had written.
âshe loves you more than you can imagine. sheâs trying to make herself worthy of you, trying to give you a future she thinks you deserve. but sheâs falling apart, and itâs because she believes she made the right choice by letting you go.â
jakeâs hands had trembled as he read the letter over and over, his heart pounding with every word. it was as if a fog had lifted, and for the first time, he saw everything clearly. you hadnât let him go because you didnât love him. youâd let him go because you thought it was what was best for him. youâd sacrificed your own happiness for his sake, and it was tearing you apart.
the letter had ended with a simple plea: âcome back to us, jake. she needs you more than ever.â
the realisation hit him like a punch to the gut. heâd been wrongâso terribly, heartbreakingly wrong. and he wasnât going to lose you again.
now, he stood outside his fatherâs chambers, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides. he took a deep breath, steeling himself, before pushing the heavy doors open and striding inside.
the king looked up from his desk, surprise flickering across his face at the sight of his son. âjake? what is it? you should be preparing for the wedding.â
jake ignored the tightness in his chest at the mention of the wedding. âi need to talk to you.â
the king frowned. âcan it not wait? thereâs much to be doneââ
âno, it canât wait,â jake interrupted, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. he stepped closer, his heart racing, but his resolve unshakable. âi canât go through with the wedding.â
silence fell over the room, thick and tense. the kingâs eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. âwhat are you saying, jake?â
âiâm saying i canât marry someone i donât love,â jake said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions roiling inside him. âand i canât stay here, pretending to be happy when iâm not.â
the king rose from his chair, his face darkening with anger. âthis is not about happiness. this is about duty, about securing the future of our kingdom. you canât just walk away because of someâsome fleeting infatuation!â
âitâs not infatuation!â jakeâs voice rang out, sharp and defiant. he took a step forward, his eyes blazing. âi love her. and she loves me. she let me go because she thought it was best for me, but sheâs wrong. the only place i belong is with her.â
âyou belong here,â the king snapped, his voice cold and unyielding. âyou are the prince, and soon you will be king. you have responsibilitiesââ
âwhat good is being king if iâm miserable?â jake shot back. âwhat good is a throne if i have to give up everything that makes life worth living?â
the king stared at him, his face a mask of disbelief and fury. âyouâre being selfish, jake. this isnât just about you. this is about our people, our legacy. you canât throw it all away for some pirate.â
âsheâs not just some pirate,â jake said, his voice low but fierce. âsheâs everything. and i wonât lose her again.â
the kingâs eyes flashed with anger, but jake stood his ground, his heart pounding in his chest. he knew he was risking everything, knew that defying his father like this could mean losing everything heâd ever known. but he didnât care. not anymore.
âiâm asking you to let me go,â he said, his voice softer now, but no less determined. âiâll do whatever you want, fulfil whatever duty you ask of me, but not this. not marriage. not a life without her.â
for a long moment, they stood there, father and son, locked in a silent battle of wills. then, slowly, the kingâs shoulders slumped, the fire in his eyes dimming.
âyouâre serious about this,â he said quietly, more a statement than a question.
jake nodded, his throat tight. âiâve never been more serious about anything in my life.â
he sighed, the weight of the world seeming to settle on his shoulders. he looked at his son, really looked at him, and saw the pain, the determination, the desperate love that burned in his eyes.
âvery well,â he said finally, his voice weary. âif this is what you truly want, i wonât stand in your way.â
jakeâs heart leapt in his chest, hope surging through him. âthank you, father. you donât know what this means to me.â
the king held up a hand, his expression stern. âbut understand this, jake. if you walk away now, you may never have a place here again. are you prepared for that?â
jake met his gaze, his voice steady and unwavering. âi am. because the only place i need to be is with her.â
the king sighed again, then nodded slowly, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. âthen go, my son. and may you find the happiness you seek.â
jake didnât wait for a second invitation. he turned and strode from the room, his heart pounding with anticipation, his mind racing. he had no time to waste.
he was going to find you, and he was going to bring you back, no matter what it took.
the sun hung low over the horizon, casting a golden glow across the beach as you sat on the soft, warm sand. the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air, a soothing backdrop to your swirling thoughts. you watched the sun dip lower, painting the sky in shades of amber and crimson, yet your heart felt heavy with the memories of what had transpired over the past two months.
two months had passed since you left jake behind in his kingdom, believing you were making the right decision. in those weeks, you had poured yourself into your new life as a trade merchant, transforming your ship from a vessel of piracy to one of honest commerce. your crew had embraced the change, excited about the possibilities that lay ahead. the laughter and camaraderie on board had been a welcome distraction, yet every night, as you lay in your bunk, the loneliness crept in like a thief in the night.
on the surface, it looked like you were thriving. you had wealth, respect, and a steady stream of business flowing your way. but it was all a facade.
every time you closed your eyes, you saw his face. the way heâd looked at you that last night, so full of love and hope. you had thought it would get easier with time, but it hadnât. the ache in your chest only grew, a constant, gnawing pain that no amount of success could soothe.
now that you were currently docked at his kingdom, you couldnât help but think of him even more, your heart further clenching in pain.
sighing, you pulled your knees to your chest, resting your chin on them as you gazed out at the sea. what had you done? you had given up the one person who made you feel alive, who saw you for who you truly were. you had convinced yourself that you were doing the right thing by pushing him away, sparing him from a life filled with uncertainty and danger. but now, as you looked out at the horizon, you felt only regret. you were a businesswoman, yes, but you were also a woman in love, and it hurt like hell.
you looked out at the sea, your heart heavy. maybe it was time to let go of the past. maybe it was time to accept that youâd made your choice, and now you had to live with it, no matter how much it hurt.
but then, a voiceâa familiar, beloved voiceâshattered the silence.
ây/n!â
you froze, your heart leaping into your throat. you must be dreaming. it couldnât beâ
ây/n!â
your heart raced, a mixture of disbelief and hope flooding through you. you turned around, your breath catching in your throat. there he wasâjake. he stood a few paces away, his hair tousled by the sea breeze, his expression a blend of determination and relief. he looked different, more rugged, yet the spark in his eyes was unmistakable.
âjake!â you exclaimed, scrambling to your feet. he ran toward you, and in that moment, everything else faded away. the world around you disappeared, and all that mattered was him.
he reached you in an instant, pulling you into his arms with such force that you stumbled, your feet sinking into the sand. you buried your face in his shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of salt and warmth. âi canât believe itâs really you,â you murmured, your voice muffled against him.
his arms tightened around you, and you felt your heart swell. âjake, iââ you started, but he pulled back slightly, cupping your face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had escaped your eyes.
ây/n, listen to me,â he said, his gaze fierce and unwavering. âi talked to my father. he finally understood. he gave me permission to leave the kingdom. i donât want to be there without you. i want to be here, with you.â
your heart raced at his words. you had imagined this moment a thousand times, but now that it was here, you were overwhelmed with emotion. âbut⌠what about your duties? your responsibilities?â
âi donât care about any of that!â he replied, frustration threading his voice. âall that matters is you. iâve been miserable without you. i thought i could move on, do what was expected of me, but i canât. i love you, y/n.â
you felt a tear slip down your cheek, and you wiped it away with the back of your hand. âi love you too, but i thought i was protecting you by leaving. i didnât want to hold you back from your future.â
jake shook his head, his expression softening. âyou didnât hold me back. you set me free. i realized that the life i wanted, the life iâve always wanted, is the one i can have with you. iâll figure out my place in this world, but i canât do it without you.â
his words struck a chord deep within you, igniting a flicker of hope that had long been extinguished. âare you sure?â you asked, your voice trembling. âwhat if things get complicated again?â
âlet them,â he said fiercely, his eyes locking onto yours. âiâm done pretending. i want to build a life with you, no matter how messy it gets.â
in that moment, your heart soared. you stepped closer, and before you could think twice, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him down to you. his lips met yours, a sweet, electric connection that sent shivers down your spine. the kiss was everything you had missedâfierce, passionate, filled with the yearning that had built up between you during your time apart.
when you finally pulled back, both of you were breathless, your foreheads resting against each other as you savoured the warmth of the moment. âyou really mean it?â you asked, searching his eyes for any sign of doubt.
âi do,â he replied, his voice steady and sure. âyouâre the only one i want. forever.â
with that, he pulled you close again, lifting you off your feet and spinning you around. laughter bubbled up between you as you revelled in the joy of being together once more. you felt lighter than you had in months, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from your shoulders.
as he set you down, jake took a step back, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. âso, tell me about this new life of yours. a businesswoman, huh? iâm not sure i believe that.â
you laughed, a playful glint in your eye. âiâm serious! weâre now trading goods, sailing the seas, andââ
âtrading goods? with pirates?â he teased, his brow raised in mock scepticism.
âhey! weâre honest merchants now,â you protested, crossing your arms playfully. âno more piracy!â
he chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. âiâll believe it when i see it.â
you leaned in closer, your lips brushing against his ear as you whispered, âyouâll see. weâve got a shipment heading out next week, and i want you with us.â
his expression turned serious, a hint of determination in his eyes. âiâm in. whatever it takes, iâm by your side.â
in that moment, you both knew that the past didnât matter anymore. you were no longer defined by your choices; you were defined by your love for each other. the future stretched before you like the vast, open sea, filled with endless possibilities.
and as you stood there on the beach, wrapped in each otherâs arms, you knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, you would face them together. your hearts were finally aligned, ready to sail into the horizon of your new life.
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taglist: @yuniesluv @isa942572 @academiq @missychief1404 @kxppachu (the rest are tagged in a reblog!)
#๨ৠđdy writesđŞ#enhypen#enhypen imagines#enhypen oneshots#enhypen fics#enhypen x reader#jake#sim jake#jake x reader#jake imagines#jake fics#jake oneshots#kpop fics#enhypen royal au#sim jaeyun#jaeyun x reader
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the fake princess
pairing: reincarnated male reader x yandere prince oc
fic includes: arranged marriage, cross dressing, reader's death (briefly mentioned), Dom to sub bottom male reader, rough sex, rimming 2x, gruwhdbwb will add more in the morning
note: THIS IS NOT FINISHED!! tumblr is rlly messing me up by posting my work earlier whenever i save my draft lol. feel free to read as i write the ending. reader is male! a male!! a certain character will be calling him "lady" for the plot!! i wont spoil much but please keep that in mind ;; this is messy lmao
poor you were just on the way back to your apartment after a barbeque party with your friendsâ until a drunk man grabbed you from the dark alley way and stabbed you in the stomach and pussied out after he realized what he did.
is this how you die? fuck, he couldve do you a favour by taking you out in one go and not run away?? loser behaviour.
you laid down in your own blood in the dimly lit alley way, your vision slowly getting blurry as your surrounding turns into a blur of colours and into nothing.
before slipping into darkness, you heard a loud voice shouting out your name. its too late, bootlicking shitfuck.
you opened your eyes by the sound of bird chipping, you stared up at the bright blue sky accompanied by someone with dark brown hair and green eyes staring back at you.
"Lady Amador.. it's time to go back to the palace. the prince is looking foward for you during lunch time."
who the fuck is lady amador, and why are they wearing a maid outfit?
sitting up, you take note of the grass underneath you instead of the rough concrete floor from earlier- are you hallucinating to the point youre in this nice garden..? huh, why are you wearing a dress, did a creep kidnapped you and dress you in one of their grandma's dresses?!
panicking, you got up towards the pond and looked into your own reflection. you still looked the same as before, you cant say the same since your hair looked much longer and the light makeup on your face.
lady amador.. prince?? garden.. holy- is that a palace behind you?! whats going on?!
before you could brainstorm any longer, the person from earlier waved their hand in front of you, catching your attention. "lady amador, its time to go. prince sebastian is looking for you."
prince sebastian? sebastian..
slowly, everything clicked to you, did you really reincarnated as one of the characters in the novel "The Villainess's Ultimate Plan!" holy shit.
you touched your face, and then looked into the pond again, that face..
the villainess younger brother?!
the one who disguised as the protagonist.. the one that planned the entire scheme to assassinate the crown prince but end up getting beheaded one day after the wedding night?!
with that information, your vision fade into black once again.
"My lady?!"
jerking awake, you hunched over, clasping a hand against your face. you slowly takes a few deep breathe, you slowly brought your hand away.
you looked to your side, the same person from earlier is standing next to you with a worried expression. not only them, a man with bright gold hair is sitting on a chair nearby reading a book.
prince fucking sebastian. the man that you're supposed to kill during you and the prince's wedding night.
he looked up from his book and walked up to you, you flinched away when he raised his hand, he stopped his action before he promptly caressing your face.
"you, please step out of Lady Penelope's room." he ordered the person (the maid maybe?), and they complied.
there was an awkward silence in the room, he was still holding your face, you looked at the side, scared to hold any eye contact with the man in front of you.
"look at me." he said in a stern voice, like a mom scolding her child.
so you did, afraid of any consequences. (since he was the same man that's willing to destroy the kingdom for your supposed sister.)
he let go of your face before sitting onto the side of the bed, his face is blank,, as if he dont care about you, but the worried tone in his voice said otherwise.
"y/n." you jumped at the name, how did he know your name- wasnt he supposed to call you by your sister's name ?! before you can say amything, he cut you off.
"..i was waiting for you at the dining table, but i got the news of you fainting in the garden right after waking up from your nap."
"..i apologize."
he leans in towards you, settling his hands onto your face once again as if to inspect for any injuries, he lets go once again when he saw no visible injuries.
"i know you prefer to be called lady amador when it comes to appearing as your sister, but a maid was here, and i have to convince people we have a medium love with each other.
especially when our wedding night is two days from now on."
what. the story already started?! no- screw that, how did he know you were pretending to be penelope?!
"how did you know im not lady penelope?" you kissed your teeth, gripping onto the comforter, subtly slapping the prince's hand away when he tried to reach for yours.
"lady penelope had sent a letter to me, personally stating about her plan, and we agreed on one term: i keep you safe and she sends me information of the war, simple.
though, i shall say, youre quite the beauty."
you were about to curse at penelope but your ears becoming warm after he said that, he chuckled before getting up of the bed.
"most married or engaged couples have monthly night together, and ours is two night from now on. we wont do anything sensual, do not worry."
"what-"
"see you tomorrow at lunch, dear." he kissed you on the forehead before walking out of your room.
for the next two days, you learnt the person at the garden is your personal maid, Andrea. apparently she found you laying on the ground at the garden (that sebastian built for you.) after you stated you were gonna take a stroll.
you also met your personal knight, William, Penelope's second love interest but was sadly killed when he defended you during your trail.
the three of you got along well, often seen having conversation near the garden or having tea party together. sebastian watched from his office and smiled at the sight of you chatting with Andrea.
william on the other hand,, have been too close to you for his liking. he nearly ripped an important paper when he saw william wiping off some biscuit crumbs from your face- why is he so touchy? Andrea couldve done that using a napkin.
he broke his pen, the black ink soaked his hand and his paper work. did you like damian better than him? why did you become flustered when the knight spoke about something?
should he get rid of him?
how troublesome.
he remembered when a butler and notify him what happened to you. he nearly tear down the entire palace when you didnt wake up for two hours he almost frown when you flinched and move away from him when he reach out to you. the way you were nervous around him,,
he slowly calmed down, reminding himself that you and his night together is tonight. he sighed, he should finish his work first then meet you tonight.
back in your chamber, Andrea and a few other maids helped you to get ready, even helping you to take a bath. you enjoyed the smell of lavender from the soapy water, an old maid massaged your body when you're just soaking inside the bathtub.
the old lady was kind enough to even offer you a drink as she tells you stories of her youth.
after that and when Andrea deemed you 'clean', began to dress you into a white night gown made with the finest silk, the strap of the grown barely hanging on your shoulder. the maid had explained that you have to wear this because 'the prince gave the gown as a gift.'
was he not shameless when his gift includes a set of lingerie?!
you fidget around with the ring, Andrea styled your hair into a loose braid, making sure you look presentable before leading you to the prince's chamber. you insisted that you walked by yourself, so she went back to the maid headquarter.
walking down the dimly lit hallway, no one is wandering except for a few knight patrolling. you soon arrived in front of his room, knocking a few time to make your presence known "sir sebastian-"
before you could finish, sebastian opened the door and grab you by the waist, dragging you into the room.
he lifts you up and carries you to the spacious bed, he gently laid you down and take a whiff of your scent before mumbled out a "you smells nice.."
you looked at him with wide eyes, he was only wearing a robe- your eyes wonders down and sees his toned body that he had clearly worked on. he noticed you and grinned, taking your hand and putting it on his chest
"like what you see?"
if you could kill him right now you would.
instead, you pushed him down the bed, him lying down on the bed and you on top.
"what if i do?
also.. i will be the one in charge tonight."
you leaned down, opening his robe hastily and take one nipple into your lips.
sebastian nearly flipped you over, but he held himself back. he moaned when you grinned onto his crotch, he lightly tugged your hair, leaning in as if asking for a kiss.
you gave him what he wanted, he softly moaned into the kiss, slowly his hand make its way towards your shorts, pulling it down your ankle before he pulls away from the kiss.
he sat up against the bed frame and settled you on his lap, he took in the sight of you wearing his gift- that he had commissioned for it to fit you, and god.
you are so pretty.
hair messy from the kissing session, the collar of the gown was low enough for him to see the lacey bra, a garter designed with silver lining tightly wrapped around your thigh and the underwear that only covered your erected cock-
he want to eat you up,,
so he did.
Sebastian was known to be a beast in bed as he was known in the battlefield,, was what the novel described him.
Unfortunately they were true to their words, his thrust was harsh and deep, creating impacts thats enough to make you cry out.
so much of being gentle?! he even ripped off your outfit, leaving you naked!
he was nice enough to eat you out earlier, even giving you to opportunity to ride his face.
sebastian continue with this harsh pace, holding one of your leg onto his shoulder while another holds your hand. his apologized multiple times while grunting, saying things likes
"im sorry- ah! youre so tight!"
"mm- if you keep moaning like that- hng! i wont be able to slow down-"
"dear.. mmh.. im sorry.. i'll take care of you later-!" im gonna kill you, you handsome bastard!!
you clung onto him on each thrust, it just feel so-! sebastian suddenly changed the position, pushing you on your knees while holding your arms at the back,
"se-sebasti- ah! wait-! mngh!" he holds your hand behind you back tightly to ground you, the position didnt help at all, you couldnt muffle your moans and his dick reach deeper than it did in the previous position.
he panted, letting go of your arms fearing that your arm is sore. he gave an apologetic kiss on your forehead before continuing .
he grunted when you tighten around him, he tried to sooth you by giving stroking your cock, but that only add to the pleasure as you cried out of overstimulation.
you felt like you were melting.
you had climax into sebastian's hand, fuck- why isnt he stopping-?! you continued to cry out before he stuff his finger with your cum into your mouth, you immediately bit onto his fingers to muffle your moans.
his climax came sooner than you expected, he twitched and came inside. he slowed down his thrust, riding out his climax before pulling out.
you panted, thinking its over,, until sebastian gripped your aas and spread them apart revealing your winking hole, dripping out his children batter.
without hesitation, he dive in as if its his last meal, slurping and eating his own cum. you moaned at this, trying to push him away but he stayed still.
"what are you-"
"round 2? gotta have heirs for the future y'know.." he said with a toothy grin, flipping you over your back and pressing you thigh until your ankle reach your chest.
"ah?!"
the knights guarding outside sebastian's chamber looked at each other then looked down, the two of them had an erection from your moaning- tone it down sometimes!
a/n: not proud with this one, will check and edit it in the morning (its 3.56 am right now) goodnight ^_^
#mayi'swritingâ#oc x male reader#male reader#bottom male reader#bttm male reader#sub male reader#yandere x reader#yandere oc x reader
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I love the idea of the Washer Woman being the sensible adult in Binghe's life in the Demon Prince Binghe Au. I can see Tianlang reading him romance novels as a kid while Su Xiyan chooses books on cultivation and how to crush ones enemies. Washer woman has lectured them both on child appropriate practices more than once, Tianglang more than Su Xiyan.
Imagine young Binghe getting cursed as a puppy one day and wandering off, tired, hungry, and injured only to be rescued Qing Jing Peak Disciple Shen Yuan who nurses him back to health . Washer woman ends up being the one to retrieve the prince since she's human and not considered to be a traitor like Su Xiyan.
Afterwards, Binghe can't stop gushing about his fateful meeting with the beautiful shimei he met (Shen Yuan was so pretty he thought he was girl).
Tianlang: That's my son, not even ten and he's already found his future wife! Not only that, but a cultivator to boot! But wait, the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect despise demons and would never permit one of their own to court a demon which their love would be forbidden! Ahh this just like the plot of Love Amongst Thorns where the heroine ends riding into battle on a dragon and then diving into a volcano to save her lover, the enemy general!
Xiyan: If she is a cultivator like you say, you'll have to become strong enough to defeat the peak lords Cang Qiong Mountain sect, for they will not let her go without a fight. Of course, it's a war they want, it's a war they'll get.
Unamed Washer Woman:....
Unamed Washer Woman: Or you can just thank her for taking care of your "dog" and get to know her as friends.
BONUS: I just picture Shen Yuan being the equivalent of a Disney Princess in this AU but being completely oblivious to it. Except instead of cute woodland creatures, various monsters and other creatures are drawn to him. He is also confused as to why so many people are surprised he's a guy
NDJDHB YEAH. she's the only sense of reason
Binghe: how do I tell someone I like him..
Tlj: beg him for money and become his sugar baby. That's how I got your mother
Su xiyan: show him your strength and he won't be able to resist you
Washerwoman: how about we try something like flowers first :)
Personally I was imagining shen yuan as some wandering cultivator. Binghe's hanging out in a forest when some demon planning to kidnap the prince shows up and is immediately beaten up by the handsome man who was passing through.
Binghe: PLEASE COME HOME AND MEET MY PARENTS
Shen yuan: aww if you insist..
Shen yuan is a bit nervous but overall glad the demon prince protagonist doesn't seem to hate him. Binghe is ecstatic the nice man agreed to have a meeting with his parents to discuss marriage ..
Shen yuan actually gets hired to be binghes tutor. Binghe needs to work on his human cultivation as well as his demonic cultivation, and while su xiyan would be happy to be her sons shizun, she's getting so damn annoyed with binghe bringing shen yuan up every two seconds
#demon prince binghe au#svsss#luo binghe#su xiyan#tianlang jun#tianxi#unnamed washerwoman#bingyuan#shen yuan
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