#i feel like it ties the three together and especially mint and yellow which are supposed to have a close bond

[passerineblues]

more minty vibes 🌿

[bookwormsid1015]

BNHA: This Time Around

[A Semi-CloudNight Oneshot]

“Aaahhh! It feels so good to unwind like this,” Fukukado Emi, best known as the Laughing Hero: Ms. Joke, laughs in relief as she leans forward against the bar countertop, a mug of whiskey in hand. She’s dressed in her civilian outfit, which consists of high waist blue skinny jeans and a light yellow crop top tee shirt with a bold white stripe stretching across her chest. Her mint green hair is held back in a low ponytail, and black slip-on sneakers adorn her feet; her outfit accented by  a black choker around her neck and three beaded bracelets coating her right wrist. 

Joining her at their favorite bar is Tatsuma Ryuko (Ryukyu), Takeyama Yuu (Mt. Lady), and Kayama Nemuri (Midnight). Nemuri’s rosy red lips tilt upwards into a sly smile, and she raises her glass of red wine to her lips. Unlike Fukukado, Nemuri is dressed to impress, with her beautiful dark blue dress fading to a vibrant pink as it travels down towards the helm of her dress, perfectly matching her light complexion. Black three inch heels adorn her feet, and her deep indigo hair is held over her head in a messy bun, staked into place by a black pin that distinctly resembles a fox tail. 

Nemuri pushes up her crimson red glasses, still smiling. “Me too,” she agrees happily. “My agency has been so busy lately with all the League of Villain madness. It feels great to just be in the moment every now and again.”

Sitting on Fukukado’s other side, directly across from Nemuri, Takeyama stares down at her small glass of champagne, her eyebrows knitted together in exhaustion. The Giant Hero, like Ms. Joke, is dressed in casual clothing, wearing short blue jean shorts with a simple orange tank top and a single star-shaped golden necklace around her neck. Her long, wavy blond hair is tied back in a ponytail, which spirals down to her midback in beautiful platinum waves. 

“I knew starting my own agency was going to be hard, but I didn’t think it would be this hard,” Takeyama confesses, exhaustion lacing her tone. “Like, I can’t effectively take down any villains because my size destroys so much property, and I hate that my fans only seem to like me because they want me to step on them! It’s so weird! People are weird and gross!” She drops her head onto the table and groans mutely into the polished wood. “And here I thought the big city would be different from home.”

Tatsuma places a gentle hand on Takeyama’s back and pats it reassuringly. Like Nemuri, Tatsuma is dressed for the occasion in a simple yet elegant violet dress with a chain of pearls around her neck and diamond earrings in her ear. It is no surprise Ryukyu would wear such beautiful jewelry, though given her status as a dragon, Nemuri wasn’t surprised.  “Don’t worry, Takeyama. We all start off rough, but guaranteed your agency will become amazing,” the Dragon Hero encourages the blond heroine gently, and Takeyama’s shoulders only slightly relax.

Fukukado taps her chin, her dark green eyes thoughtful. “Come to think of it, aren’t you and Kamui Woods, like, a thing now? I heard his agency is successful, maybe you can talk to him about it,” she says, and Takeyama reaches across the table with frantic shushing gestures.

“Don’t say that outloud! We want to keep our relationship private! The last thing we need is the media crawling up our asses about it,” she snarls at the Laughing Hero, and Fukukado raises her hands in surrender.

“Oops! My bad!” Fukukado yelps and frantically checks around her in case anyone was listening in. Nemuri and Tatsuma make eye contact from across the table and snicker to themselves.

“Kamui Woods is a very dependable man, though,” Tatsuma adds. “I’m proud of you.”

Takeyama buries her face in her hands. “Can’t we talk about anything else?” she whines.

Fukukado’s smile returns full force, and a shit-eating grin splits across her face. “But why though? Everyone loves hearing about a good romance!” She cups her hands to her cheeks and swoons giddily. “Like, just the other day, I ran into Eraserhead at a coffee shop! It was so amazing, like something out of a romance novel!” 

Nemuri’s cerulean eyes widen slightly. “Oh yeah, he told me about that. Didn’t he leave the second he saw you?” she asks.

Fukukado’s cheeks flush red, and she chuckles awkwardly. “Oh, yeah, he did. Something about not wanting to deal with my energy or whatever. But that just makes it so much more exciting! I mean, look at him, all dark and mysterious and broody~!”

“Not to mention a total hobo who forgets to shower half the time,” Nemuri adds. The other heroines at the table chuckle.

“AND he’s the only one who I haven’t gotten to laugh yet!” Fukukado goes on, ignoring Nemuri’s remark. “One of these days, I’ll get him to laugh! If not, at least smile! Yeah, that would be amazing.”

“Why not use your Quirk?” Tatsuma asks.

Fukukado shakes her head adamantly. “He erases Quirks, remember? Besides, I don’t just wanna make him laugh! I want to really make him laugh, you know? Something authentic. Using my Quirk would just be dishonest and mean.”

Nemuri shrugs her shoulders, though a part of her is secretly relieved. She’s known Eraserhead since high school, and knowing him, the main reason he wouldn’t want to try dating Fukukado would be because he doesn’t want to be influenced by her Quirk. Then again, this is Eraserhead they’re talking about. After what happened in high school, he probably wouldn’t give her a chance either way. He has trouble enough making friends, let alone dating. The cruel reality of hero work scarred him, and the mere thought of it hurts her heart. Fear guides him, and Nemuri desperately wishes she could do something to help.

“What about you, Midnight?” Nemuri perks up, and finds the eyes of the other heroines glued on her. Fukukado leans forward eagerly, her dark green eyes sparkling like diamonds. “Do you have anyone you’re with right now? With your gorgeous looks and bedazzling personality, I’ll bet yes!”

Tatsuma casts Fukukado a significant look. “Ms. Joke, your bi is showing,” she comments, startling a laugh out of Takeyama.

Nemuri glances down at her wine glass and slowly sways it around in her grasp, watching the dark red liquid roll within its transparent chamber. Her smile becomes wistful. “I’ve had flings, but serious relationships? Nope. I haven’t had any in years. Probably not since high school,” she replies honestly.

Takeyama lifts her head, blinking at the R-Rated Hero in surprise. “What? There’s no way. Your entire aesthetic is about intimacy! Especially the sexy kind,” she gapes, and Nemuri chuckles at her reaction.

“It’s true. I haven’t had a proper boyfriend since my third year in high school, and to be honest…” Nemuri’s smile becomes bitter, and she chuckles in spite of her hypocrisy. “I don’t think I’ll ever date again. Hurts too much.”

Fukukado grimaces slightly. “Oof, was he really that bad?” she asks, and Nemuri immediately shakes her head.

“No, no. In fact, he was amazing. He was the sweetest, funniest, most loyal person I’d ever met. He cared about everyone unconditionally, and he would always go out of his way to help people. Hell, this one time, he found a kitten stuck in the rain and brought it with him to school,” she reminisces, smiling at the memory of him. Even now she can clearly see his broad, glowing smile, and the image sparks an old pain in her heart. “He was my everything. Even though we wanted different things out of life-- with him wanting to start an agency with his other friends, and me wanting to start the Midnight Agency-- we still promised we’d be together. That we'd make it work.”

Fukukado’s brows are drawing together in concern, now, and acid rises in Nemuri’s chest at the realization in her eyes. “Wait, you’re talking about him in the past tense,” she says. “What… happened?”

Nemuri’s smile falls completely, and she utters a deep sigh. “The worst,” she responds. “About fifteen years ago, we were alerted to a villain attack in Tasomiya Ward, a giant monster with the ability to stockpile power.” Tatsuma and Fukukado’s eyes widen nearly simultaneously, no doubt recognizing the event, but Takeyama blinks at Nemuri in confusion; she’s too new to the career to know. 

Her voice shudders, but still, Nemuri goes on, “All of us were there. Me, Eraserhead, Present Mic, and… him. We did everything in our power to stop the monster, but it was too big. We couldn’t do anything. I was evacuating everyone out of the area while he, Present Mic, and Eraserhead went to go stop the villain. Civilians got hurt; there’s no way to protect everyone. But he…”

The image washes over her, stealing away all her breath in an instant. She can smell the salty rain clouds, she can feel the slick pavement beneath her boots, the uncomfortable way debris clings to her sweaty skin. Above all else, she remembers rounding the corner just in time to see a cloud explode to life over a class of kindergarteners and their teacher, leaving them protected but him exposed. Their eyes made contact, and before Nemuri could do anything, before she could call out his name or take a step forward, a giant chunk of debris was upon him, and she was helpless to watch it swallow him whole.

The scene barely lasted for more than a few seconds, but she can still see it. The sickening crunch resonating through the air as his skull cracks open, the violent spray of blood from his head… She suddenly wants to throw up her wine and crumble into a ball. Old insecurities she thought she’d abandoned were suddenly creeping up the back of her mind, whispering terribly in her ears.

“Your quirk is useless. It couldn’t protect anyone, especially not your loved ones.”

“It’s because you’re so useless he’s dead.”

“Why are you even a hero?”

“Midnight?”

Nemuri snaps out of the memory and finds the other heroines looking at her in worry. She quickly realizes she’d dropped her wine glass to cover her face, and while thankfully the glass didn’t break, the wine was splattered all over the table top. It looks exactly like his blood.

“Midnight,” Tatsuma reaches out to her and gently takes her hands, leading them away from her face and gripping them tightly. Nemuri clings onto the contact, desperately wishing her hands were someone else’s. “Are you okay? Do you need a moment?”

Nemuri shakes her head slowly and slips her hands out of Tatsuma’s reach. She hates it when people look at her with those worried eyes. “It affected all of us,” Nemuri goes on. “Obviously, it hurt me. I lost my boyfriend and the guy I wanted to… but Present Mic and Eraserhead lost their best friend. Their brother.”

Fukukado shakes her head, tears springing to her eyes. “Oh, Midnight, I’m… I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to open an old wound,” she whispers in horror, and Nemuri shakes her head again, this time with more resolve.

“It’s fine, really. It gave me a horrible wake up call, that above all else, we are heroes. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Every day we go out there and put our lives on the line. We could live, we could die, but what matters most is protecting others.” She glances down at the wine spilled all over the table, and her own reflection stares back at her with wary acceptance. She sighs, long and tired. “Watching him die made me realize how easily life can be lost, how tragedy can strike in an instant. That’s why I want to embrace my youth for as long as I can, so I can live enough for both of us.” Her reflection’s lips quirk upward into a trying smile. “That way, when I die, when I can finally see him again, I can tell him about all my adventures with pride.”

Nemuri looks up and finds herself staring into the wet faces of the other heroes. Tatsuma, Fukukado, and Takeyama are all staring at their senior hero with wide, tearful eyes, and Nemuri likes to think in this moment, they felt more respect for the seasoned heroine.

Nemuri smiles back at them and wipes the tears from her eyes. “Remember that, you three,” she tells them. “Go forward knowing nothing-- not even love-- is certain, but don’t let it scare you. The world is scary, dangerous, and even cruel, but what’s most important is cherishing the people in our lives.” She raises her wine glass and what remains of the wine sloshes around in its glassy imprisonment. “To living.”

Fukukado, Tatsuma, and Takeyama look between themselves. One by one, they lift their drinks to the sky, each glass a different shape containing a different drink. “To living,” they echo, and tap their glasses together with Nemuri’s. The R-Rated Hero smiles truly, her heart swelling with pride.

Nemuri drives home alone that night.

Of course, the four heroines stayed at that bar for hours, laughing and drinking together once the shock of Nemuri’s lost-love bombshell faded away. As their senior, Nemuri only drank a few sips of her wine every now and again (although the gruesome memories made her want to get wasted out of her mind), and she allowed the other heroes to have their fun and get as wasted as they want. Takeyama and Fukukado were joking around, having a blast singing old pop culture songs together, occasionally getting Tatsuma to join in whenever the Dragon Hero got over her shyness.

Eventually, Nemuri dragged the three drunken heroines back into her car (thankful they all decided to take Nemuri’s car there and back), and she drove all the ladies home, making sure they had all their possessions with them before leaving. Once she dropped them all off at their houses and made small talk with any partners they had waiting for them, she decided to gather her wits and go home herself. Today was a long day, and she was surprised to find herself emotionally exhausted so soon.

The bar is a fifteen minute drive from her house, but as soon as she leaves her car and strides up the driveway, she pulls open the front door and steps inside her dark home. Despite it’s nice size, being a two story house with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, only Nemuri lives in it, though she’s not completely alone.

“Meow!” Nemuri looks down, and her heart lifts slightly as her tabby orange cat comes bounding over to her, high in energy despite his age. Nemuri kneels down to collect him in her arms, and she cradles the cat like a baby.

“Hello, Sushi-baby,” she coos at him as she kicks the front door shut and locks it behind her. “How are you doing? Were you keeping the house safe from big bad strangers while I was gone?”

Sushi meows in response and nuzzles her bust.

The house is big and empty now, but one day, Nemuri hopes she’ll marry and settle down, maybe start a family all her own. It won’t be for a while, and honestly, Nemuri is scared to start dating out of fear of herself or her partner dying, but she decided a long time ago to live by her words so she bought the house regardless. She’s getting older now, and at thirty-two, she knows she doesn’t have much time left. At the very least, Oboro would want her to be happy, even if her happiness isn’t with him. She just hopes she can find someone accepting of her tastes and interests, like he did. 

Nemuri enters her living room and sits back in her recliner, pulling out her phone to amuse herself. Sushi immediately adjusts himself in her lap and kneads her legs with his paws, turning around in a circle before plopping down into a comfortable loaf. Nemuri scratches him behind the ears with a faint smile.

“We’ll be okay,” she says, more so to herself than to the cat.

Sushi’s lazy purring is her only response.

Nemuri leans back into her chair and sighs. Tomorrow will be a new day.

[sweetaesuga]

nothing feels better than this | 02

pairing: jungkook x female reader

genre: angst, fluff, established relationship, parent au, dad jungkook, mom reader!

warnings: language, implied drug abuse, drug usage

word count: 2.2k

other part: 01

a/n: decided to finish this since i’m literally stuck on man of money :/// original ending was going to be angsty af, sorry if this is shitty🤧

It was nearing three in the morning and still no sign of him. Slumber wasn't going to overtake you anytime soon, not when his body was missing next to yours. Regardless of the stubby one replacing it, you weren't dozing off as you desired. Not to mention, your messages were still unseen by him.

He was ignoring you and honestly, you weren't shocked one bit. Ever since the baby was born he vanished every weekend then came back with no explanation about his whereabouts. When you would try to ask him, he would leave again with no hesitation and no answer.

Jungkook simply didn't want to be contacted by you. You would only remind him of how mortified he should be from his actions. That's the last thing he needed, as if he wasn't feeling guilty enough for being at a party and sniffing cocaine instead of sleeping next to you and his baby. He was over the moon however, something he hasn't felt since he knocked you up.

As long as he ignored your texts, he wouldn't feel a single ounce of shame.

It was almost four when he sensed the couch sunk down besides him. Still, he doesn't turn to see who it is, his mind too gone to even care. They called out his name twice, practically screaming into his ear. He turned, eyes immediately focusing on the mint hair before his face.

"Why the fuck are you here?" Yoongi seemed livid by his presence. Then Jungkook remembered that he never wanted to see him around here again, the second he had told him the reason you weren't going to be joining them anymore. "Does Y/N know you're here?" Jungkook shook his head, grimacing at your name. He sulked and reached for the beer resting on the coffee table filled with white powder, needles, and drinks but Yoongi stopped him.

"You fucking kidding me right? You can't be doing this shit anymore! You have a kid at home!" Jungkook whined from how deafening Yoongi sounded. "You promised her you wouldn't do this anymore."

There we go. The regret was fading away, just for it to settle back in. He shouldn't have came here in the first place, he needs to find somewhere else to go. Yoongi would never be able to get off his back especially with the bond you two developed during your time here.

"I know I did! Fuck, you don't have to remind me every second," He stood up and shoved Yoongi away. It caused him to stumble back a bit but he regained his balance. "I already feel like fucking shit for doing this behind her back."

"Then why do you keep doing this to her? She doesn't deserve this, Jungkook, both of them don't deserve this!" Yoongi chased after him, pushing people aside. His fingers curled around his palm, longing for them to be around Jungkook's throat. Yoongi caught a hold of his arm before he can go any further past the front door. His grip was too tight for Jungkook to escape which forced him to stand there. "She’ll leave you. You're always disappointing her."

Yoongi ticked him off even more. As if he needed a reminder that you were being lied to by the person you've loved the most.

"You did this to me! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be like this!" Yoongi brushed aside the pang in his heart when Jungkook said that. Although he was told that on many occasions because he was a drug lord after all, it never stung him the way it did now.

"But you did this to her. If it wasn't for your dumbass, she would've never gone through what she has been through. If you didn't play with her fucking feelings, she wouldn't have had an addiction too. You fucked that poor girl up and you're still fucking doing it," Yoongi took a step closer. Despite being a little bit shorter and not holding a lot of muscle unlike Jungkook, he was still daunting. "Come here again and you'll have a bullet in your fucking head." Yoongi released him, knocking him down to the pavement. He slammed the door behind him.

Jungkook was quiet for a minute. He wanted to cry but couldn't manage to spill any tears out. He sighed, watching a puff of smoke come out of his mouth.

He would have to ask you to pick him up, his ride was still in the house that he was just threatened to not step a foot in. His fingers are shaking when he pulled out his phone to text you. He couldn't tell whether it was from the coldness or his distress.

jk🖤: pick me up please

jk🖤: [Current Location]

You were not furious, if anything you were upset. The second he sent his location, your heart practically dropped. Too many upsetting memories were tied to that place. Jungkook picked up on this right away the second he entered the car.

Even when you saw his enlarged pupils which can only indicate one thing in these circumstances, you don't say a word to him.

He heard the movement in the back. Jungkook turned to catch a glimpse of the car seat, faced away from him. His daughter kicking away, unaware of the issue that her parents are undergoing.

By the red light, he was on the verge of tears. His palms were sweaty and he wanted nothing more than his little girl to wrap her tiny fingers around his pinkie while you hold his other hand. You don't pay attention to his state, too engrossed in your own thoughts.

"I'm sorry," he doesn't know who he was aiming his apology to. His daughter or you."I just can't do this anymore," his sobs become louder as he continued.

Finally for the first time that night, his eyes wandered over to you. You were barely covered, your thin tank top and shorts were not doing a good job fighting off the cold, and with tired sunken eyes it seemed as if life was drained out of you. He was probably right. With a seven month baby and a boyfriend who was gone half of the time, of course it would look like you were dead.

He saw you hesitate to reach over to him. "What do you mean?" your voice was shaky but he doesn't mind. It doesn't necessarily compel him to hold you as it usually should. He carried this urge to not get near you or else it would send him into meltdown. "Jungkook?" you called out, eyes darting back and forth.

God, sometimes he wished you could just understand him. He was never good at explaining himself, sometimes he can get misunderstood.

Jungkook became enraged with himself. "I can't stay clean!" he screamed, catching you off guard. The car jerked a little from his outburst but that was the least thing you were bothered about. Your daughter, who was startled by her father yelling, began to cry in the back.

Jungkook's head throbbed as he cried harder, same way the baby in the back was too. You pulled over on the road, realizing you were unable to drive with the two of them bawling their eyes out. He curled himself in a ball in the small seat, body gluing onto the car door, far away as possible from the two of you.

You unbuckled your seatbelt, reaching over for your baby. Her mouth was wide open, pouring out sobs. Jungkook glanced over to take a peek of her. She's dressed the complete opposite of you. She was in her warm yellow polka dots pijamas, a little beanie clutched in her hands. He figured she must have taken off in frustration since she doesn't enjoy accessories on her head.

She came across the sight of him, blinking before grasping that he was truly in front of her. The pacifier was shoved in her mouth to silence her cries. Jungkook's eyesight grew vague as he cried again. "I can't do it anymore. Yoongi was right," his head was hidden behind his palms once again. Your eyebrows furrowed at the mention of your old friend. "You both don't deserve this! I'm always going to let the both of you down."

You ignored the saliva that dropped down onto your chest and placed the pacifier back in her mouth. Jungkook appeared so fragile in the corner of the car. "What are you talking about? Of course you can do it," you inhaled for a second, trying to hold yourself together while rubbing your baby's back. "Don't do this to her, please."

He shook his head and pressed himself further into the door once he heard a cry escape your mouth. "I don't want to, Y/N, but fuck, I just can't seem to get better," his voice cracked as he weeped in his seat.

"When did you relapse?" Your guess was that this wasn't the first time he was back at Yoongi's place. You're too afraid to know but it had to be asked. When he doesn't say anything, you try again. "Talk to me, please. Just tell me the truth, I won't yell at you or anything like that."

Jungkook's eyes bounced back and forth between his daughter and you. One final glance at her and he was speaking. "Like, fuck, maybe when you were seventeen weeks along I started using again," he looked down at his shoes away from your glum expression. "It was only a little bit then she was born and I just—shit I'm really sorry," your hand extended out but he neglected it. "Everyone was right about me. Your friends, Yoongi, your parents. Maybe you should go with them."

You knew what he meant. When your parents grasped onto the idea that their only daughter was pregnant by her druggie boyfriend, as they would call him, they were fuming and gave you an ultimatum. Leave him and they'll help you look after her or stay with him and throw your whole life away.

He felt crushed when you stayed silent. It was obvious that you would choose the first one. The two of you weren't going to do the best financially especially with a baby on the way.

What shocked him was when you cried a few seconds after. He has never seen you cry like this. Unlike when you tried the same unknown drug as him to impress him and later cried because the sensation was unfamiliar. Unlike when he fought with another man and you tried to stop him before the police showed up. Unlike when he took your virginity in the back of the filthy bar and ignored you for weeks. Unlike when he made you so upset with the girl around his arms, you wished you never met him then ran back to him.

You cried to your parents that you loved him so much that you couldn't let him go, even if it meant that they'll disown you.

Jungkook never knew that you felt about him that way. You loved him and wanted to be with him no matter what. He didn't know what to say to that. I mean, you weren't a fling. As soon as he called you his girlfriend he made you the only girl in his life, that was it. But he never imagined spending the rest of his life eternally bound to you.

Truth be told, he adored the idea.

So Jungkook tried for you. Your first suggestion was to check himself to rehab, something Jungkook just flat out refused but managed to stay sober for couple of months then he relapsed. He doesn't remember why he did it.

"I'm not going to my parents so they could remind me for the rest of my life about my mistakes. And I know you could do it, Jungkook," you sounded so determined it made him even more miserable. Your daughter nuzzled her face in your neck, locking eyes with her father. "You just need to get professional help."

You watched his shoulders shake and stuck your hand out to touch him. Jungkook refused to believe it.You could not be possibly be recommending that he go to rehab. Anything but that. "Not rehab, I don't want to go to rehab, please."

"Jungkook, do it for yourself. You really need to go. You can't keep doing this for the rest of your life. What happens if something happens to you? I will never be able to forgive myself for not trying," he leaned back in his chair. His daughter's chubby fingers outstretched towards him, eager to be in his arms. Jungkook took her from you and laid her on his lap. "We’ll be there every step of the way."

"What happens if I don't?"

"Then," you stopped yourself to think. You blinked, attempting to get rid of your tears. "I'm sorry Jungkook but I will leave you. I can't have her growing up with an environment like this, it's not okay," you stared at his side, admiring his nose that your daughter inherited. "I want the best for the both of us."

A replica of his doe eyes shined back at him in curiosity. He didn't think of much as she did. It wasn't until he turned to peek at you, is when he made his decision.

THE TEASER PHOTOS WERE WISKSJSKEK YES SIRRRRRR

[cerezsis]

Pastels and Mobiles

Polydiamond Family AU

Chapter One

Summary: The diamonds wish to expand their family.

--

           The happy shrieks of human children rang in the ears of everyone in attendance of what Steven had called a “backyard birthday party.” The small gaggle of adolescence chased each other through the grass, past the two large trees with the colorful balloons tied to the trunk, and the large banner that hung between them that read “Happy Birthday Lisa!”

           White watched everything unfold from the comfort of the otherwise empty party table. Yellow had shrunken them down so they could attend the party, but she felt so out of place that she might as well have stayed her natural size. Blue and Yellow had gotten swept into a conversation with a pair of humans she didn’t recognize, and Spinel was having the time of her life with the children, leaving White to feel even more isolated in the sea of humans and Crystal Gems.

           A small but sudden tug on her skirt brough White out of her thoughts. She looked down just in time to see the light green toddler climb onto her lap. Before she could ask what she was up to, Mint grabbed a handful of the nuts that were set out on the table, shoved them into her mouth, and ran off without ever uttering a word.

           White chuckled as she watched her daughter run back over to the human children. Seeing her next to Steven’s two children, it amazed her how quickly humans aged compared to gems. Lisa and Dominic were only eleven and nine, but despite Mint’s older age of twenty-five, she was physically and developmentally at the stage they were at the age of three.

           While she watched Mint play, White saw out of the corner of her eye that someone had sat down at the table with her. She turned, expecting to see Yellow or Blue, but was surprised and delighted to see the half-diamond man who invited her to this party.

           “Oh, Steven!” White grinned.

           Steven smiled, politely, back at her.

           “You know you don’t have to sit here all day. You could join the party.”

           Of course she knew that. Of course she knew she knew she could, but the thought of leaving her little corner filled her with a sense of dread.

           “Oh, I’m perfectly fine right here,” White said, masking her anxiety with a smile, “I enjoy watching the children have their fun.”

           She looked back over at the group of kids, noticing that Mint and Dominic were no longer with the group. While the older kids playfully hit each other with balloon swords, Dominic had taken Mint aside to sit in the shade and blow bubbles.

           “Your Dominic is such a kind child,” White grinned, “He reminds me so much of you when you were younger.”

           Steven smiled. “I think he’s still shy around Lisa’s friends. She’s a bit caught up in her birthday right now, but she usually tries to help him feel better.”

           White nodded and grinned. She loved hearing him talk about his children, and she especially loved the bond the two of them shared. Ever since Dominic was born, Lisa had been very protective of him. Steven had loved to tell the story of how when he’d brought Lisa to see Connie and baby Dominic in the hospital, she had the most starry-eyed look upon seeing her baby brother for the first time. The way he told it was so precious, and White hoped to see something like that for herself one day.

           The day went on, and the party began to wind down. The diamonds gathered Mint and Spinel, said their goodbyes to Steven, Connie, and the children, and boarded their ship, where Yellow restored them to their natural size. From the monitor, they could see the humans that were still at the party staring up as the ship began to take off. Blue and Yellow put their hands together to make their ships form a heart shape, and then they quickly took off, much to the amazement of the small crowd.

           White breathed a sign of relief as they began to leave the stratosphere. As much as she loved seeing Steven and his children, she was elated to finally be heading home.

           “Mommyyyyyy,” a tiny voice came from behind.

           White turned around to see Mint staring up at her.

           “When can we go back to Earth?” Mint asked.

           “As soon as Steven invites us next.”

           “When will that be?”

           “Mint, come here for a moment,” Blue gently urged, knowing that Mint would just keep spouting off the same questions she always did if she wasn’t distracted.

           Mint turned and ran over to Blue. Blue picked her up and took her to sit by the controls. White watched as Blue explained what all the controls did, and every now and then having to stop the toddler from pressing buttons.

           A few hours later, they were finally back on Homeworld. White looked at the view of the world from the screen as the ship landed. The sun had almost completely set, but many gems were still walking the streets. A certain gem caught her eye; a howlite that she recognized as once belonging to her court, happily pushing a pram down the street. White couldn’t help but smile to herself. Just a couple decades ago, seeing a juvenile gem was considered to be a once in a lifetime experience. Now, you could hardly turn a corner without seeing a gem with an infant in her arms or holding hands with a toddler. Seeing the old-fashioned method of gem production becoming popular again was wonderful, both because it meant their population growth wouldn’t fall too much now that they weren’t using kindergartens anymore, and because it meant Mint wouldn’t be short on playmates.

           As the diamonds and Spinel exited the ship and entered the palace through White’s bubble, Mint let out an audible yawn. Looking down at her, her mothers took note of her droopy eyes and sluggish movements.

           “It looks like someone’s ready for bed,” Blue said, gently patting Mint’s head.

           The little diamond’s eyes snapped fully open as she looked to her mothers with the most hurt and betrayed look on her face.

           “Nooo!” Mint whined, “I’m not tired!”

           “It’s already past your bedtime, Mint,” Yellow pointed out, “And you look very tired to me.”

           “Noooo! I’m not tired!”

           “How about this, Minty,” White offered, crouching down to her level, “If you just get dressed for bed, you can stay up a little longer while I tell you a story.”

           Mint nodded, excitedly agreeing to the deal. Blue and Yellow glanced at each other as White scooped her up in her arms.

           “We’ll meet you in the common room after she falls asleep,” Yellow told her. White nodded before carrying Mint up to her room.

           Mint’s bedroom looked like it was plucked out of a fairytale forest. Artificial leaves and flowers clung to the walls, and a shallow pond reflected the light given off from the starry ceiling. Wooden shelves in the shape of freshly chopped logs lined the walls with dolls, books, and toys, many of which were also scattered across the shiny, wood floor. Against one of the flowery walls sat a set of drawers in the shape of a large tree, which, once opened, revealed all the clothes that Mint was not yet able to project onto her form. Once White helped Mint pick out nightgown, she carried her over to the little nook of trees that cozily surrounded her leafy-green bed. Sitting down on top of the luxuriously soft bedding, White stroked the little diamond’s hair as she began her story.

           “Once upon a time, the Gem Homeworld was ruled by diamonds,” White began, “White, Yellow, Blue, and the littlest diamond–”

           “Pink!” Mint tiredly but proudly finished.

           White smiled and ruffled her hair a bit. For the next hour, she wove a wonderous story about the time Pink had managed to sneak an organic creature off one of Yellow’s newest colonies, and tried to keep it hidden in her room. She told of how Pink didn’t even make it a week before entering her room, only to find White Diamond waiting for her, asking what the alien creature was doing there. Of course, Pink looked down at her feet and claimed she didn’t know. In telling the tale, she left out all the begging and pleading, and a few tears Pink shed before White reluctantly agreed to let her keep the creature, reasoning that Mint didn’t need to know that part of the story right now.

           Finally, Mint had fallen asleep. As carefully as she could, White placed her under the covers and gave her a gentle kiss goodnight. Quietly making her way across the room, she spared one last glance at her little girl before dimming the lights and leaving the room.

           As promised, she met Blue and Yellow in the common room. The two of them sat across from each other in their cushioned chairs, in the midst of idle conversation, which stopped once the third diamond entered the room.

           “I take it she’s finally asleep?” Yellow asked her.

           “Yes, it turns out she was tired after all,” White said, taking her usual seat across from them.

           “We’ve talked about this, White. You need to stop coddling her.”

           “She’s old enough to put herself to sleep,” Blue agreed, “If we want to nip this attitude she’s developed–”

           “I know, I know,” White admitted, not meeting either of them in the eye, “I just… I like making her happy.”

           “We know you’re trying, White,” Blue assured her.

           “But if we’re going to have another baby, we need to get Mint used to having limits,” Yellow added.

           White nodded. She could almost laugh at the irony of Blue and Yellow telling her to stop spoiling their child. Finding a balance between not repeating the past and not having Mint end up a spoiled brat wasn’t an easy task for any of them, but the added difficulty of the lingering guilt White felt for the rocky start she had with Mint made finding that balance all the more harder.

           Not wanting to linger on that thought too much, she decided it was time for a subject change.

           “Only a few more cycles until we can start trying,” White perked up, meeting their eyes once again.

           “And you’re still certain you want to be the one to carry the baby?” Yellow asked.

           “We understand if you’ve changed your mind. You had such a… less than ideal experience last time.”

           “I can assure you both that I have not changed my mind. If it means getting a baby sooner, then I want to carry it.”

           “Two years isn’t that long of a wait until I have my cycle,” Yellow pointed out.

           “I appreciate your concern, both of you, but I assure you this is what I want. I want another baby. I’m in a better place than I was when I was pregnant with Mint. I’m confident in my abilities as a mother now. It’ll be a better experience this time.”

           Blue and Yellow looked at each other, before turning back to her and grinning.

           “Alright, but if you change your mind before your cycle starts–” Blue began.

           “I won’t, I promise you.”

[benjaming1205]

Not So Berry Mobile Edition

Have you done the Not So Berry Challenge in The Sims 4? Do you want more? Are you broke and only play The Sims Mobile? Well I hope your up to take up the originally by @lilsimsie . A challenge converted from The Sims 4 to The Sims Mobile!

Introducing The Not So Berry Challenge Mobile Edition! A ten generation legacy with a focus on bright colours and new experience.

1. All heir must be female.

2. Each heir must represent the colour and a theme of the generation (i.e. hair, makeup, clothing), but brightly colored skin is not necessary (these aren’t actually berry Sims, that’s the joke). Of course, this is optional but a big portion of the fun.

3. One room has to be dedicated to the heir and need to be decorated based on their colour and theme. (a bedroom is the most practical)

4. Each of the heir’s name has to be almost similar to the colour that they are representing (i.e. the colour is rose, therefore the name can be Rosie) and the last name can only be Berry.

5. Each time you start a new heir, it has to be fresh out of the box. Your heir can’t be a townie or a child and they can’t get the Good Upbringing Trait.

6. The colors of the spouses don’t matter as they aren’t part of the challenge. Unless otherwise stated you can do whatever you please with them.

7. Every generation is supposed to complete all tasks that they’re given of the heir unless explicitly stated otherwise.

8. You need most of the traits. The trait level doesn’t matter. You’ll get to choose two traits but the other two are fixed.

9. If you play this challenge and want to share it with us, go ahead and post with #NotSoBerryMobile so we can see!

Generation One: Mint (Intelligence Boho)

You’re a odd scientist. One day you wish d to open an art gallery but not only that but also to release your own single but your mother forbids you from pursuing your dream as it will not last. For now you just love sharing your creation with other so even, you even decided to have a one night special to showcase your work.

Traits: Musical, Creative

Career/Hobby: Lab Science

Task:

• Complete the Lab Science Career Story

• Complete Art Aficionados TWICE

• Complete Soundtrack of Soul Story TWICE

• Make the heir of the generation to host a studio party ONCE

Generation Two: Rose (Legal Seducer)

You work at a very justifying place, the Civic Centre but you love to head out of town and meet every guy you know. Then bringing back home to have a hot and steamy time. The room is never clean and filled with cameras and studio lights? That’s sounds fishy. While seducing other people around town you came across a friend that you never seen for quite some time. You realise that friend was into you and seduce the person back at home only realising that you were pregnant with the person’s baby.

Traits: Alluring, Evil

Career: Law

Hobby: Internet Icon

Tasks:

• Complete the Hand-Knit Justice Story

• Complete the Authentically Iconic Story

• Complete the Tainted Love Story TWICE

• Complete the Secret Crush Story TWICE

• Complete A Missed Connection Story ONCE

• MAKE at least one child with the person from A Secret Crush Story

Generation Three: Yellow (The Astronaut’s Baby Factory)

Growing up you never had a close relationship with anyone since you have a disease called Babytouchositis (Baby-touch-o-site-tis) which is when you touch anyone you would instantly get pregnant. You were quarantined this whole time and spent the majority of your time alone in your room obsessing over space. You just really love space. You’ll do whatever it takes to get to Sixam no matter the cost even if you had to meet people and get pregnant.

Traits: Ambitious, Athletic

Career: Rocket Science

Tasks:

• Complete the Rocket Science Story

• Reach Chapter 3 with 7 other Sims

• MAKE at least 7 babies with different “daddies”

• Name the baby after the colours of the rainbow and dress them up according to the colour they’re given

Generation Four: Sliver (The Dazzling Introvert)

You are a very trendy person and your always up in your taste. But in your free time you like to relax and meditate. The kids (from the prev generation) is worried about you all by yourself. They want to reunite you with one of your high school friends. After the work the kids have done you have been reunited with your friend. You and your friend had a great time together and was wondering if they could be more then friends. You then adopt two kids and make them as your own

Traits: Stylist (If you don’t have it choose Creative), Active

Career: Fashion Designer OR Hair Stylist

Hobby: Yoga

Tasks

• Complete the Trending Now Story OR ASOS Fashion Forecast Story OR A Cut Above Story

• Complete the Yay for Vinyavas! Story

• Complete the Better Late then Never Story until Chapter 5 SEVEN TIMES (possible with the 7 kids from the prev generation)

• Complete More then Friends with Benefits Story ONCE

Generation Five: Chocolate (E-Girl Writer)

You are very sad person and you friends with some sad people too. You are extremely close to them. Your friend soon have a significant other and you need to find one before your friends start to tease you. You got a job to become a barista and shockingly enough your co-worker asked you out. Your co-worker is the total opposite of you but you let him into your life hoping to change yourself. He/She don’t want to change you and feel just right for him/her. Soon you two begin to settle down and started a family and making sure you’re always there for your kids making sure they will not become sad like you did. You soon begin to document your amazingly-sad life with your husband/wife, your kids and the support of your friends

Traits: Artisan, Mean

Career: Barista

Hobby: Writing

Tasks

• Complete The Way of Latte Story

• Complete the Tales from the Script Story

• Complete the Misery Loves Company THREE times

• Complete The Fixer-Upper Story with your co-worker (unless it’s an elder, if so, you’re free to choose any TOWNIES)

• Get married to your co-worker

• Have TWO babies with your co-worker

• Get both kids’ Good Upbringing Trait to a THREE star

Generation Six: Orange (Perfect Everything)

Just because of your mom (from the previous generation) your life is tied with a ribbon. Just like your typical American family. A loving significant other, two amazing kids, an excellent job and you friends who always comes over to spill some tea. But you heart sank knowing that your husband has been cheating on you with one of your friends and your friends are spilling tea about you! But you ignore those facts and made sure you kids become kind and caring people.

Traits: Good, Competitive

Career: Business

• The heir can be a FEMALE child from the previous generation

• Complete the Like Nobody’s Business Story

• Complete the Frenemies Story THREE times

• Complete the Soulmates Story ONCE

• Get married to your significant other

• Have TWO babies with your significant other

• Make your significant other cheat on you

• Get both kids’ Good Upbringing Trait to a THREE star

Generation Seven: Pink (Life of the Party)

You were a mega party-goer in your younger days, attending hundreds of parties hosted by your friends and family. And now, you're doing it again, except with more fun and more... steaming hot. You have always wanted to become the most amazing host of a party, which made you The party-giver in multiple events in your house. But you needed more space, more fun and more crazy and music, and the key to that: A DJ. But something was missing... You needed a partner in this music industry to help host the ultimate party. And when you found the right person for the job, you go on the journey for hosting the party everyone will remember...

Traits: Party Animal, Outgoing

Career: DJ

• Complete the Remixology Story

• Attend Level 10 Parties SIX times in a row

• Make the heir of this generation host a Concert Party TWICE

• Complete the More then Friends with Benefits Story ONCE

• Get married to your significant other

Generation Eight: Green (Life Saver)

Your hands work like magic! Anything you touch will save the person physically, mentally and spiritually. Your works creates a big buzz both good and bad. Mostly bad, you will soon begin to have a lot of rivals coming to your door step. Could you handle the pressure?

Traits: Generous, Attuned

Career: Medical OR Surgeon OR Wellness Guru

• Complete the Something in the Water OR The Mystery Cure OR The Mysterious Benefactor Story

• Complete BFF Forever Story THREE times

• Complete the Old Rivals Story FOUR time

Generation Nine: Gold (Danger in the Building)

You are hot-headed person. Your temper can go at out of any building you’re in. If things don’t go your way expect everyone to evacuate the building IMMEDIATELY! Everyone is afraid of you, including your own significant other. At the end, you guys didn’t ended up getting married. You guys also avoided doing anything physical together that you decide to adopt a boy instead. But whenever your angry you cool down by plucking the strings on a guitar. You temper didn’t just appear out of nowhere. When you were young, you’ve always wanted to be a boy but society didn’t agree that’s why you adopted a boy. So that you can feel it through him.

Traits: Evil, Competitive

Hobby: Guitar

• Complete the Six-String Fling Story

• Complete the Tainted Love Story ONCE with a Male Sim

• Complete the Arch-Nemesis Story FOUR time

• Adopt a boy with the Male Sim

• Get the kid’s Good Upbringing Trait to TWO stars

Generation Ten: Blue (High Taste, Secret Life)

You are the Toast of the Town! A luxurious house (in this case a room), friend who never back stabbed you, and may other find taste.... in food. You also been seeing someone. The person seems cute. But even with your exquisite life you also been working at the cafe. For your friends may wonder why you are a barista when you own such a majestic house (room) but one of them spotted you going down an elevator in very suspicious clothings. It’s best to keep this secret away, especially from your crush’s baby

Traits: Foodie, Sly

Career: Secret Agent

Hobby: Cooking

• Complete the Top Secret Story

• Complete the Now We’re Cooking Story

• Complete any friendship story THREE times

• Complete the Secret Crush Story ONCE

• Have a baby with your secret crush

• Make the heir of the generation host a Foodie Party ONCE

More optional generations will be coming soon! I’m open to feedback. I’d like to thank you for my friend, Owen for helping out writing some of the generation’s story. I would like to thank everyone’s support too! Without it, I don’t think I wouldn’t be able to make it without you! Hope to see your Not So Berry!

[verngyu-moved]

war, tome, and crown || ch. i

pov: second person (gender neutral reader insert) ⟡ word count: 3k ⟡ genre: adventure, fantasy (renaissance, and v fire emblem inspired), romance (in later chapters; ft slow burn + love triangle oops), ⟡ rating: pg-13 ⟡ warnings: kidnapping, death, body modification (by branding...like..with a hot piece of metal)

⟡ CHAPTER 1 ⟡

“We’re almost at the trade destination, Your Highness. Remember the agreement.” Just do as they say, and no one has to get hurt, you think. Hands tied together and blindfolded, your torso’s wrapped in rope and bound to the soldier that sits in front of you. You’re jolted and shaken by the horse you both ride, unsure of how long it’s been since you were manhandled and forced to ride passenger on horseback. Captured from your palace and taken hostage, you can barely even remember how it got to this point. You’d been sitting on your bed, reading a book about light magic when you were taken by surprise by a burly redheaded man. He had somehow broken into your quarters, managing to sneak up on you and pour a cold liquid onto your head, knocking you out. While you were knocked out, they snuck you out from the palace walls and next thing you knew you’d been tied up and blindfolded.

You hear a male voice, and can only assume it’s the leader of the entire operation since you note that he’s been nagging everyone (including you) since you’d awoken. “We’re selling you for a high profit to ruffians. What they decide to do with you next is not up to us nor is it any of our concern.” The fabric of the blindfold softly brushes against your skin—you would know this texture anywhere, especially as a Matronan royal. “This blindfold is made of velvet, Matrona’s main export...You’re Matronan.” Mumbles of surrounding soldiers cause you to pause before continuing, “You’re betraying your own kingdom. Why?” “With all due respect Your Highness, that is none of your concern. Now, if you would like to live to see the sunrise, I suggest you keep quiet.” The words leave his mouth, cold like stone, stale like bread. After the thieves double check that your wrists are still tightly fastened and the blindfold renders you blind, the horses are ordered to travel to the meeting point, dragging you along for the ride.

The sound of hooves comes to a stop, and your head finally stops wobbling as it presses against a man’s back. You adjust your hands awkwardly, unaware of the thief’s discomfort as you do so. That is, until he speaks up. “You about finished, Your Highness?” he whispers. You guess he’s probably been advised not to speak to you. “Sorry,” you mutter lowly, “it’s been a long ride.” He hasn’t said anything to you the entire journey, and hasn’t shifted much either since it started. Your arms are wrapped around his waist, which is rather small. In fact, on the long trip you’d even started to wonder if he was a she. Now you’re reconsidering your theory upon hearing his voice just now for the first time.

The men around you hop off their horses, boots hitting the solid gravel with a thump, and begin talking. You sigh and close your eyes, not like you see much of a difference since your vision is still obstructed by the velvet blindfold. (Black or very black?)

Abruptly, a loud pounding noise occurs and seconds later you hear noise of the gravel pebbles shuffling. Your rider shifts suddenly, your head jolting back forcibly as his back straightens. “What in the Gods names-” a distant male voice says, but a slicing sound tickles the air and sweetly drifts to your ears.

An ambush.

“Stay still.” The man in front of you grabs the rope binding your wrists, his pinky fingers holding your wrists apart as carefully not to cut you accidentally. There are yells of the men surrounding you—imagining why they’re crying out is not something you want to do. Your heart is beating quickly while the outlaw cuts through the thick material, meanwhile you wonder what will happen when your hands are free. Escaping might not be your best option, but would staying here be better? Your time to decide is running short as horses neigh loudly while shortly after their hooves take off and disappear behind you. Screams and the ringing noise of swords clashing fill your ears to the brim, making you wish you were back in the comfort of your quarters, reading up on the book that one of your retainers Seokmin gave to you as a birthday gift. Where is he now? Did he notice your absence? What’s happening back at the palace? Your mind rushes through every question it has at the moment. And then, it’s like falling, or blacking out—your brain seems to shut down for a split second, as if everything that’s happening is too much for it to process. You’re looking at nothing, at grass, at a plain field. It seems to be early in the morning, the sun isn’t up but it has that glow that hints it’ll be making its way around soon. And your feet...they’re running? Well it looks like I made my choice, you think.

“Get back here!” The man, whose voice you recognize as your rider, yells. You glance over your shoulder, eyeing the blindfold you discarded onto the ground, and in the next moment you topple to the ground, face first into the tall grass, tasting the dirt. You grumble in pain, as you feel the man embracing you from behind. “Hey.” you warn, and when he doesn’t respond you raise your voice, “Hey! Get off of me.” “Apologies, Your Highness.” but he stays still, adjusting both of you so that his hands are firmly holding your wrists. “B-...you’re not...moving..?” you thrash against him, muttering while eyeing some bushes up ahead. “Apologies.” he repeats, refusing to let up. His voice sounds different from how you’ve previously heard it—sounding shy.

“Gods, Minghao.” another male voice says, his voice a loud pant. You were too focused on being plowed into the ground and forcibly mounted by some ruffian that you didn’t notice the other boy’s footsteps growing in volume. “You were supposed to keep her tied to you.” “If we remained on my horse she could have been hurt or taken from us, Wonwoo.” he replies, a stinging sensation of annoyance in his words. Another voice chimes in as you try to angle your head to see the boys who stand behind you two, “Hey, I think it’s really cute that you let her go because you felt bad for her, Hao.” Minghao quickly begins to protest, “I didn’t-...”

Two boys stand next to us, one with a skyscraper body and blonde hair with an undercut styled into a lazy mohawk that compliments his sun-kissed skin. His grin is like that of a wolf, but the rest of his demeanor reminds you of a puppy. He holds a silver axe that almost mimics the form of a sith, its golden handle running through its head that protrudes from both sides. With the tip of the handle sharp and shiny, a purple ribbon is carved and wraps around the rest of its wooden body. At the other end of the handle lies a another sharp end, shaped like a spear head. His sky blue tunic appears darker in the nighttime, as a belt wraps around his waist and navy blue pants peek out beneath the cuts of his tunic to flow into his brown boots, which are covered by matching sky blue armor. More pieces of armor are wrapped around his shoulders like shoulder pads, covered by a pale yellow cape that flows gently in the summer breeze. The other has cool mint hair, matching his cold but alluring eyes. The black tunic that climbs up to his neckline is decorated with gold embellishments, a white cravat nestled in his shirt and poking out beneath the small V-neckline. He wears black pants and boots with grey cuffs at the top. An arm guard is sewn into his left sleeve while his hand holds firm his bow, its blue glow pulsating, and in the middle of its handle a white angel’s wing is carved. It almost looks like his bow is carved out of pearls. He seems intimidating as he makes direct eye contact with you, and you’re reminded of the feeling you had when one of your retainers caught you stealing food from the kitchen.

“You can get off me now.” you practically spit, not only (to be frank) feeling violated, but also extremely embarrassed...seeing as you two now had a growing audience. “Minghao, I think you can get up now.” A wide-eyed black-haired boy echoes in agreement, joining the standing duo, body slim and tall. Wearing a long white sleeve shirt, a short sleeve rosewood pink shirt with three fastened buttons, and a pants in the same shade of faded pink, he looks at you with a smirk. Strapped to his pants belt are two holsters on the side that double as armor and another piece of silver armor slung on one shoulder, its straps wrapping around his waist. The glass lance he carries glimmers and gleams under the moonlight, the point sharp as a knife with a diamond shape carved into the middle of its long stock. You take one glance at his brown corduroy boots before looking away.  You adjust under Minghao, coughing after you spit out some grass that was buried in your gums. “I think that’s the least of his problems, Jun.” The mint-haired boy tells him, “He disobeyed Cheol’s orders.” he then adds, in a lower voice. “Minghao!” a distant voice bellows from behind. “Speak of the devil.” Jun mutters. You feel Minghao’s body tense for a second at the sound of this voice, causing you to shiver, leaving you to assume the leader is on his way over, and he’s not happy. “Get up.” Cheol commands. Minghao quickly rolls off of you, the sound of the grass brushing against him as he put his weight down on it, and then swiftly brushing his body again as he re-positions himself into a firm stance. You scramble to your feet, once again feeling embarrassed—although this time it feels like you’d been caught in a perverse act.

Your eyes find Minghao’s face and you silently watch, unsure of why you’re still there, partly paralyzed by anxiety, partly by intrigue. His long, straight black hair falls in his face covering one amber eye that’s glued to the ground as the leader approaches him. He sports a long black tunic that reaches down to his ankles with a matching black cloak draped around his shoulders. His hands are clasped together in front of his frame as he remains completely frozen. Maybe you weren’t the only one paralyzed from anxiety. “Why didn’t you follow my orders?” Cheol says at once, splitting the silence, “This is the first time you’ve disobeyed me.” Cheol, with brows pulled together and eyes narrowed, the younger boy’s sights stay transfixed on the grassy field, while your eyes look down to find the spot he’s focused on, a small ant hill. “The first time you’ve disobeyed me,” Cheol repeats. “And the last.” Minghao swallows the lump in his throat, and you notice his fingers twitch slightly. “You’re on probation. Jun will look after you for the next mission.” Cheol’s head turns to address Jun, “Understood?” “Yes, sir.” Jun replies quickly. Cheol’s gaze returns to Minghao, voice tightly coiled like wire, “Understood?” “Yes, sir.” He answers matter-of-factly, a hint of pride in his answer. You get the sense Minghao doesn’t like being bossed around. Guess he’s in the wrong business, then. you think to yourself.

“One more thing.” Cheol takes a step back slightly, “Hand me your tome.” Minghao hesitates for an instant before he waves his fingers, a book appearing in his clenched hand out of black dust. No way—he’s a mage. And a dark mage by the looks of him. You eye the black tome covered in a gruesome-looking skull placed in the middle of figure 8’s. The diagonal embossments on its corners and the matching gold metal clasp keeping the book together reflect the moonlight, contrasting its cold glow. “You’ll get this back after the next mission.” Cheol sighs, taking the tome, with a tinge of disappointment and frustration in his voice. He sounds like your father when you’ve been caught skipping etiquette lessons. Bulging muscles underneath his thin dusty red tunic with a plunging V-neck, Cheol wears black pants with armor strapped around his thighs. His violet-blue boots are nearly touching Minghao’s sandals.

You wiggle your toes in your flimsy-soled footwear slightly before remembering that all you’re dressed in is nightwear. Your arms cross over your chest while your legs clench together instinctually. This sudden motion is enough to draw the leader’s attention to you, his feet changing direction, and before you know it, his face is inches from yours. “I…” you mumble, eyes locked on his. Why can’t I look away? you ask yourself. There’s something frightening and powerful but yet warm about his gaze. He smells like gingerbread, hair color wavy silver with blue undertones. One of your feet takes one small step back, you feel finally unfrozen. That is, until he speaks. “Are you okay?” he asks, eyes fluttering down your bare neck. Heart beating insanely, your fingers that were curled up to form fists immediately extend outwards to cover more of your exposed skin. He tilts his face downward for a few moments and you catch a glimpse of the top of his full head of hair before he looks back up at you, “Are you okay?” “Y-Yes…” you reply, the anxiety building in your stomach. Meanwhile you wonder if he’s okay. Just a few moments ago he looked as if he would beat up Minghao, and now he’s tenderly looking at your face, wondering if you’re okay. “Good.” he stiffly tells you before spinning on his heel and walking away, his broad shoulders looking as if the sun rises and sets on them. “I’ll go get Chan, he’s looting the bodies.” he announces before stopping to whisper something to the mint-haired boy. The other boy nods, and Cheol continues forwards to where the ambush happened, a place you notice is shaded by birch trees on a gravel path. Your fingers ball back up to form fists and you shiver, a rather chilly summer breeze brushing past your thin nightwear.

“Wonwoo,” the mint-hair boy calls out to you, adjusting his grip on his bow. “What?” you reply. He walks towards you, chin tilted upwards slightly, a playful smile on his lips, “My name’s Wonwoo.” “Oh.” biting your lip awkwardly while you avoid eye contact, “I’m Y/N.” “I know, Your Highness.” he laughs lightly, and upon seeing his smile your heart feels less suffocated. “I should’ve kept you tied up after all.” Minghao speaks suddenly, glaring at you. His gaze meets yours before his rolls his eyes, sighs, and paces to the gravel path a ways away. Your heart stops beating for a split second—it’s the first time you two had looked each other in the eyes. “He’s in a bad mood I take it?” the blonde-haired boy snickers, joining Wonwoo by his side. Wonwoo laughs before his friend introduces himself to you, “I’m Mingyu. Or Gyu for short.” “Riiiight,” you glance at him before nervously looking around, “Not to be rude, but is there a reason you’re all introducing yourselves to me? Unless I’m misunderstanding, you ambushed a group of thieves who intended on selling me to Gods-know-who to rescue me, right? All these introductions seem unnecessary if you intend on letting me go.” Wonwoo and Mingyu exchange glances, before Wonwoo offers a rather shocking explanation, “Matrona’s been infiltrated, Your Highness.”

In an instant it feels like your head’s been bludgeoned, an impending migraine dancing its way over to you in a rather aggressive and unwelcome manner. You weren’t even sure if this was true, but the idea made both your head and your heart hurt. Considering it was too much. “What are you talking about?” “Plans to assassinate your father and mother have been in the works for months now from the kingdom of Sigalia.” “Sigalia is our ally,” you laugh in disbelief, leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. “I’m afraid not, Your Highness.” Mingyu replies, lips curling slightly downward. “I don’t believe you.” your equilibrium has been thrown off, your heart and head pounding. “Careful, Your Highness,” Mingyu whispers, noticing your lack of balance. You feel embarrassed showing weakness in front of strangers, or rather, criminals. “You should sit down,” Jun gingerly suggests. “I don’t need to sit down, I need someone to tell me what the hell is going on!” you blurt out, aware you’re not behaving like a noble should, but unable to care or restrain yourself at a time like this. “We’re taking you to a meetup point at which you will then be reunited with your parents.” Cheol rejoins the group, a honey-ginger haired boy with a focused and expressionless face following suit. You tilt your head at this declaration, prompting Cheol to continue.

“Listen…” he sighs, “We were hired to ambush the criminals, and were told that once we rescued you that you will be reunited with your mother and father at another destination. We’re escorting you to that destination.” You toss the idea back and forth in your head. “Hired by who?” “We don’t know.” Cheol looks at the sky and squints his eyes, recollecting his memories, “I was approached by a man who offered a large sum of money who tipped us off about Sigilia’s plans to overthrow the King and Queen. He wasn’t the boss, though. He told me he worked for the man offering me the money.” “This isn’t making me want to come with you.” you laugh sourly in disbelief, “How do I know that any of this is true?” You look past Cheol to where Minghao is, leaning against one of the birch trees. You want to believe he’s keeping watch but you sense he just wanted to be away from you.  “Why would I make this up?” Rolling your eyes, you shrug and lift your eyebrow, “Oh, I don’t know, so you could sell me into ‘serventry’ or kill me, or both. Just for starters. There are lots of holes in your little story, like, who hired the kidnappers? Something doesn’t add up.” “We just did as we were told. We don’t know anything more. Look, just...” Cheol paces towards you, grabbing onto his sleeve and rolling it up so that his bare forearm is visible.

It’s a Matronan Wyvern Rider brand. You gaze upon the shield with a wyvern outlined in the lightly sun-kissed burnt skin. All royal wyvern riders were branded when their training was completed and they were ushered in. They were practically living legends. Were. Their war methods were found to be too cruel by neighboring kingdoms. In an effort to keep the peace, they were disbanded a few years ago by your father. Your eyes widen. Cheol is Matronan.

“Do you believe me now?” he says, nodding his head towards the brand. Before you can ask anything, he lowers himself to the ground, kneeling on the dry grass, head bowed in respect. “Forgive me, Your Highness.” You’re stunned, you glance at the other boys who stand in the audience—eyes pleading, tight-lipped. “Long live Matrona.” voice coming out in a slight rasp, you speak the old saying. The one that has been long around since before your mother and father, and their mothers and fathers. Cheol whips his head up, eyebrows raised and lips separated before he smiles matter-of-factly. “And long live the crown.”

⟡|⟡|⟡|⟡|⟡

→ CHAPTER 2

well that is the first chapter........and i have this whole thing so planned out its turning into a damn novel lmfao. hope u enjoyed ! dunno when the next chapter will be up, its the main thing im working on these days so it hopefully wont be long.

btw i apologize for all the lengthy descriptions, the boys’ designs are important to me bc i wanted to set the scene + time period. in these first few introductory chapters i’ll be putting the google drive link to the inspirations behind each members’ weapons and outfits that you can view here. (ik i didnt write about chan’s, it wasnt the time for it, his description will come next time but i uploaded his outfit insp anyways)

-deedee