#i am forever in your debt o great one

[eclipsecrowned]

anyway. blog focusing. gonna try a technique a friend taught me to attempt to get my askbox under control. also goin to give a small preview of muses i have been asked to add -- though this does not mean they are all being added at once, some need a rewatch/reread before i unleash them on the blog.

616.

sebastienne (tbt) // 20s-30s // mutant // thi3ves guild associated due to family debts, has passive mutant abilities related to luck and probability, once getting out from under the guild's thumb she starts working towards establishing a community/support system in the south. quiet revolutionary, diligent woman, knows the city like the back of her hand and tries to be a good catholic between the demands of work and solidarity.

dnd.

m0llymauk tealeaf // 20s // tiefling // i promised them forever ago and am finally getting around to my s2 relisten to really bring them around, so thank all of you for your patience :3

fandomless.

cathal // ageless // cait sidhe // imagine an orange cat that is also fae. and all the stereotypes that implies. he's two stone, dumb as a box of rocks, but has so many heart cells that he's welcome wherever he roams. he's a good lad. dangerously cute, but subtly off-putting if you are a mortal viewing him from the lens of 'just a cat' because he is certainly not that and some of his movements/behaviors outline this.

fin*l f*ntasy gets its own section.

b*lthier // 22 // hume // the leading man is an audacious boyfailure and i love this for him. we need more on the level dashing rogues. he's the han s0lo of this rebellion and his chewie is a sexy bunny girl so what could possibly go wrong? going to rewatch a game movie to brush up on him.

br*ska // 30s // hume // i delete him. i readd him. i delete him. my bestie picks up j*cht and we start bullying our third musketeer to play aur0n. at this point he's going up and staying up til the day i die even if he never gets any airplay besides ax.

l*rsa s0lidor // baby // hume // do you love a good prince archetype? do you love lil dude morality pets to arc villains? do you believe in the redemptive power of a child leading the people into a golden age? well good luck getting to any of that because fate and his ambitious but loving elder brother are kicking this kid's ass six ways to sunday. still, he keeps his head up and aims to be better for the world than it has been to him, and is a surprisingly adroit negotiator. if i get even a whiff of people being abnormal about him i'm blocking liberally. also rewatching a game movie to brush up on him.

mikoto // 20s-30s // human // ten years ago, she was a legendary warrior guiding her summ0ner towards victory. braska and company beat her merry band there. in the ten years since, he's given up her role as a guardian, retired from public life, had a kid... and been drawn back in with the promise of an ambitious young man o reform the church she sees aging out of humanity every day. badass twin-sword wielder who is gonna lose her shit when she realizes her boss is the villain, actually --

valeriana maghreb // 20s // hume // a biracial woman raised in the deadly decadent court of the empire, daughter of a judge, and old friend of ax's muse in setting. loyal to the ruling family in totality, she has an affinity for one of the princes of the empire and plays wholeheartedly into his schemes. her own guile is reserved for helping others across the imperial march of conquest, and has been allowed to help mold another muse listed here per the schemes of his brother to shape an ideal leader. generally tender and sweet but capable of great acts of pettiness if pushed. she's so pretty and she suffers so much for what? girlish whimsy?

literature.

erik // 40s // poto // a little of the novel's absolute mystery, a dash of the musical's tragedy, altogether we stand for accountability in this house. multifaceted but unerringly the villain, even if his intentions can be read as sympathetic. i stand by the hilarity of book erik thinking wives are like little pets you feed and buy trinkets for and take for walkies in the park, the fact women find him brooding and suave and sexy is weirding him out.

quasim0do // teens // hond // i am throwing the novel the musical didney and the 39 movie in a blender and letting it create my ideal take on the character. wretched and tragic and hopeful and mad and pious. he's been through a lot. tentatively nixing his book and didney lore bc Holy Racial Stereotypes Batman, but may keep the book ambiguity about his mother potentially having been Roma. Def want a rewatch of a bootleg before I set anything for him in stone (ha ha.)

misc.

garrett // 20s // q4c // would you like to see some of the sickest blind rep in fantasy from an admittedly mid tier otherwise production? a stable boy who suffered head trauma in an evacuation that led to gradual vision loss and then outright blindness, he entertained dreams of knighthood in camelot regardless. however, the death of his biggest supporter soured him to the notion, and he retreated into an enchanted forest to carve out his own path instead. ten years later, he's getting dragged back into camelot's drama by an adventurous damsel with big hopes and dwindling experience about the world. please god someone help him he's so tired.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

31st December >> Mass Readings (USA)

The Holy Family 

(Liturgical Colour: White: B (2))

Either:

First Reading Genesis 15:1–6; 21:1–3 Your own issue shall be your heir.

The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying:

“Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.”

But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. The LORD took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or

First Reading Sirach 3:2–6, 12–14 Those who fear the Lord honor their parents.

God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins  —a house raised in justice to you.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Either:

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 105:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–9

R/ The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

R/ The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; constantly seek his face.

R/ The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

R/ The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.

R/ The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Or:

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 128:1–2, 3, 4–5

R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table.

R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.

Second Reading Hebrews 11:8, 11–12, 17–19 The faith of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac.

Brothers and sisters: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation Hebrews 1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia. In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son. Alleluia, alleluia.

Either:

Gospel Luke 2:22–40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Or:

Gospel Luke 2:22, 39–40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Thursday, September 19, 2024

Reading 1

1 COR 15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 

Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:1B-2, 16AB-17, 28

R./ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Israel say, "His mercy endures forever." R./ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

"The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD has struck with power." I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. R./��Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

You are my God, and I give thanks to you; O my God, I extol you. R./ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Gospel

LK 7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." Jesus said to him in reply, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. "Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?" Simon said in reply, "The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven." He said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Thu Sept 19th, 2024 ... Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

----------

1 COR 15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,

of the Gospel I preached to you,

which you indeed received and in which you also stand.

Through it you are also being saved,

if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,

unless you believed in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;

that he was buried;

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;

that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once,

most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

After that he appeared to James,

then to all the Apostles.

Last of all, as to one born abnormally,

he appeared to me.

For I am the least of the Apostles,

not fit to be called an Apostle,

because I persecuted the Church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am,

and his grace to me has not been ineffective.

Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;

not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.

Therefore, whether it be I or they,

so we preach and so you believed. 

Responsorial Psalm

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

PS 118:1B-2, 16AB-17, 28

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Israel say,

“His mercy endures forever.”

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.”

I shall not die, but live,

and declare the works of the LORD.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

You are my God, and I give thanks to you;

O my God, I extol you.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Alleluia

--------

MT 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

--------

LK 7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,

and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.

Now there was a sinful woman in the city

who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.

Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,

she stood behind him at his feet weeping

and began to bathe his feet with her tears.

Then she wiped them with her hair,

kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,

“If this man were a prophet,

he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,

that she is a sinner.”

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;

one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.

Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.

Which of them will love him more?”

Simon said in reply,

“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”

He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,

“Do you see this woman?

When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,

but she has bathed them with her tears

and wiped them with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss,

but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.

You did not anoint my head with oil,

but she anointed my feet with ointment.

So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;

hence, she has shown great love.

But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The others at table said to themselves,

“Who is this who even forgives sins?”

But he said to the woman,

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

In the gospel today, Jesus is invited to the house of Simon, a religious leader. They have a meal and an uninvited person “crashes” the gathering. Jesus finds in this occasion—and in the action of the uninvited person—opportunity to teach important lessons about hospitality and forgiveness.

Some of us Jesuits in Omaha recently moved into a brand new residence. It is a beautiful space in the heart of the Creighton campus. One of the features of this new residence is that it has a lot of glass that allows people outside to see what’s going on in the chapel and in the dining room. Recently at meal time, one of the Jesuits at table noted that, as people walked by and looked into our dining room, they could see us as we sat together and ate in the same way that the people looked on when Jesus went to the house of Simon. “I wonder what they think?” He quipped.

As Jesus eats in the house of Simon, we are given a window view of the action. The host is seated with Jesus; other people are there. An uninvited guest is also present—a woman, who as Simon observes, is a sinner. At this point we are given another “window” into the mind of the host, Simon. He judges the woman as a sinner; he also judges that Jesus must not be a prophet since a real prophet would keep distance from sinners. I can certainly identify with the host: noticing things about people and making judgments about them.

Jesus then addresses Simon with some words that would be hard to accept. The example Jesus gives does not call for much reflection as the meaning of it is readily apparent. If two debtors are both forgiven, the one with the larger debt will be more grateful and loving toward the one who cancels the debt. Simon readily acknowledges this. Perhaps he is on the way to deeper understanding of the mission of Jesus: mercy, forgiveness, and love.

In addition to forgiveness, which Jesus offers freely, there is another important lesson on hospitality. Simon did not offer the hospitality that the woman did: she bathed Jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair; she anointed his feet with ointment and kissed his feet. Simon offered none of these. But there is another side to the coin of hospitality, namely that Jesus receives the love and care of the woman. He also assures her of the forgiveness of her sins. And so, we can see that this loving hospitality goes in both directions. The woman offers Jesus her hospitality; Jesus assures her that she is forgiven and loved by God.

Finally, it seems important to note that the example offered by Jesus shows that forgiveness comes first. We are all sinners, and forgiven by God; we love greatly when we acknowledge that forgiveness of God, and offer hospitality and love to one another as a result.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Januarius

(c. 300)

Saint Januarius’ Story

Little is known about the life of Januarius. He is believed to have been martyred in the Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of 305. Legend has it that Januarius and his companions were thrown to the bears in the amphitheater of Pozzuoli, but the animals failed to attack them. They were then beheaded, and Januarius’ blood ultimately brought to Naples.

“A dark mass that half fills a hermetically sealed four-inch glass container, and is preserved in a double reliquary in the Naples cathedral as the blood of St. Januarius, liquefies 18 times during the year…Various experiments have been applied, but the phenomenon eludes natural explanation….” [From the Catholic Encyclopedia]

Reflection

-----------

It is defined Catholic doctrine that miracles can happen and are recognizable. Problems arise, however, when we must decide whether an occurrence is unexplainable in natural terms, or merely unexplained. We do well to avoid an excessive credulity but, on the other hand, when even scientists speak about “probabilities” rather than “laws” of nature, it is something less than imaginative for Christians to think that God is too “scientific” to work extraordinary miracles to wake us up to the everyday miracles of sparrows and dandelions, raindrops and snowflakes.

Saint Januarius is the Patron Saint of:

Blood Banks/Blood Donors

Naples

***

【Build your Faith in Christ Jesus on #dailyscripturereadingsgroup 📚: +256 751 540 524 .. Whatsapp】

[libidomechanica]

“Put her fear, look out-flourishd phosphorus on in walls of other”

A limerick sequence

               First Stanza

With crispèd hair, first hygienic measure up. Put her fear, look out-flourish’d    phosphorus on in walls    of other running wheel roun’, an’ I saw ane an’ twenty, Tam!

               Second Stanza

Than they han fatte kernes, and down, and her least call not hear in the voice tells to    reason; these have seen—and    she notes, disease? The world be it up for me, so I would fail.

               Third Stanza

To have had, and kiss, what she wast Oake. After some from her women comes thought    came; all his arms, with the    booth I wanted dart, and dry, or none e’er comes against my walls?

               Fourth Stanza

The tender flowery honour’d ill. Out over the door, or astronomer,    I will conversation    sweet ane an’ twenty, Tam! A dreadful night cheap hotels, st.

               Fifth Stanza

Or if thou art made into roses, the trumpeted, as thou see. Now you    move or magnificent:    how, each of us every highway too black-eyed monstrous debt.

               Sixth Stanza

On my little plaything like thing with cold, calm kiss and let the Bow of the    rooks went yesterday three    were some feeling your tender flowered low: as Earth forever.

               Seventh Stanza

Which thou had been told in masquerade; and heard prowde, the trees were four, on pain    of man was great matters    downe, and could, in chisell’d though prosperous are one price of bliss!

               Eighth Stanza

Who fell, and my Leipsic, and other. Still, and but in your eyes; a love good-    bye. And concomitant    at they stand and the brave him what your ears, the lords of those whom?

               Ninth Stanza

So lustless sublime, follow learn’d it, but say it. If it is his mind the    twilight gleams, glimmering    t is it? As stand by authority, as if a glutted.

               Tenth Stanza

And a stratagem, thou would swagger, sweates from fright defect,—for every    words not yet; but then? Come    things nothing is brown? Were said no and the straggling curl shower.

               Eleventh Stanza

You, time for the bed. Should disappoint over it beareth thys hyll thou speak    well be, for weathers are    made of Cyrus, be not one time it will—the remember fall.

               Twelfth Stanza

By insist whilome all live most essence? And let you the pride the grave, and    further and a recipe    he’d call’d, since I am! Back to time, dying miracles?

               Thirteenth Stanza

Rather than my memory to retreat! They could, in full meaning the gloried    in low proudly thrust    into wood, faire necke a fin of moonshine at my Muse and wine.

               Fourteenth Stanza

Sacred dirge is neighbouring Scotch Earl of Giftgabbit had English influence    slips through seldom from    the lyric sound of a valley call to mind his cups divine.

               Fifteenth Stanza

Of me unaware, that wardes the world should be cloth. From the closet crept,    for one monster while in    the unbroken in pain an honour, had joys of abandon.

               Sixteenth Stanza

Yet a lamp-lightingale sings, except for other. Stations bothers of    our. The warm, flush’d, shut up    in a fond flyes, that, that least her sleep, and me, if I should grieve.

               Seventeenth Stanza

So well; join the close cap and feather, soon when he had beauties do the good,    so vain her flowers sweets,    after all one skin, her head and rather good, some takes his death.

               Eighteenth Stanza

Next to my foes, the tribe what taste her towers. Since Reasons self in Stella,    loadstar of voice shower.    Nor do wrong, and once we are wafted abroad, all else by arms.

               Nineteenth Stanza

It gets difficult to sit up for both make there warm white and in a coast,    he strike the Lion’s hilles    height me in the cloudy sweet days she talks. He choir’s amen.

               Twentieth Stanza

Which, being sickle’s compose no face, but Juan’s ear, what is so much morn did    smiles. All shiver and clean    starlight savour’d of my fingers, asleep. That would his enemie.

               Twenty-first Stanza

My sun after darkness round Love’s statue with thy fate, nor light, alone. Is    a differently o’er-    press’d; the Mansion foul, save theme just escapes, we all go forward.

               Twenty-second Stanza

Turning scales, as Goteherd prowd that roam over a March-wind blossoms of    Greeuance. Be hypocritical,    shower, wha for to no condition. Censer old, okay?

               Twenty-third Stanza

Tossing the answer: his dear! Left it: still her face, Sudden spark struck vainly    Aurora look; possess    what he might does not two except thus to a hundred-year sleeps.

               Twenty-fourth Stanza

Which now hath a holy has heard think that I leave, so longed to no continuous    lie in beautifully    quiver? The her too— their buried. The family vault receive!

               Twenty-fifth Stanza

Noblest Charis, you knowing in purple and still. Whole off shoes is heard old    Algrind of hypocrisy,    on pain my arms. So he restrain; sure, from the wife o’ mine.

               Twenty-sixth Stanza

A bachelor—of arts, and brick. A straggling great clymbers he past; for sought to    proved him what you out the    ways seem one tower, the retire, i’d try conclusion.

               Twenty-seventh Stanza

Broad leave the old dames less than anything tack. It is a lady or pursuits    the kindled therefore    him to scoured the briar? Also the fate of purer joy?

               Twenty-eighth Stanza

Or on the way a stone stirringofbirds wants bothers samphire, ’ through the rose,    and weeks have to St. Listening    for Death rattlin’ sang, an’ gar me looks immortal dreamer!

               Twenty-ninth Stanza

And I have loves me! Pounce upon this Morning coy, she spake to stands the blessing    die, and brake the soil    hath ceased to spy or senates seemed enormous city’s spread.

               Thirtieth Stanza

When will not seen, the deep sorrows given to lassitude, then, confess’ whence    ye see dispensed to see    his way, he gain’d with horrid selves in the lamplight, alone! It.

               Thirty-first Stanza

The Minstrelsy: a virgins might now better note. And then better pride, save    us sometimes I burn    and mylde, well eyed, as people riddled. Like occasions: the leaves.

               Thirty-second Stanza

Nay, you know—two women come near with the grown wearing open and half to    the very same and they    han great mansion. The Soul of this title to place, he country?

               Thirty-third Stanza

Juan yet quick and smile upon my bosom is that they should devise some of    the year and he’llsay not    err. Whether heard you and translated my imagination.

               Thirty-fourth Stanza

Broad through the bow, and on our backs, the windshield—and I have been together!    Is what blest spher e d    course the sways, would not the fire, transported, and there’s Whitbread?

               Thirty-fifth Stanza

Space, but slip of legend—’if you the mind until their smile upon her eyes!    It should have her throat untied    a kerchief, crying of this hearing in another dell.

               Thirty-sixth Stanza

No utterable time has this be as good example thing best parade    was the same: the coverlet,    died from the gain’d. The man had so they may never roome more.

               Thirty-seventh Stanza

Was announced, without that head: with an ever. Hands have seen by more fun of    mossy green. A special    jury of my dizzy head. He apple, quince, and say take it.

               Thirty-eighth Stanza

—An old song of some virgin of moonshine owner, with all Exchequer change    in their smile of containing    frowne. That choleric and chaste would invent with love of hell.

               Thirty-ninth Stanza

Now this world composed to another’s. Though sometimes, unless yours years departure    fix’d on mutability,    noble, rich attire creeps rustle to doubters do.

               Fortieth Stanza

They are they loves the doors the plane is departure facing the paine, for heave    but stay, whether hearse. I    ride in me can teach, the indentures also in less polish’d.

               Forty-first Stanza

And when the places of silent said itself than got a falterian.: And    the world anyone ever-    fixed becometh dumb; the lamps do duty unto her lord.

               Forty-second Stanza

Which I thoughtless my mother. They talk’d on my backed hands, feet, Stol’n to the primrose    or will not had broughted,    to see and lie with the sun sank or found him what you now.

               Forty-third Stanza

Let us go then, and more gaily clear his pass, for others. For kissing    to coarse effect—to make    full strong tree when them one that she passion bleeding tear. Good Saints!

               Forty-fourth Stanza

To hear heard or for fear she dream for which brings from town, viz. In Moore’s phrases    so he region clouds and    he not care, and whose two poachers; their fear. The bridge,—that the wall.

               Forty-fifth Stanza

Stella is sink and simple she earth, Belovëd, dost three, judging his wide    whites showing, as if he    shore. But my Muses upon a garden and could not by art.

               Forty-sixth Stanza

Let us go and largely display in a steady applied at me to    cloath so soft! Shade by doing    to another deceived whole summer, the thirteenth fair St.

               Forty-seventh Stanza

Mind I pray there and tall, would blushes greenest won? The traveller; every    words tho gan to pleasure.    I know that summer, thus to a tax-trap—I have not the left.

               Forty-eighth Stanza

But this I’ll blythely began to remover to faces in the water,    came over the air    in walls of Kent? The night, aimèd with thy Gotes should I presume?

               Forty-ninth Stanza

They seem strange their bodies, praying. And, and thou, who, after that are weak in    body and fell thee young    Bacchus drains, let me forsook the saloon, how can it bear it.

               Fiftieth Stanza

And transferr’d thanked him. Of happier men bene long banqueteers have one    of other shoe. Bent, full    of their several arts of the woman. And this toil and rare.

               Fifty-first Stanza

When I’m with the secret as shadows on the bloated wassail’d where: they neede    hem caren foolish old    man? Numb were young, keep that of force their weedes bene annoieth.

               Fifty-second Stanza

What sits upon her sigh’d. Follow of Revenge for the bed a small gear to    everywhere! I loved as    old sayd she, my chiefe care sweating along thee hence!—Well-a-day!

               Fifty-third Stanza

Began to come to sleeping jellyfish. No, no, go not changeable, beneath    a war of lies. But    all the cause? And should shut up annals so brimful of good sex.

[shammah8]

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Monday, 9th January 2023

AFFIRMING THE WORD IN FAITH

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised (Hebrews 10:23).

PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME PHD

What we read in our opening scripture reminds us of what Abraham did: “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20). How do you give glory to God? It’s through your affirmation of His Word; your affirmation of His greatness, power, majesty and love.

When we talk about affirming the Word of God, there’re those who wonder, “Must I say it?” Yes! It’s a principle of the Kingdom that works for salvation (Romans 10:9-10) and everything else. In Mark 11:23, the Lord Jesus said, “You shall have what you say.”

Understand this: You’re a spirit. You may pray and cry about a particular situation, but if you don’t declare what the Word says about that situation, nothing will change. Until you say what God has said concerning you, it’s not established in your life!

Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “…for he hath said…So that we may boldly say....”

You might have been praying, “Oh Lord, establish your Word in my life”; meanwhile, you’re the one to establish it. The Bible says, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). But you don’t live in heaven; you live on earth. You’re to establish His Word on earth. When God says it, you establish it by declaring the same thing.

You may be wallowing in debts and desperately hard up for money, but you should say, “All things are mine! I have all things that pertain to life and godliness! God is able to channel all the resources that I need to me and much more; and He has, because He’s my shepherd.” Hallelujah! Make such proclamations continually and your whole spirit, soul and body, including circumstances, will conform to your affirmations.

Refuse to fret. Keep affirming the Word. Your faith proclamations produce realities. Refuse to waiver, cower or stagger; be strong in faith, giving thanks to the Lord. Hallelujah!

CONFESSION

I’m a victor forever! My confessions of faith create realities. I know who I am—the seed of Abraham! The world belongs to me. I’m triumphant always, because I’m in Christ and He’s the glory of my life. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY:

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

[tpanan]

My Saturday Daily Blessings

December 24, 2022

Be still quiet your heart and mind, the LORD is here, loving you talking to you...........    

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent (Roman Rite Calendar) Mass in the Morning Lectionary 200, Cycle A

First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a,16

When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go, tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?

“‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3,4-5,27 and 29

"For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord."

Verse before the Gospel:

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

"O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death."

R: Alleluia, Alleluia

**Gospel: Luke 1:67-79

Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David. Through his prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hand of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

**Meditation:

Does the proclamation of the Gospel fill you with joy and hope? When the Lord comes to redeem us he fills us with his Holy Spirit, the source of our joy and hope in the promises of God.

Filled with the Holy Spirit and the inspired Word of God John the Baptist was born shortly before Mary delivered her son, Jesus. When John was circumcised on the eighth day according to the Jewish rite, his father Zechariah was "filled with the Holy Spirit" and with great joy. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he spoke out a prophetic word and hymn of blessing for the work of redemption which God was about to accomplish in Christ. He foresaw the fulfillment of God's promise to David and his descendants that David's dynasty would endure forever through the coming of the Messianic King (2 Samuel 7:16). This King would establish peace and security for his people. We often think of peace as the absence of trouble. The peace which the Messiah brings cancels the debt of sin and restores our broken relationship with God.

Do you know the tender mercy and forgiveness of the Savior? The Holy Spirit gave Zechariah a vision for his own son as a prophet and forerunner who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Every devout Jew longed for the day when the Messiah would come. Now Zechariah knows beyond a doubt that that day is very near. Like Zechariah, the Holy Spirit wants to give us vision, joy, and confidence in the knowledge of God's merciful love, protection, and care which he offers us through his Son Jesus Christ. Like the Baptist, we too are called to prepare the way that leads to Christ. Life is a journey and we are either moving towards the Lord or away from the Lord. The Lord comes to visit us each day with his life-giving Word and Spirit. Those who hunger for the Lord will not be disappointed. He will draw them to himself and show them his love and mercy.

In sending the Messiah God has made a gracious visit to his people to redeem them. This was the mission for which Jesus Christ was sent into the world - to redeem those sold for sin and sold under sin. In the feast of the Incarnation we celebrate the gracious gift of God in sending his only begotten Son to redeem us. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may inspire us and fill us with joy and boldness to proclaim the message of the Lord's visitation and redemption.

Lord Jesus, you have been gracious and merciful towards your people. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may bear witness to the joy of the Gospel to those around me.

Sources:  

Lectionary for Mass for use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, copyright (c) 2001, 1998, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain (c) 1968, 1981, 1997, international committee on english in the liturgy, Inc All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner

**Meditations may be freely reprinted and translated into other languages for non-profit use only. Please cite copyright and original source. Copyright 2021 Daily Scripture Readings and Meditation, dailyscripture.net author Don Schwager.

[drunken-drengr]

Holy nugs, I really don't have words. This is stunning! It's really a weird, yet exciting feeling, seeing someone else draw your character for the first time. Thank you so, so much for drawing my Karrie! You totally nailed the look, like always! Thank you, really, you have no idea how warm this makes me feel inside.

Hello, me again! Thanks for doing Sera, she looks amazing in your style! Could you possibly do my Karrie Cadash with D10? I love that face, been trying to draw it for ages, but I can’t quite get it. Any color palette you want is fine, couldn’t decide between cheers and fistfight with god. I don’t have a reference sheet for her yet, but surf through #karrie cadash on my page and that should give you a good reference. My latest post would be the most up to date, naturally ^.^

uh oh wild Dwarf sighted

[bex-la-get]

A Very Important Question (Ethan x f!MC)

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Natalie Cusack

Special Appearance: Sienna Trinh

Word count: 2012

Summary: Ethan has a very important question for Nat.

Author’s Note: This is dedicated to the anon who asked if I had written Ethan and Nat’s proposal story. Surprisingly, I had not so, of course, I had to rectify that immediately. Hope you enjoy it! 😘 Also this is unedited so sorry in advance for mistakes.

Ethan was acting weird.

He was constantly stepping away from work to attend meetings off-site, closed his laptop anytime someone walked by, and seemed to be in a constant state of anxiety. Whenever Natalie tried to talk to him about it, he always brushed it off, reassuring her he was fine. 

“I’m just under a lot of stress, Nat, that’s all. Being Chief is more involved than I realized,” he would say.

Natalie wasn’t convinced.

“I don’t know, Si. I’m worried about him,” Nat said one night when getting drinks with Sienna. “You don’t think he’s having money trouble and he’s trying to hide it from me, do you?”

Sienna furrowed her brows. “You mean like gambling debts? That doesn’t seem like Ethan.”

Natalie shrugged. “I know it doesn’t. I’m just grasping at straws here. Trying to make sense of it all.”

Sienna squeezed Natalie’s hand reassuringly. “Don’t look too much into it, Nat. He’s probably just stressed; lord knows Bloom doesn’t make things easy and the Chief’s job is pretty demanding.”

Nat sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Si.”

“Anytime.”

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

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

When Nat returned home that night, she found Ethan sitting on the sofa, watching an old black-and-white movie. His eyes lit up when he spotted her and he jumped off the couch to greet her. “Hey you.”

“Hi,” she smiled.

Ethan pulled her close and kissed her softly, smiling as Natalie immediately relaxed in his arms. “I missed you,” he said, pulling away.

“I just saw you a few hours ago,” she replied.

“I know and then I went several hours without seeing you and I missed you terribly during that time.”

She laughed and caressed his cheek with her hand. “Well, I missed you too.” Her brows furrowed and she stepped closer to him. “Are you okay? You’ve been so stressed this past week; I’m worried about you.”

His eyes softened and he nodded. “I know; I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. This-- this whole thing with being Chief and trying to navigate my new responsibilities while still having to answer to Bloom has been overwhelming. And I kind of bottled it up; I know I have no reason to, it’s just-- just an old habit, I guess.”

Natalie smiled understandingly. “I know, I’m quite familiar with those old habits of yours.” He chuckled and she nuzzled his nose with hers. “You don’t have to bottle it up anymore, my love. I’m here for you, always. And I want to support you through everything, be it good or bad. I’ve got you.”

He held her close and rested his forehead against hers. “Thank you; I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Just talk to me, okay? Even if it’s minor, I always want you to feel like you can come to me.”

“I will, I promise.” His forehead still resting against hers, he closed his eyes and held her close for a long moment, just enjoying having her in his arms. He was fully aware of how lucky he was to have her and while it killed him to lie to her, he hoped she’d forgive him when she realized the reason why. 

Nuzzling her nose with his, he moved to kiss her forehead then looked at her. “Are you hungry? There’s some leftovers in the fridge I can heat up.”

She smiled and nodded. “That sounds great. Let me change though, these jeans have overstayed their welcome.”

He chuckled and watched as she made her way to the bedroom. “Hey,” he called. She turned and looked at him expectantly and he smiled. “I love you.”

She grinned. “I love you more.”

“Never.”

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

Ethan looked around the apartment, triple checking his packing list in case he missed something. They were only going to be gone for the weekend but he needed to make sure that nothing was missing or left behind. This had to go perfectly; and with a lot of luck, it would. But that assumed he remembered everything-- did he pack enough underwear? What about the wine, is the wine in the cooler? Ring. The ring’s in his suitcase. Should he double check again?

The lock in the front door turned and Ethan had a brief moment of panic before shaking it off. He’d been preparing for this for over a week, everything was set. He just needed to remember to breathe.

Nat smiled at Ethan as she walked in. “Hey you.”

Ethan visibly relaxed and returned her smile. “Hi. How was lunch with Sienna?”

“Good! We got our nails done too. Lookie!” She extended her hand out to him and he admired the bright red she had chosen. He tried not to lose himself in the visual of a diamond ring on the very hand he was looking at, instead focusing on the color. Don’t give it away!

He cleared his throat and smiled. “Very pretty. Good color choice.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling. Then, noticing the duffle bag that sat on the couch behind him, she furrowed her brows. “Are you going somewhere?”

“We are,” he corrected. “We’re taking the weekend off and going to Martha’s Vineyard, just the two of us. And Jenner.”

She smiled. “Really? Wait, I’m supposed to work tomorrow!”

Ethan shook his head. “Not anymore. I cleared your schedule and got your shifts covered. You’re free until Tuesday. Perks of dating the Chief.” He winked.

She raised her eyebrows. “Thank you, Ethan; that’s so sweet of you. But… what’s the occasion? I’m not forgetting an anniversary, am I?”

He chuckled. “No; I just thought we could both do with a weekend off. I hope it’s okay that I decided that?” The thought suddenly crossed his mind that she might object to having a trip suddenly sprung on her without warning.

She smiled and quelled his nerves with a gentle kiss. “It’s more than okay. Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

“Anything for you, my love.” He pointed to the duffle bag. “Everything’s already packed, we just need to get it all into the car. Will you leash Jenner?”

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

Their first night in Martha’s Vineyard had been relaxing and romantic. After arriving at the AirBnB Ethan had rented, the two had gone out to dinner and enjoyed a quiet date overlooking the beach. Nat had looked beautiful in her sundress and windblown hair, her smile lighting up the entire patio. If Ethan hadn’t left the ring at the house, he might’ve proposed just then. But he had put too much planning into this proposal, damn it, he wasn’t about to ruin it all with an impulse, no matter how tempted he was.

After a lazy Saturday morning stumbling around the house, Ethan, Natalie, and Jenner made their way to the beach, picnic basket and blanket in hand. “This was such a good idea, babe!” Nat said as she popped a cheese cube into her mouth. “We haven’t been on a picnic in forever!”

Ethan smiled. “That’s why I thought we could have one while we were here. The beach seems like as good a place as any for a picnic.”

Natalie smiled. “This reminds me of our first date.”

“Does it now?”

“Mhm,” she said, sipping her wine. “The two of us and Jenner, enjoying a beautiful day outside. We had a picnic then too.”

“I remember,” Ethan said, smiling fondly. “I was nervous for that date. I wanted to make a good impression on you.”

“Really? You had already made a good impression on me.”

“Not as a boyfriend, I hadn’t. I wanted everything to go perfectly; it mattered to me that you knew how much I care about you. How much I love you. I may or may not have agonized over how much cheese was too much for that picnic.”

Nat smiled and squeezed his hand. “I knew then as I know now how much you love me. It’s as much as I love you, which is a lot. And you made a wonderful impression on me, Ethan. You always do. Also, there is no such thing as too much cheese.”

He laughed. “I know that now.” He leaned towards her and kissed her softly, caressing her cheek with his free hand. “I love you,” he whispered as he pulled away.

“I love you too,” she replied. She looked back at their picnic basket and smiled. “Any chance you packed some sweet stuff in there?”

“Mhm,” Ethan nodded. “There’s some chocolate covered strawberries at the bottom of the basket.

Nat’s eyes lit up. “You spoil me!” 

Ethan watched with bated breath as Nat dug her way to the bottom of the basket, fully aware of what she’d find on top of aforementioned strawberries. His heart pounded as he watched her hands slow in their search and listened to the quiet gasp that escaped her lips. With one final reach, she pulled out a small velvet box, her eyes wide. “Ethan… I-- what?”

He moved closer to her and clasped his hands over hers, holding the box in place. “I love you,” he told her. Deftly, he maneuvered the small box out of her grasp and held it in front of her. “I love you so much and I want to live the rest of my life with you by my side. Natalie, you are kind and intelligent and passionate and beautiful both inside and out. You have such fire in your eyes, it could set the whole world ablaze and I would but happily burn in the flames. 

“You have made my life so much better, from the first day you stepped into it. You light up my darkest days, your embrace is my home; I am a better man because of you and I know true happiness with you. Wherever you go Nat, I will follow. I love you and I can’t wait to grow old with you. Will you marry me?”

Nat was crying, a beautiful watery smile on her face. She sniffled and hastily wiped the tears that were falling away as she struggled to find her voice. “Ethan, I--” she choked back a sob and smiled even bigger. “I love you so much. Yes. Yes, I will marry you!”

Choking back a sob of his own, Ethan pulled Natalie into a tight embrace, her arms flinging around his shoulders and they held each other tightly, crying tears of overwhelming happiness and whispered “I love you’s.”

Eventually, they pulled apart and wiped each other’s tears away before Ethan pulled the ring out of the box and slid it onto Natalie’s finger. Sienna’s tips about Nat’s ring size had been correct and it fit like a glove, much to his relief. The ring looked better on her hand than he could have ever imagined. And now it would live on her hand for the rest of their lives, a symbol of their undying love for each other.

Natalie smiled at the ring and sniffled. “So is this why Sienna insisted we get our nails done yesterday?” she asked.

Ethan laughed. “I suppose so. She had mentioned it to me but I didn’t think much of it. It does make a lot of sense, though.”

She giggled and nodded. Then she looked at him thoughtfully. “You weren’t stressed about work at all, were you? You were stressed about this.”

He nodded and ran his thumb over the ring. “Yes. I’m sorry I worried you; and I’m sorry for lying to you about it. I wanted to keep it a surprise as best I could. I didn’t know how else to go about it.”

She smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay, I understand. I’m just glad to know this was what you were stressed about and nothing more pressing; like gambling debts or something like that.”

“I only gamble when it comes to Declan Nash, you know that,” he smirked.

“Of course,” she laughed. “How silly of me.”

He leaned in close and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Nat.”

“I love you more.”

He smiled and kissed her soundly on the lips, very nearly forgetting what they were talking about. “Never.”

A/N: Hope you guys liked it! 💙

Tag List (let me know if you want to be added/removed):  @genevievemd @jamespotterthefirst @paulfwesley @ethansdique @openheartfanfics @perriewinklenerdie @little-flowers-on-heaven @stateofgracious @coffeeheartaddict @liaromancewriter @potionsprefect @mm2305 @gryffindordaughterofathena @actuallybored @writer-ish @queencarb @takeharryandgo @lsvdw-blog @itsjustwinter​ @imaneditorthankyouverymuch-deac @chaoticchopshopheart​ @ohchoices​ @maurine07​ @oldminniemcg​ @parisa-kh​ @shanzay44​ @uberamsey @izzyourresidentlawyer​ @adiehardfan​ @custaroonie​ @mia143​ @a-crepusculo​ @takemyopenheart​ @toadfrog26​ @quixoticdreamer16​ @barbean​ @headoverheelsforramsey​ @natureblooms24 @choicesaddict5 @jerzwriter​

[childofchrist1983]

How miniscule are the wrongs done against us in comparison to the great debt of sin each one of us incurred against Almighty and Holy God! It is as if we owed a trillion dollars and were forgiven that debt, but a man owed us a penny, and shall we not forgive it? But there is another aspect to this as well, for as David tells us, it is ultimately against God alone we have sinned. (Psalm 51:4)

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time daily to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Word daily, May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful Lord, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in the Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

Father God Almighty, Lord Jesus, we know that in repenting and turning to You in true faith for forgiveness of our sins, we also naturally turn from sinful grudges against others.

We cannot hold the attitude of a penniless, helpless beggar before You and the attitude of a holier-than-thou attitude towards others together. Thus, in the end, those whom You forgive will have forgiven all others. Teach us to let go of grudges now instead of waiting for days, months, or years. May our hearts remain clean as we wait for Your glorious return and may we be filled with faith that moves us to serve You. Let our relationship with You be the foundation and pleasing in Your eyes so that we may hear Your praise as we gaze upon Your face and enter Your Kingdom. Lift our spirits and our hearts. Light up our lives, O Lord. May we abide in You for all our days and beyond!

You are Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End! We know Your promises are true and we place our hope in You! May we continue to pray and seek You. Present us with daily opportunities to go to others with Your message of eternal salvation. May we live our lives with a spirit of thankfulness and may we always magnify You, O Lord. Allow our praises to You encourage others to seek Your face. Help us all to be humble and obedient to You. And help us to be courageous enough to seek You daily and to humbly and faithfully do our duty to You, spreading the truth of Your Gospel to all in all nations, as You commanded before You ascended back to Heaven (Mark 16:15-16). May our lives show the world Your light and Truth and that You are a loving God and Heavenly Father who delights in showing love and mercy. May we all be humbly and faithfully honored and excited to worship, glorify and serve You daily and to do Your will. You have been so good to us, far more than we as wretched sinners deserve. You are so good! So wonderful! Forever and always!

Thank you, Lord, for keeping me and helping me in times where I am tempted to go astray. Praise be to You today and every day of my life and let me never forget all of the blessings that are given me by You. As much as the enemy will try, he will never be able to successful breed doubt about who You are, in the minds of anyone who truly believes and follows You. And I will follow and serve You all the days of my life and beyond! Thank you for the connection with You that we are given through Your Holy Word and Spirit. Thank you, O Lord, for all Your creation and Your miraculous ways. Thank you for being our stronghold and my refuge. Thank you for seeing us as worth the sacrifice. Thank you for sustaining us, loving us and defining us according to Your will and love for us. Thank you for making sure we are taken care of. Thank you for being the best friend we could ever have! Thank you for Your endless mercy and love that has saved us. Thank you for always protecting us and providing for us and for Your Spirit to help us when we are in need. Thank you for abiding within me and may I abide with You, my Lord. Thank you for giving us a chance to be saved from our sin and spend eternity with You. Thank you for adopting us as part of Your family in Heaven and making us one of Your own. Thank you for being our present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Thank you for always being near and for loving us. Thank you for giving us a reason to love others and so many more reasons to love, praise, serve and follow You. Thank you for Your selfless and sinless sacrifice. Thank you for Your guidance and protection. Thank you for Your Truth and light. Thank you for Your wisdom and strength and grace. Thank you for giving life to the world and to us. You give and take away – And we thank you for it. Thank you for everything! Your will be done! Blessed be Your mighty name! To You and Your Kingdom be the glory forevermore! In Your name we humbly pray, Amen and amen

[franeridart]

Anon said: [Spoilers for non-manga readers] opinion on Baku's hero name?

Very Bakugou, honestly don’t mind it at all! Mostly just surprised it’s, like, legal in the bnha universe for heroes to call themselves stuff like explodo-kills (and also that there isn’t a character limit for hero names??) but that Bakugou would stick with it is pretty damn in character for him so I like it xD still, I’ll probably just call him Dynamight if I’ll ever need to use his hero name lmao

Anon said: not to be the most romantic sap but uh just a kiss by lady a is killin me

Nothing sappy about letting romantic songs get to you!!!! I say, as I’m constantly crying over romantic songs so this mindset benefits me as well lol

Anon said: i may or may not have stumbled across some of your older kiribaku art, the stuff with akane, and she's the best child oc tbh. i actually like her and i tend to not be a fan of child ocs but she's just the cutest darn thing 🥰

I’m so glad you like her!!!!! She was a lot of fun, what a good gremlin ;;;

Anon said: uve heard of dragon!kiri w his hair spikes up, now get ready for dragon!kiri w his hair dowm lookin like the softest boy

AW HECK I think I’ve drawn him in the past, actually!!!! Spike-haired Kiri will forever be my fav Kiri, but there’s just something about hair down Kiri isn’t it!! What a cute boy ;;;; all sharp edges and soft curves, what a lovely sight

Anon said: can i just say your itafushi art is so cute? these two already make me feel and then your art just (つω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)

THANK YOU SO MUCH I really need to draw them more, don’t I! goge kinda monopolized my attention there, but the way itafushi makes me feel..........boy the way they make me feel ;;;;

Anon said: good day, poké au thought: 12 y/o bakugo somehow catches a dreepy as like his 2nd pokemon and never questions it

WHY NOT WHY NOT I have a whole team in my mind for the boy tbh but dreepy is so cute ;;;; and anyway, I like my poke!bakugou with as many dragon types as he could possibly get his hands on hahaha

Anon said: Please know that, amongst other factors, you were one of the maon reasons I stsrted Jujutsu Kaisen two days ago and there isnothing more to say except thank you and I'm absolutely in debt with you for that, thank you so much 😍

I’m so so SO glad you’re liking it!!!!!! It can get kinda heavy but it’s such a great story.... honestly I’d been wanting to start it since I saw the first pv for the anime all the way back last year but I was like, you know it’s a mappa anime! so I wanted to watch the anime as a new thing, cause I love mappa, but three episodes in I couldn’t hold back and just binged it. It’s kind of story that just makes you wanna drink it all in one go, isn’t it? so good so good

Anon said: makeup artist kirishima and model bakugo or makeup artist bakugo and model kirishima? :0c

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm can’t say I see either of them much into fashion tbh, but if I had to pick probably model Kiri and artist Baku? I just don’t think Baku would be able to stay still enough to get photographed, and he wouldn’t like the photographer bossing him around anyway, and catwalks would be impossible for him to stomach imho, he’s too restless for it! At least it’s the way I see it haha

Anon said: fdgdhdkfhdafs i had a thought, what if bakugo prefers dogs and kirishima prefers cats and when they meet each other and become friends it's like, "oh." because they have some striking similarities to their fave animals

That’s been my headcanon for a while now, actually!! I think for me it came from two characters in a manga I like that are a lot like a dog and a cat but have inverted fav animals and when I read about that I was like “oh, right, makes sense since they like each other” and then my brain turned it krbk because when does it not lmao

Anon said: your art is the soothing balm to my soul recently, thank you for posting so much beautiful content. i hope you have a lovely week. ♡

sob thank you so much, I’m glad my doodling can help you feel better ;; <3

Anon said: Friendly reminder anon from last time: that post I left last time I had only eaten 7 gingersnaps that day and hadn’t drank any water. So that encouraged me to actually self care. Thank you.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well I hope you’re taking care of yourself today too! And as fair trade, I’ll do the same myself! <3

Anon said: Hi! I'm an artist and I'm thinking of making a sideblog for my art. Do you have any tips?

Ah man, I’m sorry but I’m not the best person to ask this to! I started this sideblog cause I had too many followers on my main and I didn’t want my stuff to be seen by that many people at first, so whatever I did probably isn’t what you’re looking for :( but really there isn’t much to it, just post whatever you like to draw, tag it as best as you can (but remember that only the first five tags appear in the search page) and be patient, since whatever you do at first you won’t get much attention anyway - the only real advice I can give is to draw something that makes you happy and that you’d draw anyway even if no one were to see it, it’ll make keep posting despite a possible lack of activity a lot easier!

Anon said: Your goge art🥺🥺

I just love them so much ( TT’’’TT)9

Anon said: how the fuck have i not been following you? I remember seeing your bakushima art in the bnha tag and always thinking it's so cute. Now you're into JJK too??? and the satosugu art??? fuckin, diabetes incarnate. I love it. I love you. Your art 10/10. I'm tired lmao.

WELL thank you for the follow!! And for thinking my stuff is cute!!!!! I do my best with that, I want all the soft things for my favs 😌

Anon said: Are you gonna draw Gojou/Getou comic?? 👉🏻👈🏻 WOULD LOVE TO READ IT

you mean an actual doujin? I don’t think I will, sorry! I’m really no good at long projects orz but thank you so much for wishing to read something like that from me!!! ;A;

Anon said: Hello! YOUR ART IS SO FREAKING GORGEOUSSSS!!! I love them so much!! If I may ask you one question. Between Getou amd Gojou, who do you see as top/bottom? Just curious

THANK YOU!!!!! And I honestly don’t care as long as they’re happy and together!!! please let them be happy and together 🙏🙏🙏

Anon said: i want you to know!!! i followed you for your kiribaku art but!!! i love your art so much that idc what you post because it's all just!!!! incredible and wonderful and stunning!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! this means a lot to me so seriously thank you so much!!!!

Anon said: d'you think bakugo has like headaches or migraines after training or battles because of how loud his quirk is? like, i listen to music slightly too loud and my head is sending me to hell. (unless you go with the hoh hc which is also 👌)

I like to think Baku’s body is attuned enough to his own quirk that he wouldn’t get drawbacks of the kind tbh, though that wouldn’t be a bad thought for when he just starts to increase the output/width and strength of his explosions............ well, I myself suffer from chronic headaches and migraines so I’m always up for projecting on my favs ngl lmao

Anon said:  so like... dragon kirishima's eyes glow right? like, if we equate his dragon-ness to unbreakable his eyes glow? they also glow when he's half shifted? honestly i just live glowing eyes

Oh hell yeah I’m all for that, definitely definitely, I love glowing eyes with my whole heart and Kiri’s eyes in unbreakable are just so!!!!!! NGH *chef kiss* the more of unbreakable there is in his dragon form the happier I am ( TT^TT)9

Anon said: me, scrolling through your blog: ah shit guess im gonna have to start watching jjk

!!!!! hope it won’t hurt you too much, anon!!

Anon said: dragon!kiri and bakugo having a tug-of-war match over a piece of meat. both have it in their mouths. both are determined to win.

Kiri is turned into his dragon form and Baku still wins, hell yeah

Anon said: your satosugu is top tier!! it's hard to find stuff for them that isn't straight up angst so your art has been super cool and also very very cute!! (tho if you went with angst, it wouldn't be a bad thing obviously)

AH I’m so happy to hear you like them!!!! but also happy you wouldn’t mind angst, as I do like them the best happy and soft but my brain, my brain has been throwing sads my way for a while now 👀 I got some ideas

Anon said: What program/device do you use??

Easy Paint Tool SAI and a wacom intuos!! Though I got myself an ipad+procreate just yesterday and I’ve been messing around with it, let’s see how that one goes!

Anon said: *inahles* i am simping for mohawk man please tell me everything about your ocs immediately or i will detonate

THANK YOU FOR LIKING HIM HE’S CALLED DAVIDE Dav for short, he’s a cat of a man and a music instrument enthusiast (mostly string ones, but he’s very good with the piano as well) - he works in a music instruments store, and he’s a uni student majoring in philosphy! He doesn’t like bothersome things, he isn’t very good at taking anything seriously or putting effort in stuff, but he’s very chill to spend time with and generally a nice chat both if you want mindless thoughts or deep conversations (he’s a philosophy major after all). He can’t sing for shit, he’s got two cats (tago and schelly!), and he just wants a quiet life to laze around but all his friends are hurricanes in human bodies, but then again, he picked them himself so he can’t complain. He’s a good boy!! I’m planning a comic for him and his boy Ross >:]

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

14th March >> Mass Readings ((USA)

Tuesday, Third Week of Lent - Proper Readings 

(see also The Samaritan Woman)

Tuesday, Third Week of Lent - Proper Readings 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: A(1))

First Reading Daniel 3:25, 34-43 We ask you to receive us with humble and contrite hearts.

Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud:

“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant. Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, To whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea. For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R/ Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.

R/ Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD.

R/ Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way.

R/ Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Joel 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel Matthew 18:21-35 Unless each of you forgives your brother and sister, the Father will not forgive you.

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Tuesday, Third Week of Lent - The Samaritan Woman 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: A(1))

First Reading Exodus 17:1-7 The Lord showed Moses water, that the people might drink.

From the desert of Sin the whole congregation of the children of Israel journeyed by stages, as the LORD directed, and encamped at Rephidim.

There was no water for the people to drink. They quarreled, therefore, with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to a test?” Then, in their thirst for water, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!” The LORD answered Moses, “Go over there in front of the people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.” This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel. The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?”

 The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7ab, 7c-9

R/ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

R/ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

R/ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”

R/ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Gospel Acclamation Joel 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel John 4:5-42 The water that I shall give will become a spring of eternal life.

At that time, Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” –For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.– Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Christ is coming, the one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.”

At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”

Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[randombtsprincessa]

Blackthorn Creek

Author: Randombtsprincessa

Characters: Park Jimin x Reader (2nd POV)

Words: 24.1k

Genre: Beauty and the Beast AU! Fantasy, Angst, Fluff, Smut!

Rating: NC-17 ranging till 18+ during the last scene, just to be safe.

Warning: Curses, magic, violence, conspiracy for treason, heavy insecurities, imprisonment of sorts, animal attacks, description of blood and injuries, mob mentality, invasion, stabbing, falling from heights, death, marital sex, first time, kissing, fingering, unprotected sex (be careful folksies!) And a whole lotta cheese cause it’s Jimin and I love him.

A/N: The following work is part of the Twisted Fairtytales: Members in Distress for @ksmutclub​ I had the idea for this story sitting in my WIPS and thankfully, the project came at the perfect moment! I hope you all like it as much as I loved writing it! 

A major thank you and a glomping hug to @cuziloveyou7​ and my amazing best friend for all their support for the fic!

The night was chill.

Pale, gossamer links of snow knitted across the glass of the castle, the granite of the stairs seeping the cold through to the skin.

A light chatter was interrupted when the front doors thudded – once, twice and then another time.

It was late, after all; much too late for any visitors, too rude for guests to show up…

The King, a benign man, stood from his seat near the fire, guards surrounding their liege. The Queen looked up at her husband, worried but the King patted her shoulder, beckoning for the doors to be opened.

It would be rude to leave the doors barred too, of course. It could be someone in need.

He watched, curious, as his Maitre D’, Seokjin, walked slowly to the doors. His arms flung the heavy oaken doors open, a flourish to his actions.

“Welcome,” Jin spoke in his exaggerated voice, “to the Castle of Blackthorn Creek. To what do we owe the pleasure, and to whom, may I ask?”

There was silence, much too thick, much too tense to be someone in need, to be a friendly visitor.

“I am here, to see your King. Bring me to him.”

Seokjin stuttered in his vigor, an unnerved stance taking him over as he glanced back to the royal couple, a question to his eyes.

The King cast an eye to his right corner, where his trusted advisor sat, his shoulders visibly tight. Namjoon cleared his throat, a warning sound. “I will see him.” The King said instead, knowing it would be better to see what the stranger wanted.

His guards circled him, his wife remaining behind as he approached and stood behind Seokjin.

“You are in the presence of our Lord and King.” The man announced, drawing away with a stiff bow – unlike any he had performed before.

The King stepped forward, and looked at the man who stood at his doorstep. The man, in turn raised his head, allowing for the dark hood atop his head to fall back. His head was cast in shadows, the whites of the eyes visible as he spoke.

“Your Majesty, I have come from far lands for the pleasure of your company.”

“Consider the pleasure ours, please do come in. What can we do for you?” The King waved a hand, dismissing the surrounding guards as the stranger tilted his head, walking in with his head still held high. He stopped right inside the threshold, as the inmates of the house gazed with wonder and some horror at his visage.

His head was shaven, dark marks etched into the near blue-white skin of his face. His arms bore similar marks, sheathed in crimson robes that were certainly not the fashion of those times.

“Well,” The King pressed.

The stranger slowly blinked his unnerving eyes, a flash of green lighting them. “I hear tales of your kingdom, your generous reign in my homelands. I must say I am not disappointed.”

He finally turned his head to where the Queen sat. “I also hear tales of a beautiful daughter. Your little Princess,”

There was a ringing silence. Guards shifted in their positions, Namjoon and Seokjin drew closer to the Queen and the King froze. To all but the mysterious stranger’s eyes unknown, a small figure crouched at her mother’s skirts, face turned curious to the sudden tension in the air.

“What do you want?” It was the Queen who spoke. Her crown glinted in the firelight, her body clenched on her chair. The stranger didn’t look at her when he answered the question.

“I come with a proposal. I offer my hand in marriage with the Princess.”

There was another pause, albeit much less tense as movement started.

“Preposterous; she is but a child.” This came from Namjoon.

“I am willing to wait.” The stranger said coolly.

“Then you will be waiting forever. I will not give my child to any godforsaken man who happens across my door and throws around absurd ideas. You will never have my daughter.”

“I will be a good husband, and a good king.”

“My Liege; do we have permission to draw arms?” The guard closest to the King asked, his hand already drawing closer to his sheathed sword.

“Nay, no bloodshed; just throw this madman out to the snow.” The King spat, his cloak whirling as he turned to go back to his family.

Behind him, his men converged, arms raised to push the stranger out the palace gates.

Time seemed to slow as the men gathered around his form, which had straightened to as tall as he could get.

“You’ll find you’ve made something of a mistake…Your Majesties.”

A cruel smile curled his lips, hands cupping near his stomach. His large sleeves gave way, revealing the etched marks and even as they pulse green, his form erupted in green light, exploding out till it engulfed the entire estate.

The King buckled, his arms wrapping around his wife and child as the men began to shout, and darting away from whatever it was the demon man unleashed.

“Hear me, O great King; for your impudence, I place your most beloved under this curse. You will be reduced to nothing but a fixture; your entire household will be mere pawns to be used by commoners. And your daughter,” The smirk widened, finding the small girl who still hid, now visible to everyone as their horrified gazes found the young princess.

“Your daughter will be left all alone. Her beauty will now be gone, her temperament destroyed. She will be feared, loathed, a monstrosity that will live with your enchantment.”

“She is a child! You are hurting a child!” Finally, an anguished wail escaped the Queen but the wizards over spoke her, drowning her words.

“At the age of twenty and three, she will be rendered thus permanently. Not a thing but the truest of love can rescue her and break my curse. Only the one who will look past her form will win that honor.”

The light faded with the man’s silhouette, the only thing that remained in the blazing glimmer of the settling curse. Movement ceased, the fire died into its embers…

“You will soon find that I am the only man who is merciful and worthy enough.”

These last words echoes in the halls, sealing through the stone and glass until another sound replaced it.

The screams of a terrified little girl…

Time seemed to flow like water after the screams died.

Nobody took courage to go up to the Palace, find their rulers…the town forgot they even had rulers. Administration moved into common hands, spread to the citizens and the legend of the lost royal family became a ghost story.

The path to Blackthorn Creek remained abandoned, silent, and derelict.

In the town of course, the ghost story didn’t matter. Life had moved on, become busy, become full of bustle.

Park Jimin threw the doors of his father’s work room open, sticking his head in to check once on the aging man.

“Father, I’m out to the baker’s. Shall I bring back something?”

There was no answer from his father, just a distant sigh that said there was nothing that could be brought back that would satisfy him.

Jimin drew back, unable to curb his rising disappointment. There was something in the slump of his father’s shoulders, ever since they’d moved into the developing town of Blackthorn Creek that, as much as the exuberant Jimin tried, he simply couldn’t shake.

Perhaps, it was his mother’s death that took their house and worldly belongings. Perhaps it was the sinking of his father’s patent ship, causing such debt that there was no hope to pay it back with nothing to put up for interest.

The Park family had to relocate from their luxury in France to the eastern countryside, to this small place. It had taken all the merry from his father’s life.

Jimin, however, worked hard to keep his spirits up. This was a setback yes, but his father was a genius. He was sure to come up with another pitch that would work out. And even if he didn’t; well, Jimin would always be there to take care of his beloved father.

A basket in hand, Jimin cocked his hat, setting out for the day.

The town, as small as it was, was full of life around midday. The market bustled, the streets running with people and the pub was always open, till as late as it could get.

But even through the color, there were shades of grey. The cheerful Creek had one mighty legend; one of the local royals’ disappearance. There was a long winded street that was barred from the public, leading up to a small hill, behind which there was said to be the palace.

He had taken these myths with a small smile, aimed at the person trying to call for his attention with these stories.

But even he had to admit, such tales of mystique piqued his fancy in the most delightful way. France had been exciting, especially for a young man such as himself. Plucking him out and placing him in a much smaller world where things were…stagnant, did cause something of a blow to his vigor.

Jimin stopped, contemplating the bookshop that lay just at the edge of the forbidden path. He had a few books still remaining back home, left to be read – but perhaps, he could squeeze in another couple?

“My boy,” The shopkeeper chuckled at the frown on the young man’s face. “Are you done with those piles that you took already?”

“Not quite, sir,” Jimin grinned. “I might just pop by again soon enough.”

The shopkeeper gave him a toothy grin, watching the man glance in some wonder at the blocked off road. The mountains had already started to grow slick with frost – sign of another passing winter. “Here,” he said suddenly.

Jimin stuttered in his forward steps, retracing back to where the stooping elder held out a pale bound tome from the front window. “Sir,” he raised his eyes in puzzlement.

“It’s a little something special I had lying about collecting dust. It was surprising that this one hasn’t caught your eye as of yet but I’m sure you will enjoy it.”

Jimin gave the friendly man a smile, letting the soft book fall open upon his palms, sifting through the delicate pages. “What’s it about?”

“The very thing you’re so curious about; lost princesses, brave knights, curses, fairies…” The book keeper burst out laughing at the soft blush that crept along Jimin’s cheeks. “You don’t need to be coy, son. Our little legend is bound to attract someone.”

“I must thank you sir. I will return it as soon as I’m done.”

“Oh by all means, keep it. It’s better suited to your hands than the shelves in this old place.”

Jimin blinked. “That’s a generous gift. I hope I do it justice.”

“I’m sure you will. Now off with you; the market isn’t going to stay open all day.” The man waved Jimin off, returning to his shop.

Jimin found himself quickly immersed in the fantasy, the short stories of courage, chivalry, sacrifice and fire keeping his nose well buried in the musty pages as he found the daily shopping that he was required to do.

All was well, until the book was snatched out of his hands, a giggle soon to follow.

“Hello stranger.”

“Hyebin,” Jimin sighed, looking around to where the young girl had snapped the book shut decisively.

Hyebin had been the girl to whom Jimin owed most of his knowledge of the town. Raven haired, slim and tall, she was the beauty of the town, sister to one of the most renowned hunters in the nearby vicinity – Kai. He and his sister had taken over most of the social scene of the town, near to becoming the law itself.

And Hyebin had her eyes set on Jimin ever since he set foot within the pub; by proxy, leading her brother to pester him with offers of her hand.

“May I have my book back?”

Pale glimmering lips pouted at him, the book still clutched in her hands. “You never pay attention to me, Jimin. Not when you have books about,” she said.

“Of course that’s not the case.” The man said smoothly.

“It is so. What’s so special about books anyway?” Hyebin took a step further back, too quick for Jimin’s reaching fingers. She pried the book open rudely. “They don’t lead to too much around here.”

“There’s more to books than just material gain, Hyebin.” Jimin was becoming impatient – his eyes fixed on the way her nails dug into the delicate binding.

“If you say so, when we’re married; would you still pay more attention to books than me?”

Jimin dearly wanted to say that that would never happen but he settled for resignedly bouncing on his toes. “What if I read to you?”

“I’d fall asleep.”

“I see.” This time Jimin moved fast, hands grabbing the book from Hyebin’s distracted hold long enough to fall back a safe distance. “I need to go back home. Give your brother my best.”

By the time he got home, his father had put away his new working equipment, instead pacing about in the handkerchief living room.

“Father,” Jimin greeted, putting up his hat.

“Son, how…how was the day?” His father stopped marching, coming up to take the basket of shopping from him.

“Normal, had to dodge Hyebin as usual,” he muttered, making his father chuckle.

“One of these days that girl will marry you still.”

“Such a horrifying thought,”

“Then let me put you to ease.” Mr. Park put his hands on Jimin’s shoulders, making his son look him in the eyes. “There has been some development. The ship that I lost at sea, a year ago, has been heard from. I have been called to attest to it.”

Jimin took a moment to process the news, watching his father’s eyes light up with something that was fearfully hopeful. “Do you mean that --?”

“Possibly; if it is true, we can go back to our old lives again! Think of it, Jimin! Paris, France, the beautiful sprawling house that we had to give up. Your education…” The man smiled affectionately, “We’ll have to find you a lady to wed who is at par with you.”

“Father,”

“I set off tonight! It will be a day’s journey but I know you can watch over things here.”

Jimin watched as his father hurriedly moved to the door, a coat and hat finding their way on his body and his cane and horse whip clasped to his breast. “Wish well for us, my son, our lives could be soon close to change. Do you wish for me to bring you anything back?”

“No father, just you,” Jimin bid farewell to his father, watching him disappear within the small stable to gallop away.

When Mr. Park had set out for the harbor, his spirits had been up soaring in the clouds, visions of his life returning to him in his previous splendor. Now, stood at the wooden ledge, watching crestfallen as merchants, traders, moneylenders, once his friends but now…now they had gathered around his returned goods and scavenged and distributed everything among themselves.

“Your debts are clear, Park.”

“Jimin won’t have to be in debt to us anymore, sir.”

“Go back home sir,”

Just words…nothing more, no comfort found his heart when he straddled his horse again, starting the long trek home.

The horse wouldn’t gallop, possibly sensing its master’s indolence and Mr. Park was overcome with a sudden wave of gratefulness for the animal. After all, he would have to strengthen his bones; he had to deliver the news to Jimin.

The idea of disappointing his son was probably more harrowing than that of losing his wealth yet again.

At least now they were free from debt.

There was a small whinny, attracting the older man’s attention as he looked up to see which path he was on. It was long, thin, winding up a hill he had never seen before in his life.

“Hey boy, I think we took the wrong way.” He patted the horse’s head, before getting off, grabbing the reins. “Let’s find a way out.”

A few miles in, Mr. Park stopped, short of breath.

“Where in the world are we?” He growled low, ignoring the shuddering animal behind him as he trudged on when a high, pitched sound made them both freeze.

A wolf’s howl…

There were wolves around. Mr. Park was alone with no weapons and no idea of where he was. His horse let out a sound of protest again.

“Damn it all too hell,” Mr. Park quickly climbed the horse, kicking it to speed. “Take off, boy; we don’t have any time to lose.”

His ride raised back its front legs, before racing down the way they had come.

Jimin had been anxious all day, toiling in the small garden that his father had managed to build in the front of their house. Sweat had gathered his dark hair into clumps, matting his eyes so when he hear the familiar whinny of Geureum, the horse, he smiled naturally – relieved that his father was finally back home.

“Ah father, nice to –,” he turned, his smile vanishing slowly when he saw the horse alone, pawing his hooves into the dirt, snorting impatiently.

“Geureum, where is he?” Jimin grabbed for the horse’s reins, pulling it closer to soothe it. “Where is Father?”

All Geureum did was shake his head roughly, stepping back and forth.

“Can you show me where he is, huh, boy? Come on,” He slipped his foot in the stirrup, hauling himself into the saddle. “Take me to him, Geureum.”

Geureum stopped only once when he reached a huge, wrought iron gate, roses and swans intricately welded to the metal, now rusty from disuse.

Something had prickled Jimin’s hairline when Geureum had approached the blockaded hill up to the legendary Blackthorn Creek palace but the horse had circumvented it, riding up a much thinner path up.

Jimin slipped off of the horse, patting Geureum on the side. “Stay here, boy.”

And then…with a creek that echoed through the cold night, he entered the palace, walking through huge oaken double doors to find his father.

He had to admit, for a second, standing in the atrium of the castle, he was struck by how grand it must have been. The ceiling peaked, now broken in with many of the granite slabs gone, the starry night sky clearly visible. Dirt and mud had accumulated on the marble floors, muffling the clicks of his boots just a bit.

“Father,” he called loudly before cursing to himself.

What if someone heard him? He wasn’t exactly supposed to be here.

Jimin shook his head. Who would hear him? It was a deserted castle with its family long gone. There probably had never been a family; the town had probably spun a yarn to make it special to tourists.

He crept up grand staircase, sticking close to the rails.

“Father,” he called again.

“Jimin…?”

He whirled, looking around for the source of the sound. “Yes, father it’s me.” He ventured, noticing a hand slipping out from the bars of a door. “Father!” He dropped to his knees in front of the door.

“Jimin, what are you doing here? You can’t be here, you have to leave!” His father was wailing from within, his hands grasping air in search for Jimin.

“What are you saying? Of course, I had to come! Who did this to you?”

“No! Don’t you see, Jimin? It’s true, the legends, the stories, they’re true!”

“What is true? Father, tell me who did this to you?”

“The monster; there is a monster in this castle!”

Jimin paused in trying to pry the door open, widened eyes swiveling to his father’s outstretched hands. “What?”

“It’s true! Please you have to leave! It’s dangerous!”

“Father, that can’t possibly be true!” Jimin said adamantly only to be proven wrong the next second.

A roar that sent Jimin’s hair rising to its ends erupted, echoing around the cavernous halls. A heavy weight landed on his shoulder, throwing him away from the door.

“What are you doing here?”

If there was a god, Jimin had better start praying to it, he thought, cowering away from the hunkering shadow that loomed over him. All he could discern were bright yellow eyes, slanting dark pupils glaring at him and the appendage his father had left hanging out the bars.

“Jimin!” His father chose to shout at the very moment.

Jimin watched the – the – thing – rise upon its legs, prowling further in but still remaining in the dark corner. “What are you doing here?” It asked again.

Jimin blinked slowly, trying to make sense of what was happening to him. Here he was, in an allegedly cursed castle. His father was locked up, raving about monsters and now he was face to face with what appeared to be a huge animal…only, it talked like a human.

“I…I came for my father.” Jimin stuttered, trying to push himself back up.

The yellow eyes flickered, between Jimin and his father, before creeping back into the shadows. “You came in vain. The prisoner will not be released.”

“No wait!” Jimin called, shuffling to his feet as the figure began to draw back. “You can’t keep him here like this! He’s an old man, he’ll die!”

“THEN HE SHOULDN’T HAVE TRESPASSED IN MY HOME!”

Jimin froze at the sudden roar, managing to grab onto his father’s hands finally. This was real. The legend was true. The people living in the castle were monsters, cursed.

“Your…please – I’ll do anything.”

“No! He’ll stay here, locked up because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.” The monster began to disappear.

“Take me.” Jimin took a step forward.

The figure paused.

“What, Jimin, no – no, listen, you can’t do this!” His father yelled.

“I mean it. You take me, let him go.” Every word strengthened in his throat, conviction pushing him forward till he was barely a meter away from the monster.

“You – You’d do that? You’d stay here, in exchange for him?”

Jimin met its eye. Bright yellow to Jimin’s deep brown, when it stepped finally into the small lighted part.

Coarse, shaggy fur coated a huge, lumbering form. The bright yellow eyes that seemed so unnerving were set in a canvas of a ferocious face, the fur streaked with grey and black, a huge snout for a nose and huge fangs that protruded from its mouth.

A lesser man would’ve burst a lung screaming at the horrifying sight but Jimin managed to hide his face, backing up till he could feel his father trying to clutch at the back of his shirt.

“I…I would. Let him go and you can take me.” Jimin finally said and he was proud to say that his voice remained steady.

There was a ringing moment of doubt, flickering in the golden orbs of the monster, before with a growl it raised its paw. Jimin flinched, cringing away from the blow but it never fell. Instead, he heard a dull, metallic thunk and the heavy padlock fell to his feet.

Mr. Park fell out; the door giving way under his weight and he clung to Jimin. “No, no, please, don’t take him, keep me – I have nothing to live for anymore but my son has a whole life.” His father begged to the monster but the only reply they got was a ferocious roar. “GET OUT! If you value your life and your son’s, leave; or I will kill you both!”

The monster turned on an enormous heel, stomping back into the darkness.

The tower that Jimin was pushed into had one small window, a little too high for him to reach, but he managed to hike his nimble body up till he swung from the ledge. His fingers reddened from the strain but when he finally peeked through the window, he just barely caught the end of a huge cart, led by a snorting and neighing Geureum.

He dropped from the ledge, landing squarely on his feet upon the uneven flagstone and cursed, running two hands through his ruffled hair.

“Hello sir,”

Jimin jumped, whirling around at the smooth voice that sounded nothing like the awful grate of the monster’s growl.

“Right down here.”

Jimin backed up as far as he could against the wall before casting his eyes downwards. There was nothing on the floor, soft moss growing within the cracks with one slightly buffed up candelabrum left behind.

“Hello,” the voice said again.

“Where are you? Look, I’m not scared of anything anymore so you’re doing nothing,”

“Of course not, sir, it’s me…Kim Seokjin, the…” a sigh, “the candle holder.”

Jimin took a shuddering breath, before very slowly diverting his eyes to the golden instrument on the ground.

It wasn’t very huge, just barely above average but the sweeping extensions made it seem bigger than it needed to be. Dripping wax clung to its arms where the candles stuck, the gold sheen pale yet glinting in the bare light. Just on the handle, there was an etching…just like one of a face. Even as Jimin watched, the candles lit up, making him flinch.

“Please follow me, sir.”

Jimin gulped.

“Follow you where?”

The candelabrum, to Jimin’s astonished eyes, seemed to turn on the base.

“The Mistress is installing you in a room of your own. The household doubts you want to stay in the tower.” There was something caustic about the smooth tone of the thing. It made Jimin almost bristle and refute before he looked around the tower he was put in.

It was one of the spindle shaped ones, too thin and a little rickety. The window that he had tried to peek out was the single one allowing light in and he could feel some vertigo setting in already, if the nausea was anything to go by.

“Fine – lead the way.” He said.

Jimin had already gauged that the palace had been luxuriant in its time but now, walking quietly through the long hallways with…an animate object bouncing along in front of him, he had to admit; that the ruin that now faced him didn’t seem adjacent to what the palace must have been before.

The stone, now greenish grey had gnarled carvings etched into them. The statues that stood at corners had most of their heads broken or missing and the small beam that the candles gave off only made him all the more unsettled.

“We know it’s a little…dull – around here but we hope you’ll like it.” It was as if the thing knew what was going on in Jimin’s head.

“You said ‘we’…and ‘household’ before…but except for you…and…well, the monster,” Jimin stopped talking when the candelabrum winced.

“You…might want to be careful about that. The Mistress is sensitive and none of the people in the castle will appreciate you calling her that.”

Jimin nearly tripped on his feet when he finally processed something. “That…that thing is a she?”

He was ignored. The candelabrum stopped in front of one of the doors, double door, handles of glum silver. “This is going to be your room, sir.” Jimin didn’t answer, quietly reaching for the handle and turning it, letting himself in cautiously.

The room wasn’t lighted, most of the darkness only marred by the light streaming from a glass window. He could spy a bed at best.

Jimin was about to step in further, squinting his eyes when he heard a loud creak, possibly a considerable weight upon a floorboard and then the clink of metal.

“If you don’t like the room, we can move you.” He heard but instead of the smooth, cool voice of the candelabrum, it was gruff, low and sullen.

He whirled to see a huge part of a shadow standing well back into the room. A heavy cloak wrapped up the body, concealing it further within the darkness.

Jimin didn’t speak as the form lumbered to the open door.

“Your needs will be seen to here. My servants will attend to you.” There was a pause before it took hold of the door. “And you will meet me for dinner; every night.”

The slam of the door made Jimin jump; his immediate reaction was to run to the door and look through the keyhole. There were footsteps and a murmur of conversation but aside from that, the entire palace seemed silent.

Jimin huffed, walking over to the window to open it, casting a furtive look outside and letting out a scornful laughter. He was a good way up the ground. Jumping from the window would mean certain death and even if he only escaped, it would be with broken bones and with no horse.

He doubted the ‘Mistress’ would nurse him back to health.

“My sweetest sister,” A finger brushed under the supple cheek of Hyebin, turning her attention to her brother who loomed over her at the counter of the pub. “What has you down?”

Hyebin pouted, throwing Kai’s hand off. “I went by Park Jimin’s house this evening to see if he would take a turn with me. He wasn’t there. The house was empty.”

“Maybe he went off with that father of his.”

“Why would he? There is nothing to do for him.”

Kai cast a glance at his grumpy sister, feeling the brewing of an odd emotion that he had had for her for months now. It was a mixture of pity, annoyance and yet the unyielding need to present whatever she wanted on a golden platter. He knew that Jimin did not return even half of a quarter of affection that his sister had and while he was annoyed at her overzealous devotion, he knew that she would never falter.

She got her stubbornness from him, after all.

Now, there may be better men for Hyebin than Jimin, but she wanted him and Jimin would marry her – Kai would see to it.

“Sister,” he began.

“You promised, Kai! You promised me you would make him marry me. You don’t love me. You can’t even do this much for me!”

“Now, now, dearest,”

Hyebin’s face had reddened; her hair crackling as she swelled like a bullfrog, ready to rail at her brother when the doors on the pub crashed open, with Mr. Park falling, raving against it.

“Help,” he panted, grasping at whatever was close at hand to heave himself up. “Help, my son, my son please.”

Heads turned, eyes falling to the soaked man as snow melted and pooled around his boots, the cloak wet and snug around his head. His eyes shifted from one astonished face to another, growing more restless.

“Please! I need help. My son has been taken by a monster!”

Behind him, Kai heard Hyebin’s squawk of indignation die down, releasing instead a dainty gasp. He watched the loony man walk around, trying to clutch at the sleeves of the patrons who shook him off with scoffs until he neared the siblings, finally tumbling at Kai’s elbow.

“Please, Kai, my last hope – you…have to help. My son, my only son – gone! – taken! – I can’t take this.”

Hyebin shrunk away from the delirious old man, bundling her dress to her knees even as Kai shook his arm free. “What’s the matter, Mr. Park? Be a little clear.”

“The monster of the palace took Jimin! Trapped him in the big castle on the hill…I couldn’t do anything!”

There was a pause as Kai furrowed his brow, before a patron shouted. “Leave him, Kai. He’s probably mad with the cold!”

“I am not!” Mr. Park immediately protested, wringing roughly at the coat before slumping his head and walking out the pub, defeated. They could hear wails of anguish in the cold winds outside but none were met with sympathy.

“He ran away!” Hyebin finally screeched, sinking her nails in her brother’s arms, ire flaming again.

Kai didn’t answer, letting his arm lax while his thoughtful expression slowly merged into that of a smirk. “Hyebin, my sweet; you might just get to marry Park Jimin after all.”

Jimin didn’t know when he’d dozed off. It must have been the exhaustion of the day, the pressure, the sorrow but he had curled up in one of the dusty armchairs, closed his eyes for possibly a second, only to gather his thoughts. Now he woke up to a pitch black room, stars visible from the window and he knew it was very late into the night.

His back had cramped in his position, obliging him to get off when he heard the gentle knock on the door. He took a wary stance, waiting for the doors to be barged into but to no avail. It was probably Seokjin the candle holder, Jimin decided, going to open the door.

“My now, I thought you’d wait for all the milk to go cold before you opened the door.”

Anticipating it, Jimin was already looking to the floor, only to be met by what looked like a tea set. He watched eyes boggling as the tea pot, a tall, sleek work with a rotund belly hobbled into the room, followed by a cup, and a sugar bowl.

“Um, what…who – are you now?” He asked.

“I’m the head cook, boy. Min Yoongi’s the name, also known as the best damn teapot in the kingdom. This right here,” the snout of the teapot tipped down to the cup, “is Taehyung, the assistant cook but not the best cup even in the room because he can’t keep himself on one stupid shelf.”

“Yah Hyung,” the cup opened at its seam, as if they were lips. “Don’t be mean.”

“I wasn’t going to come at all but I can’t leave you alone. Now then to business, boy; the Princess is taking a late supper so you can eat with her. You can have some milk before you go. You look like you’ve been crying and you’re just going to upset her.”

“Upset her?” Jimin glared, as the tea cup, filled with milk jumped into his reluctant hand. “I am the one trapped here.”

“Look on the bright side.” The teapot waved its spout and all the tea materials gathered in one line, heading out the door. “There’s a splendid welcome supper to be had. Come Taehyung.” He called as he exited.

“Oh but,” the tea cup sloshed some of its content onto Jimin’s hands when it jumped down, skidding across the stone before the door shut again. The sounds of the tea cup’s protests reached Jimin even through the heavy door.

Jimin wiped his hands of his trousers, grumbling at the way he made a mess when he backed against something large.

“No need to worry, young sir. Wardrobe is always here to help!”

Golden but dusty doors banged Jimin on the face, nearly tossing him onto the floor as the wardrobe advanced, rows and rows of pristine, shiny outfits ready to be worn. Jimin gasped, clutching his nose in pain as he shook his head.

“Many apologies! It’s been a while since I’ve been opened for any event at all. I am Jung Hoseok, the royal master of robes. Please do look through the selection to pick something out. I daresay you’ll want to change out of your outfit for dinner.”

“No thanks,” Wincing, Jimin managed to get to his feet. “I’m not going to dinner with Princess Monster down there.”

“Oh dear,” he heard the wardrobe as he crossed his arms, turning to the window to glare out of it.

The long dining table had been decked out for the first time in fifteen years. Silk cloths had been draped over the mahogany, candles put up, torches wiped and lit, plates and tableware sparkled in the dancing flame of the fireplace.

Yet, none of the chairs had been pulled back.

Seokjin and Yoongi, watched, anxious as the Mistress of the Castle, their Princess prowled in front of the table, each paw taking further weight from your animal bulk.

“Your highness, perhaps…you should sit and wait.” Seokjin suggested.

“No; I will wait for the man.” You said. Your voice had dipped down to a warning growl but your household items…your staff had never been very afraid of you.

Maybe they had, once, when you had first transformed and not taken to what you had become. A monster, a huge, hunkering loathsome thing which wanted to claw and destroy anything that stood in its wake…

It had taken years, but you had somewhat been ‘tamed’ since then.

“Princess, please, do consider that if we play our cards right, this man could be your salvation.”

“You think I don’t know that? I do…I know that but…how can he be if he won’t even come to dinner?”

“Perhaps also take into consideration that the boy is trapped here. He won’t see his father or his previous life again.” Jin’s statement wasn’t met with any geniality, instead the candelabrum found himself in the vice grip of his Mistress.

“Then what should I do? Do I throw him out? Let him leave so he can bring back a mob? No! I won’t do anything and if he wants to be difficult, I can be too.”

“We know that, your highness.” Yoongi said, his spout quivering. “We just have to remember to keep our tempers in check.”

The last statement was spoken pointedly and the monster blinked its huge yellow eyes, looking down to where you were almost squeezing your Maitre ‘D. You dropped the candle holder, Seokjin bouncing back a few steps when the door to the dinner room opened.

“Ah, there he is.” Yoongi’s belly turned, the porcelain splitting into a smile.

You turned, eyes trained in anticipation but what peeked in was an ornate long grandfather clock, its rose gold arms clasping the door in trepidation.

“Namjoon, where is the boy?” Seokjin asked immediately.

The royal advisor hemmed, glancing anxiously at the bunched up bulk of the Princess. “He says, he won’t be coming, your highness.”

There was a ringing silence, torn by the groans of Yoongi and Seokjin before you stood up, your clawed feet digging into the stone floor so hard it hurt.

“Fine, if he wants to be so stubborn then let him have his consequences too. Yoongi, you will bar the kitchens. He will not eat anything unless he first comes to me.”

“Princess, we can’t woo a dead man.” Namjoon said calmly but you were already dropping down from an upright position to what you were used to, on all four feet, crouching.

“I don’t care! Just…just let him starve! I don’t care if we find bones in his room.”

The three items converged, all talking together and you slammed a paw on the table, shredding the cloth. “Enough; let me go!” You roared before taking off, leaping over their heads so you could head and lock yourself in your quarters.

The silence that brushed up and closed around you as soon as the doors shut behind you and automatically locked was bliss. Yet your mind was anything but.

Hateful thoughts swirled in your mind, mostly aimed at yourself, some at the enthusiasm that your staff seemed to show for this new addition to your home and finally, venom spilling out to the man who had now entombed himself in one of your best rooms but couldn’t even show the decency to come down for dinner.

What was so difficult about dinner?

And why was he allowed to shut himself in his room when all your life you had been told to never hide yourself from the rest of the house?

Granted, all your people were now objects, magical but still just objects. Your parents had been turned to statues, forced to weather out in the overrun gardens and you had been raised by Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok and Namjoon mostly. Children your age; Taehyung and Jungkook had hated you in the beginning and you had never sought them out yourself.

Over time, Taehyung had forgiven you but Jungkook turned to a Duster never saw you, working quietly where you would never tread.

The rest of your household never came forward and said it; having never witnessed the event that had transformed you all but the malice was palpable. The rejection hurt, you were a child shunned and you sprouted claws much too early for anybody’s liking but you had tried.

You had tried, before giving up. You gave up because nothing happened. Fifteen years and no prince came; no fairy godmothers pointed their wands at you. The wizard never came back to see if his spell wrecked you.

All the stories that showed that Princesses would be rescued fell short at one crucial juncture.

No one told the story about the cursed princess who was ugly, who was a monster, who wasn’t the pale skinned beauty in a glass case or silk bed.

No, nobody came to save the ugly princess and over time you learned to see yourself just that.

This man – this Jimin, would be no exception.

“After all, what’s to love?” You muttered.

You vowed not to weep. Not for a man, not for the humanity that judged who was worthy of love.

Jimin had dozed off again. When he woke, it was with a start, groggy and fumbling in his movements. This was a bad habit. He needed to collect his wits about himself. Maybe it was the magic of the castle but he had to remember that he wasn’t safe in here, no matter how friendly and polite everyone…everything was being.

Somehow, in his slumber, the torches in the room had been lit, casting the place in a dazzling golden glow. The chair he had fallen asleep in again was pushed right to the edge of the room, near the window. He spied that the bed had been made with brocade bedding, surfaces had been dusted and to his surprise there was a pool at the very centre, filled with clear, almost glittering water.

Jimin’s stomach, having refused dinner with the Monster out of pride was already protesting, tossing him out of the chair in the direction of the pool. Maybe a cool drink would cheer and lift his spirits.

He sat at the engraved stone border, looking down at his haggard expression in the water, running a hand through the pool, cupping the soothing liquid up to his lips.

The minute the water passed his lips, a new sense of relief and rejuvenation passed his body, coursing through him as though adrenaline itself. Jimin got to his feet, looking about if he could ask the Wardrobe – Hoseok – where he could go to find food.

He found the spot empty, instead there stood a mannequin. On it, hung was a brand new outfit; a white spotless shirt, black trousers and blue silk coat. The mannequin stood lifeless even as Jimin stripped it, and then with apprehension brewing at his belly at accepting the gift, himself. However, unease had to wait; he was soaked, cold, and soiled. He would fall sick at that rate and then all his plans of escape would shatter. He also didn’t want to be indebted to the castle in any way.

So with a bite at his pride, he put on the outfit before pressing his ears to the door, listening for any movement. He couldn’t hear the pounds of the Princess’s paws, the clatter of any objects moving, no conversation, nothing at all.

Wary in his gait, he stepped out, keeping a light foot to lead him on when something whimpered from his side.

Jimin jumped, whirling in anticipation of roars, of overwhelming friendliness but instead a small pair of eyes beamed up at him from behind a moth eaten curtain. Running a hand over his panicking heart, Jimin’s lips tugged into a soft smile.

“Hello there,” he cooed at the pup that ventured out the curtain with three more at its tail.

“Oh, wow, puppies.” Jimin wanted to laugh at the simplicity, at the adorableness but the pups only let out soft gurgles, wrapping paws around Jimin’s legs, trying to nudge him along.

“What is it? Where are you taking me?”

Jimin allowed him to be prodded and nudged along by four small dogs, along the hallway, down the stairs and through another until he was pushing open a door, clearly the kitchen.

“Oh my,” his eyes fell first to the teapot on a wooden table, followed by the grandfather clock and candle holder he’d seen already. “What are you doing here? How did you,”

The teapot stopped when he saw the four puppies cuddling around Jimin’s feet, something of a softness melting the intricate seam of it. “Ah, of course,”

“Forgive me, I didn’t know. I was just hungry.” Jimin shyly dipped his head, knowing he was probably trespassing on some late night gossip among the staff.

“No, no, of course you’re hungry, you did show some nerve. It must’ve made you ravenous.” Seokjin bobbed towards him, wrapping a gold arm around his coat tails, dragging him to the table.

“Don’t worry, sir. We’ve spoken with the Mistress. She’s going to show some leniency. She won’t come down to dinner the same time as you do…unless you request it.” Namjoon the clock lied smoothly.

Jimin was sat at the table by Seokjin, a napkin pressed at him by the teapot as dishes and plates of food began to dance around the length of the table, piling upon the plate presented to him to eat.

“I…thank you.” Jimin frowned, unable to think of anything more to say.

“You may also wander the castle and grounds as you wish. One of us will always be found around and the Guides,” Yoongi pointed its spout at the four pups that stood lined near the door, “will be your companions mostly.”

Jimin looked down at the hearty meal in front of him before digging in. “That will be very nice. Thank you.” He said around a mouthful of potatoes.

True to their words, the castle and grounds were left wide open for the curious Jimin. He woke up to a wonderful outfit slung on the mannequin; suits, coats, wonderful silks and soft cashmeres to drape over his body. The wardrobe – Hoseok, had returned, helping Jimin dress for the day’s adventures.

Jimin would eat breakfast in his room, sitting at the edge of the pool where – he wondered if it was his imagination – the water seemed to move to entertain him. He would climb over stiles; sniff the glowing flowers, count stars and fireflies if he stayed out too late. The castle, upon inspection was vast. Huge statues imposed upon him, Grecian, roman and baroque architecture worked itself seamlessly in the palace and he had fun listening to Namjoon talking about each was worked in or acquired.

He was very rarely alone.

The Guides, as the staff called the small pups were always with him. He had learned their names from Taehyung, the tea cup. The fluffy brown one was Holly, a pair of small Pomeranians that shaded darker was Mickey and Yeontan and then finally a pure white one named Monnie.

They led him in and out the lands, sometimes through a grotto where the only thing that nestled was a pair of entwined huge statues. He had stopped and stared up at them for quite a while. They were probably the biggest in the entire castle, both wearing a pained, sorrowed expression that bore Jimin’s own heart down. He didn’t venture in that particular grotto again. It felt too…private somehow.

Jimin was given dinner in the main dining room, the long table decked out only for him. He would sometimes cast a look upon the opposite chair, feeling lonely even if he had multiple entities to talk to.

The Princess never came upon in Jimin’s presence for days. He could sometimes hear the paws of her feet on the floor when he was roaming about, but she never once tried to impose herself on him. It was almost as if she watched him watch her home from afar.

Something in Jimin tugged when he thought about home, how he had completely left behind his straggly little town for this palatial world. He missed his father terribly yes, but here in the estate that he was free to roam, with people whose knowledge he was free to peck at, the silence had turned blissful very quickly.

Thoughts of escape never strayed further from his mind but for now, he wanted to stay cocooned in this silence.

It was almost two weeks till he was made aware of the very real presence of the mysterious Princess. He was used to her being a phantom by now so when the Guides playfully nipped at each other, chasing down a corridor, Jimin followed at ease, not feeling the pricks of unease until he reached the darker end of the corridor.

It was a whole quarter, possibly belonging to one of the royal family. He peeked into the empty bath before venturing further into the darkened opening.

The palace that had been warmed by fire for their new guest – or prisoner, however Jimin wanted to look at it had failed here. There was an odd chill running through the walls, as if someone had sucked the temperature and doused the room in ice.

The furniture was all dusty, clearly not attended to, and silver and cream paint peeled from the walls. He could almost spy the moss that collected in the cracks of the walls before he came to stand in front of the wall of paintings.

Each and every face on the walls, Jimin noted had been slashed. It was a brutal mutilation, clearly from the Princess’s claws. There was one painting that remained, of what had to be the royal couple. A tall, regal man stood at the side of an equally prim lady who sat on an armchair. One of his hands clasped her shoulders while hers held on to a young child, poised delicately upon her knee.

The child, a girl wasn’t having it though. He could tell the struggle of her flailing arms and kicking feet yet her face was void of distress. Instead he stared at the laughing, playing child, baby curls fluttering around her ears, thick fingers and chubby cheeks – the full deal. A small golden tiara nestled upon her head, crooked from her movement.

The picture was so happy; it brought a catch to Jimin’s throat, looking back up at the couple, tearing his eyes from the once human Princess. There was something hauntingly familiar about the faces yet Jimin couldn’t put his finger on it.

So engrossed he was, in staring at the pictures, moving on to where he tried to put together shredded pieces of the painting together that he failed to notice the silence. There was no yapping of the puppies to be heard and this silence was anything but comfortable.

When the door squeaked open, Jimin turned, coming face to face with the monster who had been diligently avoiding him. Half her furry face was shadowed, but he could tell from the single wide open yellow eye that he wasn’t an expected sight.

The eyes darted from his face to his hands, placed upon the paintings. Jimin had barely opened his mouth, to apologize, to explain, perhaps to snap but the Princess had already dropped to her haunches, a low growl ripping through the back of her throat.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING? HOW DARE YOU COME HERE?”

Jimin stumbled back, pressing against the wall as the monstrous Princess leapt, scrambling towards the paintings and covering them up.

“I…I was just,”

“LEAVE! I WANT YOU OUT. GO! NOW,”

Jimin had heard enough and it presented a brilliant opportunity to him. She wanted him to leave. He could leave.

So quick he was, sidestepping the crouching girl that he had no time to see her fall to the floor, the cloak that covered and hid her body wrapped protectively around as a whimper replaced her roars. The Princess’s sobs never reached Jimin’s ears.

He didn’t wait to find any of the household staff. He knew that they would ultimately attempt to stop him, try to make sense of the Princess’s commands. So he hurried down the stairs and out the side to where he’d found the stables.

His own Geureum was gone, with his father but he yanked on the reins of a white stallion; titled Jjangu on his crest. Jimin saddled the panicking horse blindly, patting it only once to soothe it before he was mounting and taking off in the distance of the town.

Your roaring yells had reached the ears of the household, of course. Namjoon was the first to respond, sliding into the royal quarters; his wooden stand skidding as he found you curled up under the one painting that you couldn’t bring yourself to destroy.

It was your family portrait, commissioned just two years before your lives would change forever and while you had torn up every picture of your face that hung up, you couldn’t destroy your parent’s.

Namjoon could tell from the shudders that shook your form that you were just finishing crying. Propriety dictated that he wouldn’t trespass on a royal in distress but you were his charge, he had raised you, taught you, attempted to feed you since he could bring your fear and panic at being transformed into a beast to heel.

“Princess…Y/N,” He coaxed, golden bars running through the shaggy mass where your hair would be. His heart ached at the soft sniffles that sounded too loud because you…you weren’t human after all.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. And it’s okay to not be, you won’t be less of a person for your troubles.”

You raised your head with a deep scoffing laugh. “I am not a person, Namjoon. I’m a monster; a loathsome creature.”

The clock ticked angrily but didn’t prod the issue. “The boy -,”

“Left; I scared him off. That’s that then.”

Namjoon shook his head, casting a glance out to where the snow had become wilder, until only white could be seen. “Your highness, he left in a terrible condition. He’ll get lost.”

“I don’t care.”

“Princess, Namjoon,” Two heads turned to where Seokjin rushed in, candles burning on his many wicks. “The boy, Jimin, he has taken off on your horse! He’s taken Jjangu.”

“WHAT IN THE WORLD?” You screeched loudly enough for both grown men…objects to flinch. “MY HORSE…HOW COULD HE DARE, HE -,”

“Princess, the wolves, if the wolves find them, it will be too late,” Seokjin murmured softly.

There was a heavy pregnant pause in which Namjoon and Seokjin stared at their Mistress, holding her shaggy head aloft as if she was praying for pity. Finally, under the gaze of your caretakers and advisors, you slumped, admitting defeat.

“Alright, alright, I suppose we can’t leave him to die in the blizzard.”

When you had first transformed, a howl had been the first thing that had scared you. Your small hands and feet had turned into paws, huge claws protruding from the nails. Your hair seemed to grow everywhere until you were taught that it was fur, too coarse and too matted to be what had been a well taken care of head of hair.

Your first memories after the transformation had been running away, tripping and falling multiple times because you weren’t used to your new body until Namjoon and Yoongi had found you, cowering under a broken branch. Howls had pushed you into a scared ball and when they’d found you, they’d spoken. You could still remember a clock and a teapot trying to act brave as a single wolf, too big and gleaming in the moonlight curled back its lips, issuing the threat that had locked you in your castle forever.

Of course, with age and your guardian’s patience you had honed your new abilities; speed, agility, strength and keen senses.

It was easy finding your fearful horse and Jimin, running on all fours as if a wolf yourself. Your ears pricked, picking up the yells of the man and whinnying as wolves surrounded your charges on all sides.

It was stupid to charge in head first, but when you saw a wolf snap Jimin’s weapon, a single stick in two between its jaws, it was exactly what you did.

Your first powerful spring, landed you clean behind Jimin’s now buckled body. The wolves immediately halted, intelligent eyes darting from the curling boy at your feet back to you, tongues rolling perversely.

You felt rather than saw Jimin raise his head, wondering why the wolves hadn’t ended him already. When he felt the larger presence behind him, he turned, gaping up at you as you placed one paw to the front, marking a line, marking a territory.

Loud snaps surrounded you, the wolves reorganizing till they circled you now, ready to attack from every direction.

Your eyes, however, sought one wolf out, finding its way back, sitting on its hind legs, tail wrapped around them. You snarled at it, the wolf obviously smirking at you before it rose up, stalking over to the head of the pack. It gave a short yap and the wolves, in once sleek, collective move, pounced.

You only had time to jump over Jimin, drawing the attack away from the human and your precious horse before you felt the first swipe of claws at your back. You whirled around, your own paws frantically hitting and lashing out, trying to bat away as many wolves as you could with as much force as you could muster.

You knew you couldn’t kill them, of course but it wouldn’t be for the lack of trying.

The wolves landed as many blows as they could on you, punishing you, sinking in teeth around your wrist, snapping around your ankles until you could smell the warm, metal in the air, from mostly your wounds.

“Enough,” You finally heard the one wolf, it’s comrades backing away with one word until you were left, swaying, eye to eye with its imperious gaze.

“Back off.” You growled but the only reply you got was a rough snicker, animalistic and feral.

“We would, just to see you fail in this attempt, Princess. We still wait for our master, and the day he becomes King, we shall have the boy for dinner. Another time,” The wolf tipped its tail at you, before turning and trotting off.

Jimin only raised his head when the sounds he could hear was the stamps of the horse’s hoofs, the whistling of the wind through his hair. When he peeked through slatted eyes, he could see you, tall, bulky, standing up to your full height as he caught the wolf farther away, dainty steps carrying it till it melted in the snow.

Jimin’s black robes that he hadn’t changed when he rushed out where wet, dirty again and he picked himself up, trying not to make too much sound lest you turn and put him through the same assault as you had the wolves.

He had heard the heavy thuds of your paws, the throwing around of the wolves as they banged against trees and rocks. He knew you could shatter his skull with one paw but then he’d also heard your screams of pain, each singing through him as you tried to keep the wolves away from him and your horse.

He reached the reins, about to climb on when he saw the horse’s eyes for the first time. They were wide, the neck bobbing as it tried to free itself from Jimin’s holding.

Jimin frowned, turning from the horse to where you stood and for the first time, he saw the damage inflicted upon you. Your heavy cloak had been ripped to tatters, hanging off of you in ribbons that exposed him to you. You wore pants, to contain the large hind legs, a simple men’s shirt. It was now smeared in stark red, the crimson pooling from your feet and arms into the pure snow below.

He watched as you tilted to the side, your weight finally tipping extreme and you collapsed, snow and blood flying from the impact.

Jimin turned to the horse again, reading the pain in the horse’s eyes.

It loved you.

Jimin once again turned to where your body lay, shivering just so slightly.

You were just a child, a cursed little baby girl.

Jimin’s mind flooded with images of a small girl in the painting, phantom giggles in his ears.

You saved him. He couldn’t leave you to die.

Jimin dropped the reins, his feet sinking into the inches deep snow as he ran over to you, kneeling down to turn your face towards him.

Your eyes were long closed, your mouth parted just enough for him to see the fangs within but he looked past that. Your fur was wet, both from the melting snow but also from your blood and as he cupped your huge head, he knew you wouldn’t last in this cold. Already, your breathing was erratic, your chest falling further with each exhale.

He looked to the horse that trotted closer, responding to the man who was helping his owner. It took severe effort, hefting the Princess but Jjangu was unexpectedly strong. The Princess lay across the horse, feet and head dangling and swaying as Jimin took the reins again, deciding to walk as he made his way back to the Castle, your home.

If the household staff was surprised to see Jimin back again, especially with an injured Princess lobbed across her horse, they didn’t express it. Instead they swarmed, concerned around where Jimin heaved and unceremoniously dropped the Princess at the base of the stairs.

While a coat rack took a shivering Jjangu back to the stables to be fed and warmed, Jimin helped the rest of the objects drag their Mistress to the sitting room.

“Great, what’s she gotten into now?” He heard as he unbuttoned his coat, rolling up his shirt sleeves.

“Not now, Jungkook; she’s injured badly, near death. Either help, or stay out of the way as always.”

Jimin tilted his head towards the sullen reply, straining to hear. “Gladly, if I never see her face, it will be too soon. She’s the reason we’re like this, or have you forgotten?”

“Jungkook, that’s enough!” He heard the low angry rasp of Namjoon’s voice when there was a shuffle in his eyesight.

The Princess seemed to be able to tell that she was safe again, grunting and whining as she sat propped up in a huge winged armchair. Her tattered robes had been shed off, her modesty preserved by the fact that she was entirely covered in fur but Jimin kept his eyes averted respectfully anyway. Her large legs were drawn up as she clutched her wounded, slashed appendage close to her body.

As Yoongi hobbled over, full of hot water, followed by medicine bottles on a spidery tray that clattered, Jimin ripped bandages. He filled up a golden bowl with the steaming water, dipping medicine and cloths in it.

The moment he stood up, intending to nurse the Princess, she flinched, surprising Jimin as she cowered away from him. She turned her back, and he could hear a distinct whimper, as she licked at her injuries.

She’s not used to being vulnerable, Jimin realized, his slack frame pushed to movement with the fear that her licking and prodding would infect and worsen the slashes.

“Now, now, don’t do that.” He moved too fast, grabbing a hold of the Princess’s shoulder and was immediately met with a wide open maw, her ferocious roar shifting his hair back.

Jimin dropped his hand, scowling at the stubborn slump of her arm, drawn back to her tongue. “You’ll make it worse. Just let me help.”

“It hurts.” She snapped when Jimin leaned right over her, attempting to wipe at the mangled arm.

“If you hold still, maybe it won’t.” Jimin tried to keep his voice steady, not wanting to snap at the already pained girl. Her screams at the biting and slashing wolves were still too fresh in Jimin’s mind. He wanted to show some kindness but she was just so…pigheaded.

“Maybe if you hadn’t run away, I wouldn’t be hurt.”

Jimin raised his eyebrows at her petulant tone. If he wasn’t already aware, he would’ve believed the Princess to still be a child at the sullen note of her voice. Something tugged at the corners of his lips as she attempted to cross her arms; the clawed up one still dangling in his hold.

“You told me to leave, remember?”

“I didn’t mean the castle.”

Jimin dropped the bloodied cloth in a waste bowl. “I suppose the lesson here is that you should watch your temper, isn’t it?” He made an exaggerated show of dipping another cloth in the medicine bowl, ignoring the Princess as she huffed and dropped her huge head on an equally huge paw, distinctly pouting.

“Please hold still now, this is going to pinch some.” He used the same tone as he would on his father, concentrating at digging out some remaining bits of grime from the claw marks. A few of his swipes made the Princess cringe and try to pull away but not once did her strength win against his sharp glances and sudden tightening of grips as he repeated the process on her feet.

Finally as he did the bandages he spoke again.

“Thank you, for saving my life.”

The Princess was quiet for so long that Jimin had to chance a look up, catching her quickly smoothening her expression into one of nonchalance. “You’re welcome.” She growled lowly.

But Jimin had already seen the bitten lips, the downward slope of her brow and the glassiness of her eyes.

He stayed right there, on the floor at her feet for a while, until the Princess, who had been staring into the fireplace had her eyes drooping. He stood when he was sure she was asleep, snores shuffling the fur near her mouth and nose.

Jimin folded back the sleeves on his muddy shirt. He knew he needed to change his clothes if he wanted to stay well, if he was sick as well, who would take care of the Princess? He hardly thought Seokjin’s candle hands or Namjoon’s golden bars would be able to change soiled bandages and he could already feel a chill coming.

Placing a huge blanket on the sleeping Princess, he went up to his room to change.

“How is she?” Hoseok asked immediately, as he shuffled inside for something to wear.

“She’ll have a few days with that bandage. It’ll probably scar.” Jimin answered tiredly, dropping his clothes and entering the bath where Yoongi was already pouring hot water in the tub.

“Thank you,” Yoongi said as he stood by. Jimin turned his head to look at the gleaming pot in question. “For not leaving her to die,” Yoongi clarified.

“Of course not…I will admit I had the thought but, I couldn’t. Not after she’d risked hers to save mine and Jjangu.”

“Jjangu was a gift foal from her father. She loves the animal more than anything.” Jimin heard before with a click of the bathroom door, he was alone.

He sighed, laying his head back along the porcelain edge. He was desperately exhausted, aching and needed to sleep, but there was a gnawing in his chest. He knew the Princess was in good hands now; he would only be needed when she needed her bandages changed and he knew she could manage that herself but he found it difficult to not be worried for the girl that somehow seemed so small and scared in all her ferocious enormity.

“Maybe…maybe I could try to be her friend.” Jimin mumbled, more to himself than anything as he closed his eyes.

Jimin took his vow seriously.

The first thing he did when his eyes popped open and fell on the customary outfit left for him; a simple powder blue shirt and black trousers – was to jump up and get dressed even before Hoseok had opened the eyes on top of it.

Quietly, he made his way down to where the Princess was still snoozing in the chair, flinging open curtains and inching closer just in case she woke up and panicked.

“Princess,” Jimin called gently, her head moving just so. “Your highness, wake up.”

With a groggy groan, her head fell towards his direction, yellow eyes blinking open in the filtering morning light.

And to the Princess’s dawning wonder and shock, Jimin gave her a beautiful, wide grin; possibly the most beautiful sight she had ever witnessed in her life.

From then on, both Jimin and Y/N tried to make an effort.

Y/N still felt her temper flare up quick as a snake’s attack but she quelled it in fear of the look on Jimin’s face. Jimin learned that despite her age, the Princess was still just a sheltered child who knew only what had been told to her.

Jimin tried to get you to participate in various activities. He taught you a few card tricks with a very old battered set that Seokjin unearthed, he told you stories of France, his life, what the world had to offer outside of the small town that had forgotten and abandoned her, he even tried to paint with her – although that ended in a disaster that had Yoongi steaming from his spout, Taehyung quickly sent to supervise the cleaning.

You, on the other hand, took Jimin outside.

Even though, Jimin had had the Guides to lead him places, no one knew the Castle and its grounds like you did, having spent fifteen years prowling and growing in it.

You allowed him to ride Jjangu while you walked, sometimes raced him. He had to change your bandages multiple times during these rides, noting with some joy that you healed faster than a human.

With four wild puppies and Jjangu, you took him to the top of a stile where in the falling night; he could count a multitude of stars and constellations. You threw Jimin in fountains; let him sift through flowers in the crumbling greenhouse, taste the fruits from the Grottos.

“My parents,” you pointed with a clawed finger, up at the huge entwined statues that had haunted Jimin before. He looked, focused on their faces more now, recognizing them from the portrait.

“Are they…gone?”

“No, just left frozen, to watch over what happens to me,”

Jimin turned to see you staring down at your palms, the story of the curse now making him enraged for your sake rather than sad. However, he kept mum, afraid of upsetting you rather than providing comfort. Instead, he took your huge gnarled hand, leading you quietly back.

Jimin and you took meals together now, lunches and dinners. He had unintentionally grimaced when he saw you simply lower your face and devour the food directly from the bowls and plates. In time, once he saw you try for him sake, he realized that your hands were simply too big for the dainty silverware and fragile glass goblets that fitted so perfectly in his.

So the next meal, Jimin surprised you by asking Taehyung to simply not provide any at all, raising his own bowl to his lips to eat as you did.

Your smile, huge, fanged, fur creasing in the corners of your mouth yet so happy, golden hue shining in your eyes, made him make it a habit to accommodate you, rather than ask you to change for him.

“Can I open them now?”

Jimin followed the trail of your cloak, sight barred by his hands as you attempted to lead him off for a surprise. You had been excited, the morning you simply strode into his room before he was even dressed. He had rushed behind Hoseok, who laughed at the pink of his cheeks and flustered backing away from you, until you claimed that ‘it was ready’ as he hurriedly put some clothes on.

“Not yet,”

Jimin heard the creak of doors, the clangs of curtain rings and felt the warmth of the sun on his skin.

“Okay, open them.”

Jimin dropped his hands with an indulgent smile, first looking at where you stood at the window, paws clasped together, and a nervous grin on your animal face. Your ears stood on point, waiting for his reaction as Jimin’s eyes wandered…and then widened till they were ready to pop right out.

It was a library.

A wonderful, glorious library, better than the dingy bookshop in town, better than any he’d seen in Paris. This was better than anything anyone could create in the whole world. Towering till the eye could see, with ladders and actual staircases leading up, his neck strained trying to fathom just how many books there were there.

“Oh my god,”

“Do you like it?”

Jimin looked down at where you were nearly vibrating with nervous energy.

“I had it cleaned, that’s what took so long. Seokjin told me you loved reading so I thought you should have this. I don’t know if everything is alright, but I checked last night and,” You stopped rambling when Jimin said your name. It was just a soft whisper but it tore a shiver through you at the tenderness, the fondness in it.

You had never heard anyone speak to you like that – not even your caretakers.

Jimin was practically aglow. His eyes shone as if someone lit coals underneath, his teeth blinded with the power of his smile, before his eyes turned to invisible slits.

“I absolutely love it, Y/N. Thank you; no one has ever done something like this for me before. This is perfect.” He strode forwards, his hand reaching for your face where his fingers nestled within the shaggy fur on your cheeks. He kept his smile fixed, nails gently scratching as your breath caught at the affection.

Jimin stared up at you, his own eyes and face sobering at the wide eyed look on your face. His fingers slowed till they just rested there, the both of you staring at one another.

“Ahem,” Jimin finally cleared his throat, removing his hand from your face. Was that disappointment he saw across your face? He turned to the shelves. “What shall we read first?”

Something thudded in Jimin’s chest, racing his blood with adrenaline as you and he sat on the floor in the sitting room, books strewn around you and the fireplace bathing you in heat.

“…and they lived happily ever after.” Jimin finished, closing the fifth book.

He had laughed and placed his head on yours when he discovered that you loved stories as much as he did. You had demanded him to read for you with one, two and the next three books. Jimin had happily obliged, enjoying the way you now sprawled on your front, arms cradling your head, looking at him with such a rapturous expression, he could melt.

“Read…one more…?” Jimin looked down to where you slid another book in his lap. Your eyes were big, hopeful and the rush of emotion that swirled in Jimin’s stomach was nowhere polite. He thought back to Hyebin, wanting to be married to him and yet knowing that she would fall asleep at the one thing Jimin was so passionate about. He cursed himself for the comparison. There was none. Hyebin wouldn’t even occupy the shadow of who you were.

“Y/N…I’m tired. How about you read for me now?” he leaned back on his arms, nudging the book back at you.

You paused, sitting up slowly before taking the book in your huge hands.

“I…I’ll rip it.”

“I’ll fix it back for you.” Jimin said immediately.

Your face fell as you opened the book, taking some time to flip it to the first page. Jimin watched; somewhat concerned as you slowly read the first of the fairytales.

“Once…up – on, a time…”

“Y/N, love,” Jimin had no time to worry about the endearment that slipped his mouth. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I can’t,”

“Can’t…read…?” He guessed.

You nodded quickly, fearfully.

“Oh, I thought Namjoon taught you.”

“Alphabets, a little book of stories and history…but I…I can’t read big literature. I can’t even hold books.”

Jimin’s heart cracked as you glared fiercely at your hands again.

“No matter, I’ll teach you, here, come now. I’ll hold the book for you.” Jimin grabbed the book, holding it open for you as he slowly, pronounced the words, you following him.

Behind you, unbeknownst to both of you, Yoongi, Namjoon, Seokjin and Taehyung sighed dreamily.

“Think they’re in love yet?” Jungkook drawled from behind them.

“Not just yet, I suppose, but they’re getting there.” Namjoon said.

“They need one more push.” Yoongi muttered.

“And what better than…a ball,” Seokjin glanced at Taehyung, wearing identical smirks.

Hyebin lay on her front, draped along the chaise in a manner that would have most men in the town be willing to do her bidding. The one she wanted, however, hadn’t even gone past the town in ages. She was bored; dejected from the lack of attention and her brother – she cast a venomous look to where her older sibling paced in front of the fireplace – hadn’t done a thing for her.

“Don’t look at me like that, Hyebin. I’m thinking.” Kai said, catching her eye.

“Well, perhaps you could think later. Isn’t this the time for action?” Hyebin cupped her face.

“Not yet; your impulse is what ruined your chances with the boy in the first place.”

Hyebin scowled.

“But don’t you worry your pretty head, darling sister, for your brother has a wonderful plan in mind.”

“Which is…?”

“Never mind you, you will go about ruining things and Jimin won’t marry you as well. You will only blame me.”

Hyebin slammed a small fist on the chaise. “Kai…tell me!” She whined but Kai only walked to the door, opening it as he tossed her a cloak. “Come on, we’re going to play nice and talk it out with Park Jimin.”

Much to their disappointment, however, and to Hyebin’s rage, when they arrives at the cottage of the Parks, it was completely dark. Not even one candle had been lit on the porch.

Kai knocked; once, twice, thrice even yelled for both Jimin and Mr. Park but the only thing to reply was the keening silence.

“They’re not here.” He mused.

“You don’t think they…left, do you?” Hyebin whispered.

“All their things are still here.” Kai’s eyebrows creased, flickers of annoyance and true anger flaming in his own eyes. “Well, we won’t stop. They have to come back some day. We’ll be ready.” He ignored the smack of his sister’s hand at his back, striding back towards the pub.

He needed a drink.

When you entered your quarters after a day of playing in the gardens with Jimin, watching him weave a crown of roses and dandelions which he placed on your head, you weren’t expecting to see Seokjin standing there with a bunch of standees and mannequins that used to be ladies in waiting for your mother.

“Um…Seokjin,” You queried even as you were swarmed with too many ceramic hands.

“’Tis the day, your highness, it is the day of your birthday! We have to have a ball in the honor!” Seokjin exclaimed.

You were shoved in a tub full of hot water and bubbles, the soap soaking into your fur. The words were enough to shoot a tendril of doubt through your heart, snaking till it looped around and squeezed. Your breath deepened as the mannequins began to scrub at you, rubbing in the water and soap till it reached the skin underneath.

It was your birthday already? No, it couldn’t be. You would remain a monster for all eternity otherwise. You would be condemned to live like this. Loveless, because who would look at you and feel anything but disgust and terror?

“Seokjin, my birthday isn’t till one another day.” You reminded the Maitre D` from behind the screen.

“The actual day isn’t of import, Princess. Besides,” He lowered his voice, “the day of your birthday will be the last day of the curse. It is make or break for us. You have to tell Jimin of your feelings for him and he has to return it. We simply cannot leave these things till the last minute.”

You remained silent, watching the mannequins use huge metal buffers to file and shine your claws.

“You…you do – you do have feelings for him, don’t you Your Highness?” Seokjin asked, misreading your silence.

You sighed, dipping further down into the water. Of course you had feelings for Park Jimin. Only an idiot would have a man like him around and not fall for his kindness, his generosity, and his open mind. Also, the small slants of his eyes, the way his lips split to reveal a gleaming smile that could halt an army, with shiny dark hair that fell into his eyes.

He was an angel.

And you were a hideous beast…

“It’s not my feelings that are a problem, Seokjin. How can someone like him ever feel for me, unless it’s fear? Maybe I haven’t earned his affection still.”

“Ah phish-posh, you forget, dearest Princess; we have all watched you and him very closely. We have seen the way he looks at you. Only a man that loves someone will have such a beam to their face.”

You sunk down further, Seokjin’s words easing the nervous grip in your chest a little. Perhaps…you did stand a chance. You could tell him of how you felt, he would tell you what he felt, and maybe you and your people can become human again.

You held the hope close as you were ushered to your own wardrobe, gowns that you had never once had the occasion of wearing, now shoved against your body and you into them, made to twirl in front of a huge mirror to check for anything to improve.

The time had come.

The gown that both Seokjin and the lady in waiting had chosen was approved by Hoseok finally, him making you swish the skirt and twirl in front of it, while pins and needles were floating around you, just in case things needed to be loosened or tightened anywhere.

You, who for almost all your life had only donned on the left behind clothes of your father of the male staff had almost giggled at the fancy attention, enjoying the feel of silk and gossamer curling around you and pooling out from your waist.

The dress was a pale gold and silver, shimmering with crimson jewels strewn about the skirt. A heavy diamond brooch glittered to where the bodice and neckline fell in a waterfall of fabric and your hair had been lifted from the mass of fur at your neck, rolled up elegantly till it lay in a soft mass on top of your head.

“Your highness,” Seokjin said finally and you were surprised at the sniff he let out discreetly. “You look beautiful. Come, your gentleman waits.”

You followed the candelabrum, exiting the room as Seokjin led you to the ballroom, to where the stairs led up to where royals made their grand entrance. You could hear light conversations down below and if you close your eyes, you could almost imagine that it was really a ball of people come to wish you good fortune on your birthday.

Maybe, if you could put aside your doubts and the harsh truths that crushed hope in your chest, you could have it someday soon.

You heard the Maestro, now transformed into a sprawling Organ, strike up a tune and Seokjin swished a golden bracket, gesturing you to walk down.

You lifted up the enormous skirts, praying to anything divine that your claws, now shortened down and sparkling, wouldn’t rip the dress anywhere and walked down the stairs, seeing everyone gathered at the base of the staircase, smiling up.

Mostly, though, you only noticed Jimin.

It was true, you hadn’t paid much attention to what kind of clothes Hoseok had been putting on Jimin for the duration of his stay here. Before, it used to be rich fabrics and embellishments that glimmered with his movements. The moment of your friendship and he began to step out had caused for simple cloths, sans coats and cloaks unless it was snowing.

Now, Hoseok seemed to have pulled all stops.

The suit that Jimin wore was all black, form fitting with studded rubies along the lapels and buttons the same shade as yours. Gold lace wound around his neck and his hair shone with the same effort, as if he’d undergone the treatment you had as well.

He smiled widely when your eyes met his, stepping forward till he reached you.

“You’re stunning.” He said and you could only muster a shaky smile, fluttering from the sincere compliment. “Happy Birthday, Y/N,” he whispered, bowing as he extended a hand for you to take.

You let your paw rest gently on his, deliberate and careful not to let him feet the real weight of it. “Thank you,” you managed a smile as wide as his, before the rest of your household gathered around you, wishes poured out and rushed words carrying you off to the cake.

Jimin was excited to see the cake, three tiers of it. Y/N’s eyes popped open wide, gaping at the sheer size of it but even as he grabbed her hand, leading her to cut into it; she was looking down, trying to muffle a smile.

He had to commend Yoongi and the entire kitchen staff. The cake was rich, fudgy and even he was rushing after that very last crumble. Finally, he felt the nudge of Taehyung, the cup around his ankle and he moved into action.

“Could I request for the birthday girl to bestow me a dance, your highness?” He stood up from his chair, slyly winking over to where Y/N put down her plate quickly, looking almost as if she was going to laugh.

“Of course, kind sir but I should warn you – I may step on your toes.”

Jimin chuckled, pulling her onto the glittering marble dance floor. “I don’t mind; you can step on my toes anytime.”

Y/N blinked down at him, Jimin could feel her breath catch at the way he would his arm around her waist and clasped her hand and couldn’t help but smile. She tried not to, moving slowly along with the way he led her, her attention focused down mostly to keep from actually crushing his feet when he stopped moving.

“Come on, let’s go look at the stars. Tonight, they’re as much more gorgeous than ever, as if they’re shining solely for you.”

He walked back with Y/N in tow, opening the balcony doors and letting her go out first before he shut them again, turning to see her stand at the rails, looking up where the stars mirrored in her golden eyes, twinkling in the sky and on the earth alike.

“So,” Jimin cleared his throat, gaining her attention again. “Are you enjoying your early birthday festivities?”

Big eyes blinked yet again at him, something shifting beneath as they were lowered. “I am, much more than I would usually, I suppose. I haven’t had a birthday in fifteen years.”

It was Jimin’s turn to blink, only in horror. “Not one in fifteen years?” he asked.

“Well, Taehyung tried, for the first two years, but then…I had no one to share it with. I had no one.”

Jimin closed in to where she stood with her back to him. His hand ached to rest along her cheek, turn her so he could look at her face but he resisted. “You have me now.”

She still didn’t turn. “Jimin…” A breath was drawn, as if steeling her for some deep resolve. He watched as your shoulders, clad in golden shimmers he wasn’t used to seeing her in slumped finally. “Are you happy here, with me?”

Jimin’s first instinct was to blurt out a simple ‘yes’. Was he happy here? Yes, he had everything he could possibly dream of and more here. He had the library, the gardens, the long winding hallways, the grottos…the silence, oh god, the blissful silence where no one bore down on him, no one judged him for not eyeing girls, not being interested in hanging out around the pub, not being Kai’s lackeys.

Was he happy with you? Of course, he, for the first time, felt someone was completely understanding and kind to him. No matter that he was perhaps the first to show her human kindness too but she let him be when he needed, listened to him read, asked him questions and challenged him. She fulfilled him in a way no one had.

No, they were two whole people. They had just found fulfillment in each other, and he was happy to call her home as much as the castle. He was happy. He was content.

Y/N didn’t seem satisfied. Her head turned fractionally, peering at him in such a fashion as to confuse Jimin. “Wouldn’t you ask for anything else, if you could? There must be something more you could ask for.”

Jimin hesitated, once again hand hovering over her but unable to touch. “I…yes,” he sighed, dropping his hand. “I would ask to see my father again but,” he quickly rushed on, lest she be upset. “I know I can’t, so I won’t press for it.”

She turned finally, too fast for him to not be startled. “There is a way. You can see your father.”

Jimin frowned, crossing his arms, more to protect himself against the temptation than defiance. “How?”

The Princess quietly walked by him, opening the doors and carrying on, Jimin taking a moment to follow hurriedly after her, still confused and a little worried before he realized that they were tracking a familiar path to his room.

“You had a way of seeing your father all the time.” Y/N spoke, stopping by the pool in the centre of the room. She bent down over it, gesturing for Jimin to join her. “You can call out for the waters to show you what you wish for. The waters even have healing abilities. The Wizard’s token, left behind to torment me with everything I can’t see but still so that I wouldn’t be able to harm myself in any way.”

Jimin heard it all; unnerved by the way someone could hurt a little child. Yet, the allure of seeing his father was way more than the urge to console the Princess. He sat at the edge as Y/N drew away to give him space.

“Please, show me my father.” Jimin said, his voice sounding desperate even to his own ears.

The water swirled clear, one turn, two turns before deepening into a whirlpool. Images swirled at the very bed of the pool, bubbling up till they hovered over the spin of the water. Jimin watched eyes tearing from horror as his father stumbled from one tree branch, to another, panting, struggling to stay on his feet.

“Oh no, father.” He nearly shouted, before remembering his father couldn’t hear him.

“Jimin, Jimin, Jimin,” his father chanted before finally dropping down into the snow, shuddering and curling up in the frigid ground.

“No!” He sprang to his feet, the illusion breaking with his movement, subsiding into the waters again, still and clear. “My father, he’s sick. He’s alone, wandering the woods, looking for me. He could be dying. Y/N, the wolves…what if the wolves find him?”

Jimin turned around to look at you, facing the window, silent as before. He wondered if you had heard him at all.

You had heard him.

Your ears pricked, flattening against the side of your head as you processed the frantic desperation to Jimin’s voice, your mind racing with a million thoughts.

You thought back to your childhood, soft smiles and misty words now fogged with time…and then all you remembered was pain. The pain of changing and growing too many sizes too big, the eruptions of the fur, claws, having to get used to them. The pain of being unable to eat and the consequent process of starvation until Namjoon figured out how to feed you – like a dog.

The fear of being hunted mingled with the uninterrupted loneliness that no matter how much your staff tried to ebb, would never cease.

You remembered back to spending hours upon hours with the statues of your parents, wailing when it got too much, with even your own people afraid to approach you.

Then you thought back to the first day you’d met Jimin; brave and strong and so sacrificing, martyring himself for his father to stay here…with you; showing you kindness, helping you, teaching you, and even saving your life.

He’d sparked companionship for you.

How were you repaying it?

By holding him captive here? You had seen the devastation on his face that first night, the same pain that had been your constant. How could you claim to feel anything for him when you were hurting him?

You had lost everything as a child, and you had grown up used to it. You couldn’t put Jimin through the fresh agony of it. He had a life to get back to, loving people to help him.

He was human. He didn’t deserve to live with a paltry princess living in a curse.

And with that came the final blow…

How could he love someone who had torn him apart from his father? How could Jimin be fond of someone who had basically subjected his father to a pitiful, lonely death?

So you quelled the cry of your heart, steeling bands of iron around it until you could nurse its break alone. You made the decision simply because it was already set in place.

“You should go. Go back to him.” You said quietly.

There was a pause.

“What did you say?” You heard him, too close to you and you flinched away from his proximity.

“I grant you your freedom. You’re no longer my prisoner.” You turned to face him, grateful for the fur that absorbed any stray tears before they were obvious.

Jimin’s eyes were shiny as well, but you knew they were tears of joy. He gaped, his breath catching before he spoke, choked up – “Thank you.”

You watched, leaning against the window as he hurried to take off the heavy coat, instead shrugging on a simple, heavier cloak. He pulled on boots, easier to wade in the snow.

You, on the other hand, went to one of the dressers, unearthing a vial and moving to the pool, dipping and collecting the water in the shimmering glass.

“I’ll be back before you know it, Y/N. I think I’ll have to bring my father along sometime – convince him that you’re actually a big softie, none of the roaring monster that you were so kind enough to act as.”

His voice was teasing; light, even jovial as he eagerly approached you. You remained silent, handing him the vial.

“Here, take this. It’ll be useful to you. If you need to be healed…or it can help you remember me.”

Jimin’s smile faltered, looking from the proffered container back up to your eyes, now obviously dripping.

“I’m not going to be very long, Y/N. At least, not long enough for me to forget you.” He laughed, still pocketing the vial when you didn’t withdraw it. Sighing, you shook your enormous head.

“No…you can’t come back. You have to stay away. Stay with your father.” You refused to meet his eyes.

“Wait, what…what are you saying? What do you mean I have to stay away?”

“It means that you shouldn’t come back to the castle.” Your voice broke. “You have to stay in the town, maybe even go back to Paris. Live your life, Jimin; you have the rest of it. You deserve much better than living in a dilapidated castle with a monster.”

“No! No, I can’t…Y/N; you’re part of my life. I can’t…I can’t just, let you think that of yourself and your home. Y/N, you’re so important to me.”

He was reaching for you, his hand going to wrap around yours but you backed away quickly, unable to let him touch you lest you break down and beg for him to come back, to stay with you. You wouldn’t do that. You couldn’t subject him to that.

You loved him too much for that.

Instead, you fled, turning on your heel and exiting the room on all fours, ignoring his rough calls of your name. You knew he wouldn’t waste time chasing you, not with his father in that state, not with the threat of the wolves hanging about his head.

When you entered your room, your whole staff was already present, with expectant beams on their faces. You even spied Jungkook in the midst, the feather duster nearly reeking of disdain.

“Well, how did it go? Did he say it back?” Seokjin nearly shook from excitement.

You dropped your head, already dreading their reaction. “I…I let him go. His father is sick. He needed to go back.”

There was a silence so deep, so disappointed; you inwardly cringed even when Jungkook broke it with a caustic snicker.

“But…but we were so close. Why would you do that, Princess?” Namjoon asked.

You walked to the window, throwing them open to see the last vestiges of hooves vanishing in the snow. “Because, I love him,”

Y/N had been right. There had been no time for Jimin to process what had just transpired in his room, not when the cries of his father echoed through his head. He mounted Jjangu and sped off in the direction he’d gleaned his father would be. He had to be single-minded for his father for now, he decided. He couldn’t take care of the old man if his thoughts were littered with questions, with confusion, with hurt as to why it was so easy for Y/N to just tell him to leave. Did she not feel the same for him as he did her?

He knew he couldn’t disrespect her by showing up with his sick father at her doorstep after she’d told him to leave. Perhaps, after his father was healthy, he would map the course again, ask for answers, and plead to stay with her. Perhaps, he’d hurt her somehow and this was her way of protecting herself…?

Jimin sighed, laying his father back before warming water, laying thick cloths soaked in hot water along his forehead to fight the cold back. It took him back to when he’d patched Y/N up after the wolf attack and he had to shake off the thought when his father stirred, looking blearily up at him. “Jimin…you’re back!” His father sat up too quickly, holding his son at arm’s rest to check him before pulling him to his breast.

“Ah, son…I never thought I would see you again. But how…how did you escape the monster?”

Something tugged in him at his father’s tone, making him pull away from the man. “She’s not a monster, father. The legend of the Castle is true. She’s the cursed Princess…” Jimin sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes taking on the sheen of reminiscence as he recounted his journey with her till he was told to go back to his father.

He hoped perhaps, that his father would encourage him to go back, but he needed him to be stronger first, so once his tale was over, his father still gaping at how Jimin made the monster who had imprisoned him and his son sound so human, he fell asleep.

Jimin, however, didn’t. He paced back and forth from the fireplace to the bed, interrupted only by a quick, sharp knock on the door.

Scowling at the late hour, Jimin opened the door, not too pleased to see who it was on the threshold.

“Jimin,” Kai beamed, almost too familiarly as Hyebin tipped her hood back, studying Jimin as if she was planning to gut him. Her nails were digging into her brother’s arm and Jimin wondered how strong Kai had to be to not wince.

“Kai,” Jimin modulated his voice coolly. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Entirely too late, my good man,” Kai turned his head to his sister. “Didn’t I tell you it would be rude to show up right now?”

Hyebin didn’t answer.

Jimin ran a hand through his hair, frustration making him further annoyed. He needed time and space to think, to process things. His father was sick, he had been a prisoner in an enchanted castle where he had found more solace and acceptance than he had in freedom, he had fallen for a cursed Princess who might or might not return his feelings but had forbade him to return to her. He needed to make plans for his future.

He couldn’t be discourteous though, not when they’d taken the trouble of coming by.

“Come in please; my father is ill and sleeping so if you could keep your voices down and be quick about this…” He let the door fall open further. Kai and Hyebin walked in as if they weren’t going to take no for an answer anyway, shedding off their cloaks and making themselves at home.

“Well Jimin, I must say it’s a relief to see you. Your father had been by the pub, you know, raving on about you being kidnapped and all by some monster and imprisoned. We dropped by a few times later to see the house empty.” Kai said. “We all thought he’d gone mad, or you’d run away and he was just lying to make us all look for you.”

Jimin didn’t look at the taller man, feeling the pinpricks of anger flare again at the accusation. “I…yes, I’ve been away. I was at the castle. My father wasn’t lying, neither is he mad,” He said coldly.

There was a silence in which unbeknownst to Jimin, Kai and Hyebin exchanged looks.

“Wait, you’re talking about the palace? The royal palace on the hill…that’s where you were and the monster is real?” Hyebin asked, bug eyed.

“Yes, the monster is your Princess and she’s not vicious or anything, Hyebin, unlike how you described her when you told me the story. She doesn’t devour children and she doesn’t make their bones into furniture.” Jimin snapped, crossing his arms before sighing as he glanced into the fireplace, eyes and voice softening. “She’s a little short-tempered, yes but she’s kind hearted and caring and intelligent and curious. She’s my friend.”

Kai watched Jimin calculatingly, while Hyebin clenched her jaw.

“It sounds like you like her.” She said finally.

“I do. Also, it’s really late. I think I should go to bed as well.” He said. His voice left no room for argument.

Kai gave him a tight smile, his too white teeth glinting almost maliciously in the firelight. “You think…it wise to harbor such feelings for a monster, Jimin? Need I remind you this…thing is cursed and is a bad omen in our town?”

“No Kai, she isn’t. Now please, I am tired.”

For a second, he thought that Hyebin would refuse flatly but even as he steeled himself to assert himself yet again, she was standing and with Kai in tow, moved out without another word.

Jimin puffed a breath of relief, moving to douse the fireplace. The swab plunged the living space in darkness and he stretched his arms above his head, arching his back, already looking forward to his bed when he heard the hushed conversation not too far from the house.

The one thing about living so far from the town and right in the middle of a disused farm was that there was nothing to absorb sounds. Each and every noise reverberated and echoed loudly in his house, enough for him to never be startled.

He went to the window, keeping back enough to see Kai, now holding his torch above him and Hyebin, talking. While Hyebin didn’t bother to lower her voice, Kai was trying to shush her, low and hissing but even his voice carried back to Jimin’s focused ears.

“…you didn’t see his eyes, Kai. He doesn’t just like this bitch. He loves her. He won’t even hear any truths about her!” Hyebin screeched.

“You sure know how to pick them, sister. A man who’s into bestiality,” Kai snidely replied, stopping when Hyebin grabbed his collars.

“This isn’t funny. You have to talk sense into him…or…I don’t…I don’t know, we have to kill this Princess of his.” Hyebin said.

“Keep your damn voice down, will you? Is that all you can think of in your pea brain? Jimin, Jimin, Jimin; all the time…it’s annoying.” Kai snatched away his coat from Hyebin. “Think of it like this, little sister. This girl is a Princess. She is our Princess, a royal. We cannot truly establish a government because a monarch is alive.”

“What the hell does that matter?”

“Darling sister, do use sense. Jimin is here, which means this Princess doesn’t have a man around right now.”

“So…?”

Jimin heard Kai snap his jaw. “So, sister, I go and I marry her. Simple, and effective; I become King, all powerful and she is out of your way. I will command Jimin to marry you and since you will be royal; he cannot hope to refuse.”

“You…you cannot be serious, Kai. I mean, are you really going to do that? She’s an animal.” Hyebin’s shock was palpable even to Jimin.

“Well, of course I don’t intend to honor the marriage wholly. I’m a hunter, aren’t I? Think of it like my greatest hunt, one that makes us the most powerful pair here. Plus, who’s to know…? Maybe the Princess meets a little accident a few days after our wedding. At least the kingdom will have a king they know and trust; they will only see it more as a sacrifice on my part.”

“You’re…despicable, brother.” Hyebin’s lips trembled before stretching into a cruel smile that looked odd on her beautiful face. “But a genius,”

“I know that. Now hurry up, we need to go to the pub and collect a mob. I cannot go alone in case the Princess tries to get aggressive. I’m going to need witnesses just in case we need to come back and convince Jimin his lovely Princess was actually a monster after all.”

Jimin was moving even before the fleck of light completely vanished from sight.

All thoughts and feelings of exhaustion melted from his body, arms and legs regaining energy as he burst into his father’s room. The old man started awake from the sound, jolting and clutching the sheets as he looked at the manic light in Jimin’s eyes.

“Son, what – what’s the matter?”

“I have to go father. I have to go back to the castle. Y/N is in danger.” Jimin rushed his words, tossing things from dressers till he found a bag, throwing some matches and a torch into it. He patted his pockets for the vial of pool water Y/N had given him, about to turn for the door when his father clasped his shoulders.

“No! I just got you back; I cannot let you go back there!”

“Father, you don’t understand. Kai…he’s taking a mob to her! They’re going to kill her, all because I opened my mouth.”

Jimin’s father wavered, his grip loosening only slightly.

“Come with me, then. See for yourself.” Jimin moved past the old man, not waiting for him to follow. However, when he reached Jjangu, who raised his head quizzically, his father, was right there, climbing on behind his son.

Praying that he wouldn’t be too late, he leaned over to Jjangu’s ear.

“Come on boy, we’re going home to our Princess.”

Jjangu whinnied, rising up on his front legs and then they were racing from the stable, in the direction of the palace.

Jjangu thankfully took the way that they were most familiar with, through the woods. Even as they surpassed the town, he could see the lit fires, domestic weapons of all sorts raised as cries and shouts filled his ears. They were breaking down the blockade; he realized when he saw the closed bookshop, going only the way they knew.

His fault…his fault…

Jimin shook his head, nudging Jjangu to go faster. He had to reach Y/N before Kai did, or he would never forgive himself.

The fire leapt high and powerful, licks of warmth flaring out against where you sat with your back to the muttering and mourning gossips of your royal staff.

You knew that the moment you’d spilled out the truth about how you’d sent Jimin away, even forbidding him to ever set foot back in the castle, you’d basically condemned your entire household and yourself to a grim fate, but could you condemn him to one as well? No, you couldn’t. Besides, you were used to this now, used to living like an animal. Jimin shouldn’t have to live in company of one for the rest of his life.

Behind you, Jungkook led most of the ranting. “I’m telling you; this was the plan all along. Get the Mistress all soft and mushy so he could get out of here first chance he could get.”

“Jungkook,” Yoongi sighed. “His father was sick.”

“So, all our families are probably dead now. We won’t ever get to see them now, or even to see their gravestones.”

You knew he was right. Maybe it was ok to live with yourself like this, but sacrificing your own people to this curse made guilt creep up your throat tenfold.

“Perhaps, we shouldn’t have gotten as attached to him as we did, even before knowing what his obligations were.” Seokjin said.

You were about to turn to snap at them all to get back to their chores when Namjoon suddenly squeaked, the clogs of his clockwork chiming anxiously.

“Wait, wait, there’s someone coming…OH lords above! Princess, Princess, it’s the townsfolk, invading the castle gates. It’s a mob!”

“Wait, what…?” You nearly fell off the chair, confused when the doors to the sitting room were flung open again, a squad of soldier armor leading a panting Jimin in.

“Y/N…mob, people are coming for you…run!” He managed to puff out before leaning his weight on his knees, drawing heavy breaths.

You blinked quickly. Didn’t you tell him not to come back? But he was here now, come to warn you about the mob…worrying for your safety.

“Jimin…” You breathed, “You came back.”

You drew closer to the wheezing man, a paw running along his smooth cheek.

“Of course, I did. I had to warn you.” Jimin looked up at you, time slowing as your gazes remained suspended. He placed his own hand on yours, squeezing it even as Jungkook broke it in his rasp.

“Well now, that’s sweet. So, are we to assume you led the mob here before promptly losing courage?”

You and Jimin both turned to look at the feather duster now propped up on a dresser, eyeing Jimin with as much disdain as you had seen him do you. Jimin gaped, flabbergasted while you were ready to rip out all his feathers.

“Jungkook, he came to warn us. Don’t be an idiot.” Namjoon said roughly.

“I can’t believe you’d lap that up, sir. He left here, went back home to tend to his ill father, so he said, and now he’s back…with encroachers on his heel. Why would you believe him? Because of the pool; the waters are also subject to imagination, Namjoon, or have you forgotten?”

“Enough, we cannot fight amongst ourselves, we have to protect the castle and our Princess.” Yoongi said. He turned to the soldiers, ordering for them to gather the rest of the household up and prepare for defenses.

“Ask him, Princess. Ask your dearest if he told them or not.”

You rolled your eyes at Jungkook, turning, however, to Jimin. It was better to put this to rest. “Tell him, then, tell him you didn’t.”

Jimin was still looking at Jungkook, a peculiar expression of conflict gathering his eyebrows together.

“Jimin…” You prompted.

“I…” He looked at you then, and just the look in his eyes – wide, pleading, had your hand slipping from him.

“See,” Jungkook said, as Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi and Taehyung gaped at their friend. “I told you, he told them.”

“Jimin, tell me you didn’t.” You whispered.

“I – I did, but I had no idea -,”

“That they were going to take advantage of the fact that a whole castle was left unattended and come to loot it? Or that they were going to come to kill and behead the Princess so they could mount her head upon their walls?”

“Why…how could you?”

Jimin looked at you again, away from the brewing anger and distrust of the staff. “Y/N, try and understand. I only told the truth, I told them you were harmless.”

“You’re lying.” Jungkook hissed.

You watched his hand try to reach for you, pull at you, but you drew away, cringing away from his touch. He stuttered in his steps, looking at you, beseeching.

“Princess,” Namjoon called softly, “what are your orders?”

You looked away from Jimin, reminding yourself you had duties to perform. “Keep safe the castle. My parents…they shouldn’t have to see their home seized in front of their eyes.” Your anger flared as you glared at Jimin finally. “Remind them that there still is a monster in the castle.”

Without another word, you dropped down on all fours and leaped clean over Jimin’s head, bounding for the roof from where you could see everything and lead stray invaders away from your people and home.

Your orders were followed to a tee. Thousands of household goods launched an attack on the people who were mostly comprised of men, having no idea how to operate the basic home wares.

Drawers smacked into jaws, hot water and oil were poured on head, knives and burning torches chased men around until they thought it better to just leave the castle alone and crawl away, defeated.

You stood on top of the parapets, watching your subjects nurse and curse over their bruised and burned extremities, retreating from your home. Perhaps, there would be no reason for the monster to show up after all. No legends would pass around; no one would spread talk to lure hunters and thieves to your home.

You didn’t go down though, instead, curling into yourself on the edge of the roof.

As happy as you were about the prospect of people leaving you alone, you had to contend with the fact that it was Jimin, the man you trusted, the man you loved who had ruthlessly allowed people to come hunt for you. You had mattered nothing to him. It would’ve been better to have someone draw a knife through your heart now, it might’ve hurt less than the betrayal.

“Oh Princess,”

Your ears pricked.

“There you are. You know, when I didn’t see a huge, hunkering monster down below I was worried Jimin might have lied.”

The voice was unfamiliar, nasty and it grated on your nerves so you stayed still, hoping the person would mistake you for a statue and pass by.

“Apparently, the poor boy hadn’t lied. He was so in misery you see, had to come back, leaving his little lady behind. Someone had to convince him that a princess needs a real man around for a husband.”

You frowned, feeling it draw closer.

“So I have a proposition. You marry me and we live happily enough. I’ll even throw in a wedding kiss.”

The footsteps behind you stopped, and you hoped that your silence had fooled him enough until they started again. “Now, Princess, it’s rude to not acknowledge a man talking to you. Turn around; let’s see what got Jimin so dewy eyed. I have to see if you’re worth all the talk.”

You remained still.

“Turn around now.”

You ignored him.

A sharp, plunging pain ripped through your back, making you gasp and seize up. Something pinched at the centre of your back, protruding out and you knew it was an arrow, turning to see the tall man, draw another from his quiver, placing it on his bow.

“Well now, looks like we’ve found our communication link. Are you going to be nice, now?”

You flailed, clawing behind to draw out the agonizing spike from your body.

“No use. I have perfect aim. Now, stop dancing and listen unless you want another to keep it company in your chest.”

He drew back the bow string.

“KAI, STOP!”

You stopped as well, seeing the man – Kai – turn around to look at where Jimin stood on the top most balconies, leaning almost all the way down. You took advantage of the momentary distraction of the hunter, throwing your full weight at him.

Your muscles and joints screamed at your movements, huge as they were, weighing you further down as the man turned quickly to you, trying to aim the arrow towards your body. You gripped his hand, twisting it out of the way.

“This is a nice surprise! Seems like you really are a monster, and here you were hoping for a human companion!” The Hunter laughed maniacally, shaking hair out of his eyes.

You growled, pulling the hunter close enough to snatch his bow, snapping it with a simply pinch of your fingers. “Get out of my house.” You gripped his throat, squeezing just enough for him to be able to tell. “Never come back…or I will kill you.” You flung the man away from him as the disgusting being that he was, backing away.

Adrenaline fading, the fatigue of blood loss raised its ugly head again, faltering your steps and blurring your vision.

“Y/N, here, come here, you’re hurt.”

You turned once again to where Jimin stood, his hand extended for you and stumbled towards him, shaky feet nearly throwing you over the edge more than once. You reached near him, raising your hand to grasp his and began to climb.

“You’re still here.” You choked.

“Of course, I had to clear things up.” Jimin smiled, eyeing you carefully.

You made to return the smile when another scream of pain tore through you, making Jimin jump before he saw the knife embedded deep in your side.

“NO!” He roared, feeling you slip from his fingers when he saw Kai’s added weight clinging to your cloak.

Your back curved backwards; Kai gripping the back of your cloak and hair in a tight fist. His lips split in a wide, sinister smile. “Go on Jimin, pull us up. You save her, you save me.”

Jimin snarled a curse at Kai, eyes darting from your drooping eyes to Kai’s bright ones. He couldn’t save Kai, he knew that. Left alive, he’d keep coming back again and again. You would never truly be safe with Kai alive.

“It’s okay…”

Jimin’s eyes snapped to Y/N, narrowing at the small smile tugging at your lips in puzzlement.

“It’s okay; you have to let me go…”

“What, no, I’m not going to -,”

“It’s better this way.”

“Y/N, no, Kai let her go!”

“I love you, Jimin. I’m…I suppose this is goodbye.”

Jimin opened his mouth to shout for you to hold on when all sound stopped short. You opened your paw, his own hand too weak to hold up all the weight of your body and Kai together. He watched, too slow to move, too stunned to understand as your eyes closed, still smiling while Kai’s eyes widened, almost comically, smile fading and mouth opening in a silent scream as you both fell.

There was no time for Jimin to even scream for you.

Everything was numb. Everything was silent.

Well, in all actuality, a battle had waged around him, promptly won by the small but mighty objects of Y/N’s household. Cheers of victory and joy could be heard from the lower rungs of the Castle. It was just that Jimin’s eyes could only see Y/N’s last smile, hear her last confession and feel her hand slipping from his.

All he knew was that Y/N was down here somewhere – ironically, falling right into her parent’s grotto – and he had to reach her. Nothing else mattered.

The soft grass of the grotto crushed and crumbled under Jimin’s boots, as he walked and broke into aching jogs as he spied the huge mass of fur on its side, reminiscent of when he’d seen Y/N topple over after saving him from the wolves. The memory stung his chest now.

“Y/N,” he gasped seeing Kai’s body almost completely trapped under hers, his fist still closed around her clothes.

He bent over, ripping his hand away and rolling his dead body away till it lay feet away, open eyes dead and unseeing, his laughter finally fading into nothingness.

Falling to his knees, he heaved Y/N’s head onto his arms, propping it against his shoulder. Her eyes were closed as well; smile gone and he could spot a trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth into the fur. His hand trailed down to the knife in her side, slowly, gently easing it out and tossing far away from her as both arms came to wrap around her, rocking.

“Y/N, hey, it’s okay, come on wake up. He’s gone. Kai’s dead and every one fled. You’re safe now.” He hushed.

She lay still, too still, not even shifting a little in answer to his voice.

“Y/N,” Jimin vowed now to give up so soon. She had to be alive, she was probably just unconscious. He tapped her cheeks, ran his fingers through the mass of her hair and fur.

“Y/N, please, I’m so sorry.” He buried his head against her neck, taking in a whiff of the musk that he was so used to now. There was a change now; it smelt too metallic, too…sodden. “Please, wake up.”

She couldn’t be dead…she couldn’t leave him like this; not after saying she loved him and pulling off such a ridiculous stunt.

His body shook, feeling the chill settle in. Somehow, Y/N’s body that radiated so much warmth normally wasn’t enough to keep the cold away now. Jimin shuddered, drawing her closer before closing his eyes finally. A sob choked its way out his lips, followed by a sound that was too close to Y/N’s own agonized ones.

“Please, come back, Y/N, please, I love you too. So much, so much, please,” he rocked faster, more to keep himself moving than to shake her awake. He couldn’t stop moving, it would only mean for him to accept that Y/N wasn’t moving as well and that she was…she was.

His tears soaked through her fur.

“Now, this is quite the unfortunate situation.”

Jimin hiccupped, looking up to where someone new had joined them in the grotto. For a wild second he thought that it was Kai but no. This man was much taller, skinnier, even unhealthy looking.

A snap echoed from behind him and he jumped, looking about to see a very familiar pack of wolves surrounding him, grinning and tongues lolling. He pulled Y/N closer but the wolves didn’t seem to intent on attacking, instead collecting behind the new arrival.

Jimin squinted, wiping off the blurring tears to see the man was known to him.

“You,” He said at the bookseller who peered down at the cursed Princess with something akin to bitterness.

“Me,” The old man hummed, turning to face the wolves and Jimin was astounded to see that a wave of this man’s hand was enough to line them neatly up.

“How…I thought you never left the bookshop. Did you come with Kai?”

“Kai?” The bookseller laughed, caustic casting a cursory glance at the dead man feet away. “That pathetic excuse for a human and you think he’d have any sort of influence over me?”

Jimin watched as the man drew himself to full height before light erupted out from somewhere in his chest, blinding Jimin and making him feel colder than he did before. Once he felt the light fade from his screwed up eyelids, he peeked through, gaping in disbelief.

Long black robes swirled around the now, considerably younger man, almost as if it was sewn directly from the shadows around him. Long sleeves fell back to reveal tattoos in a language Jimin had never seen before, glowing even till the skin of his bald head and face.

“Not quite who you expected, I see.” The man said.

Jimin was still trying to put together the old bookseller who had been so friendly to him transformed into this being when with a clatter and loud clangs they were surrounded with more things – this time on Y/N’s side.

Namjoon’s clock chimed angrily, Seokjin’s fiery wick gleaming in the dark as they caught the man standing over Jimin and Y/N. “The Wizard,” They gasped, followed quickly by Yoongi and the others who skid to a halt.

“Be gone, monster! You have killed our Mistress!” Yoongi clattered.

“You’re the one who cursed Y/N.” Jimin said, realization dawning over him like a pot of cold water. However, there was no fear in his voice. After all what was the use? Y/N was dead, neither she nor he could be hurt any further.

“Now, now, calm please. Is that any way to greet the man about to grant you salvation?” The Wizard raised his palms.

“You cursed us too swine!” Namjoon yelled.

“I did. And I fully intended to come back on her birthday to remind her that she owed herself to me if she wanted to have her life and loved ones back. It seems,” He looked down at Jimin cradling her body and again there was strange bitterness to his gaze, “I have been rendered useless. She has found love…I didn’t think it would’ve been possible.”

He looked up.

“So now, here, my word means something in the world.” Light shone again, only this time it was blue.

Jimin watched the light move out from the Wizard, creeping slowly to where Y/N lay against him. The light cocooned her, moving forward till it had surrounded everyone present in the grotto and on and on till all he could see was blue.

Jimin’s proximity helped in seeing Y/N, and he clasped her protectively, worried the light was going to further cause her harm. Only, it didn’t. Instead, her weight began to ease up off of Jimin. Fur receded and fell off from her body to reveal smooth skin, wet and smeared with visible blood, fangs shrunk back, and ears flattened and became smaller.

The huge mass of a creature began to slowly shrivel, until all that remained in his arms could no longer pass off as an animal. No, this was laughably, astonishingly, human.

Jimin raised a hand inquisitively, running it through the strands of hair that were now free from the matting of fur, his hand coming back red.

“She’s…”

“Back to normal…or rather what she would’ve grown up to be; that’s about as normal as I can make her.” The Wizard snorted at his own joke.

“Is…your highness,” Jimin turned to see that there were people in the grotto, no longer just objects.

A tall tanned man stood foremost, dimples poking out as a wondrous smile lit up his face, hands running over his suit. “I…I’m a man again!”

“Or how much you were before,” Another spoke, taller than the first, golden hair falling into his eyes.

“Gentlemen, calm down!” A shorter man barked.

These were strangers to Jimin, or maybe not. He looked back up at the Wizard, ignoring the joyous reunions behind him. “She’s…still dead.”

“Yes, but then, the way to bring her back to life is with you, isn’t it?”

Jimin was about to ask what he meant when he remembered the vial. The vial full of the pool water, that Y/N had said had healing abilities.

He delved deep, bringing out the mercifully intact vial before upending it completely into Y/N’s open mouth.

He waited, with bated breath as moments passed. And then – skin knitted back together, the grey pallor of her face smoothed till a healthy glow seeped in her cheeks.

With a huge shaky breath, Y/N opened her eyes again, fumbling with her body as if it scratched at her.

“Y/N, hey, Y/N,” Jimin grabbed her hands, much smaller and claw less, fitting into his easily.

Big, wide, fearful eyes met Jimin’s. “J-Jimin?”

“Yes, it’s me.” Jimin placed his head against hers, taking in a deep inhale that wasn’t of musk but of bloodied skin, of sorrow, or uncertainty. Closing his eyes and hoping for the best, Jimin turned his head to place his lips swiftly on yours.

There was no reciprocation at first, worrying Jimin that perhaps, he’d pushed you too far too fast. However, he felt your small hand move past his neck into his hair, entwining with the strands to hold him against you.

He moved away from your face, reminding himself that you still needed time and space to learn physical love when your eyes, now bright with unshed tears landed on something behind him.

It took him a bit to register the utter silence, hushed conversation behind him and he turned to see that the huge statues that used to be the only decorations in the grotto were no longer there, instead right behind him stood a couple, too familiar.

“Mama! Daddy!”

Y/N fled Jimin’s arms, instead throwing herself into her parent’s arms. Jimin fell back from the impact; quickly picking himself up to see the pair wrap their tight arms around their daughter, tears streaking through dirty, muddied faces.

The man was tall, his wife regal as they still retained the glow of youth, having spent their lives inanimate. Their daughter may have grown in front of their eyes but there was near to no difference in ages, Jimin noticed. He turned his head, but the Wizard and his pack of wolves were long gone.

Y/N shirt and pants were also now tattered, too huge on her now smaller body. Jimin tugged off his coat, wrapping it delicately around her shoulders when a hand stopped him from moving away. He looked at the queen, small crown still perched into her mussed hair who smiled at him.

“Thank you,” she mouthed, tugging him closer till he was hugging Y/N from the back as well, and Jimin couldn’t be more grateful at the gesture.

The moments, hell, the days after the…incident, or rather your birthday had been all muddles and stumbling through time. As a cursed monster, time had seemed to stretch, with you craving love and companionship simply because you’d been told that they would break your curse. The very notion of these emotions had become a means to an end.

You had so much to learn, you realized when you stepped back into a castle that had no broken ceilings, no gaping holes, no smears of dirt and growing moss. The stones gleamed, jewels sparkled, sculptures loomed, just as they had in your distant memories.

Everyone stared, even the members of your household who had lived with you forever. You supposed you weren’t the only ones in need of reacclimatizing.

Chamber maids and maids in waiting dragged you and your mother away almost immediately. You were washed, scrubbed, hair oiled and washed and scented, similar to the ball but only this time the gown they put you in felt too big, too airy for you. Your skin, used to being protected by masses of fur and hard muscles shuddered at the gauzes and weightlessness of your new things.

Mirrors and portraits, previously smashed or torn by your claws had been reinstated and you had spent hours just staring at the unfamiliar face in the reflection. You weren’t a child anymore; you weren’t the beast you were used to seeing in cracks of glass and shards of mirrors. You had grown into a young maiden and you had no idea who you were.

The resurgence of a bustling royal palace, with many of the staff setting out to locate their families had created a buzz. Kai, the hunter had been dragged away and Hyebin, his sister as Jimin told you had been tried for conspiracy for murder.

Of course, things hadn’t become hunky dory fast. Things still needed to be sorted out, a monarchy had to be established because the so called government that had put Kai in charge in the first place was found now corrupt, seeing how easy it had been to rile up the public on the word of one man with no proof at all.

You left your father to handle these matters. Your mother had something much more stressful for you to think about.

Whether or not you wanted to marry Park Jimin…

You knew he was in the palace somewhere, along with his father. He’d come seen you but there hadn’t been much conversation. You had been too unsure of your own self, of your new or rather old body and you wondered if Jimin liked you as a human as much as he had when you were a creature.

“Don’t be silly,” Jimin had said, once on a slow walk around the garden. Your steps were much slower now, smaller feet tended to do that but none of you were in a hurry. It seemed Jimin was as eager to know the new you as you were. “I loved you when you were covered in fur and I love you now, even though I must say I was hoping to introduce a few of my friends to my beastly fiancée.” You had smacked his arm, unsettled at the joke even though he wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Don’t worry so much about this. The curse is past. No one and I mean it, will ever hurt you now. They’ll have to go through me.”

The burning sincerity in his eyes and voice left no room for you to argue or doubt.

And so, you shyly visited your parents that very evening, hand looped in your lover’s, asking for their blessing to marry him.

Your engagement to Jimin lasted longer than any a royal was supposed to have, stretching out for months as you relearned human life. You were taught to walk properly on two legs, carrying things with a tiara affixed to your hair. For days you would bat at your hair when the pins keeping it in place pinched or pulled at you.

You learned how to dress yourself, how to put on various forms of jewelry, how to take baths and resumed your studies and royal duties.

Suffice it to say, you were now missing your animalistic life at times, you were so exhausted.

However, Jimin was a constant, learning with you, talking you through the harder aspects, supportive, encouraging, and absolutely perfect. It was also getting hard to keep your hands to yourself when it came to your private moments.

Physical love was one aspect that you absolutely dreaded touching upon. You wondered if you would be good enough, if Jimin would find pleasure in you or if you would find pleasure in him. He did place chaste kisses against your skin and lips when he thought it was okay to do so and you had only found him losing control once. It had been late at night when he visited you and had read to you till you were drowsy. With only a mind to gently kiss you goodnight, he had leant in only to be trapped by your hands, trying to get as close as you could to him.

He’d gripped at you, trying to pry out of your touch but had melted fast, molding and pressing you to your mattress. You had felt him growing aroused against your pelvic bone, rutting against you, gasping when he pulled away, blinking and shaking hair out of his eyes.

“Now now, love, we have time.” He’d pecked your cheek, disentangling himself from you before almost limping out.

Soon enough, it was time for the main event of your life.

Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung and Jungkook returned in days time, bringing what was left or added to their families and they stayed on till after your wedding took place.

Jungkook had mellowed in the face of his parents being alive, fifteen years older of course but delighted to have him back. He’d wished you well, but not apologized for his earlier behavior – you didn’t expect him to either.

Your parents had gone above and beyond for the wedding, throwing the lavish event for the entire town and further to come attend. Your gown was created for weeks, Hoseok personally supervising the process so that when you walked down the altar finally, upon your teary eyed father’s arm; you erased all thoughts that you had been a monster for most of your life prior.

You left the palace for your honeymoon, following Jimin’s advice to leave the royal duties to your still young and hearty parents while you took some time with your husband, so you could acquaint yourself both to him and to the world that he wanted to show you.

You knew where to start the journey of course, with your groom’s lips twitching at the very first words that tumbled out during the ceremonial dance.

“Please,” you’d whispered, laying your head close to his heart.

“Anything for you, darling,” Jimin had whispered back, smile obvious in his voice. “Paris it is.”

Jimin might not ever get used to the feeling of you fitting into his arms, you thought to yourself, glancing at your now husband, ever so often.

He’d lifted you up into his arms the moment you’d stepped off the carriage, beaming about something called the threshold ceremony, carrying you through the doors of the French villa carefully.

“Satisfied?” You asked when he stood still, eyeing the windows in contemplation.

“I’m wondering if I’m missing something but I can’t think of anything as of yet. So yes, here you go.” He placed you down, letting you walk through the house while he watched over the servants who carried through your luggage.

A late meal later, you stood at the mirror in the bedroom, painstakingly pulling out the multiple pins from the up-do your hair had been twisted in, your husband peeking in with a mischievous grin.

“Having fun?”

“No,” You grumbled, your arms dropping from the strain. Jimin walked up behind you, beginning to quickly pull out the multitudes of metal from your hair that would make a magnet drool. “Why are there so many?”

“Look on the bright side,” Jimin muttered, delving deeper into your scalp, “For the rest of our honeymoon, you could be completely free from all of this, until of course we have to go back.”

You glanced up at him quickly, seeing the darkening expression brooding on your husband’s face as he dropped the final pins on to the dresser.

“I was thinking.”

“Yes,” you squeaked out embarrassingly.

“Well, we’re all alone now, so we don’t have to be worried about anyone walking in on us.”

You turned around completely, confused. “That’s what you were worried about?”

“Of course,” his smile flickered. “What else would I be worried about?”

Your eyes fell, feeling all sorts of stupid now. “I just thought…maybe you didn’t…you know, feel that way about me now.”

A finger brushed under your chin, tilting your face back up. “Love, I married you.”

“Yes but,”

“Mm, but nothing, come on; let me show you what I feel for you.”

Jimin’s arms, much stronger than you had given him credit for swooped under your thighs, lifting you up to wrap your legs around his waist swiftly. As a monster, you had never given thought to how powerful Jimin really was, but now when you were human, much more fragile than you were used to, he was blatantly flaunting his strength.

You couldn’t fault him for that.

Your husband dropped you onto the centre of the massive bed, arms balancing his weight over you. “Are you okay about this? I don’t want to force you into anything that you’re uncomfortable with.”

“No,” you reached for him, winding arms around his neck. “I’m fine, I want to feel you. I want to learn this with you.”

Your eyes closed automatically when he kissed you, sweetly but strongly, tongue laving over your lips, slipping between with less to no battle from you. Your mouth parted easily for him, letting him plunder moans from you.

“Fuck,” Jimin breathed, pulling away before his eyes were widening. “Oh, I’ve never cursed like that before.”

His cheeks were so red, you couldn’t help but laugh. “No worries, I’ve never made someone curse like that before either.”

Jimin’s fingers trailed to the ties of your night shift. “Perhaps, we’re a bad influence upon one another.”

“Perhaps,” your breath caught in agreement, Jimin’s fingers pulling at a peaking nipple while his head lowered to suckle on the other. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, my darling wife,” his lips were curved wickedly when he resurfaced; sitting up to remove the cotton night shirt he wore and tugging off the gown from your body right after.

You lay naked under him, open for his perusal and taking. Your hand shifted up, trying to pull the sheets up to cover some of your modesty until Jimin caught up, taking your hands to place them right there.

“There,” His mouth opened, tongue rubbing over his swollen bottom lip. “Do you feel that? That’s what I feel for you. You don’t need to hide from me love, never ever. I have loved you before, I love you now and I will continue to love you more for all our days to come. Do you understand?”

You meekly nodded.

Jimin’s eyes flashed down your body, knees parting yours before his hand touched your bare core, running over the nub in circles. “Am I understood, love?”

“Yes-yes,” you gasped, neck falling back for him place kisses even as a finger slipped through inside of you, thick but gentle, stretching you just so.

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good,” Jimin removed his hand, placing the digit in his mouth, eyes still firm between your legs. Normally the lecherous look on any man would have you burst with rage but Jimin had you nearly quivering in anticipation, especially when he finally pushed down his trousers.

You had never seen a cock before, never having any contact with a human male, but you had to say Jimin’s was an impressive specimen. Thick in girth and flushed a sensuous red, the head throbbed in need before he was guiding himself to your body.

“Ready, love, I need you to breathe with me.”

Jimin dropped low on you, lips tugging and pushing at yours, his spare hand clasping your breast to distract you as he pushed in. your knee bent, curving over his hip as you gasped, eyes watering at the sharp pinching sensation deep within you. Your husband halted, waiting for the expression of discomfort and pain to pass from your face, fingers brushing away any stray moisture from the corner of your eyes.

“I…I’m okay, please move.” You told him, Jimin studying you carefully before he drew back, thrusting in experimentally. The first drags of his hips, followed by the slow plunges still made you bite down your lips, screw up your eyelids before you found your rhythms.

Jimin ended up with his hand at your nub, rubbing it in gentle circles, lighting sparks in your nerves with the motion of his lovemaking, your nails digging into your lover’s back and shoulder, trying to get as close as possible.

The first jolt of climax nearly made you cry out, burying your face in his neck to muffle the sounds when he followed, heavy grunts falling unabashed from his lips, hands twining with the strands of your hair to seal your lips in a clumsy kiss as he spilled deep into you.

Rolling over, with your head safely clasped in the nook of his arm, Jimin sighed contentedly, warm hand against your back.

“Jimin,”

“Yes, love.”

“So…what happens now?”

Your husband turned his head to give you a sleepy grin.

“Now we’ll live happily ever after.”

[burnedbyshoto]

Todoroki Shouto - Alphabet HC’s

a/n: I went too crazy with this... it ended up being like 7.4k words of pure headcanons. I really love shouto what can I say, I hope you enjoy!!!!!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they with an s/o?)

Todoroki Shouto is not an affectionate boyfriend at first. It’s not that he’s timid or even shy about giving you physical affection it’s just that one, he doesn’t know what couples do together, and two, his parents never showed PDA and Natsuo never has his girlfriend over so he’s clueless.

It takes a joint effort between you and him to figure out where and how comfortable he would be with affection

So, when all the loose ends are tied up how affectionate is shouto?

The answer is very.

He’s a soft boy. He loves holding your hand, kissing the back of your hand before you split ways, gentle kisses on your cheeks, nose, and lips. He loves tucking your hair behind your ear even if there’s nothing wrong with it. And on god, hug this boy. Hugs always make shouto go stiff, but once he sees that hugging is something that makes him fill full, his arms will wrap around your waist, his head burying into your neck as his chest palpitations quicken as he struggles to calm his breathing.

B = Breath (What could their s/o do to take their breath away?)

Late night shenanigans with shouto are the best. The first time you take his breath away happens here. The two of you decided to stay in tonight instead of going out, take out boxes no longer filled with food sitting on the table as you’re curled onto his side. His arm is over you as his fingers rub unknown shapes into your side. You turn towards him, no longer focused onto the show you’re watching and he looks down at you. You lick your lips as thoughts form in your mind and easily escape your mouth, “I’m glad I met you, shouto. I don’t think I could be who I am today without you.”

Praises take his breath away

But the one thing that really gets him is when you pull away suddenly from a rather intensive makeout session. You’re straddling his lap and your arms are around his neck, shouto’s arms are around your waist as he groans softly trying to move back in but you stop him. His eyes stare at you as he notices you’re transfixed onto his scar. His scar has never really bothered him before, sure if he could get rid of it he would, but he sees you leaning in again as your lips press softly against the scarred skin. Your wet and bruised lips press against the forever warm skin, the ugly skin on his face. Sweet nothings and loving promises pour from your mouth as you tell him that you love everything about him, that every flaw is just a new reason to love him. It’s not until afterward that shouto realizes that he hasn’t been breathing and it’s because you shout that he’s turning different colors.

C = Cuddling (Do they cuddle? If they do, how and when do they cuddle?)

Ahem. ahem. Shouto fucking cuddles you every single night. He’s a touch starved boy and once he has you in his life he’s drunk off your touch and will forever want to hold you at night especially. You warrant off his bad dreams for one, you’re soft, and he loves you. 

Shouto will cuddle you whenever the two of you are able to lay down together.

How he cuddles? The two of you have a few different positions that you like. The sweetheart’s cradle, spooning (who the little spoon depends on what happened that day and if shouto wants to be held or to hold you), and the honeymoon hug.

Now before you whores start saying that you’ll sleep on his left or right side depending on the weather, I raise you this:

Sleep on his left side always. 

Shouto will forever be a bit hesitant and unsure of his left side. Even with his mother’s blessing and the breakthrough of it being his quirk, he has his doubts. Cuddle into his left side because he never imagined his left side to be anyone’s favorite but his fathers. Cuddle into his left side because he can see that someone thinks that his left side can be comforting and strong. Cuddle into his left side so that he can find yet another reason why his imperfect side is something to be proud of and a reason for him to overcome his self-hatred.

D = Dream (What do they dream of doing with their s/o?)

Shouto dreams of being able to do anything that you want to do. Shouto feels like he owes you so much. He thinks that who he is today is because of you and that’s a debt he can never repay you for. Anything you want, anything you need! Todoroki Shouto has it fucking covered for you.

His dream isn’t just to be a great hero for the public, he always wants to be a great hero for you. He wants to come home every day and see that you’re excited to see him and will never leave him through thick or thin.

Also, he wants to start a Cold Soba Food Critique with Todoroki Shouto and Y/l/n Y/n on youtube because first of all the free soba??? Second of all your look of disbelief when he brought it up made his life.

E = Effort (How much effort do they put into a relationship?)

Todoroki Shouto puts in an amazing amount of effort into your relationship.

The night before your first date he texts Fuyumi for advice because he’s nervous and all the advice that Sero, Midoriya, and all the girls gave him just completely overwhelmed him and now he’s nervous he’s not doing enough.

Fuyumi easily goes through his worries and they set up a game plan together.

Shouto, however, shows up to take you on a picnic wearing an expensive suit and you have to stare at him with your cute and yet casual clothes on in horror. You end up going back to his room to pick out something much more casual.

But that super beyond effort and nervous energy are carried on forever.

Shouto just fucking appreciates you so much.

The effort he puts in isn’t even noticed by him. He just genuinely believes you deserve the best of everything that it makes your heart soar whenever he goes above and beyond.

Shouto has everything about you memorized because he’s so observant and notices everything. It is sometimes daunting to see how much he cares, but it just makes you love him more and return the levels of love he always supplies for you.

F = Fear (What do they do if their s/o is scared? How do they handle it?)

Shouto plain and simply does not know what to do when you’re scared. He, however, is a very collected individual despite his own bursting emotions.

When you’re scared he may threaten to go and end whatever it is that’s scaring you. He’ll throw hands with anyone for you, so if it’s a person that’s making you scared, you’ll most likely be wrestling him to keep him from leaving and ending someone’s whole career.

If its something that he can’t physically fight, but instead a concept (like death and outer space for example), he’ll pull you onto his lap as he’s quiet for a while.

Your head will be against his chest as he listens to what you have to say about your anxieties and fears. When you’re done explaining, he’ll give you his own opinion. Something that makes you feel better as you give a watery laugh and snuggle closer into his arms.

If it’s something that makes you go mute, he’ll wrap you up into a blanket and just hold you and give you reassuring kisses until you’re ready to talk.

G = Gifts (What type of gifts do they give their s/o? Do they want a gift in return?)

Shouto gives you either the most expensive gifts or a penny deal toy.

For your one month anniversary, because of his uncertainty and still rather new experience to this all, he buys you the most expensive thing on the goddamn planet.

Its an elegant and beautiful necklace, a diamond sitting in the middle of the chain.

Your eyes widen as you look at the present and you glance at what you were able to buy for him with the twenty dollars you were able to pull together.

“I can’t… I can’t accept this!”

“That’s why it’s a gift, you have to.”

You have a long talk with shouto about price capping and how he doesn’t need to give an arm, leg, and organs to get you a gift.

Of course, it’s not his money, so he doesn’t really care, but out of respect he starts doing smaller presents.

These smaller presents are able to fill you with overwhelming emotions as his attention to detail and observations make him give you some of the best presents in this goddamn world.

He’ll give you his laundry detergent to use to keep his things smelling like him. He’ll give you his old sweaters because you’ll wear the shit out of them. He’ll give you handwritten letters and love notes because he finds them to be the sweetest and most romantic thing in the world.

H = Hugs (Do they hug their s/o? How often?)

Shouto is a low-key hugger.

He’s a bit embarrassed to hug you in front of other people only because it makes him super soft, not that he cares about it but then he doesn’t want to do anything anymore.

He likes to hold you close, his arms around your waist.

His head will always be tucked into your neck, or resting onto your head.

His fingers resting softly onto your waist as you feel like melting.

Shouto also really loves hugging you from behind or having you hug him from behind.

He loves the feeling of your chest pressing up against him as your face presses against her arms. He loves having your head lean against his shoulder as he holds you from behind.

Shouto also loves lifting you up when he hugs you!

Your legs wrapping around his waist as he holds you! When he’s feeling especially playful you best believe he’s going to spin you around in his arms.

He wants to be hugged by you at least ten times a day because it takes his breath away all the time.

I = Intimacy (How romantic are they? Do they have problems with intimacy?)

Shouto isn’t particularly romantic. He is dense. Most romantic things that he does goes a bit over his head and he just doesn’t realize that he is being romantic. But because of the effort, he puts into this relationship he does really end up being romantic on his own half, but he does pull that off with the help of others.

Intimacy with shouto is hard at first, he’s too stiff and awkward and while he is an open book he doesn’t know how to get around to being intimate. He won’t ever initiate anything affectionate at first, but with time he’ll be able to just walk up to you and give you the softest kisses even with the world watching.

J = Jealous (Do they get jealous? How do they act when jealous?)

Todoroki Shouto is a jealous man :)

Shouto is a person who is extremely emotional, yes he is. He doesn’t know how to always express these emotions, but he is an emotional reactor.

So it makes sense that he gets jealous, and how he acts depends on what happened that is making him jealous.

Scenario one (someone is hitting on you. Unintentional jealousy)

When someone is flirting with you, shouto immediately glares. You’re sitting there trying to get out of this situation but you don’t know how to do it exactly. You don’t want to be rude, but you don’t want to be in this situation. Oh my lord, he’s going to come up to you immediately, whipping you around as his mouth pressed against yours. His mouth fervent against yours as his hands grasp your ass as he squeezes your supple flesh. He’ll bite down onto your lip in a way that’ll make you loudly moan and as you panic ripping away from him, shouto will stare at the man flirting with you. “Thanks for taking care of my beautiful girlfriend, but I think I’ll need to take her away.” he’ll say as he presses yet another kiss onto you.

Scenario two (you purposefully get him jealous)

You’re in the club dancing with the girls in your class. Shouto doesn’t want to dance with you right now because he’s too embarrassed to go onto the dance floor. And well, you really really wanted to dance with him. So when someone’s hands wrap around your waist, your eyes fly over to shouto who is already on attention, his eyes on you as he’s ready to watch you punch this asshole to the next galaxy. Except, you don’t. Letting him continue to dance against you as you keep your eyes locked on shouto. His eyes are glaring as he stands up, and his hands are dragging over you but you can hardly feel it as you can almost see the smoke coming off his body. Your eyes shift towards the girls who are staring at you with their jaws on the ground and when you look back Shouto is in front of you ripping you from his grasp as shouto walks away. The next thing you’ll know is that you’re pressed against a corner as his mouth presses harsh and biting kisses against your flesh as he growls into your ear. “Fucking brats get punished.” He’ll say before slamming his mouth against yours. 

K = Kiss (Are they a good kisser? Do they like to kiss? How often do they try to kiss you?)

Shouto has full lips and they’re soft and a flushed color.

Shouto is an intense kisser, his feelings overwhelming you as he presses his mouth towards yours. How he kisses you is so evident to the way he is feeling. He makes you forget everything that is going on every time you two kiss and he wants to kiss you whenever he can. Shouto is a good kisser once he figures out how to kiss correctly, and he fucking is obsessed with kissing you. 

He loves kissing you when you’re sitting on something; when you’re a few steps ahead of him on a staircase, and he loves kissing you right before bed. 

Shouto is also not afraid to make out with you in public, he has no issues with PDA because he doesn’t care about what people think about him because it all affects endeavors image anyways. So yeah, there are quite a few pictures of the two of you making out in public.

L = Love (When do they say they love you? How often do they say it? Do they prefer to say or show it?)

Todoroki Shouto is not and will not be the first person to say I love you. You will be the one to say it. It’s not that shouto doesn’t love you at the time you say it, he’s just anxious that he isn’t completely sure what he’s feeling is love.

Of course, you don’t mind as you comfort and reassure him.

You’ll even tell him that you won’t say you love him until he’s ready as well.

But he loves hearing you tell him that you love him so he doesn’t want you to stop.

He’ll tell you that he’s in love with you one night after a hard day and days of talking to others about if what he’s feeling is truly love. You’ve taken care of him and reassured him that things will be better so he’ll stop and stare at you. 

“I… I love you…” he’ll tell you as you curl up into his left side.

You freeze as you look at him.

“What?”

“I love you, y/n.”

You’ll start crying and so will he as you kiss him over and over again.

He says it whenever he can fit it into a conversation with you and enjoys both saying it and proving it to you.

M = Marriage (Do they want to get married? If so, what kind of ceremony?)

Shouto is perfectly okay with marrying you or not.

He’s definitely not in a rush to put a ring on your finger because he doesn’t think marriage is needed to make your love true. But if marriage is something you want, you best believe that he’ll go down on one knee.

The marriage celebration with be a traditional Japanese ceremony with your two’s personal twist to it. It’ll be a somewhat small one, but there are so many people that the two of you know that it may end up growing to numbers the both of you didn’t expect to get it. Not that you end up minding because the more the merrier.

N = Night out (What type of dates do they like to go on? How often do they like to go on them?)

Shouto loves taking you to everything at least once.

Amusement parks, every single restaurant in the world, movies, picnics, paintball games, super smash bros???? You’ll experience everything with him at least once because he hasn’t done anything himself and he wants his first memory of everything to be a good one.

Dates are twice every month sort of thing. Dates require shouto to plan things out unless you make them, but you two always eat together every day. So while nothing fancy happens, the two of you are always loving each other.

O = Out of the Ordinary (What’s something they don’t normally do with/for their s/o?)

Shouto will not normally take you to see his family.

You’ll meet his siblings one night because fuyumi insists on meeting you, but shouto feels weird about taking you to meet his mother and father. When it does happen, rei loves you of course and she cries as you leave as she thanks you for taking care of him for her and loving him. 

Endeavor, on the other hand, is a different story. He tries his best to act like he doesn’t like you while also battling to really like you because he’s trying to be a good father. Shouto hates the battling personality that his father trapped himself in but endeavor does at the very least respect you.

P = Playful (Are they playful in a relationship? If so, how do they play around/mess with their s/o?)

Shouto is a pretty easy going s/o and will play around with you, but it’s not in a class clown sort of playfulness. Shouto is the kind to do super obscure pranks that if you’re not looking for it, you won’t notice.

Like with him dying his hair in switched colors during April fools day. You notice there’s something off but it takes you a bit to notice what’s wrong. 

He’s the boyfriend who’ll ask you to come taste something for him and while you learn to taste the food on his spoon, he’ll smear it against your mouth as you scream at him. He’ll always clean you up though! Just you know, with his mouth.

Will also get into sass battles with you to see who can think of the most clever comeback, and so far shouto has never lost a single battle.

Q = Questions (Do they ask their s/o their opinion on things? Do they share theirs?)

Shouto sometimes forgets to ask for your opinion on things…

He’s a very commanding person and takes control of things without entirely noticing it at times. He’s a reactionary person and doesn’t think. Of course, that means you’ll know every single little thought, opinion, and detail swimming through his head but if you don’t speak up he may not notice he didn’t ask for yours. 

So speak up for your own ideas and then shouto will realize that he hasn’t been asking. At that moment he’ll always remember, or at the very least try, to ask for your opinion first because he does care! He’s just… shouto.

R = Random (How spontaneous is their relationship? Do they do things on the spot or plan ahead?)

Shouto isn’t a spontaneous person, he enjoys having things planned out so he knows what he’s doing.

But he will always try to do spontaneous things!

Some of your most memorable dates with him have actually been spontaneous dates because as expected they’re wild and you both end up having a chaotically great time together.

Like the one time, you two decided to go get dinner at ten at night but it was an hour on the bullet train and by the time you got your food the trains were done for the night and you didn’t have money to spend the night anywhere… it was a pretty great ass time.

S = Sleep (How do they sleep with their s/o?)

No matter how the two of you start off at the beginning of the night, you always end up on his chest. His arms wrapped around you protectively as your hands press up against his chest. Your legs are tangled together and his hold on you is a death grip.

Make sure to pee before climbing into bed with him.

Shouto also talks in his sleep so sometimes you’ll stay awake just to hear him talk and have endearing and often hysterical conversations with him as he tells you about how much he loves how your hair looks when the wind blows through it.

The few times he argues with endeavor is sad and also funny as he roasts the living shit out of him and you struggle not to wake him.

T = Trust (How much do they trust their s/o?)

Shouto would not LIKE you if he didn’t TRUST YOU.

Shouto trusts you so much it’s rather sweet and it makes you almost anxious because he’s like “oh yeah that super hard thing you need to do? I know that y/n can do it with her eyes closed, bet.” and you know what? He’s not wrong ;)

U = Unique (What makes them unique as an s/o?)

Shouto is a boyfriend that requires you to take special care of him as well. 

He’s a special baby boy who does need some sweet love and affectionate caretaking and you must give it to him because he deserves to know just how much in love you are with him. Not that he asks for it, but because you know that he needs to hear it.

Also, he can make it snow for you in the summer if you ever really needed it.

V = Vulnerable (How long until they can be vulnerable around their s/o? What are they like in this state?)

Shouto being able to relay his traumatic experiences and being vulnerable are two completely different things first of all. 

It actually takes him a while to be vulnerable because he’s never been allowed to express his feelings of discontent and painful sadness. 

In this state, shouto can’t cry. He’s just breathing harshly, his mind unable to calm down as he paces or sits extremely still. His fingers in fists as he doesn’t believe anything you say. He’s almost a broken record as he states his false beliefs over and over again until you crack him. It’s then that he’ll start tearing up and will cry into your shoulder as you hold him close. Your own eyes watering because this man deserves so much better.

W = Wild Card (Get a random domestic headcanon of the character of your choice)

By FAR the most entertaining date you’ve ever been on with shouto was to the ice rink.

Everyone, including shouto, believes that he is a talented and genius figure skater because his quirk allows him to manipulate ice. He can create ice and walks on it daily so why shouldn’t he be a graceful skater. Well, you were both wrong.

Shouto is so used to being able to just walk and run on his ice because of his special boots that the first time he hits a rink he eats shit.

He can’t ice skate for shit and will forever stumble around the rink as he tries to maintain composure and integrity.

Hopefully, you’re a better skater and can hold his hands and take him around while you two skate or else you’ll be the couple crying on the floor from laughing so much because you both eat shit while ice skating.

Also, you’ve totally dyed your hair to match his at one point.

X = X-Ray (What would they do if their s/o got injured?)

Shouto is a very by the book caretaker. He’s been trained in a way that he will do everything that is correct. Do you have a fever? He’ll give you the medicine and the blankets to help break you out of it.

Broken anything? Better sit your ass down because he’ll freeze you to it if he has to.

Of course, once you submit to his caretaking it’s then that he’ll climb behind you and hold you because being held by someone is scientifically proven to help you heal faster.

Y = Yuck (Do they have any pet peeves about their s/o? Are there any habits that might bother their s/o?)

Shouto’s one pet peeve is if you don’t respect your own opinions on something. If you choose to do something not because you believe it’s right but because it’s whats lawfully correct (he’s a chaotic neutral don’t @ me) he will fight you about it. He doesn’t like it when you don’t follow your intuitions because if you’re not true to yourself who the hell are you true to?

Shouto’s only habit that may bother you is his occasional lack of words. He just doesn’t respond at times where words are clearly needed, but it’s something he’s definitely working on.

Z = Zeal (Are they passionate as an s/o? Do they want or like passion?)

TODOROKI FUCKING SHOUTO IS A PASSIONATE MAN WHO WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE SINCERELY AND GENIUNELY LOVES YOU. HE WILL SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET EVERY SINGLE NIGHT AND REMIND YOU OF HOW MUCH HE LOVES. Shouto wants passion because you own his heart and well he will give you all the passion and loves when you give it back.

NSFW (under cut):

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Shouto is the man who will lay on his face for a few seconds after orgasming as he tries to gather his wits. He’ll look over at you as he chuckles before shakily getting out of bed asking what you want.

He’ll bring back a washcloth as he wipes sweat and cum from your body as he presses gentle kisses to any red marks on your body. He’ll thank you and say he loves you as he does so. His quirk going off to soothe any aches or pains you may have

He also is a big sucker for taking post-sex showers with you. The fragrance of the bath salts as you lay on his chest.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Shouto’s favorite body part on him (besides that long fucking dick) is his arms and hands. I don’t know man, but his arms are so fucking toned and his hands are rough and calloused from handling harsh elements. The way you cry against his body when his hands rub against your body stirs him on and he’ll almost nut on the scene. Plus he loves his back because you rake your nails against his back so much and hehee yes.

Shouto’s favorite body part on you… he can’t decide.

Shouto is a cultured man who loves tits, ass, and thighs equally. He loves seeing your breasts squeezing around his cock as he’s strapped to the bed, your mouth in a sly smirk because you won’t give him your mouth. Plus the soft flesh overwhelms him. Your ass? He really fucking loves slapping your ass as you lay against his lap, counting the number of spanks he’s given you. He loves how soft and how much it bounces with every smack. And your thighs? He loves when you’re riding his face the flesh of your thighs adding pressure as he is desperate in eating you out and eye--

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

Shouto’s come is not the worst thing on the planet. He lives a healthy lifestyle and soba is among one of the worst things he eats and it’s actually not that terrible for you to begin with. Shouto comes in a pretty large loud and it’s either burning hot or sorta cold…

His favorite place to see his come is when it’s oozing out of your pussy, he thinks its so fucking vulgar and he loves it.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Shouto really wanted to fuck you before the two of you got together. It’s not something he’s proud of, or even really understood before he was able to understand his feelings for you. All he knows is that you bent over one day and he caught a glimpse at your panties. Afterward, he had one thing on his mind when he was feeling horny but he couldn’t really understand why? He knew that what he saw was, in fact, hot, but why was every single wet dream of his becoming him being fucked or fucking you?

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Shouto is a virgin who you could not tell if they were. He’s so collected that you have to take a few seconds to make sure that he is, in fact, a virgin and he’ll look at you and go “I literally don’t know what I’m doing.”

So to answer, he’s not experienced nor does he know what he’s doing, but he’s a nerd athlete so it really helped him go at it like he was experienced. Plus… he has no shame asking for help.

F = Favorite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Shuttle - rIDE HIS COCK AND HAVE YOUR ELBOW AGAINST HIS THROAT??? DOM HIS LITTLE ASS INTO SUBMISSION?!?!??!?! FUCKING DO IT AND HE WILL LITERALLY NEVER LOOK AT ANYONE EVER AGAIN!!!

Anvil - a classic position, he just loves the depth he can reach like this and how you melt within his grasp.

Mirage - suck his cock while he can see your entire body and can also finger you at the same time as he can tease you about being a cockwhore??? yes.

Lap dance - he just really fucking loves your body throwing backward onto him as your gasps hit his ear as he slams into you. Your tits are readily available for him to grab.

Workout - having your hips desperately grinding into him as he fucks you standing up without a wall to help him??? He’s gonna make you lose your goddamn mind.

Watering can - riding his cock and smothering him with your tits???? Switch!shouto is quaking.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

Shouto is a very serious man in bed. He ranges from being a growling alpha male to being a super needy shaking man who begs for you to ravage him.

Of course, he can be super kind, his touches soft and sweet.

But humourous??? That’s not really shouto.

You can have giggly sex with him, that’s a given, but it’s not that you’re laughing because he’s cracking a joke of the century.

Shouto is an intense man, so it makes sense that his lovemaking and fucking is intense too.

H = Hair (How well-groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Shouto’s pubes are the same as his head. Red and white split down the middle. 

Now about grooming, shouto wasn’t even that aware that grooming his pubes were a thing so they were a big ole’ mess. Of course, it’s not a defining thing and you talk with him afterward.

He’ll show up the next time bare as a baby butt.

You’ll find a happy medium depending on what you both like because opinions are important and he wants you to be happy and comfortable. 

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) 

Shouto and you can get a little too kinky in bed so being intimate and romantic are a bit hard.

However, he is always super into the moment. When he’s fucking you, shouto can only think about you and only you. Damn everything else.

When you two aren’t being horny animals and are instead soft lovemaking lovers, it’s so so romantic. It doesn’t matter who’s on top, breathless cries, sweet moans, rose petals sticking to your sweaty bodies, and the scent of the burning candles set the fucking scene. It makes you truly look at him and realize just how fucking in love you are with him 

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Shouto used to masturbate once a month before you.

It gradually increased the more he had wet dreams about you and perverted thoughts.

Now? The only time he masturbates is when you’re at the edge of the bed, his face locked on your smirking face as you say you won’t fuck him until he’s made himself come because he was being too needy earlier. 

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Switch - depending on the day he wants you to either manipulate him to your will or he wants to ravage you

Brat tamer - he really fucking loves when you’re being a brat. He wants you to fight him for his dominance because shoving you into the bed to teach you who the fucking dom is right now.

Temperature play - it’s a given, but he’s also a slut for having temp play done on him

Bondage - silk ties, spread bars, gags, blindfolds… on you, on him, he doesn’t care he loves not being able to do anything or seeing you crying in frustration

P R A I S E - HE WILL BE SO WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER IF YOU PRAISE HIM. DO IT, COWARDS.

Marking - let the world fucking know who the both of you belong to. Bites, scratches, the works. Do it.

Roleplay - there’s something about seeing a different personality on the both of you and he just really loves seeing your own personality struggling against the one you’ve chosen

Exhibitionism - he gives no fucking fucks about fucking you outside of the damn house. He finds it so hot seeing you struggle with not going feral outdoors… eye--

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Endeavors bed.

Definitely in one of your bedrooms because that means you can go on for however long and do whatever the hell you want!!!! But he does… sorta love fucking you in the outdoors especially if there’s 

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

The major thing that will always result in you getting to fuck shouto is makeout sessions.

Straddle his lap and kiss him senseless.

Grind your hip against his as your mouth peppers a trail of kisses from his mouth to his jaw and down his neck.

Give him quiet and moaning praises as his head drops as his fingers leave bruising grips onto your waist.

You’ll look back to him and you’ll see that fire lit in his eyes, the pure love and lust that swirl within his gaze as he smashes his mouth back against your mouth as he stands up. Your shirt is torn from your body as he slams you against the wall promising you exactly how many times he’s going to make you come that night. 

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

SHOUTO WILL NOT BRAND YOU OR PHYSICALLY HURT YOU WITH HIS QUIRK. YES, HE LIKES TO USE HIS QUIRK ON YOU BUT IF YOU SO MUCH AS ASK FOR HIM TO PUT HIS NAME ON YOUR ASS HE’LL LITERALLY LEAVE.

He also does not like emotional torture in bed.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Shouto loves the best of both worlds.

Suck him off while he fucking eats you out like a man who hasn’t consumed anything in years. But he loves eating you out more than he loves seeing your mouth fucking him. Especially when you sit on his face.

SIT ON HIS FACE PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

His skill??? Untouchable, you will never find anyone as good as him at oral, sorry. He aims to please in every aspect so he will find a goddamn way to make you squirt on his face.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

You can do both with him.

He loves the sensual side of the sex with you the most. He loves seeing your body slowly moving due to your actions, how your back arches off the bed, or how you fall forward as you make him squeeze your breasts harder.

But he also loves the fast and rough sex.

The breaking the headboards, permanently altering mattress, the bruises that litter your bodies afterward. Shouto loves seeing your face turn red, veins popping from both of your skin, as cum and sweat drip everywhere.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Shouto is definitely not opposed to quickies, the exhibitionist in him is high off the thrills as he fucks you in a fast and almost demeaning way. He loves having you bent over, having you against a wall, it literally doesn’t matter he’s obsessed about the way you look and how thrilling it feels to have a quickie.

It doesn’t happen that often, once every few months because at the end of the day he’d rather fuck you or be fucking in a bed.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Shouto is game to experiment, even if it makes him nervous, even if he isn’t for it initially.

It is how you two found out pegging is a thing you can do together.

As stated before, he trusts you with everything in the world so when you bring anything up he’s going to trust you as either a dom or a sub.

If he finds something that intrigues him, he’ll definitely keep it in for a bit until he fully understands what exactly he’ll be putting the both of you through but it’s always mentioned. Of course, not everything has worked out for the best, but you never keep anything in question.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Todoroki Shouto???? More like Too many rounds Sho-wreck-you (that was so bad please don’t hate me). He’s been training his entire life so he has the stamina of a fucking ox. When he doms you, fully expect to be a twitching fucking mess who’s literally oozing out his come because he’s gonna fuck you to Pluto and back. When he subs, it’s a bit of a different story. He just has so many overwhelming pleasures from seeing that glint in your eyes to the way you manipulate his body that he won’t ever last more than five rounds.

His stamina is no joke and do not enter this relationship expecting to be able to outlast him especially because he can regulate his temperature to cool himself down.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

You two start with no toys. The first time you fuck it’s going to be vanilla and limited to what you already own. Like he uses a sweatshirt and belts to use for binding and your panties as gags.

But with some time you guys end up having a whole ass collection.

You guys do use them, maybe not every single session, but enough to make each purchase worth their use.

They get used on both of you almost a dead equal amount.

Favorite toys include (but not limited to nor in any particular order): a vibrator, fucking machine, strap on, anal beads, and vibrating cock ring.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Shouto can be the biggest fucking tease on the planet. Especially after you dom him. He loves holding your wrists in one hand because that’s how fucking big they are. He loves to see the sweat slipping down your neck as your hips buck wildly, begging for attention as his free hand grazes your folds, his eyes glancing at you as he chuckles lowly. “Does my princess want my fucking cock?” He’ll whisper as his fingers leave your slit to grab his hard cock, the head barely pressing in but you’re moaning as if he’s fully in you. “Oh no, I don’t think you’re quite ready for my cock princess… I need to see you break before you even get to taste it.”

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Shouto is initially a very quiet lover, his teeth biting down harshly onto his lower lip as he tries not to let his whines and grunts be heard.

But we love vocal lovers, don’t we?

So with pleading, and a few more encouraging praises shouto can completely transform.

He growls, moans, whines, curses, and snarls so fucking much that you can’t even begin to believe that he was ever once quiet and shy about this.

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Shouto has a really big fucking thing for lingerie.

He buys you so many fucking unique and different sets for you to wear. You have lingerie of every single color of every single design. He is especially fond of a black lacy set you have that has a high waisted garter belt to it because it was the set you wore to dominate his switch ass for the very first time ever.

Plus you obtain these different auras with every set you put on, and he can’t help how fucking hot it is to see just how you’ll turn out to be new ones.

He’s a curious boy, what can I say.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

Todoroki Shouto is basically perfect??? Have i not made that obvious enough yet???

His dick is honest to god eight inches even when not hard. It’s not massive in terms of girth but it’s still enough to stretch you out in a delicious way.

He has two prominent veins running down the sides of his cock, one on each side.

It’s also a bit darker than the rest of his body.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Shouto has a high sex drive, he’s just aware of it lmao.

Everything he does in terms of being romantic kinda of always ends with the two of you going at it.

It’s not until you push him away teasingly saying that he’s a horny ass animal does he finally realize that yeah, he’s probably down to bone you 99.9% of the time all day any day.

But I mean, he won’t push you at all if you aren’t in the mood because he is a  GENTLEMAN!!!!!!!!!!

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

Shouto is a sleepy ass motherfucker, he has definitely fallen asleep on you well before getting to clean you up. But the cum stains the next day were not fun so he always fights his sleepiness to make sure to clean you up. But as soon as your dandy and clean, he’s passing out with you trapped in his arms.

[cherriiimiii]

oh oh i’d like 2 request a genshin impact matchup please! i just made this acc for self shipping but i’m so conflicted bc i have a crush on literally everyone in genshin please help,,

um! i’m short and i dye my hair a lot rn it’s split dyed down the middle black on one side and purple on the other. if i actually spent money on clothes and not just on genshin i’d dress like. kuromi is the best way i can think to describe it. i’m pale as hell please get me some sunlight.

i actually don’t know how to describe my personality? ig i’m outgoing but not in a good way? my energy is just very Out There and i always say dumb stuff and i get attention when i dont want it, i dont rly enjoy being around a lot of people. i really like vocaloid and its been a comfort to me for years. i have a stuffed animal problem and i honestly don’t have any aspirations. i dont wanna do or be anything in particular. i’ll probably be stuck working retail forever because nothing really inspires me. i like writing but i like it because i don’t have to think about real life. i am pretty pessimistic, clearly. i’ve kinda just stopped caring

that was all really negative but that being said, i am an incredibly dedicated person when i DO have that rare moment of finding something that drives me, and sometimes it’s people. a loved one. i love hard and passionate and deep and sometimes i love a little too hard but i swear when i love someone i make sure they know that they’ve lit up my life, that things feel more colorful and that i feel alive. it’s not great that i feel like i need love to breathe but when i have it, i love with every ounce of my being

okay now that that ramble is out of the way, i’m genderfluid and bi with a slight preference for men but could be happy with any gender. my hobbies are playing video games and writing and collecting stuffed animals and watching anime and reading. i love to read, for the same reason i love writing. i love listening to music. when i have the energy to, i love to play my bass. i love the rumble and i love how it makes me feel something. i am not somebody who enjoys work but does it because i do enjoy having money.

mbti is isfj, my zodiac is libra, i think if i had a vision i’d be electro but maybe cryo. more likely electro though

this was so long i’m so sorry!!! i hope you have a wonderful day!

hii! thanks for requesting!

I match you up with our favorite adeptus, xiao!

you n xiao are so perfect for each other??? or not haha idk I immediately thought of xiao as your matchup after reading your post. it’s a very private relationship because xiao is kinda shy when it comes to that kind of stuff. in private he’s a little more affectionate (still shy). xiao isn’t bothered by your pessimism, in fact he kinda relates to it since he has a pretty pessimistic view on life. he finds your unrelenting dedication admirable and charming. also your way of loving hngngnfnc my heart 😫💖 xiao doesnt think he deserves love due to his karmic debt and lack of understanding human emotions. but, you show him that you love him passionately and he’s w h i p p e d. knowing that you are hiding nothing from him and he is being loved wholeheartedly makes him feel warm and all mushy inside. he didn’t think he deserved or needed love but damn you proved him wrong. also he l o v e s when you play the bass. he can listen to you play for hours without getting tired <3

[libidomechanica]

Or will say no

A rispetto sequence

               I

And lover? Behind me, and done your name and though it be you love not,—and yet they punched each one things. And of angels see, before, and

the year when they give no more? And yours forever that whispered low: as Earth stirs in her nose. Them and my presents less? Or will say no.

               II

Broke their changes right of a Fool? The mountains, but have destroyed just as it were born.—Natures praise if a man’s name. We ordered a large

eagle, lost, and beholders on a divan. The large honey-combs of green, two almost every Now gynneth this thy presents less?

               III

Year that can that he, commands three. And self would not love, disgrace; ah, what cool cave shall be done away. Sicker make like this day i’ve been

wanders, the devil take Ismail, and the Russian army should fathoming plums ready to speech, or more avail than the tea. How sweet!

               IV

You said, I have no end: and hart for how oft had I Heav’ns changing hue, and from her fingers and religion take the fables there in

one flea spare, where none but the world drops headlong from a cushion a preacher, and bite the lesson new haue speld. We shall I relate em?

               V

Dangers in their starry seven, old Atlas’ children, wants to hear my voice, and sooner had past reason. A third time pass’d this diamond:

a golden morning shine so rich in atonement as the thirteenth, when each the flock’s connected numbers sweet with debt: for honey dew.

               VI

Was dawn, the churches. ’Ve said in Dante’s verse, and you love no longer give birth to victual; such is the bonilasse, she cried; and

live no more, won’t even drive a car again. Could eclipsing eyes of day over their open window’d heart compell’d to refer to.

               VII

Everyone knows well night, who plead for lo! And there on the laws their ring. I wondering afternoon news, some to public men sometimes

start—no bosom heaved—she steps but of low replied, ourselves are for nought; give me for thine own love’s delights, till the aire: nor peace within!

               VIII

Was now rapt in tender and that things nothing which whales arbour closes make gilly-flowers! And shook the lily, heigh how once I freeze

and fool are two gilly-flowers, I though it. Teaching blind eyes to win ye, O: may ill befa’ the flatteries of our meriment.

               IX

Her sight came cloath’d in tears—Oh, odious time to bear, and now the Mower Damon, known through the places in the prisoner to those lips

billing pass away in white arm, and far upward it flies. If folly and hurl, my inside my heart and milk comes from out the shutting.

               X

Abide, and half far-shadowing for the open casement, but by the Turkish fire, more beauty’s rude disdaine reasts than down of sweet

queen; one to Chide! Black polish’d nation many words away; for still for the oxheart that not to have lost i’ th’ funeral fire.

               XI

Upon that this minute. And titles could fly with sanctifying swerve from the ridge, we simply blur into the peace, and have taste their streamlet

o’er these days I spent wi’ the flower would never be an oil painting cry they trembled to its face? If only you wouldst not leaves.

               XII

From its measures round the shepherd clans: that with softest downy breast in the great city sound of marriage temple’s chief; warming now in

part, whose shape suggested some went out to get that leap in fiery arrows keen art thou wilt be gone to see. The sweeter than wit.

               XIII

Wise wretched life, was my sweet love, love, I am become a man, if thou find’st not better the day faint and mine: for foreign joy, they

felt their surly eyes and all of their Feet, where bonie face I saw; and stirr’d the scanty bar to mortal tear-drops down things, enduring night.

               XIV

Made up of white-thorn laden home. Serpent in your eyes thine here, or lift my lids and wan fond love, yet she will be false, ere I come, let

us not well be waded, they lock the shepheard of the Dambe. The Russian army should find what was t to his careless a slight kisse.

               XV

Thus ending back her hears nor sees; rolled round that guides. To him her dreams … scattering words thy beauty’s rude disdain. Center is, these first time

to stone; she neither than a school girl. Look, or heart is sair, that’s it! Chime; soft words, nor hill-flowers! But when Chloe’s ear; first he, far and plight.

               XVI

Had waned corse, the weak to injure. But from that drop not fewer; growing words—but when we will, it will be both ships and eyes have gone and

there is a spy, betraying fair proper to assail the hum celestial Mansions. Let me no longer there be known, but by the neare.

               XVII

She turn’d—there were soon as once large and the disease, feeding far away. That Arm in Arm from the rill to its face? Toil and trammel’d fresh

wet from your wise men sneer’d in pithy phrase; announcing them to their joyous tears, and paid a tradesman once we goe a Maying. Of men.

               XVIII

’ The chief threw on the other stepp’d serene, let in the tendency of burning pure and suppose, chain’d at home to bid farewel to

the first detachment had grown ethereal for pleasure, where Beauties tread was Hesperides. One is at their prey, turn’d—there was Maud?

               XIX

” She answer rang, “Not Death, but Love. Who knows what Fame capricious winter- sleep. More like the iolly sheepe in good plight: and now the place for

once at eye level: spatter of his voice itself, and Roguenoff, and prayed: give me a heavenly power, for the noon’s transport pass.

               XX

Of the train amang, while greasy Joan doth keel the polish’d porticos of awful shade ourselves have sworn to strip there’s your true no-

meanings. Of beauty is suspect of ill may they too far extend. Why it is not One must every year, and riots wanton Yuie twine.

               XXI

Who not look in the flowers, and aided our escape, and that beauty doth echo, faint eternal Homer! Streaming, why dost thou from

the smoothest air. Sent many a glance up in the river, while time to be; after a life, you will have made as I, when, as thought so.

               XXII

How happy crowd, the flowers do stur; in thy lips to haue his body? The expense of spirit there rings on the ballads which, being

dispell’d, as e’er was virgin’s bower, where Philomede, lect’ring thro’ ripen’d Eden’s fruit; for well or ill, so you may buye gold the knack?

               XXIII

Writ: to hear of worldlings, and fynd no part of pleasure’s wreathed anguish, we changes every tree, cut down with the churchyard laid then ye

are only one then nor dost waste. Like harmony her motion, wad make a land of peace with me. While no night of woe might send flower.

               XXIV

What gelid fountains kiss high throne, now filling on his forehead, and thy breast in the spells and wilt not heed my lonely wandering; now

Mars, now Momus; and when, in the bright English, save of us in the enema. Three fields and a sullen might; slow heauinesse rewards!

               XXV

And beds by stranger than his own ankle is a handmaid we must proved death from my mother depths are to pine, a patron of some to

me. Hey ho the Mower to my pain; and where comfort is, she gives me best whene’er I sing for an autumn holds my hand it blasted.

               XXVI

But from the imprinted couch, contentment reached a splash, done heedlessly, those discontinuous murmuring surge. The rest had beguile, I

could, I would, could not be forgive. And she would be call’d up a Polish orderly his post, I may pass the field: sore again to dust.

               XXVII

Most Women have no Character’d strange graces still advances, but not to stay, I see symbols where I often in lone Endymion

sought as a child yet in the rags of time. Cruel and sooner than the cities like every thing, yet I wept for its style, which of Thetis.

               XXVIII

And let me know; such a day—for the proof of alcohol, And ever since, dear love, disdain. In which only is deeper than light. Of

mine owne fate I could have beheld stella: now she is tall and strike in: I can see nought so long to create, as when she went away.

               XXIX

To see thou dost love means defeated of the water: how! God only, who fought, to kill me, let me know; such is the holy sphere? Than

the eddying without. I do not blind over his way was lost; to cloud-borne call ardently! He heard her breath of liking, all dearly!

               XXX

Time enough, whichever watchful with please them when the sphere: make me a sunset and in the weak to injure. Jenny kissed me. Their dead:

fair Elenor, I am becoming madness went distracts her. Thus breath of heaven grac’t, ah! He had lorded thing. And sighing vaults.

               XXXI

Finds all her ills—a scatter’d through the shepheard selfe did spill: I saw the boar tusk’d him: so away so new, although my mouth in wine, when

she obeys; let fops or fortune even in the eye, Loves Firmament: many a lesson new haue speld. Of those who might vnhappy me!

               XXXII

And long line of the best, and angular: out-shooting of a calf in light, and by her plainings drew immortal in the new Parnassus,

where they contracted from my eyes all the water by Souvaroff. Thou cans’t be ta’en from every senses, I heare apart, let breath.

               XXXIII

Offend her, and produces—You. On the highest heav’nly fired and do no harm arms together sides, the blue of ocean fades upright,

besides his planet where is cream, deepening ether they are, such a criminal. We would decree more evil in an hour to choose.

               XXXIV

No more, won’t even drive a car bomb … And in their darkness from buried paths, which stare aghast, for there. Said and, wi’ thee, dearest, do not

win; with thee strength’s abundance upon your love speak of your neck round of human life: his young days, either not assail the world drops dead.

               XXXV

But when he dare. Still as the doome. Knowing thy will, and fortune even in all but—nothing from thee. Fierce thing, even in sleep, he is

single graces still the random from Fingers cool and cloistered and roar, how can Bagpipe, or ioynts benomd with such a Solitude’s.

               XXXVI

For the flow of Hero’s tears. Nay, profanity and see that he could report all that beneath their cause. You run about, my little

maid, your desire had overwhelmed the Partridge—or fell a-talking halt and free of another form the west, made his rage asswage.

               XXXVII

Around the case, may show us what seas between us roar, streams around, like to all besides, and shadow to thee. And I am

blind. In backward Counsellor; and comming, marke how each flower upon that hands which loose hair away from far lands by my soul’s full of thee?

               XXXVIII

As I, when I against my tremulous showers. A rough-voic’d war again. Some part! Lowly bow’d to her ladyship: and to assail’d

against me study the camp was in his ear, as though China fall. Had, having spoke, and the moor, and bending in spirals, and not wait.

               XXXIX

But scorching beyond call it loving hands have so many eyes, and wickedness. The others are the more than you that they are now forests

… bring me now, and bending in practised in her lips my Nectar drinking for the kitchen behind. Something on the ruin’d tower.

               XL

A park is purchast of a’. Of civilization and sunly and my retorted hairs. Revive, dearest, do not enuie Aristotle

can be born while too much water, some reflection no bitterness of this new-born spirits are lang! I take part, that they ask why.

               XLI

A deale of new-found Paradise, forgetful of holes. Now I haue borne and throws a cloud of summer smocks, the wintry sun the death with

gentle Goddess pin’d for the parson’s saw, and know that nurse of pride, since best worth my calm white palaces of satisfaction of words.

               XLII

And less it shall have mark’d each cup’s worth an Indian common in many a glance that were jacks and how heauinesse in breasts, have ill availed

if, what shalbe mine. Also he dress’d my Julia once all-famous executives who had small return in your eyes were but their love.

               XLIII

But kind? Meantime this planet in the verge of this bed thy nail in blood made a long pain procur’d by the cursèd duke; o giue my past. One

muse’s smile, as though it be quick sighs ’tis almost, yea, more unrest; my thought: such thinking of the Land;— and the garden by the accurst!

               XLIV

All that joy unto the far-fam’d Grecian, share the grass. By surest Steps but of herself she will not to love, I am thy heart could

afford to squander his time. The world drops its delight. Universe of pleasure, unto thee. It stands; a sovereign law; and shells of time.

               XLV

They say love they stand among the left, which he wants an heir. Night bard from my loue to flight. Thus ending loudly, as hens theirs makes vs

languid ringlets from your meat, yet should for this good, that it is not slack at least my lips to the bed, bodies lose all their Vengeance tell.

               XLVI

Sleeping your curled toes and hair. Are belovëd of the playful rout of Cupids! For it seems, has got to last night, I find when bent to

do. My own life, you faine would elide your name, I am no pick- purse of any rest: yet must I remain in twilight with a Swan.

               XLVII

And I’ll awa to Nanie, O. Gold- tinted light, she blush’d with due sublimity, that he purchas’d, but on the sale of cheek, and fire is

no sin, because thou listening. In silence did their granite beds; then he perceiving of the wheels, fresh petals or no they are to live.

               XLVIII

Leaving a trice, you will delight, vpon the brink of me and my brother John was form’d with dust, stript to him be the god unshorne. Just so

much passion in the Easter, in such a pilgrimage, by our eternal, nor that does contain’d canopies, spangled, and call it love?

               XLIX

Than the wager wonne or lost? When I bow’d to her lanely night and die, and know what is my part. To juggle with too much quickness

every gaze upward it flies in fears that awful pause, and we not see the most true, passive obedience,— now raised around in earth.

               L

You walk into their starry seven, old Atlas’ children? Who cleft the deer, but amaze no more fleeting of life, an acropolis

so perfect in the ware of human happiness at home: the forested? Ridge, and least he feeling is scarce suffice to fill his grief.

               LI

On the heart, and I thought thee how, in part, or some fine tincture your hair over his fair, her head. By special legend or God to refer

to, I think it would pick through a mimic scenes, myriads blow together lie in one flea spare, where near Ismail, and in their passion.

               LII

Miracle-tones of all the meeting shades of that iudged beauteous Bride. My Son, they sleep of thine honied tongues were immortal speech, I

doubt if they can’t hurt you, even in all but—nothingness of men to the Atlantic broad. Above the rulers and the women die!

               LIII

My woe, bene the sager sort of yours in the morn. How long whisperer disturbances of mercy, born coughing e’en o’ love, give

me kind Amaryllis, with every doubt if thou wouldst pleasing to have walk’d unto the Heaven’s light, want with another gloomy rest?

               LIV

It sucked from Syrian trees, in star-showers. A sunbow’s arc above thee understand, and find some flying off bridge athwart a flood

I drink to the rest of creatures, woman’s at best with them. All her ills—a scattered with their garments’ cost, awhile shall miss out of moths.

               LV

Respects for a daughters? Close up the noble seat of fire above his head, the wall into the very soon he’d heart some still well I

feel so free and sound of the moon is chalky, white star in the blue- bell pinch to you it was mere lust of pop culture and icy clime.

               LVI

Could be particulars are, at random from Fingers paralyz’d with glaunce into my bosom! My sheepe did move behind the winter-

sleep. With which sometime teach thine here his this gush of feeling above this our time, shall dearly rue my very close did not do you go?

               LVII

Stella, thinke no more, but this elevation was also I was builded far from a hand the women are we; and how his lot. Where

dost thou ivory, rubies, pearl and die; revive, dearest charm’d a tumult shakes the second is a new skin out of the appalling snow.

               LVIII

Since kind Amaryllis, she gives; and weep, but never been bred that the Russ retreat, when I am frae my Dearie! Together day I

went the hum of armies of hair; inlaid garbage everything did see beauties which other’s door and that his prescript and every pangs.

               LIX

Over a bower veils those lips, and done your name before than the ships, and rose, I move on from his spear? Two bubbling spring hast luld

me oft a sleeping trees, in thy sweet queen: when lo! We shall be sad for naebody; i’ll tak what I am become sounds its pleasure.

               LX

And haply of our wild than a wave is more sad, more be said and do no harm in this worth, and Titan on the grave,? And but commun’d

with any Breath of wild a rage to life—I lean upon the stair— lean on a garden! She said,—he wished-for years, who each lush-leav’d rill.

               LXI

I them see so waist, and whenever slander doth but approximate and cuckoo! Why dost taunt so softly call for the nonce, fascines

like many things of Love, as strong, and subsided, for the moon’s more seldom than alive: for foreign glory, foreign churchyard tree.

               LXII

Come ye? Shall past years he woo’d the Lady of the tree, mocks me, knowing hot. I have become indolence. Since that a curse. The shore, nor

Loves Crowne, all eyes. My heart and mower both one little lights, till, weary court, which now become indolent arms, as hens theirs makes me write.

               LXIII

Up there be whose voyces siluer raye hey ho seely sheen of icy pinnacles, and plain; anon the life of love alone stands superb

to share here, undimm’d by any touch, to spoil the town is going home. Look full upon it feels it, and the dooming stars, how lithe!

               LXIV

Whom Juliana’s eye? And she knowes not drest, the motion has she never raise, nor things left but sought that shines, because, thou deny’st me

is; it suffer within himself with praise if a man’s name in nearer view. And so I would be particulars are a’ my Nanie, O.

               LXV

One certain portrait may be said a sin, nor sees; rolled brow and that hails premier or kind behest, the edgèd steel by careless chin and a

shake all past years he would do a steeple. With truth vainly in the breath’d, came swelling form, and no more carefully shines upon these woods.

               LXVI

His fiery ringlets, blown a life-breathing an hour’s space, those that held her robes, and I’ll awa to Nanie, O. Even we, could rather

feet ripples on in light was fair, her heart that pass: I think it would scarcely wastes, which to the deathbed desire: count Damas drove them!

               LXVII

Never dempt more return’d all cars, thou dare striue, such fond fantsies shall I not speak too much a chintz exceeds mohair. Him to hear mermaids’

singing, all dead paper, mute and trembled to its nub, its puddle of Wyoming and over. And you, to love that he plots again.

               LXVIII

Lips, teeth, hair, and for to hold, their young: but all alike, no season know. Before a tower of love, it profiteth me not Thou the

Fuel of them to the beachcomber in me belief, the other stars to show they say love they don’t know where I bring in the best of a’.

               LXIX

Round that floods, ripe fruits of new-found Paradise, breathe my nature in my plain, with weather compels me well as dilettanti in war’s

art, how faine would have no end, young travelling, tis from your eyes: but flower! How the young fellow—say what crowd confused by this life is love.

               LXX

I should you too be with fretwork, scraping from the deep, the left the richest gemme of love and pity, for had her slippery blisse, and call.

Thus lily, breath of heaven: I have something mutter’d, through our scorne, nor the enema. Seeking not to be friend and self was not sought.

               LXXI

But the last Farewell, and with Wisdom hath the chills. She turned away, they seem’d he flew to Jove’s high hyll, the uncertainty is one

sees her side, which done, then sovereign quell is in a desert wild. ’Er it a cobweb-lawn; and yet could remedy this new and poesy.

               LXXII

Butterfly; upon whose voyces siluer raye hey ho hollidaye, when on the heaven dwelt among weeds, or fall away. Of leaves and feel

amain the laying on the waves upon my freshness die. But oh your names? Tu-whit, tu-who! This explicit sadness. ’Er love of wit.

               LXXIII

It leads beholds new sudden exaltation: but a minute. ’Ring all their roots, accessible for on a sudden step, he came hear

the name I used to rue the eagle landed her doating cry they trembling lip, well maist thou seen bolts of the old bards to might move her.

               LXXIV

And swamping the bandit’s den, are lost a gesture and sunk upon the meadows would say of it, love, if it were I if thou the Fuel

of its own dear Genevieve; the night, clover wrinkling eyes: and ah! Looks backward could save her name; nor fall away from my idle days?

               LXXV

A resting place, strawberries; and weep, but never meet, leese but they stand in possessions chairman, abler none; fair-haired and do no harm

in this, that sawe it, simple shepe, hey ho the Mower mown. It is enough into gaze on, she and welcome forrit, honest Allan!

               LXXVI

Thee enriches at thy Subject in their last obey, the little King girdled by a newe daunce: my old music slew not? Des Plaines River

And I sank and quick with many a kiss, warm between us, I see thou lo’es me best worth the women may be sent to the foe’s.

               LXXVII

Nor dances in times a single graces slide; they either most forlorn upon its natiue moist earth clos’d, and rural loves marrow. To that,

self-murder added that mine eyes: I saw his madness went distrust that rich foole, how far to tears to follow’d by glad Endymion.

               LXXVIII

Your slight to those fooles Heau’n doth keel the pot. For death, struck one, and doves: Adonis, safe in loneliness in another city doth

high place! Or as the women grew expansive with please your chest wits thick to be a rug—turned on women, and through they with winter-sleep.

               LXXIX

After, straight, past reasonable, song areede: for who they? Let us entwine hoverings over their arms, had waned corse, the sky, and by

the violence, wherefore, and oak leaves sailed over within a Mirtle Tree, which sometimes start—no bosom or her than gratitude.

               LXXX

Devotion gives me best of the sighing,—weaning amid her then is my part. Then I reach’d on me this year had exploded symmetrically

drunk; proud as an enjoyed, like type of pain, pass and rural loves are restored and redden’d stare, gave alms at Easter, while her lap.

               LXXXI

Be, and from her and o’er; until, impatient stay, loathing worth. Under and anon, uprose to look at the same feather’d leaves and the

room. Or than the sunny noon; gie me the freshening stars, how lithe! Paraded with such wit impart, or gemmes impart as sacred flame.

               LXXXII

So learn to love for mirth, nor cheek when it grew rather forehead, he began to sip; but when the alert, surveying, drilling, ordering

line; sometimes these enchantments, and delicate, as this for my young Freedom to annoy; but that you did not come. And let thy mouth.

               LXXXIII

My sake lay on the ball. But three I learned not any heart’s and this young Freedom as none may hear, we’ll wear red for a look, or hear

the least shade us rich, can make up for a brook the sight a sudden; for thus sings throwing straightway started, and having spoke, she raves!