#his highness alberu crossman

[birb-catto]

To summarize Alberu's Korean arc experience thru an Isekai title:

“In another world to save my crazy dongsaeng who got kidnapped by a god and wow this bastard is a transmigrator along with his swordmaster who's secretly a grandpa which I never really expected and oh I also became a tiger monster because of some god and I am now a part-time shampoo commercial model!”

(With how much the Korean arc emphasized the Dark Tiger's lustrous and majestic mane every time he shakes it, you'd think Alberu became a shampoo commercial model in another world 🤣)

[forgetme-eternally-blissfully]

“So, babysitting?”

Alberu follows after the delinquent. From the record the vice-principal gave him access to, Cale frequently drinks alcohol, he often gets himself into a lot of fights, and he barely passed his classes at the end of the grading period. The teachers never call on him in class, girls and boys avoid him alike, and he is- supposedly- completely intolerable.

Which is why Alberu Crossman, who’s only a little older yet infinitely more mature has been assigned by the principal (his father) to get the troublemaker under thumb. Cale's father is quite wealthy, actually, and since there isn't much known about the successor to the Henituse family... it'd be bad if he had to be expelled.

Cale scowled. “Yes, babysitting, your highness. Please, leave if you must,” He jeers at Alberu, but internally he thinks, 'No, really. Please leave.' Otherwise, he might get caught in the act.

Of not actually being Cale.

Roksu aims a sour expression at Alberu, who returns it with a more flowery one. Acting as his twin for the day had been easy enough, mainly because being trash is great!- until Alberu Crossman strolled into his lunch period and introduced himself.

He is even following him out of the school to his job. Well, this job is Roksu’s and not Cale’s, but because he can’t ditch work nor can he get glib-tongued Alberu off his tail-

Well shit.

Thankfully, the kids call him hyung. Except Raon, who calls him human. Hopefully Alberu doesn’t look into it too much. If everything goes right, Alberu Crossman will be Cale's problem to deal with tomorrow. As it should have been.

“I didn’t know you liked kids, Cale,” Alberu smiles charmingly, walking side by side with Roksu. “Can you introduce me?” Roksu struggles to not put on his own disarming smile out of spite, instead plastering on a classic Cale Sneer™. It fits on his face perfectly, like he’s playing a character in a play.

They enter the building and ‘Cale’ guides Alberu to a colorful playroom, decked out in toys and a fountain of running water as the centerpiece (A gift from his father, who is still upset that Roksu doesn't visit more often). There’s a tray of fruits and oatmeal on the small table in the corner of the room, except not a soul to be seen. Picking up a bowl of oatmeal and finding the ceramic to still be hot, Roksu almost smiles.

Alberu frowns. Where are the kids he's supposed to babysit?

Roksu tells the empty air, "Come on out."

Three children appear out of nowhere in front of them.

“Hyung!”

“Human! You’re back!”

“Hyung, nya.” On examines Alberu some more.

All of the kids had been revealed the moment that Roksu spoke, as Raon unveiled the invisibility on them.

Raon runs up and grabs Roksu’s hand, who places it on his head, rubbing the black hair comfortingly. “Mm.” Raon beams at the affection.

“Raon, On, Hong,” they each look up at him at the call of their names. “This is Alberu Crossman, he is doing a report on my trashy behavior. Don’t be rude."

All three children become hostile immediately. “He isn't trash!”

On observes Alberu with an intense glare. Raon shifts under Roksu’s hand, his deep blue eyes glinting with magic. Roksu positions him away from the older teen’s view. Raon grips onto Roksu’s pant leg with a vengeance. Hong stares openly, offensive.

Alberu smiles at them.

"I'm visiting with Cale Hyung for today, nice to meet you."

Hong gasps suddenly.

“He-!” On gives her brother a look, and he clamps his hands over his mouth. Alberu feels a deep curiosity, as if something isn’t quite as it seems.

Roksu sighs. It’s going to be a long hour.

At the midway point, Alberu has easily disarmed the children. They look fascinated at the magic he shows them, while Roksu can only rub a palm over Raon’s shoulder as a warning to keep his dragon magic under control. He's still just a child that wants to brag. Everything is going well.

Bang!

“Hey Roksu! How was-“ Cale bursts through the door, bright red hair equipped with a shit-eating grin, wearing clothes far less fancy than his usual. He tenses up, frozen in place when he spots Alberu on the floor, politely sitting "crisscross applesauce" with the children. Roksu narrows a withering glare at his twin.

“… Roksu?”

Alberu looks at ‘Cale,’ sitting next to him, the one he's spent the entire day with, who is trying to send what must be the real Cale into the sun with his eyes.

“Ha… ha?” Cale winces. Roksu wipes his expression from his face.

“Cale-hyung, run! That’s the human’s bad look!” Alberu’s eyes widen as he watches the confirmed real Cale bolt back into the hallway and out of the front door. Alberu whips his head back toward the stranger behind him, who is a perfect replica of the Cale who ran like Hell. Cale has an identical twin?? Since when? Why doesn't he go to school?

Roksu levels an emotionless gaze at Alberu. “Hello, your highness. Don’t mind me.”

Alberu can only watch in astonishment as this stranger walks out of the playroom, with a smooth and deadly gait as he hunts down his twin like a predator would to prey. He recalls the look 'Roksu' gave him and it sends a shiver down the principal’s son’s spine. That gaze held secrets.

Something about this stranger is even more interesting than the sudden appearance of a twin.

On walks up to him, sitting down in his lap and looking into his eyes. “Roksu-hyung will be back soon, nya!” Hong bounds over and sits next to his sister, grinning widely. Raon huffs and looks at the door. He wants his human to come back.

[gennyan]

FUCKING EXPLODE TO DEATH???

WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT!

CALE.

[weirdsht]

cale with idiots in love trope

- "You're cute" "hm?" "I said you look like a boot."

- casual displays of affection, hand holding bc s/o would space out and may or may not get lost (directionally challenged)

- pretending everything is casual, but they're soooo in love with each other

- "I look like a mess" "the prettiest mess"

- the kids absolutely love when they get cuddles with cale and s/o

- maybe braiding cales hair??

- whenever cale goes somewhere and can't bring them, they'd go like "I'll be going for a while" (cale) "I'll always be here" (s/o)

- stealing cales clothes bc its comfy!!

- "are you asleep?" "...no" "wanna talk?"

- "I love you" "I've loved you my entire life"

Can’t Two People Be Friends? - Cale/Gn! Reader

tags: gender-neutral reader, deputy commander reader, getting together fic, vague novel spoilers, is told from Alberu's perspective, tired Alberu, save Alberu from his dumb dongsaeng, use of degrading words (e.g. stupid) but it's in a loving way, have I mentioned Alberu is tired of Cale's shit?

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

Constructive criticisms and any kind of interaction are more than welcome

Requests are currently closed but my ask are still open (read navi)

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another anon said: cale who acts like a lover to his "closest confidant", though they are not in a relationship, they certainly do act like one– to the point that his crew would question them, to which they'd respond "We're just friends" "What do you mean? They look at you like you're their entire world"– which then starts their operation, get cale a lover

Cale Henituse is someone who has a lot of people under his wing. He's a heroic person busy saving the continents– no, the world. Which was why it is no surprise to find out that he has a close confidant. He has a second-in-command who helps him plan everything and is in charge of backup plans in case something goes wrong.

All of that is normal. Expected even.

What isn’t normal is how they act towards each other.

They act like… people who have a deeper relationship than just friends, for lack of a better term.

Like right now. [Name] is holding onto Cale’s arms as they navigate through this tiresome ball. Looking at him as if he had hung up the moon and the stars.

“Your Highness, you are quite close to the both of them… are we sure they are merely close friends?”

One of the nobles talking to Alberu Crossman questions as everyone watches the commander-and-deputy-commander duo dance in the centre of the hall.

“Of course they are. They have said so themselves.”

Alberu adds on at the end about how they shouldn’t inquire about another person’s private life.

However, Alberu himself is quite frustrated.

It was the truth when he said the two are nothing more than friends. And that’s what frustrates him. The two idiots can’t see the way they stare at each other. Can’t notice how they are unconsciously each other’s priority no matter what happens.

Alberu also knows that he isn’t the only one feeling this way.

No, as a matter of fact, everyone in Cale’s group feels the same frustration the future king feels.

“When will they get together? They deny their feelings as if we didn’t see them cuddling last night while reading a novel.”

On complained one day while eating the crown prince’s cookies.

“I’ve always known that our young master was quite dense in the aspect of love but… hmmm, I must say that this level is getting frustrating.”

Ron shared his own opinion as he served everyone tea.

Well everyone except the two people who are the topic of their discussion. Of course, they aren’t. For they were busy cuddling in the newly installed swing in the garden of the black castle while reading a novel. [Name] is busy platonically nuzzling their head in Cale’s chest, while Cale himself is busy platonically draping his legs over [name] as they lay down on the large swing.

‘Merely friends my ass’

Alberu thinks to himself as he watches the two from the window while sipping on the tea Ron served.

The people inside the room merely complained about Cale and [Name]’s relationship. They did not say anything about forcing them to get together and be in a romantic relationship.

And it’s not because they respect what the two have now.

No, it was simply because they didn’t need to say such things out loud. The complaints they have said out loud are enough confirmation to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

That everyone will be doing their best to show those two knuckleheads that what they have is more than platonic.

“You do know that you only let [Name] braid your hair like that. Do you realise just how much special privilege you give them?”

“What special privilege? The kids also braided my hair.”

Alberu’s dumb dongsaeng stared at him in confusion and the crown prince swears his about to have an aneurysm.

“Yes, but they are your kids. Of course, you’ll indulge them.”

“That is true…”

For a moment Alberu thought that they were finally heading somewhere.

“But [Name] is the only one who can braid my hair neatly like this.”

Turns out the only place they are heading to is back to square one.

Alberu pushed down the urge to smack a chair in his beloved dongsaeng’s face. How could he forget Ron’s existence? The Ron that does every task perfectly, but still could not braid the redhead’s hair because ‘only [Name] can do it perfectly’.

Cale better be glad Alberu didn’t transform Taerang into a hammer and threw it in his face.

“I love you, you know that right?”

[Name] had asked Cale during one of their cuddling sessions and Raon’s ears perked up.

“Of course I do.”

Cale answered casually and it got Raon’s hopes up.

“Are you guys together???”

He asked, eyes full of hope.

“What do you mean silly? Of course, we’re together, we’ve been friends for years now.”

That night Raon did not speak to any of them, and the two idiots only thought he was sick and tried to coax him to talk to them.

Subtle advances like that continued for a while before they all admitted defeat. One day Rosalyn even straight up asked [Name] how they felt about Cale. To which the deputy commander only responded with “he’s my best friend of course” before going on their merry way to steal another one of Cale’s clothes.

Just when all of them are about to give up Alberu caught the two of them talking in that same swing one night. 

He was about to go back to the palace. Only went to sneak into Raon’s castle to talk to Cale about an important business that cannot be said through a communication device. However, just as he was about to teleport back he heard the two.

“Why are you still awake?”

“I couldn’t sleep. You weren’t in bed.”

“Wanna talk then?”

Alberu silently scoffs at them. Even their conversations sound like their married already.

They talk for a few minutes. Topics vary from the mundane to philosophical questions no one can answer. 

It didn’t look like Alberu would get anything from eavesdropping so he thinks about going home.

But then…

“I know we’re both too busy. I know this will only add more burden to you. However, I must say it.”

[Name] spoke gently. Their eyes which were previously watching the stars shifted their focus to stare at Cale’s face.

“I love you. I love you so much. I love you more than life.”

That made the crown prince stop in his tracks. For a moment he remembers Raon’s complaints about how they seem to say “I love you” to each other without it meaning anything. For a moment he doubted if it was a confession.

Of course that didn’t stop him from recording the whole thing.

“I love you too. I’ve loved you this entire time. I’ll love you even after death.”

At Cale’s reciprocity, Alberu finally moved to give the privacy. He may want to see the two of them get together, but he does not want to see them kiss. A confession was enough to satisfy him.

But the irritation he feels from waiting for them to confess did not go away.

Hence why instead of going home he first went to his instructor, Choi Han.

Alberu Crossman did not say to the swordmaster. He only hands him a piece of paper before going back to his palace.

In that paper wrote:

The two idiots are finally together. I have a recording if anyone is interested. I’ll show it in exchange for a recording of you lightly smacking my lovely dongsaeng head upside-down. I’m sure my instructor will understand where I’m coming from.

Choi Han does. He greatly understands where his student was coming from.

That’s why, the next morning he was setting up a hidden recording device with a smile on his face.

Oh, he also got everyone’s permission before he set it up. In fact, most of them cheered at the thought of him physically knocking some sense in their young master’s head. 

[sadlynotthevoid]

I just noticed that this AU implies that a lot of people are going around trying to change their fates or fighting against them, meanwhile ogCale, the wise little shit, discovered how to take onto someone else's fate and just never told anyone.

Which, if you think about it, that was probably the best choice.

I mean, do you imagine what Venion would do if he could just select a fate of his choice and do as he pleases?

Bonus:

KRS at his group: ...this means that to stop headmaster Barrow, we have to find who's "fate" he took over.

Alberu: Agreed. But, how will we do it? The details of the respective fates has always being unknown to the general public (even royalty) besides the owner of the fate. Even the public information is only available due to the nature of the ceremonies.

Rosalyn: I could create an spell to point us on the right direction, but even so— *suddenly fells silent and stares besides Rok Soo*

Cale, who appeared out of nowhere with a cappuccino in hand:... the key lies under the world tree.

Everyone: *blinks*...

Rosalyn: ...Thank you... *turns to Alberu* *whispers* Your highness, do you know what he means?

Alberu, in deep thought: ...actually I think I do. Young master Cale—

The empty place where Cale was: :)

He kept doing things like that until someone finally caught him before he could disappear.

Bonus #2:

KRS's group falls through a hole near the supposed location of an elf village.

Rok Soo, lying in the floor: ...Oof

Lee Soo Hyuk, already getting up: Has anyone any idea of where we are?

Choi Jung Soo, poking Rok Soo: Nop.

Rok Soo, an intellectual: *side eyes him* He's not talking to you.

Lock: ...guys.

Rosalyn: It look like some kind of magical cave. See the shiny stones in the walls? They're probably some type of magical mineral, though I've never heard of any like this.

Lock, who's basically a werewolf: Guys.

Choi Han, in the middle of manhandling Rok Soo to stand him up: are them so rare?

Alberu, also looking the stones: if miss Rosalyn hadn't seem them before, they're probably unknown, at least in the actuality.

Lock, the person with the best basic senses in the current group: Guys!!

Choi Jung Soo: uh, what? There's no reason to scream like that. You're going to scare Rok Soo Ah— *evades an elbow*

Lock, so done with everyone: Look above, I think I found where we are.

...

Rosalyn, looking at the many keys hanging of the world tree's roots: ...Huh. You know? I didn't think young master Cale mean it literally.

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

Btw, in this AU, Cale has a sort of dream clairvoyance power (Y'know, instead of the annual rings, since it wouldn't be of use here). That's how he knew what Bassen's fate would be if he let it be.

Okay but, TBOAH but in a sort of Ever After High AU. Meaning: a highschool AU where everyone has a "fate" or "role" assigned at some point.

Og!Cale takes on the role of lout/trash/minor villain so their siblings won't have to do it.

Choi Han is supposed to be the Chosen One Hero.

Everyone thinks the second or third prince must be the next king. It's actually Alberu and so far he's one of the only ones whose "fate" isn't wrong assigned.

Rosalyn is supposed to be a queen, but she's openly in a rebellion against it. She even changed all her princess classes for magic classes. At some point everyone learned to just let her be Or Else.

The Soo's still transmigrates, only that they're also teenagers and the school is sort of fostering them. They keep going around joining whatever classes they like and messing up with the pretty much fucked up tradition.

Eruhaben somehow ended as the magic teacher and it's Raon's fault.

[blueteller]

Cale and Impostor Syndrome

From discord, sent by @Jalffy22's dad, who apparently used Chatgpt… to diagnose Cale with Impostor Syndrome?? As well as my own thoughts on analysis on it.

Cale Henituse is a character from the popular Korean web novel series "Trash of the Count's Family" written by Yoo Ryeo Han. Impostor syndrome can be explained in the context of Cale Henituse and his journey within the story. Cale Henituse, as a character, experiences various aspects of Impostor Syndrome: Comparing Himself to Others: Throughout the story, Cale Henituse often finds himself comparing his abilities to those of other characters, especially his closest allies and mentors. This self-comparison can lead to feelings of inadequacy, especially when he believes he falls short in comparison to powerful figures like Alberu Crossman or Raon Miru. Downplaying His Achievements: Despite his significant accomplishments, Cale often downplays his own achievements. He might attribute his successes to luck or the help of others, rather than acknowledging his own talents and efforts. Fear of Being Unmasked: Cale's reluctance to reveal his true identity as the "Trash of the Count's Family" can be seen as a manifestation of impostor syndrome. He fears being exposed as a fraud, even though he consistently takes on important roles and responsibilities within the story. Reluctance to Seek Help: Cale often hesitates to seek assistance or advice from others, even when he faces challenging situations. This hesitancy may stem from a belief that he should be able to handle everything on his own, contributing to his impostor syndrome. Setting Unrealistic Standards: Cale frequently sets high and often unrealistic standards for himself, striving for perfection in his decisions and actions. This tendency can lead to stress and burnout as he constantly pushes himself to be better. In the context of Cale Henituse and his experiences, here's how you can relate impostor syndrome to your passion for "Trash of the Count's Family" or to your own experiences: Recognize Your Achievements: Just as Cale should acknowledge his accomplishments, you should recognize and celebrate your own successes and contributions in your passion. Understand that your engagement and dedication are valuable. Embrace Learning: Accept that it's okay not to know everything about the story or the characters. "Trash of the Count's Family" is filled with intricate plotlines and characters, and it's natural to learn and grow along the way. Seek Support: Connect with other fans of the series who share your passion. Engaging with fellow enthusiasts can help you gain a deeper understanding of the story and characters, and it can provide valuable support. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. It's perfectly normal to have limitations and areas where you may not have all the answers or insights. Self-compassion can go a long way in alleviating feelings of impostor syndrome. Set Realistic Goals: Define achievable goals within your passion that align with your knowledge and interests. This will help you enjoy your journey while gradually building your expertise. Remember that impostor syndrome can affect anyone, even fictional characters like Cale Henituse. By recognizing your own worth and embracing your passion for "Trash of the Count's Family," you can overcome impostor syndrome and fully enjoy your involvement in the fandom.

***

Now, with the AI stuff out of the way… (Man it really feels like reading a medical textbook doesn't it? You can tell it was written by an AI…) Let's discuss what our dear AI told us about Impostor Syndrome, and how Cale is overcoming it throughout the story.

That aspect can be easily overlooked, even though Cale clearly experiences character growth as time goes on. Sure, it's snail-paced and it can be frustrating at times – but you can blame it all on the trauma. A 36-year-old man with a list of traumas long enough to fill a restaurant menu sure deserves to be given some slack for being a bit slow on the "healing" process.

Comparing Himself to Others vs Embracing Learning

Unlike what AI stated, Cale really doesn't compare himself to others all that much – at least not directly.

Cale is not the type to say, "I am a much worse person than Choi Han." Cale is the type to say, "My past is nothing interesting to talk about, really. Now Choi Han, he's such an admirable guy. He managed to stay a good guy despite all the hardships he suffered through. Might have been that good family influence he got in his childhood." Now, unless we know the information that Cale is ommitting here – the abuse at the hands of his uncle and a terrible childhood overall – we wouldn't know that by all this, Cale is actually saying "Choi Han is a better person than me, might have been because he was raised right and I wasn't." Thing is, I don't believe even Cale himself realizes that's what he's doing. He would probably deny it, if someone tried to confront him about him.

It is true, however, that Cale often insults himself, while praising others at the same time, in quite the hypocritical fashion. If Cale saves someone, he's doing it "because of self-serving reasons". If someone else saves someone, in his eyes, they're a good person. You can clearly see the pattern here.

However, the "embracing learning" comes in where Cale starts raising children, and they pick up his mannerisms and behaviour. Most of the time, Cale stays completely oblivious to his own influence. "Where did they learn that?" he asks, hilariously, while it's extremely obvious to the readers exactly where they learned it: YOU, CALE!!!

But Cale learns. He watches his children grow, he watches his allies grow, and he feels proud. He's accepting his role in their life as someone they deeply care about. Someone they wish to protect. He starts avoiding injuries for their sake. And sure, he still has those dumb moments of "Well I didn't even cough blood this time, do I really deserves this reward?", it doesn't change the fact that he's getting better at this. At being appreciated. …Worshipped? Heck no, he'll run as fast as he can in the opposite way. Appreciated by his family? He's getting better. Where he used to deny the kids head pats in the beginning, now he pets them all the time. He eats Raon's apple pie not just out of hunger, but because it's from his son, and it makes him feel better because of the connection. Slowly, he's leaving self-deprecation behind and embrances his family. It's incredibly heartwarming and sweet to watch 💖

Downplaying His Achievements vs Recognizing His Achievements

Yet another snail-paced progress we can observe, but it does exist nonetheless. Cale downplays his achievements mostly as a self-defense machenism. Taking that much responsibility on himself is SCARY. He said so himself right at the start of the novel: "Kim Rok Soo knew that the responsiblity for the lives of people is a very scary thing". …Funny how he keeps taking the initiative then, isn't it?? But despite all his denial, Cale isn't stupid. He knows exactly how much his actions changed the world; the scale of it is frightening. Nevertheless, he dismisses it all for the sake of his dream – becoming a slacker. He does not want the fame of a hero who saved everyone. He wants to rest!!! But, yet again, his family enters the picture here. Cale doesn't need to be the hero for them to love him. They are grateful for all he has done for them, but it's not a fanatical worship; it's love, thankfulness, appreciation. By the end of Part 1, Cale admits to Alberu and Eruhaben's faces that "he finally starts considering his own life a bit precious". That is a very big moment! It might seem like the lightest of concessions, but it's a huge step for someone like Cale!! See, he's growing!!! 👏

Fear of Being Unmasked vs Practicing Self-Compassion

Best example I can think of is when Cale's identity as Kim Rok Soo is revealed to Choi Han, and later on Raon and even Alberu. Cale did fear his identity being exposed, and for a good reason. You'd think that Choi Han being Korean himself would make things easier – but actually, it would only make things harder. Choi Han doesn't come from the same Korea as Kim Rok Soo. A lot has changed since he was on Earth. Cale revealing the monster apocalypse would involve a lot of vunerability. He also valued Choi Han's good opinion greaty, I think. Cale read the story of him and concluded that Choi Han was a "good guy". He respects him. No matter what he claims, Cale doesn't want Choi Han to think badly of him. In the Indignity Test, there was a moment where Cale reflected how much he did not want to get by the younger Choi Han or Raon – not because of the physical pain, but because of the emotional pain involved. He would feel incredibly shamed if Choi Han or Raon hated him. Because he cares about them both. So. Much.

And then, there's the Alberu reveal. It's surprisingly sincere. Alberu offers Cale the chance to explain himself, and promises to listen to everything without judgement. Cale is visibly shaken by the promise, but he believes him. It was such a precious scene!! That's where the self-compassion comes in. Cale is learning to be a bit kinder on himself than in the past. He's starting to trust his allies with vulnerability. When Cale uses Instant, he tells Raon how he's someone who can never forget and asks him to "not be like him". Because Cale's life is full of sacrifice and suffering, and he doesn't WANT others to be like him. But after that incident, he promises Raon to avoid hurting himself as much as possible when he captures the White Star with Embrace. His self-care is directly linked to his compassion towards his family, but it's there! It exists! Way to go, Cale!! 👏 (…Just don't stab yourself again, lol. I get that it was special circumstances, but still.)

Reluctance to Seek Help vs Seeking Support

Cale is such a paradox in this aspect. On one hand, he's a strategist – asking for help is his JOB. He wouldn't be able to achieve all he has if he never requested help. He asks people to do tasks for him all the time. On the other hand… whenever things go wrong, he's the one to handle the repercussions. Cale is the one to make the sacrifice whenever something unexpected happens.

For Cale, this is such a delicate balance. He wants to make sure everyone is always safe. He never allows them to face mortal danger without making a plan to let them all survive it. The time in the Empire, when the White Star used the Sky Attribute for the first time, Cale yells at everyone to run while he himself rushes towards danger. While it's very hypocritical, it's directily linked to his sense of responsibility for others. On the other hand, once everyone refuses to leave, we can see how excellent their teamwork is. And who taught them that?? Cale, of course!

It isn't that Cale doesn't ask for help. It's that whenever the scales tip and his group is in danger, he will do anything to light up their weight by taking it on his own shoulders. And like I said – it's an extremely delicate balance to walk. Like spider silk thin rope. One wrong step, and Cale could fall. Still… I think Cale is gaining experience in this as well, and so are his allies. They get stronger, and they understand Cale better. They're able to handle dangers without him being involved. It's a positive direction to grow for all of them, even if Cale is constantly unlucky enough to get himself into trouble like this… over and over and over 😅

Setting Unrealistic Standards vs Realistic Goals

Cale has one of the most simple, yet the most unrealistic dream ever imaginable. "To be a slacker". Which, if taken literally, would be the easiest thing. Just sit around, enjoy your wealth and do no work. Simple, right?

…Except, Cale's version of "slacker life" involves making sure the ENTIRE FREAKING UNIVERSE IS AT PEACE. 🤣🤣🤣 "So that no one bothers him or his family." That's… a bit difficult, isn't it??

So, Cale's dream is completely unrealistic, yet with the speed he's going at it, he might actually achieve it. Way to go, you madlad. Respect!!

However, with the help of Lee Soo Hyuk, aka. Sui Khan, Cale has another goal. Which is much more down-to-earth. Creating a farm in the Forest of Darkness. And tending to it with his family. That's… such a sweet ambition. I really hope they can make it. No – I'm sure they will, eventually. One of the "glimpses of the future" we got in the story was the fact that On and Hong's red mist would sometimes linger around the Forest of Darkness, as a sign of the Molan family's legacy. So the kittens will definitely live there in the future, and naturally, so will Cale. Personally, I can't wait 😁

…So yeah, that's all I got to say about Cale's Impostor Syndrome. Got any more thoughts on it? Let me know!

[amarylliasky]

Number 2 is a sorta not crack! Au. I’m actually really into this one:)

Au: Attendant of the Prince’s Palace

- Kim Rok Soo wakes up as the first prince’s attendant! Surprise!

- Yeah it’s basically the indignity test but longer.

- For this AU, let’s say that Alberu becomes the Crown Prince when he turns 20. KRS wakes up in the body of an attendant when Alberu is 18. For the sake of not making the attendant too young, he is only three years younger than Alberu, making the attendant 15 at the start, and 20 at the start of the Tcf plot.

- Also, for those who think krs/newbie attendant is still too young, I actually find it’s quite common in fantasy for attendants to basically grow up and become a servant for a royal at a young age. It’s actually also common for servants of royalty to be from lower noble households(I think. At least in this au).

- So let’s just say that this attendant is the son of some poor baron or something, and he needs the money for taking care of his little siblings.

- Unfortunately, shortly before the switch, he loses his little siblings due to a sickness going around the nobility at the time. Crushed at the news, he is in no state to fight back when an administrator working for the Queen, after scamming him out of information on the first prince, gets him fired. A few days pass and he’s got a week left to get his affairs in order before he has to leave the palace and go back to his family’s small, cold estate.

- So our attendant was soon to be kicked out when Kim Rok Soo wakes up in his body.

[“When I opened my eyes, I was inside a novel.

[The Birth of a Hero] was a novel focused on the adventures of the main character, Choi Han, a high school boy who was transported to a different dimension from Earth, along with the birth of the numerous heroes of the continent.

I became a part of that novel as an extra who’s not even mentioned once. An attendant of the soon-to-be Crown Prince’s palace who doesn’t even encounter the protagonist in any of the five volumes.

The problem is that the attendant I became doesn’t know anything about the state of the palace, and will apparently be kicked out in a week after getting scammed by one of the Queen’s henchmen.

"..This is going to be a problem."


I feel like something serious has happened to me.


But it was worth trying to make this my new life.]

- With a completely clean slate for appearance, I decided to go with how I imagined him.

- Appearance: He wakes up as a 15 year old newbie attendant with cherry brown hair and innocent reddish brown eyes. His hair is straight, just above shoulder length, and typically tied in a low ponytail. Why is his hair cherry brown, you might ask? Because regular brown is too boring and I liked red, but we’ve already got several redheads and he can’t be too similar to OG!Cale. Why not black? Black is very uncommon in this world and he had black hair as Kim Rok Soo. So I came across the color cherry brown on Pinterest and fell in love. It’s sooo pretty! Seriously, look it up. It doesn’t stand out too much in a world of candy-haired individuals, but it’s also just unique enough to make it pretty.

- Anyway….He is initially irritated by this situation, but finds that it is quite satisfying to use his innocent and clueless face to his advantage. While he doesn’t know much of the situation in the palace from what he read in the novel, he does know that Alberu Crossman is the only competent prince and it would be in his favor to make a good impression on him. Also, palace attendants get paid quite well; PTO and everything, which will be beneficial toward his future slacker life.

- He may not know this Alberu Crossman as he does in canon, but he still carries his skills as the number one Team Leader in the company. He didn’t earn that position by being unable to use his situation to his advantage.

- He figures that if he’s getting fired anyway, he might as well flip everything over. Obviously the whole thing with the Library doesn’t happen as he has no knowledge of it, so he just does his attendant work with while planning to smack that administrator in the back of the head. None of the other attendants know about his termination, so he’s able to move around with relative ease.

- Alberu still doesn’t have any backing and is quite paranoid, especially since he’s so close to becoming the Crown Prince. He is more mature than his 15 year old counterpart, but for the sake of enjoyment, he’s still quite similar to indignity test Alberu. He later has a lot of backing and is much more secure in his position thanks to our Slacker-wannabe by the time the plot commences.

- By the time the plaza terror incident comes around, Krs has done a complete sweep of the staff and replaced everyone who has no use(that administrator was one of the first to go), and has even been promoted to the Crown Prince’s personal secretary(much to his dismay).

- Without the aid of the 4 year old dragon, he doesn’t actually find out that Alberu is a quarter dark elf until after one of his paid vacations, where he returns to the palace with a 2 year old dragon in tow. (He’s 18 at the time. Working his way up the ranks. But only for the pay!)

- He meets On and Hong on another of his paid vacations just shortly before the start of the plot. So Raon is with him longer in this au. He figured he’d get the shield while checking in on Choi Han, who is still in Harris Village.

- He gets there a few days before the Harris Village massacre in order to warn Choi Han, as well as the Count, of a possible attack on the village. How he does that without raising suspicion or being seen as crazy? I haven’t thought of that yet.. but with the help of the Molan duo and the protagonist, he is able to save the village.

- After returning to the Henituse estate with the swordmaster in tow, he states that he has duties he must attend to and must return to the capital for the King’s birthday celebration. Of course, Choi Han wishes to go with him, but relents and agrees to accompany Young Master Cale to the Capital and meet Krs there.

- As for our trashy Young Master? He immediately became attached to the strange man with the same eyes as him. If it’ll let him go with this so-called “attendant” to the Capital, then he can tone down his trashy actions enough to represent the Henituse County at the Birthday celebration.

- Now what about the children averaging seven years old? They’re still there. With Raon being invisible for the majority of his trip to the Henituse County, and On and Hong familiarizing themselves with this strange man and dragon duo who picked them up off the street. On and Hong help out with the Secret Organization at Harris Village. Since Krs has his shield by then, it wouldn’t make sense for him not to have picked up the kittens. Unfortunately, the Arm members teleport away before they can be caught. The rest commit suicide in order to not give out any information.

- Our attendant luckily manages to keep the dragon a secret until he leaves for the Capital. Or plans to.

- Under the insistence of the young master, he is forced to accompany them to the Capital in a carriage instead of teleporting like he had planned to do. Since no one knows about the dragon, they all assumed he would be taking a carriage to Huiss, and Krs doesn’t correct them as he can’t exactly say that he planned to teleport with the aid of a four year old dragon. So, begrudgingly, he agrees to join their entourage on the journey.

- There go his plans of slacking off until the Plaza Terror incident…

Fyi, if anyone has a name for our attendant, let me know! The main reason this post was so late is because I struggled trying to think of a name for him that actually sounded nice and not too fancy..😅

[noxiousgrace]

I'm being plagued by visions again

Industry baby- lil nas x

Guys...

---

Ayy, oh, let's do it (oh, let's do it)

I ain't fall off, I just ain't release my new shit

I blew up, now everybody tryna sue me

Krs becoming team leader and everyone shit talking him before he proved himself to be adequate for the job

Alberu while he was the most neglected out of the 3 princes, then becoming crown prince and the center of the raon kingdoms forces

Krs!Cale during the eastern nobles meeting, putting everyone in their place

The flame dwarves after becoming cale henituses subordinates and actually being able to make proper tools, instead of being shamed by the white stars forces constantly

------

And this one is for the champions

I ain't lost since I've began, yeah

Funny how you said it was the end, yeah

Then I went did it again, yeah

Alberu dominating the competition on his way to the throne, even fighting on the front lines

Cale his people hope time and time again even though the white star was convinced he would fail

---

I told you long ago on the road

I got what they're waiting for

(Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy)

(I got what they're waiting for)

I'll run from nothing, dawg, get your soldiers

Tell 'em I ain't layin' low

(Bitch, I ain't runnin' from nowhere)

Anyone from the family once someone messes with them fr

Especially if they mess with cale (are we forgetting the 10 minutes in the molden kingdom,,,)

----

You was never really rooting for me, anyway

When I'm back up at the top, I wanna hear you say

He'll run from nothin', dawg, get your soldiers

Tell 'em that the break is over

This is lowkey director ma and krs

This is lowkey zed crossman and alberu

This is lowkey the WS and the hunters (and his ass did in fact fail LMAO)

-----

My track record so clean

They couldn't wait to just bash me

I must be gettin' too flashy

Y'all shouldn't have let the world gas me

It's too late, 'cause I'm here to stay

And these girls know that I'm nasty

I sent her back to her boyfriend

With my handprint on her ass cheek

Krs would never touch anyone period but he definitely let the white star run back to the god of despair with a handprint on his face LMAOOOO

Also literally krs bro have you seen his history as team leader (fuck director ma and the foreign guilds)

----

City talkin’, we takin’ notes

Tell ‘em all to keep makin’ posts

Wish he could, but he can’t get close

OG so proud of me

That he chokin’ up while he makin’ toast

I'm the type that you can’t control

Said I would, then I made it so

KIM. ROK. SOO. YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM NO MATTER WHAAATTTT

-----

I don’t clear up rumors (ayy)

Where’s y’all sense of humor? (Ayy)

I'm done makin’ jokes

‘Cause they got old like baby boomers

Turn my haters to consumers

I make vets feel like they juniors (juniors)

KRS being too oblivious to clear up the rumors,,,,

Also clopeh was a hater-turned-consumer and ik I'm right

Bro every enemy he made into his subordinate became consumers are we fr

-------

Say your time is comin’ soon

But just like Oklahoma (mmm)

Mine is comin’ sooner (mmm)

I'm just a late bloomer (mmm)

I didn’t peak in high school

I'm still out here gettin’ cuter (woo)

All these social networks and computers

Got these pussies walkin’ ‘round

Like they ain’t losers

Literally krs is a late bloomer through and through, it wasn't until he teamed up with LSH that he finally started unlocking his actual potential

Also this applies to everyone tbh TCF is centred a lot around growth

----

[web-novel-polls]

WN Weapon Tournament

[Please be courteous in the notes. Don’t make me block you.]

Chenqing - Wei Wuxian's dizi (MDZS)

Wiki Link

Hong Jing (TGCF)

Mod Propaganda: Snitch

Wiki Link

Jiangui / Ah! What the Hell - Mo Ran’s whip from 2ha

“There is only one person in this world who can open Ever-Yearning. This person is extremely important in your life; you must love this person dearly, and this person must also love you in return, and be wholly devoted to you.” - Ji Baihua regarding the Ever-Yearning box containing Jiangui

Mo Ran’s Holy weapon in his second life, Jiangui - which translates to “Ah! What the hell” due to Mo Ran accidentally exclaiming this when opening the Ever-Yearning box. 

Jiangzai - Xue Yang’s sword (MDZS)

Submission:

i don't know shit about swords but jiangzai can split into two swords and that's Very Cool methinks

Little Palace Mistress’s Whip (SVSSS)

Submission: Shen Qingqiu is whipped, and not just for Luo Binghe?

Longcheng / Dragon City - Xue Meng’s sword from 2ha

Since Xue Meng could not receive a holy weapon from Jincheng Lake, he used Longcheng, a high-quality scimitar from Taxue Palace. From what I remember, Mo Ran gifted him the Wangshu Crystal from the Carp Essence that was requested by Song Qiutong to help him cultivate/add to his sword, making it something similar to a “heavenly weapon.”

Shuoyue - Lan Xichen's sword (MDZS)

Submission: The sword that stabbed through Lan Xichen's best friend, Jin Guangyao. Tragic sword.

Wiki Link

Suibian - Wei Wuxian's sword (MDZS)

Suibian is Wei Wuxian’s sword that sealed itself after his death. Its name translates to “Whatever” due to Wei Wuxian’s inability to think of a suitable name and telling Jiang Fengmian to name it “whatever.” This is, in my opinion, the funniest thing Jiang Fengmian has ever done in his life

Taerang - Alberu Crossman's divine item (Lout of the Count's Family / LCF)

Wiki Link

Fantasy gun rights

Xuan Su - Yue Qingyuan’s sword (SVSSS)

Mod Propaganda: Xuan Su is Yue Qingyuan’s iconic sword that is only drawn twice after he suffers from a qi deviation bonding his life force to Xuan Su. 

Yan Zhen (TGCF)

Jun Wu’s Virgin Detector sword

Wiki Link

[sapongpiepong-blog]

modern tcf and the possible jobs the characters have:

kim roksoo - normal office employee (he's overqualified to be one and has received alot of offers for promotion but he rejects it because "its too much work") or a lawyer. he works for the crossman company (for both professions)

choi han - martial arts teacher or p.e. teacher (its canon that choi han wants to be a martial artists or a teacher)

raon - three scenarios: 1) adopted by roksoo 2) lived with sherrit and they brought in roksoo when he has no place to stay after running away from the orphanage 3) roksoo and him are blood siblings

on and hong - two scenarios: 1) adopted by roksoo 2) adopted by sherrit

eruhaben-nim - science related subject professor or neurosurgeon (because magic = science)

pendrick - nurse or resident doctor

beacrox - world famous chef (duh)

ron - owner of several restaurants with beacrox

bud - part of the underworld (possibly a mafia)

duke fredo - same with bud ^

lock - an orphaned high school student who studies at the school where choi han teaches at (that's how they knew each other). he's also at the orphanage in which rosalyn personally sponsors

gashan and the tigers - employees of the orphanage in which lock is at

hannah and saint jack - college students

lee soohyuk and choi jungsoo - roksoo's colleagues and best friends who keeps on nagging him to accept the promotions (are also one of the people who's making sure he takes care of himself)

all of the royalties and nobles are chaebols (rich af people)

alberu - acting ceo of crossman company which specializes with engineering materials (?) (cant specify but im sure theyre part of the engineering industry) or a big lawfirm

rosalyn - revoked her chance to be the heir for their company and chose to be a scientist and decided to work for their company, breck pharmaceuticals, as the head scientist.

valentino - ceo of caro entertainment which focuses on casinos and other entertainment related businesses

litana - ceo of a business which sells environment friendly products or they could own a mining company lol

adin - ceo of a liquor company (bcs black mana) or a pharmaceutical company that do inhumane practices (if u know babel company from the kdrama vincenzo then thats them)

clopeh - pilot and heir to their family's airline company (cause for some reason my mind thought wyverns = airplanes since they both fly T_T)

i also thought of another possibility in which og!cale and roksoo are different people

cale - chaebol but revoked his position as heir to bassen and chose to be in a position slightly lower than bassen to support him. henituse financial group company focuses on banks and other financial related businesses.

1st possibility:

kim roksoo's og mother is a henituse who ran away from home. deruth (or cale) found him when he was working (they have a close relationship with the crossmans) which means cale and roksoo are cousins

2nd possibilty:

cale and roksoo studied at the same univ and grew close with each other

3rd possibility (this one i like the most):

kim roksoo is cale's half brother and a child out of wedlock (cale hated him at first because he's a symbol of his father's infidelity but after learning about his past he became overprotective of him) (im pushing my cale as a great big brother for roksoo agenda)

[weirdsht]

cale with an s/o that's mothers so hard (coos at the averaging 9 year olds, bakes/cooks for the knights, plays and trains with the wolf children) – absolutely soft for kids, loves cuddling the children and cooking for them^^

Biased Concern - Cale/Reader

notes: I combined 2 asks because the premise was similar

tags: fluff, no gender specified for reader, novel spoilers (war)

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

Constructive criticisms and any kind of interaction are more than welcome

Requests are open and welcome

Buy Me Dessert

Navigation Masterlist

another anon said: omg!! regarding the small preview you posted,, like there's the part in the novel where on and hong are in the eastern part with Ron and Beacorx while Cale has 3 days to live and smth smth + Raon going through his first growth phase (I don't really remember) so his s/o is in despair bc of the situation and they're like– ONE OF MY BABIES IS SICK AND ONE IS DYING AND THE OTHER 2 I DONT EVEN KNIW WHAT THEYRE DOING WAHHH 😔😔 that's all bye ✊️

Things are hectic. War is ongoing. Everyone is on their toes. Commander Cale Henituse is nowhere to be seen. Roan Kingdom’s Crown Prince Alberu Crossman is in a state of shock.

In short, things are chaotic.

However, it doesn’t look like that on the outside as most don’t have an idea what’s going on. Only very trusted people know just how everything is on the verge of being in shambles.

“I’m sure you were shocked your highness. Please forgive him. He has this terrible habit of throwing fast ones at random times.”

That was the first thing you said to Alberu as you entered his tent. The golden-haired man was already busy as it was. Now he has to cover and fill up Cale’s missing presence.

“I think I’m getting used to it now.”

You let out a short laugh at his response. Alberu said it with a nonchalant tone however his face conveys just how much of a headache Cale brings him. But it wouldn’t be Cale if he didn’t bring a headache.

“At least eat while you work your highness.”

Pushing the cart closer to where the crown prince is, you presented the foods cooked for today. On the plate, there’s a medium rare steak paired with some vegetables like asparagus, mashed potatoes, and others. It’s a simple meal, but it has all the nutrients and protein one would need. 

“Did you help cook this? You were fighting earlier you should’ve just rested.”

“It's not a bother at all Your Highness. Seeing everyone energetic is enough to make me energized as well.”

You smiled at Alberu as he started eating. Humming in approval at your cooking.

“When are you going to visit Cale?”

Alberu stopped eating for a second to ask you a second. You stayed silent at his question, deeply pondering about it.

On one hand, you wanted to visit him and check how the children and he is doing. On the other hand, you are still needed in the Gorge of Death. Especially since the others are gone. Your complicated thoughts did not go unnoticed by the quarter elf. He can easily tell just how worried you are for your significant other but also thinking of your responsibilities.

“Just go.”

“But Your Highness as Cale’s Deputy Commander–”

“Are you going against the word of the crown?”

That made you shut up. However, you were still hesitant. Cale’s absence already puts so much on Alberu’s plate. His responsibilities will overflow if you go away too.

“It’ll be fine. Just make sure to come back quickly. While you’re at it tell that punk to get well fast too.”

Alberu waved his hands. Telling you to go now, leaving no room for argument.

“I… Thank you, your highness.”

Soon enough you are inside Hope and Adventure Loving Inn. Specifically, you were inside Beacrox’s kitchen making sweet treats for everyone.

Just outside the kitchen the staff, the previous mountain bandits, are whispering among themselves. They’ve never seen anyone freely enter the chef’s territory so this is a shock for everyone.

“Thanks for letting me bake Beacrox! Take this portion and share it among yourself and the other staff.”

You smiled at the tall man with him only responding with a bow of gratitude. As you go out of the kitchen you see everyone acting a bit weird. It was so obvious they were trying to look busy while eavesdropping. One of them was even feather-dusting another employee’s face.

“You’re here nya!”

“We missed you nya!”

On and Hong greeted you respectively as Ron guided you upstairs. Indeed, you haven’t seen them since the opening of the inn. You said you were going to visit but things got delayed because of everything that happened.

“I missed you too. Now go share this among yourselves. Make sure to leave some for your youngest brother.”

You hugged the two for a bit before asking Ron to show you where Cale was. As he showed you the way you reluctantly let the two children go. Promising to play with them more later.

“I must warn you. The sight inside is unsightly.”

The servant warned you before opening the door. Sure enough, it was. The first thing that caught your attention was the foul stench of blood.

Speaking of blood, Cale was super bloody. He keeps vomiting blood like a water pipe with a leak.

“Oh my…”

You unconsciously said. The two heads lying on the bed turn to you. With Raon’s expression brightening up.

“You visited!”

“Well, I did promise to visit your siblings.”

Smiling, you welcomed the toddler into a warm embrace. Behind you, Ron excused himself to give the three of you privacy.

Cough!

A certain redhead deliberately coughed out blood louder than before. Clearly unsatisfied at you saying that you came to visit the children.

“Of course, I came to visit you too.”

You laughed, walking towards the bed to give your significant other a kiss on the forehead. The bed dips as you sit down on it, with Raon still in your arms.

“I take it that you successfully got the water ancient power? All this blood must be from your plate fixing itself then.”

One of your hands was stroking Cale’s hand while the other one fed Raon the singular cookie you had brought with you inside the room.

Cale’s eyes looked at you. Probably examining if you were hurt somewhere while being away from him. He then frowned as he saw you feeding the chubby dragon. Your gaze travels to where he seems to be looking and the jealousy makes you laugh.

“Yes, I made it. Yes, there’s still some left. Yes, I already prepared some greasy food to cook so you eat later after you’re well. No, I will not stop feeding Raon. Don’t be greedy, you already have most of my attention.”

The commander’s frown etched deeper in his face as you said the last part. His gaze seems to be asking you if you’re really concerned about his well-being.

“Of course I am.”

You chuckled.

“I wouldn’t left the Gorge of Death if I wasn’t silly.”

Pushing his hair back a little, you gave his forehead another kiss. Reassuring him that you didn’t just go for the children.

Later on, when Cale was feeling much better he asked you if you only got together with him so that the kids would favour you.

“Silly man, I don’t need to be with you for the kids to love me.”

“That’s right nya!”

“Certainly nya.”

“I’ll like my human’s human even if you aren’t together!”

The defeated Cale could only click his tongue in annoyance.

[moonyinthehouse]

Imagine Cale going all murderous on someone but Alberu managed to distract him by giving him a cookie cuz he doesn't want to deal with covering a homicide at the moment.

[kira-s-cat]

Cale: hyung~

raon: human he doesnt have any cookies this time!!

alberu, with a pile of papers: here you go, now shoo

cale: chocolate coin..?

alberu: yes. now shoo shoo

cale: hyung wtf

[chuunicalesimp]

Did i already upload these?

Oh well :'))

[blueteller]

The Greatest Cale-rony

The irony of how Cale TALKS versus how Cale ACTS

Cale when he scams people: *bright innocent smile and proclamations of pure intent while scheming behind the scenes* Cale when he befriends people: "Don't trust me. I am not a good person." *proceeds to help everyone*

Choi Han

Cale when he wants to avoid getting beaten up: "Oh poor kittens, let me feed you. Come with me, I'll feed you too." Choi Han: "Cale-nin, you really are-!" Cale when he wants Choi Han to trust him: *under the Vow of Death* "I'm trash, you know. I just wanna be a slacker." Choi Han: *watches as Cale saves everyone at the Plaza* "...I'm sorry, what??"

Raon Miru

Cale when he changes the plot so a Dragon doesn't rampage: "You're free now. I won't take care of you." Raon: *follows him around for a week* Cale when he grudgingly accepts his company: "Okay, you can come with me. But just so you know, I am not a good person." *proceeds to raise and spoil him* Raon: "...Human, why are you so weird??"

Alberu Crossman

Cale when he wants to get away from the Crown Prince: "Your highness! It's such an honor to meet you! The shinging sun of our kingdom-!" Alberu: "Why are you talking like this...?" Cale when they form a business partnership: "Here, I'm selling this dead mana to you and no I don't do discounts." Alberu: "...You're not even gonna blackmail me for being part Dark Elf?" Cale: "Why would I when I can legally make money off of you? I'm an opportunist after all!" *proceeds to help the Roan Kingdom numerous times* Alberu: *begins to trust him despite his trust issues* "...Just what is up with this bastard??"

Toonka

Cale when buying the Magic Tower: "Of course I'm willing to destroy it in a year. I am gaining absolutely no profit from this. I just wanted to own a cool tower." Toonka: "Bhuaha, what a good friend!" Cale during the war with the Empire: "You should be careful whom you trust, you know. Don't trust me either." Tooka: *watches as Cale heals his people and sends reinforcements* "Uh... huh??"

Queen Litana

Cale when he wants Litana to give him magic stones: "Payment? Why, of course not! Saving people is just the right thing to do, isn't it? Let's take care of the fire." Litana: "Oh what a humble and generous man!!" Cale when speaking to Adin: "Yeah sure, we are the same. I am very selfish." Litana: *watches as Cale single-handedly saves her Jungle once again* "Excuse me??"

The Sun Twins

Cale to Jack when he wants to use him: "I will help you, after all, I am a good person who helps people." Jack: "A true hero!!" Cale to Hannah when he wants her to trust him: "So I am a double-faced bastard, and revenge is a dish best served brutal and bloody." Hannah: "...You're not so bad?" Cale when he includes them in his plans later: "What are you even talking about? Of course I'm a bad person." *proceeds to overthrow the tyranny of the Empire and the Sun Church* Jack & Hannah: "Young Master Cale... You're not serious are you??"

Basically Every Other First Meeting

Cale, planning his next scheme: "From now on, I am a good person." On & Hong: "...Why are you introducing yourself to us??" Cale: *confusion*

[byeol-ssi]

Hi! Could I request something with Cale Henituse from TCF? I saw you talking about it with an anon so I hope this is okay :) Maybe something along the lines of him pining (and it is obvious to everyone) after and is in love with the reader?

Thank you so much!

worth the trouble

✦ cale henituse x gn!reader | trash of the count's family

✦ tags: pining, quiet love.

"you're staring."

CALE stiffens, tearing his gaze away from you to alberu, who he hadn't noticed now stood next to him — too close for comfort, and with a shit-eating grin that only made him eye the crown prince warily.

"you have the faintest smile whenever you look their way—not the creepy kind you make whenever you come up with something absurd." alberu shudders from the countless memories. "but i've noticed it happens more often than i presume you're aware of."

cale could easily walk away, make some sort of excuse of being needed elsewhere, as it always seemed to be, yet his feet stayed rooted to the ground.

he convinces himself that it's because it's discourteous to turn one's back away from royalty — even if no one would actually bat an eye if he committed such an act, nor does anyone truly expect him, of all people, to observe etiquette — yet, deep down, he knows that wasn't the case.

he's stayed because you were still there, looking as impossibly out of reach for him as always; yet he's learned to be content with wanting you from a distance.

"are you perhaps falling for them?"

feeling a faint ache in his chest from the intrusive question, cale's lips pulled into a slight frown. "with all due respect, your highness, do you not have any urgent affairs that require your utmost attention? the entire kingdom depends on you, and you're here — bothering me."

despite the apparent aggravation in cale's voice, alberu's grin only grows wider. his eyes gleam knowingly, as if he was privy to some secret cale wasn't clued in on.

though, in all honesty, cale could really care less.

"i've made a mistake, allow me to rephrase." alberu shrugs, his tone more mocking than apologetic. "you've finished falling a long time ago."

cale says nothing, however, his sights wander instinctively back to you, which only confirms the crown prince's suspicions.

alberu clasps his shoulder, patting it fondly before he says, "it appears you're already deeply in love."

"you look like you're going to scheme whoever poor soul is on that paper and their next of kin."

CALE looks up at the sound of your voice, unaware that he'd been unconsciously glowering at the neatly signed 'alberu crossman' at the end of the report. coming across the crown prince's name had led him to recall their conversation just a few days ago.

you stand by his doorway, fingers delicately wrapped around a candleholder. you don't enter his quarters right away, and he's always appreciated your quiet respect for his boundaries.

it's late, far too late for him to accept visitors, yet rules never applied to you, or at least, not when it came to him. instead of standing up to offer you a chair, he pulls out the one right next to him — an unspoken invitation.

silence lapses the room when you accept, taking unhurried steps towards him and setting the candle down with care as you take a seat.

it's the first time he's deliberately asked you to sit so near, and even though he appeared calm, behind his unkempt hair and half-closed eyelids, it was almost impossible to imagine the thundering of his heart, akin to roaring drums preparing for the onslaught of war.

you lean over to his side, worry casting upon your features as you look at the assortment of scattered documents on the table and back to him. "when was the last time you slept?"

cale drags a weary hand down his face. "as long as i'm still breathing, then i'm fine."

and he almost laughs. it's ironic. because right now, when you're sat so close enough for him to feel the heat rolling off your body, and as the candlelight bathes you in a soft glow, cale has to remember, remind himself, how to breathe.

cale takes in a deep breath, lungs greedy for oxygen. he's always found himself gasping for air whenever in your presence. and though he was not a poet or valued frivolousness, two words perfectly encapsulated the entirety of your being. of who you were to him.

absolutely breathtaking.

"is something troubling you? is that why you've been throwing yourself into work?" you ask, and a wry smile curls at the edge of your lips — lips he's long wanted to selfishly, and thoughtlessly, take for himself — before you playfully bump your elbow with his. "i must say, this is completely unlike you."

he manages an amused scoff as a retort, gripping the quill sitting neatly in his hands a little tighter, a way to maintain some semblance of composure.

because yes, this was completely unlike him. ever since alberu graciously offered his unwarranted commentary on his feelings, cale had been unable to sleep, think straight, or go a day without seeing something that reminded him of you.

despite the fact that he would never deny his love for you if asked, he likewise wasn't prepared for all the trouble love would bring if he ever admitted to it out loud.

for cale never liked troublesome matters, and he certainly despised pain, and love was a ridiculous combination of both.

still, that mixture was something he couldn't stop taking huge gulps out of. every smile, and every laugh, you sent his way resembled the finest wine bubbling down his chest, undeniably intoxicating.

and if not love, then there was only the prospect of heartbreak — and even the word itself ached with hurt.

no ancient power could shield him from it. no plan would be detailed or infallible enough to guarantee his protection. and no amount of wealth could prepare him for it, nor minimize probable damage.

the rustling of papers snaps him out of his reverie. you'd gathered half of the reports into one neat stack in front of you and straightened out the sides.

cale leans forward, realizing that you'd likely spend the entire night helping him. "you don't have to—" he starts, reaching for them.

you meet his hand halfway, squeezing it twice before you shake your head. "you clearly aren't going to finish anything in your current state, so allow me to share your burden."

and he swallows, aware of the underlying message behind your words and the fact that he'd never be able to resist you.

that he doesn't have to shoulder anything alone.

he slowly turns his hand over, laying it palm-facing up against the cold wood. he does his best to feign nonchalance as he tentatively closes his fingers around your hand resting upon his, resolutely focusing on the documents before him, and avoiding your eye, lest you witness how nervous he was.

he's dying to know, yet terrified to find out where he stands in your heart, or if he even has a place there at all.

the waves of emotion crashing violently in his chest, rivaling the whirlpools that wear down rocky cliffs, are soothed when he feels your own fingers interlacing with his, firmly, bringing calm within his chaos.

you two remain hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, knees grazing one another every so often, working together throughout the entire night. no words at all were needed to be spoken, as the settled stillness between you already spoke volumes.

and when cale awakens the following morning with a terrible stiff neck, and as the honeyed light of daybreak shines down on your similarly hunched-over sleeping form, he smiles, seeing your hand still loosely intertwined with his.

and he decides that as long as it was you, anything would be forever worth the trouble.

even if that troublesome thing was called love.

✦ byeol's notes: aaa, i took so long, but i hope that the lovely nonnie who requested this sees it! ♡ i'm so sorry for the wait, and there's a chance that it's ooc since it's my first time writing for dearest cale. still, i hope you enjoy it, and thank you for making a request.

and to my beloved sea-fairy anon, i decided to join the prompts into this fic since cale is my meow-meow, and you definitely know i'm a sucker for some pining. tysm for giving me so much creative freedom, ily. <3

✦ my requests are open — while reblogs and feedback are greatly appreciated! thank you so much in advance!