#been a while since i drew this au lol | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

jaeyunverse · 7 months ago

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the fake dating pact

pairing(s): park sunghoon x fem!reader

genre(s): fluff, suggestive, fake dating, enemies to lovers, rich kid au, cruise au

wc: 1.6k

warning(s): profanity, making out, implications to sex (no smut)

inspired by: dil dhadakne do

summary: in which ridiculous circumstances lead to a fake dating contract pact being struck between park sunghoon and you.

note: i’m ngl i thought i’d reposted this fic but i’m not able to find it so here we go LOL the sunghoon brainrot’s been hitting real hard lately

masterlist

There was a slight chance Sunghoon and you had crossed the boundaries you’d set when you first drew up your fake dating contract.

Okay, agreement would be a more accurate word choice since the document wasn’t legally binding, but the two of you took its contents very seriously. Together, you’d come up with a few mutually acceptable ground rules:

no kissing unless absolutely necessary

non-sexual acts of intimacy are acceptable in order to maintain the facade

keep arguments to a minimum no matter how insufferable the other person is being

no bed-sharing under any circumstances

no falling for park sunghoon even though he is the epitome of sexiness

The last condition was total bullshit, but you didn’t have it in you to make him get rid of it. Your mom had already done an excellent job at pissing you off; the last thing you wanted to do was get into it with Sunghoon.

One may wonder what caused the two of you to make this pact. Simply put, both your families desperately wanted to set you up with people you had no interest in dating.

(Not that you wanted to seek a romantic relationship with Sunghoon either, but we’ll get into that later.)

Lee Saerom had organised a cruise across the Mediterranean Sea on the occasion of her parents’ 30th wedding anniversary. Normally, your family wouldn’t have come within 10 feet of the Park family, but you were both good friends of the Lees and neither of you wanted to give the other the satisfaction of avoiding the trip.

Now that all the powerful and influential families of Seoul were gathered in the same place for a celebration spanning over a few weeks, your parents thought it would be a good idea to find you an ideal suitor who would help their company expand.

Word spread that you were seeing Lee Heeseung, the younger son of the Lees and heir apparent to their empire. The rumour was entirely false, but you had to admit it was a genius move on your parents’ part. Not only did it become harder for Heeseung and you to deny the allegations, but it made the Lees consider a future with your family’s business.

As if you weren’t in a shitload of mess already, the entire thing had somehow turned into a competition with the Parks beginning their own efforts to set Sunghoon up with Ning Yizhou.

The minor problem was that Heeseung and Yizhou were in love with each other, and neither of them had the courage to tell everyone the truth. They were both too afraid of disappointing their parents and bringing disgrace to their families.

You supposed it was a good thing Sunghoon and you had no such qualms. So, before things could escalate any further, the four of you got together and decided to put an end to this idiocy.

On the third night of the cruise, Sunghoon and you announced your relationship. Holding his hand and giving him lovey-dovey eyes felt ridiculous, but you would rather stomach fake dating him than see a wedge form between Heeseung and Yizhou.

Needless to say, everyone was shocked.

Yizhou even pretended to faint while Heeseung started sobbing hysterically. You couldn’t believe he actually pulled out a tear stick and applied it to the underside of his eyes when no one was looking. You wondered if he’d purchased it for this specific reason when you’d explored Turkey earlier that day.

Overall, it was a pretty convincing act.

The Lees and Nings were furious, but you weren’t particularly worried. In fact, you didn’t even care. Your parents had it coming their way the moment they dragged you into their scheming and plotting.

It took a few days for everyone to calm down and for the festivities to resume, but things pretty much went back to normal. Sunghoon and you both got tongue-lashings from your families, but they didn’t make you two break up.

Your reputations were already in the gutter; forcing you to end your relationship after all that had conspired would have been the cherry on top of your disaster of a cake.

The pre-decided course of action was to fake date Sunghoon till the cruise ended. Once you returned to your daily lives and enough time had passed, you would cook up a reason to break up.

It didn’t take long for your original plan to go to shit. As it turned out, spending a week pretending to love the bane of your existence had proved to be quite the opportunity to really get to know him.

Ever since you were a kid, you’d heard your parents say a lot of terrible things about the Parks. You’d been instructed to stay far away from Sunghoon. An impressionable and susceptible child such as yourself had obeyed every order they gave you.

You’d literally been hard-wired to despise and assume the worst of Sunghoon.

The wall of hatred you’d built between the two of you began coming down brick by brick once you learnt the kind of man he was. He was honourable and good and down-to-earth.

Of course, he was a dickhead to you for the same reason you were a bitch to him, but the asshole side of him was more endearing than annoying now.

His snarky replies no longer seemed to bite, and there was always an underlying film of adoration accompanying them.

Perhaps, he’d grown to care for you just as you had for him.

You certainly hoped that was the case, since regularly making out with someone who couldn’t be bothered with you wasn’t exactly your dream.

To this day, you had no idea how you’d ended up grabbing the collar of his shirt and crashing your mouth against his.

Maybe it was because he kept reminding you that you’d lost a bet to him and you wanted to shut him up, or maybe it was because he hadn’t bothered to button up his shirt and his abs were on full display, the ocean wind ruffling his messy hair.

Nonetheless, something seemed to snap in him when you made the move. He responded to your kiss immediately and pinned you against a wall. Thankfully, it was almost midnight and there was no one to witness your less than decent makeout session on the deck.

The next ten minutes consisted of his hands travelling under your loose shirt, fingers grazing the cold skin of your abdomen. Soon, your shirt was discarded, and your legs were wrapped around his waist.

Sunghoon hadn’t bothered stopping even when you ran out of breath. Instead, he’d taken the opportunity to leave bruises on your jaw and neck. The warm feeling of his tongue soothing the spots where he’d nipped at your skin with his teeth had caused you to experience a burning need for desire that went further than the second base.

The amount of reaction he’d gotten out of you was embarrassing. Never had you been unraveled by anyone so effortlessly. He had to muffle the whimpers that slipped past your lips as a result of his ministrations.

If it weren’t for the fact that you were making out in the open and were at the risk of being walked in on, things would have escalated. By the time you parted, Sunghoon’s lips were swollen, his face was flushed and he was breathing hard.

His eyes were hooded and dark, and he was gazing at you with an intensity that made you shiver.

Taking that as your cue to leave, you pressed a chaste kiss on his cheek, fetched your shirt from the ground and hurried away.

You didn’t even know why you thought things would go back to normal the next day.

One look at him, and your legs turned to jelly. You happily obliged when he wrapped his fingers around your wrist and whisked you away from everyone else.

Soon enough, you’d breached almost all the conditions in your fake dating pact.

You spent most of your nights together—be it hooking up, lying in the comfort of each other’s arms or just talking till slumber claimed you. Never in your life had you imagined being at ease around Sunghoon.

Everything else faded away when you were with him. He made you feel yourself. He made you feel whole.

“Hey,” you murmured while you were both swimming in the pool one night, the stars shining brightly in the sky. His eyes were closed and his neck was tilted up, the back of his head resting on the decking behind. “Can I ask you something?”

Sunghoon hummed and opened his eyes, turning his attention to you. “Yeah.”

“I know we have a plan,” you continued, doing your best to ignore the droplets clinging to his skin, “and I know that we’re supposed to stop pretending after this cruise ends tomorrow, but have you ever thought about making this—” you pointed at him, and then at yourself— “real.”

He laughed softly and shook his head in amusement. Your brows furrowed in confusion. “I’m not joking—”

“Every single day,” he interrupted you. Wading his way through the water to close the distance between your bodies, he repeated, “I have thought about making you mine every goddamn day.”

He cupped your cheeks and rested his forehead against yours. “I think I’ve fallen in love with you, Y/N,” he whispered.

Taking a shuddering breath, you closed your eyes and felt him press his lips to yours.

The kiss was slow and passionate, as if the two of you had all the time in the world. It expressed what couldn’t be said using words, and you realised just how much you’d grown to admire and care for this man.

It physically pained you to consider the possibility of a life without him.

“Sunghoon,” you mumbled against his mouth. “I would say I love you too but I don’t wanna breach the contract.”

He chuckled and ran his tongue along your bottom lip, even going as far as to suck on it. “I thought you broke the last rule days ago.”

You couldn’t stop the smile that stretched across your face. You opened your lids and shifted to get a better look at his expression.

Sunghoon’s eyes were shining with happiness, and you thought you could gaze into them forever. You thought you could witness the grin on his face and hear his honeyed laugh without ever getting tired. You thought you could stand ground against anything life threw at you if you had him by your side.

You knew you could love him and be loved by him for as long as your soul wandered through the worlds.

“I love you too.”

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dilemmaontwolegs · 9 months ago

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For the love of god(dess) || CL16 {1}

A/N & Summary: Greek God/dess AU. This was a draft I had wasting away with reincarnation trope. Reader is the goddess of love. I don't even know what I am doing anymore lol Warnings: reader injury, blood WC: 2.2k Part One || Two

“Do you ever stop working?”

You leered across the scrying bowl to the unwelcome guest waltzing into your sanctum. “Unlike some, my work never ends.”

“Come now, I remember a time when you used to love my little soirées,” Dionysus whispered in your ear as he dipped his finger in the bowl, disturbing the still waters. The god of debauchery had never held just a little party, there was a reason hedonism and excess had been celebrated for millennia. “Take one night off. It will be one to remember.”

“Liar,” you said with a smile despite yourself. “I still don’t have any memory of the last one.”

He winked and flicked the droplet of water from his finger at you playfully, “Then I am doing my job right. It’s on earth…”

Damn, the god knew how to pique your interest. Thousands of years watching through the haze of the scrying bowl did little to capture their humanity. Whenever you could, you used to walk among them to see the fruits of your labour.

“Love, you are eternal - yet you waste away in this…” he drifted off as he looked around the empty stone room, carvings depicting your greatest champions along the walls, “place.”

While the other gods had their golden palaces you were content in the temple that had once been filled with priestesses who served the deity you once were. A shell of who you used to be reflected back in the still water. What was the Goddess of Love with a broken heart? Cold and empty like this temple.

Your thoughts darkened and shadows crept along the walls before you took a deep breath. It had been a few decades since you had some fresh air, maybe it was for the best to get out. “Fine. One night.”

Dio grinned and swept an arm around your waist before leading you to the door. The sunlight hit your face and you cursed Apollo until your eyes adjusted to the brightness. The drunken god took one look at the white robe you wore, a silver sash tied at the waist, and tutted.

“I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this won’t do.”

“Any other insults?” you dared as you cast a hand over yourself, the white cotton bleeding to a deep red leather skin that hugged your body and accentuated your assets. A black corset snapped at the contours of your waist and pressed your breasts up, the armour unnecessary but as familiar as breathing. The others may have forgotten the great war but your heart remembered the loss and you swore you would not leave yourself vulnerable again.

He let out a low whistle and shook his head.

“Oh, one more thing.” Your bow and quiver snapped into place across your back and drew a groan from Dio. “What?” Your eyes darted to the chalice that was forever held in his left hand. “You have your attachments, I have mine.”

He held his cupped hand up, wine sloshing over the rim, and pointed a finger at you. “Firstly, this is a curse - not a choice. And secondly, this is useful to drink out of.”

“Maybe you should have been more careful where you stuck your dick.”

“I didn’t know the nymph was one of Zeus’ favourites, obviously,” Dio grumbled before setting off down the path that would lead to the mortal realm.

–

Las Vegas, Mortal Realm, 2023 PIW (Post-Immortal-Wars)

You already knew the party would be a large one, but this was big even by Dionysus’ standards. Thousands of people imbibed in the free flowing alcohol and danced under strobe lights in Sin City, his favourite playground. Dio sent a mischievous wink before he touched the champagne tower and his power imbued with the liquor to increase the effect and ensure everyone was on the same level as him.

“Drink, Love,” he ordered as he tipped the rim of his glass to your lips. Sweet wine warmed your throat as much as his power did and you drank it down knowing that for at least a few minutes your cares would be diminished - but they always came back too soon. “Now dance.”

Your hips swayed and your hands found themselves moving above your head as the lights mesmerised you. Human scents came and went as they moved around you, their pheromones calling to your power as they found lovers, if only for the night. One particular scent caught your attention and you followed it to find Dio talking to the human. He had been god touched and the mark glowed on his brow - not that the mortals could see it.

“Love, this is the man of the hour,” Dio gushed, casting a hand to the party as if it were all for him. “Max here won the race.”

You didn’t know what race he was referring to, nor did you care. “Of course he did,” you stated dryly. Max was Nike’s champion and Nike was the Goddess of Victory in everything except what mattered. “Congratulations.”

You grabbed Dio’s hand and drank your fill from his cursed chalice in the hopes it would douse the fire that ignited in your veins. If Nike had fought alongside you in the war instead of wasting her time with her Olympians and their silly sports then maybe Károlos would have survived. Maybe you would do more than just survive eternity alone.

“Sorry, she doesn’t get out much,” Dio joked, clapping the victor on the arm. “Drink, my friend. The night is young and life is short.”

You slipped away into the sea of bodies, drifting through until a cool breeze called from the balcony and you escaped to the quiet. Your breath exhaled with a heaviness only an immortal could carry and a chuckle startled you.

“Fuck, not another one. Can’t I have one moment of peace?” you groaned as his scent found you before the handsome man stepped out of the shadows of the corner he had been hiding in.

“Sorry,” he apologised. “This was my hiding place first.”

The mark of the Adonis glowed beneath the dark hair that fell over his forehead and you internally scoffed at the god’s vanity. The man standing before you would have been stuck down if he showed his face in Olympus, he was far too good looking it would be considered an offence to the petty gods. And those eyes, green eyes just like...You had to look away before you could finish that thought.

“What do you have to hide from?” you asked, leaning against the rail as you watched fireworks explode among the stars. “You’re a champion.”

“You must have me confused with someone else,” he laughed bitterly.

“I know a champion when I see one.” You felt Dionysus breeze onto the balcony before you heard his drunken laugh behind you, the bitter smell of blackthorn root on his breath from the drug he had smoked.

“Love, eternal Love, I found you,” he slurred as hugged your back, the feathered fletches from the quiver of arrows irritating him. “Must you wear these prickly things?”

Before you could stop him, he ripped an arrow out, the sharpened point catching the side of your neck. A hiss of pain escaped your lips as blood trickled down your throat and the power that kept the weapons hidden from mortal sight broke with the bead of blood on the tip.

Adonis’ champion gasped as his mind raced to piece together what he was seeing. A woman bleeding and a man holding the weapon. His eyes narrowed and he leapt at Dio, trying to wretch the bloodied arrow from him before he could attack you again. You could have laughed at how futile the attempt was for a mortal to attack a god but said god was higher than Zeus’ perch in his palace and rotten drunk off his wine.

The fates must have been laughing their asses off as the mortal and god collided, both tumbling to the floor before the mortal screamed in pain.

A hand reached into your chest, at least that was how it felt when the fire exploded inside you. “No, no, no, no,” you cried as Dio fell away from the mortal and you saw the arrow buried in the champion's chest. “What have you done?”

The fire faded as the bond snapped into place and you hated how you suddenly feared for the mortal. That fear had you rushing to his side and falling to your knees as Dio stared at his hands. “I, I didn’t mean to,” he stammered.

Even the mortals knew the power those arrows held, the stories were told throughout the ages of how just a nick from one could make strangers, enemies even, fall for each other in an instant. The greatest weapon of all was love and it had the power to destroy even the immortals. And Dio had just stabbed the mortal with one, coated in your blood. Blood that bonded.

You gripped the shaft and tugged the arrow out of his chest before slamming your hand over the wound and pouring your energy into it, sealing it closed. He reached for your hand that was slick with his blood and you let him hold it, unable to fight the love that came from your own power.

“You’ll be okay,” you promised him before narrowing your eyes at Dio. “You, not so much.”

“It was an accident, I swear, it was like I couldn’t control myself. Charles just jumped-”

Your eyes flared silver as you looked back at the unearthly green shade of his eyes. Same eyes, same name, Adonis’ champion. You had foolishly thought Adonis had chosen the mortal for his beauty, but if the mortal was reincarnated then he would also bear the mark on his brow.

“Károlos,” you whispered as a feeling of rightness settled across the universe.

Charles frowned at the name but understood the tenderness in the tone, such a sweet sound. His chest no longer burned and smooth skin met his palm as he felt for the wound that had healed, but the blood on his shirt was proof he had not imagined it all.

“Who are you?” he asked as he rose to his feet, tasting his blood on his tongue.

You flinched at the question and looked to the stars. “I go by many names, but you may call me Y/N.”

“You called me Károlos.”

“That was your name the first time you walked the earth,” Adonis said, appearing on the balcony in a flash of light. “Károlos, Karlaz, Carl, Charles - it’s always the same. A hundred lifetimes lived, always searching, always waiting. All for this moment.”

When Károlos had been killed you had stormed to the Underworld ready to bargain with Hades, but he had said Károlos wasn’t in the Elysian Fields. You hadn’t believed him in your anger. All this time, Adonis had kept his soul safe.

You reached behind to your quiver and drew an arrow, grabbing your bow and notching it. “You had two thousand years to tell me he was alive.”

Adonis held his hands up, shifting closer to Dio ready to sacrifice him as a shield. “You think the fates would let me tell you! I did what I could but you were happy to grovel alone in your temple.”

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” Charles asked, wondering why no one had come to see what was going on, except when he looked at the party everyone was frozen like the time had come to a stop.

“I was grieving! And now I will have to mourn him anew, because he’s fucking mortal!”

Adonis grinned and you debated releasing the arrow. “Are you sure about that? Is that not your blood that runs in his veins now? I can smell it on him.”

You paused. Your blood had been on the arrow, immortal blood. You and Charles had gravitated to each other without realising it and you inhaled as you leaned a little closer. There was still a hint of that fresh mortal scent but it was an undercurrent to the aether that grew stronger with each breath.

“What the fuck is going on?” Charles snapped as you dissected him with your eyes like an experiment. “And why is no one else moving?”

You unnotched the arrow and waved the feathered end at Adonis. “We are going to have words about this later.” The beautiful god nodded before disappearing in a flash of light.

“So I'm forgiven, right?” Dio asked with a shy smile. “Told you it would be one to remember.”

You held a hand up to silence him and looked at Charles. “I don’t know how to answer your questions without making more. It might be easier if I show you.”

He accepted your hand without hesitation and you wondered how much of that was the force of the bond or because on some unconscious level his soul recognised yours. Either way, you smiled at the warmth between your skin before leaving the mortal realm behind.

“Where are we going?” he asked as the stars faded with the lights of Sin City.

“Home.”

–

For Reference: Dionysus - God of Wine and Pleasure Nike - Goddess of Victory Adonis - God of Beauty, Desire and Rebirth Károlos - (Old derivative for Charles) A warrior who was fated to be your soulmate before being killed protecting you in the Immortal Wars. Reincarnated as Charles Leclerc by Adonis. Olympus - Immortal Realm

Click here for part two.

#greek god au #charles leclerc fanfic #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #formula 1 fanfic #formula one imagine

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aaroleswapau · 11 months ago

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🌻🎭 long time no swap au .... (thanks for the peeps who sent doodle requests! :0])

what can i say, the people love maya!!!!!!! (very flattered actually shes one of my fave designs i did lol)

and also, thank you all for the very nice words omgg 😭💖💖 i know it's been a while since i've drawn or talked about this au (or used this sideblog in general asksk) but i am always very grateful that you all still enjoy it pftt <33 🥹🥹🫶🫶🫶

i've gotten a LOT of asks since the last time i posted here which:

AHHH!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹 warms my heart to know that people are interested still ...

AH FUCK I HAVENT ANSWERED ANY OF THEM YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i did gain like, new interests LOL as is evident in my main, so i gotta admit that the brainrot isn't as strong as it used to be! 😔

dw, ill get to answering em, they're in my drafts. i was just waiting for a time that the doodles i drew for the answers would get polished and, well. i just .. hafta get less busy first 😭😭

im gonna drop the latest swap!franziska lore one of these days DFGHD i finally made like a new design for her months ago, just didn't have any polished drawings to show for it but oh well

thanks again for sticking by :'^] i'll revive this sideblog once the brainrot kicks in again asksks <3333333

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nonsensology · 1 year ago

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So I've had these Grunkle Stan crackships on my mind for almost a year now. Could be interpreted as platonic, but I think there's great and fascinating potential if interpreted fully romantic. Full musings and explanations below (Warning: very disjointed and random).

Uncle Chan from Jackie Chan Adventures

Maybe Ford and Stan stumble across the Chans on one of their globe-trotting adventures. Both groups fight off the same supernatural threat and surprise each other with their ease and familiarity with the weird and fantastical.

I feel Uncle is kind of a weird in-between of Ford and Stan. He is knowledgeable but not a nerd like Ford, is generally cranky but doesn't get into trouble like Stan does, although he does have a level of disregard towards authority if it gets in the way of his goals. He's quick to do research instead of impulsively charging into a situation.

I think Uncle's dynamic with Stan would be hilarious. They would argue a lot on how to deal with a threat, but once they agree to work together, they could kick ass. Once he gets past his initial annoyance, Stan would probably enjoy Uncle's quips, even more so when he realizes that Uncle does not say them to be funny, he's just naturally snarky.

Uncle is never shown having any romantic interest or relationships, so I kind of headcanon him as ace, but I think it would be really interesting to see what kind of queerplatonic relationship he and Stan could form.

Jade and Mabel would probably hit it off immediately, and while Jade isn't as studious as Dipper, she also has an enthusiasm for the supernatural so she'd probably get along decently with him. She'd also probably think Stan and Ford are super cool, especially considering their lax attitude toward giving children weapons. Though they do still take the kids' safety very seriously.

Jackie is doubtful of Stan, much like he was with Viper, but seeing Stan look out for the kids would probably endear him a little. Ford might also help ease his worries, and maybe they both could have fun discussion about archeology.

I think Tohru and Soos could get along decently, though Tohru would find Soos' eccentric musings odd at first.

Additionally, Uncle's shop is in San Francisco, practically next door to Dipper and Mabel in Piedmont. The kids would easily visit each other every weekend.

Bruno Madrigal from Encanto

Stan has been to prison in Colombia, so I don't think he'd willingly travel there for fun, and Encanto Valley seems relatively closed off from the rest of the world, so I imagine their meeting is accidental, maybe a result of the Stans getting caught in a storm or something. They stay for a while in the valley while repairing their boat.

Stan might initially be outraged at the idea of the Madrigals not charging anyone for the use of their gifts, but perhaps lightens up when he sees how close-knit the community is. He'd still come up with ways they could show off their powers Mystery Shack style, probably butting heads with Alma in the process, lol. He might encourage Bruno to adapt a more showman-like approach to his seer abilities to make it more presentable and less intimidating.

Bruno and Stan connecting over their shared feelings of isolation from family is definitely what drew me to these two together in the first place. If they ever got serious about their relationship, I can imagine the biggest hurdle would be deciding if they should continue a long-distance relationship, since neither is keen on asking the other to be separated from their family.

Yuuko Ichihara from xxxHolic and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle

Major spoiler alerts for both series. It's been many years since I've read them, and Tsubasa had so many plot twists that even CLAMP (the writers) admitted they were confused by the end result. I also might be misremembering some details, so bear with me. Factoring in the plotlines for both series and Gravity Falls would make for an incredible AU fanfic that I unfortunately am not qualified to write.

Due to Yuuko's shop being in Tokyo, a whole ocean away from Oregon, I like to imagine some timey-wimey space mumbo jumbo allowing Yuuko and Stan to meet in the dream realm. Maybe at some point, Yuuko's shop would obtain a door connecting it to the Mystery Shack.

Stan and Yuuko both have a mischievous side, though Yuuko is generally more reserved. They could start out as drinking buddies, though I imagine Stan would probably favor a light beer, while Yuuko loves sake.

They also both use aliases (it is never revealed what Yuuko's real name is), but Yuuko would likely be upfront about it. As their relationship progresses, Stan would probably feel comfortable telling Yuuko his real first name, even after she tells him the supernatural dangers of giving your real name.

While Stan scams his customers, he generally sells harmless entertainment and trinkets, whereas Yuuko grants wishes and operates strictly on an equivalent exchange basis. To quote the wiki, "All of Yuuko's customers must pay a price in order to grant their wishes, which can be no more or no less than the one demanded, or else harm will come to one's way. She is not one to tell the customer the most direct way to solve their problems because in the end, it can only be solved with that person's own realization and resolution to change themselves... Her abilities are not unlimited and may almost seem like a curse as it appears that she is unable to do anything for anyone or grant any gift (other than feelings) without it becoming a binding transaction."

When Stan finds out just how powerful Yuuko is, I think he might react with a mixture of hesitation and awe, especially when she reveals she knows about his past, and Ford being lost in the multiverse. I am on the fence on whether Yuuko would use her powers to bring Ford home sooner, or let Stan continue working on the portal because he's already close to completing it and this would be significant in defeating Bill.

I found that the main villain of Tsubasa, Fei Wang Reed, surprisingly parallels Stan. Both endanger reality to bring back someone who is lost, but while Stan does it out of love and devotion to his family, Fei Wang Reed only did it in an arrogant plan to prove himself a powerful sorcerer. And in Fei's case, the person is already dead. CLAMP's universe establishes that the dead cannot be brought back to life, and Fei's wish to do so would cause the universe to be destroyed. I wonder if Bill would factor Fei as part of his plans.

Stan also surprisingly shares a lot in common with Fai D Fluorite. Both use their twin's name (Fai's real name is Yuui), and for much of the series Fai's tragic backstory regarding his twin is unknown, and he hides his trauma under a laid back exterior. I think Stan would empathize a lot with Fai, after he finds out his backstory.

Kimihiro Watanuki is revealed to have been created to fill a void left by Syaoran after the latter wished to turn back time. I remember Watanuki's character arc involved realizing that people cared about him. "Don't disappear", "Continue existing". Stan would probably take Watanuki under his wing, much like he did with Soos. Watanuki might find life with the Pines family far more chaotic than he's used to, but slowly warm up.

Yuuko is revealed to have died a long time ago and has basically been in magical stasis due to Clow Reed's unintentional wish. When time finally moves forward again, Yuuko eventually passes on. She doesn't return in the canon series, but Watanuki is stated to have also suspended his time to wait for her return. In this AU, maybe she reincarnates in the past and reunites with Stan and the Pines in the present day.

#gravity falls #grunkle stan #stanley pines #stan pines #uncle chan #jackie chan adventures #bruno madrigal #encanto #yuuko ichihara #xxxholic #tsubasa reservoir chronicle

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peachhcs · 6 months ago

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For celly propt 17 for Will and Sammy

Where it’s summer and Sammy need help with her dress and will help her but Sammy also helps Will with his tie when they are going to a fancy dinner over the summer

admiring her

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will blurb)

will can't help but admire his girlfriend while she ties his tie for him

0.5k words

warnings: lowkey will being a slight perv but like in a cutie way. a bit suggestive, but not really. will's just admiring his girlfriend and feeling lucky lol

hey guys i’ve been somehow extremely busy lately so i’m posting this i wrote up a few weeks ago that’s been in my drafts. i promise i will write my requests so soon!!! they do not go unnoticed and i love all the send ins!! this is extremely blurby, but i wasn't quite sure what else to add to it. hope u like it though!! thanks for the request :)

700 celly masterlist | au masterlist

“hey will, can you come in here for a second?” samy called from where she stood in her bathroom knowing her boyfriend was on the other side of the door. the blonde poked his head into the sight of samy holding her dress up with the zipper undone exposing her entire back.

“hi, sorry. can you zip me up? i can’t reach the zipper,” she smiled, oblivious to the stare will had on her.

his gaze shamelessly lifted over her entire body head to toe before licking his bottom lip. he shuffled forward with delicate fingers as they clasped around the zipper and one hand on samy’s hip. the blonde drew up the metal as if the dress was going to fall apart under his touch. once he reached the top, his fingers drew lightly across the rest of samy’s back that wasn’t covered by the satin cloth.

his touch left shivers in its wake. “you look so beautiful,” will hummed, leaning down to press his lips to samy’s shoulder.

“thank you. you look handsome,” the brunette spun around, her eyes falling over her boyfriend’s half buttoned shirt and tie draped loosely around his neck. her hands ran over his muscular arms, squeezing on the way down. her touch left the hockey player a blushing mess.

“need help?” she tugged on his tie.

“maybe,” will teased.

of course he knew how to do it, he just liked it better when samy was the one standing in front of him tying his tie for him because he had more time to admire her up close when she wasn’t paying attention.

the girl began working her magic. she buttoned up the rest of will’s shirt before she dealt with his tie. she wasn’t even touching his skin, yet any contact she made had the blonde’s head spinning in circles. even after 19 years of friendship and a year of love. will’s gaze trailed over her face again, enjoying the way it scrunched up into focus when she worked on his tie. her eyebrows became set and her tongue poked out of one side of her mouth which was a little concentration habit she’s had since they were kids.

his eyes wandered a bit lower in places where he shouldn’t be looking, but definitely was because he could. not that he looked at her cleavage every single time, he took his height as an advantage to peak every so often when she was in a dress like the one that currently hugged every right place. he just couldn’t help himself. not when his girlfriend looked this good and he was the only one who got to see her in ways no one else could.

“okay, you should be good,” samy patted will’s chest as she did her finishing touches. his smile grew while his one hand still on her hip pulled her a bit closer.

“thanks, pretty girl. i love you.”

“i love you too, will. thank you for planning this date,” summer let the couple make up for every date they missed out on during the school year and will was determined to go all out because samy deserved nothing less.

“of course. we’ll leave in 5?” samy nodded, telling him she needed a few more minutes to touch up the last of her makeup.

she broke away from his grasp to spin back to the mirror. will lingered in the bathroom for a few more seconds taking one last glance, a smile painting his lips because how did he get so lucky?

#will smith hockey #hughes!sister x will smith au #samy x will #boston college #boston college hockey #umich hockey #samy hughes #uofmichigan #will smith imagine #will smith x oc #will smith hockey fluff #bc eagles #bc hockey #san jose sharks #peachhcs 700 celly!#umich wolverines

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imfoive · 2 months ago

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Crystal Bird - Chapter 7

Crown Prince! Chan x Princess (fem.) Genre: Royal au! Angst, Romance, Historical, hidden identity, slow-burn Warnings: mentions of drinking, war, epileptic episodes, death, somewhat proofread WC: 6.4k A/N: Finally the princess and her warrior prince has returned! (I hated the direction I took this story in and had to scrap it all. Hopefully my decision was a good one lol) Feedback, Reblogs, Likes are greatly appreciated! Happy reading! ── MASTERLIST

Synopsis: The Crown Prince is saved by the Princess of a rival kingdom, and he swears his second life to his savior. A forbidden friendship no one knew of, grows deeper with every secret meeting. As the two are kept apart, memories of their sunset playdates by the serene river, begin blossoming into something beautiful. Cheeks blushed, stomach butterflies fluttered at the thought of each other. Years of yearning and imagining had only made them crave a sweeter reunion. And finally meeting at a Royal banquet, he could only stare at the now grown Princess, taken by her beauty, while she only watches as he gives his heart to the wrong princess.

Missed a chapter? - Prologue / Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6

CHAPTER 7 ───────────────────

In the dark of the night, Nightshade Kingdom’s second prince, Felix rushed through the castle gates, his grip tight on the reins of his horse, a furrowed expression on his face that spoke of the urgent news he had.

It was with this urgency that the Solar Warrior entered the King’s palace. And upon seeing his face, both King Bahng and Captain Elliot, who happened to be in the King’s study, knew exactly what kind of news he had.

The silence in the room was deafening almost.

The burly king tapped on his desk, processing Felix’s words. He suspected that something was amiss. From the moment he received that invite from Elysium, he knew.

“I’ve seen it myself. They’re getting into position.” Felix stated, emphasizing the weight of his earlier announcement.

Prince Felix had gone to inspect the warrior band stationed at the border, a routine task he performed as second-in-command of the Solar Warriors. But this time was different. As he peered over the wall, even in the darkness, the flickering light of the fire stakes allowed the sharp-eyed second prince to get a glimpse of a troubling sight.

The Elysium Knights on their territory had grown in numbers. Not just by a few, but nearly doubled. Something he had never witnessed in his year of making rounds for inspection. A chill had crept down his spine, masked under a composed expression he portrayed to not worry the warriors who stood guard.

But inside he was drowning in a sudden anxiousness.

There was no way. He thought as he rushed back.

Yet deep down, those unsettling feelings continued to grow, pushing him to urge his horse to run faster.

“Do you think Prince Christopher managed to uncover something?” Captain Elliot’s voice broke the tense silence as he glanced between his son and his king.

“We have not gotten any word or sign at all since he had made his journey.” Felix responded grimly.

The atmosphere grew heavier as King Bahng pondered his next move. It was clear, perhaps even from the beginning, Elysium planned to shatter their peace alliance. That much they had known. However, the motives behind their ruse remained a mystery. Though, King Bhang wouldn’t put it past that sneaky Elysium King to make such movements out of pure greed alone.

The former Elysium King had also been a similar character from what King Bahng recalled, memories from his own time as Nightshade Crown Prince drew the connection.

But now, the tensions the King had once witnessed as a young prince, had returned, this time nearing an impending breaking point.

Perhaps it would finally shatter the hostility and make the majestic Grand Forest a battleground.

On top of it all, Nightshade had to remain cautious, in order to not alert anyone that they caught wind of certain schemes. That they planned to retaliate as soon as a thread snaps. Especially with the Nightshade Crown Prince currently in enemy territory.

“Send word to Commander Seo.” King Bahng finally declared, then turned to Felix.

“Dispatch the remaining Midnight Warriors from The Crown Prince’s brigade to the border. Instruct them to stay vigilant. Their leader will send them a signal.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Felix replied, bowing before exiting swiftly.

The door creaked as it closed, leaving the older men in the silent study. The burning firewood crackled loudly in the tense atmosphere. Elliot looked at his brother, the somber expression on his face made it clear that he wasn’t just worried about The Nightshade Kingdom, or war breaking out. But he was worried for his son. The father suddenly regretted willingly sending the prince to that godforsaken serpent land.

“Prince Christopher is resilient. Do you recall what Commander Seo had said before? The next Nightshade ruler is a vicious warrior. Do not worry my King, he will be able to defend himself.” Elliot assured, sensing the king’s unspoken fears.

“You know I cannot truly be at ease until he is back on Nightshade soil.” King Bahng muttered, sighing as he leaned back in his seat.

And Captain Elliot remained silent, knowing exactly what this father was feeling.

But they were also aware of exactly what Prince Christopher was capable of, from everything they’ve heard from the tough Nightshade Commander, who was perhaps the most ruthless fighter the King had known.

Prince Christopher was a vicious warrior.

A true warrior.

A competent future king, that had a sharp intuition, even sharper battle skills. He thought before making hasty decisions, watching, observing. Sure, he had a mischievous side, a playful persona that was perhaps his true nature. Or perhaps a mask he donned to throw off those wary of him.

Commander Seo had said it once.

“The Prince seems to hold grudges.”

That statement rang true, as certain as the white snow blanketing the North.

A grudge against his father, who questioned his readiness to think like a Crown Prince. Who sent him off to build character.

A grudge against his teacher, who doubted his skills to wield a sword, shoot an arrow. Skills to survive on the battleground.

A grudge against himself, for being weak.

In just a year after he arrived in the White Mountains, Prince Christopher had transformed, driven by these petty grievances.

Chris was a fierce warrior, one that had quickly gained a reputation amongst the warrior trainees, catching the eyes of the local residents with his intense presence even when he simply just stood and watched.

And it was with these calculated observations, that the fierce and keen eyed prince was able to select an even fiercer captain for his Midnight Band.

Minho was the most stealthy amongst the warriors that trained to be a part of the Midnight brigade. Minho easily caught the Nightshade Prince’s eye, his skills to spot the smallest of details amongst the shadows of the night, were things Christopher knew he wanted in his shadow leader.

And with these same skills, the Midnight leader had caught the sight of the Sylvancrest Prince during the late hours, when everyone returned from the royal dinner, tired, dazed, and perhaps a little drunk. When no one would have suspected anything to happen in the wake of the night. The foreign prince was escorted to meet the Elysium King in what seemed a suspicious act, prompting the Midnight Warrior to dash through the shadows with the news.

Of course upon his entrance, he found the Prince’s room to be empty.

Minho had sensed something from the moment Prince Christopher jumped out of the carriage to wander the mysterious Grand Forest. He realized that his prince had deeper ties to Elysium than he let on.

The jewel that hung around Christopher’s neck hinted at those ties, leading Minho to make easy conclusions.

The shadow warrior felt torn between duty and loyalty.

Part of him wondered if he should involve himself in whatever game of hide-and-seek his prince, Han and the second princess, seemed to play. Meeting coincidentally in secluded areas. In odd hours of the night.

But another part reminded him that his primary duty was to follow Prince Christopher’s orders, uncovering any threats Elysium posed to Nightshade. He needed to be his prince’s eyes, his shadow. Nothing else.

Yet, he couldn’t shake the memories of those nights when Christopher had tended to his aching muscles, nursing cuts and scrapes from their endless hours on the training grounds. The North was cold, but that didn’t stop the sweating prince from pushing himself. Minho recalled the way Christopher clutched the blue bird, the jewel that always seemed to glimmer.

The same crystal bird that the Midnight Captain now connected to Princess Y/N.

Minho had always been skilled at catching the smallest of details, though his prince didn’t do a great job at masking his lingering gazes.

However, did he truly wish to see his master trail behind the enemy princess?

──────────────────────── The fourth prince of Sylvancrest has never been greed driven.

Perhaps it was this greed-lessness that attracted the Elysium King’s attention. Hyunjin wasn’t seen as a threat it seemed. For the king to lay out such schemes, bare for this foreign prince to see, to recruit, was a conclusion one could easily come to after some thought.

Hyunjin was never going to be a threat.

He was a polite man.

But he wasn’t stupid.

He knew exactly why the Elysium King had come to him, and not the Nightshade Crown Prince whose very presence was an enigma in itself. Rivalries aside, it was clear the future ruler of the Nightshade realm was not one who would easily sway. He was sharp, he was competent and would make a proper king.

While Hyunjin, a prince not in line for the throne, hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the harsh lessons his older brother endured.

For the Elysium King, greedy by nature, he was a perfect recruit. Hyunjin could easily become a ruler with foreign aid from a bigger, stronger nation.

A proper Puppet-king.

One that could easily be controlled however way his strings were pulled. Pressed under the thumb of Elysium, while he would proudly bask in the seat of the Sylvancrest King.

Such ridiculousness.

Still, he recalled the conversation he had with the king of this land the night prior. The greedy ruler’s words swirling through his mind.

He didn’t realize he’d be in such a predicament, where he was actually thinking about the utter nonsense of betraying his nation, his family, his brother. For some power that seemed like a headache in itself.

Clearly, the King doesn’t realize that not all royals are out to get each other. In fact, Hyunjin and his older brothers live in harmony. Perhaps that is why the fourth prince is so calm and polite. He’s never had to be wary of his own siblings. A notion that was clearly uncommon here amongst the Elysium royals.

Once again. Hyunjin wasn’t stupid.

There were whispers of an incident that had occurred during a show of archery skills. One that resulted in an accident involving the second princess. Whispers that had reached Emerald Hall. Had reached Hyunjin’s ears.

It wasn’t his place, but he caught glimpses of Princess Y/N knit her brows, holding back discomfort as she slowly adjusted the weight on her left arm during yesterday’s dinner.

It wasn’t his place, but he saw her stagger, hand pressed against the wall for support as she hissed silently in pain, assuming she had been alone.

Prince Hyunjin had planned on escorting her back to her quarters, maybe even help her soothe whatever was painfully hurting her, while he was at it.

Ever since she had welcomed Hyunjin into the palace, the second princess has been nothing but polite to him. Sharing smiles and stories, respectful of his slightly lower status. Maybe she understood him, being a princess from the King’s mistress. Though even that shouldn’t have mattered anyway.

She had been a friend. One he truly wished only the best for.

So he had been lost in his thoughts. The words of the Elysium King’s once again ringing in his mind.

Words spoken by Princess Y/N’s father.

“If you do end up taking my advice and usurping the Sylvnacrest throne, perhaps we can offer you an Elysium Princess to take the seat of your consort. Becoming allies that support one another through marriage... Of course, that’s if you have the desire to become a true ruler.”

He recalled those words, serpent-like. Tempting.

Words that sent a shiver down his spine.

But in the back of his mind, Hyunjin suddenly remembered Prince’s Christoper’s…warning.

The Warrior Crown Prince had been right in his observations of the sly king’s greed. Surely it wouldn’t take him long to figure out the true reasons behind such friendly hospitality for his nation, which the Elysium society had no fondness for.

Hyunjin’s gaze faltered, trailing after the figure moving gracefully down the aisle of books.

The sight of Princess Y/N, her fingers pulling out titles that caught her eyes, caused him to narrow his brows.

Amidst the heap of books about trade and the Sylvancrest seaports the second princess could find, he couldn’t help but suddenly ponder.

He could tell the second princess was ambitious.

She was curious, seeking out answers to whatever questions lingered on her mind. In the span of his entire stay, Hyunjin had plenty of discussions with her, ones that didn’t make him feel tense or rigid. The comfortable kind of conversations where he could easily voice out thoughts without thinking twice, three times.

Princess Y/N was a commendable Princess. One who would truly make a great Queen.

“Are you excited for Prince Ian’s wedding?” Hyunjin asked, softening his lips into a gentle smile as he watched her gaze pull away from the book in her grasp.

Y/N sat up in her seat, her expression thoughtful. She didn’t have any particular feelings in regards to Prince Ian, let alone his wedding, which was finally about to happen. An event that would mark the end of all the whirlwind of activity and responsibilities she had been caught up in

After the wedding, she could return to her quieter days of lessons and tea with Sienna. Maybe even back to being the forgotten princess no one really sought.

Y/N’s eyes flickered to Hyunjin, who awaited her response with that gentle expression that he had whenever he spoke to her.

The founding day festivities following Ian’s wedding ceremony would conclude Elysium’s celebrations.

The end.

This meant Hyunjin will return to Sylvancrest soon after.

It also meant Prince Christopher would go back to Nightshade.

Once again, she wouldn’t have the chance to say goodbye to her childhood friend.

This time, it was going to be all her fault.

Y/N thought back to the night prior. Finger’s instinctively grazing at the dress’ fabric on her shoulder which no longer pained. Not as much as the excruciating feeling she was bearing the previous evening.

This morning, Anna had watched her closely, eyeing the green salve Y/N had instructed her to apply to the wound. The swelling had reduced and the flesh less red, just as she’d been told it would. But as Anna treated her, all Y/N could think of was Chan.

Chan and his gentle touch, the way his eyes had focused on her as his fingers brushed against her skin.

Chan and his smile. The glint in his gaze as he broke into a dimpled laughter.

Hyunjin’s soft laugh pulled her back to the present, to their quiet corner of the royal library.

“I didn’t realize my question required such critical thinking.” He chuckled.

Y/N felt flustered, mentally chiding herself for letting her mind wander, thinking about another, but she quickly regained her composure.

“I wouldn’t say excited perse. There’s lots to do in preparations for the wedding and all the celebrations that come with it.” She voiced almost matter-of-factly.

Hyunjin leaned forward, resting his face in the cup of his propped-up hands.

“Yet here you are, discussing Sylvancrest’s fishing techniques with me.” He let out a small laugh, enjoying her once more flustered reaction.

She set the book down, clearing her throat.

“I found some time—besided, it is one of my duties to ensure our honored guests are entertained.” She attempted to justify, her words only making Hyunjin grin wider.

“Well, I am feeling quite entertained right now.” His eyes sparkled with an emotion Y/N couldn’t quite place.

“Y-you have that hunting excursion with Prince Ian and the other young lords don’t you?” Y/N stammered under Hyunjin’s soft but intense gaze.

The Sylvancrest prince sighed, dropping his head momentarily, a twinge frustrated.

“I doubt that will truly keep me entertained. I’ve never been keen on hunting for sport.” He leaned back, a hint of disappointment in his expression.

“Perhaps I’ll just follow Prince Christopher’s lead. He looks like he’s quite skilled with the bow.”

His gaze wandered to her shoulder, the one that had apparently been wounded with an arrow. Yet, she sat here perfectly fine, no discomfort in her expression. No stagger in her walk.

“I’m sure you will do just fine.” Y/N replied casually, glancing back at the book she had set aside.

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“Do I look like someone who has good archery skills?” He suddenly asked, watching her gaze falter once more from the book.

Her eyes trailed over him, a sudden intensity in her gaze as she observed him

“I think you’re more skilled with a sword. But who knows if that’s true, besides yourself and your guard.” She glanced toward the library doors, behind which Seungmin stood waiting.

An answer that made Hyunjin break into another chuckle.

While they enjoyed their carefree conversation in the library, the atmosphere in Ruby Hall was anything but relaxed.

Well, it was seemingly relaxed, but turmoil churned within Prince Christopher.

The Nightshade Prince had not gotten any sleep.

Clear indications from the slight bags under his eyes, a haze in his gaze.

He sat there, supposedly enjoying afternoon tea, yet he was trapped in his thoughts. A dazed expression that the maids at his service couldn’t quite decipher, on edge from the darkness in his eyes. A sight that made Han stare with a new concern.

“Shall we extend an invitation to Princess Sienna to join you for lunch?” Han suggested, making Chris look up, breaking free from his clouded thoughts.

Another burden added to whatever was pricking at him. The mention of his childhood friend made his heart clench, feeling a sense of guilt washing over him. Even if he truly hadn’t done anything wrong.

“No, perhaps we should cut back on meeting her too frequently.” He refused, glancing towards the Ruby Hall attendants that surrounded them.

It was an answer that made Han blink back, a little surprised as he wondered since when his prince cared so much about what these foreign attendants thought.

Although it wasn’t entirely the reason behind his refusal, it was a true reflection. Chris had been sharing afternoon tea, lunch, much too often with Sienna. Granted, it’s only been three or so days of such activity, but that was still a lot according to etiquette. While Sienna seemed oblivious to the wary looks and glances of the people in the entourage that trailed behind her, the Warrior Prince knew that amongst them were a few that made frequent visits to their Queen’s court, according to Minho. Reporting, keeping an eye on him.

He remembered the news he got from the Midnight Captain this morning.

The news about Prince Hyunjin being escorted into the King’s palace late in the night, something he would have found out earlier if he wasn’t busy frolicking around these foreign grounds in search of a hurt bunny.

He suddenly shuddered at the thought of Princess Y/N.

The thought of his dream.

The press of his lips against hers, an imaginary moment that had ignited his entire being.

Chris picked up his tea, the still-cooling liquid burning his throat as he gulped it down. Han stared at him, stunned by the surprising action, while Chris tried to rid his mind of such nonsensical thoughts.

“W-we should invite Prince Hyunjin, maybe for a friendly chat?” Chris cleared his throat, glancing up at the standing warrior guard, who recovered from his stunnedness.

“Ah, I heard he’s visiting the royal library with Princess Y/N... I wonder if she’s feeling better now.” Han’s words are casual, trailing off as he speaks more to himself than to his prince.

His prince, who stiffened in his seat at both the mention of her name, and the slight jealousy that suddenly crept into his heart, jaw tightening, fingers gripping around the ceramic tea cup.

A reaction that did not escape the personal guard. Confirming certain suspicions that arose in his mind the night prior.

Y/N did not expect the cold shoulder.

Sure, before yesterday, no, prior to last night even, the Warrior Prince had only shot her glares, his words straight-forward. Not that her stance against him wasn’t any less hostile.

But she had thought he would be different today.

Perhaps softening a little when he spoke to her, maybe even flash her that smile she caught a glimpse of when he teased her.

But there was none of that.

As if he meant nothing by sneaking into her quarters, his skin grazing against her skin with the gentlest of touches she’d never felt until him.

As if he truly went out of his way because he did nothing but pity her. Her injury, her embarrassment.

Tending to a forgotten princess because no one else would.

Prince Christopher gave her a respectful bow, a simple greeting to acknowledge her presence, before turning to Hyunjin, ignoring the confused tinge in her gaze.

Y/N inhaled deeply. A silent act as she stood straight.

“I have a prior engagement to attend. Please enjoy yourselves—and, good luck on your hunting excursion Princes.” Princess Y/N composed herself, dipping down for a curt farewell, her guard trailing behind her.

Hyunjin’s grin remained, gentle on his face, while the Warrior Prince stood brusque. Yet, Chris’ head immediatey turned on its own, eyes drawn to the princess’ retreating figure, as if pulled by the magnet that was her.

He knew she was stunned by his words. Or, his lack of words. The confusion evident in her gaze. But of course he didn’t do anything to correct it.

Because how on earth could he tell her that he was feeling heat on his cheeks? How could he explain that the sour taste in his mouth intensified as he joined Prince Hyunjin and Y/N after their trip to the library, seeing them smiling and standing so close, made him…angry?

“Shall we head inside for a quick chess game before we join Prince Ian?” Hyunjin asked, his smile unwavering, yet eyes gleamed with a new look the Warrior Prince hadn’t seen even after the banquet. Prior to meeting the Elysium King.

Prior to spending all morning with Princess Y/N.

The Second Princess found herself in the presence of Sienna. The two sisters had ventured out into the warm weather for a brisk stroll. Ones that consisted of hushed gossip and reflections of their morning encounters.

Simply, sisters enjoying each other’s company. Yet today, an unspoken tension lingered in the air. Both were lost in their own thoughts, the vibrant colors of the garden around them got no attention.

The younger princess sighed, her mind occupied with the chilling gaze of the Nightshade Prince. His cold stares felt like daggers compared to the gentle gaze in the dimness of her bedchamber.

Meanwhile, The First Princess walked beside her, her expression thoughtful as she wondered about something else.

Or maybe wondered about the same prince and his lingering gazes.

“Do you think Prince Christopher has taken a particular interest in me?”

Sienna’s question was unexpected, startling the day-younger sister, so much that she almost stumbled in her steps.

“Wh-what makes you say that?” Y/N blinked, struggling to grasp the weight of her sister’s words.

Sienna glanced around to ensure their guards were a good distance away before stepping closer to Y/N. She looked at her younger sister with a mix of wonder and curiosity.

“The prince isn’t as cold and brusque with me as he is with everyone else.” She began, recalling the tiny things she had noticed.

“He always sends for me when he wants to have a good conversation. But as soon as someone else, like Lady Ayssa or Prince Ian, joins us, he becomes all rigid and distant. His tone blunt and cold. As if he’s completely different around only me. Surely you have caught sight of it as well. You’ve always noticed such small details.” The first princess recalled, absentmindedly nodding her head.

Y/N’s eyes widened, her surprise evident. She listened as Sienna continued, oblivious to the tight knot forming in her stomach.

“He smiles at me, engages with me more freely—Like those romantic leads in your fairytales.” Sienna compared, giggling and nudging her sister, but the light-hearted moment faded when she saw the downturn of Y/N’s expression.

“Oh, right, I mean love-stories. Not fairytales.” Sienna said, a slight giggle in her words, misunderstanding.

Y/N’s fists tightened, her knuckles white as she gripped her dress. Her sister, oblivious to what was truly bothering her.

“Are you also interested in him...?” The Second Princess managed to squeak out, mind repeating please-say-no over and over again.

Sienna paused, her eyes narrowing in thought. She crossed her arms over her chest and considered the question.

“Prince Christopher is a good-looking fellow. And he might seem like the type who only dotes on his partner, perhaps the type to only search for her amidst a crowd.” She turned to face the second princess.

“But… where’s the thrill in that?” Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint Y/N had never seen before, making the younger sister blink back, slightly stunned.

“I’d rather have someone who lets me do the chasing.” She grinned.

Her face lit up as she continued, her voice higher, a sudden pep in her step.

“An aloof guy, handsome but not flaunting it. Maybe he pretends he doesn’t reciprocate feelings of love, but secretly brings me things he thinks I’d like. Leaving me gifts by the window-sill, notes in passing. Our hands brushing together amidst the clandestine acts, the meetings.” Her eyes twinkled.

“—Oh! Perhaps he protects me from behind, threatening anyone who even looks at me wrong.” She hummed with her laugh.

Her descriptions were straight out of those love stories she teased Y/N about. Giggling as she recalled the similarities.

Then, she stopped mid-stride, the playful smile fading into a sad, contemplative expression almost instantly. As if she had come to a realization.

Back to harsh reality.

“But, that would be quite impossible…” She said softly.

“I’m the First Princess of this nation, after all.”

Y/N inhaled, immediately understanding those exact words. For the first time, she saw a side of The First Princess role she always thought came with nothing but privileges.

“I must marry into another powerful family, perhaps even from another kingdom to strengthen alliances. That is one of the greatest duties for us princesses.”

Sienna’s words were nothing but the truth. Something Y/N had been aware of but never imagined to hear from the first princess. Suddenly she looked so mature, like a true older sister.

────────────────────────

The Warrior Prince was not the greatest fan of board games, let alone have the patience to sit through a game of chess. He was used to the hustle and bustle of the training grounds. The whistle of an arrow cutting through the biting winds, the sound of swords clanking.

Yet he was determined. Jaw clenched as he stared at the black and white pieces laid between himself and Prince Hyunjin on the board.

He wasn’t sure why he felt so competitive suddenly. Maybe he was eager to uncover whatever the pretty prince and the sly Elysium king had discussed the night prior. Or maybe, there was something else that bothered him.

Clawing at the back of his mind, a lingering bitterness. A twinge of envy, a tinge of jealousy.

“To be honest, I’ve never truly liked chess.” Hyunjin’s voice broke Chris’ daze.

A confession that made Han blink, unable to hide the surprise on his face from those words, glancing across to look at Seungmin who stood straight in his spot behind his seated master.

It seemed Han’s thoughts were shared by his prince, Chris sat back in his seat, raising a brow.

If he had truly not been a big chess player, why had he suggested it?

There seemed to be more to his words than he let on, the mysterious glimmer in his eyes unmistakably visible to the warrior prince.

“The black kingdom against the white. A cruel start.” Hyunjin continued, fingers gripping at his white piece from his side.

A pawn. One that he studied for a brief moment before sliding it over the glossy board. Making his first move.

“Chess is nothing but a harmless game, Prince Hyunjin. One that does not begin until someone makes the first move.” Chris countered, following with his own movement of a pawn on the board.

“I’ve always thought of it as something else. A war perhaps?” His eyes glanced momentarily towards the attendants by the tea trolley, preparing refreshments for the foreign princes, before he laughed, masking the intensity of his words.

Chris’ brows narrowed at Hyunjin’s words. At the notion of war. At what he had alluded. His gaze followed the maids, busy with their own work, yet he was sure their ears were perked.

Hyunjin made his next move. The Nightshade Prince followed, mirroring his movement.

There was a sudden tension in the air, the foreign princes engulfed into a silent game, heavily aware of the wary gazes that surrounded them. Chris fell into a deep thought, distracted as he tried to dissect whatever Hyunjin was implying. Fingers deftly moved pieces. The Knight, the Pawns.

The Queen.

His pieces, getting captured one after another.

The Sylvancrest Prince flicked his eyes up every now and then. At every wrong move Prince Christopher made.

Finally he hummed, falling into a deep thought of his own, as he stared at the few pieces left on the board.

This time, Hyunjin picked up a white knight piece, moving it and settling it in its new place on the board, only for it to get captured in Chris’ next turn. He inhaled sharply, shaking his head at his own mistake.

“A game of chess doesn’t begin until someone attacks first. But I believe the game had already begun once you agreed to play.” The Sylvancrest Prince’s words had finally broken a silence that settled between them.

He picked up his pawn, the only pawn left on the board surprisingly.

“You must not be very skilled at chess, seeing as you’ve left such a blatant opening for this guy.” Hyunjin grinned, eyeing the end of the board he could easily place his pawn on and win this game.

Checkmate with pawn promotion. A rare victory for such a small ranked piece.

Chris chuckled, shaking his head at this game, one he hadn’t truly paid much attention to.

“Go ahead. What do you wish to turn this piece into? My chess knowledge may be lacking, but I do know that a pawn can’t be promoted to King, according to the rules.”

There was a flicker of emotion in Hyunjin’s eyes again. The same one Chris had seen before they started playing.

“Rules…” Hyunjin mumbled, moreso to himself.

His eyes glanced at Han, who stood rigid behind, then darted down to settle on the sharp-eyed warrior prince.

“What if this pawn wished to be king…” He glanced back at the leftover black and white pieces littered throughout the board.

At the white King piece still on his side. He hovered the pawn piece over it, as if teasing to knock over his own King.

“Perhaps the pawn could usurp the throne and become a king if he truly wanted. If he was offered something that enticing.” The Sylvancrest Prince picked up the black queen piece that he had captured.

Capturing this piece was the beginning of his opponent’s fall.

“Motivated to do so by a beautiful, capable queen.”

The Nightshade prince relaxed his expression, gaze darting towards the Sylvancrest knight behind Hyunjin, his black queen piece in Hyunjin’s grasp, until he settled back on the pretty prince.

Prince Christopher understood.

What he was saying. What he tried to say through this vague chess talk.

Hyunjin was not talking about this game. It was evident, from his comparisons to the expression on his face.

Far from polite, far from naive.

The Nightshade Crown Prince’s expression hardened, sitting back in his seat once again.

“Then this pawn must decide if he truly wishes to become king. My king still remains on the board.” There was a steely edge to his tone.

A bit cold, a bit warning.

Hyunjin chuckled once more, easing the tension between them.

“It doesn’t matter since at the end of the day it is still a just a pawn.” He muttered, making his final move.

“Checkmate.” He grinned.

This pawn had made a victory.

The chess game had come to an end. But it seemed that the real one had just begun.

The foreign princes had to prepare for their hunting activity with Ian and other noble lords later that afternoon. The Sylvancrest Prince had returned to his quarters with his usual, polite expression. The smile that lingered whenever he conversered with Crown Prince Christopher had returned, as if their alluding talk about a conflict, hadn’t happened.

As if they simply just played a game of chess.

But the Warrior Prince could not keep his expression composed, falling into deep thought as he paced the rose garden on his return back to Ruby Hall, Han trailing behind him.

With Prince Ian’s wedding celebrations coming up, Chris realized he was dealing with a ticking time bomb. Something grand was going to happen, either before or after Ian’s wedding. Perhaps even on the nation’s Founding Day anniversary, which had been pushed back to the day after Ian’s wedding. The Crown Prince and his new Princess Consort were to formally showcase their union through a parade the following day after the ceremony.

Chris was stuck.

He had uncovered tidbits of a scheme pretty quickly. Yet, he still couldn’t quite understand why the Elysium Kingdom had suddenly decided to violate the neutrality their nations kept intact for centuries.

Was it the slow rise and flourish of the Eastern Sea Nation of Sylvancrest? Their steady influence that spread throughout the past decade? Was it that Elysium was confident in making them an ally?

Chris had been in the White Mountains during that time, learning of the foreign nations and their achievements through books and lessons in between his training sessions. Perhaps if he still remained besides his father he would have more knowledge, maybe allowed to get a closer look. But he couldn’t regret any of that now, there was not much time.

Chris continued pacing, almost heading towards the end of his first round of the garden, his loyal guard silently following behind. Allowing him to wrack his brain.

What has changed in the past few years that would push the Elysium Kingdom to march towards their own demise.

Perhaps Elysium underestimated Nightshade, believing they might have a a chance at winning a war through petty tactics. Maybe they could, if they had a hidden weapon they could. That was something Nightshade would just have to find out on the battle ground unfortunately.

But if it was a war, the Warrior Crown Prince was confident. In his nation, in his King.

In himself, the warriors and healers of his realm.

They were known for their defense tactics. Their healing methods and ideologies.

Christopher’s brows narrowed, fixating on the pebbles underneath his feet. Suddenly halting in his steps, which made Han, who trailed behind, stare at him in sudden confusion.

A new thought surfaced in Chris’ mind, and suddenly his brows relaxed, as if he had connected more imaginary pieces of a puzzle he had been trying to fit together since his arrival.

Their healing methods and ideologies.

His eyes darted toward Han, who still awaited for his prince to voice out his thoughts.

The Nightshade realm was lush with forests. It was barren, it was mountainous, it was plainlands.

A vast land that had so many terrains within. A vast land that produced sought after resources. But most sought after, their medicinal herbs and knowledge of how to use them.

Now that Chris thought about it, some three or four decades ago, long before his birth, the discovery of a rare medicinal plant had stirred quite a buzz. This herb was said to have remarkable benefits for those suffering from the epilepsy sickness, a discovery that created a sudden palpable tension between Elysium and Nightshade.

The former Elysium King was desperate to get his hands on the herb, but was too proud to ask Nightshade for such favors, his hatred for the rival nation evident in how closed off he kept Elysium from the Nightshade Kingdom.

But Chris had only read about such things in books, heard about it through tales of his grandfather’s achievements. The previous Elysium king had passed away before hostilities escalated, possibly due to his epileptic episodes, stubbornly. With his death, the tensions between the nations had somewhat faded.

Was it that the current Elysium King was after the same herb?

Surely that couldn’t be a reason.

Such a small thing couldn’t be the reason why a ruler of such a grand nation would stir conflict with an enemy he knew nothing of other than surface level rumors. Besides, it wasn’t the first time the Nightshade healers had made life-changing medical advancements. Every few years there’s a new discovery that allows Nightshade to grow their influences throughout the lands through medicine.

But maybe it was this rare influence that Elysium coveted.

It was a thought, a conclusion for the Elysium King’s sudden madness. Anything could be a clue at this point.

They were all stubborn it seemed. The former king, the current king.

Princess Y/N.

He inhaled, gaze flickering back down to the ground.

“What have you thought of?” Han’s voice broke the silence, the younger man’s gaze narrowed.

“Do you believe they’ll do something funny at the hunt?” Chris mused, contemplating the possibility.

Though it was unlikely, he wouldn’t put it past the Elysium royals.

But the mere thought made Han shudder. An attack on his crown prince disguised as a friendly hunting match.

An ambush.

“Perhaps we avoid it?” Han’s tone was serious.

Instead Chris lets out a soft chuckle, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets.

“Or maybe they’ll poison my tea.” He started walking once again, Han hurrying to catch up.

“Not funny.” The warrior guard muttered, frown etched on his face.

“I doubt they’ll attempt anything at the hunt, such obvious of an act is cowardly. And we’ve seen how proud Ian had been, haven’t we?” Chris shook his head, lingering smile from his chuckle.

“Prince Ian has been bragging about his amazing archery skills. Maybe I can show him how a true warrior shoots an arrow. Without nicking anyone.” Chris’ voice dropped low, and a determined expression settled on his face, causing Han to stand rigid.

He wanted revenge it seemed.

But for what exactly?

For something that did not involve him. For the excrutiation pain from Ian’s arrow that he did not feel.

Han’s gaze fixed on his prince’s back as Chris quickened his pace, a decision clearly made. He was in a rush to return to his quarters and prepare for the hunting game.

The Nightshade Crown Prince had always been one to hold petty grudges.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ to be continued.

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