#friendly suitors AU

[chaotic-starlight24]

Imagine if a group of the suitors were actually nice to Telemachus and Penelope to the fact Telemachus saw them more like fathers than Odysseus

Antinous trains him in fighting throughout his teen years since he knows how badly he wants to fight like his dad

Sometimes groups of them go on outings to give him something to do, like going out into the gardens and sitting around telling stories

Penelope likes that they care for her son and while she isn't interested in remarrying, she's still glad they're there for Telemachus

Antinous being the only suitor who actually listens to Penelope not wanting to remarry so he stays just to help fend off suitors who gets to aggressive or pushy.

Antinous just completely swapping roles and being the most likely a father to Telemachus. To the fact he looks up to him more than Odysseus in a way.

Then the day Odysseus comes home and murders them all, Telemachus can't even look him in the eyes because those were his dads, those were the guys who were there for him. And he just sees Antinous' body lying in the corner and he just breaks down in tears. Odysseus can't even comfort him because who knows what Telemachus might do to him if he touches him.

[more-than-a-princess]

@cantillat asked: ❝ May I have this dance? ❞ handsome non-despair Shirou walks up to Sonia.

PROMPTS FOR LAVISH BALLS, PARTIES, AND SECRETS - Still accepting!

The only place, Sonia thought, that she could hear herself think in the entire grand ballroom was near the terrace windows. Perhaps she could place the blame on two separate points that happened to converge: one, the Novoselic Royal Family's summer soiree (named only for the alliteration) was one of the most desirable invitations to receive outside of the Masquerade Ball. And without the masks, it made it all the more simple to approach the nobles, the CEOs, and the celebrities present for an introduction, to share an idea, or to request a favor. And two, even at night the weather was warm for Novoselic standards: with temperatures in the high twenties Celsius even after the sun went down, most attendees were far less interested in the torch-lit gardens at night and, instead, stayed indoors where the thousand year old castle boasted one of its many upgrades throughout the century: central air conditioning.

But unlike some of the attendees who were stuffed into light wool attire suitable for white tie, Sonia had been permitted to dress for the weather in airy layers of pale teal chiffon and tulle, the full skirt adorned with an array of sequins and sparkles that peeked out from beneath the frothy, translucent overlay. With the pearl and diamond motif extending to her jewelry and tiara selected for her that evening, she resembled some sort of aquatic creature. Despite being free of saltwater oceans as part of the Novosonian border, the seaside still equated to summer. Sonia didn't mind, as long as she wasn't prone to fainting from overheating or being assaulted by too-restrictive undergarments: it made the spot by the open terrace windows not entirely unpleasant, anyway.

She wasn't supposed to be alone in this. Despite the list of partners she'd agreed to dance with that evening, Sonia had negotiated with her mother to invite Hilda, alongside her cousins' mandatory attendance, so the princess had a familiar face in the crowd who wasn't only seeking out a princess's favor. But Liam had snuck away hours ago, Sam was dutifully fulfilling his own dance obligations with various young heiresses, and Hilda was preoccupied with her fiancé, neither of whom seemed concerned in the least that their upcoming nuptials had been arranged for them. Sonia accepted it, but that didn't mean she understood it: in Hilda's position, she would've fought for her freedom to choose, but they were two different women in two different circumstances. Her sister Luvia would be the head of the Edelfelt family, and Sonia's position as heir and first in line to the throne afforded the Princess of Novoselic some say in her future. Too much, her mother often lamented, thus the firm arrangement of several partnered dances just so Sonia couldn't find a method of wriggling her way out of entertaining a royal fantasy of gentlemen from well-established families. Even for a few minutes at a time.

The thought of it had Sonia heaving a sigh, just as a voice cut in.

"May I have this dance?"

A request that was definitely directed at her, during one of the few dances listed on the offered cards that she wasn't already promised to someone else for. Just as Sonia had considered sneaking a shortbread biscuit from one of the many silver trays to dip into the chocolate fountain, a familiar tone had interrupted. A surprising, but not entirely unwelcome one.

"Shirou!?" Sonia gasped, turning to face him with wide eyes. Breaking into her private residence was one thing, but this was Novoselic Castle. Her family's ancestral home, with heightened security to match: though from the way he was dressed, it didn't appear as if he was on a covert mission of some sort. No, he appeared as if he were an invited guest. Which was impossible: she had taken great care to limit knowledge of his existence to Liam, Sam, and her staff only. Considering how much her family abhorred her occult fascination, the same lack of acceptance would certainly be extended to magecraft (thankfully, they had no idea about Hilda's abilities).

But that was the least of her concerns, in the presence of a proffered hand by someone certainly not on her dance card, certainly appearing to be invited, and certainly being the first choice of anyone in the room that Sonia would want to dance with by her own volition.

"You may," She nodded, composing herself before placing her hand in his. As much as she enjoyed, and needed, to bend the rules to suit her temperaments, this was not a rule-breaking offense. Out of the ordinary, yes, but not shunning tradition entirely. "But do not think this rids you of any need for explanations, because I have plenty of questions. To begin with: how are you here? Why are you here?"

[intynidad]

Yandere otome au

TW: yandere tendencies, kinda suggestive in some part, talking about death and violence (not towards reader)

(All characters are 18+)

Long post

Part 2!

You wouldn't call yourself an otaku, although you enjoyed games and anime, you weren't like those hardcore fans... that was until you got your hands on a copy of "By Love for Love: The Game."

This game was just your cup of tea, and you might or might not have become obsessed with it.

The game consisted of the heroine trying to win the heart of one or more suitors before her rival. It sounds cliché, but the twist of the game was that the heroine had to manipulate the chosen love interest to get rid of her rival, so they could take revenge or something like that. You honestly stopped paying attention to the plot halfway through because you were more interested in talking to the cute boys and girls!.

You were playing when you fell asleep at your computer.

You woke up to the feeling of soft silk and the scent of vanilla, and wait, what?

Your sheets were definitely not made out of silk, and your room smelled like cup noodles, not vanilla!

You woke up in a flash and looked at yourself in the mirror.

Y/N L/N, heir of the L/N company, and the rival of the heroine.

Oh for fuck’s sake…

Okay, okay, don't panic. Yes, apparently, you have been transported into the game "By Love For Love," but not as the heroine, but as the rival!

That was very bad news. You tried to remember some of the plot as to why the heroine wants you dead, but your mind just wouldn't work right now.

You knew you were the competition for the heroine, and you would surely lose if you chose to actually fight against her for the love of any of the love interests. So, you came up with a plan.

You would try to maintain friendly terms with all the love interests and choose a route that the heroine wouldn't take. This way, the tension between the two of you wouldn't spark.

But nothing could be as easy as it seemed, right?

The childhood friend

He was your favorite among all the potential love interests. He was sweet, caring, and a true sweetheart to be around.

He was absolutely delighted when you showed an interest in spending more time with him and started paying attention when he talked about his day.(what are this feeling?)

Initially, he stuck around because your parents were friends, and you had known each other since you were both in diapers. But now, it seemed like there was something more between you.

Your sudden change in attitude and the way you became so sweet and caring towards him caught him off guard. He couldn't fathom how he hadn't noticed your true nature until now.

He firmly believed that your destinies were intertwined, as if they were star-crossed. In his eyes, you belonged together because you had been together since childhood.

("Hey, we're going to stick together until the end, right?")

("You wouldn't leave me, would you?")

The older family friend:

He was a business partner of one of your parents, despite being just a couple of years older than you.

The older family friend that you were terrified off because beneath his charming facade lay an extremely sadistic nature.

You vividly remember how he ruthlessly disposed of the rival when the heroine chose his route, which made you extremely wary of him.

The older family friend that failed to comprehend that whenever you two met, you dared not make eye contact with him. Your fear and unease were palpable.

the older family friend that began to see you as a small, cute bunny in need of protection. "Aren't you the cutest!" he would remark, as if finding amusement in your vulnerability.

The Older family friend that almost broke the hand of one of his coworkers that insinuated that he would ask you on a date

The older family friend that starts to fantasize about taking you to his place and adorning your body in strong silk ribbons so you wouldn’t be able to escape his love (even tho something thinking of you pleading for help was something that made him all giddy)

The older family friend that slowly sharpens his pencil and fantasies about stabbing it on the eye of any bastard that dares to look at you

The heroine

The heroine, initially, despised you with a fiery intensity.

She couldn't fathom how you had the audacity to show up with your attractive appearance, seemingly disrupting her path to finding the love(s) of her life.

Every time you smiled at her with genuine kindness and inquired about her day, it only fueled her anger further.

Her resentment grew to the point where she started to keep an eye on you, not out of genuine interest but rather hoping to uncover some sort of compromising information that she could potentially use against you.

After some time -totally not stalking you- she ended up craving even more about you

She just needed to know everything about you!

The heroine that starts to use her influence and pretty face to spread rumors of HER love interest,hoping that it might reach your ears and you back down and go running into HER arms

The loner

They were honestly the one you knew the least about. Despite encountering this love interest in the game, you found yourself drawn more to the other characters and their storylines. Their appearance, personality, or initial interactions simply didn't capture your attention or ignite that spark of curiosity within you.

Didnt you know he was a huge masochist and the fact that you ignore him just make you want you more!

Oh how they wish you could look at them with disdain and call them a freak and told them how you despise them and-gosh they are drooling aren’t they

They are just a Pathetic little person that is begging for you to step on their throat and push until it cracks

[aphrmoosun]

[No words]

NOMAE ; Two Shot!

• Pair.

Noa and Mae

• Movie.

Kingdom of the planet of the apes

• Tags.

NoaxMae, yes it is a ship, dont read if you dont ship them, smutt, au, future, humans and apes politics, ape and human relation, Noa is an inocent ape, twoshot, relationship, Interspecies, strong language, honour apes, writer is not English native speaker, if you see errors tell me, etc

• Other Nomae fic.

You and Me

• Sipnosis.

Noa and the Beast

Apes and humans lived in peace for more than half a century, the war only brought internal conflicts between the sides and although peace was the later consequence, they finally lived together and peacefully.

But it was still not well seen that humans and apes had relationships, each one lived in their area, both separated by borders and policies.

Noa son of the leader of the eagle clan. And Mae daughter of an important senator. Ape and human had set their eyes on each other, unable to ignore the other's presence when they saw each other. The tension between the two ends in a nighttime escapade with consequences for the future.

DO NOT COPY OR SHARE IT ELSEWHERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!

• No words [One shot]

Mae didn't like participating in her father's political campaigns. More than anything because she always ended up in the middle, like a piece of meat.

She was just grateful that her father always defended her and never left her hanging, but the suitors always surrounded her, eager to get close to the senator's daughter from the southern zone.

That first day, she had to accompany her father to a dinner with the Eagle Clan. A friendly clan that always worked alongside humans.

Mae sat quietly in her seat, trying not to draw attention to herself. She didn't have the same tension as with other human politicians who tried to pair her up with one of their sons at every opportunity.

No, there she only observed Noa, the son of the Eagle Clan's leader. He also looked back at her.

They didn't need many words; they never did. Whenever they saw each other, their relationship was one of glances, smiles, and even touches.

Mae didn't know if Noa caught her attention because he was different from the others or because he was the only one his father didn't try to pair her up with.

That was simple. Neither the senator nor the clan leader understood that humans and apes could have a relationship beyond politics. For both humans and apes parents, humans and apes could coexist with boundaries and each in their own place.

None of them realized that their children understood that humans and apes could have a much more... intimate relationship.

That dinner passed quietly. Except for a surprise at the moment of saying goodbye. Noa this time bid her farewell with a hug.

No one seemed to pay attention, and if they did, they didn't say anything. Nor did it interest either of them. Mae was too comfortable in his arms, and Noa was too busy feeling the small, soft, peculiarly scented human in his arms.

When they separated, their eyes met again. Neither of them knew why their bodies reacted so intensely.

They didn't need words.

________-------------------_________

That night, Mae went out of her hotel room for a walk. She was sure the place was quiet and guarded, since politicians and leaders from all states had gathered there.

She was sure, yes. But she got a little scared when she heard footsteps behind her.

"What are you doing alone at night here?"

It almost cost her to recognize that voice. When she turned her head to see the ape standing beside her, she sighed in relief.

"I was taking a walk."

"You can't go out at night without company. You know there are apes who still have trouble coexisting with you humans."

Mae let out a laugh.

"Well, for that, there are apes like you who feel very comfortable with humans, and even dare to hug them in front of everyone."

The human couldn't appreciate the blush that appeared on the ape's cheeks.

"Not only do I feel comfortable. I like humans."

"What? Is it a fetish of yours? Having them all at your feet? Am I just one more?"

Noa stopped, making her stop too.

"You're the only one."

Now it was her turn to blush. But this time, Noa could see her, because the moonlight reflected off her face and eyes.

Mae coughed a little, turning her head to the right, unable to bear his gaze.

Many times they had looked into each other's eyes, smiled, touched, and hugged, but never had Noa's eyes shone like that.

"Am I the only one?"

Noa's voice brought her back to reality.

"What do you mean, the only one?"

Noa took her hand, leading her to a more secluded spot.

If someone saw them together, they might think the worst. Noa leading her by the hand in the darkness of the night towards an empty corner of the hotel building.

Once Noa found the perfect spot, he leaned her against the wall and pressed his body against hers.

Mae could feel the strong, muscular ape body against hers.

He went back to hugging her, bringing their faces very close together.

"The only one you feel like this."

Noa kissed her ear and neck.

"Noa."

"What do you mean Noa?"

Mae felt stupid. Of course, she felt the same way. But there were too many obstacles between them.

"This is wrong."

"Does it feel wrong?"

Of course, Mae didn't respond.

Noa was attacking her weak points, kissing her neck and, in a moment when Mae wasn't paying attention, had slipped a hand into her underwear to touch her most intimate parts with curiosity and passion.

Now it was Mae's turn to protest for the ape to touch her the way she wanted.

"Shh." Noa whispered. "We might be overheard."

Without making her wait too long, the simian's long fingers began to caress her clitoris. The other hand went to her buttocks to help her stay just as he wanted. His mouth continued with what he had left pending, mimicking the human's breasts with kisses, licks, and nibbles.

"Noa, please."

Mae felt too close to climax. Her legs trembled, and her lower abdomen electrified with the energy that coursed from her clitoris to her head. Noa's fingers moved faster, like a cable that made the energy pass through him to her.

"Noa!"

Mae came with that cry, clinging to the ape's shoulders, unable to achieve her goal, and ended up sitting astride him.

Her breasts still rose and fell, struggling to breathe normally.

Their eyes met, and they maintained silence, gazing at each other.

Noa raised a hand to the girl's cheek, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen forward, and left his hand there to continue caressing her.

Mae sighed.

"Did you like it?"

Noa asked uncertainly.

Mae laughed.

"Are you asking me that after I just came on top of you after giving me an orgasm?"

"An orgasm? Is that what you humans call it?"

"What? And what do you apes call it?"

"We don't call it. Females rarely have ongasms."

"Orgasms." -Mae corrected, laughing.-

"Whatever. Males usually care more about reproducing than about the female's pleasure."

"Seeing it that way, humans are very similar to apes." -Mae realized something before continuing.- "But then, how did you know how to touch me like that?"

Now it was Noa who looked away, embarrassed.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does!" -Mae insisted.-

"And I... I saw some material before I met you."

Mae was very confused by the two confessions.

"Why did you care so much about me?" -the human stopped.- "What material!?"

"Because I like you. I thought it was obvious." -Noa responded in order to her questions.- "And material... visual."

"Have you seen porn?"

"Is that what it's called?"

Mae didn't know what was the strangest of all. That Noa seemed so innocent after touching her in a not-so-innocent way, that apes didn't have terms like orgasm or porn, or that Noa had seen porn to know how to please her.

Mae burst out laughing.

"Mae!" -with one hand, Noa tried to silence her.- "Seriously, we might be overheard."

"I don't know why you thought you needed to please me like that before, like, talking to me or asking me out on a date and eating ice cream."

"What's ice cream?"

"What?"

Noa silenced her again with his hand.

"Don't you know what ice cream is?"

Mae asked in a lower tone, and he shook his head.

"We need to fix that."

Mae got up quickly.

"Wait, Mae." -Noa held her hand.- "You haven't answered me."

"What?" -the human realized.- "Oh, yes, I also like you. I thought it was obvious." -she imitated the simian's words.-

"I'm going to ask your father for your hand!"

"What?"

Noa seemed very sure. He got up and was determined to seek out the senator.

"No, wait Noa." -Mae stopped him.- "We need to think this through calmly. We don't know how they'll react."

The ape shook his head.

"I don't care. I only want you."

Mae blushed and looked away, remembering something.

"Noa." -she stopped him again.- "But how are you going to go like that?"

The human pointed to the ape's large erection. Because they were used to not wearing clothes, she could see it clearly in the moonlight. Long, erect, almost covered with hair. And Mae wondered how it would feel in her hands or inside her. If it would be soft and hard at the same time.

Noa, who had also looked down, turned away, embarrassed.

"You're right. Maybe it's not the best moment."

"You don't have to be embarrassed! On the contrary, I owe you an orgasm."

"No, we can't do anything, I don't want to do it inside you without engagement."

Mae was surprised by his response. The way he cared for her, not just physically but also her honor. For humans, physical contact went beyond just hugs, many reached marriage with three or four lovers, and women didn't wait for marriage either.

Those traditions of loyalty, fidelity, and union concept were something to envy. Apes might not marry for passion or taste, but for a bond much more important than the physical.

And Noa wanted to share that with her. It reminded the human that they did it because the ape believed she liked it. And of course, she did, and his erection showed that he liked it too.

But Mae wasn't going to rush things just for a fling when what Noa offered was indescribable in human words.

"We don't have to do anything." -Mae began, trying to speak softly.- "I could help you without penetrating me, but we can wait for that."

Noa remained silent. He looked at her fixedly and turned his body, letting her see his powerful erection again.

"Mae." -Noa approached her, taking her hands.- "Help me, please."

The power she felt inside her in that moment made the human move without control.

Mae moved her hands down, caressing his chest and grabbing the large penis with both hands when she reached her destination.

Noa followed her gaze, sighing, and Mae shook her head.

"No, look at me."

Noa obeyed, and Mae wrapped her hand around his virility and began to move it up and down while the other carefully caressed the tip from which a liquid was already coming out, wetting her hand and showing her how much the ape liked her touch.

"Mae." -Noa whispered without taking his eyes off her.-

Both remained standing, looking at each other fixedly.

When Mae noticed Noa's restless body, she moved her hands faster, holding onto his phallus more tightly.

"I'm going to... Mae!"

Then Noa closed his eyes and a hot jet of liquid hit the human in her exposed belly.

Noa hugged her tightly while trying to recover his breath.

"Shh, they're going to hear us. Noa." -Mae whispered to the ape, mocking all the times he had told her that.-

The ape laughed between his teeth.

"Mae." -then they looked at each other again in the eyes.- "Thank you."

The human squinted her eyes, unsure why he was thanking her.

Before she could ask, a light pointed at them, startling them.

"What are you doing there?"

The voice of the ape who had found them startled them. Mae with her shirt up, pants down, and underwear wet due to her orgasm but also because of Noa's, which had ended up falling there. And Noa, who still showed enthusiasm in his gaze.

Even so, the ape placed himself in front of the human, covering her nudity towards the other ape.

Second part.

[xjulixred45x]

Yandere Alphabet: Dead Royalty Zagreus

Using this as a (kind of?) precuel to the Drabble i'm about to do about yandere Zagreus of the AU i did where he kills Hades for good and he's the new king of the Underworld.

Warnings: YANDERE BEHAVIOR, OVERPROTECTION, OBSESIVE BEHAVIOR, Zagreus has TRAUMA, mentions of murder and intimidation (not to reader/Consort! They're fine).

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

For someone whom get married bc Zeus said so, Zagreus is such a sweetheart in showing how much he loves His Consort.

I Say it before in another post, but Consort brings back some of the old Zagreus that everyone miss. Being it by he giving them gifts (ambrosia, clothes, things to entretain themself meanwhile he is at work), phisical affection(hugs, Kisses, carrying them around bride style) or with words(compliments, soft praise, pet names), he is NEVER out of options when it comes to spoil his Darling.

I would Said that he's a solid 7/10 in the scale of intense. Like, he IS intense, but it could be worse, he tries to give His partner space WHEN THEY ASK TO(if they don't do it he will continue without problem bc lets be honest, the man is touch Starved BAD).

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

REALLY MESSY, You see him rampaging the Underworld just to meet His mother. For Consort, he would kill His father AGAIN.

He is a Big one in the killing of posible "suitors"(which find insulting bc Consort is already Married TO HIM) that Consort may have, and His understand of "suitors" can go from a Suitor itself to a person who was wayyyy to friendly to be platonic, or a person who is "turning Consort against him" somehow(like, idk, pointing out His strange behavior?).

He is also very enthusiast about getting rid of the people who did Bad to Consort in the past, being a Friend who betrayed them, their parents or sibilings, ANYONE who hurted Consort in the past is in the black list of Zag, and he is nothing if not ressentfull and stubborn.

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

ABSOLULTY NOT. Zagreus may be lay back in an attemp to calm them down, but he would NEVER mock their fear or intentionally make them uneasy around him.

Once Consort it' set in the Underworld, they have to get use to a very clingy, very loving Zag, it's dosen't really change much honestly. When they find out about Zag Yandere Tendencies, Zagreus dosen't change, he's Just glad that he dosen't "have to lied to them anymore" bc it's very aware that THAT would scare them. But now?he just have to make sure they don't leave.

Ironic...

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Not much honestly, Zag tries His hardest to NOT take away every right that Consort has, bc he has been on that situation before(with Hades trying to prevent him from leaving and treating him like shit), he KNOWS how frustrating and upseting it is, but he can't bring himself on let Consort go.

Zagreus can AND WILL do things in a way Consort feels comfortable and don't force them to do anything besides staying. They don't wanna have children? That's fine, it's not like Zagreus is eager to continue His father legacy anyway. They don't wanna share the same Bed/room as Zagreus? Fair enough, they'll have their own room. Things like that.

Consort can go as they please for the Underworld (the creatures/guards know better than trying to hurt them, specially Theseus) EXCEPT the Temple of Styx, then they only can go with Zagreus or with a person of high trust(like Thanatos or Meg, most likely Meg).

In a good scenario, Zagreus even gets out with Consort to the mortal world! Be it to the temples to His father, meet the other Gods, even some mortals that adore Hades/Zagreus, etc.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

Oh, pretty vulnerable. He seems pretty scary at first when Consort just marry him, but once he gained enough trust(and obsession) on Consort, Zagreus would be quite open about anything they ask, whatever it is. Even sensitive themes like His father.

Zagreus likes to think he's being honest MOST OF THE TIME, to make sure Consort they can trust him bc he trust in them(and it worked! Kinda), to make them happy. He is not exacly afraid of being emotional vulnerable with Consort, he just has lots of unpacked trauma and dosen't know what to do with it (much less now that almost everyone in House of Hades see him different..), so it's almost good for him being like this. He likes it.

The only thing he lied about was about what happen to the suitors of Consort(and ANYONE in general that get in His way honestly), and still he thinks that was just a white lie instead of a blasting crime and abuse of power.

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

Mostly heart broken, because he KNOWS he caused this, he made them despise him, but he is selfish, so even then, he would't let them get away. He tries to shush them and comfort them, remind them that he loves them, that he's sorry that they have to see THAT. Eventually he gets even better at comfort thanks to this.

A part of him is given a strange feeling of nostalgia? Like in the times when he was the one running away from the Underworld, he thinks that maybe this is His karma for that.

Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

It's not a Game and he gets worried SICK when he finds out that Consort it's out there trying to escape, do they even know what kind of danger is in the Chambers of Tartarus only? How Bad things can end if they get across the wrong person??

He don't enjoy this in the slightless, he is a panic mess until he finds Consort and bring them back to the house of Hades safe and sound.

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Two very different times.

The first one was the first time Consort and Zagreus where introduced to each other for Zeus. Consort was so scared of Zagreus-their future HUSBAND, and the worst part was that Zagreus didn't even tried to stop the proccess in the slightless(maybe out of shock or trying not to make Zeus mad).

The second one, way after this, after Consort and Zagreus fall in love; Consort finds Zagreus giving one of Consort "suitors" one of the most nightmarerish tortures they even seen(Fury level TORTURE if You get what i'm saying). This is what caused after all the attemps to run away from Zagreus, because if he is capable of doing such things to a stranger, what about them?

(he would never, but Consort it's way too hurt from this to listen to His "REASONS")

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

Mmm...that's a hard one.

Zagreus didn't even have in mind killing His father, much less becoming King! But now he is more responsible, even more ambisious, so i would say that his plans with Consort are either continue as they are now, riging over the Underworld, better than His father could, or maybe Even go to Olympus some time! Who knows! He is not restricted anymore! He's gonna take adventage of it!

If we talk about a figure where Melinoe exist as His and Consort's Daughter, he's over the moon, that would be a life he would't mind..

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Oh, he GETS Jealous, and it's escalets pretty quickly. If he copes or explotes, depends on the person and how they act around Consort.

For example, in the Surface, Consort tends to be revere for his worshipers, which is okay! It's the way Zagreus expect Consort to be treated. But it's some of them it's a little too friend/close, he just put Consort on His lap and demands affection(mainly kisses). That normally works to calm him down.

NOW, if is Someone like, idk...THESEUS, when he and Consort go to Elysium to see the Champions and the Pompous bastard is bold enough to try to "make a move" on Zag's partner...yeah, he'll lash out on him, it will not be pretty. (Fortunally, he's never mad at Consort for this kind of things. He trust them! He dosen't trust other people around them..)

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

A love sick puppy, he is way more cheerfull than when he is alone or even working at the main Hall, Consort's presence brings a Big smile to His face. It's almost creepy to the people not used to see "the Godkiller" being this friendly and happy while working.

He acts like the Zagreus before the disaster but a little more calmer. Almost demure(bc it's way more easy to get under his skin now), and obviously, pretty clingy. If he's working, he wants Consort on his lap while finishing paperwork. If he's redecoring, he has an arm around them, etc. It's cute in a way.

Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

When Consort first got to House of Hades, Zagreus tried to get to know them better in one of the Best ways he knows, ambrosia! And in general at first their interactions we're little and only when Zag start them to give Consort a gift. Gifts that grow of worth and personal value the more he knows them, the more he falls for them.

When Consort started the interactions on their own, Zag's was OVER THE MOON! And start use what would be His signature way of get to know Darling, do tasks with Consort! Whatever it was administrative(Zag's nightmare) or more diplomatic, they get to have good times!

Other way of counting to Zagreus is phisical contact, CONSTANTLY(if they're fine with it), and in general is the softest version of the counting of an average god(maybe it's ctotic thing?being decent spouses?).

Mask: Are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Nah. He still worship his partner and absolulty adores them, the only difference is the violence he use against OTHER PEOPLE.

Zagreus tends to be quieter around the other people in House of Hades(bc they also are pretty tense with him) but it's not hostile. You can talk to him normally and even have a chat(as long as You don't talk shit about Consort), he's not that different. Just more reserved.

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

Punishment? Whats that?-Zagreus, probably.

Yeah, he dosen't like the idea of a punishment of any sort. Not only bc that would make him just the same as Hades, but bc he just CANT STAND the sight of Consort in pain. Much less If said pain is caused BY HIM.

The most close thing that he got to a "punishment" was isolation for not even two days, and honestly? It hurt him more than Consort. It's like it's punishing himself most likely.

But yeah, he dosen't do that. He thinks that if he gives a reason to Consort to fear him, they will just hate him even more, they'll want to leave more. He don't want to be a cause of their fear, he wants them to stay bc they like it here. So nop. No punishment (besides, he has escaped the Underworld times enough to know that the task itself it's a pain in the ass, thats ENOUGH).

Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

Besides from leaving the Underworld (or most likely, leaving HIM) not much honestly, again, Zagreus KNOWS how Consort feels likes in the situation, he's been there, so he's not wiling to make them feel like they are His prisioner, because their NOT, they are His partner, the love of His life.

The only other thing i can see Zagreus activily preventing His partner to do is killing themself to stay in the Underworld in a Willing Route. Bc OBVIOUS REASONS. And maybe giving them weopons bc they are dangerous. Aside from that, Consort has the same freedoms and priviliges as Zagreus.

Patience: How patient are they with their darling?

For a greek god, he's surprisesingly patience, an a GREAT level of patience.

Zagreus don't rush things with Consort (he thinks even when they're nervious or acting awkward is adorable), he waited for them to come around and they fall in love naturally(until the yandere tendencies strike), and in general he's self aware that he being a god and Consort being a Mortal make some things dificult, so, he's willing to wait.

He can endure Consort's lectures about how wrong he is about the suitors matter, how horrible it is, their screams and cries, he can endure it, because he KNOWS that Consort just don't understand that's how Gods are, and it's fine, after all, their only job is stay and love him, and meanwhile they do it, he's just fine.

Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

Escaping Zagreus is almost imposible for His Godly parients (i talk more about it in the V), and the only way of escaping FOR GOOD would be getting out of Greece. If that happens, i really doubt that Zagreus is able to move on.

He'll trow a Demeter move, he'll neglect all of His duties as god of the Underworld until His parients find Consort. And NOTHING but that will make him change His mind. I can see him worsening His Masochist tendencies.

Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?

Yes and no.

Does Zagreus regrets they meet in Bad circumstances? Yes. Does he regrets being Married to them anyways? No.

Does Zagreus regrets scaring Consort with the torture of their suitors(and maybe some of their Friends)? Yes. Does he regret what he did to those people? No.

He regrets they bad consecuences/reactions those actions caused, but he dosen't actually regret nothing. He seems them as necesary. For the same, he's not willing to let Consort get away from him or, Gods forbite, fall in love with someone else. Just...no.

Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

Definitely the actual relationship he has with the people of House of Hades. Don't get me wrong, His childhood as the despised son of Hades has something to do with him being touch starved and eager to love, but the recent events change EVERYTHING in His life.

Before murdering Hades, Zagreus was seen as a troublemaker, but not as a danger, he was a friend, a godling that his parients tried to help and His friends NEVER though they would fear. But after what he did, everyone seems...tense around him, like he's not the same anymore. Maybe they're right, yes, but hurts seeing them look at him with such...pain...fear.

With Consort is another Story, they only know the version of Zagreus that everyone FEARS AND RESPECTS, but they get to know him and, surprisesingly, see the good old side of him, trust him genuinely. Zagreus LOVES THAT.

Loves that he's not feared for them, loves that Consort sees both sides of him, loves that they SEE HIM for who he is, not a king or a Godkiller, but just Zagreus. He miss that horribly and Consort give him that back. And he's not willing to lose it.

Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

Guilty and sad mostly. He tries to comfort them the Best he can, but sometimes that just makes things worse and he decides to leave them some space(not too much space thoug, in cases they need something or try to do something...drastic).

Ironicly, he can handle better when Consort yells or cries than when they isoltaes themselfs. At least in the first two they INTERACT with him and he can try and negociate something for them to feel better (like their favorite food or going to Elysium for a walk), but isolation? It's HURTS HIM being ignored and don't know what to do(so You could use this one if You want something).

Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

I'll Say he is the most soft yandere You'll ever see, more for a god of the Underworld. He is not exacly menacing(?) someway. He dosen't kiddnap Consort per se, His family does(through an arrange affair with Zeus)! That's pretty un-convencional if You ask me.

Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

The mayor weakness Consort could use to get away from Zagreus is his límited time in the surface, bc even now it takes time to get out there, so if Consort gets out and Zagreus don't get to drag them with him to the Underworld, theres is a good chance to get way!

But i would't be very optimistic, Zag is very stubborn and he'll go UP THERE just to fetch them, with the help of all of his Godly parients, just like the old times. There would be NO WHERE TO HIDE with ZEUS HIMSELF lending a hand, POSEIDON making imposible to sail, and HERMES running around with His followers in research for "coz' lost mate".

I would say there's a higher chance to do it if You have Persephone (and extension, Demeter) on your side, but it would be futile against the KING OF THE GODS. Worth the shot though.

Wit’s end: Would they ever hurt their darling?

NO.

Zagreus may have a fucked up sense of love in this AU, but definitely he don't forget how painfull and understimated is phisical pain(His deaths speaks themselfs..) so he would never even raise His hand to Consort. Ever.

He may raise His voice when he's mad or worried or carry them/pin them, but honestly that's it, there's no violence, there's no phisical nor emotional pain. He can't Bring himself to do it. Even when some of His parients tries to encourge him to be "rougher" with His Darling, he really just see them as a fragile creature that must be take care of.

Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?

He's head over heels for Consort, i can picture him as a worshiper Yandere honestly(bc 1- that feeds His idea that no one really deserves them And 2- its feels complementary to His Masochist tendencies), no matter if they are mortals or "under his level" for His family standards, they are a God/Godess to Zagreus eyes.

He would kill for Consort, he would die for Consort. Either way is a bliss.

He is up to anything to win them over, EXCEPT maybe hurting some specific members of the house of Hades that bring him jelousy (like Thanatos, for respect for their friendship). Besides that, he's even up to get rid of Consort's WHOLE family tree if that gives them a reason to stay in the Underworld.

Still, he wants to go for the no-violence route, and romance them "properly"(sort of...).

Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

Not a long time. It's a soon as Zagreus feels connected in a meanfull way with Consort that he "snaps" and makes plans to make them want to stay and don't leave the Underworld, Zagreus don't Even consider His sudden dark feelings "snaping" either, bc he has this mindset of "well, we ARE already married, it's COMPLETLY NORMAL i am very observant of them And i want them to stay"

Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?

Luckily, no. He is way too soft and unwiling to make them suffer (at least on prupose)that it's virtually imposible that Consort ends up broken for his fault. It's most likely that they develop Stockholm syndrome and either 1) stop trying to get way from Zagreus or 2) they get away from Zagreus but they come Back because...they miss him.

In both cases Consort ends up turning a Blind eye to the horrible things that Zagreus has done(and posible keep doing, but more carefully), but it's kind of a new status quo. They're okay again and Zagreus seems happy than ever...Consort can't bring themself to break it again. To break HIM.

It's for the better. I promise.

(this awesome drawing belongs to the Twitter/X artist kurosaki_sasori, here's the link to the original piece , show them support!)

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

[melancholymetropolis]

Escapism.

plot: In which two lonely souls find each other in the middle of the woods

pairings: HeadlessHorseman!Nanami Kento x Reader

genre(s): Hurt with Comfort, Porn with Feelings

warnings: unedited (mostly). a load of crying from the reader. the headless horseman is an absolute gentleman. COURTING. gifts (f receiving). reader is a jokester. nanami is actually headless and the reader is scared of him at first. PIV SEX. fingering (f receiving). squirting. rounds and pounds. nanami falls first and HARD. he is covered in scars. traumatic past. lowkey its an "I can fix him" au. Couple's Banter.

w.c: 9.02k

The spare sunlight trickled from between the clouds and kissed the rippling water of the lake. The morning dew was still heavy in the air and it created a mist above the water. I broke through the milky terrain and debated whether I should catch up with my companions. They seemed to be miles away from me, engaging in some kind of conversation. By the smiles on their faces, it had to be one they both enjoyed. Perhaps pertaining to their blossoming relationship.

I wasn’t a fool. 

I could see the way they looked at each other. The love they shared grew every time we were together. The smiles never seemed to leave their faces when they were side by side. The lingering touches seemed far too intimate to have belonged to “just friends”. There was more going on than they let on. More than meets the eye. Yet, I couldn’t talk about it. I couldn’t mention it. I knew that the moment the question “Are you fucking?” came out of my mouth that I would be shamed. They would minimize my every observation and make me believe that I was seeing things. What made the notion worse was that they would immediately alter their behavior afterward. They would go back to being just friendly with one another and pretend like they weren’t engaging in a forbidden romance just before. 

 We were supposed to be celebrating my birthday and new promotion. Yet, here I was. Playing the third wheel to my so-called “friends”. There was an intense feeling of loneliness that drifted through me when I was around them. I almost felt excluded from my very own camping trip. I just didn’t connect with them like I used to. The moment the possibility of love came between them, they blocked out everything and everyone around them. They were so absorbed with one another that they didn’t see anyone else. They couldn’t see me— desperately trying to get their attention. So, for both my sanity and my dignity, I’ve decided to cut the trip short. At least, my participation in it. I was going to give the lovebirds all the room they needed to mess around.  I could no longer stomach the feeling of exclusion any longer.

A single tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. Removing the evidence of any notice of sadness on my face. 

Through the milky mist, I could Trista and Jessica boarding the doc. Their hands were tighter interlocked and their smiles were even wider than before. They were still too far ahead to hear their conversation, but I could tell it was a continuation of the funny one from earlier. 

I tore my eyes away from the couple and looked into the rippling water.

It was so inviting and pleasant.

I dropped the teary hand into the water without thinking. I swirled the digits into the clear pool and felt tingles slowly course through my body. Instead of providing a cool sensation, the tingles gave me a warm one. It made the water feel even more comforting. The emotional feeling was neither familiarity nor longing. It was neutral. Almost the feeling you get when you start a new relationship. Right after you discover that your potential suitor may not be an axe murderer. The moment you realized that they had the potential to be your one and only. The water felt, simply put, hopeful.

I kept quiet on the drive back to the cabin. I allowed the lovers and the radio to occupy all the space between us. My eyes drifted out the window, taking in the beautiful woodlands around us. My heart ached at the notion that I could never truly enjoy it. Six months of planning a fantastic rural getaway ruined by the people I held most dear. 

“Sorry to interrupt your jam session,” the radio host interjected, mid-song. “But, it was just brought to our attention that a massive mud lid has shaken Evergreen County. It has blocked off access to Route 78, meaning no one will be coming in or out of Evergreen until it is all clear.”

“That’s really unfortunate,” Trista said, clicking off the radio.

“Yeah,” Jessica replied, her eyes flicking over to me in the rearview mirror. “Good thing Y/N booked the cabin for the rest of the week and stocked the fridge, right?”

I gave her a weary smile and looked back out the window.

My plan of leaving was completely foiled. I was stuck with these damned lover birds until the roads were clear. My sadness was quickly replaced with anger beneath my skin. I didn’t have the energy to conceal my emotions anymore. I was incredibly tired of engaging in the activity and lacked the social battery to communicate with these women any longer.

“What with the long face, Y/N?” Trista asked, turning her head towards me. “Are you boat-sick?”

I nodded. “That must be what it is.”

“I’ll put on a pot of tea when we get back to the cabin, okay?” She cooed. 

I hummed in agreement. “That sounds good.”

“Maybe you should lay down for a bit, as well,” Jessica chimed in. “Just take the night off. Leave dinner to us for once.”

“Yeah! I can finally make that lasagna soup I was telling you about!” Trista squealed. “When I tell you guys it’s so good! I mean it is to die for.”

“I can’t wait to try it.”

I used the boat sick excuse to hole myself in my room for the rest of the night. My tolerance for their lies had reached its limit and I really wanted to be alone. After a quick shower to wash off the smell of the outside, I slipped into my favorite nightgown. It was a custom number from a Parisian seamstress, a birthday present to myself. The garment was made of deep mauve-colored silk with a lace neckline. It had been well fitted in the waist and thigh air— yet came down to my ankles like a silken waterfall. The seller was so kind to give me a matching robe and bonnet with my order; which I also wore to bed that night. I pulled the fluffy duvet up to about chest level, before lowering my eyemask. I relaxed all the muscles within my body and released the tension in my jaw. I took several deep breaths and rolled over to my side. 

However, neither one of these tactics seemed to work. 

I had laid in my bed for hours, unable to relax fully.

My mind was simply too busy to sleep. The sadness arose once more now that I was alone. There was a gnawing in my chest that I couldn’t shake. It had gotten worse the longer I held it in. The call/text for dinner had come and went eons ago. The faux bubbly persona of my friends had retired to their rooms and left me to my own vices. 

In desperate need of a change of scenery, I swung my legs from the edge of my bed and put on my slippers. I grabbed the chunky knit sweater that hung behind the door and slipped it on. I made sure to keep my footsteps light when walking through the hall. I didn’t want to wake Trista or Jessica. Both claimed to be really light sleepers, but I found that hard to believe. 

About halfway through the corridor, I realized that my actions were done in vain. Trista’s room had been right near the staircase and her door was cracked open. Pleasurable moans and sensual sighs oozed from the room. There was a subtle creaking sound from the old bedframe as well. I recognized Trista’s voice sending hushed praises to the other lover. Whispering to Jessica about how good at “it” she was and how she never wanted her to stop. 

Suddenly, the house felt entirely too small for the three of us.

My gentle footsteps carried me outside to the porch. I took a seat on the old rocking chair on the left and found myself looking up at the sky. I could not spot a single cloud in the sea of stars. The moon was full and gave everything around me an ivory tint. It was beautiful, for lack of a better word. It was the reason I decided to come to Evergreen County in the first place. I sat up in the rocking chair and placed my forearms on the railing. I allowed my chin to rest on the fleshy area and simply looked at the property around me. I took in the loud chirps of the crickets and the subtle twinkling of fireflies. I felt the cool breeze kiss my skin and the smell of pine invaded my nostrils. I tasted the fresh air on my tongue and felt it penetrate my lungs. With a deep breath, I tried to force all the negative shit out of me. I brought the pain from my chest and to my head. I finally let myself cry. 

After a few minutes, I realized that I was no longer alone. I could hear the sound of horse hooves clicking against the pavement. Coming up the driveway was, in fact, a horse. A massive black stallion with a mane that is only seen in fairy tales. Its shiny black coat sparkled in the moonlight and gave it an ethereal aura. Its steps were careful. Almost like it didn’t want to alert anyone of its presence. For that realization, I had to give all the credit to its rider— who was equally as large as the horse it seemed. He, too, was shrouded in all-black. His long, overcoat was tailored perfectly to his body. It accentuated his broad chest and shoulders. He had thick, long legs that hung on either side of the horse. He wore black, freshly shined boots on each gigantic foot. 

Although, it felt as though my eyes were deceiving me.

Despite how close the man was getting to me, I still couldn’t make out his head. I couldn’t make out the color of his hair or even get a general outline of his face. I squinted my eyes, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of something.

It wasn’t until the horse made it about six feet away from the house that I realized that I wasn’t going crazy. 

The lone horseman was completely headless.

A wave of fear coursed through my body and I felt myself rise from my chair. I made a beeline to the front door and yanked it open. I shoved my body inside the home and swiftly locked the door behind me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest at the sound of his heavy boots climbing the porch steps. My breath had become uneven from the sounds of my erratic panting. My hands were trembling as I slipped the phone from my cardigan’s pocket and unlocked it. I pressed the little phone icon and began to dial for the police. 

But, then, the moment I went to press the phone to my ear, I heard the sound of receding footsteps. 

It took all the courage in me to crawl to the window and peer out of it. I had caught a swift glimpse of the horseman mounting his horse, before directing it back down the driveway. Just as swiftly as they appeared the man and his horse disappeared. Leaving me alone once again. I took the phone away from my ear and hung up the call. After another minute or so, I unlocked the door and stepped onto the porch. I looked back at the driveway once more; a frugal effort to ensure that he was truly gone. 

He was.

As much as I wanted to ponder why out of all places he came here, to my cabin, I couldn’t. The reason was sitting directly in front of me. Just three feet from the door sat my ring. A friendship that Trista and Jessica both wore as well. We had gotten them right after graduating college. It was a vow to always stay true to one another and to work things out when things had gotten hard. It felt more like an empty promise these days though. I didn’t even notice I had lost the gold band. My mind must’ve been so numb from their fallacious activities that it didn’t even process that it was gone. Even if I had, I probably wouldn’t have looked for it. It didn’t matter to me anymore.

Next to the ring sat a bouquet of wildflowers. The huge bundle was made up of blue and white blossoms. Their scent was sweet and clean. It eased into the nostrils and hardly ever lingered. It made my heart flutter ever so slightly; temporarily lifting the sorrow from it. A tingling sensation bloomed within my chest. It was almost identical to what I had been feeling in the lake earlier when I had put my hand in the water. The tingles gave me comfort. Almost like I had been experiencing the beginnings of a new relationship. As much as I wanted to be mad at the feeling, I couldn’t. My capacity for feeling my emotions had already been filled to the brim. I no longer had the mental space to process this ordeal. I would simply have to wait until I was no longer burnt out to confront the horseman.

Every night the headless stranger would stop by. And every night he would bring me a gift. It was usually in the form of flowers. Fragrant and wild. They filled the small cabin with their scent and added a homey feel to the place. The flowers were a wonderful distraction from the loneliness that remained in my heart. They brightened the rainy days and gave me something to hope for. The mudslide had seemed to have gotten worse with the constant showers. More and more debris had filled the road, making it even harder to leave. The rain had limited our outdoor activity, as well, and forced me inside the force. I couldn’t even use the beautiful scenery to distract from the betrayal anymore. I was trapped. 

By the fourth night of spending a whole day pretending to be fine, I found myself on the porch once again. There were no tears in my eyes that time, though. I was all cried out. The sadness had moved from my heart and unrooted an emotion I tended to avoid: anger. I started to become angry that my “friends” had thought so little of me; how they had the gall to sneak around right under my nose and think it was perfectly acceptable to do so. 

I don’t know if it was being trapped in the house or the cold, rainy days, but I could hear them messing around almost every night. I heard almost every pleasurable sigh, bed creak, and intense squeal through my very thin wall. It was so infuriating. I wanted nothing more than to just bang on the wall and ask them to stop. Or, at least, take it down to the basement where I wouldn’t hear them. There was an escape from their constant torment. It wasn’t the loving glances and gentle hand brushes in the day— then it was the aggressive humping and loud moaning at night. I was reminded of their betrayal every second of the hour and I was slowly losing my mind because of it.

I was so deep in thought on the fourth night that I didn’t notice the horseman’s presence, until after he placed the flowers on the porch’s steps. Their bright yellow petals had torn me from my reverie and brought me back to reality. The hulking figure had stood several paces away from the steps. His hands were crossed against his chest and there was a slight tilt in his body. If he had a face, I imagined it could have been a quizzical look upon it. He’d seemed rather confused, yet intrigued at the sight before him. The image of a relatively young woman, adorned in a silk nightgown and robe, pacing back and forth on a front porch. It was way past midnight and the air was borderline arctic. Yet, she still decided to wear a fashionable outfit while mumbling to herself like a crazy person. I am sure any given person would have stopped and stared at me if they had the chance. Even if they had been a ghost.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the realization of his presence finally hit me. 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” I hissed, taking a step back. “Where the hell did you come from? Sneaking up on me like a ghost in the night.” 

I mumbled the last bit under my breath, but the headless horseman seemed to have heard it anyway.

He gestured to his body, lifting both hands up and down at the same. Almost as if to say, “Don’t you see me? I am the ghost in the night.” The last part was solidified by the gesturing of the empty space between his shoulders; right where his head was supposed to be. The movements were playful. Some would say they were even comical, but they still didn’t get much out of me. Not a laugh, nor a giggle. Just a slight smirk and a shaking of my head.

“I’m gonna have to get you a bell or something so I know you’re close by.”

He gestured to the massive black stallion tied to a nearby tree.

“Oh yeah. . . I forgot about that. Good point,” I replied, scratching the back of my head. “I really must’ve been out of it, huh? I didn’t even hear the heavy hooves of that big ass horse over there. Well, shit. I really made myself an easy target, didn’t I?”

The horseman gestured to his belt. It carried several weapons, such as an axe and a revolver. The second movement was something I didn’t realize he knew. He puffed out his chest and placed his hands on his hips. He assumed the Superman stance— the pose made more clear by the way his jacket blew back in the wind. That was something I couldn’t help but smile at. It seemed that he had been trying his best to make light of the situation. From the comical gestures to how he stood a good five feet away from the porch. It felt like the horseman didn’t want to impose, but he also didn’t want me to dwell on something so upsetting. The realization had struck a chord with me. The fact that a ghost could pick up my change in attitude and my friends did not was eye-opening. It was downright alarming. It just solidified to me that they had truly been on another planet. Never mind the fact that I had only officially met the headless stranger several days prior. 

“So, you’ll protect me, hmm?” I said, crossing my arms over my chest and tilting my head. “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”

The being lowered his hands to his hips and took several paces to the porch steps. He lifted the bouquet from the polished wood and gently passed the bundle to me. I took the yellow daisies and brought them to my nose. Their scent was fresh and inviting— almost like new love. There were hints of chamomile within its petals, although I couldn’t stop the little flowers anywhere. I watched as the hulking figure lowered himself onto one knee and placed a hand on his chest. He outstretched the other towards me, his fingers spread and his gloved palm open. 

The love confession, as simple as it may be, made my heart flutter.

It hadn’t taken long for me to realize just how meaningful the horseman was. He relied heavily on his actions to perpetuate his feelings. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to tell a lover white lies to pass the time. Perhaps it was the absence of his head that forced the notion, but I appreciated all the same. He seemed authentic and raw in his sentiment. He probably couldn’t lie, even if he wanted to. The movements of his figure would give it away. It was easy to lie using your vocal cords, it was even harder to lie through body language. The more I thought about it, the more I understood why I had entertained this attraction for the past several days. Not only did it serve as a distraction from my dishonest vacation buddies, but it felt genuine. It felt so fucking real in a world of grey skies and black smoke. The Headless Horseman was the only one expressing his true self these days, the only one unable to lie to me. Although, I am pretty certain he wouldn’t want to if he had the option. He was a gentleman above anything else, and he wasn’t the type of guy to misdirect his lady.

 The longer I looked at him, the more my heart pounded. A million thoughts exploded through my mind at once. The main one was how I only had two more days left of this vacation and how I would probably put this place behind me— due to the unfortunate actions of my friends. It almost saddened me that I would never be able to see someone as sweet as the horseman again. It was truly insane how a ghost knew the art of courtship better than the living, breathing humans I accompanied on the daily. Yet, I digress. The second thought was of my friends upstairs. There was no doubt in my mind that the act they were engaging in was somewhere between sinful and unholy. They had been fucking like rabbits since the mudslide happened. However, the judgment in my being was beginning to subside. 

Sure, I didn’t hand a human participant to engage in such disgusting activities.

But, I did have a ghost.

A sexy one, at that.

Call it petty, but, I had a  sudden taste for vengeance.

“Mister Horseman?” I hesitated. 

He rose from the ground and took several steps closer to me. It was just until his shins were touching the bottom step of the porch. Still, he opted to keep his distance. Just like the gentleman he was.  Even after all that time, he worried he might scare me. 

I lowered the flowers back onto the floor and proceeded to untie my silk robe— ever so slowly. I allowed the garment to fall to the crooks of my elbows and expose my bare shoulders. My nipples pebbled in the cool night air and a shiver crept down my spine. I saw his body tense at the sight of my exposed skin and his hand balled into a fist. Hollow breaths fell from my lips as I took several steps back. They weren’t out of fear, no. They were to add to the art of seduction. I pulled the silk bonnet off my head and allowed my goddess braids to flow down my back. I saw his chest rise and fall at a rapid rate. Despite him having no head, it seemed that the horseman was struggling to breathe. It was an intriguing sight.

“Allow me to be the first to say that the feeling is mutual,” I said, breathlessly. “I, too, hold a certain affection for you.”

His body leaned closer and began to tremble after digesting the words. 

“However, unlike you, I was not blessed enough to show my talents through crafts,” I said, gesturing to the bouquet on the ground. “I was blessed in other ways. Ways that I can only show you upstairs, in my bedroom. And I would have no problem showing you—”

His gloved hands were on my body before I could finish the sentence. I could feel the cool leather through the soft silk against my hips. He held the plush area firmly, hesitant to bring any lower. The horseman was testing the waters, attempting to see just how comfortable I was with him. I brought his palms lower and slid them to my backside. I guided them to my plump rear and assisted in his grabbing of it. A soft gasp fell from my lips as I felt him reciprocate the action on his own. Gently, he massaged the plump muscle, bringing my body slower the longer he did it. About thirty seconds later, my chest was pressed against the top of his abdomen, and my arms were drabbed over his shoulders. 

“Let’s go upstairs,” I purred, pulling away to open the door. 

The horseman, quickly, pulled me back against his body and lifted me in one fell swoop. My thighs rested on either side of his slender waist and ankles locked just above his rear. My arms immediately gripped his shoulders, while one of his arms wrapped around me— holding my body completely steady. He used his other hand to open the front door quietly and let us both inside the cabin. He took careful steps; I could barely hear his footfalls on the hardwood floor. 

“My room is upstairs,” I whispered. “It’s the third door on the left.”

The horseman took silent steps up the creaky old stairs. Both hands were around me now. He caressed my back sweetly as we ascended to my room. If he had a mouth, I was sure he’d hum a loving tune in my ear. My heart couldn’t help but sway at the action. It had only been a few minutes of him embracing me and I was already starting to fall for him. Maybe it was loneliness or the betrayal that left me so sensitive, but I couldn’t help myself. The horseman was simply too impactful.

However, the temporary bliss was cut short by the sight of Trista’s cracked door. Just as I had expected, lustful sounds danced from within the room and caressed my ears. I could feel my expression immediately drop at the sound. My inference had been correct. They were still, in fact, fucking like rabbits. As much as I would’ve loved to side my expression, I couldn’t. The horseman's face, or lack thereof, was right next to mine— meaning that he saw everything. 

Instead of simply ignoring it, he gripped my body tighter and took quicker steps down the hall. He, still, didn’t make a sound. He walked right through my open door and gently lowered me onto the bed. He stood before me for several seconds, taking in the sight before him. A significantly smaller woman, adorned in lace and silk, with a face stricken with sorrow. I doubt that it was a pretty sight, though his actions said otherwise.

The horseman shrunk down to the floor before me and placed his hands on my knees. He slowly pushed them apart. Unlike the men before him, the horseman didn’t dive right in and reach for the slick lips underneath my silk skirt. He placed his body between my separated thighs and placed his hands on my hips. Gently, he moved them up my soft sides and back, just before stopping at my collarbones. With the cool leather of his glove, he caressed the soft area. The horseman gradually moved his embrace up my neck and to my jaw. His thumb ran across my bottom lip tenderly and sent shivers through my body. His other hand gripped the side of my face and started to brush against my cheek. I felt my eyes close at the action. My heart was warm and my mind was beginning to ease. The irritating sounds from earlier had left my mind and been replaced with a sense of tranquility. It was strange how someone so mythical was able to get such a reaction out of me. Especially after just knowing him for a few days.

“Let me feel you,” I said, opening my eyes. “Let me feel your skin against mine.”

The word “please” lingered after those sentences, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud. I wasn’t the kind of woman to beg anyone to do anything for me. And I wouldn’t be starting now.

I felt him tense at the rest, almost as if he hadn’t expected it. Or, he just didn’t want to do it. Yet, he still obliged with my request.

Slowly, the ghost removed his hands from my face and placed them on my lap. He started on his right hand; pinching each finger and pulling it away from the skin. When each digit was loose, he pulled the glove off his hand with an air of hesitation. Clumsily, the leather garment was removed from his palm and tossed aside. Underneath was a stark, pale, icy-cold hand covered in an array of scars. His fingers seemed to be trembling slightly. His sensitivity to rejection was prevalent and made itself known to me. I took the massive palm into my hands. I bent the fingers at the knuckles just slightly before pressing a sweet kiss on the chilly surface. My eyes instinctively zeroed in on the empty space his head used to be. I stared at it, imagining it was actually there. 

“You’re beautiful,” I found myself saying. “Scars and all. I accept you as you are. Thank you for sharing your body with me.”

A wave of relaxation overtook his rigid demeanor. His body eased into the confines of my own, before wrapping his arms around my waist tightly. It was a simple hug, yet it felt like so much more. It was the only way he could possibly show affection without easing into a carnal activity. The absence of lips had made this rendezvous so much more difficult. I wanted nothing more than to press my mouth against his and press his against mine. I wanted my hands to be in his hair, while he roamed underneath my skirt and beneath my thighs. I wanted to be as close to him as physically, and maybe spiritually, possible. But, I had to settle for a hug instead. I wrapped my arms around the undead man tightly and simply took in the moment.

Upon releasing me from the embrace, the horseman pressed a tender hand to my chest and pushed my body back. It was until my back hit the mattress. Then, he slowly pushed the wrinkled, skirt from my ankles up to my rear. I placed the bottoms of my feet at the edge of the bed, just to give him more access. Nestled between two soft thighs was my womanhood. Damp, curly, and absent of panties.  The grip that the horseman had on my thighs firmed and I watched his chest expand. Almost as if he were holding his breath. He quickly removed the second glove before getting to work. The icy finger brushed against the hot vulva and caused me to shiver. A pleasurable sigh fell from my lips as I relaxed completely atop the bed. 

His gentle digits proceeded to separate the lower lips and expose the sensitive bud beneath. Before touching the throbbing clit, the horseman slid his thumb along my slit. He gathered all the lovely slick my walls produced on the thumb’s pad, before swirling it along my bud. I hissed at the feeling of his finger against me. The cold sensation was making my walls spasm a little. He rubbed my bud in large circles. The horseman added just the right amount of pressure to have me moaning up a storm. At some point, I lowered my bent knees to a wide ‘v’ shape and gave him more access to me. My hips rolled and bucked against his hand, desperately wanting more than he had to offer. Like a friendly visitor, one of his fingers tapped against my entrance. It was his silent way of asking for my permission.

“Yes,” I sighed. “Put it in.”

The thick finger eased into the slick center and I felt my world come crashing down. The coolness of his digit in my hot crevice was something I couldn’t mentally fathom. It was foreign and almost bizarre, yet I couldn’t stop myself. It swiftly became addicting. The horseman added another finger and flexed the digits upward— pressing directly against the g-spot. My legs twitched and my breath started to hollow. The movements of his fingers were stern, not rough. They were meant to hammer the sensitive area— they were supposed to massage it. The skill in his fingers was something of a legend. They stretched the walls within, ever so gracefully. They prepped me for the awaiting member I already caught a glimpse of moments before. From the imprint it made on his trousers, it was big and girthy. It would probably tear me in half without the right preparation. Yet, despite how intimidating the semi-hard member seemed through the fabric, I couldn’t have been more excited about it.

The orgasm was deep and erotic. And completely took me by surprise. It unearthed something divine within my womanhood and presented it to the horseman. My back arched against the bed as my mouth grew wider. My moans bounced on the walls as the orgasm nipped at my heels. The warm sensation in my belly grew wider until my entire body was on fire as a result. My fingers dug into the bedsheets as my toes curled and my body shook. My eyes were squeezed shut and my breathing grew erratic. My legs twitched and vibrated against the horseman’s forearm. He had to remove the thumb from my clit to hold my left leg.

“Oh Dear God. . .” I slurred as my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

The movements of his hands never stopped, they only made the orgasm longer and more powerful. I was seeing stars in my mind as my slick coated his hands. Thick cream oozed from my cunt as my body started to settle against the mattress. The after-effects of the climax started to wear down on my nerves. After some time, the ghost removed his cool finger from my center. He massaged the soft flesh of my thighs for a little while, before rising to his crouched position on the floor. I plopped my body onto my elbows and watched as he began to disrobe. The heavy, wool cloak was removed from his broad shoulder. Underneath was a stark white shirt and silk suit vest. Slowly, the ghost undid the buttons of both garments. Taking special care of the flawless pieces as he did so. Just as his hands, his chest was covered in an array of scars. They are arranged in size, shape, and depth. My heart sunk at the sight of them in the pale moonlight.

It was unclear whether or not he received them all at once, but one thing was certain. The Headless Horseman had a very rough life. Underneath the scars was a body I hardly expected. Almost every muscle along his figure was pronounced. From his rock-hard abs to his rippling arm muscles. Every last one was on perfect display for me to see. And what a beautiful sight it was. 

His shoes were the next thing to come off. Followed by his pants. It felt like that bit was in slow motion. He unbuckled the silver belt buckles and undid the closure with ease. Slowly, as if he knew I was watching, the horseman pushed his pants down his thick thighs and forced them into a puddle on the floor. Just as I expected, the member was big and girthy. It seemed the nickname “horseman” was a double entender. Even in the pale moonlight, I could see the pre-cum leaking from his slit. It painted the brown tip gloriously and made it glisten. One of his wide palms inched down to his member and took a firm hold of it. I watched him stroke the member slowly. It felt like he was seducing me. Fortunately for him, it was working. He took several slow steps toward my body, I could feel my heart pound in response. Before we did any more damage to my favorite nightie, I lifted the silk garment off my body and tossed it aside. I, also, scooted back against the bed; in able to give the horseman more room to work. 

The ghost proceeded to crawl against the fluffy mattress, flexing every muscle in his body as he did so. Groans left my mouth at the sight. I had never seen something so sexy in my life. Before long, his cool hands were pressed against my thick form once more. In one swift motion, the horseman spun me on my stomach and angled my hips in the air. I didn’t even have time to process what was happening, since his hands were palming my ass. He squeezed and massaged the soft tissue in a way I didn’t expect. He seemed completely mesmerized by it. Maybe it was the size or how soft it felt in his grip, but the horseman couldn’t get enough. 

I giggled at the notion. “You could give it a smack if you want,” I said, wiggling my hips against his palms. “I won’t mind.”

The ghost paused the massaging of the rear and hesitantly raised his hand from my right cheek. He proceeded to give me the softest spank I had ever received in my life. I couldn’t help but erupt in a fit of laughter.

“You can do better than that,” I chuckled. “I’m a big girl, horseman. I handle a little pain.”

With a firm hand, the horseman spanked my ass once again. The feeling was somewhat indescribable. I had never been one for experiencing pain during sex, but being with him was starting to make me think otherwise. The sheer sting of the hit was enough to make my walls clench. He seemed to have noticed it as well. A shocked moan fell from my lips when the horseman did it again. That time, it was placed on the left cheek. A buzz of electricity coursed through my being with the second hit. My walls were oozing for him to invade them. The desire to be torn apart by the horse cock between his legs was growing greater by the second. The closer our bodies became, the more I wanted him. There was a force that was drawing us together. Something completely mythical and absolutely otherworldly. It felt like it was trying to tell us something. 

But, I couldn’t decipher the message.

At least, not yet.

The moment he sunk into me I could feel my nerves begin to sing. The coldness of his body against my hot one was something divine. I pressed my face deeper into the pillows as he gave me everything he had. And it was a lot. It stretched me in either direction and made my canal spasm as a result. His cock pushed against every pressure point within my womanhood and I knew, then, that it would simply destroy me. I brought a shaky hand between my thighs as he started to rock against me. I rubbed my bud in lazy circles, a frugal effort to aid in my adjustment to his size. Low mewls fell from my lips as the thrusts started to increase in speed. The horseman had both hands on my hips as he moved against me. His hips rolled against my ass in a wave-like motion. The horseman didn’t seem interested in ‘fucking’ me, per se. He had no interest in giving me all that he had and shoving me into the mattress. When he moved against me, it didn’t feel like he was using my body. I didn’t feel like a tool to assist in his cardinal desires. He treated me like a prize; as if I was the main attraction. Even without a mouth, the horseman had communicated his intentions clearly. 

He wanted me as a potential lover, not as a passing phase.

His actions— from the beautiful bouquets to the way he fingered me— were an act of courtship. Even with his member buried in my pussy, the ghost was still courting me. The rolling of his hips against my cunt and the soft grip on my hips were examples of that. Again, the horseman had no intention of ‘just’ fucking me. He wanted more. So, this little rendezvous was the perfect opportunity to express that. Rather than use me like a living, breathing fleshlight, the horseman decided to make love to me. He was proposing what a union could be like between us. Without saying a word, the horseman was explaining to me that I was capable of having both a lovely companion and a seductive paramour. He showed me that it was possible for me to have a gentleman that would get me flowers, and fuck me within an inch of my life. 

Suddenly, a warm sensation started to flutter about my body. It gave me an air of comfort that I never experienced before. It gradually started to pool in my stomach, making my tummy feel warm in the process. The muscles in my body started to tense up and my grip on the mattress tightened. The breath in my throat grew thicker and my eyes fell shut. The gentle sound of the wind was the only thing to grace my ears. Every other sound drifted away. I could no longer hear the bed creaking beneath us, or the headboard hitting the wall. I wouldn’t hear my desperate gasps or the sound of our wet bodies hitting each other. Most importantly, I couldn’t hear the sapphic lovers enjoying themselves next door. At that point, their union no longer mattered to me. It was swiftly becoming something old and stale. Their betrayal was the most mundane thing to happen since we entered Evergreen County. In less than a week, I had a natural disaster grace my path, discovered that mythical beings existed, and was actively pursued by one. Not only that, but he was a better lover and companion than everyone before him.

Maybe I was entering my fifth stage of grief or maybe I was delusional, but I was swiftly getting over it.

“That’s it. . .” I grunted, my body still tense. “Keep going. . . I’m so close.”

The ghostly gentleman squeezed my hips tighter at the request. He kept his deep, seductive pace— not changing it one bit. If the arrangement was different, if he had a head, I knew the horseman would be the kind of guy to talk me through it. He’d whisper sweetnothings in my ear, calling me “beautiful” and “gorgeous”, while turning me into a slobbering, cock-hungry slut. He’d have a tongue like a snake, sneaky and deceptive. The horseman would never get rid of me if I could hear him speak. I’d never leave Evergreen County, even if my life depended on it.

The water in the shallow pool slipped over the edge and sent me into a spiral. The orgasm was deep, slow, and soul-wrenching. It unearthed something downright feral from my being. A low, groan poured from my mouth as I subconsciously threw my hips back to meet his. My mouth hung open like a bitch in heat and drool poured from the side of my mouth. My eyes rolled back until the whites were the only thing visible.  Oxygen came rushing into my throat all at once. My throat started to heave and my heart began to pound in my chest. It was so loud. It began the only thing I could hear for a short while. 

I didn’t even register that the horseman had changed positions. He hoisted my body from the bed and pressed my back against his chest. He hooked his left arm across my body and gently cupped my right breast in the process. His right arm wrapped around my waist, while his right hand gripped my hip. The ghost sunk back on his heels and separated his thighs a little bit more. My ass sat comfortably on his lap and his cock felt deeper than before. My walls were still fluttering when he started to move. The pace was faster than before. His hips moved like a piston, almost mechanical and precise. I could feel the head of his cock hammer the underside of my cervix. The pleasure point was getting obliterated at record time. The warm, fuzzy post-orgasm feeling had swiftly left my body. It was replaced with a burning hot desire that I, sadly, recognized. It was a feeling I had grown accustomed to in the short time our bodies were joined. The horseman was the only being to make me feel such cardinal desires. He was the walking epitome of sex, despite not having a head. Sex with him didn’t feel like a chore. It was an experience. An activity both parties could enjoy. And I was enjoying myself more than he could ever know.

It wasn’t long before his quick, machine-like thrust turned sloppy and clumsy. I could feel his lips begin to twitch the longer he pounded into my pussy. He was reaching his limit. I could feel the rapid pace at which his chest rose and fell against my back. It was a strange feeling, to say the least. At the front of my mind, I knew the horseman wasn’t alive. I knew he was a ghost, a headless one at that. However, I couldn’t process the feeling of humility I had gotten from him. The coldness I first felt when he touched me was no longer present. His body felt warm and inviting. It even had a thin sheet of sweat on it, just like mine. It could have been the crazy sex hormones coursing through my body, but it felt like the horseman was slowly becoming human.  

I didn’t have to time to analyze the thought any further before the third climax came knocking at my womanhood. It was somehow even more powerful than the ones before. My entire body trembled as I came undone against the horseman. A loud, pleasurable scream flowed from my lips as I threw my head back. My hips bucked against his lap as liquid shot out of my cunt and coated his rod. My nails dug into his warm flesh as I rode out my high. The massive member began to vibrate and twitch within me. Shortly afterward, thick ropes of cum coated my slick walls. I groaned at the sensation. The horseman continued to pound into my used pussy until he physically couldn’t anymore. His body, also, trembled and shook against mine. The lasting effects of overstimulation eating away at his feral demeanor. His sloppy thrusts came to a slow stop and his arms loosened their grip. 

The horseman repositioned our bodies for the final time that night. 

With both of us on our sides and my face buried in his chest— I had never felt more content in my life.

I awoke to a gentle kiss placed on my forehead. Followed by another on the tip of my nose and one on each eyelid. A soft hand readjusted the silk bonnet on my head, before capturing the side of my face in its palm. It was warm, familiar, and inviting. I found my sleepy form leaning into it, nestling against it for comfort. Slowly, my tired eyes eased open. The bright sunlight forced me to immediately shut them and groan in annoyance. The thumb, attached to the warm palm, gently caressed my face. It stroked my cheek lovingly, before moving over to my lips. Tenderly, the digit ran across my bottom lip; sending shivers through my body once again.

Once again?

The memory of the horseman’s gentle fingers immediately came to mind. How they caressed my face and neck, before easing down to my cunt. The feeling of his thumb running against my lips was identical to the sensation I was feeling now. But, something was different about it. There wasn’t a sadness in the touch as it was before— only anticipation. As if he was waiting to finally kiss me after the night we had. That would’ve been impossible, given his current disposition. It would be impossible to share a kiss with the horseman since he was without the equipment necessary to achieve said embrace. Unless he managed to grow a head at some point during the night—

“Open your eyes, darling.” The voice was deep and smooth, like an aged wine. It brought pleasure to my eardrums and made my heart sing. 

Upon easing my eyes open, I was graced with the most beautiful man I had ever seen. The warm sunlight gave his pale skin an ethereal glow. His deep, brown eyes shined like ambers in the light. He had high cheekbones and a sharp jawline. Resting above a very pronounced chin was a pair of plump lips. They were soft and had a pinkish hue to them. Above them was his nose; it was straight and came to a subtle point. The shape of his eyes was narrow and just above them were a set of thin, blond brows. They matched the messy blond hair atop his head. 

A smile spread upon his lips. “Good Morning, little owl,” he purred, pressing another kiss to my forehead. “How did you sleep?”

I matched the smile on his face. “I slept well,” I replied. “It’s great to finally see you. All of you.”

“And what a marvel it is to be seen by you,” he hummed, lovingly. 

Hesitantly, I raised a gentle hand to his face. My warm fingers brushed against his plump lips; a weak attempt to determine if I had been dreaming.

I was not. This was all 100% real.

“You know,” I started, combing through his soft locks. “I have a lot of questions about. . . this.”

“I’m sure you do,” he smirked. “And I am more than happy to answer every last one of them.”

“Quite the charmer you are,” I quipped. “I bet you have all the ladies losing their heads over you.”

A deep, guttural laugh erupted from the man above me. It warmed my heart.

“You are quite the jokester, aren’t you?” He replied when he finally died down. “On the contrary, it was the exact opposite. I lost my head for a lady.”

A frown took over my face. “I’m sorry.”

The horseman used the awkwardness of the conversation to adjust his position above me.  He slumped into the space on my left side and pulled me closer. His stronger arms cradled my soft body against his hard one. My bare chest was pressed against his and our legs were intertwined. It was painfully obvious that we were both quite naked underneath the covers. I could feel a familiar friend begin to twitch against my right thigh. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t ready for another round. Sure my body was on fire and there was a subtle ache in my walls, but the feeling of that man against me was something I wanted to relive. Especially now that I had something to look at.

The horseman was so pretty that it fucking hurt my feelings.

“It was a long time ago,” he sighed, stroking my cheek. “I hardly ever think about it anymore.”

“But. . .” I hesitated. “How were you able to wander around without your head?”

He thought for a minute. A sour look overtook his look of contentment. There was also a hint of shame in his eyes as well. Whatever he was about to say, he was deathly embarrassed about it.

“I made a bargain with the forest guardian as I was dying,” he admitted after some time. “I asked her for a chance to walk the earth again. To experience the love I had just previously lost again. Even after all she had done, I still loved my wife and I wanted to get back to her. The forest guardian must’ve been sympathetic and granted me one more night on this plane. In exchange, I was to be her servant and guard the north side of the forest until she no longer needed me. However, like most bargains, there would be a catch. I was to remain headless and walk the forest until the end of time.”

“But, what changed?” I asked, hanging on the edge of my seat. “Why do you have a head all of a sudden? After all that time has passed?”

The warm smile from earlier reappeared on his lips and the horseman pulled me closer. “You came into my life and changed everything.”

“How?” I said. “I didn’t even do anything.”

“That’s the point. You did nothing to warrant such devious actions from your friends, yet you still got betrayed. As did I,” he answered. “We share a pain known to many but not often spoken about it. The loss of a community. I could feel that pain the day you were in the boat. It drew me to you. I watched you cry from the shadows and my heart bled for you. I wanted to make you feel better by any means necessary and I heard flowers would do the trick.”

“So you started making me bouquets,” I interjected.

The horseman nodded. “But, I think it was your acceptance of me that freed me from servitude. Your words last night were genuine, along with your actions. You meant what you said and it thawed my frozen heart. I no longer wanted to live in solitude, roaming the forest for the rest of eternity. I wanted to be in love. You made me want to love again.”

I raised a shaky hand to his cheek and stroked it lovingly. “This is a lot to take in. There’s so much I to say, but I don’t even know where to start.”

“How about we start with our names?” The horseman suggested. “My name is Nanami Kento. What’s yours?”

---------------------

a/n: long time no see! I missed y'all! this took longer than i expected, but i hope it is to your linking. please give you sis some feedback! i wanna hear what you think. also, please vote for what piece you'd like to see me upload next!

click here for the POLL

until next time! see you later!

[babeyun]

easy, kitty ✩ s.jy [teaser]

✩ series m.list

✩ synopsis: after years of being referred to as a white whale by your respective detectives and being poorly sought after by single (and...not-so-single) suitors in your department, you're rescued by sim jaeyun - only for information in return.

✩ genre: fake dating au | unrequited love.

✩ pairing: detective!sjy x bookkeeper!reader

✩ word count: 1.1k | [full fic: tbd]

✩ rating: 18+. minors dni.

✩ warnings: none, just jaeyun shamelessly flirting and talk of shitty coworkers? some misogyny in the workplace?

✩ a/n: hello! i know this may seem a little confusing, but just trust the process. this is what would be the "present"...their juicy backstory will come in due time <3

monday, june 9th.

okay. 

you admit it.

you hate your job. you hate it! and that's okay, right? it's okay to absolutely despise walking into your job at eight in the morning with your steel tumbler filled to the brim with boiling hot tea. it's okay to hate the way you feel a sense of dread any time you hear footsteps nearing your little nook of an office. it's okay to dive under your desk the moment someone knocks on your door, and despite them opening it and seeing your tea still piping hot and your bag gently placed on the oak desk – they assume you're not in.

and you prefer it that way. you like hiding under your desk to eat your apple slices, and you even made friends with the cobweb spider in the corner of it. you like hiding your shoes and bag in a random cabinet drawer so they assume you're out sourcing materials. you love when your coworker, aeri uchinaga, swings by with invites to lunch so you won't have to speed to the cafeteria before any of the rookie detectives can bother you about sourcing information for them.

honestly, you weren't surprised to hear some of your fellow analysts call you the white whale of the department – you were the longest standing bookkeeper in the seventh precinct, and you knew the entire database by heart. you were rarely on board to help detectives solve their cases, often slipping just out of view and forcing them to ask around for help.

okay.

so maybe you don't actually hate your job. you hate the people in your department, except for your department director, hwang hyunjin, aeri and her boyfriend, yang jeongin. you hate the way that your coworkers relentlessly flirt with you, and they always manage to sour your mood the moment they compliment how pretty you look. luckily, once they realized you weren't interested in their little game of cat and mouse, they backed off.

until you showed up to the new year's eve party six months ago without a date, and shared a friendly hug with hyunjin, at midnight. it was enough to make the entire precinct wonder if you were single – and instead of focusing on their jobs, you could hear them whisper about you for the next two weeks. some of these people hadn't even known you were still working at the precinct, that's how uncommon it was to see you help anyone out – and how rare it was to see you at work events.

a lot assumed you thought you were too good to help them, that they weren't worth your time. they weren't entirely wrong – the rolling batches of detectives were more and more rude, and demanding in a way you didn't really like. so you made sure to seem as offstandish as possible, and no one got in your way. it was always a hard eight hours, but you always managed to leave the building without a single person speaking to you about sourcing anything for them. a skill, really. 

however, you were not as lucky this evening.

"y/n, baby." the flirtatious tone is subtle, but all-too-familiar. you groan inwardly, your back aching from being hunched over the stake of paper folders as you curse the precinct for not going digital. "what, jake?" you glance up through stands of stray hair, watching as he pouts playfully.

"no hello? how are you?" his smile doesn't dwindle as he leans his head on the doorframe, and you can feel the soft heat of his eyes on your face. sighing, you straighten your back, holding a stack of papers in your hands. you internally grimace as your lips immediately curve into a gentle smile at his own. "hello, jake. how are you?" "much better now that you're smiling." rolling your eyes, you beckon him forward with a nod of your head. he shuts the door behind him, taking a seat on the stool by your printer. your office had never been too homey, not in the last few years you'd been working here. you quickly learned to leave home at home and vice versa. "right, bro. what can i get for you?" "bro?!" he whines, dramatically clutching the left side of his chest as he kneels to the ground. "you wound me, babe. i've been struck, i'm seeing the light–" he flops on the floor, closing his eyes and sticking his tongue out. you give him a quizzical look, before nudging his ribcage with your pointed heel. he suppresses a squeal before trying to discreetly push your foot away. "jaeyun, get up and tell me what you want before i kick you out." you sigh at his theatrics, making him groan from the floor. "you know, it wouldn't kill you to be nicer. i am doing you a huge favor by being this dramatic, after all." he says pointedly, still laying on the dirty floor when you scoff. "right, as if being impassioned isn't second nature to you." "hey, when you've got it, flaunt it, baby!" he lays on his side, propping his head up with his hand as you pretend to stab your pen into your chest and drag it down. he grimaces, before looking up at you with a smile. your eyes narrow at this, and his smile only grows wider as your phone buzzes on the desk. "who's that? your boyfriend?" you can feel your eyes threatening to get stuck if you roll them any more, and you pick up your phone as jake finally stands from the floor, dusting his clothing. "jake-" "oh wait, i'm your boyfriend! what a lucky guy!" he leans over to peer at your phone screen, seeing aeri texting you about the next company dinner. you would normally attend them alone, but since you roped jake into being your fake boyfriend (with good reason!)…you didn't have much of a choice. "where are we going now? do i get to hold your hand?" his eyes scan the screen, making you snort as you push him back lightly. "as if you need an excuse to hold my hand, you literally grab it any chance you get! you'd keel over if i let you kiss me." you don't notice the soft eyes raking your face, but you don't get a chance to as he retorts, leaning against your desk as you shove your phone in your pocket.

"easy, kitty. by the end of this, you'll be begging me to kiss you." 

no matter how long you're around jake, you will always ask yourself why you chose him out of all the men in this precinct. you ask yourself how he managed to be at the right place at the right time, saving you out of yet another of your coworker's cringe-worthy attempts to sweep you off your feet. you're grateful, of course – but somehow, you realized only a few moments in that he would be your demise. no more white whaling, it seems.

BABEYUN © 2024. no translations, reposting or modifications are allowed. do not claim as your own. viewer discretion is advised. your media consumption is your responsibility.

taglist [those in red could not be tagged!]: @thesassy-mia @starfallia @ramenoil @hoonieversies @wintabite @shnnzsworld @eneiyri @jjongsha @ilovejungwonandhaechan @oopshee @capri-cuntz @petalsofink @teddybeartaetae @chocminteu @moon0fthenight @delvziion @heeseungthel0ml @marimariiiiiiii @thenastone

[hotlikewasabi521]

imagine, if you will, a sbg fantasy au

I don't know if anyone's done this yet but here we go! I'm a huge fantasy nerd, so I might be biased here, but I think sbg in a fantasy setting would go hard. now you could really throw in any ships, but personally, I built this idea around Tyden and Taylyn

so consider this:

(fair warning, this got a lot longer than I thought it would, I kinda ran with it)

Tyler and Taylor are the prince and princess of the kingdom, but they've essentially been running the country since they became teenagers what with their father having passed away and their mother being unfit to rule due to her mental state after her husband's passing. After their father died, Tyler still takes on the role of caretaker of sorts. Sometimes he even has a habit of burning himself out, Taylor and Ashlyn have to remind him often that it's okay to take a break. Ashlyn actually pulled him to the side one night and practically forced him to let Taylor start taking on more responsibilities, just so that he wouldn't fall under the weight of the kingdom.

On the subject of Ashlyn, her parents served in the king and queen's royal guard, and she even followed in her parent's footsteps. Considering both her lineage and the fact that she basically grew up with Tyler and Taylor, she winds up becoming the personal guard of the prince and princess(the twins) and the acting captain of the royal guard once she's deemed ready (which considering it's Ashlyn, is relatively quick). When it comes to her hearing, she'd definitely have some sort of wool or something put in her helmet to help muffle any loud noises. But her hearing also makes her a perfect guard, even allowing her to keep surveillance a fair distance away.

Eventually, it comes a time when the advisers decide that Tyler is of an age that he needs to find a suitor. The twins manage to fight it for as long as they can but when they turn 19, there's no getting around it. This would be around the time that Aiden and Ben show up, though for an unrelated reason.

See, Aiden is a prince himself, and Ben is a nobleman(title unknown) with close blood relation to the throne as well. Aiden isn't exactly all that into being a prince though, he'd rather go out, have fun, and be an adventurer (which is exactly what he's doing in the twin's kingdom) Ben is there to make sure Aiden doesn't get himself killed or cause any trouble with any foreign powers (friendly or otherwise).

As for Logan, well, his knack for astrology isn't going to waste, that's for sure. See, he's the apprentice of the kingdom's Royal Astronomer. And he absolutely loves it. Not only does he get to study the stars and be able to help support his grandparents, who would still run a flower shop in the capital's town square

Now of course rumors floating around the castle staff that Taylor has a secret love. Granted they can never catch a glimpse of the mystery suitor, (thanks to Ashlyn's super hearing) but the kitchen staff has it on good authority that it's someone from the royal guard. (Ashlyn and Taylor likely would have kept their relationship on the down-low for a bit in the beginning, but would eventually take it public, I mean, who's gonna stop them? the twins run the country, and of course, their mom just wants them to be happy and maybe give her a grandkid or two if either of them wants to have any)

That being said, the idea of little secret late-night rendevous where they wander the castle grounds talking and maybe wind up stargazing in the gardens is too good to pass up (They may not know as much about astronomy as say Logan, but they would definitely make up their own constellations and stories to go with them)

As for our other pair: Naturally, Tyler has a very strong opinion of Aiden. He's not exactly princely, and he does NOT like the fact his attitude when it comes to the politics of being in a royal family. But at the same time, this not-so-princely prince isn't like any other noble or royal he's ever met. He's intrigued. Deep down, there's a part of Tyler that wants to know more about Aiden and the world that he's gotten to explore and adventure through.

In the end, Aiden may or may not be the one who manages to get Tyler to enjoy his youth while he can, convincing him that the weight of the world doesn't have to fall on his shoulders alone. And Tyler may or may not have found himself a suitor in the process.

[cheralith]

a dedicated tenderness — 「 knives (nai) x reader 」

content warnings ; none

contains ; college!au, modern!au, secret relationship, just plain fluff with hundred spoons, polygun being sillies

notes ; could be read as a continuation of the previous nai fic, could not! still has the same aspects of it tho :3

You had met the Saverems when they moved across the street just barely diagonally from your house when you were just shy of six years old. Vash had caught you staring at their moving truck from behind the tall oak tree that provided a shaded sanctuary amidst the blazing summer heat. He remembers waving hello to the eyes that peeked out from the trunk of it before they flinched and ducked behind the sturdy wood again, slowly creeping back up to see if the pair of bright turquoise eyes were still staring at yours.

And when they were, Vash, being the more friendly and lively one of the two twins, decided to take it upon himself and drag his brother to go greet their new neighbor.

"Hi!" A sauntering young Vash had called cheerily to you, who was still hiding shyly behind the oak tree. "Are you our new neighbor? We just moved here!"

The young twins had managed to circle the trunk of the tree and before them stood a child around their age adorned in a colorful striped t-shirt and dirt-dusted overalls. Vash remembers you stepping back from the eager youngster, a less enthusiastic and distant version of him trailing not that far behind. You nodded, kicking at the dirt and not wanting to make eye contact with the sparkled-eye boy.

"My name is Valentinez, but you can call me Vash," he had said to you with a bright smile. He gestured to his lighter blonde and much more aloof counterpart. "This is Knives, you can call him Nai."

Your shy demeanor had suddenly faltered for a swift moment, your eyebrows getting all scrunched up in confusion at the odd names given to the two boys that little did you know, would set a place in your heart for the rest of your life. And it's returned back to the Saverem brothers. Your existence has stained each brother in such a unique way, and both Vash and Nai don't think they'll ever be able to forget you, not when your first words to them were,

"You guys kinda have weird names."

Such a sentence had lead a divide of two contrasting relationships involving the brothers—on one hand, Vash had taken it lightly to heart and merely laughed it off, easing himself into a breezy and steady friendship with you. On the other, Knives, or Nai as (only) you and Vash refer to him, had jutted out his lower lip in offense and insulted your dirty overalls, not taking into account that children still didn't have a filter before the age of ten. It forced you and him down a winding and tangling path, one that was devoid of flowery compliments and fresh smiles and laughs like the path of friendship you and Vash walked down together.

Oh no, the road you took with Nai was much more rocky, much more dwindling, and much more confusing. Insults jabbed at you and him like thorns as you'd trip over nonsensicality like sprouted tree roots waiting for you to stumble over them. The weather is never consisted as you travel down with him (never hand in hand, he'd so much as hiss out in faux pain whenever you'd brush against him). It could be stormy one day—the clouds heavy with misunderstandings, arguments and tears. It could be partly sunny—a ray of light peeking over the dismal clouds, similar to the nature of kindness that rarely shone through sometimes. Or it could just stay cloudy, as it has always been since the dawn of your "friend"ship with Nai.

Regardless of relationship status, there was certainly one thing that Vash had always knew of—that his brother had always had a quiet admiration for you. He just never seemed to act on it as much as other suitors of yours did. He isn't actually sure when Nai began to see you in a different light, but Vash can confirm that the longer he waits for something miraculous to happen, the more time will eat him alive.

He's seen it on his brother's face before. When you began your first relationship back in the more tender days of high school beginnings, Vash's eyes behind his glasses had flickered to a pair of similar ones across from him as you had introduced your then-boyfriend and he remembers the heaviness and ruddy ache that flittered across Nai's cavernous eyes. They contrasted your glowing ones, eyes filled with life and hope for the better future as you showed him off to everyone.

It was almost ritualistic, Vash thinks. Nai never seemed to care for romance unless it came to you. Vash thinks Nai would break all pairs of his glasses if he were to ever to say anything of a sort to his face, but he knew Nai was saving that blank space in his heart for you to fill, whether he realized it or not.

Nai Saverem is picky with people. He doesn't befriend those as easily as his younger brother, preferring to stay alone and distant with people that could easily take up his time so carelessly. It's why he shoos away any of his admirers with a cold glance that tells them they have zero chance with him and why there seems to be a certain thickness in the air whenever he's around that creates an invisible bubble around him. It's a thick barrier that refuses to let unknown others in and lets them know they won't be welcomed anytime soon. Introverted as he is, his energy is only so small, so there's a certain brand of people that wastes his time and therefore, he only uses his energy on people that he thinks are worth using it for.

And so Vash can't necessarily say he's too surprised like the others when Milly makes a separate groupchat that contains a series of images involving the two people excluded from it. The first is of Nai waiting outside the science building where your final class is held during Fridays. It was an odd place for him to be considering he only had one class on Fridays and would usually be home by mid-afternoon, so it was strange that Milly had caught him during the peeking hours of twilight still on campus.

The second is an image of you walking out the building and waving a hello to him, followed by the third of you and Nai's blurry figures connected via your hands in a sunset-inked sky making your way to Nai's car. The fourth of the photo sequence is a video. With a soft tenderness from Milly's hands, you get into the passenger seat with ease, the normal conversation of hostility and teasings between you and him seemingly devoid because there's no snooty faces or rolling of eyes. But it's when Nai properly starts the car that things take a turn. Its engines revving to life, he takes the time to pause and properly cradle the back of your head with his hand and properly give you a brief but soft kiss before pulling back with a dust of pink on his cheeks at the sight of your giddy, miniscule smile.

Behind the camera Milly gasps and drops her phone out of surprise on the concrete, and the video echoes the crack of the screen's phone before Milly's whine of "Oh no... it broke!" ends the video.

As buildings and nature of all arrays pass by, Vash replays the video over and over again in Wolfwood's car, examining it and the other images in full and wondering how Nai's daydreams finally came to life. Vash rubs his eyes behind his glasses, still attempting to process if what he’s seeing is real—that his icy older brother was truly thawing his resolve at the sight of you visibly and blooming a foreign affectionate that even Vash rarely sees nowadays.

Wolfwood groans when he hears the sound of the beginning of the video play again, grip tightening on the steering wheel as his knuckles whitening out of annoyance. "Would ya cut that out already! I get it, they're datin'!"

Vash flinches at his boyfriend's irritated tone. He tucks away his phone with a hasty laugh and apology. "Sorry, I'm just a little baffled that they're finally together after all these years."

The brunette makes a sort of scoffing noise. "I didn't lose all hope that your brother would never find love, but in all my years, I didn't expect it to be (Y/N) out of all people," he mutters, a cigarette dangling from his hand that sits on the edge of the window, its peppery scent lingering softly in the car. "How long do ya reckon they'll last?" he asks everyone in the car. "My bets on three months, their bickerin' is gonna put an end to it 'fore somethin' else does."

"That's mean, Wolfwood," Meryl scolds and flicks him on the back of his head, earning a yelp from him. "I'll admit myself I don't know how those two came to be, but I only wish them well and if they're happy with each other, that's all that matters."

Milly chimes in with a positive cheer. "Agreed! I'm just happy that Mr. Knives has finally found someone!" she chirps. "I really didn't want him to end up as a sad old grandpa alone."

"I wasn't insultin' them," Wolfwood huffs, "I was just merely statin' the reality. Y'all saw it earlier today too—both of 'em playin' musical chairs with the seat Knives stole in the lounge when (Y/N) got up to go get water."

Meryl shakes her head. "It's still really mean to assume their relationship won't last. I don't know about you guys, but I can see them—hey! You missed the turn!"

"Shit!"

Wolfwood swears aloud, hissing as he realizes he's passed the entrance to a vast park on the busy street. He makes a swift and hasty U-turn on the road that makes everyone grip onto the nearest object for dear life before zooming into an entrance that lead to a hidden field in the woods. The car slowly drives by it, where everyone can see a a lone picnic blanket atop a small hill with a laptop playing Miss Congeniality sits on a picnic basket. The back of two people face the parking lot, and it doesn't take long for everyone in the car to assume who they were.

On Fridays, it was a ritual to go to someone's house for a relaxing movie night and just wind down with everyone's presence for the evening. Today, however, you and Nai had excused yourselves from it with what seemed to be valid excuses until Milly's paparazzi work had jumbled in hours later.

“Can’t,” Nai droned, his eyes still glued on his laptop. “I’ve some papers to grade for one of my classes before the midterm ends.”

“And I’ve got a lab report to write up with my lab mates later,” you mentioned. “I can catch next week’s if that’s okay.”

It clicked to them that it was secretly code for you and Nai to actually attend a secret picnic movie date, which Wolfwood took mild offense to as Miss Congeniality was one of his favorite movies, disliking that it was being used for a date out of all things.

"They can't be serious," Wolfwood sneers as he pulls into a coveted shady area of the parking lot, safe from yours and Nai's view but still able to provide the gang with proper sights. "What screams romantic about Sandra Bullock having to attend a pageant? There's literally so much better romcoms out—"

"Shut up!" Everyone scolds.

"You'll give away our cover!" Meryl hisses. "The point is to be subtle and quiet, you idiot!"

Wolfwood snides and rolls his eyes, his hands throwing up in surrender.

On the other side of the hill, you gently press another strawberry to Nai's lips. His teeth gently bite into it, the juices of it slowly seeping out from the corner of his lips for your thumb to scrape away, a feather-like touch grazing his lips as it does so. You go to stare at the red-stained tint on them for a moment unconsciously, the natural gloss the fruit left off almost hypnotizing you.

It goes unnoticed by Nai, however.

"If you wanted a kiss, just say so," Nai says, plucking the greenery of the strawberry out your hand to put it into the trash pile.

You break out of your trance with a stunned shiver going up your spine at the sound of Nai's casualty. It was still somewhat unnerving for him to be saying such things, especially considering how he used to be before you two began dating. Words conveying such warmth were still unusual to hear, but it wasn't like you didn't like it.

A warmth creeps on your cheeks and you blink. "What? No, I was just simply... going to fix your collar, that's all!" you lie hastily. Your hand goes to fidget with an already-neat shirt collar before your wrist is grabbed by Nai's own. It pulls you into him and Nai's lisps peck your own quickly before his attention returns to the movie like nothing had ever happened.

You swear you can feel some steam coming out of your head. While you were usually the one that began the small touches of affections, it always felt different and much more intimate when Nai would return them or replicate them in his own fervor. Maybe it was due to the lack of intimacy he displayed to anyone else, or perhaps because they were from Nai himself that they felt more personal—the man who barely showed any emotion to anyone other than distaste and apathy—and so for such an individual to be sharing such liaison with you just felt more close to heart because he chose you to share it with.

"I thought you weren't one for PDA..." you mutter, fighting the urge the lick your lips as the acidity of the strawberry leftover lingers on them.

Nai shrugs. "We're the only ones around here, so the 'P' aspect of PDA doesn't necessarily apply right now."

"That's what you think," you interject. "There could be some weirdo prodding around the bushes as we speak, spying on us, y'know!"

He lets out a soft snort as the ending scene begins to play out, where Sandra Bullock begins to give her speech about friendship in the banquet hall starts to seal up the ending ropes of the movie. "And what weirdo would want to spend their time spying on two college students on a picnic?"

"A weirdo who tends to enjoy movies and real-life romance."

"Those people don't exist."

"To you they might not, but to me anything is possible."

"Shut up before I kiss you again."

You snort aloud, fighting the urge to react to his declaration like a schoolgirl. "You're acting as if I don't want th—"

Milly gasps loudly as she watches Nai dips his face to yours to once again, kiss you, but with more ardor than the last, this one lasting much more soundly than the previous one. She can sense there's true passion and dare she say, genuine love, in it and she melts at the sight of it fondly.

Vash himself watches the scene unfold with wide eyes, pausing his munching on his sandwich as he hogs the binoculars from a protesting Meryl. It takes all the fight in him to not proudly cheer aloud at his brother making a move and he gags on his sandwich when he witnesses Nai tuck a lock of hair behind your ear after the kiss. His lips still tell nothing of a sort, still a stiff downward line like they usually were, but the rest of his radiates a sort of fluster when you giggle softly at his antics. Confidence looks good on his brother, Vash thinks.

"Shit, they're on the move!" Wolfwood exclaims after a while of spying. Everyone hastily packs their things and duck as an ignorant you and Nai make your way down the hill and back into his creme white car, where Wolfwood's doesn't trail too far behind. The four of them spend the rest of the evening not watching a romantic movie as planned, but instead fending for the real life soap opera that enacts in front of them, tailing you and Nai as you travel around town and into various shops.

"Who do you think made the first move?" Meryl asks with her eyes peering behind the binoculars, peeking behind the window of the car that sits parallel on the same street a record shop was. "I'm placing bets that it was—oh no, everyone duck!" They shift under the seats when you two walk out with small bags in hand holding sorts of records and CDs, still talking aimlessly and the beat-up grey-black Camry still unnoticed in the background.

"Never really took Knives for a music-type of guy..." Wolfwood mutters. They slowly rise up from their spots and beginning to tail the car again.

Nai's eyes go to flicker to the rearview mirror. "Are they still following us?"

You give a chuckle and glance at the side mirror, where a familiar car of sorts drives only a car behind you. You had realized back at the ice cream parlor that four pairs of watchful eyes had their sights on you and Nai awhile back, but figured it'd be awkward to confront them and ruin the date. Instead, you let them have their fun being pretend James Bonds and went on with the date like usual, attempting to ignore them as much as possible (it was quite hard, however, when you could see Vash and Wolfwood almost start wrestling in the front seats for aux).

You knew that you and Nai had to come clean sooner or later, but he had admitted that he wasn't ready to state publicly that he was in a committed relationship. You still weren't sure whether it was because of his own pride of being frustratingly independent or it was nervousness of entering a new era that was holding him, but you respected his wishes and continued to play the part of a bickering old couple stuck in the bodies of college students like how you were beforehand. You think you were still just as nervous as you were in the first few weeks.

But when Nai's voice echoes the words he promised to you when he officially asked you out with sweaty palms and palpitating heartbeats, a warmth in your chest unfolds in comfort, reminding you to look on the brighter, warmer side of things, even if you weren't too confident.

"I... really want to make this work... so I promise to do all that I can if you'll do the same."

You give a soft smile at his promise he made awhile back to a particular no one. Nai raises a brow at your mysterious grinning.

"What are you smiling about?" he inquires as he leads you to the entrance of your apartment building.

"Oh, nothing..." you shrug off, leaving Nai in the dust of confusion.

Nai narrows his eyes for a bit in suspicion before sighing out aloud. His eyes go to hover on the sight of that dumb Camry again, its shaded windows concealing who its passengers was from view but Nai has seen it too many times to count to know whose car it was and only who could be inside of it. The smoke that wisps from behind the driver's window does nothing more that confirm his suspicions as he picks up the scent of familiar menthol cigarettes that doesn't take him long to guess who it belongs to.

"Do you think we should confront them?" you ask.

Nai shakes his head, "Just let them be for now. I'll deal with them later," he murmurs when he leads you safely into your apartment building. "Text me when you get up to your apartment," he directs before brushing his lips against your cheek as a goodbye.

You nod, affirmative. "I will, thank you for today, too," you praise fondly and give his hand one last squeeze before you let go. You watch as Nai makes his way back to the entrance before you call his name out again.

"Hey, Nai?"

His head turns back to you, raising a brow. You take this time to fully embody him before your own eyes, from the tufts of his hair to each freckle on his body.

Nai before your relationship and Nai in a relationship you think are two vastly different people, and you still can't place your finger on who the real one was. A part of you thinks he's putting up a front in the eye of the public for his own self-preservation, but another part tells you that he's merely just showing a newer, more refined side of him that you've never seen before—a more tender and protective version of Nai that you think only Vash has seen before a handful of times. Sometimes, you pride yourself in confirming that this side of Nai, whether it was real or not, was only shown to you as a sign of trust from his desolate self.

However, there were other times that made you think this honeymoon era might not last and you and him will go back to how things used to be, altering the fate of your relationship for the worst. A petal of guilt would bloom every time that thought crosses your mind due to the unsettling feeling that perhaps you didn't confide in Nai enough, that maybe you just didn't earn enough of him to lock your feelings into place.

But when he waits patiently for your response, blinking slowly, you realize that perhaps it was indeed the latter—a slow exposure to a new side of Nai Saverem—that was yours for the taking.

"I love you," you declare in the foyer, your voice echoing and forcing your message to repeat itself to him for a few seconds.

Your eyes scan for a reaction from him and you earn a flustered, non-verbal one as a response, one that makes his lips thin and makes him thickly swallow and cheeks flush. A grin teeters on the corners of your mouth as you watch him attempt to utter out a reply. It falls short on his tongue, however, and you're only given a nod and wave before Nai (almost hurriedly) exits the building, the tips of his ears pink.

A giggle slips its way out of you as you enter the elevator, fondly thinking on his lasting image. Baby steps, you think.

On the floors below, Nai groans and drags a hand down his face at the memory of your declaration to him. It's more difficult than he thought to ignore the loud thundering of his heartbeat, and he doesn't quite enjoy how it twists his chest so... tightly. He feels foolish for not even gathering up courage to just say a mere "Me too." back to you, but his embarrassment suddenly dissipates upon seeing the same car still in its place. Nai suddenly remembers the last errand he has to take care as his feet carry him to it, the scent of a cigarette growing stronger each step.

"Wolfwood, can you at least take that outside?" Meryl complains as the the black haired man lights up his fourth cigarette of the night. It's a miracle how his car seats don't reek from the stench.

He shakes his head, jutting it towards the building. "No can do, sweetheart. Our cover will be blown if Knives sees m—what the hell?!"

A loud bang rumbles through the car from the roof and the familiar figure of Nai Saverem looms over the car before he ducks his head down and gestures for a nervous Vash to roll down the window. Vash, fear-stricken, obeys his command almost automatically, leaving Nai to stare boredly back at everyone's pale faces. Wolfwood thinks Nai's fist had created an indent on the top of his car, but his words fail him when he goes to stare at Nai's icy face.

"So did you guys have fun spying on us?"

a/n ; this was just kind of a fluff blurb to help me write something that was the next chapter of if the shoe fits because i kind of needed something fresh and new to work on. writer's block? i'm not too sure! i hope you enjoyed either way!

thank you for reading once more and as always, comments and reblogs are always appreciated <;3!

[theysherobinbuckley]

ugh stobin arranged marriage au........

The Harringtons are a wealthy family and they only have one son, Steve, whose terrible luck with ladies is talked about far and wide. He's a charming, good-looking, athletic boy, so many people think the reason he can't keep a suitor for more than a week must be some terrible awful secret, some insurmountable personal failing.

The ladies assure everyone they meet that no, Steve is quite pleasant to be around. He's attentive, diplomatic, polite, and always respectful. But... that's all he is. There's interest but no passion, friendliness without warmth, smiles that don't touch his eyes. He's not much more than a puppet pretending to be a real boy. And while that may please the fathers of potential suitors (and Mr. Harrington), all of Steve's failed arrangements felt they deserved a little more from their spouse. And Steve, ever so pleasant, normally agreed.

The Buckleys are really their last resort. Word has it that their daughter has been struggling to keep an arrangement herself; it probably has something to do with that nasty independent streak they'd heard so much about, not to mention the number of political incidents she'd almost caused by forgetting basic court etiquette.

The Harringtons are desperate enough to reach out, and the Buckleys, more than a little strapped for cash, are desperate enough to agree.

Steve, terrified of what his parents might do if this thing doesn't work out, is determined to make this relationship the one that sticks. Robin, on the other hand, swears that the ever-pleasant Steve Harrington must be hiding something, something big enough to scare off nearly a dozen women from a life of luxury.

And she's going to be the one who finally exposes him.

Obviously they become best friends and get lavender married etc. etc.

[chaotic-starlight24]

Adding to my Friendly Suitor AU :D (Will most definitely be posting art of it :)

Little Wolf is a nickname that Antinous gives Telemachus in a kind way. He mainly called him that when he was little but he still calls him that occasionally. The Little Wolf song is less aggressive and Antinous uses it to pump Telemachus up before training.

Antinous is one of the few who actually respects Penelope’s wishes and him and Amphinous fend off suitors who are usually way too young and rude. Penelope has actually become good friends with Antinous and though she is confident Odysseus will come home, she has made the decision that if he truly doesn’t Antinous is her first choice.

When Telemachus was younger, he would have nightmares occasionally and he knows Penelope is busy weaving so he would run to the courtyard where all the suitors would be staying. Then he would wake up Amphinous or Antinous and tell them he can’t sleep. Then some more of the group would wake up and they would all let him talk through it and comfort him. They would usually tell funny stories to calm him down or just look up at the stars.

Before Odysseus left, Antinous was the same age as him and slightly envied his position. He could be somewhat passive-aggressive to him and such. But he has matured since then and greatly respects Odysseus for having the courage to leave his kingdom to fight.

Penelope is a lot more relaxed about things since she doesn’t have to worry so much about pushy suitors since the group that respects her will fight those who don’t. Though some of the respectful are growing a bit impatient Antinous keeps them in check. He is the only one who found out Penelope’s trick of undoing her weaving, but he didn’t tell her that he knew.

When Telemachus goes on his trip, Antinous has a plan to surprise him once he gets home and celebrate him becoming an adult. (It’s like that parody of Hold Them Down) He’s very excited about it and Amphinous and Penelope have to stop him from making undoable plans. “And then we can have a feast! With uh, with the whole kingdom! All to celebrate him!!!” “We don’t have a big enough table for that! Or enough food.” “I‘ll make a bigger table! And more food!” “ANTINOUS NO.”

When Odysseus comes back and begins killing suitors, Antinous and Amphinous immediately pull out their weapons and get ready to defend Telemachus. They honestly didn’t realize who it was. They are the last ones found instead of Antinous dying first. Telemachus hides behind a pillar, breathing hard, as they begin to face off against him. Antinous gets shot and stabbed and lays dying on the floor and Amphinous lunges for Odysseus and gets stabbed in the process. Odysseus stands there with the bodies of suitors behind him and now Antinous on the brink of death. Odysseus goes to stab him again but Telemachus runs out and shouts for Antinous. Ody recognizes his son and watches in horror as Telemachus does all he can to stop the bleeding from Antinous while telling him it will be ok, he starts singing “Little Wolf” to him and Antinous manages to open his eyes. “It will be alright. Your real father is here. I’m really proud of you, Little Wo-“ he then goes limp in Telemachus’ arms. Telemachus sits in shock, shaking badly and looking at his blood-covered hands. He eventually turns and faces Odysseus. Tears start falling from his eyes and he begins screaming at him “WHY WOULD YOU?! WHO EVEN ARE YOU!” He keeps screaming and crying as he tries his best to shake Antinous awake as Ody stands with his bow and blood-covered sword, his own eyes becoming shiny as he realizes what he’s done.

Well hope y’all are enjoying this AU! I think it’s very fun to work with :D

[yuki-shipnoda]

Nobility AU

Thinking about Yuki being a young lord and having many suitors after him... (partly inspired by The Bamboo Princess plot)

Yuki, being the heir to a large plot of land and several properties, making his family very rich and sought after

Yuki, being friendly with everyone, down-to-earth and helpful with the townspeople helps cleans up the image of the aristocrats to the public

One evening, Yuki's father hosts a ball to celebrate his birthday, and all of the young nobles come to see him

Yuki gets chased by many suitors, different lords of different countries, who all try to woo him over by courting him

Yuki sets up challenges to keep them away from him, but they all manage to achieve them all, so he has to play mind games on them

The more Yuki plays around with them, the more his suitors are hungry to have him for themselves and try to chase him down with all their might

[sea-owl]

Ok but can you imagine Felicity with a shotgun trying to scare off Eloise because she’s got the spirit but the wrong idea and while Felicity is trying to scare away Eloise off from romancing Penelope, Colin sneaks in behind Felicity to charm Penelope and Eloise is oblivious like sure Felicity I’ll come look at your watercolors away from Penelope (sends Penelope a confused look)

Omg what if this falls into the Elliot Bridgerton au?

Felicity wakes up in a cold sweat one night because she just had a dream and a realization that a Bridgerton is out to ruin her beloved sister. Her immediate thought that it's Elliot. That bastard is always hanging off her or dragging her off somewhere whenever he's home on break from University and constantly complains how much easier it would be if Penelope lived closer yet he won't marry her?!

Felicity often hears rumors that Elliot is just sowing his wild oats and then he'll properly court Penelope. Felicity huffs and calls bullshit. I mean hell! That family friendly tea party Lady Danbury threw the other day Felicity could feel Bridgerton's eyes on her family.

She would challenge him to a duel, but Penelope forbade it. Apparently, it's illegal, and both Felicity and Elliot are too good of shots. So she does the next best thing. Be a constant pain in the ass and pull Elliot off to somewhere else. He's so competitive like Hyacinth. It's wasy to pull him into games. Maybe Penelope will finally get a proper suitor.

Unknown to Felicity she had the right idea but the wrong Bridgerton. The whole time she's trying to drag Elliot away Colin has more freedom to approach Penelope uninterrupted. This has led to some interesting interactions. One that had Felicity breaking a tea cup when Colin walked in on their family meeting dragging Penelope behind him, requesting permission to marry her from their mother.

When Portia excused Felicity to get her watercolors she really ran to go get sunshine.

[wisteriagoesvroom]

Omg AU where carlos and charles were in a relationship which was forbidden by either of their's parents so they meet in private to cherish the moments

ouuuu why do charlos work so well in fantasy or historical settings? anyway, historical AU:

they’re both attending a debutante's ball as two of the most covetable bachelors of the season. charles is overwhelmed by the attention, and runs off to the stables. a quiet space, a safe space, where he won't be bothered by anyone.

he is there, talking softly to a mare, petting her muzzle and gentle with her. soft in a way he's not allowed to be in the confines of his role, and his gender.

carlos, trying to get away from an overenthusiastic suitor, arrives at the stables too. he is half-contemplating stealing a horse and riding away in the night. but he can't because his father is politically influential, a well regarded duke, and besides, carlos is too much of a dutiful son to truly sully the family name like that.

they lock eyes, frozen to the spot: one about to run away, and one wishing that he could be literally anywhere else.

"are you not enjoying the party?" charles asks.

"it is a bit suffocating, all those hands, all those eyes, i think."

one shakes his head disapprovingly. the other snorts.

carlos walks closer, quiet but confident, always comfortable around horses. they both grew up around them, and can read animals intuitively like that.

"do you want to run away?" charles says. it canters out of his mouth before he can think about it, before he can even reasonably consider what he is saying.

carlos makes a noise like charles has proposed that the earth may be round. "you are very funny."

but they stay in touch after that. starting a correspondence of letters, meeting each other on hunts and getting into friendly competitons while out in the woods. challenging each other to race to the end of the field on their horses, and the rest of the hunting party can't say a single thing about it because these are two of the most respected and titled men in the whole kingdom.

and racing each other, galloping towards the midafternoon sun in that vast field, is the freest they can be: shirts billowing, horses flying, gloves clenching on leather. pushing their abilities, and each other.

they brush hands. when moving past each other at other balls. while pretending to inspect new flowers in garden greenhouses. under the table at royal council meetings.

their hands are promised in marriage, but to others.

on carlos's wedding day, charles sits in the fourth row of the pews, and holds a pair of gloves very tightly in his hands.

the pair of gloves are not his own.

when the priest recites a passage about quiet devotion, carlos's eyes flicker to charles's.

charles's mouth opens softly in surprise.

the church has gone silent. it's carlos's cue.

(now you tell me how it ends....)

[akirakirxaa]

DESPERATELY curious about the fortemps family and their opinions on Akira's new gaggle of husbands (ot4 au) so pick whichever one of them you're most comfortable with! slight preference towards Edmont but any of them work

[This is my first time ever writing Edmont so please be kind! 🙏]

The patriarch of House Fortemps had not been blind to the torch the Warrior of Light had once carried for his middle son. Indeed, before their fateful mission to the Vault, he had expected by the end of everything there might have been wedding bells. Alas, it was not to be, but Edmont never let that stop him from doing all he could to make Akira feel as if she were part of the family, as she may have been had things gone differently that day.

So the first time Akira brought home (no matter how much she seemed convinced that she was still a guest, every employee and servant and member of the house knew she was free to come and go as she pleased and her every need attended) a chosen suitor, he felt a certain protectiveness over her not unlike that he felt with his remaining sons. Not that she could not handle herself, but he was loath to see her hurt any more than she already had been.

The young man, a red headed Miqote with a look in his eye that suggested a wisdom beyond his years, was polite, if very flustered. G'raha Tia, as he learned his name was, was introduced as a historian, and a Scion, but Akira seemed to struggle with the labels, as if there was more she could say but wasn't sure how to explain it. Edmont dearly hoped the sappy looks he kept catching them shooting at each other would never fade. When they had their child, a tiny girl with Miqote ears and Auri scales and the same red hair as her parents, he was delighted to have been the first person Akira turned to for help when the usual dire stakes pulled her away.

And then, when she had once again saved the world from an unfathomable fate...she brought home more. Edmont was not wholly unfamiliar with the concept of having multiple partners, but it wasn't considered...proper by the church. However, seeing how happy she was with them...he could not begrudge her her happiness. Seeing the tension that G'raha tried to hide, he hoped only that it would indeed continue to be happiness.

He couldn't help but think Haurchefant would have liked the lavender haired one, Hythlodaeus she had introduced him as. He was easy going and friendly, taking Emmanelaine in stride and even drawing Artoirel a bit out of his shell. The other...the white haired one, Hades she'd called him, he was more withdrawn and quiet, an anxiety about him the reason for which Edmont couldn't pinpoint. There was also something strangely...striking about his features. Emmanelaine learned quick that he was not a man to pester when he tried to engage in small talk and Hades snapped waspishly at him.

But with Akira, even if he was trying to hide it... Edmont knew there was a closer bond there than was being put on display, their very positions shifting to keep each other in sight at all times. He wasn't sure what they had been through, but it was no wonder that G'raha did not protest; Edmont suspected suggesting they be parted would like suggesting the moon be parted from the star.

(Considering recent events maybe not the best comparison anymore, but he digressed.)

Edmont could not help his dis-ease - his own indiscretion had caused enough heartache for his own entire family - but seeing the peace he'd not ever seen on Akira's features...

Everything would work out. He had faith.

[lattaeyongs]

the trojan horse (hrj): teaser

original gif

↳ pairing: huang renjun x reader

↳ teaser word count: 1.7k

↳ genre: royalty!au, historical (late 1700s)!au, heavy angst, fluff, smut (will go under major revisions before posting)

↳ summary: in which the boy you fall in love with isn’t who you think he is.

↳ teaser warnings: political unrest, may contain historical inaccuracies

1788

Today, you would be meeting the Prince of Neo, Huang Renjun. Neo is a small kingdom that neighbors your kingdom, and they are known for their ample craftsman class who commission some of the finest weapons and are the source of skilled fighters which could be of advantage if they have a suitable marriage alliance.

As much as you hated being auctioned off like an antique vase, it was something that couldn’t be helped as a royal woman, particularly the princess of the largest kingdom around, Ambrosia. You only hope that this Huang Renjun isn’t like the other suitors you have met, who are snooty and stuck up, ruthless as if they are miniature versions of your father. More importantly, you wish that they won’t cast you aside, using you as a pawn to get their hands on the better prize, the Kingdom of Ambrosia, the largest kingdom in the area.

There’s already tension in the air when you are escorted by your mother and lady’s maids into the drawing room where you first lay eyes on Huang Renjun.

His raven-colored hair is neatly gelled and combed, and his skin is pale in contrast. He stands up politely at your presence, and you get a good look at his clothing: rich, exactly what you expect for a royal from another kingdom. He wears red robes with delicate, intricate yellow designs, and you suspect the material is velvet. He has white frills at his neck, and milky white socks that compliment the black shoes at his feet, which have a gold flower at the center of the foot to match the gold designs on his robes. 

He is also observing you with the same tenacity as you do with him: You’re wearing a crown of pink flowers on your head, which matches the pink flowers on your sky-blue dress. Your skirt is large and trails at your behind, which shows your royal standing, and the sky-blue sleeves of your dress slowly become white lace as his eyes follow from your shoulders to your wrists. The sleeves of your dress are cone-like, and the edges are able to reach your knees. 

For a few seconds, you meet Renjun’s gaze. His eyes are a beautiful dark brown, and they offer you a friendly look, which puts your heart at slight ease. 

“Princess Y/N, this is Renjun, Prince of Neo,” your mother introduces in a voice that made it seem like she has known Prince Renjun for a long time (which she hasn’t).

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Highness,” Renjun says. His voice is absolutely magnificent, song-like, and dreamy. He steps forward and bends down on one knee, taking your right hand and kissing the back of it. 

His lips feel warm against your skin. 

There are a few other men by Renjun’s side. There are his personal guards, who came with him on the five-hour carriage ride from his castle to yours, and another man in fine clothing, someone you failed to notice due to your observant study of Huang Renjun. 

“And this is the King of Neo,” your mother continues, gesturing. He bows down and takes the time to bend down and kiss your mother’s hand (which has her bubbling with pleasant, polite words) and your hand, which you give a curt greeting. His black robe shuffles as he steps back, and you study Renjun side-by-side with his father. 

“Pleased to meet you, Your Highnesses,” he says. 

A few maids come in bearing silver trays piled with bite-sized sandwiches, in the shape of a pyramid. You and your mother take one, while Renjun and his father take one each, all four of you being overly courteous to the help in an effort to keep appearances. 

“Your daughter looks like a lovely young lady, perfect for my Renjun,” the King of Neo comments, giving your mother a gracious smile. “So elegant and full of grace, she will make a fine queen and wife, Your Highness,” he addresses your mother. 

“Thank you for your kind words,” Your mother responds back, her eyes crinkling as a part of her practiced genuine smile. “May I escort you to the King? He has some matters that he would like to discuss with you.” 

“Of course, my good lady,” the King of Neo responds back courteously. Your mother leads the way out of the room, and a few maids look like they are going to follow her, to make sure that she is okay, but she only needs to give a flick of her wrist for them to disperse back into the drawing room. Now, you and Renjun are alone, except for the help, but they don’t count as ‘people.’ You’re grateful that your mother has left you both alone because you absolutely hate being chaperoned during meets with suitors – it makes you more nervous having that extra company. That just shows how important this alliance is for the Kingdom that your mother understands your weakness and tries to put you on the best possible foot to make a good performance for Huang Renjun.

“Please have a seat,” you say to Renjun, gesturing at the plush pink-and-green sofa that he abandoned when you entered the room. There is a small ottoman opposite of the sofa, and there is a glass table in between with the pyramid of sandwiches that the maid brought a few minutes ago. You’re ready to bring up something about the weather and other practiced lines you have prepared for occasions like this when something catches your eye on the table, a leather-bound book. It is a copy of The Oresteia by Aeschylus. You remember reading it back when you were still being taught by a governess. 

“Excellent choice,” you start off, gesturing to the volume on the table.

Renjun smiles at you, a pretty sight just as beautiful as his voice. 

“Thank you. You have a wonderful library, larger than the one I have at home,” he says in awe. The library room is in the next room, and it is dark and paneled with fine wood; it would not be a good choice to meet a suitor, for it is a major turn-off if a woman is too well-educated, enough that she would love books more than making an heir for the family.

Personally, the library room is your favorite room in the house.

“You don’t have Oresteia in your library?”

“No,” Renjun says sheepishly. “It’s been on my list of books to read for a long time, but I just haven’t had the chance to get a copy with all the suitors my father forc–” Renjun suddenly stops, realizing who he is talking to. His face turns into a bright beet red, thinking that he has messed up more than he ever thought he could.

Your face doesn’t shrivel with offense the way Renjun thought it would. He met a royal woman once who after he said he didn’t like blueberry scones, escorted him out of her castle. Instead, he is greeted by a smile. You experienced the same feeling.

“It’s okay,” you say lightly. “I wasn’t exactly that happy to meet you too.” You’re glad that your mother isn’t chaperoning, or anyone in your Court is either because hearing those words from your mouth would earn you a slap across your face. ‘A lady isn’t supposed to tell someone what she thinks,’ you can hear your mother’s and governess’ voices ringing in your ears (they practically had the same voice… all high-class women had a high pitch, sultry yet innocent voice). 

Renjun finds your words refreshing; this is the first time he’s met a royal who actually says what she thinks, and that sort of directness is what he craves in someone – he hates having to analyze every little word in a woman’s sentence in order to find out what she truly means.

“How far are you?” You ask. 

“Not very,” Renjun sighs. “I wished you came later so I would have had more time to read.” You titter a little, and Renjun is glad that he is able to see a real, genuine smile from you.

“But Clytemnestra’s lover has just killed King Agamemnon.” You nod, remembering how shocked you were when you read that part. You’re trying to think of something to say that will contribute to the conversation when Renjun’s voice becomes lower. 

“Do you think he deserved it?” 

Initially, you’re not sure if you should answer the question. On one hand, you do want to answer the question because you can’t believe that you have a suitor who wants to intelligently discuss literature with you, a complete dream that you can’t believe is happening in real life, but there is another part of you that wants to follow your mother’s advice she gave you a long time ago when it came to meeting suitors: to not let him know too much about your opinions too early. 

“I apologize,” Renjun says hesitantly. He just broke all rules when it comes to meeting suitors. He is also not supposed to ask questions like these. It was okay to ask, ‘What do you think the author meant by this event?’ but not what a woman thought about the event herself.

“You don’t have to,” you say more confidently. “I think I understand Clytemnestra’s fury. Imagine finding out that your daughter was sacrificed so that your husband can help his brother get his wife back. There’s a line that has to be drawn between your family and someone else’s family, and Agamemnon failed to do so. Menelaus had other allies from various kingdoms that could help him, and Agamemnon could help in other ways than sacrificing his eldest daughter to Artemis. But Iphigenia only had Agamemnon. She was his daughter. He was supposed to protect her. He wasn’t supposed to auction her off to her death. So he must pay with his life,” you explain rationally.

Renjun is pretty sure that you’re not only talking about Oresteia anymore. And he’s right. Maybe you feel a little like Iphigenia, but the free will that you are sacrificing is for the good of your kingdom and not someone else’s. 

The way you passionately discussed literature was endearing to Renjun. He didn’t want to be stuck with a bimbo for the rest of his life, who was only interested in parties and pleasure. You have substance. 

The two of you continue to discuss other Ancient Greek literature since much of the literature includes myths that are implicitly referenced in other works that people in those days would have understood. The conversation is entertaining, and you freely give your opinion and Renjun does the same, and you appreciate the candidness more than anything in the world.

“I’m glad for one thing,” you say during the conversation.

Renjun raises an eyebrow. 

“That the Greek Gods don’t meddle in our lives.”